A New Card, Hooray for a Bit of MOJO!!

I thought I was back three weeks ago, apparently due to a lack of postings, it wasn't to be, however, today, I made a new card and I am so thrilled to be able to share it on my blog. I am just going to be down right honest here for a moment and let you, my faithful readers know that I have an illness called treatment resistant depression. As the name says, my body resists most treatment  , and I have tried them all.  My wonderful doctor works with me on new medications cocktails, and in the last 15 years, I have managed a couple of times to get as much as a solid 5 months of a good period of time, then my body becomes immune to the meds. However, I am on an upswing, with a bit of energy that I haven't had for months, and I am an optimist at heart, with good friends and family support. I originally started this blog as a way of reaching outside of my own walls, giving myself a forum to share my creativity, and setting weekly goals for myself. This worked for the first 3 months, and I hope it will work again. I love to be able to challenge myself, I love to be creative, and I sure do love all the positive feedback that flows through cyberspace. So with that said, here is what I would like to share today.

My next door neighbour, bless her heart, decided 2 years ago to go back to school to earn her grade 12 diploma, and on June 11th, she will walk across a stage and do just that. What a thrill it will be to cheer her on. So I have made this card of Congratulations for her.

I made all the pieces of the card out of metallic card stock. I stamped the  scroll work using a Stampin up roller, and embossed it and the writing, with silver. I added a silver 2013 charm with a silver brad, and added a pearl to the flower, as well as 3 pearls to the top right hand corner.  The picture doesn't show how stunning the card is with the metallics, however I know she will just love it. 

I would like to show you the inside as well since I was experimenting with some new products and techniques.The wheat was done with straw distressing embossing powder from Tim Holtz, and I used white ink to make the writing. The butterflies and the royal blue edging where done with perfect pearls. This is an interesting new medium which is very pearlescent and adds such a fun touch to the card.

I am entering this card into two challenges , the first is at cas-ual fridays where the challenge is to make a Congratulations card. The second challenge is at shopping our stash where the challenge is to use no patterned paper.

This was just so much fun and I thank each and every one of you who have found your way to my blog today. Please feel free to leave me a comment as each one means so much to me.  If you would like to become a follower, I would be honored to have you join me.
And one last thing, if you or any one you know suffers from depression and needs a listening ear, I am here...Blessings, Cathryn

Thursday Vintage Card!

My oh my where does the time fly???  It has been three weeks since I last posted, I have been rather sick, however on the mend now and hopefully will be able to post a little more regularly. Thank you to all who have been inquiring. Your thoughts and prayers have been a great inspiration to me.

 This is a new card that I have made for my Dad, he has been one of my biggest fans through out my life, and he is the man I hold most dear to my heart with my husband as well.
I am making this card for the shoppingourstash ; Stash Attack challenge this week and I was inspired by the DT Michelle so you might also want to check out her amazing card as well as all the other fabulous DT's over at shoppingourstash.

To make this card I used a background scrap of patterned paper and inked it with walnut ink around the edges. I then took two large paint samples, cut them into smaller pieces and inked them with the Tim Holtz car shapes , in black,and inked their edges too. I took another scrap of patterned paper, and added the Live the life you imagined stamp, tore, and inked the edges, glued it to black paper and tore the black paper edges.I attached it with foam squares to give it a lift off the page and finished it off with a button. I love the look, and I hope you will too. My dad is an antique car buff, so I hope he will love it.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. I love reading all comments left for me, it is such an honor.

Wednesday Butterfly Birthday Card

Hello my dear blogging friends. I hope you are having a wonderful week, lots of fresh air and sunshine, and finding time to use your creative talents.

 Today I have for you a card that I have made after combining four very fun challenges together. I apologies for the poor picture quality, but at least it shows you the pretty little card I made.

I do admit photography is NOT one of my talents!
So, starting with the challenge from tuesdaythrowdown which is to make your own background, I have used my happy birthday embossing folder with white paper to make the background for this birthday themed card. Over at simplylessismoore they have two cards for inspiration, and I have chosen to use the birthday theme, and the red heart on this card. On the pinspirationalchallenges the photo inspiration is a picture of beautiful butterflies which you can see I have put three on my card as embellishments to add interest. These butterflies were purchased at our local dollar store which is the fourth challenge from shoppingourstash. I always love to be given a challenge to use what I already have, and at Shopping our Stash, the challenges are always about pulling out something from your pile of stash.
Thank you so much for looking and for stopping by today. It means so much to me that you have found your way to my little space here in blogland. Your comments are always welcomed and very appreciated.

Friday's Vintage Card

Welcome one and all to my little piece of cyberspace. I hope you will enjoy the card I have made to show you today.

My inspiration for the card has come from the sketch posted on the challenge for unscriptedsketches. I have made the card vintage for the challenge at cardsgalorechallenges where they are having a vintage challenge for the whole month of April.  I am entering my card in both of these challenges.

To make the card I used a piece of music paper from an old music book. I inked it with Tim Holtz distress inks, vintage photo, and tea dye.  Then I took a cream color piece of paper, ripped the edges and inked it in a similar fashion.  I stamped the sentiment 'a note of thanks' on to this piece, then added inked green twine and an old button to finish off the card.

I have been a primitive crafter for many years, and love the look of all things old.    Making this card was very fun. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you so much for coming to my blog. I would appreciate any comments you may leave for me. I would also be honored if you would consider becoming a follower. Have a great day, Hugs, Cathryn

Thursday's Card

Good Afternoon, my blogging friends. Today I have a simple card to share with you that is bright and fun and very easy to make.  But first I want to make a shout out to all those celebrating their 4th Blogiversary over at unscriptedsketches. Way to go gals, 4 years sharing your challenges, sketches, and fun for all!  I do so appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep the challenges going for card makers like myself. Thank you all so very much!

I am using the sketch from unscriptedsketches for my card this week. I am using the theme Friend from addictedtocas.  I have added faux stitching which is the challenge from fussyandfancychallenge. I will be entering my card into each of these challenges.

I have made this card using bright yellow paper, then I added a sentiment stamp about friendship which I colored in with my new colored pencils. I then backed it with purple polka dots before placing it on the card.

I used purple bakers twine and a pretty little purple flower to give the card a little pop of color.  I love how bright and cheerful the card turned out and I hope you will love it too.
Thank you so very much for stopping into my blog today. I love to read any comments that are left for me, each one leaves a stamp on my heart. I would  be honored if you would consider becoming a follower of mine...just click in to join at the top of the page. Thanks so much, and please come back again.

WOYWW

Hello blogging friends, who can believe it is Wednesday already? Another day to snoop around the desks of fellow crafters around the world! If you are new to WOYWW, please hop over to see Julie and you will discover everything you ever wanted to know about this crazy phenomenon "What's on Your Work Desk Wednesday". You will also find a lot of other desks to visit, and if  you haven't already joined, you can find out how to join in the fun yourself!

Today I haven't done any work to be totally honest, so I just put a few things together on my desk. A card I made for a challenge that I will be posting later this week, and a few new things I have added to my stash. So many people have oodles of markers, but I have decided to buy pencils to use for colors on my cards at this point as I am so new to card making and don't want to make a huge money investment right now. You can see my bag of Sharpie markers that I have, but I don't use them very often, sometimes for doing faux stitching, but not often for coloring because they are not acid free. When I purchased them I didn't know anything about the importance of being acid free. 

I have also bought some Tim Holtz paper and a few more colors to add to my distress inks.  I just love the Tim Holtz products,I am just not very familiar with how to use them, so I am looking forward to learning as I go.
Well, thats it for me today, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you are having a grand time snooping around the world of desks on WOYWW.
Please leave a comment and let me know you  stopped by! 

Friendship Card

Hi my dear blogger friends. Today I have a very CAS (clean and simple) card for your viewing pleasure. But first I want to make a shout out to all those celebrating their 4th Blogiversary over at unscriptedsketches. Way to go gals, 4 years sharing your challenges, sketches, and fun for all!  I do so appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep the challenges going for card makers like myself. Thank you all so very much!

I am using the sketch from unscriptedsketches for my card this week. I am using the theme Friend from addictedtocas.  I have added faux stitching which is the challenge from fussyandfancychallenge. I will be entering my card into each of these challenges.

This is a very simple card which would be easy to remake, which is one of the rules for a Clean and Simple card.  I have used a simple spring purple polka dot pattern background, added a stamped sentiment which I backed with yellow paper, and colored in with my new colored pencils. I added yellow bakers twine and a simple yellow silk flower.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, your comments are so appreciated.

Serendipity Card Tutorial

 Hi all, this is my first tutorial, so I hope it will be easy enough to follow. This is not something I have made up myself, nor do I claim any ownership for this design. I just thought I would share how I made this card in case someone has not made a serendipity card before. It is a fun card to make and the results can be quite stunning. Good Luck and Have Fun!

Supplies:
Card stock for background: 5x10
Card stock for card : 6 1/2 x 10 your color of choice
Card stock to back the collage pieces, your color of choice
Card stock for inside card : 6 x 4 1/2
Scrap papers colors of your choice. plain or patterned
bone folder
glue
stamps (any you might have)
colored inks of your choice
versa mark ink
embossing powder
heat gun
ruler
craft knife
scissors
paper trimmer
sentiment stamp (if desired)
ribbon (if desired)

1.On a piece of paper, 5x 10 glue ripped plain or patterned paper in a random way until the paper is fully covered. Let this dry fully.

 2. Stamp randomly over the collage with different stamps and different colors to add design. ( I did not do this on this piece, but you will see it on my other samples.)

3.Stamp with the versa mark and add embossing powder. Heat with the heat tool.

 

4. Cut collage into 1" strips using a paper trimmer.

5.The card I am making today uses 3, 1" x 2" pieces and 3, 1"x 1" pieces. Once I have all the strips cut, I decide which of the longer strips I will cut the smaller pieces from to make my design.

6. Glue these cut pieces to the backing color, for my card, this is silver. Then cut out a 1/8" matt around it. I use the perfect layers rulers . You could also use a paper trimmer, or skip this step if desired.

7.Fold your 6 1/2 "x 10" paper in half with a bone folder, (this is the main card). Attach  the pieces to your card as shown in the final picture. I added a ribbon and a birthday sentiment to this card.Glue the 6" x 4 1/2" piece of card stock inside the card to finish.

Please see the following samples for other card ideas. I apologize for the poor picture quality.

Thank you so much for coming to my blog. I appreciate any comments or feedback you might have that might help me improve this tutorial. Your words are always welcomed.

WOYWW

Hello my blogging friends around the world. Today I have a short post as I am not feeling up to par, but I wanted to share my work desk, and try to get around to see a few of yours too! I just love to see what you all are up to, and I love knowing that you are visiting me too.
If you are new to WOYWW, please hop over to see Julie and you will discover everything you ever wanted to know about this crazy phenomenon "What's on Your Work Desk Wednesday". You will also find a lot of other desks to visit, and you might even join yourself!!!! (if you haven't already!)
On my workspace you can see the beginning of my scrapendipity card that I will hopefully be getting to tomorrow, and hopefully will be making my first tutorial for. I am making the card for my youngest son for his birthday, and it is a process that is a lot of fun to do and turns out quite stunning, so I hope you might come back to see the finished product!

I have also laid out some of my newest paper stash that I purchased at Michaels on the weekend...if you live in Canada or the USA you might think of hopping over to Michaels before their best sale of the season ends on Thursday...I don't show you all my new stash,but my they do have a whopper of a good sale on this week!
Thank you so much for stopping by, I would love it if you would join my blog while you are here, and I appreciate every comment that is left for me, your kind words bring a smile to my heart!

Happy Card!

Welcome one and all to my little space in blogland.  This is where I find a place to share some of my creative talent with the world. It seems quite impossible that sitting here in my living room, typing at my computer, you, whoever you might be, will be reading this, in another place, at another time. I am touched really, humbled, that I might make a difference in your life, no matter how small that might be. In this moment we matter to each other. I want you to know how important you are to me for taking the time to read this. If you are one of my close friends, know that your friendship holds me together in my toughest times. If you are just popping in to visit, know that I appreciate you coming here because your presence means you care enough to look at my work, and I am grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received from so many kind bloggers since I have started this new journey. I have realized that it isn't only about the craft, it is about the relationships, the support, and the generous sharing of time that we give to each other, that makes this blogging work. So thanks again for being here, in this moment, you are appreciated.

The card I am sharing today was inspired by many challenges. I love to read through and integrate many challenges together because I find that somewhat, 'challenging'! First off is the cardmakinmamas  .  Their challenge this week was to create a card with no patterned paper.  I thought that would be quite interesting because it is always so easy to reach for the dots and swirls and other delicious papers of which I have stacks of. (come  on how many of you are addicted too?) . Then there were two challenges with the theme of spring. These are the allsortschallenge, and the craftsandmechallenges .  Then over at cutecardthursday the challenge is to use something borrowed such as an idea, a button, a ribbon, or a sketch, which is what I used. I borrowed a sketch from a class I took at mycreativeclassroom.  Then the final challenge was from stampandcreate . They are having a month long April challenge which is to create a card with at least one die cut on it.  So having said all this...here is my card!

I embossed the top of the card with small dots, and made the bottom with different shades of purple stripes.  The flowers where made with my Cricut cartridge, Ultimate creative sampler. I cut out three layers, stamped them, inked the edges of the petals and added a pearl to the center. I love how feminine this card turned out. I could add a sentiment on the pink center space, but have left it blank for the time being as then I can add to it later.
Thank you again for stopping by, your support and encouragement mean the world to me.

Cards by Cathryn

Welcome to my blog, to all my followers, and to everyone who is visiting for the first time. I would love it if you would consider becoming one of my followers today! Your presence here is so appreciated, I hope you enjoy the moments you spend here

 It is Monday again, where did the weekend go? I had a great weekend hopping around the world enjoying looking at other peoples desks through WOYWW  .

For those of you who have never visited that site, it means "Whats on your work desk Wednesday" and about 200 people actually post pictures of their workspace so people like me can be curious and see what they are up to in their crafty lives.  I am in the process of having a new craft room built, so I am looking for ideas, especially for organization, and boy do some people have organized craft spaces! And as all my friends know I am the Queen of Clutter, so any help I can find will be great for the new space. Anyway, if you haven't checked it out, maybe you would like to, and hey why not join in the fun and post a picture of your desk this coming Wednesday.

My card today was inspired by a few different challenges that I plan to enter my card in today.  I followed the sketch created by Sarah at mojomonday 

I chose the color scheme of aqua and cherry red...yes look for it there is cherry red on there, from thedynamicduoschallenge   

The theme of the card which is the cue word FRIEND comes from  addictedtocas

 And finally I will enter the card in the challenge at stampandcreate where their April monthly challenge is to use of at least one die cut on your card. 

Today I enjoyed spending time creating. I find it relaxing, therapeutic, and just plain enjoyable. I appreciate each and everyone who comes to read my blog, and I hope you will take a moment to leave me a comment. Each comment means so much to me.

Have a creative day,

Hugs, Cathryn

Thrilling Thursday

Today I am so happy to share a card that I helped my neighbour  make for her lovely little granddaughter Kaili who is soon turning 6. Kaile just loves Hello Kitty. So Debbie and I found these special papers, some embossing supplies, and off to the races we went. This is what we came up with.

For her first card I think Debbie did an awesome job!

Now on to the card I made after she went home.  I made this card using a sketch I found at deconstructingjen:Sketch #95. I was trying for a vintage/distressed look for this card which is one of my favorite looks, as in the past I have done a lot of work as a primitive artist. For me to find challenges looking for a vintage look is just so much fun.

Using papers from the Heritage Book from Joannes Fabrics,  my sewing machine,distressing tool,and an inking pad, this is the card design I came up with this week. Oh I also added a fabric bow which I aged, and an old button.

                    I love the vintage look and feel of this card, and I hope you will too!

These are the challenges I will be entering my card in :

allsortschallenge:200th challenge! vintage

 pinandtack:spark-your-creativity-now-anything goes 

I am so happy that you stopped by to check out my blog. I would love for you to become a follower if you haven't already done so! Please leave a comment your workds bring a smile to my heart! 

Do have a a grand day!

 Please come back again.

WOYWW

Hi everyone its Wednesday which means it's time for the amazing Whats on Your Work Desk hosted by the amazing Julia :-).  If you are new to this amazing desk journey, hop on over to Julia's blog here and get the whole scoop, if your a seasoned sojourner, read on!

Me, well I am a newbie, this is just my third week posting, and I have been enjoying hopping around the world to see what other people have on their desks. My desk is pretty basic, so I thought this week I would post 2 pictures, the first is a picture of the collage that most people commented on last week,it was way in the back of my desk picture. It is actually a piece that was created by my beautiful granddaughter Madilyn who is 6. We were crafting together , making scrapendipity pages. This is hers:

The second picture is what is behind my desk.  I am currently situated in our guest room. So I sit facing the desk and when I turn my chair around the bed is right there so it has become a storing center for some of my crafting supplies...and other stuff.  And yes that is a shark you see in the background!!!  One of my hubby's purchases.

Well, I guess the shark does kind of take over!  I am waiting for my new room which is in the process of being renovated.  In the meantime, I love my little space and love any time I spend there creating.
Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to stopping by as many desks as I can this week for inspiration!
Hugs, Cathryn

Paper crafting Tuesday

I love to spend time making cards and my daughter in law Danielle has a birthday coming up so I wanted to make her a card.  She has a love of Betty Boop, and loves the colors black, red and white, so I played around with these colors and came up with this card.

 

It is a very simple card made with an embossed white background, with a rose added, and a polka dot ribbon added over the top.  I tied the bow separately  and glued in on the ribbon.  I added the white embossed piece to a black background to make the whole card pop. 

As simple as this card is, it turned out very pretty and elegant, and she just loved it!

I hope you will too!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

cardmakinmamas: no patterned paper

simonsaysstampschallenge:anything-goes 

the paper girls challenge: raindrops, umbrellas, or flowers 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I appreciate each and every comment left for me, I read each one and take them to heart.  I would love it if you would become a follower. Hugs, Cathryn

50th Card Post!

Wow, they say miracles still happen, and for me to still be blogging after 2 months, and this being my 50th Post, for me, it is nothing short of a miracle. I have you, my readers, my supporters, to thank. Your kind comments have helped me to believe in myself and move ahead in this sometimes crazy blogging journey. Knowing that there is a caring community of crafters out there has breathed new life into me and I will be forever thankful to all who have come, and will come to this blog to share just a little bit of time with me on my journey.

Today for my 50th Post, I have a card for the seizethebirthday challenge. Starting with a sketch, make a masculine card.  Here is the sketch.

 

So for my card I decided to use a new technique I am just learning, heat embossing.  I used the color scheme of black, silver and grey metallic. And I just love the way this card came together.  I used Martha Stewart Embossing Powder, and papers from Michaels. I hope you love this card as much as I do.

As I mentioned earlier I will be entering this card into the seizethebirthday:masculine birthday.

Thank you so very much for looking. I read all comments and take each one to heart.  Would you please consider becoming a follower on this special day! Thank you for your support!
Hugs, Cathryn

Card Crafting Thursday

I am so excited  that you have found your way to my blog today.  Of all the places in the world you could be at this moment, you have chosen to be here, and I thank you , so very much!! I have realized how important it is to spend time pursuing our creative side, no matter what craft we like to do. Crafting is so therapeutic, I don't know what I would do without it!

Today I made an Easter card with the help of my Cricut machine.  I used my Lacy Labels cartridge and my Holiday Cakes cartridge to cut out the main part of the card. The rest of the card I just went a little wild with to make it look shabby chic.  I ripped the stripes, and also the backing of the sentiment.  I  added some pearl embellishments to make the card a little more elegant.  I used my new bakers twine both on the neck of the bunny, and around the entire card because I liked how it looked.  I was just having fun making this card which had no design to start with, it actually turned out quite beautifully.

 I am entering this card in the following challenges:

fantabulouscricut+

cutiepiechallenge:easter

craftspotbykimberly:strings and things

thedynamicduoschallenge-monochromatic-pinks

 Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Your kind comments are so appreciated and each one makes my day! Hugs, Cathryn

WOYWW

Another Wednesday, another work desk...well, actually I took two pictures of my work desk today. The first picture I took when I first came into my craft room. I had not tidied up after my last craft session, and decided oh well, who ever reads this blog will understand a messy desk!  This is earlier this morning.

I had been working on my cards for my card making class that I am taking at my creative classroom. So you can see a couple of the cards on the table with my course outline. 

Today I was working on making a spring/easter card with my cricut machine and so I took another picture of my messy desk in the process of making the card which I will be posting tomorrow on my blog.

I must say, I just love having a craft room and being able to spend time there. When I am in there time just seems to disappear. Although I may not have the best of the best, I do appreciate all that I have and I especially appreciate the time that I have each day to create!!!

Thank you for taking a little peek into my crafting world.  I appreciate all comments that are left for me, and I would be grateful if you would choose to become a follower!

Paper Crafting Fun!

Well it is the beginning of a new week and I hope all of you, my dear blog readers have had a wonderful weekend enjoying the great outdoors, or indoors, or what ever makes an enjoyable weekend for you!!  I have come to realize that it is important to enjoy each day as it comes, no matter the weather, to enjoy the people we are with, and to make the most of each day we have!

Today I was particularly blessed to have a visit with a dear friend, then I came home and spent some time mucking around in my craft room. Oh how I love to spend time in the craft room playing with my tools and being creative! Today I was playing with some of my roller stamps from stampin up  and was able to come up with a cute card from a sketch  from seizethebirthday . I just love the talented artists that provide us with sketches on so many of the challenge sites and am so thankful that they are willing to share their work in this generous way.  I have chosen to do my card with a very spring theme as well to enter the challenge at  addicted to cas .

I would just like to mention what CAS means for those of you who may not know. This is taken from the addictedtocas.blogspot

                                                           It means clean and simple. 

This means that you must create a project with very few embellishments (I know it's hard), clean lines and lots of 'white' space.

White space just means an area of your card with nothing on it at all. It doesn't have to be 'white'. It could be brown, pink or red. Any colour as long as there is lots of SPACE.

The card is very simple and self explanatory. I hope you love it as much as I do! 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

addictedtocas:spring

seizethebirthday:feminine-birthday

Thank you so much for coming to my blog today. I would love for you to leave me a comment, and please join me as a follower!

WOYWW

Welcome to my crafty little space in Kamloops Canada. This is my first time posting here at WOYWW.  Here on my workspace today I am getting ready to start an assignment for a class I am taking at mycreativeclassroom.com.   I may not get to this assignment today, because my granddaughter Madilyn is coming for a visit, YIPEE, this is what my desk is set up for. 

I am currently working in our guest room in a small area where , when I turn my chair around the bed is right there. So I have a lot of my materials stashed on the bed at the moment.  My hubby is making me a new craft room, which should be completed in about 6 weeks which I am really excited about.  I also took a close up of a few things on the desk just so you could take a peek. I have a couple of bins with my often used products in them, as well as some new flowers I have just learned how to make, and a card I was just experimenting with yesterday.

I look forward to peeking into your little craft spaces, thank you so much for dropping into mine. I would love for you to leave me a comment and join me as a follower!

Technique Tuesday

Welcome my dear friends and followers and those new to my blog today. I hope you will take a peek around. I am just coming up to my 2 month birthday here, so am still learning the ropes, one day at a time.  I enjoy being able to share my creative work and I appreciate that so many people have found their way to see what I am doing in my little space in cyberworld. 

This piece of have to share today is a piece of art, not a card or a tag. It is a project I have done for a cardmaking class I am taking at My Creative Classroom.  My girlfriend Debra shared a wonderful saying with me the other day that goes like this:

"Your mind is like a parachute, it doesn't take you where you need to go unless it is open".

For this piece of work, I had to open my mind to adapt to new kind of work called a mood board. Although I didn't follow the directions exactly,  what I came up with I really love. We were instructed to  Start with one color, then  to find other colors that would flow with that color and place them in a creative way on our piece.  Then we were to find the opposite color on the color wheel as a contrasting color to add a pop to the page.  So as you can see from my piece, I started with a light orange and moved into the dark orange, than browns and rusty tones,  adding the blue which is the opposite color on the wheel. I also played with shapes and textures with the tearing, button, flower, and the glitz and really love the way this turned out.

I sure don't claim to be a good photographer, but this at least gives you an idea. The picture is about
7" x 7" . I am entering in to a few challenges because I like the exposure it gives me to some of the best designers out there.

paper-craftingjourney:anything-but-card

cutecardthursday:anything-goes

 onestopcraftchallenge:anything-goes

pinandtack:.spark-your-creatitivity-now-challenge

 Thank you so very much for stopping by my blog today. Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment. I read each and every one and truly appreciate them.  Please consider joining me as a follower, it would be an honor to have you.

It's a New Week!

Hello my sweet blog readers, I hope you have had a wonderful weekend! I feel so privileged to know that my good friends, and folks I have never met, will find their way to my little piece of crafty heaven. This blog is so therapeutic for me. It gives me a place to share my creative pieces of work, and a reason to make them in the first place.  I am so thankful I found the courage to start this journey and I am ever so grateful for all the people I have met along the way who have supported me through kind words, technical support, and encouragement.  If you have found your way here today, give yourself a hug from me, if I could, I would give you one myself!!!

Today I am sharing a TAG. This is a first for me, a step somewhat out of my card comfort zone.  I think it is important every once in awhile to step out of my card comfort zone. It is important to stretch myself in ways that aren't always comfortable. In these times, I learn new things,mostly by making mistakes and starting over again-hey that's the fun of learning! It's an important part of the process.

The tag is from a sketch from jen  I pretty much followed the sketch using my favorite colors. For the circle I ripped the papers and added a star stamp from   Stampin Up  . It turned out looking like a sunset. I finished off with a sentiment that says 'sending hugs'. I used mostly scrap pieces of paper to make the tag, and inked the edges with Tim Holtz walnut ink. I love how it turned out and will look forward to making another tag in the future.

I hope you will have some time this week to engage our own creative spirit! For all of you on March Break...have a good one!!!!

I am entering this tag in the following challenges:

deconstructingjen:sketch

paper-craftingjourney:anything-but-card

pinandtack:spark-your-creatitivity-now:anything goes

sentimentalsundays:anything-goes+ a sentiment

Thank you so very much for coming to my blog today. Please consider becoming a follower. I do so appreciate any comments you may leave for me. Have a wonderful day, Hugs, Cathryn

Thoughtful Thursday

It is Thursday already, it seems as if the week has just flown by! I hope you have all been having a great week, learning something new each day! 

 I was inspired to make a card for the tuesday morning sketches challenge when I saw that this week they are being sponsored by My Creative Classroom . I have taken several classes at My Creative Classroom, and the teachers and courses are just awesome, so whoever is the winner of this challenge will be greatly blessed to receive a free class.  If you have never been to check out My Creative Classroom, they have many courses that are certainly worth checking out.

When I read the challenge for the week, I knew it would be a difficult one for me.  First off, I love to work from sketches, so this part was great, but this week they added a twist which is to do the card in monochromatic GREEN.  As much as I love green,  it is one color that I find very difficult to work with, especially solo.  So off to my craft space I went.  I pulled out all my greens, and stared. Yup, just stared for quite awhile...then I decided on the focal point of the card, which I just love...I made it with my Lacy Labels cricut cartridge.  So I placed it on the card and stared some more.  I found the background piece of paper to compliment the main piece, but I just could not figure out what to do next.

When I finally clicked in to what I needed to do is when I started tearing paper.  The rest of the card is very pristine, but it needed something totally different. The torn paper did that.  Like in life, it is often the things that suprise us most that seem to be just what we need. I then was able to play with embellishments adding the stars from my Don Juan cricut cartridge and the swirls from my Cindy Lou Cricut cartridge.  The pearls I added for a touch of elegance, beside the torn paper. I think the effect works very well together.

 I am entering this card in the following challenges:

tuesdaymorningsketches:sketch and monochromatic green

thepinkelephantchallenge: the color green 

cupcakecraftchallenges: its only words 

 I would like to thank you so much for coming to my blog  today.  This blog has been a source of joy and inspiration for me as I hope it has been for others. I would be so honored if you would choose to become a follower of my blog. My goal is to have 100 followers before my birthday which is in August. You can help me reach that goal by joining me now.

 Each and every comment received is  read and appreciated more than you will ever know.

A Pretty Card For Spring

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful week so far.  Yesterday I posted a picture of some beautiful green, sprouting out of my garden which assures me that spring is just a heart beat away. Then this morning I awoke to a ground covered in fresh snow!  Wow, you just never know what is going to happen from one day to the next. This was  a simple reminder to enjoy every day, every moment because you just never know what is around the corner.  I remember reading a quote once that said 
'Life is not a dress rehearsal'.  How true, we must try to make the most out of each day we have.

The card I have for you today is a pretty spring card that I was inspired to make by the 100th birthday challenge at fridaymashup.   
They are having a special challenge this week where you can choose from any of their 100 challenges. This card I have made comes from challenge #21 which is to use the sketch, and use dry embossing.  Here is the sketch

Here is my card:

 

I never think the cards look quite as stunning in the pictures as they do in person, but I really love this card.  I have made it on a pink polka dot paper which is bought as a single from Michaels.  The embossed sheets are both linen papers done with a cuttlebug embossing folder and I added little white pearls to add a touch of elegance.  I made the flower with my Ultimate Creative Sampler Cartridge for my Cricut machine.   I decided not to add a sentiment because I have someone in mind to give it to and didn't have the right words to put on it.  

I think this little card though simple has a real spring like feel to it and a simple touch of class, I hope you like it too.

Besides entering it in the Friday Mashup I will also be entering this card in the following challenges:

.fridaymashup: #21- sketch and dry embossing

fussyandfancychallenge: flowers 

.creativetimeforme: spring related/ add a die cut 

cutecardthursday: spring fever 

I would like to thank you so much for coming to my blog  today.  This blog has been a source of joy and inspiration for me as I hope it has been for others. I would be so honored if you would choose to become a follower of my blog. My goal is to have 100 followers before my birthday which is in August. You can help me reach that goal by joining me now.

 Each and every comment received is  read and appreciated more than you will ever know.

Magic Monday!

Wow, today was just a little bit Magical!  After deciding on making a spring card, I thought I would take a little walk around my own yard to see if there were any signs of spring and lo and behold there before my very eyes, peaking out from under the old fallen leaves was this most beautiful magical spring sight...

 Now obviously this has been peaking through for a little while, but I had not noticed it because I wasn't looking!  Funny how that can happen in life.  There are wonderful things happening all around us all the time and unless we are actually looking for them we will not see them. We have all heard the saying 'Stop and Smell the Roses', so today, I invite you to take a moment  to notice something around you that is truly a wonderful blessing in your life. Stop, take a deep breathe, and ENJOY!

The card of have today is based on a sketch I found at fridaymashup: 100th celebration #43  The idea of this challenge is they offer two ideas and you can use one or the other or both.  For challenge 43, I chose to use the sketch, and the flower is a new idea that I learned at a scrap booking weekend last Saturday.  I have also chosen a spring theme as this is a favorite idea in several challenges this week. I love to mix up several challenges as I find this excites my creative process. And voila!

I love the look of the different dots, and the color blocking, as well as the different textures and layers.  The papers are all bought in singles from Michaels, and the stamp is from Studio 112. If you are interested in learning more about this beautiful flower, please contact janice and she would be happy to let you know how to make this lovely flower.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

fridaymashup:sketch #43 & something new from stash

ribboncarousel:-spring-is-in-air: add ribbon or twine

fussyandfancychallenge:flowers

cas-ualfridays: color blocks

dianamlarson: anything goes

creativetimeforme:spring time, use a die cut

cutecardthursday: spring fever

Thank you so very much for coming to my blog today. I would love for you to leave me a comment. I read all comments and appreciate them ever so much.  If you have not become a follower yet, I would be honored if you would become one now. Thank you.

Already Thursday!

 It has been a gorgeous day here in B.C. and I hope each one of you have had a wonderful day as well. Sometimes I find it is easy to take the little things in life for granted as I find myself rushing around in the busyness of life.  I would like to encourage you to take a moment to breathe... think about something, or someone who made a difference in your life this week, and celebrate that event or person just for a moment.

 It is easy to take our lives for granted, and yet it can be so uplifting to pause for short moments and celebrate.  This week I was able to visit a close friend I hadn't seen in a long time.  We gabbed, we shopped, we had a cup of tea together. It was a celebration. I also got to spend quality time with my 6 year old granddaughter Madilyn.  We played dolls, she read me stories and we watched a funny movie together.  Then yesterday I received a parcel in the mail from my sister who lives in Ontario Canada, and she had knit me this beautiful brown cowl for no special occasion!!!  So I wanted you all to see how beautiful it is. What a sweet sister I have, her name is Lori. So this is a picture of me wearing the cowl.

When I take a moment to reflect on all of the positive people and happenings in my life, I know that I am very blessed. When I started blogging, just 6 short weeks ago, I opened the door to meeting so many more wonderful people than I could ever have imagined.  I am so grateful to each and every person who comes to my blog.  I hope you might find a touch of inspiration, and maybe something that makes you smile..

My card today is a Celebration/Birthday card, I started by using the sketch from unscriptedsketches: 200th sketch and the color scheme from simplylessismoore If you have been following my blog, you will know that I am a button-a-holic!  And I just love how these buttons work so perfectly on this card.

I embossed the beige and light pink then added the smaller dark squares on top which are made of a linen type paper.  The buttons are attatched with embroidery thread and the word is stamped on with Tim Holtz walnut distress ink.  I added one pink pearl for a touch of pizazz.
 I love the way this card turned out!  I will be entering this card in the following challenges:
simply less is moore: white brown and pink

unscriptedsketches: 200th sketch

paperplaytime: anything goes

thatcraftplaceblog:anything goes

 conniecancrop: Happy Birthday

Thank you ever so much for stopping by today.  If you have enjoyed yourself, please consider becoming a follower.  I would love for you to leave a comment.  Your words make my heart soar!!

Technique Tuesday

Wow, its another day, and I had such a fun afternoon practicing new techniques I learned this weekend both at my scrap booking event and at a blog hop with kiwi lane designs . How fortunate I feel to be able to share this card with you today!

First off I am using a sketch I found at just us girls challenge blog.  I do so appreciate all the fabulous people who create sketches and offer them to us for inspiration. What a gift! I used a group of words and made my own stamp for the rectangle piece, which I ripped, and inked with Tim Holtz walnut distress ink.  I then used a rusty brown, and dark brown card stock piece which I also ripped and distressed with the same ink.  I then sewed all these pieces down with my sewing machine.  I have wanted to try this technique for a long time however I was so encouraged to do this when I hopped to Jenn Nicholes  blog and saw her amazing scrap book pages with machine stitching on them. I so love how this turned out and it was SEW much fun!!!  If you haven't tried this I would encourage you to pull out your sewing machine and do sew.  

The buttons I have used are antique bone buttons tied on with rust and brown embroidery thread, and the card itself is cut out with the design tool #2 from paper wishes , and inked with the Tim Holtz walnut ink.  Now the flower piece, which is my favorite part of the card is a vintage flower I learned to make at my scrap book event this weekend.  The flower is designed by Janice, and she can be reached at jkyp@telus.net . 

I am entering this card at the following challenges:

justusgirlschallenge: sketch

pinandtack:spark-your-creativity-now 

thatcraftplaceblog.anything-goes 

simonsaysstamps:anything-goes 

Thank you ever so much for stopping by. If you have enjoyed yourself, please consider becoming a follower.   I do so appreciate each and every comment that is left for me.

Make it on Monday

Hi everyone, I hope you have had a great day and that you are looking forward to a great week ahead. I have had such a fun afternoon playing in my craft room with my tools, and a bunch of fun new techniques.  What a gift it is to be able to just play. As all of you know, things don't always work out the first or second time like we might like them to, so it is so luxurious to have so much time to try and try again to find new ways to make things work out in a way that just feels right...not perfect, but right.

Today I have a card featuring 'Snowflakes!' Although this may seem like an odd choice, my sister has a passion for snowflakes, and this card is for her.  I love the bold rich color palette of royal blue and white.  I embossed the white with my snowflake embossing folder made by Darice.  I cut out my snowflakes from the  Cricut classroom cartridge When It's Cold Outside. I also used Lacy Labels to cut out the background pieces for each of the snowflakes. For added beauty I added a pearl to the middle of each of the snowflakes. I am showing the inside of the card because I just love the way it turned out as well. I hope you will like my card.

Today I am entering my card in the following challenges:

partytimetuesdays: anything goes

pinandtack: spark your creativity now , anything goes

festivefriday: snowflakes

I am so happy you stopped by my blog today.  I appreciate each and every comment that is left for me. I would love it if you would consider becoming one of my followers.