Christmas card blitz...

Hello there crafty peeps!

 I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I know ours will go down in the history book that’s for sure.

For those that aren’t aware, on Dec 22^nd we here in Southern and Eastern Ontario, Canada experienced the worst ice storm on record for our geographical area!!!

Many of us, including several of my family members were displaced for most of it, as we had power failures everywhere. The devastation is unbelievable to say the least, and some people are still without power to this date. I heard a recent report stating that the City of Toronto lost 20% of it's tree canopy alone, never mind the rest of area!

On the day after the storm, amid a cloudless sky, the sun shined so bright that it made everything and anything caught in the wake of Mother Nature’s wrath sparkle. I thought to myself; “how can there be so much beauty amongst such devastation?” Everything was coated with at least 30 mm of ice.

In case you’re interested, I found some videos made by various people that have been posted on the internet as the storm was upon us and its aftermath; some of them are quite humorous, and oh so Canadian. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=2013+toronto+ice+storm+&qpvt=2013+toronto+ice+storm+&FORM=ASMMVR#

Ok, enough about that…I want to share three Christmas cards that I made; yes you heard me right, I made three cards!

I wasn’t going to make any Copic cards this year because of my poor health, but that all changed when my brother told me that his three children were completely bummed when they rushed to open the Christmas card I’d sent them only to find it was a store bought one.

He said he overheard quite the conversation, and it apparently went something like this; “WHAT THE HECK IS THIS??? This card came from the store! Where is the cool card???

So, needless to say I felt both flattered and bad at the same time, so I decided to make them one each. In my wisdom I also thought that I would change things up this year and put cash inside as their gifts.

I’m not sure if making three individual cards was more work than going out shopping, but either way they certainly had smiles from ear to ear on Christmas Day.

Here they are…

 



 

I used three of the funny little elves from Make It Crafty’s Christmas Elves collection. My goodness they are hilarious and oh so fun to colour.

I coloured the images with my Copic Markers and the pattern papers are all from my stash. For the texture, I used Stardust Stickles and/or a combination of white flock and Stardust stickles. I also used put some colorless blender on a washcloth and applied it to that last two hats in an attempt to create a felt look. I think it turned out well.

 

I finished things off with some bakers twine and a few gems here and there as my embellishments.

I will be entering my first card into Make It Colorful challenge # 4 (Texture - Hard), and the second card in (Red & Green- Easy).

So peeps,I will let you get back to your business, but I have one more thing to add...as we come to the end of yet another year, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for stopping by my blog. I appreciate your comments, and just so you know they keep me motivated and oh so inspired.

I wish you all much love and happiness, but most of all, I wish you good health. All the best!

:)S

 

 

 

 

Guest Designer over at The Outlawz

Hello and happy Thursday crafty peeps!

It feels a little bit like old times writing up a post for the Twisted Thursday Anything Goes challenge over at The Outlawz.

My friend Patricia was so kind to ask if I’d like to be a guest designer for their snowflake theme this week, and I just couldn’t refuse. I miss this wonderful group of talented peeps, and the honor of having my work out there in a special place other than my little ole blog makes me feel so special.

So today, I have for you my one and only Copic marker Christmas card. I’ve not been able to craft very much for the past 3 months due to poor health. Indeed it isn’t my best work, but a Christmas card nonetheless!

I totally forgot to put my snowflake on it, so please forgive me. If you look close enough you'll see that I used some stickles to create the look of falling snow around the image, so this will have to do, lol :)

This adorable digital image is Christmas Lights by Stitchy Bear.

I printed the image on Neenah cardstock and coloured it with my Copic Markers. I tried to make the lights look real by using glossy accents to give them clear dimension.

That’s all I have for you peeps, except to tell you to head on over to the Twisted Thursday Challenge over at the Outlawz so you can see the extremely talented design team and their awesome take on this week’s snowflake theme challenge. Talk about inspiration or what!

Thanks Patricia for the honor of being a guest designer this week, and thanks crafty peeps for stopping by my blog. Hopefully I will have something to post for you before too long.

Joyous holidays start with loving hearts and a happy home. I wish you all a wonderful start to the season’s festivities.  May the blessings of peace, hope and love be your gifts this Christmastime and throughout this coming new year.

JS

 

 

 

 



Oh what a wonderful day...

Well crafty peeps, seems I’ve been MIA for about a month, so I thought I’d better rectify that immediately and show you my newest creation.

But, first I would like to say that my Halloween card or as he is more affectionately known to me as; Franken-Dude won over at Love to Creates past Halloween Challenge. (See that just proves how long I’ve been absent from blog land eh!)  

Needless to say, I was pretty happy about that because I won some Stamp Fairy images which are patiently waiting for me to colour up. I didn’t have any of their images before, and I look forward to using them in the future. I also can add a new badge of honor to my blog.

Today’s card was made with lots and lots of love. I made it for my wonderful husband Rick, on the occasion of his retirement. He just so happens to be an awesome person you know, and the youngest retiree I’ve ever known. Woot! Woot! Freedom 49 Rick

I used Make It Crafty’s Tap Dancers Collection
and I coloured the images with my Copic Markers.

 

Rick worked at General Motors for 30 years, and built everything from vehicles to locomotives during that time.

I had him pictured in my mind dancing out the door on his last day of work similar to this funny fellow.

I finished the card inside...

 

A closer look at this seriously happy guy…

This past weekend has pretty much been a non-stop party, and I can’t begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to starting the next chapter of our lives together. We want to buy a motorhome and start traveling North America for starters.

Well on that note I will leave it there. I’ll be entering happy retired fellow into the following challenges:

 

Cards forMen Challenge #24 – Anything Goes

CMC Challenge #82 – Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door – Anything Goes

 

Take care peeps and thanks for stopping by :)S 

 

 

 



All Hallows Eve...

Hello again crafty peeps! Today is All Hallows Eve.

I make two cards each year; one for my brother’s kids and one for my sister Jennie. They all love to receive my cards, so I try to make one for every opportunity that presents itself. There is nothing better in this world, than making something by hand that is truly appreciated.

This past summer my twin niece and nephew mailed me cute letters from summer camp. Actually I received two from my sweet nephew, and the second one asked me if I still made cards.

So Auntie Sandra took that as a hint and mailed him back using one of my stash cards. When I saw him recently, which isn't often, he told me that the other kids thought it was super KEWL!

I’ll tell yeah, it sure makes the heart feel good when a 10 year old tells you he loves your cards.

Anyway, I am showing only one card today because my sister received the Headless Horseman card I made last year (hit the archives in case you forget the ones I made), so I only needed to make one this year.

I bought a collection of Halloween digis from
Make It Crafty, called Mini Monztaboyz.
It included an Eerie Halloween Scene, Dracula, Frankenstein and the Headless Horseman.

The one I didn’t use last year was Frankenstein, so this year I made sure he was. I designed my own little scene for him and I hope you like it…..



I printed the image onto Neenah card stock, and then coloured it with my Copics naturally.

Now, the Make It Crafty Eerie Scene comes with a full moon as you see here, but you have to create all the details of the moon’s surface. So, I decided to search the internet for a real photo of the moon instead.

 I simply printed it out on regular copy paper and then cut it out using a spellbinder circle die cut.

I cut the bats out from the eerie scene and I coloured them and used some glossy accents on top.

Here's a closer look at Frankie...

 

While I was searching for the moon I came across this cool clip art grave stone. Don’t you just love the inscription?

 

The grass was made using my Memory Box die cut, and I coloured it to look like dried up grass.

Whatcha think peeps?

 

Copic colours used:

Jacket – E50, 51, 53, 55 N3

Pants – E30, 31, 34, 37, 39 N5

Shirt – N0, 01, 02

Hair – N02, 04, 05, 07, 10

Face – YG000, 00, 03, 63, 67

Grass – E31, 34, 37, 39 N5


I will be entering my card into the following challenges:

Love to Create – Halloween #28

Stampin for the Weekend – Something Spooky

The Outlawz Challenges – CAS Halloween

 

There you have it! So, until we meet again, please take care and thanks for stopping by :)S

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a carrot while you're at it...

Hello Crafty Peeps!!! Indeed, it has been a while since I last posted.
 

Unfortunately, I am still having health issues that prevent me from colouring on a regular basis, and on top of that two computers in our house decided to bite the dust.

 

At first it was our old desk top, which really didn’t bother me because I rarely used it. But, when my laptop decided to tag along with it a week later, well needless to say I was a wee bit peeved! 

 

We have since replaced both computers with one really good one, and I have since inherited my husband’s not so old laptop. He needed wanted an exceptionally good one because he has his own travel blog, and is in the process of learning how to use the professional Photoshop editing program. So naturally he wanted one with all the bells and whistles!

Now moving on to what's really important...my card.

Recently I designed a birthday card for my Father on the occasion of his 81^st birthday. I am so blessed to have both my parents.

 

We also recently celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada, and a few of my family members managed to get together and combined both occasions.

Given that my Father was born in October, and is still an avid gardener to this day, I decided to use one of my gorgeous Lili Of The Valley images called “Vegetable Patch”.

 

I coloured the image with my Copics Markers of course, but there is to many colours to list, sorry. Designer papers are from MME and the embellies are simply gems and buttons. How do you like my little hay bundle that I created using raffia, LOL?

 

 

I chose “Vegetable Patch” because I envisioned this little fella likely resembled my Father when he was a young boy helping his grandparents on their vegetable farm. Funny enough an opportunity presented itself during our weekend together that pretty much fast forwards this image by several decades.

Here is my Father at 81, doing exactly what he loves to do, carrots and all...gotta love him!

 

 

God Bless him!

 

 

 

For some fun, I will be entering my card into the following challenges:

Outlawz Alcohol Markers Challenge – Colour Theme

Through The Classroom Door – Anything Goes

 

Ok, I’ve taken enough of your time. I hope you enjoyed my card and the little piece of my life as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by JS

 

 

 

 

Happy 50th or is it Forever 49...

 

Hello my lovely crafty friends! Can you believe it is September!

I’ve been trying to figure out why the summer months fly by so fast compared to the winter months, and I came to the conclusion that in the summer our lives are just so darn scheduled.

You know; this weekend we have this and next weekend we have that etc. etc.  The winter months don't seem to have so many events, indoor or out, with the exception of the holiday season of course.

Heck, my husband and I are already in the initial planning stages of our winter vay-k for heaven’s sake!!! Can't tell I'm Canadian eh? (That eh was on purpose)

Today I would like to share with you a card that I made for one of my favourite girlie friends. It just so happens that she recently joined the “Fifty Something Club”.

When you make Copic cards like these; I’ve been told that many hope to receive one at some point or another.

We all know how much work goes into these cards, so I save them for special birthdays and occasions. Otherwise, I would be at my craft table forever because I have lots and lots of special people in my life; for which I am very grateful by the way J

(Yes, I have missed some of you, but have no fear, I will eventually make one for you too!!!)

I have fallen in love with Bugaboo’s Ruby and bought another digi to add to my collection. I thought this particular image perfect for any celebratory occasion.

Therefore, Ruby and I would like to toast my girlie friend Kim on the occasion of her 50^TH Birthday, or how she sees it,

FOREVER 49!!

We had the privilege of attending Kim’s big bash pool party, and let me say, it was one heck of a milestone hoopla that’s for sure.

 

I printed Ruby on Neenah cardstock and coloured her with my Copic markers. I pretty much kept it relatively clean and simple.

Colours used:

Hair – E31, 34, 37, 49, 50, 59

Skin – E000, 00, 11, RV42

Shirt – G20, 21, 24,

Skirt – B32, 34, 37, 39 N5, 7 BV29

Shoes – N1, 3, 5, 7

Glasses – R22, 24, 29 N3, 5, 7

 

Stickles/Glossy Accents/Gems

 

I used a Cuddlebug mini Star embossing folder and then cut them out.

 

Sentiment compliments of Ginger’s House of course!

As you know, I’ve been away for a large chunk of the summer, which for so many reasons I totally needed to do. I am pretty sure I will be around much more, and as life returns to a normal pace I hope to get back to some colouring and creating.

I should also be in the position to visit your blogs more often; please know though I have been following your amazing works, but I just was not always in the position to comment. Something I intend on rectifying immediately!

I will be entering my card in the following challenge(s) -

Simon Says...Anything Goes

Eclectic Ellapu - It's sentimental

The Pink Elephant Challenge - Numbers

 

Ok, that's it from me. Thanks for stopping by :)S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



My life is much more interesting inside my head...

Well hello there my wonderful crafty peeps!

 

Yes, tis I, the equivalent in connotation to the caption as stated up above, and the ever so absent author of T.C.E.S.H. (short for my incredibly long blog name).

 I am here with what now seems to be my monthly post, LOL!

 

I must say, I am feeling much better of late, and I have come to realize that this rest is exactly what I needed. Hence, I will most likely continue to post in this manner from hereon in. Honestly, I don’t know how some of you post two and three times per week. Heck, it’s even hard to keep up with commenting on your blogs as well; so if I have missed any, please except my humble apologies :)

 

I made today's card for my friend Ignacio over at Nicecrane Designs. He recently promoted a collection of digital images by the well-known English artist, Louis Wain.

 

Wain was best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphized large-eyed cats and kittens. Funny enough, or perhaps sadly, in Wain's later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia. Please know though, I don't mean any disrespect by pairing this caption together with his images on the card. This was purely coincidental, I only found out after I made the card, oops :o (Good ole Wikipedia)

 

Now, getting back to the subject ... I like to use Nicecrane Designs images from time to time because they provide the opportunity to practice my colouring texture skills. Take a peek at the before photo here to see what I mean…

 

 

I tackled something new for a change, in that I merged three digital images together using Microsoft Word to make one card. The two Nicecrane Designs jpeg images, and one png word art image; courtesy of Ginger’s House.

 

There was a "how to merge digital images" tutorial in the recent Sizzling Summer Edition of TTCRD Magazine and I thought it high time to try it out. I thought the two images and the word art work off each other purrrrrfectly, aha, my proof it wasn't intentionally disrespectful!

 

I printed everything out on Neenah card stock and then used my Copic markers; quite a collection of colours I must say...

Cats: E00, 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, E49, E93, YG61, 63 and R2, 5, 8

Doll: E0000, 000, 00 and N0, 1, 3, 5, 7

 

It is basically a CAS design given that I wanted the focus to be entirely on the images. I went with a black and orange "calico cat" theme and simply embossed black/orange "core’dinations" card stock to form the actual card first, added a few brads and a touch of Stardust stickles on their whiskers...Walla!

 

Here is a closer look at my attempt at texture, and the more I look at this I realize Calico cats have a lot more white, oh well…

 

 

 **Please forgive any out of the lines colouring, thanks**

 

 

 

Ok, that's about all I have to say with the exception of...

 

I will be entering my card in the following challenge(s) –

 

Milk Coffee - Show off your coloring skills challenge

 

The Pink Elephant TPE212 - Use the color orange

 

So peeps, until we meet again, thanks for stopping by!

 

:)S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



It's all about friends...

Hello there my favourite crafty peeps; yes tis I the MIA author of this blog.

 

I think it would be safe to say that I am somewhat back on track with my desire to craft again, however I will be taking more time away from “my” version of regular posting.

 

My husband and I have recently returned from a much needed vacation to England and Holland.

 

We stayed with friends in Nottingham, England and were treated like royalty, no pun intended, LOL. Our amazing hosts and tour guides made sure we took in as much of this beautiful area as possible whilst there.

 

We also spent time in Amsterdam where I was able to meet in person a beautiful lady named Sandra Van Blaricum and her awesome son Robin.

Most of you will know Sandra from various blogs, such as TTCRD Magazine, The Outlawz Challenges and of course her personal blog;

Cards and Creativity.

 

We spent the most enjoyable day in Amsterdam sightseeing together, and I am pretty certain our friendship has moved beyond the realm and limitations of cyberspace.

 

I will stop there though, not because that is all I want to say about our trip, but I will leave the trip details/photos to my hubby’s travel blog. I will give you all the heads up when he has a post for you, and as we know most men and their vision of timing it could be a while!

Today, I would like to share a card that I made before I took off on our adventure, which just so happens to be about friendship as well.

 I made this card for my lifelong friend who just so happens to complain regularly to me about why I haven’t made her a “Copic card” yet. Little did she know that shortly after her birthday last year I purchased this Bugaboo image because it is a true reflection of our particular friendship, or so it sometimes seems. I didn't post it until now because her birthday came while I was away, and I didn't want her to see it here on my blog before she personally received it.

 

 

But, it’s not just the image that we relate to; it is also the sentiment inside…

 

I am sure the sentiment needs no further explanation other than where I found it of course. You can find this WordArt and tons more over at Ginger’s House. 

 

My friend and I have laughed, cried, and shared many trials and tribulations over our life time. I couldn't help but LMBO when I came upon Bugaboo's Friends don't let friends wine alone.

 

 I will leave you here as I have taken enough of your time. I will be away from my blog for a wee while longer as our home is undergoing a beauty treatment of sorts, and I will be spending time with another dear friend during the remainder of July.

 

So it might be a while before I get the chance to get my Copics out and start creating again, but until then take good care and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers JS