Tying Ribbon

I'm picky. Yep, I am. And, I'm not even going to apologize for it. As the saying goes, "anything worth doing is worth doing right" and all that.

So, when I'm tying ribbon, I want it to look really, really good. I'd like it to look perfect, if possible, which really isn't. In order for the bow to look as good as I can make it, I have to work really, really hard at tying it. 'Cause I'm really not that good at tying bows.

And apparently, my bow making ability is tied (ha ha - tied) directly into my genioglossus muscle. 'Cause it's impossible for me to tie a proper bow without engaging that particular muscle.

Yep, long story short, that paragraph above is just my fancy way of saying that I can't tie a bow without sticking my tongue out.

(It's kinda also my way of saying that I really didn't have anything to say about anything interesting.)

Digi is from Tiddly Inks.  (For the record I'd like to point out that there is no red on this card.  That is a dark pink colour, not red.  Just sayin'.)

For:

Tiddly Inks:  anything goes
Jelly Park:  Christmas
Crafts 4 Eternity:  non-traditional Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks:  Christmas
Crafty Girls:  anything goes
As You Like It:  fave digi & why - Confession:  I can't pick a fave digi.  I don't have a fave digi, just like I don't have a fave song, fave tv show, fave movie etc.  I like what I like at the time, and then something new will come take its place and that will be my "fave".  Picking a fave seems too final, ya know?  Anyways, before this get even longer.....I will say that Tiddly Inks is my fave stamp company as I like almost every single image in the store rather than just a few.  If that doesn't qualify for this challenge, I'll totally understand.
Aud Sentiments:  any sentiment
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  add metal/use a charm
Crafty Ribbons:  anything goes with ribbon
Paper Crafting Journey:  bling it up
By Lori Designs:  use paper
Clear It Out:  anything goes + snowflake (on paper)
Creative Craft:  non-traditional Christmas colours
Oldie But a Goodie:  ribbon and/or lace + old stash - patterned papers, Thickers, brad
Ribbon Carousel:  holidays & celebrations
Crafting From the Heart:  anything goes
Crafty Bloggers Network:  Christmas
Cutie Pie Challenge:  cute backgrounds & scenes
Inkspirational:  anything goes
Challenges 4 Everybody:  anything goes
Come And Get It:  anything goes + use a digital stamp
Pile It On:  non-traditional Christmas
Sentimental Sundays:  winter wonderland
Corrosive Challenges:  happy holidays

Off the Edge @ Little Red Wagon

This week at



the challenge is "Off the Edge" which means Joanne wants to see your projects with something hanging over the sides, or edges.

Something like this....

As you can see, the hearts, trim and sentiment are overhanging the cardstock. See simple!

Digis, image and sentiment, are from Tiddly Inks.

Why not head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up. And be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have done.

Shaker Cards Are Awesome

Aren't they though? They're easy enough to make (I mean really, if I can do it, anyone can do it) and they are meant to impress.

I coloured on textured cardstock again.  'Cause that's awesome too.  Not giving-a-shaker-card-to-someone-who-doesn't-craft-so-they-don't-know-that-they're-not-that-hard-to-make-so-they're-touched-that-you-went-through-all-that-effort-just-for-them awesome, much more of a hey-I'm-really-enjoying-doing-this-technique-'cause-I-get-to-be-lazier-'cause-I-don't-have-to-use-oms awesome.

Digi is from Dilly Bean Stamps. 

For:

Dilly Beans:  brads and/or eyelets - snowflake is a brad
Crafting From the Heart:  anything goes
Crafty Bloggers Network:  Christmas
Sparkle N Sprinkle:  anything goes + glitter, flocking and/or embossing powder
4 Crafty Chicks:  anything goes
Paper Crafting Journey:  bling it up
Penny's Paper Crafty:  anything goes
Crafts 4 Eternity:  glitter & sparkle
Catered Crop:  animal antics
Challenges 4 Everybody:  anything goes
Come and Get It:  anything goes + use a digital stamp
Allsorts:  bring on the bling
Ribbon Carousel:  holidays & celebrations
Use It Tuesdays:  anything goes + hoarded supplies - snowflake brad, tinsel trim
Clear It Out:  anything goes + snowflake
Scrap-Creations:  make it sparkle

The Card That Didn't Want To Get Made

Ever have one of those? Well, this birthday card I made sure was one. I originally was going to go with a digi from Mo's Digital Pencil. I coloured it up twice, once on white paper and once on kraft, and blah. (That's my colouring job, not the stamp.) So, I tried a different digi, this one an older one from Tiddly Inks. Coloured it up twice too. And yeck, not good. (Again, not the digi's fault.)

But then I got lucky because there was a new release from Tiddly Inks, which was in the same theme as the other to stamps I tried to work with (girl/woman with cake/cupcake). And, I was able to make it happen.

You know what? This even worked out better than what I was going to originally do anyways.

Sentiment stamp was a freebie from Create With Tlc.

I don't know why I always seem to have to stick a button on cards that are going in the mail.  It's not like I want to have to put two regular stamps on and then an extra 7¢ stamp.  But, the bow just looked so indecently naked without it that I just couldn't let it go that way.

 For:

Tiddly Inks:  anything goes
Sketch N Stash: sketch + lots of layers
Cutie Pie:  little cuties
Crafty Girls:  anything goes
Sister Act:  anything goes
Di's Digi Design:  girly
{PIN}spirational:  inspiration photo
Ribbon Carousel:  holidays & celebrations + spooled item
Created With Love:  anything goes
Creative Card Crew:  pearls
Deep Ocean:  favourite colour combo - I love blue and black together.  I also love bold colours.

Accordion Fold @ Little Red Wagon

This week at



Joanne wants to see an accordion fold. Well technically not Joanne. This was a leftover from Carolyn. I think she laughed maniacally when she decided on this challenge. Personally, I think all us Girlfriends should tie her to a chair and make her come up with a project for this challenge. And we'll put her scoring board on the table juuuuuuuust out of reach.

Though really, I honestly shouldn't be complaining. This challenge forced inspired me to come up with something I would probably never would have done otherwise. And I was actually pleased with how it turned out.

And here it is.......

Now, you're probably all like....."Ummmmmmm, hello? Where's the accordion fold? Poor dear, she must not know what an accordion fold is."

But, look, I do so.

Ta da! And, for the record, I'd just like to say that my thumb is in no way hiding the fact that I had originally put the velcro in a different spot but had to change it because the star wouldn't stay closed properly and a bit of the paper came off when I moved it, nope in no way at all.

Ha ha, take that Carolyn.

Why not show Carolyn that you won't let her challenging challenge beat you either? Make your own project and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up. And be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have done.

I Tried Something New

(Looking for my Little Red Wagon post? Ha, I hid it! [insert evil laughter] And if my super-secret plan to pour glue in your mouse scrolly wheel has worked, you'll never find it. [insert more evil laughter])

So, as the title says, I tried something new. Well, not new new. It's not like I'm the first person to ever do it or anything. In fact this blogger here does it, quite beautifully and much lovelier than I.  (Be sure to stay a bit and check out her other cards.  They are amazing!)  But, it was new to me. And, I quite liked the effect, and the process.

And here it is......

See, I coloured on textured cardstock. 'Cause sometimes it wants to feel pretty too.

Actually, the entire card is a bit on the "different" side. A not-really-a-Christmas-image digi from Tiddly Inks, texture paste, a whole lotta black for a holiday card, and different for me, not many layers, no patterned paper and ink stamped holly.

And, one more difference, I actually really like it - yay!

For:

Tiddly Inks:  anything goes
LEJ Designs:  season's greetings
Cuttin and Stampin:  anything goes with a family twist
Challenges 4 Everybody:  anything goes
Crafty Bloggers Network:  Christmas
Use Your Stuff:  limited supplies
Artistic Inspirations:  use a sentiment
Card Mania:  anything goes
Crafty Calendar:  all things Christmas
Sweet Stampin':  Christmas is coming
Pile It  On:  show us your tools - Silhouette machine, embossing folder
Shopping Our Stash:  use something already on desk - cardstock, red Stickles

Keep in Trim @ Little Red Wagon

This week at



Jayne's clever-with-the-words challenge is "Keep in Trim" which means she wants to see projects using trim.

This is what I did.....

And as you can see I used some burlap.....which I have to admit, I'm now wondering if burlap is actually considered trim. I dunno....I guess I'll leave it up to Jayne to decide. She's a stickler, that Jayne, she might tell me I whip up a new project, something a little more fitting. So, watch this space! ;-)

You know you've got some trim laying around so why not make something and then head on over to Little Red Wagon and enter the challenge. And be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have done.

What's Schnew??

Had a chance to do some crafting today - yay! Might have a chance to do a bit more crafting too - yay! This is what I made so far......

I wasn't happy with the fact that I managed to get some schnew on the corner of the sentiment. I hate it when schnew shows up on my projects.

Anyone else not happy with Blogger's picture sizes? X-large is gigantic and large is too small.  I downsize my photos for uploading so I just go with Original Size, which works, but I still like to complain anyways.

Digi is from Birdie Brown, and remember she's closing down her shop at the end of the month so if you want any of her digis, you best grab them!

Oh, and you might be asking yourself, "What's schnew?"  And of course, the answer to that is:

"Nothing.  What schnew with you?"

Bwah hahahahahahahahahaha

For:

Sweet Sketch:  sketch
Card Mania:  anything goes
Incy Wincy:  ribbon, twine or fibers
Love to Scrap:  anything goes
Cutie Pie:  bingo - bow, buttons, flowers
Pile it On:  animals with character
The Squirrel & the Fox:  animal antics
Totally Papercrafts:  button it up
Papertake Weekly:  anything goes
Ribbon Carousel:  holidays & celebrations + spooled item
By Lori Designs:  ribbon & bows
Divas By Design:  use a digi
Penny's Paper-Crafty:  lots of layers
Aud Sentiments:  feminine

Christmas Tags @ Little Red Wagon

This week at



Rosanne wants to see (insert whiny voice) Christmas tags. I've said it in the past....tags are not my fave thing to make. For some reason, I just can't do 'em. So, off to Pinterest I went for some inspiration. I found this link, and I made......

....this.

Meh. I love the idea, but I don't think I nailed it. Plus, I was being a stash conscious crafter and I was using up a scrap of ribbon when I should have just hacked into a long piece of much wider more scarf-like full piece of ribbon instead.

(Pssst. Don't tell Rosanne, but stuck my tag on a card just after I snapped this pic. :-) )

You know can do better than this so why not head on over to Little Red Wagon and enter the challenge. And be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have done.

Use Vellum @ UnstampaBelles

Hard to believe we're into November now but we are and that means a new challenge at UnstampaBelles. This month we want to see vellum. Just remember - no stamps!

This is what I made.....

Sentiment is a rub on and other than that, there's really not much to say.

So, why not head over to UnstampaBelles and enter the challenge. You have until November 30th to do so and you'll have the chance to win a great prize.