Romance Scenes

 “True love stories never have endings.” —Richard Bach

How true the Richard Bach quote is and the  December 2025 Kindred Stamps New Release will remind you how timeless love is.  I have memories attached to the scenes of each character from this set, and I suspect many more besides me will too.  This month, I celebrate my anniversary, and to this day, I still remember going to the movie theater to watch a very long love story, a misfit couple on a historic cruise ship.   I remember eating the popcorn, and where we were sitting in the theater.  I even remember at the time, some very heavy heart concerns we were dealing with,  as we were just starting our journey to parenthood.  I almost didn't want that movie to end.  (We had a very happy ending...not so much the characters in the movie...but we did... now 24 and almost 26)

So, just in time for Valentines Day... 

Kindred Stamps Releases the perfect set:  Romance Scenes 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was creative using random dies in my stash of hundreds if not thousands of dies... I used a fence for my boat rail, a living room lamp post for my street light, cut rectangles out of the inside of a scallop frame, etc...to name a few...  one thing remains constant though...  I use my Card Basics Die Set over and over and over again!  

 

Tomorrow Romance Scenes will be available at 8:00 a.m.  Pacific Time, along with other fabulous new release sets.  You will definitely want to get a few of these in your cart!!!  I'm hoping to have a little unwind time for the holidays, now that my crunch time is officially over (2 more BIG hurdles for 2025 for me)...I hope I can get a little nostalgic TV time ... catch an iconic romance movie or 2!  

 

Happy Holidays & Seasons Greetings to all!  

 

Trudi 

 

12 Day of Advent

 When I discovered this sweet stamp, I immediately thought love and world, and "Love Makes the World Go Round".  I'm not even sure if I really listened to the song with those lyrics, as when I played it, it certainly didn't sound familiar to me.  Not sure why that popped into my head.  When I have more time, I'm going to look into it.  I'm sure there is a version I'm not aware of at this moment of time...

 

When you open this card, the little world "spins".  I had not planned on this at the start of this card, but I had seen a little spinny card with a different image that sparked the idea of a spinning world...now, I can think of all kinds of spinny things...might take another try of this type of card in the future.  Well...I'm being brief here...things are getting close to the wire for me in the factory...I will be pulling a rabbit out of a hat for the next few days, so it seems....  ho ho ho ... I can see where it would be easy to be a grinch.  It's hard on suppliers and retailers too...we do our best, but it does beat a person up.  It truly is a count down...I hope to keep up with the advent calendar, but, am truly glad I got as far as I did!  There are some super fun ones ahead!!!  When things settle down, I want to get a little video  here with the world spins!

 

 

 

Day 11 Advent Calendar

 I can smell an apple crisp in my mind...or spiced apple cider, maybe the smell of cinnamon apple potpourri that I so fondly remember smelling whenever I popped in to visit the gift shops we used to sell to locally.  Once upon a time, we had our specialty foods in up to 37 locations (locally) 1000+ nationwide....quite a few for the our small community, the oasis in the desert that we are from.  (When you think of Washington State, you really don't think of dry sagebrush...)  Anyhow, that was the olden days, we have evolved in a different direction with our distribution, but...I sure love the memories of visiting several sweet gift shops...most are no longer, 40 years has come and gone...that's a long time.  So, I truly got a Countryside Cottage vibe with this card...one of the very first retailers ever that we sold to...truly one of the best I have ever dealt with ... cheers to Trish if she ever sees this post!  This cards for you!

 

 

Advent Day 10

 Not sure what I was entirely striving for.  I did expect/want this to be QUICK...but, it didn't turn out that.  I did learn, to not force an embossing folder into a Big Shot...it may come out permanently warped.  I guess for never using this folder after having it for a couple of years, I'll accept the lesson.

Haste = Waste

haha

Truly, not sure where I was going, but the more I was going... it was having fun.  I am inspired to find a metallic pen, like the one I used for the poinsettia insides here.  I was gifted a very fine tipped pen, with liquid ink inside...(it did leak a time or 2 when using it...again...haste equals waste).  It really looks like shiny 14 karat gold after you apply it, not like gel pens or sharpie type metallic...or wink of stella type...it is liquid type paint in a pen.  I love it and I want another...will be on the hunt.  Anyhow, my take on Day 10...resulted in a muted, soft blurred type canvas, showcasing Advent Day 10, Thank You Heart image...  I left it blank inside for a future sentiment, or personal note.

I used Cloud 9 Interference Ink to lightly brush a gold shine on the embossed petals and "berries". 

 Cloud 9 Interference Inks

I believe I used Peanut Glow.  I'm not entirely sure if that was the gold I used...I'm at my desk in the factory, and for some odd reason, I do not have record of the order I placed with Scrapbook.com .  I must have ordered as a guest and not logged in.  I'm not always near my account info when I order.  Or, maybe I ordered from a different company.  If anyone want to know, leave a message here, and I'll follow up.  All I know, is I only have 3 Cloud 9 ink pads, and I recently ordered them, I thought from Scrapbook.com, and I plan to order more.  I do need to figure a good way to blend, with the proper brushes and card stock...if I find the magic combo, I will share...if anyone knows the magic combo, let me know...I've definitely self taught, and not really watched any instructional videos...I probably should.  Anyhow, the inside of my card:

Til tomorrow!  :)  It's the last card I have entirely finished...so, the real test will be, if I can keep up with the last half of this advent calendar.  I do have ideas in my head, which is the hardest part, but...last night, I crashed and burned...and I have other important craft obligations I need to wrap up...PLUS...a factory full of gift baskets / gifts to finish up too...  You might see some VERY FAST things here, but...that's ok, I think my favorite so far, was Day 4, the little snowman, so...we will see!  

 

Day 9 Advent Calendar

 A very EASY card that would be nice to send to a sister or close friend.  When I made this card, I was starting to sense that things were going to get hard for me, time wise if I was going to pull of 24 advent days...lol...I will admit, I have worked ahead...My Day 1, was actually around November 19th or somewhere around that...and I have been fitting cards in here and there, opening only ONE window a day.....about now, day 9...is when I saw the writing on the wall, that I really needed to zip out some easy cards...or I'd be throwing in the towel.  I kind of like the easy street cards...  I'm more apt to mail them, one postage stamp...and more time for other crafting fun...  Today's advent stamp, Enjoy the Little Things, is paired up with the Unity stamp:  There For Her .  I certainly will enjoy the little things...so perfect when I'm simplifying right now!  I have little stamps all over my desk, as I've fallen behind already, but I do have at least 3 days ahead of cards made, just be prepared for some other really easy ones in the next few days.  (I need to play catch up!)

 

So, a funny...  I impulsively bought some card stock through Amazon, hoping for smooth vanilla or off white to use with my alcohol markers.  I found some, same supplier (Neenah)...but had no record of what weight, etc....so, I impulsively bought a ream of what I'm using on this card.  This.is.not.it.  Not even close...BUT....I am proving to myself, that I have a use for it, so it has shown up on many projects since.  Funny how that works.

Til tomorrow!  I'm working on my Kindred New Release cards this week...so, I'm very thankful I have worked ahead.  I've been crazy busy in the factory this week, and will be for another week...so, it's free time here and there for me...it's a great release, I'm excited to to have the ideas in my head turn into cards....I created them all last night (in my head) so it should be fairly easy from here on out!  :) 

Day 8 Advent Calendar

 PISSY KITTY was my "go to" to pair up with today's cute little flower found in Day 8 of the Advent Calendar from Unity....  It was a quick and easy card...I really had fun with this grumpy cat!

 This little feline is from the the line of Pissy Kitty stamps found through Unity Stamps.

It's the Reluctant Love Pissy Kitty set.  There are some really adorable PKs, this was the first time I actually inked up this set, it was easy and fun, and the reaction of those who have seen the card in the real, has resulted in smiles and giggles....which is something we all need a time or 2!

 

Til tomorrow!   

 

 

Day 7 Advent

 Once again, I dug into my started awhile ago colored images, but never finished.  Mickey and Minnie, I had only stamped them out, but...that was enough for me to decide to pair up with today's advent image, the sweet "Love Always Wins" image seen at the top of this card.  I was able to save a little time, because I didn't spend a ton of time thinking what image to ink up, find it, clean the stamp, put it back, lol...and time spent several months ago, wasn't wasted.  I am certainly running out of time over the next week or so...so if I'm going to pull off all 24 images, there will be some corners cut.  I do feel better using something I invested effort and thought into that never went anywhere...well...here you go!  I also "found" the die I used with the polka dot embossing folder, after fussy cutting around a stamped image that pairs with this die set.  It's from the SU days, and I knew I had it, but didn't know where to find it...so assumed I didn't?  lol  Everything about this card was impulse...literally....

 

I decided to use one of the sentiments found on the Mickey and Minnie set:  Mousin' Around: Hiya Pal on the inside of this card, which could be Valentine, or not...but for that special someone.

 

 Designer paper was from my giant stash that I have attempted to organize...I literally will NEVER use it all, and I certainly don't have a problem cutting right into any paper anymore...if I save for a rainy day, it will eventually be used for kindling....much better on a card!!!  This 24 in 24 experiment (lol) is training me to think differently, that's for sure.  Then again, almost 100 entries of Craft Roulette, and being on design team too...all in my free time kind of has done that too....  Now, off to bow up 60 gift basket boxes that are shipping tomorrow all over the nation...  I blurred out the name on the ribbon we printed since this is a custom gift for a client, and not sure if it's appropriate to share their name on my craft blog...the insides has all kinds of fun stuff, plus a few exclusive to the client swag items...  I LOVE doing these boxes ... fun times!  This week, we have some very unique gifts being made and sent...if I have a moment, I'll share....yikes....tis the season! 

 

Day 6 Unity Advent Calendar

Today's mini stamp worked as a great image to complete one of my previous Craft Roulette cards!  I tend to only complete the front of my Craft Roulette cards and quickly move on to the next week...I have a big task ahead of me, if I ever want to finish the insides of close to 100 cards!  lol!  Anyhow, I now have a card all ready for send to someone with a birthday.  :)  I should be indicating what the stamp image is that is in the calendar...  today, it is the slice of cake, which I made into a rich and yummy chocolate cake.

 

 And the card front...  I admit, I had an image left to finish coloring, because I usually stamp a couple images, in case I blurb up one....  I had most of a 2nd card finished, so I changed it up a bit from my original Craft Roulette card.  

 

 My original card was for episode #232

 

 Til tomorrow!  There definitely are some simple cards coming up from me....Not sure I'll make it to 24, it's a challenge, that's for sure, but it's been fun!

 

 

 

Day 5 Advent Calendar

 I had a little bit of a learning curve on this one....I guess a scientific reaction, lol...one that cost me time, precious time...but I really really wanted to see this card through, so short of almost redoing the whole dang thing...I layered another layer over the part I needed to fix.  I did run out of the shade of pink sparkly paper, however...so I took a pink alcohol marker and colored my sparkly white.  It's OK...it was better with the actual pink sparkly, not my colored white...but, it is what it is...my issue made the card subpar, and I didn't want to accept it as it was.  I wish I had taken a photo of what happened...I'll explain below the picture of my card.

Well, there might be a couple other "I want to redo's" on this card...but, I had already spent too much time on it...so I decided to move along!  :)

Here was my scientific learnings... Let me tell you about my new best friends:  Zip Dry Glue and Holographic Sticker Sheets

Zip Dry Glue 

Holographic Sticker Sheets

 So, about 2 years ago, I was inspired by another crafter to check out the holographic sticker sheets.  I really wasn't a sticker sheet type of person at the time, I kind of didn't know what to expect.  I was more of a grungy, distressed type of person when it came to my design... the power of plunking a stamp into ink and hitting the card stock to it, was and still is something I love doing.  That being said...once I applied this clear, patterned sticker sheet over my already stamped stamped card stock... I.FELL.IN.STICKER LOVE....  That's right...sticker love.  I've now purchased 3 times the big ole pack, I've gifted it, I've shared it...I adore it.  It's not pricey, and it can be fun...to see those twinkly little stars (or other, there are other patterns too, I have the stars)...is so much fun.

Next... Zip Dry Glue.  I was given one SO MANY YEARS AGO...and I never really gave it a huge ole try.  I even have a Martha Stewart version of it, and just kind of added to my adhesive pile.  Well...I was reintroduced to the notion of trying it while at Paperganza this summer... I decided to order one in when I got home...and I really really love the stuff.  It's like the cement glue we used as kiddos...  When the adhesive dries in the wrong spot, there is a window of time, where you can remove it and see zero residual on your card...  That's why I love it.  You have wiggle room time for what you are adhering, it really is good stuff.  Now...  It does not work for everything.  I would not attempt it with an embellishment, like a sequin or a enamel dot or something similar...after all...it is like that cement glue.

So here you go...  DO NOT USE IT ON ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE APPLIED THE HOLOGRAPHIC STICKER PAPER TO...  I will REPEAT... it does NOT FARE WELL WITH THAT STICKER PAPER!!!  At least, that is what I learned the hard way...  I originally had my green background circle nice and pretty with the holographic sticker paper applied to it...  I then on the back of that green circle, I adhered it directly to my card.  Same with my original background on the inside of my card...  I'm not 100% sure if the zip dry glue was the culprit or not...but... within hours, my sticker started puckering!  BAD...the more I tried to smooth it down, the more I figured...oh nuts...I'll just make a new one.  I didn't learn about the inside of the card until after I had redone my green circle, the next day...so...twice that holographic sticker paper puckered on me...I thought it was a mystery with the circle...and didn't think to not use that zip glue when I finished the inside of the card the next day.  I was looking in my stash for extra stamped background paper (using the little "Happy Birthday) stamp...and I didn't have any left that I hadn't already used... so I basically started the thing all over again.  

 Last blunder...on my second "Happy Birthday" die cut that I colored pink...my eyes were hurting on my first "pink" that I colored...so...you guessed it...I was cutting that Happy Birthday out again...and the cake...and the gold trim with it...YIKES...this card didn't want me to finish it.  I see a little smudge on my "h" and decided "THAT'S IT...I'M DONE"...I want no more part of fixing this card.  Now, looking at my balloons on the inside...ok...I see ink that didn't fully saturate the card stock.  NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE attempts I say.  I settle with what I had...  The balloons are from a stamp set that was given to me by my UPLINE from Stamping UP! way back in the SU days, when I was my only customer!  lol...  I think it was like 2003 or so...  

 Before I toodle doo... I know my packages are not perfect, nor are the meant to be.  The stamp itself in the Advent Calendar is the word Happy Birthday, with the unique bow top.   I made the fun little colored "boxes" "packages" by taking part of the unwanted extra rubber that comes with a stamp kit.  I cut 3 little rubber boxes, so I didn't need to fuss with cleaning, fit to size, and used those as my boxes.  I am storing them with this cute little stamp for future use.  I loved thinking outside of the "box" for this one!!!  BLUNDERS AND ALL!!!!  
 

Day 4 Advent Calendar

 Short and sweet today....too much on my plate otherwise, and not enough hours in the day!  Glad I started the Advent Calendar 10 days early...will be cranking out some QUICK cards for a few of the days that are piling up on my desk right now.  I'm glad I worked ahead, as I have several days already complete...what fun stamps ahead though...I have things already made "in my mind".  lol  Today was QUICK and simple, so not really any product info to share...I really can say this took about 15 minutes to make, if that...lined up, one could crank something like this out very fast.  In the real world, I see me mass producing a simple card rather than one of my all the fluff ones!  lol!  That being said...I enjoy the process of it all...

 

 

Day 3 of Advent!

 My Day 3 Advent Calendar!  I really felt Scandinavian here....

 

 

 I ADORE Graphic 45 Paper...and had originally purchased a believe a couple of collection sets of this design family (I may find 1 or 2 unopened packages...I'm TRYING to organize my craft studio...but I recall buying 2-3 of the paper kits a few years ago, for a project I wanted to, but never started...)

 

As for the JOY letters...  I dug WAY BACK in my cabinet of wooden block Stamping UP! stamp sets...and what did I find?  GIANT LETTERS!  If I had Distress Oxide inks back in the day, I would have used these much more...and oh how am I glad...I never had the urge to purge ANYTHING!  It sure comes in handy for Craft Roulette and needs like this!  

 

Day 2 Advent Calendar!

 Advent Calendar Day 2!  I used a shimmery ink for the pine cones and ink blended the same for the cool bow on top of my "package".  It's a little tricky to fussy cut the insides of the bow loops, but very well worth it.  I love this stamp and see lots of reasons to use it for other celebratory events!

 Lisa Horton Cloud Nine Inks  (I purchased from Scrapbook.com)

 

That's a Wrap (Unity Stamps)

 I linked up a "bundle", but to be honest, I purchased 3 individual ones to test them out first.  I am loving my 3, I used a green one with yesterday's mini tree Advent Calendar entry, and you may see another color coming up.  I linked the bundle to show the variety.  A little tricky for me to get the hang of a smooth blending, but, I truly think it's a combo of me using cheap blender brushes, and maybe not the right card stock.  Any suggestions of both...brushes and card stock... are welcome to send my way.  I am just learning, and open to new ideas on how to use some of my premium inks!  :)

 I'm limited on time, so I'm not going to link up anything else, but if you do have any questions, leave a comment, and I will be sure to send info your way!  :) 

December 1 = Advent Day 1

 Well, the sneak peeks may be a little ambitious now, since we are in the process of assembling 250ish gift baskets over the next few days...BUT...good news, I have sort of kept up with my days that I started opening about 10ish days ago.  I am doing them in order, day by day...and will NOT share before it's "real date", I promise.  I will say, there is a variance on these cards.  Some took more time than others, and one actually was used to finish up an unfinished project from about a year ago.  It's been truly fun...reacting to each window, how I see fit based on my time I have, and first spark that lands in my creative process. 

Anyhow...I REALLY enjoyed making my Advent Day 1 card.  It was off to a good start for me, and I look forward to the following 23 days of reveal!  :)

 

 

 

I used the following stamp set from Unity Stamps 

Winnie the Pooh: Forever with You 

 

Winnie the Pooh: Oh, Dear 

 

Stay tuned for tomorrow!