Creative CARDiology

I miss my baby!

2011-04-05T20:13:00.000-04:00

We lost our darling little dog Pebbles a couple of weeks ago and I miss her so much. If you want to see one of the cutest little doggies in the world here she is.....

More you say?

Halloween's a coming!

2010-10-10T00:01:00.003-04:00

I love Halloween. Not as much as Christmas but it's a close second. I really miss having young children to get dressed up and get excited with!!! For now I just love watching the little ones that come to the door. So sweet. Here's a little vintage image of a sweet witch.

Well hello, long time no see!

2010-10-08T20:26:00.001-04:00

Believe it or not I have actually had requests to get the hell back and write on my blog. Not one to turn down a violent request I figured it was high time I posted something. I have been busy doing all sorts of things. I've taken up sewing again with a newly developed interest in quilting along with it. I'm loving it. I'll post some of those things at another time. Right now, I'm getting ready for thanksgiving and the very serious responsibility of bringing to pumpkin pie to my sister Kirsty's house. (hehehhe, thanks Costco!) I may re-plate it and claim it as my own if she doesn't read my blog before Sunday. Hehheehehe, always the thanksgiving trickster I am. Here's a card using one of Stampin' Up's stamp sets. We did this at our September club class. The girls liked it. Edited to add: Apparently I didn't teach this at any of my classes, hmmm. As the comments below show, I am a liar.

Yikes! I've been bad....

2010-08-04T20:57:00.000-04:00

Yep, it's me. Remember me, I write this blog. Well not lately, but I have written. Just dropping in to say sorry I've been absent from posting, I had a horrible farm machine accide nt and it chewed up both my hands. I'm actually using a voice recognition typing program. Cool eh? Okay, I'm lying. You've broken me down. What I have been , in fact, is lazy. There it is. Lazy. On the upside though, at least I still have my hands. Thanks for your good wishes. I promise I will be posting a creation soon. Soon, I said! For now I leave you with a lovely parting shot of.....

Now that is one relaxed little lamby.

The happiest of anniversaries...

2010-07-08T20:57:00.001-04:00

This was my anniversary card to my darling husband Jim. On Wednesday it was our 9th anniversary. I can honestly say that they have been some of the happiest years of my life. I made him a lovely dinner of steak, grilled asparagus w/sea salt and twice baked potatoes. Then we had fresh homemade blueberry pie for dessert. As I have been extremely mushy so far I will continue in that vein. We are extremely blessed to have found each other and I thank God for it everyday. Okay enough of the mush. I hate to say it but I cannot remember for the life of me who made this stamp. Update: The Stamp is by Magenta Hmph. It's really nice though so if you know tell and I'll give them proper credit. I coloured with copics and then over-sprayed with vanilla Smooch Spritz. It's in the new Stampin Up catalogue.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for.....

2010-07-04T19:23:00.001-04:00

Kabobs! Here's was supper. Just sayin'.

Here's who wanted to join us for dinner.....

My Copic Journal

2010-07-03T20:36:00.002-04:00

I found this super site called Copic Munkies. They showed how to make a copic journal. This little journal has printed charts which you can find on the site. They have charts for marker inventory, custom colours, etc. It's pretty cool. I used my Bind it All to make the book and I printed the pages out on cardstock so I can colour right inside the book with the actual paper I use with my copics. The brand is called Hammermill. I've had this Daisy D's paper that I used to cover my journal for ages. I was hoarding it. I'm a craft supply hoarder. Isn't there an anonymous group for that? Also check out this site Michelle's MBellishments She's got some great ideas for this copic journal too.

I got those rhinestone embellishments at the dollar store. Dollar store!!!! I paid $7 for one of these on a scrapbooking site. Holy crap. Needless to say I now buy them from the dollar store. Oh yeah, the bird's name is Frank.

FWF Flair Flair Flair

2010-07-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Here is the birthday card I made for my husband Jim. He loves embossing so I embossed leaves on the background with silver EP. They I rubbed inks onto the surface. I used pale plum, so saffron and old olive. I used this stamp from the June KOTM. I love that stamp. I embossed it as well and used the same technique and inks as I did on the background. I added stickles to the sun rays. I also used the new damask embossing folder from Stampin' Up. Wow does that thing emboss deeply. It's quite impressive. (no pun intended) (I'm lying, pun intended!)

Look at this...

2010-07-01T19:51:00.000-04:00

Just a quick little post to show you some new organization in my office. Inspired by Stephanie, purchased at Ikea, Jim put these little pots up for me today. My desktop looks a little more organized. Funny how just moving things around a bit makes things look so much roomier.

Just a little note & Happy Birthday Big Jim!

2010-06-30T00:01:00.005-04:00

First, I want to wish my darling husband Jim a very happy birthday. We're going to go out and paint the town red tonight.

Here is another preview of a stamp set due to be released tomorrow from Stampin' Up! This set is called Apple Blossoms . it has 8 images in the set and there are some pretty cute and funky stamps in it. I stamped the three stems in three of our new colours. Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and Daffodil Delight. There are some really great new colours this year that i know you're going to love. The background paper is from the patterned paper pack called Greeenhouse Gala. All of the patterned paper we sell is double sided and really a good quality patterned paper. No flimsy stuff here. It's strong enough to make boxes, etc. out of it. I used some Dazzling Diamonds glitter on top of the stems. The little flower with the orange Stampin' Up button is from Ippity and uses Cosmo Cricket paper. I added a couple of photo corners using the Stampin' Up photo corners punch.

Tuesday in Paris

2010-06-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

What could be better? Well I guess it would be better if I were actually in Paris, but alas, I am not. However, I do have a new stamp set ready to be released on July 1, 2010 from Stampin' Up! Yes that's right, two more days and the new 2010-11 Stampin Up! Catalogue goes live!!! You're going to love it, I guarantee it. The card is made the set Artistic Etchings. The stamp set has 6 images in it including the Eiffel Tower, a crown, a filigree thingy (technical term, don't be afraid) a fancy design circle, the word "amour" and a skeleton key. You can do alot with it. You can also see that I have used a guaranteed winner in new designer paper called Newsprint. The border edge is Martha's wrought iron punch and I used a fleur de lis punch for the corners. I just used a copic marker to create a semi-sky around the tower and also to colour some of the grass. I distressed the edges with black ink and a sponge.

Look, It's a Picture of a Pitcher

2010-06-27T19:23:00.002-04:00

Here is one of the new stamps sets that will be released on July 1, 2010 by Stampin' Up!. The name of the set is Studio Sketches and it has 4 images in it. The gorgeous papers that are on this card are the new designer series papers called Greenhouse Gala. These papers are amazingly beautiful. You're going to love them. I coloured my images with Copics and distressed the edges with Stampin' Up's edge distressing tool found in the cutter kit. The cardstock is one of our new colours called Marina Mist. So pretty. I stitched around the edges with brown thread to complete the card. That little ribbon slide is from the Dollar Store. (I love that place!)

What a day Dad had...

2010-06-22T00:01:00.002-04:00

Here's the father's day card I made for my husband this year. He's such a wonderful guy! I used CTMH stamps, cosmo cricket papers and my cricut to cut out the wheelbarrow and the garden tools. He's the yard work guy around here. So here it is:

I've resolved to start using my cricut more. I have a million cartridges that are begging me use them so there's no time like the present.

It's Ippity Blog Hop Monday

2010-06-21T00:01:00.005-04:00

Well it's the beginning of a new week. I sure hope everyone has a fantastic week ahead. Here's my card using Cosmo Cricket's Garden Variety and the Ippity set Delightful Little Things. I did lots of sewing on this card. I just kept going and going. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I'm so nuts about this Cosmo Cricket paper that I think I'll have to hide it so I don't use it for awhile. Also used Nesties to cut out the label.

FWF - You can move mountains!

2010-06-18T00:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday everyone. Here is my card for FWF. It uses the May KOTM stamps. I also practiced using my copic air brushing system on the sky. I popped up the front hill and the tree. I used the paper pad Garden Variety. I love it. I was debating whether or not to use this as my daughter's graduation card. I'm making another one tomorrow so I'll decide then. We're pretty proud of Lindsay. She just returned from Australia where she did her masters in teaching. I'm so glad she's home, I missed her alot.

I'm baaaacccccccckkk!

2010-06-16T23:54:00.002-04:00

Hello all my fellow bloggers, I know that I have been absent for much too long, I hear your thousand of voices calling to me...... Insert insane laughter here. Okay I heard maybe one or two voices but I wished it was thousands. I have had a very horrible cases of mojo missingitis. Bad case. I was in Toronto over the weekend and attended the Copic Certification course. I passed!!!!! Cool eh? Yeah cool. So here is a couple of atc's which has absolutely nothing to do with Copics but I wanted to post something so you didn't think I was dead.

I absolutely love doing atc's and these were a few of my early one's. It's another thing I need to get back to. Have a wonderful week everyone.

PS I'm in celebration mode because my dearest daughter is home from Australia!!! She's a bona fide teacher now!

Welcome home Lindsay!

I am a BRAVE Girl - FWF

2010-06-04T00:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! It's another FWF and I'm ready for it. Here's my card using Melody Ross's I'm a Brave Girl set. I love this set so much. It ignites so much passion in me. I think everyone is feeling pretty positve about this set. Take a look, I hope you like it.

Monday and the Ippity hoppity

2010-05-24T00:01:00.001-04:00

Forgive me I was unable to create a new card for this week's hop. It is Victoria Day here in Canada and thus I celebrated a little too much. LOL Here, then is a rerun instead. I just watched The Young Victoria so I feel like speaking all proper English and all that rot. Enough said, here is the card which I'm sure alot of you have never seen before and for those of you who have, act surprised.

Anyone see the connection here? Victoria Day? I just watched Young Victoria! Crown?

Yeah, I guess you got it.

Happy Monday!

FWF - I'm late but I'm here!

2010-05-21T11:35:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the late start. I blame it on StephanieZ. Fun, merriement, enough said. Okay so here is my berry sweet card using a past KOTM. I sparkled, cuttled, bowed , sewed and trimmed. Paper is from K&Co. Here's the rest of the FWF blog hopping madness! Go see Unity FWF

this made me really think of spring

After me check out the fabulous Elisabeth

Ippity Blog Hop Monday

2010-05-17T00:01:00.001-04:00

The new releases are so awesome! I was on my Ippity chick's doorstep at sunrise. I bought the whole shebang! Here is a cool card with a pretty neat techinique by Gina K. of Stamp TV. It's called cuttlebugged wax paper/ Check it out, pretty snazy technique. If you look really close you can see the wax paper resist pattern on the background. I totally stamped the background using Fall For You stamps and after do the technique thingy I wiped Haystack ink all over it. I really like this card alot. I hope you do too.

FWF Simple says it best...

2010-05-14T00:02:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday! I love Fridays. I wish there was 7 days of Fridays. But then which one would I pick to be my favourite Friday? Too much thinking, ugh.

Here's my FWF card using the March KOTM. I also used the thought bubble from Simply Sweet for the clouds. The background paper is from Stampin Up. The sentiment is from the new Ippity release The Simple Things. (Oh my goodness, I love every single one of the stamp releases.)

It's Ippity Time again - Let's hop!

2010-05-10T00:01:00.001-04:00

Good Monday morning everyone! New releases for Ippity just around the corner..... I'm excited to see them! For now though I'm working with Regal Greetings. It's such an elegant set. I made a sympathy card because, well you know, you should always have a few of those on hand. Unfortuantely. The patterned paper is Deja Views and the cardstock is Stampin' Up. (soft sky and elegant eggplant) I threaded my lace with soft blue ribbon. I like that. I embossed the frame with black ep and cut it out and then popped it up. The butterflies are an SU embosslit called Beautiful Wings and the corners are with the SU corner punch. Hey no kidding, you want some incredibly useful punches, take a look at Stampin Up. You won't be disappointed. So anyway, here it is:

Have a marvellous Monday hoppers.

Cupcake anyone?

2010-05-05T00:01:00.001-04:00

This is the most fabulous project. I'm totally in love with it. I followed the instructions from Tresa Black of Fabulously Artsy. She is brilliant! Brilliant I tell you!!!! ... and funny, prepare to laugh your butt off. I followed the directions for this cupcake on her You Tube video here. She gives the best instructions. In fact check out all her videos, you'll love her.

So anyway this is the cutest way to give someone a gift card. The gift card slides into the clip which slides down into the cupcake. Hello, is this not the best idea?

Go give it a try! You'll like it (but don't try to eat it).

H(ippity) Hop Monday

2010-05-03T00:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Hopping my friends. Today I used the Music of My Heart set to create this card. I also used the DCWV All Dressed Up Stack for the side strip. I embossed the bird with SU white embossing powder and then cut him out and popped him up. I made the little rose and put the Martha Stewart fronds coming out the sides. I hope you like it

Have a wonderful Monday.

Happy Birthday Unity/Mojo Monday Sketch

2010-04-27T16:00:00.003-04:00

Hey Unity Stamp Company is celebrating it's 2nd birthday. How about that? I must say, I do love these stamps so. This card is for the Birthday Celebration Day 2 challenge. The challenge today was to use a bird or a tree on your card. As you can see, I chose the bird. I used some Soft Sky cardstock, patterned paper by Anna Griffin, my new wrought iron punch by The Martha, nesties and some brown satin ribbon. I'm also submitting this card for the Mojo Monday Sketch 136.

Enjoy. Life. Right. Now.

Here's the Mojo Monday Sketch

Butterflies will be here soon...

2010-04-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Right? I mean the weather will improve (right?) and then the trees will sprout leaves (right?) and then flowers (uh huh) and then ..... butterflies. Flying in from somewhere tropical right? This is not a subject I know much about but I thought I should give some kind of intro to my card. So, here it is. This is that technique where you stamp your image on acetate using Staz On and then you drop some ink on it and then put tissue paper? Dang it I can't remember. Feel free to correct anything I've said. (except the part about the weather improving!)

I used some blingy rhinestones and the photo corners are from the Stampin Up photo corners punch and the image is from SU's Wonderful Wings.

Cricut Paisley

2010-04-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Here is just a small sampling of what I did with the Cricut Paisley cartridge. I love my Cricut Expression so much. Thankfully alot of my friends also have Cricuts so the occassional Cricut playdate is always so much fun. I used Stampin' Up cardstock (the best cardstock in the world IMHO) Anyway, take a look, this stuff is pretty cute.

Fun eh?

H{ippity} Hop Monday - Where you should be

2010-04-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday everyone. Yes, you have almost reached the end of the hop. I just love these hops. I wish I could consider them part of a 30 minute workout but I believe that's against the "fitness requirement" rules. Ha, I've always been a rule-breaker anyway (not really, but didn't that sound pretty tough?). So here's the hop card. It uses the set Where You Should Be. I stamped the patterned leaves border on the left, coloured them with copics and then overstamped with SU big canvas stamp. I love those big background stamps. I used a piece of Daisy D's flowered paper and nesties labels. Got some bling, ribbon and tada, Bob's your uncle. Without further ado.... the card.

FWF You rock my world

2010-04-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

Here's the jukebox from the March KOTM. I love this kit, I really love it. It's my very first and if this is any indication of how it's gonna be, well I'm ecstatic. Now here's my card. My photo editing software has gone on the blinko so give this photo some sympathy, it's not the picture's fault.

So that's all folks. Have a happy Friday and a fun weekend.

You've gotta see this...

2010-04-13T22:57:00.000-04:00

I have to direct you to my sister's blog KC's Kards because she is doing some faboo work. Her copic work is out of this world and check out her designs. She's rockin' the blog world. Go see her and leave her some love baby!

Here's Kirsty's card. Go look!

H{Ippity} Hop Monday

2010-04-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

Good Monday morning all and if you're reading this in the evening, good Lord! You have to start getting up earlier. I have to work really hard this week because I have a stamp club class on Thursday and I still have one project to design. I am brain dead. For now however, when I should have been doing the "other" thing I designed this card. It is from the set Because of You. There are so many fantastic stamps in this set. I stepped out of my usual "box" and created a card a little different for me. Here it is:

An interesting thing about this card is the ribbon. Said ribbon started out looking like this:

only to have me colour in the white squares with a red copic. Hmph! Who knew? I didn't have matchy ribbon so tada, I did this. There's a tip for ya. Have a oodley good Monday.

Happy O'Friday!

2010-04-09T14:38:00.000-04:00

Well I just got back from a terrific lunch with my son who is on holidays and is visiting. Great kid. I loved spending time with him this time around. Today I'm showing you a card that I really think is pretty. It uses a stamp from Crafty Secrets and Veranda paper from CTMH. I love the lace trim on it and of course all da bling. I used my copics to colour these rhinestones a turquoise shade. It's just a hint of colour but it really makes a difference in real life.

Yeah baby, Tim's in the house!

2010-04-08T13:03:00.001-04:00

I got my Tim Holtz Alterations dies!!!!! I love them. I'm still waiting on a few of them but I thought I'd get to work with what I had right now. I sure wish I hadn't already used the post title "I know why the caged bird sings" previously. That would have been perfect. Let's talk about Tim Holtz for a minute shall we? Tim Holtz, handsome, sexy, creative, charming, all round adorable. Yes that perfectly describes him. One final thing; I'd like to kiss Tim Holtz right on the lips. Twice. Enough said. Tim, call me. Here's the card. I used CTMH Veranda PP, Stampin Up cardstock and some glitter (Martha) , cuttlebug embossing folder and some buttons and floss. I embossed the die cut with white embossing powder (SU) and then distressed it a bit. Oh yeah, rhinestones too. Without further ado, I give you Spartacus, the caged bird.

P.S. If someone wants to let Tim know that I have a desire to kiss him (twice) please direct him here and I will give him further instructions.

Polly ain't no April fool...

2010-04-01T12:01:00.000-04:00

Happy April Fool's Day. Guess what? I just won the lottery which is going to come in really handy because I'm pregnat with triplets. Whew at least I'll have finished building the igloo we're moving into in the Yukon Territory. A three story igloo thank you very much. With an elevator and central heating. Hunh, yeah I've gotta a lot going on in my life. But enough about me. Let's talk about this card. Again, I am using Kraftin' Kimmie stamps. This one is called Polly the bar wench. There is a whole line of pirate stamps. I love em all. The paper I used was from the DCWV Taj Mahal stack and Stampin' Up's patterned paper. I coloured the little wench with copics. I also used my nesties to cut out the circles. This is my entry for this weeks Mojo Monday Sketch 132. Here is the sketch.

and here is my card

Happy April Fool's Day everyone. Play a fun joke on someone.

Caffinated Cropper Blog Hop

2010-03-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

It's the big day for the blog hop at Caffinated Cropper!!! Here's my card using the Beeez Kneeez kit. I'm very impressed with this kit I have to say. There is tremendous variety in the supplies. This kit can appeal to any style of scrapper or stamper. My take today is kind of a grungy shabby chic thing. I used lots of the kits elements. The little die cut sentiment is by Cuttlebug. I also embossed some of the little tiny sunflowers with copper embossing powder with the stamp set provided. I also sprayed one of the little doileys with chocolate glimmer mist. Now jump on over to Carole's blog

Arrrrrrrrr! Happy Birthday ya old seadog!

2010-03-30T00:01:00.001-04:00

This card is for the Eyelet Here, Eyelet There challenge for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps. I've used Captain Scurvy for my card. I am so in love with these stamps. The artist who draws these stamps is Annie Rodrigue. She is amazing. I'm telling you to go check out all of the stamps in her series. They are under the heading Moonlight Whispers.

I used paper from the DCWV stack called Taj Mahal. Fabulous papers. The red crinkley stuff I got years and years ago but I don't know the name of it. I used Stampin Up cardstock (brilliant blue), hemp and eyelets.

Ippity Blog Hop Monday

2010-03-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Hop Day! I love blog hop Monday. I used the Easter set fromIppity called Sweet Thoughts of Spring. I thought I'd get a little funny about the rabbits, if ya know what I mean? Ya, you know. The border is made with a new Martha Stewart punch. I'm in love with this punch. The patterned paper is from a pack of prefolded cards from K & Company. Those fuzzy little bunnies came from the dollar store. I love the dollar store I must say. Now notice that the first rabbit has a little black moustache denoting that he is in fact the male rabbit. The second rabbit has a bow in her hair as well as some eyelashes, she's da girl. I had to stamp the girl rabbit a couple of times before I got the eyelashes right. The first time she looked like a homicidal maniac.

Just Bee-cause

2010-03-28T19:25:00.002-04:00

I've had a busy little weekend. I went out for dinner, breakfast, dinner again and um lunch once too. On the up side I didn't have to run my dishwasher once. Hey anything for the earth. I do what I have to do. Here is my card for the Card Patterns Sketch 57. I used this sketch

and here's my version

For this card I used the kit called The Beeez Kneeeez from The Caffinated Cropper. It's a fun kit to play with. I can't wait for April's kit. The big "bee cause" is from the rub-ons included with the kit. You also get a bottle of cinnamon Stickles, ribbon, paper, oh just go look at this kit. You get alot of stuff. I mean it, alot.

Tea Time Wednesday - Mojo Monday Sketch 131

2010-03-24T18:44:00.001-04:00

Here is my first submission for the Mojo Monday sketch. (even though it's Wednesday) I've always looked at that blog and said, hey nice sketch, I should try that sometime eh? (I'm Canadian so that's why I said "eh?") Who doesn't love a good challenge right? Well the day has come. I'm doing the sketch. In fact, I'm doing the sketch and maybe I'm gonna do it again because I had a really good time. I used the Kraftin Kimmie tea pot, sugar bowl and tea cup from the spring tea party kit. Now those are awesome stamps baby. Check out Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps. You'll fall in love. I did. I also used Stampin Up pink cardstock, cuttlebug die and folder and copics. So, tada! here it is, the Mojo Monday card.

It's the Beeez Kneez

2010-03-23T19:56:00.002-04:00

I recently purchased a kit called The Beeez Kneez by The Caffinated Cropper. It's a pretty cool kit I must say. Here's my first project with this kit. I stamped on the little kraft cards by Jillibean then I coloured it in with copics. I sparkled it up a bit with some Martha Stewart glitter. And now, my ode to Monday.

The first day of the week
Oh how I know it well
Some people call it Monday
But I just call it hell

Thank you and goodnight. Oh crap, I just noticed the date at the top. Oy, it's Tuesday. Oh well don't read this until next Monday okay?

Fabulous flower...

2010-03-19T19:58:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday folks! It's been a great week. Should be a great weekend too. I'm going to Stephanie's (Zito) for an Ippity gathering. I'm a gonna have some fun. I had my Stampin' Up club meeting on Thursday night here at my house. That is why no posties from me all week. Too dang busy preparing for that class. We had a ball anyway. Here's my card for the day. It uses a CTMH stamp set. Sorry I'm too lazy to get up and try to find out what the name of it was. Jenn if you're looking at this, what the heck is the name of this stamp set? Now I'll sit back and relax with the gentle sounds of a poodle snoring beside me and the occassional waft of fresh poodle gas. Does life get any better?

Supplies:

Stamps: CTMH Simple Beauty

Paper: ?

Acc's: cuttlebug die for corners, SU markers, glitter, may arts ribbon by Starlight Studios

Ippity Hippity Hop - March 15

2010-03-15T00:01:00.004-04:00

Here is my card for the IHH today. I unfortunately didn't get a sentiment put on it yet but the little butterflies look so sweet it almost stands alone with no saying. This set is from the first Ippity release. I embossed one of the butterflies. I used specialty papers for two of them and I used stickles on all of them. The designer paper is Amore by Close to My Heart.

Snappy Birthday

2010-03-12T21:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a cute little crab wishing you a happy birthday. What? You say it isn't your birthday? Well let's pretend it is. Happy Birthday buddy. Here's your card. I hope you like it. Your gift is on backorder, sorry. By the way, happy O'Friday. Love the weekend. Do something nice for someone else. It'll make you feel good. Trust me.

Supplies: All Stampin' Up

Springtime Easter Hat

2010-03-11T14:10:00.001-05:00

Remember when you were little and every Easter you would get a new dress and little white gloves and a hat? I sure do. I loved those Easter hats. We'd march our little fashion show into church and check out all the other Easter hats sitting in the pews. In Canada it has always been too cold to do any kind of Easter egg hunt outdoors but let me tell you, the fashion show while you were walking into church, no amount of cold could stop that parade. This is the card I'm doing for my club class next Thursday. It's called an easel card and Beate from Splitcoast Stampers show you how right here. It's simple and easy but it's the kind of card that looks like you spent alot of time on. That's what you want people to think right? That you've been slaving over a hot desk creating your little heart out? Of course you do.

Supplies:

Stamps: Garden from the Heart (Stampin' Up), Oval All (SU)

Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade (patterned paper SU), razzleberry, crushed curry, vanilla (all SU)

Acc's: Ribbon, scallop trim border (SU Sale-a-bration), oval punches (SU), markers

Help, I'm stuck in a basket and I can't get out!

2010-03-09T17:07:00.000-05:00

Ha. I thought that title would grab ya. Not too worry though, it's not me that's stuck in the basket, it's the rabbit. Speaking of rabbit, please don't ever try to fool me by bringing me a rabbit stew and telling me it's beef. No one has ever done that but I was just thinking how much I would hate that. Anyway, I thought I would post a card featuring a rabbit or as the Easter people call them, bunnies. Look deep into that bunny's eyes. Do you see the fear? He's saying "Please don't turn me into a rabbit stew, I have children to feed.". To which you may answer, "Well so do I." To which he might reply, "One of my kids just applied to Harvard, I have to raise the tuition." Then you might back down and say, "I believe in the value of a good education. You are free to go my man." Yeah, I can see that conversation happening. Please enjoy the rodent.

Supplies:

Stamps: Stampin' Up Serene Spring

Paper: Stampin' Up old olive, baja breeze, night of navy

Patterned paper: Stampin Up Urban Garden

Acc's: nestablilities, scallop border punch (SU), ribbon, SU markers

Hippity Hop March 7th Blog Hop

2010-03-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Here's my card for the blog hop. I decided to make the stars and moons look like they were growing in a garden. Lots of sparkle here. Hey who doesn't wish we could grow wishes in a garden? I used the My Mind's Eye winter paper pack. I really do love these stamps. I can't wait for the next release!!! Oh oh, I just noticed one of my stars is falling. Ignore that!

Supplies:

Stamps: Ippity (by Unity) Moonbeam and Heartstrings

Paper: My Mind's Eye, specialty paper, crushed curry SU
Ink: Unity Burnt Umber

Acc's: SU star punch, MS glitter, Making Memories glitter, copics

OCL Sketch Challenge

2010-03-07T15:35:00.000-05:00

Here's my card for the OCL (Our Craft Lounge) sketch challenge this week. Val created the sketch. I used OCL's For the Love of Birds. This is an anniversary card for my sister (hey I'm kind of ahead of time) and her husband. Kirsty if you're looking at this, stop it. Ignore that shadow that you see in the top left hand corner. It's the leaf of a plant, I was trying to get artsy fartsy and it didn't work.

Supplies:

Stamps: OCL For the love of Birds

Paper: K & Co. Berry Sweet, SU wild wasabi, rose red , Hammermill white

Ink: Memento Tuxedo black, Unity Burnt Umber

Acc's: Nesties, copics, Martha Stewart border punch, ribbon, stickles

Live the simple life...

2010-03-06T17:28:00.000-05:00

It feels like spring today. Oh my it's a beautiful day out there in Northern Ontario. We hardly have any snow and I can see our grass already. I hope I'm not jinxing things by noticing that. Today I just did a quick little card with Ippity's What Matter's Most. Cute set indeed. I hand drew the sun and stuck a patterned paper circle in there. I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind living in such a colourful neighbourhood. Happy Saturday all!

Supplies:

Stamps: Ippity What Matters Most and Simply Home (sentiment)

Paper: Basic Grey Romani, SU bashful blue and chocolate chip (Stampin Up! makes the best cardstock out there)

Acc's: brads, copics

Somebody has a new job....

2010-03-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

We're feeling pretty proud around here today. Some of you may know Pebbles, our darling little girl dog. Well anyway, Pebbles recently applied for a new job and she just got a letter in the mail today confirming her new position. She has been hired as a court jester!!!! Can you imagine how excited we are? Unfortunately I can't tell you who she will be working for because it's classified. Sure I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill you. Here's our big girl.

Obviously I had no card to post today so I'm playing the cute card.

It's a poser....

2010-03-03T20:45:00.002-05:00

Literally. It's my next door neighbours little girl, Dharma, who is in love with the camera. Dharma, who we adore, considers our house an extension of her own. Especially our deck. She operates on the premise of what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine. She is one of the smartest, well spoken and interesting little girl I've ever met. I like to think it's my influence on her. So here she is, I'm on the deck and she comes over to see what's going on and then she sees the camera. Well New York here we come, she started workin' it.

I'd love to give you the details of what I used for this layout but I really don't have a clue. Sorry about that.

Enough of the monkey business already!

2010-03-02T20:23:00.003-05:00

Monkeys. Who doesn't love monkeys? I'll tell ya who. My brother David doesn't like monkeys. You want to know why? It's because when we were little we went to the Granby Zoo in Quebec (I think that's what is was called) and were innocently walking around taunting animals from afar. So then, David sees a little monkey in a cage. Okay, so far so good. He approaches the monkey with his happy little boy face and kneels down in front of the cage. Well before you could say planet of the apes, the monkey attacks him. Scratches his face. David screamed (like a girl if you must know) and my Dad jumped in and did some fancy monkey handlin' and the beastly primate unhanded him. And that is the story of My Brother's Afraid of Monkeys; soon to be released in paperback. In the meantime here is a monkey card to make you think of my brother David. Do not let this monkey's kind face fool you. They all look like that in the beginning. Stand back. I know that this picture looks like crap. Sorry. In real life it's not so washed out. Forgive me.

Accessories to the crime:

Stamps: Stampin' Up - Sock Monkey , sentiment - SU

Paper: I think this is from K & Co. but I wouldn't swear to it, SU cardstock

Accessories: Nestibilities, oval punch SU, flower punch SU, ribbon, SU markers, 1/8th punch SU

Remember if you have any questions whether it be about my projects or monkey taming please contact me.

Ippity Blog Hop Monday

2010-03-01T09:35:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday! Hey I think that's an oxymoron. Here's my card for Ippity's Blog Hop. I used the set Fishy Philosophy. I love it.

Stamps: Ippity Fishy Philosophy
Paper: My Mind's Eye, SU River Rock, Taken with Teal, Ivory
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Acc's: Copics, white embossing powder, Martha Stewart glitter, MS fern punch, cell phone bling, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Women are like a fine wine...

2010-02-28T13:24:00.002-05:00

....the older they get the better they are. Hmph. I just made that up. Okay I'm lying, I didn't. How about, A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou.... I made that up too. Again, lying. Pretty good eh? Yeah well Omar Khayyam thought so too, that why he wrote it. The point is that a good bottle of wine begs to be shared. Okay I didn't make that up either. However, I did make this card up. The bottle of wine stamp is from Our Craft Lounge. It's from a set called Going Gourmet. My buddies own this online store and they rock. In fact, Marianne Walker of Copic marker fame is the illustrator of these stamps. Also if you go to Cambria Turnbow's blog you'll see some excellent examples using Our Craft Lounge stamps. Hey if you go, tell her Darthy says hi. The sentiment I used is from Close to My Heart Jenn, whom I will simply refer to from here on in as CTMH Jenn (sounds kind of hip hop eh?) from here on in. The inside of the card says "to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age." Lucille Ball Oh that crazy redhead! Lucille Ball not Jenn. Without further ado, may I present ...... the card.

Accessories to the crime:

Stamps: wine bottle (Going Gourmet-Our Craft Lounge), sentiment (CTMH -Say it in Style)

Ink: Black Memento

Paper: Wild Asparagus, SU DD Ridinghood Red,

Cardstock: SU old olive, ridinghood red

Acc's: brads, ribbon, pop dots, copics

Family Planning - bird style.

2010-02-27T20:48:00.002-05:00

How do folks? It's Saturday night and I'm watching the Olympics. Go Canada!!! I spent the day working in my office. I had a blast. Create, create, create.
Here's the card for today. I love this stamp, I mean I really love it. Don't ask me why I love birds so much lately? I even decorated my Christmas tree with birds. I am ornothologically obsessed. Think of these two little birds as Jasper and Candy. Jasper and Candy are discussing whether or not they want to start a family. Candy is thinking that Jasper is too involved in his career as a cardinal. Jasper is thinking Candy is just plain sweet so he wants to start the family soon. He wants to reassure Candy that he has quite a nest egg built up so she can feel safe and secure about this decision. Candy wants to remind Jasper that they shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket.

You know what I say? I say, a bird in the hand is worth two snakes on the ground. It's a old cliche you probably don't know it.

Doesn't this card just look so peaceful?

Accessories to the Crime:

Stamps: Northridge Rubber Stamp Co. (birds) sentiment (for the life of me I can't remember, I just did this too, feel free to remind me if you know where this stamp comes from)

Papers: SU patterned paper in old olive, chocolate chip (yum makes me hungry) Hammermill white

Accessories: twine, leaf punch (Punch Bunch), copics, distressing tool

Ippity Challenge Card and It's Friday!!!!

2010-02-26T13:57:00.001-05:00

I guess it's a throwback to school days but Friday still elicits so much excitement for me. I love Fridays. I'm retired and I still love Fridays. Go figure. I decided to participate in my very first challenge. It's the Ippity challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. I had to use a sketch from the card sketches forum and unfortunately I made the card first and then had to find the sketch. Umm, I won't do that again. What can I say I'm backward. So here's the card. I made the little flower out of an old book page and a scalloped circle punch. Punch 'em out , crumple, flatten, stack, put a hole in the middle, pierce a hole and stick a brad in. Easy peesy lemon squeezy.

Accessories to the crime:

Stamps: Ippity (Where You Should Be)

Ink: Memento black

Paper: SU kraft, old olive, chocolate chip

Acc's: copic markers, SU rich razzleberry ribbon, scallop punch SU, old book page

New baby in the nest...

2010-02-25T17:02:00.004-05:00

Well, not my nest. My daughter's friend, Jennifer, just had a baby boy. I think I'll send a card. Hey, maybe I'll send this card!

This is an adorable set from Close to My Heart. My friend Jenn sells Close to My Heart. The set is called Love you Forever. It has a little saying in it that says, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be." This of course is taken from the story Love you Forever by Robert Munsch. Have you ever read this book? Well, if you have, you know that it will reduce you to tears instantly. Every mother knows the danger of reading Robert Munsch out loud. I will give you that warning now. Never, and I mean never, try to read this book aloud. You will confuse and scare your children. Teach them to read and then bring this book into the house. Then nobody gets hurt and nobody has to go to a psychologist when they are an adult because their mother crumbled into a sniveling mess when she tried to read out loud.

Funny story about this little saying "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always" etc. When my son, Adam, was in Grade 1 he made me a beautiful card for mother's day. It had a delicate Renoir-like drawing (bwahahaha) on the front and on the inside there was a little poem. It said, "Mommy - I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, your baby I''ll be". Oh my word, my child was a brilliant poet, I thought. I showed the card to my husband and sang Adam's praises as the new Keats. A veritable Robert Browning if you will. I basqued in the love of this card for weeks. Weeks I tell you. Then, one day, a friend came to visit me. I call this day "Thanks for destroying my dreams day". She was looking at the cards I had received for Mother's Day and came across the one Adam had made for me. She read it and said, "Oh this is so sweet. He used the poem from Robert Munsch's book I'll Love you Forever." She smiled sweetly at me. I had been beaming proudly standing at her side. "Huh?" I said, my smiling drooping. So, she explained that there was this book and it was really good, almost a classic in fact, and that I should get it and read it to the kids. Well, in retrospect, I should have taken that as the first sign that she was an evil depraved woman. I am in fact though, naive. I read the card over and over again enjoying the poem still. Then in a moment of clarity and in strong support of my brilliant child, I said "Oh my goodness, isn't that clever of him to plagiarize Robert Muncsh?" That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Accessories to the crime:
Stamps: CTMH I'll Love you Forever, SU So Many Sayings (sentiment)
Paper: SU Taken with Teal, Chocolate chip, old olilve, PPaper unknown
Acc's: Copic markers, Martha Stewart eyelet edge punch, ribbon, stickles, sewing machine

I know why the caged bird sings.....

2010-02-24T20:53:00.000-05:00

He tweets not because he can sing, he tweets because he doesn't know the words. (hahahaha, the old ones are the good ones eh?) Today was a very productive day. I dashed here and there, into Michael's (didn't have what I wanted, nerds!) then into Costco for vegetables and books. Yes, books I say. The lifeblood of my brain, the sugar in my coffee, the nit to my wit .... well you get what I'm saying. I like books. I read because I can. I read to soothe the savage beast, I read to amaze and fascinate my dog with the knowledge I have accrued from said books. Wow, now wasn't that deep?

Tomorrow I plan to go into my office, sit at my "creative centre" and produce, produce, produce. Look for more exciting posts from me in the days to come!!! That's my way of getting you to come back to my blog tomorrow and the next day. Ha! Whose the clever one now?

Okay, so here's the card. Two little love birds in a cage declaring their love. I think this would make an awesome wedding card or an anniversary card for someone. Maybe your husband, maybe your wife. Maybe for the old boyfriend that dumped you in grade 9, with a note that says, this bird could have been you loser. I used Ippity stamps, Stampin' Up paper and prima flowers. Enjoy my friends, enjoy. Sorry for the shadow on the bottom of the letters. They spell out LOVE.

Accessories to the crime:

Stamps: Ippity Because of You

Paper: Anna Griffin, SU textured cardstock

Accs: prima flowers, black embossing powder, liquid pearls, nestabilites, letter brads, ribbon, other misc. brads

Tuesday's Tree of Love

2010-02-23T19:44:00.002-05:00

Tree of love you say? Pray tell what is that? Well let me tell you a little story about the tree of love. Once upon a time there was a tiny little sapling sitting all alone in a forest. The little tree was sad and lonely. Poor little tree eh? Well it just so happens that this forest had been clearcut by some wicked lumberjacks who were building bunkbeds for a lumberjack camp two miles away. They had overlooked the little sapling and it survived the slaughter. All the animals in the forest would come to the little tree and bring their dates there for a romantic evening. And that's how it became the tree of love. Well now, wasn't that a nice story? Maybe I will tell you another story one day.

For now, let's look at the tree of love.

My partners in crime:

Stamps: SU Season of Friendship
Paper: SU Close to Cocoa, Real red, black
Ink: SU Chocolate chip, old olive
Acc's: heart punch

That's all for today folks. The moral of the story is, whenever you're feeling sad and small and unimportant there's someone who needs you so they can have a good date.

Love actually.....

2010-02-22T20:09:00.005-05:00

I know, Valentine's Day is over. I just want to show you the card I made for Big Jim. Here's how the whole thing went down. I get out of bed on Valentine's morning, fabulously horrific bed head (I'm practically famous for it), and I saunter down the hall in my fluffy pink pj's scratching my right butt cheek. The big guy is waiting for me in the living room with a coffee and a big glittery bag. I jump up and down like a five year old. Very becoming behaviour I must say. So I open the bag which contains craft books, chocolates, more chocolates and a gorgeous card. (He favours Papyrus, so do I). I go gaga over all of these tokens of his affections. I present him with this card. He says, "oh my God, I love your work." Hmm, I think, well done. He is most fascinated by the glittery pink paper and says, "wow, look at this paper, you're amazing" "how do you do it?". I bite my lip and say "Oh, you know, it's just a thing I do". Meanwhile I'm looking at the card and seeing that he is in fact loving a premade glittery patterned paper that I had absolutely no part in producing. So I said, "Yeah, and look at those embossed hearts too." He goes, "hmm, yeah but that paper you made, whoa, amazing!" So then I say, "hhhaa, haa, yeah it is good eh?" and I decide to not reveal anything further. Enough said, the day was a success. The end.

Here are the accessories to the crime:

Stamps: SU I (Heart) Hearts, CTMH sentiment

Paper: SU Sending love, SU Pretty in pink, basic black

Accessories: gingham ribbon (May Arts at http://www.starlitstudio.net/), brads (who knows?), black embossing powder

I wil always do my best to tell you about the products I've used but heck, I just don't remember everything.

Ippity's in da house!

2010-02-21T12:28:00.001-05:00

We've got new neighbours. Lots of them actually. I still have to deliver this card and a bottle of wine as a welcome to the neighbourhood kind of thing. Hopefully I'll get that done before summer.... hey I'm busy ya know. My pal Steph has started selling Ippity stamps (by Unity) and so I've indulged myself with a few new stamps. (I'm lying, I bought a whole bunch of stamps!) I also bought the paper pack she was selling by My Mind's Eye - Be Loved. It's cool baby. Of course, I had to use my Big Shot on the heart punch by Stampin' Up! I love that machine. I'm a Stampin' Up! rep so I have to buy these things to demonstrate don't I? Well, don't I? Look I just want to provide a full service so that's why I buy so much. (insert this in court transcript) So, enjoy this card. Do something nice for your neighbour today.

Accessories to the crime:

Stamps: Ippity's Devoted and Simply Home (sentiment)

Paper: My Mind's Eye - Be Loved, SU chocolate chip, riding hood red

Accs: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, SU copper cord, SU photo corners punch, pop dots, copic markers (oh yeah baby)

My first picture post! Exciting eh?

2010-02-20T18:44:00.004-05:00

stamped a little today. I worked on the Mojo Monday sketch and I also used some of Ippity's new release stamps. I love this colour combo, it speaks to me. It says "don't cut us up we're too nice to use". Sorry paper I couldn't help myself. I embossed the crown with Black Sparkle embossing powder. When you tilt the card you can see da glittah!

So the supplies I used were:

Stamps: Ippity's Regal Greetings and Love in Return (sentiment)

Paper: DCWV All dressed up, Stampin' Up black and wild wasabi, SU baja breeze patterned paper

Accs: MS lace edge punch, SU scalloped and 1 3/8th circle, cell phone bling (dollar store yippeee), black sparkle embossing powder, green ribbon from SU

It's a new day

2010-02-16T21:20:00.002-05:00

Well I'm gonna trying blogging. I'm in the process of trying to learn how to set things up and make it look pretty so it may take awhile to get to posting my creations. For now, good for me, I started a blog!