one day at a time...

                                                             Make a promise to yourself
                                                to always choose the very best things in life...
                                                            to hold on to your dreams,
                                                               believe in your ideas,
                                                      and follow the voice in your heart.

                                                            Make a promise to yourself
                                                            to always choose the things
                                                              that make you happiest.

                                                          Make a promise to youself
                                                        to make every moment count,
                                                        to stop and smell the flowers
                                                                 along the way,
                                                       and enjoy life's simple pleasures
                                                               one day at a time...

I hope that you are having a wonderful day...
I've been thinking a lot about what makes me happiest, and trying to enjoy what life has to offer each day. I try to incorporate this into every creation, to have fun and be satisfied with not only the final product, but the creative process along the way, each time growing and learning more, and enjoying the gift I have. When it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure, that's the sign to walk away.. but for now, I'm enjoying the journey one day at a time..
Here is something I created for Melissa Phillips photo inspiration challenge over at my absolute fave blog, Lilybean Paperie..
Here was the inspirational photo:

                                                      {Photo courtesty of A Creative Mint}

I just love how airy and summery this photo feels.. refreshing and delicate and oh so girlie..I had alot of fun with this photo..can't wait for the next..
Thanks for popping in,
~Rebekah

april showers...

bring May flowers.. Yep, no doubt you've heard that before. What April brings me is birthdays, graduation and a move across country. Busy busy, but exciting times ahead. A lot to look forward to and be thankful for.
This post will be short and sweet. Have a messy craft desk to clear off to start anew. Here is the creation I came up with for another wonderful Lilybean photo challenge!

 Here is the inspiration photo.. from a Creative Mint..courtesy of the very talented Leslie.. Isn't it a treat? Lots to pull from.

I do apologize for the lack of light. It's been a rainy, overcast month and my light box wasn't doing the trick this day..Will try and do another photo shoot and update the photos. I decided to pull out a paler colour scheme of greens, blue, pink and cream. Lots of inspiration jumping off points in the photo.. I chose to stick with flowers, polka dots, stripes, and that gorgeous border punched edge peeking out in the photo. It may be hard to see but the envelope has handwritten text stamped with Versa mark ink. I stamped polka dots on my main card stock in light green. If you click on the image it zooms in...A lot of Papertrey Ink stamps used here.. Polka dot basics II, Giga Guide lines(stamped in pale pale blue on cream card stock..how I love those colours!)Background Basics Textstyle (I swear I will wear this one out first! I use it everywhere.) Some Inkadinkado Swirls round out the stamps used..
Well, I am off.. hope to get a few more posts in before I leave to see my guy graduate next week!
Thanks for stopping by!
~Rebekah

spring fling...

Hello again friends,
Hard to imagine its been over 2 weeks since my last post...where does the time go? Seems that lately it's flying by.. a little too fast for my liking..
Just a quick post today..promise to post more frequently once research papers and finals are out of the way... I've also been obsessing over a couple mini-albums -which I will be sharing with you in the next few days.. Being they are my first ever albums, I'm pleased as punch how they are turning out.
Today's post is once again inspired by Melissa's lovely photo challenge...As always I'm salivating over the image she chose! Just to refresh, here it is....

{photo courtesy of A Creative Mint}

I chose to go a bit muted on the colour scheme... I love that pop of bright green in the picture...so very spring like..

I've noticed lately that flowers are popping up everywhere(pardon the pun..being spring and all) I look in the crafting world.. So I decided to hop on that bandwagon and voila.. flowers here too.. Some of my fave goodies to play with here.. PTI stamps, K&Company and Basic Grey papers, a bit of lacy goodness and a button on top... 

Well folks, I'm off for the night.. but I'll be back in a few days with that baby mini album for my expectant friends, and another special album, near and dear to my heart..

Til then,I'll be thinking spring thoughts...

Night

~Rebekah

these are the days....

 

that I will truly miss....

A bit of reflection here today. It's a beautiful spring-like B.C day. It fills me with happiness to know that spring is right around the corner. Almost time to dig out the gardening supplies and head to the nursery;a yearly tradition that my sister and I indulge in. We get carried away picking out new plants and by the time we get home, we either have too many or not enough. We spend a few afternoons transferring our new plants into their containers... to watch grow and bloom and thoroughly enjoy through out the summer (and into October since the weather out here is so mild and wonderful). I realize that this year may be the last we can indulge in our little tradition... which I look forward to more and more each year.  In a few months it will be time for me to leave our family nest to fly out on my own...with my boy, to start our own life in another province.. How I will miss the silly little things that happen around our family home. Time for me to learn new things, meet new people. A new adventure...

So, inspired by spring and Melissa's new photo inspiration challenge, I created these fun little cards.. here's the insiration photo.. I was secretly hoping she would pick this one.. I just love Leslie's blog.. give it a peak and show some love.. those images are so juicy!

{Photo courtesy of A Creative Mint}

 

I created not one, but TWO cards with this colour scheme.. I just love it!I'm sure this won't be the last time these colours pop up round here on the ole blog! Mix of papers here...taking a break from those K&Company papers... lol. Although, the flower and butterfly are from K&Company's new Handmade line.. I found these at Michaels' Craft store..(having a handy 50% coupon also made me happy!) Prima flocked paper..Basic Grey hiding in the background... plus Tim Holtz stamps.. love love it!

 

Looking back at the inspiration photo, I found myself drawn to the yellow objects and decided I had to do it justice, and add it to a card.. So here is take two. A little softer than the first.. lots of my fave elements here.. Distress ink to give a worn in look, Tim Holtz stamps..P.T.I. polka dot stamps..Basic Grey papers..and of course some antiqued pearls(kind of hard to tell with this photo.I was fighting with Mr. Nikon and the lighting here today..)

I leave you today with a smile and a touch of sadness.. enjoy the moments you have...I know I'll be cherishing the next few months round here..Life round here will never be the same.. but it's a time for change..and only good things will come from it!

Til next time-

~Rebekah

torquoise and avacado...

 If you are thinking "that's quite an unusual title for a blog post "well, you maybe right.. But it's a clue for ya....its time for another Lilybean photo inspiration challenge!! And this one doesn't fail to impress and awaken the senses!!Melissa knows how to pick them, doesn't she!! I can't wait to see how she interprets this one.

 {Photo Courtesy of A Creative Mint}

Isn't this such a beautiful blend of colours..they just pop out at you.. I think that beading is just fab!

 

I followed the colour scheme for this one.. here's my attempt at the rose... the one element I could replicate..

Need I mention which papers are peeking out from the background? hehe. That's right folks.. moreK&Company...you'd think that's the only paper pad I have.. not true. It's just my favourite one at the moment.. I'm sure when I find another paper pad to fall head over heels with, we will all be sick of that soon too... So very much unlike me. I hoard papers like its no ones business! 

I'm looking forward to a whole day of crafting tomorrow!! It's "reading week" (2 days for us here) and I have no class tomorrow.. I can't wait to get started.. AND, I don't want to jinx myself, but hopefully an exciting bit of news in the weeks to come! (Don't wanna share just yet.. but I'm pretty excited!!)So be sure to check back often for that lil bit of info!

Have a great night folks!

~Rebekah

lovely LilyBean...

Happy Tuesday!

What fun my fingers have had crafting today. As many of you may know, the very talented Melissa Phillips has issued another photo inspiration challenge on her blog I just love this weeks pic, courtesy of A Creative Mint. This is one of the many blogs I follow, and LOVE her pictures. You should see her gorgeous take on pinks this week...so beautiful!
Here's the inspiration photo for the challenge: I warn you.. its a yummy delight for the eyes.. I don't know where to look first..The pretty vintage envelope, all that creamy goodness, with red accents..twine, buttons...ohhh so much to take it.. so pretty and VERY inspirational..

 A sneaky peek for ya of my take on the photo:

 Can you see where I'm headed here? Hmmm.. yea. it's not too hard to see which area of the photo I focused on...

What do ya think? I totally ran with the whole packaged letters. Here I wanted it to feel like you were just setting out to mail a postcard, and these are the items on your writing desk.. Want it to feel like its the whole package that goes along with writing and sending out a letter, or handmade card... all tied up together in one. I borrowed some twine, the red and white colour scheme..and just kept on going. I wanted some of that lovely texture you see poking out from the background of the photo challenge picture.. I seem to pick up on that in photos..it's there but subtle.. and gives me the excuse to heat emboss the heck outta stuff..
What goodies did I use here..hmm.. P.T.I. Signature greetings, Tim Holtz stamps(love his stamps!) Daisy D's papers, Kraft cardstock, bits and bobs...
Hope you enjoy your day. That's it for me for now.. If you have a chance, join in the fun and play along.. I'm already itching to know what next weeks pic will be.. I just love a challenge..
Toodles!
~Rebekah

thinking of you...and a challenge too

 Hello friends!
What a wonderful morning I've had, fingers happily playing with bits and bobs, pretty papers, ink and stamps. I created this gem for a challenge issues by Melis over on her beautiful blog Her inspiration photo is a beauty. She supplies a link to the original blog, and let me tell you, its beautiful, inspirational, uplifting work. Just as Melissa's blog is for me. So I decided to play along, as I am in a rut creativity wise, and need a challenge or two...
I decided to pick up on the beautiful, creamy colours in the photo, the pinks, burgandy, cream, and white.

 If you look in the background of the photo on her blog, there's a hint of embossing on the fabric.. so I picked up on that for my card and used one of my fav new stamps(which I got from my sister..ohhh how she loves me and knows what I love!) to add some detail to the freehand shape nestled under the creamy ribbon...Hand stitched some cute little flowers from some edging I have lying around(I have oodles of edgings), added a mini lacy doily to the centre and topped it off with an antiqued pearl...be still my heart.. I love the effect of them..

 Voila! The complete card.. I fall more and more for K & Company papers.. so girlie, soft, muted colours...Mmmmm. Basic Grey paper peeking through in the background..and I have to mention and draw attention to my bow.. if you know me, I am all thumbs when it comes to tying pretty bows, but here I seemed to master it.. I'm proud of the way it came out.. my one pat on the back for myself. :)
Hope to get this in before the deadline..nervous over here... Melissa does some pretty amazing things with paper, stamps and bits and bobs.. my little contribution over here.
I hear snow is on the way this week..a nice little treat..as long as it leaves quickly.
Have a good night friends!
~Rebekah