Skipping November

Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Natural White.
Stamps: Dictionary, Regarding Dahilias.
Ink: Smoky Slate, Midnight Muse.
Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Window Frames Framelits, Whisper White Baker's Twine, Tag Punch (non SU)

So I saw a layout like this near the end on the Stampin' Up Catalogue(pg 196). The card was 4x4, but I have a hard time making cards that are 4x4 and wanted to try a standard layout.

I love these colours together and find the little rhinestones really pulled it all together. My new favourite framelit are the Window Frames.

When I took the picture of the card, it was a beautiful day a few weeks ago. The temperature has severely changed since then. This morning I dressed my son in his winter clothes and I grabbed my winter jacket. I am not ready for winter. I am also not looking forward to November. November is my least favourite month & I wish we could skip over the month and move into December.

On another note, my first of two Christmas Card classes is happening next week and I am beyond excited for it. I have so much left to do to prepare, but the cards I have made for it are awesome and I can't wait to show them off! There are only 2 spots left if you are still looking to join!

Nature Walks

Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar, Whisper White, Early Espresso.
Stamps: Wetlands.
Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Sky, Baked Brown Sugar.
Accessories: Stylish Stripes TIEF, Natural Wood Buttons, Linen Thread.  

It's Monday again. I don't know where the weekends go. This one was slower than last weekend, but knowing that I have a busy day at work today just makes me wish the weekend was a few hours longer, or that I got to sleep in a little longer!

We also didn't have the same weather as last weekend, but we spent as much time out and about while we had what little sun we had. Sunday ended up being errands all morning, but Saturday was fun.

My husband received free vouchers through his work to go to Saunders Farm for the day. It was for all members of his work so we ended up meeting up with another couple we know who has a little girl the same age as my son. Saunders Farm was a lot of fun! We spent the first part of the morning on a huge slide at the entrance to the farm. My son was doing circles going up and down and my husband and I had to take turns taking him because he didn't stop! We also spent a lot of time with the farm animals and then went on a wagon ride.

We left right around nap time and then I went off to a hair appointment. I decided I really needed a change and a change is what I did! My hair is now Auburn coloured with copper and blond highlights. I really love my hairdresser! She knew exactly what I wanted!

The card created for this blog post reminds me of a walk we took last weekend. We have a pond in our subdivision and it makes for a good nature walk. Throughout the summer, there were lots of ducks and Canadian geese and sometimes to odd heron. Cattails surround the pond and at the right time of the evening, you can catch the sunset!

Baked Brown sugar and Soft sky are slowly becoming new favourites of mine. I also love the new Stylish lines TIEF. I feel like it can make a card look really elegant.

I posted and event to my Christmas Card class on Friday night. I now only have 3 spots remaining! I can't wait!

Owl of Us!

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Whisper White, Gumball Green, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate.
Stamps: Take Care, Petite Pairs.
Ink: Early Espresso, Gumball Green.
Accessories: Owl Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Bird Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Googly Eyes, Dimensionals.

Every year, at the beginning of the year (or near the end of the year) my place of employment puts everyone's name in a hat and we draw names for birthdays. Drawing someone's name means you are in charge of bringing a cake (baked or bought) and a card. The card is passed around secretly, so that everyone can sign it. We always try to make it a surprise for each other, even though if your birthday is soon, a cake is coming and "Happy Birthday" will be sung.

The birthday I had was yesterday. I spent some time making the card above and knew it had to be large on the inside because I work in an allergy office that has 20 staff members. I made the card 5.5x12. I scored the inside at 4 inches and 8 inches. The card above is the front and the one on the Right was the Right panel. Each piece of Whisper White was sponged in Soft Sky with a mask of the scallop circle punch.

I made 6 owls (because 20 was just to much). The inside was printed through Microsoft Word and says, From "Owl" of Us!

 
I brought a Chocolate fudge cake for the Birthday and it was delicious. Who doesn't love Chocolate?? I didn't make the cake, but I can make a card!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Full of Thanks

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla.
Stamps: Take Care, Marvelous Maple, Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Ink: Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Sahara Sand.
Accessories: Owl Punch, Chevron Border Punch, Googly Eyes (retired), Dimensionals.

Every weekend is usually full of events to go to or things to get done around the house. Like I said in my last post, I was happy to have a three day weekend to relax and move at our own pace, but this weekend flew by and I can't believe it's Monday already.

At the top of our list for the weekend was to finish our son's Antique Spool bed. We bought the bed early in the summer and it has taken us all summer to finally have it refinished. I'm pretty proud to say that my husband and I did it ourselves and it is looking gorgeous. We spent the first days cleaning the wood (we have been sanding pieces throughout the summer) and applying the first coat of stain and OMG I am in love with gel stain. I have never stained before, but had a picture in my head of a drippy mess all over a bed we spent so long prepping. Well, gel stain is the easiest thing ever. You grab a staining sponge and rub it into the wood.

The second day was spent grabbing a few extra things we needed and applying a second coat of stain while our son napped. Then it was onto finishing our basement shelves. We are installing "built-in" shelving on a long wall in our basement. This has also been a few months in the making and finally all the pieces are coming together. I promise to post pictures once it's complete, but that might take another month.

Finally, last evening, my son, husband and I sat down to our Thanksgiving dinner. Since we had a big Turkey feast last weekend, we made a baked ham, scallop potatoes and baked beans. It is my favourite meal and always reminds me of Sunday dinners back home. I am so happy to have finished so much around our house, but I am ready to just spend the day relaxing!!

I hope all my Canadian followers had a happy Thanksgiving.

Thankful

Cardstock: Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla.
Stamps: Marvelous Maple.
Ink: Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Early Espresso.
Accessories: Woodgrain TIEF, Sponge Daubers, Expressions Thinlit die.

Wow, what a month. It's been so long since I posted and I hope to start and get back into the swing of things again.

While everyone will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in Canada, my family and I plan to take it easy and finish some chores around the house. We celebrated Thanksgiving / my husbands birthday last weekend and I'm looking forward to just relaxing and working at our own pace.

Thanksgiving is always a time of reflection and I have so much to be thankful for. I am so thankful for the family I have and my supportive husband. Since taking my son out of the home daycare he was in, it has been stressful trying to get back on schedule with life. We are now exiting the final week of our "bad" schedule and hopefully things will be more on track.

I am thankful for the job I have. I love the job I do and the people I work with. I am back on a schedule where I work 4-5 days a week depending on my husband's schedule and I'm so happy it's possible for my husband and I to work around our schedule's so that we can be home with our son 1-2 days during the week.

I also have many friends to be thankful for. If I wasn't given the little push I needed, I don't think I would be creating cards the way I am now. My "Thankful" card was created for my September class and after I was done making it, I wasn't sure how the girls would feel. While using the Expression Thinlits to make the card, I ripped two in half. I also smudged ink while trying to stamp the maple leaf.

Before stamping the maple leaf, I sponged a bit of one colour of ink on a piece of blank paper. I then stamped the image with Early Espresso ink. After cutting the leaves out, I took more ink in orange and brown and sponged around the edges. They were then popped up with dimensionals. I love how the leaves turned out on the card.

I will be hosting 2 Christmas classes starting in November. If you are looking for more information, please visit my upcoming events page. I will also be adding an event to my Facebook soon.

Great Experiences

Cardstock: Raspberry Ripple, Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White.
DSP: Birthday Basics.
Stamps: July Paper Pumpkin Background Stamps, Sassy Salutations.
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Crisp Cantaloupe.
Accessories: Bird Bunch, Oval Framelits, In Colour Dahlias, Two Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Details Glitter,  Dimensionals.

We are back from a great trip to North Conway, NH and we have a busy week ahead. I have a card class on Tuesday and three daycare interviews lined-up! I'm also starting back at work full-time. I hope everyone can send me good vibes over the next few days.

Our trip to New Hampshire started off with some difficulties (minor rear ender in Montreal), but we had an amazing trip and it was just the right amount of time to be away. Our first night was pretty relaxed, but we woke up early the next morning to climb drive Mount Washington. It was so beautiful and such a great experience. The next day, was our anniversary and what better way to spend it then shopping at the many outlets stores in North Conway. We also booked a tour on a 55 min scenic train ride from North Conway to Conway. It was also a lot of fun and our son and he loved it!

When we left on Friday, we decided we would take a different route home so that we could stop at the Ben & Jerry factory in Stowe, Vermont. I didn't know much about Ben & Jerry before arriving there, but I was really amazed with their story. While there, we went on a tour and tried a sample of a new test flavour. We then went for lunch and went back again for our own cones!

It was such a great vacation and I can't wait to create a scrapbook with everything we did!

The layout for this card was found in the July/August edition of Stampin' Success. I decided I would use the background stamp from the July Paper Pumpkin, but otherwise there wasn't much stamping. I have found that I am an accessory junkie and I can't make a card without one. The sparkle on the candle and the dahlia really made this card!

I hope everyone has a great week ahead and wish me luck for mine!

Difficult Decisions

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Whisper White.
Stamps: I Dig You
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black.
Accessories: Chevron TIEF, Square Framelits, Finishing Touches Edgelits,
 Metallic Brads, Dimensionals.

I am so glad that this week is finally over. I am glad to be going on vacation and getting away from the difficult decisions we made over the past week.

My son has been attending a home daycare since I went back to work at the end of January. It was a difficult transition for him and finally started to have good drop offs about 6 weeks after starting there. We were comfortable with his provider and we knew he was learning when he would come home and knew songs and actions to the songs we sang.

Over the summer however, his drop offs became more difficult and we didn't understand why, especially when our son is very independent. After our holidays in July, he returned and had 3 good weeks of drop offs, but then reverted back this past week. On Wednesday, my husband and I finally came to the conclusion that the daycare he was attending wasn't for him and we were going to look elsewhere. I felt sick just making the decision and it was hard for me pretty much all week, but I am happy with the decision we made.

I have already had 3 phone interviews and we have 3 interviews/ tours set up for when we come back from vacation. I'm already very hopeful about one of them! I just want the person who will be taking care of our son, to take care of him and treat him the way my husband and I would.

Anyways, over the weekend, we attended a 2nd birthday party for a little boy my son goes to daycare with. It was cute to see the kids he interacts with each day and finally meet parents we only see in passing. We made the card for him above after my son picked out which stamp we should use. My son is big into trucks and I was so happy when I found the retired set "I Dig You". I saw a tutorial on how to make a lamp shade with a stamp set and I plan on doing that with the stamp set when we redo my sons room....if trucks are still his thing then.

I have a class next Tuesday, September 10th if you would like to join. The cards I made put a smile on my face and I think everyone will like them as well! Please RSVP by September 6th if you would like to join.

Missing New Brunswick

Cardstock: Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White.
Stamps: Flower Shop, Really Good Greetings.
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe.
Accessories: Fancy Fan TIEF, Lacy Tape, Pansy Punch, Apothecary Framelits, Basic Rhinestones.
 

Lately, I've been thinking about New Brunswick. I grew up there and I've been missing it more and more. I know Ottawa will always be my home and this is where we plan on raising our family, but I want Aubrey and any future children to love New Brunswick just as much as I do.

My husband and I have lived all over Canada. I spent 2.5 years in Calgary, Alberta, working and finishing school. Then 2.5 years in Steinbach, Manitoba (45 South East of Winnipeg), working and growing in our careers. We decided to move to Ottawa because it was central and closer to family.

We have travelled to New Brunswick since living here many times. My parents live on the Saint John River and that is one of the things I miss this most, living on the water (besides my family of course). The River is only steps away from there house and then I could stick my toes in the water. We took my son down to the river while home over the summer and instead of sticking his toes in, he completely submerged himself and had a great swim!

I wish my family we're closer so that they could see my son grow up, but we connect with them as much as we can. It's hard to believe that summer is almost gone and we are in the last week of August.

My husband, son and I are going on a small vacation to North Conway, NH, next week and I am really looking forward to it. It will be a nice way to end the summer and enter fall.

Say "Cheese"

Cardstock: Whisper White, Night of Navy.
Stamps: Flower Shop, Express Yourself.
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Night of Navy.
Accessories: Gingham Garden Washi Tape, Brights Candy Dots, Pansy Punch, Dimensionals.  

 

I have been using the flower shop set since I bought it when the New Catalogue launched in June. It has a variety of different flower patterns that you can mix and match & you can also use the punch to easily cut out the flowers. The best part about the set is that you can buy it as a bundle and save 15%. 

 

I have today off as well as yesterday because my husband is working night shifts. I love that I get to spend more time at home with my son and I'm really glad we made the decision for me to only go back part-time until September. I wanted to share a picture we took a few weeks ago that I forgot about until I loaded the above picture. He loves when I take pictures and lately will say cheese. He also likes to look at the pictures once they are taken, so it has been getting harder to take pictures of my cards when he is around.

 



Put the "Art" in Party

Cardstock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Wisteria Wonder, Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink
Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, Gumball Green, Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, Crumb Cake.
DSP: Sunshine & Sprinkles.
Ink: Early Espresso.
Accessories: Oval Framelits, Dimensionals.
 

The title of my blog today was a line on the invitation we received for our neighbour's 2nd Birthday Painting Party that we attended on Saturday. The kids played together indoors while enjoying snacks (themed around painting) for a little bit and then it was outside to paint! The party was fantastic & all the kids left with a painted canvas (Aubrey's was painted by me because he was too busy playing with the car).

Again, I wanted to create a card with the theme. I decided I could make a painters palette with the Oval Framelits. I chose a bigger framelit and after cutting that one out, I used a smaller one the create the shape. The edges were pointed after cutting the smaller oval out, so I cut the edges free handed. I didn't have the right size punch for the finger hole so I layered the smallest circle twice.

The palette was stamped with the woodgrain embossing folder by brayering the raised portion of the folder and stamping it on the cardstock. The two was cut using a stencil I had.

It's not a typical birthday card, but I'm really happy with the end product.

Zoo Baby

Cardstock: Bermuda Bay, Whisper White.
DSP: Non SU
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Old Olive.
Stamps: Zoo Babies
Accessories: 2.5 in circle punch, Oval Framelits, Wide Oval Punch, 1 3/4 Circle Punch,
Pumpkin Pie Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals.

A friend of mine had a cute baby boy at the end of July and I was off to make another baby card! Baby cards are a favourite of mine to make!

Another favourite stamp set of mine is this Animal set called "Zoo Babies" and it is the perfect set to create baby cards. Babies/ Toddlers are a big part of my life right now and I was giddy just creating this card!

The DSP that was used for this card is not SU. I really try to stay away from non SU cardstock when creating cards to post on my blog, but this cardstock worked so perfectly.

All the animals in this set are the cutest! I plan on creating more cute cards over the next month with this stamp set.


Weeeooo- Weeeooo

Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White.
Ink: Smoky Slate, Basic Black, Real Red.
Stamps: You're my Hero

When I bought the stamp set "You're My Hero" I knew I could use it more than once and for many occasions. It was the first stamp set I saw in the catalogue and went "WOW, I need this!"

I made this card for my SIL birthday. She is attending school in North Bay to become a paramedic! I fought really hard to keep this card simple. I wanted to add more layers than it needed and a few accessories, but it turned out great using the one layer.

I stamped off with Smoky slate to create a "Shadow" of the ambulance by stamping off once after stamping the ambulance in the middle. The last ambulance was coloured using the markers.

Maybe it's because my husband is a police officer, or maybe it's just cause he is a little boy, but my son loves the sound from police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Anytime they are on TV he just stops and then copies the noise they make. He'll point them out to you when we're out or find them on TV.

I have finally updated my blog with the new Holiday Catalogue. I am excited to start using some of the products they have come out with (especially the washi tape)!

Backpack, Backpack!

Cardstock: Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Black.
Ink: White Gel Pen.
Accessories: Oval Punch, Bird Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack.

At the end of June, my son and I attended a 2nd Birthday party. If you can't guess, the party theme was Dora. I've made a Dora card in the past, so I wanted this one to be different.

I knew immediately I wanted to create Dora's backpack, but couldn't quite figure out how to do it. I checked out the internet and you wouldn't believe the things people have created for Dora's backpack. I found a similar idea on the demonstrators website that was created by Reggie Arenas.

The face of the backpack was created using punches from Stampin' Up. To close the card, I went to the Dollar store and picked up Adhesive Velcro Tabs to put on the inside. I was giddy just putting this card together!

The birthday party was so much fun. My son loved playing in the bouncy castle with all the other kids.

Making cards is relaxing for me, but finding the time is usually hard. I'm glad to be back at it and I hope to keep posting!

A Beautiful Week

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper.
Stamps: Mosaic Madness, Petite Pairs.
Ink: Elegant Eggplant.
Accessories: Ticket Punch, Mosaic Punch, Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder, Basic Rhinestones, Sponge Dauber, Dimensionals.

I am back from vacation and trying my hardest to get back into the swing of things. Our vacation was full of family outings and we all came together in the end for my oldest Brother's wedding.

My brother and the new Mrs. Ducey were married back home in NB. My husband and I took the week off leading to their wedding to relax and enjoy time with the family. We were able to get out and do some sightseeing this time.

We spent one day taking my younger siblings and my son to Hopewell Rocks. If you have never been and are travelling to NB, it's a stop you must make. It was beautiful on the day we went. I've been before and expected it to be cold, but we had a beautiful day and it was actually warm as we walked the ocean floor. Hopewell Rocks is situated along the Bay of Fundy and it is the location for the highest tides in the world. When the tide is in, the Rocks are nearly covered by water. When the tide is out, you have a chance to walk among the ocean floor and view the flower pot formations. It's a spectacular sight and a favourite of mine.

The other major event, as mentioned, was my Brother's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and the Bride was gorgeous. My son was their Ring Bearer and it was so cute to watch him, at almost 18 months, try and make his way down the isle while holding the flower girls hand (she was only 3). My son was saying my brother's name by the end of the week because we were repeating it so much to him just to make sure he would walk to down to him.

Everything about the wedding was gorgeous and I am extremely happy for the new couple and I am happy to call Lindsey my sister and Aubrey's aunty!

The above card was made for them with their wedding colours. I tried using the technique I saw on Stampin' Up's blog and I even made the card into a 4 1/4 in square which I have never done before.

I hope to get back at posting more often, but life with my 17 month old is busy. I have another class scheduled for August 7th and if you would like to join me please RSVP by August 12th.

You're my Hero

Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Island Indigo, Real Red, Whisper White.
Stamps: You're my Hero.
Ink: Island Indigo, Real Red, Basic Black.
Accessories: Chevron Embossing Folder, Oval Framelits, Finishing Touches Edgelits, Dimensionals.

I am really getting sick of all this rainy weather! I'm glad we got one day of sun this weekend, but I really wish Father's Day would've been a little sunnier.

My son and I woke my husband at 10:30am with hugs and kisses followed by a small gift (my husband worked till 3am). We kept Father's day pretty low key with his favourite lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant.  The card above was his Father's day card.

My husband is a police officer with the Ottawa Police Service. It is a job he loves and is very proud of the work he does. The first set I had to buy from the new catalogue, obviously had to be the "You're my Hero" set.

There are so many different ways I can create cards with this set as my SIL is also going to school for paramedic.

My mom will be here on Friday evening  and I am very excited. She is coming by herself and will be here for 5 days. It will be a busy 5 days, but my son will love getting to spend time with just Grandma.

I hope to post more throughout the week. I have been slacking with my creativity lately and I'm hoping that I find inspiration soon!

Open House Mosaic Madness!

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crisp Cantaloupe, Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding.
Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe, Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding.
Stamps: Mosaic Madness, Really Good Greetings.
Accessories: Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder, Mosaic Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Shapes Punch,
Apothecary Accents Framelits, Very Vintage Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals.

I held my very first Open House on the weekend! I was so excited to have people come out and want to make a card and browse the new catalogue. Everyone the came was able to pick up their new Catalogue and socialize with each other as well make a card using new products!

I am very happy with how the card turned out! It brings a smile to my face everytime I look at it. I haven't had much time to stamp lately and the one day that I sat down and made this card, it all came together after one try!

Girls were also able to browse my retired products and pick out a few things to take home with the purchase of new items from the catalogue! I placed an order with them and I'm so excited to receive new items to create with. A few of the items that I ordered include the new Designer buttons in Subtles, the Subtle Designer Paper Stack, the 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon in Crisp Cantaloupe & the Flower Shop Bundle!  

Anyways, now I'm off to make a wedding card for a wedding we are attending on the weekend. I'm going to use a technique I saw in the new catalogue and hopefully have it posted for you all by next week (I've been slacking on the posts lately).

BTW, next class is on June 26th and I have updated the pages at the top. If you are looking for any retired products, I have posted most of what I'm selling.

Classic Rock

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Whisper White.
DSP: Howlstooth & Scaringbone, World Spectacualr, Brights DSP.
Stamps: Boms Away.
Ink: Basic Black.
Accessories: Sponge Daubers, Black Embossing Powder & Heat tool, Epic Day Washi Tape, \
2 1/2 in circle punch, Hung Up Cute Clips.

Spring has sprung and June is almost here! I can't believe that May is almost over. Where have the months gone...

I created this card for last months class. I wanted to try the Bombs Away photopolymer stamp set. I like this set, but I really hope they don't change to photopolymer. I just love all the cute sayings that come with this stamp and they are perfect for anyone. I used the Black embossing powder to create the BOMB and punched it out using the 2 1/2 in circle punch. Another favorite of mine is the new Washi tape!

I found this layout from www.badabingpapercrafting.blogspot.com. I just love her cards and I always find insiration there.

I am hosting my FIRST Open House/ Bogo Event on Saturday. I'm actually getting nervous about the whole thing now. I've spent the last two weeks preparing for it and I know I'm prepared, but I think I'll feel better once the day is here!

Flowers for Mother's Day

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Whisper White.
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes,FAbulous Florets, Lovely Letters.
Ink: So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Raspberry Ripple.
 

I don't know where my "Ink-spiration" went. Lately, I have been procrastinating! I go into my craft room and walk back out. Our weeks seem to merge into each other now and with the beautiful weather we have been having, I find there is no time to stamp!

I went to a meeting my upline had last month and a card like this was demonstrated. I loved the technique that was taught, so I used it in my own class.

The Whisper White cardstock was masked with note paper and was adhered to the grid paper with tape to keep it in place. We then stamped around and over the masked note paper with the Summer Silhouettes and Fabulous Florets. After, we peeled off the notepaper and a white spot appeared. With a ruler and the basic grey marker we drew a line on either side where the note paper use to be. It creates a layer without using extra paper. I then stamped MOM with the Lovely Letters stamp set (which is retiring on May 31st).

If you are interested in any of my classes or my upcoming OPEN HOUSE, please check out the upcoming events page or Like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/glitteringstamps .

Memories

Cardstock: Pool Party, Sahara Sand, Whisper White.
Stamps: By the Tide.
Ink: Sahara Sand, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade.
Accessories: Linen Thread, Polka-Dot Embossing Folder, Basic Desginer Buttons.

I recently read on the internet (probably something I pinned as well), that the age of your first memory would most likely be the same age that your children will have their first memory. My first memory was when I was three. Yes, that's right, I was 3. My parents and my husband think I'm crazy because I can remember things from that age, but I can. And I don't just have one, I have many and they aren't things that were recorded with a photograph or film.

When I was three, my great grandfather bought me my first Barbie doll. It was the day of my birthday party and I was dressed up. My mom ran out for a few minutes (and not far, we lived in an apartment above my family's convenient store and those were the days when you didn't worry if you ran out for minute). My Great Grandfather lived across the street from us and I remember him showing up with a gift and asking where my mom was. I opened the gift, which was the Barbie doll. I also remember that my Great Grandfather had left before my mom returned because when she did return she wanted to know where the doll came from.

My Great Grandfather was a big part of my life until he passed away when I was 6. I went everywhere I could with him. He owned a trout hatchery and I remember going with him to deliver baby fish to supply other ponds. He also made honey and I still buy the honey my Great Uncle/Aunt make.

I purchased the stamp set "By the Tide" because it reminded me so much of home & my memories. Not only was my Great Grandfather a fisher, but my maternal Grandfather also loves to fish and  I have many memories of fishing with him as well. I knew this stamp set was one I would use often, especially to make cards to family and friends back home.

I CASE'd this card from Yvette at Splitcoaststampers and I didn't change anything about it because I thought it was so pretty. *SPOILER ALERT* and *HINT HINT*: When I bought this set I was really hoping it would be carried over into the new 2013-2014 Catalogue and it was!!!

I hope that my son has many good memories and even if he doesn't remember anything from the age of 3, I plan to make them the best memories he could ever have!

Up & Away Birthday

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade.
Ink: Pumpkin pie, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo,
Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Real Red.
Stamps: Up, Up & Away, Itty Bitty Banners.
Accessories: Dimensionals.

Have you seen the retired list of Stamps & Accessories? I sat down last night with my 2012-2013 catalogue and slowly went through the list. I was upset to see some sets go and even more upset to see some of the accessories go (especially the embossing folders, I love embossing folders).

I made this card a few weeks ago because I really wanted to make a card with the Up, Up & Away. I made a card like this a few years ago. Using a post-it, I punched out a 2 1/2 in wide circle. Using the negative, I sponged with different colours in the circle starting with Pumpkin Pie, then Tangerine Tango and last with Daffodil Delight. I blended as best I could to make it look like a Sunset!

The grass was cut using the Scissor snips and cutting small strips and folding some pieces to make the grass look different lengths.

Up, Up & Away is one of the Stamp sets on the Retired list. If you would like to check out more of the retired items, check out my online store here!

I also got to check out the new Catalogue for 2013-2014! I am in LOVE with everything and I know I say that a lot, but I really love Stampin' Up products.  I can't wait to place my first order!

Monochromatic Baja Blues

Cardstock: Natural White, Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Pool Party.
Stamps: Oh, Whale.
Ink: Baja Breeze, Island Indigo.
Accessories: Chevorn Embossing Folder, Happy Whale Clearlits Die, Dimensionals.

 When I first was introduced to Stampin' Up products, Baja Breeze was one of the first ink colours I bought. I loved it and used it over and over. The ink pad I still use, is that same first ink pad. I have had to re-ink it over the years, but it was my favorite colour.

If you haven't checked out the Colour Refresh chart, there are some amazing changes. Baja Breeze was the first change I noticed. As of May 31st, Baja Breeze will be discontinued. If you would like any of the colours that are discontinuing, make sure you order them soon because they may be gone before you know it.

The above card was a CASE from Justin Krieger, but I changed a few elements! I loved his card when I saw it and be sure to check out his blog @ www.jkcards.wordpress.com. It took some time to cut out the Chevrons, but I had some quiet time on the weekend and I really wanted to see how it would turn out. We CASE'd his card at my class last week and I also loved the colours I used for that card! Take a look:

Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit.
Stamps: Petite Pairs.
Ink: Primerose Petals.
Accessories: Chevron Embossing Folder, Linen Thread, In Color Dahlias, Mat Pack & Piercing tool,
Apothecary Framelits.

The Dahlia was my favourite part to this card! I originally didn't add it, but felt the card needed something more. After a few days, I finally realized I had dahlias laying around and knew that's what this card needed.

The retired list of stamps & accessories is available tomorrow! I will make sure to add a link to my blog and my facebook page for anyone interested. And remember, Stampin' Up will ship to anywhere in Canada. Check out my shop here.

Quilted Generations

Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse, Very Vanilla.
DSP: Patio Party.
Stamps: Memorable Moments.
Ink: Midnight Muse.
Accessories: Labels Collection Framelits, Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon,
Artisan Embellishments Kit, Dimensionals

Tomorrow is my Grammie's 70th Birthday! She also lives in NB, so I will not get to celebrate with her and the rest of the family, but I wanted her to have something special on her Birthday.

I don't know what this technique is called, but I wanted the card to look like a Quilt. I cut the Patio Party DSP into half inch strips and placed one strip in one direction and went from there.

I always loved spending time with my Grammie (and Grampie too) and I'm glad I got to spend some time with her while we were home for Easter. I am counting down the days until we get to go back. Here is a picture of our 4 generations!

Grammie (Alta), Mom (Sonya), Myself and my son, Aubrey.

April Showers

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White.
DSP: Sunshine & Sprinkles.
Stamps: Rain or Shine.
Ink: Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, Basic Gray.
Accessories: Apothecary Accents Framelits, Bitty punch Pack, Brights Brads, Dimensionals.

April Showers will bring May flowers (here's hoping). We had a very cold week in Ottawa this week. It almost felt like Spring was going to skip us this year. Yesterday, we woke up to an overcast day and rain on and off throughout the day, but the temperature felt spring-like.

April has always been my favourite month. Perhaps, it's because it's my birthday month, but April always brought warmer weather, brighter skies and happier days. It's so much easier to get outdoors and be active when the snow has cleared and the rain has washed away the dirt.

I have been waiting for Spring for so long that last month, I created Spring cards! The colors were bright and the stamps used reflected Spring activities. Another thing I am looking forward to is the new Stampin' Up Catalogue being released at the end of May. On April 4th, Stampin' Up announced that the upcoming 2013-2014 annual catalogue will include 10 new colours (most of which are returning In Colors from previous years)!  They are welcoming back some of our favourites, moving some colours around, and introducing one brand-new colour, so take a look!

Click on the picture for a closer look! I am so glad they are bringing back Bermuda Bay & Blushing Bride.

Busy Bunnies

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla.
Ink: Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake.
Stamps: Ears to You, Teeny Wishes.
Accessories: Vintage Facet Buttons, Linen Thread, Vine Street Embossing Folder,
Labels Collection Framelits, Dimensionals.

Back home and back to work. We arrived home this morning at 5:30am and we were all exhausted. Our weekend was fun and full of family visits and yummy food. We were so happy when we got in and our little guy went right back to bed. We were even happier when we went to bed after him and he didn't wake up until after 9am.

 We also had great weather. Easter Sunday, the temperature was as high as 15 degrees Celsius. We were sitting outside soaking in the Vitamin D. It doesn't look like we will be getting that kind of weather here anytime soon.

When we arrived home yesterday, we were so happy to see less snow on the ground. I am looking forward to seeing green grass and flowers blooming. I am so done with winter!

The card I created last month was all about Green grass and Spring. I used the brayer technique again on the embossing folder to create the green background. The Stamp "Ears to You" was is only available until March 31st July 31st and I just had to have this stamp because the bunnies were too cute. I found the card needed a little something extra when putting it together, so I used the Vintage Faceted Buttons I earned from Sale-A-Bration.

I have another card class coming up on April 17th. If you would like to make more cards like this one you are more than welcome to attend!

Happy Easter Everybunny

Cardstock: Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Watercolour paper.
DSP: More Amore
Ink:Staz On Jet Black, So Suede, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron
Stamps: Everybunny.
Accessories: Watercolour pen, Rosettes, Sticky Strip.  

Happy Easter Weekend every"bunny"! We made it to NB yesterday morning and Aubrey was very good for the 12 hour ride.

Aubrey has already spent some quality time with Grandma and Grumpy while my husband and I took my siblings to "The Great and Powerful Oz." It was a really good movie. We spent some time shopping and then out for dinner beforehand. We plan on spending some time around the house today and just relaxing. Our trip will be a quick one this time because we plan on leaving here Sunday night after dinner.

The card above was made using the Everybunny stamp set and it has become a favourite of mine. I don't often watercolour, but while creating this card I fell in love with doing it. I used the Suede ink pad to color the bunny and then used the markers sparingly so that I could shade where I wanted and draw the ink out to lighten areas. The Rosettes add something special to the card.

 I'm looking forward to seeing more family while home. This will be the last time I am home until my brother's wedding in July.

You're Amazing

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Very Vanilla.
Ink: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight.
Stamps: You're Amazing.
Accessories: Stripes Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents Framelits,
 Itty Bitty Punch Pack Circle Punch, Dimensionals.

I finally got around to making Thank-you cards for my sons First Birthday. I wanted to keep with the theme of Carnival and found a card like this on Pinterest. I didn't use as many accessories as the card on there did because I wanted to keep it simple, but they turned out pretty cute! I still have a few more to hand out, but as I said in my last post, Life has been busy.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Weekends seem to go by so fast. Last week was my first full week of work since I started back at the end of January. Having an extra day off during the week was always good to get things done. I just don't seem to have enough time to do the things I want to do versus the things I need to do. I think, eventually, we will find a balance.

Next weekend will be better! I am looking forward to our trip to NB for the Easter weekend. It will be a fast, but fun trip. We haven't been to NB since September when Aubrey was only 6 months old. This time he will be exploring and I'm sure getting into plenty of things.  

Springing Forward

Cardstock: Whisper White.
DSP: Sycamore Street.
Ink: Rich Razzelberry.
Stamps: Flock Together, Made for You.
Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack, Bird Punch,
Hearts-A-Flutter Framelit.

Life has been busy and I haven't been able to keep up. My hours have increased at work, my child is at daycare more days a week and I find myself exhausted when the end of the week rolls around. So, of course, I have been slacking with the blog.

The is a CASE'd card from Penny Smiles at stampsnsmiles.blogspot.com. By using the Hearts a flutter framelit, you can turn the little window into a birdcage!

The button and ribbon on this card are part of the Sale-A-Bration items that you can get for free if you spend $60 in product. There is only one day left to get you free items.

I promise to be back in the next few days with more cards I've made over the month!

Banner Celebration

Cardstock: Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango, Pool Party.
DSP: Sycamore Street.
Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Sassy Salutations.
Ink: Summer Starfruit, Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango, Pool Party.
Accessories: Hearts a flutter Framelits, White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals.

I was busy last night putting together cute cards (again). I find myself dreaming up new ideas lately and I'm trying to make the cards as fast as I think of them.

I created this card over a month ago for a special friends birthday. I actually can't believe it was a month ago. She had a special gathering with all of her friends. We all brought pot luck and their was lots of catching up.

I made this card again for a class, but I swapped out the Whisper White cardstock for Sahara Sand. I much preferred the Whisper White cardstock only because I kept the ink colour the same and it just wasn't right. Then, one of the girls in my class decided to use Island Indigo for the sentiment and it looked much better.  I loved the new DSP that's featured in the Sale-A-Bration. The designs are modern and are more like the designs that are popular this year.

I am having another class on March 20th at 7pm. We are creating 4 cards with different themes. If anybody would like to attend, please RSVP to me by March 15th.

Minnie Mouse Perfection

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White, DSP Paper Stack in Melon Mambo.
Ink: Melon Mambo.
Stamps: Petite Pairs.
Accessories: Scallop Squares Duo Bigz, 2 1/2 in Circle Punch, 1 3/8 Circle Punch, Polka Dot Embossing Folder,
Large Oval Punch,  Scallop Oval Punch, Melon Mambo Grosgrain Polka dot Ribbon (Retired).

Like I said in a previous post, we had a busy month of Birthday parties and we attended another Special First Birthday party yesterday. The little girl's birthday was all about Minnie Mouse and this was the perfect card I made just for her.

Minnie turned out perfect after using the circle punches to make her. You can't even tell she was made using different circle punches because the ribbon hides the lines.

I don't think I have used more DSP than the DSP Stack in the brights colour combo. I have used so many colours and designs for all different cards. If you want DSP that goes a long way, this is the DSP to get!

Bright coloured cards always make me happy and I can't wait to design more cheery cards over the next month.

Sending Sympathy

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze.
Ink: Pacific Point, Basic Black, Crumb Cake.
Stamps: Pappillion Potpourri, Petite Pairs, Summer Silhouettes.
Accessories: Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon, Elegant Butterfy Punch, Labels Framelits,
Brayer, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder.

A few months ago, I woman I knew passed away. We weren't close, but we talked often and she was always very sweet. She had been sick for awhile and always told me she wasn't afraid of death. I did not see her in the end, but I wanted her family to know I was thinking of them.

I don't make sympathy cards that often, but the Summer Silhouette stamp set was the first stamp set I thought of that was appropriate for this type of card.

I used a special technique to "smudge" the background. Using the brayer, I inked it up with crumb cake and rolled it over the flat side of the embossing folder. Then, I laid my Very Vanilla cardstock over top of the ink and rolled it through the Big Shot. The fancy background is what appears. It makes the Lacy background POP!

The butterfly was inked up with Pacific Point and stamped onto Baja Breeze cardstock and then punched with the Elegant Butterfly punch.

They may not be my favourite cards to make, but they are good cards to have around.

The Biggest Sens Fan!

Cardstock: Basic Black, Real Red, Very Vanilla.

Had his face painted at the Ottawa Senators game.

I have been having a fantastic few days with my family. My family came to visit from New Brunswick and we have become tourists in our own city. My brother, dad & husband all went to an Ottawa Senators game during the week and we've also gone bowling and walked the Rideau Canal. Today, we plan in going to a museum.

My youngest brother turned 11 while here and I had the greatest card made for him. He is the BIGEEST Ottawa Sens fan and I knew he would really like this card. No stamps were used in the making of this card, only cardstock.

I didn't have any of the Alphabet letters that would fit for the Vintage O on the jersey, so while making the card, I had an idea to use the O from my sons foam mat and it was perfect.

I think my brother has had a blast while here. He hasn't had an item on this week that wasn't something Ottawa Senators.

Receiving his card.

Whale you be mine?

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, Whisper White.
DSP: Sunshine & Sprinkles.
Ink: Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Marina Mist, Basic Gray.
Stamps: Oh, Whale.
Accessories: Scallop Ribbon Punch, Happy Whale Clearlit.

Today, I have a day off from work and I am spending it with my sick little boy. We have been cuddling all weekend. On Sunday, my baby woke up with a nasty cough and didn't have the energy to do anything. We spent the day on the couch with lots of fluids and Tylenol to bring down his fever. This is his first real cold and I'm glad he made it a whole year without getting sick, but it's sad to see him so depleated of energy when he is a normally fast, full of energy little guy.

Besides dealing with my sick child this weekend, I was putting together cards for next weeks class. I think the girls attending will really like them. I wanted to make them bright and friendly and I also wanted to use some accessories from Sale-a-bration and that's exactly what I did. I will start to show them off next week.

The card above we created last month as one of my Valentine themed card.  I know I've said it in previous posts, but I really like making cards with this Stamp set. It has four different sayings for different occassions. I didn't use many accessories, but the Happy Whale Clearlit that coordinates with the Oh, Whale stamp set has many different pieces you can use with the Whale.

My family will be arriving on Wednesday and we are really looking forward to it. My mom & sister (who is only 9) will be attending my card class on Thursday. This will be my mom's first Card class!!

In my Heart-a-flutter

Cardstock: Primerose Petals, Pool Party, Basic Black, Very Vanilla.
DSP: More Amore.
Stamps: Hearts a flutter, Word Play.
Ink: Whisper White Craft Ink, Primerose Petals, Pool Party, Versamark.
Accessories: Hearts a flutter framelits, Sponge, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Dimensionals.

I have seen so many different Chalkboard cards on the internet lately and I was wanting to create one so bad! I finally did for my last class and it became my favourite. I want to create so many different ones now for different occassions.

I used the White craft ink to smudge the black cardstock to make it look like chalk was erased. Then I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.

The More Amore DSP is so much fun to use as well. It has great designs on both sides of the paper and it was hard to choose which side to pick from.

I've had someone in mind to send this card to and I can't wait till they receive it!

My Baby's First Birthday

Cardstock: Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla.
DSP: World Spectacular.
Stamps: You're Amazing, World's Greatest, Take a Ticket Wheel.
Ink: Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Early Espresso.
Accessories: Duo Ticket Punch, Sticky Strip, Sponge Daubers.

My little boy is turning one today. It's hard to believe One year has gone by already. One year ago today, the most amazing & beautiful baby boy stole my heart. He makes me laugh, smile and brings joy to our lives. I love him with all my heart and I don't know what life was like before him.

On the weekend we celebrated his First birthday with friends and family. We are so blessed to have the friends and family that we have. Aubrey had a fun day and was exhausted by the end of it.

We had a Carnival themed birthday for him and I had so much fun getting ready for it. There were lots of red and blue balloons and Carnival type food. We ate Macaroni & Cheese with Pigs in a blanket and fresh popped Popcorn.

The card above was the invite to his birthday. I used all Stampin' Up products to create them and I CASE'd the card from the 2012-2013 catalogue. I made the card into a pull out invite to make it different. The ticket punch made this card so easy to create.

You can find the tutorial to make a Pocket card on the Split Coast Stampers website. It has a lot of good tutorials to create different types of cards.

I can't wait to get home from work today and wish my little boy a happy first birthday and I look forward to another year of firsts with him.