OCL Blog Hop!

Did you enjoy yesterday's sneak peeks of the soon-to-be-released OCL Valentine sets?  I'm sure your answer is yes, unless you haven't had the chance to hop yet!  If that's the case, be sure to scroll down to yesterday's post so you can see catch links to all four upcoming sets and what our design team has done with them so far!

Yesterday was a look forward to new sets, and today we are glancing back at some previously released sets that deserve a second look!  Be sure to leave a comment on every blog for the chance to win a free stamp set!
 

The set I'm sharing with you today, Sweet on You, is one that was released last November during my last month as a member of SCS' Dirty Dozen.  Here's a sketch challenge card that I made for that gallery, which had the theme of "In Touch with Texture."  I used Copic markers to color the strawberries, then made the chocolate glossy with some clear EP.  They looked almost good enough to eat!

Here's another Sweet on You card with some "calorie free" cake for a sweet friend!  This one is made with some of my favorite designer paper from October Afternoon.  The cake was stamped with Memento ink, colored with Copic markers and a clear Spica pen, then cut/embossed/matted with a nestabilities square and lacey square.  I used a layout that would showcase several of these fun prints, keeping things fairly CAS with only a button-tied red twill ribbon and tiny jewel for embellishments.  All of the papers were lightly sponged with distress ink to emphasize the warm colors and their contrast against the cool blue-green.

How would you like to win this fun set?  Just look at how cute it is, and what fun sentiments it includes!

Remember the guidelines for entering to win!

• you MUST leave contact information in order to be entered - so make sure you're signed in to blogger and/or leave your email information
• you can enter on each blog once each day (if you didn't comment on yesterday's posts, visit those too!)
• you will only be eligible to win one set

Blog candy will be drawn Sunday morning (November 21st) by each designer. Winners will be notified by the designer and a full list of winners will be posted on the OCL Blog.

I hope you have fun checking out OCL's sweet options for the perfect Valentine for your sweetheart! Visit the OCL blog for links to the rest of today's hop participants!

My Last One

Since it is my last Dirty gallery, I'm showing a couple of teasers! It was a fun theme, and I hope you'll go take a peek and scatter some love for all the team's hard work! I can't believe how fast these six months have flown by...what an enchanted, magical time it has been!

Congratulations to Melody Rupple, and to my friend online and IRL, Latisha Yoast! I'm so excited for them both!

It's the 15th!

Just a reminder that the Dirty Dozen gallery opened at midnight! It was a fun theme and there's lots of gorgeous stuff! You gotta go see!

Happy Anniversary!

This has been a very special week for me! Yesterday was my first blogiversary, and today is our silver wedding anniversary! I've been celebrating by shopping for craft room furniture! ;) I'm in the serious planning phase and am really working hard to try to make the most of the space I have...the room has odd angles and is proving to be quite a challenge but I'm determined to keep searching until I find what will work best for me. I can't think of a sweeter anniversary gift for my husband to give me!

I'm sharing one of the projects from my very first Dirty Dozen gallery. The theme for the month of June '09 was *In the Beginning* and since our marriage had such an enchanted beginning this was one of the first ideas that came to mind. We met in Pensacola about six months after I graduated from college when Patrick was just out of Aviation Officers Candidate School. During that week we spent a lot of time on Pensacola Beach, and the sand dollars in this shadow box are some that we collected during those precious first days! So sentimental!

We got married 25 years ago today at Caneel Bay, the U.S. Virgin Islands. This picture was taken on Scott's Beach, just outside the villa where we honeymooned. We were there for 10 days, and then Patrick was deployed for four months, so I returned to Louisiana to the job I had as a physical therapist. Then when his cruise was over, we were stationed in Barber's Point, Hawaii. We lived there for four years, and loved every second of it. I even took hula, and learned to speak sukoshi Japanese.

I hope you'll join me in wishing another couple a happy silver anniversary! Sharon Johnson and her husband got married the same day and same YEAR as Patrick and I did! We discovered this when I commented on a poppy card she'd made and mentioned that our wedding china had poppies on it...that sparked a conversation via email that revealed our shared anniversary. I'm so happy to have met Sharon, and have been blessed to have visited her the past two summers when we've gone to Upper Michigan to visit Patrick's parents. She lives about two hours from them and my SIL is sweet enough to make the drive to take me there.

I hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks for visiting!

In the Dog House!

I've been having technical issues, so these will look a bit different than usual! Hopefully better than nothing though! (eta: original photo replaced...this one should be a bit better!)

This is my card for today's Dirty Dozen/Dirty Dozen Alumni challenge...I thought it would be a kinda funny pun to put Pat the Dog in the dog house because my husband's name is Patrick! He's actually in good graces (at least for the moment!) ;)

Getting dirty...

I have not blogged much this week because I've been sequestered in my little guest bedroom-stamp studio getting dirty, or at least, trying to...I guess dirty is in the eye of the beholder ;) ! This is a little teaser...I hope you're a fan club member so you can see the rest! If you're not, what are you waiting for? Wait 'til you see what the girls have been working on! There are some amazing projects! This month there's a bonus...more on that later too! ;)

Moved by the Music

I had so much fun participating in DTGD last year, and this year I'm beyond excited to be a Dirty Girl hosting a challenge! When choosing mine and looking back at previous themes for ideas to revisit, the one that grabbed my attention was For a Song. Since my blog is titled With a Stamp and a Song, the choice was obvious!

I listen to lots of music, and I often get stuck on a certain song that remains a favorite for a long time! My current favorite is When the Saints, by Sara Groves. I love the melody, am inspired by the lyrics, and as someone who loves to sing I keep wondering how she sings such long phrases...does the girl ever breathe?! LOL! For those of you who've never heard it, here are the lyrics. You can click play to hear it as you read along!

When the Saints by Sara Groves
Lord, I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know.
It's more than I can handle
But Your Word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I can’t let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it all can overwhelm me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharaohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awaken to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sister standing by the dying man’s side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down that door

I see the Man of Sorrow and his long troubled road
I see the world on His shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them

So my challenge to you is to be inspired by your favorite song, or by your love of music in general! Let the lyrics and the music move you...I chose this song because I absolutely love it. I had the perfect stamp for it (from Flourishes), and wanted to incorporate elements of my Louisiana heritage into the card so that it would also work for the old familiar version of the song, O When the Saints Go Marching In. Crank up the volume and get to work! ;) I'll be excited to see what you come up with!

Dare to Get Dirty!

Yes! The fun has already started over at Split Coast Stampers! We want our fan club members to know how much you're appreciated! Today, tomorrow and Saturday the Dirty Girls past and present are hosting some fun challenges just for you! Check it out here! And if you're not already a fan club member, NOW is the time to join! You'll get a year's worth of access to the monthly Dirty Dozen gallery, instant uploads for your cards, and the opportunity to play in this weekend's games! What are you waiting for? ;)

July Dirty Dozen Gallery Opens Tonight!

Here's a little teaser to entice you to look at this month's Dirty Dozen gallery which opens at midnight Central Time! This theme was so much fun! If you're not a fan club member, you *need* to be! ;) I can't wait to hear your reactions when you find out who the two new Dirty Girls are! I'm so excited for them!

Please, tell me...

...I'm not dreaming! OMGoodness! I still just can't believe it! Check this out!