Friday, December 30, 2011

Runway Inspired Challenge #2

A great new challenge blog out there is the Runway Inspired Challenge--where paper-crafting meets high end fashion!  I'm definitely not a designer label type of gal, but I love the idea of finding inspiration for my craft outside the paper-crafting world.  Here's this week's inspiration photo:
I zoomed in close at the dress to identify the colours in the graphic pattern.  I also couldn't help notice her purple glasses, which inspired my vellum butterfly. I also choose not to use white as my card base, despite the inspiration photo's main use of white.  Wanted to be a bit more bold.

Some exciting (for me any way) DT news from me in the next few days--stay tuned!

Thanks 4 your time!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Something New-LRW

The gals over at Little Red Wagon have challenged us to create a card for SOMETHING NEW.
I'm without a camera right now, so I can't take a shot of anything I create today. I made this one a while back.  The little onesie is repurposed from the packaging of a set of onesies
Now I want to go make more baby cards--they can always be so stinkin'cute!

Thanks 4 your time!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Merry Christmas Blogland

This comes a day late, but I wish all my friends and visitors in blogland the best of the Christmas season!!
Thanks for visiting throughout the year and leaving me some love--it helps keep the mojo alive!  
Here is a card to thank-you!!

I was looking forward to making some real snowmen with my boys this holiday, but we're having a rather mild green Christmas in Southern Ontario.  Paper snowmen will have to do,I guess!  

I hope you got some crafting toys under your tree--I got some in my stocking, so looking forward to creating with some of them over the next week!!  Stay tuned!

Wishing you time to enjoy the company of loved ones!
Wishing you time to celebrate with delicious food and drink!
Wishing you time to get crafty!!!

Thanks 4 your time!

Monday, December 19, 2011

On the 10th Day of Christmas {2SF Blog Hop}

Hello--and welcome to the 10th Day of Christmas Creations on the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog Hop. And what a hop it's been so far--such fabulous inspiration all around!  Did you check out (yesterday)  how Shelby repurposed blinds to decorate a candle--so cool!

I was so delighted when the ladies invited me to be part of this hop that I created 3 projects to share with you today --yup, count 'em 3 (really,I just couldn't decide which one to share, so why not share all 3, right?)!!
So grab a cup a'joe, and join me . . .

First up is a double page  layout I designed using products from both My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas collection and Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas collection. I love the sparkle and formal feel of the MME papers mixed with a few touches from the vintage-y Simple Stories line.
 I pleated some velvet red ribbon on the left hand side, which I finished with cute leaf pins and regular sewing pins to mimic holly leaves and berries.  The Christmas Wish List is from Simple Stories--originally a list of 10, but I cut it down to fit my page.
 I dug out some of my old decorative scissors and cut out triangles to create this banner [could easily be done with banner dies--2SF carries a great set from My Favorite Things here!].  I over-lapped them and attached with bronze coloured brads. Hard to tell in the photo, but the two ends of the banner have two shear ribbon ties and green snowflakes (MS punch).  I used some glitter stickers to highlight the key word in my title!
 I typed up the start of my title on the computer; it looked a bit plain, so I covered my typed "nothing" with Glitz Designs Teeny Alpha Stickers
 Final detail--more Teeny Alpha stickers; flower and glittered button from my stash; finished off with some twine.

My second project is a single page layout, and features this vertical card paper from Simple Stories [used above for the "Christmas Wish List" card]
Have to admit, I can't remember the manufacturer of the background paper (I selected it simply because it matched the green of my son's sweater perfectly, and it had the vintage feel of the Simple Stories line. Navy blue mounted panel also complemented my son's sweater.  Those could easily be swapped with other colours.  What really stands out though are those vertical cards I cut out:
The bear and Santa postage stamps are cut from a piece of patterned paper I picked up in the clearance section at 2SF--sorry, don't think there would be any left.
     I fussy-cut the "Naughty or Nice" label from one of those cards! This is the "naughty photo"--he was 2 years old here--enough said!

Now, if you're still with me . . . here's the third [and final] project. I made something that can be used either as a placecard . . .
 . . . or as a gift tag . . .
I started off with a mini clothes pin that had a square wooden face on it (actually part of an old set I had to pin up Christmas cards--not using them any more, so time to re-purpose!!).  The square could be added to any clothes pin with some chipboard.  Any way, I covered the face with some scraps I had from the Simple Stories Christmas paper, then added a punched snowflake, a pearl and some baker's twine.
 For the name-tag part, I used my "favourite" [pun intended] My Favorite Things Stamp and Die set to  stamp the polka dot frame.  I achieved the antiqued red colour by covering my stamp with Stampin' Up poppy red ink, and then dabbing some Ranger Ink walnut stain on top before stamping onto my paper. I love how it matches the text paper on the clothes pin!  The polka dots also pick up the "period" punctuation in the text as well--ha, I just noticed that--totally not intended.

Any way, hope you've enjoyed my projects.  Thank you SO much for joining us in this hop!!
Be sure to leave a comment to qualify for a great prize from Two Scrapbook Friends!!
Also, collect all the secret words from each blog along the hop to create a phrase--email that phrase to the 2SF and you'll have a second chance to qualify!  Click on the blog hop link at the top of my post if you're starting today and you want to start from the beginning.

My secret word is: A
Be sure to visit Carolyn's blog tomorrow!!
Thanks 4 your time!


Sunday, December 18, 2011

I Think You Love Hockey

Got a chance to hit my crafting desk yesterday and whipped up this layout:
 I used a wooden button to fulfill a challenge on the 2SF Forum to use wood. My favourite part of my design is my square NHL tiles--I tore the flaps off my son's NHL Advent calendar--I love recycling!!  Super cheap embellishment!! Can't beat that!

My niece and nephew are coming over this afternoon to make Christmas cards for their teachers and parents--I love getting to share my love of paper-crafting with them!!  I'll ask them if I can share their creations here--they'll likely get a kick out of it!

BE SURE TO SWING BY HERE TOMORROW FOR MY STOP ON THE 2SF 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CREATIONS BLOG HOP!! Click on the link if you want to get to the start of the hop!!


Thanks 4 your time!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Sketch challenge catch-up!

My little man is sick with the chicken pox, so I stayed home with him today.  While he played, watched a movie, and rested (and in between laundry loads!), I got a chance to get crafty!!

I got caught up on some sketch challenges for the 2SF Forum (that were due today!!)
Here they are:
I made a card for this one (loose interpretation):

My printer was not letting me print my last photo for the centre (please ignore that)

Love the above sketch--will likely use it again.

Now I guess I'll have to get to my pile of marking tonight :(
Thanks 4 your time!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Creations Blog Hop

Something happened to by preview about this hop from a couple of day ago, but today is the start of the hop any way, so here is all the info you need:


The countdown to Christmas is here and with that in mind, your friends at Two Scrapbook Friends invite you to countdown the 12 Days of ChristmaCreationswith them. Each day a member of the Two Scrapbook Friends team and a few special friends will share with you some of the projects and inspiration that they have created to celebrate the Season.

Beginning on December 10th at 8 am, you can begin the hop at the first Friend's blog where you can be inspired and leave a comment. That blog will then tell you where you need to hop to on the next day!

You will need to hop from blog to blog leaving a comment on each in order to qualify to be in a draw for a special prize from Two Scrapbook Friends! Also, you will find a SECRET word on each blog which will make a special phrase at the end of the Blog Hop! Once the 12 days of hopping are complete you can email the phrase to us and we will enter you for another ballot to win!

The hop will remain open from December 10th to December 22nd at midnight (EST). Winners will be announced on December 23rd on the Two Scrapbook Friends' blog.

The master blog list is listed below so you don't miss a single inspiring creation!
1st Day of Christmas: Joanne (10th)
2nd Day of Christmas: Audrey (11th)
3rd Day of Christmas: Avril (12th)
4th Day of Christmas: Christa (13th)
5th Day of Christmas: Dee (14th)
6th Day of Christmas: Jan (15th)
7th Day of Christmas: Jayne (16th)
8th Day of Christmas: Sharon (17th)
9th Day of Christmas: Shelby (18th)
10th Day of Christmas: Tammy (19th)--That's me!!
11th Day of Christmas: Carolyn (20th)
12th Day of Christmas: Two Scrapbook Friends Blog (21st)

Have fun celebrating the 12 Days of ChristmaCreations with the Two Scrapbook Friends team!


Thanks 4 your time!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Christmas Banner

A group of us over at the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum participated in a Christmas Banner Swap.  I was responsible for creating one of the Rs for the banner.  I made 14 of these:

 I picked up my banner this weekend--I'm SO lucky to have this gorgeous banner hanging in my house for the holidays!!!  Here it hanging on the mirror in our dining/living room.
[sorry--photos do not do it justice}

Thank you ladies!!!  Hopefully we can have a Forum ladies in-person crop in the new year so I can meet some you off-line!!

Thanks 4 your time!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Get ready for a HOP!!

I know I've been a bit MIA lately, but I have some exciting news for this month!  Stay tuned for some guaranteed inspiration at the Two Scrapbook Friends 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop!!

I'm your stop on Day 10, but be sure to be here on December 10th (happens to be my birthday too), so you can get directions as to where to begin the HOP!!  Exciting!!!

Before, I go I'll leave you with a Christmas card!

Thanks 4 your time! See you on the 10th (or likely before!!)