Brilliant Birthday Card

I’m still playing around with a set of Recollection Halloween stamps I picked up, some of the images, though intended to be creepy or scary actually inspire me for other cards so I may work my way through a few more before I retire them to focus on some festive ones (coz really, I’ve not even begun to think Christmas yet)  I had stamped this sentiment when I was visiting my sister Nina and I just knew it would be a hit for this Freshly Made Sketches #361 challenge.  I wanted to make it simple so I chose a basic palette.  Silver sparkle, black and yellow against white.  I stamped the lightbulb with black versafine then colored using both a Tim Holtz distress ink in Mustard and then a bit of Tombow marker to match the color true to the bright yellow cardstock strip.  I then fussycut the lightbulb and embossed it with clear.  After layering a bit, bumping the sentiment out with foam, I was happy this card came together so easily. 

Even though it rained today and everything was misty moisty outdoors I chose to go for a super speed walk in the orchard today.  I have to fling myself out the door mid afternoon or else I begin to flag and thats not a good thing.  Its ok if I can actually nap, but that does not always happen and then I’m just messed up for the rest of the day.  I love walking the long rows of the orchard, the leaves confettied in the grass and with mushrooms popping up here and there making little cups for birds to come drink out of.  I thought this little crab apple looked like the cherry on top! 

Besides this, I played with my brand new instant pot – I treated myself.  I admit I was intimidated to begin but after making my first ever beef stew, from scratch, from a frozen roast no less, in 90 minutes – I’m already imagining my next big batch of cooking!  I am truly impressed.   Do YOU have one?  What is your favorite recipe?  Any pointers for me? 

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So Worth Celebrating card

Wow, this card turned out to be quite a bit more of a bite than I thought it would be – sometimes thats the way it goes, right?  The Freshly Made Sketches #360 It was worth the effort, I believe.  My first choices were the this sentiment (can’t find credit for in my phone notes, darn it) and this pretty floral Photoplay.  I backed it with a neutral for the oval, then created my own scallop behind on white cardstock using simple scallop scissors.  I adhered this on top of this woodgrain DP by Bo Bunny Back to Basics.  I added another backdrop of black cardstock.  In the end I also hand cut many leaves from scraps of DP and grey cardstock and layered them every which way, bumping some up with foam tape. 

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WHALE Hello There…

TaDA!  Another card pulled out of my creative hat.  I was soooooo tired when I saw this Freshly Made Sketches challenge #352 but I made myself prop the peepers open to take this one on.  Yup, it was do or die and so I quickly picked out this designer paper from DCWV 12 x 12 “Coastal” pad.  I laid my hands on this Cheeky Modern Pop Stamp and Die Kit I’d bought from Michaels  because seriously, I’d bought it a while back and had not even had a chance to crack the package and I said to myself “THIS is the day”.  I Heat embossed Mr Whale.  I added a black sequin for the eye.  I used some wide silvery ribbon underneath some clear hard plastic I ran through a WeR Memory Keepers embossing folder.  I stamped the sentiment on and trimmed the sentiment into a notched banner.  The final touch was to add the “spout” of water from his nose hole. 

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Lush Floral Diecut Card

I’m coming in toward the deadline for this Freshly Made Sketches 337 challenge – I have had little time to create this week so the simplicity of this sketch shouted at me!  Lots of leeway to interpret!  I used a slice of gorgeous designer paper from Recollection for the larger portion.  The transparency is a snippet of BoBunny vellum.  The die cuts are ones I just recieved from Peachy Cheap and have been dying to try.  The sentiment is a washi sticker from Pink Fresh (Felicity) – a giftie from my Sistie!  I think I could love washi stickers, they make life easy. 

Thanks for stopping in today

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Wood Themed Birthday Card

I’m going to JUST SQUEAK under the wire with posting this one, a super busy week kept me from getting my card up till now.  All good stuff to distract and delay me, mind you.  I was tickled to marry this Freshly Made Sketches #334 challenge with some paper I had given to me.   We have a relative who works in the wood and lumber industry and this designer paper by Stampin’ Up was just the ticket.  I used the good old layering it up technique, keeping it simple to let the wood shine through.  I die cut the sentiment with a Peachy Cheap die cut.  All I had to do to embellish was glue a few woodgrain sequins on, adding a few clear shimmery ones from Pretty Pink Posh.  And there you have it! 

I have had a beautiful weekend and I’d like to just share a little review of it.  I have a dear friend who blessed me with a weekend away – a women’s bible retreat at Rockridge Canyon – a breathtaking setting!

Just a short drive from Princeton BC in the lovely Similkameen Valley – with snow still atop the mountains but with the warm sun shining down on us the first day.  There were light rains on the next two days but it did not stop us from enjoying a zip-line adventure.  I enjoyed an early morning walk alongside the lake with a new friend, in the stillness it was a special time. 

I would have loved a hike to the peak of this little mountain but this will be for another time.  This is the view from the patio at our accomodations. 

The staff, the food were all top-notch, in fact it was a lavish banquet three times a day. 

In the company of some 50 or more Christian Women, it was a weekend of encouragement, bonding, teaching.  So many women gave of their talents and gifts to make this a beautiful, safe place for each of us to be fulfilled in our spirits.  I could not begin to list how each person made this a special time I’ll always treasure. 

Heidi McLaughlin from Heart Connections

A true highlight of this entire weekend retreat was the ministry and mentorship of Heidi McLaughlin from Heart Connections.   Heidi is such a warm, loving, encouraging and engaging speaker who has a true gift for reaching her audience on a very personal level.  A published author of several motivational books, she gracefully engages each person in such a positive and personal way.  I love how she pulls  on her own experiences of her life and Faith Journey.  I am confident she and her workshop had a spirit moving impact on each and every one of us. 

Thank you, Heidi, for drawing each of us out, to minister to our deepest heart-hurts and joys.  Thank you for your clear and relevant bible teachings.  Personally, for me, as I have been between Church family at this time, your gentle soul-nudge (and the blessing of my friend Terri to bring me to this event and share it with me as a friend) is causing me to desire to reconnect with a church. Now I’m home again I’m reading Heidi’s “Restless for More” – already uplifting and strengthening me.

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Layered Pink & Brown Birthday

My photo is a little darker than usual because I couldn’t get the proper lighting I was hoping for.  I am making this for Freshly Made Sketches #325

I took liberties with how I interpreted by making my sentiment and shape as one, but adding some small floral diecuts as a small complimentary shape.  I married K & C Company DP with basic brown cardstock, cutting opposites using some die cuts and just cutting other layers on the slicer.  I kept rotating bits all the way.  I used a birthday sentiment from Your Next Stamp  with versamark and finished off with a strip of florals diecut from Sizzix.  The final touch were three tiny gems.

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Stuck on the Butterfly!

Enjoyed some sweet, rare summer crafting time with my sister Nina last night, on the spur of the moment, she was taking the Freshly Made Sketches #300 card challenge so I hopped on board.

How exciting to celebrate the 300th FMS Challenges – that’s a heck of a lot of dedication on the DT to make it to this goal and so its especially fun to take this challenge to show support for these generous creatives.  My heartfelt thanks for your inspiration which has provided me with loads of crafting adventures over the years.

I used two designer papers for my card – tail ends of cut down 12 x 12’s.  One is Kaisercraft and the other Webster’s Pages “Tea Time”.  I used ArtC die cut for the sentiment and stamp.  I used a Memory box butterfly for the finishing touch, adding a gem to its tummy.  (if butterflies actually do have a tummy)  I relied on many layers to create a sense of depth and itnerest. 

♥♥♥ So Thankful ♥♥♥

I have been blessed this week by a friend who I work with.  She took the time to let me know that I’m appreciated – that my work (cleaning) is not only appreciated but went on to say “U always go over and above for us.  We appreciate it a lot!!! Thank you.” What do I say to this?  I’m speechless, really.  Its almost hard to take, humbles me completely. Wipes out every “crap” day when it seems every negative person in the world makes me aware of my shortcomings, which I’m very aware of anyhow.  It elevates everything and makes me float around on a cloud of joy.  Seriously.  Do YOU have a happy moment you’d care to share with me so we can keep this warm and fuzzy going for a bit?  And further, why not take a moment to let someone (and not falsley or forced) know how you appreciate them for just who they are?  That goodness is built right into their fabric and that its recognised and so you can be the helium in their balloon today?

I’ll leave you with a quote to keep in mind and meditate on:

Wake at dawn with a winged heart

and

Give thanks for another day of loving.

- Kahul Gibran

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My

Always Happy Card

Really inspired by this week’s Freshly Made Sketches #293 challenge:

This pretty Designer Paper by Webster’s Pages – Your Life. Beautiful with it’s sweet country rubber boot and florals has looked at me every day from my stack and today I knew it is a perfect fit for this challenge.  I simply used a circle cut and layered it up with a ‘happy’ stamped sentiment by Forever in Time in both versamark fine in brown and black.  A simple staple or two and a heart punched out of coordinating DP scrap and there you have it. 

Whoooo-eee – tis HOT here all of a sudden and today I took full advantage to take a “time out” in the beautiful sunshine down at the lake.  I can’t believe the difference in the water between this month and last, when all the runoff from the snowmelt was happening and the water was SO brown and yucky.

Now its so blue and clear – I wonder if it will be a refreshing for the lake itself! 

Hope you find a special place to relax this week. 

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An all Purpley and Butterfly card

This is my take on this week’s Freshly Made Sketches #255

I made this card with a special someone in mind.  I was mailing off several letters on Monday and I began a lovely conversation with the Post Lady.  She and I talked about how much a real written by hand, paper letter means these days and how in particular some of the seniors in our lives, well, its their Love Language – hey?  The Post Lady said she writes to her 92 year old Mother back east regularly.  So, I asked her what color and theme her Mother might like and she said Purple and Buttterfly, so here you have it! I find it most stimulating and exciting to work with a theme. 

I used a Basic Grey paper for my backdrop and then layered a swatch of gingham satin (swatch sample from a fabric sampler book) then next a floral paper I bought at a dollar store (so fun and pretty and bright)  I die cut a white butterfly using a Memory Box die set. This sentiment is not the one that I used for the Post Lady’s card, but from the same set as I made a multiple of four cards and forgot to take a photo before I gave it away…sheesh!  The stamps are from “Your Next Stamp”

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My card for Freshly Made 245

On the last day of my sister’s visit we whipped up a froth of cards – they just kept coming on.  This was my second take on Freshly Made Sketches 245 challenge (the first I just was not happy with).  Based on this sketch:

B

I didn’t use much in the way of stamping for this card other than the sentiment from Your Next Stamp.  The paper is K & Company while the chipboard is Bo Bunny.  All I really had to add was a twist of twine and highlights with Wink of Stella.

Sometimes simple is best!

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My take on FMS 231 Challenge

I was a little confused when I saw the header “There’s still time to play with FMS 237” because now that I was looking at it, its FMS 231!  But I think I came up with a simple card.

Here’s the sketch for Freshly Made Sketches 231:

I needed something masculine and I think my card hit the ticket!  I wanted to give it a little “oomph” so I layed up in the designer paper taking the cue from the square patterns – just bumping them up slightly with foam tape. 

From the front you’d hardly know. 

I used a Crate Paper and the stamped sentiment is from Paper Smooches.

Thanks for wandering in here!

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A card for FMS 230

I enjoyed whipping up a card  this week’s Freshly Made Sketches 230 challenge – because it was so dead simple!

I decided to go with a paper that I keep coming across in my stash – it’s sectioned off into one of my bins with the label of “Specialty” because of its very embossed feel – very 3D – a “touchy feely” card.

I could not get the color quite right through my photographs, its far more the the red than pink, good thing as its intended to be a masculine birthday card. 

This designer paper is Lost and Found 3 by My Mind’s Eye.  The stamp is from Hero Arts.

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Freshly Made Sketches 223 Card

The second week of February and its a good thing its sunny in my heart because the days here seem to remain kind of overcast.

I’ll be scarce these couple of weeks as I’m having a luvly visit with my Mother in Law.  But I’ll keep my hand in making cards as birthdays and occaisions don’t take holidays.  I decided to whip together a challenge card.  I chose

Freshly Made Sketches 223

After much monkeying around I came up with this creation:

I USED:

Designer Paper – Shimelle (American Crafts)

Stamp – Bo Bunny (sentiment)

Stamp – Stampin Up (background on circle)

Glitter Washi Tape

Crochet Cotton

Embossing Powder – clear

Versamark Ink – Black

And I leave you with this sentiment!  I hope youre day is peaceful and beautiful, sweet and calm. 

Psalm 131:2

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a child quieted at its mother’s breast;

like a child that is quieted is my soul.

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Card for Freshly Made Sketches #220

Working another card (or two) in between the hum-drumness of my day!  Again, the reward system.  Was grrrr at myself for kicking myself out the door first thing (BEFORE) crafting, for a brisk 30 minute walk only to discover half way I forgot to strap my FitBit on my wrist.  Somehow I feel like I got ripped off haha!  At any rate, I drowned my sorrows into

Freshly Made Sketches #220

Thought I'd be brave and work it all up right from the card base.  

Recipe: 

Floral Stamp by Forever in Time, "Get Well Soon" stamp by Hero Arts, Distress Inks by Tim Holtz, Versamark ink, Diamond Accents.  

That little butterfly, you ask?  It is a three layered contraption I cooked up one day experimenting with used dryer sheets.  I ironed one flat, cut three butterflies, painted diamond accents on each b'fly and then sprinkled it with glitter.  I used some wire for the body and antennae and stuck it all together with glue dots. 

I think I will still add a pale pink or white ribbon onto the folded side of this card.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Freshly Made Sketches #219 Card Challenge

This week's

Freshly Made Sketches #219 Card Challenge caught my eye and so I gifted myself some creative time to put together today's card.

Having my last project be an "Ombre" theme, I wanted to try it for today's card too. 

I kept the design as simple as the sketch but used lots of layering.  Background layer are design papers by My Mind's Eye "Collectable"   I layered on some Tim Holtz distress inks to make the ombre base and then I used this ticket stamp (which had never been opened and was collecting dust) from Forever in Time, stamping it with Versamark and embossing it too.  I trimmed the cardstock, layered it on top of white.  Always nice to have a little border.  

Employed my trusty sewing machine to put some texture to my card and sentiment then glued it to the base.  The ticket layer, I punched in the corner and built the decorative brad using a My Mind's Eye "Collectable decorative brad - looping several bits of crochet cotton (truly its the BEST for projects, it behaves when you tie it etc)  The final touch, adding some sequins (for fun) and then using some foam tape to bump up the feature, the ticket! 

Freshly Made Sketches 202 card

Being its Labor Day weekend here in Canada I chose to “labor” over a card! 

Freshly Made Sketches #202

I was inspired to make this card:

Supplies included: “Hootenanny” Designer Paper by Colorbok, “Birthday Cheer” Stamp by Hot Off The Press and a random gem.  I colored in the “reasons” type using a Tombow Marker and added a bit of glimmer using Wink of Stella, clear.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Freshly Made Sketches #152 Challenge Card

FMS 152:

And here’s my take on this sketch:

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!

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Freshly Made Sketches No.122 Card Challenge

Managing to fit in a FM challenge today - it appealed to my ‘simple’ mood for the day and came together quickly.

Visit Freshly Made Sketches 122 - today’s sketch:

Here’s my take:

I used some scraps of paper and cardstock I’d had sitting around and fit this project.  The “just a note” stamp, not sure about

 

but the pretty floral (which is actually berries on top but I turned them into little sequin flowers) is from the Stampin’ Up “Oh, So Lovely” set.  I stamped it onto two layers and married them into this design.  I finished it all off with a bow of embroidery thread to ‘tie it all together’  (pun intended)  and a few gems in the centers of the flowers.

Thanks for stopping in!

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