Studio of the Digital Princess

I'm baaacccckkkk ....

2008-10-18T09:51:00.004-06:00

Well ... here I am. It feels like forever since I have blogged, and maybe it has been. Life has taken so many turns for me in the last months and there are never enough hours in the days.

To begin with .... I bought a business in April called Willow Creek Cresting. June 1st I moved the business to a new location with triple the floor space, renamed the business to ArtAtude Promotional Services, and launched it with a whole NEW look and feel! I moved Mom over from BC to work for me and we set to work. And work it is ... TONS of it ... We are often overwhelmed and exhausted ... but I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the long run. LOL We do custom embroidery, laser engraving, screen printing services, promotional items, and of course ... we brought Digital Princess Designs into the whole game! (We have an area in the store that is about to open now for the scrapping and stamping.)

As well ... I became a Grandma for the first time! I have waited so very long for this and I only wish I had more time to spend with my darling grandson! His name is Ashton Denver Campbell and he and his parents are so very precious to me! I was honored by being invited to stay during the whole delivery and even to cut the cord! WOW! What an amazing experience! Having children is one thing ... but to witness such a miracle is an incredible gift! Thank you Vince and Deb for giving me that! And of course ... I had to share his pic!

Well ...I will do my very best to post more ... and I very much want to start with my artwork again ... so as I do .. I will start posting it.

miss you all ...
Alanna

2008-01-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

I thought this was the most awesome thing. I came a cross it on a blog called My Creative Corner
I thought it was a very wonderful idea and I will be happy to send a gift to the first three people who sign on my blog in regards to this. I wont wait 365 days though! LOL

Big hugs
Alanna

PAY IT FORWARD

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow, or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. So basically, if you comment and you’re on, I’ll send you something crafty that I’ll make!

Once you sign up, copy and paste the above paragraph on your blog, and three other lucky people will be recipients of your handmade work. I'm getting paid forward by Christine Bennet and thought it would be fun to pay it forward to you. I will check my blog daily to see who the first three sign ups are, and if they've joined this Pay It Forward exchange, they will be the recipients from me. Make sure to leave your blog address with your message, so I can check your blog. I will also need your email address so I can contact you for details of where to send them.

Good morning Sunshine!

2008-01-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hey all ... how are you today? I feel great this morning. Up bright and early (go figure huh? my 'day off" and I am awake at 6 a.m. YUK) and after my first cup of tea and a shower I am heading downstairs to run stamps and do some stamping again! LOL I have to go in to my other job at ten for a couple of hours though. I have some customers needing some stuff done for this afternoon so i said i would go in this morning to finish it all up. I know ... I am a suck ... lol

I was going through some old files and found this pic of a card I made a year ago for Christmas. I was happoy with this card and did it in a couple of colour combos, but this is my favorite I think. I thought I would share ... always have to post something with colour you know? LOL ...

Anyhow ... am off to shower so i can get to playing! LOL ... see ya in awhile!
Hugs
Alanna

VALENTINE's cards!!!

2008-01-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well as I promised I stamped last night and created two cards using my new card map idea. I am off to work (my OTHER job LOL) but here they are ... will try to post again tonight!
Okay ... there is a COLOUR GREMLIN at work here! These really are done in red, white and black! LOL ... but hey ... the look kewl in purple right? LOL
Hugs
Alanna

Card Mapping ....

2008-01-23T23:18:00.000-07:00

Good evening all. I thought I would put up a card map that I created for my yahoo group tonight. Lots in the group seem to enjoy them so I thought I would share. This is just a general idea to give you a starting point. The whole gist of this is to get you creating! I know I need to do just that ... CREATE ... so this will be a good push for me as well! LOL I will post mine tomorrow.
Hugs
Alanna

I STAMPED!!

2008-01-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well ... go figure! I finally had a little time to stamp... very quickly ... but I did it! LOL Anyhow ... these are just rough quick stamped images of some new stamps I have designed. What do you think of them???

Just call me GRANDMA!!!

2008-01-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

Okay ... so I am a 'little' excited! We are going to be Grandparents! I can hardly wait! I ahave been waiting so long for this and it is such a wonderful gift!

Vince and Debbie announced it to us just a few days ago and I just have felt like I am in a fog! LOL ... I guess it really has not sunk in yet ... but I am sure it will soon! I really must start shopping! Hehehehe ... so much to do ... and buy ... oh my .... what a spoiled baby this will be! LOL Okay ... so I had better not spoil it (hmmm .... him or her?) too much!

I so would love to have a little girl to spoil rotten! Okay ... so there I go with the spoiling thing again! LOL ... I never had a daughter and so wanted one ... now I am fortunate that I have Deb, but she is not fond of cuddling for some strange reason! LOL So a granddaughter would be an awesome thing!

Now, dont get me wrong ... I would love a boy too! Boys are good .... lol .... hmmmm ... think i might need to find a little leather jacket .... boy or girl ... lol.

On another note ... I am doing well ... somewhat tired out but happy with my new job and loving being around people during the day. I was finding it very hard to be stuck in the basement alone all day. There is not alot of natural light in there and I get very frustrated after awhile. The new job is going well and I am working my business at night and on weekends which is working pretty well now.

I do have something in the works for my business but it's a secret for now! LOL If it all pans out I will announce it on my blog and to my group first! LOL ... so ... there is a tidbit for you all to ponder!

Today we steam cleaned all the carpeting in the house and I did some much needed cleaning. Oh ... how it gets neglected with everything going on! LOL Tomorrow I need to wash all the bed quilts, wash floors, run stamp orders, .... hmmmm .. what else?

Oh right ... I am off at eleven to meet an elderly lady that really needs someone to visit with her. Her son and our very good friend passed away over the holidays, and as he was her primary care giver (she is in a home though), she is now very much alone. She has dimentia and that makes it hard too. SO ... long and short of it is that I am going to try and spend some time with her to help ease things a little. Doug would be happy I think.

Probably lots more to do ... but I cant think of it now ... lol

So ... I am off to bed ... rest is good ... *grin* and the day is full again tomorrow!

Hugs to all ...
Alanna

Well hello again!

2007-12-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone! Just a bit of an update on what is going on with me these days. As some of you may know I began another job about a month ago. I am managing a custom embroidery and laser engraving shop here in Hinton called Willow Creek Cresting. Other than being exhausted I am loving the new job. It is so nice to get out and see people for a change!
Some of you may wonder what I am going to do with my business but nothing is changing there. I have been doing up orders in the evenings and on weekends and it seems to be working out well. Maybe even better than before as wierd as that sounds. LOL I find that I do better when I am busy and so busy it is! *grin*
I am not involved in three different boards in town here as well. I am secretary for our local bike club (resigning in January), Secretary for a group starting a music festival here, and I am involved in a cultural group here that puts on the FOHN Festival during the Canada Day celebrations. No rest for the wicked they say ... LOL
In the new year I hope to have alot more time for creating artwork as the busy Christmas season will be over at Willow Creek. I am so looking forward to it!
I hope that this finds all of you well and looking forward to a wonderful holiday season!
Big hugs
Alanna

Okotoks Scrapbook Convention

2007-11-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone! Tonight I just want to make a quick post about something I was approached for today. I received a phone call asking if I would mind posting a link on my website to a Scrapbook Convention in Okotoks Alberta.

Now ... I get alot of requests for support of one kind or another but I am always happy to help if I can. I have posted a link on my website as requested and then I decided to put one up here as well (top right hand side), but I thought I would pop a little note in here about it as well. This is what they say on the website "We are a community volunteer group of women all working together to help the Rowan House Emergency Shelter. Lisa Slocombe, Project Coordinator has been scrapbooking for 8 years. She held a similar charity scrapbooking convention in Winnipeg , Manitoba in 2004 and has been a teacher at the local scrapbook store. She is so excited to be working on this project - when she heard Rowan House was operating out of a basement in a group home, she knew they needed a boost. "My heart reaches out to the women who attend the shelter and I want them to know that they are loved and thought of. I hope that through this project we can perhaps assist them in their courageous desire for a better life."

I do hope you will go and take a peek ... it looks like a worthy cause. So here's wishing you all the best in your convention girls!
Hugs
Alanna

Long time no see!

2007-11-07T22:48:00.000-07:00

Well ... it has been awhile since I managed to find some time to blog but here I am ... again making an attempt to faithfully keep it up. I have been very busy with the business, loading new stamps, creating custom stamps and just generally working on orders.
After such a rough year I am eager to launch wholeheartedly into a new one with a fresh outlook. I am caught up on all orders finally and can now start advertising again knowing that I can get the orders out immediately. It has been tough without staff and any help at all, but I am managing again. *smile*
I loaded several new stamps today including some very gorgeous femme images with one of my favorites being this image of The Bride above. Isn't she beautiful?

I am also nuts over this incredible image of Santa!

I did a few new stamps with verses in regards to our best friend the dog! Very cute and fun ... love them! They were a request from a dear friend and I just loved doing them. I am a true dog person these days with THREE ShiTzu's in the house now. Yup .. you heard me right ... we just acquired a new little devil we have aptly name Furby, and man does he look the part! LOL Here is a pic of him:

And here is one of the new dog stamps I uploaded today. LOL .. Could not resist! I really don't have an issue with men but you have to admit it is cute! LOL

So on this note .. I am going to log off and go and get some sleep. Something tells me tomorrow will be a long day. *smile*

Big hugs to all,
Alanna

Jacobson's Chapel Card

2007-10-18T16:12:00.000-06:00

Hi all .... I was stamping recently and I made this card using my Jacobson Chapel stamp. I was kinda happy with how it turned out, but not totally. LOL I am not really sure what I could have done with differently though. I will have to make another one and see what I can do with it. The background is simply brayered and then stamped with one of my tree stamps in green. I then stamped the chapel onto transparency with white Stazon and attached it to the front of the card.
I sent this card to Mom to deliver to the people who kindly allowed me to use this image for a stamp.
Hugs to all,
Alanna

ITS DONE!!!

2007-10-01T00:56:00.000-06:00

Well ... mostly! The new website is launching as I speak! After many, many, many looooonnnnnngg hours of work the new site is about to be up and running!! According to the webmistress it may take up to 24 hours for you to actually see the new site. Apparently some will see it sooner than others ... not sure why that is ... 'cause I can't even see it yet at the address.

The new site will show on the same address we have always used: www.digitalprincessdesigns.ca so not to worry .... it will be there soon.

I am just so happy to have it done to this point although there is alot more we want to do with it and there will be alot of tweaking yet to do I am sure, it looks GREAT! All of the new stamps look amazing in the new layout and it certainly is more user friendly. Soon we will have the new forum up as well (the webmistress has one on there that I turned off as I am not too thrilled with it yet, so she is going to put a new one up), and lots of other fun and great things!

So ... with that all happening the timing could not be better ... all the new parts I was waiting on for the machine are in finally and I can get back to running stamp orders! Anyone who is waiting on orders can expect them shortly now! YAHHH!!

There will be some things on the new site that you will notice right away ... you will be able to see all products but if it is not in stock you cannot order. Unfortunately, with a lack of staff I can no longer keep up with the ón demand' orders, and for my own sanity I will run this way for the time being. If there is something you really want you can email me and I will put it on my list of things to run when I get time.

As well ... the site prices now include the GST so no more guessing. At this point we do not have the shipping modules set up either but we will get to it soon. So for the time being I will notify you of your shipping costs as I have been doing.

So many other things ... but ... go explore!! There is LOTS to look at now! And ... there is now a link to this blog right on the site!!

big big hugs
Alanna

And the winner is .....

2007-09-11T19:01:00.000-06:00

.... First of all ... a huge thanks to all for the wonderful comments! I appreciate you all so very much. I apologize for the delay in getting this draw done but I have been sick since Saturday and not really up to worrying about much of anything.
And so ... without any further delay ... the winner is .... Paula Atkinson from the UK! Paula email me (info@digitalprincessdesigns.ca) to claim your gift! I need your mailing address and I need to hear from you by this coming Sunday, September 16. Congrats on your win!!!
Hugs
Alanna

How time flies!

2007-09-06T17:21:00.000-06:00

... and that is no joke! It seems like summer is over almost before it began this year, and with it comes time to maybe play some more. I dream of play time .... *smile*

turned out and took a couple of minutes to do more of the IntuitiveSo .... while we were out camping this weekend I managed to sneak away back to our trailer and do a little more watercolour painting for my backgrounds. I am very pleased with how they Watercolour technique on some ATC's. The first two pics are of the backgrounds themselves. Again painted and kept very. wet and salt added to give a very textured effect to them. I love the dramatic colours I used !

Now ... these are the ATC's ... the first is one I call Autumn created using a piece of watercolour paper I made before, the Intuitive technique and then stamping the word Autumn from my Season's Set. I just seemed to 'see' the leaves in this one. Added three leaf brads to it and VOILA!

This next one is called Spring. Guess I had best do the other two season's! LOL

I found a duck!! LOL Sometimes the images just come to me and I saw this duck in this one with clouds, grass and even sunshine! Kind of a funny looking duck isn't he? *grin*

This last one is a fun one for kids I think! I found flowers and bugs and even some little critter! Not sure what he is ... but I like him! LOL I think I might still add some stamping to him and to the duck to add interest. Words maybe.

ATC Frenzy

2007-08-29T23:47:00.000-06:00

BATHING BEAUTY in BLUE:
I created this one for the Wednesday Stamper site for which the request of the day be something BLUE. I thought my DPD Vintage Bathing Beauty might be appropriate with my Dutch Script over it. I then added a small piece of background cardstock with some contrasting colour and a little butterfly in yellow for added interest.

ENDLESS JOURNEY:
The first of these ATC's is one done with the Intuitive Watercolour technique. Not sure where I was going but I 'found' a dinasour in there! LOL So .... the words "where ... creativity is an endless journey" seems almost appropriate. You just never know where it will take you!

MOON and STARS:
The second ATC is done with a Watercolour and Salt technique for the background. I then stamped one of my favorite Digital Princess tree stamps over that, and then layered a small piece of background paper that I had created some time ago. Cannot recall how I did that now! LOL Onto that I attached a small charm with the moon and stars.

GLORIOUS:
Another ATC created using the Intuitive Watercolour technique. I saw a scene with the sky and foliage, leaves, flowers and thought it looked glorious. I added my Dutch Script to it (can you tell it is a favorite stamp? LOL), stamped my Wildflowers stamp several times, and then glued on some gold foil. I then stamped the word Glorious in black.

A wonderful productive day!

2007-08-26T20:27:00.000-06:00

Well ... we had a wonderful productive day today, spending it with my brother and his wife laying down their beautiful new laminate flooring. Oh how I love it! Between about six of us we got the entire living room and hallway all done, along with painting and putting up all the moldings again so the whole thing is now complete. And oh so pretty!
Anyhow ... on with the art ... *smile* ... I am going to see what I can find to post new here tonight. I am so happy to be creating 'art' again and am enjoying the blogs and all that everyone has to share. There is so much to learn out there! If only a person could just create endlessly! But alas ... there is WORK to do ... and LIFE! LOL
This first one is an ATC that I created some time ago and I really liked. And I love Marilyn so ... this works for me! LOL The second one is a card I did recently using my new Mini Marigold stamp and my new Doodles. I love the effect of spotlighting and this seemed to work on just fine this way.
Anyhow ... off for a bit of rest now as 5:30 comes early and I have a TON of stuff to do tomorrow.
Hugs to you all,
Alanna

2007-08-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

"Your artistic expression tends to show up in flamboyant bursts. When you are feeling creative, it consumes your every thought and action. But just as quickly as the muse shows up, it leaves you and you are back to your relatively normal self."

I am a
Lily

What Flower
Are You?

Summer's Over!!

2007-08-25T11:16:00.000-06:00

This is a poem I wrote many years ago when my boys were small. I know .. I know ... most of you do not know that I even write! LOL But I do ... or have. I am going to begin adding some of my writing in here every once in awhile and I hope you enjoy it. I will also add some of my favorite verses and poems that I have collected over time.
If you want to use any of MY writing please email me requesting it. I am most happy to share as long as you ask and give credit.
Anyhow ... this one seems appropriate at this time of year! LOL

Summer's Over

Silence is golden
So they say;
For school to begin
We parents pray.

July was hell,
August worse;
Kids fight
And parents curse!

"Quiet!" we yell.
"Shhhhh!!" we scream.
Of peace and quiet
Tired parents dream.

Alas the bell tolls ...
Let school begin.
Children laugh ...
And parents GRIN!

Alanna E. Campbell
Copyright August 18, 1988

Just a couple more ..... I am on a roll!!!!

2007-08-24T14:47:00.000-06:00

Well ... okay ... these are the last two for today.
The SECOND card is another Intuitive Watercolour with one of my new DPD silhouette stamps on it. The corners are stamped with one my DPD Flourishes.

I created the FIRST card by scraping my ink pads across the cardstock in brown and black around the edges leaving the inside white. I then stamped the DPD Vetruvian Man stamp centered onto it in black, and overstamped with the DPD Dutch Script. A small piece of fibre completes the card.

Hugs
Alanna

Auntie Ruth's cards ... GORGEOUS!

2007-08-24T14:03:00.001-06:00

These four cards are created by my husband's aunt Ruth Proud from Calgary Alberta. Both the drawings and the verse inside are her original work. I am honored that she has asked me to sell these for her, but am finding that I am concerned with calling them just 'cards'. Nothing against cards but these are WORKS OF ART! The detail in her work in incredible and these are finished inside with full colour printing as well (usually duplicating a portion of the image from the outside, and then they have vellum inserts with her own written text inside. So nicely done!

Here is what I am doing with them ... I am taking the cards and FRAMING THEM! Yup ... it is one way to get quality art prints without spending LOTS of money on them! Most of them measure 8.5" x 5.5" so they are a good size. The first one "Sometimes" is one that she made limited edition prints of a few years ago and many many of my friends and family really wanted it but it sold out, so this gives them a chance to still get it! So .. I figure they could be called FRAMEABLE ARTIST GREETING GIFTS!! Now how does that sound? And where can you get artwork like this for under ten bucks? LOL I think they would be awesome sent as a card for your loved ones to frame themselves or as GIFTS that are already framed!

If you are interested in purchasing them please email me at info@digitalprincessdesigns.ca and I will give you a link to see all the details on them. They are very Christian in nature and incredibly beautiful!

Hugs
Alanna
PS ... these are COPYRIGHTED 2007 CLAY POT DESIGNS so please please please do NOT copy them! The prices are more than reasonable so please respect her work as we would want others to respect ours!

And more ....

2007-08-24T13:54:00.000-06:00

These two cards are created using the Intuitive Watercolour technique. I am really liking this! But it can get kinda funky! LOL
I am very happy with the first card. I found images of leaves in the watercolours and outlined them and then overstamped with black versafine and my Dutch Script stamp, and then stamped in my new Heron stamp behind. I love the effect!
The next one was fun! Again using the Intuitive Watercolour technique I 'found' the fish and seaweed. I hand lettered the words and added some little mini fish stamps that I have, and layered it up again, using a punch for the effect at the bottom of the blue.

Just a few more of my recent cards ...

2007-08-24T12:40:00.000-06:00

These are two cards I did ... one was awhile back but I was quite happy with it. The Abstract Defined card was literally layers of torn background papers (some purchased, some of my own) and then layered over with the verse and ribbon. Three little brads added a little to it.

The second card is a more recent one. It was literally the garbage under my stamping. So ... when I am stamping I always have scrap paper on my table underneath my artwork. Any overstamping and so on ... practicing .. whatever goes on there. It can be a real mishmash of 'stuff'. LOL Anyhow ... I decided I liked this piece of it and tore it and layered it up. Voila ... LOL

Enjoy your day!

More new cards!

2007-08-23T23:34:00.000-06:00

These are a few of the cards I have been creating in the past few weeks. I have several more and will add them over the next few days. I hope you enjoy.
The first and sixth cards were done using the Intuitive Watercolour technique wherein you randomly paint your watercolour and once it is dry you go back with a fine black pen and start creating images that you 'see' in the paint colours, hence 'intuitive'. This is a very kewl technique and I love that I can 'find' images in the paint colours!
The third card was stamped etc and then once the doodle bird was stamped on I used a real dragonfly wing over the image. I know it does not show up very well here but it looks kinda fun!
None of these cards show it but most have been accented with a clear shimmery pen which adds a very nice touch to them.
Hugs
Alanna

i'm baaaaccckkkkk!

2007-08-23T19:23:00.001-06:00

Well ... here I am. After being away from my blog for a long long time I am hoping I will now have time to keep it up again. I have been pushing myself óutside' of my comfort zone and trying to have some fun creating again. Creating stamps is just not the same as creating a piece of artwork, be it a card, an ATC or whatever. I have always enjoyed using many mediums and sometimes think I am a mixed media or collage artist at heart! LOL So ... here are a few pages I have done in a 'journal' of sorts that I started. I bought a cheap hardcovered book and have started doodling and stamping and painting and embellishing pages. Not sure if it really means much ... LOL ... but I am enjoying it!

The page on the left was created using watercolour techniques along with stamping and just exploring what I can find for images out of the watercolours and drawing them.

The second page is again stamped but I smeared (literally) my ink pads across the pages first. It might be hard to see but the center piece is actually a piece of a napkin I had under my stamping that day that I just glued on. I then added REAL DRAGONFLY WINGS over the stamped wings on the dragonfly and covered them with a clear product to preserve them. And NO I did not murder the dragonflies for their wings! LOL They were actually pulled from the grill of my truck! *Grin* Okay ... so I guess maybe I did kill them! LOL ... but not on purpose!

The third page is a mishmash of images, stamped, painted, collaged. Not really sure I am happy with this one ... but live and learn.

Hugs
Alanna

I'm a Mazda!!! Go figure!

2007-05-17T12:37:00.000-06:00

I'm a Mazda RX-8!

You're sporty, yet practical, and you have a style of your own. You like to have fun, and you like to bring friends along for the ride, but when it comes time for everyday chores, you're willing to do your part.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

This is kinda funny! Mazda's are actually my favorite cars! LOL .. Thought this was cute and I would share it with you.
On another note ... I am busy busy ... trying to get the new website up and running. Egad ... what a ton of work! And I have to do that in my 'spare time' along with finishing the renos on the house. Oh ... and I am making a quilt! Okay ... so ... I should clarify ... I bought the stuff to make a quilt! And I washed the tapestry that I am using for the basis of it. Nothing more than that yet. LOL The skies are kinda grey here today ... but Sunday we went for a ride with a bunch of friends on a Mother's Day annual run we take to Nojak, about two hours from here. It was a great day but I was beat when we got home! LOL This is a pic I took from the back on our way home. It really was so pretty ... but the pic does not show up the gorgeous mountains and how beautiful they were!

Hugs

Alanna

A NEW BABY!!

2007-04-26T10:56:00.000-06:00

I just HAVE to share! One of my very good friends here just emailed pics of their new baby! Isn't he PRECIOUS???!! This photo was taken last night when he was one hour old! I am just so thrilled to see this little darling and now I can't wait to go out and visit! He will certainly be a wonderful addition to their little family of horses!
So kewl!

Kent's Bday Invite

2007-04-22T19:36:00.000-06:00

Well ... after getting some other projects finished today I finally got to play with an invitation that I dearly need to get made for hubby's 50th bday bash in July. The image and the birthday verse are both new stamps I have created, while the words SMILE and FUN (on the tab once it is pulled out ~Next pic), as well as the tab itself were created on my Cricut machine. I am really loving that toy! LOL Tomorrow I get my newest toy ... a Cuttlebug should be arriving! YAH! Now ... if I could just find time to learn more about my Wishblade that I bought LAST YEAR! LOL

Anyhow ... what do you think? Is this an invite that guys might like? LOL

It's a Sunshiney kind of day!

2007-04-11T15:52:00.000-06:00

hey ... the sun is SHINING! What a bright fun day it is here today! My house renovating is coming along very nicely thanks to family and friends stepping in to give me a hand, and I am ready to start uploading some new stamp images I have been working on. There are more incredible vintage images along with some just plain FUN stuff! LOL I am anxious to see your response to the new images! Lots of new verses too~! The image you see here is one of the new stamps as well. An image of a little church in the Williams Lake BC area on the Jacobson Ranch. I just LOVE it! What do you think of this one?
Okay .. am off ... need to run more stamps ... lol ..
hugs
Alanna

HAPPY EASTER!!!

2007-04-08T00:04:00.000-06:00

Hey! HAPPY EASTER everyone! I have to apologize ... I have just not had any time at all to post on here for weeks. And yes Nancy ... I am back! LOL I know ... you said you miss me! LOL ... Glad to hear it!
This has been so busy for me this past couple of weeks with work, renovating the house, family and all that entails Mom came out for a week and a half and per usual there were not enough hours in the days. We THOUGHT we would have time to play ... but no such luck ... it was all work! I had so many custom orders come in that I spent most of my time on the computer working, and then running stamps when I could. Poor Mom just bustled about me trying to do what she could. She is such a big help!
The renovating on the house is ongoing. This past year brought the new lino I had wanted for so many years, along with new appliances, and all new paint in the kitchen, living room and bathroom upstairs. I also painted the entryway and the downstairs hallway. This year so far we have redone the downstairs bathroom (totally gutted it and started over!), and are now working on the three upstairs bedrooms. New carpet is supposed be coming in on Thursday but I took a bad fall yesterday in the yard, and have doctors orders to stay off of my sprained left ankle. ARGGH! I have STUFF to do! I can't see it happening! LOL I still have to get the two guest rooms painted and scrubbed down for them to lay the carpet in! I have the ceilings pretty much done but the walls still need paint. Two weeks later we begin on the master bdrm and the living room!
So ... now that I am laid up ... I am hoping I can get doing something creative to post here! I REALLY miss being able to create!
Hope the day is sunny and bright for all of you, and that Easter Sunday brings you lots of family, friends and loved ones!
Big big hugs
Alanna

WHEW!! I am baaaackkk! LOL

2007-03-14T07:13:00.000-06:00

Well ... where to begin .... ? Back from where? Well ... I have just had a very hectic couple of weeks with a TON of stuff going on and I don't feel like I have 'been here'...
First of all ... We had quite the scare in the last few weeks. I had sort of hinted at it previously but was sworn to secrecy and as such could not really get into it. Our youngest son who is 25 was diagnosed with lung cancer at Christmas time. The shock was unbelievable and I was devastated!I had a very tough time with this and had a terrible time coping. It seemed that my world was crashing in on me. Believe it or not ... after two months of diagnosis and actually prescribing Chemo ... the hospital called him to say that a terrible mistake had been made! Thank heavens he had not begun the chemo yet! It turns out that someone had put the wrong results into his file!!! I thought stuff like that only happened on tv! As relieved as we are we do feel awful for someone else as they SHOULD have been diagnosed and had not been til this came up. Such mixed feelings. Anyhow ... all that said ... it is over for us ... and we are saying a LOT of thanks right now.
Okay ... so what else? Well ... we are still renovating the house ... new carpets are coming in April and I have three bedrooms to get the walls and celings painted and ready. It means moving furniture in a BIG way ... so I am dreading this .. but it will be so wonderful to have the house all fixed up. Once that is done we can start with the new moldings on the doors etc. Yesterday brought a new furnace ... what a relief that is! We were never sure how long the old one (about fifty years old .. no lie!) was going to hold up. They will come this morning to finish this up.
And then ... last week I had a mishap with a light bulb! LOL ... I was changing a bulb and had shards of glass drop into my right eye! At first I thought I could just swish it out with water and be okay ... but it really began to hurt. Hubby had to come home from work and take me to the hospital to have it cleaned out. What a process. Two hours of sitting in the waiting room before they did ANYTHING. Then they put dye into it and took a look to see what they could find. It was FULL of glass! Oh ... and they froze it ... that felt WIERD. You should have seen my eye! LOL ... I was sporting one of my business colours ... BRIGHT ORANGE! hehehe ... too funny. I was orange to my eyebrow and half way down my cheek! Anyhow .. that goes away fairly quickly and they flushed it out and sent me on my way with promises to see them the next day again. That entailed a visit back to the doc and then to the optometrist to insure they had it all out. More flushing ... more glass. Anyhow ... the end result ... it gets tired still ... and has taken to twitching uncontrollably ... *aggravating!* ... but no more glass at this point and no permanent damage that we can tell.
Okay .. enough rambling ... am off to run stamps and try to get some artwork done today ... I bought new shelves for all my inks yesterday and am doing some clean up in the my studio ... hmmmm ... get to work Alanna! LOL
big hugs to all ...

BLOG CANDY WINNERS!!

2007-02-28T23:47:00.001-07:00

DID YOU WIN? I had a tough tough time choosing the winner for the Blog Candy this time!! WOW !! Anyhow .. after much thought I would like Dianne Davidson to contact me to have her OH CANADA set shipped out to her! And ... because it was SOOO tough ... I am awarding a second prize of 20% off of this set to Peggy Ford if she would like this set!!! Please girls email me to claim your prizes! For the rest .. thank you for
Big hugs
Alanna

Dreaming with your eyes wide open ... ?

2007-02-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Well .. not much for dreaming for me last night! WOW! Talk about éyes wide open! LOL I did not get to sleep until after midnight last night and awoke to darling hubby Kent sneaking out of the bedroom at about 3:20 this morning because he could not sleep. Well .. that was it for me ... try as I might ... I was not wide awake and wheels turning. Up I got ... and he went back to bed! Shortly after ... son Shane was found prowling round the house! Had to be something in the air as they say! Kent slept til shortly after 5:00 ... while Shane and I got breakfast ready and lunches packed. Took them both to work at the mill at 5:45 and came home to see what I could accomplish today! It will be a busy day for me as I have meetings and appointments all day, along with finishing up some more orders, seeing the accountant, getting info on a 'new to us' car (the motor is done in our Intrepid which is more expensive to fix than to buy another one, hence me driving men to work in the early morning hours!), working on arranging a family reunion for hubby's family, and on and on the list goes! EEK ... and I am EXHAUSTED! Okay ... off for a bit of a nap before the first meeting!!!
Hugs
Alanna

About the Blog Candy!

2007-02-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

WOW! you girls are gonna make this tough on me aren't you? LOL You all have such good reasons as to why you should win this, but I am glad I have some time to think on it. Now .. if I were rich I would be giving all of you one but seeing as how that isn't the case .... LOL ... only ONE set will be given for this. I am however giving another (key word being ánother') set away to someone very special who has earned this over and over again!! Diane Armstrong certainly worked hard on the Postcards for the Troops project and because of that I have offered to send her a set of these stamps. I am sure she will put them to good use! Conrats Diane on all of your hard work!!

I would also like to say a big thank you to all who have signed my guestbook and blog notes! It is always so very nice to hear your thoughts on my work. I hope you are all doing well and please stay in touch!
Hugs,
Alanna

Collage ... Princess Style

2007-02-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

This is a collage card I did while teaching a class last year and I really love it. Not too often I am this happy with my work .. but I find this one really fulfilling. What do you think?
Hugs
Alanna

Good Evening!

2007-02-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Hey! What a busy busy day on my blog! I am so glad that everyone likes the new stamp set! After posting the Sale today with an offer of an ATC from Mom to go with each order I thought I should share some of her work so you can see ... I am NOT exagerating! Her work is AWESOME! This is a card she created using two of my giraffe stamps. Pretty nice hey? I love it!
Well ... this evening I will be loading up some new stamps to the website. Will get as many as I can up and then load more again as I get time over the weekend.
Hope you are all having a great evening!
big hugs
Alanna

MORE BLOG CANDY!

2007-02-20T00:56:00.000-07:00

Well ... I struggled with this tonight ... What should I give for Blog Candy? I thought about a stamp ... from DPD of course ... and then I considered some cardstock packages that I have, but they are very heavy to ship ... so I then decided I would give away a package of a new stamp set I designed recently. When I designed this set I was thinking in terms of supporting our Canadian troups overseas. I will send the lucky recipient this set of stamps! To enter please go to my guestbook and tell me what YOU would do with them! Would you use them for cards? scrap pages? Give me some idea of what you think these would be good for and I will make a decision by Feb 28th to announce WHO will be the lucky winner! You can view this stamp set on my website at this address: www.digitalprincessdesigns.ca. Scroll down on the front page to see it listed at the top of the new products section! BE SURE TO CHECK BACK TO MY BLOG OFTEN TO SEE IF YOU WIN!
Big hugs
Alanna

Card Mapping

2007-02-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

This is something I started recently on my yahoo group. People have lots of different names for them ... but they all basically do the same thing. The idea is to give you a starting to point to help inspire you to create! With mine I just want to see what YOUR take is on the outline I have given. Nothing more. If you deter from the original ... that is okay too. At least it gets you CREATING! I know for myself, when I put up a new one each week it gets ME creating! *smile* So ... I have put up week one on the bottom right panel here and will change it weekly. If anyone knows how I can set it up as a folder where I can upload the files continually and leave them there for future use, that would be awesome! I cannot for the life of me figure out how to accomplish that! LOL
Anyhow ... check it out ... and feel free to use it .. but please give credit to Digital Princess Designs for the 'map'.
Big hugs
Alanna

I TRIED IT! ....

2007-02-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

.... digital scrapbooking!!! I have been rather intrigued by it and today I could not resist and attempt at it. Okay ... so maybe I am not the greatest and i did use elements I found online at a website called Digital Scrapbook Place. Very kewl ... neat stuff there ... and lots of freebies for those of us who are beginners. The artist is Pamela Clark and the set is called Girly Girl. Thanks so much to Pam for sharing with us!
I am not totally taken with this method of scrapbooking yet. I can foresee some 'issues' with it, at least in my opinion. First of all I LOVE real texture and dimension on all of my work, and although it LOOKS like it has all of that .. it does not. The other is with printing it. This layout is an 8.5 x 11, but I really 12 x 12 pages more. To print them is impossible baring buying a new high end printer, and I am not ready to do that at this point. Even to print the smaller format will not be cheap considering the cost of inks. So ... I have yet to be convinced although I do love anything graphically oriented. As I said ... I TRIED! LOL
hugs for today ...
Alanna

Creative Block ...

2007-02-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

You know ... this is something i can usually fight through ... but right now i just seem to be struggling with a complete creative block. I have heard others talk about their "muse" ... hmmmm ... I am not Á- Mused! Okay ... stupid joke! Anyhow ... As much as i wanted to do some creative work in the line of cards and scrapbooking this weekend, so far I have achieved nothing. I know I am not the only person who struggles with this ... so tell me ... how do YOU get past it? Post here to let me know ... any help is appreciated! Do you find that when 'other' things are stressful in your life you create more? or less? For me it seems I create less when I am stressed out. I do have a TON of magazines and will pull them out for inspiration, and I have videos and DVD's ... and sometimes watch them ... but right now it is just not working. I started creating Card Maps as I call them for my yahoo group and I do find that helps somewhat. It challenges me to create something because of course ... if I expect my girls to use it ... I had best do it first right? LOL Okay ... so share with me ... what do YOU do to get past a block?
Hugs
Alanna

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2007-02-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hey ... Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope that you can spend this day with someone YOU love! I am very fortunate in that I have my darling hubby and my youngest son here for supper tonight. Think I might just go out and buy some steaks and prawns! It is supposed to warm up here bigtime today (going from -18 this morning to +8 this afternoon!). It sure would be nice. Can't imagine doing the steak on the BBQ at -17! LOL

Anyhow ... I am off to run some custom stamp orders and then while they are running I am going to make some Valentine's and Bday cards. I am so far behind on my cards ... kinda like the mechanic with a broken down car! LOL

I will post once I get some done!
Hugs
Alanna

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Flying Proud

2007-02-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is a scrapbook page I created awhile back. I was really pleased with how it turned out and am anxious to get to doing alot more scrapping. The photos were taking on a sunday afternoon cruise up to a place called Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park. The park gates are only about ten minutes from here and this is about a forty minute drive. I could not resist taking some shots of our gorgeous Canadian flag flying so high and proud against the Rocky Mountains.

I used my Blossom Alphabet set to create the 'Oh Canada' up the right side, several of my Real Flowers stamps were used to create the floral 'garden' across the bottom on the vellum, and my "Perfect Canadian" stamp on the left hand side. If you can't read it ... it says "I am not perfect, but I am Canadian and that's enough!". *smile*
I also stamped my "Home Defined" on the large photo and it says "Home ~ where the heart belongs".
Hugs
Alanna

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-02-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Okay ... so I went exploring ... thinking about your birthday today ... and here is what I found ... "Happy Birthday" in several languages! LOL ... so here goes:
Dutch: Hartelijk gefeliciteerd! or Van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!
French: Bonne Fete!
Japanese: Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu!
Okay ... that's just a couple! LOL If you want to explore it further here is the link to the site I found: www.shabbir.com/romance/bday.html
So .. in my exploring I also found another site of interest. As some of you know we lovingly call my mother the "Digital Queen Mom", of course in reference to being the mother of the Digital Princess! LOL So ... I found this interesting site about Queen Elizabeth and celebrating her 80th birthday. It looks quite interesting and so I thought I would share it with all of you ... www.royal.gov.uk
Not sure why .. but my links don't seem to want to work this morning .. anyhow .. addresses are there.
Okay ... off to work I go ... *smile*
Alanna

... and so the day begins ..

2007-02-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

Yes ... it does ... already almost 7 a.m. and I have well started my day. 5:20 a.m. ~ up, get the coffee on and breaky for hubby, pack his lunch, get him ready to go to work, boil the kettle for my tea, get dressed and by 6 a.m. out the door to take him to work. Yes ... I do all of that first thing in the morning ... if I want my truck anyhow. The motor in Kent's car went in November so if I feel I might need to go anywhere I have to take him to work.
Now ... the day really begins! I will get stamps packaged for a customer coming over this morning for the new alphabet sets I did up for her, and then finish off some custom stamp orders and ship them all out today. Hmmmm ... what else? I have to run some of my new stamps again ... oh and I have to update the quantities on the website as son Shane and I counted the stock room last night. That will take most of the day just to update the numbers.
I picked up the mail this morning on my way back from taking Kent to the mill and found a package Mom sent with her Recipe Card Swaps in it. TOO KEWL, Mom! Love them love them love them!
Now, speaking of Mom ... today is her birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! You know ... I have the most awesome Mom in the whole world! I know ... you are thinking I might be a little biased ... and you are likely right ... but that is okay. *smile* She is one of my very best friends in the whole world! I wish I could be there with her today to spoil her. She certainly deserves it! So I hope she has a good day ... and that only good things happen for her today and always!
Well .. on with the day ... must get some work done ...
Hugs to all
Alanna

Some samples of my past works ...

2007-02-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

I found this ...

2007-02-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

I found this on the "My Heritage" site while exploring this morning. Cup of tea in hand and I thought it was too cute not to share. It made me smile to start my day, and something can make you smile at 5:30 a.m. after only going to sleep at 2:30 a.m. ... it is a GOOD THING! LOL .. good grief ...starting to sound like Martha! LOL

Do they look like ME??

2007-02-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

I found this very kewl site online and just had to have some fun with it! LOL Pretty kewl hey? LOL Hey ... I have to do SOMETHING wierd once in awhile! LOL You can check it out yourself at www. my heritage.com .
Hugs
Alanna

Two more recent cards

2007-02-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

The main image on the "Peace" card is a stamp I created of my great grandmother! My ancestry on my mother's side of the family is both English and Dutch, and I just love the images I have been able to create using old family photos! I used my Wing Set to add wings to her, and they were stamped onto a background created with alcohol inks. Of course I also used the fly all over word stamps from that set. Mom just informed me that there is an incredible story in regards to this lady about befriending a soldier when she was a young woman. This man looked her up many years later and an article was written in one of the largest Vancouver newspapers about them, and how much it meant to him that she had taken time for him while he was overseas. Once Mom finds that article I will try to update on this. It's kind of an interesting story.

The "JOY" card here is one created with another new stamp I recently designed. I just love her and she stamps so nicely! It was a simple layout done based on a 'card map' I did up for my yahoo group.

Better late than never! LOL

2007-02-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

I just came across the scan of this card I made shortly before Christmas. I figure I should share it as I was so happy with how it turned out. It might be hard to see on here but the pink is covered in clear glitter and it just looks so nice and sparkles so brilliantly!
hugs
Alanna

Give those you love ... LOTS OF LOVE!

2007-02-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

You know ... life is too short ... and you just never know how things can change in a split second. This past year was a tough year in our household, and we lost many who were dear to us. Already this year we have lost one more, have three more diagnosed with that disgusting "C" word and the world is spinning. I cannot at this point go into any details ... but please please ... reach out to those in your lives who you love and let them know how very important they are to you! I cannot say enough ... we take so much for granted ... and heaven knows ... things can change! At this moment I feel like my heart is broken ... and yet I know I need to stay positive, so on the positive side of things ... go and spend the evening with someone you love!
Thanks for letting me vent ... I needed that.
Big hugs ... and LOVE to you all ..
Alanna

Night Train ~ Can you help me with this one?

2007-02-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Okay. .. I got this far and now I am stumped! LOL Any ideas anyone? I am not sure if I should do something more with it? Or? ... maybe not ... this is a new train image I have been working with ... have actually made the stamp and this is the result of how it comes up ... not too bad! Of course you know ... I wont post it anyhow if I don't like it! LOL .. You would just never see it! *grin*
The background is made up of four pieces of paper background papers using different techniques. The cork of course for two layers, and then the green (yes that second layer on the bottom is SUPPOSED to be GREEN) is using a shaving cream technique, and the blue 'sky' at the top is using alchohol inks. I stamped the train onto clear transparency using a Stewart Superior black Pallette ink and attached it with four pale green brads. I was really pleased with it and thought it kind of depicts a Night Train. Anyhow ... help! LOL .. Any ideas?
Hugs
Alanna

Good morning ... good morning! LOL

2007-02-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

Okay ... so that 'song' in the heading is kinda silly but you have to admit it is catchy! LOL Anyhow ... I just wanted to put up some more of my artwork. This was a card I made using my Love Life Collage stamp and some of my Asian Butterflies in the background. I really enjoyed it! The woman on the stamp is actually my dear Auntie Willie (my mom's sister). Isn't she just gorgeous? I have made several stamps using her images and am so pleased with them all.
Big hugs
Alanna

Some NEW Real Flowers Stamps ....

2007-02-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hey ... look! I was just doing a card for our DPD Card Mapping and this is what I came up with from the map I drew for the group this week! I designed it with three of my new stamps ... the "Gardener Defined"and two 'real flowers' stamps ... both marigolds. These are stamps I create from actual REAL pressed flowers from my darling Mom! So ... what do you think? I LOVE them ... they stamped out SO nicely! Let me know ... And my offer still stands ... post an answer to this below or sign my Guest Book , and have your name put in a draw for a package of stamps just from me!!! But make sure you keep watch to see who wins! I will make the draw on Feb 16th ... not sure why then ... but sounds like a good date to me! LOL They call that BLOG CANDY right? LOL .... hugs,
Alanna

Mt Robson and news from DPD

2007-02-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Isn't this GORGEOUS? I was so proud of myself for taking this amazing picture of Mt Robson in Jasper National Park. This is about an hour from my home and such a stunning view! Not too often that you see the top of it without any fog or cloud blocking it!
Well ... by now most of you have received your email from me with the news from DPD. As it states ... I am discontinuing my wholesale accounts and focusing back onto my retail customers. I have found that with only one of me to go round and staff in short supply, I needed to make some choices as to how to keep up. After ALOT of thought and discussion with key people in my life and business I decided that there was no way I could continue to struggle with the 18 hour days and always feeling that I am behind the 8 ball. Not fun. I was always very proud of my service but with not enough hours in the days I have felt that slipping away. Now I can refocus and get back to doing the things I really truly love about this business ... giving my customers excellent service and enjoying each and every one of them PERSONALLY. I know that some of the storefronts will be very disappointed (I have already heard back from a few), but I just cannot do this alone any longer.
The other thing I mention in the email is that my retail orders will be going out just as most unmounted stamps do ... without extra packaging. Although I am very proud of my packaging, with the cost of my raw supplies having gone up, I had a choice ... put my prices up or find a way to cut the cost of creating the product. By eliminating all of my fancy packaging (which I have found most of my customers throw out anyhow and use other storage means), I can leave my pricing as is. I will offer for customers to have an OPTION for packaging at an additional charge of 10%. I want to thank those that emailed me this morning and encouraging me in this move. I do appreciate it. If you have some thoughts on all of this post here and I will enter your name into a draw for a free stamp package!
Now ... onto other things ... *smile* ... I have been trying to get some more creating done and am currently working on a Recipe Book swap that we are hosting on the DPD yahoo group
This is going to be such a kewl book as we are all doing mulitiple recipe cards in a 4 x 6 format and decorating them. Some of them have already come in and they are AWESOME! Once they are all in I will coil bind them and send them back out to the girls. I have done three sets of cards and am working on the covers now. Once the books are done I will post some pics of them here.
Now .. back to making stamps! LOL
Hugs,
Alanna

YIPPEE!!

2007-02-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

Oh I am soo sooo happy! LOL ... After literally WEEKS of fighting with issues in regards to my internet and wireless connections it appears to finally be fixed! I am totally thrilled! For a long time now my connections kept dropping me off, so I bought all new cables ... that did not work, I took the laptop to the computer shop ... nothing wrong with it, so I took the wireless router to the computer shop ... first one was no good ... second one is fine they say. SO ... home I go ... set it all back up ... (a MAJOR accomplishment with three computers and six printers and all the gadgets that go with them!) .... got online ... looking good ... and BOOM ... gone again!!! Next step ... buy ANOTHER wireless router ... same issues ... bumping me in and out ... FRUSTRATION!!! Okay ... I am not a happy camper at this point and break down and get in a computer tech to the house this morning. He works on everything for two hours ... hands me the bill ... all is well! Am excited again! NOT!!! Works for about three hours ... take the laptop upstairs wirelessly ... and GONE!!! ARGGHHHH!!! Technology is only nice when it works!! Next step .. buy ANOTHER router!! Different brand this time and set it all up AGAIN!!! And .............. so far so good! LOL I am working from the laptop upstairs ... son Shane is on his from the sofa ... LIFE IS GOOD! LOL

On another note I am sending out a major announcement in regards to my business tonight and sure do hope it goes well. I am making some pretty big changes to it but it has become so necessary. I need to have a life again ... and I really really really want to be able to be creative again. I miss my stamping!

I am trying to get son Shane to take a pic of one of my darling babies! Dascha is a Shi Tzu and is so much our baby! She is about 8 years old, and our other sweetie is Mitzi who is only two and is Dascha's daughter. Dascha had a hair cut today and looks so totally adorable! My daughter in law Deb is learning grooming at the local pet shop and wanted to practice. She did a great job! Dashca on the other hand is NOT too pleased! LOL She always pouts for days after a haircut! LOL Anyhow ... I am going to post a pic here if I can get Shane to get his camera in gear. I am just too tired to go back downstairs and get mine! LOL Okay ... photo taken and uploaded. The front one is Dascha and the little devil dog in the back is our Mitzy! Dont they just look adorable??! LOL

Okay... back to work ... nite all ..
big hugs
Alanna

Sunday Evening Wind Down ...

2007-02-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

Good evening all! Here it is about 10:50 p.m. on Sunday evening and I am just winding down from a long day. I have worked all weekend trying to catch up on orders and have almost everything I needed to DONE! YAHHHH! Besides running stamps, invoicing and packaging all weekend I also managed to do a complete inventory count in the stock room with the help of a very dear friend. THANK YOU Sharon! She is a doll! Now ... with about two days work I should be able to have Digital Princess Designs Inc. website completely updated! LOL Honestly speaking though it is a ton of work to keep the site accurate with the 1500 or so stamps and various products I sell in there. I really never had any idea what I was in for with this business. I cannot even begin to explain how exhausted I am at the end of the day! And ... most times I work everyday! Not too many days off for this 'princess'! LOL

Darling hubby Kent is working OT tonight at the mill, so I spent my evening planning his 50th birthday celebration for July. It looks like I have about 75 people on the invitation list so it should be a GOOD party! LOL I already have the Hall booked (which is literally about four doors away from us here), and am busy making plans for some fun stuff to happen. I just can't let him turn 50 without doing SOMETHING! LOL

As well I am busy planning a reunion for Kent's family for July 1st weekend. This will take place in Mission, BC and somehow (KENT!!) I was nominated to head up the planning of this very large event! There will likely be two hundred people and alot of events to plan. I am kind of excited about it and I have lots of ideas for things to do. We will have games (badminton, Horseshoes (my personal fav), soccer, and various others. Along with that we are going to 'share our hobbies'. I have already been asked to do some stamping demo's and çlasses' so I can see packing A LOT of stuff down! *grin* Good thing our little travel trailer will be all fixed up by then. (We are painting, doing new curtains and cushion covers, and putting in new lino, as well as LOTS of storage for my STUFF!) All in all ... I think it will be a great time and I LOVE seeing all the family!

Well, I am heading off for a good night's sleep now ... as I have a HUGE day tomorrow. Computer tech is coming in the morning to fix my network ( am REALLY missing my wireless internet!), and then more orders to get done. I also have some major announcements I need to post tomorrow ... hmm ... better get that written, and then I hope to do some CREATING! Art makes me feel soooo much better about EVERYTHING!
Nite all ...
big hugs
Alanna

I must mention ...

2007-01-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

I really should mention this ... promised Mom I would! LOL Normally this will not be used as a sales site though ... I really want this to be for sharing the artwork that I, my team and my customers create.Anyhow ... Dont forget we have an ongoing çontest at Digital Princess Designs Inc . I have chosen an order number from my site that has not yet been filled. Does that make sense? LOL ... This number is coming up VERY SOON! Anyhow ... the person who orders from me and hits that number will receive their order at a whopping 60% off!! Regardless of what date it falls on. This is in celebration of our 3rd birthday, which is TODAY! (Note: We also have an incorporation anniversary in March!) *smile* Almost seems like yesterday sometimes ... and yet ... it has been known to feel like fifty years ago too! LOL Totally dependent on how swamped I am! LOL

And ... for anyone else who places an order by midnight tonight on my site I will give you 15% off any IN STOCK stamps (not applicable with any other discounts). Just mention that you visited my blog and I will apply it to your order and get back to you with your total.

Hope you have a great, great day!
big big hugs
Alanna

Ready to roll ...

2007-01-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Okay ... I have done quite alot to this blog now and I am soooo proud of myself! LOL .. I have never done anything for webdesign before but I have been trying very hard to learn a bit at a time in order to manage my own site eventually. And I know that for you experts out there ... this is NOTHING .. but I am still proud that I added all these little extras on today! LOL
All in all .. I think I added a slide show with pics from Stamper's Celebration in Calgary exposing Mom and Nancy in their infamous waterfight once more! LOL, as well as two different quotes of the day ... one related to arts and one for Nature. I also put up a link to a blog sharing group, birthdays of today (tells you famous people born today), and important dates in history. I would like to make this a fun place to visit each day, so I will keep looking to see what else I can do. *smile* ... Enjoy ... now I am going to post it to the groups for you all to see! Am ready to roll ... LOL
big hugs
Alanna
PS Dont forget to sign my GUESTBOOK too ... I just added that! LOL

Just thinking ...

2007-01-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

You know ... I was just sitting here thinking ... it must be something about us ártsy' types ... we just need to share. And ... as I was thinking that ... I realized it is likely because we are mostly giving type people. I think the best thing about being creative is seeing the joy on someone else's face when you share it or give it to them.
Through my stamping and arts I have met the most wonderful people, many of whom I have been so fortunate to call friends. They are kind, considerate and generous to a fault. I have the BEST customers in the world and they give so much to me. I have found that my business is not about making money at all (much to my hubby's dismay! LOL) , but about sharing a love of the arts with others that truly appreciate it.
I just want to say "thank you" to all of you, who allow me to give just a little bit back! You are truly amazing people!
Big big hugs,
Alanna

Magical Pendant

2007-01-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

My magical pendant .... made this a couple of weeks ago. A friend of mine owns a scrapbooking store and wanted me to use some clay she had brought in and my H2o's. Although I have had the H2O's for awhile I had never had time to play with them til now. Very nice ... this pic does not really do justice for it ... but I was happy with it.
hugs,
Alanna

Pencil Drawing from days gone by ...

2007-01-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pieces. The picture above is actually a pencil drawing I did many years ago. Named "TopHat", I had 118 professional prints made of it and have sold all but one! LOL The original was very large and was sold to an aquaintance that fell in love with it, and wanted to give it as a gift for her hubby. I have mine here, matted with black and a very light grey and framed in black. Looks good. I was very happy with this piece.
hugs, Alanna

Playing again ...

2007-01-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning ... well ... last night I managed to make another card. WOW! This is really something! LOL ... I have had such a small amount of time to play in the last two years that I feel like a kid in a room full of NEW toys! LOL
Now ... as I am trying to do this we have a CAT ... yup ... a cat crawling all over my laptop! My darling son found it coming home from a friends place Saturday nite and it followed him for about two miles! All the way to our house and here it sits .. literally on my laptop! LOL Anyhow .. today I will call the SPCA and see if anyone is looking for her. She is a very nice cat ... but for the most part we have not been real cat lovers. Hmmm ... might change if she stays! LOL
So ... here goes ... something a little different for me .. but one of my newest stamps to play with ... what do you think of this one?
Okay ... almost 9 am ... and I have been working since 6 a.m. Already tired .. but LOTS to do today! Off to work I go .... *smile*
Hugs
Alanna

Good Morning!

2007-01-26T02:35:00.000-07:00

Here it is ... 2:30 a.m. and I am posting to my new 'blog'! LOL. I made another card tonight and thought I would share it with you all. I am not overly happy with it ... as I told Mom ... it will 'do'... but that is all. Anyhow ... I am still going to post it as I want to keep this somewhat as a diary of my work. Regardless of how much or how little I like it. Well .. I might take that back! *grin* .. If I really HATE it .. you won't see it anywhere! LOL So on that note ... here goes ...
nite!
Hugs
Alanna

Welcome!

2007-01-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Well ... here we go! I am going to start by posting some samples of my stamped work here. To begin with I have recently been stamping again after a long dry spell. I am finding it very difficult to keep up with my own arts along with running the business (more than full time for a one person show! LOL), and making time for family and friends of which I am fortunate to have many of.
Anyhow, the card you see above is done with a new stamp called Royal Lady. I really love how nicely she stamps out and this card just seemed to come together so nicely. Of course it HAD to be purple ... the Royal thing you know! LOL
Okay .. enough for today ... back to work! LOL
Hugs
Alanna