Where Are They Now? Linsey Rickett

I wanted to take some time today to focus on my very first contest winner EVER, Linsey Rickett! You all know Linsey, right?? One year ago she made a so very hippy lamp that got my attention, she'd only been stamping a couple months at the time, and then just began designing left and right for just about everyoen out there! I am just so proud of ehr!
Alas, she has no camera right now to share one of her marvelous creations(and I believe this story because she hasn't posted any pics on her blog in awhile LOL!!) ;), so I had to go lift a couple of my fave projects of hers with my sets to share here today(had a lot of great samples to choose from!, it all worked out!!! :) They are from several months back so this may be your first time to see them, if I not, I knwo you'll enjoy them just as much this second time around!

HUNDREDS of you have been asking for an "animal fix", so here are some until I can get some new ones done tonight! Thanks Linsey!!

Here is a little more about her:

Linsey's favorite:
Technique: embossing
Colors/color combo: pink, chocolate, red & white
Type of project to make that’s not a card?: treat holders!
Gina K set by Melanie: not fair! Impossible to answer because I adore and obsess over EVERY ONE!
Gina K sets (from any illustrator): Again, I love them all so very much, it's impossible to choose! Rupa, Asela, Gina, Alicia, Carolyn and Melanie each have such very special styles and that's what makes Gina K. Designs so tremendously awesome!!
Craft supplies I can’t live without: Copics!, stickles, K and Co. self-adhesive rhinestones, all my inks! {{Oh I wuv them so}}, Scor-Pal, Ribbon
I've been stamping for (how long): 15 months
I get my inspiration from: my inspiration comes from endless people and places! Splitcoast ofcourse! and PaperCraft Planet--not to mention the countless blogs I visit daily of this amazing community of artists, illustrators and crafters!
The most important things I’ve learned about stamping/cardmaking/scrapbooking are: that some of the most wonderfully divine people in the world are stampers, cardmakers and scrapbookers! I would never have developed the awesome friendships that I have over the past 15 months had it not been for this hobby. It has truly enriched my life and I am so grateful for it all
Some of my stamping/crafting goals are: to continue to grow as an artist, perhaps try my hand at illustrating (totally dreaming there, I know!)--build on the wonderful friendships that I've been blessed to have through stamping--work hard for the design teams I am on and try to make them and myself proud each day :)
Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments are: The friendships I've developed are truly what I consider to be my best accomplishments :) I would never have had the courage to apply for design teams, enter contests, submit for publishing or create a blog had it not been for the constant support and encouragement of others! I have been Past Guest Designer for Gina K. Designs,Guest Instructor for Scor-Pal,January 2009 Ambassador for My Favorite Things, and am currently designing for: Clear Artistic Stamps, Clear Dollar Stamps and Unity Stamp Co.Publishings: Vamp Stamp News. Thank you! I'm so blessed! :)

Please scroll down to this post if you have not yet left a comment for the Copic giveaway,you won't want to miss this tutorial and the prize is open to everyone who subscribes or reads my blog through Google or another reader, it only take a minute to sign up just go ot my sidevbar and schoose yyour preferred method, so go do it now, before you forget! :)

Winner of the 'Hand-in-Hand" set from yesterday will be announced later this evening! It was just wonderful reading all your stories, thank so much for sharing them with me! I still need to post my contest I mentioned, soon, I promise!!!

Scor-mar and Scor-tape winner!

The winner of the Scor-Mat and three rolls of Sccor-tape is....

justmyopinion12 said...
Beautiful card! I love my Scor-pal and appreciate any suggestions for how it makes our stampers fun easier! Thanks for the chance to win!
January 4, 2009 2:35 PM

Thanks everyone for playing! more gvieaways and prize winners announed tomorrow!

Where are They Now? Cathy Tidwell

Today I am sharing a gorgeous "A Year of Flowers" sample from Cathy Tidwell, my guest designer the month I released "Little Tees"! Her coloring is so amazing, her husband actaully took one of her paper roses for the real thing! (true story)

She sent this beautfiul sample to share with you today, inspired by a cake.... I don't know whether i'd want to eat that cake or save it, too pretty, but so yummy-looking!!!

Here's a little more about Cathy:

Favorite:
Technique--I don't really have an absolute favorite, I like trying new ones all the time!
Colors/color combo--anything BRIGHT!
Type of project to make that’s not a card? I love to alter wood, just haven't been brave enough to show any I have done yet, lol!
Gina K set by Melanie--this is so very hard to answer...but I guess Ill go with Little Tees! Since that was my guest designer spot. That set has sooo many possibilities! And even more so now with the additional coordinating sets.
Gina K sets (from any illustrator)--Ugh! Another very hard one...Well, Cammie's Whimsical Autumn, and Asela's Flowers for Daisy...I cant count..haha!

Craft supplies I can’t live without--Besides the basic stuff, I guess I'd have to say my Cuttlebug.
I've been stamping for (how long)--Almost a year now.
I get my inspiration from--Challenges, other oh so talented stampers, nature....
The most important things I’ve learned about stamping/cardmaking/scrapbooking are--Don't sweat the small stuff!
Some of my stamping/crafting goals are--To be on a permanent design team of a stamp company I love! AND to get published again.
Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments are--I have had a few guest DT spots that I have thoroughly enjoyed! I recently received notice for one of my cards to be published, first one!

The drawing for the "Hand-in-Hand set is still open, please scroll down to enter here and don't forget about my sentiments challenge, there is still time to enter and maybe win my January new release! Dreate a project that features a sentiment in some way. How would you show it off? It could be fancy or simple, but something that makes "a statement with your statement" LOL! Please upload you project to SCS or PCP with the keyword GKDMB1 (linking it here would be helpful, too if you can!) by Tuesday January 7th, 9 PM CST, I will pick a winning project and the winner will receive a guest designing spot next month and my January release, coming soon (you will LOVE it!!) I would love for you to use one of my stamps if you can, but if not, please play along anyway!

Next blog hop and prize is just a few hours away, I will be back soon to announce the Scor-Pal prize pack winner!

Hand-in-Hand Gift Set

Someone I have really enjoyed getting to know through blogging is Lee Murphy, she has left over 200 comments on my blog this past year!! : O A couple months ago, she sent me some beautiful earrings she made with Polyshrink and my "A Year of Flowers" daisy (she punched them out with scalloped Nestabilities, they just turned out fabulous!) ,and altered an Altoid tin with my "What's In your Tin? 1" set to store them. I love wearing them and get compliments on them all the time, thank you again Lee! (Sorry I don't have pics of them on this computer, will have to take some more to show later!) I've been meaning to send her a little something back, so today's project uses the same tin set and "Hand-in-Hand". ..

I thought it would be really cool to stamp the hand image onto a large shell or stone type pendant, they are so popular right now! I found a 2 inch heart that came with three smaller ones at Jo-ann's, I believe they're made from abalone?, the set and shape seemed just perfect for earrings and a necklace. I wanted to make a tin for them too , so I stamped out some of my label images from "What's in Your Tin?1" on this blue Basic Grey Cupcake sheet to make cutoms tin borders and trimmed them out to cover the top , bottom and inside of my tin, these make it SO easy ot alter a tin! (Kind of a surprise to find this vintage looking pattern in this mostly fun and funky pack, but I really liked the shade and thought the brownish gold distessing marks running through the print were a really nice match for the striations (I don't know what else to call them really? LOL!) in the shell!) I added "Treasures" from the tin set to the bottom and her name above with my Just Rite rectangular stamper and Times New Roman Alphabet, thank you, Donna, for gifting me with that!! :D I stamped the word "Friends" from Hand-in Hand" in Staz-On to the front of my pendant ...

and the hands reaching out to each other the back! TIP: I found it was easier to leave the stamp unmounted and press it to my pendant becuase of its curved surface. You can get a couple tries with this, even with a permanent ink if you have Ultra Clean-thank goodness for this stuff, it allows you to try again if you're not completely satisfied! I really like this reversible design because you can wear it either way, whatever suits your mood, and whatever's not showing, is against your heart, like a little secret just for you. :). :) I also love how the lines of the hands seem to echo the marbling swirls through the shell! I also added a little heart charm from Jo-ann's just to bling it up a little and add more interest. All I had to do was add jump rings and inexpensive fishhooks and chain to complete the set! (I'd totally wear this, I think she will, too!) :)

Here is the inside of the tin. Rather than covering the inside of the lid with DP, I decided to add my "Hand-in-Hand" quote "A friend is a hand always holding your, no matter how close or far apart you may be." directly to the metal , I'm glad I covered the portions I did, but I really like the effect, kind of like looking into a mirror at a positive mantra, KWIM?! :) TIP: You'll need a smaller block than the lid to stamp into this recessed area.

I don't know we will ever "meet", but I'm so glad to have met Lee, among countless others through blogging this past year! :) Now please tell ME below about someone who reached out to you in the past year or how you maybe reached out to someone and now have a GREAT friend to show for it! I will draw one name at random tomorrow night, that person will win my new "Hand-in-Hand" set! (Already have it?? You know what to do: pass it on!) I think you're really going to want this set when you read my upcoming post, I have a very special contest planned with it! :) Looking forward to reading your stories!

Today's blog hop, oh my!! We have Barb, Donna, Lee, Theresa, Kim, Jessica, Jessie, Lori, Erika, Emily, Pam, and , Carolina ! let's go see!

We've Got Pop Tones Paper ...

...from Paper Temptress for the following people:

Kathy Kelsheimer said...
I'm one of those who couldn't seem to follow directions. I got so excited about all of the colors that I forgot to list my favorite. How 'bout the berrylicious (spelling?) They are all great! Thanks for the introduction, Melanie!
January 3, 2009 9:36 PM

Julie.G said...
Great tutorial on your card. My favorite color is the Berrylicious. I love all of the colors tho, very warm feeling.
January 4, 2009 1:40 AM

Teresa H. said...
Wow - the Berrylicious and Hot Fudge colors are going to be stunning together! May have to go check out that website! Thanks for sharing it!
January 4, 2009 7:02 AM

Congrats ladies! Please send me your addys and I will get your info to Patricia right away! You are going to LOVE these assorted packs that will give you a sampling of every Pop Tone Shade!

Thank you everyone for playing, it was fun reading everyone's favorites, definitely some of my faves were yours! :) Remember, Pop Tones are on sale through the month of January, and Patricia just made some price adjustments for 2009, go check it out and pick out a sampler for yourself or your favorite shade, know you want to! More samples and pics using these colors and comparions, plus Copic matches* coming soon!

Next giveaway starts at midnight! Today's giveaway is still open, enter if you have not already here, winner announced tomorrow, that person will be the proud of Scor-Mat and Scor-tape!!

Where are They Now? Jessie Rone

Today's fabulous sample is from my "Dirty Girl" friend, Jessie! I was lucky enought to meet here this summer a few motnhs after she started checking out my blog and entering my contests (at the time she wasn't on any teams at the time, an you believe?!), I am just so awe in her stuff, and so proud of all the she has accomplished this past eyar, when you scroll down you'll just be amazed at what she's been up to the past several months!


She combined two of my sets today: "Hip Hop Accessories" and "Little Tees", is that not the cutest to put a little kangaroo on a prego shirt with "baby on board"??(this greeting is also from the Little Tees set) I love it!! DP is Basic Grey Sugared. I posed the same questions to her today that I started asking all my guest designers after her term, here's some stuff you need to know!;)


favorite:
Technique:coloring-LOVE IT!!
Colors/color combo-right now Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss and Cameo Coral
Type of project to make thatʼs not a card?-I don't but when forced to choose, I do like stamping on candles.
Gina K set by Melanie-hmm, all of them???!!! LOVE the Year of Flowers set
Gina K sets (from any illustrator) Year of Flowers
Craft supplies I canʼt live without: Brads, ribbon, spiral clips, and my markers!!
I've been stamping for (how long) 6yrs..yikes!!
I get my inspiration from other stampers!!
The most important things Iʼve learned about stamping/cardmaking/scrapbooking are to find your own style and stick with it, trying to be something you are not makes for no mojo and no love for your cards. At least for me...


Some of my stamping/crafting goals are I would love to get published, and I am in love with several different stamps companies, so some more guest designer spots would be awesome!!


Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments are SCS Dirty Dozen member, Paper Pretties DT coordinator, designer for My Favorite Things, Whipper Snapper Featured Designer, There She Goes Guest Designer, and of course Melanie Muenchinger's very first guest designer!! I was also SCS Featured Stamper number 80 and Jen's Sketch For You to Try Sampler!

See?? good things happen to those who enter my contests! ;)

Thank you, Jessie! (Did you see her wrestling card with Hand-in-Hand earlier today?? eek!!) :)
Maybe leave her some love here telling your favorite projects of hers that she created!

Be sure to scroll down for today's tuorial and prize giveaway, leave a comment about what tutorials you'd like tp see for a chance to win! :) Prizes from yesterday's Paper Temptress giveaway will be announced later this evening!

Hope you're having a great Sunday! Thanks for all the love you're showering on my roses! :)

Raindrops on Roses...(candy alert!)

Diana Crick of Scor-Pal is another great lady I have met in the crafting industry this past year. Not just a business owner, but a fabulous stamper, be sure to check out her card using the Scor-Pal in Cardmaker, on the newsstands right now!! She really inspires me with her products to really go big and think outside the box ("hmm, what can I score today?" LOL!) For my blogaversary, she has graciously offered a Scor-Mat and three rolls of Scor-Tape to one lucky person, so be sure to leave a comment below!!

I didn't count them or anything, but I know from reading your comments you love "A Year of Flowers" and tutorials! So here is project using them that you'll need a good self-healing mat for(how convenient!), this card requires some cutting to allow your flowers to grow right out of the top of you card! Start with a 4 1/4" by 8 1/2". piece of Gina K Pure Luxury 120lb CS (this is important for coloring later since it's a single layer) Stamp your flowers over the middle of where you'll be scoring (4 1/4") but not higher than 5 1/2", so it will still fit into an A-2 envelope (see pic) Then score on either side of and in between the roses. You do not want a score line goingthrough your image! TIP: This is a great thing about scoring with a Scor-Pal rather than having a scoring blade in your cutter, that way is really difficult to see if you are getting right up the the image or not and trying to skip over, with Scor-Pal you simply lift your tool out of the track and start again on the other side. :)

Color with Copics(mainly Pea Green and Olive for the leaves and Coral and Peach for the blooms ( I haven't added my shadows yet in this pic) (BTW, The Copic Box giveaway is almost here!!!!) You can see I left one stem without a flower, because I'm going to cut one out minus a few petals to give it a different shape and attach with dimensionals to make the card more 3-D. I placed my card on the Scor-Mat and cut around the flowers parts only above the scored line with a hobby blade .

Now fold the card back, this is what the back will look like. (When you open the card the gaps fill in when the roses bend back and just looks like an opened square card) Do you see even a trace of bleed through from my coloring?? :) (nope!!) you've gotta get this cardstock!!

After attaching my third rose and adding shadows, I dropped on some Crystal Lacquer to give them a dewy "fresh from the garden" look.

Last I added a rose 5/8" grosgrain bow with a glue dot to the bottom. Really puts me in the mood for Valentine's day, how about you? :)

Please tell me below what techniques and tutorials YOU want to see on this blog in 2009! I will randomly draw a winner and announce it on Monday night, 1/5!

I've really been looking forward to these blog hops the last few days, haven't you? Today we have : Carolina , Barb, Donna, Jessica , Jessie, Julie , Lee, and ROSE Ann (hee!) :) A couple I got advance sneak peeks of, but the rest will be surprises to us both, let's go look!! (Details in just a bit about how YOU can be part of the blog hop!) :)

PS I'm half way through the week and only a quarter of the way through my sets LOL! I either need to double up my posts or we need to keep going a few more days, what do you think??

Did you Win?!

Here are the next few winners from Friday's giveaways!!

The winner if the BCDZYNs “And Then I Said” stamp set is:

Kristina G said...
Hi Melanie! I really like your tip sheets and your explanations on storing stamp sets and how stamps can be changed. For example, your explanation today on how to draw the line to create the wall and make the card dimensional. It seems obvious, but telling me that helps me think 3D rather than 2 dimensional. I find that your tips really help me see the variety of uses so that it helps me justify why I am getting yet another stamp set. Thanks for all that you share and happy blogaversary.
Congrats Kristina! Please email me your addy and I will send Kim your info!

The winner of the planner from Donna Baker is:
Laurie in MN said...
You and Donna should have fun working together.My stamping goal this year is to use new stamps right when I bring them home or get them in the mail, before I forget what my ideas were for the stamps.

Please email me your addy Laurie and Donna will send it to you!

It's not too late to enter for a pack of Patricia's Paper Temptress Popt Tones pack! Go to this post to leave a comment if you haven't already, after checking out all the colors and telling us your faves, there definitely seem to be some trends! ;)

A few hours til the next prize offering and chance to win is announced! See you soon!

Where Are They Now? Bee Burg!

Bee Burg, my readers' "favorite pick" the month of my "What's in your Tin?" contest, has been busy making..a BABY this year LOL! (and he is coming SOON, maybe today, so I thought I'd better hurry up and share LOL!!!! I have her addy if you want to send her a card!) ;) You can tell from today's project she's in "full nesting mode" and used images from my first THREE animals sets "Just So Hippy!", "Just So Hoppy", and "Hip Hop Accessories" to make these inspired closet dividers!!

Accck, it's so cute, I could eat em up!! (num num num) As you can see, this fabulous idea and design would be very easy to recreate with Classic and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities and a notch for the closet rod. You could change the colors and animals out to work for any nursery theme, I just love this! What a great project to gift a mom to be or her to make herself while she's "waiting", as a mom I know there's nothing like creating some special touches for your baby and his or her room to prepare for that most special of arrivals!!

Here's a little more about Bee:

Favorite technique: Paper dry embossing (I'm in love with my Cuttlebug folders ;-)) and I also love embossing with powder and my heatgun.
Favorite colors/color combo: I'm a rainbow kind of girl! The only color I don't like and use very rarely or in small touches is yellow. My favorite color is blue and I love pairing it with all kind of colors. Most of the time when I make a card or project it is with someone in mind so I get my color inspiration from the person or from the paper I feel like using that day, or the ribbon...
Favorite type of project to make that's not a card: Anything with my kids in mind, and maybe giftcards holders. Oh and those mini albums I have been making lately...:-)

Favorite Gina K set by Melanie: It's hard to say, but I would go with "Have a cookie" and "Hand-in-hand" even though I have neither of them (yet! ;-))...
Favorite Gina K sets (from any illustrator): Same as above! :-)
Craft supplies I can't live without: Well the basics: paper & cardstock, ribbons, stamps, coloring pencils and markers... for the "extras" I would say my Cuttlebug and the embossing folders and my Nestabilities... Of course Prima flowers and brads and...
I've been stamping for a little less than 1 1/2 year.
I get my inspiration from anything! But I am certainly influenced by all the crafty blogs I visit!.. ;-)
The most important things I've learned about stamping / cardmaking / scrapbooking are that's it's all about you! LOL! It's not about following rules or doing a perfect job or something that everyone will rave about, it's about having fun and expressing yourself! If in the process it makes someone else feel loved or appreciated then it's even better! :-D
I started papercrafting to have something just for me that I enjoy and that relaxes me. It is definitely liberating and rewarding. I had no clue I would "meet" (over the net ;-)) so many wonderful people in the process! ♥...
Some of my stamping/crafting goals are: Make my kids' photo albums (much catching up to do in that area, years!!!..). Scrapbook more. Make a recipe book for my daughter with traditional french recipes from my grandmother. Maybe one day (years from now!) design my own stamps? Who knows?...
Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments are: I still see myself as kind of a newbie in that field so my accomplishments are still ahead of me!... ;-)

Thank you Bee for blessing us with your project today, I am just so touched my stamps are a part of that little boy's room! And I know we all wish you the VERY , VERY best for yor delivery, praying that it's safe and speedy, and a healthy mom and baby! :) Keep us updated!

Be sure to scroll down and leave a comment on the post below if you have not already for the Paper Temptress prizes! Winner of the BCDZYNS set and winner of Donna's planner announced this evening!!

Tempting Sentiments & Paper! (AND a CHALLENGE!)

This giveaway is now closed. Check this post to see if you won! :)

I am thrilled to have Patricia from Paper Temptress involved today, she has generously offered THREE packs of paper, each valued at 19.99, so today we will have three winners, woo hoo!! The Pop Tones 2 cardstock pack is a sampling of all 24 of the Pop Tones colors (you get two of each!) and I'm totally diggin' on the mouthwatering names and shades. Here are some of my faves from this pack! (colors can be purchased individually too!)

I will be back later to show you in a separate post more color comparisons for you to help you get a better feel for these shades, but I will include some for today's sample! (AND, my new Copics arrived today so my Ciao collection is complete! (hip hip hurray!) I would like to do a color match of these with the Paper Temptress shades for you ASAP, I'll let you know when i'm done!)
Berrylicious is a dead ringer for one of my faves, the RETIRED Cool Caribbean!! (no need to hoard your stash anymore!) Snow Cone is a great alternative to the also RETIRED Soft Sky!! How many of you have both matching inks already, LOL!! ;)

The Tangy Orange is such a vivid red-orange. you cna see how much brighter it is than SU!'s rust. I had to throw the Ruby Red in the pic, because the brown of the rust had me thinking it was like ruby, until I put them together.. .nope! so much brighter! love it!

Gumdrop Green is almost a perfect match ot Su!'s retired Wild Wasabi... :) me like!!

Today's sample uses a quote from my "Say it With Flowers" greeting set. When I selected "When words escape, flowers speak", for this set (which I LOVE!!) I honestly was thinking more about those hard to write sympathy/loss cards. But as I wanted to work in some of these colors for today's sample, I realized there are many happy times too that you just can't say enough how much you mean what you're feeling! So I'm using it on a "fun" card for the first time, I love how exuberant it, turned out, says "happy HAPPY!" loud and clear!

All DP is Basic Grey Cupcake, I was able to find three great matches in these prints for my new Pop Tones papers! I also really wanted to use the Basic Grey Cupcake Glazed Brads I love but have been neglecting, so I poked those through a sateen flower and punched two more for flowers using an EK Success punch out of an ivory distressed print in the same Basic Grey pack. I framed up my quote first in a Square Nestabilitie and added the three flowers below with glue dots. Then I alternated scalloped and classic die cut layers of both DP and the Paper Temptress colors: Tangy Orange (love this fiery shade), Snow Cone ( so close to SU!'s retired Soft Sky (if you're having with withdrawal LOL!) and Gum Drop Green. Instead of using a whole 4 1/4" square, I cut it into 4 equal sections and staggered two so I could leave some white showing through (and I can save a little of that beautiful green paper for something else!) :) Gina K Pure Luxury White is my base.

I had some scrap leftovers so I decorated the inside of the card, too, shown here (It is really is such an extra treat for the recipient if you have the time to make the inside a work of heart, too!) but I want to suggest that this could be your simple version for the outside of a card! "forever grateful" is also from the "Say it With Flowers" set, you can cover almost any occasion with the individual words his set includes! This card has SO many more layers than I normally use, but this paper is 65lb, lighter than my colored SU! paper so you really don't feel how much paper you've added, won't add extra postage to my card, which I like! : )

TIP: To get my sentiment just right, I placed the embellishment I knew I wanted on top of my round acrylic block(you've gotta get these!), which was centered on top of my scalloped mat. I added my words above and below, removed the flower and stamped... ta da!! perfect. :) Then I added the inside flower with another gluedot.

This card has inspired today's challenge: create a project that features a sentiment in some way. How would you show it off? It could be fancy or simple, but something that makes "a statement with your statement" LOL! Please upload you project to SCS or PCP with the keyword GKDMB1 (linking it here would be helpful, too if you can!) by Tuesday January 7th, 9 PM CST, I will pick a winning project and the winner will receive a guest designing spot next month and my January release, coming soon (you will LOVE it!!) I would love for you to use one of my stamps if you can, but if not, please play along anyway! (I expect to have hundreds of projects to pick from , you hear?!) ;)

So who will win today's prizes?* Leave a comment here to enter, today I would like you to go through the Gina K Gallery on SCS and or Papercraft Planet(thanks so much for letting me know about all your faves on here, that is very helpful!) , and link a favorite creation you find that uses any of my stamp sets (or one from your very own blog!) so we all can see!! Check back for the winners tomorrow and more fun samples and FREE stuff! EDITED TO ADD: Okay, very few people are following the directions on this so far LOL!! I asked you to link a card using one of MY stamp sets in the comment section, most are not leaving a link or they are linking to a card that uses someone else's set, OR not even Gina K sets! (That's okay if you like it, but that's not the rules! Don't feel bad if you did, I will assume you haven't had your coffee yet;) ) Try this: check out the Pop Tone Colors and tell me which color or colors you like the best in this post!! (either answer will count as an entry, okay?)

After leaving your comment for the paper, here's today's blog hop (still can't believe how many of your favorite designers turned out for this (happy dance!!!)

Carolyn, Donna, Jessica, Lee, Michelle, Theresa, Carolina, Joanne , Jessie, and Gina K!! (check out THAT prize!!wow! My biggie (Copics!!)is coming up soon!!!) :)

*If you don't... guess what? Patricia has the PopTones on sale the entire month of January 25% off! :-O

PS There is another clue in this post for an upcoming sponsor...

PPS How do you like this "au naturale" backdrop for my cards? The way I've chosen to rearrange all my tools in my stamping space, I don't really have room to do my low-tech mock up of a photo tent(2 sheets of 12x12 white!) I'm kinda diggin it, you?

The First Blogaversary Winner!

The winner of day 1 of my blogaversary has been posted, see here, the first day's giveaway is now closed!

But of course, I'd still LOVE to hear about your blessings! I have been overwhelmed reading about all the new babies, but also the struggles with illness you and so many of your family members have faced, it made me count my family's blessings over! Praying for you and your loved one's continued healing, it was another blessing and inspiration to me to read how you all have so many blessings you choose to count in spite of focusing on your hardships!

There is still time to enter today's "And then I said" candy from Kim, be sure to leave a comment here if you haven't already, winner will be announced tomorrow! And speaking of tomorrow come back, I have: a product review, sample, blog hop, MULTIPLE prizes AND a challenge (that anyone could winand you have several days, so please play!) See you on the other side of midnight, just a few hours away!!! :)

Where Are They Now? Donna Baker

If there's one thing I've learned this past year (don't worry, I learned a lot more than that LOL!) it's to believe that anything that can happen. A neighbor recently reminded me on Christmas Day about my discovering at stamping my first SU! workshop ever 5 years ago, and calling her afterwards saying "THIS is what I'm supposed to do!" I meant just sit down and make cards, not make my own stamps, who'dve thunk it? LOL!

But more than that, I've found how the destinies of others can become entwined with our own in unexpected ways. Donna Baker (who later won my "Just So Hoppy" contest AND the tied with Bee for the fan favorite contest the next month with my tins!!) was the first friend I shared my secret I would be leaving SU! to design for Gina K. At that time she was demonstrating for SU! but not on any design teams (i wasn't either!) It was fun to share that new beginning with someone who loved stamping as I did, and as we both began testing the waters outside of SU! into "the big stamping world beyond" LOL! (Little did I know that just one year later, Donna and I would both be on Gina K's Design team together!) She really threw herself 110% into working with my stamps over the next year, and that really got her noticed by "the Big Lady"*, hee hee! Her story is one of passion and persistance, and I hope it inspires you today...make your dreams come true!

Here's a little more about Donna:
favorite:
Technique - Coloring (line art images)
Colors/color combo - Pinks, Chocolate brown
Type of project to make that’s not a card? Altered items & jewelry
Gina K set by Melanie: All of them! HA – All the Hip Hops
Gina K sets (from any illustrator) Take Flight (new one free with 3 by Gina K)
(I won’t put you on the spot and ask favorite stamp company, hee hee!) ;) I don’t mind answering this question at all; it is hard to say just one because I like to share my stamping LOVE with Gina K, Stamp a Sweet Impression, Starving Artistamps, My Favorite Things & Cornish Heritage Farms. SU! was my first stamping love but has taken a back seat to all these others – still hanging on by a thread!
Craft supplies I can’t live without: coloring mediums, Basic Grey paper pads & matching embellishments, cute stamps!

I've been stamping for about 6 years

I get my inspiration from a LOT of blogs I read (over 150), SCS & Melanie *wink*

The most important things I’ve learned about stamping/cardmaking/scrapbooking are to have fun & no matter what mistakes you make, they are usually fixable & a personal quote, “If it looks perfect it won’t look handmade”

Some of my stamping/crafting goals are to learn to solder & get published.

Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments began in March 2008. After winning Melanie’s Just so Hoppy contest in March, Gina K asked me to be guest designer for October and in September she asked me to be one of her Senior Designers. In June, Jessie Rone asked me to be guest prettie girl for Paper Pretties for 3 months, and during July, Tracey Berkey of Starving Artistamps welcomed me on her design team and Taylor VanBruggen asked me to be on her first rotating design team for her new stamps Stamp a Sweet Impression. I have grown so much during this year & I am grateful for the many friendships stamping has played a role in bringing into my life. It’s been such a blast & I know the meaning of the phrase “When it rains it pours” but in a good way!!

Donna has offered to send this beautiful handmade 2 year planner made with "A Year of Flowers" and "Say it With flowers" to one of you! Leave a comment here letting me know about one of your own crafting accomplishments or goals, we wanna hear (and then you have to go make it happen!) and I will announce the winner tomorrow :)! (Don't forget to leave scroll down and leave a comment on this mornings post for a chance to win "And Then I Said', winner announced tomorrow for that tomrrow as well! )

* Gina K , although no one would ever refer to her as "big" LOL!!

Laptop Pop Up!

This giveaway is now closed. Please enjoy anyway! :)

Good morning!! Note: today's post uses two sets I Did NOT design, but I just love how they go with the set I DID design, look! :)

Here's one of those "fabulous" (she must be, her shirt says so, right? courtesy of my set from November: "Tee Talk"! ) coiffed "ladies" (see "how to make a perfect ponytail" in an upcoming post!) The "fabulous" on the tee is embossed in silver, the shine and dimension look just like a real iron-on! The greeting "You've got mail" is from "Who's that e-girl?", another set I {heart} from My Favorite Things (today's sponsor!) Wonder what the message could be...?

I was so excited to make this pop up card, it turned out exactly the way I envisioned it! As you pull open the card, the "screen" lifts up and a big popped up button on the "keyboard" reads "Sending {{{Hugs}}}. ( Press repeatedly!!) :) The focal point I simply framed up on a piece of Black CS with extra below it. Cut down each side to leave an 1/8" border on either side and then cut down and out at an angle when I got to the end of image. I also scored a fold 1/8" down from the bottom of the screen and folded. Now the laptop looks like it's 3D and open, ready to power up!! Wouldn't it be great to have a gbig honking "Hugs" button on your laptop?
To make the "button", I stamped my sentiment on white CS and then punched a word window out of scratch paper, then moving the punch over and punching again to make it long enough to fit the whole greeting. I placed it over my stamped greeting and traced inside the punched out window with a black pen, and then shifted it down and traced just the bottom to make the "key" look dimensional. I colored it with my C-3 Copic, cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals.

That fabulous pieced couch is made from the Black Market Ebony and Alabaster pack! I colored the e-girl with Copics to make her match the girl on the front. I added line with my pen below her ankles to separate the "carpet" from the "wall".

If you've never made a pop up, it's very easy to do. Score a strip of CS at 1", 2", 3", and 4".(These measurements can be bigger or smaller depending on how far out or big you focal point is, just make sure they are the all equal measurements) Fold at scores and adhere the last little 1/4 piece to the end to make a little "cube". Put adhesive on three sides of it, and press it into the scored fold of your card with the side without adhesive facing UP. This way your cube will stick to the top and bottom of the inside of the card and the last sticky side will be out to press your pop up focal point against.

other deets: Sateen flowers are colored with Copics, adhered with glue dots and embellished with Self Adhesive rhinestones, my hands down favorite embellishment of the moment! This is one of those things I have to buy several of at once, to make sure I don't run out!

So today's prize is appropriately from Kim of My Favorite Things and BCDZYNs, she will send BCDZYNs "And Then I said" stamp set to one of you luckies!! (yeah, I know a LOT of you probably already have this set, but you can give it to your stamping BFF or PSF! They'll love you for it!) Be sure to leave a comment here for a chance to win it, today if you could spend a little time going through my archives and letting me know your favorite or some of my favorite projects I've shared here(unless you already know LOL!), it will really help me choosing what to share and how to make the blog the very best it can be this year for my readers! Then go leave Kim some love at her blog for helping a sistah out! :)

Now for a blog hop: can't wait to see what all these generous and talented ladies have whipped us for today!

Charmaine, Donna, Jessica, Lee, Michelle, Theresa, Joanne, Cathy, and Tammy who will all be using my sets in some form or fashion , thank you all!

The blogaversary bash continues, a new prize offering tomorrow, tonight an update on our winner from yesterday and another guest design spotlight...see you soon!!

PS there may be a clue in this post about an upcoming sponsor... ;)

Q&A with Guest Designer Allison!

Bet this made ya bounce!! ;) I squealed with delight when I saw how Ally modified the child hand image from my latest release "Hand-in-Hand" by omitting the parent hand to take hold instead of my lil bunny from "Just So Hoppy" (one of my favorite animals from my animal sets) The little butterflies she added over the hand iin hand sentiment provides just the right touch of whimsy, innocene and wonder. Great job, Ally, thinking out of the box again!! That's why you're my guets designer. Here's a little more about her:

Ally’s favorite:
Technique: I love just simply stamping and coloring my images the best. You can get some of the neatest effects with simply some ink and a few markers!

Colors/color combo: I think my favorite color scheme for cards is red and green with a touch of white. You know... simple but striking!

Type of project to make that’s not a card? I love to scrap 12x12 pages! I am an avid amateur photographer and just love displaying my photos surrounded with cool papers, glittery embellishments and lots of stamped images!

Gina K set by Melanie: I love all of Melanie's stamps but I think my all time favorite set is her "A Year in Flowers". There are so many floral images to pick from and so many flowers for different occasions, how can you not love this set!

Gina K sets (from any illustrator): I simply love the new "Winter Foliage" set by Gina K herself! I am originally from Ontario, Canada and just simply love the look of pine! This set can be used for almost every season!

Craft supplies I can’t live without: BasicGrey papers, my Scor-Pal, my Ranger Distress inks & black archieval inks and my Copic Sketch markers.
I've been stamping for about 2 years. I began scrapbooking 3.5 years ago and got really into stamping wanting to make Christmas cards to send to my friends in family. I am now an official stamp addict!!!
I get my inspiration from everywhere! I love to check out scrapbook magazines, scrapbook on-line galleries and personal stamper's blogs. Thank goodness for the internet!

The most important things I’ve learned about stamping/cardmaking/scrapbooking are that's it's okay not to be perfect. Sometimes your mistakes turn out to be great learning experiences and you can then pass along your new knowledge to other crafters!

Some of my crafting goals are to have one of my cards published! Yup... a simple goal. LOL!

Some of my stamping/crafting accomplishments are being published in numerous magazines; Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine, The Scrapbook Magazine (British publication) and Canadian Scrapbooker. I am also on a number of Canadian and American based design teams; weScrap (International Scrapbooking Association), A Page in Time Scrapbooking, Mon Ame Memories and The Scrapping Bug. I love creating sketches and I have my own sketch design blog called So Sketchy!. I am also the blog editor for the Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine and love working with Catherine and Kerry... my two sweet bosses!

Isn't she fabulous??!!!

Be sure to scroll down and leave a comment on the post below if you haven't already, and come back at midnight for the next installemnt of the PAR-TAY!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (and blogaversary to me!)

Today's blog candy contest is closed! The winner is:

Amy Johnson said... Happy New Year. I had a huge New Year's Day Party yesterday, so I wasn't able to get on-line till today. I love your frame of your son's name. I think your animal images are my favorite of yours. I just love them. My biggest blessing in 2008 was good health. I was sick for half of 2006 and all of 2007, so to be completely well in 2008 was such a blessing.

Congrats, Amy! Please email me your addy and stamp set pick, I will let Gina and she will ship it to you! :)

Let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year! Thanks for stopping by my blogaversary celebration and one year anniversary of illustrating for Gina K designs, I hope you'll spread the word about this week long celebration and goodies giveaway (the more the merrier!) and join me every day this week! This year I have been SO blessed, and I'm so happy to be able to share my love of this craft with you every day, and thankful you all keep coming back! YOU put me on the Stampin Top 50 map and I hope to say there and keep moving up in 22009! I have lots of exciting things planned for us and for the blog this year, some you'll hear about this week, can't wait! (Actually been completely distracted the past couple days putting finishing touches on sets coming out later this year you will LOVE, but more about those later!) ;)

My first post I'm sharing a simple project I made for my younger son for Christmas: his very own name frame. (Remember when these were really BIG a few years ago? are people still amkign them as much?) I grabbed several of these frames at the Dollar Spot awhile back and they have been a dream to have on hand whenever I need a quick personalized gift for someone. I dug out my old SU! Headline Alpha* and stamped his name in Brilliant Blue, Summer Sun and Real Red letters(he actually requested orange, green and purple but those colors are nowhere to be found in his train -themed room, so I had to exercise my executive veto power!:) The majority of my releases were animals sets the first half of 2008, and I'm sorry I haven't been playing with them as much the past few months, many of you have asked, so I'll have to do something about that! Many have also asked "when are you releasing more animals?" that's a good question! So many sets, only 12 months in the year!! we'll see...)

Instead of masking in the animals, I strategically placed some of the "skinnier" ones(sorry, hippo!) between the letters where they had room to fit and cut out the hippo to place in front of the name. These pint-sized animals from "Hip Hop Accessories", my 5th release, are the perfect scale for these letter and size frame. Adding a few little balloons (which I placed dot my "i's"and butterflies from my 2nd release "Just So Hoppy" completed this storybook-sweet scene! Everything was colored with Box A Copics (BTW did you hear I'm giving away Copics this week?? ) plus one sketch marker and I made a little shadow underneath all the animals and the letters with Pale Aqua, it really finishes it off. I completed this project in about 30 minutes, they are one of my go-to projects for baby showers or kinds birthdays! :)
Crafty, Decorating $$$-saving TIP(NSR): Now that 2009 is here, all those pricey calendars you've been seeing everywhere are on sale!! I wanted to do a train theme for William's room last year when we transitioned him out of his crib, and I found a "big boy" train calendar with beautifully photographed trains at Border's for only $1 last January! Buy 12 frames in one color or accent colors (these were from IKEA, $2 each) and create groupings with all the pages, your walls will be done in no time! :)

Now! for the prize: My first blogaversary sponsor, has to be, of course, Gina K! Thank you, Gina for being the best boss/mentor/friend I could ask for, your company and this opportunity has been one of the best things that has EVER happened to me! Now! Please leave a comment on this post telling me which has been your one of biggest and best blessings this past year (craft related or other) and you will be entered into a drawing for any stamp set from Gina K Designs valued at 19.95 or less, thanks Gina for donating this prize! (It doesn't have to be one of my sets (but if it is, uhh, don't tell me LOL! (you probably have them all, right??)) Winner will be drawn randomly and announced here on my blog Friday night, January 2nd!

Tomorrow I will be sharing a new sample and a new prize to win! But come back later today, becuase I have another post!! (I know it gets hard to read one long ginormous post!!!)

After leaving your entry, you can find more samples using my sets today from Cindy Lawrence, and Donna Baker, fellow Gina K Senior Design Team Members, and Jessie Rone, Dirty Girl and past guest designer for me! Thanks, ladies!!

*If you don't have a large stamp alphabet, you can print out a perfectly spaced named on your computer! :)