Sunday 29 December 2013

Owl Old are You this Year?


It's almost a new year! Time for resolutions and celebrating new starts. My resolution is to keep up with blogging, learn new blogging skills and MOST  importantly, reaching out to learn new paper crafting skills while sharing with others. Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to everyone who has left a comment. It's a bigger world than I thought it was, here in my cozy chair. 

The Happy Birthday card was made for a friend who loves watching owls in nature. I stamped, coloured with marker and fussy cut the owl. I dry embossed him to look 3 dimensional. The panel behind the scallop is also a stamp. Unfortunately, I can't find it to tell you which company made it. All the panels are layered with CS. I stamped HB and fastened it with a brad. Hope you like it and THANK YOU for looking. I love hearing from you. Leave a comment and join my 1 follower so she doesn't get lonely.  LOL!


Stampin' Up: Ink, CS, scallop punch, markers, and DP. 
Colours: Night of Navy, Really Red, shades of green. 
Owl Stamp: Inkadinkado

Challenges entered:


Papertake Weekly Challenge Pick of the Yearhttp://papertakeweekly.blogspot.ca/2013/12/pick-of-year.html








Thursday 26 December 2013

Post Christmas Relax Mode

Did you have the kind of Christmas Day you desired? Ours flew past as fast as Santa and his coursers. With no little ones around, we all slept in and didn't get around to opening gifts until after lunch! I never entertained the thought of being so laid back, decades ago.(smile) I remember (as a kid) being puzzled that my Dad didn't seem concerned to open his presents in a "timely" fashion! Now, here I am....longer on patience and savouring the anticipation of receiving a gift.
What I loved best this year was a card. My 20 something sons drew pictures inside it, depicting scenes from their youth. I told them I will treasure it forever!
My wish for all is that you had people with which to spend Christmas, and that you have happy memories to sustain you in the new year. 
I want to thank Darnell of http://www.djkardkreations.com/ 
She is encouraging me along my journey by the kind things she said, and featuring my site on her blog. I aspire to create a blog that is as funny, witty and engaging as her blog. Beautiful cards too! Check it out. 


Tim Holtz reindeer die on sticky back foil that I stuck to cardstock after running through the Big Kick with a swirls embossing folder. Then it was fussy cut.  I sponged ink on it to give a little definition, and tied on the ribbon to help give the illusion of flying through the air.
The background is a snowflakes embossing folder. I inked the folder with shades of blue and sponged around the edges with a darker hue. 
The tag is stamped with a SU greeting (I love this stamp). Here's a hint someone gave me: place your tag into a corner punch in such a way as to make the fish tail on the end. Easy and economical! 
As always,THANKS for stopping by




Challenges entered:


Coffee, Chocolate and Cards #54

Christmas Card Challenges#4 Make it Masculine

Charizma Cardz Challenges #49 Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #38

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Bling it On 















Thursday 19 December 2013

Counting the Days to Christmas with Treat Holders! Yum!

Hello to all and hope you are celebrating the season with those you love. I made these matchbook holders to hold a single treat. Stick them in with pop dots and watch the smiles as they are opened. Thanks to Alicia from SU, who originally taught me how to make them. 
Make someone in your life smile with a small treat. 




To make a matchbook, cut a piece of cardstock 3"x 6.5". Lay lengthwise along a scoreboard and score at 3", 31/4", 6". Fold on score lines to make matchbook shape. Staple the bottom fold and cover with a strip of paper to hide the staple and embellish with scraps. I was happy I could use up odds and ends to decorate mine. Have fun. They all turn out differently. Thanks for looking! Come back again.  

I entered Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #76 Anything Goes

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge extra
http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chnc-challenge-extra-for-december.html






Sunday 15 December 2013

Some Mostly Paper Crafting Cards (I needed to make in a hurry)

Made from BoBunny designer paper. The lantern was fussy cut and popped up. Sentiment is SU. 

SU snowflake punch, DP scraps and SU sentiment


Recollections "City Sidewalk" paper pad for DP and sentiment, Sizzlets Snowflake dies layered with Dollarama jewel in centre. MS edge punch. 

Recollections "City Sidewalks" paper pad and Cricut cut reindeer

DP from Lens Mills discount store. fussy cut the edge and added die cut from TH die. 

Recollections "City Sidewalks" paper pad and SU sentiment.

It took 15 to 20 minutes per card. I MUST remember to do this next year. It certainly takes the stress off. 
Thanks for looking. I'll be entering some challenges:



Chocolate, Coffee & Cards  Challenge #54 HappyHolidays http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/challenge-54-happy-holidays.html

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #299






Snowy Trees


Hi all. Welcome to my blog today. Do other people love evergreens as much as me? The stamp I used here is one of my originals when I started stamping. I still love it! The acrylic paint dabber helped add some texture. 
I'm entering into some challenges. Thanks for stopping by and I hope the snow in your neck of the woods is sparkly and bright. 

Stamps: AI, Christmas Tree G 2770
              SU, Elementary Elegance, Itty Bitty Backgrounds.
              Stampendous, Let it Snow
Inks: SU Old Olive, Night of Navy, Mellow Moss
Adirondack Paint dabber, Snow Cap
Memory Box: Frostyville Border Swirl
Stamp Positioner
Techniques: sponging and masking

Challenges: 
Simon Says...Let it Snow

Charisma Card Challenge... #48 Your Favourite Word   http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.ca/

Crafty Catz Challenge 211 Anything Goes  http://www.craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.ca/



I have to say a huge thank you to Hazel at http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.ca/ 
I have won a prize from  Ooh La La Creations, thanks to her and Ooh La La Creations.

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Christmas Magic


To delight in the magic of Christmas brings a warm feeling to the heart! Who remembers planning for Santa to come and watching the snowman we'd made earlier in the day, waiting to spy the slightest motion under the night sky? I remember finding buttons for the eyes and mouth from my mother's button box,  a carrot sneaked out of the fridge for the nose and rummaging around in closets, searching for just the right scarf for him or her to wear. Wasn't the hat the trickiest part to plan? It seems to me that I always wanted a top hat, but settled for a knitted toque! 

I bought this cheerful snowman stamp set last year and finally used it this year. What I liked about it, is that there are so many arrangements you can make, because the pieces are all separate. You can decide your own placement. (stick arms, candy cane, hat, bird, sign.) There are other pieces in the set that I didn't use.

This card is for a special friend and her family. They have had many challenges in the last few years. I was specifically thinking of her darling little son when I made this card. I hope it makes him smile when he sees it. 

To make the background scene, I masked the snowman and the snow. Sponging took care of the shading. I wasn't too happy with how my Inktense pencils worked on the paper, but that can be remedied with more practice on my part! 
I wanted the whole design to look uncluttered, childlike and simple. I hope seeing this card brings back the warmest childhood memories like it did for me. :)

Stamps: AI "Mouthfuls Snowman", Amy R stamps "Big Christmas Wishes"
Inks: Versafine black, TH tumbled glass.
Other: holiday ribbon, Inktense pencils, black Sharpie, SU markers, Laurentian grey marker, Glossy Accents, Aleene's tacky glue, pop dots, snow pen, white gell pen, mini snowflake stickers, Stamp Art cloud stencil.
Techniques: masking, sponging, fussy cutting, paper piecing, watercolour. 


I'm going to enter this card into the #124 "Merry and Bright" challenge at Art Impressions stamps, http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.ca/2013/12/challenge-124-merry-and-bright-new-ai.html

Simon Says, "Make Your Own Background",

CHNC challenge #154, "For Someone Special".
.


Sunday 1 December 2013

Inspired by Loll Thompson Autumn Leaf





I've had this card for quite awhile, so couldn't find the direct page for this similar card on Loll's site. You will enjoy seeing all of her other cards as well. 
For the circle background, I used SU and TH inks and blended them with water. I spritzed on some water drops to get the "rained on" effect. The Maple leaf was stamped and fussy cut. I sponged with TH inks and used a TH dauber with copper metallic paint. I inked the edges of the leaf with a darker ink. The oak leaves were punched out from paper. Nestabilites were used to cut out the oval. Thanks for looking and hope my American friends had a lovely Thanksgiving. 

Saturday 23 November 2013

Home for the Holidays


If you've ever been away from family and friends at Christmas time, you can relate to the sentiment on this card. It's good to bask in the warmth of loving relationships during holiday celebrations.
I coloured the image with SU markers. Although you can't tell by the photo, I added red Stickles for berries on the wreath and Glossy Accents to the cheery red bow. The hat pom pom is made with a Marvy Snow Marker.
Thanks for coming over for a peek! :)

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Songbird Mini stamp and sentiment.
Ink: Jet black Archival, Real Red SU on sentiment, TH Stormy Sky on background, Walnut Stain on EF.
Paper: SU whisper white, creamy caramel CS, Kraft red, green.
Tools and Embellishments: Die-namics Stax Set 1, Impression Obsession pine branch die, TH embossing folder Woodgrain, TH sponging tool, Glossy Accents, Stickles, Marvy snow marker, Stampin Up markers, blender pen, brads, hole punch.

I'm entering this card into:  Addicted to Stamps and More Make Your Mark http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/challenge-72-make-your-mark.html

Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes http://www.ttcrd.blogspot.fi/

Charisma Cardz Challenge Christmas http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.ca/

Friday 22 November 2013

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.....

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer had a very sparkly? nose....
What I liked about making this card was that it wasn't too time consuming and I used a material on it that I've had gathering dust for a few years. Unfortunately, scratches gather easily on aluminum. The good news is that the photo shows up the scratches more than in real life.

Papers: shimmery card stock, glittery card stock, TH sticky back foil.
Tools: Cuttlebug (Rebecca) embossing folder, TH Alterations BIGZ die (Reindeer Flight), Spellbinders Nestabilities scalloped oval small, SU marker Really Red, MS bow punch, hole punch, trimmer, Big Kick. 
Stamps: Merry Christmas.

Cutting and peeling the foil was easy. It does mark :( very easily. I decided this reindeer was so proud that he must be Rudolph glowing for Santa. I gave him a bling look with the sparkly CS. 
Merry Christmas became a little more festive by adding dots with a marker to the centre of each scallop. 
Thanks for joining me today. Hope you like.

Challenges: Addicted to Stamps and More Make Your Mark http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/challenge-72-make-your-mark.html

Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes http://www.ttcrd.blogspot.fi/

Charisma Cardz Challenge Christmas http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.ca/

  

Sunday 17 November 2013

Stackable Stanley Snowman

Hello! I had a good time making this side-step card. My friend has a snowman stamp,Small Stackable Stanley by High Hopes Rubber Stamps, that I've wanted to use for a few years. Every time she uses it, I admire it and say I should borrow it. You know how it goes....other things and stamps get in the way! Well, I finally borrowed it, along with In the Meadow by Print Works Collection.com. The evergreen trees are stamped with Holiday Greetings by The Stamp Barn. Stackable Stanley looks like he's having a blast, just like we did as kids playing in the snow.
All of my images were stamped and fussy cut. This tedious task seems to calm me somehow. I also absolutely hate to throw out scraps! The snow base is made with scraps, the scarves on the tower of snowmen is pieced with scraps and the dotted background is assembled with leftover pieces of a 12x12 sheet of double sided paper.
I'm entering my card into a challenge over at http://korttikarkuri.blogspot.ca/ Christmas Cards out of Scraps/Old Stash, Addicted to Stamps and More, ,Anything Goes Challenge and Splitcoast Stampers Christmas Card Challenge using scraps,  CCC13http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2453170?cat=500&ppuser=354073

 I'm not too proficient at the technical part of entering these types of contests, so my fingers are crossed that I do it correctly. Thanks for looking! 


Stamps: as mentioned above
Tools: SU markers, SU paper, stamp positioner, scissors, pop dots, glue dots, Versafine black ink, black Sharpie, Nestabilities die cut for phrase, clear embossing powder, heat gun, sponge, blender pen, SU bashful blue ink. 
Techniques: marker blending, fussy cutting, paper piecing,  masking, sponging, heat embossing  on phrase, paper tearing, some details with Sharpie marker, layering of trees. 

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Thank You

 
 


Happy Birthday


 




 

The Happy Birthday card is made with assorted stamps and coloured with Stampin Up markers and Inktense pencils. I used a butterfly die cut and perched it on the sentiment with a glue dot.
It was fun making the step card. Hope you like it.

Monday 25 February 2013

Forget Me Not

 
Split Coast Stampers http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/unity-stamp-company-f197/lovefest2013h-unitys-inspiration-challenge-t569109.html Love Fest 2013 intrigued me. I liked Unity Stamps Inspired Challenge. The photo of tiny turquoise flowers made me think of Forget Me Nots, a spring flower in my garden that brings back nostalgic childhood memories. I watercoloured the background with distress inks:dusty concord, antique linen, stormy sky, fired brick and black soot was used to edge the paper. SU inks: cameo coral, elegant eggplant, tempting turquoise. I stamped the forget me nots cut them out, and used tools to dry emboss them to make them pop. The lattice work is a MS punch. The sentiment and forget me nots are SU Vintage Vogue. I used a branch die cut from the same paper as the background. Thanks for looking.
 
Inspiration Photo from Unity Stamps

Friday 8 February 2013

Version 2 Valentine

I wasn't completely satisfied with my previous rendition of this card, so added some doodling with a sharpie marker and coloured the inside of the shoes.  I was tempted to add more and held myself back. LOL!

Monday 28 January 2013

Sweet Baby Shoes

Keeping it simple is sometimes very difficult for me when designing a card. If you're like me, don't you always want to add a little bit more? That's why I challenged myself to join a Splitcoast Stampers challenge for a Clean and Simple card. I'm stretching my brain by attempting 3 challenges in one card - Clean and Simple sketch, Try a New Technique and Player Challenge. Hope you like my attempt.
Products used: Digi stamp from Jellypark, Stampin Up hearts punch, Nestabilities small deckled rectangles, TH distress ink Spun Sugar, (sponged on), Stampin Up marker in Rose Red,
Computer generated sentiment (cause I didn't have one that said what I wanted), Post Its, pop dots, foil wrapping paper.
Thanks to Jellypark for the free digi image of baby shoes just for joining their site.

Thursday 24 January 2013

Sailing Through Life

 I wanted to make a man's birthday card and happened to have some Stampin Up double sided DP with a nautical theme that matched the card stock, also from Stampin Up. It was paired with a stamp set from Prima-Almanac Collection. The sentiment and birds are from Tim Holtz.
 
Inks: Night of Navy (SU), Versafine Onyx black.
Inksentials: glossy accents (compass)
 
Hope you like it.

Some January Humour

This grumpy gal is Maude from Art Impressions, as well as the sentiment. She made me chuckle! We all need something to laugh at during the January blahs and Maude does the trick. I don't know how other people feel when they colour or paint, but it makes me feel calm and relaxed (unless I have a technical difficulty...LOL!).
Products: Stampin Up DP, cardstock and inks - pumpkin pie, bashful blue,chocolate chip, summer sun, blush blossom, old olive:  Spellbinders Nestabilities - Deckled Edge Classic Ovals Large,  Tim Holtz distress ink Stormy Sky, brads from my stash.
I glazed the happy face on Maude's cup with Glossy Accents from Inksentials. Maude is popped out from the card with pop dots. The oval background is sponged with Stormy Sky.
I'm sure most of us can relate to Maude at one time or another. I hope this card makes you smile :)
 

Saturday 5 January 2013

Magnolias


A friend requested me to make this card for her friend's birthday. I love the "Magnolia" stamp set from Flourishes. I painted it with distress inks from tim holtz . Shabby shutters, peeled paint, victorian velvet, spun sugar. I also used a watercolour pink pencil.I stamped it 3 times...the light one in the background, the flowers which were cut out, and the leaves which were cut out. They were layered with dimensionals.  The background was cut out with a Nestabilities die. The die shape was painted with picket fence and spun sugar distress stain and then splattered with water. I sponged the edges with walnut ditress ink and added a bit of micro fine glitter. The DP is left over from another card. Corners were punched with a Martha Stewart punch. I sponged the edges of the card with spun sugar ink. The sentiment is from Stampin Up.
I hope the flowers cheer you up during this cold Jan.
Thanks for looking and please make a comment.

Thursday 3 January 2013

I accidentally deleted all my posts.

I deleted all my posts by accident and managed to partially get 2 of them back. Frustrating, but not life threatening. So back to the beginning again. I was trying to upload a photo which I've done many times. This time it wouldn't work and that was the beginning of the end. I really need to study blogging a little harder to figure it out. LOL! I'm going to see if I can post some of my past photos again.


Friends who inspire »
Wishing for Snow Anna and I have had a blast creating Christmas cards. We encourage each other, help each other with ideas and choices and bump into one another when we move from one tiny station to another.

































Thank you to the people who encouraged me at Split Coast Stampers »
I am so excited! My Pretty Poinsettia card was chosen by +Scrappingramma2 @Split Coast Stampers Stampers as one of her favourites for 2012. Special thanks also to +Sue28 and +Loll ThompsonThompson for encouraging me along the way.