Keesh Colour Challenge #13

I've made 2 cards again. Was going to do as 2 separate posts but I've been called in to start back at work a night early :-( so will have to do one quick post now. This is a colour challenge, Chocolate Chip (CC), Not Quite Navy (NQN), Old Olive (OO) & Very Vanilla (VV).

I was going to use some DSP from the Ski Slope pack that had a lovely pattern in Choc Chip & Old Olive, but it had a white background, not a vanilla one. This had already started me thinking 'Christmas', so I continued with the theme. I used the gorgeous new set 'Snow Swirled' and stamped the swirly tree in Old Olive & Versamark. I stamped it onto VV then covered the image with heat & stick powder & Dazzling Diamonds. Love the glittery effect. I added NQN brads as I wasn't quite sure how else to incorporate the colour. I made a trunk or pot shape out of CC DSP (from the Ski Slope pack). I added small snowflakes in CC & mounted it onto CS. I had stamped a variety of the Snow Swirled snowflakes in OO onto Old Olive CS & added a smattering of Dazzling Diamonds.

Of course I had to have another play. Couldn't get this bird, from the Friends 24-7 set, out of my head after seeing Keesh stamp it last week in virtually the same colours, it just wanted to come & get inked (1st time). I cased the card from the IB&C, otherwise known as the main catty (p81). I also used the beautiful Friendly Words jumbo wheel and paper from the Bella Blue DSP set. The button is a cute flower from the latte set. It is quite self-explanatory. I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

Sorry I've raved, typing in a hurry. must go get some shut eye before work tonight. I'm such a sucker, can never say no! Not only was I not due to go back til tomorrow night, they've asked me to start at 7 tonight & do 2 hrs overtime. The things we do to look after our women & fellow staff!

Catch you soon,

Fi xox

Sweet Sunday #36

I wanted to have a play with another sketch. A good day for it considering the dust storm we seem to be having. It feels a little eerie with the strange yellow light. Anyway, I had a go at Karen Giron's latest Sweet Sunday sketch.

Here is the sketch:

And my card:

I was going to use the Washington Apple papers but thought it would be too close to this card I made for Keesh's challenge so I changed to using papers from the Candy Lane pack. These are pretty papers, quite girly. The cute hippo is from 'Pun Fun' and the Happy Birthday stamp is a bargain 'stand alone' stamp called 'Birthday Wish', and it is so handy. I made the 'flowers' using the scallop circle punch. My colouring is not so good but it still turned out kinda cute. I used crystal effects on the little balloon & bow on the hippo stamp, just gives them a bit of definition.

Anyway, that's all for today. Must grab some lunch.

Have a great, if rather dusty, day,

Fi xox

Last go at Keesh's Sketch Challenge 13

Well I've gone a bit crazy with this sketch by the lovely Keesh. I've had a 3rd go! This is a bit different to the other 2 in that I've stamped in the 3 squares at the side instead of using DSP. I think its a bit too busy but it was fun.

I've inked up my 'Inspired by Nature' set for the 1st time. I saw so many lovely cards made by others using this set that I had to get it. I used my 'Stampin Write markers in 'Perfect Plum', 'Old Olive' & 'So Saffron'. I misted the stamp with water before stamping to give a soft mottled effect. I did the same a few more times & then punched the extra flowers out with my 1.25" punch. The little butterfly stamp is from a lovely retired set, 'Live Your Dreams'. I've used the Sanded background stamp to add a little 'something' to the background. I think I should've left off the punched butterfly. I really wanted to use a button with some twine but didn't have one in the right colour. Oh well.

That really will be it for today. Off to put bathroom back together (my life is sooo exciting LOL).

Cheers,

Love Fi xox

2nd attempt at Keesh's Challenge

I've cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed & mopped the floors so thought I deserved a bit more stamping fun. I had another play with Keesh's challenge (see post below for 1st attempt and sketch).

I decided to do a wedding card this time. I love the damask image from the 'Friends 24-7' set. I have never inked the bird image from this set as I'm not much into birds, but everyone else makes it look so good (case in point, see Keesh and Kirsty's entries for this same challenge).

Anyway, I used DSP from the pretty 'Bella Blue' range and Kraft, Very Vanilla and Not Quite Navy (NQN) cardstock (CS). I inked the damask in NQN and stamped it onto the VV CS. I added a half pearl from the pretties kit and layered it onto NQN CS. I used my Scalloped Square punch for the side pieces. I used NQN brads but I wish I'd left them off. The sentiment is from 'Occasional Greetings' and I used a smidge of Kraft taffeta ribbon for the knot.

I smudged bit of NQN (accidently) on the top of the card so I tried (not real successfully, I fear) to cover it up by sponging a bit more ink along the card edges.

Wouldn't mind re-creating this card, leaving off smudging & brads ;-)

That's all for now. have a great day,

Love Fi xox

Keesh baby card

I had a huge day yesterday. I got home, after a few dramas at work, at about 7:40, had brekky and got ready to attend church for my friends' baby dedication (like a Christening). After the service they had a lunch, where I had a lovely time catching up with friends. I got home about 3, had a cuppa & a few hours sleep, before heading out to a trivia night fundraiser at 7. I was pretty weary by the time I got home at about 10-ish. Needless to say, I didn't have a real early start this morning. I did a load of washing and then decided I could get out my stamps and have a bit of fun before tackling more housework :-)

I've had a bit of a play with Keesh's latest challenge. This one is a sketch challenge.

I like sketch challenges but it usually takes a while to come up with the rest of the ideas. I like this sketch, am hoping to have another play a bit later.

I wanted the 'Wild About You' set for ages, and then, like so many of the stamps I buy, once I got it I didn't really know what to do with it. I decided this sketch lent itself to the giraffe stamp. I then thought 'girlie baby card', and the 'Sweet Always' DSP came to mind. Here is the outcome.

I've chosen colours used in the 'Sweet Always' papers, 'Regal Rose' & 'Pumpkin Pie'. I was going to put a button in the top right corner but then remembered the cute flower brads that are available in the latest mini. One of the colours just so happens to be 'Pumpkin Pie'. I used the baby stamp from the 'Short & Sweet' set along with the 'Word Window' & 'Small Oval' punch. I used my square punches for the side shapes. I know I keep saying it, but i do love my punches.

I don't think I've ever used so much orange in a card, its not one of my fav colours, but I'm amazed by how much I like it mixed with these pinks.

Must go now & clean my bathroom, it is well overdue :-(

Thanks for dropping by,

Love Fi xox

Keesh's Inspiration Challenge #12

Well, its about time that I was on here again. I've been playing with the latest one of Keesh's challenges. This time it is an inspiration challenge taken from a linen ad or catalogue. It is bright & summery.

I made this card first but wasn't real happy with it, esp after I saw some of the others on offer. Keesh used a similar layout (I took it from the pillowcases) but hers is fabulous. I used the cog stamp from the 'Sense of Time' set for a different circular image, I thought the large cog picked up the shape from the blue pattern. I used Pacific Point, Whisper White & YoYo Yellow. I 'dyed' a Baja Breeze cord button with pacific Point ink. The sentiment also comes from the 'Sense of Time' set.

However I had to have another play.

Kirsty from Keesh's Design Team used a snowflake pattern which stuck in my head. I decided to use the snowflake stamp from 'Season of Joy' in Pacific Point & Tempting Turquoise. I had thought of using a square stamp from 'Punches Three' so the Christmas one seemed obvious. A weird colour combo for a Christmas card, but maybe rather suitable for a hot, beachy, Aussie Christmas. i think the pacific Point & Temping Turquoise punched scallop squares need something but couldn't figure out what.

That's it for now. Might have to make some more cards later. I've been awake since 4:44 am, stuffed body clock. I have to work tonight so hopefully will have a sleep later today. My big plans were to make some 'Belly Butter' (another hobby of mine is making natural body products & candles) that has been ordered by a work colleague, but I've run out of one of the ingredients. It will have to wait for my next days off.

have a great day,

Cheers,

Fi xox

Another go at Keesh's Challenge, with a Sweet touch.

Hi,

I've had another go at Keesh's challenge (see previous post) only this time I've combined it with Karen's Sweet Sunday sketch challenge. I need a sketch to get me going at the moment.

Here's my card:

I also took inspiration from this card on Andrea Lowcock's blog, Enchantink. The 'Fresh Cuts' stamp set was one I 'just had to have' but have hardly used. I must ban myself from buying any new sets and use the ones I own more often. I used the emboss resist technique, clear embossing the stamped image and the sponging over the top using inks in 'So Saffron', 'Regal Rose' & 'Real Red', of course. I then wiped over the image to remove the ink from the embossing, revealing the image. I've used the So Saffron DSP from the 'Washington Apple' pack, and the 'Regal Rose' print from the 'Sweet Always' DSP pack. The sentiment is from 'Short and Sweet' and cut out using the Word Window' punch. I do love a punch. Once again, I've added some of the new free 'So Saffron' ribbon (see here on how to receive it). In all, this is not really any of my ideas, just a collaboration of other people's inspiration. Anyway that's all from me.

Must go & get ready for work,

Have a good night,

Cheers,

Fi xox

Keesh's Colour Challenge #12 mixed with Taylored Expressions #81

These are the colours we got to play with in Keesh's latest Colour Challenge. I wasn't sure at first about the Real Red but I really like how they come together. Click here to see Keesh's blog and to view the other entries.

I took the layout from the latest Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge but I left off the vertical stripe as I couldn't make it work with my image.

And here is the final result. It is quite different to how I first imagined it but I'm pretty pleased with it. I've inked up another stamp from my new 'Crazy for Cupcakes' set. I stamped the cupcake twice and cut out a separate 'top' so that I could decorate it with 'Dazzling Diamonds' and mount it on 'Pop-Up Glue Dots'. I also covered the balloons, flame & little flower (on the sentiment) with 'Crystal Effects' which gives them a lovely shiny 3D effect. The 'Regal Rose' paper is from the level 1 hostess gift pack. It is a great little pack. The sentiment comes from the 'Think Happy Thoughts' set, which I only recently purchased despite it being a long-term product. Note that I've used the new, and free, 'So Saffron' ribbon from the latest Stampin' Up promotion (see here).

Thanks for visiting.

Catch you soon,

Love Fi xox

A wet camping trip & engagement party

Warning, long post ahead!

Why is it that I can go for weeks without a single social event and then have a whole bunch happen at once. My mate Ian had his overnight camping party (see the card I made here). It was a really fun night, with a bonfire (fire permit & water trailer so no risk of setting Hunter valley ablaze) good friends, toasted marshmallows and beautiful food. Joy ventured into the art of camp oven cooking and Jo (Joy's 'other' best mate & my SU upline) did a great job of cooking lamb & pork on a spit. I so meant to take a pic of the spit, made by Jo's hubby Pete out of a beer keg. Pure genius. The only hiccough was the massive thunderstorm that hit at about 1 am. Thankfully it was sunny again in time for brekky & pack-up. I whoosed out when my tent started leaking & slept in my car.

That arvo I went to the engagement party of a lovely young lady, Tamara, & her English fiance. She went on a 'short' trip to try out nanny-ing in the UK & has been there for 2 years & is now moving there to live. As such, they requested money for gifts.

I made a card that I CASEd from here. As you can see, I had a bit of trouble with the silver ink smudging, but the SU silver embossing powder worked like a dream. I used stamps from the sets 'Always', 'Priceless' and 'Occasional Greetings'. The frame is 'Hodepodge Hardware' in styled silver. The ribbon came from Spotlight.

In the top of the card I made a little pocket to hold the money. I stamped images from the 'Priceless' set with versamark ink & then used white embossing powder.

It was a nice afternoon, I hope the happy couple enjoyed it & I wish them every happiness for the future.

I've still got Father's Day lunch (on Monday) and visiting friends for tea (Monday night) to go. Lucky that I'm in the middle of six days off!

Will go & write up my post for Keesh's latest challenge.

Cheers, Fi xox

My niece's 13th!

Having my niece, the youngest of my brother's 3 kids, heading towards her 13th birthday is making me feel old! her birthday isn't until December but we are sending all their Christmas things this week and we send her b'day gifts in the box as well. As such, I made her a card last week. I finally gave in and bought 'Crazy for Cupcakes' so used the tiered cupcake image on Beck's card. It is so cute. I CASEd it from here, right down to the colors & DSP (Candy Lane, such pretty colours & designs), why mess with something you like. I added 'Dazzling Diamonds' glitter to the cake tops using my '2-way Glue Pen'. I meant to do the pop up inside but realised I'd made the base card open the wrong way, duh. Though '13' is probably getting a bit too 'mature' for pop ups. I added the glittery '13' as you need to make a big thing of turning this age.

I've seen some other' cupcake store' cards on Splitcoast, you should check them out.

Thanks for dropping by,

Fi xox

New promotion, Free Ribbon!!!

For the month of September Stampin Up are holding a promotion where you can receive two free spools of ribbon! The bundle consists of:

• Certainly Celery 5/8" (1.59 cm) poly-twill ribbon (9.144 metres)
• So Saffron 5/8" (1.59 cm) grosgrain ribbon (9.144 metres)

How do you get it? You can receive this great gift by either placing a single order of $100 worth of SU product or hosting a $600 workshop.

Contact me (see box to the right) if you are interested.

Catch you later,

Fi xox

Mate's 40th

My good friend Ian is having his 40th party tonight , an overnight camp up the valley (Hunter Valley, that is, I hope the rain clears!!). He is a 4WD nut. I was happy to see the 'Just Beachy' set come out just in time to make his card. I CASEd (of course, LOL) this card from Splitcoast. There's now a few on there with a similar theme.

Ian didn't want gifts, he preferred money to put towards something he wants to buy for said 4WD. I got him a choccy to put with his card, so, to make it look a bit more interesting I made a 'choc pull' package. The tutorial is here.

You pull on the ribbon & the choc bar appears. I made one for my Dad earlier this year & he really liked it.

Must go & hang out my washing & get everything together for tonight. I have an engagement party tomorrow too. Will come back with that card later,

Cheers,

Fi xox