Revisiting Retro!

I had a chance to play with some cool images from Sideshow Stamps the other night... wanted to share them with you!

I hope some of you have had a chance to visit their website. Jennifer has some great designs; very unique... and if you are into retro stuff; you will go nuts for them!

Please be sure to let her know you heard about her cool stuff here at Sarah and the Stampstars! And if you want to see some other cards I have made with my Sideshow Stamps; just click on the tag on the bottom of this post.

This first card is inspired by a tote bag I own from Old Navy... I like the "americana" feel it has. Sort of reminds me of 50's advertising.

Stamps are from Sideshow Stamps. Ink: Brilliant Blue, Summer Sun Marker. Paper: Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Whisper White. Accessories: White Grosgrain, Star Punch from Target $1 spot, Oval Punches by Stampin' Up!, Slit Punch from Stampin' Up!, 1/8" Circle Hand Punch, Paper Piercing tool by Stampin' Up!, Cutter Kit from Stampin' Up!

I used the Cutter kit to create the "swooshy" cut at the bottom of the card. The scallops on the top were created with the slit punch. I made a bunch of tags (see this old post for details) and just spaced them apart on top to get that striped look. Hard to see in the pic, but the oval sentiment is actually inside of the card and peeks through the front.



These hipster notecards were simple to make. After stamping the images on these small Stampin' Up! notecards I used paper piecing techniques to create the outfits of these cool cats! The papers are by Making Memories (the guy's outfit) and Stampin' Up! (the gal's outfit). The other details on the card were colored with Stampin' Up! Markers.


Here is a close up to help you see how the clothes are pieced together. All you have to do is just stamp the image again on patterned papers, cut it out section by section, and glue in place. It's a simple technique with great results!

Tooting My Horn!

Toot toot! I just wanted to let you all know I was asked to be on the design team for a wonderful company called Tuscan Rose! I really dig their stuff; lots of ephemeric designs, pictorial rubber stamp images... heck... you should really just take a look for yourself!

Pictured here I am the last gal on the right (*wink*)... please be sure to look HERE to see the other talented artists I will be getting to work along side! Thanks so much Patty for this opportunity! I can't wait to get started!

Because That's How I Roll Baby! It's Free Stuff Time!

Contest is over! I will draw a winner Tuesday! :) Thanks all! Be sure to check this wonderful list and visit some new blogs!

Time to give some stuff away and discover some cool crafty blogs to boot! Here's the scoop. I have this cool pile of stuff; some Micheal's $1 spot clear stamps and blocks, a little Bella and a matching sentiment, cool punches, and the coveted Rhonna Farrer swirly bird stamp... I'm sure I will end up tossing some other stuff in there too... cause that's how I roll.

You could win this; and win an EXTRA swirly bird stamp for your favorite blogger!

All you have to do to get this cool stuff is leave a comment here... and let me know one (and only one) of your favorite crafty (and only crafty) blogs. If you win I will send you the cool pile of stuff shown here, and I will send your fave blogger an EXTRA swirly bird on your behalf! :)

Please enter one time only; and try your best to leave me a link to the blog you love so we can all go check it out! You have until Monday at Midnight (cst) to enter!

And if you really want to make me super duper happy (no bonus points, just love and admiration from me), vote for Craft Critique... we were nominated for a Blogger's Choice Award! Whoo hoo!

Guest Artist; Erika Martin!

How excited was I when Erika Martin and I started chatting about this guest stamper swap. I am a bit of a hippie at heart; so I think Erika is so darn cool; with her dreads... living in Vermont... Oh the life! She sent me this fantabulous card... made with the awesome set By Gina K. which you can buy HERE... $8 from each set goes to help Autism. Stamps for a cause rock! Of course you should be reading her blog; "Stampin' Mama" regularly... that goes without saying. And check out the beautiful card she sent me! I really need ot do more with charms on cards... I love that element. So vintage, but with a contemporary set; I love that juxtaposition of materials.

Erika and I sat down for a chat in my virtual living room... I think you'll enjoy this interview best if you picture us sitting in the old Dick Cavett Set... orange shag carpeting...etc. Cue the theme now... "da, da, da, da daaa daaa......"

Colors: Real Red and Kraft, Chipboard Letter (making memories), Patterned paper (Die Cuts with a View), Stamps (Love you to Pieces), ribbons, sandpaper, x-acto knife (to trim the paper to fit the chipboard).

Tell me a little bit about yourself and the important people in your life?
I’ve always been a New England girl. I was born in Rhode Island, my family moved to New Hampshire when I was 8, then moved to Pennsylvania when I was 16, then moved back to New England (Vermont, to be exact) when I was 19. I married my best friend, David (aka: Davy or Davycakes) when I was 20 and moved BACK to PA because that’s where he was from. I missed my beloved mountains and we moved to Vermont a year and a half after we got married. We’ve been here ever since (January of 1999). We’ll have our 10th anniversary in June. The two other important people in my life are my children. Zach just turned 8 and Elise (aka: Girly) just turned 7. They truly light up my life. I’ve always loved to create: paper crafts, paints, glue, fibers, etc. My hands have always loved being busy. Stamping seemed to melt right into my passion for creativity.

How long have you been stamping and how did you start with this art form?
I’ve been stamping since 2001. My mother-in-law introduced me to Stampin’ Up and before that, I hadn’t really picked up a stamp. I saw them in the craft stores and thought it was too expensive for me. Back in the 90s, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot going on with stamps and the techniques that are out there now just weren’t there back then, so I didn’t really see a need to get into it. When my MIL signed up with SU in Feb. of 2001, she was really excited about it and wanted me to see her catalog. I wasn’t interested and even remember saying something about not being interested nor was I going to buy anything and that I didn’t plan on getting into it. I took a catalog home with me just to humor here and it was all over from there on out. It was a 7+ hour ride home and I couldn’t get my nose out of the catalog. I decided at that point that I wanted to sign up. I don’t think my MIL expected that and my husband thought it would only last 3-6 months. 6 years and 3 cruises later, I’m still here. Stamping has opened my world in ways I never thought it could. I’m here to stay.

What is your favorite stamp or stamp set?
I definitely go back and forth when it comes to stamps and sets. I tend to gravitate to sets that have elements of nature in them, sets with doodles in them, sets with Old World flavor, anything vintage. Right now, one of my favorite sets is the “Love you to pieces” set by GinaK Designs. This set holds a special place in my heart, as Gina and I collaborated on this set together and it supports a cause that is close to my heart. This set (which I used in the card I swapped with Sarah) helps to support Autism Speaks… my son, Zach, is autistic, and it meant more to me than I think Gina knows that she jumped on board with this cause and turned one of my dreams into reality. (GINA ROCKS!)

As far as a stamp goes, I’m in love with the Eiffel tower collage stamp by Tuscan Rose….which you can see by going HERE. Patty is an amazing artist and I ADORE her work.

What is your favorite color combination?
I’ve heard that people have favorite color combinations that change on a regular basis. For me, though, that hasn’t happened in a LONG time. My all time favorite (going on a few years now) is Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue and Creamy Caramel. These colors remind me of the ocean, which is one of my favorite places to be. This color combo can instantly soothe me.

What is one tool that you can't live without?
Other than my paper trimmer, which is a given, I’ve found that I can’t live without my distressing tool, which is on the Cutter Kit from Stampin’ Up. I’m almost worried that I’ve worn this little puppy out. There’s 7 blades on the distressing tool, but I’ve given them all a good work out. I find that I’m using this little handy-dandy tool on almost every project I make these days. ;)

What is one technique that you tend to use over and over again?
Swiping. I LOVE to swipe my ink pads across my cardstock. Edges, corners, the entire card. If it’s there, I’ll swipe it. The texture this gives to my cardstock makes me incredibly happy.

What do you do to find your creative groove?
Music: Give me some good music and I’m usually set to go. My favorites to pull out while I’m designing are reggae, Peter, Paul & Mary, Queen, Jack Johnson and anything African or Celtic.
Food: Mix York Peppermint Patties or creamed corn with any of those music choices and I’m DEFINITELY set to go. Books: I love to look at books and magazines with travel pictures and old architecture in them. These usually get me in the groove to create, as well.

Tagged... a TON!

I know, I know, I am it!!! Oh the tagging... I can't keep up! A bunch of people have tagged me and not told me they tagged me... but I saw the posts on their blog; because I read so many! But because I read so many I forgot who they were! ARG! So please remind me if you tagged me and I will pimp your blogs in a later post! I feel bad for not posting a link out to you now.

But these two blogger buds both posted here this week on the same day; Anna Marie and Karrie. And I thank you both so very much. So many wonderful blogs out there now! I sure hope I didn't miss a "tagger"... just drop me a line if I did! :)

Now let me preface; I will not be "you're it" tagging out any blogs... I will just share them with you here and encourage you to check them out. I will also be doing something fun later this week to help introduce you all to TONS of crafty blogs out there in cyberland. Stay tuned!

I often worry that tagging people turns into a sort of "popularity contest" of bloggers... and when people don't get "tagged" I think they probably feel bad... it's like a blogger pecking order in a way... and I don't know how to be "PC" and still play along. I hope you all understand where I am coming from. Peace sisters... peace! (everyone hold hands now and sing please).


5 cool blogs...

Guess who started a blog... finally (just kidding Meg)! Waxyo, AKA Meg Shumaker, you know her, you love her, go show her some love.

One of my fave blogs is the "Misadventures of Mama and Jack". Her son is about my son's age and she has the sweetest vintage stuff to share. Plus her name is Sarah and I have never met a Sarah with an "H" I didn't like.

My pal Suzie and fellow Chicago Craft Collective Coordinator has a new blog; she's into all that cool Japanese felt mascot stuff. I love her sense of style and everything she creates is dripping in cute.

Red Velvet Art; Elsie Flannigan and Rachel Denbow are so darn cool it actually burns my retinas to view their blog, but I do it anyway.

And then there's Tadwords the Goods Maker; possibly the most adorable Poly-clay figures I have ever seen... plus awesome photography and interesting thoughts as well.

Enjoy!

The Blogger's Swap is Back!

Please join me this Spring as I celebrate all the wonderful stamping bloggers out there! I just hosted a 2nd Splitcoast Bloggers swap. All the cards have shipped out and people are starting to receive them! I wanted to post one of my swap cards for you today. The rest of the cards will be posted through the following months.

Who doesn't love a little blue bird for spring! I am in lust with this Swirly Birdie Stamp designed by Rhonna Farrer for Autumn Leaves. It's an Acrylic Stamp (I know; shock... horrors!); and I was an Acrylic virgin until this card! I tested several different inks before I tackled this project and decided that my Staz-On worked the best with both of these images (the swirl is by Rhonna Farrer too), and not just because I was stamping on Window Sheets and using Bleach... but straight stamping on paper; Staz-On tested best in my personal trials.

I will have to share the ink tests with you all over at Craft Critique in the coming weeks. Meanwhile I would love to know what inks you prefer with your Acrylic Stamps. Feel free to leave your ink comments below. I'd love to know if you have unique ink preferences for specific brands of acrylics... they all seem to feel so different to me.

Let's take a closer look at the birdie on the card. He was stamped in Black Staz-On on Pretty in Pink Cardstock and then bleached out. I just painted him with bleach and used a small brush. No need to worry about the ink, I was able to paint right over it without fading. In fact I liked the look of white bleaching being outside the stamped image as it was more obvious after filling it in with color that it was initially bleached out. Tip: use a "Splashless Bleach" for more control... it feels more like a paint. And speed up the drying with a heat tool, or at least let them sit overnight before painting so the bleach evaporates out of the paper... otherwise your fill in color will fade.

After beaching I simply painted him in with my Aqua Pen and Cool Caribbean Reinker. I love how he turned out!


The rest of the card is your basic window/transparency card; the oval was created with the Coluzzle... which I love. The "window" is a clear transparency (from an office supply store) stamped with staz-on ink with the uber cool Rhonna Farrer Swirls! Gosh I love those swirls! The doodling around the oval frame was done with the amazing Sakura Glaze Pen; which I now sleep with under my pillow I love it so much! I will be chatting more about the glaze pen on Craft Critique THIS week! :)

The sentiment "spread your wings" (thanks Seewah!) is by the ultra funky company Just Johanna which I am receintly obsessed with. Oh, so many stamps so little time! The sentiment is stamped on the inside of the card and peeks through the window. Black brads and black grosgrain ribbon add the finishing touches!

Please be sure to check back later this week for my first "Featured Stamper" post, and a fun giveaway to help celebrate all your favorite bloggers and learn about some new blogs out there! :)

Happy Stamping!

Pursue Your Art Purse Class Discount Pack!

Lookee at what my friends Mary and Erin at Pursue Your Art came up with! A Purse Class Discount Plan! So now you can have a cool class your friends/customers and get your purses from them for a song! It's a great idea, and a great product... and I tell you about it only because I know these gals and honestly LIKE them. You will not be disappointed with the product or the service, and I think a class like this is a GREAT idea!

What, you aren't a demo? Well... tell your demo about Purse Your Art, and tell her you'd go to a class if she has one! (and tell me if you'd come to mine... I'd sure consider it if I get enough responses! Demo's welcome too of course! :)

I brought this purse to convention last year and the ladies when NUTS for it! Oh How I miss these papers! :(

What are you Missing?

I love Google reader; it's what I use to read blogs and I encourage you to check it out for yourself. But if you ARE using Google reader (or if you are an email subscriber) I just wanted you to know you are missing my new "Video Retro Flashback" feature. A New Video will be shared each week... maybe more often. The sidebar is also where I update my specials and sales! Just come visit the Main Page to see it all!

As far as what I am digging NOW music-wise... check out this video By Jenny Wilson. I like it a bunch.

Cards, and a Gratuitous Cute Baby Picture

Here are a couple different versions of a card. The first sample has a bright Regal Rose punch to it; and I embossed the white on the argyle layer. I miss this old set from the Spring mini; Bud Basics. The other stamp set I used in these cards is the current level three hostess set; All Around Argyle.

I made the pink card first; felt that it went overboard color wise, and that the embossing was unnecessary (the flower however, is embossed) ... and made the switch to the white, made it a smaller layer and then only rounded two of that layer's corners. I think it's an improvement.




And now please enjoy this adorable baby; Max... brought to you courtesy of my Cousin Ryan and his wife Jenniffer. I know this has nothing to do with anything; but he's just so darn cute!

An Idea for Unmounted Stamps

Like the rest of you... I bought the Bella's... I just couldn't help myself! Emily at Stamping Bella is among the people I have to blame for forcing me into the world of unmounted stamps, a world I was not eager to explore... let me also pause to blame Nichole Heady of Papertey Ink, Rhonna Farrer of Autumn Leaves, and Andrea/Doodle Factory stamps at Sun Spirit Studios. Darn all of you! :)

Most unmounted style stamps are produced in clear acrylic or regular ole red rubber; and I think I still prefer to mount the rubber on on Creative Cling (or whatever brand you like), especially when they come uncut on a full sheet of rubber. But the Bellas come PRE-cut... on a thicker than usual gray rubber... "finely etched" says Emily. Mounting these on Creative Cling would be sort of tough; a messy/sticky job. They are so nicely trimmed already... and the cling foam might even make them a bit too thick and wobbly (the images tend to be skinny). When I compare it to the other red rubber stamps I own, the rubber on the Bellas is thicker; giving the stamps a bit of cushion already anyhow.

Emily gives advice on her website to use double sided tape (and she also sells Tack and Peel) with an acrylic block. Both fine ideas. I was ready to do the double sided tape method... but I wasn't very keen on putting tape on my brand new blocks... I worried it'd leave a residue and be an eyesore. I looked for the "Tack and Peel" locally but couldn't find it.

So here is what I then accidentally discovered. I was hanging some posters in my son's room and had purchased some of these Clear Mounting Squares by Scotch the job. They are awesome for hanging posters... but I thought they might be perfect on my blocks for mounting my Bellas! And look, they work great!

Now I have never had my hands on "Tack and Peel", so this may be quite similar. The mounting squares are very thin, slightly sticky, not too sticky, clear rubbery squares. You can pull them apart or use them already connected in a larger square of 4. I used 6 squares on this block, and kept them attached together; one group of 4 squares and then added another two squares below; using a scissors to trim the other set. They fit perfectly! Be sure to save the clear plastic you peel off the squares to cover the block when you aren't using it.

My tests showed that the Bella stamps came off and on very easily, and that removing them from the block left no residue... but then you couldn't reapply the squares; you'd need to use new ones. One thing you will not want to do... Do not use your cling foam mounted stamps on the mounting squares... it will stick too much to the foam and is apt to pull it off. But no worries, just use the block with the clear plastic (from the peel off part on the mounting squares) still in place, or use the other side of the block.

Unrelated Tip of the Day: Emily also recommends something that I often do; place a sheet of "Fun Foam", thin craft foam under your work mat. You can buy these in a large sheets. Having one under my stamping spot has always helped me with those larger fine images... or ones that seemingly have a dip in the middle.

Bold Brights Rock!

Wanted to share a quick card with y'all... This was the card I made for the big Shoebox Swap last month. I was inspired to make this card after reading some comments on Splitcoast on how the Bold Bright color group (by Stampin' Up!) doesn't get enough love. I agree! Here comes Summer, bust out the color!

The unique size/fold of the card is achieved by cutting a piece of base card stock 5 1/2" X 11" (I use a 12" X 12" piece to start to save paper). Score at 3" and score at 7 1/4". Create a pocket on the 3" fold by adhering the edges with Sticky Strip. The frame is achieve by using my method for "a perfect frame". Yes... I realize I have now officially overused this layout. I just can't help myself!

Stamp Set: Wild about You. Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion Marker. Paper: Dots and Dashes, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Passion, Green Galore. Accessories: Grosgrain Turquoise Ribbon.

Playing with Ink

I put this card together for my Craft Critique article today about the Suze Weinberg Melt Pot. I thought I'd pop in over here and chat about the details on the card. The background is stamped on Watercolor Paper with the set "Starstruck" by Stampin' Up! Inks used are; Night of Navy, More Mustard, Buckaroo Blue, and Cranberry Crisp ink. I sponged the paper (dry) with Buckaroo Blue Ink, then I strayed it with water lightly and spritzed it with a homemade "Walnut Ink" I created by mixing several colors of reinker in water.

I used about a 1/4 c. water with about 20 drops of Chocolate Chip, 10 drops of Creamy Caramel, 10 drops of Close to Cocoa, 3 drops Mustard and 1 drop Real Red. That "Chemistry for Painters" class finally came in handy after all these years!

I love the running ink and spottiness and the vintage western look you get with this technique and stamp set. The article today on Craft Critique will tell you more about how I used a Melt Pot to give my Hodgepodge Hardware a leg up.

Give a 2 Year Old a Camera

The Easter Bunny brought Anderson a Camera. Check out some of his first shots... So cool! What a new twist on the baby book huh?

Self Portrait

Still Life with Football

Daddy Gives a Wave

Eartha Eats Grass

Mommy Smiling

Pablo as Easter Bunny

Edited to add 4/16: Thank you to all of you who sent me emails of concern about Eartha. Rest assured, no animals were harmed in the making of this blog, and Eartha was not allowed to consume the Easter grass... we do know... and now YOU all know... Easter grass is bad for kitties. Keep it away from them! :)

I Stamped Something!

Hope you all had a happy Easter Weekend! We got the chance to spend time with family on Saturday; not for an Easter celebration (although the lamb cake and Peeps Cupcakes said otherwise), but for my Aunt Diane's 60th Birthday! We had a mini surprise party for her; ate spiral cut honey ham, mashed potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. As usual, my Brother's boyfriend Richard made an amazing spread of hors d'oeurves. My Sister's boyfriend Steve made this crazy and super tasting thing he called "Easter Pizza"; which probably has a "real" culinary name... but it was like all these different layers of meats, cheeses, egg... and it was all layered like lasagna in a huge pan with a sweet, lemony pastry crust around it. Never had anything like it... yum.

So a birthday demands a gift... so I stamped one! A set of 12 notecards. I used all Soft Subtles colors for the papers and the watercoloring (watercolor crayons). The focal point is Stamped in Staz-On on Shimmer White paper, which I love for watercoloring. These cards were simple; but turned out so pretty and make a great set!


I went shopping this week. The girls who attended the Shoebox Swap I helped host all pitched in and bought me gift cards from Joanne's, Archivers and Starbucks... amazing! I can thank my amazing sister in law Angie for this terrific gift. She is so sneaky!

Well I got the chance to spend some of it! SO fun. I actually hardly shop at Archiver's because it's so expensive, so this was a real treat for sure! I bought some Rhonna Farrer Design Stamps by Autumn Leaves there, some amazing papers... by Anna griffin, Basic Gray and even Harley Davidson! I also bought some black ink "samplers" for some product testing I am planning for Craft Critique in the coming months. Oh gee what else did I buy... oh Joanne's had some great deals on embellishments... and I scored a scalloped square Mega punch (with a 40% off coupon of course). I don't want to forget to tell you about the AWESOME PEN I discovered. I am in love with the Black Glaze Pen By Sakura. It is the best pen I have ever doodled with... it runs smooth and drys glossy and slightly raised like embossing! plus you can use it on non-porous surfaces. Uber-cool. Stay tuned to Craft Critique in the coming weeks for some samples and details about the pen... or just go buy one! They are awesome!

We Have Winners!

Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday; but the cable... and therefor my internet access was out last night... it was super windy here!

We have TWO winners! Picked at random of course!

For the blog linkers: apigonfire!

apigonfire said...

uhhh yea, I already placed my order for the new PaperTrey stamps... how can a girl resist?!?! Anyways... your blog candy sounds absolutely amazing! I hope I posted to the right one! I'll be dropping by more often! Make sure to visit me: apigonfire.blogspot.com

and all the other entries: Peggy Maier!

Peggy Maier said...

Wow! Congrats to the winners!!! I had only missed 2, but I figured there were several who had them all. Never thought of Corduroy Lion - Good Grief! Thanks for letting us still play & get a chance at those goodie bags. You're a real sweetie.

Email me with your snail mail address gals!

Wait till you see these awesome goodie bags! and I tossed some other fun stuff in there too! :)

So my stamp room is A MESS! But boy oh boy do I have some fun things in store for the coming months! I have all these new stamps and fun toys to play with; I can't wait to share them with you ALL! Now off to clean my stamp space! :)


Have I told you Gina K. Rocks?

Gina donated a wonderful basket with 8 very cute wood mounted stamps and a technique video for our SCS Gathering. Look how nice she wrapped it up and everything...

Anyways, she is so sweet and generous, and I want you all to know she is doing something fabulous on her blog and stamping store Stamping Freak. She has created a new stamp set called "Love you to Pieces" that she is selling to raise money for Autism. It's an awesome idea; and I hope you all go and make a purchase! For each set sold Gina is donating $8. Great job Gina!

Oops!

I forgot all about my favorite vendor! BIG, BIG. BIG thanks to Tony Vrolyk (Sarah Vrolyk of Kindred Spirit's Hubby) from Stamper's Sidekick! Not only did he come out and help us set up tables, move stuff around... etc... he donated an SS Application for a door prize and a cool tote!

Stamper's Sidekick is THE end-all-be-all in organization for Stampers. Here are some more details from their website...

Stamper’s Sidekick is an amazingly complete system. While new features are already planned for future versions, you will be amazed at the level of detail to which you can track your business.

The system can be accessed through 6 main modules – Customers, Events, Orders, Products, Projects and Expenses – and while they each track specific information, they are inherently connected to each other …

• Customers attend Events, place Orders and add Products to their wish list.
• Orders for Products are placed by Customers often at Events.
• Projects require certain Products, are demonstrated at Events and match up to Customers areas of interest.

As you can see, while your business contains many different pieces of data, it all relates to each other. That is where the power of Stamper’s Sidekick shines. No repeat data entry, no difficulty calling up customer order histories, event attendance, expenses or other information.

An ever-growing number of reports allow you to easily track your business, keep watch on expenses and profits, manage your events with ease and help you market your products better – all so you can focus on what you do best, taking care of your customers.

Tony and Sarah Vrolyk also won our "Cutest Couple Award"... They are an amazing pair!

Wanna See Some Pictures?

I have uploaded all the pictures to the Splitcoaststamper Gathering HERE. Cards will be coming soon too... But here is a teaser...

Say Hi Everyone!

This is what 80 stampers all in a room looks like! WILD WOMEN!!! Thank you all for your wonderful feedback; I am still sort of giddy from happiness.

Now the contest is closed; but I won't choose the winners until tomorrow... I have assembled the gifties however... and I thank, thank, thank you all for the links and comments. I love giving stuff away!

A SPECIAL THANKS

Please join me in thanking the following businesses who supported this event through their donations of door prizes and/or goodie bag treats.

Splitcoaststampers: The official hosts of our event today! A gathering place for stampers. Meet and talk with other members of the community, check out the gallery where you'll find tons of categorized samples, share your own stamping creations, catch up on the latest news, tips & techniques, or find out about upcoming events and happenings.

Amuse: Think Simple, Think Amuse; Amuse Artstamps. Call Toll Free: 877.783.4882

Pursue Your Art!: Changeable Art Purse; Display your art, ATC’s, Cards, Photos and more! 262.242.6119

Stamping Freak: The Ultimate Stamping Store! Home of Gina K. Designs.

Lasting Impressions with Panache: A kaleidoscope collection of images; maintaining the highest quality of distinctive art rubber stamps.

The Corduroy Lion: Providing trendy coordinated kits that are affordable. Kits are color coordinated using the highest quality paper, ribbon, and custom stamps designed specifically for each kit. I have done the work for you by choosing colors that compliment each other and providing everything that you need in one convenient kit.

Frantic Stamper: Your source for rubberstamping & scrapbooking supplies!

Stamping Bella: Offering a variety of whimsical and funky unmounted rubber stamps and accessories for your shopping pleasure. This is what everyone is talkin’ about!

SunSpirit Studio: Offering paper craft supplies including unique, handmade copper embellishments, bookbinding supplies, card making supplies and more!

Cornish Heritage Farms: Featuring SonLight Impressions, Cat Dancing Design and Hollymark rubber art stamp lines. All our stamps are MADE IN THE USA.

Storage Units Ink: The solution for all your stamping storage needs; specializing in quality handmade wooden storage units for the Rubber Stamping industry. Professionally designed units are built with a place for everything allowing you to put everything in its place making them both efficient and compact.

Missy B Designs: Original Rubber stamps, mounting supplies and other fun products designed by artist Melissa Bastow.

Papertrey Ink: Acrylic Stamps designed for a stamper, by a stamper. Nichole Heady’s fresh and fun images are sure to delight! Papertrey Ink releases a BRAND NEW
stamp set on the 15th of each month.

Patstamps Technique Junkie Newsletter: Are you a rubber stamper who loves to incorporate different techniques on your projects? Would you love to know new and interesting ways to use your rubber stamps? Then you may be a Technique Junkie! Subscribe to the Patstamps Technique Junkie Newsletter, a bi-monthly, color publication that is mailed to your home.

Rubber Stamper Magazine: Be inspired, stamp more creatively, and learn new stamping techniques with The Rubber Stamper, published six times a year! Excellent step-by-step projects, beautiful full-color photography, and tons of new product information fill each issue. A one year subscription is just $22!

Peapod Imaging, Inc: 571.244.1043 :: Offering professional imaging with a personal touch; Full Embroidery Services, Custom Logo Designs. Professionally display your logo or designs on shirts, jackets, hats, bags, and other items!

Purple Onion Designs: Unmounted rubber art stamps specializing in unique alphabet sets, vintage images, greetings, sentiments, definitions and the hottest trends in stamp designs. We also offer an inspiring online gallery.

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Will You Still Love Me?

Hi gals! I know you are all still having fun with the contest... You have till midnight tonight to enter! This afternoon I PROMISE to post some pictures. I need to be a Mommy all morning; but When Anderson goes for his nap I will post away! I know all you SCS Gathering ladies are eager to see all the pics!

Meanwhile; I want to show you the AWESOME card Nichole Heady stamped for EVERY SINGLE attendee... because she rocks... seriously rocks.

Boy I wish I could sell a few more SU! stamps this month so I could buy MORE stamps from Papertrey Ink. This is such a sickness!

So here is Why Nichole is a genius; don't you LOVE how the layout mimics the shape/colors of the strawberry? So clever. And the latch she created with what looks like the Window Word Punch from Stampin' Up! I so dig that latch... looks to me like she punched the flap, and then took a craft blade and made two little slits in the under-layer to create the strip to slide the paper clip on. So you just remove the clip, and the green layer lifts up to open the card.

I am so CASEing that concept... it's so sharp! I still can't get over that she made 90 of these babies! One for each goodie bag! (and yes; if you win the contest you will get one!) She even signed the back! :)