Flowers and Drummers

More VSN work -
For this Rose and Kiwi card we had to include a paper flower - preferably a paper rose. Luckily I had a couple on my desk ready for another project that I'm working on. I'll have to make another one now - but that's okay. This dress is from Sugar Creek Hollow and I'm finally using up some ancient DSP.






I was happy to be able to finally use these orange flowers that I picked up...the only challenge for this card was to include flowers on it. I'm happy with the way it turned out and I was finally able to use this stamp set that has some awesome sayings about women.

Finally - another boring update about Grant. He called yesterday afternoon to let us know that the band would be playing that night - another band had cancelled and they were called. He practiced in the afternoon and and WOW did he nail it. It didn't even sound like he was one-armed. I think this photo is cool because his arm is moving so fast you can still see the design on his shirt - through his arm.


Gotta head out - thanks for stopping by! Joan

A VSN Day

I tried sleeping in this morning....but I kept thinking about how it's VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) weekend over at Splitcoast. So I had to get up to find out what time they started today. Realized I had a two hours to shower and clean up my stamp area and maybe get a couple of last night's challenges done.

I'm on a roll today so far - even got a pot of coffee on - and got two of the challenges competed. The cards HAVE to be created within a 45 minute period.
For this first card the challenge was "Colour Me Sunny" and you had to use Kraft, Cameo Coral and So Saffron. I went back and used an old sketch challenge from someplace (I have it marked down I just don't have to info here - besides - I can't combine challenges, but I always keep copies of the sketches people create.)
This purple creation was the first challenge last night and involved using the Serigraph Technique. and included the tutorial by Beate Johns. Fairly easy to do!!!

Now imagine my surprise, as I'm rushing to get pictures of my cards downloaded so I could do this post, to find this cute little plaid faced sock monkey greeting me on my downloads. Apparently, Allison was busy in the stamp room again and the sweetheart even took a picture of her creation for me so that I could post it. She's not up yet, so I don't even know who this card was created for - I have an idea because she was at Dairy Queen a couple of nights ago with a friend.

Well, my time is up - I'm off to find out what challenges lay in store for today at VSN! Haven't participated for a while and I'm all tingly with anticipation. (Good thing is rainy and dreary outside making it the perfect day to create.)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you too have a productive eventful day. Joan

Recessed Window Card

This week Tracy, owner of Sugar Creek Hollow, challenged the DT to create a recessed window card to share this Fabulous Friday. I hadn't ever made one before, but I found Beate's video at the end of THIS tutorial very helpful. - and it really was quite easy.
I need to try it again though, because I ended up with kinda big holes in my corners.

I like this collage of images that Tracy created and because of the post mark in the corner of the image I decided to add some stamps along the side.

Don't forget to hop over to Sugar Creek Hollow to check out the Freebie for this Friday. It's a grouping of images similar to this idea - I'll be using it real soon. When you get to the store - just click on "Freebies" along the left hand listing.

To see the array of recessed windows cards created by the other DT members you can follow the links from here:

Tracy-Owner♥ Dani ♥ Donna ♥ ME
Joseline-DT Co-ordinator ♥ Kristina ♥ Linda ♥ Loretta

Marsha ♥ Nancy ♥ Sarah

Stephanie ♥Cheri ♥Kelly
Cassie
May Guest Designer
Bernadette

Have a wonderful Friday - and Thanks for dropping by!!!!
Joan

CAS all the way

I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have ever made a card where there is only a single piece of card stock......I seem to have lived through it quite well. I almost ......almost.....added a sentiment but I put the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" down and backed away!

This Clean and Simple card covers 4 challenges.....

Sweet Sunday - Sketch #70
Corrosive Challenge - Clean and Simple
Colour Dare - Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede and Old Olive
CAS-tastic Challenge - A Touch of Green

I had fun creating this for sure!!!

Grant's appointment went well - he does not have his arm immobilized in an upright position - YEAH!!!!!! The poor guy nearly fainted though through the procedure of getting the dressings off - he was just overly anxious and freaking himself out - he's more than willing to joke about it now. He'll be in this cast for 4 weeks before a half cast is on for another 3. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers - I ask for them to continue through these weeks of healing.

Thanks for stopping by - Blessings to all - Joan

Got My Own Attitude...

WoooHoooo - it's hump day!!! The sun is shining and all is well with the world - I think.
Heading with Grant this afternoon to see the surgeon and check out his incision and hopefully get a proper cast. We're hoping NOT to have to get the full arm-suspended in the air deal!!! I'm just hoping his puffy blue fingers don't upset the doctor! (Cause they sort of upset me!)

Anyway - Here is an image from
Sugar Creek Hollow that I haven't used in a while. I pulled out the old DSP. I'm sorry that the photo is a bit blurry - I've done faux stitching around all the flowers and leaves.

The challenges this card falls into are:
Cards and Things - Sketch
365 Cards Day 85 - Flora and Fauna

Hope the flora and fauna in your area bring a smile to your face - I just love hearing the robin's cheerful song!!!!! And I have some flowers blooming in the garden despite the cold.....I still have to clean out the beds!
Have a good one and thanks for stopping by. - Joan

Get Well Skateboarder

A Mom can give a get well card, right???

I don't have a stamp of a drummer - I'm on the look out for one all the time. Grant skateboards too - so this will work for him. He spent a number of days filling himself with things he wouldn't be able to do for a while - skateboarding, gaming, drumming and his last meal before surgery was a huge hamburger that needed two hands.

The sketch for this card is from Friday Sketchers.

Hope you're have a wonderful day, and if this is a Holiday Monday for you - hope you're able to fill it with enjoyable, relaxing things.

Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Baby Elephants and Thank you's...

First - my card - I don't usually make baby cards and now I've had two in a row - It will be good to have them on hand.

Today's card covers three challenges:
Our Creative Corner Sketch Challenge - Sketch
CCEE - Baby Card
The Play Date Cafe - Colours - Pale Yellow, Light Green, and Pink - I used Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink.


And now a quick note of thanks for the thoughts and prayers that have been lifted for Grant. His surgery day went VERY well. He had wonderful people working around him who made him feel comfortable and less anxious.
Unfortunately, he's now feeling anxious about the healing, and whether his fingers are tingling too much, turning blue, etc.....wow how our thoughts can reek havoc. So, I would ask for prayers of healing, and less anxiety for him. He'll see the surgeon again on Wednesday to get the dressing removed and a cast put on. He won't be drumming for at least 10-12 weeks. (He has figured out how to skateboard on his video game though!!!!) Thanks again, and blessings to you.

Have a wonderful Saturday - Joan

Every Bunny Needs a Bunny!!!!

This week the DT at Sugar Creek Hollow were asked to use one of our favorite digi images for our cards on this Fabulous Friday. I have a soft spot for stuffed animals and I really like this little bunny. I've used him a number of times already.

The sketch is from this weeks' Midnight Madness sketch. It gave me a chance to use some of my buttons!


Why don't you take a few moments and visit some of the other DT members to see what they've come up with this week.

The weekend is finally here, and it's a long one!!! Woooo Hooo!

Thanks for stopping by.....now here are the DT links

Tracy-Owner♥ Dani ♥ Donna ♥ ME
Joseline-DT Co-ordinator ♥ Kristina ♥ Linda ♥ Loretta

Marsha ♥ Nancy ♥ Sarah

Stephanie ♥Cheri ♥Kelly
Cassie
May Guest Designer
Bernadette

Yummy Cookies

Oh, I would love to smell chocolate chip cookies right now!!! It's taken a turn towards chilly here and hunkering down with a book and a plate of cookies would be wonderful - but I'm dreaming.

This wonderful little Teddy comes from Meljen's Designs. The colour scheme (#271) is from Splitcoast this week - So Saffron, Dusty Durango and Rich Razzleberry.

The sketch is the Sweet Sunday Sketch from The Sweetest Thing.

I hope you have a terrific Thursday - I'll be coddling Grant I'm sure. Thanks for dropping by!
Joan

Happiness in the Tropics

Okay.....I haven't been to the tropics yet, but I'm sure I would be happy if I was there - even for a short visit.

I decided to use the new DSP from the Summer Mini, "Island Oasis", which worked perfectly for the colours over at the Cards & Things Challenges this week: Old Olive, Orchid Opulence and Rich Razzleberry.

I used only a small piece of the DSP and created my own with the "Tropical Party" stamp set, using the Rock and Roll Technique (Beate's tutorial here) for the flowers, cut out leaves from the DSP, and added mircrobeads to the coconut to give it some texture.
The sketch is from Lord Have Mercy!

Music classes will be interesting today - I have NO speaking or singing voice - Oh well - I've had wordless classes before - they're actually more fun!

Hope your have wonderful conversations today - and find some silences to enjoy also. Thanks for stopping by, - Joan

Shabby Friends

Monday's Clean and Simple challenge over at Splitcoast was to create a Shabby Chic card. That's something I've never done - and I'm not that sure that I've got it right here. I think I need more shabby happenin'!!!

The colour scheme comes from The Colour Chef - Tan, Light Red and Black. I used Creamy Carmel, Riding Hood Red and Black.

The sketch comes from Mojo Monday.

I'm moving towards Thursday when my son has surgery on his wrist - If there are any pray-ers out there we'd appreciate the extra help. They're doing an arterial graft and a bone graft to try to bring two bones ends back to life which he broke 10 years ago. (They apparently didn't set right when first casted.) Being a drummer and a computer guru has wreaked a lot of havoc on the area and now we're down to reconstructive surgery. He's bummed because the long weekend is "wrecked" and he'll be in a major cast for 4 weeks and then a half cast for another 3. I'm trying not to be concerned - but the "Mom" gene is pulling pretty hard.

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday - and thanks for stopping by! Joan

Rockin' Birthday

Happy Monday - This is going to be a bit of a major week for me - so bear with me.

Today's card covers two challenges and I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. I'm not sure what happened with the black embossing powder; there must be a bit of something in it that created the little spots - but it fits this card okay. I delved into my little containers of left over letters and managed to find the ones I needed for the greeting. Allison thought it said "Hoppy Birthday", but in person you can see the little stick on the "a".

The two challenges are:
Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - with "a spin" to make it a card for guys.
Our Creative Corner - wanted a masculine birthday card.

You can tell we're working our way into getting ready for Father's Day - gotta practice up on those masuline cards.

Hope your day turns out to be Rockin'!!!! Thanks for stopping by! Joan

Among the Teddies

Just a quick post before heading to church.

Was dealing with a migraine yesterday which still wants to hold on today - so I'm sharing a scrapbook page with you which I created about a week ago. My son was about 7 months at the time and I had him sitting amongst all of MY teddy bears (and a couple of his). I used the "Pawsitively Prints" paper and the Build a Bear die.

Hope you have a wonderful day.....and I'm bound I'm going to beat this stupid headache so I can have some fun in the sun.

Blessings,
Joan

From Birth to Retirement

There are a couple of similarities between the two card I have for you today - Colour being the main factor although it wasn't intended.

The first Baby card covers a number of challenges...
Our Creative Corner Sketch - Sketch
CCEE - A card created with a nursery rhyme in mind - this is "Rock a Bye-Baby"
Colour Create Challenge - Aqua/Khaki/Brown/Cream - so I used Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.

I cut the baby carriage from Fun and Fast Notes and turned it into a bassinet - then attached it to the branches with wire through an eyelet. It does rock in the wind - but I promise it's secure enough that the baby won't fall!!!

The second creation uses images from Sugar Creek Hollow - Today is Fabulous Friday and so a Freebie Hummingbird is available for you HERE. All of the DT members are using the same colours in their
creations for you today - Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.

I love these alphabet flash cards that Tracy has created and I'm hoping that more letters will be coming in the future.

The sketch for this card comes from The Sweet Stop Sketch.


Be sure to check out the creations for the other Design Team Members - and have a Fabulous Friday!!!! Thanks for dropping by - Joan

Tracy-Owner♥ Dani ♥ Donna ♥ ME
Joseline-DT Co-ordinator ♥ Kristina ♥ Linda ♥ Loretta

Marsha ♥ Nancy ♥ Sarah

Stephanie ♥Cheri ♥Kelly
Cassie
May Guest Designer
Bernadette

Travel North?

A number of things came together today for creating this card - a friend from school is traveling to Amsterdam tomorrow for a couple of weeks, so I took the opportunity to create a Bon Voyage type card for her. What worked out well is that today on Crafty Creations the theme was "Around the World" - and although I don't have "worldish" stamps - I do have this Sentimental Journey stamp set. The sketch is from Splitcoast Stampers (SC280) and the colours are from Colour Throwdown.

Okay - so I just NOW noticed that the compass piece is mounted upside down on the card - OMG! Too funny - 'cause the card is for the school counselor - and she will get a huge kick out of that!!!

Hope your journeys are straight and on track!!!! Have a great rest of your day and thanks for finding your way here to visit.
Joan

Paper Roses

Well, I must say I've been enjoying finding out how to create paper flowers. I was given a sample of the magnolia flower that's out there right now....I'll share my project with you when it's finished. In the process of it's completion, I went looking for other patterns. Today's card uses the instructions I found by Beate Johns (Fresh and Fun) - HERE is the tutorial from SCS and at the bottom of it there is a video (for visual learners) - which is what I watched for the instructions.

The card also uses the sketch from over at Creative Card Crew this week.

It's the middle of the week, I have the afternoon off - WooooHoooo - and the weather is wonderful.

Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Shybear in a Birdbath...

Shybear always looks like he's having so much fun. Today I used the Mojo Monday Sketch. I love having the opportunity to use up the bits and pieces of retired papers.

I also incorporated the Squigglefly challenge which was to include dry embossing......I completely forgot about this aspect once the card was together - so decided to add the little butterfly at the bottom. Needed to stay focused.

That's all for now - I hope you are having a Terrific day and I appreciate you stopping by.
Joan

Happiness is.....

having a relaxing day with family and crafting! I Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that the Mother's out there were treated well by their loved ones.

I created this trio of flowers for yesterday's 365 Cards sketch and also incorporated the Our Creative Corner Challenge which was to create an anniversary card.

I used the Poppin'-Pastels technique for both the grass and the flowers. Here is the tutorial from over at SCS by Beate Johns. I really do need to pull out my pastels more often.


My second card for today is one that Allison created for me for Mother's day while I was at school one day last week. She then went over to where Grant was working so that he could sign it. I personally am astounded by how well she cut out those butterflies. I kept looking at them trying to think of which die cut she used - duh.....scissors.

Well, I'm off to work - hope everyone has a sun shiney morning to wake up to which works into a marvelous Monday!!!!
Thanks for stopping by - Joan

A Day of Casing......

'cause there are other things I want to be creating, and I don't seem to have the mojo for mine own cards today (see final card on this post!)

I spotted this first card over at Chat's blog - Me, My Stamps and I - on April 30. She did it in Bermuda Bay and Chocolate chip. I just loved how she layered the Lattice embossing with the Lattice die cut! I used the Brilliant Blue and Chocolate Chip because I figured it would be an opportunity to get rid of some of the bold bright brads that will fall by the wayside when the colour renovation takes place.

This second card is a case from Deb over at Stylish Creations. This paper is one of my favorites from this catalogue and I liked how she arranged the pieces and how she added the little tab along the side. On Deb's original card she used the new motorcycle from the Summer Mini. I finally broke down and got some of these silhouettes in the hopes of creating some more masculine type cards.
Finally - my card for two challenges. I'm not very pleased with how this turned out - the main piece was left over from an experiment a couple of months ago, and when I saw Mercy's sketch I thought it would be a chance to use it up. I was very disappointed when I couldn't find my gold microbeads to add more sparkle after I stamped a continuation of the swirls. Oh well! So this card has these challenges incorporated in it....

Lord Have Mercy! - Sketch #72
Stamp Something - Birthday Card


I'm off to continue the day with some scrapbook pages....I hope.
Hope you are having a great Saturday,
Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Fabulous Friday Easel Card for Mother's Day

WooHoo!!!!!! It's Friday! And I can hardly believe that there are only 7 weeks of school left - unbelieveable!!!......yes, for my American friends.....we go right to the end of June here North of the Border.

Today, the DT from Sugar Creek Hollow have created easel cards for Mother's Day. This gave me the opportunity.....forced me....to finally get an easel card made. I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out and am not afraid of them anymore.

The top "For a Special Mother" is still being offered as a FREEBIE over at Sugar Creek - so be sure to pick it up. I created the bottom sentiment so I could create my card with the Picnic Set which is BRAND NEW this month. There are four fantastic sets featuring these picnic images, jam images, graduation, and a Western Father's Day theme. They are available beginning today at Sugar Creek Hollow's new store website HERE.

Please make sure to take some time to visit the DT a see the different Mother's Day Easel cards they've created...

Tracy-Owner♥ Dani ♥ Donna ♥ ME
Joseline-DT Co-ordinator ♥ Kristina ♥ Linda ♥ Loretta

Marsha ♥ Nancy ♥ Sarah

Stephanie ♥Cheri ♥Kelly
Cassie
May Guest Designer
Bernadette

Have a Fantastic Friday!!!
Joan

Clean and Simple Pastels

Happy Thursday -
The only stamping I got done yesterday was at a Team Meeting......so I'm sharing one of those cards with you today.

This is another one of those stamp sets which I don't own.....but whenever I use it I kinda wish I did. We used the Poppin' Pastel technique - stamping the image in Versa Mark and using a sponge dauber to add colour with the pastels. A wee bit of glitter tops it off - I haven't used my Dazzling Diamonds in a couple of months - must rectify that - today perhaps.

The symphony went well yesterday (105 kids!!) and I'll get to talk to some of the kids about it today - a number of them came up to me while we were leaving the theatre and thanked me for taking them....sweet hearts. I think most of the parents enjoyed it too, although a couple complained about our seats - seriously - like I have any say in where we sit.

Hope your day is complaint free - send out those postitive vibes!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Cat in the Flowers

I always take inspiration challenges so literally!! ....Oh how I wish had some bold vibrant paper like the flowers shown in the print which is the inspiration over at Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog. I happened across the challenge yesterday and jumped at the opportunity to use my Fun Pun Cat.
I'm not meeting the challenge requirements though because I don't have any of Sassy Cheryl's images - but they are gosh darn cute!!!!!!! The sketch is from Cards and Things.



I'm a little nervous today because I'm taking (along with their teachers) all of the grade 1-3 students to the Winspear Centre to see the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra this morning (90+ kids). There are a lot of squirmy worms in the group - so we'll see how it goes. I think next year I'll stick to the Division 2 students only.

I hope you have a fabulous day and that some music travels into your life to lift you up!!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Joan

Silver & Cupcakes

Too bad I can't create a lemon filled cake for you here..... I got back from my conference in Winnipeg and found that Allison had been nipped by a baking bug. Please understand this child is never in the kitchen if she can help it. It was quite cute - two cakes worth - but cute.

The stack-o-cupcakes shown above fills the challenge for:
The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - Sketch
Corrosive Challenge - a Birthday card


This sage card - using one of my favorite series of paper for this current SU catalogue is based on the Mojo Monday Sketch.

Hope you had a great beginning to your week. Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Soon to be crafting....

Good Morning:
Got back from an Orff conference in Winnipeg yesterday afternoon, and although I did get into my stamping room, I didn't finish anything off. Bonded with the family instead. I've made note of today's challenges....so I'll be posting after school.
Have a wonderful day!
Joan

A trio of bikes

Happy Saturday - I'm not sure if the weather is good for biking in your neck of the woods - but here's hoping.....

Challenges for this card -
Friday Sketchers - Sketch
SCS Colour Challenge - Old Olive, Barely Banana, Ballet Blue


Thanks for stopping by -
Have a Super Saturday,
Joan