Best of Flowers Cards & Tote

Have a blooming good time making this cheerful and pretty Best of Flowers card tote and cards designed by Sharon Burkert.  In this project you will learn how to make an easy hidden message card and a scaled down version of an easel card.  This set makes a wonderful gift for teachers, co-workers, neighbors, you name it.  It’s another one of the many project tutorials you can get this month at Craft Project Central.  I’ve been really impressed with all the projects, and they look like a lot of fun to make!

Hope you have a wonderful day – and thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy!

Oval Box & Card

Here’s another Craft Project Central project.  This was  created by Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin.  The soft, delicate gift box is perfect for filling with jewelry, candy, or a small gift.  Sturdy, yet elegant, this gift box is sure to be a hit.  Present it with the matching card and have a coordinating gift for that special person in your life.  This project also makes for a fun class or club project!

Subscribe to Craft Project Central for May to receive the tutorials for all the projects this month.  Thay’ve all been so amazing – and there are more to come!

Have a wonderful day – and thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy!

Quick & Easy Bouquet

If you know me at all, you know that I’m not very good with plants and flowers.  Sometimes they survive, but only the very hardy flourish.  And what’s so ironic about that is I’m the current president of the Virginia Horticultural Society Auxiliary.  Funny, right?  But the only qualifications for the position are that you are a member and that you are breathing (and the second is  negotiable).

Imagine how excited I was to see the Bloomin’ Bouquet kit!  It’s only $12.95 for everything you need to create a lovely bouquet of flowers (except adhesive and a vase).  Of course, I had to see how difficult it would be to make my own bouquet.  I have some of the products it looks like the kit has (and some are brand new in the 2013-14 catalog!), so I got out my Secret Garden and Mixed Bunch stamp sets, the Fancy Flower and Blossom punches, and the Secret Garden framelits and went to work.

I used Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White and Bermuda Bay (returning In Color) card stock with daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Island Indigo and Calypso Coral classic ink.  I also punched some flowers from the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack.

Each flower has three layers, and I overlapped the top layer a bit to give it more dimension.  After adding a few buttons and stems,  I had a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.  It really didn’t take very long at all.  I used a glue gun, but the Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Adhesive also works well.

I love the colors, and they really brighten up my dining room.  I have some “real” roses from Mom & Dad, but they’re in the kitchen so I can see them (and smell them!) while I’m working.

Here’s a quick bear update.  I didn’t see anything on the news, but the kids saw Animal Control down the street.  And when I was looking for information on the internet, there was a news item from last September about a bear in our area.  So I’m thinking he or she lives close by.  Maybe this would be a good time to remind people to keep their trash cans covered (like that would keep a bear out!) and bring in any uneaten dog or cat food!

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy – and have a wonderful day!

The Backyard Bear

Life is so exciting.  This morning, Mike decided to do a little yard work before we have the grands over for Wesley’s birthday dinner.  He looked over at our neighbor’s yard, and thought, “Oh, how did our dog get over there?”

We have a ~170-pound Rottweiler named Hoss that we adopted.  We also have a 25-poud Chihuahua/Corgi mix (Walter) that we inherited.  It was the Rottweiler Mike thought was next door.  As the “dog” moved, though, he realized it was about double Hoss’s weight and, well, not Hoss.  It was a huge black bear.

Sadly, although Mike has his phone with him almost all the time, he didn’t this morning since it was drizzling.  So the above photo is not “our” bear; it’s a free stock photo I snatched.  But it looks like the one Mike saw.  We looked all over, but the bear was gone by the time we got back outside.

Interestingly, we do not live in the mountains, or near the woods, or anywhere you’d think a bear would want to hang out.  We live in a subdivision (“Green Acres,” which is hilarious because there are no “acres.”) just off the interstate.  And when I say, “just off,” I really mean it.  It’s basically in our backyard – but there is a small, wooded “no man’s land” between us and the highway.  And I guess that’s where Mr. Bear lives.  Or, at least, visits.

We have decided that Little Walter can’t go outside alone any more.  We usually stay with him anyway, but now we’ll have to be there all the time.  Not to protect him, but to protect the bear.  Walter forgets he’s small, and will probably take the bear on – and win!

Thanks for stopping by!  I’ll have a stamping project for you tomorrow.

Pardon me, Ma’am, but your baby Is missing

First, let me say that this is not a stamping post.  So there won’t be any Stampin’ Up! projects.

Today is my younger son’s 21st birthday.  I know this sounds really trite, but it seems like only yesterday that he was a baby.  I can’t believe he’s 21 – and I feel very old!

I was shopping for his birthday dinner today, and I stopped by the customer service desk at the grocery store to tell them what a great bagger I had.  While I was there, I noticed the lady behind me, was using one of the carts that has a car in the front for little kids to ride in.  Except there wasn’t a little kid.  The car part was empty.

“Um, excuse me,” I said, “but do you know you lost something?”  She laughed and made a comment about her child finding his way home eventually.  I thought that was hilarious, and I was laughing when I went out the door.  Because, that happened to me.  Those car carts are really long, and you can’t really see what’s going on in the car part of the cart.  So around, oh, 18 or so years ago, I was pushing one around the store with two little boys in it.  I turned to look at something on the shelf, then went back to the cart and continued shopping.  I didn’t notice that the cart was much lighter or that it was a lot quieter.  I was just enjoying the peace.  I also didn’t pay attention to the strange looks I was getting.  If you’ve ever been a mom of small children – especially boys – you know what I mean.  You just kind of enter into this fantasy world where you really believe your children have fallen asleep like little angels, and you’re enjoying five minutes of bliss.

After the third, “Cleanup on Aisle 7″ message, I thought maybe I’d check the cart.  Yep.  Empty.  While I was looking at the stuff on the shelves, the boys made their escape and were now terrorizing the store employees and my fellow shoppers.  I quickly collected my kids and ran out the door.  I think that may have been the last time I took them both to the grocery store until they were in high school.

In all honesty, though, my kids were – and are – amazing.  I’m not sure what Mike & I did – except pray a lot – but they turned out very well.  They’re both kind and good, they’re hard workers and have integrity and honesty that will carry them far.   I’m so proud of both of them and I consider myself most blessed among women.

So -Happy Birthday, Wesley Cooper!  I love you lots, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’re going to do.

One More Craft Project Central Creation

Here’s another Craft Project Central project for May.  This is the creation of Donna Centamore, from Butternut Sage Designs.   So – true confession time.  When I agreed to be a guest designer this month, I didn’t realize the other guest designer would be Donna, and I seriously almost cried when I found out.  It’s like putting a kindergartner up against Stephen Hawking in a physics contest.  Donna is amazing, and all of her creations are over-the-top gorgeous.  *sigh* And this one is no different.  I love everything about it.  And it’s such a clever (and cute!) way to package your cards for a gift.  I love the way she has the Swallowtail butterfly image peeking out from behind the torn layers.  Beautiful!!

Remember, you can have the instructions for all the projects for this month for only $10.  Go to the Craft Project Central site to subscribe.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy - and have a wonderful day!

Packed for You – Free Download!

I love digital crafting, and the MDS program from Stampin’ Up! is perfect for me.  It’s easy to use, has tons of Stampin’ Up! images, colors, punches and accessories, new downloads every week – and it’s instant gratification!  Best of all, downloads go straight to your computer, so you don’t have to pay for or wait for shipping.

This week, Stampin’ Up! has a free download for you.  It’s called Packed for You.  It’s a 2-page decor template and 7 punches and coordinates with the You Are So Nice digital kit. Best of all, the price of the MDS program has been reduced, printing prices have been reduced and there’s a great sale going on right now.  You can enjoy 25% off select digital and print products through June 15.  You can see all the newest downloads here.  Order through my web site for quickest service.  It’s easy – and there’s no shipping!

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy!  Have a wonderful day – and don’t forget your free download.