*This or That Instagram Hop*

 Our choices for the This or That Instagram Hop were Rainbow or Black & White.  And to surprise you all, I went with a black and white card!  You KNOW I love rainbows... but I also love black and white cards, especially when they are a little unexpected.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Heather's Essential Circles by Ellen Hutson; Spellbinders Floral Spray; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Challenges:  All About

*CAS on Friday #323*

The CAS on Friday challenge that starts today is Christmas themed... super easy for me to do!  In case you haven't figured it out already, I LOVE making Christmas cards!

I kept my card pretty simple, using some texture along with only white and gold (and a little black in my sentiment).

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold glitter

*Stamps:  the Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Catherine Pooler Jolly Trees; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Challengs:  CAS on Friday #323

*AAA Colourful #21*

Happy Day, creative friends!  It's the 15th of the month and time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful!  We are asking you to be inspired by the colours in the graphic to create a card this month

I chose the red, green and a dusty blue to highlight in my card today...  a simple wreath of flowers and some added colourful mats

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Misty Moonlight

*Stamps:   Honey Bee Stamps Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles; Spellbinders Floral Spray, Be Bold Blooms

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Tool:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #21; Freshly Made Sketches #708

*Wedding Card*

 A friend of mine asked me to make a card for her to give to a newly married couple.  I search Pinterest for some ideas to get my mojo going and I came across a card with this saying on it.  I decided to play with the Silhouette Design Studio software to try to get a fun layout for it... and then sent it off to my printer.  I had to print on printer paper as my printer doesn't print on cardstock so I adhered the printed paper to a scrap of cardstock before cutting it out.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; gold foil

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Essential Circles by Ellen Hutson

*Tools:  Perfect Layer; Silhouette Studio software

*Build Your Stash Instagram Hop*

 The Build Your Stash Instagram Hop has us building up our stash of cards following a common theme each month.  This month, we are making thank you cards.  There are no rules, no other themes... just make 1 or more cards to help build up our stash so that we have cards on hand when we need them.

I got ambitious this month and instead of my customary 2 cards, I made 3!

For my first card, I used a strip of patterned paper and some black accents.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Thanks
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

For my second card, I cut some thin strips of cardstock from some various shades of blue cardstock.  I layered a black sentiment die on top.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders Celestial, Cascade, Malibu, Breeze, Windy

*Dies:  Essential by Ellen Positive Word

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

For my final card, I shifted gears and created a more colourful mini slimline card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Roccocco Rose, Daffodil Delight, Pebbled Path

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio You're The Best

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms; Pinkfresh Studio You're The Best

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 I'm here with my card for the My Favorite Instagram Hop... this week, our prompt is our favourite berry.  Now, I don't really have much in my stash for food or drink stamps and dies... so I had to think outside of the box for this one.

I started with a cardstock colour called "strawberry slush" and created some little flowers that remind me of the blossoms on my strawberry plants in the garden.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Strawberry Slush,  Wild Wasabi

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Essential Circles by Heather; MFT Something for Everything; Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Leafy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS on Friday #310*

 The clean and simple challenge at CAS on Friday is "embossing".  I chose to do a little embossing with an embossing folder.  I used the debossed side instead and brayered a little ink over the white cardstock leaving the leaves white...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Gold; Stampin' Up! Pear Pizzazz

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Stampin' Up! Pear Pizzazz

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Leafy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; brayer

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #310

*Time Out #289*

We have a winged things challenge at Time Out Challenges... I can't wait to see your favourite winged things!

I had a few things I could choose from... and I almost went with something different... but I landed on this design with those gorgeous Pinkfresh washi tape butterflies.  Butterflies are special to me as I believe that when one comes near me, it is my Mom (who passed away in 2010) saying "hello".

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  Studio Katia Birthday Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #289; The Paper Players #738

*AAA Colourful #16*

 It's time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful.  This one was fun for me as I love cards with just a hint of colour.  

When I look at this colourboard, I see black, white, purple and a little bit of gold... I had some fun with some concentric circles and a pop of purple!  Although I will admit, my purple is a little too bright and maybe a little too prominent.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders gold foil
*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Essentials By Ellen Essentials Circles; A Jillian Vance Design Daisies; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Challenges:  AAAColourful #16; Simply Clean and Simple

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 I had to think outside of the box for the My Favorite Instagram Hop for today.  I played so little last month and I wanted to participate in as many as I could this month.   Our prompt this week is our favourite fruit.  I don't have any fruit stamps...  I don't think I have any food images at all.  So how on earth could I participate?!

Well, I decided to play with the colours of my favourite fruit... which is raspberries!  So I chose some colours that came close to raspberries (including the leaves that grow along with the fruit) and created this card to share today...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green, Primrose Petals

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions; Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges: The Flower Challenge #100

*Paper Craft Crew #595*

Another card from my weekend in the creative space... this time following the sketch at Paper Craft Crew!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown shimmer; Lawn Fawn Iridescent

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Small Snowflakes; Picket Fence Studio Winter Snowflakes; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges: Paper Craft Crew #595

*CAS on Friday #294*

We have a Hallowe'en challenge for you over at CAS on Friday!  I chose to go super clean and simple but added a few Hallowe'en coloured gems for a little more fun.  I don't make a lot of Hallowe'en cards... I really like them, but I don't send them to anyone!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen Got Candy; Studio Katia Meowy Hallowe'en

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Got Candy

*Embellishments:  assorted from my stash

*Tools:  Perfects Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday ##294

*Another Butterfly*

 I just love these foiled butterflies so much!   Maybe I just really like butterflies?  I did add to my stash of butterflies but haven't played with them yet... instead you get a card using a butterfly from the bin of extras...

With butterfly dies, I LOVE putting liquid glue along the body and foam adhesive behind the wings to create dimension... the body is stuck directly to the cardstock but the wings are popped up.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders gold foil

*Images:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Foil Plate:  Pinkfresh Studio Small Butterflies

*Foil:  Spellbinders Aura

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Small Butterflies; The Ton Easy Expressions; Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles

*Tools: Spellbinders Glimmer; Perfect Layers

*Emellishments:  Picket Fenc Studio Day & Night Gem Mix

*This Is Your Day*

 Happy Sunday afternoon, creative friends!  It's a bright and sunny and not so bad day for mid-February.  I'm loving how the sun is up longer and longer every day right now... I even leave work a few days a week where it's not pitch black now (and I need my sunglasses for the drive in too).  It's always nice to see the signs that winter will soon be behind us.

I have spent a little time in my craft room this weekend... some of it productive, some of it not LOL!  I did spend some time cutting some card bases and layers to increase my stash.  Not a fun or creative job, but something that was needing to be done.

In some of the creative moments, I made a card that I'm entering in the challenges as Just Us Girls and Just Add Ink...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grape, Tahitian Tide

*Images:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Petite Blooms & Stentiments; Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles

*Tools:  ScorBuddy; Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #714; Just Add Ink #689

*Addicted to CAS #252*

We've got a fun challenge for you this week at Addicted to CAS....

 I had some fun playing with some different shapes and dies to create my card for this challenge... I went with a rainbow but decided to make the colours more spring like...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Pear Pizazz, Pool Party

*Images:  MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Additional Nesting Squares; Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #252

*Time Out Challenges #250*

 It's an inspired by words challenge at Time Out Challenges this week....

There are many ways you could be inspired by this quote... and you'll see some wonderful examples from the design team HERE.  I went with the "gratitude" part of the quote and used some fall colours to create a thank you card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Stampin' Up! In Bloom

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Cranberry Fizz, Flame, Glitz, Martini

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Positive Words; Stampin' Up! Splendid Stems

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #250

*Time Out Challenges #239*

It's time for a photo inspiration challenge at Time Out Challenges!  We'd love to see what inspires you from the photo below.  It can be ANY element (or all of them) from the photo, but please be sure to tell us what inspired you!  For this challenge, we have a generous prize from Picket Fence Studios up for grabs!

I looked and looked and looked at this photo, trying to get inspiration.  I had a few ideas pop in to my head but nothing was really working when I tried to put it down on paper.  What finally worked for me was writing down some of the things I saw and going from there...  I took the metallic round shelves of the cart and a floral element, as well as the idea of words (from the hint of the poster in the corner).

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders gold foil

*Washi:  Pink Fresh Studio Rainbow Daisies

*Dies:  Pink Fresh Studio Rainbow Daisies; Essentials by Ellen circle; Spellbinders Yana's Layered Script Sentiments

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out Challenges #239

*Addicted to CAS #235*

It is a beautiful holiday weekend here in Calgary with temperatures that are above seasonal and a lot of bright sunshine.  There is still snow melting in my yard and while I know that there will probably be more snow that falls in the next month or so, there is the promise of spring in the air.  It is wonderful to have the windows open and the fresh breeze coming in.

There's a new clean and simple challenge at Addicted to CAS.... our challenge word is "garden".

I will admit that I almost forgot to do my design team card for this challenge... it was yesterday at lunch that I realized I was missing the information from my calendar.  I am so thankful that an idea came to my head pretty quickly... even using a bunch of leftovers from the little container that sits on my desk

Card Ifo

*Cardstock:  assorted pieces of unknown colours

*Images:  Gina K Where Flowers Bloom

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; MFT Stitched Rectangle; Essentials by Ellen Circle Frame

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #235; Inkspirational 287

*CAS on Friday 251*

The current challenge over at CAS on Friday is FLOWERS... I love CAS and flowers so it was an easy challenge for me!   Thanks to Lisa at I'm in Haven for the inspiration!

I tried really hard to capture the embossed lines on the black strip ... and if you zoom in, you'll see them.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles; Taylored Expressions Simple Strps

*Tools:  ScorBuddy; Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Michaels Bridal Flowers; Kaiser Pearls

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenes:  CAS on Friday #251

*Comfort & Joy*

Well, here we are.... the last day of November!  I am almost done making my Christmas cards (still have lots to share with you!), I have started my Christmas shopping and we will be decorating this weekend.  The older I get, the faster these years go by... I'm not sure I like it!

I was so excited when I saw these bottle brush tree dies being sold secondhand so I snatched them up as quickly as I could... in June LOL!  I have turned to these trees as well as the Christmas Blooms die set that I bought from the same person several times this year.  They were an excellent purchase!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Handsome Hunter; Spellindes gold

*Images:  Simon Says Stamps Christmas Blessings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing Folder:  Spellbinders Loops

*Dies:  Spellbinders Bottle Brush Trees; Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles