Butterflies And Clock

 My friend Jan request a very special card for her grand daughter's 21st birthday.  It had to be in blue tones.

Once again, issue 42 of Australian Simply Cards came to the rescue.  I've changed a few things on my card but it's the same sketch, papers and die cuts.  There are quite a few cards in this issue that I totally love.

The base card is acetate with a panel of designer paper attached to the back inside so the greeting could be attached.

My clock isn't as good as the original one in the magazine but my excuse is, that it's the first time I've really used crackle paint on something that wasn't for practice.

This card was a joy to make and Jan absolutely loved it.

I'm still recovering from the last lot of cooking I did for my son.  Thirty-nine meals were done and are now in the freezer.  By the end of the session I was forcing myself to keep going to get it finished. lol

Talk about exhausted!!

Enjoy the rest of the day everyone and thanks for visiting my blog
.

Red And Black.

First of all, apologies for the lousy photo.  I took this picture early this morning and it has been an overcast day.

I had a request from a friend of mine for an engagement card, the stipulation....red and black.

Here is the result.

The base card is black with a layer of very vanilla.  The dp is from a pad of Kaisercraft called, I think, After Five.

I've use some cream pleated satin with a strip of black velvet ribbon along the bottom of the card.  The 'bouquet' has been arranged from the bottom up and involved lots of matte multi-medium.  Love this stuff...dries matt not shiny...excellent.  Thanks Linda for putting me on to this.

The greeting has been stamped in black with barn door distress ink sponged around it.  The frame is from Tattered Angels.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Hope everyone is well.

 

Pretty Everyday Enchantment.

For a long time now I've been an admirer of Joanne Leddy's work.  I think the way Joanne creates cards using bits and pieces of different papers is amazing.  These particular cards were cased from a  Valentine's card Joanne made.  I've used the same sort of elements and sketch but did change the sentiments and added an extra layer of card stock.  Thank Joanne for your inspiration.

The last few days here have been busy, busy, busy.  We have managed to find someone for my son to board with in town (Mackay).  While he has been living here at home, the kilometres and petrol that have been going on his car whilst going back and forth to work in Mackay is unmanageable for his wage.  So to lessen the load for him, I've been cooking up a storm!!!!   On Friday I did a total of 18 meals, spaghetti bolognese, curried mince and rice and curried sausages and rice.  They are now in the freezer.  I still have to make fish cakes with a sweet and sour sauce and rissoles.  

In addition to all that, my cards are selling really well and my stocks are low. So have been frantically trying to get cards made as well as the normal everyday household jobs.

Last week my Big Shot died.  What a disaster!!! lol  The bearings in the handle collapsed.   Charlie pulled it all apart to try and fix it but unfortunately it was not to be.  So I ordered another one and thankfully it arrived Thursday.  I had pulled out for the emergency my old 'critter' (cuttlebug) but it's amazing how used you get to using one sort of tool.  Anyway it did the job very well.

OK, that's it from me.  I'll have another coffee, finished my blog reader and get on with my jobs for today.

Keep well everyone.
 

Butterflies And A Bird.

I'm frantically trying to make cards to keep my outlets stocked.  This is one that I finished and it didn't even get on display.  Bought straight away.  The Webster's Pages base has some pretty laces and a pear pizzaz bow topped with a Webster's Pages vintage button added to the bottom section.  The top half of the card has the a bird cage which has been enamelled to give it some texture.  The bird has had rock candy distress stickles smothered over him, once again to give a touch of texture.  I then added a pearl flourish and butterflies to finish the card off.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  Enjoy your day. 

Butterfly In A Garden

I made this card for a good friend's birthday.  The original card appeared in an issue of Australian Simply Cards magazine.  This particular issue has a fantastic array of cards that are right up my alley.  I love them.

I have changed things a touch.  I've used more layers and the sentiment is different from the original.  My card base is very vanilla, with a layer of cherry cobbler.  The dp has had some fussy cutting added to the top left hand corner.  Bashful blue has been used for the butterfly wings, which were stamped and rock candy distress stickles added.  Rock candy distress stickles have also been added to the flowers on the dp.  I think that's it.  Thanks for visiting my blog today.  Keep well. 

Sympathy.

I made this card for a friend of mine who unfortunately needed a Sympathy card.  I started out with a totally different idea in my head than the finished result but I'm really pleased with it.

Judi requested that the card have flowers and a butterfly on it.  So here it is.

Base is soft suede, then a layer of cranberry crisp.  The dp is Webster's Pages.

I thought the fence and gate looked pretty good and I had to try out my new dies. lol

The butterfly has been fussy cut from a piece of Mariposa dp and covered with Rock Candy distress stickles.  I don't think you can really see the shine.  I've also dry embossed the butterfly to give it dimension.  That's about it. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Hope you like my card. 

Sunny Challenges & Creations 035/12

I've finally finished my guest designer card for the Sunny Challenges & Creations this week.  The challenge is a sketch and the theme is Mothers.  Well you all know I do like a sketch.  Unfortunately I don't have the need for a Mother's Day card anymore and they don't seem to sell very well at the Tourist Centre, so I've made a feminine, girlie card which I hope meets the design team approval.

My aim was to create a card reminiscent of the couture houses of the eighteenth century.  Mind you, I haven't seen one in real life but what I imagine they would look like. lol

I started with a base of vanilla with a layer of Attic Boutique which reminded me of wall paper, then to add that floral touch I used another piece of Attic Boutique layered on Blushing Bride.

The focal collage panel was created using the stamp set Established Elegance, stamped in soft suede, blushing bride and so saffron with lace trim down one side.  The sketch has a circle on the focal panel so my wording took this spot, which has been stamped in early espresso.  I've trimmed it and then inked around the edges in soft suede ink with a blending tool and craft mat.  Actually all my layers have been inked in soft suede using a blending tool to give that vintage look.  I don't know that I'm very happy with my sentiment but as I'm late with this card, I'll leave it for the time being.

To finish off the card I've used lace and blushing bride pleated ribbon across the bottom with a hand dyed blushing bride seam binding bow topped with a blushing bride button.  I love bows. lol

Thank you for visiting my blog today and also thanks so much for your encouraging comments on my last card. I appreciated them.

Take care for the rest of the Easter weekend.

Sunny Challenges & Creations 034/12

I'm here finally with my guest designer card for this week's Sunny Challenges & Creations.  A sketch this week which is always a good thing.  I like sketches. lol

This card started out to be totally different from what you see here.  I stuffed around, changed things, procrastinated and basically just couldn't get it right.  Even now I'm not sure that I have that 'wow' factor. 

My base is vanilla with a layer of soft suede.  The dsp is from Attic Boutique by Stampin' Up. The bottom panel is pool party with some Spice Cake dsp (retired).  There is a tiny panel of Attic Boutique dsp in daffodil yellow peeking out from above my pool party seam binding bow.  I've used the new framelit dies that are now available from Stampin' Up, embossing the bottom layer.  I really prefer a narrower border when layering dies like this but that's the way these framelits have been made.  My images and greeting are from the new set called Tea Shoppe.  Around all the edges of each layer of card stock and dsp I have sponged soft suede ink using a foam blending tool and craft mat.  The look I wanted was a little bit vintage but not dirty.  The daffodil yellow of the bottom framelit gives the card a lift and all the colours combine so well together.

I have been away to a craft retreat in Brisbane arriving home last Thursday night.  I spent a couple of days in Nambour visiting friends before retreat.  Kim spends a lot of time and energy on these retreats and I just love them.  Thanks Kim.  Of course, I had far too much gear with me, will definitely have to cull in September when I go down for the next craft retreat. On the way back I fabric shopped in Maryborough and stayed with Jean in Gin Gin for a couple of days.  We played and made Tim Holtz tags from his Creative Chemistry 101 classes.  Now if ever there was something worth spending money on, it's these classes.  Absolutely brilliant.  Tim is a fabulous teacher and he shares his knowledge freely.  I know if ever I got the chance to do a live class with him, I'd be there like a shot. lol

That's a very quick update as to what I've been up to in the last few weeks. Thanks for visiting my blog today and now I'm home again and well (was sick for two months this year), I hope to get back into some serious card making.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Sunny Challenges & Creations 03012

As a previous Ray of Sunshine on Sunny Challenges & Creations, I was asked to be a guest designer for this week's challenge.  It's wonderful to be asked and I feel very honoured.  This week the challenge is a sketch with buttons to embellish.

Here is my card.  I wanted a white on white look with a touch of gold.  I think I succeeded and I'm quite happy with the result. The inspiration for my card came from this card made by Linda Coughlin (The Funkie Junkie), whose work I admire wholeheartedly.

The base is whisper white with a layer of gold, then an embossed piece of whisper white to add texture. The vertical piece is two layers of whisper white, one with a punched border down each side and the other embossed with a different embossing folder from the bottom layer.

The two hearts were made by gold embossing whisper white with the flower from the Stampin' Up set, You Are Loved.  I then die cut those pieces with the scalloped heart of hearts embosslit die.  I added a row of pearls to one and a black bow tie to the other.

My greeting is from a retired hostess set called Occasional Quotes, gold embossed and punched out with the decorative label punch. Two more punched pieces in gold are peeking out from behind the greeting to give it that lift.

White satin/organza ribbon, gold cord, pearls and my heart button completed the card.

I hope the design team cards inspire you to join in this week with the Sunny Challenges girls and that we see lots of entries.  Head on over there and see what the girls have done this week. Go on you can do it!!

Thanks for visiting my blog today and I hope everyone is well.

A Little Bit Of Vintage.

I finally managed to get my mitts on some of the absolutely gorgeous Pion Design papers.  These papers are just luscious.  I did start with a sketch and have followed it fairly accurately, but I'm sorry, there isn't a name on it so I don't know from where it came.  I used some wonderful LOTV edge stamps to stamp on the image and the base layer of violets.  Then with a blending tool, I sponged around the edges of all the components of the card including the punched photo corners.  The corrugated heart (gift from Linda) was swiped with a Adirondack pearl dabber and the Stempelglede greeting attached on a bit of an angle.  I think that's it re the construction, the embellishments are just bits and pieces from my flower stash.  The seam binding was dyed using Mill Lavender distress ink refill.

Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope you like my card.