December 30, 2012

Happy news and a challenge!

So, I have some exciting news.  Well, it's exciting for me.  :-). I've been invited to guest design for Red Carpet Studio Challenge blog for the month of January.  I decided on a whim to apply for their design call and I got in!  I have to create two cards and I'll also be participating in a blog hop.  I received some complimentary digi stamps from the sponsors which is cool.  You should check the blog out.

And now for the card.  I made this card solely for the Avery Elle AEI♥U challenge.  They are a pretty new stamp company and they've got some cute stamps.  I used the free digi stamp they provided to make my card.  I treated it the way I would any stamp and tried to come up with a unique way of using it.
(Click on image for larger view)

I cut the oval out and the frame in half.  All of the stamp is there just arranged in a different way.  I coloured in the frame with my Spectrum Noir markers.  Patterned papers used are from Stampin Up in Perfect Plum.  Die cut made using The Slice.  Used Creative Memories rounded corner punch on corners of card base.  I think it turned out pretty good.  Could be done in a variety of colours too.

Now, it's supposed to reflect my personal style.  What is my personal style, you ask?  Honestly, I'm not sure.  Lately, I've been drawn to the CAS style.  I love the simplicity of it.  But it can still be a struggle for me to pull it off.  Sometimes I just feel like it needs more and more and....well you get the idea.  I think mostly I make a card based on inspiration I get from various sources (blog, Flickr, magazines etc.).  I like to think my style is constantly evolving.  All I can really hope for is ill feel good about the results and maybe others will too.  :-)

Well, that's it for me today.  Hope you all have a lovely New Years.


December 27, 2012

10 Minute Dash

Hello all!  Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas.  Mine was wonderful.  Spoiled as usual.  Got some great crafty things including Imaginesience's I-Magicut ribbon cutter and sealer.  It's so cool!  LOVE it.

Anyway today's post is really about my latest card that I created for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge #83 and Pretty Pink Posh blog's 10 Minute Dash Challenge .   These two blogs teamed up and created a challenge that could be difficult for anyone.  Create a CAS holiday card AND do it in 10 mins.  I find both things difficult at the best of times but I managed to pull it off.  Check out CAS-ual Fridays challenge HERE and Pretty Pink Posh's challenge HERE.

So, here's my card....


The snowflake stamps are from Inkadinkado and Technique Tuesday.  The large snowflake in purple is a foam stamp and I have no idea who made it as it doesn't say and it was a gift.  Inks I used were, Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss and Bermuda Bay by Stampin Up and Dove Grey by StazOn.  Also used VersaMark and embossing powder Winter Wonderland by Stamp-n-Stuff.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts Joy to All set.

I think it turned out pretty good and only took 10 mins to make.  Just randomly stamp snowflakes along edge of card base.  Emboss the few snowflakes after all the other and then stamp sentiment.  Easy peasy!

Well, that's it from me today I hope you all have a wonderful day!

December 21, 2012

All Is Quiet....

Well, I think this may be the last card I make before Christmas.  I have a lot of ideas clamoring around in my head but I just don't have the time to do them.  :-)  Today I'm going to make some cookies with my son and just enjoy the holidays.

So, the card.  I used and old Hero Arts stamp for this one.  It's a limited edition from 1991.  It was time to let it see the light of day again.


Its call Peaceful Eve (L774).  It is really a very cute stamp.  I coloured it in with my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.  Love those markers!  Added some Stampin Up dazzling diamonds glitter to the wings of the angel, the garland on the tree and the bottom edges of the window.  I used a Creative Memories square punch to make the window as I didn't have a die to do so.  It worked okay, I think.  I sponged on some Stampin Up soft suede ink on the window using the masking technique to give it dimension.

I'm entering this card into a few challenges.  First is for the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog.
http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.ca/   The challenge is Merry Christmas.  Also, entered into a couple of Flickr challenges.  One is with the Hero Arts Flickr group, the other is Paper Crafts Magazine Blog December Challenge.

Anyway, that is all for today.  Probably won't be posting again until after Christmas.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.  Happy Holidays!

Oh the weather outside is frightful.....

So, we finally got a big dump of snow here.  Wet, heavy snow.  Now, generally, I'm not a big fan of snow.  However, I took my 4 1/2 year old son outside yesterday to play.  Well, I have to say his excitement was infectious.  We built a snowman (I did most of the work while he threw snowballs at me.  Little goober.), made snow angels (well, he did), and threw snowballs at each other.  I have to say we had a blast.  Anyway, I don't have any pictures of cards today.  Just my yard full of snow.  :-)


 
Oh joy! (Not).

I got some exciting news today!  I won a prize package from the PaperCrafts Mag blog!  Never did I think I would see my name there!  So very excited.  Just had to share.  Would recommend reading their blog.  It has great info and its full of inspiration.  Just by commenting on the right posts you can win great prizes too.  Love them!  Okay, I'm done gushing.  :-)

Well, that's it for me today.  Will try and post again at least one more time before Christmas.  Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!  Have a fabulous day!

December 17, 2012

Two birds with one stone

So, I've made a card for two different challenges today.  The first is for Cas(e) this Sketch challenge #9.   See here: casethissketch.blogspot.ca/2012/12/case-this-sketch-chall...

Also made for Cas-ual Fridays challenge 82: Even the Score



Here it is:
(Click on image for a better view)

Have to use scoring somewhere on the card.  There's some along the edge of the card and both red hearts have some random scoring on them.  Hearts are die cut using MM the Slice and Basics 1 design card.  Sentiment and glitter from Stampin Up.  It was fun to make.  I'm fairly new to making cards in a CAS style and I find it challenging but very fun.

Have a great day!

December 12, 2012

New Project

Just finished making my new Christmas card holder.  I really like it.  I've entered it into a few challenges too.  Simon Says Stamp challenge
http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.ca/
Supposed to use your favourite thing which mine would be my Slice digital die cutter.
Also entered in CAS-ual Fridays challenge which is all about using knots.   
http://cas-ualfridays.blogspot.ca/2012/12/cfc81.html  
Lots of knots in this project!

Here it is:


Anyway,  two posts in one day.  Amazing!  Have a great day!  Again!  :-)



Only 13 More Days!

Can hardly believe it'll be Christmas in less than two weeks!  My son is so excited he's starting to drive me crazy!  LOL.  We've got some snow on the ground and we're supposed to get more so maybe this year we'll have a white Christmas.

So, I have another card to share.  This card was inspired by Kim Hamilton's tree card she posted on Flikr.  Here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamiltonkim55/8242513850/in/photostream/
Here's my card.


I didn't have the stamp she used but it made me think of an old stamp I bought back when I first started stamping. No idea who made it as it doesn't say on the stamp itself. To put all the bling around the branches I used Stampin Up's dazzling diamonds glitter with a glue pen, white pearls, clear rhinestones and made silver dots with a silver gel pen. Changed the layout a bit and the colours (paper is Bazill basics). I think it turned out pretty good. :-). Picture quality could be better but our computer is still being set up and I don't have a photo editing program on it yet.

Anyway, hope you're all enjoying the holiday season so far.  Have a super day!

December 11, 2012

Another Christmas card


Here's another Christmas card I made recently.  I was inspired by Sarah Ashley Posch's Snowy Day Thanks card from CardMaker Magazine's November issue.  I made a few changes (I didn't have the stamps she used for one thing) but overall it's pretty much the same.  She made such a lovely card I just had to CASE it!



What do you think?  Now to choose who gets it.  LOL!

Have a lovely day!

December 05, 2012

That time of year

Well, things have been a bit busy the last week with getting decorations up, wrapping gifts, getting parcels ready to mail off and doing some baking along with all the regular chores and running around after my son.  I haven't had much time left over to work on some cards.  I started one but have yet to finish it.  Part of the problem is my son is finally growing out of his naps and hasn't had one for the past week.  Sigh.  I loved those naps.

So, looks like I will be participating in another craft fair on Dec. 16th.  Kind of last minute but table price was pretty good and I've got stock left so.....  Hopefully, it will be as successful as the others.

Anyway, I hope you all are having a good holiday season so far.  Have a great day!


November 30, 2012

Craft Fair Success

So, the craft fair turned out pretty well.  I sold a lot of my ornaments.  However, I did not sell a single card.  Lots of people looking but no one buying.  Oh well.  I sold a fair amount of my gift tags though.  I said I would post some pics of ones I made so here they are:






This is only a small selection of ones I made.  There were many other designs too.  So, I will be doing the craft fairs again next year.  I made enough to make it worth it.  I also made and sold a lot of pins too.  They were quite popular.  Here are some examples:




I'll definitely make more of them.  I do have a new card to share but haven't downloaded it to my computer yet so I will have to share next time.  We just got a new laptop and are still in the process of getting it fully set up. 

Anyway, hope you all have a terrific day!

November 23, 2012

Excited!

So, only one more day until the craft fair.  I'm very excited.  Hopefully, things will go well and I'll sell a lot.  :-).  I'm pretty much all ready for it.  Wondering if I should bring along a set of Christmas lights to use to decorate my table.  Maybe.  I finished up my Christmas gift tags the other day.  I think they turned out well.  I'll try and post pics soon.  Anyway, I'm still working on some Christmas cards even though I don't really need any more.  I can't help myself.  LOL.  It is my favourite card to make.  :-)

So, I came up with a new design for my spoon ornaments.  I've had requests in the past for moose themed stuff so I did a couple of spoons with a winter scene featuring a moose.  Turned out pretty good I think.  Again, I'll post a pic soon.

Anyway, I'd better run.  Have a lovely day!

November 16, 2012

I love Christmas Cards

My very favourite card to make would have to be Christmas.  I seriously make them all year long.  I love the stamps, the papers, the embellishments, everything!  So, I have two lovely Christmas cards to share with you today.

The first one was made for the Card Chain Challenge over at the Society of Stampaholics Blog.  I've done this challenge a few times and it is quite fun.  It's nice to receive a handmade card in the mail.  I give a lot of them out but rarely receive them.  :-)  Anyway, here it is:


I find it hard to really show off the glitter but both the reindeer and the merry christmas are glittered.  I chose to use two of the challenge colours of the royal blue and burgundy and also making a christmas card.  Tis the season after all!

Supplies used:  Cardstock-Bazill Basics: Brocade and White,  Patterned paper-Bo Bunny: Midnight Frost Flurry (except the paper the reindeer sits on, it is of unknown origin), Glitter-Stampin Up: Dazzling Diamonds, Die cuts-The Slice: Noel design card.

The other card is just one I made for my Christmas cards to send out this year.  Not sure who's getting yet.  :-)  I've had the red gingham ribbon for a while and was itching to use it. What do you think?



Supplies used:  White card stock,  Patterned paper (not sure who makes it. Got it at AC Moores),  Scallop edge- Fiskars edge punch, Die cuts (holly, bird, twigs)-The Slice: Noel and Vintage Findings design cards.  (twigs are actually cut from snowflake die cut),  Sentiment-Hero Arts: Joy to All CL460, Shading on die cuts-Spectrum Noir Markers.  Other: red pearls and gingham ribbon.

I quite like this card.  Not much stamping on it although I will likely stamp something inside as I usually do.

Well, that is it for now.  When I'm finished up with the gift tags I'm making I'll be sure to post pictures of them too.  Hope you all have a fabulous day!

RIP Reindeer Forks

So, as mentioned in my previous post, I was having trouble with the reindeer fork ornaments I was making for the craft fair.  Well, I managed to save half of them.  I'm afraid the others didn't make it.  :-(  They made a sad pile on my table.

Poor guys.

On a brighter note, the ones that made it turned out pretty good I think.



I'm hoping they sell as well at this craft fair as they did at the last one.  Now just have a few more spoons to paint and some gift tags to finish up and I'm all ready for the sale.  Just a week away!
Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful day!

November 12, 2012

Frustrated!

I've been working on my reindeer fork ornaments and I'm at the stage where I bend them.  They are breaking!!!  Don't know why they are either as it didn't happen the last time.  Hoping my husband can figure something out.  Otherwise all the work I've done so far is down the drain.  At least my Christmas gift tags are coming along nicely.  Le sigh.  Hoping today goes well.

November 07, 2012

Birthday Card for Mom

Thought I share the most recent card I've made.  It was a birthday card for my Mom.  I got to use my Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers a bit again.  Love those markers!  I also used one of my favourite stamps from Stampin Up, the grass.  Sentiment is from Scrappy Cat and the dragonfly is Stampcraft.  The dot flourish stamp is Inkadinkado.  I used Stazon black ink for sentiment and the grass is Stampin Up, Mellow Moss and Sage Shadow.  Dot Flourish ink is Stampin Up Soft Suede.  I thought the card turned out pretty good and she liked it so that is what really matters.  :-)



Still working on stuff for my craft fair.  Right now its my Reindeer fork ornaments.  They were really popular at the last sale and I sold out.  I think they are cute.  What do you think?

Well, I better get back to it.  Have a lovely day!

November 01, 2012

So, looks like I'm terrible at blogging.  LOL.  It's been months since my last post.  But I will try to continue on as much as I can.  :-).  We had a great Halloween with my son, Donovan.  He was Spider-Man.  My husband and I dress up with him every year and this year he wanted us to be villains.  So, I was Electro and my husband was Dr. Octopus.  Costumes turned out pretty good and I will try and post pics soon.  I recently made a lovely birthday card for my Mom, but forgot to take a picture of it.  Silly me.  I'll have to get my Dad to take a pic and email it to me.  Right now I'm working on Christmas gift tags for the craft fair I have at the end of the month.  I made a bunch for the sale I was in last month but they were popular and my stock was depleted so need to make more.  Came up with some new designs too which is good as I have a tendency to get bored making the same thing over and over again.  Anyway, must be off to work on those tags.  They don't make themselves!  Take care and have a wonderful day!

August 05, 2012

This is what I've been working on instead of cards. These are tree ornaments.  Hand painted by me.  :-)

August 04, 2012

Apparently, I'm not going to very faithful with posting since its been two weeks or so since my last post.  Time just seems to get away from me.  Le sigh.  Anywho,  I haven't made any new cards recently except my parents anniversary card and wouldn't you know it, the battery died in my camera and I couldn't take a proper picture before I mailed it.  My father said he'd photograph it for me when they get it.  LOL.  I'll post it when I get it.  I've decided to join a card chain exchange at S.O.S. Blog.  Should be fun.  :-).  I've been working on the Xmas ornaments for the craft fair I'm participating in in November rather than cards lately.  Right now I'm painting little scenes or birds (cardinals and chickadees) on spoons.  I'll post a pic later.  It's fun but time consuming.  Anyway, must run.  Have a super day!

July 16, 2012

My latest card creation.  For PaperCrafts July 2012 Challenge.

July 13, 2012

Soooo hot!

Well, another very warm day today. Feeling the humidity and frankly, I don't like it! Give me Fall weather anytime. So, I haven't posted since the first day since I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing and I just haven't done much to talk about. I really need to get some pics up of me and my cards and stuff. Can't really do that from my iPad and can't get at my laptop as my husband works from home and it's with him. Maybe this weekend. Oh my. I just looked at my four year old's playroom and it's like his toys exploded everywhere. Le sigh. Wish our pool was fixed so we could cool off in it. I discovered one morning to find it partially collapsed and half drained. So, I did a "blog hop" today through Card Maker Magazine. It was fun and lots of great cards. Check it out at: http://www.cardmakermagazine.com/blog/. Well, my son is demanding my attention so I will end here. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! Kim

July 05, 2012

First day

Okay. Here I am feeling like its my first day of school as I start my first blog. I'm feeling a little bit out of my depth. But I will continue on despite the fact I have no idea what I'm doing. ;-). So....hi! I'm Kim and if I didn't have all my arts and crafts I'd go completely insane. Hence, the title. I love my family dearly but, sometimes I just want to scream, "Run away! Run away!" (I love Monty Python). I would have to say that painting and card making are my two passions. I do more card making than painting nowadays though. What will the purpose of this blog be, you ask? Just sharing my thoughts, my art, and my experiences. Will anyone be reading this? Who knows? Maybe someday. So, for anyone who does read this, thanks for stopping by and have a great day!