Her name is Rio and she dances in the RAIN!

Well here I am, sitting home no teens... my daughter Rio went to her first dance!  She's 12 and has a personality that sparkles as much as she does tonight.   We did a little body glitter, hair glitter, throw some Converse in the mix and Vioala!  A most appropriate Teen outfit I can be proud of!  I dropped her off and she was quite different from the rest of the gals, she had no heavy make-up on, no high heels (which is good cause she trips on flat surfaces), and even though she still decided she wanted to cover her legs the dress was still about seven inches longer than everyone else's!  

She was so excited and as a mom, I must admit I am pretty excited for her!  So weird, I dropped one off at a first dance, and the other at the movies to meet the girlfriend... man where did the years go?  And I have to do it all again with the 2 year old!  Ahhh the joys of parenting, I must say it is priceless!  

She looks so adorable doesn't she?

WOwie 17!

Wowie I can't believe that 17 years have passed since I held this 5'11" boy in my arms.  I remember him looking up at me, after four long days of labor... I met him just one day after he was born.  I got sick, I was exhausted and slept for the first day of his life... well at least 12 hours of it.

When the nurses brought him to me, he just looked up at me like...Wass up! He is one awesome kiddo, of course he has his teen moments, but what teen doesn't right?  Just one more year and he is off to College =( I guess it had to happen.  I am so proud of him though, we have had trials and errors along the way. Being only 19 when he was born and daddy only 27 we were not prepared.  But we did alright.  

He always makes me laugh when I am down, cracks me up with is goofyness and at times is still mommy's boy.  He and Jude are pals, and love to hang out together.  He's so tender with children and animals, if I allowed it he would have about 20 pets in our home!  Of course being 17 today, he wants to celebrate with his girlfriend =( stinker!  No cake either!  I need my cake fix~ I am going to bake one anyway and eat it with Jude, Rio and Chris! Ha!

Happy Birthday Christian you are the light of my life!

Jude 2  Christian 17

My Birthday Boy!

Wow where have the past two years gone?  I can't believe my little boy turned 2 today!  He's is quite the character... he can at times drive me crazy, he loves to spill all the bathtub water out onto the carpet.  Loves to leave his Hot Wheels laying around so I can step on them and break my neck!  When I am finally done cleaning up the mess he made in one area, he is so sweet to have a fresh one for me to pick up in another area!  He has a bad habit (courtesy of the teens) of telling me to Shut Up when I scold him or put him in time out.  My 12 year old Rio, tells her big brother Christian the 16 year old to SHUT UP when he is getting on her nerves so Jude picked that lovely saying up!  But he is learning to not do it, and that it's not nice.  He likes to count to 10 to me, loves it when I sing the ABC, and California Gurlz by Katie Perry songs!  He's a rascal, when I try to brush his hair and put on his PJs he's bouncing on the bed so I can't do it!  All in all he's a 2 year old, and now it's official right?  But if you look close, but not too close or you will be trapped like me, that smile... well that smile melts me and all is forgiven when he's being a rascal!

Happy Birthday my sweet Jude mom and daddy love you!

Is that cake yummy or what?  Hubby came home from work and started pulling out all the stuff to make it himself!  Such a sweet daddy!  

Before Jude was put to bed he said, "Quew Quew Birday Kick Daddy" which meant Thank you for the Birthday Cake Daddy!  Asked for a hug and then said "Night Night Yuv Yoo!"

Christian 16, Jude 2, Rio 12

 He was concentrating really hard to blow those out!

Ummmm cake! I think the Owl on his apron wants some too!

Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas!

Wooop woop!  Day 3 has arrived and I am ready!  

Today's Christmas challenge is to incorporate a Spooky Tree... so I thought about all those cute little Emo and Gothic Kids I have, and how very much like my own little Emo and Gothic kids!  So, I thought of having a Halloween Christmas Tree!  Ya can't get much spookier that that right!?  

So here is my project, and materials used:

Copics: E00, E95, R02, W5, W6, W7, W8, G06, G07, G09, V01, V04, V06, V09, V17

The paper is from this year's PineCone Press Halloween line.  The sentiment was made with my alpha stamps and Black Diamond Stickles.  The image is my own Sally from the Sweet Gothic Kids line at Simplybettystamps.com!  The Crystals are from Creative Imaginations Eye Candy collection.  The Creepy tree I have had for over 9 years now... I kept debating on throwing it out.  It was one of those little piece that would just sit on my desk, or my Scrap tote... I kept thinking I am just going to throw it away... I am sure glad I kept him!  He was perfect for this card!

Hope you enjoy it!

12 Days of Christmas Day 1

Well better late than never eh?  Sorry about my delayed post.  

Today for the 1st day of Christmas I have taken my Witch Mina Halloween image and given her some Yule time Cheer!  I loved coloring her up in Christmas colors!  It almost looked like she was meant to be an elf instead of a witch!  Of course minus the skulls, but skullies are my thing so I don't mind them on her elf hat at all!

I used the following Copics: R27, R46, R39, E00, E95, R02, W5,W6,W7,W8, E50, E55, C3

Papers were from Die Cuts With a View Mat Stack and K& Co stack

I used my Stars Nesties, ribbon from Creative Impressions, and Cinnamon Stickles.  The background stamp is from Stampendous and the Sentiment is from The Cat's Pajamas coated with the Cinnamon Stickles!  Gotta love those Stickles!

I hope you all like her, lately my mojo is missing and I am second guessing myself!  

So Thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I wish you all a wonderful day filled with love, laughter and those you love and cherish.

I have so many things to be Thankful for these four being the top of the list:

Jude @ 9 months

 Christian @ 16 

Rio @12

 Daddy & Jude @ swim lessons 

For moments like these:

I am Thankful for those I can call friends, and do so much for me and indulge me really in my ventures: 

Eulanda 

• Angela
• Cheri
• Barb
• Gloria
• Jennifer
• Lady B
• Lelia
• Linda
• Meredith
• Nicole
• Patricia 
• Suzi
• Tracy 
• Debbie 
• Lisa
• Lori (this awesome woman gave me my first DT spot, encouraged me to get my little Stamp company going and is there to listen to me anytime I call her!)
• Christy  

So Thankful for new ladies I will get to know better and have the pleasure of their company (yeah I know it's just online, but it counts) 

• Danielle
• Tracey O
• Rebecca
• Rosa

• So, as you can see I am very blessed and Thankful for many things every day of the year.  Tonight my little sister (21) and I will cook dinner, put up the tree, have great conversation, and color some digis!  I am Thankful for today and everyday I spend with her as well, as we don't get to see each other too often.  She is studying to become a Veterinarian and I am so proud of her!  

Here she is enjoying a cartoon with Jude

While I miss my little Bro Many and other Sisters Amy (on mom's side), Emily and Kim on dad's side.  

I am Thankful for all of your wonderful support, your comments, and all of my customers without you all

there may not be a Simply Betty Stamps so from the very bottom of my heart Thank you SO much for being a part of my world!  

Hugs, 

Betty

Stampotique Designers Challenge #20

SDC 20 Bling Bling

This week's host is : here are a few word from  Kim herself: Kim Prince here- I am so excited to be offering the challenge again this week!
With Christmas right around the corner, I thought the theme of BLING would be
fun! I love seeing sparkles, shimmer, and shine. So, make your project to
include bling of any kind. This weeks challenge is open to Stampotique Originals
stamps only. This is a great way to grow your collection of Stampotique
Originals stamps, as Carol and Jim, the owners, are giving away a fabulous $30
gift certificate to their store! So, come and upload your card and play along
with us, we would love to see what you come up with!

I too love seeing bling, and love how the snow actually sparkles in the sunlight.  So, I thought of a Sparkly Snowflake with the Stampotique flair of course!  So I have used Noelle found at Stampotique Originals of course, Die Cuts With a View Christmas Mat stack, and the skull was made by my good friend Gloria, check out her Etsy here.  

Well, it was quick and simple, but I really liked the outcome.  See you all soon!


Yay blogger is letting me upload again!  Here's my card!

Recipe Swap!

Hi everyone!  Today I have a yummy dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner!

I am not a Pumpkin Pie fan, but this one is absolutely delicious and hard to pass up.  I believe it is called

Pumpkin Crunch 

I got this 12 years ago when I attended my very first Creating Memories get together and just fell in love!  I make it every Thanksgiving now and it's gone before it has time to be called a left over! LOL

Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

1 (29 ounce) can pure pumpkin (Libby's)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup margarine, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil and spray it with baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix well, and pour into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture, and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix, then drizzle with melted margarine.

Bake for 60, let cool for 2 hours or one hour in the fridge.  Turn Pie upside down on your platter remove the foil and serve!  Goes great with Vanilla Ice Cream or Top with whipped topping when ready to serve.

Harry Potter Rocked!

Well I survived the Midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1!  It was just me and my two older kiddos Rio and Christian!  We got to the theater at 6:30 and the lines were already insane, luckily all 16 theaters were playing it and at different times!  That was awesome, we did the same for HP6 at a different theater, and that was a complete nightmare!  The lines were insane and when the doors opened everyone was just trampling everyone to get a good seat!  Needless to say we ended up at the front with our necks twisted the whole movie!  Yesterdays experience was much nicer.  They sold tickets according to show times and theaters... not bulk tickets open the flood gates and get what you can!  So, we bought the tickets for the 12:05 showing, sat for several hours played Scrabble, Cards, had real conversations with my teens!  OMG that is almost unheard of!  Just had a wonderful evening with my kids.  I missed hubby and the little one, but the cool thing is that now I have an excuse to see it again, have to take hubby on a date right?  Hee hee!

Here we are just playing away!

My cutie

My handsome boy

We started one game with Harry Potter and made up words that we would only find in the movie or with the HP theme it was quite difficult!  But loads of fun.

Digi Meets Rubber Challenge #7

Hello everyone!  Sorry I am running out the door for the midnight showing of Harry Potter... so I am going to post my pictures and tell you all about them tomorrow... after some sleep.  I have to drive one hour down the mountain and one up the mountain for this movie... so I will probably be beat by the time I get home!

See if you can figure out my rubber backgrounds!
Okay on this one I used Cheri's awesome sketch from a past challenge, better late than never eh?  The leaves on the Spellbinder Nestie is my stamped background from Inkadinkadoo Thanksgiving line from 2007!  The DP is from Dream Street papers Tea for Two.  Love the clear glittered FALL letters from Fancy Pants and the image of course is from my online store the Steampunk Gang!

For this one I used two rubber stamp sets... the clocks and circle words are from Hero Arts, and the snowflakes on the Nestie are from JudyKins!  It was so cool pulling out my rubber stamps and using them!  I think I may do it again!

Movie Madness at The Burtonesque Dolls

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to the re-launch of The Burtonesque Dolls Challenges!  Whoot whoot!  Today we have a super fun and easy challenge.  

One of my absolute favorite Tim Burton Movies is Edward Scissorhands!  I remember waiting in a long line a long time ago just to see this.  My daughter Rio is jealous that I got to see it on the big screen!  Hee hee... of course I was her age at the time.  It was so awesome and I think it was the start of my obsession with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton!

Okay so here is my take on Movie Madness: Edward Scissorhands

I imagine this is what Edward would have been like had he had the chance to have hands... of course we all love the original Edward but Luca played him well here in my version.  I used Tickled Pink Digi Christmas Luca of course, the DP is from a Die Cuts with a View mat stack from last year's Christmas stack.  The cut out shapes are QuicKutz.  Ribbon by Creative Impressions and the holly is from Petaloo!

The inside of the card.  I used Spellbinders Fancy Labels and the Sentiment is from Stampin' Up.

I hope you have enjoyed my little re-make of the cover of the movie... please don't forget to leave my TBD gals some lovin'!  And most important show us your Edward Movie Madness!

Christmas Emos Card Kits

Christmas Emos Card Kits

Hello hello all!  I have had requests for the Emo Christmas Card Kits so here is all the information:

Kit set include:

Digis: Bahumbug Christian, Trimming the Tree Rio, Merry Betty, Prezzies for Lola, Elfin' Miller, and Candy Cane London (if you have already bought these, you can chose any sixChristmas

images from the store).

11 Double Sided papers from the Wintertime Collection

7 Cardstock sheets

All Cricut cut outs, embellishments, ribbons, and any knick knacks.

You will get instructions and materials list with your kit.

All this for only $32.75 found here!

So hurry and grab yours and get those Christmas cards going! Here are the cards you will be able to make, or you can change them up however you want!

Christmas Emos Blog Hop and Release!

It's finally here!  The day you can grab these cuties all for your own crafting pleasure!  Whoot whoot!!

Today I have the last two gals, Lola and Betty.  I lost my mojo earlier in the week, but I feel I got it back with these last two cuties!  Same color scheme same papers!   These are also part of the Kit that are available for purchase online.  The best part is that they are both available with digis and rubber stamps.  You will get the downloads but the paper will be mailed off, or you will get the rubber and paper all mailed off together.  All are available now! 

Okay so here are the last two tell me what you think!

Prezzies for Lola

Merry Betty 

I hope you all enjoyed the past three days of the new Christmas Emos.  I can't wait to see what you all create!  Thank you for your continued support and wonderful comments!

Emo Christmas Preview Day 2!!!

Welcome back!  Ready for two more new cards?  I hope so!

Today I am featuring Miller and London... these two little buggers gave me a hard time (hence the late post).  I really wanted to be in bed by 9pm, so I thought getting them started at 1pm would have been plenty of time.  But my mojo went missing and I just threw these together! These will be included in the Emo Christmas Cards Kit!

Let's take a look at Miller

 I used Copic colors B93, B95, B97, E47, E49!  Wintertime paper from Echo Park.  The ribbon from Creative Impressions.  The sentiments are mine using different Alpha stamps.  I do love the punny Yule "tight"ings bid!  Simple card eh?  The Spellbinders is Wonky Squares

Now London... I had an image in my head of how I wanted this to go, but sometimes it goes a totally different way!  The Reindeer and Title are both from the Cricut Winter Frolic Cartridge.  I colored in the eyes, the antlers and spots on his back.  The Fence is Martha Stewarts Halloween Punch from this year, I just cut off the bats that actually punch out with it.  The lights are from JoAnn.  The Merry Christmas sentiment is from a Close To My Heart set.  Copics used B93, B95, B97, R27, R29, C3, C5, C7.  I used Crystal Stickles on the snow on the paper to make it glimmer!  All paper again is Wintertime!

Well I hope you are enjoying all the creations we have come up with!  I know I am in such awe when I see the cards my team comes up with!  They are all so amazing and I am one lucky gal to have them here  with me!  Thank you girls!

See you all tomorrow for the big Blog Hop and Christmas Emos release!  Woop woop!  

Emo Christmas Preview Day!!!

Welcome to day 1 of Simply Betty Stamps Christmas Emos preview!  

Have a got some fun cards for you!  This is going to be a card kit, and a class!  The kit will be available for purchase Friday, and I will be teaching the Class at my local Scrapbook store in December!  I will have lots more details on the kit come Friday for you all.

Now let's get on with the show!

First I have Christian, oh my dear grumpy Christian.  Ready to gift with his Santa Sack!  Of course, it's cold, snowy, and the sack is heavy so he isn't too happy at the moment!  But I still think he is the cutest little Santa I have ever seen!  And I did notice my blooper!  I am missing and H in the BA!  LOL  

Next we have my cutie patootie Rio!  Trimming the tree with her favorite elements... Skullies!  Not your everyday ornament eh?  Rio is not your everyday kinda of gal so it fits!  

Materials used:

Spellbinders: Large Classic Circle Nesties

Papers: all Wintertime Collection from Echo Park (you can get it at SimplyBettyStamps.com)!

Stickles: Star Dust

Letters: Cricut using Mickey Font

Copics Used: B93, B95, B97, R27, R29, R59, R20, EOO, E95, E45, E47, C3, W5, W6, W7, W8

Hope you enjoyed those two cards and I hope to see you back here tomorrow for another two cards that will be included in the Christmas Emos Card Kit!

Inking Pink Awareness Hop Winner!

Happy November everyone!  I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Thank you all for hoping along with us for Inking Pink Blog Hop!

It is a very good cause and I will stand by it any day!  As you all seem to as well so thank you so much!

Here is the winner for an six Digis I have available in my online store found here: 

Simply Betty Stamps.com

Shelley said: I have been so honored to be on this hop with you. wonderful project!

Shelley

Please choose any six and email me at simply betty stamps at verizon dot net, pick any six from any Digi line I have up for purchase.  Congratulations and have a wonderful week!

Happy Halloween!

Tonight was my son's second Halloween, but the first one he realized what Trick or Treat means.  

I take him on a stroll along side our lake daily, when he sees that I am getting his stroller ready and it's out front he knows it's Bye Bye time.  Well this weekend we have been so busy we hadn't had a chance to take him out for a stroll.  Well we took the stroller out and he was very very happy and excited.  Of course he did not realize what was coming... we got to the first house and he was hesitant about getting out of the stroller... daddy told him to say Trick or Treat... so he says "Chicken Sheet"!  He got his candy and got even more excited and happy!  He says to the lady, "Qew Qwew" which means thank you in Jude language!  He gets back in the stroller and thinks it's over... he got the point the second house, and refused to get back in the stroller!  He knew now what to do.  He would lead daddy instead of Daddy leading him! It was so much fun!  I love Halloween, and tonight was just amazing to see my little one out there.  Big sister, brother, daddy, friends and family all went out in costume to Trick or Treat with Jude and he was just having a blast!  That is what it's all about!  That totally made my Halloween night magnificent!  

Here is my little FrankenJude looks just like his stamp double no?

My son's crazy friends... they are just like family cause they are just as crazy as we are!  

He can't see much but he knows about the candy at this point!

Mommy's little Monster!

He hit the jack pot!

See Mommy Canny (candy)!