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WOWZAS! There is a lot going on here today. It’s the first Saturday of the month, so I have a new Designer of the Month to announce and it’s also the Taylored Expressions 1 year Birthday Bash! I just have to say how happy I am for Taylor for making her dream come true. Now it’s one wonderful year later…way to go, Taylor!

Let’s start at the Designer of the Month biz-ness…

Please welcome the wonderful and talented Gretchen Belknap of Happiness Is…

A little about Gretchen in her own words…
I was so shocked to get an email from Jen, one of my “stamping idols”,
asking me to be her September guest designer for a Sketch For You To
Try! I love her sketches and participate often because layouts seem to
be my weakness. I jumped out of my chair and gave a little squeal! Me,
really?! Woo Hoo! So here I am honored to be asked and in such great
company!

I am a SAHM of 4 school aged children and a daycare provider for
preschoolers during the school year. I have been stamping for over 10
years now- mostly making scrapbooks for my kids- but when I discovered
SCS and the blog world in 2007, my whole love of stamping got a much
needed jump start! I have met some fabulous “cyber friends” and even a
few IRL. I love this hobby and I am so excited to share my creations
with you!

Here’s this week’s sketch…

My card using Sweet Celebration from Taylored Expressions…

This set, along with Frightful Night and Trick or Sweet are 40% to celebrate the One Year Anniversary/Birthday of Taylored Expressions. These were the 3 original sets and I can remember seeing them for the first time like it was yesterday. Be sure to check out the other Taylored Expression DT alumni that are playing along this week…

Jami, Monika and Stephanie.

Here is Gretchen’s awesome sample…

Want a few more samples? Check out my Sketch For You To Try Sisters…
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Kelly Lunceford
Susan Liles

I’m off to shop for now. I hope that you all will play along with the sketch. If you upload to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword “SFYTT.”

If you haven’t noticed already, I am blogging a little less. I think that I have been blogging for close to 2 years now. I still love it and plan to continue to blog, but at a little different pace. I will continue my SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY, as well as releases and challenges for the companies I design for {more on that in a sec} and some “just for fun” projects, too. I have missed doing stuff “just because” and I want to bring more of that into my creative life. With that being said, here are some updates on my DT status’…

As you know, I have resigned from Stamping Bella. I have also stepped down from my position with Taylored Expressions. You may have seen the post HERE announcing that on Taylor’s blog yesterday. I know that there are some of you out there saying, “Are you flippin’ crazy? These are 2 of the greatest companies out there!” No, I am not crazy…at least not in the technical sense of the word and YES, I know that these are wonderful companies with wonderful products. I want everyone to know that my stepping down from those DTs in in NO WAY a reflection of that company or their DT. These were strictly personal choices that I made based on where I am personally and creatively. I will continue to stamp with their stamps and use the products they sell. I wanted to get that out in the open so that there was no speculation to who, what, where, when, etc…

In addition to Bella and TE, I will soon be ending my position with Glue, another FABULOUS {and local!} company. The ladies that run this company are wonderful and easy to work with. I love their products, but again, I made this choice based on where I feel I am personally and creatively.

I have truly be blessed with the opportunity to work with these companies on personal and professional levels. I have actually met all of the people that run the above mentioned companies. They are wonderfully kind, generous, intelligent and professional women. To you ladies…THANK YOU for the opportunities that you have given me. I have loved working with you and your company!

I will continue to design for The Cat’s Pajamas and Verve Stamps, two stamping companies that I completely adore. I will also be taking on Guest Designer positions from time to time. In October I will be Guest Designing for Prism, yet another great company. You can see the announcement for that HERE. While I don’t have any other official positions lined up, you may see me here or there as opportunities present themselves.

My mojo has been smooshed due to all the bad stamping juju going around. I am no longer an SU! demo, but can honestly say that I am unimpressed with what all has come forward from them. Yes, I understand where they are coming from, but MY OPINION is that it is very reactionary and shortsighted. I hope that they will listen to what and why people do what they do and work with the people that make them their money. They need the demos more than the demos need them {in most cases}. For now, me and SU! are parting ways. I haven’t used their stamps in ages, the ribbon has made a rare appearance and their other embellies are non-existent in my stamping room. I do have a ton of the paper and will continue to use it here and there, but once it’s gone it’s gone. There is more to this creative world than just SU!. It took me a long time to realize that, but I am glad that I did. That’s just my two cents. I know that not everyone will agree, and that’s ok. This world would be pretty boring if everyone thought the same way! I hope that if you are a demo that you are able to come to a decision that you are happy with and benefits you.

That’s all for now. See ya Saturday, unless I get some serious mojo going on here!

Greetings! Sorry I never got around to making a sample for last week’s SFYTT. I hate when people say “I’ve been so busy,” so I won’t even go there. It just didn’t get done because other things did. Such is life, right? This week I am hosting TCP Tuesday and I have a great challenge for you. Break out those TCP Halloween stamps and create a card or project. All deets are below, but to sum it up…play for a chance to win some serious bucks to spend in the TCP store {stamps, buttons and glitter…oh my!}.

Here’s my oh-so-spooky sample {at least I got one sample done this week, right?…LOL!}…

As for the card deets…
I began by stamping the images from The Cat’s Pajamas on a Kraft card base and coloring them with my Copics. The DP is from the Halloween stack from DCWV {Die Cuts With a View}. In addition the Kraft cardstock, I also used Summer Sunrise from Papertrey and Intense Kiwi from Prism. The fun border punch is from Martha Stewart and is quickly becoming one of my faves. As for the ribbon, that’s from Papertrey, too. I wrapped the flat portion around the Kiwi panel and then created the bow and hot glued it on {yes, seriously!}.

TCP Tuesday deets…
1. Each a week one of the The Cat’s Pajamas DT Members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme/inspiration, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project on the TCP Tuesday post on THIS post.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES74 for this challenge.
8. Alma will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the first of the month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.
10. Oh yea…HAVE FUN!

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