A Delightful Waste of Time

Festive Friday - Merry & Bright...

2013-05-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday my friends! This week has flown by, as we're getting right in to the details of moving. I've started the very beginning stages of packing up - the pictures are off of most of the walls, cupboards are starting to be emptied... I won't lie, I am not looking forward to this process, even a little bit. But, it has to be done in order to move onto the next stage, right?

Well, we're halfway through our current challenge over on the Festive Friday blog, so I am here today to share another card with you, based on this week's graphic:

Right away, I wanted to use the peppermint candy image or the candy canes that are included in this stamp set, but I quickly changed my mind. And I am so glad I did, because how fun are these cookies?

Alright, so I have to tell you... I sat down to make this card, and in the back of my head, kept thinking of the little details that my friend Melissa would add, simply because I love her style so much. Well, you really need to go to the blog and see Melissa's card for this week! *wink*

Alright, that's all from me today, but make sure you head over to the challenge blog and see what the other ladies have created for this week - you won't be disappointed!

10 Minute Craft Dash - Warm Wishes...

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there friends! Things relating to our move are getting busier and busier as the days pass, so while I will always keep up with my design team assignments, it might slow down a little bit here for awhile! It's all temporary of course.

With that said, it's time for a new 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge! I wanted to really push myself this week, and see just how much I could get done in 10 minutes.

This week, we're working with some really beautiful, soft colours. Take a look:

I saw these as a moss green, buttery yellow, and lilac - though the purple I chose is a bit more blue, as it's what I had in my stash.

I've said it before, and I'll preach it again... the key to getting lots done in 10 minutes is preparation! I am trying my hardest to get a video together to show you my process when I create for this challenge - my camera has other ideas. But if I can do it, you'll see how I take only a couple of minutes to plan out my 10 minutes before I get started, and it pays off in spades!

This one took me 9 minutes and 30 seconds. I chose a detailed stamp and patterned papers to do most of the work for me, and a simple layout that went together quickly. And because my clock was on my side, I even 'extra' embellished my bow!

Hey, did you hear? Paulina will be holding a Design Team call soon, so make sure you keep an eye out for that... this is *such* a great team to be on - so why not try out?

Head on over to Pretty Pink Posh for more details on the current challenge, and to see what the rest of the team has come up with for you!

Scrapbook Sunday ~Featuring Evan Wilson Photography~ - LOVE...

2013-05-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to you all! I am scheduling this post, so at the moment, I am not entirely sure what I am in for... Emma is old enough to 'plan' things herself now, and her dad really likes to let her take the reigns, so we'll see. I am going to guess there are pancakes at the Golden Arches on the agenda, though... *wink*

Because it's Mother's Day, I am sharing a layout of both of my beautiful girls, celebrating the best job I've ever had.

If you've caught these posts the last couple of weeks, you'll remember that I've been sharing layouts I created using photographs taken by my super talented brother. You can check out more of his incredible work on his website, Evan Wilson Photography.

For this layout, I basically CASED a layout by Maggie Holmes, adding a few of my own twists here and there. You can find her layout in this post on the Crate Paper blog - just scroll down towards the bottom.

I loved that her layout really allowed for a lot of different patterns and elements to work together, so that's why I decided to stick to it so closely... what I've started doing is turning the pages I've pinnned into sketches for myself, so that I can refer to those instead of the original project while working. This way I don't outright copy anything!

I did really like Maggie's journalling, so I used the very same idea for my own:

And here are some of the photos from this particular shoot, taken by Evan:

Every time I write one of these posts, I am blown away by the difference a year makes. *Why* must they grow so fast?

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, friends!

Something Fun for Saturday...

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have a crafty post (because that's what I do here), but this one comes with a story. Because I am married to a cornball who thinks he is funny, and he thought he'd try to 'help' me with this one.

So, the story. Now, if you've followed my blog for awhile, you've probably heard some of my hubby's antics. He is cheesy, he is a joker, and above all, he's *cheeky*. (And his youngest daughter is his clone. Lucky me.)

We got the assignment for this card, and I was stumped. They were colours that were way out of my comfort zone, and ones I didn't even really have supplies for on hand. So one Saturday afternoon, we dropped the kids off with Grandma, and hubs came with me to the scrapbook store.

Rewind: remember how I've mentioned that my hubby pointed out that my cards tend to follow a bit of a formula?

We got to the store, and as I wandered a bit aimlessly, he was nearby, kind of browsing in the way only boys can; picking this and that up, turning it over, raising an eyebrow in confusion and putting it down again. Pointing out only the most tacky of items, of course.

So I kept saying that this one was really eluding me, and I didn't know what I wanted to do. Cue helpful hubby:

"Well, what if you got like, some purple patterned paper and put that on it. Then you could get some lace or something and then you could put a bow with some like... buttons or something. Then you could put a panel on the front there, and stamp that..."

He gets this twinkle in his eye when he's being an... well.. this is where you should know I say bad words.

And I definitely said a few bad words to him when he was making fun of the fact that he thinks all my cards look the same.

So you know I couldn't make this one look the same.

Take *that* cheeky husband.

You should probably know that I tend to say bad words pretty frequently. I mean, if we're going to be friends and all, it's only fair that you know that.

Oh, and also, I am terrified of frogs. Terrified.

Just thought you should know.

Festive Friday - Christmas Wishes...

2013-05-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Another week has gone by in the blink of an eye... does this happen to you? I feel like I was just sharing a card for Festive Friday, but here I am again!

And just so you know - I was creating today's card while the sun shone outside, the mercury is setting records for this time of year. No, I don't have an issue with the summer weather and winter stamps (I love Christmas way too much), but I am a sun-lover, so I totally sacrificed for my beloved readers!

Or not. I love inky sessions, no matter what.

This week, we've issued a trigger challenge. The idea being that we've provided a trigger word, and we want to see what it inspires you to create. No need to use the word itself, just create what the word means to you.

Here is our graphic for this week:

Sweet can mean many things relating to Christmas, but this week, all of our projects focused on food! *wink*

I actually had a lot of ideas for this one... it was just a matter of which one to use! Here's what I decided on...

I don't even like gingerbread, but it is pretty cute for the holidays... my oldest *loves* gingerbread men (although I don't think she cared for the cookie itself, either), so I know she'll love this card. I also went with bright, candy colours, and the fun font from this stamp set worked perfectly too.

Thanks for popping in... remember you have almost 2 weeks to play, and we love seeing your creations, so make sure you check the challenge blog for all the details!

I am working on kind of a fun post for tomorrow, including a project for a recent Colour Combos Galore challenge that I didn't get a chance to post yet... make sure you check it out!

Happy Birthday...

2013-05-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! There's a new challenge over on Color Combos Galore, so I am here to share my project for this week.

The current challenge was really fun for me to try, because the colours are a combination I've wanted to try for awhile - so it was the nudge I needed!

I went a bit of a different direction with this one, inspired by my friend Cherry. I saw a very similar project from her ages ago, and finally decided to give it a try myself.

Here is our beautiful board for this week:

I chose to focus on the shabby chic theme, and this is what I came up with:

I thought these would be fun little gifts to give someone on their birthday when a gift isn't necessarily in order, but a card isn't enough - do you ever need those?

Because I went with the shabby theme, I just kept piling on the embellishments - my favourite thing to do!

You can see my little strip of gold glitter there - I am in love with it against the pink!

I have another project that I missed posting while I was on holiday for a recent CCG challenge, and a little story for you! Something that makes me chuckle and also kind of roll my eyes... you'll see! I'll post that over the weekend, after the new Festive Friday challenge!

Flourishes Beautiful World Tour...

2013-05-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

ETA: Hey guys! SO sorry for being late in posting this - I flubbed with my scheduling! I apologize for any inconvenience!

ETA #2: Joyce so kindly pointed out that this qualifies for the Watercolour Challenge over at the Moxie Fab World... so I am linking up there!

Hello Flourishes fans! Already, it's the first of the month, which means it's time for another tour around the world! If you've stumbled here by mistake, you can go back to the Flourishes blog to find out all the details!

You should have arrived here from the lovely Dina's blog, in which case, you're right on track!

Don't forget that your travels could win you free stamps... all you have to do is leave a comment on each designer's blog to be entered into a random draw for a free set from Flourishes!

This month, our hostess, Kathy, has given us the challenge: "A picture is worth a thousand words"... this one was a toughie for me, as it as all about focusing on images and leaving out the sentiments. I don't know what the hurdle was, but it took awhile for me to decide what to do. But, once I decided on a theme, it just took off and practically went together by itself.

If you spend any time around here at all, you know my love for cherries. When my oldest daughter was born, she wore a cherry themed onesie home from the hospital - and ever since then, I've been obsessed with all things cherry for Emma - including a tattoo on my foot! - so when I stamp them, it's always with her in the back of my mind.

For this card, I stamped my cherries in a random pattern on my panel, and then got out my watercolours. I am a terrible watercolourist, but want so badly to create beautiful paintings with this medium (I am constantly inspired by my friend, Angela, who does the most amazing watercolour paintings). I am finding that as I use these paints with my stamps, I am starting to feel satisfied with the results - I am really pleased with this card! After I was finished painting, I did splatter some creamy gold mist over everything, which just finished it off for me.

It felt strange not piling on the layers and adding lots of 'stuff', but at the end of it, I just wanted to let it shine on it's own.

That's what I have for you today, so now it's time for you to take off to your next destination, the talented:

Scrapbook Sunday - ~Featuring Evan Wilson Photography~ - Sweet and Adorable...

2013-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday, friends! We are having the *most* gorgeous weekend here, with summer-like weather. I am in my element! I am sure we'll see lots more wet and cool weather before summer really sets in, but I am soaking it up for now!

Last Sunday I mentioned that I was running a little series here in my Scrapbook Sunday posts, Featuring Evan Wilson Photography, sharing layouts I have created using photos my talented brother took of my girls while he was visiting from Scotland last year.

The layout I am sharing today was inspired by the current Crate Paper Creative Weekly challenge, which is 'Colour Collage'. Using one colour in varying shades, and applying a collage effect to your layout. I hope I achieved the collage part, with only the one photo...

Last week, I showed you photos that Evan took of my youngest, as her birthday portraits. Today, I am sharing some that he took of Emma, in the same vein. She was having a ballerina party, so he took pictures of her in her tutu and leotard. It was adorable to watch her, as she took direction from him (amazing how well she can listen to anyone who isn't mum!).

I used various collections from Crate Paper to create my layout, keeping to Emma's favourite shade, and trying my best to quit hoarding my stickers! *wink*

I have really been inspired be varying shades of pink with a hit of gold lately... so beautiful and feminine... so I wanted to add just a few gold accents to my page in order to translate this theme to paper.

(I also added that teeny '3' on there, because she was three when this photo was taken... subtle, but it's there!)

I had a *lot* of fun with this layout, and am pretty pleased with how it turned out... I think because it is so 'her', if that makes sense. I love when I feel like their little personalities are shining perfectly through the photos, and my layout compliments that, rather than fights with it... does that make sense?

As I did last week, I have some other photos from this session to share with you. These are some of my most favourite photos from Evan, ever... and not just because they're of one of my favourite girls!

This is the same photo as on my layout, but with some really beautiful editing. I am constantly in awe of how Evan can finish off an already perfect photo!

Evan was really thrilled to see the awesome response to last week's post, and I am so glad you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed sharing it... I am telling you, if you happen to be in the Edinburgh area, and have a need for photos, you *need* to get in touch with him!

Okay, shameless Big Sister Plug over... *wink*

I'll be back again with another post in this series, but in the meantime, thank you so much for stopping by... enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Festive Friday - Season's Greetings...

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever go through a stage where you are sure you've actually lost your last marble? For sure I have. It's been such an insane time for us this past 3 months, and I can tell you, I have officially lost my mind. An example? I made my card well ahead of time for yesterday's Festive Friday post, I took photos of it at Shirley's, planted the memory card right on my phone so I wouldn't forget it... and promptly forgot it.

Sheesh.

Well, anyway. Here I am, a day late, but here all the same! If you're interested, this week we are doing an element theme:

I have really struggled with this challenge, as I don't have a ton of birds in my arsenal... so while I was going to go another way, it just didn't inspire me. So I used the die for the same bird I stamped last week. I hope you'll forgive me?

Can you tell that's a bird in the middle of my little banner?

So, you have until Wednesday to play along with us, and you can catch all the details over on the Festive Friday blog!

Join me tomorrow for another Scrapbook Sunday... I have more for you featuring my brother's photography!

10 Minute Craft Dash - To My Wonderful Friend...

2013-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

So I have an update on the house front! When we got back from our holidays, we had 2 offers waiting for us! We chose one pretty quickly, and then took the week to get all the documents and everything in order so that the subjects could be removed - and last night, our agent stopped by to officially put out the SOLD sign!

We just have to settle the details with the house we're moving to, but at this point, we're moving at the end of June. I cried for a minute when we were officially sold, because this is the place I brought my babies home from the hospital! We have completely renovated our entire unit with the exception of only our kitchen - we've poured our hearts into this place... but our new place is a blank canvas, waiting for us to make it our own.

Can you believe it's already time for a new 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge? It's *May* already, people!

Today, we're playing with a really soft and pretty spring pallette, and once again, I wanted to push my limits and stamp my own background paper!

To me, these colours look like kraft aqua and coral. I *loved* working with them, and I loved the results when I used such non-typical colours to stamp my berries!

This one took me 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

Our sponsor this month is WPlus9, so I made sure to bring out some of my newest purchases and put them to good use for this card! I also used the newer Embroidered Bouquet as 'filler', and I really like how it worked with the Fresh Picked set.

Here is a close up of my stamped background:

Make sure you head over to the Pretty Pink Posh blog to find out more about the new challenge, and remember you have nearly 2 weeks to play along!

Scrapbook Sunday ~Featuring Evan Wilson Photography~ - two...

2013-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile since I did one of these posts! Truth is, I have pages piling up, I've just been negligent in my photo editing.

So, since it's been awhile and I have been picking up some new followers lately (*thank you*!!!), I thought maybe I'd refresh you on the idea behind my Scrapbook Sunday posts... last year, I started doing this as a weekly post to keep myself on track with my youngest's album, since she was poorly lacking in pages. Poor thing - second child syndrome! Anyway... I've relaxed on the weekly schedule of posting, but every once in awhile, I still pop up with layouts!

Saying that, today I am starting a little series within my Scrapbook Sunday posts.

I may have mentioned to you previously that my brother is an incredibly talented photographer. If I haven't, please let me introduce you!

Evan is an ex-pat Canadian, transplanted to Scotland... he's had an interest in photography since he was in high school, and bought his first camera shortly after he graduated, and taught himself all the skills he needed to take him where he is today; Evan Wilson Photography. He currently works shooting portraits, family sessions, newborn collections, and most recently he expanded his services to engagement shoots and weddings. He's actually in the middle of building himself a fancy new website to really showcase all of his talent and more portfolios.

Over the next few weeks, I will be featuring layouts I have created using various photos my talented brother took of my kiddos when he was here last year. Usually I am the one behind the camera, but what a treat to watch him work and learn more about his creative process! I am excited to share these layouts with you, because you will also see these beautiful photos that I am so proud of my brother for!

Today is the first in this series, ~Featuring Evan Wilson Photography~!

Last year, my brother visited us a few weeks before Josie's second birthday... if you've followed me for awhile, you might remember that I usually shoot birthday portraits of my kids every year, but being that the timing of Evan's visit seemed so perfect, I asked if he would do some for me.

So, we put her birthday dress on, and went out to the park behind our townhouse... and here is one of many beautiful shots he captured:

The worst part about being tardy in posting these is seeing the drastic change a year brings!

I dug through my October Afternoon goodies - I ordered a couple of Santa Sacks last year - and bringing various lines together to create my page.

I really layered on different elements from the Flower Sacks, Brads, Miscellany... and lots of papers to combine a ton of patterns - which is so fun to do.

I created this flower using all kinds of elements from a few different Flower Sacks, Miscellany packs and a Tin Pin.

Here are some more of the shots from our birthday portrait shoot:

What a difference between two and three... wait until you see her when I do this year's shots!

Thank you so much for taking a minute out to let me share with you... I am really proud of my little brother, and I was really excited to be able to share some of his talents with you, as well as something crafty -it's been a fun collaboration, and I can't wait to share more!

Festive Friday - 'Tis the Season...

2013-04-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I am here with a Festive Friday post for you! This week marks a new challenge for us, and this time we're issuing an element challenge.

This time around, we're asking that you incorporate a bird into your design, and have gone with the following graphic to inspire you:

I have been really missing my stamps since we've been tied up in selling our house and then our trip to Mexico... so I wanted to just sit down and stamp. I wasn't looking for a lot of other stuff, just some ink and polymer - my happy place! So I sort of tried to go for a folky feel, and maybe even create a bit of a scene... I am not sure if I succeeded, but here it is!

I am not sure how I feel about the end result, but I can tell you it was definitely a good 'fix' for me!

Head on over to the challenge blog to find out more details about this challenge, and to see what the amazing girls on the team came up with - you won't be disappointed!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful weekend!

So Happy...

2013-04-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Um... how is it the 25th already? I mean, weren't we just talking about the *last* Papertrey Ink Blog Hop? Sheesh... a week in Mexico really speeds things up, doesn't it?

Oh, was that just me? *wink*

Well, indeed it's time for another Hop with PTI, and I am here with my little contribution... I had some fun with this one... I visited my Inspiration Board again (remember my random collection?), and drew from there for today's project.

This month, we were challenged to create on an angle... incorporate angles into our design. I *never* do this, but truly, it was a really easy way to add some serious fun factor!

I had this fun image that I recently pinned, and wanted to turn into a card:

Source

It's part of a collection of free printables, if you're interested!

So, I thought I'd see how stamping on Aqua Mist cardstock would turn out, and tried to replicate this design fairly literally.

I did do a test swatch with my stamp colours, which, if you think you might try this, I really recommend. The shades changed quite drastically as they dried, and the ones I didn't think would look right at all ended up being the ones I used!

So that's my angled design for you! I won't keep you, since you have a lot more stops to make... but thanks for popping by to see what I made!

I Love You...

2013-04-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends!

We are definitely experiencing beautiful spring weather around here this week! Unfortunately, I spent last week basking in 30 degree weather (that's Celcius, people!), laying out by the pool and suntanning... 14 degrees today felt *cold*!

But, I am back to reality (and LAUNDRY!), and have been catching up with blogland and Pinterest (priorities, right?)... and my friend Laurie recently posted some cards that reminded me of a couple that I made, but haven't managed to post yet!

I have a board on Pinterest where I put all kinds of random images that I see and think I could translate into a card somehow. I can't imagine what it must look like to people who follow me, but it does all make sense when I look in there! Anyway - this is one of those Pins that caught my eye!

I can't track down an original link to this one though - if you happen to recognize it, let me know so I can offer proper credit for it!

Here is the first card I created based on this image...

Not at all my typical style, but I *love* this card... it's graphic, it's bold, and the texture really pops. I think I was channeling my inner Amber on this one!

So then I decided to do something a little more my style, with a softer feel:

This time, I used patterned papers, I roughed up the edges, and the heart is peeking through a negative die cut. Small differences for a completely different look.

So, are you like me? Do you see completely random inspiration in the strangest places? *wink*

Thanks so much for popping in!

Waltzingmouse Flower Show...

2013-04-19T00:00:00.001-07:00

***I have two posts today! For my Festive Friday post, please click here!***

I will always credit Claire Brennan with getting me started in blogging, clear stamping, and my general obsession with all things paper. I stumbled on her blog by chance a few years ago, and I couldn't look away... I loved her designs, and very quickly placed my first order. The rest, they say, is history.

So, can you imagine how excited I was when I got an email asking if I was interested in participating in a fun little blog hop, hosted by my favourite mouse?

Today, a whole crew of designers are joining together to host the Waltzingmouse Flower Show! You can find out all the details on the Waltzingmouse blog, and, in usual WMS style, there is a fantastic prize to be had! Claire is offering up *five* stamp sets to one random winner! All you have to do is CASE one of the cards you see on today's hop!

How awesome is that?!

So, you should have arrived here from the super talented Debbie Olson's blog, but if you've stumbled here on your own, you can always go back to the start at Claire's blog!

I couldn't help but create two cards for today's hop... I have wanted to play with this Camellia set for so long that once I got it out, I couldn't stop stamping!

For my first card, I did a couple of techniques together to create my own background paper (you know how much I love to do that...)

To create my paper, I started with the smaller blossom, and stamped it using the rock-n-roll technique in three ink colours. Then I sprayed it with water before stamping down to give it the watery appearance. Once that was done, I went back (after ensuring my paper was fully dry) and stamped the same image and embossed it with white powder. I think it gives it a sort of batik look... what do you think?

Like I said, I couldn't stop there!

I decided to create a really graphic background this time, using contrasting inks and Copics.

I also stamped both sized blooms, cut them out, and layered them with the leaves to create my focal point.

Here is a glance at my background:

A little shimmer spray never hurts anything, in my opinion! I ran it through with an impression plate to give it some texture, before adhering it all together!

Alright, it's time for you to hop over to Aneta's beautiful blog! Don't forget to visit Claire's blog to get the full contest details!

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to Waltzingmouse for having me... I am so honoured to be a part of today's fun Hop, and it was the greatest thing to be invited!

Festive Friday - Merry Christmas...

2013-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

***This is my second post for today... for my Waltzingmouse Flower Show post, please click here!***

Hey guys! It's already the second week of our latest challenge on the Festive Friday blog, so I am popping in to share another project I made for our current theme...

Again, this week we're working with the following as our inspiration:

This time, I went with some really bright, bold colours, and some really graphic images - both things I associate with a retro styled Christmas.

Hey, isn't that a fun bow? That's what happens when you run out of red satin ribbon and are forced to look at what else you can do with what you have...

Head over to the Festive Friday blog - you still have until Wednesday to play along with us!

10 Minute Craft Dash...

2013-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Okay. I consider myself a pretty quick crafter, when I am well prepared. So, when it comes to the 10 Minute Craft Dash, I like to stretch myself, and see just how much I can do in only 10 minutes. A couple of times, I have felt I wouldn't make it... but that's the fun of it!

But this time... well, this was for *sure* the closest I have come to failing... but I had so much fun with it, it didn't matter!

This week, we are working with a really fun colour scheme, though I have to confess I took some creative license with it...

So, I found this really amazing picture on Pinterest (where all good things come from), and decided it would be really neat to translate into a card some time... and when I was trying to think of what to create for this week's challenge, this jumped out at me from my inspiration board.

Photo Source

And by the way - you should follow the link to the photo source.. what a *beautiful* blog... so many amazing projects that make me wish I had the patience to sew well.

Here is my card:

This took exactly 10 minutes, though I did go back after and sketch in the stitches... it was lacking without. And it actually wouldn't have taken me the full 10, except I was rushing through cutting my hexagons and ended up have to do 2 extra cuts to fix my mistakes.

I just dug through my scrap bin and took out different patterns in the right colour family, and went from there. Even the ruffle is paper, which I wasn't sure about - but I love how it turned out!

We'll be playing with these colours for the next couple of weeks so head over to Pretty Pink Posh to find out more! This week, we're sponsored by Avery Elle, and all you have to do is play along to be in the running for the prize!

Best Wishes...

2013-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday friends!

I didn't manage to post my card for the last Color Combos Galore challenge, so I wanted to get it up for you today, before the next challenge starts tomorrow.

Remember, these challenges run for the entire month, so you have lots of time to play along!

I have had this bee stamp for *months*... maybe even closer to a year, and still hadn't opened them up. Hey, you know I'm not the only one!

I stamped part of my background, and used patterned paper for the other... I was inspired by my friend Melissa, and how wonderfully she layers patterns on her beautiful cards, and decided to try using more on my own.

Oh, I also copied Melis' use of that flourish on top of the pattern - because I loved it so much when she did it!

So make sure you stop by tomorrow afternoon, because I have a new project full of beautiful new colours and inspiration when the next one goes live!

Festive Friday - The Most Wonderful Time...

2013-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

How kind you all are... it means so much to me that you have left your comments of encouragement, and well wishes as we wait for our townhouse to sell. Apparently there were already a couple of calls yesterday before the listing was even online, so we either have nosy neighbours, or there are walkers that are interested!

Meanwhile, we leave in the very wee hours of tomorrow morning for a trip to the beach! We are going with the kids and Shirley to the same resort we visited in Mexico last year, and I don't think I need to tell you how much I am looking forward to it!

In the meantime, it's Friday! Time for a new challenge over on the Festive Friday Blog... this week's it's time for a theme challenge:

Graphic Source

When I chose this theme, I was picturing the fifties... swanky cocktail parties, poofy skirts and bright, bold colours.

October Afternoon goodies fit the bill perfectly for me! I love this old image - ones like this make Shirley cry out with delight because they remind her of her childhood (so I knew I was in the right era... *wink*)

And I LOVE the stamp set that was included with the Make it Merry mini-album kit I bought last year... it's one of those sets that just *works*, you know?

So that's what I have for you, but head over to the challenge blog, because the team all interpreted this one differently - so fun to see all the different takes on "retro"!

With Love...

2013-04-09T20:51:00.001-07:00

2 posts in as many days! Can you believe it?

Well, I need you all to cross your fingers for us! We've been working so hard, and tonight, we finally put our house on the market.

Let me back up.

When we first met, we had this plan - work our way up in the market so that one day we would own a house of our own. If you're not aware, I live in the Vancouver area of British Columbia, which is one of the most expensive places in the world to live. I am not bragging here, people! It's tough to try and get ahead here, and we try to do it on one income. So, while we got into the real estate market at a good time, it quickly exploded around here, and very quickly, our dream of owning something more than a townhouse was let go.

About a year ago, a house in the *perfect* location came on the market. We did the usual "imagine if we could..." thing that we've done over and over again. And then we let it go, as always.

The listing expired, the house was taken off the market, and life went on. But we had the bug, the drive, and some luck on our side.

Long story short, the stars aligned, things have fallen in to place, and we managed to put in an offer on the house from a year ago - something we never imagined we'd be able to manage! So now, we just need our own house to sell for this to all become real. We've got the sign in the front yard, and an open house planned... we just need a buyer.

So will you please cross your fingers so that we can move? *wink*

Don't worry, I wouldn't leave you without something to look at!

I mentioned to you before that I've been trying to break out of my usual go-to designs, and try new layouts.... this is another card that I attempted that with!

This is another one from my term with Pink Persimmon... I was inspired by my fellow design team member, Cherry Neilson - she always layers her cards so perfectly!

Thanks for popping in! And I'll keep you updated on our progress - just wish us luck!

Oh Happy Day...

2013-04-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends!

I feel like lately I haven't been posting properly, and I hope you'll forgive me. It's been such a busy time for us this past few months, and it looks like it could stay that way until the summer! Before, we were busy because of not so happy things, now we are busy because of really happy things... so you won't hear me complaining!

I have finished my term as a Creative Team Member with Pink Persimmon stamps, but I do have some projects that I never did share with you, so I can start posting those now! Shirley's birthday was all the way back in January, so this card is an older creation, but new to the blog, so good enough, right?

I used some various Crate Paper goodies, and you'll notice the monogram I added so there was no question who the birthday girl was!

I feel like I haven't properly been in the craft room for ages, but we're coming up to birthday season around here, so some good inky sessions are in order!

Thanks for swinging by! I hope your week is off to a good start, wherever you are! *wink*

Festive Friday - Wishing You a Cozy Holiday...

2013-04-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

Sorry I haven't been posting as much lately... we have had a lot of different things going on here this week, and next week promises to be just as busy. But I am not complaining, because after that, we're going to Mexico!

It's time for some new inspiration for the current challenge on the Festive Friday blog, so I have a new card to share with you using our colours... which I have *loved* using, by the way.

When I sat down to make this card, I had no plan. That's *not* how I usually roll, my friends. But because I had to steal a few minutes when they presented themselves, I had to just figure it out as I went along. I also decided to try something completely different and *way* out of my usual box...

ONE layer people!! If you've been here for any time at all, you know that I just don't *do* one layer... It went against everything I am comfortable with, but that was kind of the point.

I was also inspired by this week's Make it Monday, although I obviously didn't add the layers like Dawn shows. I liked the idea of combining all kinds of images to create stamped layers, though!

I don't have great gold ink, but those berries are supposed to be gold!

There is more time to play along with this one, if you're interested! I had fun with these colours for Christmas, and feel like I could keep creating lots with them - if only I had more time... *sigh*

I can't complain, we are busy for all good reasons... *wink*

Thanks for popping in on me! I am so glad you visited, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

10 Minute Craft Dash - Happy Birthday To You...

2013-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's time for another Craft Dash! The weeks are whizzing by me...

Paulina always chooses the most gorgeous colour combinations - I love them ALL. This week, I felt like these were asking to be used on a very elegant, simple card.

I saw navy, teal and blush. I think that's where the elegant idea came from: Navy. It's such a classic colour, don't you think?

I decided to let the navy take center stage with my design, and used touches of the others to tie them all together.

Here's what I came up with:

It may be slightly difficult to tell, but I stamped my floral pattern in the aqua shade on my white panel. I also used a navy ink for my sentiment.

This card took me 8 minutes to complete, the bulk of the time being spent on ruffling my ribbon behind my panel.

I have a few tips for you guys when playing along with this challenge, and I really hope to put together a video for you in the next couple of weeks. I am going away on holidays, so it will likely be sometime in May... I hope you can be patient!

Thanks for having a look... head over to the Pretty Pink Posh blog to see what the rest of the team came up with! If I haven't mentioned before, Paulina works hard to find sponsors for these challenges, and they are *good* ones too! This week we have a new sponsor that you don't want to miss!

Flourishes Beautiful World Tour - A Happy Hello...

2013-03-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

Sorry my post is late - we got carried away with Easter dinner at Shirley's!

It's time for another Beautiful World Tour with the Flourishes girls... Remember, your World Tour can win you free Flourishes stamps! Make sure you leave each designer a comment before you fly off to the next spot, so that your name is in the hat for a random draw!

You should have arrived here from Aleksandra, but if you've landed here by chance, you might want to go back to the Flourishes blog to start at the beginning!

This month, Anne Elise is our host, and she has challenged us with the theme 'Childhood'. This one stumped me for a bit, because there are so many ways to interpret that... but I flipped through my sets, and then it came to me...

When I was a little girl, we lived in Alberta - the province over from where I live now. And the house we had there had this massive raspberry bush at the side of our house. Every summer, we spent most of our days playing outside, and we could freely visit the raspberries and eat them straight off the bush. My girls both *love* all kinds of berries, and I've been researching our own berry bushes, hoping we can plant some... which reminded me of all those summers spent snacking on fresh berries myself!

I need a couple of thank you type cards, so I wanted this to be easy to mail... so I kept the layers to a minimum, as postage has become so restrictive with anything that includes a bow! What a bummer...

I stamped my background on the card base with the same image I coloured from the Berry Sweet set, to give it some interest - just a monochromatic design. I like the impact it has, for such a simple step.

I'll let you jet off to your next location now, but don't forget to leave a comment before you go! Now, off you go to Australia to see what the talented Chupa has for you!

Happy Easter!

2013-03-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

We will be starting our day with an egg hunt... Emma has been the master egg hunter since her first one at 19 months old. She blows us away every year when we're sure the bunny has outsmarted her, and we're proven wrong! Then it's brunch at Grandma's, where there are more eggs hidden. Spoiled? Yes, probably.

I made my lovelies some cute little cards to include with the small give we've got for them. I was a dolt and put the bunny die in my cart without it's coordinating stamp set, so I had to get creative!

Forgive my colours... they're off because I took these photos late in the day.

I was inspired by this card by Melissa, and decided to use a similar approach to my design.

I made the same basic card for each girl, swapping out the colours and sentiments to make them a little bit different.

I used various images from the Beautiful Blooms II and Natural Beauties sets to stamp a spring-y background paper.

And I decided to do something a little bit different, and added resin flowers as the bunny tails, rather than something more obvious. I love how well they work!

I hope you have a wonderful Easter if you're celebrating, and if you're not, enjoy the rest of your weekend! We'll be enjoying the hottest day of the year so far here (20 degrees!!), so I can see lots of time in the backyard - I am excited!