Face-Lift

If ya wander on over to our company website today, you'll notice that it's been given a face-lift! This is one of the many things I've had to do on my list the past month, and we're really excited to see it live! We've added a lot of new features that we've been wanting to highlight on the home page and in the nav and the new design accomodates this. Also, we wanted a website that was a little more whimsical, sketchy, and well, US! I think it looks like us, don't you?! We're "sketchy" kind of people...and I mean that in the GOOD, drawing/artist kind of way! HA HA HA! :)

Now I'm off to design the monthly newsletter that is going out on Jan. 2nd and make more new-release samples! I can't wait for next week!

Happy New Year everyone!

The Last Christmas Card

This lovey Poinsettia card is the last Christmas Card I'll be posting to my blog this year. It makes me kind of sad! It made me sad to stop making Halloween cards too, and autumn-themed cards, and summer cards, okay well you get the picture. The nice thing is I have new release cards and then Valentine's Day cards to look forward to! Ahhh, I love this hobby.

Stamps used: Little Bits Merry and Bright and Simply Singles Merry Christmas

I broke down and bought a new fake Christmas tree! I had to do it...I couldn't have a brown, dead tree up for my parents and brother who are flying in for Christmas! It's actually a very lovely tree...I posted it on Splitcoast here if you want to see it.

You may not see me post much the next week or two...I am busy making samples for our next release and I can't show them to you yet! You're going to be excited! I'm sure I'll say this with every new release, but I really do think this is our best release yet. We keep evolving and designing better and better stamps, if I do say so myself! :) My first new-product sample will appear on my blog on Jan. 2nd!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Viva Las Vegas!

I'm back from our Anniversary trip to Las Vegas! This is a photo of me and my hubby of 10 years now with a blue man from the Blue Man Group. So, is this guy real, or is this a statue? What do you think? :) We spent the night of our anniversary watching the show and also going to Emeril's steakhouse at the Venetian. MMMMM. It was perfect!

Oh and can I tell you my favorite part of the trip? Don't laugh. There was this amazing patisserie at the Bellagio where we were staying called the Jean Phillipe Patisserie, and holy cow, this was the yummiest stuff I have ever tasted. I've never even heard of a Dulce de Leche Brioche before and let me tell ya, I sampled all kinds of "firsts" at this place. I figured I may never get to visit another patisserie this good again so I better enjoy it and eat as much of it as I can (good reasoning, huh?) See this photo? That is the world's largest chocolate waterfall. Phillip and I, both being chocolate addicts, sat and watched that lovely liquid chocolate ooze down those glass pillars for about an hour, mouth watering. I think I gained 10 pounds just watching it. I highly recommend a visit to this place if you ever find yourself in Vegas. It's divine!

Back to the Holidays now...I am looking forward to getting my house ready for my parents and brother who will be coming to Seattle to join us for Christmas! I was very dissapointed to come home and find that my lovely Christmas tree was completely DEAD. Already!!! We were only gone 5 days, good greif. So now I'm debating...do I leave the dead tree up, or do I take off all my ornaments, buy a new tree, and redecorate for my guests? What do you think? (I've always been a lover of real Christmas trees but after this year the fake trees are starting to look pretty good...)

And I'm needing a few more Christmas cards...guess I'll have to break out the ol' stamps! Whoo hoo! What a great way to end the perfect week.

Scrapbook Diva Challenge on SCS

We are hosting the Scrapbook Diva Challenge over on Splitcoast tomorrow! I designed a Paris-themed scrapbook page and my challenge to you will be to try and stamp directly on to your photographs! Example of this above...note the little doodles on my photo-collage? Yep...stamps! Head on over to the challenge tomorrow to see more from us and a few divas from our Design Team.

Stamps: Lizzie Anne Designs “Ooh La La” and "Chloe" alphabet
Patterned paper: Fancy Pants Designs “Dreamer”
Ink: SU Basic Black, Lavender, and Real Rose
Jewel Brads: SEI
Cream Cardstock
White Gel Pen
Brown Grosgrain Ribbon
Digital Elements: The Shabby Shoppe

Happy 10th Anniversary

Our 10 year anniversary is on the 17th!

I'd like to thank my husband for...

-being such a great dad
-watching chick flicks with me
-filling my car with gas so I don't have to smell like gasoline (you know I hate that)
-working so hard for our family
-supporting me in my business and hobbies
-being technical support
-having such lovely eyes because now our kids have them
-not getting mad that our room is such a mess
-doing your own laundry :)
-loving Disneyland as much as I do
-listening to me and being my friend

We are leaving tomorrow for Vegas to go on our Anniversary trip! Well, actually we're going to Salt Lake first to drop the kids off at my parents place, and then we're going to Vegas. (the things we are willing to do in order to get a little alone time...ha ha.) We went to Vegas on our honeymoon, only back then we were so broke we couldn't afford to do anything! I remember walking the strip looking for a cheap buffet and my feet had blisters from all the walking because we couldn't afford a cab to our hotel which was at the very end of the strip. This time, we're doing it right! We're staying in a nice hotel, going to nice dinners, and seeing a few shows. Yay!

Card Supplies:
Heart to Heart and L'Amour Stamps
Patterned paper by Wild Asparagus
SU Close to Cocoa and Soft Sky ink
Metal heart charm

Two weeks...

Wow, I can't believe we only have two weeks until Christmas! Speaking of...do you have your gifts ready to go? Need any ideas? Make sure to see our December Projects of the Month on our website! We have six fun gift-giving ideas. The Hot Cocoa kit pictured above is my creation. All the directions to make this kit are listed on our website!

Also noteworthy, have you seen all the new samples we've added to our Sketchbook lately? A little secret to share...we usually post new samples at the beginning of the month after our Design Team has finished their monthly projects. We've added about 60 new samples since December 1st! If you want a quick way to find all the latest uploads, click on the NEW button in the sketchbook and it will list all the new samples posted in the last 30 days!

Enjoy!

Finally...

I get to finish my my Christmas cards tonight! Yippee! I've been waiting for my monthly scrap/cardmaking night with my girlfriends to do this...5 blissful hours of papercrafting sans the kids. Sigh. I can't wait! I can see from my little poll down there on the left of my blog that most of you are way ahead of the game on your Christmas cards than I am!

Here's one of the cards I'm going to make a few of tonight. Snowmen are definitely a favorite theme of mine as of late.

Stamps: Simply Singles Snowmen
Paper: Basic Grey Figgy Pudding
Cardstock and Ink: Stampin Up
Other: Red polka-dot ribbon and a light blue Copic marker

Christmas came a bit early...

I have a secret to share. My Christmas gift came early this year. HA HA! I am now the proud owner of a Canon SLR Digital Camera! I just couldn't wait...my other camera was going downhill fast and I have samples to photograph, hello! :) So, you should see amazing card sample shots from me soon (as soon as I can figure out how to use the darn thing.)

I did take this beautiful shot of my baby girl...and it was my first attempt, right out of the box. Not bad eh? I love this camera.

Four Ornaments

This is a card that we included in the December newsletter that was just sent out today, and I thought you may like to know how it was made! I will very often design my card around cute patterned paper. And for this card, I wanted to make the hanging ornaments the same colors as my paper! I added a little glitter glue for some sparkle. Here are the supplies needed to make this card..

Stamps: Merry and Bright and Celebration Sayings
Paper: Basic Grey Figgy Pudding (who isn't using this paper these days? It's fabulous!)
Cardstock: Red, and SU Soft Sky
Ink: SU Soft Sky, Ruby Red, and Old Olive
Ribbon: SU Soft Sky and Daisy D's red stitch
Stickles Glitter Glue

We woke up to the first snow of the season here in Seattle, and it doesn't snow here very often so when it does, it's lots of fun! The best part about it snowing before Christmas is how the Christmas lights look against the snow...I miss seeing that! It's so pretty! Everyone is scared to death of driving in the snow, but it forces you to take it easy and relax at home while you watch the snow flurries fall and sip hot cocoa. We did make it out to get our tree today though...I insisted! My son badly wants to go out and make a snowman already. The problem with living in a place where it rarely snows is we rarely have the proper snow gear for the kids to wear. I might have to just let him go out in his jeans and get sopping wet.