*Birthday Bash Instagram Hop*

 Welp... after a personal accomplishment of remembering to use the moodboard to go along with the theme of last months Birthday Bash Instagram Hop, I completely forgot about the moodboard this month.  Our theme is Punny or Adult Humour...  I was going to go with some inappropriate stamps I have but then remembered this Pissy Kitty set and decided to play with it instead.  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  Unity Pissy Party

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Brother Scan n Cut

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 I joined a new cardmaking Instagram hop... this one is called Card Clubhouse.  We will be hopping every second week, playing with a different common theme.  Our theme for this week is Warm Welcome!  We are using new supplies, tools or techniques to make a card to make someone feel welcomed or at home.

I went a little off the rails with my card... my stamp set is new but I went with a literal "warm" as the stamp I chose to use was warm hats (or toques up here in Canada)

Card Info

*Stamps:  Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Warm Winter Wishes; MFT Polar Penguins

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Embellishments:  Twinkle Stickles

*Challenges:  AAA Birthday

*BYSHC Christmas in July Linky Party*

It honestly feels like we just finished up the Spring Into Christmas Holiday Linky Party, but here we are again with the Christmas in July event!  We have more prizes than ever for this event!  How do you win?  Just link up a Christmas Card to the linky tool on the BYSHC Blog.  Every Christmas or Holiday card you post gets you an entry in to the draw for prizes!

Take a look at this wonderful list of sponsors!!!

Tawny Owl Paperie

A Colorful Life Designs

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Club Scrap

Crafty Stamp Co. {NEW}

Creative Worship Stamps

Digi Doodle Studios {NEW}

Fresh & Renewed with Teresa

Gina K. Designs

Gina Marie Designs

Jaded Blossom

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps {New}

Lawn Fawn

Markers, Ink & Paper - Cathy Preissing

Newton's Nook Designs

Not 2 Shabby

Pink & Main

RAM Stamps

Taylored Expressions

The Greeting Farm {NEW!}

Therm O Web

Twiddler's Nook

Unity Stamp Co.

I had a lot of fun playing with this cute penguin stamp from our NEW sponsor Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!  What could be more fun than a rainbow of penguins to wish you a Merry Christmas!  I stamped these cuties with Memento Ink, coloured them with Copics and then cut them with my Brother Scan 'n Cut.

Card Info

*Paper:  Doodlebug Designs
*Stamps:  Kraftin' Kimmie It's Penguining to Look A Lot Like Christmasw
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics; Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Etc:  Therm O Web foam adhesive
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Time Out Challenges #276*

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... and for the next two weeks we are encouraging you to show us your cozy cards!  You can interpret this however you'd like, as long as we can see how your card is "cozy".

I pulled out some ugly Christmas sweaters and a cable knit embossing folder to make my card.  These sweaters were a 12x12 piece of paper from Photoplay... I bought a couple of them and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut them all out.  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Shaded Spruce

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Cable Knit

*Tools: Perfect Layers; Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #276

*CAS Colours & Sketches #477*

Patricia is our host for the month of July at CAS Colours & Sketches... she chose this wonderfully right colour palette for our first challenge this month.

Being a part of this design team, I have discovered that I am much better at sketch challenges than I am with colour challenges.  When I was only playing along, if the colours didn't speak to me, I didn't play.  If the colours were at all challenging to me, I didn't play.  But now I *have* to play each week and it's hard sometimes!

This was one of those weeks!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  gold mirror; Stampin' Up! Night of Navy, Merry Merlot

*Images:  Paper Rose Studio Cleo Floral Butterfly

*Ink:  Versamark; Copics

*Dies:  MFT Hello

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  Stampin' Up! gold embossing powder

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #477

*Little Snowman*

I just love these little snowmen stamps and dies... I should use them more often!  I had this guy in my dish of extras and worked with some other things to come up with this design.  I'm glad I didn't get rid of him when he didn't work on another project.

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue' white glitter

*Images:  Mama Elephant Little Snowmen Agenda; Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies: Stampin' Up! Stitched Snowflakes

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut; Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Mini Iridescent Bubbles

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Until Further Notice*

I decided I should try my hand at some card with a more fall palette...  these are not "go to" colours for me, even though I think they look great.  

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Leafy; Catherine Pooler Good Things

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Rouge, Mandarin Spice, Sauna, Eucalyptus

*Tools: Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Embellishments:  Studio Katia

*CASology #363*

It's time for another clean and simple card challenge with the design team at CASology!  We are looking to see your take on the cue of SKYLINE in a clean and simple card.  We encourage you to embrace that plain space on your card... resist the urge to decorate it!  Please link up your creations on the CASology Blog for a chance to be a guest designer on a future challenge!

I had a tough time with this cue card, as I don't really have any skyline stamps.... except for this one Lawn Fawn set that looks very Chrsitmas-y.... so I made a Christmas card :-)

I love how so many inks react with water to create some interest in ink blended backgrounds... for this card I used some Distress Inks, but it works with other brands as well.  I also added a little sparkle with the Lawn Fawn Liquid Stardust.  I used the Scan 'n Cut to cut out the row of houses as I couldn't find my dies to do it... and I put that layer on foam tape to pop it up a little.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Shaded Lilac and Salty Ocean; Copics
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut; Tim Holtz blending tools
*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Liquid Stardust; Foam Tape

*A Million Thanks*

I don't use it a lot, but I sure do love my Brother Scan 'n Cut.... I still buy a lot of dies (and dies that match stamp sets) but there are many stamp sets I own that either didn't have dies to buy or I didn't buy the dies... and with my Scan 'n Cut, it really doesn't matter, most of the time.  It won't cut out the interior of images (and sometimes that's important) but it does a heck of a job on cutting out the outline of images.  I love that I'm not limited to the dies I own.  I used it on the floral image on this card... I set it to cut right along the edge of the image to avoid a white border... although since it's a white card base, it truly wouldn't have mattered.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Images:  Tonic Studios Summer Flowers; MFT Essential Sentiments
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; VersaMark; Copics
*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banner
*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Brother Scan 'n Cut; heat tool
*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Arctic Breeze Pearls
*Etc:  white embossing powder

*CASology #361*

The CASology team is back with a new cue card!  For the next two weeks, we want to see your take on the word "sweetheart".  Be sure to link it up at the CASology blog for your chance to be a guest designer on an upcoming challenge!

As I said on Sunday, I don't usually make Valentine's Day cards.  In fact, we could probably count on one hand how many Valentine's I've made in 22 years of card making!  I couldn't resist the new Lawn Fawn Stud Puffin stamp set when I was at my local stamp store so I threw in some heart dies to round out my purchase... and I'm really glad I did!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Patterned Paper:  silver glitter; MFT Black & White Stripes
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Stud Puffin
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Catherine Pooler Rockin' Red; Copics
*Dies:  Hero Arts Infinity Hearts
*Tools:  Gemini; Brother Scan 'n Cut; Perfect Layers

*Be Jolly*

I really love this Ho Ho Holidays set from Lawn Fawn.  Some great little sentiments as well a perfect little Santa. 

I also fell in love with a colour combination... I pulled the cardstock from my stash several days ago and I just kept staring at it, wondering what I wanted to do with it.  I knew I wanted to play with it but nothing was coming to my mind.  And then I saw sketch #403 at Freshly Made Sketches and I decided to try it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Call Me Clover, Real Red, Pool Party
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Ho Ho Holidays
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics
*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banner
*Tools:  Brother Scan n Cut; Perfect Layers; Big Shot
*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*Deck The Halls*

A quick and easy card for you all today...  I stamped up some holly leaves from a Catherine Pooler set and cut them out with my Brother Scan 'n Cut.  I suppose I could have just stamped them on the white panel, but by stamping and cutting them out I had the ability to play with their placement.  this card could easily be replicated to do multiples of them... especially by using the Scan 'n Cut to cut out the holly leaves.

Items Used
*Cardstock:  White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Images:  Catherine Pooler Tis The Season; Stampin' Up! Beautiful Baubles
*Ink:  Versamark; Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut; Perfect Layers; My Sweet Petunia Cut Align
*Embellishments:  Candy Cane Stickles; white embossing powder

*Plaid Joy*

Welcome to November!!!  I am in full Christmas Card Making Mode now....  with the odd non-Christmas card still to make it in to the mix.  I absolutely love making Christmas cards.  The largest part of my crafting collection is Christmas themed... and I'm not at all ashamed by that LOL!

I love cards like this that come to be by using a scrap (or scraps) that are on my desk.  Last year, when I purchased the Concord & 9th Plaid Background stamp, I played around with a few black and red colour combinations.  I used two of them last year and had one left.  Instead of throwing it out, I kept it in a bin on my desk... and I pulled it out while playing the other day and decided to see what I could do with it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler
*Images:  Catherine Pooler Tis the Season; Concord & 9th Plaid Background
*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt, Blackjack, Rockin' Red
*Dies:  MFT Filled With Joy
*Tools:  Perfecta Layers Tool; Brother Scan 'n Cut; Big Shot
*Embellishments:  red pearls

*Gnome Thanks*

I have seen so many cards using the adorable gnomes from MFT that I just had to buy the set.  I thought this little guy with the potted flowers would be great on a thank you card.

These two cards are pretty much the same... just different colours.  I used a We R Memory Keepers embossing folder on the fronts of the coloured layers.  I stamped the gnomes and coloured them with my Copics (I am very slow at colouring so I don't do it very often) and then cut them out using my Brother Scan N Cut.  I stamped the greeting on the white strips and coloured in the many with a Copic colour to match the background.  I put the white layer on a scrap of the coloured layer and used my Perfect Layers Tools to create the border.  I popped up the gnome with pop dots and put it all on to a white side fold card.

I've been using Copics for a lot of years, but have never really invested a lot of time to practicing or taking my time in the colouring... I have to tell you how proud I am of the green hat on the one gnome... I just love how it turned out!

*New Copics*

Before Christmas a friend posted to Facebook that she was selling a bunch of her crafting stuff.  Way back when, when I worked at the scrapbook store, I had almost a full set of Copics thanks to a great staff discount.  But after a while I found I was never really using them so I sold off most of them.  In the last several months, I've been missing them.... so I bought 122 Copics from my friend who was selling them and made myself a deal that I needed to play with them so I would learn to enjoy them more.

So on the 30th, while playing in the craft basement with my sister, I played a little.  I stamped these AlteNew flowers and coloured them up.  I then cut them out with my Brother Scan n Cut and layered them on a white card base.  I added a "happy" die cut that I layered three times and stamped the birthday underneath it.

I have a ways to go to be "good" at Copics, but I'm going to try!

*Colour on Kraft*

I wanted to create on the day I made this card... but I spent literally hours in my craft space with no ideas that I really wanted to execute.  I found a few cards where people had used coloured pencils on kraft cardstock and I thought I'd like to see what happens with my Copics on kraft.  The colours are quite muted in comparison to the coloured pencils....

I coloured the flowers and cut them out with the Scan N Cut and then didn't know what to do with them.

So I adhered them to the front of a kraft card, popped up the middle flower a bit and stamped the sentiment on the front.  Not my favourite card, but not horrible either.

*Good Friends*

I was at a Stampin' Up open house ad I saw this stamp set and *had* to have it...  I'm still playing around with the perfect look for it.

For this card I used a sponge dauber and Catherine Pooler inks to create the background.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and traced around the rubber with a pencil to create the shape.  I then put it through my Brother Scan n Cut to cut it out.  I added a few flowers I had stamped and cut out with my Scan n Cut.  I think maybe the white is a little to drastic, but I still like how it turned out

I sent this card to a friend for her birthday... I've known her since 1976!

I realized I haven't given an update on me since the summer.... 

In mid-July I ended up in the hospital with an infection at the site where they joined my colon to my small intestine.  I ended up in the hospital for 5 days on IV antibiotics.  July 25th, my 27th birthday, I met with my oncologist for the first time and found out that my tumour was a late stage 2 (or could be called early stage 3) so Bruce and I decided that to ensure that the cancer is truly gone I would undergo chemo treatments.  My oncologist told me it would be 2 weeks of pills, one week off for 8 rounds. 

I thought that the oral chemo would be easier on my system... but it wasn't.  I ended up with some pretty severe side effects after my first round so I ended up with an extra week off of pills.  They lowered my dose for round 2 and it has stayed there for round 3 (where I am now).  I am absolutely exhausted at the best of times.  I am working a couple of half days a week and I had hoped to add more time to my schedule but my body just won't allow it. 

I am looking forward to having my life back to "normal"...  bring on January!

*Colourful Flowers*

I stamped these two flowers several weeks ago when I first got my Brother Scan n Cut.... I wanted to see how it worked.... I LOVE how easy it makes it to cut out stamped images.  No more fooling around with the matching dies.

I used a sponge dauber and some Catherine Pooler inks to colour the flowers.  I added some leaves I'd cut out as well.  The blue panel behind the sentiment was colour with the sponge dauber and Catherine Pooler ink as well.

I really like how this card turned out.

*Happy Birthday Beyotch*

When I saw the Saucy Sentiments set from Cathy Zielske, I knew I had to have it...  They sayings are all a little "off the cuff" and totally me! LOL!

I cut a circle using two sizes of Nestabilities, added a bunch of those flowers I stamped out with the other card (stamps by Winnie and Walter, cut with the Brother Scan and Cut) and added the sentiment.

*Good Friends*

When I saw this one stamp (part of a set) from Stampin' Up!, I knew I had to have it.  It just totally drew me in!  I paired it with some Winnie and Walter stamps done in Catherine Pooler inks and cut out with my new Brother Scan n Cut 2, which I am totally in love with!  I did a half sheet of cardstock stamped with different coloured flowers and leaves and cut them all out in a matter of a couple of minutes.  I have lots left over to play with on another card!