Steampunk Romance Hop

Happy Tuesday everyone!   Welcome to our Steampunk Romance blog hop!  This was originally to be scheduled and released last Tuesday, but I had technical difficulties with my Mac!  Now here I am with a brand Spankin new Mac and ready to go!  

If you have arrived here from Barb's blog you are on the right track... but if you are here just because you adore me well even better!  Ha!  Just kidding just kidding I know Barb sent ya over.  However should you want to start at the beginning please start at Simply Betty Challenges.

Here is what I did using all Echo Park Be Mine papers and Steampunk Romance Gwendolyn

Now off ya go!  Hop on over to Carla's blog for more Steampunk Romance!  She is one of our newbies please welcome her to the SBC team with a big warm WECOME!  She is a marvelous crafter!

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you all like the new Steampunk Romance digis and hope to see them pop up out there in blog land!

Weekend Retreats!

Wowie you ladies are fast at reserving spaces!  I have just three more spaces left!  Here is a bit of detail for everyone, but I also have a full description with Menu and Itinerary available, just email me at simplybettystamps@ verizon . net!

Weekend Retreat March 18th thru March 20th

Location: Big Bear Lake, CA 

Spend a whole weekend doing what you love most!  No cooking, no cleaning, and most importantly no distractions!  A whole weekend where you can climb out of bed and just head up to the craft room... you don't even have to get out of your PJs!  Of course all the little extras are included like 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners.  Snacks galore, and again no cleaning up after... just head back to your crafting!  Classes will be offered (additional fees will apply) and fun techniques will be demonstrated.  

It's a weekend packed full of fun!  Hurry and reserve your space, email me for the details!

The Surprise...

WOW! Rio is 13 today! Before I get to the good stuff, I want to thank all of you for supporting Rio in this selfless act for her Birthday. It is a special girl that is willing to give instead of receive on this milestone Birthday... as I said before... teens can be selfish, but this brand new teen had only other kids in mind when it came to her special birthday gift. I was so touched by the response and thank you all so very much for the cards to wish my special young lady a Happy Birthday!

I am sitting here with Rio as she reads this for the first time.... I have taken her to the mail box clusters where we get our mail and this was what she found...

This is her face when she realized it was all for her....

Oh My!!

I didn't get a snap shot of what happened when she climbed back in the car but she tripped and the letters went everywhere! LOL I was laughing too hard!

I then brought her back home for her cake and Ice Cream, while Chris got our plates ready I uploaded the pictures and have sat her down in front of the computer so she can see and read this post....Woody wants to help her open the cards!

As you all know Rio asked that her Birthday money be donated to the children at St. Jude's Hospital. She is always so willing to help and wants to do so much for others that I had to give her what she wanted... Rio this special image was made for you to celebrate your very important Birthday turning 13 (TEEN)! My gosh how you have grown baby girl. I love you so much, more than you will ever know. I am so proud of you and so happy to be your mother, you are the kindest, most generous little girl I know. Your beautiful smile always makes me smile, and your laughter always brightens my day. This special image was also set to raise money for your cause... the kids at St. Jude's Hospital. I have asked all that purchased this image to send you a birthday card and they were all so touched and happy to do so... as you saw the explosion in our mail box today! This image in your honor has raised $315 dollars! That along with your birthday money is going to the kids at St. Judes! I have put in a request for an appointment to spend the day exactly as you wanted... donating money to help the kids, and you will be reading for a couple hours at the hospital! This beautiful gesture of yours is going to bring lots of joy to little boys and girls at the hospital. I am hoping that it's going to give them the kind of bright day you always give me. To have a young lady like yourself think of them, and without any other reason other than you simply want to give them a special day. I am sure the parents as well as the children and staff will appreciate such a selfless act. I am so proud of Rio. I know you are going to do big things in life my sweet baby girl!

The gals on the SBC DT have made these for you. Just below I have put up a link and you will find more links to more cards from some of the wonderful crafters that mailed out the cards you are going through in a few moments and some from other wonderful crafters that were unable to get them in the mail but made a card with your special image with you in mind! Enjoy my love bug!!

Happy 13th year Rio! - Creepy Glowbugg

Happy Birthday Rio!! Barb- HauntedDesignHouse

Happy Birthday to a GREAT GIRL!!! Meredith - Paper Canteen

interior

Cheri

Happy Birthday you Amazing Sweet Girl!!!

Wishing an amazing young lady an amazing day!

- Lelia

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIO!! You are one simply AMAZING young lady!!

Linda

HaPpY BiRtHdAy Rio!! Patricia

**Happiest Birthday wishes to a special young lady - mwah Tracey**

Inside of card

lady b

May Your Day Be Magical!

Happy Birthday Rio xxx Suzi

Nicole

Happy Birthday Rio!! You have such and amazing kind heart. Hope you had a great Birthday.

ANGELA

You know what ladies... today is the 12th and she is still glowing about all this!  Checks the mail every day now!  LOL She's still talking about it and I hear her tell her friends about it over and over... must have gotten on their nerves cause I heard her saying "Well geeez I am excited, and think of the excited kids when I go see them, they don't get a lot of happy you know!"  My kid is a star!  I can say that proudly :)

A Special Image for a Special Girl with a Special request...

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK'S MAKE IT A CLASSIC CHALLENGE!!

Hello everyone!  I am hoping to reach many of you on this special post...

My daughter Rio is turning 13!  OMG another teen in the house!  Two teens+one toddler= disasterous fun... on most days!  LOL 

Okay okay, so let me tell you about the Special Image for my Special girl Rio with a Special Birthday request we got from her this year...

Every year I ask the kids what they want for their birthday.  Money, a trip, a party, or an overnight stay at Disneyland.... Rio came to me and said, "Mom, is it really really my choice what I get for my birthday?"  I told her of course!  So she says, "Ok, this year mom, I want money, but can I do anything at all with it? I mean anything I want mom?"  Again, I said of course.  "Okay, I want my birthday money to be donated to the children of St. Jude's hospital so they can have a special day, or whatever the money is needed for. I don't want to have money to just blow when I can help other kids that can't get out of bed, or go outside.  That's what I want for my birthday!"

Of course I was already choking on my tears before she finished her sentence!  What a marvelous request, selfless and special!  I had a special image made for her 13th birthday, and I have not told her about it, or shown it to her.  I am asking for a very special request myself in honor of my daughter's selflessness.  

The image is now available for $3.00, I am asking you all to purchase this special stamp and help me bring my daughter special birthday wishes by mailing off a card you make with the image to her... but wait that's not all... the $3.00 made from every purchase will be donated to St. Jude's, again in Rio's honor.  I am planning on taking her after her birthday to the hospital with the money we raise from this image and her birthday money as requested and giving it all to the hospital! 

 Her birthday is Feb. 8th, if you all could find it in your hearts to give my little girl that special card my mailing it to her I know it would make her day so special... she is always so grateful of the little things and my hope is to fill that mailbox of ours to the brim with Birthday cards!  I plan to gather all cards mailed to her from now until the 8th, and secretly putting them all in the mailbox along with her very favorite chocolates: York Peppermint Patties and Peanut Butter cups!   That evening after her birthday dinner I am going to ask her to walk down the street with me to the cluster boxes and have her open the mailbox (I am going to pretend I have not checked the mail all day of course) then BAM! they all pop out at her!  Whoohooo!  She will be thrilled once she realizes what exactly all those letters are.

Here is our mailing address:

PO BOX 132314

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 

So, would you all be willing to help Rio raise a little money for the kids and send off a card?  If so you can purchase the image at simplybettystamps.com under Rio the Birthday Girl digi!  She is the first (but limited edition) of six new Emos to come in the future!

Here is the image:  what do you think of it?  Pretty cute huh?  She's the special birthday diva turing 13!!  I will run this image for $3.00 until the 8th of Feb.  after that she will be gone for good.  So please be aware that she will be a very limited edition digi!  She may later make a debut in rubber but I am not making any promises, I will try my best if there is enough interest in her to be made into Rubber.  Thank you all for your support!  And please please please spread the word about this special fund raiser.  Thank you all again!

Lil' Tots...

Well hello everyone!  How is your Saturday so far?  Crafting it away, shoveling snow, or just hanging around?  What ever it is you are doing I hope you are enjoying yourselves!

You probably came over fromr Meridith's... so a warm and happy welcome to you!  

Today I have a special release... I took the Jude and his Shenanigan Crew and changed it up a bit... my style my drawings and my ideas.  I know they are not your normal Creepy/Wild Betty style like the Emos and the Punky Teens or the Gothic Kids, but they were drawn as I imagine my little Judes' world to be at the moment... I tell ya I am so in love with that little monster that I am constantly drawing a little boy and his toys so you will be seeing many more themes to this line.  Well enough of my blah blah blah... let's get onto the cards!  Today I am featuring Jude and Ben... I must say not my best work and I am sorry, but I have had the worst cold ever!  Coughing all night long... why don't I cough during the day when I don't need to sleep!  Sheesh!  So I was very sluggish on these, loved coloring up my little man though!  

I have used all papers from Little Boy by Echo Park.  Don't forget you can pick up yours as well as Little Girl paper line at SimplyBettyStamps.com!  Tomorrow I will show ya some cuties with the Little Girl Line using Suzy and Tiff!  See you all tomorrow and don't forget to hop along to Linda's blog to check out the little tot she has in store for you... oh and don't forget to leave a comment at each stop as two random winners will be selected to receive two free Lil' Tots images of their choice!  One will also be drawn from the SimplyBettyChallenges blog!  That's three winners!  Whoop whoop!

Okay okay here are the cards finally!  LOL

Help for Katie...

Help For Katie

I have copied and pasted this from Debbie's blog... As a mother of three myself, I can't tell you how sad this makes me, to know that a mother, or anyone really is going through pain and hardships.  As Debbie says, crafters are some of the most amazing people out there.  We are all caring, unselfish and will pull together for each other no matter what.  Even when you don't know each other.  It's a nice tight circle of friendships that can reach across the world.  Please spread the word and help Katie and her family. 

 Katie Emmerson Renz is married to Kevin and they have 3 beautiful boys - the twins Nate & Will aged 5 and Hunter aged 10. The family had some news just before Christmas that has rocked their world as they know it.

Katie has been diagnosed with stage 4 Stomach Cancer and is currently undergoing her only option which is Chemotherapy. As I mentioned before Katie is a fellow crafter and is much loved within the crafting community - you can read Katie's story on her own blog HERE  - but before you leave me to visit Katie I want you to check this out....

Jak Heath has done an amazing job lining up some fantastic artists to help with an appeal - Help for Katie. We are collecting to help with Katie's treatment and to give her lovely boys a treat too. Listed on Jak's Blog HERE is all of the digital designs that you will get for donating £15 (approx AU$D23.50/ US$23.30) - you will see you will receive far more in goods value than your £15 donation. The link to make the donation is there too.

They are also offering these prizes....

* Letraset have donated a full set of 148 markers over £200 (~US$310) in value.
* Paper Temptress has donated 5 Silver Lustre Packages and 1x $25 Gift Voucher

Every time a donation is made they will be entered into a draw for the prizes, if you donate twice you will get 2 chances to win one of the prizes. The draw for the prizes will be made on February the 10th

Katie and her Family would like to say a very special thank you to all of the artists that gave up their time to help make this happen.

These are the companys that have freely given their artwork for this cause- their names are linked to their sites if you'd like to visit them.

Jak Heath Designs

Just INKlined Digital Stamps

Clear Dollar Stamps

Doodle Pantry Digital Stamps

True D-Doodle Designs

Waltzing Mouse Stamps

Mo's Digital Pencil

Studio 33, McMahon Five Designs

Sassy Cheryls

Tiddly Inks

Make It Crafty

Paper in the Works

By Lori Designs

Digital Delights by Louby Loo

Letraset

Paper Temptress