Infinite Possibilities

A Layout

2012-02-17T07:57:00.000-06:00

I promised myself that this year I would serioulsy do my best to scrap our photos as memories for Natasha (and for me whist I am still on earth!). Scrapbooking does not come easy to me, it's a real effort. Just the thought of embellishing drives me crazy! But, I'm trying. I'm playing around with various versions, so I do 8 X 8's, 12 X 12's and a version of Project Life. It all depends what mood I am in.

But coming up with a layout is tough, so I have been looking around the web for some ideas and came across Becky Fleck. She has a blog called Pagemaps and I am using the sketch she put up for this month, which also happens to be a challenge, so I'll submit my amateur attempt! Here is the sketch followed by my layout. Oh yes, photographing a layout is going to require some practice, I'm trying by using a camera and scanning and neither is satisfactory in my opinion.

And here is my attempt.

Papers: Colorbox, Basic Grey

Supplies: PTI dies, PTI Tiny Tags, PTI stamps, MFT die, Button (Pebbles), Tiny Alphabet stickers (Cosmo Cricket), twine (PTI), EK Success border punch, flags ( a gift from Michelle)

I'll be away for a few days as we are going to Austin to run the Half Marathon this weekend. I am really looking forward to it. This one is for pleasure, we are not chasing any time limit, just a weekend run. Our next race is on the 1st of April and that is the one that we want to go all out in to try and improve on our January time.

Wishing you all a fabulous long weekend and many hours of happy crafting!

Life is Precious

2012-02-16T08:35:00.000-06:00

Oh my heart is like jelly! This was last night, Natasha was exhausted. That face, those two faces! They mean the world to me. Life is filled with precious moments like these!

Now onto a card I made using some Hero Arts stamps.

I stamped the larger clock using black ink onto the notecard to create a background. The designer paper is MME. I then heat embossed, in black, the smaller clock and sentiment.

A masculine card, which I challenge myself to make from time to time.

Sorry to keep it short again today, just a lot on my plate and on my mind! Have a fabulous day!

Thanks So Much...

2012-02-15T06:52:00.000-06:00

Wow! So many people to thank! I received some lovely surprise cards from some wonderful Flickr friends, thank you all so very much! Lovely cards from my family. A gorgeous card from my special friend Lisa! And amongst many other gifts she gave me a very special Pandora friendship charm, Lisa wears the other half! I was and am, touched beyond words! And thank you so much to my birthday twin Linda for my gifts that she slipped in with the Valentine exchange card! (I'll post that one later). My hubby bought me my first Pandora bracelet and I got him and Natasha to pick out one meaningful charm each and I got to pick a few others!

Here is a little card I made using a stamp from The Greeting Farm.

I think she is sweet sitting on the die cut and embossed clouds.

Yesterday evening I quickly made a little mini album for my hubby to carry with him, especially for the times when he is away in West Africa and feeling alone. This little album was a selfish one, it was for him, about us, and not Natasha this time! I tend to forget about me, (I suppose as women, and mothers, we tend to do that). I was inspired by the mini album that Alexandra had made using a manilla tag. I used a Tim Holtz tag and some pretty papers from Basic Grey's "Little Black Dress" pack. I did not embellish it, (I'm not an embellishing kind of person), I just used some small alphabet stickers here and there. And I used my new Instagram app to take the pictures and put them in a collage just for fun.

Wishing you all a really wonderful day!

Merci

2012-02-14T08:31:00.000-06:00

I made this quick card the other day with some pretty papers I had lying around from Making Memories "Je t'Adore" collection. The only stamping I did was the sentiment which is from PTI.

On another note, I did manage to make my 22 + 3 cards (teacher X 2 plus the busdriver) yesterday for my daughter to take to school today! I went very, very simple thanks to a PTI set called Tiny Valentines and my Spellbinders Circle die. We were not allowed to put candy into the little goodie bags (now I have packets and packets of candy to get rid of - if only they had mentioned this two weeks ago!), so I did have some Valentine pencils and a little heart notebook. It's the thought that counts right.

Here is what I made, not the best photos, I apologise!

And lastly, I just discovered Instagram! I have seen it mentioned so many times by Alexandra on her blog, and came across it on someone else's blog this morning so I thought I had better get with the times! What a fun app for the iPhone and it's free! So I test drove it with this picture this morning of my daughter writing some last minute Valentine notes to her teachers:

Wishing you all a fabulous Valentine's Day!

Birthday Flowers

2012-02-13T13:15:00.000-06:00

I'm not being very good about posting anymore for some reason, well, the reason is lack of time actually. And I am also trying to scrapbook a few pages here and there and they do take me a while to make! Oh yes, and of course there are those inevitable showings of the house!

I did make this birthday card although it's not exactly what I was aiming for and I am not entirely satisfied with the way my flowers turned out, but it's still pretty in its own way.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Basic Grey - Picadilly); Neenah; vellum
Ink: Versamark; Pool Shadow ink - Hero Arts
Stamps: Hero Arts (Flower Dot Pattern - CG330); PTI (sentiment)
Other: embossing tinsel (Snowflake - Ranger); Nestability circle die; PTI flower die; MFT dies (rose and rolled flower); gems & pearls; corner chomper; felt (PTI)

The first layer is white cardstock stamped with the Flower Dot Pattern background stamp and Pool Shadow ink from Hero Arts. Then I die cut two circles and stamped the lighter one with the same ink and stamp previously mentioned. Then came the three different die cut flowers. Those two little circles of patterned paper are bits that were left over when I die cut the PTI flower - it's really bad that I can't throw anything away!

Well, it's raining here, it looks like it might be an all day thing! Perfect wheather for what I need to do next. Being Valentines' tomorrow I wanted to make a card for each child in my daughter's class, I know, it's less than 24 hours away! So, I need to keep this short and be off to make those 22 cards! Please let me find a very simple design!

Have an awesome day!

Friends are Treasures

2012-02-10T16:14:00.000-06:00

I love the theme of Friendship so I am contributing a few cards to this month's Hero Arts contest. Here is another one today which was totally influenced by the beautiful Basic Grey papers from the Picadilly line! Oh I just love it! (I think I mentioned a few posts back that I have gone paper crazy!)

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Picadilly - Basic Grey); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic markers; Versamark
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL496; CL493)
Other: glossy accents; pearl (Recollections); White embossing powder

I just love it when I can use the scraps on my desk! I even hoarded that thin strip of blue paper (I know, I'm ridiculous....)!

For the flower I used the smaller flower in the set to overlay the centre of the larger flower to create a little bit of dimension. (Wow, I used the word flower three times in one sentence!).

Yesterday was a hilarious day! I popped in to Lisa's whilst our house was being showed, and for some reason Lisa felt that she needed to make this "healthy" green drink! So, we chopped, a lot of green vegetables, a lot!!!! She proceeded to liquidize them and then we TRIED to drink it! And Lisa can tell you the rest if she wants, but from now on I'll be checking if she is on a health drink kick before visiting! I love you my friend!

Have a wonderful day!

Masculine Birthday

2012-02-09T10:08:00.002-06:00

I decided to try and use one of the current Hero Arts sketches for a masculine birthday card I wanted to make.

Paper: card stock (PTI); patterned paper ( Bella Boulevard); watercolor paper; Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Chipped Sapphire, Brushed Corduroy & Walnut Stain distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL579; CL340; CL480)
Other: brad (Recollections); dimensional squares; corner chomper; black enamel accent

The sketch makes provisions for a ribbon or some twine tied in a bow but I wanted it to be more masculine so simply opted for a brad.

I water coloured the chair with the various distress inks, trying to make it look well worn. Not sure how I really feel about the end result, but it's growing on me!

Wishing you a fabulous day!

A New Sign & A Card

2012-02-08T08:18:00.001-06:00

That's the sign outside my house today! Yes, we are leaving (sorry Lisa, Cindy - they both know), we are going back home to South Africa. I am happy, but it is sad that I have to leave some fabulous people behind! I really, really, wish that you could come in my suitcase, I really do. But, now you have some planning, plan on visiting me!

I won't bore you with the details, but my hubby is basically working a mere 3 hour flight away from South Africa most of the time, so it's an easy calculation, it's better than his current 24 hour flight! Plus, South Africa feels more like home, that's the truth! There are lots of things I am going to miss of course, but most importantly, it's some of the amazing people I know!

Time frame - June, after Natasha finishes her school year.

Ok, I do have a card, (my blog is not going anywhere), it may be a little quiet for a month or two while we wait for our shipment, but I will still be there, and I will be here until the end of May.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME - Dilly Dally); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Smokey Gray; Copics;
Stamps: Hero Arts (Heart Winged Butterfly; Envelope Pattern background stamp)

I have to say that I love that Dilly Dally 6X6 paper pad from MME! Look at that woodgrain paper, isn't it exquisite! I also used the reverse side to paper piece the larger hearts of the butterfly and coloured the remaining hearts with Copics.

I'm going to add this card to the current Lily Pad challenge to use patterned paper and to the Hero Arts contest for the theme of Hello/Friendship.

Well, it's nice and cool outside, but the sun is trying to come through. Not much planned today, a few errands and then Natasha has Gymnastics after school. Maybe I'll craft a bit today as I did all the cleaning yesterday. I hope you all have the most wonderful day!

I'm Sorry...

2012-02-06T08:12:00.000-06:00

My daughter needed to apologise to one of her friends so we agreed that I would make the card and she would write the apology.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME - Dilly Dally)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic Markers
Stamps: The Greeting Farm; Hero Arts (sentiment)
Other: scallop punch (Stampin' Up); Dimensional squares; Stickles; Glossy Accent; Corner Chomper

A simple little card with some pretty colours. I love that Dilly Dally paper, awesome.

It's a short post today, feeling a bit under the weather. Wishing you all a great Monday!

Hello

2012-02-05T10:09:00.000-06:00

Eventually I made a card for the 1st round of this month's Hero Arts contest. I am still trying to use up all the bits and pieces of paper on my desk, the longer they are around the longer they inhibit me from moving forward, I can't bear to throw them away and I can't bear to have partially cut up patterned papers around! What a dilema!

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (Memory Box); Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Versamark; Scattered Straw, Bundled Sage, Broken China & Antique Linen distress ink.
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: PTI border die; Tinsel Embossing Powder (Snowflake) by Ranger

Other than using mostly patterned papers I also opted to distress the edges of the papers for a different look to my usual CAS style. I stamped the flower with the Tinsel Embossing Powder by Ranger (Snowflake) and then inked the panel with the various distress inks. I went over the entire panel with the Antique Linen ink in order to tone down the colours. I also spritzed the panel with pearlized water so there is a slight sheen, hard to capture in the photo though.

I'll also enter this in the current Lily Pad challenge with Simon Says Stamp, which is to use Patterned Paper.

I hope you are all having a great Sunday. My run yesterday did not materialise as we had soooooo...... much rain, so I went spinning instead. But I managed to get my 8 miles in this morning with my running buddy in a nice cool 48F temperature. So, now I feel great!

Wishing you the perfect day!

Playing with CR84FN # 47

2012-02-03T20:43:00.000-06:00

I just had to find some colours to play with and went along with this gorgeous colour palette from CR84FN. It's too pretty to let up. Once again I went really, really CAS. I wonder if I am becoming too boring!

Paper: MME; PTI
Ink: CTMH; Versamark; Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: CTMH; PTI Think Big Favourites 3
Other: Butterfly Punch (MArtha Stewart); Border Punch (EK Success); Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers); Gem; Stickles

Another fairly straight forward card. I used some stickles on the outline portion of the "unusual" blue rose! A big thank you to my friend Lisa for that gorgeous sentiment set from PTI, we wont say why she gave it to me:)!

So, what are your plans for the weekend? It looks like it's going to be a wet one here, the school has just canceled the fun run we were going to have tomorrow. I'm off to run with my group in the morning, rain or no rain. After that I need to make a birthday card for a six year old whose party we are going to in the afternoon. Sunday hubby and I are going Spinning and then weather depending, maybe a trip to the zoo!

Have a fabulous weekend!

A for Love

2012-02-02T07:17:00.000-06:00

I just had to use this stamp in the January Unity KOM set to make a Valentine's card for my hubby.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Memento - Lady Bug
Stamps: Unity
Other: Sizzix Embossing Folder; Dimensional adhesive foam; Holographic Embossing powder

It's simple, not much to it but it did require being stamped three times as I wanted just the heart red and the banner stamped with some Holographic Embossing powder and then popped up. No need for a sentiment in my opinion, it's what will be written inside that will count! I think that the dry embossing and the black cardstock added to the masculinity of the card.

Not much going on today, just need to go to the Post Office to send Martha the pack of cards for the Nursing Home and then I'll be Skyping with my brother in France. I've had my run, but am thinking of doing some weight training a little later.

Have a wonderful day!

Animal Antics

2012-02-01T11:17:00.000-06:00

Just popping in very quickly with a little card that I have made for my daughter for Valentines. Not very traditional but I have figured out that I am not a traditionalist and that's ok. I'm going to enter this card for the current challenge over at Simon Says Stamp, which is "Animal Antics".

My card uses all Paper Smooches stamps as they have some cute animal stamps.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME - Blush)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics
Stamps: Paper Smooches (A Little Lovin; Pretty Phrases)
Other: dimensional foam adhesive; clear embossing powder

My card is 4 X 4 and on the front panel I have scored a margin which is covered with some pretty paper from my My Mind's Eye paper pad called Blush. That little margin is adhered on the inside of the card.

I coloured "Natasha" with copics and then stamped the image again, coloured "Mommy", trimmed and adhered her with dimensional adhesive, I wanted to give the impression of nurturing and protecting my little girl, which is what I love to do most!

I hope you like it! Thanks for coming by to take a peek and have a wonderful day!

A Note Of Thanks

2012-01-29T08:00:00.003-06:00

Ok, I promise, this will be my last Heart Winged Butterfly card for a little while, I have now put it away! I am making this using the CAS-ual Friday sketch and will submitted into that challenge as well as the Simon Says Stamp Challenge which is "Anything Goes".

Cardstock: PTI; Neenah; designer paper (DCWV - Mariposa stack)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Fired Brick and Crushed Olive distress ink; Copics
Stamps: Hero Arts (Heart Winged Butterfly F5158; Floral Brocade CG187); PTI (Mat Stack 4 collection)
Other: dimensional foam adhesive

It was actually many months ago that I stamped the Floral Brocade with red ink onto the Mariposa designer paper. And I remember at the time that I did not like the result at all, I kept looking at it and wondering what I was going to do with it. But, I'm not a "throw it in the bin" type and I kept it in my ever growing reject pile, until today. Then today I decided to stamp another butterfly and color it totally unconventionally. I think it's ok, but not really brilliant. I hope that someone out there will enjoy it!

Thanks for popping by again! Have a fabulous Sunday!

For My Mom

2012-01-28T20:05:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I sent my Mom a card, so this morning I made this for her.

Cardstock: PTI; designer paper (Girl's Paperie)
Ink: Versamark; Antique Linen Distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (Heart Winged Butterfly F5158; True Friends CG420)
Other: Snowflake Tinsel Embossing Powder (Ranger); Pearls (HA); Trim (old stash)

I cannot seem to put that Heart Winged Butterfly away, sorry, and there will still be another card tomorrow featuring the same stamp, but it seems like it just came alive on my craft desk! Also, that SnowflakeTinsel Embossing Powder, I just think it is so beautiful! I love the pieces of sparkly glitter in it, and also it just does not appear stark white, more creamy really. And I love how it looks against the Kraft card stock here.

No need for a sentiment because the background stamp says it all, plus what I will write inside will be the important stuff!

We had a great afternoon today, we went to see the Harlem Globetrotters! They really are a funny bunch but can make some mean shots too. Love it!

Have a wonderful weekend, what's left of it for you! And thank you for visiting!

XOXO

2012-01-26T14:23:00.000-06:00

A last little card for the current Hero Arts contest which is all about Hugs and Kisses and anything to do with Love!

Cardstock: PTI; Neenah
Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink; Versamark; Versafine Onyx Black; Copics
Stamps: Hero Arts (F5158; CL402; CG420)
Other: PTI Tiny Tags Die; Snowflake Tinsel Embossing Powder; Heart charm (unknown); Glossy Accents; Twine (PTI); corner chomper

I used the lovely Heart Winged Butterfly stamp and the True Friends background stamp from Hero Arts on my card. The little tag is cut with my PTI Tiny Tags die.

I coloured the butterfly using some Copic markers and added some glossy accents only to the larger hearts on the wings. The centre panel is clear embossed using the True Friend background, making sure that the word "Love" was in the frame. I then used the emboss resist technique with some Antique Linen distress ink. I love that shade of ink, I find it very shabby and romantic in a way.

I wrapped some rustic twine around the centre panel and added a heart charm which I have had in my craft drawer forever, together with a little sentiment tag. The panel is popped up with some dimensional foam adhesive.

A bit of an unusual color scheme at this time of year but I had it very clear in my mind that I wanted the butterfly in these colors, rich with Love!

On a personal note, here is a picture of my daughter yesterday totally in her element now that she can ride her bicycle! It makes me so happy!

Wishing you all a fabulous day!

Valentine Exchange

2012-01-24T19:49:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the year again and Anita was very kind once again to organise a card exchange amongst Hero Arts Flickr friends. I was partnered up with Cheiron and she has just let me know that my card arrived today so I will share it with you.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; designer paper: Making Memories (Je t'Adore)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic markers
Stamps: Hero Arts (Traditional Butterfly - E5388; CL402 - sentiment); PTI (Fancy Flourishes)
Other: pearls; PTI large scalloped die; Holographic Embossing powder

I'm not one to send Valentines' cards to a woman, it's all a bit strange to me, but I just enjoyed the process of trying to make something pretty and feminine that a fellow crafter could enjoy.

Of course the designer papers made it very easy! I added a small pearl at each indentation of the scalloped piece. The butterfly is embossed with Holographic embossing powder, I really love the shine it gives. And I propped up the wings with dimensional adhesive.

I hope you had a wonderful day today! My hubby will be home in the morning, I can hardly wait to see him! And my daughter finally learned to ride her bicycle on her own yesterday and now that's all she wants to do! I am a very proud Mommy!

You're So Special

2012-01-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

I had a piece of spritzed watercolour paper left over from yesterday's card and I couldn't bear just to leave it lying around without a home, so I made this quick card which I will add to Virginia's View challenge over at the Lily Pad, and it's also going to help out my friend Martha, whose heart is really hurting after visiting a nursing home. She has asked if anyone over at the Hero Arts Flickr site could help donate some cards which she could then take to the folks over at the nursing home, in the hope of putting a smile on their faces.

I just cannot say no to a worthy cause like that. It came from her heart, so profound and so true, that she has spent many hours crying about it. I can totally understand what she is feeling.

So, here is my card, and hopefully it will put a smile on someone's face. I have quite a few more that are going her way and I plan on making more this week. If you think you can help, you can just click on her name above to go to the discussion thread.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); watercolour paper (SSS); Neenah
Ink: various shades of Glimmer Mist; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic markers
Stamps: Hero Arts (sentiment - CL380); PTI (Butterfly Dreams)
Other: PTI Butterfly die; stickles; dimensional foam tape; corner chomper

I hope you can find some time to make a few cards for this very worthy effort. Have a wonderful day!

Virginia's View Challenge #1

2012-01-22T13:09:00.001-06:00

There was some great news announced over at the Lilly Pad, some of our Flickr friends have become DT's and Virginia is now the proud owner of her own challenge, so make sure you go and check this out, and perhaps even participate!

Here is my interpretation of the inspiration photo:

Paper: card stock (PTI); watercolor paper; Neenah
Ink: various Glimmer Mist sprays; Versafine Onyx Black; Antique Linen distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (Untitled Hearts AC002; CL402)
Other: Stampin' Up Scalloped border punch; Embossing tinsel - Snowflake

I went with a CAS design and incorporated the colors into the frame made with 4 strips of watercolor paper sprayed with various shades of Glimmer Mist. Of course there had to be a heart! So I stamped the heart with some Antique Linen and embossed it with this gorgeous Snowflake embossing tinsel, it's so pretty. I then inked the edges of the heart with some Antique Linen for a nice soft feminine feel.

I'm going to enter this into the current Hero Arts challenge as it fits in with the theme there too.

I just wanted to say thank you very much for all the wonderful comments I received on the card set I made, which you can see HERE in my previous post. I'm so glad you liked it.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Card Set

2012-01-21T10:39:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, I am so happy with myself today! I read over the Online Clean & Simple Card Class Day 10 yesterday and I was totally taken in by the most gorgeous card set with a box to match, that Julie Ebersole made! Firstly, I just loved the design she used, love just using a few strips of patterned paper. And then when I saw the little gift box she made to add the cards to I just knew I had to give it a go!

So Julie, I am casing 100% here today, I could not help myself, why mess with perfection right! I did change up the patterned papers, sentiments, die and I also decorated the box using another tip from a previous class to make your own embellishments.

There are quite a few photos, so bear with me. First up is the finished product.

Papers: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Memory Box: Minuet)
Ink: CTMH dye ink (Juniper); Tombow marker
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL342)
Other: PTI Flower die; EK Success border punch & tag punch; Twine (PTI); brad (unknown)

I love those Minuet paper, they make me think of my blog friends Jacqueline & Susanne, I could really see them loving these. My most used CTMH dye ink ever is this Juniper shade, it's exquisite! And an all time favourite sentiment set from Hero Arts is the one I used above (I only know the code which is mentioned above).

Doesn't this make a cute gift set. Here is a picture of the box without the cards inside:

We got the template in the class, so easy to make, I did not even print the template onto the cardstock, I simply used the measurements and made it, very, very easy!

I decided to add some of the same patterned paper on the top lid and I added a strip of the same grey designer paper used on the card, over the middle of the top and then wrapped some rustic twine around the box several times. Then I thought this needed a small embellishment, so, all those die cut flowers from the cards themselves, I glued them all on top of each other and added the final one made wih the same patterned paper, finished it off with a brad. I also added a little Thank You tag on the lid. (The lid does not come off, you simply remove the cards from the bottom of the box, hence the half moon cut out which allows you easy access).

Here is a collage attempt of all the cards, they are all the same, very easy to assemble, I just changed up the sentiments:

And here is a close up:

I hope you give this a try, it was really satisfying to see it completed, it really did not take me long.

Well, it's kind of grey and gloomy here today. I had a slow 10 mile run with my friend this morning, we were soaking wet by the time we finished. Later on we are going to our neighbours for an Open House Madis Gras party and then later this evening we are getting together with Lisa for dinner, she is making the dinner and I am bringing the dessert!

Have a wonderful day!

You're Special

2012-01-20T14:22:00.000-06:00

The idea for todays card came from yesterdays Clean & Simple Online Card class. So last night I was playing around and made a small card for my niece using the Hero Arts "Flower Wall Paper" cling stamp. I like the fun idea of stamping the stamp on a strip of paper, and then stamping again and cutting out some elements to then adhere over the strip. Ok, I know, that sounds confusing, so here is my little card:

Paper: Neenah Solar White; Hero Arts Layering paper; PTI cardstock
Ink:Versafine Onyx Black; Prismacolour pencils; HA Soft Yellow Shadow ink
Stamps: Hero Arts; Paper Smooches
Other: Dimensional foam

I just cut a banner out of the yellow cardstock and stamped the background onto it with the yellow shadow ink, it's very subtle, but it's there. I then stamped the background again with black ink on Neenah cardstock and coloured in a few random flowers and fussy cut them out. Finally, I adhered them with some dimensional foam for dimension.

The sentiment is from Paper Smooches' "Sentiment Sampler".

I can't believe that the online class is done! Today was the last class. I still have so many techniques and ideas to play with, perhaps I'll get some time this weekend!

I hope you have a great weekend planned ahead! Take care!

Meeting of a Cyber Friend

2012-01-19T14:10:00.000-06:00

Last week Lisa and I met up with Trinh for lunch! It was so exciting to actually meet a cyber friend in person, and especially such a talented one!

We learned a very interesting fact about Trinh, whom Lisa and I have been calling Trinh, right! Why not, that's how it's spelled, with a T! Well, here is a heads up for everyone, just in case you get to meet this lovely lady, you need to say it like this: Ching! We had a good giggle over this!

Here is the card I made for her:

Paper: PTI cardstock; Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Victorian Velvet & Fired Brick distress ink; Copics
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: Dimensional foam; flower gems (HA); Clear embossing powder

That owl is simply the cutest thing I have seen in a long time! But it's rather large and really takes up an entire card. Not much to explain really.

Thanks for visiting! I'm loving your comments!

Because I Care

2012-01-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

Ok, maybe things are looking up and my mojo juices are starting to flow again, albeit rather slowly. I think that part of my problem is that I need to craft with a purpose, and by that I don't just mean a challenge here and there or even the card class, but a purpose that can touch someone's life.

I've derailed a bit from my OWH commitment, although all the cards I do make still go to them, but I was usually on top of things and knew that by a certain date they needed this type of card etc...I need to get back on track. Just mumbling out loud....ignore me...Here is my card for today:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic Markers; CTMH - Baby Pink Dye ink
Stamps: MFT (IB-Flowers); Penny Black (Paisly outline)
Other: Twine (The Twinery); Corner Rounder; Dimensional foam tape; Hole punch; clear embossing powder

I stamped the paisly background in pink ink on some white Neenah cardstock and rounded the two top corners before adhering to the notecard. I then stamped and heat embossed the sentiment. I punched a hole, which you cannot see, under the flower through the notecard in order to wrap the twine around three times, just for something different, instead of going right around the card.

The flower is only part of an image which I coloured with copics and trimmed, and then adhered with some foam dimensional tape.

Thanks for coming to take a peek! Hugs to all.

Love is in the Air

2012-01-17T15:17:00.000-06:00

Deary me, I am still struggling to be consistent at coming up with good ideas for some cards! I am totally lagging behind in the card class. I have one card today that I made earlier. It fits in with Day 7's theme of feeling good using white cardstock. And I think I am going to add it to the CAS-ual Fridays challenge to use scallops.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (MME)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Victorian Velvet Distress Ink; Copic markers
Stamps: Penny Black (...in the Air)
Other: Glossy Accents; Pink Glitter; Stampin' Up Scalloped Punch; dimensional foam tape

The back of the card is wider than the front, and I created a glittery edge by running a strip of double sided tape down the side and pouring glitter over it, and then adding a strip of MME designer paper along the inner edge. Here is another view of it open.

The balloon was cut out of the stamped image which has many balloons on it. I stamped and clear embossed it on white cardstock and then restamped the inner heart with Victorian Velvet distress ink and covered that with glossy accents and a bit of glitter before adhering. I then popped up the balloon with some dimensional foam tape.

I hope you are having a wonderful day! It's gotten warm here again! See you again soon hopefully.

One Stamp, Three Ways

2012-01-15T22:26:00.001-06:00

I am sort of "behind" on the online class, Clean & Simple Card Making. We've been given sketches, new techniques, making one layer cards and using multiple die cut layers as well as finding ways to use the same stamp in three different ways.

Tonight I found some time to make three cards using the new Hero Arts Newspaper Skyline woodblock stamp. I hope you like it:

This first card is supposed to convey a feeling of being far away from someone one cares about, so the embossed buildings in the background are further away and obviously the popped up blue building in the foreground is here, where the sender is. I also chose these colours as my intention was to make this more of a masculine card. The sentiment is from Ali Edwards and the cardstock from PTI and Neenah.

This is perhaps a bit of a silly card, I am still toying with the idea of a sentiment, maybe "I miss you" or "Thinking of You", but I liked the XOXO there as a sentiment on it's own too. It's a simple one layer card with a little masking. The inks are distress inks, Fired Brick and Gathered Twigs. The heart is from a Hero Arts cling set called Untitled Hearts.

This is my favourite of the three. I used the sentiment and clock from the Hero Arts Special Time set, love this set. I stamped the big clock with some second generation Pumice Stone ink. And then I popped a layered PTI mat stack over that, which I matted with a grey cardstock for a thin border. The buildings are stamped with Victorian Velvet and embossed.

On a personal note, I had an amazing race this morning and my best time ever at this Half Marathon distance in 15 years! So who says that getting old means you need to slow down! Not me!

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend, mine is not over yet as my daughter does not have school tomorrow so I am taking her to go and see Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked! Should be a lot of fun!

Valentine Wishes

2012-01-12T10:26:00.001-06:00

Firstly, thank you all so very much for the really encouraging comments and tips you left for me about my lack of mojo! You are all very special! I think it is slowly coming back.

I did go to my craft room last night once Natasha was asleep and managed to make a Valentine's card using one of the sketches from the CAS class.

Paper: HA Pool notecard & patterned paper; Neenah; My Mind's Eye; PTI cardstock
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Evergreen Bough distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (Graph Background & sentiment)
Other: double heart punch; Memory Box "Marietta Buckle "Die; dimensional squares

Seeing as I had the Pool paper out and also that little double heart punch I just decided to continue using it. I also found that the Evergreen Bough distress ink is a perfect match for the HA Pool colour. I used the ink to stamp the Graph background and also to swipe onto that wider strip of paper you see in the design.

Don't you just love that little Marietta Buckle die! It cuts like a dream! This is my first Memory Box die and I am really pleased, very high quality.

Thank you for coming by to take a look!

Try and Try Again...

2012-01-11T16:05:00.000-06:00

(This is my second post today).

And you may succeed! I just had to give my mojo another chance to show itself, even if just in a small way. So taking some tips out of todays Clean & Simple Online Card Class and Hero Arts' current contest of Hugs and Kisses, here is what I managed to come up with and I am much happier.

Paper: Hero Arts layering papers (Pool); Neenah
Ink: Glimmer Mist (Turquoise Blue); CTMH (Lagoon dye ink)
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiment (CG155)
Other: Fiskars Heart Punch; Double Heart Punch (not sure of manufacturer)

In the card class Jennifer introduced a die layering technique, but instead of a die I decided to use my heart punches, punching 6 white layers for each heart and 1 layer from the patterned paper for each. I first spritzed the card with some glimmer mist because I felt it looked too plain and I also trimmed the card to be a 4 X 4 size.

After stamping the sentiment I felt that it was not prominent enough so I used my white gel pen and outlined some of the lines.

Thank you if you had the courage to pass by twice today!!!

Mojo, Mojo Where Art Thou....

2012-01-11T15:07:00.000-06:00

Aagh!!! I am getting so frustrated! I sit and stare and .... nothing...is...happening! What's up with that!

I'm supposed to be doing the Clean & Simple Online Card Class, which I am reading up every day, and still nothing. I'm going through the Hero Arts Hostess blog hop every morning, and I am loving everything I see, but somehow I cannot translate it into my own work! Is it always this hard when one comes back from a 2 week break or is it just me?!

Here is my puny little 4 X 4 card. (Oh yes, and my sentiment is skew, oh well...this was not meant to be).

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Antique Linen
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: dimensional squares; clear embossing powder

Maybe the card tells a story, I am just sitting and thinking about my hubby, and the family and the future...and life in general...oh boy...to be a woman! I know it will all become clear in time and along with that, so will my card making! Just bear with me!

Have a really awesome day!

Star Quality

2012-01-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

My friend Lisa and I are taking part on the Clean & Simple Card Making Online Class, me more for the fact that I need a kick start after a two week break, plus I really admire the instructors/designers.

So today was the first class and it came together with sketches, so I chose one of them and made my CAS card.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Versamark
Stamps: The Craft's Meow
Other: clear embossing powder; dimensional foam adhesive; jute(Michaels)

I followed the sketch to the T. The sentiment is stamped in black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. The patterned paper panel was created by first adhering the paper to a piece of kraft cardstock and then mounted with dimensional foam (it just makes it sturdier).

The star was stamped with Versamark and clear embossed.

So, as you can see, there is not much to it but I like the outcome. I love CAS designs, right up my alley!

It's been an interesting day here in Katy, Texas! We were under a tornado warning and were hit by some severe weather including hail which created sheets of ice floating down some neighborhoods! My poor friend Lisa was forced to pull over at one point and try to sit out the storm, pretty scary, I could hear it in her voice when she called me. Lucky for me I was indoors at my Pilates class.

But all is quiet here in our neighborhood now. It's still raining, but it's mild.

A Hero Arts Scramble

2012-01-07T14:39:00.000-06:00

Karen over at the Hero Arts Flickr group just hosted a 90 minute scramble which is about to end in 4 minutes, and I just managed to get my card made and upoaded! Phew, that was close!

We were encouraged to stamp on patterned paper which is such a nice technique, not often used by me for sure. My Mom In Law had asked me to make a few Sympathy cards for her as she likes to have them on hand. I cannot refuse my MIL as she is really such a wonderful and extremely caring person, so Cindy, here is one that I will hopefully add more to soon.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Pink Paislee: Butterfly Garden)
Ink: Versafine; Memonto (Pear Tart)
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: Spellbinder's Wonky Rectangle die; dimensional foam adhesive; pearls (Hero Arts)

I am still not quite settled back into crafting but my friend Lisa is crafting up a storm of the most exquisite cards! Wow, I am quite jealous of her mojo! But, like all things, time will work in my favour I know, and pretty soon I should be back to my normal self (which may not be normal afterall!).

I had an awesome 10 mile run this morning with our running group! Just a perfect run. Next weekend I tackle the Houston Half Marathon and am hoping to have an equally if not better run. My pains are still there, but I am choosing to work through them, the mind can overcome so many obstacles, I remain astounded at the power of positive thoughts.

Wishing you all a fantastic day and hoping that 2012 is turning out to be exactly what you are making of it! Does that sentence sound funny to you, I write it that way on purpose. You know how by default we say "May year XYZ be everything you wish for and more", well, for me, although that sounds nice and the thoughts behind it are genuine, the truth is that life can only be the sum of what you put into it. And that is something that I need to always remember, wishing is great, but it requires action to make those wishes come true!

Sending love your way!

So Proud....

2012-01-05T15:12:00.000-06:00

Having just gotten back from a two week vacation it is a challenge summoning up the creativity to produce something of significance. However, today is a very special day for me and I simply HAD to make a card for a very special person.....my Nephew back in South Africa received his matriculation results today (that's final year at school) and he passed! I am the happiest Aunt in the world right now!

Some children love school and manage the academics, but for my nephew the 12 years at school did not come naturally! He is one of those super talented individuals who excels with his hands, he sees something and he can make the exact replica, very often a much more improved version. But schools don't really cater for the non-academics, in my opinion that is extremely sad! However, I concur with my nephew when he posted on Facebook today, "I never, ever, want to go through that again"! That one sentence, for a young man of few words, spoke absolute volumes to me. I could hear the struggle of the last 12 years and it really touched me.

So today is dedicated to my nephew, and those ohter students out there who have had to deal with a purely academic learning environment. Callan, I am so proud of you!

I am not sure about the design, but it says what I wanted to say and it also says , now, go live your dream Callan! Because he has a vision of what he wants to do and I am so proud that he knows what his talent is and will be pursuing it!

So that's it. I want to visit a few blogs and collect inspirational pearls along the way so that I can spend some time in my craft room over the weeks to come and put one of my passions to paper!

I am emotional today, so forgive me when I say, I love you all!

Boy Birthday

2012-01-03T14:31:00.002-06:00

Here is a brithday card I made for a little boy down the road who turned six a few days before my daughter.

The patterned paper is so old, it dates back to many years ago in South Africa so I could not even begin to tell you the manufacturer.

I die cut a star using a Spellbinders die and also a Skateboard die from PTI. The stamps are from PTI. I put the Happy Birthday sentiment on the inside of the card.

Another quik post. By now I should be back home and it will take me a little while to get back into my craft room I am sure!

I hope that your new year started with a wonderful BANG! See you again soon!

Happy 12th Birthday

2012-01-01T06:17:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year to you all! I hope that 2012 is going to be everything you want it to be and that it's going to be great! We are getting on a plane to come back to the US today after two weeks in South Africa. I hope to be able to share some photos with you as soon as I get caught up.

My niece in France is turning 12 today! Happy birthday Aurore! This is a card I made for her.

I was in the mood to create my own background and used a cupcake stamp from PTI with all the vibrant ink colours I could find in my drawer.

All the products used to make this card are from PTI. I love that tiny little banner! I also added a bit of stickles on the toppings.

Thanks for visiting!

Holographic Ornament

2011-12-31T14:22:00.000-06:00

By the time I was nearing the end of my Christmas card making I noticed two things, I was hooked on embossing all my images and I was addicted to Perfect Pearls Mist!

Then for this card I dug out this Holographic Embossing Powder and now I have a third thing that I am hooked on!

I just love how this card turned out! This all started from the inspiration I got from Joy's blog which I discussed some blog posts ago. You'll be able to see the Holographic embossing powder effect in this next shot!

Oh boy! I love it! I was super excited when I finished this card, I love the green, I love the patterned paper, love the shimmer!

Well, I think that's it with my Christmas card showing off for a while now! I know that next Christmas I need to start sooner!

Thank you for putting up with me and hopefully I will move on to a different theme with my next posts!

Drop Ornaments

2011-12-30T14:15:00.000-06:00

For these two cards I used a long ornament die from PTI and dressed them up slightly.

For my first card I simply stamped the pattern at the top of the ornament in red and then added a whole lot of red stickles over it. I finished it off with a little red bow and popped the ornament up with some foam tape.

For my second card I tried to get a richer look by using Antique Linen stickles and some pearls. I love that patterned paper, this is still paper from the pack that Lisa had cut up for me some time ago! I used a PTI die to cut that shape before adhering to the notecard. The ornament is also popped up with some dimensional foam tape.

At this point I should be wrapping up my holiday in South Africa with my family and I know that I am missing my very dear friend Lisa! Soon I will be home and we can catch up, a lot!

CAS Christmas

2011-12-28T14:10:00.000-06:00

A few CAS Christmas cards as I was struggling to come up with more detailed ideas!

All of these make use of PTI stamps. Nice one layer cards if you are trying to avoid bulk!

Short and sweet today! See you again soon!

Snowflake

2011-12-26T14:00:00.002-06:00

I know, I am pathetic when it comes to post titles! It's really like pulling teeth for me, I cannot figure out what to write!

Not too many more Christmas cards to come from me now, phew, I am quite glad, I want to move on to other things.

I am always inspired by those super bloggers out there, one of them being Jennifer McGuire. I don't think I ever leave her blog without learning something new. This time is was about using foil tape from Tim Holtz.

I had seen this silver and gold foil tape forever and always walked away from it, not knowing what one would do with it. Well, Jennifer suggested using a strip of it to accent a card and that you could even colour it with a Copic Marker. So, after adhering the centre strip of patterned paper I decided to try her idea and adhered two strips of foil tape down each side and coloured each with a brown Copic Marker to take off that harsh silver shine. I really like that coppery shine and how it went perfectly with the colours in the designer paper!

I then laid down a sentiment strip and die cut a snowflake and applied stickles very liberally over the top.

I then went on to make another version:

I changed up the colours this time and went with a double layered snowflake which was die cut in patterned paper and inked around the edges with some Vintage Photo distress ink. I added a metallic brad to the centre.

Thank you for popping by....now we count down to a brand new year filled with new and wondrous experiences!

Season's Greetings

2011-12-23T13:52:00.000-06:00

Here is another Christmas card I made using the Magical Background stamp from Hero Arts and some Iced Spruce distress ink. I think it's the perfect colour to depict that cold, snowy weather (which I am not experiencing of course)!

The background is made by white embossing the Magical Background stamp and then inking the entire panel with Iced Spruce distress ink.

A small strip of patterned paper, a die cut sentiment label and a teeny tiny snowman from a very old wooden set from Hero Arts, and I was happy!

Ok, so my next post will be after Christmas because you should all be feasting with your families and not blogging right?! Wishing you the most wonderful festive Christmas!

Happy Snowman

2011-12-21T13:47:00.000-06:00

I adore this happy Snowman which is from Hero Arts.

And I love how he looks against that Aqua Mist cardstock from PTI. I stamped and then coloured him with some Copic Markers, afterwhich I spritzed the oval die cut with some Perfect Pearls Mist (I am addicted to it at the moment). I also used some Iced Spruce distress ink to ink around the edges a little.

The card is finished off with a strip of paper from My Mind's Eye, a crinkle ribbon and a tiny tag from the PTI set.

Wishing you an awesome day! Not long until Christmas now!

Christmas Bird

2011-12-19T12:52:00.002-06:00

I decided to use a bird from one of my Stampin' Up sets to create a Christmas card with some pretty papers from My Mind's Eye, "12 Days of Christmas".

I just love those pretty papers! The card is pretty straight forward.

I created the centre panel by first die cutting a scalloped circle from a Spellbinders die and stamping it with some snowflakes and then spritzing with Perfect Pearls Mist. On top of that I popped up the birdie which was stamped and embossed on red cardstock.

I then layered an oval die cut frame on top of that with some dimensional quares.

Thank you for looking!

Christmas Ornament

2011-12-17T06:24:00.003-06:00

Today's card is the one I made for the Hero Arts Flickr group Christmas exchange that Anita organised. My card went to my friend Martha in Austin, not to far from here and she has received it so it's ok to share.

I basically clear embossed some PTI cardstock with a Hero Arts background stamp. I then die cut a piece of designer paper from My Mind's Eye for the top portion. The Hero Arts ornament is pieced in two layers. The top layer is silver embossed and popped over the main ornament with some dimensional squares, and a little turquoise gem was added to the centre.

The base of the ornament was coloured with Copic markers and I finished it off with a little piece of crinkle ribbon tied in a knot and glued in place with some glossy accents!

Thanks for visiting! Wishing you an awesome day!

CAS Christmas

2011-12-15T06:06:00.001-06:00

My available time to craft is diminishing, the pressure is on to still finish another 15 or so Christmas cards, so my posts are going to be rather short and to the point over the next two weeks, mostly because I won't be here and they will be pre-scheduled. I hope you don't mind.

A little CAS Christmas card using a stamp from Stampin' Up.

The sentiment is from a PTI set. I love this dropped pearl image, not sure what else to call it really.

This card came about when I realised that I had a few Hero Arts Pool notecards waiting to be used and then I remembered a recent inspiration photo for a Tuesday Trigger over at Moxiefab World and I used the colours that I could recall.

It's a nice flat, no bulk card, coloured with Copics.

Thanks for looking and have a fabulous day!

Still Inspired

2011-12-13T08:01:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday, Joy's card really inspired me and I landed up make a few different ones using the same basic design. Here is another:

Paper: Cardstock (PTI); Designer Paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Tea Dye & Victorian Velvet distress ink; Versafine Onyx Black; Copic markers
Stamps: PTI
Other: PTI die; gems; dimensional squares

The main panel was inked with distress inks lightly around the borders for depth and then adhered to the notecard using dimensional squares. The sentiment is stamped and heat embossed. And the pattern on the ornament was stamped with Victorian Velvet distress ink and I also added a few gems to the design with a little PTI bow at the top.

It's lovely to see some new followers, thank you! We are back into the 60's here today, cold one day, warm the next!

I hope your day has got off to a good start! I am off to finish the gift wrapping and to see if it all fits into my suitcases!

Peace, Love and Happiness

2011-12-12T10:37:00.000-06:00

Well, as I mentioned in my previous post, I was so inspired by a card design made by the uber talented Joy, you can see her card here, that I basically cased her design and made quite a few of my Christmas cards using it! So thank you Joy for inspiring me to get some cards made! I'll show you one today:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; My Mind's Eye
Ink: Black Stazon; Versafine Onyx Black; Vintage Photo & Antique Linen distress ink
Stamps: Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous; Paper Smooches
Other: Dimensional squares; Clear embossing powder

I love that happy Santa image. This was one of my first stamps that I purchased and I decided to get him out for this card. The designer paper was trimmed to size and adhered to some white cardstock for some sturdiness. I then inked the edges first with Antique Linen and then some Vintage Photo. Finally I stamped and clear embossed the sentiment onto the panel.

So easy, before I knew it I had made about 6 cards following my new challenge to make 2 of the same cards each time, so 3 different images later and I was happy. I did not add a border on the top and bottom like Joy did, simply because my sentiment was too large. But I am still using this design and hope to be able to incorporate that border idea in.

Only a few more sleeps and we get on a plane to South Africa! I have to wrap all the gifts, pack the suitcases, check all the paperwork is in order, finish my XMas cards, post them and very importantly, spend some time with my buddy Lisa whom I am going to miss tons! She is small enough to put into my suitcase but I don't think her husband would be very happy with me!

Ok, off to see how many more XMas cards I need to make. In the meantime, have a fabulous day and I hope to pop by your blogs later tonight!

Merry Deer!

2011-12-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

I just had to play around with the cute "Christmas Reindeer" set from Hero Arts! Those reindeers are simply too cute and I love the trees in the set too. I combined it with some lovely paper from My Mind's Eye that my friend Lisa had shared with me a couple of months ago. (Thank you Lisa).

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; My Mind's Eye
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic markers; Peeled Paint & Iced Spruce distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (Christmas Reindeer CL540)
Other: Clear embossing powder; stickles; dimensional adhesive

I popped up the one tree as well as the reindeer's head with some dimensional foam for some interest. The snow was hand cut and then I also added some stickles to the edge and lightly inked the other edges with some Iced Spruce distress ink.

I made quite a few sets of two cards yesterday which I will be posting in the next few days, and all came from the inspiration I obtained from one blogger friend! I love talented people, and this girl is super talented! I'll tell you about her in my next post!

It was a lovely cool morning and I went and had a great 12 mile run with my running buddy! It felt great.

Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for stopping by!

All About Red at Lawn Fawn

2011-12-08T23:00:00.020-06:00

I feel very priviledged to be playing along in Lawn Fawn's 2nd blog hop, having missed the first because the list filled up so quickly! So welcome, sit back, relax and be prepared to see RED! (Not in a bad way!)
You should have come to me by way of Crafty Math Chic and should already be feeling really inspired! The theme for this hop is all about RED! The hop runs from Friday, December 9th through to Sunday, December 11th. Make sure to comment on all the blogs as there are lots of prizes to be won! All the details can be found on the Lawnscaping home page. The hop is being sponsored by some amazing companies, Lawn Fawn, Mold Muse and Whiskers Graphics!

Let me not waste any more of your time so that you can hop on further and comment as much as possible, here is my card:

Paper:Neenah; My Mind's Eye (12 Days of Christmas)
Ink: Distress Inks (Iced Spruce; Festive Berries; Chipped Sapphire; Peeled Paint); Memento Tuxedo Black
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Making Frosty Friends; Lunar Lights); Hero Arts ( sentiment)
Other:Diamond Stickles; Perfect Pearls Mist

I first created my background night sky with my Iced Spruce and Chipped Sapphire distress inks. I hand cut the snow hill and dotted it with some Diamond Stickles.

I then stamped, trimmed and inked the lanterns and sprayed them liberally with some Perfect Pearls Mist. The little mittens were stamped and paper pieced and added to the lanterns, which in turn were adhered to the notecard with dimensional foam.

And here is another view so that you can see all that shimmer on those lanterns!

Next up is Yenni Natalia, go and feast your eyes! If for some reason you have lost your way, don't worry, just head back to the Lawnscaping blog to see the complete list of designers and prize information.

So, from me it's goodbye for now, but I hope to see you again soon! I'm off to hop too!

Celebrate Today and Every Day (and a personal share)

2011-12-08T09:09:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow my beautiful daughter is going to be 6 years old! It's hard to imagine when you sit down and think about it, the time does go by so fast! I don't even want to think about her getting older, boyfriends, moving out of the house....how weird! My card is coming up next, followed by a sad and then funny story about her birth, so stick around if you want to.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Echo Park)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copics
Stamps: The Greeting Farm; Paper Smooches
Other: Glossy Accents; Stickles; dimensional foam adhesive; sewing

Six years ago tomorrow was a tough day for us! I was in South Africa, my husband was in Paris, in a taxi, driving to the airport for his normal trip home. I had been in hospital for what seemed forever, because I went into premature labour. I remember that Friday, the 9th of December 2005, I was sitting up in bed, feeling not quite myself, different to what I had been feeling the last month or so in hospital. Almost like I was coming down with the flu. I couldn't shake it off, I felt cold and "weird". All my vital signs were the same as they had been, no fever, nothing different on the monitors.

I got out of bed and decided to pace the corridor, it was around 5h30pm. One of the nurses came up to me, and she touched my arm, and, the floodgates just opened, tears that is, tears because I was not feeling well and I was frustrated because I did not know why! Do you ever get like that?

Well, needless to say, by 7pm I was in the operating theatre and moments later my daughter was born. I'll save you all the other traumatic details, save it to say that Natasha only came home from the ICU on the 1st of January 2006!

But in hindsight I can look at that last hour before going to theatre and really, really laugh! The gynae was called, he did his thing and told me there was no time to waste, it's me or the baby, we go to theater NOW! I proceeded to become the MOST unreasonable person on planet earth! (And I AM a medical person!). I refused, I screamed, I swore, I shouted....what was he thinking, my husband was in a taxi, in 13 or so hours he would be home and he could be here and witness the birth of our baby....oh no...I pulled out my cell phone and got hold of Michael, he wanted to speak to the doctor and basically told him not to listen to me and do what he needed to do!

Ok, so now, I capitulate, but I am not going through this alone, oh no....I need to round up some support....my sister lived a 20 minutes drive away, my best friend was 5 minutes drive away but was entertaining business guests from India for dinner at her house...I just told them that probably only one of them would be allowed in theatre with me, so first come, first serve.

Now I am in theatre, waiting to see who would win this race! My friend makes it first, yippee, at least I am not on my own. About ten minutes later, after the epidural, a green garbed "person" with glasses comes in. I have no idea who this is, they are greeting me so sweetly and I say, "and who are you?"! Umh, it's my sister! Double yippee! One on each side.

If you are still with me, this is the funny part. The C-section barely begins and my friend says she is feeling light headed, so I, round up some forces and shout instructions to bring a chair, let her sit down, take some deep breaths, and I am rubbing her hand gently in the hope she feels better soon, not 2 seconds later, on my other side, my sister says, "oh gosh, I think I am going to faint, I feel sick"....ok, another chair please, breathe through your nose, nice deep breaths sis, just keep breathing.....

You see, there is always another side to things. I was so glad to be with people I love. Natasha is as perfect as any child out there. My husband was at the hospital within an hour of landing. All is good!

Thank you for sticking around. I'm trying to think of why I decided to share this today....I think that it's because when I think about my Natasha I beleive in miracles...and I just wanted you to know that miracles do happen!

Warm hugs!

Love Stands the Test of Time

2011-12-07T10:11:00.000-06:00

A little while ago I was asked by Janet Hunnicutt from OWH if I would be willing to make a card for one of their posts, focusing on making your own background paper from stamps (rubber or digital), and my card is being featured today. Well, there is just no way that I could refuse, it's such a great cause. All the cards go to the guys and girls in the armed forces, allowing them to be able to write in them and send them back home to their loved ones.

Along the way my card sort of became a masculine looking card because of the colours mainly, which is a good thing, because those are always a challenge to make for most of us.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Fired Brick, Walnut Stain & Vintage Photo distress inks
Stamps: Unity (clocks); Technique Tuesday (Je t'aime); Hero Arts (Flourish on the heart)
Other: Glossy accents; foam dimensional tape; EK Success Heart Punch

I created the background patterned paper by first stamping the clocks in Walnut Stain (2nd generation stamping) and then overstamping with the sentiment in Fired Brick distress ink. I inked around the edges with some Vintage Photo distress ink.

The sentiment strip was computer generated and matted with a strip of chocolate brown cardstock. The heart was stamped with the Fabulous Flourish stamp from Hero Arts. I also added a little bit of glossy accents on the flourish and inked around the edges of the heart with Vintage Photo as well. Finally, the heart was adhered with some dimensional tape.

A really simple card to make and quite an enjoyable process. It's amazing what you can come up with by just looking at unused stamps! You can see the post regarding my card on the OWH Stars and Stamps website.

I hope I have left you with a little bit of inspiration! Wishing you a spectacular day!

Warm Wishes

2011-12-06T16:21:00.000-06:00

I made a bit of a dent in my Christmas card list today, thank goodness. But only because I decided to change tactics. I am making everything in pairs, 2 cards of every design (which is something I never do). So I will share one of them with you today.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME: 12 Days of Christmas)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic Markers; Iced Spruce distress ink; PTI's Aqua Mist dye ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (AR159); PTI (Tiny Tags 1 & 2)
Other: Diamond stickles; Perfect Pearl Mist; Clear Embossing powder; dyed crinkle ribbon; PTI's Tiny Tags die; Dimensional squares

I found an already cut out oval and saw that this cute snowman fitted really nicely into it. So I stamped and embossed him and then coloured him with some copic markers. I also used some Iced Spruce to distress a little around the edges. (I am loving that colour!).

After adding a strip of patterned paper to my card I tied some crinkle ribbon and added the tag, and then I adhered the snowman image, which I had spritzed with Perfect Pearls Mist, using some dimensional foam!

I like it, it's kind of cute and I am enjoying using the patterned papers from the "12 Days of Christmas" 6 X 6 paper pad by My Mind's Eye.

Well, we are quite cold here today! It was 39F when I went for my run this morning. Although my body stayed warm, my nose, lips and ears did get quite cold! But I was really enjoying myself, and running in cold weather always makes your times faster which is a real plus!

I hope that you are all having a great day where ever you are!

I'm Sorry

2011-12-05T07:53:00.001-06:00

No, I didn't do anything wrong, I don't think! It's just the title of my card using another sketch from the current Hero Arts monthly contest.

Here is my card using a beautiful butterfly from Hero Arts.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Basic Grey- "Out of Print"); Neenah
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Copic Markers
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL342; E5388 - Traditional Butterfly)
Other: Clear embossing powder; dimensional adhesive; square punch

Quite self explanatory! The most challenging part was to measure the spacing for the squares. I coloured the butterflies with my Copic markers which is always fun.

I hope you enjoy it!

It's nice and cold and rainy here today. Hubby has just left for West Africa and we will meet up again in two weeks time in South Africa, so at least this time the seperation is not too long. Have a wonderful day!

Celebrate The Season

2011-12-04T08:00:00.003-06:00

I am getting anxious! My Christmas cards are coming together too slowly! Here is one for a family member that I managed to make yesterday and I used one of the sketches from the current Hero Arts contest.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Iced Spruce & Evergreen Bough distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (AR159; CL343)
Other: various gems; Wonky Rectangle Spellbinders die; dimensional foam adhesive

I was not intending to go monochromatic, but it turned out that way and I like it.

I stamped a white piece of cardstock with three different snowflakes using Iced Spruce and some 2nd generation stamping every now and then. I then used the negative piece from my die cut, inked up its edges with Iced Spruce and adhered that over the white panel using dimensional adhesive.

A little bit of bling in the centre of the snowflakes, a sentiment strip using Evergreen Bough distress ink and that was the card finished.

Thanks for popping in! Have an awesome day!

Nancy's 90 Minute Scramble

2011-12-03T14:38:00.000-06:00

Lovely Nancy is hosting a scramble over at the Hero Arts Flickr site and I just made it with about 10 minutes to spare after starting 45 minutes late! My heart is still racing!

Nancy posted this lovely inspiration photo taken by her daughter and we were to take out of it what we wanted:

I went with the colours, that's often the easiest for me. This picture makes me want to go to Morocco! I had a few pieces of patterned paper on my desk and 3 punched out squares from a card I had just made. So in order to avoid wastage I decided I would have to find a way to use that. Then the current Hero Arts challenge came to mind and I went with one of their sketches!

I did use a bit of artistic licence and put my sentiment in a different spot, but I am sure that's ok! Here is my card:

Paper: Cardstock (PTI); designer paper (Cosmo Cricket - Circa 1934)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Bundled Sage, Dried Marigold & Antique Linen distress ink; Copic Marker
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: Clear Embossing powder; Square punches; gem; dimensional foam

I stamped three different Hero Arts images on some 1" square pieces of cardstock. The first one is the Small Open Flower, and the last one is from the Delicate Leaf Cluster set. The sentiment in the middle was stamped and embossed and then coloured with a rich red Copic marker and popped up with dimensional foam.

I am so glad that a little bit of my mojo is back and I actually have managed to make three cards today, however, only one is being added to my ever growing list of Christmas cards I need to make! I really need to get my act together don't you think!

Thanks for taking the time to pop by, your visits always make me smile!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful day!

Fall Card Exchange

2011-12-02T19:55:00.000-06:00

A great girl, Anita, over at the Hero Arts Flickr site, organised a Fall Card exchange. A total of 46 people signed up to make a card for someone else, the theme being fall! And hooray for me, I got to make one for Anita herself!

Although I should be talking Christmas right now, I just found that this post had been sitting in my draft folder for some reason. So, while I am still looking for my Mojo which is somewhere out there, I thought I would share this card with those of you who have not seen it yet.

Here is my card which I had great fun making as I had just received my Bloom Builders #3 die from PTI and it went perfectly with what I had in mind!

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (K & Co.)
Ink: HA Chalk Ink Latte; Vintage Photo DI
Stamps: HA (Small Open Flower CG250); PTI Tiny Tags
Other: Gems (Hero Arts); Button (old stash); PTI Large Scalloped Die; PTI Bloom Builders #3 Die

I really like how this card turned out. I love the colours and the beautiful patterned paper! And I adore that flower and I think I will be using it a lot. And how awesome that it compliments the Small Open Flower from Hero Arts perfectly!

Thank you for visiting! It promises to be a lovely cool morning for some serious running with my friends tomorrow! Wishing you a wonderful day!

Thinking of You

2011-11-30T15:44:00.000-06:00

I managed to get into my craft room and do two things, 1: make a very CAS card and 2: stare at the walls thinking about what I should do about the 33 Christmas Cards and 4 Birthday cards I need to make in the next two weeks! So, here is the card I DID manage to make for my OWH box:

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Hero Hues (Latte & Poppy chalk ink); HA Soft Leaf Shadow ink; Antique Linen DI
Stamps: Hero Arts (Bold Blossoms & sentiment set)

I do find it really challenging to get going again after a break from making cards, do you? And we leave again in less than 3 weeks to go to South Africa. Will I even know what card making is about when we get back in January?!!! Scary!

In the card above I simply wanted that beautiful flower to take centre stage.

I find myself reliving the 4 days we just had in Seattle, it really was a wonderful time away.

Apologies, but I still have not found the time to come and visit your blogs, I am trying, but this week my daughter has a few after school activities so time is limited. But I will be visiting, soon, I promise!

Wishing you all a wonderful day! The sky is absolutely beautiful here today!

I'm Back with Just Photos

2011-11-29T13:45:00.000-06:00

No cards yet, still trying to find the time to get back into my craft room amongst the 8 loads of washing and general catching up!

It was a wonderful 4 days in Seattle! The air was crisp and clean with only one day where we had a few hours of actual rain, a bit of drizzle on another day and we ended our stay with two fabulous days, one with blue skies and one with gray but 50F! I had some awesome runs with views of Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountain range. The people, wow, the people are so friendly and genuine and relaxed!

All I can say is that if any of you live out there, you are blessed!

I am not an experienced photographer, I only use a point and shoot, so bear with me and my photos:

Just look at these colours!

The real RED Carpet!

A bush on fire!

I have never seen carrots like these! They were at Pike Place Market.

I know....it's just a road, but it has hills! Here in Houston hills do not exist, so seeing this just put me in the best of moods! This was on Bainbridge Island.

A beautiful piece of drift wood I found along the coast on Bainbridge Island!

The most exquisite sight ever! My precious Natasha!

I'm hoping to be back very soon with a card or two, in the meantime I want to pop by some of your blogs and say hi and see what you have been up to!

Hugs to all!

Miss You Still!!!

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

I know, you must be wondering what's the matter with me posting so many "I Miss You" cards. Well, actually, this is one of the most popular types of cards required by OWH for our service men to send back home to their loved ones, so I do find myself wanting to make these the most.

Paper: Hero Arts Notecard; Neenah; My Mind's Eye
Ink: PTI Aqua Mist; Versafine
Stamps: PTI; Paper Smooches (sentiment)
Other: MFT Flower die; Dimensional squares; PTI frame die

Extremely CAS! I really wanted to use that flower. I actually made the flower first from some paper scraps that were lying around my table, then it took me over an hour to decide what to do with the flower! OVER AN HOUR to come up with this very, very CAS design! I know you must be laughing! I am too!

We should be heading back to Houston tonight and then I will spend the week trying to catch up on all your blogs! I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

Miss You Butterflies

2011-11-26T08:00:00.001-06:00

Another very CAS card using an image from a Unity KOM.

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; White gel pen
Stamps: Unity; Paper Smooches (sentiment)
Other: Clear embossing powder

I embossed the image and coloured in the stars with my white gel pen to add a pop of colour.

Hugs to all!

Happy Mom's Day

2011-11-25T07:08:00.000-06:00

A card I made using the beautiful Hydrangea stamp from Hero Arts.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME); Neenah
Ink: Memento; Distress inks; Versamark
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: Pearls (old stash); clear embossing powder; Large Scalloped Die (PTI)

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

I Miss You

2011-11-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

I've really been blessed with gifts this year, from people that I have only met through the Hero Arts Flickr Group, never met them in real life, yet! So today I am posting a card I made with a gorgeous collage stamp that I received from my friend Lai-Yoke in the Netherlands (thank you Lai-Yoke).

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; designer paper (Pink Paislee)
Ink: Bundled Sage, Walnut Stain & Tea Dye distress inks; Versamark
Stamps: Kaisercraft; Stampin' Up (sentiment); Pink Paislee (Butterfly Garden)
Other: Perfect Pearls spray mist (Ranger); Butterfly punch (Martha Stewart); scalloped edge punch (Stampin' Up); pearl (old stash); clear embossing powder; dimensional squares

I used the emboss resist method to create the stamped panel. I first stamped and clear embossed the image and then applied a variety of distress inks to the panel. I stamped a border from the Pink Paislee "Butterfly Garden" set on the edge with some Walnut Stain. I then spritzed the entire panel with Perfect Pearls Mist. Oh boy, I love that shimmer! The central panel is popped up with some dimensional squares, as is the sentiment panel. You can see the shimmer from this angle.

Enjoy!

Fashion Delivery

2011-11-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

I recently received a huge bundle of stamped images from a dear flickr friend and as I don't like to let images lie around for too long I decided to colour this one and create a card. In this case I first picked my papers and then coloured her to match.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (October Afternoon); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
Stamps: Penny Black (4213K - Fashion Delivery); Paper Smooches (sentiment)
Other: Glossy Accents; PTI Edgers die #3

Nothing to really explain here, just a pretty image and some pretty papers, hopefully it's not too busy.
Have a wonderful day!

You're The Best

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

A quick post today as I am busy with the final bits and pieces of packing for our trip to Seattle, we leave later this afternoon! So excited! I have a few posts lined up but will only actually be back next week.

Here is a masculine card I made a while ago and had not posted yet. Very simple, not much going on.

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Memento; Glimmer Mist; Brushed Corduroy distress ink
Stamps: PTI
Other: Nestabilitie Star die; Tim Holtz embossing folder; dimensional adhesive

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a great week with family and friends!

Penny Black Sketch Challenge

2011-11-21T17:54:00.000-06:00

Penny Black is having a sketch challenge (and they have introduced their new designer, Kelley Eubanks!!! I love her work), and I thought I would make a card to submit before we leave tomorrow for our trip to Seattle! Here is the card I managed to put together. It's one of those that I am still pondering over....you know the kind....

Paper: cardstock (PTI)l Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers: Antique Linen distress ink
Stamps: Penny Black (Baby Hammock 2073J; Hugs - sentiment)
Other: Paper flower; Perfect Pearls Mist; Twine (The Twinery); Ribbon (recycled); Liquid Pearls White Opal; Glossy Accents; Dimensional Squares

I felt like colouring this little image, that hedgie looks so peaceful, far away in her thoughts. Instead of layering the image on a circle, which was my first thought, I started to rummage in my draw and saw these large paper flowers. So, I took one out and spritzed it heavily with Perfect Pearls Mist and used that as a mat for something different.

I applied some Liquid Pearls to the petals of the two flowers in the stamped image, and also some Glosy Accents to the butterfly and Teddy Bear. The circular image is popped up with dimensional squares over the paper flower.

And then seeing as I was in a "be different" mood I decided to use twine and a ribbon instead of three pieces of cardstock which had been my first choice!

Enjoy, I am off to pack now!

CAS-ual Friday Sketch Challenge

2011-11-20T07:41:00.000-06:00

It's another sketch challenge over at CAS-ual Friday:

I love this sketch, nice and simple for me! I needed a birthday card for a party that my dear daughter is going to later this afternoon, it's a little boy from her class. Not too long ago I won a sweet stamp set from my friend Dana's blog and I decided to use it on my card today (thank you Dana).

Paper: cardstock (PTI)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers

Stamps: Craft Lounge (Hangin' Loose with Kona); Jane's Doodles (Party Time - sentiment)

Other: Dimensional tape; Glossy Accents

How cute is this little guy! I added some glossy accents to the orange flash on the surf board and I popped up the dude himself. The entire central panel is also popped up, so there is some nice dimension going on here! I hope he likes it and is not put off by the flowery shorts!

Thank you for popping in to my blog today! Have an awesome day!

Wish

2011-11-19T09:38:00.000-06:00

My niece's birthday is coming up in early December (just two days before my daughter). She lives in South Africa and we are going to see them for the Christmas holidays! I wanted to get a card in the post to her. It's been a while since I used any of my Greeting Farm stamps, so here is the little girl I coloured:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; designer paper (DCWV)
Ink: Copic Markers; various Memento inks
Stamps: The Greeting Farm; Hero Arts; PTI; Stampin 'Up
Other: Tiny Tags die (PTI); Large Scalloped Die (PTI)

I am not totally sold on it yet, but perhaps it will grow on me over the weekend, if not, then I'll just need to make something different. I used quite a few different stamps to make the graph background, to stamp the little tags etc...

Now I am off to make a boy birthday card as my daughter has a party to go to on Sunday!

Whilst you are reading this post, (if you are up around 5am that is) I will be out trying to run a 15 mile training run with my running group. We run in a big park about 25 minutes away. The path is made mostly of asphalt so it is a bit more giving on the feet, we'll see how I manage.

The weather has been awesome, and I am hoping it stays cool for the run to set the stage for an enjoyable long run with a great bunch of people!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

For Virginia!!!

2011-11-18T10:31:00.000-06:00

Virginia is one of our Flickr buddies, you can view her Photostream HERE and visit her blog, VIRGINIALU.

She is quite the talented lady, recently being published (way to go Virginia!), quite talented in the kitchen as you'll be able to tell if you peruse the recipes she shares on her blog, and she is a very crafty crafter!

I've never met Virginia in person, but in cyber space, oh yes! I've even been fortunate enough to receive a card made by her very early on in my own crafty life!

What I love about Virginia other than her beautifully clean, crisp and often times fun cards, is that she is a very loving person! How do I know this? Well, just read her blog posts, the way she talks about her children, the way she laughs with her husband Dr.John! Sometimes, just that, tells you so much about a person! She seems to have all her priorities right in her life, and her life seems to be filled with laughter and loaded with proud, and joyful moments!

Why is this post dedicated to Virginia? Well, she is turning the big 50, actually on the same day as my daughter's birthda! So of course it's a special day! But she is having a virtual birthday party, you can see all the details HERE. And part of the party fun is that if you want, you can make her a card for the special occasion and post it on your blog, and linking it back to hers.

So Virginia, my mojo has been in a bit of a slump, I am convinced that someone stole it. But last night I sat down and thought of your upcoming birthday celebrations, your clean vivid style and it spurred me on to make you a card!

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Tombow markers; Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: Hero Arts (Bold Blooms CG362; CL139)
Other: Gems (MME); Wonky Rectangle Spellbinders die

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it! And I know that you will be celebrating in a BIG WAY and I cannot wait to see some of the pictures I just know you will share!

Happy Birthday Virginia!

Happy 11th Anniversary Babes!

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Silly, he doesn't even read my blog, but it just sounded so good as a header! Yes, it's been 11 years today and our lives have been more than interesting! We have done so much together, even though we spend so much time apart! Perhaps one day we can take care of the latter!

I was really nervous yesterday when absolutely no idea had yet materialised in my mind with regards to what I wanted to make in terms of an anniversary card. However, hopping from one favourite blog to the next eventually resulted in some inspiration. I got my inspiration from Maile Belles, she has been trying out a new technique which she created by accident, you can see it HERE , and I really like it a lot, so I decided to use it on my card.

And here is the card I made using stamps from WPlus9 and PTI.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; designer paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Memento Tuexedo Black; Copic Markers; Antique Linen DI
Stamps: WPlus9; PTI (Happy Trails)
Other: Diamond Stickles

In a nutshell, you stamp your image and sentiment and then cut out a strip, but allowing the two sides to still be connected by some part of the image, in this case the one butterfly. And then you adhere a strip of designer paper or hand made background paper behind that cut out strip before adhering to your notecard. Or, you could simply adhere to your notecard if you don't wish for a pattern, and you could also adhere the top panel with dimensional strips too.

Phew! I feel relieved that it came together quite easily. I'm not entirely sure about the colours, I like the turquoise, and according to the colour wheel Orange is the complimentary colour so that's what I went with.

Now I want to go and prepare a dinner for us, something different and special. But, we are going out just the two of us for a romantic dinner on Saturday night! It's just wonderful to be in LOVE!

Have an awesome day!

Christmas Trees

2011-11-15T13:08:00.001-06:00

I had no idea as to what to call my post today, so, as there are trees on my card that is the best I could come up with! I am still in a strange card-making mood, no real overwhelming enthusiasm, I think I have too many other things occupying space in my brain right now.

However, here is a Christmas card to add to Vera and Jennifer's card drive, I just love the colours.

Paper: Hero Arts Notecard & layering paper; Neenah
Ink: Evergreen Bough, Crushed Olive & Vintage Photo DI; Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL540); POD
Other: dimensional adhesive; Perfect Pearls spray

I love that Evergreen Bough colour, I must find more ways to use it! I popped one of the trees with some dimensional tape for depth and also inked the trees a little with some vintage photo so that they would not get lost in the notecard! Oh, and I did spray the trees with some Perfect Pearls spray and they do have a nice shimmer to them.

That sentiment strip is from Purple Onion Designs, I really like it, it comes with three different strips of sentiments in the set.

Thank you for all your caring comments about my feet! You are the best! I have not had a run yet, but I think I will get on the road tomorrow. Today I went to the gym with Lisa and she made me really tired! Seriously, it was fun, it always is when I am with her.

Ok, now, please, S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y who has a surplus of MOJO, send me some!!! I need to go and make an Anniversary card for my gorgeous hubby - it's in less than 24 hours and there is still no PICTURE in my mind!

Hugs to all!

Thanks

2011-11-13T11:27:00.000-06:00

The Lawnscaping Challenge this week, sponsored by none other than Simon Says Stamp, is to create something with a Thank You theme. I used three Lawn Fawn sets to create my one layer card.

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Memento; Copic Markers
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Critters in the Forest; Fly Free; Many Thanks)

I was in the mood to do a little bit of colouring yesterday and decided to make this card, creating a kind of a fence with the logs. I love those little birdies! Nothing to explain here, it was simply fun.

So today I did my 16.5 mile race, it was hot for November, and humid, so conditions were not ideal. And unfortunately, although I did manage to do the distance, I was in quite a bit of pain from my left foot. But this time it was easier to make a decision. I run because it brings me joy, and as you know, if you have been following my blog, it has not brought me joy the last few weeks. So, without sadness, I have decided to tone down my mileage and focus on some Half Marathons, 13.1 miles, which is long enough. I hope that with the decrease in training volume my feet will heal a little and hopefully, I will regain that sense of enjoyment I am missing so much.

So I am off to ice my foot as it is giving shooting pains as I type, but I am sure it will feel much better by tomorrow.

So, thank you to all of you who left me your well wishes for today, it all made my day that much brighter.

You Are Amazing

2011-11-12T10:55:00.000-06:00

My Mom's birthday is coming up, she'll be 71! Once upon a time I used to think that that was old! But I look at her now, and I am amazed at how normal she is, and I don't mean that in a bad way, I mean it in a sense of amazement of the human body and it's capabilities. For a woman who does not exercise, she is strong, in every way, and I really admire her for that.

Here is the card I sent her, hoping it gets there in time for her birthday on Friday.

Papers: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Victorian Velvet DI
Stamps: Wplus9; PTI
Other: die (PTI)

A very simple card, highlighting the designer papers and the stamped image.

I'm planning on taking it easy today, relaxing around the house with hubby and my darling daughter who in the space of less than 24 hours lost a front tooth by natural causes and learned how to ride her bike on her own! I am so proud! I think they are going to let me craft today, I love it, the two of them together can be so kind, they go out and spend some one on one time and I get to play in my craft room!

Tomorrow is race day. My running partner is feeling a little bit under the weather so she is home and dosing up on Vitamin C! As I said, it's an addiction this running thing!

Poppy Field

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

What do you think of this inspiration photo over at Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog! It's so beautiful I want to touch it!

Not only that, I wanted to get out my little Penny Black "Poppies" stamp and make something, a field of poppies, how original!

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah Natural White
Ink: Copic Markers; Memento Tuxedo Black; Forest Moss Distress Ink
Stamps: Penny Black (Poppies - 3949H); PTI (Tiny Tags; Background Basics: Houndstooth)
Other: Twine (PTI); Tiny Tags Die (PTI); Double Heart Punch

I used my Stampamajig to repeatedly stamp the poppies because it is quite a small stamp. After some major colouring I adhered that piece and went on to stamp the Houndstooth with some Forest Moss distress ink. Not much to it really, a bit of twine, a tag and a little red heart covered in Glossy Accents.

If you can, why not make something based on that inspiration photo, this is what Simon Says Stamp has to offer to the winner:

Thanks for visiting, I really enjoy all your lovely and caring comments! And thank you to those who are giving me encouragement about my race on Sunday!

Flower Dot Pattern

2011-11-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

My post title today is the name of the Hero Arts stamp I used for today's card which will go into the Hero Arts November contest as I used the colour scheme in the challenge.

And here is my card:

I stamped the Flower Dot Pattern in three different colour inks, trimed and adhered them to my card base. The inks are all from CTMH (Close To My Heart). I layered a strip of kraft cardstock and then two different die cuts (using PTI dies) on top of that.

A sentiment and gems from Hero Arts and I was done. I'm not over the moon about it but I just had to try and get the mojo moving foward!

Running: Yesterday I went and had both my feet injected with cortisone and now I am hoping that I can get through Sunday's race fairly pain free! So, I had to admit to myself that I have an addiction, and it's called RUNNING!

On to more exciting stuff....one more sleep! When I wake up tomorrow morning, (that's if I even sleep I'm so excited), my hubby will be on his way home from the airport! Yippee!

Hugs to you all!

Tag Attempt

2011-11-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

I have been busy with this tag for about a week, not continuously of course, but thinking about it, which is definitely not like me. I normally get an idea and I make it. But this was different because it came about after browsing on Pinterest and looking at some fabulous tags. I just decided to give it a bash.

Of course, let it be known, that I have absolutely NO IDEA what I am doing here as this is not my style. But it was fun thinking about it. I am sure that I could have embellished it to death, but I totally ran out of ideas, so it's remaining this way. I still think it's pretty in its minimalistic kind of way!

I used a Tim Holtz tag, those big ones, and covered it with text paper from an old book I had purchased second hand especially for doing these types of projects (which of course I do not do). Then I inked the edges with some Tea Dye Distress ink. I stamped a flourish here and there from Papertrey Ink. I also added three strips of glitter at the bottom for some sparkle. You know, stick down some Score tape and cover it with glitter.

The oval scalloped frame is made using my Nestabilitie die (two dies in the cuttlebug at once) and then covering it with a white puffy paint that had glitter in it and allowing it to dry. I then applied some Tea Dye distress ink (hardly noticeable) to take the bright white edge off.

I stamped, inked and trimmed the butterflies from the Hero Arts "Antique Engravings" set and adhered them to some punched circles. I then proceeded to get cramps in my hands whilst I squeezed and squeezed that Crackle Accent bottle to death trying to cover those circles. Once dried I applied a bit of Vintage Photo distress ink to the edges and the cracks.

The dangly bit was made by me from my stash of beads and tools which used to be a little hobby many years ago. I tied a little heart sentiment tag from PTI's "Tiny Tags" and some crinkle ribbon at the top.

Wow! That's a lot of stuff if you ask me. Not something I'll make often but I had a person in mind when I made it and it was worth it, just to bring a smile hopefully, to her face.

Peace

2011-11-08T14:00:00.001-06:00

Today I made a little treat bag using a PTI die and Hero Arts stamps. It also fits into the current Hero Arts monthly contest, the details which you can see HERE.

Here is my little treat bag using the Christmas Reindeer set from Hero Arts. Don't you just love this little guy!

Paper: cardstock (PTI; Neenah); designer paper (MME - 12 Days of Christmas)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Festive Berries DI
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL540; S5507)
Other: stickles; black enamel accent; glossy accent; PTI dies (favor box; snowflake); brad (unknown); dimensional tape

I may keep this for Natasha's teacher, at least that is one thing made! He really is cute and you could do quite a lot with him, even rearrange the head and the back legs by cutting them off and repositioning them.

We are waiting for a storm to pass through here inthe next few hours, apparently! Then it's going to cool down for a day or two, and OF COURSE, as luck would have it, it's going to warm right back up in time for our race on Sunday morning! Seriously, was that really necessary! It feels so much better running in 43F than in 63F, believe me! Oh well, c'est la vie!

Ok, let me go and see if I can get inspired to make something else! Take care everyone!

Hero Arts November Contest

2011-11-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

It's November, yes, that means we need to definitely start Christmas shopping!!! But it also means it's time for the new Hero Arts Monthly contest, you can find all the details here. This month is a mixture of tags, gift wrapping, colour challenge and/or bling.

I went with the colour challenge for my first attempt and landed up with an untraditional Christmas card.

Paper: PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Aqua Mist (PTI); Antique Linen Distress Ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL238; CL462; CL459; CL343)
Other: Clear Embossing powder; PTI Die; MFT Tab Die

A fairly simple card with these softer colours. The trees are all embossed. All the cardstock and die edges are lightly inked with Antique Linen. The cream colour for the challenge is in the circle die on the side where I used Rustic Cream cardstock and the neutral is the white in the sentiment tab. I popped the two trees on the sides with some dimensional tape. My favourite part was discovering that some of the snowflakes in various Hero Arts stamp sets could fit into that die cut!

Running: Well, I managed a 14 mile run yesterday morning. It only got painful from mile 7 onwards. I'll persevere and run the 16 miler race this weekend. The temperatures were in the low 40's F when we started our run, perfect for a great morning run! It's really exhilarating, try it!

And thank you to all of you who visited me during the Cards that Care blog hop! Wow, what a terrific turn out! I think Vera and Jennifer are going to be really successful with this card drive!

Wishing you a fabulous day filled with love and laughter!

Cards That Care Blog Hop

2011-11-04T06:00:00.007-05:00

Today's Blog Hop is in support of Cards that Care, cards for the elderly which is being organized by Vera Yates and Jennifer McGuire. You can find all the details on how you can contribute HERE. It's a fantastic cause, a chance to show others that we care.

The following companies have generously offered prizes for the hop: Lawn Fawn, Penny Black, Sweet Stamps Shop, Avocado Arts, Hero Arts, Onlinecard classes & I Love It All. All you need to do is comment, and you have until midnight CST this Sunday to do so.

So, if all has been going well you should have arrived from Monica's blog where you would have feasted your eyes on her creativity, if at any time you get lost simply go back to Vera's blog.

The theme for this blog hop is Christmas or Holiday cards. I went with Christmas and made 2 cards. I won't go into too many details because there are quite a number of blogs for you to hop around to. You can always e-mail me if you have any question.

Everything on this card uses Papertrey Ink supplies. I love that circular impression plate and the simple and clean look of a single red bow which is made by stamping on some lovely My Mind's Eye designer paper.

For this next card I went with Red and Kraft, I just love this combination.

Here I used stamps from Close To My Heart and the designer paper is from Cosmo Cricket. I also applied a bit of Fired Brick Distress ink around the inside edge of the die cuts before removing the die.

I hope you leave feeling inspired to make some cards for this worthy cause. Ok, now you need to hop on over to Annette's blog, but don't forget to leave comments as you go along, there are some awesome prizes up for grabs from some fabulous companies! Most of all, send a few cards in to Vera or Jennifer before the 31st of November! You can do it!

Best Wishes

2011-11-03T12:31:00.000-05:00

This is a card for my Sister-in-Law in France, I hope it gets there in time! Sometimes I just clean forget how long posts actually takes to get overseas and I take my time making a card and then oops, it's late....

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (unknown - very, very old); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Antique Linen & Seedless Grape Distress ink
Stamps: PTI Tiny Tags - sentiment; MFT - flower
Other: Nestabilitie Die; Crinkly ribbon; PTI Tiny Tag Die; Stickles; Dimensional tape; PTI Edge die

I just noticed that I did not take a very good photo as you cannot see the sentiment tag very well, that's what happens when you're in a rush I suppose!

I'm going to have to practice colouring in that flower, I'm not really happy with it. But I hope my SIL likes it.

Thanks for visiting, it really makes my day!

No Stamping Required

2011-11-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

A very quick post for a very quick card, all of 5 minutes is what it took me to make this card! I had just completed an 8 X 8 scrapbook page of my daughter and I had some designer paper leftover. Well, I can't bear to throw things like that away, plus it had this cute image already printed on it. So, a few alpha stickers later and I was done:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper ( TPC Studio: Woodland Whimsy hedgehog)
Other: Alpha stickers from Hobby Lobby

Thanks for popping in today and taking the time to leave me a little note, I appreciate each and every one! Have an awesome day!

I Miss You

2011-11-01T06:33:00.000-05:00

Waiting, waiting for hubby to come back home! Another one and a half weeks! This has been a 4 week stint, not nice! But this card will go to OWH as they are in short supply of I Miss You cards.

The other day I made THIS card using the negative part of a die, so today I decided I had to use the positive die cut.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink
Stamps: Technique Tuesday
Other: Die (Turning a New Leaf - PTI); Woodgrain embossing folder

As you can see I am still in a simple, clean mood, and using up the bits and pieces lying on my desk.

I really like that font from Ali Edwards at Technique Tuesday. I'll pop this into the current Simon Says Stamp challenge which is Anything Goes.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

CAS-ual Friday Sketch Challenge

2011-10-31T06:33:00.001-05:00

This week it's a sketch challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays. I tend to like sketches, most times, only some times they do pigeon hole me, but then I know that that sketch is not for me. With this one I took a bit of liberty and flipped it on it's side and moved the sentiment a little, I'm happy with it. And I will also enter it in this weeks' Simon Says Stamp challenge which is "Anything Goes".

It's also another one of my minimal stamping cards. I wanted to use some of the scraps on my desk and that's just what I did.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: Unity
Other: string (recycled); MFT flower die; dimensional adhesive

Nothing to explain really. I think that paper and the flower is what makes the card. This is when I love double sided cardstock as the papers typically compliment each other so well. Don't you just love that flower, it's from this Die-namics Pretty Posies die. It has three different size flowers and three different size centres.

I must say, I do like this card, a lot.

Wishing you an awesome day!

(I cannot wait for Halloween to be over, way too much candie!!!)

Oh boy, tomorrow is November...!!!

Autumn Woods

2011-10-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

Aah...wood, beautiful wood! I love these colours and the pattern these make stacked in that way! This is the Trigger this week over at Moxie Fab World, I hope it's not too late to post it but we have been busy with Halloween celebrations! I am also going to add it to the Simon Says Stamp challenge which is Anything Goes.

I don't know what's with me lately but I seem to be into minimal stamping! I found a few minutes today to make this card that I had visualized probably since the trigger went up, it's based on the colours and the pattern....and it's very different for me....but I absolutely knew for sure that this is what I wanted to do with it....so here goes!

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (Cosmo Cricket)
Stamps: MFT & HA alphabet stamps
Ink: Versafine Onyx black

Nothing much else to tell you here except that I cut some 1/4" strips of designer paper and weaved them in and out of each other and then adhered them to the notecard.

I am not sure if "you crossed my mind" is something Americans say, but it is an expression I am familiar with where I come from. Here it is meant in a loving, maybe shy kind of way...you know, when a couple are just getting to know each other and perhaps don't really want to admit how much they are actually thinking of one another... so they admit to it but in a "passing" kind of way....you crossed my mind (meaning, I am thinking of you A LOT!).

Side Note: I did manage to do my 12 mile run yesterday morning and it was TOTALLY AWESOME! I was pain free during the run (not after) and the temperature was beyond perfect, 48F!!! I am in heaven!

Turning A New Leaf

2011-10-28T14:56:00.001-05:00

Have you ever played in this colour challenge before? You can find it at the Embellish Magazine website where you can post your creation or else you can post it on one of their designers' blogs.

I have wanted to try my hand at Cristina's clean style, especially when she uses the negative of a die cut, (she also happens to be one of their designers). So Cristina, I hope you don't mind but I cased your idea and created this today:

Paper: notecard (The Paper Studio); cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Crushed Olive DI; Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: Houndstooth Background (PTI); sentiment (Wplus: Sweet Nothings)
Other: Gems (Hero Arts); Die (Turning a New Leaf - PTI); Dimensional Tape

I lined up my die on my kraft cardstock and die cut it. I then inked the edges softly with some Crushed Olive distress ink and stamped the sentiment. On a piece of white cardstock I stamped the Houndstooth and after lining it up I adhered it directly to the notecard. I then adhered the kraft panel using dimensional tape so that is it slightly popped off the background. Finally just a few gems in order to complete the colour challenge.

Here is a side view so that you can see the dimension a bit better:

I interpreted that second colour as a dusky kind of lavender, and had to make do with the only lavender gems I have, but I think it's close enough.

(Thank you Cristina for the inspiration, I really enjoyed making this card).

A big thank you and a hug to my new followers, it's so nice to see new faces, to know that people like what you do!

It's going to be a busy weekend here. Running 12 miles in the morning, it's going to be a mind over pain/discomfort kind of run, just to see if that Half Marathon got the better of me or my feet. Then off to Dewberry Farm so that my daughter and I can have some fun time together. Lisa then mentioned a Craft Market nearby, maybe we will make that, not sure. Then some baking and prepping for the street Halloween Party on Sunday Afternoon. And amongst all that I would really love to make some cards and add to my pile for Vera & Jennifer's Cards That Care drive. How is your pile coming along?

Do you have some great plans for the weekend? Thanks for visiting, you are all great in my eyes!

Thankful for You

2011-10-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

(This is my 2nd post of the day, so please scroll down if you are interested in more.)

Do you have this long list of people to be thankful for? I do, it's infinite and it's growing every day! I am feeling really blessed! So, as I was in this thankful frame of mind, and had recently received this lovely stamp set from Ippity called "Thankful for You", I decided to put it to good use and made a mini card, which also happens to fit into their current challenge.

Paper: cardstock (Vintage Cream - PTI); Designer Paper (Blush collection - My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Tea Dye Distress Ink
Stamps: Thankful For You (Ippity)
Other: Gems (Hero Arts); Mini stapler (Tim Holtz); Clear Embossing powder

It's a mini card as I mentioned, measuring 3 1/8" X 4 7/8". I distressed the edges a little before inking it up with some Tea Dye. The dragonfly trail is one stamp, and was also stamped with Tea Dye.

I love simple things!

Paper Pieced Tags

2011-10-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

I made a few tags to add to my stash and to the Lawnscaping Paper Piecing challenge (hope I'm still in time, I haven't check, no worries, it was just fun).

Excuse the photos, not sure what's going on, I am sure it's operator error, but nothing looks right to me.

I used a Sizzix tag die to cut out the tags and then used a mixture of these Lawn Fawn stamps to dress them up:

- Winter Fox
- Teeny Tiny Backdrops
- Critters in ther Forest
- Making Frosty Friends

I paper pieced with bits and pieces that were in my little scrap basket and added some glossy accents and gems and copic colouring here and there. Then simply added some crinkle ribbon which I had dyed using glimmer mist and a little twine bow using twine from The Twinery.

Here are some (poor) individual photos!

On this tag I pieced the mug and scarf.

Here I did some masking and pieced the log.

On this one I pieced the tree and the scarf on the birdie.

Thanks for taking a peek! (Bonnie, thank you for your lovely comment yesterday but I cannot find a blog for you so I was unable to come and "visit".) And a big thank you to everyone who sympathised with me regarding my feet! I feel like such a wimp! I have been following The Biggest Loser because it so motivating to see people that are severely challenged with their weight, actually work out so hard! The problem is that by the time the program is over I think, oh my gosh, what am I complaining about! My knees are not in braces, I don't have stress fractures, I don't have half the medical problems they have (none actually), and I don't even excercise as much as they do, and here I am complaining about my feet! Wow! It makes me feel really ridiculous but it does inject me with the positive energy I need not to let this thing get me down.

Have a fabulous day! It's beautiful out today and the temperatures are apparently going to start falling to something more pleasant! Yippee!

A Small Boo!

2011-10-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to play with a Penny Black stamp that I won from the very talented and extremely kind Elizabeth Allan! The wooden stamp is called "The Horror Team" and it actually has three little Halloween characters on it which you can work with individually if you want. So that's what I did, I used just two of the little guys and made a little card....

Paper: notecard (The Paper Studio); purple cardstock (unknown); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Versamark; Copic markers; Memento Tuxedo Black
Stamps: Penny Black (The Horror Team; Circular Design); Lawn Fawn (Heebie Jeebies - sentiment
Other: Hemp; Glossy Accents; Black embossing powder; Black enamel accent; dimensional tape

I wish I could take better photos, I really need to take a photography course!

I stamped the purple cardstock with the Circular Design and embossed it with black embossing powder (love the stark black against the purple). And then, a lot of fussy cutting! The hats, the pumpkin, the balloon and one hand on each critter is popped up with dimensional tape. In retrospect, I should maybe not have pieced the hats, but once it was done there was no turning back.

I hand made the sentiment tab using a corner chomper.

They are just the cutest little guys! I think this one is going in a box for my daughter.

I have started a little box where every now and then, whilst I am in my craft room and perhaps just sitting and thinking about the ones I love, I just make a little card for my daughter with the bits and pieces lying around on my table and I just write her a note about whatever is on my mind. It's for her, later, when life is different, when she has all grown up or when I am no longer around, just little love notes, so she knows that even when she was not here, or when she was asleep, I was thinking of her.

Do any of you do something similar perhaps?

Sending you all lots of love and wishing you a wonderful day! And hugs to my new followers, you make me happy.

(I'll enter this into this week's Wee Memories challenge, "Free For All").

Lily Pad Sketch Challenge & Some Winners

2011-10-24T11:07:00.001-05:00

K 'n K Designs had two prizes up for grabs during the OWH Fundraiser Blog Hop this weekend and Cinnamon Sally was one of the lucky winners chosen from the comments on my blog! Congrats Sally, I believe that Jan has already contacted you! The other winner was Rhonda Miller from Shannon's blog, congrats!

Now onto the Lily Pad challenge. Lily Pad is having a sketch challenge, here is the sketch, (it's a good one) and I am also going to put this into the Wee Memories "Free for All" challenge:

I have been wanting to play with some of my Penny Black stamps and so I decided to combine a few of them with this lovely sketch.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Bundled Sage & Forest Moss Distress Inks; Copic markers
Stamps: Penny Black (Poppies; Hello Friend; Paisly Outline)
Other: Trim (a gift from Lucy)

I love the red and green combo on kraft. And those poppies are some of my favourites! And I love the Paisly Outline stamp which I stamped over the inked surface simply by spraying the cling stamp with some pearlized water in a mister. I adore that soft, subtle effect.

As for that gorgeous red trim, I received that from Lucy a while ago when I won something on her blog. Isn't it the cutest trim ever! You could be in your kitchen looking out of your window to the poppies outside! Well, at least that is the vision I am getting.

On the sporty front, I did a Half Marathon race yesterday, and it did not go according to plan. In fact, my worst race ever, and unfortunately it's due to a problem in my feet from repeated pounding on this concrete. I think I have a tough decision ahead of me. I love running because it's a superior emotionaly pleasurable experience for me! Some of you will understand what I am saying. Unfortunately, for a while now, it has not been that. And I have been running for more than 25 years so I understand that with long distance running one is going to experience discomfort, but it's not that kind of discomfort I am referring to. The problem in my feet is now part of my every day life where I am basically continuously uncomfortable on my feet. I am not giving up running, that would be the death of me, but I need to revisit my objectives and I may need to, for a while perhaps, (hoping that this problem can fix itself with rest), just decrease my distances considerably. I don't know, I have not decided. I have a follow up with the Podiatrist on Thursday and I want to discuss it with him. I just don't know....running is my other child you know, the other thing I love....Thanks for listening, I had to write it down more for my myself than for anybody else really.

But, life goes on and it's still awesome!

Wishing you a fantastic day!

OWH Fundraiser Bloghop

2011-10-21T21:04:00.003-05:00

Welcome to our Operation Write Home Fundraiser blog hop! If you’ve arrived at my blog from Pam's blog you’re on the right track. If not and you’d like to start at the beginning your can start HERE.

OWH could use all the help they can get for the postage costs of cards that are mailed to our troops every month. K'n K Designs are offering 100% of their proceeds from 7 digi sets they have designed, to OWH to help with this cost. If you want to help, go on over and check out their site and adorable digis.

For this hop I chose to work with a sweet patriotic snowman image called Snow Thankful by Deedee Anderson.

Paper: card stock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Copic markers; Memento Tuxedo Black; Hero Arts Soft Pool shadow ink
Stamps: K'n K Designs digital stamp (Snow Thankful by Deedee Anderson)
Other: Cuttlebug embossing folder; MFT Tab die; dimensional adhesive

The snowflake background is faux letterpress which is done by swiping your ink pad across the raised portion of the embossing folder prior to embossing your piece of card stock. It works really well with this soft pool color from Hero Arts.

I then went and pieced my snowman after coloring him with Copics. Not sure if you can see it in the photo, but his hat, scarf and mittens holding the heart flag are all popped up with dimensional tape. I really like how he turned out.

The next stop on our hop is Paige.

Also very important, this hop has some prizes atached, K 'n K Designs has some wonderful prizes for 2 lucky winners! Your comment will enter you into the prize drawing and the winners will be announced on Monday, October 24th on the K 'n K Designs blog! So be sure to leave a comment on each blog so you have a chance to win!

I am going to keep this short and sweet so that you have time to hop and then to shop at K'n K Designs! Have a wonderful day!

Fall Card Exchange

2011-10-21T06:30:00.002-05:00

We did a Fall card exchange amongst a number of Hero Arts Flickr friends and I had the pleasure of making a card for Anita in Canada! Had I known the card was going to take that long to get to her I would have just flown over and given it to her myself! Boy the post to Canada moves at a snails pace!

Here is my card:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (K & Co.)
Ink: Brushed Corduroy & Vintage Photo DI
Stamps: Hero Arts (Small Open Flower); PTI (Tiny Tags)
Other: Gems (Hero Arts); PTI Bloom Builders #3 die; Button (old stash); Large Scallop Edge Die (PTI)

I really enjoyed making this card! I love the simple stamping and the lovely designer paper. And I adored making that paper flower. I really like all those warm colours!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog! You guys are great!

Tomorrow I am participating in an OWH Fundraiser Bloghop with K 'n K Designs and I got to use one of their digital stamps. This is all for an extremely good cause, to raise money for OWH so that they can fund the postage costs of the cards they send to the armed forces so that they in turn can write home to their loved ones! Hoping to see you there!

Hugs to all! Have a wonderful day!

Oddly Black & White

2011-10-20T17:46:00.000-05:00

Today, Some Odd Girl is having a challenge where you have to colour your image in Black & White but then you can use it with coloured papers. In other words, only the image must be black and white!

Not really my favourite way to colour up an image but I had to give it a go just for fun and managed to produce this birthday card:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; Patterned Paper (Colorbok - English Moss)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Versamark
Stamps: Some Odd Girl (HollyDay Gwen); Hero Arts (CG300 - Life of the Party Words)
Other: PTI Bloom Builders #3; gems (Hero Arts); Glossy Accents; Crystal Stickles; CLear embossing powder

I matted the smokey gray notecard with a ready made clear embossed green cardstock. The background stamp used here is from Hero Arts, called Life of the Party Words. I added a strip of designer paper to the bottom and a "half" bloom in the top corner to which I added a glass gem which I had won some time ago, it was just the perfect green.

I took the easy way out to colour my Odd Girl, three shades of Copic markers, the only place that I blended was in the hair. I added some glossy accents on a few areas. I added two black gems to the clip in her hair and a bit of stickles. I also added some stickles to the edge of her dress and of course, because this was supposed to be purely black and white.....the stickles has taken on the green in its reflection! But believe me whe I tell you that I added Crystal Ranger stickles, not green!!!

She is a sweet little girl and I'll keep it for a rainy day when I need a girly birthday card.

I hope you are all having a great day!

Celebrate Today

2011-10-19T15:14:00.000-05:00

I realised that I was a bit late in making a birthday card that needs to go overseas so I quickly went and got one done. It's for a man, so I chose kraft ad black with a very simple image.

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Versamark; Black Soot & Brushed Corduroy DI; Versafine
Stamps: Artistic Outpost (Bluebird); PTI (My Hero My Dad; Happy Trails)
Other: Black Embossing Powder; dimensional adhesive

I stamped the two edges of the notecard with a grungy stamp from PTI (looks like the ripples in corrugated cardboard). I then created an additional piece and black embossed the bird silhouette and stamped the sentiment from Happy Trails. I also inked the edges of this layer with Black Soot and adhered it to the notecard with some dimensional squares (boy do I use a lot of those!).

Sorry my posts are very short and blah lately but for some reason this whole week I have been feeling kinda yukky, have no idea what it is, obviously just a bug from somewhere. It had better go back to where it came from as I have a race this Sunday and I was hoping to improve on my race time! (Elizabeth Allan had some good advice for me, she said I should go and have an ice cream! I love her attitude!)

Wishing you all a very blessed day!

Sweetest Wishes

2011-10-18T09:58:00.000-05:00

A short post today. I was colouring one of the Odd Girls yesterday and then finished up a card with her last night. This is Tree Trimming Kaylee.

Paper: Hero Arts (pool notecard and designer paper); Neenah; scraps of patterned paper
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
Stamps: Some Odd Girl
Other: Glossy Accents; Stickles

She is just so pretty! My colouring isn't though! That's what happens when your husband calls you in the middle of colouring with Copics!

I added a touch of Glossy Accents here and there, and some stickles to the frills on her skirt.

Sorry it's so short today. Thank you for visiting me though.

OWH Fundraiser Week

2011-10-17T06:34:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! Today is a special day because it kicks off a benefit for Operation Write Home!!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Operation Write Home, they are a non-profit group that collects handmade cards (over a million, so far!!) to send to our soldiers deployed overseas. Some of them are Any Hero cards that we write in to say "thanks for serving!", but most of the cards are left blank so the soldiers can send them back to their families and friends stateside. It's a fantastic organization!!

But, in order to send the thousands of cards that will go out during the holidays, they could really use some extra funds for shipping, and that is where two digi designers would like to help. Katlyn, of KnK Designs has teamed up with Deedee Anderson to offer 7 digi sets that are perfect for your OWH cards - or any cards, for that matter! All of the proceeds for these sets (minus the paypal fees, of course!) will be donated to OWH. Every bit of it!

You can buy the sets separately or in a bundle - Go check out KnK Designs for all the details!! Here are some of the price details for their digi stamps:

Single digi set - $2

K 'n K Designs digi bundle - $6 (four sets)

Deedee Anderson's digi bundle - $4 (three sets)

Complete Digi Bundle - $10 (Deedee's and K 'n K's - 7 sets)

I was kindly asked to participate in this Fundraiser by spreading the word and also showing you some of the stamps they have. Here are two cards I made using the digis from KnKDesigns, this first one uses the "Written With Love" digi:

Paper: cardstock (PTI); designer paper (MME); Neenah

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Antique Linen DI

Stamps: Written with Love (digi - KnKDesigns)

Other: Stampin Up Scalloped Edge Punch; Dimensional tape

Isn't this bunny totally adorable! I fussy cut the bunny and popped it up with some dimensional tape. (The sentiment is not part of that set, although there are sentiments in the set).

And I made a second card using a digi called Patriotic Pickles:

Paper: patterned paper (unknown); cardstock (PTI); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Antique Linen DI
Stamps: Patriotic Pickles (KnKDesigns)
Other: glossy accents; dimenstional tape

This is a card that a Hero could perhaps send home to his child. I added some dots of glossy accents on the stars for texture and each star is popped up using dimensional tape.

I hope that you can find a way to help OWH in this fundraiser, it's for a great cause really! So go on over to KnKDesigns and see those fun digis!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Boo! Or maybe not.....

2011-10-16T14:29:00.000-05:00

This weeks challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to create a Halloween project with NO ORANGE! And Wee Memories are looking for Holiday themed cards for their challenge.

I decided to make a plain little pop-up card for one of the children on Giovana's card drive who is suffering with Spina Bifida.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Dusty Concord DI; PTI Snow White ink; Copic Markers
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Heebie Jeebies; Happy Haunting)
Other: glitter; glossy accents

It's a bit of a silly card, and you'll know what I mean if you own the Heebie Jeebies set from Lawn Fawn, this is the funny part (excuse my silly sense of humour)....

That bat is so tiny, I am not sure it could Boo anyone away even if it wanted to!!!

I hope you are having a great Sunday, it's beautiful outside here today.

Peace, Love, Joy

2011-10-15T19:10:00.000-05:00

This is what I wish for everyone out there, not only at Christmas time, but always! My heart is aching for the special people out there that are battling illnesses. I am reading about this more and more each day, more and more people are struggling to manage their pain and it's leaving me feeling helpless. I hate it! I wish for Peace, Love and Joy for all those beautiful human beings.

My father and I had a constant battle, he always told me I was a dreamer, the things that I wished for would not materialise (and I am not referring to any material things here). I think he meant that I was expecting too much from the world we live in, maybe he was afraid I would get hurt. I still get told today that I am a dreamer. But that is who I am, and that is who I want to be...I believe in something better, I believe in improvement, I just believe...what would be the flip side of not believing? It just does not look appealing to me. What would be our purpose in life if we did not believe in something good? It's just not acceptable to me.

Sorry, just feeling a bit emotional.

Here is a card I made today using some beautiful paper from My Mind's Eye from their "12 Days of Christmas" 6 X 6 pad.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); desinger paper (My Mind's Eye); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Versamark; Versafine Onyx Black; Fired Brick distress ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (S5068 Poinsettia & Birds; CL343)
Other: White embossing powder; MFT File Tab Die; Hero Arts gems; Corner Chomper

I love these papers and so I simply embossed the background stamp onto the designer paper with white embossing powder. I lightly inked all the edges of the paper with Fired Brick DI. A little tab, a sentiment and two gems finished off my card. And I used the corner chomper all around.

This is for everyone out there that needs some peace, some love and some joy in their lives, some I know, some I don't, it doesn't matter because you are all on my heart today!

Tuesday Trigger: Finesse The Dress

2011-10-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Don't you just love these colours! This is the inspiration trigger over at Moxie Fab World this week. Love this combination. My card is really based on the colours and I also picked up on some of the gloss and the flourishes, other than that, the image itself, as you will see, has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with this beautiful dress, quite the contrary!!!

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Versafine Smokey Gray
Stamps: Paper Smooches (Falling For You); PTI (Fanciful Flourishes)
Other: Glossy Accents; dimensional dots

I just had to sue my Paper Smooches again, I love this set called "Falling For You"! And I love that gray cardstock from PTI.

Simple card, a bit of glossy accents on the one heart and on the bat, and I also stamped a flourish under the sentiment strip. And I popped up the bat with some dimensional dots, you can see it better here. This was fun to do.

Short post right now, got to go and get ready to go out for a bit. Beautiful cool temperatures here today withs sunshine and bright blue skies!

Wishing you a fantastic day!

The Play Date Cafe #103

2011-10-13T16:13:00.001-05:00

I had a look at the scrumptious colours for this weeks' PDC challenge, they are Rust, Storm and Deep Sea and I just wanted to play! And I knew it was going to be a CAS design. At the same time I saw that it actually fitted into one of the sketches over at Hero Arts so I think I will submit it there too, why not!

Here is what I came up with:

Paper: cardstock (PTI - except the blue layer, unknown); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; Versafine Smokey Grey
Stamps: Hero Arts (CG811; CL488)
Other: Diamond Stickles; Glossy Accents; Dimensional Tape

Lisa and I went to visit an art store which is about 50 minutes drive away and they had some Copics and we stumbled across three very pretty rusty brown colours, so we both purchased them. I came home and decided to play with them straight away, and I also experimented and added some "Chinese Orange" into the mix and I just love the result (which of course you can only see up close and personal)!

I hand cut the banner using first a mat of my darkest blue cardstock on hand, and added a piece of PTI's grey cardstock (love it), which I repeatedly stamped with a Hello sentiment using Smokey Grey ink from Versafine.

I added some stickles to my flower because I wanted a bit of shine, but for some reason it kind of turned goldish, and finally a bit of glossy accent to the flower centre (although I wanted some pearls there but mine were all too large).

That banner is adhered to the note card with some dimensional tape.

I'm happy!

It's a BEAUTIFUL day here in Houston!

Wishing you a fantastic day! Nearly the weekend!

Making Memories

2011-10-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

I am a very poor scrapbooker, you'll see why in a moment! I have maybe fifteen 12 X 12 layouts and then somewhere along the way I simply stopped. So my box of memories is piling up and everytime I look at it I feel guilty that I am not at least documenting those memories for my little girl.

I gave it some thought and go to wondering if, amongst other things, the scale of a typical layout is simply too large for me. So, just like I decided to cut up all my 12X12 sheets of patterned paper, I thought perhaps scrapping on an 8 X 8 size may be the solution for me. So I purchased an album and today made my very first page! Hooray for me!

It's nothing fancy, and I complicated it by deciding to use NO patterned paper, just stamping, AND to use a Hero Art sketch from the current month's challenge! I obviously do nothing in small measures! So here it is (oh, excuse the photos, this is a whole other thing I have to learn too now, how to photograph layouts!).

Paper: PTI cardstock
Ink: Forest Moss & Antique Linen DI; Hero Hues - Iris & Poppy chalk ink: HA Soft Leaf shadow ink; CTMH - Tulip dye ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (CG196 - Canvas Stripes; CL383 - Antique Engravings; CL286; CG328 - Butterflies and Print)
Other: SU scalloped edge punch; pop dots

That's my Mom and Natasha in August of 2006, she was 8 months old. I just love this photo in black and white.

So I probably would not pass a Scrapbooker's test, I have probably not even done the basics, for example, there is not title! But I didn't feel like I needed a title. I still like it, for my first attempt. I really, really hope that I try at least try to scrap a page a week, so many photos........!!!

Can you tell which Hero Art sketch I used? I turned it on it side, and also used a bit of liberty and added the popped up buterfly. The scalloped edge is stamped with a flourish from one of the HA sets, (don't know it's name, it's an oldie).

Ok, got to go as I am fetching Lisa shortly and we are going to go and meet Sue Lellie, one of the DT's from CR84FN! Have an awesome day!

You're a Cool Friend

2011-10-11T14:56:00.000-05:00

I have eventually found a little bit of time to finally play along with the current Lawnscaping Challenge which is all about layers and dimension.

I recently won the "Making Frosty Friends" from Simon Says Stamp (thank you) and I desperately wanted to try out piecing a snow person! So, here he is, cool dude! (It can be a girl if you want, I'm not really sure what it is actually...)

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; designer paper (My Mind's Eye: Blush)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Marker; Snow Cap Paint Dabber (Ranger); Colorbox - white
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Making Frosty Friends)
Other: gems (Mark Richards); dimensional tape

A CAS design with a fair amount of piecing and fussy cutting but it was fun. I wanted to create a snow effect without stamping a whole background of snowflakes so I just used my paint dabber and swiped it across the notecard. I did stamp 3 little snow flakes for interest and added a small little gem to each centre.

On the snowman I pieced and popped up his hat, gloves and scarf. What fun!

For those of you who may not know, Giovana is having a Card Drive for Kids with Spina Bifida this month, you can see all the details HERE. I am sure we all have some cards that we could send in to add some smiles to these gorgeous children's lives!

And lastly, for those that are following my running adventures....I had a "great" run with my running partner this last Saturday in Austin! Hills!!! Plenty! We ran the first 14 miles of the Austin Marathon route that we will be running in February. Why the first part of the race....well, because the first 17 miles are pure uphill! And we have no hills in Houston, none...flat as a pancake! We were faced with our first incline at mile 1 and it went on for 3 solid miles. Once we got our breath back we said, ok, not too bad. Then we had a glorious 3 or 4 miles, and then the fun ended, basically it was uphill until mile 13! Wow! I can laugh now, but I was not laughing then! However, it was awesome! Just everything about it, being in a different place, with loads of people out and exercising in large groups, they all looked so fit and healthy! Wow, how motivating to be part of that!

Ok, I know, I am getting really excited, but that is how I am about running and excersise! So, even if you are not a runner, I encourage you simply to MOVE every day, it doesn't matter what you do, just MOVE! It's exhilirating!

Have an awesome day!

Halloween Or Fall

2011-10-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

It's Halloween or Fall (for those who do not celebrate Halloween) over at Wee Memories AND the sponsor is lovely Paper Smooches! Yippee!

I went with the Fall theme and a Paper Smooches stamp from "Falling For You".

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (The Paper Studio - Affinity line)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
Stamps: Paper Smooches (Falling For You)
Other: Gems (Paper Studio); Nestabilities Die; Dimensional squares; Glossy Accents

I love this pattern paper with the perfect Fall feel and colours and wanted to use it in conjunction with this stamp from Paper Smooches. I also added some Glossy Accents on the leaves. I have popped up parts of the acorn as well as the frame around it. You can see the dimension better here:

I like that touch of blue/turquoise that was in the paper.

Thanks for taking a peek. I hope that you are having a fabulous weekend, it's eventually raining here, oh so beautiful!

Bling & Sparkle

2011-10-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

I decided to try and make another card for the current Simon Says Stamp challenge to create something with sparkle and bling! It's very CAS, using one of my current favourite colours from PTI called Autumn Rose.

Paper: cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: Stampin' Up (My Friend)
Other: Ribbon (PTI); Gems (Hero Arts); Buckle gem (from South Africa); clear embossing powder

As you can see, a very simple card to reproduce. The silhouette image is stmaped in black ink and heat embossed. After today I am going to move away from black for a while, I'm not sure why I am using it so much lately! That gem buckle is so old, it's amazing what you can find when you dig around in your old stash! Whoever lands up receiving this card I hope that they recycle the buckle, I am serious! (I still had the price tag on the packet, so please, please, recycle the buckle!!!).

At about this time I should be running my 14 miler training run with my buddie in downtown Austin! I am sure that I am really enjoying it, no jokes, I have been looking forward to this run for some time now!

See you all tomorrow and thank you for stopping by!

Another Hero Arts Sketch

2011-10-07T06:15:00.000-05:00

This month Hero Arts put up three different sketches, and of course, I need to try all of them. So here is my second sketch attempt. I'm using the top right hand sketch and made it into a sympathy card.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah
Ink: Versamark; Memento Tuxedo Black; Forest Moss DI
Stamps: Hero Arts (Fabulous Flourish - S5449; Envelope Pattern - S5507; sentiment - CL342)
Other: CB Flourish embossing folder; Nestabilitie Oval die; ribbon (recycled); black embossing powder (ZING); Nail Heads (Mark Richards); dimensional tape

I have been wanting to use that piece of ribbon from a recycled package for quite some time now, and today was obviously the day! The mounted green panel was first stamped with the Envelope Pattern background stamp in Forest Moss distress ink and then embossed with my Cuttlebug. The Fabulous Flourish was stamped with Versamark whilst the oval piece was still in the Nestabilitie die, so that I could keep the white edge. I then applied black embossing powder and heat embossed it. Then some fussy cutting to create a matt for it by tracing around the outside of the same Nestie and cutting it out. The sentiment was a struggle, I really did not know what to do. So I used a bit of creative license and added it outside of the oval panel. Finally I adhered three black flat "nail heads" to balance it out.
The entire panel is mounted onto the notecard using dimensional tape.

What do you think? I'm sort of regretting using black for a sympathy card, it's too "dark"! But I wanted the Flourish in black. I know, too analytical, right?

I am going to try and make one or two cards today to have ready to go live on my post over the weekend while we are away, if time allows. And this morning I am going for my first manicure in the USA! And I am going to try this "Shellac manicure"! For some reason when I have nail varnish on my nails they feel "heavy", it's a strange sensation that I cannot really explain, so I don't typically do manicures. I think I have had 4 in my life time, one for every decade! So let's see, maybe I will change my mind today.

Wishing you all an awesome start to your weekend.