Happy New Year

We hope that 2010 will bring you Happiness, Health, Prosperity and Creativity
Card courtesy of Anne Schuster

Stamps used:

Woman waving 106-8937,
Toy Santa 106-1614,
Burning Logs 102-682,
Spike Dog 101-2023,
Mistletoe 12-363,
New Year Greeting 12-341
Others Unknown

Sponsoring Rubberstampchat January Sketch Challenge

This Month's Card Sketch Challenge is sponsored by us and was designed by Wendy Robinson. The theme is "Love Story" whether you love Paris, Chocolate or someone. We hope it will inspire you for this upcoming Valentine.

Stamps used: Woman 24-326, With Love 14-112, Text on Heart 106-1047

Paris Word 39-052, Tour Eiffel 104-201, Mini Fleur de Lis 41-011

Create and post a similar card using one of the layout sample, on the Rubberstampchat thread located in the Mall AND upload it to us at this link OR email it to us as an attachment to Stampfrancisco@mac.com

Yes ~ This means you need to post/send your artwork 2 places ~
at Rubberstampchat and directly to us

You can use any stamp you wish BUT if you use ONLY stamps from any of our 11 lines, we will DOUBLE the prize:

Stamp Francisco©
Art by Moonlight©
Bartholomew's Ink©
Eclectic Omnibus©
Hippo Heart©
Fruit Basket Upset©
Gumbo Graphics©
Imagine©
Ivory Coast Trading Poste©
Renaissance Art Stamps and Findings©
Artkeepers™
Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers©

The PRIZES

$30.00 in our online store - Talent Winner
$25.00 in our online store - Runner Up
$20.00 in our online store - Lucky Winner (random drawing)

By using only our stamps the prizes would respectively be:

$ 60.00 in our online store - Talent Winner
$ 50.00 in our online store - Runner Up
$ 40.00 in our online store - Lucky Winner (random drawing)

The prizes will be issued in the form of Rubber Dividends™ credit PLUS a coupon to have them shipped at no charge!

Winners will be announced February 1st, 2010

The girl who silenced the world for 5 mn

So true and so sad.

Cling Mounted Rubber Stamps

Now that I'm back I can't stop posting!!!

Forgot to mention that you will now see three options to purchase your rubber stamps. We've added a "Trimmed and Mounted on Cling Cushion" version.

The cart is unable to figure the correct shipping for this finish so ALL overcharges are refunded at time of shipping. If I am out of the country at the time of shipping, the overcharge will be refunded few days after my return.

Catherine

Shame, Shame on me and Happy Thanksgiving to You

Oh my gosh! Its been 2 months since the last post! Shame, Shame, Shame!!! The kittens are now 13 weeks old, all over the place and no longer the last addition to the family. The last of the feral we were feeding is now a home cat. He's a huge black cat thereby his new name... Blackie! and to be more exact "Loverboy Blackie". I'll try to upload a photo by this weekend. Chica and the babies have discovered the bed and spend part of the night with us and some of the other cats... who are not too happy about it! Must say they are pretty rambunctious before going to sleep...good thing we have a King Size bed.

Today editing worked... here are some photos:

Oh no! Mom found our new hidding spot!

We can't come to the phone!
13 weeks and still breast feeding.

How do you define contentment?

Vini and Angel giving me the paw!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we send you our thanks for your friendship, the art some of you share with us and of course for choosing our stamps for your art projects.

I'm so behind... had 2 cataract surgeries and now see life in vivid colors instead of sepia but one eye has a lot of astigmatism and will need laser surgery to improve the vision. Patience, Patience... until early Spring for this final step. If you see crocked designed you'll know why... just kidding - LOL

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving two ways... DH had turkey the old fashioned way and I decided to sponsor a flock of turkey from Farm Sanctuary : Bubbles, Gideon, Mello, Olive, Rhonda and Hawthorne. Aren't they cute?


Got some gorgeous artwork from the talented Lynn Stevens and Wendy Robinson to upload to the blog and the site and some very nice ATC from my dear friend Hilde Van Barel from Belgium.

Starting Friday night I will be uploading the Christmas stamps from Renaissance Art Stamps, some Eclectic Omnibus and Art by Moonlight rubber stamps, new stamps from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, new Alice in Wonderland designs ... as many stamps as my fingers can type in the database each day between shipping the orders.

Will try to post a little more often.
Catherine

Meet Chica or love at first sight!

While at the Frankfurt airport waiting for plane #2 to get back home, let me introduce Chica the newest addition to our family... well kinda....

Late August, my best friend and I took a week off at a fabulous spa Rancho La Puerta located in Tecate, Mexico. Upon arrival we were greeted by this lovely kitty and she and I bonded immediately. She became my little shadow and we slept together.

Chica at the Ranch

Long story short, Chica was very thin and very pregnant. After a couple days of tribulations and the help of some wonderful folks at Rancho La Puerta ~ especially Yoreme ~ Chica had a passport, went thru immigration and became a full fledged American Citizen. After a lond day of travel - thankfully in the cabin - she reached Portland where a surprised Bill discovered the family had a new member. He immediately fell in love with her ~ even upon learning the next day ~ that we would shortly become grand parents.

Chica at home

A week later Chica gave birth to 5 beautiful black and white kittens. They were one week old when I left and turned 4 this week. They are now running around like crazy and very curious. Chica is a wonderful mother. She's about 1 year old and this is her second litter and of course, last litter.

One week old
12 cats in the house

Time to board!

Where am I?

Hong Kong?? Beijing?? nope... still in Paris. There is a relatively large Chinatown with a huge amount of shops and some decent food especially Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese but nothing close to what you can experience in San Francisco, San Jose, Orange County and from what I hear Vancouver, B.C. One more day and I'll be flying home!

Paris, Books and Bread

Watch out for some new rubber stamps and new collage sheets to come soon... I found a bunch of very old books and turn of the century trade cards at this Market for Old and Used Books held in Paris each weekend!

Breads and pastries from Max Poilane one of the world famous brothers Poilane breadmakers. I did indulge in the most buttery, moist and fattening Pain au Chocolat I have ever tasted!!!

Stempel Mekka 18

It is hard to believe that a week went by since we exhibited at Stempel Mekka in Germany on September 12 & 13. This was our ninth year and exhibitors came from the UK, Holland, USA, Sweden and of course USA. It is an occasion to see old friends and to make new friends.

The hotel and convention center are build in a former quarry.

We were busy and introduced with great success the very unusual and gorgeous charms from Renaissance Art Stamps... coming soon to our website.

My two wonderful friends Hilde from Belgium and Mel from Germany. I could not do the show without their help. Thank you to both of you.

Hilde and I.

Our British friends Fred and Carol from Stamp Attack.

Las Vegas, Part 1

Remember back in June we took a couple of day off? It was prompted by the fact that Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood were in concert in Las Vegas.
It was FANTASTIC!!
but excuse my French... for the moron that stood up and danced during 90% of the show and blocked the view of many. He was drunk and rude... redundant?

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Sorry, this is not the best video since I tried to avoid "shooting" this guy and told to turn off the camera by security... but it will give you a feel of the concert.

The MGM Grand Arena... it is BIG!!!

Eric Clapton

Steve Winwood

Saturday at the Farmer's Market

Sunflowers

Raspberries and Blackberries

Lambert Cherries... so sweet... yummy!

Don't you want to bite in one of those tomatoes?

and music with a Ragtime Band!
For a perfect day.

Flying Like a Bird

Last Friday we took the day off and went Skydiving in Shelton located near the Olympic Rain Forest in WA. The folks at Skydive Kapowsin were very nice. I jumped in tandem with Scott. Gorgeous location to jump. You get to see Mt Rainier from a way cool perspective! This was my first jump and I loved it!

13,000 Ft... straight out of the plane!

8,000 ft freefall last about 60 seconds at 120 mph.
The "wind" is so strong... I feared my braces were going to come off while smiling. LOL.
Look at that view!

Parachute will open at about 5,000 ft... still freefalling in this shot! Once the parachute open all become quiet and peaceful and you get to enjoy it for about 6-8 mn.

Happy 4th of July!

Art 3051
Courtesy of Wendy Robinson

Stamps used: Lady Liberty 108-119, Happy 64-005, Number 4 from alphabet IC-5, th from 106-1429.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin

Quote available as a rubber stamp 38-059

Last Minute Father's Day Inspiration

Art 3056 Courtesy of Wendy Robinson
Stamps used Boy 23-108, PS I Love You 14-027, Happy Father's Day 65-032

Art 3055 Created by Wendy Robinson
Stamps used: Boy 23-108, Father's Day Greeting 65-032

Bad blogger!

I know... writing has been quite a challenge and I'm a lousy blogger... but Sunday, I went to an antique books fair where I found some old German and French books and catalogs from which we will soon have new stamps for the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper line.

In the meantime, we received this lovely Father's Day card from Wendy Robinson.

Art3054

Rubber Stamps used: Young Boy 23-108, Happy Father's Day 65-032, Background Text 49-353

Also, if you are an animal advocate, the anti-chaining group Dog Deserve Better will be holding an annual Chain-Off from June 27 through July 12. Please help spread the word. To learn more about DogDeserveBetter click on the name of the organization.

Memorial Day Thank You

Thank You to all of the Service men and woman who keep us safe on this beautiful Memorial Day. This day of remembrance used to be called Decoration Day.

Happy Mother's Day!

Collage Sheet CS030
Mother rubber stamp 106-1393
It's not too late! Use Digital Download collage sheets to create a last minute card like this one!
Art courtesy of Wendy Robinson

A Mother's Baby

Art courtesy of Audrey Hernandez
Check out Audrey's blog

Log Baby 12-328

A Mother's Love

Art by Wendy Robinson
Collage Sheet CS030

Mother Word 106-1393

Mother's Day Tag

Isn't this little tag so sweet?

Collage Sheet CS030 from Art by Moonlight
ALL Collage Sheets are now AVAILABLE AS DIGITAL DOWNLOAD PDF
To My Mother 106-1393 from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers
P.S. I Love You 14-027
Tag designed by Wendy Robinson