Beautiful Brads Winner

It's Friday! WOOHOO! A week ago, we were celebrating the new Rachelle Anne Miller stamps at PaperWorks Co. Today, I'm sending off some gorgeous brads to one lucky winner....

According to Random.org, that winner is #18....Wilfreda!

If you can drop me an email, Wilfreda, I'll forward it to Peggy (who generously donated them) to send you those awesome brads.

Speaking of Peggy, I hear someone celebrated the big 3-0 yesterday..and to celebrate, I'm offering up THIS. That's right....the entire set. Just leave me a comment with your favorite online shopping destination for stamps. You have until NEXT Friday (May 7th) at 7am MT.

(And in celebrating Peggy, it just wouldn't be right to do it without a little love for Starbucks....so one Canadian commenter will receive a $5 g/c for a lovely latte! )

Boxes Galore!

This week's challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters is a 3x3 notecard box based on the Splitcoast Stampers tutorial. This was my first time making one and I wanted to use it not for notecards, but for little gifts to go with a couple of cards I'd made recently.

For this one, I recreated my two layer Verve flower and used another sentiment from the Feel the Sun stamp set. This was my first box and I tried using the large scalloped edge...note to self.....this works like crap - don't try it again! (The photo shows the two "better" sides!)

The second box used the small scalloped edge and worked much better. Again, I tried to match it with my card and used more Feel the Sun images and sentiments.

And here's the final products together, perfect for the gifts I have planned! Now give it a try and let us see your best 3x3 notecard.

It's my challenge next week and I can't wait to see what all of you talented crafters come up with!

Whew - sorry I'm late!

We got caught up watching Angels and Demons downstairs and I didn't check the clock until we were done!

Anyways....the winner of a $15 gift certificate to the stamp/scrapbooking store of your choice is...

#4 - Dawn!

Seriously - I swear it's not fixed, but I think Dawn won my last blog candy, too! =)
At any rate, I like making people's day, so check back later this week for some more giveaways.

Birthday Award - and yet another reason to extend talking about my birthday!

The most genius user of the Swiss Dots folder that I know (who claims she only has one creative gene - and it's totally untrue), Marisa over at Rosemary Reflections, gave me this award yesterday for my birthday, so I thought it would be a great time to relflect on things that make me happy (in particular, they're what made me happy yesterday - in no particular order)

10. Naps - I never napped until I met MrP. Weird truth. I was up late all week while he was gone off to Vegas and then I surprised him by picking him up from the airport (which he didn't think I'd be able to stay up late enough to do since my usual bedtime is around 10:30). My birthday was filled with naps!

9. Mystycka, my sweet, sweet kitty. She cuddled with me on the couch yesterday and something about cuddling with her always makes us end up napping. Oh yeah...and yesterday I made a few strips of bacon with my breakfast and left it on the counter for the grease to harden. Turns out when we went out for supper, someone thought she'd give the grease a little taste!!

8. Planning - I'm a bit of a crazy planner and on Friday, our tickets for Wicked in NYC arrived. Talk about exciting! Seeing those official tickets really made it real. MrP also gave me the 'permission' to use some of our $$ from savings to take two riding clinics this summer - the same Cross Country three day camp over the August long weekend and then the following weekend, my instructor's having an adult fun camp where I'll enjoy another fun filled two days of horseback riding/jumping fun.

7. Almond Joy - yep. I really enjoy Almond Joy bars, as I've mentioned before, and MrP brought me three king size bars and three regular bars from Vegas. Apparently when he grabbed the three king bars at the Walgreens, the lady laughed at him and said "Really like them, hey!?", to which he replied (a little offended since he put on weight while in Vegas) "We can't get them in Canada and my wife does. I hate coconut". Oh I can picture the look on his face, as he truly despises my love of that darn coconutty goodness bar! PLUS as a bonus, he brought me back a pair of TKOs - Thomas Keller Oreos. Thomas Keller is the (in my opinion) genius behind The French Laundry, which we dined at in 2008, along with Bouchon Bakery, which makes the glorious TKO, and a couple other NYC restaurants that have earned him Michelin stars. Check out my goodies!

6. Springtime - I love seeing our trees in the back yard flourish and the green grasses start coming up. However, I don't love that the one poor tree in the back yard is finally having a good year and we're ripping it down to build the garage. I've also got some perennial flowers that are FINALLY shooting up happily on their own and wouldn't you know it, they're going to be cemented over this year. MrP told me we could cancel the garage if I want to let the flowers grow. I think he was being facetious, but if it was pansies that were growing, I'd consider it =)

5. Technology - MrP won a minoHD Flip video unit while at the convention he attended and while we don't have a dedicated video camera (we just use our digital cameras), this is such a fun little unit and so easy to pack around that we'll have to see about taking it with us to New York.

4. Good food - since it was my birthday, I indulged. Not that I went stark raving, end of the world crazy, but I did have a small plate of delicious potato salad for lunch from a new favorite cafe (mainly because of their outstanding coconut cream pie, which I took a slice home for dessert to enjoy today) and for supper, MrP took me to Madison's Grill, where we enjoyed the six course Menu Surprise. Again, an outstanding selection of courses that I would normally not have ever been brave enough to order. Truthfully, by the end of the third course, which was a delicious halibut, I was so stuffed I didn't see how I could continue. The serving sizes were larger (at least we thought so) than the last time we were there and I had just a few nibbles from the fourth and fifth courses. The dessert course I powered through like a champion since it was a very small square of walnut cake with caramel whipped cream and peach preserves. I felt like I waddled to the car on our way out...which leads me to #3.

3. Exercise - good thing I've got cycling and running events that I've been fundraising for or else I'd be far less likely to be going out today for a wonderfully long bike ride to get our distance comfort up! The MS Bike Tour I'm participating in is on June 12-13 and my next 10K run is scheduled for May 9th, the Forzani's Mother's Day Run.

2. Friends - yesterday I received a ton of FB messages from friends wishing me a happy birthday. I love how everyone chooses to personalize them. Even more exciting was the days leading up to my birthday where I received the most beautiful cards in the mail. Laural and Maureen sent me stunning cards and I can't even describe how much they meant! Then Marisa passed along this award, which just lets me extend talking about my birthday another day - LOVE IT! These amazing Canadian ladies inspire me daily with their stunning creations and I'm so honoured to be considered a friend to each of them =)

1. Family - MrP especially gives me reasons to laugh and smile each day and I love him beyond words. My nieces and nephew left me a message on the answering machine yesterday that brought tears to my eyes. My niece left her message first "Happy Birthday, Auntie! *and then very soft & sweetly* I love you." Gotta love kids and their amazing ability to tug at your heartstrings. Almost makes me want my own, but I have those three to keep me entertained for a while, I figure =) Family, whether they're driving you crazy or making you laugh is just the right medicine!

I'd like to pass this along to a few other blogging buddies who make my day with their talented creations:

Karin
Andrea
Chriss
All my Sisterhood ladies!

This card was the Verve Beach Party Color Challenge of aqua, green & orange, where I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #70.

As you can tell, I really need Maureen & Laural's help with bows. They're bow masters. Hopefully the Bow Easy I ordered will help?!

Anyways, have a fabulous day - and check back at 9:00MT tonight for the winner of my totally random birthday blog candy. Oh - and I'll do the PWCO blog candy draw on Friday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! (and a gift for YOU!)

Well the party's over, but I did get the other two cards done...only I was 8 minutes late to post them in the Verve Champions forum. Oh well - I did it anyways since I figured it's my birthday and I'll do what I want. This card was for the Verve Beach Party Release Challenge #5.

Growing up, I was never really interested in my birthdays, but nowadays, I'm all about 'em! Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to celebrate ;) At any rate, I'd like to celebrate with you, so let me know your birthday and I'll enter your name in my little bitty random candy draw. I've been doing a little too much celebrating it seems and I've got some goodies burning a hole in my pocket. The catch, however, is that I'm not telling you what it is! (Cuz everyone likes a surprise, right?! I know I sure do!) Anyways, leave your birthday comment and I'll make the draw on Sunday at 9pm MT.

Stamps: Verve Celebration of Thanks

Everything else was from a Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients
kit which I'm too lazy to go find right now! Let me know if you have questions.

PaperWorks Co New Release Blog Hop!

If you've arrived here from Nikki's blog, you're on the right path.

If not - head over to Tinla at the PWCO blog to start the blog hop!

Are these not the sweetest little birthday owls ever?! PaperWorks Co and Rachelle Anne Miller have joined up to create this exclusive line of adorable stamps, which can now be found here. The fabulous Peggy asked a few non-DT members to help out and I was only too happy to help. I mean, have you seen the images of this incredibly talented illustrator? This image makes me wish someone I knew who's having a baby was having a Noah's Ark theme!

For this easel card (which is a style that's been on my must try list for quite a while), I used everything from an old PWCO card kit (Aug 09), which is a heck of a deal - you get cardstock, paper and accessories (ribbon, dew drops, brads were all remaining unused in my kit, so I took advantage and used some of the perfectly matched accessories) Unlike many of the Copic masters on Peggy's design team (and let's face it - she's one, too), I tend to color with pencils & gamsol, which is exactly what I did with these cute owls. I did add some sakura gel pen for a little sparkle (in the star and the one owl's flower feather accessory - you know...since they have feathers, not hair. Oh boy - I need to go back to sleep!)

There's four amazing images in this collection and Peggy's generously offering an entire set for one lucky commenter. PLUS we've got some blog candy being offered up by each blog hop member. I've picked out these awesome brads for your candy-loving pleasure (and a spare set for myself because I wouldn't give you something I don't love!!) There's six of the pearl style brads and 8 of those awesome pink button style brads. Oh - and since my birthday is tomorrow...come back for a candy-grabbing goodness bonus round!



In case you've had any trouble following along, here's the entire list of participants for the blog hop - be sure to check them all out for some inspired creations with these super cute PWCO exclusive, detailed pink rubber stamps.

Tinla

Jenny

Cris

Sheena

Stephanie S

Kristy

Danielle

Bella

Nikki

Tanis *you're here*

Natalie

Stephanie J

Lisa
PaperWorks Co. Blog

Be sure to check out all of Rachelle's amazing illustrations on her website, too!

Hope to see you tomorrow =)

Verve Beach Party Release Challenge #4

My last card of the evening, I wish I'd done a bit of a stamp off of the flower so it was a smidge lighter, but whatever =)

I used a new stamp set, a new nestie AND old DP....look at me go!

Stamps: Verve Feel the Sun

Paper: Delicate Dots DP, Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand, Bashful Blue, So Saffron

Ink: Bashful Blue, So Saffron

Accessories: Nestabilities, Button, Celery Ribbon (x2), Brides Flowers, Flower Brad, Blue Rhinestone

Verve Beach Party Release Challenge #3

This was the first card I completed tonight and I LOVE the crisp stamping of that sentiment! Being a Graphic Communications graduate at one point in my life (then learning I didn't REALLY like certain aspects of graphic design, but that's another story), I have a love of fonts and Julee really picks some of the best!

Stamps: Verve Happy Birthday, Just for You

Paper: Bella Blue DP, Kraft, Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy

Ink: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Dimensionals, Half Pearls, Kraft Color Ribbon

Verve Beach Party Release Challenge #2

Well Taylor Swift and I rocked out three cards tonight, this being the second of the bunch. My goal was to get some of the Verve sketches done AND use up some of my huge DP collection.

It's now 12:30am and I've completed three, watched a show, talked to MrP, drank a beer and best of all - enjoyed my evening!

Stamp: Birthday Wishes

Paper: Spring Break DP, Old Olive, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Pumpkin Pie

Ink: Blue Bayou

Accessories: Half Pearls, Silver Cord, Paper Piercer, Sakura Gel Pen, Signo White Gel Pen, Dimensionals

Some people make the world special

What a true statement - and it's just like Verve to have made it into a stamp!

I created this card using Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #65 and my latest Verve stamps Feel the Sun. Some retired SU! designer paper and a little sakura gel pen, plus a button and paper piecing....easy peasy.

Today is the day my NYC schedule falls into place - the NFL schedule is out at 7pm Eastern and I cannot wait. That means we'll be able to hopefully get some tickets to the Jets home opener and depending on how ridiculous those tickets are, we'll decide how far up the cheap seats we choose for the Yankees game. Yahooooooo!

MrP is off enjoying Vegas, so I'm enjoying a whole lot of bike riding while he's away (since he sold his last bicycle to purchase my engagment ring and hasn't bought a new one yet). I always feel a little guilty about it, but it was far too much bike for what he really needed anyways =) Plus, yesterday my 15K ride was to get home after dropping his car off at the dealership, so really....nothing to feel bad about other than I finished my horseback riding lesson and sleeping like a log from the exhaustion. I doubt he's sleeping as well since he's up early for conference and late to bed because he and the other attendees are enjoying the Vegas nightlife. I'd much rather be home than there, but apparently I'm a bit of a weirdo for not loving Vegas. I blame the 7 days we spent there as part of our honeymoon when I grew sick of it....and now I have zero interest in returning.

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Stamps: Verve Feel the Sun

Paper: River Rock, Ginger Blossom DSP, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Old Olive, Cameo Coral

Ink: Basic Black, Riding Hood Read

Accessories: Dimensionals, Button, Sakura Gel Pen

My next vacation is official!

Sorry - more than a little excited as New York was to be our 2008 vacation destination until we were married in San Diego in 2006 and MrP developed an awful un-love of flying. Well, so did I, but I've gotten over mine in the years since (for the most part), but he remains very dopily medicated for each and every flight he takes. 

As a result, the hours required to fly to New York were a little much, resulting in a trip to San Francisco instead, which in turn resulted in my absolute favorite vacation of all time. I LOVE that area! (as evidenced by my blog header?! Yeah....I took that...along with a few photos that decorate our house that were taken in Muir Woods) Plus, we bought a picture something like this that I had to have from the California Academy of Sciences because I thought it was too awesome that they had a picture of a beaver. As it turns out, it's a California Sea Otter...and I feel like an idiot every time I look at this cutie in our somewhat aquatic bedroom.

Anyways, now that I've embarassed myself further by reiterating that ridiculous tale, back to the good stuff! We've booked our flights from Edmonton to Newark for Sept 7-15 with my fave airline and now it's time to book some sporting fun. We'll hit up the Yankees game on the 8th against the Orioles, *fingers crossed* the Jets home opener and possibly check out a match in the US Open (tennis tournament for those not 'in the know'). Maybe if I'm a REALLY good girl in the meantime, we'll luck out with tickets to see Federer, Nadal, Roddick or the Williams sisters. I'd be pumped for any of them. But we're 'event' people, so it won't really matter who we see...I can't wait!

After our amazing experience at The French Laundry in 2008, my goal became to eat at a whole lot of Michelin 3 star restaurants. Well, in truth, I said every one, but that's a WHOLE lot of fine dining - and most of it's in the UK and France, so that's really unlikely given my travel companion's aversion to flying. This time around, we're aiming to visit Le Bernardin for one of our meals. (To get an idea of how exclusive a three star rating is, there's one in the San Francisco area (The French Laundry), one in Las Vegas, five in New York for a total of seven in the United States and a grand total of 85 in the world. Sadly, there's not one in Canada. Heck, there's not even a single Michelin star. I think this might be an oversite?! HAHA)

Sadly, I did not have a craft-productive weekend. That tends to happen when you get food poisoning, though. I'd love to meet someone who has been productive after that. I just wanted to die on Friday night, but I think we've all been there. My stomach's a fair bit flustery this afternoon, but I'm hoping that's just jitters to sign our garage contract tonight. It's what we've been saving for the last four years, but it's still a little unnerving when you see how much you're taking out of savings. Plus, I'm a worrier.

Oh yeah - and I signed myself up for another 10K in support of the Stollery Children's Hospital. Yay!

Anyways, I hope you're having a great Monday - I know I am, even with a questionably happy stomach and an apparently neverending bout of verbal diarrhea. LOL!

Big Wish of Mojo

Could I get any more in love with this sketch?! I don't think so! Mojolicious - and I was able to get in some more Old Olive. HAHA! Mojo Monday Sketch 133 will definitely going into my fave sketch bin. For this card, I pulled out some uninked new Verve - Big Wish.

My poor skills with the new camera are really showing since I can't seem to get dimension or embossing to show up, but maybe practice will improve that. Just means I'll have to get crafting - hopefully you'll bear with me. I tried to show the dimension in the below image.

I hope to get in a creation for the Verve Fun with Flowers Project Parade because those talented ladies have me inspired. Too bad I have to work =)

Also, be sure to check out the absolutely amazing project that Lisa from The Sisterhood of Crafters created for her Earth Day project. I've been such a gong show lately that I wasn't able to get a project done this week but she and the rest of the ladies really did up some amazing recycled projects that I hope you can be inspired by. Oh - and there's a prize this week!

Stamps: Verve Big Wish
Paper: Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Pink Passion, Delicate Dots DSP
Ink: Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Pink Passion, Black
Accessories: White Mini Brads, Dimensionals, Pink Rhinestones, Pink Ribbon

Robotic Mojo

Oh my goodness! I found my mojo - or rather the Mojo Monday sketch found a semblance of what used to be my stamping mojo - and I ended up making two cards with it!

I picked up the adorable Tinheart family from Peggy at PaperworksCo on Saturday and I just had to get this sweetheart colored for a birthday card for my old roommate. I really wish I could master my camera because the photos I took of the cards I created tonight just really don't do them justice (at least in my mind!) Isn't Buckley Tinheart adorable?!

And since I loved the sentiments, I picked up an entire robot bundle to mix & match sentiments - in their perfectly robotic font. Speaking of perfectly matched - how about that awesome robot paper from My Mind's Eye - works great with Buckley, hey?! Darn you, Peggy!

The Mojo Monday Sketch 133 is a contest because it's the first of the month, so get your entries over there! (Oh yeah - and I hope you had a wonderful Easter break/long weekend!)

Stamps: PWCO Tinheart Buckley
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Old Olive, MME Robots
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Navy Half Pearls, Nestabilities, Sponge, Dimensionals, Reused Ribbon from a Renaissance by Design order =)