It's Time to Say Farewell

Dear Stamping and Blogging friends,

It's Saturday morning once again and time for my final Just Us Girls post. I have decided that I must step down from this team and this challenge site that I helped to start up. Several aspects of my life have changed and I simply do not have time to devote to this hobby and the blogging that goes along with it. I've been sooooooo blessed, by the many followers of my humble little blog. I never dreamed that so many of you would touch my life in such warm and wonderful ways. I think I have touched a few of you, too.

My oldest daughter is finally back from Afghanistan and we are planning her wedding - coming up quickly in December and my son has moved to Phoenix to attend school.  My other daughter and son-in-law live nearby and I want to enjoy time with them.  I've been a "victim" of empty nest syndrome but I have picked up and established a new hobby that is wonderful for me - I am now a full-fledged member of the geocaching community and I find great joy in that. It gets me outside and with people and, since I am very much a "people person" that has been a huge factor of giving me back joy and happiness.

I will still stamp and create - just on my own timeline but I most likely will not be blogging about it. I can't say thank you enough to everyone in this community of paper crafters for the encouragement, support, kind compliments and well wishes. A more amazing group of women I have never encountered. I have friends in FAR places that I have made through this hobby and I will continue to enjoy those friendships as a delightful outcome of this fulfilling hobby.

Now - on to today's challenge - I DO hope you will all stick with JUGS and continue your faithful participation with the marvelously talented group of crafty women.

Today I want you to try your hand at creating something three dimensional to package up something for a special woman in your life be it your mom, grandma, daughter, niece, or special friend. Be creative but find a way to make the packaging say "WOW" as much as the gift itself does. I learned that from my tenure on the My Time Made Easy design team and I thank Lauren for sharing that trick with me. It's all about the presentation - right?

Ok - before I get too tearful - here's my favorite template - in my favorite colors - all set to hold a special little "gem" of a gift *tee hee* This is a template from MyTimeMadeEasy and is probably my all time favorite gift box - I've re-created this little box so many times in so many ways but I went back to my original design for this one today. Pink and green and lace and flowers --- my idea of feminine.

JUGS would not be what it is today without the devotion and hard work by the amazing Design Team. You girls rock my world and I am blessed to know you and call you friend. Thank you for everything you have done to make JUGS all that it is today. God bless each of you. Please stop by and leave each of these amazing women a little love.

♥♥ Just Us Girls Design Team  ♥♥

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Lisa
Lynn

Maria
Vicki

Hugs, smiles, a few tears and abundant blessings,
Stampin' Pam

JUGS131 - Sketch

Time for a Saturday morning sketch challenge brought to you by JUGS~~ Hope you will join us for a fun challenge this week!

Here's my card this week - decided on a masculine card for a change.

Stamps are from JustRite Stampers and the sentiment is a PTI. Paper is from my stash.

Be sure to stop by and check out the design team's offering - they are all listed on the JUGS page and then join us and post YOUR creation!

To those of you who celebrate it,  have a blessed Easter.

Hugs n Smiles,
Stampin Pam

JUGS challenge

Time for another JUGS challenge! Dana is our hostess and she has challenges us to make a set of gift cards with interchangeable sentiments - OOOPS - I missed that part. I made a set of sympathy gift cards as a gift for an office worker -  we have had so much need for sympathy cards in the past few months - hope this puts an end to that bad run...

Hope you'll come and play along with us.

Have a great weekend - I"m running out the door early early tomorrow so I didn't have a chance to write more than this quick post.
Hugs to all,
Stampin Pam

JUGS technique

Sorry for a SUPER quick post - just got back and the JUGS blog is already live.

Here's the challenge - followed by my project - GREAT technique - glad I tried it.
Hugs to all...

JUGS template time

SORRY - for some reason my post did not go live!

Good mornin' it's time for a Saturday JUGS challenge. This week is template time - Lisa is our hostess and she is challenging everyone to make a template of some sort and decorate using ribbons and flowers and buttons!

Yo know how much I love templates and I had the perfect reason to make one this week - I needed to package up a birthday gift for a co-worker and here's what I came up with:

I'm using the template called So Fortunate by My Time Made Easy. It is the cutest little "chinese take out box" and it goes together in a snap. I used some PTI card stock and some SU! designer paper I had on hand. The rest was all about embellishing so - based on the challenge I used ribbons, buttons (on top and on the front) and flowers! I also added some rhinestones to the center of the buttons for a bit-o-bling :-)  The sentiment is also from MTME.

A view from the other side. The flash kind of washed out the center of the light green flower.

Here's a close up of the top of the box.  where you can see the clustering of the buttons. The ribbon is tied around the handle to help hold it closed. I layered 3 flowers together to use all the colors.

Please pop over and visit the rest of the DT then come play along with JUGS this week.

♥♥ Just Us Girls Design Team  ♥♥

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa
Lynn

Maria
Vicki

♥♥ Be sure to stop and visit our Featured Designer for the month ♥♥

Cheri Weston

Thanks, as always, for stopping by. Have a blessed weekend. Can't wait to see your creations.
Hugs n smiles.
Stampin Pam

Time to Color

I cannot believe another week has slipped by already. We have had the most amazingly mild winter here in Chicago. It was in the 40s today and it's Mid-February. Last year this time we had our "snowmageddon" with 21 inches of snow which lasted for WEEEKS!

Time to come and color with Just Us Girls - Dana is our hostess this week and has some beautiful colors - can't you just FEEL spring???

And here's mine - a colorful little birthday card for a friend.

 Please pop over to our DT girls and to this month's Featured Designer... Cheri Weston...

THEN come play with us!
Hugs n smiles.
Stampin Pam

JUGS and buttons!

Good morning JUGS fans - time for a technique challenge - I have been very short on stamping time - I was gone last weekend and have been trying to play catch up all week so I didn't have time to make a new project but I'm sharing one that meets our technique challenge!

I have a friend who had his own commercial Hot Air Balloon business and I wanted to say thanks for the recent help - thought this would be appropriate way to do so. :-)

Featured stamp set is Everyday Button Bits from PTI.

Please stop by the rest of the JUGS team and then come play along with us. Can't wait to see what you create this week.

♥♥ Just Us Girls Design Team  ♥♥

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Lisa
Lynn

Maria
Vicki

♥♥ Be sure to stop and visit our Featured Designer for the month ♥♥

Cheri Weston

Hugs and smiles,
Stampin Pam