Do What You're Told!

I was really interested in the double-embossing technique which was featured in the new Stampin'Success Magazine - I got my magazine yesterday and knew I wanted to try it out today. However, I figured - "Why do I have to use the brayer - the versa mark ink will go onto the embossing folder easily." -----yeah - it went on so easily that I got it on the indented AND raised sections of the embossing folder. Thus the reason for using the brayer to apply the versamark to the folder! Needless to say I created the background piece twice! And I will make sure that I will follow the instructions from the wise people at Stampin'Up!

Today's creation is for the Splitcoast Ways to Use it challenge to add Music to your project in some way.

I hope you had a wonderful day - and did what you were told most of the time - within reason of course. Thanks for stopping by! Joan

Tiffany and Giraffe

This lamp image, from Sugar Creek Hollow, was a favorite as soon as I saw it. I knew I wanted to colour it similar to a Tiffany Lamp, and I knew I wanted to cover it with Crystal Effects in order to make it more glasslike. I actually have two layers on the lamp to give it more dimension. You can't tell in the photo because it's so subtle, but I have lightly sponged the "white" section with the blue and pink...just enough to take away the starkness of the white. I coloured two of the little flowers from my Pretties Kit with the matching ink and also coloured three of the centers so they would alternate. I apologize that I do not know where the "frame" around the lamp comes from. I got a set of them from a Devine Secret Sister - I do like them.

My second card works with two challenges - The Ways to Use It Challenge on SCS was to use orange on our card....I used Pumpkin Pie and
Only Orange. The sketch is from over at Our Creative Corner Sketch Challenge. I left any sentiment off of the card so that I could use it for either a birthday or even a congratulations for a baby. Three of the giraffes have been done with white embossing powder. The central giraffe was stamped onto Only Orange paper with Versa Mark and then embossed with clear embossing powder. I coloured in her spots with a white gel pen and tied the ribbon around her neck.

I hope you are having a good evening. Thanks for stopping by!

Success!!!!

Our Creative Corner has challenged people this week to use something that they purchased a while ago, but haven't used yet. I bought this wonderful "Chairs for You" set from Flourishes almost a year ago. They got buried and then one day I saw a card someone had made where they used DSP for the upholstery of the chair - that clicked in my head, but I still didn't pull out the set. So - today I did. I used Bella Bleu paper for the entire card - I just love it! The sketch is from Sweet Stop Sketch.
The flowers are from Mulberry Street. I don't have much of this sort of thing in my house - but I did buy these on an outing not too long ago. The middle flower is actually white, but I took my SU water colour crayons and Aqua Painter and touched it up with Creamy Carmel so it wasn't so stark against the Vanilla/Kraft base.

My second card is for yesterday's Featured Stamper Challenge on SCS....HamiltonGal. I picked Laurie's card - here - as my inspiration. I changed the colours and used DSP which was not on the original card. I hadn't used my "Build-a-Brad"s for ever so long that I figured they would work well on this card.

And finally - I know it's not that big a deal to the world - but I FINALLY finished my 2000 piece candy cane puzzle today. My husband bought it for me about 4 years ago, and though I am a professed puzzaholic, I balked at this one. I just
couldn't get my head around it. I was told I wouldn't get any more puzzles unless I finished it - that didn't even get me started until this year. I began about a week or two before Christmas - and put the last piece in today. Now I just have to decide which puzzle to do next - until I buy a new one!!!!

I hope you are having a wonderful day - and that you're enjoying watching the Olympics - if it is something you do.

Joan

A Day of Triples

I think Saturday has got to be my favorite challenge day on Splitcoast. I love the sketch and colour challeges because the stretch me sometimes. But on Saturday, I anticipate which website is going to be the headliner for the challenge of inspiration - and whether it will be art, clothing, or food.
This week I visited Etsy's Geninne's Art Store. There were so many wonderful bird pieces to choose from but these three caught my eye right away. If I was more of an artist I'd have worked with these two-step punch birds a bit more so they did their "cousins" proud. I am happy with the way the card turned out though - except for the glistening glue spots. I've also used the sketch for this past week from Splitcoast on this card and the Ways to Use It Challenge which was to use an odd number
of things on your card; whether it was images or embellishments.

For my second card I used this week's Colour Throw Down
which was Blush Blossom, Sage Shadow, and Riding Hood Red. I've used the SCS sketch again but flipped it on it's side.

I should really try to get some school work done tomorrow - report cards are going to be coming out again soon. I can always reward myself with more stamping if I work hard.
Blessed Sunday to you all - thanks for stopping by -

Snow and Collage

Good Morning:

I had fun creating this first card. The Ways to Use It Challenge last week was to create a collage card/project. I decided that I would go into my little drawer of bits and try to piece the card together that way.

What I have ended up with is a collage about myself - I guess. The ONLY thing that I had to stamp for this is the Philippians verse at the bottom...which of course represents my love for God and my knowledge that I can do all things because of the strength He gives me. The cups represent the mega amount of coffee/tea I tend to drink, the butterfly is for my love of them and if I could have included a dragonfly I would have. The tiny little bird is on top of the cello which , along with the treble clef stands for my love of music - listening/singing/dancing. The bird itself represents the fact that I will stop in my tracks just to listen to a birds' song. Buttons and ribbon match my history of sewing and crafts......and the Favorite Teddy - yeah well - I may be 51, but I find absolutely NO shame in cuddling a stuffed animal!

Okay - enough about me!
This cute little snowman was drawn by Tracy Vinson's niece. Tracy is the founder of Sugar Creek Hollow. The DT were given this cute little guy to work with a couple of weeks ago - He's now a freebie available at the Sugar Creek Hollow website. You should pop over there today to meet more members of the design team.

It's hard to see in the picture, but I cut each of his snowballs out and layered them with dimensionals - his middle section sticks out a bit further than the other two. I covered each snowball with Two way Glue and then added the Dazzling Diamonds. He has black seed beads for his mouth and eyes.

I hope you are working your way into a wonderful Wednesday!
Thanks for stopping by,

PS - ONE MORE FANTASTIC EXCITING PIECE OF NEWS I HEARD YESTERDAY - My Up-Up line in Stampin'Up! - Tamye Dunbar - won one of the Workshop(s) of a Lifetime - so sometime in the near future we'll be having an event with Shelli Gardner - WoooooHoooo! Tamye Rocks!!!

Bold and an old Revision

Saturday's Inspiration Challenge was from a website that had purses - Espe - and Oh my word I love purses. I believe it has become my "midlife" obsession. The one I chose for my card is at the left - My card turned out NOTHING like I would have
wanted, but close. I've included a couple of other challenges with this card too....

Thursday's Ways to Use It Challenge was to add some textile to the card and over at Saturday Spotlight the challenge was to add something bigger than you usually use. I have a very hard time with these big Pretties flowers so thought it would become my challenge. I used a dauber with Gable Green so it
matched the one on the purse. I then layered some felt flowers which I keep forgetting to use.
To Centre it all off I added a rhinestone brad in the middle - can you tell??? :) WOW!

Next, I've started to think about cards for March's Technique Tuesday Workshop. I came across a card which I did at an Extravaganza a couple of years ago and I liked the layout. I don't have either of the stamp sets, and the colours were old "In Colours".....so I revised it into the card you see at the left - I used "Special Blessings" and "Three Little Words" I had to play around with the colours a bit because I knew I HAD to use
Cameo Coral.....I ended up with a whole bunch of packages and can't remember why.

The technique I used was Rock and Roll which you can find here through a tutorial by Beate Johns.

The body of the card is 4.25 X 11". It's scored at 5.5 and 2.75''. Only half of the bird layer is attached to the body of the card. The Scallop section is put on with a dimensional and then the frame is tucked underneath at the corner to keep the card closed.

Well, I'd better get to bed - gotta teach tomorrow. It's also my birthday and we just never know what the staff may have in store - so I'd better be rested and prepared. It's a short week too because Teacher's Convention is Thursday and Friday - Woo Hoo!!!

Thanks for Dropping by -

First Digital Project

Yesterday I used a digital image for the first time ever. I happened across Designed2Delight digital stamps and found a challenge using digital images and decided to try it out. I'm sorry that the writing is fuzzy in my picture. I'm excited about doing challenges on Delightful Inspiration's blog - the images I've seen so far are very appealing. So....that was challenge #1.

The second challenge I've included in this card is Thursday's "Ways to Use It" challenge which was to use something new.....in this case - the digital image. I may post another card using some of the stamps I've purchased from companies other than SU.

Next, the "Limited Supply Challenge" using only pinks, reds, black and white and some sort of polka dots within the creation. The Razzleberry Lemonade DSP has a very subtle dotted sheet which I used for the two side strips.

Finally, the sketch is from Stamp Something - or rather - Sketch Something for this week.

I'm excited about today because I'm going to a Stampin' Extraveganza with my Upline. Tamye and Lori put on such wonderful events. We'll be stampin' a whole whack of projects that I'll be sharing with you later. I hope you also have a wonderful day. Thanks for dropping by.

I incorporated yesterday's sketch challenge while creating these cards which go along with the Ways to Use it Challenge today.

The first card is for a very dear friend of mine who let me borrow her sewing machine in a pinch when mine decided to go on strike.

The second is truely for the challenges....the Ways to Use it Challenge was titled "It's About Time"...I decided that although I appreciate some of the technology that we have these days, I enjoy the artistry and personality of tools from days gone by.

I hope that you are all enjoying the last day of the year and that the New Year will bring you all you strive for.

Happy New Year - Joan

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

Welcome a Star Baby

Today's Splitcoast Challenge (Ways to Use It) was to create a card using stars. I decided to use up some of the old scrapbook paper I had from a Simply Scrappin' Kit from the last catalogue. Unfortunately, it used the old In Colours - which I have paper for, but I don't have the inks anymore. I've also decided that I'd like some star hardware, because, again, I'm finding this a bit plain.

Hope all is well wherever you are - and that you're not buried too deeply in snow. Happy Stampin - JOAN

Three More

Here are three more creations from the "left overs" from the Flower Power Card Elements Kit.
I used a Sketch Challenge and a Ways to Use It challenge for this first card. The "Ways to Use It" required that a quote of some sort be used on the card. I also used the Big Shot to punch out the flower - I have a bunch of extras punched that I'll have to use up on the remaining cards.

I cut one of the die-cut stickers in half and snipped out the centre for this Thank You card....just for something different to do. I love
this funky little flower shape.

The Hi card is based on this past Weekend Sketch Challenge from Beate.

I may venture away from these papers this afternoon and try today's colour challenge....or just finish up with the scraps. Who knows! I'm a wee bit weary having gone to physio at 7:30 this morning - but I gained another 6 degrees of flex in my knee so that's good. Hope everyone has a wonderful day. JOAN

Flower Power

Good Monday Morning:
Here are some of the cards I created on Saturday. I took out my "Flower Power Card Elements" Kit that I had purchased a while ago - Dutifully I created the three cards that were designed for the kit. Then I decided to use the rest of the materials to make original creations. However, I decided that for each coloured card base, I would have to limit myself to the adhesive die cuts that were used for the original card.

So, here are the other two cards that I created using the Old Olive base. And....wait for it....I finally completed some challenges with these cards. I haven't done a challenge in soooooooo long!!!!!

The Celebrate card is the Sketch Challenge from October 22. It also incorporates the Ways to Use It Challenge by having only one word on the card. I used
my Big Shot and the Naturally Serif die to get the letters for the word.

The Thank You card is the Sketch Challenge from September 16. I liked how I could split up the different pieces of designer paper to make the various sections.

I'll get into the stamping room this afternoon to finish up some more. I had a pretty good weekend.....had a visit from the girls from work - Including Amy! It was good to sit and chat. My daughter and I went to a purse party yesterday, had a great time and spent too much money. But
my husband did tell us to buy something ( I believe his exact words to Allison were "make sure Mom buys a purse") and to have fun. So - we did!

I hope you are all having a wonderful beginning to the final week of October. Happy Stampin' JOAN

ATC Lunch Notes

For yesterday's "Limited Supply Challenge" we were asked to make little ATC notes that could be put into our loved ones lunches as the school year begins - or business day begins I suppose. This card is just 3.5X2.5". I've made this size for technique samples before - but not for a note itself. It's sort of useful in it's small way!
Thursday's Way's to Use it Challenge was to add jewels to the projects - thus the square rhinestone brads!!!!

I've used two of the new In-Colours with this card. I finally decided to crack them open - wanted to use up this past years - but couldn't stand it any longer. The two I've used are Pink Pirouette and Pacific Point. I just love this blue!!!
I CAN'T WAIT until the 11th to order from the new catalogue.....and to finally order the Big Shot!!!! I'm doing scrapbook pages - and boy is that tool going to come in handy for titles!!!!

For our customer gals - stay tuned to your e-mail for a newsletter full of wild and crazy new stuff!!!!!

Have a great day - If you're heading to the Edmonton Folk Festival - Have a great time! JOAN

Wow, Early Thursday!!!

It is absolutely CRAZY early for me to be doing this post, but I lucked out and the challenge was already set on Splitcoast. I decided to meet the challenge before I went to bed because I'm going to be paint hunting and cabinet making tomorrow....so......

Thursday's "Ways to Use it Challenge" involved spice.....from your cupboard....way cool!!!!! (or hot depending on how you want to look at it. ) The cards that were posted already are awesome so be sure you check them out.

I decided to use whole peppers. My colours are Mellow Moss, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip....because those were the best ones to match the little peppers. This was fun, I did it in probably half an hour....and now I'm heading to bed. Once I'm done my chores tomorrow, I'll probably do the Colour Throwdown Challenge of the week.

Thanks for dropping by....Hot Happy Stamping - JOAN

Summer....Yipeeeee!!!!

Well, I've made a copy of this previous weeks' challenges on one sheet so I can play a bit of catch-up. Slept in.....read my book on the deck with my coffee, and now I'm trying to stay cool in the basement with my stamps. What a wonderful start to my summer vacation!!!

The whole back piece of this card was made a couple of weeks ago for a sketch challenge....it didn't work for what I had planned that day, but it's been sitting on my table waiting to be used. The focus piece is suppose to be circular, but I missed that part when I put this together. I added the little bird sentiment which takes in the Technique Challenge of using re-inkers for watercolouring, and also the Ways to Use it challenge which asked for birds to be part of this weeks projects.

I know they start WAY too early in the mornings (4:00am here in central Alberta) but I love listening to the birds' songs! Hope you all have some pleasant music in your day, thanks for dropping by - Happy Stampin' - JOAN

No Transportation

Okay....this is a stretch for the Ways to Use it Challenge this week. We were to "pack our bags" and the cards could be anything about traveling. Well, I don't have any modes of transportation to use...although I remembered later that I do have that little rocket from Pun Fun. But I don't think you'd actually pack a suitcase for a rocket.

Anyway....I decided that we were travelling to a sister's house to visit the family. It took me quite a while to get the tag from AtoZ Accents stretched out to fit everyone's label, but I used my stamp-a-ma-jig. I'm regretting adding ink around the edges of the tags, they may have been better clean, oh well, they'd get mussed up travelling anyway.

I've also centered the card around this weeks colour challenge.

I've been absent from blogging because I've been puttering in the garden after school. By the end of all that I'm exhausted. Greg and I are off today to a choir practice to sing at a friend's ordination into the ministry tomorrow. So, tata for now.

Thanks for dropping by - Happy Stampin' - Joan

Dragonflies for You

I finally got around to last Saturday's Inspiration Challenge....We were to find something from the Dreaming in Colour website to inspire us. As soon as I saw this cup I was hooked...I love it.









I decided to do the Ways to Use it Challenge which was to use Inchies. If you didn't have any, which I don't, then you could make little 1" pieces yourself. I've also incorporated today's Limited Supplies Challenge which was to use an alphabet set for the sentiment.

Yeah, well.....silly me for thinking I could stamp black letters on glossy paper without smudging....grrrr. And then I noticed later that there's a tiny little thumb print, which doesn't show up too much on the photo. Oh well, it's just me putting myself into my cards...LOL.

I've added just a hint of Dazzling Diamonds to small parts of the wings. It looks like sunlight hitting them in real life.

It's a beautiful day in Fort Saskatchewan today....wind has even died down a bit. I'm heading into a day of errands in Edmonton....looking for dinosaur bones and other such interesting stuff.

Thanks for dropping by.....Happy Stampin' - Joan
I've given you links to the galleries for the challenges in case you'd like to see all the fantastic creations by other people.

"Excused" from Choir - So - Stamp, Stamp, Stamp

Well, my dear conductor husband "allowed" me to stay home from choir to get some stamping obligations completed. What a dear!!!!!
The first card was the last one I made...I wanted to do another challenge this week. This is the Colour Challenge, Ways to Use It Challenge, and Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge (which I'm late for).
The "Ways to Use it Challenge" was to include ruffles or pleats on your card. I took two scallop punched pieces of Soft Sky, folded them in half, punched a hole out of the middle and cut a slit into the centre inbetween one scallop. Then I accordion folded each piece and tacked them
together to form the outer ring of the flower.

The Bugs and Kisses card is a complete case of a card done by Heather at Stamp with Heather. I needed a card for this weekends workshop and I liked how she altered the double stitched ribbon....she pulled out the white threads....how awesome. I've changed the colours and a few other little things but check out her blog if you haven't....she's very creative.

The next two cards are blatant cases of my own card...LOL. I wanted to do a simple technique for these workshops so I changed the colour of the card I created for the
debossing challenge a few months ago. First I made the card in Taken with Teal and then tried in Ballet Blue. For the Ballet Blue card I took Wild Wasabi ribbon and pulled out the white threads. I just love that idea because sometimes the design you have doesn't suit the stitched ribbon, but you'd like to use the colour.

Thanks for stopping by...
Happy Stampin' - Joan

A Happy Stampin' Day...

I got a wonderful surprise in the mail when I got home.....this fabulous card made by Danielle Kennedy at Wild Dragonfly Designs. I had commented a while ago on a wonderfully cute frog image she used on one of her cards she had posted on her blog. She then offered to send me some stamped images and they arrived in the mail today along with this card. I honestly don't know which to exclaim with excitement about first....So.... First: I love this card, the colours are so funky and so are the flowers. It's a perfect spring card in a city whose snow has finally stopped after two days. It really brightened my day.

Second...If you know me, you'll know that I'm telling the truth when I say that I squealed with delight when I saw the frog images Danielle sent. ( I have yet to grow up despite my age, much to the embarassment of my daughter and probably some of my friends.) There are four different poses and they're all great. I'm afraid to use them 'cause I don't want to muss them up....but I will use them....just wait and see!!!!!


Allison had a snow day today so the dear girl did her laundry, cleaned her room, and started packing to go to Disneyland, Therefore, I was able to stamp this evening. (A Happy Mom is a Happy House). This card is the combination of today's colour challenge (Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, and Certainly Celery, last weeks "Ways to Use It" challenge where you had to add something acrylic on your card, and it's sort of, kind of, Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge.

I stamped the square button using Staz-On Ink and I separated the words on the stamp by covering up each line I didn't want inked with tape.

Colour Challenge Gallery
Acrylic Gallery
Beate's Weekend Sketch

I've got to look up some airline information and then I'm heading back (hopefully) to my stampin' room.
Happy Stampin' - Joan

Cow Parade???

Today's inspiration challenge on Splitcoast was based on the Cow Parade figurines.
Oh my word, there are tons of differently decorated cows. We didn't have put a cow on our creation...which is a good thing because I don't have any cows....but we could pick a cow and use it for inspiration. I choose one called "Gotspots" shown in the thumbnail. It was a tough choice because I also liked the "Cowmedy and Tragedy","Tutancowman" and "Here comes the Sun". I decided this cow got the whole barnyard to participate....
This card has ended up with three challenges in it... Inspiration - (Gallery), Ways to use it - (Gallery) and the Limited Supply - (Gallery)

This was fun to do.....
Happy Stampin' - Joan