A Verve Thanks

After Tosh's double skewed panel sketch last week, it was a delight to use Amber's straight forward sketch this week...happy sigh... LOL!

This is another teacher thank you card off my list.  So many wonderful teachers in our school, as well as admin staff in the office, that I could be making thank you cards for the next week or more LOL!

Switched out the oval for a heart (any excuse to use hearts -  hee hee) and used the debossed side of this gorgeous embossing folder I picked up at Walmart for a steal of a deal, as the embossed side overpowered the heart.

The roses and ribbon finished things off wonderfully, and I was very glad I decided to buy the blue version of these Recollections flowers at Mike's when they were on clearance as they were perfect for this card.  The DP is a retired SU DP and I have no clue what it was called it is so old!

In keeping with my card theme, thanks for all your wonderful comments and visits - they make my day :)






What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Thanks
Paper: SU DSP, Going Grey, Certainly Celery
Ink: Black
Accessories: Victoria Embossing Folder, Scalloped Heart and Heart Nesties, SU Border Punch, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch, Recollections Roses, Half Pearls, 5/8" Sheer Mint Ribbon, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Sketch #73

Since I am not a visual person, I often have to punch things out in various colours or sizes before deciding which one looks best on a card.  Therefore, I have a container that holds my punched and die cut "extras" and it is rather full right now!

I decided to take a few things out of it instead of just adding to it so while rummaging through the bin these PTI flower dies surfaced and that is where my card began. I was also able to put another small dint in my Costco DP pack - double score :)   Moss and black became my accent colours, though I definitely broke the rule of three on the black and went with a rule of five LOL!  Sorry about using the butterfly again, but I got three things out of the container (butterfly included) and that is a good thing!

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

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

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.

We have busy weekend with my daughter's Technique Olympics competition.  Nine of her piano teacher's students participate in a scale competition where they are graded and gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the top three.  Then they all get to play their exam pieces and get feed back from an adjudicator so they can put some finishing touches on their RCH Exam pieces before taking them.  It never ceases to amaze me how these adjudicators point out little things that make such a big difference in how the pieces sound when played.  It's a great experience for all the kids involved.  Toss in a few other things we have to get done and it's going to be one busy weekend!  I'm looking forward to Monday school hours already LOL!






What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Hope Blooms
Paper: Costco DP, Real red, Daffodil Delight, Mellow Moss
Ink: Black
Accessories: (PTI) Beautiful Blooms II Die, Martha Stewart Leaf and Butterfly Punches, Crimper, FIskars Threading Water Punch, Button, Twine, 5/8" Sheer Black Ribbon, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

CR8ing a Thank You Card 4FN

Just loved this week's CR84FN colours as they are one of my  go to colour combos - happy sigh :)   Not only that, they scream flowers to me and my rubber arm I listened, obeyed and immediately pulled out my Verve flower and leaf dies LOL!  

I kept things rather simple so the flowers would do the talking.  This is yet another thank you card for one of my kids' teachers and she strikes me as a CAS type of gal so this should be right up her alley :) 

The fabulous sunshine we are finally getting is the perfect compliment to the flowers :)   It is sooooo nice to have some blue skies and warmth!!  Had to laugh because many were commenting on how hot it was outside when it was only 22C (76F) this weekend.  Mind you with our average Spring temps running between 13C - 15C (59F - 62F that makes for a 10C (20F) swing in temperature and that is an adjustment.  Think I can deal with it LOL!   

Thanks for sharing a bit of your day with me today!  Hope you have some nice weather where you are too :)




Challenges:  Pals Paper Arts


What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Hope Blooms
Paper: Certainly Celery
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Rose Romance, Certainly Celery
Accessories: (Verve) Elegant Leaves and Floral Circle Dies, SU Border Punch, Martha Stewart Butterfly PUnch, 5/8" Pink Satin Ribbon, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Thank You For Grade 2

I loosely used this Card Positioning Systems sketch to make a thank you card for one of the two Grade 2 teachers both my kids were blessed to have.   They are a  fabulous team teaching pair who have worked together for over 20 years and they are amazing teachers and ladies.  My kids absolutely adored them and I  love them to bits myself - still even pop into their classroom for a chat now and then.  They will be retiring this year and I know many moms will miss having them at our school, myself included.

While I'm at it, to all you teachers out there, thanks for making a difference in the lives of the kids you teach ((hugs))!

Still have about six thank you cards to make so I'm off to tackle the next one before the school year disappears on me!  Have a great day :)



What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Love N otes 
Paper: Real Red, Mellow Moss, So Saffron
Ink: Black, VersaMark
Accessories: (Verve) Jotted Heart Die, Martha Stewart Monarch ButterflyPunch, Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, Lavels 10 Nesties, Tim Holtz Brick Embossing Folder, SU Large Oval Punch, 5/8" Black Sheer Ribbon, Recollections Paper Flower, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday Gone A Little Shabby

This week's Mojo Monday sketch screamed DP when I first saw it and therefore had me thinking for as you know I'm a DP challenged.  However, it is a great way to be forced to practice using it some more LOL!  I wimped out, in that I stuck to one DP which I cut into four panels.  However, I just love the wonderful, soft feel of this DP from my Costco pack and wanted to build on it.

The biggest shock of all is the fact I believe I actually managed to delved into the shabby/vintage card world!!  Sooooo not my style, but after all the warm fuzzies and encouraging comments my wonderful blogging buddy Andrea has sent me this past week, along with being inspired by her amazing and gorgeous vintage/shabby creations and the fact it fiiinally have some warm temperatures and sunshine, it was simply meant to be LOL!  Add this to the fact I challenged Andrea to make a card without a flower on it and she did so not only once but twice, I felt it was only fair that I turn the challenge back on myself and attempt to make a vintage/shabby type card a la Andrea. Hope you like it!

This card is going to be given to our Children's Pastor who will be leaving as of the end of June.  She is such a special lady, I can't even begin to put into words all she means to me and our family (she is the one who baptized my kids a few months ago).  I have had the privilege of working with her, teaching along side her and have learned tons from her.  She oozes love for kids, has poured God's Word into their lives for six years, and will be dearly, dearly missed.  Her fingerprints are definitely scattered on the hearts of many, myself included. 




Challenges:  The Paper Players

What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Celebration of Thanks
Paper: Costco DP, Grey, Blushing Bride, Cream Linen
Ink: Going Grey
Accessories:  (Verve) Jotted Heart Die, Martha Stewart Leaf and Butterfly Punches, PTI Medium Scallop Die, Crimper, Kraft Seam Binding, Lace, Paper Flowers, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

A Baby Card for Keesh

Well, Keesh had her baby, and it was a little boy, so I decided to make a male version of this card.  I didn't follow the sketch exactly this time round but used the main concepts of the layout.  It is the same stamp as the baby girl, I just don't ink up the curl and bow :)

I combined it with this last week's CR84FN colours - yup, late again.  I  pulled out this cute DP from my Costco pack and went to work.   I had a bit of a tough time getting the kraft in there without overpowering the baby image, and finally settled on a punched and crimped star with a button on it.

I had to laugh as the lack of white on the card is causing me issues LOL!  I'm a white space girl all the way and solid coloured cards just don't sit well with me.  Guess I should make them more often so they don't cause me issues ;)

Going to have to pop over the line to mail this as Canada Post is heading towards a strike - oh joy!  They are on rotating strikes already and I have my doubts whether the union will settle.  Soooooo glad we live close to the border and I have my US PO Box because that means I can still get some stamping goodies.  Best money I ever spent LOL!





What's In It?
Stamps: (Denami) Baby Girl
Paper: Costco DP Pack, Cool Caribbean, Kraft
Ink: Black
Accessories: Sizzex Star Die, Crimper, Scalloped Oval and Oval Nesties, US Word Window Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Half Pearls Dimensionals

Whoooo Is Thinking Of You?

This week's ColorQ had some fun, bright colours!  I just loved the inspiration picture and immediately wanted to use my new Stampin' Up owl punch (yes, I'm a bit slow...but when one has a tight budget, better late than never is the key!).  I combined this week's colours with Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch as the layout was perfect for the owl.

Since I didn't have any Soft Suede I had to sub in a different brown - think it may be Really Rust.  I pulled out my scalloped scissors to make rows of "feathers" on the owl (just don't look too closely as they aren't quite even!) and added a black branch for a bit of pop against all the bright colours.

Still in love with PTI's Polka Dot Basics II so I VersaMarked large dots on the Melon Mambo panel and embossed the main image panel with Tim Holtz's wood grain embossing folder for some "tree texture".  Love this folder!  My list of addictions is expanding LOL!

I'm beginning to tremble at the thought of just three and a half weeks of school left and the fact that my "baby" girl will be moving on to high school next year!  Think I'll pull a Scarlet O'Hara and "think about it tomorrow"!




What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Circular Sayings
Paper:  Melon Mambo. Crushed Curry, Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie
Ink: Black
Accessories: (Stampin' Up) Owl Punch, Scalloped Circle Punch, Circle Punch, Bird Punch, Tim Holtz Wood Grain Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder, Sheer Brown Polka Dotted Ribbon, Button, Scalloped Scissors, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #72

This week's colours were a wonderful combination for a masculine card.  I  used an A La Monkey Card challenge from a week ago in which you had to use their sketch to create a birthday card.  Since I needed a birthday card for my brother, this was a perfect combination. 

I'm betting my brother will give me a bit of grief for boldly proclaiming his age on this card in a colour he is not fond of, but I just had to use my new PTI number dies and take some big sister liberties LOL! 

Being as it was a masculine card, I distressed the edges, added different textures and used twine instead of ribbon.  A star with a button finished things off nicely.

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

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

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, so come on over and join us in the fun!

Look forward to seeing and commenting on your creations.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous weekend :)






What's In It?
Paper: Night of Navy, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzaz
Accessories: PTI Number Dies, Labels 4 Nestie, Stampin' Up Large and Small Oval Punches, Stampin' Up Distressing Tool,  Sizzex Star Die, Crimper, Scor-Pal, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Twine, Button, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Sailing Away....

Julie over at Paper and Such Designs blog had a sketch challenge this week. Since I just go this Stampin' Up image, I decided to combined it with Deb's Last But Not Least challenge to create a card with a nautical theme

A few pieces of  Costco DP later and I was good to go :)  I made a Sailor's Knot for the bottom and anchored it (no pun intended LOL!) with the jumbo brads (that was a tricky adventure, let me tell you!).  Some twine up top and a star with the sentiment and I was done like dinner.

Our school is part of a district track meet today and I'm hoping the rain will hold off and my son does well in his event :)   Always a long day, but so much fun to see all the kids competing individually and as a school.  Last year we finished in the top three so we'll see how we fair this year.

Back tomorrow with my Inkspirations card.





Challenges Entered:
Simon Says - Masculine Card
Sparkles Forum - Use Something Metal
Little Miss Muffet - Use A Metal Embellishment

Stamp Something Sentimental - Sentiment On Your Card

The ABC Challenge - Variety



What's In It?
Stamps: (SU) Sail Away, Fancy Flexible Phrases
Paper: Costco DPs, Black
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Sizzex Star Die, Twine, Jumbo Brads, Half Pearls, DImensionals

Happy Birthday My American Friend

I love when Mojo Monday has round or square week because I love making round cards and Julee comes up with some amazing sketches for them - thanks Julee :)

When I first saw the sketch, I went "hmmm...."  Wasn't sure what I would do with it until I saw this week's Cards and Things colour challenge!  The colours were prefect for using my new PTI leaf dies, which I am hopelessly in love with, and better yet, they give you a break from the Martha Stewart butterfly punch LOL!  It also qualifies for this week's Ribbon Carousel challenge of anything goes as long as your card has some ribbon, twine or something that comes from a spool.

This card is a birthday card for a very dear friend I made while in university.  Though we don't see each other very often as she lives in the US and I live in Canada, when we do connect it is like time has never passed.  Love friends like that :)  In addition, she also loves fall colours as much as I do and therefore won't mind a fall themed card for her June birthday.  That being said, since she is American and I am Canadian, I just had to use a maple leaf LOL.

The DP is from SEI and in my non-thinking state this morning,  when I cut the circle into quarters, I ended up having diagonal stripes instead of vertical ones. However, I'm liking the diagonal version better as it gives the card a nice flow to the right - love it when a mistake turns out well!

Thanks for enjoying a bit of fall with me today, and a big forewarning to you come September and onward as you will no doubt see these dies a lot!!  Have a fabulous day :)



What's In It?
Stamps: (PTI) Leaf Prints, (SU) Fancy Flexible Phrases
Paper: SEI Claire DP, Kraft, Vanilla, Peach Parfait
Ink: Sahara Sand
Accessories:  (PTI) Leaf Print Dies, Tim Holtz Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties. Scalloped Circle Nesties, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Red Twine, Dimensinoals