Willow & Paisley

Embellish Color Trends - Bicycles

 

 

 

Well, looky-loo, it's time for my bi-weekly post!  {{why I am only posting every 2 weeks these days is beyond me}}.  

 

The girls and I, over at Embellish have a fun challenge for you today!  We need you to use those funky colours above and be sure to add in the "bicycle" element to your creation.  Fun, right?!!  I'm the first to admit I have 2 bikes but neither has seen my butt for at least a good 7 years now.  Yet, when Mike asked if I was selling them at our garage sale I said no way, which makes NO sense.  Anywhoooo. 

 

 

I cannot colour worth a damn but I love this Belle on a Bike!  Just look at her sunflowers and the french baguette in her little basket.  I want to be her!  I did my best with Copics on the image but I did paper piece her skirt.  My colours for the challenge are a bit muted but they do work well together, don't you think? 

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I can't wait to pop over to the Embellish Magazine Blog to see what you all come up with!  Seriously, the entries are incredible!  Always. 

 

I'm heading out to buy some bedding out plants today {{which I will not be able to plant yet and will have to live on my kitchen floor, for the next week or 2,  since it's still so freakin' cold here!!  But I want to get my plants before they are too picked over which will be the case by the May long weekend.  Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend, everyone!  

 

 

The “Spring” Technique Tuesday Blog Hop

 

Hello and Happy Monday, my friends!!  I have such a great start of the week for you {{and a great end of the month!  Can you believe it's the end of April?!!}}  It’s a Spring-themed hop and we, the TT Stamping Techs,  are sharing Spring-inspired projects made with Technique Tuesday stamps. 

 

 

I am so ready to plant some flower pots for our deck but it's a little bit early where I am in Canada to do that.  It didn't stop me from going to the garden centre and walk around on Saturday, taking it all in, and planning on what I'm going to be buying.  Making a spring themed card with flowers will hold me over for a few weeks until I can plant without risk of frost.  Oh, the joys of living so close to the mountains.  

 

The stamps I used for our lovely "spring" theme is April Showers by Ali Edwards and Bring on the Sun by Ali Edwards.  Um, have I mentioned how much I LOVE Ali E stamps?  Yeah, I thought I might have. 

 

 

 

Tobi

Ashley

Char (You're here)

Linda 

  Sharyn

Teri

Tanis

Daniela

 Kris

Laura

Jaclyn

Please hop along and enjoy all the fantastic creations that I know these fantastic ladies will have to share with you.   Leave some comment love and we will pick one person from all the comments received during the hop to win the Fly stamp set.

 

 

The winner will be announced on the Technique Tuesday blog (techniquetuesday.typepad.com) on May 3^rd.  Have a wonderful day everyone! 

Embellish Color Trends - Washi Tape

 

 

Welcooomeeeeee to the latest and greatest Embellish Color Trends Challenge.   This week we challenge you to use the above vibrant colors in your creation with the added addition of WASHI TAPE.

 

 

 

Of course, Washi Tape is all the rage these days but it comes as no surprise that I don't have any.  You know, now that I think about it I really haven't bought ANY craft supplies lately but that's a good thing as I'm in the middle of trying to purge much of it.  

 

 

 

So just like the Chevron challenge (which I had no Chevron either) I had to create my own Washi Tape.  So easy.  So fun. I just stuck patterned paper to 1/2" Scor Tape and then cut it with scissors.  I tore the ends to look like it had that torn masking tape look.  Then I used it to "tape" on my image panel.  Done. 

 

I used Birds & Bees stamp set from Technique Tuesday.  A-dorable!   {{I think this will be my neices birthday card for when she turns 6 in July.  She will love that little bee.}}  Passion for Polka was used with Versamark ink for a subtle accent in the background. 

 

 

See you over at Embellish!  I can't wait to see what you all create!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I know I am only posting once every 2 weeks lately and I wish it was more.  If I tried to make excuses and tell you what I've been up to you'd be bored, because it is boring, so I'll save you from that.  Instead, tell me what YOU have been up too lately! 

 

 

Embellish Color Trends - Chevron

 

 

 

Hello. my friends!!  It's a wonderful snowy spring day here in Calgary.  Yeah, it's crazy that we got dumped on yesterday but we are used to it snowing here until at least mid-May so it's no surprise.  Really, it's quite pretty and the moisture will help turn everything green around here.  I cannot wait until I can plant pots of flowers around the May long weekend.  It should be warm enough by then ;)

 

I know I've been a total flake when it comes to posting lately but I am always excited when we have a brand new Embellish Magazine Color Challenge for you.  

 

 

 

 

This challenge is to incorporate CHEVRON into your creation.  I know you know how trendy it is right now.  It's everywhere, which is why it's mind boggling to me that I don't have a single thing Chevron.  No stamps, no paper, no fabric.  I had to get creative and turn this amazing Echo Park striped paper into my own Chevron patterned paper.  It's really easy.  Just cut a corner of the page off at 45 degrees.  Then cut strips (I think mine are about 3/4" wide).  Turn the paper to cut the other corner the same way so you have the stripes going in different directions.  Then just match them up and glue them to a backing.  

 

I am sure it comes as no surprise to you that I made a chevron heart.  Is there anything I won't put on a heart?  Um, no. 

 

 

 

 

I stamped the frame and sentiment from Sweet Somethings by Technique Tuesday.  I trimmed it out with scissors and then cut another border behind it.  

 

So there you go!  Just use these crazy adorable colors (Aqua, Grey, Purple and Pink), and Chevron, on your awesome creation and add it to the linky tool over on Embellish Magazine blog.  I cannot wait to see what you all come up with.  Have a wonderful snowy spring day!

 

 

 

 

Embellish Color Trends - Jeweled

 

 

 

I seriously cannot believe 2 weeks have gone by since our last Embellish challenge.  Good thing the girls reminded me the other day but even then I had to go check the dates for myself to believe it.  Time flies when you're having fun, right?!!

 

 

Speaking of fun.....this is officially my new most favorite colour combo!  Hawaiian Shores, Blueberry Sky, White and Soft Stone.  LOVEEEE!!!  And I just happened to be in need of a card for my wonderful friend Kristina who's celebrating a birthday on Monday.  I made this just for her.  Of course, I had to add a heart because I {heart} her so much.  Why yes, it does appear that l will put a heart on any type of occasion card.  I can't help myself!!!

 

 

I used Technique Tuesdays Happy Birthday set to stamp the little cupcake and the sentiment below the die cut letters.  I managed to find my Liquid Applique in my {horribly messy and disorganized} craft room so I used it for the icing.  For my "jeweled" portion of the card I used these tiny little turquoise dots which are like mini sequins as sprinkles.  If I remember correctly I think my fabulous friend, Bernie, sent these a couple of years ago. Smile.   I stuck the candle in the wet Liquid Applique so it's not going anywhere!

 

 

Please join us over at the Embellish Challenge Blog.  We'd really love to see what you create using the amazing inspirational image and colours.  Don't forget the jewels.  This can be anything from sequins, beads, rhinestones or pearls.  If you think it's a jewel then it counts!  See you all there!

 

I also hope to be around this weekend with a new Thrifty Finds post.  I always have something to share and I even bought a piece of furniture yesterday which will be my next paint project.  I must be crazy for taking on a project like that!

 

 

The “Blooming” Technique Tuesday Blog Hop

 

 

Hello!

Welcome to the "Blooming" Technique Tuesday blog hop.

The Stamping Techs are blog hopping again, and we are sharing with you projects we made with some of TT’s newest Flower stamps. You can find them all in the Nature section of Technique Tuesday’s Web site. 

 

 

On my cards I used Memorable Mum.  It's really easy to colour which is right up my alley since I have not even come close to figuring out how to use my Copics.  As you can see I got away with only colouring a portion of the image and it helped to make the overlayed heart shape pop from the card. 

 

 

Be sure to check out the blogs of everyone taking part in today’s blog hop:

 

Tanis

Ashley

Char (You're here)

Daniela

Tobi

Laura

Sharyn

Kris

Jaclyn

Teri

From the comments received on all the blogs, we will pick one lucky person to win Technique Tuesday’s Carefree Cosmo stamp set.

 

You don’t need to comment on all the blogs to be eligible to win. But the more comments you
leave, the more chances you have to win!

Comments must be posted by midnight on March 29^th. The winner will be announced on March 30^th sometime on the Technique Tuesday blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

It's About Time I Post Some - Thrifty Finds!

 

It's about time I blog about some of my thrifty finds to show you.  I haven't been sharing my finds lately (I'm lazy) but, believe me, it doesn't mean I'm not hitting the thrifts stores.  If you saw my basement and garage, which is my dumping grounds, you would know I'm at the thrift stores way more often than I should be. 

 

I paid $2.99 at Value Village for this great card catalogue filing box.  It cleaned up great and I gave it to Mike to use for storage for his hobby.  Is it bad that I want to steal it back for my craft room?!!

 

This table cloth really is super cute in person and in great shape.  It's too small for my dining room table but I think I'll probably use it this summer when we have dinner on the deck.  It was only $0.50 cents.  

 

I bought this pan in December and I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy both that were at Goodwill as it's very heavy and good quality.  I used it many times to make Pull Apart loaves as neighbour and friend gifts for Christmas but I had to keep waiting for it to cool down before I could put the next loaf in.  It's so nice that it is one solid piece and won't leak like a normal Angel Food cake pan does.  For $3.99 it is well worth what I paid.  

 

This is just some miscellaneous items.   Cookie cutters.  Candy thermometer.  Cute green dish and clear dish.  I think this probably ranged from $0.50 cents to a dollar. 

 

At Value Village they have a wall of plastic bags that are filled with stuff and junk.  I bought these items in one of those bags for $1.99 because I wanted that green lime squeezer.  the rest of the items already went into my garage sale/donation box.  I had no idea what that orange and red thing was but I Googled and it's some kind of fruit scraper.  Weird. 

 

This photo shows zippers that I picked up at the Mennonite store for my friend Carla.  The pic has 30 in it but I bought her 100 and she loved them.  You can see all of them here on her blog.  They were only  $0.25 cents each.  

 

But I would have to say that I'm the lucky one!!  Look at this gorgeous camera strap she made for me.  LOVE it so much!!  And that sweet little change purse is going to be well loved too. 

 

 OK....Last but not least I have to share with you my absolute best and amazing deal.  I went to a thrift store a few weeks ago that I normally never go to.  I'm so glad I did as I found this pasta maker.  For......$5.99!!!  SERIOUSLY.  $5.99.  I cannot believe it.  I found out online that this red one is exclusive to William Sonoma.  

 

You won't believe what the regular price was.....Check it out!!  $100.00 dollars?  Now that is by far the deal of 2012!  But, the year is still young and you just never know what else I'll find.  Heehee.  

I'll be back with more soon.  I have some new favorite finds to share. 

 

 

I'm linking up to.....

 

 Flea Market Finds

                                     

 

 Thrift Share Monday     

  

 

 Flaunt it Friday

  

 

Embellish Color Trends Challenge - Rosettes

 

 

 

Helloooo and Happy Friday everyone!  The last 2 weeks have flown by and here we are with another new Embellish Color Trends Challenge.  Can you believe how gorgeous that photo above is?  I can't stop staring at it.  Tina is so talented.  First, for creating that beautiful display in her home and second, for her amazing photography.

 

 

Our challenge for you is to use the colors above and "Rosettes".  This is where I admit I was a bit stumped....what the heck is a Rosette?  I Googled and I Pinterest-ed to try to find out and I'm going to conclude that a rosette can be whatever form of flower embellishment that you want it to be.  My choice was to make fabric rolled flowers.  They were so fun and easy to make.  Next time I will pull out the glue gun to make it even easier. 

 

 

The fabric I used is from a vintage twin bed sheet that I bought from the thrift store.  I buy quite a few vintage sheets because the prints are gorgeous and the material itself is such great quality.  This sheet and 1 other are the only 2 that I've had the nerve to cut up so far as there was a tear along the elastic edge.  I used them to sew some doll bedding for my nieces.  I'll have to share that soon.  Turned out so cute!

 

 

 

 

The heat embossed sentiment and the tiny, little, paper pieced butterfly are from Technique Tuesday's SPRING stamp set.  Have I mentioned my love for anything Ali Edwards from TT?!!

 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.  Head on over to Embellish to see what my amazing DT friends have created this week.  

 

 

 

Embellish Magazine - Color Trends - Spring

 

 

 

It's a happy day people!  I'm so excited to tell you that we are starting up the Embellish Magazine Challenges again.  We had a really wonderful break but we decided it's time to get back to playing with colour!   I hope you will join us and share your amazing creations by linking up over at the Embellish blog.  

 

  I missed these girls alot so I could not be happier we are back together.  Be sure to check out what they did with the amazing spring colours. 

Ashley   ~   Mariana   ~   Tina   ~   Sarah   ~   Cristina

 

 

 

 

The timing could not be more perfect as I received my Technique Tuesday order in the mail this week and I have some awesome brand new stamps to play with!  If you haven't checked out their new CHA release stamps please do.  

 

I used the little bird and the tree trunk/leaves from Birds & Bees and the sentiment is actually a tag from the April Showers by Ali Edwards set.  I stamped it and then cut it down to create the sentiment block.  I stamped the tree trunk twice.  Once in brown and then in green.  I cut each leaf out and adhered them over the brown leaves.  But then wouldn't you know after I was done that I saw there was a perfect little leaf stamp in the April Showers set that would have worked great too.   

 

 

 

 

The current challenge, if you wish to accept it (that is so Mission Impossible....ha), is to create a SPRING card using the colours shown in the gorgeous photo at the top of the post.  It can be anything from Easter to eggs or just create a card that says spring to you, like I did with the adorable bird and sentiment.  We'll see you over there!

 

Have the best day ever!  Thanks for visiting!

 

 

 

 

 

Silly Little Monkey

 

 

 

Our awesome Technique Tuesday DT leader Teri provided this adorable photo to use as inspiration to create.  Now I normally don't do cute little characters but this guy makes me smile.  I even have him as my screen saver on my iPhone.  

 

 

And because I don't usually go for the character type stamps I didn't have much to choose from so I used it as a colour inspriation for my card.  I thought this stamp went perfectly with the playfulness of the little monkey.  The stamp set is called Kids Are Cool by Ali Edwards.  

 

 

Check out what a few of the other girls have done with this silly little monkey inspriation. 

LAURA

SHARYN

TANIS

KRIS