Subdued Friday

Viva La Verve! It's Friday - and I'm on a roll. Two cards in a row =)

This card was created using the VLVJuly2010 Week 4 sketch and I took my inspiration from the colors in the fabulous towels. I swear I thought I had a stamp with that pattern of leaves, but I couldn't find such a thing. I did, however, discover an old SU set that was given to me, so I used that since it was a little closer than my original plan of using my Verve leaves.

According to MrP, this is one of his favorites that I've done. He likes the simple color and design. The Great Expectations set is perfect for the promotion that my coworker received. Unfortunately for me, I won't have the pleasure of his sense of humor around the office much longer. Mind you, I can handle no more teasing me about how my Patriots are going to suck this year, so maybe it's a fair trade off!

I have my cross country horse jumping clinic this weekend and I can't wait. I'm just working on a couple of ideas for the Verve Blog Hop on August 1st! Yahoo - Vervey goodness!

Enjoy your Friday - we're off to Capital Ex tonight for some carnie food and see if we can find some crazy people on rides =)

   

Stamps: Verve Great Expectations, Old SU set

Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Brocade Blue, Bordering Blue

Ink: Brocade Blue

Accessories: Blue Ribbon, Dimensionals, Nestabilities, Snow Half Pearls

A whole lotta colors for my first CC Color Challenge!

It's been a while since I played along with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and I made time to play along with MTSC84 this week! I also incorporated the Curtain Call Color Challenge Act 40 since my friend Marisa is one of the DT and I'm always blown away by her creations.

The color combo, I thought, would work for my coworker who's last day is Friday. When I finished, I had my doubts as to whether the card was too girly, but MrP assured me that he honestly didn't think so, even with the sparkley fluff on the

flower, so off it goes.

I used my new Verve set Always on My Mind and the sentiment fits since he's leaving to do the work he's been training to do for 30 years instead of half-settling, which I'm glad to see - for him, but sad for me since we worked so closely.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Stamps: Verve Always on My Mind

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red Textured, Kiwi Kiss & Tempting Turquoise

Ink: Real Red, Kiwi Kiss & Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: Spots & Dots EF, Red Rhinestones, Nestabilities, Paper Piercer, Sparkley Fluff in Cherry, Glue Stick

While great cyclists in France finished up their world famous tour this weekend, a lesser known event, took place. The Tour de l'Alberta took place in Morinville on Sunday and around 1000 cyclists took part in 20, 50, 100 and 185km bike rides in what is considered Alberta's largest recreational ride. It tours the French communities north of Edmonton and is put on by the Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club. I joined the club earlier this year and joined in the 100km Tour yesterday. What a great time!

I was a little concerned when I was reading on FB about the 20 and 50K likely being just fine for a mountain bike (which is what I have - with changed out semi-slick tires) and no mention of the 100km ride being recommended for a non-road bike. Well I was bound & determined I was going to do it - and luckily, I wasn't the only one. It is, afterall, supposed to be a recreational ride! So five hours later, with four rest stops, which included a lunch break, we completed 100kms of riding. Such a great feeling of accomplishment.

Here's the crazy exercise friend and I at our lunch break!

And when I got home...and fabulous treat. MrP had done up the cement blocks in front of the garage door without me. I was totally dreading that, but it turns out, now I don't have to. We have a little more landscaping to do, but with all the rain we've received, we've had no problems keeping the grass lush (mowing should've happened yesterday, but I was too tired, so I took the picture without it!) MrP did the brickwork for my little flower bed a few weeks back....I just love it!

I've got a couple of cards to make this week for coworkers - one who's moving on and another who's recent promotion is taking him to northern BC. Both of which have devastated me, so I figure I'll take out my frustrations in my craft area. =)

Be sure to check back soon!

Another Round of Blast from the Past

It's time for another Blast from the Past blog hop! Thanks for stopping by =)

At 11:30 last night, I was making the final touches on my card after a great riding lesson (this week - ON the horse) and when MrP came down, he said "Do you NEED to do that tonight?" Yes, I replied. I wanted to do it and I signed up - this ensures I'm using the stamps you so generously pay for..." and then no further questions. I guess I justified it - even if I was a little slow getting this card ready. I used the sketch by super talented Sankari as inspiration since I love a good starting point.

And I came up with this card for my sweet niece who visited me on the weekend and had the most adorable reactions to my cards in my craft area. "Ohhhhh...I can't wait to get this!!" (really - is there anything more rewarding for a simple paper crafter than a great reaction to your creations - even if they come from an almost four year old?!)

I can't wait to ship it out to her. It's got pink and sparkles.....while there's no butterflies, I know she's going to love it. I hadn't inked up TE's Fish in Love yet and I wanted to sparkle it up. I didn't have the fabulous Animal Love Sentiments that matched, so I partially inked up a sentiment from Berries & Cherries. I found these buttons in my latest Key Ingredients monthly subscription and I was thrilled to be able to use them on this card.

Be sure to stop by the rest of the blog hop participants - there's sure to be tonnes of eye candy with all those TE goodies.

How's she goin'?

It's my turn as host over at The Sisterhood of Crafters today and I hope you'll join in our manly challenge - because I'm offering up a $5 gift certificate to FireCracker Designs in hopes that you'll be able to snag yourself some of these fun images by Bonibleaux Designs....that's right - our very own Boni Boutelle-Jones!

It's been a while since I colored a digi - like a week! Wait - it's been a week since I had such fun creating my last Sisterhood challenge card and I haven't been able to find much time to craft. Between landscaping, falling off the horse, household chores and everything else. Wait - you noticed that falling business, hey?! I may have failed to mention that to MrP, who finds my horse jumping a little unnerving. It's the first fall I've had in the year and a half that I've been taking lessons at my barn, though, so I'm figuring it was about time. Anyways, a few bumps & bruises, but nothing a visit to the chiropractor and massage therapist won't improve. My goal is to get more stamping time, but the summer sure is quickly zipping by.

I made this card for a friend who's been feeling under the weather and the sentiment inside says "Feel Better Soon". We always make hillbilly jokes so it seemed fitting - as soon as I saw the image, I knew who I wanted to make the card for. I loosely based it on Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge (#82) for this week.

Stamps: Bonibleaux Designs Hillbilly Straw

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, More Mustard, DP

Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Twine, Eyelet, Nestabilities, computer generated sentiment

Be sure to check out what the other ladies have done over at the Sisterhood. Then give a manly card a shot for a little winning potential!

A Delicious Doodle to Get Mojo Going!

I loved the new Mojo 146 sketch and thought it would easily combine with what I had planned for this week's challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters. Our challenge was to celebrate the month with the fleur of the month...a waterlily or delphinium. Since Teri has some gorgeous flower sketches, I used her Delphinium, which I've adored in the creations she's made with it. Can you believe she drew this?! So talented!

This is my second somewhat failed attempt at the Nestabilities Out of the Box and I'm incredibly frustrated with having cut it incorrectly yet again, but I do love the end result of this card. I used Teri's trick and once I'd colored the flower, I color copied it (shhhh! I did it at work!) then I cut out the original in painstaking detail to be the top dimension.

My sentiment is one that my sweet and super talented friend Laural sent in a package of goodies a couple of weeks back that I haven't gotten around to trying out until now...thanks Laural!

Head over to the Sisterhood - Diane's got a fun prize this week and the lucky winner could be you!

    

Stamps: Delphinium from Delicious Doodles, Verve Heartfelt Greetings 

Paper: Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Perfect Plum, Going Gray, Basic Gray, DP

Ink: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum

Accessories: Pencil Crayons, Gamsol, Wild Wasabi Ribbon, Sponges, Swiss Dots EF, Dimensionals                        

I'm alive!

Just in case anyone suspected otherwise (and contrary to how I felt last week, which I've not passed over to poor MrP).

I survived June (and the first bit of July)!!

I wrote my final exam for Financial Accounting on June 25th (and I'm in no rush to take any more online courses any time soon since I was reminded how poor of a student I can be). I suspect I did well enough on the exam to satisfy my somewhat high standards (I was aiming for a 90+ average). I should know within the next three weeks.

I completed the 15K Canada Day Road Race with two fabulous women and then two days later, biked 60K in the Pigeon Lake Pedal with one of 'em. Love ya Swillsey!

Last night, after pedis with my exercise buddy, was my first lesson back with my favorite little red bull energized pony and he didn't disappoint. The crazy horse almost lost me over a jump, then continued on and figure since I was still aboard, we'd aim for the next jump. Silly Zeus. Don't you know I'm somewhat in charge?! Turns out the Level 3 (2'6 +) jumping might be just what I needed to kick my butt.

And this morning, I started some coloring on the most beautiful flower that one of the super talented ladies, Teri, a sister of mine at The Sisterhood of Crafters sketched. It's going to be on my Sisterhood card that I'll be posting tomorrow. I'm hoping I can do it and the Mojo sketch justice in a little challenge combo. Be sure to come back tomorrow and check it out, along with the other lovely creations of the super talented ladies in The Sisterhood. I'm hoping this starts me back into the crafting realm after what feels like a long hiatus from somewhat regular posts!

Oh yes - and I golfed 18 holes....

if you can call doing this for the most part 'golfing' =)

Hello arms...meet a rowing machine in the near future.