So Happy for You

 

Good morning and TGIF!!  This week just flew by and today I’m feeling a lot better…thanks so much for all your comforting words yesterday…it’s just nice to hear encouraging words…really, I am blessed a thousand fold, just need a place to hang my ribbon and call home, ya know?! teehee ;)  It’s Friday and you know what comes next…a fabulous new Viva La Verve sketch…in fact, it’s a whole new month of sketches over on the Verve Forum…that means our sweet Diva Amber is leading the way with the first gorgeous sketch…

I received a few other pads of paper this week, including the Stella and Rose Hattie Papers.  I just love the colours in it, perfect for Fall :)  The first line of stitching around the card was a little “off” so I added a second line to even things out…love what happens when you work with a “mistake.”  I was also going to use a cream ribbon, but then tried the turquoise and LOVED the pop of added colour :)  Ah, I can’t wait (for the dh) to hang my ribbon racks in the new studio :)  Well, that’s all…thanks so much for visiting and HEY!!  Come back tomorrow for a fun announcement and a super fun sketch…wink, wink ;)  Cheers!!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Hope Blooms (Verve)

paper: cream, summer sunrise (PTI), espresso, navy (SU), Stella and Rose Hattie (My Mind’s Eye)

ink: onyx (Versafine)

accessories: scallop border die, ribbon, buttons (PTI), circle and labels 16 dies (Spellbinders), stitching, thread

Friends ‘til the End

Good morning!!  It’s been a strange week with me feeling a little out of sorts on the home front.  As many of you know, I am in between homes…the one I lived in for 15 years and the new one we are building.  I thought I had settled in well enough at my dad’s house (the house I grew up in!) but this week everything feels odd again.  Hmmm, maybe it’s just that SOOOO much is happening at the new house that I can’t keep up!! LOL  Anyways, I thought maybe what I needed was a little studio time, albeit at night :)  This week’s challenge over at the colourQ Blog is to pick a favourite past Colour Queen and CASE her using this week’s set of colours.  I narrowed it down to 4 cards, then picked this simple stunner as I kept going back to it time after time.  The original card is by Laurie over on Soapbox Creations.  I am a fan of Laurie’s clean and simple style…a little different than mine, but that’s what I love!  I totally admire how CAS looks so visually rich by having very little there, KWIM?  It’s succinct, like saying what you mean in as few words as possible (hmmm, not like today’s post! LOL)  I found the perfect paper again that has all the challenge colours!!  This time thanks to Basicgrey’s Sweet Threads :) 

Okay, how about a few more house photos?  The painters have been in the house for a week, but the actual colours only got started 2 days ago.  Good thing I went up the first day as they were painting the guest ensuite the wrong colour!! They were using the guest room colour instead of the one I had chosen.  Not a problem, it’s just paint and they had just started the first coat :)  Crisis averted! LOL  The last photo is the grey scratch coat that goes on the outside of the house before the coloured stucco.  Thanks so much for visiting :) 

what’s in it?

stamps: verve making a statement

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti white, su espresso, basicgrey dp

accessories: gems, pti ribbon

Guest Room Ensuite – wrong colour

Guest room = greeny grey, guest ensuite = light blue

exterior grey coat

Beautiful U ~ Verve Diva Dare

Good morning!! I have a super wonderful post to share with you today.  I am hosting Day 8 of the Verve Diva Dare over on the Verve Blog today!!  This month we are challenged to CASE a Diva!  Though, I LOVED this as soon as I heard about it, I thought, “EEK!!!  How will I ever choose?”  Lucky for us Divas, Andrea came up with the fabulous “draw a Diva” idea.  Phew!!  It didn’t matter who I got as I LOVE all the Divas and their work and would be honoured to CASE any one of them!!  My draw?  The super sweet and ultra talented Diva Teresa Kline!!  Oh, my!!  Love her!  No, L-O-V-E her!!  So off to her Verve Gallery I went to TRY and NARROW down one card I could CASE and do her proud.  And like me, I had to pick 3 projects!! LOL  BUT, I put them into one card here :)  So, this is what I know about Teresa’s style…gorgeous, muted papers, LOADS of distressing, fun stitching, lace, seam binding and lots of elegant details.  Yes, DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS.  I think I’ve done that using the You and I and Love Notes sets along with the Jotted Heart and I {heart} U dies.  I love adding a little bookmark as a little added bonus in an envelope.  Here it is using a fabulous quote from Words of Wisdom on the Sweet Scallop Tag die.

And here are Teresa’s 3 inspiration photos :)  Thanks so much for stopping by…head over to the Verve Blog for more details about entering this super fun challenge :)  Have a wonderful day!!

  

what’s in it?

{beautiful U}

stamps:  You and I, Making a Statement, Love Notes (Verve)

paper: cream (PTI), sahara sand, basic grey (SU), Lost and Found 2 Sunshine (My Mind’s Eye), Uncommon (Authentique)

ink: onyx (Versafine), chocolate chip (SU)

accessories: I heart U, Sweet Scallop Tag,  and Jotted Heart dies (A Cut Above Dies by Verve), tag button (My Mind’s Eye), tag die, button, twine (PTI), seam binding (MemrieMare), envelope (Canvas Home Basics), twill (May Arts), staples, lace (Prima), stitching, flower gem (Dollar Store)

Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop

Good morning and welcome to my take on this month’s Papertrey Ink Blog Hop challenge!  This month we are asked to be inspired by this photo…

Hmmm, all these stripes flew me for a loop, so I tried to focus on the colours for my first card.  I was SO determined to use my Button Card again, but wanted to add a little something from my new PTI order, the tab :)   This next card really was inspired by the stripes.  The first thing that popped into my head was ribbon. 

Well, that’s all!! Not a lot of chit chat as I’m all talked out after talking all week long to 7 year olds!! LOL  Ah, back at work with a vengeance!  Enjoy the rest of the Hop and thanks so much for all your sweet comments :)  Hugs!!

what’s in them?

 

{happy birthday}

stamps: verve big wish, pti button boutique

ink: versafine onyx, su basic grey

paper: pti white, poppy, kraft, su basic grey, pti bitty dots dp

accessories: pti button card, doily and tab dies, fiskars punch, pti buttons, twine and ribbon, stitching

 

{thank you}

stamps: pti inside and out thank you

ink: su basic grey

paper: pti white, su basic grey

accessories: pti ribbon, ek success border punch

Just Be

TGIF everyone!! I’m all talked out this week.  LOL  I am looking forward to a “silent” weekend :)  But before I start, let’s celebrate Friday with a new Viva La Verve sketch!!  Diva Laurie is sharpening our cutting skills with this sweet little number.  After wrecking one piece of text patterned paper, I learned 2 little tips I will pass on…1) don’t use text paper unless you can cut it on a perfect angle and 2)  cut a little diagonal ruler/tracer then use it to draw the lines on the back of some paper, cut, then adhere to bottom piece of patterned paper :)  This card was looking a little TOO monotone for me so I spruced it up with some turquoise ribbon.  “Just Be…”  I think that will be my motto for the weekend.  I hope you will take the time to “just be” as well :)  I so hope to see YOUR card in the gallery this week.  Head over to the Verve Viva La Verve Forum for all the details :)  Hugs!!

 

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Words of Wisdom, Tag Time (Verve)

paper: kraft, cream (PTI), razzleberry (SU), Lost and Found Blush (My Mind’s Eye)

ink: onyx (Versafine)

accessories: Curvy Bookplate Die, Sweet Scallop Die (A Cut Above Dies by Verve), embossing folder (Cuttlebug), ribbon, buttons and twine (PTI), gems (Kaisercraft), flowers (Prima), stitching

Birthday Girl

Good morning!! It’s Thursday and you what that means!! Tomorrow is glorious Friday!!  When I saw this week’s colours for the colourQ Challenge, I immediately thought of my Basicgrey Kioshi paper pad.  Yes, it’s old, but I’m pretty sure there is a sheet in it that would be perfect for the inspiration photo…so I go to look in my paper pad basket and can’t find it!! UGH!!  It must have been one of the ones I packed away for Spring.  So short of driving up to the storage unit to dig it out…I tried to use what I have on hand.  This delicious coral red ribbon was a no brainer…I cannot get enough of its rich colour.  The dress form was cut from Calypso Coral, although it’s pretty close to the orangey red of the ribbon (that I’m calling  my poppy parade).  Well, if today is Thursday and tomorrow is Friday, I hope you’ll come back to celebrate a new Viva La Verve sketch :)  See you then!!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: verve birthday bash, pti dress form set

ink: versafine onyx, su groovy guava

paper: pti black, white, su calypso coral, wisteria wonder, lilybee designs dp

accessories: pti scallop border, dress form dies, circle nestabilities, mft doily die, may arts ribbon, gems, prima flower

Thank You and some House Pics!

Good morning!!  Well, the week is half over and might I say flying by as well.  Today’s card is one that started out with the sincerest intention of using it in an upcoming blog hop, but it kind of got away from me so I’m just posting it today instead.  It was not what I wanted to come out of my head for the blog hop, so I just finished it as a thank you card  that I could give to a fellow staff member sometime this year :)  I bought the October Afternoon miscellany pack last month, but am finding it hard to use all the lovely flashcards as I don’t want to cover them up!!  So I went with a little sentiment “tab.”  And let me just say that my Verve You and I set was a little nervous with me using it after the “miss”hap on the weekend!! LOL  I also thought it would be cool to use “You’re a …(10)”  but didn’t have the stamps and didn’t have the energy to type it out in Word!!  Forgive me? teehee ;)  Okay, I’ll leave you with the latest house pics…painting SHOULD start today…let’s cross our fingers :)  More photos can be found on my New House page.  Thanks for stopping by!! 

 

First step in the ensuite installation: mud the floor :)

The ensuite shower…yep, it’s HUGE.  There will be 2 shower heads.  Tony built me that sweet bench at the back.  He even had me sit on it and put my foot up on it to make sure it was the right height for little ol’ me :)  Now THAT’S custom!!

The trim around the windows of the great room.  You can see the scaffolding outside :)  The fireplace frame is to the right.

The house as of yesterday.  The new garage doors are fabulous!! I’ll finally have the luxury of a remote garage door opener :)

what’s in it?

stamps: verve you and I

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti kraft, rustic cream, dotty biscotti dp, October Afternoon and MME dp, Su poppy parade

accessories: October Afternoon flashcard, pti tab and doily dies, button, twine, gems, ribbon

Welcome Home, Andrea!!

Good morning!! I can FINALLY post this card as the recipient received it last week :)  My dear blog buddy, Andrea Matthews, has recently moved back to Canada after living and working in the States for several years.  I was inspired to make her a welcome home card using a“vintage” atlas page (circa 1989…before Nunavut was created ;) that I don’t think anyone will miss {wink,wink}.  My sweet friend, Janelle, gave me this great idea with THIS CARD.  Andrea has moved to a gorgeous province on the East coast of Canada.  I also tucked in some fun little Apple icon magnets.  Aren’t these the coolest?  Andrea has helped me here and there learn the ins and outs of my iPad…so I knew she would appreciate these :)

So “card for Andrea” can be checked off my to do list!!  Remember my sweet little whiteboard?  It’s still keeping me organized, but I found some suh-weet coloured pens to keep the studio bright and cheery :)

Well, that’s all today…hopefully I will have some new house pictures soon :)  Thanks for stopping by and Welcome Home, Andrea!!

what’s in it?

stamps: verve to the moon, words of wisdom, pti love lives here

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti white, kraft, black, summer sun, red, vintage atlas!

accessories: labels 18, pti ribbon and scallop border die, Word program “you are here.”

Wish You Were Here

Good morning, dear friends!!  Well, it’s the start of another week and hopefully the installation of things over at the house starts to speed up a bit.  The ensuite install did not start at all, but hopefully today or tomorrow.  The doors and trim are in, though, and the painter should start tomorrow as well :D  Today’s card is for this week’s Waltzingmouse sketch challenge.  I have really been enjoying my new edgers die and thought it would be perfect for this card along with some more new My Mind’s Eye paper :)  Hope your week has started out with a bang :)  Thanks so much for stopping by…I love it when you do :D

 

what’s in it?

stamps: waltzingmouse stamps frame it

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti cream, kraft, mme dp

accessories: pti banner and edgers dies, buttons, seam binding, twine, su scallop border punch, stitching

Miss U and a Sad Day in the Studio

 Good afternoon…well, it’s good and sad here today :(  How about the “good” first.  The colourQ Challenge continues to rock the colour combinations and I was so happy to spend my lazy Saturday morning creating this card.  I had a few ideas in my head, but then just let nature take its course once I started playing with paper and dies.  I even added the “fifth” colour from the inspiration photo :)  Who could leave out aquamist?!! ACK!!! Not me!!  Now you may think I have the PTI half and half dies, but I don’t…I think it was Andrea who reminded me of this little nesties trick…feed the paper into the middle of the nestie to die cut one end of your paper :)  FUN, FUN, FUN!!  And less expensive!!  Okay, onto the “sad” part of this post.  Guess what this is…

When I create a card, I lay out the paper, die cuts and stamps onto the card and play around with all the elements.  I had my little Verve “miss” stamp on the “U” die and then LOST it!!  I was frantically looking for it for about 20 minutes, then found it in my scrap paper pile, phew!!  (I’m sure I’m not the only one who loses clear stamps!!).  So then I get my paper and dies ready to cut in the cuttlebug.  I run the second shape through and it’s a tighter fit than the first cut….because my “miss’ stamp WAS STUCK TO THE PAPER I WAS CUTTING!!  And this is what is left of my sweet little “miss” stamp.  I hadn’t stamped it yet, so I went to my Word program and searched for the closest font I could find to print the “miss” out.  But I’m so sad because it’s the first stamp that I’ve wrecked.  I’ve lost LOTS of them but, after retracing my movements, always find them again. Oh well…it really is a little thing in the big scheme of life, eh? 

Okay, lazy morning over…time to get dressed and head to the gym!!  Have a wonderful day…come back tomorrow for some CASE Study inspiration :)

what’s in it?

stamps: Verve You and I, PTI Mat Stack 1

ink: versafine onyx, su basic grey, real red

paper: pti white, su poppy parade, basic grey, MME Lime Twist

accessories: Verve I heart U die, pti blossom and mat stack 1 dies, pti ribbon, button, thread, label 4 nestabilities, craft concept embossing folder, stitching

Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams

Yahoooo!!! It’s here again!!  TGIF!!  I think this second Friday of the year might even be sweeter than the first one as it’s been a WHOLE week of full days at work.  Plus I’m meeting a dear friend for some drinks and appies after work…suh-weet!! And you all know I also love Fridays because it’s a new sketch over on the Viva La Verve forum!!  It’s week three out of 4 this month…and if you play ALL month long and link your cards in the Sketch Champion thread, you could win the whole next release!!  Can’t wait for the next release before getting some new Verve?  Check out the month long Autumn Sale on now over in the Verve Store!  Julee always has something on sale…a woman after my own heart :D  Today’s card is going to another niece who has just moved out to go to university.  She’s also getting a fun little gift with it…I think these quotes from Words of Wisdom are perfect for students going off to school.  I also slipped in another little favourite stamp from To the Moon…it fits perfectly in the tiny sweet scallop tag die :)  Okay, let’s get this day started!!  Have a great one!!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: words of wisdom, to the moon (Verve)

paper: cream, rustic cream (PTI), sahara sand, soft suede, espresso (SU!), Pyrus (Basicgrey)

ink: onxy (Versafine), really rust (SU!)

accessories: tiny sweet scallop die (A Cut Above by Verve), circle and scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders), seam binding (SU), buttons and twine (PTI), twill ribbon (May Arts), border punch (Fiskars), stitching

It’s the Little Things and some house pix!

Good evening!!  Well, it’s my bedtime, but I was determined to make a card tonight and then I thought, why wait to post?  Since I didn’t have a post ready for this morning, let’s have one tonight :)  The new challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey is to CASE one of the PTI Design Team members!!!  I could not NOT participate in this super fun challenge…which really, is a pleasure more than a challenge :D  It’s no surprise I’m sure that I’m CASEing the fabulous Dawn McVey.  Everything she makes is golden IMHO. I thumbed through my “Dawn File” and came to this fun little card. 

I just love the colours she uses and how she layers die cuts.  I used some of my new PTI goodies including a sentiment from Dawn’s Gratitude Journal.  Whew, am I tired!!  But before I drift off, let me leave you with a few new house photos…first up is the front door trim that just went in.  To the left, you can see the den doors and new trim as well.

When you enter the house through the garage (heated garage with automatic openers!! Finally!! What a treat!), there is a small mudroom to the left.  The door at the end is the powder room and the 2 doors in the mudroom will be an extra pantry and a place for cleaning products and vacuum hoses (central vac too!).

This is a shot down the hall upstairs.  This is the door to the second bedroom.  The laundry room is to the right. The trim was all laid out, now it’s on the walls :)

Thanks so much for visiting :)  I’m tired, but it’s a good tired, means I’ve been productive :)  Sweet dreams,

what’s in it?

stamps: pti gratitude journal, newsprint background

ink: versafine onyx, su wisteria, basic gray

paper: pti rustic cream, kraft, berry sorbet, su wisteria

accessories: pti dies, baker’s twine, gems, button, twine, staple