October 31

Happy Halloween

New Pictures to scrapbook

Been very busy stamping and working on ideas for the upcoming craft fairs and stamp camp but took some time away from the stamp table to visit Rock City, GA and the Incline Railroad in Chattanooga, TN this weekend. If I had known there was also a rubber stamp and scrapbook convention going on, I would have left Ama at the tennis courts and had some fun shopping!

Overall, it was a great weekend- got to take lots of pictures and have an idea brewing for a neat little gift album. If it works out, I'll share it with you.

File in the Middle Card

I just saw the neatest card on Dawn's Stamping Thoughts blog.

Check it out and see what you think!

File in the Middle tutorial

After we get home from Chattanooga this weekend, I am going to give this a try.

Information R/evolution

It's not exactly stamping but I wanted to share - and ask you to think- especially since we have to catergorize our lives, our supplies our...

Need a reason to spend more time online??

If you happen to belong to a yahoo group or maybe have a facebook or myspace account, then this site might be of interest to you. The site is called Craftgate.

This site is designed with the crafter in mind and provides more opportunities to connect with like minded crafters around the globe. I did a quick search just for stamping and found 2 categories, including one for swaps, I was really interested in exploring the altered art links.

If you get a chance, check it out and let me know what you think.

Opinions, please

I'm working on some ideas for an upcoming Stamp Camp and need your opinion, please. When attending a holiday stamp camp- do you prefer to make cards, projects or a combination of both? Also, would you prefer to make projects that can be easily re-created at home for quick gifts or would you rather create a few "WOW" projects?

I know what my preferences are but I really don't know what everyone else likes to do. Please share your thoughts here.

Scrapbook Wiki (great resource)

Thanks to my friend Celeste for sending me to this site- it's a user created Wiki for everything Scrapbook related hosted by Better Homes and Gardens.

The Site is called Scrapbooks, Etc.
and is a great resource.

If you're not sure what a Wiki is (thinkWikipedia) it's a place to share knowledge and users can edit the information until there is common agreement. Wiki's are becoming more and more common as teachers use the to support classroom learning and kids use them to build up a repository of information for their favorite games and hobbies. Check it out and let me know what you think!

WCMD Update and Coming Events

So, how did your WCMD go? Did you get a chance to make any cards? Based on the emails I have received from you, it looks like last Saturday wasn't a great day for Card making but more and more people are getting ready for the holidays.

As a reminder, our Holiday Stamp Camp will be happening in Gallatin, TN on Nov. 1- I'll be sure to share some samples from there as the time gets closer- would love to have you join us and if you can't make it, leave a post and I can send you a stamp camp kit in the mail- all the supplies and instructions so you can still have some craft time.

I'm also going to be on the road more now that tennis is finally winding down a bit. Oct. 27 I'll be in Cleveland, TN at a crop and will be demonstrating some ideas for Holiday Tags. Once I get my camera working again, I'll post those samples for you.

Nov. 1 of course is Stamp Camp. The remainder of the week will be back to tennis as Amadeus and I volunteer at the Music City Challenger Tournament (it's a $50,000 pot and brings some of the best professional players ranked between 300 and 100 in the world). We do this every year and it is a blast.

Next stop is the League of Innovations Conference on Information Technology- I'm one of the committee chairs so no stamping during those days. As soon as that finishes, its back to stamping with our Chipboard Fun class, again in Gallatin on November 15. Check my website for more details .

The month winds down with a Christmas Stamp a Stack on Tuesday November 27, again in Gallatin.

I would love to come stamp with you and your friends and show some great holiday ideas- let me know how I can help!

November 17 come visit me as I work a Holiday Craft Fair with several other vendors then on to a Crop and Stamp class.

Happy Monday

Happy Monday! Did you have a great time stamping for World Card Making day? My stamping plans fell through a bit- but I still was able to make and send a few cards.

I've also started receiving some great cards for the October Brown/Orange swap. Can't wait until the rest come in....

more soon

Today's the Day- World Card Making Day

Today's the day- so grab your scissors, paper, stamps and adhesive, find 5 minutes or an hour (your choice) and make a card to send to a friend.

Do you know someone who could use some cheer- make a card and send it their way?

Does someone have a special event in their lives- make a card and send it their way!

In case you haven't seen this yet- you will spend hours checking out all of the cards submitted for WCMD already- these are great!

World Card Making Day Gallery

As soon as I find my camera, I'll add a few of the creations I have made (squeezed in a few cards between my son's matches).

Post your cards please or send them to me via email and I'll add them to the blog.

Remember there will be prizes, too :)

WCMD- Technique Challenge

If you have ever attended one of my Stamp a Stacks, you'll have probably figured out that there are two favorite techniques/items that I love to do. First is Crayon Resist and the second is playing with Water colors so for the Technique Challenge, you have two choices. Create a card using Crayone Resist or Using Water Color Crayons.

First, I'd like to put in a plug for the Technique Junkies Newsletter. This is an incredible resource chock full of ideas. You can subscribe by going to: Technique Junkies.

This month, Pat is also offering 3 free technique tutorials and guess what? They just happen to be for Water color crayons so create a card using one of these techniques and then share it with us by Saturday at 11 p.m. CST

Need to see the link? Here's one to the Water Color Crayon page.

Your other technique choice is Crayon Resist- this is one of the simplest and yet coolest techniques (IMHO!).

Here's what you need:

• Glossy photo paper
• Black ink (stazon or classic)
  
• Bold image stamp(s)
• A crayon
• 3-4 daubers (if you don't have a dauber cotton balls, q-tips or something similar can work)
• 3-4 ink pads (complementary colors)
• Paper towel or tissue

Stamp the image on the glossy card stock. Let the ink dry. Using the crayon, trace around parts of the image that you want to "POP" off the page. Whereever the crayon is, the ink will not adhere and after you are finished, there will be a white line around the image. Next, use the dauber(s) and dab or drag the colors across the page. Use the paper towel to wipe the crayon off the image.

Here's a sample: The Stampers Mall

Festival By The Lake

First, you need to realize that I am absolutely petrified of water sports and water related things. Second, I spent all of last week, home sick with not one but two very different types of viral infections. Despite all of that, I dragged myself out of bed, and of course got Ama involved, too and we helped with the Annual Festival by the Lake Fundraiser.

Ama and I got a chance to put my years of food ops management to practice when our 2 hour shift in the food booth turned into 4. It was a blast and a great way to meet lots of people while serving up freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs. After that shift, it was time to get into costume and get ready for the 1st annual wacky raft race. We all donned wet suits and literally hit the water.

We raced in heats of 3 rafts- we almost won our heat until our fellow Rotary buddies tried to kill us with their tow line LOL-- of course, what would you expect from the floating toilets!


Just wait until NEXT YEAR!!

If you want to see more pictures- try to find Ama and I- you can view them in the photo gallery at the iSurfHendersonvilleTN site!

Let me know what you think.

A Little Card Making Humor...

This is too funny- the guy's version of making a card. I thought I would share and if you can get one of the men in your life to make a card for WCMD- even better!!

Man Made Card

World Card Making Day- Challenge 1

Get Ready! Get Set! Go!!!

We're in the home stretch leading up to WCMD and I wanted to give you a head start. Challenge 1 will be to follow the Card Map For September located at the Page Maps website.

Your challenge:

• Use the first or second card map as your roadmap
• Use any stamp(s) that you want
• Colors should be fall tones (oranges, browns, reds, golds, etc.)
• Complete your challenge and post by 11:00 p.m. CST on Saturday Oct. 6

That's all there is to Challenge 1. Are you up for it?

World Card Making Day- Online Card Fun

Based on your response, it looks like actually getting together on Saturday night for World Card Making day just isn't going to work so.... borrowing an idea from another stamper, we'll be celebrating World Card Making day online--first- I still owe some blog candy from earlier this summer- I can not find your address so if the winner will email me I will get your blog candy out with some added goodies. Now for WCMD online--

First- you will have up to 3 card challenges to complete. Ranging from very easy to slightly complex.
We will have 3 card challenges. Complete one, two or three. Post your finished creation by commenting on the WCMD post (made on Saturday). I'll also be offering specials throughout the day and other challenges.

Challenge 1 - Follow the template (template will be posted tomorrow)
Challenge 2 - Technique Challenge- (technique, supplies, and a sample) will be posted on Wednesday
Challenge 3 - Dimensional Challenge- (supplies and a sample) will be posted on Thursday

Extra Credit (yep, I'm a teacher by day)- complete a card for the October Card Swap...

More to come....

Please share this with your friends-- I'll be offering polls, contests and prizes for you - have fun and happing crafting.