August updates

Well, here we are in the last few days of August. I always feel a little bit melancholy around this time of year, even though the "official" end of summer isn't until September, the end of August, for me, is the end of summer. I think it's because the end of summer seems to have a much wider symbolism than just the closing of idle summer days from our childhood (not that mine has been idle!) I guess it's basically a reminder that time is marching on and no amount of wishing it would slow down will have an effect on it. And maybe the fact that each August marks another notch on my belt, of the years slipping through my fingers. HA, maybe that's why it's always kinda sad.

Enough introspection, here's what I made on my summer vacation....

Actually, I just made this yesterday.
I don't have vacations anymore, it's all work work work ....
When I omit a stamp on a customer's order I like to make a little mail art to send the missing stamp along in as a mea culpa for my momentary lapse of efficiency. It also gives me an excuse for playing with my stamps & supplies, which unfortunately, I never seem to have the time to do. ~ This envelope uses 2 of the papers I have in stock plus leaf ribbon, leaf stamp from the flower set, simple scroll stamp and the checkered frame for the address block. The extras are ginormous ric rac, buttons & other paper I had on hand.

Now for the actual updates part of this post. (thanks for asking dr. koolarama ;-) For those that have been paying attention, my relocation plans are moving very slowly. I listed my house around the 1st of July & have only shown it 2 maybe 3 times - small town, not a whole lot of buyers out there I guess - very depressing. I'm trying to mentally will my house to sell by the end of August - X (that's my fingers crossed) I'll post more news on that front when I have any.

Business updates...

My annual August birthday sale is in full swing, in fact it has been all month. If you missed the announcement, Visit MadRatRubber (it's 20% off just about everything in stock) I've been meaning to pop over here to the blog to post about it but I have only the usual excuse - Many things to do - Little time in which to get them all done, huh huh huh (that's me panting from all the running I'm doing) here's a partial list, refinish the deck (major project), pull 6' high weeds, keep the house clean for showing, mow 1/2 acre yard, clean up studio, process orders, do something about laundry room, call plumber, add new products to web site, update customer files, paint the front door, fix flat on bicycle, etc etc etc. A lot of the list wouldn't be a big deal if my house wasn't on the market, it's just the added pressure of wanting everything to look great for any potential buyers.

Okay, reading over my list is making me antsy, I'll have to wait & post about the cool new Tim Holtz products I've added to the inventory later, I promise, but for now I've got to get busy...

August Birthday Sale

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's time for my annual MadRat Rubber Birthday Sale!

August 20 is my birthday so everyone gets to shop for 20 days & save 20%. Between Aug 4 & the 24th you get to save on just about everything in stock while supplies last. (magazine subscriptions & grab bags are not included) Savings will be refunded via PP as orders are processed.

You've also got 1 more day to take advantage of the 25% off the Pre-Sale page, For those of you who've already placed orders from the Pre-Sale page - feel free to shop some more & I'll consolidate your orders & refund your savings & excess shipping. Just remember, orders won't ship until the new rubber arrives.

The newer rubber includes lots of Wizard of Oz images that'll work great for Halloween (pumpkin heads, witches, crows, flying monkey's etc.) You'll find most of those on the Wizard of Oz page. I've also got some new skeletons & phrases coming for the Day of the Dead, which of course, can also be used for Halloween. (The large skeleton dolls should be a lot of fun to play with)

I've also been busy adding lots of new stuff lately on the following pages:Paper, Ribbons, Doll parts (vintage German doll heads), Hardware (vintage PO box doors), new Brass Charms, Electronica, etc. etc.

For those of you on Facebook, I've created a page for MadRat Rubber Stamp Co.and have uploaded some of my recent mail art - I'd love to see some of the artwork you folks have been creating with some of my products so feel free to upload some pics. I've also been thinking I'd like to start some kind of mail art exchange & / or contest. Let me know if you have any thought's on that. I'd also be interested to hear any suggestions about the web site, products you'd like to see me carry, opinions about the kinds of images I carry, etc.

I'm real new to the whole Facebook thing and am still trying to find my way around (without a lot of free time on my hands to do it) So stop by & friend me or become a fan, (however that's supposed to work ;-) )

Hope you're enjoying the summer - it will be over before you know it!

The Queen - Card Art

Ta Daa, I made a card.

I guess this is my very 1st "official" card. Up to this point I've used my stamps on envelopes or "mail art" & various other projects. For some time now I've been wanting to spend a little time doing some handmade cards but just haven't had the time. So the other day I managed to shake a little time loose & spent several hours playing with my "stuff". I can justify it because I've been needing some samples for my wares, (MadRatRubber) and well, because I spent my birthday working on business stuff instead of having a little "Me" time, so I had a play date with myself & this was the results.

The doll above was made using several of my newer images; the band behind the doll & the border around the card are images from my Banners, Borders & Frames page, the crown is from Alice in Wonderland, the dress is from the Doll page (as well as the Chinese Dancer Doll whose arms & legs I used for this gal) The flower form in the background is from the Design Elements page. And last but not least, the woman's face is from one of my Collage Sheets.

I've got a couple more in progress but needed some supplies to complete them. I'm expecting some micro eyelets in so my "dolls" will have a little movement. Hopefully they'll be showing up soon so I can get them finished.

Remember, my Birthday Sale is still going on for another week so you still have time to get a bargain on some of your own "stuff" to play with. All the new images are on their own page for the time being - at the end of the month they'll be moved to their proper categories. To see the newest images go Here.

Birthday Cards & Humorous Headline

It's my birthday this month so 2 of my mail order customers sent me birthday cards along with their orders. The one on top is from Diana Y. & uses my Musical Elephant stamp & the bottom one is from Sandra L. & uses my Distressed Diamond, Vine Frame & Crowned Alice. All of these can be found @ MadRatRubber. Thanks Ladies, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

My Birthday Sale is going on now so be sure to drop in & see the new images.

Now, for a good laugh, you have to go read this news headline & story at the Telegraph.

My husband is always finding these funny bits on the web. This one I had to share.

MadRat Rubber New Images & Birthday Sale

The Time has come, the Walrus said,

To talk of many things.

Of shoes & ships & sealing wax.

Of cabbages & kings.

And why the sea is boiling hot,

And whether pigs have wings.

I just love that quote. It's from "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll & I think it's one of the best stanzas from "The Walrus & the Carpenter". It's also one of the new Alice stamps I'm adding to my inventory this month. As you can see from my odd little man above, I've added 41 new images this month & having a Birthday Sale to boot. My special day falls on August 20th, so for the month of August everyone gets to save 20% off of just about everything in stock, (while supplies last) Among the new images are several more quotes from Alice (& I've got a list of a bunch more to come) As well as new Halloween images, of course, and some dolls I've been wanting to add for some time. Dansuer's Chinois or "Chinese Dancers" are vintage French Jumping Jack's from some antique prints I aquired a while back. I have a couple more, Spanish Dancers & Pierrot & Pierrette that I'll be adding to my inventory in the coming months. Along with the complete dolls are miscellaneous parts you can use to mix & match to create your own art dolls. All of the new images are on their own special, "Pre-Birthday Sale" page They're in the process of being made so they won't be available for shipping till approx. mid-August. In the interest of saving time & money, all orders that include any of the new images won't ship until the new rubber arrives.

So if you're into rubber & other interesting objects or supplies for your artistic pursuits, be sure to visit MadRatRubber, just don't forget to check out the new rubber as well. There are links to the "new rubber" on the Home page & here & there throughout the store.

Ok, now on to other things...

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These 2 Fabo pieces are from Lynne Tears who is my Design Team, yep, she's the whole kit & kaboodle, Lynne does wonderful work and I am really pleased with these two pieces. Can't ya just hear the woman on the left saying, Fraaank, the coffee's cold! & the one on the right capture's the essence of the 50's 0r 60's perfectly, I'm sure the Yucca Lounge must have come into existence somewhere around that time period. The stamps she used are Frank's Restaurant & Yucca Lounge. Both these stamps come in 2 versions, what I like to call, positive & negatives. They can be bought & used separately but I think they're great combined. You'll find them here.
I'm so glad to have Lynne on board, she makes wonderful samples using my images. See more of Lynne's work on her website, MoonLightJourney & Blog. Thank's Lynne!

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One last thing for this unusually long post...

I'd like to invite everyone to visit GirlGoneThreadWild to read all about the wonderful thing Monica Magness started. She had the seed of an idea to create a doll in the hopes of raising money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help find a cure for Breast Cancer. She did a general "call for artist" to donate a 2x2 inch squares of fabric to be used to embellish the skirt of her doll. 182 women & men produced a total of 490 squares in response to this request. More than enough to cover the skirt. It came to be know as the "The Pink Artist Project". If you surf the blogs I'm sure you've come across it. I did & decided I would participate, so I made 2 squares & sent them in, I'm very proud of the fact that one of my squares made it onto the dolls skirt. I always have the best intentions towards society but rarely ever have the monetary funds to donate towards a worthy cause. This gave me the opportunaty to be involved in an important cause & I thank Monica for that. I'm truely honored to be included with so many other wonderful artist. The doll has been dubbed, "Love Squared" and has been written up in the autum issue of the Art Doll Quarterly & the Artful Blogger. If you'd like to be involved with helping to find a cure, visit GirlGoneThreadWild to make a donation. For every $10 you donate, you get 2 chances to win the "Love Squared" Doll. The drawing will be held October 15th.

Whew, the end!