Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Happy, Happy Birthday! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at


it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Happy, Happy Birthday!" which just means I'd like to see those birthday makes.

I've got a number of birthdays 'round me in the first couple month of the year, so it's not hard for me to come up with something birthday themed.  This is what I did.....


I made this card for my oldest who is turning 22 in less than two weeks.  I decided I'd try to be a bit clever with the design and added a little die cut 2 to the 2 in the sentiment (from Create With TLC).  As long as nobody thinks it should be read as "Happy Birthday to to you" or "Happy Birthday 22 you" I think it'll be okay.  (:  I've also used some old stash brads that look like screws just to jazz it up a bit.  

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

A Place to Start:  anything goes
Simon Says:  anything goes
Crafting Happiness:  celebrations
Double Trouble:  keep us in stitches
Dream Valley:  hip to be square
Make My Monday:  favourite theme from 2022 - #185 Birthday Wishes
613 Avenue Create:  anything goes
Allsorts:  stripes
Crafty Catz:  add a die cut
Creative Fingers:  anything goes
AAA Birthday:  anything birthday goes


Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Sea You Then! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at


it's Shani's turn to choose the challenge (her first one as a Girlfriend - yay!) and she's saying, "Sea You Then!" which means she wants to see those makes that include sea/ocean elements on your project, so think ocean, lighthouses, seashells, seagulls, boats, nautical themes etc.  

This is what I did....


When I starting thinking about what I would do for this challenge, this song starting playing in my head.  Not that it's part of my playlist or anything.....but I'm betting almost everyone knows this song from hearing it on TV or some other media on the like.  When it kept on going, persistently I might add, I decided, why not?  And that's how this card was born.  

Boat die is from Taylor Expressions and the background was cut with my Silhouette.  That was a bit of a slog.  Made me remember why I like dies better as I watched multiple pieces of cardstock being dragged all over the mat by the blade instead of the blade, you know, just cutting the cardstock and leaving it put.  Then, somehow, a piece of paper came unstuck from the mat (and this was a brand new mat) and ended up over the top of the feeder bar.  Like, how???  I will say, my Silhouette probably made the card quicker for me to put together as I didn't have much of a choice as what shade of blue to use where because often times there was only one piece that was useable for a spot.  And let's just say, the sentiment is placed strategically.  I will admit though, I found fitting the pieces into the background quite enjoyable.  So much so that I when and bought some no-name background dies - ha, take that Silhouette!  (:

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

As You Like It:  favourite reason to send a card - My favourite reason to send a card is just because!  I think people appreciate it when you let them know you are thinking of them.
Ellibelle's:  anything goes
Paper Funday:  anything goes
A Place to Start:  anything goes
Make My Monday:  fave challenge from 2022 - Summer Fun
613 Avenue Create:  anything goes
Corrosive:  anything goes
Allsorts:  blue
Crafty Calendar:  add a sentiment
Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Baby, It's Cold Outside! @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at


it's Doni's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Baby, It's Cold Outside!" which means she wants to see those winter makes.

Usually, when you think of winter in Canada, especially in Ontario, you think of snow.  We were certainly thinking of snow at Christmas time when a fairly epic multi-day snowstorm hit which left people stranded, caused accidents and damage, closed roads and had many families have postpone their Christmas events.  We were lucky, all my Babies and *Sub-Babies were tucked in here on the Thursday night (23rd) with plans to stay for the duration.  We also didn't lose power, which was surprising, given the high winds.  So, we ended up having a cozy Christmas, and were able to make the short drive to my dad's place on Christmas Day and the even shorter drive to my mil's on Boxing Day so it didn't end up affecting us too much.  

Thing is, we're not exactly thinking of snow now.  Because after all that snow, the temps rose and then it rained for....it feels like.....two weeks.  So, all that's left of snow around here are some crusty, rock hard snowdrifts that just didn't get completely melted before the temps went back below freezing.

Guess what I'm saying is, if you want to see snow from 'round here, you'll have to make due with this card....


...which features purple snow - ha!  I used a snowflake from a Close to My Heart set I bought at a garage sale some time ago.  It's actually one of my favourite clear stamp sets.  Inked up two different snowflakes with Versamark and then used embossing powder.  Even though I used an Embossing Buddy on the cardstock before inking, I did have some stray embossing powder stick....so I just doubled down on that and purposely sprinkled both ep purples and made it part of the design.  Die for the sentiment and rectangle is from Stamplorations.  

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

*If you're wondering what a Sub-Baby is, that's the group term I use for my kids' SOs.  My daughter actually came up with it when we were having a conversation about....well.....pecking order, I guess you could say.  She was (jokingly) trying to get me to say I loved her SO the most out of the SOs.  I, of course, did the classic Mom thing and said I loved them all the same.  That morphed into a conversation about how, technically, I loved my three kids, a little more than the three SOs, because, well, other than the obvious, I said that if anything were to go down, I would definitely be choosing my kids over the SOs.  So, while I loved the SOs too and did consider them as my Babies (as they were granted the same circumstances as back when I would 'adopt' kids into our family if I was taking charge of them, for example, if I was taking a teammate of my kids to a sporting event, it meant they didn't have to pay for anything, but in return they had to listen to me when I told them to put on sunscreen etc.) only theirs was a permanent adoption, but they had to be ranked just a smidge, just a lil titch, below my Babies.  Her response:  "Oh, so they're Sub-Babies then."  And the rest is history.  

Also for:

Creative Fingers:  anything goes
My Time to Christmas Craft:  favourite technique - Using embossing powder!  (:
ABC Christmas:  A for anything
Ellibelle's:  anything goes
The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes
Crafty Calendar:  add a sentiment
A Place to Start:  anything goes
Use Your Stuff:  real or faux stitching
Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas
We Love Stamping:  favourite colours - I love me some purple!

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

New Beginnings! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at


Chrissy is kicking off 2023 with the most fitting of challenges, "New Beginnings!"  She wants to see those makes about anything new like new jobs or new homes or....


....new babies!  There are a number of my nieces/nephews (by marriage) who are in the having babies stage of their lives so I like to use challenges like this to add to the stash.  Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.

I hope 2023 is off to a wonderful start for all of you!

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

My Time to Craft:  welcome to the world, baby
Ellibelle's:  anything goes
Simon Says:  something new
A Place to Start:  anything goes
Make My Monday:  something new
613 Avenue Create:  anything goes