Thankful!

Hello!

I hope you've had a great weekend!  I managed to get a few minutes in my craft room this afternoon (and really, it was only a few minutes!) so that was nice!  The boys had a busy day and were pretty tired by the time they were tucked in bed!  Tomorrow I'm heading to Niagara Falls NY shopping with some friends.  I don't really have anything I'm desperate to get but I am not turning down a day away!!!  My hubby will be staying home with the boys tomorrow.  I have heard there's a trip to the train store involved!!!

I decided to create a card for this week's Create with Connie and Mary challenge.  I really love sketch challenges and had a vision for this challenge!!!  Sometimes visions work and sometimes they don't.  I started out with the Halloween card at the bottom and it didn't really work!!!  

I love fall cards - probably too much so.  I hope I remember to send my cards out this year!!!   I used the French Foliage stamp set for this card.  I know it's retired but I do truly love it.  I combined it with the sentiment from the Truly Grateful set.

Supplies: (Top card):
Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Stamps: French Foliage, Truly Grateful
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Other: Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals, Bronze Button, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, Woodgrain Embossing Folder

Supplies: (Bottom Card)
Cardstock: Basic Black
DSP: Retired Halloween paper from last year....I forgot the name...sadly.
Stamps: Googly Ghouls, Mixed Medley
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Daisies #2 Die, Scalloped Circle Punch, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you have a great week!
Jen

Create with Connie and Mary Challenge Birthday Card!

Hello!
I hope everyone enjoyed a great Easter!  We had a wonderful weekend together and thought it was quiet it was nice and relaxed!  Caleb flew his first airplane on the weekend!  I was so excited and nervous and then proud all at the same time!  He had some help from Daddy but it was still done a lot on his own!  Can you believe that?!  Pictures and a link to the video are below!  I'm one proud mama!!!

Today's card is a birthday card for my Mama!  Her birthday is on Monday but I had to get it into the mail today so she'd get it on time.  I saw the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge sketch and knew that I could use it to make the perfect card for my mom!  My mom makes the most awesome cards...it's hard to make something for her because her's are always so thoughtful and personal!  My mom LOVES strawberries!

I wanted to do a punch art strawberry but when doing research discovered that I didn't have all of the required punches so I had to improvise and since I am doing the CCMC challenge I needed to keep it SUO!  The strawberry body is a full heart punch embossed with the perfect polka dot embossing folder.  The leaves are one of the flowers from the Secret Garden Framelits.   The stem is from the 2-step bird punch and the flowers are from the Boho Blossoms Punch!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Gumball Green

Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners

Ink: Real Red

Other: 2 3/8: Scalloped Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Full Heart Punch, Secret Garden Framelits, 2-Step Bird Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Real Red Satin Ribbon, Brights Brads, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals.

Here are some pictures of my baby flying!  

Here is a link to the video!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Jen!

Sailing Away....

Hello!

A quick post tonight!  We had the big drive back from my mom and dad's today!  As nice as it is to get home, the boys were sad leaving Papa and Grannie!  It will be a while before we see them again and that's always hard.  It was so relaxing at my mom and dad's and I'm not looking forward to the return of school/work week chaos!

I decided to play along with the Create with Connie and Mary challenge this week.  I have zero masculine cards on hand and decided that I should probably change that situation!  I pulled out my mom's "The Open Sea" stamp set since it's my go-to for masculine cards!  

My mom had some Nautical Expedition (is that really it's name?!) paper left!  I was thankful!  I have a bit left too...it's prized stuff around here!  It's just the perfect manly paper!!!    I sponged the edges of the card since I wanted it to look a little more rustic.  Threw on a bronze button and I was good to go!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

DSP: Nautical Expedition

Stamps: The Open Sea, Party This Way (sentiment)

Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Other: Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Button, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers

Thanks for stopping by!

I'll be back tomorrow with another card!!!

Have a great day!

Jen

Create with Connie and Mary More Amore!

Sale-A-Bration is here!!!!  Are you excited?!  I know I am!!!  Who doesn't love this time of the year!  For every $60 you spend in products from the Annual Catalogue or Spring Catalogue you'll receive a free item from our Sale-a-bration flyer!  Great deal or what?!  Check out the Sale-a-bration flyer here!
For further details feel free to contact me!

Hello!

Happy Tuesday!  Wow!  This week is already flying by.  I had some errands to do this morning and then spent a few minutes finishing up this card!  I don't usually get any time at all in my craft room on a Tuesday so to have a few minutes was wonderful!  

I decided I wanted to play along with the Create with Connie and Mary challenge this week.  I loved their sketch and really wanted to do another Valentine's Day card!  I just hope someone reminds me to send them out this year!!!!

I must say I can't stop using the More Amore Specialty DSP and the Hearts a Flutter stamp/Framelit set.  I just LOVE it!  It's so fabulous for making Valentine's Day cards!  I hauled out some of my Sale-a-Bration goodies and away I went!  I love my Stampin' Up! sanding block too!  I didn't think at first I would like it but I do!  It's fun to sand down that Core'dinations cardstock!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Primrose Petals (cord'dinations), Very Vanilla
DSP: More Amore Specialty
Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Pool Party, Primrose Petals
Other: Basic Rhinestones, Hearts a Flutter Framelties Die, Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button, Linen Thread, Bitty Banners Framelites Die, Fashionable Hearts Embosslit, Sanding Block, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!

Jen!

Engagement Wishes

Hello!
I hope you had a great weekend!  I can't believe the weekend is over already!   How on earth does it go by so quickly?!  This week is going to be insane.  I guess it will fly by!  The boys had their skating lessons this weekend.  Pictures posted below.  Caleb loves skating and is moving onto "learn to play hockey" lessons next week.   Jacob will stay in the "learn to skate" lessons.  He really needs to just learn how to stay standing once he's up!

Today's card is for a friend of mine who recently got engaged to her boyfriend!  She is a great customer who orders a ton of cards so how can I not make her a card to congratulate her?!  She happens to be Asian so I wanted to include a bit of red on her card and minimize the white.

I used a sketch from a recent Create with Connie and Mary Challenge.  I didn't get a chance to get the card created in time for the challenge but I do like to go back to these challenge sites and check out their past sketches to use!  If you're ever stuck...give it a try!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White

Stamps: Love and Laughter

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red

Other: Boho Blossoms Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Labels Framelits, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder

Caleb is all smiles doing his cross-overs!  Jacob...well, they put him on the end but when he goes down, the girls go down with him!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a fabulous day!

Jen

Happy Anniversary!

Hello!
It's officially Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada!  I love Thanksgiving!  I cooked turnips, cranberries and pumpkin pie today!  Turkey day tomorrow!!!  I can't wait!  Fall is my favourite of the seasons!  I grew up in Eastern Ontario where the trees are so beautiful at this time of year!  It's also the time of year that my husband and I got married...10 years ago!  A week today (Friday) is our 10th anniversary!  I can't believe it.  10 years have flown by!  We have so much to be thankful for this weekend!

I needed to make a card for my husband to commemorate this special day but I find anniversary cards challenging to make!  I decided to start with the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary and combine it with the SU-Only Challenge this week (Feel that Texture) and ta-da!

I decided to use the woodgrain embossing folder since I thought it would work best for this particular card!  I also embossed the hearts in the same woodgrain embossing folder!  I used the Early Espresso and the Cherry Cobbler Core-dinations cardstock so that I could sand it!!!

Our wedding colours were cranberry and gold and I figured this card kinda matched that!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Early Espresso Core'dinations, Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer
DSP: Orchard Harvest, Early Espresso
Stamps: Perfectly Penned, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Early Espresso
Other: Heart Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Bitty Banners Framelit, Sanding Block, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by today!
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Jen

Create with Connie and Mary Sympathy

Hello!
I trust you're as ready for the weekend as I am!  It's been an interesting week here at the Brum house!  Needless to say we're excited for next week and to have Daddy home with us.  We have some exciting day trips planned that should keep the boys good and entertained!  Stay tuned for the photo highlights!

Today's card was a hard one to make.  A friend of mine lost her dad a week ago in a terrible motorcycle accident.  I wanted to make a sympathy card for her and her family to let them know that we are thinking and praying for them.

I started with this week's Create with Connie and Mary Challenge sketch.  It was a great sketch and it worked perfectly for what I had in mind for a card.  I really love the Very Vanilla and Soft Suede combination. I use it often for sympathy cards.  I love the French Foliage stamp set as well and find it perfect for this type of card.  I used the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder for the background and the piece of soft suede.  It just needed a little something extra.  I included a butterfly and some pearls...of course!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Stamps: French Foliage, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso

Other: Basic Pearls, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Word Window Punch, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

One more picture of the cute birthday boy on his birthday with new Angry Birds Lunch Box...all ready for Junior Kindergarten!

Quint-essentially for you!

Hello!

Hope you had a great weekend and are ready to tackle the week!  I am looking forward to an exciting weekend - and the birthday of a very special little boy!!!

Today's card is for this week's Create with Connie and Mary challenge.  This week was a colour challenge and they picked some of my favourite colours!  Who doesn't love Midnight Muse, Daffodil Delight and Gumball Green?  Seriously?!  I'm in love!

I used the sketch from this week's Clean and Simple Cards challenge on Splitscoast Stampers since I thought it would work perfectly with the three colours!  

I used the Quint-Essential Flower and then combined it with the new Hostess Set from the Holiday Catalogue - Mixed Medley!  I just love those little scalloped circles!!! 

Supplies:

Cardstock: Midnight Muse, Whisper White

DSP: Midnight Muse DSP Pack

Stamps: Quint-Essential Flower, Mixed Medley

Ink: Midnight Muse, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green

Other:  Daffodil Delight Ribbon, Dimensionals, Scalloped Circle Punches (2 3/8", 1 3/4" and 1 1/4"),  3/4 " Circle Punch, Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder

Here's a picture of my littlest sweetheart setting up his train set!  He was so excited!  He couldn't wait for Daddy to get home to help him tear open the box.  Needless to say the train didn't fit on the dining room table so it ended up on my living room floor!

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

That Little Jar...again!!!

Hello!
Well, we survived Monday!  I wasn't feeling very good yesterday and was pretty much down for the count all day.  I am SO thankful I was at my mom and dad's for most of yesterday and my mom let me sleep in the afternoon and made all the meals for my boys.  My parents are so good to me!  What would I do without them?  Today I feel MUCH better!  My mom and I took the boys to the beach this morning for a bit (picture below).  The water here is very low due to a severe drought so there wasn't much water in the Ottawa River for them to have fun in...at least the marked off swimming area but they still managed to have fun!

Okay...I used the jar again.  I can't help myself...I LOVE it!  I am not using it for my Freshly Made Sketches card this week though...I promise!  Today's card is for the Dynamic Duos and Create with Connie and Marie challenges.  I needed to kill two birds with one stone today!  I love Early Espresso and Crumb Cake!  They have to be my favourites!  The new Early Espresso Core'dinations cardstock has to be one of my favourites.  I didn't have an SU sanding block handy but my mom did happen to have some sandpaper in her craft room today!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
DSP: Natural Composition Specialty
Stamps: Perfectly Preserved
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Other: Cannery Set Framelits Dies, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, Early Espresso Ribbon, Adorning Accents Edgelits, Bitty Banners Framelits Dies, Dimensionals, Basic Pearls

Bathing Beauties! 

Caleb and my mom are planning an Olympic party to have later this week.  Today Caleb decided he wanted to make flags for different countries for decoration for this party.  So this afternoon he and my mom made all 13 of these cute flags.  I thought he'd maybe sit through 2 but he did all 13.  She cut the paper and he glued it all together!  It was so sweet!  I can't wait for the party on Thursday!

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great day!

Jen

Create with Connie and Mary Challenge

Hello!
Hope you had a great weekend!  I can't believe Monday is upon us already!  How did the weekend go by so quickly?!  I didn't get any cards done today.  I took the afternoon to scrapbook (digitally) with a friend of mine!

I decided to tackle the Create with Connie and Mary challenge this weekend.  I need a few masculine birthday cards so decided this sketch would work for what I had in mind!

I really like the Blue Medal stamp set though I'm still having that punch issue...not sure if it's more or the stamp or the punch...my guess is that it's me!!!  I realize now that I've used that Comfort Cafe DSP again...I just can't help it!  I love it!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
DSP: Comfort Cafe
Stamps: Blue Ribbon
Ink: Midnight Muse, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Other: Dimensionals, Scalloped Circle Punch, Circle Punch, Bitty Banners Framelits Die, Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder

Thanks for stopping by!
I'll try to have a card for you tomorrow but no guarantees!  It will depend on what Caleb and I do tomorrow afternoon during nap time!

Jen