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Friday, August 31, 2007

*Help Finding An Image*

Hey everyone... I am in need of a stamp that looks something like THIS for a custom job I am working on. I'd like to know what company makes the image linked above. Alternatively, I need another single image of a balloon.

Help???

*Flashback Friday*

Today I'd like to take you back to 2004... we were a few years younger and our styles were different!

This card uses only black, white and red. I used a Magenta image and stamped it on the three colours of cardstock. I then cut them out and made the design you see here.

Simple card with a tidy design.... just should have put something in the centre to create a focal point.

Enjoy your long weekend!!!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

*Scrap of Plastic*

I created this card using a sketch that Beate has posted on her blog. It was a sketch challenge with a drawing for a prize, but I made the card too late to be involved in that.

The main image is a sticker... I think it might be a Magenta sticker, but I don't honestly know as I no longer have the packaging for the sheet of stickers. I coloured it with my Prismacolor coloured pencils and then cut it out. My only complaint is that some areas of the sticker didn't stick quite as well as I would have liked them to.

The strip along the left side is a piece of scrap plastic that I ran through my Cuttlebug. It was a small strip off of a package of Dew Drop ink pads that I just bought. I saved the flat piece from each of the containers because I had read somewhere about someone putting the plastic through their Cuttlebug.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue; Classic Crest White
*Patterned Paper: Provocraft
*Image: sticker
*Embellishments: gold brads
*Tools: Cuttlebug, D'vine Swirl Embossing Folders, Prismacolor Professional Quality coloured pencils, odourless mineral spirits, blending stump
*Other: scrap piece of plastic

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

*Floral Challenge*

I created this card for a sketch challenge on Marie's blog. As she wrote in her challenge post, this is a great sketch to use up some smaller scraps of patterned paper or cardstock that might be sitting on your stamp table. This piece of Stampin' Up! patterned paper was truly sitting on my table so I decided to use it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery
*Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up!
*Embellishments: Prima flowers, Copper vintage brad, Crystal Stickles
**NOTE** The Primas started out their life as a very light yellow colour... I used water and my So Saffron reinker to create custom coloured flowers.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

"Peek a Boo"

So sorry for not posting yesterday. I was out of the house by 8:30am and got home again around 3:30.... took Alex to his new Jr. High where we thought he'd be getting his timetable but instead we got to pay his fees have his photos taken for the yearbook and ID Card. Then it was off to run a few errands, pick up Matthew from his sleepover, stop by my friends house to drop off her keys and we managed to sit and chat for an hour before deciding to head off to a late lunch together. Then a few groceries and home. Busy busy as school approaches!

Another card today using SCS Colour Challenge #127. I like this one better than the one I posted on the weekend. I did have to add some of my Stardust gel pen to the swirl and flowers though... they just weren't popping at me.

As you can tell from the photo, the small oval punched out with the word "kind" is mounted on the inside of the card... just something to add a little difference.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Sahara Sand, Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip
*Images: Stampin' Up! Baroque Motifs
*Tools: Stampin' Up! large and small oval punches, Sakura Stardust clear gel pen

Sunday, August 26, 2007

*Need Help With Robins*

For the last few days we've noticed about 5 robins hanging out on our patio furniture... and of course, they've been doing their business on my chairs (thank God the cushions aren't on them), all over the deck, on the table.

We've never had a lot of birds in the yard... the odd one on the fence or whatever. The last few days they are always here... on the patio furniture, on the swing across the yard (and pooping on the cushions there), on the fence, on the shed.

Nothing is different about our yard in the last few days.

Part of the problem is that we can't scare them off as we're not often seeing them out there... I've only seen them hanging out once... otherwise all I find are the gifts they're leaving behind...

My questions...

#1. What is drawing them to my yard?
#2 How do I get rid of them.

I'm sorry to anyone who loves birds, but birds truly give me the heebee-jeebees and I want them GONE!!

Thanks!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

*Colour Challenge Gone Wrong*

Happy Saturday everyone.

I'm guessing my card yesterday was particularly awful... only one comment LOL! No worries... I did warn you in advance that it wasn't one of my favourites! A big thanks to Rhonda for lying through her teeth!!

Unfortunately, you don't get rewarded with a beautiful card today either.

I saw so many beautiful cards using the SCS Colour Challenge #127 that I had to go and play... and honestly, while this one isn't bad, it certainly isn't beautiful. I went back to the drawing board after I did this one and made one I like at least a little more.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Blue Bayou, Sahara Sand and Chocolate Chip
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip and Sahara Sand
*Images: Stampin' Up! In The Spotlight and Fundamental Phrases
*Tools: Marvy Mega and Giga Scallop Circle Punches, Stampin' Up! Word Window Punch and 5-Petal Flower Punch
*Embellishments: bling, Sakura Stardust gel pen (on flower), Sakura Glaze pen in clear

Friday, August 24, 2007

*Flashback Friday*

I've been having another kind of flashback lately... been having a blast on Facebook finding people from my past (as well as people from my present). I have found some friends from the neighbourhood where I grew up, some friends from elementary school and high school, friends from my days in Toronto and working at the UofT, stamping friends, weight loss friends. Cool.

Todays card is another oldie... and for the first time on this blog, I am bringing up a card from my past that yes, I loved when I made it, but now I can't stand it! LOL

This card uses Magenta images, gold Beadz, burgundy cardstock, mulberry paper, clear embossing powder and markers. I stamped the small flower on the card base with clear embossing ink and embossed it in clear as well. I stamped the larger image in clear again on off white mulberry paper and embossed it. Once it was cooled I sprayed the mulberry paper with water. I scribbled markers on a plastic lid and picked up the colour with a wet paint brush and let the colours bleed in to colour the image.

The best way to "cut" mulberry paper is to actually tear it to create a feathered edge.... use a wet paint brush to paint your tear line which will make it easier to tear. Then simply pull the excess away from you.

There you have it.... enjoy your Friday!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

*Creating Business Cards*

Amy over at Heartfelt Greetings has a contest running right now to create your own business cards. I had a lot of fun creating the following six designs...

Stamped with some of my new Lizzie Anne Designs stamps and coloured with Prismacolor Professional Quality coloured pencils, odourless paint thinner and a blending stump.

The image is one of the flourish stamps from the Rhonna Farrer set I have, stamped with Lime Colorbox Chalk Ink. I then added some hot pink Primas and some bling.

No stamping on this one... probably doesn't qualify for the contest. I cut the white card slightly smaller and ran it through my Cuttlebug with the D'vine Swirl embossing folder. I then sponged on a little Wild Wasabi ink and layered it onto a piece of Purely Pomegranate.

Again I cut the white card a little smaller. I stamped this flower from Baroque Motifs in Purely Pomegranate. I then took a piece of acetate cut to the size of a business card (which, by the way, is 2" by 3.5") and ran it through my Cuttlebug with the D'vine Swirl embossing folders. I adhered the acetate on top of my business card with clear glue.

Once again, a white card stamped using the flower from Baroque Motifs and Purely Pomegranate ink. When it was dry, I covered the entire front of the card with Versamark ink and embossed it with Iridescent Ice embossing powder.


And last, but not least.... another white card stamped using images from Little Pieces in Barely Banana, Almost Amethyst and Certainly Celery. Once it was dry, I sent it through my Cuttlebug with the Bloom Dots embossing folder.

I had a lot of fun creating these and might try to make a few more before the contest if over!

*Another Wonderful Mail Day*

I love it when there's fun stuff in my mailbox!

First there was this great card from Dawn... another card from the Pieces of Me August RAK Club. Dawn sure has spoiled me! This card was marked as #9.

And then I was thrilled to see that my first Lizzie Anne Designs stamps arrived today. There are rubber with foam and cling mount on them... no wood, not acrylic. They stamp up so nicely... very very crisp clean images. And I LOVE them!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

*A Little Something*

Yup, a little something.

This card is almost a one layer card. Almost. But not quite

This was my first time trying out the Pick a Petal set by stamping directly on to a card instead of cutting out each petal. So much faster and not nearly as difficult as I thought since I had planned on layering a flower centre on top of the petals.

And yes, I was playing with my coloured pencils again.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Classic Crest White, Stampin' Up! Whisper White and Old Olive
*Images: Stampin' Up! Pick a Petal and So Many Sayings
*Ink: Stewart Superior Document Black and Stampin' Up! Old Olive
*Tools: 1" circle punch, Marvy Mega and Giga Scallop Square Punches, Prismacolor Professional Quality Coloured Pencils, odourless paint thinner, blending stump
*Embellishments: Crystal Stickles

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

*Even More From Dawn*


These are the cute cards that arrived in my mailbox from Dawn yesterday.... two more cards that she's spoiling me with for the RAK Club on Pieces of Me!

Thanks so much for cards #8 and #I don't remember!!! LOL

*Apparently, I'm NICE!*


I have the honour over the last few days to be nominated by several people for the Nice Matters Blog Award!

What is a Nice Matters Award??
This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends; and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. It is also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.

Thanks so much to Tracy, Amber, Kelly, and Lorie for the nominations!

I think almost everyone else I know has been nominated for this award... so I will only nominate two more.... although there are so many that are deserving (obviously since they've already been nominated. I add to the list Cindy and Shannon and Marie.

*Colourful Doodles*

Update on my health. I am feeling better than the weekend, but still not 100%. I am so tired of the stuffed up nose and sinuses.

And let's talk about my voice for a bit... I'm not sure I'd call is sexy, but it sure is raspy. Just imagine it.... "hey baby". Ya, no.

I will be healthy before the end of the week.... I will be healthy before the end of the week.... I will be healthy before the end of the week.... I will be healthy before the end of the week....

Another card with pencil crayons. This time I played around a little with two different colours in one petal. The flower petals on the top layer have yellow blended in their centres to create an orange colour to pull in the Summer Sun layer I wanted to use. I thought that Summer Sun really brought out the red in the flower.

This card uses a sketch I saw on I {heart} to Stamp.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Summer Sun, Purely Pomegranate; Classic Crest White
*Patterned Paper: Dulce Sunshine
*Images: Stampin' Up! Doodle This
*Ink: Stewart Superior Black Document Ink
*Tools: Prismacolor Professional Quality Coloured Pencils, odourless paint thinner, blending stump, black Micron pen, small circle punch to create the cut corners

Monday, August 20, 2007

*More Pencil Crayon Fun*

I am so sorry to have been missing in action all weekend. Friday night at the fireworks my nose got all stuffed up and my throat got sore... thought it was allergies cuz there was all this algae on the lake we were sitting near. That night I ended up with a fever and chills and woke up at 6am with every part of my body aching. I didn't take it as easy as I should have on Saturday. I woke up on Sunday and could barely keep my head up... so I spent all day Sunday on the couch with the remote control. Fun day.

Today I am happy to report that while my sinuses are still full and my voice is now a few octaves lower, I am feeling quite a bit better. I don't feel foggy like I did yesterday. My joints aren't aching anymore. Still a bit of a headache but I think it's cuz my sinuses are full.

My plan for today is to take it kind of easy. I got a package in the mail today that contained my brand new 12" Large Base Guillotine Paper Cutter from Tonic. I can't wait to play with it. For those that know me, you know I have a thing for paper cutters... this is tabletop paper cutter #4. Sigh, I have a problem LOL!

The card today I made because I wanted to do more colouring with my coloured pencils. I truly love how the images look after I've coloured them... just hate that it's so time consuming! But I guess it's worth it.

I am a little disappointed with how this turned out... the shading in the corners just didn't turn out the way I had hoped it would.... play and learn I suppose.

The layout is from Pagemaps (April 2005) and the colour combination is from Splitcoast Stampers (Colour Challenge #121)

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink; Classic Crest white
*Ink: Stewart Superior Document Stamping Ink in Black; Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip
*Images: Michael's $1.50 wood mounted stamp, Stampin' Up! Fundamental Phrases
*Tools: Prismacolor Professional Quality Coloured Pencils, odourless paint thinner, blending stump

Friday, August 17, 2007

*Flashback Friday*

Friday again.... another week just poof gone!

I need to stop worrying about how fast the days and weeks go by and just enjoy the here and now... I promise to work on it!

Flashback Friday time again, which means I spent a good chunk of time today trying to decide which card wasn't too awful to share! I have lots of scans on my computer, but so many of the cards are just not on my radar anymore as things I would want to send out or share. Then again, there are some from more recent that I have posted on my blog that are in that same category!

This card was made sometime before 2003 as it was in my "older cards" file. It uses a Magenta stamp, Radiant Pearls, Copper Embossing Powder. The cardstocks are hunter green linen and a natural coloured flecked cardstock. I also had this really awesome textured copper cardstock that I ripped and used as an accent.

Thanks for popping by!

Happy Friday!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

*Two Great Mail Days!!!*

I love it when I get good mail! So much nicer than junk mail and bills!

I've had two great mail days in a row.

First, Wednesday....
As Dawn had promised, I needed to keep watching my mailbox for "more" with the Pieces of Me August RAK group... two more cards arrived in my mailbox. These ones were numbered 4 and 5. Beautiful cards!

Then today....

First there was a Blogger RAK card from Julie Masse.... such a fun and summery design. Love the colours she chose to use. And she did a great job doodling around all the circles.

Second there were three (yes three) more cards from Dawn! These were numbered #2, #3 and #6. The card on the right is a peek a boo card... the white circles are actually on the inside of the card. I love the little scallop circles that she's punched the centres out of too.

Thanks so much for the beautiful cards ladies!

*Hey Little Froggie*

Less than three weeks before school starts for my kids. Hard to believe how fast the summer goes by. I remember being a kid and getting bored in the summer because summer vacation was way too long. But now I find summer vacation is gone in the wink of an eye. So not fair.

I took the kids to do a little back to school shopping yesterday. We didn't need much, but I'd much rather do it three weeks before school starts than the last week of vacation when you have to battle every other family doing the same thing.

The little one needed a pair of pants and two pairs of shoes. The older one already has a list of school supplies he needs (the school provides them for the little one), and he needed jeans and shoes. I nearly fell over... I went to Sport Chek, had someone measure his foot and they've put my 12 year old son into size 9 shoes!! He is no longer able to wear kids jeans either... the 16s fit him in the waist and length but they just didn't look right across the front.... so he's in a 28X30 men's jean now.

Sniff sniff sniff.

How on earth has he gotten to be 12 years old, 5'3" (+) with a deepening voice and a little facial hair?! Where is my little boy??

On to the card for today....

As promised a few days ago, here is my first card done with my Professional Quality Primsacolor Pencil Crayons, odourless paint thinner and a blending stump.

To start with, I stamped a punch of petals from Pick a Petal and a few frogs from Unfrogettable and I just started playing with the coloured pencils. I decided after playing for a few hours that it was time to make something out of these things. I couldn't use any of the petals as each was a different colour with a different shading pattern. It would be one confused flower!

So a frog card it was.

Colouring was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I followed the directions I found on the Sanford Website. I simply stamped with my Document Black ink (by Stewart Superior). I then ran a line of colour along the inside line of the frog's outline and then started to blend with the odourless paint thinner and the blending stump. Once it was all blended, I added another line of colour in the same spot and blended again using a circular motion with my stump. I kept doing this until I had filled the area.... leaving it darker on the edges and lighter on the inside.

It takes time but it sure is pretty!

This card uses a layout from Pagemaps (April 2005) and the Splitcoast Stampers Colour Challenge #126

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Whisper White; Classic Crest White (for colouring on)
*Ink: Stewart Superior Document Black; Stampin' Up! Close to Cocoa Classic and Whisper White Craft
*Images: Stampin Up! Unfrogettable, So Many Sayings and In The Spotlight; Paper Trey Ink Circle Borders and Corners
*Tools: Prismacolor Professional Quality coloured pencils, odourless paint thinner, blending stump, Marvy Giga Scallop Circle Punch

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

*A Chance to Win!!*

I found a great contest while browsing at Tracy's blog. Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom to enter to win a 37" Flat Panel LCD HD TV, sponsored by BestBuy. You've only got until the 17th to enter so you'd better hurry!

This contest is open to all women in Canada and the US!

*Pretty Butterfly*

I am very pleased to report that the sun is shining this morning... and while I do have my sweater on right now, I am thinking I will be able to take it off at some point today and enjoy the day in my capris and a t-shirt.

I had hoped to stamp yesterday. But I ran in to two obstacles. One... I couldn't find my mojo. Two... I just wasn't feeling well. I ended up on the couch all day... even napped for a period of time (and I am the type who only naps when sick). I woke up feeling a bit better this morning... am hoping it will last.

I'm not sure where I got this sketch idea from... could it possibly be I thought of it on my own? Not to say no one has ever done one like this before. I mean more that I wasn't looking at a card and thinking "I should try that".

This set is new to me.... I got it as a freebie and this is the first time I've inked it up. I decided I wanted more than one colour so I inked it up with Soft Sky classic ink and then tapped a Rose Red marker on top.

Items Used: (all items Stampin' Up! unless noted)
*Cardstock: Whisper White, Rose Red, Soft Sky
*Patterned Paper: Palette o' Prints in Rose Red
*Ink: Rose Red and Soft Sky
*Images: Reason to Smile
*Embellishments: grosgrain ribbon from a Ribbon Share

Monday, August 13, 2007

*Another Barb Bingo Card*

I gotta tell you, it's darn chilly here in Calgary today. While we were on vacation, Calgary had the hottest month of July since sometime in the 1940s. And now, it's chilly! I have slippers and a sweater on today! I could probably get away with wearing pants but I refuse! Capris and a t-shirt until I have to put on the cold weather-wear!

All this cool weather sure makes me think that fall is closer than it is! It's only the 13th of August and I feel like summer vacation is pretty much over.

In some ways, I guess it is.... only three weeks until school starts. Two weeks from today Alex has an orientation at his new school. I guess that means I need to buy school supplies soon.

It goes too fast!

The card today is using a layout Barb posted for her Bingo game. I'm not sure why I play these online Bingo games... I have a whopping two numbers marked off from the fifteen she's called already. Yup, so not winning this round LOL!

This card also uses the colours for the Colour Challenge #126 over at Splitcoast Stampers.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Soft Sky, Cameo Coral, Blue Bayou
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Soft Sky, Whisper White Craft
*Images: Stampin' Up! All Holidays and Baroque Motifs
*Tools: Marvy Giga Scallop Square Punch

Sunday, August 12, 2007

*Colour Changing Primas*

The end of the weekend already.... time sure flies!

I managed to spend a good chunk of my day yesterday down in my stamp space. I made only three cards, but I had a lot of fun. I started playing with my Prismacolor Professional Quality Coloured Pencils, Odorless Paint Thinner and blending stumps. A card takes a lot longer to make when you are building up colour this way. My pencil crayon cards will come up in a few days.

Today, let me tell you how easy it is to make your Prima Flowers whatever colour you want! Simply use some water, some dye based re-inker and a container. I put the Primas in a container, spritzed them with some water and added a few drops of re-inker... swirled the flowers around in it and then let them dry. The flowers on this card started out as a very pale yellow and I changed them using Rose Red ink.

I now need more pale coloured Primas so I can change their colours to suit my cards!

This card used the sketch from Challenge #129 at Splitcoast.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Rose Red, Regal Rose
*Images: Stampin' Up! All Holidays
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Rose Red
*Tools: Marvy Giga Scallop Circle and Mega Circle Punches, White Gel Pen
*Embellishments: Prima Flowers, Bling

Friday, August 10, 2007

*Thanks Dawn!!!!*

I received this beautiful card in the mail today from my Blogging Friend, Dawn. It is my card for the August RAK Club over at Pieces of Me.

I just love this card!!! Thank you so much Dawn!

Now, what has me intrigued is the Post-It Note inside the card that says "Once I'd signed up for Jen's Aug RAK, I knew I wanted to do something a little extra special for my gal, so stay tuned!".

Dawn, what on earth do you have planned girl??!!!

Thanks again for such a beauty!!!

*I Did Something Clever*

At least, I like to think it's clever.
I am using a lot more punches these days and I hate trying to guess what images or embellishments will fit on what punched out shape/size. So the other day I spent a bit of time creating some punch guides for myself. I used a strip of cardstock in a bright colour I don't use often and I punched all the sizes of square on one, all the sizes of circle on another, all of the ovals on another, all the SU flower ones on another. Now I can use these guides over an image in a catalogue or over a set to see if that phrase will fit in the word window or if that flower will fit in my 5-petal flower punch. So cool.

*Flashback Friday*

It's Friday, and that can only mean that I need to go through my stash of scanned old cards and find something that I'm not too embarrassed to show you! I mean seriously... some of my older work is just so "not me" anymore. It's amazing how much your style can change, but stay the same at the same time.

This card is from before 2003 sometime.... It's a dark blue card with a circle of a white patterned paper in the centre. I then did some tea bag folding with a paper that was marbled by my friend Sonja. This paper was really a little too thick to successfully use for tea bag folding, but it worked OK. To liven up the card a bit, I wrote LOVE all around the edge and around the circle with a silver gel pen.

I hope you all have a fantabulous Friday!

*Puppy Sitting*

I thought I would share a photo of the sweet little girl we are puppy sitting this weekend. Her name is Madie and she is a Shih-tzu cross of some sort. She's only about 6 months old and just a little bundle of sweetness!

Milo is tolerating her much better than I feared he would... he loves people, not so much other dogs. He isn't thrilled that she's having her way with all of his toys though....

Thursday, August 09, 2007

*Swimmin' Froggies*

I shouldn't complain about the rain... we really need it.... we recorded the hottest July on record since the 1940s or something. I know we need the rain. But do we need the chilly weather to go along with it??!! I much prefer the heat!!

I created this card using the sketch over on Jen's Blog... the same sketch I used for the pink card I posted earlier this week (was that just yesterday??!!). Only this time, I didn't put on one of the elements.

I don't make a lot of cards that are suitable for kids, so this was a little tough for me. Sure, I have kids of my own, but (gasp) I usually buy them cards (gasp). I am just not a "boy" card kind of person.

But, I signed up for a one-on-one swap on Jen's Blog (another Jen), and while we don't have to send a card to our match with their requested theme, I thought I would try.

Instead of a small 4.25" square card, this one is a full 5.5" square card.

I'm not sure if my match wanted a card for a boy or for a girl... this is more a boy card, but could be used for either. Sure hope it's OK!

Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White and Wild Wasabi
*Patterned Paper: The Angel Company
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Images: Stampin' Up! All Holidays

*Two Days of Great Mail!!!*

I love getting good mail!!! It's so much better than bills and that junk that you get from all of those businesses. I'm married... been married for 16 years... am happily married... I promise.... the moment that my marriage breaks up, I'll get in touch with you..... ya you.... the "singles" line.

Sigh!

Leave me a l o n e ! ! !

Rant off....

On to the great mail I've received in the last two days.

First... Wednesday.... an envelope arrived from Jen .... my blog win!
I received my first ever My Favorite Things stamp set.

And then today... a birthday gift from Cindy!!
A circle borders set from Paper Trey Ink!

Thank you so much ladies!!!!!

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

*I Forgot!*

I don't know where my head was yesterday.... it never even dawned on me to post a new card for you! I guess it's harder to get back into the swing after vacation than I thought. Or perhaps it was just a blonde moment.

Whatever the reason, I am here today with a new card!

I created this card using a sketch on Jen's blog. For the card base, I used a pre-printed A*Muse square note card. I love these little note cards but hardly ever use them because they are too cute and I don't want to not have any! Silly, I know! But I'm trying!!

Items Used:
Cardstock: A*Muse Notecard, Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Regal Rose, Rose Red
*Images: A*Muse, Stampin' Up All Holidays
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Whisper White Craft and Basic Black Classic
*Embellishments: White Embossing Powder


Stay tuned because I used many of the elements of this sketch on another card that will show up later this week!

Hopefully the rain outside today means I will find my mojo and spend some time crafting... wish me luck!

Monday, August 06, 2007

*Barb's Bingo*

There's another game of Blogger Bingo about to start, very similar to the one that was done over at Poetic Artistry. This time, our host is Barb. Everyone who signed up to play received a unique Bingo card from Barb. She will call a number daily starting on August 7th. To speed up the calling process, she has posted a card sketch... by posting a card using that sketch and then telling Barb, an extra number will be called (one for each card that uses the sketch).

Because it's Bingo, Barb went with a Bingo sketch!

My card uses a standard-sized card front with 3/4" squares of paper from five different pieces of the Basic Grey Perhaps line.

I'm not thrilled with the card... I think that the sentiment across the top needed to be larger.

items used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up Whisper White
*Paper: Basic Grey Phoebe
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Basic Black and Purely Pomegranate
*Images: Stampin' Up! All Holidays and In The Spotlight
*Tools: Stampin' Up! Snow Blossom Punch, pop dot (under the flower)

Saturday, August 04, 2007

*Wedding Invitation*

I just realized the other day that I never shared with you the wedding invitations I did for my friends Mona and Chuck. This was the wedding that we were at on the beach in Courtenay/Comox BC a few weeks ago.

Chuck and Mo had the photo of them (with their son Liam) taken in their home in BC by a professional photographer and then sent it to me via email. I then had 75 of them printed off at Blacks. The white you see around the photo is the actual photo border. I layered this on to a piece of shimmery silver cardstock and added a layer of paper weight vellum on top that I printed off my computer (with a laser printer) . The only thing holding it all together is the white sheer ribbon with a silver thread through it.

I was so tickled that Chuck and Mo asked me to make these for them... was so happy to be a part of their big day!

Congratulations and Best Wishes Mona, Chuck and Liam!!

*Blog Style Scattergories*

I saw this over on Jen's Blog and thought it would be fun...

For each question your answer has to start with the same letter that your first name starts with. For boy/girl names the name can't be the same as your own. I challenge you to try this out with YOUR name.

Your Name: Nancy
Famous Artist/Band/Musician: Nickleback
4 letter word: Neck
Vehicle: Nissan
TV SHOW: Night Court
City/Town: Nice (in France)
Boy Name: Nicholas
Girl Name: Nicole
Occupation: Nail Technician
Something you wear: Necklace
Celebrity: Naomi Watts
Food: nanaimo bars
Something found in a kitchen: nutmeg
Reason for Being Late: no gas
Cartoon Character: Nemo
Something You Shout: Nimcompoop!!

*This Weeks' Mail*

I was the lucky recipient of several more cards this week! Many of these are from the Blogger RAK Club at Splitcoast Stampers, some are from members of the YahooGroup for Canadian stampers that I moderate called CST.

From top left to bottom right the cards are from:
*Allison
*Natalie (CST)
*Melissa
*Simone
*Charly
*Allison (again)
*Cindy (CST and SCS)

Thank you all SO much for the beautiful cards!!!

Friday, August 03, 2007

*Flashback Friday*

Today's Flashback Friday contains more than a Flashback card... but also a Flashback encounter that happened last night!

Before heading off to bed, I decided to check my email. There was an email from someone I haven't chatted to in years. Her name is Emily and back before Matthew started school (and Alex was in grade 1), she was the Administrative Secretary at the kids' school. I would spend a lot of time volunteering and eventually working in the office with Emily and we always had a lot of fun together. When she retired from her job, I was so sad... I could hardly get through the part I had as School Council Chair in her farewell assembly.

A few years back I had dinner with Emily and the current Administrative Secretary at the elementary school, but we lost touch after that. Emily and her husband Ned were traveling in their motor home in their retirement.

Emily found me last night, through my blog!! She started doing paper embroidery with a group at one of the parks they stayed at in BC. When they moved to Saskatoon, the wives of her husbands curling buddies all did paper embroidery as well. They are all now card makers using a variety of techniques and products.

And Emily happened to stumble across my blog. How cool is that??

So this is a shout to Emily.... I'm so glad you emailed!!! You brought a total smile to my face.

And my card is for Emily too.... one of my paper embroidery cards from 2003!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

*I Need To Stamp!!!!*

OH NO! This is the last card I have on hand to be able to share with you all. I went down to my stamp space to play on Monday but I couldn't produce anything more than mounting a set and tidying up my space. I just didn't have a creative bone in my body apparently. So, if there are no new card posts for a while, I hope you will forgive me!

Have I told you yet that I love this set? It's so simple and elegant. Not to mention my love of flourishes!

Most of the cards I've seen using this set have the flourish going across the card instead of up and down. I found it fit perfectly on the smaller layer of the card and just loved how it looked that way.

items used: All Items Stampin' Up!
*Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate
*Ink: Basic Black and River Rock
*Images: Baroque Motifs

Maybe this is the set I should pull out to try to play with today.... hmmmmmm