Tutorial Blog

Since I've started the tutorial blog,I think I will make this blog more of a personal nature....so if you are more interested in the stamping side of things, you may want to subscribe to the new blog.....just an fyi....the new blog will include things like tutorials, tips, my new art, and sale info....thanks for reading along!!!

A few pix of the house

Just a few pix of the house so far....haven't gotten them finished...not sure what I'll do yet either...but here it is so far...will put up pix of E's room as soon as the batteries recharge on my camera! LOL

Living Room as viewed from the hall

Living Room as viewed from Kitchen

Name collage we made for K's door: (stamps are Club Scrap and an unknown one, paper is ClubScrap)

K's Room as viewed from the doorway:

K's room as viewed from her dresser..lol

Master Bedroom as viewed from MBath door:

Master Bedroom as viewed from doorway:



A word about the window treatment behind my bed... We went into a store called Anne's Linens, and I saw this bed on display that had this great treatment behind it (in different colors) my heart actually started racing, I was so excited...I wanted to bring color into my room with out painting..and I thought this was such a great way to get it!! SO I hunted down a sale associate and exclaimed..."Oh, I WANT THAT!! But in gold and chocolate...help me!!!" LOL...I LOVE the way it turned out..but B did not enjoy standing on the bed adjusting the swag (cuz I sure couldn't reach it!) A little more to the left honey, no,now more to the right...lol

Treaure Hunt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m so excited to finally get my gallery and tutorial blog up and running, I’m having a TREASURE HUNT!!!! (this weekend only)

Here’s how to play!!

Part 1:
Somewhere hiding in my gallery are 2 coupons!! Both are single use coupons (means each customer can only use the coupon one time), one expires at midnite on Sunday Nov. 18th. The other coupon doesn’t expire until Dec. 17th!!!!! That gives you an entire month to make up your wish list!! To use them, you have to first FIND them!!! When you want to use the coupon, just type in the code in the coupon box on the order page. (It’s on the left side of the screen)

I’ll give you a hint…..they are both located in the Stamp Sets album!! Grin…

Part 2:
I’ve hidden 3 images (they are marked “Surprise!” on the image). If you find them and email me, after you place your min 10$ order, which images they are, you will get a free stamp for each image you find correctly. Limit of 3 free images per customer. (Free images will be selected by me.)
HINT: All the hidden images are located somewhere in the gallery!
(Yes, you can combine Part 1, with Part 2!! and no, you can not combine the coupons lol) You have until Monday Nov 19th, 2007, at midnite (EST) to find the hidden images and place your 10$ min. order, to recieve your free stamps.
Happy Hunting!!!

BTW: You will find the gallery is sorted by stamp sets, new art, and customer art! The free fonts and sketches are back up too!! I am still uploading images, and tutorials too, so be sure to check back often!! AND, you can search by designer, and by customer name too! So if you want to submit art for the gallery, email it to me! Just be sure to include your name in the file name so I know who to give the art credit to!

Cutting Tips

Oh YES! We all have them! You know those wonderful plates of unmounted rubber you ordered with such
enthusiasm, but then when you got them you stared them in total fright! "HOW am I supposed to CUT those apart??"(Even I have a few plates that are closer than I intended them to be! lol)
Here is how I handle those images...first put on your "I can do ANYTHING!!" hat..then follow the images below.


Warning: Do not attempt before first infusion of caffeine (coffee, coke, hot chocolate,Dove...etc)



These paisleys are a bit closer than I'd like. You're going to need some sharp
scissors for this type of surgery. I recommend either KIA, or the ones
from SU (there is a rep on my links
page)


Gently tug the rubber so it spreads apart a bit, giving you room to slide
those oh so sharp and pointy scissors in between the images.


Pull the lower edge down and sorta wrap it between your fingers. Slide the scissors underneath the rubber, be careful you don't poke your fingers..and carefully cut apart.
Remember this is surgery, go slowly,but dont' forget to BREATH!
We wouldn't want you to pass out from lack of oxygen! LOL
If you have a hard time keeping the rubber slightly pulled apart, ask
someone to hold it for you. Just be careful not to pull it too hard. Red
rubber is pretty tough, but you don't want to chance it tearing.

Reader Tips:-I use an Exacto knife -- especially if it's a new blade, those cut close images great!-Kim D. (DT)

-I couldn't do it without my Tonic Studios fine detail scissors! I do it much the same way you described! The worse ones I
ever had were the Club Scrap wedding font UM - Scriptina font - VERY close together! I was a nervous wreck, but didn't
damage a single letter, and cut them all out much as you described! ;o)-Ursula R. (DT)

Bday Card-Double Pocket

This card is for a dear friend of mine, who's b-day I completely forgot....
Technique is from the bonus online tutorial from Technique Junkies called Double Pocket Card. I made one of the tags into a bookmark, and the other I wrote my heart felt apology for missing her birthday.....

Papers are all Club Scrap
Stamps:
FireCrackerDesignsbyPamela (flower, leaves, happy, birthday, wheat)
CTMH (oval word charm)
EK Success (alpha stamps for word LATE)
Unknown (small alpha for word OOPS)
Inks: Adirondacks, and Distress Vintage Photo
Fibers: Fibers by the Yard, and Joann's Etc.
TFL!!

Princess Framed Art

We are doing my 13 yr old dd's room in a medieval theme (basically a grown up princess...lol)
She had won this Unicorn pic at the fair a couple of months ago, it was in one of those paper frames....(you know the kind) so I took it out, double matted it with Gold and Black (Club Scrap)
cut down a sheet of Disney paper (Cinderella's Castle-DCWV I think), gold embossed a yellow flower, added the Burgundy flower (her room is in Gold and Burgundy) made up the poem, printed it and the title using Boister Black font, cut out title, and embossed with thick Gold UTEE, stamped the swirls and fireworks (FireCrackerDesignsbyPamela) with VersaMark and embossed those with Clear Kaleidoscope powder.
Put it all behind a glass frame and she has this great piece of art for her walls....
tfl!

a couple of cards...

Here's the card I made for my bil's bday...I used the Tumbling Scarecrow set, Word Charms and Borders, and Chicken Up on You sets. Technique for bg was done using Burnished Watercolors from TJ's last newsletter. I have unfortunetly LOST my newest newsletter...sigh...I'm hoping to find it under a box, or something...I thought I had put it in my box with other important papers...but no such luck..you know I just thought of something...I have another stack of important papers in my closet...hmmmmmm...now I HAVE to go look there!!!!! EUREKA!!!! I found it!! yeah...now I can read it and try out some of the new stuff!! ok, on with what I did today.....




This card I made for a customer. I try to send single stamps, or late stamps in hand made cards..which I am currently out of..sigh....SO I made this one up this morning too, so I could send her the stamp set she ordered. I think it came out very nicely! I used the Hangin Around Scarecrow set. Thanks for looking at my latest eye candy!

First Card in the New Studio!

Decided I've had enough of unpacking boxes for today, and sat down to play with the new Military Guardian Angel Set....this is what I came up with..I love the little trees...lol
The bg paper for the image was done some time ago, using a TJ technique (I think it was pearl ex and ink misters)Anyway, I love the way it came out. The blue bg is from DCWV, Old World Mat Stack ( I LOVE those papers!!) I stamped the star (from the set) all over the bg in white, and embossed it with bridal sparkle embossing powder (not that you can see them in the scan...)
Then pop dotted the Angel above the patriotic Christmas trees. Can't wait to get in here tomorrow,and play some more...lol...this afternoon the girls and I are going to start on organizing their rooms...so while they are at school tomorrow, I'm going to PLAY!!! Til then!
PS-I added a few more sets to the sale page!!

OH HAPPY DAY!!

Working hard on unpacking my house, and realized...it's National Card Making Day!!! So I thought I'd post a coupon for all the shoppers (who SHOULD be creating...LOL) Just type in OH HAPPY DAY in the coupon space and save 15% on your entire purchase!! (but hurry, sale only lasts for one day...Oct 6th!!)

Here's a couple of cards to grin over. See how desperate I am to create? I found a box of water color pencils and 2 glue sticks in the bottom of a box I had used for a make and take last Christmas...it was still in the box I keep my shipping stuff in!! I grabbed a black ink pad (also in the box) and went to town...had this TINY TINY paint brush in my box with my sketching pencils...and well, here ya go!
The dragon is from a new set called "She Dreams". There are over 25 images on this huge plate geared for fantasy kingdoms, with a Knight in shining armor, and a magical princess...take a peek at it on the NEW page.

The second card is done with the Happy the Hedgehog Set. She's such a cute lil thing. I love the flower I added to her hair. The border stamp is one that is included in the set, as well as 4 more quotes to dress up your cards. She is also located on the NEW page.

There are 2 more sets up for PRE-Order special price of 20% off until Monday!! Hurry over and place your orders. Both are Angel sets, one is designed for military cards and is inspired by a sketch Deb Estep sent me a while back. I liked the idea so much, I decided to use it for the Military Christmas Plate I was designing. My dh had A LOT to say about this set let me tell you. I think I redrew the Kevlar at least a dozen times before he was happy with it...lol

new hair, new house-photos

Finally got in to see the new house last week, now that it is so close to done, they keep it locked, and we had to have an apointment to get in!! LOL So here are the pix...I walked in the front door, and cried...."It's SO beautiful!!" I know we will be happy here.....happy sigh.... enjoy the pix..also are pix of the girls in their new hair cut..E got hers colored....she looks so bright! B asked her if she dropped 20 IQ points when she walked out of the salon...lol

25% OFF SALE!!!

My new website is up!!! Granted there is no gallery, no tutorials...and no free fonts YET!!! But with all the problems I'm having with the old site, I'm SO happy to get the shopping cart up and running on this new site!! To start it off right, I'm offering a 25% off coupon from now until Monday Sep 17th. Use it for everything on the site, as many times as you like!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Shopping!!!!!
Coupon Code: GRAND

Major Winds are Blowing!

Ok, so life is a tad hectic right now! LOL I am working on changing and upgrading my website, and it's got a few problems...mainly in that the old site is still functioning, and I haven't figured out how to edit and correct the glaring mistakes that are there right now! For example, I have a PreOrder sale going on...only when I uploaded the page, it seemed to work fine..until the isp updated the vnd...(or whatever it's called) and now that page (and the new Bio page for the new DT) is GONE>..so when someone tries to get to the PreOrder page, they only get the "sorry, no preorders..." message..ARG>>>hopefully I will be able to correct this in the near future? However..I have a full weekend, and an even fuller week next week. Packers will be here Wed, Thur, and Friday...then we roll out to SC on Saturday Sep.9th!! Once I'm ensconced in the apartment I should be able to make some adjustments and get the new site rolling...I HOPE>>>> Please send your "Don't loose it now" thoughts my way! LOL

Guest Designers!

There was so many great pieces of art submitted for my design team, I wish I could have chosen them all! So, what to do about all the other great submissions? I’d like to add a new feature to my site, called Guest Designer. Every month, I will choose an artist who’s work I like, and send them an invitation to be a guest designer. They will get a free set of stamps and will be asked to submit a minimum of 4 pieces of art work. This art work will be displayed on the FRONT page of my site! My first guest designer will be Jennifer Willis!! She will be working with the Be Mine Doodle Set! I look forward to posting her new works! But in the mean time, I hope you will enjoy these samples she created using the Dragon Scales and Dragon Eye Stamps!! I thought she used these stamps in such an unusual way!
Jennifer W.

DT WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

BOY!! What a tough decision! There were 97 entries to judge! There were 2 artists whose work were too close to call, so I've made a decision to have SEVEN designers!!
Drum Roll Please!!!
In no particular order, the winners of the 2007-2008 FireCracker Designs by Pamela Team are:

Lorraine Revalee
Korin Sutherland
Leslie Moore
Brenda Loock
Etha Schuette
Jennifer Greco
Nettie Kurinsky

CONGRATULATIONS!!
and THANK YOU to everyone who submitted such amazing art,making this such a successful contest!!
Here are the top pix:


Lorrain R.

Korin S.

Leslie M.

Brenda L.:

Jennifer G.:

Etha S.

Nettie K.

SOLD!!!

Praise the Lord!!! We've sold our house!!!! Closing is set for Aug. 31. WOOHOO!!!

10 cards from 3!!

I've been wanting to create templates for creating 10 cards for a while now. So yesterday I finally sat down, and did it! Create 10 cards using 3 sheets of 12x12 cardstock, and 10 card bases. (Gotta have something under there right? LOL)
Here are 3 of the card samples I came up with. You can see all of them and download the templates, directions and the samples in a handy dandy zip file located on my website!! Have fun with it!

MORE ATCs...

Played with the ATC set again last nite....these also use the Heritage Ladies set. I call them the Royal Ladies, and they are all available for trading...The first one is called "Fashion Queen"-her feather is painted with twinkling h2os, and a bit of the same is added to the words. Second one is "The Little Princess" she has jewels to bring out her shine, and the last one is "The Fairy Duchess"-more twinks on her clothes, her tiara, and her banner. All bgs were stamped using the images from the new ATC clear set.
tfl!

A few ATCs just for fun!

A few ATCs made with my new CLEAR Acrylic ATC set..this baby is a BIG set...8.5 x 12 inches of stamping delight! 4 backgrounds (I used the music one for these), the label stamp, and over 30 words to combine....(I even went so far as to cut apart the quotes so I could use THOSE words individually too!! LOL) This set is worth every penny!! I hope tomorrow to try some card backgrounds by tiling these bg stamps....till then!

Other images used: Fall Flower, Tumbling Scarecrow, Whimsical You.
PS-All of these cards are available for trade! Just email me!!

Here is the label stamp included in this awesome set!! I have traded a few cards internationally, but I never remember the countries (months later) so I wanted to include a spot to write your country of origin (pertaining the where the card was made, not necessarily YOUR country of origin..lol)

ATC Workshop Lesson 3-4

Boy, it's been a while since I've had time to work on this workshop. Good thing I'm not under any deadlines....lol
SO Lesson 3 consists of using paper towels, and iridescent paint, you create layered shiny bgs. and stamp over them...Not all that happy with my results....I LOVE the colors, but they are just too dark for my stamping...I did cut out a few images, and layer them on..but it looks only ok. LOL



Lesson 4-Uses Metallic pen resist. Also uses those liquid water colors again..which
you know, I still don't have...sigh..SOOO, I shmoosed an ink pad on a transparency, sprayed it with water, and brushed it on...did ok...not as much resist as there should be, I'm sure. But I do like the colors. Then stamp with black acrylic paint...add ephemera images and done!

New Art!!

Played in my studio all day today! My teenagers set up tables and played right along side me...what FUN that was!!! Here are some of our efforts, the entire collection is on gallery pg. 6 on my website. You GOTTA check out the new fall sets..they are SO FUN to play with!!!


Katie did this cute "Get Well Card"


Elizabeth did the one above, and Katie did the one below. We picked out a card to case from a magazine.









They had lots of fun designing bookmarkers. Here are a few of them!

Check out my Slide Show!

Saying goodbye to my last daycare cutie. Digital album I printed on 11x8.5 photo paper. Digital Kit Credits to: FireCrackerDesignsbyPamela, Susan Deeves, DSP, Shabby Princess,Lady TX,Anita Designs,Angie S, and Rhonna Farrer

.38 Special and Peter Frampton!

After a bit of a rest yesterday, we went to see .38 Special and Peter Frampton in a private concert way out in the holler...lol
Seriously, it was out in the country in a place called Smiley Hollow. It was SO kool!! Metal buckets and wash tubs all over the place, filled with ice and drinks...water, juice, beers....free food by the plate fulls!!! Pulled pork (the best I've ever had, which is saying something cuz I don't care for it), Deep Fried Cat Fish, BBQ Chicken, corn bread (in the form of pancakes...never saw THAT before!), slaw, beans, watermelon, desserts like banana puddings....down home cookin! lol
There were all these wooden buildings, (even an outhouse) picnic tables, grassy knolls...it was wonderful. Games set up all over the place, horse shoes, volley ball, mini golf...live entertainment in the food building...(WHY DIDN'T I BRING MY CAMERA????) SIGH...I'm hoping to get some pix from SB later on...The fun started at 6:30, local entertainment, beginner bands etc. then a talent show kinda thing with some SB folks, wives, etc performing..then outside to the BIG ( I MEAN BIG) tent for the concert. Bleachers on one side, these kool 'fold up into a bag' blankets for sitting on the ground (gave us to keep) rain jackets (just in case,also gave us to keep) and then the show started....I've always loved .38 Special, tho I never got to see them live...they were FANTASTIC!! Course, it may have made a difference, since I was in front of the stage for the entire thing!!!!!!!!!!!! I had hoped to snag a pick for Katie to use when she practices...how KOOL would THAT be????But the girl next to me got one, and the guy next to her got one..and then this little kid comes up and stands in my spot, jumps up and down several times...(he couldn't see over the stage...he was maybe 8?) anyways...I let me in my spot, so he can see, when he suddenly bends down and picks up a pick that had landed on the ground!!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH. that darn pick was in my spot...I'd been standing there hoping to get a pick the entire concert....that inhaled vigorously.
AH< but .38 sounded fantastic....(altho the base guitar looks older than my dad! LOL they sure seemed to have a good time to)
and what a FANTASTIC thing,to have a company put on a private concert just for their employees etc. (Sponsored by one of their vendors, JLG)
after they finished,
I had gone back to where B was sitting, since I'd left him alone the entire concert...altho I said I was only going to the front of the stage for ONE song..lol
we chat with some folks next to us, James and Shonna(?)(I couldn't quite hear her name)
ok, after about a 45 min break, PF comes out...B wanted me to stay with him, since I'd abandoned him earlier, I should add here, he's not much into concerts..they are too noisy/loud, and he usually gets a headache. LOL
SO, I stay and I discover something...with the excpetion of a couple of songs..I am NOT a PF fan....way too much solo guitar, loonnnnngggg rifts, jazzy sounding...not my thing at all...so I whisper to B, that except for the one song I really wanted to hear, (Baby I Love Your Way) I didn't care to stay in the tent...lol
so we went out in the back of the grassy area, talked to a bunch of people, B.(dh's boss) his wonderful wife (M) and S., from Ohio! LOL
After several more annoying songs, "Baby, I.." comes on!! B and I slow dance, and sing to each other...so sweet!! LOL (B doesn't dance, but we have a good system worked out, other than slow dancing, I move, and he stands there and keeps me from falling over when we do the twirls and stuff...LOL)
After that song was done, we left to the sounds of "Do You Feel Like I Do?" way fun walking down the road,on the way to the bus,belting out the opening lines of that one!! tee hee

General Jackson Boat Cruise 6-6-07

Left the hotel on an open air transport shuttle, (like the ones you see in the movies on the back lots of MGM-lol)
Arrived at the General Jackson dock about 1130ish. There were TONS of us!! LOL
Our group took up all the seating for one show! The show was a fabulous and fun fiddle player/band named Tim Watson. He was fun, and could imitate Willie Nelson like it was the man himself! Way fun! He gave our group a shout out, and when we cheered and clapped he said we sounded like mostly women....he says "Now I know they don't have all you beautiful women working at a rental company...so let me ask you..how many of you have HUSBANDS that work at ##?" we clap and cheer, He says "YUP< That's what I thought, cuz when I go in there to rent a tiller the guy says "Yup, we got onnna them...(scratchin his belly)..come on out back...(turns around, and scratches his butt, leads the way...)" Course, we was actin all this out at the time, and he has a very strong southern accent so it was just hilarious.
But, that man could seriously play the fiddle!!
I took a few pix, once the show was over, we were sent upstairs to the outside seating so the second show could start. It was HOT, and well, after the first hour of sitting there counting turtles, (I stopped after I hit 40) it was kinda boring..lol I don't do sitting still with nothing to do, very well...grin
I did meet several nice ladies, Vira from Texas (I think), Lori from Mississippi, and a couple of other gals I cant' remember their names. Once nice tiny little lady (Shannon) (who was pg and doing SO well in the heat! LOL) helped me find my way back to my room when we got back...I was completely turned around....lol ended up in the wrong wing, then went down the wrong hall (twice!) lol I did get there in the end tho! Then I pretty much collapsed on the bed...it was SO hot out! We returned from the boat after 3:00. So I figure we sat outside watching the world drift by for about 2 hours...in 92 degrees, bright sunshine...lol I was lucky to have a seat in the shade, but I didn't get up the entire time, or I would not have kept that seat...smile
I kept thinking how much K would have enjoyed this trip, and how bored E would have been...LOL

pix: