I did the Gingerwood Challenge today!

Ha! For once I was able to get something done the same day the challenge came out! YAY! It's been far too long since I've had time to sit down and craft WHEN I want, and WHAT I want. The challenge required using one of my old stamps. I know the Shamrock Fairy Bear is old, but I don't know how old. It's by Darcie's....and had never ever been inked. Can't say I don't make use of old stuff now! (So there, B Phillips!)
I used a Glorious Green base, then layered a panel of Green Galore that was edged with one of my new EK Success punches (I love them - they work SOOOOO well on cardstock!), then tied some green grosgrain on the panel. On the panel there's a Nesties Oval and scalloped oval with some Martha Stewart Glitter dots around the edges. On the white oval I used a bunch of the latest $1 stamps from M's...stamped randomly to make my own bg paper! Colored the bear with Copics, and then used a strip of scrap paper to stamp the shamrocks and it fit just right! The shamrocks are also old ...maybe as old as 15 years or more...and I bought them unmounted back then...and kept it for this long (again, I don't think it had ever been used!)

My kid is out washing my car today...maybe I'll put some green inside the card and tell her she did a good job (even though I will need to go out and re-do it...my kids are NOT good at washing cars). They grew up in their younger years in Santa Barbara and down there, you pretty much do not wash the car at home because the water is hard and it leaves terrible spots! So now they always ask why don't I take it to the car wash? That's how we USED TO do it, isn't it?! Um, no, we only did that because the water was crappy...and besides, I can't afford to do that up here! There are no decent cheapy car wash places in Seattle!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

E

Card Share 02.26.09

I'm on a stamping roll! I made this for a friend whose wife just had their first baby boy. The initial newborn photos look JUST like his daddy! I hope they enjoy these first few weeks of new baby life and savor his baby changes.

The base cardstock is SU's old Marigold Morning, then some purplish Bazzill that was run through the cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder is layered on in a strip behind the main image.

Stamp set is from Inkadinkado (from Ebay). Isn't that lion cute? THe rest of the animals are adorable too! I may have to make some extra cards just because! The greeting, "hooray! it's a boy!" came from a set by Rubber Soul. Nesties make the pretty scalloped frame, and an accent dot of the swiss dots in a bazzill green this time is on the upper left corner. The background paper is the DCWV baby boy stack, and the ribbon is SEI's Chickadoo line (last year). Spread some sparkly glitter over the lion's mane, and the card is done. Very easy, and very basic.

We got a beautiful layer of fresh snow EARLY this morning (I heard it started last night in many of the surrounding areas though). NOW the roads are almost clear - just a little slushy in my neighborhood, and the sun is out. It's gorgeous! I love the brightness and the way white makes everything look so fresh!

Take care everyone! I'm meeting up with a friend to buy passports for the Great Northwest Paper Chase...coming up on March 20th through April 4th I think...Is anyone else planning to go?

hugs,
Elaine

Ann's Oval Challenge

Ann's Creative Nook has a weekly challenge and try as I might, I rarely get to make anything. Well this week I pushed myself to do SOMETHING and did an oval card. The challenge is for anything with an oval as it's central focus. Not a particularly special card, but the scalloped oval nestie is cut out of the cover. Inside is where the white oval is placed so it shows through the oval window on the front. The stamp is one from the really cute Stampendous bee series. I couldn't find the rest of my st. patty's day stamps, so this is what I could do with what was on hand with ovals....and green. The green wasn't part of the challenge, but my son loves green and he's the one that cut the oval shape from the green cardstock so that's what we end up with! Mom & son produced card. (I did force him to make the card with me, but sometimes that's good for a 17 y/o kid.)lol

PTI Challenge card

Made this last night for the challenge. It's out of my comfort zone to use this color combo and it just feels kind of wild....anyway, I did it, and it's growing on me! Only the background was stamped...using PaperTrey's circle set. The chicken is a Sizzix die and the Thank you is a rub-on from Making Memories. I hope to find more of those soon...they've been out of the stores for a while now. Has anyone seen them?

I think I am giving it to the neighbors. They took us out for a lovely dinner (again...) We think they might like us a little bit or maybe we're just spoiled or they're going to bribe us somehow to do something....

Anyway, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Bothell's Canyon Park at a place called Grazie. We ordered mouth watering appetizers: Manilla clams, Dungeness Crab & Artichoke dip on garlic infused toast, and Tender Coconut shrimp with a lime-aioli dipping sauce; then for dinner, our choices came completely off of the "Daily Specials menu" and we ended up trying New Zealand Lamb, Prawns with Pasta, and Halibut with Risotto. Sides of asparagus, and rustic red mashed potatoes ....mmmmmmm......
It was truly decadent and probably the BEST risotto I've ever had. Pair that with lots of red wine, a Kir Royale, live Jazz music, and we ended up closing the place down at 11:00. Not before we had Canneloni with cinnamon scented whipped cream and spicy chocolate drizzles all over the place...OMG - HEAVEN I tell you! AND, very affordable...well we didn't pay, but I saw the prices. Compared to the last place they took us, this was a value meal! LOL We SOOOOO owe them a nice meal! I hope France is this nice because I think we are going to France with them...I hope.... ;-)

Have a great evening. I'm going to see who Jason picks on the Bachelor...I'm thinking he's going to be a loozer and pick Deanna. :(

Oh yea, there's a great new release of ELZYBELLS stamps - they are wayyyyyy too cute and you should go check it out because I think you might likey them...especially the food ones...I mean you're probably kinda hungry now after I posted about that fab dinner, right?

Check out this link to start with:
Elzybells FOOD

Night everyone!

Card Share on a Sunny Saturday!

YAY! Finally some pretty spring-like weather in Seattle! Actually it's been nice for a few days!
I went to Michael's this morning after hitting a scrapbook retreat garage sale (lots of deals!) While there I saw some great new punches by EK Success. I managed to maintain my composure (mostly because I had no coupons left) and got just TWO of the dozen or more new styles! I will be adding to my collection but only with a coupon....

Here are the ones I picked up today




The card is made with a base from the $1 bin at Michaels. They are orange floral textured square cards with envelopes - 6/1.00!

Spreading some card share love

Did everyone have a nice weekend? Hopefully you have some time off, today, for President's day too! I am off but not crafting much. I've got a case of "pink eye" (blech). I had an eyelash in my eye the other day and kept rubbing to try to get it out (I was on the road driving), but all I did was irritate the inside and outside corners of my eye. When I got home and could see it in the mirror it was easy to get out...but by then my eye was tender and probably already a problem.


I've been hanging out doing some cooking with hubby (perfect vision not required for that!). Normally he's the one that makes all of the fabulous meals but we did a lot of it together this weekend. On Valentine's Day we normally stay home for a nice meal with the kids, but decided to head out this year. We had Pho...one of my favorite asian noodle soups at Than Brothers in Lynnwood. They serve a delectable cream puff with the meal it was just perfect. (I don't even like cream puffs, but theirs are just soooo good I eat em up!)

I also made some cards that I wanted to share but with the eye thing going on, hadn't felt like trying to take pictures. I have a hard enough time doing it when my eyes are feeling good...but today I was able to take pics (and it's gorgeous outside though still cold) so here are the Valentine cards - late but at least I got some made!

The pink/black LOVE card uses a big canvas heart from Quick Quotes (I inked it up with some chalk ink to coordinate with the card). The black letters are nice and glittery Thickers and they're soooo easy to use! That little flower ribbon slider is from Maya Road...I got a BUNCH of them from their clearance sale - not sure what or where else to use them, but can't say I'm hoarding it if I really used it, right?

The aqua/red mini card was inspired by something that Kristina Werner did here: http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/2009/01/kwernerdesign-cards-on-etsy/
Hers are simply sweet...mine not so sure about how simple they are, but I like the colors a lot!

And finally the brown/pink card - it has the yummy BasicGrey cardstock and some new ribbon from the recent Making Memories collection at Michaels. Which reminds me I need to head out there and get more! It coordinates with so many other pink and black color schemes! ;-)

Enjoy the week everyone...I hope it's starting to warm up where you are. If not, hopefully it's at least a little bit sunny! Those of you in the warm 80 degree climates, I don't want to hear it....I'm just jealous.

Adios~
Elaine

Smitten by a little fox...

...from Imaginisce! I fell in love with the paper at my scrapbook store. The stamps are from Lizzie Ann and a $1 stamp from Michaels or Joanns. There are actually glossy/lacquered parts of the printed background paper, but my camera has a hard time picking it up.

Anyhow, it's my card for the sketch challenge at Lizzie Ann Designs. :)

Happy Friday, everyone!

hugs,
Elaine