gails crafty goings on

Love you lots

2012-01-28T14:46:00.007+11:00

Cupcake Inspirations - challenge 144 - Photo at top of post. How cute are these cookies.

Crafts 4 Eternity - recipe 56 -clean and simple.

Mami Doodles -challenge 42 -For a loved one.

I'm beginning to like the CAS cards ,it's taken me a while to use so little ,but it works.

A quick card

2012-01-21T15:36:00.008+11:00

Papercraft Star - challenge - 80 - Frames .I made a cute flowery frame for my sentiment.

Lucy's Cards -Inspiration week - day 1 - Picture of lavender on a white shelf,you can see the pic on Lucy's blog .

Scrapbook Boutique - Photo above for inspiration. I love the colours for this challenge.

The flower stamp is from Abi's crafts ,the sentiment stamp is very old .I will have to trawl through some old posts to find the origin.Enjoy your weekend ,off to put some flat pack furniture togther,how good is my weekend LOL.

Cute as a button

2012-01-18T09:32:00.006+11:00

The Lollipop Ladies - . I punched two circles and made one of them into a square which surrounds the button. The paper is from Dena Designs.

Just Peachy

2012-01-12T09:26:00.008+11:00

One picture taken in sunlight ,the other in shade -I prefer the top pic.

Papercraft Star - challenge 79 - Warmth - the colours on my card remind of the blush on a ripe peach = Summertime = Warmth = Yummy .Papers are from 'dear lizzy' and Christina Re' .The bird is a stamp from Inkadinkado and the sentiment from Ippity.

Thanks

2012-01-09T10:04:00.006+11:00

Lucy's Cards - Sketch week -day 5.

The sentiment is from Ippity and the pink paper is so old I'm not sure where it came from .
I have a confession to make I stamped the sentiment upside down ,(I hate stamping directly onto a card for this very reason ).At first I panicked and tried wiping it with a wet one ,big mistake ,the card went soggy .After drying it off I stamped again,the right way up this time and to make everything blend together I used some brown ink and sponged over a stencil shape to enclose the sentiment. Does that make sense, anyhow I managed to save the day and it doesn't look too shabby.

Sing it loud

2012-01-09T10:00:00.004+11:00

Lucy's Cards - sketch week - day 4

The music paper is 'dear lizzy' and the bird paper is from 'Christina Re'.The bird stamp is from Inkadinkado. The sentiment is from Ippity .

Live Laugh Love

2012-01-07T19:30:00.003+11:00

Lucy's Cards - Sketch week -Day 3 .Green check paper from Frenchville ,the other two are Kaisercraft.

Keep Dreaming

2012-01-07T14:56:00.005+11:00

Lucy's Cards - Sketch week - day 2 - One of my favourite colour combos at the moment.I'm hoping to enter a card for all 5 of Lucy's sketches so I'm off to make 3 more by Sunday.

Daring Cardmakers - First Friday -Colour combo .

A little love

2012-01-06T16:56:00.006+11:00

Lucy's Cards - sketch week - day 1 -
Joan's Gardens - challenge 1 -Hearts, pink or red, white , embossing,embellishment .I think I've got them all covered.The small heart is embossed with polka dots ,a button for embellishment.

I love the sentiment ,it can be used for valentines or wedding anniversary.

Tea and Cookies

2012-01-02T09:43:00.003+11:00

Papercraft Star - challenge 77 -Tea or Coffee - My teapot image came from 'a piece of cake ',the doily from the Stamp Spot, the friendship sentiment is Kaisercraft I think.

Happy New Year .I hope you all had a enjoyable holiday break ,not a slice of turkey or plum pudding passed my lips but my trousers are so very tight.My fridge is still full of goodies ,this morning I saw a bowl of cherries so I think a cherry crisp is on the menu for dinner,Steve has just done a dry rub for some ribs,yum.

2011-12-29T08:58:00.004+11:00

Enjoying the sun on our deck.

A very sticky visitor .

Waiting for Santa.

We get lots of visitors in our garden .The birds and geckos are easy to spot but the stick insect is not always easy to see with it's great camouflage.

How much plum pudding did you eat.

2011-12-27T14:03:00.006+11:00

I couldn't resist making one last Christmas card for the challenge at The Lollipop Ladies.
The Lollipop Ladies - challenge - 36 -Christmas puddings -It wasn't enough to use the photo as inspiration for colour I wanted a pud as well. Sentiment stamp is Hero Arts,pudding image is fabric .

How much pud did I eat - none at all.

A sprinkle of glitter

2011-12-21T16:13:00.000+11:00

This is my last Christmas card post for 2011 .A touch of gold glitter really made this card shine.I made this for special friends in SA.

Jolly Holly

2011-12-18T17:30:00.000+11:00

Paper from Kaisercraft ,sentiment from The Graphic Fairy.

Christmas Party

2011-12-17T17:25:00.002+11:00

My post title is the name of this vibrant green paper,it has lots of white snowflakes and comes from Momenta. The purple glitter and stickles are a great contrast to the green.

Birthday Tipple

2011-12-16T18:10:00.002+11:00

I seem to be on a roll with the gatefold cards ,I'm keeping them simple relying on the paper for focus.This was for a male birthday in December .

Christmas Blues

2011-12-14T16:13:00.003+11:00

This is my take on the photo inspired challenge at The Ribbon Reel.

Challenge 17 - Shabby Holiday Winter. I think all the papers are Kaisercraft ,stickles are from Annabelle stamps.

Red and Green ,it must be Christmas

2011-12-14T14:34:00.004+11:00

Part Time Tuesday - challenge 46 - Use Red and Green as the main colours.I don't know where the image came ,obviously a freebie from some very kind and talented person.The image was done with watercolours and when it was dry I gave it 3 coats of clear nail varnish ( no glossy accents,had to improvise .The paper is from Kaisercraft.

Do you believe

2011-12-13T10:24:00.003+11:00

Lexi's Creations - challenge -55 -No red or green on your Christmas card.The grey paper is Francis Meyer 'Paris da Vinci Grey',not sure where the pink is from.Just added some stickles and a few snowflakes .I was supposed to post my overseas cards on Friday ,I guess they may be late.I made this little card yesterday and have almost done a second in lime green ,it's good to be different.Enjoy the rest of your day.

Birthday Butterfly

2011-12-13T09:00:00.006+11:00

Cupcake Craft - challenge 172 - Don't look at the light -bright,sparkles,glitter ,you get the idea .

I made this gatefold card for my MIL .The black paper is from a stacker pack called 'Weddings'from Rosie's .I used foil,gems ,acetate and silver stickers to complete this butterfly (butterfly from Rosie's )card.The sentiment was made using the alphabet letters from Ippity.

We've been away again this past weekend and I know I shouldn't complain but walking out the door all I could think of was boxes ,boxes still waiting to be unpacked.It was a quick trip to Hobart to see Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac fame) in concert ,Dave Stewart and Brian MacFadden provided support.It was well worth the money as the show started at 7.00pm and finished at 11.15pm . We got back late Sunday afternoon with lots of food shopping and before I had even unpacked some friends arrived who live close by .I roasted a chicken and did lots of salad ,copious amounts of beer and wine were consumed ( not by me I'm TT )and I think we made them too welcome as it was after 11.00pm when they left .A good evening was had by all but those boxes are still there waiting to be emptied.

Yummy gingerbread men

2011-12-09T13:02:00.004+11:00

Over at Bows and Berries this is the last challenge for 2011 ,it's also a blog hop and a free gingerbread man to use on your card and a 50% discount on all their digis . How good is all that ,you can play along until December 11th so if you haven't already entered then get a move on.

Challenge 15 - Blog hop and card using gingerbread man .This image is so cute I couldn't just have one ,my little men are white as they are covered in icing, supposedly. I've added red gems ,pearls and glitter.

The First Noel

2011-12-09T12:53:00.005+11:00

Thought I'd have a break from ironing and make a quick Christmas card .

Incy Wincy Designs - challenge 123 - Non traditional Christmas colours.I chose dark brown ,gold and a light caramel colour. The paper is HOTP and came in a book of Christmas paper which I've had for about 10 years.

Come along and play

2011-12-08T13:00:00.004+11:00

I've been very busy over the past few weeks and only managed to make a couple of cards for the challenges at The Lollipop Ladies .Lucky me I've won prizes for both my cards ( previous 2 postings ).They always have great prizes and 2 weeks to get your card made.Come along and join in the fun .A big thank you to the team .

An Apple a Day

2011-12-06T09:59:00.006+11:00

Lollipop Ladies -challenge 34 - Toffee Apples and Acetate .
Another tricky challenge especially when you only have 3 hours to get your card made and posted.Did I chose something easy to make ,hell no .As I folded the strips of paper for the iris folding I edge each piece with a gold marker pen ,the acetate I used for my shaker part of the card adding a few small beads.Sorry about the quality of the pic ,the camera is obviously on the wrong setting ,I've pushed a few buttons but I think Steve will have to take a look this evening.

We have been in our new home for 3 weeks and this is my first post ,I had forgotton how time consuming it is both with the packing and unpacking of boxes .It doesn't help that we have been away for two weekends and will be away again this next weekend . Every day is a challenge in the kitchen as I try to remember which cupboard things are in .I've unpacked all my craft things but I haven't managed to find my acrylic blocks ,they are there so I will have to spend a bit more time in the craft room.

chocolate and swirls

2011-11-07T20:55:00.004+11:00

Paper from Kaisercraft "Elegance ,Eleanor"
Stamp sentiment from Kaisercraft "C5929 Life "

The Lollipop Ladies challenge 32 - inspired by chocolate spiders plus threads .A difficult colour scheme to work with but I got there in the end .My thread runs through the tape in the centre.The flower is hand cut from the reverse side of the paper.

Papercraft Star challenge 69 - A flourish - I love these pearly strips ,all spaced out and ready to go.

Set me free

2011-10-17T16:51:00.006+11:00

The bird cage and the sentiment are Kaiser craft .The green paper is 'Pack your bags' from Kaiser craft,the bottom panel and tartan leaves are a double sided paper from Graphic45 Eden's Symphony .

Papercraft Star - challenge 66 - A leaf or leaves.

I haven't been around much and that is not likely to change for the next few weeks.After months of house hunting we finally found a place we can hopefully call home ,unfortunately the house move coincides with a two week holiday in Koh Samui and 2 long weekends away . I'm trying to pack boxes and suitcases at the same time ,always fun lol.

A leafy affair

2011-10-09T09:48:00.006+11:00

I stamped the leaves with avocado green onto cream paper ,then stamped on the reverse side with a hessian or linen design (my stamp is from Ippity).Using a craft scalpel I cut around a half of each leaf and then folded it back ,using a piercing tool I did around the edges .

I mounted onto dark green card to provide some contrast.

I love the sketch from Card and a Half and really enjoyed putting all the elements together .I noticed Rachael from the design team didn't put her sentiment as the main feature of the card so I hope my entry will be OK.

Not just distressed,almost suicidal

2011-09-23T12:12:00.007+10:00

The light is a bit better now so I've taken another pic of my card.

My take on the Papercraft Star sketch above -challenge 63.

The Crafty Pad - challenge 139 - Diamonds are a girls best friend. Diamonds come in many colours ,mine are lilac.I love the addition of the gems,they lift an otherwise very dull colour scheme.

I think I got carried away with the distressing (my card is suicidal). I quite like the colour combination ,brown and lilac are not usually used together.

Blue Bird Birthday

2011-09-21T10:25:00.007+10:00

I'm always tempted to add lots of extras but this little birdie from Momma MC designs is just fine on his own.

Crafts 4 Eternity - challenge 37 -Recipe = Leaves,Birds,Glitter.
Creative Craft challenges - Buttons and Bling .
Top Tip Tuesday - challenge 51 -A card for kids .

Pretty in Pink

2011-09-18T14:50:00.005+10:00

The cute image is from Meljiens which I did with water colours,the paper is Petit from Rasberry.

Crafting for all Seasons - challenge 9 -Birthdays .

Sadly this the last challenge over at Fuzzy Wuzzy and theme is Pink as the main colour.

Dutch Dare Card Challenge 130 ,Monochromatic challenge.

A quick card

2011-09-16T14:28:00.003+10:00

I've called this a quick card when it was anything but quick. The only thought I had was to use purple,grey and white.The top boarder and heart were hand cut ,the little flower made with lots of scrunched up circles of paper.Music stamp from Ippity,birdcage from Kaisercraft.Purple paper is a drawer liner .Ribbon,lace and buttons from my stash.
Crafts and Me -challenge 52 -Add a Heart
Papercraft Star -challenge 62 -Anything goes .

Birthday Butterfly

2011-09-14T12:22:00.010+10:00

My TOP TIP for TTT is all about being lazy ,I love to have all my stuff close by when I'm crafting. I store all my scissors on this old mug tree which sits on my craft table.My card continues the Birthday theme which you can see at the bottom of this post.

This sketch is from Card and a Half challenge 4 and my take on it is shown below.Big hugs to Helen and the boys.

It's been over a week since I was last here , a bad sinus infection wiped me out (the most painful thing I've ever had).My face is still tender and my head is fuzzy .

These are my favourite colours at the moment and I just love all the stuff from Graphic45 (butterfly tag ).

My version of Steampunk

2011-09-05T10:23:00.007+10:00

I've used a mix of Graphic45 stuff along with hand cut mannequin,star and some chain from an old necklace.

Papercraft Star - challenge 60 -Steampunk - I'm not really sure what defines Steampunk , I've tried to add the right elements and make my card colourful and feminine .Does it work ,I'm not sure .Anyhoo this is for Jan .

The Crafty Pad - challenge 137 - Blue and Brown - The Crafty Pad have just released some new stuff and guess what, Steampunk is the theme,pity I didn't have some to make my card.

Spring has certainly arrived with some beautiful warm sunny days ,our house hunting is on a go slow at the moment ,we only looked at one house on Saturday.The property had fantastic city views but this comes at a price,to get the garbage to street level for collection I would need oxygen to get up there and for a quick descent a tin tray to slide back down.

Quick cards for men

2011-09-02T09:13:00.004+10:00

Both of these cards were made using wrapping paper. If you have a little spare paper after the gift is wrapped then make a matching card.The shirts and the cars were raised on sticky dots.

Flower cushion

2011-08-23T11:46:00.001+10:00

Another cushion cover ,blackwork is used to provide a striking background to the flowers.

Christmas cushion

2011-08-21T11:35:00.001+10:00

I usually only post my cards but I thought it might be a good idea to show you my other interests. Sorry the pic isn't too good,the cushion is a bit squishy.I enjoy cross stitch but never know what to do with it when it's finished. My solution is to make them into cushion covers.The gold stitching across the top is from 'Twas the night before Christmas 'verse.

happy birthday

2011-08-19T11:56:00.003+10:00

I'm having a love/hate relationship with this card ,I love the papers and colours but not the layout.
Card and a Half- Extra challenge 3 -flowers.

Spare a thought for the lovely lady Helen who runs Card and a Half who has tragically lost a husband and father to two boys.My heart is heavy for Helen at this sad time.

Watering can

2011-08-15T13:23:00.005+10:00

It's been a while since I posted ,my time seems to be spent working at the Red Cross shop or looking at houses.I love moving to a new place the problem seems to be finding one that we both like.

I thought it might be fun to make this little watering can (template from SCS).Once the template was cut out and all the fold lines scored I patiently pricked out all the holes and then sewed with pink thread.I had lots of tiny beads in my stash and added them to the centre of each swirl.A few flowers and a butterfly ,easy but a little time consuming.
Allsorts challenge - week 116 -Anything but a card.
Crafty Purple Frog - Anything but a card

just for you

2011-08-03T12:19:00.008+10:00

I made the flowery paper using 4 flower stamps and grey,black and yellow ink.

Papercraft Star - challenge 56 -Photo inspired shown top.
The black flowers are made from very thin felt and are sticky backed.

Shaker Christmas Card

2011-07-29T16:26:00.006+10:00

This lovely image from Susan Brown is free ,so pop along and enter your card in the challenge. from Unscripted Sketches -
Incy Wincy Designs - week 104 - shaker cards -perfect for Christmas themes.

I've used water colour pencils ,the paper and snowflakes I printed out on the computer.I was hoping to find some tiny snowflakes in my stash but had to make do with glitter and stars.I need to give it a shake my glitter is all at the right hand side.
Enjoy your weekend ,we have 4 houses to look at ,a mix of very old and ultra modern.This week has been very busy ,the Red Cross are opening a new shop and I have been helping to stock it ready for the grand opening next Friday. I've had a lucky week with my cards and won some images from KennyK ( not really my style) and some Kaszazz stuff.
Catch you later.

Christmas in July

2011-07-29T14:50:00.006+10:00

this entire card is made from magazine scraps and a few bits of lace and pearls from my stash.The sentiment stamp is from Lucy's.I think I should go back to the craft room and add a strip of black velvet ribbon with a bow (across the top of the lace border). What do you think ?
I'm a bit disappointed with my photo ,it's very very sunny today and the antique colours all look way too bright.
Unscripted Sketches - challenge 116 -above sketch.

Make My Monday - challenge 8 - Vintage with lace and pearls .They have had the vintage theme running all month and it's one of my favourites but for some reason I just haven't found the time to enter.

Beautiful you

2011-07-26T13:58:00.005+10:00

Background paper - "timeless" collection from Kaisercraft
Check paper -Botanicabella from graphic45
Centre image -Steampunk collection graphic45
Scrap card ,lace , pearls ,flowers and crystal stickers just from my stash.

Card and a Half - challenge 3 - layout shown above.

Sand and Sea

2011-07-23T14:06:00.010+10:00

Papercraft Star - challenge 54 - Summer Beaches and the photo at top of post.

Creations by Gill - challenge 12 -Beach Scene - there is an optional sketch as well.

Fairy tale - challenge 20 - Summer ,Sun,Sunshine

I'm not sure what to think of this one ,I love the star fish which is raised on sticky dots ,I printed out the shells added the glitter and stuck them on, I'm not so happy about the way they look,the glitter was not my best idea.The colours are there in a subtle way.

Flying High

2011-07-20T10:02:00.004+10:00

I love to recycle much to my husbands dismay .The background is tissue paper which my new shoes were wrapped in.

Sugar Creek Hollow- Wing Things challenge

Crafty Creations -challenge 127 - Boyz to Men - Which little or big boy doesn't want to fly a plane .

Birthday fun

2011-07-19T13:29:00.007+10:00

All the papers I've had for a long time ,the poppy stamp is from Abi's Craft.

Unscripted Sketches - 115 - shown above.

Papers used are from Franchville and Kaisercraft.

Unscripted Sketches - 114 -shown above.I'm not always very bright ,I made this card and then forgot to post until now,probably too late for the challenge.

Cupcake Crafts- challenge 151 -wish upon a star -
Birthday Sundaes -challenge 18 - Birthday Card using the word "Birthday".

Birthday Celebrations

2011-07-15T10:14:00.005+10:00

UnstampaBelles- challenge 1 -Celebrate - The only stamps allowed are for sentiments, I just hope this one is OK.

My Mum's Craft shop -challenge 14 -Pearls and Swirls/

This morning saw the worst frost this Winter ,luckily the bright blue skies and sun have made this another beautiful day.My laundry is outside drying so I'm going to sit on the deck with a cup of Earl Grey tea,my fav.Enjoy your weekend ,I suppose we will be house hunting yet again .I'm always surprised at how little effort is made by some vendors ,(the words clean and uncluttered seem to be absent from their vocabulary).

Yummy cupcake

2011-07-13T14:35:00.007+10:00

The paper is a scented drawer liner ,both stamps are from JustRite ,the paisley border is from K-Mart.Flat back brown pearls from Porta Craft.

Papercraft Star -challenge 56 - my take on the above sketch.

A Spoon Full of Sugar - challenge 160 -Pink and Brown
Cupcake Crafts -challenge -Cupcake 150-Make a card using details from a previous challenge - Pink and Brown from challenge 110.

Just right for the cold weather

2011-07-11T10:12:00.006+10:00

Flashback Friday 13.0 -challenge -repost the first shaped card you put on your blog.This was originally posted in July 2009.

Butterfly Greetings

2011-07-11T09:19:00.008+10:00

I hope you all had a good weekend ,the weather here is Tassie has been bitterly cold but lots of sun and blue skies ,just my kind of winter. We are still house hunting,the criteria is a large block of land with a smallish house and views of the river.Not to much to ask for lol ,it could take some time .

Papercraft Star -challenge 52 -Photo at top of post -I really struggled with this one.I love the colours but couldn't see any way to incorporate them,my only solution was the butterfly .

Card and a Half- Extra challenge 2 - Any sort of creature .

I used a post-it-note to mask the centre of the card and then stamped with the butterfly.The paper behind the tag is a peach and white gingham stamp with orange flowers.The butterfles I painted with water colours,tag sentiment is from VIBGYOR Crafts .

Fast approaching tea time

2011-07-08T10:16:00.006+10:00

The hands on the clocks are fast approaching time for afternoon tea, yummy .

Unscripted Sketches- sketch 113 -shown top of post- For the whole of July they have lots of prizes,games and tutorials .Come along and join in the Christmas song Bingo Game -you must have your entry in before Saturday .

My Time to Craft - challenge 147 A la Carte - Include food on your card.
Craft your Passion- challenge 66 -Anything goes.

Some Bunny Special

2011-07-01T16:34:00.004+10:00

This is my take on the above photo for Papercraft Star, challenge 51 .I shed a few tears as this is the last of my pink stripe and pink gingham paper, I'm determined not to buy anymore until I have used some of my other papers.

Yummy Cupcake

2011-06-30T15:13:00.007+10:00

The papers are all scraps so I don't know where they came from ,the cupcake and sentiments are from JustRite.I used an embossing tool and a coloured pencil to make my faux stitching.

The Shabby Tea Room - week 68 - My Favourite Things - Cupcakes -Gingham paper- spotty paper .
Card Patterns - Sketch 121 shown above.
4 Crafty Chicks - Stitching -real or faux. I usually go for faux as I don't often get good results with my sewing machine.

NEW CHALLENGE -STARTS 4th JULY

2011-06-29T09:20:00.003+10:00

July 4th is the first challenge for UnstampaBelles.The only stamps allowed are for sentiments.This is a good chance to use your imagination and talent ,Iris Folding,Stitching,Bead Work to name a few.

Candy is on offer so pop along to their Blog UnstampaBelles and give your support.

a bit of a boneshaker

2011-06-28T09:55:00.005+10:00

The background paper is cobblestones is from a paperstack called Travel by Cre8tiv.
The bicycle image is from Graphic Fairy ,I burnt the edges of the paper over a candle ,what a smell.

The Sisterhood of Crafters - More lovin for men- Create a male card

Game On

2011-06-27T12:53:00.007+10:00

Grey background paper is 'Paris da Vinci Grey from Frances Meyer.
Ball images are from wrapping paper, I mounted them on black card and used sticky dots to raise them up.
Wish stamp from Kaisercraft.

Crafts 4 Eternity - recipe 25 - Sporty theme .
Crafty Sentiments - Monochrome challenge.
Samuel Taylors -challenge for June- Male cards .

Gone Fishing

2011-06-27T12:23:00.009+10:00

Paper - double sided gift wrap.
Stamp behind fish is from Just Rite.
The fish was a free image from some kind person ,unfortunately I haven't saved it.I used water colour pencils.
Sentiment tag done on computer. A star eyelet and a bit of cord.

Incy Wincy Designs- they have a blog hop and a theme of Summertime Blues.

Creations by Gill - challenge 10 -To use the colour BLUE -perfect for a mans card.
Colour Create -challenge 73 -Blue, Grey and White .
Jay Gee's Nook - challenge 9 -Inspired by the photo above.

Polar Bears

2011-06-17T09:47:00.005+10:00

Over the past two weeks WIN tv in Australia have been showing 'Polar Bear ,Spy On The Ice',the footage brought back memories of the trip we made .Svalbard is 78 degrees North ,our journey took us to 90 degrees North -the geographic North Pole.My husband Steve took these pictures.

Keep trying

2011-06-15T14:31:00.004+10:00

A few months ago I submitted lots of cards to the above magazine ,I didn't make the grade to get my ideas published but I did get an entry in the readers gallery.Back to the craftroom .

A Taste of Summer

2011-06-06T16:18:00.008+10:00

Winter has just started here in the Southern Hemisphere and I can only dream of the warm weather to come in a few months time.I treated myself to some new stamps yesterday and this flower stem is one of them.

Pear Tree Designs - challenge 52 -Summer Delights
The Corrosive Challenge - number 119 -Summer Colours
CREATIONS by Gill -challenge 8 -Pink and Green with Flowers.
Drunken Stampers - challenge 70 -Birthdays
Dutch Dare - challenge 115 -Inspired by photo at top of post.I love all the colours.

Wedding Day

2011-06-03T12:19:00.009+10:00

Photo inspiration from Papercraft Star.

This beautiful stamp is from Eclectic Images ,they have some unusual stamps ,their Fashion Ladies are lovely.

Sorry I've gone overboard with the pictures but it's very dull today and I couldn't get a good one to show the detail. The stamp I used on the front of the card is shown stamped in black so that you can see the details.I used vanilla ink for the swirls which matches the vanilla paper exactly.A touch of lace behind the aperture and some flats pearls add a little detail.

Papercraft Star -challenge 48 -Use the photo to inspire a wedding card and\or a masculine card.
C.R.A.F.T.- challenge 105 -Wedding /Love

Happy Birthday

2011-05-27T13:13:00.004+10:00

The background paper is Heidi Grace ,the brown strip is from Kaiser Craft and the flower is from Beccy's Place .I sponged the flower with 3 different shades of custard/bronze inks ,I used the same inks to make the sentiment tag.

Papercraft Star - challenge 47 -The above sketch + coloured card stock (my tag is cream ) two patterned papers and bling .
The Lollipop Ladies -challenge 21 - Banana Custard with a vintage twist .

Sweet Dreams

2011-05-26T14:47:00.006+10:00

Blogger seems to be playing up again,I haven't been able to leave comments but I will try again tomorrow.

This cute bear is from May Brit ,the sentiment is computer generated .The starry paper is from a discount pack .I've used a mixture of acrylic paint and felt tip pens.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge 9 - Babies- they have a fab prize from House Mouse ,you still have 5 days to enter.
A new challenge site -Crafting for All Seasons- challenge 1 -Anything goes
Creative Craft World - Use 3 or more flowers .

Christmas in May

2011-05-24T12:51:00.004+10:00

A few weeks ago I won some images from The Stamping Boutique ,this Holly and Ribbon was one of them .I was lucky enough to win 5 images and later this week I will show the others. I printed the music paper and then added the image which was done with water colours.

Hello Kitty

2011-05-22T09:15:00.005+10:00

A simple card using a die cut cat ,a sticker border and sentiment (which came from Merry ),buttons ,pearls and a doily.I struggled to find something for the cats eyes and used these nail art flowers which I trimmed down ,the nose is a small heart shaped sticker.

Ambers Crafts - challenge 10 -Cats and Dogs - I love them both but cats have a special place in my heart.

Wedding Day

2011-05-21T11:57:00.006+10:00

Not the usual wedding colours I know but I like it .Paper is from Kaisercraft and the sentiments from Cre8tiv .
Sandie's Place -May challenge -Weddings - ( Sandie ,my little sheep from your autumn challenge is still on my craft table ,I really don't know what happens to my time)
Incy Wincy Designs - challenge 94 -clean and simple -

Vintage Vogue

2011-05-21T09:59:00.004+10:00

I made this gatefold card but can't remember which challenge it was for - the main image is from Graphic 45 ( there are 12 different fashion images approx 10cm x7cm ),the tag is also Graphic 45. The background paper is a perfect match but isn't part of the Graphic 45 range,the flowers are made from gathered vintage lace.

Spots n Stripes

2011-05-20T13:30:00.008+10:00

The corset and the frame are from Graphic Fairy,I used Gymp to change the colour.The 3 papers are from Kaisercraft shown at the top.I love all the yummy colours in the top photo ,this weeks inspiration from Cupcake.
Cupcake Inspirations- challenge - 111 -top photo -such fab colours ,I think I have them all.
City Crafter - week 57 - Stripes and polka dots
Crafts and Me - challenge 35 -Anything goes , optional KRAFT - my card stock is Kraft.
Divas by Design - challenge 2 -One for the girls -
Truly Scrumptious- challenge 57 -Anything goes -

Weight Loss Problems

2011-05-20T09:57:00.002+10:00

Ever struggled to lose those few extra kilos ,nothing seems to work.The reason is so simple , LOL.

A spanner in the works

2011-05-14T14:24:00.006+10:00

Here is the card I made a few days ago -with blogger being down(the spanner in the works ) I've forgotten which challenges I'm supposed to be entering.The paper is double sided from the 'Pack your bags' collection from Kaiser Craft.
colourQ -challenge 84 -picture at top - the paper has all the great colours shown in the cushion -made to order for this challenge.
Crafty Creations - challenge 118 -Anything goes -
My Mum's Craft Shop - challenge 5 - To Die For -
Penny's Paper -Crafty challenge 53 -Anything goes

So Chic

2011-05-07T11:02:00.008+10:00

First an apology - being a blogger doesn't mean that you are computer savvy or know your blog inside out -I had no idea my word verification was ON until a kind person mentioned it. Sorry folks ,it's now switched off.

I will be back later with details of paper etc as I'm just off to look at a house.Well I'm back with the details - background paper is double sided 'Botanicabella' from Graphic 45 -the ladies and tag are also from Graphic 45, Times Nouveau -a fab collection of precut tags ,they are just lovely.On Monday I will make another trip to the craft store to look at the whole range from Graphic 45.

Papercraft Star - challenge 44 - Simon Says -Find Your Own Layout- Mine is from Clean & Simple .
Jay Gee's Nook -challenge 7 -Inspired by TOP pic.
SweetStamps - challenge 13 -Olden or Vintage

Mothers Day

2011-05-05T15:40:00.006+10:00

MUM's the word at the moment -here's my card for you all.

Amber's Crafts - challenge 8 - Special Lady
Creative Card Crew - 3rd May challenge - MUM
For Fun Challenges -4th May - Mum or lots of flowers.
Party Time Tuesdays - challenge 14 -Mothers Day
Tuesday Throwdown - challenge 47 -Mothers Day

Flowers for Mum

2011-05-04T13:02:00.008+10:00

Card Patterns -sketch 113-
Pear Tree Designs -challenge 47 -Free for All -
Top Tip Tuesday -challenge 32 -OPEN
Ladybug Crafts -challenge 26 -Going Dotty

The background paper was a magazine freebie which I've had for years ,the pink spot paper is Michelle Powell , the flowers have been layered and finished with a gem.

Special Birthday Wishes

2011-04-28T10:18:00.004+10:00

It was very sunny when I took the pic so here is a section which shows the paper and piercing better.

The patterned paper is from Kaiser Crafts.I've combined two digi images for the circle and sentiment,the ribbon is from my stash.A few green gems to finish.

Pear Tree -challenge 46 -Colourful -no dark colours .

A quick thank you to the Stamping Boutique as I won 5 images in their last weekly challenge. They have some great images ,I'm struggling to pick my favourites.You don't have to use their images to enter challenges but if you do then you two entries.

Easter Break

2011-04-28T09:35:00.010+10:00

This was taken from a high viewpoint on our way from Queenstown .We were above the mist and the sun seems to be bursting through,an unusual pic.

Hogarth Falls in Strahan.

Plenty of crashing waves for the surfers.

The Gordon river was very calm and we took some great pics showing the reflections.

Sign at the ferry crossing.

I hope you all had a good break over the Easter weekend.We had 5 days so we went off to the North East of Tasmania ,most of which is a World Heritage area and very beautiful .We stayed in Stanley at the local Hotel where they serve excellent food and have very comfortable accommodation. We made our way further South to Corinna and crossed the Pieman River on small two car ferry,our final destination was Strahan were we stayed a few days. We took a six hour boat trip on the Gordon River which was both beautiful and interesting.We took a different route back home through Queenstown and the Great Lakes.

Spring Blooms

2011-04-21T12:11:00.005+10:00

The flower image is from DZ Doodles and the paper on the front and the sentiment are Kaiser Craft.I used coloured pencils and ink on the image.

City Crafter -challenge 53- Gate Card

Happy Birthday

2011-04-20T14:42:00.004+10:00

I've used a card with an aperture ,the paper is from a cheap jumbo pack .Flower cart image is from The Stamping Boutique ,the sentiment is two acrylic stamps I've put together,the flower is a button.

Crafty Creations -challenge 114 -Paper Piecing -I've just done the little umbrella.

The Stamping Boutique- challenge 4 -Green,Purple and Pink .

Stamping Vacation -Fancy Button -

Chillin out Dude

2011-04-20T10:32:00.005+10:00

I rarely make cards for men and almost never for teenage boys .Ive already entered one card into the challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers but thought I would have another go as I have quite a few images that have been sent to me by a friend .When I looked I thought this young man reminded me of Nicholas Lyndhurst ( Rodney in Only Fools and Horses).All the papers are Kaiser Craft.The letters I cut from an old calendar ,I just wanted the word CHILLIN without the G but that gave me an uneven number of letters .

Pay it foreward with RAK'S

2011-04-19T11:20:00.005+10:00

Over at Merry's blog is the chance to win a litle something for yourself and give a little to two other people.Then the two other people also give a little gift to two other people. It would be interesting to see how long this lasts and how many Countries the RAK'S go to.

You can read more about the original post on Merry's blog.

Music Saves My Soul with rattlin bones

2011-04-17T09:15:00.006+10:00

Good to have you back in the land of the living Marcea.No computer is like having a limb amputated, how did we ever manage before .I'm not a real fan of any genre/ band /singer,I can merrily sing all the words to my favourite songs and not have any clue who performs them .Pop along to Marcea's Music Saves My Soul and add your favourites.

Enjoy your weekend .

Springtime

2011-04-15T11:31:00.009+10:00

A quick Thank You to Sandie and also NettieG's as I have won prizes from them both over the past few weeks. All the patterned papers ,the flower and the sentiment are from Kaiser Craft.

Inspirational Card Sketches- challenge 110 -
Crafts and Me -challenge 30 -Ribbon
Rainbow Lady's - challenge 148 -Springtime - Greens and pinks sing out Spring is here.

Permission to come aboard

2011-04-14T11:10:00.007+10:00

The inside has a compass to complete the nautical theme.

Sorry I haven't been around for a while ,I still haven't finished my inserts or the craft room (I seem to be having a few health problems).

I bought this little ship in pack of nautical bits n bobs about 8 years ago ,yes I did say 8 years.Not that I'm a hoarder but I thought I might use them one day.The card blank already had the apperture .

Crafty Cardmakers -Cards for Teenage boys - Australia is a great place if you love fishing ,out in your tinny .

Stamping Vacation -What a Guy -Boating theme .

Baker street

2011-04-03T14:17:00.005+10:00

Before I reveal my song choice this week I must say a big sorry to all my bloggy friends .My week was all mapped out -finish all the card inserts ,finish the big tidy up in the craft room , make a birthday card for my FIL ,pop by and leave lots of lurv on your blogs.The only thing I managed was the birthday card and that was still wet when I put in the envelope and dropped it in the mail box ,that's when I realised I didn't take a photo .A whole week has passed and I have nothing to show you.Enjoy the rest of your weekend ,I've just got back from a long weekend in Hobart ,went to the theatre and generally just chilled out .Enjoy my song pick -an oldie but a goodie -I just love the saxaphone.

Gerry Rafferty -Baker Street -sadly Gerry died earlier in the year.Come along and play with Marcea.

Music Saves My Soul

2011-03-27T09:12:00.003+11:00

Good morning to all in Blog land,sorry I haven't been out to play this week .My time has been spent trying to organise my craft supplies and doing the thing I hate most about crafting ,INSERTS .I have about 200 to do and need them for a fund raiser.

The first time I heard this song I thought it was dreary and not really my taste ( I like music I can dance to ). I've listened to the song several times now and it has grown on me .The lyrics are quite sweet.Join in at Marcea's with your choice.

Nettie's challenge

2011-03-22T13:03:00.005+11:00

This card is for NettieG's challenge - Bein' Different. The image was free from Nettie's and the challenge is to use 3 patterned papers and two plain.I printed it out twice and raised the second image on sticky dots .The patterned papers were a gift so I don't know where they came from.A clean and simple card.

All girly

2011-03-20T15:22:00.004+11:00

I've been very spoilt this week with goodies in the post from Jeanne ,the tags,ribbon and butterfly stamp were part of package .I also got some lovely paper from Merry .
The Lollipop Ladies -challenge 16 - Candy necklace and circles( image above).

Love you lots

2011-03-20T14:46:00.006+11:00

These cute owls came from Popnstick ,I went round the edge of the circle with green chalk ,it doesn't show up very well and just makes it look a bit dirty.I will use an eraser and get rid of it altogether .

2 Sisters challenge 31 -Furry ,fluffy or fuzzy - Furry Friends.

According to the news the moon on Saturday evening was the biggest we've seen for many years .My husband Steve and his mate Pete (who lives in Coffs Harbour ) were in conversation via Facebook about this.
Transcript of conversation - Pete " have you seen the moon tonight"
Steve "No ,Gail did show me her backside earlier ,does
that count "
Pete " that would be the sun then "

Typical silly bloke conversation ,thanks for the compliment Pete .

Music Saves my Soul

2011-03-19T19:14:00.005+11:00

As Summer approaches the Northern Hemisphere this is a great song to chill out to.I found it infectious and song it all the time last Summer ,drove my husband MAD.I'm still checking out all the song picks from last week but thanks to Renata I've just downloaded some Caro Emerald stuff. A good site for legal downloads is this one http://www.legalsounds.com/ . It has a great range of music at very low prices.

Come and join in the fun with your favourite songs on Marcea's blog.

More Imelda May

2011-03-18T09:39:00.000+11:00

As promised a little more of Imelda May singing a love song.

Mothers Day

2011-03-18T09:13:00.006+11:00

This card is for my MIL . Mothers Day is early April in the UK.The flowers I've had about 10 years ,I bought them from a sewing shop in Saudi Arabia .I thought it would be a nice touch to add the feathers and soften the whole card.

Crafty Creations- challenge 110 -Mothers Day

Stamping Vacation - photo inspired see top pic.

Bah - humbug

2011-03-15T11:58:00.005+11:00

The Lollipop Ladies- challenge 15 - Bah humbug -you would not believe how many attempts I've had to come up with a card for this challenge .I've done black silhouettes of fairies,birds and flowers but wasn't happy with any of them.I decided to make the most of the black and white and make a card for a man .I'm still not sure but I least it's finished.

Music saves my soul

2011-03-14T09:13:00.007+11:00

Do you craft alone or do you have some great music in the background. Over at Marcea's blog you can listen to her music pick and add your own favourite. I couldn't resist giving you a listen to Imelda May after watching her in Sydney last weekend.her love songs are really beautiful ,if I find one I will post it later in the week.

Double trouble

2011-03-13T15:21:00.005+11:00

This card is not for any challenges ,I love this cute image from Sj's and wanted to use it.

Just Peachy

2011-03-10T10:45:00.013+11:00

When I was making this card the words dumb and blonde applied. I stuck the opening for the pocket down and then started to add more buttons down the side when I realised the tag wouldn't come out over the buttons . I hope the rest of the day gets better .

Baby Bud Designs - challenge -ribbons and bows- this one of their images -she is so cute .

City Crafter -- week 47 -In my pocket -the top two images show the front and back of my tag.
The Creative Cottage - challenge 34 -Tag It .

Springtime

2011-03-09T13:19:00.004+11:00

It did rain yesterday as predicted but not until about tens minutes before my washing machine finished. It was just a bit showery until the evening when we had some much needed rain.Today is back to blue skies and sunshine .

The image was printed out 3 times ,coloured then cut and layered.The paper is from a cheapie pack,the green butterflies I've had for a long time and came from another discount store.

Limited Runs - Anything goes challenge -You must use one of their images -this one was free.
Papercraft Star- challenge 36 - A colour pick of lilac,green, purple or pink.

Sweet treats -yummy

2011-03-08T13:49:00.006+11:00

The weather forecast said it would rain today so I decided to abandon the washing and make this card instead, it's a lame excuse as not only do I have a tumble dryer but an undercover area outdoors to hang my laundry.

All the paper for this card came from a bargain pack ,no names -just paper. The stamps are all from JustRite -the muffin was stamped a second time and raised on sticky dots. I thought about using really sprinkles on top but used tiny beads instead, a heart used upside down on top.The little tag sits in the pocket .

Joans Garden -challenge -Use only JustRite stamps .I've used 4 .Pop along and play if you have any as there is an amazing prize on offer.
Just Us Girls- challenge 74 -the above layout .

Trains,Planes and Automobiles

2011-03-06T14:04:00.003+11:00

I hope you are all having a good weekend ,things have been a bit hectic here.We flew to Melbourne on Thursday and went to see Bryan Ferry (aka Roxy Music). I enjoyed the songs I knew but the fact that most of the time the music was overpowering his voice meant it was difficult to hear the words. A quick dash back to Launceston Friday afternoon as Steve had to go into the office .

On Saturday we flew to Sydney and went to see Imelda May , bed at 1.00am ,up and back on the plane at 11.00am ,literally a flying visit.My Aussie bloggers who watch Graham Norton may have seen her). She is very popular in England and was touring before she came to OZ. A very talented singer her style is "rock a billy" which she has brought back to life. This type of music was popular before I was born but now appeals to a wide age group( I'm guessing the age range in the audience between 18 and 70). Most of the young ones dressed in the fashion of the time and if I had known I would have made the effort myself.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend ,if I'm lucky I may get some cards made Monday or Tuesday.

Giddy Up

2011-03-02T14:35:00.006+11:00

This is another image I painted on Monday evening and again I couldn't find paper to match. The buttons have saved the day, I'm not a fan of torn paper but sometimes you just have to give it a go .The image is from Meljens.

The Kraft Journal -challenge 8 -Cute as a button

Get Sketchy - challenge 76- Above sketch

Papercraft Star -challenge 35 -Songs-Books -Movies inspired -This little donkey made me think of the Christmas song with the same title .

A Rose by any other name

2011-03-02T08:29:00.004+11:00

Will I ever learn ,I painted this image on Monday evening and then wondered if I had any paper to match this colour green. I constantly tell my self to collect the paper and any embellishments first and then colour the the image to match. I was lucky ,this beautiful paper which I bought over a year ago was a perfect match , it looks like silk and has a beautiful finish.

A Day For Daisies -challenge 12 -This beautiful image was free and the theme Vintage.

Stamping Vacation - Sewing Beads on Your Creation. The tiny punched leaves are attached to the base using a tiny pearl bead.
It's probably more than 10 years ago a friend of mine was packing up and leaving Saudi Arabia to return home to Canada. She made 3 lists ,KEEP ,THROW AWAY ,GIVE AWAY . The give away pile was then sorted and dished out to various friends. My pile included her wedding dress which she insisted she no longer wanted.I enjoy sewing but the dress was heavily beaded and I couldn't make anything with it ,instead I painstakingly removed all the pearls and now use them on my cards. Thanks Nevine -I will never have to buy pearls again.

Thinking of you

2011-02-28T11:03:00.005+11:00

Papercraft star - challenge 34 -the above sketch by Liz Chidester.

Sentimental Sundays -challenge 44 -anything goes .

The paper flowers which were so popular now seem a bit dated , I'm not going to buy them again. For this flower I've used 4 large ones and folded them into quarters ,stuck them onto a base and added a small centre flower with red half pearl.The white border I stamped with a black flourish.The sentiment is from Ippity.

I've been up since six this morning, it's now 11.15am and I'm not showered or dressed yet and more importantly I haven't had any breakfast. Which comes first , the shower ,I will enjoy my brunch much more if I am nice and clean.

Together

2011-02-28T09:38:00.007+11:00

How do you know when it's finished, should I have inked the edges or put something in the corner triangles.I'm never sure how much to add, your suggestions would be appreciated. If I'm honest I think I'm more of a clean and simple card maker ,but I do envy all those of you who add bits of lace ,tags,buttons and the kitchen sink and make great cards.

Create4fun - challenge 9 - sketch above

The Lollipop Ladies - challenge 14 - Hearts and the colours of Smarties. I haven't eaten Smarties for years,are the orange ones still orange flavoured. It's difficult to use all the colours so pink,blue and yellow are the main colours ,the background paper has lots of colours.

Stamping Vacation -When in doubt ,let love win out