Kathy's Stamping Niche

Hey Frankie!

I'm meeting with my down line on Friday and we are going to stamp all the make-n-takes from the SU Convention.  We are also going to make it our September meeting which means we will be swapping anything Halloween.  Now I, of course, am not thinking.  There is a set I want from the new Holiday Mini but we can't order until September 1st which means I don't have any current Halloween stamps for the swap.  Thank goodness for Dawn Griffith.  Dawn saw a card she fell in love with at Convention and duplicated it when she came home.  She also turned it into a candy bar cover.  Thank you very much Dawn!  Because of you, I have this to swap!

How cute are they?  LOL.  I used the 5.5 oz Hershey's Chocolate Bar.  Old Olive card stock cut to 6 3/4" x 8 1/2" and 2 - 1 3/8" circles.  2 - 1 3/8" Whisper White Circles, 2 - 1" Basic Black Circles, 2 - large arrows from My Way punch in Brushed Silver card stock and 2 pieces of Lovely Lilac cut to 2 1/2" x 4" and 2" x 4" for the hair.

For the eyelids, cut 1 of the 1 3/8" circles in half.  Now cut about 1/8" off the cut side of each half.  Cut the other 1 3/8" circle in half and use for the nose.  Before adhering these pieces with Stampin' Dimensionals, sponge them with Old Olive ink.   Add the mouth and stitches over the eye with a sharpie.  I forgot to put some white into their eyes, but I still think they look alright!

This Frankie is my favorite.  It's amazing to me how different they look because of the mouth!  No stamping, just use Stampin' Up! Punches and a little bit of drawing.  Hope they like them!

Thanks for stopping by!

2nd Monday at Silvercrest - August

Okay, I know, it isn't the 2nd Monday of August but I had to postpone my visit until this week.  So I guess it's the 4th Monday at Silvercrest instead!

We made 2 different cards today.

The first card is using the new stamp set, Flight of the Butterfly and Itty Bitty Backgrounds.  Basic Black, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue and Whisper White Card Stocks were used.  Brilliant Blue and Bashful Blue Classic stamp pads were also used.  Stamp off the Itty Bitty Background stamp using the Bashful Blue Ink on the Bashful Blue card stock.  Stamp flower with Bashful Blue Ink.  Add Bashful Blue 5/8" wide Bashful Blue Grosgrain Ribbon and 3 Black Brads.  Stamp the small butterfly in Brilliant Blue ink on Bashful Blue card stock, cut out and adhere with a Stampin' Dimensional.  This card was copied from the Art of the Heart Celebrate 08 CD.

The second card features the Eastern Blooms stamp set and the words are from the Big Birthday Candle stamp set.  Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink and Whisper White card stocks are used.  Stamp the flowers in Pretty In Pink ink onto the Pretty In Pink card stock.  Ink the main image using a Chocolate Chip marker for the branch and Regal Rose Marker for the flowers.  Stamp on Whisper White card stock.  Layer everything together and tie the Pretty In Pink Taffeta ribbon on and stamp words in Chocolate Chip ink.  This card was also on the Art from the Heart Celebrate 08 CD.

If you are a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator I highly recommend you purchase this CD when it becomes available.  There are hundreds of samples using Flight of the Butterfly, Eastern Blooms and Inspired By Nature.  Well worth every penny spent!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mini Convention Swap - Part 3

Here are the last couple of cards that were swapped and a few 3D items as well.

Lori Robinson created this card.

Mary Hetherington made this card.

This is my card that I CASE'd from Splitcoast Stampers. 

Just like at Convention, some of the ladies were swapping 3D items.  This coaster post-a-note holder was made by Lori Robinson.

Kathy Tapp gave everyone a fan.  It came in handy too!

Robin Rouch's 3D swap item was this cute little post-a-note holder that you could attach to your purse or key chain.

Everyone did a wonderful job with their swap cards.  Thanks ladies!

Mini Convention Swaps - Part 2

Holy Smokes!  I prematurely posted part 1 and since I'm not computer savvy, decided to go with the flow and just add another part to the Mini Convention Swaps.  The last post was going to have another 3 cards so here they are!

Jan Bliss did this very elegant card.

Our friend Jann Patton created this card.

Robin Rouch shared this swap card.

My good friend Peggy Waters made this card.

Kathy Tapp even sewed on her cards!

There are a few more swap cards and even 3D swaps to share and I will post them tomorrow.

Mini Convention Swaps - Part 1

Just like any Stampin' Up! Event, we swapped card fronts at the Mini Convention.  Here are a few of them.

Bernice Onoro swapped this card.

Although she wasn't able to be with us, Cherie Zuniga's card was!

My down line, Cindy Fuller, made this card.

I Got an Award!

Sandie in Australia, gave me the "I Love Your Blog" Award.  Check out her cool blog.  Thanks for the Award Sandie.  Now I'm suppose to nominate 7 blogs.

Check out:

1. Jay's Blog Indio Inklings  She has wonderful information on using die cuts. 
2. Patty Bennett's Blog Patty's Stamping Spot.  Always sharing something new.
3. Jackie Topa's Blog Addicted to Stamping.  What a talent!  Great projects.
4. Extreme Cards and Papercrafting.  Not sure who is behind this site, but I LOVE cards that move and this site shares all types of moving parts!

I know, this isn't 7 blogs; but these are my absolutely favorites and I always learn something from them.  I'm sure you will too!

My WOW Convention Swap

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.  I came down with the stomach flu last week and it just wiped me out.  I'm still not 100%, but I'm doing fine and am ready to share.

I participated in a WOW swap at Leadership and made Star Books.  Even though I didn't make it to Convention, my WOW swaps did!  LOL.  My friend Blythe received them at her hotel and swapped them for me.  I made a Never Ending Cube.

Okay, I actually made 18 of them.

This is the cube's top and front.  Celebrate You is from the Party Hearty stamp set.

This is the right side of the cube.

Here's the back of the cube.

This is the left side of the cube.

This is the cube opened once.  These words are from the Dreams du Jour stamp set.

This is the cube opened for the third time.  The words are all from Wonderful You stamp set.

Opened for the fourth time, you have this piece on one side.  The last time I enclosed instructions on how to make the Star Book but I decided I could email them instead.

On the opposite side of the cube that has the writing, you see this.  Stamp from Dreams du Jour stamp set.

This is the cube after you open it five times.

This is the cube after you open it six times.  The left side is the bottom of the cube.

After flipping the cube seven times you are back where you started.

I used 1" wood cubes that I purchased from Casey's Wood Products.  They had great prices and the best service.  Bella Rose Designer Series Paper was also used.  I ran the DSP through the Xyron and if I needed a little more sticky, I just put a very little bit of the Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue to hold the rest of it down.  The white paper is actually MACtac Metro 60# Gloss, Permanent Self-Adhesive Paper.  I have had this paper for well over 10 years and love it!  It is basically sticker paper with shine!

I plan on doing a class, but if you would like to make your own cube you are welcome to purchase a kit.  The kit will include 8 wood blocks, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper that has been run through the Xryon, cut self-adhesive paper for the inside of your cube and directions on how to make your cube.  The price of the kit is $25 and includes priority mailing to you.  I will place an order for the supplies on September 1st and hope that kits will start shipping out around September 15th. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I have lots to share and hope to post everyday this week.

The Color Chart

As promised, here's the color chart.  I re-did the front with a stamp-a-ma-jig because being off-centered bother me!

The cover is Kiwi Kiss layered with Pink Pirouette and Whisper White.  Baroque Basics Stamp Set was used with Kiwi Kiss Ink and flowers stamped on Pink Pirouette card stock with Pink Pirouette Ink.  The words were done with the Make Me A Memory Font, Volume II and then the designer series punch used as well as the Styled Silver Hodge Podge Hardware.

This is the In Color page.  Oops, I just notice that the 12x12 Textured Card Stock isn't listed.  Guess I'll have to write it in by hand.  I used a stamp from the Always set to stamp the ink.

This is how one of the regular family colors look like.  This is half of Bold Brights.  Bold Brights, Soft Subtles, Earth Elements and Rich Regals are on 2 different pages.  The In Colors and Neutrals are just on one page each.  Blank Color Charts like this are available for SU Demonstrators under Stampin' Success, August 2006.  You just have to change the name of the In Colors and white out the page numbers.

I love having mine and I'm sure everyone that came to the Mini Convention loves having theirs.  Thanks for stopping by!

I've been tagged!

I was tagged almost a month ago by Sara Mattson-Blume and was very busy getting the Mini Convention together and I forgot.  I honestly think it's quite an honor that someone I don't even know thinks I'm tag worthy.  Thank you Sara and I apologize for not being very timely with this.

Here's my sharing of 7 random and/or weird facts about me.

1. I have worn glasses since the 7th grade.
2. I will do almost anything for anybody if you ask nicely.
3. I wear a size 6EE shoe.  Actually a 5EEEE if I could find them.  I just really need to cut off my little toe and that side of my foot and maybe I could fit into a regular width!
4. If you have come to my house you already know that I am NOT a house keeper.
5. I am not a scrap booker, but will do what I have to do when needed.
6. Sometimes I can't keep my mouth shout.  A Man in the PO left trash on the table so I say, "Excuse me Sir, but there is a trash can just a foot away for you."  I'm sure one of these days, POW, right in the kisser!
7. I once took a dive into a swimming pool at our office Christmas Party for $50!  I was very poor then!  That's my defense and I'm sticking to it!

I'm suppose to tag 7 more people, but to be honest; everyone I know has been tagged to death so I'm going to be a maverick!  If you are reading this and have a blog, consider yourself tagged!  Let me know if you have written your 7 things.  I would LOVE to get to know you better!

Les' Asian Pasta Chicken Salad Recipe

If you've been following my blog, you know that I am one lucky gal!  My DH, Les, does 99% of the cooking and shopping AND does a much better job of both of them then I would!  He is a fabulous cook and can throw things together and they most always turn out delicious.  I have to go strictly from the recipe and they don't always turn out.  Here's his recipe for the Asian Pasta Chicken Salad he made for the Mini Convention.

Les' Asian Pasta Chicken Salad Recipe

• 1 pound cooked Angel Hair Pasta
• Whole Chicken - cooked, deboned and cubed
• 4 or 5 Red Bell Peppers - cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 or 3 Zucchini and/or Japanese Eggplant - cut lengthwise, into quarters then into 1/2" pieces.
• 1 bunch thinly sliced raw Green Onions
• 1 bunch raw Cilantro, loosely chopped, stems & leaves

Using 1 or 2 Tablespoons of oil, pan fry bell peppers and zucchini and eggplant in small batches until slightly browned over high heat, using stir fry method.  DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Cook pasta and drain.

Do not cook green onion or cilantro.  Use fresh.

Mix all with sauce below.

Les' Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing Recipe

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Sesame Oil
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• White Vinegar to fill

In the container you use to make ranch dressing in (you know, the one from Tupperware of the one's you get every so often to make Ranch Dressing in) mix oil, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar - LEAVING ROOM AT THE TOP TO ADJUST INGREDIENTS IF NEEDED.  Mix well or SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!

Add more of each as need:

• Need more sesame taste? Add a little more
• Salty - more vinegar

Just try to balance the flavors between salty, sweet, vinegar and oil.  You can serve this dish hot or cold, but cold is what we prefer.  Good luck!

Les wanted you to know that we use this salad dressing when we make Chinese Chicken Salad.  It's made with chicken, shredded cabbage and Nissin brand ramen noodles.  Has to be Nissin because it's the only instant ramen noodles that have the flavor on the noodles. 

This is what the package looks like.  Most Asian stores should carry them.  Enjoy!  Both salads taste great and I'm sure you will enjoy them.