JoyOfStamping

I have only done an ATC Swap once before….. and that was when I first started stamping in 2004. When I was invited to join an ATC swap, I was excited to try it again.

Of course, since I did that last shaker card for the swap, I remembered why I loved this technique so much. It was MUCH harder on this tiny little canvas. But, I still enjoyed it.

I used my Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug Embossing Folder for the background. And I used my Fantastix to color in the Fishy Friend with Only Orange and Bashful Blue reinkers. And of course, I had to add my CindyRibbon.

To those girls who were in the swap, I apologize for being a little late. Last week was a tough week. But, I am back on track!

As many of you know, my DH, Kurt, has been in the hospital for the past few days.  He was in a lot of pain this weekend and we found out that he had a lot of gallstones in his gall bladder.

Yesterday, at 7:30 am, he went in to have it removed.  When I left him last night, he was still in a lot of pain, but at least it was not as bad as this past weekend.

Thank you my friends and family who sent up a prayer yesterday for him.  It was very comforting to me.  I am hoping that he can get discharged today and that his pain will soon go away.

Thanks again!

I had a few “spare” minutes this evening. And I used another challenge from my Virtual Stamp Weekend. The challenge was masking and there was also a color challenge (So Saffron, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery).

My first thought was to use these images from Rubber Romance. I just love love love these images. Taylor VanBruggen had sent me a card that totally inspired me to mask these images. Thank you Taylor for the inspiration.

I stamped the image of Tiffany and then I used Eclipse Tape for my masking. That stuff is incredible. It’s nice and thin and semi-sticky all over the back. I like using it so much more than post-its. I then stamped the New York Shopping District on top and then removed the Eclipse Tape.

I used my fantastix with my re-inkers to color the images. It was nice not to have to really think too hard about what colors to use, since I was using the color challenge. I then traced the windows with my Sakura Stardust pens to add a little sparkle. You can’t see it in this scan though. :(  When I get my camera back, I hope I can take better pictures!

A few of my friends put together a virtual stamp weekend and this is the first time that I got to play…. well this is the first time I was able to make time to play. It may have been 11:44 pm when I started stamping, but it sure felt good to put ink to that paper!

This was a sketch and color challenge. I used Fancy Pants’ Bella Brush stamps. I couldn’t believe all of the different choices with that stamp set. For the sentiment, I used Fancy Pants’ Pollen Dust stamp set. I used my VersaMagic Dew Drops to create my own “patterned paper”. I used Mango Madness, Sea Breeze, and Tea Leaves. I used the paper piercer to pierce the scalloped piece and I used the orange from my Sakura Souffle pens.

Thanks Heather for this fun challenge. I hope I get to stamp some more tomorrow.

What? Can this be? I actually had time to stamp? Well, actually I had to make time. Ever since the business took off, I have only had time to stamp to make samples for my stamp club. This was fun to actually take time one evening to make 22 of these babies!

There is a swap group that I am in and I always kick myself if I don’t join the various swaps. These women are amazing. There was a vote as to what kind of a swap we were going to do next and I chose Technique Swap. But, my choice didn’t win. So, when “Please Don’t Go” (sets that we don’t want SU to retire) won, I had to figure out which set to choose. I love the “Do the Hula” set. I used it A LOT when it first came out, but not as much lately. It was fun reviving her. I was kind of stuck for a while, since my creative juices haven’t been flowing too much this year. Well, my favorite technique is the shaker card…. why not just incorporate what I was going to do for the technique swap! Hence, the design of the card!

I actually made one very similar when this set first came out, but I just added a blue border around this one. I used my fantastix and dipped them in re-inker to color the hula girl. The flower was stamped with my Pink Passion Craft Pad. It’s really not THIS bright. (My scanner is getting old and my parents took my camera with them to Europe.)

Well, I told myself that I will make more time to stamp. (…. now if I can only find room to WALK in my stamp room! LOL!)