Dani's Paper Creations

Late day....

2012-02-26T23:12:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, Brenda's husband had not been well these past months or more.... Well, this past week Harold let go and moved on to his next sdventure in this world, whether up to heaven or watching us closely as an angel.... Or. Move at peace and taking it all in for when others begin to show up. Whatever the plan is, Brenda has been the most respectful and dignified lady I have know - a true southerner through and through ..... Very. Much an woman to look up to for grace under pressure!

I hope she realizes how much we all love her and her shop!
So no card samples to post today but maybe tomorrow if I can get something done....

Till then. Happy Monday a coming!
Happy stamping
D

Special President's Day post..... ;o)

2012-02-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

So, since I am off on President's Day, I still consider it to be part of the weekend right now..... and as I mentioned in my last post, there might be a bonus post this weekend.... here it is!
First let me say, I feel a ton better.... Friday was defitinely a turning point.... I was finally able to go to the gym on Saturday afternoon and was lucky (in a way) that hubby had to work so I was forced to take the one more day to rest a bit.... we were supposed to go to the stamp show in Columbia, SC for the day, but since I was sick, he told a co-worker he could help with the project they were trying to get done..... so, with nothing else to do that day, I rested... and by the afternoon, I was itching to get out.... felt much better AND had seen a post from my LSS that they had just gotten in the distress markers.... and was that enough to get me out.... HECK YA! So, I dressed for the gym and headed to the LSS incognito - even sneaked past my fellow stamp store regulars/co-workers and worked my magic, counting to make sure I had picked them all out!!!! And yes, they were mine! While I was there, I got to be part of creating a project with a customer - wow, do they put a lot of faith in me ;o)..... then, since I was dressed for it, I headed to the gym.... yes, me at the gym on a Saturday - let me say, that has NEVER happened before.... but, lucky for me since I needed to get another day in exercise-wise and it was fairly empty at that time..... so, burned some calories just in time for the hubby to say he was getting close to coming home..... the plan.... Sunday to get up early and head to Columbia since the show goes on both days.... wow, this was getting better and better by the moment..... new markers set AND a trip to the stamp show! Lucky me! Well, it DID NOT disappoint... as always, Stampers Anonymous was out in force... Ted always knows what I love to see and made me my own piece of art (I am starting a Ted collection).... after 3 trips to his booth, amoung all the others.... we decided 3 hours of walking at the show was enough for us.... packed all my goodies into the car and hit a local hot spot (amoung the peeps of Columbia) - Pawley's Front Porch.... as seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, this did not disappoint.... salad and half a sandwich later and I felt like I needed to be wheeled out to the car.... then the drive home - uneventful, thank goodness... and then, put away all the goodies.... not able to happen in one evening so I had to continue the project today... but, have all the distress markers put away along with my Copic markers... they were $4.99 each - what a freaking deal..... had to complete some of my color families with a deal like that...... although, now that I have so many, I may need more storage space.... a revamp of the craft room may be in the near future! I need to sort, clean and sell..... anyone interested in anything in particular, let me know... chances are - I have it!
OK, enough of my rambling..... here is the real post for today! Wedding Card!!!!

One of the booths I spent some time and money at was the Heartfelt Creations booth.... Now, while I love their images, I am not yet sure what my opinion is of it all..... I will say, that the image used for this card, Wedding Bell, was extremely hard to stamp, and I ended up using my Sakura Micron to trace over the outlines of many pieces since stamping over and over was getting frustrating.... I even got a new ink pad, stamped on hard surface, then stamped on stamping pad... nothing helped.... ok, enough moaning and groaning..... stamped with Tuxedo Black from Memento (my fav) several times, colored with Copic Markers (some of my new ones), fussy cut them and glued them with some curl to them..... the final piece was cut with a framelit die from Stampin Up, the red cardstock was cut with the next larger die and they were added to the gray/white pattern paper with foam tape.... red and white pearls placed all around for accent.....

Well, I better get myself ready for bed and work tomorrow... and we are going to a charity dinner with the Checkers.... cocktail attire! I am super excited to be able to get dressed up... maybe a picture might make its way to the blog.... MAYBE..... oh, and one last bit of news.... some of you know that with my hip surgeries the last few years, I have gained a bit of weight and was finally cleared to get back into shape.... well, it is going quite well and the dress that I am wearing tomorrow still had the tags on it, and they are a 4P.... needless to say, the dress is loose and that is probably the only way I can fit into it, but still, coming from wearing 16 jeans earlier this year, that is a huge thing for me! And the jeans I purchased at the beginning of my weight loss adventure as "incentive jeans" in a size 8 were able to be put on today with no trouble! Now, that is the exciting part....jeans that fit????? seriously????? I am over the moon happy about that! Well, it is the gym in the morning calling my name, that causes me to need to get off this computer.... until next time....

happy stamping!
D

MIA - don't you hate being sick????

2012-02-18T13:26:00.000-05:00

I have been down for about a week with an upper respiratory infection..... from the woman who sits next to me at the office is my guess..... why would you come into the office with a hacking cough and sneezing up a storm?????????? and to continue for weeks??????? I just don't understand.... and now, I am still suffering.... although, I have to say, not nearly as bad as yesterday - which seemed to have been the absolute worst day ever for me.... I was close to tears, and those of you who know me, know that it takes quite a bit to bring my eyes to watery..... But, this morning, I had a burst of creativity..... and lucky for me, because I was looking head on to a deadline for the new releases at Tiffany Doodles.... let's see what I can show you to tempt you....

OK, so interest peaked????? I certainly hope so.... stay tuned for more peaks on the Tiffany Doodle blog..... you will love what you see, I know I do!

so, for the rest of today, I think I will try and get a little physical activity and explore a little more creativity in my craft space... no promises... but there may be another post today or tomorrow!

until then, happy stamping!
Dani

Tasty Valentine....

2012-02-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

When Matt takes me to stamp shows, he always picks out a booth that I might normally head towards and we get one item from them to try out..... Last year, during this very senario, I got an adorable rubber stamp that was a smore snowman-ish looking thing.... wait, you will see it in a sec..... funny in that we always say "i love you", and "i love you more"..... in looking at this image, I instantly had a thought.... however, our thoughts don't always transform into action at the time we hope..... but, better late than never, right......

Here is my I love you SMORE valentine to my darling hubby.....

The image is stamped on PTI white cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The sentiment, from the new Hero Arts digital set, was printed on the same piece of cardstock, however, I added the "I" and "SMORE" strategically to the image...... the fun smore-man was colored with Copic Markers, layered on Chocolate Chip cardstock which then was popped up on Soft Suede cardstock.... a layer of burlap is tucked under the botton half and stitched along the sides of the card base..... red hearts punched out of paper are coming out of the "u" and the brown button is tied with twine..... fairly simple, but I think he will love it!

Thanks for taking a look..... hope you like....
happy stamping!
Dani

Happy Monday - quick post

2012-01-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

So I was super busy this weekend and got no stamping in, but did get to help celebrate a very important event with a very important person.... She is the bright light at the end of a tunnel, the most supportive and kind person, always doing more and more to help others... She is truly an inspiration and lucky for me, she is my close, dear friend.....

Also, I was super busy trying to keep up with all the posts and tweets coming out of CHA! I only wish I were there to see and play with all the new stuff coming out! And hubby said that we should plan to attend next year! So, if anyone wants to plan a big trip to CA in January.... Let me know!

With hubby headed out of town in the morning, I will hopefully have some stamping time in the evenings to get some submissions done for PaperCraftsMag... Due on the 6th.... Just days away, believe it or not!

Well, off to sleep I go... The gym is calling early in the morning....
Happy Stamping!
D

A double dose of stamping!

2012-01-22T18:09:00.000-05:00

Since it has been over a week since my last post, I thought I would show 2 cards today!

I have been really in love with Memory Box, but when I had the chance to take one of Dave's classes.... it was all over!!! Now, I can't get enough of them..... I love them so much and the steel dies that they are manufacturing are out of this world! So for this post, I am pulling out some of my older stamps.... ones I purchased a while back but had yet to get inky..... why is it that we continue to "need" more stamps, but the poor things don't see ink??????? I am trying this year to make an effort to use all my stamps, or put them in a box and take to the used stamped sale.... it is now or never!

Ok, enough of that.... this first card is one that I was surprised at how much I liked it.... Not usually my kind of thing, I wanted to try stamping on acetate and coloring with Copic markers on the back.... I took the Inspire Butterfly Collage stamp.... I stamped it twice... once on acetate with Stazon Jet Black ink - be careful that you have a steady hand as the ink/stamp will tend to slip on the acetate..... and once on PTI white with Memento Tuxedo Black ink..... After letting the acetate image dry, I cut it out with scissors and then used my Copic markers to color on the back of the acetate (not the side with the inked image)...... I computer generated the words "you" and "me" so that the card sentiment reads You Inspire Me..... I glued the acetate butterfly on with glossy accents just right behind the body part. The PTI image was matted with black cardstock and the edges were distressed with Tumbled Glass distress ink from Ranger..... I cut a background layer from Basic Grey Out of Print 6x6 paper pad, tied a twill ribbon, and added the bling - they were ivory self adhesive pearls from Want2Scrap and I colored them with my BG05 Copic Marker to change them to the blues I had been working with..... a couple more pearls placed around the image, and it is ready to go!

card recipe:

Paper: PTI Black, White, Basic Grey Out of Print 6x6 paper pack, Acetate from office supply store

Stamp: Memory Box Inspire Butterfly Collage G1352

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stazon Jet Black, Copic Markers – B05, BG05, BG09, BG15, Tumbled Glass Distress Ink

Embellishments: Black Twill Ribbon from stash, Want2Scrap self adhesive pearls – colored with BG05

Computer generated text “you” and “me”

And for card #2 today.... we have a very similar image - the Adore Peony Collage stamp by Memory Box. This time, I stamped the image twice with Memento Tuxedo Black on PTI white cardstock..... I cropped the image close, and took my Y13 Copic marker to make a yellow border around the edge..... matted that to orange and then to black.... the second stamped image was colored with Copic markers and then detail cut with scissors.... the flower pieces and leaves were glued to the main image panel..... the background paper is also Memory Box 6x6 Pixie paper stack.... keeping them similar, I used black twill ribbon again on this one.....

card recipe:

Paper: PTI Black and White, Memory Box Pixie 6x6 paper pad, orange paper from stash

Stamp: Memory Box Adore Peony Collage G1433

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers – G21, G24, G28, RV21, RV23, RV25, Y13

Embellishments: black twill ribbon from stash

And, finally, I wanted to thank everyone who participated in the Tiffany Doodles blog hop! All the comments were amazing to read and I hope you were all inspired to try something new.....

I suppose, I must now say, Let the week begin.... even though I want the weekend to last a little longer..... I must admit, while I love working at my LSS, yesterday wore me out and I didn't really feel like doing anything today... but, I am proud of myself for getting off the couch and creating 2 cards.... got to keep the creativity flowing, right???? And, yesterday was a blast - what is better than doing what you love all day???? I even had a fabulous new customer at the end of the day, and just the rush of putting together a new project is totally worth it! While I love the regulars who really just know what they want/need.... it is so much fun to see the lightbulb that illuminates when someone "sees" what you are trying to show them.... I think that is probably why teachers do what they do... it is so rewarding!
Ok, enough of that.... time to get myself prepped for the week ahead! I hope it is a great one for all of you... and try to get some stamping in... I know I will try....

Happy Stamping!
D

It is BLOG HOP time!!!!!

2012-01-12T23:59:00.015-05:00

Thank you for joining us at Tiffany Doodles for our first blog hop of 2012! We're so glad you're here! It's ALSO the second anniversary of Tiffany Doodles!

You're going to find lots of inspiration along the way, from several talented ladies. Be sure to leave each of them a comment by Sunday the 15th for your chance to win something of your choice! That's 19 chances to win! All winners will be announced on the Tiffany Doodles blog Wednesday January 18th.

If you've arrived from Ruby you're in the right place! If this is your first stop, please go back to Jessica's blog so you don't miss anything!

For my blog hop card, I chose the adorable Ducky image….. isn’t he super cute???? I decided that I would try a new technique (for me) – make a window card and have him “floating” in the window…. I used a Spellbinders Nestabilities Die to cut out the window, attached acetate on the inside and covered with another layer that also had the window cut from it…. that was a little tricky, and next time, I would likely try and run them through the die cut machine at the same time (both layers that is) so that I could ensure the window turns out exactly where I would like it…. I did pretty good, but I would normally have tried to center them both a little better.

So, I started with my base cardstock in Buttercup from Amuse. With the paper cut in half, the perfect A2 card is created. You can alter the “opening” of your card by which direction you cut your 8 ½ x 11 paper. I cut length wise, and scored at 5.5 – creating a top fold card that is portrait. I cut the Amuse Gingham printed paper in Buttercup to make the top layer. The Ducky image was printed several times on white cardstock from PTI – my go-to white paper these days. I used copic markers to outline color the duck… I really didn’t want to mess with too much color, so the outlining hints at color – sometimes my favorite way to highlight or hint….. I detail cut the image out twice – allowing for additional paper at the bottom where it would tuck into the backing of the card front. Pretty much sandwich him in between the paper, acetate and second “backed” image….. is that clear as mud or what???? I stamped the sentiment from Hero Arts on the top and bottom surrounding the window…. Thought it needed an extra touch of some kind…. So out came my buttons and twine….

I hope you're feeling inspired! Before you hop over to JoAnn’s blog, remember to leave a comment for your chance to win! You have 3 days to comment on the postings. Tiffany is giving away the entire January release and all you have to do is 1) to create a card using a Tiffany Doodles image 2) blog about it and link to our hop 3) add their link to INLINKZ on the Tiffany Doodles post. Winner will be posted on Wednesday, January 18^th……

Thanks for hopping along with us; we look forward to seeing your creations!

15 minutes and counting.....

2012-01-12T23:46:00.000-05:00

Tiffany Doodles blog hop will be kicking off in 15 minutes at Jessica's blog..... start at the beginning - it always nice that way, huh????

Oh Happy Day!

2012-01-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

So, a couple housekeeping things that are making me happy....

Today I did my first day of "couch to 5K" training - that means, my first day of interval running in preparation to run my first 5K scheduled for March 10th (I think).... now, for those of you who know me, running and Dani don't go together.... but, I am on a mission... so today's workout was 30 minutes - a 5 min warm up brisk walk, 60 seconds of running, 90 seconds brisk walking, 60 seconds running, etc followed by a 5 min brisk walk cool down.... and I DID IT! Although, right now, feel like my knees are going to buckle, still feels like a huge sense of accomplishment! And, I followed that routine with the stationary bike.... what am I thinking?????? I am a monster!

Next, coming this Friday at 12:01am, we are starting an awesome blog hop at Tiffany Doodles! I will have all the deets here so be watching.... I have seen some of the other DT inspiration and all I can say is WOW!

Third, my hubby is picking me up and taking me out for date night! One of the best Italian places that we have found does gnocchi only on Tuesday nights.... YUM.... good thing I just worked out before piling all that potato goodness into my belly.... My stomach is growling just thinking about it!

OK, so now onto the card making already, huh???
Today I thought I would share with you a birthday card I made for the same co-worker who just got married (still need to come up with that card... better late than never).... When I saw the images in the new JustRite Cling stamps I knew just what I was going to do with it.... too bad what I had in mind turned out terrible! Good thing for the color images that are on the cling sheet.... I have to give credit where credit is due - coloring was totally cased.... Image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black (my fav go-to ink) and colored with PrismaColor Pencils and blended with GAMSOL odorless mineral spirits. The image is die cut with a Spellbinder Nestabilities (love those too) and the background layer was cut with scissors - wish they had the dies a bit closer in size so the layers don't have to be so thick.... I absolutely love the ginormous bling that I found to accent the bow - however, did not love adhering it to the card... mishaps galore.... in thinking to myself how to possibly get something that large and heavy attached to the front, the only thing that came to mind was my Glossy Accents from Ranger... LOVE that stuff... put a glob on the card, plopped down the bling, but when I attempted to adjust the placement - it didn't seem to be sitting flush with the card - the glossy accents which I know would hold, ripped that paper! Wasn't ready for it to dry so quickly! And what then is a girl to do????? ADD MORE! Grabbed that bottle and put a lot more on to make a mound of adhesive! The other part that made this for me, was the bow tied with the silk ribbon from May Arts - I LOVE IT.... I wish I could use it on every card, but alas, there is no money tree in my yard.... The pattern paper seemed to work perfectly and I cut out the banner for the sentiment and tadaa.... a birthday card!

Closer view

You can see in the second photo that all the layers are popped up with foam squares....I normally love the Stampin Up dimensionals, but for this, I wanted a larger pop, so I used my American Crafts foam adhesive.

Now that I handed it over, there are so many things I would do a little differently, but, hey, that is for another card, right?????

Hope you enjoyed my post today.... remember to check back this Friday for the details on the blog hop a coming!!!!!!

till then, happy stamping!
Dani

Wedding Shower Card

2012-01-06T19:15:00.002-05:00

Here is a quick post before the weekend gets going.... Co-worker just got married two weeks ago and we threw her a shower at work. Trying to keep it simple, I went with a black and white card with a splash of her wedding accent color - red.... I wrote their names in the heart to personalize it a bit more... Thanks for looking!

Happy stamping!
Dani

Guest Designer Contest over as SCS!

2012-01-03T01:05:00.000-05:00

OMG, just looked over at SCS and noticed that MFT was having a contest for the January Guest Designer... the challenge - Paper Piecing! Holy buckets, if I don't love that technique the most, I don't know which one would be higher on my favs list... so I had to leave the snoring husband, get out of bed and sneak into my craft room to try and work a little magic before the deadline of noon tomorrow (or actually today since it is well past midnight - oops).....

I love the MFT images for this technique as they seem to be made for it... the large spaces and fun designs kind of make me always choose that when using these stamps..... For this card, I chose one of the oldies, but goodies - Here's the Scoop - I mean, really, who doesn't love to lounge on the couch/chair and eat ice cream out of the container?????

She is done with the Memory Box Gossamer 6x6 paper pack - lots of fun, girly patterns in there... I love the pinks and browns together, so I figured my ice cream would be either chocolate or strawberry... maybe that is where this perfect color combo comes from.... hmmm......

Placed on French Roast cardstock, I cut a pink strip for the center and die cut both sides, cut a smaller piece of the patterned paper and quietly machine stitched it together.... I had to shut the door for fear the snoring hubby would wake up and wonder what the heck I was doing at this hour, when I have to be up at 5am to head to the gym... (again, oops).... once all the pieces were cut, and glued, I die cut the tab and added it to the bottom.... it needed something, so the seam binding came out... one loop not enough, so another added behind (and kind of rigged together with twine and a button hiding the not really tied second loop!).... still something missing.... then came the crystals... I mean what girl eating ice cream doesn't like a little sparkle, right?????

When I step back and look, I think it is awesome.... definitely what I had in mind.... Being a guest designer for MFT would be awesome as well. The new dies they are making are my absolute favorite and am so lucky that my LSS is now carrying them.... The PI images are adorable and can't wait to make another trip to the store to get my hands on some of those precious things to play with..... I hope that this contest entry is only the first in a long line of them.... I am hoping to get more creative with my stuff and get out there.... it is a new year, with new ideas and only time on our hands! I just hope I feel that way when I am driving in the pitch black to the gym for the first time in probably 3 weeks - love the holidays, but hate having to get back in the swing of things....

Thanks for looking.... until next time (hopefully after some sleep).... happy stamping!
Dani

A day to play!

2012-01-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

So, today I had a mission.... clear out my craft room and start playing! We recently had the carpets cleaned which means everything had to be removed from the floors and put on top of our furniture and then the carpet needed time to dry.... and then the holdays were over, and it was time to put everything back together... since it is not a room we use as a family, it is only my crafting area, it is not always walked into for a week or more at a time - easy to forget to take all the stuff off the tables and place it back on the carpet where it belongs... duh.... well, since the hubby had to work and I did not - the perfect chance to do what I love... And, did I ever! I created 5 wonderful cards and I felt fabulous doing them.... so nice to not have a "task" at hand and just play with different things you have been wanted to do.....

Today, I will share the "holiday" card I had hoped to make but didn't get time to....

When I saw the sample the company sent to the LSS of these images, I had to try and re-create it.... to much dismay, it was not as easy as it first appeared and I went through several attempts to get it just the way I wanted.... it was not brown ink and brown embossing powder, or brown ink and glitter embossing powder, and it wasn't one brown ink, or another, or yet another.... after multiple failures, I mastered the look I wanted.... Chalk Ink from Colorbox in Dark Brown with Clear Detail Embossing Powder.... just right! Colored in with my copic markers and covered with Diamond Stickles and wa-la.... love, love, love this.... however, not one to really duplicate hundreds of times... or even 50 really.... added some pleated ribbon from Pink Paislee on top of Grass gingham pattern paper and I think it came out better than I had imagined in the beginning! Here is a close up of the card - not sure the photo captures the lovely sparkle, which actually looks more bronze against the brown coloring... I think I like it better than the "snow" that was on the sample!

Card Recipe:

Paper: Stampin Up Chocolate Chip, Ivory cardstock, Amuse Gingham in GrassStamp: DRS #K505 (pinecone main image), #K467 (background branches)Ink: Colorbox Chalk Ink in Dark Brown with Clear Embossing Powder, Copic Markers – YG61, YG63, E43, E44Embellishments: Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage ribbon pleats, Diamond Stickles

thanks for looking! happy stamping....
Dani

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

Wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year - 2012... here we come!!!!
10 years ago this morning (very... very early) I got engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.... I am reminded of my joy every new year and hope the best for all my friends and family.... looking forward to the new year is so hopeful as it is all brand new and ahead... I hope for a year of joys and laughter, health and happiness, and some time to enjoy life as it should be.... no more worries and pain.... if you believe, it will be true!

So as I start fresh this year, I plan to take every day as it comes and enjoy it for what it is... a fresh, new start. I am aleady sketching some cards to make and post tomorrow, so check back soon.....

A card that was made this past couple weeks ago came to me out of an idea to see if it was something I could accomplish - you know how sometimes, as a crafter, the thing in your head does not always turn out like you imagine once it is on paper.... this was not that case.... My boss, who is more a friend and mentor, had hip replacement surgery on December 13th.... a week later, I was headed to her home to bring her a surprise from the team.... the card that I imagined was one that would be thoughtful yet also be fun, just as she is..... so I picked the pinwheel image from Tiffany Doodles and went to town.... I printed it on several patterned papers from My Mind's Eye (my fav 6x6 paper pads!) and began to cut them all out.... my idea was taking shape..... I printed it also on PTI white cardstock for the base and die cut the image out with my Spellbinders Nestabilities..... the stick is colored with 2 shades of Copic Markers.... when I started "fluffing" the curls were not so sturdy so I printed more of the white and \glued the patterned paper to the white to give stability..... when layered together, I used my Crop A Dile to make larger holes in the center and attached them together with an apoxy brad that was in my stash.... gotta love when something you have just "fits" perfectly! So they actually spin!!!!! Love the way it turned out!!!! Layered on the die cut piece and scissor cut the layers behind it..... sentiment is Hero Arts - always a favorite when trying to find the right words - and they are able to be cut apart, although this one didn't need to be here.... finished with some bling!

The inside is the most fun part.... it reads (got from internet so I can't take credit for the words...)

This card has health-giving powers
And we've made it just for you
We certainly feel much better
And hope that you do too!

below this I listed all the team members that were in on the surprise.... she was overwhelmed and the look on her face was well worth the time it took to make this just perfect!

Thanks for taking a look and as always, comments are welcome (and much enjoyed!)
Dani

On my way back...

2011-12-24T10:43:00.000-05:00

Well, not sure where the year has gone, but it certainly passed right in front of my eyes.... I am looking forward to life returning to normal... If there ever is such a thing.....
Will have to admit that this is the first year in many that I have not made my own holiday cards... Had no time or energy to do so... Please forgive me for the stor bought ones you may receive... I had the best intentions, but it did not pan out like I had hoped....
But as we celebrate the holiday season and ring in a new year, I will hope for more time to do the things I love to do!

Happy Holidays to all!
Dani

Test post from new iPhone

2011-10-18T11:52:00.001-04:00

I am testing out the blogger app to allow me to blog on the fly.... Will see how I do....

It has been way too long.....

2011-10-06T21:12:00.002-04:00

My apologies for being so absent (minded) lately…. Lots going on and more to come! Changing the blog a little…. Want to get more “serious” about it so I am taking some cues from others…. I will post my cards, with the recipe underneath and any tips/tricks used…. I love when I see that on others blogs, so I will institute it here! I plan to blog more and more every week…. let’s try and keep me to a schedule. I find that I make tons of cards that never get photographed and uploaded and that behavior needs to stop. I am learning some new uploading tricks from my camera so will be more on top of things in the future….

Taste of what’s to come…… More, more, more!

October, I am the guest designer over at Fresh Brewed Designs, so come check it out on their blog…… http://freshbreweddesigns.com/ takes you to the main website and the challenge site is listed to left hand side…. You will also find some fun, fun, fun stuff in the “Hot out of the Press” section and as always, digis and rubber stamps galore!

Continue to be on the design team for Tiffany Doodles – lots more a coming! There are fabulous specials this month – check the link on my right hand side button area….. Buy 2 Get 1 FREE! Coupon Code: 33off3 – awesome deal for those of you just getting into digital images – check it out! Starting Friday (tomorrow), Tiffany Doodles will be hosting the challenge over at Lily Pad cards – www.lilypad.inlinkz.com so head over there and see the color challenge, and then play along! Should be loads of fun… I have already seen the sneak peeks!

Hope you had a great World Card Making Day! I worked at my LSS and have to say it was such a blast, it can hardly be considered working (at least that is what the hubby claims)…. We had some make and takes and prizes – lots of prizes – and some fun new things! You should check out Stampers Alley in Mooresville if you are in the area – stamping heaven if I say so myself! I could spend days just looking at all the fabulous inspiration. Also coming up, I will be teaching a class on October 15th so check out Stampers Alley class schedule and sign up! I will be doing 3 cards from the Stamp of the Month program and the cost is $15….. bargain if you ask me – come for the fun! I also plan to teach a distress class either towards the end of the year or beginning of next – depending on the interest….. let me know!

Now for more stamping! And away I go!!!!

BLOG HOP DAY 1... Woo Hoo!

2011-09-09T06:32:00.000-04:00

Greetings to all of my wonderful and loyal Tiffany Doodles fans out there! I can't believe the summer is just about over, seems like it only just started! I for one am really looking forward to some falling leaves and cooler temperatures.

Today we are kicking off a 3 day Blog Hop! You will find inspiration along every stop! And of course, I have tons of prizes in store for you! Be sure to participate everyday by commenting on each post & following every blog to be eligible for all prizes.

The hop continues tomorrow starting at Tiffany Doodles! In order to qualify for all prizes you must:

participate everyday
comment on every participants post
follow every participants blog
Special Note: Make sure that your Blog and Email are listed in your Blogger profile for notification purposes. If your email is not visible on your profile make sure it is easy to find on your blog. Thanks!

While your hopping keep in mind the SALE we are having this weekend at the store!! All Bird and Flower Digital stamps are on sale for 25% off! No coupon necessary, discount will be taken at the register. Your welcome! =) PS. Even more sales listed below!

By participating daily in our Blog Hop you will be eligible for prizes! Lots of prizes! Total Prizes valued at OVER $220!! All winners will be chosen randomly. Everyday we will chose 3 winners. Chosen from the main TD blog. Your participation on the other blogs will be verified prior to announcement. If you have won you will be notified by email, so make sure you email is easy to find either in your comment, your blogger profile, or on your blog. All winners will be announced on the blog after the hop is over. Prizes will be awarded as follows:

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Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
3 winners *	3 winners *	3 winners *
* $10 Shopping Spree * 50 Doodle Soup Reward Points * Fall Leaves (png) Elements Pack for each winner

Even if you don't win on 1 of the 3 days - you still have a chance to win the Grand Prize!! The Grand Prize will be chosen randomly from the main TD blog from all participants from everyday.

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	Grand Prize
	1 winner *
* Level 5 Membership * $25 Shopping Spree * Fall Leaves (png) Elements Pack

On today's Hop we are featuring cards made with a lovely sketch made by Jenyfur at Torn Paper! And of course, all stamps throughout the blog hop are featured by Tiffany Doodles!

There are 2 ways to earn extra entries!!

1) You can earn extra entries for today's prize if you make a card with this sketch!

If you would like too, link your card through inlinkz on the main blog post.

Enter as many times as you wish! One entry per card submitted.

2) If your not up for making a card, you can write your own post

about our Blog Hop & Tiffany Doodles Digi stamps!

If you post about us you can earn 5 extra entries!!

Also submit your post to the inlinkz below!

And now for my sample..... Good Friend Card!

Can you see the background on the focal point???? That is a Tiffany Doodle image - School Paper. It was the perfect touch to give me somewhere to add a sentiment... I just love how I can make it larger or smaller depending on what I am trying to accomplish and then print on any paper that fits in my printer! Now for a close up view....

September Sales

Besides the Blog Hop sale we have going on,
we are also having 2 other sales in the store!

Design Team Member Call

We currently need someone who can make TD digis into Cut files!
~~Video Tutor Details Here.~~ Position has been filled. Thanks.
Cut File Maker Details Here.

Banner Spots Available

Tiffany Doodles blog gets an average of 5,000 to 7,000 visitors per month!

Would you like to get in on that action? Now accepting banner spots for the blog!

Click here for pricing info!

Here are your blog hop links for today, Day 1....

We will see you again tomorrow starting at Tiffany Doodles! I can't wait to show you the beautiful cards we have in store for you!

Big fun tomorrow!!!!!

2011-09-08T21:55:00.000-04:00

Join me right here tomorrow for some big fun from Tiffany Doodles...... There will be a blog hop happening for the next 3 days with prizes and tons of inspiration, so check back in the morning for a real treat!!!!

Happy Stamping!

I am back!

2011-08-28T21:38:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay from the last post.... Things have bben super busy.... My very good friend Sandy came to Charlotte for a couple days of stamping fun - there was a Stampin Up regional event - and she brought two of the most friendly stamping ladies.... We had a ball for the days they were in town and now I miss them a ton!

This week Lily Pad Cards issued a Resist Challenge! Oh, that is becoming my favorite technique..... For my first entry, I used tattered rose distress ink and hope it is considered shabby chic...that is something I struggle with, so I hope it might come across in this card.... It is the top one in the Flickr photo stream to the left side of the blog....

There is also a new release coming on Friday from Tiffany Doodles! It is adorable and I love all the images!!! Lots of stuff happening over there and it is all fun, fun, fun!

Made several birthday cards this week... My great friend Sandy - hope it made it to her on time.... And last minute 40th birthday of my friend's girlfriend.... And lots of little things here and there... Not to mention that I worked all day Saturday at my LSS... Whew am I tired, but happy!

And the goodies I got yesterday made up for the full day of work! And, it will be a repeat performance this coming Saturday.... Come see me if you are in the area... Would love the visit! Even though it is "work", I love helping people put together the perfect project.... It is so much fun to see that "light bulb" go off over their heads.

Well, after playing in my craft room today, I just have so many more ideas that I want to spend every waking moment in there...too bad there is a day job to go to....that means I really should try and get some sleep - that is, after I sketch some of these ideas!

Chat soon,
Happy Stamping!

Where did the week go?

2011-08-11T21:26:00.000-04:00

For crying out loud, time flies... And you don't necessarily have to be having fun either! New release at Tiffany Doodles tomorrow and it is great, be sure to check it out.

There is also a new company gallery on Splitcoaststampers of more Tiffany Doodle samples, so take a look over there... I uploaded some today myself! Hope you enjoy!

Working on my swaps fof the SU regional convention next week... I am glad I started early.... Always takes longer to complete an idea than you think, huh? I might have to take to work tomorrow and do during lunch and conference calls... I am the queen of multi-tasking!!! And being Friday, not expecting that many people in the office... Gotta love when everyone "works from home" every week..... Love doing it myself when I have things to finish....

Saturday I am working at my LSS, Stampers Alley.... Would love some visitors so come on over if you are in the area.... Speaking of visitors, next week I get to see my stamping teacher, Sandy! She and some team members are coming in for the regional event.... I am so excited as it has been forever since I last got to stamp with her.... And I miss it!

As for stamping, I seem to be making a card a day lately... Go check out my flickr gallery and let me know what you think!
That's all for now... Hope to get some sleep....
Happy stamping!
Dani

Freebie Thursday!

2011-08-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

Head over to http://tiffanydoodles.blogspot.com for freebie Thursday and grab the digital image and give it a try... Promise, you will love it!

Tiffany Doodles!

2011-08-04T21:54:00.001-04:00

It is official! I am a new member of the Tiffany Doodles design team! I am lucky enough to get to play with tons of digital images that are so awesome... Check it out at www.tiffanydoodles.com.... You will not be sad... There are images for everyone....all shapes and styles! New August challenge will be coming soon so be on the lookout.... Also, some fab sales going on this month so check them out too! Images as low as $1... Can't go wrong!
For those new to digital images, don't be scared... I was at first, thinking if I wasn't stamping, what was I eally doing.... But then I saw some of the creations that people were making and now, I wonder what I was so worried about... Talk about fun and user friendly... Digital images allow you the flexibility of changing the size of your image, flipping it to face the other direction, so many options... So little time to play! If you still are unsure, there ae tutorials on Tiffany Doodles website to walk you through the steps, or remind you of some tips you didn't know yet..... Later this weekend, I will post some new creations and see what you think!
Happy Stamping!
D

10 - month birthday celebration!

2011-07-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

Today is my 10-month birthday.... Two more months and I will be another year older....

This weekend I had a class for my group of stamping ladies....we made 3 awesome cards and just had a fabulous time.... Nothing better than stamping, eating and laughing with friends!

I made several more when I got home and gthen have some half started.... I hope to have some time this week to finish the up and post.... All work in my flickr group.....

And good news today: Sandy and the team are headed to Charlotte for a visit and a regional seminar. It will be awesome to see Sandy and the others for....need to prepare my swaps, tough for me.....

More this week...
Enjoy your week ahead......
D

Crafting goodness....

2011-07-17T21:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the Stamp Scrap Art Tour show and hubby took me! We got there around 10:30am and did not leave till after 1pm! OMG I had so much fun! And Ted from Stampers Anonymous was awesome as ever.... I actually went to the checkout 3 different times!!! Also, Inky Antics and Memory Box stuff came home with me.... And Heartfelt Creations.... And, Just For Fun.... Holy cow we had so much fun....I came home with a ton of fun things to play with, and that is exactly what I did! I made 8 cards yesterday and today! I was in crafting heaven for sure and the creative juices were flowing like crazy.... I have posted several of them in my flickr photostream - check it out on the left hand side if the blog.... Let me know what you think!
Happy stamping all!!!

Fabulous news coming.....

2011-07-15T17:39:00.001-04:00

Think I jumped the gun... There will be an announcement coming on August 1st... Stay tuned for some fun info!

Tomorrow for those of you in area on NC, the Stamp Scrap Art Tour show is this weekend in Winston Salem! I am packed and ready to go (my purse that is....). What fun stuff will I find when I am there.... No one knows for sure!!! I will report back tomorrow night and fill you in.....

Busy Week ahead....

2011-07-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

I have a super busy week ahead but hope to get some stamping done one of the evenings after work..... Last week for the Online Card Class, I submitted the following as my color combo samples...
Made another challenge card for the SSC Card Challenge... head over there (link in previous post) to check out what the prizes are!

First card was made using the Dahlia image from Tiffany Doodles, colored with Copic Markers, pattern paper is Cosmo Cricket and sentiment is Hero Arts.

Second one was an example of using Stamping Wheels from Stampin Up - a friend asked what they were and how you could use them, so I pulled out this onsie image and went to work.... I rolled it over 2 pieces of cardstock, colored with Copic Markers and distressed the cut out onsies with Tim Holtz distress inks. Added to patterned paper, and this is what you get! Hope you like!

This coming weekend is the Scrap Stamp Art Tour show in Winston-Salem and we are ready to head that way.... lots of fun things to see and try, (and buy) and our tickets are on the counter ready and waiting...... will probably have to stop at Enchanted Cottage while I am at it....

Got some new Memory Box items this weekend and have already been playing with them! Love the new stuff so much! Hope to get a picture of the first card already made, but no lighting..... will try tomorrow - rain, rain, go away - I hate those clouds looming....

until then, Happy Stamping!
Dani

Oh, and I won another challenge....

2011-07-04T22:47:00.000-04:00

Yippee! I won another challenge over at The Stamping Boutique..... Ribbon or Lace - here was my winning card.... The image was colored with Copic Markers, pattern paper from K&Company, and twill tape from ribbon stash.... the flowers also have french knots stitched in the centers.....

time to catch up....

2011-07-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

Well, a lot has happended since my last post....
I am back to work full-time, almost making it the whole week, but working from home by Friday.... the walking is getting easier, the pain lessening, feels great to be back in the office and working!
SSC has shut its doors... no more DT position for me, but we are working on the new blog Judy has created to finish out the sponsored challenges.... join us over there and take a look! http://simplyscrappingcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/06/card-challenge.html
I am looking for some other DT open calls, so I can hopefully get on another one soon.... I do love the challenge!
I am taking the Online Card Class held by Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner and the inspiration is absolutely amazing....
The two digital companies I am obsessed with right now are Tiffany Doodles (which I used for this weeks Card Class color combo) and A Day for Daisies (pastel color challenge with NO PINK)....
Both artists are amazing, talented ladies that create the most awesome images to play with.... hope you check them out and play along with the challenges on both websites!
Stampin Up's new catalog came out and I have to say that I am impressed. I had started to waiver on whether I would stay active with the company - which by the way has the greatest card stock) and the new catalog gave me the boost and excitement I needed to continue! Way to go! I have a class in 2 weeks that I am getting ready for.... hope the ladies are excited to see the new stuff.....
The time seems to get away from me, but I am going to keep up with my crafting and get into this blogging.... I have to just carve out the time to do it - it will now be a priority to me.... let's see if I can make at least 2 cards a week using a new technique or stamp - I need to use more of what I have.... I know, that is what we all say, but I just ordered some new things today, and must start using it all.... Plus, the Stamp, Scrap, Art Tour show in Winston-Salem is in 2 weeks and hubby and I have our tickets already.....what will we get there?????

Well, got to get a couple more things taken care of before I head to bed and prepare for the work week ahead - I sure am glad it is a short one! Happy 4th of July!

Dani

Random thinking.....

2011-06-14T22:29:00.000-04:00

So, it is after 10pm on the second day back to work....I left the office barely able to keep my eyes open, yet here I am 6 hours later and still online and wide awake.... I am so thankful to be up and able to go to work.... 2 months of recovery have been brutal. Now, I can get in my craft room - hubby does not have to bring things to me in the bed to try and work on. I am happy to have my time back to play in there versus being confined to the bed. It is amazing how your mojo just starts to disappear, but now, I am ready to go!

Couple things I am super excited about:
Tiffany Doodles will be sponsoring the Creative Card DT for the month of August! Can't wait to share her fun images with you... I have my most recent card on my flickr photostream - the vulture card...use the link on the left and take a look!

Just sent in my application to be a guest designer for DeNami Designs! I hope that is a positive response, of course. Head over to SSC for the Color Combo Challenges, as we were sponsored by them this month... There are some fab samples from the design team!

Joined the "club" for A Day for Daisies and am in love with all the images... Head over to that site and check them out.... There is a new release all the time.... Such talent! www.adayfordaisies.com is the place to find all the goods..... And there are many! Eye candy all over the place!

I am really starting to embrace the digital stamp world. I love combining digital images with stamped images and coloring them with Copics or Prismacolors. I hope to venture into some shabby working soon, I love the way it looks and have some ideas in mind....

I am also trying to work out a blogging schedule for myself to make my entries more regular...suggestions of what works for you would be helpful!

My first challenge win....

2011-06-05T20:02:00.001-04:00

And isn't it sweet! I entered the first challenge for The Stamping Boutique (www.thestampingboutique.com) on SSC... Theme for the challenge was "fantasy" and I used the Tulip Fairy #375. I will add the image in a bit....

Hope you are having a fun, crafting weekend everyone!!!

adding pic:

Fantasy Entry TSB

Recipe:
Tulip Fairy image
Copic Markers
Spellbinder Nestibilities
White Paper (PTI)
Pattern Paper (SU)

badge issue

2011-05-25T08:56:00.000-04:00

Seem to be having a slight technical issues with my new badge for A Day for Dasies.... but fear not my friends, I will figure it out sooner or later.....

Happy Hump Day!

2011-05-25T08:49:00.000-04:00

Today, I have NO PT and no nurse visits, which I hope means the pain will subside a bit to let me stamp for a while this morning or afternoon.....
Last night while cruising the SSC website - you really need to take a look, there are so many things... something for everyone...) back to the story, while I was searching all the different member companies, I stumbled upon A Day for Dasies! And I must have struck my head and instantly fell in love with her designes... what an extrememly talented creator and come to find out, up late like I was! I urge you all to run, do not walk, over to her website and check it out.... http://adayfordaisies.com/
As for me, I hope to create with her stuff real soon! One more large prohject to finish that is not of this type, and then to get cracking on all the challenges out there..... the more the merrier, right????

Well, off to the coffee maker for me.... I NEED COFFEE!

Just found Tiffany Doodles recently.....

2011-05-15T22:53:00.000-04:00

I recently decided to delve into the world of digital stamping....I was very hesitant....being a card maker, I love paper and creating and wondered if digital images were more like cheating....but, now I am addicted like nobody's business!
While I am sure I do not have the slightest clue what all you can do with these images, I sure am having fun playing with them.
Recently (two months ago probably) - since I am so bad at time frames....I stumbled upon a sight called Tiffany Doodles for digital images...I think I saw a card made and the crafted had used the image from Tiffany and it got me searching for it... Needless to say, I am many purchases later and loving her stuff...very fun to color, and quite a variety.... Something for everyone.....I certainly hope you check things out at www.tiffanydoodles.com and see for yourself...and if that isn't enough, Tiffany will. E sponsoring the SSC Card Challenges during the month of August! I will remind you again in a bit, but be sure to create an account and join the fun at the Wednesday challenges...you will have a chance to win digis from her store!!!!

To quote a friend I have been missing..."happy stamping"

Things to look out for..

2011-05-06T18:40:00.000-04:00

There are some fun challenges on SSC....
Monday - color combo challenge
Tuesday - card design challenge

The Stamping Boutique is hosting new challenges.... I just purchased some new digi images and will be attempting to enter those as well.... The images are super fun and look forward to coloring them in with my Copic markers...

SSC also has copic challenges and cricut, and much much more... Come join the fun!

Seriously MIA

2011-05-06T18:35:00.000-04:00

Very sorry that I have been so missing for a long time....good news was the design team for SSC... I am part of the Card Design Team and the Color Combo challenge..... Luckily, they directors have been extremely understanding that I had to lay low for a while.... Hip surgery is no fun at all - I have had to stay in bed with my leg elevated on pillows for the past 3 weeks... That does mean that no trips to the stamping room,even though it is just down the hall.... I did get a little crafting done... Thanks to my hubby and his willingness to bring me stacks of paper, adhesive and scissors go the bed.... I will try and post some of my April challenge items, the new ones are non-postable until the challenge has been posted.... So stay tuned.....

Oh, and the reason I am back online and so comfortable has to do with my work-mates!!!!! They all pitched in together and sent me an iPad! It is engraved "for the hippest" admin...nice pun with the hip surgery - very clever on Ted's part... He is the mastermind!!!

Some exciting news!

2011-03-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

I am now a design team member for the most fun crafting website! Simply Scrapping Craft! Check out the wesbite - http://simplyscrapping.ning.com/ - join some groups, play with some challenges, make some friends! Most importantly, HAVE FUN! All the ladies have been extremely welcoming.... and so encouraging.... so please come take a look and see what you can play with!
My fellow designers are Clare, Dana and Dawn.... the three D's being the newest for the Card DT.... they are amazingly talented ladies and I encourage everyone to hop over and check them out.....

I will be updating my blog list soon to include some of my favs (including the ladies above) - so stayed tuned to see where I spend endless hours surfing!

On another note.... we won the Bristol race!!!!! Yea Kyle!

More pics to upload

2011-02-20T23:09:00.001-05:00

I was at the LSS store today and had to grab a few new sets.... I immediately came home and played - this is what came of my few hours in the play room..... I just love when I can sit down and get dirty! Hope you like these....

not sure how to get this to the side... but will work on it for sure!

2011-01-30T17:31:00.002-05:00

Pictures are uploaded!

2011-01-30T17:11:00.002-05:00

I have successfully gotten some pictures on the Pics page.... not too many as I am getting bogged down on the computer and have to log off shortly.... However, all the photos I took today are on my Flickr photostream..... Hope to see you over there soon!

Loading my pictures!

2011-01-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

So, I grabbed the camera and some of my older and newer cards and just started snapping pictures! I am posting them on the Flickr site as well as here for some views (that is, if I can figure it out!)...
This past week has been fairly busy with lots of things going on and not much time to play... lost a friend/sorority sister/roommate to cancer this week and it was very hard to take - didn't really make me interested in doing any stamping.... but I did get some good news as well - my husband and I are going on the Tim Holtz cruise in September! I am super excited and cannot wait to go.... I am already starting to plan!
My very awesome friend, Marcia, came over yesterday and helped me create a plan to better organize what stamps I have, what stamps I will use, and then which ones go where and can be used for what.... it is definitely going to take some time to catalogue all my stamps.... have been collecting for years... but think it is a great start to getting down to the basics of what I love and how I can best use what I have..... yippee for organzied friends!
So, here I go.... getting ready to upload some pics! Wish me luck!

Sunday Fun-day.....

2011-01-23T20:31:00.000-05:00

Today was an awesome stamp day.... my dearest friend, Marcia, and I went to a fun LSS - she had never been and it was so fun to introduce her to another new place to shop/play! I love buying local, especially when the owners are nice, friendly and appreciative of my business.....
I held a small class at my house yesterday and was extremely pleased on the results - everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the cards were well received..... I hope to post pics early this coming week..... that will be my focus for after work - take pictures and upload them! I have to admit that is the one thing I am really not good at..... taking pictures and uploading......
So, some of the items I got today:
HA Flower Text
HA Dogwood
HA Friendly Flags
HA Exotic Decor
HA Flower Wreath
Prima Flowers
Can't wait to ink these up! So many ideas, so little time....

Just getting started!

2011-01-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

So, here is my attempt at entering the blog world.... I am certainly not sure what I am supposed to be doing here, or how, but I hope to get the hang of it soon.
It is my intention to post and describe my paper creations that keep my spare time busy... I have just joined the Hero Arts Flickr group and found a lot of new friends and inspirations galore! I hope to be able to make some of the fabulous creations I see there and add my own little flair....

I have been stamping for about 5 years now and have become completely obsessed.... I have transformed 2 rooms to accommodate my love and need for more! By the grace of someone, my husband is completely supportive and always adding his opinion on my final pieces.... love him and don't know where I would be without him!

I started off simple, as most stampers probably do, and have done a complete 180 on my "style" if you will... I will start posting "the early days" and then work into more recent pieces and see if you all can see the improvement.... practice does make perfect in my opinion and I think I have grown as an artist in general. The best thing about watching blogs for me, is the complete openness of ideas and inspiration, the willingness of people to share their successes so we all benefit from the knowledge. My hope is that I can spread some of my failures and recoveries and inspire someone else!

Enough babbleing for now, I better get my camera loaded and ready!
thanks for reading - whoever is out there!
Dani