Wadja get?

  Now that the holidays are over and the presents I received put in their places, I have a little time to play with the crafting toys that have found a home in my room.  I received a wax sealing kit, which I am still deciding if I should keep or not.  What can I do with it, looking with an eye toward my card making? 

  Meanwhile, I made this card today for those friends to whom I send New Year cards.  With December being so busy, I don't send a lot of Christmas cards, but I do send new year cards to them in January.  I used the stamp called "Bodice".  Would you believe that I won this as a blog prize and it was one of my very first stamps from QKD?  And I couldn't imagine how I was going to use it!  Now I find myself using it time and again.
  Here, I have a little after-Christmas theme going on.  I can't remember where I heard the sentiment, but I knew it was the perfect sentiment to go with my Christmas present corset.  Inside, the card reads. "And what did you get for Christmas?"
  So, whether you have been nice or naughty, what did you get for the holidays??

Extra Friday Means Extra Card

And I get to play with my newest addition to my growing collection of QKD stamps.  I fell in love with Che Gilson's Hot Chocolate Mouse stamp, and so I knew I had to have it before the year was out!  I took advantage of the December sales and snagged an early Christmas present for myself.


Hot Chocolate Mouse

 With all the Christmas cards I made this year, I had a lot of leftover pieces of paper, so I just pulled together some leftovers: a couple torn pieces of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye Christmas Paper Stack, a short piece of discolored lace, a lonely chipboard heart, a dark teal bow from martha Stewart, a single diecut snowflake, and some adhesive-backed pearls.
I made a 6x6 card for my girlfriend. We're getting together today to close out the old year and plan for the new one.  Then I'm off to Wisconsin for an overnight getaway with my teen daughter.  We are both in need of some quality time together, pampering and spa-ing while looking out over Lake Michigan.
Hope you enjoyed the year. I know I look forward to crafting in the New year, with lots of new stamp and tools and learning new techniques.  Don't forget to check out the QKD Facebook page, as well as the Shoppe for all your stamping needs!
Happy Crafting!

It's Time for a New Year...

...and with a New Year comes new releases, new inspiration, new techniques to try, new cards to make--the list is endless! I can't wait to show you what QKD has to offer in january!  Let's just say that whatever extra time I snag for crafting, you'll see the end result here  on the blog!
But until then, you have time to make your resolutions for a new crafting year.  Personally, I would like to make more time for myself, to craft, to create, to explore, to discover, to share, to give, to love.
Meanwhile, I do have some new-to-me stamps with which to play, so it's time to get crafty with a stamp from Jeanie Dickinson called Time Piece.
I thought it worked perfectly for my New Year's card.  Every year we get together for dinner and the evening with friends of ours--actually, I met my girlfriend in college, and our families have lived close by since. We've shared a lot of play dates with their son and my daughter.  Anyway, we usually start the evening off with a special dinner.  one year it was crab legs and lobster.  Another it was a turkey and a ham.  Another year we enjoyed finger foods and sweets all night long.
Do you like my little New Year's mouse,  scampering across the bottom, on his way to climbing up the clock?
Now for this year's resolution:

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest  (from thequotegarden.com)

Robin in Ivy

Chicago weather is confusing enough for us humans, but when it confuses the animals, you know it's bad.  We have geese flying north in December and south in February, squirrels looking for handouts at your front door when they should be snuggled somewhere in our bare trees, and skunks that go traipsing about our backyard when they should be sound asleep.

So this little robin decided to brave the Windy City winter, and is seen resting amongst the ivy.  The new QKD stamp set from Joanna Bromley is aptly called Robin in Ivy, and I love coloring this little guy over and over.  Today I set him against a blue sky twinkling with snowflakes, and gave him more color than is normally seen in the winter.  That's because I remember a poem/song from my childhood called "little Robin Red-breast" and wanted him to match the song lyrics.

The card is one of several I am making for Christmas showcasing this beautiful image. 
There are lots more beautiful stamp sets available at the shoppe. 

Eight More Crafting Days Until Christmas

...and I wanted to show you another card I made for friends and family this year.  I used Queen Kat Design's rubber stamp called Robin in Ivy by Joanna Bromley.  This little bird looks ready for the holidays--sure wish I were!  I have 25 people coming to my house for dinner (27 if the queen and her gram come), but the walls of my house stretch for family and friends.  I need to finish off a few more projects before I can breathe, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!  It helps that I love what I do, so it doesn't feel like work.  I just need some time in an alternate universe, so I can craft to my heart's content, finish my projects, catch a few zzz's, and return refreshed and at the very moment that I left (alternate time works that way---cool, huh?!).

Back to reality (as I know it):  I love this little robin so much, he is on quite a few of my cards this year.  I framed him with diecut ever-greenery, forming a wreath around him.  The diecut trees below are topped off with a little snow, and flakes are falling from the sky all around him.  Don't you love that Christmas song sheet patterned paper from My Mind's Eye?  I wish I had a few more stacks!!
Keep on crafting, all.  If you're in need of any last minute gifts for your crafty friends, you can find some beautiful stamps over at QKD. 

Getting Ready for Christmas

Okay, crafters, I hope you're more on schedule than I am! I have my cards finished and ready to mail out, but I still have quite a few projects to finish before the big day (did I say that there were only 15 more crafting days until Christmas???).  Here's one of the cards I'm sending out this week.  It uses the new stamp release by Joanna Bromley called Christmas Elf.  Now that's a guy who takes his work seriously, yet looks like he's having fun with it!

I colored him with Copics and added some sparkle (what's Christmas without some sparkle?) with a little Stickles applied here and there.  Some felt fusion to form a border for my card, a cardstock sentiment, and a few pieces of patterned paper finish off my festive card, along with a couple of well-placed jewels. 

I wonder how many ornaments this little fellow has to polish before his next coffee break?
Check out the wonderful holiday stamps available at The Shoppe, and remember to keep on crafting!

Twenty-two More Crafting Days Until Christmas

Today I wanted to show you a present I made for my bff.  She is the Queen of List Making, and I thought I'd gift her with more than just a card this year.  I altered a notebook so she can jot down all her New Year's Resolutions in it now, and laugh over the lists at next New Year's Eve!

I used Queen Kat Design's Christmas Elf by Joanna Bromley, who looks so happy at what she's doing that she inspired me to use the sentiment "Love What You Do; Do What You Love".  It's a shortened version of "Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life", but I didn't have enough room for that! LOL
I couldn't stop coloring my image, and then I couldn't choose which one to use on the cover, so I decided to go with them all!  Some Stickles added shine to the ornaments and the starry backgrounds, and some skittles glitzed up the patterned paper I used to cover the notebook.  I adhered a wide ribbon down the spine and cut the end in four, then braided it and attached some beads.
I already made my friend her card, so I'm finished with one person, except for wrapping it!  Only umpteen more for whom to craft!  I'm going to be busy this month, but I'm sure I'm not alone!

Love Boat

I hope everyone enjoyed the fabulous birthday bash at Queen Kat Designs on Facebook this month!  I know I did--I won some prizes, played some games, met some new friends, got some excellent deals on stamps and added to my wish list!!

Here's another card featuring the QKD release "Owl and the Pussycat" by Shona MacDonald.  This time I have the romantic couple sailing out to sea at night.  I colored the image with my Copics, and used Stickles and Liquid Glass to give the water and a few other details a little glitz.  I framed it on a piece of cardstock and placed it on my card with dimensional dots, after covering the bottom half of the card with some teal webbing.
The sentiment was stamped from another QKD set called Witch Sisters from Marlon T, and cut it out to give it the look of a moon with some ink distressing and Stickles.
Finally, I added some tiny seashells to the webbing, and my card is complete.  All the patterned paper and cardstock was taken from my leftover stash, which I have vowed to use up by end of year.  Meanwhile, check out the new releases QKD has released during its fifth birthday celebration, and make out your Christmas Wish List before its too late!!

Thanksgiving Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Queen Kat Designs readers and customers and everyone else. We hope that everyone is having a blessed day with their friends and family.

My card that I wanted to share with you today is Shona McDonald's Bedtime for Peasmore. I used the September Royal Kat Kit. As Peasmore is getting ready for bed, the sentiment that I used is perfect for this Thanksgiving Day, "What Would I Do Without You?"

















Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Happy, Happy, Happy

What a lot of fun going on at the birthday celebration on Facebook this month!!  So many new releases, so many giveaways, challenges, and laughs!!
And now, It's finally here!  After all the games, prizes, giveaways, new releases--this weekend is the BIG DAY!!  Queen Kat Designs celebrates FIVE YEARS! 
And here's another birthday card using Lisa Cree's Eat Cake Stamp Set to show how much fun we're having at the palace!  Don't miss the grand conclusion to the 19 day celebration!  Get your stamps while they're still in stock and on sale!
Remember, only 36 more crafting days until Christmas!!

Thursday Thoughts

The eyes have it again this week for Thursday Thoughts. While Nora Blansett's Purple Eyes are fabulous in purple, today, I decided to share them in another manner. I always want to use a more "art journal" approach to my cards, but I am also hesitant about putting too much stuff on a card. So, today, I wanted to share a vintage-style card using an art journal approach while still being somewhat clean and simple. (Did you get all that!?)
























Okay, first I pulled out the July Royal Kit (didn't get it when it was first released, there are still two left). I used the patterned paper in the kit and stamped directly onto it. Then I also used the cardstock included in the kit as my card. More patterned paper and the Eiffel Tower die cut were then added. The final touch was the use of jewels on the accent parts of the eyes. While these are not the jewels included in the kit, there are some in there that you could use.



















Quick and easy and fun!! Hope you stop by next week to see what I have to share.

Birthday Party in Full Swing

Birthday Set by Lisa Cree

And what would be more fitting than cupcakes baked for a queen!!  Mmm, piled high with ooey, gooey frosting, dripping down the sides, and a plump cherry on top!  This scrumptious cupcake image is from the Eat Cake Stamp Set by Lisa Cree, and the sentiment I snagged from The Quote Garden and printed out. That glorious flower was handmade by my crafting friend Shannon.
Sigh, I really love cupcakes, especially chocolate ones, but I can no longer have them.  Sugar and my body don't mix, so I can look, I can stamp, I can color, I can Stickle them, but nary a bite shall pass these lips, because I want to live!
Speaking about living, we are really living it up at the Queen's 5th Birthday Party!  Lots of games and fun have been enjoyed by party-goers, sales have been taken advantage of at the Shoppe, and prizes have already been given away!  The designers have been super busy with new stamps to die for (oh, dear, my shopping lists has grown to enormous proportions).  But there's still time to join in the fun, as Her Majesty celebrates her birthday on November 19th with this 19 day celebration. 
So what are you waiting for?!  Go pay your respects to the birthday girl and par-tay!!

Thursday Thoughts

With visions of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads . . . yes, it does seem a little bit early for Christmas but it really isn't.

Shona MacDonald's Bed Time for Peasmore is just a fabulous stamp that would be perfect for Christmas cards. While I didn't use it for Christmas, the more I look at it, the more I think I should!!!

















Peasmore is bundled up and ready for bed! Love the papers and embellishments that I used well you can pick them up. They are from a previous Royal Kit and are on sale right now!!

Love is a Voyage on the Sea of Life

The Owl and The Pussycat was recently voted England's favorite children’s poem. “Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils,” Edward Lear once wrote, and his joy in absurdity reflected his whole approach to “this ludicrously whirligig life which one suffers first & laughs at afterwards.”  (http://nonsenselit.wordpress.com/). 

When I saw the new QKD November release stamp "Owl & the Pussycat"by Shona MacDonald, it brought me back to my childhood days of reading poetry.  I was an avid reader, often hiding out on the back porch at my cousin's house because that's where he kept his Hardy Boys books.  (I had already read my Nancy Drew collection twice by then.)  I loved to read almost anything, latching onto Charles Dickens as often as I read Robert Heinlein, but my favorite read has always been poetry. To give you a little ambience to my card, let me introduce you to this unlikely couple: 
                  

                                 "The owl and the pussy-cat went to sea

                                         In a beautiful pea green boat

                                 They took some honey, and plenty of money

                                        Wrapped up in a five pound note.

                                 The Owl looked up to the stars above,
                                        And sang to a small guitar,
                                 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
                                       What a beautiful Pussy you are..."

After coloring my image with Copics too numerous to list, I glitzed it with a little Liquid Glass and some Stickles.  I couldn't decided on the background paper, so I pretty much tossed all my pieces onto the card until I was happy, cutting out some details from another piece of paper like the spoon (please don't ask me why) and the clock.  The image brought about  childhood memories so I added the vintage baby and kept adding embellishments until it was time to go to bed.

Since I discovered that Edward Lear left an unfinished sequel to his famous poem, about the many children this odd couple had had after getting married, I thought my sentiment fit well on the card.

Queen Kat Designs has so many lovely stamps that will bring out the child in you, too.  And don't forget that this month, until the 19th of november, they are having a birthday bash with fun, games, prizes and inspiration every day.  You can check out all the lovely events HERE.  Every Friday for the next three weeks we'll also offer up a challenge, so go check them out!

Thursday Thoughts

The eyes have it! Well, the purple eyes that is. . .

While I have always drooled over the fabulous eyes created by Nora Blansett, when I got these beauties in the mail, I was so intimidated.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I LOVE these stamps but always thought that I was not capable of doing them any justice (still wondering about that) so I shied away from them and was terrified of them as well.

So, after taking a breath and thinking and then thinking that I was over thinking, I just stamped with them! And here is one of the cards that I made with them.


After I finished, I realized that I could use these stamps and that I could use them the way that I normally stamp! So, don't just drool over stamps, grab them and use them. You might even like the way they turn out!!!

It's Birthday Time at the Castle!

Thank you for joining us today as we kick off the 5th birthday celebration for Queen Kat Designs Stamp Co. We are grateful to have you here as we celebrate 5 years of stamping fun! It’s been a fun adventure that we embarked on in November 2006 and the adventures keep on coming!

We are hosting a 19 day extravaganza of prizes and fun! We have lots of prizes from our artists! Each day we will do at least 1 giveaway or have a way for you to enter to win something!

Here’s a bit about what we have in store for you for the next 19 days!

-Giveaways

-A game of Bingo.. Queen Kat Style

-Stamp releases

-Challenges

and more!

Most of the excitment will take place on the QKD Fan Page on Facebook so come "Like" us and jump in!

We are kicking the celebration off with a Royal Court blog hop! You are at your first stop here at the Castle Blog. I have a pretty resist card to share with you today. For this card, I used a new stamp set coming out tomorrow in the new stamp release, Versamark ink, Ripe Persimmon and Seedless Preserves Distress Ink along with some Black Stazon. My photo isn't the best, I'm sorry. I'm learning a new camera and by the time I made the card it was dark outside. :)

I hope you will continue the blog hop. Your next stop is.. Pat Martin

If you get lost along the way, make your way back here to the castle.. Here's the entire hop order for today.

QKD Blog

Pat

Jan

Maria

Vicki

Kerry

Jean

Penny

Bonnie

Chris

Wynneth

Janie

Birthday Celebration Bingo Card

Here's the bingo card for the game that we will play beginning on Thursday Nov 3rd. So make sure you have it printed out, filled in and scanned in before the game starts!

If you would like to play in Queen Kat Bingo, please email your completed bingo card to: info@katstamps.com by 8am PST on Thursday Nov 3rd.

No card in my inbox for you= No Bingo game for you!

To Print: Open link above and right click on the bingo card and save to your computer and print out just like a photo. you may have to resize the card if it's printing too large.

To Fill Out: Using the stamp designers names on the sheet fill in each block with 1 name. Be sure not to duplicate a name and leave the middle square empty. That's the FREE space! :)

About the game:
Each day I will call up to 4 names. I will post them on the Facebook Fan Page as well as alter THIS blog post! I will update the game sometime throughout the day. There will also be a "Note" on our Fan Page that I will update with the days words.

To Win:
This is 3 line Bingo

You must get 3 lines blacked out to get bingo. They can be across, down or diagnol. But there must be 3 lines that match the names called.

When you have 3 lines blacked out on your card call bingo on the Facebook Fan Page!

I will be playing along with you all on your cards and will know when someone gets bingo but if you don't call it out, you'll miss out on your prize!! It's BINGO peeps! Scream it like you mean it!

The prize will be a $25 gift certificate to the Queen Kat Designs Stamp Store for Rubber Stamps!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This file is property of Queen Kat Designs and is not to be used or altered by any other company or person. Make your own!

QKD Turns 5 in 20 days!!

You're invited to the 5th birthday celebration of Queen Kat Designs Rubber Stamp Company!!

IT'S FREE!! COME ANYTIME YOU WANT!! IT'LL LAST 19 ENTIRE DAYS!!!

We are celebrating our 5th birthday in November! There will be Challenges with prizes, Daily giveaways, contests, a sweepstakes giveaway and lots more!!Come and celebrate with QKD and our fabulous artists. There's NO set time to come. It's all online! come in your jammies bring your hot chocolate and get ready for 19 days of fun!!

RSVP here to be entered into the first prize giveaway!

Witch Sisters by Marlon T, Part 2

Happy Friday, crafters!  My Halloween mojo is really cranking out some projects!  Today I’m making Halloween candles for party decorations.

Which reminds me of the time when Kitty and Batty were just learning their spells and almost set the whole town on fire.  Kitty and Batty (my names for them) are stamps from the Queen Kat Designs October release stamp set called Witch Sisters by Marlon T. 

Well, Kitty was reading spells out of the big book left to them by their great, great grandmother.  Batty was only half listening, as she had her eye on the last chocolate chip cookie on the plate.  Did I mention Batty loved chocolate chip cookies?

Suddenly, Kitty snapped the book with a bang and jumped from her perch on the arm of the couch.  “Let’s try it!” she exclaimed.  Batty didn’t want to appear inattentive (again) so she jumped up with her sister and agreed, to what she had no idea!

Kitty set about gathering up leaves and cinnamon and ashes from the fireplace while Batty pulled out the battered cauldron from under the stairs and took it outside.  Kitty filled it with the materials she had gathered, held Batty’s hands in hers and whispered to her that it was time to close their eyes and recite the words to the spell.

Since Batty had been accused many times of not paying attention, she just closed her eyes and whispered words that she thought sounded “magical” and that rhymed rather nicely.

When a wave of heat blasted her in the face, she opened her eyes to see a jet of fire pouring out of the cauldron!

Kitty was running around the fire, exclaiming that this was NOT supposed to be so large and waving her arms about in a helpless fashion.  So Batty did the only thing she could think of to help---she kicked the cauldron over and…

It started to roll down the front yard and onto the street and straight down toward town (cauldrons are a bit rounded on their bottoms, you know).

Well, that shook Kitty right out of her useless circling.  She hopped onto her broom and flew straight up to the sky.  Meanwhile, poor Batty had gone running after the cauldron in hopes of catching it.  Just before it bounced into the vicar’s fence, the cauldron caught a draft (steered along by Kitty and a helpful cloud) and veered right into the town well, where the fire was drowned in a hiss of steam and slightly orange smoke.

No one but the vicar saw the cauldron nearly miss his fence and steam up at the well, and he never alluded to it (and who would believe him?), but from that day forward he always kept an eye out for the two Witch Sisters.

Oops, I got sidetracked there, back to my Halloween candles.  I stamped and colored my images onto mulberry paper (tissue paper works just as well, just has less dimension).  I used both witch sisters and three different sentiments, and each candle will be either green, orange or purple.  I tore my mulberry paper to fit the pillar candles I bought and then cut a piece of wax paper the size of the candle.  I placed first my paper on the candle, then the wax paper over it.  Holding it tightly to the candle, I used my heat gun to heat up  the wax and seal the paper onto the candle.  I don’t know if you can tell from the photo, but when finished, the candle looks like the paper and image are beneath the wax.  To finish off the candle, I added adhesive-backed beads to the bottom.  I’m making about a dozen of these to help set a festive table come the Halloween party.

The Witch Sisters stamp set by Marlon T comes with a variety various bewitching sentiments like the ones I used on today’s project.  They are a great addition to all crafters who like to stamp some fun this Halloween, and can be found HERE.

Oops, before I forget, don't YOU forget the QKD Birthday celebration starting November 1.  Can you believe Queen Kat Designs will be 5 years old this November 19?  Check out their Facebook event HERE and RSVP that you're attending and your name will be entered to win a prize.  Then get ready for 19 days of fun and crafting and inspiration and prizes!

I Smell a Birthday Celebration

That's right, Queen Kat Designs is celebrating its fifth birthday with a 19 day celebration!  Fun and inspiration for everyone--Have you RSVPd yet?  Check out the Facebook Fan Page for the details and come praty with us!  The party starts November 1st!

As you can see I have my present all wrapped up and ready to go!

Forest Night in October

Forest Night by Terra Bidlespacher

Happy Friday, all! 
I love the fanstasy stamps from QKD so much.  Terra Bidlespacher's Forest Night image makes me feel like I was interrupting a serious family discussion while walking in the woods, pausing only long enough to snap a photo of the group before turning apologetically around and taking a different path, never to meet the close-knit group again, and later wondering if I really saw them, or it was just my imagination in the forest night.
Today I made a Z card and decided that this fairy needed to have a mossy tinge to her skin, what with living in the forest all the time.

I threw this card together using leftover bits and pieces of patterned paper and my last roses from the closing of my local Michael’s store (rest in peace, you will be missed).
If this pretty forest fairy and her surroundings whispers to your muse, she can be found HERE along with so many other gorgeous and fun stamps.  The QKD store offers free shipping on minimum orders, clearance items, and monthly kits, so there's something for everyone!!  (My shopping list at QKD is a mile long!)

Enjoy this bewitching month of crisp autumn air, falling leaves and the smell of mulled apple cider!  Because

QKD will celebrate their 5th birthday on November 19th. Just click HERE for the event details and you can RSVP. Everyone who is attending gets a chance for a prize, and there's lots more where that came from!!

Starting on November 1, QKD will have a 19 day long celebration! Lots of fun things are planned!  Sure hope you can join us in the celebration!

Thursday Thoughts

Another week another day of Thursday thoughts. This week has turned off cooler (definitely something that was needed!). When it is cooler, it seems (to me at least) that it is the perfect weather for snuggling up with a cup of coffee and a good book or a cup of coffee and crafting away.

Here's one of the recent projects that has come off of my scrap table!

This is another card featuring Bunny by Terra B.

Thanks for stopping by!

backgrounds part 2

hello monday.......  friends wanted to know how i did back ground paper so i thought i would do a video and i could not get it to work but i will try again....so here are some pictures to show some of the steps....just remember no right or wrong and if you don't like it keep adding to it .....=0) I like to use 3 colors and add all over a piece of paper or art journal page bright and crazy......then i water down white paint or use the airbrush paint that is already thin (learned from Donna Downey)

put it on top of one side then mist with water and brush over (make sure paint is dry) then if i want more color to show i will lift some of the white off with paper towel.... once dry i use black ink and stamp some of my favorite stamps on like clock faces and my words background....

I cut up the paper to use as backgrounds for card and ATC's sometimes i will use white paint on a stamp and stamp to add extra dimension and use white paint on my finger and go around the edges (gives a different look than ink).

then i added ink to edges and a little on card to blend again adding layers of  items or techniques create depth to the backgrounds....for more examples go to http://jeaniesdesigns.blogspot.com 

Thanks and have fun painting background papers....
=0) jeanie

Swing on into a Forest Night




Forest Night by Terra Bidlespacher

  Happy Friday, crafters!  Today I decided to play with my new stamp called Forest Night by Terra Bidlespacher.  The full stamp is so beautiful and I promise I will make a card to show off the full image on another Friday post, but for now I decided to make a moving card.  Because the window in which the image hangs is somewhat small, I had to cut the image down a bit.

I had made a spinning swing card once before, and wanted to see how Forest Night would present, so I  colored and cut out the fairy in the stamp to use as the spinning image.  The design is fairly simple, and I made a video tutorial of it.  You can view it by clicking the following link (I hope):
QKD SPINNING SWING CARD 


If you are as enamored of this image as I am, Forest Night by Terra Bidlespacher is available for purchase now at the STORE.  Don't forget to leave some love!

Thursday Thoughts

Thursday, Thursday -- Penny here again with another quick thought on Thursday.  I love crafting and creating and know that so many others out there are just like me -- but, always remember that your work is yours and as such it is fabulous!! 

Terrell Dorfeo's Butterfly Care is the stamp that I used this week. I took a little license with it and gave her blue hair.  It was either blue or pink and today, I decided to go with blue!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you can come by next week as well!

Monday backgrounds

Hello Monday....
I want to show a background today....no matter what our project we have to start somewhere and most times it is with papers....BUT what if we don't have any (experienced this when i lost all supplies to a fire)
or what if it just isn't the right color and it is midnight when we are inspired? well make some...
for the next few weeks i will be posting the steps and how to's till we get to the finished item (s) .....

Start with 3 colors you like and randomly paint them on 8.5x11 card stock, we will learn to mute them later..... randomly add some stamps.....there is a sale going on at QKD store.

see you next time for the next installments of making backgrounds (or your own patterned papers) 

have a great paper crafting week

=0) jeanie

Witch Sisters by Marlon T



Witch Sisters by Marlon T

 Good Morning, crafters!  My name is Pat and I am a new Royal Stamping Maiden for Queen Kat Designs (aka Design Team Member).  I would like to introduce you to QKD's October Release rubber stamp set,  Witch Sisters by Marlon T.http://katstamps.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=228_205_184&products_id=6246

I have Halloween on my mind today.  This is one of my favorite holidays, mostly because of the fun factor.  When else can you dress up (or down) and act a part, or let your goofy personality shine forth (without the help of a few glasses of wine)?  So I inked up a couple of stamps from Marlon T's set and I have a little story to tell you...

Once upon a time, there were two sisters who were much like everyone else, except they were lucky enough to be witches.  Not the bad old ugly crones you see in horror movies, just two very spiritual and perceptive witches who channeled the energies of nature into spells and potions and a few nocturnal flights on their broom sticks.
Their names were Caterina and Bathilda, but most called them Kitty and Batty.  Kitty flew when the moon was full, with her pet cat, Midnight, by her side.  Batty liked to fly alongside her pet, Shadow, who was a black bat.
Both girls were young, pretty and had a great sense of humor.  They liked to play tricks on each other, and sometimes on their neighbors, which did not make them very popular when it came time for parties.  No one was likely to forget Alice’s tenth birthday party, to whom the girls were innocently invited. 
Batty gave Alice a beautiful hand mirror, that unfortunately reflected the viewer's secret dissatisfaction with themselves.  Alice went around all afternoon smoothing down a cowlick that was never really there,  and Peter, who swiped the mirror when she wasn't looking, kept picking his nose, sure that the long booger hanging from his right nostril would come out this time.
Batty wasn’t alone in the mayhem-making.  Kitty had stood behind one of the mothers in the food line, and watched as the adult took the last of the chocolate chip cookies.  Kitty graciously offered a cup of punch to the poor woman, who couldn’t stop grunting and squealing like a pig until she woke the next morning.

But I lose myself in the story of the Witch Sisters, whose stamps you can purchase HERE.  Now for my project...
I am hostessing a Halloween party, and I love to handmake a lot of my decorations, favors, etc.  One thing I want to have on hand is a pile of containers in which guests can take home treats.  Both hubby and I are diabetic, so we don't want them lingering here, calling to us suggestively in the middle of the night.  So picture this box and the others filled with all sorts of cupcakes, cookies and sweet treats.  Yum, but I think my blood sugar just went up a couple notches writing this!!
I snagged a package of these cupcake boxes on clearance last November, and colored and adhered my Witch Sisters onto the tops with a couple of the sentiments that go with the stamp set.   A pretty Halloween ribbon around the box will complete the "To Go" boxes.

If you want to hear more about Batty and Kitty, I have more projects I’ll be posting this month from this bewitching stamp set, so keep checking back, and don’t forget the new set is called Witch Sisters by Marlon T, available for purchase now at the STORE.  Don't forget to leave some love!

Thursday Thoughts

Another week, another Thursday, and another card from me!!!  Here we are in October -- yes, hard to believe. This week, I wanted to feature a card using a stamp by Terra Bidlespacher.

This stamp is Bunny; the girl looks so pensive, almost sad as she is holding the sweet little bunny!  I used some patterned paper and mesh only on this card -- simple but effective design!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure you stop by next week to see what card I will feature.

monday

life has been a ride the last month....travel and family and work and my husband broke his toe yesterday and we are in Ogden Utah today....craziness...............

happy stamping
jeanie

Pumpkins Again!

I have been in a Halloween kick the last couple of MONTHS!  Yes, I guess it might seem crazy, but I love Halloween. I love seeing kids dress up in costumes, the candy, oh yes, especially the candy corn, and pumpkins.

So, to help with my pumpkin/Halloween mood, I played around with Pumpkin Stack.

Also check out some of the other fabulous Halloween stamps available at QKD!

Thursday Thoughts

September is a busy month, but it is amazing how much can be put into 30 days; here is a card that I made using Meadow Pixie Arts Chibi Mermaid Stamp. I wanted it to look like she was "swimming" on the card.



Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday Thoughts

Today, I woke up to an overcast sky, a cool breeze, and a hint of fall in the air. Wow! It was so nice to have a brief look at what I am desperately waiting for -- fall! But, along with fall comes a little bit brisker pace as we get ready for Halloween, birthdays, and such. Of course, one of the best things about Halloween is candy corn (sshh, I have already had one bag!)

But, we also love carving pumpkins and as such, I love the new stamp that was released at Queen Kat Designs - Pumpkin Stack.

Here's my card using Pumpkin Stack.



See you next week!

Versamark Resist Technique

Supplies: black cardstock, 3 brads, adhesive, Versamark ink, Barn Door Distress Ink, soft cloth or towel, card base, and of course some stamps! I used a sentiment from Queen Kat Designs and a background stamp that will be released soon from QKD as well, Scissors, Black India Ink and an ink blending tool.

Directions:
1. Ink the background stamp with versamark ink. I used Champagne in VM ink. Next lay your stamp face up on your craft mat or work surface. Lay your glossy cardstock face down onto the stamp and gently rub all over it with your hands to transfer your ink onto your cardstock. Heat dry with your heat tool.

2. Using barn door ink and a blending tool, apply the ink onto your glossy cardstock. I find you get a much richer color if you use a blending tool and rub it into the cardstock vs. the pad to paper method because unless you press your ink pad into your paper and rub the heck out of it you will not acheive the bright colors. and this way you won't have to do layer after layer as if you were using the direct to paper technique. ps.. moral of the story, using an ink blending tool will save ink in your ink pad and you won't be rubbing it off of the paper onto a towel. :) That's the cheap-o in me! After you have inked it, gently rub the excess ink off with your towel to help the resist show through.

3. Mat the resisted background onto black cardstock and then adhere to the front of your card. Set aside.

4. Stamp the sentiment on white cardstock with black india ink and using your ink blending tool, color the cardstock with Barn Door ink. Cut right edge into a "v" and mat onto black cardstock, add brads and adhere to the card.

How simple was that?? Have a fabulous day!

Thursday Thoughts

I made a couple of cards this past weekend since we were hunkered down because of all of the rain from Tropical Storm/Depression Lee. Since it was raining, I thought it was appropriate to use a mermaid stamp! This card features the Chibi Mermaid Stamp by Meadow Pixie Arts!



Such a fun stamp!!

Welcoming Sandra Caldwell

Tonight we are proud and excited to welcome Sandra Caldwell to our team of artists. Sandra designs some of the cutest doodled people and pets I've seen in a long time! I have asked her to design a series of "old people" for Queen Kat Designs. She's sent me some of them already and we are proud to offer them in our shop today! Check them out:

In addition to the cute series Sandra has started, we will have some Halloween, cats and teddy bears in the months to come! Get your Doodles by Sandra now at Queen Kat Designs Stamp Co.

Here's a bit about Sanrda. Please leave some love on the post for her.

A little about me…
I am a wife of 38 years, and a mother and grandmother from Sunny California.
I have been creating my crafts, and designing doodles ,
ATC ACEO Cards , doodles paintings and clay, paper clay
Makedos , magnets for over 30 years...online and offline for sale.
Known as Sandra of Babycakes Doodles & Designs online.
I usually make whimsical, Black folkart, childrens type doodle art
made for all holidays.
My originals doodle paintings … and all my doodles are inspired
by my grandkids and come from the heart.
" Made from my drawing board to You"
I have 4 blogs myself, like potato chips...One was not enough.

One of my blogs is a doodle blog , called " Babycakes Doodle This & That"
However the doodles you will see here will be all different than what you see there.
I am proud to have my doodles made into usable stamps here on Queen Kat Designs,
I can’t believe I am here with such a wonderful talent group of artists.
And I surely hope I will become one of your favorites.
And that my doodles will make you smile !

Thursday Thoughts

I wanted to share another fun card using Terrell Dorfeo's Chubby Witch Stamp



This is such a fabulous stamp that it doesn't need a lot of bling to dress it up; a simple web background a little accent and this fabulous stamp is all that is needed for a fabulous Halloween card!

Thanks for stopping by!

ooppsss

hello monday....I got so busy with my new class i forgot to post.....I posted last week something that was for september so i am just a little off....such craziness life is.

my very first stamps the banner and the tree....these are great fall colors..........

jeanie

Thursday Thoughts on a Friday

Week two of school and a chance to breathe has definitely been needed!! What better way to relax than to pull out those stamps and play and forget all the troubles.

In fact, in the mail today, I just got a couple of gorgeous new stamps and the August Get Inked Kit



I definitely cannot wait to start stamping!! So, you know you want this kit so head off to the store and get one while there are still a few left!

hello Monday

fought a headache all morning....sseeesssshhhhh....

so i finally made a card...not my best....i think my frustration showed....
new birdhouse and vine stamp set from QKD and jeanie dickinson...
have a great papercrafting week
jeanie

Satisfaction

Can you tell that I really like cupcakes and fruit? And cupcakes with fruit are the best. This little dragon seems to agree since he seems to have finished off his cupcake pretty quick and is saving the cherry to have just as soon as he doesn't feel so very full.
Until I started to look for what I wanted to post about this week, I didn't realize how often food seemed to be featured in my work. Tiny dragons and fairy cats with berries and cupcakes or a nice hot tea. I will confess that the fruit is more common for me to paint in the warm months when we are finding such beautiful berries and such in the grocery stores or growing wild on the the side of the road. And hot tea? My favorite winter treat.
Okay the apricots in the kitchen are calling..... At least I don't have cupcakes in the house to be tempting me late at night.