Collectible Tidings

It's Wednesday - but here is the Merry Monday Challenge for this week.  Stitches and buttons are what are called for this week.

Has anyone noticed how many times I've used that embossed background????  It's because I have a bunch left over from a stack camp and I'm slowly putting them to use.  My stitching around the edge is a bit uneven - but then, it would be if I was truly stitching it also!

Hope your week has been moving along fine.

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

Joan

Psssst….

Psssst - I can't believe I've done two posts in one day!!!  I participated in the Friday Mashup this afternoon before getting back to convention prep - before babysitting Elliot this evening - Yay!

The mashup this week is:

1. Create a project with "Sketch."
2. Create a project using some "Sponging". 
3. Or Mash it Up and create a project with "Sponging using the Sketch

 I love sponging!  I especially enjoy sponging two colours around one edge - like I did on my sentiment piece.  I used a blender pen and ink to colour in the flower…….can't wait until we get the Blendabilities!  WoooHooo!

And now I'm off - hope you're Friday has been fantastic!  Thanks for visiting!

Joan

Noel & More

Sad to say, but I finally got around to playing with the November Paper Pumpkin today.  So, I made the prototype and then went off on a tangent with the other three - I still used the November base, banner and stars - but added  elements from previous Pumpkins - and some upcoming new products.

"You're the Best" comes from the upcoming "Just Sayin'" set with matching framelits.

When I saw the new "Ampersand" embossing folder, I knew I just had to get it for my daughter!

Hope you're having a wonderful Boxing Day.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Joan

Halloween Mashup

I got a chance to do a Friday Mashup card on the weekend....and then I used the basis of it to create 19 other cards that I'll be giving away.

The mashup was...

1. Create a project using "the Sketch."
2. Create a "Spooky" project.
3. Or Mash it Up and create a "Spooky project using the above sketch. " shown below!

Hope today is going well for you!

Thanks for stopping by.

Joan

Truly Grateful

In between getting ready for my Christmas in August, I've MADE time to play with some of my new toys so I would have some new things to display at the workshop.

I've focused on fall for this one:  Truly Grateful caught my eye right away when I saw it in the Holiday Catalogue....that "wooden" chevron and the bundle of wheat are wonderful.  I took a piece of the burlap for the lower layer. The little cluster is made of leaves cut from the Sweater Weather DSP using the Autumn Acents and a piece of chevron ribbon.  The little button is one of the Designer Very Vintage buttons which I have dipped in Versamark, gold embossing powder and then heated.

I am enjoying the summer weather, but I love love love fall - all those leaves just asking to be shuffled through; but I don't want to rush things.

Hope your week has been off to a fabulous start - thanks for visiting.

Joan

Amazing You

I got to play with a couple new toys yesterday while using Freshly Made Sketches

I put together the Chalk Talk stamp set and I can't wait to get the Framelits that go with it...so for now I "fussy cut" the swirly image.  I've also used one of the new Hostess Sets - Express Yourself.  I like the font and it has a wide variety of greetings to use.

A Very Vintage button has been tied on with Espresso Ribbon and I've used some of the new Soho Subway paper.  

Just 15 days until the new catalogue goes live - so much new fabulous stuff.

Hope you are having a sun shiny day - Thanks for visiting!

Joan

'Brellas & Boots & Piano Hands

The Friday Mashup! this week included using umbrellas in your project - I tried very hard to absorb the positive energy from this card, considering it was snowing yesterday while I was making it.  I know spring will come, I know spring will come.

The second part of the Mashup was to use a Double Z Fold.  I was going to use a belly band to help keep the card shut, but it would get in the way of the umbrellas - so I decided to use the Decorative Label punch tucked under one of the umbrellas to keep it shut.

The Kissing Technique was used for the second umbrella using "Beyond Plaid".

Here is the Challenge:

1. Create a project using an "Umbrella Image".
2. Create a "Double Z Fold Card".
3. Or Mash it Up and create a "Double Z Fold Card with an Umbrella Image".

I've also been working on getting Elliot's "First Year" book finished.  This is a plain and simple page - but it's a theme we will return to repeatedly.  

Here is the first time we took piano pictures.

He's my little sweetheart!!!!

Hope you have someone in your life that you absolutely love to pieces - young or old!

Thanks for dropping by -

Joan

Butterfly Wings

I thought of this card this morning before I went to school after checking what the sketch was yesterday over at Freshly Made Sketches.  I knew right away that I wanted to do something different than the Top Note Shape - and decided on the butterfly....and I knew right away that I didn't want it to be lying flat on the paper.  So, before I left for school I stamped two "exact" images of the Swallowtail and left them to dry.

It's taken a while to finish the card this afternoon - I'm a bit distractive these days - but here she is.  

I cut out both butterflies, but only attached one duplicate wing so that only the wing flies off the page.

I am totally loving this Swallowtail!  Hope to see it in the July Idea Book!  (Just saying.)

Hope you've had a marvelous day.  I came home to cupboards and a fridge all cleaned out and re-organized.  Gotta love Reading Week!  And my husband is hot on the campaign trail for Vice President of the Alberta Teacher's Association....so it's been a good day for everyone here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Sunday Stamps Affection Collection

I'm so sorry this posting is late - I was in an area that was not computer friendly this weekend and then forgot about things what with Sunday Family dinner last night.  So I apologize!

This weeks' Sunday Stamps are my  choice of colours this week - Gumball Green, Marina Mist and Soft Suede.  When I picked them for the challenge I was thinking fall - but then my card turned into a card for my husband.  I'll be giving it to him next week for our anniversary.

I used the Affection Collection set for my creation - using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get all the "Love" lined up on the Soft Suede piece.  I also enjoy that linen ribbon for stamping on!

Give these colours a whirl - the girls on the Design Team have some fabulous creations to inspire you! Don't forget to link your creation to the Sunday Stamps Challenge blog so we can take a peak at it.  You may be selected as a Guest Designer.

I can't believe it's October now, and with the things I've written down on the calendar I can tell this month is going to fly by!  Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Merry Monday Bananas

Oh Yeah - back in the swing of Christmas Cards on Monday......It was a fun easy sketch today - I added an extra element, but for the most part I stuck to Lesley's design.  I was glad to use these scraps to create the card - that was an extra bonus!

Allison was glad to see another set of her dance pictures make it to a page today for the 31 pages in 31 days - headed by Lyssa Zwolanek.  Lyssa used the Floral District paper today which was bright and "girlie" - that's what made me go through the dance pictures to see what I could use.  Subsequently, my page isn't quite as bright as Lyssa's sketch (I used the flip side of the paper she chose), but I had tons of fun creating it. 

I delved into my retired paper scraps to use the Glorious Green to go with the costumes, and then I just had to add some chunky glitter to the page.  What's a dance page without glitter!

The Title is done on MDS and then cut with a Framelit die.

Those little bananas are not Stampin'Up! of course...but we had purchased them to go with this page.

I finished my daily challenges, did some chores,  and finally had a wonderful evening visiting with family.  It's been a fabulous day - the beginning of a fabulous week.

Hope things are Fabulous in your little corner of the world.

Thanks for dropping by.

Joan

No. 1 Friend

This is one of the sets we received to do Make & Takes at Convention.  It's called "Affection Collection" and it's in the upcoming Holiday Mini.  I was using it a fair bit yesterday, getting my Make & Takes from Convention finished, so I decided to pull it out again today.

The sketch is from Create with Connie and Mary - I've missed doing these challenges being away from my craft room for three weeks.

I'm off to do more crafting - I didn't get as much done yesterday as I intended.  I've realized I'm becoming more distractible - must be an age thing!

Hope you have something you can stay focused on today - thanks for visiting.

Joan

You Are

I am....working outside my comfort zone today!  

The sketch for today is from Freshly Made Sketches,  I'm using buttons and brads from SUO Challenges and the colours are from Splitcoast Stampers this week.  That's where I feel outside my comfort zone - every time I see Real Red requested in a challenge I cringe a little.  I love red - I just don't grab it to combine it with anything other than black, white or navy blue.

The images for this card are from the "I Am..." set which we won at convention if you collected 6 or more "secret words" from the sessions you attended.  I've used this Paper Piercing Mat for the first time...easy peasy!!!!  Love it!

Thought I'd share Elliot with you today.  I missed him the three weeks I was away and was glad to go over to his house for dinner when I got home from convention.  I took a bunch of pictures and a video of the cute way he has of maneuvering himself across the room.  Grandma and Grandpa will need to get a gate soon!

Hope you're having a wonderful day - Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Canada Day Sunday Stamp Duo

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

We'll be having a busy day here today - Pancake Breakfast, Trivia Questions before the Parade, Lunch and fun and games at my Canamaniac friend Amy's house.  It will be Elliot's first Canada Day, so we're looking forward to spending the whole day with him too!  Don't think we'll be going to the fireworks though since we have to be on a plane at 1:00am tomorrow morning.  WooooHoooo!

AND it's also 

Sunday Stamps!

It's a sketch day at Sunday Stamps - and it's a perfect sketch if you're needing to make a card in a pinch.  Any shape could be used where the circle is  - and that's exactly how this card duo ended up being created.

I had initially created the card with the sail boat - a week ago when I knew I needed to get some of my challenges done ahead of time before travelling on holidays.  Then I realized that this post would go live on Canada Day - so I turned around and created a second card, which you see above, using today's holiday as a theme;   proving that any shape can be used where the circle is in the sketch!

  The two bands across the middle of the sketch provide a lot of room for creativity and for this sail boat I chose to use fibers for both - I'm loving the new stitched ribbon for the new In Colours....and the twine is a wee bit nautical.

 Here's the sketch for you to go by and for more inspiration, be sure to stop by the Sunday Stamps Blog to see what the rest of the Design Team came up with this week.  Be sure to link your project back to Sunday Stamps so we can see what you've created.

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians.

Have a safe and fun celebration!

Joan

Shipload of Thanks

Happy Tuesday everyone - Here's my Friday Mashup! Creation....  The mashup for the past week was...

1. Make a project using the "Sketch".
2. Or Make a project using the "Ghosting (aka VersaMark Resist) Technique".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project using the "Sketch & the Ghosting Technique".

I hadn't done the Ghosting Technique for a while.  I did it two different ways though - the ships have clear embossing powder over top of the versa mark because I sometimes find the white doesn't stay white.  The Earth does not have any embossing powder added.  Both turned out okay.

I kept the sketch pretty true to form - I adjusted it for a more masculine theme by omitting a "ribbon" at the top of the tag and added the globe for the extra embellishment.  Those little holes at the top are not part of the original sketch and they were SUPPOSE to be brads.  I decided they were too close together so I left them as "Paper Piercing".

I'm off to take a nap - a bit late for one, but I'm weary.  I came home exhausted after an awesome weekend of music - and I caught a cold while I was at it.  So resting is the plan.

Hope you are well in your part of the world - thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Fresh Creation

 I do not like how my camera deals with Cherry Cobbler paper!  It's always so dark - even when I "fix" it through editing, it just doesn't look like it does in real life.

Oh well - today's card comes courtesy of Create with Connie and Mary and Freshly Made Sketches.  I knew as soon as I saw the sketch that I wanted to create a scene that I split into panels.  Unfortunately I don't have many sets that can work that way - and I'm NOT getting more!!!! (Who am I kidding - of course I'll get more as soon as the new mini comes out! - Duh!)  The colours today are from Create with Connie and Mary - Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard and Basic Black.

I created a second card for my Mother's friend since I wasn't sure how happy I was with the Concord one.  I'm going to send both of them to her and she can make her selection.

The sky looks like it's not quite sure what kind of weather it wants to throw at us today - I got all my plant pots and deck furniture dealt with yesterday so I'm pretty much ready for anything now.

Hope you're having a wonderful day - and thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Mucho Mojo

 I ended up creating two cards using today's Mojo Monday sketch.  The Soft Suede Butterfly was my first creation with a background collage using images from Established Elegance.  It took a while to get to that point because I was dead set on using Mocha Morning paper - but it just didn't work out.  I do, however, like this final result.

The second card might be a birthday card for a friend of my Mother's.  This photo didn't turn out very well.  I used Concord Crush, and I may just do it over again using a lighter background so that the collage of images shows up better - they are the important part of this card.  I'll give it another try tomorrow.

I got my report cards done today - I told myself I had to before I got to play.  The other thing I have got to do this week is get my head around what I'm going to have the kids doing for this years' Christmas Concert.  Time will fly by once this little break is over.

Hope your mojo is working for you today.  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Heartfelt Kisses

 I have a coupler of challenges meshed into today's card - Hand Stamped Sentiments have a Think Pink Challenge out because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - so I pulled out some pinks and decided I had to use the lips again - and when I glanced at the "Floral Fillers" set, I wondered if I could use the Kissing Technique with the lips - and it worked perfectly.  The sketch is the Saturday Sketch from Stamping 411 and although I missed the deadline for posting a link, there was a die cut challenge at Just Add Ink - so that's why I added the swirls along the bottom.

I noticed once I saw the card on the computer that I added absolutely no bling of any sort - I may have to fix that - add some rhinestones or something.

Below are the next two pages in my anniversary book...

 I had fun stringing these little people together.  And one of the main logos for our school board has been the apple with the check mark in it - so that worked well too.  I LOVE the grunge set - especially the little pieces of tape!

This flower page is a case from someone on MDS - I regret not writing down whose ideas I borrowed for a couple of my pages!

It's pretty windy here today - still walked to school though and it wasn't too bad.  I hope your day has been a good one - and thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Baby Mojo Dino

I really wasn't sure until the last minute what image I was going to use on this card - but I'm glad I picked the Dino.  The sketch is the Mojo Monday sketch for the week - it was fun to work with - to decide what to use for each of the panels.  There is "suppose" to be a bow in the upper corner - but I opted out for the nest that this little guy flew from.

The colours spoke "baby" to me, so it fits with the Just Add Ink challenge this week which was "Just Add Baby".

Hope your Monday was fabulous - Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Stamping Withdrawl Finally Overcome

Well, I finally got into my stamping room today.  We arrived home from a holiday on Tuesday night and I spent a couple hours catching up with my daughter.  Yesterday I slept, deadheaded flowers, tidied a bit and opened my SU boxes.  Yipee - Christmas in July!  Oh, and went to see the last Harry Potter movie with Allison last night.

Today I cleaned up in my stamping room and picked one set to put together and use for today's post.  I chose the sketch from Just Add Ink and the colours are from a blog I've been following for a little while, but hadn't done any challenges yet - My Create, Ink.  The colours for this week are - Perfect Plum, Riding Hood Red, and Lucky Limeade.  When I saw to floral colours and a leaf colour I just had to pick this new Hostess Set - Faith in Nature.  I can't wait to use the pear that is part of the set too.

I also got to use some of the new Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon - Love it!!!!

Hope your summer is going well - it was a bit hard to take off directly after school was over - left a lot of things undone at home which have to be done now - but it's all good.  Puttering with the jobs and eating meals on the deck in the sunshine.  Can't ask for more!!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Joan

Color Dare 107 Revisited...

 
Due to the busyness of life, we have reposted Color Dare 107.  I'm not home to create a new card for this dare - but here is a review of last week's post.  And seriously, you can never get enough of a good DARE!!!
Today's Color Dare is:

Marina Mist

So Saffron

Certainly Celery

When I pulled the colours together I immediately thought of a baby card.  I haven't used this roller much, so thought it would be the ticket!  That tiny tag punch is perfect for a couple of the extras from the Baby Bundle Set.

If you take up this Dare please link your creation to the Color Dare Challenge Blog and if you post to a public gallery use CD107 for this week.

For some further inspiration you can visit the other members of the Design Team at the following links...

Adriana
Joan - Me
Kathryn
Kim P
Kim R
Laurie
Lesley
Lori
Riley

Have a fantastic crafting day - Thanks for stopping by!

Joan