Elements of Style

This is a quick post tonight - so much to do and so little time! 

I made a special birthday card for a friend using Elements of Style. I used the stained glass technique, coloring the flowers with markers after stamping on vellum.  I embellished each corner with a pearl and tied on a white taffeta bow.  Card stock is Blushing Bride and DSP is from the level 1 hostess set.  An elegant card for an elegant friend.

 FYI, I have started a new blog to follow my breast cancer journey - http://www.bevannvictory.blogspot.com/ - so I won't be adding info. on this blog.  Thanks for your continued prayers.

Day 58

A Slice of Life

A Slice of Life is the level one hostess set in the Occasion Mini  Catalog.  It's full of fun stamps covering all the areas of our life.  I will be using several of them over the next couple of weeks, but my first is this precious vase of flowers.  I stamped the design on watercolor paper and used markers with an aqua pen to color the petals, stems and vase.  I used the Designer Series Paper Pack from the 2010-11 catalog - it is also a level 1 hostess product choice.  I love these stripes in Blushing Bride. I stamped the sentiment Thinking of You on Whisper White and punched it out with the scallop oval punch.  I did a background punched with the extra large oval, flipping over the striped DSP to use the opposite side.  That is one of the best things about Stampin' Up! DSP is that it's double sided allowing for so many special effects. I tied some Whisper White taffeta ribbon around the card and tied a bow!  The end.

A simple, but refreshing card - Enjoy!



Cupcake Quilt

Today was a day filled with sunshine, surprises in the garden (strawberries) and a little creating in the craft room!  I cleaned out flower beds, pulled up all the old garden plants and found so many things that either didn't freeze or have chosen to begtin again from the roots.  I also started my little greenhouses for tomato and pepper plants.  I decided to try a few seeds this year and see if I can grow my own plants.  Of course, I may have started that a little late, so I'll also sow some right into the ground in a few weeks.

Now to the creating!  I saw a friend's post on FB this a.m. and it was for a tutorial for a small quilt.  I thought, wow, could I do that with paper - so I gave it a try.  I may try some more of these little quilt pieces - fun and it really is a change of pace.  I made mine on a 4"square and used 1" and 1/2" square punches.  The cupcake started from a stamp set and I just cut it down to fit in my square.  The button on top for a cherry was cut using an embosslit.  Not near as cute as the quilted one, but it was fun to make and can now be added to a regular size card with a birthday or other greeting.  You can see the quilted piece by going to www.crossstitchdramaqueen@blogspot.com.

Keep your eyes open there's inspiration every where.  Happy Stamping,

Smarty Pants

Tonight I decided to pull out a brand new stamp set, "Button Button" from the Occasions Mini Catalog  and an older set "Smarty Pants."  Button, Button has 17 different button stamps and so I picked out a few and stamped them on Whisper White with Melon Mambo.  I punched out photo corners and cut two strips of paper, one white embossed with the polka dot embossing folder, the other in basic black.  I added a strip of our new fun pompom trim and stamped a black and white button.  I added two small pearls and placed them over the buttonholes.  I chose this sentiment to point out the one and only black and white button - reminding myself and all of you that's it's always OK to be different, to be yourself!  This was punched out with the decorative label punch. 

This closeup is to show the tiny little pompom trim - this trim comes in three colors and is available in the mini cattie, until April 30.  Don't miss out on this fun embellishment.  You can call me to place an order, or go directly to my Stampin' Up website.  Don't forget this is still Sale-a-bration time of year - so you can choose a free stamp set, embellishment package or more with every $50 you spend.

Unlike last night where everything happened easy, peasy - tonight's card was work!  You just never know - but I like the end result and so here you go -- enjoy and come back tomorrow to see what happens next! 

Happy Stamping,

Day 55

C is for Cat

I took one day off from stamping and made my journal cover last night.  I thought I might take several days off and do some painting or some other crafts, but tonight when I headed up to my craft room I had an entire card jump into my mind and before I knew it, it was done!

This almost never happens to me, I mean never!  I usually have to think about a stamp set and then play with paper, colors, sentiment etc. etc. etc.  Making cards is often very stressful for me and although I love doing it, it certainly doesn't usually come very easy.  I have found that during this blog challenge ideas have some times come more quickly, but not like tonight!

I walked in and new I wanted to make this card layout.  I haven't made this type of card in a long time, but I saw a picture on my computer yesterday and I guess it just stayed in my mind.  I thought about papers and I don't have many current DSPs so I chose the Newsprint design, pulled out Basic Black and Very Vanilla card stock and knew it had to be "C is for Cat".

I no longer had the dimensions for cutting the layers fors this card, but that came to me and I cut the papers without even looking up the information and they fit! 

The only thing I wasn't sure of was what I wanted on the front with the cat and then suddenly I remembered I had an embossing folder of cattails!  I know it isn't a Stampin' Up! folder, but I couldn't resist the cat with the cattails and so the card was now designed and complete.  I love it!  It's probably one of my most unusual cards.  I may have to send it to myself so I can keep it.  Heehee!  It's like a days break just gave me a renewed spirit and I didn't play it safe or over think what I was doing.  I just had fun!!!!

Hope you enjoy - can't wait to see what comes next.

Happy Stamping,

Journal of Hope

I met two fabulous women at the International Quilt Show in Houston this November.  Judy lives in Virginia and Liz is in Colorado and both are mixed media artists.  I took a class with Judy and I learned to make silk paper from Liz. Both women inspired me a lot, encouraging me to try new things. I got all of the silk pieces I needed to make some paper and then added all sorts of fun things I had in my stash drawers.  Mixed media taught me that I had saved all these crazy things for a reason and that was a great feeling.  Liz had made a journal front with a piece of silk paper and it was featured in one of her books.  I look at it often and think, I've just got to do this and today was the day.

And I needed a break from stamping cards - I've made a lot of different cards in the past 50 days or so and this was just what I needed.  The journal is from Stampin' Up - It's the 5x5 Art Journal shown on page 185 in the catalog.  I used a piece of Poppy Parade to cover the front first after punching holes along the side with the Spiral Border Punch, pg. 201, $15.95.  I then cut the silk paper to fit the front including adding some between the spirals.  The punch and the paper cutter did not work with this so I used our snips and glued it down with book binding glue.  The card stock gave the silk paper a finished look a it shows through a few of the thinner areas.  It was just the right color to highlight the color in my silk paper.

I embellished the front with pieces I've had in my stash for a long time.  Keep Life Simple, and Hope in two different styles.  Hope was silver and the threads in the paper were gold, so I used a gold pen to make it gold.  The feather is actually made into the paper, but makes a great embellie.  I wove the ribbon through the wire and tied a bow.  This is Rose Red grosgrain ribbon, some left over from a prior year - it is now retired.  And that's it - my first silk paper journal cover and I'm very pleased.  All that's left now is for me to sketch some flowers, write some notes and fill my book with my praises, joys, concerns and prayers. 

Hope you enjoyed this diversion from cards and stamping. Stamping will return soon, maybe even tomorrow - tune in and see what appears next.

Happy Stamping, sewing, quilting, paper making or whatever else fills you with joy!


Day 53

Google - a very good tool, but only if we use it!

In my earlier post, I used a stamp that quoted Ralph Blum and I commented that I didn't know who he was and maybe I should have googled him.  Well, yes, maybe I should have,as he seems to be more of a new age follower than I could have ever imagined. 

So, in this post I just want to claim God's ability to use anything for good!  I saw this quote as calmness is the result of gratitude and results in joy!  All of this I have learned from my study of God's Word.  Life without gratitude is a failure to see the gifts He gives us each day, especially the gift of eternal life with Him.  Calmness would be a natural result of this gratitude, who isn't calm when they realize how much God loves us, resulting in an outlandish  joy!  And, so I stand by my use of the quote, I just wish I hadn't had to use the author's name, but then that wouldn't be honest and would go against what God calls me to be.  God is good and He goes before me in all things!  Since He knew who the author was before I quoted him, I can only believe He (God) had a plan for me to write this post!  Now, that's amazing.

So enjoy my post and fill your life with gratitude and joy.

His, Bev

    

Calmness, Gratitude and Joy

This is a day filled with calmness, gratitude and an amazing joy!  Prayers have been answered and I got the best news ever this morning.  Many of you have been following my blog and know that I was diagnosed with breast cancer following a mammogram and biopsy in January.  God has gone before me in ways I could not imagine and has given me a calmness and peace that defies understanding.  He has brought new friends in and brought old friends back and I have never felt more love and I am filled with gratitude to such a loving God.  So that covers calmness and gratitude and now for joy!  The tests all came back good!  The lymph node was clear and the cancer had not spread into the tissue!  So what that means to me is no chemo, just radiation and frequent checkups!  Praise God! 

The one thing I would like to add to this is no one wants to go through chemo, but if that had been the outcome, I would still be praising God for traveling this journey with me!  Nothing would have changed except the treatment - I am thankful for the outcome, but I'm also thankful for all of the wonderful things that have come out of this journey - I will never be the same and that is a very, very good thing.

Now, after all of that, you will understand my card for tonight.  I don't know who Ralph H Blum is, perhaps I should have googled him, but I love this quote. "There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy." -Ralph H. Blum  This is a retired set, the milk bottles and quote are both from the same hostess set I used last night, "Country Morning."  The embossing folder is RAYS, by Tim Holtz, the papers are Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler and watercolor.  I used a variety of markers and the aqua painter for coloring.

Hope you enjoyed - just like I said last night - pull out some old sets and use them! They'll be like new - oh that's right -  for me this set was new I hadn't used it until last night!  What an idiot!  Great set, guess I was just waiting for the right time!

Happy Stamping and thanks again for the prayers,

Day 52

Peace Within - Possibility of a Miracle

If you've been following my blog, you know I've been doing a daily countdown, but today I've hit Day 51 and have decided not to number the blogs in the title any more.  You will know if I miss a day and I hope that won't happen, but I want the focus to be on creation and not a countdown!

Today my thoughts are on miracles and so I pulled two sets for my card.  Peace Within is a set I used constantly when I first got it, but it's been hidden away for a long time and Country Morning is a hostess set I earned 2009/10 but never used until today. 

We live in the country, but we don't have chickens, nor do any of our neighbors.  I wish someone did, but as it is our mornings are pretty quiet except for the sound of my windchimes.  I really like this set and so now that it's out I'm sure you'll see more, even though it's a retired set.  The "miracle" sentiment I used is what came from Peace Within, but Country Morning has a great sentiment too, but just wasn't what I wanted for today's card - with the miracle of that little chick!

I will list all of the supplies below, but note that you will need to substitute on stamp and slide, unless you have them from years past.  I'm sure you have retired items too and I hope my using them will encourage you to get into your stash and use it!  When I packed up my stamping supplies to move I realized I could stamp daily (8 hrs. a day) and not run out of stuff for probably my lifetime!  However, I like new things just like you do, so I won't stop buying, but I am trying to use up the old too! 

Supplies:

Stamps: Peace Within, Country Morning (Hostess 09/10 Retired)

Paper: Pear Pizzaz, Old Olive, Night of Navy, Watercolor

Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive and Misc. Markers with Watercolor Brush

Punches: Oval and Scallop Oval

Ribbon: Old Olive 3/8" Taffeta

Slide: Retired Hodge Podge Hardware

Embossing Folder - Woodgrain (Tim Holtz) - could use our woodgrain stamp for background

Now it's your turn, dig into your stash and make a card using some old and some new!

Happy Stamping,

Day 51

DAY 50 - 100 Day Blog Challenge!

I can't believe it!  I'm half way through the 100 day challenge.  This came about after I signed up to do a 100 day moving intentionally challenge - well, I hate to admit this, but with all going on in my life I haven't completed the movement challenge, BUT I have kept up with the creating/blogging challenge I started on January 2.  Last night I said I might celebrate with a cupcake, but I didn't make any so I guess it will be with a Pepsi and Kettle Corn!  :)  I hope everyone following my blog is encouraged by my daily posts and getting into the spirit of creativity! 

Yesterday was a struggle for me creatively!  I wanted to make bookmarks, but couldn't come up with an idea to save me, so the end result was the cupcakes and birthday wishes.  Tonight I walked upstairs, entered my craft room and immediately I saw what I wanted to make and it was so easy, I made two!.  It's interesting to me how all this stuff works - keeps me guessing that's for sure.   

I used the same paper (DSP - Bella Rose) as last night, but ran it through an embossing folder and sanded it down to create a distressed look.  The flower is from Awash with Flowers, colored with Pretty in Pink and Riding Hood Red stamped on Whisper White.  The stem is Old Olive and Pear Pizzaz.  Ribbon is Pretty in Pink 3/8" taffeta, tied through a  Jumbo Eyelet (pewter).  The sentiment is a scripture from a set I've had a very long time, brand unknown! I did use snail to attach the DSP to a piece of card stock to make a firmer piece, then added the white followed by eyelet and ribbon as a finishing touch.

Well, it's time for me to hit post and go celebrate - see you tomorrow.  Happy Stamping!

Day 49 - Birthday Wishes

I don't know about you, but I love cupcakes and I dreamed today of making a great big batch, decorating them with gooey icing and eating them all, well, one for Bill and the rest for me! :)   But instead I made a cupcake card combining Itty Bitty Bits, On a Pedestal and So Happy for You.  I stamped the pedestal stand three times, shortening the layer each time lining it up with the Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I used markers to color the little cupcakes and punched them out using the circle from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch set.  I used the embossing pen along with clear embossing powder to give a shine to the pedestal.  The DSP is from a couple of years ago - Bella Rose.  This was one of my favorite papers and I still have some, so it just seemed like the perfect fit for this card. The card stock is Riding Hood Red, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White.  The decorative edge is made with the scallop trim edge punch. 

Well, the card is made, the description is written and I just want to tell you that I'm still dreaming of making that big batch of cupcakes, covered with gooey icing and eating them all!  Making this card really didn't take care of my cupcake craving, but it did pass enough time that I don't have time to make any now - so maybe, just maybe I'll make it past this craving!

See you tomorrow for Day 50!  Wow, maybe that's a good reason to celebrate with a cupcake!!!!

Day 48 - An Experiment in Stamping

I felt a little adventurous today and so I tried something totally new, for me that is!  I had bought some stamps that were in a sheet to punch out and some of the little nooks and cranny pieces came out all by themselves in some very neat shapes.  They had the same backing on them, so I saved them to make a collage!  Today I pulled out one of my clear blocks and randomly placed the pieces on top.  I tried to make a square but I just placed them, in no particular order.  I took four markers out of my box (Bravo Burgundy, Rose Red, Regal Rose and Cherry Cobbler) and began to color - again no order just did it!  Then I stamped it on an almost square piece of Whisper White card stock.  I liked the look and it had come out even enough that I decided I would pull out a stamp from the new SAB set So Happy for You and stamp all around the card.  I was pleased enough to continue!  I added a Bravo Burgundy piece behind for a layer, added that to a Melon Mambo layer and after punching two slots and tying some white organza ribbon through I used snail to adhere the entire top to a Blushing Bride card!

Now I really like the way the card came out, but unless I make more right now, I'll never see this exact design again!  Just think of the many variables with these little pieces of rubber.  I can stamp these in any color or group of colors, punch out hearts, circles or even a butterfly!  What fun to imagine the possibilities.  I'm thinking there may even be a stained glass window in here some where.  I will be playing with this for sure so you know you'll be seeing some other ideas soon.  If you have any thoughts on this, please let me know - I would love to try some of your ideas too!

I'm almost to 50 consecutive posts, just a couple of more and I'll be halfway through my 100 day blog challenge.  I don't know if I thought I could do this or not when I began this on January 2, but I'm finding I'm having fun!  My husband now asks me every evening if I have my card made or my post done.  It's become a part of my every day and is a great distraction to the other not so good stuff going on in my life.  God is good and I believe my doing this challenge was indeed set in motion by a God that already knew what was coming my way.  I love that I worship a God that has known me since before I was conceived and is never surprised by what comes my way.  As I look back over the last month or so, I can see how He was going ahead of me years ago.  I'm thankful for my God, my husband, daughter, granddaughter, friends and even crafting that are traveling this cancer journey with me!

Until tomorrow, Happy Stamping!

Day 47 - Thanks

Thursday (Friday Eve) and what a day!  Hard to believe that it was just Tuesday that I had surgery as today was almost back to normal.  I went to

Bible Study this morning and it was so good to be in God's Word and with my good friends.  I came home after my busy morning, ate a fabulous sandwich made with homemade bread (a special gift) and fell asleep for about four hours.  Bill came home, we drove into Sealy for dinner and he took me to our Home Owners Assoc. meeting.  I'm on the Board and they said I could miss, but just thought I really ought to be there and so off we went, me and my wonderful chauffeur!  :)

Once I was back home I had to decide what card to make for today's creation and post.  Yesterday my card was one I had made a while back and just added a sentiment and I then used it as a case for today's card.  To case a card is to "copy and selectively edit" making a similar but different card.  I've heard other ways of saying it, but that's what it boils down to, so I got busy.  I pulled papers, one of which I hadn't used until tonight.  I first pulled a piece of Poppy Parade and to choose a color to go with it, I turned to the catalog and the Designer Series Papers and that's where I found the paper "Summer Garden"  which put Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzaz and Peach Parfait together.  There it was my two colors for today - Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait.

I really like using our clear blocks to make a background for a solid stamp.  For this card I used the Size C clear block and the stamp on top came from Friends Never Fade.  Just like last nights card, I stamped the background square with the lighter of the two colors and then the design.  I also used this for my Christmas Cards with "Dasher".  It's a quick and easy way of making a very decorative card.  Much easier than it looks and allows you to get a lot of cards done in a short period of time.  I actually made the first card so quickly I decided to make two tonight so I could show how different cards can look with just slight differences.  So, on my first one I used the distressing tool on the white layer and sponged the edgtes.  Using a 3/8" taffeta ribbon to tie around it and the sentiment at an angle.

The second card is made with the same colors, same size block and stamp, but I didn't distress the edges and cut a small strip of the Poppy Parade and placed it under a strip of the Victorian.  And on this one I placed the sentiment square on the card rather than at an angle.  The only other difference was the size of the oval I used for the sentiment.  Very much alike and yet very different. 

So, my cards are done for today!  I think I will be making some more of these - maybe three or four of each in different color combinations - I have so many cards events coming up soon and I'll be ready for them all.

See you tomorrow,

Day 46 Thinking of You

I've had a very good day and for that I'm very thankful.  My surgery was on my right side so it's not as easy to stamp and punch as it will be in a few more days and so I'm using a card I made some time ago, just adding the sentiment today.  I've said before that I often don't add sentiments until I'm ready to use a card, otherwise, I always have the wrong cards on hand.  I don't know about you, but it seems to me that my card needs run in groups, i.e. get well, thank you, birthday etc.   So I try to make a few cards that I can just add to and send, keeps me from those moments of panic.

I added the "Thinking of You" sentiment after using the scallop oval punch.  A friend of mine just mentioned that too often we line everything up and the cards look stiff - so when adding this I placed it at an angle - she's right this added so much to the card! Hope you enjoy!

Happy Stamping,

Day 45 - Live, Laugh & Love

Twenty seven years ago, just about midnight my sweet husband ask me to dance for the first time!  We have always said this anniversary was the 15th - 16th, as we're not for sure whether it was just before midnight or just after, we just know that first dance led to 27 fabulous years.  We didn't get married for another couple of years, but we have always celebrated our meeting as well as our wedding anniversary. 

It seems like just yesterday in so many ways!  It was the Saturday night of the barbecue cookoff at the Houston Rodeo and we met at the old "San Antonio Rose" dance hall.  Our first date was the next day and we went to the cutting horse show!  What wonderful memories!  This year our celebration has been a little more quiet as my surgery was today, but we're together and that's what matters most to us. 

And so my card tonight is the anniversary card I made for him!  Here's to 27 more years!

Good night and Happy Stamping!

Day 44 Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  My post will be very quick - just a quick vintage Valentine posted just for you!

Hope you had a love filled day!

Happy Stamping - See you tomorrow!

Day 43 - Thanks So Much

What a beautiful Sunday!  We had 70 degrees and sunny skies - that's why I love Texas - cold one day 70 the next!  You just can't beat a day like today.  Bill and I worked out in the yard and got the rest of the rock work done around his building (Manland) and then took Jack (our Yorkie) with us on a drive in to town for a Dairy Queen, a stop at the post office and a tour of some back country roads.  We saw the momma and now almost full grown baby zebra.  I just love seeing these beautiful animals just a mile or so from our house.  Today I think I overheard one of the cows say to another, "Those must be California cows!"  :)


Now, on to my card for the day.  On Day 37 I made almost this exact same card, but I made another one and changed just a few things and although they look similar, they are different.  I love that you can design one card and then make a bunch of them changing them with ribbon, buttons, sentiment, punch or just color and have a fresh new card without rethinking the entire card.  Now that's what keeps me going because I just don't have that many original thoughts!

I used Blushing Bride for the card, Night of Navy for he second layer and Very Vanilla for the flower background.  I added a small flower along with the primary hydrangea from the set Because I Care.  I added a piece of 3/8" White Taffeta ribbon and the sentiment, Thanks So Much, is from Sincere Salutations.  I used the Decorative Label Punch, quickly becoming one of my favorite punches.  Remember you can check out the original idea on the Day 37 post if you want to see the similarities.

Now, I'm headed off for a quick snack, watch the last of The Grammy Awards and go to bed.  I've got a busy day ahead and I bet you do to, but don't let the business keep you from creating something.

Until tomorrow, Happy Stamping!

Day 42 - Friends are Flowers

Well, here I am again!  Seems like I just did this, oh that's right, I did!  Well,

it's a great feeling to know that when I finish this post, I'm caught up.  Hopefully, I can keep up for the remaining 58 days!  Can you believe it, just 58 to go.   I've actually enjoyed the accountability and the push to be creative.  No ignoring that craft room these days!

So for today I used a really neat stamp set, "Friends Never Fade."  I've had the set for awhile, but like usual I'm just getting around to really using it. Soon it will be a favorite and you'll get sick of it.  But for now it's pretty new on my blog.  I used Poppy Parade, Night of Navy and Whisper White.  I didn't have any navy ribbon so I cut a piece of card stock and ran it through the Big Shot in the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, added some Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and called it embellished. See close up.  This is a very patriotic colored card - perhaps it would be a good one for someone with a 4th of July birthday! :)

Well, it's Saturday night and I'm going to bed early - can't believe it's 8:26 and I'm almost ready to hit publish post!  I'm reading a good book right now and think I deserve a couple of chapters before falling asleep.  I hope everyone has had a great weekend and found time to create something!  If not yet, you still have tomorrow - pull out some paper (or craft of your choice) and have fun.

Happy Stamping until tomorrow.

Day 41 - Craft Room is clean!

My creation for Friday was in fact the clean and "neat" craft room I mentioned a couple of days ago!  I took pictures and then I was so tired that I just went to bed.  Today some friends came out for the day and so I'm just now posting yesterday's post, but I really think you will forgive me with everything that's going on.  If not, I do forgive myself and will have another post for today and in my mind I will still be current on my 100 day challenge.

I do want to let you know that my surgeon appointment at MD Anderson went very well yesterday.  I thank everyone for your prayers.  My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, 2/15, and I should be home early enough in the evening to get my post done!  We'll see about that, but that's the plan.  The plan is back to normal by Thursday, so I hope I will be able to be at my Bible Study on time and ready to share in God's Word.  Please keep the prayers coming as we won't have the pathology report until my follow up visit.

 Now for Craft Room pictures - The first one on the right is an overall shot of most of the room from the entry door.  I was able to keep our kitchen table from our old house when we moved out here last year - so I have lots of room to work and about four of us can comfortably work at one time.

When I'm working by myself I keep more supplies readily available on the table, but I must admit I like working with others so much more!  I like the encouragement and the ideas that flow. I love that four of us can make the same card and none look exactly alike.  And most of all there's nothing like girl talk!

This second picture is of my wall of punches and ribbon.  I must admit I like the newer punches for their storage, but obviously I just like punches.  My ribbon is in a see through shoe holder.  It's full, but unfortunately much of it's retired.  I don't quit using it though - I grew up with the "waste not - want not"  theory!

These two pictures show my wall of cabinets.  I store my scrapbooking supplies in the bottom cabinets.  The drawers hold my Big Shot cutting pads, etc. and the embosslits, embossing folders etc.  If you look closely you can see my dies open shelves on the left hand side behind my Big Shot. The upper cabinets hold my stamp sets (both sides).  They're in size and then alpha within the size; however, I'm seriously thinking about putting all of my sentiments together.  I'm thinking about the best way to do this, so for now they'll stay like this.  I do have all of my holiday stamps together on one shelf.  My newer clear stamps are on the shelf in the middle, but I'm of space, so need to make adjustments there too.  I do keep my retired sets in with the current, but I put a large red R on each box so I don't pull them for workshops.  I also have my Big Shot, my cutter, creasing tool and other tools out ready for use.  Stamp pads are at the end.

Ok, so that's my post for Day 41!  Hope you enjoyed the tour - I'll show you my sewing/felting area, my paper storage and more of the mess another day!  I appreciate your patience with me during this journey.  In an hour or so Day 42 will be posted and I'll be caught up.

Happy Stamping!