Makeesha's Inspiration Challenge #10

Yay - I managed to find time today to play along with Keesh's challenge! I've gone more with the colours - Basic Black, Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White and So Saffron., although I have tried to imitate the linen's stripes with some DP and ribbons too.

The Turquoise layer has been embossed in my Floral Fantasy CB folder and the DP is from SU - my favourite from Urban Oasis at the top and a new one being released in the Spring Mini on August 1st called Walk in the Park. The sentiment is from Warm Words. And of course the image is from Magnolia Stamps - coloured with my Touch and Copic markers.

I also wanted to let you know I'm heading off on Friday for a demonstrator Stamp Camp - I get home Sunday - I can't WAIT!!!! I have a couple of things still to post, but may be quiet for a while as I'm not taking my computer with me!!! I look forward to sharing some of the Stamp Camp fun with you next week!

xXx

Super Bird Race Car - A New Sunshine Stamp

Well here is the winner of the vote for the latest and last freebie offering from Sunshine Stamps. Meet Super Bird the Race Car!! My son was rapt when this one won as he is a real car buff - he watches Top Gear almost religiously and the facts he can recite about cars truly amazes me! I just hope he applies himself in this way to his schoolwork as he progresses through to High School. At least cars are a little more modern than his last passion - dinosaurs! I gave him the choice of colour for Super Bird - and he chose green - so maybe it's a modern mechanical version of a dino - LOL.

I also have a little project to finish off using Super Bird - I'll be posting it in a couple of days - have to finish it off but the result will be perfect for my son's birthday party!!

xXx

New Challenge Blog - Bizzy Becs Creatalicious Challenges

Ths lovely Bec from Bizzy Becs has started a new challenge blog with the help of the ultra talented Cheryl Joshua and to celebrate they are offering a wonderful Celebration Blog Candy!

The Challenges will start on 15th August 2009 with a new Challenge put up once a month thereafter. And to top it off they are looking for some DT members for a 6 month term. Check out the new blog and DT call here.

I can only go on my personal experience of these 2 lovely ladies - but I can't recommend either of them highly enough - they are dedicated and talented crafters and wonderful people too.One of the things that keeps me blogging is the wonderful people I've met - and these are 2 of the best, although they do have a lot of company - LOL!

Good luck with the venture - I look forward to playing along

xXx

A Birthday Card for a Friend

Last weekend I went with a group of my friends to the national Gallery to have High Tea. I took some pictures with my son's camera - but I seem to be having problems downloading them! We had a wonderful day out - and it was my lovely friend Ali's birthday too! This is the card I made her - using my Top Note die and the gorgeous set Thoughts and Payers. I have popped some mini lime rhinestones in the centre of the flowers to add just the right amount of birthday sparkle - the dot on the "i" was given a similar treatment.

I hope to come back later and pop the photos of the day on too - will be seeking help to download the camera from the household computer experts - my kids - LOL!!!

xXx

Blog Awards - A Catch Up! and Showing Off Some Work by Others!!!

Circle of Friends - From Chris Bower at Sunshine's Stamps







From Cheryl Joshua at My Cardmaking Heaven and Linda at Linda's Crafty Creations






Last month I had to apologise for not passing on some wonderful blog awards I had been honoured with as my list had gone missing in the holiday clean up. My wonderful blog buddy Michelle suggested I save them into a blog post for when I could pass them on! Thanx to that wonderful advice I can pass these ones on - I was awarded the second one twice while I was sick and didn't get to pass them on straight away!

Thanx to the wonderful ladies who honoured me with these - they are all fabulous crafters and have wonderful blogs - I hope you can check them out! Now to pass these on, there's always waaaaay to many I'd like to include and always want to add others....but I do get extras 'cause there's 2 - LOL

In no particular order....
Lisa, Kellie, Kristy, Michelle, Marcia, Sue, Sammi, Tracey, Dena, Norma, Carolann, Mandy, Emily

I'm hoping they'll stop by and collect them - I always forget to let them know - LOL

Now onto showing off some work by one of the ladies who came to my Fifth Avenue Floral Class last week (see above) - designed by Andrea Walford - I did have to change the measurements to fit our Aussie A4 though.

My lovely friend Gail - who I met through being a SU demo - was sooo inspired by the class that she went home and made another set!! She's done such a fabulous job I thought I'd show you! As a demonstrator it feels wonderful to know your classes are inspiring others...

Gail hasn't been able to punch the handle in her box - she's going to borrow the punch to do that - but I think she's come up with a fabulous set! Do you recognise the stamp set??? Yup it's Always by Stampin' Up!

Malcolm the Milk Truck

I seem to be in a very red mood at the moment - my last few cards have a LOT of red in them, I'll try to move on - LOL. I'd like to introduce you to Malcolm the Milk Truck - another fabulous free digital stamp from Sunshine's Stamps. My layout is fairly simple - I had him all coloured up ready to go before I got sick, and just needed to get him finished off! I had all sorts of fun trying to come up with a sentiment - my daughter hated "Go ahead...milk my day!" , my sister suggested "Mum - the Milkman's here!" but I have a need for more boy birthday cards so I ended up with this. There can certainly be some silly ideas and a lot of laughs when you open it up for discussion - LOL.

I'll be back soon with the next Sunshine Stamps instalment...

xXx

Lisa's Challenge for a Sunday Afternoon #1

Another dear blogging friend of mine has started a challenge - Lisa over at The Craft's Meow has come up with an interesting challenge this week, with little twist. You have to "incorporate something laying around your work station or that you've been saving aside for a looooong time to use someday." I popped into my "disaster zone" and ended up leaving there clutching a little packet of Asian coin charms. I had planned to put them on a quilt, or a table runner, or.....can't remember if I even had a pattern in mind now - LOL!!!

These charms were a PERFECT embellishment for my brand new Anya Geisha - she arrived in the post today from The Stamp Spot Shop - what fabulous timing! The card was MEANT to be - LOL. I've used Circle Circus in a very Asian inspired way - Patti Lee does the most amazing things with this set and Asian themes and I thank her for inspiring me to use this set this way. The gold EP I've used has a very fine glitter in it which gives a fabulous sparkly finish. The sentiment is from SU's Artfully Asian (retired).

It was sooo great to be able to spend time stamping again after the week I've had - although I did have a lot of fun with some lovely ladies at my class on Thursday too...Unfortunately because I was out of touch for most of the week I have left this fairly late for Lisa's deadline this week (July 25th, 11.59pm Pacific Standard Time, or about 5pm Sunday for us Aussies!), but you can always check here to see what she's got in store for us from next Sunday Afternoon if you don't have time for this one!!!

xXx

Kellie's 1st Challenge - A Sketch

My amazingly talented friend Kellie Winnell has decided to celebrate her recent achievements by posting a sketch challenge - with a secret surprise prize!!!! Well how could I not play along and support her wonderful blog and talents! You have until Friday, 25th if July at midnight Australian EST - so why not drop everything and give it a go!

I actually made my card up last Sunday - but didn't get a chance to post it until now thanx to some dodgy prawns!!!

The image was stamped off for me by my friend Deb A - she bought the stamp recently and thought I would like a couple of images to play with - I did!! Not sure which stamp company he belongs to but he is rather cute!

The large circle has been cut from a sheet of Whisper White that I stamped with the SU Gratuitous Graffiti background stamp. I also cut a smaller circle out of an offcut to stick behind a SU Clear Button, after I tied a piece of embroidery floss through the holes. A smaller circle of DP was popped into a Build-a-Brad, this little guy just didn't seem to need flowers in the layout! The sentiment is from my favourite hostess set - Best Yet.

I hope you get a chance to check out the challenge - or give it a go yourself!!!

xXx

My AMAZING news!!!

Boy have I had an interesting few days!!! I am sooooooo excited to announce that the wonderful Marcia has selected ME to be a part of her inaugural DT for The Stamp Spot!! Wooohooooo - I am sooo honoured, and have some fabulous girls to share the limelight with too. Marcia has opened a wonderful new online papercrafting store and is stocking some fabulous products. The exciting news for today is that her order of The Greeting Farm stamps has arrived - I think Marcia may be the first Aussie store to have these guys and they are already in demand - my order was placed as soon as they hit the store! Check out the news here. The DT's work will start appearing in August on The Stamp Spot Blog. I hope you can pop in and see what we get up too...

But that's not ALL...... ( OH NO - now I sound like a telemarketing ad on TV - LOL )

I have also been approached by Chris and Rob over at Sunshine Stamps to join their DT too - WOW, how cool is THAT!!! You may have noticed I've had a LOT of fun playing with their freebie digital images so the only answer I could give was YES!! Their images are sooo much fun to colour, and they give me a chance to come up with silly sentiments to match - LOL. The freebie images have been a way to get everyone excited about their store, which is opening early August. There is a poll going over at Sunshine's Stamps to choose the final freebie release - check it out here - you have until Thursday, 23rd July - 9pm central time to vote (not sure what that is to us here in Australia - Friday morning???)
Like I said - I've had an incredible few days - a real rollercoaster ride of highs and lows! But now I'm on the mend and looking forward to my new adventures!
xXx

Missing in Action

I just wanted to let everyone know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth - we went out with my hubby's family for dinner on Saturday night to celebrate a couple of birthdays - mine and my FIL's - and 5 out of the 7 of us ended up with food poisoning!!! We are on the mend but sitting at the computer has not been a priority - and how sad because I have some REALLY exciting news to share!!! I hope to be feeling even better tomorrow and will be back to share the news...

I also want to thank everyone who found out about my birthday and sent me best wishes and cards - I tried to fly under the radar but word got out - LOL

Take care and watch out for those Garlic Prawns!!!

xXx