December 1, 2009

new baby thank you...

this was the thank you card that i made (while tending brand new baby, nonetheless!) for the first 20 people who sent us lovely baby gifts... unfortunately, my initial burst of creativity hasn't been matched and i have about 10 thank you cards outstanding... please forgive me! love the paper i used for this one, which from SU...

November 26, 2009

a very simple thinking of you...

i made this card using PTI's Guide Lines Two set... what did i learn? i need to buy a longer acrylic block and i need to invest in some ink that works better with photopolymer stamps...

November 22, 2009

an apology and a card...

i've been missing in action since July... partially because i've been too busy to craft at all... partially because i've been uninspired... partially because the idea of sitting down and listing everything that i've used to make a card has changed the blog from something enjoyable to a chore...

so, as many bloggers often do, i'm prepared to make promises... i promise to post the few cards (some of them over a year old now) i have backlogged and haven't shared yet... i promise to list supplies when asked (so leave your comments!)... and i promise to try and get back into crafting regularly...

without further ado, here's the first card i've made in ages for a friend's daughter's birthday... i love how this card turned out, despite the fact that my handwriting pales in comparison to Kristina Werner's (from whom i CASE'd this card)...

July 13, 2009

new blog candy...

Kerin at Stamps, Paper, Glitter! is giving away a lovely blog candy of Stampin' Up gear... check it out and be sure to enter by July 19th!

June 29, 2009

Gift Card Holders for my Midwives



today i said goodbye to my midwives... it was a bittersweet moment, especially since a third pregnancy is unlikely for me... it's just hard to say goodbye to people you've spent the last 10 months getting to know as they see you through a really huge moment in your life...

due to complications, i ended up having kid 2 in the hospital (i had planned another home birth)... one of my poor midwives was pulled from bed at 5 AM to assess me and i could tell that running out to get a coffee or something to eat was the last thing on their minds... i thought i'd give them gift cards to the coffee shops and cafeteria in the local hospital, so they wouldn't be stuck for funds when at another unexpected hospital delivery...

Recipe:
Inspiration: this gift card holder by Amy
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, & Urban Oasis DSP
Ink: Whisper White craft ink
Stamp Set: Edgy Eloquence, Short & Sweet © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: Baja Breeze striped grosgrain ribbon
Tools: wide oval & slit punches, Mini Glue Dots, tape runner, paper trimmer

June 23, 2009

for today...

as seen on Ali and Cathy's blogs (original idea from The Simple Woman's Day Book)...

Outside my window... i see the street slowly waking up...

I am thinking... how strange it is that i feel better having slept for only 3 hours...

I am thankful for... my kids, my husband, my life... but mostly the silence that still fills my house this early in the morning...

From the kitchen... i foresee hot oatmeal with lots of brown sugar in my future...

I am wearing... pjs and a pair of old slippers...

I am creating... Thank You cards for the gifts kid 2 received...

I am going... tile shopping today... i am insanely in love with a high gloss, apple green wall tile at the moment...

I am reading... "Breaking the Good Mom Myth" by Alyson Schafer...

I am hoping... the weather is nicer today than the forecast is predicting...

I am hearing... the cats bat at the basement door, meowing for their morning breakfast...

Around the house... i see baskets of laundry to be folded...

One of my favorite things... is cuddling my newborn baby as he breastfeeds...

A few plans for the rest of the week... my Mum coming to visit, a few playdates, hanging out on Friday with my husband and kids...

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

June 21, 2009

my sling collection...

this is not a typical post for me, but my personal blog (where i'd usually post this) is invite only and i wanted to link it to an older post over at Adventures in Babywearing... this is the first chance i've had to take pictures of my sling/carrier collection... having recently attended a sling workshop to learn how to use my slings better, my interest in babywearing has been rekindled...

from top to bottom: Peapod Cuddly Wrap, Gorgeousbaby pouch sling, Beco Butterfly II carrier (Avery pattern), Rockin' Baby ring sling (All You Need Is Love pattern), and a 4th generation Beco carrier (Jolly Rogers pattern)...

first up is my 4th gen Beco, which i bought when i had J... i love this carrier and refuse to sell it... one, because i can do a hip carry with this Beco (unlike the Butterfly version) and two, because of the awesome pattern... i haven't worn my Butterfly II yet... i bought it because of the removable infant insert and because i suck at doing back carries with the 4th gen...

i didn't get my Cuddly Wrap until J was close to 3 months old and, by that time, he was almost to heavy to use it comfortably... i've worn it with Em a few times and i love how snug he is in it... i also learned a better way to wrap it at the sling workshop, so i'm more inclined to wear it...

my Gorgeousbaby pouch sling, i used only for quick trips into stores once J was old enough to do a hip carry... in truth, i don't like this sling because i'm between sizes, so this one (a large) hangs just a little too low... i haven't used this sling in about a year... i probably need to sell it... love the pattern, though...

finally, there's my Rockin' Baby ring sling... besides being absolutely beautiful, i bought this to use with Em before i was even pregnant with him... the ring sling was the only sling i didn't try to use when i had J and i wish i had... the reason i bought one was because i hoped that i would like it more than a pouch sling, since i could customize it to my body... i've used this sling the most since Em was born and now that i know how to properly get him in it, he's happy to sleep in there for hours...

could i pick just one? for the newborn stage, it would definitely be the ring sling... and the 4th gen Beco for the over 4 months old stage...

June 20, 2009

Birthday Card for E...

i've been a big fan of Kristina's (and her awesome videos) for a long time... and this particular card was so cute, i couldn't resist CASE'ing it for E's birthday... i didn't change too much up with this one, except for the addition of the scalloped edge and the use of Kiwi Kiss and Tangerine Tango (i'm so sad to see these In Colors retire)...

Recipe:
Inspiration: Kristina's Finally Friday card for June 19, 2009
Paper: Kraft, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip
Stamp Set: Dots Are Hot © Stampin' Up, Birds Galore © Inkadinkado
Embellishments: Thickers foam stickers, white gel pen, Tangerine Tango striped grosgrain ribbon
Tools: scallop edge punch, paper trimmer, tape roller, dimensionals

June 11, 2009

two great photo editing tutorials...

i stumbled upon these tutorials tonight on Lisa's site (yay for late night breastfeeding sessions) and had to share them... i'm a fluke photographer... any great shots i get are purely accidental and i haven't the first clue how to properly use my camera (a simple Cannon S3 IS)... the same thing goes for my photo editing software... i've learned a few tricks from online tutorials in my years using Photoshop, but i'm still mastering the Elements version i have on my Mac...

the first tutorial is on adjusting your camera's white balance settings... i will definitely be trying this next time i photograph one of my cards (i don't think i could get my toddler to stay still long enough to photograph him in the same light)...

the second is on adjusting the levels on a photo... i quickly did this with the last card i did for Miss J's birthday... here's the side-by-side comparision... it's fairly obvious, but the one on the left is the original photo, the one on the right is the adjusted photo...

so, please go on over to sideoats + scribbles, try out her tutorials and let her know how your experiments turned out...

June 8, 2009

A Little Something for Miss J:

when i saw this card posted on the Scalloped Edge for CC221, i knew it would be a great card to CASE for Miss J's birthday... i forgot how much i love the "rock & roll" technique, especially on a great stamp like the large flower from Eastern Blooms...

Recipe:
Inspiration: this card by Jackie and CC221 on SCS
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Rockabilly DSP
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss
Stamp Set: Yummy & Eastern Blooms © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: Fresh Mowed Grass Dew Drops
Tools: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder, paper piercer, SU Mat Pack, paper trimmer, Tombow Multi liquid glue, tape runner, dimensionals

MIA - but for a good reason...

sorry for the lack of updates lately... someone arrived at the end of May who has been keeping me pretty occupied...

May 12, 2009

she's at it again...

it's Debbie's birthday over at Passion for Crafts... and what is she doing to celebrate? offering another crazy, insano, fantastic blog candy that includes a set of Copics, Nestabilities, stamps, a punch and more!

so, get over there, leave a comment and post a link on your blog to be eligible to win...

thanks Debbie!

May 10, 2009

M's 3rd Birthday Card

when i first saw this card on atomicbutterfly's blog, i knew i needed to CASE it... i just love the layout and the layering of DSP... and i knew just the little girl who was worthy of such a pretty card for her birthday...

Recipe:
Inspiration: this card by atomicbutterfly
Paper: Raspberry Tart DSP, Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Cameo Coral, Pretty in Pink, Crayola markers
Stamp Set: Garden Whimsy & Birthday Whimsy © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: pink sheer ribbon
Tools: small corner rounder, 1/2" circle punch, paper piercer, white gel pen, SU Mat Pack, paper trimmer, tape runner, dimensionals

April 21, 2009

crazy, amazing blog candy...

Debbie over at Passion for Crafts is offering one of the best blog candy prizes i have ever seen... Copics, Nestabilities, paper, a punch, embellishments... this blog candy is amazingly generous... thanks, Debbie!

Passion for Crafts - enter by midnight GMT April 30 (next Thursday)...

April 9, 2009

last minute blog candy alerts...

it's been a while since a blog candy post... here are some of the great things people around the blogosphere are giving away this week!

kwerner design blog - enter by April 9th at 7:00 PM MST

Flutter by Atomicbutterfly - enter by April 10th at 8:00 AM EST

Stampin' With Markie's Mom - enter by April 10th by 7:00 PM EST

Creating from the Heart - enter by April 10th, draw will be at 3:00 PM EST

{Behind the Pages} - enter by April 10th at 11:59 PM EST

Starving ArtiStamps - enter by April 12th at 12:00 AM EST

March 30, 2009

J's 2nd Birthday Cake

i think i said last year that i'd never star tip a cake again... and yet here i am doing it all over... and it was even MY idea! (it hides a multitude of sins)

this year, i found the inspiration for the birthday cake and the fabulous Ms. M came by to keep me company and be my gentle (read: mocking) guide through birthday cake land once again... yes, it did take me almost an hour to make the first round of icing, but otherwise, the cake came together in less time than last year's caterpillar... more importantly, i did almost all the work myself, with the fabulous Ms. M piping the reeds on the sides and making the fly (did you know that adding gel food colouring to Wilton Candy Melts causes a weird chemical reaction?)...

Recipe:
Inspiration: this picture i found while searching Google...
Materials: milk chocolate cake mix, vanilla cake mix, shortening (which i shall still affectionately call lard), icing sugar, butter, Wilton White Candy Melts, Wilton gel food colouring in Moss Green, Sky Blue and Black, strawberry-flavoured Fruit by the Foot...
Tools: offset spatula, piping bag, star tip, round tip, fine round tip, 14x10" pan, 6" round ball pans, 2 cupcakes, skewers...

March 8, 2009

One Gift Card Holder, Two Looks

in the past month, i've missed baby showers for two work friends due to illness... i still wanted to give them a little something and was inspired by this gift card holder by Jennifer... for the most part, i'm very pleased with how the cards turned out... kind of questioning my colour choices on the watercolouring, but i figured i'm the only one who would have been really bothered by it...

Recipe:
Paper: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Summer Picnic DSP, watercolour paper
Ink: StazOn in Jet Black & Timber Brown, Crayola markers
Stamp Set: Sock Monkey & Sock Monkey Accessories, Tart & Tangy © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: "A Perfect Day" rub-ons by Stampin' Up, sheer red ribbon, watercolour pencils
Tools: Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punches, Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch, Aqua Painter, Glue Dots, dimensionals, tape runner, paper trimmer, craft knife


Recipe:
Paper: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Windsor Know DSP, watercolour paper
Ink: StazOn in Jet Black & Timber Brown, Barely Banana, Crayola markers
Stamp Set: Sock Monkey & Sock Monkey Accessories © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: "A Perfect Day" rub-ons by Stampin' Up, Basic Grey buttons in Wassail, hemp twine, watercolour pencils
Tools: 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Aqua Painter, Glue Dots, dimensionals, tape runner, paper trimmer, craft knife

March 1, 2009

Baby Shower Card for J

i've had a lot of friends have babies in the last 6 months... as a result, i've made variations on this beautiful card by Beate four or five times... my Punches Three baby buggy stamp has gotten a lot of action...

this card is for my friend J, who is expecting twins any time now... a boy and a girl... so i wanted to mash both genders up into one card with the light pink contrasting the starker grey... the peekaboo layer behind the doily lace punch is Pink Pirouette overlaying Baja Breeze and the Urban Garden DSP...

Recipe:
Inspiration: this card by Beate
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Basic Grey, Baja Breeze, Urban Garden DSP
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze
Stamp Set: Punches Three © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: pink sheer ribbon
Tools: wide oval punch, Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch, paper piercer, Glue Dots, dimensionals, paper trimmer, tape roller

February 26, 2009

The Fabulous Ms. M's Baby Shower Card

here's a card i made for the fabulous Ms. M's baby shower... i absolutely love this card and drew my inspiration from some beautiful wrapping paper i found (see below)... a very simple card...

in other news, you may have noticed the new Twitter box in the right hand column... find me at MsCraftyIYNasty...

Recipe:
Inspiration: Hallmark double-sided wrapping paper
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White, Baja Breeze
Ink: Chocolate Chip craft ink
Stamp Set: In the Stars © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: clear embossing powder, green/brown satin ribbon
Tools: circle punches (1/2", 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8", 1 3/4"), heat gun, paper piercer, Glue Dots, Zig 2 Way Glue pen, paper trimmer

February 22, 2009

KW Colour Inspiration Challenge 42

while i've been a devoted follower of Kristina's blog and videos for quite some time, i've yet to take part in any of her colour inspiration challenges... this morning, the mood hit me and this is what i came up with... love the card, slightly annoyed i couldn't get the ribbon straighter...

Recipe:
Inspiration: Kristina Werner's Colour Inspiration Challenge 42
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Really Rust, More Mustard, Whisper White
Ink: Really Rust
Stamp Set: Artfully Asian © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: Kiwi Kiss 5/8" striped grosgrain ribbon, Thickers white foam stickers
Tools: Nestabilities circle dies, 1/2" circle punch, paper trimmer, tape roller, Glue Dots, dimensionals

February 18, 2009

Twin Congrats

one of my friends is expecting twins... this is the card i made for her when she first found out... the little image below is what i stamped on the inside of the card...

Recipe:
Paper: Gable Green, patterned paper from a Costco block
Ink: Gable Green, VersaMark, Black Staz-On
Stamp Sets: A Little Love, Short & Sweet, Define Your Life © Stampin' Up
Embellishments: Perfect Pearl Pigments in gold, sheer sheer polka ribbon, green 1/4" satin ribbon, safety pins
Tools: ticket corner punch, 1/4" rectangle hand punch, tape roller, paper trimmer

February 17, 2009

it's been a long time...

and i can't promise that i won't flake out again, but i've missed my crafty pursuits...

since i've gone back to work, i've had less and less time to do any cards... and scrapbooking hasn't been touched in over a year (having said that, i did just order a crapload of stuff from SU for scrapbooking)... i did force myself to make a Blurb book to chronicle my boy's first year recently... too bad he'll be two in less than two months...

anyway, when it came time to keep the domain name or let it go, i could just let it fall into someone else's hands... so, i'm back... tentatively...