A pink and celery birthday

I finally found some time for stampin' this week! I loved this weeks' sketch challenge on SCS. After I ran the celery layer thru my 'bug, I brayered it w/ olive ink. I love the look and will have to try this again! I'm trying very hard to use up the tons and tons of dp that I've accumulated! Ugh! I colored in the flowers, including the tiny ones in the oval border, with my SU markers. The large green rhinestone brads are from my dear friend, Stacy ~ aren't they cool?!
Thanks for stopping by!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ ww, black, celery, dp. ink ~ olive, black. access. ~ punches, markers, brads.

Drs Designs blog challenge

Here's my card for the latest DRS Designs blog challenge which is to use your "handmade by" stamps for something other than the back of your card!! I went w/ a Valentine theme so I could use these sweet newly released DRS Designs stamps. The hearts are paper pieced. I was thinking along the lines of "we are 'handmade by love'" when I made this one. The bg stamps is actually the Giga Heart circle stamp which works w/ your marvy punches! Thanks for stopping by and go check out what the rest of the DT made ***and there's more blog candy this week***!!!
I'm sad to say that this is my last post as a member of the DRS Designs DT. I've enjoyed it so much but look forward to maybe joining another design team! Thanks so much, Samantha, Cindy and everyone at DRS!!!!!!!!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ blush, riding hood, choc, ww. ink ~ choc. access. ~ satin ribbon, brads, marker.

DRS Designs is sponsoring a cool sketch over at CPS!!

You can go here ~ CPS ~ to see the sketch and get the links to all the other dt's cards!!! I'm so loving this sketch. I made this when I was still in "holiday mode", hehe! The snowmen's scarves were paper pieced and I watercolored their hats and a bit of the background around them. Thanks for stopping by!!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ bashful, basic grey, ww, dp. ink ~ black, basic grey, saffron. access. ~ jumbo eyelets, punches.

DRS Designs ribbon slide challenge and BLOG CANDY!!

Time to kick off more DRS Designs blog challenges!! And to start off the year right, DRS is offering up some blog candy ~ all the details are HERE. I went w/ a classic navy and white card. The large stars are the ribbon slides - duh!- hence the ribbon through the middle of them. They match up so well w/ the stars easy backgrounder stamp. I colored all of the star centers in w/ a silver stardust pen, so they're all supah sparkly. Check out all the other dt creations over on the DRS blog (same link as above). Catch ya later!
****edited to add: check it out! DRS Designs is the sponsor this week over on the CPS blog (that's Card Positioning Systems, incase ya didn't know!)****
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ ww, night of navy. ink ~ navy. access. ~ stardust pen, ribbon, piercer.

Sweet baby card

Here's a card using 3 of the *NEW RELEASES* from DRS Designs that are available NOW!!!!! I so love this sentiment! I watercolored the wheels w/ basic grey ink and used markers for the rest. Notice the diaper pin stamp on the pretty in pink layer ~ how cute!
Thanks for stopping by!!! I have something else to post later!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ regal, pink, ww, basic grey. ink ~ black, basic grey, regal. access. ~ markers, brads.

New DRS Designs releases!!

Hi all!! Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and got all kinds of new goodies to play with!
I'm so glad to finally be able to showing sneaks of the new DRS Designs releases!!! Go here ~ http://www.drsdesigns.com/ ~ to check out ALL of the *NEW* designs!!!!
I finally got a couple of the kaleidacolor ink pads and thought this solid snowman would be perfect to try them out! This one uses the caribbean sea kaleidacolor spectrum pad. I was also happy that SU's green galore, taken w/ teal and turquoise match up perfectly!! So, I hope you don't mind another snowman card, but at least it's a bright one!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ ww, teal, turquoise, green galore. ink ~ caribbean sea kaleidacolor pad, black. access ~ cuttlebug, brads.

Now here's where I get emotional...

I hope that 2009 brings much joy and happiness for you all. After the year we've had, I am somewhat glad to be done with 2008. It's bittersweet because we lost my brother, but my mom now lives closer to us. I've yet to find a "good" way to deal with his passing. It is still so very hard and at times, I don't even like to think of it as a reality. Maybe that's dumb, but I think it's just my minds' way of processing it. I hate that he's not in our lives anymore. And I don't like to use the word 'hate', but that's how I feel. I hate that there are times when the fact of it all smacks me in the face and I can't control my tears. I hate that as I turn 38 tomorrow, he won't be able to give me a hard time for getting old and looking more and more like our mom. I hate that in 21 days, it'll be 1 whole year since he left us. Sorry to get so somber on you, but it's that time of year to reflect and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. Not a day goes by that my heart doesn't ache because he's gone and left our mom without her "baby boy". So I pray that this new year brings only joy, peace and healing for us. Thanks for letting me vent and have a HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blingin' Christmas trees!

Can ya stand one more Christmas card?? I think I'm done sending them, unless we receive a late one, so at least I've already started my stash for next year! hehe! This is for our newest challenge over at the DRS Designs blog ~ *Bling*!! I stamped these trees using olive ink and also watercolored them w/ olive ink. The bling that you may not be able to see in the pic is the versamark dazzle ink I used to stamp the snowflakes onto the red and pretty in pink layers and also onto the sentiment layer. The ribbon is also a shimmery satin.
Thanks for stopping by during your busy schedule!!
card info: stamps ~ drs design. paper ~ regal rose, pretty in pink, olive, red, watercolor, ww. ink ~ olive, black, versamark dazzle in champagne. access. ~ ribbon, piercer, punches, nesties, bling.

DRS Designs blog challenge #10 and new camera!

First off ~ the ornament! This is an SU chipboard circle that I've had forever and thought it'd be great for this challenge! I covered it in some pretty BG Wassail dp first. One of my circle nesties was the perfect size, so no cutting by hand (yay!). I stamped the sentiment, then cut it w/ nesties, also. I sponged some mellow moss ink around it while the nestie was still covering it (make sense?) so i could get that non-sponged edge. I colored the holly and berries from DRS w/ my SU markers. There are crystal effects on the berries. I finished it all off w/ some Heidi Swapp bling I've also had forever! Love using up stuff that I already have! I think it would be cute to add this to a present as a tag, maybe write the "to and from" on the back of it, date it, then the recipient can use it as an ornament! Ok, now go check out what the rest of the dt did here ---> DRSDesigns.
Now, about the new camera ~ I got my Christmas/bday gift a little early. A Nikon D40!!!!!!! OH, I am just SO excited to learn how to use this bad boy! Without reading the book, I've already taken some great shots! It's so easy! If you have any tips or suggestions for me, please share! I'd love to, at some point, be able to have a little side job as a photographer.

And congrats to Stacy as my one and only blog candy contest participant!!! Have a great week and hope you're all getting your Christmas shopping done! I'm almost there!

Limited supply card and new banner?

Ok, so what do y'all think?? Like the new banner? It's a pic of a glitter ornament that I made and just played around w/ in Photoshop. Thought it'd be nice to get a little festive around here! Alright, now on to the card ~

Like I said, this is for the limited supply challenge that Wendy posted on SCS today ~ only snowflake stamps, monochromatic, bling and one word sentiments!! Yea, I know! But honestly, sometimes I really like these types of challenges where almost all the decision making is done for me. It keeps me from sitting at my desk and just staring trying to figure out what in the world I'm going to use!! *please tell me I'm not the only one that happens to??!!* The snowflake stamp is from DRS Designs. The "noel" is from SU. I punched out the corner of the moss layer and then put that layer on dimensionals so the punched out flake stands out more. I added a little bling to the center of it, as well as the upper flakes and on either side of the sentiment. This is the sketch that I made up for my BLOG CANDY POST BELOW!!! You only have until THIS SUNDAY to make a card using this sketch and then give me a link to it back here. Hope y'all have a great weekend! I know I plan on sleeping in!!!

card info: stamps ~ drs designs, SU. paper ~ moss, watercolor. ink ~ moss. access. ~ ribbon, punches, bling.

My ladybug sketch card

Here's the card I made using the sketch for my blog candy ***see post below***!!! All stamps are from DRS Designs. I used the easy ladybug backgrounder to make some of my own dp. I watercolored them w/ real red and tangerine inks, the leaves are colored w/ my celery marker. The ladybug ribbon slide and sentiment are *new* from DRS Designs. Added some piercing and brads to finish it all off. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to play along for some ***blog candy***!!

DRS Designs blog challenge #9

This challenge is to find different ways to use the postage frame/envelope art stamps. At first, I was totally stumped, but after thinking for a bit, it hit me ~ GIFT TAGS!!!!!!! These stamps are the perfect size and I just *love* this one w/ the holly leaves, berries and bells. DRS Designs has LOTS of great sentiments that are the perfect size for these stamps, so it was supah easy to find one for the center of this stamp. I colored everything w/ SU markers, used a silver gel pen on the bells and added some holly stickles down the center of all of the leaves. I cut out the image, then adhered it to the green layer. I used my rectangle nesties to cut out the red, then just slapped it all together and added some silver cord. DONE! Now I just need to add the "To" and "From" to the back. Go check out the DRS blog (link over on the right!) and see what the rest of the team came up with! Thanks for stopping by!
***see blog candy post below***

A gingerbread Christmas

Here's a card I put together using this week's CC colors ~ red, black and kraft. I hadn't used this image from DRS Designs yet, so thought it deserved to be inked up! This was so easy to color in ~ I used a caramel marker for the houses, a red marker for parts of the candy canes and a white gel pen for everything else! I used one of the plaid stamps, also from DRS, on the red layer for that extra *cozy* feel. And the sentiment, again from DRS ;}, is the perfect font and just says it all! A couple of brads, ribbon and some faux stitching finish it off!
Hey, quick question for y'all, where can I find some polyshrink?? Michael's or Hobby Lobby? I'd love to get my hands on some!
And I haven't forgotten about the blog candy ~ still gathering it all up and thinking of a sketch to go along w/ it! ;}
Thanks for stopping by!!

DRS Designs scrapbook challenge

Hi all!! Sorry for not posting in a while ~ went out of town w/ the hubby for a few days (work related, but we still had fun!).
I haven't scrapbooked in so long, I was worried I'd forgotten how! I'm so glad this was our challenge this week over at the DRS Designs blog, so at least I can say I got Halloween 2006 done, right??! We wanted to show that DRS Designs stamps are so easy and versatile. For my little pirates, I used the candy corn easy backgrounder stamp on the white layer. I then used the Trick or Treat stamp as my title and layered it on black. Doesn't get any easier than that!! I added some buttons and ribbon to finish it off. Thanks for stopping by!
page info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ black bazzill, text ww, pumpkin, ww, black. ink ~ pumpkin, black. access. ~ markers, ribbon, buttons.

Challenge time again!

Hi!! Man, have I been super busy lately!! But I managed to squeeze in the DRS Designs blog challenge and this week it's a sketch challenge! Check out the sketch here: http://drsdesignsblog.blogspot.com/
I decided to flip mine. This poinsettia image is just so pretty. I watercolored it w/ riding hood red and artichoke inks. The centers have white gel pen dots and I later added stickles to the red parts of the poinsettia. I cuttlebugged about 3/4 of the vanilla card base w/ the swirl ~ love how it mimics the swirl stamp on the artichoke layer! The sentiment is from a multi Christmas sentiment stamp. It has several Christmas sentiments all on one stamp that you can keep together or cut apart to use separately. Thanks for stopping by! I sure hope to find more stamping time soon!

card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ vanilla, artichoke. ink ~ riding hood, artichoke, saffron, black. access. ~ ribbon, brads, gel pen, stickles, watercolor brush, cuttlebug folder.

A non-traditional Christmas card

Here's another card for the DRS Designs blog challenge #6, to make your sentiment your focal point. This is another awesome soon to be released sentiment from DRS Designs. The middle pink layer is stamped w/ the easy snowflake backgrounder stamp in versamark, then embossed w/ Iridescent Ice ep. Much pretty IRL, as always, right! The sentiment was done w/ my nesties and the scallop behind it was punched out w/ my pink marvy scallop punch. The black strips were pierced, as well as the corners.
Thanks for stopping by!
card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ pink pir, black, ww. ink ~ versa, black. access. ~ gingham, piercer, punch, nesties, II ep, brads.

DRS Designs blog challenge #6

Yep, it's that time again! DRS Designs blog challenge #6 is to make your sentiment the focal point. DRS has a ton of great sentiments to choose from!! I had a hard time deciding, but went with a Thanksgiving one since it's not that far away! (yikes!) Now you may ask, "hey, where'd you get that great designer paper behind the sentiment??". Welllll, that's actually some *dp* I created using one of DRS Designs easy background stamps!!!! I colored them in w/ SU markers. I covered it with vellum, again, to keep my sentiment as my focal point. Ok, now go check out the rest of the DT's creations HERE. Join in on the fun and post a link to your creation so we can check it out!!
card info: stamps ~ DRS designs. paper ~ pumpkin, cocoa, ww, vellum. ink ~ choc. access. ~ markers, brads, hemp.

Girly notebook and a winner!

Hi y'all!! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Part of mine was spent painting a wall in my stamp room! Yes, only one wall because I chose a bold color ~ burgundy!! I had to go back to the paint store because the one quart didn't quite cover the wall and wouldn't ya know, the lady gave me the wrong color today!! Talk about frustrating! And I gave her the same paint strip today that I'd shown the guy yesterday! And of course, I didn't notice it until about 4:30pm today and they close at 4pm! grrrrr. So guess who'll be getting a visit from me tomorrow! Uh huh... ok, guess you're not here to listen to my complaining! Sorry! ;}
Here's an altered notebook I made for the DRS Designs blog challenge which you can check out here. I have a few of these which I'd gotten from the dollar store over a year ago. This yummy dp is the new line from My Mind's Eye called Laundry Line ~ it's all SO delish!! The sentiment and flower are from DRS Designs. The flower is a ribbon slide, so I kept with that and used pink satin ribbon for the centers. I tied the same ribbon on the side, as if it wasn't girly enough! Yea, I don't think I have to worry about my boys wanting to use this notebook! hehe!
Now, the winner of my blogtest is Jennifer E.!!! Yes, I bought some nesties recently (circle ones and large scalloped ovals, only because that's all Hobby Lobby had at the time!) and I bought my first and only copic marker, cool grey no. 3. Give me your info so I can mail you your surprise! Thanks for stopping by!

project info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ vanilla, banana, ruby red, amethyst, dp. ink ~ choc, ruby, celery. access. ~ nesties, ribbon.

One in a million and a little blog-test

First things first, my dear friend, Carolyn (Cammie), has designed a wonderful stamp set (available from Gina K.) of which she's sending all proceeds to the Alzheimer's Association. She's now giving out some MAJOR blog candy and all you have to do is make and send a card to the caretaker of a person affected with Alzheimer's (there are a few other rules which she lists on her blog). Read all about it on her blog here. This is the card I will be mailing out to the address she provided on her blog.
Now about the card, all stamps used are by DRS Designs. I colored with reinkers (the few that I have), ink from ink pads and markers. I added crystal effects to the apples and pumpkins, so it looks really cool IRL (don't it always!). The pumpkin layer was stamped with the leaf in chocolate after stamping off once. There's also faux stitching around the border of the ruby red card base. Now my little blog-test (instead of CONtest, get it?? hehe!) for you is can you tell what TWO things I recently purchased that I used on this card?? The first person to correctly name these TWO things (and you might have to look closely) will get a little surprise from me! I won't list everything in my "card info", just the main schtuff I used. I will have the contest open until Sunday, 28 Sep and will post the winner Monday morning. Good luck!!!

card info: stamps ~ drs designs. paper ~ ruby, pumpkin, chocolate, ww. ink ~ chocolate, black, artichoke, pumpkin, saffron. access. ~ ?, ?, markers, piercer, brads, crystal effects.

Simple leafy Thanksgiving

Here's a card I'd made that almost qualified for the Limited Supplies Challenge over on SCS. I just had one too many colors of ink! Oh well! hehe! I inked up this leaf from DRS Designs using pumpkin, olive and cocoa and rock n rolled them all in chocolate. I stamped off once before stamping onto the vanilla card base. The sentiment is another NEW RELEASE from DRS Designs ~ I inked it up in chocolate. I've had this gingham ribbon for probably 3 yrs!! But hey, it came in handy today, right?? Added a little hardware to it to finish it off. Simple and classy, doncha think????
Ok, going to get some stamping time in before the Saints game starts!!!! Have a wonderful Sunday!!

card info: stamps ~ drs designs. ink ~ pumpkin, olive, cocoa, chocolate. paper ~ vanilla. access. ~ ribbon, hardware.

Sparkly ornament

Here's a little 3-D project I made using one of the stamps from DRS Designs. I stamped it twice using Real Red on vanilla cs. After I cut them out, I inked them up with versamark then embossed them w/ SU's Iridescent Ice ep, so they're supah sparkly! I wanted it to be kinda puffy, so I cut up a used dryer sheet (love to reuse items!) and put it in the center. I used Tombow mono multi to adhere all sides except one, which I put an eyelet through so I could string some ribbon through. Here's a close up:

Thanks for stopping by!

project info: stamps ~ DRS Designs. paper ~ vanilla. ink ~ red, versa. access. ~ ep, eyelet, wide organdy