And the Blog Candy Goes To:

Thanks so much everybody for stopping by and entering for these great new Verve Visual stamp sets. Without further ado, your winner is:

True Random Number ServiceRandom Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:3

Timestamp: 2007-12-31 13:05:02 UTC

Wow, it pays to be early for once. The third comment was Michelle's:

How exciting! I hopy you had a wonderful Christmas! Happy
Boxing Day! I think it's actually bigger in Canada than the US
though!
Michelleblog.michellescrapbooking.com

I'll try to get in touch with you Michelle, so I can get your package out right away.

My blogging will probably be sporadic at best for a little while. My husband, Josh, and I and ten other friends are leaving today for Buffalo, NY where we'll be attending the NHL Winter Classic, an outdoor hockey game between the Penguins and Sabres. WooHoo! GO PENS! Don't worry, I have lots of thermal clothing packed. Brrr, it's going to be cold.

We'll get back tomorrow, in time to get ready to leave for two separate week long vacations during January. Cancun with friends, then Fort Myers, Florida with Josh's family. YAY!!! I'll try to pop in whenever I can. {HUGS} to you all.

Crazy in Love

I did it again. I stepped out of my box a bit. Just tiptoeing around, nothing big. I've been enjoying Daniela's blog, For the First Time, for a while, and finally decided to try my hand at what seems to be her style. It's not a copy of any particular card. I had in mind pattern papers, yes, plural, papers. And black ink. Not too many layers. And no real stamped focal image. The flower is pretty much the focus. Hmmm, maybe as such, I shouldn't have put it so far off to the side? A learning process for sure. So thanks for your inspiration Daniela!

And since I'm giving away a couple of Verve Visual stamp sets (see post below), I thought I'd use a Flirty Phrases saying on this card, get your creative juices flowing.

Gotta run, again. Off to my mom's for the day.

What's In It?
Stamps: Flirty Phrases (Verve Visual); Swirls (Rhonna Farrer)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Perhaps (Basic Grey)
Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); Versamark
Accessories: corner rounder, 1/2 inch circle punch, Making Memories crystal brads, chipboard, Prima flower, detail white embossing powder, Black Gelly Roll pen, Star Dust Stickles

Blog Candy!

I know everyone is so busy this time of year, myself included! But if you've got a moment, just leave a comment, any old comment you'd like, to be included in this blog candy drawing. Verve Visual released some great little sentiment sets earlier in the month, and I've got two of them just for you.

Flirty Phrases and Uplifting Phrases

I love the fonts used in these sets, and they're sized perfectly to fit onto just about any card design.

You have until Sunday night, December 30th to leave your comment. I'll pull a name sometime after midnight (Eastern time). Be sure you leave a way for me to contact you. Stop by to visit the other Verve designers as well. I think most of them have give aways too. Here's a list of blogs.

Bohemian Butterfly

Is this not one of the coolest, simplest, most stylish layouts you've ever seen? I couldn't wait to find a little time to play with it. The sketch actually came courtesy of this month's Dirty Dozen, for those who are Fan Club members at Splitcoast. And I thought it would work perfectly with this Papertrey butterfly, which has a certain Bohemian feel to me. So, it took a little experimenting to get the colors just right, but I LOVE my shiny butterfly! Pearl Ex will change colors based on what paper you apply it to.

I stamped the solid background with my Essential glue pad and applied Aztec Gold Pearl Ex with a stipple brush. Then you can layer on the swirl stamp with the same glue pad. No drying time required! Love that! I can't stand to wait for things while I'm stamping. Then just stipple on the Blue Russet Pearl Ex.

The ribbon is actually one piece of Rustic Retreat layered over two pieces of gold May Arts.

I tried for a closeup, so maybe you can see the shimmer?

What's In It?

Stamps: Butterfly Kisses (Papertrey Ink); Heartfelt Phrases (Verve Visual)

Paper: Blush blossom, very vanilla, ruby red (Stampin' Up!); Gretel: Butterflies (Cosmo Cricket)

Ink: Versamark; Essential Glue pad

Accessories: Aztec Gold and Blue Russet Pearl Ex; Detail white embossing powder, paper piercer, stipple brush, word window punch, retired Rustic Retreat ribbon (SU!); gold ribbon (May Arts); dimensionals

A Friday Funny

Are you a Martha or a Maxine?

Martha

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a cone to prevent ice cream drips.

Maxine

Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

MARTHA.......

To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

MAXINE.....

Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix, you can keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

MARTHA......

When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

MAXINE......

Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

MARTHA........

If you accidentally oversalt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-up.'

MAXINE.....

If you oversalt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto:"I made it and you will eat it and don't complain about it"

MARTHA...

Wrap fresh celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

MAXINE....

Fresh Celery? Never heard of it!

MARTHA......

Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

MAXINE......

The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust so I don't.

MARTHA...

Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

MAXINE.......

Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink!

MARTHA........

If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

MAXINE.......

Go ask the hot, young neighbor if he can open it for you.

MARTHA..............

Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

MAXINE.............

Leftover wine???????????

HELLOOOO... !!!!!!!

two little lovebirds

This card uses today's sketch challenge as the layout. Well, it's so late, it's now actually yesterday's sketch challenge. The birds and heart are from the Cute Curls stamp set by Kim Hughes at Cornish Heritage Farms. Aren't they darling? And how cute is this new sentiment from Verve Visual? Just perfect with all the popular bird images right now.

I stamped on Pearlized white paper and colored with a water brush and inks. The sentiment is stamped on a word window punch and layered on a large oval punch with added dots. The taffeta ribbon is layered on a strip of card stock.

What's In It?
Stamps: Cute Curls (Cornish Heritage Farms); Canvas (Stampin' Up!); Flirty Phrases (Verve Visual)
Paper: Pearlized white (Paper Accents); CoCo Collection (Webster's Pages); Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue, Very Vanilla (SU!)
Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Brocade blue, pretty in pink, ballet blue, regal rose, creamy caramel (SU!)
Accessories: chocolate taffeta ribbon (SU!); large oval, small and large circle, word window and photo corner punches (SU!); white Glaze pen (Sakura); Gemstones (Hero Arts); dimensionals; water brush

I can do Shabby too!

If I cheat.

I don't always play along, but I always check out the Featured Stamper challenge every Sunday at Splitcoast. I was so happy to find a little time to play today, because this week's stamper is Lisa Zappa! I chose this card to CASE.

I was pretty happy with my end result, but let me tell you, I am going to have to do something about my photography. Lately, I make a card. I'm happy with it. I do the whole photo, edit, etc. process. I load it to my blog and think "Ugh. Bleck." So, I'm considering a photo studio box. If you have one, let me know what you think about it.

Sorry, back to my card. I changed the stamps and papers. None of the papers in my stash were quite soft enough, so I brayered these with White craft ink. Works for me. The center of the flower is stamped in Not Quite Navy, then covered with clear Micro Beads.

What's In It?
Stamps: Beautiful Blooms, Text Boxed, Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink); Swirls (Rhonna Farrer)
Paper: Soft Sky, Whisper White, Bravo Burgundy (Stampin' Up!); Cherished Flowers (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Choc Chip, Soft Sky, Always Artichoke, craft white (SU!)
Accessories: Essential Glue Pad, Brayer, Art Accentz clear micro beads, Mesh embossing folder and Cuttlebug, corner rounder, cropodile, Sakura white glaze pen

Also, I was recently tagged by Adelina. So I'll try to come up with seven random things about myself sometime soon. I'm just not a very exciting person though.

happy travels

Hi Stampers! Just a quick one today. I have a good bit to do before getting ready to go out this evening. A couple of our friends are having the Grand Opening party for their new Pilates studio downtown.

This should be the last of my vacation stick people cards for a while. I used this week's sketch challenge from Splitcoast for my layout. Colored with markers and a water brush on water color paper. And there is a rather faint line of piercing across the bottom, in case you didn't notice.

What's In It?
Stamps: Vacation (Wordsworth)
Paper: Chocolate chip, really rust, certainly celery, water color (Stampin' Up!); plaid is Screen Door by My Mind's Eye; blue is Boho Chic from Making Memories
Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine); celery, caribbean, rust, real red, going gray, blush blossom (SU!)
Accessories: decorative brad by K & Co., antique brads by Lasting Impressions; paper piercer; water brush, May Arts ribbon, Nestabilities scalloped square die, Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder, dimensionals

Vacation!

Told ya I'd be having more cards with this Vacation set from Wordsworth. I think it is so darned cute. Just check out this little chickie. She's stamped on Papertrey Ink white card stock with Onyx Black Versafine and watercolored with classic Stampin' Up! inks.

The scalloped rectangle was actually done with my square Nestabilities die. I cut about a half inch out of the center and taped it back together, then covered the seam with that wide polka dotted ribbon. The dots around the scallops were done with my Stardust glitter pen: so fast and easy. Oh yeah, I highlighted her shades with the glitter pen too, because she's so glam, ya know?

What's In It?
Stamps: Vacation (Wordsworth)
Paper: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky (Stampin' Up!); Gypsy (Basic Grey); White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine); Real Red, Cool Caribbean, Softy Sky, Close to Coco, Blush Blossom, Barely Banana, Old Olive (SU!)
Accessories: Hero Arts Gemstones; Nestabilities scalloped square die; Cuttlebug spots and dots embossing folder; Stardust glitter pen; ribbon (unknown); water brush

Classically Styled

For today's card I paired up Bashful Blue with gold for a classic look. Reminds me of old French bedrooms. Ooh la la. LOL! Anyway, I thought it went well with this classically styled stamp from Gina K Designs, which I won from one of Gina's many blog give aways. Thanks Gina!

The frame and sentiment are stamped in Versamark and embossed with gold ep. Can you see the faint blue shadow to the words? I had first stamped them, slightly off, in bashful blue. I embossed the blue background with the Textile folder in my Cuttlebug. Then ran a thin line of glue all around to heat emboss the edge in gold as well. This is such a large stamp that I just embellished with a few brads. Also makes it easy to mail.

What's In It?
Stamps: Festive Labels (Gina K Designs)
Paper: Creamy Caramel, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Versamark, Bashful Blue (SU!)
Accessories: Gold embossing powder, gold brads (SU!)

More Great Verve Deals

Sorry I missed telling you yesterday. But there's big news at VERVE VISUAL. The stamps are now high quality photopolymer CLEAR, for a quicker and easier stamping experience. I am so excited to not have to cut out my stamps before I can get them inked up now. Six new clear stamp sets were released yesterday. And I don't know how they're doing it, but Verve's having another big sale. Up to 30% off. Check it out. You may find just what you've been looking for, and at a great discount to boot.

I'll be back shortly with a card for ya today. Wow. Two days in a row.

Antoher ATC Card

Here's another ATC I started for the My Favorite Things challenge on Splitcoast, but I didn't finish it in time. This one actually uses stamps by Wordsworth, a set called Vacation. This saying cracked me up big time, "Like you blend". HA!

I made the ATC, then finished off the card with Julee's Mojo Monday sketch from last week. The ATC has Heidi Swapp jewels, but the hidden hoarder in me didn't want to use six more for the card. I hadn't realized I was a hoarder until writing this post. Hmmmm...blogging really does spawn introspection. Anyway, to avoid using another six jewels, I applied dots of Crystal Effects, then covered them with retired Stampin' Up! turquoise glitter. I actually really like the contrast.

You should be seeing a few more cards with this set, because I want to send them to my friends before we leave for Cancun in January. I'm so excited. If you haven't quite figured it out yet, I hate being cold.

I haven't been to see my mom for the past two weeks. Each time she has called in the morning to say the roads were too bad, which they weren't. Not being a mom, I can blithely say, "Moms sure worry a lot." No such concerns today though, as we are expecting a balmy 40 degrees here in the lovely northeast. (Tongue firmly in cheek.)

What's In It?
Stamps: Vacation (Wordsworth)
Paper: Real red, tempting turquoise, cool caribbean, water color (Stampin' Up!); Gypsy (Basic Grey)
Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); Real Red, tempting turquoise, blush blossom, yoyo yellow, going grey (SU!)
Accessories: pewter hodgepodge hardware, orange grosgrain ribbon, crystal effects, glitter (SU!); icee jewels (Heidi Swapp); dimensionals, black thread, Janome sew mini, water brush

An ATC to a Card

Cammie posted a challenge on the My Favorite Things forum over at Splitcoast. Make an Artist Trading Card (ATC), then turn it into a card. So that's what I did here. I guess it's all self-explanatory. So, I'll show you a pic of just the ATC, then list what I used. Have a great evening.


What's In It:
Stamps: Let's Go For a Walk (My Favorite Things)
Ink: Onyx black Versamark and various Stampin' Up! markers
Paper: Really Rust, Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!); Coco Collection (Webster's Pages)
Accessories: paper piercer, waterbrush, SU! choc chip tafetta ribbon

Dropping You a Line

Wow, these Bellas are popular! My local stamp store is not too close for me (probably a good thing). So I don't go too often. But I know they carry Bellas. I love it. No paying for shipping and then w-a-i-t-i-n-g...... But they tend to always be out of the ones I most want. So on my last visit, I picked up this Staceyfishabella and Teeoffabella. I'm thinking of making my highly under-used golf clubs a golf bag tag.

I remembered that I had this sentiment from Inky Antics, too. So I didn't have to buy the one Stamping Bella makes (same sentiment, different script). And it makes a using a fishing bella so much more practical.

I stamped Bella on watercolor paper, drew the line for the ground and colored with SU! markers and a water brush. Cut the sentiment oval with my Coluzzle and trimmed out the scallops with scalloped scissors.

What's In It?
Stamps: Staceyfishabella (Stamping Bella); sentiment (Inky Antics)
Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine); black Micron pen; pumpkin, close to cocoa, choc chip, bashful blue, blush blossom, caramel, garden green (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: water color, close to cocoa (SU!); Cowboy Collection (Crate Paper)
Accessories: ribbon (SU!) provocraft scallop scissors, lasting impressions antique brads, square Nestabilities die, Cuttlebug

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. Or getting around to visit all of your blogs either. Life's been busy (in a fun kind of way) and I hadn't been stamping a whole lot. I went to the Steelers Monday Night game vs. Miami (the mud bowl) a couple weeks ago, the Sunday Night game vs. Cincinnati this week and a couple of Penguin games in the mix too. All of our tickets just happened to fall together.

So thanks for stickin' with me and stopping by. I'd love to hear from ya.

RAK Thank Yous

Boy, last week was my week for cards! I received three RAK's all in one week. WooHoo! And here they are:This first one was from Flossie at Flossie's Follies. I wish I had taken a picture of the envelope too, because it is just too pretty. I think she made it herself from designer paper. Seriously gorgeous. Thanks Flossie, for the beautiful card.The second one is actually a RAK back I guess you could say. I had sent Regina a card and she sent this one back. Would you look at that adorable little envelope with the sentiment inside?!? I was just checking out Regina's Splitcoast gallery, and it is one of those where you ask yourself, "How could I have missed this?" It is so worth a few minutes to take a peek. Thank you Regina!

And here is the last one from Lila. We work together on the Verve Visual design team, and she is such a fabulous stamper. See more of her work at her blog, Lila's Creative Corner. But first, how amazing is this card design?!? I love the star shape and how it opens. So cool! Thanks for thinking of me, Lila.