Snowflakes inside and out

 Today I played with my new (to me) Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette die.
I made about 12 of them.
I have a Cuttlebug but only have the regular sized plates.
I am sure it would have worked better if I had the larger cutting plates, but it still works. I just had to run them through, move the plates and run them through the rest of the way.
In order for the paper not to move on the die, I just used some washi tape to keep everything in place.
They turned out so pretty, I wish the photos would show the pretty sparkle I had added.

This one is my favourite.
I used some Tim Holtz papers for this one. It is showing up more green in the photo, but it is actually more blue.
I first put together the snowflake, then added a sparkly plastic white snowflake, then the top of the rosette and lastly a snowflake brad.
I just love the layers to this one and the colours.

I placed them under the tree and took a photo hoping the Christmas tree lights would show the sparkle more.
But not so much.
I know there are only 11 snowflakes here and I said I had made 12…well the 12th one is on a fun card I had made…still adding the finishing touches on it though ;)

Day 14 of Heidi Swapp's photo challenge. The prompt is…
"Gift"
I have to say these daughters of mine are a gift.
I know I gush over them a lot on my blog, but they truly make being a mom my greatest gift in the world.
Not only are they awesome daughters, they are also a joy to be around.

Day 14 of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine's photo Challenge. The prompt is…
"Naughty"
As much fun as I am having with these 2 photo challenges, they do repeat each other every once in awhile. And how can they not, how many prompts can you have for this month ;)
I just cropped this photo from the other day….ya I flaked out on this one, lol.

Onto My Day:
Besides making pretty snowflakes all evening, Wayne and I are catching up on the tv show, the Mentalist.
But before that we all went to see Ashley, as she is sick.
She texted me to tell me she was sick.
I asked if she wanted to come home.
She informed me that she was at home….but we all know, her home will always be here ;)  I don't care that she owns her own home.
She told me she doesn't have a bed here…I told her there are 3 beds here, just take your pick, lol.
As it turned out, we ran to Superstore to pick her up some chicken noodle soup, vicks and a few other items for her, before we went to check on her.
Kristy brought Ashley her baby blanket…how sweet was that.
Heather told us to pick her up some Vitamin C.
And I brought home her dirty laundry to wash ;)

The rest of the day Wayne and I watched television and pigged out on junk food….and I am paying for it now, lol.

Hope you all had a creative Saturday :)
It has warmed up a bit here today. It was -19C when we did our running around this afternoon :)

Tracy :)

Snow, calendar and photo challenges.

We received a bit of snow today, and there are predicting a lot more in the next couple of days.
We are on a storm warning right now, but it seems to be blowing around more than actual snow coming down.
These are the trees I purchased at Michael's. You remember the ones I couldn't use my 30% off coupon on as they were 1/2" to high….yes I am still a bit bothered by that, lol.

Yesterday I received my 2014 Pagemaps Calendar.
I had never seen one before. All I knew was it was a calendar with sketches in it.
So I purchased one for me and one for my friend for Christmas.
What I like about it….it has 30 sketches in it. One for each month and then a bunch on the back 2 pages.
I like that it has a completed layout for each of the months sketches.
I like that the calendar is 8.5 x11"
I like that it is coil bound and can lay flat, even when the pages are pulled around to the back.
I like that the calendar isn't glossy, so you can use any pen or pencil to write on it.
I like that there are about 4 journal blocks for each month.
What I don't like is that there is also a full page advertisement for each month, I really didn't like that :(

I spent a lot of my day at Ashley's.
I haven't forgot to share with you the project that I am working on for Ashley. But I want to share the totally finished project.
I had to put clear coat on it and paint one other part.
Hoping to finish it tomorrow.
Heather and I were at Ashely's when she came home for lunch.
She cleaned Sebastian's litter box, then he went in it and had a little rest, lol.
I have never seen a cat that liked its litter box as much as this little guy does. Silly kitty.

Day 4 of Canadian Scrapbookers photo a day challenge.
"Good Morning"
I don't usually read the prompts until later in the day…until Kristy informed me that I failed with my photo today.
So I had to set this one up, lol.

Day 4 of Heidi Swapps photo challenge.
"Stockings"
I don't put up our stocking until later in the month.
But I did find this little gift card holder stocking ;)

Today I had to go to the doctor.
My heel has been so sore since June or so. It feels like I have a big rock in my heel. Sometimes I can't even walk on it.
Oh, are you wondering why I didn't go to the doctor sooner….I was hoping it would go away and I don't really like to go to doctors, lol.
Well it turns out I have plantar fasciitis.  Not fun for someone who loves to walk as much as I do :)
As I was waiting to be called I took a photo of the Sleeping Giant….or lack of, lol.
The first photo is from a few months ago, the bottom was from today.
The visibility outside is even worse now.























I hope you all had a wonderful, warm and creative Wednesday :)

Tracy :)

Turtles, hot chocolate and something cozy.

Today was chocolate turtle making day :)
Every year my friend Myra and I make these yummy treats :)
Today we made 320 of them.
 Most of mine are going to be given away as gifts.
Oh I think I see a squashed one…guess I need to eat it ;)

Day 3 of Heidi Swapp's photo a day challenge.
"Cozy"
These are my favourite jammy pants.
I don't sleep in these, but I love to wear them around the house.
Plus my favourite bootie slippers :)

Day 3 of Canadian Scrapbookers photo a day challenge.
"Toasty Hands"
Actually this mug was so flippin' hot I couldn't even hold it, lol.
I was going to crop my head out of this photo, but Kristy told me not to :)

I was at Myra's most of the day, so I didn't get to put my December Daily done today.
I hope you all had a wonderful and creative Tuesday :)

Tracy :)

Christmas cards and all day of Walking Dead

It is now December, so I can share some Christmasy things with you now ;)
34 Christmas cards complete :)
Every year I make all my Christmas cards.

I make two batches.
Trash cards:
Those are the cards made with my scrap papers and are for the people, I know, will trash the cards at the end of the season.
Fancy cards:
Those are the cards that take a long time to create. Usually I colour the images with my Copic markers and use my prettiest of papers.

But this year I had seen this card on Pinterest (you know I always give credit to the original creator…if I can). I followed the link to Tamara's blog
Of course I didn't have the same stamp that she used, but had this one in my stash.
The blobs you see on the trees is wet stickles.
And yes that is my thumb in the photo, lol.

Since I took step by step photos, I might as well share them with you on how I mass produced these cards.
First off I did 3 cards and then figured…yup, these are going to be my cards for this year, so then  decided to assembly line these puppies.
I also did them in groups of 10 as I was still playing with the idea of doing a different type of card for the card keepers in my life ;)

Okay, so the first thing I did was cut my card stock up to make my card bases.
I always use 110 lb card stock from Staples. I purchase it in packages of 250.

Next step is to stamp all of my images.
This stamp is a wooden stamp from Inkadinkado, but doesn't have a name on it.
The reason they are stamped on the paper like this, is because when I make my 5.5" x 5.5" cards I am always left with a strip like this…so this was a perfect way to use them up :)

Next step…cut coloured card stock and mount the images on them.

Now to cut the flags.
I knew I had a lot to cut out, so I made this template to make things move along more quickly and easily :)

Like the original card, I liked that the stripes were on a diagonal.
I didn't have any paper like that (actually I didn't look to hard, teehee) so I cut this pattern paper on an angle to get the same or similar look.

I put the first flag on just perfectly, then I used that one as a template placement for the rest.
I put the flag onto the flag of the template.

I added some adhesive (my tape gun) to the back of the image piece and then placed it on top of the template image.
Because the adhesive is on the image piece it will pick up that flag perfectly straight :)

We are getting there people ;)

I then adhered the images onto the card bases…Lookin' good ;)

Second to last step…stamp on the sentiment.
I didn't have a dark enough blue ink for this, so I coloured on the sentiment with my Stampin' Up maker.
This sentiment came with the snowman blueprint stamp from Tim Holtz.

Here I used a sentiment stamp from the $1.50 bins at Michaels.
Last step is to add stickles to the ground and trees.
I don't think the original card had sparkle to it.

I love a stack of homemade cards, don't you?

I am following 2 photo challenges this month.
The first one is from my favourite creative magazine Canadian Scrapbookers.
I shared that on my post yesterday.
The prompt is: Warmth.
I chose my snuggle blankets.
I keep these two in my living room and you can find me under them every day or night,
I love my blankies ;)

The other photo a day challenge is with Hiedi Swapp
I am suppose to have a album made and share my pages daily.
Because I just found out about it today, I will make my album or journal tomorrow and share the page tomorrow.
The prompt for this challenge is "So it Begins".
"Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas"
This is a photo of Kristy and I putting up our outside Christmas decor.
This is the earliest I have ever put them up.
I usually am climbing up piles of snow to do this. And freezing my fingers off.
It was -4C today..so not to bad :)

We had a Walking Dead marathon and pig out day all day today.
Just finished watching the mid season finale of tonights episode and Oh My Goodness!!!
I won't spoil it, but intense!
I think I will be watching it again tonight.

Hope you all had a very creative Sunday :)

Tracy :)

Created all day and a new photo challenge for December

Day 30 of 30 Days of Thankfulness.
Today I am thankful that I started my blog and my YouTube channel almost 4 years ago.
Without my blog, I would not have been able to make contact with so many of you creative, caring and special ladies.
I honestly feel a connection to you all.
Some of you text me or phone me and I get a Smile on my Face and Warmth in my heart every time I read a comment from you.
So Thank you all for coming to see what I am up to…even if it is just my everyday, boring life :)
















Today I spent the day with Wayne watching movies.
But I also created while we watched television.
You can tell winter is here, lol.

If you are wondering what I was making.
I was making cards.
What kind of cards you may ask….well I can't say as I don't mention this season until December ;)
So come back tomorrow and I will share more ;)

You know I am always up for a challenge…even if I make it just in the nick of time or don't complete it at all, lol.

My favourite scrapbooking magazine "Canadian Scrapbooker" is putting on a challenge for a photo a day with these prompts to follow.

I do take a photo a day anyway, so thought this would be fun.

I am thrilled to find out that 2 of my daughters, Ashley and Kristy, are going to follow along with me, as well as my friend Debbie :)

I think I may jot some ideas down for each day….just incase I get stuck.

Who else is up for this?

I had a very creative day today.

I got 14 cards complete…even if they are all the same and I totally copied them from someone else :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Saturday :)

Tracy :)