Just call me GRANDMA!!!

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!

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

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!

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

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!!!

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 .....

.... 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!

... 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

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!

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

"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!!

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!!!!

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!

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 ....

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 ...

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!

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!

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!

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!!

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!