~Once Upon a Sketch~

Hi friends! I promise I am still here! Stopping by today to say hello and share a little creation with you!

Recently, I was invited by my dear friend, Nadia Cannizzo, to join her spectacular challenge blog, Once Upon a Sketch, as a guest designer for the month of December! My heart fluttered a little bit because I have never really been very successful with sketches and interpreting them into my own work. Somehow my creations always steer their own path and I end up with something entirely different...

So I thought about the challenge and decided that it was time I learned how to follow a sketch! No better way to do so, than with a sketch challenge blog like Nadia's, if you ask me! The artistry on her blog is such an inspiration and all it took was a simple visit, to make me say, YES, I'd love to do it!!!

So here is the sketch and journalling challenge I got to use as inspiration!

December 1st Challenge

Journalling Criteria/theme: The thing I look most forward to in December.

Write at least 2 sentences on what you look forward to in the next month. December is a festive month so your journalling could be about the Christmas season, the holidays, the presents or if you do not celebrate Christmas what does December bring for you that you look most forward to? Note:You layout DOES NOT have to be about Christmas! It can be about anything December brings.

Other ideas for journalling: an annual holiday or celebration, a specific event such as putting up the Christmas tree or pre Christmas traditions you might have leading up to Christmas, family time, snow covered fields or warmer weather, time off work, school holidays, change of weather, new season fruit.

And here is my creation!

 I chose to create a card and focus on one of my favourite quotes....I really enjoy going home for the holidays. Home really is where the heart is!

The Christmas holidays are really the only time of the year that I get to be with my family for more than a weekend, and it is pretty much the only time that we are all there together. It also helps that my fiance's family lives in the same town, so it minimizes our travels quite a bit and we are all able to be together for Christmas! We usually get at least a full week of visiting at home and it is wonderful! 

For this card, I used the Simple Stories Generations paper..

And spent some quality time with my scissors :) I just adore fussy cutting! 

For the background, I used this Prima stamp, and some Distress Inks to soften the harsh white.  The little cherub is an item I found in a craft store quite a while ago, which I distressed and painted white.

I am so happy that I decided to join the challenge and try and stick to the sketch inspiration! It wasn't easy....But I think I could get good at this...Or at least, I hope!

Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you'll visit the Once Upon a Sketch blog to check out how you can play along!!!

*Ivana*

                        ~TCM Sale!~

  Just about everything in the store is marked down from 25% to 60%!!!                     Most items are down to 1 or 2, so be sure to shop early for the best selection!

LaBlanche Stamps - 25% off!!

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads, Re-inkers and Stains - 25% off!!

Maya Road, Pink Paislee, Echo Park and My Mind's Eye - 50% off!!!

Little Frieda & Friends stamp sets - 50% off!!! 

Crate Paper and Graphic 45 - 60% off!!!

There is even a referral bonus, and you can check out all the details here.

Happy shopping!

*Ivana*

~Webster's Black Friday Deals and Steals~

Even if your turkey celebrations ended a long time ago (like they did for me!), why not take part in one of the great traditions of the upcoming US Thanksgiving holiday...

Black Friday!

Webster's will help you get in the mood for Black Friday by offering a truly amazing sale with these two limited edition kits!

Each kit includes a pile of product and even a free project, complete with instructions!

These deals start at midnight (EST) this Thursday, and expire at midnight (EST) on Sunday.

The kits are in very limited quantities, so hurry and get yours before they are all gone!

(Kit is valued at $65, will sell for ONLY $25)

Find out all the details, here.

To all my friends South of the border, Happy Tukey Day!

*Ivana* 

~Do you ever feel this way?~ 

Hello all! I took some time this morning to reflect upon the past several months...I always get into a very reminiscent mood this time of year. Could be the approaching new year, could be that things usually slow down at this time allowing me some time to think...

I can't say that I have any regrets from this previous year, only tiny reminders of things I could have avoided/done differently. None too important to dwell on right now...

But what really stood out for me, were all the thoughts of things I had accomplished and moments I've treasured... Taking the time to reminisce about some of my favourite days.

My thoughts brought me to this past summer...
We normally travel in the summer, and this past year was an exception...We actually stayed put.  For the whole summer!  And you know what? It was kind of nice.

Sure we were busy. But we always are. As hard as it is sometime, I've learned just how important it is to take a time out. Even if it means that you have to say no to someone or something. Even if you feel beyond guilty about taking a day or two for just yourself and your family. It isn't always easy, but it is always worth it.

One of my favorite days happened to fall right on the busiest weekend at our store. It was sooooo hard for me to take that personal time. The truth is, my parents were coming in for a muchly over-due visit, and our plans had been set in place long before we had known of the events that would be going on that weekend at the store.

It was hard to not be there. But as I look back, I am so glad I  took the time to cherish every minute with my parents here.Our time together was wonderful.

One of the places we visited is a well-known acreage a little ways out of the city...It's the kind of place where you can really feel at one with the nature...The owners have done a wonderful job turning the entire area into an  unforgettable experience...They provide everything from a u-pick, to a fabulous little restaurant and even a cute gift-shop...Not to mention the charming nursery on-site and the acres upon acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.

We spent an entire afternoon there, enjoying the fresh air and all the scenery. 

I took quite a few photos, and this one is probably my favourite of the day. It captures exactly what I think of when I think of that day.
Content. Serenity. Family. Time Well Spent.

So  after months of scrapbooking hiatus, I found my inspiration.
With just a few thoughts, and a picture of my mom, I sat down, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't want to create a card, or an altered item, or even a mini album. I wanted to create a layout.
One perfect page. Of a perfect day. And my idea of a perfect person.

It really does make a difference when you create from the heart. All the little details on this layout would have normally been too tedious for me if I was rushing to get a project done, or if I was trying to create in between work, deadlines, and all of life's other important things.  That's one of the reasons cardmaking is my preferred creative outlet. Despite all the detail,  with a card, I can still create something special in a period of time that works with my life.

But for this page, I took the time. I am so glad I did. I love the way it turned out. 

I used soft colors not only because I love them, but also because that is something my mom and I share. 

She loves the soft pastels just as much I as I do.

I thought Kaiser Craft's beautiful collection was perfect for this.

I worked in some softly glittered Prima blooms and a handful of shabby little roses I bought from Michael's a while back.

To work in the pink color - which was surprisingly hard to find - I painted a few of the chipboard buttons and the pretty Webster's Pages grand lace.

The words are from a Diction sticker sheet by Authentique. It's a fabulous collection of words, in just the right size, for just about any topic. Once you start playing with them...Let me tell you... 

I know you'll love em as much as I do :)

I guess it's not that my inspiration for scrapbooking ever really left..I suppose I just needed a break, more than anything.

My thoughts this morning left me with a desire to re-live some of the perfect moments of the year past, and I just felt this need to scrapbook this photo and bring the good moments back to life.

Do you ever feel this way?
I really hope I'm not the only one :)

*Ivana*

~Ornaments~
Hi y'all! I hope you are having a lovely Thursday morning :)

I have been busy creating Xmas decor for the past little while...Did you see my shabby banner in the post below?

I thought I would continue with the trend and whip up some decorations for my tree as well! 

(The tree skirt I promised is still a little ways away...Hopefully I can get it done in time for this holiday season)

Today, I will share a few ornaments I've created, using ordinary household items and how I've dressed them up with some of my favourite Webster's embellishments!

But first, I want to share a pic of my tree (which, btw, has been up for almost two weeks now! lol)

Can you tell which ornaments are handmade? 

I know, you probably can, but I just wanted to share this pic as I couldn't believe how fun and easy it was to create ornaments that would fit my theme so perfectly...Ornaments that I could not find anywhere else!

If you still can't tell which ones are handmade, here they are  - all close up and personal!

You can find this post on the Webster's Pages blog today - along with more beautiful ornament ideas from DT member Stacey! Check it out right here!

Remember how I said I used basic household items to create these? The first ornament features a flower-like bloom that I created from unbleached coffee filters. Along with some help from Webster's bloomers, push pins and crocheted lace, it was a total snap to put together!

Next up, I re-purposed an old jar lid and added more yummy Webster's embellishments like the beautiful lace (which I painted) and a lovely vintage cameo silhouette (which also got a generous coating of paint and some glitter too!)

For this ornament, I scavenged the house and found an old cotton serving napkin - One that had lost all it's companions somewhere along the way...But not it's charm!

With no need for just one, I thought I'd make better use of it!

So I traced two identical star templates, cut them out and created a little hand-sewn star! 

Oh and here's the kicker - As you know, I am not very sew-savvy, so unless I wanted to tear apart one of my beloved pillows, I knew stuffing for this star would be impossible to find in my home...So what did I use?

Kleenex, of course! This time of year, there always seems to be an abundance of tissues kicking around the house :) 

To top off my ornament, I used a combo of tinsel trim and another pretty cameo silhouette!

Lastly, I added in a few more household elements for this ornament, like a coffee filter flower, wooden spool and some more of the beautiful fabric from my napkin, combined with a cameo from Webster's Pages and their beautiful, sparkly, tinsel trim!

With the weekend fast approaching, I hope this inspires you to create some ornaments yourself!
Wouldn't they make the loveliest gift?


*Ivana*

~Shabby Ruffles~

I've finally completed my latest project....A shabby, Noel banner for the housey :) 

I've looked many times for such a banner at local stores, and never had much luck in finding one...Figured it was best to dive into the project myself, as I could then make it exactly the way I had envisioned it...

I knew I wanted pale, shabby colors...And a good dose of glittery goodness...
I used this aaaaaaamazing Basic Grey paper, and a lots of chunky, vintage glitter for these alphas that have been in my stash for as long as I can remember :) They started out black, but with a touch of glue and lots of glorious glitter...They have been revived!
There's nothing quite like a good re-purpose :)

I added a few chunky buttons, and some vintage note paper...And the rest of the banner practically put itself together.

Ha who am I kidding?

I wish it was that easy!

Actually, it was quite a laborious (I really hope that that's a real word) procedure.... 

Between the 'shredded' paper flowers, and coffee filter blooms...It was quite a feat by the time all the pieces were ready to be assembled.

I also wanted to incorporate a bit of texture...Which I added to this banner with this netting fabric I had picked up a while back. 

I can still remember the look on the fabric store lady's face who must have thought I was mad for purchasing this odd-looking netting...

She gave me the 'what in the world will you ever do with this' look...And wasn't shy about it either!

Probably thinking that I was nothing more than a confused girl, hoping to sew a homely sweater out of the gawdy fabric that has been on their shelves since the 1800's...

I am not going to lie - her suspicious and judgmental looks  might have had something to do with the fact that I only bought half as much of the fabric I originally intended to...

Now that I look back, I wish I had bought the entire roll.

Since that fateful trip, I have never been able to find something similar to this material elsewhere...

It's a lot more pliable than burlap and it feels a lot softer too. I love the loosely netted look.

 Oh how I wish I had piles and piles of it left! 

I thought I'd immortalize it in this banner so that even when it has dissappeared from my stash, I'll always have a small reminder remaining. 

I have really grown fond of this fabric...Who would have thought?

Anyway, enough about my love affair with my beloved textile...I bet you just want to see the finished project.

So here it is! Our newest Christmas decor addition!

Next up on the project list - a handmade tree skirt!

Happy December everyone!

*Ivana*

Veteran's Day Weekend Sale!!!

~Sale Sale Sale!~

Thought you all might like to know about this....

Veteran's Day Weekend Sale!!!

The Craft's Meow is having a HUGE clearance sale... from now through Sunday, November 13th, everything in the store except for TCM stamp sets is on sale for 25% off!!!That means that items already marked down are an additional 25% off for even more savings!!! That also means that Tim Holtz ink pads, re-inkers and stains are 25% off, as are all LaBlanche stamps!!!

Quantities are limited and will not be restocked, so shop early for the best selection! We still offer free shipping in the US for orders of $65 or more and discounted shipping for international orders.

Don't forget, this sale is only through Sunday!!! Just enter the code VeteransDaySale at checkout.

Happy Shopping! 

*Ivana* 

~Good Cheer~

Hi everyone! Before I wrap up this week's posts, I want to say a sincere thank you for joining me this past week! I've had such fun sharing my Christmas cards with you all! Here's the last card of this set, using all the same items I've used in the previous cards! If you're interested, just scroll down to the other posts to get links of items I've used on all the cards.

I've had such fun with the challenge of using only a selected amount of goodies on these cards...I had a pile of papers, few stamps, a color or two of ink and a handful of tiny treasures like buttons, ribbons, and little metal hangers...I couldn't believe just how quickly these cards came together when I focused only on what I had in front of me...

For this card, I played a little bit with some liquid pearls to create a snowy effect on the teeny tree...A dash of glitter was all it took to spruce up this rustic card with a bit of holiday sparkle!

I added a paper banner with a button center, along with a stamped sentiment from my most favourite Christmas stamp by Technique Tuesday!

I will have many more Christmas projects coming up, but this is it for today folks! Hope you are having a wonderful day wherever you may be, and thank you for stopping by!

*Ivana*

~Season for Family & Friends~

Back again with another card today! And what a perfect winter day to blog about the upcoming holidays....

We had the pleasure of enjoying our first snowstorm of the season while driving home...Now that we are here, we get to enjoy a few peaceful days...And I plan to get my little hands busy with a few projects I've been meaning to start for a while now.

Before I get to work though, I'll share today's card with you!

This is one of the last cards I have to share with you...Again, a very simple design, that takes many of the same elements from my previous posts, just incorporated in a different way! 

In addition to the pretty paper I've used on this card (which is where I found this glorious vintage image of Santa Claus) I used these beautiful stamps and a few teeny treasures from my stash....Like the darling buttons and teensy jingle bell.

I added a few other elements like some baker's twine and white paint for a handmade touch.

Stay tuned for my last card -  I'll be posting it tomorrow!

*Ivana*

~Tis the Season~

Hi y'all!
Here to share my card for today! I didn't forget...However, today has been a busy day!
My sweetheart got his wisdom teeth pulled this morning and I am the 'officer on duty'... :)

I am so happy that this is happening now rather than two months fast forward... It should be plenty of time for him to heal and be ready for all the yummy goodies the holiday season brings about!

Speaking of the holiday season, here's another Christmas-y card for you!

Another simple creation, with a few of my favourite elements like this pretty paper from Authentique...

A beautiful ribbon from Maya Road, with the lovely sparkle of this crystal chandelier drop (also from Maya Road)...

A few stamps and a bit of distressing...And viola!

I'll be posting another card tomorrow! See you here!

*Ivana*

p.s. Click here for an awesome tutorial from Maya Road using the pretty rose trim I used above!

~Christmas Tags~

Quick post for today friends! It's been a busy morning...

So, I'm sharing a quick tag I made to accompany the cards I've been showing this week...

Simple and fun to make! Nothing but some paper, a few fussy-cut details, some lovely ribbon and a pretty sparkly accent! Plenty of room to write the recipients name on the back and even some room for a heartfelt sentiment!

Don't you just love simple creations!?

I know I do!

Wishing you a lovely day!

*Ivana*

~Most Wonderful Time~

Hi everyone! Although you'll be reading this tomorrow - I'm sitting here right now, after a long day, admiring our hard work...

Our tree, finally decorated, now stands tall and warms our room with a gentle glow and a beautiful holiday sparkle...The cider, slowly simmering, permeates every corner of the house with a much-loved, Christmas-y scent...

Our home has once again been transformed for the season, and it feels so good to finally get into the spirit of the upcoming holidays...

I love getting ready for the holiday season, and before I run off to finish up my latest holiday project (I'm working on a garland of sorts - stay tuned!), I am here to share another of my Christmas card creation! Hope it helps to get you in the Christmas spirit too!

This card is just another version of essentially the same basic ingredients as in the post prior.

 It's so fun and easy to create when you have all you need right at your fingertips...For this card, I used the same Authentique paper, from the Wonder collection...Combined with a bit of kraft cardstock and some fun with stamping!

I stamped a couple of snowflakes and used basic baker's twine with a Tim Holtz mini hanger to add some interest to this simple card...

The framed chipboard piece added some much needed dimension to the card, and my trusty Distress Inks (Black Soot and Frayed Burlap) were used to distress bits and pieces around the card as well as for the stamping..

To finish off the card, I added a tiny sentiment from this Technique Tuesday stamp set...

I'll be back again tomorrow as I showcase another creation!

*Ivana*

~A Merry Little Christmas~

Hi friends! Today, I am starting a new challenge for myself! I will be posting every day this week to show how you can use some very simple ingredients in creating lovely Christmas cards and tags. Simplicity is key, this time of year, as we all know. With the hoards of Christmas cards I have to make (and I'm sure you do too), I decided the best way to tackle the task would be to keep it simple! I've picked a color palette and a few key items and I thought I'd just dive right in! No fuss - just tons of crafting fun!

Look what I've come up with:

Here's a sneak of the several variations of cards and tags I've created. I cannot wait to show them all to you! 

I thought about waiting until tomorrow to feature the first card, but that would be no fun, right?

So here is the first card!

I've used a few beautiful papers from the Authentique Wonder collection, Kraft card stock and a lot of stamping and inking using one of my have Distress Ink colours, Frayed Burlap.

The stamped sentiment is form a gorgeous Christmas stamp set by Technique Tuesday...Love it to bits!

I used an EK Success punch for the black border...

And a beautiful sentiment from Authentique notables!

Meet me back here tomorrow for the next card! 

*Ivana*

~Miss Arts Free Class Event!~

**ETA: I've noticed some questions wondering where to find the class below - you can access this class right here!**

Has Halloween left you covered in sweet wrappers, partially duct tapped to your child's abandoned costume with a bank account balance that's more trick than treat? If your feeling more hallow than happy let Miss Art's headmaster treat you to a fantastic, but time sensitive offer. For this weekend only, (November 4 - 6th) enjoy a tuition free class designed to renew your creativity, and go easy on your wallet.  You can even snack on the candy "taxes" you've stolen from the kiddos while taking the class.  Beginning on Friday, November 4th, you will have 3 days to check out one of our most popular classes for free, no subscription needed. In “Layered Layouts”, you will accompany our inspired resident architect, Julie Winks, as she explains the essential underpinnings of daringly designed layouts. We hope to see you in the class room and if you enjoy our class that you'll be kind enough to leave an apple or a comment for the teacher.

Check out the gorgeous layout featured in the class!

Don't miss out on the fun - it all starts tonight, at 10pm EST!!!!

*Ivana

~Webster's Pages Door Hanger~


Hi everyone! Back again with another home decor Christmas creation!
I've wanted to decorate this door hanger for a while now...And I thought the Botanical Christmas collection from Webster's would be just the perfect fit! 

I've used this beautiful paper by Webster's Pages....

Along with some buttons and snowflakes from my stash...

This beautiful Webster's Pages Silhouette...

And a vintage spool with a jingle bell - I couldn't resist!

The wooden buttons I used got a generous coating of paint before joining their Christmasy-red counterparts! 

I think I'll put this lovely piece near my X-mas tree or maybe on one of our doors - go figure! :)

*Ivana*

~Webster's Pages November Challenge~


**Please scroll down to the next post for the Craft's Meow Blog Hop**

Hi everyone! I am so excited to share my creation with you today as it is a part of the challenge I am co-hosting over at Webster's Pages this month!
To find out all the details of this challenge and how you can play along, click here.

This month's challenge is all about home decor + Webster's Botanical Christmas collection! 

I loooooooved creating this Christmas wall hanging with the beautiful papers in this line! 

For fun, I added the Christmas postcard so that if you wish to gift it to someone special during the holidays, it can be a fun twist on a typical greeting card and it is something they can cherish and display for a long time to come.

Or if you like it as much as I like mine, you can always keep it for yourself! :)

Here's a close up of the beautiful postcard I've used from this paper.

I die-cut a few doilies and tags out of this paper  (the plain parts), and then I added a 'postcard' banner from the backside of  this paper.

I've also stamped a few images in a matching red and green ink to add a bit of color to the plain, wood frame....

And I've added a few pennants at the top of the frame from this Webster's paper.... 

Now I challenge YOU to create a home decor project with this beautiful Webster's collection and share it with us!
Click here for all the contest details!!!
The challenge starts today and runs until November 30th, 12 midnight PST. I will draw a winner from all the entries after the deadline! 

The winner of this challenge will have their project featured in the 2012 Webster's Pages Winter Catalog!

Good luck to everyone and I hope you play along!

*Ivana*