A TAG and PRETTIE GIRLS' SEARCH FOR SNOWFLAKE, Day Three

Remember the card I promised last night? It was one of those that I talked about in this post that ended up in the trash! Stampin' mojo, please come back !!!!

In the meantime, I'll fill up some space on my blog with a fun tag that I received from Dawn Easton at Treasure Oiler Designz!

1. Name your 2 favorite Scrapbooking topics.

I think it used to be Allie and Drew! I honestly wouldn't know because it's been FOREVER since I've scrapbooked. BUT I do need to tackle Allie's high school album very soon in preparation for her senior year next year!

2. What are the two best places you've been to?

Hilton Head, South Carolina and San Diego, California

3. Name two things you do every day.

Cook and Clean

4. Name two things that pretty much everyone knows about you.

I'm a neat freak, and I love to stamp!

5. What are your two favorite stores?

Crate & Barrel and any Craft Store/Scrapbooking Store

6. What are your two favorite accessories to stamp/scrap with?

Ribbon and Brads

7. What are your two favourite occasions to make cards for?

Halloween and Easter

8. What are your two favourite SU! Cardstock colours?

I have to pick two? ugh! These change daily! Today, I pick Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive

My Question: 9. Name two of your all-time favorite Stampin' Up! stamp sets.

Born To Ride and Lexicon of Love

Obviously, all of these questions have "2" in them, so you'll need to answer these questions on your blog & add one more question with "2" of something (this tagging started with 4 questions). That way it spreads & it'll get longer & change depending on who it visits!

Tag, you're it! Jackie Pedro, The Scalloped Edge and Lorri Heiling, Confessions of a Stamping Addict.

Today's Paper Pretties' clue in the search for snowflake, day #3, can be found on Julie Masse's blog, Stampin' With Julie.

PRETTIE GIRLS' SEARCH FOR SNOWFLAKE, Day Two

I'm working on a card that I'd like to post this evening, if possible, but didn't want the day to get away from me without letting you know about the Paper Pretties Snowflake Clue, Day #2 on Jillian's blog, Ink, Stamp & Scrap.

Have you checked out the big sale yet? Paper Pretties is celebrating it's new website and you're all invited ... 25% off all regular priced merchandise! (enter code nwss25 at checkout). Sale ends January 10, so hurry!

PRETTIE GIRLS' SEARCH FOR SNOWFLAKE, Day One

No new stamping samples to share today .. I've been busy typing! Yep, I always told myself that if I was ever Featured Stamper on SCS, I would acknowledge every single participant ... and by golly, I think I have! ... 200 of them as of this writing! Edit to Add: Correction ... 155 as of this morning .. not 200 .. must have had my eyes crossed last night ... could have sworn there were 200! What a thrill it's been to see other stampers be inspired by your work! I've been having the time of my life! Thanks to EVERYONE who played along ... it means so much!

Join the Prettie Girls each day this week on the Search for Snowflake. Clues will be given daily until he is found with daily prizes and a grand prize at the end of the week! Find your first clue and all the details on Joanne's blog, Just a Little Something.

BIG NEWS !!!!!! and BIG SALE !!!!!!

Today, I feel like it's my birthday on steroids! Not only am I the Featured Stamper #48 on Splitcoast today (see previous post), my blog counter surpassed 100,000, AND I have news to share with you that I've been keeping secret for weeks ....

I have been asked by Christie Ortman to serve as Guest Designer for Paper Pretties for the next three months!!! I'm keeping really good company too ... joining me as Guest Designers are Dawn Easton, Danielle Lounds, and Carole Burrage. Paper Pretties has big surprises coming very very soon, and I am so excited to be a part of all of it! Keep checking back for details!

In the meantime, Paper Pretties is having a HUGE sale, and ALL regularly priced merchandise in the Paper Pretties Boutique is on sale for 25% off through January 10th! Use coupon code nwss25 to receive 25% off all regular priced merchandise. New merchandise will be added to the store daily! The Paper Pretties website has had a fabulous new makeover, as well.

Edit to Add: It is NOT my birthday ... just feels like it's better than!

OMG OMG OMG !!!!! I'M FEATURED STAMPER THIS WEEK ON SCS!

I'm jumping up and down right now and my family is over my shoulder looking at the computer screen to see why ... I'm the Featured Stamper #48 on Splitcoast this week !!!!!

Having your artwork cased is one of the biggest forms of flattery in the stamping community... so make my day and head on over to my SCS Gallery (stampinat6213) to case one of my cards! Click HERE for Featured Stamper Challenge #48 details.

BEATE'S WEEKEND SKETCH CHALLENGE #29

I've only been designing cards since June (and stamping for almost 6 years). I know when I see other stampers/bloggers post their creations, it "looks" as though they just "whipped" their designs up! KWIM? I suppose there are probably alot of stamping designers out there that work quickly, but let me tell you, I'm not one of them! Most of the cards I design are a result of hours of thought, experimenting, and tweaking (as much as I'd like to participate in every challenge I come across, this is why I can't!). Even after all of that, I'm never 100% confident in showing them to the masses on my blog and SCS. There's a certain reputation that a stamper/blogger is trying to establish. (I look at it as building a portfolio.) Each time I post a design I wonder if it's good enough to show, wonder if it looks too much like the cards I've seen on SCS and other blogs ... you know, all those self doubt questions come up! There are some cards I've created that you will never see too ... they all end up in the trash! If you've ever considered sharing your artwork on a blog or SCS but were hesitant, I just want to let you know that even some of us who have shared for quite some time can be unsure too! ... BUT, it's worth the risk when you receive unexpected comments about your work that get you pumped up to create again and again!

On to the card ... for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #29. Here's Beate's Sketch:
The elephant was stamped twice in Jet Black Staz-On on Pretty In Pink CS. The entire body was cut out once, then the ear and arm cut out of the second image. The ear and arm are adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals.

There are three additional flowers to the left of the main image. In order to stamp these three additional flowers, I covered the first stamped image with post-it notes (masking) and used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line them up.

The Certainly Celery piece in the upper right hand corner is from the Photo Corner Punch. A White Gel Pen was used to paint the elephants "toes" and "fingers". In case you can't tell in the photo, the card base is Whisper White CS.

For the medallion ... the flower/heart image was stamped on Rose Red CS and Tempting Turquoise CS, then cut out. The Whisper White CS is punched out with the 1" Circle Punch and the Pretty In Pink CS is punched out with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch. RECIPE
Stamps: Happy Heart Day
Paper: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, and Pretty In Pink CS, Tempting Turquoise Prints DP and Rose Red Prints DP
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On, Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red and Certainly Celery Stampin' Write Markers, White Gel Pen
Embellishments: Certainly Celery 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon
Tools: Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, Photo Corner Punch, Scissors, 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches
Supplies: Stampin' Dimensionals

RAK FROM GINNY SCHEMBRI

I received this hand stamped Christmas card from my Stampin' Up! "niece", Ginny Schembri, along with a photo of her beautiful family. Thank you, Ginny !!!

iCANDY WINNER ..................

The winner of the New Year's iCANDY in THIS POST has been chosen! I got such a kick out of reading your comments and guesses as to how many times I wrapped the book of Lifesavers! Many of you underestimated my love of PAPER! (Gift wrapping is a close second to stamping!) Then there are some of you that think I'm Wonder Woman --- I can't imagine wrapping the book over 100 times! Just to clarify, I do not wrap the book in one sitting ... it is progressive, and I'll wrap a few layers every day leading up to Christmas.

Onto our winner .............only ONE person guessed the correct number ...... I wrapped the book of Lifesavers 57 times!

Jenmarie had the correct guess of 57 !!!!!

Jenmarie said ... What a GREAT tradition!!!Hmmm...I'll guess 57 times!

Please contact me with your mailing address via e-mail, Jenmarie! Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who commented!

MJ ALBRIGHT INSPIRED

This criss cross card uses the NEW Stampin' Up! Bali Breeze Designer Series Paper and Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons. Yep, Stampin' Up! has FIVE different Rub-On packages available in the NEW '08 Spring-Summer Catalog & Idea Book (pg. 182, U.S.)!

The medallion for my card was inspired by Mary Jo Albright's card seen HERE. MJ also shows how to achieve the look of the Pumpkin Pie layer of the medallion using the Scallop Punch.

The flower image of my medallion, and the wording on the card insert were achieved with the NEW Stampin' Up! Rub-Ons. (MJ stamped her flower image from the stamp set, A Beautiful Thing, in Versamark and embossed with White Embossing Powder). I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical at first about these Rub-Ons, but after using them for the first time last night, I'm sold! The are so easy to use! Simply cut out the Rub-On image you want to use and remove it from the backing sheet. Lay the image on a flat surface, and firmly rub the image with the stick that comes in the package to transfer it to your project. They can be used on paper and most non-porous surfaces, including glass, photos, clipboards, candles, and more. The Rub-On images are designed to coordinate with many Stampin' Up! stamp sets. Notice how the flower Rub-On for the medallion is the same flower image found in the stamp set, A Beautiful Thing. Each Rub-On package contains two sheets, 1 ea. black and white.

RECIPE
Stamps: None. Images were achieved with Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons.
Paper: Bali Breeze DP, Taken With Teal, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive and Rose Red CS
Ink: None
Embellishments: Pumpkin Fire Circle Rhinestone Brad, Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Tools: Round Tab Punch, Double Circle Punch, Scallop Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scissors
Supplies: Stampin' Dimensionals
Note: Click HERE for Criss Cross Card Tutorial by Beate Johns.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win iCANDY in the previous post ... the winner will be selected the evening of January 3!

HAPPY NEW YEAR iCANDY !!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!! I'm kicking off the new year with some blog candy (which I fondly call iCANDY on iSTAMP!) Over the past couple of weeks, I've been watching my counter in the 90,000's, and was really crossing my fingers that it would hit the big 100,000 on New Year's Day ... oh well, it's close enough for me!

I haven't talked much yet about our Christmas, and won't go into a whole lot of detail. My brother and his family (the four on the right of the photo) came to Phoenix from Iowa for five days. Their last visit was seven years ago, so this trip was much anticipated! We had a WONDERFUL Christmas with lots and lots of food, games, food, visiting, and more food! This is my favorite photo from their trip, taken after church service on Christmas Eve (which was my favorite part of the celebration ... the church service was beautiful and inspiring!). We also spent a day driving to Tucson to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place. It was so-o-o cool!

Onto the iCANDY ..... Have you seen all the new Designer Papers in the NEW Spring-Summer '08 Catalog & Idea Book? You know I've got a weakness for Designer Paper, and I need to make room for new. I'm giving away this assortment of 27 full 12 x 12 sheets of Stampin' Up! retired Designer Series Papers from Petal Patch, Spring Showers, Spring Flowers, Au Chocolate, Loves Me, and Notations.
How do you win this iCANDY? See the book of Gummy Lifesavers in the photo below? Five years ago, I started a Christmas Eve tradition with my kids and my foster sister's kids. The first Christmas gift I buy every year is a book of Lifesavers, and start wrapping it over and over and over again until I either run out of wrapping paper or get so sick and tired of wrapping it that I can't possible wrap another layer! The wrapped package in the bottom of the photo is the finished product from this year. On Christmas Eve, the kids gather in a circle and take turns unwrapping one layer at a time, and counting the layers as they go. The person that unwraps the very last layer wins the book of Lifesavers. It is fun to see how many times I wrap it every year, as I don't keep track while I'm doing it, and also fun to see which kiddo wins it each year.
To win the iCANDY Stampin' Up! Designer Paper assortment, leave a comment with your guess as to how many times you think I wrapped the book of Lifesavers this year. The person with the correct or closest guess wins the dp assortment. In the event of a tie or ties, I will use random.org to choose a winner. A winner will be chosen the evening of Thursday, January 3.

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR to each and every one of you that stops in to read my blog! Good luck !!!

Edit to Add: Due to cost of shipping, U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses only.