Finally some time to stamp

Whew Christmas is over and I while I'm sad to see it go...I'm kind of glad I'm allowed to unbanish my stamping stuff back from the basement where it has been living a lonely existence...while that table was being put to use! I swear I'm going to talk about Stamping Stuff soon however, I'm a bit worried. All I've done this past month is make jewelry!!! And I'm bummed because NO ONE was as excited about my cards as they are about the paper jewelry :-( That said...I made a card (hey I still LOVE to stamp and NO ONE is going to stop me), bracelet and earrings for my Mom's friend's BD...they want the jewelry...they are going to put up with a little stamping...heh, heh.

Stamps: TAC So Girly, TAC All Occasion
Paper: DCWV Stack 3; The Paper Company Jewel Tone Purple
Ink: Brilliance Moonlight White
Accessories: Mega Scallop Square Punch

So I made a fun and quick card (Is that all I do lately?) for Diana, with my favorite set...except this is the LE version so it fits inside the window. I wanted to make the card purple but wasn't thinking *imagine that* so couldn't stamp it in black *duh*...viola white (It's popular right?). I kind of like it...and note the paper layer is the same as the "beads"...hey I can't color coordinate IRL...but I can SOO do it in my artistic life.

Paper: DCWV Stack 3
Accessories: magnetic clasp, beads, earring hooks

Another Baby...is there something in the water?

Yup two more babies!!! There is definitely something in the water...or perhaps air as one is in NZ and the other MD. I was boring this time as it was Christmas...I was stressed (trying to send the New Baby gift with the Christmas card and the Thank you for BD card...yes I'm a one stop shopping sort of lady). So I altered my blue boy card and made a pink girl card. I still think the design is very clean and fun!!! And hey...I finally did some stamping!!!! YaY!!!

Uh Oh though....my table is now under 2 feet of stuff already! How the heck does that keep happening! Two hours of cleaning (putting away all the ribbon, paper...you get the idea), 4 hours of paper scrap sorting (okay I'm insane) for One Christmas dinner...2 minutes to make a card....priceless? Absolutely!!!

Stamps: TAC
Paper: DCWV Stack 3; JoAnns card essentials; The Paper Company Brights Green
Ink: Palette Belle Rose; Palette Noir

More Paper Bracelets...I think I may have an addiction

I may have a serious addiction to these. I found these glass bicone beads on sale at WalMart of all places...they were like $0.50 a pack on clearance. I think I will give this bracelet to my sister for Christmas. Topaz is her Birthstone and the green bead sort of looks like Topaz...and the rest are colors she wears.

Now this bracelet has an actual clasp...I am still no jewelry maker but I was pretty proud of the way I finished this piece. I still need to make my mother her grandmother bracelet (the whole reason I started down this jewelry path).

I promise to get back to more stamping, but between Christmas Cards, last minute gifts and cooking I haven't had much time to explore. I feel like all I've been using this past two weeks is a set of Snowflake Stamps permanently mounted and the Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze stamp pad. This week alone, I 've made two snowflake Paper Purses, gift card holders...and bracelets! Unfortunately didn't get pictures before giving them...I'm just not camera functional at 2AM my new time to get everything done.

I read about these ladies on SCS who have 5 kids and I have no idea how they do it...I have two and I barely get time to take a shower. Thank God I don't need much sleep "me" time is after everyone else is finally in bed and most of the chores are done. But then I think the best creativity comes out under stress and duress...my best short stories were written two hours before they were due!!

Oh yeah and...

Paper: TAC Rustic Chic
Accessories: 5mm sliver beads, 6mm citrine, turquoise, smoke glass bicone beads

Paper Jewelry?

Recently I've been inspired to make paper jewelry. Okay the truth of the matter is this. I NEED to clean up my stamping table which also happens to be the dining room table...cuz we might need it for Christmas! Ha! Because I'm a Paper Hoarder and can't throw away scraps...especially if it is beautiful paper...I've borrowed this incredible idea from mariiam from SCS. It uses up 1/2"x1/2" scraps...amazing. And the result is incredible...and addicting! This bracelet was strung on stretchy cord...but a kind friend has shown me how to make it with a clasp!

What do you think?

Paper: DCWV Stack III
Accessories: various glass beads and faux pearls

Can you Count?

I've been dying to share this layout with you all. I joined my second swap on SCS Know Your Numbers...I'm still new to 'swapping' but I am really proud of this entry.

The rules were a 6X6 layout, two layers (CS & paper)...I kind of fudged on the paper, but I think the details will make up for it! It wasn't hard to do just took some time with all the details...stamping, watercoloring and cutting 60 monkeys took forever...and then there were the leaves ;-). I did get lucky as a friend let me borrow her Big Shot and Number 5 die...but I ended up using the outline because it looked better...does anyone need 12 5s?


Stamps: Wild Animals LE, Crackle Background
Paper: Neutral Cardstock, DCWV Slab III, vellum
Ink: Palette Noir, Palette Burnt Umber
Accessories: tan scrappers floss, MM bronze eyelets and brads, Big Shot, Lyra Watercolor crayons

UPDATE (3/30): Would you belive the Hostess flaked and never sent out any of her swaps...for 2 months!!! Even with Moderator intervention and the fact another SCS person drove to her house to pick up another swap...cuz she just couldn't get to the Post Office. Unfortunately the Numbers Swap was still in her basement...I am so completely bummed and not a little pissed!

Baby Boy Congratulations!!

Well I REALLY needed to do some Baby Boy Cards. I mean one "baby" is almost 6 months old...good thing I buy 12 month+ stuff... The second baby is two weeks old and the son of one of my Mom's Club friends. As a rule I don't like the Mom's Club because they dictate too much which one you can join...and my local one stinks. However because of my wacky address...let's just say my town is one place, I'm located in another and my zip code is in a completely different area...phew got all that. But in this one instance it got me into a REALLY cool and active club. And as I was bringing dinner to the new mom that night and needed to drop off the little gift I got her...I needed a card.


Anyhoo, these two cards were literally thrown together! The pacifier is a TAC stamp but I don't know how old (naughty EBAY shopper that I am). I stamped it in Palette Starry Night on white cardstock and mounted this on TAC Navy Cardstock. I must admit I was a cheapskate when it came to cardstock...hey I've only been stamping 1 year I'm still learning...but I am a complete convert now. The weight, texture and depth of color in the TAC cardstock is AMAZING...I can't wait to order some Claret (red) cardstock. Now back to the card...I do like to diatribe so...the textured greyish base is just a Joann's Card Box special. I have had them for about a year...so I just might need to start using them! And did I mention I had to throw this card together asap! Thanks for looking!!

My version of Black Friday aka who needs shopping!

My demo (aka Gwen Zimmerman) throws an all out Black Friday Card-A-Thon...12 hours of stamping fun...make as many cards as you can!! I went last year for a few hours and had a really great time...made several cards.

This year I went all out...Thankgiving was in NJ at my sister's new house...but I packed up at 5AM and headed down to get to Gwen's!!! I did 12 hours of stamping and made 67 cards *OMG* without really trying. Another lady made 87...and changed every design to be Christmas themed (ie...colored the image red/green, added a santa hat or present...you get the gist). As for me...I was in stamping heaven and didn't care how many I made...a few cards I didn't even do *raised eybrows*!! Talk about resisting temptation. I even took breaks!

I have to say I love all the inspiration you get from others when getting together to stamp rather than holing myself away and being much more productive. Seeing as I'm a *bit* chatty...I am way more productive by myself...but then what is the fun of that, Hallmark will always beat me for # of cards made...but I will have the better journey! Sometimes, especially this season when we are rushing like crazy to get our gifts made...we have to remember to slow down and appreciate the "Art" that our creations embody. And hey isn't Christmas valid until the Epiphany January 6th...well that is the deadline I'm marching too ;-)

Eclectic Reindeer - An Artistic Rendition

Now before you start wonder...no this isn't incredible stamping...it is a friend's original work. Although I wish it were a stamp.

She drew these little eclectic reindeer and I had fun figuring how to cut them out of the cardstock and center them on the card...sigh all the hard work *NOT*!!!!

So because she does so many amazing things for me...I whipped these up into Christmas Cards for her...so this year she will send them ;-) Right Liz!

I also plan to offer them in my Etsy store (she was kind enough to let me get a really good scan) and split the profit with her. Profit...*ha, ha, ha* that isn't something I would usually put in the same sentence as my Etsy store.

A Major Milestone

This weekend will be my sisters 40th BD!! Now I had Simon make his Nonno a BD card...so I have now set the bar. This cards isn't entirely made by Simon (poor little child laborer...wasn't interested in stamping today). But he did most of the sponging and stamped the caption on the card front.

The front is a TAC Limited Edition Butterfly (Simon loves Butterflies) is stamped with Kaleidacolor Cappuchino Delight while the caption is stamped with Palette Noir.

Inside I sponged again with Kaleidacolor Cappuchino Delight, The "40" is part of the TAC Ancient Alphabet set. Uh can you figure up the major 'mistake'!!! I was talking and distracted and I totally stamped the 4 sideways...Oops!

So do you think she'll notice?

Congratulations for a friend!!!

It's been a while since I've had a moment to make an actual card! A very good friend just told me that she is pregnant and totally over the moon about it! I was so glad I finally had a GREAT use for my Michael's $1 spot stamp. Is that selfish ;-)

The card is 4.25" X 5.5" beige cardstock from The Paper Company "Neutrals" Collection. I stamped the TAC Beauty of a Women using Palette Burnt Umber and sponged to distress. I stamped the Pregnant Lady from Michaels $1 spot in Palette Burnt Umber and used Pink Watercolor crayon for the dress, shoes and hat and a brown sharpie to accent.

I mounted the image onto Paper Company Hot Pink Cardstock and mounted that on DCWV Stack 3 brown background (sponged to distress). Finally I stamped in Palette Noir "blessings" from the TAC Be Authentic Stamp set. The little flowers are from a Michaels $1 spot punch!!

I hope she likes it!!!

Tags, Tags more Tags!!

I entered a Tag Swap on SCS. This is my first Swap and boy am I having fun! My favorite tag is this really fun Snowman tag. I CASED this from tx stamper. The Snowman Stamp is TAC but I have no idea where it came from...just appeared :-) I used Pallette Noir and Palette Reflection Blue. I used the my Lyra Aquacolor Crayons to color in the popping Snowman.

Here is my snowflake tag...very classic. I used my Marvy Uchida Giga and Mega Tag Punches to make the actual tag...the larger tag is Bazzil Blue cardstock. I stamped on a sheet of white cardstock using the Winter Flakes LE stamp and the Kaledacolor Blue Breeze Stamp Pad...I love this look. The Snowflake brads are Memory Makers.

I hope everyone likes them!

Circles of Gold

I needed to whip up a card for a very, very late graduation. My almost sister (everything but blood) graduated in May and I'm finally getting around to getting her gift together. A really cool gift to give a newly graduating woman is Maria Shriver's Ten Things I Wish I'd Known- Before I Went Out into the Real World.

Now the card was inspired by the ribbon...I think it came out okay. And as a bonus my son (3) watched me emboss and thought it was "magic"!

The images are TAC Traditional All Season, Be Authentic, black and gold cardstock . Images are gold embossed. I really like the TAC embossing powder...it always seems to emboss envenly and the image doesn't curl...and I've never burnt my cardstock. I always put a piece of cream paper inside dark cards so I can write a note.

Son's First Card

Now before you go busting on the stamping technique. This is my 3 year old son's first card. He made it for his nonno. I asked if he wanted to stamp a card for him and he got busy.

I had him stamp a piece of plain paper with washable ink...hey I love him, but I also like my table! He picked the mini-stamps to use and everything. Then I assembled it into a card.

He loves Butterflies...and XO became big when I told him it meant hugs and kisses. I really am so proud of my little guy...and his grandfather was bowled over when he received it.

Up to the deadline

Last night I stayed up to midnight pulling together my donation for the DYW Winter Wonderland Auction. Now I've had since September to do the donation but of course had to wait until the deadline (tomorrow).

I decided a while back to do a Baby Girl Shower gift. I have a few doubles that were leftover from my baby girl's shower...and everyone I know has had boys this year. So I loaded up the gift bag (complete with tissue)...I was so proud.

But it was missing something...of course a card. But then I thought...well you always need Thank You notes...and now you know why I was up to midnight. Above are my creations...a Shower Card...and a set of six Thank You cards which matched the pink gingham gift bag (I didn't get a picture of the bag all put together :-(

I was whining to a friend how my Etsy site has not done very much business and then I came home and sitting in my inbox was an order for two totes with a set of four monogram cards in each!! I was so excited. It was actually a rush job because the person needed them for the following week. I was really impressed with myself that I completed the project in essentially 2 hours (okay about 4 hours with the various interruptions)!!!

Let see...the tote is truly cool thing and makes the absolute PERFECT gift bag for something small...and so absolutely simple.

The tote pattern came for PaperCraft magazine October 2005 (but if you need it I have it)...the Asian vine I got off of ebay but the Monograms is the TAC Fun Bet and the ink is Pallette Noir, with black grosgrain ribbon. A simple combo with POW!!

Boo-tacular

I made these for the Nursery kids for our Fall Fest at the Y-Women. This picture has square corners...but I actually rounded them later! I think they look much better.

I was cheap this time...I made these out of construction paper. It works but if I made them again I would definitely use cardstock.

The pumpkin stamp is part of the TAC Traditional All Season stamp.

Doggie Thanks

We just returned from a wonderful vacation in the Berkshires in Massachussetts. I made this card to thank my neighbors for taking care of our dog (my dog really). I guess I should mention that all of my stamps are umounted and come from The Angel Company.

This card is a 3X3 and hand watercolored with aquacrayons. I just love the inside because I finally figured out what to do with all that white space!!! The brads are MM Fashion...and the grass paper is from the DCWV Stack 3. The stamps are All Occasion Celebration; Spot; and a GWP Puppy.

First Post

Hi all,

I'm Bella Rose's mom, Lisa. I decided to start this blog to post my card creations! I am nuts about Rubber stamping...although I've only been stamping for less than a year. I started because as a SAHM I needed some adult conversation and a friend of mine from Y-Women (a women's club) was doing a "Stamp Camp". It was just after my daughter was born...she layed patiently entertaining herself while I discoved a whole new world.

I hope you enjoy my creations and let me know which ones are your favorites!!!