In loving memory of . . .

of my 22 year old cat, Sushi. She sadly passed away today. I believe she suffered a stroke sometime during the day as when I came home she was laying on the floor unable to move. This is a picture of her waiting for breakfast. She will be sadly missed!

Summer Fun Deal of the Week!

You're going to love our Heart to Heart Punch, especially July 27-31 when it's just $15.95 - that's 30% off the regular price of $22.95!

When your heart is full, you often want to show it. Punches are a quick and easy way to add interest, dimension, and color to your cards, tags, and scrapbook pages. You can glue punched shapes directly onto your projects or layer a sheet of card stock that has been punched over a coordinating card stock for a reverse effect.

· Add interest to scrapbook pages and cards
· Has an easy-to-use thumb lever
· Coordinates with the Love You Much stamp set

Stampin' Up! Deal of the Week #4

Stampin' Up! just announced their DEAL OF THE WEEK for this coming week. It's a good one:
Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware!!!! I love hardware and you can make such fun things with it!!! On top of that you can always dye the hardware to suite your colour needs....so versatile and so many options! Each kit comes with about 100 pieces of hardware and an additional 100 brads! And guess what???? It's 30% off!!!!! So for only $26.99 you can enjoy this super fun embellishment kit! For the first 10 buyers, I will also include a handmade card using the hardware (and a PDF with the 10 samples on it) to give you ideas on how to use the hardware. Please email me at patguertler@shaw.ca if you live in Canada and are interested in this deal. Offer good until July 26th.

Stampin’ Up’s high-quality metal Hodgepodge Hardware contains etched designs on brads and accents that coordinates with several of our punches. Each kit contains approximately 100 embellishments and 100 3/16″ brads.

Just Because I Care

This is another card for another ex-co-worker. Again, I was only notified about her health condition and wanted to send her a card to cheer her up!

Once again, a old DS paper from a few years back, this one is Spring Showers - yes, I still have quite a bit!

I absolutely love the stripes on this DS paper as it picks up quite a number of colours that you can use - this also makes great a masculine card too!

There was one tiny stripe of Really Rust -- I am not certain if you can see it, but I wanted to bring in that colour onto the card. Only, I should have checked to see if I had a matching ribbon in really rust -- NOT!

I actually had to colour my ribbon with COPIC markers! Here's another use of those expensive pens that I don't use very often!

This is the original color of the ribbon. It is somewhat similar, but when you put it on the card, you can most definitely tell that it is not the same colour.

I used the colour Sanguine - YR18 and was quite pleased how close the colour was to Really Rust! Lucky me. I had cut a piece of the ribbon that I wanted to use and started colouring, turned it over and then coloured the other side. I then set it aside overnight just to make sure that it dries completely before adding it to my card.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Best Yet, Good Things Grow
Paper: Spring Showers DS Paper, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Sahara Sand, WW
Ink: Really Rust
Other: Hodge Podge, Brads, Ribbon, COPIC Marker, Oval Scallop Punch

~Pat

Get Well Card

I was recently notified that an ex-co-worker has had some surgery done and I wanted to send her a card along with some flowers to cheer her up. She will be laid up for approximately 6 weeks which is kind of a bummer during the summer!

This card was made using the Kindred Spirits Stamp set. I stamped it in Versa Mark and then using my shimmering powders, I went to town colouring. Although the pictures does no justice, it is much prettier in person.

The main image is stamped on Night of Navy and then mounted onto Old Olive and then onto Bashful Blue.

I used the Maine Blueberry DS paper, which I have had in my possession for eons. I used my scallop punch for the top edge and then also scallop punched a scrap of Night of Navy and mounted it beneath the DS paper to give it some kind clarity. I then mounted the bottom piece onto a piece of striped DS paper. Mounted the whole thing onto Old Olive and added the brads to either side, and then onto a bashful blue cs. The total size of the card is 6x6". I am quite pleased with the way it had turned out and hope this will help bring cheer to her.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Kindred Spirits

Paper: Night of Navy, Blueberry Maine DS paper, Old Olive, Bashful Blue

Ink: Versa Mark

Other: Shimmering powders, brads, scallop punch

~ Pat

Red, White & Blue

This is my first challenge done through Christmas Cards All Year Round. Their challenge for July is to create a Christmas Card using the colours red, white and blue.

Well, this did turn out to be a bit more challenging than I expected - especially when you didn't know what part was going to be red and what part was going to be blue. The white part was the easiest part.

This image is by Penny Black, and although the theme was red, white and blue, I just couldn't leave my pup white, so I had to colour him. I also added stickles to the fur portion of the hat and the pom pom.

I embossed the white portion with my Snowflakes embossing folder and scalloped punched the top edge. I then mounted it onto a piece of real red. Stamped the not quite navy portion with snowflakes from the new Christmas Punch set (hostess).

I cut him out with my new Nestibilities and then cut out another piece in red and mounted it. Although, I am still trying to figure out how to exactly cut a smaller border, this will do for now. As I thought it looked a bit plain, I added the ribbon to the corner with a staple and then mounted using pop ups.

Here is my group of 5 cards. I originally had 6 cards, but I soon realized that I had mounted it upside down. I did try to fix it, but couldn't get it off of my cs. Oh well ces la vie!

I hope you like this non-traditional Christmas Card! 5 down and umm. . . how many more to go?

It is a start to my Christmas Cards at least.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Penny Black, Christmas Punch

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Real Red, WW, other miscellaneous red DS paper

Ink: White Craft, Black

Other: Cuttlebug Snowflake Folders, Nestibilities, Ribbon, Scallop Punch

Thanks for checking this out!

~Pat

Blog Candy Alert!

Come and check out this blog for blog candy!

Sarah's Graduation Card

This was my niece's graduation card. I am a bit late in posting, but I'm glad I took a picture of it before giving it to her.

Her school colours were purple and gold.

Although it is difficult to see, the card base Eggplant Envy.

I cut the white cs to fit onto a gold piece of cs. It took me several tries to get the scording done correctly, but I finally figured it out. I basically lined up the opposite corners and then scorred evenly on either side.

I then stamped Congratuatlions a bit to the left.

I didn't have any graduation stamps. This hat is from an old, old set from Stampin Up. I stamped in gold ink onto a piece of Eggplant Envy and embossed it with gold EP. Cut it out and mount it in the middle to right on pop ups.

Again, the only numeric stamp set I have is the Whimsical Numbers, which is retired, but at least it did the trick!

My niece loved the card and purple is her favourite colour as well! It was very simple, but yet elegant.

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Sketch It (retired), Whimsical Numerals
Paper: Eggplant Envy, Gold CS, WW
Ink: Gold
Other: Score Pal, Gold Embossing Powder

~Pat
Thanks for stopping by.

Stamp UP Stamps

Stampin UP Stamps - does not include shipping. The first one to post - gets the bid!

Poket Full of Posies - only one mounted - $4

Say it Simply - $4

Parlez-Vous Francais - $6 - only 2 mounted

It's a Date - $6

Holiday Blocks - $8 - brand new, unmounted

Faith & Hope - $6

Paint Prints - $5

Clowning Around - $6

A Light Heart - $7

A Little Love - $12

2 Steps - Stippled Stencils - $4 - brand new

2 Step Stampin Shapes & Shadows - $12 - only 5 mounted

Mischellaneous Stamps for Sale . . .

Miscellaneous stamps for sale - plus shipping. Angel Stamp - $5
House Mouse - Pamper Me - $5
Girl & Wheelbarrow - $2
Picture Perfect - $0.50
Bear & Balloons - $1.00
Bear Holding Flowers - $2.00
House Mouse - $4
Egg Stamp - $0.50

House Mous Lemons - $5

box of miscellaneous stamps, plus glitter glue - $10

Another box of miscellaneous stamps - $8 SOLD

Stamps for Sale!

CTMH Stamps for Sale - Each one - $8 each plus shipping.
You & Me


Words to Live By

Large Tags

Confetti & Favours

Blossom Blocks

MRS. SHELLING'S RETIREMENT CARD

This is for Mrs. Shelling, the other Gr.7 teacher that is retiring this year. Again, I am very sad to see her leave as well, as she was a great teacher.

I was asked to make something with margaritas on it and I thought, oh no! I don't have any margarita stamps, but I had this chick one with chicks each holding a glass!


This card represents Mrs. Shelling's upbeat and bright personality! I am very pleased with the way it turned out!
The card size itself is 6"x6" on real red texture cs. I matted the front using a piece of DS (Pink Flamingo). I stamped the chicks in versamark and then embossed with black embossing powder. I then watercoloured the chicks using my inks. I added some sparkle glue to give them a bit of sparkle to their outfits. It is much prettier in person. Rounded the corners and then matted that piece to real red and popped up on pop ups.

The message was hand printed.

This is the inside of the card. Again the printing was hand-printed. I stamped the chicks in Sahara Sand. I originally messed up as the middle part of the stamp did not make contact with the cs. So I dug out my Stamp-a-Jig. I don't use this tool as often, but it has proven to be a great tool and will be keeping it nearby for future mess-ups! Can you tell where I messed?


Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Penny Black
Inks: Versa Mark, Sahara Sand
Paper: WW, Pink Flamingo DS, Real Red Textured CS
Other: Glitter Glue, Hand-printing, Embossing Powder

Thanks for stopping by!

~Pat

MR. CADWELL'S RETIREMENT CARD

Here is one of the retirment cards I made for one of the teachers that is retiring. I apologize for the shadow that card has as it was very late when I took this picture - once again a last minute thing - but it seems that I work best under pressure and get things done! I guess that is the procrastinator in me!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Father's Day!
Mr. Caldwell has been at our school since the beginning of the opening of the school - that is an awful long time! He was such an inspiration to the children and a positive role model!

I will be very sad to see him go as I was hoping very much that he would be sticking around to teach my sons. But no such luck and I wish him the best of everything in the future!

I used the stamp set "Many Mower" and "Teeny Tiny Wishes".

This is a Tri-Shutter Fold Card. I was very intimidated by the look of it, but when I finally got down to making the card, it was much more easier than I thought.

Here is the basic instructions:

- start with a 12 x 6" cs
- score at 2", 4", 8" and 10"
- mountain and valley fold, then straighten out
- from your cutter, measure in 2" and cut from first score (2") all the way to the last score (10")
- repeat on the other side

If you have any questions regarding the instructions, please feel free to contact me.

By looking at the photo, you can tell how to fold the card. The middle section is basically the opposite fold from the outer sections.

Measuring each sections, I cut out my DS paper (I used To the Nines Specialty) - gotta love that paper and am so glad that SU is bringing out new stuff to play with! What I did was have each piece DS paper layed out and went to cutting - mixing and matching each piece.

I water coloured the golfer with my inks. As well as the sign on front. Here is a close up of my golfer.

I cut out "Now" and "Relax" and mounted those separately on pop ups!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Many Mower, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Going Gray

Paper: To the Nines DS cs, Chocolate Chip textured cs, WW

Other: Jumbo Eyelets

Thanks for stopping by!

~Pat

Vintage Wine Card

So this one of my cards. This is for the Principal that is leaving our school to another. I was asked to make something with wine. I thought, hmm, I don't have any wine stamps, what am going to do?? Well I saw this grape stamp from the new CTMH catalogue and thought, AHAA!

Anyways, the card size is 5-1/2" x 5-1/2".

I used Eggplant Envy as my base card.

I cut a 4-1/2" square from Very Vanilla. Stamped the French Script using Sahara Sand as the background. Stamped the grapes once onto my card front using Eggplant Envy and then again onto another VV cs scrap. I overstamped the outlines of the graps onto the scrap and embossed in gold. Cut it out and placed on top to give it a 3-d look. I stamped the leaf with Garden Green.

I also sponged the background using Close to Cocoa and Bravo Burgundy. I stressed the edges as well as rolled the corners and edged edges with Chocolate Chip.

I matted the VV onto Eggplant Envy and then matted again onto a piece of gold cs. I think the ribbon and the hodgepodge hardware finishes it off.

With the front panel finished I adhered it to the main card front using pop ups.

Here is the inside of the card. Again, I used vv, sponged it with Close to Cocoa and Bravo Burgundy. With the vines, I embossed that in gold to give it a nice touch. And don't forget your sentiment!

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: CTMH, French Script, Sincere Salutations
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Bravo Burgundy, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green, Versa Mark
Paper: Very Vanilla, Elegant Eggplant, Gold CS

Thanks for stopping by!

~Pat

More planning?

It seems that my life is neverending with planning and organizing. For the past few weeks, I have taken on a new task in organizing the Family Fun Day (another say for sports day) concession stand for the boys' school.

Thankfully, I had a number of volunteers come out and help me. The boys even helped put together 500 goodie bags!

I was also asked to make thank you cards and a few retirment card for some teachers. I will be posting those shortly.

Have a wonderful Friday!

~Pat

Planning, planning . . .

and more planning!

Forgive me for my lack of posting this week, but I have been busy trying to plan a surprise 40th Birthday part for my DH. The planning part of it was easy, but do you think I can get him out of the house?

He refused to take an afternoon off and go golfing! What kind of guy would refuse to take an afternoon off? I just don't get it.

So now, I have the boys trying to convince him to take them to the movies. Keep our fingers crossed!

I will be back to post some pics after the event! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

~ Pat

Size 6

As soon as I saw this card, I knew I had to case it for my girlfriend Trish!

This is flip-flop card.

Here are the dimensions/directions:

Cut a 7 x 6 1/4" piece of orange cs. Cut a 6-3/4" x 6" piece of printed paper. Center and adhere to orange cs.

Score 1" vertical lines beginning at top, 3" and 4" from left edge; repeat at bottom.

Cut a 2-3/4" x 4-1/4" rectangle from orange cs. Adhere to center of card between score lines; cut around left and right edges, stopping at scored lines.

Fold card along scored lines so that left side is on top.

Stamp Bathing Beauty (Rubbernecker) and Ethel in Swimsuit (Rubbernecker) onto white cs; colour with markers and cut out. Adhere Bathing Beauty onto green cs and trim, leaving narrow borders. Adhere stamped images to centre panel so Bathing Beauty is visible when card is closed.

Stamp greeting onto scraps of orange cs; trim around words and adhere to card as shown.

Here is Ethel on the back side.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Rubbernecker

Inks: black

Paper: Only Orange, Washington Apple DS, Green Galore DS

Other: Ribbon, markers

Thanks for stopping by!

~Pat

Happy 40th Birthday Rod!

Today is my DH's 40th Birthday! I have a difficult time making masculine cards, but decided to go through my DS paper to see what I can come up with.

I love the Manhattan DS paper as they are cater to making masculine cards. This is where I started. I picked out my paper and then picked out my cs colours.

This is a criss-cross card or pocket card. The dimensions are 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". The insert is 3.75" x 5.25".

Basically, you take a full sheet of cs and cut it half length wise. I scored both sheets at 4 1/4". I then cut one side of each cs from the score line to the outer corner. I adhered the uncut portion of the cards together. I cut my DS paper slight smaller than your A2 size - 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" and then cut in half diagonally. Adhere your DS paper to your cs.

I glued bottom of the flaps down.

I then took a strip of cs and ran it through the crimper. Once you crimp your piece, you may have to spread it out a bit to lengthen your strip. Tied a piece of ribbon around it and adhere it to the front.

Using one of the label die cuts from the Matchbox Bigz XL Die, I punched holes around it. I stamped Happy Birthday (On You Birthday) onto a piece of white cs scrap and then punched it out using the word window punch. Adhered it to the label and then popped it up onto the ribbon.

Here is what the insert looks like. Again, the dimensions are 3.75" x 5.25".

I stamped the man from Golden Oldies onto my cs, once on a plaid DS and another time on the blue striped DS. I then cut them out and pieced them onto my insert. It was easier to use SU glue to piece them, this way you get all the little nicks and notches glued down, and voila, my man is dressed!

I then stamped the sentiment in Always Artichoke from Full of Life (retired now) stamp set.

Using the round tab punch, I punched out the tab and folded it half. As the only number set I owned was Whismical Numbers (retired), I used it to stamp out "40" in Always Artichoke and adhered to the top of the insert.

Here is a close up of what my guy looks like!

I like paper piecing as I find that colouring is way too much work and really like the results of this!

I also coloured my guy using my Copic markers!

What do you think? I hope you have enjoyed this card as much as I do!

Here is the Recipe:

Stamps: On Your Birthday, Full of Life, Whimsical Numbers, Golden Oldies

Ink: Black, Always Artichoke

Paper: Manhattan DS Paper, Mellow Moss, Whisper White

Other: Mellow Moss Ribbon, Crimper, Matchbox Bigz Die

Thanks for stopping by!

~Pat

Mother's Day Card

This is my card for my mom for Mother's Day. I absolutely love how it turned out!

The actual card is black, therefore, it is hard to see the last layer.

I embossed the white layer using my Embossing Folder and mounted it onto the Pink Pirouette, which whas then mounted onto the black cs.

I stamped the Dogwood in versamark and embossed it in gold. Watercoloured the branch and leaves.

As I didn't have any dogwood punches, I created my own using a small egg punch, a 1/8th hole punch to make the little notch at the top of each petal and a tiny sun punch for the stamen. I then sponged each petal in Pink Pirouette ink. I used the larger side of my stylus and rubbed each petal until they started to curl up giving it that 3-d look. I glued each petal together and added the sun for the middle. What I should have done here was add a little bit of glitter to the petals, but as usual, this was last minute and we needed to leave to see my mom.

The little flowers were punched separately. I also used the larger side of the stylus to curl the petals up.

This is the inside of the card. Again, as the main cs was black, I added pink pirouette and white so that I could write on it.

To add a little pizzazz to it, I added some rub ons from the Summer Love collection and then stamped my sentiment. By the time I was finished, it was fairly heavy card. It was a good thing that I was hand delivering the card itself or it would have cost me an arm and a leg to mail it!

That is it for today! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Your comments are welcome.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Make an Impression, All Holidays
Paper: Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Ink: Black, Versamark

Other: Summer Love Rub Ons, Egg Punch, Tiny Sun Punch, Four Petal Punch, 1/8" Punch, Cuttlebug Embossing folder, Watercolour

Thanks for stopping by! ~Pat

Happy 40th Birthday Trish!

Today is my best friend's 40th birthday! Happy Birthday Trish!

This is a "Z" fold card.

Using the striped printed paper, I cut it 11 x 4 1/4 inches. Score vertically at 2 1/4 and 5 1/2 inches from the left edge. Fold card in half, then fold narroer panel to left.

Cut a 2 1/2 x 4-inch piece out of So Saffron printed paper and adhere to front panel on the left. Cut a 3/8 x 4-inch strip of white cs - add your brads here, otherwise, you will see the prongs on the outside of your card; adhere vertifically to So Saffron piece 1/4 inch from the left edge.

Open card. Cut a 5 1/4 x 4-inch pice of white cs; centre and adjere to larger panel. Cut a 5 1/4" x 1 3/4-inch strip of striped printed paper and a 5 1/4 x 1 1/8-inch So Saffron printed paper. Centre and adhere to striped strip. Pierce a hole through centre of So Safforn strip and attach your decorative brad; adhere strips to white cs 1 1/8 inches from top edge of card.

Stamp your sentiment in black onto lower right corner of the card.

Stamp the single flower from Bloomin' Beautful on white cs and stamp the flower portion again approximately 10 more times onto scrap. Using my watercolour crayons (I used Bashful Blue and Brocade Blue) to create the various hues to colour in the flowers.

I then cut out the flowers, layered one just below the main one, and with the rest of the remaining flowers, I cut out the petals to create a 3D look.

Here is a close of the flowers. I added glitter glue to the petals to make it sparkle.

Here is the side view of the flower so you can see the layers.

Your comments and opinions are very much welcomed!

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful, On Your Birthday!
Paper: Whisper White, Delicate Dots Designer Series
Ink: Black
Other: Large Decorative Brad, Silver Brads, pop ups

Thanks for stopping by! ~Pat

Ryan's B-day Card

I recently purchased a book on fabulous folds. I was very skeptical about it, but I thought why not give it a try. I could always return it if it didn't meet my standards.

Here is a birthday card, I made for my nephew. I don't know about you, but I find it very difficult to make masculine cards, let alone cards for teenager. I wanted this card to have a bold, bright look to it and went through all my "stash" of paper and came up with Jersey Shore. It is too bad that this is retired now.

This is a tri-fold card. Here are the directions:

Cut a 9 1/4 x 4 3/4-inch piece of Brilliant Blue cs. Score vertically at 3 1/4 x 6 1/2-inches from the left edge; close card accordion-style and round off opposite corners using a corner rounder punch.

Front Panel

I made this panel into a pocket and the "Happy Birthday" can be pulled out, but I also added some money to the pocket.

Cut a 3 x 4 1/2-inch piece of printed paper; round off corners to match card panel. Center and adhere printed paper to card.

Cut a 2 3/4 x 4 1/2-inch piece of green printed paper. Round off the corners; centre and adhere to printed paper to card.

Cut a 2 3/4 x 3-inch piece of white cs. Stamp stars onto cs; colour orange with markers. Centre and adhere stamped paper to card. I only adhered the bottom and the sides to make a pocket.

Stamp cupcake onto white cs; colour with markers and cut out. Centre and adhere cupcake to card with adhesive foam dots. Stamp "Celebrate" on lower right corner of panel.

Tab: Cut a 1 x 3-inch piece of orange cs; round off upper left corner using corner rounder punch. Centre and attach eyelet; knot ribbon through eyelet.

Insert tab in pocket.

Centre Panel

Cut a 3 x 4 1/2 inch piece of orange cs; stamp with stars. Round off corners to match panel of card. Attached 3 ice rhinestones. Centre and adhere cs to card.

Cut a 1 1/4 x 4 1/4-inch piece of green printed paper; adhere to card close to left edge.

Stamp "Best Wishes" onto white cs; cut rectangle around words, then round off upper left corner. Adhere to card as shown.

Stamp a cupcake onto white cs; colour with markers and cut out. Adhere cupcake to card with pop up.

Back Panel

Cut a 3 x 4 1/2-inch piece of printed paper; round off corners to match back panel of card. Centre and adhere printed cs to card.

Cut a 2 3/4 x 4 1/4 inch piece of green printed paper; round off corners. Tie ribbon around cs, knotting ends on front; centre and adhere to cs to card.

Stamp cupcakes onto white cs; colour with markers, then trim around cupcakes to make a strip 2 3/4 inches long. Adhere stamped cs to orange cs; trim, leaving narrow borders. Adhere cupcakes to card 1 inch from bottom.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Hero Arts, Crazy for Cupcakes, On Your Birthday, other miscellaneous stamps,
Paper: Brilliant Blue, Jersey Shore (retired), Only Orange
Ink: Black
Other: Glitter Glue, Miscellaneous Ribbon, Brad, ice rhinestones, SU markers

Thanks for stopping by! ~Pat