Inside the Paper Bags....

I've had such a hectic week work-wise that I haven't had any time to create much, so today I'm just posting a few more pictures of my paper bag album from last week's happy hour as a few people have asked to see inside...

Hopefully I'm going to get a chance to craft later today. I noticed on several of the blogs I follow that several people are at SU Convention and are posting pictures of what's new - I'm getting eager for the new catalog:)

It Was a Very Happy Hour!

So remember a few days ago when I said that Just Scrap It would be hosting a happy hour on Friday from 3-8pm? Well, needless to say I went (isn't my husband so sweet and patient to bring me by while we were running errands?!)...and here's what I made! I *heart* the creative cafe!! And I loved making this cute little mini album! It's made out of 3 folded paper bags (each a different size). I've got the perfect pictures to put in too, so once I get them printed and attached maybe I'll post a few pictures of the inside for you. I love that I got to really make this my own - sometimes when you go somewhere for a project you have to basically replicate the example - not here, I was able to pick my colours, my phrases, my ribbons, my everything - and so the book turned out to be something I really like!

Gift Bag

For my birthday, my in-laws gave me a pamper card for a pedi at Bev Ashdowns (my favourite!) and so I went in on Saturday morning to use it! I love pedi's!! And since I seem to turn almost everything into a craft supply these days, it's no surprise that I had to take the gift bag that the pamper card came in (isn't Bev Ashdowns so sweet to use rose red gift bags?!) and repurpose it. I had the color inspiration colors still out (from my color inspiration card submission below), so voila... a matching giftbag. Well, not really matching, I used a different style (baroque motif), etc., but it's the same colors. I'm not sure why my dazzling diamonds glitter kind of gooped a bit in places, but oh well.

...as for the pedi - it was wonderful - they floated rose pedals in a milk chocolate bath for me feet... need I say more?!!!




Crafty toes -no?! :) ----->

Color Inspiration

Well, I had a few minutes alone in the house for myself this morning and my head was so swimming with ideas of what to make that I couldn't seem to decide on anything, so I decided to take a leap and do my first "Kwernerdesignblog Color Inspiration". So this card was made taking inspiration from the colors in the dress in Kristina's graphic. The dress had me thinking about fabric and then I got on a quilting tangent which made me think of a couple of different friends - so here's my quilted friend card with ribbon and button embellishments... (I mean really, if you're me, you can't think quilting or fabric without thinking buttons). I know I've seem some much prettier cards for this challenge, but it was cathartic for me to just go with my inspiration and not overanalyze it or try to get it perfect, you know?!

Mini Album

Mini-albums...(sigh...) - I love them! So I was thrilled when I saw that the next happy hour project at my local Creative Cafe is going to be Bag & Tag Brag Book. I'm definitely going to check that out.... It's a bit of a consolation too because last night I went to a SU retirement party and saw another cute mini album that's going to be a summer camp project - only the camp is when I'm on vacation - ce la vive!

This is one of the last mini-albums I made... I used one of the Wednesday tutorials on Splitcoast. I almost always love their Wednesday tutorials!

Coaster Frame

This project looks better in person than in the picture I think, but I'm not sure if I'm done with it yet either. I have it on my computer desk and I'm still thinking about it... What I am sure about is the couple in the picture in it - that's Les and me:) I'd love to learn how to take better pictures - particularly of the two us when we go on our adventures together. We have so many wonderful experiences together that I end up with no photo evidence of. I will take any and all advise on that matter...

This project was made with 2 4x4 coasters which I covered with Berry Bliss paper. I *loved* that paper when it came out. I even thought that I'd have to 'stock up' on it before it retired, but now that it is retiring I find that I don't need to have an extra stash...I'm just looking forward to whatever is next (have you seen the new Bella Rose paper?!). I find I'm becoming less sentimental with paper. I used to save and save it...and now I want to use it all, you know?!

Box in a Bag

Everyone seems to be making these, so I had to try my hand at it...(I used this tutorial.) Also, check out the one Shawna made here! Shawna has been my Stampin' Up demo this past year, and I really enjoyed being part of her monthly club! It was really great to look forward to one night a month to get together with the girls and craft! And we made some great projects!

What a great day!!

Yesterday was one of my favourite days ever! Les and I got to sleep in a bit, then I made french toast cups with berries for breakfast...then I got to go to a scrapbooking class...then Les took me out for dinner...then we lingered at the bookstore...then a trip to Starbucks...and then we went to the observatory. (Romantic, no?!!) Well, we did decide that the moon, stars and planets are all a little more romantic with the naked eye than through a telescope, so then we went for a drive and enjoyed them that way! (...sigh!)

I have the best husband! (Have I told you that lately?) He builds me up and encourages me to do things that nurture my soul, and he was the driving force behind me signing up for the class I did yesterday. It was a glimmer mist class - and I *loved* it. I made this vintage album and box. I don't think the pictures do it justice, but what fun to sit and create for 5 hours straight. That's right, straight - I didn't even get up for breaks I was so into it! Anyone want to hire me to craft all day? What a dream job that would be!! Blogger wouldn't let me post all the pictures, so I might post a few more another day, but I did post the page the the quote on creativity on purpose. It goes...

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."

Don't you just love that?! If you know me, then you know that I'm really hard on myself about mistakes, so this quote hit me so fresh...to allow myself to make mistakes is part of the creative process maybe...maybe that's why God didn't just make us all perfect?! Anyway, it's got me thinking...

Oh and one more great thing happened yesterday - at the end of my class I was given a membership to Just Scrap It! - a friend had snuck in and bought it for me while I was 'creating' as a late bday gift!! Does it get any better than that?!! It was a great day!

Spiral Notepad

I made this little notepad for my hubby's first day at his new job this week so he'd have something handy for notes. I think I succeeded at making it look masculine for him. Here's a link to the tutorial I used.

I'm so proud of my man for how hard he works and what an awesome husband and father he is! I love this man so much!

Post-It Notepad with Pen

Amanda's really on a kick for notepads/post-it-notes, so here another one I made for her using this tutorial. The image I used for this one is called teach-a-bella because Amanda wants to be a teacher... I wanted to be a teacher too when I was growing up, so I'd like to see her dream come true for her! Perhaps it's the teacher in me that likes everything about school/office supplies - so much so that my hubby sometimes teases me. Maybe that's why I've been on my own kick of making things with them - or maybe it's just that I don't have any July birthdays to make cards for?!

More Post-It Notes using Coasters

So in keeping with tradition, I had to make one of these post-it-note pads for my daughter, Amanda. Every time I make something for someone else that I haven't made for her yet, I get the look. So here's the one I made for my book-worm-a-manda!

We just got back from a spur of the moment trip to the Queen-city... We all had a couple of days off, and so on Friday morning I said we should do something special with it...so off we went!

Post-It Notes using Coasters

So remember the post-it-note holder I posted yesterday? Well, a friend at work saw it on my desk and loved it! She said this would be just the perfect thing and could I make one for each of her girlfriends so she could give it to them on their 'girls' weekend away'. I said 'sure' and asked about colours and images. She just said 'anything but pink' that pink was her, but definitely not her friends, so here is the product... The blue bayou ones are for her friends and the pink one is hers:)

Recipe-wise: the tutorial is the same as in my last post; the DP in the blue ones is SU-DSP and in the pink one is SU-Berry Bliss; the stamped image is Cosmobella (don't you just love Stamping Bella?!)...

I love having a creative outlet like this. For years I didn't take any time to create. I liked to scrapbook, but each page would take me hours. I like stuff like this that I can do in a half an hour or so - I can fit it in with life and at the end of the day I feel like I made something and so my creative side gets fed! What do you do to feed your creativity?

I Love My Bike!

She's pink with white flowers, has a basket with flowers, and her name is Lorelei. I enjoy going for a ride whenever I can - especially on a morning like this... The sun is shining and the sky is so blue and beautiful. I listen to a lot of worship music while I'm riding...lately I've been inspired on my ipod by Brian Doerksen and the song You Surround Me in particular has really been incredible!

So in keeping with how much I'm loving riding my bike, I made this post-it-note holder for my desk at work a week or so ago with the stamp set...Always Time for You. I bought this set because it had my bike in it and because the sentiment is something God's trying to teach me - to take more time for me (and for me and Him:)). Here's a link to the tutorial for making these note holders.

Tiny Mini Album

I made this tiny mini album this week using this tutorial from Splitcoast. The pictures are of Les and his Taylor - perhaps I should have titled it 'friends'!