Just a little tip!

Here's the little tip bucket that I made for my Lindsay to put up at her new job. She just started work at the new local pizzeria that opened in town. She's been running the till quite a bit and a few people have been giving her tips and she said she didn't feel it was right for her to keep them even though the boss told her to. She has such a heart of gold (where did she ever get that?) so she asked me to make a container to put on the counter and have it be something to fit into the beautiful decor of Alyce's Palace II. This is what I came up with. As a side note--the food is great, the Butter Fingers are to die for and they have a few tables for dining in as well. It's really a pretty classy place for Pigeon. Just kidding.

Stamp set: Voila, Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White and Cerise designer paper, Stampin' Write Markers, Signo white gel pen, Gingham black and red ribbon, Crop-a-dile to punch holes in bucket--yes it can even punch through tin

Happy Halloween to all and especially to the person who dropped the phantom treat off at my house--whoever you are!

Blessings,

Renee

Happy Halloween Eve!

As you might know I'm not a big Halloween person, but I am a big Fall person. Love the crisp air and the coziness of the season. Here's a little pumpkin decoration for you today. These are very easy to make and can really be made for any season or occasion. I used 12 strips cut 1" x 6". Stack the strips and punch a whole through the whole stack. This is where the Crop-a-dile that SU carries in the catalog comes in handy. You can punch through these like a knife slices through "buttah". Then punch a hole through the other end. Thread you ribbon through, tie a knot and run it through to the other end, knot this end as well. Now spread the strips out to make your ball/pumpkin. I used the 5 petal punch to make a leaf for on top and then used my circles and scalloped punch to make the medallion I hung from the bottom. Now be creative and see what you can make.

Blessings,

Renee

Lantern Tutorial

I know I've promised to do some tutorials for you all and haven't gotten them done. Some of you were even so kind as to point this out to me and for that I say THANKS! LOL I'm learning or should I say trying to learn. This is my feeble attempt at a tutorial. Here goes:
You will need: 1 sheet double sided designer paper 6" x 9"
2 pieces 1" x 9"
ribbon, staples, adhesive, punch, scissors

Fold paper in half the long ways. Using the 1" strip as a guide make 1/2" inch cuts on the fold
side going all the way up to the 1" strip. Unfold your paper and using your adhesive glue the 1" strips to the top and bottom. Now bring the two short ends together and staple on top and bottom using 2 staples in each. You should now have a tube of sorts. Punch holes for you handle and tie ribbon. You can decorate the top strips if you so desire like in the other posting from yesterday. Sorry that my pics weren't very clear, but I'm sure you get the idea. You can hang these up or set on a table and put a battery operated tea light candle inside. Have fun and I'd love to see what you come up with.

Blessings,
Renee

Spread a little light!

This week I was able to stop in at the local Ben Franklin and I got to be the student instead of the teacher. It was fun and Gretchen and Heidi are such sweet girls. They were demonstrating how to make this cute little lantern so I made one and then had to quick run home and make one using my SU paper. The paper they used was for Halloween (of course I picked up a few sheets--one can never have too much paper, now can we?), but I wanted to try one for Christmas. This is what I came up with. Very easy and oh so quick to make. I will post the directions later today, but I have a little running around to do right now. Have a great day. Until later.............................

Blessings,

Renee

Sorry, no postings!

Good morning! Sorry about no postings since Saturday and from the hit counter I see many of you have been looking. I feel like I'm famous or something. Maybe starting this blog will be too much pressure. Seems I have a reputation to keep up with now. Well, I've never had a reputation before. *grin*

Here's a little tidbit to hold you over. I do have some other things to share, but.......well I'll post in the next day or two to redeem myself. Right now my camera batteries are dead. Go figure!

Have a wonderful Fall day!

Hugs!

Renee

Saturday---Finally!

Yes, it is Saturday. For me it seems like it's been a long week. Lots going on--some good and some not so good. Some of the good was that I had 2 parties this week and got to catch up with not only good customers, but great friends. I so appreciate that. As I started to type this I wasn't sure what we'd have for supper, but Frank just called and said we are going to go out for Sweetest Day. Yeah! Just when I think he doesn't get it he does that. This week ended yesterday with news that Frank's employer sold the business. WOW! Could have knocked us over with a feather. No idea this was coming and the first reaction is one of fear and uncertainty. One thing I do know though is that God will take care of us and He will meet our needs. Maybe not all our wants, but our needs. The saying that keeps coming to my mind the last few weeks is "Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful." I can say I do know that in my heart even though I don't always know it in my head. I know many of you go through things that most don't know about, but I hope that maybe I've given you something with these words to encourage you today. There are those of you who send me an email or a great card now and then and even though you may not know it, you encourage me beyond what you know. Some my look at this stampin' and scrapin' business as "playing with paper," but we know it's so much more. Thank you my friends for your love, support and encouragement and I wish you all the very best of "Sweetest Days."

Here's a card for you today. Enjoy!

Blessings,
Renee

Sunny Wednesday

Isn't it great when the sun shines? You will notice that the top of my blog has changed. This is one of my favorite pictures. It is taken on Schwegler Rd. (not sure about the spelling) over near Cass City. It is actually the road right after Self Serve Lumber in Cass City. My friend Anne moved over on the Bay City/Forestville Rd. a couple of years ago and discovered this neat view and actually has pictures of it during all 4 seasons, but of course my fav is Fall. If you get a chance drive over that way and check it out although Anne says it's not quite at peak, but she's keeping me posted.

Here is the box I gave to my wonderful friend and hostess Lori Stone last night at her party. Very easy to make. I'll try and post directions in the next couple of days. It was great to see all the Bad Axe girls who were really the start of my SU business. It was fun and a nice chance to catch up a little.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Blessings,

Renee

Glooooooomy day.....................

I just hate days with no sunshine, but I guess I need to remind myself that this is still "the day that the Lord has made and I should rejoice in it." So I will----try, but I still like sunshine. *wink*

Here are a couple of projects I made yesterday in between being the "secretary/receptionist" of our home. A dozen phone calls yesterday and all from Frank and the girls. Speaking of them....Lindsay officially started her job today at the new pizzeria Allyce's Palace II in Pigeon. I dropped her off at work this morning since Brooke had her car and when I went in to check the place out the first thing her boss says to her is "here you have to program this info into the cash register." Good thing there are young people to take care of all this technology. LOL If you are in Pigeon stop in. The food is great. As mom of course, I'm concerned about Lindsay handling her school work (she's attending Baker College in Cass City), but I know she'll do fine. It's just the "mom thing." Brooke is helping Grandpa at the hunting lodge in between babysitting and school along with she is now doing the cleaning job at Trish's Day Spa alone since Lindsay won't have time to help her. She had her boyfriend Josh help her yesterday. She told him in true Brooke fashion that he needed to learn to do stuff like this because he couldn't expect to go through life not knowing how to clean and other people doing it for him. And no that doesn't sound like anyone I know. *wink*

If you are still with me at this point, I'm sorry to go on about my girls, but you all know they are my life. I have a questions though, will it be OK to still put both their pictures in our Christmas cards this year? Or does that make me a mom who can't let go? Maybe a family picture is in order this year 'cause if I wait until I loose all this weight.........well I'll be WAITING forever I'm thinking. lol

OK, hope you enjoy these projects. I will post another tomorrow after I give it to my hostess tonight. Don't want to take the chance that she might see it early. Everyone likes a surprise.

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Renee

Getting this vibrant color was done using Stampin' Write markers, Aqua painters and Watercolor paper. Fun to do. Call me and book your workshop and I'll show you how.

Stamp Set: Autumn Harvest (Blessings) Star-Studded Season, Jumbo Wheel Rough Textured

Colors: Pumpkin Pie, Choc. Chip and Rose Red.

The jar is an applesauce jar that I attached Dashing Designer Series paper to and some Always Artichoke and Real Red grosgrain ribbon along with some of the Garland Greetings chipboard that I cover with Real Red craft ink. Very easy and makes a nice gift.

As always----questions......... please feel free to contact me.

As Promised

Good Evening! Well as promised I have the surprise I told you about yesterday. I received the OK to post from the originator (Donna Moore) of this wonderful idea. I will try and post a tutorial in the next few days for this, but for now I wanted to show you the card I made. I'm so pleased with how it turned out. Hope you enjoy it.

I also wanted to post the Stampin'Up! special for October. You should be able to find it here http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/US_holiday_glitz_promo_1007.pdf

Well that's all for tonight. Please post a comment and let me know if you are enjoying my blog and if you have ideas of things you'd like to see please feel free to let me know that as well.

Blessings,

Renee

Brrrrrr

Good morning! It's a little chilly this mornin'. I was out of the house by a quarter to 7:00. I went to my sister Michele's to help her get ready for work. Her back is out of place and she couldn't even bend over to turn on the shower. I always knew I was good for something. *Ü* She had to go to work regardless today because her boss and her husband are headed for Saginaw. They are adopting a baby and the birth mother is in labor. Oh, I so hope it's a girl. Michele is going to see the chiropractor this afternoon. Ok, enough about her, let's bring the focus back to me. (where it should be) *Ü*

This is what I made yesterday. Brooke took the van yesterday for the first time. (yeah, she passed her driver's test) so I was without wheels and housework..........nay, not what I wanted to do so I stamped a little. My friend Anne had an adorable baby (Dalton) in May so she has been saving me formula cans. (Thanks Anne!) She was sure I could do something with them. Well, this is what I came up with. I covered the can with SU's new Celebration wrapping paper available in the Holiday Mini Catalog http://catalogs.shoplocal.com/stampinup/index.aspx?pagename=shopmain&fsid=72912cc2-c78c-443b-a48d-b5cdfb8e91cc&storeid=1038724&circularid=11084

The front decorations are stamped with the Merry and Bright set also from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I punched the holes in the side using the new cool Crop-a-dile and put in some of the antique brass jumbo eyelets. Setting these eyelets with the CAD is absolutely the easiest thing to do even if you don't have luck or strength to set eyelets. Both of these are available in the Fall/Winter Stampin'Up! catalog. The colors are Real Red, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and in true Renee fashion I used SU punches-- 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle and the scalloped circle

I only had some red and white stripped mints to put in here, but I thought that some of the Caramel Corn Snack Mix I make would be great too. I decided to include the recipe for you as well. I usually only make this at Christmas time, but now that I've typed it up maybe a fall batch is in order. Hope you like it.

Carmel Corn Snack Mix
8 c popped popcorn (I just use microwave popcorn)
4 c rice cereal squares
2 c mini pretzel twists
1 c pecan halves
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c butter or marg.
1/4 c light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Combine popcorn, cereal, pretzels and pecans in large cake pan (bigger than 9 x 13). I spray it with buttery nonstick cooking spray, but you can butter the pan. Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in 2 qt. saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil over entire surface. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook without stirring for 5 minutes. (Mixture should continue to bubble gently over surface.) Remove saucepan from heat. Quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda, stirring carefully. Pour over popcorn mixture stirring until well coated. Bake 30 min. stirring after 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to parchment paper. Cool completely, breaking mixture into clusters as it cools.Yield: 15 cups

Have a great day and if I get the OK I have another surprise to post either later today or tomorrow.

Blessings,

Renee

Cute Hostess Gift

Just wanted to share this cute idea today. I made this for my hostess the other night. I had a hard time giving this one away since I didn't have any more of the clips. I solved that problem and ordered some from Office Depot and they will be here today. Yeah! Hope you like it.

Stamps: Batty for You, Autumn Harvest, Season by Season

Paper: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie Designer Paper

Ink: Basic Black, Basic Brown

Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aqua painters, Pumpkin pie grosgrain ribbon, black gingham ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scalloped circle punch, white signo gel pen

Ahhhhh the mugginess is gone......

I am so thankful this morning that the mugginess is gone. Frank and I went swimming last night for the last time of the season. No, there are no pictures of that for more reasons than one. *Ü* It felt so strange knowing we were in the pool and it was October. My mind kept thinking it was more like July.

Here's a card to cool you all down and get you to thinking about that nasty word (snow), but you will see it has the word JOY as well so I/we need to concentrate on the good part.

Right? This card style is one I learned from fellow demo Jan Tink. It's a fun card to make. Want to learn how? Contact me and we can set up a time and I'll show you how.

Well I need to get busy for the day. I have a party tonight in Bay Port at Judy Vollmer's. If you weren't invited and want to be a party crasher I'm sure Judy wouldn't mind.

Just a little reminder about the Thankful Garland Class on Oct. 26. You need to register and pay ($30) for this class by this Friday, Oct. 12. Scroll down a little farther and you can see the picture of it. Questions--give me a call.

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings,

Renee

October 8 and 88º in Michigan?

What's up with that? I just went and checked the pool (no we haven't gotten around to closing it yet) and the water is 88º. I can honestly say I've never been swimming in an outdoor pool in October in Michigan. How about you? I think I'm gonna have to make that a priority today just so I can say I did it.

Well on to stamping related things. Here are the projects the ladies completed on Saturday at the World Card Making Day class. The little Halloween treats were something that I had made as a treat for them.

This first card style is called a tri-fold and is a design by Beate Johns. You can view her tutorial here http://http//beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2007/03/02/triangle-trifold-tutorial/ The other one is an idea I got from the Paper Crafts magazine. The star is from Star-Studded Season (pg.10 Holiday mini) along with River Rock, Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate cardstock and Holiday Harmony designer paper and River Rock double stitched ribbon.

The gingerbread house card used Kraft, whisper white, real red cardstock, Cerise designer paper (pg. 172) Stamp set: Perfection Presentation (hostess set) Real Red ink, scalloped circle punch, corner rounder punch(to make ric-rac) 1/4" circle punch, slot punch, gingham ribbon.

This Peaceful Wishes card was cased from another demo (dynout) who cased it from another demo (Donna Wizniuk) over on SplitcoastStampers, I just changed it up a bit. The colors are River Rock, Always Artichoke, Real Red. I used some of the designer paper from the Wintergreen paper and the stamp set used was Peaceful Wishes and the flower is punched using the 5 petal flower punch along with the Spring Flower Bouquet punch. River Rock double stitched ribbon and a rhinstone brad.

This card used our Prints Designer Series Paper from pg. 173 in the catalog. It's Pumpkin Pie. This paper is so yummy. I did the faux stitching using the All in a Row set from pg. 123 in the catalog. It's a great way to get that stitched look without hauling out your sewing machine. Stamp set: Autumn Fest (mini catalog pg.20) Wild Wasabi Cardstock

This is a 3 x 6 card. Colors: Soft Sky (designer paper), Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs (pg. 126), Snow Flurries (pg.39), Star-Studded Season (pg.8-Holiday Mini) Always Artichoke Ribbon (pg.190), Scalloped Circle Punch, Round Tab Punch (pg.183)

These little treats were made using the Scalloped Circle punch for the bottom and then just creating a tube of paper and attaching it with Crystal Effects. Stamp Set: Batty for You, Paper: Creepy Crawly, Basic Black, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Pie Ribbon, gold mini brads

Ok, I guess that's all for today. Hope you enjoyed seeing what we made on Saturday. If you have any questions or would like to know more details or place an order to duplicate any of these projects please feel free to contact me. Now go and enjoy that warm weather.

Blessings,

Renee

A Great Card Making Day

Well, it was a great card making day event. The ladies all liked the cards and as always we had lots of laughs. Debby Baker won the door prize and Myrna Born gets the free stamp set. I'll contact you Myrna to let you know what you get to choose from. Sorry Jessica Z. you didn't win a prize as usual. That darn Mrs. Baker. That lady just has too much luck. Jessica you were the first to post on my blog so I think you deserve a little treat. Be looking for a little surprise soon.

I will post pics of the cards that were made today in the next day or two. I'm too lazy right now to go and load them. I'm on the couch with my laptop and the pics are all on the computer in my office.

Well that's all for now. I'll try and post tomorrow, but you know how I am about my Sunday nap. *wink* Have a great Sunday.

Renee

A Little Sneak Peak

Friday................always been my fav day of the week. Today I'm extra excited because tomorrow I am having my World Card Making Day (WCMD) class and I have 7 coming. And not only because I have 7 coming, but the fact that I have 7 of my "fun to be with customers/friends/family." Now if you are not coming to this event I still consider the rest of you fun and I really wish you were coming too. Maybe next time?

Anyway, I need to get this posted and go back to my prep work for tomorrow, but I wanted to share a pic of one of the cards we will be making. If you coming and like to be surprised----well just don't scroll down. For the rest of you enjoy!

Have a great weekend and check back often. Not sure how often I'll post right now since I'm still learning, but I'll do my best to let you know what I'm up to. I would love it too if you'd drop me a line and let me know what you think, but remember, be nice I'm fragile. *Ü*

Blessings,

Renee

A New Day a New Try

OK I've done a little experimenting and I think I may have what I need to be compliant for my pictures. At least I hope so.

This is the Thankful Garland we will be making on October26. I love the coziness of fall and all the colors that go with it so I'm excited to be offering this class. This was fun to make and I'm looking forward to the class. If you haven't signed up to take this class please remember that your registration ($30) needs to be paid by Oct. 12 so that I can have all the materials ready to go.

I'm off now to get goodies ready for my World Card Making Day class. I have a spot left if anyone is interested, but please contact me ASAP. I love to share and I have some extra things that the ladies don't even know about so shhhhhhhhhhh don't tell.

Learning?????

Ok, I'm back. I tried to make a copywrite mark on this picture to comply with how Stampin'Up! says we need to when we are using their images on web sites, but I'm not sure if this is it or not. Trial and error I guess. I'll have to check with other demos to find out.

I took the plunge!

Yes, I took the plunge and set up my blog. Is it really this easy? I'm sure there must be more to it. I added this picture just to see how this is done. I need to add a watermark to my pictures, but I'm not sure just how to do that so I will need to work on that, but until I do please note that everything used on here is from Stampin'Up!™

This little tin is also a first. I've had it since last March and hadn't gotten around to doing anything with it. Gasp! I know anyone reading this has never done something like that. I thought this turned out pretty good, so now to find more of these tins.