Weekend Dans le Pays du Vin

NIAGARA WINE COUNTRY

WHERE WE WENT

WHAT WE DID

WHAT WE CAPTURED

THE COST : PRICELESS!

A Retro Thanks

I can't believe it's Sunday already. It seems only yesterday when we were packing for a four-day-vacation and now we are loading the washing machine with the laundry from our vacation!

I'll  tell you more about the fun trip we had on another post. Today I just want to share this Thank You card I did for my hubby for making our vacation a memorable one, us usual ....

The colors are inspired by THE PLAY DATE CAFE. I matched the retro colors with this retro-designed stamp from Inkadinkado.

Thank you dear. Can't wait for our next adventure!

Cheers!

Colors inspired by:

Gone Wining and Dining

I am so excited and I just can"t hide it!

 Finally, a short break from work!

Dear hubby and I will be on our way shortly to Niagara Wine Country for some "wining" and "dining".

Included in our itinerary is wine tasting here....

{Photo credit}

Cheers!

For Sentimental Reasons

Thanks to this nasty cold I am nursing since Thursday, I allowed myself to be still, rest {yeah. like lying down for many hours} and listen to what my tired body is telling me. I hate boredom but honestly today I am grateful for...

... the warmth of our goose down comforter

... warm shower

... cough syrup followed by ice-cold pineapple juice every 4 hours

... hot and sour sinigang soup

... Betty and Veronica comics

... hugs from hubby

    AND

... a bit of craft time to finish this card for CAS-usal Fridays!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Mei Ann

Theme inspired by:

Spring Colors

Two more weeks and we will officially welcome Spring 2012! Personally I can't wait when birds begin to sing again and colorful flowers start to bloom.Gray and black will be replaced by pastel colors such us these....

Are these colors lovely or what? I am down with a nasty cold  since Thursday but these soft spring colors from Embellish Magazine somewhat perked me up to spend a couple of hours in my craft studio. Here's the card I managed to finish in between {coughing} and {sniffling}.

Time for another glass of orange juice! Thanks for dropping by.

Mei Ann

February Highlights

Love is definitely in the air!

Cure for the Winter Blues

I can't complain.

This year's winter is one of the mildest we had in the last 5 years - I can count the number of heavy snow days in one hand. I would say it was generally tolerable except this last 2 weeks when the temperature dropped to -18 degrees Celsius {which by the way is considered normal here in the great white north in winter time!}.

Here's the view from my front porch last week and in times like this, paper crafting is top of mind. Incidentally, Moxie Fab World is hosting a "Cure for the Winter Blues" challenge - make a paper craft project using navy blue as the focal point. Here's my take....

If crafting is my cure for winter blues. what's yours?

Cheers!

Mei Ann

Off to Ottawa

What a week! The last 4 days have been so busy at work both for me and dear hubby. We're out the door by 6:15 AM {to beat the morning traffic!} and will not return @ home sweet home until 7 PM. Just enough time to have dinner and by 9:30 both of us are ready to hit the bed to recharge! Friday comes and no time to slow down. In 2 hours, I am on my way to Ottawa .... no, not for pleasure {maybe a little bit} but for another business trip ....

I'm not complaining though. Not a bit. I love what I do and I truly enjoy the company of my colleagues  who will be with me on this meeting. And of course, Ottawa is beautiful specially in winter ....

Photo credits

Happy Friday!

Mei Ann

Leap Day

Today is Leap day ... woot woot ... 

an extra day on our hands to take advantage of. Since leap day occurs once every four years,

I thought this day calls for a celebration so hubby
and I had a simple dinner in downtown Toronto after work. 

How about you how did you spend Leap Day?

Pun Intended

Don't you just love receiving funny cards? I do! 

When I saw CAS-ual Fridays' Jest for the Pun of It current challenge, 

I just have to make one.

The sentiment is from my Fiskars' Latte Love collection which became a staple

here in my studio every time I'm designing a card for a dear friend.

I hope you are enjoying the sun on this Sunday {no pun intended} afternoon!

Theme inspired by:

Clean and Simple Hi

Another stormy and cold Saturday here in our neck of the woods... if I could, I would stay in bed the whole day under the warmth of our white and fluffy comforter while watching re-runs of Will and Grace. But I couldn't. There is so much to do - grocery shopping, cleaning, running errands - when my "to do" list were checked, I managed to squeezed in some time in the studio for a CAS "Hi" card.

I was inspired by the color challenge at The Playdate Cafe - baby blue, orange and basil.

This color combination is definitely a taste of spring {maybe 4 more weeks} but in the meantime the white background still reminds me of my warm comforter calling me for a nap - a luxury I look forward to on a cold and stormy Saturday!

Cheers,

Mei Ann

Color combination inspire by:

Maskara

The day before Ash Wednesday. 

Fat Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday. Pancake Day. Mardi Gras.

Whatever you call it, it is my day to indulge before depriving myself of something I truly enjoy. 

And this year, it will be giving up cola in the next 40 days. 

I can do it!

Cheers,

Mei Ann

If Elmo can SPEAK

WARNING: {Cute} Photo loaded post.

Meet our beloved Elmo -  my best friend's dog who stays with us every time Tey and her family can't bring him along to their out of town trips just like this past long weekend. We could not have enough of him every time he's at home ... here's a typical afternoon with Elmo...in is own words {if only he can talk}...

"What? Nap time is over? It's only 4PM!"

 

"Don't take my photo. I'm not yet ready!"

After ignoring us for quite sometime....

"Can we play now?" I'm ready!

"PLEASE...."

"I love this game!"

"Thanks, I had fun! Can I kiss you now?"

Until next time Elmo. I hope you had fun here at home as much as we enjoy having you around.

Not my Comfort Zone

Designing a masculine card is always a challenge for me. I always end up with either a boat, golf or other sports-related stamped image as my focal point. I'm not ready to give up on this one yet ... The Paper Players Blog is hosting a clean and simple masculine card challenge. I want to try something new so, here's my take ...

Couch for a masculine card? Why not? The guys love lounging on a couch all the time {specially on Sunday afternoon watching sports on television, well, at least my hubby does!}.

Honestly, bling? Again, why not? Guys love shiny cars don't they?

Ha! There you go. Definitely out of my comfort { no pun intended} zone but I enjoyed working on this one!

Long weekend is over .... Back to work tomorrow ....

Mei Ann

Ribbon or Tape : Tape or Ribbon

When I saw the Tie on One challenge at CAS-ual Fridays, I was wondering if my SMASH tape/ribbon {which I am dying to use}will be considered as ribbon. To be technically correct, Webster have this definitions:

RIBBON - {noun} a long narrow strip of fabric used especially for tying something or for decoration. Synonyms: TAPE

TAPE - {noun} a narrow strip of material typically used to hold or fasten something.

Synonyms: RIBBON

SOLUTION: Use them both!

TAPE + RIBBON = a CUTE and CLEAN card!

Happy Family Day Ontarians!

Mei Ann

Materials inspired by:

Hot {rose} Pink

Hot Pink! I was in high school {yes, during the mid 80's :-)} when this color became so popular - from hot pink cigarette pants to hot pink hair accessories. It was a bit of nostalgia when I saw the color challenge hosted by The Play Date Cafe.

A splash of HOT PINK over white and black...

I used my Cuttlebug Leafy Branch emboss folder to create a clean and feminine background which I embellished with pearls. The sentiment is heat-embossed in gold.

There, a perfect card for wedding!

Thanks for visiting,

Mei Ann

Colors are  inspired by:

In Love with Peony

I will be traveling for a few days for work-related projects that I am currently working on. I will definitely miss my hubby while I am away as well as working in the studio which I have been doing for straight five nights. Yup, been busy creating and this Thank You card is inspired by Just us Girls Challenge: create an image with button centers.

Peony is one of my favorite summer flowers. I created this paper pieced peony by layering different sizes of pre-cut petals and attached each layer on top of  another {the biggest one on the bottom}with foam adhesive. Then top it with poppy colored button like so.

I just love the way this card turned out!

Enjoy the rest of the workweek, In the mean time I will be en route to Edmonton, Alberta!

Cheers!
Mei Ann

Inspired by: