Stamping with Kim

Taking a Break!!

Hello friends & stampers!

It's been a couple of weeks since my last blog post, and I didn't want you to think I had been kidnapped by a band of wild stampers!!  Things have been very busy around here, and sadly, stamping has just fallen to the wayside.  In 2 weeks we have made 3 out-of-town trips, and had out-of-town company for one of those weeks!!  Busy!!  As I look at my upcoming calendar, nothing is going to change any time soon.

Since I've been blogging continuously for more than 6 years now -- and I can hardly believe that!!! -- I've decided to take an extended break.  I NEED to take an extended break!!

I hope you would like to follow my blog when I return!!  If you haven't already, please join the feed subscription & you will be notified as soon as I re-join blogging and make my next post.

I appreciate all of you for following me - some of you since the beginning!  Thank you for your time AND for your friendship  :)

Happy Stamping!!!

Kim

 

 

PLEASE READ THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!!

I love both of these cards so much, that I just had to share them both!  It's the same card, just a little more bling on the 2nd one.

The card base is SU! Daffodil Delight, with SU! DSP (ret).  The stamped image is from The Alley Way Stamps.  BTW, I LOVE the comments I've been getting on TAWS stamps!!  I just recently discovered them, too, and I'm happy to know that you like them as much as I do!!

As you can see, I've been playing with my Copic markers a little more!!  There are still some "color voids" in my palette -- no oranges to speak of, no browns, and no grays.  Rae tells me I need an C1 for shading, too!  That is definitely on my list :)  I LOVE all the feedback & encouragement I'm getting from you!  Keep it up!!

I love this layout so much that I just had to make a 2nd card!  It's very simple, and works very well with tons of DSP's.  

For this card, I really wanted some bling, but couldn't decide WHAT or WHERE.  So I just put it everywhere!!  When was the last time you pulled out your HEAT AND STICK POWDER?!!  It's been a long time for me!!  I have to admit it was a ton of fun, too!!

For the Heat & Stick technique, start by covering the image with VersaMark, then apply the H&S powder and heat set.  Next step, add a layer of Dazzling Diamonds glitter, and heat set again.  I like to say it's called "HEAT" and "STICK" powder -- because there are TWO STEPS to apply it!!

OK, here's why I asked you to read the bottom of this post:

IF YOU ARE MY CUSTOMER AND NEVER RECEIVED YOUR OCCASSIONS AND SALE-A-BRATION CATALOGS, I APOLOGIZE!!!  Apparently the Post Office has eaten all the catalogs I mailed out!!

I did mail both catalogs, in a cute hand stamped white envelope.  But now I've heard from at least 3 people that never got them.  I am so sorry!!  You can always view the catalog online by clicking one of the links in my sidebar OR go to MY WEBSITE here.

Thank you, Post Office.  You just reminded me why you drive me INSANE!!!!!

Have a good day!!

 

A Simple Thank You

Sometimes simple is best.  

This stamp set "Wings of Hope" from The Alley Way Stamps is FREE this month with a $40 purchase.  Now, that was pretty simple, right?!!  :)

I think this simple card says it all!  I love it & plan on using it just like this.

I stamped with Memento Black Tuxedo ink & colored with Copics.  Getting some practice, and a few more markers!  I must admit, the coloring has been much easier than I thought.  And sooo much fun!!

Thanks for visiting today!  I'll be back with some challenges this week!

 

 

CTD232 & FMS#76

Hippity Hoppity right down the Bunny Trail!!  You do know that Easter is just around the corner, don't you?  I knew you did!!

That's why these cute little digital images from BUGABOO caught my eye.  I am absolutely IN LOVE with them!!  I had so much fun playing with different color schemes & layouts.   

But the one that I love the most (for today!) is this scheme from the COLOR THROWDOWN.  

As for the layout -- one of my all-time favorites that happens to be the layout this week at FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES.  This is the same layout I used on Mary's card in the previous post.  Just a classic design, and so versatile.

Truth is, I was already working on Mary's card before I even saw the layout for FMS!!  That could never happen in another thousand years -- but it did this time.

Now, back to the bunnies, just look at these funny faces!  I can just imagine bunnies hanging from all angles looking for the Easter Bunny -- can't you?!!  These sweet faces just make me smile :)

I used SU! markers for coloring.  I would have used my NEW COPICS -- if only I had colors to match this scheme.  I'm working on it!!

Other items used are Polka Dot embossing folder, Calypso Coral bakers twine & Two Tags Sizzix die.

Thanks so much for visiting today!!  Hope you have a great weekend!!

 

 

 

CCC#149 & FMS#76

...there's something about Mary...

Eleven years ago this week, my friend Mary had a bone marrow transplant.  Just think about that....ELEVEN YEARS AGO!!  That is such an amazing thing to be able to say!!  She is such an inspiration to everyone around her :)

Today I'm joining the CITY CRAFTER CHALLENGE using "Shades of "Pink".  This was quite easy for me, since I love PINK!!  AND, also FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES layout challenge.

The shades I chose are Pretty in Pink (SU!) for the card base & layer of embossed polka dots.  The 3 squares in the middle are Hibiscus Burst prints (PTI), achored with a layer of Pink Pirouette & another layer of Melon Mambo.  The flower is stamped in Melon Mambo, using PTI's "Cutting Garden" & matching dies.

The leaves were sponged with 3 shades of green - River Rock, Lucky Limeade & finally Old Olive toward the middle.  The sentiment is stamped in Melon Mambo.  (leaves & sentiment also part of "Cutting Garden")  Some bakers twine & pearls were added, with the legal limit of Dazzling Diamonds glitter *snicker*!!

This special card is going to Mary.  She has been such an inspiration to me during the past 3 years, and I always want to be there for her!!  She & her sweet hubby helped me through some very dark days.  They are BOTH my heroes!!!

Congratulations, Mary & Andy!!!

 

MM#52, CTS#17 and CFC92

yippee!!  Two blog posts in one day!  It's been a while since I've done that :)

And this card qualifies for THREE different challenges!  That's some kind of super-duper accomplishment for me!

The first challenge is MERRY MONDAY, which is a color challenge for this week:

These colors are so beautiful together -- and I ALWAYS forget about River Rock!!

The next challenge it meets is CASUAL FRIDAYS this week which is:

I love making my own backgrounds!!  It was really simple this time since I used several of the snowflakes from the set & stamped with VersaMark.

Here's a little better view of the wallpaper on the card.

And finally, this card also meets the CASE THIS SKETCH #17 challenge!!  This might actually be the first time I have joined one of their challenges.... but I was so inspired by my friend, LEEANNE's card, that I just had to check it out.

The CTS challenge is why I had to finish this card and get it posted today!  I'm down to the last hour (I think) to play along!!

So!!  Now that I feel like a TOTAL over-achiever (!!) I think I will spend the rest of the day playing LOL!!

OH, I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU!!!  These awesome stamps are ALL from THE ALLEY WAY STAMPS!!  Yeah, you guessed it....they were part of my birthday present to me.  hee hee!!  Now you're really starting to see why Carol teases me so much!!

Happy Stamping!!  Thanks for visiting today!!

 

MOJO#283

Good morning, stampers!!  

Looks like it's going to be a VERY snowy day for my friends up north!  Wish I was there with you.   A great day to be inside stamping!!

Todays' card share features the sketch from MOJO MONDAY.  I took a fairly simple approach - for what could have been a somewhat complicated layout!  I used the "Framed Tulips" embossing folder on the cardbase to make my first layer.  I'm getting some serious use out of this folder lately!

My original intent was to make a monochromatic card, but when I got to the end, I just wanted a POP.  So I pulled out the Paper Daisies & Regal Rose inks and marker.  It was easy to tint the flower, and then add a button from SU! "Sweet Stitches" (ret).

The greeting is *new* (can you say "birthday-gift-to-myself"!!!!!) LOL!! from Paper Trey.  "Think Big Favorites #3"....these are the ultimate sayings!!  I have several from this series & love every one of them!  Cardstocks are Pool Party & Island Indigo, DSP's are SU! and My Minds Eye "Indie Chic".

I have some other fun news!!  Lesley and the DT over at MERRY MONDAY CHALLENGES chose THIS CARD as one of their favorites for last weeks' challenge!!  woo hoo!!  And THANK YOU MERRY MONDAY!!!

I think that covers it, right??  If you have any questions, please leave a comment or shoot me an email.  I love hearing from you!!

 

 

 

STB#8

pssstttt....here's an update on this card!!

I went shopping yesterday for some darker shades of the colors that I already had.  So this morning I did a little update on this card!!

What do you think??!!  I'm much happier with it!  And I can't wait to really get more colors, and more practice!

I also added a little button, this one is a freebie from SU!'s Sale-A-Bration special :)

I am sooo much happier with THIS card, and this is the one I will be sharing with Lesley & the girls over at SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY.

Yay for Copics!!  *snicker*  I can say that now, just wait 'till my bill comes in!!  :)

ORIGINAL POST:

This weeks' birthday share is another little free digital image I got from The Alley Way stamps.  How cute is this!!  This is also my first attempt at playing with my new Copic markers....eeeeks!!

OK, so you can see that I barely shaded, or anything else!  One reason is that my colors are very limited right now, and the other reason is that I'm just learning!  So I hope you will take it easy on me!!

The background color of the card doesn't show up very well here -- it is SU! Wisteria Wonder, which is a lovely, lovely color!!  I tried several ways to adjust it in PhotoShop Elements, but just couldn't get it quite right.  The accent color is Pool Party.  It really is quite cute in person!!  These two colors make a great contrast.

The mushrooms are highlighted with Signo White Gel Pen, which gives them just a bit of a 3-D effect.  Again, it looks better in person!

At any rate, this is my share for SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY this week!  It's a masculine challenge, and I will definitely have a use for this card!

....since coloring this card, I have added about another dozen colors to my Copic stash!!  I think I will re-print this image & color it up again just to see the difference.  Stay posted!!

Thanks for being here today!  Now let's get this week started!!

 

 

 

 

P.S.....I'm positive this digital image was a FREEBIE from THE ALLEY WAY STAMPS....but I just checked their site to leave a link for you & I couldn't find it there :(  Maybe I overlooked it....but I'm giving the credit to TAWS anyway!!!

 

MOJO22

Good morning, stampaholics!!  (Don't worry -- I'm right there with ya!!)

In the spirit of dragging out the birthday celebration as long as possible, I got a couple more cards in the mail yesterday :) and today I'm thinking of baking myself some cupcakes!!  Maybe this year I'll go for the record on celebrating.  I just figure if I have to put up with getting older every year, there should be the maximum payout for it -- right??!!!  (do I hear an AMEN?!!)  hee hee!

Today I'm sharing a square card that I made for the MOJO #282 challenge.  I chose a new kit from Stampin' Up! called "Sent With Love".  I love the colors in this kit!  You can purchase the papers separately, OR save 20% by getting the bundle of stamps, papers & twine :)  Check it out HERE or use the link in my sidebar for the newest OCCASIONS MINI catalog.

I added buttons & ribbon from SALE-A-BRATION.  I have been TERRIBLE about promoting this event this year!!  Sorry about that!!  It ends at the end of this month & there are some really cute freebies including stamps, and accessories....like buttons, ribbons & even a punch!! 

Please shoot me an email if you have any questions OR need to place a SAB order before the celebration ends!!  I'll be upstairs in my craft room this afternoon playing with Copics...again.  I'm starting to see some real fun in these new toys.  Just what I needed....another addiction!

Happy Sunday!!

 

CTD#231

There's a reason my friend, Carol, teases me about dragging out my birthday celebrations -- it's because I do!!  This stamp set is one of ...ahem....a few... stamp orders that I made for my birthday :)  

This set is from Paper Trey - and I love, love, love it!!  It was part of their newest release for their 6th anniversary.  So beautiful!!  It's called "Cutting Garden", and has a die set to match.  Heavenly!!  This sentiment, along with several others, was included, too.

I don't know about you - but I am sooo ready for spring.  When this stamp set arrived, and then I saw this weeks' color swatch over at COLOR THROWDOWN I just knew it was meant to be!!

Guess there's not a lot of explanation needed for this card - you see the colors I used, and I've told you the set, so there 'tis!!  I also used PTI Stampers Select White for the dies & card base, along with a ton of Dimensionals for the layering.  I am seriously going to get a lot of use out of this new set!!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!!  Hubby is hoping for some snow showers this morning.  Yeah, he's funny like that!  The rest of us are waiting on spring!!

My brother is taking me to breakfast this morning.  For my birthday :)  Yeah, it was 5 days ago.  I'm still celebrating!!!

Happy Stamping!  Thanks for visiting today!!