Prairie Paper & Ink

I was ELF'ed!!

Before Chrsitmas there was a thing going on over on Splitcoast called "ELF-ing". Basically I guess people were picking names to send little RAK's (random acts of kidness) in the form of gifts and whatnot.

Well lo and behold someone picked me and this was what I got!:

I also think that the giver was normally anonymous - but the back of the Christmas hanging had her name on it (she made it all herself! It's SO cute!) so a HUGE thank you goes to Loretta! I really appreciate your sweet gift and I am sorry it took me so long to get it posted and to thank you!

Sadly the hanging is put away till Christmas - but all the other goodies I can use on my cards!

Thanks again Loretta!

More RAK's

I received a couple more cards in the mail this week - one for my birthday (thanks Kim!!), one as a thank you (she won some blog candy from me!) and happy birthday (thanks Danielle!!), and a birthday gift and card (thanks Conni!!) that I gotta share with y'all!!

From Kim

From Danielle

From Conni (see that FABULOUS ribbon she gave me?? She sells it from her online store here <----click! (she's located in Saskatchewan, Canada by the way!))

Some More Birthday Cards

I had my SU! club last night - and some of the ladies surprised me with birthday cards! So here they all are. Stay tuned later today for another post (*shocker* more than one post in one day?? Unheard of from me I know!! *grin*)

From Barb

From Betty Lou

From Bev

From Denise

From Mary

First Off....

Thank you everyone for your birthday wishes - they are SO appreciated!! My day got a little better in that my headache finally went away - and then I did get out of the house last night ---------- but it was to go on a vehicle delivery with Tim. But hey at least I got out of the house - and Tim's parents babysat and his mom picked up my favorite coffee (a caramel machiato from the local coffee house) before we left so I was pretty pleased. Oh and I can't forget to mention what REALLY helped brighten my day:

One dozen pink roses -------- I've always thought I wasn't a flower girl and would say to people just get me a gift or something else. But I gotta admit I really do LOVE getting flowers --- LOL!! Who doesn't - especially when they're just the nicest shade of PINK...

I also took a pic of the perfume I got the other day (it was considered a birthday present so I made sure to get the bigger of the two bottles *wink*) b/c I thought it was so neat:

It's called Nina Ricci and I got it from the Bay in Saskatoon (big department store). I love that it's shaped like an apple! It has a really fruity smell to it too - not normally something I'm a fan of but it was different and I liked it.

Now I'm headed off to the city to do a little shopping and lunch with a friend - with NO kids since Tim took the day off to be with them. That right there is a treat LOL!

So before I head out the door here's pics of the RAK cards and faboo gift from Dawn that I received:

from Chelsey (not a birthday card - she sent me a blogger RAK for Thanksgiving (remember it's in October for us Canadians!)).

from Dawn - she got me the Friendship Willow Tree figurine - I LOVE it. I love all their figurines but I'd never seen this one before and I think it's just adorable!

from fancy_stitch

from Jacqueline

from Michele

So another huge Thank You to all you gals for the cards - I also got some HILARIOUS e-cards from a few people (I so want to figure out how to link them here but now the Hallmark site is down and I can't) - all the ones you sent me Gina W. were really cute and the girls loved them and they made me giggle - definitely a great pick-me-up!! So yes a BIG thank you to everyone for thinking of me!!

Some RAKs and a Swap Update

Just a housekeeping post here! I received some wonderful little RAKs (random act of kindness) along with all the ATC cards from the A Muse ATC swap I hosted not too long ago.

All the swaps are getting mailed out tomorrow, so I took pictures of all of them and created a new album for them. If you'd like to see them the album is titled May A Muse ATC Swap and it's in the album list on the left. BIG thanks go out to all who participated:

1. Karen S (BasketMom)
2. Erika H
3. Alex M
4. Tracy C
5. Elizabeth R
6. Allison F
7. Janice K
8. Broni H
9. Tami

They really did an awesome job on their ATCs!! Definitely go take a look at that album and check them out!

I had a lot of fun doing this swap and am toying with the idea of hosting another one. I've had several people contact me since they missed out on this one - so I guess if I have enough interest I can start another swap! Stay tuned tho..............

And here are the RAKs:

Thank you So much Elizabeth for this awesome gift! She makes these little "petal persons" by hand and are they ever cute!! I have it displayed in my studio where I can see it all the time.

Karen made me a personalized ATC (using one of my most favorite sets from last year's summer mini - PolkaDot Posies!) and sent me this fun piercing tamplate - thank you Karen!

Allison sent me this fabulous Bella card - thank you Allison!! :o)

Janice sent me this pack of Fancy Fibers - VERY cool - thanks Janice!!

Erika sent me this adorable card and a pack of Queen & Co brads. I LOVE these little Stampendous bees - and I may have to cave soon and get me some! Thanks Erika!!! :o)

Lauren you ROCK!!

Well Lauren that package you sent finally arrived ------ and OMGosh did you ever send the funnest goodies ever!!! Isn't she the sweetest???

She got me an Ornare piercing template (you can get those in Ellen's store), some farm animal ribbon (PERFECT for using with my GinaK stamps - YAY!), some FABULOUS striped ribbon (it's HUGE - 1.5" wide - I LOVE it and have been wanting it for a while!), a studio g clear set, 2 rubber romance stamps (those are COOL!), some embellies and an awareness bracelet (for more info as to why she sent that go here). She also sent 2 charms (one for each of my girls) that they got from DisneyWorld when they were there with Make a Wish - the girls LOVE them Lauren!! I think Josie just wanted to eat hers tho LOL so I'm putting it up for now.....

I feel so blessed to have such an awesome friend - I just wish we loved CLOSER darnit!! Being not only IN different countires but practically on opposite sides of them makes real life visits a *little* more difficult to manage!!

Well, I have my bracelet on, and all these fabulous goodies spread out around me......now I'm off to play with them *grin*

Cheers!!

A Cute RAK and some Questions

I *just* got this adorable Bella card in the mail as a RAK (random act of kindness) from Leslie G - THANK YOU Leslie! I LOVE the card ('specially the fact that you turned her shopping bag into a Chanel shopping bag LOL!!) it's so cute and springy!! And the note inside was very sweet too - I loved it.

For anyone wondering the image is from Stamping Bella (one of my favorite stamp companies - I just love their retro style!!).

While I'm at it I thought I'd get to some more questions so here goes!!:

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What is your favorite method of coloring images?

Oh man another tough one!! Y'all have prolly figured out by now that I'm the type that doesn't like to choose!! I like OPTIONS!! However I just showed my club members the other day a bunch of different coloring methods and as I showed them samples I noted that I seem to do a LOT of watercoloring. And yes I do like that a lot. However when it comes to quick and convenient you can't beat coloring with markers!! I love the looks of Prismacolor Pencils with Gamsol, but lately I haven't been doing that as much..... (see what'd I tell ya!?? *wink*)

What do you do with all those stunning, gorgeous, beautiful cards you make and share with us on your blog?

First off - thank you for the compliment!! (and no I didn't edit it LOL). I think I answered one like this before but my memory escapes me at the moment.

SOME of the cards I make end up being sent away for Design Team requirements. SOME are for personal use. And yet others I send to a local shop here in town to sell (I think I've made a whopping $100 in the 6 months or so since I started selling them there - nothing much but it does get me a few goodies here and there LOL!). I also put a few in my display board (only ones made w/ SU! stuff for me to show at club and workshops etc). And some have no purpose at all but to be posted on here and then I put them in my stash to be hopefully sent out in the near future!!

I would like to know how you come up with your color combinations. I'm always looking for new color combos instead of the tried and true.

I just come up with them on the fly. A lot of the time I just start with one color and then grab random colors here and there to add to it - and more often than not I can make it work!! SU!'s Color Wheel was great for me at the beginning as I used to have a lot of trouble combining different colors - but I can say now that I haven't pulled it out in months!!

I also write down different color combos as I come across them (last time I was at the mall with a friend I came up with SO many combos after seeing all the new Spring clothing lines!) and refer to them later when I'm creating.

Given where you are, do you pretty much have to order everything online?

A big YES to this one!! I only have one (*cough* overpriced!) Michaels and one scrapbook store in my area (and they are both in the city over an hour away!) so I order almost EVERYTHING online and 90% of it from the States. I have a list of online retailers on the right of my blog that has all the places listed that I've ordered from on a continuous basis. All of them I HIGHLY recommend - I get fabulous service from them all!!

How do you take such lovely pictures of yours cards and retain the colors and the depth?

You can see my setup and tips in this post here:

How I Take My Pictures

It's nothing fancy but it works for me!! :o)

Do you sell your cards, if you do, how do you market them?

Yup I do. They are just in a box at a local hair salon that also doubles as a gift shop (and for anyone wondering NO I don't use any SU images on them - I have been asked that before!!). I don't make much money from it (like I said I've made maybe $100 or so in the past 6 months??) as I can't sell them for much - living in a small farming community it's nearly impossible to sell cards for what they are worth. People don't understand the time and effort that goes into making them (I think most of you can relate to that!!). The gals that work there tho really like them and promote them for me so I keep doing it!!

I'm also trying to build up a stash to have on hand here as every once in a while people have contacted me wanting to buy cards so I'd like to have several on hand! We'll see how that goes tho!

mmmmmmmmmm.....goodies

My order from Ellen Hutson's store arrived the other day and I couldn't resist taking a picture of the goodies!!

I got some A Muse twinkle stickers (I've been wanting some of those for the LONGEST time - so I ordered 3 packs of the micro dot and one of the mini dot!) some of these self-adhesive pearls, and a Sakura Glue pen (I should have ordered at least 2 of those - I can see myself using this a lot!)

The thank you note came with the order - Ellen stamps and watercolors them herself - it's GORGEOUS!! :o)

I also got this RAK (random act of kindness) in the mail yesterday from Erin!!!

She sent me a Black Versafine ink pad, a little TAC set (and no I didn't have it and it's so cute!), and this adorable card. Thank you SO much Erin!!

I already started playing with the ink pad - so far so good - it is SO SO black - I really like that aspect of it. It does say it dries instantly - but the couple of times I stamped it it DIDN'T dry very quickly - so I used my heat tool and that did the trick.

I'll definitely be using it some more tho - thanks Erin!! :o)

WOW

I had to take some pics and post about all the goodies I got yesterday!! The past couple of weeks have been not so great (had to get a new car b/c the transmission went on our old one, we had an issue w/ our water softener (which you can read about in this post), and today we have to get our water heater replaced as it's bit the dust (and we've had NO hot water since yesterday afternoon - ICK!!) and I'm actually waiting for the person to arrive this afternoon to come in and replace it!!)

However even w/ things being pretty rotten (literally!!!!) around here my day sure was brightened by some AWESOME RAK's (random-acts-of-kindness) that I got in the mail yesterday!!

Some of you may remember me saying that we don't have a Target up here in Canada when I made this altered mailbox from one that was sent to me as a gift.

I can't believe how many ppl offered to get me some after that post!! Bobbie sent me these four (along w/ some chocolate goodies that just up and mysteriously disappeared *wink*) for me to play with!! THANK YOU so much Bobbie!!!

I also got 4 more of these little mailboxes from Ashley - along w/ a TON of other goodies!!! There's a couple jumbo paper clips and metal magnetic frames and all kinds of fun things to alter - and some cool ribbon too *grin* - I have so many ideas of what all to do w/ this stuff!! THANK YOU Ashley!!! This stuff is awesome!! (and FYI it looks like most of it is from Target?? MAN!!! I reallyreallyREALLY wish we had a Target up here!!!)

And last but certainly not least Dawn brought me these when she came to my Open House yesterday:

I was saying how I wanted to make beaded pens (another one of those things I *know* how to do I've just never actually done it) and when she was in Staples the other day she got me a pack of RSVP pens - so now I have no excuses *wink* THANK YOU Dawn!

Also you can see a tutorial on SCS on how to make beaded pens.

You guys all ROCK!! I am totally blown away by your generosity - it really couldn't have come at a better time! {{{{HUGS}}}}

Here's hoping I can squeeze in some time to alter at least *some* of these goodies in the near future!!

I'm working on a tutorial that's been requested several times so I should *hopefully* have it up later today.

I've also been adding links to blogs that link to me (see this post) and so far I've added any that have a link back to this one (FYI the list is in alphabetical order and it goes capital THEN lowercase for some reason - so if you don't see yours scroll down closer to the bottom - it should be there!). It's great to see all everyone's sites!! :o)

Have a great day everyone (I know I will once I have hot water ROFL!!) 

More Buttons!!!

Look at all the buttons Wanda sent me after she saw my Button, Button, Who's Got the Button post!!! And Wanda you were right - they filled up the vase!! I had to transfer them to another vase I picked up at Winners that's a LOT bigger - I couldn't even dig into them w/ the other one so full (and that's half the fun LOL!).

THANK YOU so much Wanda!! Sending these to me was SO sweet (and there was *hundreds* of buttons in the bag!!) - you ROCK!!! {{{HUGS}}}

LOL you all can shake your heads at me - I know I'm a nut - but it's FUN!! *wink*

New Michaels Stamps!!!

So I heard on SCS that Michaels came out w/ a TON of new Valentine $1 stamps (of course $1.50 in Canada). A picture was posted of them too and they are SO cute!! I posted that I prolly won't be able to get my hands on them b/c Michaels is over an hour away from me and I don't get to the city very often. ETA - here's a link to the thread - Michaels Valentine Stamps - the picture of them all is in post #11.

WELL....a SUPER cool, awesome, wonderful person (HUGS to Kelly!!!!!) offered to go to her local Mikes (she lives on the same street!!! How fab is that??) and see if she could get them for me and then just mail them to me!!

Of course I said yes - and she was able to get me ALL the new stamps (I guess there's 17 sets - they're the little ones again so they are packs of 2, so really 34 stamps!) and I just sent her the $$ for them. I was SO pleased to be able to get them all b/c knowing my luck if I WAS able to get to Mike's they would have been sold out or really picked over.

Well the parcel arrived yesterday and not only did she send the stamps - but she got me a couple of those CUTE little tin mailboxes from the Target Dollar Spot!! WooHoo!!!

I've been SO envious of all the ppl that have been getting those mailboxes - we don't have a Target in Canada so I knew I'd never get my hands on them - but now I have two!! :o) And she sent me this adorable little love note too - this totally made my day! THANK YOU Kelly!!

So....LATE last night I sat at my desk and fiddled around w/ my new stamps and my CuttleBug (of course). I was running through scraps of CS and the embossing folders (isn't that the funnest?? LOL soon I'm prolly gonna have a foot-high pile of embossed CS!!!) and then used another one of my 2x2 dies - this time the scalloped squares one:

 

STAMPS: Michaels $ Valentine stamps. CS: Whisper White, Mellow Moss, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Real Red. INK: Palette Hybrid Noir (Stewart Superior), Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss Markers. ACCESSORIES: CuttleBug A2 Embossing folders - D'Vine Swirls, Heart Blocks, CB 2x2 Dies - Scalloped Squares, Tiny Tags, Dimensionals, Pink Fibers (no source), Bella Fibers (SU!), Ticket Corner Punch, Jump Ring, Red Rhinestones by Bohemia.

This card measures 3.5 x 5.5".

So Kelly keep an eye on your mailbox b/c this card will be heading there soon! *wink*

WOW!!

I have received a TON of mail the past couple of days - and it all couldn't have come at a better time!! I had SO much fun opening all the envelopes and seeing all the pretty cards!! I got a few RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness), some Birthday Cards, and one wonderful person sent me some ribbon and a CTMH stamp set for my birthday!! I am so touched by everyone's kind words. It means a lot!

I have some uploading to do as I put all the RAK's I get into my SCS gallery and thank yous to get out to all the senders so I will be back later to post a card I made a few days ago...

Oh and I am *slowly* getting replies out to all the e-mails I've been sent since the weekend. Please bear w/ me as I get very little computer time (ie nap time!! LOL) but I AM trying to reply to all of them!!

Abuse of Exclamation Marks...

You've been warned - this post will contain a LOT of 'em - I'm just too excited about it not to!!! ROFLOL!

My hubby came home the other day at lunch w/ a little parcel for me. I wasn't expecting anything and did a little happy dance when I saw who it was from and what was in it!!

Lauren sent me the COOLEST card made w/ the new Inky Antics Shopping Girl and the Cinderella stamp!! She remembered that I had said that I loved this new stamp but hadn't bought it yet so she got it for me!! I'm just itching to ink it up!!

Her card is AWESOME BTW - she dry embossed the base and the girls coat is cut from patterned paper and she put liquid applique on the trim - I love it!! And of course she added the little tab that says "on sale" *snicker* - she knows me and my rubber shopping habits WAAAAYYY too well!! I get a little crazy when it comes to stamps (don't we all??) and when they ARE on sale I go NUTS!!

OK I'm done gushing - I have a little free time right now so lets see if I can come up w/ something fun w/ my new stamp!! Big {{{HUGS}}} to you Lauren w/ a great big Thank You!!!

Something Special

I have been in a real funk for the past week. I haven't stamped anything ('cept those holiday swaps and I was rushed so I don't count those!!) since last week sometime and I've just felt blah. I really don't know what it is but I have had no desire to stamp or do *anything* creative. Well I know some of it is the "let down" feeling after being so pumped up for Regionals and then having it all end!! But as for the rest of it I dunno??

But then this showed up in the mail:

 

I pulled it out and was just awed. Isn't it gorgeous?? And then I read the note inside and didn't know what to say. And *then* I saw who it was from and was *really* speechless!! This came from Leslie (leslierich on SCS - you know - of Dirty Dozen fame?? Her cards are FAB-U-LOUS) and what she wrote meant SO much to me and came at the best possible time!! Funny thing is she wrote the note on a separate piece of paper leaving the card blank - umm like I'm going to USE it?? I'm keeping it for sure!!

HUGE Thank You to you Leslie!!!

You know I kinda feel like I need to go stamp something!! How cool is that?