Hurrah!!! Blog Candy Winner!!

Good morning!!!  Today's card helps congratulate Marisa, the blog candy winner!!!  Marisa, please email me (moeplut@shaw.ca) with your mailing address and email (for the Verve gc).  Thanks for everyone who joined in and left comments...I really loved reading your little life anecdotes and frustrations (with blogger and buying too much!! lol).  I do hope you come back and visit when you can :)  I made this card in honour of the winner...I have had a little too much free time to buy online at whim (eek!!).  I've been itching to use these fancy labels that have been in the studio for months now and with my new Waltzing Mouse Fancy Phrases set, there were no more excuses.  I also got some more crinkled ribbon in the mail yesterday so had to add it.  I hope Marisa likes it :)  Okay, that's it!!!  Join me tomorrow for the Verve Anniversary Blog Hop...it's going to be a lot of fun!!

What's in it?
Stamps: Waltzing Mouse Fancy Phrases
Ink: su perfect plum, versafine onyx, pti tea dye duo
Paper: pti cream, kraft, ocean tide; su sage shadow; october afternoon and cosmo cricket dps
Accessories: circle and fancy labels nestabilities, stitching, recollections flower, seam binding ribbon (Etsy), pearls,

Wild Card Challenge #6 and Holiday Photos

Good afternoon!!!  I'm back in the studio, experimenting with colour again :)  After pulling these colours all I wanted to do was go and brush my teeth!!!  How sweet and sugary is this one?  LOL  I've used this same sketch before, but I really like it.  And I've noticed that many talented card makers have their favourite sketches too and reuse them :)  I located this yummy piece of Raspberry Fizz dp from my "pink" patterned paper bag (see more info about that here) and put it up against the other colours before deciding it looked best on berry sorbet (a neutral IMHO!!).  I also wanted to use my fillable frame and die again...I love the shape, just haven't used it much.  What I love is that you can fit tons of different sentiments inside :)

Okay, onto the personal photos :)  Last week the dh and I took off for a week to enjoy the beautiful sites and food of the West Coast.  We live about 4 hours away from our Sunshine Coast.  There are several little Islands off the coast, around Vancouver Island.  We stayed in Gibsons (most famous being the location of the Beachcombers T.V. show).  for 3 nights, hoping to fish during the days, but the water was too rough.  So we had to just eat seafood from restaurants...I know, hard life!! 

 Our first dinner out was at Smitty's, not the restaurant chain, but a fabulous Oyster Restaurant.  We had  a fun bartender who also was the oyster shucker.  They played Johnny Cash tunes and the food was fabulous!! (thanks for the recommendation, Melisa!!)  His shirt says "Johnny Cash is a friend of mine!! LOL

 This was a fun sign in the restaurant.  Below is a garbage bin in the town centre.  I just loved how colourful and cute it was.  I think all garbage bins should be so pretty :)

We were fortunate to be in Gibsons on the first night of their Sea Calvacade (festival).  To start off the festivities, they blew up a big wooden boat.  You can see it here, sectioned off by the logs.  There was a smaller fishing boat beside it that had a few firecrackers go off and then BOOM!!!!!  Apparently, someone donates a big boat for the festival to blow up every year.  LOL  Then around 10:30, they had fireworks...it was a lot of fun:)  Okay, that's another part of our trip...a few more photos to share later...thanks for visiting :)

What's in it?
stamps: pti fillable frames #4, signature greetings
ink: pti berry sorbet, versafine onyx
paper: pti berry sorbet, aquamist, raspberry fizz, cream, raspberry fizz dp
accessories: su scallop punch, stitching, gemstones, fillable frames die #4, pti ribbon, button and twine

Missing You, but Now I'm Back!!

Hi everyone!! I'm back!!!  We had a fabulous trip and the weather couldn't have been better...blue skies every day :)  I know there are other beautiful places in the world, but my own backyard really takes the cake.  I'll share a few more photos each day :)  Today's card is for the 4th week of the Viva La Verve July sketch challenges.  We were inspired by bathrooms and this card was inspired by this Amy Butler shower curtain from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Amy Butler sure gets around, fabric, paper, shower curtains!!! I love it!!  The original sketch wasn't working for me so I rotated it 45 degrees :)  I love doing that for all sketches to see if I'm missing a better orientation.  Do you ever do that?

Here's a picture of me with my Uncle Dave and Aunt Yvonne (brother and sister on my mom's side).  They live on Vancouver Island and played hosts to us for one night :)  My aunt is my godmother and used to take me camping when I was little ...much to the happiness of my husband (yes, I will go camping and enjoy it!!)  In the morning, Aunt Yvonne brought out a big container of buttons that my grandfather used to sell.  It's the same stash my mom's collection was from...they are really vintage and I love them!!  I got to pick out a few to add to my collection!!! Yahoo!!

Now, before I go, last call for my Blog Candy!!!  I pick the winner tomorrow night so if you haven't seen it, check out this post :)  Thanks for visiting!!!


What's in it?
Stamps: verve always on my mind, waltzing mouse labels 10, pti background basics retro
Ink: versafine onyx, su kiwi kiss
Paper: pti springmoss, cream, aquamist, dotti biscotti dp; SU bermuda bay, october afternoon dp
Accessories: gemstones, nestabilities labels 10, pti ribbon

Happy Birthday, Julee!!

Good morning!!! Today I have the honour of wishing Julee Tilman a happy, happy birthday on this special Birthday Blog Hop!!!  Julee is the sweet, creative and generous owner of Verve Stamps...one of the stamp companies I love (read: am addicted to;)  So on your birthday, Julee...I would like to share this well known birthday verse...it's one of my favourites :)

Count your garden by the flowers,

Never by the leaves that fall.

Count your days by golden hours,

Don't remember clouds at all.

Count your nights by stars, not shadows.

Count your years with smiles, not tears.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

And with joy on every birthday,

Count your age by friends, not years.

In honour of Julee's birthday, I thought it only appropriate to use on of her newest stamps from Blue Skies...I just love this butterfly image and have found that it makes a great background.  I added a bit of SU's new daffodil delight as Julee mentioned it's one of her favourite new colours :)  I first saw this fleur de lis border punch on Julee's blog and had to have it after seeing her wonderful cards with it :)  Oh, and if it's okay, I would like to mention that my first year Blog anniversary is today as well!!!  I started my blog last year so I could participate in the Verve Anniversary Blog Hop!!! How fun is that?  To share my blogiversary with Julee's birthday?  LOL  I have some blog candy up for grabs on yesterday's post if you want to check it out :) okay...

...if you've come here from Susan's blog, you are right on track :)  Next up on the hop is Jen del Muro and if you've just arrived at the Hop, go to the Verve Blog to see the master list of Birthday Blog Hoppers.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULEE!!!

What's in it?

Stamps: Verve blue skies, Big Wish
Ink: su plum, rose romance, rose red, versafine onyx
Paper: pti white, kraft, lavender moon, su daffodil delight
Accessories: ek success border punch, cirlc nestabilities, ms butterfly punch, gemstones, sheer ribbon, button, twine, stitching, su vintage ef

Celebrate Your Day!!! My Blog Anniversary!!!!

Hi everyone!!!!  Today is the day before my first year blog anniversary!! :)  I am posting a day early as I have another post tomorrow and don't want to overshadow that one :)  Yup, a whole year...50, 000 visitors, 100 followers (lol), 7 cards published, and many nods by talented designers.  I want to celebrate by sharing a few things I've learned over the year and then by offering up the chance to win some blog candy...

Things I've learned...in no particular order....

1)  Card making blog friends are very sweet and generous.

2) Blogger can be (read "is") frustrating.

3) Love your creations, even though you may not always be "hot" or a "top pick..."  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

4) I've spent a little too much time blogging at the computer and have the chiropractic visits to prove it ;) LOL

5) If it's not working, scrap it...then get some things you love and use those

6) You don't have to try every challenge or blog hop...I pick and choose the ones that speak to me, look fun or may give me a challenge.  It can get very frustrating trying to fit into a colour challenge or sketch.

7) I've spent a little too much on my hobby but can't help it!!  I'm learning to NOT buy everything and to enjoy what I have :)

8)  I really love playing with colour now that I've started my own colour challenge (the Wild Card Colour Challenge...aka the WaCCCky).  It has made me think out of the box and learn how to make colours work together.

9) Card making feeds my soul.

I'm sure there are more things, but those are the ones that come to mind.  Okay, onto the candy....

* 2 spools of satin ribbon

* 1 pkg various seam binding ribbon from my collection :)  (from Etsy)

* 1 pkg various buttons and clips

* 1 pkg various mulberry flowers

* various fancy pants and Screen Prints paper and overlays (12x12)

* Fancy Pants About a Girl Journal, ribbon, and element stickers

* $10.00 Verve Gift Certificate (which will be emailed to the lucky recipient:)

How to win: 

*leave a comment on this post by Friday, July 30st @ 11:59 pm (PST) and tell me something!!!  An anniversary story of your own, what you've learned about card making or blogging or anything else you'd like to share...just not "nice card."  LOL This contest is open to everyone and I'll ship it anywhere in the world (it just may take up to 6 weeks out of North America, eh Aimes?  LOL).

* spread the news about my blog candy (optional)

* become a follower if you want to easily keep track of who won in a week (optional)

* the winner will be chosen by random number and announced here on the blog on Saturday, July 31st.  The winner will have 5 days to contact me (moeplut@shaw.ca) with their name and mailing address, otherwise I'll pick another winner.

Okay then, I think that's it!!  Thanks for celebrating with me!!

What's in it?
Stamps: pti signature greetings, round and round
Ink: su choc chip
Paper: su durango, choc chip, pti kraft, cream, burmuda bay; pti dotty biscotti dp, October Afternoon dp
Accessories: stitching, gemstones, corner rounder, twine, seeing spots ef, buttons, linen thread, apron lace punch

Hi-Ya!! Wild Card Colour Challenge #5

Greetings!!! Or I guess I should say, "Hi-ya!!"  If all has gone well, I am basking in the gorgeous beauty of the Sunshine Coast here in Beautiful British Columbia.  The dh and I have been looking forward to this little getaway for some time...hopefully we'll get some salmon fishing in and lots of fresh seafood dinners.   In preparation for my absence, I have this little card and a few other posts coming up...so check back every other day or so :)  When I first drew these colours, I was about to put them back as I thought it was too much like the WaCCCky #4...but I had to stay true to the challenge and it really only has 2 of the same colours.  The new house rule will be "if there are 3 or 4 of the same colours, redraw all the colours."  (I love making up the rules!! LOL)  I put these 4 colours on my desk for a few days...thinking of different patterned papers that would work.  Then I put them on my desk and started to move them around.  I really like the terracotta against the blues and berry sorbet.  The flower layers were die cut and then crimped for a bit of different texture.  Moe "likey!" LOL  Thanks for popping by...have you tried pulling your own colour combo?  I would love to hear about it:)  

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI say it with style, turning a new leaf
Ink: su really rust, pti ocean tides
Paper: pti berry sorbet, hawaiian shores, cream, su really rust, October Afternoon dp
Accessories: digital library card (Heather Nichols), pti ribbon, blossom dies, fiskars crimper/border punch, Grandpa's vintage button, twine, stitching, gemstones

You're My Hero

Hello!!  Today's card is for the Verve Project Parade challenge.  This month the focus is on the heroes in our lives.  It seems like in the States, many, if not most, people know someone in the military, so it's easy to think of heroes in that sense.  Here in Canada, we have the military too, just not as large and if you can believe it, I don't know anyone in active duty.  I know veterans from the World Wars, but no one personally now.  However, "hero" can mean anyone who we feel has saved us somehow.  In this case, I can relate...I have several close friends that I can call on in time of need.  To me, they are my heroes.  Those girlfriends who listen to the same sad sob story over and over again without fail and who assure us that things will get better...to just "hang in."   I used Karen's fabulous Sweet Sunday Sketch and some fun paper in my scrap bag.  I reorganized my scraps a few days ago, putting them into colour families like I do with my card stock.  It was a great way to "weed out' the tiny pieces that I'll probably never use and old paper that I will definitely not use.  I went to the "pink" bag for this card and it was so nice to see what scraps I had and what I could use.  It's been very helpful so far and hopefully will help me use my scraps up first before cutting new paper :)  What do you do with your scraps?  Are you like me and can't bear to throw out fabulous paper, no matter how small?  Leave me a comment, I would love to hear :)  Have a lovely day :)

                       

What's in it?
Stamps: Verve Believe, Thankful Hearts, Ippity Where You Belong
Ink: su kiwi, pti raspberry fizz, versafine onyx
Paper: PTI cream, raspberry fizz, hibiscus burst, kraft, su kiwi kiss; patterned papers (craft supply);
Accessories: silver pearls, oval and square nestabilities; prima flower, brad, stitching, pti ribbon, fiskars apron lace punch

May All Your Dreams Come True

Good morning, dear friends.  Today's card is a 180 degree turn from yesterday's card :)  It's my attempt at shabby chic/ vintage.  I have always admired this style and really fell in love with it after visiting Melissa Phillips blog.  Seriously, everything she makes is so incredibly amazing...total eye candy.  She got me onto the seam binding ribbon along with my friend, Melisa.  Anyways...I know that this style needs distressing, inking, stitching, soft colours and little vintage-y items (buttons, thread, hardward, flowers). The large flower is something new at our Michaels...mulberry flowers by Recollections...very similar if not exactly the same as the Prima ones ;)  I'm entering this card in the Card Style Shabby Chic and Vintage Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  They are exploring different types of styles in celebration of the latest PaperCrafts magazine on Style.  What style are you?  Or are you like me and it just depends?  Have a lovely day :)



What's in it?
Stamps: verve always on my mind, waltzing mouse vintage labels no. 4
Ink: versafine onyx, versamark, pti tea dye duo
Paper: pti cream, kraft, su marina mist, k&company/cosmo cricket/october afternoon dps
Accessories: labels 4 and oval nestabilities, stitching, distressor, pti white embossing powder and button, recollections flower, $store flowers, linen thread, seam binding ribbon (Etsy), gemstones, su hardward

You Are a Blessing ~ WaCCCky #4

Happy Sunday morning, friends!!!  Today's card is a fun & cute card for the Card Style Fun and Cute Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.   It also uses my newest Wild Card Colours where I reach into a hat and pull out 4 Papertrey Ink colours.  Lucky me that these go well together:)  Hmmm, what is my style?  Well, it's all over the place...I would say sketches and paper dictate the way my cards go.  Sometimes I find I have a few different styles going on...but that's the fun of it, right?  Have a fabulous day :) 

What's in it?
Stamps: pti signature greetings
Ink: versafine onyx
Paper: pti kraft, cream, bitty dots and dotty biscotti dps; su bermuda bay
Accessories: seeing spots ef, pti and american crafts ribbon, fiskars apron lace punch, corner rounder, gemstones, stitching,

Within Your Heart

Good morning!!  I've been lovingly staring at this card all week :)  It's been waiting to be posted after all the other cards this week because of challenge deadlines.  "The best for last..."  I say :).  It was made for last week's Viva La Verve Challenge and the Card Style Classy and Elegant Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  Cathy has a set of 4 different challenges going on, each focussing on a different style.  And, nope, still haven't put down my new Verve stamps...lol.  Have a lovely weekend :)  Thanks for stopping by :)

What's in it?
Stamps: verve blue skies
Ink: versafine onyx
Paper: PTI cream, kraft, su saffron, october afternoon and cosmo cricket dps
Accessories: stitching, sheer ribbon, pearls, pti mat#1 die, oval nestabilities

Hello Sunshine!!

Good morning, Sunshines!!  I'm a little excited and giddy about today's card.  I made it last weekend, but held off posting it as it's for a special someone who reads my blog faithfully :)  She's a sweetie and is forever doing sweet things, not just for me but for others in BIG, BIG ways :)  I'm hoping that it has arrived at her house and that she was  surprised opening it...otherwise, this turns into the preview lol.  I have had this inspiration photo from A Creative Mint sitting in my Pictures folder waiting for the right card.  I haven't even counted up all the colours in this baby...but isn't this photo delightful?  It's almost like a Wild Card Colour Challenge!!  Who would think these would all go together, but they do!!  The sketch is for this week's Card Positioning Systems challenge.  I loved the square panel which I altered a bit to fit the fun little Verve note paper :)  I have used it so much since getting it last week that it is BROWN!! LOL  Anyways, I hope she likes it :)  Have a fabulous day and thanks for dropping by :)

What's in it?
Stamps: Verve Let it Shine, Blue Skies
Ink: SU mellow moss, versafine onyx, pti sweet blush, tea dye duo
Paper: PTI vintage cream, berry sorbet, sweet blush, spring moss, mint (craft supply),DCWV dp, cosmo cricket dp,
Accessories: corner rounder, ek success and fiskars border punches, seam binding ribbon, pti buttons, su 2 step bird punch and linen thread, gemstones, paper clip (office drawer!), stitching

Happy Birthday

Hi everyone!!  Today's card was my second try at the current Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge.  I wasn't happy with my first card and then this card started forming in my head as I went to bed Tuesday night.  It's kind of busy but I so wanted to use that October Afternoon paper again.  It actually doesn't look that busy in real life, if that makes any sense!! LOL  I just love how the raspberry pink pops off the kraft, black and cream.  Hope you are having a lovely morning and thanks once again for stopping by and leaving such lovely comments :)  Hugs and smiles,

What's in it?
Stamps: pti birthday basics, fancy flourishes, su by definition
Ink: su regal rose, basic grey, versafine onyx, pti tea dye duo
Paper: pti cream, kraft, sweet blush
Accessories: stitching, su library clip, pti button, blossom die, twine, gemstones, seam binding ribbon (Etsy), Heather Nichols library card digital image, prima flower

Courage

Good morning blog friends!!  Today's card is making me sing the praises of patterned paper.  Really, with great paper, a card basically makes itself!!!  My new paper pad I picked up at Chapters during the Anniversary visit last week has exceeded my expectations.  It has so many fabulous colours AND many of them match the colours for this week's Curtain Call Colour challenge.  Oh, this card makes me smile...great colours, fabulous sentiment stamp and luscious, bright colours :)  See, I haven't been able to put my new stamps down yet!!  I hope you have a terrific day...thanks again for stopping by...

What's in it?
Stamps: Verver Blue Skies
Ink: versafine onyx
Paper: PTI vintage cream, su regal rose, celery, razzleberry; DCWV and Basicgrey dps
Accessories: grosgrain, gemstones, stitching, MS butterfly punch, fiskars border punch, corner chomper