Betsy's Layout

Betsy is a Close To My Heart representative and is extremely talented. This is a layout she has done for a "quarter auction". LOVE IT! Good luck Betsy!

Madam President, I assume??

Ink or Dye Feb. 19th, 2010

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I recieved this card in the mail yesterday from my secret sister online. She was having surgery yesterday and I was thinking about her all day. When I checked the mail, here was this adorable card. She's in Alabama and I don't know her real name yet, but my prayers are with her for a quick recovery. I sent her some stamped images so that when she feels up to it, she can just sit and color, so that she has images ready for cards when she needs them. Prayers and hugs to you, Sierra!

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Linda G. made this adorable card. I had not thought about layering and border punching together. And of course Bella paper makes it sing!! Thank you so much Linda, especially 'cause it came with chocolate chip cookies!!

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A very special friend of mine, Joyce D., sent me this beautiful card. The detail is amazing and I apologize that you can't get the full effect here. I absolutely love it! Joyce's cards are always amazing. Thank you so much Joyce!!

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I am leading our project for Ink or Dye next month and this is the double slider card we are going to make. My friend Debbie sent it to me and I love it! It really looks much harder than it is to make. Thanks Debbie!

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Our President Kendall did our activity last night and here is a picture of my completed card. It's really cool. Mails flat and opens up to stand. Again with the flowers, I'm ready for the snow to melt! Thanks Kendall!

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Our theme in Ink or Dye for our ATC trade was "What I see out the window". The tree is mine, as all I see is snow! Imaging that. The ATC I received is beautiful from one of my favorite artists. Barb Be. She has a poem on the back of the ATC to go with the front. It reads "In order to see birds, it is necessary to become part of the silence." This quote is by Robert Lynd. I absolutely love this ATC!!!

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This is the card I received in the swap last night. My friend, "Oakridge" never makes a card or ATC for the swap. Starting in January we instituted a fine if you don't have a trade, and she made a resolution right away to always have her "stuff" for the meetings. Yeah!!! I'm so proud of her for this card. She's a wonderful scrapbooker, but she doesn't make cards very often. She's coming out of her box!!

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Last night was our Ink or Dye Stamping Club meeting. There are ten on us in the club currently and the theme for our card exchange was a round card in a square envelope. This is the one I put in for the swap. Can you tell I'm ready for Sun and spring?!?

My New Shop

And now...for the announcement you've all been waiting for....(I hope)...I am opening a small shop in Bellevue, Kentucky! I will let ya'll know when the Grand Opening will be. I'm shooting for April 1st (no, this is not an April Fool's joke).

I am interested in companies that you would like to see, but cannot find anywhere in Northern Kentucky. That does not mean that I am going to necessarily carry all of them, but I will definately give them a hard look. I hope to carry both scrapping and stamping supplies, as well as some mixed media.

There are many details yet to be ironed out. I am starting very small, initially as another place to have classes. I will still be offering classes at my home as well as the Eastgate location. This gives us a third venue. I am very excited about all the classes that will now be available.

I will also be accepting gently used stamps and tools for sale on consignment. You may bring me your stamps, already reasonably priced by you, and I will sell them in my shop for a fee of 10%. I will disburse proceeds once a month.

Thank you for all your support!! This is the beginning of an exciting chapter in my life!

The poor dog.....

Snow, the Groundhog and the Farmer's Almanac

When I went to bed Sunday night, my metal ruler on my patio table (that I had left out since last week's snow, you know when it was over 9"), showed 8" of snow. Now at that time, the roads were fine and life was good, even if cold. When I got up Monday morning, my ruler had almost disappeared. The snow measured 11 3/4". I then went down to my studio and got my 18" ruler and placed it beside the 12" ruler. When I checked Monday evening, the 12" ruler is buried, and the 18" ruler shows 14". Now this snow is drifting snow, so please note that in other places it is deeper, but for this, I didn't want to move the ruler. This morning it showed 15". I love winter!! Anyone who knows me, knows I love the cold. But give me a break!! I feel sorry for my dog, as her stomach isn't 15" off the ground. And when you gotta go, you gotta go! My friend Kendall is out somewhere in the great white north hunting the groundhog. He's really in for it. 6 more weeks of winter!?! What was he thinking?!? If you know Kendall, you know she does NOT like winter and worships the sun! And then there's the Farmer's Almanac. It's always right, in my honest opinion. My friend Beth told me last night that at the bus stop yesterday, some ladies were talking about the Farmer's Almanac and it says we're in for snow until March 15th!!!! DH and I are just going to stay warm and cuddle and not worry about it! But the poor dog.....

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This is actually not a card, but an ATC. Artist Trading Card. This is for an online swap that I'm in and the theme for February is, what else, hearts. My friend Margy gave me some printed paper she had that she no longer needed, which is where the heart background paper came from. I believe it was done with a wheel. I then punched out the pink hearts, inking them up with Crimson Lake and then stamped the sentiment by Hero Arts. I used a heart brad for the metal tab, layered this on red and then on pink. I then felt it needed something else so I looked around and since the image had both round and heart shaped buttons, I pulled out some buttons and attached them with Glossy Accents. Done. I can't wait to see what I get in return.

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These are Clear Dollar Stamp images. You know the company that you can order clear sets, but the cost is awesome and the stamps average out at less than a dollar a piece. I stamped up three covered bridges and watercolored all three. I'm so ready for spring, can you tell!?!

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My friend Kathleen let me stamp some of her images,
(because everyone who knows me, knows I don't have
enough stamps), so I can't tell you who the company
is. My DD2 loves fairies, so I stamped some of these
for cards for her. I watercolored this one. I added a

closeup so that you can see where I added bling with

Sakura glitter gel pens. So easy and no mess. I won't stop using Sparkle n Sprinkle glitter, but I do like the glitter gel pens.

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This beautiful Valentine's card was made by my friend Karen B. I just love it! Another very talented lady!!

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This is a gorgeous card done by my friend Linda T. She sent it to me last week and I love the embossing on the glossy cardstock. She's a very talented lady! Thanks Linda T. !!

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This is the Valentine I received from my Secret Sister. I just LOVE it!! Thanks Sierra!

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Valentine's Day is Sunday. Don't forget to make a Valentine for all the special people in your life! And yes, that is a hippo inside the heart. DD2 loves hippos and DH is sending her this card. SHHHH! Don't tell her!!!

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You either love House Mouse or you hate them. I, personally, love them. I don't use them very much. I have over 75 of these stamps, and that doesn't include clear sets. The problem is, over 50 of these have never touched ink. I really need to start using them.

So, I am starting a House Mouse Class. It will be ongoing, meeting once a month. The cost will be $5.00. (What a deal!) You will make two cards, however, if you bring your own extra cardstock, you may stamp the images we use as many times as you would like. This will be a great way for you to have stamped images on hand when you need them, and you don't have the cost of buying the stamps! Watch your email for further information on when this class will be starting.

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This is to show you what you can do with one image. The background is from Hero Arts and I created three totally different cards with this one image. Try looking at your stamps in a different way and don't be afraid to play with them.

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I made this card in December when there was NO snow. I am ready for it to be over. I know that's hard to believe for those that know me, but, yes, I'm over it!! Almost 10 inches on my patio. I'm done!

DD2 is 22!!

It seems like yesterday that God blessed me with a second beautiful daughter. Blessed is the correct word, because I wasn't supposed to have any more children after DD1 and then God blessed me with DD2. Yes, they are a little close in age, (1 year 1 week), but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. This is the daughter that lives in Florida. (You know the one who moved home in December and back to Florida in January). I miss her so much. I enjoyed having her here so much! She's real creative and artistic and we had a blast playing together!

When I think of her, I picture her not at all like this photo. I picture a little girl who loved to make people laugh. She was always clowning around for an audience. It's amazing to me that she grew into such a shy young woman as she was anything but shy when she was little. We used to play a game to pick up their toys where we would count them as we put them away. Whenever it was time to pick up, she would flop on the floor and whine "my leg has a crank in it". So of course, she couldn't help. lol Her older sister was always stealing her bottle. They were and still are best friends. She always gives the best hugs. You know the kind, the kind where you know the person really wants to hug you, it's not obligatory, but real. I miss her very much. Funny since I just talked to her at lunch time, but I do. Her birthday was Wednesday. She turned 22. She's on her own, and making a life for herself and I couldn't be prouder! I love you, little girl!!

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Again with the Impression Obsession Stamps. I would love to claim credit for these designs, alas, I was inspired from the catalog. Someone else created these layouts and I did what I could to copy them. Leigh Hannan is an artist for Impression Obsession and I absolutely love this entire line of stamps. They are so detailed and surprising. If you are not familiar with them, check out their website. Enjoy the cards!

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I love the little Stampin Bella flower girl stamps. She's adorable. Added to some Darcie's paper and dew drops, a little gamsol magic and she's all dress up to go. Too cute!

"Phil" or 24 of 365

HAPPY GROUNDHOG'S DAY!!

This adorable card was made by my good friend Marian for the card exchange at the card club I belong to. Ink or Dye! What a great name for a card clud. I was lucky enough to draw the number for this card and with her permission I am sharing it here with you! Looks like "Phil" saw his shadow, so we have 6 more weeks of winter. But answer me this...Doesn't he always see his shadow because of all the bright lights and loud noise around him when he "pops" out at the exact right time on T.V.? Hmmmm.....very curious..... Thanks Marian for sharing!