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.  

Where the Magic Happens...Or It Did?

UPDATE: I started to write this a few months ago.  Since I wrote this, and these pictures were taken, I have had to move all my belongings into storage.  So, my beautiful craft area is wrapped in plastic and stored away while I look for a job and apartment in Michigan.  I still wanted to share this with you, though, because I hope to recreate this craft area --ONLY BETTER-- in the future.  So, enjoy and stay tuned!

I LOVE seeing what other people's craft spaces look like, don't you?  I always think it's great to get ideas for storing different products.  I took these pictures before I left for Michigan in January, and I'm FINALLY getting around to posting them.  My craft area is a little out of control, but I love my supplies!  Here's a chance for you to see the insanity! 

My craft area is primarily made up of drawer units.  Some of them are the AMAZING and MAGNIFICENT drawers made by elfa (sold at The Container Store: www.containterstore.com  If you've never been to one of their stores or checked out their website, GO NOW!  They are the #1 storage and organization store, perfect for organizing every aspect of your life and every room in your house).  Elfa drawer units are customizable (width, height, and depth of the drawers), and they come in different colors (white or platinum with options for the top, including a butcher block wooden top).  They are easy to assemble, and I have them in EVERY room in my apartment.  Considering their overall quality and function, they are a great price, too!  However, last year, I struggled a bit financially, so I had to supplement my craft area with some more economical drawers.  I found these awesome 10-drawer units at Sam's Club for under $30 each!  I think they look nice with the elfa drawers, and they have wheels which make them easy to maneuver (note: elfa units can be put on wheels, too).

So, let's start the tour...

TADAA!!!  Here it is!  These are my main storage drawers.  To the left is a large, round table where I can work and store more stuff.   The white mini drawers in the left of the picture are full of scrap-size pieces of paper, organized by color and texture, of course!  Above these, you can see my ink color charts for reference!  The binders you see in the middle of the picture are full of my clear and cling stamps, organized by brand name and theme (Christmas stamps in the red binder!).  (Hint: I use baseball card sleeves for storing small cling stamps.)  The cubbies on the right of the screen hold catalogs and idea sheets.

This blog post would last forever if I went through every single drawer with you, so I will just show you some of the "highlights."  

Here is my drawer for Stickles and Viva Decor Pearl Pens and Glitter Liners.  

I own all the colors, and they are organized by color (ROYGBIV is my friend!)

This is my Hero Arts rubber stamp drawer:

Moving over to my Sam's Club storage drawers, they are organized as follows.  The drawer unit on the left contains all my Christmas stuff (top 3 drawers are DeNami Design, then "non-DeNami-national" stamps, and the rest are Christmas embellishments and papers, organized by Brand/Collection).  The middle drawer unit is full of only DeNami Design stamps.  The right drawer unit is full of 12 x 12 papers, organized by collection/theme.

This is my DeNami Design drawer unit.  

Yup...10 drawers of DeNami magic (minus the Christmas stamps, which are in another unit).

Top Drawer: Frames

2nd Drawer: Borders, Backgrounds, Flourishes, and misc. minis. 

(Hint: See how the mini stamps are in little boxes?  Those are from the Tim Holtz print trays.  I love those things.  They are awesome for artistic projects, but they also make the world's best drawer organizers!  You couldn't find anything else that size and with that many little removable compartments for $14.99 if you tried!)

3rd Drawer: Sentiments

4th Drawer: Chickies & Animals

5th Drawer: Food Stuff

6th Drawer: Leafy Trees, Vines, and Ornamental Flowers

7th Drawer: Flowers (Daisies and Roses)

8th Drawer: Misc. Flowers & Plants

9th Drawer: Misc.

10th Drawer: Mimi's Boutique

And NOW...here's the Christmas drawer unit!   

Drawer #1: Mini DeNami Christmas & Sentiments

Drawer #2: Elegant DeNami Christmas (Holly, Trees, & Decorations)

Drawer #3: "Vintage" DeNami Christmas

Drawer #4: Hero Arts Christmas

Drawer #5: Penny Black & other name brand Christmas Stamps

Drawer #6: Stampendous, Inkadinkado, Memory Box, and other stamps

That concludes my picture tour.  I didn't want to bore you with drawers of grosgrain ribbon or folders full of papers.  At this time, I organize my papers using manila file folders.  I write the brand name or theme (ie: Jillibean Soup, Graphic 45, or "Polka Dots," or "Plaid") on the bottom of the folder, where the fold is.  This allows me to flip through the stacks of folders, since obviously the 12 x 12 papers are bigger than the folders. 

UPDATE:  As I mentioned above, these drawers are now in storage, and I'm hoping to get an apartment in Michigan soon where I can bring all my belongings with me (I'm currently staying with some amazing friends while I try to get all the details of my move figured out).  I DID, however, bring a survival kit back with me this time.  I simply couldn't go without my craft supplies anymore, so I packed up some of my papers, a selection of stamps, and most of my inks.  And yes, I DID pack ALL of my Stickles.  I started to just grab a couple, and then my OCD reared its ugly head and demanded I bring them all.  LOL!   

I will keep you all updated of my progress in Michigan.  I'm still going strong with my wonderful boyfriend (over 5 months now!).  I still miss my Dad terribly, but I was lucky enough to get some wonderful time with my family this summer.  I kept bouncing back and forth between Michigan and Indiana while I helped my mom, moved my stuff into storage, and spent as much time as possible in Papertrix.  However, I am now back in Michigan full-time.  I am just hoping to find a job here that makes me as happy as Papertrix does, and then I can get an awesome apartment!  Woohoo!  Wish me luck!

Happy Crafting!
Amy