Sketch 114

Mojo Monday - and here's what I came up with.  I'm really feeling under the gun these days...........Christmas is fast approaching as it does every year.  It just seems to sneak up and bite me in the butt.  Family is coming home this year and baking, cleaning and decorating all has to be done.....plus we have 2 birthdays in the merry month of December!

After expecting to spend a weekend taking technique classes - they were cancelled a couple of days beforehand by the H1N1 virus.  The instructor was hospitalized and we had the option to have a postponed class in the spring. I just hope Christine gets out of the hospital with a clean bill of health.

Even though disappointment was running amuck - I was rather relieved that I didn't have to go anywhere this last weekend - I finished 2 advent calendars, which wasn't an easy feat for me because my sewing machine bit the dust.....right in the middle of appliquing tiny stockings around a Christmas tree.  My wonderful, faithful Elna, which I paid an arm and a leg for about 30 years ago - just quit.  I remember paying more for that machine than I did for my car (which was only 2 years old).......  it is now in the SM hospital and I'm hoping that they can revive it, although the serviceman had the attitude that anything that old - just needs replacing...........  oh what a throw-a-way world we live in!

Have a great week everyone - take time to stamp and play with ink.

Mojo Monday #113

This sketch was a real challenge to me - I couldn't seem to get my head into so many layers.  Patterned paper is not one of my strongest suits.  Everyone is thinking Christmas cards - so I tried to get in the mood for making a Christmas Card. One of my favourite stamps is the SU Cardinal.  Here is my interpretation of the sketch.

Mojo Monday Sketch 112

Monday, Monday - gloomy and chilly - actually a dreary day today -
Here is my interpretation of the Mojo Monday Sketch #112.  I  love Butterflies!  It seems that whenever a new Butterfly stamp comes within my line of vision - I just have to have it.  It amazes me how many different butterfly stamps that there can possibly be!   

For this card - which was really simple, after I decided to use a Vanilla embossed backgroud, I sponged my cardstock with Pumpkin.  The DSP is SU.  The stamp was an acrylic clear stamp that I found in the bottom of my acrylic stamp drawer - I didn't mat it I simply used a black sharpie to outline my "overcut" image.  I really have to improve the quality of my scanning - because I usually end up with a crooked edge.......  not the actual card.

Hope you like it.  Until next monday, have a fantastic week filled with time to play with paper and ink.

Here it is Thursday and I'm going to post a card that I made using the Easle fold.  Not the greatest picture as it is not cropped properly (scanning was not an option). I used the SU Autumn Splendor set with a burnished background.

Mojo Monday #111

Today is week number 111 at Mojo Monday. Our first monday of the month my niece and I go to Salmon Arm for our SU Stamper's 10 Group. Our demo is the greatest! We worked with the set called Razzle Dazzle - so when I got home I used some of the paper & techniques that we had used at class. This is what I came up with.

I'm not really happy with my example - but it honestly does look a little better in real life. The image is navy blue glitter and the flowers at the sides of the image are green and blue glitter.  For now I'll have to be happy with this.

Mojo Monday #110

I feel like I should be creating a Hallowe'en card for this mojo challenge - but I did an overkill on

cards for Hallowe'en this year and may my HS rest in peace until next year.  I'm back to my mono-chromatic Madge type of card. I have such a struggle with combining colours and patterned paper.

Hope you like it.  Feel free to leave me any type of comment - I can take criticism.

Mojo Monday Week 109

Well here is the sketch for Oct. 19, 2009!  I don't know if I'm going to be able to make this week's challenge or not -- right now I'm heading out for lunch with my hubby to celebrate our 47th Anniversary!  OMG that makes me sooooooooooo old........Older than dirt.....but he is one year older........

So to you, sweetheart - I dedicate this card that I will be creating...... later.

Art loves autumn - the colours, the smell, the season, the fact that it is hunting season.  He has diligently gone hunting every year since he was old enough to carry a rifle.  He hasn't shot anything for over 30 years, he just loves tromping though the woods - and loves it so much that he even takes our little (mischievous) Missie.  Our little Shih Tzu that is like the energizer bunny.



I must tell you,  I had such a wonderful weekend - starting on the 14th.  I travelled to Abbotsford to spend a weekend with my very best long-time friend in the world.  From there we left and went to visit "Haroldine" at Be Creative in Pitt Meadows - back to Abbotsford to enjoy the last restful evening for the next couple of days.  BECAUSE we were off to do some classes at BC's Creative Expo Friday and Saturday.
Up at (my) the crack of dawn on Friday to drive to Langley........  The first class was with Trisha Ladouceur -- Vintage Cards.  It was good - but not quite challenging enough -- just a lot of cutting, tearing, distressing, paper to paper kind of thing. ....... The next class was with (oh, be still my heart)  CATHIE ALLAN.  I've been wanting to do a class of Cathie's for 5 - 6 years......... Oh, it was amazing.  Cathie ALWAYS starts with WHITE paper and brings the white paper to the colour palette of her photos.  It was amazing!  The next class was another Cathie Allan class -- and totally different from the first! 

Driving back to Abbotsford at 9:30 in the pouring rain, my friend and I were absolutely brain frazzled.  So much to learn -- and just when you think you know almost everything -- something new is added.  My poor little brain was saturated.

Saturday - up at the crack of dawn again........  to a class with Vickie Boutin.  Techniques galore -- masking, masking resist, masking for the sake of masking, masking for dummies -- you name it, we masked it!  Lots of paper to cut -- lots of cards to make -- all in a 3 hour class - hardly time to put glue to paper.  We had an hour to kill between classes - and ran down to the vendor's retreat......  Yes, I spent, not money, but plastic.  Had some neat items that will not show up at our LSS for 5 months or so.

The last class (which ended up being 4 hours) was amazing!!  I love books and boxes, I love creating books.  I love embellishing books,  I just love handmade books.  The class was with Trisha Ladouceur again.  This class was absolutely amazing!  The papers we were given to use, were to die for!  Heidi Swapp -- please bring that collection back!  Four hours and we just got an smattering  of what the finished product should be.  We were challenged to the limit -- but what a beautiful end product!  Trisha,  was marvelous!  I would recommend taking her classes to anyone who wants a challenge.  Cathie Allan, did not disappoint!  Vickie Boutin showed us a lot!  My hat is off to these ladies - who by the way, shouted their lungs out all weekend - just to be heard above the boistrous din of the heat exchanger, construction and all the surrounding classroom babble.

Will I go again - In a heartbeat!  (but I do hope the location will change)  Last year was wonderful - Vancouver Convention Centre -- staying at the Pan Pacific and literally "inhaling" the weekend events.  The downside of this year, location, location, location -- a hockey arena -- curtained classrooms -- and one concession stand  (that is another story).

Pictures of what I created this past weekend??  Well,  it will be at least two weeks before I get them all completed - and when I do, this will be the first place I will show them.

MOJO Monday Sketch 108

Missed the boat at Mojo Monday last week:(  and it was a contest week to win a stamp set!  Time just doesn't allow some things to happen. 

MOJO MONDAY SKETCH 108

The good news is that I have an example for this sketch.  Believe me, it looks MUCH prettier IRL.

The black background is a black glossy which I stamped with twinkling H2O's. It is really pretty IRL! The flower is cut out and sprinkled with dazzling diamonds. Very pretty IRL.

This week will be a short week because of the holiday (Thanksgiving for us Canadians). Thursday, I leave for Langley to attend the BC Creative Expo.  I am sooooooooooo excited, because I'm taking 3 of Cathie Allan's classes.  It is enough to make me want to do cartwheels (which would not be pretty).  Last year was so great a friend and I stayed at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver right at the convention centre and just inhaled all the goings on! This year will be different - as I will be going to Abbotsford every night. But it will still be fun. 

Until next Monday - Cio

Mojo Monday Sketch # 106

A new card has been created for the Mojo Monday Sketch #106 - so it must mean that another Monday has arrived and gone.  I love the Verve set "Because of You" and I also love Cameo Coral cardstock (SU) - so here it is - my take on Sketch 106 from here.   Of course I had to change it a tad......because my stamp that I wanted to use looked more interesting stamped diagonally.  Hope you like it.  I also noticed in my scan that one of the little seed pearls is missing.......  yep, you guessed it - it got devoured by my scanner - there should be 3 instead of just two.  and............ I promise I will get better in putting this little blog of mine together -- I need help!

Today is the Mojo Monday Sketch #105 challenge, located at http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com/  Go over and take a look at all the samples. To the right is my sample of the sketch.  Enjoy

Mojo Monday Sketch 104

Holy Moly!  Second Week of my participation in the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge and I'm actually posting my card!  Following a sketch looks so easy, but looking at my desk and seeing what a mess I've created pulling paper and inks out, I finally decided that this had to be it -- no more time to spare.  So, here  is.  Sketch Challenge # 104 - here. 

and below is what I created........

The stamp is one of my favourites, given to me by a friend who recently moved away.  It is sad to have a stamping buddy leave, but it was the right time for her to move closer to her children and grandchildren.  I will miss her.

Hope you have a "mojo" day!

Of course I had to be different and turn it upside down..............  because dragonflies don't swim....LOL  I will be giving this to my nephew for his Birthday on the 18th.  He's a "rancher / cowboy" but he also loves to fish.

Well I actually completed a card for the Mojo Sketch Challenge. It is simple, but it fills the requirements. Mojo Monday Sketch Blog  has been my all time favourite site.
check it out at:  http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com/ 

I also received my very first order from Verve Stamps today. Julee added a "free" Thank you so much stamp with my order and..........  my order came packed in gift wrap tissue.  Made me feel special.  I do love the simplicity of the stamps.

I'm off to play with my new stamps!  TTYL

To "pendant" or not

woo hoo! I recently purchased a new set of the Spellbinders "pendants. This is what i came up with -- Quick and Simple. Not my usual "style", but Quick and simple seemed right.
Hope you enjoy.

It has been a very very long time since I have posted. Where has summer gone? My creativity has been sucked out of me with the hot spell that we had. 37 degrees is just to hot, even with air conditioning and a pool. Poor Missie and Michou were really dragging their cute little butts around.

I will attempt to post a couple of my creations in the next day or two.

It's been a long time since I added to my little blog........ I just want to add a couple of cards done with my Scor-Pal and my Cutter Bee Bug. Scor Pal is putting out a Scor Bug, but since I already had something similar I used it. I posted these on the Scor Pal Yahoo site, but they didn't post my actual message - so I removed the pictures. Guess they didn't want any advertising for the CutterBee bug on their site....... Oh well!

Monday was a great day for stamping. On the first Monday of the month we travel to Salmon Arm (about 60 km ) to join in with our Stampers 10 group and the most talented Stampin' Up demo around. We learn so much from her and have such a great time.  It is amazing what she can come up with to satisfy the 10 of us - always something different and something intriguing.

The card to the left is from the Love You Much set and Designer paper in the kit.  My pictures are the absolute worst - they look yellow - while they are white.

We made two other cards - and here they are:

We are so lucky to have this gal doing Stampin' Up. She has been such inspiration to all of us.  She is a blessing in disguise.

Horse Sense

The other night I decided that I was going to submit cards once again to magazines. The card to the left is the one that is in accordance with the Winter Design Challenge.

Different isn't it?? I'm hoping that it will grab the attention of someone at the magazine and reward me with a free copy of the next Take Ten magazine. Keep your fingers crossed for me.