Happy Anniversary to Me!

ONE year ago today I started my blog process. I knew next to nothing and could not have gotten here 365 days later without the help of Pam Kriangum who took my amazing branding photos and helped me create my vision. Angie Mackenzie, bless your patience as you guided me along with all the behind the scenes aspects of creating blog hop posts!

Many of you have supported me along the way helping with proofreading (auto correct can really sneak things past you sometimes!) and giving me awesome content ideas, leaving comments and sending me personal messages. I feel a lot more confident now than I did in the beginning and I am so proud of myself for making the decision to step out of my comfort zone and expand my technological horizons! I am swearing and sweating a lot less than I was last June! Hahahaha!

I hope you have enjoyed the projects that I have shared over this past year! Not only do I share scrapbooking and card projects but the Lifestyle component of my blog has recipes, musings and family photos. This is a collective form of memory keeping for me and my kids. One day they will be able to go back through all of my posts and hopefully have a few laughs and gain a better understanding of their mom as a person. ‘Moms’ are often just that, MOM, until our kids mature and realize, my mom is also a woman, a friend, a spouse, a superpower, an influencer and the list goes on and on!

So thank you for being on this journey with me! Some of you have been following along since the beginning and some of you are new! I hope you keep checking back every so often and always feel welcome to leave a comment!

Happy Anniversary to ME!

Out of all the photos Pam took of me in my happy place, this one is my absolute favourite. I felt like I was in a crafting magazine! I love everything about this photo!

This page is mix of old, current and new supplies! The new would be the Just Jade DSP in the woodgrain option from the new DSP stack. Goal Crush is stamped with the Lined Alphabet stamp set and the # is from the Hand Lettered Prose dies. I added in the Detailed Hearts dies as my heart is so full and happy!

Wildly Grateful is the perfect sentiment to how I feel and I realize how blessed I am to LOVE what I do and SHARE what I love! You can find it in the new Lovely You Stamp set.

Yellow Balloon Project

My last card in my “A Card a Day in May” challenge is dedicated to my friend Michelle who lost her battle with cancer earlier this month. We met while working at lululemon and her impact on me as in individual will last the rest of my days. I had never met anyone like Michelle before. She did not let her illness define her in any way. She lived a big full life and was so positive and resolute in her efforts to stay alive. She loved her dogs and her husband Aaron was the center of her universe. They were the ultimate team. When a health challenge came her way she would say ‘Aaron and I will discuss a plan’. She always believed there was something she could be doing or trying to keep her cancer at bay. Michelle was generous, and kind, funny and a believer. The legacy Michelle leaves behind is how blessed we all are for knowing her. She made my life better and brought such a wonderful light to this world.

One of her wishes was to have yellow balloons released on her birthday which was shortly after she passed away. So we did that, all across Canada, friends and family of Michelle’s got together and released balloons in the spirit of connection to Michelle and tagged it #yellowballoonproject.

One way I felt I could stay connected to Michelle was to send her cards so that is why I am sharing this #yellowballonproject inspired card with you today. This stamp set is called Above the Clouds and that is where you are Michelle. I know you will continue to shine your light and your love down on us. Thank you for being you.

I will be your friend forever Michelle, I will continue to think of you and strive to approach my challenges in the same way as you, with light and grace. Until we meet again. XOXO

In case you missed any of the projects I shared this month I have collaged them all here! Take a look back through my blog to get more up close photos and the crafty details! It was a challenge for me to create a new card every day and to stretch my design muscles. Looking back I am really proud of all of my stampin’ in May. I am looking forward to a new month with a new catalogue!

Create with Connie and Mary--Favorite NEW product!

This week we are sharing our favourite new PRODUCT from the demonstrator pre-order. I have to say that it is hands down the In Good Taste Designer Series Paper. This paper is unique as its photographic paper, meaning the 12 x 12 pages are actual photographs of different woods, tiles, textiles and fabrics that have such a real deep feel to them. I have been wanting 12x12 wood grain paper for YEARS! I had to resist making a scrapbook page for the hop as I am committed to making 31 different cards this month for my person “A Card a Day in May” challenge. This is my 30th card of the MONTH!

The sentiment is from the Beautiful World stamp set that will be available on June 3rd

The card base is Early Espresso and then I chose a piece of DSP from the collection that looked like concrete to add in a grey tone. I knew I wanted to share an easy water color background technique and a couple more strips of the DSP to show you how easy it is to mix and match these great patterns. The sentiment is stamped on one of the light tone wood grain options in Early Espresso and then I added clear embossing powder on top so it would have a bit of shine. The new Faux Suede Trim is also at the top of my favourites list (I actually have a list on my blog, Brenda’s Top 10 that you can see all the things I am loving in this new catalogue). Follow the link here to see my list:

And of course I think its obvious from some of my other posts this month that I love the Sunflowers Dies so I found a way to add that onto this card too by pairing it with some vellum.

Here is a really easy way to color your water color paper. Cut a piece of watercolor (or shimmery white) paper to fit your card. Choose an acrylic block that is slightly bigger in size. I used Block E. You will need an ink pad and a water spritzer. Spritz the water color paper. Press the ink pad onto the block to ink it up. Lightly sprite the block and press it onto the watercolor paper. The trick is to let it SIT and absorb the ink. I usually let it sit there for a couple of minutes. When you remove it you get an awesome easy water color background!

Look how great this light pink watercolor background looks!

I can’t wait to see what the other girls are loving this week! Hop back to see Melissa’s favourite new product and forward to see Connie’s!

Let's Celebrate YOU

I decided to create not one but FIVE cards that highlight our new In Color collection. I have given little sneak peeks of the colors and now I present to you a fun way to create a card collection. It is also nice to have these on display or to share at your in person classes so that people can see first hand how rich and delightful these colors are.

Once again I used the new catalogue for design inspiration and created these cards. It has been a challenge because we don’t have the new ink pads to work with, so using black and white as the work arounds has been a great option.

The card bases feature the Tin Tile 3D embossing folder. The card is cut to your standards size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 however I trimmed 1 inch off of the front panel to have a peekaboo strip of DSP show through along the side. This was a great way to add in the coordinating DSP and showcase the new designs in the 6x6 stack. I used the Ornate Layers Dies in the same card stock color as the front panel and cut a layer of Whisper White for the top. I stamped the large sunflower with Staz On from the Celebrate Sunflowers stamp set. It was important to have a large image that could pop in just black ink on this piece. The sentiment is from the same stamp set stamped and embossed with white on Basic Black card stock. I added a little oversized bow behind the sentiments with the gold metallic trim from the Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack.

I added a gilded gem to the center of each sunflower too for a little something extra!

Each different card showcases a little strip of the new 6x6 DSP stack, it is a great way to showcase these new patterns.

Notice that all of the little bits are not out of the Ornate Layers Dies? Sometimes I embrace that, after all these cards were made by hand not on a machine!

I think the woodgrain pattern in the new 6x6 collections is my favourite!

Color POP!

I just love how BRIGHT and fun this card is! It is an awesome card to share with your team and customers to give them a sampling of our five incredible new In Colors! This is my 28th card for my “A Card a Day in May” challenge!

The colors are Magenta Madness, Bumblebee, Just Jade, Misty Moonlight, Cinnamon Cider. I was inspired to make this card by one in the upcoming new catalogue! It is a great source of inspiration!

I added in strips of designer series paper and card stock to create interest and variety. I used strips from the 6x6 Designer Series Paper and 6x6 Flowers for Every Season Designer Series paper.

And because we don’t have access to the new ink pads yet I stamped my sentiment in Versamark with embossed with clear embossing powder. Just Saying Hello is from the Tasteful Touches stamp set. The floral image is stamped with Staz On from the Ornate Style stamp set. A little bit of ribbon, Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding and Magenta Madness 1/4 ribbon completed this card!