JLH Designs

Time to Say Goodbye to this Blog

2010-07-15T08:28:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that we are into the middle of July already. As I promised I am starting a new blog JLH Designs Inc and today is the start of a new day.
Closing Scrap N Stamp was one of the hardest things I've ever done, and this blog is the last remnant of the store.
My new blog will have the same great project ideas and inspirations, along with blog candy, that I will be offering every month.
Hop on over to the new and improved JLH Designs and don't forget to leave a comment or become a follower in order to be entered into the drawing.
Take care everyone and I hope to see you over there!

Just A Reminder...

2010-07-13T15:02:00.002-04:00

Good afternoon everyone,
I can't believe that we are half way through July (well almost...). I wanted to remind everyone that I'm going to be starting a new blog,
JLH Designs Inc. The site will have its first blog posting on July 15th and to commemorate the event I will be giving away some great blog candy.
So if you are a follower here please switch over to the new blog. I hope to see you all there and maybe some new faces as well
Have a great afternoon
Jodie

Fourth of July Weekend

2010-07-05T09:42:00.005-04:00

Good morning everyone,
The nice thing about being a Canadian living in the United States is that I get to celebrate the independence of 2 countries! LOL I hope everyone had a great weekend. I know for some of you, the lucky ones, you have the day off today, but for some of us, we still have to work today! :-(
But to help brighten your day, I created a card using the traditional red, white and blue colors...

The image is a digital stamp from 2 Cute RubberStamps. Heidi is releasing the stamp on Tuesday, July 6th, but you, my lucky followers are some of the first to see this wonderful owl. I colored him in with my Copic markers, then added glitter to the image with the AtYou Spica Glitter Pens, from Copic. I also added jewels to the front along with a ribbon bow.

Then for the inside I stamped a saying using the JustRite stamps, along with more paper to the inside to continue the theme. Please enjoy and have a great Monday!

I'm Moving...

2010-06-24T12:30:00.006-04:00

Good afternoon everyone,
Well I'm moving my blog at least! LOL I've decided to try my hand at card making, at least on a somewhat professional level. I've got an etsy store, JLH Designs. Here I'll be selling the cards you see on my blog, and then at the end of every month I'll be donating 10% of my monthly sales to the Jacksonville Humane Society.
I'll be moving my blog to jlhdesigns.blogspot.com as of July 15th. Here is the first card that I've got listed in my store, which by the way has free shipping. When you go to www.etsy.com, look for the title Mermaid of the Sea, that should bring up my card...

She was made with a new stamp that I received from .Queen Kat Designs, a great company that carries a wide variety of stamped images. Here is a close up of the card, which I colored in with my Distress Inks...

and then of course the inside had to be done LOL...

Hope you enjoy the card and have a great afternoon - Jodie

2 Cute RubberStamps Monday

2010-06-21T06:20:00.005-04:00

I can't believe that it's been so long since my last post. Even though I've posted on other blogs, I have to remember to update my own...

Since Father's Day was yesterday, I was inspired to do a masculine themed card.
This cutie is from the company 2 Cute RubberStamps. I actually tried a new techniques, at least new for me, coloring with my Distress Inks. I've come across various blogs where the stampers have colored in their images with Distress Inks and the results were amazing. This first try came out ok, but some experimentation is still needed. Next time I'm going to try stamping onto watercolor paper and see what happens.
For added interest I went around the flowers with a gold pen...

...then I used the AirBrush System from Copic on the tag. I cut the tag out using a Shapeability from Spellbinders, then before I popped the tag out, I used the AirBrush on it...

I hope you enjoy the card and have a great Monday - Jodie

2 CuteRubberStamps

2010-05-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

I may have mentioned that I am on the Design Team for 2 CuteRubberStamps. They not only offer unmounted stamps, but digital stamps as well. The stamps are supercute and work well for use with your Copic Markers. Here is my Monday post...

I colored in the HulaHoop Hamster with my Copic makers, but added the shading with colored pencils and a blender pencil. Don't use Gamsol with your Copics or a mess will insue!!! I used a Martha Stewart corner punch for the photo corners, then used the matching border punch for the layered strip.
Finally I added Flower Soft for that added depth and voila!...Don't forget to visit their blog where you can also link up to the etsy store. Happy Monday everyone, take care!

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T06:01:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody, I hope you are all having a great Memorial Day. Sadly I'm off to work, at o'dark early I might add - LOL, but thought I'd get a post or two in so that you'll be able to enjoy my card with your morning coffee.
This will be my last post as the Guest Designer for Critter Sketch Challenge and it's been a blast. The ladies are great and uber talented. Here is my latest creation for the "purple" challenge...

For this card I wanted to go old school, meaning I took out my Tombow pens, used watercolor paper and did a watercolor technique. The image is from Me and Carrie Lou and I used a gold sparkle embossing powder. I also used my Coluzzle to cut out the saying and punched a few butterflies for added depth.
Please enjoy and thank you for stopping by, take care!

Critter Sketch Entry - Challenge #15

2010-05-24T12:59:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! It's been a crazy morning, life just didn't knock on the door, it busted the door down! Everything that could have gone wrong did, computer died, work called me in unexpectedly (always happens when I'm in my PJs) and the gas tank was empty. Needless to say I'm back home and life has quieted down! LOL
Here is my latest entry for the Critter Stetch Challenge Blog.

This little guy is done using Dustin Pike's digi stamps, colored in with Prismacolored pencils and Gamsol, plus I used some of the new FlowerSoft, that is in a finer texture than the original. This stuff is amazing!
Please enjoy the card and feel free to leave comments! Take care!

Critter Sketch Challenge Entry

2010-05-11T12:47:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a great day. As some of you may remember, I am the Guest Designer for Critter Sketch Challenge Blog, for the month of May. The sponsor is artist Dustin Pike and he's got some adorable digital images, here is my entry...

This firey guy was colored in with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol (or otherwise known as Odorless Mineral Spirits). The paper is from Coredinations and Glitz Design.
Please enjoy and don't forget to check out the blog for great card & layout ideas!

Guest Design Team Member for May

2010-05-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

Good morning everybody,
As some of you may know I was asked to be a Guest Designer at Critter Sketch Challenge Blog. This blog is a great source of creative inspiration, whether you do cards or scrapbooking. Here is my entry for the latest challenge, #12...

I colored in the image with my Copic markers and the image is a digital stamp from artist Dustin Pike. The paper is from BoBunny, Bazzill and of course Washi paper.
Please enjoy and thanks for looking!

Scrapbooking Retreat in Perry, GA

2010-05-02T09:26:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone,
The weekend has been fabulous so far. I was lucky enough to attend a scrapbooking retreat this weekend hosted by Create N Crop. The event has been well run and we received a ton of great stuff. My table mates, Evanda, Brenda & June have been friendly and fun. Here are some pics of the New Perry Hotel...

The Hotel has a great history and the grounds are wonderful. Here is a picture of part of the garden area...

So, not only have I met amazing ladies, I've actually gotten some work done. LOL! I was asked on Friday to join the Design Team for 2 Cute Rubber Stamps and that my first posting was this Monday! Needless to say I've been creating a bunch of cards using their digi images, which are adorable by the way. All I can say is life is good!
Tune back in tomorrow when I'll post my card and post a link to this new stamp company plus they also sell rubber stamps for those not familir with digital stamps! Have a great weekend everybody!

Bombshell April Blog Hop

2010-04-28T02:57:00.005-04:00

It was EXTREMELY early, this Wednesday, April 28th, but since I couldn't sleep, I thought I'd post my entry for the Bombshell Stamps Blog Hop. Well apparently my internet had other ideas. So after getting Rob up and realizing he wouldn't have time to fix it before heading off to his job, here I am in Panera's using their WIFI system to add my image. Of course I'm also enjoying a leisurely breakfast and coffee so my incredible frustration with the internet is subsiding! LOL
The theme of the hop is Pink, so here is my entry...

I colored her in with my Copic markers and added her dress with the new digital stamps that Bombshell is offering. I printed them on print paper and paper pieced her together. Here are the other ladies in the hop so be sure and pay them all a visit.
Thanks for stopping and please don't hesitate to leave a message!

Kas
Patti
Meredith
Katie
QueenBScraps
Steph
Erika
Sy
Angie
BoHoRose
Kelli
Stempelientje
Cheryl
Kathi
jheuser
Alison
Shaz
PerkyNihilist
Danielle

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog - #10

2010-04-22T08:16:00.003-04:00

Good morning everyone,
I have been lucky enough to be asked to be a Guest Designer for Critter Sketch Challenge Blog. This blog has wonderful challenges every Monday, and their Design Team has done some incredible work. Here is my entry for the latest challenge, where we had to use 10 things on a card...

The 10 items that I used are 1-image, 1-image mat, 1-card mat, 1-piece of ribbon, 1-print cardstock trim, 1-cardstock trim, 1-saying and 3-dew drops. I colored in the image with my Copic markers and AtYou Spica Glitter Pens. The stamps are from Outlines Rubber Stamps and the paper is from BoBunny and Coredinatins!
Please enjoy the card and soon I will have an Etsy store running, where most of the cards can be purchased along with my previous class and store samples.
Have a great day!

Upcoming Classes

2010-04-17T04:45:00.004-04:00

Good morning everyone - Well I am now on the Hobby Lobby teaching schedule. My first class is a stamping class and starts Apr. 27th at 10am. The four cards are definitely "feminine" themed, great for Mother's Day or for that special someone in your life...

My next class is a scrapbooking class, a 2 page, 12x12 layout, again with a feminine tone, which can be used for Mother's Day, for a grandmother, your little treasure, the possibilities are endless...

OK, so here is the final class that I'm teaching at Hobby Lobby. This is a Copic marker class, geared towards crafters who have these great coloring tools, but aren't getting the maximum amount of benefits out of them. This is a technique driven class, you will have ample opportunity to practice, plus you will be leaving with a detailed handout, a blank color chart so that you can keep track of your markers, plus we will be finishing one card for you to take with you...

All of the samples can be seen up close and personal at the Hobby Lobby at Regency.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Jessica Lyn Original...

2010-04-16T07:27:00.006-04:00

Good morning again, I've been up for awhile and am heading back to bed after this. But as crafters, you all know, when the creative door knocks, we HAVE to answer!LOL
So I was reading the comments from previous posts and came across a very complemtary one from a lady named Jessica Lynn. She owns a stamp company, Jessica Lynn Original so of course I had to check it out. I downloaded her free digital stamp, just to try it out, and here is my card...

I printed the image onto copy paper a bunch of times, took it to my local Office Max with my cardstock and had them print it onto that. Unfortunately I can't print directly from my printer then start coloring because the ink runs if I use any kind of wet medium, and Copic markers definitely qualify for that! I colored in the images with RV09, RV91 for blending, then G28 for the leaves. I pop dotted up the various layers, to give depth, then added my saying & embellishments. I really like these images, and can't wait to get more. The saying is from Impression Obsession, one of their clear sets. Please enjoy and thanks Jessica for the inspiration!

The Sad News...

2010-04-16T03:47:00.002-04:00

As I'm sure many of you have heard by now, the Crop Shoppe has announced that they are closing their doors. Having been a business owner, I'm sure that this decision was not an easy one for Courtney.
This economy has hit small businesses hard, making it almost impossible for them to keep their doors open. I cannot stress enough how important it is for Jacksonville, as a community, to support our local scrapbook and rubberstamp stores.
Don't get me wrong, the larger chain stores do have their place and serve a purpose, but if you want outstanding customer service, all the latest products in this industry and knowledgeable staff, the small "mom & pop" stores are second to none.
Think about it this way, when you walk into a local, privately owned store, you can rest assured that the staff working are there knowledgeable about ALL their products. Ask any questions and you will get an answer. How many times have you walked into a big box store, not been able to find anyone to help you and on the off chance you do find someone, they have no idea what you are talking about or how to help you?
The Crop Shoppe will be missed...

Blog is Under Construction & Upcoming Classes

2010-04-14T07:29:00.012-04:00

Good morning everybody! I'm sure you've noticed that my blog is undergoing some changes. I'm in the process of updating and personalizing the look and feel of the blog, so please bear with me. I'm hoping to have everything finalized by the end of the weekend.
But onto another Outlines project...

This card is clean and simple, compared to a few of my other projects, but the Outlines stamps work perfectly for that look. I stamped the image a number of times on different colors of cardstock and paper pieced the candles.

I then pop dotted up the piece to give dimension to the card and added a bow at the top.
Also, in other news, I have scheduled a few classes at Hobby Lobby. I will be teaching stamping, scrapbooking and Copic markers. Here is the direct link for the class schedule,
Hobby Lobby classes. Mine begins on Tues. April 27th, then if you click on the "NEXT" icon at the bottom right, you will see my other classes in May. I will be posting class samples later on in the week.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and please feel free to leave a comment or two.

Outlines Rubber Stamps - Project One

2010-04-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

As some of you may know, Outlines Rubber Stamps has graciously chosen me to be on their 2010 Design Team. Well about a month ago, I received a wonderful package in the mail, filled to the brim with amazing rubber stamps!
Over the next little while I will be showing my projects, we had to complete 8, that I made with just a few of these wonderful images. Here is the first one...

This line of stamps lends itself beautifully to paper piecing and paper layering. With the cake I colored in parts of the image with my Copic markers and colored pencils.

Then for added depth, I pop dotted up the cake with puzzle pieces, and finished it all off with 3D pearls from Hero Arts. Hope you enjoy the card and that you have a wonderful day!

I'm Glad to be Back - & Mojo 133

2010-04-06T22:03:00.005-04:00

Well, it has been a rough number of weeks. Thank you to everyone for all your words of wisdom and condolances. It has meant more to me than you'll ever know.
Scrap N Stamp had been such a HUGE part of my life for the past 6 years, that it was hard to face the truth that I would no longer be going to my second home, any longer. It was so tough in fact that I had even lost my will to craft!
But I'm working part time at Hobby Lobby and am finding my way trying to balance out work, family and my passion, crafting. I am glad for all those who have chosen to stick with me, I promise we will enjoy our crafting adventure together, discovering great techniques and inspirations along the way, so with no further ado...my first card, created in my new craft room.

You may recongnize the style of this image, it's from Pink Cat Studio, their digital store. I've been a fan of their stamp line for a number of years now ( and the fact that they are Canadian has in no way influenced my opinion!). I have a few of their stamp lines and was thrilled to see them come out with wonderful digital stamps, or "digis" and they are called.

To color in the image I used a combination of my Ciao and Sketch Copic markers B32,G07,R37,RV06,RV14,Y17,YG23 and YR16. Then, of course, to add depth I used some puzzle pieces and for some final pizazz, I added a touch of glitter. The small circular metal pieces, were cut out from the Spellbinders Impressabilities. I have found these to be more useful as embellishments than as actual embossing templates.
Hope you enjoy and the card have a wonderful evening!

MMSC40 - "Bombs" Away

2010-02-14T20:54:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a happy and romantic Valentine's Day. Rob surprised me with a CD of wonderful Motown love songs, a dozen long stem roses and a beautiful card. After 12 and 1/2 years of marriage the man still has got "it"!LOL
But now onto my latest crafting project... As some of you may know I've been a card marking fiend as of late. Not only trying to get onto various design teams, but also to participate in as many challenges as I can. It helps me, not only with getting those creative juices flowing, but I send a lot of ATC trades out and am always in the need of handmade cards. Here is my latest creation using Bombshell Stamps...

I just adore these images, they have spunk, character and pizazz (hopefully that's spelled right!LOL) I colored her in with Copic markers, along with the shells in the corner. I then went over her with Twinkling H2Os and the shells I went over with Shimmerz Paints, love both of those mediums by the way! Hopefully you enjoy the card.
On a personal note, as many of you are aware the store is closing in 2 weeks. I didn't realize how much product I actually have, and some of it I'm ashamed to say has never been opened.
Well, starting next week, I'm going to be offering blog candy once a week, my loss is going to be your gain! Stay tuned for more details and I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Busy, busy, busy - MOJO125

2010-02-13T22:21:00.005-05:00

Well, it's only 2 more weeks and the shop will be closing its doors. It still seems surreal, and part of me still can't accept it, but enough of that for now...
Here is my latest creation. I've been pretty busy, still trying out for design teams, but this latest card is simply to participate in a challenge.

The stamp is from a company called Whimsy Stamps. I have a few of their animal images, which are quirky, fun and cute!
I colored in the little guy with my copic markers, then added glitter for some extra punch.
The construction of the card was from a card sketch challenge at MoJo Monday. This blog has weekly card sketches, just the thing to get those creative juices flowing.
Then as a final note, I do have a new job... at Hobby Lobby. I know, the big box store, but I've been a customer of Hobby Lobby since they moved to Jacksonville and I believe in their philosophies. I will be teaching at the Regency store and I will let folks know the schedule.
Unfortunately Rob and I weren't blessed with independant wealth, LOL, so I do have to work and at least working at Hobby Lobby will allow me to continue to work in a field that I have grown to love, and to let me still see all my crafting friends on a regular basis!

Latest Creation

2010-02-10T17:07:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's been 10 days since my last post. Well it's been confirmed, I am part of the Design Team for Outlines Rubber Stamps. They are the company that does the ornament toppers along with a ton more.
Also I've been trying to get more cards made, and here is my latest. This is for a friend of mine who's birthday it was on the 9th and yes she loves lime green.

Hopefully she won't see this post until I get the card to her!LOL The stamp is from a company called Rubber Romance Stamps. The link is to the owner's blog, while on the right side of the page is her Etsy store.
The stamps are great unmounted with deep etchings. I colored her in with Copic markers and added a little bit of Shimmerz Paints for added WOW factor.
Please enjoy and don't hesitate to leave me a comment!

When one Door Closes...

2010-02-01T13:21:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a great weekend. It's been rough but each day gets a little easier. I just wanted to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and praise for me, it's been overwhelming. I'm going to miss all of you, but never fear, I will still be teaching, just am trying to finalize some locations!
But as always life does go on and I do have some exciting news... I have been asked to be a guest designer for a relatively new company, 2 Cute Rubber Stamps.I will be their guest designer for the month of October 2010. This works out perfectly since the fall and Halloween are some of my favourite times in the year!LOL
I'll be creating some card samples using these adorable stamps later on in the week, so be sure and check out their site, along with my samples.
Finally, I'm just going to be giving you a little teaser, but I'll be having more news later on in the week, that will be featuring myself and another large stamp company...that's all I can say at the moment.
I hope everyone has a great day.

The News is Out...

2010-01-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I'd like to wish everyone a good morning but I'm afraid that I'm just not feeling it today. As I'm sure most of you probably know by now, we have decided to close the store.
It was not an easy decision to make, but it was a necessary one. I loved being a store owner, not only did it afford me the luxury of going to work almost everyday and loving what I did, but it allowed me to meet amazing people who also share my love of crafting.
As store owners we have been able to travel, to see the latest products before they hit the shelves, and of course to meet celebrities in our industry, and yes I mean Tim Holtz!LOL
I just want everyone to know that this is not the end, and that you haven't heard the last from Jodie Heuser. I will still be posting regularly on my blog, plus I'm looking into starting up some personal ventures so you will want to stay tuned for that.
Thank you everyone for your well wishes and support and I will post again on Monday. I hope everyone has a blessed weekend.

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge

2010-01-24T10:06:00.004-05:00

Good morning folks,
Boy am I tired at the moment. Not only did I work a crop on Friday night, but also another private crop last night and I'm heading off to work within the next half hour. Needless to say I'm feeling a little droopy at the moment!LOL
But even though fatigue is setting in, that didn't stop me from making some cards. Here is a card I created using the sketches from Priscilla Styles home of the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge. If you want some inspirations you definitely want to swing by this site. Not only do they have weekly sketches, but you can win blog candy as well.
Now onto my card...

This little lady was made with stamps from Artful Stamper and from a set by My Favorite Things. I created the mat for the image from copper metal and I used the Nestabilities Pendant.

I colored her in with my Copic Markers then added Flower Soft in her hair and used the AtYou Spica Glitter pens for added punch.
Please enjoy!

Whiff of Joy Guest Design Team Entry

2010-01-23T19:47:00.004-05:00

Good evening everyone,
I hope that you are all have a great weekend so far. The cooler weather is leaving Florida, unfortunately.
Whiff of Joy is having a Guest Design Team call, you can click here for the details. I left this until late, so the call ends tonight, so here is my entry...

I colored Charlotte in with my copic markers and simply followed the sketch. I used only scraps believe it or not for this card, so it did come together pretty quickly.
Hope you enjoy it!

Impression Obsession Challenge - Odd Shaped Card

2010-01-17T01:53:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone, I hope you all are enjoying your weekend, and some of you even have a 3 day weekend. Here is a little creative inspiration to hopefully get those juices flowing.
This is a card I submitted for another Impression Obsession Challenge. The funny thing is that I thought the deadline was tonight at midnight. Turns out the deadline isn't until next Saturday, Jan. 23rd. I made myself have time management through a mistake, can't beat that!LOL

The card base was done with a pre-made base that we have at the shop in a variety of colors. Then to get the various mats, I used my Nestabilities along with my Cuttlebug.
The stamp set is "Smell the Coffee" and of course I colored in the image with my Copic markers.
Please enjoy and have a great night!

Splitcoaststampers Challenge - Card Sketch 262 and Mojo Monday 120 Challenge

2010-01-10T12:04:00.005-05:00

Good afternoon everyone,
I'm a little tired today, was out late celebrating with friends for my birthday. I've been surfing the web trying to get done all sorts of challenges, well here is another submission,

The card is one which I am doing in my technique class on Jan. 20th, so I won't go into too much detail, however...
The coloring was done with chalks and a dove blender, that's all I'm saying!LOL The fish stamp is one from our stamp wall in the crop room.
Now as if that's not enough...
Here is another challenge from the blog Mojo Monday

This card is being submitted not only for the blog challenge but also for my monthly stamping get together, Java with Jodie.
The stamps are from Inkadinkado and of course coffee is the theme. Don't forget if you wish to make these cards for yourself, check out the store's class calendar and sign up when you can.
Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend!

Impression Obsession Challenge - Spring

2010-01-09T17:05:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Today is my birthday, YEA ME! lol and so far it's been wonderful. My husband got me great gifts, and we're heading out this evening to celebrate some more with friends. Now on to the crafting...
This is the latest entry for my
Impression Obsession Challenge.

The card was created with Leigh Hannan's stamp titled F2290-Flower Pitchers. The image was colored in with Copic markers and the paper is from Little Yellow Bicycle.
If you haven't ever done a challenge, I strongly urge you to give them a try. They help stimulate those creative juices, plus challenges help you use that product that all of us have sitting in our crafting realms, gathering dust!LOL
Have a great Saturday!

I'm Baaaaccckkkk!

2010-01-08T19:13:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it's been about 3 weeks since my last post. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season.
Here is my latest creation and it's posted for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers.

The challenge was to create a card using limited supplies, a card that could be created in 15 mins. or less. To be honest I made this one in about 18 mins. but in my defense the extra 3 minutes were trying to decide which Copic marker to use and to blend with!LOL
To look at the card close up, on the white section I stamped a rose background with Versamark, then embossed it with clear powder, just to give the background a subtle look,

I also used the Cuttlebug to emboss the solid red paper, then cut out the images and mats using a Nestabilities.
Hope you have a great evening!

Shirley's 2 Girls DT Call

2009-12-19T16:06:00.004-05:00

Even with all the business of the holiday season, I have managed to find some time to do stamping.
I did work on a new card yesterday, and here it is using Shirley's 2 Girls stamps, which are wonderful by the way!

She was actually paperpieced and was done in accordance with a challenge they had going on the blog.
I love this stamp and for those of you who know me, I never claim to be a domestic diva, and I think this stamp says it all!LOL
Shirley's 2 Girls is a fun and creative stamp line who are going completely digital in January. Be sure to hop on over to the site and check them out!

My latest creation...

2009-12-14T20:40:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying this warm Florida weather. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Jack Frost will be visiting us soon with some cooler temperatures.
Today I was once again working on Christmas cards using digi stamps...

These cuties were colored in using Copic markers and the AtYou Spica glitter pens, also made by Copic. The image comes from a wonderful company called They have wonderful images and because they are at a 300dpi (dots per inch) resolution, the images are clear and crisp. I encourage folks to click on over and check them out.
Have a happy Monday!

Another Digi Stamp Card!

2009-12-11T02:43:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone, here is another card I made using the digi stamp from Squigglefly.

With this card, I colored in the image with my Ciao Copic markers and used more traditional colors.
I used a new Spellbinder Die, Fancy Tags, that I got in and love it. The saying stamp is from my stash, but I can't remember offhand which company it is. I also added a touch of glitter to santa's helper with the AtYou Spica Glitter pens, also made by Copic.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Digital Stamps are Great

2009-12-09T23:26:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a good week so far. I've been doing some Christmas cards lately and here is one of my most recent. The stamp is actually a digital stamp or "digi stamp" as they are called...

This company is called SquiggleFly and they have a large variety of digi stamps.
Their images run the gamet of topics, so every crafter is sure to find something to their liking. What I like about digital stamps is that delivery is instantaneous and I can stay in my pjs to shop, storage is minimal and the price is extremely reasonable.
Now I also have a confession to make, they are having a Design Team Call, ending Dec. 10th, so I am doing a shameless plug, but luckily for me everything I've said about them is true.
Tomorrow I will have another card here, using the same stamp, but with a completely different color scheme! Happy Crafting

And the Winner Is...

2009-12-07T04:11:00.007-05:00

Thank you so much for all the wonderful and supportive comments that were left during our First Annual March of the Snowmmen Blog Hop. It was fun to meet the other artists and hear from all the wonderful visitors to the blogs. Now to announce the winner of my blog candy, it is...

Congratulations EFY, and here is what she had to say... "Wow! I almost missed this one. Fortunately, when I commented, I noticed the "part 2" I'm so glad to have seen this card ~ the snowman and his puppy are adorable! Blessings", left Dec. 5, 2009 at 8:27PM.

EFY, please contact me at scrapnstampjax@yahoo.com to let me know your mailing address and I can send you out your blog candy right away.
Thanks for playing everyone and keep tuned for more creative projects.

Impression Obsession Challenge

2009-12-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

To start with, THANK YOU to all the blog hopper of yesterday's March of the Snowmen. The blog hop was great fun and the comments were so thoughtful and much appreciated. I also wanted to give a HUGE thanks to Melisa Waldorf for organizing this event and can't wait to see when the next hop is.

Now, I am a fan of the stamps manufactured by Impression Obsession, specifically the line created by Leigh Hannah. Every couple of weeks the company hosts a challenge where you can win prizes for your entry. Below is the card I submitted for their "White" Challenge. I was so excited to see it on the Impression Obsession blog. The card does have some color on it, but primarily it's white...

I stamped the stamp with Versamark, then used white embossing powder. I added jewels and pearls to jazz it up a little. I then punched out the two borders using one of the Martha Stewart border punches, which are great by the way.
Hope you can find some inspiration!

March of the Snowmen - Part 2

2009-12-05T13:59:00.003-05:00

Welcome to our First Annual Snowmen Blog Hop. We have a lot of great crafters and bloggers so be sure to visit everyone. We had to do a snowman themed card, which was right up my alley!LOL And of course I couldn't just choose one snowman themed card, I had to choose 3. These are the other two cards I created for the hop, with the first one being posted earlier today! Also here is the list of participants in case you missed it the first time...
Angella Crocket
Barb Foster
Deb Felts
Jen Carter
JenMarie Tayloer
Kelly Landers
Latisha Yoast
Laurie Unger
Laurie Willison
Linda Duke
Melisa Waldorf
Michelle Bartnett
Mona Pendleton
Pam Imholts
Stacy Rogers

Here is the first of my two cards. I've had the stamp for awhile so I can't remember the manufacturer, but I colored him in with Copic markers, then used a Nestabilities Die to cut him out, along with the matching mat.

Then to add more punch to the image, I colored him again with AtYou Spica Glitter pens. These are pens that Copic markes, and they are great. They add just enough glitter but it's not overpowering.

Then finally I finished off the card by stamping the inside with a christmas saying and again more print paper from the front of the card.

Then finally for my third snowman card I stamped with image with a stamp from Great Impressions and of course my coloring medium was Copic Markers. I then stuck the cardface into a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder and embossed the front of the card. The cardbase is made from Core'dinations so I sanded the front next to get the embossing part to pop out. I also used the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Edges for the strip of cardstock and then used another folder for the white diecut, cut from a Nestabilities Die from Spellbinders. The chipboard piece I painted white and while it was still wet, I sprinkled on Art Institute Glitter, fabulous stuff by the way!!

Then finally in the white areas, I sprinkled in Polar White Flower Soft to give added dimension...

And I finished off the inside with matching cardstock and a stamp from Personal Stamp Exchange...

Don't forget to leave a comment for either this post or the previous one to qualify for the drawing of the blog hop candy! Please enjoy the hop and leave comments for all the great crafters!

March of the Snowmen Blog Hop

2009-12-04T21:50:00.002-05:00

March of the Snowmen

2009-12-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

OK, so for those of you who know me, I love the cold, winter weather. However living in Florida, you don't see a lot of winter chill, and no my friends, 55 degrees does not constitute a "winter chill"!LOL
Luckily my friend Melisa has come up with this wonderful idea of a blog hop, featuring wonderful and creative artists, with projects highlighting snowmen! I was so thrilled when she asked if I could participate, so here is some of the information with more to follow as I get it.
The March of the Snowmen Blog Hop begins, Saturday Dec. 5th. Click here is visit Melisa's blog for more info. Please play along and feel free to leave comments. Believe me they are appreciated!

Card Sketch Challenge

2009-12-02T08:30:00.005-05:00

I recently discovered a blog called Midnight Madness. They have a weekly card sketch challenge with great giveaways, also known as blog candy. I did try to participate in last week's challenge, but unfortunately I missed the deadline. (Yeah, I know a real shocker LOL) But I decided that my card was cute and wanted to post it anyway!

The stamp is from Penny Black, of course I love penguins and snowmen. Anything having to do with the Great White North. I colored in the image using my Copic Markers, then...

...I added buttons for embellishments, along with squares in gold reflective paper. The great thing is that this card was all made from scraps I had around. Cardmaking is a wonderful way to use up all your extra paper and cardstock.
Hope you enjoy the card and remember to check back on Saturday, Dec. 5th for the First Annual March of the Snowmen Blog Hop!

Christmas is Almost Here!

2009-11-25T08:48:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow and then Christmas a mere month after that. Where has 2009 gone I ask you? Here is a card I made for my Copic marker class.

I love this Penny Black stamp because it lends itself beautifully for coloring in. I used my Copic Ciao markers to color in the image.

Then is used paper from Lasting Impressions for the card base, the torn printed background piece, plus all the mats. I also used my Coluzzle for cutting out the images and their respective mats.

Unfortunately Provo Craft has decided to discontinue the Coluzzle line of products. This is a shame because I'm using mine all the time and LOVE IT!
Finally for adding depth to the card, I used old puzzle pieces instead of foam tape or pop dots.
Hope you enjoy the card and have a wonderful day!

Am Back in Sunny Florida!

2009-11-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Needless to say I had a wonderful trip. It was great to see the family, plus my nephew Logan and my niece, Georgia. Of course, I've been sick with the flu since I got back late, last Wednesday night.
I'm finally making contact with the outside world again, basically having slept for almost 2 days!LOL
I'll be posting more creative ideas later, just didn't want everyone to worry that they hadn't heard from me for awhile!
Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

My Latest ATCs

2009-11-05T23:08:00.001-05:00

I've been looking through my posts, and realized that I haven't posted too many ATC projects. For those of you who don't know what the acronym stands for, ATC means Artist Trading Cards.
These are mini works of art, that are traded as you would trade baseball or football cards. Here is one I did for an online Edgar Allen Poe swap,

The card was made using primarily Tim Holtz stamps plus the trees were from Stampscapes (which are one of my favorite lines by the way!) I stamped the images onto print paper, so that the pattern would show through the image.
I'm heading home today, to the great white north, know was Canada. By the time some of you read this I would have already surprised my mom for her birthday. I can't wait to see everyone, and I'll post some pictures later on in the week.
Hope everyone is having a great day!

Discovered Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #23

2009-10-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

So, of course when I can't sleep, I am frantically scouring the internet for fun and inspiring blogs. I came across this one, Priscilla Styles that hosts weekly card sketch challenges. Here is mine for the MMSC#23,

I wanted to create a birthday card that uses more fall colors. I created the image using Copics directly onto my stamp...

then I sprayed the paper with 90% proof rubbing alcohol, in order for the image to stay crisp. I then added glitter to the image and flower using my AtYou Spica glitter pens from Copic markers. Hope you like the card!

I'm Loving Halloween!

2009-10-19T23:14:00.004-04:00

Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather gets cooler and the scenery comes alive with color, well at least up north it does. Here in Florida the trees don't change color until January, and then it only lasts for about one week!LOL
But that doesn't stop me from creating wonderful fall and halloween themed cards.

This card was created with stamps from Shirley's 2 Girls stamp company. The stamps are fun and whimsical, with lots of open spaces to use your Copic markers in.

If you can see up close, once I colored in the images, I went back with my AtYouSpica glitter pens from Copic to add some glitz to the pumpkin and her outfit.
The card went together very quickly, then I added a few more details with the peel off stickers from Flower Soft, plus I used the negatives from the sticker sheet.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Funny Card!

2009-10-09T15:53:00.002-04:00

OK, so I made this card and will be sending it to my mom, to give her a laugh (hopefully she won't read this blog before she gets the card!LOL)

Anyhooo, the image is from Whipper Snapper, but I modified it a little. The stamp came with a saying underneath the image, plus the figure had wings on it. So I cut all that away until I was left with just the lady and her cup of coffee.
I colored her in with Copic markers then used my Coluzzle system to make the circle and its mat. I've been using that tool a lot lately, not only in my classes but also in my own projects. No matter how old a tool is, when it's good, it's good!
The saying is from Inkadinkado, and those who know me know, that if I can find a way to get out of housework and craft, I'll do it!LOL
For some final touches I used DewDrops and Jewels. Hopefully you like the card or can find some inspiration in it.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Birthday Bash was Awesome!

2009-10-05T19:45:00.007-04:00

This weekend was fun and super busy. We had our annual Birthday Bash, an overnight crop! Ladies were working on a variety of projects from small candy boxes,

to just about anything else you could imagine. All our tables were full, along with aisles!LOL

As always we had a wonderful group of crafters, but I have to admit, I did have problems working on only ONE table. I mean let's face it, normally I spread out to at least 3 or 4 tables!LOL
We had two contests, one for a 12x12 layout and another for a 5x7 card. Here are the pictures of both winners, and it was difficult to choose because there were wonderful entries!

Michelle won for best layout and Tess won for best card! We also had a Let's Make a Deal game plus a Scrap N Stamp Scavenger Hunt. Both games were a blast, and hopefully I'll have more pictures to follow! I didn't get too much done this weekend, but I'll have some projects to post later on in the week!
Everyone have a great day and please don't forget to check back often.

What I've Been Working On

2009-09-02T08:01:00.005-04:00

It seems like forever since I last posted. My girlfriends and I had a great time in Georgia. We went on a scrapbooking retreat for 4 days and it was a blast. I got a lot of projects done, some of which I can't show you because they are Christmas gifts, but here are a few cards I worked on.

These cards look complicated but they are so easy. We have a lot of these 3D punch outs at the shop. You simply punch them out and layer them. These asian designs are amazing, here are a few others,

plus...

Hope you enjoy these and please don't hesitate to leave a comment or two. Have a great day!

Little Pages

2009-08-16T09:08:00.001-04:00

So...as some of you may know I'm a big swapper, sometimes I get too excited and join more than I can handle. I just get swept up in the thrill of the sign up! LOL In one of my yahoo groups, ATC Swapping, we are swapping pages for a mini book, with pages measuring 4" square. Here are pictures of a few that I sent out...

I stamped a rose stamp from PSX (Personal Stamp Exchange, unfortunately now out of business :-(), did watercoloring with Tombow markers then tucked my clipart image behind it. These pages were fun to do, very freeing!
With this next one...

The background was spritzed with Glimmer Mist, a bunch of different colors, so lots of depth. Then the images were stamped with StazOn, this one was quick but with the shimmer & glimmer it really sparkled!
Hope everyone has a great day and to leave you with a thought, if a train station is where the train stops, what is a workstation?

Congratulations to Todd & Vicki!!!!

2009-08-15T09:47:00.003-04:00

I just had to give a quick shout out to my wonderful brother, Todd and my fantastic sister-in-law Vicki for welcoming in the latest addition to the McCulloch family, Logam James McCulloch, born Aug. 12th...

He looks adorable and I can't wait to see him in person. Love you both and we'll talk to you soon!

What's Up with the Rain

2009-08-05T19:00:00.002-04:00

OK, I don't have any crafting things to post today, but I just had to comment on the rain, I mean yikes!!

I was working in our crop room and heard what I thought was the heaven's opening up, I walked to the front door and was greeted by a wall of angry, horizontal wetness. I couldn't believe how thick it was coming down, so being a crafter, I ran to get my camera and take a picture.
It was even heavier than the picture showed, the visibility was hardly anything. Gotta love Florida! Tomorrow I promise to upload pictures of what I've been working on.
Have a great evening everybody!

Still Having Lots of Fun

2009-07-30T07:48:00.005-04:00

Jeanne and I are in Village Inn, enjoying our coffee, still in disbelief that we're heading home in a few hours.
Yesterday was another long day, ending with Jeanne and I each taking classes, Jeanne with Kandi Corp and me with Tattered Angels. Both classes were amazing, and us receiving LOTS of product.
Now of course yesterday was my favourite day, and let me tell you why...or maybe those of you who know me can understand why...
, I mean look how close I am, and that's without a zoom. By the time we were able to stand, watch and listen to Tim, we'd been walking for 6 hours and I was beat. But let me tell you my feet were asleep because of the standing, and my leg was cramping, but I was NOT going to leave and loose my primo spot!LOL
Jeanne was able to get pictures of me from across the table...

Actually Tim is extremely sweet, funny, and very patient with all his many fans, and believe you me, we had to wait a while in order to get this close, he was always surrounded by students and fans alike.
Finally here is another picture that Jeanne captured as me acting like a sponge trying to get all the tips & tricks I can...

So, on that note, we're finishing our breakfast, and are getting ready to return to the show to drop off orders and of course do a make n' take from you know who...
Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

CHA is Awesome!

2009-07-28T21:45:00.003-04:00

Holy Cow, Jeanne and I are barely conscious at this point, but of course I have to blog the day's events.
We started at 9:00am and have been walking ever since. We walked up and down all the aisles viewing the wonderful product on every side of us. We stopped at 2:00 for a class on digital scrapbooking, and Jeanne being the newbie that she is, did a fantastic job.
Then of course, more walking and make n' takes. Here's Jeanne hard at work at one of the many booths where we stopped to create wonderful projects.

So after the afternoon class, we had some time to kill, then at 7:00pm we hit the classrooms again and boy were these classes chalk full of information and products. Be sure to keep an eye on our upcoming class schedule cause we're thinking of creating some amazing classes!
We're heading back to the room now and start leafing through the dozens of catalogs putting together our orders for now and the future.
Hope everyone has a great evening and we'll touch base tomorrow!

We're At CHA!

2009-07-27T17:11:00.004-04:00

For those of you who don't know, CHA stands for Craft and Hobby Association. It is an organization that helps the retailers with their businesses. Jeanne and I are down for a couple of days, for the wholesale part of the show, seeing what's new, getting sample ideas and God willing, meeting Tim Holtz (well that's more for me than anything else! LOL)
We've taken one class so far, with more to come and here's Jeanne hard at work!

This was the Holiday Stamping with Hero Arts and it was awesome. We got a ton of goodies plus wonderful card ideas, so keep your eyes out for future classes. And let me tell you these classes are huge...

There had to be at least 60 people in that class, I mean WOW, if I had that many students I'd be beside myself!
Anyhooo, remember to read your emails because I'm getting ready to send out a wonderful sale notice! Have a great evening everyone!

Design Team Submissions

2009-07-26T22:29:00.003-04:00

OK, so as some of you may be aware, I've been submitting my work, hoping against hope that I would be chosen for a design team. I love so many companies, it's often hard to pick just one.
I read on Split Coast Stamps that one of my favourite companys, Bombshell Stamps, is holding a design team call, so...

I've been creating a few cards using these saucy ladies, and this is one of my samples. I just love the way this card came out, especially the great angel wings.
I'll be off at CHA next week, so I may try to post some pictures and more samples then. Hope eveyone has a great night!

I'm Going to Be Published!!

2009-07-15T18:56:00.003-04:00

Yup, that's right, I'm going to be published. I received 2 emails from Rubber Stamp Madness magazine and I've been chosen to be in two of their articles.
The first one is going to be for the Holiday 2009 edition, Angelic Collages. I sent in a few pieces so it will be interesting to see what they actually chose.
Then I've also been chosen to be in the Dragons & Unicorns feature, in the Summer 2010 edition of the magazine.
Needless to say I'm extremely excited and can't wait to see how the articles look. And no, you are not going crazy, I did change the look of the blog, just to try something new.
Take care everybody!

Hanna Stamps

2009-06-19T15:58:00.005-04:00

I've been wanting to play with my Hanna Stamps for quite some time now, and finally I've had the chance to work with them. This is just one of the cards that I've made with this stamp set, featuring ladies dressed in different dresses from the 60s and 70s.

Another reason that I liked this set is the expression on the ladies' faces. The word that comes to mind is saucy!

Hanna Stamps has had a Design Team call. This is the thread talking about how to enter. and this card is my entry. I had to pick only one (which was hard), but I just love the way this came out. Wish me luck everyone!

My First Digital Layout

2009-06-15T09:47:00.002-04:00

OK, so as we all know I tend to take on a lot of projects, thinking that I have all the time in the world to complete them. Unfortunately, this naive thinking often lands me in trouble, or rather my completed projects in trouble. And even though I enjoy crafting in all forms, some items get left on the back burner.
I've wanted to dive into the world of digital scrapbooking for awhile now, but just haven't had the time. Well, this morning, I decided that I would make time and boy am I ever glad I did. Take a look at my first digital layout!

I love it, even if I do say so myself! LOL I've visited a site called Scrap Girls. They have everything that a digital scrapper could ever want. I also purchased their ebook for Photoshop and it was worth every penny.
The book is made up of a series of videos that are extremely user friendly. I'm off to browse the site a bit more and see what other digital kits I can get.
One of the things that I'm going to enjoy most about digital scrapbooking is being able to easily share it with my family and friends.
Hope everyone had a great weekend, and that the week is stress free!

I Know, it's been Awhile...

2009-06-09T16:11:00.003-04:00

Gosh, it seems like it's been forever since I posted. Life has been crazy lately and now Jeanne is off galavanting at the Grand Canyon, I'm at the shop 24/7! Not that I mind!
This is one of the latest cards I've done using the Bombshell Stamp line. I just adore these saucy ladies.

I colored her in with my Copic markers and the paper is from Creative Imaginations. It was already a pirate theme, so I only had to "burn" it.
Don't panic folks, no fire was involved. Over the next couple of days I'll put up a tutorial on how I did it.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day and of course my thoughts...
Why does Hawaii have interstate highways? HHHHhhmmmmm...

Copic Creations Challenge No. 4 - Blond Hair

2009-05-23T06:52:00.006-04:00

Good morning everyone, I hope you are enjoying this Memorial Day Weekend. As promised, here is the card that does double duty!

First of all this was the card used for the challenge over at Copic Creations.This is a wonderful site if you want practice using your Copics.
Also this is one of the cards that I submitted for an online design team. The stamp is a Digi Stamp. Now what is that you ask? Many online companies offer digital stamps. You purchase the jpg file and the images come to you zipped up in a file. All you do is download them to your computer and print them off! This is the company that I bought them from Fred, She Said.They have many wonderful images that lend themselves beautifully to coloring.
One thing that I did notice is that depending upon the coloring medium that I was using, since the images were printed from my inkjet, there was an issue of smudging. I'm going to try to copy them using a tonal copier, which should elminate the smudging.
The card was made with acetate and on the acetate I painted it with our new Shimmerz Paints. Let's just say I am loving these paints and am hoping to play with them a little bit more.
Have a great day everybody and I'm working the crop tonight, so don't hesitate to drop by and say hello!

OK, So I had to break out my Canoe...

2009-05-22T01:49:00.003-04:00

Wow, I didn't realize that Florida could get so much rain. I mean I've lived here for about 11 years and have survived many a hurricane season, but this past week has been crazy, it's been raining hard every day. It's like living in England or Seattle! Let's just say all this rain and humidity is NOT good for my hairstyle - LOL.
The one good thing is that I've had some time to dig out my stamps and play a little. I've been working on using digital stamps and they've been a blast. The nice thing about them is that once you download them, you can change them to any size you need.

The flower was part of a set that I bought from a company I found online called Fred, She Said. They have adorable images and I just loved their sea & mermaid images.
I'll post another card tomorrow that actually did double duty, again explanation to follow! Also don't fret, I haven't given up on my scrapbooking. We got some amazing heritage photos from Rob's family when we were up there last month and I can't wait to get started on those.
So my ending thought for this early hour
what's the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny? HHHHmmmmmm...

Copic Creations - Challenge #3

2009-05-06T14:10:00.004-04:00

So, lately I've been a coloring fiend. I've been using my Copics more than anything else, so much so that my other mediums are getting jealous!LOL

Here is my entry for the latest challenge on the Copic Creations Blog, Purple Flowers/Lilacs! I can't believe how much I'm enjoying coloring in using my markers, it's cathartic in a way. I can easily tune out all the stresses around me and focus on creating color and vibrancy in my images.
The thought for today...
How is it that we put man on the moon before we thought to put wheels on luggage? HHHmmm...

Copic Creations' Challenge - No. 2 Jeans

2009-04-30T12:03:00.002-04:00

Well, it has certainly been crazy at the shop the past little while. Shop Hop was a blast, it was great to see old and new faces, all of whom happy to be shopping and crafting.
Again I would like to express my thanks to everyone who put us in their thoughts and prayers during the past little while. Our family is doing fine and Rob is doing well.

Now, as folks know, I'm a bit of a "Last Minute Minnie" so here is my entry for the above challege. This one was fun but I did have a hard time trying to find some stamps with "jeans" in it.
Hope everyone enjoys the card and I'll be posting again soon. As always I like to have some food for thought so...
do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?...hhhmmmmm!

Love the Bombshell Stamps!

2009-04-22T23:51:00.003-04:00

As some of you may know, we received in a new line of stamps, Bombshell Stamps. They are awesome. They are replicated after the 1950's tattoo art, and boy are they ever great. The stamps are unmounted and are created from deep etched rubber. They stamp out fantastic. Here are some samples of a Peek A Boo card I did for one of their contests.

They have open space that lends itself nicely to coloring in with your Copic markers.

Also, just to let folks know, my father in law passed away on Sunday and I am unexpectedly heading to Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the services. I will be back on Sunday, and thank you for all the heart felt prayers and warm wishes.

Copic Creations Challenge #1

2009-04-14T12:36:00.002-04:00

Whew, the past few weeks have been crazy. Jeanne underwent surgery last Wednesday and is recovering wonderfully. Plus getting ready for Shop Hop has taken a bit of a tole, but that didn't stop me from using my Copic Markers.

This card is for a challege that the blog Copic Creations has once a month.
Hope you like it and I'll be posting again soon!

Whew, Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-04-01T16:57:00.004-04:00

So the Cricut Swarm was a HUGE success. There were 13 of us all together, with Cricut machines buzzing in the background. The mantra of the weekend was, OMG I love my Cricut, I didn't know it could do that! LOL
The projects that the ladies created were amazing, we had folks working on pages, cards, just all sorts of stuff. If you drop by the store and head into the crop room, don't forget to check out the page samples on the wall. All the pages there were created using the Cricut machine. It never fails to amaze me how talented our clients are!
So needless to say that past week was insanely busy. During the crop I actually had a moment to catch my breath and just work on coloring techniques, specifically using my Copic markers. Here is one of the cards I did!

This art deco lady is from a set of stamps I bought about 100 years ago, so I can't even remember what the company is, but she was fun to color in. I also did her up in red,

The shimmer on her is a new product that we will be getting in called, appropriately Shimmerz. They are in a paint format and go over your existing mediums. They add a light layer of glitz to any project.
I have more projects to show you all, but I'm off the play pool tonight. Talk amongst yourselves, I'll give you a topic:
Why do labels on children’s medicine say not to drive or operate heavy machinery? Hmmmm

Working on ATCs

2009-03-22T08:32:00.012-04:00

As many of you may already know, I am heavily involved with ATCs. For those of you who don't know what the acronym stands for, it means Artist Trading Cards. These are little mini works of art, created to be traded, not sold, with other artists all over the world. If you click on the following link you will get more information on these wonderful cardsInformation on Artist Trading Cards.
So, not only do I have swaps going on at the store, but also I do a lot of online trading with various groups through Yahoo! Groups. I just wanted to share a few of the ATCs that I have recently finished.
These first ones are some for the store swap for March, the theme being What Women Wear,

These next ones are for online swaps that I'm involved in, the themes being Knights, St. Patrick's Day, and Vintage Men. Hopefully you'll like them all and maybe find a little bit of inspiration from them.

The thing I like about creating ATCs is that, at least for me, it is creatively freeing. There are no rules or guidelines, you can use whatever mediums you wish. The only stipulation is that the sizing must be 2.5"x3.5". Try making one today and you can use them on cards, scrapbook pages, whatever.
Now finally, Why do you pay extra to get something put on your sandwich but don't get a discount when something is taken off? Hmmmmmmm....

Working, Working, Working

2009-03-18T06:41:00.007-04:00

OK, so I haven't been blogging as much as I should have lately, but I have been crafting. We moved the entire shop around so needless to say that took some time. It's still a work in progress but I'd say we're 90% there.
Of course we needed new samples, so I've been making page layouts. If you haven't been to the shop in awhile, come by and check them out. Also, if you head over to the website and click on the Layout Gallery you will see what we've been working on.
Now the reason that I'm posting today is that I've also been working on card samples. Here is my first one,
.
I love these stamps by American Art Stamps. They just crack me up every time.
I am trying to stick to my New Year's resolution, but I have to be honest, I've already strayed. Inkadinkado arrived today with some fantastic stamps and I just couldn't help myself. But I am still trying to use all my stuff, so here is another sample,
.
The sayings always are right on the money! I colored them in with the Copic Markers. I did get certified which was wonderful, but more on that later.

I'm also working on a new page for the website called "Tidbits". This page will have little tutorials on tips and tricks for papercrafting. Hopefully you'll drop by and check it out. Like I said I'm hoping to have that page up and running within the next few days.
I hope everyone has a great day and ...
What's the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny? Hmmmmm........

Been Busy Lately!

2009-02-25T06:36:00.006-05:00

It seems that I've been on the go for a week non-stop. I was in Pensacola on Monday for a Copic Certification class and it was amazing. There was so much information that I felt like it was oozing out my ears by the end of the day!LOL I can't wait to develop some advanced classes around these wonderful markers. With that being said keep your eyes open on the class calendar.

Stamp Club is always a fun evening and yesterday was no exception. We did two projects using a simple idea. Here are the pictures of the card samples, and of course the ladies took it upon themselves to make the projects their own.

The first picture is an overview of the cards, while the second picture is a close up.

I can't take the credit for coming up with this wonderful idea. I saw it done on SplitCoast Stampers, and here is the link for the full tutorial.
Crimped Envelope Card
I couldn't believe how easy it was.

Well, I'm signing off for now, have to go and have some breakfast and begin my day. I have a few more projects to post, so check back when you can. My thought for today is...

Why does lemon dishsoap contain real lemons, but lemon juice is artificial flavoring? Hhmmmmmmm...

Just a Craftin' and Creatin'

2009-02-19T07:44:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to post another card sample I've been working on. Lately I've been involved in so many ATC swaps (ATC stands for ARTIST TRADING CARDS) and I like to send a hand made card with my ATCs, so needless to say I've been a cardmaking fiend.

This one uses an old stamp of mine, that I haven't pulled out in a while, by a company out of business now, Me & Carrie Lou. I also been practicing with my Copic markers, because on Sunday I'm off to Pensacola for a Copic certification class.

Needless to say I'm extremely excited since I've been trying to get into one of these classes for about 6 months now.

Hope you enjoy the card and as always I like to leave you thinking so...

If electricty comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Hmmm...

Trying to use my Stamps

2009-02-12T07:14:00.007-05:00

OK, so my new year's resolution of trying to use what I have before buying anything else has been tough. I mean with companies coming out with great new stamp designs, what's a girl to do! ;-)
But I am trying to use my stash a little more frequently than never, so here are some samples that I've done up. The stamps are from Inque Boutique, and I have enjoyed using them again.
The coloring was done with Tombow markers and my Aqua Writer(Water pen). Also the diecut was done using my Cricut machine! They were simple designs but they sure did pack a punch. Then finally I had to add glitter for that special bling!

OK, of course I have to end today's post with some cerebral ramblings. The things that make you go HHmmmmmm!
Why does Hawaii have interstate highways? Hmmmm

Happy crafting everyone!

The Revolution has Begun

2009-01-06T21:02:00.005-05:00

OK, so as some of you may have heard, I've decided to start this year off by creating a new year resolution. The resolution is that I'm not going to buy any new stamps, until I have used, at least once, every stamp I currently own.
I know many of you are now rolling your eyes or rolling on the floor laughing, but I am determined to give this a serious try.
I have many wonderful stamps that have yet to see the light of day, but this year they are breaking out of the box. I am determined to use all of my stamps on either a card, scrapbook page or ATC. Luckily I do all these crafts so hopefully I won't have to wait too long before I can start buying again.
Here is a picture of the box I am starting with, my Background stamps.
I have also taken a picture of the stamp set that I will be starting with by Inque Boutique. Actually there are 2 stamp sets here, and I'm going to use every one in this grouping.
Stay tuned over the next little while to see what I hope will be wonderful creations using these stamps.
My official birthday is on Friday, Jan. 9th, and I'm hoping my husband has made some plans for us, hint, hint, so expect to see some projects next week.
The revolution of "Use What we Have" has begun!

Attention all you Cricut Users!

2008-10-22T18:39:00.005-04:00

Hard to believe that Christmas is only 8 weeks away - roughly. If you're trying to come up with the perfect gift for the person who has everything, why not buy them a Cricut Retreat?
Now what's a Cricut Retreat you ask? Scrap N Stamp in sponsoring a weekend retreat that is focusing on the Cricut machines. If you click on the following link to the event co-ordinator's blog, Jax Cricit Retreat, you can get all the details, including pricing, menus, etc.
This is our first event, but it should be fantastic. I've heard the seating is limited to about 30-35 so you definitely want to get your name in there ASAP.
To give you just a teaser, included in the pricing are 6 classes by me and one with Jeanne.
Contact the event organizer to get in your deposit and applications!

A cute Bird Day Card

2008-07-31T07:35:00.004-04:00

Lately I've been super busy, with Jeanne being gone, training Thomas plus working on my classes. I had a bit of a chance to work on a simple card which personally speaking I think came out cute. I did a reverse mask technique.

Masking is a technique where you stamp your image onto your cardstock. Then stamp it again onto a post it note paper. Then you cut out the image, place it over your original, then stamp over the piece using other images. Reverse masking is when you use the negative space around your post it note image rather than the image itself!

Stamp Club-Tues. July 22nd, 7pm-9pm

2008-07-22T01:19:00.002-04:00

Stamp Club is meeting tonight to help make as many cards as we can within the 2 hour period. We will be donating all the cards made to a local nursing home so I'm hoping we can make plenty.
I actually had a great time designing these cards, it was nice to just sit and create. All those who participate will walk away with a set of these cards as well. Just a thank you for coming out and lending a hand.
Now of course the colors may change because we will be using cardstock and paper that I have in my own stash, but the design layouts will be what you see here!
Take care folks and I hope to see a few of you tonight!

Make N' Take Mayhem

2008-07-03T07:29:00.004-04:00

Well this week of Make N' Takes has been fabulous. It's been great to see new faces along with the old. Now we do still have a few kits left of the Make N' Takes and they will be priced, ready for sale on Tuesday, July 8th. Hard to believe it's already July, I mean where has the year gone! Below are the pictures of the Make N' Takes from Tuesday and Wednesday.

Today is the last day of the $1 Make N' Takes so if you haven't dropped by be sure and try to come and see us!
OK, so on a more personal note, we've recently had a new addition to our little family. Her name is Sydney, Rob named her, and she was a rescue and a surprise. A friend brought her over to the shop and of course being an animal lover, once I saw her I knew we were going to keep her. Rob was a little surprised to say the least, but by the time I got her home, he had given her her name, set up her living quarters and was ready to hold her! The best DH a woman could ask for. So here are a few pics of our new little treasure!

Newness on the Horizon

2008-06-23T08:48:00.002-04:00

OK, OK, you know that you must start posting more on your blog when your Mom says that there hasn't been new content in awhile, so...
On July 1st, and for you Canadians out there you know what that day is, I'm going to begin posting regularly my projects and creative thoughts. I chose the title for this blog because those of you who know me, know that I do miss the winter weather, and yes could easily live in Alaska! I try to get there in my mind by keeping our crop room as cold as possible!LOL
Keep a look out for the new blog, it will be somewhere you will want to definitely mark in your favorites!

What I've Been Working On Lately...

2007-06-05T10:12:00.001-04:00

Lately I've been trying to get samples done for the shop and am loving this new line of stamps, Pink Cat Studio. Now just because they are a Canadian company, that doesn't mean that I'm giving them preferential treatment...

The images are clear and crisp, making coloring them in a breeze. They work wonderfully with the Copic Markers, which are selling like hotcakes by the way!

Now the Pink Cat Studio stamps are unmounted, but lately that also seems to be the craze. With owning so many stamps, and space at a premium, it just makes sense to buy unmounted. With so many available mounting systems out there, using these types of stamps is getting easier and easier!

Now, you can use the Copic Ciao markers with other stamp lines than Pink Cat Studio. Here is a sample using Penny Black stamps. Again, just because I have bunnies, doesn't mean I'm showing favoritism...OK maybe a little, but these stamps are just so darn cute, how could you not love them! But wait, I'm not done yet....

This cute dude, Max, from Sparkle & Sprinkle is so cool. I used Copic markers, Glossy Accents, plus the texture embossing plates from Cuttlebug. Now I actually haven't been using them in the Cuttlebug, but in my Wizard.

Now the Wizard may take a bit of time to practice using,
but I still feel that this is the superior and most versatile tool for doing die cuts out on the market. The nice thing about it is that you aren't limited to one die company, the Wizard will work with Sizzix, Sizzlets, Cuttlebug, Quickutz, brass templates, plus Spellbinders have their own amazing line of dies!

Finally I usually end my post with a statement that makes one go HHHMMM, well this time I'm going to end with a wonderful quote from Pierre Elliot Trudeau, one of Canada's greatest Prime Ministers, if not the greatest...

"We wish nothing more, but we will accept nothing less. Masters in our own house we must be, but our house is the whole of Canada."

All Nighter was a Success!!

2007-05-07T08:10:00.000-04:00

It seems that even in my absence, SnS will forage on! Our All Night crop that started on Friday May 4th, and ended on Saturday May 5th was a resounding success.
I'm hoping to have pictures up on the website in a few days. I also wanted to thank everyone who was concerned that I wasn't there, don't worry folks, I just needed time to refuel. The creative juices have been a little dry lately, and I needed time to regroup.
June will be here before we know it, and I'd like to try to plan my classes out in advance. I've been surfing the web and there are so many wonderful craft ideas that in order to try them all I'd need to find a way to squeeze in 60 days into 30!LOL
Jeanne and I are heading to Maine on Thursday for 10 days and when we return, be prepared for the crafing watershed!
I'd like to leave you all with this thought...
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons? Kind of makes you go, hhhhhhmmmmmm....?

Things I'm Working On

2007-04-19T08:16:00.000-04:00

Lately life seems to be incredibly busy. If it's not one thing, it's another, but somehow I'm managing to sqeeze in time to create.

The samples are what I've been working on lately. Stampscapes is an amazing stamp line and incredibly versatile. I enjoy using them and creating different looks with the same stamp. Hope you like these!

Demo Night was Awesome

2007-02-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

So, you'd think being part scrapbooker I'd always have my camera at the ready, but of course last night, Demo Night, I left it at home! But take my word for it, Demo Night was awesome. It was wonderful to see both new friends and old, to be able to catch up with everyone and hear about all the fantastic events going on in everyone's crafting universe.
We also did a few fun demonstrations using the Heidi Swapp masks, which are awesome! Plus having received in the new Paint Daubers from Ranger, I had to use those.
The new newsletter is at the store and the website should be updated this weekend. My tech support, aka my hubby Rob, will be doing his best to get it up and running asap!
We hope everyone had a good time and now the store is gearing up for Shop Hop. It will be a crazy time so be sure and stay tuned. Now I know it's early, but here is my thought for the day...why is chopsticks one of the easiest songs to play on the piano, but the hardest thing to eat with?

Boxes, Boxes and More Boxes

2007-02-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

Thankfully Tess offered to work for me this week so I'd have a bit of a break. Of course I was at the shop 2 out of the 5 days! I simply can't stay away!LOL.
Good thing I was in there though since on Tuesday we received 10 boxes, Wednesday our lovely delivery men dropped off another 5 boxes and from what I heard from Jeanne today we received another 3 boxes. She was busy unpacking the new Quickutz order we received with a ton of new dies some of which are the new sized 4x4!
We're also gearing up for Shop Hop which is sure to be a blast. With 15 stores participating and the event lasting for a whole week it is sure to be an amazing time had by all.
With that, my ending thought is why do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in our driveway and our useless junk in the garage?

My first official entry!

2007-02-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

OK, since this is my first entry to my very first blog, I feel like I should say something momentous...unfortunately nothing is coming to mind. It's like when you're pressured to finish that album for your in-laws that they been waiting for since Christmas ( of '05) or your friend has just asked for a custom card they need, for tomorrow and it's now 4pm!
I look forward to talking with everyone and hearing comments. Keep a look out for posts of projects that either I've completed or ones that our creative clients have finished. I'll also share techniques that have grabbed my attention.
But, so as not to disappoint, here is my thought for today, why don’t you ever see the headline “Psychic Wins Lottery”? Kinda makes you go hhhhhmmmm.