Having a lazy weekend

What a sweet sweet weekend I have had..........
Apart from making this card, which incidentally was due on Friday (hehe) I have done absolutely nothing........yep NADA, ZIP.............ummmmm well maybe watched the dust bunnies play under my coffee table.......slept through two movies....and well....... I did manage to get some laundry into the tub, but I have yet to change it.

Very seldom do I relax, but since my visit with Kristi and Jacqui, I have been doing an awful lot of that. Lazy bones I am. To be truthful, I am quite enjoying it.

Having juggled my full time career, with parenting, Stampin' Up! and teaching in up to three locations, I rarely could find a time where I could just chill out without ruminating about what I should be doing.

I made a very difficult decision last week, however in my heart, I know that it is the best one for me. I have decided to give up my Stampin' Up! Business and Teaching and concentrate on designing and posting on my Blog. I really enjoy writing and hope that time will allow me to express myself freely and perhaps torture you all with my thoughts and insights..................well at least I hope I don't put you to sleep!!!!! lol.... I have been called lot's of things in my day, but I don't think I have ever been called boring.

Anyway, for those of you who supported my business over the last five years, I must tell you that I truly appreciate the friendships that I have formed as a result of Stampin' Up! In fact, if it wasn't for SU! I still would be a rubber virgin and probably sitting in the corner weaving baskets...........hehe......... well not quite, but I sure wouldn't have this blog. I sure wouldn't have met all the AMAZING people that I have met through a common passion. But then again, perhaps I should have been concentrating on my guitar playing and maybe I would have been a ROCK STAR!!!!! ...............nope, I am not drinking too much today..........hehe. Too relaxed to even lift a bottle.........

So I will be here, designing and writing, writing and colouring, sprinkling things with glitter and doing what my heart tells me to do and I hope you will continue to be here with me!!!

On to the card!

Isn't this Sophie just the sweetest tiny dancer?? This is a special edition Sophie and I have copied a exerpt from Kristi's Blog explaining all of the details.

BALLET SOPHIE G BEING RELEASE THIS FRIDAY

As most might have noticed, that we are having a Ballet Sophie G being released this Friday along with 4 clear sets.
A while back, Daisy from Eclectic Paperie ask if I could make or had any images of Riley doing ballet. I told her that we did, and she asked if I would make this image into a stamp for her friends daughter named Kelly. She went on to explain to us that Kelly was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (brain tumor) in July, 2007. She had surgery to have the tumor removed at Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange, California. After one round of radiation and chemotherapy, she had another surgery to remove a recurrent tumor on October 22. She is receiving further treatment to try to prevent another recurrence.
So with this stamp we at Hanna Stamps and Eclectic Paperie will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this stamp to her foundation.
You can read Kelly's story here: http://thelaudes.blogspot.com/
So please help us help Kelly fight her cancer. We will be offering this stamp in unmounted and mounted. Eclectic Paperie and Hanna Stamps are the only 2 stores that will carry this stamp. This stamp will not be made available any where else.
Thank you again for any and all support.

Don't you just love fresh apples.

As I wrote the title this morning, I can almost smell that sweet tart aroma of McIntosh Apples. I grew up in a very small village, where apple farming was predominant.

I remember looking forward to going back to school, because it always meant a trip to one of the local orchards. We would run up and down the rows of trees and stuff ourselves with the crisp juicy apples until our tummies hurt!!! Then we would learn how apple cider is made and of course get to sample the sweet drink.

This image is from the new Hanna set Jump for Joy. I will post a card made with the main image later this week, but I have to tell you, the basket of apples was the first image I jumped to use.


Well, I am running late (what else is new??) so I best get on my Way!!!

Don't forget to join us this evening in the Hanna Stamps member forum at 9 p.m. est. It's going to be lots of fun!!!!

More Sneak Peeks

Kitty in a Party Hat??? Honestly.....well actually, I have a few pictures of my Husky in a Birthday hat!!!!! This is a sneak peek from the Hanna cat set, that will be released on Friday.

Join us Thursday Night at 9 p.m. est in the
HANNA MEMBER FORUM
for chatter, challenges and prizes!!!!

Don't forget that Kristi has a great special on for the month of September. Visit the Hanna stamps website for the details.


I made this card with Imaginisce Designer Paper. I couldn't resist cutting out one of the little hats for kitty's head. Do you suppose he is REALLY drinking milk??



I stamped the kitty with Momento ink in Tuxedo Black. I have been in HEAVEN since I got this ink. Stamps Clean and easy!!!!

I coloured the kitty with COPIC Markers and then punched out the image with my Marvy Scalloped ovals.

The sentiment is also a Hanna Set. I punched Happy Birthday out with the Key Tag punch and layered it over a 1 3/8" circle. A little stiched ribbon and a couple of Primas and my card was complete!!!!

Hope to bring you more great sneak peeks tomorrow!

Do I have a treat for you!!!!

Stampotique has new images from Jill Penney and Daniel Torrente. I had the opportunity to touch base with Carol at Stampotique and I want to share this link with you:

New Images

If you love the Goth Girls that I have posted or these little macabre fellows you see today, you will LOVE lOVE lOVE the new Holiday images. I can't wait to get some of that rubber in my hot little hands and fast!!!!!

You can also see some cool projects at the
STAMPOTIQUE STORE








This card was created with the 3 in a round stamp by Daniel Torrente. First, I stamped the image on black cardstock with versamark and embossed with silver powder. I cut the middle of the image out and distressed the inner and outer edges with a distressing tool.






I stamped the honeycomb background, also available at stampotique onto the green galore cardstock, reducing the ink on the image by stamping off on scratch paper.

I stamped the image a third time, onto white cardstock, this time cutting out their sweet little heads only and giving some ghoulish shadow to add dimension with Copic Markers and a Blender Pen.




The Silver and black circle and the head images were then mounted onto the green background with dimensionals.

All Cardstock and Designer Paper is from Stampin' Up! I finished the card by adding a Halloween Rub on Sentiment, also from SU! and three small heart brads from Making Memories.

September is a month to celebrate with Hanna Stamps!

Can you believe that Hanna Stamps will be one year old in October!!! This year has just flown by.

September is going to be a month of surprises, challenges and give aways.

I have copied the information from the contest from Kristi's Blog

Starting Sept 1st through and including Oct 1st until midnight, you will have a chance to win a Copic Air Compressor, or a $200 shopping spread in the Hanna Stamps store.

For every $50 you spend, your name will go into a drawing to win one of these gifts. During our release party on Thursday night Oct 2nd, we will video tape Hanna picking the winning name out of a jar. The lucky winner will have their choice of the Copic Air Compressor, or the $200 shopping spree.

We are going to have weekly give a aways during the entire month of Sept. So stay tuned here or on the Design teams blogs for these great prize give a aways!

Isn't that awesome!!!!!!!


This card is made with images from the new cat set. There are some sweet sweet images in this one. I love the birdcage. I coloured the main images with Copic markers, drew in the floor and baseboards and created the wall treatment with Olive and Saffron ink, using a foam sponge.

I used PRISM Paper....Tawny Medium as my base and Spring Willow Dark as an accent. The DP is from Heidi Grace Designs.

Please check out the Hanna Design Team Blogs for more great samples



Join us This Thursday evening in the Hanna Member Forum for our release party. It is always a blast...........lots of laughs, more sneak peeks and some fun challenge!!!!

Hope to see you there!!!!!

Friday's are Fun!

Friday's are fun over in the Hanna Stamps Member forum on Splitcoaststampers. Each Friday, one of the Design Team members host's a challenge. Today was my day to host.

I decided that this week, a 3D Challenge might be fun.
If you would like to play, go HERE

To make this project, I purchased an inexpensive jar at the dollar store. I cut a couple of thin strips of imaginisce paper and wrapped them around the top and bottom lip and used SU's new Halloween rub ons on the lip of the lid.

I took the sweet pumpkin image from the Hanna Trick or Treat set to create the focal point of the jar. Using more SU Rubon's I added the saucy little pumpkins to compliment the bigger image. I wrapped the tag around the jar with black grosgrain ribbon.

As you know, I have been spending the last week with some very very very good friends. I was blessed to spend last weekend with Jacqui............... I didn't get around to taking any pictures, but I'll be seeing her tomorrow and hope to get a few. Jacqui had a little stamp fest with all my best girls............Tammy, Kim and two new friends, Lori and Donna. Lots and Lots of Fun.

I arrived at Kristi's (AHHHHHHHH) on Tuesday and think that I could just stay forever. We are having so much fun and like Jacqui, I SO wish that Kristi lived closer to me.


Here we are before we went out to dinner last night.

Tomorrow, we'll be leaving and I am so happy we got to spend time together, but said that it flew by so quickly.

I had the chance to stamp of course and am looking forward to sharing some new creations with you.


Remember, we are having a new release this week. Don't forget to watch the Design Team Websites all this week for some AMAZING sneak peeks!!!!

See you soon,

Vicki

School is approaching and fast!!!!!

Can you believe that the summer is almost over??? It seems that it just flew by. With the excitement of CHA and having a relaxing week at a cottage, celebrating Jonathon's Birthday and Cutting the jungle of a lawn, summer was busy busy busy!!!

I am looking forward to enjoying next week, a little road trip with Jon to visit my best friends Jacqui and Kristi. Just spending down time with good friends is the best!!!!!

I just love this Teacher image. I created this card as a pocket card..........I can't recall the name of the DP, but I just had to have it when I saw the rich rich colours!!!!! The image is from the Hanna Teacher set, which was released in early August. So many sweet images!!!!!!










Just love her Glasses and sweet face!!!!!!!


I'll probably be scarce for the next few days!!!

Enjoying the last days of summer with the people I love the most!!!!!



Happy Stamping!!!!!