Bow For Bows! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Bow For Bows!" which means I want to see a bow on your project.  

This is what I did.....

Made this for my youngest, she's graduating high school this year.  In September she's off to Western University to start her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  Western was her first pick, so she was very excited when she was accepted.  Her best friend is also going to Western (for Engineering) so they are planning to room together.  There's actually a number of people she knows who attend Western so she won't be all by her lonesome.  And, it's only about a two hour drive from home, so that's good too.

Now, this might look like your standard card but.....

I foiled all over it - ha!  I know I'm late to the foiling game, but I do love it.  I just wish it would show itself off more, instead of having to tilt the card to see it.  Her high school's colours are blue and grey so that's what I went with.  I made the sentiment in Canva.

I had a bit of difficulty making this card since my craft desk is an absolute s@#tshow right at the moment as I was doing a lot of prep for Gala, the major fundraiser for the hospital foundation I work at (and I didn't have the time to clean it up).  Tons of work to put Gala together, not gonna lie, I'm happy it's over.  It's a very fancy night, catered food, live & silent auctions, mini fundraisers, live music and stuff like that.  Very elegant and chic. My favourite part of the whole night wasn't the food or seeing all the dresses and suits people were wearing or the excitement of seeing all the money raised for the hospital....my favourite part happened when I got to chat with someone I used to work with.  And the conversation went exactly like this....

Him:  Hey, so good to see you!  Are we doing hugs?

Me:  Of course, we are!

Him:  You've met my wife before, haven't you?

Me:  I believe I have.  How are you?

Her:  Great, thanks.  Wonderful night this is.

Me:  Yes, it's turning out quite well!  Hey, did you know that (my oldest) and his fiancée live on the same street as you?  

Him:  Oh, what's their street number?

Her:  PArDoN mE?!?

Me:  Ummm....(my oldest) and (my future dil) live down the street....from....you?

Her:  ArE yOu SeRiOuS?

Me:  uhhhhhhhh

Her:  There is no way you have a son old enough to be getting married.  I'd put you at about 32.

Me:  *throwing my arm around her*  HAS EVERYONE MET MY NEW BEST FRIEND?

Highlight of this 48 1/2 year old's night. 

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:

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Cardz 4 Galz:  use dies

Craft Rocket:  use dies

Fab 'n' Funky:  use a sentiment

Ellibelle:  anything goes

Shopping Our Stash:  sentimentally yours

A Place To Start:  anything goes

Simon Says:  vacation (school's out)

Guest Rocker @ 613 Avenue Create

At the beginning of the year I was thrilled to be offered a Guest Designer spot at 613 Avenue Create.  Yay!

This month optional twist for the challenge is "Black & White".  But then I, for some unknown reason, thought it was "Black & White with Gold or Silver Accents".  So, mine is a little more than just black & white.  

This is what I did...

Is it just me, or is the photo fuzzy on the left side?  Anyhoo, I made this for my sub-baby, Matt, as he graduated from high school this year.  (Sub-baby is the term I've coined for my kids SOs.)  He's already secured a full time job at a local electrician company, as he would like to go to college next year to become an electrician, and while he's worked two part time jobs for the past few years, as well as cutting grass for a few people, he wants to save up some more before going to school.  Plus, this gives him a good idea of whether he'd like to be an electrician before he goes through school for it.

The lil graduating head is a digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.  In my Silhouette Designer program I added the letters for the sentiment.  I know this might be common knowledge but I'm gonna mention it anyway.....Did you know you can easily make digi sentiments in the Silhouette Designer program?  All you gotta do is type the letters you want and pick the font you want.  Next use the Fill option to fill the letters with colour, and then change the Cut Line to the same colour as your fill.  Then just print your design.  Easy-peasy!  And I just popped over to the Silhouette website, and it appears that you can still download a free version of the Silhouette software.  So, you don't even need a Silhouette machine to do this!  I'm guessing this same technique would probably work with Cricut software as well, but seeing as I've never used it, I can't be certain.

Now, a little about the sizing of this card.  I intended to do a standard slimline....but I did not make my image small enough in order to make that happen.  I even knew exactly what size it was (8.5"), and still thought it would work.  D'oh!  So, it's 3.5" tall, but it's 10.5" wide.  I'm calling it a supersize slimline.  (:

And, that about all I've got to say....except, you should join the challenge!  You can link up any papercraft for the Anything Goes theme, or play the Black & White twist.  Challenge is for the month of July, so no excuse not to enter.  Hope to see you there!

Also for:

Dream Valley:  all occasions

Sweet Stampin':  use numbers

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

Paper Funday:  masculine

Cardz 4 Guyz:  summer theme - In Canada, the school year ends at the end of June and then it's summer break.

TTCRD:  anything goes

Cupcake Inspirations:  oh my stars

Bette Davis Eyes @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's continuing to take us on a trek through the music of the 80s by saying, "Bette Davis Eyes" which just means that she would like to see a face (or faces) on your project.

This is what I did.....

Made this for my Middlest who graduated (with Honours every year!) from grade 12.  They are planning a Commencement....grad ceremonies at schools 'round here have always taken place in the late fall (usually November), so hopefully it will be able to go ahead.  Middlest decided to not apply to college/university this year....he's not just sure yet what he wants to take.....and besides, back when applications were due, it was looking pretty grim for in-person attendance at any post-secondary schools due to the pandemic.  I think he'd quite enjoy urban/regional/rural planning but I don't know if he's ever looked into it when I suggested it....afterall, what would I know about what he might excel at.....I've only known the child for 18 1/2 years.  *sigh*  I do know when I went with him in the transport truck (as he's gotten his AZ license and works for our company) he spent a good portion of time complaining about the bypass in the city he was delivering to, including placement of lights, curbs and the bypass itself.  So, I'm thinking, I'm pretty durn close with thinking a career in Planning might be something he's suited for.  Not stuck behind a desk the whole time, and the ability to use that big brain of his....sounds like a plan to me.  I'll just have to get someone else to suggest it to him.  lol  (Hmmmm....that paragraph makes my Middlest sound a bit ornery....in truth he's awesome, very easy-going....but if you know of an 18 year old who actually thinks their mom might know a thing or two about what they might like....welp, I'd love to meet them.  (: )

Digi is from Bugaboo Stamps....and I can't link to them because their site is down....and a quick little detective-like search has made me suspect that the shop is closed.  Does anyone know anything about that?  I really hope it hasn't shut down.  You'll be able to hear me wail clear across Blogland if it has.  Bugaboo Stamps were my first digi stamp purchase and I do so love Jodi's images.  I will be super duper sad if they have gone out of business.

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

Corrosive:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

Watercooler Wednesday:  all things masculine

Incy Wincy:  red, white & blue

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Crafty Calendar:  anything goes

Just Us Girls:  inspirational photo

Happy Repeat Day! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Happy Repeat Day!" which means that she wants you to double (or triple or quadruple or quintuple or sextuple or septuple or octuple or n-tuple, and by gawd, if you can do either of those last couple, I will, indeed, stand up and applaud) up on some aspect of your project. Lots of fun to be had with this challenge!

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Happy Repeat Day!" which means that she wants you to double (or triple or quadruple or quintuple or sextuple or septuple or octuple or n-tuple, and by gawd, if you can do either of those last couple, I will, indeed, stand up and applaud) up on some aspect of your project. Lots of fun to be had with this challenge!

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Happy Repeat Day!" which means that she wants you to double (or triple or quadruple or quintuple or sextuple or septuple or octuple or n-tuple, and by gawd, if you can do either of those last couple, I will, indeed, stand up and applaud) up on some aspect of your project. Lots of fun to be had with this challenge!

Bwahahahahahahahahaha, I thought about doing that just one more time but I was afraid I'd lose you all.  It is a Happy Repeat Day! challenge after all....I just couldn't resist.

After that silliness, I should probably just go ahead and show you my card....

Let's see....I doubled up on the bling, tripled up on the patterned papers, quadrupled up on the numbers and septupled up on the die cut letters.  I think I've got the challenge covered!  I was at a crafty garage sale recently and I picked up this stamp there....it was just in a plastic baggie so I have no idea who the maker is.  I was so happy I found it though as my daughter graduated from grade 8 last week and it gave me the opportunity to colour up an image to look like her.  She didn't wear a gown & cap, but I got the hair right.  (:

*ahem*  WARNING!  BLATANT MOM-BRAGGING MOMENT AHEAD!

My daughter finished her elementary school career on quite a high note.  She was awarded Honours, the General Proficiency Award (for the top marks), Excellence in English, Excellence in French, Female Athlete of the Year, the Principal's Award for Leadership and Valedictorian.  We are quite proud of her.  Bragging moment over.  (:

Why not give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up?  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the fantastic projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

Crafty Cardmakers:  dies or punches
Make My Monday:  things that begin with the letter B - bling, black
Crafty Friends:  things that begin with the letter B - bling, black
Crafty Catz:  anything goes
Alphabet Challenge:  G is for glitz
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
The Sisterhood of Crafters:  any occasion
Watercooler Wednesday:  anything feminine goes

Sketch It! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's got a sketch for us - yay!

This is what it looks like....

And this is what I did with it....

Now, as you can see, I didn't quite get the one shape right on there but I can EXPLAIN.  I do have a die that'll cut that particular shape.  I hadn't used it yet (I was originally going to say it was brand new but, in truth, it wasn't, wasn't even close to being new, probably, like, at least a year old - yikes) so all the shapes were still attached to one another.  I tried the high-tech technique I usually use to get them apart - bending them back and forth until the attachment-thingies break but this die was having none of that and I started bending the dies instead.  Next I tried my dollar store pair of snips to cut them apart but they were too thick to fit between the dies....so strike two.  I was then going to ask my oldest if he had anything to get them apart but just as I went to do that he started doing his weekly housecleaning chore.....and it wasn't 9:00pm on Sunday night for once (!!!!).  No way I was going to interrupt that!  So, I had to just go with a standard rectangle.  I'm thinking Imke will forgive me.  (:

Why not give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up?  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the fantastic projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

Catch the Bug:  anything goes
Fab 'n' Funky:  anything goes
The Male Room:  add an age (Does a year count??)
Watercooler Wednesday:  occasions
Crafty Cardmakers:  3-2-1 - 3 patterned papers, 2 stars, 1 mouse
Sweet Stampin':  anything goes...or space if you want to count the 2 little stars (:
The Library Challenge:  All Creatures Great and Small

Move It! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Move It!"

Okay, sidebar. Anyone else got this stuck in their head now?

No?  Bet you do now.  You're welcome.

And, back to the challenge.  Brenda is telling us to Move It because she wants to see cards/projects that do more than just sit there and look pretty....she wants to see shakers or spinners or sliders or magic cards....or anything that'll do some moving.

This is what I did.....

As you can see, it's a spinner card.  I was planning on taking a video to show it actually spinning but that didn't happen and it's 12:37am right now and I don't think any of my kids would be happy if I woke them up to hold the camera.  Well, any two of my kids.  This is going to be my middlest's grade 8 grad card so I wouldn't get him involved because I wouldn't want to spoil it.

I'm actually quite pleased with how this turned out.  I'll admit to playing with it more than once.  I just wish it spun peeerrrrffeeeectly, kwim?  I don't like it when I have to goose it or shake it to get it going.  Still, I'm going to call it a win.

We know you like to move it (move it) so why not head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up? And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

Simon Says:  make it masculine
The Sisterhood of Crafters:  black & white
Shopping Our Stash:  dude + old stash - Bling & digi are at least a year old
Crafty Cardmakers:  for a special man/boy
Crafty Calendar:  boys will be boys
Craftaholics R Us:  graduation
Open Minded:  mighty men in May
Bastel-Traum:  cards for men and boys
Craft Rocket:  for men and boys
Fab 'n' Funky:  marvelous men
As You Like It:  favourite reason to make cards - My favourite reason to make card is because I really enjoy the process of creating them.  I also especially love to make them for my kids.  Plus I have them trained to respond with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm, so that's good too.  (: