DeNami Design's December Blog Hop: PRETTY PACKAGING

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Can you believe this year is almost over?!  WOW!  It's time for the last DeNami Design blog hop of 2012!  I love this theme, too: PRETTY PACKAGING.  It's great for holidays, but it also works for any occasion.  Now, I LOVE to create Christmas stuff, and sadly, I've had no time to make all the holiday cards I've been wanting to make, and I finally found an apartment here in Michigan, so the next few weeks will be swamped with preparations for the holidays AND moving!  Yikes!  However, I'm thrilled to show you my projects today.

First of all, you should have arrived here from the WONDERFUL Wendy Harrill's blog, Confessions of a DeNami Stamp Addict.  She always creates wonderful projects, manages to be so sweet and encouraging, and she makes me laugh, too.  What a pleasure she is!   If you need to start from the beginning, go to DeNami Design's blog.

Now, on to my projects...

A few months ago, I created my own Etsy store, Dad Plaid Designs (named after my father who passed away this summer and was known for always wearing a button-down plaid shirt).  While I would like to eventually sell cards and other papercrafts in my store, I am currently selling pairs of  earrings which I have made.  I am always trying to think of fun ways to package or display my earrings, and recently an opportunity arose!  A friend of mine had a bunch of basic black jewelry-type boxes which he got from his office.  They were going to throw them away, but he thought of me and figured I would like to use them for something crafty, and he was right!  These boxes are AWESOME!  I decided to take some metallic Brilliance inks and stamp the lids of these boxes to make them go from basic black to one-of-a-kind elegant boxes.  I think they are perfect for displaying my earrings!  What do you think?

I hope you like my boxes, and if you like any of my earrings or would like to see more of them (and in more detail), please visit my Etsy shop!  I have almost 100 pairs of earrings available for purchase now!  (Note: silver and gold tone earrings are pictured with large kidney-style hooks, but they can be converted to regular french hooks for no charge.  Hypo-allergenic french hooks and sterling silver hooks are also available for a slight upcharge.  Contact me for details.)

Also, if you purchase any earrings from my store, use the coupon code 'BLOGHOP' and save 15% off your purchase!  Plus, all orders ship for only $1.00 within the US!  Shop for yourself or for your holiday shopping!  Tell you friends!

Next on this wonderful blog hop is the remarkable Deanna Dean's blog, Kloset Kreations.  I can't wait to see what gorgeous item(s) she has created this month!   Make sure to leave comments on all the blogs for your chance to win a gift certificate!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Amy

P.S.  For questions about stamps or supplies used, just ask!

DeNami Design's November Blog Hop: THOUGHTFUL THANK YOU!

Well, I'm happy that it's another blog hop day for DeNami Design, but I've been so swamped, so I'm going to make this short and sweet (which is definitely a change for those of you who have read my previous ramblings).

You should have arrived from Greta's blog: GG Creations.  She's such a talented blogger!

To start at the beginning, visit DeNami Design's blog.

Make sure to leave comments on all the blogs for a chance to win a gift certificate to DeNami Design!  

My list of people I should send THANK YOU cards to seems a mile long, so when I saw this theme, I was thrilled because it would get my act in gear to make those needed cards.  However, life got in the way.  I've been so busy.  I've had no time.  I started making these cards a few weeks ago, and then BAM!  I lost my mojo mid-card.  I was just stumped.  Couldn't figure out how to fix it.  So, that's when I started making the second card.  However, I hit a brick wall there, too.  However, here I am...the night before the hop, and I have two unfinished cards!  ACK!  When in doubt, though...add RIBBON!!

So......here are my cards:

Here's a close-up of the layered ribbons I used.  You can also see the background stamping better.  (Please note, the ink colors didn't photograph well.  I actually used Memento inks in Bamboo Leaves, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa & Potter's Clay...all very autumnal colors.  However, the photograph looks almost neon.  Go figure.)

Here is card #2:

Close-up of my layered bow:

Next stop on the blog hop is the phenomenal Wendy Elliot.  She's one of my biggest inspirations, and I'm always in awe of her!

Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Amy

DeNami Design's October Blog Hop: HALLOWEEN

BOO!

Did I scare you?  Yeah, I know...I'm about as scary as a cabbage patch kid on caffeine.  Actually...that is kinda scary, eh?  Anyway, it's time for another awesome DeNami Design blog hop, and the fabulous theme is HALLOWEEN!  (Am I the only one hearing "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas" playing in her head?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link.)  

If you want to start this blog hop from the beginning, go HERE.

If you've been following the hop in order, you should have arrived from Kanani's blog.  She's so talented! 

Now, onto my project!  Well, do you ever have one of THOSE days when crafting?  You know, where you can envision your finished project perfectly in your head, but every time you try to put it on paper, it just goes wrong?  Yeah, I had one of those days.  I just kept making little boo-boos, and then I'd envision the perfect solution, but then I'd realize that the items I needed are still in Indiana.  Ugh.  Anyway, this little card took much longer than I anticipated, but I must say, I think the end result is still pretty darn cute.  My thought behind it was inspired by the new Kitty Chickie stamp.  I think that image is absolutely ADORABLE!  I love the thought of a chickie dressing up as a kitty for Halloween.  But, on the flip side, why couldn't a kitty dress as a chickie for Halloween?  I planned to use several layers of paper, but with my supplies being limited, I opted instead for a single layer card.  So....this is what I came up with:

Here's a close-up of the kitty and chickie.  Can you figure out which is which?  LOL  I drew the chickie beak (with straps) onto the kitty.  Tee hee hee.  It makes me smile.

Now, I was going to add some glitter, but I decided at the last minute to add a ribbon treatment instead.  Who doesn't love a little ruffle action, right?

I am also entering this card into the Sketch Challenge over on the Confessions of a DeNami Addict blog.

Stamps:

E131 Trick or Tweet

K75 Pumpkin Patch Border

PF36 Halloween petit four set

PF45 Kitty Toys petit four set

PF46 Cuddle Cats petit four set

CL-C93 Kitty Chickie

CL-BD002 Retro Borders 1 set

Next stop on the hop is Stacy's blog. She has blown me away with some of her recent projects, so I can't wait to see what she's made for today!  

Don't forget to leave comments on every blog for your chance to win a fabulous prize from DeNami Design!

Happy Crafting !

Amy

P.S.  I recently opened my own Etsy store, Dad Plaid Designs, featuring handmade earrings, and I'm offering a holiday shopping early bird special.  All orders within the US will ship for only $1.00!  Buy one pair...buy many pairs...and pay only $1 total shipping.  Contact me for shipping outside of the US.  Please visit my shop, and tell your friends and family!

Happy Birthday, Nami!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAMI!

Today is a special day to honor the incredible and inspiring Nami (of DeNami Design fame, of course!).  You should have arrived here from Emily's blog: My Little Slice of Bliss.  How fabulous is Emily?  She always creates such beautiful projects! If you want to start this blog hop from the beginning, go back to DeNami Design's Blog.

I am so incredibly honored to be included in this blog hop, and while I have never met Nami face to face, I am inspired, motivated, uplifted, and sincerely moved by this woman's kindness, creativity, and overall sheer genius.  On top of all that, she runs a successful business with her amazing family!  WOW!  Is there anything she can't do?  I sure don't think so.  I'm pretty certain there should be a superhero named after her 'cause she is a dynamo of talent and warmth!  

Personally, I was going through a really rough time a few years ago, right after I moved from New York City to a teeny, tiny town in Indiana.  It was quite a change and culture shock.  I just didn't know what to do.  It was the fall of 2009 when I first discovered DeNami Design stamps.  I was in my favorite local stamp store (Papertrix, of course!), and I saw the most beautiful cards in the world.  So elegant!  So whimsical!  SO MUCH GLITTER!  They were mind-boggling!  They were also the sample cards for an upcoming class.  I was floored.  I have never seen cards that spoke to me the way those did.  I was instantly in love with their stamps.  Since then, my love has grown to a full-blown obsession (almost 500 stamps!).  Seeing those cards and stamps completely changed the way that I made cards.  I had new motivation...new ideas...new techniques!  It wasn't long after that when I discovered there was a blog with challenges!  I soon started entering challenges, and that is what lead to my creating the blog you are reading right now.  All of this is thanks to Nami and her wonderful business.   I am so grateful.  That was such a tough time in my life, and (I know this sounds cheesy, but it's true) finding those stamps gave me focus and hope.  These images warm my heart and give me "warm fuzzies."   I just always smile whenever I see a DeNami image.   So, thank you Nami...thank you for the smiles...thank you for the inspiration...thank you for the hope.   

Now, I have a confession to make regarding the card I made.  As I've mentioned before recently, I am still in the process of moving from Indiana to Michigan, so I only have a "DeNami Survival Kit" with me.  I am staying with friends until I can get my own apartment, and there just isn't room for my abundant craft supplies.  So, I created a little survival kit of card-making basics and an assortment of DeNami stamps.  Well, guess what?  I forgot my "Happy Birthday" stamps!  DOH!  What was I thinking?!  However, I decided the perfect sentiment would be "Sending You Love."  That is one of my all-time favorite DeNami sentiments because it works perfectly for almost any situation, including this one!  I am sending all sorts of birthday love to Nami!

Closer Look:

My inspiration actually came from that green leafy vine paper (by Hambly) used as the background in the photos.  I bought that paper recently, and it inspired me to have the new Swinging Chickie hanging from some leafy vines.  I also decided to add some lime/teal twine to the vines to give them some more texture.

Again, I am soooooo honored to be a part of this blog hop.

Nami, thank you so much for all that you do.  I look forward to actually meeting you one of these days.  I hope your birthday is filled with love, laughter, joy, and tons of smiles.  I am indeed SENDING YOU LOVE...and lots of it!

Happy Birthday!

Amy

Next stop on the blog hop:  The AMAZING Wendy Elliot, whom I was fortunate enough to meet and take her DeNami Design national classes.  She is so sweet and fun, and her projects are always outstanding!

Stamps:

CL-D146 Swinging Chickie

PF 27 Whimsical Flowers petit four set

F171 Sending You Love

G153 Ornamental Vine

September DeNami Design Blog Hop: BACK TO SCHOOL

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

It has been several months since I've participated in a DeNami Design Blog Hop, and I am THRILLED to be back!  Feel free to scroll down to previous postings on my blog if you want to learn about my life and what I've been up to this year, but I'd like to just dive into the reason for this post.

You should have arrived here from Jennifer's blog: Jen & Paper.  I am so impressed with her.  She is incredibly talented, and she seems so sweet, too!  If you want to start hopping from the beginning, go to DeNami Design's blog.

I must take the time to comment on DeNami's newest releases, though.  Seriously, how cute are they?  I squealed with delight when I saw them!  SO CUTE!  SO ELEGANT!  SO WONDERFUL!  Let's get back to the task at hand, though: the Back to School Blog Hop!

Now, my card may seem a little unconventional for this theme, but when I heard "Back to School,"  it made me think of Harry Potter and Hogwarts.   How do they get back to school?  On the Hogwarts Express train, of course!  Now, my card doesn't have a Harry Potter theme to it, but it was that image that inspired my project.  So, I am thrilled to present this card using the new Chickie Train stamp!   I made the train longer by stamping the full image once and then only inking up part of the image two more times.  (Side note: while I miss the aesthetic of the wood block stamps, the new cling stamps really are easier to line up, and they are so much more portable!)

Here is a close-up, so you can really see the glitter!  

Unfortunately, the colors didn't photograph as well as I would have liked.  The orange is actually more peachy in person, but you get the idea.  Plus, I used some patterned paper this time!  Often, I will just stamp my own background, but I decided to use some of this cool paper by Bo Bunny.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today.  Please leave a comment below, and make sure to leave a comment on all the blogs for a chance to win a fabulous gift certificate to DeNami Design's website!

Next stop on the hop is Pattie's blog: Paper Silhouettes.  I can't wait to see what she creates this time because she always impresses with her use of colors and gorgeous layouts!  

Thanks again for hopping along!

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Amy

Supplies:

Stamps (by DeNami Design):  CL-N139 Chickie Train, F171 Sending You Love

Patterned Paper: Ambrosia Marigold by Bo Bunny

Glitter:  various colors of Sparklets Glitter by DeNami Design

Inks: Tuxedo Black by Memento, Copic Markers

Monochromatic Elegance

Did you know that September is National Stamping Month?  How awesome is THAT?!?  In honor of that, DeNami Design is hosting 4 weekly challenges!  Woohoo!   For details on each challenge, visit their blog HERE.

This week, I entered a card in their Monochromatic Color Challenge.  BUT, I need your help!  I need you to CLICK ON THIS LINK and "LIKE" my card on Facebook!  The winner is determined by the number of "likes," so I need your vote!

I wanted to create a card for a "black tie" affair.  I wanted to portray elegance and opulence through fashion and bling!  

Here is another angle.  I stamped the bottom of the dress three extra times so I could create a 3D ruffle.  Oh, and can you see all the sparkle?  I used Pearl Paper (by Darice), AND I used Stickles, Inkessentials Enamel Accents, and Liquid Pearls.  I wanted this card to look as "rich" as possible.

Oh, and don't you always need a little extra touch on the inside of the card?  So, I used the fabulous Harlequin Border stamp (seriously one of my all-time favorite stamps) and some white ink to add this little finishing touch.

PLEASE VOTE for me today!  Voting ends Sunday, September 9th!  

Thanks for visiting my blog!

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Amy

Stamps:
N93 Glamour Dress
N112 Harlequin Border
TR04 Sassy Shoes stamp set

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I know it's early for Christmas cards, but I was so inspired when I saw this adorable new snowman stamp from Impression Obsession called Crafty Snowman.  The mittens stamp and sentiment also are by Impression Obsession.  I colored the images using the brand new Distress Markers.  This was my first time using them, and I  must say, they are pretty fabulous.  They are easy to use, and they really look great!  I love my Copics, but these are a really great product that is totally different from Copics.  I don't currently own a set, but that will probably have to change in the future, 'cause I really did enjoy working with them.  Lastly, I used some of the newest Jillibean Soup papers.  Aren't they bright and cheerful?  Oh, and I did add some glittery accents using Spica Glitter Pens.

Enjoy!

P.S.  I took this picture on my cell phone, and I just noticed that the sentiment looks crooked.  Hmmm.  It was definitely straight in person.  *shrug*  Oh, well.

Happy Crafting!

Amy

DeNami Addict Challenge #4: BUTTONS!

Who doesn't love buttons?  Seriously!  Not only do they help keep your clothes on, but they are fantastic embellishments to use on your cards!  And THAT, my friends, leads me to this blog post! The amazing ladies over at the Confessions of a DeNami Addict blog are hosting their 4th challenge, and the theme is to use buttons!

Now, buttons can be used in many different ways.  Big buttons...small buttons...focal points...accents...the list goes on and on.  I really do love to use buttons on projects (as you can tell from these past cards:  Here, Here, and Here, too).  While those past projects used buttons in very obvious ways, sometimes, I love just using one single button as the perfect finishing touch.  

TADAA!

I just love that cute little penguin, and those medium polka dots are a favorite of mine, but the card just wasn't complete until that little red button was added to the DeNami grosgrain ribbon bow!

Here's a look at how the card opens.  You can see how I used a scallop punch on the side of the card and stamped more polka dots on the inside of the card.

Lastly, here are some close-ups of that li'l cutie.  I'm showing both these pictures because the lighting is so different, and I just couldn't decide which photo I liked better.  LOL!  One shows off the coloring better (gotta love Copic markers!), and the other shows the glittery sparkle better (gotta love Stardust Glitter Pens!).  

Wish me luck with the challenge!

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Amy

Stamps Used (all by DeNami Design): 

E104 Peek-a-boo Penguin

I49 Decorative Frame

N136 Medium Polka Dots

Happy Jim Smidebush Day!

This post is dedicated to Jim Smidebush, my incredible father.  

My beloved father, hero, friend, champion, and #1 fan passed away on May 24th of this year.  No words can describe the pain of this loss.  I miss him every day.   However, this post is not about my grieving and emotions.  This is about celebrating the life of one remarkable man who touched the lives of many.  His accomplishments are too numerous to mention, but he made a huge impact all around the world, literally.  At 6'6", he towered over most of the population, but one gentle smile and twinkle of his eye, and he charmed everyone he met.   He was intimidating, physically, but welcoming and warm of heart.  And, of course, how can I mention him without talking of his "signature style"...a button-down plaid shirt.  On rare occasions, you might see stripes (and rarer still, a solid color or a Big Red Mickey Mouse shirt), but 99% of the time, you saw Jim Smidebush wearing a button-down plaid shirt.  When plaid was popular, he was always quick to point out how everyone was following his example.  When plaid was less popular, he always said he was a trendsetter, and we'd soon see people following him again.  In my world, plaid never has been and never will be out of style.  Plaid will forever be a symbol of my beloved father.

After my father's passing, my family found a plaque among my dad's things.  This plaque was packed away, but it was given to him in Kokomo, IN.  He was given the key to the city, and August 29th was declared JIM SMIDEBUSH DAY.   My siblings and I were floored.  We had no idea!  My dad had hidden this away, and none of us recalled knowing anything about it.   However, we knew that from this moment on, we wanted to always celebrate August 29th. So...

HAPPY JIM SMIDEBUSH DAY!

Here is one of my all-time favorite pictures of my father which was taken this past Christmas:

Lastly, here is a card that I made for my family members to celebrate Jim Smidebush Day.   We sprinkled his ashes as he wished on Mackinac Island, Michigan, one of his favorite places.  He now overlooks the Mackinac Bridge and the Round Island Lighthouse.  The view is extraordinary.  I recently found this stamp of the bridge and immediately grabbed it.  I knew I had to have it.  It was meant to be.  This is the view my father will always have now.  Also, in honor of our family's love of all things Disney, you can find a "Hidden Mickey" on this card. 

This stamp is by Sunnyside Stamps, and the background plaid was created using the Three Line Border and Stitched Border by DeNami Design.  The embellishments are Candies (normally white with silver polka dots, but I colored them with Copic markers), one white button, and some baker's twine by Jillibean Soup.  I used Memento inks and Stardust Glitter Pens.  

I LOVE YOU, DADDY!

Thank you for all you did for me.

With love,

Amy

Pumpkin Kitty!

I know it may seem early for Halloween, but all the fabulous new stamps and papers are in stores now!  I can't help it!   I LOVE 'EM!  So, here's a card I made with an adorable new stamp by Stampendous called Picket Pumpkins.  I colored the image using Copic markers, and I added some Stickles for a little sparkle.  Next, I used some October Afternoon houndstooth paper and orange cardstock to complete the card.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Crafting!

Amy

Halloween or Harry Potter Card

This is just a quick post to show you a card I made using some adorable paper that I bought recently at Papertrix.  These papers would be great for Halloween or any sort of Harry Potter theme.  I cut elements out of several different sheets of paper and layered them.  Also, you can sort of see in the picture that the paper is glittery.  It has an embossed glitter that comes on the paper.  It's got tons of sparkle, but it doesn't shed glitter.  Woohoo!  I had so much fun cutting and layering with this card, so I hope you enjoy!

Happy Crafting!

Amy

P.S.  These adorable papers are available through Papertrix.  You can call them at 812-988-2002, and they'll ship them directly to you!  Store hours are Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 7pm; Sun: 10am - 5pm.  CLOSED TUESDAYS.  

DeNami's "Unofficial" Biggest Fan?

So...DeNami Design stamps is having a contest right now to find their biggest fan.  Well, if you've ever read my blog, you've probably noticed that I have a few stamps of theirs....like a few hundred...ummm...at last count: 469 (after some recent purchases).  *sigh*  Yes...I suffer from OCDDD (Obsessive-Compulsive DeNami Design Disorder).  I just take one look at those cute little chickies, and I HAVE TO HAVE THEM!  I'm a chick-aholic!  Seriously....look at this face:

(Hahahahaha...I made it doubly hard to resist, because what could be cuter than a DeNami chickie?  A BABY DeNami chickie!!!  IMPOSSIBLE to resist!  Muhahahaha! Side note: for those really picky people...yes, all the chickies are technically babies, but this one is hatching...thus, it is the youngest of them all.  LOL)

Anyway...where was I?   Oh, yeah!  The contest!  So, DeNami is hosting this contest to find their biggest fan.  You had to submit a photo and a few sentences explaining why you're their biggest fan.  Well, guess what?  I didn't enter.  *sigh/sniffles/groan*  I know, I know...what was I thinking?!  Well, I'm a perfectionist, for one.  I just drove back to Michigan, and most of my craft supplies are still in storage in Indiana, and I just thought that there was no way I could take just one picture to sufficiently show my love of DeNami (see evidence with my recent post which shows my craft area, but note that those photos do not include purchases made since January...so my collection is much larger now).  So, I just got overwhelmed, and time was an issue, so the deadline passed without me submitting anything.  I just wish I had more time, BUT...I am super excited for the ladies who had their acts together and DID enter!  Vote for them now!  (I'm happy for ALL the ladies, but Tina is an amazing DeNami fan, and she works so hard to show her love for that company ALL the time, and I'm hoping you'll go vote for her!  Look for the Raggedy Ann picture!)

Back to me...even though I am not eligible to win the contest, I still wanted to show my love for DeNami.  As my previous post shows, I have tons of them, and they are organized in drawers, by theme.  However, as you also know, I have recently moved to Michigan, but I am staying with friends and can't bring all my stuff with me yet.  So, while I work on getting my own apartment, I brought along with me a...

DENAMI SURVIVAL KIT

(Sorry about the fuzzy photos.  I'm using my phone's camera for taking pictures at this time.)

As you can see, I brought a selection of wood-mounted stamps as well as ALL my cling stamps (organized in an awesome greeting card case by The Container Store) AND baggies of DeNami ribbon.  I have whole spools of DeNami grosgrain ribbons (in MOST of their available colors), but rather than bring the whole rolls, I cut off a yard or two of each color and put them in sandwich baggies (one for the 5/8" width and one for the 3/8" width). 

While I am excited about this survival kit, I must admit, though, that I am nervous that I will start on a project and desperately crave a stamp that is still in Indiana.  *sigh*  I guess I just have to deal with that for now.  Gotta keep that OCDDD in check!  Oh, and check out that awesome Diamond Border stamp dead center in the photograph.  That is vintage, retired DeNami!  It took me a few years to track that baby down, and I finally found one!  Woohoo!   Most of my stamps, I get from Papertrix (that's where I first saw and fell in love with DeNami stamps), and I also have gotten some from DeNamiDesign.com.  But on occasion, I am able to track down some vintage/retired stamps, and it's so awesome!   OH, and I just realized I forgot to show them in the picture, but I did also bring all my DeNami Design Sparklets glitters with me.  If you've never tried their glitter, you are missing out!  It is ultra-fine and super sparkly!  It's everything you could ask for in a loose glitter!

Ok, now I have one other thing I want to show you.  This is like my DeNami control panel.  It's how I keep track of all my DeNami goodies...my inventory management center, you could say.  It's my DeNami binder.  Oh, you may think that doesn't sound very exciting, but trust me...it's AWESOME.  It needs some updating because it is currently overflowing (and all my binders are packed in storage, so I have to wait to transfer it over to a larger binder), but it's still magical.  Here are some peeks into the fabulousness that is...

MY DENAMI BINDER

Notice, I have idea sheets and my current wish list (don't be fool by that one visible page...it's 2 pages long).

Now, let's take this section by section.  First up, I have my DeNami inventory checklist.  These are available to download/print.  I color in the box for the stamps I own with a red pen so it is easy to see what I have.  (Note: these lists do not contain retired stamps, so the pink page you can barely see on the left of this picture is a handwritten list of my retired stamps.)

Next, here is my CHICKLIST!  Yup, you read that correctly!  DeNami has created their own downloadable checklist just for chickies!  How cute is that?  I mark my chickies with a red X. 

The next section of my binder contains printouts from the DeNami website of all their stamps.  I highlight those I own.  The stamps are all in order from smallest to largest (size A-Trifle sets) with the exception of their newest releases, which I print out for each release.  This is a great "tool" because it allows me to find stamps in order.  If I want to see what certain stamps look like, I can find that information easily if I don't have access to my computer.

The last section in my binder is the actual catalog section.  I print out these "catalog supplements" each time they have a new release.  I also highlight the stamps I own.  This is great for looking at collections together as a whole.  The above screen printouts help me see stamps in an organized "A to Z" fashion, but THIS allows me to see stamps grouped by theme and release date.  

So, yes...now you all know the true depth of my obsession.  LOL  I am OCD and OCDDD.  However, I LOVE organizing my DeNami stamps.  They always make me smile.  And, looking through my DeNami binder is like looking through a favorite magazine or photo album.  It just makes me happy!  What can I say?  I'm proud of my obsession with such a wonderful product from a lovely, family-owned and operated business.  They are the absolute sweetest people, and I am proud to support them!  Sadly, I may not be eligible for the prize of this contest, but when I look at my goodies, I feel very fortunate already.  

I LOVE MY DENAMI!

Happy Crafting!

Amy

Halloween Scrapbooking?

Ok...this post is really going to freak you all out.  Why?  Because it does not include a card!  Yes, I usually create cards, but I have recently made a couple scrapbook layouts as store samples for Papertrix.  You know what?  Scrapbook layouts are FUN!  They are like cards...only BIGGER!  I haven't made my own scrapbook yet, but I do really love creating layouts for other people.  So, here is a new page I made using the brand new Lost & Found papers by My Mind's Eye.  These papers are awesome. They have a vintage look with the addition of bright, coppery orange glitter!  The base of this page comes with the glitter already!  Gotta love that, eh?  All the paper elements that I used on the page are also from the Lost & Found line.  They are from the page of die cuts.  The only other additions are some orange twine (by Jillibean Soup) and some ribbon (by May Arts).  

This is a close-up of the bats.  These bats come from satin ribbon by May Arts.  I cut them apart, and I even used glue dots to fold over the wings on some of them so they look like they are sleeping, hanging from the twine.  The banners are all from the sheet of die cuts by Lost & Found, strung on the Jillibean Soup baker's twine.

These labels are also from the die cut sheet (adhered with some foam squares to give some dimension), but I added the orange and black plaid ribbon (by May Arts).

Tadaa!  That's my Halloween Scrapbook page by Lost & Found!  Hope you enjoyed it.  I am just not motivated enough to make a scrapbook for myself, but I really love making layouts.  If you ever need help, let me know!  I'd love to design custom layouts!

Happy Crafting!

Amy

P.S.  All these items are available through Papertrix.  You can call them at 812-988-2002, and they'll ship them directly to you!  Store hours are Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 7pm; Sun: 10am - 5pm.  CLOSED TUESDAYS.