Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A Beautiful Christmas Concert

I was able to attend a Christmas concert last night here in Abbotsford.  I didn't know much about it beforehand, only that a local family was performing and that they had been around for several years.  What an absolute delight to listen to this extremely talented family - the Sweeney's.  



The concert was held at Bakerview Church which was ideal as the accoustics were wonderful.  There was a love-offering which the family donated to charity.  But the concert itself - well lets just say that they could have held their own on any stage, I'm sure.  You can find out more about the Sweeney Family on their blog, and in fact, I believe you might find an audio clip on a past post there too.  

Thank you, Sweeney family, for blessing my ears and warming my heart this season. 

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

A Splendid Day in White Rock BC

Take this busy holiday month with all the hustle and bustle and add in the gazillion little things which come along atop of the already hectic happy chaos... but I was blessed to be able to insert one beautiful day in the midst.  I am so grateful I took my camera along and captured some moments in White Rock B.C.  which I can share with you here.   


copyright Barbara Derksen 2014

Can you figure out how this place got it's name?  (sorry for the crooked horizon) 

copyright Barbara Derksen 2014
copyright Barbara Derksen 2014

copyright Barbara Derksen 2014
Cool Poinsettia head people in a restaurant. 

copyright Barbara Derksen 2014
Oh MY!  I thought I'd post this photo last just to torture.  If you run off in search of food this would be silly to put first.  

I do have more photos but am saving them for another time.  It was truly a blissful relaxing respite.  

Thanks for stopping in - hope whoever you are, wherever you are you'll take a rest time too! 



Saturday, November 22, 2014

Less is More 199 and a little “Catch-up”

I’m happy to have a few hours to craft, and love having an opportunity to plunge into a challenge.  Judy and I teamed up  to try our hand at the theme from Less is More #199 - “Jingle All The Way!”  Here’s what I came up with:

less is more 199  
Supplies: Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug Anna Griffin, Stamp – Studio G

I wanted to make this sparkly bell – I traced it using my Silhouette software from a free coloring file on the internet and I used some double sided carpet tape to adhere a vinyl cut of the bell to, then glittered it all up and then trimmed. It worked. My husband says it looks like a face of sorts.  Hmmm, he could be right on that, what do you think?  I added the bow at the end – he says if I move that up its probably better, may have to try this.  - So, I have but won’t take another pic and of course he’s right. 

*****

I've just come home from a super fun two days visit with my girl! 

me and dot

Melanie and I had an action packed couple of days together, shopping for our matching flashy leggings, hanging out, eating too much and all the delicious sort of wrong food groups, watching movies, coloring my hair and taking my A-DOR-ABLE G’dawg (thats grand-dog) out to the doggy park where she could run around like a little rabbit (she seriously does run like a bunny!)

gdawg

I love my GDawg so much – I spoiled the dickens out of her so much she now wants to be played with ALL DAY LONG!  Muahhahaha! Well, I mean it seems nobody’s producing any actual human grandkids for me so… I get G’Maw rights!

oink

Another fun thing we did is take some warm bedding items and lil gifts to Faith who owns this pot-bellied pig.   It appears that Faith has a right menagerie of critters she’s rescued and collected and a big heart for them too.  How hear- warming to be able to help. 

I can’t believe how much we fit into just a few days, it was truly a special time!

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

CAS on Sunday - Ribbons or Twine

I tucked another card under my belt this week!  I created a card for Clean and Simple on Sunday - the theme - Ribbon and/or Twine and I’m pleased with how this turned out.

CAS-on-Sunday-Ribbons-Barb-Derksen

My card is in a bit of shadow - else you’d see how brilliantly these butterflies light up. 

Supplies:

Embossing folder by Elizabeth, Stamp by Studio G, Butterflies were altered from a cut from the silhouette store. 

♥♥♥

I enjoyed a looong walk yesterday - about 7 miles I do believe, in the crisp fall air.  I walked to the community center here in Osoyoos and observed Remembrance at the service there. 

 Rememberence-Day-2014

It was a packed house, it was a special time.  Let us never forget.

Sunday, November 09, 2014

Sketch Saturday #335 Challenge Card

So fun to find a few moments in the weekend to create a card.  One more day and I’ll have a full week of cards made and posted.  Feels great. 

I decided to go with the Sketch Saturday #335 Challenge Card with Simon Says Stamp this round. 

Here’s how I interpreted this sketch into my card:

Sketchy-Saturday-335---Barb-Derksen

Supplies: Paper Pad “Chalkboard” by We R Memory Keepers, Stamp by My Favorite Things

I used a lot of layering to build this card up, finishing it up with the large black bow.  Its nice to find a card that suits a large bow.  I did originally have the bow off to the right hand side, but it simply didn’t work there.  I believe I did reflect the essence of this sketch challenge though. 

Life is a series of surprises

and would not be worth taking or keeping

if it were not so.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

We may make our plans, but God has the last word.

Proverbs 16:1

 

Saturday, November 08, 2014

Creative Knockouts Card 62 - Buttons

Its another BEAUTIFUL day here in the Sunny Okanagan!  I enjoyed a drive with my sweet husband yesterday and it was altogether as nice, and I did take my camera but time slipped away.  I will for sure try to capture the scenery today as I go about my chores. 

And Glory Be - another card hot off the press.  This time I am joining in the Creative Knockouts # 62 Challenge and its all about “buttons”  Here is my take on this challenge:

CK 62 Barb Derksen

Supplies: Embossing folder - Darice, Stamp - Inkadinkadoo, Diamond Glaze, stickpin, crochet thread, dp paper scraps.

Method: I embossed the cover, cut circles aprox the size of some buttons out of white cardstock and paper scraps.  I stamped the sentiment circle onto lightly patterned designer paper, cut a slightly larger scallop, glued these together.  I ran all the smaller circles through the embossing folder to match where they were to be placed, glued them down.  I tied a bow around a stick pin, added foam tape to sentiment and stuck it to the cover.  I inserted the pin behind, into the foam.  The final touch was to add diamond glaze to the sentiment and let it dry. 

Thanks for stopping in today.  I hope you’re having a lovely weekend too.  I’d love to see a picture of YOUR November weekend - leave me a link in my comments and I promise to come visit and see! 

Friday, November 07, 2014

Fusion Challenge Card - Embossed Ombre

Who knows, I may even make it an entire week creating and posting!  I have a thank you card owed out so chose to marry making one with a challenge and this weeks Fusion Challenge Card - Embossed Ombre caught my interest.  Here is the inspiration:

I decided to go with the sketch:

Fusion-Embossed-Ombre

Supplies: Embossing folder - Cuttlebug, Stamp - My Favorite Things, Paper Pad - Vintage Finds by Teresa Collins

Here’s a little Autumn Poem to enjoy:

Sweet little bird in russet coat

The livery of the closing year

I love thy lonely plaintive note

And tiny whispering song to hear.

While on the style or garden seat

I sit to watch the falling leaves

The songs thy little joys repeat

My loneliness relieves.

~ John Clare

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Simon Says - Thinking of You Card Challenge

I’m on a roll!  Looks like my “card making reward system” is working (I reward myself with making a card between mundane household chores)  I am also working my way slooooowly through my email and visiting blogs etc.  If I haven’t said hello yet - be patient!  I hope to be completely caught up by next week.

I’m taking the Simon Says “Thinking of You” challenge today.  It seems the basic rule is to create a card that lets someone know you care about them.  Here’s my take on this theme:

Simon-Says---Thinking-of-You---Barb-Derksen

Supplies: Embossing folder by Darice, Paper - Kraft-Core Shattered by Tim Holz, Stamp - My Favorite Things

I’ll leave you with a sweet poem about true friendship as well for it reminds me of the sentiment I once heard which states “A friend steps in when the world steps out”

YOUR TEARS

I dare not ask your very all:

I only ask a part.

Bring me - when dancers leave the hall -

Your aching heart.

Give other friends your lighted face,

The laughter of the years:

I come to crave a greater grace -

Bring me your tears!

by Edwin Markham

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Retro Sketches # 139 Challenge Card

Can’t express how happy it makes me to be creating cards again.  I DO take supplies  with me when I go away, but its not the same. 

I decided to take up the Retro Sketches 139 Challenge:

And I created the following card:

Retro-Sketches-139_Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

MME Jubilee paper - won this in a gift basket at Crafty Capers in Nanaimo when Nina and I visited and entered a draw on World Card Making Day.  I scored the accessories which go with the papers as well.  I just couldn’t make them work for this card, though I tried. 

Stamp - My Favorite Things

I think I may get the opportunity to make another card or two today - I’ve finally caught up the housework to a degree.  I do a chore, make a card and repeat.  Card making is my reward system.  Do YOU have a reward treat for yourself for doing the other mundane things in life?

I’ve been enjoying long walks each day so that I don’t fall into a habit of being indoors too much.  Other than it’s been kind of grey there is always something beautiful to see outdoors and be thankful for.  The last of the Pink Lady Apples are coming off of orchards in the area and the orchards have a deep fragrance like a sweet balsamic vinegar.  Mushrooms abound.  I visited the BC Tree Fruits packing house yesterday and tried a Salish apple - a first for me.  It is tasty.  Crisp, sweet and very juicy!  Wish I could give you a bite here on my blog.

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Always Playing with Paper #18 Card

SO happy to be home sweet home after a month of gallivanting.  There’s nothing like time away to make your fonder of the place you’re planted, if you’re lucky enough to have a spot to always come back to and nest.  Had lovely sister time and visits with relatives and besides the refreshment of new scenery it always enriches and inspires me to travel. 

But now, my season is once again here at home.  And I’m delighted to jump back into my craft room, my happy little place!  I took up my first challenge with this:

Always Playing with Paper # 18

I chose to go with the sketch rather than the colors, and I took the liberty to turn it on it’s side:

APWP-18---Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

MME “In Bloom” Paper Pad, Elizabeth Craft designs embossing folder, My Favorite Things sentiment stamp.

Thanks for stopping by!  I look forward to catching up on all my blog hopping and commenting.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Fab Friday 51 Challenge Card

Found me and my sister Nina online at the same moment and feeling creative all at the same time so just went with it and we took this challenge:

Fab Friday 51

I admit I’d started this card for another project I had in mind, but the more I looked at it the more I realized this challenge was the perfect way to carry it off!

Fab-Friday-51

Supplies: Teresta Collings Paper Pad “Vintage Finds”. Stamp by Katie Hall, Flocked Vinyl from Silhouette

I find myself using this stamp over and over, I was given one which has a friends quote as well. I must say this card almost assembled itself. 

Its a beautiful day so I’m not going to linger here long. Thanks for visiting!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Paper Smooches Sep 21-27 Challenge Card

I love it when the theme is…

ANYTHING GOES!

And plus this fact with some lovely sentiments Paper Smooches stamps I got for my birthday, welllllll… I decided to go for it with this simple card:

Paper-Smooches-Sep-21-27_Barb-Derksen

This photo, taken in the depths of my craft area, lacks the lighting to show of the true beauty of this card.  I adjusted a pretty floral border SVG by KLDesign so that the flowers could “lift” and bumped them up with bits of foam tape.  I painted them with Wink of Stella.  I used the Paper Smooches sentiment and added gems.  I used an embossing folder to add texture. 

Thanks for stopping in today!

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Retro Sketches 133 Challenge

Retro Sketches #133

My Sistert in Law Judy visited this weekend, and after a lot of running about we settled down to take at least one challenge.  After rejecting several that just did not appeal we thought this sketch was pretty cool.

Retro-Sketches-1-133_Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

Cuttlebug folder, Paper Smooches stamp, “Collectable Remarkable” My Mind’s Eye Paper Pad.

Retro-Sketches-2-133_Barb-Derksen

Butterflies - paint chips, gems “Recollections” from Michaels.

I hope you’ll stop in and see Judy’s lovely card too!

Monday, September 08, 2014

Freshly Made Sketches #152 Challenge Card

FMS 152:

And here’s my take on this sketch:

FMS-152_Barb-Derksen

Designer Paper - “BOWTIES” by Basic Grey

Stamp - by Paper Smooches

Beetle Shape - Flaticon free shape (credit and attribution http://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/beetle-shape_47159)

Beetle Wings - Barb Derksen

I have been dying to use paper from this 6 x 6 DP pack from Basic Grey so when I decided to jump into this challenge it was not a question in my mind I would choose a paper from this fun pack.

I kind of switched the layout of the sketch so my “shape” appears on the left side rather than the right.  Such a rebel.

I hunted down the beetle shape and cut it with my Cameo and then fashioned a design for some wings.  I used vinyl for both the beetle body and the wings.  Often when I do a solid shaped item like this which requires some sturdiness, I actually fix the vinyl to cardstock before cutting and then cut using the cardstock setting. 

I stamped the sentiment onto roughly torn watercolor paper (stamps are SO much crisper for the good quality paper, worth every penny!)  I added a black ribbon and voila. 

Ok, not quite voila after taking this picture because my Mr. and I decided this beetle looks even more cool with some plastic “googly eyes” - but time is of the essence so I did not have time to process a new pic.

Thanks for visiting!

Thursday, September 04, 2014

Cas-ology Challenge Week 111 - under

Cas-ology Challenge Week 111:

I thought and thought and THOUGHT about this “under” theme and finally came up with this card:

Cas-ology-111---under_Barb-Derksen

The “under” being the owl under the pretty sparkly stars. 

The owl is a Forever in Time sticker - could not resist, so fun and bright.  The Birthday stamp a partial sentiment from a Studio G stamp, the “who’s” a custom cut on my Silhouette Cameo and the stars are also cut from vinyl - a few with an offset to add interest.  I had fun with this card.

1-small-thing

Today’s one small thing is my observation of the days.

Apples are being picked.  The air is scented with a heady mixture of apple pulp and mulch as wind-falls are consumed back into the fertile soil and grassThere is a definite edge to the nights which becomes a chill by morning.  Soon this chill which condenses dew on every blade of grass shall become lacy frost.  The sky is an impossible turquoise and the clouds generally wispy as a horse’s tail in the wind.  There is a beautiful brightness to the very atmosphere and each day’s “golden hour” the more golden, almost begging us to take advantage of this unique time to capture photosIt is hope of a good harvest.  But a harvest either paltry or abundant we are thankful for.  We put away summer, clothes in drawers, gardens sorted - plants uprooted or protected.  I want to ride my bike.

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Family Challenge Card #13 - Paint Chip!

Sigh sigh sigh, I blogged only once in August, how very sad Sad smile  - lets hope September is better.

So I’m kicking this month off with a Family Challenge.  Seeing how I keep picking up paint chips here and there on my travels (mainly because I find they somehow magically have “that shade” I need on some projects) - I figured to intentionally challenge myself and family members Nina and Judy to come up with something nifty too.  The only perimeter I set is we incorporate a paint chip into the mix.

 

Family-Challenge-13_Barb-Derksen

I chose this feather cut (from the Silhouette Store’s “feathers” set) and a paint chip from Behr - 420F- 4 (Sagey) is the top colour and it has three other shades below.  Next I trimmed my paint chip into it’s coloured sections because originally there  was white space in between each hue.  I used some scotch tape to hold the pieces together.  I created an offset in my Silhouette software and then plunked the feather atop. 

I wanted my card to reflect the entire spectrum of my chosen paint chip so I kept my background cardstock very simple.   I used the same cardstock and embossed it to add interest to the front, and left a strip open on the card face so I could stamp a sentiment.  I embossed the sentiment to include some texture into this area of my card. I used some foam tape to bump out the feather as the feature of my creation.

I thought I was done.  Something missing.

Ahhhh - used a small strip leftover from my feather cut, reversed the color sequence and tacked it to the bottom panel, this seemed to have grounded it. 

Be sure to check out Nina and Judy’s cards as well!

Saturday, August 09, 2014

Sweet Summer Evening



Summer's eve
A pleasant hike
Upon a path
For foot or bike
We tread upon wood
Clip clopping shoes
And hush-hush Mingus paw
Sky washed blue
Crows a'caw
Bite of marsh
Heady scent
Time with friend...
Heaven sent


Thursday, July 24, 2014

TMS 259 Card & FREE chevron .studio file

While I’m feeling creative,

While the iron is hot, so to speak - I’ll strike,

I’ll make and blog and then later on will be a little folding of the hands and such. 

So, I attempted this card

Tuesday Morning Sketches 259

And I managed to make this:

TMS-259-1-_Barb-Derksen

TMS-259-2-_Barb-Derksen

Supplies: DP “Brioche” by Memory Box, golden Gem by Art Minds, Stamps - sun by Studio G and sentiment by My Favorite Things, Accents - gelly roller pen and watercolor.

Chevron cutting file… ME! (I cut my chevrons out of vinyl - goes QUICK and easy!)  In fact, I’m giving away both the square chevron pattern and another pattern - like this:

chevron

DOWNLOAD

DOWNLOAD SQUARE CHEVRON

1-small-thing

Today’s 1 small THING is a picture I painted of myself using ArtRage on my iPad (one must be able to make fun of oneself, no?

pucker

Thanks for visiting today!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Summer Adventures and Addicted to CAS #43

How has YOUR summer been so far? 

Mine has been an adventure for sure.  I enjoyed almost a month away at the coast spending time with family.  The coast is so different from Osoyoos - I revel in what each of our location offers.  I also enjoy being with my kin, you know? 

michelle and me

The first bit of family I was blessed to share three whole entire days with was my sister in law Michelle. She and I and my beautiful nieces spent our time poking around thrift stores, cooking, hanging out and even doing crafts.  I got to see what life is like in Surrey.  I was certainly pampered!

I don’t have photos, however my Mr and I attended the 1st birthday of our handsome little nephew who turned 1 - and got to see more and more family!

Maggie and Me

Then I had a nice time with my sister in law Maggie.  She took me out for  a day out in Mission, lunching at the Blackberry Kitchen (Num!)  and then we caught explored the local thrift stores hitting many sales.  I found some pretty things (clothing items) for next to nothing (which is good as my hero husband is on strike in his school district) 

Me Mel and Nina

And then my one and only sister Nina scooped me from the coast, brought me home and we drove up and spent an overnight with my daughter Melanie and met Fancy, the closest thing to a grandchild as I’m likely to get anytime soon.  At least this little puppy is cute as a button - smart and playful.  So much fun I would have liked to sneak her home in my purse.  She’s that small! 

So, I feel all filled up in my heart for now.  A person should have a good dose of summer family connects to make it memorable.  Thank you to each of you who made my time very special.

And now that I’m home and settled in again…

I decided to attempt a challenge card for fear I would not remember how Winking smile 

Addicted to CAS #43 - code word CELEBRATE!

I tried to keep it simple -

Addicted-to-CAS-43---1

Addicted-to-CAS-43---2

SUPPLIES

“Light Bright” designer paper by Colorbok, stamp - Basic Grey 

The stamp was actually a little boy figure, but I turned it into a girl because this card is going to a girl.  I created the “CELEBRATE” using layers of vinyl and cardstock cut on my Silhouette Cameo.

1-small-thing

My today’s 1 small THING is this inspiring bit written oh so long ago by Robert Louis Stevenson (though entirely relevant today)

My Task

To be honest, to be kind;

To earn a little and to spend less;

To make upon the whole a family happier for his presence;

To renounce when that shall be necessary and not to be embittered;

To keep a few friends, but those without capitulation -

Above all, on the same grim conditions, to keep friends with himself -

Here is a task for all that a man has of fortitude and delicacy.

Thanks for Visiting!

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