Ahoy--a quickie!

Got your attention, didn't I?! You'll understand today's title in a minute. Friday morning, after a few hours of leisurely stamping on Thursday night (remember that detail), I awoke a little later than usual, but no problem, I'd gotten all my ducks in a row Thursday night. As I got out of bed, it hit me--I was supposed to have a cute little pirate card in hand for my friend, Barb, to give her grandson for his weekend *pirate* birthday party!! Moment of panic, deciding where to cut corners in order to get that pirate card finished before work...do I shower, skip the shower, no I'd better shower, but it's Friday--who cares if I shower?! Aack!! Long story short: I did shower (a quickie), stamped a quickie pirate card and went to work with less than coiffed hair...what we do for our stamping passion and good friends, eh?!





Here's my quickie pirate card, using SU!'s Ahoy Matey, a bit of SU! patterned paper from the Simply Scrappin' Creative License kit and a rounded tab punched sentiment. I decided to *ix-na* any ribbon on this one to save time (obviously) and it's questionable nature on this 4 year old's birthday card because he's *all boy*!

Take a Deep Breath...

...cause you're gonna need it to blow out all those candles!

I have a great friend and co-worker with a great sense of humor, and I *think* she'll laugh when she opens up this birthday card tomorrow??!

This card started out for Julia's Ways To Use It Challenge #168 over at SCS today called Get Packing! The idea is to use packing or packaging materials in your creation, or spin it to create something with a traveling/packing for travel theme in mind. I chose to create a bubblewrap background; a technic I've never tried before. I smeared my bubblewrap with Certainly Celery craft ink, layed my cardstock on top of it and gently rubbed my hand over until a good impression of the bubblewrap was made. That's it--easy peasy! I added some Rhonna Farrer Flourishes in CTMH Hollyhock ink, layered on Celery and then Hollyhock cardstocks. The main image uses My Favorite Things Serenity Now, paper pieced using CTMH Boom-di-ada designer paper. I just love that paper and it's been lying on my stamping table since last Friday, and I just can't resist using it!

A Golden Anniversary

We have a really swell janitor at the elementary school where I work, and how could I say *no* when he asked me to stamp a 50th Wedding Anniversary card for his 2nd grade teacher. It was so cute when he asked because he talked a little about having her as a teacher, and how he thought she was *so pretty*...so cute!


I decided to pull out an old, retired SU! set, Mixed Bouquet--a set I don't think I could ever part with, and paired it with a new sentiment set from SU!, Hugs and Wishes. The flowers are stamped in Versamark ink and embossed with Gold Glory embossing powder. The sentiment is stamped in my favorite black ink, Palette Noir Black. I decide to gussy up the corners with the ticket corner punch and added some dry embossing on the gold layer with my Scor-Pal. Finally, I added the wide organdy ribbon, tied in a bow and heat set just a touch to make it stay in place. Whenever I use fancy ribbon such as this I always think of Sharon Johnson/notimetostamp because she's the Queen of Fancy Schmancy Ribbon, in my book!


Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!

Sketch Challenge 178

Boy do I feel old, and not just because I turned 39 yesterday; because one of my former piano students (many years ago) had a baby over Memorial Weekend. Brooke and her three sisters all took lessons from me, and they took turns babysitting my kids while they waited for their lessons--wow, how time flies! My kids just loved Brooke and her sisters, and I know she'll make a wonderful mom! I wanted to send Brooke and her hubby congrats on their new bundle of baby boy, and today's SC178 over at SCS was perfect for my little rocking blue and chocolate boat!

Supplies: Stamps Nursery Necessities, Polka Dot background; Paper Au Chocolate & Soft Sky DSP, Soft Sky, Vanilla, Chocolate Chip; Ink Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Vanilla Craft; Accessories Piercing Tool/Template, Chocolate 1/4" Grosgrain

Color Challenge Tuesday: CC168

My dear friend, Mary fell and broke her hand yesterday, so George and I are going to send her some *chocolate hugs* to wish her well! Today's color challenge over at Splitcoaststampers is Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Sage Shadow--yummy! I apologize for being so hung up on this layout...I'm in love with it and can't stop using it!

Supplies: Stamps CHF Hugs & Kisses; Paper SU! Au Chocolate, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla; Ink Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow; Accessories SU! Seasid Ribbon Originals

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last night, the eve of my 39th birthday (for real, it's my 39th!), my husband jokingly asked if I'd stamped a birthday card for himself and the kids to give me...got me thinking! Why not stamp my own birthday card with some of my most favorite-est things?! That guy's a genius and doesn't even know it...sometimes! So, that's exactly what I did--stamped my own most favorite-est birthday card. Maybe I should take it to the Postie and mail it to myself?

May favorite-est things, you ask? The stamping is one of my favorite Valerie Stangle/11valerie11's creations...love, love, love it...all her creative juices! My favorite paper--Crate Paper's 5th Avenue Collection. And some newbie favorites--the layout and CTMH Hollyhock ink and buttons. Oh, I'm almost forgot(must be my age), my most favorite ribbon--May Arts black/cream stripe grosgrain!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Ever Grateful...

If you tuned in yesterday, I had a chance to stamp a quick card before heading off to 9am church. Well, as the story went, my 8 month old George decided to take a nap about 1/2 hour before church started, so long story short, DH went ahead with the rest of the family and I stayed back, waiting for George to wake from his nap. He woke up at 9:45, so I quickly got him changed and we headed off to church, just 3 miles from our home. George and I quietly stepped into church just as my cousin Peggy was beginning to speak about her son, Bert Hoyer, who was killed in Iraq March 10, 2004, as part of our Memorial Day service. She spoke with openness and honesty, humility and bravery about Bert's death; the letters they'd received, both supportive and unsupportive of the war; the scholarships they've been able to award in Bert's honor; and the countless opportunities and appearances they've made in order to honor the memory of their son.

I particularly remember two things that Peggy said yesterday. One that inspired the card I've made for Memorial Day and the other parting thought that will stay with me forever. First, Peggy mentioned the trees that have been planted in Bert's honor...trees that will weather many storms yet stand upright, firm and strong, like many of our fallen heroes. And, secondly, she left us with this: there are only two that are willing to die for us--Jesus, who died to save our souls, and men like Bert, who are willing to die for our FREEDOM.

May God Bless Bert, his memory, and all men and women who are willing to fight for our freedom, whether we agree or disagree with our position in this war.

Supplies...

Paper: CTMH designer paper; Makingmemories ledger pad; SU! Yo Yo Yellow & Cerise dp Stamps: SU! So Many Sayings; CHF Making the Grade Ink: Palette Noir Black Accessories: May Arts ribbon; SU! star eyelets

Featured Stamper Sunday

A quick card for today's Featured Stamper Challenge #68 over at Splitcoaststampers before I'm running off to church. Luckily, it's not my month to play for church, so I have a little extra time for stamping before church starts. Peanutbee/Denise is today's FS and she has a wonderful gallery. Lots of layers, neat sketches and clean stamping. So, one of things that I changed on my FS card is that my stamping is a bit messy today. Too much caffeine...no. I think I was just in *hurry up* mode for whatever reason. I don't like stamping in that mode because as we all know, our stamping time is supposed to be relaxed, enjoyable, right?

The other changes from Denise's card to mine are the colors and featured strawberries in place of her rock-n-rolled flowers.

This card will be going to my cousin's daughter, Tiff, a high school senior who's been hospitalized for the last week, due to pneumonia. The poor girl had to miss her graduation ceremony and all of the festivities around this special time in her life! Get well and come home soon, Tiff!

Supplies: Stamps CTMH Say It In Style; PTI Green Thumb; Paper CTMH Boom-di-ada designer pack, SU! Whisper White, Barely Banana; Ink Palette Noir Black; CTMH Hollyhock; SU! Always Artichoke, Accessories CTMH buttons, SU! 5/8" grosgrain

Stampin' Night Out!

Last night I hosted Stampin' Night Out or as we've affectionately dubbed these events: *SNO*. Yes, we joke about *SNO* in July, *SNO* in October, *SNO* in March...you get the idea. I guess living in Wisconsin, *SNO* in pretty much any month other than Jun-Jul-Aug isn't all that uncommon, so maybe it's not all that funny! Our group last night was smaller than usual due to busy schedules including graduation and other family commitments, but none-the-less, we had a good time!

Mary, Karen and I worked on swaps, invites and general cards while Jane came as a late visitor for some good conversation...and she helped Mary with a bit of trimming too. We always have great treats as well, so we never leave hungry. I guess you could say we know how to *fill our cup* in more ways than one!

Here are a few photos from last night, including Karen's 6x6 swap page featuring CTMH products (Karen is a CTMH consultant); Mary's Groom's Dinner invites for her eldest son's wedding in a few short weeks; and my card for an upcoming swap featuring CTMH's fun new designer paper Boom-di-ada and SU! Nursery Necessities....modeled so graciously by Karen--don't her nails look great?!

As always: great food, great fun, great fellowship...thanks girls!

Hello Chica!

Happy Friday!


I've got two cards for you today, of which both feature the sentiment *hello chica* from Kim Hughes' The Landing Pad available from Cornish Heritage Farms. It's a great set on its own, and a nice supplement to any owl or other fowl-feathered-friend stamps you already have in your posession or are coveting at the moment.

Since having baby George last September, in addition to keeping up with my two teens, I've found myself becoming more efficient with my stamping time (is that really possible?). That equates to clean and simple stamping for me which is a style that I think was mine from the beginning, taking me a few years to realize. This nautical chica card exemplifies that style completely with a simple sentiment, stamped background, scalloped edge, ribbon and a couple buttons. Card number two today follows along the same clean, simple style but with *skinny ribbon* in lieu of the beautiful 5/8" grosgrain I've been using lately.

Stamps: CHF The Landing Pad, Broad Stripe Backgrounder; SU! Nursery Necessities
Paper: PTI White cardstock; SU! Night of Navy, Whisper White, Pink Passion; Provo Craft Holiday Slab V dp
Ink: Palette Burnt Umber; SU! Summer Sun, Night of Navy
Accessories: 1/4" and 5/8" grosgrain, buttons, circle punches

Welcome!

Welcome to my brand spankin' new blog, Ink About Me! After spending six months on the Dirty Dozen Design Team over at the ever famous Splitcoaststampers.com, I think I really started to understand *me* in terms of my stamping style and decided it was high time to start bloggin' about it! So, without further adieu, welcome to my world of stamping with a side of *me*, all here in INK!

Today is the birthday of two great people: my cousin, Brad and my dear friend, Barb. Happy Birthday to you both! Funny thing, the three of us share a passion for the Milwaukee Brewers--Go Brew Crew!

On to the birthday card: I'm sure you can probably guess that this card is for Barb. It started with a 5.25" card base in SU! Very Vanilla, layered with a piece of makingmemories designer paper that I picked up at Target. I thought the flowers in the dp needed a little kick, so I stamped flower centers from PaperTrey Ink sets, Text Boxed and Butterfly Kisses in Palette Noir Black ink. From there I decided to use the main stamped image from Text Boxed in SU!'s Certainly Celery craft ink (shame on me, I'd never inked that set before!), and I just love the result. A bit of May Arts ribbon from Jacksonbelle Embellishments, a couple of brads and this card is ready for signatures!

Thanks for visiting today, hope you enjoyed your stay!

Amy