Get well/thinking of you: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Hi again Drunken Stamping friends!

The newest challenge at Drunken Stampers is all about those people who could use a little attention from you! A wish to get well, or a reminder that he or she is in your thoughts: Create something that is for that person.

My piece is for someone special who has lately been feeling stressed and disjointed and not at all confident.

The project began because this friend of mine ogled a lovely, vintage-look French chic over-the-door hanger at World Market.

So, I made my own version for my friend: The flowers are Tim Holtz' Tattered Florals in aluminum and grunge paper, each layer coated in inks and embossing powders then bent and beat into obviously organic garden shapes before being attached to the rusted steel hanger.

I added a crystal curtain rod end found at a garage sale and hung a sign "Live well" made using the faux crazed porcelain technique found at The Inspiration Journal (owned by the Inspiration Emporium).

Don't go there yet, by the way, or you'll never get back here: Believe me, The Inspiration Journal is very, very aptly named.

Though my own crazed porcelain plaque isn't as good as the one found at the technique link above, it's certainly a good start and can be easily improved as I make more items like this one. You absolutely must try this technique, too!

The final news of the day is that this is my last post as a Drunken Stampers design team member. Later this month I'll share news of what you can expect to see on this blog in the future.

In the meantime you should drop in at the DS blog to check out what they're doing and join in the fun: Challenge blog owners Peggy and Spike are an incredible, creative pair worthy of your participation!

What did you do this summer: A Drunken Stampers challenge

Welcome back to another Drunken Stampers post!

We took a few weeks off to catch our breath and let our livers dry out, but we're back now and with a couple of surprises!

First, it's important that everyone have plenty of time to create and then to recover from that hard work before a new challenge, so we'll now only have Drunken Stampers challenges on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

Next, and read this one carefully: That strange itch in your ears has been the Drunken Stampers Design Team call echoing in your art space! Go to the link to find out what the very, very loose requirements are and throw your hat into the ring! We'd love to see you 'belly up to the craft bar.

Finally, we've got the first new challenge since the Spring: What did you do this summer?

We bought a hillbilly pool (an above-ground, inflated sides pool) early in the summer and have been happily splashing about, but there's been some much bigger events during the season as well.

I celebrated a birthday and received dozens of wonderful game pieces that my parents found for me at thrift stores! Awesome! Then there was the camping trip to Antelope Lake where we found itty bitty seashells perfect for a little altered art embellishment.

Despite loving paints, from the aroma to the endless technical possibilities, it wasn't until this summer that I returned to creating with dry brushing and globs of color mixed for custom shades and gesso and gorgeous technicolor pallets.

We remembered to get ourselves to some garage sales, too, and the Habitat for Humanity resell store where we found bits and bobs for hanging and dangling and creating.

There was even a class this summer! Although not well-attended by yours truly who could not find the time to watch inspiration videos and read instruction sheets and create, I have since been back-tracking and find learning at my own pace, while not the original plan, is still motivating and rewarding.

All of this, I'm sure, is some part in the most important discovery I made this summer, which I prefer not to discuss at length here, but will say this: Occasionally reassess your life, your self, your world.

Because sometimes we get off track and, if we're not careful, discover that everything that makes us unique and amazing is buried under a blanket of worry and stress and things we can not possibly control.

Ah so, breathe deeply my friends. Life is good!

And we need you at Drunken Stampers!

Fruity cocktails: A Drunken Stampers challenge

Whether your choice is a raspberry or a lemon, an orange or a strawberry, add a little tequila, or a bit of rum, perhaps vodka, some ice, a shimmy, a shake and you're prepared to enjoy summer and the current Drunken Stampers Challenge!

Any challenge that asks you to mix up a Fruity Cocktail is special, and this one has an extra bonus: It's a Summer of 2011 Challenge!

This means that you have until September 2 to create a card or a plaque or scrapbook page that uses the Fruity Cocktail theme!

Yup, you got it folks, the Drunken Stampers are taking a two-month vacation! How else would we have time to enjoy the cocktails we've been working so hard to produce?

As you can see from my card this KennyK bathing beauty has already started her summer vacation cocktail fest: Considering her obvious confusion though she should probably stick to virgin margaritas.

Fortunately, you're completely ready for a 50-proof-plus blender treat, as well as whichever sort of woohoo on the beach you prefer!

See you in September everyone!

Inspiration photo: A Drunken Stampers challenge

It's time for an inspiration photo challenge at the Drunken Stampers!

Our photo, an inviting patio scene from a Pottery Barn catalog, can be viewed at the Drunken Stampers blog.

The photo muse concept is always tough for me. Often my art in this type of challenge ends up being a less attractive version of the muse piece.

This time I forced myself to not use trees or umbrellas or pitchers of brightly-colored drinks in my piece, since those are things pulled straight from the photo.

Which means I had no choice but to use an Octopode: Flutterby butterfly! I know, break my heart, woe is me and all that fakery: I had to use a character from one of my very favorite in the world places Octopode!

Our Flutterby friend is great for this challenge because she's clearly a summertime beauty, and so is our inspiration photo. She's colored in muted tones of magenta and teal and tangerine with a lovely svelt figure in butter yellow.

The card base is green for our inspiration photo trees, beige for our inspiration bamboos and white for our inspiration cushions.

... um, what do you mean I'm making this stuff up as I go? You think my card isn't anything like the inspiration piece? Well, stand about a foot away from your computer, squint your eyes and take a second look.

See! My card is exactly like the inspiration photo!

Now it's your turn. Stand a few inches away from your craft desk, squeeze your eyes nearly closed and create your very own Drunken Stampers inspiration photo challenge piece before midnight Friday, June 24.

Use orange!: A Drunken Stampers challenge

Wow, it's been a long few days, and weeks really, for everyone on the Drunken Stampers team!

So, welcome to my tardy Drunken Stampers post, which I feel relieved to say is not the only late Drunken Stampers post (I do win the prize for the very latest post, though).

Congratulate me everyone.

OK, this week we're pushing you to feel the zest of summer fruit, the bumpy texture of a sporting ball, the joy of all that comes with orange. You know, like the fruit, the basketball and the color?

I'm tired, alright. Funny and snarky dive straight out the window when I'm tired.So does sticking to the point. And that's seriously bad since my ability to maintain continuity is poor even when I'm well rested.

Anyhow, Drunken Stampers challenge number 71: Orange!

Check out my little ATC with the orange balloon! Do you love it? It's courtesy a wee bit of InkyAntics' honeycomb paper pad!

I mounted that on a background of distress ink, color wash spots, rock candy distress stickles and that tape stuff of which I suddently forget the name.

The balloon is strung with a few lengths of twine which are attached to a wee woven basket.

Now our little balloon is ready to float above homes and parks and playgrounds where it'll surely pass you while you're creating your very own color challenge piece!

Birthday cards with Sparkle Creations: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Drunken Stampers have two great big birthdays this month! Challenge blog founders Peg and Spike celebrate another year of happiness and crafty sharing this month! Woohoo! Happy Birthday ladies!

Our little group of tipsy artists at Drunken Stampers has another surprise for you this week, too! Sponsor Sparkle Creations is giving away two rubber stamps to the week's winner!

I know you have a birthday card that needs creating! So, pull it together and give us a peek!

You might soon be the owner of two brand new, high-quality, adorable Sparkle Creations rubber stamps!

Magic: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Once upon a time there was a wildflower garden at the edge of a forest grove.

Despite being shaded round the clock by giant fir trees and chilled day and night by alpine breezes, the flowers there were the prettiest, most aromatic blooms in all the land.

No one knew how this was possible until the day a little girl named Ruby arrived in the nearby village with an amazing story.

She had been playing with a bear cub, chasing him farther and farther into the forest, when suddenly she realized that she was lost. That would have been amazing enough, but this is a fairy tale and so all children play with wild animal babies.

Ruby happened upon the wildflower garden and, trying to ease her fears, began to speak gently to the flowers. She told them stories from her life, made up tales for them and asked the flowers questions about their own lives.

Pleased that someone had at long last asked the flowers to tell their own stories, the Flower Garden Fairy Lavender revealed herself to Ruby.

Lavender told Ruby about life as a fairy. Ruby learned that Lavender used her magic flower wand to give comfort and strength to the flowers, making them tall and strong and beautiful although they live in shade and cold. In return the flowers stood above her, protecting her home built of leaves and petals.

Listening to Lavender describe her wonderful, safe home beneath the wildflowers, Ruby became sad and told her new friend that wished she was back home. She wanted to see her parents and cuddle with her puppy.

“Oh dear friend Ruby, I can help you!” Lavender exclaimed happily. “Flower Garden Fairy magic works on little girls, too, because they are as beautiful and special as each of these flowers surrounding us!”

So Lavender waved her glittering wand, sprinkling Ruby with shimmering dust that sent her back to her village.

Just in time for her to create a magical piece of art for this week’s Drunken Stampers challenge: Magic!

Vegas Wedding: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

We have a very special challenge this week, to honor our own Drunken Stampers co-founder Spike and her soon to be husband, Jeffrey!

We're going to a Vegas Wedding! Or at least our founders Peg and Spike are going to a Vegas Wedding, in Las Vegas, the rest of us are going in our imagination!

My piece is backed with Vegas-inspired Die Cuts With a View stock and mirror embellishments since Vegas is the City of Lights: OK, I know Paris is the City of Lights, but if you've been to Vegas ... alright, let's at least call it the City of Shimmer.

Everything in Vegas has a shiny reflection, I swear. That's probably why people go there and lose everything ... they think they're giving away money to a happy, shiny version of themselves. Or it's the alcohol.

Anyhow, Spike's dress isn't a Kimono, but I understand that it will be a black with red flower Chinese style beauty, so my Kimono is meant to convey that element.

Finally, we've got a simple "Love" badge with more glimmery bits!

How do you imagine Spike and Jeffrey's Vegas Wedding? Create your own vision of this important event, then join us at Drunken Stampers for toast to the happily-inebriated couple before midnight May 27, 2011.

By the numbers: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

The problems with Blogger throughout the week left me wondering if this post would ever happen.

Luckily, the ol' system seems to be somewhat less glitchy and we're back again for another Drunken Stampers Challenge. This week it's all about the numbers!

My card is a return to the cute side of things for me since it's for a three-year-old's birthday. I just don't think she'd care about having one of my odd Holtz, bug-eyed, smarty-pants sentiment pieces.

So, I turned to Bugaboo. As you've seen here before, I'm enamored of the big hair, big chested girls at Bugaboo because they easily transform into fun, envelope mailable cards for my girlfriends, coworkers, sister and mom.

But the childlike images at Bugaboo are wonderful, too! Just look at this cards' butterfly bear with the three-scoop cone! Isn't he the perfect friend for a little girl who loves rocks and birds and colorful things?

He's standing in front of a menagerie of threes provided by Cricut, and is mounted on a pedestal card so it doubles as a toy for a toddler (or something to tear apart because that's awfully fun, too).

That's it from me today since I'm honestly a little worried that Blogger is going to accidentally KERZAP! this post ... I won't feel as annoyed if I didn't spend an hour writing.

Get on over to Drunken Stampers, then, and show us your lucky number, favorite number or just any number that fits your preferred theme!

Playing card: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Lots of you made us giggle and nod our heads in agreement with last week's Drunken Stampers Say it Like it is challenge pieces.

So we know that you'll easily be able to create something amazing using a playing card, thus meeting this week's challenge requirement.

Obviously I couldn't do it, because while I live in Reno, Nevada, I never go to a casino, gamble or even play any card games at home. My Guy does have a deck of Lego Pirate playing cards, but if you think he's giving me one of those, you must also believe penguins live at the North Pole.

As things are penguins populate the Southern hemisphere chilly spots and playing cards do not reside at my house: So I styled one myself!

And, don't you think it's groovy? I know! It is. Except, if I'd printed my Octopode Queen of Hearts* only a wee bit larger she'd fill up additional "character" space and look even more 3D!

Still, by adhering her base behind the playing card frame, and popping her head in front of the frame, well in person folks she almost jumps off of the page!

OK, so dig out your beat up deck of playing cards, blow off the dust and run over to Drunken Stampers to show us what you can do before midnight, Friday, May 13 (ouu! Friday the 13th!).

Say it like it is: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

This week at Drunken Stampers we're asking you to Say it like it is!

Luckily we're sponsored by Bugaboo stamps for this challenge, which means there's plenty of fodder to choose from if you're at a loss for a sassy opinion.

Just look at my version of Bugaboo's Dottie Celebrate: She's decked out in animal print, with a martini, glittery diamond ring, rhinestone earrings and a note that Happy Hour is Whatever Hour Makes You Happy (the sentiment is made up by My Guy).

So, back to the important part: Remember that even though Bugaboo is our sponsor of the week, you don't need to own a collection of Bugaboo images or sentiments.

Share any freshly-made silly, sassy or snarky creation with us at Drunken Stampers before midnight Friday, May 6, using whichever stamps or rubons or images you prefer: Then you might walk away with your own collection of Bugaboo images!

That's right! Bugaboo is offering a fantastic seven-image prize package for the winner of our challenge this week!

OK, even though you're not required to use a Bugaboo image, there are two rules you have to follow for this challenge: Your creation must be new and can not be entered in any other challenges.

Oops, one more thing: Have fun!

Farm animals: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Whenever a co-worker is leaving for brighter horizons I make a card for everyone to sign.

As you'd expect the card is geared towards the recipients' interests or favorite things. In the case of our most recent leaving, and already missed, coworker I got to double up with this week's Drunken Stampers challenge: Farm animals.

The reason for this is that my now former coworker, who was semi-retired, and is now fully retired, is fully retired and living the good life on her farm. I don't actually know for sure that her life is good, but what the hell other kind of life do you live on a farm?

Really, if I was surrounded by fields and an owl-filled barn and mooing and bleating and crowing ... I'd feel good ... for the 10 seconds preceding the realization that I must be lost because I do not live on a farm.

However, we do have two great-horned owls who screech in our yard at midnight every summer night and our neighbors have an annoying rooster. Amazingly I like the wake-me-up, freak-me-out at midnight owls ... I wish the 4:30 a.m. alarm clock rooster would fly away.

Anyhow, this fun and bright card features a lovely red barn from the Heritage Cricut cartridge, glittery sunshine and music notes from the Gypsy Wanderings cartridge and two farm animals from Cricut ... but I can't remember which cartridge at the moment.

Personally my favorite bit is the pseudo Dutch hex sign I placed above the barn door: It's from a Stampin' Up set and is embossed in gold. Don't you love it when you feel brilliant? That hex makes me feel brilliant. Or at least slightly clever.

Can you create something clever with farm animals? I bet you can! And we want to see it at Drunken Stampers before midnight Friday, April 29!

Technology sucks!: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

How do you prepare for the weekly Drunken Stampers challenge?

Do you unfurl the cord on heat gun? Perhaps you download a new digistamp or even program a new shape on the ol' die cutter.

But not this week, fellow creators! This week's challenge is sponsored by Laura Ingalls and your local energy savings group! It's the no electricity allowed challenge!

My own piece for the week is going to be quite a shock, especially to my friends: It's a Tim Holtz alterations die cut from, have you guessed, a Guinness can!

The plaque is provided by an ekSuccess slimline punch (I think it's actually called real estate sign or something).

Anyhow, the colors are from alcohol inks, blues and coppers on the cage and reds and white on the bird. The plaque, which I'll just admit I adore, is colored with butterscotch and eggplant alcohol inks. The way those colors mixed and created a vintage sort of worn metal finish ... neat!

The sentiment is from the A Tweet Close to my Heart set, stamped with black archival ink.

Only a couple of weeks ago I finally realized that you can purchase archival inks in colors other than black.

So, while I try to figure out the best place to pick up a couple of other archival colors, go unplug your printer and heat gun and get crackin' on the Drunken Stampers Technology Sucks challenge!

If I had a million dollars: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

This week we're thinking big at the Drunken Stampers pub, we're thinking big bucks ... like a million of them.

What would you do if you had a million dollars? Aside from discover that a million dollars isn't quite the windfall it was a few years ago.

We've got a house that it'd be fun to pay off ... and then ... well, haven't you laughed with someone about what you'd do with a big ol' chunk of cash?

I have, and in addition to making sure everyone in our family has a few less bills ... I'd never clean the bathroom again. NEVER. I'd hire a woman, a man, a complete stranger, absolutely anyone who'd be willing to clean my bathroom.

The position wouldn't be hard to hire for, I wouldn't think. After all, our bathrooms aren't filthy ... they're only bathrooms. A sink, a toilet, a tub, a floor.

Still, had I any choice in the matter our bathroom would be like the ones we had at summer camp. All concrete and stainless steel with a giant drain in the middle of the floor. That way instead of scrubbing and wiping and rinsing I could grab the pressure washer and let gravity do the work.

Hey! Maybe THAT is what I should do with a million big ones! Call in the concrete man to build us a really luxurious concrete bathroom!

Oh well. I don't need any of those things, but it was fun to think about all of it while playing with the "JJ Ugly" image from Bugaboo Stamps.

I colored her on the computer, and printed twice so that I could cut out her mop and "pop" that bit for a 3D appearance. She's backed with embossed and sanded card stock and a bit of designer paper from Die Cuts With a View. Her glasses and a few places here and there are shimmery with a little glitter-filled gel ink courtesy of GelWriter.

Now it's your turn: Drop by the Drunken Stampers challenge blog and show us what you'd do with a million dollars!

Sponging with The Stamping Boutique: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

This week at Drunken Stampers we are sponsored by The Stamping Boutique and we have a question for you: Are you sponge worthy?

Good heavens silly ... sponge as in the thing from the bottom of the ocean filled with holes and valleys and such that make for such wonderful dabbing tools for paint and ink. To what did you think sponge referred?

You people watch too many Jerry Seinfeld reruns.

OK, so as I noted we have a sponsor this week and each of us at the Drunken lounge got to try out a Stamping Boutique image with our very own homemade spongy backgrounds.

I chose the fun Busy Bees image and would have finished my card on the very first time 'round except I couldn't sponge a background that made me happy: The adorable and wonderful image ... that I immediately finished digi-inking and trimming with no trouble.

Well, it didn't actually start that easily. It was a royal pain in the ... it was super tough ... just to choose an image from all of the great options.

Have you been to The Stamping Boutique? Have you been to The Stamping Boutique Challenge blog? You've probably visited them a million times already, but in case you have not: Check out this mini bio from Boutique owner and artist Tracey Malnofski:

"My team and I are very happy to sponsor Drunken Stampers! My store has been open since September 2009. I am currently a stamp artist for Unity Stamp Co. and I've worked for InStyleStamps, Squigglefly, and TheDigiShack in the past. I'm a professional artist and an active member of the Artist' Guild in my community. I have quite a busy household with a husband, 3 teenagers, 5 mini-dachshunds and an Appaloosa mare. It's noisy, but I love them all. I'm truly blessed."

"The Stamping Boutique is dedicated to quality products and original artwork. We not only provide wonderful digital images in our store, but also several lines of red rubber images. Our designers are chosen for their character and personality, as well as their beautiful designs. We work hard to give you our very best."

Can you believe that between all of that Tracey also manages to keep up a busy on-line shop and design new art? Me neither. Her middle name must be Superwoman.

At the very least it's Really Nice Woman since she's offering three digis to the winning submission at Drunken Stampers this week! All you have to do to be in the drawing is create a brand new piece using our sponging theme, post it and add it to this week's Mr. Linky at Drunken Stampers before midnight Friday, April 8, 2011 (and, of course, make sure it's only entered for the Drunken Stampers challenge -- no combined challenges this week).

Alright, have you formulated a response yet? And? Are you? Sponge worthy?

All about him: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

It's All About Him at Drunken Stampers this week, and you absolutely must see the inspiration pieces!

This piece is fine, in fact I quite like it as does My Guy for whom I created it (he requested a bookmark and chose the Tim Holtz lion stamp).

But, trust me, it's humdrum compared to the creations of the Drunken Stampers' team!

I can't wait for you to see the cool techniques and amazing altered bits from Linda, Spike and Tash!

While you head over to the Drunken Stampers and to your own All About Him creative space, I'll be peeking at my calendar which clearly shows today is Saturday ... despite all day yesterday me thinking that today would be Friday.

Which means that in addition to forgetting to write this post yesterday ... I've probably missed some other deadlines that need to be handled.

Twisted fairy tales: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Considering how nasty most fairy tales already are, it's hard to imagine making them twisted.

But, that's just what we're asking you to do this week at Drunken Stampers -- create your own piece featuring a twisted fairy tale.

My design took on a Red Riding Hood focus with an image I adore: One of several skeleton sketches found on a collage sheet at Jack & Cat Curio (take a minute and visit Jack & Cat ... their art is beautiful and unique).

Hopefully they won't see this tongue-in-cheek piece and wonder why they share their cool images!

My cheesy little card is dorky as hell, but I like it: The image, as mentioned, is awesome so that helps. But I also like the burnt edges I added along with the embossed background (can you see the basket weave?), the distress crackle flower and the Microsoft Publisher art text.

Maybe I still should have gone with one of my other ideas, though: Cinderella sets booby traps for the sisters, The Bremen Town Musicians start an animal revolt or ... you see, these are mean. That's not good. Funny is good.

Do you ever feel like you're trying to talk yourself into appreciating your own art ... kind of like I am right now?

Give us a look at your own twisted fairy tale before midnight Friday, March 25!


UPDATE: I'm adding this piece to the challenge at Haunted Design House! After seeing their challenge on, I think, Friday, I had wondered ... hmm ... I'd like to participate in this one, so fun, but do I have a skull? Maybe a Cricut cut? A digistamp? Had not commenter Susan (see below) pointed out that this very card here includes a skull, I likely never would have realized! This is all proof that being too close to something creates beholder blindness ... or that I'm just not all that smart.

Faux wood: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

WWDSD? Create his or her own, of course! Wood, that is! Faux wood!

Are you suddenly imagining a bunch of Hillbillies ... concrete swimming pool ... Beverly Hills ... ... now you know how much time I spend tracking back 'round to the point in my own brain.

Anyhow, reel in your own wandering thoughts and join us for the faux wood challenge at Drunken Stampers!

My own awesome wood-like surface is courtesy an Alterations Texture Fade folder on, believe it or not, yellow card stock.

That's right ... my own tree has a yellow interior ... and about five layers of just-darker-than-the-previous, brown-toned distress inks. Neat, huh?

Mother Nature is very inspiring!

She even brought me the idea of the falling leaf cut from a metal beverage can, glopped with citrus alcohol ink and dangling from a wee bit of Twinery twine!

Yes sir! Our Mother Nature, she's a creative and amazing woman!

Show us what your own faux wood looks like before midnight Friday, March 18. After that Mother Nature will be too busy with tulips and daffodils to give us any help!

Sponsored colors: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Happy weekend everyone!

It's sure been great getting here as we Drunken Stampers are sponsored this week by the good folks at DRS Designs!

The DRS images I chose, clover sprig and Old Irish Blessing, worked perfectly with this week's DS challenge: Use coral, teal and purple.

In fact, I ended up so happy with this card that it's already been shoved into an envelope and mailed off to a friend!

This is normal operation for me which means my house is full of stuff I only half like (or stuff I really like, but is too thick or delicate to just shove in envelope and hand to the mailman). The stuff I'm most excited about usually gets shipped off right away ... another reason I try to take photos of everything. I've actually created things, been so pleased that I get them mailed off right away, then a week later can't even remember what the hell I made. I hate that.

But I love these DRS stamps! Most that I've seen are simple and clean which means they're usable for everything from quick handwritten letter art, coloring or even heat embossing (you know I'm a stickler about heat embossing ... the best stamped images for embossing have to be immaculate).

Anyhow, make your very own piece for our challenge this week (just make sure this week's challenge piece is brand new, and not entered in any other challenge), and you might win a DRS Designs gift certificate!

Rhinestone cowgirl: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a trucker.

Sounds odd, I know, but remember that when I was a kid the world revolved around Smokey and the Bandit. So, you were the slap sticky Sheriff, the runaway bride, the player in a sports car or the truck driver.

Now that you've read all of that you might think my trucking aspirations seem even less appropriate: How is it that I identified with the skinny guy driving the big rig?

Because, my friends, he was the only one with a dog!

If the Bandit's sidekick had been a big black lab, or the Sheriff's chase car came with a droopy-faced hound dog: Well, honestly things wouldn't be much different except I'd be here now telling you how I wanted to be a criminal or a Sheriff.

Luckily some young girls have bigger dreams, and awful big boots to fill: They are our Rhinestone Cowgirls, and the focus of this week's Drunken Stampers' challenge!

Look at that ... I got to the point in less than 175 words!

So, I lucked out and found this adorable "cowgirl" over at The Graphics Fairy (have you been by yet to visit with Karen? You'll love her!).

One bit later, after adding an inked and embossed chipboard frame, colored-pencil highlights, grunge paper boots and a silver star brad ... Yeehaw! A future Reno Rodeo Queen!

Give us a look at your own little butt kicker before Friday, March 4 at midnight!