Happy New Home

Hi there, if you are stopping by for the Bella Birthday Bash Blog Hop, please scroll down a couple of posts or you can just click through here . But you might want to actually pause to admire my sweetie's wood-working skills later in this post...just saying.

Today's post is two-fold. Both a card and a house-warming gift for our former neighbours. We got together last night with them for dinner at a new favourite restaurant called PocoPazzo . Afterwards, we headed back to their new house to see it in its completed state.

Now, I must admit, my card is the lesser of the two items I am showing you today...you could say I am the opening act to the headliner.



I used Sketch #80 from Sketch Saturday for the layout. Technically, this also qualifies for the UCC challenge this week at PaperWorksCo -- it has tons of layers! Yes, I like to OVERDO everything!!! Go big or Go home! (Yes, I really do say that in real life...quite frequently actually).

The papers are all from the CTMH Grace Paper Pack. The stamped image is called "Hideaway House" from the Enchanted Hollow Series by The Stamp Barn.

And now the house-warming gift, courtesy of my dearly beloved - the "marquee" project shall we say. This is a BBQ tray with an accompanying stand.



The idea being that you can bring all your BBQ goodies outside on the tray, place it on the base (they are two separate pieces), cook your yummy meal and then bring all your BBQ goodies back into the house or over to your patio table for noshing. Pretty, huh?

This is a shot of the base without the tray so you can see the engineering. That webbing? That's why we went to Fabricland where I was pleased to get 40% off my trims the other day.




And one final pic of the sides of the base.


My dearly beloved is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to his finishing on his projects. I don't even ask how many coats he puts on any more - he believes in using Tung Oil which requires applying the oil, waiting for it to dry, polishing it and repeating until you are happy with the look. Since he usually goes for a glass finish -- that's usually a lot of polishing. It also means you don't need to use coasters to protect the finish - no water stains - EVER!

Card Details:
finished size 6x6 inches
papers: CTMH Grace
Stamps: CTMH Just Because, The Stamp Barn Enchanted Hollow "Hideaway House"
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
PrismaColor Pencils: 945, 911, 940, 941, 1032, 1024
Tools: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Small and Large Labels
Embellishments: Flower
extras: glue dots, foam tape

This week's UCC challenge at PaperworksCo

Hi everyone, this is my second post for today. If you are here for the Stamping Bella Blog hop, please scroll down to see the first post or just click through here !

For this, my second post today, I have for you my card for the final UCC challenge of 2009 over at PaperWorksCo.





Any ideas about what that challenge might be? Well, to find out, just check out my post today over at the PaperWorksCo Blog .

Notice all the yummy papers? They are all from the December PaperCard Kit from PaperWorksCo.

Thanks for stopping in today! Hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Bella Birthday Bash Blog Hop

Hi folks! It's time for the Stamping Bella Birthday Bash Blog hop.

If you have found your way here via Jeanie's Blog then you are on the right track! If you just happened upon this post during your daily blog reading then might I suggest you head over to the Stamping Bella Blog and check out the hop from the beginning? You won't want to miss a stop because well....Em is giving away prizes to some lucky commenters along the way! Yep!

Three gift certificates for $100 in Bella Bucks are hidden along the hop, but we don't know where so....leave a comment as you visit everyone. After all, we could all use a few more Bellas in our collection don't you agree?

So...the reason you are here. My Bella card for the hop!




Cake-A-Bella is one of my favourite Bella's of all time - so I thought it fitting to use her on this card celebrating the Bella Birthday! After all, she comes bearing cake! And don't we all love cake!

Up next in the hop is Jen del Muro. I am sure she has a fabulous Bella Birthday treat in store for you!

If you get lost along the way during the hop, the master list of participants can be found over at this thread over at SplitCoastStampers.

Have a Bellarific day!

And for those who are interested, here all all the card details!

finished size: 6x6 inches
sketch: Laura's Sketch #40 from 2 Sketches For You
papers: Basic Grey Cupcake, CTMH Indian Corn Blue
ink: CTMH Indian Corn Blue, Memento Tuxedo Black
PrismaColor Pencils: 1025, 945, 914, 923, 946, 915
stamp: Stamping Bella Cake-a-bella
embellishments: flower from my stash, giant gem brad from Recollections
tools: EK Success Scalloped Scallop Border Punch
extras: foam tape to pop up Bella's Cake for a little added dimension.


oh...and count those layers!!! ....another card that qualifies for the final UCC challenge over at PaperWorksCo

Great deal on trims at Fabricland

Hi there...no card to post today but I had to share what I consider a crafting good deal to my local crafting pals.

I had to stop by Fabricland today - dearly beloved needed some webbing for a wood-working project that is nearing completion. So, I finally had an excuse to check out their ricrac trim. Picked up a bunch. And some twill tape.

The good deal? 40% off trim from Dec 4 until Christmas at Fabricland!....Yippee!!!! The packs of ric rac and twill average between $1.85 and $2.15 per pack so...at 40% off that price.....sold!!!! Dearly beloved was even helping me pick out more ... and making suggestions for how to use the ric rac on my cards --- waves, clouds, snow.....I may have to go back.

In particular because, at the cash register (at least at the Fabricland on Hazeldean Road), they have a bin filled with little micro-rounds of ribbon --- at 2 for 99 cents!!!...Now, I didn't dilly-dally as there was a lady in line behind me and most of my goodies were already checked in, so...I only grabbed four rounds. I'm thinking I will be stopping in again soon...maybe on Sunday after I go see "New Moon" with the girls.

My first December PaperCard Kit Project

Hi there everybody!

Yes, I have been absent from the blog-o-sphere for a couple of days trying to catch up on some sleep and doing a few projects that are under wraps for now. But I CAN show one of them to you today.



This LUBLY (if I do say so myself) card was made using the December PaperCard kit from PaperWorksCo .

For all of the details about all the tools, etc that went into the making of this card, just stop by this post at PaperWorksCo.

And no, this isn't a Valentine's day card. I have already given it to my dearly beloved. He's been feeling poorly the last few days and I wanted to tell him I love him (even though he is AWFULLY whiny when he is sick).

By the way, I have decided that I truly admire new parents who don't get sleep because of their restless children. This past week, I've had very few hours of sleep because of my day job. I've become totally non-functional, exceptionally cross, irritable and an overall grumpy pants. I think even more people than usual are afraid of me at work. I'll probably have to spend the weekend making "I'm sorry I was such a(n)........" (fill in the blank ...jerk, a**, b*tch.....) cards for everyone.

And another

Hi all....so, I know you must be getting tired of this combo of sketch and paper by now but well...I like this Card Patterns Sketch quite a bit and this paper pack from CTMH (Sweet Home) has been working really well for me with the masculine birthday cards I need this week. So well in fact that once crazy season is over, I'm going to make a bunch of male birthday cards using this sketch and these papers just to have on hand.




Plus, I have gone beyond exhaustion into that hazy world governed by the mania of severe sleep deprivation due to my day job....which is often a no-sleep night job. Can barely think straight, let alone get super-creative with all the yummy new stamps I have at my disposal. So, I went again for a look that I really like with a great CTMH stamp set (Celebrate the everyday).

The details are pretty much the same for this card as the previous ones with the exception that I omitted the dew drops and added some sparkly glitter to the stars. You can't see it in the photo but they are all popped up for some added dimension - as is the image panel itself.

Anyways, I'm calling it a night. Hoping to catch some ZZZs before heading back to the insanity that is my day job. They are only getting me for a few hours tomorrow though - a girl needs her craft time don't you know!

Wow - the December PaperCard Kit from PWCO

Holy Moly! Well, I have to say that I thought Peggy outdid herself with the November PaperCard kit and all those yummy goodies from MME. Well, in my books she has outdone herself once again! I mean take a look at this!!!!

This kit contains:

• 12 – 6"x6" Patterned Paper from Bo Bunny's Persuasion Collection
• 6 – 8.5" x 11" sheets of Cardstock from Bazzill Basics’s Smoothies Line
• 2 – 8.5" x 11" sheets of Core'dination Cardstock
• 2 – 8.5" x 11" sheets of Prismatics Cardstock
• Assortment of flocked brads and sprinkle brads from Imaginisce
• 3 yards of Ribbon from Bazzill Basics
• Metalic Dewdrops from Robin's Nest
• BONUS – 2 Valentine Stamps from Imaginisce

Stamps!!! Stamps!!! Now that most of us have our Christmas cards taken care of (not me, I'm still making them), the focus can turn to that lovely excuse to give and receive (and eat) chocolate - Valentine's Day. Doesn't this kit look just perfect to get you rolling for Happy Heart's Day?


I know we are all probably still busy with our Christmas shopping for everyone else but...hey, don't you deserve a little reward for being such a good Santa's Little Helper? Be sure to check out the store and pick up yours before they are all "Snag"ged up. Get it? "Snag" -- like the Imaginisce stamps included in the kit!

ba ha ha....forgive me, I've been up all night, working...still. This IS NOT a scheduled post.