Live, Laugh, Love

Good Morning,

I have had this image stamped and coloured for a couple weeks, but I couldn’t decide what to do with it until late last night!  I found this beautiful background paper at M’s a few weeks ago, and decided it was time to cut into it!  I didn’t want to cover it up too much, and look, NO distressing! lol  I mounted the Audrey stamp (from The Stampsmith) with pink Bazzill Bling and light brown  Bazzill, then layered that all onto the background paper.  I then used my new die cut from Quickutz (Flourish), one in brown, one in pink, then added those, and put on some lovely little crocheted flowers!  I actually traded some stamping supplies that I was selling, for the crocheted flowers!  I love the barter system!  I then stamped the saying, Live, Laugh, Love from Inkadinkado twice with Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink.  This was all layered on pink Bazzill bling paper, then the light brown again.

The Stampsmith photo stamped image was stamped with Ancient Page Chocolate brown, the very lightly coloured in with Tombows and a water colour paint brush.  I wanted to keep it light.  Isn’t Audrey just beautiful?

 

It is a beautiful morning here in Halifax!  The sun is shining, and the birds are singing.  I think I may just spend the day stamping with all the windows open!  Sunshine always makes the day!

Enjoy your day!

Baby Shower Invites

One of my girlfriends at work asked me to make some baby shower invitations for her daughters baby shower.  I played around with a few ideas, and this is the one that was picked.  They were so simple to make.  I used The Slice to cut out the little tiaras, put some Stickles on the tips and used foam dots to pop them up.  The little feet are from Hero Arts, and the words are done using a CTMH alphabet set.  I had to get them done in a hurry, so it was nice to do something simple!

I printed out the insides, I went with a very light pink shimmer cardstock.  She wanted The Princess is coming…and then all the info.  That is why I went with the tiara! lol

Anyway, here are the cards….I made 26 of them.  In one night…urgh!! lol

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

:)

Dare to be Fabulous

 

Sorry for my lack of posts of late.  I have been busy getting back to work, and really just into the swing of things again.

I have a couple Stampsmith cards to share with you tonight.  Both are stamped with Ancient Page ink, then coloured in with Phototwin markers and watercolour brush.  The Marilyn card was distressed with Tim Holtz Distress inks.  The Audrey card used many of the cuttlebug and Nestibilities dies. 

 

Thank you for stopping by tonight!

:)

Little Miracle

 

Our store manager and his wife are expecting their first child, she is due any day now!  So I made them a card to go with a gift my g/f and I picked up for them.  I got the template for this card from Stampington, in the Tempting Templates section.  To me it’s amazing that they know what sex the baby is before they have it.  I don’t believe we had that option when I had my children!  I think it may take some of the excitement away, but maybe not?  However, it sure does make gift buying so much easier! lol

I used the Boho Background stamps to decorate the dress, and tons of distress ink, and some pink SU ink, because the inside of the card is white.  The Little Miracle stamp is from Hampton Arts.  The ribbon is velvet from M’s and I can’t remember who made the ribbon charm.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I have been in a stamping funk, and trying to get myself out of it!  Tonight I am really hoping to get some stamping done!

Have a wonderful evening,

:)

 

The Key to Failure

 

Tonight I went over to a friends for our stamping night.  We get together once a month, and take turns showing different techniques or just teaching a project.  We also do a card exchange and set a theme.  This months theme was chipboard/grundge board.  I felt instant panic!  I don’t usually work with either of these products, but I did buy hmmm…a bit of it! lol  Anyway, once I got over my panic, I set about trying to figure out what to do.

I went with a very simple card, using cream cardstock, and basic stamping and sponging.  I used a grundge board key, and painted it with Tim Holtz crackle paint.  I bought a couple bottles a while back and had never tried it.  I LIKE IT! lol  I stamped the background and sponged distress inks over it, and went over a few parts with the Tim Holtz essentials white pen.  I then did the same with the sentiment, and ran it through the cuttlebug using the Labels 4 from Spellbinders.  I did a bit of sponging with the die still on, took it off and did the edges a different colour, then went around the edges with the white gel pen.  I guess over all I am ok with this card! lol

Have a wonderful day!

Challenge card and Mary Jane Shoes

 

My friend Flower and I decided to challenge each other with a sketch.  We got it off Sketch Saturday.  Anyway, this is my take on the sketch!  I did add the flower on the left hand side, as the card didn’t really look balanced to me.  Hope you forgive me Flower! lol

 

I posted the 2 pictures because I wanted to show how I stamped the backs of the shoes this time.  This set is going to a very special couple.  The Mom to be has cervical cancer, and has had 3 surgeries, and they weren’t sure that they could even get pregnant.  BUT, she did!  I think it’s so awesome, and that is why I stamped Believe in Miracles on this card, instead of the usual congratulations. 

The baby booties stamp is from Stampendous, and the sentiment is from M’s.  The baby sentiment and flourish on the front of the shoe is from Heidi Grace. 

Thank you so much for stopping by,

:)

Getting back to basics…

 

I decided to make a couple cards and get back to some basics.  No colouring, just inking and stamping.  I actually had alot of fun making these 2 cards, and will probably try to go back to basics a bit more often.  It’s kind of nice to be able to make a couple quick cards, something I rarely do!  I am one of those people that take FOREVER to make 1 card!  I am sure some of you know what I mean! lol

Anyway, here are the cards.  The main images are from Inkadinkado, as well as the Party stamp.  You light up my life is from Amuse.  All flourishes are from Cornish Heritage Farms.  I just love their stamps.  They are mounted on cling, and stamp so beautifully!  All I did for these is use Rosebud Red and Tangerine Momento inks, inking the whole images with the pink, then going over a few spots with the orange. 

I decided to stop by Michael’s tonight, and was so happy to see the new Tim Holtz Visual Artistry line of stamps!  They are exclusive to M’s, and a bit pricey, but when you use a 40% off coupon, it’s definitely worth it!  I was bad and went through 2 different cashiers so I could use 2 coupons and buy 2 sets! lol  Here is the link if you would like to see the new stamps -

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=pc1439

Thank you so much for stopping by tonight!

:)

Mr. and Mrs.

 

Hi there,

This card was done for Photo Memories, using their supplies.  This card and the two above will be my last cards for now, as I have now finished a 6 month term on their design team!  Time for some new people to have a turn.

All stamps are from Inkadinkado.  I stamped and embossed the cake, coloured it in with Copic Markers, then went over most of it with Angelwings Shimmerz.  I did all the layers and the tag with the Nestibilities.  Border strip was cuttlebugged.  I added some Kaisercraft rhinestones on the corners of the cake layer, and a few Dew Drops on the border.  Oh yeah, the flower was also done with the Nesties.  I put a little stickles on the cake stand as well.  Lots of bling on this card!  It was a dreary day even thought it was quite warm today, so I didn’t get a very good picture of this one.

Thank you so much for stopping by, have a wonderful day!

A perfect baby shower gift

Hi there,

I hope everyone is having a great evening and looking forward to a fabulous weekend!

My project today was made a little while back for Quietfire Design.  You can find directions & the template for these shoes here. 

I often make the shoes and a matching card as a congratulations when I find out someone is expecting, or as a little something extra for the baby shower.  They are fun and fast to make, so give it a try if you like!

Here is a picture of the back of the shoe.

 

If you decide to make a pair, come back and post a link so we can all see them!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Unicorns

 

Good Morning!

Since I am still at home, I have been organizing a bit in my play room.  I came across a box of women stamps that I had tucked away for some reason.  Anyway, I have some gorgeous stamps that I haven’t even used yet, and thought I would make a card with one of them.  I didn’t know where I had gotten it, but alas, I asked my friend Flower and she said she had given it to me.  It’s from Rubber Stamp Ave. if anyone is interested.

Here is a close up so you can see all the shimmer.

When I stamped this image I was instantly in love with it!  It’s just so dreamy.  I coloured in the image with Copic Markers, then I went over alot of it with Shimmerz.  If you haven’t seen them before, OMGosh, you are in for a treat when you try them.  They are so sparkly, way more so than anything else I have tried.  I used Angelwings so you could see the colour under it.  I added a tiny Swarovski crystal on her forehead just because I thought it should be there! lol  I also coloured my Unicorn in, it just didn’t look right white.  After all it is my fantasy right? lol  I thought the sentiment Dream with your eye wide open, from Quietfire Design was the perfect saying to go with this card.   Then I added some punched flowers and bling from Kaisercraft in the middles.  I used the Martha Stewart punch on the one layer, I just love her border punches!  Urgh, please ignore the folded edge on this card.  It’s Bazzill bling cardstock and even though I used my Scor-pal, it didn’t score nicely.  I will have to cut it off and remount it.  That drives me crazy, so pretend you don’t even it see it ok? lol

Anyway, that is it for now!  I have been busy making other cards and things, but I can’t share them yet as they are for a design team assignment.  I am hoping to get some fun stamping done for no reason today though!

Have a wonderful day everyone,

Created Byhand Weekly Challenge – Blue & Green

The challenge at Created Byhand was to make a card using blue and green.  I chose the blue and green patterned paper from Making Memories, and some coordinating paper from Prism. 

The sentiment used is from Quietfire Design and can be found here.  I used the Nestibilites to do my layers, as well as the butterflies.  I thought a little sparkle on the butterflies would look nice, but, I dont like how it turned out on the blue paper.  I like it much better on the soft green, but I already had the card together, so it is staying as is! lol

Thank you so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful day.

Created Byhand Challenge – Use the word Believe

 

Last weeks challenge at Created Byhand was to use the word BELIEVE on a card.  I used a sentiment from Quietfire Design that has the word in it. 

The Audrey Hepburn  image is a photostamp from Stampsmith.   I lightly painted in the image in places with a watercolour brush and Tombow Markers.  The papers used are all Basic Grey.  I used black ribbon and Paris Dew Drops to embellish.  I didn’t want to add to much to the card, as I wanted to try to achieve simple and elegant.  Not sure if I did, but I do like the way it turned out.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Thank you

 

I really have so much to be thankful for, especially my friends.  My hubby had to go out of town for work last week, and he didn’t want to leave me at home so sick.  But, it’s his job and he had to go.  Since he has been gone, my girl friends have been taking care of me!  One takes me to my appts, tests and xrays.  Another bought me groceries and came over and even made me soup!  Another brought my tons of throat lozenges and popsicles.  Then I have 2 friends that live a bit further away, but they always phone to check on me, and make me smile when they call!  With the time difference, I don’t get to talk to hubby to much, BUT I do get to talk to all these wonderful ladies!  Urgh…do you think they can put up with me for another month?? lol

So this is a thank you to all my wonderful friends, thank you so much for being a part of my life.  I treasure each one of you!

I used a new stamp from Stampendous, and the sentiment if from Inkadinkado.  I hadn’t used either stamp yet.  I can’t remember who makes the patterned paper, and I cut the end off!  The little flourish is from a BG stamp set.  The image was coloured in with Copic Markers and clear Atyou Spica pen.  Tons of Prima flowers on this card.  I have been looking at many of the European blogs, and the card makers there use alot of flowers, so I thought I would try my hand at it as well.  Not so sure about mine though…oh well, it’s done! 

Something tells me I have many Thank You cards to make!

Thank you again for stopping by this evening!

Here’s the scoop…

 

How is everyone doing today?  I am still sick at home, and just trying to rest alot.  But, oh my…it’s hard to do!

I dug out one of my MFT stamp sets, and decided to make a card.  I know it’s pretty colourful, but I couldn’t resist after I spotted this BG paper in amongst my mess!  I coloured the image in with Copic Markers.  I used an Atyou Spica Glitter clear pen over the centers of the flowers.  I also did the woman’s shirt, but the glitter pen leaked and tons of the liquid came out.  I couldn’t get it wiped off, so I paper pieced the shirt and used another clear glitter pen!  The little flowers are using a new punch I bought.  It has 6 flowers on it, and one center.  I couldn’t resist buying it!  I also used the Martha Stewart Doily border punch which I hadn’t used yet either.  So it was a fun day using things I hadn’t used before! 

Thank you so much for stopping by, have a wonderful evening,

 

Friends, like wine…

I stopped at Photo Memories yesterday quickly just to drop off my projects, and while I was there I saw this stamp and had to have it!  The main image is from Inkadinkado, the background stamp is from SU and the sentiment is from Impression Obsession. 

I just love the papers used on this card, they are from My Mind’s Eye.  I was amazed that I could match up the colours of ink!  I used Sweet Plum Momento and Spanish Moss Versafine on this card. No embossing, just straight stamping.  I did make a mask of the main image so I could overstamp the SU background, En Francais.  Once the stamp was inked, I stamped it off once, then overstamped.  I didn’t want the writing to be too dark, it still is a bit in places.

I used the Nestibilities alot on this one! I also used one of the Cuttlebug Border embossing folders, as I couldn’t find a ribbon that went with the colours used.  Then of course I had to use my new Butterflies Nestibilities Die, and Kaisercraft Pearls!  lol

I also wanted to mention that there is some awesome blog candy over at Ink, Cut and Fold.  Check it out if you like!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  I hope your day is filled with sunshine!

Slice of Cake

 

Eva over at For the Love of Life posted a beautiful project last night and issued a bit of a challenge.  Hers is soooo beautiful, go take a look!  Here is my take on her project!  This is another project for Photo Memories, using mostly their supplies. 

I just bought the Butterflies Spellbinders Die this past weekend, and I just love it!  The stamp used is from Inkadinkado.  I used a Cuttlebug Die for the tag, then Heart Nestibilities.  The branch punch from Martha Stewart is amongst the ribbon.  Kaisercraft Pearls were used on the butterflies. 

You have probably noticed I have been playing around with my pictures a bit lately.  I am trying to learn how to add corners and borders in Photoshop and how to feather.  Urgh…it’s a bit of a learning curve for me.  There are many tutorials online, so I have been glued to the computer when I am not stamping, soaking in new information!  I will get better in time! lol

Here is the link to the Spellbinders Butterfly Die Set that I used.

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Cards for Photo Memories

 

I design cards for a local scrap/stamp store called Photo Memories.  They give me the products they want me to use, and I TRY to make something half decent! lol 

For this first card they gave me a Hero Arts owl stamp and some of the new BG Porcelain paper to use.  They also want me to use the Nestibilities as much as possible and the Slice if I can.  So I used it all on this card.  The owl on the front was coloured with Copic markers, then I went over it with Opal Shimmerz.  The owls inside was just painted with the Shimmerz.  The flowers on this are Bo Bunny Rub-ons, which they also needed used.  The flowers on this card were done with the Slice.

On with the card…

 

For this second card I was to use an acrylic set from Hero Arts.  Now this was totally not my style, the paper or stamps, and I struggled with this card.  I used 2 of the stamps and a set of Spellbinders Butterflies, and Kaisercraft rhinestones.  Urgh…really not liking this card!

Thank you for dropping by today!  Have a beautiful day!

I am so excited!

 

The reason I am so excited is that I had 3 cards picked up for publication in Paper Creations!  Then I had 4 cards picked up for publication in Just Cards – Valentines/Love Special Issue.  YEAH!!! 

I have been submitting so many cards, and most times hear nothing back.  It’s been a challenge trying to figure out what each magazine might be looking for.  It’s kind of funny though, some of my favourite cards that I thought for sure may be picked up, weren’t.  Urgh….lol, I guess you just have to keep trying! 

It’s the same with Design Teams!  I have tried out for a few big companies, and seem to always make it to the final round, but then they email me  saying I didn’t make the final pick!  This year I am going to just keep trying!  Heck, all’s they can do is say NO! 

I know there are many of you going through exactly the same thing.  Don’t give up though!  Just keep plugging away, and eventually we will get there! lol

Hubby and I were going through some photos last night, and came accross this one of me.  I really don’t like pictures of myself, but he said he loved this one and told me to post it on my blog.  So, here I go!  Urgh, that was painful! lol

Well, off to create and take pictures!  Have a wonderful morning everyone!  :)

Testing

 

 I am trying a new to me blogging program and just making sure it works properly!  I have a couple things to post but it may not be until tomorrow!  Check back then if you like!

Thank you so much for your help Rach!

Have a wonderful day!
:)

Precious Moments

I have seen the Stampavie stamps, and admired them on so many blogs, and now I have one of my own! lol  Beth from Sunflowers and Dragonflies is carrying this awesome stamp line!  On my card I used mostly all products available from her online store.

Now I can't take credit for the layout of this card.  I was blurfling and came across this incredible blog.  Bev's work is awesome.  She uses alot of the European stamps, and so many gorgeous embellishments.  I loved her cards so much that I decided to use one of her layouts.  You can see her work here.

I embossing the image on white c/s, the coloured in with Copic Markers.  The little tag is done with a cuttlebug die, and stamped with a sentiment from Hero Arts.  All papers used are from the Basic Grey Sultry pad.  Flowers are from Prima.  These are all available at Beth's store.  Lastly I used some pearls from Kaisercraft to even things out a bit.  The Prima flowers that look black in the photo are actually dark brown, but I couldn't get a great picture.

I never usually use this many flowers or embellishments on a card, BUT, I just love the look when I see others doing it.  I think I will be doing this more often! lol  Thank you Bev for the inspiration!

:)