Taylored Expressions Stamps & Sweet Sunday Sketch!

Howdy folks! 

I wasn't sure I was going to get this post up for you today!  I sat and made the actual card yesterday, but the weather was far from great for photography when I woke this morning!
Eventually, I plonked my little photography set up outside (it's far from a 'set up' actually but we'll go with it for now!lol) and I did get a photo that was blog worthy!

Ok, so this week I got my Taylored Expressions Stamp set called Sprinkled With Love!  I'd been eyeing it off for AGES, thanks to seeing the beautiful works of art that Sarah Jane Kale had made with it!  It's all her fault really that my Visa copped a battering...........that's my story anyway and I'm stickin' to it! ha ha!

Here's the card I made yesterday using the ever so yummy looking donut stamp from the set!

Doesn't that donut just make you dribble?

The colour scheme I've used is Sage Shadow, Close To Cocoa, Barely Banana and Vanilla!  Because I wanted the donut to be the show stopper, I 'iced' it with pixie pink cardstock which I then topped with Crystal Effects to get that shiney icing look!  A light sprinkling of chunky glitter then finished it off.

I hope you enjoy this card.   While I'm typing the post up, I just realised it also qualifies for the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge this week............SWEET! (no pun intended!lol)

Have a great weekend everyone. 

Oops!!!

I thought I was being rather clever this morning by inserting a nicer, more clear shot of my golf card from yesterday!  Not sure what I did, but the whole post ended up disappearing along with the few comments I had, and I'm positive I did not press the delete button!  Who know's what I did! lol

So anyway, here's a nicer shot of the fun card I made yesterday!

The colour scheme for this one is Baja Breeze, Choc Chip,  Mellow Moss, Kraft, Whisper White and Vanilla!  There's not one bit of stamping on this card either, and funnily enough I really only noticed that this morning when I was looking at it! lol

I got some beautiful Taylored Expressions stamps from the states yesterday.  I hope to get those inked up today at some point today and give them a whirl!  Just love them!

Have a good one!

Clean And Simple Challenge #100

I had a beautiful day today just sitting and making cards!  It was a great feeling to know all my housework was done and I didn't have to feel like I should be doing something else - the day was all mine!

I thought I'd tackle the challenge over at Clean And Simple - its a beauty this week - take a look!

And this is what I came up with!

Yep - another Christmas card!  Heck, it's still July so I can get away with it for a few more days yet! lol

It's just a very simple card as you can see with the colour scheme being Elegant Eggplant, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Kraft!  Such beautiful colours and a little different from the normal traditional colours too!

You can't see it very well on the ornament (which is clear embossed), but there's a clear rhinestone sitting there just to add a touch of Christmas bling!  It kinda looks like a pearl in this pic though - why do cards always look so much nicer IRL! lol

Well, I hope you've all had a lovely day today.  I'm off to puddle around and do a few more challenges!   Don't forget - if you have any questions, you're more than welcome to email me!

Inkspirations Challenge #33

Good morning everyone!

Today I'm sharing with you a card I made over the weekend for Keesh's Inkspirations Challenge!   As soon as I saw her sketch with the big oval in the middle, I thought straight away of a tv character I grew up with as a kid (as would alot of you) so I set about making my whole card around him!

Here's the sketch!

And now let me introduce you to BERT!!

I thought this would make such a fun card for a little kid - what do you think?

The Bashful Blue panels have had the edges sponged with B/Blue ink, and then I wheeled over each of the panels with my Nursery Letters wheel in Versamark Ink cause as we alllllll know, Sesame Street is all about letters and numbers! lol

I knew Bert wore a striped top of some sort, so I had to scrounge through all my papers to find a stripey pattern and the Washington Apple DSP came to the rescue!

Then I wanted a sentiment that was larger than what I normally use (being that it's a kids card!) and I remembered my daughter had a stamp set that came in a now retired Simply Sent cardmaking Kit called A Wish For You.  It was definitely what i was after, and I think it finished off the card beautifully!

Thanks for a fantastic challenge Keesh - I loved playing along!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #78

After my post yesterday, I headed off to tackle the Sweet Sunday sketch!  I love sketches, but boy oh boy, this one gave me a bit of grief! lol (Thanks Karen!!)

I knew what stamp set I wanted to use, so I just sat staring at the sketch..........thinking where I would put what on my card!

This is the sketch Karen gave us this week!

So, after half an hour just staring at this darn sketch, I decided to flip it, (yep no can do with the landscape thing! lol) so I was now looking at the sketch like this.................

This is where things got easier and here's what I came up with!

Obviously I couldn't put flowers on the corner of my card cause that would have just looked ridiculous (lol!) so I just went for a simple circle with a Happy Birthday sentiment!  A great fun card in the end I think!

The colour scheme is Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Tangarine Tango and White!  I have never used those colours together before, but they compliment each other so nicely!

Hope you like it!

Just Add Ink Challenge #27

Well hello and good morning to everyone!!!

I just love Fridays don't you??  Not only does that mean it's the end of another working week BUT it also means that the Just Add Ink girls have another challenge up for us and I have really enjoyed playing along for the last few weeks!   Thank you so much to everyone who stops by and leaves me a comment - I get such a buzz out of reading them!:)

Ok, so today the girls have a fabo sketch challenge for us and I just LOVE IT!!  Even though it is kind of in landscape orientation, I did work with it (GO ME!!) and was really happy with what I produced.  It was a pretty quick card to make too- probably 20 minutes tops!  I know your probably thinking that's so not quick - but that's seriously quick for me! lol

Okey Dokey, so here's the sketch!

And here's what I came up with!

Here's a close up of the pointsettia too - that was probably the element that took the longest to do on this card!

I've now made Christmas card number 2, and while this one isn't one that would be ideal to post - it's still one I've completed, so that's all that matters, right??

Have a great day everyone, I'm off to try and do the Sweet Sunday sketch now and boy does that one have me stumped!

Curtain Call Colour Challenge!

Hey there!

I've been fiddling around here since about 7am trying to get a half decent photo of the card I want to show you today!  I think these colours would have to be the hardest to photograph and have definitely tested my patience! lol

Yesterday I sat and did the Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act #39!  They are such pretty colours this week, so be sure to try and play along.  Luckily I had some scraps of Wild Wasabi DSP that I could use as well as the ink pad cause I actually thought I'd sold it all when that colour retired last year!  Phew!!

Here's the colour challenge!

And here's my card!

It's really a very simple card, but one that I really took a fancy to when I'd finished it!  I just love that little butterfly embosslit too.  The butterflies are so delicate and were a perfect accent for my card! 

Hope you like it! 

Two Challenges............One Card!

Hi Folks!

Hope you're having a great weekend.  We're just chilling out here, not doing much at all which is so nice for a change!

Today I'm sharing with you the card I made for Keesh's Inkspiration Colour Challenge #32 which I also tied in with the sketch challenge for this week over at Clean and Simple!!  The colours were absolutely beautiful this week and I couldn't resist playing along, the sketch however, did have me stumped for a little while, but  I got it sorted in the end!

Here's this weeks colours from Keesh!

Here's the sketch!

And here's what I whipped up!

I swear I do own more stamps - ALOT more actually, but this Sweet Scoops set is so darn cute, that I find myself reaching for it all the time!  Plus, I don't have to colour anything in on this set which is ALWAYS a bonus for me! lol

The card itself is pretty self explanitory, however I will tell you how I did the glittery edge trimming just incase some of you want to try it!  It's super easy, all you do is run some sticky strip down the edge of your card stock, peel off the extra layer of paper protecting the tape, and then sprinkle it with some very fine glitter!   I told you it was easy didn't I? lol

It really jazzes up a card in no time at all!  I covered the little cherry with some liquid glue, and then dipped it into the same glitter and then put some crystal effects over the top of it to make it glossy!  That just tied everything in together !

Also, I had a few emails and comments on my last card asking how I made the flower.  I do apologise for not including that info intially - just me being slack really! lol 

The flower was made using this die that I purchased online here in Australia.  It's absolutely beautiful and I highly recommend you add it to your collection!  

Anyhow, all I did was use half of each of the flowers and then I made the base of the flower from circle punches.  Even the crinkled part on the base of the flower is a circle (1") and all I've done is kinda pleated it!  The stem and leaf I just cut free hand!

I hope that helped those who asked.  Never be afraid to flick me an email if you want to know how I've done something........I'll always tell you how I did it!

Just Add Ink Challenge #26

Mornin' All!

I thought I'd show you the card I made last night for the Just Add Ink Challenge #26!  This week the challenge was to emboss.  Now, apparently you could do heat embossing or dry embossing, but since I really couldn't choose between the two, I encorporated both into my cheery little card!

Here's what I came up with!

The flourish from Baroque Motifs has been heat embossed with clear embossing powder, and the bottom panel, I used the brand spankin' new square lattice embossing folder I had sent over from the states - LOVE IT!

I think the colour scheme of Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette and White go really nicely together - what do you think? 

Hope you all enjoy this card, and thanks again to the girls at JAI for another fantastic challenge!

More Challenge Fun!

Hi Folks!

I have a super cute card to share today which I hope you'll like!  I made it for the Taylored Expression Challenge #120! 

Again it was a challenge that was in landscape orientation, but I flipped it so that it would suit my card!  Actually let's be honest.............I flipped it cause I just can't do the whole landscape thing! lol

Here's the sketch!

And here's my card!

How sweet is that reindeer?  I've seen heaps of different versions around, but I had to make do with punches and sizzlet dies that I had here!  I was really happy with how it turned out, and even more excited at the fact that my very first Christmas card for 2010 is done!  At least I can say I've started now, even if I don't get the rest finished until December! lol

Hope you're having a great day.  We're celebrating here because we found out today that our daughter has been accepted into the private high school we want her to attend next year!  I can't believe she'll be off to high school in 2011 - how time flies!

Until next time..............

Clean And Simple Challenge #98

I've been dying to sit and play with this weeks sketch over at Clean & Simple Stamping.  It's a lovely clean and crisp sketch........all things I like!

Here it is incase you'd like to play along too! 

And here's what I created.

For my card, I switched the layout around so it ended up being in a portrait position.   Not sure why, but I always struggle with cards sketches that are in a Landscape orientation - do any of you have that problem or am I the only one? lol 

So, what I do when I can, is turn the sketches around so that I'm able to work within my comfort zone just a little bit!  Sometimes it's not possible depending on the sketch, but most times it is!

I love the simplicity of this card, with the little flowers being the focal point!  I won't tell you how long this one took me though........I think you'd be horrified! lol  I procrastinate far to much is all I'll say!

Have a great day everyone!  We're totally chilling out here after a very late night at Maddy's concert - which by the way was absolutely AWESOME!

Inkspiration Challenge #31

Ok, so your not seeing things!  This is me back...............for the second time to post my entry into Keesh's Inkspirations Challenge - the first post I will delete in a sec!!

The photo on the first post was driving me nuts, so I tried to remove it and put the clearer photo in and the whole blog post went nuts!   Frustrating!!!

So here's the sketch Keesh had for us this week!

And here's my cute little house card which took me FOREVER to make!lol (Don't ask!)

Hope you like it!  Sorry  for the super quick post this time round (first post was much better! lol)  but we have to rush out the door for Maddisons concert real soon and I've just looked at my watch.......YIKES!!

Just Add Ink Challenge #25

Afternoon all!

I just saw that the girls at Just Add Ink have their new challenge up for the week and it's a great one!!  Check out the gorgeous colours we have to play with this week!

I didn't have a clue what stamp set I was going to use for my card,  so after staring into my cupboard for what seemed like forever, I finally decided to use 'Branch Out' which I believe is now retired in the US!  Such a shame really, cause it's a beautiful little set!:(

Here's my card!

You can't see in the photo, but the little gum boots have been covered in crystal effects to give them that rubbery look - too cute!   The panel with the tree on it, has been popped up with dimensionals too - another thing I couldn't really capture in the photo!  One of these days I swear I am going to take a photography course! lol

So thanks to the girls at Just Add Ink for another fantastic challenge!  Hope you like my take on it!

Cute Little Handbag!

A few posts ago, I showed you a card I'd made using the beautiful flower folds die from the US and the Afternoon Tea Designer Series Papers!  I promised I'd be back to show you the matching little paper handbag I made.  Keesh told me how to make these a while back, and I finally got around to making one - they're so cute and really easy too! 

So here's my little handbag!

And here's a pic of them both together!

I'm yet to fill the little bag with lots of yumminess as this little ensemble is bound for an overseas destination!  I hope the recipient likes them!

Don't forget to check out the stamp sets I'm selling off in my previous post.  I still have some great ones left, all at half price and below!  Grab yourself a bargain!

STAMPS FOR SALE!

Ok, so now that I am no longer a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I've decided to cull my very huge collection of stamps.  Sometimes I think the less you have to create with, the more creative you become - not so many choices to speak! 

These stamps are from my own collection.  Some have only had a couple of the stamps per set used and others are more inkstained from workshops.  They all still stamp beautifully though! 

Postage will be a flat rate of $6.00 per one set of stamps.  If you buy more than one set, postage will be a flat rate of $10.30 for a 3kg satchel. 
Payment to be made by direct deposit into my Commonwealth Bank Account of which I will email you the details!   I will be mailing packages out on Friday.  AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY PLEASE!

As I will be in and out today with drama rehearsals, I will get back to you ASAP.  As a set is sold, I will remove it from my blog so as you know what is still available.  Please DO NOT try to reserve a set by leaving a comment - I would prefer you email as it makes things so much easier!

Ok here we go, first in best dressed remember!

Boho Backgrounds - $15
Happiness Background Stamp (retired) $10
Say It With Scallops - $15
Just Tennis - $5
Fresh Cuts - $19.50
Occassions For All (Level 2 Hostess ) $20
Live Like You Mean It  (level 1 hostess) $15
Heartfelt Thanks - $29.50

Something A Little Different!

I sat the other day cleaning up my desk after a bit of card making fun,  realising I was going to be putting a few more pieces of DSP into my scrap box.  They looked so pretty sitting on my desk, so before I put them all away, I decided to make one last card using a piece I'd cut which was the perfect size for the front of a card!

Now I have to confess to this card being a little different from my normal style and to be honest, I wasn't going to blog it cause it was one of those cards I really wasn't sure about.

So here it is in all it's glory!

Just looking at it again now, this could easily pass as another entry for the Just Add Ink Girls - I've just reversed things a little! lol 

It was definitely one of the hardest cards I've had to photograph cause the colours just didn't seem right!  I finally got something that was pretty true to how it is though........after about 20 shots and 15 position changes! ha ha!

The card is pretty self explanatory I think, but if you do have any questions, you can either email me, or post them in the comments section and I can reply to them there! 

Have a great day...........more drama rehearsals for us!

Another Icecream Card!

I am just so inlove with this gorgeous little icecream stamp set, and have been pulling it out quite a bit lately!

While its not available in Australia (it's from SU in the states) I know alot of people have their fingers crossed it might appear here sometime in the future!  I reckon it would be a popular little stamp set!

For my card, I've used a colour scheme of Close To Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Vanilla and Barely Banana!  Looks good enough to eat I think! lol

Here's my card!

Hope you like it!  I'm off to enjoy my last day of chilling out with my kids.   While they still have a week of school holidays left, my daughter has drama rehearsals every day starting from tomorrow in preparation for their concert on Saturday night!  Oh the joys.......lol!

Cute Little Bird!

Morning all!

The card I have to show you today is one I made a fair while ago and just hadn't got around to editing.  It's really cute I think, and was also heaps of fun to put together!

Now, the tutorial to make a variety of these different little birds is available for puchase from Lynn Pratt.  If you haven't discovered her work before, you are in for a real treat!

My card is pretty simple, and I chose to highlight the little bird by adding some embossed lines as a border.  I created that effect by using my Score-Pal!  Love that gismo!

Ok, so here's my card!

The colour scheme is Ruby Red, More Mustard, Old Olive, Whisper White and Close To Cocoa!  I love these gorgeous earthy kinda colours together!   I stamped the More Mustard card base with the 'Sanded' Background stamp, but then I also stamped the long grassy bits from the 'Inspired By Nature' stampset right along the bottom.

I'm not sure why I actually bothered to do that considering I then went and covered it all! lol!  I then just sponged around the edges, did a bit of tearing, added a punched strip (from SU in the US) and then I was done!

If you ever have any questions at all about anything I make (cause sometimes I will probably leave you scratching your head saying 'what the heck does she mean!') your more than welcome to email me. I promise I don't bite! ha ha! 

Inkspirations Challenge #30

Alrighty then - onto my next challenge card which was done for my globe trotting friend Keesh!  These were such beautiful colours that I just couldn't not give this challenge a whirl too! 

Here's the colour challenge for this week!

To save ones brain a little, I used the same sketch from the previous post and used the required colours!

Here's my creation!

When I first stamped up the flower, I really didn't like it.  I stamped it off once and then did the kissing technique with the polkda dot background stamp.  It looked really patchy to me, but then I thought about flowers and how none of them are perfect and once I assembled the card I thought it looked quite good.  

See that beautiful crocheted flower?  Well, my good friend Patrice actually made me a pile of them in all different colours and sent them too me last week.  I have tried multiple times to crochet these cute little things, but I have given up and decided to stick to what I do best! lol 

 Be sure to check out Patrice's blog too, cause she is now on the Just Add Ink Design Team and she does lovely stuff!  Woohoo - GO TREESIE!

Ok, I might not be back for a few days now, so enjoy my couple of posts for today!