Cricut Bird

Card inspired by Jenny. I used the Cricut for the bird and for the "branch". Background is Cuttlebug and sentiment is Crafty Secrets.

Just Rite Stamps for Sale

Entire Trompe Script Font set for sale. 95% of stamps were never used and everything is there in excellent condition in the original packaging. This font is just not my style. $16 plus $5 for shipping. email me at rubyslippers@neofast.net. An additional $1.65 if you want insurance.

Cute Little Penguin

I love this Hero Arts penguin. The designer paper is some I got a JoAnn in a package of winter papers. I used the Spellbinder Label One Nesties for the frame. I used a tiny pom pom on the hat. The swirls at the bottom are also Hero Arts.

Transparency Snowstorm Technique

I put the snow on a square of transparency with Staz-On white ink. I then attached it with glue dots over my SU Three Trees card adhered to Cuttlebug snowflakes that had been brayered to make them pop. I don't know where I got the little cardinal stamp.

Have a Tweet Christmas

I love this little stamp so much, as you have probably noticed. Colored with Copics.

Before I Was a Stamper, I Was a Carver Photo #1

About 15 years ago I was big into wood carving and have carved over 200 items. These are a few of my Santas on top of my stamping room cabinents. I was also big into tole painting. The carving ended when my wrists started to suffer and the tole painting ended when I went back to work full time. My eyes are just too tired to focus on tiny details and shades of color in evening light.

Next photo down is a close up.

Photo #2 of My Stamp Room at Christmas

A closer picture.

Amazing Sale at 2nd Childhood Creations

Click the title of this post and it will take you there. Cherylynn is one of the nicest vendors out there. You cannot beat these prices--30% off everything today and 35% off tomorrow. I did not want to risk her running out of items I needed so I took the 30% today.

Another POV on "Bandwidth Stealing" Discussion

Click my title to go to Susanna Boyd's take on the whole bandwidth stealing discussion that I have seen on at least a dozen blogs this morning. Susanna is the voice of reason here, not to mention that her whole blog is a DELIGHT to look through. I also must add that for bloggers who are so upset about their bandwidth and the fees, I have to wonder why they are using blogs that they have to pay for instead of one of the many free options out there. If it is about the money, more than the art, I think they have options. I do understand the art POV though.

Retro 50's Christmas Stuff

My sister knows how much I love retro 50's stuff, particularly Christmas. She sent me this link (click the title of the post) and I just cannot quit looking at all the good stuff! I would love to find a company that makes stamps like the cards and the stickers. I can find similar things but they don't do justice to the true 50's look.

Happy Thanksgiving

Main image is SU and was colored with reinkers. Ribbon is Papertrey and punch is Fiskars. The angle of the photo makes the layers look crooked, but they really aren't. It bugs me that I could not get it to look straight in the photo.

Sleigh Ride!

I love this Vintage Sign set from Cornish Heritage. I sanded the Bazzile after Cuttlebugging it. Paper is Basic Grey. Snowflake punch is MS.

Time for Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down

THUMBS UP FOR:

Close to My Heart--I have not bought their stamps for years after a really bad experience years ago when they first went to acrylic. Within a few months my stamps were mush. They were sticky and gooey from the first moment I got them, but my lack of knowledge about clear stamps did not give me any reason to be alarmed. Not long ago I bought 3 sets and they ink well and I am very impressed with them. Good stamps in a good quantity in each set for a reasonable price. I would say they are close to Papertrey in my estimation.

Impress Rubber Stamps: They take returns of markers and reinkers without question. I am always pleased with how they treat customers when I am in any of their stores.

Paper Source--Oh, my goodness!! If you get to Bellevue, WA, you MUST go into this store. It was paradise!

THUMBS DOWN:

Hanna Stamps: Love the stamps, but if you frequent the Gingerwood board you will see a copy of an email sent to a customer who dared to inquire about her missing stamps. These companies have no idea when they drop the ball like this just how many customers will lose faith.

Holiday Treasures

I used both Holiday Treasures and Bella papers from SU on this card. The sentiment is also SU. I used Labels One Nesties and Papertrey ribbon.

Retired SU Christmas Stamps for Sale

My sister is selling retired SU Christmas stamps on ebay. She is user jadi73.

Christmas Cardinal

I have a friend who loves Cardinals and this is one of 2 cards I made for her. All supplies are SU, with the exception of the Copics I used to color and the MS punch.

Cuttlebug Snowmen Boxes

My internet friend, Alli, sent me a snowman like this and it arrived yesterday. I carefully took it apart so I could case it. They are quite simple. I used my Close to My Heart snowman set. It contains several hats, scarves, and other accessories for snowmen. The inside is a little box that can hold a few candies.

Candy Cane Penguin

Background: Cornish Heritage Ticking
Main Image: Hero Arts
Circular images: Just Rite Stamps
Ribbon: Papertrey
Coloring: Copics

MFT Meets Bela Rose

DP is from SU Bela Rose Collection. The stamps are MFT. I made the icicle with Crystal Effects poured on wax paper, sprinkled with glitter, and then allowed to dry for 12 hours.

Fresh Note

All supplies are SU.

Wintry Polar Bear

Main image is from the dollar bin at Craft Warehouse. Designer Paper is SU. Punched snowflakes done with Cricut.

Do you love Copics?

Click the title of this post for a link to a blog offering Copics as blog candy!

Happy Thanksgiving in Watercolor

The image is a retired border image from SU that has been watercolored with reinkers on watercolor paper. I used Nesties to frame it. Sentiment source is Inkadinkado.

Martha Stewart Bird

This is done with a Martha stamp and a Martha punch. The background is done with my Scor-Pal and then brayered ink over that.

Happy Thanksgiving

Stamps: Inkadinkado (got them at Costco)
Accessories: Nestabilities
Paper: Sandylion
Ribbon-Papertrey

A Must See Blog

I just stumbled upon a very creative blog this morning and want to share it with you. I really love her style. Click the title of this post and it will take you right there.

Santa Collage in Stripes

The main image is by Rubber Stampede and the little label is from SU's Curly Label set. Sentiment and DP sources unknown. Colored with Copics.

Santa Collage in Blue

Stamp: Santa Collage by Rubber Stampede Delta Co.
Paper: SU designer paper from last year
Accessories: Nesties, Martha Stewart Punch, Ribbon (source unknown)
Colored with Copics

Happy Fall

Card designed by my friend, Heather.

Boards and Beams in Blue and Yellow

Stamps and ribbon by Papertrey.

Bundle Up!!

Sweater by SU.

Holiday Treasures

All materials except the tiny flower, Fiskars Border punch, and the Liquid Pearls centers are SU.

Happy Hoolidays

Stamps by Hero Arts. Dry embossing done on the Scor-Pal. Argyle border stamp unknown source.

Heard on NPR

Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Obama could run. Obama ran so our children can fly.

Holiday Boards & Beams and PTI Snowflakes

I combined 2 sets and colored with Copic Markers. This card reminds me of my grandma who loved Christmas and color!

Happy Fall

Original card designed by friend, Glenda.

French Quarter Stamps

I really, really love this set of stamps by Inque Boutique. It is a huge set with many pieces and I think I paid only $11 online for it. I don't remember where I ordered it though.

Update on the Serendipity Stamps

I am well pleased with the stamps even though they took 3 weeks nearly to arrive. Postage was $5 on 6 unmounted bare rubber stamps. They were sent Parcel Post, which I believe is the slowest and cheapest way to sent them. Had they been sent first class they would have cost about 65 cents to send, but there is a reason they charge $5. They put about 80 pages of advertising in the package and therein was the cost. Not pleased at all about the "free advertising" they included and charged me postage for and caused my stamps to take so long to arrive.

Using Copics and Shimmerz Together

First I colored with Copics and then brushed with Shimmerz for the sparkle.

Making Your Cricut Mat Sticky Again

Click the title of this post for GREAT information!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly--products and vendors--no holds barred!

I wish more stampers and scrappers would tell us what works and what doesn't, who gives good service and who does not. I am hoping other bloggers might consider doing this so we can be better consumers. I also like to give credit where credit is due!

THUMBS UP

Just Rite Stampers Company- I ordered several products through a vendor. 2 arrived missing small items. I emailed the company and had an answer within 12 hours that they had sent the missing parts. They then sent an invoice showing they had been shipped and less than 48 hours later I had the missing pieces. Superior customer service!

Taylored Expressions- Very fast shipping, accurate order, well packaged. http://www.tayloredexpressions.com/

Stamping Cottage--Best prices I have found on Just Rite products. Very fast shipping (free with a certain amount), accurate order, well packaged. http://stampingcottage.com/

Second Childhood Creations--All stamps 30% off for the next couple of days. You won't find better service, responses to email, and overall good quality than Cherylynn. I met Cherylynn on the GW board and she always has great deals. She also ships quickly. http://www.2ndchildhoodstore.com/servlet/StoreFront

Merri Artist--Best price I have ever found on Ciao Copics. Fast ship, excellent packaging, and they are not that far from me so I feel I am helping out a NW store. merriartist.com/



THUMBS DOWN

Serendipity Stamps--On Oct. 22 I placed an order for $6 worth of unmounted stamps. Shipping was $5, but I really wanted the stamps and figured it would just mean a fast ship. With unmounted stamps it would simply mean a first class envelope. On November 1 I had still not recieved any information that they had shipped at all. I email them. No answer. I emailed again Nov. 4 and no answer until yesterday. They had taken 2 weeks to even get them sent out. They must have sent them on the slow boat to China because they mailed them Monday and I still have no tracking information and no stamps have arrived. I like their images, but the slow responses, the fact I had to contact twice, and 2 weeks to even send them out is not satisfactory. As far as I know they were not backordered or anything like that. I will let you know when they arrive. For $5 shipping and handling for a tiny packet, I expect better service.

Papertrey Simple Alphabet Stamps--These clear stamps are neither centered horizontally or vertically making them extremely hard to get even close to straight looking. I am disappointed in them.

THE JURY IS OUT

Just Rite Stampers Stamps---Still not sure. I love the possiblities, but these things require a magnifying glass, tweezers, a very, very clean area as they are nearly impossible to find if you drop them, and they have required lots of conditioning so far to get a good impression. On the other hand, the concept is genius and the possibilities are endless. Will let you know when my learning curve is past.

Bella Rose Relaxation

I love these SU papers used with MFT sets. Perfect combo.

Inking Parts of Just Rite Stampers

I am having a grand time with my Just Rite stamps. The centers and borders are great fun, but I found myself frustrated by having to either ink the whole thing in one color, or punch out parts and layer, or color with a marker.

Tonight I figured out that I can stamp the center first and then attach the border to a clear block with double stick tape and stamp the border in a different color since I can see through the block to position it. It has made things a lot easier.

I also want to give some praise to the company. I was missing 2 items in each of 2 sets. They replied to my email within hours, sent out replacments in under 12 hours, sent me a copy of the slip showing they did that, and the pieces arrived 48 hours later. Service that was superior!!

Also, just a note. These stamps take quite a bit of conditioning to get a nice imprint, but once you have used a fine nail buffer and an eraser on them, they work fine. They work especially well with chalk inks.

Christmas Birds

Colored with Copics. I believe the stamp may be a retired PSX, but am not sure.

Joy, Pure Joy

Boards and Beams on a Fall Day

Heaven and Nature Sing

Stamps: Pink Poison, sentiment unknown source
Accessories: Cuttlebug Folder, Nesties, colored with Copics.

Acetate Fall Card

Tree is Inkadinkado. Source of sentiment is unknown. This is done on a Hero Arts acetate card (thanks, Jacki, for the sample card) with Stazon Black ink. I attached the designer paper to the underside with brads.

Bundle Up!!

I will never part with this old SU set!

Live With Passion

We made this at 10 Club, but my border fell off so I used my Martha punch to do a new green border.

The Right Shoes

Stamps by Papertrey.

Chalked

I used chalks on this Cuttlebugged background.

My New Label 1 Nesties Have Arrived--in love!

I really love these new label Nesties. I used them on one of the Halloween cards I posted two days ago and found them perfect for this Kitchen Sink Rose card.