Sneak Peek Day One for Ippity Stamps!

Oh my goodness!

It's nearly time for the

Ippity New Release Party!

The Ippity 'Chicks' are so excited

about these new images.

I was able to touch and feel these fabby new

stamps recently when I dropped in at CHA.

This....is just the beginning!!!

Mark your calendar for

this Thursday, August 12th

for all kinds of fun and giveaways.

The Ippity 'Chicks' have not

been able to show projects showing

these new stamps quite yet, 

but the Ippity Design Team have...

So hop on over to the 

Ippity Blog and check out what the

design team have done with these

new images.

If you are interested in 

ordering any of these

new stamp sets,

just let me know.
You can email me at

julieranae@hotmail com

and I will be happy to get those for you! 

A Little Spooky Stamping

If you are looking for the

EtsyInspired Challenge,

click here!

Thought I would share with you a little

'spooky' stamping I've been doing.

I totally CASED this card when I was at

my 'not-so-local' scrapbooking store.

I was on a mission to pick up some of the new

fall stamps from The Memory Box collection

and I scored big time!

There was a card on display that used this 'lighting' technique

and I knew I wanted to re-create it.

This gorgeous paper is part of the Memory Box fall

collection.  I stamped the lamp post with kitty in a strategic

place on the paper and then proceeded to 'freehand'

the branches to go 'through' the light.

The moon with bats image (and the sentiment used below) 

are from Artful Inkables.

Here's another variation on the same theme...

Hope you enjoyed a little 'spookiness'.

I know we are still in the thick of summer,

but I just couldn't wait to have a little play

with this fantastic collection.

The Gang's 'Owl' Here! EtsyInspired #100

The day is finally here!

EtsyInspired Challenge #100!

I am so honored to be a guest designer with

this fabulous team for the month of August

and to kick it off with a

celebration this big is...well...big!

There are so many fabulous prizes to

be won this week by these fabby sponsors:

Unity Stamp Company

Lawn Fawn Stamps

Charleston Scrapbook Company

Limelight Papercrafts

May Arts

Softpencil Designs

Someone is going to win

100 items!

Let's see what my 'inspiration' was for this week

and then I will share with you how you could win!

The Etsy Store sponsor this week is

Cathy Walters.

She designs and creates amazing soldered pendants

and this one really grabbed my attention.

My little owl family come courtesy of

Kristen Powers Ink.

I love these little guys and I thought you might too!

You know this is one of my favorite border punches

from Martha Stewart.

So now how & what can you win?

First...we would love for you to play along

with us at EtsyInspired.  Stop by and check out

the challenge and play along.

You could win a fabulous pendant from

Cathy Walters and maybe even the

100 item giveaway!

Next...make a stop at each of the design team's

blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win

an additional prize from one of our sponsors.
Here's the EIC Design Team...

Ashley

De

Emily B.

Emily N.

Joy

Julie Ranae 

{that's me, of course}

Kerry

Savannah

Stephanie

Virginia

Here's what you could win from

Julie's Open Window courtesy of May Arts...

A grab bag a fabby ribbon!

Finally...to qualify for the 100 item giveaway,

you must play in the challenge.  The winner will be

chosen by random draw from the players who enter.

For all the details, click here and have fun! 

Singing a Happy Song...

I am in love with these stamps...plain and simple.

You will be seeing many of them used in a bunch

of my projects over the coming days as I have been

playing with them a lot.  So what did I use?

The sentiment is from Verses Rubber Stamps.

I mentioned a couple days ago that I recently started working 

with their design team and I am really happy 

with what I have done so far.

The tree trunks and the tiny bird are from one

of my all time favorite companies, Memory Box.

So why else am I singing a happy song?

Look at what arrived in my mailbox today

from my UK bestie, Sarah.....

here's another view....

I love this stamp set...

Sarah bought one for each of us : )

and how cool is it that this extra large sheet of

collage old 'documents' actually mentions

Rockford, Illinois

(which is where I live)

This sweet birdcage votive from one of my

favorite stores, John Lewis.

and finally, something Sarah and I

cannot live without.....

how cute is this little box?!

Not only all these goodies arrived, but stamps from some of

our upcoming sponsors from The Play Date Cafe.

What a fun mailbox day!

Now...don't forget...tomorrow is the

100th Challenge over at EtsyInspired and I am

honored to be a guest designer there for the

entire month of August.

So come play with us!

A Very Special Honor...

I have been holding this news in for a couple

of weeks now and I am finally able to share.

I am honored to have been asked to be the

August Guest Designer for the

Etsy Inspired Challenge.

I LoVe this challenge not only because I

enjoy a good challenge but because it is a

unique concept.  The EIC is one that

'pays it forward' so to speak, by using

the work of wonderful artisans and crafters

from Etsy as the actual inspiration for the challenge.

You would be AmAzEd at the unique work

that is used for each challenge inspiration.

The other FaBuLoUs news that goes along with this

is that EIC will be celebrating their 

100th challenge this Saturday!

So please come play along with

me and their great design team this

Saturday over at the EtsyInspired Challenge!

How about a trip to Italy! PDCC41

Well....I had nothing but the proverbial

'technical difficulties'

all day today.

I'd like to say that I hate computers,

but if I did that, I would never have met you!

It's a new challenge over at

I am actually this week's host, but because

of the variety of technical issues I took on today,

I was unable to finish my project.

I just hate when that happens, ya know?!

Our 'color' tour stops this week in

Positano, Italy.

Stop by The Play Date Cafe.

There are some wonderful projects by the  

world's best design team

for you to see along with our very

special guest designer this week

and I share my thoughts behind this

beautiful 'color' destination.

Before I go, please take a moment to

'sign' my mom's 70th birthday card.

Just leave a comment on this post

or click here to read the story

and leave a comment there.

I sincerely appreciate your kind words.

Making a Wish with Verses Rubber Stamps

I am so happy to have been asked to work

with a fabulous stamp line that

everyone can use...

Verses Rubber Stamps

This wonderful company specializes

in nothing but sentiments and greetings...

you name it!

It's owned by the talented Connie Williams

who you may know as the coordinator for

the 'Stampaway' Convention in Cinncinnati.

I would love for you to check out the online catalog

over at the website here.

This lovely greeting is really versatile. 

You can stamp the 'Happy Birthday' portion on the front

of your card and the rest of the verse can go on the inside.

I also stamped PTI's 'Dot Spot' images using VersaMagic
on the wonderful die cut using Spellbinders Labels Four.

Martha Stewart's 'Deco' punch was layered on the

corners and all was highlighted with a little

'bling' using shiny rhinestone embellishments.

I chose to share this birthday greeting with you today

as I think of my mom who will be celebrating her

70th birthday this Saturday.

She listens to the endless stories about my

blog friends with great interest and

here is what I would LoVe to do for her...

If you would, leave a comment with your own

birthday greeting,

I will print them and make a card which includes them all.

I think it would be a lovely surprise,

so will you help me create this greeting?

Lots of love right back to you!

Come on Get Happy & H{ippity} Hop with Me!

Good Monday to you!

It is H{ippity} Hop Monday here

at Julie's Open Window

and

at the Ippity Blog!

It is there you will find an amazing group of 'chicks'

who either sell or use Ippity stamps.
Today is the day to be inspired by all

the wonderful creations they each have to share,
so make sure you stop by and find out
who else is hopping along with me today.

All the Ippity 'chicks' are getting ready for the
exciting new Summer 2010 Release Party!
Mark your calendars for

Thursday, August 12th...

You will not want to miss it!

Today's project is a simple one.....

and here is what I used.....

'The Simple Things'

'A Little Buggy'

'Faith Blooms'

'A Bit of Burlap'

I love sharing these cheerful stamps

sets with you and I would love to be

your 'Ippity Chick'!

Order the first three sets from me this week

for only $35 (+ $5 postage)

and you can get 'A Bit of Burlap'

for only $3 !!!

That's $10 off the msrp

Just email me at julieranae@hotmail.com

and let me know you want this week's

'Ippity Triple'

(I accept Paypal & postal money orders)

It's going to be a busy week here at
The Open Window.
I will introduce you to a wonderful
stamp company that makes only
'verses & sentiments',
bring you the next installment of our
'World Tour' at The Play Date Cafe,
whet your appetite with a little
'Christmas in August'
celebrating with a popular challenge as a
Guest Designer
and of course, planning for the
The Ippity New Release Party!

So make sure you stay tuned.....