Travelling Adventure

Guess I'm still in a travelling frame of mind....and so are the gals over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  Their challenge for today was an inspiration challenge of "Beach/Pacific Coast Highway".  Not sure that I'd want to ride a bike on the highway but I don't have any car or shell images.  I do on MDS - but I'm itching for ink right now. (I did a lot of MDS pages while I was gone!)

The sketch for this card is from The Paper Players, which I've turned on its side.

I've used the faceted buttons for the first time, and I have had this twine in a little drawer for a while and had forgotten about it....

I'm going to spend the first part of this afternoon reading over notes I took at convention and making plans for the rest of the summer and the fall.  Bonnie Turber presented a session at convention titled "I am doing Business My Way" with Rhonda Wade and Tami White giving tips on how they run their businesses.  I have some things I'm going to tweak "My Way" also incorporating some of the ideas I got from Shannon West during her session "I am Having Fun".  I loved how she focused on the 5 senses during her presentation.

I got things put away yesterday but didn't get any stamping done because my daughter asked if I wanted to go to West Edmonton Mall with her.  Since she hadn't really seen me for the past 3 weeks I thought that was the best idea.

Hope you have someone special to spend time with today - thanks for visiting me for a bit.
Joan

Embossed Elegant Bird

I finally pulled out this bird die to play with.  I didn't purchase it right away - but I grew attached to it seeing some of the wonderful creations that have been done - and then using at an Extravaganza.... so I've used it for the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments to use birds in this weeks' creation.

I've incorporated the colours from the Splitcoast Colour Challenge - Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and the "dessert" was Lucky Limeade.

Finally - I've included "frilly" elements for the SUO Challenge; "Fancy Frills".

I realized when after I embossed the edge, that I don't have the matching scallop Edgelit....at least it was easy to cut out.  I know I'm going to enjoy all of the different paper piercing guides.   WoooHooo!!!!!

I had a fantastic time this afternoon at school with the grade 3-6 classes.  I created a campfire with a lamp, we sang the campfire songs that I taught them, and a mom came in to help bake some-mores for us.  What a blast.

Hope you have a great end to the your week!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Joan

Masculine Mojo

I created two cards for the Monday Mojo sketch this week.  Monday I was still in Calgary so I created a card on MDS that I'll use for a Thank You (that card is shown below).  Tuesday after school, I created a masculine version of the sketch to go along with the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.

As you can see, I have already used something from this weeks available MDS downloads.....I'm going to enjoy the Soft Blooms!!!

I was happy to come home to an apple tree full of blossoms!!!!!  I just love the apples from our tree - no idea what kind they are - just good to eat!  It's been raining all day, and that's been nice too.  Can't go out to play in the garden, so I can stay inside playing with paper this afternoon.

Hope your day has been good - thanks for dropping by!

Joan

Inspired by Spring

It's a bit drizzly today - so hopefully we will get blossoms soon.  Hand Stamped Sentiments is looking for Spring inspired projects this week.   When I arrived in Vancouver last Thursday afternoon, I loved seeing all the trees in blossom - a smile came to my face when I saw a row of trees with pink blossoms covering the branches as well as a blanket of pink below, on the ground.  It was a beautiful scene.  Our day will come in Alberta - we just need patience.

The sketch for today's card comes from Freshly Made Sketches.  I moved the arc of embellishments to the upper section of the circle so that they didn't interfere with the branch that I "pulled" off the circle.

Off to cut paper for my tea party on Sunday.  I'm excited because my daughter has offered to bake goodies for the event.  The house is going to be filled with warm smells on Saturday!  I'm just hoping for some self control!

Hope spring has blossomed where you are - thanks for visiting.
Joan

Easter Crosses

This card went through a bit of an evolution  through it's design.  I've used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, colours are from Color Throwdown - (Regal Rose, Lucky Limeade, Basic Black, Basic Grey) and the Easter theme is from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

I struggled with the sketch a bit, just because I was trying to add two pieces of coloured DSP in the background, and it just wasn't working - so I opted for simplicity.  The two background crosses were initially stamped grey on white.  I like this effect much better - white craft ink stamped on black.

Today holds bag prep for stampers and movie watching.  Later, I'll do some sweater knitting, and movie watching.  It's just that kind of day.

Hope your day pans out the way you like!  Thanks for stopping here for a visit.

Joan

Mojo Happiness

 I actually started this Mojo MONDAY card on Tuesday and finally got around to finishing it on Thursday - life just sometimes gets in the way of creating.  However, a lot got done in those two days - Tuesday was spent shopping with my daughter and Wednesday began with cleaning and ended up being a major purge of "stuff" - so that was a day very well spent!  So, today I have vowed to work in my stamp room most of the day....we'll see how that goes.

So - The sketch for the card above is from Mojo Monday - I changed that layering a wee big because the doily was initially showing under the ribbon - I guess it wouldn't have mattered once I put the flower on.

The colours are from Hand Stamped Sentiments - a yummy vanilla cupcake with "Pool Party" icing and a silver candy bead on top.  I used the pen from the "Rue Des Fleurs" set in the Occasions Mini; inking the florish with silver ink and the pen with black.

I'm getting ready for an Occasions Mini Open House on Saturday and since life has been busy, I've turned to casing some cards using the new sets.  Below are two that I cased from Sharon Field at Created by You.  I've changed colours, images or imbellishments somewhat - I like how she took the centre thread out of the quilted ribbon to use it on the tag below and I also like how she just highlighted parts of the umbrella.

That's it for now - I'm off to my room - looking forward to a great day!  Hope yours is full of productivity too.  Thanks for visiting - Joan

Happy Snow Day

At this point, I'm not sure we'll ever have a snow day this year - but winter has only just begun I guess, January could have a whole lot of snow in store. 

My creation today covers three challenges:
Hand Stamped Sentiments - is looking for a unique fold this week so I created an easel card, with the top part of the easel resting against a small pile of "snow" created with Dazzling Details.
Stampin' Royalty is challenging people to create a Winter or Christmas themed card.
SUO Challenges - is to create a Merry, Happy, and Everything Joyous card.

I added Dazzling Details to the tops of the letters to create the illusion of snow having fallen on them.  The Bear's toque is actually Sock Monkey's Santa Hat with the point removed; and I drew the snowy hills freehand.

Only one more day of school - and I must say - teaching until December 23 is NUTS - I can only imagine what the kids will be like tomorrow knowing the next day is Christmas Eve.  However, on a positive note - my two concerts went very well - as I knew they would in the end.

Here's hoping you are as ready as necessary for your holiday celebrations.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Simple Fall Gratitude

It's been a very busy weekend, and I'm glad to be home - frustrated with a stuffy nose - but glad to get home.  I had a great time at the Fine Arts Conference and learned a lot of new stuff to take into the classroom!  So - I've created a relatively simple card this afternoon to fulfill my stamping need. 

The Paper Players are looking for a fall element in this week's challenge - the trees are pretty much bare here and the leaves on the street have even been picked up so that's why I selected these lovely bare trees.  The sketch for today's card comes from Stamping 411 and the colours are inspired by a photo at Hand Stamped Sentiments.

I have a lot to look forward this week - hope you do to!  Thanks for stopping by.
Joan

Remember When

Leaves, leaves, lots of leaves...Hand Stamped Sentiments is challenging the use of Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie and Not Quite Navy - which works with SUO challenges of including leaves in your project and I've used the sketch from Stamping 411.

I did end up using Early Espresso for the bases of the leaves - and in hindsight figured that using the Not Quite Navy would have been pretty cool too.  I tried twisting the Seam Binding Ribbon, holding the twists in place with glue dots.  The punched leaf has been stamped with the veins from "Gently Falling" and then crumpled up.

The following are the A and B pages for the alphabet book I created for my husband for our 25th anniversary next week....all done on My Digital Studio.  I love the capability of being able to change the sizes of stamps - connecting them and manipulating them.

Hope your week is going well - thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Halloween Sentiments

 Well, I kinda think that the two day headache I had squelched some of my Mojo - I'm not that happy with this card - sorry.  The sketch is from Stampin' Royalty and this week the ladies over at Hand Stamped Sentiments are looking for Halloween cards.

I need to get some workshop business done this afternoon, and then I get to go out for dinner with my husband - gotta love Groupons!  Hope your evening is enjoyable too.  Thanks for dropping by!  Joan

"Quilted" Leaves

 

Oh, I just love these huge buttons - I just got my first package yesterday.  I didn't think I'd like them, but then I worked with them helping Tamye get her swaps ready for Founder's Circle....and I changed my mind!  I just may have to get more!

Today's card covers two challenges....Hand Stamped Sentiments is looking for embossing - either with an embossing folder or powder - I used both because I love how the square lattice embossing folder embeds punched pieces into the background so that it's almost quilted.  SUO Challenges are looking for fall colours.  

I absolutely love fall colours - they're just so me.  I miss the wide range of colours available in Ontario with the huge oaks and maples - however, on my walk to school this morning I noticed that Mountain Ash trees give a wonderful shade of red.  So it's all good...and...since I walked home by myself, I did some major shuffling!  Happy, happy, happy!

Hope you find something to bring a smile to your face today - and thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Joan

Get Well Flourishes

Thought I'd try clean and simple today.  This week's challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments is to use flourishes.  I've been wanting to use this stamp set for a while now - and when I looked at it I saw more than florishes - I saw flowers...sort of.  The get well wishes come from the SUO Challenges this week and the colours are today's Color Challenge over at SCS - Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight and a neutral.

I could give this to my daughter today - she's suffering from a summer cold - she's a bit annoyed because she wasn't sick all winter.  Oh well - it's a drizzly day today, so perfect for hunkering down in the covers.

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you have a wonderful day!
Joan

Summer Camping

Wow - I'm not sure about all the redness in this card - but it'll have to do.  There are three different challenges incorporated in today's card:

Color Throwdown - Using the rainbow palette....so we have very colourful sleeping bags today.  I used Elegant Eggplant, Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Poppy Parade.  I had started out with Bear being Tangerine and Daffodil (thank goodness for watercolour paper!!!!!)  Once he was on the card though, there was just too much red going on - so I dirtied him up with some crumb cake.

I had to give Bear a pair of Sock Monkey's glasses so that he didn't look so angry about camping. His teeth have been whitened with gel pen.

The sketch comes from The Paper Players this week.  I told Nance that I was going to try and think outside the box for the two circle areas (where the sleeping bags are)....but I still ended up using paper. :(       Ooops!!!  I just noticed on the Paper Players blog that this is suppose to be a Clean and Simple Sketch - Sorry - this may be a little overdone for that.

Finally, the summer theme of the card comes from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

We have a beautiful day outside so I think I'm going to go for a walk - I walked SOOOOOO much when I was in Ottawa - I need to make it a better routine.  We're also excited in our house tonight because we're going to see WICKED!  WoooooHoooooo!!!!!!

Hope your day is full of sunshine and excitement!  Thanks for visiting - Joan

Dragonflies for Dad

I've got three challenges happening with this card today. I finally got one created after being in my backyard for 4 hours cleaning out my flower beds. I'm going to have to rethink my whole gardening life because I can't do it on my knees anymore - I think I'm going to have to do more containers and put less into the ground.

Didn't see any dragonflies today - a bit too early still I think (here anyway). I did come across a couple of earthworms though and an interesting looking ladybug. She had more spots than I'm used to seeing. ANYWAY - when I saw the wall decorations in the thumbnail below, I knew what I wanted to do for a card today. The wall art is from Dali Decals which is the source for the Inspiration Challenge over at Splitcoast. The sketch is this past week's Splitcoast Sketch challenge, and the masculine theme (or Father's Day) is the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.

So, it was a productive day today, and I'm hoping to get to a greenhouse tomorrow to add some extra colour to the yard. Thanks for stopping by!
Joan