Happy Birthday Karen

Well, I'm now at September birthdays as I scramble to get a bunch of cards done before Sarah's baby comes and I go babysit and before it's time to start my Christmas Cards.  I decided to try and increase traffic on my blog (!!) so I'm entering a contest, which was quite challenging --- this weekKraftin' Kimmie's designer, Dazzlin' Donna has challenged people to make a card with no embellishments --- which was much harder than I thought it would be.  I'm not sure about the hot pink die surrounding the image - but it can always be worse right!
Materials:  Stamp:  Kraftin' Kimmie; Spellbinder Dies; DP: DCWV - Taj Mahal Stack; Colour by Copic

Please leave a comment --- self-gratifying though it is!

FAMILY IS ANOTHER WORD FOR LAUNDRY

My sister used to have a stamp that said "Family is another word for Love" - I told her at the time it should be "Family is another word for laundry" -- so when I saw this Mo Manning Digital design I knew I had to have it!  I was going to put the sentiment on the front, but didn't have enough room to make it look reasonable, so it's going to have to go on the inside.  I got the clothes pins from a present I received last year.  I peeled off the things that were stuck to it, and used them as an embellishment.  I decided that since laundry was a day-in day-out task, I'd also put a little calendar on the front to reflect the endlessness of the task!  The destressed edges are also meant to leave the viewer with a subliminal message!
Materials:  Stamp:  Mo Manning; DP: Echo Park; Colour by Copic

Susan's Birthday Card

Ah, the famous Susan --- birthday at the end of July -- and gave me the opportunity to use this Carmen Medlin stamp.  I must say that I "borrowed" one of the ideas for some of the work on this card from the lovely Renkata who creates some truly beautiful cards.  Susan is a real "girly-girl" loves glitter and bling and fashion so I thought this would be perfect for her!
Materials:  Stamp:  Carmen Medlin; Sentiment: LOTV: DP: Prima Fairy Flora; Swirls: Sizzix; Spellbinder Dies; SU Punch - and of course Colour by Copic

Please feel free to leave me a comment - I'm getting kind of depressed because few people ever say anything.  Comment option below -- picture me looking like Puss in Shrek!

JOJO the Clown

My friend Maria recently had a couple of bad weeks at work --- her position was surplussed, and while she will definitely land on her feet because she's extremely smart and talented, nobody likes to be in a position of uncertainty.  I feel terrible for her, and between trying not to accidentally make her feel worse (!) and wanting to influence her (rather shamelessly) to stay, it's been a rough couple of weeks.  I chose a clown image to cheer her up - and thing it might work, especially since it isn't one of those freaky/menacing clowns!
Materials:  Image - Digital image by Mo Manning - Jojo the Clown; Flowers by Prima; Glittery Brad: SU: Colour by Copic - markers and Spica glitter pens

Challenge #77 - Ribbons

This week's Crazy Challenge sponsor is Sassy Studios and the challenge is ribbons. This image is called - Hallowe'en - Sassy Mummy.   Initially I thought I'd cover each of the bindings on the mummy with ribbons but that proved too tedious - which left me wondering how to incorporate ribbons because I really liked the image .... hence the ribbons at the bottom - the "lotus" ribbon and the two ribbon tabs at the top!  Oh well, it's the thought that counts right!
Materials:  Stamp:  Sassy  Studios; DP: SU: CS: SU: Hieroglyphics found at some site on the internet; Nestabilities by Spellbinder; Colour by Copic

Kieras 4th Birthday

My next door neighbour's granddaughter comes to visit her Nanny quite frequently, and when she's visiting now feels that my house is part of the package!  She is a real cutie and lots of fun so I decided last hear to include her in my card packages I send to my own grandchildren.  And, as always, for the kids, I hide a twonie on the front of the card - in this case it's under the little bear.

Materials:  Stamp:  Kraftin' Kimmie; DP: SU: Spellbinder Dies; Glittery flower from the Buck Store; Ribbon by Bow Easy and Colour by Copic

Sarah and Steve's 10th Anniversary

On August 4, my eldest daughter Sarah and her husband Steve celebrate their 10th anniversary.  The 4th is also the day that their second daughter is due so it could well be an extra special day.  In acknowledgement of the little arrival, I made a card with 4 frogs in it --- 2 adults - a Mom and Dad; a little girl -- with brown hair which I drew in and didn't turn out all that well, and a baby girl.  I hope she recognizes the significance of all the frogs!
Materials:  Stamp:  Kraftin' Kimmie; DP: CTMH: Corners by Sizzix; Spellbinder Die; and Colour by Copic

Happy Birthday Sandra

One of my colleagues/counterparts in Southern Ontario celebrates a birthday this month, so I have made her a card.  I know she has a little dog, although I don't know what colour he is, so hope that she'll recognize the sentiment behind the image, if not an exact replica of her life!

Materials:  Stamp:  LOTV: DP: CTMH: CS: CTMH: Flowers by Prima; Spellbinder Dies; Colour by Copic - including ribbon colour.

#76 - Christmas in July

This week's Challenge at  the Crazy Challenge  is Christmas in July and is sponsored by the Stamping Boutique. This cute little penguin is one of the older images, but I thought it was so cute I had to do it!

Materials:  Stamp: The Stamping Boutique; Sentiment: SU: DP: SU: CS: SU; Colour by Copic; Spellbinder Dies

Thank you Mrs. Murphy

One of my colleagues at work treated a few of us last week to a chicken wing extravaganza, courtesy of her Mom who gave her some coupons to use!  It was great, and we really appreciated it, so I figured I'd make a card from us to her, thanking her for her generosity.
Materials:  Stamp:  WhipperSnapper; Sentiment: SU: DP: SU: CS: SU: Colour by Copic - Nestabilities by Spellbinder

Thankful Golfer

My friend Susan - about whom I write fairly frequently - recently commissioned a card she can give to a friend, thanking him for arranging a fabulous day on the golf course.  Luckily, I have lots of golfing stamps and figured this one would be perfect!  Susan is always very complimentary about my cards so I think she'll like it, and if not, she'll have the courtesy to lie!

Materials:  Stamp:  WhipperSnapper; Sentiment: SU;  DP: CTMH: CS: SU; Nestabilities by Spellbinder Grand Calibre; Colour by Copic

Happy Anniversary John

It's hard to believe that on July 15, John and I will have been living together for 29 years!  Where does the time go.  The great thing is that we are still friends -- I truly like him, aside from loving him of course.  I bought this stamp with our anniversary in mind.  I hope he doesn't think I think he's old!

Materials:  Stamp:  Mo Manning; DP: CTMH: Sentiment: Ippity; Colour by Copic

Crazy Challenge #75 - Summertime

This is my first post for the Crazy Challenge as I have recently been selected as a new member of the Design Team...Let's see if it's as fun as I think it will be!  Anyway, our sponsor this week is Hobbisimo which is a craft supply outlet -  I decided to use a Kraftin' Kimmie image I haven't had a chance to do yet.  I had originally made this card for someone, and it wasn't needed, so it's been sitting patiently in my stash!
Materials:  Stamps:  Kraftin' Kimmie and Stampscapes; Colour by Copic; Brad by Eyelet Outlet

Sophie's Non-Birthday

One of my colleagues, who is slightly younger than me, advised me this year that she was no longer having birthday's!  That's just crazy talk as far as I'm concerned --- what's not to love?  So what you're a year older --- I consider that to be a badge of survival!! So, I chose this cute little stamp for her image -- a grumpy little girl.  I think it will make her laugh!
Materials:  Stamp:  LOTV: Spellbinder Dies; DP: SU: Glitter by Stickles; Colour by Copic

Happy Anniversary Debby & Jim

My sister who is also my friend, my teacher and my inspiration, and her husband will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, so I wanted to make something special --- and I thought and thought --- it occurs to me that choosing an image for an anniversary is not always easy.   So I settled on this Magnolia - Love News image --- hope she can read the fine print!  I accidentally got a small blob of brown ink on the image after I had coloured it, hence the little flower on the bottom right --- I drew it in so nobody'd see the blob!
Materials:  Stamp - Magnolia; DP: K&Company; CS: SU: Flowers by Prima; Spellbinder Die; Colour by Copic

Happy Birthday Sweet Megan

My youngest daughter turns 32 on the 9th of July - and finally after I don't even know how many years we are actually going to get to see her on her day!  She, her boys, my eldest daughter, her husband and her daughter, my husband and I (yes a long list) are all going to Marine Land on the 8th -- seeing the sights and celebrating Megan's birithday.  This Carmen Medlin stamp is beautiful, just like Megan, and I always think of blue when I think of her, so I hope she'll like it!

Materials:  Stamp:  Carmen Medlin; DP: SU: CS: SU: Flowers by Prima; Bow by Boweasy - Colour by Copic

Home Sweet Home

My niece Dominique and her boyfriend Brad have just purchased a house and moved in on June 30 --- big step for both of them!  I wasn't quite sure what she/they would need, so took the unimaginative way out and am just giving money.  I'm glad I got to use these chair stamps because I just love them.  I think it was a good image for their card as well!

Materials:  Stamps and Sentiment: CTMH: DP: K&Company; Colour by Copic; Spellbinder Die