the.amanda.sewell

I did a little online shopping this past week . . . always fun. I got a 6x6 pad or Wisteria paper (Basic Grey) so this color challenge is inkspired by that pad . . . it is spring with a twist . . . YOUR COLORS: (I used my Prism Papers this week) Stormy Light Candle Glow Medium Twilight Medium Classic Purple Mystic Light Happy Stamping!!! Please feel free to link your creations below in the comments section of this post. I will be drawing from the uploaded cards (using the keyword ACI - for Amanda's Color Inkspiration) on SCS monthly, and will be sending out fun blog candy (yet TBD). Check back again next week for another color challenge!

One thing I like about living in a small town is the cool community events that happen. There's Founders Day, 4th of July Great American BBQ and every year our town has this Salsa Festival where competitors bring hot or mild salsas, recipes they have created and the public samples the salsa and then votes for their favorites. It's super fun! I can't remember what the winner gets, but it is usually a cash prize and I think this year they added a vacation. The town provides chips as you enter the venue. There is live music, and performing arts (dance), bounce houses for the kids, a food area, and even local vendors, churches etc. that you can get information from. Always lots of fun. We usually walk over since we live close enough to the park. Traffic and parking is usually out of control so it's awesome just to walk over. I just love this picture of Mic sampling salsa. This one was a mild one, but it had a little kick. The one from Maricopa High School was really ki

So this weekend went by in a blur, as usual. Saturday I spent the morning tidying up for M's Boxing and Bacon (it's a guy thing) party that afternoon, while M cleaned the church, and then went to a county meeting of some sort. The kids and I then went to the mall while M had his party. We had lots of fun. We each got a new book at Barnes and Noble and we were there just in time to meet Mr. G - a geologist they had come in to the store. The kids got to make rock boxes and see some cool geodes and hear some things about rocks. I had promised E a new outfit at Build A Bear, so we went. She chose a wedding dress for her lamb (it is funny, she is obsessed with weddings and who she will marry at age 6). Then we went to Paradise Bakery and got some sugar chippers to share. YUM! Our final stop was at Kiddie Kandids. I had been wanting to go but just hadn't. I planned to just get some pictures of the baby, but I had them take a few of the three of the kids and in spite of

I have a serious addiction to Target. There, I said it. Knowing is half the battle right? I could shop there every day and I honestly notice when something new is in stock I am there that often. This week, the inkspiration comes from my happy spot (Target). Some cute bedding that my sweet daughter passed over for a High School Musical bedroom (*sigh*) - pictures of her room to come as soon as I finish the chair rail -- and my hubby would never let me get away with in my own bedroom, (*double sigh*) so here it is, for you all to use as inspiration on your cards. YOUR COLORS: Pixie Pink Rose Red Chocolate Chip Going Grey Happy Stamping!!! Please feel free to link your creations below in the comments section of this post. I will be drawing from the uploaded cards (using the keyword ACI - for Amanda's Color Inkspiration) on SCS monthly, and will be sending out fun blog candy (yet TBD). Check back again next week for another color challenge!

As promised, here is my color inkspiration card. Sorry it took forever for me to make it back here to post, but I enjoyed a fun weekend. We got to go picnic in the park, and I had a fabulous mommy/daughter date with my sweet girl to see the Hannah Montana movie and then built a cute lamb at Build a Bear. One thing I learned during my most recent stays in the hospital, is that there are mean nurses (*ahem, nurses who don't care -- it is just a job), okay nurses and every so often you will find a WONDERFUL nurse. These are the ones who don't make you feel like a sick person, who treat you with respect and do their job while making every effort to maintain your dignity. They will go out of their way to make your stay better. These are the kind of nurses, who after your stay, deserve a note of appreciation. That is what inkspired this card. I used the Hanna Stamps Hospital set to create a book mark card (for those long nights when the good nurse you send it to is stuck on her

Kristi, of HANNA STAMPS , posted news on her blog this morning. She announced a couple of sets that will be retiring. (But I Need It, Tis the Season, Perfect Package and the Baseball Mini Set -- GET 'EM WHILE YOU CAN). She talked about the growth of Hanna Stamps (YAY!), and she told of plans to release more RILEY images at RANDOM! How cool!! >>> CLICK HERE TO SEE HER FULL POSTING <<< Need more inkspiration to buy some of those retiring sets: PERFECT PACKAGE: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) BUT I NEED IT: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) BASEBALL MINI: ( 1 ) ( 2 )

I made this card for Sandra's challenge (HSC65) in the Hanna Stamps forum today on SCS. Her challenge: Since its April I thought we’d have a challenge with a play on the old saying ‘April Showers Bring May Flowers’! Create a card or project using polka dots (the ‘rain’) and flowers . Who doesn’t love polka dots!?! You can use prima flowers or flower designer paper or even a flower card using polka dot paper! Just use them both! Polka dots and flowers happen to be two of my favorite stamping things. I love how polka dots can work with both masculine and feminine cards as well as cards for children, it all just depends on size, shape, etc. I know Valentines Day is past . . . but this card is a Valentine . . . apparently I am feeling loving right now. *blushes* Layout for this card came from the CARD POSITIONING SYSTEMS blog . Hope you are having a wonderful day! I will try and get back on here a little later to show you the card I made for my color challenge I issued

Gratuitous baby photo bragging opportunity, or color challenge -- YOU DECIDE! It's that time again!! This week the inspiration came from an outfit I bought for the baby (THANK YOU CARTERS). I just love the colors that were in the plaid fabric . . . I can't believe how big he is getting. Can you say SUPER CHUNKY MONKEY??? But honestly, how can you not just ADORE this kid with his cute smile??? YOUR COLORS : Taken With Teal Green Galore Soft Sky Always Artichoke (used sparingly) Happy Stamping!!! Please feel free to link your creations below in the comments section of this post. I will be drawing from the uploaded cards (using the keyword ACI - for Amanda's Color Inkspiration) on SCS monthly, and will be sending out fun blog candy (yet TBD). Oh and tell your friends -- this will now be a weekly thing here . . . I thought it would be fun to have color inkspiration challenges every Thursday, because I always need something to help me make it through to the weekend, so c

Here is my card for today's color challenge on SCS. The colors were bordering blue, pink pirouette, so saffron and chocolate chip. Layout is from the Mojo Monday blog (MOJO82). My favorite part of this card is the kiss behind the sentiment (I used Sweet Celebrations for this). Hope you like my card. Off to get some grocery shopping done so my family does not starve! Stamps : Paper Dolls Hanna (Hanna Stamps), Kiss Me sentiment (Rubber Soul), Sweet Celebrations Hanna (Hanna Stamps) Paper : Bordering Blue (SU!), So Saffron (SU!), Solar White Classic Crest (Neenah), Chocolate Chip (SU!), Two Scoops (Basic Grey) Ink : Onyx Black Versafine (Tsukineko), Pretty in Pink (SU!) Accessories : Copic ciao markers (Imagination International Inc.), Sewing machine (Singer), brown thread (Sulky), clear embossing powder (SU!), Sweet and Sassy Cinderella Paper flowers (Prima Marketing), brown flocked brads (The Paper Studio), bordering blue ribbon (Ribbon FX - Hobby Lobby).

Do you have this cute set yet??? I sure hope so!!! If not, head over to Hanna Stamps and get your order in right away! Tell 'em Manda sent you!!! I had some fun playing with this set last night. While I was at my fave local scrap store (LSS), I found some fun papers with rock star themes. The inkspired me totally! I used the layout from Our Creative Corner for the first one I did. Her hair, guitar and boots all have crystal accents on them to make them plastic looking. Her skirt is colored with black spica pen. Stamps: Rock Star Hanna (Hanna Stamps), Mega Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink) Paper : Jammin' - Moxxie Mix 'Em Ups (Moxxie), Basic Black (SU!), Solar White Classic Crest (Neenah) Ink : Onyx Black Versafine (Tsukineko) Accessories : Copic ciao markers (Imagination International Inc.), crystal gemstones (Swarovski), Scalloped and plain circle nestabilities (Spellbinders), clear embossing powder (SU!), Sewing machine (Singer), white thread (Sulky), Copic

Here is my card using the color combination I posted yesterday. I had to save it until today because it is also my card for today's challenge in the Hanna Stamps Forum on SCS (HSC64)! It is my fellow DT member Di's BIRTHDAY and since she is in charge of today's challenge, she chose BIRTHDAY cards (who'da thunk?) I used the sketch from this week on SCS also (SC223) for the layout. I am excited about the response so far to the color challenge and hope more of you will participate. There is no time limit on when to have cards uploaded by, but to be included for blog candy, they must be done by the 1st Thursday of the following month (so for cards to qualify this month -- May 7th). I will then draw a name from all of the cards uploaded with the keyword ACI in the SCS gallery. Happy Stampin'!!! Stamps : Perfect Package (Hanna Stamps), Mega Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink) Paper : Apricot Appeal (SU!), Certainly Celery (SU!), Cameo Coral (SU!), Solar White Classic Cr

Welcome to a new CHALLENGE here on my blog. I always find myself drawn to color combinations and so I have decided to issue a color challenge. I don't know about where you live, but here in AZ, the weather has been amazing lately. A couple weeks ago it even got to be a little bit *hot* to me. It was like 89 degrees or something, already, in March . . . anyway, this week we seem to have gotten a little more breezy and the sun is shining and it is high 70's - Low 80's -- basically perfect SPRING weather. I was at the grocery store the other day and I bought myself some tulips, because nothing says SPRING like tulips. YOUR COLORS : Green Galore Certainly Celery Apricot Appeal Cameo Coral and/or Only Orange Happy Stamping! If you choose to upload your card to SCS or Papercraft Planet, please use the key word ACI (for Amanda's Color Inkspiration, no spaces) so I can see all your lovely creations. Please feel free to link your creations below in the comments section o

Don't we all though? I just love the new release. Little guy has been especially drooly (is that a word?) lately. I think it MUST be the new Riley & Sophie stamps!!! Time is flying by. I can't believe he is 4 months already! So I had to post this picture. I got these adorable stamped onesies as a gift before the little guy arrived, and he is starting to fit into them (he's such a super chunk). Thanks again to fellow DT member Judy for the adorable gift you sent. (Go visit her blog for all sorts of other cool stamping ideas - click her name above or her link is also on my sidebar) . I think I might try and make one sometime soon with the train Riley that just came out this release. So what do you think- Perfect Hanna Stamps mascot??? The Moose-keteer? Hope you are having a fantastic Thursday! Stay tuned for another post later today -- I am going to start doing a Thursday Color Challenge this spring beginning today!

Sorry it took so long for me to post this one today -- my camera battery died and then I had to find the charger cord and if you saw the current state of my stamp studio, you would know why. *giggling* It always is messy, but after a release is the worst!!! Here is train Riley Moose -- released just last night after the release party. Hope you will hop on over to HANNA STAMPS and check out all the new stuff!! This one is perfect for all things little boy -- I mean, have you ever met a little by who does not have even just a tiny bit of interest in trains??? All aboard! I used the color challenge from today over at Splitcoast. The colors were so saffron, close to cocoa and bashful blue. My train was more bashful blue until I decided to put the waterfall stickles on it and it became a little less bashful, but I still really like it. Sketch came from Jen del Muro's blog -- it is her sketch for you to try from this weekend. I don't like square cards, so I changed the sk

Tonight's the night! Can you believe it? The new release is TODAY! Woohoo! Hope you have been saving your pennies so you can buy some of the new stamps. Today's sneak peek is the 4x8 set being released called Hospital. Perfect for get well cards, or even thank you notes for after you have been at the hospital to thank the awesome Drs. and nurses who cared for you. Layout is the MOJO MONDAY sketch (Mojo81) . I love how the Papertrey sentiment matches the font almost perfectly with the eye chart (be a healthy stamper). Hope to see you at the release party tonight -9 pm (EST) - I promise there will be lots of fun chatter, prizes, contests, more chatter, and I promise you will feel welcome! Plus, lots of the design team gals will drop in and they are bunches of fun! (Go visit their blogs on the sidebar to see more awesome sneak peeks). Stamps : Hospital (Hanna Stamps), Mega Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink) Paper : Close to Cocoa (SU!), Ruby Red (SU!), Creamy Caramel (SU!),

Who doesn't just LOVE Sophie Moose? She is so stinkin' cute and this stamp is no exception -- I think it is perfect for a birthday card, girls night out invite, or even for Mother's Day (that is coming up pretty darn quick kids, so get stampin'). I love her shoes. I admit it, I am a shoe girl. Sophie's look like Minnie Mouse shoes and that made me smile!!! I just love the random colors in this paper (soft sky, pink passion, and prism frosted amethyst) -- they would not be colors I would choose to put together on my own, but they totally work with this card. The layout is another creation using the Featured Stamper challenge. You can see the original card HERE . This Sophie will be available to purchase at Hanna Stamps on Monday after the release party. Stamps : Perfume Sophie (Hanna Stamps), Mega Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink) Paper : Soft Sky (SU!), Frosted Amethyst (Prism), Solar White Classic Crest (Neenah), The Sweet Stack (DCWV) Ink : Onyx Black V

This set is just darling and the timing could not have been better to get working with this one. I just found out one of my friends is expecting and I am SO excited for her. YAY! This set will be available to purchase at Hanna Stamps on Monday after the release party. I hope you will come to the release party at Splitcoaststampers in the Hanna Stamps forum , it is always fun - contests, prizes, and fun chatter. When I saw the flowers on this dress, I was reminded of this paper in the Sugared collection by Basic Grey. When I actually put them close together, I was so excited because they match so perfectly!! Layout is the Featured Stamper (FS113) on SCS for today, original card can be seen HERE . Be sure to go check out what the rest of the DT has been up to this month -- the links to their blogs are on the side bar on the right! Stamps : Mommy to Be (Hanna Stamps), Sentiment (Series 14, Katie & Co. - Studio G Clear Stamps - Hampton Art) Paper : Sugared (Basic Grey), Pret