Coffee Break

I know, I know I haven't been doing this regularly...but I thought that I would wait a bit and let someone have something new...something exciting to share. So how are things going today?? Well, today my oldest has the next 2 days off because his teachers are having a conference...it is a city wide inservice and so we were going to go off and have a playdate with his fiance (tee hee). However, that all changed when I went in to my dd's bedroom...and found a child that was unrecognizable...lol, she had a crusty green looking face. Yep, it is a cold...so her brother's aren't too happy with her...actually she isn't too happy about it either :)!!! We are staying home, taking it easy, and I am doing housework...posting crafty things...

What are you upto today?? Get any crafty time in today?? Make sure you get some "You" time in today or tomorrow...I find that we as women tend to be dealing with others that we sometimes forget that we need down time. So here's a challenge for you, go have some "you" time, wether it is reading a book, reading blogs to get your google reader #'s down (that'd be me), or going shopping or something. I find that it does everyone some good in your house, when you get some down time...anyways, that's enough rambling from me now.

Have a super day, would love to hear what you have planned over the next couple of days...or what crafty endeavors you are working on...anything :)!! Take care *HUGS*

SU night at Deb's

Thank you so much Deborah for having us over to your place, for such a fun and wonderful night :)! Thank you for the stamps that we picked out, the paper, the soap and of course the yummy muffins (can't forget those) :)! Also, I wanted to thank your friend for her treat for us...the little baby socks filled with Lavender salts that she made for us :)!! I also have to take this quick moment to say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOUISE :)!!!
Last night was a much needed night out for me, as I haven't been out with this bunch of gals since around Christmas time...or at least that is how it feels. We made two beautiful cards last night, and they went along with our challenge of the month theme which was "fun fold" cards...we each made a card with a different fold and then we traded cards with eachother. I wonder what next months challenge is going to be :), I think we forgot to talk about it with all the fun we were having.

The first card we made is a gift card holder inside it, and it was so easy to make,I am going to have to get the instructions from Yvonne our demo. Easy to make that is for sure, and a card that I would definitely make again and again :)!

Cardstock:
~SU Soft Sky Close to Cocoa Designer Series paper
~SU Blue Bayou
~SU Vanilla
~SU Soft Sky

Stamp Set:
~SU Polka dots and Paisley
~SU Fancy Flexible Phrases (a stamp set that is retired, but is a "MUST")

Ink:
~SU Blue Bayou
~SU Soft Sky

Other:
~SU white ribbon
~SU ticket punch
~SU Adhesive
~small circle punch


The second card that we made was a double slider card, now I have made one of these before using the Splitcoast stampers blog...but I liked how this one turned out better than my first attempt. I think that is because for my first attempt I cut out the slots for the sliders out by hand, and this time I used the SU window punch...so much easier. LOVE this stamp set too :)!

Cardstock:
~SU Sage Shadow (not sure)
~SU Lavender Lace (also not sure if this is what we used)
~SU Vanilla

Ink:
~Su Lavender Lace (ink and marker)
~SU Sage Shadow

Stamp set:
~SU Heartfelt Thanks




Other:
~SU Window punch
~SU Round tab
~SU adhesives

Wedding cards

I had to make 4 wedding cards today, 3 of the cards are going to a friend of mine who has gotten married in Cuba but is having a reception this weekend. One card is for my Aunt and Uncle to give, another for my parents to give and another for myself and hubby to give...lol, had to make everyone different. Then my Aunt's niece is getting married in the summer, so she asked me to create a card for her...hope they like what I have come up with :)!

The flourish pattern that you see there in white, is actually from a template that I picked up from Photo Memories in Halifax. They have lots of different templates, and you just have to make sure that you don't move your template while you are trying to draw your image. The sentiment that I used for this card is "Congratulations", and I also used a stamp that was a set of rings to go under the sentiment. I got this stamp set from PhotoMemories too, the last time I was there...I believe this sentiment and ring stamps were from Inkadinkado but I don't remember :)! The image of the tree came from Inkadinkado...gotta love that tree image :)!

This second card I used another stamp from that same wedding set I got the ring and sentiment from, it had 12 or so different stamps in this set. Some for weddings, some for Anniversary...didn't have anything really that would fit any of those two categories so I got this one. I also used my flower cuttlebug folder for this card, my versamark ink pad and some gold embossing powder for the rings...love how this card and the next card turned out :)!~

The third card is very much like the first card, but I used the flower folder as a border for the card... and not for the whole front of the card...it turned out better than I thought it would :)!

Cardstock:

~SU Bravo Burgandy

~Brown Weave cardstock from Carousel

~white flat carstock from Carousel

~Black text stock from Carousel

~patterned paper from my Asian cardstock pad from Michael's

Ink:

~Archival ink pad (jet black)

~Versamark

Stamps:

~Wedding set, clear acrylic set from PhotoMemories

~tree from Inkadinkado

Other:

~SU ticket punch

~dimensionals

~photo stickers

~SU white gel pen

~Stencil from PhotoMemories

~Gold embossing powder

~ribbon from Michael's

~ Flower embossing folder from Cuttlebug

not sure who this card is for yet....

I was in a crafty mood this morning, I had my 4 year old son busy building me towers and other fun things with lego...and my dd was busy trying to help me by trying to eating my cardstock. Here is what I came up with, and I just have to say taht I just LOVE that tree stamp by Inkadinkado :)...just beautiful!!!

Cardstock:

~Chocolate chip flat cardstock from Carousel

~pumpkin from unknown

~SU Barely Banana

~black flat textstock from Carousel

~watercolor paper

Ink:

~Archival ink (Jet black)

~Brilliance ink "Moonlight White"

Stamps:

~Tree stamp from Inkadinkado

~Clear acrylic background stamp from Michael's

~Flower from "Nightengale" SEE D's stamp set

Other:

~SU ticket punch

~H20 pen

~SU Watercolor crayons "Soft Subtles"

~photo stickers

Gone With the Wind

I decided that I was going to make a card using a stamp that I hadn't used in a long time, or only once before. I came across this stamp, which at the time I was excited about getting but then once you get home you realize there is only a few things you can do. I think I am excited about this stamp again :), just because how well this card turned out. I wasn't sure how well it would turn out, since there is some delicate cutting to be done. This is the first picture I took of this card, since I felt you couldn't really see what I had actually done with this card...so I took the picture at the angle. I stamped the image on to watercolor paper twice, then I colored in both images but only cut out the kite and string on the second stamped image. This was a little difficult since the kite string is inly a few mm wide, but I eventually got it all cut out :)! I attached the kite string to the bunny using some Tombow multi glue, and I attached only part of the ribbons and string onto the card. I also used a tiny dimensional on one of the ribbons, to make the card look like the kite was coming out of the card. Make sense?? From there I added layers to the card, I also used my Soft Subtles watercolor crayons and H2O brush to color the sky in.

Going to hve to play around a bit more with the lighting though, because this picture is too dark and the colors I used aren't dark.

Cardstock:

~White flat cardstock

~SU Barely Banana

~SU Certainly Celery

~Light purple 12*12 cardstock from Michael's

Stamp:

~Stampabilities Itty bit "Gone With the Wind"

Ink:

~Archival ink pad (Jet black)

Other:

~SU ticket punch

~Copic Ciao markers

~SU Soft Subtle markers

~dimensionals

~Tombow multipurpose glue

~Tombow markers

Artfully Ila card sketch challenge

Here is my card that I made using Artfully Ila's blog card sketch challenge, I was in a summer mood today and thought that this See D's stamp set would be perfect for it. Yes Julie, I even used lots of layers :p! Hope you have a super weekend, and get some crafty time in too :)!

Cardstock:

~SU Barely banana

~SU Bashful Blue

~SU Certainly Celery

~SU Bravo Burgandy

~white flat cardstock

~patterned paper from Autumn leaves slab from WalMart

Stamp set:

~See D's

~Embrace Life

Ink:

~SU Bashful blue

~Archival ink (Jet Black)

Other:

~3 Swarovski chrystals

~ribbon from Michael's

~Copic Ciao Markers

Petals

I picked up this beautiful See D's stamp set from Carousel the other day, it is called "Petals" and I decided that I wanted to be a little creative...step again outside that comfort zone of mine. I just started stamping out all the images that I liked onto a piece of white cardstock, then I cut the one's I wanted to use all out. I colored them in, and then played with their look a bit...as in how I wanted the flower to look because it has to be just so :)! I just LOVE this stamp set, and highly recommend it as a "MUST HAVE" :)!!

Cardstock:

~SU Barely Banana

~black charcol textstock from Carousel

~white flat cardstock from Carousel

Ink:

~Brilliance ink (dew drop) Moonlight White

~Archival ink (Jet Black)

Stamps:

~See D's Petal set

Other:

~Super Tacky tape from Michael's

~Photo Stickers

~dimensional

~a brad

~SU ticket punch

~Copic Ciao markers

~SU Soft Subtles markers

Lizzie Anne Design challenge #23

I went to Lizzie Anne Design blog

today, just to check it out and thought I would check other people's entry's for the challenge for this month. I was surprised to see another challenge there. I decided that I would do this challenge too, what the heck eh...2 challenges in one day :D..a record for me I think :)!

The key was to use colors, so I used colors I might not usually use...here goes nothing :)! I also sort of needed a card for my son's primary teacher, just thought she could use a little something to get her through the rest of the school year :).

Have a great Day :)!

Be Inspired Challenge #9

Look at this amazing piece that Beate has chosen for her "Be Inspired Challenge #9", I had a bit of trouble with this

one I think. I just didn't know what to do, where to begin, or what colors to use, or layout for the card...so I went for the simple card look. Hope you all give it a try, and let me know what you thought of this challenge :)!

So what creative things are you all upto today?? I actually haven't been doing anything that exciting lately, I have decided that I am in serious need of getting out for several hours...kid free...to have some serious "me time". I haven't had that in a long time, the only alone time I have had lately is when I am asleep at night or when I go grocery shopping which in my books doesn't really count. This is the first creative thing I have done since my in laws gift for their Anniversary, lol...think I am losing my creative touch or mojo :p!

Here is a question for you all, what do you store all your different crafty markers in?? I am in serious need of something...other than what I have for my Tombow markers...starting to get Copics and SU markers.

A Great Saying

A friend sent me an e-mail the other day, at the bottom of her e-mail she had posted this beautiful saying and I thought it fit so many different things in life. So I wanted to create something to hang where I could see it everyday, and so here is what I came up with...I don't know how well you all can see the saying so I will write it out for you here. Once I was done creating this, I decided to send a picture of it along to the lady who originally had it in her e-mail :)!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!"

~author unkown

How great is that verse?? I LOVE it and just wanted to share it with you incase you needed an uplifting thought...oh and here is my second attempt at a signature for my blog...still not sure about it. I am also still trying to figure out how to do a watermark, ok I made one in word...but can't seem to get it uploaded onto here. Have a great day :)!

Anniversary gift

I saw this beautiful trio of boxes made over at Sharon Johnson's blog http://notimetostamp.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2007/11/14/trio-of-boxes/ , which I hightly recommend that you go check out. I decided that this is going to be part of what I was going to make my in laws for their Anniversary, and I was going to make some sort of treat to put inside it. I found the perfect cardstock from PhotoMemories, I just LOVE the blue colored cardstock...wow is all I have to say :)!

In the end I made some Chocolate orange walnut Biscotti to put inside the box, I did make a little too much and so it wouldn't all fit into the box...I put the rest in a baggie and put it in their gift bag. Since it was my first time making these boxes I decided simple was best, and work my way up into the more difficult look later. I LOVE how it turned out, was sort of surprised because the project started to head down that road of "this isn't going to work"...perhaps I was just being hard on myself. Anyways, I gave it to my inlaws this afternoon and they just LOVED both things I made...I think they had a few pieces of Biscotti too :)!

This picture is of the top of the box, since you don't really get a good idea of what it looks like from this first picture :)! Once I get the hang of making these boxes I am sure I will be putting more details into them...

Cardstock:

~dark brown cardstock from Carousel 12x12 sheet from PhotoMemories

~not sure of this color, it is turquiose sort of, from PhotoMemories

~Patterned paper from Autumn Leaves slab of paper from WalMart

~white flat cardstock from Carousel

~black flat cardstock from carousel

Ink:

~Archival ink Jet Black

~Brilliance ink pad (Dew Drop) Moonlight White

Stamps:

~Jollies Fleurs Lizzie Anne stamps

~Stamp from Brenda Wholten (think that was her last name) by Inkadinkado

Other:

~Martha Stewart scrapbooking pen (black)

~Brown ribbon from Michael's
~Super Tacky Tape from Michael's

~Paper Studio Circle Scallop punch

~The Crafters Workshop stencil Photo Memories

WSC43 and Sympathy card for Julie

Here is my entry for Beate's WSC43 card sketch challenge, and I also needed a sympathy for Julie because the friend that she had us keep in our prayers passed away yesterday. They were very close, and it was unexpected too :(! So please keep Julie, in your thoughts this week...and the friend's family too. Hope you like it :)!

Cardstock:

~SU Bashful blue

~flat black cardstock from Carousel

~SU Certainly Celery

Stamps:

~Inkadinkado Brenda Walton stamp set from Carousel

Ink:

Archival ink pad (Jet Black)

Other:

~ SU ticket punch

~The Crafter's workshop stencil from Photo Memories

~Dimensionals

~Photo stickers

Lizzie Anne Designs April Card Sketch

Lizzie Anne, has a card sketch challenge posted under the L.A.D. Forum section of her webpage and I only found this monthly challenge last month just as it ended. With this challenge there is a twist, use circles somewhere on your card...still don't know where I am going to put circles on my card yet. I will figure it out though, and I look forward to doing this challenge...ok, so I am addicted to card sketch challenges what can I say.

Here is the card that I created for this challenge, and I must say that I really enjoyed this challenge too :)!

Have a great day, don't forget to have some "you time" if possible...everyone needs it :)!

Cardstock:

~brown weave cardstock from Carousel

~pumpkin (not sure who made this paper...got it a long time ago)

~SU Barely Banana

~SU Certainly Celery

~patterned paper Golden Leaves by Reminisce

Stamps:

~Butterfly stamp from an acrylic stamp set from Michael's (Hero Arts perhaps)

~Tree stamp from Inkadinkado (PhotoMemories)

~SU En Francais

Ink:

~Versamark

~Archival Jet black ink

Other:

~Embossing powder (gold)

~Heat Gun

~SU 1 3/8 circle punch

~SU ticket punch

~photo stickers (michael's)

~Tiny Dimensionals

~Fiskars paper cutters (straight blade and jagged)

Beate's Be Inspired Challenge #7

Wow, that's a great dress to challenge us with :)! So I just knew I had to participate in this challenge, but just didn't know just how I would do so and I then I checked out the lovely ladies cards that you had links for on your blog Beate. That helped a little bit....the next thing I had to figure out my color scheme, which I thought was going to be my biggest problem but it wasn't :)! Here is the card that I came up with...hope you like it.

Cardstock:

~Brown Weave cardstock from Carousel

~Pumpkin

~SU Barely Banana

~SU bashful Blue

~Avacado flat cardstock from Carousel

Ink:

~Brilliance Moonlight White ink

~VersaMark

Stamps:

~SU Embrace Life

~Tree by Inkadinkado

Other:

~Tiny dimensionals

~photo stickers

How are you all doing?? No, really...how is everyone doing??

Welcome to something new here on my blog...something that I hope will take off, but only time will tell I suppose :)! First requirement, go get yourself a hot drink...coffee, tea, espresso, chai, hotchocolate or some beverage you like to have when having a break. Lol, I am on my second cup of French Vanilla coffee (President Choice brand from Superstore)...HIGHLY recommend this coffee.

Just as the title says, "How are all of you doing??" No, really...how are all of you doing today? what crafty projects do you have underway?? What deals have you found for crafty things?? What kind of day are you having?? What are you up to today?? Would really like to know how you all are doing :)!

Today was a nice cool day, but nice enough one could walk down to the bus stop...so that is what we were going to do. My older son was already to go, so he went outside onto our front deck to play in his sandbox while he waited for me to get the other 2 ready plus myself. My 4 year old actually did really well this morning in terms of getting dressed and not being distracted like he usually is. So I praised him to the high heavens :), then we didn't have any problems getting his coat and boots on either...hurray :)! Here is where it gets tricky, lol....

We made it up to the top of our driveway, my older son heard the bus *odd since the bus shouldn't be there at our stop for another 10-15 min.* and so he ran to see. My 4 year old had something else in mind, he ran back down the driveway and disappeared as I am calling him to come back. My older son was hollering that his bus left without him, so I told him to come back to where I was...meanwhile I don't know where my other son is but my dh heard me hollering our sons name. He came out to find me heading to the garage, also to look in the backyard for him...we weren't too impressed with him since there is another issue going on with our school bus driver and the bus he is driving just drove away. My 4 year old was trying to get a skateboard (not that he could use it on our gravel driveway or on the main street we live on), he cried the whole way down to the bus stop. We had to run to find out what was going on with the bus, luckily our neighbour who has 2 boys on the same bus ran out in her pj's and explained that he was early. That he waits way down the street at like a community center, and this morning he was in a daze (just who you want to be driving, lol) so he continued on up the road to our bus stop. Anyways, we made it home all in one piece and all was right with the world again...my dd is really finding this cold a hard one to deal with...

Then when I got home, I dug out all the spring coats to see who fits in what now...well the 4 year old has no spring coat or rain coat...he had one of those secret growth spurts this week. His brother's coats fit him...but his brother needs them, so we went to Walmart (the only place who carries raincoats, not these "water repelent" or "water resistant coats") and we picked up 2 coats for $40. I think that when my oldest sees the windbreaker type coat he will want one too...he doesn't need one though...it is a "Lightening McQueen" coat!

For crafty projects I have been trying to figure out what to do for my inlaws Anniversary that is coming up, and for that project I needed some 12 x 12 sheets of cardstock. I actually didn't have any sheets of 12 x 12 paper except one piece that was a color I didn't think they would like...so I went to the only place I go for cardstock and patterned paper (PhotoMemories). I don't use a lot of 12 x 12 sheets, just because I am not so much into the scrapbooking scene *gasp* I know, lol :)! So not only did I get 4 sheets of the color 12 x 12 cardstock that I was looking for but I got 1 tree stamp, 1 stamp with cute flip flops on it, and a stamp set having to do with weddings/anniversaries by Inkadinkado. Oh yeah, then when I was at the cash waiting for the lady to ring my order in...I turned around bad thing for me to have done. I saw these really nice cards with beautiful flourishes on them, I asked what they used to do it, they looked like someone did it freehand. Nope, not the case...they used a stencil and so of course I couldn't leave there without that now could I...will take a picture of this stencil for you all to see...really nice stencils. I am not one for stencils, but you HAVE to see these one's they are amazing :)! Hoping to incorporate it into my inlaws gift somehow :)!

Now I am waiting for 1:45 p.m. to roll around, so that I can walk down to the bus stop to get my older son :)! I was supposed to go out tonight to this lecture by a Dr. Russell Greenfield, who wrote the book "Healthy Child, Whole child" but since I am not feeling that great from the cold I have I decided to stay home. Perhaps I can get some crafty time in tonight...hmmm...we will have to see :)!

Have a super day everyone :)!

Beate's WCS#42

I am a bit behind doing Beate's WCS#42 (weekend cardsketch), better late than never I suppose...this card isn't exactly what I was hoping I would come up with this for this challenge. I am coming down with a cold, so I don't think that my creativeness is flowing quite like it should be :(!

Cardstock:

~SU Bashful Blue

~patterned paper from Tracy

~patterned paper from my Asian paper pad I got from Michael's

~small piece of watercolor paper

Ink:

~Archival ink pad (Jet black)

Stamp:

~CTMH Simple Beauty stamp set

Other:

~SU soft Subtle markers

~ribbon from Michael's

~Photo Stickers

Thinking of you

The organist at our church was diagnosed about a month ago with a brain tumor, she had surgery about 2 days after they found out. I believe that the dr's got about 50% out, they are now starting Chemo/Radiation today. So I thought I would send her another card, I had sent one out when she first had her surgery but felt it was time to send another one.

For this card I used my Cuttlebug, and the flower folder...which I only used on the edge of the card....something different :)! I also then added a fun ribbon that I got from Michael's several months ago, thought this would be a nice added touch to this card....make it a bit more cheery than what it was looking.

Challenge Cafe #2

This challenge is for you to make a bookmark :)! Thought it would be a nice change, and a nice challenge from our everyday cardmaking. Can't wait to see what you come up with...would love to see what you come up with...please leave a link on this post of your creation. I will give you 1 week to complete this challenge, thanks :)!

Another bookmark

I managed to misplace my other bookmark that I made the other week, so I decided that I would just make another one and if the first one showed up great :)! Here is my 2nd bookmark, loved making this one alot...didn't take me very long either :)...once I finnished this bookmark I actually found the first one. Lol, isn't that always the way :p!

Cardstock:

~brown weave cardstock from Carousel

~patterned paper from Tracy

Ink:

~archival ink (Jet black)

Stamps:

~Lizzie Anne "Jolies Fleurs" stamp set

~CTMH Playful flourishes

~Stampendous clear acrylic stamp sentiment from Michael's

Other:

~SU markers Soft Subtles

~Copic

~eyelet

~ribbon from Michael's

~Photo stickers

~SU ticket punch

~Crop-A-dile

Happy Stamping :D, and have a super weekend :)!

Not sure...

My in laws Anniversary is coming up next week, and am in need of a few ideas for what I could get them...or what I could make for them. Any ideas??

BIC7- Be Inspired Challenge

Here is this week's Be Inspired Challenge, pretty neat eh?? I thought so, and so I set out to do something different...to step outside my comfort zone a bit and see what I could come up with. The first card I made didn't exactly turn out how I wanted it to, but this second card...really worked out for me. Was starting to worry that my mojo took off on me again :p!

I took two different shots of this card I made, because it was hard to see what I had done with this card. I stamped 4 butterflies, then cut all 4 of them out, and then I used tiny dimensional dots and folded 2 of the butterflies in half. Next, I put the dimensionals onto the middle fold on the 2 butterflies and then attached them to the other 2 butterflies. Pretty neat eh?? I was going to cut a circle out of the front of my card, then have these butterfly's dangle in the middle. For that I would have used all 4 butterflies...and some white thread :)! I think I will make that card this afternoon when I get back from running some errands...will post it tonight when I am done.

Give this challenge a try, it is a fun one and once you are done upload your creation onto Splitcoaststampers gallery and use the title BIC7 . Then head over to Beate's blog and let her knw you posted your challenge there or onto your blog :)!

Have a great day, and if you live where I do please don't blow away :)!

Cardstock:

~Light brown weave cardstock from Carousel

~White flat cardstock from Carousel

Stamps:

~CTMH Simple Beauty stamp set (March's stamp set of the month)

~clear acrylic background stamps

Ink:

~Archival ink (Jet Black)

Other:

~SU markers soft subtles

~tiny dimensional dots

~photostickers