Sending My Very Best

I am so loving these Tutti Frutti Cards and Envelopes that you can get for FREE.  They have just a little design on the front, but not enough to dominate the entire card.  The inside is Whisper White, not the color on the outside.  They also come in Calypso Coral, Lemon Lime Twist, Pool Party.  This card is the Daffodil Delight.

The stamp set is also FREE in the SAB catalog.  You can get it with any $100 order.  Sending my very best can cover a wide range of emotions which is why I like it.  It could be a happy meaning like for a birthday.  Or more calming, in sending sympathy or just simple I care.  

It's hard to show up on pictures, but the flowers under the Best are colored with the clear Wink of Stella.  When I colored it, the ink must not have been completely dry.  Hence...the flowers look like they were colored in.  It's a look that I like and the Wink of Stella really stand out in person.  

When looking at this color combo  you think really?  But it works doesn't it?  This is what happens when you just start playing around with colors.  You never know what you are going to get.

                                                     

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 
 
 

 

 

 

Mini Pizza Boxes

Isn't it funny that if you shrink just about anything, we think it's just adorable.  That's how I feel about these mini pizza boxes.  The normal sized pizza boxes are good, especially if they have a good pizza hidden inside.  But who could resist these little beauties? 

For my club hostess I try to make a little something special for them.  Can you guess what's inside?  The box perfectly holds 3 x 3 cards!  Decorate the box, quick throw together some 3x3 cards, add envelopes and Done!  Perfect hostess gift.  Now they can either keep it for themselves, or it would be a perfect gift for someone else.

I kept the cards relatively simple.  They are the perfect size to stick inside a gift bag.  Just add a few words inside and you are done!  

Another thing about these boxes...there is a thin layer of plastic so they are food safe!  How awesome is that?  I'm thinking just a single large cookie would be great.  You can never go wrong with chocolate chip.

These cards and box were done back in January, and I didn't write down the dimensions.  Sorry.  But by looking at the pictures, I'm sure you can figure it out.  Think of it like a challenge.  I did do a list of the supplies I used.  

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

Don't Miss Out

Is it snowing by you?  So far we have about 2 inches of snow.  I'm not sure how much we are expected to get tonight.  My husband already isn't looking forward to shoveling tomorrow since it's a wet heavy snow.  But, he is hoping to work at home tomorrow.  Lucky him.  I can't work from home.  

Have you forgotten about Sale-A-Bration?  It's only going on until March 31 .  With every $50 or $100 order you can get FREE items.  And there are no limit to the number of free items you can receive.  

This is also the absolute best time to join Stampin'Up as a demonstrator.  Your starter kit is only $99 but...you get to pick $125 of product of your choice.  It's anything you want to choose.  Stampin' Up doesn't tell you what to order.  Plus, you get pick any TWO EXTRA stamp sets of your choice.  And those not included in the $99 starter kit.  This is one time when you can say...It's too good to be true.  

Contact me if you have any questions about anything!  I'm  here to help.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Bring out the Daisy

I'm sorry that Sunday is almost gone. Not just because tomorrow is Monday, but I got a whole lot of little things done around the house today.  It feels good to have a clean house.  Somehow I squeezed some time to make a birthday card for my friend.  I will post it later in the week so if she sees this post, it won't ruin the surprise.  

Daisy Delight stamp set wasn't been out in a while, so it was time.  The daisy was getting lost when I put it on the Fresh Florals DSP so that's why I have the circle under it.  Makes it stand out a little bit more but at the same time blends in.   

This Fresh Florals DSP comes in all the current In-Colors.  So this card could very easily be converted into another color scheme if you would choose to.  It would be a very soft, feminine card if done in Powder Pink.  Do you like the daisy center?  It's the Clear Faceted Gems.  Definately added a little dimension.  They also come in gold.  

This card is pretty simple.  If you were in a hurry, it could be done in probably 20 minutes.  Not too bad for a card with multiple layers.

Click on the above picture for the dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always, 

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

 

 

Tasty Thursday - Chicken Stir Fry

It's been a very long several days in this household.  My daughter, Alyssa, left for Germany yesterday where she's doing a semester abroad.  It's an opportunity of a lifetime and she's been dreaming about it for some time now.  She has been working hard and saving a lot of money in order to make this dream come true.  Alyssa actually called this morning and I was so glad to hear her voice.  She was extremely tired, but doing good.  I was glad to hear her accomodations were pretty nice, got a SIM card for her phone, saw the campus and did some grocery shopping.  Her buddy over there helped her the entire day.  Thank goodness for her.  For the next couple of weeks she'll be hanging around town, learning the German ways.  Pretty soon she wants to start travelling to other countries.  Our anxiety levels will be extremely high again.  It's going to be a long semester for us.

In light of what has been going on, dinner tonight was not a high priority.  We wanted something easy since I really didn't feel like cooking at all.  My husband came up with an idea we haven't done in a long time.  A Chicken Stir Fry was a great idea.  Now you can make it the "real" way and cut all the fresh vegetables and make your sauce from scratch.  Not tonight.  I cheated.

Please take in mind there is no specific recipe for this.  It all depends upon how many people you are feeding.  The sauce also depends upon how much you prefer.  I don't care for mine dripping in sauce, but nicely coated.  

Chicken Stir Fry

1 chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Sesame Oil or Vegetable Oil

frozen bag of stir fry vegetables

Kikkoman Stir Fry Sauce

Ginger

Soy Sauce

Rice

Make the quantity of rice you think needed for your family.

Heat the oil in fry pan or wok.  Add chicken breast.  When almost done, add the frozen stir fry vegetables, ginger and the Kikkoman Stir Fry Sauce.  Cook for several more minutes, until the vegetables are cooked but not too soft.

Serve over rice and add Soy Sauce to taste if necessary.

For my husband and myself, I used 1 chicken breast 1 1/4 cup Minute Rice and probably about 1/2 bag of vegetables.  It was a perfect amount for just us with no leftovers.  If I had thought about this ahead of time, I would have ordered egg rolls from the local Chinese restaurant and had my husband pick them up on his way home from work.  That would have been perfect.  Now I'm hungry for them.  Another time.

Hope you like my super easy Chicken Stir Fry.  Sorry there's no exact recipe, but it's fun to play around and be creative too.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

 

 

 

Pineapples or Strawberries?

Look familar?  I posted the strawberry version yesterday.  The only difference, besides the fruit, is the basket.  This one I used the other basket, rather than the bowl.  And I did a matte around the Very Vanilla on the card base.  

This basket could be done in two ways.  This is the first way - colored in.  The second way - stamp the image so you can see the fruit through the basket.  Just like an open wire basket.  I thought of that idea after I had this one already done.  Next time.  

The pineapple colors I used were Crushed Curry and Emerald Envy.  I like Daffodil Delight, but sometimes it's too light.  The pineapples were the spotlight of the card, so i wanted them to stand out.  

So, here are both cards.  Which do you prefer?  

Click on the Pineapple card for the dimensions and instructions.  It will take you to the strawberry card, but the dimensions are the same.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

Bowl of Strawberries

  

Being in the dead of winter, these are looking really good right now.  I can't wait for them to come into season here.  Right now at the grocery store, they look horrible so I won't even purchase them.  I brought out some of my Strawberry Freezer Jam last week.  It's already gone.  My husband was dipping Nilla Wafers in the jam.  Whatever.

This was for a swap I participated in.  Instead of being the usual square, I just turned them the the side.  Changed the whole look of the card.  The idea was super easy to create.  

The top was looking a little empty so I added the bow in Linen Thread.  I don't mind tying a bow from the thread.  Ribbon is another story.  

Chocolate Chip was used to stamp the outline of the bowl.  I colored it in using a Crumb Cake marker.  You could also use the Stampin' Blends if you have them.  

As you can see the color combo was pretty simple.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

 
 
 

 

 

 
 
 

  

 

A Tranquil Tide Sunday

I hope everyone had a good weekend!  Mine wasn't long enough.  Megan came home from college for the weekend to see her sister.  Alyssa is leaving Wednesday for a semester abroad in Germany.  I can't believe the time is almost here.  Alyssa is excited and I'm getting more nervous.  The mom in me wants to bring her over and make sure everything is ok for my baby.  Then I keep reminding myself she is 21 and it's her adventure to live.  Once she gets to Germany, checks out the school and her housing, my nerves will calm down.  It's the unknown that has me worried.  

Onto other things.  I finally got in my stamp room this afternoon and came up with this card.  I do like my monochromatic cards and also Tranquil Tide.  The stamp set is from the SAB catalog and you can get it free with a $100 purchase!  The saying are perfect.  You can mix and match the words to fit your needs.  The words are very traditional, with no puns.  The script is elegant but not overly fussy.  I don't like fussy fonts that you can't read.  

The three papers, not Whisper White, are all 4 inch across.  As we all know, the measurements can be off by a hair and that is frustrating.  I added the ribbon purposely on the left side for two reasons.  First...Adds some texture to the card.  Second...Hides the edges if they are off slightly.  Receivers of the card won't know it things aren't perfectly aligned up.  Perfect.

Can't get much easier of a color combo that this one, but I really like it.  

Here's to having a good week!

As always, click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper