Sunday 31 October 2010

Saturday stamping fun

I really enjoyed my day stamping yesterday with my friends Glenda, Lei, Sandie and Janet.  We did miss Sue, who is not very well at the moment.  This group of ladies are so fun to be with... we talk, sing to the radio, share each other's stamps and ideas.... all in all a good day.

Yesterday I borrowed stamps from Lei and stamped off some images.... this first one I did in the soft brown, blue, pumice stone and Victorian Velvet... so far only made up the brown here~
Sailing away

I used a CB folder for the tree trunk background.  A very simple and quick card.  Great for a male birthday.

I also borrowed a Stampin' Up set called "Lovely as a Tree" and did the big scene - stamped a reindeer in the front of the trees and Merry Christmas on it... still to put it together.  So a few images ready to make up when I get the time.

Had a great time last night, - about 40 of us from all the groups meet and shared a lovely meal.  I managed to catch up with some ladies I haven't seen for awhile... we all go to different mass times....both have girls that Emma was at school with...  Not such a great end to the evening as the All Blacks lost to Australia by 2 points :-(  so sad faces around...

Have spent the day getting things organised for later in the week.   I am having a little operation on Wed afternoon.... spending the night in the hospital after having an Ablation.. 
My surgeon does not want to do a hysterectomy due to my risk of clots so we are hoping this will fix the issues I am having.... Taking a few days off to recovery - but back to work on Monday...

Thanks for stopping by...

Saturday 30 October 2010

Play Date Cafe Challenge #53 - Take Two

This was part of the idea I first had for the Play Date Cafe challenge... black, white and a splash of burgundy.  Not sure whether there is too much burgundy to count - but I like how this one turned out in the end.  I tried something new....
PDCC53 take 2

the pleated ribbon.  I stamped the Music background in Aged Mahogany ( the nearest ink I have to Burgundy) and added the pleated ribbon.  Punched out 2 Martha Stewart Monarch butterflies and layered together.  Added the black gems and put the whole panel onto black deckle cut card.   As the background is quite busy looking I haven't added a sentiment.

Had a fab day with friends, stamping and talking... got lots of cards done, mainly doubles of ones I have already made.... got 4 Christmas ones finished that I had done the blue backgrounds for nearly 4 weeks ago!!!!  Just needed to black stamp the three wise men and added the sentiment and layer the cards altogether.... more tomorrow on the others I made.

Got to run as we are heading out to a Pot Luck dinner with the Family Groups from our church... our group is meeting with other groups to eat and then watch the rugby.  The All Blacks are playing Australia ~  in Hong Kong of all places~~~~

GO THE BLACKS!!!!!!!!

Friday 29 October 2010

Black White and a Splash of ............

Burgundy.  That's this week challenge over at Play Date Cafe.  Here is the fabulous inspirational photo
Isn't that just gorgeous.  I just love challenges with Black and White and a splash of colour.... they are so much fun.

So here's what I came up with
PDCC #53


I have had this little Inkadinkado stamp for a while now but it's never been stamped so broke it out and stamped it twice... once on white card and once on the burgundy bazzil - cut out the cardinal and popped him with tiny pop dots over the black and white.  Cut the image with a square nestibility and mounted it onto the burgundy scallop.   Add the ribbon and sentiment by Stamp-it.  I quite like stamping my sentiments straight onto the card.... gives a more clean look I think.   All in all, I am pleased how this turned out.  My original thoughts were to use a butterfly cut out with my new Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly punch - got it today and the Burgundy bazzil, but changed my mind.... maybe I'll work on the other idea tomorrow at stamping group.  Some of us are meeting round at Glenda's for a day's stamping.  Have the butterfly double punched already to go!!!

Off to pack the bag ~  trying to think what I'll need.

Enjoy the weekend all..
Ciao for now

Thursday 28 October 2010

Happy Mail and the "Sale that wasn't"

Today had it's ups and downs.... starting with the fact that the Social Club cancelled tonight's market sale - 3 of the 6 stall holders pulled out on Tues and they decided not to go with just 3:-(  and I got short notice (yesterday) that I had been shortlisted for a job and the interview was today at 2.30.  It was a bummer.... they asked really difficult questions so unlike what I was used to and I felt totally unprepared!!!!!  Oh well, what will be will be.... so that was the down part....

now for the up part.... I arrived home to a lovely envelope that came all the way from Garner, North Carolina... from the lovely Anne....  Anne recently hosted an ATC challenge over at 2peas and I was lucky enough to win her lovely ATC
 She also asked if anyone wanted to trade.... for this ATC
so I said I would like to... and I sent her my ATC
Today I got an email to say my ATC's had arrived at Anne's and when I got home.... her lovely ATC's were here together with a matching card...
Isn't this just lovely.  I can tell you it lifted my spirits when I got home.  So thanks Anne... I really appreciate counting you as a friend.

I also received some other happy mail last week from Paula. a beautiful card, some lovely stamped images and some stickles.

  Thank you Paula


Thanks for preserving tonight... a bit of a long read... hope you enjoyed it though,
Almost the weekend......

Tuesday 26 October 2010

More Starry night cards...

This coming Thursday I am having a stall at my work - the Social Club is having a Market Evening.... I sorted through my cards and found I have well over 80 sitting there!!!  Make them for challenges etc and then just pop them in the trolley behind me... and sort of forget what's there.... Anyway I found I didn't have many extra Christmas ones... the last lot of Starry Night ones I want to keep to send out at Christmas, so got a bit of a production line going over the weekend.  I started by inking up the brayer and running it over the stamp - Used a rainbow pad of chalk ink that was given to me.  It is really long so I used half of it for one lot of cards and half for another.  Then I tried some distress inks... they didn't work as well as the multi colours but I did end up with one card that I really love ( and won't be selling!!!)
this is it:


I used a new Distress ink I got on Saturday called Pumice Stone.  It is a sort of grey colour.  When I first stamped it I thought - Blah don't like that... but then came up with the design - and in the end it turned out to be my favourite.  I used an old Hero Arts set ( from 2 years ago) to make the background.  All the stamps are Hero Arts on this one.

My next one was inspired by Lin with her lovely pink card here.  I CASE'd it almost as it was, just using a CB background instead of stamps and used a different sentiment.  Other than that ---
The next two used the same colours for the stamping, the same starry flourish for background but just different colours and sentiments.



If you can't tell I LOVE this Starry Night stamp and can see a few more multi coloured cards being made and another one or two of the grey one...


Thanks for stopping by tonight... I think tomorrow will be flat tack getting things organised for Thursday so you might not see me around for a day or two

Monday 25 October 2010

Cutesy Christmas WMC28


As soon as I saw Jenny's challenge this week.... "cute holidays" I knew exactly what stamp I wanted to use. This is from a freebie set I got last Christmas. I stamped and embossed it and then used a paintbrush to colour with distress inks. Added some stickles for snow. The paper was also from a freebie in a magazine last year ( see it pays to hoard things!!!)
I had trouble getting the bow to stick... even glossy accents wouldn't hold it.... but it stayed stuck long enough to photograph last night and this morning I added another glue dot and took a better photo in the daylight. 

I really liked the idea of using the Distress inks as paints.  I just smooched a corner onto my acrylic block and had some water near by, dipping my fine paintbrush into the water then picking up a bit of the ink and painting it onto the card.  I now have 27 colours of distress ink so easy to find just the right colour... I JUST LOVE my Distress inks.... just about use them in every card I make these days.  So versatile.

We are having another fabulous day here in Auckland.... it's Labour Day Monday so a holiday and I'm sitting outside again doing this.... way too nice to be inside.  Thanks goodness for laptops and wireless broadband!!!

Enjoy the week

Sunday 24 October 2010

One out of the Box

Yesterday was certainly "one out of the box"  - the weather has taken a turned for the better... in fact this very moment, I am sitting outside under the umbrella typing this up... it is another perfect day in Auckland... after last weeks shitty weather, a nice change....
Anyway my title also is about two little projects I did in the last few days.... First off, I saw Splitcoaststampers tutorial this week about Tissue Box covers and thought I'd have a go as I presently have a cube box of tissues on my desk at work.... 
I used a lovely textured red 12x12 card to make the base and panels.  I edged the box with Victorian Velvet distress in.  I used my CB and folders to emboss the panels.  Can't remember what the folder are... The vine ones, I sponged the ink over the embossing.  I used a new nestie - octagonal scallop to cut the opening.  I embossed the flower in clear embossing powder 3 times and did the same with the felt leaves which I cut from a CB die.  I didn't add any stamping as I really like the pattern on the panels.

Secondly I made a little wee treat box which I saw on the Penny Black blog.  The template for the little box is on Elizabeth's blog here. It is so tiny - just 1.5 inches square.

  I don't have any tiny PB stamps so was at a loss as to how to decorate... then I remembered that Paula had sent me some PB stamped images quite some time ago... and sure enough there was a tiny little Hedgehog there.... so I coloured him in and cut him out with a circle punch.  I edged the circle with some glitter glue.  Added the little blue tag which I covered with a plain red circle inside the lid.    I think I will increase the size next time so I can add a bigger stamp.

Yesterday afternoon I popped over to visit my friend and fellow cardmaker, Sue.  She had some cards ready for me to take to sell at my stall next week at work.... Sue makes the most beautiful cards... visit her blog srumplescrunch to have a look.  I am in awe of her work, she is so clever with her ability to combine colours and textures... Here is a photo of the two of us.  Sorry it's not that great as I took it holding the camera out in front of me...
We had a great time... mostly just chatting away.  We meet through Stamp'n'create's monthly stamp group and it is so neat to have someone who lives nearby and enjoys the same hobby as you. 

Well it's time to start thinking about lunch... some thing nice and light, then off to the garden centre with hubby to get some bits for the garden.   Have a great weekend all

Saturday 23 October 2010

A great challenge blog...

Come and join Jenny at Wee Memories blog - she has some super sponsors for her weekly challenges and if you blog about this and let her know asap ( it's a quick giveaway) she has some lovelies to give away. 
It's a fun place to visit,...  lots of inspirations and fun.
Thanks Jenny for the chance to win.

Friday 22 October 2010

One of those days....

when what you have in your mind just does not come out on the paper..... that's what I had yesterday.  I suddenly realised I need to get cards made for my great nephews who are turning 4 next Thursday.... in Australia so I had to get them into the post today.... as Monday is a public holiday here in NZ.

I had an idea to use some dinosaur themed paper and stamps.... stopped off at my LSS and picked up some paper and a couple of little stamps by Imaginisce ... what I got wasn't at all how I thought it would turn out.... but I really didn't have time to do anything else.

I cut out the boys names with my CB and used my Xyron sticker maker to adhere them to the card.  I edged the names with white gel pen and some stickles.  I stamped the images and coloured and added to the cards.   Still I'm sure 4 years old will enjoy them.    So Hunter and Zade..... have a happy birthday next week.  The cards got into the post today.

I had the day at home today, doing a big spring clean of the kitchen and bathrooms..... so the next 3 days are ALL MINE!!!!  Tomorrow though, a spring clean in the craft room ( again... I am so messy and untidy I have to do this very regularly!!!!)   Once that's done it off to visit a friend in the afternoon.... and to admire her lovely cards in person!!!!   Hubby has plans to waterblast the drive and deck, so that will keep him busy all day... but by the end the place will be looking really good.

Enjoy your weekend people and thanks for stopping by....

Wednesday 20 October 2010

October CCC...

It's that time of the month ....CCC time... the good time when a wonderful creation arrives in your letterbox from some amazingly talented lady somewhere in the world.....  and mine came from the lovely Linda W (aka ScrappinBari).  This month one of the theme's was Angels.  And this is what arrived in my letterbox
 Isn't it a stunner.  - Even the inside was stamped with some gold angels.   Linda also managed to do the sketch as well.... and enclosed some beautiful Hero Arts gems and flowers in a blue colour.... just perfect as I can not get these here in NZ easily.  Thank you so much Linda.

My partner this month is Isha who lives in Switzerland.  I'm not sure if she has received my card yet, but here is what I sent her.  I used the sketch.
I got some new DCWV card mat while I was away and this beautiful card was amongst the pages,  I added the blue/black butterflies punched with a Martha Stewart punch with some gems added.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts and I though it really encapsulated what card making is all about.... creativity!!!  I hope Isha likes it.

I have been pottering away this week..... getting my stockpile of cards sorted for my stall next week at work.  I did manage one card using the Acrylic Block technique that was in Week 2 of Jennifer McGuire's Holiday ThinkingInking... it is a fun way to make a background.  I used some Shabby Shutters and Barn Door distress inks and come up with this
Christmas tree card -
.
Was pleased with the result and have a few more pieces ready to use.

Well I'm feeling shattered tonight... the busy weekend catching up so a few more blog reads and some stamping then an early night... with maybe a few chapters of the book I'm reading... a rollicking good yarn by Matthew Reilly called " The Six Scared Stones" - a sequel to "Seven Ancient Wonders"
A great adventure/thriller by a young Australian author.  A bit in the vein of  "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but good fun.

Take care

Monday 18 October 2010

Today is a Good Day....

Two years on from a Pulmonary Embolism.... and I am well and healthy (thanks to medication for cholesterol, diabetes and High Blood Pressure)  and enjoying life.  To find out a bit about what happened you can read last years post here.  I continually thank the Lord for each day.
The weekend was very special for my hubby as his birthday was on Saturday.  We meet with our two children and their partners for dinner on Friday night.  I can't get over what delightful adults they have grown into.... it was a pleasure to spend a very special night with them.  Then on Saturday morning hubby and son bonded while doing some work around our house.  They built a retaining wall round the side of the house.


While they were doing that, I snuck off to the Dunkley's craft fair.... I behaved myself and although I had a good look round all three stamping stalls and two scraping booking ones, I was good and didn't get anything other than a set of Seasons Greetings stickers.  I did buy some Pineapple Nougat, some spicy seeds, a piece of Gouda cheese and a new iron board cover (for the odd time I actually get the iron out!) so did well.

Saturday evening we celebrated with a barbeque with 2 other couples at home.  We were able to sit outside - albeit with jumpers on.....

Then last night, we went to see "Simply Red" who were playing in Auckland city.  What an amazing concert.  It was an indoor venue and we were on the floor level.... standing and dancing and singing.  I knew just about every song.... Even hubby enjoyed it!!!!  It really was more my musical taste even though I gave him the tickets for his birthday.....

Thanks for stopping by.... I really appreciate all the lovely comments I get. Take care

Sunday 17 October 2010

PDCC #51 Christmas

This weeks challenge at Play Date Cafe is to use soft blue, beige and a minty green.

This is what I came up with. The card base is a mint green and the layer on top is sand beige. I stamped in a very light green distress ink the Lace Background. The sentiment is stamped in Tumbled Glass ( looks much better and clearer in real life)The circle is the Starry Night stamp clear embossed onto a piece of card that was coloured with Tumbled Glass and Broken China. I used some glitter in white and green to add sparkle to the trees.  I added some pale blue ribbon and a snowflake coloured with Aqua alcohol ink with a pale green pearl in the centre. I added a few small pearls  as well to the circle.
These are not colours I would normally use, so this was a challenge to me.  I was surprised I even found a mint green piece of card in my stash. 
I am having a bit of a crafty afternoon while waiting to head off to see "Simply Red" perform.  Part of hubby's birthday present.  The concert starts at 7.00 so we will head off and have something to eat in town before going.   

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday 15 October 2010

Look what Kathy's giving away.....

My blog friend Kathy from The Daily Marker is generously giving away some Penny Black stamps in a blog candy......
For those of you who haven't visited Kathy's blog.... you really must!!!!  She does the most amazing things with a white gel pen~~~~~  just look at the cards above.  I just love her work.  She currently is on the DT for Penny Black and she really makes the PB stamps sing~~~

Thursday 14 October 2010

Summer's Coming.....and a RAK

I know this for two reasons..... tonight we barbecued our steaks for dinner.... outside on the barbecue - although it was a bit too cool to sit outside to eat. Plus we had new asparagus, new baby potatoes and an awesome fresh salad with avocado, feta cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

And that Darn Cat has been on the prowl again....this is the haul from last week....
Mostly knickers and swimming togs from one neighbour.  He only seems to do it in the summer time or when it is school holidays.  This week the kids are back at school, so nothing has come over....


The card I am going to share today is NOT made by me but by the amazing Tiffany Ervin.... she sent me this beauty together with a whole lot of other stuff in a RAK.... In amongst the goodies were some of the lovely flowers she used on her card.... so without further ado - feast your eyes on this ~

Isn't it just amazing.  Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness Tiffany.  I just love everything you sent me and will be able to use it all.....

I'm having some fun with distress inks and making some more bookmarks.... LOVE DISTRESS INK... there is just so much you can do with it...so that's all for tonight.

Enjoy your week.... for me the weekend is nearly here....a busy one starting with a family dinner out tomorrow to celebrate Hubby's birthday ( on Saturday) and finishing on Sunday with a 5km Fun Run.... Although it is 9.00am on Sunday I can imagine I'll be had it for the rest of the day!!!!

Ciao for now

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Block background




I've been following Jennifer McGuire's latest Thinking Inking over at 2Peas. This week she used an acrylic block to stamp her background and this is what I did on this bookmark. I used Shabby Shutters and Vintage Photo smooched on my largest block, well spritzed with water and perfect pearls and then over stamped with Friends definition and the poppies. I coloured the poppies using Jennifer's technique from last weeks Thinking Inking- using the distress ink as a paint.  Because I used my big block, I managed to do a half a page at a time.... so got enough to do 2 bookmarks. 

Am off to do some more... I'm having a stall at work on the 28th so need to get some stock on hand.

Thanks for visiting... Ciao for now

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Christmas trees

The final cards I made on Saturday were both the same... just slightly different colours.  I made them towards the end of the evening.... and it was getting the sentiments on that told me it was time to go.....  I was using a stamp'am'gig to make sure it was straight and twice in a row I stamped it upside down on the plate... Luckily I did that rather than straight on my card or I would have been a bit peeved!!!!  So here they are

IMG_2046


IMG_2047


I started by stamping the Pine Bough in Forest Green distress ink on one and Rhubarb Stalk Momento ink on the other and then using the distress ink as a paint, coloured in the pine needles and well as adding some pearlescent paint for shine.  The sentiment is from a set by Stamp-It.  Nice clean and simple cards.  Great idea for mass production.

I have also got a couple of photos of Connor's birthday cake - made by my talented daughter...

How cute is this..... Apparently Connor was over the moon with his cake.

Thanks for visiting - hope you week goes well

Monday 11 October 2010

More Christmas cards

A couple more cards from Saturday's marathon effort....

Angel of Peace

this first one started with white card stock that I stamped with HA Music Background in Tea Dye distress ink and then blending the same ink over the card after putting a circle mask for the moon. Stamped the Angel on (from a set by Inkadinkado)I. The sentiment went up the side as it didn't quite fit along the bottom where I wanted it to go. Once I matted it onto the mulberry card, I realised it wasn't straight... so to hide that, I angled the piece onto the nutmeg card. Added some Kaisercraft pearls just to finish it off... thinking though I might add some Stickles to the angel's flowers.... what do you think?

My next Christmas card is for the Penny Black Octoberfest.  I have one stamp from their Christmas Catalogue so used that.


Penny Black Octoberfest challenge


I coloured the mice with Pearlescent paints and matted it onto gold papers.  The black starry paper came from a $2 pack I got a couple of years ago and have never used... ( I have heaps of papers that I see, love, buy and then they sit in my cupboard forever lost!!!)
I bought the sentiment stamp on Saturday as I thought it was very sweet - here I embossed with a copper coloured EP - added a Fiskars edging done in the gold paper to cover the join and then pop dotted the main image.

I have just looked at my friend, Sue B's blog... she was at Stamp Group with me on Saturday and made the most cutest Teddy Bear Christmas cards.... really shabby chic looking... but oh so cute.  Pop over to her blog and have a look around...and leave her some love....her cards are so awesome.

Thanks for stopping by.... I really appreciate all the wonderful comments people are leaving... really makes my day.  Thanks so much,

Sunday 10 October 2010

Marathon Stamping Session

Yesterday my local Stamping Group had our monthly meeting... I missed last month's - they have changed the times.... now it's from 10.00am till midnight.... yeah - a real marathon session.... well I have to say I did not make it till midnight.... no - I piked out at around 8.00pm.... that was around 10 hours,.... and ten cards later....so I was happy if somewhat tired....  It was such a fun day... we started with around 10 of us... and slowly as the day progressed we got less and less... three were still there when I left and I'm sure at least two of them would have stayed.... We had the most awesome shared lunch and then picked at the left overs all afternoon and evening.  We shared ideas, had a demo on making shadow-box cards, and generally had an awesome time.

I had to make a card for my hubby's birthday and after a bit of a funny start... took the unmounted stamp off it's backing sheet, and then for ages couldn't find it on my workspace... Sue looked all round, Pam looked all round and no-one could see it... then about an hour or so later, I looked down and it was on my leg..... fallen off where it had stuck to the steel rim under the table.... how it got there - well I'll never know... but finally got the card finished.  I'll post it next week after his birthday.... then it was onto Christmas cards....

I got the Hero Arts Starry Night cling - arrived on Thursday so inked it up and made an great set of cards.  I was inspired by this card from Tiffany.  I used my brayer to ink up the stamp with some Kaleidacolor inks and a Brilliance Multi coloured ink and then used Tomobow Mono Multi glue to highlight the snow and trees with Diamond Dust.
Starry Night - version 1 (lilac)




Starry night - version 3

Starry Night - version 2


I was so pleased with these and I still have one each of the greens and blues to make into cards.   It is such a neat stamp.   I had so much fun doing them, deciding on the matting colours and what sentiment to put on the bottom.

I won't bore you with too long a post - so tomorrow will show some more of what I did.

Today we went down to Hamilton to see Mary, our SIL.  It was her 60th birthday today and 16 of us went out to lunch with her. Including her mother, who is 93.  Mary say's thanks to all who have kept her in their prayers.  She is coming along.  Still has issues with her walking and her sight, but is improving daily.  I thank the Lord for her still being with us.

Thanks for stopping by,

Friday 8 October 2010

Bits and Peices....

Over the last few weeks with updating the blog about the holiday.... I haven't done a lot of cards.... and most of what I have done is reasonable simple....

However the other week I was playing round making flowers after seeing this video.  I made a little flower and then played around with some die cut leaves that the lovely Betty sent me and came up with this
My flower  YNSC #26

I just love the sentiments from Inkadinkado - Kids Quotes and Tell it Like it is.  such cute sayings.

My next card is one I've made for my daughter's friend's little boy - turning 4 soon... His party theme is Firemen.... so found some clip art - printed it and cut it out and layered on the card base....
Connor's fireman card

I'm sure he'll like it....

All my stuff is packed for my marathon card making tomorrow.... 10.00am till midnight - not sure I can stay awake that long.... we'll just see.  Totally looking forward to it....

thanks for stopping by..... till later  Ciao...

Thursday 7 October 2010

Large Flower

Another of the stamps that arrived just before I left was Hero Arts Large Flower cling stamp.... I have made a couple of card now using it - my first one is CASE'd from this one by Kristina Werner.
For someone special
I changed the colours and the sentiment, added some ribbon.  It is for someone very special who shall at this point remain nameless..... but once she has the card, I will reveal....

I like the design so much that I decided to do another one.... this time based on the Embellish Magazine colour scheme.
Big Flower joy
I stamped the flowers in grey ink and clear embossed, then used yellow pencil to colour in the bits of the petals.  I added a gem I coloured with a Copic for the centre and then the sentiment stamped onto grey card.  The lot was then matted onto a white card base.  

Today I received my parcel from Simon Says stamping... boy are they great.  10 days from the USA and this time there was a large wooden background stamp and still only $13US for postage.  So three new stamps to play with over the weekend... all Hero Arts.  - the Ledger cling, Lace background and Starry night cling.  Looking forward to getting them inky.   

Well that's all from me for now.... Off to tidy up the craft table and get organised for the weekend's stamping.

Ciao for now