Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Framelit Washi Tape

Just a quick post to share what I created this afternoon.  I was playing around with some washi tape today to get ready for my January technique class.  
I attached the new Retro Fresh Trio in layers on a rectangle of card stock and then put it through the Big Shot with one of the Apothecary framelits.

The whole arrangement of the card is a bit outside my style zone - but I had a few "oops"s to cover up.

Hope your day is going well - thanks for stopping by for a bit.
Joan

Monday, December 30, 2013

Smile!


Happy Tuesday - I found a new challenge blog….The Shabby Tea Room.  It was a colour challenge using Black, Kraft, Cream/White.  It came together pretty quickly - and I tried out the new Chevron Ribbon.

Here is their inspiration photo!  

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve.
Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Fun, Fun, Fun

Welcome to a new scrapbook sketch at MDS Monday created by Tara.  I appreciated this clean and simple sketch and used it to coordinate with another spread done about Elliot's evening with paint.  I'll put the two of them side by side.  I'm desperately trying to get Elliot's 2013 book done in better time than I did his 2012 book!

I changed Tara's large photo box to a circle so that it would coordinate with the twin page from a couple weeks ago….
I may change a few things between the two pages when I'm getting down to publishing (border thicknesses for instance!)  But they work well side by side.

Here is the sketch.  Have fun with it - the rest of the Design Team did too!
Be sure to let us see what you create by linking it to MDS Monday.

Thanks for visiting!
Joan

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Three Cheers for You!

WooHoo - it's the last Sunday Stamps of the year….so hard to believe.  It's a wonderful sketch with so many possibilities for the shapes.

I've pulled out the new "Just Sayin'" set again with the coordinting framelits, and matched it with the Happy Hour set.  I like the new Arrows embossing folder too.

Here's the sketch

Be sure to link your creation to the Sunday Stamps Challenge Blog - we love seeing what you've created.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a fabulous Sunday!
Joan

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Flower Trio



Got a challenge done today for Create with Connie and Mary.  I haven't joined in with these talented ladies for a long time - I've changed things a bit because my flowers were so big.  Thought I'd concentrate on using some non-wintery items today since it's so freezing cold outside!

Here is their sketch.

Hope you are staying warm in your little corner of the world.
Thanks for dropping by,
Joan



Thursday, December 26, 2013

Noel & More

Sad to say, but I finally got around to playing with the November Paper Pumpkin today.  So, I made the prototype and then went off on a tangent with the other three - I still used the November base, banner and stars - but added  elements from previous Pumpkins - and some upcoming new products.


"You're the Best" comes from the upcoming "Just Sayin'" set with matching framelits.

When I saw the new "Ampersand" embossing folder, I knew I just had to get it for my daughter!

Hope you're having a wonderful Boxing Day.
Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan





Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!
One challenge done today and  I've used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches

A quick post - now I'm off to do some housecleaning.  

Have a wonderful holiday with family and friends celebrating the birth of our Saviour.
Thanks for stopping by for a brief visit.
Joan

Sending Good Thoughts...


I got my order of new products yesterday - I'm loving a number of new things in the upcoming Occasions Catalogue - and the Sale-a-bration products are fun too!

While playing with new stuff I even got a challenge done!  First one in weeks!  I worked on Dynamic Duo's Black Tie Week.  I had these crinkled up flowers on my desk for literally months - so I jumped at the chance of putting them onto a card.

I've used the Perfect Pennants stamp set with the new Banners Framelits Die.  Oh I'm glad they've added these framelits to the mix!

Well, I hope that you have a blessed Christmas Eve.  I'm looking forward to singing in a church choir again this year for Christmas Eve!  It's been a while.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan


Monday, December 23, 2013

You Make Me Happy...



The first Monday of Christmas vacation - and an MDS Monday card challenge - WooHoo!!!  Today, along with the sketch, Beth would like us to use tape on our creations.  I love love love wash tape - both digital and real.  I love how whatever is behind it peaks through.

I decided to "make my own" washi tape for this card by using photo boxes filled with DSP so that I could tear the ends of the "tape".  I then changed the opacity until what was underneath the tape showed through.  Easy Peasy.

Here is the sketch for this challenge - 

check out what there rest of the Design Team has come up with - there's some fabulous creations - as usual.  Also, make sure you link your creation to the MDS Monday challenge blog so we can have a look at your creation.

Thanks for stopping by - Hope your Monday is off to a great start.
Joan


Monday, December 16, 2013

Where there's a Will.....

Welcome to MDS Monday and Heidi's sketch.  She's given us a chance to use a number of photos on the page - which is great because I often keep snapping pictures when Elliot is up to something.

During the summer he was chasing after a ball on the deck and for some reason decided to work his way through the table ..... I doubt he'll do that next summer.  To help with the sequencing of the photos I added the little burlap banner with a punched number on it....matching the colour with the deck paint.....and "stapled" it to each photo.

I hope you pick up the challenge to use a group of your photos on this great sketch.  Be sure to link your creation back to the MDS Monday blog so we can enjoy it.

Here's the sketch.

This is concert week for me - set up and dress rehearsals.  I don't know how much crafting I'll get done this week - but I'll probably try - just as a way of relaxing.

Hope you have a great day, thanks for stopping by.
Joan

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Inky Tape

I got together with my team members this week and we created this card using masking tape.  I got the idea from Lyssa Griffin Zwolanek's blog.  I loved the technique - even if it was a bit messy.
Every card is unique and it's just plain inky fun!

Hope your Sunday is fantastic - come back tomorrow to see a new MDS Monday sketch.

Thanks for dropping by.
Joan

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Very Very Late.....

I am so very very late with this - almost an entire week.  I'm a terrible MDS Hostess this week!  I had everything ready for the MDS Monday challenge - I just neglected to post it to my own blog.  So - here we are working with flourishes these two weeks.....We have so many wonderful ones on MDS - take your pick and add some flourish to your creation this week.
Be sure to link back to the MDS Monday blog so we can take a peak!

Here's the sketch...


Thanks for dropping by,
Joan

Thursday, December 5, 2013

New York Trio

My husband asked me to make three thank you cards for him to give to the people who were responsible for our being able to take a trip to New York.  I was thrilled to be able to use the Soho Subway paper - it worked perfectly.

I went to one of our retired sets to get the little apple, which I embossed with Cherry Cobbler ep.  For the envelopes I inked up a clear block for the "background" for each letter to match the card.

Here are the other two....



Off to school - Hope your week is working well for you.  I'm almost to the point where I can start stamping for myself in a relaxed sort of way!  WoooHooo.

Enjoy the hustle and bustle.  Thanks for stopping by.
Joan



Monday, December 2, 2013

Playing with Paint

Tami has a great sketch for us today at MDS Monday - lots of fun layers to play with.  

I had decided to let Elliot delve into my paint last weekend - and had fun watching him work with my sponges and brush.  He did very well only a couple drips on the floor - but I did put him in the bathtub to clean him up before his parents picked him up.  I had to giggle when he started painting his belly.

The only pain-stakingly tedious part of this layout was the paint palette - I added an extra splash of paint - but I also included a white "edited" circle punch and a bunch of tiny little circle punches, all filled with white, to create the "background" of the palette.  Otherwise you would be able to see through to the layers below.  It's one of those items that I'll save to use another time!

Here is Tami's sketch - I hope you have fun with it and link your creation to the MDS Monday blog.

Have an awesome week - thanks for visiting.
Joan

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Vellum Noel

Welcome to the first day of December and a wonderful sketch from Hayley at Sunday Stamps.

I found this card quick to put together with the bits and pieces I had left over from the card camps I've been holding.  Each of the pieces from this card come from leftovers on my craft table - all I had to do was emboss the background, stamp the Noel, and cut out the poinsettia.  I've raised the square piece a bit because of the large flower.

I do like to do that sometimes - pull "scraps" off my desk or out of my drawer and use them.  Try out the sketch and let us see your creation by linking it back to the Sunday Stamps blog.  We have an array of fabulous inspiration from the Design Team.

The count down is now on - Christmas Concerts, shopping, decorating and celebrating.
Hope your December is off to a good start.
Thanks for stopping by.
Joan

Monday, November 25, 2013

Old School Christmas

We have a card sketch from Holly today at MDS Monday.  I love diagonal strips on cards, but rarely do them - they are easy peasy on MDS!
I've done back in time with one of my favorite Christmas paper series!  I've come to realize that I don't have a lot of MDS Christmas paper - not quite sure why.  But this was a favourite, so now I'm happy that it will never run out!  
I chose to keep Santa completely neutral - I do like this old fashion image.  He reminds me of the Santa from my childhood books.

You don't have to use the sketch for a Christmas card - as you can see from some of the Design Team members - be sure to check out the MDS Monday blog to see what everyone has come up with.  And remember to link your creation to the blog so we can see what you've come up with!


Have fun creating!   Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A Splatter of Thanks

It's a colour day at Sunday Stamps and today's colours could be Sesaonal ....or not.  I've chosen to use them for a Thank You card, which I've created on MDS since I'm away from my craft room for this challenge.   I love our splatter option on MDS - no mess and a range of sizes and shapes!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team has come up with this week.  Remember, this challenge is open for two weeks...so you'll have until November 29 to post your creation to the Sunday Stamps Challenge Blog.  Have fun!  

Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Monday, November 11, 2013

Bon Voyage

Good Monday everyone - Heidi has given us an awesome sketch at MDS Monday - and since Heidi likes the polaroid look, she has included it in the sketch.  A bonus part of the challenge is to create a hybrid project with the sketch - adding something, popping something up after having the card printed.

I haven't added anything on the my card above, but when I print them off I can add real brads or pop up the greeting.   I hope you try the sketch out - once you've finished be sure to post your project at MDS Monday so we can see it.

I won't be having very many posts this week - as I'm on a brief vacation in New York.  I'll share more stuff once I get home.

Thanks for stopping by =
Joan

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Current Hostess Code...


The current hostess code is 2S6FVRSX - valid until November 9.  Anyone using the hostess code will be entered in a draw to win the hostess rewards and will received something extra in the mail from me. 

Upcoming events.....that are currently scheduled - I will be adding more impromptu events.

November 4 - Inkspired Divas  NEW DAY! 6:00-9:00
November 6 - Technique Class - 6:30-8:30- you can register to attend by clicking HERE
November 8 - Stamp Club Orders due
November 23 - 15 Christmas Card Stack
To register for the afternoon Christmas Stack sitting click HERE 
To register for the evening Christmas Stack sitting click HERE
November 25 - Tag-a-Palooza 6:00 - 9:00, $15.00 - Click HERE to register
November 30 - Gift-a-palooza 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Rainbow Drips


Just a quick post this morning before I fly off to school.....it's a busy week with building report cards and parent-teacher interviews, plus getting packed for next week's trip.  But, I wanted to share with you a couple of the cards I did on Saturday at Tamye's place at the Diva's Breakfast.

These two are part of an 8 card set using only the Gorgeous Grundge set and the Yippee Skippee word set - part of a product included class which I'm hoping to offer before Christmas.  I love the drips made by the grudge stamp, and especially the little drops with the candy dots!

Stay tuned for details about the class - gotta run to school...
Have a fantastic day!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Helping with the Salad

Welcome to another scrap sketch at MDS Monday.  This weeks' sketch is brought to you by Kathya.  It's clean and simple - and versatile.  
I love being able to use a series of shots for this sketch - I sat Elliot down one Sunday evening and had him help tear up the lettuce for a salad.  He got right down to business - and kept his hands flying as you can see by motion in the pictures.

I used a photobox for the DSP instead of a punch so that I could recolour the paper to co-ordinate with the photos.
I also recoloured the chevron embellishments.

Finally  - I got "fancy" and used two different colours on my title...changing where the words trailed onto the background.

Here is Kathya's sketch - I hope you have fun with it and then share it with us at the MDS Monday challenge blog so we can take a peak.

Hope your week is off to a good start.  Thanks for stopping by.
Joan


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Lovely Eastern Elegance

Happy Sunday Stamps......Kathya has a wonderful sketch for us today - I love the horizontal banners she's got us using!
I decided to move away from seasonal colours for this sketch - I've been so busy getting ready for Holiday classes that I felt I needed to change the pace up a bit.

I'm not really a yellow person, and I'm not really a grey person - but I do love the Eastern Elegance DSP!  I was pleasantly surprised with the gorgeous effects of embossing the image from Lovely Romance - It's just so elegant - although I guess the shiny silver embossing doesn't really come through in the photo.

Here is Kathya's sketch - be sure to check out the Sunday Stamps Blog too - the design team has come up with some wonderfully inspirational pieces - I'm so lucky to be working with such a talented group of women!  Once you've created your project, be sure to share it with us so we can take a peak.



Hope your day is going well - thanks for visiting.
Joan

Friday, November 1, 2013

Wahoo!


Well, it's the end of a very busy, learning day.  We had a Professional Development day at school, it was mostly done in French, and I made it through the whole day - Wahooooo!  It was a very good day, full of technology information.
So - I decided to come home, do one stampin' type challenge, and then I'm going to art for the rest of the night.  So I went to one of my most favorite challenges - the Friday Mashup.  The Wahoo! is the stamp that was included in a Paper Pumpkin!  Totally Fun!

This week - this sketch and using chevron.

Hope you are having a fantastic Friday - and a great start to your weekend.  
Thanks for dropping by.
Joan



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Merry....Birthday

Here are the two cards I will be doing at my November 6th Technique class.  If you are in my area and would like to register to attend this class you can click on the link 

For the Birthday card, we will be embossing and colouring vellum.  For the card below we will be stamping the image on vellum and then hand embossing the image with a stylus.

I used the sketch from Hand Stamped Sentiments for creating this design - Thank you ladies.  Here is their original sketch...

I hope your Wednesday has been wonderful!
Thanks for stopping by,
Joan


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Bags are Ready



I've got two bag designs this year for my Gift-a-Palooza - I just couldn't help myself!

I will be sending out an e-mail to all my subscribers this week about the Tag-a-Palooza, Gift-a-Palooza and the November Christmas Stack.
I may seem on the ball - but I'm in New York for a week, so I have to be prepared!

Here's the second option....  I absolutely love how the new foil paper embosses!

Hope your week is off to a good start.
Thanks for stopping by.
Joan

Wooo Hoooo - coming soon...... Stay Posted!