SURF DOGS 2011!!!

Hey there friends! On Sun Sept. 11, from 11-2, Artful*Inker Team mate, Diane, and I, will be at Bingemans Water Park for Surf Dogs 2011! The Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society is hosting a leash free day for the dogs in the water park. Come bring your pup for some water play, there are some different contests to enter, and many vendors to check out. Apparently there will be doggie and human snacks for purchase as well. Diane and I will have make and takes using the "D is for Dog", and "C is for Cat" stamp sets, and these stamps will be available for order that day. If you can't make it to Surf Dogs, but want a set, contact me prior to Sept 11, to get your order in!

So here's the teaser...I'm busy making sample cards to feature the stamp sets. The unfortunate thing is, my order containing the stamps won't arrive until NEXT Tues! Instead, I am busy making samples without using the actual sets!!! It's very fun, as I'm just getting more and more excited for the stamps to arrive to put the finishing touches on the cards. Come see us at Surf Dogs, as see if you can spot the above (completed! LOL!) cards!

Baseball Thanks!

Big C is finishing up the baseball year, and was lucky enough to have 3 great coaches for his Select Team, two of which were also his Rec coaches. We made these quick and fun cards to thank them, and picked these colors to match their uniforms. (If you click on the photo above, you should be able to see the embossed bats, balls and hats more clearly)

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Basic Black CS and Craft Ink, Black EP, Whisper White CS, Daffodil Delight CS and Classic Ink, Just Baseball (retired) Stamp Set, Thank You Kindly Stamp Set, Decorative Label Extra Large Punch, Heat Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Washer Necklaces

Super fun, super cute, and super easy! These washer necklaces are a breeze to make, and whenever I wear one, peeps are always asking me where I got them! We will be making these as one of the projects in the gifts class, being held here, Sept 17. (See Side Bar for more deets on classes, or click here for my class calendar)

Deb's Strength and Hope Card

My friend, and Artful*Inker Team Member, Deb, made this gorgeous card featuring the Strength and Hope Stamp Set. For every set sold, SU! is donating $2 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The set is available until August 31, so if you want one, contact me asap!

To Do Cork Board/White Board

Hey friends! I whipped up a really simple, really useful "To Do" board the other day, and wanted to share it before I started writing all over it. Hope you like!

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Baja Breeze CS, and Classic Ink, Real Red CS, Early Espresso Classic Ink, Woodgrain Background Stamp, Tool Shed Background Stamp, cork board/white board from my local dollar store

Wild Wasabi Christmas

Morning everyone! I loooove this card! The LO came from pg 11 in Sept '11 Stampin' Success, a demo only Stampin' Up! mag filled to the brim with fantastic ideas. I can't link to the original card unfortunately, but it was a really cute halloween card, which I've adapted to a Christmas card. Another thing I love? My Color Coach! (I don't think I've told you guys that yet this week ;o) I knew I wanted to use my yummy (retired) Chocolate Chip Ribbon, so flipped to the Chocolate Chip card, and one of the combos it recommended was Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi and Pretty in Pink. That color combo led me to a Christmas theme, and voila! One thing led to another, and now I have TWO Christmas cards made for this year!!! Yay!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Card Stock: Wild Wasabi, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla
Classic Inks: Wild Wasabi, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Basic Gems, Button (retired), Ribbon (retired), Linen Thread, Petals-a-plenty Embossing Folder
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Delightful Decorations
Punch: Ornament Punch

Inkspirations Color Challenge # 82

Morning All! This card was made for Keesh's Inkpirations Color Challenge #82. The selected colors are Marina Mist, Kraft (Crumb Cake), Cajun Craze and Very Vanilla. This idea percolated in my head for a few days prior to making it, hope you like it!

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla
Inks: Crumb Cake Classic Ink and Stampin' Write, Cajun Craze Classic Ink, Marina Mist Classic Ink, Whisper White Craft Ink
Tools: Color Spritzer Tool, Sponge, Aqua Painter
Accessories: Button Latte Button (retired), Glitter (from my crafty stash), Early Espresso/White Bakers Twine
Adhesives: Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots
Punches: 1 3/4 Scallop Circle Punch
Stamps: Word Play, Sail Away

Create With Connie and Mary

***ETA OMGoodness! Check this out!!! This card was picked for top 3 at Create with Connie and Mary! Thank you Connie, Mary and your fabby DT! What an honor to be selected!!!



Morning everyone! Can I tell you how much I LOVE this card?!? The sketch is from Create with Connie and Mary (CCMC162), and once again, the minute I saw the sketch I knew just what I wanted to make! Thanks for the inspiration Connie and Mary! ;o)

Now, there are a few customized bits on this card...the 3/8" Whisper White ribbon was colored with the Lucky Limeade Stampin' Write. I find this easier (and the color is more consistent) than dragging ribbon through a stamp pad, or dyeing with Stampin' Ink Refills. Plus, it dries almost instantly after being colored with Stampin' Write's. The large doily is from the Flirtacious Specialty DSP, I used the reverse side (the white side) of the paper, and again used a Stampin' Write (Elegant Eggplant) to solidly color it in. Voila! Doilies to match ANY project! And lastly to get the varied shades of the Lucky Limeade Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch I used the Stampin' Write's again! The darkest one was colored full strength, the mid shade I stamped off once the blossom from a retired stamp and then stamped it on the Whisper White, then punched it out. The last one was left plain white.

Hope you like this card! It's a fave of mine, that's for sure!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Card Stock: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
DSP: Flirtacious Specialty
Punches: Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer
Accessories: 3/8" Taffeta Whisper White Ribbon, Basics Pearls
Tools: Paper Piercing Tool, Matt Pack
Stamp: Watercolor Trio (retired), Apple Blossoms (retired)
Inks: Lucky Limeade Classic Ink and Stampin' Write, Elegant Eggplant Stampin' Write

Sketch Frenzy Friday and Picture Perfect Creations

***ETA*** Oh my goodness check THIS out! My card was selected as a "Grand Creation Runner Up"! at Picture Perfect Creations! Thanks Ladies!!!

Hello Friends! Again I'm posting 2 times today, so be sure to scroll down to see the first post. I have to admit, I'm sorta amazing myself! LOL! I basically took a month off from blogging and here I am doing 2 posts a day a couple of days in a row...

The colors for this card are from the Picture Perfect Creations Color Challenge (PCC-CC#68) which are More Mustard, Bashful Blue and Peach Parfait. The Sketch is from the Sketch Frenzy Friday Challenge (SFF081211) I love how clean and simple this LO is, it is definitely one I will use again!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Card Stock: Whisper White, Peach Parfait
Classic Ink: Peach Parfait
Stampin' Writes: More Mustard
Accessories: 3/8" Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon (retired)
Stamps: Upsy Daisy

MDS Hybrid Love!!!

OMGoodness! Isn't this ADORABLE?!? I totally didn't make it, and since I'm confessing, I've never even created a full project on MDS, so this blows me away! My friend Val showed me this card, that she's made for an owl themed baby shower. I'm not going to post ingredients as she's created and masked (is that even an MDS term? ;o) much of it. I'll just wrap up by saying SQUISHY LITTLE OWL LOVE!!!! Gah!

MOJO 203

Hello again everyone! This is post 2 for today, be sure to scroll down and see the 1st one. The minute I saw this amazing sketch at Mojo Monday, I knew exactly what I wanted to make! Hope you like it!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Card Stock: Melon Manbo, Whisper White,
DSP: Flirtacious Specialty
Accessories: 5/8" Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Button (retired)
Punches: 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Lace Ribbon Border Punch
Classic Ink: Melon Mambo
Stamps: Tiny Tags

So Saffron, So Sorry!

Don't you think this is an incredibly sweet clean and simple card? A friend of mine isn't too mobile at the moment. She not only loves to make cards, but she's also one of the good ones who gives cards too! (I find I am sometimes apologizing for giving someone a gift without a card! How can that be???) Anyway, every once in a while I head over to her house, and we put together packs of pre-stamped, scored, cut, cards. Everything is packaged up in zip lock bags, including accessories, so as she needs a card, or is into a creative groove, she can pull out the packs and complete them! She's one of the smarties out there who has a wide range of sentiments, so we usually leave the sentiment off, so she can customize the card to her needs. I should do that for myself!!!

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Card Stock: So Saffron, Whisper White
Classic Ink: So Saffron
Stamps: Hello, Doily and Teeny Tiny Wishes
Accessories: Gems from her crafty stash

Imagine the Possibilities...

Hello Everyone! I just came across this photo, and realized I forgot to share it! It's my latest journal, and it's already 1/2 full! LOL! I'll be more on the ball next time, I promise!!!

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Cards Stock: Wisteria Wonder, Cherry Cobbler, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink, Versa Mark Clear
Stamps: Word Play, Hello, Doily
Accessories: Basic Gems, Clear Tinsel Trim (retired), Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Beveled Windowpanes, large rhinestone from my stash, ribbon from my stash
Punches: Lace Ribbons Border Punch

Doggie Love!

A few weeks back, kidlets and I went to Canada's Wonderland. Knowing this was a full day event, and knowing I couldn't leave my dogs that long, I hired AllyCats Pet Services to come in to see to the dogs. Now. For those of you who know me and my dogs, I realize this won't be shocking to you. For those of you who don't, here's quite a story! LOL!

I have 2 dogs, a (mostly) well behaved beagle, and an incredibly dumb but sweet Great Dane. Unfortunately said Great Dane has health issues, and isn't allowed to walk very far. So instead of a walk, ALL the pet sitter had to do was let the pups into the back yard for a 1/2 hr romp, some puppy love, a bathroom break, and some yummy treats. Sounds easy, right? Now factor in that it's MY dogs, and it's that PARTICULAR dog!!!! Don't I get a call that silly puppy broke a nail (seriously) and it wouldn't stop bleeding! My 1/2 hr visit turned into at least a 2 hour visit (I am guessing longer though!), a vet trip, AND my morning dishes and pet food bowls washed!!! (We noticed Allyson! ;o) So to thank the incredibly responsible, patient, kind, sweet Allyson, we whipped together a set of 8 3x3 cards for her. I think she enjoyed them!

So...for anyone in the Kitchener Waterloo Region looking for a pet sitter...I'd totally recommend AllyCats Pet Services!!!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
CS: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Classic Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Basic Grey, Cajun Craze:
Stamps: Man's Best Friend (retired, but for obvious reasons, a set I'll always keep!)
Punches: Scalloped Border Punch, Corner Rounder

You're in my Thoughts

So I've been on holidays for a bit, and one of the challenges I set out for myself, was to take a color combo (Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Cajun Craze, and a neutral of Very Vanilla), a sentiment stamp set (Word Play), a Christmas Stamp Set (Delightful Decorations, and then I cheated and added a second set Tree Trimmings. I justified this with the thought that they are the same "type" of :o), and a set that I didn't think of as being a typical one for the color combo I chose (I {Heart} Hearts) and see what I could come up with! I also took a bevy of accessories and punches along, so here goes! Oh, and I took a copy of July/Aug PaperCrafts Mag, and the following ideas are all adapted from other companies, to Stampin' Up! products. Hope you enjoy!

There's a couple of surprises in this card. First, did you see the sweet l'il twine butterfly? And second, can you guess what stamp I used for my scallops? It's the solid heart from the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set! Cute, right?

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Crumb Cake CS, Very Vanilla CS, Chocolate Chip Classic Ink, Cajun Craze Classic Ink, Early Espresso/White Bakers Twine, Word Play, I {Heart} Hearts, button from my crafty stash. LO pg 50.

Christmas in August! (aka "Yay! 1st Christmas card made!" LOL!)

So I've been on holidays for a bit, and one of the challenges I set out for myself, was to take a color combo (Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Cajun Craze, and a neutral of Very Vanilla), a sentiment stamp set (Word Play), a Christmas Stamp Set (Delightful Decorations, and then I cheated and added a second set Tree Trimmings. I justified this with the thought that they are the same "type" of :o), and a set that I didn't think of as being a typical one for the color combo I chose (I {Heart} Hearts) and see what I could come up with! I also took a bevy of accessories and punches along, so here goes! Oh, and I took a copy of July/Aug PaperCrafts Mag, and the following ideas are all adapted from other companies, to Stampin' Up! products. Hope you enjoy!

I LOVE this card! To get the grid look score the back of your card stock in the grid pattern, then sponge on some ink. Super fast, super cute!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Very Vanilla CS, Crumb Cake CS and Classic Ink, Garden Green CS and Classic Ink, Cajun Craze CS and Classic Ink, Linen Thread, (retired) corduroy Chocolate Chip Button, Lace Border Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Word Play, Tree Trimmings. LO pg 22.

Wish Big

So I've been on holidays for a bit, and one of the challenges I set out for myself, was to take a color combo (Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Cajun Craze, and a neutral of Very Vanilla), a sentiment stamp set (Word Play), a Christmas Stamp Set (Delightful Decorations, and then I cheated and added a second set Tree Trimmings. I justified this with the thought that they are the same "type" of :o), and a set that I didn't think of as being a typical one for the color combo I chose (I {Heart} Hearts) and see what I could come up with! I also took a bevy of accessories and punches along, so here goes! Oh, and I took a copy of July/Aug PaperCrafts Mag, and the following ideas are all adapted from other companies, to Stampin' Up! products. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients: (All SU!)
Very Vanilla CS, Cajun Craze CS and Classic Ink, Basic Rhinestones, Word Play, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Ornament Punch, Paper Piercing Tool and Matt Pack. LO from pg 63.

ps-wondering how I got the punched out shape in the centre? It's the Ornament Punch rotated 4 times to give that look!

Imagine the Possibilities...

So I've been on holidays for a bit, and one of the challenges I set out for myself, was to take a color combo (Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Cajun Craze, and a neutral of Very Vanilla), a sentiment stamp set (Word Play), a Christmas Stamp Set (Delightful Decorations, and then I cheated and added a second set Tree Trimmings. I justified this with the thought that they are the same "type" of image :o), and a set that I didn't think of as being a typical one for the color combo I chose (I {Heart} Hearts) and see what I could come up with! I also took a bevy of accessories and punches along, so here goes! Oh, and I took a copy of July/Aug PaperCrafts Mag, and the following ideas are all adapted from other companies, to Stampin' Up! products. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients: (All SU! unless otherwise mentioned)
Crumb Cake CS, Gardern Green CS, and Classic Ink, Cajun Craze CS, and Classic Ink, Word Play Stamp Set, Fancy Flower Punch, Blossom Petals Builder, (retired) vanilla Button, Linen Thread, Chocolate Chip Classic Ink, (retired) corner rounder punch, Green Background shape and textured embossing folder from alternate sources. LO pg 49.