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28 Feb 2009

Gift wrapping!

Good morning!

I was inspired by this photo and this photo today. This is the inspiration challenge today on Splitcoast Stampers. And it is a gorgeous site and one that I wish I had never found.... lol!! Such gorgeous stuff......

I decided to use Nana's Nursery Baby Girl paper pack, K & Company Amy Butler chipboard pieces and Papertrey Ink ribbon because I needed a bag for the baby shower this afternoon.

I bought the chipboard pieces from Costco months ago in a huge package with 8 smaller boxes full of chipboard alphabets and shapes. I finally got it out today and I plan to use it more now that I see how beautiful it is!!









I am going to bed now. Our carbon monoxide detector went off at 4 am so I left the house and went across the road to my daughter's house, but my stubborn husband was convinced that the detector was not functioning properly so he stayed behind. Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep.

And hubby was right, it was malfunctioning. He went and bought two more from the hardware store and there is no reading on either of them, but the old one keeps beeping continuously.

So he was right, but I still am a little peeved that he put his life in danger. I think it is selfish that he risked his life and would have left us with no hubby or
dad, but did he think about that? noooooooooo........MEN!!

Rant. Rant. Rant.


27 Feb 2009

No hydro.....bah!

We have been out of hydro all day until right now - 6:00 pm.

It is amazing how dependant you get on hydro. I took a flashlight downstairs so I could see to bring up my copics so I could colour some stamped images. I walk into my stamping room and switched on the light - well tried to - even with the flashlight in my hand.......duh.....

Then of course, after groping around in the semi-dark - even a flashlight is not enough in my disorganized chaos - I walk out of the room with my stuff and turn off the light switch.

We are pretty fortunate since we heat with a gas fireplace and cook with gas we can still be warm and I can still cook (dang).

We had leftovers for lunch from our prime rib supper last night (it was fabulous!) and I put mine in the microwave and couldn't figure out why the buttons weren't working. My son and hubby just sat and laughed at me until I figured it out......duh.....again......

The hydro is finally back on but it is a little dark to take pictures and I am not that good at working so far ahead, so I am not posting anything until tomorrow.

Hope you had a nice day......

26 Feb 2009

For the Birds!

There were so many wonderful creations that I saw as I went through everyone's blog last night for the Papertrey Ink blog hop!

This card is for the sketch challenge this week on Splitcoast Stampers. I didn't get it uploaded yesterday so today is the day!



I used a new paper pad of Basic Grey Porcelain for this card. What a gorgeous designer paper that is.....man, I am a sucker for paper.........

The sketch set up well for the use of inchies so that is what I did.

I stamped the Lockhart Itty Bitty Birds and the Millenery Embellishment Rose stamp with brilliance black ink onto the designer paper and then coloured them a wee bit with copics.


I cut out the images with my 1" square punch and glued it onto the inchie square.

I used the Cuttlebug Leafy Branch folder with Spring Moss cardstock and finished up the rest of the card as per the sketch!


Sorry for the short post today.

We are having guests for dinner tonight - our wine party dinner again. yummy!
We are having Prime Rib with mushroom sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips and either brussel sprouts or corn. Both would look so pretty but I love the brussel sprouts better and hubby loves the corn. So we will probably end up with brussel sprouts! hehehe!



25 Feb 2009

Papertrey Blog Hop! February!


The theme of the Papertrey Blog Hop this month is to create something "spring like"!

What could be more spring like than babies!!

This project is for a baby shower this weekend. My go
od friend is now a grandma so I wanted to do something a little special. Since we live on an egg farm and are egg producers, she likes to rib me about all things chicken! I thought it only appropriate to package part of the gift in an egg carton.





I asked our egg picker upper company if I could have about a dozen or so 6-egg containers. They sent me 250. They are so accommodating!



So for that reason you may see a whoooollllee lot of egg carton projects!! lol!!

To start, I painted the egg carton white and let it dry. Then I rolled up each individual baby sock - I LOVE baby socks! and tied it with some twine.


I stamped various images and sentiments from Mixed Messages and Bitty Baby Blessings and stamped them onto Stampers Select white cardstock.








The Simply Stationery set has a circular stamp and I used that to stamp around the image/sentiment. Cardstock and ink is Raspberry Fizz, Berry Sorbet and Sweet Blush.

I have to tell you, when it came out I did NOT want anything to do with that Raspberry Fizz colour......WAY too bright for my taste.

Well, that just shows you how much I know.......lol! I LOVE it!

I used my circle nestabilities to cut out the circle and my Stamping Up scallop punch for the scalloped tag. Then I tied the tags to each sock and placed them in the egg carton.

I really wanted to wrap some ribbon around the whole carton but it is very un-even and has different levels going around the edge so I opted to decorate the top of the carton with some Kraft cardstock run through the stylized flowers Cuttlebug.

I used my paper knife to cut a slit in the back of the carton and ran the ribbon through the back and over the top and then tied a bow. Using Fresh Alphabet I stamped the word BABY and made a tag with my petite oval nestabilties, swiss dot cuttlebug folder and cardstock! I punched out a Martha Stewart butterfly and added a bit of Hero Arts line bling and glued the butterfly to the carton.

The card is pretty self explanatory, but I do love the way it turned out! I would like to draw your attention to the white gel pen on the button. Such an easy thing to do and just adds a little bit of fun to your project! (listen to me babble.....hehe)

They are not really stamping or scrapping people so who knows what they may think, but I think if I had of received this for part of a baby gift (a billion years ago it seems!!) I would have loved it.

Thanks for coming around!!

I was hit and miss liking up the sites because Blogger is being a dumb dumb today..........sorry about that ....but in case you didn't guess it, everything except the egg carton is from Papertrey Ink!!


Where oh where......

I'll be posting at 5:00 pm for the Papertrey Blog Hop!

If you can, come on back then, I will have something egg-stra special....!!

In the meantime....here is our little grumpabella grandd
aughter ........she has been giving her mom and dad a run for their money.......hehe.....sorry, it's not funny......





24 Feb 2009

A Yummy Twinkling Challenge!

Madelynn threw us for a sweet loop this week.....instead of a sketch for us, she had an inspiration challenge and a yummy one at that!!

If you choose to play along, and we would love it if you do, just use the keyword MTTSC11 on any of your favourite uploading sites and leave a link on the Twinkling Tuesday blog!!


Here is our inspiration photo for this challenge - isn't that delish!! It kind of looks like it may be a Fitz & Floyd piece, which I collect, so I may have to just get Madelynn to Hand it OVER!!



Here is how I was inspired!



Thank goodness for my crimper - I decided that this was a perfect chance to use that under-loved tool of mine! AND I used Papertrey Ink white cardstock with Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz cardstock, and ribbon as my punch of colour! I am telling you this now because if I have to type Raspberry Fizz a bazillion times, I'm going to get carpal tunnel, I swear! Hereafter it will be referred to as RF!

I crimped a piece PTI white cardstock and tied a piece of RF topnotch twill ribbon around the middle.

I glued the crimped piece of cardstock onto my cute little paper bag and tied my RF swiss dot ribbon around the handle......

The little tag sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Around & About Sentiments and it reads "happy everything" - isn't that cute? - the little flower is from the same set! I punched out a scalloped circle with my Stamping Up scalloped circle punch in RF again and adhered the sentiment circle to that.

Then I punched some more RF cardstock with my Stamping UP scalloped punch in order to make borders across the top and bottom of the white cardstock.

For the border, I stamped one of the quilt pieces from Papertrey Ink's Quilter's Sampler Additions
onto the RF cardstock with Fresh Snow pigment ink and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I coloured in the little triangle parts with white gel pen to look like the little pinwheel on the stir stick and drew in some scallops!


Of all the ribbon in the world, I love this swiss dot ribbon the very, Very, VERY best! and because of that, and the fact that I love to tie a bow, I will leave you with a little treat!! lol!



23 Feb 2009

She's Baaaack!!!


Yes, I am back on the
Little Paper Shop Design Team again! Wahoo!

Things have settled down in our family life and my hiatus (I'm calling it that!) is over and I am back and soooooo happy about it all!!

So on we go with our Little Paper Shop sketch challenge today. This is LPS04 if you wish to play along and we would love you to do that!!

Here is the cute little sketch



Would you just look at that cute little girl!! She is one of many new digital images coming soon to Little Paper Shop! You will just love them! The sentiment is from the All Occasions stamp set at Little Paper Shop.....

ETA:...these images are available NOW!! RIGHT HERE!! So sweet and cheap!! and you get them right now!!



I also used today's Try a New Technique challenge on Splitcoast Stampers called Rubber Band stamping. You wrap rubber bands around a wooden block - or in my case my acrylic block - and then stamp away!

I stamped into my Versamark pad onto Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz cardstock, and then used clear embossing powder and heat set it with my heat gun! Very different background don't you think?!

I used my Diamond glaze to make the puddle seem wet and the umbrella has some on it too! Crap, I was going to put a gem on top of the umbrella and I forgot........



By the way, everything is 10% off this week at Little Paper Shop until the 25th to clear out for new things coming in! Hop on over and see what you can see!

22 Feb 2009

Sgt. Stamper!!

WAHOO!!! Today's Featured Stamper is none other than my blogging friend and Twinkling Tuesday team member Jami! Congratulations Jami!!

I absolutely had to find the time to
case this card with a few switcheroos as per the challenge!



1. Different designer paper
2. Different stamp
3. Different punch

I have had this stamp for a little while now. I bought it at a garage sale last fall and it doesn't say anything on any of the four sides to tell me who makes it, so if anyone knows, just let me know and I will post it!!

I coloured the image with copics and used Basic Grey Gypsy designer paper. I have been hoarding the last few sheets of my 6 x 6 paper pack, because I love it for retro images! Very bright and sunny-like!! Just like me.... lol!!

The cardstock is Papertrey Ink white, Summer Sunrise and Berry Sorbet and the ribbon is also Papertrey Ink Berry Sorbet swiss dot.....oh my I hope they NEVER retire that ribbon.......

I sewed zig zags around the edges of the card and then straight sewing around the edges of the image.

I used my treading water punch on the Berry Sorbet cardstock and I chose to add a few buttons instead of the sweet hearts that Jami used!

In honour of Jami, who LUVS her Shimmerz, I used my Shimmerz too all over the vases!

I didn't think I even had some and told the girls that very wrong fact, but when I was digging around my craft drawers last night trying to come up with some mojo, I found this little glass container and it said Angel Wings Shimmerz!!

That is what happens when you get older...... you forget what you buy...... very convenient sometimes though! lol!

Have a good day.........roasting a pork today so I better get at it!

Thanks so much for coming around!


21 Feb 2009

Flutter....

Splitcoast Stampers has an Inspiration Challenge every Saturday which I thoroughly enjoy! I don't always have a chance to play, but today I did because I don't plan to do a dang thing except ..........nothing!...... well....... maybe empty the dishwasher and throw in a load of laundry ......but nothing else......!

The original artwork I chose to be inspired by was from the website Flutter and this beautiful piece by Rachel Austin called "Kerby".

Apparently it is so called because, as you can kind of see, under the top image is a map and on that map is a town call
ed Kerby - isn't that just so cool??!



I stamped on vellum so that you could see through the image onto the "map" below.

My "map" is actually the scrapblock Fiery Floral Scrapblock by Cornish Heritage Farms. I stamped it in Papertrey Ink Spring Blue ink onto white cardstock.




Then I stamped all of the images staz-on ink because it dries quickly on vellum and doesn't smudge on vellum and stays put on the vellum (ask me how I know......hehe)

I made a little scalloped border across the bottom and adhered the image and the background to some Dark Red prism cardstock and then mounte
d that whole thing onto white again.

I added some frosted lace stickles to the center of the flowers and tied some red ribbon around the top because I LUV ribbon!! I think that is my favourite embellishment of all!! But I do like gems and I am really starting to LUV buttons........

This card is kind of plain today, but I think I still l
ike it.....

Thanks for coming around today!

Supplies
Stamps: (Out on a Limb, Birds of a Feather, Faux Ribbon) Papertrey Ink;( Fiery Floral Scrapblock) Cornish Heritage Farms
Paper: (Stampers Select White, Vellum) Papertrey Ink; Prism Dark Red;
Ink: (Black Cherry, Azure, Timber Brown, Black) Staz-On;
Accessories: Ribbon-So-Facile, treading water punch, frosted lace Stickles, tombow glue




20 Feb 2009

Going Green!

Not the recycling green.......although that is a tremendously wonderful thing to do!

Today's Limited Supply Challenge is to have some sort of green on your card and as per limited supplies, only keep your embellishments limited to two! - which I may or may not have done.....



I semi followed Triple the Sketch's challenge 45 today, and used ribbon as one of the layers - so that might be construed as another embellishment. I think this sketch is probably more suited to a scrapbook page, but I borrowed it for my card today!

And look at the cute little birdie that I made! I found this supercool website with a video and a template and went to town! Of course you could embellish it properly - but not today, because after all it IS the Limited Supplies challenge!!



All paper is Stampin' UP! with the Urban Garden Designer Series and Basic Gray cardstock as the base which was run through the Cuttlebug Stylized Flower folder.



The "Die-Cut Blooms Again" paper flower was run through the Swiss Dot folder of the Cuttlebug, layered together and fixed with a MM glitter brad.

I stamped the Little Paper Shop sentiment from Beauty of Nature with Papertrey Ink Ocean Tides palette ink and popped it up with some pop up tape. (Humungeously awesome roll of tape!)

I am going to rest this afternoon.....seems like I have been go go going all week.....not sure at what mind you....lol! Hubby has gone away for supper so I think I will cuddle up on my little couch with my little puppy and have a snooze!


19 Feb 2009

WT206 You Superstar you!!

Ways to Use STRIPES today - YAY!

I love stripes and it also can make a quick card
with barely any thinking - is that good or not?! I dunno.........maybe not.........Well I had the Splitcoast Fan Club sketch this month so it made it fairly easy also!!

This is my second run at the fan club. I renewed my subscription because that Dirty Dozen has so much going on for them. A lot of inspiration is to be gleaned from there and lots of fun challenges too!! I don't do the challenges all the time but if I can, I try to do them.

And you get to look through their gallery and hope something rubs off.....anything....soak up all that goodness!!


I pulled out my K & Company Wild Saffron paper - rather an old designer paper but I still love it and hardly ever use it.

It just so happens that I did see some chipboard embellishments at the JawMart that were also Wild Saffron, so I bought them because "they" said I had to.

I stamped the AlphaNumber backgrounder onto Memory Box Meadow cardstock in Versamagic Tea Leaves.

Then I stamped the main image, that cute little inchworm from Kim Hughes Stamp set Making the Grade onto Papertrey Ink stamper select white cardstock and coloured him with copics.

AT first I coloured him green but
he looked hideous I didn't like the way he looked so I went over him again with another "quite yellow" copic and it toned him down or spruced him up - something like that!!

The flowers and the superstar piece are both from the Wild Saffron chipboard. Using premade chipboard is starting to grow on me. I don't know if I like this trend or not because.........

I just finished my awesome online course with Tania Willis, making your own embellishments, and I learned so much - even how to use chipboard in different ways, so I should have been able to make my own embellishments!! ackckckck!!!!!!!!! dang it........

What is for supper?? Does anyone know? I see hubby got some butterfly pork chops out to thaw. What the heck is that supposed to mean? I supposed I have to do something with them now. I think I am a grump today.......I have NO reason on this planet to be a grump......so I am going to call it the February grumps.........babbling fool........


SC216, Lilykate Basket

We looked after our little 2 1/2 year old grandson and newborn granddaughter while their parents' celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary yesterday and I was whipped!

I'm only 50 but that's too old to look after children..........there is a reason people give birth early in life....lol!


Anyway on to the card. This was for yesterday's sketch challenge on Splitcoast Stampers.

It was a different sketch that I thought I could handle quite easily. It took me forever. Silly thing.
Something that just happens and it kind of sucks.......



I used Gina K Design's stamp set Baskets of Happiness which was stamped and coloured with copics. I added Kaisercraft bling to the flowers and some Diamond glaze to the eggs. You can see that in this closeup.



I cut out that image with my Spellbinders nestabilities and then used Basic Grey Lilykate for all my designer paper. The ribbon is May arts and then I added some Prima hydrangea's which were embellished with more Kaisercraft bling! Luv the bling!

Thanks for coming around today!


18 Feb 2009

My Happy Mail......

This wonderful parcel was delivered to my door today.

I had entered a blog candy at Moxie Fab World and won this delightful Fiskar's Funny Valentine Extra Large Squeeze Punch and co-ordinating Punch Love stamp set from Cathy!


How generous and fun!!

Thanks Cathy!







17 Feb 2009

Our 10th Twinkling Challenge!!

Good morning and welcome to, unbelievably, the 10th Twinkling Tuesday! This is the day when we get to create our card based on a sketch from Madelynn, daughter of Jessica, and, might I add, only 8 years old!

Here is this week's sketch:



and here is my card, plus a little close up so you can see all the dimension.









I decided to use a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" card because every other way I tried it just wouldn't work out for me!

I got out my Cornish Heritage Farms, Kim Hughes stamp set Sweet Spring and stamped a sweet chickie on each panel and coloured them up with copics. I stamped them again on white cardstock, coloured them too, cut them out and popped them up onto the first panel!

I stamped and coloured the kite, from the Kim Hughes Little Gal set, cut it out and popped it up onto the first image! Love all the dimension!

The sentiment is from Kim Hughes Pretty Birds stamp set and I stamped it in Brilliance Black as well as everything else!


I like this ink because it doesn't smear when you colour the image with copics. The trick is to let it sit for a minute or two or sometimes, if I am in a hurry, which is a lot!! I use my heat gun to speed up the process!!

My designer paper is Scenic Route and my ribbon is from Papertrey Ink.

Off to Math Class today with Holly and then pancakes tonight because it is Shrove Tuesday, followed by Ash Wednesday followed by Lent.

Now I have to decide what to give up this year.

Two years ago I gave up chocolate........eeeekk!! I made it through until Easter and I was quite proud of myself.

Last year I gave up chips and it was a dismal failure. I may have lasted a week...... The funny thing is I would rather have chocolate than chips.

I think I am going to give up buying stamping supplies...........It is only until Easter. I just have to tell myself "What is more important to you - Jesus or stamping?" I know the answer emphatically.....but.........hopefully I can do it.


16 Feb 2009

Peace and Change.......

Long Post......

My ATC Scripture cards are at the bottom of this post - and my ATC holder is starting to look pretty dang cute!!

I don't let out personal stuff a lot but I thought I would share.........

When Patter Cross gave us our Scripture words a couple of weeks ago, Peace and Change, I kind of shuddered.

The Peace word sat well with me, the Change word did NOT.

As many people do, I have trouble with Change, probably because in my experience, I associate it with rotten things happening.

I received the Scripture words on Feb 1.

My daughter had just given birth to her beautiful b
aby girl and all I could think of was that word Change. What a wonderful change for our family! I delved into my mind thinking, change isn't always bad .........this is a good change isn't it??


Change Front






Change Back



Later that morning, my daughter called and all H*ll broke loose as far as her health. We sat on pins and needles for the next 10 days waiting for lung scan results, blood test results, running from hospital to hospital. I kept thinking about that dang word Change.

Change happens. Don't be afraid. and Pray. And boy did I pray. I prayed selfishly at first. "Dear God, don't let this happen to me, I can't do more."



Peace Front






Peace Back


Then I thought "get real" and prayed to God to continue to watch over us and guide us and help us through this "yucky" time. Honestly, that sealed it. I was able to calm down knowing that this whole schmozzle was in God's hands and he would see us through one way or another.

And now, all is well. (yay!) For some reason my daughter's lungs and blood tests went wonky after the birth of her sweet little baby, but they are completely normal now and the Doctor's are left scratching their heads (*Big grin)

So the moral of my story is to embrace Prayer along with the Change that happens in your life. Pray for guidance or just give it up to God. Or both..........

Supplies: Stamps: Little Paper Shop Peace and Flourished Dove, Tim Holtz, Paper: Amuse notepad, Crate Paper, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Prism, Accessories: Ellen Hutson Pearls, Prima Flowers, 1/2 paper punch, embossing powder, Spellbinders flower die, Autumn Leaves buttons, white gel pen, ziggy pen.