Keesh Sketch 39 take two, and this makes 3 posts in one day!!!

Here is my 2nd play at Keesh's latest sketch challenge.

 I wanted to make a card that fit the sketch more closely. I decided to make the 'suede effect' flower on page 2 of the new catty. I went looking for my new 'Fancy Flower' punch but couldn't find it. Turns out that I didn't order it LOL. I must add it to my next order. I had to resort to a non-SU punch that I had. I 'sueded' some baja Breeze CS and punched out 3 flowers and put them together with one of the beautiful new Antique Brads (yummy), then cut some Pear Pizazz leaves using my Sizzlet die & Big Shot. The DSP is from the new set, "Greenhouse Gala' which I also love. I didn't have any thin Baja Breeze ribbon so popped some CS through my crimper. Finally the sentiment is from one of the new Level 3 hostess sets, "Occasional Quotes". One advantage of being a demo is that we can purchase some of the hostess sets that we are unlikely to otherwise be able to get.

I must admit, I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I have a friend with a b'day this Sunday (I know, there has been no end to birthdays for about 3 months!!!).

I really enjoyed playing with this sketch, and hope to have the time to keep doing them.

Thanks for popping by,

Cheers,

Fi xox

A baby shower & some sympathy.

Two post in one day, heck!!!

My Mum is going to a baby shower this Saturday (hi Mum) and asked me to make a card. It was a great excuse to get the new 'Baby Bundle' set. I saw this card when searching on Splitcoast & thought I'd CASE it. I didn't need the box so stuck with the card. I'm not 100% happy with it & the pic doesn't do it justice. Maybe it is just too busy with the pram filled with goodies. What do you think?

I changed the colours to Pink Pirouette & Baja Breeze as I love them together. The ribbon is retired baja satin and I used the modern Label punch (again, LOL). The sentiment is from the ever reliable 'Short & Sweet' set. I hope Mum likes it.

On the other extreme, my friend Sarah lost her 98yo grandmother this week. I wanted to make a simple Sympathy card using 'Thoughts & Prayers'. I returned to Splitcoast & came upon this card. I loved the unusual use of the stamp. I'm not very good with too much white though, so added a 'Pear Pizazz' background (I love this new In-Color) and changed it to a rectangle card. It is a bit hard to see, but I also stamped the top of the tree in white on the bottom corner. It is also hard to see, but I added tiny pearls from the new SU 'Basic Pearls'. The main image is popped up on dimensionals to give some, well, some dimension! It was hard for me to stop & not add anything more, I'm not good at CAS.

I hope you're having a great week. Thanks for visiting,
Love Fi xox

Finally, time for some challenges.

Hi There,
I have really missed playing my fav challenges like Keesh's and Sweet Sunday. I finally took the time to have a play.

Keesh's latest sketch challenge, #39, (can you believe it?) is very cute and I have had 2 plays (I know, shock, horror). Firstly, here is the sketch:

My first play is a Birthday card for my friend's son who is turning 7. I have been hanging to get my hands on the new fab 'Celebrations' DSP as it is perfect for boys. I've been wanting to combine it with "Lots of Bots" and figure that would be fine for a big 7 y.o. boy. So, the image isn't a flower but figure challenges are all about poetic licence. I love the paper with the numbers, so used it & the cut out an extra '7' and popped it up on dimensionals and added Crystal Effects. I coloured the bot with my inks and a blender pen as it is a bit more subtle than straight markers.

 ETA: I realised that I need to put the next card in a separate post so that I can link both with thumbnails.

Cheers,

Fi xox

Father's Day Cards

Hi,

My Dad loves to spend most of his time in the shed and loves new tools, he asked for new Drill Bits for Father's Day. Last time I was in his shed he had a huge pile of screws & nuts & bolts everywhere. Thus, when I saw this card I just had to make it for Mum to give him as a Father's Day card.
Here is my version. I covered it in the nuts & bolts stamp from 'Lots of Bots' in homage to his shed LOL.

And the inside, which uses the tool images, without the text, from 'Totally Tool'.

Next, I made Dad a card featuring a Punch Art VW Beetle that I CASEd from here. Dad had a Beetle in his youth and has an affection for them. I used the Wide Oval, Large & small Ovals, Horizontal Slot, Word Window and Scallop Circle (cut down for the tires) punches. The headlights are made from a Build-a-Brad with no image glued to the backing. Dad seemed quite chuffed with both cards.

I'll be back soon with yet more birthday cards. What's with the July-September birthday madness??? I need to go hang out my washing (yes, excitement plus), clean my house (more excitement), make some body butter (at last some fun) & make a Christening gift & card (yeah, more fun).

Have a great day,
Love Fi xox

Get well for Mum

Hi All,
Hope you're all excited about the new catty. I thought I could post this card now that the new catty is out.

I made it for Mum as she had to have an operation recently. Thankfully she is making a wonderful recovery (hi Mum, xox). I used a set that the gorgeous Lavonne brought me on her recent visit from the US (she's headed back home *sob*, miss you Lavonne!). I was very glad to see it turn up in our new catty. It is called 'Morning Cup'. I love any images to do with teapots, cups etc, so this set is sure to be a favourite. Of course I CASEd it, from this card made by Ilina Crouse. I have had no time to think, and am not terribly good at coming up with ideas with at the best of times. I once again used colours from the 'Cottage Garden" DSP, Orchid Opulence (now retired), Old Olive & Rich Razzleberry. We don't have the punch here that Ilina used so I added a piece of CS cut using the Curly Label punch. I used versamark for the background images. I thought the sentiment 'Perk Up' was appropriate for a get well card. Mum seemed to like it, and that was the main thing, she took it into the hospital to set on her night stand.
That's it for today. I'll pop back soon with some pics of yet more birthday cards & two that i've made for Dad's day. The occasions just keep coming. i've no time to enter a challenge in months :-(  
I really wanted to enter Andrea's blog candy challenge but had a last minute Union meeting to attend (see roster comment 2 posts ago) and a new mobile phone to figure out. Time just got away, I can't believe it is nearly 10pm.


Enough raving, sleep well,
Fi xox

New Catty and a blog change!

Well, it is finally that wonderful time of the year. After waiting an extra 5 months, it is the launch of the new catalogue!!!! I have included a link to the left if you want to view it on-line. It is full of lots of lovely new goodies and the new 'Colour Renovation' colours. I can't wait to get my hands on them. I love the new 'Birthday Bash' suite for kids.

You might have noticed that my blog has changed a bit. I didn't really mean for it to change. I was fiddling around on Blogger but then couldn't get it to go back. Oops, *blush*. Will now have to do a new header. I might wait til I get some new goodies to play with. It is about time for a change anyway.

Have a great day & please check out the new catty. Throw me an email, see link to right, if you'd like me to send you a yummy new Idea Book & Catalogue ('catty' to those of us addicted to all things Stampin' Up!).

Cheers,
Fi xox

Sarah loves shoes.

Hi there,

Don't fall over in shock that there is a 2nd post within the week! I have another 30th party on, though I sadly can't go as I didn't get the shift off as I had requested :-( We won't mention rosters, as we are getting a new rostering system that gives us no requests, no choice, essentially no life. "Not happy, Jan!"

Anyway, back to the card. Sarah is well known for her love of shoes and has a shoe theme for her party. I searched high & low for a shoe stamp to no avail, so thought of looking for a digi-stamp image. Boy did I hit the jackpot (IMHO LOL). I found this amazing sketch image. I didn't mean to copy it so completely, thought about doing in in blues, but my Purely Pomegranate (retired, sob) & Rich Razzleberry were calling to me. The original is coloured in Copics, which I don't own, so I printed it onto watercolour paper and used inks and an aquapainter. I added glitter using a 2-way glue pen. I must admit, I am very chuffed with the result. The wonderful Keesh did a fabulous easel card tutorial on her blog this week (just scroll down within this post) , so that leant the final touch. Thanks Keesh!

Here is a side view to show how the easel stands up:

Don't you just love that scrummy Purely Pomegranate ribbon? Sadly there is only a little left on my roll. I can't wait til the new catty comes out, there are, finally, lovely stick on pearls & rhinestones, definitely on my wish list (oh, my wish list is sooo long!!!). The 'Happy Birthday' is a sneak peak from the new catty. It is from a stamp set that we got as a surprise freebie at convention.

I better get going,

Have a great day,

Love Fi xox

ETA this was meant to be a scheduled post for Tues, oh well. I hit the wrong button, DUH!