Welcome to our very last VC-Rocks Blog Hop 2012     

Our theme this month is "Punches, Big Shot and Simply Scored".  I want to take this opportunity to thank our coordinator Loni Holt for organizing our monthly hops and trying to keep us in line.  Huge THANX for all your time and energy.

This month, it is my pleasure to be stop #2 (or 3 counting our home blog).  I just love doing these blog hops!   We always start our Blog Hops at our home blog at www.vcrocks.blogspot.com …. Anytime you get lost, just go back there and find your next stop.   If you are following our hop list,, you stopped here after visiting Tania at her www.somethingtoscrapabout.blogspot.com  - she is so creative.

I realized while preparing for this weekend's Blog Hop that I have not posted since our last hop.  I have no idea how life gets so busy for this retiree, but it seems like I don't have time for some of the fun things I like to do, such as keep this blog updated.  It's not that I am not making cards, etc., I just forget to take pix before I send them out.  I just bought a new camera so hopefully that will remind me to take the pix and post much more often ... but I can't promise .... Guess I need to join another group during the rest of the year to be sure I post at least monthly!  There are plenty out there for me to join (if accepted).

My card today uses a LOT of Big Shot products and a punch too .... It was a fun card to make and shame on me, I did make 2 others but sent them out before I took pix.  I CASED a card by Renee O on SCS and changed it a bit to make it 'me' .... anyway, here's my creative bit for today.

I used Whisper White for the base, added a layer of Raspberry Ripple, a new In-Color this year.  I love that we have the In-Colors for 2 years - it is hard to lose some fave colors every year ..... but getting the new colors helps make up for it.  I just cannot make myself get rid of the retired colors, so they are overtaking my stamp cave ... you know, inks, papers, markers, and lots and lots of Designer Specialty Papers - boxes and boxes of them, in fact.  One of these days I will NEED just that special DSP I have been saving and since it can't be replaced, I tend to want to keep it.  Sorry, off topic ... 

My next layer is a strip of White that has been embossed with Delicate Designs Embossing Folder and trimmed with the Large Scallop Framelit.  Then I added a piece of Orchard Harvest DSP from our brand new Holiday Catalog.  By the way, our current mini is no longer a mini, it is like a small catalog, packed full of wonderful new playthings that I just have to own!!!  So my latest personal order was mainly from the Holiday Catalog.  Oops, did it again .... okay, back on subject now ....  on top of the DSP, I added Raspberry Ripple and Whisper White Labels Framelits that I pierced using the Paper Piercing Pack from the Holiday Catalog - how cool and the holes are perfect (not like when I tried to do it myself for sure!)  Then I added a Raspberry Ripple Bitty Banner Framelit piece and White piece I stamped 'Just for You' from the Just Believe stamp set.  I cut both the straight labels then trimmed down the Raspberry Ripple piece so it was not so long.  On top of the White pieces I added Raspberry Ripple butterflies cut with the new Elegant Butterfly Punch - a few Pearls on the butterflies and edge of the embossed white piece finished my card.  The butterflies were attached at the body part with Mini Glue Dots after folding up the wings a bit.  

I really cannot believe how much I use my Big Shot - seems like every card or project I make means using it .... I just love it!!  If you are in my area of Michigan and would like to play with my Big Shot, let me know.  I have been thinking about starting up classes and workshops once again.  

Thank you for visiting - leave a comment and let me know what your favorite color would be for this card, and I will draw a name, make the card just for you and send it on.  I will do the drawing on Monday afternoon or evening.  

Okay, get ready .... your next stop is Jackie's blog at  http://jackielwatson.blogspot.com    - I peeked and I know you will love her card - she used  the new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder - I have it, I love it,  but have not used it yet ... now I am inspired to make some Christmas cards!  And don't forget that you can always go back to our home page at www.vcrocks.blogspot.com anytime .... we don't like it or plan it, but things happen and sometimes our links don't work.  

Again, thanx for stopping by .... I hope you have enjoyed our hops this summer.  May God bless each and everyone of you!!!   Hugs, Sassy Shirley

Here is a complete list of all 19 bloggers this month:

Michelle McCarthy on our home blog – www.vcrocks.blogspot.com  

Tania Brzovic   www.somethingtoscrapabout.blogspot.com  

Shirley Northey    www.stampershirley.blogspot.com

Jackie Watson   http://jackielwatson.blogspot.com 

Janice Heighway   www.stampingwithjanice.com

Shari Dudek    www.sharisstamppad.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Kratzer    www.elizabethsstamproom.blogspot.com

Robin Messenheimer    www.robinscraftroom.com

Gwyn Crawford     www.mustlovestampin.blogspot.com

Carey Rogers    www.pedstamperstampingtreehouse.blogspot.com

June Reister    www.junescreations.blogspot.com

Brenda Hugar    www.brendasstampingcorner.blogspot.com

Jane Hignite    www.stampwithjane.com

Mary Jo Price-Williams    www.technostamper.blogspot.com

Barb Furlong    www.theloveofstamping.blogspot.com

Karen Gibson    www.kraftingwithkaren.blogspot.com

Mary Campbell    www.mimitojett.blogspot.comm

Tricia Butts    www.triciastampingcreations.blogspot.com

Loni Holt     www.loniholt.blogspot.com

It's time for our July Blog Hop!!!!

Yippee ... VC-Rocks July Blog Hop is here!!!!! 

Once again, it is time to find my way into my stamp cave, dust off my stamp pads and get creative.  I love to stamp and use my creative juices, but I just get busy and lazy.  So I am always glad when I get pushed a bit. This month's theme is Hostess Gifts or other non-card items.

You may be arrived here from Elizabeth's blog at  http://www.elizabethsstamproom.blogspot.com/  - such talent!!  Or you may have just stopped by my blog - in which case, I apologize for not being better at posting more often.  It's that's old busy/lazy syndrome, you know ..... OR ... you can go to our home blog at www.vcrocks.blogspot.com at any time to find the complete list of bloggers this month.  Remember that we also have a blogger on our home page so don't miss it!

For my project this month, I chose this Brag Book.  I love making and giving these little photo albums -so easy and your options are wide open as for decorating, depending on the occasion. This one was made for a friend who is in the hospital so she can keep pictures of  her family close by.

 

Above is the front and below is the inside.

Here are the particulars on making these yourself.  If I can help you with supplies at any time, be sure to call me.  I love being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and love all the choices of materials to use for indulging in my fun times. 

Clear Envelope Brag Book    (I got this SCS, made by Corinne Somerville)

Supplies:

4 3/4" x 9 1/4" piece of cardstock for back and spine of book

4 3/4" x 6 1/4" piece of cardstock for front of book

Additional cardstock or patterned paper  and accessories  to decorate                                    

Paper cutter with scoring tool

1/16" handheld circle punch                                              

Clear Envelopes (SU #102619)

Brads

Sticky Strip™ (SU #104294)

Decorate as desired – for my project, I used:   Cardstock: Midnight Muse (love this new In-Color), Rich Razzleberry, More Mustard, Old Olive;  Language of Friendship stamp set,   Accessories:  Scallop Circle, Extra Large Oval and Itty Bitty Shapes Punches; Rich Razzleberry Brads from Brights collection; Pearls Basic Jewel for the bird’s eye

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Score your 4 3/4" x 9 1/4" piece of cardstock at 1" and 2" on the 9 1/4" side.

Step 2: Fold your cardstock over at the 2" score mark. This will form the spine of your book.

Step 3: Apply Sticky Strip™ to the end of the front panel.

Step 4: Adhere the 6 1/4" x 4 3/4" piece of cardstock (your front cover) to the exposed Sticky Strip™.   Step 5: Peel the plastic lining of your clear envelope seal, line the envelope up with the back of your book and tape down. Layer all envelopes on top of each other.  Five envelopes were used here. The envelopes will serve as page protectors for your photos.

Step 6: Use your hole punch to make holes for your brads. You can use your thumb as a ruler on both ends.  The punch will go through both all the cardstock and envelopes with no problem

Step 7: Attach your brads.     Variation: Eyelets and ribbon can be used here instead of brads.

Step 8: Decorate brag book to whatever theme that will hold your photos.

I include one of SU’s clear cellophane bags so if it can be used in a purse, etc. without damaging it.  Another option, depending on the accessories you use, would be to cover it with clear contact paper.

Hope you enjoy this month's project - let me know what you decide to create and sometime before our next month's blog hop I will draw for a prize (yet to be determined, but I've been busy cleaning out my stamp cave so have lots of items that are moving out!  

Your next stop on this month''s Blog Hop is Brenda at http://brendasstampingcorner.blogspot.com/ - I love checking out lots of blogs as often as I can!  And remember, if at any time you hit a snag or get lost, you can always go back to our group's Blog and find the next stop.  We don't like it, but problems do arise and sometimes our blog links just do not cooperate. 

God Bless you all ..... Hugs, Sassy Shirley

Welcome to our June VC_Rocks Blog Hop!!  I am so sorry life did not permit me to take part of the May hop .... but I'm here now!!  You may be following the tour and got here from Mary Campbell's blog at http://mimitojett.blogspot.com  (love her creativity and her pix) .... or you may have just popped in to see what's going on with me.  In either case, you can always go to our home page at any time at http://vcrocks.blogspot.com/ to get the full line-up.    

Our theme this month is any size, any theme cards .... so I chose graduation since that is what I've been making the most lately.  These first 2 cards are just 2 colors of 21 cards I made, changing the colors for different schools and our church graduates.I like to make several cards the same (or mainly) so I can measure and cut and set aside the parts of the cards, plus  cleaning up the stamps, etc. is easier at one time too!!  I am soooo bad about putting the stamps back in their own boxes - I always have a basket full of stamps waiting to find their happy home (I know, shame on me big time!!!)

  

For these particular cards, I used the following supplies --

cardstock: Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

inks: Night of Navy, Rich Razzleberry

stamp sets: retired Great Grads and Tassel Time

accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, retired gold cord

This next card was somewhat CASE'd from Stampin' Success, a great monthly magazine for Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  I changed some supplies to use what I have on hand but the basic card is the same.  It was a fun card to create!!  

 1 

 2   3

The first pix is with the card closed; #2 pix shows it opened with the sentiment and pix #3 is the back of the card, with a slot for a gift card, check or cash.  I used some retired supplies and changed some other things around to make it with what I had on hand but I like it.  I made it with black and silver card stock for this one because Adam chose black and silver as his grad colors. That's just one more thing to like about homeschooling .... 

Hope you enjoy these cards - I KNOW you are enjoying the blog hop!  From here, your next stop is Terri Tank's blog at mystampvault.blogspot.com (another super talented stamping friend) or go to our home page at http://vcrocks.blogspot.com/ at any time in case you get lost or maybe someone's link does not work correctly. 

Leave me a comment and I will send one of you one of the first 2 cards.  

Enjoy the rest of the hop and I will see you anytime you stop by, and next month "at the hop" (gee, that sounds like an old song I remember) ...  lol, those old songs have been running thru my mind because my class reunion is coming up in 2 weeks!!  Can't wait to see my classmates - it will be a fun-fun-fun weekend!!

Hugs to all, God Bless, Shirley

  

Greetings ... I've been running all over the place the past few weeks but thought I had better post a new card.  I haven't been very creative even tho' I have a bunch of new playthings from the upcoming SU catalog ....  I did make some Mother's Day and birthday and anniversary cards for my daughter Pam (and Craig) but did not take pix .... she always has all 3 of these big days within a week ...

Our challenge this week over at VC Rocks was to do some doodling on a card - I used a new stamp set "Papaya Collage" for the frame and bird and then I doodled around the frame, inside and outside.  The colors I used are Calypso Coral and soon-to-be retired Confetti White cardstock ... I will miss that paper for sure.  I used Calypso Coral, Baja Breeze and Daffodil Delight markers for the doodles.  The ribbon is also new - 1/8" Taffeta Baja Breeze.  The brads are not Baja Breeze but they match pretty good - not sure what color they are but guess they are retired by SU sometime back.  Who, me ... a hoarder?  No way - I always end up using my retired supplies sometime!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend - my grandson Adam graduates tomorrow evening with his open house on Saturday.  He, along with all my grandchildren, has been homeschooled and is soooo smart!  Wish he could share some of his techy expertise with me!!  But at least I always know who to call!

See you next week if not before ...

God Bless, Shirley

April 30, 2012 - I'm Back ....

Well, it has been way, way too long since even I visited my own blog.  So sorry, just got busy with life.  Sooo much has happened since October.  I had to stay at the hotel for a full month before I could move back home due to the flood that occurred here at home a few days before Larry passed away.   It was quite a learning experience for me, but I honestly feel that God's Hand was in it all, as it gave me a chance to begin to live without him with not being in our home.  I have been busy sorting out lots of paperwork that Larry kept .... funny how I never knew he saved all his income tax returns since the late 50's!!! lol ... but they have been shredded along with so much other paperwork.  Sure kept me busy for weeks and weeks .....

My grandson got married April 7th - it was a beautiful wedding and I was so happy to be a part of all the festivities.  Josiah and Maigen are very happy together and I pray for a long and happy and joyous life together.

Anyway, so now it is time to get busy creating again.  Oh, did I forget to tell you that I am a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator again?  I decided that I needed to do it for me to keep busy with some fun stuff.  Sadly, I have not been stamping a lot, but I have been having fun with my Big Shot machine - wow, that little bugger can do some cool things.  

The card above was one of our challenges for VC Rocks, our summer group of dedicated and very fun-loving gals is back in session and we have had a fun first month set aside for returning members.  We were to choose a bunch of items earlier then were given one or more challenges each day.  For this challenge, I chose to use Night of Navy, Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry and Confetti White cardstock. We just learned that Confetti White and Confetti Cream will be retiring - they've been around forever and I still love to use them.  Oh well, they come and they go .... The butterflies were made with my Big Shot, my new favorite tool ever that SU has offered.  I fought getting it for a long time because I knew I would want all the accessories ... and sure enough, I do!!  We have had lots and lots of challenges and guess what???  My stamp room was even clean - for a few days anyway.  It is still in a workable condition, so I plan to be more creative and will be posting more often.  Besides, we will be having Blog Hops for your awesome viewing pleasure so I need to be ready.

Looking forward to hearing from you as I get back in the groove.

Hugs to all, God Bless, Shirley