Good Monday morning!  I think I might be back on track and will be able to post more often than I have the last couple of weeks.  I have a special announcement today! 

A few years ago at Stampfest Orlando, I met the owner of Just For Fun Rubber Stamps, Debby.  She is the organizer of Stampfest Orlando and I’ve had the opportunity to talk with her both times I was there.  She also travels the show circuit, and Just For Fun is always at Stampaway in Cincinnati, giving me another opportunity to chat with Debby and her husband Rick.  Debby and I have talked over the past year and a half about how she wanted to start a design team, blog, etc., and where she needed to start.  Needless to say, with each of us having busy schedules, etc., the discussions never went any further.  This year after chatting very briefly with Debby at CHA and Stampaway Cincinnati, Debby asked if I would put together a design team for her and be the Coordinator.  This time, I said yes and here we are . . . Announcing the very first Just For Fun Design Team!

I am so excited to be working with this group of ladies, some new to the design team world, and a few you’ll immediately recognize as designers I’ve worked with before.  So without further adieu, and in no particular order, I give you the Just For Fun Rubber Stamps Design Team:

Broni Holcombe – Splashes of Watercolor

Heidi Blankenship – Embellished Dreams

Linda Duke – Linda’s Works for Heart

Sandy Sandrus – CleverIdeas

Starla Nelson – Exploring Creativity

Be sure to visit their blogs today, as each of them will be posting with images from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps.  I for one can’t wait to see what they’ve created for us today!

Here’s what I’ve created for today . . . a little Thanksgiving nostalgia.

The image was colored with Distress Re-Inkers and then the edges were sponged with Antique Linen.  When working with a cornucopia image, I always think of the song “Over the river and through the woods.”  If you are at least my age, you’ve got to remember it too!  It was one of those standards we always sung in grade school.  I found a copy of the words on the internet, printed them out, and gave them a little distressing with the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique.  It was then tucked in behind the image.  I made some frames using Spellbinders™ Oval and Square Nesties, and tucked them around the image as well.   I always forget to tell you this, but after I sew the background paper to another panel, I go back and sponge the edges with distress ink.  It tones down the white thread I use so that it appears more aged.

• Stamps:  G1624 Cornucopia from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps
• Paper:  Arches Watercolor; Prism Suede Brown Dark and Papaya Puree Medium; 7 Gypsies Market
• Ink:  Ranger Archival Coffee, Old Paper, Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, Walnut Stain, Dusty Concord, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint Distress
• Accessories:  Spellbinders™ S4-128 Classic Squares- Small, S4-126 Classic Squares – Large, S4-Petite Ovals – Small, and S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals – Large; Watercolor Brushes; 7 Gypsies Paper Fasteners; Papertrey Vintage Button and Jute; Computer; Sewing Machine; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day!

Good morning! I have to admit, that yesterday I hung it all up. I went down to the studio to work on a card and was working on a fabulous image panel. All of a sudden the phone kept ringing, the pups were running in and out, and after about an hour . . . I decided that I was getting no where. So, with no hesitation, I shoved everything to the side and turned off the lights. Which was a good thing, because Mallory rolled into the driveway not 20 minutes later. I spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with her and working on her computer.

Now I knew that I had to make a card for today since I fudged yesterday. After a dinner of pizza delivery, I headed back down to the studio once again. This time there were no interruptions and by golly . . . I finished a card!

Today’s Rubbernecker Blogger Challenge is hosted by Broni. She has challenged all of us to make a card about food. I think she put it . . . since we are going to be thinking about food chowing down on a big feast, why not? It may not have been that exactly, but the idea is close. We hope you find time this holiday weekend to play along with us. Make sure you check the Rubbernecker Stamps Blog for her exact challenge and don’t hold me to anything written here.

I thought about making a card with a chicken looking for Tommy Turkey in the barnyard (and I still may), but I decided to put the focus on the main course instead.

I seem to be having problems with layouts these days, and decided to go with one of my favorites to use. I love to stitch on my cards, and this layout just screams for it. The turkey was colored with Copic Markers and then cut with Circle Nestabilities. I knew that I was going to use my favorite brown ribbon and all of a sudden it hit me to tie the ribbon with a button. I went digging through my aunt’s button collection, and found one that looked better than all the rest I had. Once I had the ribbon tied through the button holes, it wanted to hang down a little, so I added some Ranger Glossy Accents to the back of the button to make it hold in place. Worked like a charm!

• Stamps: Rubbernecker Fall Collection Tommy Turkey SKU:20-08 from Rubbernecker Stamp Company
• Paper: BasicGrey Mellow and SU Chocolate Chip
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Ranger Vintage Photo Distress
• Accessories: Copic Markers; Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestabilities; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Ranger Glossy Accents; Venture Foam Tape; Ribbon; Brads; Sewing Machine; Vintage Button
  

Have a great day!

Happy Saturday!  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying your weekend so far.  I finally made it down to the studio this morning and am busy working away.  I’m leaving for Texas this coming week, and I’m trying to get some projects done before I go.  I’ve taken a short break because I want to share one card with you today.

I finally got around to doing this week’s Color and Sketch Challenges on Splitcoaststampers.  I’ve had this idea in mind ever since I saw the Color Challenge on Tuesday, but other things had to take precedent.   It also didn’t hurt that I could utilize the Sketch Challenge with my idea.

The images were colored with Copic Markers and then punched with a one inch square punch.  The background panels were stamped with the plaid image from the set.  The sentiment was die cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Tags.  Can you find the subtle humor in the card?

• Stamps: Anna Wight’s Harvest Blessings from Whipper Snapper Designs
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; SU Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip
• Ink: Ranger Adirondack Pitch Black, Archival Jet Black and Vintage Photo Distress
• Accessories: Copic Markers; Spellbinders Shapeabilities Ribbon Tags Trio; Square Punches; Ribbon; Brads; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber

I hope you have a great weekend!

Good afternoon!  Yes, I’m running a little behind this morning.  Miss Ellie needed to go to the vet this morning for her annual check up.  She was happy to go for a car ride, but none too happy with me when we arrived at the vets’ office.  I don’t think she’ll come running the next time I shout “car ride - let’s go.”

When I got back from my “little errand,” I checked out the Ways to Use it Challenge on Splitcoast.  I’ve tried to get to the challenges all week, and I did get to the Sketch, but today’s was just perfect.  The challenge today is to use a charm on your project.  A few years ago I bought tons of those little dollar charm bracelets at the flea market and tore them all apart.  I have a stash of charms.  However, all the new ones that I just purchased at Tuesday Morning, I can’t find.  CRS?  Maybe!  Unorganized?  Maybe!  Just really forgetful?  You bet!  Anyhoo, here’s my card today.

I colored the image with Copic Markers and then cut the panels for the image with my square Nestabilities.  I sanded the edges of all the background paper and added dots with a white opaque pen.

• Stamps: Harvest Blessings by Anna Wight from Whipper Snapper Designs
• Paper: Memory Box Homespun Collection; SU Riding Hood Red
• Ink: Tsukineko Brilliance Graphite Black; Ranger Archival Jet Black
• Accessories: Copic Markers; Classic and Scallop Square Spellbinders Nestabilities; SU Scallop Punch; Ranger Inkssentials White Opaque Pen; Ribbon; Charm; Venture Foam Tape; Sanding Block

I hope you have a wonderful day!

With all the hustle and bustle recently I haven’t stayed on top of what’s going on around me. I know I’m a few days late, but there are some exciting challenges going on over a Splitcoaststampers. It’s Dare to Get Dirty 2008! Dirty Dozen Designers, both past and present, have some exciting challenges planned this week for all the Fan Club Members. You can find more deets here!

Because of my travel schedule, I didn’t host or make samples for any of the challenges, however I am getting to play along. Today’s challenges are hosted by Lauren Meader and Jenn Balcer.

This is the card I made for Lauren’s challenge.

I started with Neenah Classic Crest Solar White paper and misted different colors of Shimmer Mist containing Gold Perfect Pearls on the paper. The cornucopia and sentiment were stamped in Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then embossed with Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder. The image panel was then cut out with Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities and layered on one cut with the scalloped edge.

• Stamps: Give Thanks from Our Daily Bread Designs
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Prism Bronze and Bronze Ore Metallic Paper
• Ink: Ranger Tim Holtz Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold and Embossing Distress
• Accessories: Ranger Mini Mister, Gold Perfect Pearls, and Queen’s Gold Embossing Power; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Ribbon

My second card today is for Jenn’s challenge.

I used the emboss resist technique in making the background for this card. The flourishes were stamped in Snow Cap pigment ink and then embossed with UTEE. After the images where dry, I used an ink blending tool and worked Black Soot Distress Ink over the paper. Once I had the desired black, I wiped the excess ink from the embossed images. Oh I should say that this is the new Tim Holtz set that we received during our Ranger class at CHA!

• Stamps: Tim Holtz Nature’s Discovery from Stampers Anonymous
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and SU Basic Black
• Ink: Ranger Snow Cap Pigment, Archival Jet Black and Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress
• Accessories: Ranger Clear UTEE and Ink Blending Tool; Ribbon; Mounting Tape

I guess that’s it for me today. I’m still somewhat tired from the trip and I so feel a nap coming on!