April Showers

I made a few cards like this for a group swap I participated in. 

Goodies used to make these cards:

• Stamp Set – And Everything Nice
  
• Die – Movers & Shapers Curly Label
  
• Punch – Curly Label Extra Large
  
• Punch – Decorative Label
  
• Crystal Effects
  
• Aqua Painter
  
• Paper Piercing Tool
  
• Punch – Photo Corner

I look forward to seeing your comments!

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you're not covered in ink, you're not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now" http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

A is for Adorable

Good Morning! 

Thought I would share a card a did a while back when I was in a black & white mood. 

Goodies used to make this card:

• Bigz Top Note Die
• Punch - Curly Label
• Punch - Decorative Label
• Stamp Set - A is for Adorable
• Stamp Set - Zoofari
• Grommet
• Ribbon
• Stampin' Write Marker

To create this card I used the Top Note die to cut the Whisper White and the Zebra print design paper and cut the Whisper White cardstock shape in half.  

Using the Adorable stamp I stamped on Whisper White with Basic Black ink. Punched out the image with my Curly Label punch & then punched the basic black cardstock with my Decorative Label punch.

Using Basic Black ink I stamped the zebra image from the Zoofari stamp set on the half top note Whisper White piece.  

Tied the Basic Black ribbon around the zebra print Top Note piece and then punched the Grommet through the ribbon and cardstock.  Once everything was adhered correctly I attached it to the card base. 

I look forward to seeing your comments!

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you’re not covered in ink, you’re not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now" http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Blog Find of the Day! - My Bear Card

Yay!  I am very excited to announce that this post has been featured on Kelly Mayou's Blog Finds of the Day!  This is a wonderful thing that Kelly does and I am so humbled that she felt my card was worthy enough to be listed.  So far this is the 2nd card she has recognized!

I look forward to seeing your comments!

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you’re not covered in ink, you’re not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now" http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Black & White Plus 1

Good evening!  I have been working on a swap project that I participated in.  As the subject of this post indicates, the card is supposed to be Black, White, and 1 other color.  The additional color I selected is Melon Mambo.  I have also included 5 additional sentiments that the user can adhere in the care to make it more personal.

Goodies used on these cards:  (they are the same with the exception of the bow.  One has a square knott & the other one has a double looped bow)

• Stamp Set – Yummy
  
• Stamp Set – Sincere Salutations (for sentiments)
  
• Bling Brads
  
• Bigz Top Note Die
  
• Embosslits Beautiful Wings
  
• Ribbon
  
• Spritzer
  
• Stampin' Write Marker
  
• Stamp-a-ma-jig

I look forward to seeing your comments!

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you're not covered in ink, you're not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now" http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! 

Bill and I are having a really off day as this will be the very first Holiday in the 3 years of Bug's life that we have not been with him to experience the joy's that the Holiday brings.  Bug's mother has felt that it's more important to go over to her Biological Father's house to celebrate Easter and she has other plans that are preventing her from coming over here, which means Danny will not be coming over for Easter either as he is living with Lauren.  Not certain I buy that, but I have to respect it.   This is also the VERY FIRST Holiday in the History of our Family where we have all not been together to celebrate the Holiday as a family.  Our kids have made their decisions and we must respect them no matter how much it disappoints as they are adults.

Family used to mean something but it seems these days people are in it for themselves.  There was NEVER a time where Bill & I didn't take the kids to see their Grand parents on Holidays.  Let me tell you, the bomb was dropped on me yesterday that the kids were not coming over as they had other plans.  My disappointment was so strong that a huge lump formed in my throat and I just couldn't swallow it down no matter how hard I tried. 

So, here Bill & I sit with the "Empty Nest" Syndrome.  I just thank God that I have been blessed with Bill to be in my life.  It's a nice comfortable feeling to think ahead in our future and the thought of us growing old together.  Experiencing life's joys like when we welcomed our grandchildren to the world and sharing life's disappointments like today.  Sure, we're alone today but at least we're alone together.  And we've always got God. 

I have decided and have told Bill that if the Easter Bunny run's across my yard with a top hat on his head carrying an Easter basket, I'm shooting him and we'll have BBQ wabbit!  ")

So, thanks for listening to my whining.  Stay tuned and I'm uploading a few cards I made for a Black & White plus 1 swap I participated in. 

I look forward to seeing your comments!

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you’re not covered in ink, you’re not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now" http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Glad your My Dad

Yay!  I am very excited to announce that this post has been featured on Kelly Mayou's Blog Finds of the Day!  This is a wonderful thing that Kelly does and I am so humbled that she felt my card was worthy enough to be listed.

As you know, if you have read my personal details you would know that my Daddy is no longer here on earth with me.  Well, there is another man who has really made a difference in my life, and that is my Father in-Law.  He's been a parent figure for me for the last 18 years, he has put up with me through a lot, so I think he's rather earned the title of my Dad.  He is an avid hunter and all over outdoorsman, so I made him this card from the Wildlife Reserve stamp set.  It looks a little blurry, but it's only because of the way I chalked it.  I applied the chalk sweeping in the same direction, thought it would add an interesting look to it.

Goodies used to make this card:

• Stamp Set - Wildlife Refuge
• Stamp Set - Just so Sayings
• Stamp Set - Tiny Tags
• Brads
• Nesties - Oval
• Punch - Tiny Tag
• Punch - Word Window
• Silver Floss
• Texturez Plates - Distressed
• Hodgepodge Hardware Photo Anchor

 

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if your not covered in ink, your not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now"http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Welcome Babies! I'm Gonna be a Nana Again!

Greetings!  I am so excited!  For those of you who have experienced the blessing of being a Grandparent, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  If you are not a Grandparent, let me tell you it is the most beautiful life changing experience in the whole world!

Well, I've already got 2 of the most beautiful Grandsons you would ever want to see, and I have just learned that Lauren, my oldest daughter is going to be giving Dylan, often called Bug, a new little baby brother or sister, we're hoping sister.  I'm really hesitant to be so happy though because Lauren has a history of not being able to carry to full term and Bug's pregnancy was dangerous every time we turned around and his labor stayed in form.  The cord was wrapped around his little neck twice.  When he was born he was black/purple and he wasn't moving.  Nobody in the birthing room let out a breath while nurses & the Dr worked on him.  Time for me froze until I heard the beautiful melody of his cries.  Once I knew he was okay I started breathing and the dam broke.

Anyway, we're going to be positive about this pregnancy, Lauren is taking good care of herself and things are going to be just fine.  It's going to be hard not living under the same roof for this pregnancy like the first one.  It's going to be really hard on me because I can't be there with her to experience everything.  I've got to hear it through a phone call as she lives in the next town over.  Sigh.  Anyway, I made some Welcome Baby cards to celebrate the news...

 Goodies used on the above Card:

• Baby Firsts Stamp Set
• Short and Sweet Stamp Set
• Faux Button Brads
• Ribbon
• Sizzix Texturz Plates - Backgrounds 1
• Word Window Punch
• Modern Label Punch
• Modern Label Die
• Watercolor Paper
• Aqua Painter
• Buttons
• Linen Thread
• Itty Bitty Bits Punches
• Itty Bitty Bits Stamp Set
• Itty Bitty Bits Buttons
• CB Buttons Border Embossing Folder

 Goodies used to make above card:

• Baby Firsts Stamp Set
• Short and Sweet Stamp Set
• Framed Tulips Embossing Folder
  
• Ribbon
• Word Window Punch
• Modern Label Punch
• Modern Label Die
• Watercolor Paper
• Aqua Painter
• Buttons
• Linen Thread

 Goodies used to make the above card:

• Baby Firsts Stamp Set
• Short and Sweet Stamp Set 
• So Cute Stamp Set
• Scallop Oval Punch
• Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch
  
• Ribbon
• Word Window Punch
• Modern Label Punch
• Modern Label Die
• Watercolor Paper
• Aqua Painter
• Buttons
• Linen Thread
• Crystal Effects

So, that's it for the baby cards!  With the last card, I put Crystal Effects on the bubbles and played with it to get a lot of air bubbles (normally you don't want to do this as you want a smooth glass impression) but because they are bubbles, I wanted to enhance that feature of the image.  I also added some coloring to the "bubbles" as well.  :)

God Bless you and thanks for stopping by!!

Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if your not covered in ink, your not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7. Click on "Shop Now"http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net

Something Really Cool!

As you may or may not know, I deal with severe pain all of the time due to a labral tear in my hip and a failed double fussion in my spine.  Anyway, I see my Dr regularly about once per month and have developed a good rapor with all of them.  As you can imagine, I bring a card to them every time I go there.  Well, today I was hurting too bad to go into town so my husband went to the Dr's office to pick up my prescription for me.  He got into trouble.  Bill could hear one of the staff whisper to another employee, "Did he bring a card?"  "What does the card look like this time", Once they realized there was no card, they informed Bill that they were not going to give him the prescription because he didn't bring the card.  lol  Bill made it out of there with my prescription on the agreement that I would definitely bring a card the next time we went in there. 

Bill came home to tell me that & it gave me a very warm & fuzzy feeling that people out there really do look forward to receiving my cards and they really like them.

I still hurt real bad, but thanks to their unknowing act of kindness, my mind is happy!

Grunge

Good afternoon!  I'm catching up on posting my cards on here that I've been slacking on here lately.  This card was originally inspired by Ally Schilling.

Goodies used to make this card:

• Boho Blossoms punch
• Modern Label Extra Large Punch
• Elements of Style Stamp Set
• Technique - Distressing & Tear Art
• Brad

Easter Inspirations

As soon as the sun came up this morning I knew it was going to be a magnificent day!  The sun is shining, it's a bright Spring day, birds are flying around singing their songs, the trees are budding, the grass is green, and I look out on my doorstep towards the East and I can see fields and fields of crops that are getting ready to grow.  A few puffy lazy clouds in the sky help to complete the perfect Spring picture. 


These cards were made with Easter in mind, but they would work through out the year.  The Easter sentiment on the teal one would need to be changed, of course, but they would still work. 
 

Goodies Used for the White card:  

• Stamp Set - Special Blessings
• Embossing Folder - Framed Tulips
• Embossing Powder - White
• Technique on the Right - Pouncing w/ sponge wedge

Goodies used for the Teal card:

• Stamp Set - Special Blessings
• Embossing Folder - CB Vines
• Dazzling Diamonds
• Dimensionals
• Heat & Stick Powder
• Nesties - Oval & Scalloped Oval
• Ribbon
• Sizzlits - Lots of Tags Label 2

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I wish you many blessings

~Shawnie

A Card & a Celebration

Yay!  I am so excited!  I was looking through my email as I do on a daily basis and I discovered that my website / blog was recognized and publicly listed as a blog worth visiting!  How incredibly cool is that?! 

I have been in quite a funk here recently and have been looking everywhere for my Mojo but it's been hiding really good. That bit of recognition just might be enough to lift me out of this funk I'm in & back on the road to creating and enjoying what I'm doing!

This card was made for my Dr's office.  Every time I have an appointment to see my Dr. I always bring them a card.  They are always so good to Bill & I.  I wander what they would do if I every didn't bring them a card?  hmmm. 

 

This card was made with the following items:

• Stamp Set – Awash with Flowers
• Stamp Set – Tiny Tags
• Eyelet
• Large Grommet
• Punch – Scallop Picture Corner
• Punch – Tiny Tag
• Ribbon
• Silver Floss

I hope you enjoy looking at my cards as much as I enjoy making them!  I welcome all comments and suggestions at my website.

Blessings & Inky Hugs!
Thanks! Shawnie Bartron
YOUR Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and Creative Coach
My Website http://CardsByShawnie.com and http://cardsbyshawnie.blogspot.com/
My Online SU Store 24-7 Click on "Shop Now" http://shawnie.stampinup.net/

It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived. - Helen Walton

Remember When

This card was fun to make.
Sent from my BlackBerry®

YOUR Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and Creative Coach
My website - http://www.CardsByShawnie.com
24-7 SU store - http://www.shawnie.stampinup.net

Here's another card I hope you'll enjoy!
Sent from my BlackBerry®

YOUR Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and Creative Coach
My website - http://www.CardsByShawnie.com
24-7 SU store - http://www.shawnie.stampinup.net

Wishing You Happy Easter

I figured I had better get busy with making Easter cards in time to be able to send them to people.  I had these made ahead of time, but figured I should get them emailed & posted on my website so others could enjoy them in time before Easter if they wanted to CASE any ideas. 

Blessings & Inky Hugs!

Thanks!
Shawnie Bartron

YOUR Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and Creative Coach
My Website http://CardsByShawnie.com
My Online SU Store 24-7 Click on "Shop Now" http://shawnie.stampinup.net/

It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
- Helen Walton

A Card & a Story

I hope it's as Sunny and beautiful where you are at as it has been here!  I've got to tell you.  I am so happy to be back home finally (took 15 years to get here, but it's better too late than never, right?!)  Real quick, I've got to share a story before I proceed.  There was a mamma kill deer who was trying to nest to lay her eggs, and for some reason she chose our graveled driveway!  She has since laid her egg/eggs and with 2 black labs (bird dogs) on the property, it's been pretty entertaining to watch her lure a prospective predator away from her nest.

One of the dogs will get close to her nest and she will fly closer and plop herself on the ground, turn on her back and roll around flapping her wings like she's in distress.  Once she get's the dogs attention, she keeps flopping further & further away from the nest, luring the dogs away.  I have never seen such a thing. 

You've got to figure if it's the birds nature to lay their eggs on the ground, they have got to have some kind of a system to keep predators away from the nest.  I was so enthralled with the activity going on outside my scrapping window that I didn't think to get the camera until it was already over. 

She got the dog's attention and once the dog took to a run to get to her, she flew off just far enough that she could get away from them.  Bill said that is normal, but it just amazes me how nature works!

so now, on to the card:

This card was inspired by Aly Schilling.  I love her creative talent and am always inspired by her. 

Goodies used to create this card:

• Brad
• Embossing Powder – White
• Punch – Circle Punch
• Ribbon
• Stamp Set – Warm Words
• Stamp Set – Winged Things
• Stampin' Up! Designer Paper
• Technique Used – Heat Embossing
• Technique Used – Sponging / Pouncing

I look forward to seeing your comments here on my website.  Please drop me a quick note here and tell me what you think! 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Blessings & Inky Hugs

~Shawnie Bartron

Remember, if you don't get ink all over yourself, your not stampin'!

Visit my online Stampin' Up! store 24-7.  Click on "Shop Now"
http://Shawnie.StampinUp.net