She Finds the Best is Yet to Be!

I so enjoy this stamp set "Paris in the Spring."  I think it is fun, whimsical (I remember when I used to absolutely despise that word) and so different for our beloved Stampin' UP!  This card was created based on the card sketch SC225 over at SCS.  This is a design that I will definitely use again, not sure if it could translate time-wise to a workshop or customer driven event but it's just so classic.

I broke into the Darling Dots Designer Series Paper for this card and used about 15 different stamp pad colors.  I wish that I had the Big Note but not at this point and I admit to using Label 1 from Nestability.  For some odd reason the paper (unknown company) I used for the label crumbled at the top during the die cutting.  I filed it down a bit to remove some of the jagged-ness.  Overall, this was a fun card to make.

Right, forgot to mention the backstory on the title for this card.  Our fashion forward gal tooling around the streets of Paris on that smart Bashful Blue Vespa is recently singled.  She is enjoying life and realizing that her best is yet to be.  ;-)

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps! 

the eyes of my child

A Christmas layout?  Yes, a Christmas layout.  A small one ... bear with me.  This LO was taken from the Stampalooza's Monthly Scrapbook Challenge on the SU Demo board on SCS.  When I started this project I had the date set as April 15, 2009 but it was actually 2008.  I was too far in to back so I pressed on.  The sketch was done as 12" x 12" and I wanted to do a 6" x 6" so I reworked it.  I think I kept most of the design elements but you take a look and judge.

As I look back on Christmas there was so much going on that I missed, but it's in their eyes, the fear (holidays were not exactly top priority in their previous situation) the excitement and the homesickness.  We tried to make it as much fun as we knew how.  However, it was our first Christmas with these little people.  Having never experienced a Turner & Baty holiday (tendency to go over the top) we of course overwhelmed them.  They did stop opening presents to go off and play!?!  Add to everything a sudden bout of flu the adults experienced on that morning and the photos will never make it into the hallowed walls of Olan Mills.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.

Artist in blue?

And here he is my little artist.  Jase was okay with the painting, there isn't a lot that he gets excited about.  Some of the things he gets excited about; Disney Cars (anything with Lightning McQueen) Yo Gabba Gabba (and Plexi) and dare I say it McDonald's (termed Hot Donnie's by the toddlers in the house.)

This layout was CASE-d from one on the SU Demo website.  This like the earlier post are great examples of doing pages without patterned paper.  It's a bit harder in the beginning but can be quite liberating in the end.  All the details about this layout can be found on my website:  He Stamps .

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.

My Little Stamper

Here she is in all her glory, my little stamper Kamdyn.  She has such an interest in stamping that a few months back I saw a Hello Kitty stamp set on clearance at Target.  I picked it up and "we" quickly realized that the ink pad included in the kit was awful and the hunt for a PINK (yes, in all caps) stamp pad ensued.  

Now she simply asks if she can play with her "My Hello Kitty."  She doesn't want to make cards or anything organized she just loves to stamp -- oh and clean it.  Me being me meant that she had to have a scrubber pad for cleaning.  At times stamping doesn't hold her interest for long but not a day goes by that she doesn't ask for her "My Hello Kitty."

All the details for this layout can be found on my website at HeStamps .   This layout was CASE-d from one I found on the Stampin' UP! demo website.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps ... and sells Stampin' UP!  call me, email me!!

Going live

For the last week I have been working on a website, aptly entitled  HeStamps by the way.  The site went live this evening.  All in preparation of my Virtual Grand Opening.  I've spent a lot of time on this opening and I'm ready to get back to doing some non-electronic stuff.  You know that feeling!  The rush we get from measuring and cutting cardstock, the slick feel of new patterned paper and the little impressions of ink on your fingers when you get a bit too rough with the scrubber pad.  The short of it is I need to be reminded why I did all this website work.

Please stop by HeStamps if you have a moment or two.  Just be gentle if you have the need to critique a big portion of the site was done after children were in bed and my red rimmed eyes were beginning to cross and close.  Oh and I hope to have something creative posted soon.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Treasures hidden within.

Three beautiful brown boxes left on the front porch like Brown had no idea of the untold treasures that lay hidden within.  Brown barely made it out the front gate before a madman unbolted a door, threw it open and claimed the prized boxes.  To the dining room table he ran.  "Let's have a box opening party!", he yelled to the house.  His enthusiasm was met with little more than curiosity.  Assembled for the debut of the box contents he gingerly opened each bringing an item out for all to admire (most of all him.)  As each box was opened, contents removed then repackaged he remembered the wonder of childhood and it felt like Christmas.  Each box was filled with so much more than the objects contained within.  He would have a place where he belonged and opportunity.  Beyond the magic of the box opening a prayer, a mantra, a wish was whispered, success at his endeavour.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Sunday night ramblings

Oh my gawd!  So I decided to get rid of all my non-SU products.  I chose to list my stuff on EBay rather than SCS because I figured I could get a better price.  It has literally been a nightmare ... people want to shop at Macy's and pay dollar store prices.  Almost all of this stuff is being listed at a financial loss to me -- but that really only matters to me. 

EBay has this feature called Make Me An Offer where obviously people make an offer lower than your asking price.  I had a CTMH stamp set BRAND new posted for $14.50 and I was getting offers for $9.00.  This set sells for $22.95.  Eventually, I remembered the reason why I am dumping all this stuff and dropped the price.  But what a pain in the neck.

Onto other news, I received confirmation that my Starter Kit has shipped and will arrive on Friday April 10.  I'm excited to get my hands on all that new gleaming SU product.  I've also decided to have a Virtual Open House for my SU website.  I've used the demonstrator website to create an ecard.  I plan on having a raffle for a free stamp set and some other cool stuff.  Hopefully, it will be successful.  Oh and I have been hitting these EBay folks hard with the invites to the open house.  Please wish me luck.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Tub Soak

This card has had a rough time seeing the light of day. For some reason every obstacle that could get in the way came up. But not one to give up easily (wink, wink, nod, nod) it has finally been completed.

I made this card for my partner's sister who has been extremely ill. After chemo treatment for breast cancer a rare disease has struck. She recently went through an experimental procedure that I won't even go into -- you wouldn't believe me.

My new SU friends will have to forgive the inclusion of so much non-SU products.  At the point that I did the majority of the work on the card I had not made a definite decision about joining the demonstrator program at SU.   My goal for the future is to feature SU products exclusively whenever possible.

As for the specifics of the card, I used a blender pen with markers by Close To My Heart.  The cool tub soak stamp is from the retired La Dee Da set by Stampin' UP!, all inks by Close To My Heart, cardstock by Bazzill and patterned paper is from the Sugared collection of Basic Grey.   Most importantly, the entire card is based on last week's Card Sketch on SplitCoastStampers. Apologies for the white-washed look of the picture, the pink appeared to be a wonderful shade of Pepto Bismol which made PhotoShop the only answer.  Well, that's about it, I'm off to inventory all my non-SU products and start the Ebay thing.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

A new adventure

Exciting news in my life. This week I became an associate with Stampin' UP! It's an exciting time, I get to do something I really enjoy and help people discover their own creative selves. I'm a bit apprehensive about how to get myself out there and gain customers but am just trying to take it one step at a time. Hey visit my website for info and projects at My Stampin UP website. Definitely more to follow. I've been stuck on a card but will hopefully finish it today or tomorrow.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.