Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Back from Alaska!

We have returned from Alaska - a trip I will NEVER forget! I saw the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life on this trip. I had an incredible time with my husband and my Stampin' Up! friends! The picture above is the Celebrity Infinity as we were boarding in Seattle, Washington. So many things are happening before a ship sets sail, adding to all the excitement!
All of the cruise achievers had this magnet stuck to their doors - a nice welcome! So many of my buddies were on the same floor, so we could stand on our balconies and talk with each other. Ruth Bingle was right next door to me! That made me very happy!
Me and Randy on our first formal night. I had so much fun with my dinner mates Nancy Thompson and Catherine Harwood. I ate more food than I should have, but hey, isn't that what a cruise is for?
In Victoria, Canada, I twisted Randy's arm to experience a "high tea" with me at the famous Empress Hotel. It's something I've always wanted to do - and where better to do it than at The Empress, right? I really enjoyed it. We had tea, of course, with finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts. It was more than I could eat, but I had a super time. These are the gals that had high tea with us - other Stampin' Up! demonstrators, of course!
Pictures from the high tea at The Empress. Those strawberries were huge and so delicious.
Pictures from the high tea at The Empress. The scones were out of this world, and when paired with an orange cream butter and strawberry jam, I was in heaven!
That's me way up there at the top of the stairs! The hotel is covered with ivy and it looks so beautiful. Victoria, Canada is gorgeous! The homes and the scenery are unbelievable, most homes having a view of the ocean and the mountains. I think I could live there, too! Many retired people live there because of the climate, but many young newlyweds are moving in, too! It is quite expensive to live there. The average home goes for around $650,000. The flowers and gardens in Victoria are stunning! Our tour guide told us they have a saying about Victoria: Newlyweds, garden beds, and nearly deads! Ha!
The picture above is Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska. The street is made of wood and is on pilings. Set beneath the beautiful snow-covered mountains, it was simply gorgeous and I loved spending time there. I can't imagine what it would be like to wake up every morning to that kind of scenery. Certainly would get your day off to a good start, I would imagine!
The little green house above is the famous Dolly House, which used to be a brothel. I purchased a great watercolor picture of the same picture above. Whenever I travel, my favorite thing to purchase as a souvenir is a watercolor picture of where I've been.
Salmon market in Ketchikan, Alaska.
As we were docked in Ketchikan, this was the scene from our balcony. I enjoyed sitting on my balcony and looking at those snow-covered mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous.
That's a bald eagle on top of that building! We saw LOTS of bald eagles on this trip.
There was really good shopping in Ketchikan and I'm sure they were happy I showed up! I spent a good amount of money there!
The picture above is from the Tracy Arm Fjord. If you EVER have the opportunity to pass through the Tracy Arm Fjord, you must do it. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life - and it lasted for four hours! You must be on a cruise ship, though, that has a reinforced hull to go through the icebergs or you will miss out on it. It was simply magical - almost felt like we were in a fairytale and that it couldn't be real, but it was. I was awestruck for four hours.
Me and Randy on the back of the ship going through the Tracy Arm Fjord. We stood out there for hours drinking coffee and taking it all in. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Icebergs in the Tracy Arm Fjord. Yes, they are a beautiful blue! There were hundreds of waterfalls throughout the Tracy Arm Fjord. Waterfalls are a favorite of mine!
We were able to get really close to the Sawyer Glacier in the Tracy Arm Fjord. I have never seen anything like it in my life. It is indescribable. You just have to experience it yourself to feel the majesty. Words fall short.
Passing through the Tracy Arm Fjord. Those are clouds hanging in the air, not fog.
Passing through the Tracy Arm Fjord.
The Red Dog Saloon in Juneau, Alaska. We tried to get in, but it's very popular, and there was a long wait!
One of the excursions we did in Skagway was to canoe up to the face of the Davidson Glacier with my good friend Judy Garza and her husband Pablo. We had to first take a catamaran to get there! This is Judy and Pablo on the catamaran. Isn't she cute with her fur hat? We had a blast with them!
After the canoe trip, we were able to go shopping in Skagway, which turned out to be the best shopping of all. I could have spent hours there. They have a wonderful fudge shop, so you know I was all over that. The fudge was incredible - wish I had bought more! We stopped inside the Red Onion Saloon where Randy had a beer and I had a Margarita. We could see that gorgeous mountain from our table and I had to pinch myself to see if I was really there!
Shopping in Skagway. No matter which way you turn, you are surrounded by incredible mountains. The people in Skagway are so lucky to see that every day.
Me and Randy are all dolled up in our canoeing gear. Behind us is the Sawyer Glacier that we'll be canoeing to.
To get to the canoes, we had to walk a quarter mile through the wilderness. You could smell the fresh pine. It was lovely. We had to be on the lookout for bears, which at first kind of scared me, but then I realized it would be AWESOME to actually see one! We did see a black bear, but it wasn't on this excursion. Pretty cool!
Here is the Davidson Glacier that we canoed up to. It was spectacular to get that close. There were rushing waterfalls nearby that you could hear and there were eagles flying around, too. It was something I'll never forget.
As we were rowing back in our canoes, here's what we could see. All around you is nothing but gorgeous scenery like this. How can anyone question that there's a God?
Scenery on our canoe trip in Skagway. I was sad that my kids weren't here to see all of this beauty. I'm determined to take them there someday. Thank you, Stampin' Up!, for allowing this wonderful trip of a lifetime to happen. I'm one lucky, thankful, and very happy girl! I had a wonderful time and many incredible memories.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder Sample!

Just recently I held my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. One of the items we made was a scrapbook, made using the Scallop Envelope Die. I was telling everyone that I thought it would be GORGEOUS to make one of those albums in all vanilla - probably to be used for wedding photos - and I finally got a chance to sit down and make ONE envelope, but you'll get an idea of how pretty it would be to do six envelopes like this and tie them all together for a wedding gift. Can't you just imagine how gorgeous it would be with black and white photos of the bride and groom in the little envelopes? Adding the pearls on the envelopes.......ooh la la! Oh, jeepers, I'm melting over here. I don't know what it is about all white or all vanilla, but gosh, it gets me every time! Have a nice day!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Easter Blossoms My Digital Studio Sample!

During the Alaskan cruise, my husband and I have been assigned dinner mates - Ms. Nancy Thompson and Ms. Catherine Harwood! I guess I'll make two new friends! I wanted to give each of them a card letting them know how pleased I am that we've been chosen to be dinner mates and that I hope long-lasting bonds of friendship are formed. I made this hybrid My Digital Studio card to give to each of them and I was pleased with how it came out. I added color to the flowers by selecting a punch, filling it with color, and then making it small enough to fit inside the flowers. I then used a Certainly Celery marker to color in the leaves. I especially love the stitching on the top. You can barely see it in the picture, but it's beautiful in real life. I absolutely love My Digital Studio, and now that I've got this card saved, anytime I need a quick card, all I have to do is just print it! Very convenient - and I love that! To order My Digital Studio and its downloads, visit my 24/7 online store at www.pennythomas.stampinup.net and click on "Shop Now"!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Just Believe Card Sample!

We received some sad news this week in The TOPICS!. One of our stampin' sister's father died unexpectedly on Sunday. I can't imagine losing my father, so my heart is broken for her. She requested that we send cards to her mother, so I sat down last night to make a sympathy card. I think sympathy cards can be rather tricky. Trying to hand-stamp something that will reflect the seriousness of the occasion is a challenge. I saw this pretty card on Stampin' Connection (don't know who designed it) and changed it just a small bit to suit me. I think it turned out nicely and I hope it's appropriate.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Easter Blossoms Card Sample!

One of our stampin' sisters in The TOPICS! is having surgery today. It's not very often that I sit down and create my own card, so I hope she'll know how special she is! I don't feel that my "art" is necessarily the best, so I'd rather case others who have phenomenal work. I must say, though, that this card turned out quite nicely, so now I think I'm "hot snot!" NOT! Well, maybe for a few seconds, anyway! Have a great recovery, my stampin sister! We're all thinking of you and hoping you'll recover quickly so you can get back out on that golf course! To order Stampin' Up!'s amazing products, visit my 24/7 online store at www.pennythomas.stampinup.net and click on "Shop Now."

Monday, May 16, 2011

Timeless Treasures and Elizabeth Card!

LUSCIOUS, don't you think? You can get so much mileage out of this card! The greeting could easily be changed to "Happy Mother's Day" or even "Congratulations on Your Wedding"! Classy, elegant, and super-easy! This is one of the cards we made at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp! I love girly-girl things! This adorable card design came from Ilina Crouse. The recipe is below. To order these girly-girl products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Recipe: Paper: Very Vanilla - 11 X 4-1/4; Very Vanilla scrap Stamps: Elizabeth; Timeless Treasures Inks: Crumb Cake; Soft Suede Miscellaneous: Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon - 15-1/2" long; Scissors; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Paper Snips; Stampin' Dimensionals; Basic Pearl Jewels

Bold Blossom Card Sample

Isn't this adorable? I copied it directly from the Summer Mini Catalog. It's so pink and girly-girl - and I am into that right now! We made this at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. The recipe is below. To order these great products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Recipe: Paper: Blushing Bride - 6-1/4 X 4-1/2; Whisper White scrap; Baja Breeze scrap; Soft Suede scrap Stamps: Bold Blossom (Summer Mini Catalog) Inks: Blushing Bride; Versamark; Old Olive Marker Miscellaneous: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder; Big Shot Machine; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Clear Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Triple Layer Blossom Bouquet Punch; 1" Circle Punch; Paper Piercer with Mat; Silver Brad; Stampin' Dimensionals; Decorative Label Punch; SNAIL Adhesive; Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen

Elements of Style Card Sample!

Here's a beautiful card we made at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. I got this great card idea from Dawn Olchefske - let me rephrase that - from the AMAZING Dawn Olchefske! It's called a V-Latch card and we had lots of fun with this! The recipe is below. To order Stampin' Up! products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Recipe: Paper: Not Quite Navy - 12 X 3; River Rock - 3 X 1-1/2; Marina Mist - 3 X 1-3/4; Very Vanilla scrap; Marina Mist scrap; River Rock scrap; Template to find the center - 3 X 2 and folded in the middle Stamps: Elements of Style; Four Frames Inks: Not Quite Navy; Marina Mist Miscellaneous: Paper Piercer with Mat; Paper Trimmer; SNAIL Adhesive; Decorative Label Punch; Paper Snips; Blender Pens; Basic Pearl Jewels; Stampin' Dimensionals

Sail Away and The Open Sea Card Sample!

WOW! As I was perusing Stampin' Connection looking for great card samples, THIS one caught my eye! It looks like something you'd find in an old captain's log, weathered, worn, and beautiful! Ann Schach is the designer of this card! We made this at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp - and this would be the one thing he! The recipe is below. To order amazing Stampin' Up! products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Recipe: Paper: Very Vanilla - 11 X 4-1/4; First Edition Designer Series Paper - 4 X 3; Very Vanilla - 4 X 3; Very Vanilla - 4-1/2 X 1; Very Vanilla (5-1/2 X 4-1/4 - for the inside of the card); Very Vanilla scrap Stamps: The Open Sea; Sail Away; Teeny Tiny Messages; French Foliage Inks: Soft Suede; Versamark; Soft Suede Marker Miscellaneous: Stampin' Sponge; Stamp-a-ma-jig; White Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Paper Piercer with Mat; Natural Hemp - 11" long; Scissors; Stampin' Dimensionals; Cutter Kit; Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch; SNAIL Adhesive; Modern Label Punch; Natural Hemp - 8" long; Antique Brads; Color Spritzer Tool

On the Grow Card Sample!

Here's another one of those cards I love - simple and classy! This great idea came from Sharon Field and I copied it el pronto! I could sit and look at it all day - and I have been! We made this card at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. The recipe is below. To get these fantastic products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Recipe: Paper: Whisper White - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2 Stamps: On the Grow Inks: Basic Gray; Basic Black; Certainly Celery; Old Olive Marker; Baja Breeze Marker; Bashful Blue Marker Miscellaneous: Blender Pen; Crystal Effects; Basic Pearl Jewels; Paper Snips; Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon - 18" long; Scissors; Stamp-a-ma-jig

Scallop Envelope Die Scrapbook!

In recognition of National Scrapbooking Month, here's a cute little scrapbook made from the Big Shot Scallop Envelope Die. We used the new Beyond The Garden Designer Series Paper for the scrapbook and the Bold Blossom stamp set out of the Summer Mini Catalog. Bright and cheerful? You betcha! I would love to put black and white photos on these little pages. The little rhinestone flower is a cute way to pull out the pages. We made this scrapbook at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. The recipe is below. To order these beautiful products to make a scrapbook of your own, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now"! Recipe: Paper: All of the following papers were cut to 5-1/4 X 5: Wild Wasabi; Pacific Point; Melon Mambo; Tangerine Tango; Daffodil Delight; Beyond The Garden Designer Series Paper; Whisper White - 3 X 2-3/4 (6); Whisper White scrap; Wild Wasabi scrap; Melon Mambo scrap; Pacific Point Scrap; Tangerine Tango scrap Stamps: Bold Blossom Inks: Tangerine Tango; Daffodil Delight; Melon Mambo; Pacific Point; Wild Wasabi Miscellaneous: Big Shot Machine; Scallop Envelope Die; SNAIL Adhesive; 1" Circle Punch; 3/4" Circle Punch; Basic Rhinestone Jewels; Paper Snips; Decorative Label Punch; Stampin' Dimensionals; Crop-A-Dile; Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon - 12" long; Scissors; Paper Trimmer; Mini Glue Dots; Kitchen Sink

Beyond the Garden Clear Stamp Case!

I've seen quite a few clear stamp cases all decorated up and I thought it would be a fun project to try. With all the beautiful colors in the Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper, it makes a cheerful and bright organizer for your purse! It's light enough to carry around in your purse and when you need it, it's fun to pull it out and open it up to see all the pretties inside, including a matching pen! We made this project at my All Things She and One Thing He Camp Wannastamp. The recipe is below. To order these products, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Have a nice day! Recipe: Paper: Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper - 10-5/8 X 7; Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper - 5 X 1; Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper - 5-1/4 X 5 (for the scallop envelope); Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper - 3-1/4 X 1 (for the pen); Whisper White - 5 X 1; Melon Mambo - 3-5/8 X 2-1/2; Whisper White scrap; Melon Mambo scrap Stamps: Tiny Tags; Lovely Letters Alphabet Inks: Melon Mambo Miscellaneous: Clear Stamp Case; SNAIL Adhesive; Scallop Trim Border Punch; Scallop Circle Punch; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; 1-1/4" Circle Punch; 2011 Calendar; Big Shot Machine; Scallop Envelope Die; Large Paper Clip; 3/4" Circle Punch; 1/2" Circle Punch; Stampin' Dimensionals; White Notepad; Sticky Strip; Pen

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch Frame

Awwww, this is sweet! Cute little things like this always make me smile! I have a black frame that I like to put a different stamped picture in each month. I thought it would be fun this month to use the new Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch (122464) and the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335) for the picture. I like how it turned out! All of our stamping supplies can be used for home decor, too! To order these fun products (except the frame, of course), visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Mr. Brown will be happy to deliver it to you!

Monday, May 9, 2011

A Promotion Celebration!

I know you've seen this picture of Marilyn Devereaux-Ruffin before, but it's time to show it AGAIN! Ms. Devereaux-Ruffin has exceeded my wildest expectations! She has promoted to a Supervisor, meaning she has her first recruit! Marilyn, you are one of my favorite people to talk to because you are so motivated, positive, and determined. You are a shining star! After I hang up the phone from talking with you, I need to do 25 jumping jacks to release all that energy you've created! That is a gift! You are one exceptional person, my friend, and I know there will be many more recruits in your future! Congratulations on your promotion! SHINE, MARILYN, SHINE!

My Digital Studio Creations!

Whenever I get a chance, I jump onto My Digital Studio and make something. My favorite download right now is the Elizabeth stamp. Here's a cute hybrid card I made in an opaque Baja Breeze color to match the ribbon. It's called a "hybrid" because I added my own ribbon and rhinestone jewel. I also made a home decor item using a picture of my daughter and her boyfriend (unfortunately, I caught my reflection in the glass - do you like my pajamas?)! I also made a cute insert for the Simply Adorned necklaces - all made using My Digital Studio. My Digital Studio is AWESOME! To order My Digital Studio, visit my 24/7 online store at http://www.pennythomas.stampinup.net/ and click on "Shop Now." Have a super day!

Friday, May 6, 2011

The Alaskan Cruise!

I received this card in the mail and I was thinking, "Huh? What have I been invited to?" Well, when I opened it up, my husband and I have been invited to have dinner with a member of the Stampin' Up! Board of Directors while on the Alaskan cruise! I can't believe it! That is so special! I have heard of gals in the past being invited to dine with Stampin' Up! before, but in the nine years that I've earned cruises, it's never happened to me, so needless to say, I AM EXCITED! Now, what to wear, what to say, what to do, how to act.............oh, get over it and just have fun, right? I can do that!
The day after I received that card, this packet was delivered to my house: MY CRUISE DOCUMENTS! Now I'm getting really excited! Notice the cute little rubber stamp on the front of the pouch? It says, "Made for You." I love it when Stampin' Up! puts rubber stamps on things we get! After all, that's what we're all about! THANK YOU to all of my WONDERFUL clients who supported me over this past year to help me earn this trip on sales alone! I wouldn't be setting sail without YOU! Why, if you were standing in front of me right now, I'd plant a big one on ya'!!!! YOU'RE THE BEST! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Quilted Cards!

While we are all excited about the quilted cards right now, I thought I would show you a couple more that I've made. I was curious whether making one all the same color would look good, and I think it does! I did it all in Baja Breeze and it turned out gorgeous! The one directly above was made using a 1-1/4" Square Punch instead of a 3/4" square punch that we did at my last stamp camp. Bottom line: You can't go wrong with quilted cards no matter what color paper or what size punch you choose! Don't you think this is an incredible way to use up all of those Designer Series Paper scraps you have everywhere? Enjoy looking - and have a nice day! To order Stampin' Up! products, visit my 24/7 online store at www.pennythomas.stampinup.net and click on "Shop Now."