August Release at H&M Stamps

May I just say that I am frustrated with my camera!! Even on the auto setting and the silly thing on a tri-pod I can't get good clear pictures! Oh Well enough bad news. And now for the good... heather over at H&M Stamps has some new stamps. Both of these sets Hoo-Rah and Hoo-Rah Sentiments came out on the 10th and if you hop on over to the web site and purchase both sets Heather will be donating $5.oo towards backpacks and school supplies for military and needy kids!. Rock on Miss Heather! Just in time for school to start.




Both of these sets are so much fun. They are perfect for a fun boy card or the Hoo-Rah Sentiments has just the right thing to say when sending a card to a friend or family member who is in the military. I especially love the dog tags. Here I stamped them on silver paper then embossed them with silver EP. They really looked like stamped metal IRL. I wish, I wish, I wish I could have got a better picture.

And this darling little tank... It made me think about my little brother. When he was a little kid he loved playing with his "Army guys" and I have stepped on my fair share of plastic Army tanks. Anyway I hope you will head over to H&M Stamps and take a look around. Thanks Heather for looking out for our guys in uniform and helping out the families here at home.

Same Layout 2 Ways And A Lot Of Catching Up To Do

I made this card last Christmas and never got around to posting it. I actually made a different version of this card about an inch bigger all the way around with a snowman and different colors.. Anyhoo I loved the card so much I made this next one today. It's the same layout only kicked up with some DP and some paper piecing. It takes a lot of time to cut the layers but man is it fun to put together. I always like to see what happens to the same card at different times. I think that is why sketch challenges are so fun. It's exciting to see how everyine see's ths same thing.

As for the catching up part of this post.. Oh my gosh I just have been so busy I haven't got anything posted lately. My daughter told me to get busy so these are for you my girl.
I made this card when I saw SU new Pink Pirrouette. I don't really care for pink but I love this one.


I made this little pocket card with some more of SU new In Colors and this beautiful Bella Rose DP. I had some cards sitting around that looked like little paper sacks and thought they would be perfect with this paper.



Last but not least is this little birdie card I made just because I love bids and I thought it would be fun. Hope you are all enjoying the summer like we are and may you all be blessed.

I just had to take some time out from the card thing and reflect for a moment on those perfect moments in life. You know those tiny bits of time that flicker by so fast you almost always miss them and only by the grace of God you are aware enough to catch the glimmer of perfection. This is my sweet Olivia, she had just fallen in the lake, before you get upset, the water was about six inches deep and several of us were with her. I think she was more upset about the loss of her cookie than getting her clothes wet. Anyway, here she is in the sun, naked and young enough that a sun warmed naked back is okay, not caring about her body or if she looks beautiful, just hanging out and happy. If only we could feel this free as women. Can you imagine naked in camp and not caring if your stretch marks show, or the extra ten you put on over the winter hangs a little over, your imperfect breasts, your dimpely butt, you get the point. Someday all this will be over for Livie, but for that moment on that day all was perfect and beileve me she knew it. The flip side of this picture is a little girl grin from ear to perfect ear, a milk belly that was full and the bliss of a sun warmed naked front!

Swap Time!

Well, I jumped back in the swap arena.... I had kind of stopped swapping for a while. I must say though, I had a great time working on this one. I am so looking forward to seeing what comes back. As a personal challenge to myself I decided to use colors I don't use very often and I tried to get an embelishment or two in there. More than anything, I have just really enjoyed stamping again. I had a couple things sort of take the wind out of my sails and I couldn't even force myself to create but, I feel better now and I am loving my stamp room again. Happy stamping everyone!

The Recipe:

Papers: Linen DP, Chocolate Chip, Apricot Appeal, Shimmery White all SU

Inks: Apricot Appeal, Chocolate Chip All SU

Stamps: Wonderful You and Wondeful You Wheel All SU

Access: Photo Corner Punch, Dew Drops, Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Demensioals

Sometimes It's All About The Dress!

I made this card for the SCS Color Challenge which this week is Soft Sky, Kraft and Basic Black. A beautiful combo, I thought, and my mind always turns to that little black dress anytime I think of basic black. I bought this dress punch for my daughter's upcoming wedding and it just seemed like the perfect embelishment for this card. The layout for this card is one I have used before many times. you can see another example here: http://inkedupkim.blogspot.com/2007/09/thank-yous-more-than-just-gratitude.html. I just love the way it opens up. Anyway. I punched out the dress and then punched out a sheet of adhesive and layered it on top of the black and then poured on some clear micro-beads. It is so shimmery IRL. As for the rest of the card I used Afternoon Tea DP on the inside and a piece of Soft Sky stamped with Linen (SU Retired) and Sanded background stamps. For the dress piece I stamped the Shimmery White CS with En Francais Background stamp and then popped the dress up off the cs with dimensionals.

The Recipe:
Inks: SU Soft Sky, SU Sahara Sand, Black Stazon
Stamps: Full of Life, En Francais, Linen, Sanded, All SU
Papers: Soft Sky, Kraft, Basic Black, Shimmery White, Afternoon Tea DP, All SU
Access: Clear Micro Beads SU, Silver Hodgepodge Hardware SU, Dress Punch.

Great Swap Girls Challenge 7 & 8

I was so honored and excited to be invited into the Great Swap Girls 2. So I jumped on over to thier blog and took advantage of the last two challenges. One was a sketch challenge and the other to use your crimper in any way. You can find the blog here:www.greatswapsgirls.blogspot.com/. I am really looking forward to swaping and playing with this awesome bunch of artists. So here goes... My first attempt at a GSG2 challenge! Wheeeeee!!!!!

Slumber Party!

Please forgive me for the strange stuff in the background and the quailty of this picture. I took it bright and early I think I must have still been asleep. My eight year old granddaughter Iris and I made these for a slumber party she is having very soon. We spent hours to get them just the way she wanted them. Iris was thrilled with her time in the "stamproom" and so therefore so was I. I am gonna be a bad girl and forgo the recipe tonight I am simply just to tired. But, I will say I think that sweet little face poking out of all those flowers was a nice touch and it was all Iris. I think she is gonna be a great artist someday!