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!