Queue Up by Stampin Up and me

Hi everyone. I hope you are having a beautiful day.

• Our kids are loving the sun shine outside. I should just go outside as well.. I am keeping myself to busy with 100 things that I like to get done before we head out to Fairmont BC. We are going to visit my hubbies Parents in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. I feel so blessed. We love them to pieces and it is so much easier for the kids to play outside there. There is a ton to do in the mountains. Especially with all the puddles now the snow is melting.. I packed some extra pants and socks. I am sure they will come in handy.

Are you feeling punchy today? I created this card with the Pals Paper Arts Technique Challenge in mind. They challenged us to use a punch or 2 or 3 Well, you know me.. I adore those punches Stampin Up is offering us. I think that at the moment they have over 60 different punches. I know.. isn't that great.

So here is what I came up with.

Recipe for this card:

• 1 inch circle punches (#119868 - $15.95)


• 1 1/4 inch large circle punch (#119861 - $22.95)


• Word window large punch (#119857 - $22.95)


• Modern Label extra large punch (#119849 - $23.95)


• Blush bride Stampin Up card stock (#119796 - $8.50 for 24 sheets)


• Crumb cake Stampin Up card stock (#120953 - $8.50 for 24 sheets)


• Poppy Parade Stampin Up card stock (#119793 - $8.50 for 24 sheets)


• Basic pearls (#119247 - $6.50 for 150 pearls, 50 each in 3 sizes: 5mm, 3mm, 2mm)


• Stampin write markers (5 markers #119801 - $19.95)


• Big Shot Die cutting machine (#113439 - $132.95)


• Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions embossing folder (#117335 - $10.95)


• Retired Stampin Up hostess set: Queue Up (2010)

Well.. life is waiting again. Lots of hungry people in this lovely household. Including me.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Brights Stampin Up buttons card by Stampin Up and me

Good afternoon dear you. I hope your day is going well. Here life is good! This week is flying by. Before we know it the Spring break is over. I love how I don't have to rush into things this week.

This morning I created this card in about 20 minutes. I love how some cards only take that much or little time ;) I used the sketch Challenge from the Clean & Simple Stampin ladies. I love it. The colors I picked so remind me of spring and what is to come.

Recipe for this card:

• Daffodil Delight Stampin Up card stock


• Pumpkin Pie Stampin Up card stock


• Crumble cake Stampin Up card stock


• Brights stampin Up Designer buttons (#119747 - $10.95 for 72 of the cutest buttons in the colors: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, daffodil delight, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry)


• 1-3/4 x 7/8 Oval large Stampin Up punch (#119863 - $22.95)


• Scallop Oval Extra large Stampin Up punch (#119871 - $23.95)


• Some retired Stampin Up DSP.

Well... I am off to wake up our littlest one. I want to go outside with the other 2.. and go for a walk, before I have to prep dinner.

Enjoy the rest of your day. Inky hugs, Pauline

Birthday Bakery + Decorative Label punch by Stampin Up and me

Good Tuesday morning dear you.

Wow, for the first time since 2 weeks we woke up this morning with a blue sky here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. + the best part is.. It is going to be 7 Degrees Celsius outside.. I can't wait to go for a walk with the kiddos and open the windows again.

You know, this year I have seen this hostess set many, many times in The Stampin Up idea book and Catalogue of 2011.. but I always thought that this Birthday Bakery stamp set was a bit to fancy for my taste. Just to proof myself wrong and to give it a fair chance I ordered it.. And this morning I inked it up for the first time. Now.. was I ever wrong.

Tomorrow evening I am going to make some cards with a dear friend (Hi Diana)and I have the feeling that this could be one of the cards we are going to make. We both have a thing for cupcakes and cute images.. This one might hit the spot.

I created this card with the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #184 in mind. They challenged us to create a square or circle card.. But I have to say.. I am just horrible with both of them.. So I hope this size can do the trick as well. I loved the idea of the ribbon all across the card.

And for the sweet alert ones that visit me and my blog more often, (Hi dear Christy) today I really stayed away from the Baja Breeze.. & I am so proud of myself.

The ingredients for this card:

• Stamp set: Hostess (level 1): Birthday Bakery (#117034 = wood, #120115 = clear)


• Stampin Up Designer Series Paper Patterns pack in the 'in colors of 2011 (level 1 Hostess set, #121028) This paper pack has 60 6x6 sheets with 6 double sided designs in each in color (Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush, Poppy Parade)


• Perfect Plum tampin Up 8 1/2 x 11 card stock (#101889 - $8.50 for 24 sheets)


• Whisper white Stampin Up card stock (#100730 - $9.25 for 40 sheets)


• The retired Cameo Coral Stampin Up card stock.


• Seam binding Crumb Cake ribbon 1/2 inch (#122332 - $8.95 for 10 yards. Only available until the end of April 2011 through the mini catalogue)


• Decorative Label punch (#120907 - $23.95)


• Perfect Plum Stampin Up Classic ink pad (#101437 - $7.25)


• Crumb cake Stampin Up write marker (#120967 - $4.50)


• Perfect Plum Stampin Up write marker (#100035 - $4.50)

Well.. that was it for today. I hope your day will be a good one.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Country Morning and Hope happens by Stampin Up and me

Good afternoon dear you. Thanks for stopping by again. I hope you are enjoying your day.

• I created this card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #82. Their verse of the week is from Philippian 4:6-7. 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.'

I love that God put this verse in the Bible. 'Do not lean on your own understanding' (Proverbs 3:5) and the part where it says 'that the peace of God can transcend all my understanding'..

• Honestly.. my thoughts can make over hours.. I turn things over and over in my brain. there are days that I am trying to make sense of it all.. and when I can't.. (of course I can't :) I can get so overwhelmed.. Yip.. no peace.. Usually, when I understand something.. I can have peace with it.. or not.. it depends on what is happening..

But I have felt God's peace.. even in the midst of those crazy moments. It is so good to know, that He is able to do that and that He is not dependent on my way of thinking or understanding. And the awesome thing is.. When His peace kind of 'kicks in'' I sometimes can think more straight and I have a better time letting go of those sticky things in my life. I hope that makes sense..

Anyway.. here is my card. The Stampin Sisters challenged us to use paper piecing in the main image of our card.

• I used my cute little baby chicken image of the Country morning stamp set by Stampin Up for the first time this morning. I love how new life starts like that. So fragile.. Wow.


• I also used one of the sentiments from my new set: 'Hope happens' (#113722 - $24.95 - page 149) by Stampin Up. This set has 5 beautiful thoughts you can use on your cards or scrapbook pages. I love it.


• I added 5 pearls in the left corner. (Basic pearls #119247 - $6.50. for 150 pearls - page 188)

Well. I gotta go.. Life is waiting again. I would love to hear from you. It really is a treat to read your sweet comments.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Framed Tulips embossing die + Nature walk by Stampin Up and me.

Hi dear you!

• And then it was Friday and Friday it is!

Spring break is here in Calgary. Our oldest son didn't have to go to school today. And I tell ya.. he was and still is so excited. He was up around 6.30 am in the morning building a fort in the basement. So cute. You should see what he came up with.

Our youngest daugther Naomi was for that reason also up and going, but had to lay down once and a while on the floor, because I think it was a tiny teeny bit to early for her. Well I don't blame her.. 6.30 am is so early. I wish I could just walk around with a super soft blankie and drop on the floor if I would feel like it ;) Just like that.. no explaining to anyone.. just laying on the floor... jah.. I guess that time has gone by for me.. But I had to take a photo of her. She is just so precious. Isn't she?

Anyway.. Today I used for the first time in my Big Shot my new Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder die (# 121809 - $12.17) Wow, whoever came up with that name sure knows how to put it :) (smile)

I hope the pictures can show you what a great embossing die this one is. My card looks so professional (i.m.h.o.) and fun at the same time. ;) Just saying ....

As a base of the card I used the Daffodil Delight Stampin Up card stock. And yes.. I am sorry, but I had to use the Baja Breeze Card stock from SU again.. Not sure how to stop that habit. It just looks so cool. And what do you think of this image of the Nature Walk Stampin Up set? (#121997 - $25.50) What a cuty eh! It comes with 7 gorgeous sketch-like images with a sweet vintage look. I have to try that bird soon on one of my cards and the four eggs in a row and.. oh well.. I guess all of them. To finish it all off, I just had to ad one of those tiny flower brads from Stampin Up in the same yellow.. Doesn't an accent like that ad so much to a card? I am sure you agree!

The Pals Paper Arts ladies encouraged us to emboss this week for their Elements of style #86 Challenge. You should check out their site.. You will be inspired, that's for sure.

Well.. Like I said, Friday it is.. I think we are going to have pizza tonight + after the kids are all in bed we are planning on watching the movie 'Date night' with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Have you seen that movie.. It is hillarious.. We have seen it before. But our friends who are living with us right now, haven't seen it yet.. Oh I can't wait to see it again. They are in for a treat.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Two step bird punch and some Trendy Trees - card by Stampin Up and me

Good evening.

• I will let you in on a little secret ;) Our home has a couple of places that when needed.. in case of emergency :) can distract me from 'real life'. Take those flowers on our side table. It is so so winter outside right now in Calgary. It has been snowing for the last week. So I brought a little bit of spring inside our home with 2 pots of blooming daffodils. They do the trick.. really!
• Then there is that gigantic picture of Amsterdam. Sometimes when I miss Holland (this happens on a daily basis).. I just pretend that this picture is my personal window to one of my favorite cities.

These are just 2 of the silly things I do to pretend my life is perfect (smile) No, I am kiddin'. I am very content and happy with my life here. Just that darn snow.. I know.. I have mentioned it before.

So here is a my card for the day. I used this lay-out before and I quite like it. I used the Two step bird punch created by Stampin Up. What a beautiful punch. I love working with it. If you never tried it.. go for it.

You know.. Untill the end of March it is Sale-a-Bration time at Stampin Up. When you spend $60 before taxes and shipping, you could pick a free SU product. So if you would buy for instance 3 different SU punches, you can choose a free Stampin Up stamp set. Now how cool is that. Sorry, I am getting a bit excited here.. Anyhoo :)

It is time for American Idol. Fun fun.. Who is your favorite singer.. I love LOVE Jacob.. what a voice.. WOW! Go Jacob go!

Inky hugs, Pauline

Happily ever after by Stampin Up and me

Hi dear you.

How did your Sunday go? I hope you had time to reflect on your week, recharge and look forward again to another week in your life.

• This morning we went to church.. The kids loved seeing all their friends and I loved seeing ours as well. It makes me so excited to see what God is doing in their lives and to share with them what I think He is doing in mine.

This afternoon I created this card with a one of those beautiful retired stamp sets, called: 'Happily ever after.' I matched it up with a retired hostess set as well from last year.

Again I used a lot of Stampin Up punches. I couldn't work without them. Even when I stamp an image a bit crooked on my card stock, I can still punch it out and stick it perfectly on my next layer of my card.

I created this card for the Clean and simple Paper Players Challenge #39. But I am not sure if I understood the challenge that well. But after I looked at the Challenge again, I suddenly see that the grey part is also part of the card challenge.. How simple can I be :) I just thought that only the white part was part of the challenge. Well.. Maybe my simple-ness counts for something here :) I hope they are not going to kick me out :) Hi ladies ;) Yip that's me.. my house is clean and I am simple. (....)

Well, we're going to have dinner. Yummy.. left overs.. taste even better, right.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Always and Vintage wallpaper by Stampin Up and me

Hi everyone..

Wow, we woke up to a snowy day here in Calgary.. Just when I thought that Spring was in the air.. I found out that Spring was only in my head. Oh well.. Just another day in paradise I guess :)

• Today I worked on a card that was inspired by the Challenge on the ColourQueen Challenge #76. Those sweet ladies encouraged us to use the following colors: Kiwi Kiss, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Whisper White from Stampin Up. If you know me a little bit, you know that these are some of my favorite colors, so off I went.

This is what I came up with.

• I embossed my Whisper White card stock with the Vintage Wallpaper textured impressions embossing folder (#120175 - $10.95) I love how that turned out.
• I inked up this beautiful bird from the Always Stampin Up stamp set (#113620 - $35.95) in Whisper White craft ink and I stamped it on my retired Kiwi Kiss SU card stock.
• As a base for this card I used the Daffodil Delight card stock from Stampin Up.
• I used my Word window punch and Modern label punch from SU to punch out the sentiment. I felt so with it (smile), when I realized that one of the pearls fitted perfectly in one of those Flower brads from Stampin Up. So so cute :)

Well.. I gotta run again.. Life as a busy mom eh.. I have been making dinner for 9 mouths these last 3 days.. I tell you, it's not even that more difficult.. but I think it is just between my ears.. (smile) that it is more work. hahaha.. Anyway.. gotta go!

Inky hugs, Pauline

Trendy Trees and Taken with Teal by Stampin Up and me

And here it is: One of my favorite tea's. Mighty Leaf Organic African Nectar tea..
So yummy! Wish I could brew you a cup and we could chat about our favorite stamp sets and crea techniques.

Good Tuesday morning to you! Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by.

• Last evening our dear friends moved in with us. We have an extra room in our basement, so while they are doing their renovations in the house next door, they are living with us. Oh how fun! We are already loving it. The kids are so tickled about it. They now have 2 little girls of their own age to play with, even in the morning when they're still in their pyjama's. Can it get any better? Soon they will be our neighbours.. I feel blessed to have such good friends coming to live so close to us.

After everyone was asleep in their warm and snugly beds, I went to my craft room.. Most of the day I had been cleaning and preparing the house for our friends to move in :) and I just had to create something. I had been looking at the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #182 of this week and I so wanted to play. And so I did. Together with my favorite cup of Mighty Leaf Organic Nectar tea and some real honey I went to the basement and sat down. And this is what I came up with.

• As a base I used the Take with teal card stock. I layered it with some retired Stampin Up DSP. I also dry embossed the Kiwi Kiss card stock with my lattice embossing folder. I love texture on my cards and with my Big Shot it takes me only a couple of seconds.
• I am sure you recognize the Trendy Trees images from Stampin Up. I hope I am not boring you with them, but I so love to use this stamp set.
• I used the Stampin Up scallop border punch to raise the cuteness factor on my card :) Just kiddin.. But what a fun punch is that.. I should use it more often.

Well.. I gotta run. I promised Rachel to make a puzzle with her, before we have to go.

Bless you today.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Friends Fur-ever by Stampin Up and me

Aaahh.. one of my favorite Mighty Leaf cup of teas! Can you guess which one it is ?

Good Sunday morning dear you.

If you're reading this post in the Netherlands, then I know it is already evening. Well good evening to you :) Leuk dat je weer even om een hoekje komt kijken.

I am so excited, that I am meeting more card making-blogging friends in Holland. There are some of the sweetest people out there that have amazing blogs and leave me the most encouraging comments. I will introduce you to some of them. You will be so welcome on their sites and you will not regret browsing around on their blogs. I promise.

• http://carooskaartjes.blogspot.com/ (I love Caro's style, and she is a great tutor, you should see her paper projects.. Wow!!)
• http://peetjes-freubelsite.blogspot.com/ (This dear woman is so creative.. and I love her humor)
• http://creasandra75.blogspot.com/ (Sandra is such a sweet heart.. she has beautiful cards and is great with coloring her images.. I hope one day I can be that good. )
• http://alittlebitofthethingsienjoy.blogspot.com/ (Stella's creativity is so sweet, she is great with colors and layers and she is so sweet in leaving comments on my blog)
• http://schnauzercrafts.blogspot.com/ (I know Christy, you're not dutch but you're the sweetest thing! Hugs from me)
• http://stampinanne.blogspot.com/ (hi babe, I just had to put you here as well.. I would love for people to find your blog. They will love your work)
• http://kreamiek.blogspot.com This beautiful blog is from Annemiek. She can so think outside of the box. She has great ideas and I love the color choices she puts together.

Give them a big hug from me :)

Today I created this card for the Stampin Sisters in Christ card Challenge #80. There theme of the week is..

• For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. (Matthew 6:21.)

They encouraged us to make a card which would show what we treasure in life.. Well that's not hard for me. Of course.. my love for God is number one! and I love all the special people that are part of my life. My family, my friends far and close, I love our home, I love my cup of teas ;) I love so many animals (I love cats and dogs) and chocolate. Well it was hard to cramp it all in one card. But he.. I tried right :)

• I used some of the images of the Friends Fur-ever stamp set from Stampin Up.. (#120504 - $31.95) It is so darn cute.. And it is so easy to create fun cards with it.
• I also used the newest 'Eat chocolate' stamp set from Stampin Up.. I hadn't inked it up before.. But wow do I love it. those images are so well done. A big (((((hug)))))) for the creator of that one!
• I used lots of bling and punches.. 'Easy peasy, mom!', my daughter would say.

Well, I got to run.. Have a great day today or sleep well if you're on the other side of the ocean.

Inky hugs, Pauline

Designer Flower brads and some basic Rhinestones by Stampin Up and me

Good Saturday morning dear you. How is your day going?

• I feel like this is one of those mornings where I am trying to juggle 15 gillion things at once. But as usual it is just a beautiful chaos in our home. Our lovely kids are waking up way to early and with way to much noise for my lovely ears. then the kids want to eat breakfast, then the kids are having a bath. After that they need to get dressed, the they want to play and use their outside voices, inside this house ;) then they want a snack, but I want a shower. Then my dear husband is working on my steamed milk because his dear wife likes that better than just warmed up milk. This almost gets burned because one of the kids is not sharing something and starts screaming on the top of her lungs. Then I want to give Reuben a cuddle and tell him that he is such a good dancer, while Naomi tries to pull the hair of Rachel to get some attention.. Then our sweet Naomi is back with her hand full of markers which she intends to use on my lovely home decor. Yah.. Life in the Kolochuk home. You have to love it.

So, to escape this sweet chaos, I sneaked out of our kitchen and walked down the stairs to my little world of crafts. And as I finished my card that I had started late last night, I thought of what would be the 'best' moment for me to watch the news on Japan.. I have to admit, my heart doesn't do well when I see all that tragedy and destruction and sadness and fear in people. I thought for a second that I maybe shouldn't watch it all.. It is so depressing and I feel so powerless with it all.. But then again, I can't just ignore what is going on, in this world, that wouldn't be right... right? So I watched the news, after I finished my card..

To be honest... I don't even know what to say about it. It's just terrible.. And I wish I could do more than watch and pray and transfer money to people that are helping out there. But then again, I am a mom and I am needed here. I can't possible take the whole world on my shoulders..

So here I am.. the kids are doing their thing and I am posting my card for the day.. Like nothing happened. And I guess it's okay.. Not everything that I do in a day has to be that profound or meaningful!

I used the sketch from this weeks Mojo Monday Challenge #181 . I would have never come up with this design myself and I had to look at it many times before I had the courage to try it out. At this point, when I am writing this, there are already 228 people that have linked their blog to this Mojo Monday challenge #181. I loved seeing all their ideas. You should check it out, it's so fun.

• I hope you'll enjoy my version. I love how the Flower designer brads and the Basic Rhinestones from Stampin Up made this card so sparkly. All the layers of the Early Espresso, Crumb cake and the Baja Breeze card stock, really turned it onto a fun and happy card to send to one of my friends.

Well.. Life is waiting again. Have a beautiful day today.

Inky hugs, Pauline