Halloween pictures

After the Halloween celebrations all day, I just couldn't jump into my Christmas mode again.
So here are some pics from today.
My children made quite an entrance into the Parenting Centre today, holding hands and beeing so cute!
There was much excitement on the street and we managed to get this pic before trick or treating.

that's it for today. I'm wiped. I led 2 music sessions at the centre. Haven't done that for over a year and a half now and forgot how much energy it takes!!

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

tin ornaments

I made a few of these the other night and have plans for many more styles. I had 2 more designs already done, but gave them away before I got a pic of them.

53 mm tin from Lee Valley. Can you tell I bought a lot of them. tee hee

Stamped the snowman from SU Perfect presentation. Added a bit of White paint pen. Adhered ribbon on the bottom part of the tin. Used the cropadile to punch a hole in the bottom part. NOTE:: You can't go in too far from the lip or you won't be able to squeeze the eyelet in.
And then added the fake snow from the dollar store. Gotta get me more of that. I like the shimmery-ness of it.

For the Chanukah one, I embossed a chip board candle from one of Basic Grey's Christmas sets. Stamped the sentiment, from Stamping Bella, on the front of the tin. Punched out 2 different sized circles to mat the candle. and used the 2 inch marvy punch (i'm still so tickled that I actually found one in the states, and for half the price of here and then a Michael's 50 %off that! It was practically free!

Happy Halloween for tomorrow. (Yes, it is still only Halloween. I've been in Christmas mode for soo long now.)

Thanks for looking.
Amanda

Sacred Christmas

here is a Sacred Christmas card. I bought this stamp at Michael's during my trip to Annapolis a few weeks ago. I've inked and coloured it in many combos and then put it away. Many times. l didn't even cut it out. could not think of a layout.
Finally, finally!!! When I was on my way to bed, this one fell together.

Paper is by Basic Grey Figgy Pudding, sentiment from Michael's last year, stars from there also I think. I used my slit punch for the 1st time. It was stuck when I got it, but hubby fixed it for me. It pays to have a husband who fixes things!! Thanks babe!
And ooo, don't ya just love all that sparkle on the star!! The sun was in my favour for that one, but left some funky shadows on the card also. Oh well, you get the idea of it. I'm not sending it for publication or anything. lol

I was on a roll last night, so I'll post more regularly in the next few days to share them all:}

Thanks for looking.
Amanda

Sarah's booth

My friend and Upline Sarah, has a booth at the Canadian Home and Country show, Automotive blg. CNE this weekend.
She's been working very hard and steady for the past few months and can now take a breath!!
What a great job she did of designing and making all the items and displaying them at the show.


On one side of us, we had a chocolate, cashew, buttercrunch booth with a large bowl of sample pieces. ooo, bad girl.
Across the aisle from us, there was a massage chair... What a great place to go for a little restoration!!
This item was much enjoyed by Sarah.. (she's gonna kill me for showing this) I liked the foot massage it gave also:}

Kudos to you Sarah for this huge undertaking. Check out her blog... http://sarbear.typepad.com/

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

candle sets

I worked on some of these sets last night. I wasn't as productive as I would have liked, but I'll work on it again tonight.

Very easy, once you get the knack of it.
Stamp your image on white tissue paper. (I started with ones I needed to colour, not wise in the interest of time). Trim paper around image. Lay it on your candle. Some people prefer to put a strip of wax paper over top of that, making sure it is longer than the candle. Grasp it tight to the candle in the back as a handle.
Use your heat tool and move it over the tissue paper. The wax from the candle will melt and the tissue paper will become one with the candle. Careful not to hold the heat tool over an area too long, or your wax will run. Also, make sure your tissue paper is not wrinkled ot it won't melt flat against the candle.

For a step by step tutorial, Gina K designs has on on her blog.

I made the matching coaster on tile using stazon ink. And then a simple card to finish off the set.

I'm so into Christmas making mode, that when I see blogs with Halloween stuff on them, I'm snapped back to reality that yes, indeed, it is only October!

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

day at the beach

We went to the beach on Sunday. It was a great day. Record breaking 26 degrees. In October. Amazing.
Daddy came with us, so I had to get some pictures. Wanted to share this one. There is a scrap book page in this for sure, even though I'm not that confident with scrapping. It will come to me in a dream some day.

I designed a card today. In the daylight! WIth my son in the room, happily playing with his new truck. Daughter was napping. I actually got to make a few of the cards. But am too tired to take a pic. Tomorrow. That's why I gave ya the beach pic...lol

If anyone has page layout ideas for this pic, send 'em along.!

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Peaceful cardinal

Here is a card with the beloved cardinal again. I used a deeper red instead of the bright one I like b/c the card base was a little deeper.

The stamp, ribbon and card base are from Michael's. I went to one here today. Oh boy!! What a difference in prices! Some things are 8 dollars more here!!! And the sales that they had 2 weeks ago when I was in the states, they are having the same things on sale here now. But there, there was mostly 40% off. Here, it was only 30%! Man, kills me.

Anyho, nuff about that.

The image is punched with marvy square punch and also the scalloped oval. I used versa mark with the ever versitile flourish from Baroque motifs on the scallop. Peaceful wishes was embossed with seafoam white EP. THe card already had the background print on it. I also bought a pack with diamonds and one with stripes. SO look forward to seeing some of those. I also found a pack of silver polka dots thank you card that I'm going to use as a base for the Naughty bucket cards. I think it will work. Have to play a little tomorrow.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

baby's firsts tin

Remember that tin I covered a while back? Well, here is the kit I had planned for it. there are still come cards to put inside and I need to design a title for it, but here it is!

All SU products on the tin and cards. I don't know who's site I first saw it on. I looked on Splitcoast stampers, but couldn't find this tin there. I did lift the ideas for the cards from another person though.

If you need the recipe, email me. I'm rushing out the door right now.

I plan on making a tin for teen girls. I'm going to ask advice from some of my younger cousins who are in the know.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Coal bucket

I used to actually make these bucket ornaments in university. I would paint a clay mini pot silver, rough it up with black paint, put pieces of BBQ charcoal in it, string handle and paint the saying on the bucket.

So I've had this idea in my head for some time now. This is what I have so far...

bucket is the pot from Papertrey's Green Thumb. I cut out pieces of coal from left over rubber bits when you trim stamps and adhered them to an acrylic block. The tag is a Quickkutz die cut and I handprinted the saying on it. I've contacted a business stamp maker to actually get it on a stamp, instead of having to write it all the time. I figure there may be a few other stamps (ahem, cosmoBella maybe?) that I can use it on later.
Oh yes, I pierced 2 holes and inserted a piece of wire to make the handle. The corners on the image were punched with just a few petals from the SU three flower punch.

This is just the image for the card. Now the card background will just have to "come" to me, as I haven't a clue what to do. I'll probably dream of it tonight. I hope.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

vellum embossed ornaments

These ornament were very fun to make. For the full tutorial and whereabouts of their origin, check out this blog:
http://paperpleasing.typepad.com/ Oct. 18 entry.

I hung them from my light, so the top ball has all the glow on the double ornament. I'll find another place to hang it tomorrow to see what it looks like.

Now I have to buy more vellum and organza ribbon..... what a chore. lol

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Red Glitter Tree

This card is hot off the table. I started to mass produce 8. It was getting late, so I finished 2. More gluing and cutting tomorrow.
I wish I could create something new in the beginning of the night, instead of the end. Just when it all comes together, you look at the clock and it's 11pm already. Where's my muse at 9?? lol

Yes, I used glitter!!! This is HUGE. If you know me, I don't like messes. And glitter... well.... glitter is messy! But I did it.

This set is a retired SU set. It didn't have a name on the case, so I don't know what it is called. But I love the 2 step stamping it has. Stamped in Old Olive and then red glitter.
The word background stamp is from Michael's. I used real red, bravo burgandy, always artichoke and old olive ink down the stamp.
Also used my new punch to get the ribbon through. Ribbon is from Wal-Mart.
Oh yes, "be merry" is also SU. Can't remember which set it's from right now.

Well, getting to bed at 1 am AGAIN!! at least the kids slept in till 7:30 this morning:} Let's hope for more of the same tomorrow.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Stockings were hung

I had fun making this card. I was fiddling with the layout, should the rectangle go on the bottom or top, a different sentiment on the round tab punch, dotted ribbon on the card itself. Anyhow, this is what I came up with. I've not been using much in terms of embellishments lately. Find I want to have a clean card. I'm sure this phase will pass. lol

Stamp is from Inkadinkadoo, paper from Michael's Christmas slab. Sentiment from Stampin' Up "whishing you cheer" Ribbon from Walmart. (I bought a bunch fo grosgrain by the metre. Great prices!!) I'm really liking this colour combo for Christmas. I have to get more olive though.
It took me about an hour-20 minutes to make 11 of these cards. Have you ever timed yourself to mass produce? That is the most I've ever done in one shot. usually, I get too bored with one section of it and end up making only 5 and finishing the rest later. So I'm happy with my perserverance. (even if I can't spell the word)

I really should go to bed. Last night I didn't get to sleep until after 1. Waiting for the baby to wake up I guess. Once she did, I was able to get to sleep. But she woke up for real at 6:30. Her brother came in to join us in the bed. So I had 2 children blowing zerberts on my belly at 6:30 am!!! Everything was an hour or 2 early today. My timing was messed up. They both fell asleep in the car, so I drove around for a bit and had to cancel on a play date.

k, I'm off. hope my mind will stop long enough to get to sleep.
thanks for looking.

Amanda

a card! a card!!

Finally settled in at home and have my beloved computer back. SO here is a card.
The stamp is from Stampendeous. I bought it at a trip to Michael's. It's all one stamp. I decided to make these cards clean and simple. Ink and paper is blue Bayou and purely pomegranate. The DP is from a Christmas slab also at Michael's.

I like that the top of the cardstock is arched like a stain glass window. I put the jemstones on the red one, but I don't think it's really neccessary. It adds bling, but doesn't really "do" anything. I think i'll leave them off. What do you think?
Then I can mass produce them for card packs.

And here are the close ups. I have another card for tomorrow.




Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Back home

Finally back home. Plane ride wasn't so great. Little Neve didn't go to sleep. Almost nodded off just as we were landing. ACK. Both kids fell asleep in the car on the way home and woke up when we got here. All are now in bed.

My computer will be arriving tomorrow night with DH, so I'll have some pics up on Monday.

Thanks for listening,
Amanda

Still away

Hi there,
checking in again.
Only 2 more sleeps and we'll be back home in our brick house. The one we are staying in right now is wooden. So they have been named such by my 3 yr old son. He is having a blast. He was so tired,he fell asleep in my arms. ahh. It's been a long time since that happened.

My 1 yr old daughter is deciding that she doesn't like riding in the car so much anymore. Man, she has some lungs on her! Remember those singing fish that were popular years ago? Well, there is one here at the house. The DH took it an put it on the boat at the end of the race. Well, DD LOVES it. Both kids were dancing and clapping to it today. When it was over, she would point to it a yell at it. As if that would turn it on:}It only has 2 songs.. Don't worry, be happy and take me to the river. Oh boy, are those songs stuck in your head now? Don't care if I ever hear them again.

I found another Michael's and bought a few more things. Finally found a religious Christmas stamp that I liked. You'll see an example of that. I made 2 more cards and have another idea in my head, but have to get back to my own stuff to finish it.

It's cold here today. We went from August 70th, to Nov. 12th!! The lake at the end of the dock doesn't look so inviting and the thoughts of dragging the paddle boat out of the water, well, has left it in the water.:}

Lovely time here. I will miss this big bungalow. no stairs so the kids can follow me where ever they want. This is also a nice area. Easy to get from A-B. Went to the Train Museum in Baltimore. WOW. Nice place. The roundhouse had to be totally rebuilt b/c of a roof collapse from snow. Truly amazing. Yep, nice vacation. Back to reality on Sunday when I go sing at church.

Guess I was in a rambling mood tonight
Thanks for listening.
Amanda

Dry Embossed cards

These cards were made with the pack of Embossed cards. Love these. They are reasonably priced less here in the states as compared to Canada. Ribbons are also from Michael's $1 rolls.

More cards to be made from this bunch for sure.

Gotta run, supper is up and kids are at my feet.

Thanks for looking.

Joy-ful loot!!

So here I am, in a very busy wi-fi place. It's a little slow, but it's sooo nice to use my own computer and surf my bookmarks. ahhh, nice.

I'm just gonna throw out what I've been doing.

Joy stamp from Joann's, 1 buck. Glitter on stars is with a gel pen.

some of the loot from Michael's. I put a lot of it away, brads, snaps etc.

Now on to the next lot of cards....

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

More chat

Hi there,
Thanks for checking in...
I wish I were more technically enhanced.?
I'm using a friend's computer, the pictures of my cards are in it. (I've been busy), but I don't know how to get them from there to here. You see... I used to be a pc girl, but then I married a mac addict. He buys me things that are MAC oriented. So what am I to say? NO?? pshaw. SO now I'm a Mac girl and i don't remember how to work a pc. Sad story:}

Seriously though, have found a Michael's, dragged the children and shopped, shopped, shopped. (not too bad. I just get my 3 yr old on a Lightening McQueen scavenger hunt. I swear, he can't find the thing on the floor in front of him, but he can spot a Cars product in the store from a mile away. And my 1 yr old, I just give her something to chew. She's teething again.) Almost everything I bought was on sale. So much so, that I only had 2 items that I could use the 50% off coupon on. and they were both around 10 bucks. I will go back again as there are a few things I'd like to buy more of. you'll see them if I ever get the pics here.

It's really hot here. And humid. Yuckier than it's been in Toronto all summer. but it isn't smoggy. So that's good. Just sticky.

Off to a BBQ at the sailing club where DH is racing. Guess I'll create more cards tomorrow. And try to get some on this blog.

Thanks for listening..
Amanda

Missing, but active

Hi there,
I've not posted since Tuesday, as I am in Edgewater, Maryland. About 10 minutes south of Annapolis. I've been to a small, small, small Joann's fabric store. Only 2 rows of stamping stuff. I did find a nice $1 JOY stamp and have figured out a nice card for it.
I don't have internet access from my computer, so I can't show you yet. If I get down to the sailing club,where there is wi-fi, I'll send a pic.

Hoping to get to Michael's and Target, to check out their dollar spot. I couldn't find anything in Annapolis, but a house mate said she saw a strip of big stores just south of here. Can't wait to hit them. Oh yes, want to find a hobby lobby if I can. I'm all ready to shop, have saved the money, made my list, and NOTHING. Somebody, tell me where/how to spend my money. LOL

I must send a pic of the lovely waterfront house we are staying at also. We're going to get some bait (chicken wings were recommended) to put in the crab pots. We can tie them to the end of the dock...which is after the gazebo. We went for a short paddle boat ride with the kids today. we will feel it tomorrow. The paddles were seized up. But the kids enjoyed the pseudo beach. The ride back was much nicer with the wind in our backs.

Did I mention how hot it was here??? in the 80s. Humid. My hair hasn't been so wiry all summer!

We still have a whole week here. Yeah.

I'll post again, hopefully with some pics.

Thanks for listening,
Amanda

chocolate tree

Here's another card that took an hour to figure out.. as simple as it is. Sometimes i just get too complicated and go back to just basic. wanted to mat with this silver paper I had and stamp the sentiment on it with brown EP. Well, when I tried, it just wouldn't melt and crackled the paper. So I tried the EP on cardstock. It wouldn't melt, just got puffy! I bought puffy EP by mistake. oh well, it will work on the reindeer. lol

Sky blue cardstock, brown stazon, silver embossing powder. Stamp set by Inkadinkadoo. The info is upstairs. Promise to let you know what it is. Awesome sets they have.

I need to take a better picture. The colours look much better person.

THanks for looking. I have children that need some attention...

Amanda

Snow globe

I've changed my blog colours to pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. There are many ways you can show your support also. And many people who are thankful that you do.





Here is a set I bought at Michael's last year, but didn't use, as couldn't figure out how to make it look effective.
I dug it out again this year. It is a work in progress. I'm still thinking of how to cut out the circle in the CS and put the snowman inside the card. I just need a punch big enough.

I like colouring on coloured paper. Especially when I can use my Sharpie White Paint marker. I stamped the globe image on acetate or overhead projector paper with black stazon. Then stamped the character on the cardstock and colourd it in. Attached the acetate with brads and stamped the sentiment from SU.

I'll play with ths again before I send it out.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Halloween Candy tins

These were fun to make. I bought the 53 mm tins from Lee Valley yesterday to make some haircut kits, but I had this idea all afternoon. Finally got to try it after kiddies went to sleep. I LOVE how it turned out. Meridith, this box is going to be sent to you by the middle of the week!

Stamp set is Spooky Sweets by Papertrey Ink. Ribbon from Dollarama. Ink is black stazon.

now doesn't it make a nice treat for that someone special knocking at your door?

Thnaks for looking,
Amanda