Monday, February 28, 2011

Giddy with Good News!

So what's my Good News???  I'm so excited to announce today that I've been asked to join There She Goes  on the Design Team as a Trendsetter for the next 6 months!  Woo Hoo!
Christine Okken

I had so much fun with them as a Trendie a few months ago so when Jessica asked me to come back I was delighted.  I really enjoy using their stamps :)  There is a stellar team working together and you'll have to check out the TSG Blog to see!  And did you see this latest release?? SOOO good!  To celebrate today I have a fun card to show you...

Since winter seems determined to stick around here (we have lots of snow and cold temps again!), I decided to combine a little winter with some WARM spring colors.    This is with the set Wonderful Winter Wishes from TSG.  I love how sweet these girls look together.  I'm going to send it to two of our youth group girls (twins) who have been really great at welcoming in some of the younger kids, and I think the pair of girls on this card are just darling.  



It combines a bit of Copic Coloring and paper piecing from this fun paper by K & Co Berry Sweet.  



Along the bottom of the card I tried to mimic the feeling of snow drifts with the red cardstock and blinged it up with rhinestones, then you can also see my cute little snow drift in the Flower Soft Polar White along the ground with the girls.  

Stamps:  There She Goes - Wonderful Winter Wishes;  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, White Craft;  Paper:  Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, K & Co Berry Sweet, Flourishes Classic White;  Accessories:   Big Shot, Lacey Circles Nesties, Lacey Squares Nesties, Piercer, Rhinestones, Copic Markers, Polar White Flower Soft, Ric Rack Die Namics, White Lace Ribbon, Dimensionals.  

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Welcome Baby

Hey there friends.  I'm having a lazy Saturday at home with the family and have been puttering around with some of my new stamps from PTI, and I found a gorgeous Inspiration picture on the SCS Inspiration challenge today....it's perfect for some of the last Baby Card samples for my Brother and Sister-in-Law, this one is really Clean and Simple.

Last night we had a Girls Event with the youth and I forgot my camera there....so today I'm taking pics with my daughter's camera...so they're not as crisp and clear or lit as I'd like ....  once I get my camera back I'll try to take some better pictures and replace them.

Here's the inspiration room it's just darling:

If you click on the link below you can see it all close up....but I really LOVED and what inspired the card was the baby bumper in the crib...its a row of animals together in colors of Sahara Sand, Cajun Craze, White and Marina Mist...

Leo Crib Bedding Collection for Baby Boy Nursery | Serena & Lily


So I colored up the row of cutie animals from the Tiny Treat Birthday set with Copic Markers (W1, W3, B12, E08)  and then the monkey in the circle as well.  Aren't these animals just adorable???   I've embossed the strip and the circle with the PTI Letter Impressions.  



I just LOVE this sentiment set too, it's called Simple Sentiments, I love how clean it is with such sweet words,  I've accented it with mosaic tiles from Flourishes.

Such sweetness!  I'm hopeful our little nephew is out of the hospital in the next few days.  I'm so anxious for him to be better from the RSV and to be home!

Busy Sunday ahead here, I'll be back on Monday or Tuesday....and you'll hear some very COOL news from me next week.  I can hardly wait to tell you!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

A Birthday Bash Hippity Hop!


Well, I'm delighted today to wish Jan Marie - the owner of Flourishes a very Happy Birthday!  In honor of this special day the Flourishes Family got together and made a little hop to surprise and celebrate her!



This Spring Bouquet stamp set from Flourishes is just SO very beautiful.  The flowers it combines and the great coloring potential just makes you swoon!  :)  I thought it would be perfect for this special occasion!

I took my color cues from this beautiful paper from K & Co.  This one is called Spring Blossom by Susan Winget and it has some gorgeous watercolory roses throughout the page, it's very dreamy!  This card is 5.5 x 5.5 inches.




And below is the inside (isn't that paper great???)    ...the sentiment is just for Jan Marie...I feel so blessed to be part of this Flourishes Family, and I have really been blessed because of her and her generosity to the team.   Have a wonderful Birthday Jan Marie!



Now here's all the Flourishes Family hopping along today for Jan Marie's Birthday...be sure to visit they have some beautiful things to share with you!  And pass on your HB wishes to her HERE.  



Barbara Anders
Christine Okken (you are here)
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Betty Wright
Cindy Haffner
Dee Jackson
Maki Jones
Silke Ledlow
Tammy Hershberger
Beate Johns
Cindy Coutts
Heather Jensen
Kathy Jones
Yvonne Hagane

And have you been following the Gambler's Sale at Flourishes?  .....prices have been reduced again!  While you're hoppin' you can also do some SALE Shoppin'! :)

Stamps:  Flourishes Spring Bouquet and Tag Lines;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Flourishes Classic White, K & CO Spring Blossom DP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels Ten Nestabilities, Floral Accent Shapeabilities, Copic Markers, Blush Kaiser Pearls, Crochet Ribbon in Pink, White Cotton Ribbon, Dimensionals, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine.  

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Out of This World!

Lots going on behind the scenes here at our house.  The most difficult has been that our little nephew, who was just born a month ago today has been in the hospital in ICU with RSV.  I was really concerned, he's just so little and it feels like he's so fragile and then for him to be so sick....but it looks like he's improving and though he will be in the hospital for a while, the news is better now, he's been moved out of the PICU to a baby ward today.  We just love that little boy so much, and I'm so thankful that God is bringing healing to him.

Today I spent the day at the University here with our running teams from our Elementary School competing in the city wide Journal Games.  This was our middle son's last year on the team as next year he'll be in Junior High, and he was very blessed to be chosen as the anchor runner this year (they run 8 x 200 m relay).  This boy of ours was made to run, and he ran beautifully, even catching and passing another team.  We'll see if the team's time was enough to carry them on to the next round.  The girls team placed first in their heat - so they move on for sure.  Boy it's fun to see kids run!


This is him after his run, he gave it his all!  You can also see the mark on his eyebrow from hockey with his brother the other day (that's my boys!).  But as far as the running goes - it's really cool for them to experience something like this on this level.  They said 4000 kids will have run yesterday and today and being on such a big track at a University is just such a neat thing for them.  


So here's the card I made for my sweet runner...sorry this is a night picture and even my lights didn't  do the best job.  

Last month I was unbelievably blessed to win the PTI release contest...so all these gorgeous stamps arrived yesterday and I'm just giddy with all the possibilities.   This set is called Tiny Treats Birthday and it is SO adorable.  


I thought this totally suited celebrating his great run.  Colored with Copics, a little glitter pen on the stars and rocket trail.   Simple embellishing again with the tiles and twine because it's for my guy - though he'd still like most anything - he's such a sweetie about stuff like that.  His favourite color is red, so I think he'll like it.  

Ok, I'm exhausted from this day - and the cold I seem to have picked up.  I'll be back late Thursday night with a fun Flourishes Friday!

Stamps:  PTI - Tiny Treats:  Birthday;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Poppy Parade;  Paper:  Poppy Parade, Whisper White, Flourishes Classic White, SEI DSP - Happy Birthday?;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Herringbone Embossing Folder, Wavy Dotted Border Punch, Dimensionals, Black Twine, Circle Punch, Mosaic Tiles, Piercer, Copic Markers, Glitter Pen.


Monday, February 21, 2011

Cats Have Staff

I really love making kids cards.  I just realized that again as I was making this card for our Senior Pastor's youngest son's birthday.  It's so fun for me to do something a little playful, and with so many stamps in my cupboard....it is especially fun to try and create something specific to the receiver.


This card is the sketch from SFYTT for the month from Jen Del Muro, and I've used the very fun Cattitude from There She Goes.  And our young Birthday boy has 2 cats, so I thought this would make a really cute card.  If you've ever owned a cat you know this sentiment is totally true.  "Dogs have owners.  Cats have staff".   And my horizontal strip of stamped mice sort of looks like these cats' staff don't you think?  :)  


Coloring is done with Copics, and not a lot of fuss or muss in embellishing as it's going to a 10 year old.  

That's that for now friends!  I'm in the middle of a major reorganization of our Master Bedroom, which also houses my stamp cupboard, so that's keeping me busy, but I am reclaiming the peace of our bedroom!  Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Stamps:  TSG - Cattitude;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Memento Paris Dusk, Brocade Blue;  Paper:  Brocade Blue, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Flourishes Classic White, SU! Prestwick DSP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Octagonal Nestabilities, Copic Markers (C1, C3, C5, W7, B0000), Mini Library Clip, Dimensionals, Piercer

Best of Luck

Top O' the Morning to ya!

How about a little St. Patrick's Day cheer this day for you?   Today is Family Day in Alberta - a day off together and we have some plans with friends today and a little cleaning and maybe some stamping if I'm lucky!


I love this bundle of Oxalis from the Irish Blessing set at Flourishes.  I think it's the prettiest thing, and it's really great to color.   The papers are old Basic Grey I think - Rhubarb Tart?  And the coloring is done with Copic Markers (Spring Green Collection on the Oxalis) .  I've ruffled the Satin Finish Cotton Ribbon under the main image (this is one of my favourite ribbons at Flourishes I have to say).  



Alright hope to be catching up with some of you later today on your blogs too, it's been a busy weekend here!  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Stamps:  Flourishes Irish Blessings;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, Riding Hood Red, Basic Grey - Rhubarb Tart DP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Deckled Ovals Nestabilities, Kaiser Pearls, Satin Finish Cotton Ribbon in Avocado, Dimensionals, Scor Tape, Copic Markers.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Flourishes Friday Bundle of Letters

Hello Friends!  So glad it's Friday!  We have a long weekend here too for which I'm really grateful for!

We're at another Flourishes Friday and I have another sample to show you from the most recent New Releases at Flourishes .  I wanted to try something a little more warm and masculine with this beautiful set "From the Desk Of".  




I picked up the colors from these pretty sheets of Capella paper by Basic Grey, and colored up the letters and envelopes with Copic Markers.  I gave it some sponging as well with some Ranger Pumice Stone Distress Ink.    Then I frame the image with some pretty Nesties shapes Squares, Lacey Squares and Diamond shapes.  




Then I think what makes the card is the Crochet Velvet Ribbon, and the ribbon slide.  It gives it a real richness.  I really like all the neutrals together too.  


So...remember today is your last day to be able to purchase the New Release Bundle at a Discount!


And don't forget about the Gambler's Sale Going on right now too...prices are now marked down to 20% off!  A great time for some awesome deals!
Now head on over to the rest of our fabulous design team to check out their Flourishes Friday creations!



A Valentine Candy Winner :)

The Winner of the CardMaker Magazine March Edition is...


9Powered by RANDOM.ORG
Which is Denise Willerton who wrote....I love my man, Kids & granddads ~ so ~ I love my family ~ we have been so blessed ~ thanks so much for this opportunity to win some candy! Have a wonderful day.

Denise please email me by using the link on this page  to find my email by Friday at 9 PM MST with your mailing address and I'll send this out to you!  
Thanks everyone for fun reading as you told me about your LOVES :)   It was fun!
Back in a little while with my Flourishes Friday post!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Cottage Garden

Happy Hello Everyone!

I visited Michael's last week and found some SWEET paper from K & Company that I picked up.  This one is called Cottage Garden....and oh is it pretty...here's a little sample of one of the pages I played with...


Isn't the pattern and coloring of the hydrangeas beautiful?  I paired it with the SU! set Because I Care, coloring the image with Copic Markers to match the paper.    I have a few pictures because I just couldn't seem to get the angle quite right to show it off well enough with the right amount of detail on the flowers.  

I used my beautiful new Grand Nestabilities in the Scalloped Circles and Grand Circles to create the pretty round shape to the card, adding the Lacey Circles inside to mat the pretty Hydrangea.  As you've probably heard me say before, this is my favourite color of Hydrangea :)  


Another detail that I added was to take a few of the blooms and stamp a second time coloring them, cutting them out and popping them up.  I love the realism it gives.  

You can also see that I punched a border with the designer paper and my Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch.  The ribbon is Cotton Linen from Flourishes, and I've also added some pretty rhinestones in a straight and circular fashion to mirror the image. 


Oh I can't wait for some real flowers to start blooming up here!  



Stamps:  SU! Hostess - Because I Care;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Bashful Blue, Pear Pizzazz, Flourishes Classic White, K & Co Cottage Garden DP;  Accessories:  Grand Calibur, Grand Circle Nesties, Grand Scalloped Circles, Lacey Circles Nesties, Cotton Linen Ribbon in blue, Copic Markers, Piercer, Dimensionals, Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch.  

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Bird and the Tree

How was your Valentine's Day everyone?  Did you get to tell someone you loved them? Or how much they mean to you?  I feel so very blessed to have a family and friends that I love!  And my sweetheart and I are doing our Valentine's Day date tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it!



I recently bought this pretty new set from Stampin' Up! from the Occasions Mini called Nature Walk.  It's very me.  Botanical feeling, vintagey....pretty details.  So, I colored up the pretty bird and branches with Copics and then paired it with some really fun Jenni Bowlin paper that I had from a while ago.  Seems like they are made for each other doesn't it?  


I stamped the branches on the DP behind the image that I had also colored, cut out and popped up.   I like the layering it gives.  And aren't the words on the pages really great?  You can also see in the closeup that I gave the bottom third of the card a little texture too.


And above is the Copics I used.  Tad bright on the sunlight in that one!  

Thanks for dropping by to see me today!  

Stamps:  SU!  Nature Walk;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Riding Hood Red, Kraft, Very Vanilla, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Jenni Bowlin  - Mini Papers - Red Line and Red/Black Line Extension;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Victorian Embossing Folder, Kraft Seam Binding, Kraft Corduroy Brad, Dimensionals, Round Slit Punch, Piercer, Copic Markers.  

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Valentine's and some Candy!

Happy Valentine's Day Friends!  Lots to share here, be sure to stay in till the bottom of the post - there's something for you!

Here we are last minute and I'm finishing up the boy's Valentine's Cards :)  But, we  did have a good afternoon creating.   This is what our 7 year old and I put together for his classmates.


We went for cute and graphic...and simple. And yet I love how sweetly they turned out, and because they were simple, he could help me make them, which he just loves, and I do too :)  A good mother son moment. 



The set is the very sweet Puppy Love from There She Goes and I colored one of the hearts (top left) adding the little hearts glued on, and then stamped one a second time on this bottom right version and popped it up.  

Our 11 year old son told me the other day "Mom is it ok if I don't do Valentine's for the class?"  My little heart just hurt - is he already too old?  But then I asked - "is it because you don't want the girls who are crushing on you to think you like them?"  (a Mom knows these things)...and yes it was.  Ah!  I'm just not ready for this!  So we agreed to discreetly make just a few for some of his good friends.  Here are the two versions:


and this one


With the two very fun Flourishes sets - Love Notes and Tokens of Affection,  and colored them up loosely with Copics in cool greys and red.  The strip along the side has the PTI Impressions plate with text letters on it.    Super simple...quick and DONE, ADDRESSED and in the backpacks!  :)

Now...as we are celebrating Valentine's Day, I feel such a deep appreciation for each of you who come here regularly and appreciate my art and crafty-ness.  Thank you for your kindness, your comments,  and the ways we've been able to be cyber friends! I truly enjoy you!  There are many days where I'm creating and think - life's pretty awesome!

I've been very blessed these last 12 months to have reached some of my way out there creative goals, ones that I really wasn't sure would ever happen, the first one was last summer in being asked to be a part of a book on Coloring Techniques and now in magazine print work too.  Who would have ever thought it would happen?  I was honestly shocked to have one of the cards on a cover this month in CardMaker, it's the most wonderful and humbling thing to walk into Michael's and see my work there.  Very much a "pinch me" moment!  Many of you who knew have been very kind to congratulate me :) I didn't want to make a big deal about it here, but the publisher sent me more copies of the magazine and so I have a copy to give away to one of you!



Here's the rules:

1.  Leave a comment and tell me about someone or something you LOVE and why.   Easy peasy.
2.  Leave your email address.  This is a rule people :)  It helps me to contact you if you've won. 
3.  Winner will be chosen on Feb 17th - Thursday evening 9 PM MST and I'll post it here on the blog.  You'll have 24 hours to contact me or I'll choose a new winner.  

Thursday, February 10, 2011

So Inspired

Well, I hope you've had fun this week seeing the New Releases at Flourishes - which are now available.  I was so inspired by this months sets, besides the fact that they are beautiful, I think it's the longing for spring isn't it?

So for this release I was looking up what kind of colors are available for Hyacinths and came across this lovely photo:


Isn't it stunning?  I really love the combination of the creamy yellow hyacinths against the deep blue ones, and just look at the color variation in the blue ones?  Ahhhh the beauty of creation!

So here's where I went with this inspiration:


Combining the two colors of hyacinths together in a little bouquet with some pretty emphasis on the bows in the design and the ribbon variety along the bottom  :)  Coloring is done with Copic Markers.  


Since it is unusual for me to use so much white (yet it seemed right for the color palette), I added some embossing and pretty piercing to accent the design, as well as the little strip of designer paper punched with the Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch.    Here's a pic of the Copics I used.  


Thanks for dropping by everyone, hopefully you are inspired by something beautiful today as well!  Check out these DT member Blogs to see what else they have to show you from this fantastic release!



Stamps:  Flourishes - Hello Hyacinth;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Brilliant Blue;  Paper:  Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, Basic Grey Lemonade DSP, Barely Banana;  Accessories: Big Shot, Labels 16 Nestabilities, Ornare Piercing Template, Piercer, Dimensionals, Embossing Folder, Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch, Dotted Sheer Ribbon, Cotton Linen Ribbon, Bow Easy, Copic Markers, Small Oval Punch, Corner Rounder Punch.

Hello Spring Shopping :)

I love sharing this post because after all the teasing of the week, it's time to showcase what you can now get your hands on! Flourishes February release is officially there for the taking! I do have to say we had a blast showing off the sneak peeks and had fun chatting it up with you at the release party! So, without further ado....

Hello Hyacinth

 From the Desk Of




You can find both sets HERE and don't forget about the New Release Bundle -- where you can get both sets bundled together at 10% off!

NOW come back tomorrow for some more peeks at these pretty sets from me!  I loved these sets so much I couldn't help myself but create more!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

From the Desk of....



Well Flourishes Fans..today you are going to swoooooon over this Sneak Peek!  This month's sets are  completely gorgeous!  And I had so much fun with them!

This From the Desk Of... set really captures a beautiful elegance, sweet simplicity, and romance to me.... so I put together a little Feminine and Vintage Desk Set to show you.  I was going for a little ethereal effect - soft and dreamy.   All of this pictures can be clicked on for a larger view if you'd like.


The trio combines a special card, a Desk Set box and smaller note cards for the box.  


Above is the card.  I stamped the gorgeous floral and desk image onto Flourishes Classic Ivory Cardstock with Memento Ink and then colored with my Prismacolor pencils, OMS and also a blending pencil.  Sometimes I combine the two blending styles.  I punched the bottom of the card with my new Martha Stewart Quilt Border punch and then added some scoring lines and this gorgeous velvet crocheted ribbon and pearls.  Very simple and classic, but doesn't that image just stand on it's own?   

Inside is this verse:  


So sweet isn't it?  



Now the box....I have to say I feel so very blessed  - I constructed this box with my brand new Grand Calibur Die cutting machine courtesy of Spellbinders!  Wooo Hoooo!  I used the Grand Labels 4 to cut out the shape of the box, the designer paper and emboss....that machine is wonderful!  So easy to crank, so great for embossing, so smooth!  You'll be seeing much more of it in my designing future :)



This is the top view of the box.  I used textured paper and old SU Designer paper in Pink Pirouette.  Adding the focal image on a smaller Labels 4 Nestie.   And then scrunching some Ivory Crochet Trim on the top of the box.  Here's a close up below of the top of the box.   Isn't it pretty how the box shape and the focal image mirror each other?


The really girly ribbons and pearls are great accents for this romantic style!


Here is the side view of the box.  To create the side walls I cut two  1 3/4 inch strips of 12 x 12 cardstock, scoring along the length of the strip at 1/2 inch folding at the score line, and then cutting tiny slits every 1/2 inch or so on the tiny scored section to make a flexible wall.  The slitted section gets pasted down to the bottom of the box with Score Tape.  

Now you can see how the box hinges and opens....I've lined the bottom of the box with Designer paper to give it that finished look so you don't see the cut lines. 


And now the little note card...simple but pretty...


Simple stamping in Pretty in Pink and pierced and accented like the main card design.  Ah romance....isn't it lovely?  

Now you will be so inspired in visiting the rest of the Design Team's Blogs and seeing their beautiful creations with this set....

and joining us today....
Sharon Doolittle
Jan Marie Caruso

A few important Release Week Details worth reading about ....

1.  You can enter to win this set today at the Flourishes Blog!

2.  You can enter to win the whole release by playing in our Winter Thaw Challenge details HERE



3.  Don't forget about our Power Hour Release Party Thursday night at the Splitcoaststampers Flourishes Forum...(and in my time zone - 8 - 9 pm MTN Time) please count this as your invitation to be there it's so much fun!  


4.  Have you heard about the Flourishes Gambler's Sale going on right now?  Prices on the sale items have been dropped another 5% today ...snatch up these deals before it's too late!  Remember, once they are gone they're gone forever!