Butterfly Congratulations...ATSM #149~Happy 3rd Birthday (Clean and Simple), Addicted to CAS #65~Butterfly, So Suzy Stamps June Challenge~Congratulations,

Hello,

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY to Addicted to Stamps and More!!  

Three years of fabulous challenges; three years of incredible inspiration!  Much to celebrate on such an occasion!  And I'm so incredibly fortunate to be part of this team....happy sigh!

Today, my DT and I are inviting you to join us Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #149~Clean and Simple.

My card is most definitely CAS:  a lacy butterfly from So Suzy Stamps and a congratulations from Your Next Stamp Shop.  I hope you think they pair as prettily as I do....

Please visit the ATSM site, where you'll see dazzling CAS inspiration from my team-mates; if you have time, leave them some love.  You'll definitely make their day.

For extra enticement to play along, check out the amazing sponsors who are so generously offering up some mighty cool prizes for winners:

Sponsors

Prize $12 girft certificate

www.adayfordaisies.com

Prize $12 girft certificate

http://samistampsshop.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.bugaboostamps.com/

Prize is 7 digis

prize is 3 digi stamps

Hope to see your CAS creation in the ATSM gallery!

Adding my card to the challenges over at 

So Suzy Stamps June Challenge~Congratulations

Addicted to CAS #65~Butterfly

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

Hugs,

Coffee and Ballet...Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, STAMPlorations Anything Goes, Sovushka Slavia #4

Hello!

Another 'what a week' week! Fortunately, tomorrow's Friday and I'm off to see my family for the weekend.  On Sunday, my just-turned-five-year-old niece is performing in her year-finale ballet recital, as a butterfly.  How perfect is that for her slightly butterfly-obsessed Aunty C!  I promised her a couple months back that I would come to see her flitter and flutter across the stage, as I've not seen her dance 'for reals.'  My husband, however, won't be joining me, as a couple weeks ago, his sister invited us to his niece's high school grad celebration.  Talk about  crazy timing, right!  Oh well, we'll both have the pleasure of seeing our nieces 'cross the stage', ready to spread their wings in readiness for new adventures.  I'm nervous about my four-hour solo drive but...putting on my big girl pants and heading north!

Anyway, in the midst of various hectic-nesses this week, I etched out time to make a card (actually I made three, but two were ewwww!) for the amazing, talented, energetic and fabulous Amy's Coffee Lovers Summer Blog Hop

Check out the sponsors she lined up...nothing short of amazing!

The popularity of this hop is exponential; last count, showed 434 fabulous creations in the gallery!

Here's my card...all STAMPlorations images coloured with my Chameleon pens (still working on a relationship with them...)

I'm entering this in the STAMPlorations Anything Goes gallery.

AND, since I have your attention, below is the card I made for my niece. The ballerina (isn't she adorable!) is one of several that sweet Bev sent me a while back. I finally got up the nerve to colour one and I'm happy with the results. The HUGS is another gift, from sweet Barb, who sent me a variety of 'hug' die cuts, along with some other  treats.  I sponged it in rainbow colours because Ms. T is all about rainbows.  Mega THANK YOU, my wonderful friends, for sharing with me; I'm feeling mighty blessed.  All because of you, I was able to make something super special for Ms. T!

Hope she'll like it...

ETA:  A visit to Sandie's blog, and her revelation of a new-to-her challenge - Sovushka Slavia - sent me on an investigation of my own and...WOW!  My card 'resembles' the fabulous muse card created by Vanessa, so I am linking up!  Love when unexpected wonderful things happen!

Oh yes...I've fallen behind in commenting; I'll catch up! Stay tuned!

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

Hugs, 

Water-coloured Daisies...Pretty Pink Post~Watercolour Blog Hop, CAS(E) this Sketch #126,, STAMPlorations Anything Goes

Hello again!

Yes, you've read my blog heading right.  Me.  Participating in a water-colour blog hop.  I so enjoy the water-coloured delights many of you create, however, I don't care one iota for my water-colouring.  In fact, I don't even know why I own water-colouring supplies; even more astonishing (ridiculous, actually), is the fact that about a month ago, I bought Prima watercolour pencils to go along with my infrequently used twinkling H2Os and distress inks.  Evidently, I readily succumb to 'peer pressure.' I'm blaming the Prima purchase squarely on Kristina Werner and the video she shared here.

Those pencils, staring at me day-in-day out, paired with sweet Paulina's Pretty Pink Posh~Watercolour Blog Hop

lead to another *sighhhh* 'Let's give this a try yet again' episode.  And I did (we won't count the # of attempts).  This time, I went with the water brush-to-pencil method.  Nothing fancy-schmancy in the grand scheme, but after letting it sit a couple nights and looking at it from a couple different angles...hmmmm, I might just like the final result:

My layout  - with the middle panel popped up - was inspired by CAS(E) this Sketch #126

Also sharing at STAMPlorations Anything Goes

Whew...water-colouring done for the time being! Who knows what trend will test my evidently weak will power next...perhaps bird images will be joining my collection, after all!

Time to make supper than head to bed...I'm heat-exhausted!

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

Butterflies...MUSE #120, Addicted to CAS #65~Butterfly

Hello,

I've spent the last two days, in sweltering heat (such a treat not to wear umpteen numbers of layers), officiating at bike races. A wee bit stressful, as I was doing the job my husband typically does for one race in particular - timing - but aside from two small mess ups, which we were able to correct, all went well.  Yayyy!  I wanted to do a good job, but not 'so good' that I'd be recruited for repeat performances. Timing with a programme - not my strong suit; just give my my clipboard and stopwatch...

Today's cards are in honour of wonderfully talented Vicki who is stepping down from her DT role over at Muse. Her last card is this week's Muse #120 challenge...

How could I *not* play with these gorgeous butterflies as inspiration?  In fact, as evidence of how inspiring Vicki is, I made two cards:

Vicki, we'll miss your over at Muse, but...we know where to find you! Looking forward to playing alongside you in a whole bunch of challenges!  No matter where your cards may be, I know they'll be inspiring!

NOTE:  Honoured and thrilled to see my card standing next to Kristie's and Kimberly's as a Muse Featured Member. THANK YOU!!

I'm also sharing my card over at Addicted to CAS #65~Butterfly

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

Hugs,

Flowery Happy Birthday...Inspirational Challenge #84~Photo Inspiration, Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Hello...

It seems like only yesterday that we were  over at Inkspirational, with out *Purple & Wedding* challenge for our sweet Pia and her handsome groom, Thomas.  Thank you so much for such marvelous, special entries!  Two weeks have flown by, and it's time to welcome you to Inkspirational Challenge #84:

Such a pretty image: a summery outfit (love the striped tank top, frilly skirt and yellow shoes), flowers and books, a perfect scene to lose oneself in a story. And with that as introduction, I wonder: where will the 'story' of this photo inspiration take YOU?

My DT and I are thrilled that incredibly sweet and talented, Kylie  is our Guest Designer. Her card will delight, as will those of my wonderful teammates:

Marina

Sandie

Shauna

Yvonne

Nonni

 Pia, our newlywed

Kim

Please check out their cards and leave them some love; they'll be thrilled.

My card follows a simple plot - flower, vines and leaves, a butterfly or three..and best of all, it has a happy ending!

Hope I've offered a bit of inspiration to encourage you select a detail or two from the photo to create a card/project to share in the Ink gallery. You may be the one we choose as a future Guest Designer!

Sharing my card in the gallery at: 

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

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

Hugs,

Summer Birthday - Flowers and Butterflies - ATSM #147 ~Make Your Mark, STAMPlorations CASEplorations May

Hello,

Welcome to Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge#147~Make Your Mark, where the DT and I are inviting you to showcase your creativity with your markers, pens, paints, sponges... ANYTHING that will *Make a Mark* on your project.
Two DT cards for you today, inspired by Kim's fabulous inspiration card for STAMPlorations CASEplorations May.

Her card is awash with marvels: kraft, flowers, a hint of colour which I tried to mirror here with my sponged stencil Happy Flowers.  White pigment ink was applied first (too blah...I have a new ink pad and it's not playing nicely!), so I dove in with some festive berries and bit of mowed grass.  Added my wonderful W&W summer die and...done...

My second card sees the debut of my Honeycomb Delight stencil, a couple of sponged matchy-match butterflies and, again, my W&W summer die...

My third card, since I have your attention, is a 'had to do this' creation because I LOVE the stunning card that Shirley made during the STAMPlorations Stencil Blog Hop. I had every intention of copying it (yes, I admit it: copied because it's awesome!), but alas, I don't have the 'reverse' honeycomb stencil -yet.  Soooo...I hauled off and replicated her background using the my distress inks...and I'm quite pleased with the result, sans embossing/texture paste. Thank you, Shirley, for the fabulous inspiration! I'm not entering this into any challenges; it's simply a 'happy with my efforts' card for making something grungy-cool pretty...

Please be sure to check out my sweet design teammates' fantastic Make Your Mark inspiration and do leave them some love.  You'll make them very happy!

As extra incentive to play along, we have prizes for the winners:

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

Prize is 5 digis from the store (TBC)

AND

https://shop.deedeesdigis.com

My first two cards are also heading to:
STAMPlorations Anything Goes

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

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,