End of the road

As some of you know, I ran a challenge on my blog every Monday.  I stopped doing it in the spring as I was going to be away for the summer.  I've decided, in the interest of time and priorities, that I will be discontinuing my Random Amusing Challenge.  It's tough for me as I love hosting challenges (and playing along with other challenges) but I need to focus my energies in different areas, including looking for work and publication submissions.  Thanks to those who have followed along!  If you ever need inspiration, please check out my challenges page.

Thanks to all those who played along.  Your participation and enthusiasm was always appreciated!
Glenda

Random Amusing Challenge on holidays for the summer...

Feel free to play along with the last challenge.

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend.

Glenda

GRAC on holidays...

If you didn't hear last week... here are all the details! Feel free to play along with last week's challenge...

Hoping to post something this week but it's shaping up to be another busy week.

Hope you had a great weekend and have a great week. Remember, Mother's Day is on Sunday! Give/send your mom some love...

Glenda

Random Amusing Challenge 111

My apologies for the delay. Life has been a little crazy lately and continues to be so. Still overwhelmed by the response from last week's Moxie Fabber of the Week feature ...thanks to everyone for all of the love!

Before I get to my challenge for this week, I have a little announcement to make. My challenge is going to be taking a vacation for the next few months. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm going to be starting work soon. This work means I'm going to be away from my computer, my blog and my craft table for the majority of the summer. I'm going to do my best to post a card once a week but won't have the time to consistently set up a challenge. I hope to be back at the challenges in October. So this will be the last challenge until the fall! Thanks so much to everyone who stops by to check it out and play along.

Today's challenge is going to be a play on numbers. Since the challenge number is 111, today's challenge is to use three things, one time each, on your card or project. Confused? I'll used my example from below. I've used one image, one die cut (sentiment) and one fibre (baker's twine). If you play along, please link up below. If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC111. Thanks so much to everyone who played along last week.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your comments!

Glenda

Card details:
best day - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: Old Island Stamp Company Martini
Paper: A Muse Sage, SU! Basic Black & Whisper White, Bazzill (pink - can't remember the exact name)
Ink: A Muse Onyx
Accessories: Slice Elite & Remember This design card, The Twinery Honeydew baker's twine, Martha Stewart glitter

Happy Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, I made a card out of scraps (except for the card base) for my challenge from Monday and the Unity Tweet Tweet (bird) Challenge.

ETA... So I thought I should talk a little bit about what we do to help out the earth...

1. Recycle

We have a great recycling program where we live. Plastics, paper, glass, cans, etc. The only thing I have to take anywhere is my cream cartons. We've also been recycling our electronics too. As much as we can, we try to sell, give away or recycle anything we aren't using anymore. I recycle or donate any paper scraps I'm not using anymore.

2. Compost

We got a compost bin last year and I love it. I have yet to 'harvest' anything out of it but I get great joy every time I open it and feel the heat, see the worms wriggling and the delight in the rich soil that is being produced. Yes, I'm a geek. This has hugely reduced our garbage as we drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of veggies... now all the ground and veggie scraps get composted.

3. Reducing consumables

As much as we can, we use our water bottles and travel coffee mugs. We aren't perfect but try really hard. In addition, I try to buy things in containers that can be recycled. Nothing frustrates me more when I discover something that is over packaged or has non-recyclable packaging.

4. Reducing energy consumption

We don't use a lot of lights in our house and are really good about turning things off when we are finished using them. The majority of our light bulbs are compact fluorescent and we turn the heat down when we are away and sleeping. In the summer, we hang our clothes outside to dry.

5. Reducing water consumption

This is something we are working on. We turn the water off when we brush our teeth, have reduced the amount we water the lawn and garden, and our shower head is slightly better on consumption than our old one. Our dishwasher and washing machine are quite full when they are run. I'm planning on putting a plastic bottle full of water in our toilet tank to reduce our consumption that way too.

We aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Public transportation where we are is infrequent so we drive. I mostly use eco-friendly cleaning products but not for everything. Still searching for ones that get my clothes and dishes clean enough and get rid of mildew. Karl is planning on building a mason bee house to encourage pollination around the yard. We buy some organic food and buy local produce in the summer (we have several farms really close by - lucky us) but haven't made the move to organic meat.

I'm always looking for simple ways to help out the environment. My brother, who is one of the people I look to for information on the environment, always says the best thing to do is REUSE.... so I'm trying. Damage to the environment is something that really bothers me and I get really discouraged sometimes that we are just not doing enough. However, there is a book that talks about positive things that are going on around the work - Good News for a Change by David Suzuki. I highly recommend it.

Please feel free share any tips you have with me!

Be thankful for our beautiful planet today. Be kind to it. It's the only home we have.

Have a great weekend.

Glenda

Card details:
happy day - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co. Following My Heart
Paper: SU! Whisper White and scrap of green stripe, A Muse (blue), Bo Bunny (yellow), Making Memories (gingham)
Ink: A Muse Onyx, Memento Rhubarb Stalk
Accessories: MS glitter, Copic Multiliner

Random Amusing Challenge 110

Happy Monday all. First of all, I have to apologize.... I don't have a card ready for today's challenge. The weekend was crazy busy... I'll do my best to remedy this as soon as possible. Finally, situation remedied (Tuesday).... having mojo issues.

This Friday, April 22nd, is Earth Day. The environment is something I really care about so I decided to have Earth Day as my theme this week. The challenge is to make a card or project inspired by our beautiful home, the Earth. You can use earthy colours, plants, the sun, the water... whatever strikes your fancy. Perhaps you could use up some scraps, just to be kind to the earth. I just whipped up a little clean and simple card, using some colours found in nature and some cute little mushrooms.

If you play along, please link up below. If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC110. Thanks to everyone who played along with my last challenge.

If you are reading this early Monday morning, be sure to check back here later today... just sayin'...

ETA - Just found out I won Paper Crafts Color Inspiration Challenge #3! Hee, hee... giddy, excited...

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Glenda

Card details:
life's simple pleasures - 4"x5.5"
Stamps: SU! Funky Four, PTI Shapes by Design
Paper: Jillibean Soup kraft note card, white
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip, VersaMagic Mango Madness, Pink Grapefruit, Sea Breeze & Key Lime
Accessories: American Crafts Ribbon

Random Amusing Challenge 109

Hope you had a great weekend. Hard to believe it's April already... how did that happen?

Since it it is the fourth day of the fourth month, I decided to play on that for today's challenge. The challenge is to use four of anything on your card, project or layout. Four colours, four stamps, four layers, four circles, four buttons, four ribbon, four brads.... you get the idea. If you play along, please link up below and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC109. Thanks to everyone who played along last week. ETA -This challenge will run for two weeks since I am doing my guest post for One Giant Step next Monday and I'll have a supplemental (non-challenge) post here. I am lagging a bit behind today so don't have my card ready. Will post it later today. Here is my four colour card (green, orange, purple and blue). I've been hoarding this patterned paper (which fits in with last week's challenge). I'm trying to use up scraps and hoarded paper is included in that.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Glenda

Card details:
Celebrate You - 4.25"x4.25"
Stamps: PTI Take Three Summer
Paper: SU! Whisper White, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Bashful Blue and Tangerine Tango, Making Memories JustChillin' - Glitter Flower Stripe Girl
Ink: SU! Old Olive
Accessories: Slice Elite, Basic Elements and Remember This design cards, The Twinery Mandarin baker's twine, Basic Grey button

Random Amusing Challenge 108

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Spring is starting to arrive here and I am loving all the daffodils in my garden right now.

I'm really going to challenge you this week. I want you to use something you've been hoarding/saving. Come on, you know you do it. Save something that you absolutely love so you can ooh and aah over it, pet it every once in a while. In my case, it is washi tape (amongst other things). I was inspired to use my pretty tape when I saw this fabulous card from my friend Jill. If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC108. If you play along, please link up your creation tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who played along with my last challenge!

Changing the subject completely... said goodbye to some good friends this weekend. Our friends Gillian and Jason are moving to Calgary. Sad to see them go but happy about their new adventure. Gillian writes a fabulous travel blog called One Giant Step (they did an around the world trip in 2009/2010) and I will be doing some guest posts for her over the next while. The first one will be on April 11th and it will be about our recent trip to NYC.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you get a chance to play along with my challenge this week.

Glenda

Card details:
thank you - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: PTI Shapes by Design
Paper: A Muse Studio Vanilla
Ink: Memento Pear Tart
Accessories: Marvy blue square punch, EK Success 1 inch square, scallop tag & corner rounder punches, SU! corner rounder punch, washi tape, A Muse Studio button, scrap of twine

To be continued...

My latest challenge is running for two weeks! Have fun!

Glenda

Random Amusing Challenge 107

Welcome to this week's challenge. Before I start, just wanted to let you know that this challenge will run for two weeks. I'm going to be a little busy next Monday... make that a lot busy. Can't tell you what I'm doing though because it's a surprise for someone and they might find out! Anyway, on to the challenge... it is to use more than one punch/die cut on your card project. I know I've had this challenge before but it only required the use of one. In my case, there are three punches and two die cuts used on this card. Hope you like it! If you play along, please link it up below. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC107. Thanks to Jo and Victoria for playing along last week.

If you have not yet done so, please try to donate anything you can to the disaster in Japan. Google has an easy way to donate directly to the Japanese Red Cross. This makes my heart so heavy...sending my thoughts to all of those affected by this incredible tragedy. ETA - I heard this essay by Jian Ghomeshi today on CBC Radio. I had to share it with you... quite profound and moving.

Have a great week! Thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate it!

Glenda

Card details:

thanks – 6.25”x5”
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Daily Designs Sentiments

Paper: A Muse Studio Snow & Eucalyptus, SU! Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip & So Saffron, Upsy Daisy Tweet - Harmony, Crate Paper Brook – Wild Flowers
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip
Accessories: A Muse Studio Snow and Chocolate Pearls, SU! Cork, EK Success Flowers and Leaves Large Punch and Bracket Punch, Martha Stewart Crafts Medium Frond Punch, Big Shot, Top Note BigZ Die, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Labels One

Random Amusing Challenge 106

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Today's challenge is to put brackets on your card or project. I am using another one of my publication rejections for this card (see this post all the details about Amber's 'reject blog hop'). When you play along, please add your link below and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC106. Thanks to Priya for playing along last week.

The sketch is #6 from the recent Paper Crafts Go To Sketch Publication call. ETA - Katie reminds me that this was one of the most popular sketches! If you are interested in seeing all the sketches, they are here.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Glenda

Card details:
Happy Birthday - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Communique Curves Sentiments
Paper: SU! Whisper White, Real Red and Basic Black
Ink: SU! Real Red
Accessories: SU! Ribbon, EK Success Donut Chain Punch & Bracket Punch, Maya Road Trinket Pin, Martha Stewart Crafts Hematite Glitter

Random Amusing Challenge 105

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by to check out my challenge today.

Today's challenge is a sketch. Hope you have fun with it! If you play along, please link up your creation below and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC105. Thanks to Cheryl and Dorothy for playing along with my pink challenge last week.

Hope you have a chance to play along and have a great week.

Glenda

Card details:

Delight - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: There She Goes Clear Stamps Flourish, Dream Big and Act of Kindness
Paper: SU! Whisper White and Basic Black
Ink: Memento Pear Tart, SU! Elegant Eggplant
Accessories: Maya Road Trinket Pin, Creative Charms gem stickers, Celebrate it! ribbon, EK Success 1.5 inch circle punch, SU! Scallop Trim Border Punch, We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-dile Big Bite

Random Amusing Challenge #104

Welcome to this week's challenge! This week's challenge is to use pink on your project. I know you may find this shocking as those who follow me regularly know my aversion to pink. However, a very close family member passed away recently and pink was her favourite colour so I'm honouring her this week. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC104. Link to your project below and be sure to link back here from your project. Thanks to Jo for playing along last week! Be sure to check out Jo's blog - she's new to the blogging world!

This is publication rejection which I love so really wanted to share it. Hope you like it!

Be sure to check out the A Muse Studio Facebook page... some fun stuff going on over there!

Found out today that I won Color Challenge #1 over at Paper Crafts Connections. Card #3 is mine! Thanks to Angela for teaching me how to make that flower!

Still have some A Muse wood mounted stamps for sale, if you are interested!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Glenda

Card Details
Stamps: PTI Take Three Summer, Unity Stamp Company Feel the Joy
Paper: SU! Very Vanilla & Chocolate Chip, Crate Paper Pink Plum - Raspberry
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip, Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, VersaMark Pink Grapefruit
Accessories: Basic Grey button, A Muse Artstamps, Crystal Glitter Ritz – Warm Highlight, PTI Chocolate Baker’s Twine, Papertrey Ink, EK Success Donut Chain Edger Punch and Corner Rounder Punch, sponge, Quickie Glue Pen

Random Amusing Challenge #103

Hope everyone is having a great Monday so far. I survived my busy week last week... and now I've realized the next couple of weeks are going to be busy. No rest for the wicked!

This week's challenge is to make a card for someone you love. We don't celebrate Valentine's Day here but thought I would use the spirit of the day as inspiration for the challenge. It's my hubby's birthday soon so thought I would whip up this birthday card for him. If you play along, please share your creation below and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC103. Thanks to everyone who played along with the gingham challenge a couple of weeks ago.

Tomorrow, I will share with you my first ever published card! It's on page 78 of the March/April edition of Paper Crafts Magazine, as part of the World Card Making Day Contest. It's appropriate as the name of the card is Love Note.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Glenda

Details:
love you - 4.25"x4.25"
Stamps: A Muse Happy Everything, PTI Shapes by Design
Paper: A Muse White and Sage, SU! Kraft and Basic Black
Ink: A Muse black dye ink, Versamark
Accessories: Slice Elite, Slice Wedding and Remember This design cards, paper piercer, brad

Carry on...

I'm running my gingham challenge (#102) for another week so please play along!

If you are interested... I have some A Muse stamps for sale!

Have a great week.

Glenda

Random Amusing Challenge #102

Crazy, busy day... will be back with the challenge later today!

My apologies for the late post. Hope you had a great weekend and you are having a good Monday. Today's challenge is to use gingham on your project. If you play along, please leave a comment and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC102. Thanks to everyone who played along last week! This challenge will run for two weeks as I have a very busy weekend and next week is Alumni Week at UVic. I have a lot of presidential duties to attend to! ;)

Thanks also to everyone who left comments on my Reflecting post. I am definitely feeling the love and encouragement! You gals and guys are the best!

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Glenda

Card details:
congrats - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: PTI Take Three Summer
Paper: A Muse White and Black Petite Gingham
Ink: A Muse black dye
Accessories: Basic Grey button, Making Memories tag, MS glitter (hard to see - on one of the flower petals), Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Victoria, Craft Essentials Ribbon, SU! corner rounder punch

Random Amusing Challenge #101

I announced the winner of my blog candy earlier today. Scroll down to find out who the lucky winner is!

Hope you had a great weekend. I had a lovely (but far to brief) time at the spa on Saturday. I really need to go once a month. Too bad my bank account doesn't agree!

This week's challenge is to use stripes and polka dots on your project. My card didn't turn out quite as I'd imagined but oh well. Hope you like it! If you play along, please enter below and link back here from your post. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC101. Thanks so much to everyone who played along with my challenge last week, including my fabulous friends who made it possible to do a blog hop.

Hope you have a great week. I have to make two sympathy cards this week for two people I know who lost a parent last week (both quite suddenly). Go hug your family and tell them you love them.

Thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate it.

Glenda

Card details:
Just a note - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: PTI Take Three Summer, SU! (can't remember the name of the set at the moment)
Paper: A Muse Natural White (cream), October Afternoon Thrift Shop
Ink: A Muse black, SU! Real Red
Accessories: Making Memories ribbon, Maya Road trinket pin, Nestabilities Labels Four, Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Random Amusing Challenge #100

It is challenge #100 and it's time to celebrate! We are going to celebrate in a big way. Several of my fabulous, crafty blogging friends are playing along with my challenge so please be sure to hop over to all of their blogs and give them some love! In addition, there is major blog candy!

The challenge is to use red on your card. You had to know that was going to happen as red is my favourite colour! I trust you'll have no problem with it. Use as much or as little of it as you like. Incorporate it by using paper, ink, ribbon, embellishments, whatever you like! You must play along with the challenge in order to be eligible to win the blog candy. If you play along, please leave a comment here and please link back here from your post. I've set up a link tool so please put your entry in there! If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC100. You have until midnight Pacific Time on January 23rd to play along and you can play along as many times as you like. The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on January 24th. Thanks to Erica and Tina for playing along last week.

Here are all of my fabulous friends who are playing along with my challenge. Please head over and give them some love. Thanks so much to all of these fabulous ladies for playing! Feel so lucky to have a great group of talented ladies joining me today.

• Allison Fillo is Stampin' When I Can
• Allison Miles at Card Metaphors
• Beate Johns is Fresh & Fun
• Belinda Chang Langner at Bleu Bella Designs
• Carly Robertson at Paper in Bloom
• Cheiron Brandon is enjoying My Crafty Life
• Chris Sather at Catt's Scratching Post
• Dawn Stein at Lavender Giraffe
• Donna Hitz is the Frozen Stamper
• Elena Shacochis at The Stamping Shac
• Geeta Suggs, a.k.a. The Crafty Engineer
• Jenn Shurkus, a.k.a {creative chick}
• Jennie Moczan is Simply Caffeinated
• Jill Grace, a.k.a Creative Grace and family
• Joan Jeffery at JJ Creations
• June Gibbons is Perfect Like a Curl
• Kamila Younkman is in Little Scraps of Heaven
• Krystie Lee Hersch is enjoying a Cupcake Martini
• Meghan Fahey is Driven to Ink
• Michelle Clark is creating Sparkle Designs
• Michelle Mathey at Pigment of My Imagination
• Michelle Woerner likes to Stop and Stamp the Roses
• Nance Lempinen-Leedy at Canopy Crafts
• Silke Ledlow at My Life
• Teresa Kline likes to Enjoy the Virginia Sunshine

Here's my card...

Here's a look at the blog candy. It includes A Muse paper and stamps, Flower Soft, Washi Tape, some of the goodies (from Nikki Sivils, Dear Lizzy, Studio Calico and more) I received from Paper Crafts (I wanted to share the wealth!) and other random bits from my craft room!

Hope you have a chance to play along this week! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate it!

Glenda

Card details:
Feel the joy - 4.25"x5.5"
Stamps: Unity Dream Tree and Feel the Joy
Papers: A Muse white card stock, SU! Basic Black, Echo Park Wintertime - Red Swirls
Ink: SU! Real Red, A Muse black dye ink
Accessories: A Muse black pretty pearls, buttons, PTI Pure Poppy Baker's twine

Random Amusing Challenge #99

Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was very relaxing...did a HUGE clean up and organization of my crafty space and got some crafting done. Keeping my space clean is a challenge for me but I'm going to try really hard. My hubby snickered when I mentioned that and said "how long is that going to last? 20 minutes?" . He knows me well....

Hard to believe it is challenge #99! This week we'll have a little fun, in anticipation of next week's whole lotta' fun! *wink* The challenge this week is to do any of the previous challenges, which are listed here. You can even combine some, like I did. Mine works for #2 (three of anything - three images), #12 (flowers), #17 (two patterned papers), #18 (no colouring), #38 (purple, green, yellow), #50 (sentiment over image), #59 (stripes), and #67 (twine). If you upload to an online gallery, use the keyword GRAC99. If you play along, please comment below and link back here from your post.

I have to say it was interesting compiling the list of challenges and reading some of the old posts. It was interesting to read what was going on in my life, where I was travelling to and what the cards are like (and how I'm not thrilled with some of my old cards!).

Be sure to stop back for next week's challenge... it's going to be a lot of fun! I *might* have something to give away..... *wink*

Have a great week,

Glenda

Card details:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Take Three Summer
Paper: A Muse Grass Green petite gingham and white, SU! Kraft, yellow striped paper of unknown origin
Ink: VersaMagic Eggplant, Tea Leave and Mango Madness, A Muse black dye ink
Accessories: Papertrey button twine, EK Success Corner Rounder punch, A Muse white pretty pearls

Random Amusing Challenge 98

It's the first Monday of 2011 and I hope you are enjoying it. It is our last lazy day here before my hubby heads back to work and I dive back into the job hunt full force. We had a great relaxing holiday season with lots of food, friends, family and festivities. Even got some walks in the sunshine!

Welcome to the first challenge of 2o11. In this season of "Top Ten" lists and countdowns, I decided to incorporate numbers into this week's challenge. Make a project inspired by and/or incorporating numbers. You could use number stamps/sticker/rub-ons, patterned paper with numbers or just play with numbers, like I did. On my card I have used 1 stamp, 2 words, 3 buttons, 4 layers of paper and 5 pearls. If you upload a card to an online gallery, please use the keyword GRAC98. If you play, please leave a comment here and a link from your post back to here. Thanks to Sonja for playing along last week.

My 100th challenge is coming up in two weeks and I have something very special planned so be sure to stop back. Also, be sure to keep an eye on my new pages for upcoming classes, stamps I will be selling as well as some recommendations for food, books and music.

If you've been following along, you'll know I posted some musings about my less than perfect 2010 in my Saying Hello to 2011 post on Saturday (1:11 on 1/1/11 - hee hee). I was so surprised how many lovely comments I got. Thanks to everyone for their encouraging and supportive words. I really appreciate it.... shows me what fabulous people stop by my blog.

I'm not a huge hockey fan but I must cheer when Canada is playing in international competition. Right now, Canada is playing the U.S in the semi-final of IIHF World Junior Championships. The U.S. beat us last year so crossing my fingers (and everything else) for a victory this year. GO CANADA!

Hope you have a great week and a spectacular 2011!

Glenda

Card details:
just because - 4.25"x4.25"
Stamps: Unity Dream Tree
Paper: A Muse White and Watermelon card stock, SU! kraft and black
Ink: VersaMagic Tea Leaves
Accessories: A Muse white pretty pearls, Copic Marker - Cadmium Yellow, Basic Grey Buttons, SU! rub-on, Nestabilities Wonky Squares, Cuttlebug