Quick Post!

 Just a quick post this evening! I was hoping to have a very productive day and get some of my Christmas to do stuff off of my list, but alas playing with the kids and visiting with a very good friend won out! Found a quick minute to finish this card up while waiting for a phone call. Simple and glittery. The way I like it!

I Love Frosty Days, Warm Hearts and Cool Friends!

I often get quite bored with the same old colours for Christmas! There really is only so much you can do with Green and Red! Today was one of those restless days where I promised someone in Texas that I would be productive and kraft (in honour of a special someone). It was difficult to concentrate and found I just couldn't do the same old boring colours, so decided to break out of the box so to speak. It broke me out of the funk I feel like I have been in and was able to get a  lot done after I got it out of my system! :)

I love these little snowmen and can't wait for the snow to come so we can build our own little snow people out in our yard! (Sshh, I know... no talk of snow yet! I so enjoy it though, until about January 1st!)

My Recipe:

Cardstock: Core'dinations
Patterned Paper: 3 Bugs in a Rug
Stamps, Ink, Ribbon and Embossing Folder: Stampin' Up!
Stickles: Ranger
Miscellaneous Embellishments

Copics Used: B0000, B000, B12, B14, RV09, YG91, YG93, RV09 & E15

Christmas is Coming! Do you Believe?

This year has been difficult on my creative mojo. My supplies were all packed until recently and my heart wasn't in it. But, I got over a major hurdle and started unpacking the incidentals. I picked up some new supplies at my LSS and got started with my Christmas card making. I try to put a lot of time and effort into my cards so the recepients know how much they mean to our family. My goal is to do a card every couple of days and by the time the holidays are here, I will have enough to send. I was hoping to have these all done early this year. But, with a little Chritmas music, sone Candy Cane tea and some inspiration around me, I will get there! I Believe in the spirit and magic of Christmas. Do you?

My recipe:

Stamped Image: Kraftin' Kimmies Stamps
Ink: Memento
Punch & Cut outs: Stampin' Up
Twine: Martha Stewart Crafts
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Donuts: Stamping Bella
Stickles: Ranger
Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle

Copics Used:   R27, R29, W00, W0, W1, Y32, YG97, YG99, E000, E00, E11, R20, RV95, E35, E37, E39

  

Howdy Cowpoke!

This is a card for a special little cowpoke, our nephew who is a cowboy through and through. He loves to get down and dirty with the cows, be in the mud with his electric horse (quad) and is the first to jump up in the tractor and help out. For 8 he is such an ambitious kid and is following in the footsteps of his great-great grandad, great grandad, grandad and dad.

The recipe:

Stamp: Craftin' Kimmies, Patterned paper: Flair Designs, Patterned Cardstock: Bazzill, White Cardstock & Inside sentiment & Brads: Stampin' Up, Assorted Copics, Front Sentiments Stamp: Memory Box, Punches: EK Success, Twine: My Kitchen!

Graduation....

This is a card I made for my bf's girlie. She graduated from Grade 12 last June and I wanted something different and unique for her card. I find that graduation cards all look the same, so I did something in her style and the colours she likes.

Recipe: Pearl Flourish - Prima, Stamps - Inkadinkadoo, Ink - Memento, Cardstock & Paper Flower - Bazzill, Miscellaneous Patterned Paper from my scrap bin, Sentiments - Computer Generated, Diecuts- Stampin' Up, Brads - Doodlebug.

I had the immense pleasure of photographing M's graduation photos. I was honoured when my bf asked me to do it, and was happy the setting was at their home.... We kept it simple, easy and natural, just like M~! Peanut was with us and kept us in stitches the whole time (and was spoiled by his Auntie E, as always!).  These photographs were  a couple of my favorites. The candid was us walking towards the back of the property. Peanut loves his M and she treats him like she is his big sis. I love that they each have a foot up and the generational difference of M commencing school and Peanut beginning it.

Winter Warm Up!

I love this image! He is so cute. Last week when it was cold and really blowing, I thought I needed a winter warm up. So, I decided to grab some hot chocolate, and while waiting for the milk to simmer, I got inspired and coloured this guy. I think everyone knows of the snowman soup poem, generally used at Christmas, but figured why not use it all of the time? So, I made a couple different ones, with some vanilla stir sticks and marshmellows and hot chocolate to go with some cookies that I made for a couple of really special friends.

Recipe:

Stamps: High Hope Stamps (Love this company!)

Snowflakes are from Hero Arts, Flowers are Fancy Pants, Patterned Papers are the Merry January line from We R Memory Keepers, the library clip, the ribbon and the Whisper White paper are Stampin' Up, Glitter Ritz (Purple Highlight), Bazzill cardstock (Saguaro), the stitching is done on my sewing machine and I used Copics to colour in the image: W6, W7, BV000, BV00, B60, BG72, BG75, YG91, YG93, YG95, E35, E37, E42,E97, E99.

A Bunch of Drafts....

I have a bunch of posts in the draft column due to computer issues. My macbook is so full and my back up system has been having issues that my IT guy has not been able to solve thus far. So, I haven't been able to save pics to the computer. Enough of that! :) I deleted some movies and made a little room in the hopes of getting some pictures posted... finally. So, expect to see a few posts over the weekend!

This is a little something I whipped together for a friend last week. She is having a rough time as 2 very close family members are battling end stage cancer. Sometimes when life is challenging us, a little something simple and from the heart means so much. It is no secret that I love to cook and bake and make jam. So, I made a loaf of whole wheat bread (it was actually still warm when I took the picture, hence the steam!) and gave her some of my peach jam I made this past fall. Just something for a quick bite when coming or going to the hospital.

All of the papers and punches, iSave Nownk and stamp is stamping up. Just used a little baker's twine to tie the bag closed and to put the fabric on the jar.

Getting ready for the New Year....

We love to keep our children's heritage. So, this week, we are getting ready for Chinese New Year, which is on Thursday. It is the year of the rabbit, so I thought I would do something fun for the ones who share celebrating this holiday with us. It is really difficult to find cards for the holiday. There are some at Hallmark each year, but they are often the same design and are not really all that fun!

I love this image! It comes from Mo Manning at Mo's Digital Pencil. I am a big fan of her work, and look forward to upcoming releases. This image is so personal for us as it looks like Miss Q does in her little piglet snow suit. Unfortunately, the colours don't come through well as it was taken with my phone.

Cardstock is Bazzill. Image is stamped on Bella's Best Paper. Patterned Paper is from the "Ballad of Mulan Collection" - Hall of Brightness by Piggy Tales. I used the deckled edge ovals and rectangles nestabilities and Stampin' Up Ribbon and punch. The Chinese stamps on the front are from A Bunch Of Fun and the inside sentiment is computer generated. Copics were used to colour it in (R81, R83, R27, R29, E00, E01, E11, E51, E71, E70, RYR01 & YR00). I finished it off with Bella Dots in the Glitter Poppy and a heart punch was used by Marvy.

I have also included a picture of Aidan from last year's celebrations. We go out for a dinner that the local Chinese-Canadian Association hosts with our very good friends every year and it is always so wonderful to see the kids with their friends celebrating such a fun and time honoured event! For our friends and family who celebrate, look for these cards in the mail this week! :)

My Christmas Cards...

This year there was not enough time, (or hands!) to get into detailed Christmas cards. These were 3 of the 4 designs I sent out, and only sent them to limited people. One of my New Year's Traditions is to get my cards started early and get them done before November. I have already finished my first one! :) It is hard to stay motivated on much lately, but I am going to work at it as best as I can. The polar bear card was one I actually stamped out a few years ago from a borrowed stamp. He was coloured in with straight pencil crayons (OLD SCHOOL!) The paper is out of my scraps bin, and I think was Stampin' Up from years ago. The ribbon is also Stampin' Up. The cardstock are both Bazzill. The punch used on the cream paper is also Stampin' Up.

Sometimes I find that I get caught up in the more is better line of thinking with my cards and projects.

I am learning to re-train my brain that sometimes less is better and work with what you have. Luckily, I am not supply poor! The cat card is classic Fluffles from Stampenous that was purchased on a fabulous Mall of America trip with my friends years ago. The paper is all Bo Bunny "Tis the Season" with Bazzill cardstock. The Angel card was the only one done like that, and was done for a friend who has been quietly in the wings with encouraging words and lots of love for both me and my babies. All of the supplies, and the stamp are Stampin`Up products. The texturing is done with a Cuttlebug plate. These are some of my favorite colours to work with, and for an angel, I thought to keep it uncomplicated. The inside of the card said it all, but I always forget to take pictures of the insides. Most of the time I am lucky to remember to get a picture of the card itself! :)

Cute and Cuddly....

Here are a couple of samples I did for a friend`s upcoming party. They are using the new stamps from the Stampin Up Mini. I am a Halloween freak. Anything with ghouls, ghosts, goblains and I am right there! I can`t wait to dress Aidan up this year! I used the new Sweet Centers with the sweet treat cups, Stampin Up markers, Bo bunny ribbon and black stickles. The purple fence punch is from Martha Stewart.

This is the cutest little penguin from the Cold and Cuddly set. The Walrus and Polar bear in this set are just as sweet! It has so many uses for winter.

Christmas Already!

Yes. I am working on my Christmas cards already. This is sad, but true. I have so many to do and really do love to do them! I am obsessed lately with kraft paper and jewel tones. These are the new Stampin Up stamps from the Christmas section. The trees are from the set Scenic Season and the deer is called Dasher. I used Soft Suede ink and added Stickles into Dasher`s antlers and along the snow line. I used dark green flower soft to add some dimension and pop to the front tree.

Cowgirl Engagement...

This is a quick congratulations on your engagement card I did for one of our employees who is getting married to a cowgirl. I used copics to colour and 2 of the new in colours from Stampin Up for the cardstock and ribbon. No card would be complete without the addition of Bella bling!

K's wedding invitations...

I was asked to come up with a creative idea for a local couple's wedding invitations. One of the bridesmaids is a good friend of mine and it was so easy working with the bride. She was laid back and just let me know what colours she liked and we went from there. We had just a short couple of weeks to go from idea to 190 of these all set to go and be mailed. Luckily she has some fabulous friends and family and everyone pitched in and they were done in 2 short afternoons. It is hard to see the jewels, pearls and the stickles in the picture, but they really shone in the sun. The bride loves butterflies, so we threw it in there just for her. I loved working with the simple design and colours.