Goin' for a Sleigh Ride....

Sorry I didn't post yesterday! Do you ever feel like there is just not enough time in the day??? I do....a lot lately! I am done all but 5 of my Christmas card orders, so that is a relief. But this Sunday I am putting on Christmas for my husband's side of the family. There will be 11 people here and they are all big cookers and I'm really not. I mean I cook.....when I have to....but I hate it. It's just not one of my favourite things. So it's a big undertaking for me. I'm sure that you all probably put on big meals for a lot of people all the time, so please share any tips that would make this stressful weekend, a little easier for me. I'd appreciate any help you can give me.....other than 'Order in!' because I've already thought of that one!!!

Here is a cute little High Hopes card for ya!! I made it using last week's sketch challenge on SCS. I like how the whole main panel covers the whole width of the card. I stamped Toboggan Joyride on Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink. Don't you just love this little group of friends?? That beaver is just having the time of his life!! I drew in the hill and started colouring with my SU markers. I knew that I wanted to use this cute polka dotted ribbon that I got in the $ bin at Michael's, so I used those colours along with all the browns for their fur. Then I watercoloured the sky around them using my Aquapainter and Bashful Blue ink. I layered it on BB and Certainly Celery cardstock and then used my mat pack and white Signo gel pen to do the faux stitching. I also added four Real Red eyelets using my Crop-a-dile. Now the card base is actually Whisper White and I covered the whole front piece with some Sandylion snowflake dp. I paper pierced across the bottom over to the sentiment and added the ribbon with a swirly paperclip.

Tonight I am picking up my honey pie at the airport when he flies in from Calgary. He's only been gone a week this time, but this is the first time that I've had the night off so I can be the one to pick him up. I'm also getting my haircut today (haven't done that since last Janaury....how sad is that?) so I'll be a new woman when he sees me!! Heehee! I should chop it all off and give him a coronary!! Baahahahaha!

So have a great weekend......I know I will *insert GIANT eyeroll here*, and seriously, I'd really appreciate any tips on how to make this weekend run a little smoother for me.

There's No People Like Snow People!!

Today's card features another one of those adorable new Snowpeople by High Hopes Rubber Stamps!! This one is called Dapper Dan Snowman!! Isn't he handsome?

I started out by grabbing some patterned paper by Three Bugs in a Rug and using that as my jumping off point. I stamped him on some Fabriano watercolour paper and coloured him in using a mixture of SU markers, Prismacolour pencils and odourless mineral spirits, SU ink and my Aquapainter and also some sparkly Icicle Stickles. Then I doodled a border around him and matted him on Basic Black. The card base is a BB square and I used Wild Wasabi for the background and stamped the snowflake background stamp all over it. I added the dp across the middle along with some black polka dot organdy ribbon and then I stamped the sentiment across the bottom in black. I pop dotted the main image and then finished it off by punching some snow blossoms from some black sugarcoated paper (soooo glittery in real life) and attaching them with Real Red brads!

Next week is the big December Release cocktail party for My Favorite Things in the Members Forum over at Splitcoaststampers. I'm so excited to be a part of this and so scared at the same time. To see my designs next to some of the most awesome Design Team members in the stamping industry is a little nervewracking!! So I'm busy working away at some stuff, but I can't share it.....just yet!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping in!!

Quick and Cute!

Since I've been so busy lately (haven't we all), I decided to share something simple and quick today. And what's quicker than a one layer card??

I made a 4x4 card from some of my Fabriano watercolour paper and stamped the butterflies image from a new clear set called The Flourish Pack by Inkadinkado. There are some lovely lined images in this set and I just happen to love butterflies! Anyway I stamped it in the bottom right corner of the card base in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured the image in using my Aquapainter and SU inks. Then I stamped the A Muse sentiment and added several pieces of the double stitched ribbon in matching colours.

Very quick, very simple, very cute!!

Winter Wishes for You!!

It has been a very busy weekend at the Reid house!! I worked the late shift on Friday night and Al got home from Calgary shortly after I did. It was really great to see him after two weeks of being away. Unfortunately, I had to work all day on Saturday. I even got up and left for work an hour early as there was the garage sale at the local sb store to go to. It wasn't as busy as last time, but I still scored a few good deals. I'll go in today to pick up what's left of my stuff and she how much credit I have.

After working all day on Saturday, Al and I went Christmas shopping and Emileigh went babysitting. We got a few presents out of the way which is good. Then on Sunday, the two of them slept in while I got up early and spent the ENTIRE day filling Christmas card orders. I'm happy to say that I completed another 25 and only have about 12 left to go!! I took a break in the evening to have some dinner and we watched a movie together!! That was fun!!

Today's card was for last week's Ways to Use It Challenge which was to use any kind of stitching on your card, whether it was real stitches, stamped stitches or faux stitches. I obviously went with the faux kind!

I stamped the cutie pie Polar Bear stamp from High Hopes called Bear-ly Warming Up on Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink. The designer papers I chose were from the Flowers for You package by SU. I coloured the image in using those colours which include Tempting Turquoise, Certainly Celery, Lovely Lilac, Regal Rose, then Close to Cocoa for the hot chocolate and Sahara Sand for the shading. I then used my mat pack and Signo white gel pen to do all the faux stitching and the ribbon is from a bunch that I won by May Arts. I stamped the marshmallows and layered them on a Certainly Celery circle scallop and pop dotted everything. The sentiment is from High Hopes as well!

Oh and the winner of last week's challenge is..........Joan Ervin!!! Please send me your snail mail address and I will send out your prize!! Things are so busy leading up to the holidays that I think I'm going to take a break from the challenges until after the New Year. So if you'd like to make some suggestions for challenges, feel free to email them to me.

Have a stampin' great day!!!

A Challenge.....from my Mom??

This card seemed perfect for today!! Here in Southwestern Ontario it snowed overnight and the roads are a little icy this morning. Contrary to popular belief, just because we live in Canada, we don't live at the North Pole!! We don't live in igloos, we don't have penguins as pets and we don't drive around on snowmobiles!! Hahaha!! You'd be surprised at the number of people that think we do some of those things!!!

So a few weeks ago, my Mom issued me a challenge!! We both have this adorable My Favorite Things stamp set called Winter Blast! I love the little penguins in this set doing so many wintery things, like skating, sledding and making a snowman! The biggest stamp is this one, which is a bunch of the penguins playing around with a ball. Mom was having trouble using it and challenged me to make a card with it. So......several weeks later.....here it is!

I started out by using the MFT sketch from last week (so I'm a week behind) that Kim (The MFT Lady) posted on SCS. I decided to make my card square as the stamp is a bit bigger than would fit on a regular card. So I stamped my pengys playin' ball on some Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and used my Prismacolour pencils and OMS to colour them in. I also watercoloured underneath each one of them with Bordering Blue ink and added some Stardust Stickles to the ice. Then I doodled around the frame and stamped the sentiment right in the middle of their ball game!



The card has the top half of the front of the card cut off so that you can see the inside of the card, so I used some new Heidi Grace snowflake paper, Bordering Blue cardstock for accent colour and some black organdy polka dot ribbon. The card base is textured Basic Black cardstock and I used a strip of white for the scalloped edge attached with some large black brads. I finished this icy card off with some Martha Stewart snowflake punches from some sugar coated white cardstock....it's SO sparkly!! Thanks for the challenge Mom!!!


Well, my honey is coming home from Calgary tonight....he's been gone two long weeks!! Unfortunately I have to work all day tomorrow, but at least we'll get Saturday night and Sunday together. We don't know yet if he'll have to go back again next week.

Have a wonderful Friday and go stamp something, will ya??!! Hahaha!!

Pile of Knuts!!!

Just thought I'd share a picture of what I've been up to today. I had the day off from work....well, library work and here is what I did!! This is a design I may have showed you before using Knut from the Cat's Pajamas Clearly Swanky Sets. A lot of people really liked this design I guess, because I have orders for 12 of them and I completed them all today. They are all stamped, coloured, Cuttlebugged, punched and glittered!!

Now I'm going to go sit in front of Survivor and price my items for the garage sale at my local sb store this Saturday. I have a few things I'd like to sell and I get store credit with whatever I sell!! I did really well at the last one and I'm STILL spending my credit at the store!! It's awesome!! Whenever I go in there, I don't even have to get my wallet out!! SCORE!!!

Have a great evening!!

Inkadinkado Hummingbird

I bought this stamp several months ago, thinking how beautiful it was and having all these ideas about what I would do with it. Well, it's been sitting on my desk, staring at me ever since then. I was rather intimidated by it and I was worried that I wouldn't do it justice. So the other day, I just decided to go for it!!

I stamped the image (which is rather large) in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink onto some SU watercolour paper. Then I got out my Aquapainters and inks and went to work. I used Always Artichoke for the hummingbird and the leaves, Purely Pomegranate for his little tummy, Bashful Blue and Brocade Blue for the flowers (I think they are petunias, no?) and surrounded them in So Saffron. The card base is an Always Artichoke square card and I stamped it with the Cracked background stamp. I matted the focal image on Bashful Blue and then Brocade Blue cardstock, added some blue velvet ribbon and some hardware from We R Memory Keepers and stamped 'thank you' on some more BB to fit inside the round bookplate. I think it turned out okay, what do you think??

Also I'd just like to wish all my US friends a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!! Fill up on that turkey and have some creamy mashed potatoes and yummy gravy for me, will ya?? You do know that gravy is a beverage in my house right?? So load up!!! hahaha!! Oh and be sure to get lots of rest tonight so you can shop your little hearts out tomorrow morning!! Good luck!

New Holiday Banner at Kimmie's Korner!!!

Hey!! Look up!!! Did you see my new banner?? Just in time for the holidays!!! Isn't it 'da bomb'?? My good pal and fellow DT member at High Hopes, Julie made it for me!!! Isn't she super sweet?? Go on over to her blog and check it out.........her stuff rocks!! And she's got some awesome tutorials, so go over and say hello!!!

THANK YOU JULIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MWAH!! xoxoxox

Shell B. Meltin'......heehee!

I'd like you to meet my new friend, Shelby.........Shell B. Meltin'!! Baaaaaahahaha!! Oh I crack me up!! Isn't she just lovely??? She is one of the newly released Snowpeople stamps from High Hopes!!

Last night I came home from work and had some time to stamp before Dancing with the Stars came on (can you believe Marie is still there?? I can't!) Yesterday's Colour Combo Challenge on SCS (CC141) was Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi and white, so I thought that would be a fun combo for this girlie snowgirl!!!

I stamped Birdie's Friend Snowlady on Stampin' Up's wonderful watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured her in using both my SU markers and the Wild Wasabi ink with a watercolour brush (as WW does not come in a marker, only ink). I used a strip of some of my favourite dp, Sweet Pea by Fancy Pants which I got at Lindsey's store! The base of the card is a regular sized Wild Wasabi card and the matting is Pretty in Pink stamped with the Love Swirls background stamp. I stamped her name on the bottom right of the pink and matted the focal image on WW. Then I pulled out this new ric rac by Martha Stewart that I JUST picked up at Michael's the other day and it just HAPPENS to match Wild Wasabi!! How conveeeeeeeeeenient!!! Now I don't like a lot of Martha's stuff, but her ribbon is super!! I finished it off with some yummy Prima Heavenly Flowers, which you can also find at Lindsey's store! I layered three together and used a glittered brad by Making Memories (it matches too) and made the snow and her heart shaped buttons all sparkly with some Diamond Stickles!!

Doesn't she make you wanna see some snow?? Don't forget to play along with Kimmie's Challenge #7!! Have a wonderful day!!

Good Times with My Favourite Things!!

I'm so excited to share my first stampin' creation as a Design Team Member for My Favorite Things!!! Heehee!! I had so much fun yesterday inkin' up these stamps, I gotta tell ya! I've loved Meet Me at the Cafe since it was released and it was the first set I had to play with on my 'me' day!! (Remember how I said that I was stampin' just for me??)

Well, I knew that I wanted to paper piece these lovely ladies' outfits, so I found some awesome SEI patterned papers from the Sweetie line which has some great corals, pinks and soft sky, believe it or not! So then I looked around my studio (okay, really it's just a small spare bedroom, crammed full of all my paper, inks, tools and embellishments.....and two desks, two bookshelves and a computer) and my eyes landed on an unopened box on the floor (yes, the floor....nevermind)that I got on my last trip to Michael's. I had to use my 50% off coupon on something, so I picked up a box of Glittered cards by DCWV. Well, one of the colours in there is this gorgeous light coral colour, just a shade lighter than Cameo Coral and the whole front of the cards are covered in GLITTAH baby!! It was perfect!

Anyhoo, I started by stamping the image of the ladies at the cafe on Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and after finding the right combo of the patterned papers (that took me the most time), I coloured the rest of the scene in using my SU markers. I stamped the awning on Cameo Coral cardstock and stamped some black polka dots on it using Itty Bitty Backgrounds. I framed the scene with Basic Black cardstock and then made a cute scalloped piece for the top of the card with some more black and added Soft Sky stitched grosgrain ribbon across the top. I stamped the sentiment Good Times on some Soft Sky and punched it out using my large oval punch, pop dotting it and adding some tiny Prima flowers that were a perfect match! Then, to finish it all off, I added some clear rhinestones by Heidi Swapp in the middles of the flowers and made the wine all sparkly with my Sakura Stardust gel pen!

I'm overjoyed with the way it turned out.....I just hope it stacks up against the other MFT DT members.....a bit of nail biting here....what do you think?? Do you like??

Anyway, today is Celebrate MFT day today over at Splitcoast. The challenge is just to create a card or project using your My Favorite Things stamps!! It happens on the 20th of every month!! Go on over and join in the fun!!!

Oh and hey, I've got some more cool MFT designs for you to see....so come on back!!

Kimmie's Challenge #7

Well, it's Monday again! *sigh* I had a great stampin' weekend, how about you?? I finished 41 Christmas cards for orders and 7 of those little notepads for stocking stuffers. Today is a 'me' stamping day!! I have today off from work and I plan on inkin' up some new stamps and playin'!!!

Thanks to all who took part in last week's challenge!! I'm glad you are enjoying them! And the random winner is...........Bela!! Yaaaaaay!! Thanks for playing!! And Bela just email me with your mailing address and I'll get your treat out to you!

This week's challenge is a Supply Challenge!! And it's pretty easy.........just use some hardware on your creation!! You can use brads, eyelets, bookplates, hinges, ribbon sliders.........whatever you choose! And you can use silver, brass, copper, pewter........whatever you have on hand! I know I tend to purchase all of these things and then save them.........for what, I'm not sure!!

This card was made using another of those great Magnolia stamps. This one is Edwin on his Sled! I used a square Old Olive card for the base and some of my Dasher designer paper by Basic Grey. I stamped Edwin on some Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured him in using my Prismacolour pencils and odourless mineral spirits. I don't think you can see it well in the photo, but I stamped the small snowflake background from High Hopes around him in Soft Sky. I also covered a piece of chipboard from Maya Road in dp and sponged the edges, then added a Snowflake ghost shape from Heidi Swapp with a fancy brad that I got in a package from the dollar store! I did some faux stitching with my Signo white gel pen on the Old Olive piece, added some hardware and some ribbon I got at Michael's and then finished him off with some Stardust Stickles on his angel wings!!

Now this sketch is a Kimmie original (heehee) so feel free to use it on your creations too, if you like! I like using the European style on some of my cards. They use a lot of layers and place things a little off kilter. Their designs have more of a 'scrapbook' feel to them, although this one isn't as layered or as fancy as most, but I like it.

So join in Kimmie's Challenge #7, link me up by Sunday, November 25th at noon EST, to be entered to win a little something! And if you upload your design to Splitcoast, use the keyword KC7, so we can all check them out!!!

A Magnolia Christmas!!!

Well I think my fingertips have recovered! They are not as sensitive this morning, which is nice! I got a lot done yesterday......it's amazing what you can do with a lot of uninterrupted time! Although I did have some computer issues yesterday! I had to take off the side of the tower of the computer and fiddle around with the video card inside. Seems it had somehow come loose. I was panicking because I couldn't imagine living without my email and everything until Al gets home NEXT weekend!! Yikes! What a nightmare! Thankfully I talked to my honey on the phone and he calmed me down and told me what he thought it would be and what to look for. Yay. I fixed it and I got to post to my blog, check all my email, do a little 'blurfing' and watch some movies while I crafted the afternoon away!!



Anyway, these cards are from another little project I am working on. A friend has asked me to design and create 10 Christmas cards using this particular stamp. As you know, Magnolia stamps are from Sweden and this particular stamp represents a tradition there. Christmas begins in Sweden with the Saint Lucia ceremony. Before dawn on the morning of December 13th, the youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a red sash. She wears a crown of evergreens with tall-lighted candles attached to it. She wakes her parents, and serves them with coffee and Lucia buns. The other children accompany her and the boys are dressed as star boys in long white shirts and pointed hats. So using this little story, I coloured them accordingly and I really love the way they are turning out.

I stamped them on Fabriano watercolor paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and used my Stampin' Up markers to colour them in. I coloured them first and then went looking through my stash for dp that I might be able to use, which is backwards to what I usually do. Amazingly enough I found this awesome piece of designer paper that happens to match the colours I used! It is from the Brunch Collection by Crate Paper and it has a thick, lovely texture to it. On some I used ribbon, some eyelets, some are pop dotted and I used different sentiments on each one. I also added some Diamond Stickles on their adorable angel wings!



The rest of them will be similar to these ones, but I just wanted to share them with you to show how you can take the same stamp and even the same colours and come out with such different designs just by changing up the layout or embellishments!

Have a Stampin' Great day!!!

Cool Caribbean Christmas!!

Just thought I'd give you a sneakie peek at what I'm working on today!! I have an order for 25 of these Christmas cards using the Christmas in the City stamp set by Lizzie Anne Designs!! And let's just say, I've learned my lesson!! I should never have included this one in my designs for customers to order from, as it is WAY too involved for quick reproduction!! I just fell in love with the design when I made it for the LADesigns Card Contest and wanted to share it with others. Unfortunately, now my fingertips are raw from all that paper piercing. Maybe I should get a thimble, what do you think?? Hahaha! Too late now.

Anyway, I've got them all done including inside stamped sentiment, hallmark stamped and signature on the back AND coordinating envelopes!! Whew!! I think I'll go have some lunch (it's 3pm) and start working on something else!

I Wuf You!! and I Miss You!!

Well, it's Friday and my honey is still in Calgary. They want him there for another week and he won't be coming home this weekend. Boo. And wouldn't you know it, last weekend when he was home, I had to work and this weekend when I have the WHOLE weekend off, he's in Calgary!! Oh well, I have a LOT of work to do!! I have orders for 85 Christmas cards and a bunch of notepads that I MUST get done, so I will hopefully put a dent in that pile!!

Here is a little square notecard that I will be emailing my lovey to let him know that I am missing him!! It is a Creamy Caramel base and the dp is Basic Grey Urban Couture. I stamped the little Whipper Snapper puppy on SU watercolour paper and coloured him in with my SU markers. The background is made using a pawprint stamp also by Whipper Snapper and I added some brown linen thread at the top. I finished it off by stamping the sentiment, which is actually part of the image stamp, I just stamped it separately...and then I added a bone shaped brad from a package that I picked up at the dollar store! The main image is then pop dotted!!

Well, I hope you get lots done this weekend and don't forget to take part in my Kimmie's Challenge #6 which is a great sketch....if I do say so myself!!! Happy Stampin'!!

Flyin' Away!!

Thanks so much to everyone for their congratulations on my new DT news!! It's very exciting and I'm so thrilled that I have my 'cyber-friends' to share it with!! You ladies are the best!!

Since I've been getting some more questions about the Magnolia stamps, I thought I'd post another one today!! This one is using one I call, Leafy Magnolia! I don't know what he's really called.....because it's in Swedish, but I think it's close enough!! Doesn't he just look so sweet flying by on his giant leaf??

I stamped him in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink on Fabriano watercolour paper and used a combination of inks and Aquapainter and SU markers to colour him in. The base is a Chocolate Chip square and I used some of my Basic Grey Figgy Pudding papers. I used Soft Sky and more Chocolate Chip to layer and I made the layers all a little cockeyed to add visual interest. I used some frosted brads from Prima along with some Prima flowers and an SU button with brown linen thread. The two strips of fancy ribbon are both from a package by Making Memories called Boho Chic Trim - Lauren. I especially love the crocheted trim!! Then of course I added some Stardust Stickles to his little wings and the pom pom on his hat!!

Again, people have been asking where I got my Magnolia stamps and as I have mentioned in previous posts, they are very difficult to come by. But I have a friend named Phebe who DOES have them and she has a brick and mortar store but not an online store. But she does take email or phone orders, so if you would like her email address, I can give it to you. Just send me a quick email and I will forward it to you!!

Well, today I am off to do some training at another library, so no time for stamping until tonight!! But I'll be thinkin' about it while I'm there.....don't tell anyone!! When I'm sitting in the boardroom with a thoughtful look on my face, they won't know it, but I'll be busy thinkin' about colour combinations and layouts!! *snicker* Have a great day!!!

P.S. Don't forget to join in Kimmie's Challenge #6!!!

My Super-Exciting News!!!

I loved reading all your guesses about what my very cool news could be!! I literally had to laugh out loud at all the BABY comments (and thanks to Colleen for starting that ball rolling *insert eye roll here*)!!! Hahaha!! You gals must thank I'm insane!! My daughter is 15 years old for pete's sake! *chuckle*

No, no! That's not my big news! But most of you were right in saying that it might be Design Team related!! Heehee! Last week, when I got home from work one evening, I received an email that had me jumpin' out of my seat!! Which was quite a feat, seeing as how I just came home from a long evening shift at the library! It was from none other than Kim VanderSanden who is the owner of My Favorite Things!!! She said that she has admired my work for some time and wondered if I might be interested in joining her Design Team!!!!!! Okay, AFTER I picked my jaw up off the floor, I had to shake my head!! Could this be for real?? Is this a bad joke? A spam email?? Did Kim perhaps send this email to the wrong person?? Hahaha!! So I emailed her right back and said OF COURSE I would LOVE to be part of the My Favorite Things Design Team!! I mean, is it really even a question?? The current DT is comprised of some of my absolute favourite artists in the stamping world, so I am truly honoured and a little bit scared to join them!!

So I will be receiving a package from Kim in the mail soon that holds some of the new releases of MFT stamps and I can't wait to play with them!! But I won't be able to share them with you until the release party in early December!!

Anyway here is a card that I created using one of the newest sets called Boho Blossoms! This set is so elegant and classy!! I used a MFT sketch which you can find in the Member Company Forum under My Favorite Things. I think there is a new one each week, so if you like sketches, check them out!!

I used Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and some new Daisy Buckets patterned paper that I picked up at Stamp Art. (By the way, they also carry the MFT line of stamps, so if you live in Canada and don't want to deal with the duty and brokerage fees, Nancy would be only too happy to help you get some!!) There are four square sections as the background and then I stamped the swirly heart shape on the crisp white Papertrey cardstock in Chocolate Chip craft ink, layered it on pink and chocolate, tied some pink taffeta ribbon in the holes I punched in the two corners and pop dotted it. Then I stamped the sentiment using several of the single words that are in the Boho Blossoms set and punched them out using my Word Window Punch and sponged them!! So easy, but SO elegant!! I really was terrified by this stamp set, because it really is out of my comfort zone, but I think it turned out pretty nicely!!

Thanks so much for sharing in my good news with me!! All your comments really make me feel like we are hangin' out, having some coffee and chatting!! Happy stampin'!!!

A Figgy Snowlady!!

Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaw!! My Project of the Month creations are now up on the High Hopes website and you can see them here!! I'm so thrilled they are finally there and you can see them!! This month's special is using some of the NEW release stamps and I am so fortunate to be able to play with them!! If you love them as much as I do, you can scoop the set of them up right now for 25% off!! Hop on over to High Hopes and check them out!!!

These new releases by High Hopes have GOT to be my favourite ones so far, since becoming a Design Team member!! The snowpeople are just the cutest I've ever seen!! Today I played with Snow Sweet Snowlady and some of my new Figgy Pudding designer papers by Basic Grey!! Don'tcha love playin' with new stuff!!!?? I took on this week's challenge from Jeanne and Sherry, which was to use some of the patterned paper we've been hoarding........I mean SAVING!! Yah, that's the ticket!!! (Sheesh, did I just date myself there??) I went one step further and finally opened a package of adhesive chipboard accents that I bought at Joann's LAST YEAR!! Yipes!!

Anyhoo, I stamped the Snowlady on Stampin' Up's watercolour paper and used both my SU markers and my Aquapainter with SU inks to colour her in! I used Cranberry Crisp, Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie and Creamy Caramel. Then I used a Prismacolor marker in 20% gray to shade around the snow. The card base is a square Cranberry Crisp base, then I used several different Figgy Puddy papers and also some Soft Sky in there for matting. I used three SU eyelets in the top of the main layer and threaded through some cheapie ribbon that I got in the $ bin at Michael's on the weekend, and it just happens to match Soft Sky!! I used some gold cord, a couple of Martha Stewart snowflake punches, the SU scalloped circle punch and pop dotted the chipboard accent on top! I finished the card off by adding some white gel pen dots around the scallops and putting lots of sparkles on the snow and snowflakes with Diamond Stickles!! Ain't she purdy???

Well, Al has headed back to Calgary early, early this morning for at least another week, maybe two. It was so nice to have him home for the weekend and we had lots of ........ fun!! Get your minds out of the gutter!!! *snicker* I've been working really hard on my Christmas Card orders and he even helped me today, by punching out some shapes for the sets I was working on!! He must REALLY have missed me to agree to do that!! Hahaha!!

Hey!! Guess what?? I've got some seriously-awesome, ohmygosh, no way!, are-you-serious, that's-totally-cool news to share with you!!! But you'll have to wait until tomorrow!!! Anyone have any guesses?????

Kimmie's Challenge #6!!!

I hope you all had a wonderfully creative weekend!!! My honey came home from Calgary on Friday night and it was so nice to have him back!! It's true, what they say.....absence DOES make the heart grow fonder!!! Unfortunately, he'll be heading back on Tuesday morning....sigh.

Thanks so much for 'gettin' dirty' with me last week!! There were some fabulous cards for the challenge and the random winner of some sweet little stamps is.....Jana Weaver!!!! Yaaaay!!! Jana, just email me your address and I'll mail them out to you!!

Since you all love sketches so much, I thought I'd do one of those for this week's challenge!! Use the above card's layout as inspiration for your creation, be it a card or a scrapbook page!!!

For this one, I used my Magnolia stamp, Edwin and his balloon! Technically speaking, it's Edwin med ballong....but I don't speak Swedish!! Haha!! I stamped him on some Fabriano watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured him in using my Prismacolour pencils and odourless mineral spirits. I think I might be getting a little better with this technique! Yay me! And how ironic that the patterned paper I used is from the Magnolia line by My Mind's Eye!! Heehee!

I distressed everything with a cosmetic sponge and Walnut Ink by Ranger. I used some orange grosgrain ribbon and a ribbon slider that says 'birthday' on it. I also added some SU buttons with brown linen thread and of course, some Stardust Stickles on his purdy angel wings!! I think I'll give this one to my nephew on his birthday in December!!

So link me up to your creations in this posting when you join in the challenge! And if you upload your card to the SCS gallery, be sure to use the keyword KC6, so that we can all check them out!!! Challenge entries must be in by next Sunday, November 18th at noon!!!

No go get stampin'!!

Cutie Pie Frog Prince

Here's another design using the Magnolia Stamp, Tilda with her Frog Prince.....at least, that's what I call her. I don't speak Swedish, so I don't know the EXACT translation, but I think that's pretty close!

I stamped her on Stampin' Up's awesome watercolour paper and used my SU markers to colour her in. Notice there are NO marker lines on this paper!! It's expensive, but worth every penny!! The colours I chose are taken straight from the Cute Pie designer papers by SU. I LOVE this colour combo! I used Rose Red, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue and Creamy Caramel for her hair and shoes. I added some Stardust Stickles to her lovely little wings for sparkle! The card base is a Rose Red square and all the dp is Cutie Pie. I added two pieces of grosgrain ribbon and knotted them off to the side. Then I added some Prima flowers with some glittery brads and pop dotted the main image!

Well, my honey comes home tonight!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!! I've missed him so!! And then I have to go and work all day tomorrow........no fair!!! Hope you have a great weekend!!!

Pink Winter Wishes!!

Well it's the first snowfall of the season, here in cold Southwestern Ontario, so it's seems the perfect day to post this card!!! I had the morning off from work yesterday so I spent the day playing with some adorable new High Hopes stamps!! Nothin' like new rubbah, I always say!!!

This new snowperson stamp is called Snowlady Surprise and I just think she is super cute!! I knew that I wanted to use lots of pink on this one because I got this new little tin of frosted pink flowers and snowflakes from Prima called Heavenly Pink!

I started off with Julee's Mojo Monday sketch for this week and the patterned paper, which is by Around the Block and looks kinda like a pink and green wintery day! I stamped the Snowlady on watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and used my SU markers to colour her in. The main colours are Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and then I used Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue on the pressie! Then I used a Prismacolor marker in 20% grey to shade around all the white snow on her body and I drew in the ground . The round portion in the corner is PIP cardstock cut using the CM cutting system and I used some of the pretty snowflakes from the Winter Wonder set by Verve Visual. I just love these gorgeous snowflakes. Then I stamped the High Hopes sentiment and shaded in grey around the left side of the letters and added some pink snowflakes. I matted the main image in Certainly Celery and Regal Rose and the card base is, of course, Regal Rose. I tied some pink taffeta ribbon by SU around the quarter circle, then added some Diamond Stickles in the centers of each of the stamped snowflakes. I pop dotted the sentiment and added two of the lovely paper, sparkly snowflakes and there she is!!! A pink Snowlady!!!

I've had some great entries for the 'Dirty Challenge'!! Don't forget to play along...you have until Sunday at noon!!

Just Sittin' Here.........Missin' You!!!

As you know, my honey-pie is in Calgary working. He has been gone for a week and a half now.....and we miss him!! sniff, sniff! Over the weekend, Emileigh and I were able to talk to him on MSN. My laptop, which he has with him in Calgary, has a built in camera and microphone and we have a camera on our end too. So we were able to see each other and we could hear him and of course we were typing back and forth. We had a couple of long sessions and it was so much fun!! Then while I was at work yesterday, he called to check in and let me know that he will be flying home on Friday night!!! Yaaaay!!

So I made this card with him in mind and emailed it to him yesterday!! My good friend Donna loaned me this Whipper Snapper stamp and I stamped it on watercolour paper and coloured him in with my SU markers. Now I orginally started out with some Basic Grey designer paper for this card, but after colouring it and playing with the layout, I decided to nix the dp. I think it looks much better without it!

I used Chocolate Chip for the square card base and layered on Almost Amethyst and also used So Saffron for matting. I used my cosmetic sponge and CC ink to 'dirty it up' and distress the edges......hmmm....I seem to like things dirty don't I??? *giggle* I used my wide CC grosgrain ribbon and some Prima Flowers and also some Making Memories flowers and silver brads. The sentiment is made using my Karen Foster Snap Stamps but I know there is a matching sentiment from Whipper Snapper that says the same thing. I miss my honey!!

Now don't forget to join in this week's challenge and get 'dirty' too!!!

A Sugar Shower!!

I've been itching to play with this new Shower Time stamp set from My Favorite Things and I wanted it to be a 'dirty shower' to go with my challenge this week...(hmmm...that doesn't sound too good.....heehee), so I figured the new Hey Sugar designer papers by Cosmo Cricket would be a perfect match!! I just got my package from Lindsey so they were conveniently located right on top of my 'pile of new things to play with'!!

I knew right away, when I got Shower Time that I wanted to paper piece the umbrella and these luscious designs from the Hey Sugar line are just right!! So I stamped the umbrella girl image on watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured her body in using my Prismacolor pencils and OMS, although her top would have paper pieced well too!! Then I stamped the umbrella on the patterned paper and cut it out....easy peasy!

The layout that I used was Julee's Mojo sketch from last week and it gave me a chance to use a few of the different coordinating patterns and also the scalloped piece is actually a die cut from the Hey Sugar pack. I punched out the main image using my Mega Circle punch and dirtied her up with a cosmetic sponge and ink. Then I cut a larger circle using my CM cutting system and then distressed that layer. I placed both pieces on top of the flowery die cut and then sponged it's edges as well. The light turquoise layer I stamped on with Soft Sky ink using one of the little flowers and the small heart from the Shower Time set and then dirtied that layer too. The card base is More Mustard with a layer of Bravo Burgundy. I added the hardware from We R Memorykeepers, some Prima flowers and then stamped the friendship sentiment which is from the Boho Blossoms stamp set. Love the font in that set!

These stamp sets, along with all the other My Favorite Things stamps, can be purchased directly from the site or if you live in Canada and don't want to pay the duty, brokerage fees etc., the lovely Nancy at Stamp Art would be only too happy to help you get some!! And they are of course, clear stamps, so no bulky packaging for shipping!!!

Don't forget to 'get dirty' too, and join in this week's challenge!! Have a stampin' good day!!!

Let's Get Dirty!!! Kimmie's Challenge #5!!

This weekend was a BUSY one for me!! I've been preparing for it all last week!! I had a workshop out of town on Friday night and there were 22 women, each doing 5 different projects!! And on Saturday, I had a workshop in town for 12 women. It was a lot of fun, but a LOT of work and I was so glad to be able to chill on Sunday!!!

Well, I've missed a couple of weeks worth of challenges, what with the Pink Cat Studio Contest and all the busyness around here, but we're back in the swing of things and I've got a great challenge for you today!!!!

I've been having SO much fun playing with my Magnolia stamps, I just can't STAND it!! This little guy is Edwin Fishing and I also used the matching Fishie stamps on this card!! I started out with the sketch from Jen Del Muro's blog this week. I knew that I wanted to use mostly blues and greens for this card so I pulled out my Tres Jolies Bonjour papers. I stamped Edwin on watercolour paper in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink and coloured him in using my Prismacolour pencils and OMS. I stamped the fishies separately, coloured them and cut them out. I covered their scales in Turquoise Stickles and I painted Edwin's wings in Icicle Stickles. The sentiment is an A Muse stamp that I punched out using my Round Tab Punch. The square card base is Close to Cocoa and I added some brown linen thread and pop dotted the main image AND all those little fishies!!

Now here's where your challenge comes in......I used a cosmetic sponge and Walnut Stain ink by Ranger to distress EVERYTHING!! I wanted it to have that dirty, distressed look. So the card you make for this week's challenge has to be 'dirty'!!!

When you make your creation, be sure to link me up in the comments in THIS posting. If you upload your card to the Splitcoaststampers gallery, be sure to use the keyword KC5, so we can all find them!! The deadline to enter the challenge is Sunday, November 11th at noon EST. I will post the winner next Monday!!

Don't forget that my friend Phebe carries Magnolia stamps in her store and would be happy to help you get some....*giggle*! I LOVE to share my addictions.....hehem, I mean PASSIONS with you all!!

A Country Christmas Ornament

So I introduced you to my Cowboy Snowman yesterday and as I said, along with the other stamps I used, he is part of the Project of the Month at High Hopes for November. Unfortunately, the POTM sale is not up yet for some reason! So if you like it, you'll have to wait until they get it up and running to get it at the discount! BUT the other new snowpeople stamps ARE up and they are just as adorable!! Just go to the search window and put in HOTP for Hot off the Press and they are all there!!

I've had these round chipboard coasters sitting and staring at me for about a month. They've been mocking me because I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do with them and then, when I saw what the POTM stamps were, I had a brainwave!! SO, I covered the coaster with Sage Shadow cardstock after I had stamped on it with the snowflakes and the cowboy boot and also sponged around the edges. I added a strip of the striped Wanted paper by SU. Then I stamped the Cowboy on white cardstock and coloured him in with my SU markers and cut him out. I stamped the sentiment across his tummy and also added the sheriff's star on his vest. Then I punched a hole in the top of my ornament with my Crop-a-dile and hung my ornament with some white organdy ribbon and brown linen thread!! I think all the snowpeople will be perfect for ornaments this year, don't you???

Something exciting happend to me yesterday!! Wanna know what it was?? Well, remember how I created a few cards for the Lizzie Anne Designs Card Contest a couple of weeks back?? Well, yesterday they posted the overall winner and 10 runners up and I am a runner up!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!! The really funny thing is that I had created 4 cards especially for the contest and then added several others just to donate to the Cards for Cancer, which is where all the cards were headed after the contest. Well, it wasn't even one of my original 'contest design' cards that won!! It was one of my extras!!! Hahahaa!! So funny! And I will be receiving a new stamp set from the lovely ladies at Lizzie Anne Designs in the mail soon!!! That totally made my day!!!



Have a wonderful Friday and hey......go stamp something!!!

Howdy Sheriff!!!

I was asked to create one of the designs for High Hopes Stamps' November Project of the Month. If you've purchased from High Hopes before, you know that they have a special collection of stamps each month that, if purchased together, are available at a discount!! Well, I feel super lucky about doing this month's POTM because I got to play with these awesome brand new stamps!!!

Is he just 'da bomb' or what??? I just love these new roly poly happy snowmen!!! The set of stamps for November includes the Cowboy Snowman, the Sheriff's Star, the Cowboy Boot, the snowflakes background stamp and that adorable sentiment which reads "Roundin' up some winter fun!".

They were SO much fun to play with!! I pulled out my Wanted Designer Papers by Stampin' Up and the colours were perfect for this Cowpoke!! I stamped him in Archival Versafine Black Onyx ink on white Papertrey cardstock which is super white! I coloured him in using my matching SU markers and stamped the snowflakes all around using Sage Shadow. The card base is a Chocolate Chip square and I used a couple of different Wanted designs for the patterned papers. I stamped two of the cowboy boots and added some sparklies with my Sakura Stardust gel pen to the gold areas including the stars. I pop dotted the sentiment and added three pieces of brown linen thread at the top!!! I just LOVE him!!!

I've been assured that this new set of Project of the Month stamps will be added to the High Hopes website at some point today, so get your credit cards ready to order!! And there MAY be some others added to the 'Hot off the Press' section as well!!!

Check back tomorrow when I share another creation I came up with using this set of COOL stamps!!! Heehee!!