Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Pia Puddingtop makes her way onto a card

I've said this before, but I MUST say it again....the Stamping Bella Christmas stamps are my favorite of all the xmas images that have come out this year. Can't wait to get my inky fingers on snowfight, Kell at Pickle tells me she should have it in this week!

The first time I saw her I just knew I wanted to pair her with this piece of Basic Grey Fruitcake paper that I have been hoarding since last year. If you can't tell from the pic, the little berry on her muffin top head is accented with a dot of liquid pearls, her ornament has a nice thick coating of Ranger glossy accents and of course there is glitter! My mom says EVERY Christmas card needs glitter! Now that I think of the Fruitcake paper, I should use the Rubber City Rubberworks sentiment that says "friends don't give friends fruitcake"....bahahahahaha....thanks Shannan for reminding me about those fab sentiments that I forgot I had!

The Martha Stewart punch is one that Paula snatched up for me at 40% off and I finally got to use it! Thanks Paula!

Here is hoping you don't have to actually EAT any Fruitcake this holiday season! (I hate fruitcake!)

Monday, September 29, 2008

I'm feeling a trend coming on!

That would be a crisp white snowflake cuttlebug card with an image that has a splash of color. I did it with Elzybelle and today I am doing it with Stella. Now Elzy is definitely cute, but Stella is ME...i think if she could walk and talk she would be me! I was even presented with a crown and a wand once at work! LOL!!!!!! And when I had something to say, I would put them on. NO...I don't work at Zappo's or Google, I work at a 100 year old natural gas utility company...but we were on a very long stressful project a couple years ago this was one of our ways to lighten the moment!

Enough of my weird work moments, on to the card. I love this stella....again, she is sooooooooo me! EVERY year, I put up the tree, mostly by myself...when my boys were little they LOVED to help and it was like a race to the finish, but now that they are grown, they're not too interested. And EVERY year I struggle with those DANG lights! Actually a couple years ago I got so frustrated that the tree sat for an entire week with half of it covered in lights and the rest of the lights laying on the floor. It never fails, there will be one light that is a dud and I have to pull every light out, and stick in a good one to find out the bad one. That dreadful year I enlisted my dad's help to find the rotten light. He is retired, as such he has more time and patience for things like this! Now I was not good at replacing burnt out lights in a timely manner, and according to dad, that was my problem. NOW as soon as I see a light is even going dim, I replace it!

So today, i introduce you to me, er uh, Stella....tangled in lights!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

The Kitchen Reno

A few people have asked me lately to see pics of the kitchen reno that sucked my money and energy for the better part of the spring. Well, here it is. There are only a couple things left to do and that is to make a roman blind for the window over the sink and a fabric covered peg board for over the desk. When I ordered the dinette set I ordered extra fabric that matches the chairs so I'll make those things myself, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

So here is the tour.

As you enter the kitchen, this is the view to the left and to the right.

This is my desk, and since I don't have a room or a studio, or even a corner of a family room somewhere, I work primarily in the kitchen. So the cabinet next to the desk holds my most used craft items.



This little hallway with new side door and new access to the garage as well as the bathroom are all new. They used to be part of the garage.

The window in the bathroom used to be the door from the garage to the backyard. Now if you want to get to the garage from the backyard you must go around to the front, or scoot in thru that side door. Since I rarely go into the garage from the backyard, it wasn't a big issue for me! And since our house only had one bathroom, it was worth the trade-off!

The next picture is the view from the side door into the kitchen. I gotta say, I REALLY love this side door, EXCEPT for the late afternoon the sun that beats in there and heats up the kitchen. I may have to break down and get a blind on the window there as much as I don't want to. Even though I am only looking at my neighbor's house, I do like the door window to be bare. But the weather will be cooler soon so it won't be an issue until next summer.
I also got a glass top made for the table. Since there is such a dark stain on the wood i knew one scratch would be deadly, plus, since i use my copics, gamsol, paint and whatever on there, I wanted it to be protected. That little cabinet in the corner is my Best Craft Organizer. It holds my most used stamps, embellishments, embossing powders, glitter, you name it! One day I'll be able to move it out of the kitchen but I gotta stop feeding cheese to those boys of mine so they'll leave!

My favorite thing in the kitchen HAS to be the Jenn-air exhaust hood and the GE Profile gas range. When we moved here, 20 years ago, there wasn't even a range hood. We added one, but it never vented to the outside and I tell ya, it really limited my cooking experience. This baby will suck the hair off your head. A couple weeks ago I made blackened filet mignon's and Mark kept going out the side door and telling me how good it smells out there! LOL! Yet another reason why my boys won't leave! I must admit though, those steaks WERE good, I even impressed myself!

If you look closely at this picture, beyond the fridge you see the dining room. On the left is a chair and a china cabinet. On the other side of that wall is the living room. Phase II of the reno is to knock out that wall so the dining room and living room will be more open. That phase should begin in about a month because i wanted it done before Christmas. I CANNOT wait for that!

So folks, that's the tour! And I must say that when I look at these pic's it looks MUCH larger than it really is. It's not small, but not quite as large as these pics make it look. And....since it took me a couple hours to get these pic's together and type this up, there was no time for stamping this afternoon! Oh well, one thing at a time!

Friday, September 26, 2008

iTunes Joy!

I grew up in the era of alternative music in the early 80's. Most are bands that didn't have a long life, but had some great songs. There are some songs and bands that I remember well and others that just lurk in my head but I can't exactly remember the name of the song or the band.
(chalk that up to be dangerously close to 50!)

Enter iTunes Genious! I am in 80's alternative rock HEAVEN! You need an iTunes account to use it (which I already have...need you ask!) and if you have even ONE oldie in your iTunes library that you just LOVE, click on it and the genious comes up on the right hand side and basically says...Hey!...you might like THIS....or THIS...or THIS! IT IS FABULOUS!

I've spent the last couple hours listenting (and buying!) songs that have been just lurking in my head for decades!

I'm in my happy music place! Next order of business will be to make a new playlist that has a good walking beat for me and the pooch!

Cheers! Linda!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Stamping for a cause

I know I've been MIA for the last few days, but I was teaching a class at Pickle this week so between cutting cardstock and teaching I lost a couple nights. Then last night i caught up on some blog reading and hit the sack early.

On to today's card. A few days ago I mentioned Cammie's Heart to Heart blog giveaway to acknowledge caregivers and support Alzheimer's. Even if you don't participate, just read her post, it will truely move you! I also said I rarely participate in blog giveaways, but all week this has just stuck with me. I imagined cards rolling in to the staff at the Artman Home and I just had to do it and be part of it. So this is my card and I hope it brings a smile to some faces who really deserve a smile!

Cammie, my card is in the mail! Kudos to you!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Penny Black Brush Stroke

My mom called and needed a sympathy card. I have a couple preferences when I make sympathy cards...i like them to be soft, serene and simple, I don't know why, but I like to use pink or soft grey and it must always have a bit of embossing in silver or platinum. And, I tend to use Penny Black brushstroke images. Don't ask me why I do this, but I do.

So this morning out came Penny Black Allegro, my beloved PSX Platinum embossing powder. As you must know PSX is not around anymore, but their embossing powders were my favorite so I use what I have left sparingly. I used my stampin up markers to color the image on the stamp, spritzed it with water and stamped, then I added just a teeny bit of Hero Arts glitter (thanks Paula...i LOVE this stuff).

On a final note, which sadly, is somewhat related to sympathy...have you all seen the post on Cammie's blog today! She has enlisted all her stamping friends and stamp companies to contribute to a GINORMOUS blog candy giveaway to support Alzheimer's. I'm fortunate to not have had to deal with this in my own family, but I have several friends who have been caregivers to various friends or family members and it is extremely difficult and emotional for them. So, although I rarely participate in blog candy giveaways, I may just join in this one to honour those caregivers.

Friday, September 19, 2008

A Note of Thanks

No card, sorry!

I just wanted to say over the last few days I have had soooooo many wonderful comments on my blog about my cards...a lot from people who have just 'found' me and a lot from my faithful regulars. It is making me so happy!...I wish you could see me smiling!

My goal with this blog is to inspire you, keep you stamping, try new things, and keep my creative juices going. I hope I can achieve all that!

Thank you all so much!
Linda.

The Greatest Thing about Stamping

This is sort of an extension of my Stampers are Fun post, but the greatest thing about stamping is the people I have met....just to name a SMALL few...Emily, Nicky, Dena, Pauline, Lynn, Paula, Dana, Mary and Janine.

If you read my blog you know that last weekend I went to Michigan to visit the UBER talented Paula and her friends. Well, if you don't know by now Paula is a DT member for MFT and Elzybells. When I was there we did some swaps and this is one of the images I got from Paula...it is an Elzybelle direct from the UK...holy COW...the UK images are HUGE!!!!!!!!!! some of them won't even fit into my spellbinders! At first that sort of saddened me, but as a girl who LOVES to color, I got over it real fast.

Colouring these GINORMOUS UK elzys reminds me of colouring when I was a kid. Do you remember colouring maps in public school...every country was a different colour and you would outline the continents in little short strokes of blue to represent water! I LOVVVEDDDD colouring those maps! i'm so NOT a geography buff, but I sure did like to color maps! That love of colouring has stuck with me forever and when i found the craft of stamping I knew this was for me! As I look at this Elzy pulling her sleigh, that blue halo reminds me of the short precise strokes I would use to color the water around the continents.

For those who are new to my blog, I am not so much into layouts, definitely not into altering things, just LOVE to color!!!! I hope you my first Elzy!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Tulips in Fall???

Yes, I know I really should keep the tulip stuff for spring...but I couldn't help myself! My mom needed some Birthday and Anniversary cards and flowers are always so appropriate! This is an Artful Stamper image that I bought in Novi. It's not a latest and greatest release, actually when I showed it to Pauline she said...WOW...that's an old one. Old or not, it's new to me, I thought it was pretty and knew my Mom would love it. I stamped it in versafine, embossed it in silver and water coloured it with my Tombow markers. Looking thru my stash of paper I came across this one that Paula brought when she was visiting in July and it couldn't have been more perfect! It reminds me of vintage wallpaper.

I've coloured up a couple more Stamping Bella holiday stamps the last couple days so hopefully I'll find some creative juices to get them made into a card in the next few days! Until I get those done, enjoy the tulips and let's hope for a nice long stretch of beautiful fall weather.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Are you thinking about Christmas yet?

Well I am!

Every year in September when the kids go back to school I start thinking about the Christmas cards I will do this year. Sadly, I end up thinking for a very long time and don't actually get to them until mid November..LOL! The first year I sent hand made cards I made a variety, since then I have picked one design and mass produced them. This year I think I'll do a variety again since I have so many Christmas stamps I love I want to use them all.

Among my very fav's this year are the new Stella's and Chichi's that I got last week from Emily. Polly Packages was the first one I coloured up with my new Lyra's and gamsol and I used SCS sketch challenge SC193 for the layout. There is almost something vintage looking about her...maybe it's those big boots...but I think that is why I love her so much because I adore vintage Christmas images!

Can't wait to get my other's inked up!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Stampers are just too much fun!

Yesterday Pauline and I took a trip to the Novi, Michigan area to catch up with our stamping sisters Paula, Mary and Dana. We hit Archivers, Scrappy Chic, and Stampeddler. It was competitor coupon day at Scrappy Chic and Paula had coupons for everyone so Pauline and I each got ourselves the Clip it Up base unit. Now, the funny thing is that I don't know where I'm gonna put it so at the moment it is making a very unique centerpiece on my dining room table. LOL!!!! Oh ya...we also went to Meijers and between Pauline and I we bought 2 dozen cans of Bush's Baked Beans!!!! They don't sell them in Canada and I've never had them myself but I've been told they are the best baked beans ever! Not only are stampers fun, but they are honest...so if they say Bush's beans are best, I trust them!

After our little shopping binge we headed to Mary's and she had a wonderful luncheon laid out for us. I think Mary is a closet Martha...she had an apple themed menu going on that included apple/cream cheese squares on crescent rolls, apple bread, apple, fennel and smoked turkey salad, apple/caramel desert and apple ice tea! COULD YOU JUST DIE!!!! My mouth just watered typing this!

After stuffing our faces we got down to business. I brought my Bella Binda, Paula and Mary had their stash of Elzybelles and Pauline brought her Sunshine Designs. We got out the papah and ink and got down to stamping. Then we got down to some serious colouring. We each pulled out our fav mediums, me and my copics, Paula and her pencils and Pauline and her tombows. I tell ya...creativity was just a flowin' in that room!

Finally since it was a VERY busy week for me with pickle class midweek, and some painful heel problems early in the week I was unable to get out and get Mary an appropriate hostess gift...but one thing I was able to do was make her a card and this is what I brought. Yet another Stamping Bella image that I have had for ages but has never seen ink. So Mary, you got the very first one!

Can't wait to see my sistah's again...we talked about our next get together, but never came up with a date. We do know it will be in Canada and we will be heading to London to visit Stamp Art, Stamp Shack and Scrapbook Studio! WhooHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, September 12, 2008

The Biggest form of flattery!

Hi everyone...long post so get comfy...I know I've been MIA for the last few days but had to prep for my card class at Pickle on Wednesday, then headed to Windsor last night for a Costco run.

Anyhow...enough excuses I'll get on with it! I had the best bunch of ladies at Pickle on Wednesday night, after taking the summer off it was so much fun to see all the regular faces back, plus a new one! I asked all my ladies if they would let me take a pic of class, but you know how we alllll dislike ourselves in pics so I said I would blog about them instead! So for everyone who was there on Wednesday...I felt like a proud mom because everyone's card reflected their individual style and turned out just beautiful.

Here are the cards I am teaching in this current session of classes. Our theme is to use background stamps...I KNOW we all have TONS of patterned paper but we probably also have a TON of unused background stamps. So this class focused on using those stamps and NO patterned paper.

This first card uses a Penny Black stamp for the main image, embossed in gold and what I call 'faux watercoloured' with Tombows. The background was done with a Hero Arts Stamp and VersaChalk ink. The class had various backgrounds to choose from for their design, and a couple different ink colors. I tell ya....each one was totally phenom!

The second card emphasised on acetate. We created a card 'with a view' to the inside and incorporated distress inks and distress embossing powder.

Now for the best part. My BFF Pauline send me an eCard from SCS last night and I almost died! IT WAS A VARIATION OF A CARD FROM CLASS!!!! Betty was so inspired she did up the card in a couple different variations and I must say, both are SPECTACULAR! Betty, this is the most sincere form of flattery and I am so thrilled! You can view her gallery here.

On a final note...see I said it was gonna be a long post (that's what happens when I don't blog for a few days)...tomorrow Pauline and I are on our way to Novi to hook up with Paula. I'm sooooooo excited I won't be able to sleep! I'll be packin' up my bellas, pencils, copics and whatever else I can think of.

I love stampers!

Monday, September 8, 2008

As promised, I present Patricia Birthdaycake!

Do you love her? I do!


You can't tell from the pic, but I chalked the edges with pale yellow Pebbles Pearlescent chalk...gives a nice little subtle glitter and blends in so pretty with the yellow paper. I went back to copics on this image because although I'm busy honing my pencil skills, I certainly don't want to neglect my beloved copics!

Not much else going on here, there was a lot of wedding talk at work today and that was fun. They have gone to Barbados for their honeymoon so fortunately, they are south enough that they are out of the way of the hurricanes. I took my little fur baby Bessie with me after work to go feed Matt's cat and they played nicely. I feel sorry for little Jimbo having to stay all by himself because he is so social...I'd bring him home with me for the next week but Mark has threatened me on that one so I won't push my luck! So I'll go visit him every other day, bring a playmate and give him food, water and lots of lovin'.

Till next time...Enjoy!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Wedding and a Baby

Okay...not the same people! I'm home from Matt (my office mate) and Tanya's wedding that was in Hamilton and what a beautiful wedding it was! The ceremony was in Matt's mom's yard and they live on a ravine. Honestly, I did NOT want to leave that yard. Sooooo pretty! The reception was just one big fat party! There were a lot of 'gas' people there since both Matt and Tanya work at 'the gas' so it was just a ton of fun. Tanya....you were a beautiful bride, and yes Matt...you looked 'hot ...not Dave hot, but still hot!

On to the baby part. My cousin is having a baby...she knows it is a girl and I KNOW my mom will be asking for a card so I actually was pro-active and got this card ready for her. She'll be shocked because usually I get them done last minute....like the night before she needs to mail them! My current favorite image for all things baby is Stamping Bella's Baby buttercup. I have shown you this one before in green and blue, but today, it is pink and yellow...my fav color combo for a baby girl. I colored her up in copic markers and used my air gun to add the yellow halo. I don't use the air gun too much, but I should start using it more. Oh ya...and that pretty paper was a sheet that I bought when I was up to visit Em last weekend. Isn't it PERFECT...why did I only buy ONE sheet...what was I thinking?

Hope you enjoy Baby Buttercup...I'll be back tomorrow with Patricia Birthdaycake!

Friday, September 5, 2008

Impression Obsession Flower Quad

I know, you are probably thinking...isn't this realllly similar to the multi media card? Well kinda...but you see I got this one as a gift from Impression Obsession when I gave them the card last summer that now proudly sits on their sample board. So when I bought the magenta stamp I justified it by telling myself that I really didn't BUY the IO one, and the magenta is a reverse image so it's not really the same. Truth be told, I'm a total sucker for flowers, and things that are all nice and square just call my name.

I forced myself to use the pencils again to hone those skills and I'm glad I did. I just LOVE it! I'll be sending it to my mom and dad for their anniversary coming up in a couple weeks.

Enjoy!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Card weekend extravaganza continues

Since a couple of the cards I made used stamps you've seen before I thought I would switch between a 'never seen' and a 'seen it'. This stamp you have seen before and judging by the views the card got on my SCS gallery I think it was a hit. And it was a perfect choice since I needed a wedding card for my pod-mate Matt's wedding this weekend.I used the same general idea for the dress, colored with copics, layered with frosted lace stickles and popped the bow. To make the bow really look like a bow i curved the edges, popped them with teeny pop dot pieces and glued down the knot in the center. The layout on this card is a bit different, i used spellbinders for the flourishes, and my long rectangle nestie to mount it all on. I also didn't want the specs in this version so I colored the background solid in a dark brown...did this because her colors are pink and brown. I think she is really gonna like it...Matt, well, it doesn't really matter because it IS all about the bride, isn't it?

Next card will be an Impression Obsession Flower quad done in prisma pencils and gamsol. Soooooooooooo pretty! I cannot wait to show you.

What a night!

I meant to post a card last night but sistah's...it was NOT a good night for me!

I was asked to make a memory album for the Director of I.T. who is leaving our department. I reluctantly agreed, made the covers and assisted them with putting pictures of the entire department on the pages. Well, I'm using my Bind-it-all for this project and last night when I went to punch the holes in the cover I forgot the little spacer was in it and my holes punches too close to the edge. Trying to 'fix' it I totally wrecked it! YIKES...so my BFF Pauline comes to the rescue and has a sheet of the DP that I used so I go to her house and get it, come home, make another cover and then I spilt glue on it! YUP! cover #2 WRECKED!

I have no more 8x8 covers! So I make one and proceed to piece together a new cover! Finally by 1am and a bottle of wine later I was finished. It's gonna be a long day! I'll post another card from the mega weekend tonight!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Copic Chart Update and my must have colors

Hi everyone, WOW, I didn't think that many people would be interested in my little ole' chart!

For some time now (like months!) I've been wanting to create a list of my fav copic combos but just never seem to get around to it. But today someone asked me if I could recommend any must have colors so I thought I would share that list with everyone. These aren't necessarily the combos I always use, but pretty close. I'll get to that one day. In the meantime, I came up with this list just by glancing down my chart. These are some of my favorite colors!

Y11, 15, 21
YR21,23, 24
R00, 11, 12, 22, 24, 27, 81, 83, 85
RV91, 93, 95
V12, 15, 17
B32, 34, 37
BG000, 01, 02, 05
G40, 82, 24
YG63, 67
E50, 51, 53, 33, 35, 37, 42, 43, 44
C0, 1, 3
W0,1,3

Hold on to your seats!

I actually completed SIX....yes SIX cards this weekend. Now that is a record for me. I am usually lucky if I do two! Part of the reason for my sudden burst of energy is that I caved big time and ordered the Lyra pencils from Stamping Bella. Yes, I'm weak, I'm pathetic but when the pencil queen herself Paula said she loved them I knew I had to have them. Secondly, my mom is in need of some cards so I just HAD to get some done!

In anticipation of the new pencils I spent a lot of this weekend honing up my pencil crayon skills. I used to use them a LOT, but they haven't seen much love since getting my copics. But after a visit with Paula, and a gamsol demo I think I may be ready to bring them to the forefront again. Hey, I can always color the base with my copics and add my shading with the pencils! We'll just have to wait and see what transpires. Just like Paula says, there is always room for more love!

So the first card I'll show you from my mega weekend is this cutie VW wagon that I ordered from Emily. Could you just die! So cute. I paired it up with a sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms and paper that Paula brought me when she was here for a visit in July. I keep all those papers in a special pile so I know where they came from! Paula, are you feelin' the love!

In other news, did you see that Shannan Teubner is THE VERY FIRST EVAH GUEST DESIGNER over at Emily's blog! Congrats and WAY TO GO SHANNAN!

Enjoy, I should have another one for ya all tomorrow!

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