The Ink Link

Back from Regionals with new ideas and NEW STAMPS!

I just attended Stampin' Up! Regionals in Virginia Beach on April 23rd and got SO many new ideas.  Even better than that, I got a new stamp set that will be available from the 2007-08 Idea Book and Catalog in July!  I'm posting a picture of a card using the new set and a new technique that I learned - just to wet your appetite a little (grinning evilly).   What do you think of the awesome new "designer paper" on this card??  Hee hee hee....book a workshop and I'll share its secret with you.

Click on thumbnail for larger image.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

Some of you know, but many of you may not, my husband and I are both proud Virginia Tech graduates, class of 1982.  The shootings there have rocked us to our very core.  It seems like just yesterday that I was visiting West Ambler Johnston Hall to visit friends.  Mark had some of his engineering classes in Norris Hall.  Many of our friends and neighbors have kids at Tech now, and my daughter Taryn has a very close friend in grad school there. 

The images of Tech's campus that we've all seen over and over on the news the last couple of days are images that my husband and I know well.  They have always been images that brought fond memories of our youth - until Monday, April 16th.  Never again will we be able to think of our beloved alma mater without remembering what occured there yesterday.  Fortunately, none of our loved ones perished.  At this time, everyone that we know there is safe and unhurt.  Now, I can only pray for those who weren't so lucky.  Please send your prayers their way too.

If you want to do something, may I suggest the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

New Sketch and New Feature!

It's Wednesday, and that means a new card sketch!  I hope you'll be inspired to do something a little different this week, as I was with this sketch.  I had to step outside of my comfort zone a bit to make a card where all the edges weren't straight, but I was actually very excited and pleased with the end results!  I've posted my 2 samples to give you some ideas, but this sketch has endless possibilities just by using different color schemes and stamp sets.  Take a look ladies, and be inspired!

I have also added a new feature to my blog - automatic e-mail notification when I update!  To subscribe, just scroll all the way to the bottom of the column at the left and enter your e-mail address.  That's all there is to it!  You'll know every time I add a new photo to the gallery or make an announcement about any specials, sales or new ideas!  I hope you'll all sign up so you can keep up to date!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!  I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with family togetherness like I did.  My daughter came over today and we all went out to lunch and then went to see Disney's 'Meet the Robinsons."  Cute movie! 

After we got home, I did quite a bit of stamping.  Look for some of my creations to be uploaded later in the week.  I have an extra special one to go with Wednesday's Card Sketch challenge - and it's a masculine card idea, so be sure to check it out!

Take care and God bless you all!  Until next time, happy stamping!

Slide Show is here!

Notice the new slideshow to the left?  That's what's known in blogland as a widget.  I know, I didn't know what it was either - even my computer-expert husband hadn't heard of them.  Apparently it's an element specific to blogs.  So much I have to learn!  Anyway, I think it looks great and I'm rather proud of myself for figuring out how to insert it.  I guess the old brain still works after all! 

BTW (that's "by the way" in cyberspeak), the photos in the slide show are in my gallery (with a couple of exceptions), so be sure to take a look at the gallery to see them up close and personal.  If you want to save a photo from the gallery for future reference, just right click on it and you will get an option box. Click "Save target as" and then choose the file where you want it stored on your computer.  That's all there is to it!  Now you can use it like any other graphic.

Have fun looking around, and HAPPY EASTER!  I'm stamping all weekend!!

New Title

If you visited yesterday, or even early this morning, you may notice that I changed the name of this blog. What can I say?   I wasn't very creative yesterday, and today I remembered that I had used this name for a newsletter that I did once upon a time when I didn't work full time.  I like this one better, don't you? 

Notice the new card posted at the top of the site.  It's a great new technique that's MUCH easier than the old shaving cream technique, but it's really a good one for solid stamps, whereas the "real" shaving cream technique was usually used for backgrounds. They both have their place, but I like this one a LOT better because you don't have all that shaving cream to clean up.  Of course, the cards did smell nice after doing it the old way.  Anyway, I'm going to do this technique at my spring workshops, so send me an e-mail to sign up to have one now, or at least make sure you're on someone's invite list for one!

Faux Shaving Cream - not so messy!

Learn to do this "faux shaving cream" technique at April workshops with the new Big Blooms set from the Spring 2007 mini catalog.  The card shown here is done in Elegant Eggplant and Certainly Celery.

Click on image for larger photo

Work in Progress

Well, I'm still trying to figure out this blogging thing.  I'm not sure if this service is going to have enough flexibility for me, but I'm still on the 30-day free trial, so I'll persevere - at least for 28 more days.  Meanwhile, I'll add some more cards as I make them.  I'm challenging myself to stamp at least 3 cards or projects each week.  It's going to be hard for a while because I just got the two new Disney cartridges for my Cricut machine and it's hard to put that sucker away and stamp instead!

I have a couple of ideas in my head for today's stamping. A new color combo came to me today, so I'm waiting to get home to try it out.  I'll upload it later if it turns out well.  I'll just tell you for now that it involves lots of punched flowers - something I seem addicted to lately. Maybe it's my anticipation of spring weather!

Stay tuned for more blogs. And watch for a new category for weekly card challenges posted right here!

Welcome!

Today is the first day of my little stampin' blog on the web!  I'm excited to begin bringing you this blog, which I hope will inspire you to stamp more and help you to learn new techniques.  Most of you who know me already know that I have a very full-time job that keeps me working 50-60 hour weeks during the spring and summer months, so I've been asking myself lately if I'm a little crazy to have chosen now to start this, but I have a new Stampin' Studio, a new attitude about my craft, and a new commitment to sharing what I love with my customers and online stampin' friends! 

Please feel free to leave me a note, and check in often to see what's new and what I've been making in my studio.  As always, Happy Stampin'!