Photography - Essential Tool

Do you have a microfiber cloth in your camera bag? I would suggest that it's an essential tool. This works great to keep your LCD display clean. This summer I had been down on the ground taking shots and arrived home with a smudge on my display. I was afraid I had scratched it. I borrowed a microfibre cloth and to my relief the display nearly sparkled. I had this one given to me by my sister who has received one when she ordered her eyeglasses. Do you know that Nikon makes eyeglass lens, who knew! Thanks sister!

Tools - Scor-Pal Cutting Mat

I finally found a cutting mat for my Scor-Pal. I've had it for 18 months (check out my original posting) and a week ago found the cutting mat that fits in it at my local scrapbooking store. When the mat is in it creates a flat surface to work on which means it can stay on your work surface and do double duty.

All Occasion Stack Class - Flower & Vellum

These cards feature printed vellum. I placed a rectangle of printed vellum to fit the bottom 2/3 of the card. Place the adhesive at the very top of the vellum so it will be hidden when you glue the cardstock strip over it. I used decorative scissors on the lower edge of the strip but it could have been ripped or border punched as well. I layered the small white flower, the vellum, then cardstock 5 petal punchies. I placed them onto the card and with the card open placed it on an old mouse pad and used a push pin to create the hole through all layers and inserted the tiny brad. A greeting could be added on the strip or beside the flower.

All Occasion Stack Class - Daisy & Greeting

These are the next set of cards. I feel I've gotten carried away with daisy confetti. They can be used in so many ways. I used a large variety of decorative paper which was trimmed to fit the front of the card. I added a color printed greeting which has been highlighted with a white daisy and a tiny black brad. I made a variety of greetings and if it was not what they wanted they could swap with another lady in the class or just turn it over and leave it blank or stamp a greeting. Easy to make a lot of cards for any occasion and not have them look exactly the same. Some paper was muted and soft and lent themselves to sympathy or get well cards. Bright and cheery paper for birthday or thinking of you cards. Some were thank you or Just for you cards.

All Occasion Stack Class - Scallop Accent

This card features a scallop accent. It was created with the Stampin Up! Scallop punch, the 1 3.8" circle punch, a 1.25" circle with another shape punched into it. You want to punch the hole first then align the 1.25" punch over it. I used the MS Fleur de Lis, stars, hearts, daisies, etc. I mostly used stripped decorative paper. It card can be used in a tall or wide orientation. I picked colors from the decorative paper for the accent. Any color combination will do. Another versatile design.

All Occasion Stack Class - Daisy Trio

I had 8 ladies in my All Occasion Stack Class this morning. What's a stack class? That is when you make many cards in one class. There are no rules in my classes so some designed cards that loosely resemble these. I should take pics of some of them. Some real creativity was used and a good time was had by all.

Here's the first card. Daisy confetti over a set of punched shapes with a matching strip of paper on a coordinating card. The circles are 1 1/4" circle punchies and the squares are the smallest on the Sizzix square die. I used tiny white brads in the centres. Use a push pin on an old mouse pad to made the hole for the brad. This is a versatile design as it can be landscape or portrait orientation, a variety of punched shapes can be used, the squares can be set into a diamond shape and any color combination can be used. The strip of paper can be ripped, cut with decorative scissors or cut straight. All around good design. A greeting could be stamped on the strip if you want.

Scrapbook Layout - F of S - Patience

I decided to create the sense of something taking some time to happen and how I have to have patience. I came up with growing a flower. I started with a nice blue paper for the sky. I ripped a layer of dark brown cardstock for my earth. On the left is the seed in the ground. It then sprouts and continues to add leaves then a flower emerges which gets bigger. The leaves and stems get darker as they get bigger. I added rain drops of blue vellum and ripped clouds in the sky. Of course we need sun and warmth for things to grow. The journalling was placed on wavy vellum strips placed in between the stages of my flower growing. Scripture verse on the left hand side.

Cards - Maple Leaf

We are having such great fall weather. It's Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you have a great one.

I started with a chocolate textured card. I selected a great copper metallic ribbon. I stamped a Magenta maple leaf in Chocolate Chip on orange paper. Ripped the paper to fit the corner and smudged the edges with the ink pad. I embossed a couple of foliage squares with a Cuttlebug 2" folder onto the bottom edge of the card. Added the ribbon along the folded edge. The scan does not do the ribbon justice.

Photo - Last days of Summer

This is a great reminder of the summer. Sitting in a favorite chair in the warm sunshine. I took these photos this summer as we did the Art Studio Tour in Ontario. Nice bright colors in a great yard located along the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. Saw some great art, spoke to some interesting people, ate some great food and spent an afternoon with my sister. Very good!

Scrapbook Layout - F of S - Peace

I had a good idea what I wanted. I don't have a garden but I wanted a garden bench. I took a trip to our local conservatory and took quite a few shots. I printed 3 of them to 8x10 then selected this one to cut down to 8x8 and matted with dark green. I surrounded the photo with words that I associate with peace, printed on vellum. I placed my title below the garden bench. The square picture is of Peter and Jesus on the water. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he did not sink. I added a scripture verse and some journalling. The small envelope holds a note with personal concerns.

Cmas Card Challenge - Oct - Wreath

Christmas wreaths could be foliage, twig, or balls. They could be green, red, or metallic. They can be stamped, punched, or die cut. Of course, they can be made many other ways so use your imagination!

I chose origami as my technique and moss green as my color. I found a sample of this wreath in the Split Coast Stampers gallery. The directions provided made a wreath too large for a card. The original paper dimensions were 3"x5" and I brought mine down to 2"x4". They were quite time consuming to make but well worth it. I used giftwrap weight paper. Once complete I taped the back side with regular tape to keep it from coming apart. I then wrapped the wreath with a coordinating fiber and left a tail where I knotted it. I placed a layer of scrapbook paper in stripes of burgundy, moss green and gold on a cream card. I used double sided tape to adhere the wreath to the card. I found a satin ribbon which matched and placed it below the wreath across the card. I added a greeting using Stampin Up! nesting oval punches and foam tape. The greeting is stamped in a soft green.

I made 6 of these cards. My total so far is: 89.

Scrapbook Layout - F of S - Joy

I decided to put on layout the things that make me happy. Ice cream, music, AFV, photography, sunflowers, the 4 seasons and Christmas. I chose a blue floral paper with glittered elements. I created a sunburst of yellow rays which makes the layout bright and cheery. I chose stickers and clear embossed color printed images for my pictures. The camera 3-D sticker was expensive but exactly what I wanted. I added my journalling along the edges of the sun rays. I put the words to a favorite song "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" and scripture verse on joy on the vellum on the right.

Photo Collage - Stained Glass

I attended a birthday party today for a great lady turning 90. She is spry and takes a walk every day with her faithful dog. We had a great family visit. The party was held in a church hall with great stained glass windows. I took several of them. The doves were a popular image and the sheaves of wheat is reminder of our prairies. I hope you enjoy the collage.

Cards - Thanks

A set of cards with a soft, pastel and floral look on ivory cardstock.

Left: I used a piece of floral scrapbook paper. This came from the Slab IV that Michaels sold years ago. Nearly 100 sheets of 12x12. That takes a while to use. I cut the rectangles with a QuicKutz nested set of dies. Stamped the greeting and added a small bright green brad.

Right: I used coordinating scrapbook paper and created a 30-70 split. I placed a coordinating piece of cardstock over the joint. I added 3 eyelets and stamped the greeting in grape ink.

It's good to be in the habit to say thanks regularly.

Scrapbook Layout - F of S - Love

I chose love of family, of country, your enemies and your brothers for my themes. I found photos appropriate to each of them. I drew the heart by hand and cut it out in 4 different colors. I chose to cut my journalling vellums in oval shapes. I am so grateful for Christian parents and living in Canada. Title is cut with the Sizzix Shadow Box alphabet.

Card - Angel Photo

This is a card I created with one of the angel photos I took this summer. I removed a few distracting elements from the photo. The angel statue was a brown color so I decided to convert it from color to sepia. The coloring helped to define the top of the oval mask frame I placed over the image. The card was printed on natural parchment cardstock so sepia was a good choice in that regard. The words were printed in dark brown. It was color laser printed.

Card - Sympathy

Another sympathy card. I started with a soft melon yellow card. I found a couple pieces coordinating scrapbook paper. I selected the stripe one and trimmed it to a rectangle. I used Always Artichoke to stamp the sentiment. I added a dark green scallop, a yellow layer then a 1.25 circle from a coordinating floral paper. I added a few swirls and smudged the edge of the card with Always Artichoke.

Cards - SCB Paper Strips

I needed a few cards for a quick thank you or thinking of you. I designed these cards. I started in my scrapbook paper scraps tray. I selected several in the similar color scheme and cut them to 3/4 inches in width and various lengths. I added a band of cardstock on the left with coordinating brads. Voila! I can stamp an appropriate greeting at the last minute when I come to use it. Works very well.

Cards - All Occasion

A couple more cards for my "ready to go" stash. I used cardstock similar to Crushed Curry then added a layer of Rich Razzleberry. I used a daisy punch to accent the decorative paper which was made with Mambo Melon, Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry ink. I added brads in coordinating colors.

Make our own paper to match exactly using re-inkers. Great fun and perfect for your next card.

Scrapbook Layout - F of S - Living a Fruitful Life

I start my Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study today. I will be posting my pages every week for the next 10 weeks. On my first page I created a vine and grape design. I placed each of the Fruit of the Spirit on one of the grapes. I punched my 1" grapes from several shades of purple cardstock. I printed the words on vellum, punched them out with a 1" punch then used adhesive runner on the cardstock and placed the vellum circles on top. I chalked the letters in my title and did a bit of journalling. I have saved the second page for photos of the group as we meet every week. I will do some journalling at the conclusion of the study.