Just Give Me Stamps...

Big Flower Thanks...

Happy New Year's Eve!!!  New Year's day is one of my favorite holidays.  There is just something so encouraging about a "fresh" new year!  I'm not a "New Year resolution" kind of girl...but I do love to reassess different aspects of my life.  I usually write down 3 things that is "working" and 3 things I'd like to improve on (I do this with different parts of my life...personal growth, me as a mother/wife & even stamping).  It's fun for me to look back over the years and see how I've grown/improved! 

Today's Technique Challenge over at Splitcoast, is to make a "Split Negative" card but using colors instead of black & white.  Even thought it is freeeeezing outside here, I wanted to use some soft "Spring-y" colors.

I stamped the Tres Chic background in Soft Sky on a piece of Soft Sky c.s. and then did the same thing on Almost Amethyst (using Almost Amethyst ink).  I put them both together and hand cut a diagonal wavy line, then glued the Soft Sky top and Amethyst bottom to another piece of Soft Sky c.s.  I thought the flowers needed some "stems" so I made some using ribbon.  Also...you can hardly tell this from the photo...but there is glitter in the center of the flowers.

Have a wonderful and safe afternoon and evening!!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Big Flowers, Tres Chic, Fundamental Phrases   Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Almost Amethyst   Ink: Soft Sky, Almost Amethyst   Other: Circle punches, Scallop circle punch, Word Window punch, Corner Rounder, Paper piercer, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Soft Sky dbl. stitched ribbon, Lavender Rhinestone brad

Blog Candy Winner!

I won't bore you all with a bunch of typing...hehehee...I'll get right to the winner!!!

I Random.org chose post number 141....and that is Chris!  Chris wrote:

I've been eyeing this set from Verve Visual... looks like a great one! Our favorite game is actually not a game at all... it's a puzzle!  We put one out on Thanksgiving Day and keep putting them out until the end of Christmas.  It makes for great fun with new puzzles every year and you wouldn't believe how a simple puzzle entices just about everyone that stops by!

Blessings to you in the New Year!

Chris

Chris, I'm going to email you so that you can give me your address!  I will get your goodies in the mail very soon!

Thanks so much everyone for all the wonderful game ideas!!  There are MANY new games added to our wishlist now!  :-)  Have a great afternoon!  ~Laurie

'Tweetheart'...

Happy Saturday!!  I'm a little late in posting today...it's just amazing how fast the time goes by!  We are all trying as hard as we can (LOL!!) to enjoy what's left of our Christmas school break! 

I wanted to share this card that I made with the new C.C. Designs stamps.  This set (Love Ya Much) along with the other new set (Love Ya Lots) will be available at All That Scraps on January 4th!

I will be back soon to post the winner of the free Verve stamps!!

~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Love Ya Much (C.C. Designs)   Paper: Papertrey white, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Vellum c.s., Lily Kate & Romani DP from Basic Grey   Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Ballet Blue Stampin' Write marker   Other: Copic markers, Stickles, Spica glitter pens, Ticket corner punch, Corner rounder, Paper piercer, Bashful Blue grosgrain and gingham ribbons, Clear Dew Drops

I'm Normally Not A "Mouse" Person...

...but this cute mouse from the new Happy Heart Day is definitely an exception!  It was so much fun to finally stamp again!  My stamp room is not completely finished...but it is soooo much better!  You wouldn't even believe how small my space was.  My sweet DH moved my shelves out a little bit for me...which made room for another tall cabinet and filing cabinet.  It's not that I was just a messy stamper...in fact it's the opposite.  I like to put everything away when I'm done...but I just didn't have any room to put it.  Anyway...on to the card I made.

Today's Ways To Use It Challenge is to use Stazon ink.  Since I've gotten my Copic markers, I haven't done any watercoloring...so today was the perfect opportunity to dust off my watercolor brushes and use them!  I just used my Classic pads (the ink on the inside of the lid).

What's hard to see in the picture is the Crystal Effects I added to the heart and the Stickles I added to the butterfly wings.  Oh, and I stamped the butterfly onto watercolor paper, colored it, cut it out, & placed it on top of the plain black one that I stamped in the bottom right corner.

I've edited this post to add a closeup picture..to try and capture the shiny heart and sparkly butterfly.

  I have really enjoyed reading all of your responses the the Verve stamps give away!  There are definitely more games on my wish list now!  One that I keep reading from you is Apples to Apples...probably the next one we'll get.

I hope you all have a fantastic afternoon!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Happy Heart Day   Paper: Watercolor paper, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Rose Red Prints DP   Ink: Black Stazon, Various Classic pads for watercoloring   Other: 5/8" Certainly Celery grosgrain, Pink taffeta ribbon, Nestabilities, Stickles, Crystal Effects, Rhinestone

How About Some FREE Stamps?

I hope you all had a nice Christmas!  We had such a great day!  My mom was even able to come up to our house for a little while...it was so nice to have her here!  We played so many games...and laughed so hard...it was just wonderful! 

Just in case you all didn't get *enough* stamping stuff for Christmas (is there really such a thing as enough stampin stuff????), you now have another chance at some! 

The lucky winner will receive a newly released Starlight Starbright Remix set (notice it's now all clear stamps..woohooo!!), some gorgeous Aqua/Teal organdy ribbon with gold edges, some Heidi Swapp Star Ghost shapes, & some star brads! 

I want to thank Julee Tilman (owner of Verve Visual) for generously donating this stamps set!  If you would like a better look at the set click HERE.  Also, I just have to tell you that Verve is releasing 4 brand new sets on January 10th...and let me tell you they are AWESOME!!!  On January 1st, I will have a sneak peek for you (both here and at the Verve Visual blog)!

To be entered in the drawing for these fun goodies, just leave a comment on this post!  Please, only one comment per person.  If you want to (definitely not required), in your comment tell me your family's favorite game/s to play!  I will choose a winner (using Random.org) on Saturday (12/29) morning.

I am in the process of re-organizing my stamp area (not an easy task...heheheee) but I am really hoping that I will have some time to stamp this afternoon!  So, I hope to be back later to share some stamping with you!  ~Laurie