I have more exciting news today! I received an email from Gina K a month or so ago telling me about a new line of stamps she was introducing. What she described to me was just hilarious and I told her that when I was able to get that set, I would probably be doing cartwheels and round offs down the boulevard. I explained to her I only did that once a year, and that was when the kids went back to school after the long summer vacation. She promptly said she might have to send them to me just for the video footage that I had to send to her. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! My flabby butt probably couldn’t get 1″ off the ground these days.

A few weeks passed and then one day I received an urgent PM from Gina to give her a call. She asked if I wanted to be on a Special Design Team to work on the new line, Tickle Your Funny Bone. Can you imagine Her Royal Badness saying no to Gina K. - Especially when it came to twisted and funny? I think not! I am so honored and delighted to be working with Gina K and the rest of her fabulous Design Team in introducing Gina’s newest line of stamps. Of course, you will have to wait to see the new sets, but I do have a sample for you today of another Gina K. Designs stamp, Seafood Surprise.

I stamped the image in Distress Ink on Georgia Pacific White, and then colored with Copic markers. The corners on the sentiment were rounded off with a 1″ circle punch. I know I sew on cards most times, but please take special note today. This sewing was done on Jeanne’s new sewing machine. How could I spend two weeks in Texas and go through sewing withdrawal? When we were shopping yesterday, we just happened to be Target and I pointed out the sewing machine I have at home (which Jeanne took a little interest in) and before we knew it, the machine had jumped off the shelf and into the cart! WOO HOO! Of course, we had to do a little reorganizing in Jeanne’s stamp room to make everything fit and work, but well worth the 4+ hours it took yesterday.

Stamps: Seafood Surprise and Just Be-Claws by Gina K. Designs

Paper: Georgia Pacific White, Memory Box Beach Collection, SU Real Red

Ink: Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink

Accessories: Sewing Machine, Copic Ciao Markers, Ribbon, Mounting Tape, Faber-Castell Black Artist Pen

Finally arrived in Texas late last night. I’m staying with Jeanne S for the next couple of weeks and hope to meet some of my Texas buds while I’m here. We had a great time last week in Jeffersonville and plan to get some projects done while I’m here in Texas. I know that I will be going bowling with Jeanne on Friday and then I get to attend one of her workshops on Saturday!

I’ve struggled with getting an internet connection and luckily Jeanne has an extra desktop in the stamping room (which is huge by the way) and I’m bouncing around from computer to computer. But oh my gosh, the toys she has to play with – if I spent a month here, I don’t think I would see everything!

Anyway, after fiddling with the laptop all morning long trying to get a connection, I eventually gave up and headed down to the stamp room to look at the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge today. This is a simple card for me, no sewing machine to stitch with and a little disoriented in not being in my surroundings, but give me a day – we are going to Target later!

I brought along my new Papertrey set that I haven’t had time at home to play with, and today feeling the need to use something new and fun, I pulled out the Believe set from my suitcase. At Archivers the other day I picked up some of the new Basic Grey Figgy paper (which you can find here), and decided to cut into. I stamped the Santa image on Papertrey white cardstock with Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink and then colored with Copic Markers. To give the image a little oomph, I used Liquid Applique on the coat and hat. Santa had to have fur! The image panel is raised on mounting tape and the edges are sponged with SU Bravo Burgundy.

Stamps: Believe by Papertrey ink

Paper: Papertrey White, SU Confetti White, Always Artichoke and Bravo Burgundy, Basic Grey Figgy

Ink: Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink, SU Bravo Burgundy

Accessories: Copic Markers, Liquid Applique, Ribbon

The Design Team for My Favorite Things got together and decided to raise more money for cancer initiatives. Each designer made one card using Think Pink for a set of cards that are being auctioned on eBay. The set consists of 18 cards with envelopes, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Photos of the complete set can be found here, and the auction ends on October 22, 2007.

This is my card for the auction.

The card combines both the Boho Blossoms and Think Pink sets. The main image was colored with Copic Markers and the hearts were stamped with VersaMagic Chalk ink. The sentiment is made by punching circles of light weight coasters and mounting them together.

Stamps: Think Pink and Boho Blossoms by My Favorite Things

Paper: SU Whisper White, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Basic Grey and Pretty in Pink

Ink: VersaMagic Pixie Dust, Brilliance Graphite Black, SU Basic Grey

Accessories: Offray Ribbon, Copic Markers, Cuttlebug, SU Circle Punches, Signo White Gel Pen, Fiskars Scallop Edged Scissors

Good morning! What a fabulous time we had at the Stampin’ and Pamperin’ Retreat in Cincinnati!! Jeanne arrived here on Wednesday, Kittie on Thursday, and we headed over to Cincinnati on Friday afternoon. We stamped, we were pampered, and met some old and new friends. The weekend started with a birthday cupcake cake made by Amber and ended on Saturday with everyone exhausted but so glad to have been together!

This is the cake that Amber (Bambi64) made for us girls. It was all cupcakes and then a layer of icing over the top — yummy!

We just couldn’t resist hamming it up just a little. Left to right, Jeanne S, Dawn Lusk, Jen Javorsky (Jen70), Kittie Caracciolo (Kittie747), me, Amber (Bambi64).

JUST BECAUSE WE WANNA

Let’s get to some stamping today. It’s my turn to host the JBWW Challenge, and this week we are going to alter a journal, notebook, etc., anything you have on hand. Don’t forget to come back here and post a link to your altered item and if you upload to your SCS Gallery, please use the keyword JBWW.Every once in a while I mention a sorority when I babble in my posts. I belong to a friendship/philanthropic sorority, Sigma Phi Gamma, Delta Phi Chapter. Each November we have a luncheon and auction to help raise money for Scholarship Fund and charitable donations. Each member is to make a couple of items for the auction, and the journal below is one that I have made for the auction.

This journal is made using the Bind-it-All and the 5×7 chipboard covers. I applied Mod Podge over the chipboard pieces and then covered with different designs of the BasicGrey Fruitcake Designer Paper. The sentiment was stamped in VersaMark and embossed with Dazzling Diamond Dust. Both the tag and the sentiment panel are raised on mounting tape. To make the inside pages, I picked up a $1 writing table from the Dollar General Store, and cut the pages down to the size I wanted.

Stamps: Let it Snow from Michaels

Paper: BasicGrey Fruitcake Collection

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: SU Stitched Ribbon, Bind-it-All, Blank Chipboard, Writing Tablet, Mod Podge, Dazzling Diamond Dust, Gold Cord

Good morning! Well, my house guests have arrived and we’ve chatted well into the night. Actually both nights! We’ve got our stampin’ stuff packed up and will be heading out for the Stampin’ and Pamperin’ Retreat very soon! For those of you attending, we can’t wait to see you! Jeanne and I will have pictures for you on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday Jeanne and I head out for Texas — I’ll be with Jeanne in Texas for a couple of weeks. WOO HOO!!!