CeeCee's Creations

CPS #235 + pretty webster's pages for nana

this is a very elegant card for a very special lady. i was told she likes sentiments and the old-fashioned style. i wanted to make the format unique to make her feel special. here's what i came up with using the CPS challenge #235:

 

the card base is a long piece of very vanilla CS from stampin' up that i gate-folded. then i took my coluzzle circle cutting system and rounded out the 2 flaps. i also cut out 2 pieces of pattern paper from webster's pages -- unfortunately they're from an older collection and i can't find the name of it although i think it's lullaby lane..

since this is going by mail, i found the flattest flower i had in my collection and glimmer misted it with candlelight and peppermint stick. the leaves were also glimmer misted with olive vine. i added a pearl in the middle as well as some pearl designs on the label. the label was cut out with the tim holtz mini baroque movers and shapers die. i then stamped with hero arts background stamp and embossed it in clear. i love the effect! the happy birthday and border are from an old 7gypsies rub-on sheet i had in my stash. i added it just for texture. the little butterfly is punched out with a martha stewart punch out of the same collection of paper.

for the inside of the card, i found a poem online, added the last line to personalize it and printed it directly on the pattern paper. love it! i edged everything with tim holtz's old paper distress ink.

i will be silent this weekend as i am organizing our family birthday dinner (since we're all celebrating one in the same month!). lots to do but my babies are all going to eat at the family table and that's such a blessing. i've learned to savour these moments.

have a fantastatic weekend! CeeCee

 

health update and great news to share!

hello everyone!

i truly believe that life throws obstacles and hardship your way to make you stronger but also to make you more aware of the joys and triumphs, however small they may be. lately, i've had all sorts of setbacks, healthwise and others.

but today, i feel like i've been empowered. i'm more in control of my life because i now know about the illness that has been plaguing me since ... well actually all my life but one that had manifested itself on a greater scale since last january. and the verdict: i have Celiac Disease. i finally know what's wrong with me. of course, i was floored by the news because none of the specialists i had seen so far had suspected this finding. it only took a minute for the hematologist to figure it out! i was so surprised! but now i'm equipped -- i can take action. i will have to be on a diet for the rest of my life but hey, as long as i can eat my potatoes and my chocolate... life is good :-) i have more doctors to see and tests to do but at least i know why.

but here's the news that got me dancing and screaming with joy:

remember this post? well... I WON, I WON, I WON!!! embellish magazine has picked my card as the winner of their decorative trim color trends challenge. i'm so tickled pink! this news has put a little balm over other problems i've been dealing with recently and i couldn't be more appreciative.

you can check out the embellish magazine blog here and go visit the other hot designers as well. there are some amazing cards over there. thank you, embellish!

i also would like to send a shout out to my bff, Sophie (aka Miss KoolAid) who's always been there for me with a good shoulder to cry on and encouragement. merci Sophie; tu es extraordinaire!

i'm hoping to be more productive and consistent on this blog real soon now that my health will get better. oh, and i'm nearing my 500th post so stay stuned for a major giveaway real soon!

have a fantastic thursday! CeeCee

 

video: a tour of my craft room

not a big fan of YouTube right now... had to re-edit part 1 of my craft room video so many times that i lost count. but finally, i made it work and it took forever to download. so enjoy!

part 1 - watch directly from YouTube here.

 

 

part 2 - watch directly from YouTube here.

have a great day full of inspiration! CeeCee

get well wishes - challenge to self day 1

 

so last night, i got my mojo back. yeah! when i reached into my pick jar, i pulled out a Really Rush border that i had punched with the Eyelet Border punch from Stampin' Up! i decided to go really shabby for this set of card because of the rusty tones. 

 

the paper i've used is an old paper pack from Daisy D's (does it still exist). it matches perfectly with the Really Rush cardstock and the Dusty Durango Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon! the paper gave me a good homey feeling so i decided to make 2 Get Well cards. the sentiments are from Teeny Tiny Wishes (French version: Voeux mignons).

 
 

i finally used my Build-a-Brad kit. woohoo! the flowers and leaves are from an old Prima kit i was hoarding. i misted the leaves with Olive Vine Glitter Mist from Tattered Angels. you can't see the glitter here but it really shines. i love it!

i'll be back tomorrow with day 2 of my challenge to self. have a fantastic Sunday night -- cuddle up with ones you love! CeeCee

mojo monday challenge 129

hmmm, i'm not quite sure how to feel about this card i made. but sometimes, you need to step over your hesitation (and acknowledge the lack of time) of showing creations you're not entirely happy with.

this card started with the Mojo Monday Sketch #129:

that's a looooooooot of layers to this card and i challenged myself to put as many as there were on the sketch. 

there are a few things i love about this card though. i like the different patterns from the Flock Together DSP (#114018). I also like the color combo dictated by the DSP (Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Very Vanilla). i guess what i'm struggling with is the main image:

this technique is called faux silk and is done by stamping on a single layer of a tissue (i've used the Stamp-a-ma-jig #101049 to line everything up) that you crumple after you've stamped. the whole image is then adhered on a piece of cardstock with a glue stick, making sure to leave some creases. the whole process is quite fun but i always end up having either too many creases or not enough. anyways, i stamped the sentiment over the finished piece, after it was glued to the CS because i wanted to make sure that we could properly read it. the edges are frayed and inked with Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink. all images are from the Bird on a Branch stamp set (#113266).

if you're interested in any of these products used on this card, you can order them through me by clicking here. don't forget the huge Sale-A-Bration promotion going on right now until the end of March -- for every 65$ you spend, you get to choose a free SAB product and this year, the goods ARE good!

have a fantastic day, CeeCee  

 

CPS156 Sketch Challenge

here's my very simple 3" X 6" card for the CPS156 Challenge. first, the sketch:

and here's my card:

i don't know why but i'm having to much fun with this Rockabilly DSP -- unfortunately it's a Stampin' Up! retired product which is why it's really important to grab your fav products while they're available because if you wait too long, they'll be gone!  The stamped element is stamped with Taken With Teal Craft Ink from the Paradise set. The swirly element is a die-cut from the Birds w/Leaves and Flower Bigz Die for the Big Shot. 

the jewels are from an unknown source from my stash -- no more hoarding is my new moto! so i try to use up my "things" cuz i have a lot of those... and i think they add a dimension to the somewhat flat card.

happy weekend everyone! CeeCee  

CPS153 sketch challenge

i think i'm becoming a challenge addict. so for this CPS#153 challenge with the following sketch...

 

... i made these 2 cards. 

 

the anchors in the background hints at a navy motif but then i went for the hot air balloon as a focal point. the irony is not lost on me as i had an acquaintance of mine in mind. she has family abroad... you can either cross the ocean by boat or in a balloon! yeah, i wander about my mind too sometimes.

 

i love buttons! and the Everyday Button Bits stamp set from PTI is just darling.

that also reminds me that i'm leaving to go see my friend Diane in Florida on Sunday for a week but i will still be updating my blog. aaaaah, sun! here i come!

it's Friday -- the weekend is here! Enjoy, CeeCee

 
 

nichole heady's color couture challenge

i got a little bit tired of using the same kind of colors for the past week or so... when i saw Nichole Heady's new challenge over at PTI i knew i had the answer to my boredom.

 

then i found this amazing paper from the Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Pea DSP pack and was overjoyed! the Stampin' Up!'s colors to match the challenge are: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red and I added Whisper White. 

these cards were very easy to put together because the flowers are actually part of the paper. barely any stamping except for the sentiment which comes from the Well Scripted stamp set.

i really let the beautiful flowers speak and just added a Chocolate Chip corduroy button and a strip of the two-sided DSP. 

on this one, i decided for a Whisper White organza ribbon since it is of a more feminine nature. i also added another corduroy button inside one of the Pumpkin Pie flower within the pattern.

 

of course, no card is complete without glitter. here, i've used Dazzling Diamonds.

to cover up the brad prongs, i stuck more DSP in the inside flap and repeated the sentiment. i love how those colors coordinate together. Stampin' Up!'s products are great for that. If you're interested in any of the wonderful new products, don't hesitate to give me a call. i'll be placing an order on Friday. don't forget that it's Sale-a-Bration time and that you earn free products for every 65$ you order. can't beat that!!!

i quite enjoyed putting these 4 cards together which will probably end up in Card à la Carte's Etsy Shop one day so be sure to check that out.

happy thursday! CeeCee

 

paint by number challenge à la Stampin' Up!

 

oof, talk about getting out of your comfort zone! this PTI challenge was both easy and difficult for me. easy because the sketch with exact measurements we given to us. difficult because i decided to substitute the PTI colors given to us for Stampin' Up!'s.

here are the parameters we had to play with:

 

according to my online name, i was assigned the following colors: kraft, ocean tides, spring moss, lemon tart and vintage cream. i substituted for kraft, taken with teal, old olive, so saffron and very vanilla -- all SU colors -- not my fav combo. these colors coordinate with the new Sweet Pea DSP from the Occasions Mini.

 

things went well at the beginning. i selected my colors, cut my pieces and then things got a little screwy. 

 

i didn't like the look of a very vanilla cardstock on so saffron. so i decided to put a ribbon instead. here is the Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon -- all fine and dandy... 

 

then i decided to be original for the 2nd card and put a brad for my ribbon closure instead of knot. ooops, one of the legs broke! get a new one, start from scratch, struggle quite a bit with bunching everything neatly and ... oooof, got it! but then -- then another boo-boo. i stamped my greeting (from the beautiful Well Scripted stamp set - #118601) and the "birthday" was didn't stamp well. i didn't ink it up properly. no problemo! take a stampin' write marker and go over! Yeah... well, as you can see it's far from being perfect. and for fear of messing it up even more, i left the "happy" alone. But it is what it is and i have to live with it.

after all, what would life be without its quirks :-)

enjoy you day! CeeCee  

PTI challenge revisited

i'm not trying to feed you leftovers but when i made yesterday's card, i had quite a dilemna: should i emboss the butterfly in clear or white? so i made a few samples and today, i'm showing you the other option.

i also used a Summer Sunrise satin ribbon instead of Dark Chocolate, the vellum overlay is using another filler image from the Butterfly Kisses stamp set and i've added a partial line of faux-stitching.

 

i'm just trying to decide which one i like best. what about you? which one do you like best? yesterday's or today's? send me your comments with your choice!

Until tomorrow, CeeCee 

 

PTI emboss resist challenge

challenges are great for me because it limits the choices and when i have too many, i can't seem to make up my mind... too many possibilities. i was out of inspiration when i saw Nicole Heady's challenge for PTI. the challenge is to use the emboss resist technique.

 

most of the supplies are from PapertreyInk. the stamp set i used for the background is from Background Basics: Text Style and the butterfly and sentiment both come from Butterfly Kisses. 

 

the emboss resist technique was done as follows: i stamped the background text stamp with Dark Chocolate on Whisper White C/S (Stampin' Up!). then I stamped the full butterfly image with Versamark ink and embossed with Clear EP... several coats of it because i didn't want any "missed spots" for the next step. i then sponged Summer Sun and Aqua Mist ink all over the image with sponge daubers, then wiped the ink from the butterfly with a rag. the layered butterfly is stamped with Dark Chocolate on vellum.

hmmmm, and i really like polka dots. these are from PTI's Polka Dot Parade. love it!

enjoy your saturday! CeeCee 

 

i think i'm in love...

 

... with these cards. i don't often say this, but i'm totally satisfied with these 3 cards. all of them are a CASE of my own cards from wednesday. when i put together the flowers, i had it in mind to make another batch of those but using hearts. and it totally worked!

 

i also wanted to participate to the 365 cards challenge of this week (#341) which is about substituting flower blossoms with hearts. funny thing is i didn't know about that challenge before i had a visual of heart flowers.

 

the bigger hearts are made using the Magnetic Movers & Shapers for the Big Shot and Melon Mambo Textured C/S. card base is Taken With Teal C/S layered with a piece of Sweet Pea DSP from the Occasions Mini Catalogue. stamp sets used are Whimsical Words and Douces pensées from SAB as well as I {Heart} Hearts from the Occasions Mini. color combo is Taken With Teal, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo and Whisper White and the ink is Melon Mambo.

i dabbed a little bit of Crystal Effects on the tiny hearts. 

 

interestingly enough, i used the Bermuda Bay grosgrain ribbon to accent the card and you can hardly tell that it's not the same color as Taken with Teal...

 

i also used the following punches: Scallop Border, Heart to Heart, Full Heart and Extra Large Two-Step Bird. the last one was used in a very creative way, if i do say so myself! i punched out the bird's wing to create my flower leaves which was the perfect size for it. i then placed my little leaves on a piece of fun foam and curled them with a bone folder.

because the stem on this card is not going all the way down (i didn't want the Taken with Teal to touch the Bermuda Bay), i added a little faux stitching on the scallop border.

  

so it's the weekend and i hope you have fun plans like I do. tomorrow, my g/f Judi is taking me out to see a funny play called "Menopause" (yep, i'm there!) and dinner at Bichoku for sushi. Yuuuuuummmmm!

have a great weekend, everyone! CeeCee

mojo monday challenge 124

happiness is a splash of color. that's what i prescribed to myself today. at this time of year, i crave summer and colors. so here's my interpretation of the latest sketch

for Mojo Monday Challenge (#124):

and {gasp!} i put a "crooked" element on my card. i know Gen's going to lash out at me for that but i just felt like it. i kinda like it! i've used the Whimsical Words from Sale-a-bration, in both french and english, for this card and i love the whimsical font. the cute border was punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch, a new one from the Occasions Mini Catalogue.

one more thing: if you are in need of a bit of inspiration, go check out Card à la Carte's blog . gen and i have been really busy these past few weeks. we're in the process of re-vamping the look of the blog, but the content is brand new and will be refreshed every week day! there's also a video of us but... we're not a serious duo so take it for what it is: too crazy gals havin' fun sharin' what they love!

 

laterz, my friends! CeeCee

défi mojo monday 119 challenge

My first officiel post of the year and I'm all about pink... What's up with that?! I guess I needed to work with colors that were non-holiday-ish. And I had fun. Here's my interpretation of the Mojo Monday Challenge #119:

 

I ended up making 2 cards and used the sketch in a different way. But the inspiration is clearly there. 

I also used up some journal paper that I bought a while back. They were perfect for the mood and sketch. 

I've used a retired stamp set from Stampin' Up! as well as retired ribbon and buttons. But it was fun to use up something from my stash that was bought a long time ago. That's my goal for 2010: Empty out my hoarded goodies.

The silk flowers were first misted with SU's homemade glimmer mist (a combo of rubbing alcohol and shimmer paint), then folded in half. I quite like the effect. 

The stamped accent is glittered with SU's Dazzling Diamonds. I love the shabby chic look to both these cards.

Here's how I glittered my flowers from the Pretties Kit:

 

and here's a close-up -- see how they shine!

 

Well, have yourselves a fantastic Sunday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Smooches XXX CeeCee

    

  

 

vinyl letters and one last CCC#10 entry

So the other night, my son calls me at 1:00 a.m. to tell me that he's decided to come home after all (instead of crashing at his friend's house). Since he had to travel by public transport from downtown to the West Island, Mom was too nervous to sleep! So here's what I did to calm myself down:

I've finally put up my Decor Elements. I love it! it was easy to use; the only problem I had was having to put it up so high. It's in an awkward place. But I did it! I was so encouraged by this that I decided to keep going, so I took out my vinyl sheets (this one in Dark Gray) and cut out letters to identify some parts of workshop area. This is what it looks like:

 

 

One thing I've discovered is that the Sizzlits will cut through SU's vinyl sheets. Wow! The possibilities are now endless. It was a bit of a challenge to stick those itty bitty letters to the wall but I think I did an OK job; they're not too crooked. I am so loving this concept. I think I'll be putting more throughout the house.

 

On a final note, I have one last entry to show from my Color Challenge #10. Deanna sent her entry a little late, but I wanted to post it cuz it's just so cute! Here's the link to the full card.

Tomorrow, I will show you my studio corner. I've been busy re-organizing and I'd like to share some of my ideas with you. Have a great weekend! CeeCee

ccc#10 show & tell

   

Experimenting with my Big Shot has become a priority for me these days. I love it! Do you love chipboard letters? I do and there is no more missing out this letter or that letter... I just make them! Not only do I make my own chipboard letters, but I also cut out the paper to cover them all at once. It's what I've done here:

 

After I glued the black cardstock letters to the chipboard letters, I heat embossed them with VersaMark ink and Irridescent Ice EP. The Sizzix alphabet I used here is the Serif Essentials and is now available through Stampin' Up! The ribbon, which looks exactly like the new In Colors ribbon, is of unknow origin. I had it in my stash and I thought it was perfect for the card.  I also added a touch of glitter with a black glitter AtyouSpica marker by Copic on the Ghostly Greetings DSP paper by SU. Here's a picture of the detail:

 

I was impressed by the originality of the entries I've received for this challenge. You guys keep outdoing yourselves. Love it! Here they are (in the order in which they appear in my comments). I invite you to click on each picture to go check out these people's blogs. They rock!

 

 

 

   

  

 

CeeCee's color challenge is back!

Today, I am not creating. I need to look after a necessary evil: my business plan. I have been putting it off for too long, so that is what I'm working on right now. That, and my class schedule. So I'm throwing a color challenge at you:

   

The inspiration came to me via this picture from Pottery Barn. I love that picture and the theme. So here are the general lines:

- project must respect the Halloween theme

- use the colors outlined and add a color of your choice

- glitter, baby, glitter! Use it!

- post a comment with a link to your project -- deadline: Monday night, 11:00 p.m. (ET)

Have fun with this. I know I can't wait to see your entries. Ooooooooh, this is gonna be good!

CeeCee

happy father's day!

I made this card for my Color Challenge #7. It's my father's Father's Day card that I brought to him today. He had a good laugh; thought it was original. At least, I made him laugh. I have to admit that I am quite proud of this card since I thought of it all in my little head (no CASEing this time). I encourage you to go take a look-see at all the entries to this challenge. Just click here to view. Thanks for looking!

Recipe (all supplies by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted)-- Stamp set: Fêtes diverses (All Holidays); Cardstock: Really Rust, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke; Inks: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip (for distressing on belt); Punches: Large Oval; Ribbon: (Strano); Others: Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware, paper piercer and mat pack, Crop-a-dile, Antique Brass Metallic Eyelets, Snail Adhesive, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals.

CeeCee's Color Challenge #5

 

This is the card I submitted to my own Color Challenge. I decided to post it here since I haven't been posting a lot lately. to see the other participants' cards for this challenge, please go here.

 

I had a lot of fun making this card. The scalloped edges were made with a Circle Coluzzle system. Love it! The reste is pretty basic. The colored image is stamped with Black StazOn on watercolor paper and colored with Stampin' Write markers. Below is the full recipe. I hope you enjoy my card!

Recipe (all supplies by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted) -- Stamp Set: Spring Solitude; Cardstock: Passion Pink, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, watercolor paper; Inks: Whisper White and Chocolate Chip Craft, Black StazOn; Stampin' Write markers: Pink Passion, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive; 5/8" Old Olive gros-grain ribbon, Coluzzle Circle Cutting system, brown brads (Hot Off The Press), Aqua Painter, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive.

CeeCee's color challenge #4

Every week, I throw a color challenge on my blogspot website. This week, we had to use this inspiration from Amy Butler:

This is what I came up with using the colors from the challenge and the sketch from CPS #63:

 

Recipe (all supplies from Stampin' Up!)-- stamp set: Toujours; cardstock: Simply Black, Soft Sky, Certainly Celery; patterned paper: Afternoon Tea DSP; others: Grosgrain 1/4" Pumpkin Pie ribbon, Versamark ink, Black embossing powder, Pick-a-Petal Classy Brass stencil, paper piercer, Pumpkin Pie Classick ink and sponge dauber, Stampin' Dimensionals.

If you would like to see what others have submitted to this color challenge, just click here.