simply me

inspiration wednesday + video

inspiration wednesday 6 30 10 from donna downey on Vimeo.

added the "i love" as an after thought...needed something!

supplies used:

• inspiration journal
• flower foam stamp
• folk art patina 444 acrylic paint
• antique linen distress ink
• foam + applicator tool
• quinacridone magenta golden fluid acrylic
• bird stamp from embrace you  OR right where you should be 
• black india ink + nib pen
• helmar liquid scrap dots
• helmar craft glue
• windsor and newton watercolor half pans

and my new canadian specs i got when i visited my friends at stamping bella.

my new look Geek Chic!

more random blathering from inside the studio

random blathering from inside the studio

{if you dont have liquid scrap dots, YOU NEED THEM...they are frickin' incredible if you love dimension!}

And the winner for ARTchix Studio's collage sheets giveaway is Jennifer Mitten. Please email me at donna@donnadowney.com your 2 favorite collage sheets and I will get them out to you!

I'm thrilled to once again feature the extremely talented Helga, from ARTchix Studio. She is such an amazing Artist that seems to create with everything from collage art to jewelry to everything else. If you have never been to her website, you need to. She truly has some of the most fascinating products I have ever seen.  

ARTchix Studio offers over 600 exceptional goodies for mixed-media, collage, and scrapbook artists.  They have just introduced a growing selection of digital download images.  They also carry a wide selection of beautiful embellishments like German Scrap borders and dazzling charms, as well as a unique collection of wonderful tin nicho "DreamBoxes" handmade for them in Mexico.  

Take a look at some of these cool products that ARTchix is featuring on my blog. These Eco Shapes are made out of sturdy, recycled cardboard. You can collage, paint and alter them all you want. You can even turn them into cards, books, garlands, and more!  

ARTchix has some of the most eye-catching collage sheets. How about these Cool Butterflies and Hot Roses collage sheets. I just love those butterflies!

      

Leave a comment on this post and one of my lucky blog readers will win 2 of their favorite collage sheets from ARTchix's collection!! That right, all you need to do is leave a post for a chance to win 2 of these collage sheets.

PRIVATE BLOG SALE!!!!!

Helga and her husband, James, have also been kind enough to offer a special sale for my blog readers. They are giving everyone 10% off all orders $25 or more. All you need to do is use the coupon code "donna". Thanks Helga and James, you guys rock!

Make sure you visit ARTchix Studio's blog, facebook page and sign up for their newsletter

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win the collage sheet giveaway!

1. Leave your comment before Monday morning at 10am EST.
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. The winner will be announced on the blog Monday afternoon.

Sponsor Spotlight: Nikki Sivils

The winner for Nikki Sivils's Giveaway is......

Megan Hawkins said...

"How fun! I love the shade of blue in the Blueberry Hill line!"

email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with your address details and we will get your giveaway out to you!

Today I'm very excited to announce one of my newest sponsors, Nikki Sivils!!  

Nikki is the owner and designer of Nikki Sivils as well as a Scrapbooker. She has created some of the most exciting and fun product lines I have seen. I first met Nikki at CHA last summer and was instantly amazed by her talent. I cant wait to start creating with her new products. 

Nikki has just shared a sneak peak on her blog of one of her new adorable lines, Blueberry Hill. I just love it! 

Nikki has been scrapbooking for over 20 years and recently had her longtime dream come true when she started her own scrapbooking company in 2009. Nikki works alongside her husband, Dan, who has gone from attorney to the co-owner of a scrapbook company. This has been quite an exciting change for Dan, and Nikki loves having her “in-house counsel”! 

Nikki is often asked where the inspiration for her unique lines of scrapbooking paper and embellishments comes from. The answer – everywhere and everything! From a trip to the grocery store (where she saw some fresh, plump blueberries) to a man’s crazy pants on an airplane (the inspiration for her Flaming Butterfly line). Nikki never knows what will inspire her next. Nikki plans on sharing two more sneak peeks before releasing her six new lines at CHA in Chicago, so keep a lookout on her blog. 

Nikki is a huge animal lover and has three dogs – two of which are rescues. Nikki has rescued hundreds of dogs over the years and has found wonderful homes for each and every one of them. One special dog, Willie-B, will forever be the face of Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker (that’s him in the bee costume). You can find out more about him and his story at Nikki's website. 

Nikki Sivils’ designs are driven by imagination and are meant to inspire you to express yourself in meaningful and fun ways. Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker papers use vibrant colors with unique patterns and often contain irresistible characters meant to inspire (and tickle!) you.  

For great lay-out ideas and inspiration, the latest news, or the chance to win some great product, be sure to follow Nikki on her Twitter and Facebook pages! 

Now check out what Nikki is giving away for one of my lucky blog readers who leaves a comment on this post! She has put together a gift sampling of some of her awesome products. How cool is that? All you need to do to win this giveaway is leave a post about the new paper line or any other of Nikki's products that you like.

 

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this awesome giveaway!

1. Leave your comment before Saturday morning at 11am EST.
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. The winner will be announced on the blog tomorrow afternoon.

 

the truth about creativity + giveaway!

The winner for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's Giveaway is......

Lesley Glenn said...

"Love this kit! And i totally create from the inside out."

email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with your address details and we will get your kit out to you!

i

 have been ignoring emails and responsibilities of upcoming deadlines just so i can play. i know it may sound odd, but even though i have the BEST JOB ever (and i know that i really do) sometimes it becomes a job. does that make sense? and the rebel that i am doesnt always like being forced into creativity (or anything for that matter). sometimes i just want to play, screw up, get dirty, experiment, use lots of product and create! the responsibility of creative deadlines makes me often struggle to keep that balance between "the artist" and the girl that likes to play.

i am continuing to do creativively what i want for the next week and then it is back to "have to" with a little "want to" thrown in. i was talking to cathy the other day about this and telling her i still get excited posting things i just made on my blog (facebook, etc) and sit and hope people comment and like it (i read every one!). it was like this for us some 10 odd years ago when we discovered 2ps and did the exact same thing.

it is fun! i like fun...

so here is a couple of the play things i have made in the past few days and just for visiting today to share in my fun Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is going to be giving away their june kit for you to play with! YEAH!!!!

large bag/camera bag (i use mine often as a purse)

and bag one is one of my screw ups i am trying to salvage...

i hate my handwriting on it...but I WILL SAVE IT!

and this tote i am loving!

 

 

have fun today, even if it is just a little!

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Today I'm thrilled to feature my new friend Rachel Kaufman who is the owner for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out!

Each month, Scrapbooking from the Inside Out creates kits that are based on an emotion, covering everything from freedom and gratitude to loss and safety. These kits help you explore every side of yourself - your inner struggles and triumphs, your relationships, and your goals and dreams. 

SFTIO's kits are each unique, and require no sneaky add-ons...just one perfect set of materials, including color and technique media to help you explore your inner world. 

Not only does each kit use color, design and symbolism to help you tell a deeper story, but their industry-exclusive FREE Inspiration Page each month provides you with a multimedia support system - including meaningful journaling prompts, a music playlist, quotes, stock photos and evocative challenges to make your tender heart and creative mind and hands flow.

Also check out SFTIO's blog and gallery for all the latest news and designs.

 

Take a look at SFTIO's June’s kit: ANGER.  Now this is a kit for all my heart centered and emotion-centric readers out there.

Are there things you hold inside that NEED to get out? Luckily, nature allows us some release valves…talking about our feelings, screaming in the car (you know you’ve done it!), and what I think is the best way…using our hands, hearts and minds to create a tangible record that helps us explore what’s REALLY happening inside. That’s what this month’s kit, ANGER, is all about. 

It’s time to let yourself go, tell the truth, and dig deeper than ever. You’ll feel so much better when you get those real human emotions on paper…they may not be pretty, but they’re AUTHENTIC. Be you…be real…come join us and let it all out.

Check out these amazing layout's that were created by Diana Kennedy, who is one of the core DT for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out!

  

Now for the good part.... SFTIO is giving away one of their June Kits to one of my lucky blog readers who leaves a comment on today! Thats right, just leave a comment today and this kit can be yours. This kit is a $46.95 value. Wow, thanks Rachel!

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this awesome book!

1. Leave your comment tomorrow morning by 8am EST.
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. The winner will be announced on the blog tomorrow afternoon.

inspiration wednesday + video

{supplies used: embrace you stamps, she said stamps, create today stamps, titanium white airbrush color, black india ink, nib pen, windsor & newton watercolors, golden gel medium}

inspiration wednesday 6.23.10 from donna downey on Vimeo.

it is beginning to really hit me, my studio dream come true!

 

it is a little slice of my own little heaven and i have been busy adding some new products to the studio as well as to the online shop. i want the store to be filled with the products, patterns and objects i love and these are a few of the latest additions that lately I cant create without. hold on tight there will be more added little by little creating the perfect little happy place to create and  shop in.

gearing up for CHA next month, i have new stamp set releases with Unity "Be Bold" & "Little Whispers" that are now available! These stamp sets are going to debut at this year's summer CHA show and you can be the first to get them!

Unity has also just created half sheets of my original "The Artist in You" and "Where You Are" stamp sets.

 

and it is all about the glue! of course I can not create any project without my Helmar products. I just absolutely love all of their adhesives! If you have not tried any of their products, you need to! if you like dimension then YOU NEED LIQUID SCRAP DOTS if you havent tried them...they are frickin awesome!

 

I'm begining to add fabrics to the studio and am now offering all of my favorite fabrics by the yard.

and seed beads, my god i love these things i have been sewing them onto everything lately!

meet back here tomorrow for inspiration wednesday and

looking forward to seeing some of you in the studio tomorrow for the cupcake workshop!

canvas play

i am not traveling for the next 3 weeks and all i want to do is play. i want to create not for assignment or obligation, but just the pure joy of taking a blank canvas, adding color and seeing where it takes me.

this is what i have been playing with the past week...my heart is happy, my mojo refreshed, and my creative soul tapped and longing for more!

 

 

(used lots of my new 8" rubber stamps here...happiness!)

this one is a work in progress, waiting on the product i ordered to finish it! (i hate waiting)

but i really do love making a mess!

 

join me this week in some creative play and share what you can do with your blank canvases! i would love to see and share your creative ideas...inspiration and creativity lead to greater inspiration and creativity!

see more ideas and purchase canvas aprons, totes, small camera bags, and large camera bags here.

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weekend winner + somerset mag giveaway winner (sorry i'm late on this one)

Jenny L said...

Hi Donna. I would love to win this. I've had my cricut for a year and still don't know all there is to know about it. Thank you so much for the chance to win. Have a great weekend, Jenny :)

Reply June 18, 2010 at 07:33 PM

somerset mag giveaway winner

Tracy L said...

What an awesome opportunity. I love Somerset magazines!

Reply June 17, 2010 at 05:16 PM

email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with your address details and we will get those prizes out to you!

Sponsor Spotlight: Red Letter Words & Craft-e-Corner

 

Today I'm featuring one of my personal favorite artist, Dee Kasberger, from Red Letter Words. 

Her art is so talented and uplifting. Dee's words always speak to me. She is just awesome. 

Dee believes that art should be meaningful. She started to create things for her own house with scriptures that had personal significance to her and her family. She needed something bolder, more in your face, you can read it from across the room kind of look. Like most of us, she believes that words are so powerful and she is thrilled to be able to offer her favorite scriptures as artwork in your home as well. 

Take a look at these amazing Father's Day pieces she has available. What a great last minute gift idea for that special man in your life.

     

Now check this out!! Dee is offering all my blog readers a private sale on all of her art now through Sunday. That's right you will receive 15% off your total purchase. All you need to do is enter the coupon code Donna15.

Red Letter Words has also recently started a etsy shop that you need to stop by at and take a look. Also make sure you also visit her gallery, blog & twitter pages to get all the latest info on Red Letter Words.

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Today I'm also featuring one of my favorite places to shop, Craft-e-Corner, for all my die cutting needs!!

This weekend we have a great give-away sponsored by Craft-e-Corner in celebration of their Storewide Super Sale. 

Craft-e-Corner is an authorized retailer for Cricut, Silhouette America, Making Memories Slice, & many more top crafting brands.

Craft-e-Corner is a family owned business built around people with a love of preserving memories. Their goal is to supply their customers with products to help preserve their own memories. They have Fast FREE U.S. SHIPPING, quality customer service, & the most competitive prices in the industry. So if you have a passion for scrapbooking and crafting, check them out at www.Craft-e-Corner.com.

Want to learn more about Craft-e-Corner? Signup for their email list by clicking here or find them on Facebook, Twitter, & their blog.   

Here’s how to win the Cricut A to Z DVD

Take a chance at winning one of their very popular products, the Cricut A to Z DVD. This fun filled DVD shows you how to use and care for your Cricut Machine. Don’t have a machine? Craft-e-Corner has you covered. Right now you can get the Cricut Expression Potpourri Bundle for only $249.84.

To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post. Then I will pick a winner at the end on Sunday night. The winner will be asked to give their email address so Craft-e-Corner can contact you for your shipping address. Plus, you can still win because Craft-e-Corner is giving everyone a special coupon code good for 10% off their website.

Just enter SIMPLYME during the checkout to receive 10% Off

Coupon Code Expires July 31, 2010

*Limit one coupon code per customer per purchase. Offer is valid only online at www.Craft-e-Corner.com. Offers not valid in conjunction with any other percent-off discounts or Sale Items. Excludes sales tax.