Baby squares

Baby cards aren't my strong point - I can never seem to nail cute. I tried this approach instead. It's much more my style-bright colours and simple design. Does it work for a baby card?

Full moon

November is my least favorite month. The days are getting shorter and it usually very wet. There isn't snow in the mountains and the darkness isn't yet offset by sparkling Christmas lights. The first few days of the month this year have had some clear skies and I really got to enjoy the moon, so I guess there is at least one good thing about this time of year.

This card embraces the night, but I couldn't resist using lots of sparkling paper to offset the darkness. I hope you enjoy it.

Jo

Paper pieced peachy owls

Here's another series I completed recently. I started out working on some paper piecing while watching TV. I haven't done much and wanted to practice. Since I didn't know how things would turn out, I used colours that aren't my favorites. When I finished a few owls and liked them, I then had the challenge of making cards in colours way outside my comfort zone. Since I was already uncomfortable, I keep going and even made some bows. What do you think?

Oh, and can anyone tell me how to add photo captions or other text after the photos in the Blogger iPod app?? I've still got lots to learn!

Returning with butterflies.

So I didn't do much crafting over the summer and definitely no blogging. I'm happy to say I was spending my time playing outside instead. One of these days I'll throw up some more paddling photos.

Since the weather started to change I've spent a lot more time playing with paper. I've done a number is card series-making multiples of similar style cards. Here's the first set, based on a similar card I made while ago. I actually made another set of the leaf cards before branching out to the butterflies.
I stamped happy birthday crocked on one card and then tried multiple shadows. I didn't like that so tried fixing it with an overlay. It's not great, but I guess that happens some times.

I'll save the next set for next time. And I should be blogging more as I learn to use Blogger on the iPod. It's much easier when I can take photos and blog all on the same device!

Summer cards from scraps

For the summer, we've got a standing craft night, make it if you can come.  It's great to catch up with everyone - but I haven't been very productive with cards this summer!  I've been trying to catch up with my photo management and plan some scrapbooks, but really, it's because I spend more time chatting than crafting!  One fo the things I decided to do was to only bring my box of scraps, which also contains these awesome odds and ends pack

This week I made one card - I wasn't too happy with it at the end of the night, but looking at the next day, I decided I really liked it.  What do you think?

I liked it some much I decided to make a bunch more:

The embellishments are all from The Dollar Giant, compliments of my sister Liz!  Stamps from Stampin' Up and Stampendous.  Best of all, all the paper is from my scrap box!

Maybe it was such a productive week because the weather felt like fall instead of summer.

Cheers,
Jo

Taking over the blogosphere...

I'm ever so slowly expanding my presence in blog-land, which makes me feel like seven months in, I'm accomplishing my learn-all-about-blogging new year's resolution!  Yay for me!

I was mentioned in Kayak Yak - because I was the geek that knew where to find the spill reporting phone number!  For marine incidents, it's the easy to remember 1-800-OILS-911.

And in Mike Jackson's paddling journal for participating in the SISKA/OBSR rescue exercise, which I'm doing again this weekend.

And in a round about way, in Glenda's paper, rock, scissors blog, because she gave me this awesome card for my birthday!


And I promise more cards are coming soon...I was in a creative storm last night and now just need to get out the camera!

SISKA and OBSR

SISKA and OBSR, a set on Flickr.

Yesterday I spent the after practicing a mock kayak emergency with SISKA and Oak Bay Sea Rescue.  It was very eye opening and a great way to enjoy a afternoon on the water.  Mike's blog shows the GPS track we followed - we drifted a long way while OBSR tried to find us - all they knew was that we were "in Haro Straight".  I've posted the photos I took to Flickr.

Thanks-blue-flower.gif

Thanks-blue-flower.gif, a photo by Kayaker Jo on Flickr.

A little card making is getting done this summer, but not much! Here's a card made from scraps the other night while hanging out with the girls!

Summer Memorabilia Keeper

I haven't been very crafty, but I'm still keeping an eye the blogs. This Summer Memorabilia Keeper looks like something I might need for every trip! I spotted it on the Groovin' with the Go-to Gals blog.

Back to work for me!

Better bows - for your shoes

If you haven't yet learned something today, try this.  It's a TED talk on how to tie your shoes.  Apparently I've been doing it wrong.  My parents are great people, but they let me down on this one.  Thank goodness for the internet!

(Life has been busy and the sun has (finally) started to shine, so I'm not spending as much time at the craft table.  I promise to post more cards soon!)

Tiki

I"m a bad blogger.  Life got busy and the blogging stopped.  Opps!  I also haven't made that many cards in the last month or so.  I will go back and show you what you missed soon, but first, last week's Tiki cards.

My friends Heather and Terry got married last Saturday in Vancouver's one and only Tiki Bar at the Waldorf Hotel.  It was a great night and a really fun locale.  I especially enjoyed seeing Heather and Terry's happiness and spending time with old friends.  (I no longer live in Vancouver, so it's been a long time since I got to hang out that fantastic group of people.)

I let the wedding theme be the inspiration for my card and made a very untypical wedding card - which also fits with the theme of the wedding!  I don't think the card ended up as funky and cool at the bride and groom's style, but I like it.  And I think I hit the Tiki them without going out and buying any new supplies (oh, the restraint!), staying masculine enough for a couple, and in keeping with their graphic/clean and simple style.  What do you think?

Supplies: Stampin' Up solid cardstock in black, white, and I can't remember the name of the pink and the yellow.  DP from the Dollar Giant.  Amuse stamp, borrowed from Glenda. Flower also from Glenda.  Techniques:  Cuttlebug textures that I can't remember the name of...bad Jo!!

As it turned out, the card colours also pretty much match the drinks I enough that night - a yellowish El Diablo, a Pink Lady, and a Blue Hawaiian.  :)

My policy for wedding gifts to to give the couple what they want - so I got them a MEC gift card.  Apparently they are always in need of more bike gear!  (See the restraint - I could have used this as an excuse to buy a great vintage bicycle stamp to match their cruiser style bikes!!)   I made the gift card to match the card.  What do you think? (Front, back, and interior, respectively)

 I really used a lot of different supplies and techniques on the gift card holder.  In addition to those listed for the card (above), I used the Stampin' Up word window and circle punches to make the opening for the card, three additional Amuse stamps including the little pink flower in the middle of the flowers (I now wishing I'd embossed all of the black stamps.  Oh well!), some flowers I was gifted when I bought my Cuttlebug (thanks Melissa), Stampin' Up brads, the card holder pattern from a former class by Glenda, and coloured some areas with pencil crayons and then used the technique I learned from Jessica of There She Goes clear stamps to blend them out.  (It involves odorless mineral spirits.)

Heather's so awesome that she sent out a thank you email before I even got this posted to the blog!  

Thanks for checking in,

Jo

Kayak Yak: Harbour Celebration Sunday April 17

This is a little aside from paper crafting for my local friends.  And if you haven't checked ou the Kayak Yak blog, you're missing out!

Kayak Yak: Harbour Celebration Sunday April 17: "Here's a note forwarded from SISKA -- the South Island Sea Kayaking Association -- about next weekend's Celebration of our Harbour. This eve..."

Simple and white

Last week I seemed focused on very simple cards on a white background.  One of the reasons I was focused on super simple cards this week is because I had a request for a friend for a whole set of cards.  I was super flattered and I hope she'll like some of these.  Next up, much more complicated ones to balance them out.

I made these first two at my friend Glenda's place at our semi-weekly craft night.  I like the balance on these cards.

 I then moved onto using some stickers from my favorite store - The Dollar Giant. 

I made one more, but must have forgotten to take a photo.  They're OK, but nothing to write home about. ;)

I also had a set of really pretty rub-ons from the Dollar Giant that I've been hoarding.  I thought I'd give them a try on a couple of cards.  I haven't used rub-ons before but it was super easy!

Cheers,
Jo