Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Never Ending Card

Wow, this was a fun card to make. Yesterday's Technique Challenge was a never ending card. When I showed my husband last night his eyes popped with how cool it was. Everything folds into and around itself to create 4 different "cards" in one. Lynn in St. Louis set the challenge and gave us a video tutorial by Dawn Griffith here to see how to make it. The tutorial was very helpful!

I don't think I'll be using Stazon ink for a while....too many little accidents with it in making this card. But it was fun and that's what counts!!! Make sure to check out the gallery (linked above) to see all the great creations with this fold.

I've promised myself to do some music planning today and then I've got to work on Allison's birthday card. She called yesterday and is having
great time with her classmates in Europe. She hadn't been sure about the trip initially, so I'm glad she's having fun. Buying way too much chocolate perhaps, but "it's Austrian". She hasn't even reached Switzerland yet.

Thanks for dropping by - Have a great day - JOAN

Monday, March 30, 2009

Lucky Duck

Good Day!
I have two challenges happening with this Lucky Duck....the sketch is from over at Stamp Something. I didn't use a square base but it turned out okay. The colours are from Created by Courtney from her colour challenge last Tuesday - So Saffron, Lavender Lace, Ballet Blue and Sage Shadow.

I've been wanting to use this little duck ever since I got him...he's just so cute. I have come to realize that I don't have ANY Easter words...what's up with that? So this little guy is just - a lucky duck!!!

I've been stamping for most of the day - today's technique over on Splitcoast is taking me a while to complete. I've chosen to use Stazon so I have to allow drying time. I may post the finished project later tonight or tomorrow -

Until then, I'm heading out to chisel more of the 2inch thick ice off my driveway since the sun is doing it's part!!! Hope your day is swell! JOAN

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Three Cup Friendship

Happy Monday Morning:

The Colour Throw Down this past week was Tangerine Tango, Purely Pomegranate and Kiwi Kiss. I just happened to have a few scraps of pomegranate hanging around, but no ink. This is a pretty cool combination!

I hadn't used Crystal Effects for a while, so decided to give some shine and texture to the coffee cups with it.

I'm off to work on some scrapbook pages today and do a bit of cleaning - unless of course I get distracted.

Thanks for stopping by! JOAN

Circus Circus

Howdy-
The first challenge yesterday for the Mini VSN - Viva Las Vegas was to create a card inspired by Circus Circus.
I don't have any clown/circus type stamps, but I figured these birds would put on a pretty good performance as tightrope walkers....so there ya go.

The snow is melting today - Yipee. I'm putting together an Ikea dresser and then I'm going to begin my daughter's 18th birthday "card".....and fit in a movie or two besides.

Hope you have a great day!!! Thanks for stopping by - JOAN

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Inspired Cornflowers

Well, yesterday morning I said good bye to my husband as he got onto a bus for a Men's Chorus tour. Then in the afternoon I said good bye to my daughter as she got onto the plane to head to Europe for Spring Break. I cried in my car...but then.....
I went straight home, and cleaned up my stamping room to be ready for today's Mini VSN on Splitcoast. We are on an afternoon break right now and I decided to do the Inspiration Challenge for the day.

Today's challenge came from the art work of Glenda Mosher. Oh my word, her work is gorgeous. I chose the painting on the side because I just LOVE the colours and then I just HAD to use Inspired by Nature!!

I am now going to head to the grocery store and then do some cleaning before the VSN starts up again. I'll share those cards with you tomorrow. Thanks for dropping by - Have a great day - JOAN

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Ribbon Flowers

Good Morning - Yipee it's Wednesday!

Last week on someone's blog, and I'm sorry I don't remember whose, there was a challenge to do something with ribbon. I knew right away that I wanted to do a flower similar to a card we did at Regionals in the fall. That card had a single flower and I thought I'd try for more.

I used the snowflake from Best Wishes and More on the backside of the cardstock as a guide for punching holes for the ribbon to go through. It reminded me of the sewing cards from Playschool back in my day.
The stems are from Playful Petals, which I stamped in Rose Red ink and coloured in with Mellow Moss (although it's hard to tell)
The greeting is from Oval All which is in the new Occasions Mini coming up April 1; and uses the Scallop Oval Punch.

Today is laundry day for the Europe bound daughter, excitement is rising!!!!
Hope you have a fantastic day - thanks for dropping by - JOAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

15 minute card...

Wow, I flew in the door to get something to eat before heading to Parent/Teacher interviews tonight and whipped up this card......so I'm not altogether sure of how pleased I am with it.

It incorporates today's colour challenge which is Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss and Baha Breeze. I found a sketch challenge at Inspiration Card Sketches.....and here you have it.

I will probably use this colour challenge again this week.....

Hope you're having a great day! Thanks for dropping by - and I'm off......JOAN

Monday, March 23, 2009

Raspberry Tart Mini Basket

Good Afternoon.....

Today's Technique challenge on Splitcoast today was this cute little mini Easter basket. The design came from Claire Brennan at Waltzingmouse Makes.... You should check out her blog because she's got some gorgeous mini baskets there!

The design was easy and Claire has made the template so that you essentially get two baskets out of two pieces of paper.

I don't have any Easter treats around the house yet, so I've filled mine with Kisses. It's a cute little basket that could be used for any occasion.

Hope all is well your way - thanks for dropping by - JOAN

Sunday, March 22, 2009

March 22

Good Sunday Evening.....I'm glad the weekend is over! Rested most of today after attending two funerals yesterday. In between the napping though, I did manage to get two challenges done. The first is the Weekend Sketch Challenge from Beate's Blog.















This past week's Colour Throwdown is shown at the side. I managed to find five different designer papers with just Kiwi Kiss on them. I was surprised at how well the Kiwi Kiss done in blender pen showed up on the Blush Blossom paper.




It will be another busy week - Parent/Teacher interviews and we have to get the daughter packed and ready to leave on the Grade 12 Europe trip on Friday. Then....spring break - Woo Hoo!!!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Birthday Balloons

Good Evening Again ....I started this card after school but didn't get back to finish it until tonight.

I liked today's Sketch Challenge from Splitcoast today. It was a bit hard to keep it to just the three layers though. I knew I wanted to use this Rainbow Sherbert paper when I saw the sketch because the pieces are bright and fun.
I hope you have had bright, fun day. Mine was full of busyness and time challenges, but I made it through.....on to tomorrow!!!

Thanks for dropping by - JOAN

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Krafty Flower

Good Evening...

Today's Splitcoast Colour Challenge was Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun and Kraft. You could also add black if you wanted to.

I used this embossed flower from Playful Petals, which was left over from my frantic Virtual Stamp Night; it is embossed in black. I used the Tombow glue to adhere black seed beads around the middle of the flower. The Tres Chic background was done with versamark. It's kind of a happy little card.

I hope everyone had a Lucky St. Patricks Day. Thanks for dropping by....JOAN

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Caterpillars and Music

Yesterday's Inspiration Challenge came from Fitz & Floyd. I looked around and the plate that is shown caught my eye because of the colours.....

so I used Baha Breeze, Not Quite Navy and Mellow Moss. The Baha does not work well in this photo, but it does match the plate in person. Last week's Stamp Something challenge was to create a card around something you enjoy - and for me that would be music - listening, dancing to, sharing with kids - it's all good.






The Limited Supply Challenge on Friday was to create a card with bugs on it. I also incorporated the colour challenge from the Colour Throw Down - which was Tempting Turquoise, Elegant Eggplant and a green of your choice - I used Kiwi Kiss. I finally got my texturz plates to work properly in my Big Shot so used the swirly background on the small turquoise and eggplant pieces. The Big Shot was used to cut out the leaves; which were from the Birds and Bloom die set - I folded them in half and put them through the crimper for more texture. The branch is the Swirly Strip Die. I guess I actually used a lot of supplies for the limited supply challenge....oooops.

We're off to see "Annie" tonight in Edmonton. I'm not sure what my feelings are....I know I'll like the music, I know I'll like the staging. I just hardly ever like the little girl.....there's just something about Annie that I just can't...... I don't know what it is.....maybe the wig!!!

Anyway - thanks for stopping by. Hope your weekend was great - on to another week. JOAN

Friday, March 13, 2009

Going Green...

Good afternoon,
Yesterday's Ways to Use it Challenge on Splitcoast was to create a green card...it could be recycled, or totally green. I don't usually make St. Patrick's Day cards, but here was an opportunity.

I used the Heat and Stick powder for the little shamrocks...which are inchies.

Hope all is well your way - Thanks for visiting.
JOAN

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Gray Banana Cake

Here is the thumbnail of today's sketch challenge. I also incorporated some doodling stamps for the challenge over at Our Creative Corner from this past week.

On the gray triangle piece I tried using my Barely Banana Craft ink - I have had the box of Soft Subtle craft inks for a while - hadn't opened the pad so it took a while to juice it up. I used the word window punch to "highlight" the saying. It's actually a white piece stamped and punched and put on top of the yellow. I haven't used the Doodle This set for a while......it was fun.

The sky is clear, the sun is shining bright and the birds are singing - it's not warm, but ya can't have it all at once.....ha ha - you can't have your cake and eat it too!

Thanks for dropping by!
JOAN

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

I Heart Johnny & Fading Flowers

I apologize that I hadn't gotten around to uploading my last VSN card - and seriously, it was the best of the bunch. :) We had to create a card focusing on our favorite celebrity and we had to post it as " I heart _____". Well, I Heart Johnny. I found this great photo with brown hues which went along with the Chocolate Chip paper - He's been in two "chocolate" movies so it fit. The gold circles around the edges are for Pirates gold. It was suggested that I put this card in a special place in my stamping room and pretend that he sent it to me.

Today's Colour Challenge was Rose Red, Always Artichoke and Black. A striking combo...the postings in the Splitcoast gallery are awesome. I used last weeks sketch challenge too. Sometimes I wish I didn't stick to them so strickly. It ends up a bit plain.....must learn to go outside my box more often.

It's report card and interview time, but I'm going to try my best to keep up with the challenges. Hope you're March weather is better than Edmonton's! Thanks for dropping by. JOAN