Here's the card I made for the Blog Hop Challenge, in case I was chosen. It turns out I wasn't, but I had a lot of fun making this card anyway!

Nichole provided a printable PDF with little squares of patterned paper, and you were to do anything you pleased with it. I simply cut them out, adhered them to a couple of mats with dimensionals, stamped on one of the squares (using PTI stamps) and voila! Thanx for looking!

It's my birthday today. I turned 31 years old. I am the kind of person (always have been and hopefully always will be) that looks forward to my birthday, and LOVES getting older. It's not that I want life to hurry up, it's just that every year I get older, my life gets better. I can't wait to see what this decade holds in store for me.. Here are some shots from today. I went with my fiance and my son to Historic Fort Langley and strolled into a hat shop.. I LOVE this store, and wish I could have bought all of the hats I tried on, but only ended up buying one.
Enjoy!

These are some projects I completed over the last couple days. This first card is Beate's weekend sketch challenge. My fiance asked me to make a card for a friend who just found out she and her hubby are expecting.. I said I would make a new one, it's a good excuse to sit down and make a card, right?
Supplies: Basic Grey Paper; Stamp: Inkadinkado; Ink: Pallete -Noir; Ribbon: May Arts; Flower: Prima; Marvy Punch; Copic Markers.

This next card is a CPS60 sketch. I think it looks a little Christmas-y, but what are you gonna do? I don't have a lot of small punches, so I used the Creative Memories cutting system to cut the inner circle, and a cuttlebug die to cut the flower it's mounted on.
Supplies: Papers: Basic Grey "Infuse", Bazzill; Stamps: Memory Box, Sassafrass Lass; Ink: Palette "Landscape", Versamagic "Jumbo Java"; Ribbon: Amuse.





"One Little Word's" challenge this week was to use the word "BEST" in a layout. Lately I haven't developed many pictures which has literally forced me to scrap the events that have gone unscrapped. Maybe when I actually run out of pictures I will start ordering prints again...

The blue scalloped section is stamped using a new set from Gel-a-tins. Aren't they gorgeous images??

Supplies: Paper: Bazzill, Basic Grey, Making Memories; Gel-a-tins stamps; Ink: Versamagic "Charcoal"; Chipboard letters and shapes: American Crafts, EK Success, Making Memories, Basic Grey; Brads.


The inner pages of this Bind-it-All book were scraps from wedding invitations my best friend and I were cutting out the other night. I had about 50 pages, and I thought it would make a cute little fat notebook. I love my Bind-it-All!!!

Supplies: Paper: PaperSalon, bulk chipboard; Chipboard shapes and letters: American Crafts, Making Memories; Bind-it-All coils.

I've been hopelessly addicted to the Food Network for probably 3 or 4 years now, and when I say addicted that means YES, I even watch it when I'm on the treadmill at the gym. The great thing about watching all of those cooking shows is that it's given me the confidence and tools to create my own dishes. Most of the meals I cook for my son, my fiance and I are "Tobi Creations" and it just thrills me to no end to taste and serve the final product. If you will indulge me, I will share some of my more successful recipes with you here! So here's recipe #1

Chipotle (pronounced chip-POAT-lay) Yam and Potato Salad

Ingredients:
20-30 small potatoes (I used organic Reds)
1 large Yam
1 Yellow Pepper, diced
1/2 Red Onion, diced
1/4 Cup Italian flat leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Chipotle Flakes, chopped Garlic

Cooking Directions:
Cube potatoes and yams, and throw them (carefully) into a large pot of salted, boiling water. Cook until tender, drain, and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process and keep them from getting too mushy. The yams will be quite soft and will eventually blend in with the mayo, but I like my potatoes to keep their shape. Let cool.
In a warm frying pan drizzle in 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add to that the garlic, onions and Chipotle flakes. When onions are close to being tender, add the peppers. Cook the contents until the yellow peppers are slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer contents to a mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to cool. Once it's cooled, add the mayo. Taste the mixture, at this time I added more Chipotle, but it's up to you how much FIRE you want...
Combine all ingredients (including half of the parsley) until well incorporated. Season to taste and garnish with the remaining parsley. Cover and refrigerate to let flavors combine.

Let me know if you try this recipe out!! Enjoy!

This is layout on canvas (actually two separate canvases) that I designed for a class I'll be teaching in May. Because I had nothing to mount it to you can't tell that the little piece on the top (that has the words in parenthesise) is actually a small canvas. They are meant to be mounted slightly separated on the wall.

I used all Making Memories products, and stamps are by Fontwerks and Gel-a-Tins. Hope you like it!

It's been a while since I've posted.. I'm on spring break right now, so I've been relaxing, going to the gym, hanging out with my son and boyfriend, and celebrating Easter too!!

Onto the card. I love how this turned out. I don't know what it is about mono-chromatic cards but they always look so sharp to me! I started out by stamping the image on papertrey white CS. I coloured with Copic markers, and added glitter using my glue pen and some micro-fine "warm highlight" glitter found at my LSS or you can buy it from the Scor-Pal website (link on the right of my blog).

This colour combo is from a challenge on SCS, but I subbed black for grey because I found this patterned paper that went PERFECTLY with my stamp.. Have you noticed how popular polka-dots are in the fashion world right now?? I just bought a polka-dot shirt today..

On to my news: I'm engaged!! My boyfriend (Ian) hid the ring under my pillow the night before Easter (Easter eve, if you will) and after my son, Phoenix, was done his easter egg hunt the following morning Ian told Phoenix to look under my pillow. I thought it was just going to be MY easter basket, but instead it was a ring box. I was confused cause I knew Ian couldn't afford a ring (he's a student teacher, doing his practicum right now) so I didn't know how he managed to do it. But apparently he asked his mother if she could loan him a ring so he could have something to give me when he popped the question, and she gave him this ring, which was his grandmothers. We won't keep it, (for a number of reasons: I'm allergic to yellow gold, it's not my style etc) but it was amazing, and I'm thrilled he asked me to be his wife.. Now I just have to get used to saying my FIANCE Ian, instead my boyfriend Ian... weird... So have a great day, and thanx, as always, for stopping by!

Not much chatter, just wanted to share this card:

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts, Amuse
Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Grey, Basic Black (SU!)
Ribbon (not sure who it's by)


Thanx for lookin'!

I love Michelle Zindorf's work. (I think I've mentioned that before) So at a crop this weekend I aspired to create a card in her style.
Check out her post here to see how I did it!














And here's a layout I did that night.. Thanx for lookin'!

Here are some cards I've been working on lately. The Elzybells cards are for an upcoming class at my LSS:

I am *in LOVE* with my ribbon storage solution, so I thought I would share it with you.. The components used are: 1 fishing tackle box (acquired at a local hardware store) and embellishment containers by Cropper Hopper. My LSS carries them, but my Mom also picked up a butt-load of them for me from Jo-anns.. They come in a pack of 12 and are about $3 a pack. So here is my system:
Isn't it SO pretty?! And the thing I like about storing ribbon this way is the ribbon is neatly coiled, so there is no need for ironing out crinkly ribbon. I also can't afford to buy ribbon by the spool like a lot of people on SCS do, so this way I can store my measly 1-2 yards of ribbon in a practical way. There are a lot of different-sized ribbon, so I've shown you up-close how I wrap the different sizes:








The medium-sized ribbon (what most ribbons come in) are stored with a little bit of it hanging out, so when I go to use it I can just pull out the length I need and it stays in the container. The other two sizes (small and large) can be stored side-by-side with like ribbon, or on its own if it's big enough.. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Now for a couple of cards:

*visit my SCS gallery for detailed recipe. Have a great day!

The second I saw Taylor's card I knew I had to make one. Click on her name and in her post she's linked a template you cam print out. I printed it on cardstock so it's a little more firm and will last longer.

Tips:

• I was able to create multiple layers using marvy punches. They're a little pricey, but sure come in handy.
• Use firm patterned paper so your flower can stand on its tiny stem.
• Use a punch for an area to write on in the inside of the card.

Being a young boy interested in things like Pokemon cards and watching hockey on TV, my 6 year-old son Phoenix doesn't take much interest in my craft, but every once in a while he'll find a stamp he LOVES, and he'll have to have it. He actually quasi-shoplifted this bunny stamp (he ran out of the store to show me when I was trying to leave) and with tears in his eyes he said, "Mommy, can I have this stamp, PLEASSSSSSSE.... The bun-bun is SO cute!" Being a good mother I said "no," but we put it on hold to see if he still wanted it in a couple of days... He did, and even decided it was worth raiding his piggy bank for..

My issue with Easter stamps is they're cute, but I don't give Easter cards.. So I made this card and paired it with a non-Easter sentiment (using Karen Foster Snap Stamps).

Supplies: Paper: Making Memories (patterned paper), My Mind's Eye (brown), Bazzill (Black); Stamps: Savvy Stamps (bunny), Snap Stamps (Karen Foster); Ink: Burnt Umber (Palette), Red Magic (Versamagic); Ribbon (May Arts), Copic Markers.

This card is using the colours from the colour challenge at SCS. They are: Kraft, Green Galore, and Tempting Turquoise (SU!). I used a stamp set I have only used once, so in my opinion it was a very fruitful and productive day...
Notes about the card: I wanted three different colours for the flowers, but there were only two colours in the challenge, so what I did was (probably a BIG no-no) stamp the flower first in blue, then in the green, then I stamped it.. Voila! Perfect coordinating colour.
Now I'm off to finish my son's Valentines!

Supplies: Paper: Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise (SU!), Kraft (Lasting Impressions); Ink: Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise (SU!); Ribbon (AC); Brads (MM).

Click here to read the article about me (how weird is it to say that??!!) on Queen Kat's Bloggers Club. I love reading their daily posts that feature a different blogger every day.. I have found many a blog to subscribe to, and it's so much fun to read about all the fabulous little details divulged in the features!
Have a great day!

Yippee! Two posts in one day, I can't believe it. I am so glad I waited for the colour challenge to be posted on SCS cause this card was fun to make!

To make the two borders along the bottom I cut two strips that were as long as the red piece, but I didn't really care how thick they were. I stamped the blue strip with the same colour ink as the paper (Buckaroo Blue), but I don't have marigold morning ink, so I stamped the flowers in Versamark, then rubbed chalk over the stamped image to make it stand out. I love using that technique when I want that tone-on-tone look, but don't have the ink to make it happen.

Here's the supply list:

Stamps: so many sayings (SU!), Inkadinkado

Paper: real red, Buck. Blue, Mar. Morning (SU!), PapertreyInk

Ink: buckaroo blue (SU!), noir (palette), versamark, cloud white (versamagic)

Accessories: copic markers, die cut shape (cosmo cricket), marvy punch

While I wait for the colour challenge to be posted and my boyfriend snores in the other room, I thought I would fill out this fun questionnaire that Angie tagged me with. I love getting to know my blogging friends' little secrets, so this will be a fun one to pass along..

Five things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Living in a cute condo with my best girlfriend, Stephanie.
2. In school to be a makeup artist for TV/film.
3. Gigging almost every night. (Doing my jazz piano/voice thing)
4. Dating.... A lot.. hahaha
5. Smoking.. Boo...

Five things on my to do list today:
1. Send my project to Papercrafts... DONE
2. Drop off a prescription...DONE
3. Go to the gym...DONE
4. Go to Herbal Magic to weigh in/measurements (2 lbs and 2 inches lost today for a total of 75 lbs lost since April)
5. Fax some paperwork...DONE

Five things I will do when I am a millionaire:
1. Pay off student loans
2. Drive my car off a cliff (jump out before it goes over) and buy a new one!
3. Abdominoplasty
4. Give money to friends and family
5. Go to Disneyland!

Five things I will never wear again:
1. Thigh-high nylons that SUPPOSEDLY stay up on their own..
2. Those pretty red high-heels in my closet (they make my toes bleed)
3. Vertical stripes (thank you Stacy and Clinton)
4. Jeans that AREN'T petite.. Who knew i was petite?????
5. White. Period.

Five of my favorite toys:
1. The rabbit. (Think Charlotte and Sex and the City)
2. My piano
3. My Pentax Digital SLR
4. All of my stamp/scrapbooking goodie
5. My iPod.

My five banes of existence:
1. Laundry... Does it EVER end??????????
2. Kitty litter.
3. Dishes..
4. Bills/student loans...
5. My **&^$@&#* car.

Tagging 5 Fabulous Fellow Bloggers:
1. Tara
2. Colleen
3. Dawn
4. Denise
5. MJ

If you don't know about the scrapbooking Blog entitled: One Little Word you need to go there RIGHT NOW! Every week they give you a new word to scrap about, and they have an amazing DT to inspire you.. This was the first week I participated on time, and the OLW was "Create." I thumbed through my pictures to find something that would fit with this theme. I wanted to think outside the box a little with regards to the word "create" so I found this pic of my little boy. The journalling reads "Create... friends, dreams, love, happiness, tradition, memories." That exactly what he does, too!













These two cards are CPS sketches, and if you haven't been there, well you better go NOW! I love their weekly cards sketches and the inspiration their DT brings to the table every week.

I don't know if you are, but I'm going to apply for the CPS design team.. I participate in the challenges fairly frequently, so I thought this would be a design team I could probably keep up with... Now I just have to make cards that will WOW Tami! haha...

This first card was made with my new stamp set Joiles Fluer by Lizzie Anne.. I've admired this set for a while, and WOW I can't believe how nice it stamps.. It was fun to colour too.. It's always nice to find a stamp set that I can use my Copics on.
Supplies: Stamps: Lizzie Anne; Paper: Basic Grey; Ink: Ranger Paint dauber, Lamp Black (Ranger), Landscape (Palette), Copic Markers, Ribbon (May Arts and Martha Stewart), Chipboard and Rub-on (Basic Grey).
The second card was a case of this one (although I kind of messed up the L/O a little, but who's measuring?!?).. I used paper from MM and Creative Imaginations.. They make a great pair, don't they?
Supplies: Stamps: Lizzie Anne; Paper: Making Memories, Creative Imaginations; Ink: Lamp Black, Old Paper (Ranger); Copic Markers, Velvet Rik Rak, Metal Tag (MM).











This last card was an attempt to use some scraps that are piling up around my craft area!! Don't you hate scraps? They're too pretty to throw out, but there is just so much!!!!
Supplies: Stamp: Whipper Snapper; Paper: Basic Grey, Bazzill; Ink: Lamp Black (Ranger); Snaps (WeR), Flowers (Prima).

I had a medical procedure done on friday and I was looking forward to sitting at my craft table all day yesterday while I laid in my bed.. I'm glad I got to play with this cute Whipper Snapper stamp. So fun to colour..

I'm gonna going to run some errands, then I'll probably sleep some more. Thanx for stopping by!


Supplies:
Stamps: Whipper Snapper; Paper: DCWV; Ink: Lamp Black (Ranger); Ribbon (May Arts).

Over the past year and a bit at SCS I've become what's called a "challenge chaser" which means the majority of the cards I post are in some way a response to one of the daily challenges. Well, a of late I haven't had the time (or frankly the desire) to sit and make a card that abides by rules... The task of choosing colours, layouts, images, sentiments etc used to paralyze me, but now that I feel I'm getting a handle on this whole card thing, I finally feel like I can create without someone giving me some direction. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the challenges, and will ALWAYS play, but just lately I've wanted to do my own thing. Anyway, this is what I came up with the last couple of days.

*Note my first attempt at the "Kittie747 technique" with the grass. I used "Itty Bitty Backgrounds "(SU!) in a couple of different colours to create the effect. I have no idea if this is how she does it, but I guessed. I made the clouds by cutting some cloud shapes out of cardstock and using my Copic airbrush system.. LOVE the effect!
The next two cards were made using my newest stamp purchase, which is a clear set by Memory Box that consisted of the famous penquin image, as well as a bunch of cute ad-ons like a kite, sunglasses, a grad cap, clothes, you get the idea, so I made a couple of cards in preparation for V-day as I call it. I used my new nestabilities dies to create the die-cut hearts.



Supplies
Hi: Paper: American Crafts, Basic Grey, Buckaroo Blue, Chocolate Chip (SU!); Stamps: You're Cute (SU!); Ink: Jumbo Java (Versamagic), Lamp Black (Ranger);Accessories: Thickers (AC), Cuttlebug embossing folder, Copic markers, CM Cutting System .

Happy Valentine's Day: Paper: SEI, Making Memories, Bazzill; Stamps: Memory Box, Inkakinkado; Nestabilities, Copic Markers.

From Me to You: Paper: Amuse notecard, American Crafts; Stamps: Memory Box, SU! (Sentiment); Inks: Lamp Black (Ranger); Copic Markers, Nestabilities.

I still can't believe it, but it actually snowed on Christmas.. If I believed in miracles I think I would have thought I witnessed one. Snow is both a blessing and a curse here on the west coast. We don't get enough of it to warrant most people getting snow tires, so when we DO get snow, the driving conditions are treacherous.

My boyfriend and I had to travel from one family's house to another on Christmas night, and let me tell you, it wasn't fun. But OH what a sight it was to look out the car window and see everyone's houses lit up with lights and covered with snow...

Okay. Enough of me being sentimental. Tara charged me with designing a fresh layout for a class (coming in February) using a technique developed by someone else (Trudy Sigurdson), using pre-determined products. I said YES! cause I always love a challenge, and the colours I had to work with were beautiful, and I must say this is one of my fav' layouts I've done in a while. I have always loved taking snow shots with my mom's digital SLR, and this winter it's no different, except now I have my own SLR and I can take as many shots as I want. (Over 150 on Christmas day alone) Besides Christmas we haven't got a lot of snow here yet, so I'm hoping for my little guy's sake we will get some more this winter, if not just for the pictures!!











Supplies: Ranger Alcohol Inks and blending solution; Heidi Swapp Ghost shapes; Acrylic letters (unknown); Paper: Sandylion, Bazzill.