I Actually WON a contest!!!!

This is a picture of my card that won a TAC card contest last month. The contest category was Easy for Easter. I saw a card that used brown paper and the scalloped circle punch in a magazine I was reading and loved it. So like any good stamper, I adapted the idea to fit the stamps and paper that I wanted and the result was this card. I used TAC's No bunny like you set. After I stamped the chick/bunny stamp in the circle, I colored in the chick, bunny and egg with TAC's glaze gelly pens and then I colored the grass with Prismacolor watercolor pencils and used a blender pen to soften the look. All the paper and ribbon I used featured TAC's Mimi collection. I just loved the look of all of it once it was done. You can't see it, but the card is actually folded at the top and bottom and has a seem in the middle of the card. So the top half opens UP and the bottom half opens DOWN. The brown strip is attached to the scalloped circle and it slides off the card so the recipient can open it. It's like a paper "band" to hold the card. I think this particular fold is called a gatefold or something like that. To be honest, I didn't think it had a chance of winning, but I was mailing in some entries for a couple other contests (I really thought I had a great chance of winning Terrific Trio--I'll have to post those cards another day) so I thought, hey, why not--and put the card in the package and mailed it off. I couldn't believe it when my friend Christina was on my answering machine hinting that I needed to go check out the website. My twelve year old daughter thought I had gone nuts when I started jumping up and down and screaming, "I won, I won, I REALLY won." LOL!!! Believe me, it took quite a few days to sink in that I actually won a contest. I've been trying for a while. I didn't always enter every month, but tried to enter quite regularly. Well, I hope you get inspired by the card. So head out to your stamp space and stamp a project today!

Where have I been?!?!?!?!?

I'm not quite sure where I've been in regards to my stamping realm. I guess I would have to say I've spent more time in the mommy/wife realm lately. Either way though, it's time to post some inspiration and show you what we've been stamping lately. These first couple cards are some cards my daughter Aponi and I made for my sister-in-laws care package of cards we sent to her. She was attending college in England for the semester. All of us stamped cards and I still have the black stained stamps to show for it. LOL!!! The kids always amaze me with how creative they are. They are quite awesome with ideas and just whip out cards without hesitation. They sure don't get that from their mom. Here's a couple scans of the cards Aponi and I made. Can you guess who made which one?

The top card is Aponi's (although I wish I could take credit for it--I think it's a terrific idea) and the bottom card is mine. I've really been enjoying using those sweet skunks on a lot of my projects lately. Notice those white "circles" on the bottom of my card. I found that tip on a fellow demonstrator's blog. It's soo fun and EASY to do--drop me an email if you want to know how I put those on there by hand.

Aponi's card uses TAC's easter set. Her paper piecing is terrific! In fact, she used the same Easter set that I used on my winning contest entry. I'll try to get my winning card posted soon and let you all know ALL about it.

Cookie Swap Gifts!

I saw these folder pocket books and knew I had to make them. So what better way to do that than to give them as gifts for my cookie swappers. So, I sat down and designed them one day while the house was quiet (you guessed it--Nap time!!). I was a little stressed about it because it was the weekend before the swap was to be held. I had to give myself a deadline by which to make them, and if I didn't make the deadline, I was going to give up with the idea. Well, thankfully I made it well before the deadline. After design was done, I set out to cut the supplies and make them for my guests. I used TAC's Merry Wishes Christmas paper and was soooo excited because it all coordinated so nicely. The fronts looked like this (each person's was personalized for them--that was my daughter's idea). Everything fit together sooo smoothly. From the black cord to tie them together down to the ribbon and covered eyelets. Not to mention I found my scoring blade within minutes of when I wanted it (that hasn't happened in well over a year-- I can never find that thing when I need it). I had a terrific time making them.

This is what they look like completely open. You can see each pocket is labeled with the names of the cookie recipes that are in the pocket. Everyone's cookies were on there and I just slipped the recipe cards in the pockets as each guest arrived with their recipe cards.

This is what the back looks like. I just couldn't skip the back, because I love how it looks completely covered with TAC's awesome Merry Wishes paper.

I hope you are inspired. Now, I am off to clean the house and start the day in school. Have a very Merry Christmas and terrific New Year. I'll talk to you soon--Happy Stamping!!!!

Fall inspiration!!!

Here are a couple fall cards I created the other day. This first one is a scarecrow card I created. I really love how this one came out. I just had to reach for the cha-cha paper to create the strip on the bottom, the tag, and the tab. I was able to set one of the awesome huge circle coordinating eyelets in the tab and I believe the card came out terrific. It made me smile--and that's how I judge the finished product. If it makes me smile, it's a good creation.

The next card I created, I went with the richer fall colors. I used the Forget Not set from TAC. I also used one of my Kaleidacolor ink pads for all the different color affects on the leaves. Again, I ripped some paper and this time mounted folded ribbon behind it and created a ribbon affect. I like this card as well--another one to make me smile!

I hope these inspire you to get your stamps out and create. I'm going to post some more project that we did at my last funshop. We had a terrific time, and I think the projects are inspiring!

Happy Stamping!