~Hugs & Kisses..

Since the clear-top hinged tins filled with PaperTrey Holiday Treats covered chocolates were such a big hit at Christmas, it was a given I would be making Valentine's Day tins using the Sweet Love set. The printed papers are from my local scrapbook store which has recently changed hands. I'm looking forward to all the new products they will be offering and their new website. The covered tea tin, of course was filled with special Valentine dog treats for Zoë.

~Classical Elegant Notes..

Every time I pull this Stampin' Up! Elegant Notes set off the shelf I think of my multi- talented niece. She is not the typical teenager with earplugs in her ears and an iPod hanging from around her neck listening to rock and rap. Her iPod is full of Rachmaninoff and Schumann, Beethoven and Satie, Oboe Adagios and Piano Concertos with an occasional U2, Coldplay or Beatles track stuck in here and there. She is a straight A honur student who serves on her highschool's Senate, plays the piano and the oboe, and holds an after school job. As a Christmas gift I made her a box of thank you cards using this set. I embossed soft white Arturo cards from Ellen Hutson's online store using my rectangular Nestability dies. The text stamp from Elegant Notes was inked with SU Soft Sky and stamped in the center of the rectangle. Half of the cards were stamped with the treble clef and half with the base clef in Buckaroo Blue as an overlay. The Thank You sentiment was also stamped in Buckaroo Blue. The finished cards placed in a Clearly Creative Box from Papertrey and tied with Martha Stewart's Cloud Piped Nylon ribbon.

~Fun Fall Water Bottles..

Each year our local senior center hosts a craft faire to help welcome our northern winter visitors. One of my good friends asked me if I would help fill her table with some of my work so i got busy trying to come up with something colourful, unique, and fun. After I made a couple of these recycled from my hurricane disaster preparedness stash of water bottles I decided to forward the idea on to my niece who is always looking for cute and unusual handouts to her Senate friends. I AM expecting a photo of her handy work any day... *HINT HINT* The stamp sets and ink are from Stampin' Up!, the ribbon is from my ribbon stash, and the paper from my scrap drawer.

~Nature's Touch Guided by an Artistic Hand..

One touch of nature
Makes the whole world kin
~W. Shakespeare

Words that come to mind when I think of a talented lady with a warm smile and a big heart.

For months a simple choker made of jade and silver, strung on leather latigo, a necklace of no real value but that of a favorite piece of jewelry, lay on my dresser in pieces unable to be worn gathering dust. Not too long ago it was my good fortune to "meet" a multi-talented artist restorationist and poet from southern California. Not only does she create some of the most beautiful southwestern style jewelry but she also, much to my happy surprise, is a creator of cards as well. This is the card I made for Cynthia in thanks for the the restoration work she did for me on my little necklace.

{ walking the dogs walking me }

I was thrilled when I ran across this stamp set from My Favorite Things Stamps, since I am an avid dog lover and the BIG dog reminded me of my Great Danes that were my best friends for over 35 years. Although I coloured this Dane the traditional fawn colour it is the only colour I've not actually owned. I'm sure you will see a brindle, a blue, a merle, and of course the beautiful harlequin, appearing on my cards from time to time. My last Great Dane, Catherine was a harlequin -those flashy black and white spotted dogs. After Catherine crossed The Rainbow Bridge two and a half years ago, I decided after much contemplation to downsize and Zoe, my Whippersnapper, has been a part of my life ever since. Whippets have an entirely different personality from the Danes. The dog walks me now rather than I walk the dog.

Stamps Sets:
MFT Samps - Lets Go For a Walk and PaperTrey
Paper:
SU Very Vanilla, Barely Banana, DCWV Old World Stack, Watercolour Paper
Ink:
Stazon Black,
Accessories:
SU Barely Banana Ribbon, Create-a-Cut, Spare Parts

{ the shoppe girls }

I was so excited Friday when I went to the mailbox. My stamp sets from My Favorite Things arrived. So needless to say, I've been busy this weekend. The "Say Charge" set reminded me that my sister and niece are coming in just two weeks to spend a week an I am certain this is exactly what they, along with our Mom and myself will be going a good part of the time they are here. My niece is the "shopping queen if retail".

I was so pleased with the outcome of my first attempt that I sent Kim the image and she surprised and honoured me by reposting it in her My Favorite Things Blog. be sure to take some time to check out all she has to offer. You will be sure to see more of her stamps showing up on my cards. I can't wait to finish the "Lets Go For a Walk" images! They are my favorite subject.. DOGS.. of course!