{ In need of some crafty time! }

How about you? I am in desperate need. It is a good thing that I am heading off to the Pantry tomorrow night for our monthly Calgal gathering!! I should hopefully have some new stuff to show off soon. I have been playing with my Copics quite a bit lately and plan to do some more tomorrow night...since I will be surrounded by Copic pros! ;0) But I am also planning to play with the Hello Kitty cartridge to work on some loot bag prezzies for my youngest daughters bday party coming up next weekend. So stay tuned for that!

Just a quickie for ya tonight. This was a card I made for MojoMonday #69. This was an image that I borrowed from Nancy during one of our Calgal gatherings. Is this not the best? I might have to borrow some more now that I have my Copics to play with! Okay...I know this one is a bit bright...a little out of my normal color scheme...but I actually quite like this one! Then again...Julee's sketches always help!

My youngest came home from school today feeling quite lousy...she did not go to ballet tonight. It is a good thing there is no school tomorrow. Here's hoping she will be better to go to her make-up class for ballet on Saturday.

Have a great weekend! Oh and don't forget...signups for the February Aloha RAK Group and also for my January Christmas Card Challenge!!

{ Life is short... }

...celebrate moments! What a perfect sentiment to start off a New Year.

Okay...I am just lovin' this new Hedgie stamp I got from my Mom for Christmas! Is he not the cutest? And of course this Fairiest of them All DP is so awesome too...oh and check out those new pearls! Can you tell I am having fun with all my new toys? ;0)

I hope those of you that received new toys for Christmas are getting the chance to enjoy them!


Thanks for stoppin' by...

I almost forgot...the inspiration for this card came from Julee's great Mojo Monday Sketch #2.

{Welcome to 2009 }

First off...yes, I am back. My goal will be to keep my posts on a regular basis. My plan at this point? At least 3 times a week...more if I end up creating more.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. We were all spoiled. I was going to try and take photos of all my crafty stuffs I received, but I ended up cleaning my room and putting everything away. So here are just a handfull of things that were in eye sight...

Yes...that is a Cricut Expressions you see with 5 cartridges. I did not receive it FOR Christmas...I actually received some money and a couple gift cards for the Pantry... so I went after Christmas and bought it. After all was said and done...it only cost me(personally) $90...can't say no to that! And then Michaels had that sale on last week with the cartridges on for $39.99! Again...how could I not!? ;0) And did you see those yummy Copics?? Those were from my lovely hubby! I have not tested them out yet...I know, I know! But I don't have anything besides SU cardstock, so I have to run out this week and buy some other cardstock so I can play. I will have some new creations with those adoreable Hedgie stamps too! Anyway...as you can see I was spoiled rotten!! And now...no more crafty stuff for me for at least 6 months!!! ;0)

Okay, so here it is...my first offical creation of 2009! I actually did this one yesterday, but close enough. ;0)
This great Fluffles image was one I had stamped off of Nancy during one of our last Calgal gatherings. Thanks for the great image, Nancy! I added some Crystal Effects to the balloon and the icing. All in all? I am lovin' #001 of 2009!


I have been playing around with the cricut a bit. I REALLY need to get out and get myself a spatula though...before I ruin my cutting mat. I have only used it to make about 5 Disney Characters and it is already loosing the stickiness!!! Anyone out there that uses the Disney cartridges? I could definitely use some tips on settings. I only use SU cardstock too. I keep moving them around, but would love to hear what others use. I finally discover the multicut button and than has helped a bit and also trying to not cut my images smaller than 5-6 inches...especially those Fairies!! Wow!! What a lot of little tiny pieces!! I have yet to get an eyeball done!!

Okay that is all for now...oh one more thing! Calling all Canadian bloggers!!! If you have a crafty blog and are Canadian, head on over to Nancy's blog. She is starting up a Canadian Blogroll.

Thanks for stoppin' by

{ RAK's and RAK's and RAK's...oh my! }

Just have a few BRAK's(Birthday RAK's) that I realized that I had not shared yet! Bad Tracy!

This first one is from my friend Catherine. I had commented on Catherines blog one how much I loved this stamp and she sent me the card! Thanks Catherine...and for the goodies too.


This next one was a card from a fellow CSTer...that's an online Stampgroup for Canadians. This one was from Carole Mork. I just think this is such a great card. My hubby even liked this one! Thanks Carole.



Next, I wanted to share a card that one of our Aloha RAK group members received. Dianne does not have a blog so she asked me to post this awesome RAK she received from her RAK partner Charlene. She also received a DVD tin FULL of awesome goodies!! Lucky you, Dianne. :0)

Okay...I will leave you with one of my creations from the Calgary Classic Weekend. This was done with an image that I swiped from Nancy...love it! And the DP is from some paper I got for my bday...this one is from the Oriential Trading Company...some really cute paper!

I am off to work...thanks for stoppin' by...oh! And don't forget to sign up for this months Aloha RAK group! Details are at the top of my blog!

{ Weekend Fun! }

Just a quick post. I only have a few hours until I leave for the Calgary Classic. That is right...a whole weekend of just stampin'. Although, hubby has decided to share his sickness with me. I am hoping that once I get there and am surrounded by stampers, stamps, ink and paper that I will magically feel better!!

Okay, here is a new creation for ya. I did this one a few weeks ago but just never got around to posting it. This is a

High Hopes image that I recieved as a RAK from my stampin' friend Charlene. This was a fun one to color. Thanks again Charlene!!

Well, I am off to get the girls from the bus, have a quick bite to eat and then my friend Dianne is coming over and we are gonna head on over to the Calgary Classic.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I know I will!

Tracy :0)

{ LCSC #12 Entry }

Good day everyone! I got the chance to play a bit lastnight and decided to work on this weeks LCSC #12. This week Jen said with the sketch we could use an Anthony & Burt stamp. And since I just happen to have one now...I decided to play! I was not too sure about these images once I received it. Just cause it is a bit big. But I actually quite like it. They are kinda cute, don't you think? I like the image just not totally sold on my choice of papers. But it is okay.

Since I am talking about Littlecs, just thought I would let you all know about the great sale that Jen is having for the entire month of October! 35% off Everything! Go! Check it out!

Thanks for stoppin' by and a big Happy Turkey Day to all the Canadians out there! Enjoy!

{ Playin' with more new toys...and an update }

Just thought I would post a quick update on my DD dental surgery on Tuesday. All went well...aside from her initial coming too! Wow! They were not kidding when they said that they tend to be VERY cranky when the first come too after surgery. She was thrashing and screaming. Thank goodness that did not last long, cause that was one of the hardest parts for me. We kept trying to talk to her hoping that if she heard our voice it calm her down...but no way! She finally settled down and went back to sleep and the next time she woke up was much better! There has been no pain at all...which is awesome! They only thing that was bothering her was the IV site. She finally took the bandage off her hand lastnight and now we know why. You should see the nasty bruise she ended up with. Pretty much takes up the entire top of her hand! Wow! But she did very well, considering all the work they did on her...1 very nasty absessed tooth pulled, 2 baby root canals with crowns, 6 teeth coated and 2 more teeth filled down to buy us some more room in her mouth. We just have to go back on the 22nd to have the spacer put in. Hopefully this will be the last of it for quite awhile! She went back to school today...we were not too sure about sending her, but looks like she decided to finish the day out.



Okay...onto more fun things. Here is another creation using one of my new stamps! I just love these Penny Black Hedgehogs...too cute! The sketch that I used for inspiration was SC196 over at SCS. I am really lovin' this one! I am heading to the SCS Calgary Classic next weekend and plan to work on my Christmas cards all weekend. I am thinking that I might be doing up a bunch of these ones in various color combos. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I also added some Crystal Effects to the light bulbs.

Thanks for stoppin' by and hope all the Canadians out there have a great Thanksgiving!! It will be a relaxing weekend here. Hubby works all weekend, but we will be having dinner at his parents on Monday...he will meet us there. But I think we will just relax and get DD back to her normal self.

{ Take Joy in the Little Things }

A new creation...finally! Here is my first...well second actually...Magnolia creation. The first one I did, I actually ruined. I might share it at a later date...maybe. ;0)

I love this image. I stole this one off of Shannon at our last Calgal gathering in August. It is a very simple card, but I loved coloring this image. This was my Mom's bday card...hope you like it Mom. :0)

Tomorrow is the big day. El first day of Ballet. She is mighty excited. School seems to be going very well, so I am hopefull that Ballet goes well too. See the parents are not allowed to stay...so wish us luck! She is going by herself...without her sister...so this is a big step for her...and us too! The girls seem to be happy with school, class and teachers thus far...but it is only day 2. Just hope we can get the busing issues all worked out. The first week is always a bit of a gong show. It is just a little frustrating seeing as our school is one of the lastest to start and finish their day. So with busing, the girls are not home until...well yesterday it was 4:45pm and today was 4:35pm. We are hoping for around 4:30 each day. The girls ballet and cheerleading start at 5:15pm so we are gonna be pressed for time! Shove a sandwich down them and off we go! But I am sure that we are not the only ones in this situation. I is just a bit of an adjustment period right now. ;0) Okay...enough of my whining for one day.

Thanks for stoppin' by and I have a few RAKs and Candy winnings to show off in my next post.

{ A Happy Life is Made... }

...of little things. How true is that? Here is my first Gruffies creation! I just love this image. I am a big lilac lover and had to have this one when I saw it. The sentiment is a PTI stamp. I used some DP that I think I bought off of Nancy...just loved the soft colors. And I used some of my new fuzzy brads that I picked up at the Scrapbook Pantry.


Just thought I might as well share a pic of my Lilac bush too. I took this on the weekend. They are just starting to open up now...woohoo.

Have a great Monday all!
>

{ Ahh...Calgon...take me away }

I could really use a nice hot soak tonight. Acky, tired, headache, crampy...don't mind me...just PMSing today!

I just love this Happy Hopper image. Too cute, eh? The inside of this card says..."Life is too short...to stress!" Too bad we all couldn't live by that rule, eh?

I was off volunteering today at the school. Last day of in-line skating for my youngest. Had to check it out. She was stressing all morning...more like crying and whining...that she did not want to go or go to school. We could not figure out what was up. We thought maybe she had been lying this wholetime and had not actually been participating. So I went...and she was fine. Her teacher thinks it was just the in-line teacher that was the trouble. He is a young guy and does not put up with too much from these kids. He would tell them something once and if they did not do it he started yelling at them. She had missed the first few classes due to our holiday, so when she came back, her teacher had told her to get her equiptment and come over beside her and she would help her put it all on. Well at that point all the kids had been doing it themselves and this young guy that is teaching the skating yelled at her to go back and do it herself. She is quite timid and I think he just got to her. After watching him today I was ready to yell at the guy myself. Oh well...she did just fine and I think she was having fun too. I will have a little talk with her tonight and I am sure she will be just fine.

Well the sun is starting slowly to make it back to Calgary! It is a bit breezy today, but at the sun has been out for most of the day. Tomorrow is suppose to get a little nicer...here's hoping!!

{ Special Delivery }

I finally stamped!! Yup!

Just before I went to Disneyland a few friends of mine and myself put in an order of HouseMouse/Happy Hopper/ Gruffies. They finally arrived this past week and I played! Here is my first creation...and I love it!!

Is this not the cutest image?? I added some Iridecent Ice around the balloons and on the string. I am pretty happy with my coloring of the bunny too. I used my pencils and OMS. I think I used about 5 different colors on the bunny...can't remember exactly. But I think it turned out pretty good. I am looking forward to playing with the other ones too.

I will be back tomorrow with the winner of this months Challenge!

Thanks for stoppin' by...

p.s. I am looking forward to getting started on the scrappin'. I was looking at some sketches today and found a few I want to play with...although most of them were for 8 1/2 X 11. I might try out a few first before I start on the Disney ones...or maybe scrap some of our first trip to Disneyland or Disneyworld pre marriage and children. ;0)

{ 9 Weeks Today!}

Yup...that's right baby! I will be in Disneyland 9 weeks today! Can you tell I am getting excited??? huh...huh...huh??? Hubby and I actually stayed up late and watched 'Jon and Kate plus 8' lastnight cause they were in Disneyworld. heeheeheehee. ;0)


I have one more Riley to share with you. This is my last Riley stamp and he is just so cute!

This one just kinda evolved. I cut out the main image and thought...okay now what? So then I searched for some paper and saw this one and liked it, then matched the colors with my Prisma pencils. Although, the green banner came out a bit too bright. I tried to darken it a bit...and it is in real life, just not so much in this photo. I am actually quite happy with this one. What do you think of the prima...does it look out of place up in the sky with Riley? I like it, but not 100% sold. But it needs something in that corner to balance it out. Lovin' those dew drops too! I discovered today that not only can you get some 'knock offs' at Michaels, but also Dollarama!! They had a package of Pink and Blue today and the package has 1000 for a $1!! So if you don't have any yet...it is a great way to try them out! Then of course there are those of us that bought a swack from Michaels and then yesterday Jody had to have a DewDrop Share on her blog!! And yes...I caved! ;0)

It is nice and bright and sunny here today. Lovin' it, but still feeling kinda run down today. Oh well...I am off to take a walk on the treadmill...maybe clear my head. Thanks for stoppin' by. :0)

{ Yes...I am still here }

I just realized that I have not posted all week! Wow! I have been busy working on some samples for my monthly stamp class tomorrow evening and didn't want to ruin the surprise for anyone! ;0)





I do however, have another Hanna that I can share with you all. I was not too sure about this one...but I think it has grown on me. What do you think?

We went along on a field trip to Fishcreek Park yesterday with my youngest. It was a bit chilly, but was a pretty fun day. I was pretty excited...we had a BIG deer walk right in front of us! She was only about 12-15 feet away from us...and of course I forgot the camera!! It was fun though...looking for deer, snowshoe hare, Red Squirrels, coyote, blacktop chickadee, bluejays and woodpeckers. We are definitely gonna head out there in the summer! I can not believe that I have lived in Calgary my whole life and had never been there before! Crazy!

Well, I am exhausted...so off to bed I go. :0)

{ What a pretty kitty }

Don't you think so? Here is another Pink Cat Studio image that I swiped off of Allison during our last Calgal gathering. I also used my new Two Scoops paper and matching buttons. It is a very simple design...but I like it. Well, I am off to take my youngest to the bus stop and then work on some class samples and DT work. Hope you all have a great Monday!

{ Another Weekend Sketch Challenge complete! }

I managed to get a bit of stampin' done yesterday. Not only did I work on a Beates' Weekend Sketch Challenge, but I also got one of my own New Years Challenges done. I decided that I want to do 4-6 Christmas cards each month, so that I don't have a ton to do at the end of the year again! So low and behold...here is my first Christmas card of 2008...and it's only January!! I know...I am probably the only one in blogland working on Christmas cards, but it's a start! ;0)

This one is done using another image that I swiped off of Shannon, during one of our Calgal gatherings. I believe this is a High Hopes image. I just luv this one! I am thinkin' I might have to get this one on my next High Hopes order. I also used the Verve Visual set and snowflake brads that I won from Toni. And also the DP was from a stack that I won from Cindy! And I used my new Nestabilities!! Okay the cardstock, ribbon and ink were mine. ;0) Thanks ladies...see I am putting it all to great use!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It has been a pretty lazy one here. The girls are on the mend. The weather turned a bit chilly and snowy here, so it is a good weekend to stay indoors and stamp!!

Be back tomorrow with another Pink Cat Studio creation I did this weekend. :0)

{ Lovin' this sketch }

I really love this weeks Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge. I actually did a couple, but this one is the one that turned out the best.

I used a stampset from my blog candy win from Maria in December. Love these flowers!! I also used some clear medallions on the bottom ones. I had won these as blog candy last year...I think...and had not used them yet. I am actually quite happy with the way this one turned out! I am thinkin' I might make a few more with this sketch. Thanks for the great sketch Julee!!

Well, I will make this a quick one. We are just on our way out the door to make a visit to the Dr. I have both kids home sick today!! Yikes! The oldest probably could have gone, but she now has this rash in a rather personal area and I don't want her scratching herself all day long! ;0) Besides that fact that I can decide if she sounds sexy or sounds like the devil!! Poor thing!

Hope you all have a great weekend! I am gonna try and get some projects done this weekend. I have been meaning to make a journal and I have some samples done for my class next week...as well as work on some DT stuff for Diana over at Scor-pal. So a busy weekend of stamping ahead! :0)

{ Better get stampin'! }

That's right. This is my last card that I can share...so I best get a move on. ;0)



Here is another image that I stole off of Allison last weekend. This one is from
Pink Cat Studio. I like this image...fun to color. Not 100% sure of this card, but I guess it's okay. Again, I am just never thrilled with my ribbon.



Well, I gotta a sickie home again today. But it could be worse...I thought I was gonna have both of them home. They both came off the bus yesterday feeling lousy. Em(my oldest) could barely speak and El was complaining of a stomach ache and looked so pale! Then Em ended up with a wicked nose bleed lastnight that lasted about 30 mins. Then first thing this morning the same thing happend. I hope she makes it through the day without another one. El is home with a slight fever and very sore throat. All she really does is nod...poor thing. Daddy was complaining of a sore throat too. It just never ends. I wish I could encase them in a bubble when the leave the house...I don't want anymore sickness!! But I know lots of you out there are going through the same thing this year. Oh well...this too shall pass.


Hope you all have a great day! I know I will...I think my Nestabilities are at the post office for me to pick up today!! Woohoo!! If they are, I am sure I will have something new to show you tomorrow. :0)

{Fluffles...sweet Fluffles}

I am in love...yet again! As I told you yesterday...I was lucky enough to stamp off some Fluffles images from Shannon on the weekend. I must say...I love them! They are just so cute...and fun to color.

I really like this card! I had started out with a few Sketch Challenges in front of me. None of them came out the way they were suppose to, but I am still happy with what emerged. ;0) I like this one so much so, that I think I might use this sketch again for one of the other Fluffles images I have colored. So stay tuned for more Fluffles.

{ Calgon...take me away! }

Man...could I use a nice loooonnnggg hot one! What a day. Thanks to everyone for their comments regarding my DD. I ended up taking her to the ER at the Children's Hospital. And what good timing we had. No one was there and we got in right away. Although, we still spent almost 6 hours there. Turns out DD just has a nasty stomach bug. But she was really dehydrated, so they hooked her up to an IV for about 3.5hrs. She was a brave little girl. She has yet to have any blood taken, so this was her first time. They ended up having to do it twice...once in each hand. She did very well considering. It was a long afternoon, but I think she is better. She will be staying home again tomorrow and we will try and get some more fluids in her and start getting some food into her. There is no school on Friday, so hopefully by the end of the weekend she should be good to go...I hope!! Poor thing.

Thought I would share another Bella creation with you all. This one was made for a special blogging friend of mine, Charlene who is taking a bit of a blogging/stamping break right now. Big hugs Charlene! I finally got to use my Basic Grey cs on this one. I must say I love this color! It really works well with all the pastel colors.

Well...I am exhausted. Back later with some more Bellas...

{ Bella Bday Invites }

Today has been a good day creatively. I have been working on some design items and it has really helped to get the creative juices flowing after not stamping in a week. Just can't share them with you yet ;0)

But here is the bday invites that I made for my oldest, who is turning 6 this week. We are having a PJ party...kind of a 'faux sleepover'. We are doing all the sleepover stuff, just not actually sleeping over. Pizza, painting fingernails, doing some crafts and a movie and popcorn to end the evening. Should be fun! So of course I thought Jammybella would be perfect for the invites!! And Em's favorite color is Purple. These were done as a postcard with all the party details printed on the back.

Thanks for stoppin' by. Have a great weekend and remember you still have a few days to get your entry in for this months Challenge!!