Friday, March 25, 2016

Day Two Impression Obsession Spring Blog Hop!





Welcome to day two of  the Impression Obsession Spring Die Blog Hop!
We have some beautiful projects to share AND PRIZES to give away! Visit the fabulous Design Team Blogs on the list below (only one comment per blog per day please) for a chance to a Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!
The more blogs you visit … the better chance you will have to win!!!
Impression Obsession will be giving away a $25 Gift Certificates to two lucky winners!
Comment entries will be open until 9pm EST on Sunday March 27th and all winners will be announced Monday March 28th on the Impression Obsession Blogs.

Here's the ingredients!



Be sure to leave a comment on each blog to win!


Vicki Garrett (That's Me!)



Thursday, March 24, 2016

Impression Obsession Spring Die Hop!




Welcome to the Impression Obsession Spring Die Blog Hop!
We have some beautiful projects to share AND PRIZES to give away! The hop will run for 2 days (3/24/16 – 3/25/16) with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blogs each day. Visit the fabulous Design Team Blogs on the list below (only one comment per blog per day please) for a chance to a Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!
The more blogs you visit … the better chance you will have to win!!!
Impression Obsession will be giving away a $25 Gift Certificates to two lucky winners!
Comment entries will be open until 9pm EST on Sunday March 27th and all winners will be announced Monday March 28th on the Impression Obsession Blogs.

I'm going to keep it  short and sweet and quickly provide you a list of "ingredients" to recreate this sweet little scene

Sunburst Ray Background ( I trimmed this to make a sun!)

SO much Fun to make!!!

Here's the Order of the Hop~

Vicki Garrett (That's Me!)

Good Luck and I'll see you tomorrow with another creation!


Thursday, March 17, 2016

Impression Obsession Designer Challenge-Easter Fun!


And WHAT fun this card was to make!..... it puts a smile on my face 

I can't believe that Easter's just around the corner, but I like that because for me it means three things:

1. It's a great excuse to eat chocolate
2. Spring is on the way!                    
3. Guilt free chocolate consumption!

Did I ever mention how much I enjoy chocolate? I like it, I like it a lot! I don't care for green eggs and ham, but I do like Eggs in all colours and flavours, especially Chocolate one's! Mini Eggs are my favourite. No, Wait! Caramilk Eggs. Oh but then again, there are the Laura Secord Buttercream kind, oh and Lindt and I can't forget Russell Stover Marshmallow eggs.....yep, definitely a sucker for chocolate! No chocolate was consumed in the making of this card however; I didn't want to get brown smudges on the clouds!

Soooo I used a lot of different Impression Obsession Awesomeness in the creation of this card

The Star of the Show: Catie O'Carrots Bunbun. Even her name is Stinkin' Cute!!!!
I coloured up cute Catie with my Copic Markers!! I'm a little rusty with the colouring as it's been awhile, but eh.......I think she looks pretty good!

I also coloured the Wheelbarrow Die to save me cutting multi pieces to get different colours

So what about the CARROTS??? SQUEEEEE!! Are then not totally freakin Cute? The Carrot Set is perfect~ I love how the carrots and carrot tops are separate. I did add a little Tim Holtz Vintage photo ink to give them a touch more dimension before I tucked them into the wheelbarrow. 

By the Way did you know that LINDT makes Chocolate Carrots for Easter.......just in case you were interested, they are quite tasty too~

I used both the tall and short grass border dies  and of course the Large Fence and the Cloud Dies

Be sure to hop on over to the IO Blog to see who's playing the challenge today and to submit your entry for the Challenge Contest~

Happy Stamping!

--Vicki~~



Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Happy Birthday Colleen!



Happy Birthday to our Dear Friend Colleen~

You Keep Mom Young
She's like a "Dad" to you!

You're the best "pie maker" I've ever met

and we are BLESSED to have you in our Life~



Don't ever change Chickie, you're Beautiful inside and out!

xoxoxoxoxoxo






Thursday, March 10, 2016

Dear Dad




It's been increasingly difficult for me to blog right now. I have been doing a little bit of creating, however getting the posts up has been taxing. Your health has deteriorated quite quickly and blogging just feels trivial at the moment. On the other hand, it has been so therapeutic for me over the years that I feel torn at the moment. Torn, sad,  angry, anxious.

I wanted to share a few pictures that I have taken over the past few weeks. Tender moments; memories that will be forever etched in my heart. So many thoughts are taking space in my mind. Feeling guilty because at times I should have been nicer, more patient, less frustrated. Thinking about how I used to get annoyed when you'd want to engage in conversation early in the morning. You are a morning person, I am not. It's hard knowing that I will miss the things that once annoyed me. 

I'll be wishing to hear your humming and singing just once more. We sang together the other night; you off key, your toes tapping under the blanket. We sang and laughed and cried. We sang snippets of the songs that played on the 8 track cassettes on Sunday drives when I was little.  I think it did all of our hearts good.  I promise you that I will still sing for you; loud enough for all our ancestors to hear. I know I will feel you humming right along with me, albeit in my heart. 



Your "bestest buddy" has not wanted to leave your side the last few days. She knows it wont be long now and like us, is cherishing the little moments that make good memories. 



I always questioned unconditional love. Why? Because I viewed it as a "new agey" phenomena where one would be all accepting, all the time. Through this difficult journey I have learned. 

Unconditional Love doesn't mean every moment is tender nor a perfectly loving dynamic. Being Human means that sometimes words will be harsh. Perhaps there are times that you don't even like the one that you love very much.True love doesn't necessarily require perseverance, it just simply perseveres. It's not deliberate or orchestrated, it transpires naturally. You do what you do, not because you have to; you just do. Is it an innate response? I don't necessarily think so.  I believe what I'm witnessing is unconditional love. There are no long conversations to make amends, no apologies; just a sense of knowing and feeling that all is okay amongst yourselves.  I also believe that it is through the most difficult tests and experiences that we continue to grow. 

I think today I'll make your Father's Day card. Today will be Father's Day. Were you the greatest Dad ever? Perhaps not, but perhaps so. Does that really matter? You are my Father, your blood runs through my veins. I am a part of you and you are forever in my heart regardless of whether you stand beside me or watch down from above.



You made a difference, you guided and influenced; probably more than you'll ever realize.
Such a strong man; a go getter. Stubborn, strong willed. Like a sturdy oak. It seemed that nothing would get you down. Even when you weren't feeling well, you kept that part of yourself to yourself. It is heartbreaking to watch you grow wearier with each passing moment, your branches weakening; leaves falling one by one as you near your winter. 



I pray you fall into a peaceful slumber; Creator cradling you as you are emancipated from your pain and suffering. The hurting tears transformed to tears of joy knowing that you can rest.


I need you to know that we will be okay Dad. We'll be okay knowing that you are okay

Love, me










Friday, March 4, 2016

Ken Oliver Crafts/Impression Obsession Blog Hop





Welcome to the Ken Oliver Crafts/Impression Obsession Blog Hop!

We have some beautiful projects to share AND PRIZES to give away!

The hop will run for 2 days (3/4/16 - 3/5/16) with a list of participants on the Ken Oliver Crafts and Impression Obsession Blogs each day at 8am EST. Visit the fabulous designers from both team’s blogs (only one comment per blog please) for a... chance to win 4 great prizes!
The more blogs you visit … the better chance you will have to win!!!
Ken Oliver Crafts will be giving away a set of Color Burst to two lucky winners!
Impression Obsession will be giving away a $25 Gift Certificates to two lucky winners!


Comment entries will be open until 9pm EST on Sunday March 6th and all winners will be announced Monday March 7th on the
Ken Oliver Crafts and Impression Obsession Blogs.


Good luck!



I had tons of fun playing with the colorburst on  the  Ken Oliver Mixed Media 6x6 Artboard

I used a stencil and the following colours to create the delicious background:

Violet Color Burst 
Ultramarine Color Burst


I stamped the background with the following stamps:

Open Brushed Heart - Embossed in Gold
You Make Me Happy (sentiment)
Umbrella Silhouette- I paper pieced the umbrella, fussy cut the image and mounted on foam dimensionals.
Lastly, I added the Die Cut "Love" in gold to compliment the embossing on the heart


Be sure to hit all the spots on the hop for a chance to win~

Friday- March 4th

Vicki Garrett---You are HERE!!



Saturday - March 5th

Yvonne Blair 
Dina Kowal
Giovana Smith
Jenny Gropp

Laurel Beard
Kittie Caracciolo
Zoey Emanuela Scarpelli
Daniela Dobson

Krista Cheryl Riley