Friend ~ PaperTake Challenge

Once again, there is a really lovely sketch by Katharina at PaperTake Challenge. I wanted to use this lovely WOJ stamp again. Last time, I colored her in cool tones of blue. This time I wanted to color her in warm tones. I chose my paper first and let that guide me! I airbrushed the circle which Willow is sitting in with my Copic tool. I just love the effect it gives. I left my circle in the nestie die and that way I get that crisp light edge! For the sentiment I use some of my SU! rub-ons. It is fast, easy and gives great results. The inner rectangle and circle are pop-dotted to give a nice added dimension. I colored Willow with my prismacolors & gamsol. I haven't been using my copics for coloring because I actually ran out of my skin color! I have ordered it and am waiting for it to be delivered. There is no retailer even remotely near to me that sells the refills!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper:SU! Close to Cocoa, K&Co DP
• Coloring: Prismacolors & Gamsol
• Embellies: K&Co Lace Adhesive ribbon, Martha Stewart Gemstone
• Tools: Nestabilies, Copic Airbrush system

Enjoy your day! Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter my blog candy. If you look at the top right of my sidebar, you'll see the link!

High Hopes has a New Blog and A First Challenge

Did you see that High Hopes now has it's own fabulous blog? You need to go and check it out! They will be having weekly challenges as well. This week you need to create a birthday card and use brads. I have to say, I just made this card last week to submit for a DT call. I didn't make the call but maybe I'll have better luck with this challenge! I need to give credit to Nikki. I used one of her great sketches for this card. I think this card is perfect for a little boy's birthday! I really like this sentiment! I love High Hopes and have quite a few of their stamps. Now that there is a challenge, I will be posting more cards with them!

• Stamps: High Hopes, Sentiment by Verve Stamps
• Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Ruby Red
• Paper: SU! Cardstock, Cosmo Cricket DP
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: Prima Flower, SU! Brads from HodgePodge Kit
• Tools: Nestabilites, Cuttlebug

My First Blog Candy

I can hardly believe it but I am very close to 10,000 hits! Edit: I hit 10,000 on Sunday!

I started my blog in the middle of June this year. I was more than a little hesitant to do so but I wanted to participate in all the fun challenges I was seeing. So I finally took the plunge and I am so happy I did. I could not have foreseen the kind and inspiring people I would get to know.

I was inspired by some of the cute wallet-type creations I was seeing and I thought I could make a larger wallet and tuck in some my favorite stamped images! In all there are 20 images, some prima flowers, a small versa ink pad, a couple of sentiments and embellishments. I also have a Magnolia stamp. It is Seaside Tilda. It is brand new. I bought a second one just for this candy. I have mounted it on EZ-mount - ready to use!

To enter my blog candy:

1. Please post a link on your blog with the details of my blog candy.
2. Leave a comment here on this posting with a link to your post. I would prefer a hyperlink (easier for me to find the post) but I understand if you don't know how to do that. In that case, just tell me the date of the post on your blog.
3. If you don't have a blog, just leave a comment on this posting and I will include you!
4. My blog candy will remain open until midnight October 12th. (Eastern Standard Time as I am in Canada) I will pick a winner randomly and post it the next day!
   

Good Luck and thank you for all for your supportive kind words and your inspiring creations!

Sketch Saturday # 18

I had such a fun time putting this card together. Thanks to the amazing Jo for yet another marvelous sketch. There is a really nice prize being offered by Helene over at Alota Stamps. I have had the pleasure of purchasing some stamps from her so I can say from experience that the stamps are top-notch and the service is amazing! Please go over to Sketch Saturday to see the 4 fabulous stamps that she is so generously giving!

You might notice that this card is very similar in style to another I posted earlier this week (Here). This one inspired the other! Now I was very anxious to use this sweet Charlotte stamp. I inked it up, stamped my paper and thought "Where's the other reindeer?" I don't know why but I thought there were two reindeer! So, I just stamped the image again and cut out on more little guy and now Charlotte has a proud team pulling her!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy - Charlotte and Charlie Winter Collection
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! Blue Bayou, DP by Best Creations Inc.
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: Felt ribbon, Snowflakes from SU!
• Tools: CM squre punches, Hero Arts Pearls, Stardust pen(bells on bridle)
  

Thanks for stopping by! Tomorrow I am posting my first blog candy. I am getting close to that 10,000 mark. When I started in June I never imagined getting even close to that! It has been an amazing 3 months! I just have to take a picture and then get it up!

WOJ Challenge & Cute Card Thursday

If you don't already know, there is a fabulous new challenge that has started: Whiff of Joy Challenge. They have an amazing Design team and Katharina herself has designed the first sketch and is sponsoring their first week!

I had a hard time with this sketch. I think it was because I had an idea in my head as to what I was going to do and then had a hard time to get it right. I love this DP but didn't have any others that matched well. In the end I used just the one DP but as it different tones throughout I hope it is not too boring. The reason I wanted to use it is that once cut into the circle it has the look of Earth from above! I did use two different metallic silver papers. One is matte and the other has lots of sparkle! I am going to enter this in the CCT challenge as well since this week it is to have sparkle on your card! Hope no one minds that I am combining!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy, Sentiment is by Verve
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! Navy, DP by Sandylion, Misc Metallic Paper
• Coloring: Gamsol & Prismacolors
• Embellies: May Arts Ribbon
  

Sandra has given my a lovely award. She is one of my fellow DT members for Sketch Saturdays and is amazingly talented! Thank you so much for thinking of me! As I have seen this popping up on the blogs is admire, I won' t pass it along but appreciate it very much!

That is it for today. Please stop by here &/or Sketch Saturday Challenge. The sketch is awesome!

Have a great week-end!

Some more Candy Alerts

Just wanted to let you know that two of my favorite blogs to visit are celebrating and offering the most amazing blog candies. How fast are you going to click on these links when I say Hanglar & Stanglar stamp???? The thing is once you visit their blogs you will realize how super talented these ladies are. So get comfy and visit Aud and Anki and prepare to browse and be inspired!

BOO! ~ Friday Sketchers Challenge

I am coming in just under the wire with my card for Fridays Sketchers Challenge. I used all my new goodies from All That Scraps for this card. Isn't the Vampire Bear the cutest and the spiders and bats? I have to admit the frightened puppy is my favorite. Poor wee boy! I made a discovery! Memento ink works really well with the Gamsol technique! No smearing! I embossed some black cardstock with the cuttlebug embossing folder and then lightly brushed some white ink on top to highlight the web strands. It is almost all covered up but the other black paper has some sparkle on it. It is just gorgeous. For the inside, I made my first pop up! I will enter it in the ATS challenge as well!

• Stamps: Spooky Spooky from All That Scraps
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! Black and Orange carstock, all DP from ATS
• Coloring: Gamsol Prismacoloring
• Embellies: Misc thread.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a Spook-tacular day! (Sorry I admit I am a bit wonky today!)

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge & Blog Candy Alerts

I was so disappointed that I didn't get a chance to play over at A Spoonful of Sugar last week. The week just rushed by! This week, the challenge is to add a charm or a "charming" figure. Well, I just made this card last night and although there is no charm I think that both Charlie and his faithful sidekick are very charming! I found this amazing DP (should have bought more) and thought it would work well as a background scene! Charlie and his dog are on one stamp but I actually cut the little dog out and popped him on with some dimensionals to give a more 3-D look! The actual scene is also popped up with dimensionals. It looks pretty sharp. Let me know what you think! I created another card with the same DP using another WOJ stamp but I can't show you all until Saturday since it is for The Sketch Saturday Challenge!

• Stamps: WOJ Charlotte & Charlie Winter Collection, Sentiment from Verve Stamps
• Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Blue Bayou
• Paper: SU! Blue Bayou, Best Creations Inc. DP
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: SU! Snowflake, Blue Bayou Ribbon
• Tools: Spellbinders Ribbon Tag, Cuttlebug
  

Also wanted to let you know about a couple of blog candies that I found! These ladies are amazingly talented and visiting their blogs was a real treat! So go on over. The goodies are wonderful! Carol and Beth

That's it for now. Enjoy your day. We have sunshine again (yippee!) I shall go and enjoy my back-yard for the last time in a while. The excavation starts tomorrow for the extension! Can you see 3 little boy's faces plastered to the window in absolute delight over all the manly vehicles?

Awards and I've been Tagged

Hi to you all. I hope you all enjoyed the First Day of Fall. We had such a gorgeous day - the air was crisp but it was very sunny! I have been so lucky to receive this award from both Tanja and Scrap Didi. Thank you so much girls. I am so honored and I have to say that I feel the same way about your lovely blogs!

I would like to pass it along to Clotilde, Kelly Christine & Aija.

I also was tagged by Christine. I wasn't really sure what this message was but I was happy to discover it didn't involve running around. I do enough of that with my three imps here at home!

Here's how it works.
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here it goes:

1. I became a full-time SAHM after the birth of my third child. Before that I held a position at a university-affiliated teaching hospital.
2. I am double-jointed and a tremendous klutz. Not always a good combo!
3. I love to sing. I have always been in some type of choir since the age of 12.
4. This may sound trite, but when my husband and I met, it was love at first sight. I might add that it was at a Hallowe'en party where I was dressed as a witch and he was dressed as garbage! Go figure!
5. I love to travel. Before we settled down to start our family, my husband and I travelled to Greece and many different countries in Europe.
6. Statistically, if there is a 0.1% chance something will happen - it will happen to me. It is uncanny!
7. I am bilingual. I speak and write both French & English.

Instead of 7 people, I will "tag" the same 3 ladies that I gave the reward to as well as Tanja!

Great Love

I have made this card to enter in Katharina's Whiff of Joy Guest Designer call. It is so hard to sit down and decide what to do but in the end, I chose this Sweet Melinda Helping Angel because she is my favorite. The expression on her face is so incredibly tender. The sentiment is dear to me as it echoes to me the gentle caring of my dear Mum.

The sketch is Katharina's # 23. The sentiment is a SU! Rub-On that I had received and never opened the package. I had seen Katharina use this sentiment with this stamp and I just thought they were so perfectly paired. So this is another idea of hers I have incorporated into the card. I am so happy that I finally used these Rub-ons and i can see that I might become addicted. Super easy to use & Super results!

I changed the sketch slightly in that I have used an oval for the image rather than a square and the sentiment is slightly larger than the space allotted in the sketch!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy Guardian Angel Series
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Chocolate Chip (around the sentiment)
• Paper: SU! Basic Grey, Bashful Blue, Memory Bos DP
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: SU! Filigree Brad & Gemstone Brad, Rub-ons, Ribbon from stash
  
  

Hope the rest of your week-end is lovely!

Thanks for stopping by!

Honey & Pip ~ Sketch Saturday Week # 17

Here we are at week 17 of Sketch Saturday and we have another beautiful sketch thought up by Jo. We have a fabulous stamp that is being generously offered up by Bootiful Stamps. You can see how adorable this peeking bunny is!

I had really been wanting to use this adorable Honey & Pip stamp that I got from Funky Kits. It is a stamp designed by my favorite Elisabeth Bell. Her images are just so sweet! The sketch this week has a lot of elements and this makes for a really gorgeous end result. I made the fancy circle using my nestabilites and then an EK success punch. It echoes the design on the DP. Since there was a lot going on with the sketch, I didn't want to go too wild on the colors!

• Stamp: Sugar Nellies - Honey & Pip line
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, DP from stash
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: Pearls and Small Rhinestones from Ellen Hutson, Ribbon from stash
• Tools: Scor-Pal, Nestabilites, EK success punch

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to stop by at Sketch Saturday to see all my fellow DT members' creations! They are really beautiful and try out the sketch! You might win this cutie-pie bunny!

Papertake & Cute Card Thursday Challenge

I am so late with today's post that it is almost tomorrow!!! Today was just one of those days that flew by! I made this card for this week's PaperTake Challenge and I realized that I could use it for Cute Card Thursday as well. CCT's theme is "Food"!

I used this wonderful Whiff of Joy stamp that I hadn't had the chance to ink up yet! I had just made a batch of my children's favorite pumpkin cookies so I guess that is why I chose the bright orange apron and the autumn papers! I tried to do a little something different with the stamp so I cut out the image and set it on a smaller circle instead of within one. The circle itself I airbrushed with my copic marker apparatus. It is really very easy. I will try not to over-do my new technique!! The ribbon is the new felt ribbon from Stampin' Up and it is just gorgeous. The Hand-made stamp is from Sassy Crafts. Although based in the UK, the shipping is very reasonable and the service top-notch!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy Willow & Oakley Collection, Sassy Crafts hand-made stamp
• Ink: Stason Jet Black, SU! Close to Cocoa
• Paper: SU! Chocolate Chip, Autumn Vines
• Coloring: Distress Inks, Copic Airbrushing
• Embellies: SU! Ribbon, Dollar Store Heart, Misc Thread
• Tools: Copic Airbrushing System, Nestabilities
  

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you all have a great week-end and you find time to stamp!

Autumn Tilda

Goodmorning! I made this card for Claudia's Pretty Pressings sketch challenge. It was a pleasure to do especially since my Magnolia Fall kit made its' way into my mail-box yesterday morning and Mr. UPS delivered my Stampin' Up order yesterday as well! I just love this Tilda an I wanted to use this beautiful new DP! I also opened up my Copic airbrush tool. I am ashamed to say I bought it in the Summer on sale and have been too afraid to use it! So I was brave and tried it out and it really is easy to use. I sprayed the background behind Tilda. I also used a punch to create the lacey embellies! Hope you like!

Stamps: Magnolia Fall Kit

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper SU! DP, Chocolate Chip & Soft Sky cardstock

Coloring: Copics

Embellies: Made with EK success punch, Hero Arts adhesive pearls

Sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs these last few days. We are in the midst of getting ready for a renovation to our house! We are pretty much ready now. Yesterday, I moved all my craft supplies out of the basement and into...the GARAGE! That was really the only choice! My dear husband created a nice little area for me and I think it will work well. Everything is readily available which was my real concern!!! One of the most amazing things about this reno is that I will have my very own room devoted to all things creative. Tons of storage and a work-table designed my very dear friend! I am so excited!

The Little Things ~ Friday Sketchers Challenge

I am really enjoying my new Whiff of Joy stamps! I used this sweet Guardian Angle for this week's Friday Sketchers challenge. I knew this image would be perfect for this sketch. I did a lot of sponging (kind of new for me) along the edges of my light cardstock and over the embossing to soften the look up. Amazing how it makes such a big difference!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy Guardian Angel Collection, Sentiment from Verve Stamps
• Ink: Stazon Jet Black, SU! Close to Cocoa
• Paper: SU! Close to Cocoa, Bu=luch Blossom, K&Co DP
• Coloring: Distress Inks
• Embellies: May Arts Ribbon, ATS flowers, SU! Gemstone Brads
• Tools: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Embossing Folder

Hope you enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

Thanks for stopping by!

Whiff Of Joy ~ Ismaki Challenge # 30

I was so happy to get my Whiff of Joy stamps! Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. They are gorgeous and made with really high quality rubber. They stamp beautifully.

So, which one to put on a card first??? I suddenly remembered the Ismaki challenge and thought I could use two images on one card! Now, I had originally shied away because it looked too complicated to have an aperature that rotated freely but it actually wasn't very difficult. I think having the Nestabilities was what made the project easily done. I used some monofilament from my jewlery-making stash to hang the circles. I don't have a side embellishment on the front of the card as in the sketch but I ended up not having room! I kept the inside very plain because I was afraid of making the whole thing too fussy. Once I have addressed it and added my salutations I think it will be fine!

• Stamps: Whiff of Joy Willow & Oakely Collection SU! All Holidays
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! River Rock
• Paper: SU! River Rock, Vanilla, PaperTrey DO
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: Hero Arts Mini Pearls, Monofilament
• Tools: Scor-Pal, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, SU! Ticket Corner Punch

Sketch Saturdays Week # 16

Well, the amazing Jo has created another fabulous sketch for us all to play with. I have rotated it so that it would fit this image. This is a Hanglar & Stanglar image that Tanja so kindly sent me. In the image she is sitting on an ottoman of sorts. Since it didn't work well with my "plans", I just cut that part off so that she could sit on my little box! I chose autumn colors for her and to keep it from being too dreary, I used some matte metallic paper. Two of those rectangles I embossed with a cuttlebug folder. I am sorry I don' t have the name of the folder. I (very unlike me) tossed the packaging away! The leaves are punched out with a Creative Memories punch. I guess I have finally let go of pining for Summer and I am embracing the Fall!

• Stamps: Hanglar & Stanglar , Sentiement by Verve Stamps
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! Cardstock, Basic Grey DP, Metallic paper from LSS
• Embellies: Leaves made with CM punch
  

Thank you so much for stopping by and be sure to check out Sketch Saturdays and also my fellow DT members' blogs. They have made some gorgeous cards!


Guess what I found in my mail-box yesterday morning? My new Whiff of Joy stamps! I was so excited. They are just gorgeous and I am working on a card that I hope to have time to complete and post this week-end! Am I crazy to get so excited about stamps? Wait... don't answer that!!!!

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge

This week there is a lovely sketch by the very talented Nikki. I just had to squeeze some time in to try it out. It is a great one. I hadn't used this cute little cross-stitch Tilda (don't remember her real name) and I thought she would fit the sketch nicely! Sorry about the shadows on the picture. I took the picture tonight using a task light! I know I won't have time tomorrow! Busy, busy, busy!!!!

• Stamps: Magnolia
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! River Rock, Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: SU! Blue Bayou Ribbon, Dew Drops
• Tools: Scor-Pal, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to stop by here and over at Sketch Saturdays (on Saturday!) to see the wonderful new sketch that Jo has for you to play with! I am going to prepare my post for it now...but I am going to schedule it so you don't get to see it until Saturday! LOL!

More Blog Candy!!

Wow, there must be something in the air because there are a lot of goodies out there!

Karin is celebrating close to 10,000 hits.
Carmen is celebrating a wopping 20,000
And my fellow Sketch Saturday DT member Mariska is celebrating 1,000 hits!

Lots of candy and lots of talent!

Have a good evening!

Autumn Haze ~ Papertake Challenge & Blog Candy Alerts

This week over at Papertake the challenge is to have an Autumn inspired card. I love Autumn. Here in Canada, the trees change their colors and the maple leaves are gold and red and orange. It is spectacular. One of my favorite times of the year! We like to take walks in the woods near our home and the kids just jump around in the huge piles of leaves. I always bring my camera and these are just the best photos! So this is what inspired this card. Tilda surrounded by gorgeous Autumn leaves. I used a punch from Creative Memories to create the leaves. This Tilda is actually from the Summer Collection but she is probably my favorite and I realized that I could turn her into Fall Tilda simply by coloring her clothes in warm colors and changing the wine to apple cider!

• Stamps: Magnolia Summer Collection, Sentiment SU! Barocque Motifs (my favorite set)
• Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: SU! cardstock and misc scraps
• Coloring: Copic Markers
• Embellies: Stickles (on leaves), Ribbon tag from Spellbinders, Ribbon from stash

There are some beautiful blogs offering some pretty amazing candy! Go visit for a chance to win and prepare to be stunned by their gorgeous creations!

Nikki is celebrating 20,000 hits (Congrats to you!)
Suzanne is also celebrating 20,000 hits (Congrats to you too!)
Chrissy is offering some High Hopes goodies!
Irina is also celebrating her blog rating! (Way to go Irina!)

Good Luck to you all and I am working on my own blog candy. I will post as soon as I get it all ready! WhooHoo!