Just Christmas and Birthday Cards Sketch Challenge #35

WOW - I won last week's challenge over at Just Christmas and Birthday Cards with this Holiday Line Up card!!!! I'm over the moon about it too - not only have I made a head start on my Christmas cards and had a lot of fun - I've also won a really cute stamp!!! My hubby is rapt too - new rubber I haven't had to pay for - LOL.

Now onto this week's fabulous sketch by Simone. I've cheated a bit by using a border of pin holes around the perimeter of the card to give the illusion of another layer - I just couldn't find anything I liked as much to go with the busyness of the image layered onto 2 different DPs from the Holiday Treasures set. The Ruby Red gives a lovely warm glow behind the snow globe image and I think it off sets the snowflakes beautifully. I just wish you could see the sparkle of the Dazzling Diamonds and rhinestones.

The image is from the retired SU set Snow Globe - a set I was reminded to use after I saw another snow globe card created by Leonie over at A Stamper's World this week - check it out here. It's such a fun set because it has various scenes to use.

It actually feels a little like a traditional Christmas at the moment - snow has started falling in the snow fields and the coats and scarves have come out to play. Having been born in the England I have fond memories of cold Christmases and the smell of baking at my Nana's house - no wonder we celebrate "Christmas in July" here in Australia!

xXx

High Hopes Challenge #34

Recently I bought myself a few High Hopes stamps. I can thank Amy Wegener for this - she always does the most amazing things and it's her fault I popped over the the High Hopes website to have a look and maybe make a purchase - LOL!!! The gang over at High Hopes are just wonderful to deal with too!

This week's challenge over at the High Hopes Blog is a fabulous sketch and gave me the opportunity to ink one of my fabulous new stamps called "First Ride" - isn't it cute?!?!

I've coloured the dragons in a mix of SU watercolour crayons and SU markers blended with my Aquapainter - I love to try out different ways to colour! I usually use just the crayons but found I could add a more intense colour where I wanted to with the markers - and then just blend them in!

The fabulous flowers, leaves and charms come from the wonderful prize pack I won from Bizzy Becs - am loving the charms!! All the CS and DPs are from Stampin' Up of course.

xXx

A Friend's 40th Birthday

Last weekend marked the 40th Birthday party for one of my friends. Cheryl is not only a friend but a fellow stamper so 4 of us got together and put together a SU parcel for her - I can't wait to see what she does with it!!

Recently the ultra talented Norma recently made this 50th birthday card which I just LOVED! I love everything Norma does though so this wasn't surprising - LOL. Do yourself a favour and check her blog out here - especially if you love Magnolia stamps! I decided to CASE Norma's card for Cheryl - and I even picked the same Tilda without realising it until I revisited the card to refresh myself about the layout!!! This card is 6"x6" as we have a few signatures to collect on it!

I used a computer font to print the 40 outline onto Real Red cardstock - I must have been a funny sight holding Tilda up to the computer screen repeatedly to check on size and designs - LOL. I then thumped Real Red ink over the CS before cutting the numbers out and sponging black around the edges. The flowers, leaves and swirls have been cut using sizzix dies from the US Stampin' Up catalogue. The DP is from my stash and is a Kaisercraft paper I bought when doing my daughter's red and black 16th album!

Big thanx to Norma for her wonderful inspiration and Happy 40th Birthday to Cheryl!!

xXx

Magnolia Down Under Challenge #15 - All About a Boy

I knew exactly what I was going to do for this challenge - and got it done ahead of time for a change!! This week's challenge at Magnolia Down Under is "All About a Boy" and I bought this wonderful car stamp from Alota Stamps with Edwin in mind! How perfect is it for the men in your life!!! I had expert advice from my 10yo car fanatic son on where to use my silver glitter gel pen for the chrome - you should see how it sparkles IRL - a finish any man would be proud off - LOL. My son's only criticism was that I should have clipped Edwin's wings NOT glittered them up with Dazzling Diamonds - ah well - he'll have to put up with his mum's love of bling! The "Eddy '09" number plate was my daughter's contribution - but the possibilties are endless!

The background is the gorgeous new SU Gratuitous Grafitti stamp inked up in River Rock - so perfect for boys! The "tyre tread" in the middle of the sentiment is from SU Circle Circus. The car windows and lights have had Crystal Effects added - it really is amazing how much this card shines! The star brads are from the SU Hodgepodge set and the Real Red strip has had Real Red ink thumped onto it directly from the ink pad - I LOVE the texture this easy technique adds!

Don't forget to pop over to MDUC and check out what the rest of the DT did - and we look forward to seeing your entries too!!

Keesh's Inkspiration Colour Challenge #8 - A Fun and Funky Christmas!!

Well who on Earth would have used these colours for a Christmas Card?? ME - that's who - LOL. Keesh sure has chosen a fun and funky combo. When I wrote down the challenge colours and headed off to my desk I had NO IDEA where to start - I pulled several stamps sets out and then saw my Holiday Line Up set sitting there from making my last card - and I thought "why not!!"

I'm not really sure if I've pulled this off but I certainly have had a lot of fun with these guys - and I think I know just the person to send this to at Christmas!! I love having friends who are that little bit whacky like me!!!

Yay - now I get to head over and check out what the rest of Keesh's DT put together for the challenge - I try NOT to check them out before I do mine as I find it too distracting.

xXx

Just Christmas and Birthday Cards Sketch Challenge #34

One of the great things about having a blog is that people come and visit - and may even leave a comment! These comments can create amazing trans-global friendships as well as be a way of finding fabulous new blogs and challenges. This is how I came across the fantastic Christmas and Birthday Cards Blog. Now given that we're nearly half way through the year - I KNOW, AAAGH!!! - I figured I had best start getting some Christmas cards done! I just LOVED this sketch from Tanja so thought I'd stop procrastinating and go DO! And here is the result...

Needless to say I've had to turn the sketch sideways to accomodate the Holiday Line-Up snowmen - boy are these guys a fave of mine!! You can colour them up in no time - and the colour combos are endless!!! I've used a variety of SU blues and SU Creamy Caramel markers here. AND they adore a bit of bling - after all snow sparkles in the sunshine!!

My base card is Ballet Blue and the DP is from Urban Oasis - who knew such trendy paper could do Christmas - LOL. My Cuttlebug has been in use too - the wonderful snowflake folder, so perfect for Christmas, and the off centred scallop ring was cut using my scallop circle nesties. I've slathered 2 Way Glue over the scallop and drenched it in more Dazzling Diamonds. Very festive!

xXx

A Step Card - Finally!!

Why have I put the word "finally" into my post title??? Several weeks ago I commented on the wonderful step cards Debbie M over at Hubby's Headache had made - I told her she had inspired me to give them a go!! Well it's taken a bit of time, and an occasional reminder - LOL - but I have FINALLY done one!!! Let me tell you Debbie makes them looks super easy - check out her marvellous creations here.

I confess I struggled with this - I have had this bit of Very Vanilla CS cut and folded for some time! I ended up using the fabulous new release wheel stamp Neighborhood with the Loads of Love and it's accessory set. I've coloured using my SU markers and Blender Pen - not a favourite method of mine so I need the practise - LOL. The DP is from the fabulous Urban Oasis set.

I'm glad I have finally finished this challenge I set myself - but will there be more Step Cards from me??? Your guess is as good as mine - LOL.

xXx

Catch Up Time!!!

Boy do I seem to be sooo far behind at the moment!! I'm not quite sure why! I am battling a cold but that's all...ah well, time to play CATCH UP!

Firstly I have to thank two lovely ladies for honouring me with Blog Awards recently - This one I received form the lovely Carolann over at Black Cat's Miaow. Not only do I consider visiting her blog an honour but she has also become a personal friend with whom time spent stamping usually means time spent laughing! It's meant to be passed on to people who have made a difference to you by their visits to your blog.






This second award was from the lovely Emily over at Emily's Expressions. The rules for this award are...
*comment on this blog
*cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog
*nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude
*link to your nominees within your blog post
*comment on their blogs to let them know they received the award
*link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation

I am more than happy to pass these awards on to these fabulous Aussie bloggers, in no particular order, because their visits to my blog are like having a friend pop in for a cuppa!

Kellie Winnell , Kristy Young , Cheryl Joshua , Leigh Stoodley, Philippa Petty , Leonie Hegarty, Ramona Michaluk , Kristie Morrison , Debbie Minter , Jean McKenzie, Bec (Bizzy Becs) , Sue (Tillymint), Marcia P, Karen Thomas , Robyn (Rainbows by Robyn), Mandy Schiller , Liam Pucher

I figured I had 2 awards to pass on so I could pick some extras - LOL - and restricted myself to Aussie blogs to keep the list in check...

I have also been tagged by Marcia P over at The Stamp Spot - will have to do that one later - but I WILL do it - LOL

Recipe Swap Open!!

One other thing I'm up to - I have joined a 6x6 recipe card swap - would you like to play along too? Your pages can be very simple as long as you follow a few simple guidelines....Here is the information you'll need to join in - read the rules and you have until June 10th to sign up. Kristine Breach has done a fabulous example card here , I am working on mine now - LOL, and there are more examples here too. Anyone want to sign up with me???? Can you imagine the fabulous book you'll have by the end, what a great gift for yourself or someone special?????? I think there are still some spots available!

Another Teenage Birthday!

Here is another teenage birthday card using the Miss Anya Collection from The Greeting Farm. This one is for my friend Deb's daughter, her last year as a teenager!!! Once again I've been playing with my copics and other markers. I also wanted to add some colour behind the sentiment but because we don't have the large oval scallop punch yet here in Oz, I've layered 2 wide oval punched pieces behind the sentiment piece - it added just the right finishing touch! The colours here are Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White.

Happy 19th Birthday Jacinta!!!

xXx

A Friend's Birthday

This card was inspired by the wonderful card Shelli Gardner demonstrated to us at Convention earlier this month. I only recently got the 24-7 set thanx to a very dear friend slipping it into an order I placed with her in the US - my poor hubby came home on Saturday morning with a suitcase full of Stampin' Up - what a guy!!!! I've been itching to ink it up as I just love this set and it was on my wish list. I just LOVED Shelli's design and had to put my spin on it - you can see the original in this post! The wheel stamp I've used is Friendly Words.

This card is for my Convention roomie - Ramona - for her birthday - and also to let her know how great it has been to become her friend! A perfect set to give and receive in friendship!

Happy Birthday Ramona!!!