Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Well, I know I have dropped off the planet again, or at least that's what it seems like since The Angel Company closed its doors in August. I guess you could say I went into "stamping shock" or "stamping mourning" when that happened. I wasn't surprised by the move, but I was very disappointed since the new catty had just come out in June and I was looking forward to getting several of the new stamp sets especially from some of the new designers that had been hired. The sad news is the company is gone, but the good news is that the products have been bought and consumers will be able to purchase The Angel Company stamps again through a new online retail company opening up in January. I will be sure to post more information when it is up and ready to take orders. Like you, I will be anxious to purchase the products that I love so much. The new company will also carry other new and exciting items as well.

I also want to direct everyone to a link - www.keepsakebymelissa.blogspot.com where you can win a $150 gift card to Michaels and copic markers. All you have to do is leave a message with Melissa and let others know about her awesome blogsite. How cool is that? Who knows, you just might win. Whether or not you do, check out her site for some great papercrafting ideas.

I hope to get some of my new card creations up on my blog. Since I no longer sell for a company and am not sure what direction my creative life will take me, for now I will be sharing a mix of my art with you on my blog. Stay tuned and keep checking back.

My wish for you is to have a safe and Happy New Year!!!!! God Bless You!

Beth

Two New Cards w/Maggie Cardstock

Check out these awesome stamps, two of my new favorite sets that I got. I received the Apple of My Eye Stamp Set (R-2056)at seminar in June. It is a Mabelle RO design. I just love it!!! The little bear is just so cute and I love apple pie! I live in Washington and we are the apple state, so this is the perfect stamp set for anyone living in Washington or anyone who loves bears and apples! There are some great sayings including this thank-you and also one for feeling better soon. Very versatile! I also used the Labels 4 Nestibilities Die (K-302, the largest die in the set, then cut out the background paper you see under the bear. I haven't used my nestibilities much yet, but they add so much to your cards and I'm beginning to really love using mine. We carry the BigKick Machine (K-335) that you can use with such a variety of templates and cutting dies. We carry a good selection to choose from. It is a must have tool! If you place a $100.00 order (before shipping and taxes), you can order this as a 40% off hostess benefit. What a deal! The Anchor to My Soul Stamp Set (T-3252)is just beautiful. It is a great relaxing summer set that reminds me of visiting my in-laws on Lopez Island in the San Juans. I don't get to see them often enough, but when I do, its wonderful. Being by the water and getting out on the ocean in a sailboat, well, its just so relaxing. If you've never gotten to see whales coming up around your boat, then your missing out. It's truly spectacular. This stamp set includes some Bible verses that are inspiring and speak to the heart. This is one I highly recommend for your stamping collection. I used my new copic markers and my x-press paper that I anxiously waited for. My order came in on Thursday - yippee!!!!! When the mailman pulled into the driveway, I was filled with joy! I'm still missing 7 of my copics, but I still received several of them, enough to have fun playing and using them to make the cards you see here. Enjoy!!!

Konnichiwa (Hello in Japanese) Stamp Set - One of My New Favorites

Supplies Used:
Konnichiwa Stamp Set (Set of 14) T-3468
White Caboodle Card Stock V-293
Maggie Soar With It Collection (12x12 double-sided) Cardstock V-847
Maggie Cardstock (12x12) B-327
Maggie Ribbon B-231
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink SC900
Aquacolor Crayons w/a Tombow Blender Pen and Copic Markers w/a Copic Blender Pen (Various Colors)
Impressabilities Die, Flowers K-306
Scor-Buddy F-362

I got a pleasant surprise today in the mailbox. My Scor-Buddy had finally arrived. It had been on back-order at The Angel Company and they finally are in again. I know why they are such an "in demand" product. They are small, portable and great to use for cardmaking. I used it tonight while coming up with this new card design. I promised myself that I was going to make an effort to use all the new stamp sets I got from seminar, so here is a card from the Konnichiwa Stamp Set. I colored it first with my aqua crayons, but didn't quite like the colors, so used copics to make another girl and pop-dotted her on top of the other girl. It gives her a three dimensional look. I paper-pieced the umbrella using the Maggie paper pack. I really like this set and will probably do something with it for a card class.

Happy Leaf Reward Level A Stamp Set

TAC Supplies Used: Happy Leaf TA-3479 (Set of 8); Emma Soar With It Collection (Double-sided) Cardstock V-856; Emma 12x12 Cardstock B-326; Emma Ribbon B-230; Aspen Cardstock V-228; VersaMagic Chalk Ink Pad (Red Brick) S-953; Shimmer Brads D-304; Circle Pop It! Pop Dots D-89; Tombow Mono Adhesive D-91; and tools used included the Scor-Pal F-358; 12" V-Blade Trimmer D-2001; and my awesome Kai Gold 6" Scissors C-1215. All of these wonderful items can be found on my website at www.bethg.ismyangel.net.

This stamp set is so much fun to play with. I finally got a handle on my craft room the other night. I probably shouldn't have drank a Dr. Pepper (40 grams of sugar), but it led me to cleaning my entire craft room. I just can't drink anything with sugar or caffeine after a certain hour in the day or its a sure bet I'll be up most of the night. It just revs me up and I won't sleep. Not a good thing for me unless I need to do some deep cleaning like I did the other night. I don't normally drink soda, so I'm not sure what got into me the other night!!! At any rate, I will stop rambling to tell you about my cards.

The three cards above were made with a new stamp set that can be purchased at a discounted rate if you join one of my card clubs starting in August (it happens to be the August Card Club of the Month Stamp Set) or you can choose it as a hostess gift with at least $100.00 in net sales from your workshop. You can do this by hosting a workshop in your home, hosting a book party or placing your own order to qualify for the hostess benefits. Call or e-mail me for more details.

I gotta say, I feel they turned out pretty good. I haven't had much time to stamp since coming back from seminar, so I feel they turned out really well. I must say, I really am liking the Emma paper collection. The colors are beautiful and I love the striped papers that come with it. The Happy Leaf stamp set is so easy to use. If you are a busy person, this set is for you. It is fun to use and doesn't take alot of time to make quality looking cards that your friends and family are going to love. I hope you have enjoyed looking at them. Check back soon for more additions. I'm still waiting on my copics to arrive and then hopefully the true artist in me will come out!!!!

Patience is a Virtue!

Okay, so I've been patiently waiting for several weeks now for my TAC delivery of new stamp sets. Each day I peer out my front window for the UPS man and to no avail. I contacted TAC for the second time and found out that today is THE DAY! Oh I hope so!!! On Saturday, I did receive my box of catties and that was exciting, but today I should receive my box of new stamp sets and my scor-buddy. Since TAC made a move to Linsborg, KS and the new catty has been out only a short time, shipping is just a little bit slower than usual. I am not very patient when it comes to my stamping, but finally, today is the day I will receive that box that I have soooo patiently waited for. Didn't our Mom's teach us that patience is a virture? All good things come with patience? One quote I found states that "Patience is a necessity for a happy existence and that is why the phrase is so often used". I also found that Thomas Jefferson once wisely stated, "Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances." So I guess being patient is a good thing, something to build your moral being and make you a better person. When it comes to waiting for my stamps and stamping supplies though, I must say my patience gets tested and I find myself running out of patience!!! Well, as I write this, I will refrain from becoming impatient and work on knowing that all good things come to those who wait! I quietly sit here sipping my coffee while I wait patiently for that UPS truck to pull up and then let out a little cheer of joy when my new TAC stamps finally arrive. Will it be worth the wait? You betcha ya!!!!! Have a great day and HAPPY STAMPING!!!!

UPDATE: Got home from my physical therapy this afternoon and my box was waiting for me. My stamps were here finally! Yippee!!!!! My Scor-Buddy is still on back-order, but that's okay, I have my new stamps. I'm a happy camper for now. Now off to cut them out so I can start to make some new cards. I will post them as soon as I get them done. I signed up to do a couple of TAC virtual swaps and a snail mail swap, so I better get busy! Oh and for those of you in the hot part of the country, its in the upper 60's here and rainy. It's actually on the cold side. I'm kinda enjoying it!!! Sorry to rub it in, but I couldn't help it!!!!

My Angel Swap the Last Night at Seminar

Here are two picture that show the picture frame that I made for our Angel Swap the final night at seminar in Wichita, KS and the beautiful coasters I received. The coasters were made by Paula Kay Bourland (she is one of the design team members for TAC) They are beautiful. I thought my picture frame came out quite good too! I used my favorite TAC paper called Cha Cha (V-832 $4.95 with the coordinating Cha Cha cardstock (B-310 $6.50) and one of my favorite stamp sets called Blossoms & Blessings (T-3371 $21.95 Set of 8. I used copic markers to color the flower and leaves and finished off the frame with some bling from our gem collections (D-309 Clear & Pearl Approx. 278 pieces @ $5.50). You can purchase all of these supplies by going to my web store and ordering online or by calling me directly to place an order.

The Angel Company Seminar Review

I am so excited to be back from The Angel Company Seminar feeling refreshed and renewed – I feel like I have my creative juices back again. I’m really pumped to get stamping again and can’t wait to start experimenting with my copic markers. I took the beginning Copic Certification Class with Lori _________ who was just an incredible teacher. I learned so much about how to use my copic markers and can’t wait to order more now that TAC sells them individually. That was one of the most exciting things for me with the new catty.

The other exciting part about seminar was all the stamp sets that we received from the company. There are way too many to count. This year they did away with the expensive packaging and just gave us rubber and more rubber – yippee!!! We received all the incredible new level A and B hostess sets. These same sets will also be offered to YOU during individual months when you join my card clubs that I am designing. I am planning an OPEN HOUSE at the end of July where I will INTRODUCE my CARD CLUBS for you to sign up for. You will definitely want to take advantage of joining so that you can get your hostess sets at a great discounted price. Only card club members or hostesses will be able to take advantage of the great, low price offers!!!! I will be posting card samples for you to see how cool the stamp sets are – you won’t want to miss out!!!!

I will also post some tips I learned about using Copic markers as I post my artwork. I will teach my card club members how to use the copics to color their stamps designs. It looks so incredibly awesome on your cards and I absolutely love using them now that I know how to blend them together. You will LOVE them too!!! If you live in the SPOKANE area and want a demonstration or help in how to use them, please give me a call and I can help you with them. If I can learn to use them, you can too!!! They are a wonderful tool to make your cards look beautiful and professional.

Take a look at some of the new things you’ll find in our new catalogue. If you place a $50 order with me I will give you a $5.00 coupon and remember that for every $30 you order, you will receive a GWP stamp (only with call-in orders). If you want to order a catalogue, you can call me in advance to reserve one to pick it up at my open house or let me know by sending me an e-mail and we can arrange to get one to you. Cost for a catty is $6.95 (shipping charges extra if mailed).

· 3 new illustrators - Soft Pencil Studios, Nina B and Phyllis Harris, plus new sets from Mabelle RO

· 60 Smoothies cardstock colors

· Individual Sketch Copic markers

· Sew Easy fancy floss and bakers twine

· New Mementos line - ink pads, dew drops, markers, I-Zing glitter glue with reference to coordinating cardstock.

· Big Kick die cut machine, texture plates and dies

· New Nestabilities Dies

· Copic XPress-It cardstock

· Spica pen sets

· New flower punches

· 8 New Level A Hostess Sets

· 4 New Level B Hostess Sets

· 1 New Level C Hostess Sets (coordinating greetings available for purchase)

· 12 New GWP stamps (FREE with $30 purchase)