Saturday 30 September 2017

Card for a Baby Boy

It's my day over at Die Cut Divas and I here to share you a card I made for a little baby boy

I used a Couture Creations pram die and a Lil'Inkers stitched rectangle die to make the frame.   The sentiment is from Stampin' Up!

thanks for stopping by today.

Thursday 28 September 2017

There's Rainbows at StampNation

The latest challenge at StampNation is underway.  And it's all about Rainbows....  Here's a sneak peek


To see all the Design Team cards come and join us at StampNation

and get ready for some fun


Wednesday 27 September 2017

Nordic Christmas....

Hi.  I've been MIA for nearly a week.... all because I've got a bad bout of bronchitis.  Been coughing and feeling lethargic since Thursday last week.   Over the weekend, I went to the Chocolate and Coffee show (Son's partner Erin, was exhibiting her little biscuit,  XoBites) and other than that, didn't feel like doing much.  Wasn't sleeping well with waking every hour or so with coughing.  So took myself off to the doctors on Monday to find I had a really bad bronchitis and needed to stay home for 3 days!  Great I thought, lots of crafting.... but oh no, simply have had the energy till late yesterday and even today, I haven't been that enthused - so know I AM sick!  

I did manage to make a little set of 4 cards I've called my Nordic Christmas collection.  I took some Nordic patterned paper fro Sugar and Spice Studio and made a simple set of cards.

 


The PP takes centre stage with sentiment stamps from Altenew's Lyrical Script set.  The snow flakes are from a Hero Arts set. 

Just what I needed.... simple but effective.  And the Christmas stash grows quickly with these CAS cards.

I'm off for a quiet walk, hoping to help clear the lungs.    Take care

Friday 22 September 2017

Watercoloured background - Thinking of You

I'm following the StampNation Masterclass - Aqua markers by Spectrum Noir and the challenge is "Just Add Water"

I did a background that was inspired by a card from Theresa Momber on Gina K's StampTV.  Theresa blended inks together to make her background.  I CASE'd it using Spectrum Noir Aqua markers to watercolour.



I made my lake with blues and greens and a bit of a lighter fawn just above the lake.  I used some Catherine Pooler brown ink for the ground.   I stamped the Goose from Stampin' Up! Wetlands stamp set.  Ive added some colour to him with the markers.  The reeds and sentiment are from the same set.  I added some little birds from the Birds of a Feather set by Catherine Pooler Designs to finish it off.

The markers really made it easy to watercolour.  I just scribbled some colour onto my acrylic block, added some water and it was ready to paint onto my wet watercolour card. 

thanks for stopping by.  

Thursday 21 September 2017

Spots and Dots at Southern Girls Challenge

Hi.  Back to share my card for the latest challenge at Southern Girls Challenge.

It's Spots and Dots this time with wonderful sponsor's Lacy Sunshine and Krafter's Cart.





I got to use the super sweet Lizabeth's Daffodil today.

I cut out my oval and then embossed the panel with a spots and dots folder.  I backed the oval with some Teresa Collins patterned paper that is gold dots.  Lizabeth is coloured with Copics.   I die cut the hello (Winnie and Walter die)  5 times and layered together for dimension.  A few white dots on the daffodil centre, a ribbon and some flowers and it's all done.

Do come and join us at Southern Girls Challenge.

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Inspired by StampNation Masterclass - Spectrum Aqua Markers

The latest StampNation Masterclass is under way.  It's about using Spectrum Aqua Markers.    Our first tutorial is about using the markers to do a watercolour wash background.  I did an interpretation of this on my card.


I used  blue and blue-green markers to make my background and splatters.  The sentiment is from a Spectrum Noir stamp set.  I used the markers directly on the little heart stamps.

Will be trying out some more backgrounds using my Spectrum markers  - I have some neutral sets so they will make lovely backgrounds.

Monday 18 September 2017

An Eventful Friday....

I was back for three days before we headed off for a long weekend down south at Napier.   It is an hours flight south east of Auckland.   Well it should have been!

We got to Auckland airport for a 2.55pm flight only to find it had been delayed firstly for 40 minutes and then another 20 minutes.  Got onto the plane and took off.... only to find about 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot announced there was a warning light showing an issue with the hydraulics and we were returning to Auckland.   So we turned around in a wide sweep as there were no flaps.  The pilot advised us that he would be landing at speed.  However when we got near Auckland, the pilot then advised that there were cross winds at Auckland which were making it dangerous to  land and we would be diverting to Hamilton...  so off we went....  And after a little while and a speedy decent we made it to Hamilton.  From there we hired a car and drove 3 hours 20 minutes to reach our friend's house at 9.30pm.    What a day!   And we made the news

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/09/emergency-landing-at-hamilton-airport.html

Didn't realise how bad it was, the staff were very calm and collected.   The pilot landed the plane very smoothly and we all applauded him.

The rest of the weekend was fabulous.  We had gone down with friends and we all stayed with Rachel and Ian.   Rachel is celebrating her 60th birthday next week so we spend some time celebrating with her.   Rachel is a quilter and earlier this year gave us a beautiful quilt.  I took a photo of some of it, and made her a card


I used the computer to make the sentiment which I cut with a Littl' inkers die.  The cotton reel is a digital image from Hero Arts.

Well back to work tomorrow.   And catch up with some of my design work.


Tuesday 12 September 2017

Visiting the parentals....

I've been away for a few days as I made a flying visit to the Gold Coast Australia to spend a few days with my parents and celebrate my Dad's 80th birthday.  It's approx a 3 hour flight from Auckland to Coolangatta (Gold Coast).  I went over Thursday afternoon and back Monday afternoon.  It was to be a surprise visit... my brother knew I was coming and was picking me up.   But fate intervened.... Dad rang Wednesday night to let me know my Mum was unwell and was in hospital so I had to let him know I was coming the next day.  He didn't let Mum know so it was a huge surprise to her when I got to the hospital.  Luckily she was able to come out the next day. 

Dad and I went out for a lovely walk on Friday morning

On Saturday, I caught up with my friend Michelle.  We haven't seen each other for about 5 years...  She took me to the Spit ... a very pretty spot where I could look down to the main Surfer's Paradise beach



The two of us  

Sunday was Dad's birthday and we had a lovely dinner cooked by my niece Toni. And Dad enjoyed himself.   Mum was up to eating with us which was lovely.  

I was sad to have to come home, but really please I was able to be there to help them celebrate.  

And before I leave, I have a photo that Dad showed me of my family circa 1960.  I was three and my brother 15 months approx.  


Time to get back into some crafting ... at least for a couple of days, before we head away for a 4 day weekend in Napier to visit some friends... we are flying down ( a one hour flight on a little wee plane)  A very busy September!

Sending thoughts and prayers to all my American followers who have been caught in the storms - hoping everyone is safe. 

Friday 8 September 2017

new challenge at StampNation

Hi there . The "NEW" challenge is up at StampNation......yes it's about using NEW productsearch or items

Here's a sneak peek of the designers cards


Can you guess which is mine?

If you are  member of StampNation you can check it out here

Tuesday 5 September 2017

Two for One technique piece with Marching Leaves

My Stamp of Approval, Counting Blessing box finally arrived at my place on Friday evening and come Sunday I got some time to play.  I have some lovely Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Kiss in Golden Sand and decided it might look good through the Marching Leaves stencil..... and it did!

I took the technique piece and made two cards out of it.

I cut the panel into two with a Spellbinders edge die and then cut a matching scallop from Kraft card.  The sentiment was embossed with Platinum powder and I added the panel with pop dots

And for this one, I used the other half of the panel.  I die cut a strip of bronze glitter paper and then another Spellbinders edge die.  This time I white embossed the sentiment. 

I'm loving the Stamp of Approval box and can't wait to get a few more cards made, although, I'm taking a break for a few days....I'm going away from Thurs to Monday evening... 


Sunday 3 September 2017

Rustic Christmas over at StampNation

Hi.  Rustic Christmas challenge is underway at StampNation.  Here's a sneak peek at my card


for more details come and join us at StampNation

 

Saturday 2 September 2017

Leaves....

In the Northern Hemisphere it's coming into Fall (Autumn) while here in NZ it's coming into spring.  So leaves are falling up there and break out down here. 

Today the Flickr Hero Arts Group is having a scramble with the theme LEAVES with an option of kraft.... I took 2hr 15 mins to make two cards.. so just over an hour for each. 


For my first card I used an older cling stamp called Leaf Cluster.  I stamped it in a dark green ink and then several times in an olive ink.  Added the sentiment and it was ready to mount onto the green card base.  

And for my second card I used a set called 3 Leaves


I started by using a Nova brush to add three colours of Distress inks to make an ombre background.  I took the smallest leaf and misted it with water and used it to stamp and lift the colour from the background.  I then took the middle sized leave and stamped it twice and coloured with Copics and Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut.  Used a Die and stamp set to make the sentiment.

I'm entering my second on into the challenge at Creative with Stamps - theme Leaves. 

Glad I took time to have a play this afternoon.  I had fun.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Friday 1 September 2017

Make it Masculine

It's the first of September... 1st day of Spring here in NZ... and what a beautiful day it was.  I took time off work to go into the city to meet up with my crafty friend Kim.  Kim and her hubby live in Mandurah near Perth and today were on a 10 hour layover in Auckland on their way to the USA.  They caught the bus in from the airport and we meet up and went for a walk down to the waterfront for a coffee...


So onto my card for the day.   Over at Die Cut Divas our theme for the month is Masculine/Men/ Boys.  Our sponsor is Dies R Us.... they have LOTS of dies and embossing folders and other stuff 

I used a Bugaboo image to make my card and used a Spellbinders die to cut it out


The sentiment is from a Lawn Fawn set.   So come and join us.