My secret.....REVEALED!!!

I may not be Oprah, but still...I had a secret. And I told you I had a secret. And I told you that I would tell you all what it was, when I could. I kept you in suspense. On purpose! Maybe I am Oprah after all, lol!!! And no...I don't have a long lost half-sister. That I know of anyway......

No, my secret is.......

Well, let me go back a bit...*giggle*

Over a month ago, I was skimming through my Blogger dashboard, to see what was happening in the ole blogosphere. Have you ever clicked on a blog you currently follow, which leads you to another blog, then another blog, etc, etc, etc and you wind up someplace totally new to you and yet totally fabulous?? That was what happened to me on that fateful day. I was somewhere brand new to me and utterly fabulous.

It was actually two blogs - one a stamping challenge blog and one a store. Now you guys know how much I love a good stamping challenge!!! But for these challenges you had to use their images to compete. Digital images to be more specific. I had heard of "digis" before and know stampers who use them all the time, but for me they were a totally alien concept. How do you buy them? How do you use them? What do you do with something you can't see/touch/feel??? It all sounded too complicated and stressful to me and I just thought - forget it - I'll stick with my 'rubbah'. And that would have probably been the end of it....except.....

Except that they were currently taking applications to become a Design Team member. Not a one time deal, or a guest for the month, but a full-on MEMBER OF THE TEAM!!! And that my friends is a very big deal! OK, well it's a big deal for me, lol! So I thought.....do I like the images they sell? Yes. Do I think my style of card making would be a good fit with them? Yes. Would I feel comfortable being in part a representative for this company? Yes. Am I going to let the intimidation of trying something totally new to me stop me from trying? NO!! *gulp*

So I emailed my application - it almost felt like a resume, lol! - and linked up the blog post I had actually done that morning before Blogger surfing. It was the blog post where I put up my favorite cards I had made for 2010. (Coincidence? I don't think so!) And then I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Did I ever mention that I hate waiting? For anything? Ever???

But I waited until Sunday, when I got the email letting me know I had been chosen and was I still interested?! Heck to the yeah, baby!!! Woooo Hoooo!! But I had to keep it a secret until it was publicly announced, which it was last night and you can see it over HERE.

I'm so official, I have my own badge!!!

Over the next week or so, they will be posting everyone's pictures, bios and introductory cards. As a DT Member, I get four free images of my choosing every month to use on inspirational projects for the The Stamping Boutique Challenge Blog. I also get a very generous discount on anything else I'd like to purchase at their store site, The Stamping Boutique.

Here is my intro card, using one of their AMAZING images:

close up

I could not get a decent picture of this card without using the flash, but it lightened it up so much that you can't really see the 'mottling' I did for the water part. It turned out so cool, if I do say so myself, lol!!! These images are just a blast to color and gives me another excuse reason for using my Copic markers!

And guess what? Using 'digis' is EASY!! As in really, really, super-di-duper easy! And they're sooooo much cheaper than rubber stamps! AND you don't have to wait!!! Instant gratification on my stamping addiction obsession passion!!!! Plus unlike regular stamps, you can make them any size you'd like, turn them, flip them - whatever you can dream up!! So yeah, it didn't take me very long to totally fall in love with them and I've already used my member discount, lol! LOVE IT!!

So if you're a stamper, you should hurry on over and check out the store!! At least pick one image you really love (if you can narrow it down to one that is!), and play with it. You'll be hooked!

Now that I'm all official, I will be posting a weekly card or project using these images for The Stamping Boutique's challenge blog. I hope this gives you crafty girls some fun ideas, and perhaps creates some new crafty girls??? Hmmmm????

So that's my secret! And personally, I think it's better than Oprah's! Just sayin.