Merry and Bright

 
Well, Sankiri got the old brain cells a churning with this sketch!  Oh my!  So many elements to deal with my simple mind had some time wrapping itself around this sketch.  However, once I got to working with it, it fell  into place quite nicely.  Love a good challenge :)

I decided to use the same papers as my last card as they were still out on my desk with the bonus being the addition of another Christmas card to my stash.  Love this fun snowflake die from The Cat's Pajama's and it was perfect for the circle on the sketch. 

Yeah, November Verve sketches are all done and now we play the waiting game for the announcement of this month's $100 Verve gift certificate winner.  What a wonderful Christmas present that would be!

Thanks for popping in today!  Always enjoy the company :)

 

What's In It?
Stamps:  All Year Cheer I (SU)
Paper: Fancy Pants Paper (Brrr), Burgundy, Certainly Celery, Kraft

Ink: Black
Accessories: Snowflake Die (The Cat's Pajama's), Circle and Scalloped Circle  Nesties, Corner Punch, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Gold Twine, Gold Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Celebrate the Season

I loved this week's MFT sketch - no skewed panels LOL.  It was on my my hit list  all week and I am just now getting to it.  A little "me time" as a break from all the work I'm doing for hubby, as well as a great excuse to make another Christmas card. 

Love this Fancy Pants "Brrr" paper - it's green (my favorite colour) and has lots of  snowflakes on it - score!  I gleefully used my Cuttlebug snowflake die for the big, burgundy snowflake, and after rejoicing in the fact there was no skewed panel on the sketch, I ended up creating one of my own - go figure LOL!

Thanks for popping in today.  Have to get this month's last Verve sketch done so I'll definitely be back before Thursday at midnight.

Until then, I'll be basking in the BC Lions football team's Grey Cup win (equivalent of the NFL Super Bowl) yesterday.  They played and won at home - can't get much better than than :)   



What's In It?
Stamps:  Amuse, Verve 
Paper: Fancy Pants (Brrr), Certainly Celery, Burgundy, Kraft 
Ink: Black 
Accessories:  Cuttlebug Snowflake Die, SU Scalloped Border Punch, Crimper, 1" Circle Punch, Script Embossing Folder, 5/8" Tan Grosgrain Ribbon, Buttons, Twine, Gold Cording, Gold Half Pearls, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

A My Mind's Eye Christmas

This week's Mojo Monday sketch made me have to pause and think once again.  Love the challenge of being able to master a sketch, and hate it when a sketch works me over, or even worse, beats me to a pulp!  Yeah...it's that competitive part of me again LOL!

I am still madly in love with this particular design of My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Christmas paper.  Went back to my LSS last week and got six more sheets of it so I have lots to play with and most likely a stock for next year!  Just love the stylized Christmas trees with the sparkly red star on top and the colour combo is right up my alley.

Christmas means snowflakes in my books, so out came these fabulous Verve snowflakes.  I embossed them in white on some Artichoke paper and cut them out by hand as the matching dies are still on my wish list versus in my craft room.  The empty space on the right of the sketch gave me grief, but since this week's sketch creator Debbie filled it with an image I figured I could do the same LOL!   I opted to use a tag and dressed it up.

Trusting all my American friends and followers had a great Thanksgiving, and your Black Friday shopping was successful if you chose to get out and brave the crowds.  We'll be watching the Grey Cup (Canadian version of the Super Bowl) today as the BC Lions are in it and we hare hoping for a win!!

Challenges:  Crazy 4 Challenges - Snowflakes




What's In It?
Stamps: Glad Tidings (Verve)
Paper: Lost and Found Christmas (My Mind's Eye), Always Artichoke, Vanilla, Burgundy
Ink: Black, Versamark
Accessories: Snowflake Embossing Folder,  A Cut Above Dies (Verve), 5/8" Tan Grosgrain Ribbon, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, Buttons, Red Bling, Gold Twine, Gold Half  Pearls, White Embossing Powder, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Sketch Challenge #97

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to all my American followers!  Wishing you a fabulous time with with family and friends!  Eat some turkey and trimmings for me :)

Love the sketch Keesh came up with this week.  The basic layout allows you to dress it up or lean more toward the CAS side of things. The sky is the limit :)

I went for a more CAS look and pulled out some PTI dies to accomplish just that.  I decided to go with this great MME Lime Twist polka dot paper (oh how I love my dots LOL!) which I got over at Paper and Such (Julie's low shipping fees are the best!).  I paired it with my favorite PTI flower die and used Melon Mambo to make it pop.  Was a fun card to make and I can definitely see myself using this sketch again :)     

The rest of the Design Team has some fabulous cards for your inspiration.

Cindy Kirsty Makeesha Renée Brandi Carrie Helen Ilina Lee-Anne Marisa

Just a reminder that each week Keesh will select a winner and an honorable mention and post their cards on the Inkspirations Challenge blog.  We'd love to see your card posted as a winner, all you have to do is play along.





What's In It?
Stamps: Wishing You (Verve)
Paper: MME Lime Twist, Not Quite Navy, Melon Mambo
Ink: Black
Accessories: Flower and Label Die (PTI), 1/4" Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Crimper, Button, Twine, Half Pearls, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Christmas Blessings

Diva Tosh came up with a wonderful sketch this week.  I need a few more Christmas cards so I jumped at the chance to make another one.  My starting point was these wonderful Echo Park papers and I gleefully put navy and brown together because when I was growing up it was a big no no to wear them together.

I love the shape of this Stampin' Up ornament punch!  My original intentions were to heat emboss something on the ornament but the silver paper is very slick, so rather than risk it, I decided to put a punched out snowflake on it instead.  I'll save the daring stuff for another day LOL!

The font of this Christmas Blessings sentiment is perfect for this card as it ties in wonderfully with the shapes on the DP.  It's the first time it's seen ink (why, I ask?!) and using it on this card has convinced me to add the large scale Plain Jane version to my Verve wish list :)

Thankfully, we had a nice weekend so I was able to get my Christmas lights up.  Only glitch was the fact our front trees and shrubs have grown quite a bit so we need to get a few more strands of lights so it doesn't look like I quit half way through putting them on LOL! 

To my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving a day early :)  Enjoy your time with family and friends and indulge in some turkey and other goodies for me - yum!  Best of luck to those of you who are daring the crowds on Black Friday!




What's In It? 
Stamps: Glad Tidings (Verve)
Paper:  Wintertime (Echo Park), Night of Navy, Early Espresso
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle and Circle Nesties, SU Ornament and Border Punch, Crimper, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, Marvy Snowflake Punch, 5/8" Brown Satin Ribbon, Button, Silver and Red Twine, Button, Silver Half Pearls, Bling, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

A Verve Noel

When I first saw this sketch I was a little leery due to all the layers, but once I started working with it things fell into place.  My starting point was some delicious Kaiser Craft Winter Wonderland paper, which unfortunately is mostly covered up.

I used Labels 17 nesties for the two side panel shapes and the doily is a PTI die.  The snowflake is embossed in bronze and hand cut (yes, the newly released dies to fit this snowflake are on my wish list!), and since I don't own burgundy buttons or half pearls, I had to use dark red ones instead...but I think they passed as the burgundy paper is more towards the red side - phew!

Now that I'm working for hubby again, I'm coveting any craft time I can get :)  Mind you I can't complain too loudly (just quietly to all of you lol) as I get to work from home which saves me driving time etc. and allows an easy transition to the after school kids.  Love the fact we can work together as a team and since my parents did so for about 40 years, I guess it is in my blood :)

Have a fabulous day and thank you for stopping in today (((hugs))).  


 

What's In It?  
Stamps: Glad Tidings (Verve) 
Paper: KaiserCraft, Basic Grey, Burgundy 
Ink: Black, VersaMark 
Accessories:  Snowflake Embossing Folder,  Bronze Embossing Powder, PTI Doily Die, 5/8" Silver Ribbon, Crimper, Red, Silver and Black Half Pearls, Button, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Techno Throwdown

This week's Techno Stamper Monday Lunchtime sketch was one I wanted to use as I had a hankering to use Stampin' Up's Season of Friendship tree and the large panel fit the bill.  I paired it with the wonderful combination for this week's Colour Throwdown.   However, that was when things came to a grinding halt!


Ever had one of those cards that just works you over?!   Since I didn't want to be outdone by some paper and ink (I know, sad statement LOL) and I was too stubborn to toss it out and start again, I pressed on....mercilessly letting the illusion of getting the card to work out torture, taunt and challenge me to get it right.  I almost didn't post it, but decided I should just as a reminder of how some times things fall together and other times your creative gears get ground but good. 

I think my troubles began when I used white instead of vanilla and then realized my error and had to work it in - first ugh!  Things continued to be issues from there.....I didn't have Basic Grey or Red Riding Hood Ink so had to sub in colours; my tree image was bigger than I remembered but I was determined to use the image so the sketch got pushed to the limits; the teeny, tiny red sentiment panel overpowered the tree so I played around with different cording, ribbon etc. across the vanilla panel and settled on the twine; the tree was still getting overpowered so I added black half pearls to the base of each leaf  to bring it out a bit more; tree didn't feel "grounded" so I added the little strip of black scallops at the bottom to ground it and get my "rule of three" going.  After trudging through the above issues, I think I appeased the competitive gene in me enough to call it a card.  Not one that will win first prize, but at least I got a participation ribbon LOL!

Thanks for listening to my woes :)  Hopefully it encouraged you in some small way and provided you with a laugh as you pictured an obsessed, crazy woman (waving madly at you) competing against an inanimate object called paper!  Trusting my next card will be a much more enjoyable experience - so there, paper LOL!



What's In It?
Stamps: Season of Friendship (SU), Hero Arts 
Paper: Real Red, So Saffron, Basic Grey, Vanilla, Black 
Ink: Going Grey, So Saffron, Real Red, Black 
Accessories:  SU Border Punch, Scalloped Circle and Circle Nesties, Crimper, Black Half Pearls, Twine, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #96

I'm just loving this week's colour combo and had great fun mixing the colours around to get them to work for me.  I didn't even use a sketch this time!  Came up with this one all on my own but I'm sure it is similar to some out there in blog land and they were my subliminal inspiration for this card.  For the meantime, I'll go with wonders never cease  LOL! 

When I saw red in the mix, I wanted to use it as my pop of colour on the card.  Played around with various ideas and then a light bulb went off and my creative gene started to dance.  The result was Verve's Jotted heart die and "U" die to spell "love you".  Stamped the corresponding words on each die shape and added "so much" at the bottom.

A fun card that may very well be hubby's Valentine's Day card - though remembering to save it and give it to him is a whole other issue LOL!

The rest of the Design Team has some fabulous cards for your inspiration.

Cindy Kirsty Makeesha Renée Brandi Carrie Helen Ilina Lee-Anne Marisa

Just a reminder that each week Keesh will select a winner and an honorable mention and post their cards on the Inkspirations Challenge blog.  We'd love to see your card posted as a winner, all you have to do is play along.




What's In It?
Stamps: You and I, Happy Phrases (Verve)
Paper: Kraft, Bashful Blue, Real Red, Cream Linen
Ink: Chocolate Chip, VersaMark
Accessories: Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, Jotted Heart and I Heart U Die Sets (Verve), Crimper, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Loving My Bronze Snowflake

 
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the flowers on this week's Mojo Monday sketch was to use a big, sparkly, snowflake, so I dug into my Christmas DPs to see what would tickle my fancy.  I pulled some yummy Basic Grey, Echo Park and what I think is some old Stampin' Up designer series paper that worked well together. 

My  initial thought was to go with a sparkly, red snowflake, but alas, my supply of such paper seems to have run out so I opted to go with a bronze one instead.  My attempt at keeping red in the mix failed as using a red ribbon overpowered the card and totally wiped out my snowflake!  Thus the  monochromatic card. Thankfully I had some bronze twine to help tie things together (no pun intended LOL).  

Hubby has a ton of work for me to do starting the end of this week and carrying on into the New Year, so unfortunately my creative time will have to suffer...sniff, sniff....  Since I refuse to give up my self imposed "Fit and Firm at Fifty" kick until that blessed day in January, as well as having to schedule in all the kids' Christmas activities and getting my own house in order for Christmas, I am hoping to be able to manage three posts a week.  Could be a challenge, but hey, this girl loves a challenge, and after all, tis is the season to believe in miracles, right?!  Will do my best, promise :)

Challenges:  Divas By Design - Monochromatic  
                   

   


What's In It? 
Paper: Vintage Santa (Echo Park), Jovial (Basic Grey), SU DSP, Sparkly Bronze chipboard, Gold, Always Artichoke, Linen Vanilla 
Accessories:  SU Scalloped Border Punch, Cuttlebug Snowflake Die, Martha Stewart Snowflake Die, Half Pearls, 5/8" Brown Satin Ribbon, Button, Bronze Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Christmas Joy Wreath

Loved this basic sketch by Jen for this month's SFYTT.  You can keep it simple or dress it up, my favority type of sketch to work wtih.  I paired it with this month's CR84FN challenge and hope my squeezing some (okay, a lot of) silver accents in doesn't get me in trouble with the challenge police.

Since Verve is this month's SFTYY sponsor, I used this fun wreath from Glad Tidings and coloured it with Twinkling H2Os.  Then came the silver pearl application and a harsh reminder that my eyes are aging and I need to think about getting bifocals next time I get new glasses - ugh!   The joys of aging - not!!

I crimped the back panel for a bit of something and used a double lacy nestie mat for the wreath to help it pop out a bit.  A touch of silver, pleated ribbon (which I hope doesn't decide to unstick itself) and some silver cording called it a card.

Hard to believe this is the eleventh sketch of the year and only December's sketch is left to go!  When that's done, all that is left for you to do is hold your breath and see if Random Org Santa will select your name as the participating prize winner and by doing so add to your Christmas cheer :)


 

What's In It?
Stamps: Glad Tidings (Verve)
Paper: Making Memories, Black, White
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Twinkling H2Os, SU Scalloped Border Punch, Crimper, Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, 5/8" Silver Ribbon, Silver Cording, Black and Silver Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Giving Thanks for Color Q

I squealed with joy when I realized this week's ColorQ colours are a perfect match to MME's Blink of an Eye DPs - score!  I was also tickle pink to be able to use this fabulous PTI set which I bought a while back and have not had a chance to ink up yet.  Oh happy day :)  I combined it with a Techno Stamper sketch challenge from a few weeks ago as it had the nice big panel that was perfect for the tree.

Just loooove this design on this paper so I am going on a hunt to see if any of our LSS have it in individual sheets.  Sorry....I regressed.. I don't own the proper ink pads to match the colours so I subbed in with Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, and Pumpkin Pie. 

A very straight forward card, and I'm loving the nestie that frames the tree.   I saw someone in blog land put the button at the end of the sentiment by the flag and just loved the look of it so did it on this card.  Balances things of wonderfully.  Played with adding texture behind the tree but none of them seemed to work so I left it blank.  Needless to say, I now have samples of many of my embossing folders LOL!

Kids have a Pro-D Day today so we are going to enjoy some R & R together and just hang out and maybe get a video and have "jammie day".

 

What's In It?
Stamps:  Falling Leaves (PTI)
Paper: Blink of an Eye (MME)
Ink: Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust 
Accessories:  Labels 8 Nesties, Scalloped Border Punch (SU), Button, Twine (PTI), Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Sketch #95

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to every person who has fought / is fighting for our country.  The freedom we have has been paid for with a price and I wish to thank those who have gone before us and blessed us with something many countries wish they had.   

I was in the mood for a fun card so I pulled out an old Stampin' Up set I just love, Wild About You.  I've had this set for many years now and still find the animals in it adorable.  Needless to say, this is a set I will not be getting rid of any time soon.

I found some funky leaf paper at Mike's a few months ago and decided it was a good fit for this card.  The lion's mane and head are both popped up and I added the little bird on his back for a little something and some grass to ground  him.  The card needed some colour so I added this bright orange ribbon to give it some punch.

The rest of the Design Team has some fabulous cards for your inspiration.

Cindy Kirsty Makeesha Renée Brandi Carrie Helen Ilina Lee-Anne Marisa

Just a reminder that each week Keesh will select a winner and an honorable mention and post their cards on the Inkspirations Challenge blog.  We'd love to see your card posted as a winner, all you have to do is play along.

Have a fabulous long weekend, and please take a moment to remember and honour those who have fought for your country.





What's In It?
Stamps: Wild About You (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Night of Navy, Going Grey, Recollections DP (Michael's),
Ink: More Mustard, Garden Green
Accessories: Traffic Jam Embossing Folder, 5/8" Orange Grosgrain Ribbon, Brads, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals

The Reason For The Season

This week's Mojo Monday sketch was a fun one to work with.  I decided I wanted to make a Christmas card because I picked up some of this gorgeous MME Lost and Found Christmas paper this weekend and just had to use it.

The flower element on the sketch gave me a bit of grief as nothing seemed to look right.  Finally settled on a multi-looped bow with a snowflake on it.  The bow is very simple to make.  Just loop the twine around three fingers (or four fingers if you want a wider version) six times and tie in the middle.  Then fan the loops and adhere a glue dot in the middle to keep them fanned and in place.  You can see a visual tutorial by Diva Andrea (where I got the idea from) here.  Finishing touch was the addition of some gold pearls as I just love red and gold together and it dressed things up a bit too :)

Looking forward to the long weekend and having my kids all to myself :)   Also hope to continue in my quest to clean out the basement, and if the weather is nice, getting my Christmas lights up.  Yes, you read right LOL!  If it is warm and sunny up they go and then all I have to do is flip a switch on December first from a warm toasty house instead of being outside putting them up in the cold, wind and/or rain.  As they say, learn from experience :)

Challenge:  Delightful Challenges - Snowflakes

 

What's In It? 
Stamps: Richly Blessed (Verve), Amuse 
Paper: My Mind's Eye Lost and Found, Always Artichoke, Cream 
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink 
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle, Circle and Labels 18 Nesties, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, Button, Red Twine, Gold Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Love You So Much

 

Last week's FTL was a great one.  So many ways you can use this sketch I will definitely be using it again. 

In my never ending quest to delve into my "left over" box, I found this "U" and decided to use it as my starting point for this card.  Since the sentiment is geared toward a Valentine type card, but the U was die cut from mellow moss, I had to change it up a bit and make a masculine version.  A good card to have in my stash for hubby :)

Consider yourselves loved too, as I appreciate each and every one of your visits to my little piece of blog land :) 

 

What's In It?
Stamps: You and I (Verve)
Paper: Mellow Moss, Early Espresso, So Saffron DSP, Kraft
Ink: Black
Accessories:I Heart You Dies (Verve), Scalloped Square Nestie, Dimensionals

White on White...Happy Sigh...

I just love white on white cards and this one makes me happy.   If memory serves me correctly (and that can be a big if some days LOL) Andrea made a card with similar layers on it and I remember loving it.  Must have been her Diva Dust floating my way that got me to create this card.

I embossed the background panel with the leafy branch folder to give it a bit of texture but not too much so as to distract from the sentiment and overall fell of the card.  The Prima flower was part of a package of goodies I won from Sharon Johnson's store and I sure wish I had more as it is such a gorgeous flower!

Thanks for popping in today :)

   

What's In It?
Stamps:  Elegant Greetings (SU) 
Paper: White 
Ink: Black 
Accessories:  Martha Stewart Punch, Leafy Branch Embossing Folder, Prima Flower, Bling, Dimensionals