March 6, 2010

Love is a Verb

I am so proud to introduce my first card as a guest designer for Cinema Saturday.  This is a challenge that I hold dear to my heart because it goes beyond thinking of colour combos and layouts.  It takes it a step farther to find that sentimental element that makes my creation more meaningful not just for me but for the recipient of my creation.

This weeks movie challenge is Dan in Real Life!  Dan’s an advice columnist on relationships but has a hard time keeping it real with his own relationships.  I must admit that I found the movie hard to watch only because it’s so true to life and awkward.  Life really is awkward isn’t it?  There’s no script for us to read off of, we only move forward with what we've learned through experience.  On some level, I’m sure anyone could relate with Dan. 

As awkward as the movie was, it had a great script.  Some of the lines were fantastic!  For example:

“Instead of telling our young people to plan ahead, we should tell them to plan to be surprised.”

“Life... is full of disappointments”

Cara Burns: You don't have to worry because when it comes to sex, Marty is the one that wants to wait.
Dan Burns: What part of that sentence is supposed to give me comfort?

As a mother, that line cracks me up and scares me all at the same time. But I digress; the line I chose to focus on was the one about LOVE.

“Love is not a feeling, Mr. Burns. It's an ability.”  There’s a point in the movie where Dan talks to Marie about this and Marie points out that Dan’s daughter is gifted because she has a strong ability to love Dan.  This dialogue got my wheels turning.  


There are many days when I don’t feel very loving. In fact, there are days, when I think I’d rather be out digging ditches than at home with my kids trying to ‘survive’.  I argue with them (as calmly as I can of course :) because I love them and I’m trying to point them in the right direction.  I listen to them (or at least try to) when they have something on their mind.  I encourage them to keep practicing their reading or spelling or music lessons because I see how their accomplishments give them confidence.  I persist and I dig deeper inside myself to find patience, kindness, and forgiveness because I love them.  After that long thought, I remembered that it’s not only me.  My hubby does the same.

He can be so patient with them in areas that I am not.  He is able to teach them certain things that I don’t think to teach them. Since I’m human and not perfect, he’s takes over the loving and nurturing when I’m completely tapped out. It was with these fond thoughts of my dh that I decided to make him a Father’s Day card.  He may not say the ‘L’ word often but the kids could never doubt his love for them through his actions.

On another side thought, this movie made me realize that I am blessed because I am able to love.  It’s so hard to believe (and so sad) that there are people out there who are unable to love.  While loving my children might not always give me warm fuzzies and goosebumps, it is reassuring and rewarding to see them learning how to love.

A great big Thank You to Brooke and Sankari for giving me this opportunity. And Thanks to all of you for stopping by.  If you haven't done this challenge I think you might be seriously surprised at what can be inspired through your interpretation of a movie.  I can't wait to see what you create!  Happy crafting.
Sorry this is late but there was an issue with blogger or my scheduled posting time.

Paper:  Blue Bayou, So Saffron dp, Barely Banana, whisper white, SU! dp in old olive (various)
Accessories: fiskars heart punch, MS border punch, small corner rounder, New Leaf buttons (PTI), green half pearls.


March 5, 2010

March Viva La Verve #1

Good afternoon friends!  Happy Friday!!  Are you enjoying the festivities and challenges for Verves release party?  I know I will be.  I always inspiring to see something new (even if I can't buy it all).  Last night I managed to come up with this card.  I was very surprised because I've been struggling all week to make something I really liked.  This week I learned two very important lessons when it comes to this craft.  Firstly, I should always start with a challenge that inspires me the most regardless of the "due date".  Secondly, too many ideas can be just as bad if not worse than having none.  Having too many makes it hard for me to commit to anything!  My six year old daughter was the one who ended up encouraging me to stick with one of my ideas when I became discouraged.  The end results were better than I was expecting and you'll see that card tomorrow for the Cinema Saturday Challenge. What do you do when you're stuck in a creative rut?  I'd love to hear your helpful hints :)

Anyhow, on with the card. I chose to use the shabby cottage kitchen picture. I liked the creams and neutrals with a very small hint of mellow colour (I chose Blush Blossom).  For the distressed country feeling I sanded the swiss dot panel and the two panels I made using the Hundred Hearts stamp set. (Those hearts are the main reason I bought that set).  The edges were distressed using my scissors (no fancy tools) and I lightly sponged over the swiss dot and panel edges.  I couldn't decide on what coloured ribbon I wanted to use so I used both :) Now my favourite part of this card is the butterfly made out of the same fabric I used for my first Mojo Card this week. I like how the beading turned out for the body and antennae. This is just one of those projects where everything fell nicely into place and it was relaxing to create.  I'm also happy to have something pretty to enter the EBTKS fabric challenge.

Thanks so much for popping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Blush Blossom,
Ink:  Soft Suede
Accessories:  Beautiful Butterflies die, fabric, glass beads, very vanilla ribbon, Chatterbox kit ribbon, wire, Perfect Polkadot ef
Stamps: Hundred Hearts (Verve)

March 4, 2010

Another Mojo Try :)

Here's another try at the Mojo challenge and the Embellish Challenge.  It fits the the Embellish challenge because it has a cross stitched border on the left and a scalloped trim on the circle made with 1/4" punched circles.  It doesn't have to be a full border does it?

I found it really hard incorporating the peach as it's not a colour I work with very often and all I had were scraps of Apricot Appeal.  It was definitely a colour challenge but there's no way I was going to let the colour peach discourage me!!

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful week wherever you may be.  Right now I'm enjoying some beautiful sunshine after a great fall of rain last night.  Just beautiful!  Thanks for hoping by.

Paper:  SU! dp, whisper white, pink pirouette, apricot appeal
Ink: Certainly Celery and Old Olive markers
Accessories: pink floss, 1 3/4" and 1/4" circle punch, pink brads, large corner rounder punch, Chipboard (Scenic Route)
Stamps: Key to My Heart (Practicing Creativity)

March 3, 2010

Easter Mojo.

Does the colour scheme look familiar?  That would be because it was my attempt at doing the current Embellish Magazine challenge except that I forgot the border!  That's about how my creativity is going this week.  I'm lost.  Me thinks it's time to take a couple of days break and read a good book.  And I would except that I'm the guest designer for Cinema Saturday this week and I want to come up with something more than just nice.  I've been wanting to win that Audrey Award since before Christmas and now that time has finally come and I'm stuck!  My guess is that's what separates the pros from the amateurs and I am very much still an amateur!

Anyhow, this card does fill two other wonderful challenges 1) Mojo Monday 2) Everything But the Kitchen Sink (EBTKS).  This is another challenge that I try hard to participate in.  Their monthly sketches are based on something around the house and then they have another monthly challenge using an element from around the house.  It's all very outside the box and I find it helps find a greater depth in my creativity.  I was so delighted and honoured to make the top 5 for EBTKS last sketch challenge. Thanks ladies! Their next challenge is to add fabric to your project.  The bottom and top flower layers are fabric from a birthday dress that my mom made for my daughter a few years back.  It was a beautiful dress with a peach petticoat and venetian lace that I had pick up during my last visit to meet my Italian in-laws. 

The card isn't very fancy but I think it's still pleasant to the eye and sentimental (just the way I like them).  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Paper: Mellow Moss, Groovy Guava, Lemon Tart (PTI), Chatterbox dp (pink lines), Bridgeport dp (SEI)
Ink:  Mellow Moss
Accessories: Pearls, fabric, flower die, large corner rounder punch
Stamps: Happy Easter (Verve; Plain Jane)

March 2, 2010

Baby Boy

This one is late Karen's last Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  I just never had time to get it done but I had something in mind for a baby card and had to see it through.  I took the opportunity to use up some of the scraps from my Son's scrapbook.  There's a picture of his introduction page included at the bottom.  It's so hard to believe that my baby will be 3 next week!! 

For the card I used a new ribbon treatment (for me) that seems to be really popular lately and did some zigzag stitching around the edges.  The paper is from an SU! Simply Scrappin' kit! of a couple of year back.  The stars fit perfectly with that Verve Plain Jane!  The sentiment is just that...sentimental.  Twinkle, Twinkle happens to be both of my boys' favourite song.  There was a time when they would not settle for bed until I had sung it at least once.  Even now, my youngest likes to hear Twinkle Twinkle, You are my Sunshine, My Bonny, and Brahm's Lullaby. It has to be in that particular order too!  Good memories to be sure!

Hope you're having a fabulous week!  Happy Crafting!

Paper: SU! dp Apricot Appeal, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Ink:  Wild Wasabi
Accessories:  Orange Zest ribbon (PTI), Green Rhinestones
Stamp: Little Star (Verve)

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