Cardabilities-Shout Out and Thanks!

Hey Everyone,

I'm back for a quickie! (tee hee).  I was soooooo excited about being chosen as a featured designer on Cardabilities for Sketch #75 that I went and told all my friends (via texts and emails) but forgot to scream from the (blog world) mountain tops!  Ooopsie!  THANK YOU CARDABILTIES FOR CHOSING ME!!!  (That's me 3rd from the left!).  Kudos to all the other featured designers.  I'm definitely in great company!

You can find my winning creation here.

While I'm here, I'd like to submit another quick layout I did.  It's from a kit made my Virginia Nebel.  I took a couple classes of her's serveral moons ago and just managed to complete the finishing touches on this layout before committing it to the albums!

I LOVE LOVE this pictures of C1 and C2 giggling and laughing.

I'd like to submit this to the following blogs:
Simon Says Stamp-Anything Goes
Use it Tuesday-#56 Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!
Liz

TGF-Farm Fresh Friday-Under the Wire!

Hey everyone,

I'm coming in under the wire on this post.  The folks over at The Greeting Farm have a really fun challenge this week (that is due in 15 minutes!!!)-Make it Move!
I love moving cards and tried really hard to come up with something that I haven't done before!  Alas, time escaped me but I think I figured out something that fits the bill!
In this card, her little skirt is rigged with a metal rivet and a penny and she shakes her hips!  How cute is that!?  I got the idea over a Splitcoaststampers.  I based the card off of this weeks Cardabilities Sketch #76.
Here is the sketch:

And here is how it filtered through my noggin and off the page:

The image stamp is from The Greeting Farm. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.  Patterened papers are from My Mind's Eye.  The border punch used is from Martha Stewart.

I tried to give you the jist of the movement with my little video interlude!  I hope it worked!  Come to think of it, I've had this adorable little hula dancer from TGF for a while and I don't think I've actually used her until now!  You know you have too much stuff when.....NEVER!!!!  (tee hee!).  I'm glad she could finally make her debut!

I would also like to submit this to the following blogs:

Cardabilities-Sketch#76

Simon Says Stamp-Anything Goes

Anything For Anya-Chevrons
Use it Tuesday-#56 Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by!
Liz

Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger

Hey All!

A gloomy day today.  Rain and misty air all day.  I won't complain though.  Sure beats having to water the plants outside.  Car issues are fixed and I must admit there is a marked difference in the way the car drives now.  Much smoother!  Yay!  Advice from the service person who helped us: "You're babying the car too much.  Don't be afraid to just let loose once in a while and rev the engine high and just let 'er rip.  Mini's like to be driven hard.  It helps keep their insides cleaner." Hmmmmmm.  Where's an autobahn when you need one!  (I wonder if a police officer will let me off if I tell him I was speeding because the car needs to be driven fast! ;))

Anyway, on the creative front, I love this week's Trigger Tuesday: Feather Weather over at Moxie Fab World.

The colours are stunning and the image is so sweet.  What's not be inspired about?!

Here's what it triggered in my grey matter.  I based it off of this week's card sketch (#75) over at Cardabilities.

The feather stamps are from Hero Arts.  I stamped them in Versamark ink and then brushed on Perfect Pearls to give it colour and shine.  The gazebo is die cut from a Die-Versions die and the little bird images are from a diecut/stamp combo from Prickley Pear.  The flower is from Prima and the mini banners were made using a punch from EK success.  The patterned papers are from Recollections, Webster's Pages and DCWV.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp and the bird house stamp is from Unity.

This card was very fun to make and my mind was on fire when I saw the sketch and the trigger.  The feathers and flowers and birds make me think of nature walks with my kids in the wooded area near our home.  

I would like to submit this to the following blogs:

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Into the Woods

SisterAct Anything Goes Card Challenge: #8

Cardabilities: Sketch #75

Moxie Fab World: Trigger Tuesday-Feather Weather

One Crazy Stamper Challenge: May Flowers

Thanks for stopping by!

Liz

Twisted Tuesday Challenge #51

Hey Y'All,

It's a new challenge over at Twisted Tuesday Challenges land!  #51 Is up and running for your inspiration pleasure!  Go on and check it out and be sure to join in all the fun!

This weeks challenge in a nutshell:
-create a project having kids in it.
-Twist: Have something yellow on the project.

Here's my take:

The "friend" sentiment is from Hampton Arts, the sunshine sentiment is from Hero Arts.  The (adorable) swing image is from Technique Tuesday.  The washi tape pennants are from Recollections.  The patterned papers are from Webster's Pages and KI Memories.  The background cloud stamp is from Paper Smooches.

Loving the feel of the kids playing outside and the bright summer hues.  Makes me yearn for summer even more!

Be sure to stop by Twisted Tuesday Challenges for all the details and links to wander through the talents of my fellow Twisted DT crew.  You're sure to be inspired and play along!

I would also like to submit this to the following blogs:
2 Sisters Challenge blog: Outdoor Fun

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Technique Time Tuesday-Dahlia Fold Flowers

Hey Everyone!

It's been quite a Monday!  Took the car in for service for an engine light that turned on and a strange and disturbing engine chugging that is sometimes accompanied with stalling upon start up.  Not good.  Luckily I don't have to sell any organs to pay for it...barely.  Booo!  Anyways, it made for interesting logistics for the kids evening events tonight having only one car.  It all worked out fine in the end.  Yay!  Now I sit here with "The Voice" on TV in the background and I notice that Adam Levine looks very very different with a clean shave.  Not sure yet if I like it better or not.

On the creative front, the folks over at Technique Time Tuesday have a cool technique this month called "dahlia fold flowers".  The funny thing about this flower is that I didn't actually see it as a flower...especially after I actually made it.  Here's what I saw...

The background camera stamp is from Webster's Pages.  The sentiment is from Technique Tuesday and the patterned paper is from Recollections.  The back of the Dahlia flower was stamped with a Hero Arts Text stamp.  The view finder is diecut from a Quickutz label die.  I added some glitter using Stickles on the "smile".

The Dahlia fold totally looked like a shutter to me and I couldn't help but use it in this way.  I used a Spellbinders circle die to cut the scalloped edge into a perfect circle.

I made the rest of the camera using the background stamp cameras as a template for the shape.

I'd also like to submit this in the following blogs:

Simon Says Stamp: Take a Picture

Sister Act Card Challenge Blog-Anything Goes-Challenge #8

One Crazy Stamper Challenge Blog-May Flowers

June 12, 2013
Edited to add:
This post was submitted to the Mixy-Maxy Style challenge over at Moxie Fab World.  The different patterns used totally fit the trendy bill.  Check out other Mixy-Matchy inspiration over at Moxy Fab and be inspired!

Thanks for stopping by!

Liz

Avery Elle May Challenge (Part 2)

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick post to show you all my other card I created for this month's challenge over at Avery Elle.  I'm off to the batting cages today with C1 to get ready for baseball season.  It's C1's 2nd year playing and I'm so very proud of her improvement!  Now if only I can get outta my slump and knock some into the outfield (and teach those guys not to move in closer when I show up at the plate).  Here's hoping!

Here's my take (#2).

The hearts and the sentiment are from Avery Elle.  The flowers are from Prima and the embossing folder is from Provocraft.  I got the doily from the Dollarama.  The patterned papers are from Recollections and Webster's Pages.  

For reference sake:

here is the photo inspiration:

Thanks so much for dropping by!

Liz

Back after Recovery...with Avery Elle!

Hey Everyone!

It's been quite a week!  I went away for a girls (extra-long) weekend with my sister and BFF.  Our destination: LAS VEGAS!!  I've never been and boy was it ever fun!  The weather was ridiculously amazing!  Sunny, warm and wonderful!  35C practically all week but not the sticky, sweltering 35C I get in my neck of the woods.  Vegas had a comfortable and dry 35C perfect for perusing the casinos, lounging by the pool and taking in the sights!  LOVE IT!

Here are a few things I learned in Vegas:

1. Dueling piano bars are the bomb!! Love love love! (Especially the one at the Rio Masquerade).  Being birthday serenaded by these guys is a cool memory engraved in my mind forever!
2. Weekend Vegas is soooo different from weekday Vegas.  Weekday vegas has (much) less drunk, scantily clad, ridiculously high heeled, scary people and lacking in the plethora of smarmy men and pathetic costume wearers who'll let you take their picture for money that is found in copious amount in weekend Vegas. (But then again I guess weekend Vegas is why people come?)  I feel old.
3. "Alcoholic slushies" purchased at the mall LIE!!! There is NO ALCOHOL in them!  I'd like to know the formula used to determine the supposed 10% alcohol level.
4. Absinthe is very very bad. 
5. There is waaaaay more to Vegas than "the Strip".  Love the mountains and other scenery. 
6. Stairs and pedestrian bridges are a way of life. 
7. Amaretto sours are my liquid courage of choice. 
8. You do not have to spend more than $50 to see some really good shows on the strip! (Unless you want something with Cirque du Soleil in it then your SOL)
9.  Beer with/for breakfast is typical (however, for the record I did not partake in this exercise).
10. Hanging with my ladies, Carolyn and Bev is awesome fun wherever we are!!! Love you guys!!!

I needed a few days to recover and catch up with life back at home hence the hiatus from blogging these last few days!  But now I'm back and raring to go!

The folks at Avery Elle have another challenge this month.  The AEI<3U challenge winner gets to be a guest designer for a month!  I've been submitting every month in hopes of such an honour!  Keeping my fingers crossed!  

Here is my take on the very cool photo (which by the way is filled with ooodles of shades of my fave colour!)

The squares were stamped with an AE sentiment from their "Framed Fonts" stamp set as is the star image.  I used the same stamp set for the main sentiment.  The embossing folders are from Provocraft.  The heart is from the AE set "Lots of Love".  The butterflies were punched from a Martha Stewart punch.  The Washi tape is from Recollections.

Here is the inspiration photo:

The square pillows and colour scheme of the photo inspired this card.  I added the tie around the last square as inspired from the boat anchor tie.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Liz

Design Team Announcement and a BLOG HOP!-Twisted Tuesday Challenges

Hey Everyone!

I am so very excited and honoured to announce I have been selected to be one of the design team members for Twisted Tuesday Challenges. 

Every 2 weeks on Tuesdays a new challenge is posed.  There is a basic challenge and then an added twist is given to bump it up a notch.  Nothing difficult just fun and inspiring and sure to get your creative juices flowing!  I'm soooooo stoked to be a part of such a talented group of ladies!

This week is extra special.  To get you all familiar with the design team (old and new) over at Twisted Tuesday we are having a....(*drum roll*).....Blog Hop!  Head over to Twisted Tuesday Challenges for all the details!

The design team has some great projects to help inspire (and render you awe stricken).  Be sure to check out all their blogs and leave comments on every one (myself included) for a chance to win some AWESOME PRIZES!  Here we are!

1. Jeanette
2. Tracie
3. Carol
4. Vickie 
5. Lori 
6. Lynne 
7. Lizzie (THAT's ME!!!) 
8. Louise 
9. Andrea 
10. Deanne
11. Hillary
12. Jamie
13. Majo
14. Melina

This weeks challenge (#50) is: 

• Make your project girly (easy-peasy right?).
• THE TWIST ~ Make your project about friends. It can be a scrap page with friends in the pics, a sentiment about friends on your card, an image with 2 people (or person with an animal/pet), etc. As long as there is a friend theme. (can I get a Woot Woot!)

Soooooo here is my take on this Twisted Tuesday Challenge:

The image stamp is from Stamping Bella.  I stamped it on watercolour paper and then masked it with a post it note (previously stamped with the same image and fussy cut out to cover the image).  Then I stamped the background stamp (from Hero Arts) in Versamark ink and heat embossed it.  I coloured the image using water colour pencils and coloured the background with Distress Ink using a blending tool.  The sentiment is from Simon Says stamp.  The butterflies and border punch are from Martha Stewart and the patterned paper is from DCWV.

Thanks sooooooo much for stopping by and be sure to check out the other wonderful creations from the rest of the Twisted Tuesday Crew.  Don't forget to leave a comment on every blog for a chance to win some great goodies!
 Be sure to leave a comment on the Twisted Tuesday Challenge Blog HERE and let us know you did the rounds (and feel free to gush about how impressed you were ;))

Thanks for stopping by and for joining the fun at Twisted Tuesday Challenges!

I'd also like to submit this to the following blogs:
Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog: Things with Wings
Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes #6

Liz

May flowers...chiaa right....

Hey Everyone!

I'm back!  This time it's a card with flowers for the May Challenge over at One Crazy Stamper challenge.  Not sure how the May flowers are holding up around here today.  It hailed yesterday a couple times during the day.  Not to mention the cold 4C temps.  What the?!  I guess this card will help inject some of this May flowers back into the season and hopefully keep them around until winter comes back (in December-not now please!).  I also added some bling to the inside of the flowers.

The flowers were cut from a die my Memory Box.  The butterfly is from a Marth Stewart punch as is the planter (Martha Stewart border punch).  The embossing folder is from Darice and the background text stamp is from Hero Arts.  The sentiment is from Hampton Arts. The jewels and pearls for the flower centers and the shimmery purple embossed paper is from my scrap stash (sorry don't know who from).

I would also like to submit this to the following blogs:

Simon Says Stamp challenge: Things with Wings

Sister Act Anything Goes: Challenge #6

Whimsy Stamps challenge #59: Anything Goes

A Blog Named Hero: All the Glitters

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Wonder of Watercolour Challenge-Moxie Fab World

Hello Everyone!

Another card completed using some inspiration from Moxie Fab World.  The challenge is Wonder of Watercolour.  I have just gotten into this technique and am loving just playing.  I only wish I had more playtime (but don't we all!).  The inspiration over at Moxie Fab for this technique is off the charts!  Be sure to check out their post for some sure-to-spark-creativity goodness!  This card was uber easy to make.  The watercolour effect was achieved using Distress Markers.  I just added the Distress Marker colours in relatively random places directly on the stamp, then spritzed with some water and stamped on watercolour paper.  I hand traced the eyes and the mouth with a fine tip marker to have them stand out better. 

The image is from Local King Rubber Stamps, The background text stamp is from Hero Arts.  I used scrap paper for the scallops and a cut off pant hem from a pair of jeans I shortened for the border.

Love the calico washy colours of this little fella!  So cute!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Liz

Woo-Hoo! On a Roll!!

Hey Everyone!

First of all: HAPPY MOMMY'S DAY!!!!!

I've been a little MIA this week.  I don't know where the time has gone!  I swear it was just Monday with a whole week of cleaning and crafting ahead of me...and then it was Sunday!  Geeeeeesh!  I'm quite excited that I won the top prize at Anyone For Anya last week (for this creation).  Wow!  I'm on a roll!  I hope my little hiatus hasn't ruined the streak!  Anyways,  in typical Canadian form, the weather has turned cold on us this weekend!  Today alone, it has flurried then sunny then rained then sunny then hailed then sunny all the while keeping it's 8C temperature.  A far cry from our 22C last week!  All this chilliness had me pulling out the winter stamps (ugh).  Here's a little something I whipped up to share in this week's Whimsy Stamps Challenge: Anything Goes and Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Things with Wings.  I seem to have a bunch of projects all in the middle of being completed.  Hopefully I'll get these done very soon to share with you all!  In the meantime, here is my creation.

The stamp is from Whimsy Stamps.  I coloured her with Copics and added Stickles to her ear muffs and collar and fur on her boots.  The embossing folder is from Provocraft.

I'm hoping the weather warms up.  Not exactly Happy Mommy day weather but I'm loved and have wonderful family...so I won't complain!  Happy Mothers Day to all you amazing mothers out there!  Enjoy your Day!

I would also like to submit this to the follwoing blogs:

Twisted Tuesday Challenge-Free for All.  (There are some fabulous challenges and inspiration to be had here!!)

Sister Act Card Challenge Anything Goes: #6

Thanks for stopping by!
Liz

Recycled (i.e. Discovering hidden potential)

Hey Everyone,

So this morning C3 and I had a playdate with some friends and their granddaughter.  They live in a more rural/wooded (uber cool!) area and have lots of room and things to explore, discover and just marvel at!  LOVE IT!  C3 had a great time too!  Bird watching, holding a salamander, sliding with a friend on a backyard playset, watering the garden and running around (lots of running around) squealing with joy!  No better way to spend a glorious morning.

It really makes you think about the miracles of our earth.  Soooooo what better way to be inspired than to recycle what we have to help keep the earth greener!  That's the theme over at Anyone for Anya this week.  My head was swimming with ideas....unfortunately, time (as always) is the limiting factor.  Here is what I had started with.  A smattering of cool photos from a flyer/magazine.

Here is what was recycled from it!

Everything on this card (except the TGF image, butterfly stamp and the black cardstock) was recycled.  Even the butterflies were punched from recycled magazine paper.

This was oodles of fun to make.  Really got the creative juices flowing.  I have 2 other cards in the works from the recycled magazine that I'll be sure to post when complete!  Oh the potential in recycled materials.  Magazines particularly are amazing resources for patterned paper, colour schemes and embellishments (did you notice that amazing gold flower?  It looks like it's popping off the page in all it's shimmery glory!)  Wonderful!  I think I'll have to make this part of my everyday card making.  (Great, Like I need to be hoarding more stuff in my home!).

I'd also like to submit this to the following blogs:
Sister Act Card Challenge Anything Goes #5
Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog: Happy Mail.
Let's Craft and Create: #69 One For the Girls
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog: #58 Pretty In Pink

Thanks for stopping by!
Liz

PTI Make it Monday-Blown Ink (Part 2)

Hey Everyone,

So as I had finished posting my last blog entry using this week's PTI Make it Monday Technique: Blown Ink, I headed up to my craft room and began tidying up the desk.  I had come across my practice piece of blown ink technique and was just about to toss it in the recycling bin when inspiration hit me!  I had originally used other coloured Distress re-inkers to see how they flowed and coloured with this technique.  I wasn't too pleased with how the colours blended. I also tried to spray a little water (laced with Perfect Pearls) on the creation (knowing Distress Inks' special property with water).  Still not too pleasing.  I even tried to add flowers to the blobs and I still didn't like how it looked.  I abandoned the attempt and started fresh with the tree concept (see here).

Anyways, fast forward to me going through my PTI stamps to put away and me about to toss my original blown ink attempt away when my background in chemisty slapped me upside the head (not to mention so did the uber awesome PTI stamp set: Love Potion).

Here is the result!

The sentiment stamp and the beakers/flask stamps are from PTI.  The ruler ribbon is from Recollections and I used a Martha Stewart border punch for the hearts.  Re-Inkers are from Tim Holtz Distress Inks.

Using these stamps helped me take control of an otherwise uncontrollable technique.  The shimmer and water marks and randomness of the colours totally works with the chemistry theme.  Love it!

While I'm at it I'd like to submit this card to the following blogs:

Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog: Happy Mail (Just Because)

Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes Challenge #4
Twisted Tuesday Challenge Blog: Fifth Tuesday Free For All

Thanks for stopping by!
Liz

PTI Make it Monday-Blown Ink

Hey Everyone!

Another absolutely gorgeous day today in my neck of the woods.  Played in the backyard for a little while with C3 and had lunch on top of the fort thingy (umbrella added for extra shade).  Couldn't ask for a better day!  Maybe more nap time from little one so I could get stuff done but otherwise a glorious day!  Not too hot.  Warm breeze.  Sunshine.  Perfect!

The folks over at Papertrey Ink have a cool Make it Monday technique that I just had to partake in-Blown Ink!  I've actually used this technique with my girlies.  So much fun!  Definitely need to let go of the reigns on this one and just let the ink fall where it may.  When I used this technique with my girls it was just a random smattering of fun-to-do colours but my subconscious couldn't help but pull the blots into tree shapes.  So that's where this card stems from!  I thought I'd try to use this technique to actually make a tree of sorts.  I think it worked out!  Yay!

The sentiment is from PTI, the owl is from Sassafrass Lass.  I used Distress Ink-Vintage Photo re-inker for the blown ink and a Martha Stewart border punch for the hearts which I also covered in Glossy Accents for some shine.  The patterned paper is Recollections (from Michaels).

Off to enjoy the weather!  I hope you're enjoying your day as well where ever you are!

Thanks for stopping by!

Liz