Distinct Ink by Alana: My Handstamped Card Blog

Good News

2008-10-15T13:04:00.003-06:00

I received a call from Melissa, one of the new owners of the TheRubberCafé.com, and she wants to produce my stamp designs! (Their web site is getting a major face lift and I can't wait to see it. It will be very girly and glitsy from what I hear.) I am thrilled! My designs will be produced using quality red rubber on EZ mount, I believe.

Anyways, I just wanted to share my good news. I have about 8 stamp sets that I have created, and I'll be tweaking them and designing new sets during the next few weeks and months.

Now for a question. I designed this stamp set using inspiration from my three-year-old's drawing of our family. (I just love the crying baby.) I am of course biased because I love my little girl's doodles, but I think it's supah cute. What do you think? Would you ever use it?

Are there any stamps you would love someone to dream up? If so, what are they? Thanks for your feedback!

Hope your heart is happy and your fingers are inky!

Baby Lyla is Here

2008-08-23T22:16:00.006-06:00

She is such a sweetheart! Mother and baby are doing well. Although it was my longest labor (22 hours--most of it early labor), it was a much easier delivery and recovery...so far. I can't complain.

I'm Here

2008-07-28T08:27:00.003-06:00

Hello, my favorite fellow stampers. I am so sorry to leave you all hanging for so long. I haven't stamped in many months (I think it's pregnancy brain and nesting instincts), so I forgot to post anything on this blog. I maintain 5 blogs, so I've let some things slip in the blogging area to make room for other things that I need to get done. For example, I make all of my own bread and grind my own wheat. Today, Monday, is bread day. I haven't bought bread from the store since February. And I feel healthier and don't have any blood sugar problems with this pregnancy (unlike the last two).

Here's an update on me. I am 37 weeks pregnant now. I've been really busy just trying to get ready for the baby and trying to maintain the household. I've been doing graphic design here and there and writing a column for a local paper, but my stamps are in hibernation for now. I'm feeling healthy and anxious to trade my kicking belly in for a kicking baby. I've gone over due with both of my previous pregnancies, so who knows when our little one will come.

Here's the update on my cousin, Stuart. Stuart is doing great considering the circumstances. He got himself a wheelchair--the kind that he can play basketball in (he didn't want the regular kind, he still wants to be active). He's definitely got a long struggle ahead of him, but he seems to be approaching it in a healthy way. I saw him at the end of June and he says he's gotten feeling back in his upper thighs. That is a miracle! He's still a paraplegic for now, but he is making progress. His wife and immediate family have pulled together and he has a great support group. Thanks for all the cards and prayers. I know every little bit counts.

I hope to join the stamping and blogging world some time in the near future, but for now I'm still growing a little girl...waiting.

RAK Request

2008-04-15T09:09:00.007-06:00

To all of my talented fellow stampers:

On April 10, 2008, my cousin, Stuart Wride, was in a tragic accident and thrown from his car. He is now a paraplegic. Stuart and his wife, Julie, have two boys, ages 5 and 8. Naturally, his entire family is in need of comfort and support in dealing with this difficult turn of events. If you feel inclined, please send one of your beautiful hand-stamped sympathy cards to shower my cousin and his family with heartfelt wishes and support in this trying time. They would be overwhelmed with gratitude.

Stuart Wride's Story:
Last Thursday morning, April 10, 2008, Stuart left for work. It had snowed the night before. His son usually rides with him to get dropped off at school, but this time Julie decided to drive him (meaning Julie was behind Stuart and both were headed to Victor, ID.) Stuart was driving his little SUV. He always uses his lap seatbelt, but didn't put it on when he left. When he was only about 400 yards from home he hit black ice and his auto spun around and around on the ice. When it hit the berm, the car rolled over and over (it was completely smashed on top, so, had Stuart been wearing his lap belt that morning the outcome may have been more tragic than it is). Stuart had his two dogs in the auto, too.

A woman witnessed the accident and said she saw Stuart and the dogs being flung from the auto. Stuart landed on his back. (I have heard that the dogs are both okay.) When the woman got to him with her cell phone he said he felt lightening go down both legs when he hit the ground, and then he felt nothing. He told her that he thought he had broken his back and that he was a paraplegic. Julie arrived soon and he said to Julie, "I am sorry Julie, but I think I am a paraplegic."

The second person at the scene of the accident was a nurse (family members feel this was a miracle). She immediately sat in the snow, straddled Stuart's head and held it. As others arrived to help she took charge and directed all of their efforts. The snow he was laying on acted like an ice pack to minimize swelling. She knew how to handle someone with a spinal cord injury and was able to make sure he was not further injured while being transported to the ambulance. He has had two surgeries. The doctor removed bone shards from his spinal cord and said the spinal cord had been compressed (it was not severed). The only broken bone he had was the 12th vertebrae which was shattered. The doctor replaced the shattered vertebrae with a titanium vertebrae. He will be in intensive care for 4 more days then be moved to the hospital wing for 10 more days. At that point he will go into a rehabilitation facility.

The good news is that their friends in the little town of Victor are trying to help him all they can. The men he works with (building houses) have all visited him and offered their love and support. They even talked to the owner of a little hardware store in their town, told the owner he needed to hire Stuart to work the construction help desk. They said Stuart knows everything about construction, he can do amazing drawings, and knows all about the materials needed to do building projects. The hardware store owner agreed to hire Stuart as soon as he is able to go back to work. Then, one of the men said he owns a ranch-style home right across the street from the school Stuart's son goes to. He has already asked his rental people to vacate the house by the first of the month. He and the other construction workers are going to adjust the home to be wheelchair accessible, and Stuart and Julie can live there rent free as long as they need to. (Stuart owns a house in Victor that is up for sale, but that house has bedrooms upstairs.)

He does NOT have insurance.

Please send your cards to*:
The Stuart Wride Family
572 S. 50 W.
Victor, ID 83455

*Although they will be moving in May, they will surely have their mail forwarded.

No Ink Stains

2008-04-09T16:19:00.004-06:00

I'm sorry that I haven't posted recently. I've had my ups and my downs. I've been nesting, deep cleaning, reading classic novels, planting seeds for my garden, learning how to make homemade yogurt, learning about sourdough starter, grinding my own wheat and making fresh bread a few times a week, and I just haven't felt like stamping. It's crazy. I feel like sewing and organizing and lots of other things, but no card groove has caught me. Also, I've been summoned to jury duty for the second half of April--so who knows when I'll get good and inky. This is by far the longest dry spell.

I'm 21 weeks and the doctor says I'm having another girl. That makes three. My husband feels outnumbered already. But the baby seems to be healthy and growing well--I can't ask for much more than that.

Today is what I term "my mom's survival anniversary." She was in a near-fatal car accident on this day 11 years ago and should have died. But they saved her. She spent more than a month in the ICU, months in a wheel chair, and many more months with a walker and cane. It's a special day for me because my mom is one of the most wonderful people I've ever known. She's my best friend. She has shown me how to overcome. Her life has gotten harder since her accident because people close to her have forgotten how fragile life is and treat her badly (which breaks my heart), but she keeps going. And I am extra grateful that God spared my mother this day 11 years ago.

I hope you're all doing well and I'll be blog hopping to get some inspiration from all of you talented ladies.

Springy Day

2008-03-11T13:11:00.002-06:00

So this is not the best picture, but I'm too lazy to take another picture. I used some SU! incentive stamps. I was feeling like Spring today now that I'm on the downward slope of my sickness. I got the flu about 9 days ago, got really sick and thought I was going to die (such the drama queen I can be), and then got a bad sinus infection that made me feel like I had 10 rotten molars. Only for the past two days have I been able to do more than shower and feed the kids.

And today I felt like stamping. It's been too long. The darker green paper is textured--which never seems to stick to anything. So I tried Alene's tacky glue and it seems to have worked. I colored using blender pens and ink pads. I used dimensionals to make the little chick and flower images pop. The flowers and umbrella and boots are glazed with glitter. It makes me smile. Hopefully it will make someone else smile when I figure out who to give it to.

Another Update

2008-02-26T22:28:00.005-07:00

Sorry my posts have been sparse lately. I've been busy with freelance editing, reading Jane Austen for the first time, and I finally succumbed to the head cold that's been going around. And I don't get to take any good medicine. My youngest has been sick for three weeks--so I'm hoping that this one passes quickly. BTW, I get my first ultrasound on Thursday, and I met my new OB last week. He seems great. Let's hope the baby isn't being modest so we can get a peak to see if it's a boy or girl!

Edit added Feb 29th: My ultrasound went well. I am NOT carrying twins (big sigh of relief). Just one little fetus. Because the baby was still so small, the doctor wasn't 100% sure, but made an educated guess that it's another girl. And she wasn't being the least bit modest. So I guess I'm taking after my mom. She had five girls in a row.

My two little girls both got some bad flu bug--not what I have. Their fevers don't respond well to medicine, so I've been rubbing tea tree oil on them. Poor sick little girls just want to lie around and watch Barbie movies.

Mini Ice Cream Cones

2008-02-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

I love these colors with the ice cream cones. It makes me hungry. I want some mint chocolate chip right NOW! Oh the cravings. (Lately I've been craving V8 and salads with Walmart's Great Value Zesty Italian dressing--wierd, huh?)

Anyways, this card used two textured cardstock layers, thus the eyelets. Not that eyelets aren't fun and cute, but I was forced into it. By the way, I wrapped some SU! cardstock with the sentiment "Happy Birthday" around the bottom of the textured red paper--it's hard to tell.

And aren't those little ties around the cones fun?

Recipe
Stamp Set: CTMH Birthday Party
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Gable Green, Real Red, Whisper White, DCWV textured Red and Gable Green
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Real Red, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Gable Green eyelets, dimensionals, linen thread

Last-Minute Anything Card

2008-02-15T10:13:00.001-07:00

This one was fun to make. It only measures about 4" by 3-1/2" and would be perfect for those last minute birthday/congratulations gifts. I am using up my DCWV textured cardstock that I've had for two years--I like the colors and texture and it doesn't fade like my SU! papers, but it is so annoying to try to adhere to anything. The color is perfect for this card though.

How do you adhere textured paper? I have tried mono adhesive, glue stick, glue dots all without luck. The only things that work for me are dimensionals or metal fasteners: staples, brads, eyelets. Please share your secrets.

Recipe
Stamp Set: CTMH Birthday Party
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Gable Green, Whisper White, DCWV textured in a shade like Gable Green
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black
Accessories: Gable Green eyelets, Green Galore button, linen thread, aquapainter

Off-Topic: Pregnancy Update

2008-02-12T17:28:00.001-07:00

I don't mean to leave you all wondering what has happened to me. Pregnancy is going well. My morning sickness has subsided significantly. Still some queasy moments if I try to drink water as soon as I wake up (I'm always SOO thirsty). I'm 13 weeks, measuring 18 or so. Pretty sure I'm not having twins, we just have over-excited uteruses (uteri is also an acceptable plural form, but it sounds creepy) in my family. I haven't gotten an ultrasound yet, but hopefully soon.

We will be finding out the sex of the baby as soon as we can. The Braxton-Hicks contractions have already started, as usual. I need about 8-9 hours of sleep each night or I "pass out" during the afternoon. But if I nap, I can't fall asleep at night. And I would stamp, but I have no energy. Curses.

I usually crave tomatoes during my first trimesters, and this is no exception. I've been drinking large amounts of V8 on a daily basis and eating yummy salads. Salads are a rare treat at my house. My DH is allergic to lettuce, so the closest we get is spinach--which isn't my favorite.

I don't like staying up past 10 pm because then I feel snacky... and then chubby the next day. I'm reading baby name books. My mother's intuition, which has been wrong 100% of the time in the past, says that this is a boy. We'll see. Hope you're all doing well!

Another Valentine

2008-02-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Here's another feeble attempt at a Valentine's card that would be good for someone with whom you are not close or romantically involved. It uses unisex colors. I like this set, but the truth is that the bubblegum image is so huge that you can barely make it fit on a card without it taking up the whole thing. It is fun to stamp the pieces-parts inside it though.

Recipe
Stamp Set: Treat Yourself
Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Black, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, DCWV textured red (hate trying to adhere this to anything)
Ink: Black, Real Red, Ballet Blue
Accessories: Hemp, Aquapainter and Blender Pen, Red staples (to hold the darned DCWV textured cardstock to the card--all four corners)

Love Card for a Guy

2008-02-12T15:09:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks I've been so busy that I'm too worn out to do stamping. Very sad. I did finish my taxes (finally) and completed two freelance editing gigs, so I can't really complain.

Given that Valentine's day is less than 48 hours away, I thought I had better come up with a manly Valentine's card for my hubby and quick. These are good colors for my man, and I think the hemp-wrapped edges are perfect. I know it's not terribly mushy or lovey-dovey, but it totally works, I think.

Recipe
Stamp Set: A is for Adorable (Hostess set from 2 years ago)
Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Ballet Blue
Accessories: Hemp twine, hot glue gun (to secure the edges of the twine), dimensionals, red staples

Another Cupcake

2008-02-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

I made another cupcake card--this time a 3-1/2" square card. It was so much fun. I used some scrap DP paper that I bought at Joanns or someplace and wish that I had 10 more sheets of it.

I want to spruce it up a little, but I need some ideas. Should I have done a background stamp on the textured green? Please help.

Recipe
Stamp Set: Treat Yourself
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Gable Green, cheap kraft, and DCWV textured (color resembles Green Galore)
Ink: Green Galore, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Silver brads, white gel pen, gold glitter pen, glitter, dimensionals

Sparkly Cupcakes

2008-02-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

I am so sorry for not having posted sooner. So much has been going on, and I've been doing a lot of non-craft (therefore, non-fun) projects--like cleaning out the 2nd half of the garage so that I can park my car in there, too. Cleaning behind the stove. Confiscating all the toys that have littered my house for a week straight. Thinking about doing my taxes. Doing homeschool-preschool. Teaching my girls how to make a cake. Anyways, I'm trying to get back into my groove.

I went over to my friend's house Wed. night and stamped the cupcake parts and watercolored them. Today I cut them out and created a simple Birthday card. It's not fabulous, but it's a start in the right direction. I used the white gel pen to color the candle and the sprinkles, if you can't tell.

I hope you're all doing well!

Recipe
Stamp Set: Treat Yourself
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Gable Green, some cheap kraft, and Chocolate Chip.
Ink: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Gable Green, Chocolate Chip
Assessories: Glue & Glitter, dimensionals, white gel pen, gold glitter pen (for flame)

PS: For SBS1, Niki is withdrawing from the group. So you can remove her link from your sidebar. Let's all wish her a friendly farewell, too.

Off Topic: A Miracle!

2008-01-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

I must have called 6 of the 9 OBs that delivery at Mercy Hospital (Nampa, ID) and was turned away by all of them because I wasn’t willing/able to prepay my delivery before the baby came. I cried for 30 minutes yesterday and then put together a difficult 550 piece puzzle to get my mind off of it. (I am addicted to puzzles lately. I've done at least 6 in the past week.)

I made one more phone call to one of the OB docs still on my list: Dr. Gregerson’s office. I asked if they required the prepayment of the delivery fee, and she said no because they often don’t know what my portion will be because the hospital may hit the deductible first—but there’s no way to predict (which I’ve been saying all along). So she scheduled me for an appointment next month and I am swelling with gratitude right now. God really answered this prayer for me. It only took one day, too. Thanks and {{{hugs}}} to all of you who prayed on my behalf! True sisters!

Off-Topic: In a Rut

2008-01-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted any beauties lately. I just got back from a four-day vacation at my parent's house in eastern Idaho--wonderful.

And I just learned that no doctor is willing to give me prenatal care. My insurance covers prenatal care 100%, but all the doctors around here require prepayment of the global fee (prenatal plus delivery)--paid in FULL one month prior to due date. My deductible is huge and I can't afford to prepay. I'm still paying off my appendectomy surgery. (That gives me no option to fire my OB if I don't like service, or changing OBs if we have to move, which there's a 30% chance of that.) So I have insurance to cover my prenatal visits, but can't prepay and therefore don't get care. How ethical is that? I don't know how these doctors can sleep at night knowing that they are turning away pregnant women and babies who need their help.

I'm frustrated and down. I don't even feel like crafting right now. I'd love to run away.

Sew Thankful

2008-01-08T07:52:00.001-07:00

I have a few friends who have helped me out recently that I needed to make Thank You cards for. I think these monochromatic cards will work great.

The photos are a little washed out, but if you look closely you can see that I machine-stitched my first two cards ever! I loved it. It adds such a nice touch. The first card is zigzagged and the second has a straight stitch, both with thread that matches my cardstock.

I also sponged Cool Caribbean around the edges of the cards and the cut-out flowers.

Recipe
Stamps: Delight in Life, Much Appreciated
CS: Cool Caribbean, Taken with Teal, and CS from my LCS
Ink: Cool Caribbean, Craft White
Accessories: Circle Cutter, White Gel Pen, Sewing Machine, Antique Copper Brad

Recipe
Stamps: Delight in Life, Much Appreciated
CS: Cool Caribbean, Taken with Teal, and CS from my LCS
Ink: Cool Caribbean, Craft White
Accessories: Circle Cutter, White Gel Pen, Sewing Machine, Antique Copper Brads, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

PS I'm still sick, but I force myself to do a few things each day, like shovel the driveway, post on my blog, and take a prenatal vitamin. I have heartburn so bad I feel like someone has their hand around my neck. So I just tell myself that there will eventually be an end to this, right?

Cute Scrapbook

2008-01-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

During the fun New Year's Eve party I attended, I was able to "buy" this cute scrapbook from the auction with my fake money. It's purple with rub on letters and a few ribbons, and it's own paper and clear sheet protectors. I totally scored. My friend gave away so many gifts; I'm wondering how much she spent on that party. BTW, for the white elephant gift, I got a jar of home-canned raspberry jam and a "Monkey Farts" scented candle (it smells like bananas, LOL. To order: parma_mom@yahoo.com). It was a blast!

Now for the confession...I have never scrapbooked! Not even one page; not even a layout. I don't think I have printed more than two dozen pictures in the past seven years. I bought photopaper for my home printer, but the image quality stunk. So I just did nothing. That needs to change. The problem is that I need a new digital camera since mine won't communicate with my iMac anymore. Jerky thing.

So one of my goals this year is to make a tiny scrapbook of my two little girls, since they are best friends. I'll post the pages as I make progress. Feel free to ask if I've worked on it down the road to re-motivate me.

Another goal I have is to get my stamp line launched! It may take a while, but I'm leaning toward rubber cling because I'm not sold on the clear stamps yet. Perhaps the ones I bought are too cheap?

Lee Geluk Book: Windstorm Wonders

2008-01-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

I try not to post non-craft related items, but if you have a minute, visit my personal blog to see what the windstorm did to our neighborhood. You will be stupefied. Lee Geluk Book: Windstorm Wonders

More Scalloped Circles

2008-01-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

So when the scallops don't meet up well, I turn them into flowers with a stem, like so.

This first card is done in pinks, but I didn't think there was enough contrast, nor layers. I used the grosgrain ribbon to camouflage the awkward space. What a fun way to hide the flaw! This one is a wedding card, with the images from $1 Michael's clear stamps. The cake stamped clean using basic black, but the hearts looked pretty fuzzy. I'm sure a little glitter will cover that right up. (I even tried erasing the surface of the stamp. No luck. Does craft ink work better, anyone?)

Recipe
Stamps: $1 Michael's clear
CS: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, DP from Joann's
Ink: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black
Accessories: Watercolor Pen, Grosgrain Ribbon, Fiskars circle cutter, slit punch

The second card is similar to yesterday's post, but it's on a standard size card with a different layout. I sponged ruby red and chocolate chip on the white papers (the white strip is actually the red DP folded up), and chocolate chip around the edges of the bottom red DP layer.

Recipe
Stamps: $1 Michael's clear
CS: Handsome Hunter, White, DP from Dollar Store
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Linen Thread, Sponge, MM Antique Copper Brads, Fiskars circle cutter, slit punch

Monkey Bean Bags

2008-01-02T12:01:00.001-07:00

These are my wonderful monkey bean bags. I made them for the teachers in my Primary (LDS children's Sunday school). I used leftover yellow and burgundy fabric because I still have big plans for the nice fabric that I have had for years. *well-intentioned smirk*

First, I serged the two short sides (one long side is a fold) and then flipped them right side out. I tacked the stitches in the corners with hot glue just to guarantee these won't break open all over the church floor.

Second, using the fabulous-smelling StazOn black ink, I stamped the monkeys on one side and the bananas on the other side. That way it has a "heads" and tails" for any games they want to play. (I'm giving them a doc with over 60 learning and review games to play using a bean bag.) The images still show up will on the dark fabric, but the picture is deceiving.

I gave each of my girls a big bowl with a scoop and several pounds of beans, rice, and lentils. They helped fill the bags and then I sewed them shut (which was the most difficult part--I learned quickly not to overfill the bags). I currently have beans and rice ALL over my kitchen floor. But it was entertaining for them.

As I was taking this picture, my two-year old daughter was in the process of stealing one of the yellow bags. So I made them some green ones to play with. Such a fun and easy project using scissors, sewing machine/serger, and stamps! My kids have kept busy for an hour with these little guys.

Stamps: SU Monkey Business
Fabric: 8" x 4"-5", folded and stitched

Square Card

2008-01-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is one of my first square cards that I've ever made. I got the idea from my SBS sister Lesa's recent post. Anyways, I got a fiskars circle cutter (see 2nd photo) for Christmas and wanted to see just what it could do.

I cut out a 4" circle and then remembered Sarah's tutorial on using the slit punch to create a scalloped circle (she uses the coluzzle). I cut out a 2" circle in the middle and began scalloping. It didn't match up perfectly each time (you'll see that card on my next post), but I was thrilled to have my first scalloped circle! I need to make some thank you cards for Christmas, so I thought a flower with rich colors would work well.

The trick seems to be having a 1" border left intact on the large circle. The card measures 4-1/4" square. The green circle is 3" in diameter, and the red one is 2-3/4" in diameter. I just used the gold circle that I cut out of the larger circle in the first step, and the white circle is 1-3/4". I used DP from the Dollar Store and $1 Michael's clear stamps (series 7, I believe). The "Thank You" image didn't stamp too crisply, so I re-stamped (I guess that's the beauty of clear) and then went over the letters with a brown glitter pen. Overall, I'm tickled with my circle cutter and the cute cards it made.

Recipe
Stamps: $1 Michael's clear
CS: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, White, DP from Dollar Store
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Fiskars circle cutter, a brown glitter pen, slit punch, sponge

Pretty Princess

2008-01-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

A miracle happened. I've been really sick from this pregnancy for a week. Sunday was bad, but I was determined to make it to church. I've actually been feeling okay ever since. (I even went to a New Year's Eve party last night until 11 pm--don't worry, it was good clean LDS fun.) I wasn't able to hold down milk this morning, but I stomached jelly bellies. Go figure.

Here's my first card in a while. It would be perfect to give to my daughters or nieces for their birthdays--especially since "princess" is usually the theme.

Anyways, now that I'm feeling better, I had the energy to get out my new Studio G ($1 Michaels) clear stamps that "Santa" put in my stocking. I must admit that the clear stamps didn't turn out as crisp as I'm used to with rubber. I've been trying to find my darned eraser to rub on the clear stamps and hopefully improve their ink-taking abilities.

And I also had time to figure out my new Fiskars circle cutter. The circles on this card are 1-1/4" 1-1/2" and 1-3/4".

Recipe:
CS: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, textured Black, DP from Joann's
Ink: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, YoYo Yellow
Accessories: Rhinestone Brads, Circle Cutter

A Very Blessed Christmas

2007-12-27T12:38:00.001-07:00

My Christmas will be one of those memorable ones--for various reasons. My parents, little brother, and sister and her hubby all came to my house and slept over on Christmas Eve. Overall, it was a splendid time--but it was not without hardships.

My morning sickness (aka ALL DAY sickness) started a few days before Christmas. I had lots of sewing projects that had to be done before Christmas, so I slaved away on my serger and sewing machine for more than 12 hours, I think. Because the Butterick pattern said "Very Easy," I didn't not expect one little nightgown to take more than 4 blasted hours. But it did. (BTW I taught myself how to use my new serger, and I am hooked!)

We had our big dinner on Christmas Eve. The turkey smell filled the house and eventually made me sick. All the good smells made me sick. But we had great company.

My parents '95 Crysler LHS, which has been through everything short of a war in its 200k lifetime, encountered new troubles. It clipped a herd of bison in Yellowstone one black, rainy night and survived my parent's chestnut tree's untimely demise in their driveway, but somehow wasn't liking the four hour drive to my house. So on Christmas Eve day, my mom worked on our Turkey dinner and my DH and dad worked in the garage. Apparently, something went amiss and the gasoline got spewed all over the garage floor. They tracked it in the house. The whole house was full of fumes and I had to spend most of the day upstairs, trying not be sicker than I was. I can still smell the fumes in my house today--even in my pantry. And in the process of replacing the spark plugs, they broke the fuel rail and had to replace the entire thing--pistons included.

I happened to enter the toxic garage looking for a Pepsi and noticed my $20 SU craft and rubber scissors in their array of tools! Are you kidding me? I reclaimed and hid those right away. And then I see my daughter's beautiful altered lamp covered in grease smudges hanging upside down from the hood. If I wasn't feeling icky, I might have yelled at someone.

The day after Christmas I finally corralled my girls into the bathtub. The two year old took a flying leap into the tub from the ledge and landed on the 4 year old, which gave her a bloody nose so bad it was draining out of her mouth. Blood poured out of her little nose and mouth for several minutes. I wanted to pass out. I don't like blood--especially when I have morning sickness.

Today we went out to breakfast, or at least tried to. We had just missed McDonald's breakfast. (Who eats burgers and fries at 10:30 am? I will have eternal issues with Breakfast ending at 10:30 am. What about cravings, people?) And then we realized our Jeep's front tire was flat. My DH dropped us off at Sunrise Cafe and took the Jeep to Les Schwab a block away. Whew. Glad we were so close. It was just a leaky valve stem and only cost $11 to fix.

Anyways, I'm feeling pretty ill these days. I don't know when I'm going to get energy to stamp. And even though we had an "eventful" Christmas, the blessings were overflowing and it will be one of my favorites for a long time to come. Best wishes to you all for a blessed New Year.

My Latest Stamp Designs

2007-12-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm still looking for someone to carry my varied line of stamps (to make more stampers happy), and I applied to be on a design team for JessicaLynnOriginal. She contacted me back in November about my stamp sets. However, I've been wondering if I just shouldn't go into business for myself. I've done a little bit of research on it, and I think I could make it work. I would value your expert opinions on the following:

1. Should I make clear acrylic or rubber cling stamps?
2. What about the name: distINKED Lee or distinkedables or alana lee lovelies?
3. What kinds of stamps or styles of stamps is there a need for?
4. Any ideas on getting started?

Anyways, here are some country kitchen stamp sets: Baker's Dozen & Add-Ons

Tagged 2

2007-12-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

My SBS sister, Aimee, tagged me a few days ago. I have to come up with 7 interesting facts about me. And then I am supposed to tag 7 more people. Okay, here goes.

1. I once accidentally drove a riding lawnmower into an empty in-ground pool when I was 15. I was in the process of cleaning out 10 years of guck, driving in reverse near the edge of the pool, and I slipped. I thought my dad was 1) going to kill me, and 2) never let me get my license if I lived past that day. So I called the radio station and told them the story and asked them to play "It's the end of the world as we know it" on my behalf. They totally didn't believe me, but played my song anyways. I made a double batch of peanut butter cookies (my dad's favorite) and my dad actually laughed at the scene while dipping fresh baked cookies into a glass of milk. Whew! (Sorry, that was long winded of me.)

2. I am normally NOT long winded and can hardly stand when people dominate conversations, especially when I can see right through their know-it-all-ness. I usually get right to the point. Learned this in business school.

3. I am a SAHM to two girls (4 and 2), and I was NOT given the maternal gene. (I don't "get" kids, but I love mine.) But I stay at home for the benefit of my kids, hoping to raise responsible, moral children.

4. Even though I didn't get the mommy gene, I am the Primary president (over all children's Sunday school) of my LDS Church ward. Hah! Now I have to manage over 100 other children and all of their teachers--in addition to my own kids. This IS funny if you know me.

5. I suffer from depression. I got PPD really bad after 2nd baby. I'm not completely cured. Today was rough. I spanked my kids for the first time in over a year today. (I gave up spanking because it only infuriates me more and doesn't work on my kids.)

6. I have a goal to get a book published some day. You probably cannot tell by my blog, but prior to mommy-brain, I was quite the writer. I was known in my MOB (that's me in the middle of the back row) program for my writing abilities and quite enjoy tapping the keyboard.

And 7. Holy cow, I am PREGNANT! We just found out on Saturday. It's one of those "How in the Hades did that happen" things, and my hubby lovingly claims it's the milkman's child (I went on a week-long vacation and he's been working the overnight shift at Target). But I'm so happy and I consider it a miracle from God. Shame on me, but I'm hoping for a girl. I have 4 sisters and love it (plus, girls like to play with My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake. They're about the only toys I love seeing on the floor).

I hereby tag:
Sue at http://www.stampndaly.com/ (SBS 5)
Alana at http://www.godchickdesigns.blogspot.com/ (SBS 2)
Maren at http://zanynotcrazy.blogspot.com/ (SBS 3)
Deb at http://countrylovincardmaker.blogspot.com/ (SBS 4)
Jany at http://scrapbookandmoremania.blogspot.com/ (SBS 5)
Tami at http://www.stampingatcatscorner.com/ (SBS 6)
Dawn Marie at http://www.sewflake.blogspot.com/ (SBS 7)

Pop-Up Christmas

2007-12-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today was the day of rushed stamping and my first pop-up card. I'd seen a tutorial somewhere, but I can't remember where. My kids were supposed to be taking a nap, but they were noisy, disobedient, and I ended up changing one's diaper three times!! So I was rushed. I wish I had had more time to spend on the pop-up image, but these will have to do.

1. I started with the inside of the card with a sentiment, the cardstock measuring 3-3/4" x 8" and then I folded it in half.

2. Once it is folded, figure out how far from fold you want the pop-up image to stick out without interfering with your sentiment. I chose an inch, and even drew a pencil line on the back to help guide me.

3. Using your word window punch, slide the folded cardstock all the way into the punch, aligning with the pencil line and punch. Repeat on other side.

4. Now score between the rounded holes and reverse the direction of the fold (from inward to outward) of the pop-up portion.

5. To adhere to the inside of the card, I folded the white cardstock and only put adhesive on one side. I slid it in the card while mostly folded. Then I opened it up, applied adhesive to the other side, and folded it closed and pressed down. (Otherwise it won't close because it fits too tight.)

Decorate and embellish as usual. Sorry if this is scatter brained. My kids are driving me nuts right now. Early bedtime for sure!

By the way, I used DP from the dollar store as well as dollar-store scrapbooking stickers to decorate my card. I was in a hurry, and sure enough, when I got my groove on finally, my kids started invading my stamping area.

Click here for an even cooler pop-up card tutorial.

Cards by the Inchies

2007-12-13T16:00:00.001-07:00

Let the "Inchies" Obsession begin!
I am newly acquainted with the term "Inchies," but I have used them on my cards before.

What are inchies?
Where can I see more inchies? 1 2 3 4 5 6
(Visit 1 2 3 4 5 6 for some really cute ideas, even if you're familiar. Did you know Quilters make fabric inchies that are quite splendid?)

Unfortunately, these cards don't use true inchies. They are more like inchies x one-and-a quarter inchies. I embossed the red leaves on the black cardstock with Red Dragon EP, and they are exceptionally sparkly.

I usually use my inchies images to decorate gift cards or card fronts (1 2). The more creative bunch from SCS has made Christmas decorations, necklaces, magnets, and more.

Do you do inchies? I'd love to see yours--leave me a comment.

Blue Christmas

2007-12-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite cards that I made were these simple Blue and Red snowmen cards. The stamp set is from inkadinkado. I used real red and bashful blue.

The Santa Claus image is a retired one from SU! I believe. I just stamped it in Brilliant Blue on some blue mulberry paper that my sister got from Hollo's in Ohio.

These cards are easy with only three layers and two colors of ink (can you see the blue snowflakes as background image?). Perfect if you have to make a lot in a short amount of time.

Oiled Paper Experiment

2007-12-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a little experiment. NOTE: this technique is not recommended for scrapbooking. The other day I was helping my kids do a Nativity stained glass window using oil. And then I got an idea. (We'll see how bright it is a few days from now.) I'm oiling paper to give it a translucent look, which kind of mimics vellum. But my method is much cheaper thus far.

So the first picture is my stamped images on white cardstock. (Use thinner paper for more translucence. Prolly 24 lbs. paper would be nice.)

Stamp your images as you'd like them to appear. You can use black ink, watercoloring or whatever.

The second picture shows that I flipped the images to the back side of the paper, because we're going to oil it from the back. It reduces any chance of ruining the image. Place image face down on a Viva paper towel. Now pour some vegetable oil over the paper and rub it in with a wadded paper towel or cotton ball.

In the last picture you can see that the wrong side of the images are a muted version of the original.

Place your oiled paper in between two layers of paper and then paper towels and let sit under a heavy book for a day or two. The oil *should* all get absorbed so that you can use it for card making. I'll post my results in a few days so we can see how my little experiment worked.

I'm thinking that you could oil a sheet of paper and then stamp on it with craft ink, too.

*My kids' stained glass window pictures set on paper towels for two days and are now hanging on a window with no oil marks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Paper Poinsettias

2007-12-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

Over Thanksgiving break, I had a hankering for Poinsettias. Luckily, I had brought along my SAB "Delight in Life" stamp set. I just stamped the flower image on a redish paper and greenish paper (I think Real Red and Garden Green would be perfect) and adhered the two flower images with a dimensional. Then I added some Stickles. (However, I noticed that anything stamped with red or pink ink bleached out from the Stickles. Anyone else have this problem?)

I know these aren't the best color combos, but I was running out of paper away from home. So I just made do.

It's a fun way to make a Christmas card, embellish a gift tag, or even a Christmas Thank You--heaven knows we'll need plenty of Thank You cards after the Holidays.

If you have made paper poinsettias before, leave me a comment with the stamp set and a picture! I'd love to check it out.

A Newbie's Cards

2007-12-04T08:27:00.001-07:00

My sister in Ohio, who is also my best friend, just fell in love with card making. Apparently, she has found the coolest paper store near her home where they sell it by the pound for dirt cheap (Hollo's*). And it's nice paper, too.

Here are some of her cards that she made with only three weeks of experience. I am very proud of her.

The bottom two cards are embossed with silver. Pretty good, for a newbie, huh?

*As Heather mentioned on her comment, going to Hollo's is a must if you are visiting Ohio!

More Christmas Sticker Cards

2007-12-03T08:45:00.001-07:00

I used Dollar Store stickers for these cards. I got in a hurry and stamped the flourish badly. They aren't elegant or anything, but they were great for me when I was in a hurry.

Shadowed Snowflakes

2007-11-30T23:02:00.000-07:00

These stamps are from Inkadinkado. For the background, I stamped the snowflake in the same color as the cardstock (or versamark ink), and then stamped the snowflake in craft white a hair off of the first image. The snowflakes look like they are floating on the page.

This year I have been experimenting with unusual colors for Christmas cards. How about Pink (Regal Rose) and Purple (Orchid Opulence)? For the pink snowflake card, I stamped the snowflake in craft white on the vellum square and heat set it with a hair dryer. Then I added some stickles to them. Both "Merry Christmas" tags were sponged on the edges and adhered with a dimensional.

Snowflake Sticker Cards

2007-11-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some better pictures of the Sticko (from Joanns or Michaels) Snowflake cards referenced yesterday (one post below this one). Huge difference, huh?!

(I usually stamp at night, when lighting conditions are bad, so my pictures aren't as dazzling as in real life. *conceited smirk*)

Christmas Sticker Cards

2007-11-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

I found some really cute glitter stickers at my dollar store (Honk's $1.05) and decided to use them to make more Christmas cards.

The top two cards are matted on black cardstock, and the french horn is matted on red and GREEN--not blue. I can't wait for the day that I can get a new camera. I have to use the "Night" or "cloudy" setting on my RAZR cam to take pictures this well--but it changes the colors on me.

The last one is my favorite. I bought some Stikopatamus vellum snowflake stickers a while back and never used them. Then I remembered I had this cute pink circles paper from the dollar store and put it all together. The vellum stickers have silver foil as an accent. I actually used pink passion and pixie pink, although the picture makes me look like a liar. I wish you could see the stickers in real life--they are so pretty.

The Candy Cane Poem

2007-11-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are Christian, you may be interested in this post. I just wrote a poem about the symbolism of the candy cane and created a printable file to help you make quick and easy gifts. If you are interested, here's the link to my freelance blog and the files. If you stamp your candy cane tags, let me know where I can view the final product. *excited grin*

I created three dozen gift sacks for teacher appreciation gifts. I got cute little Christmas sacks at Target (12 for $1.99; they had 16 kraft sacks for 3-4 bucks, I think), stapled the poem to it, placed a red or green jingle bell ornament (atTarget, 6 for $4.99 less 20% sale--I had to buy metallic ribbon to tie on) inside with two candy canes (75 minis for $1.99). With my Target discount and sale price on ornaments, it came out to about $1.05 per teacher. Not baaaad. (The ornament goes with the following story: The Symbols of Christmas.)

Disclaimer: Because I was making 3 dozen, I didn't stamp the bags or the tags. I was saving myself time and sanity.

Have A Very Vintage Christmas

2007-11-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

This is my first vintage-esque Christmas card. I'm not good at creating the look, but I'm practicing. (Or, maybe I'm way off and this isn't vintage to you. I dunno.)

Stamps from Inkadinkado.

If I had to do it all over again, I would not have stamped the ornaments in white on the background. Oh well. I stamped the other snowflakey-circles on the burgundy cardstock with versamark. The snowman is matted on Cranberry Crisp and Always Artichoke, which has distressed edges. I stamped the snowman in burgundy, as well as the snowflakes, but I stamped off to create a softer snowflake image. I sponged Bravo Burgundy to give it the warm, worn look. The Merry Christmas oval is on cranberry crisp with burgundy ink.

I really liked the way this card turned out, especially since I rarely use these colors. But I'm sure it would make some sweet soul happy to receive it.

Red, White & Blue Christmas

2007-11-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

I had such a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend with three of my four sisters, two BILs, my brother, and my parents. The best part was getting to stamp with my cute sisters and seeing how different our cards were. I'll try posting a few of theirs later. I don't know if I got pictures of them all. (Darn it.)

My parents have a huge dining room table that we commandeered for our stamping supplies. We eventually had to bring up a folding table to make more room. I only brought a portion of all my stuff, and I took up half of the table. I bought the cutest Inkadinkado Christmas stamp set from Michael's. So you could say that I found my groove with my new stamp set. And here's a peek at what I produced.

Card 1 Recipe:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Brilliant Blue, Ballet Blue, Real Red, Glorious Green
Inks: Brilliant Blue, Ballet Blue, White Craft
Accessories: Hemp twine, eyelet, stickles (in center of snowflakes), dimensional

Card 2 Recipe:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Ballet Blue, Real Red
Inks: Real Red, Ballet Blue, White Craft
Accessories: Brads, Sponge

Card 3 Recipe:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Real Red
Inks: Bashful Blue, White Craft
Accessories: dimensionals, cute red staples

*Sorry! BLogger made my images disappear and now they won't insert again! Arghghg.

Cutest Nativity Stamp Set

2007-11-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

I just had to warn you that I just found the cutest precious-moments-like nativity stamp set at www.stampsbyimpression.com. These would be perfect for making little Christmas cards for the children in my church where I serve. Or even for my Christmas cards that I'll send out. Adorable little people, huh?

BTW Does anybody have experience with this online store?

Blogging Tutorial: Adding A Watermark to Photos

2007-11-20T00:21:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in watermarking your photos like a profesh stamper, follow the link to my other blog. It's not a video, but a step-by-step picture tutorial that I think you'll find helpful. (I try to only post paper-craft related things here.)

I'll be going to my parent's house Wednesday morning for Turkey Day and probably won't post again until November 26th. (For a cool tutorial on how to create animated GIFs with Photoshop, visit SBS sister Savitri's blog. She stamps and digiscraps wonderfully.)

Blogging Tutorial: Adding Labels

2007-11-16T17:32:00.001-07:00

If you want to learn more about labels on blogs and why you should have them, click here. If you're thinking "What the heck is a label?" This post is for you. This will take you to one of my other blogs.

Tidbits

2007-11-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

I don't have any stamp creations to share, just some tidbits.

Blogging Hint: Galleries
If you are interested in including a gallery of all your card pictures on your blog, go to http://picasaweb.google.com and get signed up. It will give the HTML code to put in a page element to include a link to your card gallery. Also, you can upload any pictures and create albums on this site. Very handy little feature. Thanks, google.

....And I have to share my cute little treasure. My DH works as a manager for Target (luv my discount). They all got some freebies two days ago. My hubby came home with a cute gift bag and told me it was all mine. I found some hersey kisses, EMPTY milkyway wrappers, and this cute tiny stapler with red staples! I am so excited. It even staples well. Now I'm anxious to get to work on my pretty red embossed images so that I can put my pretty little red stapler to good use. Isn't it so tiny and cute?

Red Dragon EP

2007-11-14T08:35:00.001-07:00

Okay, you can't tell by these pictures, but all of these red images were embossed with Stamp-N Stuff's red dragon EP. It is spectacularly glittery, red with golden sparkles--perfect for Christmas. The star images really twinkle, and the other hard-to-see images are little Christmas trees. So I created all these UFOs and now I have more work to do today.

I get to see my parents, brother, and 3 of my 4 sisters for Thanksgiving this year. We're having a huge Un-Birthday party, since we're never together to celebrate each other's birthdays. We'll be making all of our favorite desserts and snacks and eating ourselves sick. Anyways, what I meant to say was that we'll be spending a day or two stamping Christmas cards. Which is why I made all of these images to begin with, but I don't know if I can wait another 9 days to use them.

BTW I am too cheap right now to buy and embossing heat tool, so I just use my gas stove. I turn a burner on about 6 or 7 and hold my paper with paper tweezers. I have burned more than one image before because I was not paying attention. But mostly it works just great. I know my sister puts her cardstock on the back of a hot iron to emboss, but it always seems to curl the cardstock.

Tiny Gift Tags

2007-11-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

These are smaller versions of the Gift Card Holders from yesterday.

Very Punny is one of the best sets for these cute little gift tags. (If you don't have the set, I have two extra that I'd be willing to trade.) The finished size of these cute chocolate chip and pink gift tags is 3-3/4" x 2-3/4" (scored at 3-1/4" and cut at 7"). I use them as little cards on the gifts my daughter gives to her friends. They love the miniature size! In fact, I made some of these for my mother, and she sent one to my four-year old on her birthday with a $20 bill, and she handed us the money and kept the card!

Recipe
Stamp Set: Very Punny
Cardstock: Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Inks: Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip

Again, I'm sorry for the lack of picture quality. Read the disclaimer in the top right corner--it will take you to a post on my family blog that explains in a round about my current camera situation.

Using My UFOs

2007-11-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

I decided to finish off some gift card holders/gift bag tags for my stash using my UFOs (Thanks for the motivation, GinaP). I try to keep about 15 on hand at all times for those emergencies that always seem to crop up.

Alana's Gift Card Instructions
Finished size: 2-3/4” x 4-1/4”

Each card is 2-3/4” x 8” long, which means you can get 4 from an 8-1/2” x 11” sheet of CS. If you aren't worried about saving paper, 3" x 8" looks great.

First score sheet at 3-3/4” (x 11”).
Cut at 8” (x 11”).
Cut into strips 2-3/4” wide x 8" long.
Layer and embellish card. *Hint: I always use dimensionals to adhere the layered image to the card (it allows for more flexibility in opening and closing the card flap--otherwise layers tend to rebel and fall off).
Use slit punch to create flap to hold card closed.
Attach gift card inside with mini glue dot(s) if desired. If you want to hang it just as a tiny note from a gift, punch a 1/8” hole at the top left corner and set an eyelet.
For a SMALLER CARD to attach to gift (without a gift card inside), you can score at 3-1/2” and cut at 7-1/2” OR EVEN SMALLER score at 3-1/4” and cut at 7”. (If they aren’t holding a gift card, they don’t need to be so long…in my estimation☺)

Paisley Peacock

2007-11-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Another sneak peak...

I know I haven't posted a card in a while, but I promise I've been busy. We had some family in town that just left today. *sad sigh* I just wanted to show you what I've been up to lately, besides trying to manage the Sisterhood of Blogging Stampers.

This is part of my Paisley Peacock stamp set. This is by far the most time-consuming stamp set I've worked on and I still need to add more detail to the feathers. But I've ignored my DH enough this afternoon, so I'm going to go watch football with him on the couch. Thanks for looking!

Tagged!

2007-11-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

My new SBS sister Meredith tagged me (check out her cute stamped tile coaster). And it's my first time being tagged! Let's see if I can do this right.

Here are the rules…………..

Please answer the questions on your blog and tag 5 more people to answer the same questions……….make sure you list on your blog who you are tagging….Thanks!!

1. If you could have 100.00 worth of scrapbook paper or assorted embellishments, which would you choose? Making me choose between the two? Since I just bought some cute bling brads and such, and because I'm running low on paper (to my standards, at least) I would go with paper.

2. If you had to choose between using only stamps or ribbons, which would you choose?
Stamps, hands down. A plethora of stamps!

3. If you knew how to do both awesome cards and layouts but could only do one for a whole year…which would you do? Um, just cards. Never done layouts.

4. Would you rather own a scrap booking store or have your own scrapping room at home…(can’t have both he he he). My dream stamping room! Right now all I have is a closet under the stairs to store my stuff. I have to drag everything out onto my kitchen counters and table, where the kids bother it.

5. What is your CURRENT card making or scrapping style? I'm not sure what style mine is. Any ideas?

Tag--You're It!
1. Lesa
2. Karrie
3. Jen
4. Marilyn
5. Maria

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers

2007-11-06T23:31:00.001-07:00

Get your SBS badges here!

Hi, ladies. It's already been a real treat getting to know you and your cards. This is how we'll get started. For those of you with a blog, click on the badge below that you want to embed on your blog and copy the URL (or right click on image and select view image). Go to your blog settings (for blogger template), click on add page element. Click on add picture. Paste the URL from the image in the appropriate space. Click on save. That should do it hopefully!

To make it easy, why doesn't each group member create a new post entitled "Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers." Write a little getting-to-know you fact. Each of us will leave a comment to each SBS post with our blog address. Then we'll add everyone to our blog roll with the acronym SBS. And we'll all do the same for you, too!

If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and give us the link for your SCS gallery instead, and leave a little factoid about yourself. I hope that covers it. I'm retiring for the night...and it's not even midnight yet. Wahoo! Inky hugs, Alana

Edit: I forgot to post a factoid. I am 31 and have been married for over seven years and have a two girls, 4 and 2. If I could take a vacation anywhere, it would prolly be to a beach in Mexico. I would like to go back to the Netherlands for a fist full of stroop waffles, and to Belgium for a REAL Belgian Waffle (not the kind you eat for breakfast, but a rich pastry). I lived in these two countries for 16 months and learned to speak Dutch and Flemish. I love the rich heritage of these countries. I am going to branch out and try clear stamps for the first time...hopefully soon. And I love Little Caeser's 5 buck pizza.

Another Stamp Set Preview

2007-11-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Bold Buds.

I created the design for this stamp set on Saturday evening. I wanted something swirly with bold blossoms. Wasn't sure what kind of blossoms. It kinda looks like a tulip--my favorite flower since living in the Netherlands ages ago. It wasn't what I had intended to create, but I'm satisfied with the final result.

The set is 2-step. The leaves and blooms are separate from the stems. And the swirly vine perfectly fits the 5-1/2" length of a card.

Here are two cards that showcase my Bold Buds stamp set. What do you think? Should I tweak anything?

Before Rubber Stamping

2007-11-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hidden Treasures (pronounced tray-zures, like my dad says) in my closet.

Okay, I was rummaging through my craft closet the other day and came across my oldest daughter's first birthday invitation. I have to chuckle. I think I made at least 12 of these: strung the beads, cut out the pigs and fence, put backing on the fabic pants and cut them out (pants matched the dress she wore for her birthday), hand wrote each poem (maybe my printer was broken?), etc. It must have taken me at least five hours. Crazy! SOOOO glad I've found rubber stamping to streamline the card-making process.

And running across this old card made me remember a card that I had made before the piggy invite that I had forgotten about. It's a thank you card for my friends for letting me stay at their house while passing through the state of Idaho before I moved here. This one probably took two hours or more. And when you open the card up, it says "Spanks. Spanks a lot." I don't know how I cut all those pieces so well. It makes me shudder thinking about the complexity of it all. (I don't have a cricut or anything like it...yet. Hopefully for one of my birthdays down the road. DH even agreed to it last night!)

Actually, maybe I will create a stamp set after this card. ....hum....

Sneak Peek

2007-10-31T10:36:00.001-06:00

Attn: Stamping Addicts!

For you paisley lovers out there, here's a sneak peek of my latest stamp set design. This one only shows a few of the plethora of pretty petally paisleys. I would call it Petal Paisley, if it were up to me.

My favorite one isn't even shown here. Lots to choose from. And some of the paisley images coordinate with my Friendship Forecast stamp set shown earlier. Perfect for backgrounds and adding style. Don't you think?

*These images are ©2007 Alana Lee.

Looking for a Stamp Designer?

2007-10-29T10:23:00.000-06:00

That's right! I'm looking to sell my designs to a Stamping Company. I don't necessarily want to design the cards and projects themselves (although I can do that, too)...I want to design the actual stamps. That is my strength--and your potential asset!

I have two stamp sets that I have already created. I will post a demo card that showcases 6 of the 11 stamps in the Friendship Forecast stamp set. The set has 2-step stamping images and 5 sentiments. Please remember that all of these images are original designs by Alana Lee and I own the copyright. For now. Unless you want me on your team. If you know someone who could use me, please pass on the link. Let me know what you think! Thanks.

Blog Makeover

2007-10-26T21:53:00.001-06:00

Confession: I know my blog was WAY too boring for being a graphic designer. (I've spent a lot of time working on my other two blogs though.)

I finally found a few hours of free time (thanks to hubby watching the kids) and this is the facelift I came up with. I am a paisley addict and cannot get enough. And flowers are always a welcome addition. Best of all, I think it's perfect for fall.

...And did you notice that I used Stampin' Up! colors for my banner?

What do you think?

Butterfly Landing

2007-10-26T16:59:00.000-06:00

Love this card! I used a stamp from the SU! Demonstrator incentive set Merry Mix. I used light purple square rhinestone brads and lots of glitter on the pretty butterflies. They actually pop off the page and look like they momentarily landed on the card. Lots of dimenion! I used Soft Subtles colors (pale plum and perfect plum)--so the purple butterflies are the color of the light purple cardstock I mounted them on. The camera doesn't do it justice. It would almost be a crime to hide this in an envelope for any period of time.

Bling - Rhinestone/Crystal Brads

2007-10-26T09:11:00.000-06:00

I think bling is the hottest way to embellish a card. However, please be forewarned that it increases the thickness of the card so that if you are sending it in the mail, you must add 17¢ extra postage for the non-machineable surcharge.

They are great for just giving with gifts or hand delivering. Hot, hot, hot! I will try to make some gift notes and gift card holders with bling. Gimme a few days. I think I spent 6 hours making cards yesterday. My supplies are strewn over my kitchen counters--something I hate to do for more than a few hours. But I just gotta stamp!

Inspired by...

2007-10-25T23:56:00.000-06:00

I was browsing blogs and clicked on to From Combat Boots to Rubber Stamps and saw the cutest Halloween card. I decided to do my first challenge in 20 minutes (because I promised myself I'd be in bed by midnight, not like 2 am the past few nights--getting to bed when my hubby has to get up for work). I know it's not the best, but it's my first and it's a starting point. And I two minutes to get to bed! Hooray for me!

Clear & Glazed Stickers

2007-10-25T22:10:00.000-06:00

I've departed a little from using only stamps to decorate my cards. I found some really cute stickers at our Dollar Tree that are acid free and great for card images. Miss Elizabeth's is the label. The stickers are great quality and an easy way to create a focal image for your card when you are pressed for time. I do, however, usually stamp extra images when I am making cards. I keep a stash of ready-to-use images in a little box. That way I am not always pulling out all of my stamps and ink and trying to figure out what to use.

Many of you probably already know this, but I just remembered how to create the ticket corner without SU!s ticket corner punch. I used my slit punch and eyeballed how much of the corner to crop. I know you can also use any sort of round punch, handheld or whatever. Ticket corners are just an excuse to use more brads--gotta love that!

The brads on the green and white cake card are purple rhinestones. They look really hot in person. And so does the cake. The stickers are embossed and glittered. Just a note, the colors really do look much better and coordinated in person. These pictures make it look like the colors don't mesh well. It's just an illusion.

Flowers & Coffee

2007-10-25T13:03:00.000-06:00

This one has bling, flowers, and lots of dimension. I promise the bling has lots of zing in real life. I used SU! colors. The bling and flowers I bought at Craft Warehouse in Meridian, ID. The flowers match pretty well.

Stamp sets: Treat Yourself & Greetings Galore.

Sharing a Cup o' Coffee with My Sister

2007-10-25T09:47:00.001-06:00

I don't really drink coffee (I'm LDS), but this is the best way to share a cup with my dear sister, Mikala.

Hey, Mikey. These are for you. Don't you just love the bling brads (hard to notice with my RAZR cam) and aged copper brads?

Note: Don't put your card orders in just yet, because I have some of the cutest birthday cards, kid cards, and pretty 3D flower cards that I still have to finish.

For guests to my DistinctInk blog, I sell cards, too. I make them and ship them right to you. Easy as that. You can pick from any of the cards that you see in my gallery or on this blog. Prices range between $2 and $4+ (depending on the layers and embellishments used). You get the best deal when you order in bulk (20+ cards). Shipping at cost. Hope you enjoy your visit!

If you would like me to make you a Lunch Tin Card Organizer like this one by Michele Shuman, let me know. It won't look exactly like this one, but we can tailor it to your suit your taste. Cost $20. Comes with dividers.

Another Batch

2007-10-24T01:11:00.000-06:00

A Note from the Queen

2007-10-23T00:47:00.001-06:00

I've been making some cards for my sister, and I remembered that I had created a crown graphic for Courtney's birthday invitations. So I did a little bit of changing, and ended up with some cute crown cards that say "A note from the Queen" and "A Royal Thanks."

And since it's Fall, I had to play around with leaves and pumpkins.

Playing with Papers

2007-10-22T09:04:00.000-06:00

Some simple thank-you cards.

Last week I finally had the opportunity to make cards for the first time in a month, it seems like. I went to the dollar store and bought some scrapbooking stickers (Miss Elizabeth's), and I bought some designer paper from JoAnn Fabrics a while back. So I played with my new stuff. Here's what happened. (I'm forced to use my RAZR camera because of the fatal rebellion of my Fuji digicam. Thus, the picture quality is lacking. For more info, read here.)

Flowers for the Glitter Lovers

2007-09-26T08:34:00.000-06:00

I needed to make a gift for someone last minute, so I found some floral stamps, ink, glitter, vellum squares, and other embellishments and came up with these cards. I took pictures so that I could make some for myself when I got home--since I had given them all away.

Birthday Invitations for my 2- and 4-year old

2007-08-16T11:18:00.000-06:00

All of the birthdays in our little family of four fall within five weeks of each other during the late summer. Courtney, who just turned two, wanted a princess party. And Mia, who will soon be four, wanted a My Little Pony party. Because I didn't have the right stamps, I just did a little graphic design for the focal image on each invitation. Add a little bling, and here you go. And Mia's My Little Pony (original design just for her) has her name written in the big heart on the pony's rump and the number "4" on the crown. The inside of the invitations may be hard to read, but they definitely add the final touch.

Doodle My Horse

2007-06-02T09:04:00.000-06:00

For all the horse lovers out there!

My parents and younger brother were just in town last weekend. My dad was here to go to a horse clinic with his beloved (yet recently gelded) pasofino, and was visiting the other handful of pasofinos he owns. I guess the trainers were great and my dad wanted to give them a thank you card. My mom and I had been stamping for an hour or so, and my dad said he wanted us to make him a card with a horse on it. I don't own any horse stamps yet. But I loved the "Very Punny" doodlesque set, so I set out to create my own using a fine-tipped permanent marker. I used an aquapainter to paint the horse to look like his Dancing Prince buckskin (I didn't have the perfect colors).

My mom picked out the colors, and I got to work assembling the card. My dad got a happy look on his face and was excited to use the card. I don't know if he was expecting and doodle cartoon of a horse, but I think it's perfectly fabulous. I even created a doodle horse on my computer and printed it out to make a stack of cards for him. I'll post more variations of "Doodle My Horse" later on.

Welcome, Friends

2007-05-31T08:55:00.001-06:00

If any of you know me at all, you know that I have a sassy streak in me. We live in a new subdivision that is swarming with solicitors trying to sell me cleaners, pest control, alarm systems...you name it.

To keep them off my doorstep, I had a small, plain laminated sign that said "No Solicitors." And then I was overcome with a sassy urge yesterday and here's what I created. I used the Pocket Full of Posies stamp set and zapfino font (to make it look more elegant than rude). I'm convinced every woman needs one on her door! Ahaha.

Thank You Cards

2007-05-31T08:42:00.001-06:00

I've had to make lots of Thank You cards recently. Since I won't be able to attend my baby sister's baby shower, I made her a stack of thank you cards for all the gifts she'll receive.

The first card looks awesome using Regal Rose, Bashful Blue, or even Gable Green. I just used white craft and a white gel pen. So simple, but still such a beautiful thank you card.

If you want the recipes, leave a comment.

Tickled Pink Baby Shower Invite

2007-05-25T13:06:00.000-06:00

My baby sister, Marni, is having her first child in the beginning of July. (I'm still trying to figure out how she grew up so fast.) She loves pink, and she's having a girl, so I created this cute little invitation to send out for her baby shower.

Stamp Sets: Very Punny, Delight in Life

Cardstock: Pink Passion, Gable Green, Basic Black, Pixie Pink, Whisper White

Inks: Pixie Pink, Basic Black, Green Galore

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, White Gel Pen, Aquapainter, Organdy Ribbon

Whole Latte Love

2007-05-24T09:30:00.001-06:00

I made this card for my coffee-loving sister in Cleveland. She loved it. In fact, I'm going to make her a stack.

Stamp Set: Treat Yourself (retiring soon!)

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Whisper White

Ink: Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip, White Craft

Accessories: Linen thread, Stampin' Pastels, Organdy Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers

Mudder's Day

2007-05-08T16:45:00.000-06:00

Sorry I am a little late posting this fun Mother's Day card. I'm just sending mine off today!

If I had to do it over again, I would not have put the top row of white cows on the background. Or maybe do the background images in Versamark and stamp one white cow to stand out. (I used the "m" for "mudder" from the "Bug Me Anytime" stamp in the same set). Let me know how yours turns out!

Stamp Set: Very Punny (I used the "m" for mudder

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Whisper White

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White craft

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, White Gel Pen

Hoppy Things

2007-04-25T08:49:00.000-06:00

I made this card for my husband's best friend's graduation with a double master's. (Yeah, he probably deserved more.) But this card can also be used for a variety of occasions. At first I was a little ashamed that the top frog got cut off, but now I like it because it looks like he's so happy he's jumping off the page. This would be an easy card to CASE (link back to me, please) with any of the stamps in the SAB Very Punny.

Stamp Sets: Very Punny, Polka Dots & Paisley

Cardstock: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Ballet Blue, Brilliant Blue

Inks: Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue, Ballet Blue, Green Galore

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, White Gel Pen

Techniques: Faux Stitching

More Happy Things

2007-04-24T08:27:00.000-06:00

Okay, okay, the monkey made an appearance sooner than I intended. But I just had to mix the stamp sets because they share the same line art style (bold and smooth). A "Happy Things" card is so versatile: for graduation, for birthdays, for anniversaries, or even for new parents.

Stamp Sets: Polka Dots & Paisley, Monkey Business

Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Gable Green, Whisper White, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Green Galore

Inks: Pixie Pink, Green Galore, Ballet Blue

Accessories: Round Tab Punch

Techniques: Stampin' Off (the vines), Inked Edges (pixie pink rectangle)

Happy Things

2007-04-18T23:05:00.000-06:00

I decided to challenge myself today to find a fun way to use Orchid Opulence. Please trust me when I say that the colors are bright and vivid—this photo doesn't really do them justice. For a different look, one could easily stamp paisleys instead on the bottom half, or even the polka dots. I think this is a fabulous way to show off the Round Tab Punch with this stamp set. After all, who doesn't love "Happy Things"?

Stamp Sets: Polka Dots & Paisley

Cardstock: Orchid Opulence, Gable Green, Bashful Blue, Pink Passion, Green Galore, Whisper White

Inks: Orchid Opulence, Pixie Pink, Green Galore

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, Dimensionals

Techniques: Stamping off used on each flower image (on white cardstock), and 2-Step Stampin' outline image is stamped in same color (full strength).

Monkeying A*Round

2007-04-16T07:47:00.000-06:00

Okay, I realize I need some self control. I will try to use other stamp sets besides the Monkeys in the cards that I post in the next little while. I entered this one in the April "Round & Round We Go" SU! contest. (I'm just hoping to get published on Stamper's Showcase.)

To be quite honest, it was a PAIN to get those vines stamped in a perfect circle. It must have taken a good dozen tries. (Of course, the most perfect image was my first try when I was stamping on scrap computer paper!! I ended up using my sliding glass door as a light table to practice stamping the vines in a circle on white cardstock.)

I love this card because of the pearl-ex mixed with clear embossing powder—on both the vines and "thanks a bunch." It gives a green shimmer under the light. (Note: you only need to add small amount of pearl-ex to clear EP, perhaps a 9:1 ratio. Otherwise, the EP won't stick to the versamark.) Also, I had way too much fun making the grass skirt; although, it was tedious and rebellious at times. And the finishing touch with the monkey hands holding up the thanks image was a necessity. Those little hands are just so darn cute!

Stamp Set: Monkey Business

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery

Inks: Versamark, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Linen thread, pearl-ex, clear EP, eyelets, celery grosgrain ribbon, 1/8" hole punch

P.S. I'm sure this could transform into a cute double slider with some work.

Friendship Flowers

2007-04-13T00:32:00.000-06:00

This will be brief. Stamp sets: Friendship Flowers and Heartfelt Thanks. I used real red, regal rose, green galore, yoyo yellow and whisper white cardstock. I used yoyo yellow, regal rose, green galore, and real red classic inks, and white craft ink. I am going to make another version of this card using flowers in the background that match the focal image. The flower uses the rock 'n roll technique, and has a green galore button tied with linen thread. Very easy card.

It's Monkey Time!

2007-04-09T23:44:00.000-06:00

I must apologize for the brief hiatus. I've been doing some freelance work, so I had no time for stamping. But tonight everyone went to bed early... so I made four cards using the Monkey Business stamp set. I'm running low on paper, so I'm using colors that may not be the most popular of combinations. The cards really do look much nicer in person—my blasted camera can't take pictures of cards without totally blurring and washing them out. (Unfortunately for my blog, we'd rather spend the money on home improvements than a camera. Some day though.)

The first two cards are different versions of each other. I used barely banana, chocolate chip, certainly celery, and always artichoke cardstock. If you take a close look at the vine leaves, you'll notice that they were stamped in certainly celery and outlined with a garden green marker. It helps create a focal vine. I then placed the white and celery layers on the barely banana, and finished stamping the vines in certainly celery (so that they line up when I assemble the card). The second card has more random vines. I think I prefer the first. I also outlined the bananas using the same marker. It's hard to stamp bananas in yellow and be able to see the fine detail. I really distressed and tore the edges of the "thanks a bunch" sign to make it look more worn—like something you'd see on a walking path in a national park.

The second card had the bananas rocked 'n rolled in certainly celery. I stamped the monkey's arms in chocolate chip to give the impression of lots of clapping hands. (In my haste, I was sloppy in stamping the hands, so some look quite amputated. Try not to balk at my animal cruelty.) I guess one could also stamp a pineapple or heart in between the hands, too. The bow on the "thanks a bunch" sign was very tedious. I would not recommend such a tiny bow for a m&t. Now that I think about it, I should have used tweezers!

The third monkey card uses chocolate chip, whisper white, cool carribean, and gable green. Again, I stamped the monkey's hands around the edge of the focal image to create the impression that there's lots of love for the receiver. My favorite part of the card is the "love ya bunches!" contrast image. I stamped the whisper white craft ink on the chocolate chip cardstock, and then placed the whisper white square over the top. One could also use a square punch and adhere the contrast image on the inside of the card. I finished this card off with a line of faux stitching. Although these color combos aren't breathtaking, each card has a very useable template for CASEing. Feel free to do so.

The last monkey card uses fun colors, and isn't too feminine. I used ballet blue, gable green, glorious green (holy cow!—that's one of the only cards where I've been able to use this color successfully), pink passion, and whisper white cardstock; I used versamark, brilliant blue, green galore, and chocolate chip classic inks. I stamped the vines in a circular fashion to give emphasis to the monkey. Then I stamped the heart in Versamark, cut around the image, and hung it on some linen thread. I tied knots in the end and frayed them, too. I only stamped one heart on the background next to the "love ya bunches" image. It's pretty late tonight, otherwise I'd be working on making a cute little linen "grass skirt" for the monkey—all frayed and such. Can't you see that little critter doing the hula? I have seen other stampers use the bananas to create a hula skirt for the monkey, but I'm thinking this linen thread has a lot to offer for this jungle look.

By the way, don't be shy about leaving comments. I'd love to hear from you.

My Latest Demos

2007-03-17T00:14:00.000-06:00

For my workshop this weekend, I decided to demo some new cards that I spent WAAAAYYYY too much time creating. But my tinies went to stay with my parents for the weekend, and my hubby went camping, so I had plenty of time to just play.

The Monkey Business card was lots of fun. I got the sign idea off of SCS—"Knit Happens" by mav1126—but I thought tying the linen thread around the post and distressing the edges to give it more umph. When I stamp the bananas, I think I am going to rock 'n roll the edges in green or brown to give it more contrast. And I am going to stamp one or two more vines across the top of the white cardstock.

My Easter card uses a color combo I just came up with (although, I guess it probably exists out there already anyway): old olive, certainly celery, regal rose, and bashful blue. I know it's not the traditional Easter-pastel look, but it works, and it looks much better in person. The camera washed out the image a little, but it's a great card to showcase the aquapainters, grosgrain ribbon, brads, and the round tab punch.

Spring Mini Catalog Must-Haves

2007-03-16T11:01:00.000-06:00

Okay, for those of you who have the Spring Mini already, you know how irresistible some of the new products are. My first pick is the round tab punch. It makes fabulous faux-folder cards.

The top card is a card we made at Margo's Stampadelicious Achiever's Club in February. It uses the Round Tab Punch, Office Accoutrement set, and the Notations designer paper. The one beneath the Office Accoutrement card uses Polka Dots & Paisley (I got the flower idea from SCS—cards by: bdrew, indyemmert, cynthia_wilson, and nancyruth). The paisley petals are actually a pain to set in a circle. I trimmed the paisley's points off to prevent the center of the flower from becoming too thick (and to avoid cutting around the curled tail). Then I cut out a circle of white cardstock, and adhered each petal to the circle, trying to space the petals evenly, and then adhered the whole flower to the card.

The Hello doodle card also came from Margo's Achiever's Club. It showcases the Doodle Alphabet and Doodle This set. I loved how we colored the dots around the tendrils with a white gel pen to make the images really pop. I should have left a slightly larger white margin around the flower when cutting it out. The other is just another variation I made using lighter colors and the Delight in Life SAB set.

This beautiful card was a M&T from the Margo's Stampadelicious group meeting in February. She adapted it from a long note on the SU! Demo site. The awesome thing is that it uses ALL of the products offered in the Spring Fever Bundle promotion. It was my first time using the white craft ink cartridge for a stampin' around wheel...and I'm a fan! Such a fun set of products. Just a note: the Spring Mini does not do the Petals & Paisley designer paper justice. They are soooo beautiful in real life. You just have to see it for yourself. And what a fun combo of colors!

These last to sets of cards used Polka Dots & Paisleys. The first set is what I like to call "Tabbed Faux-Folders" (again the idea came from Margo's card above). They're like little file folders that you can stick pictures in, gift certificates, a pressed flower, or just a plain old note. They make a great card to send to co-workers, especially given that they are not extremely feminine. I would highly recommend the Office Accoutrement set and Round Tab Punch to any business women.

And the last set of cards uses faux stitching. The flowers on the left were stamped, and the flowers on the right were water colored. I prefer the stamped flowers when using this set. This is a great card to show off a lot of accessories, like the Word Window Punch, Eyelets, Crafter's Toolkit, White Gel Pen, etc.). I love these cards not only because of the Springy colors, but because they show off every stamp in the Polka Dots & Paisley set.

And now I'm sure you just found one more thing to add to your wishlist. Happy Stamping!

Gift Card Holders Class!

2007-03-16T09:07:00.000-06:00

With graduation, Mother's and Father's Day, and Easter just around the corner, every smart woman needs to have several hand-stamped, eye-popping gift card holders on hand.

I've been experimenting with all sorts and shapes of Gift Card Holders these days. And from that and perusing SplitCoastStampers, I've come up with some awesome designs. In fact, I'm holding a class at my home on Thursday, March 29th from 7-9 pm. You get to make FIVE fabulous gift card holders for just $10. And that's not even the best part of the deal! If you place a $50 order at the class, I will REBATE your entire class fee and apply it to your order total! That's a free class or a 20% savings!

Anyways, the registration deadline is Thursday, March 20th. Let me know if you're interested. It's going to be a real stampin' party!

These are a two of the five templates I will be showcasing.

A Stamping We Will Go!

2007-03-14T16:57:00.000-06:00

It's about time I got my stamping blog set up! I hope this will be a place where my fellow stampers will enjoy visiting...a little community of learning, if you will. (Go on, bookmark it.) I will be working on a gallery and several tutorials over the next few months. I will post both CASEd and unique projects (and I'll give credit where credit is due). I love the process of inkventing...so check back often and please leave your comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Now, on to my introduction. I was born in Idaho, raised in Cleveland, schooled in Utah, and now I’m back in Idaho. I once lived in the Netherlands and Belgium, and my favorite vacation spot is in Mexico. I have a BS in Sociology and an Master of Organizational Behavior (similar to MBA-OB). I've been married for nearly 7 years, and I’m a mother of two girls, 3 and 1. For the past 7-8 years, I’ve also been a graphic designer and editor. I became a SU! demonstrator in June 2006 because I love helping people discover a new hobby that meets their needs, and I love getting out of the house to meet new people and have girl time.

I’ve always enjoyed making my own cards. However, I used to snub my nose at rubberstamping *gasp* because I thought of myself as my own artist. I took every art class my high school offered before I was a senior... and my high school had a great art program. I didn’t think I needed stamps because I could draw.

But then a friend invited me to a Stampin’ Up!© workshop at her home. I dragged my feet about going, but I went because she was my friend and I needed to get out of the house. I was hooked. Stamping was what I needed for three reasons.
• It allowed me to still be my own artist
• it helped me streamline my card-making process (because I didn't have to draw everything freehand)
• and it gave me more options to embellish my cards.

But the great thing is that Stampin’ Up! is also for those who don’t consider themselves creative or artistic—the ideas are already in the book! I know you understand when I say that stamping really is therapy to my soul.