Monday, December 31, 2012

The Tops of 2012!

Hey gang...happy New Year's Eve!  We're settled in for a very low key night because I caught the stomach flu.  :(  The kids are playing air hockey right now and we'll probably watch a movie later.  There's just no energy for creating something new right now, so I thought I'd show you my TOP choices of creations from this past year, half today and hopefully half tomorrow.

I picked my two or three favourites from each month, and I've linked their original posts in case you'd like to go back and find out more...

January


Flourishes New Year's Cherub






February






The Cat's Pajamas Colour Me Hoppy


March







April









May








June






Hope you've enjoyed some of my 2012 favourites!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Project 365 - Week 51

Only a few more days left in my year long photography project. I'm really not sure what I'll do next year, if I'll continue or not.  I was gifted with 2 new lenses this Christmas (yay!)  so I've just started playing with them and that's been very fun.

I have a number of Christmas shots for you and then shots from my Dad's big 75th Birthday party that we threw him.  You can click on any of these you like to make them larger.  Enjoy!



One morning before the sun was up I took a shot of the tree, with just the lights from the tree as illumination.  


This is our family right before we left for the Christmas Eve Service.  All dressed up :)  Each of us had a job that night, our daughter was playing flute, our older son running the spotlights, our younger son handing out candles and lighting the Love candle and my husband and I doing the narration.  


Love this precious shot of our son at the Christmas Eve Service.  This is the last Christmas Carol where we take the light from the Christ Candle and then light everyone's candles from it,  then we sing together.  It's such a precious moment each year.  He's holding my candle so I could get the shot.



This is after the Christmas Eve Service at my parent's place.   We always open gifts Christmas Eve (German tradition), then have a big meal following.  


Playing with one of my new lenses and my mom's tree.  She has really pretty ornaments.  


This is on our tree at home.  These ornaments were crocheted by my husband's Great Aunt when she was still alive.  We treasure them.  All those tiny stitches she put into them.  Dipped in starch and water to make them stand firm.  They're so pretty!


My daughter and I had the task of making sugar cookies for my Dad's BD Party.  So we tried to fancy them up as much as we could :)


Love this picture.  It's at my Dad's party with our nephew perched between his two grandpas.  My sister-in-law's Dad and my Dad.  


Grandpa and the little guy blowing out the candles.  I love the sweet look on my nephew's face.  


My depth of field was too shallow with this lens for this shot, but kind of like how the focus goes from my niece to the fuzzed out look with my kids.  My Dad is a proud grandpa and it was a good day to celebrate him.  

There you have another week in our house.  Thanks for sharing your time with me today!  

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Sailor's Knot for Dad


Though Julie gave us this week off, some of us Flourishes Girls are still playing in the Free for All Friday today :)  Give a girl a stamp and she can't help herself!

I needed a card for my Dad as we're having a big party for him with friends and relatives today for his 75th Birthday.


A lighthouse is such a beautiful symbol of direction and hope, perfect for a masculine birthday card I think, and especially for 75 years!  I used Flourishes A Guiding Light set for the main image stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Flourishes Classic White Cardstock, and then the Antique Map set for the background teal-dp layer stamped in Memento Teal Zeal ink.   The designer paper is Authentique Celebrate, the tones are perfect for this coloured image.  I also used Flourishes Emerald Coast Cardstock for the base.  



The main image is cut out with Spellbinder's Creative Book Pages Two Die.  And then because it would work so perfectly I taught myself via Pinterest how to tie a double sailor's knot in hemp.  I think a softer style of rope would probably tie a bit easier next time, hemp is a bit waxy and thick.  A little Flourishes Emerald Coast Button for accent and it's done!  





Oh...just an FYI, I used this week's Decontructed Sketch from Jen, just flipped.  


Are your fingers itchy to do some more cyber shopping?  We have extra good sale news at Flourishes! 25 % off!    

Simply use the code MERRY12 in the coupon code box. All codes are case sensitive, so please use all caps, just like shown above. We should point out that this 25% off does not include Copic Markers due to Copic’s price mapping requirements for retailers like us. It also does not include gift certificates. Everything else is fair game  – even our Sale Page, which is already 50% off retail prices! So, check it out! This sale runs through the 30th of December.


Now head on over to the girls playing today I know you'll be inspired....


Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Birthday Bouquet


Hope all of you had a delightful Christmas with someone you love.  We had a great time with family and friends the last few days.  I'll keep it short and sweet today.

So how about we switch to something decidedly spring-like?  I have a birthday bouquet to show off here.  I used a couple of pretty Flourishes sets, Flowers and Frames, and for the sentiment, Sentimental Favorites, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Flourishes Classic White Cardstock.  I layered up the images with the Scalloped Ovals Spellbinder's dies, with the Grand Decorative Ovals die behind the image in Flourishes Sunflower Cardstock.  I wove a little twine through some Crochet Cotton lace and accented with a little Candi colored with Copics.  The designer paper is MME Howdy Doody.





Perfect for a little burst of sunshine on a wintery day!

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Merry Christmas and My Stamping Space

I'm here to send my Merry Christmas wishes to each of you and to thank you so much for coming by my Creative Space each time I post.  You are such an encouragment to me in a craft that gives me great joy and a sense of sanctuary.  It's a blessing to share this journey with you, and I appreciate you very much!

I have a card to show you today as my wish for each of you...and then a little news about a peek into my Stamping Space.


This Christmas Candles set from Flourishes is still one of my favourites.  There is something very special about light and the Christmas Season, as we celebrate the Light of the World.  Tonight at our Christmas Eve Services my husband and I will do the narration of the Christmas passages set to the themes of the four Sundays of Advent Candles, Love, Joy, Hope and Peace and the Christ Candle.  So with that theme of light and candles I made this card.  The candles are all coloured with Copics on Flourishes Classic Ivory cardstock.  I decided to only ink one word from the sentiment on the outside....


And then ink the whole verse on the inside.  

Here's another closeup of the colouring


I framed the main image with a portion of  Flourishes Perfectly Pierced Classic Frames Die (it almost takes on the look of a tab using just this part of it).  Accents are ruffled ribbon, red lace, and some pretty  Kaiser Sparklets.  Papers are Flourishes Classic Ivory, Flourishes Color Made Easy Poppy, Echo Park's Christmas This and That.  

Now....have you ever been curious about what my stamping space looks like?  Well, wonder no more! I've got it all clean, tidy and organized for you and am showing it off on the CardMaker Blog today!  (7 am MTN post time).  Please go check it out!  Maybe you'll be surprised at what I've got to work with :)

Blessings to each of you!






Saturday, December 22, 2012

Project 365 - Week 50

Hard to believe that I've been doing this project for 50 weeks!  Thanks for sticking with me!


Christmas Program at Church.  The Christmas Choir and Kids program was last Sunday.  They did such a good job.  Our youngest is on the far left in the argyle sweater.  We tease him because he's always so serious on stage.  He says he can't smile and sing at the same time :)  



Sunrise.  It was just gorgeous right out our kitchen window.  With the sun getting up so late right now even I can see the sunrises!  :)



Gift Baskets for Ronald McDonald House - Each year our staff puts together Christmas baskets for the families at Ronald McDonald House.  For those of you who don't know, it's a home in many cities around North America that houses families who's children have to come into the city to be in the hospital, having treatment, or who are very ill.  Our RMHouse is close to the Church we work at so we often partner with them.  Thinking that families are away from home at Christmas with a very sick little one made us want to make baskets for each family.  This year we made 32 baskets and delivered them the day of our staff party.  



Packed Gift Baskets.  These are the amazing people I work with and all the baskets we packed.  


Here we are at Ronald McDonald House.  Talk about an amazing facility.  It's really a privilege to be able to help them.  



Check out those icicles on the second story!  



Curling!  After our Christmas lunch we all went curling!  How fun :). One of our staff members is legendary in curling.  She was actually part of the Canadian National Championship team back in the day, winning the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.  She got such a kick out of teaching us and watching us play.  Really an honor to be on the ice with her.  What a hoot to play too.  I did not too bad actually!

Almost Christmas Friends!  Blessings on you as you get ready to celebrate.  For us, this time is so precious as we celebrate Emmanuel....God with Us!  Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace to you!