Monday, August 25, 2008

Down to Business...

Whirlwind. Life. Activities. Summer. Lazy Days. All reasons why I haven't blogged the last few days (nearly a week!). Hubby had an amazing Anniversary planned and whisked me away to a honeymoon suite hotel for a night - I wanted to move in! It was amazing!
First off - the winner of my teeny-tiny giveaway was Alanne!
Alanne said...
Enter me! Enter me!
So Alanne -- we'll connect and I'll get this in the mail to you before I leave (in two days!) Saying that I need to let you know that I will be without internet for the next few weeks. I'm not sure when we'll get into a place (yes, we're moving up there with no place to move into.... faith, faith, faith!) In the words of my DH... it's easy not to worry when there's nothing to worry about :)
So I will try to log in if I see internet access along the journey to update you.
chat soon!
.j.
I'll leave you with a quick card:

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Clutter.

It's a nasty word isn't it. Everyone has it. OK, not my neighbour in Port Hardy!! But *MOST* people have it. Stuff. Junk. Papers. We give it many names, but bottom line - it's clutter and it DRIVES me crazy. I've done a couple "programs" via magazines & online (my fav is www.flylady.net) but it still amazes me how clutter creeps in slowly until I'm drowning in it YET AGAIN. During this move (any oh there has been many) I decided to ELIMINATE clutter - not pack things I didn't love, use or need. Honestly though at the end everything was getting thrown in a box as I couldn't decide with my stress/sleep derived self! At any rate, I have decided once we move & get a place (because no matter how it looks at this moment, I'm CERTAIN it will happen {the house we decided to rent, the landlords changed their minds and put it on the market instead - ack!}) I will again go through each box and ONLY bring in what I love/want/need. The sticky part comes when it's something that directly belongs to me. Oh yes... CHILDREN! You know what I'm talking about... every drawing is SO SPECIAL, each toy (broken or not) is PRECIOUS and trying to DECLUTTER their room is a difficult & daunting task. BUT... school is starting so I'll be sneaky and do it while they're gone! I was reading Ali's blog and found this site on clutter... http://www.simplify101.com/quick-simple-clutter-control.php It reminded me of my goal this fall. To have a clutter free which often brings a calm peace to a home, well, at least our home. And as stampers & scrapbookers you & I both know how clutter can be OVERWHELMING in our craft space. I find it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to be creative in a total disaster. Yes, I get messy & love it, but I need to start fresh and clean each time I begin and I also need to have a spot for everything so I'm not wasting all my time searching for what I need. So I will be focusing a bit on here too on how my progress goes. I hope you will join me on this journey...

PSSssT! - Happy Anniversary love! 14 years of amazing...

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Best Fishes


The new number embossing folder is very fun. Makes quick work of a birthday card. I've had these balloon brads forever & just never seemed to use them so I thought I'd push a couple into this card. I then took my paper piercer and white gel pen and made faux stitching marks for the balloon strings. I had a small snippet of design paper (hate to throw that away) so I trimmed the ends to make it look like ribbon and added that to the card as well. It was one of those "clean-up" cards -- just bits of this & that on my desk and put it on a card! :) I also used my nestibilities (which I'm LOVING!!) to frame the stamped image.

Tomorrow Daddy comes home - hooray!! AND... it's our anniversary - I think on Friday night we're going to go to our honeymoon hotel :) We got married here in Vernon so the last time we were here on our anniversary we went as well -- how did 14 years go by already! :)

enjoy your day, .j.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Birthday Stars

Usually what I need most are birthday cards. I can never have enough. It seems every time I turn around it is SOMEONES birthday or the kids are off to another birthday party. Of course summer is a tad crazy for us with being mid-move, but what I TYPICALLY like to do (and I'm getting a few done) is stock pile kids' birthday cards. I like to lay out a few & have the kids' pick out which one they would like to give to a friend. If I'm late, and don't have a card made they are truly disappointed - they love to give handmade cards (and oh how that makes me happy! LOL) Again, another card with this star set that I love! It's a great one to stamp, cut out and pop up with different dimensions. I also used the SWISS DOTS cuttlebug folder again on this card.

It's bad photo due to glass reflection while taking photo. It's been make a card, grab the camera, SNAP sort of thing. No time to do a real set up and GOOD photo, but... you get the IDEA of the card anyway :)
Remember if you want to *win* the goodie, you need to leave a comment on SUNDAY'S POST to be entered into the draw. Maybe I'll draw on Wednesday - my anniversary :)
Enjoy the new week - do something you've been procrastinating about! Then come tell me what it was, k?
.k.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

a little something-something....

I have a tiny little giveaway :) Just a wee one. A package of 4 ready-made accents by RebeccaSower designs. It's *real* leaves -- more like decorated tags.... yeah, difficult to explain & today is such a busy day I don't have time to photo & post for you... so if you'd like a wee little goodie in your mailbox, leave me a comment & you're in the draw -- yup, that easy -- it's summer... keepin' it easy!
.j.

We're enjoying record highs here in the Okanagan... lovin' this heat!! It's been very relaxing spending day after day after day after day... at the beach! The lake is so refreshing on the hot ones. Still searching for a place to live in AB, but I think we're getting there. Might be in limbo for awhile yet as the best home right now isn't available until oct. 1st and we arrive sept 2nd with all our stuff. Gotta love transition!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Get Whale Soon

I must say, I love the cuttlebug. I mentioned I'd have a Q&A post so if you have any questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them for you :) One I've gotten a few times is the cuttlebug. What is it and do I need it!? Of course you NEED IT! LOL. Meet.... the cuttlebug:

With this *tool* you can cut, emboss & have so much fun! You can get diecuts galore, but my FAVORITE are all the embossing folders. There's a lot more information at Provo Craft website - CLICK HERE.
One of my favorite folders is the one used on this Get Well card - Swiss Dots. So versatile... love it. As you look at my cards you'll see I use the embossing folders a lot. When I don't have the right designer paper, but flat is feelin' too plain, I use my cuttlebug. I've been starting to purchase some Nestitibilites which can be used in the cuttlebug with a little tweaking! :) I'm not one to have ALL the machines... just no space for it. SO - if I can make one machine do it all, then that's the one for me!
When I get together & stamp with friends I often try to stamp out images that I don't have myself. I've had my eye on SU's FUN PUN set, but just didn't feel I HAD to have it (I have a *few* that are similar). So I stamped out some images to color & use. This was one of them. I don't send out too many get well cards, but I'm thinking I should. What better way to help someone feel better than to let them know you were thinking of them? Do you know anyone who's feeling under the weather? Think about sending them a card, I'm sure you'll make them smile.

.j.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Quick.


My mom needed a quick card for a shower she was going to. I mean like 5 MINUTES quick. This is an awkward photo, not sure what I did {LOL}, but this was definiately quick! Chocolate Chip Cardstock cut 3x3, ran it through the cuttlebug, quick stamped image from "Sweet Celebrations"... few minutes to stamp and pop out the center heart image with stampin' dimensionals and I was done. The wedding was browns/pinks which is why we chose this color scheme :)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

pottery barn inspiration

I posted a card the other day with reds/greys and stars. I forgot I had used this image as some inspiration for the card. Better late than never, or so they say! So here's a little photo inspiration for you. Leave a comment with a link to your creation so I can see what you came up with! :)



.j.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

A Little Thank-You.

I was offline for a bit as we made a final trip back "home" to finish packing up, say goodbyes & head off the island. It was such an emotional filled week. Living by the ocean and on the island for so many years and actually leaving was hard. BUT... I look forward to the beauty of big skies, open spaces & most of all our little family being all together again. Easy choice I'd say! I'll be here at my Mom's for another few weeks as we try to find a place to live up in Fort Mac and enjoy some more summer adventures.
I had some of these smaller scallop note cards that I thought I would stamp up. I always leave a thank-you gift when I stay at my Mom's and so I thought this little box of cards could be added to her goodies :) Hopefully she won't be peeking on here!

The boys are off golfing and the girls and I are enjoying a lazy morning. We'll get a picnic packed so once they're back we can head to the beach and soak in the sunshine some more. How is your summer going?
.j.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Boy Birthday

We're up early tomorrow for a whirlwind trip back to the Nanaimo house to finish packing, yard prep and goodbyes. So I'll be offline for a few days (not that I've been an every day summer blogger!) :). This set was from the last mini and I had my eye on it for awhile, but kept putting off getting it -- so glad I got it, I think it works great for all those boy birthday cards I seem to be needing! I did some more stamping the other night with my mom, so I'll have to get those photos uploaded to share with you next week. Enjoy your weekend.


.j.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Simply White.

Simple like summer. This card uses all whites (a little cream). I saw another card using all whites and thought I'd give it a try. Even white emobssing :)

My posts will be simple over the summer. I'll be on and off as we adventure to Alberta and I'll have limited internet access. Still love to hear from you & will do a Q&A post soon with some of the questions I have received.
Hope you're enjoying your day....
.j.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Simple.

We are enjoying our time in Vernon. Daddy left yesterday back to work & the thought of only one more goodbye (OK, two as he has to go back to the island in September, but we're not thinking of that one)... is amazingly wonderful. All the teardrops at bedtime will be a thing of the past - so looking forward to that. I hope this week Mom & I get some stamping time in. I got a few new copics mailed to me (THANK-YOU MARIE!!) and even a new set of nestibilities that I hope to play, play, play. Mom set a table up for me in the formal living room (I know, *only* a fellow stamper can know how we need our space!LOL) so I will enjoy some ink time soon.
I love simple cards. This is one of those. I simply took the flower stamp and my SU markers and inked up - directly on the stamp, huffed (to remoisten) and stamped. I then huffed again and stamped. To add depth, I don't reink... just keep stamping for a nice progression of faded color. I then like to take my Creamy Caramel and stamp a few background flowers. I *love* SU's taffeta ribbon. It's beeeeutiful! This is the taupe. I think I'm a bit of a hoarder ;) just used bits on the side -- couldn't imagine having it behind the stamped image - unseen! *gasp!* I'm thinking this would be a great card to produce a number of.... simply change the sentiment and you could have a great set of all occasion cards.

Wow - August already.... my anniversary month :) 14 years -- guess I'll need to make a card for that one as well!
.j.