March 5, 2011

a study in yellow...

A weird title today..I"ve decided today to pay homage to a title of one of my favourite programs of late, the BBC's  Sherlock..have you seen it yet? A modern day take on Sherlock Holmes in 21st century London, with the ever so cute Benedict Cumerbatch as Sherlock Holmes. *sigh* One of the episodes was titled "A Study in Pink", hence the title today.
I've decided to jump right back into some challenge sites; get some creativity flowing. See all of the creations from many, many talented ladies..First up is Moxie Fab Worlds Tuesday Trigger..have you seen this picture? Those yellow doors; mouthwateringly good!

I have to admit, yellow isn't a colour I gravitate towards.. but decided to dive right in and get it done. As you all know I prefer lighter, muted colours- pinks, creams and blues..I never showcase yellow..its always an accent for me. I used some Basic Grey papers- how I love to mix and match different layers and patterns..

I have been digging book print lately...had to include some to balance out all of the yellow.. See that delish trim?? A new project of mine..soon to be coming to my Etsy store(time is getting away from me lately. It will be open very soon!) I love that I can make my own unique trims!!

Maya Road chip board heart covered in sheet music and text..Yellow glitter brightens up some Maya Road wings..gotta love MR chip board shapes!
 I'm happy with the over all look.. a few bright pops of yellow, but mostly soft and subtle..I should break out of my comfort zone more often..what do you think??
Well, that's it for me today.. remember the giveaway is still open here.. feel free to enter! Can't wait to see more friendly followers!
Have a sunshiny Saturday!
~Becks
ETA: I just love that the very multi-talented, uber sweet Melissa Phillips has brought back her photo inspirations courtesy of A Creative Mint.. happy day! Her delicious photo this week also features yellow, so I decided to share over at her blog as well!

February 24, 2011

text, trims and thank-you's...

My hands have been busy...some with paper crafting and the other half with my other great crafty love; crochet. Some days it's good to be able to step away from making cards and create something cozy and warm.
 
These days the two crafts go hand in hand.. I have been busy crocheting some trims.. to showcase in my little etsy store...another of my projects on the near horizon. I love adding different mediums to my cards and albums.. there's nothing better than adding trims of all sorts to a page edge.. I love seeing them come together, especially in a mini album.. they are like icing on a {cup}cake to me..
Ahh..cupcakes. These little babies are where I first started out in card making.. they brought me so much joy- and still do. Cherry topped and cheerful; they certainly  brighten my day and make my heart smile...

Book print packets.. all ready to go.. stuffed with handmade cotton trims.. so delicious.. I've whipped up this first batch as a test... a taste of what is to come should they be of use to others.. They are doubly delicious; these packets have been designed to be used in scrapbooking, for mini albums, on cards or how ever you like..take apart the ribbons and tag..use the cupcake motif on cards or layouts.. it's totally up to the user..Trims are just over a metre..come on a die-cut cardboard shape and covered with K&Company papers.. another treat hidden to be used..
Before I go for the night I would like to extend a very heart felt thank you to all of you who stop by..my faithful readers.. for those of you who leave such kind words and for those who don't...I see you all.. Thank you all for visiting my corner of the world.. it means a great deal to me..it keeps me going..it gives me joy to log in and see comments waiting for me to read...I see the traffic feeds of those stopping by as well.. I've posted some blog candy up for grabs as a thank you..It will remain open for a couple weeks.. good luck to all who enter!
Have a wonderful weekend,
 Thanks for popping by!
~Becks
*ETA* Trim packets will make an appearance once I get my Etsy store back up and running over the weekend.. I will let you know when they are in and in the mean time, any questions feel free to write me a comment here or email me (located on my blog sidebar!) 

February 12, 2011

button love...


I have a slight obsession with buttons. All shapes, sizes, colours and styles. I love their feel; their simplicity..adding them to projects is like adding icing to a cake...it's just magical. I used to love looking for bottles of buttons at the thrift stores; such a treasure hunt. My aunt feeds my obsession with gifts of buttons, trims, ribbons and other such goodies. I am  a very lucky gal!
                       (The obsession organized...be still my button lovin' heart!)

Since I have such the collection of buttons, I decided that I needed to stop hoarding them(as per my moms request, as more buttons are sure to find their way to me) and use them on projects. So, inspired by one of Bety's cards, I decided to put my own spin on her layout. I couldn't find the exact post I was looking for...but don't be disappointed with me..browsing through her blog is like being a kid in a candy store.Give it a peek!
I was going for soft and feminine. I am drawn to pinks, creams, yellows and browns lately.
 I just had to include a piece of sheet music.. a shabby and glittered Maya Road heart..some fabric scraps..and a heart shaped button.. *swoon*
Basic Grey patterned papers, Ali Edwards stamp..trinket pin and a tea stained tag round out my little creation today.. I loved this layout and colour combo that I decided to make two..
And here they are.. similar yet slightly different. I had fun creating these.. and hope their recipients enjoy them as much as I do!
Thanks for stopping by today.. be sure to check back for my next post.. it's worth the wait-a little blog candy giveaway..you won't want to miss it.
G'night friends,
~Becks

February 5, 2011

oh {baby} boy...

Two tiny feet with toes that wiggle,

A tummy to tickle to make you smile and giggle,

Two tiny hands; ten fingers in all,

Something so perfect, in someone so small.


Cute button nose and soft wisps of hair,

That sweet baby smell and the onesies you wear..

The twinkle in your eye, brings mommy so much joy

Everything that makes you our precious baby boy!
©R.Faries 2010
Just a quick pop in today.Yet another baby card..no, I'm not baby crazy..just love making these types of cards..It will soon be added to my Etsy store.. I hope you will like it. It will be worth the wait.. all full of goodies, cards, odds and ends.. getting it all finished and ready. I will let you know as soon as we are up and running.
Have a great weekend.. so far mine is filled with snow!
~Becks

January 20, 2011

comforts of home...


The comforts of home....friends, family, familiar surroundings, a feeling of belonging. The comforting sounds of being at home; little Siamese paws playing on the hardwood..conversations, tv shows in the background.. all remind us of what makes a house a home.

Six months or so ago, I left the comforts of the home I shared with my family...moved to a place I had  never heard of before...couldn't locate on the map...leaving friends behind..knowing no one. I had a very bleak outlook.. wondered if I were making the right decision...willing time to stop moving forward..

 A day before I left home I received an email...an everyday occurrence..a quick note from one person to another.. one I won't forget..something so simple, yet meant so much to me then, and to this day. A hand reaching out of the darkness...Simply put I 'met' a wonderful person that day. One who has helped make my transition to my new life so much easier..Alexis, this post is for you, on your birthday..
Alexis was one of the first people I met once I moved to our new little town. It's always hard to settle and meet people when moving somewhere new.. had it not been for her and her fiance, I don't know how I would have managed. We have much in common; her ideals and ways of thinking are similar to mine. We are close in age.. She is a spirit lifter...I thoroughly enjoy spending time with her... our chats have helped me more than she may know..
 She is sassy and smart, quick witted...a great listener with a big heart. She tries to see the positive in everyone..is helpful. Thoughtful and sweet.( Knowing I was having issues with iron levels, she baked me some delish molasses cookies because they were iron rich...)You can see her passion for what she does..I know she's gonna make a great mama someday. In the few short months I've known her and gotten to spend with her I feel those comforts of home returning. She has gone through what I am going through.. offers advice...listens...all that reminds me that I'm never alone...there's always someone to talk to...to lean on in the tough times... for that, I am truly thankful.

I am fortunate to be able to count her as a friend. Lucky to have had someone there to welcome me as part of this extended family we share.That feeling will stay with me..I'll be reminded of it every time we move.. I can only hope that one day I can pass on her gift to someone first starting out like I was.. I dread the day when she moves away..on to another chapter in this life..It is inevitable in the career 'family' we are marrying into..Until then, I know more memories will be made, more chats will take place, and the bond I felt then and now will stay with me forever.
Happy Birthday Alexis!
~Becks xx

January 16, 2011

new addition...

Around my way a few new additions are coming...a few cute and cuddly babies.. how I love baby related things. We recently had a fur baby addition to our household.. a cute, 7 week old puppy. He sure is a handful. I can't imagine what a real baby would be like..
This extra girly, very pink card was by the request of my BFF. For her cousin, on the arrival of their new bundle of joy.. I love making baby cards, albums.. you name it.. something about onesies, baby carriages, bottles, booties that make creating baby items so much fun.
Since this was for a little baby girl, I had to include a crown...every princess needs one.. complete with bling.. in this case a very glittery crown on the top and a little one here with her initial..very appropriate pink half pearls.. yummy, yummy
I went very girlie with his one.. I love all the elements combined.. the fabric rose with pearl in the centre.. Girl's Paperie and Melissa Frances papers..trims and twill tape...a die cut PTI mat stack 4, pressed with their Tin Types Impression plate..so subtle but adds texture.. and of course some stitching..just to finish it all off..I can't wait to get busy and create some more baby items for the expectant families around here..
On another note, this post today marks my 100th post! Wow oh wow.. who would have thought I'd get to this amount? I'm very thankful for all of you that visit and leave comments.. so stay tuned for a blog candy giveaway.. in a few short posts.. I promise it will be worth the wait.I'm still finding and adding goodies, and need to photograph it but, just my way of saying thanks to all of you that come here :)
'Til next time,
~Becks

January 11, 2011

housekeeping...

I do seem to keep disappearing on you don't I? It's not intentional...believe me. I have had a busy last few weeks and now I am back at home...refreshed and ready to dig in and start working on some new projects, getting back to challenge sites, opening up my Etsy account again, even a giveaway coming very soon!!So many fun and exciting things going on. I hope you will stay tuned and be patient with me.
First off tho, I need to do a little housekeeping...some of my loyal blog followers have bestowed upon me this award:

How exciting!!! I am honoured to accept this award. It means a lot to me that people stop by my lil ole blog-o here..SO many thanks to Joanne and Stella. You ladies made my day!!! Take some time to check out their blogs! You won't be disappointed!
The 'rules' of this blog award are simple: Thank whom ever you got the award from...Share 8 things about yourself. Pass it along to 8 other bloggers...simple simple.
Where do I begin... 8 things about myself...as you can tell I'm pretty open on my blog here...give a little glimpse into my world..so here are 8 things you may not have picked up on.. depending on how long you have followed me on my journey in blogland..
* I love to read.. LOVE getting new books and settling into them. I've been an avid reader since I was 5..always had my nose buried in a book. There is nothing better.

*I bake. A lot. My baking is considerably better than my cooking. Living at home I had my moms cooking to look forward to.. and there's nothing better than moms cooking.. so, I never really picked it up. Moving out on my own I had to get mom to teach me to cook.. it's getting better I suppose, but baking is where I excel in the domestic diva sense of things.

*I am a summer girl.. I love the summer..if it were summer all year round I'd be one happy girl!Being born and growing up in Bermuda I was spoiled..the summers there are amazing..

*Fall is my second favourite season. I love the changing colours of the leaves.. that crisp feeling in the air.. the smells of fall...the soups, stews and comfort food... sweaters and light scarves..Thanksgiving(for us Canadians) truly a wonderful time of the year.

* I hoard tea. All sorts. I love a good cup of tea. My mom and my guy have to reign me in some days. I need to use up the tea I have before buying more...loose leaf teas are some of my favourites..

* Photography is something that amazes me...how some people have that gift of capturing special moments.. I yearn for the day when I can focus on becoming a better photographer.. and have a proper, good camera. I love experimenting with my little cameras.

*I've recently moved to a small town in northern Saskatchewan. It is very different from what I am used to. My guy and I moved here for his job. We will continue to move around due to his job every few years... takes awhile to get used to a small town mentality and way of life...

*One of my favourite colours is black. I bet you wouldn't have guessed it by what you see on my blog.. I find it hard to incorporate into cards. I love the vintage, muted colours, pearl and lacy goodness that I tend to lean towards in my projects..I guess there is a time and place for everything...

Now it is time for me to bestow this award on some of my fave bloggers...I'm sure they have been awarded the award themselves a few times, but I'd like to show my appreciation for the ladies that stop by regularly and pay me a visit and leave sweet kind comments..you make it worth it! Along with these ladies I am adding some of the ladies that I look up to and enjoy visiting myself:
                                                               *ROS*
                                                               *STELLA*
                                                               *JOANNE*
                                                               *MONA*
                                                                *DANA*
                                                                *MELISSA*
                                                                *BETY*
                                                                *CATHE*


It's a shame it's only limited to 8 people.. there are so many creative souls out there.. but, these are some of my faves.
Well.. that is it from me for now...I have some cards to share with you in the upcoming days.. can't wait to get back into my craft room and create...
Have a wonderful week!
Talk soon,
~Becks