Give Unto Them

Good morning, friends!  I haven’t been participating in the Embellish challenges much at all lately but I couldn’t help but be inspired by the colours this week as well as the chosen requirement of crochet trim.  With even further inspiration from Sarah Martina’s video this week, I made my own little crochet flower with some trim.  LOVE IT!!  The only sad thing about this card is that I made if for a dear colleague who lost her brother to a similar cancer that my brother in law died from.  Even though I do have some “thinking of you” and “sympathy” cards in my stash, I usually wind up making another one.  I like to choose specific sentiments for certain people and I actually think of them the whole time I’m creating.  My friend’s brother is having his service in the church I grew up in so I know she will appreciate this beautiful verse.  I must say Verve stamps are my go-to stamps for these kind of cards.  Julee sure knows how to pick the perfect words :)  Hmmm…two sad memories in a row…how ‘bout tomorrow I change that up!! lol….thanks for visiting and hug those loved ones!!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: verve plain jane Isaiah 61:3, waltzingmouse labels 10

ink: versafine onyx, pti ocean tides

paper: pti kraft, cream, october afternoon dp,

accessories: labels 10 nestabilities, su ribbon, lace trim, pti button, twine, gems stitching

Good Things in Unexpected Places....

Edit:  oops!!!  I just noticed that the colours were purple, green and BLACK, not brown!!! LOL  If I have time I'll make another...can't believe I missed that one!!! LOL  Must be overwhelmed with going back to work!! 

 Good morning!!!  Well, Saturday morning actually feels like Saturday morning....I've been in my classroom for 2 weeks setting up and the "feeling" of each day is back...you know, how Monday has a "feel" and Friday has a "feel."  LOL  Today's card is for the current Embellish challenge using squares.  I took the easy way out and just used some bitty box patterned paper....I came up short with all the other square ideas I had (hmmm, that sounds kinda nerdy,doesn't it? lol)  The title of the post and this sentiment seems very appropriate...good things in unexpected places.  On the way home from my 3 day workshop, my friend and I stopped at a little tea house just outside of the one horse town we were at for the 3 days.  It's called "Thyme for Tea."  It was this cute little tea house and gift shop.  We placed our order and were looking around when I saw this quote on one of the walls.  I just loved it!!!  Hmm, don't have this in a stamp...so off to Word I went and printed it out (Julee...if you're reading this, feel free to make this into a stamp!!!  And I have a lot more where that came from in my little quote book!! LOL :).  My new Stampin' Up ribbon came this week and I wanted to use it...oh, it's lovely...got it in peach parfait as well...a kind of ribbon I didn't have...and the dh just may have to install that third rack for me!! LOL  Okay, the third card with these Verve flowers...does that make it an official addiction?  Hmmm, at least for the week :)  Okay, I'm off to get some things done and then want to start a Verve Project Parade project....the idea came from this cute tea house (again!)....it's really cool.....hopefully will get it done by Monday :)  Thanks for stopping by and hope your weekend is wonderful :)

what's in it?
stamps: Verve Dream Big, Great Friend
ink: SU perfect plum, kiwi kiss
paper: PTI kraft, cream, bitty box and dots dps; SU kiwi kiss
accessories: su scallop punch & eyelet & linen thread & ribbon; PTI buttons & medium scallop die; gemstones, stitching, corner chomper; Word program (Papyrus font)

Classy and Fabulous!!

check out my Verve Blog Candy here!!

 

click on photo to see a larger image!!

Whew!!! What a week of Verve scrumptiousness!!!  I have been putting off all other challenges and stamping to enjoy my time as Verve Guest Diva...my biggest honour ever.  So this is the first challenge that I couldn't get out of my head.  It's for the latest Embellish Challenge.  I don't have many "cutsy" stamps, but I do have a small collection of Bellas :) Two of my favourites are latte Bella (of course!) and this cosmo Bella...the dh and I love our martini date nights :)  I also have this sentiment on a stamp, but it was too big for this card so I typed it out in Word, then stamped Bella beside it...love the way it turned out.  I don't colour, but I paper piece and Bella needed a bit of colour to draw your eye to her.  Hmm, I really like this...notice that martini?  It's a Hypnotic Heaven!! LOL...I love martini drink names!! LOL  Thanks for visiting and check out my blog candy!! I'm giving away all the cards I've posted this week for the Verve Spotlights PLUS a $25.00 Verve gift certificate!!! 

What'e in it?
Stamps: cosmo Bella
Ink: versafine onyx, su teal
Paper: su kraft, groovy guava, really rust, su and basic grey dps
Accessories: stitching, PTI medium scallop die and grosgrain ribbon; gemstones, seeing spots ef, blender pen, sentiment typed out in Word (cool dots font), corner chomper

Use Whatever Talent You Possess

Good morning!!! Oh, how it feels good to be up and blogging again.  I know it was only a few days, but I really felt it...especially because I was not on a holiday, I was at home looking at the empty corner where the computer was...I know, hard life!!!  Today's card is for the current Embellish Colour Challenge.  I love the rich colours this time round and the challenge requirement of birds ~ any reason to bring out the SU two step bird punch :D  I have made other cards with this sketch and use it again today because I love it...the tag, the twine, the staples...love it :)  I'm also using a sentiment that I love to use with bird images.  I typed it out in Word and printed it onto cardstock.  I just love what it means.  It encourages us to do what we love, no matter if we are the best, or "hot," or in the "spotlight."  I stamp for the joy it brings me and have been trying not to put the focus on prizes or praises...although, both are nice {wink}, but not the main motivation for my cardmaking.  This card makes me smile and I hope has brought a smile to your face this lovely August morning :)  Thanks for sharing a few moments with me :)

What's in it?
Sentiment: font Pookie Fair
Ink: PTI tea dye, printer ink in chocolate chip
Paper: PTI cream, raspberry fizz, holiday cheer, bitty dots and turning a new leaf dps; SU old olive,Basicgrey dp
Accessories: twine, SU large eyelet, SU ticket corner punch, SU two step bird punch, PTI buttons, staples,

I Hear Your House...

Good sunny afternoon!!  It is a gorgeous sunny and warm afternoon here in Beautiful British Columbia and I've been having a bit of fun playing in the studio with my favourite baby card sentiment and the Embellish Colour Challenge.  This is my all time favourite baby sentiment.  I came across it years ago but can't remember where...AND I've never seen it on a stamp before....have you?  Anyways, I've never shown one of my cards using it on my blog...saving it for a special challenge/occassion.  So I thought I would unveil it for the Embellish Baby challenge :)  Because I don't have a stamp of it, the sentiment has been printed out in Certainly Celery (gotta love the RBG values for SU colours!).  I also love doing a quilted background panel for baby cards...so cozy :)  I had fun digging through my green button jar for the perfect one :)  I thought this light new leaf green was a perfect match to certainly celery :)  ACK!!! Those baby feet are too cute!!!!  My favourite part of a baby....sweet little kissable toes!!!  I hope you are having sunshine where you are...if not, I'm sending some your way :D  Thanks for visiting :D

What's in it?
stamps: su cuddles and tickles
ink: printer; su certainly celery
paper: pti cream, su apricot appeal, certainly celery, su designer papers
accessories: pti twine, ribbon, buttons; fiskars apron lace punch, stitching; computer sentiment (microsoft word)

Celebrate!!

Good afternoon!! It's another bright, sunny day in the studio.  I finished some commissioned cards yesterday so today I got to play.  Today's card is for the current Embellish colour challenge.  I kind of knew what I wanted to do with it, but things didn't quite go as planned.  But I believe if you make a big statement with some fabulous seam binding ribbon, everything will turn out :)  The button is actually a lovely shade of PTI's summer sun, but it's so close to the watermelon/coral ribbon that they look like the same colour.  So what are you celebrating today?  I know my dear blog buddy, Michelle, is celebrating a birthday and an old high school friend is celebrating an anniversary...I'm celebrating report cards being done and  this gorgeous weather :)  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and thanks for visiting :)

What's in it?

Stamps: Waltzing Mouse Very Vintage Labels 4; PTI Say it With Style
Ink: PTI berry sorbet and tea dye duo, SU choc chip
Paper: SU cameo coral, choc chip, more mustard, dp; PTI cream
Accessories: nestabilities labels 4, cuttlebug ef, PTI button and twine, stitching, seam binding ribbon (Etsy)

Embellish Blog Hop Winner!!

Congratulations to Leeann!!! She is the winner of a Lawn Fawn Stamp set :)  Heartfelt thanks to all of you who visited my blog and left a comment.  I really appreciate all your sweet words :)  Leeann, check back at the Embellish Blog to see how to claim your prize.

The Premiere Embellish Blog Hop!!

Welcome, Embellish fans!!  Join me today along with Embellish Magazine for a blog hop filled with creativity, tips, inspiration, and prizes.  Don't forget to leave comments on every blog. Embellish is offering four prizes for 10 lucky winners. The winners will be randomly selected from each of the blog hop participant blogs. A comment left on each of the blog hop participant's web site will give you an entry to win one of the prizes, which include Lawn Fawn stamps, May Arts twine, Subscription to Embellish Magazine, and A New Design crinkly stained ribbon. 

Today's cards are using the original colours and twine that were for the first Embellish publication call last year.  I wanted to make 2 different styles of cards and then one Father's Day one that a friend at work asked me to make for her husband from their two boys. 

I saw a card last month that used this technique of rolling white craft ink over embossed paper.  I just love the vintage-y look of the craft ink on kraft paper :)  I'm still in love with the Waltzing Mouse Very Vintage Labels 4 stamp set. It has made me fall in love with these labels over and over again :)  The turquoise seam binding is tied in a double bow (see Melissa's tutorial here) and my grandpa's "real" vintage button is tied to it with twine.

This card has a more modern look...cleaner lines and a fun kraft tissue flower (via Melissa Phillips blog again)  The light turquoise paper is from Amy Butler.  I just had to use this sentiment again...it was sitting on my desk for the longest time wanting and waiting for a card like this :)

 Okay, this one doesn't quite use turquoise, although, it is blue.  And the photo is "sepia" so I think I'm okay to include it.  This is the Father's Day card that a coworker asked me to make.  I thought the Embellish colours and twine were perfect for it.  The kraft card base is stamped with an old world map stamp in chocolate brown :)  I think this dad will love it :)

If you are following the list in order, your next stop will be the talented Brenda Weaver's blog.  Thanks for visiting!!! It's been a honour to be in such talented and awe inspiring company :)

P.S. If you get lost... here is a list of the participants:

Embellish Blog

Ryann Salamon

Tessa Wise

Charlene Austin
Renee Van Stralen
Lori Roop
Julie Campbell
Sara Martina Parker
Tammy Fite
Heather Pulvirenti
Regan D'Agostino
Emily Niehaus
Maile Belles
Tiffany Johnson
Anya Schrier
Leigh Ann Baird
Amy Rohl
Mariana Grigsby
Kelly Marie Alvarez
Michelle Woerner
Tina Fussell
Maureen Plut
Brenda Weaver
Julie Lacey
Ashley Cannon Newell
Embellish Blog

P.P.S. If you haven't seen the current publication...click here!!

What's in them?

{Thank You}
stamps: papertrey ink say it with style + Waltzing Mouse Very Vintage Labels 4
ink: stampin' up! chocolate chip + ruby red + white craft; pti tea dye duo
paper: papertrey ink kraft, cream + cosmo cricket early bird
accessories: nestabilities labels 4 die; cuttlebug birds and swirls embossing folder; grandpa's vintage button; twine; seam binding ribbon (Etsy)
{Friends}
stamps: dawn houser for Inkadinkado
ink: su chocolate chip
paper: su ruby red + pti cream + kraft tissue + amy butler patterned paper
accessories: we r memory keepers corner chomper + pti blossom die #2 + pinking scissors + twine + making memories brad
{we *heart* Dad}
stamps: su old world map
ink: su chocolate chip
paper: pti kraft, cream, su designer paper
accessories: photo printed from computer + twine + Michaels button + basic grey chipboard letters

Happy Birthday to You

Good morning, dear friends and Happy Victoria Day to all my fellow Canadians :)  The sun is finally shining so this will be a quick post so I can go detail my car (finally!!).  Today's card is for the current Embellish colour challenge with the extra requirement of butterflies.  I have several small butterfly punches, but chose my favourite Stampin' Up butterfly die :)  Dawn McV.'s Damask stamp set came to mind right away for some reason as did wrapped twine instead of ribbon!! (hard to believe, I know!)  Maybe it was to keep the focus on the butterfly :)  Have a lovely day :) 

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI damask design
Ink: SU kiwi kiss; versafine onyx; PTI tea dye duo
Paper: PTI kraft, black, cream, polka dot basics dp; Michaels dp
Accessories: SU butterfly die; dritz pins, twine, pearls, PTI button

You Are Fabulous

Happy almost Friday everyone!!  I feel out of my routine this week...no daily posts...I've been off track a bit because I've been playing around in the studio and not everything is post worthy if you KWIM!! LOL  Tonight's card fills 2 challenges...the new Embellish colour and dimensional challenge and this week's Card Positioning Systems sketch.  This next photo shows the dimension of the card :)  Gotta love foam tape :)  This card really reminds me of this card back in March.  I really love this mod paper :)  Gorgeous colours too...love how the teracotta tile ribbon just pops :)   Hope you have a lovely Friday :)  We are hopefully off for a little romantic getaway tomorrow until Sunday :) Smiles and hugs,

  

What's in it?
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company Where You Should Be;
Ink: SU choc chip
Paper: PTI spring moss, cream, bitty polka dot dp; Amy Butler dp
Accessories: PTI buttons and ribbon, corner chomper, foam dimensional tape

Mom

Good morning!!  I wasn't sure what I was going to do for the Embellish challenge...I had another card in mind that I still want to make eventually, but these flowers have been on my mind ever since I got them last Friday :)  In the original design there was a green panel of grass, but it covered up too much of the stems, so I took it off and just used green ribbon.  I tried to add a butterfly and even some bling somewhere, but it just didn't look right so I left it pretty simple.  The requirement this time was to emboss.  The blue card base is embossed with swiss dots...if you look closely you can see them :)  Have a lovely day :)

What's in it?

Stamps: SU awash with flowers, Verve because of you
Ink: versafine onyx, SU summer sun, ballet blue, old olive, PTI raspberry fizz
Paper: SU ballet blue, PTI white, kraft
Accessories: PTI ribbon, oval nestabilities, cuttlebug ef

SMILE (and some fun news!)

Good Wednesday morning, everyone!!  Today's card is a bit out there for me with those side panels...but I went for it.  I picked up this "smile" stamp in the big bin of stamps at Michaels on the weekend.  I have several "smile" stamps, but this one had such a fun font, I couldn't resist (or the $1.50 price tag!).  This is the new sketch over at the Card Positioning Systems blog.  I've been following it for several weeks now.  I find, like many of you, that you just can't follow everything...so I focus on a few at a time to see what they're like.   

Okay, now for the fun news!!  Many of you know that Ashley Cannon Newell, has been working on a new e-zine (web magazine) called Embellish.  She has a very active Embellish blog with challenges every 2 weeks.  Last Fall, she sent a card call out for the first publication.  I was fortunate enough to have 2 cards published :D  (2 more seconds of fame!)  The magazine is ready now and you can subscribe on line HERE.  It's only $3.00!! You will love it!!  Ashely has really done an incredible job setting everything up and has included interesting articles about colour, twine and trends.  She has even done write ups on all the designers!!  It really is a beautiful publication if you are looking for inspiration :)

If you have seen it, let me know your thoughts...thanks!!  Have a wonderful Wednesday...2 more days to go :)

What's in it?
Stamps: studio g
Ink: SU basic grey
Paper: PTI white, lavender moon, basic grey sugar rush dp
Accessories: stitching, PTI ribbon, cuttlebug ef, MS butterfly punch, gemstones

Save the Date

Good morning and thanks for visiting :)  Today's card is for the new Embellish challenge.  The requirement this time is to make a card celebrating parties.  I always like to have a use for the cards I make so I thought of a fun card that may well be the prototype of an upcoming celebration for my dh :)  He turns the big "5-0" next February and if someone wanted to throw a big party for him, this would be the "Save the Date" card we would send out.  I so wanted to use some sheer ribbon on this one, but tried to keep it as masculine and fun as possible.  Yes, that's an old, old, old retired SU stamp from "It All Adds Up."  I can't part with this set as I love it so.  I love the equations.  I originally bought it for the wedding stamp that I used to make 70 thank-you cards 3 years ago for our wedding.  I also go through little mini rants that I can't keep up with the "industry" and just want to enjoy my stamps...old ones and all :)  This is a flat card and on the back it says "Sssshhhhh....Tony is turning 50...hope you can make it to his surprise party.  More info to follow in December."  How's that for preplanning?  LOL  Have a wonderful day...oh, and when he turns 50, like I always say, "Baby, it's like having two 25 year olds...lucky me!"

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI polkadot basics, SU It all adds Up
Ink: versafine onyx, SU real red
Paper: PTI kraft, black, white
Accessories: grosgrain, SU linen thread, prisma glitter, computer generated date and sentiment, corner chomper

Enjoy Your Day

Good morning, everyone. Wow, blogland seems very quiet this weekend.  Have you noticed that?  Today's card is for the new Embellish Colour Challenge.  The requirement this time is stitching.  I love the colours this time...ones very familiar to me :)  The flower is crimped and then inked with hibiscus burst.  That's about it for today...it's been a quiet, restful weekend.  Enjoy your day :)

What's in it?
Stamps: Verve Big Wish, SU French script
Ink: versafine sepia, versamark, PTI hibiscus burst
Paper: PTI kraft, cream, pretty pastel dp
Accessories: crimper, stitching, SU birds and bloom die, PTI button and ribbon, gemstones