Umbrella Thoughts

Well - considering I was challenged outside my comfort zone, I'm pretty happy with the end result.  This week at Friday Mashup! half of Amy's challenge was to use different patterns.  Because I'm a GenX gal, this goes against how I was brought up - but a challenge is a challenge and I was up for it!

I took DSP from Patio Party, Summer Smooches, and the new Sycamore Street.   I guess I really didn't follow the guidelines I learned from Carrie Cudney in the "I'm a Pattern Mixing Pro" session at Convention this summer - one of her RULES was to stay with the same package collection.    But then she also said that rules were made to be broken.

The sketch comes from Freshly Made Sketches.

So here are the challenges

1. Make a project using "Different Patterns".
2. Or Make a project with the three or more colors from "Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo, Early Espresso and Sahara Sand".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Patterned Project with the Challenge Colors".

If you want to join the Friday Mashup you'll still have time, but I've just sneaked in under the wire for the Freshly Made Sketch challenge.

Hope you are having a marvelous day.

Thanks for stopping by.

Joan

Love Heart

It's hard to believe it's the end of the week!  I could totally not go back to school on Monday - only because I've been getting a lot done at home.

I did a Friday Mash-Up Card today 

1. Make a project using the "Sketch".
2. Or Make a project featuring "Hearts".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project using the "Sketch and Hearts".

I love this paper - the colours are so cool - and it matches the embossing folder, which is a plus!

I had an unexpected opportunity to see Elliot today - I took his mom to shop for an outfit for his first birthday; which is coming up this week. WOW, this year has passed quickly!  So... I took some quick pictures of him playing with the toys.

Hope you were able to play with some toys today - craft like or other! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

MashUp! and Catch Up!

Even though there hasn't been a lot of blogging since I got home from the mountains - there has been a lot of scrapbooking in order to catch up on my 31 pages in 31 days.....

But first - I participated in the Friday Mashup! this week which was...

1. Make a project with "the Sketch".
2. Or Make a project w/ a "flower or multiple flowers".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project w/ "the Sketch and a flower or multiple flowers".

I just happened to have some of these newsprint flowers left over on my desk from a scrapbook page - so I decided to put them to good use.

And now here are 8 days worth of scrapbook layouts to catch up on the 31 Pages in 31 Days.  I'm actually going to end up with more than 31 pages because some of the layouts are double spreads.

I had this page completed before I left for Banff, but when I took a picture of it the light wasn't very good.  My Day 12 colours are a bit different than Lyssa's who is leading the charge with this 31 pages in 31 Days.  I kept the layout pretty much the same, except where I elongated some of the mats so that I could get more of the picture in.  I also chose to use Gumball Green instead of Wisteria Wonder.

For Day 13 I decided to use Grant's Grad Photo and a couple of photos from that day.  He sure did look good in his kilt that day!  In order to add a little bit "extra" to the Crumb Cake bases, I spritzed them with the Silver Smooch Spritz.

 For Day 14 I ended up changing quite a few features - Lyssa's focal point was a hand made film strip along the side.  I've ended up with bubbles all over the page.  I had quite a bit of fun doing this.  I cut circles from our window sheets and used them to mat both the pictures and the letters.  The letters have been adhered with glue dots and then the "bubbles" have been raised with dimensionals.

Lyssa's layout for Day 15 had 6 photos...I opted for 5 because of the sizes.  I kept everything else pretty much the same except for the sentiment and I've added the hearts that I punched out from the glimmer paper......gotta love that glimmer paper!  I also love the rhinestones that are connected in a string - makes them a whole lot easier to put around a shape.

I've done a number of MDS pages for Elliot, but had't given him his own paper page yet.  I changed this Day 16 layout a bit by separating the "boxes".  Lyssa had the smaller one inside the bigger one, but I wanted to put Elliots photo in it - so used the smaller box to write the details in.  

I loved how Lyssa took the Modern Label punch and folded it back on itself to attach it to the page with brads.

Allison was not happy when she saw this page.  She had been annoyed that I kept taken pictures as she got Grant to show her how to flick her fingers....she decided it must be a "boy" thing 'cause she just couldn't do it.  Lyssa's original Day 17 layout had tiny banners from a Simply Scrappin Kit.  I used one of the framelits with the International Bazaar DSP to create my "banners".  It took a couple tries before I got the colours and papers figured out for this one.

I worked on this Day 18 layout today - and I know what photo I'm going to use, but I need to get it enlarged and changed to black and white.  This is my first "hybrid" page because I used MDS to create the title banner.  There are two things to note about this layout.  Lyssa used our First Edition DSP and layered a bit on the top and bottom after distressing it.  I like how the buttons and ribbons were used at the top....and the fancy little lace piece sticking out from under the banner is actually a piece of wax paper put through an embossing folder - awesome idea that I would never have come up with myself.

Finally - Day 19.  I had some things that I had to do today, so I pretty much did the sketch exactly as Lyssa laid it out.  I did realize as I was putting it together that my dimensions were off - but I'll make it work with pictures I have.  I was amazed that I actually found the piece of last year's Christmas DSP that Lyssa had used for a base.

That is it for today!  I'm desperately trying to get rid of a two day headache before going with my husband to see "Jersey Boys" tonight.  Mind over matter!

Hope you are having a fantastic weekend....thanks for stopping by....sorry there was so much to look at!
Joan

Mashup! Forever and Always

Oh how I love black and white cards!  And that's what today's Friday Mashup! involves - including the Bling!

1. Make a project using " Black N' White Only ."
2. Or Make a project with " Some Bling ".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Black N' White Project with some Bling! "

I've used Everything Eleanor and fussy cut the "mat" and the flowers; so everything is popped up with dimensionals.  The rhinestones are in the centres of the flowers.

This is today's "31 Pages in 31 Days" sketch by Lyssa Zwolanek.  I knew when I saw the little squares that I should use some of my old photos - of me - when photographs were square and matted and black and white.  I thought of cutting off the white edges of the photos, but because they have their rough edges, I thought they sort of added something.

These two people, my paternal grandparents, meant the absolute world to me.  They raised me in more ways than my parents did.  

Lyssa's example is done in Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red and Daffodil Delight.  I changed out the Daffodil for Basic Grey and the Riding Hood Red for Cherry Cobbler.  I added a little Basic Grey ribbon, and bit of punched lace and some butterflies.  I will scribe something for the circle section but I want it to be perfect.

It has been a wonderfully perfect day so far....two challenges done and my beautiful daughter, Allison, came down to ask if I'd eaten breakfast and would I like her to make some blueberry pancakes for us.  Duh!

Now I'm off to do some shopping - 

Hope your day turns out perfectly!  Thanks for dropping by to visit.

Joan

Graduation Mashup!

I guess we're heading into that time of year - now that I don't have kids in high school I tend to forget about graduation.  Although, at my time of life, I know a number of people who have gone back for Master Degrees and so I decided to create this Friday Mash Up! for a more mature graduate.... the challenge...

1. Make a project for "Graduation".
2. Or Make a project using " Text or Definition Stamps and/or Paper".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Graduation project with Text or Definition stamps/papers".

I guess I was sort of inspired by the photo that went along with the challenge too...

The sketch for the card comes from Just Add Ink this week.

I love the little grad hats!   I hope that if you have a graduate in your life this year, that it is a happy, exciting time for everyone.  Thanks for stopping for a visit.

Joan

Joy Fold MashUp!

What a fun Friday MashUp! this was this week!  We had to work from a Tic Tac Toe board and use a Fancy Fold...

1. Make a project using " a Special Fold".
2. Or Make a project using the " Tic Tac Toe Board".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Special Fold card using Tic Tac Toe"

I got so excited about doing the Joy Fold, that I almost forgot about using the Tic Tac Toe Board..I'd already decided on the paper...which wasn't bright and I knew I wasn't going to use a baby theme.....so I went with Pearls, Ribbon and Buttons.  

I hope that you are having a very Blessed Easter!

Thank you for taking time to visit.

Joan

Kite Mashup

Today's Friday MashUp! is...

1. Make a project using "Colorful Twines".
2. Or Make a "Kite themed" project.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Kite themed project using some colorful Twine".

The little set with the kites is one of the few out of the Occasions Mini that I didn't end up getting.  So I had to get a kite shape from someplace else - I actually ended up tracing Laureen's image off my computer screen.  I used a wee bit of the Pool Party Coloured Twine - I love it and must remember to use it more!  Hopefully it will continue to be available.

Well, I've decided today is the day I'm going to purge one of our basement rooms that gets stuff thrown into it.  Gonna crank up the music and get to work.  

Hope you have a fantastic Friday!  Thanks for dropping in for a visit.

Joan

Two Down, One to go...

Busy, busy, busy.  Conventions and report cards are now done - kids get their report cards at the end of this next week, but I've met the deadline for having marks in!  Now, I just have to get through Music Festival on Monday and Tuesday and I'm clear to look for other stressors.  Ha ha ha!

So - I was very pleased to be able to actually create one of my own cards today before moving on to cutting and prepping for next weekend.

I've used the Everybunny set from the Occasions Mini and incorporated the colours from the Friday Mashup - ....yellows and greens and the sketch from Stamping 411.  I'm sure this is the first time that I've only done one part of the Friday Mashup - the second part this week was to create a treat basket - this bunny's basket probably doesn't count for that.

Well, I'm off to cut paper for an event next weekend, and I just realized that I have to make sub plans for tomorrow - yeuk!  Oh well.....

Hope, if you are busy with chores and activities today, that you enjoy doing them.  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Smooch Spritz Mashup!

Even though this post is coming in late I'm pleased that I got the Friday Mashup done on Friday.  I will be using this card in my demonstration tomorrow.  First - the Friday Mashup begins with an inspiration photo

1. Make a project using the "Inspiration Photo".
2. Or Make a project using the colors "Cherry Cobbler, Regal Rose & Whisper White".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project "Inspired by the photo using the colors Cherry Cobbler, Regal Rose & Whisper White".

I used the Paper Doily Sizzlits die and used it as a mask for spritzing the Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz over top.  It got a bit heavy in some section, but was okay once it had dried.

I think I'm ready for our Extravaganza tomorrow - I'll have more to share with you then - and one more spritz idea.  Have a wonderful weeked - thanks for stopping by.

Joan

Challenging Challenge

I kind of struggled with this card today - don't know if it's the weather, the headache trying to come on or what - but here we go!

I've used the Friday Mash-up and the sketch challenge from Create with Connie and Mary.  The Mashup! is:

1. Make a project using "Paper Piercing".  
2. Or Make a project using the colors "Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red & Early Espresso".  
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project with the "Color Combo & Paper Piercing". 

The colours are good together, I'm just not happy with the way my coloured ones turned out.  The poor things are a wee bit pilled from the blender pen!  Oh well, texture is good!  I added the paper piercing around the edge of the tag.

Here is a picture of dear little Elliot with his eyes opened and duded out in a scarf and hat knit by an Auntie.

Hope your weekend is turning out well.  I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon concentrating on not letting this headache take hold!  I will win!!!  Have a good one - and thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Embossed MashUp!

 I've been working on Christmas cards all week so I was thrilled this morning when I saw that this weeks' Friday MashUp! was moving away from seasonal cards.  The SUO Challenge this week was to create a card for someone you're thinking about - my aunt hasn't been feeling very well lately, so I will be sending this her way.  The mashup today is:

1. Make a project featuring "A Girly Theme".
2. Or Make a project using "Your Favorite Technique".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Girly project using your Favorite Technique

I love embossing - both heat and "dry".  Heat embossing is just so magical!  I used white embossing on the Melon Mambo piece and then coloured in the leaves with white gel pen.  The flower pieces were put through the Big Shot with the Finial Press embossing folder.  (I don't believe I've ever written down that folder name before! Ha ha)

I haven't shared any pages from my anniversary book for a while - so here are the next two in line.....

 My husband has come to my classroom a couple of times on Valentines day delivering a huge Hershey Kiss for me and  packages of small ones for my students.

Laughter is an important part of any relationship - good for the spirit, good for the soul, good for our health.

Hope you find something you can laugh about today - I'm off to get ready for a class tomorrow.  Have a good one!  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Silvery, Snowy Thanks

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted a card - AND the fact that I missed an entire Friday Mashup!  I have been busy these past two weekends, and I did spend this whole last week preparing for a Christmas Trade Show - but still!  Well, I have this whole week off - so in between doing report cards and tweaking things for the next Trade Fair - I will be catching up on my usual challenges.

So - this week at the Friday Mashup they were looking for heat embossing and gratitude.  We've celebrated our Thanksgiving already - so I thought I'd gear my card towards thanks at Christmas or in the winter.  The sketch is from Stamping 411.

I embossed these wonderful Serene Snowflakes with silver embossing powder.  I used the Versa Mark Pen to touch the snowman's buttons and added embossing to them also.  The Lace Ribbon Border was punched from the Brushed Silver Paper as well as the one little Northern Frost snowflake which I had leftover in a drawer waiting to be used.

Well - I am thankful for this week off - I've got lots of upcoming events planned and need the time to prepare, in addition to necessary jobs, reading, cleaning, napping! 

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Let it snow...well, not yet!!!!!

 I'm fine with the fallen leaves right now, and the crisp clear air - don't want the white stuff yet - but I do like snowflakes - and that's what the Friday Mashup is all about -

1. Make a project featuring "Snowflakes".
2. Or Make an "Easel Card".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create an "Easel Card featuring Snowflakes"

Easel cards are fun - and I do enjoy making them, now that the initial fear of them has subsided!  And as the quote on the Friday Mashup states - "A Snowflake is winter's butterfly".  I think that's wonderful!  So - I used the "Snow Much Fun" 'cause these snowmen are so cute - and I used the silver glimmer paper with the Northern Frost die.  I just HAD to add rhinestones to the centres of the snowflakes, and a mini jingle bell to the end of the snowman's hat!

Here are the next two pages in the anniversary book.....

 

 Grant - our musically talented son - who drums in a band and creates wonderful piano pieces that  make me stop and listen

I'm looking forward to more  holidays together!

Hope your working into a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Fall Brad Mashup!

 Well, I'm sad to say that this is my last posting as a guest designer for the Friday Mashup!  I have thoroughly enjoyed my opportunity to work with these talented ladies.  The mashup is a fun concept and I will continue to work on these weekly challenges!  So - for this final Friday of September the mash up, which is a Fan Favorite Pick created by Lisa Runyon, is:

• Make a "Fall themed" project
• Or Make a Project that uses "Brads...lots and lots of Brads".
• Or "Mash it Up" and create a fun "Fall themed project that uses lots and lots of Brads".

One thing I love about fall beside the crunchy leaves on the ground, are the Black Eyed Susans which come into perfect bloom at this time of year.  I walk past a yard which has a whole bed full of them, and some other little groupings scattered around in other beds.  I smile each day I pass and see this one little grouping, standing tall and unwilted while the other plants around them are beginning to fade.  They're just so happy looking.  So - they were my inspiration for this card - and I chose to use brads to highlight the "eyes".

The Crochet Trim has been changed up a bit.  At the Regionals I was at two weeks ago, one of the home-office demonstrators showed how to colour the trim with ink.  You need to wash it out a bit first to remove the chemical that is on it - otherwise the ink sort of beads on top of the fibers.  I just rinsed the trim out with a bit of handsoap, dried it with my heat gun and then applied the ink from the ink pad with a sponge dauber.

Be sure to head over to The Friday Mashup! to see all the FALL-icious cards the DT have come up with.  Be sure to link your own creation to that blogsite and when posting on a public gallery remember to use FM26.

The last two Saturdays have been spent at Stampin'Up! events - now tomorrow I'm attending an Orff workshop.  Should be full of musical fun, fun, fun.  Hope your weekend is gearing up with things to look forward to.  And thanks again to Holly for the opportunity and privilege of being a guest designer for September!

Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Mash(ed) up Directions

 WooHoo - it's Friday again- and Mashup time.  I can't believe how fast this week has gone.  I've been holed up with My Digital Studio finishing off my Anniversary Alphabet book for my husband (25th next month) and I finally got it sent off for printing last night.    So now I can stay focused -   Today's Mashup is:

1. Make a card using the "Sketch above that is Square".
2. Or Make a Project that has a "Masculine" theme.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Square Project with the Sketch above that is Masculine".

I love this sketch - so many things could be placed where the stars are.  I'm just not sure if I really want to trust this bear with all his arrows?  He has such a mischievous look on his face, holding all those arrows. There are just so many options for young people out there today - it's hard to make a decision!  You need a lot of confidence.

Be sure to find your way over to the Friday Mashup! to check out all the wonderful creations from the design team.  When posting your creations be sure to tag it with FM25 on public galleries.


So - hope you have a path to follow today - it's Friday, so my walking path to work veers off towards a 7-11 where I can get a more special coffee than I get at home.  Gotta love Fridays!  Hope yours is fantastic.

Fall Mashup!

Have you shuffled through any leaves yet?  I have a little bit - I'm waiting for the big piles though!  Fall is my favorite season and so I was excited about this weeks Mashup! - Here it is...

1. Create a project with an "Autumn" theme.
2. Or Create a project using shades of "Yellow & Orange".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Autumn project using shades of Yellow & Orange".

I haven't used Autumn Splendor yet this season, and I have never embossed these leaves either.  Wow - they look fabulous embossed in gold.  I used Peach Parfait, So Saffron and Cajun Craze for the leaves as well as stamping those colours on the background piece. 

I really wish we had big oak trees here in Alberta - but alas, we only have small oaks, not like the ones in Ontario or the Okanagan.  But believe me, I'll take any kind of crunchy leaves to shuffle through - nope, never gonna grow up!

So, don't forget to pop over to the Friday Mashup! to check out the beautiful creations by the Design Team and remember to use FM24 as a tag when you are uploading your creation to a public gallery and also link it back to the Mashup! blog.

Hope you're enjoying some autumn splendor - thanks for visiting

Halloween Webs & Pumpkins

 

Oh I had fun this morning with this creation.  It's for today's Friday Mashup! 

• Create a card using Lesley's sketch  OR
• Create a card using dry embossing  OR
• Mash the sketch and the dry embossing together on one card

I LOVE using my embossing folders so that was easy, and Lesley's sketch was easy to work with too!  Once I decided to create a Halloween card, I used the Spider Web embossing folder - but the "busy" part of the raised web was in the "wrong" corner for the sketch - so I turned the paper over, saw the valley's and thought - Dazzling Details!!!!  I tried doing the same thing with Two-Way Glue and Dazzling Diamonds, but I didn't get the same effect.   I did think ahead and placed the matting on the paper so I knew where I DIDN'T have to put the Dazzling Details.

Last night I created a paper pumpkin for display at my Open House tomorrow, and thought a little stick-out pumpkin would be perfect for this card too - so I took the smallest oval punch and punched 6 pieces using some left over embossed "matting";   folded them in half and glued them together using TomBow Glue.  I left the pumpkin "open" so I could use that flat area to attach it to the card.   For the leaves and runners I used the leaves from the Bird Builder punch (omiting all but the bottom leaf) and used a skewer to roll the "stem" and, again, attached them with TomBow.

It's been a productive morning - I'm anticipating more of the same for the rest of the day.  Hope things are working out for you on this fabulous Friday!  Thanks for stopping by.