Over 20,000 and a thrift store find!

Over 20,000 people have visited my blog!! That means its time for a giveaway!
So if you want to receive a selection of my handmade cards and some yummy Lindt chocolate please leave a comment on this post. This will be open for comments until March 5th at midnight EST. I'll randomly pick then post the winner next Friday.

A few days ago I showed you the candlewicked dessert dishes I found at a thrift store. During the same shopping trip I also found this lidded cheese plate. But my intent in buying it, for $4 I might add, was not to use it for cheese.



No, my intent was to use it to transform some of my footed cake plates!



Oh and look what is in there, Lindt chocolates!

Hi!

This week's Be Inspired at Cuttlebug Challenges is to create a card based on Valerie Salmon's sketch.



I decided to use this bright paper by Dream Street along with three different embossing folders to create this card.



I added a bit of glitter with Stickles and bling as well!

A Creative Evening

I've set a TV up in my scrapbook room and I love it! I listen and kind of watch my favourite shows while I create!

Tonight I made three cards, two for 2 Sketches 4 You and one for CPS.



The first is based on the CPS sketch and uses some Chatterbox paper and chipboard stickers I've had for a bit. I added the sentiment in glittered Making Memories letters.



The second uses Chatterbox paper and is based on Laura Craigie's sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You.




And the third is based on Laura's sketch at 2 Sketches 4 you and uses Basic Grey paper. I've been admiring cards made using round stamps and this weekend bought myself a set at Michaels using their 40% off coupon. Then when I saw Laura's sketch this week, I had the perfect opportunity to use it!



I used one piece of 6 by 10 paper and scored it at 4 inches from one end and 2 inches from the other then rounded the two inch end to create a tri-fold card. I'm pretty happy with how it and all my cards turned out tonight.

Last Night's Dinner

Slow cooked pork tenderloin - fell apart on my fork! Brittany loved it!

Roasted broccoli, onion and red pepper - love my veggies this way, warm with a hint of firmness!

Rosemary Potato Galette - this attempt was better than the first, I think the secret is to cook it slowly like the recipe says, third time will be the charm I'm sure! Brianne loved it!



Fat free chocolate pudding - garnished with clementine and strawberry and served in my new candlewicked dishes I found at a thrift store!

I really should cook like this every night!

Embossing Acrylic or Acetate

Have I mentioned how much I like the sharing that happens in our blogging community? I have?!
Well, I'm saying it again because I just would have never thought of this on my own. A couple of weeks or so ago, Cuttlebug Challenges suggested embossing chipboard and this week they suggested embossing acetate or acrylic. Both ideas I just wouldn't have thought of doing. And like the chipboard, the acrylic embossed wonderfully.




I found acrylic flowers at a scrapbook store the other night then combined them with these scraps(trying to use up scraps these days)to create this card. I used the swirls folder to emboss all the flowers. Then popped the one under the acrylic flower up and layered another on top so that the acrylic flower stands out a bit.

This is a technique that I'll definitely try again!

While Looking for a new Kitchen Light

Steve and I decided to have a late lunch at Cora's Breakfast and Lunch. I had to take pictures of what we had but only had my camera phone!


I had asparagus and swiss eggs benedict with fruit. Look how nicely the fruit was presented! And so fresh too!




Steve had a western filled crepe.



We'll definitely go back again! Oh, and we're still looking for a light!

Almost all of our Cruise Pics

These are the last two slideshows of our 2009 cruise.

The first is of some random shots taken around our ship, Adventure of the Seas. It was a huge ship, over 3000 passengers! There was plenty to do, we never did make it to the mini-golf or climb the rock wall or go ice skating!

The second is of Brianne on stage the first night of our cruise participating in a thread the spoon game against another team. Unfortunately her team didn't win, it might have been her tight fitting capris that slowed them down!

I also have some formal photos taken by the ship photographers that I'll scan and post soon.

Amy Butler Cards

Heather at Younique has learned my tastes in papers and so this past month she gave me some Amy Butler paper, die cuts and chipboard to design with. This is the Lotus Faded China line and it is just gorgeous!



Taking inspiration from the many cards I've seen on various blogs, and putting my Cuttlebug and Fiskars border punch to work I came up with these cards.



Then I created a two page layout I call Family Stories that features the lovely lacey look of Acanthus.





Heather has put together a kit for purchase based on these designs and is also going to offer a class. Do check her site for details if you are interested.

And if you are interested in more ideas using Amy Butler papers, click here.

Celebrate!

This is my card based on Kazan's sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You. I turned the sketch upside down then used Fancy Pants rub-ons, as well as scraps of Basic Grey and Prima papers. I added a bit of sparkle with glittery flowers and a few rhinestones too. But I'm not completely happy with it.........

Here's Kazan's sketch turned upside down.



What would you do to fix it up?

Some Fun Slideshows

......featuring other miscellaneous photos from our cruise.

This first is of car license plates at almost all the islands we visited. We didn't get one from St.Thomas/St.Johns.

The second is a few photos showing the elaborate melon carvings featured at the buffet. Isn't the guy with glasses cool?!

And the last is of some of the towel animals that greeted us each evening in our room. My favourite is the monkey!

Mellow Yellow

Here's a fun card I created.



It was inspired by the Mellow Yellow challenge at Cuttlebug challenges and follows the bonus sketch by Julie at 2 Sketches 4 You. I used various scraps of paper some by Basic Grey, then embossed them all with the Swiss Dot pattern. Added a bit of bling(letters and rhinestones)and layered some flowers. I like how the dots in the flower mimic the swiss dot texture.

Have a good evening, I'm off to watch 24!