Card-E-ology

Let's Hang Out!

2011-07-08T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is the fifth and final day of my week as the Growing In Unity Gal! It has been great to stamp, share my projects, and generally get back into the swing of crafting. Thanks for joining me!

I recently had a chance to make a new stamping friend. Her name is Rebecca H., and this card design idea came from her. It was so cute, I had to ask if I could share it with all of you. Isn't that mini tissue box adorable?!

Supplies:
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Paper: CS & PP (Stampin' Up!)

Paint/Ink: Craft Ink in Old Olive (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Oval Punches, Square Lattice Embossing Folder (Stampin' Up!)

The little Kleenex box is made from one rectangle of patterned paper. She scored it and then we cut out the corners of the scored rectangle. Then we punched out the oval and tucked just one tissue inside the 'box'.

Thanks again for joining me! Happy Stamping!

Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

2011-07-07T00:01:00.001-06:00

Wow, this week is really flying by, isn't it? Today is already day 4 of my week as the Growing In Unity Gal!

My something 'old' is this Smoothies cardstock I've had in my stash for a long time. New? The Authentique patterned paper. The company is just launching its first products. Borrowed? This adorable peacock image. I was playing with Unity stamps at a friend's house, and I stamped off a few images of this peacock. Blue is everywhere in this project.

Supplies:
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Paper: Journey Collection PP (Authentique) ; Ocean Breeze Smoothies (Bazzill Basics)
Paint/Ink: Memento Ink in Danube Blue (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Scalloped Circle Nestabilities Dies (Spellbinders); Markers C0, B02, B04, YR04 (Copic)

Happy Stamping!

Butterflies Challenge

2011-07-06T00:01:00.038-06:00

Today is day 3 of my week as the Growing In Unity Gal! Let's feature a challenge today: All Things Unity. This is ATU #34, Let's Fly Away, featuring butterflies.

Supplies:
Stamps: Key to Joy & Imagine It (Unity Stamp Co.)
Paper: PP (Memory Box); Manila Tag (Ranger)
Paint/Ink: Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa, Bamboo Leaves, Desert Sand (Tsukineko); Glimmer Mist Marshmallow (Tattered Angels)
Accessories: Flower Punches (EK Success); Markers E39 (Copic); Distress Tool (Tonic)

I love the Marshmallow Glimmer Mist. As you can see in the closeup below, it gives such a fine and pretty sparkle!

Happy Stamping!

Many Kinds of Sisters

2011-07-05T08:53:00.008-06:00

Today is day 2 of my week as the Growing In Unity Gal, and I'm having an absolute blast so far!

This project features one of my favorite things about Unity Stamp Company: free stamps! This "sisters" stamp was one I received during one of Unity's many giveaways. It was a random goody in one of my orders, and I don't even know what set it's from.

Instead of coming up with something for my biological sister (sorry, Kris!), I opted for versatility and created something for sorority sisters. See, while school's out, members of the Greek community are not just sitting around idle. They're in meetings and workshops getting ready for the start of school and their upcoming recruitment period.

Supplies:
Stamp: Unity Stamp Co.
Paper: Rich Razzleberry CS & Cottage Wall PP (Stampin' Up!)
Paint/Ink: Rich Razzleberry Dye Ink (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Greek Alphabet Die (QuicKutz/Lifestyle Crafts)

The card's layout is provided by Card Positioning Systems (CPS) sketch 225.

If you'll indulge me, I'd like to send a shout-out to my Tri-Sigma sisters around the country, and especially to Zeta Epsilon chapter at Florida International University in Miami. Hi Ladies! Our chapter's 20th anniversary is coming up this Fall, and we're all very excited and proud.

Happy Stamping!

Projects, Prizes, and Patriotism!

2011-07-04T01:10:00.004-06:00

This is going to be a wonderful week! Today is my first day as the Growing In Unity Gal! There will be new projects Monday through Friday this week, each featuring Unity stamps!

Today is July 4th, which is Independence Day here in the United States. It's only appropriate for me to feature the Unity in America stamp set. It includes words like "honor", "hero", and "freedom", along with symbols from various military branches. Perfect for honoring our veterans (like my Dad) and those brave men & women serving our country so we can enjoy the freedoms we do today.

Supplies:
Stamps: Unity in America (Unity Stamp Co.)
Paper: Yankee Doodles PP (We R Memory Keepers); Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah)
Paint/Ink: Memento Ink in Dandelion (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Rectangle & Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Markers Y15, N0 (Copic); Self-adhesive Gems (MAMBI); Suture Thread (The Stamp Doctor)

To add some physical dimension to the card, I added bright yellow gemstones to the stars in the ribbon. For visual dimension, I added a shadow to the stamped image using an N0 {very light neutral gray} Copic marker.

This stamp set has lots of additional versatility! For example, you could color the ribbon with markers of other colors & omit the words. The awareness ribbon stamp could take on pink for breast cancer, red for heart disease, etc. I have a very special green awareness ribbon pin that I'll treasure. When my mom passed away suddenly & unexpectedly 10 years ago this week, we followed her wishes and donated her organs and tissues. What a cherished card this stamp set could make for a donor family with a green ribbon and the "thank you" sentiment!

Please come back and visit each day because in addition to the projects, you'll have a chance to win Unity stamps just for leaving comments. I'll choose a grand prize winner from all of the comments left on this week's posts to win a Unity Stamp Set sponsored by Unity Stamp Co.! The winner will get his/her choice from a selected list of sets. One comment per day per person, please. The drawing has been held and the prize has been awarded. Thank you!

Go out and enjoy some fireworks tonight. See you tomorrow & Happy Stamping!

Happy WCMD!

2010-10-02T00:21:00.007-06:00

I hope everyone enjoys a fabulous World Card Making Day today!   I won't be celebrating by making cards today. We moved a little while ago and I still haven't unpacked my stamping stuff.

What's finally gotten my creative juices flowing, you ask? The wonderful classes I enjoyed, taught by the amazing Fred Mullett at delightful local store White Swan Rubber Stamps. Everything about the classes was great... the material, the freedom Fred gave us to 'let go and create,' the other students, the hostess. I was happily exhausted at the end of 2 four-hour classes. I wanted to take the third class the following day, but I'm almost glad I didn't. I slept the whole day!

The first class was called "Dancing Rubber Fish" and explored all sorts of wonderful embossing techniques.   There's a big craft consignment sale coming up, and I'm so glad I didn't part with any of my embossing powders!   But if I need a color that I simply don't have, I now know how to create my own colors with alcohol inks and Copic marker refills! (See why I can't wait to unpack my craft room?)

This first fish is quite large -- the stamp is over 7" across! It's called Big Pompano, and I couldn't help buying it! We practiced embossing techniques, color theory, and watercoloring.   The middle fish is showing off a new color we learned: brownge.

Then we were offered the chance to choose another of Fred's stamps that he brought, or to use a stamp that we brought. I had a few of his stamps already, so I decided to try the technique on the much smaller Longnose Butterfly.

Yes, we did all that in one four-hour period! My mind was on overdrive thinking of different stamp designs and how they would look using these new techniques we learned. There's definitely a lot of embossing in my future.

I had originally planned to spend the afternoon at the Scrap & Stamp Fest at the fairgrounds to visit further with Nami (of DeNami Design) and Tanya, and to photograph the fabulous DeNami sample boards. One of my classmates was on call, though, and had to leave before class 2 started. She offered her seat to me! I was sad that I missed stopping back at the DeNami booth, but I'm sure I'll see them again.

Happy Stamping!

Christmas in July Mail Art - to Australia

2010-07-05T16:08:00.003-06:00

Back in April, rubber stamp company Darkroom Door asked blog readers to send in mail art for their display at the Scrapbooking Industry Australia (SIA) show in Sydney. There wasn't much time for me to put something together and pop it into the mail, since it had to get to Australia for the show. They posted some of the projects on their blog today and I thought I would share mine with you.

Because they wanted the mail art "naked" (without envelopes), I sent them this postcard. I only have one of their stamp sets so far, Christmas Reindeer, and luckily it includes some postmark-style stamps as well as the "Carte Postale".

My favorite stamps in the set are the reindeer. I love how they're positioned and stylized. For this reindeer, I did an emboss resist. I stamped the words stamp several times in brown. Then I stamped the reindeer in VersaMark and used clear embossing powder. Next, I sponged brown ink over & around the reindeer image and wiped off where the embossing powder was. For a final touch -- to make this reindeer a Rudolph and to make sure the red stuff would stay on for an overseas mailing -- I drew a small dot with VersaMark and embossed the nose with red embossing tinsel.

Hope the summer is treating you well so far!

Happy Stamping!

Belli Challenge

2009-09-16T00:01:00.003-06:00

It's still hot here in Boise, but it's time to turn our crafting attention to projects for the Fall. This week's Belli Challenge (#74) is to create a Fall or Halloween project. I thought I'd join in since Creative Cuts & More is sponsoring this challenge and since my card uses elements from the new Fall Occasions Kit that CC&M will be debuting very soon. It's a sneak peek of several of the goodies that the kit contains.

The kit is luxurious, with beautiful rich tones and several shimmery papers. As you can see in the closeup that follows, both the card and the large swirl are shimmering. Another lavish component of the kit is the variety of silk ribbons and fibers that are included. The colors are stunning and the quality of these hand-dyed silken goodies from The Thread Gatherer is unsurpassed.

Supplies:
Stamps: Enjoy Your Day (Cornish Heritage Farms' Kim Hughes Collection)
Paper: Die-cut card, leaf, & swirl; and K&Company's patterned paper (Fall Occasions Card Kit from Creative Cuts & More)
Paint/Ink: Palette Noir (Stewart Superior)
Accessories: The Thread Gatherer's hand-dyed silk ribbon & silk chenille yarn; and button (Fall Occasions Card Kit from Creative Cuts & More); corner rounder punch

I hope you'll play along with us! Be sure to check out the other yummy creations at The Belli Blog. If you're uploading to SCS or PCP, the keyword is CBC74.

Happy Stamping!

Halloween Hopping

2009-09-13T22:31:00.005-06:00

It's time for another Creative Cuts & More blog hop, and this time we're all showcasing projects created for Autumn and Halloween. (If you arrived here from anywhere other than Jennifer Johnson's blog, you don't want to miss out! Visit Diecut Diva for the starting point on the hop, 5 different ways to win a brand new album kit, and for a 15% off coupon code.)

Our family needs lots of cards to give to neighbors, friends, teachers, etc. This card features some inexpensive die cuts and an easy stick-on embellishment.

Supplies:
Die Cuts: Exclusive A2 Arch Window Card in Bazzill White and Witch on Broom in Bazzill Raven (Creative Cuts & More)
Paper: Boo Crew Goblins PP (BoBunny)
Accessories: pumpkin bling (BasicGrey)

The next stop in our hop is Pam Smerker, who has created some adorable Halloween boxes to show you (as well as the adorable Haunted House Album Kit that's available in the drawing).

Quick & Easy Acetate Box

2009-08-09T23:49:00.005-06:00

Thanks for hopping on over to see my contribution to the Creative Cuts & More August Acetate Blog Hop! (If you did yet have a chance to see Angie's post, you can start at DieCutDiva.com to see it all and learn about the blog candy being given away!)

My husband's favorite day of the whole year is Thanksgiving. He primps the house for days before and cooks his heart out. He even has an apron embroidered with a turkey especially for the occasion. There's so much fuss and preparation going into a big event like that, I don't have the desire or the time to create elaborate little party favors. I want something adorable, quick, and easy.

CC&M offers a total of twenty-two boxes cut from acetate, and I chose to show you the Butterfly Box. It was so easy to create! The simple steps:

Run the flat Butterfly Box through the BigShot machine with the D'Vine Swirls Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Fold box and adhere the bottom and side with the exceptionally strong Killer Red Tacky Tape
Fill with fall-colored candies
Interlock top to secure

It would be a snap to make a bunch of these for a wedding, little Valentine's Day goodies for the kids to give away at school, a token holiday gift for all those acquaintances at work or around the neighborhood, etc.

Now that you've seen a quick and easy acetate project, I want to share 2 new products that Creative Cuts & More will be kicking off in the coming weeks. First is a new Sea Life 8"x8" Album Kit. This is the blog candy prize for the blog hop. Another new kit is the (F)All Occasions Card Kit which will include pretty fall papers and gorgeous autumn colors. Keep an eye out for these.

The next stop on our hop today is Carla Mayfield... just wait 'till you see what she has in store for you today!

Happy Stamping!

Sweet on Impression Obsession

2009-07-08T08:44:00.004-06:00

I'm a big fan of cupcakes. Even though there is so much color going on in my project, I wanted to make sure that the cupcake is the star of the show. I chose to do this by bringing attention to the flower petals by making them sparkly, thereby drawing the eye to the center where the cupcake resides. This is an unusually large card for me, but I'm really liking the larger size.

Usually when I spray flowers with Spritz or paint flowers with Shimmerz or Blingz, I start out with white flowers and build color with the paints only. This time, the flowers were already colored at the outset. The flower in the background was a peachy-pink and the flower in the front was a light yellow-green. I built the color on the background flower by spraying it with a very light coating of Bed of Roses Spritz. I didn't want to change its color too much. With the yellow-green flower, I wanted more of the yellow color to be accented. I sprayed it three times with the Chick-a-dee Spritz, allowing time for it to dry between layers.

For a pretty dot of sparkle, I painted the cherry at the top of the cupcake with the Fire Engine Red Shimmerz. It's the perfect shade for a ripe summer cherry, wouldn't you say?

I added the closeup photo to show just how sparkly the beautiful Spritz'd flowers are. It also highlights the pretty shine in the cherry.

Supplies:
Stamps: Cupcake MC181 (Impression Obsession)
Paper: Zinnia PP (Little Yellow Bicycle); Smoothies CS in Boysenberry Delight & Sparkleberry Delight (Bazzill); Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah)
Paint/Ink: Fire Engine Red Shimmerz and Chick-a-dee & Bed of Roses Spritz (Shimmering Products); Tuxedo Black & Lulu Lavender Memento Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Apron Lace Border Punch (Fiskars); Circle Punches (EK Success); Word Window Punch (Stampin' Up!); Markers RV21, E13, R35 (Copic); Fabric Flowers (Heidi Swapp); Dimensional Adhesive (3L)

Thanks so much to the folks at Impression Obsession! I'm so pleased with my sweet new stamps!

Happy Stamping!

Cupcake Congratulations!!

2009-07-01T22:54:00.003-06:00

Grace C. said...

What fabulous blog candy!! I just LOVE cupcakes!!:)

Big round of applause for Grace C.! Please leave your e-mail address in a comment for me so we can get in contact. Way to go!

In other news, Creative Cuts and More has extended their design team call through Monday, July 6th. They carry all sorts of wonderful papers and dies. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in getting your foot in the door designing. International applicants are accepted, too!

Happy Stamping!

Cupcake Candy

2009-06-22T10:45:00.007-06:00

It's time for some Cupcake Candy, wouldn't you say? My blog is two years old, but the presents are for you! I've spent the last few weeks collecting cupcake goodies -- stickers, buttons, stamps, ribbon, etc. All kinds of fun stuff!

Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win! And, if you'd like to post a link to this candy on your own blog, then leave a 2nd comment for an extra chance at winning. International entries are welcome.

I'll do the drawing via random.org on my Dad's birthday, Wednesday July 1st and post the winner shortly thereafter. {ETA: The drawing has taken place. Thank you for visiting!}

Thanks for celebrating with me. Happy Stamping!

Shimmerz Blog's Birthday

2009-06-16T07:30:00.006-06:00

I made two birthday cards, both using the new Bo Bunny "It's My Party" collection papers & stickers. For the first card, I die-cut a candle out of cardstock and acetate using an AccuCut die. The cardstock is the wax part of the candle and the acetate became the flame. I painted the acetate flame with Mello Yello Blingz on both sides. I then used dimensional adhesive so the candle would pop right off the page.

On my second card, I also used dimensional adhesive, this time with the EK Success Powder tool. It allows flat stickers to pop off the page. For added interest, I painted the gift with Mello Yello Blingz.

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Birthday (Kim Hughes Collection @ Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: It's My Party PP (BoBunny); Canvas & Smoothies CS (Bazzill)
Paint/Ink: Mello Yello Blingz (Shimmering Products); Lady Bug Memento Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: It's My Party Stickers (BoBunny); Corner Rounder Punch & Powder Tool (EK Success); Candle Die (AccuCut); Dimensional Adhesive (3L)

Speaking of birthdays, it's my sister's birthday (Happy 35th, Kris!) and my blog's birthday too! Be sure to stop back here starting on Monday for a birthday blog candy with a cupcake theme! Up for grabs are cupcake stamps, cupcake stickers, cupcake ribbon... all for one lucky winner.

Happy Stamping!

PS: There's a call for guest designers at Creative Cuts & More.

Butterfly Frame

2009-06-02T03:00:00.002-06:00

My black wood photo frame came from the dollar store. I dressed it up with die-cut Grungepaper sprayed with Bed of Roses Spritz.

Supplies:
Paper: Grungepaper (Ranger)
Paint/Ink: Bed of Roses Spritz (Shimmering Products)
Accessories: Printed fabric ribbon (Little Yellow Bicycle); Clear domed gems (Hero Arts); Dies & Die Cut System (Sizzix); Wood picture frame

Happy Stamping!

CC&M Hop

2009-05-11T03:00:00.007-06:00

Welcome to this stop on the Creative Cuts & More Blog Hop. Wasn't Carla's post fabulous? (If you haven't arrived here from Carla's blog, you don't want to miss what the Design Team has in store for you! The CC&M Blog Hop starts at http://diecutdiva.com.)

I had a great time making my projects for the today's hop. I'm a big fan of the cute, whimsical designs from Doodlebug... and I love that everything coordinates.

TIP: Did you know that Bazzill Criss Cross textured cardstock is dyed to match Doodlebug products? Takes away all the guesswork and makes coordinating a snap!

My card uses several of the dies from CC&M -- 5-1/4" - Square Window Card #01 - Border Windows, Heart #02 - Large with Layer, and Photo Corner #02 Set, all cut from the Criss Cross textured cardstock -- plus Doodlebug stickers, gemstones, and patterned paper.

The box was created from several CC&M dies also: Tall Gable Box, Heart #02 - Large with Layer, and Photo Corner #02 Set, all cut from the Criss Cross textured cardstock -- along with Doodlebug stickers, gemstones, and patterned paper.

I made two enhancements to the flat cardstock stickers (hippo & turtle) that were used on the projects. I used the EK Success Powder Tool to neutralize the adhesive. This allowed me to put pop-dots on the stickers so they'd have a little dimension. I added more interest to them by adding the self-adhesive gems. Now they really pop!

The next stop on our hop is Jennifer Johnson. She's very talented and I'm sure you'll love what she created! And you'll want to continue on to the end of the hop for a chance to win some blog candy.

Enjoy the rest of the hop!

A Rare Layout for NSD

2009-04-29T22:15:00.006-06:00

Yep, I'm 99% cardmaker and proud of it! I've made a few occasional layouts and I especially like how this one turned out.

Supplies:
Paper: Mellow PP (BasicGrey); Olive Cardstock
Paint/Ink: Angel Wings Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Photo Anchors (Stemma); Olive Ribbon (Making Memories); Tag Die (QuicKutz); Black Glaze Pen (Sakura)

You can see here how easy it is to dress up a page using a little Shimmerz to highlight. I chose to highlight the ribbon used on the tag and the trees on the patterned paper. (I also highlighted my sister's wedding ring on the photograph, but I just couldn't get a good pic of it for this post.)

Happy Stamping!

Grungepaper Butterfly

2009-04-21T17:42:00.003-06:00

We seem to have almost skipped Spring here in Boise. It was in the 40's a day or two ago, and right now my weather link says it's 84! I worked on this butterfly over the weekend dreaming of spring and hoping for warmer weather. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for (or at least be more specific!).

Two of the newest Shimmerz colors, Choc-o-lot and Fire Engine Red, are the perfect complement to this Penny Lane paper from MME. The butterfly was cut from Grungepaper, the thinner version of Grungeboard, and then painted with Shimmerz. I drew on the antennae and the dotted flight-path.

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill Brown (Bazzill Basics); Penny Lane Free Bird Love Paper (My Mind's Eye); Tim Holtz Grungepaper (Advantus)
Paint/Ink: Choc-o-lot & Fire Engine Red Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Memento Marker in Rich Brown (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch (Fiskars); Boys Will Be Boys Dies (Sizzix); Butterfly #1 Die (Ellison); Amber & Blue 5mm gems (Mark Richards); Single Rhinestones (MAMBI)

Happy Stamping!

New Pub, Old Card

2009-04-18T00:05:00.007-06:00

There's nothing quite like seeing "Artist Comp Copy" printed above your name on the address label of a magazine. It means a smile (usually accompanied by a squeal) and then tender turning of the pages while you examine every single project inside to see which you recognize. Today, my comp copy was for the brand new Stampers' Sampler Catch Up Issue Vol. 13 which hits stands on May 1st.

I submitted my card back in February of 2008. It has been quite a while, hasn't it? This is why I always let Stampington keep all my submissions. You just never know when they'll need something in a certain color scheme or style! I had one card that was over 2 years between submission and publication. I bet there are more in piles at the Stampington offices that they'll use someday.

My favorite thing about this card is that the stamp used for the focal image reminds me so much of my mother. (My dad doesn't see the resemblance, he says... but I REALLY do. We'll have to let my sister Kris break the tie, I guess.) I can just see Mom wearing clam diggers and sitting on a dock at the lake somewhere.

Supplies:
Stamps: Woman (Alluring Impressions); Postage (Oxford Impressions); Happy (Verve)
Paper: Close to Cocoa & Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!); Striped PP (unknown)
Paint/Ink: Basic Brown (SU); Chestnut Roan ColorBox Chalk Ink (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Tag Punches & Copper Cord (SU); Authentic vintage postage stamps

I'd also like to offer a congratulatory shout out to my friend Debbie Emmons who has a beautiful Easter card published on page 104. Woohoo!

Back in a day or two with a new project using Shimmerz in a cool way with acetate! Completed it tonight while 'scrapping' with the girls, but it's too dark to photograph properly. It may be Monday before I get daylight time at home to take pictures.

Happy Stamping!

Fancy and Funny

2009-03-31T22:24:00.004-06:00

Today's project is a study in contrasts. It's dressed up to be an elegant card for an engagement or wedding, yet the stamped image is whimsical and the matching sentiment is funny.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Kim Hughes and her whimsical designs. I made this card from a stamp image that I made when I borrowed this set from a friend. (I've since purchased it... I couldn't help myself!) As much as I adore these stamps, though, my favorite part about making this particular project is how I unexpectedly fell head-over-heels for the Coal Shimmerz!

Supplies:
Stamps: Ocean Friends (Kim Hughes Collection @ Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Fig Swirl & Blackberry Swirl Smoothies (Bazzill Basics); Silver Sparkle CS (DCWV)
Paint/Ink: Coal Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Paris Dusk Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Large Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl Embossing Folder (Provo Craft); Flowers from the Bubbles Collection in Black (Prima Marketing); Red gems & pearl (K & Company); Black ric rac (May Arts); Dimensional adhesive (3L)

Looking at this closeup, it still surprises me that these sparkly paper Prima flowers started out a very light cream color. The Coal Shimmerz had excellent color coverage and made these sparkle like crazy! They almost look like the very metallic-steel-black-grey looking mineral called Hematite. It's gorgeous and one of my new favorites.

And some quick artsy info. for locals:
- ReUse Market is going to have their open house this month on April 24-25. See their Web site for details.
- Boise Art Museum is showing some early photographic works by Ansel Adams. Admission is free on First Thursday, April 2nd. The photography curator from Oakland Museum of California will be speaking at 5:30. Make a charcoal drawing based on the photos in the studio from 5-8.

Happy Stamping!

Another No-Stamper

2009-03-16T15:49:00.005-06:00

I couldn't resist shooting a pic of this cute little guy to share with you today. This is the Shark, which is one of the several new exclusive QuicKutz dies that were released at Archiver's this past weekend. Of course, cut in different colors of cardstock, he could become a goldfish or a clownfish or even a black molly.

Supplies:
Paper: Mysterious Teal (Bazzill Basics); Smooth White, Black & Chili Cardstock (Archiver's); On The Dot Ring PP (KaiserCraft)
Accessories: Shark Die (QuicKutz); Apron Lace Border Punch (Fiskars); dimensional adhesive (3L)

I must be in a fishy mood, because I just ordered the Ocean Friends set by Kim Hughes @ Cornish Heritage Farms. Lila let me borrow it for some fun stamping and I just had to have one for myself. I got my ship notice within the last few minutes so I'm sure to have them soon!

Happy Stamping!

Penny Lane Birds

2009-03-08T17:45:00.005-06:00

Today's card has two unusual features for me: it's square and it has no stamping. I know.

These cute birdies and accompanying paper are from the new Penny Lane release (Free Bird collection, Love theme) from My Mind's Eye. Very cute! I didn't add much more. Both birds and the twig were on one sheet of cardstock punch-outs, and the "kindred spirits" sentiment oval was on another.

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill Brown (Bazzill Basics); Penny Lane Free Bird Cardstock Punch-outs Large Love Accessories & Small Beauty Accessories and Love Paper (My Mind's Eye)
Paint/Ink: Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch (Fiskars); Amber & Blue 5mm gems (Mark Richards); dimensional adhesive (3L)

Happy Stamping! :)

BasicGrey Winner

2009-03-05T23:36:00.003-07:00

My blog's winner for the BasicGrey paper collection is

Polo.Pony said...
Very good ideas! That is such a neat box!

Please e-mail me your name and mailing address so I can get your paper package sent on its way. Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the CC&M blog hop!

Happy Stamping!

Dynamic Dresses

2009-03-02T03:00:00.007-07:00

Here we go! Today's the big product launch and first-ever Blog Hop for Creative Cuts & More! (If you didn't arrive here via Carla's blog, please pop over to DiecutDiva.com and start from the beginning -- each participating blog is offering blog candy!)

For my projects today, I chose to focus on the brand new Dress Box die. My wedding dress was very easy to make. It was cut from Bazzill Smoothies Coconut Swirl. The only embellishments used on the project are Prima Marketing's new Say it in Studs self-adhesive embellishments. The studs were arranged in an ornate frame pattern. I used my sharp Tonic snips to cut only certain parts of the frame to create the bodice, waist, and hem adornments.

Because these studs are self-adhesive, they were very easy to adhere. They're nice quality, too, and the segments held together very nicely.

My other sample was also very easy to put together. This next dress is cut from BasicGrey patterned cardstock from the Two Scoops collection and tied with a thin grosgrain ribbon. I made this to show that this die is not just for weddings!

Dresses cut from other patterns and other colors could be used for all sorts of occasions:

Pretty floral dresses for Mother's Day, Tea Parties, Bridal Showers
Matching dresses for Bridesmaids gifts
Pastels for pretty Easter Dresses
Dresses in school colors for graduations
Dresses in sorority colors for Bid Day, Initiations and other special occasions
Red or purple dresses for Red Hat events
White dresses for Confirmations, Baptisms, First Communion, etc.
Pink and/or sparkly dresses for "Princess" party favors
Black, scary dresses for witches at Halloween
A whole variety of dresses for favors at an Oscar party or a Mardi Gras/Costume party
Pretty dresses for prom or homecoming
Gold or silver dresses for 25th or 50th Anniversary parties

The possibilities with this dress are endless! Creative Cuts & More carries very few patterned papers. However, you can have CC&M cut papers that you send in -- and they cut it for a reasonable cutting fee. You can visit the Contact Us page to inquire via e-mail or by phone.

Now that you've seen some of the fun projects the CC&M DT came up with for wedding-themed projects, you'll have your turn to show us what you can do. A customer challenge will be posted within the next week at Diecutdiva.com.

To win a special pack of Basic Grey papers, just leave a comment on this post. You have until 11:59 PM on Thursday night, March 5th, and the drawing will take place on Friday.

Next, head over to Lila Holgate's blog to see what she has in store for you!

Thanks for participating!

A Quick Peek

2009-02-28T23:51:00.008-07:00

My friend, Lori Renn, has launched her own line of rubber stamps. My project today uses her "Wish Big!" stamp. Lori's new stamp line is proof that wishing big can lead to big success!

This is the Tall Gable Box from Creative Cuts & More.

Supplies:
Stamp: Wish Big (Lori Renn Collection @ The Rubber Cafe)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Flower Patch PP (Making Memories); Tall Gable Box in Kiwi Crush Bazzill Smoothies (Creative Cuts & More)
Paint/Ink: Key Lime Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Cottage Ivy Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Large Rectangle & Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Dingbats 2 Die (Sizzix); Grungeboard Basics Dots (Tim Holtz @ Advantus)

Happy Stamping!

Boxer Blue

2009-01-28T18:02:00.009-07:00

There are so many bonuses and benefits to having friends that stamp. One benefit is that their stamp collection houses some different stamps than yours. Thank you for letting me play with your Kim Hughes stamps!

This Ocean Friends set of hers is at the very top of my wish list. These little sea creatures are melting my heart and the creative, sweet sentiments that accompany them are icing on the cupcake.

TIP: I prefer not to leave my buttons naked, but it's sometimes difficult to find threads/ribbons that match. This problem is solved by using thin strips of the paper & cardstock used elsewhere in the project.

Supplies:
Stamps: Ocean Friends (Kim Hughes Collection @ Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Boxer PP (BasicGrey)
Paint/Ink: Paris Dusk Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Large Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Buttons (Autumn Leaves)

Happy Stamping!

It's Shaping Up to Be a Shiny Week!

2009-01-14T23:56:00.009-07:00

This week's tidbits & goodies:

My good friend Lori Renn launched her very OWN LINE OF RUBBER STAMPS! I'm so completely excited for her... I'm having to fight the urge to add ninety exclamation points. The stamps are totally cute.

I'm hoping to hear from a certain SU Demonstrator and then find myself up to my elbows in the new catalog.

Oh, yes, and I have to make sure I answer the door when the mailman comes with my new Violet Cupcake stamp from Karen Lockhart. Can you imagine? Two of my very favorite things together. (So, all I need now is a pair of Birkenstocks with Swedish Fish depicted on them!)

Enjoy the rest of your week! Happy Stamping!

Fun News!

2009-01-06T19:05:00.007-07:00

There's fun news on several fronts:

* Kim Hughes has FOUR adorable new stamp sets out. My favorite of the four is Ocean Friends, but all are must-haves! (Who am I kidding? All of her sets are must-haves!) Her next sets come out the first Thursday in March, and my calendar is already marked.

*I won a fun drawing from Making Memories! I can't wait to play with their new jars! I've just cleaned out my stamping stash (which included my stamp room, living room, dining room, garage, and dad's house!), and I definitely have the need for a few more storage solutions.

* The Re:Use Market in Boise has announced its January Open House! They'll be open on Friday, Jan 23rd from 2 to 5 and then on Saturday, Jan 24th from noon to 3. Be sure to bring a bag!

Hope you're having a great day!

Happy Stamping!

Green Living

2008-12-23T10:13:00.008-07:00

Hope you're all further along with your holiday to-do list than I am. More things keep getting added to mine! Each time I cross something off the list, two or three things find their way onto it. It looks like I'll be sending out Valentines or maybe even Independence Day cards instead of Christmas cards this year.

Last week, I spent lots of time preparing for a segment which aired last night on the local ABC affiliate KIVI Channel 6. The theme is Green Living. We used all sorts of environmentally-friendly materials like a drink carrier from Sonic, a frosting container, a toilet paper roll, a can of Pears, an old Albertsons grocery bag, a Starbuck's Frappuccino bottle and a brown handled bag from Aveda to create lots of fun wrapping options. The brief article and segment video are linked here.

Happy Holidays!

Candy Colored Goodness -- and Candy!

2008-10-25T21:55:00.007-06:00

I had the chance to borrow this bird stamp recently, and I love how it turned out! I warned my friend that if her stamp is ever missing, she should check my pocket. I know, I know... "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's stamps." But in this case, it's warranted, don't you think? This birdie rocks! I stamped several extras to play with later, too.

For this card, since the focal image is stamped on patterned paper, I decided to use the Neenah white for the scalloped edge. And for a little twist, I painted the scallops with Angel Wings Shimmerz. {No need to cover the whole oval since only the little scallops are showing!}

Supplies:
Stamps: Bird Stamp (Unity)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Euphoria PP (BasicGrey)
Paint/Ink: Angel Wings Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Lilac Posies Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Petite Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Mat Pack & Paper Piercer (Stampin' Up!)

Happy Stamping!

Kraft Cardstock

2008-10-06T22:21:00.007-06:00

I don't use a lot Kraft cardstock, but I think that's going to change! I played with some this weekend, and I really like the look of it. Oh, the possibilities!

The stamp used to create the background is the Solid Leaf Spray from The Rubber Café. I couldn't help but notice how strikingly similar it looked to the Making Memories self-adhesive fabric tape from their Fifth Avenue Collection. See for yourself!

Here's a close-up of the Shimmerzed flower. I added Angel Wings Shimmerz to all three layers of the flower. It's so pretty!

Supplies:
Stamp: Solid Leaf Spray (The Rubber Café)
Paper: Generic Kraft, Black & Vanilla Cardstock
Paint/Ink: Angel Wings Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Tuxedo Black Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Pearl Brads (K&Co.); Fabric Tape (Making Memories); Paper Flowers (Prima Marketing); Threading Water Border Punch (Fiskars)

If you happen to be nearby, the Re:Use Market has announced that its next Open House will take place on October 17 & 18. Check their Web site for more details. If you're able to go, take a bag along... you'll need it! :)

Happy Stamping!

News & Happenings

2008-09-30T23:56:00.003-06:00

I got my artist's copy of Just Cards! yesterday. This is the first time I've had projects published in this magazine. The four cards they printed are: Starlight, Make the Most of Yourself, Hugs and Kisses, and Valentine Be Mine.

I'm excited to announce that I've joined the design team for The Rubber Café -- I even have a card to share with you. Purple is my favorite color, but I rarely work with it. Why? Well, if I make purple cards, I'll have to use up my purple paper, cardstock, embellishments, etc. I hoard purple stuff like crazy. Do you have the same trouble? (And in case it's not clear in the photo... the card is purple and it was photographed against a light olive background.)

Supplies:
Stamps: African Violets & Words of Faith (The Rubber Café)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Corduroy Textured Cardstock (Bazzill Basics)
Paint/Ink: Angel Wings Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Tuxedo Black Memento Dye Ink & VersaMark (Tsukineko); Sketch Markers (Copic)
Accessories: Petite Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Happy Stamping!

Blog Banner Challenge

2008-09-17T23:33:00.003-06:00

As you can see, things are looking a little bit different around here today. I participated in the weekly challenge at Cornish Heritage Farms -- which happened to be to make your own blog banner. This is something that has been on my mind for several weeks, and I was thinking of hiring someone to update it. But how would I advise them on what I want, when I'm not sure what that is exactly?

I started with this card, which I made during the Kim Hughes Blitz over at CHF in June. I scanned it, and then decided I needed a funky font to type in my name and title. I downloaded one of Kim Hughes' fonts, CK Slim Mitch, to match her cool style.

Why not give it a try? I'm glad I did!

Oooh, in other Kim Hughes news, she just released two new stamp sets and they're both super-cute! Birthday Bash and Comforting Hugs are now available.

Happy Stamping!

Shining & Shimmering

2008-09-12T00:25:00.005-06:00

There's a big going out of business sale at Mandarin Pixie right now. Prices are VERY low, so check it out. First come, first served.

I wanted to show off the adorable Kim Hughes owl and the birthday card that served as the inspiration for my Cards for Troops challenge on SCS. Cards are still being accepted, so if you have a little extra time to stamp this weekend, please make a few for the troops. They just need to be postmarked by 9/20. Click here for details.

Supplies:
Stamps: U R A Hoot and Tag You're It! by Kim Hughes (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Olive & Gold cardstock (Archiver's); Mellow PP (Basic Grey)
Paint/Ink: Beeswax, Rustic Red, and Sagebrush Limited Edition Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Rich Cocoa Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko); Chestnut Roan ColorBox Chalk Ink (Clearsnap); Beige E33 Marker (Copic)

We've all got some fun holidays coming up! Halloween was one of my favorites. Keep your seatbelts fastened for some Halloween blog candy coming soon. :)

Happy Stamping!

Today's the Day!

2008-08-15T00:59:00.007-06:00

Big news and some fabulous projects for you to check out today over at the Shimmerz blog! Three new limited edition colors (Beeswax, Rustic Red, and Sagebrush) were released for this fall. Here's a project I made using the Beeswax gold:

His feathers were already paper-pieced in a gorgeous golden color thanks to patterned paper from Scenic Route.

Supplies:
Stamps: America the Beautiful and U R A Hoot by Kim Hughes (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah); Criss Cross Cardstock in Ladybug (Bazzill); PP from Scenic Route
Paint/Ink: Beeswax Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger); VersaMagic Chalk Ink in Night Sky (Tsukineko); Cool Grey C01 Marker (Copic)

Now if you happen to have offered blog candy and mailed me this stamp set as a prize, you might see this card in person very soon. :) Thanks, Kim!

Happy Stamping!

Busyness

2008-08-11T00:34:00.006-06:00

It's been a very busy few weeks. Much of the busyness has been related to my husband's surgery. He came through with flying colors (despite his numerous serious chronic health problems) and now we're adjusting to his new life of being able to do more.

Of course, we have some fun crafty busyness, too:
- I appeared on TV! There were two segments on their morning show featuring wedding stationery and BBQ invitations. Hopefully they'll take me up on my offer to demonstrate Christmas card ideas.
- Marianne Walker, whose talent amazes me on a regular basis, gave my blog an award but... more impactfully... said I inspire her. OMG. *humbling moment* Thank you, Marianne! You inspire me, too.
- Shimmerz is coming out with three new limited edition colors on the 15th. Can't wait! You can win the new colors by posting a comment on this blog post.

Oh, and check out the painted Prima flowers a' la Niki Estes. Tres cool.

Happy Stamping!

Dave, Lila, Susie & Tiffany

2008-07-03T15:00:00.010-06:00

Had yet another delightful stamping roadtrip with Lila this past weekend. It rocked!

We decided to spend the night in Twin Falls before heading up to Hailey for our class, and we made good use of our time there. Unfortunately, we wrapped up our visit after 7:00 p.m. and were unable to visit Scrappin' Girlfriends. {See you next time, Michelle!} We had a sumptuous dinner and then headed to the hotel room where we stamped and colored.

Saturday morning, we were up comfortably early (without the use of an alarm because we were so excited!) and made it to Hailey by 10:30. We were glad to get to Susie Paperie early so we could choose our seats, get our supplies settled, and (most importantly) shop. There was even time to grab divine rosemary chicken salad sandwiches at the Big Belly Deli right around the corner. BBD supplied ginger snap and peanut butter cookies for the class and they were awesome, too.

Susie Paperie was a delight! So much fun stuff packed into the store, but it felt completely open and airy. Owner Adrienne was wonderful about everyone's needs and was nothing but helpful and gracious all day. I'll probably be ordering from her soon... she offers Copics and Memento inks and stamps galore! SP is a great place to shop or take a class. She has a whole wall that's covered with chalkboard paint, and she's got her class schedule written there. Love that!

After lunch but before our two fantastic classes with Dave Brethauer from Memory Box, we got a chance to meet Dave and talk to him a little. He was impressed that we drove 6 hours round-trip to take his class. He even blogged about us!

Our first class had to do with color blending and shading with Prismacolor pencils. I was baffled initially as to how we were going to get our butterflies to look as etherial and well-blended as Dave's sample, but he made it so easy! Most amazing is that he can color upside-down! He was very conscious of the whole room and came to each table to demonstrate each technique. It was very helpful. Here's one of my blended butterflies on cream paper.

Next came the watercolor class, and this is where I learned the most. I have watercolor pencils, water-based paints, and even watercolor paper... but I wasn't using any of these to their full potential. Even the most basic thing was new to me: the paper has to be wet! (Who knew?) In addition to coloring in stamped images, we also colored swaths of paper and stamped on top. Here are two examples of the latter, using Twinkling H2O's:

If you are lucky enough to live within a reasonable distance of one of Dave's classes, I highly recommend it. He'll be in Colorado Springs next at a store I got to visit in Jan '07 called Simple Pleasures and then after that in the Northeast.

Another great weekend with a great friend! And, Lila, "Your hands are full!".

Happy Stamping!

It came. It went....

2008-06-25T08:55:00.010-06:00

...but we're STILL going to party. My 1-year blogaversary (which coincided with my sister's birthday) was last week. I didn't forget, but never did get around to posting about it or the blog candy I've been collecting for it. Happy Birthday, Kris!

Here's the scoop on what's been going on around here:

- I am working on building a design team for Shimmerz paints. They are so much fun to play with! Last night, I made earrings from beads that were painted with Shimmerz. They're so incredibly shimmery and they dry on slick surfaces. {singsong}Love It!

- Speaking of earrings, I learned to make earrings last fall. They are now for sale at a new, artsy consignment store in downtown Nampa called Sparrow Clothing, which had their soft opening on May 10th and sold 30 pairs by June 1st... and they didn't even have their Grand Opening yet. All 30 replacement pairs are made, and now there's the matter of getting the holders printed and assembled before sending them out there.

- I've been helping out at Creative Cuts & More, with blog buttons and newsletter formatting. Terry has lots of terrific new dies and new products that she'll be adding the the Web site very soon. Bazzill Bling and Tacky-Tape shapes... here we come!

On July 4th weekend, I'll be hosting a Wish-RAK challenge at Splitcoast for patriotic cards to send to overseas troops to send home to their friends/family. I can't WAIT to see what people come up with! I'm planning on making my samples from the Kim Hughes "America the Beautiful" set.

Here's a birthday cupcake for Kris and my blog. I'll have goodies for both sometime soon. :)

Supplies:
Stamp: Clear Design Cupcakes CL158 (Hero Arts)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Smooth (Neenah)
Paint/Ink: Golden Wheat, Magenta, Royal Purple and Bubble Gum Shimmerz (Shimmering Products); Brick Beige E31 Marker (Copic); Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger)

We'll be heading off to Dave's coloring class this weekend, and then first thing Monday morning my husband is scheduled for abdominal surgery... so it may be another week or so before I'm able to post. Until then...

Happy Stamping!

Kim Hughes Release & Blitz

2008-06-05T12:28:00.004-06:00

So far, the first few hours of the Kim Hughes Blitz over at Cornish Heritage farms has been a total blast! Two winners were randomly selected from those who posted on the forum, and it turned out that Lila and I were selected. Pretty cool! Fall Silhouettes is on its way to my door!

Then there was a really tricky challenge. We had to use orange, lime green, brown, and cream... along with buttons and a bow. I was baffled by the color combination until I ran across the 6x6 pad of LilyKate paper. Perfect! Here's a picture of the owl gal (eyelashes added).
If you'd like to see a peek at the whole card, click here.

Happy Stamping! :)

Trifecta of Tidbits

2008-05-29T22:42:00.003-06:00

I'm having a terrific stamping day today, and I didn't even stamp yet. It's nearly 11pm here, though, so squeezing in a little stampin' time before the clock strikes twelve is unlikely. Here's what made the day so great...

(1) Right at the crack of 10am, I was on the phone to the nicest lady at Susie Paperie in Hailey, Idaho. On my short list of stamper-stars to meet is Dave Brethauer from Memory Box. His coloring techniques are amazing, as are his card constructions. Very simple, tight, and impactful. Love them. So I got an autographed copy of his book, Card Design, when in Spokane and have devoured it with fervor. Long story short, he's coming to Idaho and my BFF and I are in seats #1 and #2. Can. Not. Wait.

Then the next two happened just within the last 15 minutes or so while I was blurfing.

(2) Kim Hughes {I *singsong* love her stuff!} posted on her blog the names of the winners for her Memorial Day challenge. And whose name is on the top? Mine. She's sending me America the Beautiful, one of her rockin' stamp sets. Now I just need to take some anxiety medication and try to figure out how to make a thank-you card for her. Seriously, it's like making a painting for Michelangelo.

(3) CHF is having a Kim Hughes Blitz and it's kicking off on Wednesday night, June 5th. Oooh, and in conjunction with the blitz is the release of more of her stamps. Maybe more than I can handle.

Happy Stamping! Hope your day rocked!

Memorable Memorial Week

2008-05-23T00:19:00.005-06:00

Didn't have any big plans for the week before Memorial Day, but I had a few fun stamping surprises to share with you.

On Tuesday night, I had a chance to meet with Amy. I did not know that this would turn into a stamping-related event. She was in Boise (for the first time) representing Sigma Sigma Sigma, the sorority to which I belong. We discussed some of our collegiate experiences and our hopes for an alumnae chapter to be formed here. Somewhere in the conversation, she was talking about crocheting on the plane and said something that I thought might have sounded like "I make cards". So as we were packing up to leave the Boise favorite Flying Pie (we enjoyed Gourmet Night), I asked her "So, did I hear you say that you make cards?" And that led to another hour or two of discussion... ink pads, Greek letter stamps, etc. I can't wait to hang out with Amy again when I travel to Colorado and/or next time she's in Boise. We had a million things in common. So a quick shout out to Amy: Hi Amy!

Then I noticed an ad on the Stampington Web site advertising the Summer 2008 Take Ten magazine that's due out on June 1. I clicked on it and read through the promotional page... and then I saw a card I recognized right there on the page! It was a card I submitted back in November '07 and it had been used in the Take Ten and Catch Up issues recently to advertise the coming Take Ten. So here's a quick glance at what I saw. The print is awfully small, but it looks like its on page 3. I'll keep you posted if any of my other submissions are inside. Oooh and I can't wait to see the work of Teri Anderson, a former Idaho Scrapper. She's the Guest Artist.

Tonight, I cleaned off some desktop space in my craft room. The room might never be completely cleaned and organized, but at least I can stamp in there again. It'll be nice to have a place to hide out and stamp!

In enabling news, Frugalities is offering everything 49% off until May 28th. No coupon code necessary. I noticed they have some Daisy Bucket stamps for $1.17!

Happy Stamping!

Tyson's a Girl

2008-05-12T16:02:00.005-06:00

I'm enamored with my new toy, the Fiskars Threading Water punch. It is a scalloped border with dots. Very cute! I had to try it out, so here's a quick little card I made using it and the fabulous Kim Hughes stamps which were featured as the stamp-of-the-month at CHF in April.

There's been quite a hubbub over the Threading Water punch over at SCS. Stampers have had trouble finding it. I found mine at Archiver's. Don't have one in your area? No problem -- they ship!

Supplies:
Stamps: Kim Hughes April '08 Tyson the Turtle (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Paper: AnnaSophia Faded Floral, Worn Dots, and Multi Floral (Bo Bunny); Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah)
Accessories: Threading Water Punch (Fiskars); Sketch Markers YG93, R29, BG02, E000, and C0 (Copic); Nestabilities rectangle dies (Spellbinders)

Happy Stamping!

No Card Today, Either

2008-05-08T16:58:00.005-06:00

I stamped yesterday at Lila's and had planned to finish up a couple of cards today to share with you, but no dice. Why? I left my entire binder of Cornish Heritage Farms stamps at Lila's! (Do you think they're safe!?) I did get to play with her new Kim Hughes Tiled Scallops Backgrounder. It was heavenly. I also stamped a couple of paint chips with the Grunged Flower daisy. They turned out great!

Some quick sale news:
- Purple Onion Designs is having a spring cleaning overstock sale. Seven full pages of stamps. Hers are all very nice quality red rubber un-mounted. Stamps in the sale include alphabets, definitions, and sentiments. 50% off and more. Reasonable shipping.
- Hope Stamps Eternal is liquidating inventory. Big savings here, too.

Also, if you're local to the Boise area:
- The Re:Use Market in the Linen District will be open this weekend. Check their Web site for directions and hours. All sorts of goodies are free for the taking, from wallpaper books to tile samples and everything in between. Bring a bag.
- Need to Bead on Vista is having a trunk show & sale this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Inside the store, everything is 20% off -- and the trunk show vendors have great deals, too. Some of the strands of funky-shaped pearls were marked $9 and were on sale for only $2. Bargain!

Happy Stamping!

A Sad Sale

2008-05-01T07:56:00.002-06:00

For me, "sad" and "sale" are so infrequently used together. I'm all about the deal. There's a big sale to tell you about, but it's for a sad reason. Mandarin Pixie has announced that it's closing up shop for good. They have a small but fun selection of stamps... especially funky alphabets. Love those! Everything's priced to sell. For example, one $25 set is on sale for $5. Quantities while supplies last.

Happy Stamping (and Shopping)!

Fell in Love... in a Hotel Room

2008-04-28T20:24:00.008-06:00

Yes, I admit it. I fell in love in a hotel room. It was autumn. And we were too tired to shop. So we stamped. And colored. With Copics. Sure, I mispronounced their names, but it was love.

Today, the new Stampers' Sampler Take Ten Catch Up Issue arrived. It's in a new format now. I appreciate updates. I do. But I'm not a big fan of the fact that this particular layout choice causes most cards to be partially obscured. If you have a copy, check out page 28, for example. There's a "Wanted" card with some string. Is it a lasso? A bow? And then with "Mona and Leo" on page 18... what's the rest of the saying?

How are the two related? "Winter Wishes" appears on page 97, and it was my very first Copic creation. There are visible lines in the coloring, but I'm armed with training and practice now... so future projects will be better. This snowman card was posted back in October, but here he is for an encore.

Supply List:
Stamps: Sentiment from Winter Wonder (Verve Visual); Snowman With Checkered Hat (Lockhart Stamp Company)
Paper: Peapod Notecard (Memory Box); Textured Cardstock in 2 shades of green (Bazzill); Gingham patterned paper (Making Memories Kids Collection); White
Ink: VersaFine Ink in Onyx Black (Tsukineko); ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in Deep Green (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Sketch Markers and Glitter Pens (Copic); Dimensional Foam Squares (3M)

Today has been the warmest day so far this Spring. It got up to 79 today, but they're saying we're at a risk of snow tomorrow and Wednesday. Brrr. Better not put the fleece away yet.

Happy Stamping!

Velvet Flowers & Copic Topics

2008-04-23T17:30:00.004-06:00

So much to talk about today! Let's start with a card that looks as springy as I feel. The temperature is nice, tulips are blooming, and little buds on the trees are making it feel like Spring is here.

This Chick-a-doo line from SEI is so cute... one of my very favorites ever. The pretty blues and greens are wonderful together, and they really pop when combined with the slightly darker green Bazzill. Y-U-M!

Supply List:
Paper: Lime Crush Cardstock (Bazzill Smoothies); French Blue, Cypress, and Mint velvet papers (SEI); Chick-a-doo patterned paper (SEI)
Accessories: A2 Card Die & Various Flower Dies (Creative Cuts & More); Glitter Brads & Gemstone Brads (Making Memories); Buttons (Autumn Leaves); Silk Ribbon (May Arts); Rub-On (Deja Views)

And onto Copic Topics. Copic doesn't rhyme with topic. It sounds more like taupe than top. Cope-ic. It'll take more practice for me, but I'm trying to consistently say it like Marianne and other other Copic folks pronounce it.

There are a few KEY things I took away from the training class in Eugene. They include:

* These markers are modular. You can purchase new tips, more ink... even empty markers. Customize them as you wish.

* Most versatile marker of all? The colorless blender marker. You can use it to make textures in a field of color (bricks, spatters, dots, cobblestones). It can help 'erase' mistakes. It can make colored-in jeans look faded.

* Grab a bottle of the colorless blender solution. You'll be refilling your marker. You can also put some in a spray bottle to play with.

* When coloring, don't hold back with the ink. It should soak through the paper. The back should look evenly soaked. Be sure to protect your table surface by coloring on top of other scrap paper or a glass mat or other barrier.

* Play and go crazy. Try things you wouldn't normally do. Seriously. Touch the red marker to the tip of the yellow marker. The red ink won't hurt the yellow marker. Mash hard on the brush tip of the marker. It won't fray. And even if the brush does break, no biggie! The marker isn't ruined... you just take out the old tip and slide in a new one.

* Need a different color? Buy an empty marker and mix up your own custom color. Get a very pale blue by mixing blue ink with blending solution.

* Re-inkers can be used just like alcohol inks. In fact, they ARE alcohol inks.

* These inks can color just about anything. Laurie, my tablemate in class was using the airbrush system to color blush on the cheeks of felt birds. The crew of a currently-running Broadway show in NYC uses them to color the microphones so they hide in the actor's hair.

* The type of alcohol used in the Copic markers is like ethanol. Know what else is made of a similar type of alcohol? Hand sanitizer gel! They're great as disinfectants... but even better as a craft medium! (OK, isn't everything better as a craft medium?) So keep a pump of hand gel on your crafting desk. It works like a charm for clean-up. I even found a purse-sized spray gel which will probably never make its way into my purse.

More key tips and thoughts to come.

Happy Stamping!

Bit by Bit

2008-04-16T23:51:00.004-06:00

I'm home from my trip and feeling a little under the weather. I'm also feeling a little overwhelmed by trying to sum up my trip in just one post... so there'll be a few.

First, if you're ever in the vicinity of a Copic Marker Certification Class or other Copic class offered by Marianne Walker, jump at the opportunity. The course was full of valuable information. And Marianne? Let me sum her up with one word: WOW. She's an amazing artist. She helped us all to relax and play and learn. Her enthusiasm for and knowledge of the product line make her the perfect (coining a new term here) Spokesteacher.

Next, I found a little goody at JoAnn's in Ontario, OR. That JoAnn's is SO much bigger than the ones here in Boise. I have been to Ontario upwards of ten times for surgical procedures on Dad's hands... and we drove past the JoAnn's each time. We never went in because I haven't found anything to purchase at the local stores lately. Let's just say that I won't be just driving past the JoAnn's in Ontario anymore. In addition to the four stamp sets, four ink pads, bead packets and Bigz die I got... I found this little gem. It's a pack of 21 "Dangler Clips", found in the jewelry-making department and offered for $2.39 after the 40% discount. Look familiar? They're dead-ringers for the Clip-It-Up clips that retail for $7.

There is much more to tell. Until then... Happy Stamping!

News & Happenings

2008-04-09T11:22:00.008-06:00

I'm heading down the road on another stamping adventure... this time to Eugene, Oregon for Copic Marker Certification Training. Through my regularly-scheduled blog-hopping, I learned that a few stamping stars (like Cambria and Joy) will be there, too. I can't wait!

I've highlighted a few places on the map that I'd like to stop. We're planning to cross paths with Courtney. Stampin' Cat Studio has been on my wish-list for months and I'm glad I'll get to stop there. We're heading there earlier in the trip than originally planned because our first route is too dangerous. That's right... one of the mountain passes is closed and another has 254" of snow on the side of the road (yes, upwards of TWENTY FEET). I'm also going to try to time it so I can visit Daisy Bucket on the way back. Dad is coming with me, and we're going to make an adventure out of it!

There are lots of fun new stamps and specials going on:
- CHF's Kim Hughes came out with two new sets: Nature's Silhouettes and Baked with Love
- I spy a new CUPCAKE!! It's part of Anna Wight's new birthday set at Whipper Snapper Designs, scheduled to be released on 4/15/08.
- Michael's has little plastic pebbles in their floral department that look just like Dew Drops. Yesterday, I grabbed their big bags on clearance for just $2.
- Save 35% on Crafty Secrets products at 7 Kids College Fund by using code CRAFTY35.
- justjohanna has a special savings set for April -- save 25% on a 5-stamp set which includes adorable owl
- Viva Las Vegastamps is having a big sale on their grab bags.
- Flourishes released Menswear and Siberian Iris.
- Gina K. Designs is preparing to launch a new line of stamps called Kindred Spirits.

Oh yes, and if you're local to Boise, don't miss the Re:Use Market. It's only about the size of a closet, but is it ever fun! The price is right, too -- everything's free for the taking. TIP: Bring a bag. They'll be open Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th -- check their Web site for hours. My last visit there was so much fun! I got a couple of 3-ring binders, a wallpaper sample book, 2 fabric sample books, some wonderful tile samples, a few small slabs of Corian, and a handful of rub-on letters. It's truly a treasure-trove for any crafter! I can't wait to run some of the fabric and wallpaper through my Big Shot!

I'll be gone for a while... learning, playing, and exploring.

Happy Stamping!

New Die Goes Vintage

2008-03-31T22:47:00.004-06:00

There's a brand new die at Creative Cuts & More -- the Cupcake Box. Although it is the perfect size for a cupcake, it's also a great container size for all sorts of trinkets and ephemera. In fact, my very first thought with the Cupcake Box was that it would make the PERFECT gift box for a rolled-up necktie for Father's Day. So I asked my husband for a tie I could use as a prop to photograph with the box and he said that he doesn't have one! Yep, "Captain Casual" is his new superhero name.

I went ahead and decorated the box with a more neutral collage of postage and mail themes -- so now instead of dad's tie box gift, it'll be on Grandma's writing desk holding her postage stamps and return address labels. Isn't it funny how projects evolve?Supply List:
Stamps: Vintage Postcard Set, Vintage Numbers & Late 1800s Script Background (Purple Onion Designs); Keys (Innovative Stamp Creations); Old-Fashioned Pen Nibs (Stamp Francisco)
Paper: Almond Cream (Bazzill Smoothies)
Inks: Vintage Sepia VersaFine (Tsukineko); Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Cupcake Box Die, Clear Acetate Sheet & Killer Red Tacky Tape (Creative Cuts & More); Authentic antique letter & postage stamps; Buttons (various)

Happy Stamping!

Richly Blessed

2008-03-26T16:55:00.005-06:00

Spring is springing up all over the place, isn't it? I'm so inspired by all the colors and sounds. I only wish that the bulbs (purple tulips, no less!) that my dad got for me last fall were in the ground and not still in the garage. Most of all, I'm inspired by my friends and family. Love and happiness to you all!

I haven't done a lot of stamping during the last week or two... but I did make a hundred pairs of earrings and design special retail holders/displays for them. A new store is opening up nearby and I'll have more details on that soon.

Here's a quick card to share. I think these birdies are adorable and are even cuter when paper pieced with cute patterned papers.

Supply List:
Stamps: Anniversary Birds & Thankful Blossoms (Verve Visual)
Paper: Dutch Girl (Cosmo Cricket); Pearlized White (Verve Visual)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Rectangle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders), Black grosgrain ribbon (May Arts), Cool Gray marker C-0 (Copic)

Happy Stamping!

New Card & New Releases!

2008-03-01T13:19:00.004-07:00

Get ready for three terrific new releases from Verve Visual! First up is Easter Elegance, complete with an ornate swirly cross and decorated Easter eggs. Then there is Anniversary Birds, with two adorable modern birdies with great sentiments. And last is Thankful Blossoms, featuring flowers, a butterfly, and six sentiments in wonderful fonts. Love them all! The best part? Saving nine bucks when purchasing them all together in the Spring Launch Pack.

My card today features the beautifully unique cross from the Easter Elegance set. I just love it! This card frames the stamped cross with a big, bold cut-out using a die-cut card from Creative Cuts & More. I wish the photo showed this a little bit better, but you may be able to see that the largest swirl in each quarter of the cross look like it's lighter in color. It's actually a very fine application of micro glitter atop the stamped image.

Supply List:
Stamps: Easter Elegance (Verve Visual)
Paper: Sparkleberry Delight & Grape Delight (Bazzill Basics)
Ink: Wisteria ColorBox Chalk Ink (ClearSnap)
Accessories: A7 Cross Window Card Die & Nameplate #07 Die (Creative Cuts & More); Bright Jewels (Doodlebug Design); Twinkle Micro Fine Glitter (The Stamp Doctor)

Happy Stamping!

I Went Back

2008-02-25T00:22:00.004-07:00

On the Verve Visual blog today, I went Back-to-Basics!

My very first "technique" was edging. It was taught to me by Gwennie, who was my very first stamping teacher. She worked at one of only two independent rubber stamping stores in the Treasure Valley at the time. (Sadly, both have since closed their doors.) Her cards seemed to have such depth and richness. I wanted to learn from her right away.

The trick to the dimension and depth, she said, was the brushing of the ink pad against the edges of the cardstock -- a technique known as edging. The technique is very flexible. Using different amounts of pressure when edging, you can control the amount of color that is imparted to the paper. You can also vary inkpad types to achieve different looks. My favorite ink pads for this technique are the very spongy ColorBox Chalk Cat's Eyes, and Gwennie used these too.

Supply List
Stamps: Fancy Florals Remixed, Thoughtful Florals and Fancy Florals (Verve Visual)
Paper: Wild Wasabi & Whisper White (SU!)
Ink: Blue Iris ColorBox Chalk (ClearSnap); Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, Bayou Blue (SU!)
Accessories: White Glaze Pen (Sakura); Stitched Ribbon (SU!); Brad (Karen Foster Designs); Flowers (Prima Marketing)

To see the other photos of this card in progress, click here.

The Verve Visual stamp sale only lasts until Friday. You definitely don't want to miss it.

Happy Stamping!

Five in Ten

2008-02-21T20:32:00.008-07:00

There was a little treat waiting for me in my mailbox today -- The Stampers' Sampler Take Ten issue for Spring 2008. I hadn't ordered it yet, so this must be my "artist comp" copy. Yeay!

Five of my cards are in this issue. Do you recognize them?

Many Thanks appears on page 4. Snow, which I created as part of the Mandarin Pixie DT finalist challenge, appears on page 28. Make Me Smile, my very first Verve card ever, appears on page 113. Then two cards are in special areas of the magazine. Beaming with Happiness is featured on page 138 in an advertisement for the Summer 2008 Take Ten issue. Then, most exciting for me, is Wishing You which appears on page 26. It's exciting because it has been chosen as the DESIGN CHALLENGE TEMPLATE for this issue. *squeal* Since I haven't shown Wishing You yet here on my blog, here it is:

Supply List:
Stamps: Starlight Starbright (Verve Visual)
Paper: Cowboy Collection (Crate Paper), Star Kissed Star Mile (Daisy Bucket)
Ink: Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink (ClearSnap), VersaFine Vintage Sepia (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Extra Jumbo Scalloped Oval Punch & Super Jumbo Oval Punch (Marvy Uchida); Grograin w/ Satin Center Ribbon (May Arts)

Thanks for sharing my special news! I have quite a bit of stamping time scheduled over the next couple of days, and I hope to have more projects to share with you soon!

Happy Stamping!

A Fun New Adventure

2008-02-12T01:44:00.000-07:00

There was some productive stamping and painting time today. I stamped a flat die-cut white cardstock and a separate white sheet of CS with a gray StazOn ink, since I felt that black would have been too bold. Then for painting, several colors of Twinkling H2Os were tested on the white sheet. Garnet was just the right choice: bold enough to stand up to the gray but not over the top. Assembly was easy after the paint was dry... that killer red tacky tape is REALLY sticky. Just what was needed.

You'll be seeing a lot more die-cut projects around here because I've accepted the invitation to join the Design Team for Creative Cuts & More. So fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the specialty-cut cards, fun boxes, and all the other great products Terry offers there. And in addition to standard papers, she offers her die cuts in chipboard, acetate, polyshrink, foam, felt, and beautiful metallics. And if you want something else cut, like a specific patterned cardstock, send it to her and she'll cut it for you! The DT is comprised of many very talented members (including my best pal, Lila), and I can't wait to work with them and get to know them better.

Supply List:
Stamps: Serenity (Verve Visual)
Paper: White Cardstock (Creative Cuts & More)
Ink:Stone Gray StazOn (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Garnet Twinkling H2Os (LuminArte); Short Puff Box Die & Killer Red Tacky Tape (Creative Cuts & More); black ribbon (May Arts)

Happy Stamping!

Sketch Challenge

2008-01-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the sketch challenge being hosted by Verve Visual? The details can be had here, at the Verve Visual Blog. Basically: (1) Create a card using the sketch (2) Photograph the card and upload it to your gallery or your blog and (3) Submit a link to the card via a comment on the Verve blog by February 15th.

The prize is extra-cool! The winner of the sketch challenge will get to be the Honored Guest -- meaning that she'll get a copy of the Design Team Kit (which includes hot new not-yet-released stamps)! It'll be awesome! Julee has also stated that there will be some random drawings throughout the contest... so there will be even more prizes. If you need some inspiration, you can check out the Verve Visual Gallery. Each DT member submitted her version of the sketch. Here's mine.

Supply List:
Stamps: Swirly Stars, Starlight Starbright Remixed (Verve Visual)
Paper: Wasabi Green, Whisper White, Basic Black, and Cool Caribbean CS (Stampin' Up!); All Dressed Up Paper Stack (DCWV)
Ink: Caribbean Sea Spectrum Ink Pad (Stampin' Up!); VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Nestabilities square dies (Spellbinders); Leaves Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest); Word Window Punch (Stampin' Up!)

Happy Stamping!

Shooting Star from Saturday

2008-01-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday was so much fun! It started with an impromptu rubber stamp sale that I read about on Craig's List just a half hour earlier. The sale was only 1/5 of a mile away and the ladies were so nice. I scored a bunch of fun stuff! Then it was off to the post office, lunch with a friend, a quick visit with Julee (to whom I referred as my "dealer" at the sale) and then a much-needed stamping date with Lila.

Here is one of the cards from that stamping session: A Shooting Star. The 'shooting' part was created from thin strips of blue Deja Views paper and the white linen cardstock. At first, I was trying to curl them like curling ribbon with my thumb nail, but that caused the strips to rip. Curling them around my paper piercer worked much better! The curls were arranged so there were two white and two blue curled each direction, for a total of 8.

Supply List:
Stamps: Seeing Stars (Verve Visual)
Paper: Sharon Ann Little Ones Collection (Deja Views), White Linen CS (Archiver's)
Ink: Ballet Blue (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Stars #2 die (Sizzix), sewing machine, dimensionals

Hope you enjoyed your weekend, too! Happy Stamping!

New Card & New Medium

2008-01-22T21:56:00.002-07:00

How fabulous to come across a patterned paper with polka-dotted stars when you want to make a card with a stamp of the same type! This American Crafts paper was perfect for the bold, fun look I was going for. (Thanks, Lila!) I also tried the Dew Drops from The Robin's Nest for the first time. Love those, too.

Supply List:
Stamps: Polka Stars, Swirly Stars (Verve Visual)
Paper: Celebration Collection (American Crafts); Caribbean Breeze (Bazzill Smoothies)
Ink: VersaMagic Chalk Aloe Vera (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Large Squeeze star punch (Fiskars); Leaves Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest); dimensionals

In addition to stamping, I've starting working with beads. It all happened by accident, really. I was visiting my sister in Colorado this past September, and I handed over my camera to show her some really cute pictures of her son. She hit the review button and came across some pictures of some lampwork glass beads that I had taken a few weeks before -- and she asked for some earrings. I don't know if she sensed my panic when I said "Sure." Off I went to learn how to bead.

To make a long story short, I sent her several pairs of earrings for Christmas and she said she loved them. (Anyone near Boulder want to let me know if she's really wearing them or just humoring me?) I've rather enjoyed making the earrings, and I went ahead and opened an Etsy store to share them with others. The store needs some work (and some more inventory), but it's a start.

Happy Stamping (& Beading)!

January Verve Release

2008-01-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

They're HERE! There are a total of five fun sets in this release. Three are star-themed and coordinate perfectly with Starlight Starbright, while the other two are heart-themed.

I don't know if I have a favorite set yet... I've been enjoying them all! The card I'd like to share with you today features stamps from both of the new heart sets, Heart to Heart and Wild Thing.

The Hugs and kisses sentiment is one of seven sayings and phrases in the Heart to Heart set. And the little VersaMarked heart in the background? That's from Wild Thing, where there are four of the individual asymmetrical hearts in various sizes and patterns.

Supply List:
Stamps: Heart to Heart, Wild Thing (Verve Visual)
Paper: Cowgirl Collection (Crate Paper)
Inks: VersaMark & VersaFine Sepia (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Hearts Tipsy Die (Sizzix); White Glaze Pen (Sakura); Brown glitter brads (Making Memories); dimensionals

So, keep your Web browsers tuned to Verve Visual for the big release tonight -- and check the gallery, too, for samples that'll enable you for sure! And the guest stampers? Their projects will knock your socks off!

Happy Stamping!

"Love"ly Sneak Peek

2008-01-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! Let's start of '08 with a fun sneak peek! It's a card I created from one of the five new stamp sets that are scheduled to be released by Verve Visual on January 10th.

Click here for the sneak peek. And check the Verve blog each day until the 10th... because there are going to be some yummy samples posted.

Do you have any resolutions related to stamping or crafting? I resolve to get my craft room into better shape. I have plenty of organizational tools, so it's time to get working on it. It's embarassing to have to purchase something that I know I already have... except I can't find it so I need another. *scream*

Happy Stamping!

Candy & Specials

2007-12-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yeay! Heartiest congratulations to Angie, commenter #16 and winner of the 2 Verve Visual sets. Way to go! For more chances to win Verve candy, there are more blogs to check:

* Bethany (through 12/30)
* Charmaine (through 12/31)
* Jen (through 12/27)
* Laurie (through 12/29)

Don't forget to check out the sale that's still going on at the Verve Visual web site. There is a huge selection of papers, rub-ons, ribbons... you name it!

Prickley Pear is offering its unmounted stamps for 50% off through tomorrow (12/27) with shipping in the lower 48 states only a dollar!! Great deal!

Please check back here after the first of the year. If you can believe it, it'll be time for new sneak peeks and another terrific Verve Visual stamp release! Happy Stamping!

How About Some Christmas Candy?

2007-12-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, Christmas candy. It evokes thoughts of candy canes, ribbon candy, and those amazing candy cane Hershey's kisses. YUM! I've got some Christmas blog candy for you: two fabulous new photopolymer (clear) stamp sets from Verve Visual, Flirty Phrases and Heartfelt Phrases.

This card includes one of the sentiments from Flirty Phrases, "two little lovebirds." It works great with these penguin cardstock stickers, and would also be terrific with any of the myriad of new bird rubber stamps that have been coming out lately.

Supply List:
Stamps: Flirty Phrases & Winter Wonder (Verve Visual)
Paper: Pool Yours Truly A2 Card and Watercolor & Red CS (Archiver's), Lily White Sugar (Doodlebug)
Ink: VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Brackets Giant Punch (McGill), Penguin CS Stickers (MAMBI), Silver Embossing Powder (Ranger)

I'll be conducting a drawing via RANDOM.ORG from all the comments left on this post. {One entry per person, please.} Be sure to check back on the day after Christmas (my 2nd favorite shopping day of the year) when I'll announce the winner. Winner will receive both sets!

Happy Stamping!

New Rubbah & Sales

2007-12-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Lots of fun releases and sales are going on, so without further ado:

Verve Visual is releasing six new sets on Monday, Dec. 10th. Sneak peeks already available on their blog.
My Favorite Things released three new sets this week, and is offering a 20% discount on stamps, inks, acrylic handles and Memory Box papers through the 8th of December to celebrate their first anniversary. Coupon code is SCS1207.
Paula Best is offering her funky WM stamps as UMs until 12/31 for 40% off. This is a rare event. Be sure to put "UNMOUNTED HOLIDAY SPECIAL" in the message area of the order form so the order isn't processed as WMs.
MissyB Designs is having a Christmas sale, and most of her stamp sets are 20% off. No coupon code to remember -- the prices have been adjusted on the site already.
Cornish Heritage Farms released sixteen new background stamps... they run the gamut from lined notebook paper to Spanish script. Fun selections!

Happy to Enable & Happy Stamping!

Dress Form for Non-Sewers

2007-11-29T18:36:00.002-07:00

We were on a bit of a drive together this summer, and Dad overheard a telephone conversation I was having with Lila. We were discussing sewing machines and the cheezy "craft" ones that don't work too well for sewing on cards. Lo and behold, a few days later, Dad got me a fabulous sewing machine with lots of bells and whistles. Kelly inspired me to sit down, read the manual, and try it out... but I admit that I haven't spent any time on it since that evening. I have been looking into taking sewing classes.

This month, The Stampers' Sampler's Tempting Template is a dressmaker's form. I stamped the top heart first onto vanilla cardstock. Then, I took the template printout and placed it over the heart so the neck was centered over the point of the heart and traced the template... careful to leave enough for the heart. Next, I cut out the dress and stamped the 'skirt' using the reversed heart image twice. The final touch was Swarovski flat-backed pearls to make the necklace.

Supply List:
Stamps: Boho Blossoms (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Very Vanilla CS (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaMagic in Aegean Blue (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Flat-backed pearls (Swarovski)

This was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I enjoyed it quite a bit!

Happy Stamping!

More Bargains!!

2007-11-23T00:59:00.001-07:00

It's about an hour into "Black Friday" here in Boise and have I got some bargains to share with you:

* Verve Visual is having a "So Thankful Sale" through Sunday the 25th. Stamps are 10% off, designer paper is 25% off, and lots of other great supplies and embellishments are on sale too! Plus, orders over $50 save an extra 10% off their purchase. You must use the coupon code THANKFUL to receive the discount.

* Purple Onion Designs has released a bunch of fabulous new rubber. Check out the adorable cupcake and the gorgeous damask flourish. YUM! Even better? The new stamps are included in the 25% off Holiday Sale. You must use the coupon code HOL2007 to receive the discount. POD also has a new blog.

* Mandarin Pixie's stamps are all 40-60% off through the end of the month. Through Saturday (11/24), they're sweetening the deal by offering free shipping for orders over $20.

Happy Shopping! And, of course, Happy Stamping!

More Enabling

2007-11-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

There's a 25% off sale at The Cat's Pajamas going on from 11/16 through 11/18. Their stamps are very swanky and cute. I am in love with Sprinkle the cat as well as their sentiment stamps. There are some fun and unexpected themes, too, like pirates and knitting. TCP has single stamps wood mounted (although some are still available unmounted) and three holiday sets in clear photopolymer. Don't miss the penguins! The sale is easy: Alma set the site up so the 25% off is automatic!

MadRatRubber is offering 15% off everything while supplies last. This is being billed as a Holiday/End of Year sale, but an ending date isn't listed.

Happy Stamping!

Versatility & Savings

2007-11-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

No matter the size of my stamp collection, I've always been drawn to stamp sets that are full of versatility. If you're like me, you'll love and appreciate both Verve Visual stamp sets that are available TODAY!

There are now just a few short weeks until Christmas, and I'm in holiday mode. This card was made using only one rubber stamp -- a sentiment from the brand new Wonderful Wishes set. What makes it so usable?

* It has FOURTEEN sentiments that can be used for any occasion (or no occasion at all)
* There are three great border stamps to frame your greeting or other small image I'll definitely be keeping this stamp set in a very handy place in my stamping area because I plan on reaching for it often.

Supply List:
Stamp: Wonderful Wishes (Verve Visual)
Paper: Be Good (Cosmo Cricket), Bling Cardstock (Bazzill), Chartreuse Card & Cream Scallop Panel from the Yours Truly collection (Archiver's)
Ink: Chestnut Roan ColorBox Chalk (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Small Star Squeeze Punch (Fiskars), Sponge, Stippling Brush

While shopping at Verve for these new sets, don't miss the Veteran's Day Sale! Lots of good deals!

Happy Stamping!

Sneak Peek: Nov. 10 Verve Release

2007-11-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

The countdown has begun! Verve Visual is scheduled to debut two more brand new stamp sets in about 48 hours. Each set includes a whopping SEVENTEEN stamps!

This new sample card combines the oval frame from Wonderful Wishes with the fun stars and one of the sentiments from Starlight Starbright. The oval frame fits very nicely with the yellow Extra Jumbo Oval Scallop Punch from Marvy, which I purchased yesterday thanks to Shannan's hot tip. She said that the yellow circle scallop punch works with the set's circle frame, too.

Starlight Starbright includes a bunch of fun star and shooting star-type shapes, and these can be seen on the upper panel of this card. And with eleven coordinating sentiments, this set can be used all year 'round.

Stamps: Starlight Starbright & Wonderful Wishes (Verve Visual)
Paper: Cowboy Collection (Crate Paper)
Ink: Chestnut Roan ColorBox Chalk (ClearSnap), VersaFine Vintage Sepia (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Ghost Shape Star (Heidi Swapp), Calabaza Orange Pinata Ink (Jaquard Products), Chipboard Shape - from the Archiver's Exclusive Punctuation Set (Making Memories), Extra Jumbo Scalloped Oval Punch (Marvy Uchida)

I really enjoy these big stamp set releases! There'll be two new guest designers whose work will also debut on 11/10, so keep your eyes on the Verve blog!

Happy Stamping!

New Card & News

2007-11-05T22:35:00.001-07:00

Lots of fun new stuff on the stamping front today! First, a new card that was designed for the big stamping project mentioned in an earlier post. More than 150 items (cards, tags, envelopes, etc.) to be displayed in 5 different states were created and this is my favorite.

The stamp set used for this card is from Hero Arts. It's called Joyful Greetings and also includes a Christmas tree, star, two more snowflakes, a second big swirl, and sentiments. The blue cardstocks are two of the new Smoothies from Bazzill and WOW are they ever smooth! I love stamping with them!

Supply List:
Stamps: Joyful Greetings (Hero Arts)
Paper: Island Breeze & Tropical Breeze Smoothies (Bazzill Basics), Pearlized White Cardstock (Verve Visual)
Ink: VersaMagic Ocean Depth (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Light Blue Gemstones (Hero Arts), Ribbon (American Crafts), Bind-It-All (Zutter), Rotary Cutter & Scallop Blade (Fiskars), Pop Dots (EK Success)

On to some fun stamping news & sales:
-- Steve Vander Meer at Meer Image is celebrating FIFTEEN YEARS in the stamping business! All his tiny peg stamps are half price, and there are 27 brand new styles. Sale runs through 11/15/07.
-- Starving Artistamps has eight pages of new stamp images. There are two pages of equestrian stamps for you horse lovers out there.

-- Viva Las Vegastamps is having a huge sale called "Stampsgiving" on their unmounted sheets, giant grab bags, and Miracle Tape. They can be found in the Bargain Basement at http://www.stampostore.com/ or by scrolling down to “Latest Products” on the shopping cart home page and UM plates, just order your Plates in threes and put “Happy Stampsgiving” in the comments to get your FREE plate with purchase of two. Sale runs through 11/22/07.

I love the idea of Stampsgiving... Couldn't we all use a day to be thankful for the bounty of stamping? Think of all the people you've met and friendships that have developed because of this great hobby of ours, and the creativity and relaxation! Let me know if you think of any fun Stampsgiving traditions. :)

Happy Stamping!

Fun & Fancy Frame

2007-10-26T02:51:00.000-06:00

This was such fun to create! It's a small framed piece, with the opening in the frame only 5" across by 3-1/2" high. It would make a great gift or a nice element up on a mantle for the holidays.

By 'fancy frame', I do not mean the pretty gold frame that houses this cute home decor piece. What I mean is the cool frames we can create using the circles from Verve Visual's Seasonal Circles stamp set and a circle paper punch. This technique is a great way to add a fancy accent to a frame around another circle.

I stamped the open poinsettia ring onto a distressed beige piece of the Be Good paper from Cosmo Cricket. Then, I punched a 1-3/8" circle into the center of the stamp. As you can see, the circle punch snipped about a third of each of the little flowers off. Not a big portion, but just enough to create a cool frame around a second (in this case, solid) circle of 1-1/4".

Supply List:

Stamps: Seasonal Circles (Verve Visual)

Paper: Be Good (Cosmo Cricket), Pine Cardstock (Archiver's)

Ink: Warm Green ColorBox Chalk (Clearsnap), VersaMark (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Paper Shaper Punches in 1-3/8" and 1-1/4" circles (EK Success), Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger), Gold Picture Frame (Quality Art Boise), Dimensional Foam Squares (3L)

Happy Stamping!

Stamping & Sales

2007-10-21T17:38:00.000-06:00

Oh, have I ever been stamping! I'm in the midst of a 90-card project at work (and no, they're not all the same!) and I just got the two new November releases from Verve Visual to work with, so I've been stamping up a storm. Wish I had some photos to share, but all these projects are under wraps for now.

There are a few stamping sales I wanted to share with you:

Verses Rubber Stamps -- All Christmas images (any stamp that starts with CH) and Christmas Instant Expressions (EXP109 through EXP114) are now 20% off through November 15, 2007. Just enter HOLIDAY20 in the comments section upon check out and your total will be adjusted when it is processed.

Faerie Song Art Stamps -- The details are posted here. Single stamps are buy-one-get-one-free, UM stamp sheets are discounted, and there's a free shipping offer for purchases of over $100.

OnyxXpressions has seven new stamp sheets coming out and pre-orders are 15% off until October 31st.

Happy Stamping!

Today's The Day

2007-10-10T00:27:00.000-06:00

Two brand new stamp sets are available for the first time today at Verve Visual: Seasonal Circles (set of 7) and Winter Wonder (set of 16). The cool part? They're a bargain at only TEN BUCKS each (and EZ-Mount foam can be had for only a dollar per set)! If you need any more convincing to check them out, the Verve Visual Gallery has about three dozen shining examples of what can be created with these sets.

If I had to choose a favorite of the two, it'd probably be Winter Wonder. I appreciate the flowers and wreaths from Seasonal Circles, but Winter Wonder has seven great sentiments that I can see myself using in conjunction with lots of other stamps. In fact, I used it today!

Supply List:
Stamps: Sentiment from Winter Wonder (Verve Visual); Snowman With Checkered Hat (Lockhart Stamp Company)
Paper: Peapod Notecard (Memory Box); Textured Cardstock in 2 shades of green (Bazzill); Gingham patterned paper (Making Memories Kids Collection); White
Ink: VersaFine Ink in Onyx Black (Tsukineko); ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in Deep Green (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Sketch Markers and Glitter Pens (Copic); Dimensional Foam Squares (3M)

Happy Stamping!

Eleven Weeks & Counting

2007-10-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Do you know that as of today we're a mere eleven weeks from Christmas morning? Amazing how time flies, isn't it? And with Thanksgiving approaching, travel to plan, parties to attend and gifts to purchase & wrap, it really doesn't seem like enough time to get ready for it all.

I know many of us set out to create gorgeous and elaborate cards for everyone on our Christmas card list. But, by the tenth or twelfth card, assembling all the layers and tying all those ribbons is no longer fun. For this reason, I present to you a simple alternative card that's a special combination of elegant style and easy replication. Not everyone on your list has to receive the same card, you know. Perhaps the elaborate cards are reserved for family members and close friends that really appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating them. This could be the card for the second or third tier of recipients on your list.

This card has some definite pluses:
* Only one color of ink. No extra stamp cleaning or ink mixup.
* No time-consuming, bulky or expensive embellishments.
* A minimum of cutting. One easy layer.
* No extra postage.
* No messy glitter or embossing powder.
* No noisy steps, so you can enjoy creating these in front of the TV with the family. Better yet, get them involved! It's an easy project.
* Flexibility. Experiment with using a color other than dark blue. Try using purple ink & cardstock for the friend who's a purple nut!

Supply List:
Stamps: Winter Wonder (Verve Visual)
Paper: Pearlized White Cardstock (Paper Accents), Not Quite Navy (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Not Quite Navy (Stampin! Up)
Accessories: Not Quite Navy Stampin' Write Marker and Large Stipple Brush (Stampin' Up!)

I'm a big fan of this new Winter Wonder set from Verve Visual. It includes 9 snowflakes (three designs each in three different sizes) and nine sentiments. It's scheduled to be unveiled tomorrow along with its sister set, Seasonal Circles. That one has some very pretty wreaths and poinsettia-like flowers.

Happy Stamping!

Bright Fall Colors

2007-10-04T22:19:00.000-06:00

One thing I got to see a lot of while traveling over the last 2 weeks is the gorgeous display of fall colors. Absolutely yummy yellows, brilliant reds, and simmering hot oranges. When I look at this wreath colored in yellows and greens, the fall leaves come to mind once again.

I'm sharing this wreath because I love how it turned out. I'm surprised by the 3-d effect of the coloring (for example with the blush on the yellow fruits) and how it was achieved without using any blending solution. It was all just layering colors -- and I completed the coloring of this image and a few others during class. It's not hard to imagine this image as a Christmas wreath with just a few changes in color. Oh, the possibilities!

My plan for now is to put my Gamsol and paper stumps away for a few weeks while I continue to play and practice Karen's coloring methods. Oh, yes, and find great complementary papers to make a card that will showcase but not overpower this pretty wreath.

Happy Stamping!

Quick Trip Recap

2007-10-01T18:27:00.000-06:00

My friend Lila and I are back from our roadtrip. Was it ever fun!!

We had been anticipating a stop to Daisy Bucket in Hermiston, Oregon, for a while. What a fabulous place! We were treated so nicely by co-owner/co-founder Cassandra. In addition to their wonderful textured papers, they just came out with a line of clear stamps this summer. They also carried quite a few other product lines. We shopped & shopped. Such fun!! There are 2 more new products on the way: a really cool ribbon and a stamp handle.

Friday night, we arrived at Apropos Paper Arts for the meet & greet with Karen Lockhart from Lockhart Stamp Company (and some shopping). Then we took 2 classes on Saturday (along with more shopping). If you ever have the opportunity to take a class or two from Karen, I would definitely recommend it. She's knowledgable, inspiring, and was kind enough to sign the rubber stamps I purchased! One highlight of the class is the wealth of coloring samples she brings with her. WOW! So much to look at and to learn from. Again, don't miss it.

Speaking of Apropos, proprietress Kathy was very nice. We enjoyed the store and our purchases included stamps, papers, and accessories.

While in Spokane, we stopped at Spokane Art Supply -- the location on Monroe. They had such a wonderful assortment of art products, including Copic markers and some rubber stamps. One staff member was especially helpful with Lila's airbrush system. It was a very nice visit!

North of SAS on Monroe is a stamp store called A Stamp 4 All which we quite enjoyed. I picked up some Great Impressions stamps, a JudiKins background stamp and a neat Chablis embossing powder. It's true -- samples DO sell product!

We had a terrific time! What could be better than a stamping roadtrip with a talented, close friend? Thanks so much, Lila, for your friendship, for driving, and for inviting me on this adventure!

Happy Stamping!

New Releases (and some are on sale!)

2007-09-18T20:23:00.000-06:00

I have lots of fun information today on new stamp releases! There's an industry tradeshow called MemoryTrends that's going on right now. Many companies have released new stamps to coincide with the show, others with their traditional 15th of the month, and others just 'because'.

- Daisy Bucket Designs started its own line of papers and paper embellishments early in 2006. These items were textured and lovely. Now there are stamps that coordinate! (I'll be visiting them in Hermiston, OR with Lila in 44 hours or so... can't wait! Hope her trunk is big enough!)
- BasicGrey has been producing fabulous papers, embellishments, tools and the like for a while now... and guess what? They've got a brand new stamp offering too!
- Autumn Leaves introduced 10 new stamp sets, but they're not on their Web site yet. No worries, I found photos for you here. My favorite is the messy stitches.
- Technique Tuesday never disappoints... their new
sets include a new alphabet, a fun swirl mini-set, and a set that focuses on leaves & trees. New chipboard frames are on their way, as well.
- Papertrey Ink had a big release on the 15th with four new sets geared for the holidays.
- Queen Kat Designs released 22 new sets, and they're all on sale this week for 25% off!

More great new stamps are on the horizon! Verve Visual is planning two PAIRS of awesome stamp sets to be released over the next few weeks. Meer Image announced on Steve's blog that they'll be relasing 27 new tiny stamps in September, and they'll be on sale for half price during the first 15 days of November to celebrate Meer Image's 15th anniversary.

I'll be back shortly after I return from my trip. Until then...

Happy Stamping!

Big Bunch of Stamp Sales

2007-09-07T09:23:00.000-06:00

It's a party not to be missed if you enjoy stamping! Rubberstampchat.net is celebrating its 1000th member with a virtual rubber stamp show. Each 'booth' is a thread on the message board and the top post explains what that vendor has on sale. These vendors include favorites like Purple Onion Designs and Starving Artistamps offering 25% off all stamps -- a total of fifteen vendors in all. (UPDATE: They're up to TWENTY-THREE vendors!)

This sale runs today (9/7) through Monday (9/10).

Happy Stamping (and Shopping)!

More Enabling

2007-09-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

Another fun sale to tell you about... this time it's Prickley Pear Designs. September 2nd through 12th, all of their unmounted stamps are 50% off and they're also offering free shipping in the continental US. They bill themselves as "where classic meets whimsy", and that's a good assessment. Their stamp designs include flowers, fruit, Asian, African, seasonal, sentiments, and animals. My favorite is the scribble kitty -- I've had my eye on him for a while. I've already placed one order, and I'm going to have to place another now that I spent more time looking around to write this article. I'm enabling myself!

Happy Stamping!

I Met Inka!

2007-08-28T23:20:00.000-06:00

At the post office yesterday, I checked my mailbox before waiting in line to mail stuff (which is unusual for me... I usually check the box afterward). In line, I read an ad that I usually throw away. The ad didn't start until Wednesday, but I decided to stop by that store in advance to check out the bookshelves if they had arrived yet. Yadda, yadda, yadda... a couple of us customers get to talking and I find out that one of them is Inka from Inka Stamps!

We got to talking a bit, and she's feeling better since her back surgery! This means she'll be heading back to the stamp show circuit. I really enjoy stamp shows, and am disappointed that the Boise show has been cancelled this year. Hopefully it'll be back!

So I leave you today with a project I made with one of Inka's stamps. It's a fairly simple project.

Supply List:

- Stamp: Heather 4043 from Inka Stamps

- Ink: Basic Brown from Stampin' Up!; Chestnut Roan ColorBox Chalk Ink from Clearsnap

- Paper: Creamy Caramel CS and Brown Mulberry from Stampin' Up!; Patterned paper unknown

- Accessories: Ribbon from May Arts; Brads & Charm from Making Memories; Vintage authentic postage stamp

TIP: Getting a nice tear with mulberry paper is easy! Just get out a wet paintbrush or waterbrush and draw a line. Tear while still wet. The water dries very quickly, so draw & tear in small line segments.

Happy Stamping!

Fancy Floral Candle

2007-08-25T20:52:00.000-06:00

It took some time to get things back to normal Saturday after I scrambled around the house Friday night for the moustache layout. In the mayhem Friday night, several sheets of patterned paper were run over by my chair wheels and a bag of cherry tomatoes ended up all over the floor. I'm messy even on a good day, but this was off the charts! (Sorry, honey!)

After I got the whole thing cleaned up and finished dinner, I decided to get some of my toys out into the dining room again (because my craft room is... you guessed it... too messy!) for some crafting therapy. I got this pretty light blue candle earlier in the week and I thought a pretty floral wrapper would fit the bill nicely.

The band around the candle is two layers of Homespun Collection paper from Memory Box and a nice thick blue grosgrain ribbon from May Arts. The flower was crafted from the same patterned papers and the Fancy Florals set from Verve Visual. The first two flower layers were stamped on the BACK and cut out. The back layer is stamped on the front with Bisque chalk ink from Clearsnap. A ribbon-tied button finished it off. I tried a number of different angles for the flower, and this one seemed to flatter it best. Hope you all like it, too!

Supply List:
- Stamps: Fancy Florals (Verve Visual)
- Ink: Bisque chalk ink (Clearsnap)
- Paper: Homespun Collection (Memory Box)
- Accessories: Ribbon (May Arts); Button (unknown)

Happy Stamping!

Pixie Projects

2007-08-24T23:05:00.001-06:00

I sent off my projects tonight for the final round of the Mandarin Pixie DT contest. The rules were simple: create a card and a scrapbook layout that each use alphabet stamps and image stamps.

Inspired by acetate, I created the card first. I stamped flower pieces from the Verve Visual stamp set called Fresh Florals as snowflakes (a la Bethany Paull) on the back of the acetate sheet in opaque white and blue StazOn. Then the word "snow" was constructed from letters in the Skinny Dip alphabet from Purple Onion Designs. Card assembly continued with holes punched by the Crop-a-dile and ribbon and cording tied through. Two Heidi Swapp clear snowflake shapes were dyed with Midnight Blue StazOn (to match "snow" exactly) and some bling was added to the centers.

Supply List
- Stamps: Fancy Florals (Verve Visual); Skinny Dip Alphabet (Purple Onion Designs)
- Ink: Midnight Blue, Opaque White, Opaque Blue (StazOn by Tsukineko)
- Paper: Acetate Sheets (Archiver's); Patterned Papers (Chatterbox)
- Accessories: Ribbon (Chatterbox); Silver Cord (Stampin' Up!); Acrylic Shapes & Bling Gems (Heidi Swapp)

I've been contemplating the page for several days. My husband is growing a handlebar moustache, and I'm still trying to learn to like it. I've never been into facial hair. Yuck. I had planned to get the papers and colors finalized tomorrow, but fate had other plans for me. Luckily, I already had photos printed and I had already made a photocopy of his "The Stache" t-shirt.

Supply List
- Stamps: Paisley Set (Purple Onion Designs); Misunderstood Foam Alphabet (Making Memories)
- Ink: Blue Iris Chalk (Clearsnap); Paint (Making Memories)
- Paper: Solid Cardstock (Bazzill); Patterned Papers (Chatterbox)
- Accessories: Wood Frame, Photo Corners, Big Brads (Chatterbox); Green Bling Gems (Heidi Swapp)

So they're on their way to the judging process right now. And I'm off to bed. I'm grounded tomorrow so I can clean off the dining room table. Before I go, though, a big shout out to Lila, Lori, and CeCe who each crossed my path today -- and Julee who I got to see yesterday.

Happy Stamping!

ISO Pixie Dust

2007-08-07T22:11:00.001-06:00

Quick, someone sprinkle some pixie dust on me! I need it for good luck!

Ever heard of Mandarin Pixie? They've got a very fun selection of alphabet stamps, sentiment stamps, and an increasing collection of images. Tonight I was hopping around in blog land like I do on many evenings, and I read that I'm a finalist in their Design Team Contest! I'm nine parts excited and one part scared to death. Okay, maybe 99 parts excited and one part scared. Not sure if I know for sure the exact recipe of emotions... but there is definitely a smile on my face. Now to see if I can ever get to sleep tonight...

Happy Stamping!

A Very Verve Release

2007-08-06T20:47:00.001-06:00

What a fun experience I had today opening my mail box to find my very FIRST brand new rubber stamps from Verve Visual since joining the design team. I couldn't wait to trim & mount them and be on my merry way!

I found this cream and orange flower patterned paper in a 6x6 pad from BasicGrey's new Mellow line. The tiny flower in the pattern looks almost exactly like Julee's flower! It made a terrific background for the constructed focal flower.

Supply List:
- Flower stamps and sentiment from the Verve Visual Fancy Florals set
- Patterned papers from the BasicGrey Mellow 6x6 Pad
- Stampin' Up! cardstock and dye ink in Pumpkin Pie; Tag Corner Punch
- ColorBox fluid chalk inkpad in Chestnut Roan
- Stitched grosgrain ribbon from Lasting Impressions
- Solid suede ribbon from May Arts
- Thumbtack brad from the Karen Foster Earth Tones pack

I was saddened to hear this week that the Boise Rubber Stamp Show has been cancelled due to "lack of vendor participation" per the show promoters. The Treasure Valley really has thriving, vibrant stamping and paper crafting communities. Hopefully next year they'll return!

In other stamping news, my Stamping Idol and pal Lila is in the headlines again this week! Does she ever sleep? She won the Technique Tuesday contest at A Peek Into Yesterday and her project adorns their home page! To top it off, she got word from Stampington that at least one of her fabulous cards will be featured in the Autumn Take Ten. Seriously, people, she's a stamping powerhouse.

Lila and I are planning a big trip to Spokane in September to take classes from the amazing colorist Karen Lockhart at Apropos Paper Arts. Information about any other local stamp stores would be much appreciated!

Happy Stamping!

ENABLING: Purple Onion Anniversary Sale

2007-07-23T21:45:00.000-06:00

One fabulous stamp designer is having a big anniversary sale right now, and I just can't keep it to myself. Purple Onion Designs (or POD for short) has been one of my favorites for almost all of the 4 years it has been open. Michele, the owner, started out with great alphabets, words, and definitions... then branched out to many more fun images. Everything is at least 25% off right now through Sunday, August 5, 2007. S&H is very reasonable, too.

If you're serious about stamping to the point that you're submitting cards to magazines, POD is very generous! Each time one of your cards gets published and her company's name is listed in the credits, you recieve $25.00 worth of stamps -- your choice! How's that for an incentive?

So onto one of my favorite cards that fits this bill. It was published in the Stampers' Sampler Catch Up Issue Volume 11 on page 90. It features a faux tear technique and a wax resist technique.

Supply List:
- Sentiment stamp from Purple Onion Designs
- Leaves stamp from Maryse Carrier
- Stampin' Up! cardstock in Glossy White, Barely Banana and Forest Foliage; dye ink in Basic Black, Barely Banana, Old Olive, and Forest Foliage; Black Magic Mesh; Black Hemp Twine, Black eyelet, Sponge
- White Crayon from Crayola

TIP: Until recently, I thought it was important to always use a white crayon when doing the wax resist technique. You don't have to! In fact, using a colored crayon is helpful because you can SEE where the wax is. Any color wax will wipe off.

For those wondering about whether the card in the previous post won: Nope. But guess whose project won the title of Most Innovative Design? Lila, my best friend and Stamping Idol did! Check out her fabulous card by clicking here. She always does terrific work, but this particular card is exceptional.

Happy Stamping!

Infused with Verve!

2007-07-12T21:34:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite blogs is PubCalls. They work hard to seek out publication & contest opportunities for papercrafters. Occasionally, they host a manufacturer's challenge. This month, we were challenged to submit cards featuring BasicGrey products. We couldn't use just any BasicGrey... it was limited to two of last year's holiday lines and the brand-spankin'-new Infuse. Several awards are being offered, and one of the prizes will be awarded for use of fibers. I hope my fibers-on-a-copy-machine custom paper will catch their eye!

Supply List:
- Thoughtful Phrases sentiment from Verve Visual
- BasicGrey Infuse Fibers; Infuse Season paper; Infuse Die-Cut Shapes
- Stampin' Up! cardstock in Certainly Celery and Chocolate Chip; ink in Chocolate Chip; Just Jeans background stamp; Word Window Punch
- Making Memories brads
- Heidi Swapp gem
- Canon archival-safe color copy machine

I am a big fan of this sentiment stamp and the other stamps in the Thoughtful Phrases set. I love that they fit perfectly in the Word Window punchies... so many design possibilities there!

TIP: Since these stamps are fairly narrow, I highly recommend using the EZ Thin Mount from Sunday International. This new foam mounting option makes for a much better stamping experience! Although it is recommended by the manufacturer for small stamps, I have begun to mount all my red rubber on it, and I LOVE the results. Definitely try some.

And speaking of these cool Verve stamps, you'll want to check their Web site and sign up to be notified when it launches. In addition to the stamps, there'll be papers and accessories and all sorts of papercrafting candy! And don't forget the gallery of samples. I'm giddy about the gallery because Julee contacted me and invited me to join their design team as a Gallery Designer! I can't wait to see all the terrific stamps that Julee is working on!

Happy Stamping!

Happy Birthday, Kristine!

2007-06-12T15:48:00.001-06:00

My sister, Kristine, had a birthday recently. I spent time stamping with my good friends Lila and Julee not long ago, and actually completed a card while I was there! (I'm most comfortable stamping at home. While I enjoy stamping anywhere at anytime, I somehow don't remember to bring with me just the right embellishment/tool/etc. and so I very rarely complete a project on the road.)

As I was photographing this card and practicing with various settings on my new camera, I got a visit from Dusty. This is not the first photo session he has interrupted, and I'm sure this isn't the last.

Supply List:
- Emmybella from Stamping Bella
- Swirly stamp from the Fresh Decor set by Danelle Johnson for Art Warehouse by Limited Edition
- Black StazOn Ink
- White, Pixie Pink, Green Galore and Pink Passion cardstock from Stampin' Up!
- Happy Birthday stamp (retired) from Stampin' Up!
- Salsa Celebration Paperz (Birthday Party) from Junkitz
- Prismacolor Pencils, blended with Gamsol and paper stumps
- Flowers from Prima Marketing
- Bling from Heidi Swapp

I received the adorable Bella image from a member of the Wish-RAK group on Splitcoaststampers (SCS). What a wonderful and generous group of ladies! I'll admit to joining the group initially to save money. Certainly it would be cheaper to let others 'loan' me their stamps by stamping images for me, right? Of course, once I see most of these images, I fall head-over-heels and have to purchase them ASAP. *sigh*

Happy stamping!