ANOTHER birdcage card!

I'm seriously addicted to this birdcage image since I bought this HA digit kit just less than a week ago, I have been making cards....ALL birdcage cards and not much else! Hope you are not sick tired of them yet (LOL)! I had the idea in mind late at night. Once I started to work on it....by the time I almost finished, it was past 3 am! Things we do for CARDS-it's ridiculous worth it!

Again I'm entering this card for the Moxie Fab Challenge-Fun with Floss (see here).

Here's a little reminder for you (I'm using this cute loud speaker Hi-Fido that shaped like a dog ).

 

I know you floss your teeth. BUT You should try FLOSSING on your cards some time if you haven't! It's WAY more fun :)

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Here are the Olympics moments in case you miss them....or you just can't get enough of them ( see here from my home and native land-Canada)

SRM Challenge (take 3!!!)

It's good that the SRM challenge (see here) is coming to an end...I can't stop making cards with chipboard and stickers-TOO MUCH fun! This is my 3rd entry (and last!) for the challenge.

 

This was a FUN card to make...since it's SWEET and has no calories!

chipboard, HA CL 222 (Birthday Express), pearls, sticker (sentiment), MS candy punch, cellophane paper (candy wrapper).  The following one was my 2nd entry. (More details here)

Also I want to announce that Dawn and Dotty Jo have gotten the draw (details here) for my random cards. I hope you will STILL accept my shabby lovely cards (LOL). I will mail them out to you as soon as I have your addresses. Thank you for your support !!

SRM 1st Monthly Challenge!

I become a follower of the SRM Sticker Blog once I found out about a few of my GF/blogging buddies haven been selected to their amazing DT team. So of course, when they have a challenge (details here) , I'd like to particiate! The challenge is to incorporate chipboard and stickers into a project, cards..etc. I have hoarded quite a few of them over the years and sadly, they have rarely been used since I am so loyal to my stamps. Hopefully all that (including lack of SRM stickers) is going to change .

So I just had to use whatever in my stash. The chipboard was from the Dollar store and the DCWV sticker (the sentiment-Thinking of You) was part of the paper pack that I bought a while ago. So they are the unsung/nameless heros in this card.

The Flourish stamp was embossed in white on white paper. I then distressed all of it in TH Peel Paint.

 Since it's a lot of work to cut out, so I only cut one side. Well, that's "part" of the reason (LOL)! I added the embroidery floss (using the CB folder stem as a guide).

This really was a quick card as the chipboard and sticker ARE a perfect match!

Can you believe that Winter Olympics is almost OVER (No....!) and the winter is alive and well here in my area? Here's a snap shot from my son David who took our street scene around 5pm yesterday. Click on it for a much BLEAKER view!

Enough SNOW for you?

Moxie Fab Challenge ( Fun with Floss)!

I don't know what got to me...recently I thought I'd get some floss for my cards. When I went to the craft section at Wal-Mart, there was a large bin of assorted embroidery floss for $ 0.69 each, so I picked up a few! I love sewing floss into the card as it adds a warm and detailed look to handmade cards. Just then I found out about the Moxie Fab Challenge (see here). I got the big needle and thread/floss right to work. Since I'm still infatuated with the Hero Arts digit kit (Bird Cage here). I challenge myself to use floss for this image....here's the result.

 I added the gems on top of the thread to add more interest.

 I think I will incorporate more floss into card-making from now on :)

Random cards...from scraps!

Just sharing a few cards that I made for no reason, but they are good enough to share (at least I think so-heehee!). Here I used the scraps from Basic Grey paper and stamped the Row of Houses in the background and then pop dotted the little cute house. And then add a ribbon, Ta-da!

The following circle card came about when I was left with the Hero Arts Digit Kit (Friendship) text. I used CB and turned it into a circle card.

Also I'd like to share a picture that my DD Stephanie took at her university. Her photo was picture of the week in the Life Science forum in her university (see here). I am most proud of her photography skills. If I have her taking my card pictures, I know my chance of winning challenges increase by at least 50% (LOL)!

To thank you for visiting, I will draw two commenters for this post and give away these two cards.

Carrdvarks and Moxie Fab...in one!

 When I found out SRM stickers is sponsoring the Caardvarks challenge, I know I'm going to have "instant fun"! I wish I have some SRM stickers right NOW! I even went to Michael's and LSS to look for them, they don't carry SRM stickers (wahhhh!!!).  I guess I'd better win some ( a remote chance), or bribe some (ask my talented friends: carole-ish Kathy, Jing-Jing Nickel and Nina B.who are on the SRM design team to "share") or buy some ( selling on line-but too late for me to enter this challenge). Here's my take ....I used DCDW sticker for the sentiment "Just thinking of you". I'm also entering this card for Moxie Fab World challenge  Olympics of Stamping challenge (thinking of you catagory).

My love affair with stickers started when I was back in the elementary school days in Taiwan.

They often "lured" me into the local book stores as they were the ultimate "eye candy" for me...besides the books!

 I always love the bright colors and the ease of using stickers.  It's an instant transformation-NO effort involved really. The only stamped (branch) image in this card was from Birds N' Branch. I am excited to use my newly purchased Hero Arts digit kit Bird Cage (see here). Basically I just re-sized it and turned the card base into a cage-like shape. LOVE the result! I'm having so much fun with the different sizes with the digit kits! Thank you for your heartfelt comments as always. My Flickr site (more comments here).
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This card is also featured in CARDS blog for cards other than a rectangle or square. I'm so glad to have submitted this one because this challenge got me to think "outside the box"!

Stephanie's Bicycle cards!

My daughter came home for her study week from university this past week . It's been 6-7 weeks since we last saw her. Again I got into a baking frenzy and made her favorite apple pie! THEN Stephanie told me that she needs around 10 birthday cards for her friends. I was happy to have a "card assignment" as I do not see any challenges that grabs me at the moment. After showing her a few of mine, she finds my cards too "girly" (!!??) since she needs guy friend cards! What's a guy friend card, you may ask!? She went to my stash and literally took matters into her own hands! Her two guy friends are into cycling and she found that the PTI set (Everyday Button Bits) is perfect for this. (photo credit: Stephanie)

First she made one with the city landscape....she cut out the skyscraper for the background. Looks kind of neat, huh?

She made some messy ink marks (see bottom), but she didn't bother to fix them.....as city streets are always dirty anyway, so she said (LOL)!

I love how she attached the balloons to the bike! Her hand-drawn wheels are pretty cool, too! I was also happy that she used the metal rings that I bought from the Dollar store for the tires.

It's definitely more cool and sophisticated for a guy and yes, I get to save my precious buttons!

 I also found out that my Butterfly card with the "window"

was featured in CARDS blog ( Cards with Transparency). YAY! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have fun watching the Olympics!!

Embellish (color challenge-birthdays)

When I saw the new challenge at Embellish , I thought ... there's NO way I can come up anything with this rich and vibrant color combo! I mean, it's so out of my comfort zone!

With that thought stuck in my head, I kept thinking that wouldn't it be nice to prove myself WRONG?  So I picked out the HA stamp Birthday Expression that I rarely used and this is what came up.

Well, I know I can be more creative with the colors and design, but this is not horrible pretty good...considering what I had originally thought.

I am glad that I prove myself "wrong"  :-)

EBKS Challenge (Sketch #9)

I LOVE making FUN cards! I love cards that make you smile. I used the sketch at  Everything But The Kitchen Sink Challenge  see here

and made this card with the elephant

CL230 Elephant, CL298 Scattered Leaves, S5101 Raintdrop Background, K5103 Woodgrain Circle

Other: circle punch, CB (Spellbinder), Acetate,BG paper, button

Hope this card makes you smile  :)

Garden cards and garden.... salad.

Do you wish Spring is here already? Well, I made these two cards and they make me longing for Spring even more! I started out with this one....

I kind of like it, so I made another with my new bright orange polka dot ribbons and colored the little flowers slightly different from the first one.

Speaking of Spring, what's Spring without some fresh garden... salad?! Yes, I'm always thinking about food, don't I?  I went to my friend Beth's house for lunch last week and her salad was ...well, Spring-like! Oh... and here's what I gave to my friends for Valentine's Day (coconut chocolate from Miami, CB folder, spa stuff  and more chocolate...).

This salad has all the yummy ingredients-mango, kiwi, pine nuts, avocado and fresh greens....

The entree is this hearty Cod Chowder with potatoes with cream. Beth topped it off with fresh homemade brown bread crumbs. SO yummy!

We finished off with this Pear Delight avec creme fresh... gorgeous, isn't it? YES, It was delicious,too!

 

And when you see the pink TULIPS for this centerpiece,

You might think:" Can Spring be far behind?"

Here's a card from Dr. John for me

YAY! Canada finally got the FIRST GOLD

 medal on home soil !

Happy Valentine's Day and TT!

It's been a while since I made a card for Tuesday's Trigger (You've Been Pinked). I love how the inspiration coming from a picure of objects. Love this scrumptious photo as the trigger.

Here's my take from the picure.

Hero Arts dandeloin stamp, buttons, Free downloadable Library card ( Pine Is Here), Sentiment (from PaperTrey Ink), vellum , Fiskar lace punch, velvet ribbons

Wish you a warm and fuzzy Happy Valentine's Day! I'm going to join Dr. John for the Olympic Opening Ceremony :)

 

BTW here is the  just OK  FINE result of the EBTK Box Top Challenge. 

That makes me now officially a Domestic Diva.  I felt like a marathon runner and you are all on the roadside cheering me on..... Your feedback and comments really kept me going.

That matters to me the most. Thank you!! 

Carrdvarks Challenge (wedding card)

I find it a real challenge to use the Hero Arts stamps Speckled Ornament. I must admit that I was "stumped" on this set when I first got it in my hands! This is the first time I used this image. Oddly enough, it seems alright to use this set for a wedding card for the Carrdvarks Challenge (see here)!  I like the formal and elegant look from this stamp and then I just went from there...

Here's the bait:  BIG reward: The winning entry will be published in Scrapbook Trends CARDS Magazine's July 2010 issue..."

CL401 Speckled Ornament, Distress ink (Spiced Marmalade),Hero Arts (Soft Sand Ink), Glossy Accent, Stickles, gold ribbons, button, heart charms.

I know it's next to impossible to get published....but a girl can always dream, right?

 Speaking of weddings, my friend's daughter just got proposed! Her boyfriend apparently tried to propose to her on the top of a hill since he is an avid hiker. In the middle of winter in Canada...a hike?? Well, guess what!? She got injured during the hike to the hills....and ended up in the emergency! He told her repeatedly: "this is NOT something I had planned...". He then concocted a surprise outing a few days later and had his friend escort her to a limo which took the love birds right to the hill. He then bent down on one knee and asked her. And she said YES!! I think I NEED to go see a romantic comedy badly...it's long overdue!

Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day!!

Before you know it, the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day will be here- on the same day this year!! How rare is that? I don't recall one as long as I can remember!

Anyhow I thought maybe I will show a few variations of Chinese dumpling (sorry no Valentine's food from me). Startng with 3 cups of all-purpose flour, add 1/2 cup of hot water (this is very rough measurement, I don't measure any more)...put it in the mixer and there you have it-DOUGH!

then you roll them, knead them and now cut them into pieces

Does that look like fun or what? Now fill them up with ground pork, green onions, Chinese cabbage

Seal the edges (with love!) and you have one dumpling and many...

You can fry them, boil them, or like I did here, steam them.

So what do you think?

If all of the above is too much work for you, here's the alternative. Buy the read-made wrapping...it's easy! Just wrap them up and they are just as good--well, not quite, but almost.

These came in frozen packs! All you need to do is fry them in a bit of oil, water...there you have it!
I tend to do this -A LOT! It's the Chinese fast food in my house!

Do you like what you see? Happy Chinese New Year (and Happy Valentine's Day, too)!