Texas Rubber & Ink!

Adieu, Watercolor Thank You!

Friday, May 13, 2016

Do you ever get pulled in by what you want to stamp, when you should actually be doing what you need to stamp? That's me today. So, I've decided to just go with it, share it, and get back to the original plan! LOL (Yes, I still need to do a few things for tomorrow's class ... and this card is not one of those for class!)
tsk tsk tsk

I have so many ideas right now... but ... whenever there's a lot of other things happening away from the studio, it seems like there's a need to rush when I do get the chance to play with inks and rubber. Simplified? That's a sure sign that I love what I do!

If you enjoy quick 'n easy thank you cards, here's one for today. Originally planned for the retiring Watercolor Thank You single stamp, I felt the urge to add in some textured interest with Gorgeous Grunge. Totally empty space (TES) is still a tricky thing for me, even though I'm working on that a lot this year. TES and I are trying to build a working relationship, but it is a work in progress. The golden Hello Honey color is also retiring from our color palette in all forms, so now is the time to finish up collecting favorite In Colors if you haven't done so already. Once any retiring In Color items are sold out, they are not replenished this close to new catalog arrivals. Eeeeeeks! Other retiring items featured today are the Ovals Collection Framelits (another tissue-time item for me). The printed paper is actually the reverse sign of the acorn paper from last Fall's 'Into the Woods' dsp collection.

Okay ... time for me to get back to class prep and tying up invisible loose ends for that. It's Friday, Y'all! Have a wonderful weekend out there!

Inky (((huggss))),

Product List

Watercolor Thank You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

[135377]

$9.00

Gorgeous Grunge Clear Stamp Set

[130517]

$18.00

Ovals Collection Framelits Die

[129381]

$27.00

Hello Honey 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133678]

$7.00

Into The Woods Designer Series Paper

[139586]

$11.00

Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[120953]

$7.00

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[121045]

$7.00

Banner Triple Punch

[138292]

$23.00

Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad

[140931]

$7.00

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

[126975]

$6.50

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Big Shot

[113439]

$110.00

Big Shot Magnetic Platform

[130658]

$40.00

Remarkable in Indigo

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Believe it or not, I still have a couple of my coloring books from way back when. Truth! Although I've moved on from my earliest coloring tool of choice, crayons, I do still seriously enjoy coloring. I'm not one of those who chooses alcohol markers first. In fact, markers actually fall much lower on my list of personal choices. *gasp*

So, my upcoming class will focus on the relaxing use of Aqua Painters. I can literally escape into a sublime form of mental relaxation when using these water-filled brushes. Today's Sketch Challenge, SC592, provided the sketch I've used for one of our card designs coming up this weekend. I love it when things seem to fall together so easily!

One of my favorite things about the Remarkable You stamp set is the delightful sketched style of the line-art images ... perfect for watercoloring!

It's a two-box set, including three different blossoms, a full set of foliage, plus a sentiment for the card front and one for the inside.

I've used the retiring Bohemian designer series paper collection for the contrasting layer. This piece is the reverse side of one of the boldly-colored papers and features the Delightful Dijon color plus Very Vanilla. So, I chose the blossom colors from the same paper collection. Island Indigo was used for coloring the blossom and for the card base. Mossy Meadow ink was used for the foliage.

Have a great last-half of the week, m'friends!

Inky (((hugs))),

Product List

Bohemian Designer Series Paper

[138446]

$11.00

Remarkable You Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[139894]

$33.00

Remarkable You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

[139891]

$45.00

Aqua Painters

[103954]

$17.00

Paper Snips Scissors

[103579]

$10.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

[138288]

$8.50

Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad

[126986]

$6.50

Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad

[133645]

$6.50

Island Indigo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[122923]

$7.00

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[101650]

$8.50

Bohemian Borders & "Very" Thanks!

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

My 'farewell' efforts continue as I'm enjoying inking up retiring stamps! Although I always get a little sad when particular items reach the Retiring List, it does cause me to reach for colors, papers, and stamps that are "on the list", when they might otherwise be languishing without enough stampy play time. (Okay .... can stamps really 'languish'?? Doubtful, but YKWIM.) ;)

This week's Try a New Technique Challenge, TLC585, is hosted by my sweet friend, Judy Rozema. Clever stamper that she is, she has challenged stampers to use a stamp to create a border around our entire image ... not just one side, etc. Since the Bohemian Borders stamp set is retiring, and my beloved Blackberry Bliss (In Color 2014-2016) is also retiring, it became a quick and logical choice for me. I decided this challenge would work well for my recent efforts in stamping with a more CAS {Clean + Simple} style.

Alignment was much easier than I expected since I used my Misti for the border and sentiment stamp. Sentiment is from the also-retiring set, Fabulous Four. I make/use lots 'n lots of thank you cards, so recent customers might be recognizing this soon!

Remember that if your online purchase this month passes $50 in merchandise, I'll be contacting you to choose a free stamp set! Qualifying orders are $50+ before shipping and tax. ;) AND ... if your order is going much farther than $50, please ask me about my Bev Bonus offer on qualifying purchases before you submit your purchase.

Thanks big bunches, everyone!

Inky (((hugs))),

~
~

Product List

Bohemian Borders Photopolymer Stamp Set

[138938]

$17.00

Fabulous Four Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[134174]

$15.00

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

[133642]

$6.50

Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133675]

$7.00

Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad

[126982]

$6.50

Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[122924]

$7.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

$8.50

Happy Age Awareness! with a Smidge of Mother's Day!

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Back at the laptop, photo editing software, studio, state of Texas, home again, getting inky, and ready to share!

Yes ... I'm back from a much-needed visit with beloved treasures in the place of my roots in my tiny town, USA. I still have cousins and friends-like-siblings, and life-long friends hours away in Oklahoma. Just a few weeks ago I sat for about 3+ hours over coffee and home-made bread, talking politics, Faith, and life with a 92-year old treasure. Although I hated to leave, the drive back to Texas was ahead of me. This past week it was time to bid farewell to him, the father of a treasured cousin.

It takes a village to raise a child ... and I am 'one of those children' from a very special village of sorts. This amazing man was always like an extra parent to me from birth forward. It has taken many efforts to create again, and I think today I've finally crossed that hurdle back into finding a bit of creative flow. I'm still humming beautiful music from gospels to some contemporary, so it is good.

I reached for some retiring goodies, but mixed retiring with a smattering of staying. It all started with a challenge from my friend Wendy Weixler (Wendybell) over at SCS ... F4A324 -Pretty Patterns - Use at least 2 different patterned papers, but using more is all good, too!. (As it turns out, Wendy and I share the affliction [addiction?] of collecting pretty papers!) Isn't it fun when you learn another tie that binds you with a friend? And this is such an 'uncommon' tie between stampy friends, too! NOT

Just sayin' ... if you like the fab + fun Age Awareness stamp set ...now is the time to scoop it up, as it is retiring with the close of the current catalog,

along with one of my very favorite designer series paper collections ever ... Birthday Bouquet, and the darling little Party Punch Pack punches which includes the bitty balloon, cupcake, and candle punches. And let's not forget that Curvy Corner Trio punch! (Seriously ... I'm having sadzzzz over that one ...) . Inks used today include Archival Basic Gray (sentiments), Smoky Slate (strings), and Blush Blossom (splatters from Timeless Textures stamps).

Oh .. the smidge of Mother's Day to share!

My daughter and her family took me to lunch this afternoon ... complete with a beautiful long-stemmed rose handed to me by each of her children. Heart-filling smiles and hugs ... doesn't really get any better than that!

Here's to a wonderful week to each of you!

Inky (((hugs))),