ICS Sketch 108 and Bloghop Giveaway

>> Tuesday, March 29, 2011

First things first :

If this is you, you've just won the prize pack for commenting on the Faith Bloghop, hurrah! Make sure you email us at polkadotdoordesigns@gmail.com with your address so we can ship it out to you as soon as possible!



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I have to say one of my favourite things about blogger is the schedule post feature. Because as I am writing this it is later in the afternoon on the weekend when I was able to get a few things done, organizing and uploading for one! But as you read this, it could be anytime on Tuesday (or later) and I certainly did not have time to post on Tuesday, it will be a very busy day as we are going to be cleaning and scrubbing both house and children. Mom and Dad return from a 2 week trip to Europe, hurrah!

There are lots of people I can say "thanks" too with this card, but maybe a good place to start would be with the icsketches blog for providing a fun sketch to work with. The inspiration on the blog is worth checking out, seriously people, the ladies there keep getting better.You should go to the blog to see what fun prizes are being offered this week, just for participating.

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I haven't worked much with stamps in the past, but I am having fun with the stamps from My Mind's Eye Fine and Dandy line. Owls, clouds ... whats not to like? Also entered in the DYSU challenge : Shine On.

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SUPPLIES:
My Minds Eye Paper, stamps, rhinestones
American Crafts Thickers
Recollections Stamp
Misc Ribbon

Have a wonderful and productive Tuesday!

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Little Miss Personality

>> Monday, March 28, 2011

I knew exactly what products in my stash to turn to as soon as I saw this week's sketch over at Get Your Sketchy On. I have been hoarding a set of adorable playing cards from My Mind's Eye's Alphabet Soup line for a while and I knew that this would be the perfect layout to break them out for.  Plus, the bright colors of the patterned papers went perfectly with the colors in the photo.

 
SUPPLIES
My Mind's Eye patterned papers, playing cards
American Crafts foam thickers
Bo Bunny journaling page
October Afternoon tag
Jenni Bowlin Studio embellished butterfly
Imaginisce exopy brad
Carolee's Creations tiny type alphabet
Studio G paper flowers
Unknown doilie, thread



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Our Vintage Affair

>> Sunday, March 27, 2011

I found a new challenge site this weekend and I am pretty excited about this one.  It is called Our Vintage Affair.


One of the things I like best, aside from the great challenges & prizes, is the fact that they give you the whole month to complete your projects.  There are a lot of challenge sites I love playing along with, but sometimes a week just isn't enough time for me to get my act together and the challenge has ends before I complete my project.  

 I decided to play along with the March layout challenge which was to follow the sketch, plus incorporate butterflies into your layout.  Though to be honest, given the butterfly kick I have been on lately, it would probably have been more of a challenge for me to NOT include butterflies in my layout then to include them.  I did find creating a page in the "vintage" look to be a challenge though - as much as I love that style of scrapbooking (love Melissa Francis) I've never quite been able to pull it off to my satisfaction. 

Here is what I ended up with - 

SUPPLIES
K&Company patterned paper (I think)
Unknown patterned cardstock
Prima jewels & pearls
Vintage Label graphic from The Graphics Fairy
Unknown doilie, crepe paper, embellished pins, vintage button
American Crafts foam thickers
Chipboard die-cuts from AR Creations
Hand dyed seam binding from The French Market

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Really Reasonable Ribbon : For the Boys

>> Saturday, March 26, 2011



{if you are looking for the Faith Blog Hop, its one post down}

Really Reasonable Ribbon (blog) has an interesting challenge this week that I thought I would try my hand at. Create a masculine card with ribbon. Usually I'd try to keep the ribbon off a card for my guys (its like putting pink on a guys card, right?) but have to say, once I got past the "this feels wrong" I was pleasantly surprised with how the card turned out. Hopefully the guy who gets this card doesn't feel its a little to girly some ribbon.

I had quite a few vintage things in my stash that I have been hoarding that I decided I must allow to see the light of day for once, they also managed to make their way onto the card. Because of how long I've had some of it, I can't remember where I got it (as in the "Fresh Oranges" vintage tag). Buttons I always know where they came from, the local thriftstore! They are always selling piles of buttons for pennies, so I'm fairly certian my stash of those isn't going to run out anytime soon ...



Its sort of a grey, dull, wintery afternoon. I can't help but wish spring was here. The bright colours on the card reflect my mood a little I think. I have always found it easier to imagine spring and summer and fall too, with orange! Can't forget to mention either, I added some 'bling' to the card so its eligible for the latest Do You Stack Up challenge. I'd like to think I didn't need the help of a sketch for this card, but Card Patterns #108 was just a little to good not to be useful ...



SUPPLIES: 
My Minds Eye Paper, rhinestones
Misc Ribbon, buttons, embellishments, sheet music
Wilton Doily
Making Memories Pins

I hope your day is a little less white!

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Heartache No One Sees Faith Blog Hop

>> Friday, March 25, 2011

The Paper Tree House is hosting yet another wonderful bloghop which I've been fortunate to be a part of. Unfortunately, with my parents being gone this week I didn't think ahead enough to have my post all ready to go when we were supposed to have it up, oops! But I don't want to break the hop so here's me apologizing for my forgetfulness and posting!


Rebecca > you are here

If you just randomly found this post, be sure to start from the very beginning, but if you came from Nana's site, then from here you continue on to Sueli Pinheiro.

Here's how the hop works:

Like last time we have some amazing prizes to share with you. In order to qualify for the grand prizes you need to leave a comment on every blog in the hop. Its that simple! For everyone who leaves a comment, and becomes a follower (if you aren't one already) on the Polkadot Door blog I will be giving away a package of goodies as well! So you have two chances to win some really fun stuff!


Now for the GRAND Prizes:
(be sure to leave a comment at the Paper Tree to qualify for this)
1 Year Subscription to SNR
$45 of Bella Blvd Product
Love Line from Echo Park
$25 gift certificate to The Paper Blossom Shop
and some extra goodies too!

Have fun hopping!

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April Showers...

... bring May flowers.  

Or so the saying goes. 

Given that we are still under a couple feet of snow up here in the Artic Edmonton, I am hoping we at least have flowers by July...

At any rate, at least I can make pretty projects with flowers and spring-like things such as umbrellas, because I sure haven't been able to make this weather (or the accompanying sense of "blah") go away.

SUPPLIES
AmberInk digital image, polka-dot paper
Cosmo Cricket patterned paper
Bazzil cardstock
American Crafts thickers


This week's Get Sketchy challenge is being sponsored by the lovely ladies over at AmberInk
They have a ton of great digital stamps and digi papers available for immediate download - because you are brilliant, not patient.

Plus, if you are digi challenged, they also offer some of their stamps sets as good old fashioned clear stamps.

So hop over to the Get Sketchy blog and link up your own creation based on this week's sketch.  The winner will receive a gift certificate to the AmberInk store!


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ICS Sketch 107

>> Monday, March 21, 2011

Its been a very productive few weeks in my craft room. Don`t you love it when things just come together. This might not be my most amazing card ever, but I still like (love) it lots. Some cards are just that way. There is not anything that makes it stand out from all the others but it still manages to be a favourite ...

Inspirational Card Sketches once again provided a fantastic and fun sketch to work with. The other cards from the DT are fantastic this week (as they are every week!). But really, if you need some inspiration in your crafting I suggest you hop over there for a peak. Of course, besides the inspiration there is an oppertunity for some great prizes from our sponsor, Some Odd Girl.

SUPPLIES:
Cosmo Cricket Material Girl Paper
Sassafras Flowers
Thickers
Chatterbox Rubons

See, not a life changing card, but it makes me HAPPY. How does it make you feel?

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Sassy Lil' Sketches #3

One thing I love about paper crafting is ... yep, you guessed it : paper! I think you might call me a little bit of an addict. I have recently discovered that all those cute little embellishments that I buy all the time, I never use. I use paper, paper, and more paper (with some buttons and ribbons thrown in for good measure too!). So how excited was I when Katie and Cherie from Sassy Lil Sketches announced that our March sponsor was sending us each a box full of paper from thier newest paper collections. Why very excited of course!


Nikki Sivils is our (very) generous sponsor and from thier new collections I was sent the `Rainy Day` set. This paper was so much fun to work with and paired with the SLS sketch it was a card that came together very easily. Its simple, bright, and perfect for one of those rainy days. Its has to be one of the very few cards that I have ever made that does not have any text on the outside, which means I can use it for whatever need seems best on an upcoming rainy day!

You too have the opportunity to win some of Nikki`s paper collections. Its quite simple really! Just head over to the Sassy Lil Card Sketches blog for all the information. It could not be easier, create something you love to win something you love. Perfect combination ....

SUPPLIES:
Nikki Sivils Paper
Misc Ribbon
American Crafts `Fresh` Stamps

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A Simple Card

>> Friday, March 18, 2011

 To be honest, I completely forgot that I needed to make a card for this week's Get Sketchy challenge until about half an hour before I went to bed.  It's been a bit chaotic in our house this week due to new carpets being installed and trying to get some painting done. 

Anyway, our sponsor this week is Pink Persimmon stamps and the girls on the design team were lucky enough to get some sample stamps to play with.  I one combined with a few of my favorite things (kraft paper & baker's twine) to create a really simple card. 

SUPPLIES
Pink Persimmon stamped image
Recollections kraft cardstock
K& Company patterned paper
Bazzil cardstock
Misc. baker's twine, buttons

I left the sentiment off because at the moment I am not sure what I am going to use it for, though I am thinking it would be a cute thank-you card. 



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Embellish Magazine

>> Wednesday, March 16, 2011


Its been a while since I made a card for a challenge and not for one of my design teams, at least it feels like it! Have you ever noticed that sometimes you get into certain grooves and you forget about all the other things you can do, I mean, you don't have to stick to  the same old. This is the internet, there are options out there! So ... I went looking for a new challenge blog that I've never visited and something that was going to stretch me : and I found it.


Embellish Magazine Blog has some outstanding challenges and the DT talent is unbeatable. I'm a little nervous about even entering my card seeing the other ladies who participate regularly but since its stretching, its good for me! Normally, these are not colours that I would ever in a million years pick myself. I don't consider myself a very pink/purple person with my paper (in real life I love both colours), but for some reason I never naturally gravitate towards it. How about you? Are there colours that you find you never use? I'd love to hear about it!


Anyways, on to the card! The inspiration as I said was difficult and it was a good thing I think. I had some trouble finding papers that all matched, but have to admit the music really was the easy part. I have books of old sheet music that I've picked up from the thrift store and had forgotten I had. There was a time where almost every card I was making had music notes drifting in some corner! Same with flowers, I feel like its been ages since I made one for a card, so I had to add one, for old times sake.

SUPPLIES:
My Minds Eye Paper, Brad
Recollections Paper
Misc Ribbon, Pearl, Ink, Thread
Polka Dot Door Pin
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch

If you haven't, I'd encourage you to check out the Embellish Blog, its gorgeous. I know I'll be back there often for inspiration! 

 


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A differant sort of post.

This post has no paper in it, I can hardly believe it! But I'm not here to show you one of my creations, I actually wanted to show you something that one of my other very crafty sisters made. I guess you could say the creative gene runs in the family. . .


Rachel Shirley is my 14 year old sister and I think she might have inherited the gene in a bigger way than I ever did. She tends toward using polymer clay as an outlet and her creations are the most adorable things ever! This little couple is just one of the many things that she makes (I actually requested she make these for me). She doesn't have a blog, but she has a YouTube channel you might like to check out and favourite, I know she would love a comment or two!


I just love all the little details on this couple! She has done such a great job coming up with new ideas to use her clay and its almost a competition sometimes between her and I to make something new. She is usually the first person to see my crafts once they are completed, and I'm often in her space looking at all her cute charms and stuff.


and thats all for now!

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ICS Sketch 106

>> Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Its Tuesday again which means I get to show you another card I made for the ICS blog. Weeks just seem to be flying by! I recently purchased the adorable line from My Minds Eye : Fine and Dandy and I absolutely love it! The colours are so vibrant and all the extras completley adorable. How cute is the little owl stamp? I think I am going to get a lot of use out of this line, its so versatile. I used it to make a birthday card from my Dad who is turning .... 48! Its simple, yet perfect for a man's birthday card who is still very young at heart.

I'm so excited for this upcoming week since I'm about to hold down the fort while my parents are off on a long overdue trip to Europe. Of course we miss them, but we always have fun when Mom and Dad are away, of course, by the end of the two weeks I know I'll be glad to have them come home! We'll see if I get much crafting done with all the extra work that has to be done, but I'm sure I can squeeze some time in there somewhere. The kids are all pretty good kids as far as that goes, and in the evenings when the littlest ones are down for the night, there is lots of time for doing my own thing.

SUPPLIES:
My Minds Eye Fine and Dandy Line
Thickers

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Twenty Nine @ 29

>> Monday, March 14, 2011

I don't think I have ever done this before - made a scrapbook page about myself.  

Just me.  

No kids.  No husband.  No one but my lonesome self.

It feels kind of weird actually.  Like I am somehow being selfish or arrogant. 

I should probably get over that because it isn't selfish.  Given how much I hate photos of myself, it is actually an act of sacrifice to include it in my kid's album because I know they will appreciate it later in their life.

 SUPPLIES
Bazzil Cardstock
Jillibean Soup patterned paper, corrugated numbers
Jenni Bowlin Studio butterfly
Making memories metal frame & tag, trims, paint
American Crafts rub-ons
Vintage buttons


I based this layout on this week's Get Your Sketch On challenge.  I really love this sketch - probably because it has a butterfly on it.  


 

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Scrapbook News and Reviews

>> Saturday, March 12, 2011

Have you seen the newest Scrapbook News and Reviews issue ? I have to admit that I haven't yet either, I should have access to the most recent issue by lunchtime today, I can hardly wait! I have 3 cards published this issue. First time I submitted anything to a magazine and all three of my submissions were accepted. If you want to see the cards that are published, you are just going to have to check the magazine out yourself! SNR is an online publication and once you subscribe you have access to all the current stuff, plus three back issues. I have to say I'm thrilled!

I will always love what I do and probably always have a craft room set up in some corner of the house, but knowing that other people like what I create seems to add some sort of validity for what I do. I glad that I can create and share my crafts with others for inspiration. Its been a wonderful learning process for me the last year or so and to be getting some recognition is huge....it inspires me to try all sorts of things I would never do otherwise.

This card was not published, so I can share it with you. I'm quite far behind in my posting, this should have been posted on the 8th, the day of the ICS Sketch # 105 reveal but its getting posted today. Must work on this being on time thing!

Dawn provided us with a fantastic and fun sketch yet again this week. I'm not thrilled with how the card turned out, but it happens. Not everything that gets created is going to be a show stopper! While I don't love the overall look of this card, there are some really fun elements that I do love. The postcard is an antique that I have had for a long time, as is the stamp. Both are from the 50's I think and were so much fun to incorporate into a card design. Of course, there is lots of distressing and stitching. I think I might be a bit of an ink addict!


SUPPLIES:
My Minds Eye Paper
Rhonna Farrer Rub Ons
Vintage Buttons, postage stamp, and postcard
Droplets
Prima flower
Thickers

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Welcome Little One

>> Friday, March 11, 2011

I got to meet my new niece this week.

She is adorable and reminded me how much I like babies, especially brand new ones.

Makes it kind of convenient that I will be getting one of my own in about 3 1/2 months.

I also like making baby cards.  In fact, I wish more people that I know would have babies so I could make more baby cards.

SUPPLIES
Pebbles patterned paper
Jillibean soup patterned paper
American Crafts buttons, cardstock
SRM stickers sentiment

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