Arghhhhh!

Real quick today - lots on the "to do" list! Decorating, baking, shopping...

Here is the quick card I made for Doodlepants' birthday. I was in a hurry - used an image I coloured eons ago and even used a sticker - gasp!!!

Later,
Shanna :)

Quick and simple Christmas set

Happy Saturday and thanks for stopping by!

My company has arrived safe and sound. I am happy to report that my nephew is still the sweetest little guy ever! So happy to have him and his entourage here to visit with us!

Here are a few quick cards I whipped up using some more of that fab Bo Bunny line, Rejoice. I also managed to use up some ancient chipboard from DCWV that happened to match! That always feels good!

I would like to share my cards at:
Crazy for Challenges - bows
and
Christmas Card Challenges

Hugs,
Shanna :)

What I used:
Bo Bunny Rejoice
green vintage seam binding
DCWV Chipboard Box Holiday Collection

Snowboarder Christmas

Good evening,

Here are two different versions of the winter themed Christmas cards I made a few posts back. These were fun to make and like I said, I plan to make a few with birthday sentiments - great for masculine birthdays, especially those that fall in the winter and for those who happen to be into winter sports.

I think I prefer the first one with the detailed background and darker colours. What do you think?

Keeping it short for tonight, my bed is calling!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Bo Bunny
stamps: CTMH Powder Heaven, Lily of the Valley Grunge Postmarks
ribbon: SU
ink: Outdoor denim, black

Peace * Love * Joy

Yes folks, it is the time of year that CAS Christmas cards come in very handy. As of yesterday, I had made 73 Christmas cards. Since I need at least 100, panic might just begin to set in soon if I hadn't come up with a quick and simple design that will allow me to create many cards in short order - what with all the other things on the list!

So, I am happy to report that I came up with this one this morning. I had come across this fab CTMH stamp of Santa and reindeer when thumbing through my collection and had a glimmer of an idea that morphed into this card. That lovely strip is indeed washi tape - can you tell I've been having fun with my tape??? I think I NEED MORE!!! Well and now that I've actually been using it, I think I need to replace what's been used up right?

I hope you are having a great day! I won't lie, I'm crabby and grumpy and hope it passes soon. I can't seem to kick it, maybe once the kiddos are in bed and the dishes done I will hide in my craft space for an hour and calm my nerves - sounds good doesn't it?  Maybe that's the ticket.

And to all a good night!
Grumpy Hugs,
Shanna ;)

Graham the Lion

 A quick post this morning to show off my nephew Graham. I took these after Canadian Thanksgiving when my sis, Graham and my Mom were visiting. We set up a little "photo shoot" and managing to get these of him in his Halloween costume. I meant to post these closer to Halloween but forgot.

 Isn't he the sweetest thing? Can't wait for his next visit - he arrives on Saturday with his Mommy & Daddy, Nanny & Papa in tow! 

Will be back soon with some crafty stuff,
Shanna :)

Happy Holidays

Happy Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by. I played around with my blog background - I love it on its own, but think it is pretty busy - it may change again in the next few days.

 Here is a quick CAS card I came up with on Friday. I have lots of fantastic washi tape and don't use it nearly often enough. Problem solved!

These are clearly quick and rather simplistic, but will be nice and flat for mailing. I think this style may be my "go to" for the last minute ones - I have to do a recount. I am way closer to my goal (100) than I was a week ago, but not quite there. With a quick design like this up my sleeve, there is no need to hit the PANIC button just yet, lol!

Each one I made came out slightly different which is sorta fun. Donna suggested that I try the same design on kraft - might just do that this afternoon!

I would like to share at:
Christmas Card Challenges
and
52 card pick up

Have a happy Sunday!

Shanna :)

What I used:
washi tape: MME
rub-ons: BBP
various rhinestones

Happy Holidays!

Good afternoon,

This image was so fun to colour and I am feeling so much more confident with my copics since my class last weekend!

I would like to share my card at:

Cupcake - a fantastic sketch! I will be using this one again.

Christmas Card Challenges

Cute Card Thursday - starry starry night

I do love how these turned out and have everything cut out to make two more.

I am about to embark on yet another fabulously girly weekend (well at least the start of it!) A few of us are going to see Breaking Dawn part two tonight THEN, I am cropping with my girlfriends ALL DAY tomorrow - woohoo! So looking forward to it!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend too - I know, I know mine is starting early, sorry!

Shanna :)

What I used:

papers: Bo Bunny - Rejoice

stamps: Whiff of Joy, CTMH D1380

copics: greens G21, 24, 28

reds R22,24,27  browns E23, 25, 29 also E81, 84, 87

yellows Y11, 15, 23

skin tone E00 E11

Christmas Skier

Good evening!
Here is another card I made using Powder Heaven from CTMH. I love this stamp set! Combined with Bo Bunny's Powder Mountain, this set makes for some pretty quick and masculinish type cards. I thought this spellbinder die worked well with this fun image. I also used my snowflake texture plate to add a bit more interest.


I plan to make a few similar cards with a bday theme to have on hand for boy birthdays coming up this winter.

I would like to share my project at Little Red Wagon where this week's challenge is to use texture plates.

Have a great evening!
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps: Powder Heaven CTMH, sentiment Grunge postmarks from Lili of the Valley
papers: Bo Bunny Powder Mountain
ribbon: Stamping Up

Fisherman

A quick post tonight to share a masculine card I made for the stash. The image was colour pre-copic class - if you want, feel free to make a comparison with the colouring on my last post - I think I've come a long way!

This one is for this week's challenge at Raise the Bar - Birthdays!

Thanks for visiting!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Basic Grey Oliver

Joy to the world

 Good evening!
I have had a fabulous weekend! It was fantastic to meet Suzanne Dean from ScrapBitz (and have her as my teacher!) as well as Andrea Murdoch from My Stamping Heaven. I also go to say hello to Kraftin Kimmie who I met two years ago at her first Kraftin Kimmie day! I learned so much at Suzanne's copic class (beg/inter/adv) on Saturday! I couldn't wait to get home and practice my techniques. Here is the first card I've made since the class. I love this stamp and have been so looking forward to colouring her.

I am also in love with this fab new Christmas line from Bo Bunny. Such fabulous patterns! Here is the inside:

I would like to share my card at:
Crazy for Challenges - inspired by fave Christmas carols (Joy to the world and/or Baby it's cold outside)
Christmas Card Challenges - holilday card (optional - snowmen)
Little Red Wagon - colouring

What a fantastic weekend - shopping, copic colouring, eating out and then scrappin today! I don't want it to end...I guess it's back to reality in the morning!

Cheers,
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Bo Bunny
stamps: Stamping Bella, CTMH - D1380 Just for the Holidays - D1165 Bundled Up, sentiment - Hero Arts
buttons: MFT
Washi tape - Martha Stewart
colours - kraft, cranberry, New England Ivy, Holiday red

Shreddin'

Hello Thursday!

This is my take on the fab sketch over at JUGS this week.

Can't stay to chat, I am hopping on a plane shortly to Toronto with a couple of girlfriends. We are then driving to Guelph, ON where we will spend Saturday with Suzanne Dean taking two of her copic classes! Sounds like a lot of fun to me! Better go finish packing!

Have a fabby weekend! Weekend away, here I come...

Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps: CTMH Powder Heaven D1521
paper: Bo Bunny Powder Mountain

Dragon Thanks

Keeping it short and sweet for tonight. Here is another quick card I pulled together this weekend.

I would like to share my card for the current challenge at The Paper Players where the challenge is to create a thank you card.

Happy Tuesday!
Shanna :)


What I used:
papers: Basic Grey - Oliver - one of my all time faves
CTMH buttons
stamp - CTMH

Hot Chocolate Friends

Good afternoon,

Last night I found inspiration in the fabulous photo over at Laurel's Inspired By challenge blog. It has been too long since I've found the time to play along! Laurel always has fantastic photos for inspiration and lots of suggestions as to how we might interpret it.


Here is the inspiration photo.

And here is my take - besides the thought of enjoying a nice warm milky chai while enjoying a good book with a quilt wrapped around my legs, I was also inspired by the textures here and tried to incorporate that as well. I had a fabulous time playing with this fabulous new paper line I picked up yesterday! Such a fab colour combo!

I would also like to share my project at:
Papercraft Star - warm beverage
and
Christmas Card challenges - recipe challenge

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Echo Park - Winter Wishes
stamps: CTMH Winter Workshop on the go
and SU (Tiny Tags & punch)
circle punch
liquid applique
kaisercraft rhinestones
embossing plates - Basic Grey & Cuttlebug
ink: CTMH smokey plum,  indian corn blue

Yoshi and a sandwich

Check it out! After perusing Pinterest etc. with Nanny, Doodlepants decided he really wanted to be Yoshi this year! (He is big into anything Super Mario.) Well, it was a group effort (Auntie and I lent a hand and offer opinions, Doodlepants did the paper mache), but Nanny was the driving force behind it - thank goodness for Nannnies! 

His nose is a paper-mached balloon painted green. His cheeks are two little felt hats from the dollar store painted white - felt takes a LOT of paint! His eyes are styrofoam and it is all built onto a hard hat we picked up at the Thrift store and mostly glued together with a glue gun and lots of sticks of glue.

For his body, we got really lucky and found a home-made Ninja turtles costume also at the Thrift store. We also found this red zip pillow case the fit perfectly over the part that was originally a yellow shell since Yoshi has a red shell. I rolled some felt and glued it to the "backpack" to make his tail. 

Pretty cool costume - I think he found the head slightly heavy as it arrived home about 15 minutes before the boy on Halloween night, lol! I have a feeling he will be wearing it again next year - it is always fantastic when they like it that much!!!

I had to share this one of him having a snack of Vampire Teeth at the table when all his guest first arrived. I blurred the faces of the other children since they don't belong to me.







Below is Yoshi in our graveyard as well as a pic of Chester as a "Cam Sandwich" with his good buddy from around the corner (Danderella's daughter) who sewed her own costume this year! How awesome is that???

Well, I think that's a wrap for Halloween, I'll be back shortly to share a wintery card!

Shanna :)

You're invited

Good morning!

I am finally getting around to posting the simple but fun birthday party invite that I made for my almost 8 year old's party. His birthday is later in November, but once in awhile, we celebrate early and make it a Halloween themed party. I figure if we are going to go "all out" for Halloween, we might as well have a party too!

I saw this "mummy card" idea many moons ago in a magazine, probably Papercrafts, and finally got around to executing it. I distressed the edges with Tim Holtz distress ink to give it a worn "mummyish" look, lol!

Here we have some of the party decor:
Witch Fingers - find recipe here
Pickled Brain - idea found on pinterest - it is simply cauliflower floating in water with some food colouring added (note to self - do not let this hang around too long - the smell was bad and there were copious amounts of slime, ick!)
Moth Dust - I simply labelled my jar of flour to make it fit with the decor
I added Chester's collection of "potions" and potion ingredients that "live" in his room (Harry Potter theme - click here to see) and voila - centrepiece!

I kept the goodie bags simple and just stamped my skeleton and Thanks. Unfortunately, I did not get a good photo of my "bones in a bag" - another idea I found on Pinterest thanks to Tammy!  Simply put small marshamallows on either end of small straight pretzels and dip in white chocolate (I used the wafer type that melt easily). I let them set on waxed paper and bags them up for party treats to take home.

Last but not least, here is "Dracula" toasting some marshmallows on the "campfire" that Chester made with Nanny. Another idea from Pinterest - they made the fake campfire by placing orange lights in the bottom of a shallow box, placing half plastic bottles on top (cap side up) then spraying and entire can of foam insulation (the type that fills cracks) all over the top. Once this was set, they covered in black spray paint. I place large rocks around the edges and set up the  fog machine behind to add to the realistic look. It was quite convincing! It is difficult to see the details in my photo, but the overall effect is what counts.

Off to do my morning workout, then hopefully sneak in a bit of time in my craftroom before heading off to the Christmas Tea at our local community centre.

Happy Sunday!

Shanna :)

p.s. I promise to be back real soon - I seem to have located my long lost MOJO!!! Hooray! 

Pumpkin Spice Granola

 Happy Saturday morning!

I have been MIA for awhile, but I do have something to share this morning!

I had to show the inside simply because of the idea that my Mom came up with. The day I was making this little ensemble, my Mom and sister were visiting. We had been munching on Pumpkin Spice Hershey's kisses (thanks Donna!) and had left some of the wrappers on my scrap table. Mom was watching what I was up to and was aware of the theme - she flattened out one of the little paper labels and asked if I could use it somewhere on my project. Fantastic idea! I added one on the inside and two to the envelope. Even more perfect since Donna had gifted me the kisses in the first place!

Inside the card, I also added a gift card for Starbuck's as Donna is fond of their Pumpkin Spice Lattes - can't believe how nicely my theme came together!

I found this fantastic Pumpkin Spice Granola recipe in a recent issue of Canadian Living and just had to try it. Super YUM! I thought of Donna and knew I had to make her some for her birthday. Here is the link to the recipe in case you want to make some yourself - you know you wanna! Word of advice - this really is an easy recipe to make, but keep a CLOSE EYE on it while toasting/baking as it is easy to burn. If you have them, use your Pampered Chef stoneware pans as it is much more difficult to burn things on those - I know from experience! :)

And here, one more photo of my little ensemble together.

I would like to share my project at:
Crazy 4 Challenges - anything but a card (well, I did make a card, but also a tag & bag)
Raise the Bar - anything goes
Cupcake Craft Challenges - witches and/or pumpkins

Well, I am off to take the boys to squash practice and swimming lessons. Have a fantastic Saturday!
Catch you later,
Shanna :)

What I used:
Simple Stories - Harvest Lane (LOVE this line!)
stamps - CTMH atomic CAPS & lower (retired), SU Perfectly Preserved, CTMH Happy Birthday, Bo Bunny - Apple Cider
dies - SU Framelits - Cannery set
washi tape, twine, fabric, pinking shears