Fall and Music...

...What do these two things have in common??

Well, they are part of several themes in a wonderful fun swap I recently partecipated in :o)

My two choices landed on making fall/autumn cards and other cards are reflecting music.

I absolutly adore fall, when the weather gifts us with such magnificent colors ,and I also adore

anything pertaining music...from il bel canto/opera to rock and roll etc etc...just don't ask me to sing..;o)

These are the cards I created for Heather's swap (darloudasha)

I wish I had time to make more in diff. categories....ahhh...c'est la vie! :o)

What do you think? too simple or...less is more??

*optional: click on each picture for better viewing*

Deets: Fall card
Stamp set: 'Lovely as a Tree' (SU)
Card stock:chocolate chip & pear pizzaz (SU)
Designer paper:'Bountiful 'by Creative Memories
Accessories: Embossing Folder 'Autumn Type', brown grosgrain ribbon,
                      tan and orange color rafia, scalloped circle nesties,dimentionals
Tecnique: stamping,sponging
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deets: Music card
Stamps : unknown (?) -please LMK if  you recognize them.Txs!-
Card stock: black  & more mustard (SU)
Designer paper: 'Heritage music score' by Provo Craft
Ink: Archival Onix black , colored chalk
Accessories: small scalloped nestie, black & white pearls by Kaisercraft
                      hair-spray, dimentionals, MS punch
Tecnique: sponging, precise cutting

Sushi Anyone?

 Evening readers!

I thought that I would show U a few picts of our day.....(see previous post)

We had lunch at Sushi Mori Rest. in Coquitlam . I love the place for its decor

and usually good service...Today I was somewhat disappointed

because none of the waitresses were wearing their usual colored

japanese garb...just wondering if they introduced an all black attire

now? :o(.....plus the service, today, wasn't as great as I remembered.

We all opted to order bentos lunches (usually the best bargain in all japanese eateries)

Truthfully, I think we should have explored more original and exotic items from their menus.

Sheila and I started with an assortment of gyoza appetizers first...not too bad ,

but I do prefer mine much more crispier and not too 'wet' looking underneath each gyoza 'belly' :o)

Overall I think the company is what the day was mostly all about and in that aspect

I would say it turned out 100%  wonderful. Witty,smart, fab great gals, each one with just

the right amount of craziness too...*wink* What a nice bunch!

(of course we didn't quite realized we also had a monkey mama amongst us!)

But that's another story...one I would never write about....LOL

Wonderful day, from beginning to end...and that's all folks! *smile*

~Paola~

A Bouquet of Flowers

 Hello friends
I couldn't find my camera for a few hours and I almost panicked...
Finally it was found, hidden under a mountain of designer paper...*rolling my eyes*
I wished I could have taken this picture in full daylight,but,alas,it was not ment to be...
This cheerful card was made for a wonderful young lady who turned the big 4-0 last week.
Sheila is one of the gifted teachers I was blessed to work with in past years, specifically in her science class.
Like me,she could live on anything that is made with dark yummy chocolate,the darker the better.:o)
She adores cats, loves photograpy,reading interesting books, and gardening,amongst many other things...
Tomorrow,a couple of collegue and myself will celebrate her by taking her to a sushi place
close to where my parents live. None of the gals have been there yet,so I'm hoping it would be a great
experience for them.The decor is strictly japanese with beautiful cherry blossom
trees (evegreen..LOL..aka fake!) and young gals wearing colorful,beautiful kimonos.
It has fast become one of my favorite japanese eatery.
On to the card now.I wanted to make a flowery card, but didn't intend to make a shape card...lol
This is my original design, I saw a bought card in this shape and tried to copy it ,yet making it my own
style and this is the result.
Sheila loves flowers, and glittery,sparkling cards...so hopefully she'll enjoy what I created with her in mind.
I would love to know what YOU, my friends, think...
Meanwhile,I'm wishing  all a wonderful week end :o)

~Paola~

*Please click on pictures for an enlarged view :o) *

Deets:

*Sizzixes and punches,the more the merrier

*assorted 'jewels'

*dazzling diamond glitter and orange glitter

*checkered white and green ribbon

*two way glue,glue dots,dimentionals

*sentiment by 'See D's'

*embossing folder 'Textile'

What's In a Name?

I'm sure all of you thought long and hard, before deciding on a perfect name for your blog,

and,of course, it was just as hard for me. In fact ,at one point in time when I was toying with

blog name ideas I thought to seek my Forest's Friends' help on SCS -

a wonderful group of  VERY chatty ladies with Jeanette as the leader of the pack...lol -

(You never knew this Jeanette, but it sure went through my mind there for a while;

I  also know I would have been given great suggestions too! :o)

Of course I though of naming it 'Sweet P.' too (a cute nickname that quickly stuck, given to me by one of the sistahs in the 'hood -In fact I believe it was gifted to me by the amazing Susan F.

'Allegra' also popped on my mind as a very strong name contender.

It means happy,bright,cheerful,merry. I like it because it sounds so positive,and also

because my hubby thought it suited my personality when he helped me pick it

as part of my e-mail address a few years ago ...:o)

Another one I seriously pondered on was 'Nonna Paola's Stamping Grounds' (nonna means grandma ,in italian)

There were quite a few other blog names possibilities that only lasted a few minutes in my head.

And then IT struck me! It happened about two weeks ago,in the middle of one of my sleepless night...As easy as A,B,C it  just popped in my head! Of course! 'That's Amore!'

I liked it, I really,REALLY liked it! It simply means 'That's Love!' 

That lil phrase embraces so many possibilities,I will mention just a few,in fact just the three closest to my heart:

first, the love for my family and the wonderful happiness and joy when I think of my beautiful wonderful grandchildren
(in fact ,the main large hearts on my blog heading/title represents each one of them...)

It definetly also covers my never ending love for the Almighty and my faith in general,which dearly sustains me on days when ,sometimes, I doubt my own strengh.

That's Amore also summerizes the patriotic love for the country of my birth -which is Italy- its food,its people,its amazing arts, and its way of truly savouring life in general ; as well, my patriotic love for this adopted country which is Canada,

this magnificent land full of so many natural resources and possibilities just ready for the grabbing. It was also here,in Canada,that I found the true love of my life. Red,White and Green:the italian flag; Red and White:the canadian flag.

Together,they are combined in a fusion of dual cultures and colors, and both will be cherished and remain in my heart forever.
And lastly,of course IT also covers my absolute passion for cardmaking eh! :o)

THAT'S AMORE!

*Click to enlarge*
Made this card several month ago for a swap whose hostess (Kelly Bella) challenged us to make a card that depicted where we are from. I thought it would go perfectly with this latest post don't U agree?... I hope U like it :o)

(Unfortunatly, in my feverished state at that time, I taped down il TRICOLORE (italian flag) upside down - It suppose to be green,white and then red...*arghhhh me*

First Card Upload:let's go western!

First card upload:let's go western!

~Hello galZ,
I bet ya you probably expected some beautiful glitzy card for my first upload here...
perhaps something flowery, cutsy ,girly ,or even vinatge?...
Well...ya know...I like to keep ya surprised...lol
Actually,if truth was known, I truly was wrecking my brain as to which card (s) to post first...
it is soo important, I think, to make a good first impression on my new followers..
and I also had the notion to let my hubby pick his favorite amongst the most recent ones
I have in my stack (and he did!...and THAT card sure reflects what my blog is about too...*smile*)
I also thought...mmm..perhaps I should post the very first card I made -years ago- when I started,
and my very last one...kind of a comparison between were I was then and where I am now in my creative world....(I may even still do that at another time ,IF I truly get the courage to post my very first one...ugh, I must be insane eh! lol)
Oh,and then it click...and decided to go totally 'against current' and post the masculine card  I
had just finished making  as a prototype for a western swap I am in, hosted by Jamie :o)
And here you have it...a card a bit on the darker side,no frills of course and masculine for sure, and hopefully fun too.
I tried to follow the requested sketch for my very first partecipation in the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge,as I was encouraged to enter it by one of their wonderful DT members. Said lady
 left me a lovely note in one of my cards in SCS gallery -the recent cow card, closeup- She also proned me via pm ,therefore here I go..taking the plunge!...Hopefully I won't disappoint her or anyone...

DEETS:

Stamps::SU Wanted ,See D's starred sentiment

 c/s: SU soft suede,d/p: Creative Imaginations

Ink:Sahara Sand,Close to Cocoa,Soft Suede

Accessories:Sizzix Stars2,Label10 nesties,checkered ribbon,button and ivory wool,dimentionals

Tecnique: sponging,stamping & overlapping,distressing (d/p,outer nestie,outer star)

NOTE: Added on October 2010
I was blessed to have this card chosen at my very first sketch challenge partecipation
 @ Midnight Madness , and received a beautiful button as 'remarkable card'....*lucky me!*
-see the blue square button on the right side of my page- :o)

No More Teasing :o)

Here I am once again....this time unveiling what the mistery picture was all about...

It's my better half and myself on our Wedding Day.

We were presented with this amazing quilt/wall hanger ,on our 40th Surprise Anniversary party

last December,where our kids did such an incredible job making sure we had an unforgettable ,wonderful day!....more about that will take place at a later time...and I will include all the details,from invites,to favours, to centerpieces,cake etc...you will be amazed too,especially since most of it was done using one of my favorite stamp from SU! Do you think that I am going to leave ya with another suspensful tease??

You betch ya!! ...lol...

And now on to show you the whole quilt,which I refuse to use it to decorate a wall and collect dust...oh nooo...it became what I affectionally refer to  'my love blanket'; it wraps me daily ,especially after a hard working day. I feel surrounded by my loved ones all at once,every single time. It truly is amazing all the work involved into making it...such a labour of love it is! One of my long time friends -then my babysitter- made this,and used my most favorite colors,the richness of the deep reds and burgundies,forest greens and fern greens,interlaced with supple fiery orange and soft yellow....what a wonderful,rich,warm colors,don't you agree? Mirella has such a gift and flair for sewn pieces of art ,and each of her handmade creations are so fantastically unique. Here it is la  mia 'coperta dell'amore'....my 'love blanket'.That's Amore eh!

 Feast your eyes my friends,click on picts for better viewing and enjoy!

PS...luv ya !

A lil peek...

Hello my darling  new followers,
it is soooo nice to see ya all supporting my
new babyblog! Feeling so blessed...*THANK YOU*

I may disappoint some of you by not posting any
cards yet, after all that isn't mainly what tthis blog is all about?:o)
Bear with me a lil longer my friends...
I hope U like what I have in mind regardless...
I think IT is quite befitting with the chosen name for my new 'baby'
(I will post a new thread explaining its name, soon)
Is it a picture?? yup!...not of the regular sort though...
but it is a picture indeed, 'planted' with so much AMORE,
a labour of love, given to us (hubby and I) during an evening where
love,was definetly in the air....
and I'm living it at that...a lil suspence to enhance you ,my friends,
to came back wanting to see ALL of the rest of the BIG picture...
mmmm...what can IT be?? *wink*

Ciao for now,con tanto amore!
Paola



My first Post in Blogland

~~Oh my!
Hello everyone out there who dares to venture in...
I am sooo new at this so please be lenient on me as I have absolutly NO clue
as to what I am really doing! LOL I suppose U can say I seized the moment
and took the plunge before I could count to three and change my mind!
Admittedly, so far it has been fairly easy! :o)

What to say on a first blog post, when one is so flabbergasted and wondering if IT may actually
work?....
I would just say...*WELCOME ABOARD*....and thank you for your reading presence on this newly created 'baby' blog.

That's Amore! is intended to mainly share my passion for papercrafting, and showcasing homemade creative cards from the heart.
In That's Amore! I will also share some of my other passions in life,and what each one means to me.

Now,let's see if this will actually post! :o)
Thank you for visiting!
~Paola~