Enjoy The Journey

Maybe it's just me, but I thought the VivaLaVerve September 2011 Week 4 Sketch was TERRIFYING! Where my friend Marisa used to find skewed panels stressful, I found these darn olive panels made me a little crazy. I did, however, persevere and I think it works for this somewhat manly card that I'm giving to my coworker who's leaving.

He's so sweet - he told me he thinks I missed my calling - that I should be making cards rather than working here. Unfortunately, making cards doesn't pay the bills. I'll miss him, so I wanted to be sure he knew it. I tucked a little Tim Card into it so he can keep up his 2/morning coffee fix for a couple days into his new job.

I stitched! Yes, it's sad, but I am proud of myself and my little bit of stitching I managed to do for this card. I haven't made time to get to know my machine at all, so I'm still working with a yellow-ish thread, but whatever....you wouldn't know if I didn't tell you ;)

So a little bit of spontaneity in our household on Wednesday...MrP called me after lunch and in the course of our conversation told me about a trip he heard on the radio that featured four nights in Chicago, a Blackhawks/Oilers hockey game and a charter bus to Green Bay for a Packers/Vikings Monday Night Football game. Well since neither of us wanted to say "no", we pulled our grown up unders on and signed up. So we'll have 11 days at home after San Francisco and Napa, then we'll be off to Chicago for Remembrance Day. YAHOOOOOOOOOO!

I've been eager for October for a while and now it's almost here...and I can't wait!

Birthday Blessings

I was quite intimidated by the VLVSept2011 Week 3 Sketch and so when I woke up at 4:20 without any prompting this morning, I knew it was time to take on the sketch (well, that and I wanted to get them all done!)

At the rate I'm going, it's going to be many years before I get to replenish any of my patterned paper stock - I still have so dang much of it. But I did get to use a little this morning - in the form of the Blue Bayou DSP that hasn't seen the light of day for a while. Although I guess technically it still hasn't since it's dark out. LOL

Anyways, I did this little last minute card up and I quite enjoy the color combination. I hope my sister in law will, too, as it's going to her on Saturday when the girls take her out for some birthday desserts.

Thanks for stopping by! I've got another card to show you tomorrow. Seriously.  ;)

Stamps: Verve Love Deepens
Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Groovy Guava, Blue Bayou, Blue Bayou DSP
Ink: Blue Bayou
Accessories: Felt, Nesties, Rhinestones, Edge Punch, Blue Bayou Ribbon, Flower Dies, Glue Dots, Button & String

Silhouettes at the Sisterhood

It's that time again. The Sisterhood's challenge this week is silhouettes. With alost no exceptions, all of my silhouette images are floral...and I've never even inked up this stamp before!

 So my Essence of Love stamp finally saw some ink, as did the sentiment, which is from Verve's Happy Hello. I sponged a little around the sentiment, pulled out this butterfly that I'd totally forgotten about and highlighted around it with a Spica Glitter Pen. The patterned papers were some old ones from my collection of neverending paper.

Get over to the Sisterhood and show us your best Silhouette creation!

Did I mention this was a Viva La Verve Sketch? Week 2 baby! I'm hoping to get all of them done by tomorrow. Yep - last minute as usual. LOL Seems sometimes the ol' mojo works best that way.

I haven't been around blogland much - been running, riding (bikes and horses), trying to get stuff done and the most time consuming, travelling for work. I'm really tired of Calgary =)

I'm hoping to get around more - and training up for a 10 miler right before we head off to San Francisco and Napa, which I'm almost counting down the days for now. I absolutely need a vacation!

I was really hoping this card would make it to it's intended receiver with plenty of time to spare, but life happened and now it won't make it for probably another few days, but at least the intent was there?! LOL

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Stamps: Verve Happy Hello, SU! Essence of Love
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Kraft, DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Versamark
Accessories: Black EP, Butterfly Punch, Nesties, Ribbon, Spica Glitter Pen

For the Birds...

The challenge over at The Sisterhood of Crafters this week is "For the Birds" - that's right - use birds on your creation! Well I needed a wedding card for a coworker's upcoming nuptuals that we will miss, but wanted to include some spending money for their Vegas getaway honeymoon. I figured the Vive La Verve September Sketch #1 was perfect for this, as I could tuck the cash inside without having to fold & jam it in.

So I used my favorite Verve Wedding set, Love Notes and used my latest purchase of Nesties (Labels 18), combined with my circle Nesties, and added Scarlet Jewel Luxe Satin Ribbon and some White Michaels Ribbon. A few Pearls and it was done.

The stamps were inked in Versamark before the Bravo Burgundy (since I don't have any Scarlet Jewel ink), then clear embossed to add some shine and richness. I love how it worked with the ribbon to really shine.

The colors were actually just chosen of my own accord and were taken in the spirit of the Just Add Ink #84 Challenge - white and a color of your choice. I chose Scarlet Jewel, which is a gorgeous, rich burgundy-esque red as you can see. I love it!

Hope you're having a fabulous week =) Please join in the Sisterhood challenge with your Bird creation!