Have you gotten the Reason to Smile stamp set yet from Stampin' Up!?  It is such a bright and fun stamp set – and I feel that anytime we get to stamp is automatically another Reason to Smile.

No one else is awake at my house and that is the ONLY reason I can ever see to get up early.  It is quiet in here, so I got my coffee made, came into my stamp room and just started playing.

I will share a funny with you this morning…  On Saturday, Emily came into my stamp room and asked me if I would see Shelli from Stampin' Up! this week at convention (Shelli is the lady that started Stampin' Up! with her sister and Emily thinks that since we shared a table with them on our last SU! trip and because we were two doors down from her at the resort and saw her all the time, Emily thinks that they are just the best of friends.)  I told her that yes, I will see her.  This made Emily pause for a minute and then she said, "Mommy, please ask Shelli to retire more colors." 

GASP!!!!  What?  Get rid of my beloved color?  This cannot be MY child!!!!  I took a deep breath and asked her why she wanted to see her mother wilt like a dying flower (ok, so that sentence is a little melodramatic – it actually was more like a scared, "W-w-w-w-hy?"

"Because when she gets rid of colors, you give me more ink pads and a lot of cardstock to play with, and I don't even have to share it with you."

I hugged her so tight I thought her liver would pop out!  That IS my child!!!!  Ok, enough rambling from this proud mommy, back to the card…

This Reason to Smile card started with a sketch that I adore!  And then the first thing that I grabbed was DSP to get my color palette (my newsletter subscribers learned a design tip from me a couple of weeks ago, so if you are not on my newsletter list, look over to the box on the right and sign up).  Then ink, stamps, and cardstock all traveled down to the floor.  My stamp room is such a mess that I had to create on the floor today.  (anyone else in this position?)

The more I use the Reason to Smile stamp set, the more I enjoy it.  I have always been a fan of two step stamps, so I knew early on that I would like it, but I find myself reaching for it more and more.  Emily will be thrilled to know that it retires this month, but please do not tell her until August.  If you do not have the set, you can get it this month for only $5 with a $50 merchandise order.

Supplies used to create my Reason to Smile card:

Stampin' Up! Stamps:  Reason to Smile, Fundamental Phrases

Stampin' Up! Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point

Stampin' Up! Cardstock:  Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Stampin' Up! Accessories:  Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Brights Buttons, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Whisper White Baker's Twine, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Whisper White Stitched Ribbon, Summer Smooches DSP

I will brag on myself for a minute, I REALLY like this card!!!

Of course I used my 10 Second Bow Maker™ for my bow {giggle!!!}, and I just love how it all came together.  If you like it too, leave me a comment and let me know.

Be sure to remember that the Reason to Smile stamp set from Stampin' Up! is only available this month, so if you do not have it, be sure to grab it here.