Christ the Savior

Here I've used A Chemistry With Paper's Christmas Cheer. It's such a fun and versatile set. It goes cute, or as I've done here, sophisticated. I hope I don't drive you all off because you are sick of Basic Gray's Blitzen. I have TONS of BG packs from back in the day. Remember when there was no such thing as a 6x6 pad? I almost won't buy 12x12 any more. It just takes too long to use up on cards, and I get tired of it. I REALLY don't want to pack this up again at the end of the holidays, so you'll be seeing a lot of it!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I have that bittersweet end of a break feeling. For someone who loves to teach as much as I do, I sure do hate the end of my weekends!

Sixth Day of Christmas~Lisa Pace

No laughing! Can you tell how long it has been since I've sewn on fabric? I used to quilt and make clothes and home fashions-the whole nine yards! (Ha Ha-did you get the pun?) Then I discovered stamping and gave BOTH of my Berninas and ALL my fabric, patterns, books and notions to my MIL. She's thrilled!! I had to buy another machine when it became the rage to sew on cards, and apparently I've lost the ability to sew even beginner level craft items!! The truth is that it doesn't even bother me! It's fun, fun, fun stuff, and I have just as good a time when my projects don't turn out perfectly!

Amazing Awards!

"Pick 5 bloggers that you consider as your best blogging buddies and deserve this award for their contribution towards the blogging community, no matter what language.State the name of the author of each blog as well as a link to each one's blogs.Each blogger (upon acceptance) of this award should do a post and show the award on their blog and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award."

"This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind blogger's aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight blogger's who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."


Amy, over at Tsuruta Designs, who happens to be one of my very favorite bloggers ever, and a friend, gave me these awards!! I am passing them on to:

1. Ila of Artfully Ila
2. Claudia of Pretty Pressings
3. Anna of Sassy & Sweet
4. Lisa of It's in the Details
5. Linda of Linda Brecht

I have to say that most of these gals have no idea I even exist, so I wouldn't really call us friends. They are all immensely talented, though, so I do stop by their blogs regularly and drool!!

Christmas Cowgirl Ornament & DT Call

I knew I had to make at least one Christmas Bombshell, and here she is! All the white parts have Liquid Applique sprinkled with Angle Dust. She is a very sparkly girl! The nestie cut circle was smashed into a VM pad and embossed with Snowflake ep, then I hot glued a silver pipe cleaner to the circle, and put Retro Cowgirl up on foam tape. The circle behind the ornament is made out of a paper streamer. I learned how to do this in the Lisa Pace class I'm taking, and now I'm crazy about them! Everything is edged in Platinum Stickles, another thing Lisa got me hooked on! I've had my bottle for probably a year now, but I just never reached for it-now it's right up there with Crystal in my book!!

If you would like to be on Bombshell's DT, see the details here!

Fifth Day of Christmas!

Lately I feel like I have to apologize for nearly every photo I take. One of these days I'm going to do the sensible thing and take a photography class!! This little gift sack is Day Five of Lisa Pace's Countdown to Christmas workshop. I have been having lots of fun, and will definitely take another online class with Lisa some day. I have loved every minute of these projects!! Stay tuned for Day Six tomorrow!

Blog Candy on Talk of the Town!

Here

Bluebird and Snowy Woods

I was in the mood to work with the beautiful images from Artistic Outpost's Bluebird, but I wasn't in the mood to clean up my Basic Gray Blitzen mess, so I combined the two and threw in a little Snowy Woods as well! It's hard to see, but there are snowflakes from Snowy Woods stamped all over the Polar Blue panel. The beautiful glittered snowflake is by Little Yellow Bicycle, and I got mine at Mothers and Daughters Creations. The button is a true vintage beauty with a sturdy metal shank. I cut shanks off buttons all the time, but this one has too much history. I don't know what the history is, but I can make up about a million stories about the types of garments it may have been on and the people who wore them. I feel a creative writing assignment coming on! I like to give my students old objects and have them write the history of the object.

Artistic Outpost Referral Program

Artistic Outpost is excited to share with you a new Referral Program!

When you create artwork with Artistic Outpost images and upload to an online gallery/album/ or blog - you could win a FREE plate of Artistic Outpost images (Value $12.00).

To be eligible for the Artistic Outpost Referral Program, each time you upload a creation using Artistic Outpost images, include stamp credits with an active link to www.artisticoutpost .com, then leave a direct link to your creation on the months Referral Program post here on the Artistic Outpost Blog, to be entered into our monthly drawing for one FREE plate of Artistic Outpost images ($12.00 value)

Links left on the Artistic Outpost Blog need to include a direct link to the project you have uploaded. Links with general links to galleries/albums/ blogs will not qualify as our time is limited and we cannot search through pages of entries to see which upload uses Artistic Outpost images.

Remember entires must be for the current month in which you are posting.

Fourth Day of Christmas~Lisa Pace Workshop

This little gift card holder is made using two large office tags. I covered them with Basic Gray Blitzen, added an old SU! metal rimmed tag & silver cord, and some Platinum Stickles. Platinum is my new favorite Stickles! I have been stamping all day and have had so much fun! I plan to make project #5 tonight so I can post it tomorrow. For more info see Lisa's blog.

Happy Thanksgiving & Little Match Booklet

This is another project from Lisa Pace's 12 Days workshop. There's paper inside so it could be used in a variety of ways. It's more Basic Gray Blitzen and the ribbon is Color Me Silly. The star is just from my stash, and the snowflake is a metal one. It's usually silver, but I heated it up and dipped it in Snowflake ep. Now it looks older and less perfect. It's much more in keeping with the rest of this project. I made this about a week ago. I'm too tired from all the cooking and eating to do any stamping today! It's only 5:40 pm, and I'm having a Diet Coke, so maybe I'll have a burst of energy sometime soon.

I made one of my favorite treats today. Have you tried Pretzel Salad? If not, you are in for a treat. I realized that a lot of my favorite blogs are not as stampcentric as mine. It's almost like some people have more to think about than just stamping;) I always feel like they are my girlfriends just sharing good stuff. This recipe is good stuff, and there's no stamping involved! I hope you enjoy it!

PS Have I told you how thankful I am for my blogging friends? Every one of you blesses me. Thank you so much.

Fall Time Fun

I thought I'd better use this adorable stamp at least once while it was still fall! This House Mouse stamp is called Fall Time Fun. I'm going to be honest with you and tell you that I did not buy this stamp at Creative Play Stamps, I had this stamp long before I got on their design team. I will also tell you that I paid $13 for this stamp, the price tag is still on the stamp. CPS is charging $7.99. Look, these are hard times. I can't spend as much as I used to on my stamping supplies. I think CPS is making an effort to keep things reasonable for us. They make a fair profit (I hope), and we save a little money. The tiny little gems are from Creative Cuts and More. They come in a wheel complete with a little applicator. Most of the rest of supplies are HOTP.

Hugs to you all! I'm going Christmas shopping with a gal pal tomorrow, so DH and I have to go back to the bedroom and drag out what I've already bought and figure out what I need to get.

Third Day of Christmas

This is a little matchbox, which Sharon Rivera, the owner of A Chemistry With Paper sent me. At the time I wondered what I would do with the cute little thing, then I signed up for Lisa Pace's workshop and what do you know? Lisa had the perfect idea for them!! I'm still having fun with the projects in this workshop, and I have another one ready for tomorrow. I can't wait to show you!

Second Day of Christmas

This Tussie Mussie is from Lisa Pace's Twelve Days of Christmas workshop, which as I think I mentioned, I am really LOVING! I'm using Basic Gray Blitzen on all my projects because part of the reason I signed up is to use some of my stash. For this project, double-sided paper would have been better. I realized this AFTER I made the cone, including punching and stitching. So, I sprayed the inside with Candy Apple Red Glimmer Mist-problem solved!

I hope you are having a wonderful fall day, we are here! BTW, what should I make for dinner? This dinner thing comes around every 24 hours, and I am usually unprepared! Any ideas? Favorite cooking for idiots sites? I need to come up with something, the natives are getting restless!!

Bombshell Stamps Design Team Call!!

Well the title of this Bombshell set, Man's Ruin, pretty much sums it up! Wine, women and song!! I tried an unusual layout and colors for me. I bought this DCWV pad a couple of years ago, and when I got it home I discovered that I actually despise these colors! Why did I buy it? Who knows? Every now and then I drag it out and see what I can do. I actually don't hate this card.

Speaking of Bombshell Stamps, how would you like to be on Bombshell's design team? You can see all the details here. I have to say that Shannon has been a pleasure to work with! She is always so supportive of my work, and has lots of fun contests and giveaways for her customers. I hope that you will consider submitting!

First Day of Christmas

This is my First Day of Christmas project for Lisa M. Pace's Twelve Days of Christmas workshop. We are going to make twelve containers of some kind for little trinkets for the kiddos. This is a 7-UP can, probably from the 70's-it's heavy! I'm guessing it weighs more than twice what they do now. These elements all put together in one project probably look incongruous to many of you, but I really like incongruous. Thrive on it, actually. I like old and I like luxurious. I like rustic and I like girlie. No stamping here, just a quirky little project that makes me smile!

I think you can still register for this workshop. I am really loving it. I has helped me focus and get some things done. I'm a big dreamer, then I start to make elaborate and nearly impossible to complete plans. Lisa has it all lined out for me, with little snippets and ideas for every day. I think that this will probably be the most creative Christmas of my life. The projects are all of the type that you can make them truly your own, believe me, my First Day is not much like Lisa's First Day! Lisa has done all the work and all the organizing, which are my weak points. All I have to do is play with my stuff! YIPPEE!! I'll have The Second Day of Christmas for you tomorrow!!

Christmas Stories & Jingle the Snowman

The card is from Artistic Outpost's Christmas Stories. It has this image, and an even larger very charming image of two children closely inspecting a nativity. Also included are some postage stamps and several fun but not redundant word stamps, all in AO's lovely vintage style. Snowy Woods, AO's newest Christmas set, and my favorite, is on sale right now for $19.99. This is a spectacular deal, as the set is simply enormous! It is 8 1/2 x 11!!

The snowman is my first project in Lisa M. Pace's Twelve Days of Christmas workshop. There is NO stamping on it at all, but I had tremendous fun making it!!! I have completed another project and will post it tomorrow. This workshop is beautifully put together and it's such fun to check in every day and see what's in store for us!! The link takes you to her blog, where you can sign up for the class and join all the fun!

Hanna Stamps Route 66 & DT Calls!!

Well surprise, surprise, a card dripping with copper! I won this cool set from Hanna Stamps about a year ago. Krissy liked my card best in a contest she had, so I was lucky enough to get this set, which was NEW at the time. I used one of my very favorite paper lines, Cosmo Cricket. I'm kind of paranoid about my favorite paper these days because I heard that Daisy D's is no more. I can't believe it. I rustled this card up from my photo files because I've been getting home too late to take pictures, and because I've been busy on some design work that I look forward to sharing with you in December!

I do have some news! Creative Cuts and More is looking for guest designers! I love being a Guest Designer because you get to play with a company's stuff without having the constant deadlines! Here are all the details on Terry's blog.

Also, Bombshell Stamps will be putting out a Design Team call in the VERY near future! Shannon, the owner, is such a pleasure to work with, I have enjoyed every minute designing for her. I don't know the deets yet, but she did give me permission to put the news out. Please check here or at Bombshell for updates. I do hope you will consider applying to one or both of these teams. I highly recommend them both!!

Hugs to you all, and have a fabulous weekend!!

Carla

Blog Candy Alert!

Jane over at Whoopsie Daisy has blog candy every monday, plus wonderful tutorials and an occasional picture of her adorable boys doing something cute!!

Praise God

I was tooling around on the Creative Play Stamps website when I stumbled across this stamp. CPS carries a large selection of Stampabilites, including House Mouse, Gruffies, Little Hoppers, Peanuts and regular stuff like this one. I loved this stamp immediately, and I think it felt the love, because darned if it didn't show up at my house a few days later!! CPS also carries the cuttlebug folders and Primas. In fact, I have to go there and check it out every week or so because they have a HUGE inventory! While I'm bragging about CPS, may I just mention that someone over at SCS started a thread about CPS's wonderful selection and service? How cool is that? Sort of makes you wonder why they bother with a DT if their customers are out there advertising for them!!

Also on this card is a die cut from Creative Cuts and More, it's the pumpkin back there behind the ribbon. Doesn't it just add an extra special little punch to this card? I think it does. CC&M will cut their dies for you from any of a gazillion different materials, I had this one cut from Bazzill Bling. I guess we all know that means it's gorgeous, and holding its own against Basic Gray's Ambrosia. Speaking of CC&M, they are looking for some guest designers! Won't you come join the fun? Get all the deets here.

Kreative Blogger (Award)

My lovely and thoughtful fellow Creative Play Stamps Design Team member Jules gave me this award! THANKS JULES!!

Here are the rules of play:
1. The nominee may put the logo on their blog.

2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.

3. Nominate 4 or 5 blogs.

4. Put links to their blogs

5. Leave a message for your nominees.

I know that everyone is super busy, and that these games take time, so I am going to nominate four, but I won't be insulted if they don't follow all the rules. Sometime I just thank the person when I get an award, but if I have time, I try to play!

1. Jane Jane has awesome tutorials, and Monday Fundays! She gives blog candy EVERY Monday!!
2. Carolina Carolina is not normal. She creates an abnormal amount of amazing projects every day. She's a stamping powerhouse!
3. Toni Toni is a true artist, more than a stamper. Her work and writing are thought provoking and interesting. Her comments are always so well crafted, you feel honored that she stopped by.
4. Lauren Lauren is a devoted blogger, runner, Disney fanatic and PTI stamper. She has been going to craft fairs lately and has been sharing her projects for them-they are all amazing! Lauren's execution is always perfect-layers always even, ribbon always under control! I'm actually a little shocked that she can stand to stop by my blog and see what sort of crazy shenanigans I've been up to!! (My ribbons NEVER behave!)

O' Holy Night

I fell in love with this Serendipity stamp as soon as I saw it on the Mothers and Daughters Creations site. I was unfamiliar with Serendipity stamps, but I think I will be buying more! They are red rubber and come die cut and foam mounted. My photos are a little washed out, but I'm so pleased with the way this card turned out. It's actually much richer and color saturated IRL. The little tag uses two SU! punches and a Blitzen tag. I added some raffia and a little metal star I embossed in gold. I originally got out my go-to green, which is ALways Artichoke, for this card. I then decided that Old Olive might actually be a better match, so I got it out, and BINGO! If you have Basic Gray's Blitzen, go for the OO, it's an excellent match!

Supplies

Stamps: Serendipity
Ink: Basic Brown, VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx
Paper: Naturals, Bashful Blue, Old Olive (SU!), Blitzen (Basic Gray), Canson wc paper
Other: raffia, Gold Glory ep, Word Window & Large Oval punches (SU!), gems (M's), Holographic ep (Ranger), metal star, Gold Stickles, markers, sewing machine & thread

Eat Pork!

Well, since we are having pork tenderloin tonight, I guess I'm doing my part!! This card uses adorable High Hope stamps and is for HHC7. We were to add sparkle to our card, real hard for me!! I wish you could see it better, but this guy has sparkle on his beak and toenails, and a little on his tail. It's Lion's Mane Art Glitter-GORGEOUS!!!

Supplies

Stamps: High Hopes
Paper: Canson wc, Confetti Cream, Chocolate Chip, HOTP
Ink: VersaFine Onyx, Encore Copper
Other: Art Glitter in Lion's Mane, Copper Stickles, markers, Niji wc paints, SU! Vintage brads, ric rac, punch, Crystal Clear ep, Copper thread, sewing machine

Blog Candy Alert!

On Fran's blog!

New stamp store, Pink Gem Designs!

Claudia's Blog Candy!

First Magnolia card!

Well, I've been admiring these adorable stamps for a while, so I finally ordered some! I can see what all the fuss is about, they are SO much fun to color! I've been working really hard on my coloring. I've improved a lot, so that makes me happy. I still have trouble now and then with certain things, and this little girl's cheeks did not turn out too well. When I put the cheek color down, it dried with an obvious ring. Can anyone help me with that?

This card is for a challenge on the Mothers and Daughters Creations blog. This is #17, "When God Closes a Door..." You were to use a window card. This window card is from Creative Cuts and More, it's a 5 1/4 Square Card with a filigree frame cut out. Instead of putting the image on the right side of the card as you open it, I glued it to the back of the window. I layered pink and black card stock on the inside so that it still looks pretty. CC&M has LOTS of window cards, and you can have them cut out of SO, SO many different cardstocks. You can also send in your own cardstock and they will cut it for you for half the price you see listed on the website. How nice is that?

Another View

I thought I'd try again with my picture. It's hard for me to get good pictures this time of year because by the time I get home from school the light is fading. I think this one is a tiny bit better, though!

Christmas Cheer

I apologize for the bad picture, I was in a hurry and just didn't take the time I should have! This card is SPARKLY, even by my standards, but hey, it's a Christmas card, so it's okay!! The trees and the pretty border are both from Christmas Cheer by A Chemistry With Paper. I colored the trees with Niji wc paints after embossing them with a Christmas ep I mixed myself. I used Hunter Green as a base and added rainbow glitter. It's perfect for Christmas trees. I think these trees would be neat paper pieced as well, maybe I'll try that next time!

Supplies & Tools

Stamps: Christmas Cheer (A Chemistry With Paper)
Ink: VersMark, Ancient Page Pine
Paper: Confetti Cream, scraps
Other: Primas, brad, adhesive stars, Gold Glory ep, Gold & Aqua Stickles, M's gems, Stardust pen, Niji wc paints

Crazy Hair Day & Bombshell Stamps?

Are these Bombshell Stamps? Where's the bombshell? Bombshell Stamps aren't JUST about the bombshells, there are lots of other stamps as well, and aren't these beautiful? I love these gorgeous swallows!! This is from Love and Luck, which also comes with a bigger rose, some banners and some other smaller stamps all in Bombshell's famous tattoo style.

Supplies & Tools

Stamps: Love & Luck by Bombshell Stamps
Ink: Versafine Onyx, Brilliance Moonlight
Paper: Almost Amethyst, Confetti Cream, other scraps
Other: wide satin ribbon from Flourishes, Art Glitter in Azure, Crystal Stickles, markers, Sage Glimmer Mist

Happy Christmas

This is ANOTHER stamp from Artistic Outpost's Snowy Woods plate! Are you getting the picture of how big this plate is? I can't remember if this is the fourth or fifth card I've posted, but I do know I haven't used the same image twice! It's not too late to order and get your cards ready in time for Christmas. I think AO stamps are perfect for beginner and advanced stampers alike. They are perfect for beginners because they have such attention to detail that they don't need a lot of extra embellishments and whatnot to make them look good. Additionally, most of them do not require coloring, so you don't need a lot of expensive tools or expertise. They are perfect for advanced stampers because of their depth and dimension. The images can be used in so many different ways. I frequently cut out part of an image to get what I want for a specific card. I also like to use the edges of AO images on the edges of cards for a little extra texture and interest.

For this card, all I did was stamp Santa in Chestnut Roan, smash the image into my VersaMark pad, and melt two coats of Suze Weinberg's UTEE in clear on top. Then I popped it into the freezer for a few minutes, took it out and bent the cardstock, thus breaking the enamel. This is called the "Cracked Glass" technique for those of you who don't already know!

Supplies & Tools

Stamps: Snowy Woods by Artistic Outpost
Ink: Chestnut Roan Chalk, VersaMark, Basic Brown, Brilliance Chocolate
Paper: Confetti Cream, Close to Cocoa, Basic Gray Blitzen
Other: Martha punch, M's gems, Candy Cane, Crystal & Gold Stickles, ribbon, Crystal Clear EP, SW UTEE

Blog Candy Alert!

Chrissy has blog candy! You can win one of the sets she designed for Sweet and Sassy Stamps!! How cool would that be?

Butterfliers

Did you know that Creative Play Stamps sell House Mouse stamps? Well, they do, and their prices are hard to beat. If you like HM stamps as much as I do, you should check CPS the next time you have a hankering for a new one!! This one is called Butterfliers, and I thought it was an amazing match for this retired In Full Bloom paper pack.

I made this card for the Mothers and Daughters Creations Challenge 18, or MDCC18!

Stamps & Tools

Stamps: House Mouse-Butterfliers
Ink: VersaFine Onyx
Paper: Barely Banana, Sage Shadow, Shimmery White, In Full Bloom Simply Scrappin'
Other: Nesties, skittles, ribbon, Crystal Stickles, Prismas+Gamsol, Niji wc paints
Paper

Blog Candy Alert!

Go see Amy for a chance to win some High Hopes stamps!

My Favorite Things

I used to play with My Favorite Things stamps all the time, but I got pretty busy with design work and have not used a MFT stamp for probably 11 months! They are a lot of fun to work with, and so easy to color! Making this card reminded me of why I loved them in the first place!! The inside is layered, sewn and stamped, and I stamped a matching envelope as well. This card is 5x7. The Dew Drops were a gift with purchase from Flourishes.

Supplies & Tools

Stamps: My Favorite Things: Hot Stuff
Ink: VersaMark, Pink Passion
Paper: Basic Black, Confetti Cream, Pink Passion, My Mind's Eye, Prima
Other: HOTP brads, Prima & other flowers, markers, Crystal Effects, skittles, Stardust pen, Magenta Stickles, scallop & tag punches, sewing machine, thread

Fall Scarecrow

This fun scarecrow is from Creative Play Stamps. It comes with the hay bale, ears of corn, crow and two jack-o-lanterns. I colored him with markers on wc paper then brushed the color around with a wet brush. I did some sewing and added micro beads on tacky tape and a metal embellishment from HOTP. I think this is HOTP paper as well. I guess it goes without saying that there's Copper Stickles here, right?

Guess what? I have some more news!! Creative Cuts and More is having a Guest Design team call! If you'd like to give this a try, you can find all the details on her blog, Die Cut Diva.

Snowy Woods Gift Sled

I'm actually waiting for another card made with the Snowy Woods plate to dry, and I realized that I had never posted this card, which I made at least a month ago! If I were a little more organized, these things wouldn't happen, but hey, I'm not! It's hard for me to get a good picture of these long cards, but I love working with this shape. This card features Artistic Outpost's sled from Snowy Woods, and an old SU! scrappin' pack. I added Stickles, of course!

I have news!! Artistic Outpost has three new plates coming out SOON! I just found out about them tonight, and I've seen the pictures!! I'm just thrilled, and I know you will be too! I promise to let you know when I have more info, I just wanted to share the exciting new rubber news!!

Also, our new Guest Designer will be announced shortly and I can't wait to find out who it is!! I love the idea of adding a new stamper to our team every month!! I just think it's so much fun to work with and learn from other stampers, I hope we find out soon!!

High Hopes Snow Lady

I have been admiring High Hopes stamps lately. I haven't been much of a "cute" stamper, but recently, I am just loving all the "cute" stamps out there! Maybe I am going soft in my old age!! This is my first HH card, and I had a lot of fun with it.

What I would like to call to your attention is the snowflake. It's a tacky tape die cut from Creative Cuts and More. These things have a powerful stick!! I put glass seed beads on this one and poured Doodlebug Sugar Coated Glitter into the uncovered spots. I have been loving the tacky tape dies. I used the spiders for Halloween, now I have these snowflakes, I'm going to go back to CC&M to see what else I can have cut out of tacky tape!!

Smashing Pumpkins

Smashing as in really cool, not crushed! These pumpkins are from A Chemistry With Paper's Autumn Picking set. They are my all time favorite punkins! I love the shapes, the sizes, the curling vines-everything! I embossed them with VersaFine and clear ep. Then I colored them with markers and went over them with gold PEX. I am REALLY, REALLY pleased with the way they look IRL. They have so much depth and dimension.

Don't forget, ACWP will have new stamps this month! Yippee!!

Challenge Card

I know this is an odd card, but it was a Limited Supply Challenge. The challenge was to turn stamps into something other than what they were intended. I turned these dress stamps into flowers. I frequently see things I would change once I put the card on my blog for the whole world to see. The thing I would change on this card is the size of the main panel. I'd make it smaller, with less space between the flowers. I used Bombshell Stamps' Hearts On Fire set for some of the other pieces. The foliage are flame stamps, and the sun is an eyeball stamp that I inked and twisted a couple of times. Then I swirled a wet brush over it. This card was hard for me, and it isn't a GREAT card, but these challenges do make us better stampers, I think!

Bombshell has LOTS of new releases, they are really wonderful! Please go check them out some time! When you get to the stamps page, make sure you scroll down to see the new stuff!!

The bluebird carries...

The name of this Artistic Outpost set is Bluebird. It includes the lovely sentiment, "The bluebird carries the sky on his back," by Henry David Thoreau. I've noticed that some of the other AO designers call this figure a boy. It just seems so obviously a girl to me, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it! DH thinks it's a boy, but 17yo & 5yo ds's say girl. I haven't asked 14yods yet. So I guess this child can be a boy or a girl!

I used HOTP papers from their Vintage book. They are very pretty, but not very thick. I still enjoy them, even though the quality is not the same as BG or MME, niether is the price, so there you go. I bought these before I became a shameless paper snob, but I still think they are pretty, so I'll use them up! The brads are those hideously expensive ones from making memories. You get 12 for four dollars, which I would never pay! I got these for three dollars which is still high, but they are so pretty, and very high quality. The fabulous velvet ribbon is from Flourishes. Those girls can spot luscious ribbon from a mile away! I can't remember if I bought this or they sent it to me as a gift-those gals are so dang gifty, I swear I have more free stuff than things I've paid for!! As usual, I digress. This velvet ribbon is beautiful and so easy to tie! I didn't wrap it under the paper as this paper is too thin, but it looks fine and it saved me an inch or two of ribbon!! I gave the whole thing a few shots of Antique Brass Glimmer Mist, and some Cotton Candy Stickles as a final touch. Inks are Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy Distress.

Don't forget that Artistic Outpost is looking for Guest Designers! Won't you come join the fun?