IC206, OCC Whimsical Vintage

Our November hostess, Jennifer Meyer, has challenged the OCC to a postcard challenge. Use the sketch layout as your inspiration. Just have fun with the challenge - we can't wait to see what you come up with!!

There is no time limit on our challenges - feel free to participate whenever you are able. To play along, upload your creation to your blog or gallery, then leave us a comment linking to your project so we can check it out. If you upload to SCS, remember to use keyword: OCCC

First, my apologies that I am late today. It's been a frantic kind of week. The fault of my tardiness lays squarely on the shoulders of this big, beautiful girl;


Doesn't she have a lovely face?!! She was attacked by a porcupine - totally provoked mind you. She was running on her own on the reservation and anything smaller than her was lunch. She was rescued and the quills and subsequent injuries were all taken care of. She had been adopted for a grand total of 3 hours, and was returned to my rescue organization because she was a little fierce toward another smaller dog. I don't know if this girl has dog aggression or is just predatory.

The last puppy in my possession from our most recent litter went home today and this rottie mix came to us 2 days ago. She has been a lot of work, but we haven't seen any of the aggressive/predatory behaviour that others have seen. We didn't take any chances though, so she has only been introduced to our house this morning after Lily left. This morning as well, a beautiful young lady who has claimed great affection for Lady Bea came to see her, and we walked Lady Bea together to see if it was a good match. Oh HAPPY DAY!!!! Lady Bea's new person will be coming by every day for the next 2 weeks to work with us with Lady Bea so she won't be bounced around any more. She will go to her forever home, this time forever.


And in the midst of a week of dog shifting, training me to deal with aggressive dog behaviour, puppy house training and much clean up, I did this card for today's OCC challenge;


I was almost done last night before I unceremoniously booted from my studio. Lady Bea and Lily are crated in there because it's more insulated from the rest of the house so the night time howling doesn't keep us all up. I was so close to being done though.

I couldn't decide if I should go vintage or whimsical, so I did a little bit of both. *grin* I used this week's Inspiration Challenge to move me toward the whimsical/vintage balance based on this fab jewellry.

I tried colouring the snowmen like the folk art wooden ones I've seen around, but I think they look like they've spent a week on a beach in fiji instead! *snort* Maybe they have been standing around too long and are a little mud splattered? Anyhoo, in the midst of everything, I got 'er done.

The rest of the OCC design team did some really wonderful stuff, so check it out using the links on the side.

stamps; north pole (basic grey), flaky friends, winter post (SU!), sentiment (whipper snapper)
paper; wassail (basic grey)
ink; black soot, antique linen, tea dye, vintage photo, walnut ink distress ink (ranger)
accessories; rectangle, tags5 nesties (spellbinders), twill ribbon (martha stewart), satin ribbon (offray), button brads (making memories), prismacolours

Gotcha, Man!

I think this image is too funny!!! I saw this 'Let it Snow' set from Impression Obsession and laughed at this snowball fight scene. I have seen this scene played out in my backyard many times, followed by shouts of indignation and a need for patching things up over hot chocolate...with marshmallows.

I coloured this image with both copic markers and prismacolors. I was thrilled to find the pale '0000' copics delivered to my door this morning - finally. They are a thing of beauty!! Throw on a few accessories and - Voila!

stamps; let it snow (impression obsession)
paper; spiceberry (memory box), cardstock (bazzill)
ink; blacksoot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; pink pearl flourish (zva), buttons (basic grey), felt snowflakes, ribbon (SU!), rhinestone (making memories), brads (bazzill), copic markers, prismacolours

Chicken Girl Design Release

Today starts the sneak peeks for another Chicken Girl Design release. This time, it's a darling Birthday set and I must say, it's one of my favourites! My kids really like this set too... Make sure you sneak a peek at what the rest of the Chicken Girls have created with this set using the links available on my sidebar.

I almost did a purple elephant, but I figure on occasion it's in my best interest to give a nod to reality and do a little life-like colouring! *LOL* I love colouring whimsical characters whimsically though. It seems fitting. Anyhoo, I used copic markers on both the elephant and the little pink gifts.

I have several birthday parties coming up and am in need of several children's cards. While I normally like to make an A2 size card so I can put a slot in it for a gift card, this time I made a 4"x4" easel card. It's fun and cute and perfect for a little girl from my youngest daughter's grade 3 class. I'm thinking a little critter from Build a Bear will be a perfect accompaniment for this sweet little elephant.

This birthday set will be released next Monday, November 16th so stay tuned this week for all the peeks coming your way.

stamps; birthday wishes (chicken girl design by i {heart} papers), giving it all meaning background (unity)
paper; oh baby! girl collection (basic grey), coconut swirl (bazzill), cardstock by cored'inations
ink; milled lavendar, concord grapes, black soot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; fancy tags, labels 5, oval and scallop oval nesties (spellbinders), brads (unknown), copic markers

Happy Fall Y'All!

It's been far too long since I last used my Sarah Kay stamps. I love these darling images and I LOVE to colour all the sweet details. Today though, I took some time to just play around.


I CASED this card from Tosh Leyendekker. I love the layout she used and I love the monochromatic colour scheme. However, I needed a little more colour for this sweet little farm boy. I coloured him using prismacolors and gamsol. The 'dreams' charm was distressed using copic markers since it started out a very shiny silver and for this card, I don't feel it would work as well as this toned down version.

Enjoy your week, all!!!

stamps; gardens need many helpers (sarah kay by stampavie)
paper; nutmeg (cosmo cricket), fern (bazzill), kraft (paper accents), white card stock (papertreyink)
ink; black soot, tea dye, frayed burlap, brushed corduroy distress ink (ranger)
accessories; boho blossom punch, ribbon, copper cord, word window punch (SU!), getaway dew drops (the robin's nest), waves border punch (ek success), branch punch (martha stewart), charm (blue moon beads ), autumn glitter (art institute glitter), antique copper brads (making memories), prismacolors, copic markers

SC252 OCC stacked pale pumpkins

This week on the OCC, this adorable pumpkin family is your inspiration. Create a card or project inspired by this photo. Have fun with this challenge, ladies!!!

There is no time limit on our challenges - feel free to participate whenever you are able. To play along, upload your creation to your blog or gallery, then leave us a comment linking to your project so we can check it out. If you upload to SCS, remember to use keyword: OCCC.


I know those pumpkins are orange, but I went a little paler with my round stacked family. Totally sweet, eh?!! I used 'It's a snow day!' from Chicken Girl Design by i {heart} papers. This image is coloured with prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and I used last week's sketch challenge from SCS for this card. What can I say, I had the paper and image ready to go from last week when I was ill, and it was perfect for this OCC challenge as well.

Please take a few relaxing minutes to see what the rest of the OCC DT did with this fun challenge! All the links are on the side bar of my blog.

stamps; it's a snow day (chicken girl design IHP)
paper; eskimo kisses (basic grey), starmist, coconut swirl (bazzill)
ink; black soot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; ribbon (SU!), buttons (basic grey), rhinestones (heidi swapp), double scallop border punch (ek success)

SC253 Trinity Tree

I was sent some fabulous Unity images by Kate at i {heart} papers. 'Technically' this isn't a winter image, but being able to see the skeleton of the tree always makes me think of the colder months. I coloured my image in neutral s with Tombow markers, and highlighted - where the snow falls - with a white gel pen.

I used the Holiday demi phrase set from Just Rite for the sentiment. I thought of doing another sentiment across the lower portion of the card, but, well, I think the magic is enough.

Enjoy your Wednesday!!!

stamps; holiday demi phrase (just rite), tiny trinity (unity)
paper; early bird, nutmeg (cosmo cricket), fern, french silk (bazzill), textured cardstock (ek success)
ink; frayed burlap, tea dye distress ink (ranger)
accessories; lattice pendants, labels 6, decorative photo corners (spellbinders), ribbon (may arts), men dew drops (the robin's nest), rhinetsones (heidi swappp), white gel pen (sakura), markers (tombow)

Vintage Style

This week our October hostess, Lori Rider, has challenged the OCC to a inspiration challenge. Create a card or project using something vintage, or vintage-inspired, on your card or project. Raid your drawers for old buttons and trims, an old tag or photo, or anything else you find.

There is no time limit on our challenges - feel free to participate whenever you are able. To play along, upload your creation to your blog or gallery, then leave us a comment linking to your project so we can check it out. If you upload to SCS, remember to use keyword: OCCC.


I have only a couple more images from my Winter Cotton Scraps left on my desk, and I plan on using them soon. This is a very simple card and there was no stamping involved. The image was already cut out and the scallop circle was just sitting there too, a left over from a card months ago. Even, the little fleur de lis shapes are leftovers! We are having leftovers for supper tonight too. There's a theme going on here, I think.

I needed simple for the OCC challenge, because I spent5 days in bed and another 2 just getting by - the flu got me too. It wasn't a stomach flu, but I guess the minute a 'cold' develops a fever, it's classified as the flu. I'm still not doing a whole lot or I break into a cold sweat. Picture it; I'm in my jammies at my desk sponging and image, and it's a real workout so I have to stop or I'll sweat on my image - EEeeewwwww! I can hardly get down the stairs to my studio. I had a card laid out for the sketch challenge on SCS this past week, but couldn't get any farther than picking the image and the paper. *sigh*

Anyhoo, I slept in quite late this morning, which is very unusual for me, but I think it indicates that I'm on the mend. My kids are on the mend too. Still coughing a bit, but generally better. As for my DH, he was getting paranoid that he might be coming down with this really nasty virus, but it never got past the paranoia stage for him...

Have a wonderful weekend, all! Enjoy your extra hour of sleep!! Or if sleep isn't high on your list today, feel free to pop over to the OCC's individual blogs and check out their beautiful vintage creations.

paper; french silk, starmist (bazzill), wassail (basic grey)
accessories; create a snowflake 1&2 (spellbinders), glitter, linen thread (SU!), button (basic grey), bella's baubles (stamping bella), winter cotton scraps (crafty secrets), ribbon (offray)