Happy Mail!

So I have been reading great things about Copic Markers, about a month ago I ordered a few from PaperPretties and a few from eP to try them out. I love them, of course you should use Staz On or non-water based inks when you color with Copic Markers as I have discovered through trial and error, but they are great markers either way. So I have been roaming the 'bay' hoping to get some markers at a cheaper price...I am sorry but these markers are very expensive. Last Thursday I happened onto the 'bay' at the end of the work day to see if anything was tempting and I put a bid in for 30 markers....and I won! Now how much did I pay for these markers? You will never guess!! Give up....it was $76.95 plus shipping! OMG, can you believe that?! Then today they came in the mail, I have yet to crack these suckers open, but I am thrilled to have them in my grasp....love the 'bay'!

Thinking Pink

I sat down today and made my Minis on a Mission card using all the goodies I received in my PaperPretties Limited Edition box. I love how this card turned out, of course I did not design it, I believe the wonderful Christie did, but I think its great anyway!The little bottle that looks like nail polish is in fact a container of assorted brads in colors and designs! I love the packaging on this, how can you not! Now on to my own version of what I received in my box...
Its a little different to be honest, but I just couldn't decide which Pinks and papers to use, so I used a bunch of them! The two images on the side are the left overs from my first card. What do you think? Does it work? It makes me think of an ad or some sort of picture frame, you know the main image with two smaller similar images to the side. I was going to add ribbon but I couldn't find a place to put it! Enjoy Ladies!

Christmas Friend Swap

Well, I hosted a Christmas Friend Swap and I want to share with you all of the goodies that were created! So here are two pictures from the two groups that are completed. The rules were that you had to make or alter something using stamps that were not SU!, as you can tell from the images lots of PaperTrey and Bellas were used, but everything is wonderful.

The first picture is of all the goodies from the first group and the second picture is from the third group. I am waiting on the arrival of my angel for the second group but I will be posted those images as well. I loved what everyone sent in, we have a nice variety I think. Altered tins, notebooks, boxes, books, and candy! Hope you like these pictures. I still have to make some cards with my PP boxes, when I do I will post again!

AHHH!

Have you ever had one of those days where you just wanted to scream? Today was one of those days, I typically don't complain about things....but I just have to vent a little, so I apologize in advance.

So today I was asked to meet with my two managers at work. We went into a conference room where they told me that they feel I have been cutting my hours bit by bit and I am 'stealing' from the company. I was SHOCKED! We have flex time at my work so we are allowed to come in until 9am and stay late to make up my time. I am typically at work by 8:45 and I rightfully stay until 6:15 pm instead of my 6:00 pm (we work 8:30-6 four days a week and get out at 2:15 on Friday). I think maybe three times I have come in at 9am and stayed until 6:30, but apparently people have been noticing that I am not making up time when I am! There are days when I stay until 6:30 and I have come in at 8:30 (happened yesterday in fact!) so I honestly don't know where it was coming from, and I am still a bit pissed about it. I watch people do nothing in the office for hours while I work, but I miss 10 minutes of making up time and I get pulled into a meeting! OMG! There are more double standards than anything else where I am and I want to just leave, but I can't. It is my first job out of college and leaving after about 5 months would look horrible on my resume. I know I can't stay forever, but I thought things would get better. People have rubber band wars and chat at others peoples desks forever but they call me away from work that I am doing (which by the way I am the fastest and most efficient on my team) to tell me I need to make up more time......AHHHHHH!!


Okay, now that I got that out.....I got happy mail today which I greatly needed! My Gina K. stamps and the My Favorite Things stamp set I won arrived. I now have 'Time for the Bubbly' from MFT as well as 'Got Snow?', 'Punchy Words', 'Sandy Claws', and 'My Tailgate or Yours'. I hope to stamp soon....but I have more drawings to do for my Dad. So back to Auto CAD for me! Oh and all the pink rubber came from Gina K. as well, they were part of my goodie bag!

Mini's On a Mission

It came today! The elusive Paper Pretties box with the My Favorite Things Think Pink set and all sorts of goodies! Here a picture of the contents....whats not to love! There are 8 different pink papers, three different pink ribbons, brads, plastic flowers, buttons, glitter, and a Ribbon punch! So what do you think? Was the extra Limited Edition Box worth it? I think it was....I love it all, unfortunately I can not stamp tonight as I have a million things to do, but I will be thinking about the possibilities this box will allow me to create when I sit down to do so!

Wish RAK Card Contest

I am an active member of Wish RAK on SCS. Not only do I send wishes whenever I get the chance but I am also on the Mentor Committee where we offer help to any new comers to Wish RAK. So this weekend I caught up on what has been happening and I wandered upon the November Card Contest. I thought I should share the two cards I created for the challenge so far. I have one more category to create a card from. Enjoy Ladies!

The first category was to create a card using fall colors of brown and yellow/gold plus a third color of your choice. I picked green as my color of choice and created this 'Hopping Happy' card from one of the Penny Black animal images I received in the mail this week from a fellow Wish RAKer.

This adorable Bella card features an image of Snowbunnyabella I received through Wish RAK, this category was a sketch challenge, it was rotated to the right to be a short card, but I just had to use this image and create a tall card instead. The cute little snowflake brad was something I received from KelliJo in a monthly Supply swap I am signed up for....I love this look!

More Fun Things!

After I posted about the MFT release party the Gina K. Designs party began, and thus another challenge! Not only was there lots of chatting, sneak peeks, and a great sketch challenge there was also an opportunity for a free grab bag guaranteed to have at least 10 stamps! Then Gina revealed the free stamp set of the month with your purchase of three stamp sets as well as her new website and the other new stamp sets revealed for November 1st. I had a great time, these stamp sets are wonderful, in fact all the newly released stamps are making me broke, but I am loving every minute about it! So here is my entry to the fun sketch challenge using my Make A Wish set.
So I did what is to be expected....I ordered three MFT sets and three Gina K. Design sets. SO what if I can't buy everyone Christmas presents I will have stamps to keep me company, so who needs friends...LOL! Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!

MFT November Stamp Release Party!

Ladies....if you haven't checked it out yet make sure to stop by the Members Companies area of SCS, it has some wonderful companies, one of them being My Favorite Things! Well tonight they are having a party for the release of three new sets (one which can be seen below...I love PaperPretties!). At the party there are a few challenges, this one is all about making a box...so to continue in making boxes here is my entry! I used the You Take the Cake set, one of my personal favorites!
EDIT: Ladies! Guess what?! It turns out that the challenge had a prize, and being that I was the first to post my box, I won a free stamp set! I choose the MFT Time for the Bubbly set, which is a super cute set that I have been eyeing for some time now. Thank you Kim for the wonderful party, designs, stamps, and the opportunity to win some wonderful goodies!

Paper Pretties Boxes!

Ladies, today I received my Bella and My Favorite Things boxes from Paper Pretties! I love when these packages arrive, I never know what will be inside, but I am always thrilled. As always I took a picture of each boxes contents and I made up the sample each box was put together to create. I will make my own sample with my own design some time this week, but in the mean time enjoy the contents and the supplied sample. Thanks again Christie! I just love these boxes!The paper that came in my Bella box is so pretty and wonderful, it is all from Crete Paper and I think I may need to but a few more sheets of this stuff! The paper is very elegant and the colors are lovely, plus the card design is too cute! This months box also came with some Bella Baubles....LOVE them!
I love this new MFT stamp set! This set is called "By the Seashore" and it will be released to everyone on the 1st of November, which is one of the perks to ordering a PaperPretties MFT box, you get sets before they are released! Remember, you have until the 31st to sign up for a PaperPretties box without paying the membership fee. Just let Christie know that Jackie R sent you!

Bouncing Brayer

After seeing the PaperPretties gals trying out this technique, so I decided to try it out as well. I dug through my ready to be inked stamps to find this Ollie and Olivia stamp. I thought it looked like a good sunset picture of the two of them. Hope you gals like, it think I will be trying this technique again it was a lot of fun!

Peek-A-Boo Boxes

I saw these boxes on a few blogs recently and I just had to join in the fun on making some of these adorable boxes. So I decided to make a set of them for the Christmas Friend Swap I am hosting. This set of goodies is going to Group #2, you are some lucky ladies! I used paper from the Glitter Christmas Stack I got last weekend at A.C.Moore, as well as some Brilliant Blue paper for the backing on the Winobella image. Inside each of these boxes you will find mints, and not just any mints, but my two favorite mints! Each box comes with Andes chocolate mints as well as some Life-Saver Wint O Green mints....yummy! Hope you enjoy these....off to try a new technique using a brayer I saw on the PaperPretties Designer Blogs!

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. So....Christie from PaperPretties tagged me....how rude! To be honest Christie is a great person with a wonderful company, if you have yet to do so make sure to check it out, PaperPretties. In fact if you sign up from now until October 31st your membership fee ($7.50) will be waived for Happy Halloween Hoorah!

2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself (on your blog, we all want to know them).

This should be interesting....

1. Not only do I still work for my town library but I am an AVID reader. I would say I read about 3 or 4 books a week, unless of course I have a free weekend, then its no stopping me!

2. I collect anything with Roses! I have feather, shell, glass, wood, clay, stone, leather and even apple roses in all different colors, shapes and sizes.

3. I am a neat freak! Everything has to be just so, in fact if I have too many things to do I can not clean anything. Either it stays as it is or I spend hours, sometimes days organizing everything.

4. I eat chips in size and shape order. If I pour myself chips I eat all the pieces and then the whole chips....I don't know why I do such odd things, but I do.

5. I make graphics for various things, right now most of my graphics are for a Harry Potter website I moderate.

6. Which brings me to my next random thing.....I am a volunteer at a Harry Potter website. It is similar to SCS in that people go to chat about all different types of things and I was asked about a year ago to join the staff, I accepted and now I come up with ideas and graphics for the site.

7. Ummmm.....I play Bingo! That's right....I am 23 years old and I play Bingo at the local church every now and then. I love the chance to win something, of course I never do, but the fact is that I can win!

And last but not least: tag more people! The lucky ladies are:

Jody

Heidi

Angie

Lori

Janet

Heidi

Tammy

Sorry ladies!

Busy Bee....

I have been busy altering all sorts of goodies! So I thought I would share them with all of you the first goodie is an altered mason jar that my Demo designed. My favorite part of this jar is how genius it is! Using a mason jar is a great idea for a candy jar, you can unscrew the cap and remove the insert allowing for everyone to enjoy the candy. I will be adding candy corn to this jar for work next week, they're going to love it!Next up.....something I altered for this months Wish RAK swap. This round it is called a THANKFUL exchange with a wonderful fall theme. The tin is from one of the Prima tins I purchased this past summer inside there are all sorts of goodies for my THANKFUL friend. of course I can not reveal who this tin full of fall delights will be going to, but it is just so cute I had to share!Last but not least, my first attempt at One Sheet Wonders using the PaperTrey Believe set. Using four SU! colors plus Basic Black I created several sheets of decorative paper to create these adorable goodie cones....or at least that is what I am calling them. Inside there is chocolates which are tied up with some red grosgrain ribbon and then adorned with a scalloped oval and the sentiment 'Believe'. So let me know what you think about my recent altered goodies....there will be more to come. I have plans for my two other Christmas Friend Swap groups, which I will also be posting soon. So come back soon!

Enjoy

So two Friday's ago I had my K.I.T. Club meeting and we made two cards and a project. Here is one of the cards, which uses a set that will be coming out in the new SU! Catty as well as the gold elastic cord, which is actually a lot nicer than I thought it would be. We used a technique where we emboss and then de-emboss to create the layered effect that you see. I love this card! It is just so much fun, so I had to share, although I did not design the card, I did create it. Enjoy!

Tomorrow I should be posting one of the projects I created for my Christmas Friend Swap on SCS. One of the projects are done, but I need to put some finishing touches on it...I used the PaperTrey Believe set on this project and I can't decide which stamp company and set will be next! Make sure to stop by tomorrow evening!

Sorry that my posting has become sporadic, I’ve been running around doing all sorts of non-stamp related things. Friday night I ventured into New York City to meet one of the ladies who attended the UK trip I went on this summer. Her daughter had won tickets to the JKR reading and book signing on Friday night at Carnegie Hall. I unfortunately did not win tickets, but I did meet up with Joyce and her daughter Kim for dinner and after the event drinks at a place called Ava Lounge. The entire evening was a blast, it was nice to see Joyce again, plus I got along wonderfully with Kim who is only a few years older then me.

Saturday I spent the day recovering from all the NYC walking and shopping! My boyfriends 25th birthday was Saturday so I picked up some fishing things that he love plus the new Transformers movie. When I got to his house he had a bouquet of white roses waiting for me! Apparently Saturday was something called ‘Sweetest Day’ so he got me roses, plus he got his Mom a cute plant and a bouquet of wild flowers for his Grandma. Is he the best or what!

I haven't created any cards recently, but I thought I would update you on how things are going for me behind the scenes. Hope to post some cards soon!

At the Cafe

So today I decided to break in my new MFT 'Meet Me at the Cafe' stamp set and I just love it! I only own 6 Copic markers and I put them to good use on this card, in fact I used all of the Copics I own. I am still learning how to use these markers and I created the shading effects by using layers of colors from the markers I already own. I cut out the ladies and matted it on a piece of SU! DP, then I went back and drew the lines that the set includes free handed, I think it works. Then I used the PaperTrey white CS and the cute little 'Oh La La' sentiment....Love it! I can't wait to play with the other two sets I received with this one, they are just all wonderful stamps to use.

Friends Forever

Well, it turns out that Nichole picked a card for the WCMD Card Contest that I never shared with you! Out of the 16 cards I created she picked one of my cards from what I thought the hardest digital kit to create with was. Don’t get me wrong I loved all three sets and I had a blast making these cards, but the Bloom set was the hardest for me to create something that I felt was good enough. If you roamed through the PaperTrey gallery you will see what I mean! The entries were amazing and the styles used throughout all the cards and projects were noteworthy to say the least, I would not have wanted to pick only a few winning cards from all the creations! So without further ado the card that Nichole would like a tutorial on (LOL)…
I love how the layering comes through on this card. I am a huge fan or drop shadows on any graphics I create so I used the same method to these digital cards, out of the 16 I think only three or four did not include drop shadows below the image.

I started with the two background graphics, split the card at about 60% and 40%. I then added the leaf ‘ribbon’ as I thought of it to the divide between the patterns, allowing for each pattern to stand out on its own. I just kept adding the small leaves to complete a full line across the card. I then added the ‘Friends Forever’ sentiment circle over the entire thing, making sure to leave some of it overlapping the ‘ribbon’ I created. But I wasn’t done yet! The card was wonderful as it was, but it needed something else to make it pop. I added a drop shadow to the sentiment and the leaf ‘ribbon’. I loved the look, but it needed something else still so I embossed the ribbon a bit allowing it to stand out and really have a defined ribbon like quality. I hope you enjoy the card…I plan on posted the step by step graphics to this to let you see what I mean. Have a great day all!

Guess What!?!

It turns out that I was one of the lucky ones last night. I won the WCMD challenge from PaperTrey! One of the cards I created for the contest was chosen as one of the six winners. I am thrilled to say the least...I mean little o' me won something! I honestly was so excited that I couldn't fall asleep last night, I was just too thrilled.

The reaction from my SCS friends, the Paper Pretties ladies and my online friends have been amazing! I still can not believe the reaction. I have received PMs, e-mails and congratulations postings all over.


Thank you to each and every one of you wonderful ladies who have sent your kind words, especially to Nichole for choosing one of my cards to win some wonderful PaperTrey sets. I stayed up last night expecting to purchase two wonderful sets and some tins and now I only have the tins to purchase! I promise to share any cards I create with these sets once they arrive :)
These are the notebooks I created for a Penny Black and Bella notebook swap on Splitcoast Stampers. I can't wait to see what the other wonderful ladies created, altering things is always a blast! Well, that is all for now. Once I know which card was selected I will post the news and the card here for all to see!

Hello All

Sorry I haven't posted since Thursday. I've been buys making graphics for the HP website I am a part of plus I've been wading through all this mail! I am currently running three swaps (I added one on SCS tonight) and everything is starting to come in. In fact I received a wonderfully altered notebook and purse box from Molly who is a doll! She picked me for her friend for the friendship swap! Included in the altered purse box was the a wonderful Fella! That's right....Grillafella arrived at my home. I can't wait to use him, in fact he is now mounted but I haven't used him yet, don't worry something to come soon!

I did make one more wonderful card from the Believe PaperTrey set before sending out that massive box for the Paper Pretties Card Swap and in celebration of their new stamp set releases tonight I decided to share it with you! Hope you like it. No the wreath did not come with the set but a small spring of leaves and berries do so I created the wreath! I love it! Hope you enjoy it too.

Also Paper Pretties has introduced TWO new monthly clubs! The Copics Color Club and the Nestabilities Now Club. Talk about great ideas! Both the Copic markers and the Nestabilities N are expensive so Christie has come up with a way to get them all in an inexpensive way. You will receive 6 markers a month or one set of dies a month, depending on which class you sign up for. If you decide to join please remember to tell her that Jackie Rakoski sent you!

Veggie Bella

Today I received some wonderful goodies from my GF on SCS Kelli. I joined a monthly swap where we send each other a specific type of items for a particular month. This month its all about brads and eyelets and man did I get some brads and eyelets! I received 3 containers with four types of eyelets each, plus XL brads from Heidi Swapp, and a flower shaped container of winter shaped brads. Love it all! I had to use at least one item tonight so I pulled up my Paper Pretties Yahoo Group Weekly Challenge and got stamping. I love how well this XL brad works with the entire card. Thank you very much Kelli! I can't wait for November!

The problem I have been having with my Veggiebella is that I am coloring her in all wrong. So I ordered some Copic markers over at eclecticpaperi with some of the Glimmer Mist so I used both on this card as well as the wonderful sentiment from StampingBella 'you grow girl'. I mean whats not to love!

World Card Making Day!

This is late.....so late! Well I mentioned that I went to my Demo's for a WCMD celebration but I didn't share any of the cards we made. She had 8 different cards set up in four baskets. Each basket had two different cards, one Birthday and one Holiday per basket. Now the best part of these cards were that the used the same supplies, paper, and colors to create two very different cards. I loved the idea, plus since I told her early that I was coming I got to make two additional cards for free! I choose to make two cards from some old cards she had demoed for a stamping stack earlier this month. I sent many of the cards I made to the PP card swap and one out to my DSS, so here are the ones I have yet to use. These are all made with two colors being Bashful Blue and Bravo Burgundy and all SU! supplies. Enjoy....

Here is the additional card I made, it was so simple! I rolled the Jumbo Wheel over some Versamark and embossed the image with Black embossing powder. This card uses one of the In Colors and I love it! I would never have thought to use Groovy Guava as a Halloween card.

Digi Cards

So, I haven't been posting but that doesn't mean I haven't been making things over here. The above are a bunch of both 'handmade' and 'digital' cards I have created for the PaperTrey challenge. On the 15th the new release of at least 3 new stamps sets will be revealed and I will waiting and watching. Enjoy the card creations and look forward to my new MFT cards and when they arrive some cards from the new Hanna Stamps set that came out last weekend. I am loving all the new stamp companies I am trying out, it makes stamping a blast. As you may have noticed I do not only use SU! although I own MANY SU! sets and supplies I discovered all the other companies out there and I am trying them out deciding what works for me and what doesn't. So far I am loving acrylic stamps but I will always love my rubbah! Have a great night all.

Digi Kits

Well.....PaperTrey has partnered up with Paper Crafts to bring a few free digital kits. I have never attempted to make a card this way, but I thought I would give it a try so here is what I created so far with the first set, Snowflake Serenity. Enjoy....I am loving WCMD....all sorts of sales and events, how can anyone not love this community!

There is another set available now and one is being posted tomorrow. I promise to share any other creations I come up with!

More Cards!

Well, since the due date is soon the Christmas cards will be starting to slow down. I am going to a WCMD event that my Demo is hosting this weekend where she has designed 8 different cards and I know that 4 of the 8 are Holiday cards. Today I only used my PaperTrey sets, the new sets are just so much fun! Plus today was another great mail day. I received the brads I ordered through Heidi (pinkhedgehog @ SCS), her bog link is on the side, these brads are great! I also received the new My Favorite Things stamps that I ordered on Monday. I can't believe they already arrived! I hope to try the sets out when I get a chance, they are so great!A super simple elf card, just lots of layers but cute anyway.I love this set! PaperTrey did an excellent designing this set. I also love blue as a holiday card, so serene.Another layout with this super set. There are so many options for what you can do with the 'Take a Bough' set, all different pieces to create specialized ornaments. Wonderful!
I think that this card is my favorite of all the cards I have created. I dug out my Blitzen DP and I love it! If you look really close you can see little reindeer in this decorative paper. Love it!

Just a few....and News!

You know how I told you I won a challenge from the Bellaholics weekend, well my prize has arrived! Em sent me a Bella Bindah plus inserts for it! My Bellas are loving the new house, it is the best! I honestly don't know why I didn't buy one for myself earlier. LOVE it!


Now its time for some new Christmas cards, these are due soon so I will be sending (I hope 40) cards for the Paper Pretties charity card drive. These 5 bring my current total to 36, so I know at least 36 card will soon be postal!Isn't this elf adorable, I love the style of this set.This card is classy, I used my Brilliance Inks and the 'Tough Branch' set from PaperTrey. Doesn't this card just work well together!Another example with these cute elves! Plus the fun background paper!I don't know what happened to this card. I started with a nice stamped scene of ornaments and silver and it ended up sort of puzzle like. So let me know what you think about this one, I'm a bit unsure about it really.

I really like this card, I think the colors work and the silver is a great touch. I really love the new PaperTrey sets!