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Why is the weekend so short?  Yesterday was crazy!  We drove up to LaCrosse and moved Megan's things into the dorm.  She was able to move her things in early and came home with us.  It beats the craziness of the typical move in day.  She won't leave for school until next Sunday.  

We came home and I had some friends come over for a small stamp-a-stack.  It's the first time since June we've all gotten together and we had a great time!  It was a good thing we weren't in any hurry because we had a lot to catch up on.  It was awesome seeing them again.  I miss those ladies so much.

This is the last card we made at my Floral or Sailing event last week. We also did it last night.  There is a lot going on in this little card.

Take a look at the center circle.  The Whisper White actually has the circle cut out and the DSP is glued to the back of it!  I used the Stitched Shapes Dies for the circle.  This way, you have a nice circle to use in another card!  It's all about recycling.

The bottom seemed to plain, so I added water using the aqua painter and Night of Navy ink pad.  By adding Balmy Blue, you would get more dimension in the water.  Totally didn't think about that until just now.  

Here's a closer look.  Notice I adhered the anchor, Thanks banner and large sailboat with dimensionals.  The seaweed is also adhered only towards the base.  I wanted the top of it to be floating away from the card.  

I also added a trinket in the left corner.  Some how, I orderd two sets of them so I figured, better use them up.  The people who came to my events enjoyed using them.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

tams# 36460

Product List

 

Sailing Home Cling Stamp Set	Smooth Sailing Dies	Sailing Home Bundle	Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Big Shot	Stitched Shapes Dies
Sail Away Trinkets	Night Of Navy/Sahara Sand Baker's Twine	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals	Aqua Painters	Mini Glue Dots	Fine-Tip Glue Pen

 

 

Well, I think I did accomplish evereything from the to-do list the other day.  Whew!  Once I get my living room back, I'm done painting for a while.  Alyssa's room does look so grown up!  But she is 22 years old too.  We got some shelves up, bookcases are filled, and pictures will be hung on Monday.  

Alyssa needed a masculine Thank you card and this is what I made.

Sailing Home Stamp Set made the card pretty easy. I've never bought a stamp set like this, more on the masculine side, but I'm really liking it.  It's good to get outside of your comfort zone.

Take a look at the ship's wheel.  I cut one out from the dies in Soft Suede, but the trinket wheel fits perfectly on top.   The trinket is adhered by using glue dots.  

The lighthouse and ship are also cut out using the dies.  The only stamp that is directly on the Very Vanilla is the sentiment.  In fact, the lighthouse is adhered with mini dimensionals.  

I relaly wanted to add pearls on the Very Vanilla, but figured it woul take away from the masculinity of the card.  I'll save those for another day.

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

tams# 36372

Product List

 

Sailing Home Cling Stamp Set	Smooth Sailing Dies	Sailing Home Bundle	Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper	All Things Thanks Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad
Sail Away Trinkets	Big Shot	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals	Mini Glue Dots	Fine-Tip Glue Pen

 

 

I've been busy painting and re-doing Alyssa's room, so I haven't had time to get in my stamp room.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be the last hard day of work.  Tomorrow's list includes - washing new bedding, finish painting shelves, finish painting picture frames and framing pictures,  iron/hang curtains, start putting things back in room.  Oh, and make dinner.  (I'm thinking it might be Papa Murphy's.)

It's not much of a list, right?  Hoping to get quite a bit done during the day so tomorrow night we can bring in her bookcases and she can unload all her books.  And she has quite a few.  Hanging the shelves and pictures better be done by Saturday, at the latest.  Then I'll be taking a break from painting.

I wanted to show you some of the cards I received from a swap.  They are in no particular order.

As you know, I do love these magnolias! 

 

Pretty Peacock and Butterflies.  Awesome combination!

Love the purple dasies!  How can you not smile when you see these?

This stamp set has been on my wish list, along with half the catalog!

 

Purple Irises.  Love the combination of the two purples.  And I'm not the biggest purple fan either!

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

Happy Monday!

With everyone back to work, I started prepping Alyssa's bedroom.  I'll be painting tomorrow.  All the stuff from her bedroom is currently in my living room.  You can barely walk in there right now.  I want my room back!!!  Hopefully by the end of the week, most will be gone.  That's my plan.

I made this card for a swap.  The catagory was Clean and Simple cards.  I love this style of cards.  It looks very simplistic, but there is quite a bit going on too.

First, the background was sponged with Bermuda Bay.  The flower needed something to ground it otherwise I was afraid it would look like it would just be floating around.  It doesn't need a lot, but definately looks great.

Second, the flower is colored with Stampin' Blends.  I used both light and dark Bermuda Bay and just the light Old Olive.  Once colored,  I used Wink of Stella on the flower.  

Third, it needed just a little bit of bling.  I randomly added some rhinestones around the flower for that reason.  

Like I said, there's a lot going on in the little part of the card.  But it gives the look of a simple card.  So remember...looks can be deceiving.

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl,  HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Good Morning Magnolia Cling Stamp Set	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Bermuda Bay Light Stampin' Blends Marker	Bermuda Bay Dark Stampin' Blends Marker	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack
Old Olive Light Stampin' Blends Marker	Stamping Sponges	Classic Label Punch	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals
Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush	Rhinestone Basic Jewels

 

 

 

Did everyone have a good weekend?  Our was pretty busy getting things done around here. Chris has been building a new deck so he worked on that as much as he could.  One of these months it will be done.  I just want the floor boards down and a set of stairs built so we can let Mia, our dog out, the normal way again.  She doesn't like going through the garage, and I don't blame her.

Ok, I will admit, I did take this idea from Pinterest, but don't remember who made it first.  Sorry!

What drew me to this card was the layers of elements in the middle.  Some are stamped directly on the Whisper White while others are adhered to it for a nice mixture.

The color combo is pretty simple.  I do love how they come together.

Did you see the anchor trinket attached to the anchor die? I threaded the Bakers Twine through both of them.  It's always nice adding another layer of metal to a card.  Plus, who doesn't like anchors?  They seem really popular in decor lately.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Sailing Home Cling Stamp Set	Smooth Sailing Dies	Sailing Home Bundle	Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Sail Away Trinkets
Big Shot	Night Of Navy/Sahara Sand Baker's Twine	Fine-Tip Glue Pen	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

 

 

It's Friday and so far I haven't left the house! And it's already 3:42 p.m.  I will have to leave eventually since we are going out for fish with some friends of ours.  That's a good reason so I don't mind.  Today was my day to get things done around here.  Laundry, dusting, vaccuuming that sort of stuff that was way over due.  

We made this one in my Floral or Sailing event this week.  I only had one regular customer come, but she brought her 2 sisters.  They were a complete hoot to be with and it was great fun.  You can definately tell there is a great family connection between them.

This is one of the Floral Essence cards we made.  The flower was the stareof the show.  It's embossed with the copper embossing powder and colored with Petal Pink and a sponge dauber.  I colored the inside and started swooshing towards the outside, leaving the ends of the flower white or just a hint of color. 

The saying is actually from the Beautiful You Stamp Set.  Remember that one?  It fit perfectly this way in the Stitched Nested Label Dies.  I already know these dies will be used quite a lot.  

I added a few pearls just for a little bling.  Wouldn't it be awesome if we had copper pearls?  That's about the only thing that would have made this card even better.  One can wish. 

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

tams# 36017

Product List

 

Floral Essence Photopolymer Stamp Set	Beautiful You Cling-Mount Stamp Set	Perennial Essence Designer Series Paper	Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Petal Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad	Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Pad	Stitched Nested Labels Dies	Layered Leaves Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Big Shot	Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder
Versamark Pad	Heat Tool (Us And Canada)	Sponge Daubers	Stampin' Dimensionals	Paper Snips	Pearl Basic Jewels
Tear & Tape Adhesive

 

I'm back!  Sorry, I haven't been around much this week.  My father-in-law had a surgery this week and I needed to help them out.  After seeing my in-laws for 4 days straight, it's about time we both take a break from each other.  Things are looking pretty good for him.  And I need to clean my house!!

This recipe I've made several times already.  My husband thinks it's "ok" but Megan liked it. 

I am always looking to find low-carb recipes, so this one really caught my eye. When I make zucchini, it usually slice it and pan fry with some onion and Italian seasonings.  It's good, but I was looking for something different for a change.

LOW-CARB EASY CHEESY ZUCCHINI BAKE

• 2 medium-sized zucchini, cut in slices or half-moon slices
• 2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices
• 2 – 4 T chopped fresh basil (more or less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil)
• 2 T thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup grated mozzarella or other mild white cheese such as Monterey Jack (Use low-fat or full-fat cheese, whichever you prefer. Use a little more cheese if you like it extra cheesy!)
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, plus a little more for the top if desired
  (I would use less Parmesan if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can.)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.  Spray an 8″ x 8″ or 8″ x 11″ baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray.  (I originally used the small size, but now I prefer a slightly bigger dish.) Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices.  Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop or slice. (I used a mini salad spinner to dry the basil and Herb Scissors to cut into thin slices.) Slice green onions.
2. Combine the sliced squash, chopped or sliced basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, 1/2 grated mozzarella and 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed.  Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, or slightly longer. (Pierce a piece of zucchini with a fork to be sure it’s mostly tender.)
3. When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella, plus a little more Parmesan if desired.  Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked.  Serve hot.
4. This kept well in the fridge overnight, but mine was gone the next day so I don’t know if it would last longer than that!

  I will warn you:   this recipe makes a huge batch.  I could easily cut this in half and there will still be plenty for everyone.  On the other hand, you could easily put everything together and bake it later.  Perfect for when you have company.

Here is where I found the recipe:  https://kalynskitchen.com/recipe-for-easy-cheesy-zucchini-bake/

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

  

Fun fold cards are always fun to make.  People think they are harder to make, but in reality they really aren't.  Here is one I made for my swaps a few weeks ago.  

It's a pretty basic fun fold, but still was fun to make.

I cut 1 1/2 inches off the card front and added another flap on the right side.  The second piece was 4 x 4 in size, and scored at 1.  I adhered it to the back side with Tear & Tape.  I didn't trust the regular SNAIL to hold it in place.  

One good thing about this card, was that I was able to use two different patterns from the Magnolia Lane DSP.  It adds more dimension to the card.  

The flower is colored by using Petal Pink ink pad and a sponge dauber.  I usually start in the middle making circles and gradually sweeping the color towards the outside of the petals.  I used to love the regular sponges, but I am getting used to these daubers and are starting to like them more.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Good Morning Magnolia Cling Stamp Set	Magnolia Memory Dies	Good Morning Magnolia Bundle	Magnolia Lane Designer Series Paper	Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive Dark Stampin' Blends Marker	Old Olive Light Stampin' Blends Marker	Old Olive Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack	Big Shot
Sponge Daubers	Tear & Tape Adhesive	Stampin' Dimensionals	Rhinestone Basic Jewels