Thanks x 2...Freshly Made Sketches #188, CAS-ual Fridays #140~White, Tan and One Bright Colour, So Suzy Stamps May Challenge~Thank You, Simon Says Monday Challenge~Thank You, The Pink Elephant #300~Anything Goes

Hello,

Weekends are toooo short! We wound up heading into the city yesterday, where we ventured into Costco (silly us...Costco on a Saturday...yikes!) before I dropped my husband off at his 'city' office (as I mentioned, he's up past his eye-balls in work), while I went for a mall stroll.  No purchases beyond a cup of coffee, but a couple of dresses caught my eye.  Pretty florals; really pretty. If only I worked in a place that wasn't blaring with air conditioning (yes, you read that right: air conditioning is on in some fashion all. year. long! The fact that we need it maybe five days a year doesn't seem to faze the 'temperature control' folks much. They call it 'air circulation'; the rest of us call it hypothermia), I'd be wearing dresses more often, but...goose-pimply arms and legs aren't exactly stylish.

Anyway...two Thank You cards to share today.  Double-inspiration from Freshly Made Sketches #188

and CAS-ual Fridays #140~White, Tan and One Bright Colour, prompted the first card.

Some new CB products making a *CAS* debut.  More butterflies...love them!

My second card features an incredibly pretty 'line leaf' from So Suzy Stamps. I took a gamble that a distress ink sponged background would pair well with the black leaves; my goal was to ensure those lovely lacy lines were visible. Delicate delights, those leaves!  I'm joining the gallery at So Suzy Stamps May Challenge~Thank You

My cards are also off to:

The Pink Elephant #300~Anything Goes

 Simon Says Monday Challenge~Thank  You

Flank steak on the BBQ,, prepared and tended to by my husband (yes, I am incredibly lucky), so I'd best get going on my salad and bread preparations (yes, I am *not* a cook)...

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

STAMPlorations Stencil-palooza...STAMPlorations Challenges, W&W Join in to Win, The Pink Elephant #300~Anything Goes, Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Gloes

Hello!

Crazy week...it's zipped by quickly but talk about being jam-packed with 'stuff'. My husband's been working 28 hours a day, with no relief in sight until mid June. Even though he works for a winter sport, the spring/summer months are just as - if not more- busy than the winter competitive months, what with planning for the upcoming season.  My busy-ness isn't quite as frantic as his, but I've had plenty to keep me going. Thank heavens for a couple of  crafting-therapy sessions. Without them, I would be completely gaga!

The flavour of this week's creations were inspired by STAMPlorations' week long:

Please feel free to blame the ultra-talented, sweet Shery and her DT for what you're about to see. They *made* me do this...*grin*

Welcome to my stencil playground of 'simply stenciled' cards. Shery's stencils are just plumb amazing, so I've let them be the stars of the stage.

The three cards for *this* post (yep...you read that right) are heading to STAMPlorations Flash Stencil Project Linky Party as well as to a couple three other challenges listed below.

Card 1: you've seen me use this wonderful butterfly mask before; this time, I added the stamped butterfly images.  I went with black/grey and festive berries distress ink...

Card 2 features the nestled circles stencil, and the Happy die from W&W, so we're off to W&W Join in to Win , too.

Card 3, featuring the wonderful leaves stencil, will also join the STAMPlorations May Challenge~Stamps & Leaves

I just love when awesome products do allllllll the work!

I'm also joining the galleries at: 

The Pink Elephant #300~Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs,

Summer Birthday...The Friday Mashup #210~It's All About the Lace, W&W~Join in to Win, Tuesday Throwdown #246 - Anything Goes, Simply Create Too #86~Keep it Simple, Seize the Birthday~Anything GoesSeizS

Hello,

I had a most awesome weekend with my family (my niece and nephew are growing up waaaayyyy too fast! They are too. much. fun!) and now, back home (with time whizzing by!), I realize that Mr. Mojo didn't travel back with me.  I'm in slow - and in some case, reverse - gear in card-making. So many ideas; so little success in executing them. Grrr...but we carry on!

I brought back, from my mom's, a smattering of older cards that, in looking at them now, I wonder what I was thinking! And I posted them!  Eeeek!   I dismantled several, managing to salvage several bases and other bits, and feel much better for doing so.  New rule (or rather, 'old' rule) to be adhered (sorry...tee hee) to more firmly: only the cards I would be proud to send to someone will receive photo-ops and blogging status.  Of course, that's entirely open to interpretation on any given moment but....you get my drift.  Dud-reduction: that's my goal.

Anyway...time to shift from 'thinking out loud' to sharing my card.  The other day, sweet Stephanie, from My Ink Well, mentioned a new-to-me challenge over at The Friday Mashup #210~It's All About the Lace.  Isn't that cake elegant...and do you see the butterflies? Yep...went for it!

Here's my paper-and-ink translation of  that lovely orange cake, with its array of butterflies...Simple, in the grand scheme, and yes, I think this is a 'send' card.  I already have someone in mind...

Heading off to the galleries at:

Winnie & Walter~Join in to Win - I've used: Essentials: Katharine Cutaways, The Big, the Bold and Seasons Cutaways, The Big, the Bold and the Happy

Tuesday Throwdown #246 - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too #86~Keep it Simple

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Happily Ever After...Inspirational Challenge #83~Purple, CASology #147~Wedding

Hello, Hello...Are you ready?  This one very, very SPECIAL post:

This is a surprise Inkspirational Challenge #83 challenge in honour of our Design Team member Pia , who is getting married to the love of her life, Thomas, next week.

We want to wish Pia a lifetime of happiness with her new husband and we’d like you to join us.

One of Pia’s favourite brands,Clearly Besotted has kindly donated a £15 gift certificate as a prize for this challenge and here’s how you could win:

For ONE entry:  Make a card for our colour challenge , featuring the colour purple

For a SECOND entry: make a card that has BOTH purple AND a love/wedding theme.

We’d also love you to pop over to Pia’s blog and leave a message for the happy couple.

The Design Team have kept their cards hidden from the blog until now, so we can surprise Pia with this special challenge (although she may have received some in real life!):

My card for our sweet Pia (I am sooooo seriously stoked for her!) is the debut of my new Altenew Vintage Roses, combined with a sentiment from Clearly Besotted:

Pia and Thomas: may you truly live 'happily ever after'...and may 'ever after' be a long, long life time filled with joy and love, always and in all ways! Much love to you both!

I hope you'll join us in celebrating the newlyweds!

I'm joining the gallery over at CASology Challenge #147~Wedding (perhaps not quite as *cas* as it should be but...hope it still kinda-sorta fits)

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs,

Floral Happy Birthday...Uniko Challenge #21~Flowers (reminder post), Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Hello...and Happy Friday!

Once again, I'm thrilled to be co-guest designing with Jane and the rest of the Uniko DT with a 'reminder post' for Uniko Studios Challenge #21~Flowers.

My card was sparked by the realization that although my Beautiful Blooms stamps and dies have seen plenty of love, I've never used the flower and leaf stamps solo. Remedy required...so, I selected three colours, did a bit of masking, die cut a "happy" (the patterned one is stacked atop three others for some dimension, which is hard to see in my rather flat photo), added a sentiment and ta dahhh....I fiddled and fudged a bit to get the masking  to the 'I'm okay with this' point, but once I did, I was pleased with the result.  In real life, the 'happy' is much more pronounced, but I think you can make it out, semi camouflaged in the pretty blooms.

If you haven't joined us yet, please do so: you have another week to add your flowers to the gallery!  Remember: prizes await!! 

I'm also sharing my card at Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

ETA:  I discovered a 'new to me' challenge (I know...definitely under a rock at times!) at On a Stampage (love that name), so I'm joining in the Birthday Celebration.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mynn!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Thank You Berry Much & A Strawberry Harvest...CAS(E) this Sketch #123

Hello,

A picture heavy post, so I'll keep my yakking to a minimum. My first card was inspired by CAS(E) this Sketch #123

Certainly nothing super-duper original, but a marvelous layout for the third card of the 15 I made (over the past three days) for the Strawberry Tea my mom and her volunteer group are hostessing on May 30th.

Now that I have your attention....wanna see the rest o' the harvest?  Hope so...and for the record, most of  the inspiration came from the stunning and amazing cards posted here, the CB pinterest board for this stamp and die set.  Here are my takes, starting with...are you ready...a foursome using...da da da daaaaa...distress inks...and even a light wash of a watercoloured background!  I know:  totally unexpected from yours truly.  Even more unexpected: I  rather like how they turned out (these were Debbie Hughes case, as you can see on the pinterest board).  Anyway, enough chatter....

Voila..done!  Craving some strawberries, perchance, after that little festival of berries? Strawberry jam? Strawberry muffins? Strawberry scones (scones...oh my)?  Strawberry pie?

I'll be packing these up Friday morning, going to work, then heading north in the afternoon.  Hope my mom and her volunteer-friends like these; I hope you do, too!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Happy Birthday, Sandie...Addicted to Stamps and More #145~Photo Inspiration, Make My Monday~Things with Wings, STAMPlorations Anything Goes

Hello!

Welcome to Addicted to Stamps and More #145~Photo Inspiration where my fabulous design team and I are inviting you to showcase cards based on this lovely photo.  Colours, images, layout...plenty of places for your muse to wander...

My card focuses, as you can see, on purple, white and black, as well as 'things with wings'...

My card was made with a most special designer and friend in mind: our lovely, talented, heart-as-big-as-the-universe, Sandie, of London Days. She's an amazing gal, with her positive, spirit-lifting comments, her behind-the-scenes work here at ATSM, as well as Time Out and Uniko Challenges, her generous, always-willing-to-help nature and her all-around effervescent personality. The fact that I'm even on a design team is solely due to Sandie, who encouraged me to apply!

So, sweet Sandie, this card is for you...purple, because I know it's one of your favourite colours and butterflies because...well, you know me! Hope your celebration carries through for the rest of the month and that the upcoming year is nothing short of awesome!!

A special 'thank you' to Kylie, from Kylie is Addicted to Stamps Party, Sarah Gray and Sarah Platt for their 'plotting and scheming' to make this event happen.

Please be sure to check out the photo-inspired cards from the rest of the ATSM team.  You'll be WOW-ed!  Fueled with inspiration, create a card of your own to share in the gallery!  As extra incentive to play,, we have these fabulous sponsors offering up prizes:

http://www.dianesdaydreamdesigns.com/

AND

http://rosey-hearts.blogspot.ca/

I'm sharing my card over at Make My Monday ~Things with Wings

STAMPlorations Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs,

You're So Sweet...Freshly Made Sketches #186, Happy Little Stampers May CAS Challenge~Die Cuts/Punches

(This is my second post...to see my STAMPlorations GD post, go here, then come play along)

Hello once again.

Quick post before the doors over at Freshly Made Sketches #186 close.

Here's the back story:  my mom's volunteer group is hostessing a Strawberry Tea, at the end of May, at the seniors' residence where she's volunteered for 35+ years. 

Side note:  In late April, a local newspaper wrote an article about my mom and her group, highlighting  her/their commitment. She's the gal wearing beige. Isn't she cute? I think so *grin*

About the same time I learned about the tea, a new release of strawberry-themed sets appeared at Clearly Besotted.  I'll leave you to do the math of what happened next *grin*  

I offered to make a card for each table...a bit of 'decor' and, hopefully, if someone is interested in buying them, a bit of a donation to the volunteers' resources.  Grand total = 15 cards.  Total made, to date = 2.  And, given that I'm terrible at mass-producing, I'll be working in groups of twos..at least, that's my thinking right now. Ideas perking.  Since we're heading to see my mom next weekend (woo hoooo Aunty C time!!!), I need these done by Thursday evening.  Of course, the 'tight timeline' is entirely my own fault. Working ahead...I just don't seem capable of rolling that way!

Warning: you'll be seeing strawberries often here this week...hopefully...

The first two...

The duo...

Plenty of die-cuts here: the red panel, two wreaths, 6 'big' polka-dot strawberries and 6 little solid strawberries.  Aren't they sweet little wreaths? Love it when the product does the work!  Speaking of work...my cuttlebug will definitely be getting plenty of exercise creating wee berries and berry blooms.  Sharing these over at Happy Little Stampers May CAS Challenge~Die Cuts/Punches

Strawberry shortcake, anyone?

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs,