The Elixir of Life for Zot!

Ha Ha – don’t you just LOVE the coffee-lovin’ Zot (Doodelfactory creature) hangin’ out in his offbeat living room (Classic Decor)enjoying his morning cup o’ joe??  He really believes ‘In the morning…it’s not just coffee. It’s the ELIXIR of Life’  (Boopie Sayings)

I wanted to make the windows (which I can now see are a tad bit crooked) like you can see the great outdoors with the clouds.  My favorite part is that Zot has blood shot eyes! 

One thing I LOVE about the Classic Decor is that I feel like an interior designer using this set and since there are so many FUN papers out there, it’s so fun to pick patterns that coordinate! 

If you’ve always enjoyed decorating your house or had dreams of being an interior designer, I bet you will LOVE playing with the Classic Decor stamps! 

Don’t forget – you can get 10% off your order using code SAVETENDB at checkout at Starving Artistamps!! 

Personal stuff: Speaking of coffee – I had a yummy cup last night with the BEST cake ever (from Classic Cakes by Lori for you Central TX locals) made by my best friend and owner, Lori Hendricks!  It was the first time I attended a wedding where she provided the cake.  Here are a few pictures to share with you – the bride (Vicki) is the younger sister of my brother-in-law’s girlfriend, Lisa (and it was a coincidence Lori was contracted to make her cake long before we even knew Lisa-small world!)  The Groom’s cake is an XBOX360.  It was a real nice wedding.

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It’s a Doodlefactory Safari

Hi y’all!  Hope you’re having a good weekend so far.  Today I have some Doodlefactory animals to share with you, aren’t they cute?!  Well, Dabble the giraffe is a tad crazed-looking but still cute.  Zeebo the Zebra just makes me want to squeal!  I used this week’s SCS sketch {SC239} on the vertical for Dabble and made my own background papers (horizontal pumpkin panels, I hand-drew my giraffe markings and polka dots on the summer sun card base). 

For Zeebo and kids’ card, I used large Zeebo and small 1” zeebo to represent kids.  This is funny to me with the sentiment I chose, “the more the merrier” from Boopie sayings.  Two clean & simple cards that pack a mighty punch.  HA 

Some Doodlefactory – New & Newer!!

I have some Classic Decor Doodlefactory to share with you!  The card on the left uses Heidi from Oh, Baby and Ambrose, the dog from Classic Decor (who is girl’s best friend).  The sentiment is from the Boopie Sayings set.  The card on the right uses the large chandelier from the Classic Decor set and sentiments.  I used the Clean & Simple challenge {CAS25} for the layout, which is a great one (I’m sure I will use it again!) 

Here’s some new DF Prehistoric for you to drool over!  Aren’t they adorable?!  I love Irene’s style so much – the dinosaurs are not scary, they are so cute!! I love the little boy who reminds me of Bam Bam from the Flintstones (I used to LOVE watching that cartoon!)

Here is Into the Woods, aren’t Squib & Fargo crack-ups?!? I LOVE the trees, see so many fun stamping times with those!   If you like these sets, and want to get the value pack (you can save some $) Here is the link – don’t forget, you can save an additional 10% by using discount code SAVETENDB at checkout!  Starving Artistamps is currently at some stamps shows, so no shipping until 8/12 but I’m sure the sooner you place your order, the sooner you’ll get it. 

I’ll have more DF to share with you this weekend!! 

CAS23: Stretch the Cat

Ha Ha!!  I had a lot of fun making this card for the Clean & Simple challenge on SCS this week {CAS23} Show us your artwork!  I found the below print of stretch the cat tipping the scales at 30 lbs and thought Ms. Poose would be perfect to recreate this print!  I grabbed my Starving Artistamps set Classic Decor with Ms. Poose, the picture frame turned scale and food bowl, masking and sponging the background and custom coloring Ms. Poose (I mean Stretch).

I feel for this kitty, so much so that I want to share with you some pictures of one of our cats who used to be pretty overweight for years, until last Summer when we took her to the vet because we realized she was losing weight.  She was diagnosed with Toxoplasmosis (a parasite) and it was so sad to see her wasting away over the months.  There were times when we just were not sure if she would get better and would get so emotional about what would happen to her.  Below are before and after pictures  so you can see she lost weight (at one point she was up to 11 lbs and then dropped to under 6 lbs and that’s too much for a cat to lose)!   It wasn’t until about a month ago that one of my friends came over to visit (who is into healthy, natural stuff) and she suggested we feed Chica people food that she started to get better.  I can’t even tell you how much $ we spent at the vet with office visits, lab work, changing food, etc.  I started to feed her tuna and she LOVES it and is getting better and we are so happy about it!  

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New Doodlefactory!! Classic Decor DT Blog Hop

I’m so excited to share with you my samples using the new Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory Collection Classic Decor & Sentiments which are available right now for purchase!***see at the end of my post for a special for 3 days!

For my first card, I used several images to make an invitation to tea to send to your tea loving friend. I just adore all the images so you can create home scenes, which lend themselves real nicely to paper-piecing which I did on all 3 of my cards!

This next card has Momma Heidi and baby Izzy (from Oh Baby!) – this would be a cute card to give in appreciation to Daddy. I made the wainscoting & framed picture using the woodgrain technique!

My last card (and favorite) is with Ms. Poose, she is our resident prissy kitty – I colored her with grey markings, very much like my own cat, Elsie (but hers are black). I had so much fun making this card and adding a diamond collar around her neck. Don’t you just love the whatever look on her face as she sees the little mouse climbing up the Tiffany lamp?! HA

Your next stop on the hop is the wonderfully talented Kathy Daume. If you did not come from my blog from Juliana, be sure to start at the beginning so you don’t miss any great inspiration along the way and be sure to go to every one of them because somewhere along the way (and I do not know where) their is blog candy up for grabs!

Here is a complete list of blogs to visit in case you get lost along the way: Donna D., Juliana, Me, Kathy, Lori, Lydia, Andrea, Natasha, Irene, Dawn, Jenn, Nina, Laura, Kazan, Tracey

***and lastly, for 3 days (July 8-10) when you purchase the new sets (you will get the cling cushion you need for FREE to start stamping!) Be sure to use code SAVETENDB for 10% off your order too! Double Special!!

2S4Y: Starving Artistamps Sponsor

This week, Starving Artistamps is sponsoring the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge!  

It is a great sketch; I immediately thought of making a cabbie scene with NumNum acting like an Italian New Yorker by omitting the cookie from his hand, yelling out the side of his cab asking if anyone needs a lift!  I’ve had this little cab from Doodlefactory Urban & Urban sentiment set #1 for a while now just waiting to be inspired to make the perfect card for it.  Well, it wasn’t until the Rooftops backdrop was made that really inspired me to make a city scene with the taxi cab!  I just adore these backdrops; they increases the versatility of these unique sets 2-fold!!

You oughta play along with the great sketch, because one random winner will get a FREE Oh, Baby You’re Super Collection.  Be sure to check out all the cards the design team came up with using this sketch on the Starving Artistamps blog.

Lastly, more Doodlefactory News!  Save the Date!!  Wednesday, July 8th at 10:00 a.m. CST the design team will have a blog hop to debut a new one of a kind Doodlefactory set with you!  I’m so excited about it and I’m sure you Doodlefactory fans will be too!!  EEEK!!

2 Sketches 4 You: Starving Artistamps Sponsor

Happy Memorial Day Y’all!  I’m still in Sunny California and will be back home tomorrow afternoon – I’m sure it’s going to be difficult for me to leave our family, it always is…but as the kids get older, even more so.  Today I have a 2Sketches4You sketch which is sponsored by Starving Artistamps!  For my card, I used the new Doodlefactory Collection ‘Super Parents’ & Super-Dad sentiment from Sentiments, Oh Baby!  so I can get my BIL’s card done & ready to go next month for Father’s Day! 

I’m so proud of my sister & brother-in-law who tag team to be at home with their kids.  My sister goes to work at 6:00 a.m. and Tom works until 10:00 p.m. so the better part of the day he is Super-Dad and the afternoon/evening my sister is Super-Mom!  It’s brought them together as a team and there is a great sense of security & stability for the kids who always have one of them with them at all times…bonus time with both on the weekends! 

I used my DCWV Green {recycled} Stack for kudos with their recycling efforts!  HA

Here is the 2S4Y sketch for you to play along this week – be sure to check out the blog for additional details I don’t have since I am pre-scheduling my post before I head out on vacation. Also be sure to check out the Starving Artistamps Gallery to check out all the cards from the Design Team! 

Thanks for visiting & be back soon!

Precious Cargo in the City

As promised, I had another card to share using the new Doodlefactory Collection Oh, Baby! and Sentiments Baby!  I had fun combining pretty red-haired mama Heidi with cute buggy riding Izzy out in the rooftops backdrop.  So fun!  I stamped them on Gina K pure luxury layering weight cardstock and colored them with peerless watercolors.  Heidi’s dress and Izzy’s buggy are paper-pieced with Basic Grey Urban Prairie paper pad. 

Reminder – if you’d like to get any Doodlefactory or  Starving Artistamps set, you can get them 10% off with the discount code SAVETENDB at checkout at the store!  Have fun!! 

Oh Baby! A Snake!!

Here’s a card I made using today’s SCS Clean & Simple Challenge to use Little Bits of Ribbon {CAS12}.  I grabbed my sweet fluffy bear, bottle & diaper bag from the Oh Baby! Doodlefactory set and my new Labels 4 Nestability dies which I love!!  The little bit of ribbon with a green safety pin on it is from a retired SU! designer ribbon bundle that I literally only had bits of – perfect for the ribbons you just can’t bring yourself to trash!  Sentiments on both cards are from Sentiments Baby!

This other card I made uses crying {or scared} Izzy from the set along with the Jungle backdrop – complete with frightening long snake!!  Poor Izzy – scared out of her mind!  Maybe Super-Dad will rescue her from the Jungle & bring her home safe.  Stay tuned…

Easter is here with Doodlefactory!

Check out the new Doodlefactory Easter set! Isn't it SO cute! I adore these clothed bunnies, Buttons & Stella (how fun they will be to paper-piece!) and Freckles and Georgie? Oh my, sweet! I just love Yoop with his fun head-ful of sheep fur! So many possibilities with this set...which is in the mail to me as I type this. I'll have samples using them hopefully by the end of the week! In the meantime, check out the SA Blog where you can qualify to win a FREE set! The sets are already in the store ready for purchase if you don't want to wait to see if you win them, if you're chosen you can choose another set! Don't forget to get a sheet of cling mount since these stamps come on a sheet of pressed rubber, you just place on the sticky part of cling mount and cut them out with scissors. Also be sure to use discount code savetendb for 10% off your Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory stamps purchase any time!

Tropical Cliff, Teeko & Huts!

Here are 3 more cards using the Doodlefactory Set the Scene 1 Tropical Backdrop! 

More Doodlefactory Backdrops!

I have a few Doodlefactory backdrops to share with you! The first one highlights the pigeons from Set the Scene 3 & 4 Rooftops backdrop. I made the rooftops muted so the pigeons & heart from Sweets 'n Hearts stand out. The sentiment is from the Valentine's Sentiments.

My next card uses Set the Scene 1 & 2 Countryside backdrop, and Blox is placed in this one! I love it with him and that sentiment...because who thinks pigs are beautiful creatures? Well, I for one am carnivorous & LOVE pork, in fact for dinner tonight we are having our favorite BBQ shredded pork sandwiches from a recipe I got here. So I do think Blox is cute, and beautiful after all God created him (but Irene drew him!). I glitterfied his snout, some trees, mountains & clouds with stickles. Sorry I failed to capture the sparkle for you.

Did you know? If the Starving Artistamps or Doodlefactory stamps appeal to you & you want to get some, you can get 10% off your order with the following discount code at checkout: savetendb

SA/DF Challenge - You Want Piece of Me?!?!?

Check out the Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory challenge posted at PCP - 

get out your stamps & paper-piece them!  Hope you can play!  This card is my sample 

from the blog hop a few weeks ago using the new Countryside backdrop!  

CPS sketch 102: Sponsor Starving Artistamps

CPS102 is sponsored by Starving Artistamps today! Be sure to get out there & play you can win some SA/DF stamps!! I just had to get Moki out with the new Set the Scene Tropical backdrop for my card. I just love this dudette and now she has a place to practice the hula & show off her pretty leis. I used my Prima Hydrangeas on the bottom of the main panel. I used my peerless watercolors and finished off her leis & hula skirt with copic at you spica pen (clear) and the sea foam is covered with stardust stickles.

Did you check out the blog hop from Saturday with the Starving Artistamps' design team debuting all the backdrops? If not, here is the link showing you where to start. I was just blown away by all the different styles, techniques & ideas shown! how fun it is!!

**don't forget you can get 10% off your Doodlefactory stamps at Starving Artistamps by entering savetendb in the coupon code box in your shopping cart & hit re-calculate!** Free shipping with a $65 order!!

From Courtney's Closet - A Birthday cupcake

Did you see Libby's Little Cupcake turned 1 year old last week??!  Well, to celebrate, Libby posted her usual From Courtney's Closet challenge (which are real fun, she takes an adorable picture of her in a cute outfit & we take inspiration from it to create a card).  I just had to play this week because I love her little Cute as a Cupcake shirt!  Also Libby is giving away a sweet cupcake-themed prize package to one lucky winner and well, I am motivated by free stuff so here you go!  Plus any excuse to use a cupcake stamp I'm all over!!

I wasn't going to stamp tonight so I could rest & get caught up on my DVR shows and well, I ended up making this card in about 10 minutes anyway!  These CAS (clean & simple) cards are not always easy to make but I knew I had the perfect cupcake stamp for it that was begging to be inked up!  It's in the **Doodlefactory Sweets 'n Hearts set and the sentiment is from Simple Sweet Sayings which was so fun to ink up in different color markers just like Courtney's shirt!  I colored it with peerless watercolors and topped it with rhinestone sprinkles (sorry about the bad photo, it was a long 9 hour day) and liquid pearls for icing.  There's also a little glaze on the cherry.  YUM!  wish I had a cupcake in my hands RIGHT NOW! 

**if you're interested in getting any Doodlefactory stamps at Starving Artistamps you can get 10% off your order any time!  Just use savetendb in the coupon code box in your shopping cart & hit re-calculate!** Free shipping with a $65 order!!

New Doodlefactory Release Backdrops!!!

Welcome to the Starving Artistamps Design Team first ever blog hop with our NEW release!  I hope you traveled to my blog from Lisa, but if you didn't - you will want to start at the beginning to be sure you don't miss anything!  Remember, you need to visit them ALL** (see below for a complete list of blogs to visit), because somewhere there is info on entering to win some FREE stamps!!  

One of the reasons I fell in love with Starving Artistamps' Doodlefactory Collection last year, was the uniqueness of the characters; Irene the illustrator draws thick lines and each of the characters has a name and usually funny-looking eyes.  It's so easy to tell a story with these unique stamps and since I love to make scenes on my cards, these images are right up my alley and the NEW Set the Scene Backdrops are PERFECT to go with ALL your DF images (and possibly more!?) I couldn't have been more excited about this new possibility for card (and scrapbook) making!!

In my first card, I use the awesome mysterious JUNGLE BACKDROP complete with huge corral snake (but I didn't color it the traditional colors of red & black)** Disclaimer -some of you hate snakes but I LOVE 'em!!  This snake will NOT harm you, and you will not spontaneously combust if you use it on your card or color it with pretty colors**

I'll never forget the first time I had a python wrapped around me and the owner said that she thought the snake liked me since it looked right at me.  One of these days I would love to own one but since my loved ones are against it, it hasn't become a reality (plus, I don't want to risk it killing one of our cats-yikes!).  I used Pogue from The Great Outdoors because he looks absolutely frightened he sees a snake in the jungle!  But seriously, doesn't the sweet smile on the snake make you feel a little better??? I colored my images with peerless watercolors and the 'not!' is american crafts thickers.  I used the paper-tole technique on some of the leaves.  
  
My next card uses the ROOFTOPS BACKDROP (it also comes with 2 pigeons but I did not use them on my card (other DT members will, though!)  On my card, I whipped out Guaco from Urban who is planning to gather his friends for a night out on the town - of course, to PAINT it RED (from Urban sentiments #2)  I chose not to color the backgound buildings to make Guaco and his spray-painting stand out. 

My 3rd card uses the TROPICAL BACKDROP - so fun for all your Summer cards!!  I used Frozey from the DF Creatures and made him some swim shorts & matching surfboard from some dp.  The sentiment is from Tropic Sentiments 1  Special thanks to my awesome DH John who really loves my DF stamps and was willing to help me come up with ideas for these cards (it was his to use Frozey & give him swim trunks, but he wanted the sentiment, "wish you were here" but I don't have that so I went with Hang 10 Dude - after all, that's surfer talk, right??

My last card uses the COUNTRYSIDE BACKDROP and DF Animal Basel (Mama & Baby) who lost their way from the flock & their shepherd and are trying to find their way back.  I paper-pieced the WHOLE scene, which really was not that hard, just a lot of planning because of the different patterns I wanted to use from Basic Grey Urban Prairie (isn't that fitting, since it's the countryside?) 

I didn't have room to put my sentiment on the outside of the card - so here is a picture of the inside - the sentiment is from DF Outdoors.

So there you have it, samples from all 4 new BACKDROPS!   Please tell me what YOU think, which is your FAVORITE backdrop and which card is your FAVORITE that I made, k??   Don't forget if you'd like to purchase these new DF stamps, you can save 10% at checkout by putting SAVETENDB in the coupon code box & recalculate!  

**Here is a complete list of bloggers for your HOP - once again, be sure to visit them ALL because somewhere (I'm not even sure of where) there is blog candy to be won!  woohoo! 

SA/DF Blog

Juliana

Lisa

Donna B (me)

Donna D

Kathy 

Lori 

Lydia 

Andrea

Natasha 

Heidi 

Leigh

Irene (the DF illustrator extraordinaire) 

SA/DF NEW IMAGES COMING - SAVE THE DATE!!

I am so excited! Right now I am working on samples with NEW Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory Collection that will be released this Sat. Feb 7 10:00 a.m. CST!

SAVE THE DATE!!!

We would LOVE to invite you to visit us on February 7th for our first ever DoodleFactory new release blog hop! The Hop will start HERE on the Starving Artistamps Blog - be sure to add to your Reader or Subscribe so you don't miss it, or bookmark it, write on a post-it note, or on your hand like my DH does, so you can see all the FABULOUS samples the DT has to share with you! I am SO STOKED (you will understand more on Sat!) *wink* We will even have blog candy to give away free stamps but you have to visit all the blogs on the hop to find the details!

Esme the Owl loves you

look at Esme - isn't she the cutest owl??  I just adore Irene's style (illustrator for Doodlefactory stamps) and have so much fun stamping with her images.  I thought Esme from the new Valentine's remix set would be real fun to paper-tole with because of all her detail.  I wanted to keep my card simple & clean & kraft cardstock would fit the bill since I wanted to use my prismacolor pencils (they look so good on kraft).  The sentiment is from Valentine's sentiments.

RoSe Special Delivery

What red-blooded woman doesn't love to receive red roses not only for Valentine's Day but ANY day of the year?  As for me, I prefer the lighter colored roses with darker tips, like peach/orange, but I digress.  Here is a special delivery of Rose for you!!  Rose is from the new DF Valentine remix set - isn't she cute with her little flirty eyes?  I colored her with peerless watercolors. 
 
Surprise!  Here's a box of chocolates for you too, and some hearts and hugs & kisses! What more could a gal ask for?? I love making pop-up cards but this is just my 3rd one!  Check out the other two if you go back to February 2008 archives with Just so Hoppy set.  The images on the inside are from the DF Sweets 'n Hearts set!  

Here's a picture of how I did the pop-up, it's super easy and by using the same color cardstock on the cardbase as you do on your pop-up section, it blends right in! Let me know if this inspires YOU to make a pop-up card & please link it so I can see!!

Helping Irene make a rainbow

I was tickled to read a blog post from Irene today, illustrator of Doodlefactory images for Starving Artistamps, she realized she is a 'stamper' now!  It's hard to believe she's only been stamping for a few months now, but considering she is an 'artist' it just makes sense that she is a great stamper already (**although she doesn't quite believe it yet**)  Go check out her blog & see for yourself!?  

Anyway, on to my card - I made it for a challenge she issued on PCP to make a monochromatic card.  I chose to use purple in her honor (she was disappointed she wanted to make a purple one & didn't have any purple stuff!)  Of course purple used to be my favorite color (it's pink now) and I have to tell you about when it changed for me.  It was a few years ago on a trip to CA to visit my family.  Well I saw an older (by that I mean she had to be in her late 50's to early 60's) and there was NO mistaking that purple was her favorite color!  She was BATHED in it.  The first thing that caught my eye was the rather large carry-on purple bag she was trying to stuff under the seat in front of her.  Then I saw her purple socks, purple embellished jeans, purple shirt, purple jacket & purple velvet sequined hat.  But it doesn't end there, she had a purple purse & purple bling sunglasses too.   Can you say purple overload?  Well, she happened to be out at the baggage claim after we got off our flight & then I saw ALL her purple luggage and saw that she pulled out purple after purple after purple accessory from her purple purse!  Whoa...I was done with the color purple!!  

So back to my card - I used Pale Plum, Orchid Opulence and Eggplant Envy by SU! and the heart set is Sweets & Hearts by Doodlefactory, I just love all the different patterns in the hearts! they were real easy to stamp on the front of my card since it was tone on tone and I haven't separated all the hearts from the rubber yet.  The sentiment is from Simple Sweet Sayings. 

Don't forget you have until tomorrow to participate in the Stamp Something Birthday Challenge sponsored by Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory & you don't have to have SA/DF sets to play but you can win this set along with the Valentine's Remix set and Valentine's sentiments! WOW!!