So Sweet...She Should Have Calories!

 Check out this little cutie! The image is from Stampendous' new Valentine line, and called "Blockart Love". I watercolored her for this particular card, which I created for the Stampendous October release catalog. I used the "Happy Day Square" stamp for the border, along with some fun print paper, which was also used to paper piece the heart and flowers of the image. She is such a sweetie, that she could be used for so many occasions where CUTE is the definitive word!

Stampendous:
Blockart Love (V191)
Happy Day Square (F205)

Onyx Versafine ink from Tsukineko
watercolors
Bazzill Dotted Swiss Cardstock
Mohawk White Cardstock
striped print
double-sided foam adhesive

Dreamweaver New CHA Releases to CROW About!

Another new CHA release from Dreamweaver Stencils. This Rooster was paste embossed with a "sludge" technique. After taping the stencil to the paper, matte yellow and matte orange pastes were placed on the stencil. When the palette knife swipes over the surface, the colors smear into each other. Another way to create a similar technique is to save your paste mixes in a separate container and use them just for this type of look. The border across the bottom was create with the same pastes, using the new Stripes stencil. Paste emboss one direction. Allow to dry. Then paste-emboss the stripes in the opposite direction to create a plaid effect. Be sure to continually check the Dream It Up! blog and the rest of the Dream Team's blogs for more inspiration!

 Dreamweaver Stencils:
LG732 Rooster
LX7002 Stripes
LG704 Birthday Words
DMYP Matte Yellow Embossing Paste
DMOP Matte Orange Embossing Paste

Bazzill Cardstock
white cardstock
buttons

A Stampendous Valentine Treat!

 Today's post is a cute and quick gift idea for Valentine's Day. A pocket is created from various print and solid cardstocks, punched borders, and stamped wrappers featuring Stampendous' latest Valentine's releases, "Happy Day Square" and Class A' Peel Mirror Red finish "Scrollwork Hearts". A ribbon is wrapped around the chocolate bar and tied at the top. A Nestie die cut layered medallion is attached at the top with the CAP heart sticker. The bar slides in and out of the pocket for easy access!

Stampendous:
"Happy Day Square" (F205) (also in Cling CRF205)
Class A' Peel "Scrollwork Hearts" (AC1010MRR)

Warm Red ColorBox Chalk Ink from Clearsnap
gingham paper
white, red cardstock
Fiskar Border Punch
Nestabilities Scalloped Circles, Classic Circles
polka dot ribbon
chocolate bar

Dream Schemes-Rainy Day Door (New Releases!)

 No, I am not a rainy day blogger. I know I've been away for several weeks, but believe me...I am so glad to be back to creating and blogging. My MIL passed away on January 16th. I spent her last three weeks caring for her and was there at the very end. I had promised her that I would be with her through it all, and I'm glad that I was able to keep that promise. We spent the last couple of weeks planning and having her memorial service, and cleaning out her mobile home. So exhausting. Her memorial went very well. So many came from all over to celebrate her life. We fed over 125 afterwards at the clubhouse in her mobile home park. She was really well known for her gardening skills, especially her beautiful plumeria. With the help of a plumeria expert, we gave cuttings to everyone

who attended along with instructions on planting and caring for them. She would have loved that. The day after her memorial, I was able to attend the Craft and Hobby Association convention in Los Angeles. For the first time, I got to meet several of my Dreamweaver Stencils Dream Team members. It's amazing how crafting can bring people together like old friends. The Dreamweaver booth was chock full of all of our team's beautiful samples, featuring wonderful techniques, and exciting new release stencil images. The card that I am posting today uses three of these new images. I loved the idea of looking out a window to watch the birds in the rain. The new Rain stencil was paste-embossed on acetate with translucent paste and glitter. The Birds on Bare Branches stencil was paste-embossed with black matte paste on white. The panel at the bottom of the door was Nestie cut and run through the Big Shot to emboss with an ink covered stencil for more contrast. Be sure to visit the blogs of the rest of the team listed at right, as well as the Dream It Up! blog for more amazing inspiration and peeks at all the latest new release images.

Dreamweaver Stencils:
Birds on Bare Branches (LG733), Rain (LJ905), Lovebirds Heart (LL3011)
Matte Black Embossing Paste (DMBP), Translucent Embossing Paste (DEPT)

Stampendous Multi Ultra-Fine Crystal Glitter (GM220U)
red linen, black linen, white cardstock
acetate
brad fastener (Queen & Co)
Nestabilities Small Labels

Recollections and Resolutions-LAD Team Challenge

 It's Lizzie Anne Designs team challenge once again! This month our challenge was to create something based on a New Year's resolution. Personally, I'm not really into NYRs. I feel that if you need to make changes in your life, make them NOW rather than starting at some designated day. But, whatever works I guess. I really had to think long and hard on this subject. So many habits that I need to change, etc., but since my main focus lately has been caring for my MIL in her last days, I've really come to appreciate living life to the fullest. Therefore, my resolution is to be more adventurous in my life. Somehow when you hit the age of 50, you tend to become more timid about life. I want to challenge myself more, try new things, new experiences, travel to new places. These images from Lizzie Anne Designs "Lucky in Love" mix are perfect representations for this new adventurous

 spirit that I am aiming for. What are you resolved to do differently this year? For starters, jump into our Design Teams' inspiring blogs, visit the LAD web site, and purchase some of these images that are so perfect for every day life...the life we live now, and the life we aspire to live.

Lizzie Anne Designs Mix "Lucky in Love"
Bazzill cardstock
October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket papers
Summer Sky, Rich Cocoa, Sand Dune Memento inks
Nestabilities Scalloped Ovals and Standard Ovals

Dream Schemes Sketch #2-A Celtic Valentine

This week's Dream Schemes is our second sketch challenge. I went with a Celtic Valentine theme. The focal point Celtic Heart Knot was paste-embossed in glossy white on a Nestie die cut circle and framed with a second Nestie Lacey circle. On the main body of the card, the Love 2 stencil was embossed in part red and part black glossy pastes on designer print paper. Paisley ribbon and black rhinestones finish off the design. I apologize for the short post. I know those of you regulars are used to me rambling on and on. Life is just getting away from me right now. Been staying at my MIL to care for her, and crafting in my free time. Access to a computer has been sketchy, so on this one day that I ran home (a two hour drive), I decided to complete this project, photograph it, and pre-post for the blog. CHA is only a couple of weeks away, and I'm still hoping that I will be able to go and check out all the latest. For those of you that will be there, and for those of you who want to drool over the latest and greatest, be sure to stay connected to the Dreamweaver blog, site, and the team's blogs. You will be thrilled and amazed at the wonderful
new designs soon to be released. Meanwhile, check out the creativity for this week at our team blogs, leave comments, and post your own creations. We want to see your version of this week's challenge. Have a very creative day!

 

LM178 Celtic Heart Knot from Dreamweaver Stencils
LL481 Love 2 from Dreamweaver Stencils
DGKP Glossy Black, DGRP Glossy Red, and DGWP Glossy White Embossing Paste
red linen, white cardstock
dot print, swirl print
Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circles, Lacey Circles
paisley ribbon, black rhinestones

Let's Go to the HOP!!

Welcome to Stampendous! Rubber Stamps’ first official Blog Hop! We’re so excited that our stellar Design Team was up for this challenge so soon after the grueling work of producing all the samples for our January 2011 Catalog. Here’s your chance to see some really wonderful projects from BOTH the October 2010 Valentine, Easter, Spring Catalog (just uploaded to our website for your purchasing pleasure) and the January 2011 Catalog premiering at CHA at the end of this month (soon to be available in your local store for your wish list making pleasure). We’re so excited you can join us! There will be four prizes drawn at random from the eligible hoppers... We’ll give away two of the Busy Bunnies set from the October Catalog and two flower sets from the January Catalog!  All blog hoppers who comment on all the blogs will receive an email with a really cute bonus project and directions!!

Here are the
Official Rules:
1. Start the hop at the Stampendous! blog then hop through all the Design Team blogs.
2. Make sure to leave a comment on each Design Team Members' post.
3. We will pick 4 random winners from all the comments left at all the sites. You must comment on EACH site to be eligible.
4. You have until Monday, January 10th at midnight EST to hop and comment.
5. Winners will be picked and notified on Wednesday, January 12.
6. We can’t mail prizes internationally, but if you want to join the hop we will email you the cute project.
7. Have fun!

DT Blog  Addresses in Hopping Order:
Jennie      http://just4funcrafts.blogspot.com/  
Wendy     http://paperinkandsmiles.blogspot.com/   
Rachel     http://gingerbreadgallery.blogspot.com/
Cyndi      http://scrappychickcyndi.blogspot.com/  

Kimberly http://kimberly-crawford.blogspot.com/

Pam        http://1pamperedstamper.blogspot.com/

So, now you know all the rules and regulations. Most likely, you've already read it before on all the other blogs for the team since I should be last. I'd like to say saving the best for last, but no way...everyone on this team is amazing and unique. For my creation for the October 2010 catalog, I made this fun Easter purse. Though you can't see it, the inside of the flap was entirely covered in Wild Plum embossing powder, with a second coating of Stardust embossing powder over the top. Yummy color with lots of sparkle. The outside of the purse is entirely covered in white embossing powder on the body, and Lettuce embossing powder on the flap. The fun DP was stamped with the Cling Egg Trio in a row and embossed with Bark embossing powder. The clasp for the purse was the Cling Paisley Egg stamped, embossed, reinforced, cut out and attached. A hook and loop dot was attached on the inside of the flap to hold it closed. Then I went insane embellishing. I added pompom trim, ribbon, ball chain with a tag (after all this IS a designer bag), lots of buttons, rick rack, borders, and a gathered fabric handle, flowers, etc.  

With my Manolo Blahniks,

a purse with buttons upon it,

I'll be the wackiest stamper

in the Easter Parade!  

(Sung to the tune of "Easter Parade", hee hee!)

Supplies from Stampendous:
CRH273 Cling Paisley
CRN229 Cling Egg Trio
CRE264 Cling Joyous Easter
EK09 Razzleberry Embossing Kit
EP100 White Embossing Powder
EP505 Bark Embossing Powder
Misc. Supplies:
purse blank (Creative Imaginations)
designer print paper
Blossom Bazzill Cardstock
flowers (Prima)
brad fasteners
fabric
ribbon (Creative Impressions)
rick rack, buttons, ball chain
Velcro dot

Now you have the opportunity for a sneak peak at new stuff coming from Stampendous at CHA the end of the this month. I freeform cut the flower pot-shaped card from a terracotta colored cardstock. The image on the card was from "Garden Beauty". I kept it simple, just stamping the image with Aquamarine Chalk ink on the base of the "pot", and Rich Cocoa Memento on the lip of the pot. More ink was used to distress and add some character. A jute tie and flowers completes the card.
SSC1113 Garden Beauty Perfectly Clear set from Stampendous
Aquamarine ColorBox Chalk ink from Clearsnap
Rich Cocoa Memento ink from Tsukineko
Bazzill cardstock
Prima flowers
jute twine


Be sure to leave a comment at each of the stops on the "Hoppian Way" (sorry...couldn't resist!), and another at the Stampendous blog, by Monday, January 10th, at midnight EST.