So I get this call from Stampington.....

For real, I look at the caller ID and see the name Stampington & Co. Wow! So I answer and speak with Jami Petersen the editor. She told me they are featuring a quartet of cards I mailed last May. She was writing a little paragraph about the cards and wanted to know my inspiration. Oh my, I can't remember what inspired me?.... so I rattled on for five minutes and she proclaimed she had what she wanted. Cool Beans! The cards will be in the Jan/Feb issue of Stamper's Sampler. Plus, she said I have some cards in the Winter Take Ten. Cooler Beans! I still like to scroll my caller ID to see "Stampington & Co". Cool Beans indeed.

Asian Crane

Today's card is a dramatic Swooping Crane stamp by DP Artworks. The focal image was stamped on a brayered background that had Opalite reinker swiped with a credit card in an arcing pattern. It's best to use a permanent ink like Stazon on, but I have been having good luck lately with Memories dye ink thanks to a tip from my stamping friend Laurel. The image is then matted with metallic gold card stock. Background images are from Club stamp. The design of this card is simple and quick to make but gives a nice visual punch.

It Must Be Fall

The leaves haven't started changing here in Oklahoma and with our recent rains it's still very green here. So it will be a few weeks before we see pretty leaves like these.

This card was made for a swap in my Yahoo group. The leaf stamp is Hero Arts and stamped with various colors of chalk inks. I stamp in one color then sponge a second color of ink on the stamp, then stamp on paper. Make sure your chalk ink pads are very moist if you try this.

The quote stamp is from DP Artworks and the block stamp is by Stamper's Anonymous.

The Big Day

Here is another cool DP Artwork stamp. This one is called Big Day and I think it's a perfect name for the stamp. And I think the artist captured the thoughtful pose of the bride to be. The image was heat embossed on watercolor paper and painted in light pastels. The veil is highlighted with my favorite "touch of sparkle", Sukura Stardust pens. If you've not tried this yet, grab one. I use the clear ink, so you have a subtle touch of sparkle to highlight images.

The letters and quote stamps are also from DP Artworks and stamped in Colorbox Chalk Rouge on pink marble card stock.

Time for a little fun

I just love these two stamps by DP Artworks and knew I would have fun working with them. It reminds me that to take time to laugh at life. You just can't take it too serious.

To create this card I brayered Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea on glossy card stock. Then I brayered over the entire surface with Opalite Glacier Blue reinker. To do this, I squirted Opalite reinker on palette paper and roll the brayer through the ink till brayer is well coated, then apply ink to card stock. It gives the card stock a pearly shimmer with the flecks of blue. Next I stamped Fish Line and Sushi quote in Memories black ink, mat panel and attach to card.

Quote of the week

Not everything that can be counted counts,

and not everything that counts can be counted.
Albert Einstein

Beach Music Journal Pages

Did you ever have a project that called to you so loudly that you worked on it a minute here and there? This circle journal layout was that way. I sorta knew in my head what I wanted but time was in short supply this week. And after painting the background, I just couldn't stop. I even ran out of Xyron adhesive. But still pressed on.




To create the background I painted a wash of Twinkling H2Os on watercolor paper. I got this idea from reading Kristy Cokayne's card directions on her blog. I would have never thought of this but it adds a lovely shimmer. I wanted to background paper to look like those early mornings on the beach when the sky is pink and full of promise and the ocean is tranquil and blue. I even painted a few seagulls and believe me when I say, I'm not a painter. But this was very simple

I then search for sand, gee whiz, what can I do to make sand. While waiting for sleep to come one night it hit me like a brick. Sandpaper you goof! What could be better. So I torn layers of sandpaper to create a nice beach.
The text was printed on pink vellum, the title was punched using my handy Quickutz and various embellishments were added to finish off the design.

Circle Journal

I always seem to be a late bloomer. Circle journals have been popular for several years now and I've just joined my first circle journal swaps. Can you believe it? One of the girls in my Yahoo group is hosting this swap. At first I had no plans to join this swap, just too busy I told myself. But the more she talked about it the more interested I became. Thanks Beth!

This is the inside title page of my journal and my journal theme will be favorite books. I think the best books are the ones that draw you in and create a world within your imagination, thus In My Mind's Eye. So today (if I get a few minutes) I'm going to work on my first journal layouts. I'm using Pat Conroy's novel Beach Music as my theme. This was such a wonderful and evocative work of fiction. I almost hated for the book to end and you know that's the sign of a great book. So, I'm hoping for greatness....or something close to it. I will post a picture when it's done. Keep those fingers crossed for me.