Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Happy Monday! As I write this entry it's nearly midnight and the moon is nice and full, which is just perfect for today's Simply Betty Stamps sneak peek! Today's card is featuring Miller, who happens to have a wild side! Miller is one of the SBS Emo Kids, available now for 10% off today, here.

I started this card out with a tri-fold card base in Chocolate Chip and More Mustard by SU!, added some patterned paper by K & Co., a full moon stamp by Stampers Anonymous, a sentiment by Artful Inkables, some Grungeboard, ribbon, and brads. I topped it all off with a howling wolf image cut with my Cricut using the Campout cartridge.


There's something about Miller's expression that is just a little mischievous, so I knew he must have some kinda' secret...what do you think Miller is up to?
Head on over to the other SBS DT member's blogs to see what is sneakin' out in teh night over there!
Amy Young
Betty Roberts (Owner)
Catherine
Debbie Pamment
Jen Shults
Lisa Hjulberg (DT Coordinator)
Hugs and HOOTS,
<3 Alicia

I see London, I see France...

Today is the first of three sneak peek events for Simply Betty Stamps and you are gettin' quite a show! ;) I'd like to introduce you to a sweet little pixie named, London. London (from the Emo Kids line) is wearing the most adorable tutu and ballerina slippers, and she is just calling out for some wings!

I can't wait to ink her up again and try her out with some Tim Holtz Grungeboard wings, some vellum and acetate wings, or how about some stamped butterfly wings? I know what I'm working on this week!
For today's sneak peek, I decided to create a gift set, perfect for your own Emo Kid. What emo kid isn't wearing a cute bow in her hair?

This set features London in her full-sized glory on a standard sized card, as well as a miniaturized London as she adorns an embellished pobby pin. I created a mini easel card to display the hair bow. Each image was colored uysing a combination of Copic Markers and Prismacolor Markers, and mini-London was created using white Shrinky Dinks from the craft store.

The colors here are a little off, but I used Old Olive Cardstock by SU! and some royal purple cardstock by Bazzil. I embellished the card with patterned paper by ATD, some specialty Primas, and a few flower centers dug up from the findings section of the fabric store.
I hope this sneak peek got your wings flittering...be sure to stop by the Simply Betty Stamps Blog to see what the other SBS DT members are up to today!
Hugs and HOOTS,
<3 Alicia

Announcements Galore!

Happy Saturday, my friends! Oh, this weekend is looking especially good with as busy as I have been this week! I have been focused on the Instructional Designer position I shared with you last week as I had an informal meeting/interview with the Dean of Technology yesterday! The visit around the campus just reinforced my desire for the position and I am looking forward to a panel interview in the coming weeks! In the meantime, I've been reading the 152 page User's Guide for the new Blackboard System (9.1) and well, it's consumed most of my day thus far!
This is my excuse for delaying my second BIG announcement...I would like to introduce you to the Simply Betty Stamps Design Team! I have had the pleasure of virtually and physically meeting these ladies this week nd it has been quite a ride as we prepare for the official kick-off of Betty's stamp line this weekend! You can look forward to sneak peeks tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday! I want to encourage you to check out the other designer's blogs and of course to come on back this way over the next few days as there will be blog hops and PRIZES ahead! ;)
And so, without further ado, I present to you...

Amy Young
Betty Roberts (Owner)
Catherine
Debbie Pamment
Jen Shults
Lisa Hjulberg (DT Coordinator)



I gotta' tell you, friends, the things these ladies are coming up with are just amazing! I can't wait to see it all come together!

If you haven't yet, head on over to Simply Betty Stamps to preorder your very own Emo Kids, today! After playing with them this week, they have been a blast to color; I've really enjoyed seeing them come to life!

Happy Memorial Day, my American followers; enjoy this time with your families and please remember those who have sacrificed for our liberties and freedoms!
Hugs and HOOTS,
<3 Alicia

Like sunshine after the rain

Hello scrappy friends! I have had a pretty exciting week, so I just had to share! I did get a final layoff notice from my school district this month, so times may be rough ahead,but I am looking forward to new opportunities at the moment. This week I began submitting job applications for potential new positions and the one I am most excited about is at a local university as an Instructional Designer; this job is so perfect for me! I'll keep you posted, but in the meantime I am researching everything I can about the school and its programs. :)
After all the anxiety I've been through in this layoff, I feel like this week has really lifted my spirits in small ways. After a particularly yucky day, I came home to find a package of too sweet stamps from my new scrappy friend, Lisa. You must check out her blog...love it! She sent me these darlings:

So cute, no? I had just enough time to ink one of 'em up and get her colored in with my copics and prismas...I'll let you know when she gets a home! The sweetest thing about this package was that last time we were at our LSS, we both liked this set and I was going to purchase it, but before I'd made up my mind (and my wallet), a girl in our group snagged 'em. I so appreciate Lisa's thoughtfulness and generosity! <3
Additionally, I received an e-mail from Lisa and Betty (of the NEW SimplyBettyStamps) today inviting me to be a part of Betty's first DESIGN TEAM! *insert giggly boppin' around here* I was able to see all of the images in her first release this afternoon and they are SO friggin' cute! You can check out either Lisa or Betty's blogs for a Lil' sneak peak, or see the images on the company blog, here.
In light of all of this loveliness, I wanted to share this little doll with you:

For this card, I used the Rain Snow Shine set from The Greeting Farm for the main image; isn't Anya fabulous? After coloring in Anya's hair and skin with my Copics and Prismacolor Markers, I started by stamping Anya onto various scraps of both K & Co. and DCWV papers and then paper piecing her outfit together. From there, I used the Hello Kitty Greetings Cartridge and my Cricut Expression for the rainbow and raincloud, using coordinating papers. I finished it all off with a couple punches from Martha Stewart(butterflies and fence border), some embossing with SU! plates,a few prima flowers and a phrase stamp(SU!) punched out with my SU! word window punch. All of the Cardstock is SU! and the papers are from the DCWV Crafty stack.
Here is a close-up of the fashionable Anya:

I want to wish you all a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!
Hugs and HOOTS,
Alicia <3

Now serving a refreshing dish of marinated 12-inch borders :)

When I first purchased my Cricut Expression, I was pleased as punch to find out that I could create 12 inch borders for my scrapbook pages. One of the first layouts I attempted with my new machine was a border feature on the Pp aer Pups cart(SOON TO RETIRE). I wanted to create a series of paw prints walking along the bottom of my layout, from one end to the other, so I pulled out my 12 x 12 mat and entered the magic code on the keypad overlay...only to find out that borders set to 12" cut at 11.5" :(
I dashed to Joann's and picked up a 12 x 24" mat and tried the magic code again on the keypad overlay; this time, I did get a 12" border, but the paw prints were huge and there was no way to weld them together. Once design studio launched, the feature was possible, but I hated lugging my Cricut to my computer, hooking it up, designing the measly strip and lugging it all back again to assemble my layout.
With my Gypsy, the whole process can be done in a snap! If you are like me, you likely have a very similar story to share about your 12" border-woes, but after viewing today's E-Entree, you too will be whipping up a strip here or there! :)
I've been obsessed with this Create A Critter cart since it first arrived and I have made at least 15 projects with it...mostly layouts, so I knew it would be my go-to cart for this project. For the border itself, however I chose to use Give A Hoot because of the myriad of choices using its border feature. Enjoy, friends and don't forget we all love comments and subscriptions! ;)


Here is a quick peak and the completed layout:


Hugs and HOOTS,
<3 Alicia

Would you like to hear today's specials?

Good evening!I'm excited to announce today's video after so long! I woke up this morning and decided that I needed to stop waiting for the perfect project, the perfect lighting, just the right amount of energy, and just dive back in. So, after several months away, I'm back...for real! :)
On our last Disneyland trip, Christopher and I took several pictures near the wishing well. One of the pics I snapped was of each of our shadows side by side next to the pond, there.

While taking a bath last night and looking at the images on my NEW Cricut Rewards delivery, the Asian Bundle embossing folders, I decided I needed to use some reflective paper to emboss the koi pond...it all came together from there! :)
So, without further ado, I'd like to announce, E-Entrees, a related video series to my previsouly launched A La Card series! :)


Hugs and HOOTS,
<3 Alicia

A card for my Maid of Honor

I can not believe that my wedding is just 6 months away! Where have I been the last two months? LOL Planning update: we are meeting with the florist this week and the photographer next week. We don't have a wedding planner or anything and I refuse to go near a bridal magazine, so it's been an adventure! I just want everything to be simple and *real* and *us*.
You may have read on the Cricut MB that my planned MOH will be unable to take this role due to an unexpected pregnancy, so I've asked another of my Bride's maid's, my big sis from my sorority, to be my MOH. She excitedly took the role and when I told her I didn't want her to feel bad that I didn't pick her first she was , "oh please...let's get to work!" Gotta' LOVE this girl!
At any rate, I wanted to make her a card to tell her how happy I am that I am sharing this time with her and that she has been so supportive, so I made her a card using some of those KI Memories stamps I scooped up at Joann's on clearance. Now, you may be looking back at those photos and thinking to yourself "I don't see a dress in any of those sets," well how could I settle for only a few of those stamp sets at under a buck? If I am going to lose my job, I better jump all over deals while I can and stock up! I went back and bought another 18 sets (including a wedding themed set) because I couldn't believe the deal! LOL The clerk said "Can you believe you would have spent like $100.00 on these normally?"
Without further ado, here is my MOH card :)



I was amazed by the complete LACK of fancy, frilly papers I had available in my stash for this card! Based on this fact, I used my next coupon to get the mat stack sized version of the new DCWV "Linen" stack, so I'd have some appropriate wedding colored fancy papers for the future! I am sure I will need to make a lot of littel thank you notes along the way in the coming months! I love that little stack and am looking forward to playing with it soon.
I tried making a video tonight about making true 12" long borders using the gypsy, but my mojo was on vacation. I will give it another go tomorrow night, though...I have a couple techniques for getting your borders the correct length, which I have been meaning to share!
Supplies: Stamps-KI Memories, Paper-Green Bling Bazzil Cardstock, SU! Very Vanilla, DCWV Pink Cardstock, Patterned Paper-DCWV, Nana's Nursery Stack,Punches-SU! Scallop Square punch (4 overlapped for each, to make a larger sized square) Pearls-Hobby Lobby (not in CA), Misc: Ribbon, Dimensionals.
Thanks for looking! Have a happy week!
Hugs and HOOTS!
<3 Alicia