Unfrogettable Stamping!

Printed Petals card CASE from the cruise

When I was on the Stampin' Up! Southern Caribbean incentive cruise last April we were lucky enough to all be given the stamp set Printed Petals for FREE!  In the Hospitality suite they had display boards set up with samples from this great stamp set and I CASE'd this one - isn't it fun?!  I just love the colors - tempting turquoise, old olive, so saffron, melon mambo and pumpkin pie. 

Here is a photo of the card I created once I got home - I changed it up a bit, adding a tempting turquoise base to the card and switching out the sentiment.  I also used the ice rhinestone brads for the center of my pumpkin pie flower for some added bling as well as adding dazzling diamonds to the tempting turquoise flower.  This card was the featured make-n-take at my May downline meeting so everyone would have a sneak peek card, but I couldn't share the card online because the stamp set had not come out yet.

There were a lot of punches used on this card and lots of layers - stampin' dimensionals sure came in handy!  I did have to cut out the two smallest flowers, though, but the end result was worth the effort in my opinion!  I love how the melon mambo center of the so saffron flower and the old olive "leaves" were circles punched out from the largest flower image.  The sentiment I used comes from the Curvy Verses set - one that I've had for a while but use a lot.

Thanks for looking - I hope this card shows you that you don't necessarily have to use an entire image on a card... if you punch out just a portion you have a lot more options!

Products used on today's project include...

SU! Cruise - Day 3, Barbados

We did not book any excursions in Barbados and Amanda wasn't feeling great so we decided to stay on the ship and hang out at the pool.  After breakfast we explored the ship a little.  These are some pictures from the Promenade deck... there were so many cool things to take photos with - my goofy family just had to do it with this statue of a man pointing to who knows what?!

 

And here is Kelsey beside a really cool automobile...

 

Stampin' Up! had a Hospitality Room open to all of us demonstrators on the ship with a prize wheel - every day we were able to win something.  Isn't that the coolest?  The girls wanted to spin for me so I let them take turns all week... I won a Simply Adorned bracelet, on board briefcase mini scrapbook and Vintage Labels from the Summer Mini, striped and polka-dotted ribbon.  How fun!  I'll share some of the samples from the display boards over the next couple of days.

Here we are at lunch - notice that my son Brandon is missing from the pictures?  He was so eager to hit the Adventure Ocean Kids Club each day that we hardly saw him!  Normally we had a fantastic view from the Windjammer Cafe, but in Barbados we just had a view of the working port.

And here we are leaving Barbados... this was a highlight each day.  We'd go out on my balcony and watch as we left the islands each day.  I still can't get over the beautiful color of the water - we're used to the very dark green waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia.

Thanks for stopping by - I'll be posting more pictures soon.  I do have stamping samples to share, too, so please check  back!!

SU! Cruise - Day 2, at Sea

We spent Day 2 of our cruise at sea, heading from San Juan, Puerto Rico south to Bridgetown, Barbados.  Here is Kelsey on the balcony of our cabin - what a spectacular view we had!

Early that morning we had a General Session, at which President Dale Fillmore and CEO Shelli Gardner spoke briefly and then we got a presentation by Brent Steele on My Digital Studio and a presentation of Summer Mini catalog products by Pam Morgan.  Shelli Gardner came back out at the end and announced the incentive trip for 2010 - Walt Disney World in Orlando!!  Everyone was so excited to hear about a land-based trip to Disney... I know my children are certainly hopeful that I earn that one!!  I am still hard at work to earn the Alaska trip in 2011 - that is the one my husband really wants and since he is my biggest supporter I would love to be able to give it to him!

We spent the afternoon by the pool - I forgot my camera back in the room so no pics... sorry!  I did enjoy hanging out with fellow demonstrators and watching a Belly Flop competition (ouch!) and Sexy Legs contest.  The cruise staff were a lot of fun and very friendly.  Brandon got his first taste of the Adventure Ocean Kid's Club and we pretty much didn't see him for the rest of the week!  I must say that Royal Caribbean is very kid-friendly and if we ever take a cruise again (that we have to pay for) it will definitely be with Royal Caribbean!!  Each of my kids spent time in their respective age groups at Adventure Ocean and made a lot of new friends.  It was nice knowing that I could reconnect with my friends while they were having fun with their new friends.  Joe just enjoyed reading quietly by the pool, in the shade of course.  However, be warned that if you decide to sit in the shade beside a pool, the reflection of the sun's rays off the water is enough to give you a bad sunburn... poor Joe is still pink on his legs!!

 

SU! Cruise - Day 1

I am so grateful to all my wonderful stampers and downline who helped me earn the fabulous Stampin' Up! Southern Caribbean cruise that we were on last week.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  It was truly a memorable vacation for my entire family and we want to let you know how grateful we are!!  I will be sharing highlights with you over the next few days... it will help me reminisce about this wonderful vacation.  It was really hard coming home to rainy Virginia and having to fix my own meals and turn down my own bed... and no towel animals?!  If you've never cruised, I *highly* recommend it!!!

Here we are on Day 1 at 6 AM in the Dulles airport outside Washington, DC.  This was my kids' first experience on an airplane and I was a little nervous to see their reaction.  Luckily it was a direct flight to San Juan and only lasted about 3-1/2 hours with very little turbulence.

As you can see, everyone was happy!  Because I have a family of 5, we had to get an additional cabin on the ship.  Kelsey had just celebrated her 11th birthday 2 days before we left, so in lieu of a birthday party she got to travel as my first guest on the cruise... I even let her have the window seat on the plane!

And here we are at the Port in San Juan, Puerto Rico... just about to board the ship.  Since I am the family photographer, I'm afraid you won't see me in too many of the pictures.  Can you relate?

Thanks for letting me share Day 1's highlights... we set sail at 8 pm that night and since we were exhausted from being up since 4 AM we all were too tired to do anything that night on the ship other than attend the Stampin' Up! Big Hello reception.  I forgot to take my camera with me so no pics... sorry!