Prairie Paper & Ink

2 More Videos

After posting my CuttleBog or BigShot??? Video the other day <-----click! if you haven't seen it - I got a ton more questions about using the Bigz dies with the CuttleBug, Can you cut felt? etc etc etc

So I did up 2 more quick videos and got them uploaded today - enjoy!

Using the Sizzix Bigz Dies with the CuttleBug:

 

 

You can watch this on YouTube HERE <-----click!

Cutting Felt, Chipboard and Fun Foam with the CuttleBug:

 

 

Watch this on YouTube HERE <------click!

And I mentioned in the second video that I buy my chipboard coasters and whatnot from ATS so here's the link to those as well:

Chipboard and Alterables

SNEAK PEEK - AmyR Stamps All Women Stamp Set

I love sentiment stamps.

When I first started stamping however many years ago (it's been close to 6 years I think? Man time flies!!) I chad THE hardest time finding good sentiment stamps. Heck just finding stamps that I liked was hard - I was pretty much limited to Stampin' Up! and whatever Michaels carried - and look at all the variety now!

Anywho - when I started designing my own stamps I knew what I really wanted to focus on was sentiment stamps - and the majority of the sets I've designed so far have been just that.

Really a person doesn't always NEED images when making a card - but words are almost always needed! And finding the right ones can be tough at times!

On February 1st (Monday!) CC Designs is releasing a new set from me called "All Women" that is full of words and a few sentiments to use on cards and projects for all the women in our lives - I hope y'all like it!

I made three (yup THREE - that's a record for me lately!) samples so far using just the stamps from the set along with some of my other paper-crafting goodies:

Here's card #1:

DAUGHTER

I have a HUGE stack of patterned papers sitting here that I had ordered months ago and never got around to using - so I decided to pull them out and play a little.

And FYI when I went to look up to see if these papers are even available anymore I found quite a few of them in the *Clearance* category on the ATS site - there's a 25 cent, 50 cent and 75 cent patterned paper category so you can get them for cheap!

Anywho - for this card I used some MME Penny Lane paper for the actual card base as it's quite a heavy weight.

I then stamped the Daughter sentiment from the All Women set onto white cardstock then die cut it with one of the Labels Eight dies.

I added a couple more strips of patterned paper, some primas and ribbon and finished off the front of the card.

On the inside of the card I added more patterned paper, die cut another piece of white cardstock using another Labels 8 die and stamped another sentiment from the set onto a strip of patterned paper that I then trimmed by running it through my CuttleBug using the same Labels 8 die before adhering it to the white cardstock.

Now for Card #2:

MOTHER

Personally this is my favorite of the three cards I've made. I just love how it turned out!

I'll be giving this to my Mom on Mother's Day (and since she rarely goes on the computer I highly doubt she'll ever see this).

I die cut more Penny Lane papers this time using my SU! Bigz Butterflies die, then attached them to the white cardstock using a heart brad (that I am pretty sure is from Making Memories - I've had it for forever).

I then went a little nuts and used an entire strip of red mini rhinestones from one of my little A Muse packs (and I can't find any more so I think that WAS the very last of the red ones! ACK!) as the butterfly "trail".

I had to add a little to it so I pierced some swirlies along the rhinestone trail using an old Ornare template (another thing that has sat in a drawer for forever).

I stamped the "Mother" sentiment from the All Women set onto the white cardstock, added a few more mini red rhinestones and rounded the bottom corners of the card with a corner-rounder punch.

On the inside of the card I added more white cardstock and another strip of patterned paper.

I then die-cut another butterfly and stamped another sentiment from the All Women set onto it before adhering it.

And last but not least is card #3:

GRANDMA

This one was pretty fun to make!

I pulled out my Peony dies (again something I bought eons ago and haven't used!! It's sick I tell you - I don't even want to think of how much stuff I have sitting here un-inked and un-used!! It was one of my "New Year Resolutions" to start USING all the stuff I've bought and slowly but surely I am!) and die cut some more patterned papers.

Before attaching the layers I crumpled them up to give them a little more dimension - then I attached them to the kraft cardstock with a Basic Grey brad (another oldie from my collection!).

The leaves I just free-hand cut from more of the patterned paper then glued into place.

I added some ribbon, a strip of patterned paper that I punched with my Fiskars punch, and stamped the "Grandma" and "Happy Birthday" sentiments from the All Women set.

The card base for this card was also heavy-weight patterned paper.

I rounded the bottom edges then added a piece of kraft cardstock to the imside and a strip of the pink patterned paper and that was it!

........................................................................................

I hope you guys enjoyed looking at my samples and make sure you head on over to the ATS blog for your chance to WIN this set along with all the other sets that will be released on Monday!

I can't wait 'till y'all see the full set!

And I will be posting again SOON - I've been inking up all these new stamps and trying to get samples made up - there are so many cute images I just don't know where to begin LOL!

**side note! - In case you missed it the CC Desings Sugarplums Spring Kit is only available for 50% off 'till Sunday (Jan 31st!) and there are only a few left! Then after that it will be available in February for 25% off retail.**
  
 
  

CuttleBug or BigShot?? Another VIDEO

I received a lot of feedback on my last video asking me why I got rid of my CuttleBug then re-purchased it, and what machine do I recommend, do you need both etc etc etc.

So rather than answer each one individually I made another video this afternoon (I am slowly getting used to seeing myself on video! It's not as bad as it was the first time!) - and after a TON of editing (I really do tend to ramble on and on and ON!! I ended up with over 15 mins of video and had to cut it down to under 10 in order to upload it) and all that it's finally live so here it is:

You can also watch it on YouTube HERE <-----click!

Order Haul!

My last ATS order arrived on Monday so I filmed the video of me opening everything and whatnot and FINALLY got it uploaded to my computer/edited/etc/uploaded to YouTube so here it is:

You can watch in on YouTube HERE <-----click! 

And in case anyone is wondering here are links to all the stuff I show in the video:

CuttleBug and Accessories

American Crafts Ribbons and Papers

AC Thickers

CCD Cardstock

Copic Re-inkers

Spellbinders Polymer Embossing Pad

Ummmm I think that was everything! At the end of this post I'll include the pics I had added at the end of the video - if you click on them you'll get a pop-up with a bigger view - you can then see everything MUCH better!

And FYI if you guys like videos like these I will continue to post them whenever I get in new goodies (not very often anymore but I'll still do hauls when there IS something new to show) - so just let me know!

Here are the pics:

   

Teeth Woes and a Happy Card!!

BLAH!!

Well here's another dental update - turns out I have a TON of work needing to be done - a root canal, fillings, a couple of crowns - pretty much the works!

And I couldn't get anything done yesterday - they put me on antibiotics because the one tooth that will be getting the root canal is causing issues and they want to get the swelling down and whatnot before they go in and start drilling.

So I have several appointments to look forward to. I technically *could* get most if not all of it done at once but they like to space things out a bit b/c #1 it makes it easier after the appointment on me when the freezing goes away I'm not in major agony and #2 with the type of dental insurance we have we still have to pay a percentage and it still adds up to a LOT (especially crowns! I was NOT happy when they said I need at least 2!! Our insurance only covers about half the cost and they are NOT cheap!!! :o( ) - so by spacing out the appointments it gives me a chance to save up the $$ to pay for them!

So I get to go back in the beginning of February and get a root canal - yay for me (can you SEE the sarcasm??). I'll just be happy to get it over with - that's the one that's been bothering me and it's slightly throbbing right now as it is..........doesn't help that with my work schedule I can only get in on certain days so the soonest I CAN get in is in 2 weeks. Double BLAH!!

ANYWHO - onto more cheerful topics - like stamping!! *grin*

Isn't he the cutest??

I colored this image 2 months ago (sad I know - it's been sitting on my desk since I posted this card with one of the other WRS imagesand I can see I said I'd get the card done with THIS image that night......and 2 months later here it is!! ROLFOL!!).

I used Copics and sorry this time I don't have the list of which ones!! I prolly had them written down on scratch paper when I colored the image but it's been so long I must have tossed the paper b/c I can't find it!

 I had die cut the image using the largest of the Labels 4 dies, and like I said it sat on my desk for 2 months 'till the other day when I decided to USE it!

I added some adhesive rhinestones from my stash to the flower centers and the little starburst thingies, then I filled in his nose and eyes with my clear glaze pen for a little extra POP!

I also decided to use more of myMME Colorful Christmas papers since I had used them on the previous card along with the first one I made with these Wild Rose Studio images. With this collection you can totally keep using these papers all year round - I either use the opposite side if the one side has snowflakes or snowmen or whatever and some of the other patterns just ARE year-round. That coupled with the bright colors just works!

I used some burgundy grosgrain along with a couple of buttons and embroidery thread from my stash, then added 2 Primas attached with a glittery orange (from an old Halloween collection LOL) brad and that finished off the front of the card.

On the inside of the card I just lined it with more patterned paper, added a strip of the striped paper then die cut another large Label 4 from white cardstock and that was it!

I didn't use any sentiments on the front or inside this time - with everything else going on inside and outside the card it didn't need it. That way this can be an "any occasion" card! 

Quick Little Update

I'm NOT in the greatest mood at the moment - I have to go to bed soon (normally way too early for me!) as I have to be up SUPER-early tomorrow.

Why you ask?

Well I have to head in to the city for a fabulous dentist appointment. I have a filling that's been REALLY bothering me for the past couple of weeks and a cavity that decided to make a rather obscene appearance (one day there was nothing and then all of a sudden there's a hole in the side of my tooth! Gotta love having bad genes when it comes to teeth! Both of my parents have had major issues with their teeth and it seems like I got it all times 10) - SO I can barely chew on one side of my mouth.

I can't wait to have it all taken care of - and I do love that my dentist practices pain-free methods - the dentist I used to go to when I was young and into my teens was NOT a pain-free dentist. I used to dread every appointment (which were quite a few as like I mentioned I had a lot of problems with my teeth and a LOT of selective pulling b/c of overcrowding) as I would nearly rip the arm rests off the chair when they shoved those needles in.........*shiver*

Now I don't have to worry about that. But I do just want it all to be over and done with (and I really hope it will be - I reallyreallyreally hope all the work can be done tomorrow morning so that I don't have to go back for a while!).

***EDITED TO ADD - this post is WAY old but it hasn't stopped a bunch of dental SPAMMERS from constantly trying to comment on it and post links to their dental websites. Seriously?? So the comments are closed on this post and all the spammers comments have been marked as spam and DELETED.***

I will have a card (maybe more! But one for sure) to post in a day or two - but no time to post it tonight.

I do have this to share for y'all that have asked for updates on the cat:

Quite a big difference from a couple of months ago!:

Her name has stayed Princess Sparkles.

I got tired of fighting it and we never were able to agree on anything else.

The girls call her either Princess or Sparkles now - not very often both. I just call her cat and so does Tim - and it works LOL.

She can be a royal (no pun intended LOL) pain sometimes (like getting up on the kitchen counters to swipe whatever food was left sitting out, or chewing and ripping up one of my hanging houseplants that she views as her personal toy) but when she's in a calm mood she loves curling up on top of me for a nap.

Oh and when she is curled up on me (usually when I'm laying on the couch watching TV or reading) she wants ALL of my attention. She'll chew on my book or put her paws in front of it or try to push my face with her paws when I'm watching TV - SO annoying but funny really.

Like any cat she's totally full of herself and it's all about her *grin*.

Gotta get to bed - I'll post soon!!  

CC Designs Limited Edition Sugarplums Spring Kit

**NOTE - I did NOT create this card!! The super-fab Lesa Rapp did - you can check out her blog HERE <----click!**

I had to post a heads-up for y'all that the LIMITED EDITION CC Designs Spring Kit is now available for sale!

You can get it for 50% off retail (that is an AMAZING price!!!)HERE on the ATS site!! (this special price is only available 'till Jan 31st so get it now!).

After that it will be available throughout February at 25% off retail (still an amazing deal).

You can also check out some more samples Lesa's made with the stamps HERE <---click! on the ATS blog.

And of course *one* of the reasons I'm posting this is b/c the sentiment set that is included with this kit was designed by yours truly *grin*. The other's are b/c they are ADORABLE stamps and it's a great deal! I don't even have my stamps yet and I can't wait 'till they get here!! 

I Made Another Card!!

This one took way too long too - but I'm happy with how it turned out so YAY!!

I thought I'd get SOMETHING done and posted tonight as there is a good chance I won't be posting anything more 'till the weekend since I have to work long hours over the next couple of days - and usually on days like that when I get home all I want to do is crash on the couch!

ANYWHO - when I was at work today and had a lull between clients I was flipping through my Bella stamps (I cart different stamps back and forth to work along with my Copics, some white cardstock, acrylic blocks and black ink) and wanted to color this image - and then realized I'd left my black ink at home! AURGH!!

So instead I just sketched down a couple of different layouts/ideas for some of the stamps I WANT to use and then tonight started playing around.

I had started with that jugglabella image and the idea I had for it - and then I totally butchered the main image (sponging gone wrong!) so I tossed it and went with this image instead!:

(oh and sorry my pics aren't the greatest!! Even with my photo tent pics are harder to take at night plus I just wanted to get this done and posted!)

I ended up using the latest sketch from the CPS blog for my card (it's been FOREVER since I've used one of their sketches! I always plan to then I either forget or go in another direction with my project...) as I liked the 3 strips on the card base - to me that was perfect for patterned paper.

I pulled out my Bella BLVD Swing Into Spring papers for this card - LOVE those. I like the clean graphics and bright colors - they just make me happy!

I stamped the DAYDREAMabella onto CCD white cardstock then colored in her and the cat with Copics.

COPICS USED:

E51, R20, E25, R83, R85, R17, R27, BG45, BG49, Y17, YG95, BG000, N1, Colorless Blender.

I then paper-pieced the chair and the rug using 2 of the Bella BLVD papers - love how that turned out! There were 2 teeny bits of the chair that I didn't paper-piece since they were so small so I colored them in with my YG95 Copics and you can't even tell.

The image was cut out with a rectangle nestability by cutting around the though bubble so that it wouldn't be cut (and then I decided to stamp and cut out another though bubble so that I could put it on dimensionals so that time omitting it was wasted LOL).

I also added some Red Stickles to the heart on her shirt :o)

The sentiments stamped in the thought bubble and on the inside of the card are from the Friends Sentiments set.

Have a great night everyone! :o)

Playing Around...

It is still taking me WAY longer to complete a card than it used to - I had all these grand plans of making a TON of cards this weekend. Tim is away for work-related training and whatnot - and I thought I would have all this free time to create and get SO many cards done.

I don't know why I bother to delude myself......

Between all the catching-up on house cleaning (which I still have a ton left to do!) and deciding to start purging my stamp studio (something I've needed to do for MONTHS now...) PLUS I was downtown with Josie most of this morning as the Olympic Torch went through town (it was pretty cool to see it go by a few feet in front of me! Sadly I don't have any pics as I forgot to bring my camera of course!) - so yeah not many cards were made this weekend.

Actually I only finished one card.

Ah well it's something new to share!

I had this Swiss Miss Rosalie with Roses image colored and cut out from a week or two ago - so it was just a matter of putting the card together.

Just like the previous card I stamped her onto CCD white cardstock with Tuxedo Memento black ink then colored her in with Copic markers.

COPICS USED:

E50, E51, R20, YR31, YR21, YR12, BG05, BG07, R27, R29, R39, R83, R85, BG0000, BG10, YG03, Colorless Blender.

And just like the previous post I used my colorless blender to create the pattern on her dress (how-to video on that can be seen here).

I decided to do something new (for me) and pleated this 1.5" wide lace-like May Arts ribbon I have in my stash. I just ran a strip of 1/2" Scor-Tape along the card then pressed down the ribbon as I pleated it.

To help cover the top of the ribbon as well as keep it in place better I added a length of this red velvet flower ribbon that I got eons ago (it's by DoodleBug and I don't think you can get it anymore).

The sentiments on the outside and the inside are from the Thank You Sentiments set (I need to keep adding Thank You cards to my stash - one can never have enough!).

The patterned paper is from the MME Ooh La La Collection.

Gotta run - I still have a couple of loads of laundry to do - and tomorrow it's back to work for me!!   

Hold on to your hats folks...

Because I am truly posting a card that **I** made today!!

Shocking I know *grin*

I have to work tonight and had some schedule changes today so between errands and whatnot I got a little bit of stamping time (YAY!!) and after ALL day I got ONE card made (rather sad but hey it's better than nothing!!).

I also received notice that my All That Scraps order shipped (Christine had said in her newsletter that she had taken over shipping and that most orders would ship the same day - and yeah mine did!!) so I'm really excited for it to get here - I have been begging for ATS to start carrying American Crafts products b/c I LOVE their stuff and it's hard (for me) to come by. So when I saw all of those papers and ribbons and thickers (THICKERS!!) in the store I went a little nuts!! If anyone is interested I could maybe do a little "video haul" to show y'all when it gets here b/c from the looks of it some of the papers are glittery and whatnot and it's always fun to get a chance to "SEE" products b/c lets face it - scans or flat pictures online rarely do papers and whatnot justice. There have been SO many times I've ordered something and when it arrived it looked WAY different than I thought it would (though 99% of the time it's a good thing!).....so yeah if any of you are interested in me doing something like that just let me know in the comments!

ANYWHO - I got sidetracked there (it's been a LONG time since I've bought anything paper-craft related! I'm pretty excited!!) - so here is the card I made!

I love the CCD Swiss Pixies line - I think all of them are adorable - and they're so fun to color. When I got the newest ones for the January release I lost no time stamping them then colored them at work between appointments (and I have to say lugging my two pails of Copics and another bag of cardstock and ink and all that is ridiculous - people downtown prolly think I'm nuts I have so much stuff I haul back and forth to work LOL!! But at least I get some coloring time in when there's nothing else to do!).

 I stamped Swiss Miss Rosalie onto CCD White Cardstock (another thing I ordered a few extra packs of - I like to have a LOT of white cardstock on hand - I start feeling anxious when I only have a pack or two left - so there's another insight into my craziness *wink*) with Tuxedo Black ink then colored her in with Copics.

COPICS used:

E50. E51, R20. E31, E25, E27, R83, R85, R27, YG23, YG25, BG0000, BG10, Colorless Blender.

Oh and in case you missed it I did a video HERE <----click! showing how I create patterns with the Copic Colorless Blender.

I cut her out and adhered her to the card with dimensionals.

The patterned paper is from the MME Ooh La La line, I cut it out with a Labels 4 die along with some caramel cardstock that I sponged with brown ink.

The green cardstock was actually stamped with a background stamp (it's been MONTHS - maybe even over a year??? since I've used any of those!!) from SU - the Cheesecloth one (that I'm pretty sure is retired).

I then added some red grosgrain ribbon and prima flowers and stamped a Thank You from my Thank You Sentiments set.

On the inside of the card I added a strip of the patterned paper and another strip of the green cardstock that was stamped with the Cheesecloth stamp.

I then stamped one of the sentiments from the Thank You Sentiments set on top of the Cheesecloth with brown ink and that was it!

I have to run back to work but I just wanted to #1 get this posted and #2 say this card is basically for ALL of you!! I really appreciate you guys putting up with me and the lack of posts and the craziness of the past few months!! It means a TON when I read all the nice and encouraging comments and just knowing y'all are still checking in (and I'm sure a bunch have stopped coming here - and I don't blame anyone in the least!!) has kept me going and kept me from just stopping altogether b/c I did entertain that idea more than once when things got really crazy or I just couldn't imagine finding the time again or anything like that. I DID consider quitting stamping and taking down this blog. But I just couldn't do it. I still love what I do - I just need to learn to better manage my time and find things that work for me and for my family!!

AGAIN - gotta run!! Big ((((((hugs)))))) and *mwah* to all of you - and even though it's late (what else is new?) HAPPY 2010!! :o)

Smallish Rant

I haven't fallen off the face of the planet - I've just been working a LOT these past few weeks. When I don't get home 'till 7, 8 heck even 10pm some nights the last thing I want to do is stamp!!

It doesn't help that it's been SO long since I've stamped I'm having a heck of a time getting my mojo back :(

I've colored several CCD images while I was at work - AND even gone so far as to cut a few out - but that's about as far as I've got. Seems like as soon as I set aside some time for me - someone calls for a last minute appointment, or an appointment has to be changed, or whatever - and I end up with no stamping time!!

That and I REALLY need to clean and organize my studio - I've been saying for WEEKS now that I need to clean it up.......I start and then either get discouraged because I don't have the time to finish, or else I move on to other things - like laundry!!!

Sorry it's been another long day and I'm tired and I was really hoping I could post a card or SOMETHING on here rather than blabbing on about my boring though busy life!!

Even though I keep saying it - I WILL be posting something crafty SOON!! The ideas have been rolling - and I have been dying to create something - like I said I have been coloring - I just need to make somethin' with all the images I've colored LOL!!

I'll be back SOON - hopefully REALLY soon - like in a day or two!!