The Best Love Story Is The One You Write Together!

Good evening everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful week. My goodness my craft room has been getting a workout this week. So many fantastic ideas floating around in my head and not enough time in the day to try them all out. But here is one for you...

For this Shadow Box Card I decided to use the lovely sketch from Try Stampin' on a Tuesday, and the beautiful Valentine colour theme from ColourQ and I thought why not add in one more new technique and I found that such technique the Stamp Punch Window (but in this case I used a Framelit) over at Technique Time Tuesday. 

I am hosting a Valentine's Day Class this weekend and we are going to be making a Shadow Box Frame and I wanted an extra special card to go along with the project and it just occurred to me that THIS card would be perfect!   

My Challenges:

My Card:

Once again have to give credit where credit is due! To find out how to make this fantastic card pop on over and check out the super easy tutorial listed below the Card Recipe.

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Very Vanilla
• Early Espresso
• Raspberry Ripple
• Patio Party DSP
• Subltes Pink Pirouette DSP

Inks:

• Early Espresso
• Pink Pirouette
• Primrose Petal

Stamps:

• One in a Million
• Confetti
• Blooming with Kindness

Embellishments:

• Early Espresso Bakers Twine

Tools:

• Hearts Collection Framelits
• Square Lattice Embossing Folder

How is it standing up? Check out the tutorial below offered by Dawn Olchefske!

http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn/2012/06/stampinup-pure-gumption-easy-shadow-box-card-and-video.html

The Secret Door!!!

Feeling a little under the weather today but I had to pop in quickly to get this post up, didn't want to miss any deadlines after I spent a while on this super special card!!!

As I am sure you have problem guessed from my last couple of posts I have become a HUGE fan of Dawn Olchefske's blog. It is so fabulous to be able to have so many talented crafters out there to learn from and to help shake things up when the creative juices are just not flowing. I have noticed a trend for me after Christmas I am a little crafted out and need to really find some fabulous ideas to get me excited again! Now mind you Sale a Bration at Stampin' UP! is a big help, so perhaps I am not the only one who experiences the mid winter lulls :) 

The sketch for this card came from The Paper Players Challenge, the colour theme comes from Create with Connie & Mary and the Theme comes from the Inspirational Challenge! 

My Challenges:

My Card:

This card is a wee bit hard to photograph to get an accurate idea of how it works so I would suggest you pop over to Dawn's site for the fabulous tutorial (link posted at the bottom of the Card Recipe!). 

 Inside

Opening the Secret Door

 Tada!

The Back

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Pool Party
• Basic Black
• Real Red
• Primrose Petals
• More Amore Specialty DSP
• Real Red Glimmer Paper

Inks:

• Pool Party
• Basic Black
• Real Red
• Primrose Petals

Stamps:

• Hearts a Flutter
• Notable Alphabet
• Wacky Wishes

Embellishments:

• Primrose Petals 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon
• Designer Builder Brads
• Pool Party Bakers Twine

Tools:

• Hearts Collection Framelits
• Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder

http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn/2010/08/video-secret-door-technique-meets-cottage-garden.html

Seize The Birthday and Create with Connie & Mary!

Look at me two blog posts in one day! How sweet it is to finally feel like we are getting into some sort of rhythm as a family of 4... Now it will be a whole different story come this summer when the hubby heads back to work but for now we are enjoying our time together :) 

So this card I am submitting in the Seize the Birthday challenge & Create with Connie & Mary challenge (http://www.createwithconnieandmary.com/create-with-connie-and-mary). This is my 1st time playing along with their colour challenge but I am always looking for colour combo inspiration so looking forward to it! 

And once again I took in a tutorial at Dawn Olchefske's blog. This card is the Triangle Pocket Card, which is perfect as a gift card or picture holder! I have listed the link to her fabulous tutorial under the Card Recipe :)

My Challenges:

My Card:

I have been dying to use my new Pinwheel die since it arrived a few weeks ago and thought this would be the perfect sketch to try it out!

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Raspberry Ripple
• Lucky Limeade
• Pretty in Pink
• Whisper White
• Brights Collection DSP
• 2011-2013 In Colour Collection DSP

Inks:

• Raspberry Ripple
• Lucky Limeade
• Pretty in Pink
• Chocolate Chip

Stamps:

• Sweets for the Sweet
• A Cherry On Top

Embellishments:

• Pretty in Pink Subtles Brads
• Whisper White Neutrals Brads

Tools:

• Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die
• Labels Collection Framelits
• Pinwheel Sizzlits Die

http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn/2011/04/dawn-dostamping-triangle-pocket-card-and-stampin-up-owl-with-glasses.html

Dynamic Duos & Inkspirational ~ Monochromatic Man Card!

Hope you are all having a wonderful start to your week! It has been a bit of a tear jerking one for me. This morning we are off to register our son for Junior Kindergarten! Would someone like to explain to me where the last 4 years have gone? Of course we are very excited about all that is ahead of him and we look forward to the joy of learning he is about to experience, but the mommy in me just wants him to stay home with me forever. But alas it is time to start to let him go, just a little anyway!

So in honour of his growing up I decided to make him a "man" card lol. A fun project I have decided to do for both of our children is to make them a special card on special days in their lives and put them all in a memory box for them to read when they are adults :) 

I have used the colour challenge at Dynamic Duos and the sketch from Inkspirational (http://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca), a new blog challenge I have found to play along at! 

What type of a card is this? It is called a "Squash Fold" and it is SOOO much fun! I found a fabulous tutorial offered over at Do Stamping with Dawn. I have listed the link to her video below the Card Recipe, such a very talented women :)

My Challenges:

My Card:

I was just saying to a friend this weekend how I really don't have many "man" stamp sets to use and I really felt that the colours this week at DD were suited to a manly card and low and behold what was one of the prizes I won at the event I attended?!?!?! Beyond Plaid & Dapper Dad :) WAHOO!!!

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Soft Suede
• Crumb Cake
• Very Vanilla 
• Comfort Cafe DSP
• Print Poerty DSPS

Inks:

• Soft Suede
• Crumb Cake

Stamps:

• Dapper Dad
• Tiny Tags

Embellishments:

• Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon
• Metallic Mini Brad

Tools:

• Scoring Tool
• Argyle Embossing Folder
• Tiny Tag Punch

http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn/2011/06/10-min-tue-video-amazing-fold-card-aka-squash-folde-wstampin-up-love-care.html

Freshly Made Sketch ~ Happy 1st Birthday!

So much inspiration from yesterday SAB & Spring Catty Smackdown I just had to get down to my craft room this afternoon and try a few things out! There were so many fabulous presenters yesterday and sooooo many fantastic new projects I am going to try out but here is the first one...

I wanted to play along at Freshly Made Sketches this week and thought the sketch was perfect for a card with the belly band and it just so happens yesterday Carollee Cowan showed us a fabulous card which she found at http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn, an easy box card! 

Carollee had some fantastic flowers and butterflies on her table as well and so I thought I would try out a new embellishment at add a butterfly from her design :)

My Challenge:

My Card:

Friends of ours have a little girl celebrating her 1st birthday next month (actually the very same day our son will be celebrating his 4th birthday!) and being that she is their second child and they already have sooo many toys and clothes and 1 year old's do not really open presents yet so we thought a gift card might be a good idea. I do not like to just give a gift card in a simple card because you want it to still be fun to open so this box card full of punched out butterflies will work perfectly I think!

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Summer Starfruit
• Pool Party
• Primrose Petal
• Elegant Eggplant
• Whisper White
• Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack

Inks:

• Pool Party
• Primrose Petal
• Elegant Eggplant

Stamps:

• Memorable Moments
• Four Seasons

Embellishments:

• Basic Rhinestones
• Dazzling Diamonds

Tools:

• Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder
• Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die
• Scallop Border Punch

Sunday Stamps, Colour Challenge!

Happy Sunday to you all! Well did I have FUN yesterday or what? I went to a local Stampin' UP! event and not only did I have a fabulous time with some wonderful ladies, creating beautiful make and takes but I also won not 1 but 2 fabulous prizes. Some much needed R & R for this mama, feeling recharged and ready to take on the world once more!

Going to be a quick post this morning as I am off to work now... Yep this mama is officially back to work :) So thankful to have my hubby home with the kiddos until July! I get the best of all worlds hehehe

My Challenge:

My Card:

This is the Valentine's Day card I made for my sweet hubby! Cannot believe this will be our 12th Valentine's Day together, time sure flies :) And on the inside a fabulous quote I found floating around on Pinterest and thought it was too perfect: 

In You,

I've Found

the love of my life

and my closest,

truest friend.

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Raspberry Ripple
• Perfect Plum
• Crumb Cake
• Whisper White

Inks:

• Raspberry Ripple

Stamps:

• Papillon Potpourri
• Loving Thoughts

Embellishments:

• Perfect Plum 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Tools:

• Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
• Occasions Paper Piercing Pack
• Piercing Tool & Mat
• Bitty Butterfly Punch
• Full Heart Punch
• Hearts Collection Framelits
• Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die

Technique Tuesday, Try Stampin' on a Tuesday & The Colour Throwdown

TGIF! Going to be a fantastic weekend for The Kews. Tonight I have my first Stampers Club of 2013 (I have missed you ladies!!!) and then tomorrow I am going to a local Stampin' UP! event our Annual Sale a Bration Smackdown, 6 hours of pure (uninterrupted) crafting bliss!!! And then on Sunday we are having a belated Christmas dinner with our nieces (and brother/sister in law hehe). 

So for this card I used the sketch from Try Stampin' on a Tuesday, the colour theme from The Colour Throwdown and the Technique challenge from Technique Tuesday. I have never tried a 3D Pedestal Pop Up Card before so this was a lot of fun! 

My Challenges:

My Card:

I have been working on this card for a few days now, as you can see it was quite involved. It is so funny how long it takes to get a project done now with two kiddos around. Wouldn't change it for the world but I can tell ya mama is looking forward to Saturday hehe.  

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Wisteria Wonder
• Perfect Plum
• Certainly Celery
• Garden Green
• Whisper White

Inks:

• Wisteria Wonder
• Perfect Plum
• Certainly Celery
• Garden Green

Stamps:

• Secret Garden
• Just Believe

Embellishments:

• Basic Pearls
• Wisteria Wonder 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon
• White Embossing Powder

Tools:

• Secret Garden Framelits
• 2 1/2" Circle Punch
• Circles #2 Originals Die
• Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder
• Vine Street Embossing Folder
• Heat Tool

Dynamic Duos & Technique Tuesday ~ A Card for Ellie :)

Boy it was a COLD one here in Ottawa today! I know, I know it is January but how is it that I seem to always forget just how cold it can get here? :) So what did this mama do after a busy morning out and about... 

Came home got the kiddos settled for quiet time and worked on a special project for our son's little girlfriend. He wanted to make an extra special Valentine's Day card for his Ellie that had LOTS of "hearts on sticks" and after he saw the fabulous cards a good friend (Talented Tara over at http://cantstamptherain.blogspot.ca) of mine's son's will be handing out he just had to have a "scoop" too!

So with all of this in mind I give you my Dynamic Duos Challenge (thank you so much for the honourable mention last week!) card and my entry into The Technique Tuesday Crew Call Challenge! At Dynamic Duos we were asked to use Basic Black and Real Red and for Desert adding a Valentine Theme! 

My Challenges:

My Card:

For the Technique Tuesday Crew call challenge we were asked to choose a technique to apply to the project we presented. After seeing the list there were a few that I had not tried before so I thought it may be fun to combine 3 of the options. So I chose a Cascading Card, with a Faux Tile focal point and added some 3D Punch Elements. All of these techniques I totally fell in love with and cannot wait to use them again :)

Would love to be a part of the team over at Technique Tuesday so Ethan and I are hoping the ladies love our card!

Take the time to let your creativity bloom! 

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Real Red 
• Basic Black
• Whisper White
• Brights Collection Designer Series Paper Stack (Real Red)
• Real Red Glimmer Paper

Inks:

• Real Red
• Basic Black

Stamps:

• I Dig You
• Hearts a Flutter

Tools:

• Hearts a Flutter Framelits
• Small Heart Punch
• Full Heart Punch
• Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder
• Two Tags Bigz Die
• Stampin' Sponge

Sunday Stamps & ColourQ

Good Morning everyone! Happy Sunday to you all. One more day of rest before the week starts up again :) Hope you have all had an enjoyable weekend. We sure have!

Here is my Sunday Stamps card and this week I combined Tara's fabulous sketch with a funky colour combo over at ColourQ. I enjoy this blog because they come up with some pretty quirky colour themes that I would never think of putting together but when I finish my project I am amazed at how well they go.

Please come visit us at Sunday Stamps and play along this week! http://sundaystamps.blogspot.ca

My Challenges:

My Card:

It is sort of hard to tell from the photo but the Melon Mambo tea cup is popped up with a dimensional to give it significance :)

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Poppy Parade (retired!)
• Summer Starfruit
• Basic Gray
• Melon Mambo
• Whisper White

Inks:

• Poppy Parade (retired!)
• Summer Starfruit
• Basic Gray
• Melon Mambo

Stamps:

• Tea Shoppe

Embellishments:

• Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon

Tools:

• Square Lattice Embossing Folder
• Houndstooth Embossing Folder
• Argyle Embossing Folder

Seize the Birthday & The Friday Mashup

Moving right along with another post for you all today! Hope you are having a nice weekend. Getting ready to take our kiddos over to their talented Auntie's house for their Valentine's Day Photoshoot :) 

But before we head out here is the card I created for the Seize the Birthday and Friday Mashup Challenges this week. Seize the Birthday is a new blog challenge created by the same talented stamper who brought us Merry Monday, Freshly Made Sketches, Dynamic Duos... Am I forgetting any Lesley? :) The goal is to make one birthday card a week to make sure your supply never runs low. Also Holly over at The Friday Mashup is celebrating a birthday this week so let's all wish her a Happy Birthday!

My Challenges:

Make a project with a "Birthday Theme".
Or Make a project using "Brads".
Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Birthday project with some brads".

My Card:

It has been a while since I used this stamp set and I forgot how much I enjoy making cute masculine boy cards. Going to have to double up and add a few more to my collection!  

Take the time to let your creativity bloom!

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Baja Breeze
• Midnight Muse
• Summer Starfruit
• Whisper White
• Patio Party DSP

Inks:

• Baja Breeze
• Midnight Muse
• Summer Starfruit
• Basic Black

Stamps:

• I Dig You

Embellishments:

• Neutrals Whisper White Brads
• Neutrals Basic Black Glimmer Brads

Tools:

• Chevron Embossing Folder
• Labels Collection Framelits

Try Stampin' on a Tuesday & The Colour Throwdown

Friday is here! What do you all have planned for the week? We are having some photos taken of our little ones for their Valentine's Day cards which I am in the process of designing as we speak and this mama is going to FINALLY see Les Miserables :) Also we have a belated Christmas gathering with my best friend and her family, going to be a fabulous weekend indeed.

Here is my card for this week's Try Stampin' on a Tuesday Challenge (thanks for the top 3 pick last week!!!) as well as The Colour Throwdown Challenge.

Well I had better move this along the wee one will be waking any minute :)

My Challenges:

My Card:

I have all of my "tools" in a box and decided I had better put them out in the open so I can see what I have to play with and for this card I broke out my Spritzer tool :) LOVE the splatter look.

Take the time to let your creativity bloom! 

Card Recipe

Card Stock:

• Melon Mambo
• Pretty in Pink DSP
• Pumpkin Pie
• Crumb Cake
• Whisper White

Inks:

• Melon Mambo
• Pretty in Pink
• Pumpkin Pie
• Crumb Cake

Stamps:

• Hearts a Flutter 
• Itty Bitty Banners

Embellishments:

• Dazzling Details
• Basic Rhinestones
• Whisper White 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon 

Tools:

• Colour Spritzer Tool
• Small Heart Punch
• Fancy Fan Embossing Folder
• Bitty Banners Framelits
• Hearts a Flutter Framelits
• Labels Collection Framelits