Back again!

Yes, my blog has been neglected. Sorry about that. For the two weeks before this I've been on a cardmaking frenzy. April is coming up very fast and Jean and I must have a decent display.
Amongst others, which I'll put on my blog gradually, these are four male cards I've managed.
The first one I silver embossed the tyres, then with the other three, I used black Versafine with black embossing powder. Versafine is a fabulous ink to use for photo and solid stamps. It doesn't 'bead' on the stamp and stamps beautifully.
I've kept the cards a bit regimented with straight lines which I feel suited the sketches I used and also the Kaisercraft designer paper.

For the first card I used this sketch SCS259.
The second card uses this sketch SASSC48.
The third and fourth cards uses a sketch from the 2 sketches 4 You site, Kazan's sketch 43.

Onto other news, we've had rain for so long, that our feet are now webbed. pmsl I love the rain and to see green grass is fabulous. I hope the parts of Australia that need rain get it soon.
My son ended up in hospital with Glandular Fever the weekend before last so that was another episode to deal with. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him now.

Once again, sorry about my absence. I have been checking up on all my blogs that I follow but rarely commenting at the moment. All your cards are wonderful. Hope you all have a happy day and thanks for visiting.

Kylie's very belated birthday card

I made this card using this sketch by Mary Jo. Much the same as this card but I do like this one much better. The dp is Lilac Avenue with the c/s from SU. I love the sprinkles from Annabelle, they are gorgeous. Flowers, pearls, lace etc from my stash. Both the girl and the sentiment stamps are by Stamp It. Kylie has now received the card and says she loves it.
It's not raining so much here now. We've had around 8 or so inches here in the last few days. Very wet.

Today 26th January, is Australia Day, the day that the First Fleet landed at Sydney Cove. Nowadays it's a day to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian.
So hope everyone is enjoying their day.
Take care,

Wedding cards

These are some of the cards I've been making over the past few days. The cards shown here are part of my contribution to the display Jean and I will be having in April when we are both Artists of the month at the Tourist Centre in Sarina. Each month the centre has an artist of the month and for the whole of that month, you have a special display. I did it once before back in November 2007. It means a lot of work though to get enough items for a decent display.

These cards are made just using stamps, nesties labels, ribbon, gorgeous printed vellum, shimmer gold and silver c/s and then dressed with different embellishments.
I think they've turned out quite well. Here's hoping that other people think so too.

Very, very hot here again today. Glad to be in the air conditioning.
Thanks for taking the time to look.

New Year's Cards

2009 saw me once again, without any Christmas cards ready to send. So I have made these New Year cards, 6 of each style. The paper is absolutely gorgeous, black, silver, white and glitter. I used a Happy New Year stamp, silver embossed on white card, then layered onto black, both cut out with a Nesties label. I actually cut the white and black c/s with the nesties first then used a stamp positioner to positon the stamp with silver embossing ink.
I've backed the dp onto silver Kromecote and then again onto black card.
I'm so happy with the way they've turned out.
What do you think?
Thanks for visiting and hope you all have a wonderful evening.

Silly Birds!!!

Here is my card for the House Mouse Monday Challenge 'On The Beach'. The stamp is a Stampa Rosa House Mouse called Silly Birds. Yep, makes me laugh. The sketch I used is SCS261. I'm sorry I don't know where the paper came from, had it for years. The hessian is out of my stash, another thing that I've for a very long time.

I silver embossed the bottom edge of the red c/s with a shell edging stamp to take away the plainess and give a bit of interest. I used sprinkles in the right hand corner and added a starfish charm. Kindyglitz was added to add sparkle and represent wet sand and shells.

Hope you like my card and thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment on my cards.

Two challenges

I made this card for two challenges, Monday Lunchtime sketch challenge by Technostamper and this week's Cupcake Craft Challenge #73 Going Girly. I love the sketch, it's fabulous but I'm not really sure whether I've done a decent enough job of the card.
The image is by Stamp It and I've watercoloured it using Lyra crayons. The paper is by Kaisercraft and with pink Bazzill and a beautiful glitter cardstock that I've had for a few months now. Flowers, ribbon, lace and sprinkles all from my stash. I kindyglitzed the flowers to match the glitter cardstock.
The dp seemed appropriate, "made with love" for the way the girl is posed.
Do you think it will pass for a birthday card for a younger female?
Thanks for looking.
I hope everyone who is experiencing very cold weather is keeping warm and the rest of us, keep cool!

Cupcake Craft Challenge #72

I coloured this image yesteday while colouring my House Mouse image. The papers were out so why not make two cards using the same embellishments.
The challenge over on the Cupcake Challenge blog is to make a baby card, so this is my entry.

The image is by Stamp It and makes me laugh. The look on that stork's face is priceless. I've kindyglitzed the drops of perspiration to emphasize the effort of the stork. lol
Papers are Melissa Frances with the buttons and lace from my stash.
Another card I'm completely happy with.

BTW my friend's grandaughter loved her pink and black 21st birthday card, so much so, that there is talk of framing it. I feel so chuffed, that's what makes it all so worthwhile, when people love your work as much as that.

Raining here again today which doesn't worry me but I think my menfolk were hoping for another day of fine weather to get the mowing done.
Hope all my blogging friends who are experiencing the very, very cold freezing weather at the moment, are keeping warm. Everyone else, keep cool especially South Australian ladies who are suffering under a heat wave.

Time to Eat!!

Well today I made a baby card. Last night I chose the House Mouse stamp and the papers and decided on the sketch I would use. Today I coloured the image with Prismacolour pencils. I'm going to have allow more room when stamping my images çause there wasn't enough cardstock to use the oval nestie that I had in mind. So of course that changed the sketch immediately. Anyway, here is the card. I'm totally happy with it. Maybe you are thinking that the picture is very pale and washed out, but the papers I used are like that, Melissa Frances, very pale pastels. The background dp has little white lambs and pale lemon stars and moons scattered on it. I think by adding the touch of purple it lifts the card. The safety pin, buttons and lace are all from my stash.
This card isn't for any particular gender hence the green and yellow bibs.
Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment on my blog.

21st Birthday

I had a phone call from a friend of mine last night wanting a 21st birthday card for her grandaughter. It had to be ready today. I worked out last night, stamp, colours, sketch, papers, embossing powder and embellishments. It just all had to be put together. The sketch is from this week's Truly Scrumptious challenge #23 which is a sketch this week.

The stamp has been stamped in Versacolour black ink and then black glitter embossing powder applied. This is a stunning stamp as the butterfly centre is a fairy and in the wings there are two more fairies in the swirls.

Then I coloured the image using Plumeria H2O. Unfortunately the shape of the butterfly didn't lend itself to a circle and I couldn't find a nestie suitable so turned to my CM shapes. At the last moment I decided to cuttlebug the white linen layer to give some texture. The feathers had been in my mind with the black pearl spray to be used underneath the flowers. I added some kindyglitz, bling for the flower centres and used the '21' as the centre of the top flower.

The second picture shows the sparkle of the black glitter embossing powder and the twinkle of the Plumeria H2O.
I am so happy with the way this card turned out. Do you think it's ok?

It's a very hot and humid day here. Some rainy looking clouds but the sun is out. The sun coupled with the moisture in the ground from the last lot of rain is making it very steamy. Once again I'm thankful for the airconditioned house.

Take care all,

I love this Be Merry paper!

Another card using MME Be Merry papers. I've embossed the tree with silver embossing powder then adhered crystals in the middle of the snowflakes. Also a little crystal on the greeting snowflake. The sketch I used is Crazy 4 Challenges #17. I know the challenge is finished but I liked the sketch. I took two photos trying to get the twinkle on the crystals to show up properly. Not sure that I really succeeded. lol
I'm enjoying myself at the moment, making Christmas cards. I'll be ahead for this year I hope.
Thanks for looking,