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Thursday, November 29, 2012

*Stolen From Pinterest*

This card was quick and easy... and I totally stole the idea from a card I saw on Pinterest.  I used an embossing folder for the middle panel, used my Perfect Layers to create a red layer, put it all on a white card.  I then cut the bottom of the card with a scallop punch and added a red strip.  To finish it all off I used some Christmas Red Stickles on the scallops as well as for the berries for the holly.
See?  Easy!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

*Four Square Christmas*

You've seen a card like this on my blog before... but this time I used Christmas papers.  I think that the bling I used to was too big... it's this great mesh backed bling that you can cut to the size and shape you want....  pretty cool....

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

*Red and White Snowflakes*

I saw a card on Pinterest the other day that had red and white snowflakes....  I was in love with it as soon as I saw it.... so I had to make my own...
I used patterned papers for the Spellbinders snowflakes and added a glittered brad in the centre of each.  Quick and easy to put together.

Monday, November 26, 2012

*Washi Tape Christmas*

Less than a month until Christmas....  and I will be spending my day off at the mall putting a big dent in my Christmas shopping.  I know what I want to buy, I just have to buy it.  I'm trying hard to not panic at all I want to get accomplished before Christmas.  I wish I had been better prepared before I went back to work!

Speaking of work... it's been 3 weeks and I'm enjoying it.  I am getting used to the hours and the long days, and even getting used to working for 6 hours on a Saturday.  Everyone I work with is fun and friendly and our patients are very nice.  I don't like getting out of bed to go to work, but once I'm there I have a good time.

I created this card while I was in Ontario at the retreat with my sister...  washi tape sure makes a quick and easy background!
Enjoy your Monday!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

*FTL218*

We've had another snowy week here in Calgary....  last weekend was warm enough that snow was melting but the shade that hits the front of our house meant that the snow didn't melt on the roof.  It was finally clearing up on Monday so Bruce took some time off of work on Tuesday so he could put the Christmas lights up.  Tuesday we hit our daytime high at 3am and by morning it was foggy and there was a layer of frost on the roof.  By the time he got home after lunch it had started to snow a bit.... and now it's snowed some more and I am not at all sure that we will have Christmas lights on the house this year....

I love this sketch from the Clean and Simple Stamping blog.... I saw it and knew I had to play with the Martha Stewart snowflake punches I just purchased...
All of the cardstock I used was shimmery....  so in real life, this card just sparkles!

I hope you'll play along with us this week!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

*Strips of Paper*

Another quick and easy card that's a great way to use up strips of patterned paper....  I used left overs from a paper pad I have.... I love paper pads as the papers all go together.  I really like that many of the paper companies have done 6X6 pads... the 12X12 pads often have patterns that are too large for cards.
I've been making a lot of white based cards lately....  hmmmmm

Monday, November 19, 2012

*Swirls and Snowflakes*

Another Monday... it's nice to have them off of work!  I don't dread Monday like most people.  Saturday morning I'm not a happy camper, but at least the office is very busy on Saturdays and the hours I am there just fly by.

This morning I am off to babysit my favourite 3 year old and her little sister for a bit while their Mommy heads off for a much needed massage.  I'm looking forward to it.  They are such cute little girls!  And after that, I'm heading downtown to meet a few of my former co-workers for lunch.  Yum!

I created this Christmas card while I was in Ontario at the retreat with my sister back in October.  It turned out OK but it looked so much better in my head....
Enjoy your day!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

*FTL217*

It's time for another weekly sketch over at the Clean and Simple Stamping blog....  I almost got away with not using a stamp on this card but needed a sentiment for the label layer.  I thought that this one (by Penny Black) suited the feel of the card perfectly.  I outlined the Spellbinders label with a marker to help make it pop... sure wish my Perfect Layers Tools could do curvy bits LOL!
Most of the elements of this card are from a Bella Blvd sheet I purchased last year.  I wish I had bought more than one!

I hope you can play along with us this week!  Check out the Clean and Simple Stamping website to see some more ideas and to add your card to the linking tool!

Cheers

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

*Three Simple Snowflakes*

I am really loving this new Gumball Green ink from Stampin' Up.... it's a great Christmas green in my opinion.

This was a very quick and easy card to put together thanks to clear stamps and my Perfect Layers Tools!
Have you started your Christmas cards yet?

Monday, November 12, 2012

*A Laugh Is A Smile That Bursts*

Happy Monday morning friends...  the weather has warmed up in Calgary and the snow stopped (but not until we had almost 9 inches of snow fall).  It's amazing how warm the freezing mark (or just above) feels after a few days of cold weather.

I am off today... in fact, I will always be off on Mondays as the office is closed on Mondays.  Bruce is home today as well as his office is closed to mark the Remembrance Day holiday (which was yesterday).  Strangely enough, the kids had to go to school.

I am hoping to spend my day working on Christmas cards...  let's hope Mr. Mojo cooperates!

I created this card when I had some friends over a few weeks ago....  I love the look of the black and white on the Kraft cardstock.
Enjoy the rest of your day!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

*FTL216*

Good morning my friends... I am up and ready to head to work....  I am going to assume that Saturdays will be busy at the clinic and that the four or five hours will FLY by....  That's what will make working Saturdays easier to take....  that the hours will fly by.

The Fall To Layout at the Clean and Simple Stamping Blog is a quick and easy one this week....  I used embossing at the top of my layer, but I think you could do some all over random stamping or use a large background stamp as well.  I hope you'll play along and link your card to the challenge!!
I might try this card in reverse....  a white base with perhaps a shimmer blue layer that is embossed with the sentiment embossing in white....

Have a great day!

Thursday, November 08, 2012

*Four Squares Happy Birthday*

Just a quickie post for me.... work has been going well.  I'm not working my regular schedule this week as they are training me.  My first days were shorter and I worked Tuesday when normally I wouldn't.  Today I am working a full shift... it's going to be a long day.  I will be there from 8:30 until at least 6:30....

My head is swimming with information and I'm good and tired at night...  but it will all get easier.  I remember this feeling from a year ago when I went back to work.  It just takes time to get used to a new routine and to using my brain in a different way.

I honestly think that the hardest part of my job will be remembering patient names.... I am not good with names at the best of time, no matter how good my intentions are.  Hopefully it comes with time and gets easier.

Another non-Christmas card to share....  although I did make a very similar card as a Christmas card while I was at the retreat in Ontario a few weeks ago.  I like this one better....
I used some old papers from Stampin' Up and rounded two corners on each square with my Corner Chomper.  I added some pearls and a sentiment and voila!

Monday, November 05, 2012

*Hope Your Day is Fabulous*

It's a Monday, I was awake earlier than I wanted to be, but it's all good.  Just more time to get things accomplished.

I decided last week to put my laptop back in the basement at my stamping desk and have left my iPad by where I sit on the couch.  I have actually come down here every day since then.  I haven't crafted every day, but in less than a week I have finished four cards and have one that needs a ribbon and a sentiment.  I think this was the best decision I have made in a while as this is the most creative I've been at home in a year.

Other news in my world is that I'm going back to work, again.  I went back to work full time on November 7th of last year and was laid off 7 months later.  I took the summer off and started looking for work again in September.  I've sent out more than 50 resumes and have had NO bites.

Then, while I was in Ontario, I had a phone call... my chiropractors office was calling, which is strange.  The last time one of the chiropractors called was in the spring when they offered me a job.  I turned them down as I was working full time and was happy where I was.  Well, 10 days ago, I was offered the job again... and this time I accepted.  

I head back to work, slightly less than full time, tomorrow (November 6th).  I will have Sunday to Tuesday off most weeks which gives me both time with my family and time to myself.  I have to give up a few hours on Saturday, but I think I can be OK with that in time.  

I'm really excited about working in this office.... I've been a patient there for 3 years and have always found it welcoming, relaxing, fun and friendly.  

We'll have to see how the new schedule works out with card making... I think it can work!

Here's a card I made a while back....  Heartfelt Creations dies cut out of white cardstock and coloured with red Copics.... and a great flourish by Inkadinkadoo.  The sentiment is by PTI



Saturday, November 03, 2012

*FTL215*

I love love love these intricate dies from Memory Box....  they are just so beautiful!  If you happen to purchase some for yourself, save yourself some grief and order the metal shim as well....  it makes the cut cardstock just pop out of the die, saving you a lot of grief and wasted cardstock.

For those wondering, I use my Xyron to put adhesive on the backs of my intricate die cuts.  The glue pen (the one that looks like a gel pen) dries too fast for the larger dies and I found that my Mono Multi just made a mess.  I ended up buying a Xyron with a 5.5" base to fit all of the dies I have by Memory Box.


Thursday, November 01, 2012

*FTL214*

Happy November my friends!!!  Where on earth did October go?  It seems to me that the older I get, the fast time flies by!

Did I warn you the other day that the majority of my card will be Christmas cards???  

I used to make some different prototypes of cards and then decide on one favourite and make that design for all of my Christmas cards... the last few years I've made mostly single designs and sent those off.  If my deadline is approaching and I'm short on cards I will choose a few designs to make extras of and make a dozen of those instead of trying to make all different designs.
I'm not sure about this card... I love the new Gumball Green by Stampin' Up but on this card, I think it's too much solid green on the bottom of the front panel...  perhaps I should have done some embossing down there....

I hope you'll play along with our sketch this week... as always, our sketches are "current" for two weeks, meaning you have more time to post your card using the linking tool at the end of the post on the Clean and Simple Stamping blog (the link is in my left sidebar!).