RAK from Kristine

As many of you know I've been a little under the weather and sweet Kristine who just celebrated her Blogoversary on the same day as me, sent thisadorable RAK and some stamped images to enjoy.

I just love all of the details.  The little flowers on the front with the glitter centers, the picnic blanket, the little bird flying in the pretty hand-sponged clouds.  Isn't it just such a cute card?!?!?

Thanks so much Kristine!!!  Receiving such fun mail really brightened my day.  I appreciate it so much!

So CUTE!!!

Is this image on this card not one of the most adorable ones you've ever seen?  Those little kitties are just so cute - I love it, and it's the card that Nancy Morgan of Paper Smiles sent to me.  You can see her post with the details about the card here.  I just love Nancy's stamping style - stop by her blog and let her know you do too!!  Thanks Nancy for the sweet birthday card!!

Fellow August 18th-er

I made this card for a fellow GSG girl, Nancy Morgan.  It's so funny, I have NEVER known anyone with my birthday - nor has anyone I have known known anyone with my birthday.  Weird, huh.  Then, after I got invited into the GSG group (#2) Nancy shoots me this e-mail saying that we share a birthday.  Too cool, huh?  Nancy is SO talented, and I love her blog, Paper Smiles.  She sent me a card for our birthday too, and I'll post it tomorrow.  It's ADORABLE so stay tuned for that!

As for my card for her, I was inspired by this card I posted by Brooke Stockman the other day that she made for our WOW swap. I hadn't ever done the grid technique and her card made me want to try it.  It was really easy and fun to do - you should try it out if you haven't!!  HERE is a tutorial for it from SCS that the lovely Beate created.

Stamps:  Fresh Cuts, Canvas BG
Paper:  Watercolor Paper, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip CS
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, and Chocolate Chip classic inks
Accessories:  Bashful Blue Taffeta dyed with Baja Breeze ink, Pretties Kit (half pearls, hat pin and beads), paper trimmer w/ scoring blade for "grid", sponges

RAK's are so fun!!! :)

So I felt super special when I came home from my holiday trip that went bad.  It's not often that I get RAKs and these two are so pretty.  The first one is from Annette.  She even included some ribbon inside.  What a sweetie!!!

This 2nd card is from Clara who won my boot loot about 2 Boot Loot's ago and this card was made using some of the papers and chipboard that she received.  Isn't it adorable!!!

Thanks ladies!!!

PS - I've been doing a whole lot of stamping that I can't show you yet.  BUT, I will be getting my SU! preview order items on the 10th so as soon as those babies get into my hand you will get to see some  of the items I make with them.  I CAN NOT wait to get the scalloped border punch!!!!!!!

I Stamped!!!! CPS #64

I have never participated in a CPS challenge, but decided to today because I was inspired so much by the CPS #64 sketch they posted for their challenge. I have not stamped in forever, and with limited supplies (most of my stuff is in storage in Delaware) I am so pleased with the outcome of this card.

The card is intended for a fellow stamping friend I've been thinking about lately and the sentiment isn't exactly appropriate. But, with limited supplies I have and using the words in this stamp set I felt it looked the best with what I had envisioned for my layout and my message inside it tied in pretty well.

Anyway, I hope it remains true to the CPS #64 challenge - I rotated the layout, but that's the only major change, I hope! :) I did make it a card that closes by being "latched" under the flower. The heart is actually stamped on Wild Wasabi CS and then cut out and adhered with some dimensionals. Also, this card uses the recent Wild For Wasabi promotional cardstock.

Take care, let me know what you think, and be sure to click on the link above to see the CPS #64 challenge guidelines and other samples for it. They're giving away a Scor-Pal with this challenge!!!!!!!!! I would love to have one, but I must say I'm super happy just to be back in the stampin' groove! :) Have a great day!

Stamps: Always

Ink: Timber Brown StazOn, Chocolate Chip marker, Soft Sky (to "dust" flower with color)

Paper: Tea Time DSP (Occasions Mini), Wild Wasabi CS, Wild for Wasabi Textured CS (from SU! promotion), Chocolate Chip CS and Soft Sky CS

Accessories: Paper Pretties Kit (half pearls, clear rhinestone brad, 2 white flowers), Soft Sky Double-Stitched grosgrain ribbon, small corner rounder punch, distressing tool, stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals

RAK's, FINALLY!!!

Here are the RAK's that I got when I checked the mail after having it on hold for a week for my sister's wedding:

This one is from Michele Yoos (myoos913 at SCS) and I love that embossing folder!!!!!

This one is from Nicole Kowalk (nkowalk on SCS). Don't you just love how she used the petals upside-down and now it's like a Lazy Susan or a coneflower?!?!?

This one is from Jane Simeone (troopersma on SCS) "for" Daniel, and I'm not sure what it is that she used to color in the bottles, but it's COOL because it's not just color but adds a little dimension too - the medium is raised.
Be sure to click on each lady's SCS name to check out their galleries at SCS. They're great!!! Thanks so much ladies for thinking of me. It's always so wonderful to get something so fun and pretty in the mail. It make a girl feel special :) Take care!

Thank You!!!!!!!

I wanted to take a second to say thank you to everyone for the baby cards, gifts, and the birthday card for me. It's my birthday next Saturday, but I won't be posting from after today until sometime after the 25th because my sister is getting married on my birthday and we are driving to Lexington, KY for the wedding. Anyway, here are some pics of the items I've received from some really sweet ladies out there. Thanks so much, and I will post as soon as I can once we're back in town at the end of the month. Thank you for your support and take care!!!

This first card is from Laura Barefoot. Isn't that chipboard neat and I love the background paper!

















These booties are from Tracy Harford (all the way from Canada!!!) and she said that the pattern was from Heather Bailey.

















This card is from Julie Masse. I love how she colored in the stars and circles with a "sparkly" pen.

















This last card is the one that was a RAK for my birthday from Nancy Elrick. It's got one of those cute Bella images on it and I love the colors!! Would you believe that I still don't have any Bella stamps?!?!? My life has been so crazy that it's been all I could do to "stay" a SU! demo and buy what I needed to do that, much less any "extras" from other companies! I'm kind of getting tired of being a demo....we'll see what happens with that as time goes on. SU! is not as appealing to me anymore as it doesn't meet the expectations I have for it and how I had hoped it would evolve as different aspects of crafting have become popular. I'll stop now... :)

RAK pictures I promised

Here are the pics I promised in yesterday's post. See it here.

Vera's RAK:



















Here's the Blogger's RAK I got from Kathy:

























Thanks a bunch again, ladies. I love them both!!!

RAK's - THANK YOU!!!!

I just want to give a quick thanks to Kathy (Kathat on SCS) and Vera (Vera on SCS). I'm not sure if Vera has a blog, but Kathy does and if you click on her name above, you'll go to it. They both have great galleries, and Vera is someone that I've become very familar with on SCS. I LOVE her work and was so honored to get a card from her. Kathy sent me a card inspired by one of my own, and that is another honor to have someone like something I did enough to CASE it. Thanks so much ladies, and I will post pics of the cards tomorrow.

Today has been CRAZY!!!!! We have been painting the girls room and trying to arrange it so that their new beds arriving tomorrow actually have a place to go. With our little boy on the way in July, we're trying to put the girls in a room together (we only have 3 bedrooms) which will be interesting. We wanted the stress of this new sleeping/living situation to happen before the baby comes so that the girls don't associate it in any way with him. I spent much of today and last Saturday painting the girls room, and there's nothing quite like an often uncoordinated pregnant lady trying to paint in a tight space (much of the furniture had to stay in the room so we could get the painting done so it could dry). I'm sure you can just imagine how much paint ended up on me instead of the walls. :P LOL

Speaking of CRAZY, I've had to move all of my stamping stuff into a small area in the baby's/guest room. Oh, how we need more space!!! It looks like it will work out but I lose my stamping area as far as actually DOING my stamping in that area. I had to fold up my craft table and call it a "workshop" table until further notice. :) I'll be using the kitchen table now and will have to bring everything out there and put it all right back. Uggh!!!!! Anyway, someday we will hopefully have more room, but for now this will have to do.

So, this is what I've been busy with and why there are not any pictures today. I still have to upload the pics from the Cards for Troops event, and have to take pics of the two lovely RAK's I received. You will get to see them though, I promise!!!

Take care, and have a great weekend. I'll post a picture of a card tomorrow so check back!!! :)

Some cards....

First I want to share the Blogger's RAK that I got from Ronee, and then I'll share the card I made for the swap that I'm hosting with my customers/friends that has a "spring" theme. Enjoy!!

Please check out Ronee's blog here, and here is Ronee's adorable Blogger's RAK card:



This is the card that I made for my swap. It uses Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron and Whisper White card stock. I used my Cuttle Bug A-2 Embossing folder called Divine Swirl (with my Big Shot) and I used my White Craft ink pad to put ink on the raised surface with the direct to paper technique. I still need a little work on that one, there are spots on the cards where the pad hit where it wasn't supposed to. Luckily I could hide some of them with the ribbon and the main image. The stamp sets used were Petal Prints and Everyday Flexible Phrases. I used my Barely Banana marker to color the center of the flower, my Apricot Appeal marker to do the petals, and I "Rock-and-Rolled" the flower in Pretty in Pink ink to get the edges pink. I added some Stickles to the flowers in random spots and I hope it shows up! I used wide White organdy and Apricot grosgrain (all from SU!) and that's about it! Let me know what you think, and take care! Tomorrow is my last day with my parents so I probably won't be posting. I won't see them again until August and that will be a stressful time. I'll have a 1 month-old and my sister is getting married then! :) Take care!

Thank You Ronee!!!

I got a cute card in the mail from Ronee and wanted to let her know that I got it. I will try my bet to get it to get it posted tomorrow when there's a "lull" in the visiting with my parents who are in town. Ronee has a great blog with some cute cards (and some cute girls!), so check it out here! Thanks so much for the card Ronee!!!

Spring Mini Swap Fun #3 AND a Blogger's RAK - all from Teresa!!!

Boy, I was one lucky lady when I opened my mail yesterday. I got ANOTHER bloggers RAK!!! I was super excited, and it's from Teresa (love2Bcreative on SCS) who is in the swap group that I'm in. Since her RAK card went so well with the swap card she made, I decided to post them both today. Definitely check out her blog ...RUBBAH THOUGHTS & CREATIONS for some super cute cards she has to share. Anyway, Teresa is so thorough that I have complete recipes for you for each card, so here they are, and THANK YOU TERESA!!!


SPRING MINI SWAP CARD
Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley, French Script BG, Linen BG, Tiny Talk
Ink: Vintage Violet, Old Olive, So Saffron, Rose Red marker, Old Olive marker
Card Stock: Marigold Morning, Vintage Violet, Old Olive, Rose Red, Naturals Ivory
Accessories: round tab punch, hodge podge hardware, Vintage Violet stitched grosgrain, Spring Moss grosgrain, sponges, slit punch, Crystal Effects (take a look at that top flower!)


BLOGGER RAK CARD
Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley
Card Stock: Marigold Morning, Vintage Violet, Cranberry Crisp
Ink: Marigold Morning, Vintage Violet, Cranberry Crisp
Accessories: True Thyme stitched grosgrain, Ivory wide organdy, Gold cord, Stampin' dimensionals, large oval punch, ticket corner punch

Happy Mail!!!

So, it's all gray and ugly here today and I have LOTS of cleaning to do from the weekend, so I didn't think I would get any stamping done today. Well, it still looks like I'm right, BUT I checked the mail and got this totally cute, happy card, from Lori (ltecler on SCS)!!!! Boy did she have good timing and the bright colors are great! The last RAK I got was back in August last year at my birthday from the RAK group on SCS, so I kind of gave up hope on being a recipient and just try to keep doing it as often as I can for other people. Anyway, her card is super cute and I love her blog Inking Aloud. She had the one of the neatest baby cards I've seen on there a few days ago - check it out!! Thanks so much Lori!!!

Blog candy WINNER, my NEW BANNER, plus a CARD!!

Well, little miss Emma (as you can see above) drew 2 numbers to decide the winner of my blog candy. For the first digit, I had her draw from 0-7 and for the 2nd digit it was 0-9. She drew a 2 and a 7, so lucky commenter #27 is the winner. Who was that you want to know? It was Jane (troopersma on SCS)!!!! She said: My favorite right now is Sophie. She's a shepherd/chow mix. We got her from a friend who'd rescued her from an abusive home. She has these gorgeous brown eyes that are so expressive that sometimes I swear there is a person inside her. We also have a Shih-Tzu but he's on my SHIH list because he won't quit peeing in the house since I went back to work. I think he's mad that he isn't getting as much attention.Her comment cracked me up. I just loved reading what all of you had to say. Some comments were really funny, some were touching, and some were sad. It was sad to see how many of you have a favorite pet that's no longer alive, or has recently passed away. I know it's like losing a member of the family, and I agree with Lynda when she says she's saddened to hear that people don't like pets. Allergies are one thing, or possible situations where your job takes you away too much (like in the military sometimes) to allow for a pet, but they are so wonderful. They teach unconditional love, and they teach you that there are people/animals that depend on you just to live and especially for kids that's a great lesson in responsibility. Anyway, off of my soap box. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO COMMENTED! It was a lot of fun. JANE - please e-mail me your address so I can get your blog candy sent ASAP (mcclellans@stx.rr.com).

Geez, you ask me to pick ONE pet? I have loved most all of my pets (I guess the exclusion would be some of the kids' pet critters which weren't truly mine to begin with).

 

Do you like my new blog banner?!?!?!? It was made just for me by Beth Silaika (MyPrecious on SCS). Her blog Freckled Fun Designs can give you all the info you need to get your very own custom made blog banner or watermark. She was super patient with me, and even helped me upload it onto my blog when I was having some technical difficulties. I wanted something with a "doodled" look and I told her my color preferences and what I was seeing for the font of the title, and boy did she deliver! Go check her out, you won't regret it and it's small change well spent for a little personalization.


This last picture is a card that I made the other day and I think I will use it for another Blogger's RAK that I'm part of on SCS. To be in it, you just have to be on the SCS RAK list, and then you go here on SCS to join the Blogger's RAK group. I have to pick who to send it to, and I hope they like it! I used the Doodle This set from the Spring Mini to stamp the flower image in Brow StazOn on watercolor paper. I then colored it in with my Aqua Painter using Cranberry Crisp and More Mustard re-inkers. Next, I used some of that fun Basic Grey Blush paper along with my Big Shot and the Cuttlebug Swirls (I think that's the name of it!) embossing folder to finish the look. A tiny bit of polka-dot organdy ribbon was added along with the stamped "hello" sentiment from my Paper Tray stamp set. Let me know what you think, and happy weekend!!!

********Today I enabled the setting that allows others to use blogger reader and other such programs to ping my blog to check for updates. If I understand right, previously to now you could not add my blog to your list and get updates. Either way, now we're good to go! :)

SCS Blogger RAK Group

Most of you are probably familiar with Splitcoaststampers.com and if you're not, there's a link to it on the right side of your screen in my sidebar. I am a member of the RAK group which you can access here in the forum section of the site. If you're a member of the RAK group you can now be a member of the new Blogger's RAK group which can also be accessed through the RAK link I posted above. I thought that this new group sounded like fun so I signed up and made my first card today. Now I just have to decide who to send it to! I tried to keep the layout and composition of the card clean and simple, and I think I succeeded. I was going to do an only black and white card but couldn't resist adding a splash of color with the Petals & Paisleys DS paper that's in the Spring Mini. I used the flower and flourish from the Doodle This stamp set (which I LOVE), the sentiment from my Papertrey stamp set called Paper Tray , and Black StazOn ink for all of the stamping. I used my ticket corner punch and some black brads for a little added detail, and that's about it! I hope she (whoever she ends up being) likes it! Take care!