my 2016 planner

i found a heidi swapp day planner at michaels a few months back.  although i already had a few other planners lined up for the next year i debated a while before i actually went back to buy it.  as soon as i brought it home i started preparing it.  i am doing a biblically uplifting theme in this planner.  the above photo is of the very first page in the planner when you open the cover.

here is a work in progress on one side of one the monthly planner sections.   i will be sharing a few more preparations in other blog posts.  are you working on next year's planner?  the end of the year will be here before you know it!

making snail mail

working on a snail mail card

my daily planner - week 36

week 36 prompt - how many toads did you kiss before you found your prince charming?

a kiss is worth a thousand words and emotions, isn't it?  you can have a friendly peck and it's just that.  there is nothing charged behind it, but when you kiss someone and fireworks go off, well that IS something special, isn't it?!  

i'm so blessed that when i kissed my "todd" he turned out to be my prince charming.  

what about you?  how many toads did you kiss before you found the one?

the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team

today the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post is brought to you by cathy parmelee, mixed media artist extraordinaire.   the ears are from my bunny stamp, the body is from my bird lady stamp, and she also used my unleash yourself stamp.   so clever!

to see these stamps, as well as all my stamps sold through stampotique.com please click here.

 

design team call

  DESIGN TEAM CALL

i am looking for a few enthusiastic, talented and friendly artists to join my rubber stamp design team.  you will be responsible for creating art that promotes my rubber stamp line which is sold through stampotique.com.

this design team call is open to everyone, however,  the use of my rubber stamps is required, not only during your term, but also for your submissions to apply for the team.  i need to be able to see how creative you can be with my stamps.  my stamps are designed to be cut apart and used in new to make new images. 

the call will be open until sept 30th.  The new design team members will be announced in october.  should you be selected i will need a photos and a short biography so i can include it in the announcement.  you will start creating for the design team starting november 2015.

design team requirements: 

1.  have a blog and/or social media avenues for sharing your artwork
2.  have a love of my rubber stamps (sold through stampotique) and have them available to work with
3.  an ability to create unique artistic projects using my rubber stamps
4.  must commit to a 6 month term
5.  ability to make project deadline of one project per month.  you will be assigned the same day each
     month.
6.  must be able to take excellent project photos (clear and properly exposed photos).
7.  must be willing to comment on other team members' projects
8.  a willingness to participate in occasional special assignments that coincide with newly released
     stamps, blog hops and facebook group swaps

if being part of my design team interests you, please follow the directions below to apply.  i will looking forward to reviewing your application.

how to apply for my design team:

1.  email me at rocnic23@gmail.com with the subject heading "DT Application".
2.  in your email please include your name, physical address and email address
     that you'd like me to use to contact you.  
3.  tell me about yourself briefly. i want to know more about you and what you feel you can bring to
     my design team.
4.  please send me at least 3 project photos that you consider to be your best work using my rubber
     stamps as your main image.
6.  include a link to your blog and any other place you think you will be show casing
     your design team projects so that i might see what your creativity looks like. 

if you are selected for my design team you will have the opportunity to have your work showcased on my blog.  i will also be doing a feature article on you and your art.  you will be part of a truly fabulous team of like minded artists.  i hope to see your application soon.

tumble fish studio has a new kit that just released

my journal page using all images from what not 3

tumble fish studio has a new kit that was just released called what not 3.  it has a lot of great imagery in it for you to use, so please hop on over to mischief circus and check it out!

my daily planner - week 35

week 35 prompt - do you see your life in black or white or is your world a gray area?

i created this page in response to some deep conversations with friends over people's behaviors and changing laws.  i am always left wondering what goes on inside of people's minds when they have such rigid views on things and are unable to yield.

i've learned over the years to not provoke such conversation, especially when my views are so different.  i've had experiences that taught me i won't change the opinions of others when they are emotionally charged.  i often times find that inside i feel worked up over their views, but i keep reminding myself internally, their statements are not my truth, but just like me, they are entitled to their opinions.

all i can do on any given day is my best.  i try to be a better person today than i was yesterday.  some days i'm more successful than others, but  i always strive to do my very best to see many possibilities for a circumstance.  i have lived long enough to realize that things are rarely what they appear to be, so for me i believe things are never truly black and white.

what about you?  how do you see things?  are you black and white or gray person?

the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team

today the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team member, karen hayselden, is showing how she prepares to use my rubber stamp images.  she has gone ahead and stamped six of my images:  screaming bunny, daisyhead, horse, bunny, flying pig and feline.

using her vast array of colored pencils she spends her time coloring them in.

what a lovely job!  

and here are a few close ups:

if you'd like to visit karen's blog please click here.

to view my rubber stamp line sold through stampotique.com please click here.

i'm published

i'm in the latest rubberstampmadness magazine.  i've written an artist interview called "the happy stamper", along with roberta sperling.  the article is all about glenda tkalac.  check it out!

the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post

today, the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post is brought to you by samantha read.  she created this wonderful piece of art using my bunny and dog rubber stamp.  how cute is this?!  if
you'd like to see more of samantha's artistry, please hop on over to her blog by clicking here.

to see these stamps, and all of my rubber stamp line sold through stampotique.com please click here.

my weekly planner - week 34

week 34 prompt - who is the biggest blessing in your life?

i have so many things i am grateful for in my life;  my faith, my family and my friends.  i wouldn't be where i am without any of these components missing from my life, and i truly know that from the bottom of my heart.

i also know, that with out the love, support and encouragment from this man, my day to day life would be empty and missing that extra special something we all need.

i met todd in fourth grade and i had a deep sense of knowing that someday i would marry him.  we did get hitched when he graduated from college and we had two children.  we raised our family in the pocono mountains in pennsylvania.   when he decided to retire early from teaching, we sold everything, put a few things in the back of our suv and found ourselves in florida, enjoying the warm weather year round.

todd is a good man.  the kind you don't come across everyday.  he is loyal, funny, and the best support system to my "i love lucy" schemes and dreams that a girl could ask for.  god has blessed me with my own personal earthly angel.

what about you?  who is a blessing in your life?

ooppss.....i did it...

...i missed the give away on august 9th.  so sorry about that.

and the winner is:

CelesteAugust 4, 2015 at 7:10 AM

Fun fresh stamp range
Csa84512@bigpond.net.au

2016 planner work

a work in progress page from my biblically uplifting planner for 2016

the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post

today, the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post is brought to you by claudine criner.  she made the most fabulous book mark using my horse rubber stamp.  isn't it adorable?

to see more of claudine's work you can head on over to her blog by clicking here.  to see this stamp, and all of my rubber stamp line sold through stampotique.com you can click here.

my weekly planner - week 33

week 33 prompt - can you forgive and forget? or are you a grudge holder?

this week's prompt comes from dealing with forgiveness.  often times you hear it said, forgive and forget.  for me, that is a wonderful way to live your life.   notice, i said "your" life!   forgiving means to intentionally let something go by changing your attitude and emotions that surrounded an act that was hurtful to you. 

time usually has a way of softening most of emotional wounds i encounter.  i am a "reactor" by nature.  so, when something happens and i imemdiately get emotionally charged, and then after a few days i have calmed down, i am able to look at it in new ways, and find i am able to work through it.  the majority of times i can't even recall what happened. 

there are those select times, however, that is not the case.  why is that?  what makes some things sting more than others?  why do some things feel so personal while other things can roll off your back?  if i had the answers to those questions i would always be able to totally forgive and forget. 

holding a grudge means you are unable to let something go.  you harbor some kind of  grievance or ill will towards it.  i do have a couple of those issues present in my emotional baggage.  while the hurt i feel when i recall them has signicantly lessened, there is  a sort of emotional charge slightly present.  i am confident that with more time all of those will fade and i won't be able to recall them as well.

what about you?  are you able to forgive and forget?  do you hold grudges?

its GIVE AWAY time

in honor of my newest stamps that have been released i am going to do a give away.  i've created a postcard using one of my latest stamps called be still.  this verse is especially near and dear to me so i am happy as punch that it is in my stamp line!

you can see the latest releases, and all of my stamp line sold through stampotique.com by clicking here.

if you would like a chance to receive this postcard in your mailbox all you have to do is leave me a comment and make sure i have a way of contacting you should you be the lucky winner.

i will select a name by a random name draw sometime on august 9th.  thanks for stopping by and good luck!

the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team post

today the roc nicholas rubber stamp design team creation is brought to you by corrie herriman.  don't you just love the tag she has created using my bird princess stamp and my unleash yourself stamp.  to see more about this tag please visit corrie's blog by clicking here.

to see these stamps, or all of my rubber stamps sold through stampotique. com please click here.