I found this ...

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??

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

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

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!

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?

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

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 ....

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

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!!

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

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!

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!

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