Country Life!

I absolutely love living out in the country! I have a lovely big yard, I can walk down the hill & go for a swim any time I feel like it & there is no hussle & bussle of the big city! However, lastnight one of the drawbacks of country living showed it's face! Bill had just headed off to bed & I was sitting reading when I felt the cottage shake a little bit. At first I thought I was imagining things but when it happened again I got up, turned the outside light on & had a look out the window....there on my deck, staring back at me was a huge black bear!!! Not sure who was more surprised....the bear or me! Bill, my hero, came to the rescue after hearing me yell "OMG there's a bear on the deck"....in the mean time the poor old bear clamoured over the railing & disappeared into the bushes. Now, I must add to this story that my deck is 20 ft. up off the ground & one has to climb 20 steps to get on to it! That bear climbed all that way & didn't even find a morsel to eat....thank goodness I wasn't sitting outside reading....he could have had a real feast!!! A  truck is a necessity when living out here in the boonies...atleast that's what Bill tells me....he uses his about twice a month to take the garbage to the landfill....but it is a necessity!  Boys & their toys! Our son Chris just bought a new truck & it is his birthday on Sunday (29th) so what better image to use for a card for him than this one from Sandy over at The Outlawz. The trees in the background are from Rubber Stampede & are stamped with Versafine ink.  I went out to our yard & dug up some sand to make a "dirt" road for the truck (it is stuck on with Provo craft Terrifically Tacky Tape) papers are from my stash. Well, I'm off to hunt for bears! Thanks for stopping by.

I want to enter this card in these challenges:                                                                                          

Make it Monday.....anything goes                                                                                                            

Papertake Weekly Challenge.....make you own...I made my own sentiment & DIRT ROAD!              

Shopping Our Stash.....use something new.....the truck digi is new                                                         

Stamp N Plus.....anything goes                                                                                                                 

                                         

Check out this giveaway!!!

Ingvild Bolme, a designer fro Prima is giving away this amazing "mountain of Prima" products to celebrate the new look for her blog! Check it out here. Who wouldn't love to win this awesome prize!!
Hugs, Renee

Little Irish Dancer

I fell in love with this Mo Manning image the minute I saw it & knew I would have to add it to my collection! Irish dancing is near & dear to my heart....my granddaughter, daughter & myself have all danced for the McConnell School of Irish Dance at one time or another. (my daughter danced with them for 15 yrs.) To this day I love to listen to the rousing music & watch the jigs & reels. We have a festival in Winnipeg every August called "Folklorama" which celebrates the multiculturalism of the city & the McConnell Dancers put on an amazing show....if your ever coming to the city make sure you come in Aug. so you can take it in! I have colored my "Little Irish Dancer" in the colors of my daughter's last dance costume; the Celtic Knot is a design that was on one of my favorite costumes she ever wore & the lace represents the collar on her very first costume.....when she was 5yrs. old (she is now 35yrs.) Can you tell I LOVED making this card? And yes, I still dance in my heart!!!

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
1. Bronte & Bella.....dancing
2. Paper Makeup Stamps.....dimensional (the dancer & Celtic knot are raised)
3. Cutie Pie.....glitter & bling.....(green glitter paper, jewels, buttons, lace)
4. Sketch N Stash.....sketch; new to stash...image; old stash....Celtic knot from ATC's made in Feb.
5. Make it Monday.....anything goes
6.. Papertake Weekly.....all things girlie
7. Stamp N Plus.....anything goes
8. Tuesday Alchemy.....buttons (shamrock buttons)
9. LEJ Designs.....anything goes
10. Crafty Blogger.....anything goes

Summer fun!

What a fabulous weekend we had! Our daughter & her family came out to visit for a few days & it was lovely & hot. The girls got into a water fight with Grandpa....I would say Grandpa lost!!! Even though he had the garden hose & Jessica only had a water gun! Even the dog got in the action.

My card for today brings back other great summer memories of days at the beach with the girls making sandcastles & catching minnows in their pails. This is an image from The Stamping Boutique & the shells were off the net; it is colored with prismacolor pencils & OMS; the papers are from DCWV "Citrus" stack & the brads are Recollections". This is also my first attempt a sewing on a card...I need lots more practice!!! Hope the sun is shining where you are! Hugs, Renee

I plan to enter my card in the following challenges:
1. Fab n Funky.....summer holidays
2. C.R.A.F.Thttp://www.trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.ca/.....summer
3. Digi Doodle.....summertime
4. Paper Crafting Journey.....summer
5. Poodles Parlour.....use a digi
6. Craft Punked.....summertime
7. Pattie's Creations.....summertime
8. The StampMan.....anything goes...summer colors
9. Simply Create Too.....summer/vacation
10. Pan Pastel.....sun, sea & sand
11. The Squirrel & the Fox.....kids or babies
12. Paper Pretties.....try a new technique (sewing on my card)
13. Make It Monday.....anything goes

Whine, whine, whine!!!

You are going to think "this one is never happy, she is always whining!" Not long ago I was moaning about the cold, rainy weather we were having.....well, now it's too darn hot!!! Our temps have been above 30C for over a week now & the humidity is awful....I don't do well with humidity! One bonus to the heat is I'm seeing all kinds of birds having a bath in my fountain....there is a little bubble of water that comes out the top & the hummingbird loves to sit on it! I'm trying to get a picture but the little fellow is just too shy & flies off everytime I get close enough with the camera!
So, about my card. I made this for a friend from TCC...we have a birthday card exchange over there. The digi is from Anne Fenton at The Outlawz & the "happy birthday" is Penny Black; colored with prismacolor pencils....I attempted to do the distress ink thing (on her jeans) but I need alot more practice with that!!!! DP is from My Mind's Eye & the music note paper is downloaded from the net; CS is Bazzill & I have used Spellbinders (oval & scalloped oval) & a beautiful  Memory Box die that I just bought....cherry blossoms. Have an awesome day!

Challenges I am entering this card in:
1. Celebrate the Occasion.....Happy Birthday
2. Party Time Tuesdays.....Let's get punchy
3. Stamp N Plus.....anything goes
4. Crafty Bloggers Network.....anything goes
5. Lexi's Creations.....for a friend
6. Make It Monday.....anything goes
7. Tammy's Scrappin Corner.....anything goes
8. Totally Stampalicious.....favorite embellishment (flowers)

Proud Canadian!

I created this card for a challenge over at The Outlawz challenge blog & then realized there were lots of blogs with "patriotic" or "colors of your country" challenges. This card makes me smile! While I was born in Ireland, Canada has been my home since I was 5yrs. old & I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world! I love to travel & see other places but it is always good to be home at the end of it all. Canada is a very diverse country...a real melting pot of the worlds many lovely people. This card represents a few of the "Canadian" staples....hockey is our game....the RCMP are our national police....the beaver is (apart from a pest if he is chewing on your trees) our national symbol along with the maple leaf. On driving from one coast to the other you are able to experience such vast changes in the land....from the prairies (where I live)  to rolling hills to majestic mountains; small streams to pristine lakes; & our climate is another story....in the summer we swim in those lakes & in the winter it is cold enough to skate on them. (atleast here in Manitoba anyway) The other day the temperature here was 36 degrees Celcius (somewhere in the 90'sF) but in the winter it is liable to be    -36C! (not a place for wussies) Anyway, back to the card....the female hockey player image (which represents my granddaughter Jessica by the way) is from Fresh Brewed Designs; the heart flag, RCMP & beaver are images from "free coloring pages" & the background paper was  download from the net. Hope you are having an amazing day & thanks for stopping by.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
1. 4 Crafty Chicks.....red & white
2. DYSU.....red
3. Incy Wincy Designs.....patriotic
4. My Craft Spot.....Canada Day/July4th
5. Tammy's Scrapin Corner.....celebrations
6. Crafting for all Seasons.....patriotic

Happy Anniversary

Some very dear friends of ours are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next Sat. They are the sweetest couple....still strolling down the road holding hands after 50 yrs....awesome! This is the card I made for them....it has much love tucked inside!

The beautiful calla lily digi is from Anne Fenton over at The Outlawz Challenges & is colored with prismacolor pencils; the word stamps are Making Memories...they are heat embossed with pirates gold embossing powder;  paper is Fairy Flora by Prima; pearls are from Recollections; the lace is from Paper Studios...Spare Parts & has gold ribbon from Michael's woven through it.
I am entering my card in the following challenges:
1. Chocolate coffee & cards.....anything goes
2. Aud Sentiments.....Bingo
3. Crafty Blogger.....anything goes
4. Make It Mondays.....anything goes
5. Pan Pastel.....use a digi
6. Crafty Calander.....flowers in bloom
7. Craftymess.....ribbons & lace