Out of the Box Card Challenge

Our Alpha Beta Card group is meeting again tonight for our monthly crafty night and the theme this month was to make a card 'out of the box' from our normal style. Sorry, I used the red and black again like I use fairly often, but I added a copper shimmer which I don't normally use, so I hope that counts. My other challenge for the card was to make one with no butterflies since the majority of my cards tend to have them on them! lol :)

I used these gorgeous prima flowers that I got on clearance a while back. I've kinda been stumped as to what to do with them, and thought I break into them for this card for something different. Please excuse the poor pics, it took forever to get a somewhat decent pic, since between the shimmer cardstock, the shiny brads, the copper cord and the metallic flowers, the camera was having a hard time focusing on one thing! I think it went into overload! lol :)

Here's a close up of the metallic prima flowers. Aren't they pretty? :)

Well, it's nearly as hot today as it's been the past several days, but at least today we have a breeze which seems to be saving us. The girls and I spent the morning in our pool, now I'm seeking refuge in my craft studio in our basement which is a lot cooler than upstairs.

I have one more post to show you, stay tuned...

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Supplies:
Stamps: Encouragement (Impression Obsession)
Cardstock: Metallic Copper (Creative Memories), China Red Linen (CRS), Jet Black Linen (CRS), Flat White (Staples)
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Tools: 1/16" Black Pop Dots (Dollarama), double-sided tape
Embellishments: Copper Brads (EK Success), Copper String (Creative Memories), Rust Striped Ribbon (Michaels-I think?), Metallic Flowers (Prima), Single Small Dusty Red Flower (Viva Craft - Dollarama)

Some Gorgeous Panoramic Pics

We're back again after a great time camping. We had beautiful weather while we were away and now the past couple of days have been 30+ C...not exactly in my comfort zone for temperature. I'd be happy if it was in the early 20's all year round! lol :)

Until I get a chance to show you some new artwork, I wanted to share a link with you all for some awesome pictures that I found online of a guy that's taken some gorgeous (mostly panoramic) shots around the area where I'm from in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. It's such a majestic place, and his photography has captured some great scenes. Check them out of you have a few minutes! Here's the link to his travelogue. Enjoy the pics! :)

Well, I'm trying to cool down here, it was over 30 C here today and my house is like a sauna. I'm rotating fans around the house in hopes that I can actually sleep tonight!

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Vacation Pics

I thought I'd share a few pics from our little trip with the kids to Oaklawn Farm Zoo in Aylesford, Nova Scotia. It was really too sunny to be there that day as a lot of the animals were lazing about from the heat of the sun. Note to self to go there again when it's overcast or even a little misty.

I love this close up picture of a Great Horned Owl. What a beautiful owl. He was perched right on the opposite side of the fence and Jim put the camera right between the fence so you couldn't see it in the frame.

The girls love seeing the Llama. Obviously you can walk right in and get up close to him. Can't get much closer than they got, eh? lol :)
Natalia riding Honey aka Spirit. She says the pony looks just like the horse in the movie Spirit. That's her favourite movie.

Alexandria riding Honey around the corral. This is always the highlight of the trip. They both loves horses so much.

I won't bore you with a whole bunch more pics, but these are a couple from our trip up to Jim's parents place in New Brunswick.

This is Alexandria enjoying one of the many swims out in the Miramichi River, just outside her grandparents house. The water is so much warmer than where we normally swim here in Nova Scotia since we're usually in the ocean. The river seems like bath water! lol :)
Jim's brother, Scott, took the girls out in his canoe while Jim paddled down river next to them in a single-man kayak. When they got back home, Jim took turns taking each of them in with him in the kayak for a little paddle around the river. This is the first time they've been in a canoe or a kayak and they loved them both. They can't wait to go again the next time we're up there.
Well, more to do around the house. I'll have another craft project to show you soon. :)

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

You're on my mind

We've been away a lot lately or doing work around the house so I haven't had a chance to play much, but I took the opportunity tonight to make a card. I kept it simple as the basement is pretty strong smelling right now from the oil based floor paint that we used in our storage room today. I've got a melon head right now from the fumes, so I think I'll call it a day and seek refuge upstairs where the fumes aren't as strong!

I'll try to make it back soon with something else to show you.

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Supplies:
Stamps: Fresh Bloom (Stampendous), You're on my mind (Queen Kat Designs), Memoirs (Inque Boutique)
Cardstock: China Red Linen (CRS), Jet Black Linen (CRS), Flat White (Staples), Cardstock Vellum (SU)
Ink: Jet Black (StazOn), Memento - Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Carmine Touch Marker (ShinHan Art Int'l)
Tools: Paper Piercer, Piercing Mat, 1/8" Dimensional Squares (EK Success), Scissors

Award from Scrapbook News & Review Magazine

I'm honored to have received this email tonight, giving me a creativity award for my blog. :)

Congratulations, Scrapbook News and Review, the leading paper crafting magazine on the internet, has noticed and is impressed by your blog. We appreciate the time, effort and creativity that you share with the crafting world and to show our approval, we’ve included this unique blog award for you to proudly display.

This award is possible only if you’ve been nominated by our staff or readers and have been approved by our editors. We encourage you to display it proudly and link it back to Scrapbook News and Review Magazine. We thank you for all you’ve given to the blogging world and encourage you to keep doing so. We’ll keep watching and enjoying.

Sincerely

Erika Taylor

Production Director

Scrapbook News and Review Magazine

You can check out SNR (Scrapbook News and Review) here. Thanks so much to Erika for nominating me! :)

I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to post much lately as we've been away a lot on vacation. But, I'm home for a couple of days before we head out again for the remainder of our vacation time. I'll be getting in some crafty time tonight, so stay tuned for something new to show you soon.

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Mojo98 Sketch Challenge

Finally my first card in my new crafty space. We've been doing a lot of travelling lately and are actually leaving again in the morning for another short trip, so I wanted to take the time to get in some crafty time tonight. This is my take on the current Mojo Monday sketch for Week 98.

This is the sketch that I followed.Time to head off to bed, I'll be back in a few days.

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Supplies:
Stamps: Thank You Frame (Inkadinkado)
Cardstock: Soft Sky (SU), Ivory (Staples)
Patterned Paper: a la carte - Florentine (American Crafts), Olive Green Solid side of dp (Creative Memories)
Ink: Old Olive (SU)
Tools: Classic Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Custom Circle Cutting System (Creative Memories), 1/8" Dimensional Squares (EK Success), Sponge (SU)
Embellishments: Olive Green Grosgrain Ribbon (Michaels), Chocolate Pearls (Kaiser Craft)

Cape Breton Road Trip

We've been busy here in and out while on vacation. On Thursday we went for a road trip to Sydney, Nova Scotia. It's about a 4 1/2 hour drive there, but we left at 7:30 am and didn't get home 'til 12:30 am Friday morning! It was a long day but we had a nice time. We've had a friend from there call it "God's Country." I think he's right. It truly is amazing to drive up there amongst the trees and mountains. Pictures don't even do justice to it, though. You really need to see it all to appreciate it. Here's a few highlight/funny pics from the trip.

I did find a new craft store while we were in North Sydney. It's called the The Crafty Scrapper. It's located at 16 Thompson Avenue in North Sydney. The owner is a sweetheart and she's mainly into scrapbooking and bear parts. She carries a few stamps but has lots of beautiful embellishments and patterned paper. I got the beautiful paper flowers above along with some patterned paper, gorgeous ribbon and a bottle of stamp cleaner. I'll be sure to check them out again when we go back up there. I did forget to ask who makes these gorgeous flowers, can anyone tell me, by chance?

My girls seeing who has bigger muscles...can you tell road trip boredom hasn't set in yet? lol :)

The Marine Atlantic small and large ferries that travel between North Sydney, Nova Scotia and Port aux Basques, Newfoundland.

Natalia catching a little cat nap. Awe, kids are so sweet while they sleep...

Alexandria checking out the view from the airport observation tower. The girl working as Flight Service Specialist kindly let us up for a look.

Makeovers in the car. Natalia receiving the royal treatment from Alexandria...

This was too funny not to share. I guess you'd have to be Nova Scotian or from Cape Breton to understand, though! lol :) A "Caper" is someone from Cape Breton. The "drive 'er" is a funny slang term that we use here to go fast.

On our way home the fog was starting to move in, but we got this pic looking down off Kelly's Mountain.

Starting to get dark now, Jim switched over to his Night sunglasses. They are awesome for driving at night, they make it look like daytime again. The girls had to try them on. Here's Natalia Bono...

And, Alexandria Bono! lol :)

I have more pics to share soon of more road trips. We also leave tomorrow for another trip. I think we're gonna need a vacation from our vacation! Can you believe the summer is over half way over?

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)