A Midnight Kiss

Hello!  It's been a while!  2012 has had a rough start, and even if I had wanted to stamp, I just didn't have it in me.

A week ago today, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ugh, just hearing that word scares the daylights out of you!  At first, I was just kinda numb, and then I went into research mode, trying to find out enough information and become familiar enough with the terminology that when the doctors begin to discuss her test results, I will not be like a deer in the headlights.  My brothers, parents and I have had quite a few telephone conference calls and Skype sessions to discuss what we know so far, and I think we are reaching a place of calm realization and readiness for action.  Even in the face of this dreaded disease, God IS good and He IS in control. Today we should hear the results of her PET scan and know more about what we are dealing with and what the options are.  Your prayers would be much appreciated!  I'm sure I'll be traveling to Louisiana soon although no specific dates as of yet...all of my design teams have been so wonderfully supportive and understanding during this time, as stamping will likely take the back burner and be a welcome stress relief and not an ongoing commitment for the next little while.  I will continue to post projects as I am able, so I hope you will still visit!

So today, I was overjoyed when I actually woke up in the mood to stamp!  Hallelujah! Taylor's cute Valentines from a few days ago inspired me...I used some cute Lizzie Anne/Gourmet Rubber Stamps images, some scraps from October Afternoon's Christmas Style, and this week's CPS sketch.  For the background, I placed the script stamp upside down on my work surface, inked it with dye ink, then stamped some of the ink off with a scrap of paper. I then placed my card stock on top of the stamp, using uneven pressure with my fingers to produce a faint image. Looks like a time-worn love letter that could have spent years in the attic!

Visit the GRS blog to see my post there and be sure to scroll down to the previous post to see Taylor's card.

Visit the CPS blog for more ideas using CPS Sketch #250!  

Notes:
Lizzie Anne Designs/Gourmet Rubber Stamps Sealed with a Kiss Diners' Club set, Kissed Goodnight single

October Afternoon Christmas Style designer paper

Clearsnap Lipstick Red Chalk Ink, Wicked Black Archival Ink

Spellbinders die

May Arts ribbon

BoBunny bling

paper flower, jute thread

GRS Diners' Club Preview

Today is preview day for a brand new Lizzie Anne/Gourmet Rubber Stamps Diners' Club set, Sealed with a Kiss!  It is such a beautiful set, filled images just perfect for Valentine's Day and more.

The color combo for my card was inspired by the pretty floral paper, part of the Random Collection from Crate Paper.  I love this paper but I'm still trying to decide whether the color combo works!  It is definitely different!  (For most of December I have been fighting a sinus infection...I just kept trying to push through but finally, a few days before Christmas, decided that a break was necessary.  Between feeling yucky and taking more than a week away from card-making, my mojo is very rusty!)

Be sure to visit my design team mates blogs to see what they've made with this fun set!

• Jeni Allen
• Joslyn Nielson
• Joy Stagg 
• Kelli Palmer
• Kendra Wietstock
• Pam Hornschu 
• Rose Ann Reynolds
• Taylor Usry

GRS Weekly Recipe #13

I love having a sketch to start construction of my cards...coming up with layouts of my own is not what I would consider my forte` but today it is my turn to host the Gourmet Rubber Stamps Weekly Recipe.  I thought it would be kinda fun to make a card with a detachable tag, much like a bookmark card.

I began with a 4 1/4 x 10 1/2 inch piece of card stock, scored at 4 1/4, and perforated with the Scor Bug at 8 1/2.  The finished card measures 4 1/4 square inches with an additional 2 inches on the back layer for the tag portion.

I used a Spellbinders fancy tags 2 die and matching nestabling along with some Tim Holtz holly leaves for a fancy sentiment atop some pretty designer paper that really goes well with my 5th Avenue Snowflake Stick Chick tag.

I hope you will join me in making a tag card, or use the layout for a three-panel standard A2!

Notes:

GRS 5th Avenue Snowflake Stick Chick

LAD Season's Greetings

Teresa Collins designer paper

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Copic markers

Tim Holtz die

Spellbinders fancy tags 2, matching nestabling

red twill ribbon
silver cording
Kaiser Craft pearl
Polar White Flower Soft, PVA glue

LAD/GRS Design Team Challenge

It's time for another GRS/Lizzie Anne design team challenge!  I am still stamping Christmas cards, and found this challenge to be a very refreshing change of pace!  Look at the beautiful photo we were given as color inspiration for a birthday card!

Although I didn't purchase it with this challenge in mind, I don't think I could've come across a better match of designer paper for this gorgeous color combo!  It looks made-to-order!

I chose a classic greeting from Vintage Verses as a focal point, adding some lovely lace and sheer ribbon along with a pretty flower.  I stamped, diecut/embossed and inked the oval, then ended up putting the rest of the card together in the car on the way to Disney World to hear Matthew sing with FIHS chorus at Candlelight!  The magical wonder of Disney made this sentiment seem exceptionally appropriate, and paper-crafting in the car made the time go faster!  I took my ukulele too, and played a few Christmas tunes on the way!

This picture was taken at the Coronado Springs Resort with my whiteboard background set up in the back gate of my Jeep Liberty!  ;)  That was pretty much the last of the sunshine for our trip! We stood in line in the cold and rain for more than three hours for a next-to-last-row seat at the second performance (we could hear but not see the first performance from where we stood), but it was so worth it!  Neal Patrick Harris narrated, and a huge choir of high school students and Disney professionals sang...it was so amazing!

Now that we're home again, I think I might add a button or some pretty pearls to dress my card up a little bit more!  I think it needs a little bling!  ;)

Visit the GRS blog for ideas from the rest of our amazing designers!

Notes:
LAD Vintage Verses
Authentique Gathering designer paper
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink
Spellbinders' Nestabilities classic ovals
Kaiser Craft flower
organza ribbon
lace

Think Snow!

This cute roly poly snowman from Season's Greetings by Lizzie Anne for Gourmet Rubber Stamps was just perfect for today's Flower Soft "Think Snow" challenge.  I used ultrafine white Flower Soft for the fluffy snow, adding a little chunky glitter on the hilltops for shimmer!

Come play along!  Details are on the Flower Soft blog!

Notes:
Lizzie Anne for Gourmet Rubber Stamps Season's Greetings
October Afternoon designer paper
Memento ink
Copic markers
Nestabilities tag die
ultrafine white Flower Soft, PVA glue
Kaiser Craft pearls
button
Creative Impressions white glimmer ribbon
MS tinsel glitter
MS snowflake punch

Black Tie Affair

I still have lots of Christmas cards to make because it is difficult for me to "skip" holidays, but for today's GRS Diner's Club preview I couldn't resist fast-forwarding to New Year's Eve!  My first idea with this wonderful sentiment was to use some music paper...the ones I have are gorgeous (and are, in fact, from the same 6 x 6 pad) but more vintage-styled, and I wanted this to be a black-and-bright-white, tuxedo inspired kind of card.  I love that clean, simple, classic elegance!

Want a free stamp?! The first 50 orders today are receiving a free stamp with their order. All stamps are 25% off (excluding Diner's Club sets.) Happy shopping!

Visit the GRS blog to see the rest of the images in this great new set, appropriately named "Let's Celebrate!"  You'll also want to visit our designers' blogs to see what they have made with it!

Enjoy your weekend!

Notes:
Gourmet Rubber Stamps "Let's Celebrate"
MME Lost and Found Sunshine designer paper
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Spellbinders tag die
Creative Impressions crinkle ribbon
silver cording
Kaiser Craft bling
Quickie glue pen
glitter

GRS Design Team Challenge

Our Gourmet Rubber Stamps team was given an inspirational color  challenge!  Just look at this beautiful Fall image!  I was drawn to the soft turquoise blue hues and the speckling of the leaves.

I started with kraft card stock spritzed with Tsukineko's Summer Sky Fireworks, then added two prints from Authentique's Gathering designer paper.  The Big Thank You sentiment was stamped on a tag cut from the flip side of the dotted print.  I colored and shaded the letters with Copic markers, keeping the colors soft.  To embellish, I added a layered bow of satin, twine, flowers and jeweled pins, along with matching pearls and swirls.  The pearly Fireworks makes it so pretty IRL, very hard to catch in a photo!

This layout was inspired by CAS Fall-to-Layout #166.

Be sure to visit the GRS blog!  There are peeks there, and links too, of all of my design team mates' challenge creations.  Now's a great time to shop...it's Black November!  Everything (except Diner’s Club stamps sets) is marked down 25%!

Notes:
Lizzie Anne's Big Thank You from Gourmet Rubber Stamps
Authentique's Gathering designer paper

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink

Tsukineko Summer Sky Fireworks

Copic markers

Kaiser Craft pearls

Zva small taupe pearl flourish

two-tone satin ribbon

natural twine thread

Kaiser Craft flower

antique stick pins

GRS Diners' Club

Here are a couple of cards with stamps from "Season's Greetings," the new Diners' Club set from Gourmet Rubber Stamps!  Can I just say again how happy I am that the adorable art of Tricia "Lizzie" and Meridith "Anne" is still around?!  xoxoxo

I just LOVE how you can keep things clean and simple, or you can dress them up in tulle and glitter, but either way, they're sweet!  Just makes me happy!

Fall Flavor!

Here's a card for Gourmet Rubber Stamps Recipe #3...this was a simple, fun sketch!  I used matte multi-medium to give these Copic-colored caramel apples some gooey goodness, and added a little Flower Soft ultrafine sand "nut garnish" at the bottom of each!  Delicious!

Recipe #4 is up today, so take a peek and play along!

Notes:
Diners' Club Set Tart and Spice
Kaiser Craft designer paper
Memento ink
Ranger tea-dye distress ink
Copic markers
jute thread
Ranger matte multi-medium
Flower Soft ultrafine sand

Tart and Spice!

The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are, for the most part, no longer in the 90's (yay!) and in many parts of the country, the leaves are changing.  Fall is officially here!

Spiced apple cider is a Fall ritual at our house!  The smell of apples, cinnamon, and cloves will fill the air on chilly nights from now through the holidays, and our favorite Thanksgiving pie is made from a "perfect apple pie" recipe with those same ingredients.  Yep, Perfect Apple Pie is the title of it!  I was given the recipe by a patient when I was a newlywed and young physical therapist working in a Hawaii hospital.  Thank you, Matsumotosan!

This mug of cider from Gourmet Rubber Stamps' Diner Club set, Tart and Spice is a warm reminder of those small joys of Fall!  I paired it with some cinnamon striped paper, a little ruffly lace, and a pretty felt flower.

There is still time to play the "Weekly Recipe" sketch challenge that Kendra posted last Friday...a new one will be coming in a couple of days.

If you're a designer interested in joining a team, GRS is currently hosting a design team call...you can find the details on our blog or on our FB page.

Lizzie Anne's Last Day!

a·lo·ha 

interj. Chiefly Hawaii

Used as a traditional greeting or farewell.

Hello.  Goodbye.  The word seems very appropriate for today.

In Summer of 2009 as a brand new SCS Dirty Girl, I went to Orlando for my very first CHA.  I had the privilege of meeting the Lizzie Anne girls and helping them with their make-n-take at the Splitcoaststampers booth.  Not long afterward, they invited me to join their team.  So thrilled! And now, as I am preparing to leave for CHA Summer 2011, Lizzie Anne is closing its doors.  :(

What a joy it's been to be part of this talented group of artists and stampers!  I love their style, the great variety of stamps they've offered, and their sweet spirits.

Today is Lizzie Anne's last day.  I was in Costa Rica when I first heard the news, and was grateful to be too busy to seriously think about it.  I don't think it has yet had time to sink in...I still feel kinda dazed and confused!  It won't ever be the same!

LOVE you girls...LOVED every minute of being on your team!  You have been so generous, kind, and completely wonderful to me!

So in this case, let aloha not mean goodbye!  Like my beloved ukulele that I have so come to cherish, I hope we see each other often!  Until then, I will remember you with fondness.  Aloha a hui hou!  Until we meet again!

S.O.S.

The recently released Lizzie Anne Designs summer mix is full of adorable images!  I couldn't resist making a patriotic card with this cruise ship, a cuttlebug stars embossing folder, and a heart-shaped button.  The gold ribbon emphasizes the stars and stripes theme.

Notes:
Lizzie Anne Designs Summertime Celebration
stars embossing folder
Memento ink
Copic markers
gold crinkle ribbon
heart-shaped button

New Lizzie Anne Summer Mix!

I'm so excited to introduce to you the brand new Lizzie Anne Summer Mix, Summertime Celebration!   What a fun mix it is! Since I've been learning to play the ukulele I was very excited to see one in rubber and couldn't resist inking that image up first!  I love the way it looks on this wood-grained paper!  (Here's a link to a photo of my Kamaka, just in case you're interested!)

The really great thing about the new mix set is that it coordinates with the darling Surfer Dude and Hula Girl singles that were recently released!  Not only are there are several Hawaiian, island-style images...along with the ukulele there's a hibiscus, a yummy tropical drink, a tapa cloth border, and more...this mix is actually multi-cultural with lots of cool Summer images!  It will be great for all kinds of occasions!

Notes:
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Copic markers (shading of the ukulele)
white Stazon (sentiment)
Basic Grey Life of the Party designer paper (wood grain)
Basic Grey Lauderdale designer paper (floral)
Nestabilities reverse wonky rectangles
May Arts satin-edged grosgrain ribbon
Zva dimensional adhesive dots
music stickers


Be sure to visit the Lizzie Anne website for more information about our mix club membership.  Check out the Lizzie Anne blog for all kinds of fabulous inspiration from my amazing design team mates!

New LAD Singles!

I actually squealed out loud the first time I saw the adorable Lizzie Anne Designs singles being released today!  They are cute as can be!  Since we used to live in Hawaii and now live in Florida, they could not be more perfect!  They remind me of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments, made with Fimo clay and purchased back in the late 80's when I was working as a young physical therapist at Kuakini Medical Center in Honolulu.

KaiserCraft's Seaside designer paper works great with these little darlings!  I used two punch out borders and a tag sentiment that are part of this 6 x 6 pad to make my Surfer Dude card, which follows last week's LAD sketch.  The focal image was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink on Copic blending paper and colored with Copic markers.  I used a yellow-red Copic marker to add a border around the oval to match the pre-printed tag (Life is a Beach!), then drew a "skippy" line made with a brown fine-tipped pen around both to tie the designs together and accent the lines of the layout.  Everything was softly inked with tea dye distress ink.  Of course, anything Hawaiian needs a flower, even a boy card!  This one was cut with a Spellbinders Rose Creations die and given a KaiserCraft pearl center.

Hula girl is every bit as adorable as Surfer Dude!  She makes me smile as I remember the little girls' hula classes at Halau Hula O Maiki where I took hula for four years!  How precious they were!   I love the music and culture of Hawaii and I'm so glad to have gotten to experience life there!  I am finally learning to play the ukulele I bought right before we moved!  :)

You can be sure there will be more Hawaiian cards from this hanai Hawaiian girl!

Lizzie Anne Designs Sale!

A huge selection of stamps are 30% off today through May 30th.
There are also quite a few stamps and sets that we have RETIRED, including several past limited-edition Mix sets! Get them while you can... once they are gone, they will never be reprinted.

VSN Cards

We've been visiting in Louisiana for a little over a week...since my dad is nearly homebound, I brought a stash of stamping supplies to play with while we sit and chat and enjoy each other's company.  Mom is a crafter at heart, so she has been content to watch and help with some of the decision-making.  It was fun to play a few VSN challenges over the weekend.

My first card was made for Beate's color challenge:  aqua, kraft, and light green.  This BoBunny designer paper had those colors along with some beautiful blush.  I opted for an image from Lizzie Anne Designs and added a few hand-rolled roses to a crocheted flower and button.

This card was for Amber's ARRR challenge.  My r's included some rainbow Echo Park paper, a cute little Lawn Fawn raft, some glimmer ribbon and a round button tied with twine.  This sketch is Fall-to-Layout #141.  

Here's my card for Stephanie's hidden treasure challenge.  This is a soda shop image from the {stamps} of Life, stamped with Memento ink and paper pieced from some Echo Park paper with a big button cherry on top.

Notes:
Happy Spring card
Lizzie Anne Designs Follow Your Dreams
BoBunny designer paper
Nestabilities Labels 14
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Copic markers
Kaiser Craft crocheted flower, lace
silk ribbon scrap for "leaves"
button
jute thread


Have Fun card
Lawn Fawn Swimsuit Season
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Echo Park Summer Days designer paper
glimmer ribbon
scallop edge punch
button
twine


Ice Cream card
the {stamps} of Life scream4icecream and cone2dish
Echo Park Summer Days designer paper
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers (shading only)
brad
button
twine

Faith's Card

My son and I are in Louisiana visiting my parents, and last weekend my SIL and great-niece-and-nephew came for a visit! I canNOT tell you how much it meant to me that Bridget was willing to drive so far (all the way from Dallas to Westlake) for such a short visit!  They came for a long weekend, and we had the best time!

Faith is nine years old, but she is already showing signs of being a master crafter!  She made several pairs of adorable altered flip flops with bandana fabric into narrow strips, knotted around the straps.  They were so bright and fun!

I think she was a little intimidated by the carry-on case of supplies I brought, but on an outing to Walmart we spied some cute designer paper and a big jar of ribbon, rick rack, pom poms, sequins, etc.  We went through my stash of stamps, and settled on this moovelous image and sentiment from Lizzie Anne.  I think it came out so cute!  I worked on several cards with Faith's direction, and I will be sharing another in a couple of days.

Happy Sunday!

LAD DT Challenge

It's time for another Lizzie Anne design team challenge, and this month we were given a photo for some color inspiration!  Isn't this a gorgeous room?!  These colors are so soft and serene...just looking at the picture makes me feel more relaxed!  ;)

For my card, I chose some gorgeous BoBunny designer paper.  I stamped the sentiment, Hope, directly onto the dp using Memento Rich Cocoa ink.  The tulle brings a little splash of pink, with a satin bow, pearl pin, flower and butterfly charm to add some interest.

The butterfly is a great reminder that just when things seem impossible, something beautiful can happen!

Visit the Lizzie Anne blog to find links to what my amazing design team mates have created!

New Lizzie Anne Singles!

A pair, to be exact! Jeans, and an accompanying sentiment! LOVE these new singles from Lizzie Anne Designs!

I used some scraps of Graphic 45 paper from a kit made for a class I recently taught at LSS.  I love this paper and the colors were right...everything was still on my workspace, even the texture technique using a scrap of linen and some colorless blender solution.

This is a 4 1/4 square card.  The patches on the jeans are paper-pieced from the subtle yellow printed paper, but with the shading the print became less visible.  I rarely use brads anymore, but with these jeans, I couldn't resist.

Notes:
Lizzie Anne favorite jeans and a good friend (sentiment)
Graphic 45 designer paper
Copic blending paper
Memento ink
Copic markers
blender solution
brads

Lizzie Anne DT Challenge!

The Lizzie Anne Designs team was given a challenge to make an Easter card.   OK...I'm gonna date myself here!  How many of you remember dyed chicks for Easter?  :)

These cute chicks are from Lucky You, a mix set released in March 2010.  They are one of my FAV Lizzie Anne Easter images!  I paired them with some Best Creations glittery paper, some pretty pearls, and dotted Swiss ribbon.  Dotted Swiss brings more great Easter memories of frilly dresses, white gloves and hats!

Visit Lizzie Anne's blog to see more inspiration!