This was such a fun challenge. I found it at Create with Connie and Mary. The challenge was to create a card using a cake as inspiration. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you use the picture for inspiration.

I took the colours from the cake Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizazz and Burgundy.

The Background stamp is called Print Pattern. It is retired but a favorite of mine.

The flowers are from Vintage Vogue and I rock and rolled them. (How fun is this!)

I used the colours from the colour palette.

I don't usually do inspiration challenges but this was so much fun.

It's beginning to feel like Christmas? I hope not I am just not ready for it. I love Fall and we still have to get through Halloween. But for some reason I have been working on Christmas. This is a sketch challenge from Stamping 411, HERE.

It is a nice simple sketch and I really enjoyed working with it. I don't have alot of the new sets from the mini.....yet! So I reached for some old tried and true friends. A personal favorite Snow Swirled. The card above is done in a Pink Pirouette and Basic Black theme with a little Vanilla thrown in. It was a colour combo challenge I saw on some one's blog. But I have forgotten where.(But I just figured it out...Stamping 411) I am going to get a book to write challenges, dates and where I found them. Organization is not really my strong point.

This card again using snow swirled is done in another favorite combo of mine Riding Hood Red and Basic Black with Very Vanilla. I really like the stitched rub on's (not SU!). If I ever drag my machine upstairs, I will sew on everything.

I think this is my favorite card. For me totally not a colour scheme I would use. Pretty in Pink, Old Olive and Night of Navy. But I really like it. I also flipped the sketch so I could use Christmas Collage. This challenge made me realize I need Taffeta ribbon in every colour. I guess I really just need more ribbon. :)

I am hoping to be able to get more stamped today. But my children are telling me I promised them baking so we'll see what happens.

Hi everyone.... I feel like I have been away from the blog for a month. But My family is well again, I am well again and I will be back in the stamp cave tonight.
I missed out on all the challenges last week and I missed it so I am all ready to start new this week.
My desk is even clean. That nearly never happens. I think I work best in chaos. LOL
Have a Happy Friday, see you soon.

It's been a busy week. Most of my family has been very ill with a flu like bug. So I really haven't stamped much. I am hoping to remedy that today. I took place in a swap a few weeks ago. I got back 40 fabulous cards all showcasing items in the holiday mini. This card was created by Dorthy Sealfer from Alberta. I just love the golden halo.

I think this was my absolute favorite card. It is glittery and vintage and just excellent.

It was made by Michelle Tamboline.

I just love how she made the pumpkin. I would have never thought of that. Really cute! This card was made by Shyla Ducharme.

I love being able to participate in the swaps. I get great ideas from them. The downside is it makes me want Set's I said I wasn't going to buy.

It was kind of a quiet rainy Sunday and I decided to play with MDS. (my digital studio) As I was playing around on Facebook. I found these pictures of Charlotte just posted. They were taken by her friend Brendan.
I thought they were beautiful. Am I really that biased?
So here is my simple Sunday page. I can't believe she will be 15 in a week. Where did the time fly?

Another Favorite from the Holiday Mini..... Christmas collage. There are so many things you can do with this set. I was trying to case a beautiful card that I saw on stampin'connection. But I just couldn't for the life of me recreate it. So this is the next best thing. LOLI used Cherry Cobbler (my new favorite red) and very vanilla. I just tried to cut the pieces so I could layer them together it sort of worked. But I still really like how the cards turned out. The mini pearls work so well on the ornament.

Simple and pretty. That's perfect!

Happy Sunday, I'm returning to my stamp cave.

CCMC117
I made these cards for the colour challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary. I just adore these colours. Crumb cake, Tangerine Tango, Early Expresso and Very Vanilla. I am feeling somewhat hungry now. lol

The card above uses Elements of Style set, with the new antique brads and victoria lace. I ran the base through the Big Shot with the square lattice folder and spritzed it with the vanilla smooch. I really like how it turned out. :)

I love the Artistic etching's set. Wasn't sure if I wanted it but I now reach for it over and over. Really love it, especially in this colour combo. This is a combo, that I will use again soon. Happy Saturday! Hope your day has something stampy in it.

Hope everybody is having a fabulous Thursday. For some reason I keep thinking it is Friday, but good news I have an extra day this week. (Don't we all wish that?)

These are some Christmas Star ornament's that I made using the The Bigz 5 point star. The funny thing is I bought this to make petals for a flower quilt. Another on my huge to do list.

I used the awesome Deck the Halls paper. I also used the equally fabulous set called Bells and Boughs. The Holiday mini is chock full of super cool stuff, and we all need more stuff......right.

I have a picture tutorial on how to do the basic star. It is in the two posts below this one.

(I will be adding a video on how to do the rosette because it is easier to see than to tell how to.)

5 point star tutorial: Part one.

To make the star you need, the Bigz die, Big Shot, glue stick, sticky strip (red line tape) , designer series paper and chipboard. I used the backing board from the designer paper.

I cut the paper and backing board 3x5 inches. You need 5 pieces of each. You need to run each piece through the Big Shot one at a time. This die has scoring lines and cutting more than one at a time will cause the score lines to cut through.

When you have all your pieces cut. Fold all the score lines on all the pieces.

They should look like the ones in the above picture.

Glue both pieces. It will help the paper adhere better and it also gives you a little bit of slip so that you can line the pieces up properly.

You should then have 5 identical pieces. Go on to part 2.........

5 point star: Part 2

Use the sticky strip on the side tabs of the star points. Apply tape to 4 points.

The first point needs sticky strip on both tabs, on the 3 points you only need sticky strip on the far tab. By the time you get to the last point you will have sticky strip on all the tabs that need it.

Or for extra hold you can put it on all tabs. :)

Then you just peel the red liner off. Line up the 2 tabs and press them together.

Keep adding the points to the star. Make sure to apply a little pressure to the tabs to make a good bond with the adhesive.
Only one more point to go......it's really easy, isn't it!

Here is the finished star ready for decoration.

I will post the rosette tutorial tomorrow. These are fun and can be made in all different sizes.

Any questions just ask..... justaddink@gmail.com

As I have said I love a great Sketch challenge this is the Saturday Sketch Challenge from Stamping 411.
The card above is a simple Black and white scheme with just a splash of Cherry Cobbler. I love the Glimmer brads. (new in the Holiday mini)
The card below is in a colour scheme of Pear Pizazz and blushing Bride. I wasn't sure about Blushing Bride but I use it now all the time. The set is from the idea book and it is called Just Believe. It is another staple for me. I love it so great for so many techniques and occasions.
I used the pear Pizazz ribbon and Glimmer Brads in the Blushing Bride colour. I really love how it all turned out. The same sketch but 2 different looking cards.


I have to say that although I miss my Husband (he recently started back to work) I get so much more done. LOL
I haven't really stamped in along time. But you can see by my daily updated blog that I am stamping everyday.
I love the focus and creativity I get from stamping everyday. Quite house ........ It's a good thing!
Thanks for visiting and I'll be back tomorrow.

Happy Tuesday.... where has the week gone? We had a nice Labour Day holiday, which ended with our son going up to the city to live. So that is 2 out and 4 still to go. But it is all bittersweet isn't it.

This set is called Just Believe. It was the set in the new catalogue that jumped right out at me.

It is perfect for colouring in with marker's as well as for solid stamping. I love this set so much, I know I say that alot. But I am like a kid in the candy store. This is a hobby that I truely love working at. It is so cool when an idea or design actually works. And you are able to say, I like this alot!

The good thing about my husbands new job is it gives me lot's of time to stamp.

Whishing you all a great Tuesday!

It is a bright and beautiful day. We came through the storm well. Thankfully. These are the last of the Halloween cards I have done so far. The card above uses the new Waffle paper. It is very cool. You can emboss it, fold it , pleat it it goes around a circle beautifully, it can also act as ribbon. Definitely a useful product.

Both these cards use the Dark and Dreary stamp set. It's a favorite of mine. I love owl's and this one has the most beautiful one. These card's use the co ordinating wheel and spider web embossing folder.

Halloween is an exciting time in our home, with the raising of 6 children and it being my husbands birthday. It is always a time of excitement and decorations and party themes.

Have a happy stamping Monday!!!

I absolutely love a good Sketch Challenge. I actually stalk a few blog's just to do them. This was this weeks challenge. You can find her blog here. Below is her sketch, a million things you can do with it!
Below is my first card with this sketch. I looked through the Colour Coach to find the combo....which is Early Espresso, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizazz. I used the new sticky back 1/2 pearl's (Lovin'them) and one of the new level one hostess set's for the flowers. It co ordinates with the Boho Blossom Punch.
I like the fresh colour combo, and did you spot the new glimmer brads. Another must have!

I really love the clean graphic look of Black and white. So I made another card using the same sketch. I changed it up just a little, and used the sticky back rhinestones. (lovin'it again :))


Have a Happy Stampin'Saturday!

We are experiencing the tail end of Hurricane Earl. So far so good. Lot's a rain and wind but we have come safely through.

I thought I would change over from Fall to Christmas and introduce you to some more new Stampin'Up! product. The mini is just so full of cool stuff.

This stamp set is Bells and Boughs set(c 121142). It is so cool and has so much matching accessories.

The paper is called deck the halls (120810) is so great for cards, scrapbooks and embossing.

The paper gets a nice distressed look when run through the Big Shot with an embossing folder.

This set has a coordinating wheel Belle (121430) which I am playing with today.

Not to leave out such fun stuff as 1/2 inch seam binding (this stuff is so beautiful, soft and shiny),Glass Glitter (I heart this stuff) waffle paper and the tinsel trim.

I just received the Christmas Collage Background stamp as well. It is so pretty, I've only made one card with it but I can't wait to make more.

I now have the mini in hand, email if you'd like one. (justaddink@gmail.com)

I wanted to share this photo again. I really like how this card turned out. I wanted to be able to show it close up. The colours are Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie. The picture below is a close up of the pumpkins.

I absolutely adore the new set Dark and Dreary. The Raven is perfect for Halloween. This reminds me of my favorite Harry Potter movie Prisoner of Azkaban. It looks like it is a scene just outside of Hagrid's door. I really love the masking technique, very simple but visually appealing as well.

Aren't these just the happiest little pumpkins all ready for their big night. The background is the amazing spider web folder and I even added the little spider from Dark and Dreary to the tag.

I spent last night reorganizing my scrap room. Hopefully it will be more user friendly now. I never have room for my cutter and scor pal. We are getting ready for Earl, the tracker shows that it's path is right over our house. Hopefully all will be well and I can share more cards with you tomorrow.

The maple tree's in my front yard are telling me it's fall......but the heat is telling me I need to move to someplace cold. I love fall it's my favorite season, so I have been working on some fall themed cards. This card uses the new spider web embossing folder and a new set called Dark and Dreary. I love it! The other set is an older set but so much fun to play with. I used the masking technique and water coloured with re inker's.

It reminds me of Harry Potter with the raven's and pumpkins. (Can't wait for the new movie in November)

This set called Autumn Harvest is so fun to colour. I cut out the leaves individually and attached

them last. I really like these colour's together and it has started me thinking of all the wonderful things that are coming up in the fall.

I have lot's of samples to post...... so keep checking back for new cards.

Well September first has come in with a heat wave......so it's the perfect time to cool off with the new Holiday Mini Catalogue from Stampin'Up! This is filled with such an assortment of amazing items, you will want it all. I know I do, I keep trying to remind myself slow and steady wins the race.

Contact me to arrange to get your copy or view it here.

I can tell you there is something for everyone, from cute to classic to vintage....it's all here.