Blog Hop Time!

It's Blog hop time!!!

Game: Visit each of the DT's Blogs and add up the total

in each of the DT's piggy banks.

The Hop will begin at 8:00 pm CST and end at 9:00 pm CST.

The winner of the Hop will be announced

on the Stamps and Smiles Blog at 9:01 pm CST.

NEW Release:

After the Blog Hop at 9:00 pm CST, the NEW

release will be available for purchase.

Promo: Buy five 3 x 4 sets get the 6th set for FREE.

Includes ALL 3 x 4 sets, from the past and present.

Thank you for visiting the last day!

Here's a fun project....

Cupcake tag!

Now go and visit the others in the Design Team... and collect the coins.

Cindy Burgess
Jennifer Meyer

Jennifer Stricker (me)
Kim Gruetzmacher
Patricia Garcia
Rose Frydrych
Rose Miller
Sue Kment

Stamps and Smiles - Day 5 of Samples

Welcome back SAS Friends!! We are on the last day of our Stamps and Smiles samples and giveaways for the NEW stamp release!! We want to thank you all for stopping by and we also want to congratulate all of the winners!! Please stop back tonight from 8 - 9 pm CST for our Blog Hop - One lucky winner will win 5 sets from the NEW stamp release.

Here are the last two sets to be sampled - Little One & Bundle of Joy. Don't forget to sign your name with Mr. Linky for a chance to win. All 10 stamp sets will be released TONIGHT after our Blog Hop 9 pm CST at the Stamps and Smiles store.

This is such a cute set!
Another one that is so versatile.

Want another chance to win more FREE stamps???

Play along with our Blog Hop...

Hint: Fill your Piggy Bank FULL...

Stop back tonight from 8 - 9 pm CST for our Blog Hop -

One lucky winner will win 5 sets from the NEW stamp release.

Stamps and Smiles - Day 4 of Samples

Hello everyone & thanks for stopping by!! We are now on day 4 of our brand NEW stamp release by Stamps and Smiles. So far we have revealed 8 NEW stamp sets, tomorrow will be our last day of samples. Then tomorrow night we will have our Blog Hop from 8 - 9 pm CST. Everyone is invited, one lucky winner will win 5 FREE stamp sets from the NEW release.

Want another chance to win FREE stamps??? Add our Blog Hop banner to the top of your Blog and sign your name HERE with Mr. Linky so we can easily find you.

Now let's check out sets: Money Pig #1 and Money Pig #2

Did you see the other cars by the design team? You can view them here.

Stamps and Smiles - Day 3 of Samples

Hello SAS Friends!! Thanks for stopping by during our NEW stamp release. If this is the first time stopping by, we are day 3 of our stamp release. We have 10 BRAND NEW STAMP SETS, each day we will reveal 2 NEW sets. Please stop by to check out the samples by the Design Team and for a chance to win your favorite sets!!!

On Friday night, August 27th from 8 pm – 9 pm CST we will have our Blog Hop. Grab the banner here and place it on the top of your Blog, one lucky winner will win 5 FREE stamp sets from the NEW release. Don’t forget to sign your name with Mr. Linky so we can easily find you.

Introducing....Martha Flower Stamp and Rose Flower Stamp.

I think this is my FAVORITE from the new release!
I love them! You can color them so many different ways!

and an extra surprise... Daffodil Girl

Jennifer has a BRAND NEW Daffodil Flower Digi FREE for you today...so now you REALLY have to get over to the SAS Blog NOW! :) Hurry because this digi is ONLY available for a SHORT TIME!!!!

These flower girls make me smile!

Don't forget to stop by the blog and see all the work by the design team.

Stamps and Smiles - Day 2 of Samples

Hello SAS Friends!! We are day 2 of our Stamps and Smiles stamp release. We have 10 BRAND NEW STAMP SETS, each day we will reveal 2 NEW sets. Please stop by to check out the samples by the Design Team and for a chance to win your favorite sets!!!

On Friday night, August 27th from 8 pm – 9 pm CST we will have our Blog Hop. Grab the banner on the side bar and place it on the top of your Blog, one lucky winner will win 5 FREE stamp sets from the NEW release. Don’t forget to sign your name with Mr. Linky so we can easily find you.

Here are the two sets being sampled today: Little Stinker & Yummy in my Tummy.

That little stinker is so cute!

And just imagine the fun things you can do with this one!

***A tip for you- I ALWAYS marker in the edges of my stamped images

that I cut out. I use the same color marker that I stamped the image in.

So all of the images in this release are black.

That way you don't see the white of the paper, just a tip for you.***

Stamps and Smiles - Day 1 of Samples

Hello SAS Friends!! We have a BRAND NEW STAMP Release by Stamps and Smiles - there are a total of 10 NEW sets. Each day this week we will be previewing 2 NEW sets. Please stop back all week long for a chance to win your favorite sets!!!

Just look!!!! These images are so cute!
You are going to be at awe all week long!

On Friday night, August 27th from 8 pm – 9 pm CST we will have our Blog Hop. Grab the banner here and place it on the top of your Blog, one lucky winner will win 5 FREE stamp sets from the NEW release. Don’t forget to sign your name with Mr. Linky so we can easily find you.

Here are the first two sets to be sampled:
Home Baked Goodies - 6 images and 3 sentiments and
Fun in the Sun - 2 images and 6 sentiments.

(shaker card)

Tomorrow is Day 2! Don't forget to stop back and see what that day's release is.

Stamps and Smiles Stamp release starts tomorrow... are you ready?

Stamps and Smiles is having a brand new stamp release...I know we've all been waiting in anticipation for Jennifer to have a new stamp release. You won't be disappointed, These stamps are AWESOME! Head over to the Stamps and Smiles Blog to welcome our Guest Designers, Sue and Patricia, and to get the details on this week's happenings.
We will have a fun blog hop....see banner below for date and time:

Make sure you grab this blog hop banner and place it in your sidebar because you could never know what goodies you might win!

It's Thursday, you know what that means...

Happy Thursday!

I hope you are having a great week.

I have been super busy at work with the State Fair. I am the organizer for

our booth in the Education Building. We have about 120 shifts that

need volunteers for. I've been able to book all spots but 2. We

had our first training session today. I had to hand out all of the tickets

for admission and the polo shirts that everyone has to wear. I will

be so glad when the state fair is over.

Now onto more fun!

Here's the sketch for the OCC...

I hope you play along with us this week.

Here is my sample. I did turn the sketch on the side.

Feel free to do that as well.

I used the NEW stamps and DIES from Prickley Pear!

Oh my goodness. I love them!

They will be available for sale in the next few weeks.

This set comes with 3 pumpkin stamps and 2 jack o'lantern faces

a fall leaf, a pumpkin leaf and a couple of sayings. You can

also buy the pumpkin die that will cut out the pumpkin!

Recipe:

Solid Paper-Archivers

Black and White Polka Dots-My Minds Eye

Other PP Graphic 45

Raffia (I hand dyed)

Twill

Making Memories Bling Frame

Quick Cuts Cork

Tiny Attacher

PK Glitz

Stazon Black ink

Distress Ink

Copics

Sewing

Pop Dots

Pumpkin stamp and die

A2

Cut card to size. Layer PP and sew edge. Tear polka dot paper. Tie on the twill and raffia. Glue on the torn paper. Cut three pumpkins out of the cork. Ink two of the with distress ink. Color the 3rd one with copics before you stamp it with stazon. Glue down the 3 pumpkins with pop dots, layering them a bit. Add glue to the stamped pumpkin and add glitter sparingly. For the sentiment stamp it on a scrap piece of cork. And add a small piece of twill with the tiny attacher. Before you attach the sentiment, add the round bling around the stamped pumpkin.

Swirl Bats and Bleach Haunted House

It's hard to believe that Halloween is right around the corner!

It was fun to work on this Halloween card for Prickley Pear

Rubber stamps. They have these awesome new Halloween

and fall stamps. And along with Prickley Pear well of course

I have added a little PK Glitz glitter.

I wanted to try something I have never done before....

I stamped with Bleach! I know.... crazy! I did use the non-splash kind.

I took a papertowel added a little bleach and dabbed the stamp.

I then stamped it on black, and the magic took place... it

slowly started to show up...and I LOVE how it turned

the black paper ORANGE!

Recipe:

Swirly Bat stamp

Rickety Haunted House Stamp

Rays embossing folder

Amy arts ribbon

SU clip

Hamptons art Embossing powder

PK glitz glitter

Bleach for stamping

Solid Paper-Archivers

Versa Magic ink

Score tape

Memento ink

Slate Distress ink

Pop dots

Versamark

Directions:
A2
Cut the purple paper to card size. Run it though the Cuttlebug using the Rays folder. Add distressing ink to the edges. Add the ribbon by using the score tape. Tie it into a knot on the side. Cut the black paper panel and using bleach stamp it on the black paper. Let the paper dry completely. Mount the black panel on another black panel with pop dots. Using scoretape go around the top black panel and add the glitter. Mount that whole panel on a coordinating orange paper. Stamp the bats on matching purple and cut them out. Using pop dots add the bats onto the card. Stamp the saying with versamark on cream paper add the rust embossing powder. Edge that panel with versa magic ink. Add it to the card with pop dots and the little clip.

In honor of Friday the 13th...

I have to show this HALLOWEEN hanging!

Oh my goodness, Prickley Pear has a new fall release!

I love the stamps! So fun!

You can buy them here.

This was the first piece that

I made with the stamps.

I used some dominoes from Janice (thanks Janice)

to put the words on. So different working with that material.

The Alcohol ink I used worked really well on

the dominoes, but they were not very easy to drill.

This was also the first time I tried stamping with acrylic paint

I love the look of the acrylic, it kind of makes it bolder.

Recipe:

Solid Paper-Archivers

Adirondack Black Dauber

Luminarte Shimmer mist

Gold Shimmer Spritz

Ribbon- May arts, SU and Michaels

Old dominoes painted with Alcohol ink

PK glitz glitter

Embossing Folder-Checkerboard

Martha edge spiderweb punch

Lifes Journey Letter stickers

Crystal effects

SU edge distresser

Directions:
First thing you want to do is to drill the holes in the dominoes (top one gets 2 holes on the top and 2 on the bottom, the bottom one only gets two holes on the top) . After the holes are drilled you want to add the alcohol ink to the dominoes. Just add colors that will go with the final project. On the fronts of the dominoes add a piece of coordinating paper. Over that add the “HAPPY” letters to the top domino, and the “HALLOWEEN” letters to the bottom domino. Now for the middle panel… Stamp the tree image on the orange using the acrylic paint dubber. The dubber will make the stamped image a little thicker and to me a little more spooky. Stamp the image again on a lighter orange with regular ink. Add crystal effects to the pumpkins on the lighter orange paper. Cut out the pumpkins once the crystal effects is dry. Add those pumpkins to the acrylic stamped image. Distress the edges of the orange panel add it to the black paper. Add punched images to the top and bottom of the black panel. Run the back panel through the Cuttlebug with the embossing folder. Punch holes in the black panel so you can attach the dominos with ribbon. Tie the whole thing together with the ribbons.

Thinking of you Kid!

While I was at CHA I remembered that I needed to make a card

for a girl who was having surgery.

I did not bring any stamps to CHA with me, because I knew that Jennifer

would have some that I could borrow. I looked through her stash

and found this cute set (I think it is from SU)

I colored the characters with Copics and cute them out.

Added some balloons with crystal effects, and some fun string.

Ran the background blocks through a Cuttlebug in a swirl folder.

I found that I ended up with a weird color combo,

but it was not the worst I've ever come up with.

Prickley Pear and PK Glitz Flower card

Did you see that Prickley Pear has some really

cool stamps with coordinating dies?

They released them in May and now have 6 different sets.

See them all here!

So much fun!

Here I used the

PPRS_Clearly Beautiful_Hibisucs

Recipe:

Pattern Paper-DCWV

Solid Paper-Archivers

Ink-Versa Color Pinecone and Anirondack Cranberry

Stamp-Prickley Pear

Die cut-Prickley Pear, edge punch Fiskars

Ribbon-American Crafts

Other- Glitter, Pop dots, sentiment (Making Memories), SU clip

Cut green plaid paper slightly smaller than card. Cut red patterned paper to roughly 4X 3. Using edge punch punch the left edge. Mount that on a piece of red paper cut a little larger. Mount that tot eh green paper with pop dots. Die cut out the flowers four times (2 out of patterned paper and 2 out of solid red) Stamp the patterned paper with the clear stamp, add glitter to center. With a pop dot mount that onto the solid red flower you cut out. Curl up petals. cut out 2 leaves out of coordinating green paper. Add glitter to veins. Before putting your flowers on the card. Add a small piece of ribbon inline where the flowers will go. Them mount the flowers. To finish it off add a sentiment mounted on red paper and edged in brown ink. Clip that to the background.

Don't forget that Prickley Pear is teaming up with

PK Glitz for the next couple months. PK Glitz glitter

will add that little sparkle to any project.

Playing a little catch-up

Oh boy, I have not blogged about everyday life for a while.

I thought that I will show you a few things that I've been up to.

A few finds, a few deals, and a few studio changes.

I'll start with this awesome find...

A whole huge bag full of unmount and cling mounted stamps

(mostly flowers and leaves) for 25¢ at a church sale!

This is only about 1/2 of them. I weeded out the ones I will not use

and I will sell them at a stamp sale in March.

New to me Slice!

After seeing the Slice work at CHA I know I needed one.

I have the Cricut, but NEVER use it.

SO I asked a girlfriend who has one, is she liked it..

and funny, she did not use it (she's a scrapbooker)

and she just bought a Cricut.

Day late dollar short, we could have just traded. We did still end up trading

6 Cricut cartridges for the Slice. I think that was a fair trade.

So now I need to get some more cartridges for the slice.

I hope I will love it!

New bracelet!

Nicole made it for me. I picked out the beads, but she made it.

I LOVE IT!!!

Thanks Nicole

New lunch bag.

I NEED to control what I am eating.

to keep my Fibromyalgia under control.

I am supposed to "snack" all day long to

keep my energy leveled out.

This bag has a thin re-freeze cooler thing,

so I can keep it at my desk all day.

It has room for 4 snack tupperware containers

and room for my sandwich.

We'll see if this will help.

Studio clean up!

Old back wall. See to the right the file cabinets

with huge totes on top of them...

I consolidated the totes and put them and the

file cabinets in the closet. I bought another Expedit shelf

from Ikea and put it on top of the other horizontally.

I also got a few more pink "boxes" for the cubbies.

Putting them horizontally, made it so I have a lot more room

on top for display. I moved my tinsel tree up there, and my old retro

suitcase that I store all of my done cards in.

I also got a new shelf (from Ikea) for all of my stamp sets.

See the tall thin shelf on the left of this picture.

As you know I unmounted all of them and put them in CD cases.

Then I moved my "shoebox" shelves in the corner up against the wall.

Old candy jar for all of my flowers. So colorful and fun!

Sewing machine now right behind me under my window.

Enabler alert!!!

New Cuttlebug folders!

I visited a scrapbooking store that I have not been to since 2006.

Scrapbooks Too, in Bloomington. They had in the new folders,

and THEY BROKE UP THE SETS!!!

Oh my goodness, how smart! Cuttlebug has started

selling the new folders in sets of four, not singly anymore.

It cost a little more, but this way I could buy the ones I want

not the whole set for only the one or two that I want.

5 X 7- Bumble Bees, Art Deco, Pears

5.5 X 4.25- Rays (Tim Holtz) and Mushrooms.