Where have I been?

It is amazing how 4 months can fly by! I had an email from one of my blog followers wondering where I have been well. I have a few things on my plate and little of it has been crafting related.

The first thing that has been keeping me busy is I am 17 weeks pregnant! Yeah - Baby Tompkins is due to arrive around July 7. However, Baby Tompkins has taken a lot out of me. I have had horrible morning sickness from week 6 onward and the label of 'morning' is a lie! I have been taking diclectin since week 8 and it has helped however, the experiment at week 14 to go off was not a successful one. I am continuing to work which has been a challenge a lot of days. This is Baby Tompkins from my 13w 4d ultrasound. He or she is healthy and growing perfectly with absolutely no problems. I have another ultrasound which works out that I will almost 21 weeks. This is the ultrasound that you would find out the sex however, Ian and I have decided that we will not be finding out the sex - we are having a baby and no matter boy or girl we will be happy. I figure it is one of the only suprises left in life.


I have also started teach Copic marker classes at my local scrapbook store, The Scrapbook Pantry. They started on Jan 16th. I am running a basics class and then you can graduate into my 'Shades' classes. I've had 2 classes to date and they have been so much fun. I was nervous at first but the timing my color lessons in the basics course have worked out. I teach again this week on Wednesday and then next week on Feb 4th is my first Shades class which will be 'Shades of Red' very appropriate for February.

It was hard decision but due to the demands of my pregnancy, my job and a new baby - I have resigned from the design team at Hanna Stamps. Telling Kristi that I would no longer be designing for them was so hard. I was in tears as I wrote the email as she is such a wonderful person and has done so much for me. I love the stamps!

I do have a few creations that need a picture and then I can get something up on this site. I hope all my readers have me in google reader and will start continue to follow along.

Hope everyone is well - I have continued to read blogs. This past weekend, I set up a new space in the basement (had to give up my scrap space in the spare room to be a spare room, as the bigger spare room will be the nursery) So, I once again have a clean space and it made me find my inspiration again. Ian is going away all week for some field work and I noticed the TV wasn't that good for the week so I should get something done.

Winner of my blog candy

The winner of the Hanna Stamps blog hop candy at my blog is:

Kraftin' Kimmie a fellow Canuck!

Congrats to you Kim! Please email Kristi at kristi@hannastamps.com to claim your prize.

The following is all the winner from the Design Team blog. Congrats to everyone! Enjoy your new moose stamp!


BLOG HOP
You win a Riley or Sophie Stamp
email : kristi@hannastamps.com
to claim your prize!!!!!

Monique Hawrelluk
Kim-3 time mom
Kathy Hering
Elsa-wamu007
stampvanwinkle
Chirsscrappin andstampintx
Tojoco-Jolroz
Lise- belles-place
KJ Lowrey-sewstampscrapbook
Lori Barnett
Courtney-Created by Courtney
Nichole (Nichole cards)
Cindy Vernon
Kraftin' Kimmie
Linda-Java Fiend
Robbeeie
The crazy life of a Navy Wife

Blog candy is closed!

Blog candy for a new Riley/Sophie stamp is now closed. I will be back to announce the winner later tonight during the Hanna Stamps release party that starts at 7 p.m. EST!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today, marks Ian and mine first wedding anniversary. The time has gone by so fast, it is hard to believe that a year ago today we said 'I do' actually I think it was 'I will'. Regardless, it has been a fabulous year and I know we will have many more years together.


Happy Anniversary, Ian! All my love today and always,

Hanna is going to be 1 and I have CANDY!

In celebration of Hanna Stamps first year in business, Kristi has lots of giveaways for you!!!!!

Visit all the talented Design Team Blogs between now and Wednesday to see exciting sneak peeks and for the chance to win a never seen before Riley/Sophie Moose image.

Leaving a comment on each blog, will increase your chances of winning. One new stamp per Design Team member blog will be given out. Winners will be announced at the Hanna Stamps Release Party on Thursday October 2 at 9:00 p.m EST (7pm MST). So pop into the Hanna Stamps SCS forum for the party for challenges, prizes, chatter, more prizes and to see what the amazing Design Team has in store for you.

Blog hop on over to the other design team members:

Adela - Creations by AR

Amanda - Inkspirations

Beth - Freckled and Fun

Bev - Savor the Journey

Cambria - Stamp a Little Love Baby

Candice - Rubber Soul

Cindy - Cindy Haffners’s Corner

Frances - Stamp Owl’s Studio

Janette - Stampin with Style

Jeanne - Inky Paws

Judy - Rock is Dead

Kittie - Kittie Kraft

Niki - My Paper Creations

Pam - Iris Garden

Patti - Design {U}

ME! - Live, Love, Laugh & Stamp

Vicki - DT Coordinator - Summerthyme Studio

Kristi - Owner - Kreations By Krissy

This week is also sneak peek week. Ian and I got in on Sunday afternoon after a week in Cleveland, OH and of course, I have no samples ready for the sneak peek. But I know that the Design Team will! So make sure to check out all their blogs above for the sneak peeks and to enter blog candy also the HSDT gallery at SCS.

I was exhausted when we got home and slept for 3 hours, I would have sleep on our flight from Chicago to Calgary but the man sitting next to me had his elbow in my ribs the whole flight and no matter what I did he wouldn't move it. It was a long 3 hours and 37 minutes! To make matters worse I have to leave at 6:30 am today to head out for a 2 day planning session in Kananaskis with my team from work, it's only one night away but that night is my 1st wedding anniversary. Oh well, we celebrated in Cleveland and we've known this for months. I will be back on Tuesday night to make some sneak peek samples as well as finish up the scrapbook I somehow ended up making for my Team Lead that is leaving the group. Too many things on my plate at the moment.

I will leave you with this one last Riley card that I have in my stash - which is now empty!


Stamps: Hanna Stamps
Paper: Basic Grey, real red, old olive, always artichoke, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, copic markers
Accessories: always artichoke ribbon

Kiss the Cook

Wow! It's Friday again. Somehow the week slipped by with work on Monday and then a course Tues thru Thur. I was responding to emails at night and just plain busy. I haven't really stamped at all. I have a half done card for our monthly Calgals challenge tonight. I better get that done before I head to Nancy's or I'll be harassed!

I made this 'Kiss the Cook' card for the stamp release and then I never got it up for the release and plain forgot about it. So here is my take on Kiss the cook.

Supplies
Stamps: Kiss the Cook by Hanna Stamps
Paper: Bazzill, Basic Grey, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, copic markers
Accessories: Bazzill brads and Flowers, Basic Grey Infuse ribbon

I'm hosting HSC34

I'm the host this week for the Hanna Stamps Challenge, on the Members forum on SCS. This week's challenge is my first sketch challenge. I actually figured out how to design a sketch in Photoshop Elements and it wasn't that hard.

Here is my sketch:


And here is the card I made with the sketch:


Be sure to check out the HSC34 gallery to see whatever one else has done.

I know its been awhile since I posted on my blog but work has been really busy and I haven't had the energy to stamp. It's really hard sometimes to use the left brain all day and then come home and get the right brain flowing. I'm an engineer for an oil and gas company not sure if everyone knows that so I spent my day with numbers and meetings. I'm on another course next week for some software training then Ian and I are going to Cleveland from the 21st to the 28th (our 1st anniversary is on the 29th!) as he has a training course and I'm tagging along then I come back and spent the 29th and 30th at an offsite meeting for work .... and it's October then. WOW! Because of all this I suspect I am going to be a little absent this month. I think I'm really going to miss stamping this month.

Supplies
Stamps: Ballerina Sophie, Sentiments all by Hanna Stamps
Ink: Memento black, Copic Markers
Paper: Europhia, lavendar lace, regal rose, certainly celery, PTI white
Accessories: Prima, Scrapbook sally brad, SU soft sky ribbon, designer label punch

Introducing Ballet Sophie G!

I am so excited to finally be able to put this card up on my blog as I made it a month ago in preparation for the day that this cute little moose would be released! Hanna Stamps along with ecletic Paperie will be releasing this stamp with our release on Friday, September 5th. The proceed will be going to cancer foundation in honor of a friend of Daisy and Joy who's little girl has cancer. More details to follow later this week on the members forum at SCS.

Other news from Hanna Stamps!

Hanna Stamps will be celebrating it’s 1st “Hanna-versary” on 5th October. To celebrate this exciting event Hanna Stamps will be having a 1 month long contest.

For every $50 you spend, throughout the month (1st September to midnight 1st October) your name will go into a drawing, the lucky winner will have their choice of the Copic Air Compressor, or the $200 shopping spree in the Hanna Stamps store.

During our release party on Thursday night Oct 2nd, we will video tape Hanna picking the winning name out of a jar.
We are going to have weekly give aways during the entire month of Sept. So stay tuned here or on the Design teams blogs for these great prize give aways!

Don't forget to join us this Thursday 4th September in the Hanna Stamps Members Forum for our release party starting at 9pm EST.

Supplies
Stamps: Hanna Stamps
Paper: all PTI
Ink: Memento, Copics
Accessories: PTI ribbon

Friends

I made this one single card when I was at Nancy's last weekend. It wasn't a Calgals night just an afternoon in which we both weren't busy well we were both without husbands for the day so we got together.

I've had a couple Elzybells that I picked up at a stamp store here in Calgary several months ago but hadn't used them. I inked up this one at Nancy's and created this card.

Supplies
Stamps: Elzybells, Friendship blooms - SU
Paper: lavendar lace, regal rose, bashful blue, Europhis - Basic Grey
Ink: Memento, copic markers
Accessories: Imaginasce button brads, SU pretty in pink tafetta, Bazzill paper flowers

Calgals challenge

Somehow it is now Sunday even though I was going to post this on Friday. How fast time flies.

This card was made for the August Calgals meet up (see the names of the Calgals on the right side of my blog). It was my turn to do the challenge so I picked a color challenge using certainly celery, pretty in pink and chocolate chip. I also used SC190 for my sketch inspiration.

Another week of work starts tomorrow but it is only 4 days long then I leave Friday morning to spend the long weekend at the Bloomin' Inn with my Mom until Monday for a scrapping retreat.

Supplies
Stamps: House Mouse - Stampabilities
Paper: patterened paper - SU, certainly celery, pretty in pink and chocolate chip
Ink: Memento, Copic markers
Accessories: Doodlebug felt ribbon and brad, Kaiser flower, Mike's ribbon, nestabilities

Stamp or be Stamped!

My course has been going well. I can't believe it is Thursday already but well I am ready for the weekend. Here is another card I made when I was in Dallas using some Rusty Pickle paper that Kristi had and we made pirate cards together. I also made one of the bag box with the paper but it didn't travel well back to Calgary in my bag so I won't be showing you the damaged good.

I am off to Nancy's tonight for our monthly Calgals stamping night. I have my Calgals challenge card all done. I will be showing it tomorrow as the rules are to keep it off our blog until after our meeting. I will tell you that it is a color challenge using chocolate chip, certainly celery and pretty in pink.

Supplies
Stamps: Pirate Hanna - Hanna Stamps
Paper: Rusty Pickle, pretty in pink, basic black, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, copic markers
Accessories: Heidi Grace glittered flowers, Amanda Blu polka dot brads, SU PIP tafetta ribbon, Dots, Dashes, Checks sheer polka dot ribbon, Long nesties (thanks Bev!)

Sketch Challenge with House Mouse

This is probably the lamed title for a blog post yet. But I can't think of anything to name it. I made this card using last Wednesday's sketch challenge on SCS, SC189. I started with a House Mouse stamp and colored it with copics. I realized that my blender pen was out of fluid so once I grabbed the spare blending became easier. I guess I'll have to go by the art supply in Calgary and see if they have blender refill until then I have a sketch copic that I can use.

Monday morning starts a 5 day course for me on Oil and Gas Evaluations. I've been told its one of the best courses in the industry but it is still sitting in a classroom from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm which I am sure will drive me a little squirrly. Wish me luck!

ETA: I entered this card in a new House Mouse Challenge blog - we were to use the theme new and well this was a NEW stamp.

Supplies
Stamps: All Stamps by Stampabilities
Paper: regal rose, orchid opulence, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, Copic markers
Accessories: Dashes, Dots & Checks ribbon, Imaganisce flowers, Jesse James glitter dots

She's having a baby .....

Sophie G is having a baby - NOT ME! However, my good friend Carmen is 13 weeks pregnant so I made this card for her using the sketch challenge from a few weeks back, SC186. This Sophie G stamp was released on June 20 with the other Riley moose stamps from Hanna Stamps. I am off to meet Carmen this afternoon for afternoon matinee, we are seeing The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2.

I spent yesterday afternoon stamping with my friend, Nancy at her house. We each only got one card done but we got a lot of chatting in. I am going back to her place on Thursday evening for the monthly Calgals meet up however, I better get my challenge card done as it was my challenge and I'm not done yet. I won't hear the end of it if I don't have my card with me!

Supplies
Stamps: Hanna Stamps
Paper: Bella Rosa - Stampin' Up, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Piroutte, PTI white
Ink: Memento Black, Copic markers
Accessories: Kaiser pink flower, Imaginasce pink brad, SU old olive twill

Christmas in July

Well I made this card a while back it was suppose to be for Hanna Stamps Friday Challenge, HSC26 where Frances challenged us with a card sketch and for an added bonus if we used the sketch to make a Christmas in July card. I did both.

I really loved the Basic Grey paper Figgy Pudding the colors were so nice and I am still using it. I think I even have some 12x12 yet to use in my xmas papers stash.

I am glad this week is only a 4 day week for myself. I am heading to Calaway Park (amusement park in Calgary) for the day tomorrow as my step-sister is in town with her almost 5 yo and 2 yo. It should be a fun day. Then I am going to get some stamping in this weekend with a good friend. I should also start planning as in 2 weeks my Mom and I are heading to the Bloom' Inn in Pincher Creek for a long weekend of scrapbooking. Which reminds I still haven't showed my scrapping pages on my blog from when I was there in May!

Supplies
Stamps: Santa Riley, Things Riley would say - Hanna Stamps
Paper: Basic Grey Figgy Pudding, real red, always artichoke, old olive
Ink: Memento Black, Copic markers
Accessories: word window, circle nesties, Dots and Dashes ribbon,

Do the Luau!

I made this card when I was in Texas at Bev's. I took this paper from Stamp-it Australia with me as I thought it would be awesome with the mini Laua set by Hanna Stamps.

I've been pretty busy at work so I haven't gotten online much to post at my blog. I usually upload all my pictures and then do my posts on my lunch break and schedule them for the next day. I'm going to upload some tonight so that I will have something to work with.

Supplies
Stamps: Hanna Stamps
Paper: Stamp-it Australia, summer sun, regal rose, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, copics
Accessories: window punch, SU ribbon (retired), Imaginisce fuzzy brads

Whiff of Joy Stamps

Have you seen the new Whiff of Joy stamps on Katharina's Creative Place. I want them so I am entering her 100,000 blog candy to win..... you can too.

Here is a preview of one of the images.


If you want them too go check out this post at Katharina's.

Sketch Challenge 188

I'm going to try to do the sketch challenge on the day that they are posted. This is a first time for me. It was fun to do this challenge, the fact I have so many images colored made it pretty fast for me. You can find SC188 on SCS.

I have some pictures from Texas plus some more cards I made there and I finally downloaded my camera tonight. I am hoping my SU catalogues will be at the house tomorrow when I get home from work. However, not sure how much time I will have to look at it right away as Mom and Gerald are coming in for the weekend and there is a Rider game on Thursday night ... I'm hoping for 7 and 0!

Supplies
Stamps: Hanna Stamps
Paper: Basic Grey Boxer, Night of Navy, Real Red, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, Copics
Accessories: navy ribbon, silver brads

Skiing into Xmas

We are having a blast in Dallas. We went to the JFK museum today called The Sixth Floor which is all about the day JFK was assassinated. Bev and her husband have been wonderful tour guides. Tomorrow, we head to Fort Worth to watch a cattle drive.

I thought I'd check in and show you a card for today's Hanna Stamps Challenge, HSC28 which was to use buttons. I have a few on this Riley card that used Skiing Riley.

Supplies
Stamps - Hanna Stamps
Paper: Basic Grey Figgy Pudding, Real Red, Cool Carribean, PTI white
Ink: Memento Black, Copic markers
Accessories: Sassfrass Buttons, real red 5/8 grosgrain

News from Dallas

Well I made in to Dallas. It really amazes me that it is only a 3 hour flight but I go to Halifax at least once a year with Ian and that is 5 1/2 hour. I picked up my rental car and me and the GPS were on the road by 12:30. It took the satellite a while to acquire a signal at the airport as I headed out with all that concrete so I just drove out and headed for the 121 N to Grapevine. The exit I took so that I could pull over and program the GPS got me right in from of Joann's in Grapevine so I had to go in. I was amazed at how nice one of those superstores are. I wish we had something there as the merchandise was so different that Michael's. I picked up an Pioneer 12x12 Album that was $19.99 with 30% off that is black Leather but says 'Live, Love, Laugh'. I loved it.

My next mission was lunch and a Strawberry Lemon slush from Sonic. I feel in love with this fruit slush when I lived in Oklahoma but haven't had one now in 7 years! Didn't take long to find one with my GPS - I think I am going to call the voice Greta. Mabye some nicer name as she has been so helpful. Once I was feed and had my large slush I was off again to my first store. I hit up ScrapBarn in Carrollton, Stamp Asylum in Plano and Scrapbook Bunnies in McKinney. Each was about 15 minutes apart and I never left the concrete jungle of the DFW metro. On my way to McKinney I say that exit 37 took me to the Allen Premium Outlet Stores which was one thing I hadn't researched. So, I stopped there and looked around for awhile.... I found the cutest shoes at Naturalizer ..... leave it to me to still find the $40 shoes when everything else is $20! I also got a new pair of Arnette sunglasses at the Sunglass Hut and a present for my husband to say 'I'm sorry I went on vacation without you!'

A stop at the Super Target on the way back to the airport/Grapevine area for some munchies and I settled into my hotel for the night. I called Bev and she was amazed at how much I got in to one day and the numerous places I'd been and how she didn't even know about some of my stops.

I am heading to Imprints in Fort Worth today and then to the Grapevine Mills Mall. I think I have a stop at Bath&Body Works in my future. Then to the airport for 3:45 to pick Judy up. We are going to check in and then head out to Bev's to meet the rest of the DT and have our live release party tonight. This is definitely a great weekend, I think I have the best name for it too ...... Design Team does Dallas ..... good thing we don't have a Debbie on our team!

More to come later .... I'll post some pictures from tonight tomorrow.

I'm Batty for You!

I'm on a plane to Dallas right now! I arrive at 11:35 am Dallas time and have a big day of shopping planned. I have laid out my plans but first, I think I might stop at Sonic and get a Strawberry Lemon Slush as I haven't had one of those since I lived in Oklahoma in 2001. I'll program in Sonic to the GPS and see where it finds the closest one.

I don't have a Hanna preview today but hope to have one later or on Thursday for sure. Instead, I have a card made with Riley from the suprise Riley release on June 20. I really haven't gotten much stamped with these guys as it has been a little busy with work and truth be told my stamp room was a mess until last week and I could find no creative juices in the mess.

About 6 of us from the Hanna Stamps Design Team will be together on Thursday for the Release party. We will have a few laptops going it should be fun ...... we are thinking PJs! I'll keep you posted on my Dallas travels - I'm meeting up with some amazing stampers ... I am going to have stars in my eyes ..... I mean Texasgrammy, BadSherry, Jeanne S, Kristi, Judyw and Jenn B! OMG! I'll have to take pictures as little old me is hitting the bright lights of the stamping posh!

Supplies
Stamps: Witch Riley - Hanna Stamps, SU
Paper: K&C patterned paper, only orange, basic black, PTI white
Ink: Memento black, Copics
Accessories: felt bats from $1 store, Mike's ribbon,