White or Black??? You Decide....

I was reading back over notes added to some of the orders we have gotten I found one asking for more African American stamps and it made me chuckle!  I laughed because it amazes me how many times Andrea and I will argue over what flesh tone to use on some of her folks! We almost NEVER agree! 

Here is one example:   Andrea colored her as a blonde and I just kept insisting she was black... I don't know...you decide....

And the new one she just did... you remember, I told you that Andrea actually knows this lady:  I asked her if she is a black lady... NO!  But, Andrea colored her so that she appears to be black....or is she???? She may just have a good tan!

And our chef... she gave him an Italian name...but when she started coloring him, she decided to make him black and changed his name!

I think if you look back at our stamps you will be amazed at the ones that can be whatever you want them to be!  I know I'm done guessing!!! 

So, I guess the moral of that story is...it just depends on how YOU color them!

Four New Stamps Loaded

Wow!  It has been a busy few days!  I FINALLY got my part of my taxes done and to the accountant.  YES!!!  That was THREE years worth!  Talk about pressure on the brain...try missing a year and see what that does to your peace!  NOT a good idea!

Anyway, while I was hard at work doing taxes, Andrea was busy coloring!  Today I added four new stamps to our collection. 

Rollerskate Chickie:

 

Are You Kidding Me?!

or something like that... or 

Who Thought THIS Was A Good Idea?!

Elmira: (?? Andrea actually knew this lady ??)

We need a clever something to go with her...hummmm?

Pushing the Big 5 0..

You had seen this one before but we added the door...the other was just a prototype for Andrea to see.

I'm pretty certain that I added some last week that I didn't show here so be sure and go check it out!

I have also been hard at work getting color images loaded to replace the black and white ones.  The stamps are still black and white but we wanted you to see the color.  HOWEVER,  I found out how to add radio buttons that allow you to order the Black and White, Colored or Both, using the same screen!   We got mixed reviews for interest but I wanted to go ahead and offer it for folks that will never want to color the images themselves.   It literally took ALL day last Friday to get THREE LINES of code to work!!!  PAINFUL experience.... BUT!  It is working now!!!  WHOOHOO!!! (At least the latest stamps are working...the older aren't yet, but I'll get there.)

Now We Need SOUND!!!

Everytime we do a new stamp Andrea has a voice to go with it... It isn't just what is said, but HOW it is said!  Case in point.... for this one "I Thorry" 

You have to say it with just the right voice.  OH ME!!! I guess now I'm gonna have to add SOUND to our stamps!!!  Color is not enough, we need sound!!!  There is no end, can you tell?  When I get around to making a card using this one I might put one of our cats with her so she can blame the cat.  Because we all know that at this age, SOMEBODY else has to be blamed! 

Here is another new one for today.... can you tell Andrea is digging through her old pictures now?!

This one we are calling "Sunday Best" because all of us that are in a certain age group had this outfit and the picture to prove it!  We wore  this outfit on Easter Sunday to church (the hat is the dead giveaway here :-)

Remember when......

We Are Taking A Poll - Please Share!

Hi All,

Just figured out how to add a poll to the blog.... look to the right ------------->>>>>>
Please answer it!  I'm trying to decide if it would be worth the time (and space) to modify our shop to include colored images for sale.

Andrea is currently in the process of coloring all of our stamps using Prisma Pencils.  She is a REAL ARTIST and knows where hi-lites and shadows need to go.  Beautiful, beautiful stuff! If you think you might like to purchase the colored versions from time to time, please indicate that on the poll.

(we won't know who you are or how you voted so please be honest!)

THANKS!!!
N

Birthdays - AT LAST!!!

It has been an extreeeemly busy day today!  I finally found out the exact problem I was having with the automatic download problem.  I kept thinking I had found the answer...fixed it...but I would still have the problem!  The problem was that I didn't know there was still a problem because when I tested it would work  perfectly for me!  ARGH!!!  BUT, I got the answer, and worked most of the day to fix it.  Gotta get all that code exactly right! 

Some more good new is.....drum roll please...... we are FINALLY getting images for "events"!  To help folks have something for when they NEED a card!  You really have to use your imagination with a single person just standing there.... but now we have the more obvious answers....

Here are a few of the colored images, I'll wait on the ones that aren't colored yet.

Hope you like!

OH!  OH!  Another thing I started doing today is replacing the black and white line art in the menu struction of the site, to color.  It just brightens the place up a bit and helps you to see them colored.  You are still buying the black/white .jpg, you just get to see it in color.  I hope that doesn't confuse folks... Zoe suggested it and it makes good sense to me so slowly but surely we'll get that all done!  It also helps us to know quickly what still needs to be colored.  It gets kind of confusing doing new, coloring new and old and trying to keep up with all the uploads!  Definitely looking forward to the day when all is settled and we only work on TODAY'S drawings!

If that last bit confused you because I used and awful lot of words for such a simple thing... go check it out!  You never know what may have been added when you weren't looking :-).

Can You Hear the Giggling?

Cause I'm giggling right now...

We have two new stamps going up soon and I wanted to give you guys a sneak peak!

What in the world will you ever do with them??? 

I'm so glad you asked!! 

 Look!

Gotta get a door "built" ... this is just a prototype:

Can you hear the giggling now?

You're Not Dead Yet?

Last night Andrea was over with a few new designs and we started talking about a former pastor, Dr. Walker, of a church we both used to attend.  He retired the year I started going there so I never really got to know him but I was telling her that every single person I've ever known that knew him says how wonderful he was.  Andrea was saying that I would love him, not only because he is wonderful, but because of his quick sarcasm...funny, funny.  She said that everytime he sees her he will say "You're not dead yet?"  Oh my gosh!  I busted out laughing just hearing it 2nd hand!  I thought, that was perfect for Rosella to say!  Doesn't she look like that's something she would say?! 

So, we decided that I would make a card for a mutual friend whose birthday is coming up.  I'm going to do that but I thought a cup with it on it would be even better, so I just ordered some cups with the above picture! 

As soon as I get them in I will take a picture of the final gift.  I have visions of a cello bag with a pretty black and white bow :-)  What's not to love about that!  Thankfully, Mark has our same sense of humor :-)...

I also ordered some cups with the "No! No! That's OK! Frog and Princess...so we are now selling mugs!!!

We Are Going to Sell the Colored Images Now

I just have to say one thing.  Andrea is AMAZING!  Everytime she brings a new colored image I marvel at her talent.  There is NO WAY I could come close to coloring her stamps the way she does!  So, we've decided to start selling them already colored....for a little more, because it really is ART when she colors it!  It will take a few days to get them loaded but slowly but surely we will get there. 

Here is one of her latest...Rosella. 

There are more, but that'll be tomorrow, after sleep.

I'm Up to My Old Tricks Again!

Sorry guys but I created my challenge card entirely on my PC.  I just don't have much use (or paper) for a new card every day!  And, I find it much more challenging (FOR ME) to try and make it look real.  Unfortunately, I left the black line around the outside edge of the green ... and the pattern on the green "paper" didn't show up at all, should have done a bolder one.

The two challenges I used were:  

The Sketch Challenge - cdacsc1 for the layout of the card...and 

Other Theme/Inspiration Challenge -cdacotc1 for the colors/theme/circles and flowers

Thanks to both for helping me "think"!

Both are challenges over on Crafter's Digital Art Center...

Come join the fun!  And JOIN OUR GROUP!! (Digital Design Divas)

We Went Over 100 Stamps Tonight!

I just spend the last several hours uploading new-old stuff.  Stamps that were sitting there waiting to have various things done to them...scanned/converted/listed...whatever.  There are still about 10 inactive ones that I will get to eventually :-)  But, from what I understand, the more frequently you add to your "stock" the more likely Google and Yahoo will find you.  That's what "they" say anyway...whoever "they" are ???

It feels pretty good to be somewhat caught up, now maybe I can do something creative!

I am trying to get some words and backgrounds done.  I wrote a tutorial last week (?) on how to do watermarking so I wanted to create stamps to do that.  I have added 4 or 5 of those.  Simple backgounds, but I love that!  I just like using what I have to make background papers instead of having to buy them...and simple is better, to me anyway.

ANYWAY!  We went over 100 stamps tonight!  And Andrea has a list of new ones.  I can't wait to see those.  We have had tons of ideas so I'm hoping she's getting all that done!  I haven't seen her in a few days sooooooo....????

Well, good night all.  I'm going to bed early for a change!!!  12:30AM  WHOOHOO!!!