More from Cocoa Vanilla

 

Another project with Cocoa Vanilla Daydream paper.  COVID shutdown is a great time for getting back to paper crafts as there is so little to do otherwise. I do wish life could get back to normal but I realize that’s a long time in the future.  Grateful for the small things for now. 

Spring Colours

 

I love these papers from Cocoa Vanilla.  They are so soft and spring-y and remind me that brighter days are just around the corner. Lots of different looks with this set and really nice to work with. 

Inspiration

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 I have followed one of my favourite bloggers, Beatriz Jennings, for many years and she never fails to inspire. She gave me the idea for today’s project, a little gift box in which I wanted to put a small gift for two new pups.  I think it turned out pretty cute and I was able to use up some of the hundreds of sheets of paper I have accumulated ...yet still I buy more. 

How time has flown

How many years have passed and how much has happened since my last post so long ago. The world is a different place. No excuses, time simply got away from me and I lost the passion and focus for tending to my blog. It’s never too late though and I begin again with a slow and tentative return to paper crafting.  Crafting has evolved and I hope I can keep up but we’ll give it a shot.

Todays’s papers are part of the Carta Bella botanical garden collection with dreams of bright flowers despite the bitter cold and snowy weather  It’s good to be back.

Sympathy Bouquet

As promised, I was able to get another card done despite a very busy and full day.  I was on the 6:40 train this morning headed for my dentist in Toronto then did a bit of city shopping after the appointment.  This afternoon, I met a friend for lunch and some more shopping.  By then, it was almost time for dinner after which I got at this card.  I found this very pretty floral image on a website and was able to match it almost perfectly with some paper I had from ages ago (it matches better in person; the colour in the photo is not really true-to-life).  It's sometimes difficult making cards that have to go through Canada Post as they can't be too "poufy" or you get into special envelopes and extra postage which is a pain for people.  I'm looking forward to jumping into bed and just relaxing for a bit - lots to do tomorrow!

New toys

I finally bit the bullet and went out this weekend to buy an Ipad.  I have got quite a bit of use out of my Ipod touch but sometimes find the screen a little small for photo viewing and such.  Anyway, this is my first photo with the Ipad and it seems to be pretty good quality.  Mind you, Kona doesn't have a bad side so he's a pretty good test subject!

Summer has arrived

It feels as though summer has officially arrived.  Today was hot and steamy, even early this morning when I went for my walk, and it was nice to get back inside the air conditioning.  Sadly, there was another case of someone leaving their dog in the car while they strolled the shopping mall.  The dog died and the owner was charged with animal cruelty but, really, what good does that do the dog?  Seriously, these people should all be shot.

This card is made with some bits of paper that I had in my collection and some pretty hot pink ribbon.  I have had the tag for quite some time (EK Success) and added some Prima flowers, rub-on and lace.  Hope to do some more posting later in the week.  Enjoy what's left of the weekend!

Celebrate

                                   

How pretty is this shade of blue?  It reminds me of the colour of the water you see when you travel the Caribbean.  The paper on this card is by K&Company, flower is Prima, metal frame by Making Memories, with added lace, pearls, rub-on and ribbon. 

What a beautiful long Victoria Day weekend as far as weather goes.  I could do without all the fireworks that some people feel they need to ignite until 1 in the morning but not much you can do about it other than ban them all together.  Thanks to everyone for stopping by - have a great week!

Gingham and things

Another pretty birthday card made with Echo Park paper and some yellow gingham ribbon.  I love gingham.  For some reason, it always reminds me of when I was a kid.  I guess we wore a lot of gingham back then or something. 

Lots of thunderstorms today which made it difficult for me to fit in my walk.  I don't mind a gentle rain but violent  hail and gusty winds are not my thing.  I finally got out around 5:00 which made dinner late and then my housecleaning late and my meal planning late and no time to watch Survivor which I ended up taping. 

Hope you enjoyed looking!

Birthdays

What a busy week this has been.  On Thursday, I attended a dinner through work recognizing those with 20, 30 and 40 years of service.  For 30 years, I was presented with a lovely white gold pendant with 6 diamonds - one for each 5 years of service - plus a gift card for my spending pleasure.  Though I detest getting up on stage in front of everyone, it's not like I had to give a speech or do a soft shoe routine so it worked out fine.  Plus, the dinner was excellent. 

On Saturday night, I went to see Jerry Seinfeld live and he was just as funny as I imagined he would be.  I had tears rolling down my cheeks after the first few minutes which is rare as I am not really a comedian fan.  Given that "Seinfeld" is in my top favourite shows of all time, it was only right that I should see Jerry live.

This card was done with some K&Company paper and made for a 95-year old lady (good for her!).  I'm sure I have said this before but I love the tulle-y ribbon on the card.  It's all stretchy and easy to apply - no fuss, no muss.  Florals are so popular this year on everything and I think the lady will be happy to receive this.

I have a milliion things to do before I sleep so I best sign off.  Hope to post again much sooner than I did this time.  Thanks for stopping by!

Anniversary Card

I have to say these past couple of weeks have been more like summer than winter or spring. It was most certainly not your typical Canadian winter and that suits me just fine. If every year was as it was this, I would not keep threatening to move to Arizona once November hits.

This is a 50th Anniversary card made with some lovely gold Anna Griffin papers. The flower is by Recollections and made out of some sort of resin, rub-on is Melissa Frances, border is done with a Martha Stewart punch and I love the lace because it's all stretchy and poufy and just fun to use.

I am back to (cautious) walking after wrecking my knee in October. The doctor says it's bursitis though it feels more like someone jamming a million needles into it. It took quite a few months before it felt anywhere near normal again so we'll see whether walking strengthens it or just brings us back to where we were a few months ago.

Have a great weekend everyone!

RIP Mr. Davy Jones

When my girlfriend called me last week to tell me Davy Jones had died, I could not believe it. For I have idolized Davy for most of my life....well, since I was 10 years old up until present day (I last saw him summer 2011). I have met him a few times, have seen him in concert many, many times, have seen him at speaking engagements and tennis tournaments and God knows what else. From all accounts, it would appear he was as good a person in life as he appeared to be through the TV world in which I best knew him. I am anxiously awaiting an announcement with details of a New York memorial which I would really love to attend.

Such a sad day for Monkees fans everywhere.

Vintage 50th

I wanted to try out some new paper by K& Company (when I say new, I mean new to me) and ended up with this pretty card. These papers are part of the ancestry line and they would be perfect for mounting old photographs and keepsakes. I added a metal heart frame, a Prima flower, lace, pearls, ribbon and a "50" sticker and think the final product is fitting for a 50th Birthday. I seriously have some hoarding issues when it comes to scrapbook stuff and need to start using up the old before bringing in any more new.

Loose Button and Luxe Box

Just before Christmas when I was doing my holiday shopping in the way that I normally do - one for them, two for me, I came across a web article on Canadian mail order gift ideas. One of the ideas was a monthly "luxury box" full of cosmetics samples sent to your home. It's called "Luxe Box" by Loose Button and I received the January box today. For $12.00 a month, including shipping, you get 3-5 luxury samples of anything from hair products to cosmetics to creams to perfumes. This month, for some reason, we got an extra little white box with a couple of products in it so that was a nice bonus. Inside, everything is all nicely wrapped in black tissue with a personalized sticker.

The company encloses a card telling you what month box you are receiving and listing all the products, including directions for use and prices.

So....this is my haul for January. Not bad for $12.00!

Unfortunately, I do not wear perfume like I used to since my workplace went scent-free several years ago. As a result, I am left with a cupboard full of evaporating scents. However, the sample sizes might be nice for when I go out as they can be used up in just a few wearings. There are six scents all done up in a little black gauze bag.

Loose Button and Luxe Box

This was one of the bonus items - a full-size Schick razor. Price given is $13.00 though I'm not sure I would ever spend that much on one razor.

Other items included a full-size China Glaze nail polish, an NYX jumbo eye pencil, also full-size, a sample tube of Yves Rocher anti-fatigue skin care cream and a sample size Fekkai shampoo and conditioner.

Not being a coffee drinker, I can't really appreciate this "Seattle's Best Coffee" but I'm sure one of my friends will be more than happy to take it off my hands.

And, finally, this is the card that came with everything. Hopefully, next month is as good as this one!

I have signed up for a couple of other boxes just to compare - Glymm Box and Glossy Box and will post once I have received those in February and March.

Hope everyone is having a great 2012 - thanks for looking.

Fun day at the grocery store

I had an interesting day yesterday at the grocery store. I thought it might be a good thing to seek the advice of a dietitian since, working shifts, it's very difficult to regulate meals and eat healthy food rather than convenient food. I started seeing a girl from Nutrition Housecalls and she has been wonderfully helpful and patient (I'm sure they must absolutely hate picky eaters like me). Yesterday, we did a grocery store tour where we went up and down each aisle deciphering labels, distinguishing the good from the bad foods (pretty well anything that tastes good falls in the latter category) and finding stuff from all the food groups that I will eat.

Now to the card.....the paper on this card is from a kit I bought at Michaels' after Christmas sales. I added the flowers, stick-on pearls, rub-on, ribbon and gold frame from Making Memories. It's getting on to 2 in the morning so I'm off to bed. Thanks everyone for looking.

The countdown is on....

I'm starting to get a little stressed about how quickly Christmas is approaching and how much I still have to do. I wrapped about 30 gifts the last couple of nights, got some non-hand-made Christmas cards written and managed to get these two projects done tonight. I still have more shopping to do which means more wrapping. I do like Christmas, so I'm not complaining.....just saying it's a lot of preparation for one day. Maybe we should have Christmas week and then all the work we do beforehand might be worth it.

Anyway........this is a pretty card made with some of my favourite paper (do I say that for every card?). The little girl on the front is one of those where you layer the images....there's a name for that but I can't think of it. Probably paper layering. It's all very fiddly as some of the pieces are so minute you can hardly see them. Certainly not a hobby for a person with a very short attention span.....ME. The brads on this are by Anna Griffin, paper trim was cut with a Martha Stewart punch and ribbon and lace are from my evergrowing collection.

Afternoon Tea

A friend of mine and our mothers had a lovely afternoon tea a couple of weeks ago. This is the Glen Erin Inn in Mississauga and for $21.00 we got tea, sandwiches, scones and desserts. The atmosphere and surroundings are lovely and it's a nice way to spend a relaxing afternoon. This is actually where we had my parents' 50th Anniversary luncheon so it's always been one of our favourite spots.

Secret Santa

We are doing our Secret Santa gift exchange at work on Tuesday to enjoy along with our Christmas dinner. It seems early but it was the only day we could find where everyone is in. In order to get my gift wrapped, I had to dig all the wrapping stuff out of my locker and drag it upstairs where it will from now until December 25th remain in a disorderly heap.

This is the second card I made, using BoBunny papers, Prima flowers, Making Memories metal frame, lace, ribbon, stick-on pearls and a Merry Christmas rub-on. Lots more to do - whether I get to them is another story. Have a great week everyone!

Gearing up for Christmas

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I last posted. For the last week and a half, I have been struck down by what feels like a speeding truck but is more likely some combination of the common cold and/or flu. Suffice it to say, it has taken a bite out of me and I have done very little except to lay around and feel sorry for myself. I am still not back 100% and today was the first day I have felt a little more approaching normal. On top of the cold, the bursitis is back in my knee (Good God, could I sound any more ancient?), most likely from all the healthy walks I have been taking over the past couple of months. Apparently, if I sloth around, my knee should be fine.

Since Christmas is fast approaching, I have got busy with a couple of projects. I love this card and the traditional Christmas colours. The Jolees wreath is all sparkly and doesn't need much adorning as it pretty well stands on its own.

For years, I have gone without a Christmas tree mostly due to an unfortunate incident we had shortly after I got Kenya. That year, I had spent hours putting up the tree and trimmings, only to have a young Kenya knock it over in the space of 10 minutes sending everything scattering. This year, I finally gave in and bought a small pre-decorated, pre-lit tree that will hopefully remain upright for another month. Kenya has been an angel and sleeps peacefully for hours "under the tree". Kona just looks at it and walks away. Fine by me.

Beautiful Blossoms

A very quick post today as I am on my way out but wanted to share another project. This card is made using paper from the echo park paper company, beautiful flowers from prima (aren't ALL their flowers beautiful??), Making Memories metal frame, lace, ribbon and pearl stick-ons. As October comes to an end, I must get going with my Christmas projects not to mention move my Christmas shopping along a bit.

Well....I'm off for my walk. Will try to catch up with everyone in the not too distance future. Have a great weekend and thanks for looking.

Autumn Leaves

Just as my days off started last week, I was blessed to find myself struck down with a dreaded cold. For the past three days, I have barely made it out of bed and, worst of all, missed Thanksgiving dinner. So, it was with great determination that I willed myself to go for a nice long walk today along part of the Culham Trail which goes along the river here in town.

It was the perfect day for a walk - not too hot or cold and hardly anyone out and about. The trail is quite heavily wooded in some areas. This scares me a bit when I hear rustling as I keep expecting some large animal to leap out and attack me. The most I have seen is a skunk, a chipmunk, a small snake or a large worm, one frog and a bunch of squirrels. I'm loving this fall weather and vote that we just skip winter this year.