Super quick post

Hi Guys,

My good friend & work colleague, Tracey, had her 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, and heads off for a week in Vietnam on Monday. As such I needed to make 2 cards.

For the anniversary card I  used the layout from this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge (#90). Trace & Pete didn't have a party or anything so I went OTT with the silver, boy is it silver, LOL.

The sketch:

My card:

I stamped the 'Medallion' in versamark & embossed with silver EP. Used my Big Shot & Junior Timeless Type for the numbers, 'Teeny Tiny Sentiments' for the Happy Birthday, and 'En Francais' BG for the back panel. I wish I'd had some silver & white paper, oh well. It seems a bit busy but Trace seemed pleased to get a card. (Sorry for terrible pic, will need to retake with darker background I think).


The Bon Voyage card is very simple, and I'll just say, if only the Summer Mini pre-order had begun *wink* (other demoes will know what stamp set I mean). I resorted to using a stamp I bought years ago from another company. Just not the same stamping quality as SU, but desperate means...

I used the lovely 'Elegant Soiree' DSP and even though it doesn't mention it in the catty, I'm sure some of those circles are 'Marina Mist'. I used 'Baja Breeze;, 'Marina Mist', 'Soft Suede', 'Crumb Cake' & 'Chocolate Chip' markers; 'Very Vanilla' & 'Soft Suede' CS & 'Marina Mist' grosgrain ribbon. The sentiment is done on my Mac & I used my 'Word Window' & 'Modern Label' punches, love how they work together.

Must run as need to get ready for week, but only 3 shifts til hols, yay!!!!

Cheers,
Fi x

Guest Designer for Keesh, scary!!!!

Hi Guys,

I was blown away to win Keesh's last sketch challenge with this card. I wish my mojo would visit more than once or twice a year, LOL. I was so excited to win until I remembered that the winner got to be a guest designer for an upcoming challenge, gulp. It is a great honour but rather scary. Thankfully it is a sketch challenge, which I prefer to colour challenges, and a fab sketch at that.

The sketch:

And my card:

The colours look a bit similar to last week's Colour Challenge but I actually used the colour coach. I wanted 'Certainly Celery' and the nicest combo was with 'Bashful Blue' and 'Pink Pirouette'.  I originally was thinking of BB DSP for the background but then thought of my new, as yet untouched, 'Elegant Lines' embossing folder. It is so cool, I'm really keen to use it in conjunction with the 'Elegant Soiree' DSP. I used some retired DSP from last year and some retired ribbon from a past promotion (yes, it was free, how cool. See here for another opportunity to receive free ribbon).

I have been hanging to use the floral frame and sentiment stamps from the 'Just Believe' set. I love these butterflies too from the 'Beautiful Wings' embosslit, used with my trusty Big Shot. The circle looked a bit too white so I sponged the edges with 'Pink Pirouette' ink and stamped the smaller leaf design from the 'Just Believe' set in versamark and rubbed over it with 'Certainly Celery' chalk giving just a hint of colour.

The other new 'toy' that I've used is the stick on pearls, so, so, easy to use. I've seen pearls and rhinestones used on this embossed pattern out in blogland so thought I'd try it. It adds a soft touch I think.

Well, I've survived (I hope) my stint as guest designer and greatly thank Keesh for the opportunity.

Have a great weekend,
Cheers, Fi xox

BBFF award

Hi again,

Another quick post. I made a few candles and 2 bottles of shower gel but had to watch the return of NCIS, love that show. Lucky I only needed to make 2 little pamper packs for a girl at work.

Recently, the gorgeous Andrea Lowcock blessed me with her special BBFF (Best Blogging Friends Forever) award and it was so lovely. It is designed to acknowledge those wonderful people who pop by our blogs and say a kind word, support & encourage us. We are allowed to pass it on so, the award goes to:

1. Lee Pelosi
2. Andrea Lowcock (you didn't say we couldn't send it back, it is well deserved)
3. Lee-Anne Barry
4. Genelle Little.

These are not my only blog friends, but they are my faithful buddies who pop by regularly and always make my day better.

Thanks guys,
Love Fi MWAH!

Super quick post

Hi Guys,

I have a million things to do and today is my only full day off. I have cleaned my place (at last) and done some washing but I still need to make up some shower gel and make some candles.

I loved the colours in Keesh's Colour Challenge this week, even didn't mind the Daffodil Yellow even though yellow is far from being a fav colour.

I had seen a card layout that I liked in the catty and decided to use it for my card but then I saw Karen's latest Sweet Sunday sketch and it was so similar to the catty card that I decided to "kill two challenges with one card".

I was looking through the catty trying to get ideas when I stumbled across the older (or should I say 'classic'?) stamp set "Pun Fun". I chose this set to be in my starter kit, mainly for the teacup, rocket & hippo. I did think about using the bird but decided it would be far too much yellow LOL.

Here's what I ended up with:

I cracked open my new pack of Subtles DSP for the Marine Mist paper, I love this old-fashioned tea-house type pattern. I used the 'Take a Sip' wheel on the Pretty in Pink CS and added the detail with my PiP marker. Not so sure about using the wheel but it is there now. I water-coloured the cup from 'Pun Fun' and the teabag from 'Morning Cup' and added the sentiment, also from 'Morning Cup". Finally a punched piece of Daffodil Yellow CS and a few buttons. I think I'm happy with all but the PiP piece of card stock.

Must run,
Cheers,
Fi xox

Another go at Keesh's Sketch

Hi Guys,
I really wanted to play with Keesh's sketch again (see this post for first attempt). I broke out my new 'Elements of Style' set, which, true to form, I didn't like until I saw everyone using it. I am so easily led LOL.

My new take on the sketch:

I decided to use the 'Lap of Luxury' DSP as my inspiration for colours and added 'Pear Pizzazz' for the leaves. I inked the stamp using my markers & then filled the image in with my blender pen & ink pads. I used 'Confetti White' CS for a softer look.The background is 'Pretty in Pink' CS stamped with the floral image in matching ink. The other CS is 'Concord Crush'. The bird image was stamped in 'Pretty in Pink' and then 'Concord Crush' ink was applied with a dauber. I was inspired to try this after seeing this card on Splitcoast (want to try it in the 'Sweet & Sour' colours, isn't it yummy?).

I also pulled out my 'Color (sic) Spritzer Tool' for the first time and spritzed with Concord Crush & Pretty in Pink. I took a close up to show the 'spritzing'.

 I can't believe how different 2 cards can be using the same sketch by the same stamper. That's the joy of stamping.

Another reason for using this sentiment and these colours is due to thoughts of my midi friends who were killed. Purple is the colour of midwifery (we even wear bright purple scrubs, and boy do we stand out!!) and it is a timely reminder to take notice of those moments. Thank you to everyone for their lovely supportive comments at this time too, MWAH!

Love,
Fi xox

A super quick card

Hi Guys,

Friends of mine in Tamworth ordered some of my Body Butter for Troy's Mum to take back to the US. I wanted to throw in a card with the parcel but only thought of it at about 2am (night duty body clock). I had not long received the hostess gift 'Because I Care' and was itching to ink it up. I had been seeing some lovely one layer cards and storing up the ideas to use for work cards. This seemed like a good idea for 2 am LOL.

I has seen this card on Splitcoast and didn't even look at it again before i stamped. Next time I will add in the score lines as I really like it (and now own a scor-pal which does great score lines!!!).

Here's my card:

It is a shocking pic as I quickly snapped it so I could post it. 2am pics taken by desk light are not great quality, LOL. I used the gorgeous new colours 'Marina Mist' and 'Pear Pizzazz'. The sentiment stamp is also new & I just love it. It is 'Curly Cute'. The edge is done with the 'Eyelet Border' punch. This card was so quick to put together yet quite pretty I think.

Thanks for all your lovely comments re the loss of my work colleagues, and my sore back. It really helps.

Better run, my friend's hubby is coming to quote fixing up my front yard.

Cheers, Fi xox

Yet more birthdays..

Hi there,

The birthday run has slowed considerably. My cousin's hubby has a birthday on Thursday, which is also Mum & Dad's wedding anniversary, 43rd I think! Mum & Dad head to NZ for a holiday this week so they should have a great anniversary. Bon Voyage.

Michael loves camping and boating. He is also a fab cook, both using a camp oven and a pizza oven. I saw this card on Splitcoast & really liked it. Here is my CASE of the card. I used retired DSP and a retired colour, Brilliant Blue, as I like it with grey.

The 4WD is from the retired set 'Just Beachy' bit the sentiment is current, 'Perfect Punches', a freebie from Convention.

Have a great day,
Fi xox

2nd sketch challenge for Jake

Hi again,

I made one card for my nephew Jake, who is turning 15 (shock, horror!) at the end of this month, from me, see my previous post. I have also made one from Mum and Dad. I did the same thing back in July for my other nephew, Jake's 16y.o. brother Luke. The cards I've made for Jake are rather similar to them but as Luke's parcel never arrived in Russia (*!?*@!) it doesn't really matter.

For this card I have used, for the first time, a sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping. It is a good basic layout. I wouldn't mind having a go again, could imagine inking up my new 'Just Believe' or 'Elements of Style' with this sketch.

Anyway, the sketch:

And my card:

I actually made this one first and carried the same colours through to the card from me. I find there are a lot more papers with designs suitable for guys in this year's catty. Who would've thought a DSP set such as 'Greenhouse Gala' would have had a boyish pattern. It pays to look through all the papers.

The large stars and sentiment are from PTI's Star Prints set, the 'grandson' is from SU's 'Wonderful Favourite' and the small star from a retired SU set. I find it hard to get away from stars for teens, and he is a super star to us. Love ya Jake!!!

Must go and get to bed as I have an osteopath appt in the morning.

Have a great day,
Cheers,
Fi x

My nephew's birthday.

Hi Guys,

Things have been a bit subdued here. Two of my work colleagues were killed this week in a freak accident. Rebecca worked with us, mainly on the wards but occasionally in Delivery Suite, and Jan did her midi training with us and was working in the Early Childhood Clinics. They met for lunch and were waiting to cross the road when a van veered out of control, hitting them both. Rebecca had worked in ICU and her partner also works in the hospital, so it has affected everyone greatly. It is a reminder to value and care for one another. I also mildly injured my back on Thursday night and have been sitting on the lounge with hot & cold packs for two days. It is one of the few times I can truly say I would've rather been at work. The way everyone is pulling together and supporting each other is truly a blessing.

Enough sadness, I have made 2 cards this week but the layouts come from two different sketch challenges so will put them in separate posts. Firstly I have used the latest sketch challenge of Keesh's (#43). I had already planned on using my 'Extreme Guitar' and 'Extreme Elements' in a challenge this week as I needed to make a card for Jake, my soon to be 15y.o. nephew. I saw Kirsty use the same set but decided to go ahead anyway.

First, the sketch:

And now my card:

I've based the colour scheme on the 'Greenhouse Gala' DSP as Jake's fav colour is (or at least it was) orange. I've used Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizazz (love this green, must get more CS in this colour) and Baja Breeze CS. I've distressed the edges in keeping with a rock/boy look. Maybe i should add some black around the edges to grunge it a bit and add some definition?

The pic quality is poor as I took it tonight under my desk lamp. It has to get to Russia by the end of the month so need to post it tomorrow. Thank goodness that I can drive again. My sore back has mainly been in my left hip and the pain radiated down my left leg, thus making it difficult to use my clutch. I see the osteopath tomorrow so she should get me sorted.
ETA: am changing things around to try and get link on Keesh's site to work with no success :-(

Will go & write my 2nd post
Love Fi x
RIP Rebecca & Jan, you'll be sorely missed

Inkspirations challenge

Keesh has an interesting colour combo this week, and it uses one of my old favs, Kiwi Kiss. I really wanted to play along with the sketch hosted by Kirsty last week, using 'Awash with Flowers, but ran out of time so decided to use it this week.

The colours:

The sketch:

And finally, my card:

I used the, now retired but still lovely, 'Urban Garden' DSP for the background. I liked the subtlety of the Kiwi Kiss in the background paper. The circles are cut with my Circle Scissors plus, so easy, especially if you use 'Dotto' adhesive. The ribbon is retired 'Riding Hood Red' taffeta. Luckily lots of my retired ribbons are still in current colours so they can still get lots of use.

It is a grey, wet day for the start of daylight savings. I noticed last night at about 1am (which was 2am DST) that my freezer door hadn't closed properly, aagghh. Thawed out food and a freezer so iced up that I couldn't pull out the baskets (it is a little upright). I am so glad that I was lazy & ate two lots of lamb shank casserole this week otherwise it would've been wasted (and it was so yummy). Thankfully not too much wastage and I now have a lovely defrosted freezer. Wish it hadn't been 1 (or 2) am when I discovered it though.

Have a great day,
Fi xox

Recipe:
Stamps - Awash with Flowers, Great Friend
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla CS, Urban Garden DSP (ret)
Accessories: Riding Hood Red ribbon (ret), Scallop Edge Border punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Dimensionals.

A quick post

Hi Guys,

I just wanted to share a gift bag that I decorated to go with this (the second card down in the post) card that I made for my friend Eileen. I got the idea from the lovely Sarah-Jane Kale and the gorgeous "Convention Survival Kit" that she made me when we were roomies in May.

Apologies for the pic, I took it in a rush and at night. I stamped the coffee pot from 'Morning Cup' on Whisper White CS and coloured it with my inks & blender pens. I punched it out and backed it with a Soft Suede circle. I ran a strip of baja Breeze CS through the crimper and topped it with a strip of Soft Suede CS & some retired Baja ribbon. I randomly stamped the mug image over the bag in Baja. Very easy but Eileen was impressed. Mind you, she is a lovely lady and very easily pleased. (She also agreed to swap her hols with me so that I can go to Melbourne for Convention next year so I think I'd better buy her a nice gift and make a fancy card to go with it. Gotta love Eileen!!!!!).

Cheers,
Fi xox