A Few Anniversary Pics

Today's agenda - stamping! Because earlier this week, I was busy playing in Banff. Here's a few pics from our anniversary (click on image for larger size)

We walked around Johnson Lake with MrP's father & stepmother on Sunday when we arrived, before supper. Monday, we tried walking in some areas we'd never been in all our years visiting Banff...Vermilion Lakes and Fendland Trail - both of which are JUST barely outside of the Banff townsite. Of course, I didn't take any pictures on Tuesday when it had snowed and was sunny out...

Johnson Lake

Creek from Johnson Lake

Nerd near Vermilion Lakes

Fenland Trail

Fenland Trail

Fenland Trail before supper

Chillin' after supper
(which included wine...that's my only excuse!)

Happy Halloween!

Hope your day is spooktacular =)

My First Tri-Shutter

This is such a stunning technique...and when she saw this card on SCS, Chelsey knew we had to try CASEing it. It's GORGEOUS!

This was my attempt at replicating it. We sponged instead of brayered and used a different sentiment...and I LOVE this card. Thanks, Chelsey!!

Sweet Sunday drags into Thursday

I finally got a chance to play along with a sketch last night - and I did up this card using the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #41. Karen's always got some great inspiration on a Sunday (and every other day) and I was even able to ink up to stamps that hadn't seen the light of ink (if that makes any sense).

Stamps: Fresh Cuts, Verve Circular Sayings

Paper: White, Wild Wasabi, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Delicate Dots DSP, Spring Silhouettes DSP
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Accessories: Blue Bayou Ribbon

Tonight's my stamping night with Chelsey and I can't wait. Loads of wintery fun from the sounds of it =)

As a bonus, when I was uploading this card to SCS last night, I noticed that two of my Verve week cards were CAS favorites for the week ending Oct. 25th. Thanks to TrishG, who's blog I just discovered and hope you'll pop over there, too, for some great inspiration!

Here's my two cards that were nominated.

Tango Chip Blossom

Purely Sand Because of You

Scrap N Stamp Sketches

For some reason, my Tuesday post didn't work....so I'll post it today while I get my bearings from our vacation!

Here's a couple of the cards I've created for Scrap 'N Stamp, a Canadian online company that I do some sketch challenges for. These were the last two Fridays' challenges.

We had such a great time in Banff! Supper Monday night at Saltlik was great as usual and our stay at Brewster's Mountain Lodge was lots of fun...I rocked a bubble bath Monday night that pretty much exploded in bubbles, almost drowning me! Good times. I'm looking forward to my riding lesson tonight - and my noon massage - travel for four hours just doesn't agree with me. Oh well. We're planning on heading back for Christmas, so hopefully we can actually try skiing or snowboarding then....

Have a great Wednesday, my friends!

Hey Gorilla...

Alright - I must admit, I loved my project last week (probably because it was edible), but I also know that the challenge this week is a recipe...and that's a real challenge that I struggle with! The ladies over at the Digital-Ink Co Challenge Blog have got some great things to show you with their creations using an image from Jules Junk.

This image has a lot of sentimental value for me...I 'commissioned' it! On SNR, Julie was looking for suggestions and the bonus of offering up an idea was that you got it. Well, in our house, one of the nicknames we use is "gorilla". Don't ask me how we started that, but it's stuck. So MrP's challenge to me was to create an anniversary card with a gorilla. Have you got any idea how hard a gorilla stamp is to find? Let me tell you from experience, it's a challenge. So I put it out there and Julie did it up like a pro!

So MrP gets his gorilla anniversary card and I get some fun coloring and a unique story! Get your own grrrilla here! The other design team members may not have the custom stamp I do, but they have really got some awesome recipe creations! Any idea what the recipe is? Well if you guessed fabric (I used felt flowers), bow, button & glitter...you'd be right.

Boni, Darlene, Diane, Jackie, Micki, Raquel, Teri, Jennifer & Kim

Head on over to the Challenge Blog and get your fabric-filled, bow-bedazzled, button-bonused, glitter-gushing entry in for your chance to win this week. Remember to use DIC007 if you're uploading to SCS or another online gallery and be sure to use Mr. Linky so we can check out your creations - and you've got a chance to win!

Oh yeah - and Happy Anniversary to my favorite gorilla!

September Key Ingredients for a TE Sketch

The Taylored Expressions Sketch 88 was another great challenge this week. Taylor always has such fun sketches and while I only have one set of awesome stamps, I'm hoping to change that soon. I used my September Key Ingredients to create this card since my October kit is in the mail. Only the stamp is not from TE, but from another fave, Verve.

We're off to Banff today to visit MrP's father, who lives in the glorious mountains, and enjoy a couple of days away for our third anniversary. I'm so looking forward to it, as I read most of the drive, then eat awesome and sleep lots. Now that's what I call a vacation!

And here they are

My final cards for the Verve Release Sketch challenges.

Stamps: Verve Just For You

Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Purely Pomegranate
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Sahara Sand
Accessories: Purely Pomegranate Ribbon, White Ribbon, White Large Eyelet, Cropadile

Stamps: Verve To Risk Plain Jane

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Vanilla, Ski Slope DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Vanilla Ribbon, Nestabilities, Scalloped Edge Punch

What do you think? Are you excited for the Verve Release, too?! I love everything that comes out of Julee's brain it seems, so I can't wait to see what's next.

Off for some tea with a friend today - hopefully you can enjoy some time like that today, too.

Gimme a Sec...

Since it's my day off, I slept in...check back in a bit for my last two Verve Release sketch cards. Have you got yours done?

Check out a couple of my Canadian friends' blogs to see their awesome release sketch cards: (FYI - I "blame" Verve for how we met - at a release party!)

Maureen's Buttons & Bling
Marissa's Rosemary Reflections

And if you really want some Vervalicious inspiration, head to the Verve Divas blogs! Or check out the Verve Master herself, Julee (although I'm sure she's a busy woman today, preparing for the release...YAHOOO!!

Sugar Cookies w/o the hassle (and a Verve Release card)

I had a breakdown last year in an attempt to make some Sugar Cookies for Chelsey. I HATE CUT OUT COOKIES! Well, I mean, I like them...I just hate the work. Because my batch tasted like flour balls. Not so much balls, but floury santas & snowflakes...you get the idea.

And then last week, I found THIS recipe. I love you, Pioneer Woman. Thank you for creating Tasty Kitchen. The Sugar Cookie Bar recipe allowed me all the tastiness of an iced sugar cookie - with almost none of the hassle. LOVE IT!

Mixed flour, baking soda & salt

Greased pans

Mixed dough

Baked "cookies"

Icing!

All iced up & ready for Chelsey

And of course, a Verve Release Sketch (VSOCT09B) to go with the cookies!

Stamps: Verve Just For You

Paper: Parisian Breeze DSP, Kraft, Baja Breeze, White
Ink: Baja Breeze
Accessories: Ribbon, Dimensionals

The ribbon appears quite dark in the picture, but it matches the Kraft paper pretty well. Chelsey received yesterday and assures me that I'm correct - all the goodness of sugar cookies, only a portion of the work. Give 'em a try (and be sure to send them off with a sweet card!)

Don't forget to check out the new promotion going on at Digital-Ink Co starting in November....can you say "FREE STAMPS"?!? Wahoo! Thank goodness for Thursday!

Another Verve Sketch for their Release

I just love creating a card from a sketch. It's so easy when it's all there, laid out for you in black & white (or in the case of Verve, in gorgeous color) Often times, though, I find myself trying to use the colors from the actual sketch!

Stamps: Verve Thanks So Much, Kind Words
Paper: Manchester DSP, So Saffron, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow
Ink: So Saffron, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Ribbon

Originally, I was just going to use the Kind Words sentiment. Then I re-checked the sketch and realized I needed the sentiment in the corner, so I added the Thanks so much from my last Verve order (BONUS!) and voila.

What do you think? Are you a sentiment as the central image person or an image as the main focal point with sentiment as a secondary?

Last night, I did plan on having my card ready to post for this morning, but I was tired and - get this - went to be at 8:45! Oh my. I must have needed it =) Have a Wonderful Wednesday! I'm getting something done with the mop of hair on my head tonight and I can't wait for a little red-infusion.

Verve Release Week = Challenges!

Stamps: Verve Beautiful You, Baroque Motifs

Paper: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Delicate Dots DSP, White, Cool Caribbean

Ink: So Saffron, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Blue Ribbon, Dimensionals, Nestabilities


I found this color combination on Scrapitude and while searching for something to go with So Saffron, I came across this unusual combo. Coincidentally, I actually had an In Color assortment that included some of this Cool Caribbean paper, which is LONG retired and never been used.

I used the Verve Oct release sketch VSOCT09A for the sketch.

As a super treat, last night Chelsey came out to watch my ride. Wouldn't you know it, that's when Zeus decides to be a real butthead. I swear, animals know when it's time to really show how little a human is able to do =) LOL! But it did mean the world to me that she'd come out in the nasty weather and watch....thanks buddy!! I love ya =)

A Cardmaker's Challenge...

You know what can be even more fun than a sketch, color combo, recipe or any other type of challenge for someone who loves making cards? "Anything But a Card"! That's right - our challenge over at the Digital-Ink Co Challenge Blog is to create anything but a card with an image from Sewn Together.

So this week, I decided to make my belly happy...and I used Jaden Licking Cupcake to make the sweetest cake. Wouldn't this be perfect for a baby shower? I wish I had one to take this to...but I didn't, so MrP and I had to go it alone =) HAHAHA!  Well, his coworkers helped.


Here's the process:

I took this image and printed it out fairly large on an 8.5x11 paper. (Note: If you want the image facing the same direction as the original image, you have to flip it in reverse before printing)

I know that my co-designers have been busy this week, so be sure to check them out! 

Boni, Darlene, Diane, Jackie, Micki, Raquel, Teri, Jennifer & Kim


I've included step by step pictures this week on how I did my cake, but basically, piping gel is your best friend for image transferring like this. Trace over the image on wax paper with a bag o' piping gel, then gently place the paper over your cake.  After that, it's simply piping the black outline, followed by "stars" for each different icing color! If you're really lucky, you have the most wonderful husband who makes your icing and colors it perfectly for you....because I'm that lucky! Yes...that's why we're coming up on another anniversary. LOL

Run (don't walk!) to the Challenge Blog, get your entry in for your chance to win this week. Remember to use DIC006 if you're uploading to SCS or another online gallery and be sure to use Mr. Linky so we can check out your creations - and you've got a chance to win!


Next week's my anniversary, so I'll be in Banff enjoying some relaxing times with MrP, but be sure to check back since I'll get my next creation scheduled to post!