Scandinavian Season PPA #66 Challenge by Stampin Up and me

Good morning dear you! I hope you are having a beautiful Sunday. My house is as quiet as a mouse. I am loving it. Naomi is sleeping and my hubby is out with Reuben and Rachel. What a treat. Time to think and reflect and post a card on my blog.

I don't think I even told you yet.. In a week I will be flying in the airplane with our 3 kids to the Netherlands. I will be there for a little over 2 weeks. I am counting the days.. To be with my family and friends. I haven't seen my brother and his wife and grandma close to 3 1/2 years.. I can't wait to introduce them to Naomi who is now 17 months young. And I almost feel like I have
to introduce them again to Reuben and Rachel. These 2 have grown so much and oh my.. changed so much as well. They now can actually have a real conversation with them..
My hubby can't come.. So sad.. but that's life right. he just got a new job.. so he doesn't have that much holiday days to use and it is unbelievable busy this time of year.

Okay.. all that to say.. Here is my card that I want to enter for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge #66 . I changed it a little bit.. I put the border from the top at the bottom of my card.. With the shape of this tree it just worked better. I hope I am not going to be kicked out from this challenge (smile)

Well.. I gotta go.. We are soon heading out to the Farmers Market with the kids to do some trick or treating.. They have been waiting and talking about it for at least 365 days... I better be on time for this one..

A big hug, Pauline

57 more days until Christmas

Dear friends. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is only 57 more days, 12 hours and 12 minutes until Christmas. But who is counting right.. (smile)

It is a time when we join with our loved ones in sharing those old traditions. The ones like trying to find a parking spot outside of the grocery store. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around a parking lot of the grocery store until we see someone that just left the store with a hugely filled shopping cart. (Because.. who in his right mind takes the bus with such a huge load of groceries :) Then we follow this dear person, as in very much the same spirit as the 3 Wise Men, who about 2 thousand years ago, followed that unique star... until we find our parking space we so desperately need that day...

Sigh.. Christmas.. 57 more days.. It's going to be lovely.

Last night I made this Christmas card with my daugther. She picked out the different prints of paper and helped me punch out the squares. I love this card and she was such a proud 4 year old after this one was done.

Please take a close look at the photo's I took, it will probable tell you how to create this fun card.

I think we punched 12 little squares.. but again.. who's counting, right?

Hugs, Pauline

Baby Card by Stampin Up and me

Good morning everyone. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you are feeling well. Our home got hit by the flue again.. I am so done with wiping noses and running out of toilet paper because everyone is using it so much and waking up in the middle of the night because of all the coughing.. This too will pass, right!

I got inspired today to make this super cute Baby Card. Don't you love that little dress?

It is like the wind got a hold of it.. Yes, it is all on purpose that this dress is sticking out this much :) No.. I to be honest.. I still have to find a way to make this dress go flat on the paper.

I got the idea of the dress from a birth announcement card from a friend of mine. No, I am not that talented. (smile)

While I was making this card I realized that I need another tool... Did I mention 'again' ? One that cuts through paper like what I did around the 'wasknijpers'.. (dutch for Cloth pins..) It looks terrible now.. but it was the best I could do with my scissor. Oh well.. there is a start for everything right!
Does anyone know what tool I could use best for this kind of job? I would love to hear from you.

The bib that you see is not a stamp, I used my SU marker and drew with it on the Taken with Teal Stampin Up card stock... It worked out perfect.

Well.. again I would love to hear from you. It always brings a smile on my face.

Hugs Pauline

Christmas Ornament Punch by Stampin Up and me

Happy Wednesday everyone. Thanks for visiting my blog again. Love to have you here!

I have to say today it is cold outside in Calgary. There is a bit of snow here and there.. I find it hard to believe that last Friday I was outside in my shorts enjoying the +25 degrees in the backyard with the kids.. Well.. a good day to get some things done inside my home I guess!

I created this card for the Paper Players Challenge #21. The recipe of the 'card to be' was this:

1. One Designer Series Paper (check)
2. Something which has been punched. (3 double checked)
3. A sentiment. (check)

Don't you love the rich and deep Real Red color of Stampin Up's card stock? I matched it with the new Early Espresso ink and card stock and the Whisper White. & BINGO.. What a great start for a Christmas Card.

3 times I punched out the Ornament shape With (yes) the Ornament Punch, of some last years beautiful Stampin Up Designer Series Paper. I folded them in half and glued them together, to bring a bit of dimension to my card. I tied a little silvery rope through the top of the ornament and totally 'wowed' myself :) Isn't it cute and simple?

You have to give it a try yourself.. It's so fun.

I gotta tell you a sweet woman that I connected with through the blog world has been chosen to be a guest designer for the Paper Players. Her name is Anne Marie. She has so much talent and so much joy in her blog. I always love to check to see what she created. She keeps amazing me. It seems like she is always raising the bar just a extra little.. I can't keep up with her.. Her work rocks and is a true inspiration. Here is the link to her blog. Please give her blog a visit and see all her beautiful projects.

Well. I gotta go.. Life is waiting :)

Hugs, Pauline

A build a cute bear card by Stampin Up and me.

Hi every one. And Monday it is again.. I did some more painting in the house.. cleaned up some over the weekend stuff and I am in the middle of making dinner. And while I am doing that... I actually have some time to share this card with you.

I created this cute cute card last night. I really start to enjoy working with the dies that Stampin Up has to offer. And there are so many of them.. So many choices. We are living in a rich country, that is for sure!

For this card I used the Bear Bigz Die from SU (#117977 - $31.95 + 5% tax and 10% shipping) To dress this little bear girl up I used the Beary Dressy Die from Stampin Up (#119986 - $25.95 + 5% tax and 10% shipping).

In the background I used the Frame Oval Scallop die from Stampin Up (#114521 - $26.95, etc etc :)

Well, I gotta go.. Have a great evening and welcome back soon.

Hugs, Pauline

Friends Fur-ever with some bling bling by Stampin Up and me

Happy Sunday every one! I hope you had some rest this day. You deserve it!

Wow, that was new... I just had to scare away a woodpecker that was knocking his beak into our house.. I have to say.. In Holland I have maybe seen five times a woodpecker in my life.. and if I would see it, I would be so excited! Now here in Canada I have to 'hush' them away..

This is maybe a fun fact about those cute little birds. Did you know that when a woodpecker pecks into the wood, his tongue that is inside his head cuddles right over his brain to protect it from being damaged while pecking.. How cool is that?... We have a pretty creative Creator in this world! Right.. Nah.. there it is again..

Anyhoo. Do you remember the Ski Slope Designer Series Paper from Stampin Up? I was looking at it this morning while I was cleaning up my crafting desk and one of the snow flakes in there, looked very familiar. Then I looked at my new die with all the snowflakes from the Decorative Strip from Stampin Up and there it was.. If you look closely at my card you see the similarities. Love when that happens.

I created this card for the Pals Paper Pals Art Challenge #65. They asked for some bling. Now I happen to be liking some bling in my cards.. So here is what I came up with.

I used the Friends Fur-ever stampset from Stampin Up. And yes I used the Baja Breeze card stock .. again.. Imatched it together with my last piece of Chocolate Chip card stock.. Now where did all that paper go.. ? humm.. Anyway..

I also used the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impression Embossing Folder from Stampin Up and rolled it through the Big Shot. Doesn't it match well with the Ski Slope DSP? I added some sticky pearls and one Filigree Designer brad from Stampin Up in the middle of the snowflake (these brads are $7.95 +tax + shipping for 16 of them + the matching 3/16 brads) and foila!

Ready to go!

Hugs, Pauline

The snowflake community

Hi everyone! Glad to see you back on my blog!
Here you see Malann's creations. I tell ya, this dear woman is an artist! She paints and puts stuff together on a canvas with colors that just catches your eye. Her works of art are so different and unique and so full of beauty and peace.. It does something to the room where it is at.

Making a card like she did here, almost felt like it was out of her league. But then again.. I see Malann all over the card. (smile) She chose to work with the left over pieces from the Snowflake die, that we left for graps. She took the Crob-a-dile and started experimenting with it around the snowflake.. So need! I love it... and in my humble opinion, it gave this card that extra touch that it needed. You rocked it Malann!

Here she is... my sweet friend Malann with her little girl having some Chai, after making her 2 gorgeous cards!

My dear friend Robyn made this Snowflake card. Isn't it sweet?

And yes Angela was on a roll.. here is another cute cute card she made the other day. I know, where does she get all the ideas from.. So sweet!

Well, I guess that was it from the Snowflake dies we used last Monday! I so enjoyed hanging out with my friends. The laugther, the talks, the ideas we came up with, the friendships that were growing.. & the making of the cards were just a tiny part of it all.. Come again everyone! Loved having you!

You know, I want to encourage you to do the same.

God put so many lessons in nature to teach us 'His Stuff'. If you look at every snowflake through a microscope.. then you will see that none of them is the same, they are all so unique. I couldn't do it.. creating those billions of different snowflakes.. But I guess God knew it was important when He created the idea of all the 'different snowflakes'. It's easy to be just frustrated at the snow, because it is cold and in the way when you want to drive your car and you have to clean your car. But if you just take the time and pick up that snow for a second a really look at it.. then it is almost like it is coming alive in it's beauty.. So it is with people! Take time to be around them! Don't be just frustrated.. Each one of us has something unique and beautiful! What they do with it is a different story.. But God gave each one us talents.. big time! I love that about Him!

And you know what I think.. I think all of us need community around us to let our beauty and gifting come out.. What do you think?

Get some friends together and make cards, make pies, cookies or make paintings or make a quilt .. or go over to someones house and help them clean their house.. Create a community around you where you can be you and others can be 'them' with their talents and gifts and joys and passions.. To me that's life giving!

Hope you can find that in this weekend to come!

Hugs, Pauline

Elegant and simple Hodgpodge Hardware card

Hi dear you's!

Meet my dear friend Rose Anne. I so love this woman. She is amazingly creative.. You should see her house. Martha Steward is absolutely 'nothing' compared to this woman.. I am not kiddin'. She is a true interior designer. There were beautiful antiques, pictures, frames.. oh so many details, cute little corners with... things... I just have no idea on how to put all these gorgeous images of her house into words..

Maybe one day she will let me into her home with my camera.. and maybe.. I can share some with you as well.. (hint hint:)

I tell you.. in that home was so much inspiration for me to make cards.. I spend way to long in her bathroom.. Kind of embarrassing (lol) Well it wasn't my fault.. really.. I was only there because there was so much to see and treasure in there! I just had to soak it in.

Anyhoo... Rose Anne made this stunning and elegant card. Her first card.

I love how she is able to think outside of the box.. She was moving her little cute Very Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware frame (yes I think that is what it is called.. sorry about that one :) around on her card and then she placed it on top of the ribbon. She looked at it and moved it away.. Looking for another alternative.. 'Stop'.. I said.. (or something like that) that was a great idea Rose.. 'Look at it!'

So she put it back and then she saw it.. I love those moments.. She saw the beauty of what she could create there with that thingy!

I am still excited about this card. I think it rocks! It is so beautiful! It so represents to me.. the beauty of card making.. And I can't wait until Rose Anne is more familiar with the ins and outs of the tools and colours and the embellishments that Stampin Up has.. I think she will go crazy with her talent that is already there.. big time..

Hi Rose Anne.. :) Love yah!

And I have to say that I love this Basic Grey Taffeta ribbon.. Just perfect!

It is 10pm.. I should go to sleep! On time this time!
Hugs, Pauline

From the heat of Angola to making a snowflake card.

Angela made this gorgeous card. Can you spot the little pearls inside the snowflakes?

Here are Angela and Kirsten being beautiful and having fun making Christmas cards!

Robyn created this card. Love how she choose to make one snowflake blue and the other white.

Good morning dear friends.

I so enjoy having this blog. It's such a great way to connect to so many of you. I know how I love to read through your blogs and be inspired. And I just have to tell you how I feel honoured that you come and stop by mine. So here is what I have for you today!

These are some of the cards my friends made yesterday. I am always surprised how, for instance in this case, out of one Snowflake die, so many different ideas can come. No card has to be the same.

My dear friend Angela made the first card you see on the photo. She used the 'Decorative Strip' that is available in the Holiday Mini Catalogue. She created this beautiful frosty scene on her card. This die has 8 unique snowflakes to choose from. I am definitely going to get good use out of that die. It is just stunning. And she did such a great job on the card. Way to go Angela.

Angela just came back from an intensive time in Africa - Angola.. Where there is so much sun and heat.. A place that has never seen snow. I am so impressed on how she and her hubby are adjusting to the life style here in Canada again. We have it so good.

She volunteered as a nurse in and outside of the operation room for the poorest of the poor with dr Foster. She has seen so much pain and injustice being done to the woman she helped, who were written off by their families.. Oh how life can be so unfair..

I pray God protects over her heart from what this pain that she has seen can do to her and her hubby. Her heart must be still there in so many ways.

If you click here, it will take you right to the blog that her and her husband kept during their time in Angola. It is called: http://kadeane.wordpress.com/. The pictures they took are breath taking and the tragic stories that they were a part of need to be heard. Also the beauty that came through their hands and their hearts. You will understand why I love Ang as much as I do after you visit her blog. She has a heart of gold and compassion and wisdom.

And then yes... here she was making cards and also enjoying it. Talk about a cultural different thing to do.. Saving lives.. versus making cards.. sigh.. Life eh.. All on the same globe..

Anyway... Not sure how to end this post.. It just puts me right back at a place where I feel humbled in so many ways.. I don't deserve what I have, neither do those people in Angola deserve what they don't have.. All I can say is God have mercy on us.. whatever that sometimes means.... And YES.. Like Angela's and our cards said this morning.. I would love to have Peace on this earth!

Hugs, Pauline

Snowflake #2 die by Stampin Up and me.

From left to right, meet my dear friends Angela, Malann, Rosie, Karen, Robyn and me.

Oh what a beautiful chaotic and creative time did we have in my home this morning. I loved it.

I am so blessed with my dear friends. And the cool thing is that we all love to create with paper. Now how often does that happen in life? To be able to come together with a group of people that all know each other and all care about each other and that are all just as tickled as you are to create cards.

Sorry if my writing is a bit to much for you.. but I just can't contain myself!

The creativity this morning and the sense of community we had was just so sweet.. Robyn brought the best homemade Curry soup with rice, Angela brought some yummy bananas and some delicious homemade cookies, Malann brought some roasted chicken and introduced us to her Epicure Guacamole. Wow so good! We also had some yummy Chai Lattees mixed in with the flavour of our friendship.

In total there were 11 children in the house (+one in the tummy). The kids were all over the place, inside and outside in the sun having fun!. Who needs playschool if you can have this in your own home.

In the next couple of days I will show you the cards that everyone made. So please stay tuned.

As an inspiration we all used the card that I created last night. & what a peaceful card it is.

I love the image of the snowflake.

I used the Baja Breeze for this one. I combined it with the Whisper White and Basic Grey and Crumb Cake card stock.. We used the Snowflake #2 die for this card. So easy. You just roll it through the Big Shot and there it is.

Well.. I gotta go.. pick up Reuben from school. Enjoy the rest of your day dear friends.

Hugs, Pauline

A sweet surprise!

The Super talented and fun Colleen Hilchie at http://dragonflyinkcreations.blogspot.com/ passed this cute blog award to me. Thanks Colleen! That was such a sweet surprise when I opened my email a little LONG while ago.. ( I know.. what happened to the week) But what a great way to discover new blogs and make new friends.
Please visit her blog, she will surprise you with her creative mind and her humor.

For this award I have to tell you 3 things about myself and then pass the award along to 5 sweet blog friends.

Okay.. here we go:

1. I love Sunflowers, Hortensia's, Orchids (still hoping Stampin Up will come with a great stamp set regarding this one) and tulips.
2. Most of my time I am dreaming, thinking, creating and analizing... just trying to make sense of this crazy life here on earth. And learning to trust in the One. He knows what He is doing. When I can't trace His hand.. I know I can trust His heart for me. I love You Jesus!
3. And yes... I stay up way to late! I should go to bed at 9-ish.. I am not kiddin'.. I honestly think I need that much sleep to be a sane mom! But the thing is.. If I sleep I wouldn't even notice that I had that free time.. After my kids go down for the night.. I feel like.. No more 'Mommy time'' it's now.. whatever Pauline wants to do - time.. And if I would go to bed.. I would miss all the fun! Right!.. It is almost 12 pm.. and I really REALLY should go to bed now!

All that to say.. I am thrilled to share this award with 5 fabulously talented and super sweet blogging friends who inspire us all with that little extra! Here they come!

1. Sam Woodruff at A Latte Stampin. I love her genuine honesty and the beauty in so many of her creations! She has a beautiful unique and elegant style and besides making stunning cards, she knows how to use her sowing machine and she creates just about anything with it! Please visit her blig and say Hello to her!
2. Chanda Stelick at One Crafty Mommy. I tell you this mommy and dear woman knows how to be dedicated to the things she signs up for.. She is such a sweet person and has an amazing creative talents all over her blog! Thanks Chanda.. You are such a 'desperate' treasure in the SU blog world! (smile)
3. Petra from the Netherlands.. at http://peetjes-freubelsite.blogspot.com/ She is the sweetest girl/woman ever.. We connected through the Blog world and have been admiring each others work.. She is a true artist and has so many unique ideas. Please take a peek at her blog!
4. Shari Winterstein at Southern California Stamper. I love her heart and passion for people. She is so genuine and caring and it shows in the cards she creates and the little notes she leaves at people's blogposts...Here is to you Shari!
5. Julie DiMatteo at The Paper Pixie. This sweet woman has so many different styles in making cards. She keeps surprising me with her ideas and her genuine writing of her blog and the people she creates her cards for. Love your work Julie.

So.. that was good.

All I need to do now is contact them about their fun award. I hope they enjoy it!

I am off to bed! Hugs, Pauline

Cute and Cuddly by Stampin Up and me.

Good morning everyone. I hope you had a wonderful sleep with lots of peace. I love how so many things can feel different in the morning. Just for the simple reason that I had sleep!

I made this card yesterday for my dear friend Robyn. She is going to a baby shower today. So happy the card is going to have a good home. I love when a project is finished and it actually gets 'there'.. I loose so many cards in the process. One day I will have a full collection of beautiful cards, only because I found them again. (sigh) Oh the joys of motherhood :) and having a hobby on the side.

I used the 'Crumb cake card stock as a base for this card. I mixed it up with Baja Breeze and Whisper White. That striped paper that you see is from the retired DSP Ski Slope from Stampin Up. I think it's just stunning. It brings the cuteness of this card to a whole different level. I stamped the little bear twice. Once on the Crumb Cake card stock and once on the Designer Series Paper. After I did the last one, I just snipped out certain pieces.. and glued it on the card stock.. Isn't it sweet?

Well... I gotta run... I am painting the kitchen.. Guess what color I picked for the kitchen.. Yip that's right.. Baja Breeze.. I just brought a piece of BB card stock to the paint place, they scanned the color for me and I got my Stampin Up paint.. It looks lovely here! So fresh and happy! You gotta see it!

Hugs, Pauline

Contempo Christmas by Stampin Up and me.

Hi everyone! How is your beautiful day going?

Can you believe it? Yesterday I picked up our son from school with my sun glasses, no jackets and with my sandals on. It was warm and sunny and oh so lovely!

Today.. Winter arrived just an hour ago! It is snowing in Calgary! I think I am in shock!

Right...

So today I actually had the time to take a peek at the PPA Challenge.. Loved the Challenge.. as always! There are colorful leaves, a cream colorful sweater and woman enjoying the fall! Inspiration is all over it.. The colors, the texture and the season.

I decided to make this Christmas card. I love the warm colours and the little pearls I added to the tree. I used 'Contempo Christmas' from Stampin Up.. So elegant and cozy at the same time. I needed that this morning.

I will tell you a silly thing about myself... When I clean the house I usually put on some Christmas music.. Well not in the summer, but as soon as the Fall kicks in.. I am carolling to those fun songs.. It gives me inspiration and motivation to clean and cozy up my house.. You should give it a try.. just kiddin'.. no really :)

Well.. all that to say.. Enjoy the season you are in.

Hugs, Pauline