Must get creative!

Okay, so I have not done anything new this week. I was thinking tonight I would. I have been waiting patiently ALL day for my UPS delivery. It finally arrived at 7:30 tonight. So after organizing all the orders and then putting the girls bed, I sat and mounted my 2 new sets. Frosty and Ornamassortment from the new Holiday mini. But it is now 10:00pm, I am tired and hubby will be home soon from work. So I think I will put off doing anything creative until tomorrow. I did find a couple of interesting things online today though...oh! And I received my OSW swap sheets yesterday. I am not sure off all the ladies that were in my swap group, but once I find out I will post all the sheets for you to see. Here is mine though....

Mine was done with 'Looks Like Spring'. It was done using the Emboss Resist Technique. I then colored the center with YoYo Yellow Pastels. It was fun and considering I did 9 sheets it did'nt take that long ;0) It's nice to get sheets done with sets you don't have too. Although, now there are a few sets I might 'have' to get ;0)

Okay before I leave you for tonight, I just thought I should share a pic of my girls finally. Here is one of our pics from our Summer holiday to BC this year. They are such cuties and all mine ;0)

Sorry that this pic is turned. I isn't sideways on my puter, just on here. Good night all...

Just keep it simple

This is what I have learned today. Keep it simple. When I am working on a project I always think it is missing something and add too much. I know from my own experience that I like things simple...not too much clutter. I see other peoples projects and they look awesome, but when I try it...well it never turns out the same. Anyway, I should have been working on my Calendar pages tonight, but instead I decided that I wanted to try doing some of my own projects. No casing, just come up with something of my own. Well as usual it too forever!! I kept taking it apart and changing it, because I am too dam critical!! But I am happy...I decided to try a new technique that I have been wanting to try. I did some 'cracked glass'. It is very cool! I am thinking that this may be some of my Christmas cards that go out this year. Very simple, but like I said...

This is the first one I did tonight. Not exactly thrilled with it...but at least it is not quite as lame as it once was!

Here is my first attempt at 'cracked glass'. It is kind of hard to tell from the pic, but it is really cool. You take your stamped image, cover the entire image with Versamark. Then cover that with UTEE(Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel), heat set and repeat about 3 times. Then place it into the freezer for about 5-10 mins. I know that on Splitcoast Stampers it says only for a few minutes, but I found that it was not long enough to get any cracking. Then bend to get the cracking desired. You can then sponge ink into the cracks for more definition. Very cool technique. And hubby thought it was cool too ;0)

Well off to bed now...

Managed some creative time today!

Well I managed to get some creative time in today. But unfortunately, I can not share it with you yet. I am part of a calendar swap with some other ladies on a list that I belong to called CST(Canadian Stamp Talk). There are 12 per group and each of us have to make 13 of one month. I am doing November for my group. We all send in our 8 1/2 X 11 sheets and the organizer adds the calendar dates and has them bound. I am quite excited to be apart of this swap. It is a lot of work, but it is something different for me. I was a little nervous at first. I am use to working on 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 cards, so trying to fill a 8 1/2 X 11 sheet was a little intimidating at first. But I think I am happy with the end result...hopefully everyone else likes November!!

I did some browsing of some more blogs today. Man! There sure are a lot of talented people out there. I am so happy that Nancy has shown me this whole world of blogging. Thanks, Nancy! I have added a few of my favorites on my blog. If you get a chance definitely check them out!

Since I don't have anything creative to show you today, I will leave you with a beautiful pics instead. Aside from the stamping taking pics is a love of mine. Mine are simply 'for fun' just for me pics, but I like them. Here a few of my favorites from our summer holiday to bc this year...

Can't remember the name of this waterfall...it is just before the BC border near the 'Natural Bridges'. We have never seen it this strong before. It was awesome!

Now this one is truely amazing! This was in a store at the Coombes Market...if you have never been to Coombes(Vancouver Island) you must go! This is where you will find the Goats on the Roof Market. It is great! Anyway, this carving was in a store at the Market. They have tons of these carvings that are shipped in from China. Most of them are just stumps that are carved into chairs. This one was sitting in the middle of the store. When we came upon it we were awestruck! It brought me chills. You can not get the full feel from this photo, but the workmanship is truely amazing. We asked if we could take a photo of it and also asked how much it was. Allen said that it was probably out of our price range and the lady told us it was out of pretty much anyone's price range. It was over $100,000!! Absolutely beautiful though.

This would be Bridal Falls. We have been to the campground(Camperland) for the past few years now. Definitely one of our favorite campgrounds!

Okay not sure what these are but they reminded me of something from Maui. This was at Minter Gardens just past Bridal Falls. I highly recommend it. It is a beautiful gardens and the price is not too bad.

Okay now here is one of our favorite places to be on the Island...Long Beach. I know its no Maui, but its the closest we can come for right now. Love the ocean!

Here is another love of mine...nature. Another reason I love the Island so much. Allen was teasing me about the pictures I took on this holiday. 'very artsy' he said...and why do we have so many dam pictures of trees!! Sorry can't help it...the true definition of beauty!!

Wecome to my Happy Place!

Yes, you are here! My Happy Place. I know you are asking...why did I start a blog? I am not sure why myself. I have been browsing a few blogs lately and thought WOW! This is cool. I have gotten some great inspiration and joy from viewing and reading these blogs. So I thought if I can possibly give someone out there some inspiration and joy in finding their own 'happy place', well count me in! I have tried many times to start up a journal of some form. It never seems to last more than a week. I always get bored or just forget about it. I think I just get bored with myself and my own thoughts. So when I started seeing all these women and their Blogs about their stamping?! Well there is something that I could do. I think since it is about creating and helping others create, well that is something I definitely can do. I have definitely learned in the past year or so that I am at my happiest when I am being creative. And being able to share my passion with everyone and anyone willing to listen is even better!! So I should tell you how this all began...

It was about 2 years ago and my sister in law showed me something that some friends of hers had just taught her. It was called embossing. Well, she had me at 'heat gun'. I ran out and bought everything I needed to do my Christmas cards that year. All except the heat gun! Yup, I did 35+ cards using my stove burner. I will tell you that it can be done using a burner, but the heat gun that my hubby bought me that year was the best Christmas gift ever!! I guess it was about 6 months later when my sister in law then told me about Stampin' Up! and a group she was joining. I tagged along to the pre-workshop. We did 3 projects that evening and I was hooked. I signed up to join the group. There was a group of 10 ladies that would meet once a month. We would each take turns being the 'hostess' and earn free products. Well needless to say my stamping supplies grew rather quickly and so did my obsession. In July of this year I signed up to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator! My focus at this point is to teach all my family and close friends about stamping and hopefully get them as hook as I am ;0) I think we all need that something in our lives that brings us joy. I know that our children, family and friends do, but I am meaning something just for you. Whether it is stamping, painting, gardening, cooking, reading, running, writing...whatever it is we all need to find that something that brings us pure joy and the freedom to truely be you. Okay enough of the babbling...I have a cold and I am tired, so bare with me...and it's my blog...you don't like it leave ;0)

Okay before I go, here is a pic of one of my first cards I did. Well not the first, but the first that I took a pic of and that I was truely happy with. This was using one of my favorite techniques. Emboss Resist. Emboss with clear embossing powder on glossy paper. Then using sponges apply different colors of ink until you get the desired color combo you are looking for. Then buff with a tissue. Very fun!

I also just completed my very first Stamper's club of my own this week. Here are the projects that I taught my group of ladies. I stared with embossing as I know how exciting it is to new stampers! The first project was just to introduce the basics of embossing.

The second was an emboss resist project. The photo looks brown, but it is actually 'True Thyme' one of the new 'In Colors' from the 2006-2007 Stampin' Up! Catty.

And the final project was Dazzling Diamond Technique. This is another favorite of mine. It has lots of bling and just a very pretty technique. After you have stamped your desired image, cover the entire image with a versamark ink pad. Pour on Iridescent Ice and heat set with a heat tool. Pretty don't you think?

Well that's it for the first entry into my blog. Hope you enjoyed the tour ;0) I am hoping that I can show you some inspiring projects tomorrow. I was part of a OSW(one sheet wonder) swap that I should be receiving back tomorrow. I will post the pics as soon as I get them...stay tuned!