Try Stampin' On Tuesday Sketch 103

Hi Lovelies,

I really like this sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday, as I can see it being used for so many different cards.  Today I made a guy card (& aren't they hard to do!).  I really enjoyed stepping out of my normal card making comfort zone to give this ago.  It helped that the pp that I used for it was more "manly" than what I normally use.  I am really enjoying experimenting lately & seeing what works for me & what doesn't.  I think it's stopping me from becoming bored.  

So why don't you come & play with us this week I can't wait to see what you come up with.  

* Edited I have entered this card into the latest challenge at Make my Monday.   A new new blog to me, thanks Mynnette for letting me know about it. 

Supplies:

Pattern papers: Note to self by Echo Park

Stamps: Top Bloke by Paper Xtra, CL272 All Occasions by Hero Arts

Copics:

Skin - E0000, E50, E21

Shirt & Overalls - B32, B23, E31, E33, E35

Spanner - C-3, C-5

Cuttlebug

Nestibilities - Label Two

Baker's Twine

Momento Tuxedo Black ink  

Daily Musings

Hi Lovelies,

My girls & dh have gone out for the arvo so I thought I'd pop in do a quick post.

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes on the "floods".  Looking out my kitchen window you wouldn't think that there where flash flooding anywhere on the Sunny Coast.  We have blue skies, big white fluffy clouds & sunshine abounds.  As I sit here typing this the sweat is pouring off me!  Anyone want to swap?  I'd love some cooler weather right about now, snow even sounds heavenly.   I know we are never happy with the weather we have are we.

  

We got back from the Gold Coast just as Oswald hit the south east corner of Queensland.  Which I am thankful for, we timed our mini holiday just right.  There is so much damage around even locally.  Our house is on a hill so we don't have the problems a lot of other people do.  It's now a case of drying the inside out due to the humidity.  At the moment I have all the windows opened hoping to catch a breeze.  We went for a drive yesterday (trying to find an open play centre to take the girls to) & the amount of water still there & the trees (some really big ones) that had blown over in the gale force winds, just incredible.  Makes me feel very lucky at the moment.  I cry every time I see the news, I feel for all those people who are caught up in it.  Or extremely mad at the idiots who deliberately drive into flooded roads, or swim in the swollen creeks.  Not only are they putting their lives in danger but are doing that to the S.E.S. workers as well (S.E.S. = State Emergency Services).  Most of whom are volunteers.  

So today we have been shopping (hadn't done that for a while), went to Emsy's school to get her books & had a quick chat to her new Teacher (very lovely lady).  I have now unpacked all the groceries & this arvo my list of "Things to do" are to cook/pack the meat away into meal sizes.  Make some biscuits & maybe a cake or two, cover all of Emsy school books.  I can see some unused scrap papers being used as there was only clear contact at Big W.   Make sure Emsy has everything she needs organised for her first day at School tomorrow.  She's excited as she has discovered Lisa is going to be in her class - her BFF at the moment.  She even found her desk in the class room.  It looks amazing, I'm so excited for her & am a bit sad that she is going back to school.  Even though I could quiet happily "strangle" (not literally ok) them some days I love having the girls around.  I think Lils is going to miss Emsy when she goes back to school.  So I can see a few tanties in the future week or so.  

Have a great day everyone & happy crafting

Butterfly Wishes

Hi Lovelies,

How are you today?  Well I'm nearly floating away here, Oswald may not be a cyclone any longer but he's not ready to give up without a fight.  They are saying we have at least another 24 hours of rain & gale force winds to look forward to.

Well onto today's card, I used this wonderful sketch from Retro Sketches.  

When I saw this sketch I knew I wanted to use Washi Tape on this card.  I then hunted up some more purple pp & a button to compliment it.  I paper pieced the butterfly onto white c/s, I also used the purple pp to separate the white layers.  I also add some Victorian Velvet Distress Ink to the edge of the Butterfly panel just so it stands out more from the Washi Tape.  

Supplies

Cardbase

Rose Bouquet Pattern Paper

Kaisercraft - Botanical Odyssey

Hero Arts - CL272 All Occasions

Copics - Black 100

Unknown purple button

Scrappers Floss - Neutral

Washi Tape 

Versafine Ink - Black Onyx

Happy Australia Day

Hi Lovelies,

Today in Australia it is a special day.  Every year on the 26th of January we celebrate Australia Day.  Normally we do this with BBQs, parties etc.  Most Capital Cities have fireworks displays & planned events.  These include becoming an Australian Citizen & Australians of the year, of which there are a few different categories.  

So in honour of our National day I have created this Distress Inked image on watercolour paper.  It measures 4.25" x 5.50" about the size of card.  I am planning on putting it onto the front cover of my 365 Grateful/Art Journal/Smash Book.  I love these colours as they remind me of the outback at sunset/sunrise.  The dandelions are a perfect addition to represent the dry harsh outback.  The water dots remind me of sunshine on glass. 

Have a great day, enjoy your weekend & if you are an Aussie Happy Australia Day Mate :). 

Supplies:

Watercolour Paper

Distress Inks - Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, Frayed Burlap, Wild Honey, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Stormy Sky, Chipped Saphire, 

Onyx Black Versafine Ink

Hero Arts - G4917 Dandelion

Water.

     

CAS(e) for the Guys

Hi Lovelies,

I hope you don't mind me posting about our holiday (see previous posts).  I wanted to share some of my "family" life with you all.

Anyway onto today's post, which is all about CAS(e) this Sketch latest sketch.  When I saw the sketch, I immediately thought of a male birthday card.    I don't know why but lately I have been seeing guy cards everywhere & they inspired me to make one today.  

I really love the simple lines of the sketch & I'm really happy with my card.  I decided to put the sentiment on either side of the horizontal strip, so you could see it clearly.  Which let me use the whole sentiment that way.  Normally I just use the Happy Birthday part of this stamp.  Yes I do cut up my stamps (& sometimes I even manage not to lose them lol) as they then give me more choices when I use them. Another reason I love this sketch is I used up scraps to make this card.  I am a lover of scraps being used up.  It's so satisfying seeing scraps used & making a wonderful card/project with them.  

Thanks for stopping by today & happy crafting my friends

Supplies:

Card base

Pattern Paper - Darling Dear by My Mind's Eye

Hero Arts - CL272 All Occasion messages & tree stamp

Ink - Onyx Black by Versafine

More pics from the Gold Coast

Hi Lovelies,

I thought I would share some more photos from our mini Holiday. We are home now, after spending the morning at Movie World & then visiting Nanny (Doug's Mum) on the way home.  We lucked out with the weather as it started raining (from an ex cyclone) on the way to Nanny's.

As promised here is a photo of Doug with the girls or as I affectionately call them "My three kids" ;o).  We had a great time.  My girls are keen water babies so we spent a lot of time at the pool.  

I love the photo of Lilly on the back deck of our villa.  She is so proud of her new T-shirt which has a picture of Baa Baa the sheep.  Well that is what we told her, I think it is actually a llama.  Baa Baa is Lilly's most prized possession. 

Have a great day & happy crafting everyone. 

Penguins, Dolphins & mermaids ;o)

Hi Lovelies,

Today I thought I would share with you some more photos from our mini Holiday.  It's nearly over, Thursday we check out & head home.  (I'm writing this on Wednesday) We had a fun day yesterday at Sea World & I have uploaded some photos from the SD card.  We also spent this morning in one of the three park's pools.  We like the water slide at this pool.  

Lils really liked the penguins, we missed them last time we went.  You enter their area to see the underwater viewing first & then walk up to see them in their enclosure.  We couldn't get over how big they are.  Some of them stand at least 2 feet tall, amazing creatures really.

The dolphins are just amazing, gorgeous beautiful creatures.  I was really surprised at how friendly they seem & they where really easy to photograph even when not performing.  I saw two in one of the pools side by side with their tails out of the water as if showing off.  Wish I had the camera for that.

Here are my two girls on one of their many slides down the slippery dip.  If you look carefully you can see the back of my dh's head on the second photo.  I will upload a really cute photo of him & Lil's at a later date. 

Well we are having lunch before deciding what to do next.  Happy crafting & have a great day my friends.

Gone on hols.

Hi Lovelies,

At the moment we are on the Gold Coast about two hours south of where we live. I'm trying to blog from my phone. So far not it isn't going to plan. Hopefully things will improve  for me.  I'm trying to upload some photos directly from my phone. Even auto correct has gone awol. Stupid person trying to grasp technology not a pretty sight! Well here goes i hope i can get a photo up for you (cover your ears!).

Well it's taken me two days (in between holiday stuff!) to get the photos added.  I eventually got my phone to share internet with my laptop.  That was the only way I could upload these photos I took on my phone.   My dh is jealous of the shark photo (second from the bottom) I'm quiet proud of it.  The photos are a bit grainy because of my camera on my phone, but you get the picture.  It's been quiet hot here at the moment we all got a little sunburnt.  Must remember the sunscreen today.

Well the kidlets are fighting & dh is trying to referee so I'd better go.  Hope to do another post later today maybe.  

Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #102

Hi Lovelies,

Today is sketch day over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  The amazing Jenn has given us another wonderful sketch to work with.

As you can see I have flipped & rotated this sketch.  I blame the butterflies!  I wanted to use the blue pp with them on it & they wouldn't fly to the other side of the pp (how rude) so I decided to work around them ;o).  This gorgeous tulip is another prize I won from the wonderful Hero Arts team for playing along in the 24 hour scramble awhile ago.  This is the first time I've used it.  I also tried my hand at using distress inks as watercolours.  What do you think?  It's a bit messy (my attempt at colouring) but I think that is how it is suppose to be.  I kinda like the look, but think that there is plenty of room for improvement.

I can't wait to see what you all come up with for this challenge.  Have a great day & happy crafting.

Sketch 101 at Try Stampin' on Tuesday!

Hi Lovelies,

Today is sketch 101 over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  I know I love the sketches & I bet you will too.

As you can see I have been playing with Botanical Odyssey again.  This time I wanted to use up some scraps that I had left over from the LO I did.  I stamped this gorgeous Penny Black flower onto the pp as I was going to paper piece it.  But then decided I would colour the stems in (didn't feel like trying to fussy cut around them).  After I did that I then decided to colour the rest of the flower in as well.  I really like how this turned out.  If you look closely you can see some of the pattern coming through the colouring.  I think it adds something wonderful to the flower.  I also coloured the ribbon (originally white) & the gems (a cream) to match the colours I used, with Copics.  I'm thinking that when I finally run out of pearls & gems I will only buy white/clear ones so then I can colour them exactly how I want them.  Saves having loads of different colours that I'd maybe use once or twice.

I do hope that you can join us this week.  It's loads of fun.  Happy crafting my friends & have a great day

Just a CAS(e) of........

Hi Lovelies,

I'm back again, with 3 cards to share today.  

As you can see I've followed this sketch from CAS(e) this sketch, exactly except for the last card.  I must admit that this is not normally something I would make.  So it was a stretch for me, having all that white space.  Hence the two birthday cards are very similar.  I decided to make one with a doodle border just to see what it looked like.  I think I prefer the one with out.  I also thought this would be a good opportunity to use some Washi Tape & that is what the butterfly is resting on.  I love the subtle pattern & colour of it.  

I'm sorry for the crappy photos today :(.  I need to break out the instruction booklet to see why the camera wouldn't focus on the cards up close.  So frustrating, in fact I had to swap out my background for something with a pattern on it so the camera would focus at a distance.  Even then the cards are blurry so a lot of photo editing had to be done.  

Supplies

Card Bases

Prismacolour Pencils - PC945 Sienna Brown, PC912 Apple Green, PC1008 Parma Violet, PC1003 Spanish Orange

Washi Tape, 

K & Company - Die cut Butterfly by Brenda Walton

Le Pen - Black

Hero Arts stamps - CL177 Hello Birdie, CL189 Home II, CL272 All occasion messages

Kaisercraft stamps - CS916 Occasions

Happy "Butterfly"day

Hi Lovelies,

I am playing along at Seize the Birthday's first challenge, which is this wonderful sketch.  I want to get organised this year & not only have Christmas cards ready, but also birthday cards.  If you are like me & never have enough birthday cards this blog is perfect.  As they are doing female birthdays & male birthdays every month.  Perfect for getting a heap of cards made.

My card is fairly simple this afternoon.  Partly because it's so HOT!!!  I can't seem to get the mojo happening with colouring in.  So I went with this cute Butterfly die cut from K & Company.  I received it as part of a swap early last year.  I also used some scraps of Rose Bouquet on this card & the sentiment is from Kaisercraft.  

Well I'm off to veg out for the rest of the arvo & try to stay cool.    

What's black & white with a dash of red?

Hi Lovelies,

My card for today of course ;o).  I made this for the latest Simon Says Stamp challenge.  It's to use Black/white with a splash of colour.  I have so much trouble with this sort of challenge, I tend to get the colour mix wrong.  Usually with too much of one colour so it looks unbalanced.  I'm not sure about this card, but I do know it's the best one yet for this sort of challenge.  I think having the b/g stamped & using a stamp with a lot of detail helps.  I decided to use Red as my splash of colour.  I know that this is a go to combination for me.

Well that's it for me today.  I'm off to wrangle the snakes kids, have a quick shower (it's stinking hot already at 8am), take said snakes kids to the library, have a quick stop at Daisy Chains & then onto the shops for baby wipes (for my stamps ;D).     

True Colours

Hi Lovelies,

Today I have a really bright card to share with you.  I'm entering it into two challenges.  I'm using this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches & this prompt Song Inspiration from Saturated Canary.

As you can see this is a very colourful card, which is where the song comes in - True Colours by Cyndi Lauper.  I think the song suits this card, which is one of the reasons I gave BL pink hair.  She looks like she could be dancing with that pose.

I used Copics & Distress inks.  I was inspired by a few people.  Anne showed a technique with Distress Stains (I so want some!) that I adapted (sort of).  Brenda for encouraging me to do an ATC which I did in Distress inks which led to this card.   I started out with the background.  I cut up some watercolour paper to 4.25 x 5.5 " & then randomly applied Distress inks.  Once I was happy with that I dripped water onto it.  After that had dried I inked the edges & stamped one of my favourite b/g stamps onto it.  I had previously printed & die cut out Boobie love.  I had used Labels Two to cut her out.  Unfortunately fortunately I had cut her out with a large white area on one side I then decided that it needed to go.  So I grabbed the die (exact same one), placed it further over to the image & re-cut it.  Which gave me a cool new shape (another "light bulb" moment), I'm so going to be doing that again!  I then inked up some of the off cuts & basically applied different inks & misted with water until I was happy with them.  It was a simple case of following the sketch to put it all together.  I know my card isn't an exact replica of the sketch but it still has all the elements that are on the sketch so I hope that's ok.  

Supplies:

Watercolour paper

Copic paper

Kaisercraft gems

Hero Arts - Envelope S5507 Background stamp

Saturated Canary - Digital stamp Boobie Love

Copics:

Hair - RV11, RV34, RV29

Eyes - V04, V06

Skin - R00, R11, E04

T-shirt - BG10, BG23, BG15

Jeans - B93, B95, B97

Flower - Y38, YR04, YR68, YG03, YG23

Distress Inks:  Walnut Stain, Pumice Stone, Shaded Lilac, Squeezed Lemonade, Wild Honey, Victorian Velvet, Peacock  Feathers, 

Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #100

Hi Lovelies,

Yup it's that time of the week again :).  Where I get to entice you to play along with us at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  Seriously there are some beautifully talented ladies over there.   So without further ado here is this weeks' wonderful sketch & my take on it.

I must admit at first I was stumped by this sketch.  It was all the patterns I think.  So after having a think & seeing what some of the other DT members have done I knew what I wanted to do.  My Dad & step-mum have just celebrated their 29th  Wedding Anniversary & this is the card I made for them.  It's a bit girly I must admit.  But hey it's the thought that counts right?  I was gifted with most of the things I used on this card.  The wonderful Marcy sent me a box full of goodies early last year & I have finally gotten around to using some of them.  The Love sentiment & hearts are by Hampton Art (can't find you a link - sorry) & the Happy Anniversary is by Hero Arts.  The wonderful Alice sent me some Basic Grey Kissing Booth pp.  I must say I don't know how I missed this collection!  As the pps are just beautiful, so expect a few more projects featuring these gorgeous papers.  The ribbon & key I got out of my stash.

Have a great day & happy crafting my friends xoxoxo

Smile Cupcake

Hi Lovelies,

Today I have a card for Sunday Sketch & Stamp latest challenge.  For me this is a new blog, I discovered it whilst commenting on blogs for TSOT.  One of the perks of "the job" ;o).

I stuck to the sketch & decided to use up some of my 6.5" Botanical Odyssey paper pad.  I paper pieced the cupcake with the same pp.  I added stickles to the icing & coloured the flame in with Copics.  The sentiment was from the paper pad.  I really like the dotted paper it reminded me of birthdays for some reason.  

This next card I've made for the latest Die Cut Diva's challenge here.  I was lucky enough to receive a beautiful Christmas card & some stamped images from Arlene.  I really wanted to use them as they aren't normally what I work with.  I can't do vintage to save my life :(.  Then I had a "light bulb moment" (love those).  My sister is currently in Switzerland & has also gone to France & England, amongst other places.  She went just before Christmas & arrives home in another few weeks.  So this map that Arlene sent me, paired up with some pp that Alice sent to me turned into this card.  I used last week's Mojo Monday sketch as my starting point.  I'm going to send this to my sister when she gets home & then she can send it to her friends if she wants to.

Well I'm off to do some DT work.  Happy crafting my friends & have a great day.

Adore, Precious Memories

Hi Lovelies,

Today I would like to share a LO I made early this morning (think 5.30am) well that's when it got started ;).  I used one of the many sketches I've pinned as my starting point.

Then of course I deviated from it & started doing my own thing 'coz I'm like that.  Once again I'm in full on creating mode for Daisy Chain.  I wasn't going to do a scrap book page since I only had the 61/2 inch pad of Botanical Odyssey.  But then I decided to challenge myself & this is what I came up with.  It all started with the five little words on the side of the photo (Delight, friend, sweet, laughter & happy), I thought they suited this photo of my two girls & wanted to do something with them on the side of the photo.  Plus I wanted to show case these pp.  Hence the 2" squares.  Then I had one square that cut off the butterfly so I then decided to add the "off cut" to the next square, as well as another piece of pp to keep in with the square theme.  Then I had to add a butterfly over the top of course.  All the stamps I used on this page are Kaisercraft.  The bird, butterflies & words are all Botanical Odyssey & the flower flourish is from Twig & Berry.  I've sprayed the bottom corner with ink & water (with a mini mister).  I then stamped over this & added cut out flowers, butterflies & birds.

I'm going to enter this into Red Carpet Studio's challenge this week.  Their theme is Anything goes - Say Anything.  I think the words down the side of the photo suit this challenge (here's hoping).

Have a great day & happy creating

Precious

Hi Lovelies,

Today I have two cards to share with you.  This first one is for Retro Sketches latest challenge.

As you can see I sort of deviated from the sketch a little.  I added the butterfly to the other side of the card (it's my heart from the sketch).  I really like the simple lines of this sketch & it helps that the pp are just so gorgeous.  I coloured the stamped butterfly in with Copics.

I just thought I would share this card as well.  It has nothing to do with the sketch.  I used the same paper range on this card as the first one.  It's called Botanical Odyssey by Kaisercraft.  The sentiment & flower are from the stamp set with the same name.  I love how Kaisercraft do this.  It makes putting cards together so easy.  As well as scrapbook pages.  I am going to be giving these to Barbi from Daisy Chain to display in her  shop to promote the range.

Thanks for stopping by & Happy crafting

Supplies:

Precious
Kaisercraft - Botanical Odyssey 6 1/2" Paper pad
Kaisercraft - Botanical Odyssey Clear stamps
Momento Tuxedo Black ink
Distress ink - Walnut Stain
Copics - BV000, BV00, BG10, BG000 & Multi Liner 0.3
EK Success - Square punch

Adore

Kaisercraft - Botanical Odyssey 6 1/2" Paper pad
Kaisercraft - Botanical Odyssey Clear stamps
Kaisercraft - Pearls 
Versafine Ink - Vintage Sepia
Copic BV000
Tim Holtz Alterations - Tattered Florals
EK Success - Square punch
Unknown brand - Heart punches