TCP Tuesday!

It's that time again!

Head on over to Leigh's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. And she's hosting a fantabulous Sketch challenge. She's using this wonderful sketch to challenge herself and you. Won't you play along?

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, 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 HERE.
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 TCPTUES31 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) 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.

Holey Moley Monday

Hi All:

I'm back from the cruise, but still in Florida and have a bunch to share with you. But, first, here are the most fabulous cards from TCP Tuesday when Toni was the Hostess with the Mostess.

Even though it was a great cruise the Royal Caribbean is not Apple friendly, so I was not able to post the wonderful cards from Toni's color challenge. So here they are in all their glory, sharing the stage with the equally wonderful cards from Katie's Stamp Challenge (scroll down)

Holey Moley Monday

It's Monday and I'm still not home yet, but I will be this evening! WooHoo! Last week, Katie was the Hostess with the Mostess for the TCP Tuesday stamp challenge. And boy oh boy, there were some great cards. The featured stamp was any one that had "Poochie" in it. Check them out.

Tea for 16

Sorry, I'm still away on vacation, but I thought I'd leave you with some non-stamping eye candy.

My sister got married last month. And slug that I am, did not manage to give her a shower before she tied the knot. So instead, I thought that it would be wonderful to have a tea in her honor, after so that we could chat about the wedding and her honeymoon and flip through her wedding book.


I wanted it to be a garden affair, so, of course, I had to make up a ton of Ana's Pinwheels, sans stamping (EGADS!). I downloaded the pattern and followed the instructions and made about 2 dozen. I used a button as the center and used a chopstick that I found at a discount store instead of the skewer. I finished them off with long ribbons to blow in the wind.


They were the main favor, along with a wonderfully decorated cookie from the Old Painted Cottage and a small potted herb for each of the guests.

Each of the guest brought a small plant for my sister's garden. And while the guests arrived there was a small craft table for them to decorate a plant stake to remind my sister who gave her this wonderful gift.

Then we filled the teapots and set them 3 to a table. And even though it was 92 degrees, the hot tea helped to cool us down.

The best part was that each teapot held a different tea, so there was much table hopping to taste the different teas.

Even though tea is supposed to be a "refined" event, I felt very much as I did when I was so much younger "playing" tea party. I wonder if I ever grew up.

By the Sea

If you are reading this then I have boarded a ship and have started on my cruise.

Yup. You heard that right, Chicas! CRUISE. And better yet, a STAMPING CRUISE. With none other than Emily, Gina K and Nicole Heady.
Jealous, yet?

My roomie on the cruise is none other than the oh-so-Fabulous Kim {{waving at my BSF}}. Okay, I know you are jealous now.

7 nights of cruising and stamping, stamping and cruising. Woo! Hoo! I'll bring my camera and try to blog, but no promises, 'kay? But there will be plenty to tell you when I come back.

And I will still try and post the TCP Tuesday challenge and the Holey Moley Monday, though it might not be as early in the morning as I'd like.

Where in the world is Alma?

Can you guess where I am? I'm in Florida hanging out with my BSF Kim. We're getting our hair done and chatting stamp chat and prepping for something verrrrrry special.

Can you guess what that verry special something is?

Going, going...

Hi all. Just a quick note to let you know that I am taking a vacation. The first real vacation I've had in 8 years. So I'm closing down the shop until my return on October 28. If you place an order during that time, you'll have to be patient 'cause I'll fill your order when I get back.

Where am I going? Keep tuned.

TCP Tuesday!

It's that time again!

Head on over to Toni's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. And she's hosting a fantabulous Color challenge. She's using these wonderful colors to challenge herself and you. Won't you play along?

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, 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 HERE.
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 TCPTUES29 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) 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.

Holey Moley Monday!

This TCP was a challenging one, no? It really tested your design skills and I think there are some really stunning results. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Little Monkeys!

Little Monkeys is turning one this month, and we are so happy to be a part of their Birthday celebration!!








Since it's Stamptoberfest over at Two Peas, Molly is kicking off the celebration with a challenge.

For those of you who don't know Little Monkeys, they have developed a super functional stamp storage unit. It can be used to hold clear sets, and if you have cling stamps, it can hold those too.

Developed by a stamper, for stampers, it's a way to keep your stamps organized and within reach so there is none of that crazed rooting around for a stamp, dontcha know. Check out the review of the system here and here.

And those cheeky Little Monkeys know how to celebrate. If you buy a Starter Set from them this month you'll get one of our birthday sets from them to boot. All ready have a Starter Set? No worries, you still get a super groovy birthday surprise with your order. I'm not saying what it is, but it might say "Meow".

Joanne Basile

Our very Special Guest Designer is Joanne Basile.

So last week you got to meet Joanna and drool over some of her creations.

Now it's time to learn a little bit more about Joanne and see more of her outstanding work.

How long have you been stamping?
I've been buying stamps for about four years now, the first set I bought was to make gift bags for my son's second birthday, and he just turned six! However, I've been seriously stamping for a little over two years.

What was the first stamp you bought, and what was your last?
That first stamp set I bought for my son's second birthday, I literally had NO idea what to do with it. A friend of mine recently ran across the tag I had made for the goodie bags four years ago and taunted me with it. Giggle.

What is your favorite color combo?
Vanilla, Light Pink and Cocoa is my current favorite color combination. I'm also a sucker for any occasion to use Kraft Paper.

What has been your happiest moment?
I'd tell my husband that the happiest moment was the day we got married, and I'd tell each of my boys that my happiest moment was the day they each were born. Truth be told, all three of those days were equally amazing.

Besides stamping, what is your next passion? Hmmmm. Can you call shopping a passion?


This wonderful card shows the reason I picked Joanne for our Special Guest Designer. The way she mixes textures and shapes and patterns is masterful. Even with all sorts of textures and patterns going on, nothing overwhelms the card. And if you took one element away, the design wouldn't work as well.


This card uses our "Fright Night" Clearly Swanky Set and is both complex and simple at the same time. Yes, her color palette is simple, but that's why she's able to work in embossed paper, patterned ribbon and the transparency without the design being "too much". Luvs it!
And how about this card that uses our "Smells Like Cake" Clearly Swanky Set? This time there are lot of bright colors, and a couple of fun "tags". And notice the added texture at the bottom of the card? Sublime.

Want to see more Joanne? Check out her blog ....just a little something...

TCP Tuesday!

It's that time again!

Head on over to Jen's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. And she's hosting a fantabulous Inspiration challenge. She's using the super cool vintage photo as her inspiration. Check out her wonderful card and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, 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 HERE.
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 TCPTUES28 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) 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.

Holey Moley Monday!

Joanne Basile

Our very Special Guest Designer is Joanne Basile.

I first met Joanne at a Vendor Convention in Boston and we immediately hit it off. (In a former life Joanne worked at one of the hottest advertising shops in Boston.) And we both left the field to do the things that we love.

She was my roomie at CHA in Chicago and she graciously put up with my snoring. (What a gal.) And lucky for me she brought some of her wonderful cards and projects for me to drool over.


You may know Joanne from her super cute blog ...just a little something... She's a great designer, having designed for Gina K, MFT and Paper Pretties. And now she is working her magic on The Cat's Pajamas. I love her simple and classic designs! Her designs are very strong and show off the stamps and the materials that she works with. No element is the star. Nothing stamps their feets and cries to be noticed. All the elements of her designs work in harmony with the other elements.


And just who is this creative genius? Likes? Dislikes? Inquiring minds want to know.

What's your favorite product?
My favorite product is currently my copic markers. Once you get used to how they work, they are simply a dream to work with! I love the vibrancy of the colors, and the ability to blend shades.

What's your favorite stamping technique or tip?
I love playing with aquapainters and reinkers. To be honest, I just find it so relaxing.

What got you into stamping?
It's funny, when my friend first asked me to attend a Stampin Up party, I actually said "No thanks, that's not my thing." But, to help out her business, and with the promise of a girls night out with friends, I went. Little did I know that once I got a stamp into my hands where
it would lead.


And we are so lucky to that she decided to help out her friend. Come back next week and I'll showcase more of Joanne's great designs.

Swanky Stamper

Jenny Gropp — Swanky Stamper for October

This Multi -Sprinkle card just blew me away. It reminds me a lot of the Brady Bunch. I love the black, red and blue combo Jenny used and the ribbon treatment. She reminds me that there can never be enough Sprinkle on one card. Great job.

Jenny reigns for the month of October as The Swanky Stamper of the Month. AND she gets $25 in Cat's Cash to boot! Will you be the next Swanky Stamper? You can only win if you play.