Happy Birthday!

Good morning, friends!  Now that work is done for the summer, I’m looking forward to having the outside of the house completed (with lawn and trees even!) and then the start of my little summer projects.  Up first is to learn how to use my Cricut!  I know some teachers use theirs in the classroom so I’m looking forward to expanding its use :)  Today’s card uses Amber’s fun layered sketch and starts a new month of sketches over on the Viva La Verve forum.  To check out the sketch and all the challenge details, head over to the Forum then join in the fun!  The grand prize for playing all month is $100 in Verve money!  That would be a fun shopping spree, especially with all the new ribbon Julee’s selling now :)  Have a great day :)

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Treasured Words, On Occasion (Verve)

paper: rustic white (PTI), Family Is Collection (BoBunny)

ink: onyx (Versafine), certainly celery (SU)

accessories: Occasion frame die (A Cut Above by Verve), chipboard heart (Heidi Swapp), button (PTI), bakers twine (Twinery), seeing spots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Teachers Make Little Ones Count

Good morning!  It’s the last day of work before summer vacation…can anything be sweeter?  I want to share a card that I made for the last Verve Release using my favourite Teachers Count set.  It’s the card I put on my teacher buddy’s desk this past week with some chocolates and a cute little butterfly pen :)  I also wanted to share one of the teacher gifts I received this week…are these not the cutest cookies you’ve ever seen?

They are so adorable I (almost) don’t want to eat them! LOL  So I took a picture so they’ll last longer ‘cause IRL I don’t think they’ll last past a second cup of coffee! HA!  I think I’ll save them for my first Monday off :)  Ah, a brand new summer is in front of me!  I love this time of year!  Thanks for visiting!

  

what’s in it?

stamps: Teachers Count (Verve)

paper: white (PTI), Take Note (Doodlebug Designs), gold glitter cardstock (Recollections)

ink: onyx (Versafine), real red, wasabi (SU)

accessories: apple die set and Starry die (A Cut Above by Verve), enamel dots (My Minds Eye)

Hello ~ CASE Study #147

Hi friends!  There’s a new card up on the CASE Study blog today!  We continue to enjoy the talents of our June Muse, Lisa Spangler.  Here’s what Lisa’s inspiring us with this week…

I hope it’s easy to see how I was inspired!  The colours, the little hello banner AND the triangles…look closely at my tag…there are little triangles everywhere!  I had to laugh as it reminds me of my students doing shape hunts in math! LOL

What jumps out at you?  Head over to the CASE Study blog or visit each of the Design Team Members directly on their blogs below and then join in the fun!  Thanks for visiting!

Lynn Mangan  (Our Guestie and My Bestie!)

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debby Hughes

Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)

Jean Martin

Jeanne Jachna

Maureen Merritt

Maureen Plut (you’re here!)

Silke Ledlow

Tasnim Ahmed

Teneale Williams

 

what’s in it?

stamps: clearly besotted stamps just fabulous

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti white, basicgrey kneehighs

accessories: pti tag and doube banner dies, may arts ribbon, bakers twine

Happy Birthday Dawn! PTI’s June Blog Hop

Good morning, friends!  It’s Papertrey Ink’s June Blog Hop which means it’s June 25th AND one of my favourite designer’s birthday (which she shares with one of my sisters!).  It’s Dawn McVey’s birthday and over the past few years, I’ve made my June Blog Hop card a little homage to her :)  So here’s the 2013 version.  The Blog hop this month challenges us to use a bit of gold on our cards.  I’ve used some of Dawn’s favourite colours along with some sparkly gold stars cut from glitter cardstock. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Enjoy the rest of the hop, I know I will!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: pti stylish sentiments: birthday

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti grid cardstock, raspberry fizz, basicgrey knee highs, recollections glitter cardstock

accessories: verve starry die, su scallop border punch, pti ribbon

Peace ~ Love ~ Joy

Good morning!  I had some play time in the studio yesterday so I checked my little card making to do list and chose the Festive Friday challenge!  This time we’re asked to use trees on our project…

I have several Christmas papers with trees on them but this Echo Park paper was just so darling, I couldn’t resist :)  The stars between the sentiment words are echoed with the large chipboard star and a bit of bling because that’s how I roll!  The layout of today’s card is via Ms McVey and her adorable card HERE.  What a great way to show off patterned paper :)  Thanks for stopping by!  One more week of work left!  Woohoo!

what’s in it?

stamps: pti stylish sentiments: holidays

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti aquamist, white, su baja breeze, echo park winter wishes

accessories: pti scalloped border die, twine, heidi swapp chipboard star, october afternoon miscellany (text strip/button), gems

The Beauty and Joy of Each Day

Happy Friday everyone!  Two more Fridays and then the summer of Moe (TAKE 20) begins!  Woohoo!  Today’s card uses the super adorable sketch from Janelle for this week’s Viva La Verve challenge over on the Verve Forum.  Dress it up or dress it down and I went for dress it up all the way.  This card is my own personal one for our secretary.  She has been a big fan of my cards for 3 years and I think this one is the perfect way to say “Happy Retirement!”  Head over to the Viva La Verve forum to see how you could win $100 in Verve!  Now that would make a great start to the summer!  Have a great Friday!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Feel the Sun (Verve)

paper: rustic white, soft stone (PTI), Memories (Teresa Collins)

ink: onyx (Versafine)

accessories: kraft doily, spiral notebook die, scallop border die, twine (PTI), seam binding, crochet flowers (Etsy), paper clip (Tim Holtz), embellished buttons (Teresa Collins), stitching

Happy Retirement ~ CASE Study #146

Hi friends!  There’s a new card up on the CASE Study blog today!  We’re CASEing the talents of our June Muse, Lisa Spangler, and loving every minute of it.  Here’s what Lisa’s treating us with this week…

The Parent Advisory Council at my school approached me last week to make 2 commissioned cards for our 2 retiring staff members.  This one will go to our lovely secretary, who has had to put up with us at-times-scattered-brain teachers! LOL  I took the bright colours of Lisa’s card and muted them a bit for a more shabby feel.  I’ve used 2 different Clearly Besotted sets, the flourish from Framed Sentiments and the sentiment from Happy Days.  I was also inspired by the layout but just moved everything down a bit so I could add in some lace :)

What do you love about Lisa’s card?  Head over to the CASE Study blog or visit each of the Design Team Members directly on their blogs below and then join in the fun!  Thanks for visiting!

Lynn Mangan  (Our Guestie and My Bestie!)

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debby Hughes

Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)

Jean Martin

Jeanne Jachna

Maureen Merritt

Maureen Plut (you’re here!)

Silke Ledlow

Tasnim Ahmed

Teneale Williams

 

what’s in it?

stamps: clearly besotted stamps framed sentiments, happy days

ink: versafine onyx, su basic gray

paper: pti rustic cream, bobunny prairie chic,

accessories: pti scalloped border die, button, seam binding, spellbinders labels 25 die, mft fishtail banner die, gems, lace trim, stitching

You Deserve It!

Hey friends!  Just popping in quickly as these next 2 weeks are pretty busy while we wrap up our school year here in BC.  Here’s a little CAS card heading out to a dear friend to celebrate a BIG promotion :)  Aren’t those little wood stars fun!?  Hope your week is humming along!  Thanks for stopping by!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Treasured Words (Verve)

paper: white (PTI), All About a Boy (Echo Park)

ink: onyx (Versafine)

accessories: rounded rectangle die (A Cut Above by Verve), wood veneer stars (Studio Calico)

Verve’s Diva Dare

Hey Peeps!  I’m hosting today’s Diva Dare over on the Verve Blog so head over there to hear more about this heartfelt card I made for a retiring teacher using my beloved Teachers Count set :) 

It’s Your Day Dad!

Good morning!  It’s a lazy, sunny morning here and the coffee is brewing.  I snuck down to the studio to share a Father’s Day card for the big day today.  Dad is cooking all of his sons-in-law a turkey dinner tonight!  He wanted to do it rather than have one of his daughters do the honour.  And when you’re 82, you usually get your way! LOL  I’m using the Super Dad set from Clearly Besotted stamps and the matching die set to cut out the shirt and the adorable little tie!  Hope you’re having a great Sunday!  Come back tomorrow for my Verve Diva Dare!

 

what’s in it?

stamps: clearly besotted super dad

ink: versafine onyx

paper: pti rustic white, su ballet blue, echo park all about a boy

accessories: clearly besotted super dad die collection, pti double banner die

Choose to Shine

Happy Friday morning everyone!  There’s only 2 more Fridays where you’ll see that phrase until September…yahoo!  Then every day will be Friday (GRIN)!  I’m playing with this week’s Viva La Verve Sketch over on the Verve Forum.  It’s also inspiration week.  I love this picture and had so many ideas swirling around that it was difficult to settle on one. 

I flipped through all my paper pads to get some colours and patterns shown in the picture.  Then I loaded the card up with some extra ribbon, a doily and a little flag on the circle.  I had this sweet little tin flair button that I picked up at Winner/HomeSense a few weeks ago that was begging to be on the card.  I love the pop of red :)  Head over to the Verve Forum to check out more samples from the Divas then join in the fun!  Play all month and you could win $100 worth of Verve Goodies!  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a fabulous start to the weekend :)

what’s in it?

stamps: Let it Be (Verve)

paper: rustic white, kraft (Papertrey Ink), turquoise (SU), Snippets and Sundrifter (Studio Calico)

ink: onyx (Versafine)

accessories: Stormy Skies ribbon (Verve), paper doily (Wilton), circle and pinked circle dies (Spellbinders), button (PTI), fishtail flag die (MFT), gems (Kaisercraft), bakers twine (Twinery), staple, stitching

Happy Birthday ~ CASE Study #145

Hi friends!  There’s a new card up on the CASE Study blog today!  We’re CASEing the talents of our June Muse, Lisa Spangler, and loving every minute of it.  Here’s what Lisa’s treating us with this week…

I went “loaded” this week even though LIsa’s creation is CAS.  I was inspired by the colours, hexagon and the sentiment on the little banner.  The Teresa Collins Memories paper collection is SO yummy and I’m having a blast playing mixing all the different patterns and colours.  I’m also using another Clearly Besotted Stamp set, Make a Wish, that released last week.  You’ll want to check it out ASAP because everything in the store has been selling like hotcakes!

What do you love about Lisa’s card?  Head over to the CASE Study blog or visit each of the Design Team Members directly on their blogs below and then join in the fun!  Thanks for visiting!

Lynn Mangan  (Our Guestie and My Bestie!)

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debby Hughes

Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)

Jean Martin

Jeanne Jachna

Maureen Merritt

Maureen Plut (you’re here!)

Silke Ledlow

Tasnim Ahmed

Teneale Williams

 

what’s in it?

stamps; clearly besotted make a wish

ink: versafine onyx, stampin up ruby red, pti aquamist

paper: pti soft stone, rustic white, stampin’ up ruby red, teresa collins memories

accessories: clearly besotted make a wish dies, mft fishtail flag die, pti spiral notepage die, button, bakers twine, verve seam binding ribbon

You are Precious

Good morning!  Today’s card uses some of the fabulous new Clearly Besotted Stamps released last week.  It also is for the very first Clearly Besotted card challenge over on Stephanie’s blog.  The challenge…Anything Goes!  I like that!  Here are the deets in a nutshell…

In order to qualify for the prize (open to everyone worldwide), please kindly adhere to the following guidelines:

• Your crafty creation must contain at least one Clearly Besotted product.
• It must be posted on your blog or an online gallery and linked below - direct link to post only please.
• The closing date for entries is Sunday 23rd June 2013 (10:55 GMT).
• Multiple entries are permitted but they must be a new creation each time.
• Please put GD next to your name if you'd like to be considered for our August Guest Designer Spot (contains a couple of my favourite sets to date!).

Because it's the first ever challenge, the prize is five Clearly Besotted stamp sets of the (randomly selected) winner's choice.

How does that sound?  I’m using 2 sets today, You Are and For Everyone.  I hope you’ll check out this fun new challenge. 

  

what’s in it?

stamps: clearly besotted stamps for everyone, you are

ink: versafine onyx, stampin’ up going gray

paper: pti rustic cream, soft stone, su going gray, simple stories vintage bliss

accessories: clearly besotted stamps You Are die collection, spellbinders label 20, pti tiny tag die, limitless layer ovals die, bobunny doily, memriemare seam binding, pti buttons, bakers twine, thread, mft fishtail flags, stitching

Ring, Merry Bells ~ Festive Friday Challenge

Oh, merry bells indeed!  Good morning, friends!  The current Festive Friday challenge was right up my alley…a vintage inspired theme.  I looked no further than my October Afternoon vintage papers and miscellany AND those sweet little jingle, er merry, bells!  No stamping here today, only papers and pieces from Christmas collections and some gorgeous Verve pink seam binding.  Pink, red and silver…how yummy are they together?  Thanks for stopping by…reports are done so we are on the home stretch now!  Woohoo!

 

what’s in it?

paper: pti vintage cream, october afternoon make it merry

accessories: verve seam binding, bakers twine, silver bells, prima lace trim, brads, oa miscellany, pink paiselee journal tags, studio calico wood snowflakes, stitching

Teachers Live Forever

Good morning friends!  I’m knee deep in report card writing but the end is in sight!  Last week the list of teachers retiring came out and I saw that a former colleague is one of them!  I’ll be going to the District Retirement Banquet so I wanted to make a special card for her.  My card’s colour inspiration came from this week’s Colour Q challenge.  I was thinking of going graphic like the picture, but vintage/shabby won out.  I just love the newly released Teachers Count from Verve Stamps.  I was dying for a Verve-styled teacher’s set so I could make cards for co workers.  Julee delivered BIG TIME after I sent her the idea :)  I think this sentiment is perfect for a retiring teacher.  I added a little strip of numbered paper as  nod to all the Math workshops I attended with my retiring friend :) I know she will love it :)   Have a great Sunday!  Thanks so much for stopping by :)

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Teachers Count (Verve)

paper: soft stone, white (Papertrey Ink), Take Note (Doodlebug Designs), Memories (Teresa Collins)

ink: onyx (Versafine), going gray, basic gray (SU), spring moss (Papertrey Ink)

accessories: apple die set (A Cut Above by Verve), doily (Etsy shop), scalloped border and spiral note page dies (Papertrey Ink), Jumbo Fishtail die (My Favourite Things), bakers twine (Twinery), gems (Kaisercraft), stitching

You are Sunshine for My Soul

Happy Friday everyone!  I’m hosting the Viva La Verve Sketch this week over on the Verve Forum and this is my take on it!  Actually, I made the card first and then had Amber draw it up :)  I was thinking of my sweet sister in law when making this.  We stopped in on her and my brother on our way to Boise 2 weeks ago.  She is always the most gracious hostess and I wanted to send her a little note of thanks :)  I’ve used the stitched frame from Verve’s Treasured Words and a sentiment from Doodled Occasions to help me out.  Head over to the Verve Forum to check out more samples from the Divas then join in the fun!  Play all month and you could win $100 worth of Verve Goodies!  Have a fabulous Friday!

what’s in it?

stamps; Treasured Words, Doodled Occasions (Verve)

paper: rustic white (PTI), glitter cardstock (Recollections), Vintage Bliss (Simple Stories)

ink: onyx (Versafine), autumn rose (PTI)

accessories: Signature Ribbon Collection (Verve), Rounded Rectangle die (A Cut Above by Verve), sunshine die (Lil’ Inkers), primitive heart die (Sizzix), doilies (Wilton), bakers twine (Twinery), buttons, mat stack die (PTI), stitching

Rain or Shine ~ CASE Study #144

Hello friends!  Well, hold onto your hats because we’ve got lots going on over on the CASE Study blog today!  Not only are we introducing a new Muse, the talented Lisa Spangler, but we’re also welcoming 3 new Teamies, Maureen Merritt, Silke Ledlow and Tasnim Ahmed!!!  Woohoo!  But wait! There’s more!  Our Guest Designer for June is none other than my bestie, Lynn Mangan, from The Mango Boys and Me!  How fun is that!  Okay, onto our inspiration for this week.  How stunning are Lisa’s colours?  That was my starting point this week :)

I thought it would be so fun to take those colours and stamp them on my new Clearly Besotted Stamps umbrella die.  This die and the coordinating stamp set, April Showers, is just being released over in the Clearly Besotted Stamps store if you want to check it out.  The set includes 3 different umbrella patterns divided into 3 parts so you can stamp in 3 different colours like I’ve done here.  I also used some beautiful striped paper from Simple Stories to echo those fabulous colours on Lisa’s card. 

Oh,  I betcha can’t wait to play this week!  Head over to the CASE Study blog or visit each of the Design Team Members directly on their blogs below and then join in the fun!  Thanks for visiting!

 

Lynn Mangan  (Our Guestie and My Bestie!)

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debby Hughes

Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)

Jean Martin

Jeanne Jachna

Maureen Merritt

Maureen Plut (you’re here!)

Silke Ledlow

Tasnim Ahmed

Teneale Williams

 

what’s in it?

stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps April Showers

ink: versafine onyx, su more mustard, bermuda bay, tangerine tango, going gray

paper: pti rustic white, su curry, simple stories vintage bliss

accessories: Clearly Besotted April Showers Die

Let It Shine Little Star(s)

 

Good morning!  Whew!  I thought the last 2 weeks were busy, but this one is shaping up to be the same.  We’re getting our driveway, front steps and front little patio ready to pour hopefully sometime this week so I’ve been tying rebar instead of ribbon! LOL  So I dug through some older cards to find something to share today.  I thought this sweet Verve card using Shining Star (which by the way is ON SALE this month!) would be the perfect one to pair with a pair of young men I met in Boise last month…recognize these sweet little munchkins? 

Julee and I had the boys and they were looking at Daddy (Mark).  I’ve got Kellan and Julee has Trevor.  They really are “identical” and I was thankful for the colour coding and the fact that Kellan was the only one walking at the time.  Super adorable and charming and they were on their best behaviour while we were there :)  Here’s the one right after Mark got them (and me and Julee!) laughing…

What a treat it was to meet them :)  Have a lovely Tuesday.  The sun has found its way back to our city and we are enjoying it to say the least!

 

 

Sale prices valid on in-stock merchandise, while supplies last.
No back orders or price adjustments for previous purchases.

what’s in it?

stamps: Shining Star (Verve)

paper: rustic cream, kraft, yellow (PTI), Quilting Bee (My Mind’s Eye), glitter cardstock (Recollections)

ink: onyx (Versafine),

accessories: doily die, tag die, star dies, button (PTI), circle and scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders), twine (May Arts), bakers twine (Twinery), stitching, gem