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Monday, June 27, 2011

*Use It Tuesday #10*

It's time for another challenge from the team over at Use It Tuesday..... and this challenge is to use the colours Red, White and Blue in your card.... don't forget to use stuff that is hiding in your stash....
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Images: unknown sentiment
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler
*Embellishments: Michael's Bridal flowers (coloured with a Copic); unknown buttons; Twine from The Twinery; Viva Inca Gold in blue
*Challenges:  Use It Tuesday #10

Please take some time to visit the other members of the design team....

We are all looking forward to seeing what you come up with !


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Sunday, June 26, 2011

*Almost Summer*

The calendar says it's summer, the weather is getting closer, and school is out in a couple of days.... which means that we are almost to the part of the year where there are no alarm clocks on most days for the kids and I!

I LOVE IT!

FAB-YOU-LOUS!!!!

LOL

I had fun with the Clean and Simple Stamping sketch for this week.... I hope you'll play along with us!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango
*Pattern Paper: SEI
*Images: Hamptom Art
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: Sew Easy
*Embellishments: assorted buttons; Twinery twine
*Challenges:  FTL146

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Friday, June 24, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #21*

Happy Friday everyone!!!  It's so hard to believe it's the last Friday of June already!  Summer vacation is SO close!!!  I sure hope that we get less rain and more warmth than we had in Spring here in Calgary.....

It is my week to host the Playing in Paradise Challenge over on the Scrapbookers Paradise blog.... and I decided that since today marks 6 months before Christmas, that it would be fun for all of us to play around with some winter stamps and create a Christmas card!  For those who don't do Christmas, please feel free to create a winter themed card to share with us!!!

I had a lot of fun with this card.... using an image that I bought last year but that I totally forgot about!!!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Black cardstock
*Pattern Paper: unknown
*Images: Whippersnapper
*Ink: Memento Tuxedo BlackCopics
*Embellishments: PTI ribbon; Frosted Lace Stickles
*Challenges:  PlayingInParadise #21

Please check out the links in my left sidebar to see the other creations by the Playing in Paradise Design Team... and I hope you'll play along with us!!!
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Monday, June 20, 2011

*So Clean and Simple*

I am home again after my trip to see my sister...  I sure wish she lived closer.  I was sad to leave her yesterday but also happy to get home to my husband and the boyz.

At least I know I will be seeing her again in about a month... and I really hope she'll be coming to visit me in September.

We didn't do any crafting while I was there, but we did a little shopping... Scrapbook Queens in Mississauga, Stamp Art in London and Bizzy B's in Toronto.

I was able to get a few cards made before I went away, including the card using the sketch for this week at the Clean and Simple blog.  Please click on the link in my left side bar and see the sketch that Natasha came up with this week and play along with us... it truly is a clean and simple design!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Pattern Paper: Stampin' Up!
*Images: PTI Mega Mixed Messages; Verve
*Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics
*Embellishments: Kaiser Rhinestone
*Challenges:  FTL145

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Friday, June 17, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #20*

This week we are being challenged to create a card using a punch, stamps and cardstock... no other embellishments, no patterned papers.... just a punch, stamps and cardstock.  This wasn't a huge challenge for me, other than that I wanted to add some bling bling!!  But I resisted temptation!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Daffodil Delight
*Images: Stampin' Up! Baroque Motifs; TPC Studio Playful Expressions
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; VersaMark
*Tools: Martha Stewart border punch; heat tool
*Embellishments: white embossing powder
*Challenges:  Scrapbookers Paradise Playing In Paradise #20



I hope you will take a few minutes to check out the cards created by the other design team members... their blogs are listed in my sidebar on the left.

I also hope you'll be able to play along with us!!
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

*Still in Toronto*

I'm sorry for my lack of posts the last few days.... being away means a little less time on my computer... and my sister and niece end up being a great distraction as well!  I kinda lose track of my days.

Yesterday was the big College Graduation for my niece... she graduated from the Photography program at Fanshawe College in London Ontario.  It was great to be there for her moment on the stage!  While in London I also got to go shopping at Stamp Art.... and came out with some great new stuff.  We had hoped to get to Scrappin' Great Deals as well but there just wasn't enough time during our visit.

Today we are off to Bizzy B's in Toronto.... very close to one of the apartments Bruce and I lived in when we lived in Toronto many moons ago....  and we'll be stopping for pizza at the place that served our favourite pizza in Toronto!  I'm looking forward to spending the day with Heather, Rachael and our good friend Birute!

Today I am sharing with you my take on the sketch for this week at the Clean and Simple blog....
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Old Olive
*Images: Stampin' Up! Warmest Regards
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: unknown Cuttlebug folder; Big Shot; Stampin' Up! scallop border punch
*Embellishments:  PTI buttons
*Challenges:  FTL144

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Monday, June 13, 2011

*Use It Tuesday #9*

I am so excited that today is the first challenge for the new Design Team at the Use It Tuesday Blog.  I really hope that you will pop on over to the Blog and play along in the challenge!!  The best part of the Use It Tuesday challenges is that there are only two in each month (the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays) so there is LOTS of time to play!!!

Challenge #9 is to use a punch or a die that has been in your stash and never been used....  as soon as I saw the challenge I knew what I wanted to do.  A big thank you to my friend Irene for the inspiration behind this card....
Items Used: 
*Cardstock: PTI White; Bazzill Bling
*Images: Hampton Art
*Ink: Blue Encore Ultimate Metallic
*Tools: Big Shot; Nellie Snellen die; heat tool
*Embellishments: Kaiser Rhinestones; Blue Pearl embossing powder
*Challenges:  Use It Tuesday #9



There is a story behind this die....  I have a few Nellie Snellen dies that I got when Mom passed away.  Mom had bought them and used them for a while.  These dies come with a paper backing that join several different sizes of the shape (in this case, the fancy oval).  Mom brought them to my house for me to try out a few years ago and I was confused as to why you'd want these dies since they were all sizes joined together.  I played a little and decided I didn't like them.

At Christmas I received a beautiful Christmas card from my friend Irene, a card that looks amazingly similar to the card I've shared with you today.  And I asked Irene how she did it.  It was Irene who informed me that you were to cut those dies apart to use them!  I did a quick internet search and sure enough!  I wonder why Mom never knew that??!!  I have four die sets that I took from Mom's craft room, and all four were still attached together.

So I went to work cutting the pieces apart.... and they've sat in the binder with my Nestabilities, being ignored until this challenge came along.

So a big thanks to my Mom for buying these beautiful dies.... I know she'd be happy that I'm using them....  and a big thank you to Irene not only for the inspiration for my creation, but for telling me that it was OK to cut those dies apart!

Now, it's time for you to go visit the rest of the design team to see what they have created...
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Sunday, June 12, 2011

*Book Signing*

My friend Sharon Reinhart is going to be at the south Calgary Scrapbookers Paradise on Saturday, June 18th to do a make and take and to sign copies of her new Tea Bag Folding book.
This is the poster with the information.... I hope you'll be able to head over to Scrapbookers Paradise on Saturday to meet Sharon and get your copy of her fantastic new book!
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*Hello From Toronto*

Happy Sunday everyone!  I packed my bags and hopped on a plane yesterday and am in Toronto visiting my sister Heather.  My niece is graduating from college this coming week so I came out to see them and to attend Rachael's graduation.

After my flight landed yesterday, Heather and I went to Panera for a delicious lunch of baked potato soup in a bread bowl.  We then went off to the mall where I was on a quest to buy blush.  I got blush at her favourite store (Caryl Baker) and managed to get a mini-facial and make up application as well LOL!  We then had to hightail it to the house and change our clothes as I was Heather's date to her bowling banquet last night.  We ate a little, drank a little and danced a little.

We're not sure what our plans are for today... we're not being too ambitious yet as we're both still in our jammies!

I am having internet connection issues (it comes and goes... waiting to be able to talk to my hubby about it) so I hope to be able to get this to post....
Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Kraft, Cherry Cobbler
*Images: Stampin' Up! Best Yet
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Early Espresso
*Tools: Corner Chomper; Big Shot; Spellbinders Nestabilities
*Embellishments: Stampin' Up! Vanilla grosgrain
*Challenges:  Mojo194; ColourQ#88

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Friday, June 10, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #19*

It's time for another challenge over on the Scrapbookers Paradise Blog.... I hope that you will head on over to have a look a the inspiration challenge!!!  I had a tough time with this one as the image of the purse did not inspire me at all... but in the end, I really like the card that I came up with!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red, Kraft
*Images: Hamptom Art; A*Muse
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango
*Challenges:  Playing In Paradise #19



Please take some time to head on over to the blogs of the other members of the Design Team to see what they came up with in this challenge!  The links to their blogs are in the left sidebar!
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Wednesday, June 08, 2011

*Blogger In Draft*

I am using the new fandangled Blogger so please excuse how it might look.  The Blogger powers that be have rolled out the new Blogger interface in "draft" for about half of their users... if you're wondering if you've been included, go to draft.blogger.com  If you've been changed over, you'll see something completely different.

I have no idea if I like it yet or not... my settings claim that my signature is still set to post with this, but unlike the other version of Blogger, I can't see it.

I might have to do a little figuring to get things right.

I created this card on the weekend using the sketch from the Sweet Sunday blog and the challenge at Less Is More to use a monochromatic colour palette.
Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PTI White; Stampin' Up! Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up!
*Images:  PSX
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Regal Rose
*Tools:  Big Shot; Spellbinders Nestabilities; EK Success border punch
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! grosgrain ribbon;PTI button; Michael's Bridal flower
*Challenges:  SSS111; LIM#18

Monday, June 06, 2011

*Card #100!*

I am excited to be sharing card #100 with you today... the 100th card I've made in 2011!!  Since starting my blog, this is the earliest I've reached card #100.  On our about June 6th in 2010, I was at 55 cards....  2009 it was 44... 2008 was 66 and in 2007 it was 91.

Cool, eh?

I'm so glad that I started numbering my cards each year... I like having a record like that!

Today I am sharing the card I created for the current Clean and Simple challenge sketch... I really hope you'll head over to the blog (the link is in my sidebar) and see Natasha's sketch as well as what the other members of the Design Team have come up with... and play along!!!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Bazill Bling
*Pattern Paper: Stamp It Australia
*Images: Hero Arts; A*Muse
*Ink: Brilliance Sunflower Yellow; Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: Stampin' Up! scallop border punch
*Challenges:  FTL143

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Saturday, June 04, 2011

*It's Cold Out There!*

OK, time to complain about the weather... the forecast for today, just last night on the 11pm news, was for 19* C (that's about 66*F) and afternoon thundershowers.  Instead, we woke up to grey and drizzle and at 1pm it's a whopping 7*C (45*F) outside!!!  WTF??!!!  I had to turn the furnace on as I was just too cold in the house, even with my heavy sweater on!

The good news about the weather is that I don't feel guilty spending the day in my creative space.... let's see if I manage to get creative.

I did manage to get a little creative last night... made two cards!  I'm not honestly sure I love either of them, but whatever....

This card using the current colours for the ColourQ challenge as well as the Casual Friday sketch challenge.
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede
*Images: A*Muse
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Soft Suede
*Tools: Big Shot; Spellbinders Nestabilities; Stampin' Up! scallop border punch
*Challenges:  ColourQ#87; CFC#5



The more I look at this card, the more I wish I had sent the one white layer (right under the sentiment) through my Big Shot with an embossing folder....  Otherwise I'm OK with this card... the mostly white with a few blasts of colour was the look I was going for.... didn't get it perfect, but I will try again!

Thanks for popping by!
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Friday, June 03, 2011

*Big News For Me!!*

I am SO VERY EXCITED to be able to finally share some big news with you!

I woke up on Monday morning to a wonderful email in my inbox, inviting me to join the Design Team over at the Use It Tuesday blog!!!  This is a new challenge blog and this is their first Design Team.  I will be working with them until the end of December.


What I love about this challenge blog is that they encourage you to dig in to your stash and play with things you've been hoarding or holding on to.... or have even forgotten about.  I also like that they only two challenges a month (the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month) giving participants lots of time to create and lots of time to get it posted!

I went through all of the challenges so far (there have been 8) and I have played in all of them!  YAY ME!

Please take a little time to check out the other members of the Design Team....


I hope you'll play along with us with our next challenge which will be announced on the 14th of June!
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*Remember Moments*

This has been a crazy busy week.... and when I've had time to create I've managed to waste my time with blog surfing and TV.  My mind just hasn't been feeling creative over the last few days.

But I *need* to get busy as I am running out cards to share!!!!

It feels so strange to be alone in my craft room on a Friday night... but Bruce is doing his thing on his computer, Matthew is doing his thing and Alex is out of town to compete at a TaeKwon Do tournament.

I sure hope I can get some cards created rather than just thinking about it!

I created this card earlier this week... in fact, I think it was Monday... I remember because I was shocked that I was actually playing with the MojoMonday sketch on the Monday it was posted!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up Basic Black, Almost Amethyst
*Pattern Paper: Stampin' Up!
*Images: TPC Studio Playful Expressions; Heartfelt Creations Posy Patch
*Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black; Certainly Celery marker
*Tools: Big Shot; Heartfelt Creations Posy Patch die
*Embellishments: Stampin' Up! grosgrain ribbon; Kasier rhinestone
*Challenges:  Mojo193

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*Playing in Paradise #18*

I wasn't too sure about doing "Paper Piecing" this week for the challenge over at the Scrapbookers Paradise blog as I've never paper pieced before in my life.  Thankfully Shannon (see her blog link with the CalGals) talked me through some ideas so I inked up a great flower stamp and created some flowers out of patterned paper.
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Marina Mist
*Images: Verve; A Muse
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: Big Shot; Sizzix embossing folder; Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 6
*Embellishments: Kaiser rhinestones
*Challenges:  Playing In Paradise #18



I stamped the flower two times on each patterned paper and have layered the two pieces together for each flower, bending up the petals on the top layer just a little bit to add some dimension.

Please pop over to see what the other members of the Challenge Team came up with for this challenge (their links are on the left side under the Scrapbookers Paradise Challenge.

I hope you'll find some time to play along this week!
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Wednesday, June 01, 2011

*Very Clean and Simple!*

The challenge over at Less Is More this week is to choose one of four squares in a card (top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right or centre) and create only in that one square (a little overlap is OK) leaving the rest of the card blank.

I love love love cards like this.... lots of white space, clean and simple, quick and easy!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Images: Stampin' Up! Baroque Motifs; A Muse

*Ink: Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango
*Embellishments: Kaiser Rhinestones
*Challenges:  LessIsMore#17

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