CAS-ual Friday's and Lego!

Hello!
How is your week starting out?  We had an errand day today which usually doesn't go over too well with two little boys.  Tonight though we opted for cheap entertainment and went to the GO-Train station (our local commuter train into Toronto) to watch the trains.  I have two little boys who LOVE trains on my hands so they were in train heaven!

Today's card is for this week's CAS-ual Friday's Challenge.  This week's challenge to create a clean and simple square card.  I'm not too sure my card is too clean and simple but it was really simple to make!  This is for a friend of mine how's precious little boy is turning 4 in September!  He loves all things Lego (oh and Cars too!).  I wanted to stick with a "4" theme on the card hence the 4 Lego blocks (that has 4 knobs on them)!  

These blocks are 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" and I used a 3/4" punch to create the circles.  The mini block inside the card is a 3/4" square with mini 1/4" circles on it!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point
Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Basic Black
Other: 3/4" circle punch, 1/4" circle punch, Timeless Type Sizzlit, Bitty Banners Framelits, Dimensionals


These pictures are from the fun fly on Sunday.  This is my husband's new crop duster (air tractor). Nothing runs like a Deere you know!  Caleb likes to "help" his dad fly...he's too cute!  I'm so glad he likes to be with his dad!  The air tractor looks great with smoke!

Thanks for stopping by!  We'll see you tomorrow with the Freshly Made Sketches card for the week!

Have a great day!
Jen

Out of This World!

Hello!  Hope you had a great weekend!  We had a fun time this weekend.  The boys went mini golfing Saturday morning before the torrential rains hit then Saturday night they decided to have a boys party - s'mores on the BBQ and sleeping in the tent in the backyard.  It started out as a great party!  The s'mores were delicious (though they had a grill taste to them!) but the tenting...well...a bunch of guys decided to have a party just as the boys were going to bed, the wind was rustling the tend and Caleb thought there was someone outside so needless to say they all ended up inside and in their beds!  It was a good try though!

Today's card was made for my youngest monkey who turns 4 in 8 days!  How can that be possible?!  He can't be 4 yet!  I started with the sketch over at "Create with Connie and Mary" blog!  I really wanted to try this new Blast Off Stamp set since my boys totally love space!  I needed some bright colours to make it kid friendly and boyish!  Who doesn't love Gumball Green and Midnight Muse?!

There are some very fabulous cards over at the challenge so please, go ahead and check it out!  It will be worth the trip!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Basic Black, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Whisper White
DSP: Polka Dot Parade
Stamps: Blast Off
Ink: Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Pumpkin Pie, Versamark
Other: Silver Embossing Powder, Dimensionals, Chevron Embossing Folder, Stripes Embossing Folder



Here are a few photos from the boy's party!  The fabulous s'mores!  My husband doesn't look too impressed (he just doesn't like have his picture taken)!  The bottom picture is the boys settling into the tent!  Hilarious!  They look so happy in there....!

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great day!
Jen

Black and Red Birthday

Hello!
It's the weekend!  Are you excited?  Does anyone have any big plans?  We don't quite know what's going on but it will be an exciting weekend for sure!  The boys are having a "Boys Party" on Saturday night.  They are going to be camping in the backyard.  They will set up the tent and sleep out there...hope they have fun with the skunks and raccoons...maybe even a possum or two!  I'll update you on Sunday!

Today's card did not turn out the way I wanted.  I'm a little disappointed.  I'm really not sure what I had in mind but this isn't it.  Alas...that happens and we just make the best of it.  I used the MOJO Monday sketch as a starting point then picked some of my favourite colours (Black, red and crumb cake) and combined that with the SU-Only Challenges of using DSP in a creative way and voila!  This is what we ended up with.

Sometimes things don't turn out the way we had hoped!  I originally made the card and didn't emboss the background.  The card looked too plain...then I used the Fancy Fan EF and realized after I put it all together that the two embossing folders don't really go together!!!  My flower is made with the Blossom Punch (I punched out three) then scrunching them up and separating the layers slightly.  I added a Boho Blossom flower in the centre followed by a flower button from the Neutrals pack!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Basic Black. Whisper White, Crumb Cake
DSP: Brights DSP Stack (Real Red)
Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Flower Button, Thread, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Bitty Banners Framelits, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Chevron Embossing Folder, Mini Clip, Blossom Punch, Boho Blossom Punch, Window Framelit

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a wonderful day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #47

Hello!
Happy Wednesday! We have made it halfway through the week!  Yesterday was my first day back to reality after vacation.  I think I prefer vacation!!!  I had to take my D-SLR camera into the doctor yesterday and am waiting to hear back from him what the verdict is.  I'm trying to remain optimistic but I have a sneaking suspicion that I may need to start saving my pennies!

Today, being Wednesday, means that it is time for a new sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches!  Today's sketch is courtesy of the amazing Jen Timko.  Jen chose a fabulous sketch - without many circles!  I knew immediately that I wanted to use my new ornament stamps and dies.  I am trying to get ahead on the Christmas cards and this sketch was perfect!  Thanks Jen!!!   The design team has created some masterpieces so head on over to the blog and check them out!

I think Gumball Green and Cherry Cobbler are the perfect Christmas colours so I went to town!  The ornament is embossed in the new Gumball Green embossing powder.  I just love it!  I added a few pearls - just because I personally think every card needs a pearl or jewel!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
DSP: Be of Good Cheer
Stamps: Petite Pairs, Ornament Keepsakes
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Versamark
Other: Basic Pearls, Dimensionals, Gumball Green Embossing Powder, Holiday Ornament Framelites, Bitty Banners Framelits, Embossing Folder (I completely forget the name....sorry - it's retired)

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great day!

Jen

Retro Sketches Apples

Hello!  I can't believe that the long weekend is over!  At least here in Canada we had a long weekend and it was a nice one!  We are now back at home in Burlington and settling into the routine here!  Tomorrow should be an interesting day.  The boys are already asking to go back to Grannie and Papa's house!  Heaven help me!

Today's card is for the Retro Sketches challenge.  I saw online somewhere people who were making cards for their kids teacher's for September.  I figured that might not be a bad idea!  Get in good early!!!  Jacob's teacher and I are already friends so maybe I should be buttering up Caleb's new teachers!

I used the Perfectly Preserved again....but NOT the jar (you should all be proud of me!).  I threw in some buttons to mix it up a little!  I do love being able to stamp and cut out those shapes so easily with the framelits dies!  I wanted to keep this card clean and simple...just so that if I wanted to replicate it a few times it wouldn't take me forever!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Brights DSP Stack

Stamps: Perfectly Preserved, Tea Shoppe (Sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black. Real Red, Gumball Green

Other: Cannery Set Framelits, Brights Buttons, Dimensionals, Floss

Today's cute photos (okay, so they're cute to me!) are from today's hike to Hilton Falls.  The falls aren't really falls at this time of the year but there was more water than I expected!  It was a great family outing and the boys had a blast!  

Thanks for stopping by!  I'll be back tomorrow (or Wednesday morning) with this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge card!

Have a great day!

Jen

Sunday Stamps Challenge #11

Hello!
Happy Sunday!  I can't believe it's Sunday already.  Our vacation at my mom and dad's is coming to a close today and we are heading back home.  Caleb is devastated.  He wants to stay here for the rest of the summer.  I am rather dreading packing him into the van to take him home.  I know he'll be fine once he's home but it's a long drive to get there!

Today is Sunday so that means it's another round of the Sunday Stamps challenge.  If you haven't had an opportunity to check this challenge out, head over to their blog and give the challenge a chance this week!   I am honoured to be a guest designer again this week.  I must say, I really do enjoying designing!  It's a colour challenge week at Sunday Stamps and this week's colours are Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Old Olive.  I must admit these colours had me challenged for a while but I managed to pull through and figure it all out!  At least I think I have!

I love the new Polka Dot Parade DSP from SU.  It makes me happy!  I thought it would work perfectly with this card.  I wanted to keep with the circle theme and used my new 1 1/4" scalloped punch and a Cuttlebug embossing folder that my mom had!  The Itty Bitty Banners stamp set embossed with white embossing powder sealed the deal!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Old Olive, Whisper White
DSP: Polka Dot Parade
Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Versamark
Other: White Embossing Powder, Bitty Banners Framelits Die, Embossing Folder, 1 1/4" Scalloped Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Square Punch, Dimensionals, Button, Floss


Here are a couple of pictures of my little Olympians!   We had our Olympics party on Thursday morning.  The boys had a hoot!  My mom did such an amazing job of planning this little party for them complete with torches and a parade!  They were in Olympic heaven!  They are already talking about next year's party...I think I'll wait to tell them the Summer Olympics only happen every 4 years...

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #46

Hello!

Happy Wednesday!  We had a crazy storm here yesterday and I wondered if this post would even work!  We spent the morning at the beach again yesterday!  The boys love playing in the sand and the water.  Tomorrow morning will be our Olympics party...not sure what will be on tap for today!

The new Holiday Catalogue is available for everyone TODAY!  I'll try and have a link directly to the catalogue up shortly or you can just click on my "Shop 24-7" link to the right and see all the fun new products that are now available!

Today's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge sketch comes from the talented (and hopefully well rested after her vacation) Lesley Croghan!  When I first saw it I thought the Top Note sketch would be easy but then I found it a little more challenging.  I decided to do another fall card and use the new Wonderfall stamp set and corresponding Bigz die (both available TODAY!).  Oh, not to mention my favourite Orchard Harvest DSP (also available today).  

I cut my Top Note out of the new Core'dinations Early Espresso cardstock (also available today!) and then sanded off some of that top layer to show the inside colour off!  It's so fun...I can't stop using it!  Of course I had to emboss the background with the woodgrain...I'm sorry!  I just LOVE the new stuff!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Early Espresso Core'dinations, More Mustard, Crumb Cake, Raspberry Ripple, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Very Vanilla
DSP: Orchard Harvest
Stamps: Wonderfall, Apothecary Art (sentiment)
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Early Espresso
Other: Top Note Die, Autumn Accents Bigz Die, Bitty Banners Framelits Die, Edgelits Die, Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder, Woodgrain Textured Embossing Folder


This is a picture of the storm and the branches that came down!  We were without power for a few hours but it was restored rather quickly!

The other night we had to walk down my parents street to get the mail...Caleb rode his bike and Jacob decided that he would push the wheelbarrow all the way there and back...hilarious!  Didn't quite make it back but thankfully the wheelbarrow is light!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful day!

Jen