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Saturday, December 31, 2011

*My Traditional New Years Post*

And here it is....  the last day of 2011....  a year that was definitely better than 2010.  It was a year filled with laughter, smiles, sadness, struggles, friends, family, fun, work.... 

This year I turned 41, celebrated 20 years of marriage to my best friend, traveled to see my sister, attended a family reunion, struggled with some stuff, loved my children, started a new job, dyed my hair, sat on three design teams, read lots of books, watched my boys turn 14 and 16, and wondered how in the hell time has gone by so fast!

As I have done for the last few years, I am here on the last day of 2011 to share one favourite card from each month .... cards I have created this year..... (the count for cards this year is 211 different designs although I have yet to share four of them with you).

JANUARY

FEBRUARY


MARCH


APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

And with that, I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Friday, December 30, 2011

*Winding Down*

I can't believe that the hustle and bustle of Christmas is done for another year.  We un-decorated the house the other day and the outside lights will be turned off for another season in a day or two.  I will miss seeing the beautiful Christmas lights when we're out and about... I think it's one of my favourite things about the season.

I have just a few more Christmas cards to share with you over the next few days... and sadly I have nothing else!  I really need to find some time in my creative space!  My niece left for home this morning (sniff sniff).  It's both good and bad.... bad that she's gone but good that Alex can have his room back so my sister and I can take over the basement and craft a little!

I can't believe I go back to work in a few days!  Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

But for now, a Christmas card to share with you....
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Real Red
*Ink: black Micron pen
*Embellishments: Echo Park stickers



Talk about a quick and easy card using some punch outs from an Echo Park sheet!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

*Use It Tuesday #22*

Welcome to another challenge with the Use It Tuesday Design Team!!!  Today marks my last post as a member of this fun Design Team.  I hope to find the time to play along with them each week, and use a little more of the stuff I have been hoarding away over the years!

This week we were challenged to create a card using our favourite team's colours.  I was going to go with Green and White for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL Football) but I couldn't come up with something I liked.... instead I went with the Calgary Flames colours of Red, White and Black.  I suppose I should have had a little yellow in there too.... oh well.

I know it's past Christmas and all, but I was still in a Christmas Card Making Mood when I created this one...

The items from my stash are the black linen cardstock that I've had forever, as well as the glittered brads that I bought way back when I worked at the scrapbook store.

Items Used:  
*Cardstock: PTI White; black linen
*Patterned Paper:  Echo Park
*Images: Serendipity
*Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Embellishments: Doodlebug Sugared brads

*Challenges:  UseItTuesday#22

I hope you'll take some time to play along with us!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

*It's Christmas Eve*

Happy Christmas Eve to everyone....  I hope that you are busy with holiday preparations, family and friends, laughter and fun!  And I hope none of you are going to have to brave the stores today!!!

I am both excited for Christmas and a little sad this year....  this is our first traditional Christmas since my Mom died in September 2010.  Last year we escaped the sadness and went on a 10 day cruise over Christmas and New Years.  It's strange to have been planning a traditional Christmas without my parents.

We will be sharing tomorrow my with my father in law and one brother in law as well as friends of ours.  There will be 10 of us for dinner.  And on the 26th my sister and niece arrive for a short visit.

I know tomorrow will be filled with mixed emotions....  and memories and laughter.

I hope you all find some peace a joy this holiday season.... Merry Christmas!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Pattern Paper: My Mindy's Eye
*Images: Penny Black
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Garden Green
*Tools: Perfect Layers; Stampin' Up! scallop border punch
*Embellishments: Kaiser pearls



I love how clean this card looks....  while being festive and fun!

Again, I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 23, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #47*

Welcome to another Playing in Paradise Challenge!  This is our last challenge of 2011 as the Design Team is taking a little break for Christmas.  We will be back on January 6th with a new challenge!

It's time for another one of Allison's versatile sketches... she likes to create sketches that can be used for cards or scrapbook layouts.

I absolutely LOVE this tree die by Memory Box....  it's amazing how detailed it is!

Items Used
*Cardstock: PTI White; Bazzill Bling
*Patterned Paper:  unknown
*Tools:  Big Shot; Memory Box die; Stampin' Up! scallop border punch
*Embellishments:  unknown ribbon

I invite you join us in playing this week... simply add your card to the links at the bottom of the challenge post HERE before midnight on Thursday for your chance to win a prize from Scrapbookers Paradise as well as a chance to play along with the Design Team in a future challenge.

Take a few minutes to check out what the rest of the Design Team has been up to...

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

*Swirls and Dots*

Happy Hump Day!  The week is getting close to winding down and we are another day closer to family, friends, celebrations and fun!!!

The card I am sharing today is probably my favourite Christmas card from this year.  I love how simple it is!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Images: PTI Flourishes; Penny Black Winter Wonders
*Ink: VersaMagic Sage & Red Magic
*Embellishments: thickers


I liked this card so much that I made about 30 of them this year... problem was, I didn't have enough of the dots from Thickers to do that.  So I ended up changing it up a bit, using ScorTape on a piece of cardstock and covered it with red Glitter Ritz glitter and burnishing it so it shone.  I also changed up the colours a bit, still going with red and green.  I also changed the sentiment to one that worked just a little better than this one.

Sadly, I didn't take a photo of one of the altered ones.

If I could have used just the thickers dots for this card, they would have been SO quick and easy... but punching all those dots out was time consuming... but totally worth it!

Monday, December 19, 2011

*Another Monday*

You know, I never really appreciated my weekends until I started working full time again....  and now it feels like weekends absolutely fly by!

We were supposed to go to Bruce's company Christmas party on Friday night but we bailed on it... Bruce had been home sick since Wednesday and we didn't think it was a good idea to show up to a party on Friday night.  I was a little disappointed but was content with a night in front of the TV with the family and a cozy blanket.

Saturday was a busy day around here... I made candycane bark and spudnuts.  Spudnuts are an old fashioned yeast donut that contains mashed potatoes as an added starch.  They took about 6 hours from making the dough, to rising, to rolling and cutting, to rising again, to frying.  A long process but totally worth it!  It was a little tough as it was the first time I was making them without my Mom.  I was worried I'd screw them up as I've only ever been the assistant LOL!

Saturday night we were off to a friends' house for their annual Christmas party.  Lots of food, lots of friends and lots of fun!

Sunday night was our bowling league where we had a potluck dinner while we bowled.  Always a fun time!

And here it is, Monday again.... sigh.  But, there are only 40 hours this week, between me and 10 days off!

I'm not in love with the card I'm about to show you... it's OK... but not my best...
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake, Real Red
*Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye
*Images: Inkadinkadoo Snowflake
*Ink: VersaMagic Aspen Mist
*Tools: Big Shot; Spellbinders Nestabilities (circles and Labels 4)
*Embellishments: Doodlebug Sugared Brad

Saturday, December 17, 2011

*Fall To Layout #171*

Good morning everyone....  this is the last Fall To Layout sketch on the Clean and Simple Stamping blog for a few weeks... the design team is taking a few weeks off and we'll be back in the New Year with some more of Natasha's great sketches....

We hope you will be able to play along with us with this sketch... it's clean and simple and fun to do!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Kraft, Early Espresso
*Pattern Paper: unknown
*Images: Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas
*Ink: Brilliance Coffee Bean;
*Tools: heat tool; Perfect Layers
*Embellishments: clear embossing powder; unknown brad covered with Glitter Ritz glitter; Petaloo flowers
*Challenges:  FTL#171



I love that the colours are rather untraditional for this Christmas card....  it truly became one of my favourites from this year!

Friday, December 16, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #46*

Welcome to another Playing in Paradise Challenge!  It's Merlie's turn to host the challenge and she's asked us to create a something using buttons!   You all know how much I don't like buttons, right ???  LOL!!!
I borrowed the idea for my card from Miss Merlie herself... she made one similar to this last year... before my button addiction began...

Items Used
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Bazzill Bling
*Embellishments:  assorted buttons; unknown ribbon
*Tools:  Perfect Layers; black marker

I invite you join us in playing this week... simply add your card to the links at the bottom of the challenge post HERE before midnight on Thursday for your chance to win a prize from Scrapbookers Paradise as well as a chance to play along with the Design Team in a future challenge.

Take a few minutes to check out what the rest of the Design Team has been up to...

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

*Seasons Greetings*

Another pretty simple Christmas card for you today....  and not much chatter at all LOL!
Items Used:
*Cardstock: Bazzill Bling; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye
*Images: Penny Black Winter Wonders
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: Perfect Layers
*Embellishments: unknown snowflake brad

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

*Use It Tuesday #21*

Welcome to another challenge with the Use It Tuesday Design Team!!!  The new design team has been chosen and they are busy working on their creations for the New Year.  This is my second to last post as a member of the Design Team... I'm going to miss it... I sure hope I have time to play along as it has been a great way to use some of the stuff in my stash!!

The challenge this time around was a holiday theme....
I had some fun with this card, using some snowflake brads that I seemed to have a thousand of as well as some great shimmer cardstock I bought on a trip to BC about 4 years ago and never bothered to grab off my shelf to use!  I am happy to say that after using a lot of these brads this year, I am down to about a dozen of them.... I bought a bunch of them a few years ago for a card I was making as my main Christmas card.  I ordered them online somewhere then found out there was a delay for me to get them so I ordered more from somewhere else that could get them to me quicker....  and both orders of course showed up, leaving me with about 200 of them!

Items Used:  
*Cardstock: PTI White; unknown shimmer cardstock 
*Images: PTI Signature Christmas
*Ink:  Blue Encore Ultimate Metallic
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Embellishments: unknown snowflake brads

*Challenges:  UseItTuesday#21

I hope you'll take some time to play along with us!

Monday, December 12, 2011

*Two Weeks???*

Actually, it's less than two weeks!  Two weeks from now we're all waking up with a turkey and present hangover!  I can't believe how fast time is flying by!

I had a busy last week... I got my cards addressed and signed and popped in to the mail, I came closer to being finished my shopping and I got more than half of my Christmas baking done!

I WILL BE READY!  I hope! LOL!

This is a quick and simple card... all put together with pieces from My Mind's Eye...
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye
*Embellishments: glittered dome stickers by Mark Richards

Saturday, December 10, 2011

*Fall To Layout #170*

Natasha came up with another great sketch this week.... and I knew as soon as I saw it that it needed snowflakes.  I only wish I had used a darker layer as a thin mat behind my blue layer, to add a little more dimension....
Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Bazzill Bling
*Images: Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas
*Ink: Silver Encore Ultimate Metallic
*Tools: Marvy snowflake punch; heat tool
*Embellishments: dollar store bling; unknown ribbon; Stampin' Up! Iridescent Ice embossing powder
*Challenges: FTL170



Please head on over to the Clean and Simple blog (the link is in my left sidebar) and play along with us this week!!  Natasha's sketches are a lot of fun!

Friday, December 09, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #45*

Welcome to another Playing in Paradise Challenge!  It's Tracy's turn to host the challenge and she's asked us to create a something using a tree...
I bought this stamp while I was visiting my sister in Ontario in October and had a lot of fun glittering it up a little bit!  This card is one of my favourites from this year....
Items Used
*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake, Bravo Burgundy
*Images:  Penny Black; Kaiser Christmas Sentiments
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Bravo Burgundy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Embellishments:  Stickles; unknown ribbon


I invite you join us in playing this week... simply add your card to the links at the bottom of the challenge post HERE before midnight on Thursday for your chance to win a prize from Scrapbookers Paradise as well as a chance to play along with the Design Team in a future challenge.

Take a few minutes to check out what the rest of the Design Team has been up to...

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

*Snowpile*

Have I told you lately, how much I LOVE my Perfect Layers tools???  I use them on any card that has mats. I know a lot of you think it's just easier to use your ruler to measure the size you want and then use your paper trimmer to cut to that size... but I find that no matter how much I love my paper trimmer, it's never exact for the smaller measurements....  and then there is the whole thing about trying to put the top layer on the next layer and making sure everything is straight.

With my Perfect Layers tool, it truly is a perfect layer every time!  And it's so easy!  I cut my top layer to size and then adhere it to a piece of cardstock that is slightly larger than what I want my second layer to be.  I then choose the right measurement on the Perfect Layers tool, catch the top layer on the ridge on the back of the Perfect Layers tool and use my cutting knife along the edge of the ruler to cut the mat layer.  My mat is always straight and the reveal is always even!!

I used my Perfect Layers a few times on this card, creating different sized layers and mats for this fun card....
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Pattern Paper: Echo Park
*Images: WhipperSnapper
*Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black; assorted markers; Sakura Stardust gel pen
*Tools: Perfect Layers tool





I'm excited that the people over at Perfect Layers have done their research and have found a shipping option to Canada that is almost half of what they had been charging, making these tools very affordable for everyone!

If you click on the Perfect Layers ad in my sidebar you can order your own set of rulers.... use the coupon code nelrick5% at the checkout and you'll get 5% off your order too!!  If you've been a good little paper crafter, maybe you can even ask Santa for this awesome tool for Christmas!

Monday, December 05, 2011

*Wishes For A Joyous Season*

We got a big dump of snow on Saturday night.... combine that with us decorating the house this weekend and you can truly say it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  I can't believe we're in to December all ready!  I hope to get some baking done soon... I'm not doing a lot but am making a single batch of one favourite of each of ours.

I have another very simple and easy card to share with you today.... I have really been enjoying the Kraft cardstock for Christmas cards this year.
Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White; Stampin' Up! Kraft
*Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye; Echo Park
*Images: Penny Black
*Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
*Tools: Perfect Layers

Saturday, December 03, 2011

*Fall To Layout #169*

Just a fly by from me today....  just long enough to share my take on the current sketch over at the Clean and Simple Stamping blog....  I sure hope you will find some time to play along with us this week!
I abosolutely LOVE this scroll work tree die by MemoryBox....  I needed to add a couple of cardstock shims to get it to cut perfectly but other than that, it makes beautiful cuts!  The excess pieces popped out so easily!  I have found out from some friends who have used these dies before that I could have run it through my Big Shot with SookWang (Scor Tape) on the back of the cardstock... instead I tried gluing with this card... not easy!  Next time I will put the tape on the card and then cut!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PTI White; silver shimmer; Stampin' Up! Garden Green
*Pattern Paper: Imaginisce
*Images: Penny Black Winter Wonders
*Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black
*Tools: Big Shot; Spellbinders Nestabilities; MemoryBox die
*Embellishments: Sakura Stardust gel pen
*Challenges:  FTL169

Friday, December 02, 2011

*Playing in Paradise #44*

Welcome to an other Playing in Paradise Challenge!  We hope that you will have some fun playing along with us this week, making a monochromatic creation!
I really love the look of white on white... so that's what I decided to play with.... and I added a little sparkle for some dimension.

Items Used:
*Cardstock: PTI White
*Ink:  Versamagic
*Tools:  Marvy snowflake punch
*Embellishments:  Ultrafine clear glitter on Scor-Tape; Stampin' Up! Iridescent Ice embossing powder


I invite you join us in playing this week... simply add your card to the links at the bottom of the challenge post HERE before midnight on Thursday for your chance to win a prize from Scrapbookers Paradise as well as a chance to play along with the Design Team in a future challenge.

Take a few minutes to check out what the rest of the Design Team has been up to...

Thursday, December 01, 2011

*Happy December!*

It's December 1st.... amazing!  I am off to the big Christmas craft fair tonight with a couple of friends (Festival of Crafts) and I hope to do a little more Christmas shopping while there.  I managed to do a bunch of my Christmas shopping last Friday afternoon.... have I mentioned how much I love having Friday afternoons off???    I have a few things I still want to get and then some stocking stuffers and I'm done!

Then it's time to write Christmas cards and wrap presents.  I think we will decorate the tree tomorrow night.
Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PTI White
*Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye; Echo Park
*Images: Kaiser Craft Christmas Sentiments
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Real Red
*Tools: Corner Chomper
*Embellishments: assorted buttons