Can I get a "Peep-Peep"?!
First of all, the sketch is just awesome. I know I say that most every week, but my girl Jen can draw a sketch, know what I'm sayin'? And you know I love me some primary colors. Combine that with the icon who has brought both of my boys so many hours of pure pleasure? Well, it was my honor and privilege to get Thomas inky on this very auspicious day devoted to international card makers.
Speaking of 'peeps,' be sure to visit Amy S., Amy R., Shannan, and Susan to see what they did with this sketch, and then go to Jen's blog where you can get the sketch, and see samples by both Jen and October's SFYTT Guest Designer, the one and only Nancy Riley! (Nancy and I were guest Prettie Girls together this past winter, so we go waaay back. Love ya, Nance!) And, since you know you have to make a card today in honor of WCD, you might as well start with a great sketch like this one. Link your version back to Jen's blog and be sure use 'SFYTT' as one of your keywords so we can give you 'peep-peeps', too!
I've probably mentioned this before, but I first became aware that there were Thomas & Friends stamps coming out when I passed the Cornish Heritage Farms' booth at CHA last February. I think I literally started jumping up and down. I had no idea who Richard Pomeroy was (he and his wife Liz own CHF), but I'm pretty sure I chewed his ear off talking about how excited I was and trying to get all of the details about when, where, etc. Every time I placed an order at CHF after that, I would add to my comments section, "I can't wait for those Thomas stamps to come out!!!" To which Liz would reply "Neither can we!"
Fast-forward to this July. I had put in my application for the CHF colorer position to work with Thomas Kinkade(1) and Sandra Kuck images when the CHF newsletter showed up in my in-box stating that people could pre-order the Thomas images. Well, I had no idea whether I'd get that spot I'd applied for, but I knew I HAD to have those Thomas images. I considered waiting to see if I got the spot and then possibly purchasing them with a discount, but I just couldn't wait. I needed to get those images in my hot little hands ASAP. So I pre-ordered practically every one of them. A few weeks later, I was offered a spot on the CHF team, and I also learned that among the various CHF lines(2) I would be working with, I was being put on Team Thomas!
I don't think I can express to you how much this has raised my status in the eyes of two young boys. I've tried to impress them with other design team stuff -- "Lookie here -- I get to use this image before anyone else in the whole wide world! Can you believe it?!" Their reaction was always like "Eh. Neat, Mom. Whatever..." But Thomas? He's definitely a rockstar amongst a certain breed of boy. And even if they think stamping is weird and nerdy (they're too young to have much taste, let's face it. They like Chef Boyardee and Gerber Graduates, for heaven's sake), they have to admit that my being sorta-kinda-officially associated with THE Thomas the Tank Engine is pretty cool. And Mom being cool? A very rare occurance in these parts. 
Supplies used:
Stamps by CHF: Thomas the Tank Engine 3/4 view (Thomas & Friends Series), Train Expressions (Mona Lisa Moments)
Paper: Classic Blue Prismatics cs, GP white, patterned paper from Making Memories
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, foam mounting tape, 3/4 circle punch, brads from Queen & Co., white grosgrain ribbon
Footnotes
(1) I've decided I need to start footnoting my blog entries, because I have just too many parenthetical asides I want to talk about, but then they totally interrupt what I was saying before, and it's hard to get back on track. "Back on track" -- appropriate bit of train humor there! Okay, back to the footnote. (See? I even interrupt my own footnotes...) Oh, boy -- you should see the STUNNING TK image CHF is releasing late this month! It may be my favorite -- other than Graceland, which permanently holds the spot of my Very Favorite TK image of all time, for obvious reasons. Only if Thomas Kinkade happens to paint a picture of my actual home will Graceland stand a chance of being displaced. Anyway, this one is truly, truly beautiful. You TK fans will LOVE it, I promise!
(2) CHF has lots of lines of stamps, including Elvis Presley, Thomas Kinkade, Sandra Kuck, The Kim Hughes Collection, Saturday Evening Post, The Rummage Bin, General Motors, Mona Lisa Moments, Scrapblocks, and Tom Allen's Friendly Kritters, in addition to their Classic Collection, the Backgrounders, and their Scene It stamps.
Carole, your Thomas card is adorable! I love what you've done with Jen's sketch! I agree -that girl can draw a heck of a sketch!
If it makes you feel any better, my kids are completely unimpressed with my creations too -- and they're teenagers!
Thanks so much for this nice mention!
Hugs~
Nancy
Posted by: NANCY RILEY | October 04, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Love this, Carole! What an awesome stamp!
Posted by: Amy Sheffer | October 04, 2008 at 09:10 PM
LOL about your footnotes...ah, yes, I remember something about "scattered random" in our conversation, but then we didn't have any problems following, eh?
Love your Thomas card, your colors, the ribbon and circles/brad on the vertical strips, which, BTW are perfecto with your train theme!
Posted by: Amy | October 04, 2008 at 09:30 PM
"Froggot" to say: your coloring couldn't BE any more perfect!
Posted by: Amy | October 04, 2008 at 09:31 PM
Love that card!!
Posted by: VickiF | October 05, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Congrats! on your Thomas the Tank gig -- WOO HOO!!! How great to get to work with something you so love!!! And to think you just started stamping in 2006 -- oh my, you blow me away!!! Fabulous job!!!! Great work!!!
Posted by: Sharon (notimetostamp) | October 05, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Absolutely FABULOUS Thomas card, Carole! Love what you did with the ribbon and the layout! ...Kind of giggling at you getting distracted during your footnotes. :)
Posted by: shel9999 | October 05, 2008 at 03:32 PM
Great card CArole! and I loved looking through all your birthday mail!! Lovely stuff! You lucky woman you!
Posted by: Janine | October 05, 2008 at 09:38 PM