Falling Flowers of Thanks

I had to make a whole whack of Thank You cards this past week.  This design was inspired by Pat Tecza from Pinterest.  I liked how she took the Oh So Eclectic flower and made it fall down the card.  The sentiment that I've used is a very old Paper Pumpkin set.

I also liked how she used the thinlits to highlight one flower and the added pearls.

Because I was making a lot of cards, I opted to not add the thinlit and kept the card simpler with a band of ribbon.

Partway through attaching the ribbons I started attaching them at an angle...just to change things up a bit.

The question of the day - which one do you prefer?  Straight or angled?

Thanks for stopping by today,

Joan

Wood Mount - 143937 - $42.00

Clear Mount - 143940 - $31.00

Rainbow Butterfly

I played around with my markers, re-inkers and watercolour paper the other night.  Oh I could make a ton of these.  The butterfly didn't come out a dark as I'd like because of the watercolour paper - it's got a lot of texture - I'll try this again with embossing powder.

I didn't want to clutter up the front with a greeting - but it certainly could be used for any occasion.

It's Friday - woo hoo -

I'm preparing for "Chicks and Chocolates" tomorrow afternoon

Hope you have a fabulous day - don't forget

ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT OF SALE-A-BRATION

(sorry - the rainbow was calling to me)

Thanks for stopping by

Joan

Swallowtail Clear-Mount Stamp	129216
Price: $16.95 Swallowtail Wood-Mount Stamp 129213 Price: $21.95 6 X 9 Watercolor Paper 122959 Price: $5.95

Simply Black & White

I think some of my mojo has gotten blown away by the wind today.  It was a good day, but I'm feeling tired again - I guess the wind can do that to you.

I've created this simple card today for the clean and simple sketch over at Stamping 411.  I had been using this fantastic Mocha Morning paper earlier in the day, and hadn't noticed this particular piece - I just HAD to use it and created the ribbon flower - I wish some of the petals didn't stay so square!

Today I am in the city at a Stampin' Up! Regional event. Sooooooo exciting!  I'm sure I'll have something to post for you tomorrow.

Hope there is something you're able to get excited about today!  Thanks for visiting - Joan

Team Meeting Cards

 Coloured with re-inker and aquapainter - love the little pearl added on the side of the pear.

 Stamped with Craft ink and finished with clear embossing powder then sponged with colour.

 Only two layers - one colour - even more CAS than my card yesterday!

 Two Step Stamping - with chocolate attached!  WoooooHooooo/!!!!

Oh, it is nice that the summer is over and I can get together with my Stampin' friends again.  We had our first team meeting this evening and it was soooooooo good to catch up!  We made these four cards at our meeting tonight and I told Tamye that she has provided me with ideas (if not exact) cards that I'll use for my workshops in September/October.  All of them are quick, easy, but effective.    And I so love the idea of punching out a hole in the card for the wrapped up chocolate to fit in.  That is SUCH an easy idea for any season or event that the two "Wrap" sets provide.

I've taught today, been to meet the teacher, AND dealt with two sort of flat tires......I'm ready for bed, but looking forward to tomorrow and having lunch with a very dear friend.
Hope you have something to look forward to also!  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Clean and Simple Leaves

 I truly believe I have NEVER made a card quite as clean and simple as this - which is probably why I went ahead and tried another less clean one below.  The challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week is for Clean and Simple - and I must admit that I do like this crisp gold embossed card.  

I made things even simpler in creating it but putting all of my clear-mount stamps on the large block and stamping them all at once.  I used the SIMPLY SCORED to create the subtle lines in the background.

With this second try - I did exactly the same thing as above except I coloured the leaves with sponge daubers, not minding if I went outside the embossing.  I was going to leave the background plain, but the leaves looked a bit odd.  The bit of ribbon is slipped through holes created by the retired double slit punch; I then used the crop-a-dile to punch through the cardstock and ribbon to put the brad on.  To be honest - I really think I prefer my first attempt.

It was gorgeous today - I was happy to walk to and from school today with my husband.  He walks almost every day - even if it means walking home to pick up his car to go to a meeting.  I think I may be able to keep up with him this year - Knees complain a bit, but the walking should make them stronger!  Hope your day was fabulous to - thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Presto Chango

I am desperately trying to get ready for a SU garage sale - I keep getting a bit sidetracked....Anyway, I always do a make-and-take at my open houses, but this year I decided to give a choice (while quantities last) using already prepared pieces from previous card camps.

The first card in each of the above sets was the original,  done at previous classes or camps.  The second card is a remake, using new stamp sets or colours.  And voila - no extra cutting to do.  Yipeee!

Hope you find some shortcuts in your life today,
Thanks for stopping by
Joan

Hello My Friend

 Today's colours are:

Baja Breeze

Crumb Cake

Calypso Coral

I've used the new "My Friend" set and punched out that "dandelion fluff" with two different circle punches and raised them on dimensionals.

That particular sentiment is a bit too long for the normal word window, so I just elongated it a bit so that it fit, and then stamped the sentiment onto the Crumb Cake matt.  Thank goodness for the Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I remember when I bought it I didn't think I would use it all that much - boy was I wrong!

Hope you day is fantastic, thanks for dropping by,
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

Mojo Cycling

Well, I really must say that I am not totally happy with the way this turned out. I like the Mojo Sketch this week - I just think I missed the boat (ummm - cycle). I've also utilized the "Clean and Simple" challenge at Splitcoast today, which was to scrunch, or fold ribbon. I chose to use the crochet trim because I was using watercolor paper.

I think I'm stressing too much over my concert - things are not going as planned and so my creative energies are aimed at my kids - but I'll keep trying. I'm actually happy with a scrapbook page I created to offer as a class early next month - so all is well I guess!

Are you in the States - are your kids done school this week????? I remember visiting my Mom in Toronto - after being in school in Chicago - and my step-sister & brother were still in school for the first bit of my visit. Now I'm teaching until the end of June. Love it - but the kids were finished after spring break!

Enough ranting - thanks for stopping by for a visit!
Joan

Triple Sweet Dreams

Monday's Clean and Simple Challenge over at Splitcoast was to use the "Artist's Rule of 3". I almost put three sailboats on my card yesterday, but decided that it would not have been clean and simple! So, I pulled out another of the upcoming Summer Mini sets, and an alphabet set that I haven't used enough.

Raspberries are my most favorite fruit and I'm dreaming of when I can go into the backyard to pick them off the bushes - I know I have a long wait, but I'm patient!

Hope your Tuesday is off to a good start - Have a wonderful day and thanks for visiting.
Joan

CAS Friends

I'm still not completely secure with rockin' the Clean and Simple card. Yesterday's CAS challenge over at Splitcoast was to create a card using this one by (Maureen)Mama Mo Stamps as inspiration.
I've also used LAST weeks Colour Dare Colours which were So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz and Pretty in Pink.
One of the sets, Fabulous Florets, from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalogue is where the floral images are from. I spritzed the pink flower with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch.

Hope your week is going well, and I thank you for stopping by for a visit. Joan

Star Studded Birthday

Well, I finally got around to doing the Mojo Monday Sketch....on Friday night. I'm not quite sure where the week went.

I think this is such a fun sketch! You could do so many different things with it. I also incorporated the "Clean And Simple" challenge from Splitcoast which was entitled "Rock and Roll" so I knew all week that I wanted to use the Extreme Guitar, rhinestones and stars. I had planned on it being a girl's card - but having used the black and white, it could go either way.

I'm excited about going to a recorder workshop tomorrow and am hoping to gain some stuff to take back to my classroom since I'm working on recorder with Grades 4-6 right now.

I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend. Thanks for stopping by! Joan

Stamp Set/s - Extreme Guitar, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper - Whisper White, Basic Black, Neutral Paper Patterns
Other - Star punches, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals

First Color Dare of 2011

WooooHoooo - It's the first Color Dare of 2011 and what a fun combo it is...

Poppy Parade

So Saffron

Very Vanilla

I've used this week's sketch from over at the Corrosive Challenge. It makes for a nice clean and simple card. I'm sorry to say that I have some sort of aversion to too much plain paper and so I spritzed the Vanilla card base with the So Saffron and Poppy Parade ink. Gotta love that Spritzer tool! I was happy to use some of the Glimmer brads in the two featured colours too! Worked out perfectly. I've also noticed that for the second week in a row I've used a stamp from "Punch Bunch" which is one of the Sale-a-bration sets which will be coming out at the end of the month.

Hope you are finding some time in this new year to work on some challenges.... take this Color Dare and be sure when you post to a public gallery, that you label it CD92. Also, remember to post it over at the Color Dare Challenge Blog so that everyone can see your creation. You may even be selected as the Featured Stamper!

To get a few more fantastic ideas for working this Dare - take a peek at what the other Design Team members have come up with....

Glenda Wyatt
Heather Prince
Joan Jeffery - Me
Marisa Ritzen
Melissa Hubert
Nance Leedy
Riley Fitzgerald

Hope you are having a Wonderful Wednesday!

Thanks for stopping by

Joan

Stamp Set - Punch Bunch

Paper - Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla, Playdate DSP, Sunny Garden DSP

Ink - Poppy Parade, So Saffron

Other - Ovals Big Shot Die, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Glimmer Subtle and In Color Brads

Retirement Tree

My husband and I are getting more and more into the season of seeing our friends retire...so thought I should stock up on some cards for those events. This card was also created for the Clean and Simple Challenge this week over at Splitcoast - we were to base it on THIS card by Biggan.

I'm off to the surgeon today for my 6 week check up on my knee (although this is 9 weeks!!!) I'm hoping everything is as it should be.

Hope everything is fine and wonderful in your neck of the woods!

Stamp Set/s - Lovely as a Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper - Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Love Letter DSP
Ink - Basic Black
Other - Circles Scallops #2 Die, Big Shot, Black Satin Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Oval Scallop Punch

Clean and Simple

It's a clean and simple day today - although I created this a couple of days ago for the following challenges....

Card Positioning System - Sketch
SCS CAS - Bows

I used the Presto Patterns Specialty paper to create the butterflies and also as the small white square in the center. I thought spritzing it with red would help bring some of the design out, but it really didn't.

I know it's a bit early for butterflies - but they'll come around soon enough. Hope you're having a fantastic Friday - and that you move into a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Stamp Set/s - Baroque Motifs, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper - Whisper White, Real Red, Presto Patterns Specialty DSP
Ink - Real Red
Other - Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die, Corner Rounder Punch, Red Grosgrain Ribbon, sponge dauber, Mini Glue Dots

Morning Coffee

Can't say that I've been drinking a lot of coffee since I've been home - but I've been doing a lot of sleeping - so there ya go.

Challenges for today -
Mojo Monday - Sketch - I actually took the sketch and flipped it on it's side because of the wheel I was using.
SCS Clean & Simple - Bows

Any sort of hot brew would be nice today - we had a snowfall last night and the sky is clear and sunny today - so curling up with a warm cup and a book is a marvelous idea.

Hope you find time to relax today in this busy season. Thanks for stopping by - Joan

Stamps - Take a Sip Wheel
Paper - Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Sunny Garden DSP
Ink - Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzaz, Peach Parfait, Basic Black
Other - Oval Punches, Hole Punches, Glimmer In Color Brads, Daffodil Delight 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

CAS Friends Forever

Yesterday I got a couple of challenges done on
this one card before delving into the scrapbooking ( and yes, I got two spreads done - one was a single page and one a double - I've left everything out so I can hopefully keep the ball rolling today!)

GRAC (Glenda's Random Amusing Challenge) - Sketch
SCS CAS95 - Flower Accents

I decided to use up some discontinued rub-ons for this card. For the flower I took a piece of Pink Pirouette, spritzed it with water and crinkled it up. After laying it flat again, I brushed it with Pink Pirouette ink and then put it through the Big Shot with the Blossom Party Originals die. I much prefer textured flowers to flat ones. For the centre of the flower I added one single large pearl and then took one of the little "strings" of pearls to encircle it. Lickety Split - you have a wonderful flower centre.

Happy Tuesday to you - and thanks for stopping by! - Joan

Stamp Set - none (retired rub-ons used)
Paper - Whisper White, Concord Crush, Pink Pirouette, Lap of Luxery DSP
Ink - Pink Pirouette
Other - Top Note Die, Blossom Party Originals die, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Pearls, Tombow glue

Color Dare 85

I have a clean and simple Color Dare card for this week....
the featured colours are: Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride and Pacific Point. What a change from the fall and Christmasy colours I've been using lately. I quite like this combination that Riley has come up with for this week.

I've used the "Just Believe" stamp set - double stamping the tall flowers with with Melon Mambo and Blushing Bride. The floral discs are progressively raised to the top Melon disc which has two dimensionals raising it up.

I finally pulled out my "Tiny Tags" set and punch....the tag is attached with a rhinestone brad - which may not quite match the colours for this week, but blends in.

When you've finished your creation with these colours don't forget to post it over at the Color Dare Challenge blog so everyone can see it - and you could become our featured stamper. Also remember when posting on public sites to label your creation CD85. I hope you play along!

Now, take the time to see what the other design team members have come up with for this week....here are their links....

Glenda Wyatt
Heather Prince
Joan Jeffery - Me
Marisa Ritzen
Melissa Hubert
Nance Leedy
Riley Fitzgerald

Thanks for stopping by - Have fun Stamping!!! Joan

CAS Elizabeth

A quick Clean and Simple card today - I used this one this past week for a workshop and will most likely use it for some cards at church too....

I received the prototype from a stamping friend in the form of a get well card. She used the flowering branch from "Thoughts and Prayers". I hadn't used this Elizabeth stamp yet and thought it worked quite well.

Thanks for stopping by - and I hope you're enjoying your weekend.
Joan

Give Thanks...

For the Clean and Simple Challenge on Monday we were to use a card from a fellow stamper for inspiration...Cookiebaker. Her card is shown below.
I used the Season of Friendship set and an old Hostess from last year. I kept most of the colours the same......I was itching to put something on the base of the card, but refrained myself. I do like how it turned out.

We were lucky enough to have a couple of entrepreneur boys rake our leaves and mow our lawn this past weekend......The leaves are still falling.....but it's not quite ankle deep anymore along the sidewalk.

Hope you have some leaves to shuffle through.....have a wonderful Tuesday and thanks for shuffling by! Joan