MIA

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you all know that I'm still alive......................just.  I've been suffering with mirgraines for the last two weeks so haven't been up to anything at all.  I hope that tomorrow I can get back on deck & around to commenting on your blogs.  I have been thinking of you all.

Happy Crafting & sending lots of hugs xoxoxoxoxo

Thomas's birthday card + CPS sketch challenge 210

Hi everyone,

A friend's son recently turned three & unfortunately we couldn't make it too his birthday party.  Which gave me time to whip this card up for him.  I used the latest CPS sketch here.  I just love this Greeting Farm stamp & am hoping the little boy in question likes dino's just as much as this guy does.  I used my Copics on the image & distress inks.  I then raided my stash of scraps for the rest.  Actually it's more like I had to use up some of the s"CRAP" on my desk.  It's going to take at least a couple of hours to clean up & see my desk I'm sure.  I am certain that the paper is breeding!!!  I mean what else can it be? ;P.  So with that I'm off to either die by paper avalanche or clean up (wish me luck!).  Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxoxo

Copics used: B24, B95, B97, C-1,C-3,C-5,C-7, G20, YG11,YG17, R29, R46, R59, R00, E00, E25, E27, E29, E31, E33, E35

Distress inks: Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage,

Stamps: The Greeting Farm

Inks: Momento Tuxedo Black.

Paper: Scraps.   

CPS Challenge

Hi everyone,

This week over on the CPS blog they have this sketch.

So this is the card that I made for it.  Very simple & I am so amazed that I managed to do that.  Mind you it took me ages to get to this final card.  I kept on adding things then taking them off & I think this bow came off at least three times before I finally decided it needed to stay.  I was heavily inspired by the very talented Alice, I am privilaged enough to have a few of her beautiful cards.  If you haven't been to Alice's blog or flickr page(s) then you are in for a treat :D.  So I know it's not an "Alice card" but I was inspired by Alice's use of stitching & the way she uses distress inks on the edges of her nestibilities. 

Have a great week everyone & happy crafting xoxoxoxo

Give it a go & you will never know what happens.

Hi everyone,

This is a card I thought that I couldn't make.  This month over on the Hero Arts blog the challenge is Birthdays & Stamped Envelopes with a technique on layering.

Now I guess you are wondering why I thought I couldn't make it.  Well about 90% of it was self doubt & 10% not having the right kind of stamps (ie non clear stamps).  But I decided to take my own advice & try it (that's what I'm always telling Em).  Do you know what?  I am so pleased with the final result.  I was originally disappointed with the way the leaves where blurred on the background.  As you all probably know Distress Inks & clear stamps don't do that well together.  But after letting it dry I decided that the blurry leaves just added that bit extra to overall look.  I'm also not a huge fan of oranges & yellows.  I mean I do like them, I just never seem to use them much.  I really like the background piece on the tree as well.  It reminds me of clouds in the sky behind the tree.  For the leaves on the tree I used my Copics, just to get that definition & to tie the leaves on the background to the foreground.

Well thanks for stopping by & happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxo    

Baby boy

Hi everyone,

This is just a share card today. In yesterday's post I mentioned that, that card was made from scraps left over from this card.



One of the mums' in my mothers' group had a boy (after two girls) & named him Angus.    So I thought today I would show the card.  Once little Angus was born, I knew what colour scheme I wanted to use, but other than that had absolutely no idea on the style of baby card I wanted to do.  The other thing was I wanted to use my Prismacolor pencils for a change (don't tell anyone, but I think the Copics are a little miffed!).  So I visited my LSS Daisychains, flipped through a few of their books, brought a few papers & embelies (broke my self imposed "No spending on craft for the month of March") & came up with this card.  I loosely followed a card from one of the books, but of course couldn't bring myself to stick to the orginal.  Basically all the circles are from the other card & everything else is different.

Well thanks for stopping by today & happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxo

Cool Yule

Hi every one,

Well I've been busy once again making a few cards.  I am really enjoying the challenges over at Jingle Belles.  This week's challenge is a colour challenge.  I try to do every challenge & so far I've only missed a couple due to either a lack of that week's challenge item or a lack of time.  I was really pleased to see the challenge this week as I had just finished making a baby card in simular colours.  So I made this card up with yes you guessed it - Scraps!  The background paper is from a freebie digi kit (Winter Wonderland from Two Peas). The three images are from the one stamp Stamp-it's Christmas Post (3632E Micky Choo).  The circle stamp is by Hero Arts Cl237 Holiday Gift Tags. 

I kept this card fairly simple.  All I did was stamp the images in Versamark Sepia onto white c/s & kraft c/s.  Then I added Frosted Lace Stickles to the snow flake.  I cut apart the the Stamp-it image & used my cuttlebug & circle Nestibilities on the Hero Arts stamp.   I also used a Martha Stewart punch & some crochet lace. 

Thanks for looking & Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxo

The trouble with Mermaids.......................

Hi everyone,

Yet again, I have been "playing" with my trusty old sewing machine.  This time making a mermaid tail at the request of Miss Emsy.  Unfortunately we had a tanty over the end result as she wanted her legs "inside" not out!  But because mummy is penny pinching at the moment all I could find on the 'net was this free pattern.  Which Em did like to start with.  Since then (yesterday) we (Em) have come to the conclusion that the mermaid tail is a good thing.  But trying to convince a headstrong four year old that having your legs out is a good thing (ie safe) is not only frustrating, but gets mummy very cranky as well.

It wasn't until Daddy suggested that we put the tail to the front & sit on our legs that the tail became wonderful.  Thank goodness for daddys' that can think fast.

 Now all I have to do is make about five or six more of these for Em's party in August & we will be all good.  This year we are having a party for Em at Underwater World.  As we have an eighteen month pass, as do most of Em's friends.

Thanks for stopping by :D & happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxoxo 

Text me - Jingle Bellles

Hi everyone,

This is my latest Christmas card for Jingle Belles latest challenge - Text Me.  When I first saw the title of the challenge I was wondering how the heck I was going to get a mobile phone christmas themed card.  But as usual I wasn't thinking ;P, shows you what I mainly do with my phone doesn't it.  I am really pleased with this card.  It's a simple card for me & I love it.  I got to use my Darkroom Door Christmas stamps, which I don't use enough.  I didn't use any pp on this it's all c/s & scraps to boot.  I coloured the ribbons with my copics.  I also added some gold spica pen to the sentiment & the stars around it.  Thanks for taking a peep :D
Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxoxo 

That damn cat!!!!

Hi everyone,

Smudge the "trouble maker" is at it again!!!!  She has been rather naughty of late & all we can put it down to is her missing Tom.  For ages now she wont use the kitty trays to do number 2's (really gross I know) then she started spraying (yes she's neuted).  So we (me) decided that we had to let her out during the day.  Not really what I wanted to do, but couldn't think of anyother way to stop her from doing disgusting things.  Cats to me are an inside animal, that way they do less damage to our wildlife.  Plus here where we live there are a lot of nasty (dangerous) creatures that will kill her if she trys to catch them.  Now she's bringing us gifts - today another snake!  Doug heard me screaming from downstairs through a shut door in an aircon'd room.  Damn cat is going to get herself dead if she's not carefull.  We think she tried to bring home a Red Bellied Black snake a few weeks ago (one of the top 10 deadliest snakes), luckily she left that one under the stairs outside, still alive.  Today she actually brought a snake inside downstairs, luckily for us it was dead - not so lucky for the snake though.  Doug's not sure, it's either an Eastern Brown snake (another top 10 deadliest snake) or a Green Python (harmless to humans).  Either way I don't want any snakes brought inside thank you very much!!!!  We still have a couple of months of Summer to go, so from now on no doors are going to be left open for the cat.  Rotton bloody animal grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!  Why can't she bring home clothes or shoes or I don't know....................... the mail, anything but wildlife. 

Oh well I guess that's the joys of pet ownership.
Happy crafting everyone