Thank You Maria:

For the past year, I have had the incredible opportunity to design for Kitchen Sink Stamps. These are fabulous clear stamps which feature multi step stamping. With each step, the image slowly comes to life. It has been such a wonderful experience for me to step outside my comfort zone and experiment with multi-step stamping. I know Maria took a chance on me last year, and I am so grateful that she did. If you have any questions about these multi-step stamps, please email me or add a comment here. If you would like to learn more about this company, please click the link below. I put a blinkie on the lower right sidebar for KSS.

Please stop by and see all the wonderful designs which Maria and the crew have in the Sink at http://www.kitchensinkstamps.com

Thanks for the memories Maria!

Now I am going to have a little more time to focus on my SU! business, my Hanna Stamps! and my design work.

Pumpkin Farm

What a wonderful birthday! I enjoyed a trip to the pumpkin farm (Sunyside Gardens), just outside Saratoga (NY) in the morning with Sophia and her preschool class. Genevieve joined us too! They had a train ride, a hay ride and even a butterfly garden in the greenhouse.

Sophie was thrilled when a butterfly landed on her t-shirt.

We had a wonderful dinner at home with family - Mom and Dad came over and made Roast Beast with all the fixings. Yum!

Victoria and I enjoyed a birthday cake with 9 candles (9 for Victoria). Todd made up some crazy mathematical formula (count the candles, subtract the amount of girls you have, multiply by 10)...I was never good at math - that comes to 39, right? {wink}


I made this card with some of my new Kitchen Sink Stamps. This one is called 1/2 pint playful alphabet. I used my Stampin' Up! punch (scalloped circle) and a fun leaf punch to create the pumpkin. I used pumpkin pie cardstock, then stamped BOO with artichoke ink on the pumpkin. I used my pumpkin pie marker to create pumpkin ridges. I hand cut the stem and randomly added some other color leaves. The forrest branches cuttlebug folder made a perfect background. I used some great mayarts ribbon on the top. The pumpkin is popped up on dimensionals. Fun Fun!

stamps: 1/2 pint alphabet {Kitchen Sink Stamps}
paper: pumpkin Pie, celery, artichoke, wasabi, ruby red, chocolate chip, close to cocoa
ink: artichoke
misc: su scalloped circle punch, cuttlebug, leaf punch, ribbon, dimensionals, pumpkin marker

It's October!!!!

Here is a SUPER easy, yet fun card which I whipped up the other day using my new anniversary set from Kitchen Sink stamps. I stamped the hummingbird in:
1 pretty in pink
2. regal rose
3 rose red
4. bravo burgundy
and finally,
5 basic black
The sentiment is in black. Tried to do something fun and new with the ribbon. Card is 5x5 square. Primas are a mixture from my collection, secured with a brad. What do you think?


Kitchen Sink Stamps: Limited Anniversary Set
paper: basic black, whisper white, designer paper (My Minds Eye)
ink: pretty in pink, ruby red, rose red, bravo burgundy, basic black
misc: primas, brads (SU!), ribbon (mayarts/starlitstudio)

Kitchen SInk Stamps: Aloha!

Put on your sunglasses!!! This is a bright one!
This was such a simple and fun card to make. Did you know that the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality? I only know that because Todd was in the hospitality business before he made the switch to finance. The hotel where he worked (The Desmond in Albany) had pineapples all over. I collected pineapples for awhile, so I was SO excited when this stamp came to live at my house (GRIN).

This would be a great thank you note for someone who you went to visit - thanks for your hospitality!

Stamp first layer in the lightest color (banana), then step two in saffron, and stamp the third layer in the deepest color (summer sun). The stem is also stamped in caramel, then rust, then close to cocoa is the the final layer. I used basic black for the sentiment.
The green card is part of the DCWV pack I picked up at my local craft store. I stamped the big palm leaf in versamark and rubbed SU! green galore chalk on the paper (poppin' pastels) with a dauber.
The cuttlebug I used on the coral layer was floral frenzy. I layered the black above and below the coral, tied on some fun green sheer ribbon. I added the baubles in the bottom corner. Simple and fun!

stamps: 3 step Aloha {Kitchen Sink Stamps}
ink: barely banana, so saffron, summer dun, creamy caramel, close to cocoa, really rust, basic black, versamark
paper: basic black, green DCWV textured notecard (green), coral
misc: sheer polkadot ribbon (starlitstudio), cuttlebug, floral frenzy, baubles (green), SU chalks

Happy Birthday Kitchen Sink Stamps!

Kitchen Sink Stamps turns one today! Be sure to check out the Kitchen Sink website for information regarding new releases, special sales, and the Limited Edition Anniversary stamp set! I have been honored to be a part of this past year with Maria and the fellow KSS crew! I love taking these three step (or more) sets and making them come ALIVE!

I used the new release 3 step school days for this card. I had some fun designer paper and decided to throw this card together for the birthday party!

The designer paper is from that costco pack! I used three steps on the feather quill pen (regal rose, rose red and bravo burgundy). The sentiment (also from the school days set) is stamped in bravo burgundy. I used some fun sheer ribbon (Starlitstudio.org) on the bottom, and some baubles on the top corner. Finally, I used my sakura stardust on the quill to make it sparkle. It's hardly noticable in the photo, but in really life....shimmah!!!

Happy Birthday Maria & Kitchen Sink Stamps!


stamps: 3 step School days (Kitchen Sink Stamps)
paper: white, burgundy (SU!), designer paper (My Minds Eye)
ink: regal rose, rose red, bravo burgundy
misc: ribbon (starlitstudio), baubles, sakura stardust

Sea Shells: Dream

One of my most favorite things to do with the kids is walk on the edge of the ocean and collect shells. I love the beach. Our recent trip to North Carolina (Duck) inspired me to create this card. I haven't had a chance to go through all my photos yet, but I wanted to share my favorite....I will look at the rest and share some more tomorrow. I am just up to sitting at the computer too long.





So here is the card I created. Soft colors.....DREAM...of the beach (or whatever you dream of....). I started with a textured base (DCWV) and added a layer of cuttlebug'd sahara sand. I used the swirl folder to dry pressure emboss it. I stamped the shells (from Kitchen Sink Stamps). Start with caramel, then sahara sand, then going grey (for the steps). These are three step stamps.
I added the sentiment Dream in black archival ink. I used the KSS Vintage Words set. Three pink baubles in the corner and some soft sheer ribbon (white polkadot) from Starlitstudio.


stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps {Sea Shells, Vintage Words}
Paper: DCWV textured notecards, shimmer white, sahara sand
ink: caramel, going grey, sahara sand, black archival (ranger)
misc: sheer polkadot ribbon (Mayarts/starlitstudio), baubles, cuttlebug (swirls/EclecticPaperie.com)

Some Serious Thank Yous!

It hasn't been easy recovering from surgery with 6 little ones! My husband has been amazing (which is why he is my WMWH {worlds most wonderful husband}!!!)

I have a few people who have really been helping lend a hand with the kids, so I wanted to give them a special thank you note. They were both made with some DCWV textured notecards (two different shades of pink) and the edge is punched with the Martha Stewart punch. I love this punch, but it is tough to use on cardstock. It is pretty easy to use on thinner designer paper, but you need to use your muscles to get it through heavy paper.

So back to the simple cards....I stamped the main image on glossy paper. I love the look of glossy paper. I used the flower from the Get Well Teddy {Kitchen Sink Stamps}. Step One: Regal rose, Step 2 Rose Red, Step 3:Bravo Burgundy. The stem was stamped with artichoke. I used black soot (ranger) ink for the sentiment which is from Vintage Words {Kitchen Sink Stamps}. The top card has a single ribbon (anyone else save ribbon - I got this ribbon from a pair of pajamas (the ribbon was wrapped around it with a big bow). The bottom card was a double ribbon (starlitstudio.net) of sheer white polkadot and pink satin.


The cards use the same exact main image - same colors, same sentiment...yet with a deeper color base notecard and a different ribbon...each card is so unique!











Stamps: Vintage Words, Get Well Teddy {Kitchen Sink Stamps}
Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke (SU!), Black Soot (Ranger)
Misc: nestabilities, ribbon (www.starlitstudio.net)
paper: notecards (DCWV textured notecards), glossy white

Oh Kokirose....

I am currently away....in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, vacationing with our best friends and my kids and WMWH (worlds most wonderful husband). I made my featured stamper card the morning before I left for vacation. Sure I had umpteen million things to do. I had to pack for all of us for the trip.
Todd and I were spending the day at the track in Saratoga the day prior to our trip.
It was the Travers Stakes in Saratoga and we had a great table in the club house with Todd's business partner and his wife. We were then meeting a few other couples for dinner in Saratoga. We got home really late and I knew we wouldn't have time to fiddle with the featured stamper that night, so I asked my good friend with the great name (Beth/Showmestamper) to hostess. She was kind enough to post for me - thank you Beth. I finally have some not so spotty internet access while sitting on the front screen porch of our rental house. It's gorgeous here! The surf is high and the kids are loving the waves. We spend the mornings at the beach, come home, rinse off, get in the pool and then have lunch. The kids crash, nap, do some quiet fun things, then we get right back to the fun! Last night we stayed up until 2 am playing cards (Shanghai Rummy) - we also like to call it SHANGHAI PAI-KOW! Well, Debbie and I do to annoy Chris and Todd. It's all quiet, people are concentrating on their hands and discards and we shout PAIKOW! I don't know what that means, but it scares the daylights out of people and makes me and Debbie snicker! {grin}

PAIKOW!

So - my koo-koo for Kokirose card is based on her card: Smashing Birthday
I call mine - OH NUTS!

I love the colors which she used - I used fall themed colors with my new Kitchen Sink Stamps Autumn Squirrel stamp set. This set is only $15 bucks - think of all the wonderful fall cards you can make with it! I started with Rust (4.5 x 4.5), then added some summer sun. I used some black paper, embossed in the cuttlebug, then spritzed with tattered angels glimmer mist. I used a scalloped punch (marvy) to make the large rust scalloped circle mat. I used some glossy paper and stamped the leaves and acorns from the Autumn Squirrel set. I used daubers to color in the white space. I was pressed for time - there was no time to smash!!! Todd was about to walk in and interrupt my mojo! I needed some black, and didn't have the exact size circle punch - there was no time to find the proper circle in my nesties (TODD WAS ABOUT TO FIND OUT I WAS NOT PACKING!!!). I took some black paper, placed my stamped image atop it, trimmed it as best as I could, then used my finger to run around the edge to even things out. Phew! Looked good! Not perfect, but GOOD!


I used the sentiments from the stamp set and then punched out the sentiment with the small SU! oval punch. Daubered up the white space with summer sun and pumpkin pie ink. I used the rust scrap with the larger SU! oval punch, but still wanted that hint of back. I used the cardstock left over from the main image and did the same thing....placed my small oval sentiment piece atop the black, trimmed it up, then used my fingernail to even things up. Shabbilicious! I had this little leaf punch in my stash of punches (I went through a punch phase - don't ask!). I punched the leaves with scraps of my earth element cardstock which was lying on the desk after this fiasco of non-packing, card making. I sponged the leaves with some ink, used sakura stardust on them to give the leaves veins....then I used my copics to transform my white polkadot ribbon to this orangey rust color. I used my heat gun to curl the ribbon up, placed the stamped pieces atop the card with dimensionals, then added four yellow baubles to each corner of the card.

Phew! I think he knew I was playing in my stamp room. I told him I was looking for the cord to my camera~ Oh NUTS! I forgot to pack some stampin' stuff to make a card for this week! :)

That is okay - I have a wonderful SWEET hostess lined up this week - can you guess who it is?

And a big ol' HOLLAH HOLLAH Congratulations to my good friend Cindy Lyles! She just opened her new ONLINE STORE! Check it out STARLITSTUDIO.net . She is my source for the fabbo ribbon which I use on most of my cards! She just opened the store and I am so happy for her. MONDO SUCCESS CINDY!


stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps: Autumn Squirrel
paper: black, glossy white, rust, summer sun, pumpkin pie
ink: summer sun, pumpkin pie, really rust, tim holtz black
misc: copics, punches (su and marvy), baubles, floral screen cuttlebug (eclectic paperie), ribbon (starlitstudio), dimensionals, leaf punch (old/marvy?), sakura stardust

FS79: Blondie090277

Okay - things could not go more wrong when I stamp so early in the morning without coffee. Friday, somehow while I was cleaning my stamp studio, Geneveieve got my new archival black ink pad and opened it. Yes - nightmare. I cleaned her up while it was still wet! It was all good. Fast Forward to Saturday. Sophie does the same DANG THING! I hear "Mommy, I made a card for you!" OH GOSH! I go in and find two black handprints on the white sink, the archival pad upside down on my desk (which is black). Needless to say, I picked up before we had to rush off to the 50th anniversary party in the neighboring state last night. My loving husband did a lot of talking last night, so we got in LATE. I decided to wake up early to stamp. I swear that everything that could have gone wrong with this card - went wrong! I tried to sew on the edges, my machine kept bunching up underneath on the third stitch in. Try threading a needle without coffee. NOT EASY! So, I ended up trimming the edges of the card, then I modified it. I got it all put together and I looked. BLACK SMUDGES everywhere. ACK! I grabbed my handy dandy white gel pen and got the smudges camouflaged. I hid some with ribbon, hid some with the photo corners. What a pain! ACK! I need to thoroughly clean the entire office today! Don't close up on the photo - you can probably see the boo boos! Maybe I will give it to someone recovering from eye surgery! LOL! That way they cannot see the boo boos!

Here is Kim's card which I cased:
Card details - changed the color from Olive to Wasabi. I used the new Kitchen Sink Stamps {Get Well Teddy} stamp set. Love this flower. It is so Val Stangle! How did I make the main image. I took a scrap of cardstock and cut out a square (you could use nestabilities, punches, anything to make a fun shape). Place it on your white cardstock with a small dab of mono to make sure it is secure. Using a sponge or a dauber, start out on the edges and sponge the ink to create your shape. Once the shape is filled in nicely, remove the mask. I removed the mask and found smudges (LOL) - so make sure that your card mask has nothing under the bottom (LOL). Stamp over the shape with your other stamps, in this case - the wonderful flower from Kitchen Sink Stamps Get Well Teddy set. I love this stamp - I cannot wait to make more with it!
I used some Mayarts (starlitstudio) ribbon (sheer burgundy polka dot). I also had to camouflage those smudgies, so I used my white gel pen and made those photo corners from scraps of paper. I took the wasabi paper and ran it sideways through a square scallop punch. I snipped a triangle on the inside and added some pearl baubles. Those photo corners are popped up on dimensionals. Thanks for looking at this smudgefest! LOL!
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supplies:
Stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps {Get Well Teddy}
paper: textured wasabi, white (SU!)
ink: wasabi, bravo burgundy
misc: scalloped square punch, baubles (pearl), dimensionals, white gel pen (ha ha), ribbon (mayarts/starlitstudio), daubers.

New Releases: Kitchen Sink Stamps

So Far I have shown you the new Kitchen Sink Stamp Sets: Pretty Tear Drops, Vintage Words, Three Step Butterflies....

and there are so many more sets to play with. I am going to go into my craft room and whip up a card with one of the new 3-step stamp sets. I will open my sketch book (I have a beautiful leather bound book which I draw my sketches in) and choose a layout and try and create some magic! In the mean time - check out some of the designs by my fellow crafters on the design team:

Julie

Nicole

Becky

Tracy

Tammy

Dee

Lori

Jan

Give them a Hollah Hollah and tell 'em I sent ya!

Kristina's Color Challenge #18 - Thankful

I enjoy a challenge! Kristina's color challenges intrigue me and I knew that I wanted to play with some new Kitchen Sink Stamps. I used the new Pretty Tear Drops, Vintage Words and 3 step Butterflies sets to create this card.


At first, I was wondering how they would come together, but as usual, Kristina's colors were wonderful together! I started with a square white base (5x5). I stamped the dots (pretty tear drops) with rose red ink on the strip of rose red cardstock and I stamped some butterflies in pumpkin ink on the pumpkin cardstock. I took scraps of rose red cardstock and stamped the tear drops with the versafine ink. I did the same with the circle on the green galore scrap. Each tear drop was trimmed and placed on a center dimensional, then the petals were slightly bent. The center of the flower was also trimed and raised up on a dimensional. Thankful sentiment stamped in black ink. Do you not ADORE that ribbon. I got it from Cindy (starlitstudio). It's Mayarts and it is descrumptious! Finally, a little bling in the form of sakura stardust. It's hard to see in the photo, but the center (green) and the petals (dotted lines) are all sakurafied! What do you think?

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Supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps {Vintage Words, 3 Step Butterflies, Pretty Tear Drops}
paper: whisper white, green galore, pumpkin pie, rose red
ink: rose red, pumpkin pie, black
misc: dimensionals, sakura stardust, ribbon (mayarts/starlitstudio)

Kitchen Sink Stamps New Release Sets: Vintage words

This card is made with scraps of paper - lots and lots of scraps - which is the WT177 challenge on SCS. I used my scalloped circle punch to layer some designer papers across the card, then used the sentiment (Kitchen Sink Stamps, Vintage words) in the center of a scrap of kraft paper. I some bravo ribbon across the top and some sponging on the edges.
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Supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps {vintage words}
paper: Kraft, MME scraps
ink: bravo burgundy
misc: scalloped circle and circle punches, daubers, dimensionals, ribbon (SU!)

Kitchen Sink Stamps New Release Sets: Butterflies and Vintage Words

I made this frame very easily with two stamp sets and a few scraps of cardstock. I love how it turned out. I had a 5x7 wood photo frame from a discount store. I took off the backing and the glass and turned it over and placed in on the backside of the cardstock. I traced around the frame opening and outside edge and trimmed the cardstock (with my carl cutter and paper snips). I ran the cardstock through the cuttlebug. I used the paisley folder. I stamped the butterflies (new Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 step butterflies) with archival black on the scraps of red cardstock (discarded pieces from the center of the frame). I trimmed the butterflies out and set them aside. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap piece of paper and punched it out with my SU! oval punch. I grabbed a piece of scrap white cardstock and scallop cut it with my nesties. I sponged the edges and set them aside. I used Scotch tacky adhesive and applied a generous amount (not too much, not too little) to the front on the frame, lined up the cardstock and gently pressed it to the frame. Allow a few minutes to dry. I used dimensionals to pop up and adhere the butterflies to the frame. I also added a little sakura stardust to the butterfly wings!!! I attached the white scalloped and sentiment to the frame, tied some ribbon around the frame and it was complete!
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supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps {vintage words, 3 step-butterflies}
paper: real red, whisper white
ink: archival black
misc: ribbon, su! oval, nestabilites, cb (paisley), dimensionals, sakura stardust

Kitchen Sink Stamps: New Release Sneak Peek

Do you see what I see? I have some of the new releases from Kitchen Sink Stamps on this photo. I took this picture of Bella coloring on the driveway. I made a frame with some fun Kitchen Sink Stamps which are getting released on August 5. Can you see what I see? Two of the sets are on this frame. It was a wooden frame which I covered with cardstock. It is all red and black with a hint of white. It is actually a gift for a birthday, but I put Bella's photo in it. The stamps were perfect for this project. You will {heart} these stamps. I cannot wait to show you the FULL MONTY on this frame.....

Color Round Up # 17: I love you

Here is Kristina Werner's Color Challenge #17

I told you I got to stamp today! TWO CARDS!






I was looking at that dress thinking how awesome it was! I took a piece of whisper white paper and grabbed a few stamp sets and created my own patterned paper. I used the regal, rose and sage ink with Kitchen Sink Stamps (Happy Birthday Cupcake and Swirly hearts & stars, plus Ready 4 any holiday).

The faux designer paper was easy to create - just keep stamping and filling in white space. The regal base has a piece of sage paper atop it. The sage paper is punched with the new SU! scalloped edge punch. I used whisper white to stamp the sentiment on (from KSS - Ready 4 any holiday). I used the SU! designer label punch (regal rose paper) and a larger circle punch (regal rose). The white circle is on dimensionals, just atop some MayArts (starlitstudio) ribbon. I used three rose baubles on the bottom edge. Ta DA!

Did I mention that all Kitchen Sink Stamps are on sale at 15 % off Today, Tomorrow and Friday!
Promo Code HOT
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supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps (Happy Birthday Cupcake, Swirly Stars & Hearts, Ready 4 Any Holiday)
ink: regal rose, rose red, sage shadow, black (ranger)
paper: regal rose, rose red, sage shadow, whisper white
misc: rose baubles, dimensionals, punches (circle, designer label, scalloped edge), ribbon (mayarts/Starlitstudio)

Color Round Up # 17: Hi Regal Rose Sage!!!

This is the color inspiration from Kristina Werner's blog - I love to participate, but hardly ever get to play! Today I made a point to get stamping! It's one of those crazy rainy days here on the East Coast - thunder ALL DAY! Lots of Lightning. I took the kids to VBS and then out to lunch at the Cracker Barrel!

Some napped, some played with their webkinz and I stamped! Here is my first card: I used a regal rose base. I corner rounded the edges, used versamark ink with my backgrounds and borders set from Kitchen Sink Stamps. I used SU! white embossing powder and heat set the card. I used a Rose Red Scalloped circle and whisper white circle. I stamped the HI sentiment (Kitchen Sink Stamps/Playful Alphabet) with Regal Rose ink. I used a Sage Ribbon to make it look like a flower. Rose Red scalloped circle on dimensionals.
Seriously easy card! Seriously!

OH! OH! OH! Don't forget the sale on Kitchen Sink Stamps - today, tomorrow and Friday (23-25 July) - 15% off - Promo Code is HOT
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supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps (Backgrounds & borders, Playful Alphabet)
paper: regal rose, rose red, whisper white
ink: regal rose, versamark
misc: white embossing powder (SU!), Sage ribbon, dimensionals, nestabilities, corner rounder

It's Getting HOT!!!!

It's July and it is GETTING H-O-T!!!
Yesterday, we celebrated a milestone with our work family! Todd and his two business partners have been at the new firm for two years! YAY! We are thrilled to pieces with our new home at Merrill!

Here are the guys celebrating last night - a little bubbly, a little BBQ and good friends!

It was hot yesterday - real hot! We have had some seriously awesome POP UP Thunderstorms! The heat has been intense and the storms really quick and fast moving! That is what happens in the summer in New York! Hazy Hot and Humid! Speaking of Hot......Kitchen Sink Stamps is having a 3 day HOT sale! 15% off from July 23-25! And guess what is the promotion code? HOT

Here is the card I made with some of my KSS sets tonight! I love grabbing some patterned paper and throwing together a quick card!

I used a white base, then placed some patterned paper on it. I used my new scalloped edge punch on the blue polkadot layer. I adhered some velvet rick rack to the paper and then placed some pearls on each edge. The hibiscus stamp from Kitchen Sink Stamps was done on white paper, I used (1. blush 2. pretty in pink 3. regal for the flower and rose red and bravo burgundy for the stamen). I used celery and moss for the leaf. I edged the circle with bravo burgundy. I placed it on a scalloped die cut circle from patterned paper. Heartfelt sentiment is from Other Important People, also a Kitchen Sink set. I used sakura stardust on the edges and stamen, and I used dimensionals to pop up the main image.


Don't forget to JULY Kitchen Sink Contest!!! This month's contest - free your spirit! There are a few catagories to enter - so check out the contest thread and start stamping!!! You have to enter by July 25 at MIDNIGHT!
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supplies:
stamps: Kitchen Sink {hibiscus, other important people}
paper: white, designer paper (my minds eye)
ink: black, blush, pretty in pink, regal, rose, bravo burgundy, celery, moss
misc: dimensionals, velvet rick rack (starlitstudio), pearls (target), sakura stardust, nestabilities (ellen hutson)