Follow Your Heart Card

The moment I saw this Sketch #279 at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge I knew that I finally had a sketch which would inspire me to use some supplies up.  I picked up this Forever in Time  Designer Paper because it is ideal to go with the ART-C feather stamps and diecuts I’ve been aching to use but never seem confident enough to use.  I used a Simon Says diecut for the stitched rectangular background.  I also used two more smaller stitched diecuts to make a clear plastic window and the ochre frame.  I did not want to hide the background completely so I chose a bit of shimmering gold see-through ribbon and a narrow strip of teal.  I stamped and cut the diecut feathers from a watercoloured paper.

With school coming soon I’m sharing a couple of “school theme” pics from a recent visit to a cool little ghost town museum we visited:

This is me, sucking in my neck and frowning as if I were a mean old biddy teacher…

And I liked this sweet vintage lunch kit too –

I can just imagine some tow-headed boy or little girl with braids and ribbons clutching this.

Have a good holiday weekend if you’re hear in Canada and if you’re not, hope you have a super one too. 

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on the way to school.

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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Have Courage Card

I decided to stretch this pretty designer paper by Graphic 45 for this CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge #287.   You may have noticed I flipped the challenge sketch horizontally so that I would  not lose any of the pretty florals on the DP.  I layered this up with two tones of cardbase and backed it by black to coordinate the black cardstock base.  I used a bright white for the Cuttlebug  embossed background.  The sentiment is a new favorite from the Echo Park “Loving Expressions” set. 

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Elegant Hello Card

Finally back at the drawing board with a challenge card after a long hiatus in all things creative due to a lovely summer chock full end to end.  (even better I was able to join this challenge with my sister in law Judy) I chose this great little sketch from the Paper Players #407 because it is  so simple and versatile.  I liked it so much, indeed, that I created a batch of 4 out of this lovely designer paper by Graphic 45 called Joy Luck – Bird Song Collection.  I even have enough left over in scrap that I can make even more cards to eat it ALL up!  Have you ever challenged yourself to use a paper up in one fell swoop?   I cut the Hello from my Die-namics diecut, layering it up for strength, and I glued it onto the bottom panel of my card, which I had “bumped up” using a thick foam tape. 

Thanks for dropping by! 

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Sum Sum Summertime

Ah these crazy hazy summertime days. Happy crazy, good crazy peppered with visits and visiting. Crazy with a whole two weeks of precious moments with my grandbabies and family and even grand dawgs. Crazy with my 3 year old granddaughter giving me a peck on the cheek after not seeing her for oh so long and her meowing through our visit (she was a CAT and I enjoyed her feline take on the world through her eyes). I got to hold my brand new grandson for the first time ever. I got time with my daughers and daughter in law too, my heart is full. These sweet memories printing out in my mind as little insta-prints going into a jar where I can take them out one by one in the future and examine them. Lovely time with my Sister who loves me so fiercely and unconditionally that I feel her hug surrounding me always. Meeting new family I never knew existed before - how crazy is this? Its like being given a teeny bit of my family history back. So amazing.

The hazy - all the fires here in British Columbia. It seems not to matter what the weatherman calls the day to be, its all gray and ash. My prayers go out to the people on the frontline of the fires and those who are silently in the back volunteering.

I hope you are having a beautiful summer and I thank you for taking a few moments out to stop in and say hi!

Colorful Birthday Card

So my Sister Nina texts me this morning and asks if I’m into making a card and I say “Sure!” – she asks if I have a challenge in mind so I hunted and pecked and settled on Your Next Stamp Sketch Challenge #92 – and I discover that once again our sisterly brains are on the same creative wavelength because she had not only chosen this same challenge but had already chosen and assembled her bits in readiness.  This happens to us often.  Do you have this happen too?  This said, I think its so cool how we can take the same sketch and make completely different looking cards out of it. 

I used a slice of K&C Company designer paper for the backdrop and then layerd on stripes of color coordinated cardstock bits (nice way to use up scraps!  I stamped this sentiment from Your Next Stamp (love this set) and diecut this banner panel from glittery cardstock.  I thought I was done at this point.  Showed and Telled to Nina then took a pic in prep to post.  Wandered off and had lunch, all the while thinking it looked kind of naked up by the sentiment.  Came back and it hit me to add the small bits of blues and greens to “frame” in the words.  Voila! 

Do you ever wander off and come back with revelations of improvement or enhancement to your cards? 

Thanks for stopping by today!

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Thinking of You frame card

Feels like forever since I’ve created and posted all in one fell swoop.  Well, thats the way it has to be with me, isn’t it with such busy days.  I am happy with this oh so simple Just Add Ink  #414 challenge.  I pulled this one together quite effortlessly, keeping it straightforward before I could get carried away.  I was dying to use this panel from Kaiser Craft Hanami Garden Collection, and because I wanted to “Just Add” some Ink I used a tombow clear ink marker and embossed this sentiment.  I diecut the frame using stitched die from Simon Says Stamp  with DP by CraftSmith “Natural Luxury” (a 12 x 12 pad I go back to time after time and wish I’d bought two, no three, NO, the craft hoarder in me yells 12 haha!) 

For a final touch of elegance I added some Twinkle Dust glitter to the blooms.  And there you have it.  Hope you’re enjoying a beautiful and creative day. 

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Sweet Birthday Card

Really loved this fast and simple Your Next Stamp Sketch Challenge #90, chose this over the colors as I sometimes have a difficult time bringing colors together – I get hung up on the colors and lose direction.  I went with allowing the designer paper to do most of the heavy work.  Loved this panel from A.W. Cute of a vintage jam label.  I paired it with my “go to” (so many many times) stamp from Your next stamp (birthday sentiment) and added a “sweet” from Honey Bee Stamps  on white cardstock, backed with dark blue which I scalloped.  Lastly was the teensy tiny gem to dot the “i”.

Thanks for dropping in today. 

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Hello To You Card

Oh so quick post – believe it or not posting this Sunday Stamps #180 Challenge is my big fat reward for vacuuming the upstairs of my home.  I know I’m a weirdo but carding to me is like a milkbone to a dog.  1 load of laundry, 1 card.  Clean out the freezer, well heck, that deserves a two card session.  You get the picture… and if it happens to rain outside well thats an excuse too! 

I used some Boy Oh Boy designer paper by Carta Bella, layered it upa with a lovely sheer fat ribbon, notched.  Layered a rectangle and then scalloped another, added the Dienamics hello diecut and also the “to you” from a Honey Bee stamps set. I backed the dp with black cardstock and added the stitched black ribbon and layered everything up using foam tape in two different heights. 

Thanks for stopping in!  I’m off to suck up the basement before I post another card…

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Daisy Wreath Card

I managed to tuck in a short window of crafting on Monday and my card is the result.   I chose to do this Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #266 because I have a diecut I’ve  not had a chance to use yet and the floral wreath element of this sketch segues perfectly into it. 

The background designer paper is one my friend Terri gave me a bit ago, unfortunately no details on it.  I diecut it with enough room to allow the cardstoc to become a “frame” for it.  Next, I diecut the wreath:

Its a very interesting and intricate one and at first I was hesitant – just did not know how I would use it.  Then I realized one of my Simon Says stitched circle diecuts fits perfectly in the middle section.   I had this lovely sparkled up daisy sticker hanging around and thought the bright white of it and sparkles were a nice contrast to the green background.  I used a tombow marker to color most of it a deep green, leaving the two tiny blossoms white and adding some clear gems from Pretty Pink Posh.  I used a sharp needle to poke holes in the middle of the daisy for added texture.  Next I stamped the sentiment with a Your Next Stamp and fashioned it into the little flag to affix to my card and Voila! 

The flood waters are abating here in Osoyoos and our weather has cooled a bit as well. 

The cherries are coming on now, just the first few red ones which are hardly eating size yet, but still!  My mouth can already taste them. 

And on my way to pick up my handsome Mr from school (he’s an instructor) I came across this little lemonade stand.  What a sweet way to finish an afternoon.  I skreached on the brakes in my Frisky little Fiat and queued up for a glass of this fresh-squeezed treat. 

What’s special in your little corner of the world? 

PS – A VERY VERY Happy Birthday to my Sister in Law Judy 

PPS – if you are reading this Jocelan, I have NOT forgotten about you… LOL!  I will send you an email really soon

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