My computer is so dead, I can't even get it to load windows anymore, argh! So, I am attempting to write this post on DH's phone . Just a quick note to let everyone know I'm still creating but not able to post pics or leave as many comments as I would like . I also have some huge news : we are moving once again!!!  I know, I know, we just moved here a little over a year ago, but what can I say? Onward & upward? Literally upward,  as it's a move north. Well, I'll fill you in on the deets once I get a real keyboard back, hopefully tomorrow!

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First of all, just wanted to say a big mushy thanks to everyone who read my last post and left me a comment - you are all so supportive and wonderful, and that's what I love about spilling my guts in blogland!  So far my week has been much improved over last, and that is nothing to sneeze at!  Here is a card I made as my DT sample for July's Seriously Creative Challenge:

It's for my aunt's birthday.  I played with the idea of using some Tim Holtz stamps I borrowed from a friend, but then decided to go with the Dancing Girlfriends from Art Impressions again because my aunt's sense of humour is really whacked!  This photo may show the colours better:

Remember, the challenge this month is to use some items that are "Un-inked, Un-cut, or Un-opened".  I used two items on this card that have never before been used in the history of Roxy cards.  Can you spot them?  The first is the heart embossing folder.  I swiped the folder with the three colours of Summer Distress Ink, spritzed the whole shebang with water, then ran it and a cream-coloured tag through my little 'bug.  After it dried, I brayered  the tag with black ink.  The other brand-new-to-me item is the Inkable Crinkable Ribbon, available at an extremely reasonable price from Creative Accents.  The beauty of this stuff is that you can ink it to any colour you want and crumple it into a ball to dry to get this cool, shabby look.

And that's not all, folks!  Here's the inside of my card:

See these here flowers? 

 I think those are just the neatest!  I used the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die and the packaging material from the Distress Ink to make them.  I coloured them up with Copic markers, and they came out looking all delicious!!!  Thanks to Sarah for the inspiration for that one!  

Now I have a very important question for you all:  50 Shades of Grey trilogy, is it all that?  I've been hearing so much hype, I'd love to know from my worthy blog readers what the general consensus is.  Well, my boy's severely sunburned back requires attention, so must run!  (I think he learned his lesson from that one - next time I ask if he wants sunscreen, he'll eagerly run over and stand there patiently while I slather him in protection!!!  And then I won't feel like such a neglectful mother, right?)

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Happy Canada Day!

Welcome to our "Card Making Canadians Blog Hop", celebrating Canada Day today!  You should be arriving here from Sarah's blog, but if you messed up somewhere, you can always go back to Tara's blog - she has the whole lineup there.

So, of course our theme is Canada Day, and at first I was going to make a card with a Canadian stamp, but then I saw this cute Saturated Canary image I had printed out and had yet to colour on my desk, and she reminded me so much of my daughter Ailis that I decided to go with her:

She's coloured up with Copics (kind of an experiment with the reds, ack!) and cut out with a Spellbinders die.  I also found this great Canadian themed paper in my stash from sooooooo long ago!  It's by Around the Block, and I'm down to the smallest scraps now.  A border punch, some dry embossing and sanding, and some iRock bling and she's done.  I decided to use a sketch from a local gal I know, Cheri, aka Graphicat.  She has a great sketch challenge blog that puts out two sketches a month - be sure to check her out and play along!  Here's the sketch:

And here's the inside of my card:

What do you think of my freehand maple leaf?  I know it's not completely symmetrical, but I'm quite proud of it!  

Well, thanks for stopping by!  Just curious:  leave me a comment letting me know what you do for Canada Day, or if you're from another country, what you do for your big national celebration.  I'm planning to take the girls to a celebration at the 108 Heritage Site, and then possible to a BBQ - really looking forward to it!  

Now make your way over to Lucy's blog, and make sure to leave comments everywhere you go, as I know there are some skookum (I think that's a Canadian word!) prizes to be won!

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"New Love" using Counterfeit Kit

Now here is a layout that might never have been created if it weren't for this month's challenge at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge blog:

(Grrrr, sorry about the lousy photo, but I'm using a camera phone as someone, i.e. loving husband, took both cameras and the corresponding camera cards to work and left them there!)  The prompt is "weddings", and I actually have an organized section of photos just of weddings of friends and relatives.  As I was searching through my photos, I was shocked to realize how many couples are now divorced or split up!  Kind of sad, and now I don't know what to do with all these photos - how dare they wreck my scrapbooking plans like this!!!  Just kidding, but seriously, I'm really glad that this photo is now on a layout of its own because someday, if not right now, the kids will want to know a bit about their great grandparents.  This is my mom's dad, and he's such a funny guy.  I'll have to get my mom to write down some stories about him, as he's in his 90's and it's highly unlikely we'll get to Australia to see him (although my mom promised that if he makes it to 100, she'll fly us all over there for his birthday!).  My mom's mom passed away in 2005, and a year later, papa's getting married again!  I guess when you're that old, carpe diem and all that, right? I think they make a pretty cute couple, and their outfits go absolutely perfectly with this Pink Paislee paper I've been hoarding for, like, ever!  My other favorite part of this layout is the journaling block - I ruffled up washi tape around the edge for a different effect.  Most of the products are from my June Counterfeit Kit, although I just had to sub in those Thickers for the title, they were too good of a match to leave out!

Here's the sketch I used from Sketches in Thyme, altered just a tad:

So there you have it!  I hope everyone out there has a great weekend, and makes some time for... (drum roll please!) a Canadian Cardmakers Canada Day Blog Hop!!!  Yes, July 1st is Canada Day, and I am taking part in a blog hop to celebrate with plenty of red & white, maple leaves galore, and possibly some Canadian products in the mix, so I'll see ya here bright and early Sunday morning, eh?  (P.S. - we don't really say "eh?" all the time, just when we want to sound more Canadian than we really are - or do we?  Guess you'll have to come to Canada to found out!)

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June Counterfeit Kit

I am really excited about my kit this month because they're doing something different over at Counterfeit Kits for June, which made it easier for me to get my act together earlier!  Yay, me!  They posted a list of "ingredients" and you can go with any theme or colours you like, so if you've been wanting to play along, now's your chance to get in on the action!  I started with some newer patterned papers from my stash that seemed to go together:

From the top I've got MME, then Graphic 45 in the middle row, and 2 Pink Paislee pieces and a Simple Stories piece in the bottom row.  Then I pulled out some old Close to My Heart cardstock that coordinated, along with two alpha stamp sets that I love!:

And finally some coordinating inks, background stamps, and embellishments:

Now let's see what i can do with it!

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Card for a Special Friend

Well, I finished a three week running program, and even though it was very difficult for me, I think it gave me the boost I needed to get going on a regular exercise/clean eating regime!  The best part of this clinic was meeting new people and getting to spend time with a new friend - I told her about the clinic, and she decided to give it a go, even though she's never run before, AT ALL!!!  I was so impressed with her effort, she came to every run and gave it her all, and she totally kicked my butt!  Anyway, I thought she deserved a special card to show how much I appreciate everything she's done for me and encourage her to keep going with the running.  What do you think, do the "Dancing Girlfriends" from Art Impressions fit the bill?  The sentiment that I stamped on here is so cute, it says "Dance like no one's watching... who can have you committed."  I stamped that last bit on the inside!  I thought it was appropriate as we often talk about how we're going to meet up at the asylum one of these days!  Here's a close up of some of the ladies:

I made the flowers with my NEW Tim Holtz Alterations die (tattered florals) and spring Distress Inks - they are so wonderful, I looooooove the blue especially.  And yay, I finally got to use one of Cheri's wonderful sketches AND get it linked up in time!

Can you see it?  I had to flip it sideways, and sub out one of the circles for the flowers, but I think it's pretty close.

I'm also going to enter this card at:

Art Impressions Challenge #66 - fitness

Bearly-Mine #39 - Tic Tac Toe (I used the line that says "dies, flowers, sentiment")

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

House of Gilli - vibrant summer colours

Stamp and Create - bold and bright

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:  Art Impressions stamp, Memento ink, Simple Stories patterned paper, Tim Holtz die and ink, Close to My Heart rhinestones, Twinery twine

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April Project 12

It's a beautiful day in the South Cariboo, but I'm taking a break from the outdoor activities to bring you this layout:

I made a commitment to myself to continue on with the Project 12 idea this year, using a new Page Maps sketch each month to highlight our goings on.  For April I chose this sketch:

Isn't it a beaut?  I had to change some things a bit to make my photos fit, but I like how it worked out in the end.  Here's a close-up of the left page:

And the right:

The background cardstock was originally plain cream stuff - I coloured it first with Tea Dye Distress Ink, then I used some border punched scraps to make the vertical pattern, misting first with Tattered Leather and then Black Glimmer Mist.  I was looking to make a fairly neutral background so the brights of the photos would pop.  The journaling cards you see were a freebie from Secret Stash, but they're unfortunately not available anymore.

Made a couple more rosette flowers, and layered them up with little pink flowers, buttons, and a great paper doily.

Well, hope you had a great weekend!  Us here, we finally finished the backyard fence!!!  Only took a year to get going on.  Talk about procrastination!!!  This means I have a place to put Hunter when I go out for a couple of hours where he can't chew up Brenna's toys or books, or my radio!  You can!'t believe the stress that lifts off of me, phew!  Thanks for looking, and I appreciate all your comments, they always make my day!

Supplies:  CTMH cardstock, alpha stamp (Giggle Caps) and ink (Olive), Tim Holtz Distress Ink, border die, and tissue tape, K&Co Smash tape, BoBunny Double Dot and Echo Park patterned paper, Secret Stash journaling cards, unknown ribbon, photo corners, doily, and buttons

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