Viva La Thank You Week (almost!)

Well this card was completely necessary as a Thank You for a wonderful birthday gift and how suitable that the recipient was the sketch designer =)

Using Maureen's VLV May Week 2 sketch, and the Inkspirations Color Challenge #70, I came up with this card. I didn't have Blushing Bride, but used my Pink Pirouette instead as it was the closest I had. A little stitching, dry embossing and liquid pearls added to the butterfly were the less obvious details. The Thank You was stamped on the Perfect Plum, then layered in Vellum, which I colored over the text with my Spica to add some sparkle.

I knew I wasn't going to be able to make it for the color challenge since I wanted it to be received before I posted (although I'm not sure that has happened, I can't wait any longer to get them posted for the VLV challenge ends), but I was happy that it'll get me closer to finishing up the Viva La Verve sketches for the month!

Our trip out to Barrhead for the 4-H sale was productive and not nearly as traumatic as the last one I made. This year, I purchased a steer from what I've decided might be the coolest young guy ever - he had a Red Angus steer the color of BBQ sauce and named him Scrumptious! He assured us we made a great purchase and were getting ourselves a great piece of meat. I appreciate all those kids do, but wow - this kid was a fabulous salesman to top it off=)

Birthday Viva

The sketch for Viva La Verve's May Week 4 just screamed to be used as MrP's birthday card, so here is what I came up with. I used just a touch of bling (rhinestones, liquid pearls to the cake and some glitz to the flames) and some twine to add a little something something, but I hope he likes it. He'll get it tomorrow before his birthday supper.

He's asked for no gifts and instead - just a supper out at a restaurant of his choice tomorrow - but we found out about a local foodie event and I got it as MrP's gift. So on Saturday night, one of the local 'chains', Century Hospitality Group, had their Top Chef finale competition. It started with 16 contestants, young Cooks and Sous Chefs from their five restaurants, and they cooked their way down to two. The finale entailed the young chefs cooking for not only the four judges, as previous levels, but a group of sixty other ticket-purchasing guests, as well. We had a fabulous time - and though our nominee wasn't the winner (her appy and dessert were far superior, but I guess the other attendees held her entree against her?! Or they just loved the young redhead, Ben!), we wined & dined and hope to attend in the future if they continue with the competition.

I was out for 5.5K of running on Friday, followed by 28K of biking and my Achilles was doing well, so I followed that up with a 33K ride in Devon on Saturday and a 6K run yesterday and I question whether it's healed up even stronger because it didn't give me an ounce of trouble. Maybe all those stretches & exercises I've been following from the physiotherapist are working =) Tomorrow is 5K and Wednesday is back for my *hopefully* last physio appointment. In less than two weeks, I'll participate in my second MS Bike Tour - about 165kms of riding in two days. Yay! In the meantime (today) I'll be taking the night off, buying a 4-H steer on behalf of my company. Hopefully this year it won't result in tears like the sale two years ago - for the seller or the buyer ;)

Have a wonderful Monday!

Mojo 191 Wedding Wishes

What a fabulous day! Started it with a 5.5km run, followed up with a 33.5km bike ride. When I got home, I had a lovely shower and went to my craft area to make a card for the wedding we're heading off to soon. In the time I was playing with the Mojo 191 Sketch, it had a nice shower outside, so let's hope it stays nice out for tomorrow with just thunderstorms in the evening.

Using their wedding invite (she's a crafty little diva) as my color inspiration, I whipped up this card to present their gift. I hope they like it =) Embossing and shimmery paper (both white & silver) are both inspired by the invite. I think the Mojo sketch worked perfectly with some previously uninked Verve!

Yesterday was my niece's second birthday and I whipped up a cake for it, but oh my....the icing colors I had were solidified, so I had to add some glycerine, but my first two colors had not been coming  back together well, so I was generous with the flesh tone and let's just say...Latina Tinkerbell was born. Personally, I think she looked like she'd been fake & bake tanning with her orange-y glow, but she tasted alright, so I'm not going to give it any more worry =)

We have a long weekend (yay for a super short work week with Monday and Friday off this week), so I'm hoping to get some crafting time in...I'm hopelessly behind on some Thank You cards!

I hope my Canadian friends are enjoying their long weekends, too. Have a lovely Sunday =)

 

Another Mother

Well I had all week to make MrP's mom's card since he's driving out to visit her today, so I waited until the last minute of course! Using the Mojo Monday Sketch 190, I put this card together and I love how the colors came together. I got to use some new Verve and some as yet uninked Verve...love new stuff.

 Chelsey & I went to an Introduction to Copics class yesterday, so I picked up a Spica Glitter Pen...and realized that my other pen isn't one...LOL. What a goof I am. This is such an awesome pen - doesn't change the color at all unlike my other glitter pen. Woohoo!

I'll try to get some pics of my colored elephant to show you my attempts at coloring...which I'm actually kinda proud of =)

I got clearance to run/walk the 5K event today, but rather than drive 45 minutes north to participate in it, I'm just going to do my own thing today. I picked up my 10K race package on Friday and it was a heck of a drive, plus a zoo to park so I'm happily going to chill out and then check out some handmade goods at the Make It Fair with a friend and her young daughter.

Have a fabulous day!

Sparkle it up with a Thank You!

This week, Karen had a fabulous sketch (SSSC116) and a beautiful sample, so I couldn't help but be inspired. If I had some of those bling swirls, it would have perfectly finished this card. Alas, it was too late to pick some up by the time I got around to finishing this card up.

Using up some old DP and colors (Blue Bayou), I absolutely love the color combination from Spring Break (it has the Blue Bayou, Old Olive and some zingy Pumpkin Pie), so I did up this card with that in my mind. Also, I blinged it up because this week's challenge at the Sisterhood of Crafters was Sparkle!

Now this is where that bling-dazzle would've really come in handy! Instead, I added the rhinestones, highlighted the middle "Thank You" in sakura gel pen and outlined the nestie with some glitter gel from Close to My Heart that I ordered recently. That lovely font? It's from Inside & Out : Thank You from my fabulous friend Karin but with the size of this card (5.5x5.5), it's being hand delivered locally =)

Be sure to try your hand at the Sketch and the Sparkle Challenge and let me know when you do so I can see your creation!

Something new

Anyone wanna take a guess at what's new? I bought myself a little crafting present for my birthday in April and while it hasn't been used much and I have lots to learn, I'm loving playing =)

I used last week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 115 for the layout and a color combo from last week's Moxie Fab World Trigger Tuesday to creat this card for one of my barn girls who just graduated from University. It's not too girly but it sticks with the sketch and colors =)

One more day to physio update....yahoo! Fingers crossed for Sunday - two weeks behind in my long runs and I feel like I'm a month behind already.

Happy Mother's Day!

I claim NO brilliance for this card...it was completely CASE'd and supremely inspired by Andrea's card. I loved what she'd done with her PTI and while I didn't have those flowers, I thought my Verve might do the trick in a similar fashion. I used Barely Banana & So Saffron, plus White and Kraft - I'm pretty sure hers are in lovely, vibrant PTI but I did give it my best color shot ;)

Anyways, I took my mom out for lunch today and gave this to her (which she loved!) We shared some laughs and great food, then make a trip to Mountain Equipment Co-op for my work and finally, a sweet ending at Crave Cupcakes.

Still no running, but I was able to go biking yesterday and had a fabulous 47km ride on my new bike. My achilles felt the exercise, but it's not painful, so I'm hoping I'll get the all clear to start running on Wednesday, as I have a 10K run on Sunday. *fingers crossed*

Finally, to all my fabulous Mother friends....HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Starting with some ThanQs

It really is true - there's nothing a little crafting time can't cure. Take me, for example. Since I'm not supposed to be running, I've been using my time to do a little playing around in my craft area. Moreover, I'm actually getting started on my Thank You cards! My visit to the physical therapist was very productive and as it turns out, it is my Achilles tendon and the surrounding muscles that are too tight, so I have 3x daily stretches, plus strength exercises every second day, daily icing and no running at least until I see her again on Friday.

In the meantime, I picked up some stamps and new Verve goodies to create this fun card using the Mojo 189 sketch and the latest ColorQ challenge.

My PTI felt got a first cut, too - the top layer of my flower is felt! It seemed to match my Groovy Guava paper well (which was my replacement for Peach Parfait since I don't own it) I think it's Melon Berry felt. The colors I used were the same except the Daffodil Delight (substituted So Saffron) and Peach Parfait (substituted Groovy Guava). I went over the sentiment (which was a fabulous freebie with an order - thanks Julee!) with my sakura gel pen to give it a nice shimmer.

Getting back into some craft time

And I loved it....but what I did not love was the reason why...I have an injury. Not sure how it happened or when - I've had some tenderness in the last couple of weeks but it's fine after rest...until now. On Friday night, I had to sit down and ice my ankle area instead of helping MrP get the house ready for the party.

The ol' Google suspects it may be achilles tendonitis, but I'm going to see if I can get into a physiotherapist asap for an appraisal. I was not happy about having to sit out this week's long run and it makes me even more depressed to think I may be sidelined any longer. We'll see how it goes.

Anyways, now that I'm done whining, I did enjoy my crafting time and had to use my super sweet To The Moon set by Verve for another baby card that I'm planning on shipping off tomorrow to my cousin along with a little something something to prepare her for her soon to arrive first son.

I used the first new Viva La Verve May 2011 Challenge Sketch and the Color Challenge #230 from SCS - Certainly Bashful Breezes.

MrP liked this baby card much better than the last one, so I'll take it as a win =)

Finally, I wanted to share the most awesome organization gift that Chelsey gave me for my birthday...a storage unit that holds ink, reinkers AND markers. I only filled a few in to show since it has yet to be mounted, but holy man....I love it! Thanks, Chels!!