Prairie Paper & Ink

Friday Sketch! #35

This is going to have to be the fastest post EVER - I'm supposed to be headed out the door to the retreat and am nowhere near ready!! Thankfully I don't feel nearly as icky as I was (thanks to everyone for your get well wishes - I think they helped LOL!!) and I'm hoping this will be a fabulous weekend :)

I'll have access to the 'net since Julie is bringing her laptop (not that I'll be spending much time on the computer!) so I will try and edit this post later - or at the very least I'll edit it on Monday to include the deets on the card and all the links to last week's participants (I didn't forget about y'all! I just like to take the time to look at each participants cards and whatnot and comment :) ).

Here's my card - all stamps used are AmyR Stamps - Build A Holiday, Christmas Sentiments and Christmas Card Verses:

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Here's the sketch!!

If you upload your card using this sketch to any public galleries please use the keyword AMYRS44 to make it easier to find.

And don't forget to link directly to your creation in the comment section of this post so that I can see it too! (please don't use just a general link to your blog/gallery - if you've posted several times since then I have to search to find the right post!)

Also if you want me to link to your card in next week's sketch post you have to have it done and linked to before next Friday - other than that there's no time limits. I just enjoy having any of you participate and linking back to your creations is a little way for me to say thank you!! :)

Anyone can play along, and you can use whatever stamps and supplies you would like - there's no restrictions!!

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**I'll edit this post later to add the links to all of the participants in Friday Sketch! #34**

Cyndi's Card

Maren's Card

Tina's Card

Robbie's Card

Lisa's Card

Catherine's Card

Snow's Card

Beating off a Cold and Another Holiday Card

That's right - I'm trying my darndest not to get sick - I leave on Friday for my stamping retreat with Julie and I CAN'T get sick right now! I've been anticipating this weekend for MONTHS - no kids, no hubbies, catered food, a one-hour massage (THAT is something I've been needing for SO long), and sitting on my butt stamping ALL WEEKEND. I haven't even started thinking about packing yet - as usual I put everything off till the last minute......

Anyway between feeling like crap this morning and trying to get other things around the house done I didn't get the chance to make anything till after I put Josie down for her nap:

I pulled out last year's Basic Grey Figgy Pudding patterned papers - I bought them last year and hoarded them as they were too pretty to use - yeah I know. Then BG came out with the Wassail line this year that I LOVE as well - so I better use up these papers eh?? Be prepared to se a LOT of holiday cards and whatnot using them as I have a lot to use up!! *grin*

I pulled out my Build A Holiday set and stamped the circles onto one of the whitish papers then punched them out with my 1 3/8", 1 1/4" and 1" circle punches, added the stamped face and buttons then paper pieced the scarf and hat with a couple of other papers.

The rest of the card came together quite quickly after that - I just played around with some of the different papers and cut them at random, laying them out on the card till I decided on what I liked.

The sentiment is from the Christmas Sentiments set - I stamped it onto the same paper as the snowman, trimmed it to 1" then used my Key Tag punch to round the one end.

The wide red ribbon is May Arts, the grosgrain is from WalMart. The pewter snowflake brads I got a couple of years ago from a local scrapbook store - I think they're made by Nunn Design?

I finished off the inside of the card with a couple more strips of the patterned paper and a stamped verse from the Christmas Card Verses set and that was it!

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Today being Wednesday (a fact I've had to remind myself of a couple of times already today) means there's another great ATS challenge going on - it's mini pizza boxes and the DT totally outdid themselves! You can check them all out HERE.

PLUS you HAVE to check out what Lesa made using my stamps: Holiday Pizza Box <------is it not GORGEOUS????? I really am kicking myself for not getting that Martha Stewart lace border punch now - I can't tell you how many times I've had it in my hands at the store and put it back telling myself I didn't need it! I LOVE the look of it on all the mini cards Lesa made - I thought at first that she had used real lace!

Also check out Dawn's pizza box at the end of THIS post <------- it's SO cute and I LOVE the patterned paper - so colorful and retro!

After seeing all these cute boxes I'm itchin' to make one myself.......using more of these Basic Grey Figgy papers of course!! *grin*

They're Up!!

Build A Holiday, Christmas Sentiments and Christmas Card Verses are now available for sale! You can also get the set of 3 here!!

I made this card with some more Flair Designs Holly Jolly paper and my Christmas Card Verses set.

I cut the Santa Image from the patterned paper and matted it with brown cardstock and added some vintage eyelets along the one edge.

The sentiment was stamped onto vanilla cardstock then I used my SU! Key Tag punch to round each end before using my MM Ribbon Slot punch to punch holes to slide the ribbon through (ribbon is from WalMart).

The snowflakes were made with the Sizzlits dies that are in Stampin' Up!s Holiday Mini - I ran the dies through my CuttleBug (for the Sizzlits you need the A plate and 2 B plates) with a couple of scraps of cardstock. After they were cut I attached them to the card with a couple of vintage brads.

I blinged up the card a little with some Crystal Stickles and that was it!!

A Couple More Samples and Stamp Set Details

OK I'm back!

Here are some stamp sets info:

3 sets in total are being released - Build A Holiday, Christmas Sentiments and Christmas Card Verses.

All the sets come in a CD tin for storage. They're unmounted rubber stamps with EZmount cling foam attached. The images come on 2 sheets in the tin that need to be cut out prior to using.

You need acrylic blocks to be able to stamp the images - I highly recommend these 2.5" and 3.5 " round blocks - they have gridlines etched into them (so they won't wear off!), are comfy to hold and the 3.5 will fit ALL the stamps in these 3 sets - the 2.5 will fit a lot of them - just a couple of the verse stamps and longer sentiments won't fit so you would need the 3.5.

(pictured is the 3.5" round block)

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Build A Holiday: 30 stamps in the set.

Christmas Sentiments: 24 stamps.

Christmas Card Verses: 14 or 15 stamps (depending if one verse is cut apart to use separately - see sample below)

The sets will be sold at AllThatScraps for $15 each or you can get all 3 sets for $40 and save $5!!

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Now for a couple more samples:

I used patterned papers from Flair Designs Holly Jolly collection and stamped the ornaments from the Build A Holiday set onto the striped paper - then punched them out with circle punches.

*Tip - the 3 circles in the set co-ordinate with a 1 3/8", 1 1/4" and 1" Circle Punch - so you don't have to cut out each one by hand if you have the punches!

I stamped the toppers onto vanilla cardstock, then colored them in with Copics before cutting them out. I used my handheld 1/16" punch to punch holes inside the circles (or you could just pierce them with a paper piercer) to run the gold cord through.

I taped the ends of the cords to the back of the ornaments, attached the ornaments to the card with dimensionals, then taped the opposite ends of the cords to the back of the patterned paper with tape.

It was hard to capture the shimmer on camera but I used my Gold Spica pen on the ornaments and on the scripty part of the verse so it's all shimmery!

This is the verse I've been mentioning that can be cut apart - it's meant to be just one stamp but it works well as 2 separate stamps - it's up to you how you want to use it!

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This post is getting to be a lot longer than planned LOL - I'll share the other card I made later on tonight or early tomorrow.

Don't forget I'll be in the ATS forum in a couple of hours (8pm est!) to chat!! I am so excited about this release and can't wait till you all can see the sets in full!! :D

I can see my rear up ahead.......LOL

That's how far behind I am *wink*. I ended up with a wicked migrane last night so I didn't get anything done, then this morning my 'Net connection went down and I couldn't post or do anything - so my post with samples and more info about the sets that are being released tonight will be a little later today as I have company coming over in less than an hour!

FYI the sets will be available at 10pm EST TONIGHT (Monday Oct 27th) and though there is no official release party I WILL be on the ATS CC Designs Releases forum (look for the title "AmyR Stamps October Release!!) at 8pm est to chat with anyone who'd like to!!

But before I run make sure to check out these links as they contain some FABULOUS samples using my soon-to-be-released sets!!

Lauren's Out of the Box Samples (seriously how does she think of things like this? All of them are so cool)

Julie's Peace at Christmas Card (uses one of my favorite verses from the Christmas Card Verses Set)

Molly's Geometric Christmas Card (how cool is that?)

Christina's Joy Card (love all the layering!)

Renee's CuttleBugged Cards (LOVE these - the textures and colors rock!)

Cyndi's Peace Card (so cool how she made the holly with the baubles with leaves from the Build a Holiday Set)

OK I'll be back later!!!

Sneak Peek - AmyR Stamps Christmas Card Verses

If any of you cardmakers are like me - you are constantly looking out for stamps to use on the INSIDE of your cards - ESPECIALLY Christmas cards.

I always get so frustrated this time of the year because I feel like I don't have enough verses or enough variety - I either like the stamps in a particular set but the font is all the same (so they all look the same which is boring), or they are too small (I like "inside" stamps to look like they BELONG inside a standard A2 sized card), or there isn't enough variety - I'll like one or two verses out of an entire set and never use the other ones.

Well one good way for me to remedy my problem is to design my own Christmas Card Verses set - I LOVE it and I hope you all will too!!

There are 14-15 (depends if you cut up one of the stamps - it can be separated into 2 stamps) stamps in my Christmas Card Verses set - all in different fonts and all a good size for standard A2 cards. I packed as many stamps as I possibly could fit into the CD tins (all my stamps sets come in the CD tins - and all are double sets - meaning they fit onto both sides of the tin) and when you see the price they will be retailing for I think you all will be even MORE pleased - but more about that TOMORROW - on to the peeks:

I always get asked what I do with the INSIDES of the cards I make as I rarely show them - well I generally will add a strip or two of coordinating patterned paper if I used that on the card, or at times I'll just leave it blank - even though that drives me crazy!

For these holiday cards that I've shown you all already using my soon-to-be-released Build A Holiday and Christmas Sentiments set I finished off the insides of the cards using the Christmas Card Verses set.

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You can find the original card details HERE and HERE.

And don't forget to check out what the Design Team did with the Christmas Card Verses set HERE. Leave a comment on that ATS blog post and you'll be entered in to win the set!!

All 3 sets are being released TOMORROW (Monday Oct 27) at All That Scraps at 10pm est!!!

Sneak Peek - AmyR Stamps Christmas Sentiments - AND Friday Sketch! #34

Here's sneak peek #2!!

AmyR Stamps Christmas Sentiments is pretty self-explanatory - a whole set of JUST Sentiments to use on the front of your Christmas cards. There are 25 stamps in this set and I just LOVE the variety (that's why I designed it LOL!) - there's different fonts and several different sizes to fit pretty much any type of Christmas card you will make!

You can see a bunch of the DT samples HERE <----click!! And don't forget to leave a comment on that ATS blog post as you will be entered in to win your own Christmas Sentiments set!!

If you check out yesterday's post as well you can see two other sentiments from this set :)

I kept this card pretty simple - I used a sketch I made months ago and saved onto my computer - then whipped up this card last night to fit!

I stamped the three triangle "trees" from my Build A Holiday set onto SU!'s Ski Slope Designer Series Papers then cut them out. The trunks are a separate stamp (and there are 3 different trunk "options" in the set - I chose the outline one) that I stamped onto another patterned paper and cut out.

I adhered all the trees to the piece of vanilla cardstock, then stamped the sentiment from Christmas Sentiments using brown ink.

I added Crystal Stickles to all the trees (which really took on the green of the trees - wasn't expecting that but I love it!) and sponged all the edges.

Then to finish the card off I just cut a piece from the striped patterned paper in the Ski Slope pack, adhered it to the sponged card base then added the main image and that was it!

I didn't add any ribbon or embellishments - this is a FLAT Christmas card - perfect for mass producing (even cutting out the trees and whatnot doesn't take long as they're simple cuts) and mailing out for Christmas!

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And here's the sketch:

If you upload your card using this sketch to any public galleries please use the keyword AMYRS43 to make it easier to find.

And don't forget to link directly to your creation in the comment section of this post so that I can see it too! (please don't use just a general link to your blog/gallery - if you've posted several times since then I have to search to find the right post!)

Also if you want me to link to your card in next week's sketch post you have to have it done and linked to before next Friday - other than that there's no time limits. I just enjoy having any of you participate and linking back to your creations is a little way for me to say thank you!! :)

Anyone can play along, and you can use whatever stamps and supplies you would like - there's no restrictions!!

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Here's the cards made with last week's Friday Sketch! #33:

Lara's Card

Tracy's Card

Lisa's Card

Snow's Card

Ginny's Card

Tina's Card

Robbie's Card

Makeesha's Cards and Scrapbook Page

Cyndi's Card

Sneak Peek - AmyR Stamps Build a Holiday

OK I feel better than I did yesterday - not 100% back to my old self but thank goodness the stuffy head part is over with - I can't think straight when it's like that!!

Now on to the fun stuff. This first sneak peek is of my Build a Holiday set - I designed it so that all the different parts can be made in to a TON of different things: ornaments, lightbulbs, snowmen, Christmas trees, flowers (yup flowers!!), heck even reindeer (I didn't even think of that one but one of the DT members did - I LOL'd when I saw it!!).

Check out the DT members creations HERE. Are they not fabulous?? Don't forget that if you comment on that ATS blog post you will be entered in to win the Build a Holiday set for FREE!! *grin*

And on to my samples:

I designed 3 different sizes of petals/ornaments/lightbulbs for this set - but for this card I only used the 2 larger ones to make the flower.

I stamped them onto KI Memories Joyful patterned papers using VersaMark then embossed them with SU! Iridescent Ice embossing powder before cutting them out. After attaching all the petals and layering them I used a a faux rhinestone I had in my stash as the flower center and attached it with a mini glue dot before attaching it to the card.

I scalloped the edge of the pink paper with my SU! Scalloped Border punch, added some ribbon and a little paper piercing before attaching it all to the card base (also from the KI Joyful line).

The sentiment is another sneak peek - from one of the other sets I'll be releasing! More on that tomorrow ;)

For the second card I used papers from the same KI collection - this time using the frosty papers and stamping the circle ornament images from the Build A Holiday set onto them and cutting them out.

After cutting out the ornaments I adhered them to the white cardstock then stamped the string with bow stamp to make it look as if they're all hanging from something.

I couldn't resist adding some Crystal Stickles to each ornament for added bling ;)

The sentiment on this card is also from one of my soon-to-be-released sets *grin*

I punched all the corners with SU!'s Ticket Corner punch, then added red DoodleBug brads. For the ribbon I punched a slot with my MM Ribbon Slot Punch and slid my May Arts Satin ribbon through and tied it in a bow.

Again don't forget to check out the DT samples and leave a comment on THAT post to be entered in to win this set!!

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I plan on posting the Friday Sketch a little later today - when I decide on the sketch and make a card - getting this cold threw off my game - I'm behind with EVERYTHING right now!!

Not So Giddy and a Happy Card

Ahhhhhh it's crazy how much things can change in only a few hours!! Since my last post I have been hit with a nasty cold (I was feeling it earlier today but praying that it wouldn't get any worse - seems it did - I feel like I've been hit by a truck!!) and I literally have NO energy :( At least once Tim gets home from work he can take care of the girls for me and I can try and get something done - I am praying that this doesn't get worse over the weekend - too much to do!! I CAN'T get sick!!

Anywho - I DID get one card done today:

I started this yesterday and finished it this morning. This Ambrosia paper really IS fabulous is it not?? The colors are just so warm and the patterns are awesome - I would love to have a dress or two like it (and it goes without saying I'd take a pair of each of these shoes LOL!).

I stamped the shoe from Amy's Boutique onto the strip of whitish paper, then paper pieced all of them with various scraps of the patterns I've been using these past few days. I added shadows with a Prismacolor pencil blended with Gamsol.

The rest of the card came together pretty quickly after that. I added the sentiment from Boutique Sentiments (stamped on a scrap of the yellow paper from the pack) as a tab behind the main image.

I dug through my button jar and added a few using black embroidery thread to attach them to the card - after having tied on some May Arts satin ribbon of course.

I always try to finish off the inside of the card as it looks so "naked" if left blank. The easiest thing to do is to add strips of matching patterned paper - I always have pieces left over so I trim them if needed then adhere them to the inside and that's it!

Off to try and get the creative juices flowing and make some samples with the soon-to-be-released sets - don't forget the sneak peeks start tomorrow on the ATS blog and (hopefully!!) here too!! 

Giddy

My stamps are here!!!! They arrived yesterday afternoon so I'm going to be creating like mad today to get samples made as sneak peeks of my sets are starting TOMORROW!! Then the sets are being released on Monday - YAY!!

I think I'll still be back a little later with a card or two to share - I refuse to put away that Ambrosia paper so mebbe I'll be able to whip up another somethin' somethin' to show y'all!! *wink*

Ambrosia - Masculine Inspired

OK I couldn't resist making another card - though I'm risking making y'all sick of these papers and my stamps LOL!!

I went with something masculine this time - stamping the shirt image from Amy's Boutique onto the whitish patterned paper and the ties onto 3 different patterns (another reason why I like getting the 6x6 packs from Basic Grey - the patterns are scaled WAY smaller than the 12x12 so are perfect for paper piecing smaller images like this - and the scaling is better for cardmakers like me!).

I attached the shirts with dimensionals, and used brads in each corner of the patterned strip.

I didn't want to add ribbon, but though I could get away with a button on a "guy" card - I originally wanted to attach it with linen thread but that seems to be the ONE thing I can't remember where I packed when I moved - I searched for it for who knows how long and still can't find it!! So I used black embroidery thread instead - wrapping it around the cardstock and threading it through the button holes.

I stamped the sentiment from Boutique Sentiments onto a scrap of CS and punched it out with SU!'s Word Window punch, then attached it to the card with another brad.

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Now I hafta run as I barely got anything done at home this morning! After I dropped Veronica off at school I helped my mom out at the coffee shop for an hour or so then ran a few errands. I'm hoping after lunch I'll get a little stamping time in - Josie goes down for a nap and V is in school so it's uninterrupted ME time!!

Under the Weather? and a Little News Tidbit

I was going to make something completely different this morning, but when I went into my stamp room after breakfast I still had all my Basic Grey Ambrosia papers, my stamps and matching accessories sitting out.

So rather than clean up I just used what was already out!! *grin*

I used my Amy's Boutique stamp set and stamped the umbrella 3 times onto the grey paper, and stamped the top onto 3 different patterns then paper pieced the umbrella tops.

I added rain dots (by Cloud9) to the images - love how they look!

The sentiment is from A Muse.

I pulled out my Pillow Box die (got that from Stampin' Up!'s Holiday mini not too long ago) and used it on the second sheet of Basic Grey paper (BG's 6x6 packs are the perfect size for these dies) and used it for the first time - worked like a charm. I have a CuttleBug and just used the die and 2 B plates to run it through and that's it. The box took a whopping 2 minutes to make.

I finished off the inside of the card by adhering a couple of strips of the patterned paper to the inside (a good way to use up bits of the papers that are left over), stamped and paper pieced the umbrella and that was it!

Ribbon is May Arts textures. Brads are Doodlebug.

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Now are y'all wondering what my little news tidbit is???

Well stay tuned as I am planning on releasing THREE new stamp sets on the 27th of this month!! I am reallyreallyreally hoping my copies get here either today or tomorrow so I can start making samples as sneak peeks will be starting this weekend on the ATS blog. I can't say much more about them except that they are all Christmas sets!! Ok that's it. My lips are sealed......*grin* 

All That Scraps Design Team Call

Ok folks here it is - I am doing a call for new Design Team members to join the All That Scraps Design Team!!

If you are interested and think you have what it takes then check out the page with all the info you need to know HERE <------click!!

Winner!!

Thank you everyone for sharing your memorable birthday stories - I haven't read every single one yet but I'm going to!! I always like to read every comment I get and ones like this are definitely no exception!

I plugged in the numbers at random.org to find me the winner and this is what it came up with:

so that means the winner is TINA!!:

Tina please e-mail me your mailing address to amyrysavyAThotmailDOTcom (replace AT and DOT with @ and . - only way to prevent me getting a ton of spam mail is to type it out this way) and I will have the sets sent out to you ASAP!!

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FYI I did get to go to the city yesterday - Tim's parents babysat while we went in and did a little shopping and saw a movie (Eagle Eye - it was really good!).

I went to Payless and got THE cutest shoes ever:

Aren't they fabulous!!!! As soon as I saw them I had to try them on - last pair in the store and they were my size!! And yes totally pink - I got the black pair just like it b/c they had a good sale going on.

Here's a link to the shoes on the site (just because I always get asked *wink*):

American Eagle Karter Wedge

Birthday Card and Blog Candy :)

I hate to say it but I'm in a rather depressed mood. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I spent all morning cleaning the house and still have more to do. That and the fact that even tho tomorrow is my birthday (I'll be a whopping 25 years old! *wink*) there are no plans to do anything. However I'm not going to sit and pout - too much to do!! I have this card to share and some birthday blog candy to give away and it's going to be fun!! :o)

I made this card using my Amy's Boutique and Boutique Sentiments stamps, and patterned paper from Basic Grey's Ambrosia collection. I got the 6x6 pack and this is the first time I've cut into it. I know I gush about pretty much all the papers I use (I wouldn't be using them in the first place if I didn't LOVE them!!) but I really do love this colleciton. The colors and the patterns are just fabulous - they're so elegant yet funky and offbeat. You all will definitely be seeing more creations in the future from me using these papers!

Anywho, I stamped the dress onto the paper, cut it out then instead of paper piecing the band I wrapped it with embroidery thread and tied it in a bow.

I attached the dress to the grey paper with dimensionals and pierced each corner.

This card looks a lot busier than it really is b/c of the different patterns - when really it's a basic layout and not a whole lot of embellishments.

I added a piece of wide May Arts ribbon, then tied on some SU! grey taffeta ribbon.

To finish off the card I added some jumbo orange brads, the sentiment (punched out with SU!'s Word Window punch) attached with a mini grey brad, and a bit of paper piercing and that was it!

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Now on to the blog candy!!

I want you all to tell me what your MOST memorable birthday experience was.

Mine was my 17th - I was working that day (KFC LOL!) and Tim and I had been dating for only a few months, and he was 3 hours away going to school. I wasn't sure when I'd be seeing him again - definitely not on my birthday. I remember I was out front cleaning and my boss called me back in "that" voice (the one where you know you're in trouble!) and told me to go to her office. She followed behind me and shut me in by myself. I turned around and Tim was there with a box of gifts for me and a goofy grin on his face.

I'll never forget that day. He surprised me so bad I nearly fell over I was so shocked!! And him driving all the way there just to see me on my day meant a lot. It's prolly cheesy but it really was my best birthday ever!

So now it's your turn. Share your thoughts and I will be picking a random commenter via random.org that will win both my Amy's Boutique and Boutique Sentiments stamp sets either later tomorrow night or on Monday morning (still holding out hope that I'll get to do something tomorrow!) - so you have till then to comment and possibly win!!

Only one comment per person please - multiple comments by the same person will be deleted.