Background Card Swap/Cards Received from Four Legged Animals Swap

I made this card for a Background Card Swap.  I used an embossing folder that has a bird sitting on the tip of some grass.  I used my Cuttlebug embossing machine to do it.  The card base is a gray blue.  I added the lavender band for some color.  The white punched circle strip was done with a EK Success border punch.  I had some trouble using the punch.  Then the butterflies were punched with a Martha Stewart punch, popped up with foam tape and pearl stickers in the middle of them.  Added the blue rhinestone stickers on the bottom to finish off the card.

I received the next 3 cards from a swap called "Four Legged Animals".  This was a huge swap, 29 categories with over 200 people participating.  I signed up in the hedgehog category.  The cards I received are really adorable.  I love all three of them.

I used my new card holder to prop the cards up.  I have been looking for something to hold my card when we do our Shoebox swaps.  I saw several web sites that had place card holders.  I found a shop on Etsy that had these clay figures.  So I ordered a lady bug and a ladybug with flowers on a leaf.  I got them and was so disappointed.  They were too small to use...the card just toppled over.  I sent an email to the lady I bought them from and long story short...she designed this one especially for me.  I didn't read the descriptions very well on the first two...I was totally frustrated with myself.  The leaf is a little larger with a larger clothespin on the back that holds the card.  On the leaf are sitting 2 adorable ladybugs and 2 flowers.  I love them...and as you can see, it works fine.

Retired Stampin' Up Stamp Sets for Sale

Background Basics - $5

Happy Birthday Frame - SOLD

Around/About - $5

Bitty Bouquets - $5 - SOLD

Simple Somethings - SOLD

Beyond the Basics - $5

A Tree for all Seasons - $5 - SOLD

Birthday Best - $5 - SOLD

Itty Bitty Backgrounds - $5

Simple Wishes - $5 - SOLD

Little Shapes - $5

Best Blossoms - $5 - SOLD

Happiest of Holidays - $5 - SOLD

Daisy Days - 2 step - SOLD

Just Journaling - $7 -SOLD

Fun Filled - $7 - SOLD

Little Layers - $7 - SOLD

Simple Florals - $7 - SOLD

Fun Phrases - $7 - SOLD

Simple Sayings - $7 - SOLD

Figures of Speech - $10 - SOLD

Occasionally - SOLD

Flower Factory - $10 - SOLD

Border Builders - $10 - SOLD

All Occasions - $10 - SOLD

Fresh Flowers - $10 - SOLD

The Shape of Things - $10

Do the Hula - $10 SOLD

All Around Alphabet/Upper - $14

Headline Alphabet - $14 - SOLD

I am motivated to dispose of these sets. I will accept all reasonable offers.

My Hosted SCS Swap "Spring Is In The Air" Card Kits & Shoebox Card Swap, April 2, 2011

I hosted my third swap on Splitcoast Stampers which ended on March 31st.  I was finally able to swap these cards out yesterday and finished getting them mailed today.  This was a card kit swap.  So here's a few pictures of the kits spread out on the dining room table.  There were 12 ladies that participated so it didn't take long to swap them out.

Nor Cal Paper Crafters Shoebox Card Swap, April 2, 2011.
I hosted this swap here at our mobile home park.  We met in our clubhouse and had a potluck too.  There were 13 of us enjoying the day.  Our theme was Mother's Day and Birthday cards.  Our group was started in April of 2009 so we were celebrating our 2nd anniversary as a group.

This is my Mother's Day card.  I had all intentions of  making a birthday card, however, it seemed like I was being encouraged to make a Mother's Day card instead.  I struggle with Mother's Day every year, especially since my mother passed away.  And Denise, my daughter, lives so far away.  So I decided to make the card very "girly".  I was proud of myself that I used paper and card stock I had and didn't have to go buy anything.  In fact, I have been hoarding this paper.  It is by Basic Grey and difficult to find...I think it has been discontinued.  Anyway, I was quite pleased with the way it turned out.

Tyana did 2 cards, this is her birthday card.

And her Mother's Day card.  Both are so adorable IRL (in real life).

Bonnie's card.

Linda's Mother's Day card.

Jenni did 2 cards...this is her birthday card.  I love this SU stamp set.  I think its been retired.

Her Mother's Day...she used the same paper that I did on my card.  She said she found hers at a Michael's in Woodland.

Rhonda's birthday card.

 Karen's card.  I messed up on placing the leaves for the flowers... :(

 Rhonda's second card.  Love the colors she used.

Sue's Mother's Day card.  Sue's daughter Renee is one of the original members of our group.  Sue is a sewer....this was the 2nd swap she has participated in with our group.  She was so proud of herself that she did this all by herself without help from Renee.  She did a great job.

Wendy's card.

Alex's card.  I did my card a little differently than Alex's sample.  She tied the ribbon in bows on the right side.  I don't do bows very well so I put one ribbon on top of the other and placed it across the panel.  I think it looks really cute.  Alex and Wendy live in Oroville so they had quite a drive into Sacramento.  This was the second swap that they've attended.

Joyce's card.

And Julie's card.  The cards were all fantastic.  We have a great group of ladies that participate in our Shoebox swaps and we always look forward to getting together.  We'll get together again the end of June.

Along with this swap, we had a sale/trade of stamping goodies.  Karen has wanted to do this.  So since we were using the clubhouse this time, we decided to have one.  Karen, Renee, Linda and I participated in the sale.  We had 2 round tables full with all kinds of stamp sets and other goodies.  It was a huge success and we all did real good in unloading some of our goodies.  We will do it again at some future date.

Well, now that these two swaps are over, I can work on some other SCS swaps that I've committed to.  It is never ending...its a good thing I love my stamping projects...it is time consuming.  It gives me something to do since I am by myself so much of the time.