Wii are inspired!

My inspiration for today's simple card came from our Wii Fit!  I've been using it more the last little while trying to get in shape.  I pulled my card colors right from the Wii Fit.

I chose Whisper White, Basic Gray and Green Galore...very Wii!!!  I chose to do a "cool" birthday card (according to my boys!) and it seriously took me about 10 minutes.  The stamped images are the Extreme Skateboard and Teeny Tiny Wishes for the greeting.  I punched the greeting with the Word Window and mounted it on a piece of Green Galore punched with the Modern Label punch.  The greeting is put on the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I did a couple little things to add visual interest...

I did some paper piercing around the top corner of the image piece and added faux Green Galore brads to each corner of the card.  I used the Ticket Corner Punch and my Crop-A-Dile to make the faux brads.

Here's a look at the dimension.

Tomorrow will be the first day of my Birthday Bonanza month!  During the month of March, I will be featuring birthday themed projects and because my birthday is in March, I've decided that for the entire month shipping and GST is on me!  To take advantage of this special you must be Canadian and you have to contact me to place your order.  Remember, this special is only for the month of March!

That's all for today!  Have an inspired day!

Bubble Fight

Happy Scrapbook Saturday!  Today I'm sharing a really fun layout with you!

One day a couple years ago, I put all three of my boys in the tub together and let them have a bubble bath.  It ended up in a huge bubble fight!  They had a blast! Scrapbooking these pictures really brought back some fun memories...and I'm sure I had a smile on my face the whole time I was working on this layout!

I went with blues for this layout...Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue & Night of Navy.  Then to throw in a little splash of color, I added Summer Sun to the strip I stamped on each page.  To keep with the bubble theme, I went with Circle Circus for the stamping!

My title was cut with the Big Shot and the Go Go Boots Alphabet.  I kept it all lower case and tilted and turned my letters just cause it's a fun look!

See that stamped circle made from dots...in between each big dot there's three little ones.  Well, I mirrored that with brads on my page (and used more brads than I ever have before on a project!!).  I saw a similar idea on a page featured in a magazine a while back and thought is was great!  I filed it away in my brain for future use and this was the perfect page for it.  I did this in two spots on my pages.  The large brads are white and the small ones are Bashful Blue and Brilliant Blue.  I love the way this turned out.

These letters are also cut with the Big Shot.  This time I used the SU Billboard Alphabet.  All my journalling on the pages was handwritten with the White Gel Pen.

That's all for today.  Hopefully I've inspired you, now go preserve some of your memories and make a scrapbook page for your album! 

Mini Milk Carton Madness

Warning...you may be seeing a LOT of Mini Milk Carton Die projects in the next little while!  I'm a bit obsessed with this die right now and I can see so many ways to use it!!!

Yesterday I showed you my take on the Mini Milk Carton bird house and today I'm going to show you another idea.

The pink one on the left is one of the Make & Takes from Leadership in Phoenix.  I thought it was so cute and did it with a local Sparks group a few weeks ago.  It was a little tricky for the girls, but they managed with a little help and loved it...especially when I put candy in them when they were done! 

The Orchid Opulence one on the right is pretty much the same project, with a couple changes.  Here's a closer look.

For the strip around the box, I did an Old Olive cardstock strip and then topped it with a piece of Cottage Wall DSP.  The top is held shut with one of the Old Olive Library Clips...love those!  It's an easy way to hold the box shut, but still have easy access to any treats that may be inside without having to destroy the box!  The Rich Razzleberry ribbon is just glue dotted on to the clip.

Super cute and super easy!

Have an inspired day!

For the Birds

Ever since Patty demonstrated Mini Milk Carton Bird Houses at Leadership in Phoenix, they've been everywhere!  Here's my take on them...

Isn't it sweet...or should I say "tweet"!!!!  The girls at my "To Die For" class (featuring the Mini Milk Carton Die!) last week loved this project!

My birdhouse is made from Kraft cardstock stamped with the Sanded background with Close to Cocoa.  I think it looks a bit like birch bark.

The roof is a 4 x 2 1/2 piece of Close to Cocoa cardstock.  I scored it at the 2 " mark so it would fold in half and then I scored it 1/4" in from each of the long sides to create the part you see in the front (after building our house you'd think I would remember the technical term for that, but it escapes me right now!!!).  I also scalloped the edges of the roof.  The all the edges of the house are sponged with Chocolate Chip ink.

Along the bottom, I used a piece of Bella Bleu DSP punched with the Scallop Edge punch (remember you can get this punch FREE when you place a $65 order!).  The bird is pretty straight forward...I used the new bird punch in the Occasions Mini.  The bird is Not Quite Navy and the wing is punched from Bella Blue DSP, then stuck on the bird with a Stampin' Dimensional.  The branch was punched twice...once from Close to Cocoa and once from Old Olive.  I cut the leaves off the Old Olive branch and glued them to the Close to Cocoa one.

I'm most excited about the bottom...

I wanted to be able to put treats inside and have the recipient be able to get the treats without destroying the box.  When I punched the hole, it also punched one of the flaps (this is unavoidable), so I cut that flap off.  Then I cut the two side flaps half off and attached on of the pieces I cut off to the last flap left, folded it over and it makes a flap box closure.  The flap is a tight fit so the weight of treats won't push it open and when you get the treats out, it's super easy to close again.  You could also put one of those little flameless tealights inside!

That's all for today!  Have an inspired day!

Foxy

Happy Sunday...and you know what that means!  It's Simple Card Sunday!!!  Before I show you my card for today, I want to show you what inspired my card.

Aren't those the cutest jammies!  Sawyer loves his "foot jammies"!  They're so soft and there's little skunks, bears, foxes, squirrels and racoons all over them!  I took my color and stamp set inspiration from these jammies...and used the Fox & Friends set from the Occasions mini!  It's such a sweet set!

Here's my card.

Supplies:  Fox & Friends & Family Phrases stamp sets; Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip & Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink; Bashful Blue Craft Ink; Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue & Naturals White cardstock; Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon; 1 3/4" Circle & Ticket Corner Punches; Paper Piercer and Mat Pack; Big Shot; SU Pennant Die; Stampin' Dimensionals; Stampin' Sponges

So, the card is pretty straight forward.  It's a weird size...3 1/2 x 5 1/2...because I used some scrap Chocolate Chip cardstock.  I sponged around the circle with Creamy Caramel and around the edges and all over the Creamy Caramel cardstock with Creamy Caramel ink.  I also sponged around the Pumpkin Pie cardstock with Chocolate Chip ink to kind of tone it down a bit!

Here's a look at the dimension.

I put dimensionals under the Bashful Blue Scallop Circle and also under the Pumpkin Pie piece.

Well, that's all for today!  Have an inspired day!

Nuggets and Cards

Hmmm, not my best title!  Today I have a great project to share with you.  I got the idea from Becky Roberts...an amazimg stamper!  Have a look...

My Stampin' clubs did this project this month and I think they all had a blast with it!  The box holds four 3x3 cards and three covered Hershey's Nuggets.  There's a clear sliding lid for it to hold everything in.  Here's a look at it open.

I used the Sending Love DSP from the Occasions Mini to cover the nuggets and also on two of the cards.  I love that I was able to use the same DSP I was using for most of my Valentine's projects, but it doesn't look anything like Valentine's with this project! 

The stamp set I used is the Flower Fancy set.  I *heart* this set!  There's so many possibilities with this set...different techniques, different ways to stamp it and different ways to make it look.  I think it's a super versatile set to have in your collection and a good investment!

Here's a closer look at the four cards.

As you can see the color scheme (Rose Red, Pretty In Pink, Old Olive & Certainly Celery) is pretty springy!  How can you tell I'm ready for spring!

And finally I have a closer look at the Nuggets for you.

I think the only disappointment with this project was that the girls had to use the chocolates for their project and not for snack!!!

That's all for today!  Have an inspiring day!

A Little Bit of YUM!

Most people know that I love to stamp, but what you don't know is that I also love to cook...especially for other people!  So, today, I'm going to share a little bit of yum with you!

Doesn't it look good?  I wish I could share the smell with you because it smells absolutely heavenly!!!!!  Here's a close look (just to make your mouth water even more!)...

It's ridiculously easy!  Here's how you can make it.

1 can of Pie Filling (any flavour...I used Blueberry this time)
1 cake mix (any flavour...I used french vanilla)
1/2 cup butter (cut into slices or pieces...about 16 pieces)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Spread the pie filling on the bottom of your pan.  Then sprinkle the cake mix over top.  Cut up the butter into pieces and then put it over the cake mix.  Next, sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and top with chopped pecans.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream...or whipped cream...whatever you're in the mood for!

The best thing is that you can change up the flavours each time you make it!  You can add coconut rather than pecans or you can even add chopped walnuts.  If you don't want to use pie filling, you can use a large can of fruit.  I've made it before with canned peach slices...just dump them in, juice and all (but cut the peaches up a bit so they're easier to eat).

Enjoy!  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think when you make it!
Have an inspiring day!  I'll be back tomorrow with a great project.

Think Spring

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...actually it's not that bad!  It's snowing, but warm.  It's just kind of an "ugh...more snow...I'm ready to be done with snow" kind of day!

A few weeks ago the Groundhog saw his shadow (at least around here he did!), which means 6 more weeks of winter.  Did you know that the Groundhog is right aobut 75-90% of the time?  The thought of 6 more weeks of winter really made me long for spring...or at least a chinook!  I love the smell of spring, seeing the trees start to bud, and watching everything come to life after a long winter of dormancy.  To me, spring just feels like a new start...it's refreshing!

February's Mantle Messages class was spring themed.  I had the girls questioning why we did spring...they're so excicted to display their projects, but it's too early!  Well, I did spring, becuase I needed to use some springy colors to break up the monotomy of winter and because next month we need to to Easter. Spring just fit into my Mantle Message schedule!

Anyway, here's a look at the project...

It's so long that it's hard to get a good picture of it!  This time around I chose to go a little different route!  We've been using chipboard coasters for the Mantle Messages, but I just got my Scallop Square Die and wanted to use it!  All the backgrounds are cut from On Board Longboard and Chocolate Chip cardstock with the Scallop Square die.  I *heart* that die!  I stamped the background with Chocolate Chip ink using the En Francais background stamp and then sponged around the edges with Chocolate Chip ink.

The flowers are cut with the clear Flower Die using the Sweet Pea DSP in the Occasions Mini.  There's so many patterns to choose from in that DSP pack that it was hard to pick just 6!!!  I'm loving all the choices in that paper pack and really hope to see more like that in the new catalogue in July (hint, hint, hint...if anyone from Stampin' Up! is reading this!!!).  Each flower was sponged with a coordinating ink color.  Because there's so many patterns and colors to choose from in the paper pack, I let the class participants pick whatever design they wanted for their flowers.  They all turned out so different and so pretty.

The centers of the flowers are textured So Saffron cardstock punched with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch and then sponged around the edges with More Mustard ink.  And, in the centers I put the letters to spell spring.  The letters are cut with the Go Go Boots Alphabet from Chocolate Chip cardstock.  I think the letters are the only part not sponged on this project...besides the ribbon!

I wanted the ribbons joining the squares to look like leaves, so I put two pieces of Old Olive Striped Ribbon between each scallop square (they're attached to the backs of the chipboard squares and then a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock is put on to finish the backs).  I then tied a piece of Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain to each striped piece.  I think it achieves the look of leaves, and at the very least brightens it up a bit by adding some green to the mix!

I'm thrilled with the way this project turned out!  I think it's my favorite Mantle Message to date, and I can't wait to display it on my mantle!

Have an inspiring day!

All You Need is Love...

Finally!  I have the layout that was supposed to be posted on Saturday for you!  Last August, we attended my cousin's wedding in Edmonton.  Being that this layout was supposed to be in the Valentine's Countdown, I thought a wedding would be a perfect theme for the post!  And, it's a pretty easy layout to re-create with any occasion or theme!

The title of my page is taken right off their invitation!  I absolutely love that big picture of them.  It was one of their engagement pictures and I think it's such a great picture of them.  The rest of the picures were just snapshots taken by me, my mom and my sister-in-law at their wedding and reception.  We had lots of fun and it was a great day for a wedding!

Along the left hand side, I did the faux tearing technique with Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede ink.  I don't have a lot of wedding type sets in my collection, so I used a the retired "To Have & To Hold" set.  Here' a closer look.

I did a collage of pictures on the right hand page.  To fill in some of the gaps, I punched some hearts with the Small Heart punch using textured Rich Razzleberry cardstock.  Along the far right side, I used a piece of a Top Note Die-cut and stamped on it.  Here's a closer look...

I cut the letters and hearts from textured cardstock, and all the Rich Razzleberry cardstock was sponged with Rich Razzleberry ink,

That's all for today!

Simple Scraps

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope all of you had a great day with the ones you love.  Before I show you my simple card for today I want to let you know what's going on with my scrapbook pages that were supposed to be posted yesterday!  I'm still waiting for the pictures.  When I went to pick them up, there was a problem with the files and they couldn't print them.  So, the photo lab is trying again and hopefully tomorrow morning I will have pictures and be able to post the pages.

Technology issues aside, here's my simple card for today!

I saw a card like this in the latest issue of Papercrafts Magazine and thought it was a great design to use some of those little DSP scraps we all have!  I chose to use the Sending Love DSP, since I've been using it a lot lately I have a lot of scraps!  I did make a few changes to the card in the magazine...I added the Pinking Hearts Border Punch along the side of my DSP.  I also tied a piece of Real Red Satin Ribbon along the other side of the DSP.  The sentiment I chose is from the Well Scripted set in the Occasions Mini...yes it's crooked and yes it bugs me...but not enough to change the whole card!!!!!

That's all for today!  I hope you enjoyed my simple card today.  Tomorrow I will have the scrapbook post from Saturday for you, so be sure you come back to check it out!  And, in the next few days I will have the finished pages from this post for you!

Be Mine

Today I'm going to share my Valentine's Mantle Message with you.

Now, I think I should have put a blank square between the "be" and the "mine", and when the girls who came to the class did the project I had them do just that.  I haven't gotten around to changing mine yet though!

I used several products from the Occasions Mini for this project...Sending Love DSP, Pretty In Pink & Real Red Corduroy Buttons, Satin Ribbon, Pinking Hearts Border Punch and the little heart punch.

Here's a closer look at it..

Well, that's it for today!  Tomorrow I will have two posts...a scrapbook page and a simple card for you. 

Heart Box

Hello!  Today's project is a great project made by my friend Sherri!  She designed it for our last group shoebox swap.  I love this project, so I decided to feature it in my countdown.

This box is made from the Petal Card Die.  Sherri did some extra cutting and made two flat sides for the sides of the heart and then altered the bottom so that it would stand up!  Smart!  A hole is punched in each side so that a ribbon can be tied on it and you can hang it.  It is made to fit some 3x3 cards or chocolates.  Mine originally had chocolates in it...but in a moment of weakness...I ate them!!!  They were good!!!  I thoroughly enjoyed every last one of them...and then wished that the box held more!!!

Here's a closer look at the front embellishment.  A little coloring, a little punching and some ribbon finishes it off and makes it cuter!

I love this box!  Thanks for sharing it Sherri!

See you tomorrow with another great Valentine's project.