Happy New Year

Happy New Year - I don't make any new year resolutions because it causes too much pressure on me but if you are one that does make resolutions - all the best with whatever your resolutions or goals may be.  Hard to believe it is 2013.  I am looking forward to my son's wedding in July - there will be lots to do in the upcoming months but I am very excited about it all.  This is my first card for 2013 and I like how it turned out but I will say that it was not my design - I found this idea in an older Magnolia magazine so I in no way take credit for the design.  It was kind of fun just "copying" and then adding a few of my own elements.  I almost always try and come up with my own idea for a card and sometimes that can be so time consuming and even frustrating so I decided to start off the year with a card that wouldn't cause me all of that.  This Tilda is one of my favorites over the past few years and I have used her quite often.  She is colored with copic markers and the background is Tim Holtz Stormy Sky distress ink sponged around.  The sentiment is a Whimsy sentiment.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit and I hope you are enjoying the start of this new year and hope your year is filled with creativity.  For me I find creativity feeds the soul and so I am hoping to spend lots of time in my craft room this year nourishing myself in this way.

Your stamping friend, Debbie

Something Special to Share

Hello again - I know I don't post for a couple of months and then all of sudden I do two posts in one day but I had to share this most special Christmas gift that I was given EVER!!  My dear grandmother passed away almost 1 year ago (she was 94 years old and very special to me).  She owned a beautiful fur coat that my grandfather had bought for her many, many years ago and she owned ths fur coat until the day she passed away.  My grandmother has 2 daughters - one is my mom and the other my aunt and between my mom and my aunt there are 4 grandchildren (actually 5 but my brother is mentally handicapped and has been since a small child).  However my aunt was going to get rid of the fur coat after my grandmother passed away but my mother said she wanted to have it.  My mother had a brilliant idea (my mother is an amazing woman) anyways she thought it would be such a wonderful gift to have my grandmother's fur coat made into special "keepsake" bears - 1 for each of her grandchildren whom she adored.  My mother found a lady to make the bears and then my mom knitted the clothes they are wearing.  The lady who made the bears was able to get 6 bears from the coat and so my mom and my aunt also will get one of the special bears too!!  My mom asked me to come over yesterday and pick out a bear - It was so special and this bear is so special too - I ended up choosing the one on the farthest left in the picture - he is adorable!!!.  Even though they were all made from the same pattern they all were so unique in their looks - that is the amazing part of "homemade" that I so love.  Anyways my aunt and my 3 cousins I am sure will be touched as well this Christmas season by this so very special gift.  I had to share this as it just means so much to me and it is a really heartwarming story - my grandma will be smiling from heaven I know when she sees us all with one of her fur bears.  My grandmother loved to do handwork as well so I know she would just love this. Mom if you are reading this post - I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart - you are the best!!!!!  So thoughtful and kind!!!   I wanted to share this with my crafty blog friends as I know they will love to see the bears as well!!  

Have a very Merry Christmas to all - I may post a card or 2 yet before Christmas but in case I run out of time may your season be filled with Joy and Peace and great family memories!!!!

Love your stamping friend, Debbie

Let it Snow

Hello everyone - I know it has been ages since my last post - I couldn't believe it has been since October - I have been busy with work, wedding plans for my youngest son who is getting married in July and I also started to take watercolor painting lessons as well which took away some of my stamping time.  I no way intend to give up my stamping and making cards as I have such a deep passion for it that will be with me for the rest of my life.  As this Christmas season was so busy I made the same card (assembly line style) for most of the people on my list - this was very unusual for me and to be honest the very first time I had done it - but it did work out well this year and at least I was still able to send out homemade cards.  The card I made is this adorable Edwin - I don't own very many Edwin stamps but when I saw this Edwin sitting in the snow with his skis I couldn't resist him.  Magnolia also had some gorgeous blue snowy wintery paper as well to compliment this stamp.  I really enjoyed making this card - I used my Sizzix die for the tree and MS snowflake punch.  His cute snowsuit is paperpieced and I added some jewels for extra sparkle.  I will be making a few more special cards to give to my dear friends and my mom before Christmas yet and will hopefully get a chance to post those as well.  Thanks for stopping by to visit and I hope you have most of your Christmas shopping done and can enjoy the last few days before Christmas.

Your stamping friend, Debbie

Thinking of You

Hello - The start of a long weekend always makes me happy.  Here in Canada we are celebrating Thanksgiving on Monday and I am looking forward to 3 days off and being able to spend more time in my craft room creating.  I made this card a few days ago and I am not sure what it is but I wasn't happy about how it turned out and I put it in my "discarded" drawer - I have a drawer that is getting full of cards that are not up to "my" standards - it can be very frustrating sometimes having this type of personality - expecting so much of myself - I decided that this was probably the best of the worst (of the past few cards I made) so I decided to post this one.  I love this Tilda she is called "Tilda with Ugg shoes" and she is from the Australian collection.  I used paper that was in my paper stash drawer and added flowers, Marianne die but, Martha Stewart punch and Memory Box die.  The sentiment is from C.C. Designs.  Thanks for taking time to visit my blog and if you are Canadian "Happy Turkey Weekend".

Your stamping friend, Debbie

Star Student

Hello everyone - this card I made using the adorable Autumn Tilda with pencils.  I just love these new Autumn Magnolias - each one is just as cute as the other and that makes it so hard to choose which ones to buy as well.  I used an older 6 x 6 paper pad set from My Mind's Eye for some of the paper and to cut out the school and apple.  The sentiment is also from the same paper pack.  I colored Tilda with copic markers but did paper piece her dress.  I added some black gingham ribbon and a black Fiskars die for the border on the bottom.  Our warm summer like weather unfortunately ended yesterday with a big wind storm bringing in much cooler autumn weather - ugh!!  Oh well I guess we were very fortunate to have the warm weather as long as we did.  It is Thanksgiving weekend coming up here in Canada so I am really looking forward to a nice long weekend and of course more time in my craft room.  Have a great day and thanks for visiting my blog.

Your stamping friend, Debbie

Autumn Splendor

The first day of fall was 2 days ago and here where we live in this beautiful part of British Columbia the weather is amazing!!  It is like summer weather but with a taste of fall in the air - I always love autumn and the spectacular colors that accompany this time of year.  The leaves are just in the beginning stages of turning colors and the cool crisp evenings and mornings are perfect for walking my dog.  As I am in the autumn mood I decided to make this card. Tilda in her autumn splendor - I love how she is standing and holding her flowers and basket.  I used Bo Bunny Apple Cider Collection 6 x 6 paper pad.  This paper pad has gorgeous fall papers - it was hard to choose which ones to use.  The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms - I love this sentiment as it really is what fall is all about - a visual masterpiece.  It reminds me to make the most of each and every day as each day we have is so special.  Tilda is colored with copic markers and I have added a Sizzlit die for the background leaves, a flower, jewels and some lace.  Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog and I hope you have a wonderful day and week.

Your stamping friend, Debbie

I have entered this card into the challenge at Tilda's Town

From Halloween to Christmas

Hello - I have been on a long break - lots of different things going on right now - I finally did manage to make a card and this time I made a Christmas card using Make it Crafty Christmas elf  "Twinkles".  I bought the entire Christmas Elves Collection - there are 6 of them all together and they are all just as cute as this one.  I used my Marianne die cut for the circle/star background and the sentiment is cut out of designer paper.  I colored the image using my copic markers and added some shading with prisma pencils (a new technique for me).  I added some sparkle to the bells at the ends of her hat and layered with design paper from my paper stash pile.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit and I hope you have a wonderful week.

Your stamping friend, Debbie