Deadbeat Designs

New Stamps!

Well, the new images are on the website and ready for sale so if you think you have time to make a few Texas-themed holiday cards, here's your chance. You can find them HERE.

And here's another sample of the very popular Texmas Tree. This time I colored the stamp with Marvy Markers and stamped it on glossy paper. I'm not even going to bother listing the colors because let's face it, you're not crazy enough to spend this much time on one image, right? I mean, forget the fact that my reading glasses gave me a headache or that this was actually the fourth attempt. The first three had various issues - on one, I missed one of the paisley designs completely. So irritating!

Also keep in mind that Marvy Marker on glossy paper fades over time. Sure it will look good through the season but if you spend this much time you're going to want it to last. And anyway it's probably true that you don't know anyone who deserves this much time. I'll admit I'm being presumptuous here because I haven't met your friends and family but deep down you know I'm right, right?

OK, maybe if someone gave you a kidney or dragged you out of burning building but that's about it.

I'm really not trying to talk you out of buying it especially since I've had a hard time keeping it in stock since I sent the flyers to the Texas stores but THIS is a much more reasonable use for it. And now I'm fully stocked in both rubber and wood so we're ready to go!

Also included on the new web page are the new stamps we used in Florida last week. I'll be posting some samples soon. In the meantime, here's a preview of one of the stamps. More soon!

Happy New Year!

Here's a rare photo of a sunrise. Rare for me, anyway since I don't know what time the sun rises and I don't want to learn. As you can probably tell, this isn't the actual sunrise. I'm sure I was still happily under the covers when the sun first peeked over the horizon but somehow I managed to drag my lazy butt out of bed a few minutes later at saw this from the balcony:

As lovely as it was, I doubt that my sleeping pattern will change. Plus, the view from my bedroom at home isn't quite as inspiring.

Back in Texas - had a great time in Florida! Today I'm working on orders, laundry, the litter box, etc. How quckly we return to earth... Need to start thinking about my next trip!

Here is another new stamp. There aren't a lot of Happy New Year stamps out there - maybe there's not much of a demand - but I made one anyway. The Fireworks stamps are from a few months ago but are perfect for this or any other celebration. All embossed in silver on black card stock.

This and the other new stamps will be on the website this week. Maybe even today. Maybe.

I [heart] FL

The Deadbeat Road Trip has come to an end - again. This time Lynn and I visited two Florida stores with the good taste to carry Deadbeat Designs rubber stamps. Everything Scrapbook and Stamps in Lake Worth was our first stop. I was here back in March but Lynn and I just did a 'drive by' and didn't teach any classes. This time we brought in the Hot Air Balloons and chalk technique we taught in Texas. Everyone at Everything was super nice and so much fun! And you Florida stampers really know how to stamp!

Here is Lynn explaining something really important. And notice the Tim Holtz wall/shrine.

Everyone seemed to have a great time and their cards turned out great!

Then we went to the Stamp Boutique in Pompano Beach. It's a fairly new store but it's really put together well and so neat! At least it was neat before we got there. She's only been open for a month or two but has a good selection that will surely increase.

Decked out for Halloween...

No idea what's going on here. It doesn't look like anyone's paying much attention!

And here are 3 of my favorites. My girlfriends Rose and Sue Ann and Rose's famous Carrot Cake. She even made one for us to take home! Between Lynn's patient husband and I, it didn't last long!

In addition to the classes, we went to the Las Olas Art Festival, spent too much money, watched the cruise ships come in and leave again, saw some amazing yachts ready for the boat show, had lunch on the beach, test drove a new Fiat and put together all sorts of Ikea furniture for Lynn's new craft room. No time for naps on this vacation! And no, I'm not getting rid of my Mini!

So if you're ever in South Florida, be sure to check out these two stores! I'll be back to Texas soon so if you're waiting on an order, keep on waiting! I'll get to it when I get back!

Texmas Tree

It doesn't get much easier than this! The New Texmas Tree is just embossed in silver on red card stock. The edges are cut with deckle scissors and a Rich Cocoa Memento pad was dragged over the cut edges. Layered on Silver and you're done! I tried gold embossing powder and a few with glitter but this was my favorite. The Merry Texmas stamp from the last post would work great for the inside - it would have to be on the inside unless you have a giant card - the tree is 4.5" X 3.25" so it pretty much fills up an A2 size card.

And now for something completely different....

I know a lot of people hate Bill Clinton for getting a hummer in the Oval Office. Not a very good reason but, whatever. Anyway, this video ought to make you laugh regardless of how you feel.

Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division from President Bill Clinton

 And as usual, you'll have to go to the blog to see the vid....

Merry Texmas!

Merry Texmas! Yep, it's another new Texas stamp for the holidays! It's stamped in Adirondack Bottle Green - that's right. A Ranger product - still not a fan but it's the darkest green I could find. The ornaments are from last year and are embossed in gold and then stamped again with Encore gold in the background. Lots of layering - I'm not a big fan of the traditional red and green combination. I would have preferred blue instead of green but this is what following the Christmas rules looks like. Well, I guess real Christmas rules involve angels or nativity scenes but you've clearly come to the wrong place if that's what you're looking for!

By the way, all the new images will be on the website next week. However, check your local stores to see if they have them. A few jumped on them like ducks on junebugs when I sent the samples out a couple of weeks ago so they might be at a store near you! Unless you live somewhere besides Texas. Merry Cali-mas and Merry Okla-mas just don't have the same ring to them.

Happy Holidillos!

I really wasn't going to make any more new stamps this year. I thought I would just save my money and wait until 2012 but when I decided to go to Florida and get Lynn to teach a couple of classes, I figured what the heck. So in addition to the new stamps we're using for one of the classes, I've added some new Texas Christmas images. Clearly these should have been marketed a few months ago but that didn't happen. So if you haven't already started making your holiday cards, well, you're probably screwed. Or maybe you'll find some time between now and then (9 weeks? Yeah right. You're screwed). Or if you're one of those A-types, you're already finished but you can always start thinking about next year!

I'm going to spread them out over a few posts so it will seem like there are more and I won't have to hurt my brain trying to come up with 'ideas' and such. First up, Happy Holidillos! The actual Dancin' 'Dillos stamp features only the pair in the center but they line up very easily in case you're into line dancin'. Despite having lived all my life in Texas, I have never been line dancin' and unless there is an enormous cash incentive... well, let's just say it's not happening. These are just stamped in black and colored with colored pencils - note the shadows under their boots - makes a big difference! The Happy Holidillos! is stamped on a die cut thing with holes cut out for ribbons. I can't find the packaging in my wreck of an office so I have no idea who makes it.

Here's one I did with a Quickutz die. The saying fits both pretty well.

And if you would prefer that your 'dillos don't dance - like maybe your a hardcore Baptist or something - here's a more static version.

As I've mentioned before, I grew up Baptist so I know of what I speak. Not 'crazy' Baptist but crazy enough. When I was a kid, I remember some of the older church ladies saying that playing cards was a sin and once I went to a Baptist camp where the boys and girls couldn't swim together. We were 7, for cryin' out loud! Good grief! Happily, most of the people I know have evolved a bit since then but there is still plenty of crazy to go around!

Oh, which reminds me!

[uh oh, somebody stop him! unplug his keyboard!]

At some point in my happy little Baptist life, it was decided that my church would provide an alternative to Halloween. It was called a Fall Fest and was just about as exciting as it sounds. Apparently there were some who were concerned that celebrating Halloween was not biblical and probably satanic and definitely bad for children's teeth (we didn't have widespread childhood obesity back then - probably because kids were running around their neighborhoods trick or treating!).

And it wasn't about safety. Did you know that there has never been one instance of poison candy or razor blades in apples on Halloween? Not one - EVER! Any story you heard growing up was just an urban myth. Look it up.

Children have enjoyed Halloween and all its traditions for years and years and I have yet to meet a single person who worships satan.... although I guess that might be one of those things you keep under wraps. Anyway, I don't care if you worship satan or money or Star Trek or the pecan tree in your backyard, just don't come knocking on my door trying to sell it to me! Anyway, I'm glad my parents weren't completely crazy and allowed my brothers and me to have a little fun on October 31. I just read about something called Jesusween. Seriously. You can read about this idiotic and misguided concept HERE. These kooks want you to wear white on October 31 (does that include a hood and a burning cross?). And don't forget to pick up a few packages of these:

Sounds like they harvested Jesus and made him into delicious candy!

See? There's plenty of crazy to go around. And people get itchy when confronted with Islam or Hinduism or Mormonism. Same thing.

Well, ok, Mormons really are out there.

But to be clear - I thoroughly enjoyed my upbringing in the good ol' Baptist church. Lots of great memories but I've moved on. Too much stagnant thinking for me. But if it works for you, great! Bless your heart!

And as usual, all of this amounts to a big fat nothing since I turn off my porch light and turn on the electric fence on Halloween. But if I see a bunch of people on the street wearing white and singing hymns, I'm turning on the sprinklers!

Forwarding

Yawn.

I have plenty to post but it's late on a Friday night as I type this and I have to get up early-ish tomorrow to play tennis. I know... poor me. Anyway, there are brand new stamps and new samples to post but they are just going to have to wait. Maybe Monday.

Monday-ish.

Meanwhile, Curt forwarded this to me and it cracked me up. Thought I'd pass it along.

 

If you're reading this in your email, you'll have to go to the blog to see.

Beware Of The Dollar Store

I try to stay away from the dollar store. Anyone with any creative impulse can always find something with 'potenial' - and look! It's only a dollar! Well, I have an office full of things with supposed potential. I wonder what it would be like to get back all that space and return all the money to my pocket. Now that would be REAL potential! Anyway, there is, on occasion, something you just can't pass up, which is what happened when my friend Candy went to her local dollar store. And few days later, a box arrived at my house full of these:

Sure, I could use them for their intended purpose and been the envy of one and all - heck, I'd probably stop traffic - but once I found out they came apart, well, their true potential became apparent.

So I made Candy a Halloween themed thank you gift. Spoiler alert! If you're name is Candy and you sent me skeleton straws, there's a package waiting for you in Houston. If you want to be surprised, stop reading now!

There's no way she's going to stop reading.

I took these photos on a sunny day and there was a bright glare but I didn't notice until I put the pics in iphoto which was the day AFTER I sent these off in the mail. Should have checked earlier! Oh well... These were the best of the lot.

I used regular tags and covered them with Memory Box paper. The letters were cut out freehand and outlined with Stickles. I also cut out the skeletons - slow, annoying, detailed work - and in some cases, I cut off limbs in order to reposition them like the one below.

I made another one for my friend Terry who always decorates for Halloween.

And some close-ups...

This could have just as easily been done with a pennant die cut but I don't have one (and don't want one) and as fate would have it, I have plenty of tags. Which reminds me... stay tuned for The 6 Tags of Texmas coming soon.

Soon-ish. Maybe after Hallween. I'll need some time to work up some enthusiasm for the holidays.

Black and White and Red All Over

Oh boy, is my face red! Not really. I'm actually not too surprised that I have a correction to make. I've already mentioned that the Deadbeat Road Trip is coming to Florida in a few weeks but I got one of the dates wrong. Typical. I really need a secretary to keep me organized but then I'd have to pay this person and probably be nice to them. Not gonna happen. Anyway, We'll be at Everything Scrapbook and Stamps on Thursday October 20 and at Stamp Boutique on FRIDAY (not Sunday) October 21. I can't remember what the class times are so contact the store if you are interested in taking a class.

Meanwhile, here's an experiment I just rediscovered while cleaning up one of the piles on my desk. Everything is stamped in black and colored in with black and gray pencils. Some of the trees are stamped off so some are lighter. Maybe one day it will turn into something...

 And if you need a laugh today, check out Bad Lip Reading. So dang funny!

Baggage

Stamp Salado sells these little kraft paper bags, small enough to fit on a card but not big enough to hold anything worthwhile like real candy. Maybe a few pieces of candy corn or a single Hershey's Kiss. But I need a handful or nothing at all. Still they make for a good addition on these Halloween cards.

The background paper is from Memory Box as is the Have a Spooky Halloween stamp. The Big Skull is attached to another pull-out card but I forgot to take a photo of that. I think I used the Trick Or Treat stamp on the inside.

More Memory Box paper here as well as some other brand. I don't know who makes it or why there are music notes on the candy corn. I've never found any that produced music. I like candy corn for about 30 minutes once a year. Any more and I start to imagine my teeth falling out.

More of the mystery paper here and orange glitter, essential for Halloween.

And for more fun Halloween examples using Deadbeat Designs Halloween stamps, check out Curt's blog this week!