The 50th Card For My Daughter To Give!

Last weekend we had my daughter's boyfriend's family over for a BBQ. Apart from having a lovely time getting to know each other I also managed to get an insight into what sort of card Matt's mum would like for her 50th - I made THIS one for Matt to give her but still had to make one for my daughter to give. Robyn seemed to prefer to simpler ones and loved the Father's Day one I made HERE - so this CASE of Norma's idea was the perfect choice - and it was the one my daughter chose too! I've used this idea twice before to make 40th cards - but guess my friends are ageing with me and the 50th's are starting - LOL.

The DP is Basic Grey while the main flower is layered using Kaisercraft flowers. The 50th was computer generated and then printed onto SU's Elegant Eggplant CS. After cutting them out I clear embossed them twice to give them some glass like shine. Unfortunately I had been using white embossing powder the day before and several flecks found their way onto the top layer - aaaaaaagh. What to do - reprint the numbers and start again - or make a positive out of a negative???? I ended up sprinkling on some extra white EP and heat setting it to see how it looked - and as both Sarah and I thought it looked more interesting this way I kept them! I did learn not to hold the heat gun at an angle as the white flecks slid sideways as the clear EP melted - see the top of the "5". Never mind - these are one off numbers - LOL.

I've been busy working on Sarah's debutante album - it's only taken me 18 months to get started as I'm really not a scrapbooker - but I DID promise her one and now it's taken over my work space!!! I'll share some pages with you soon....

xXx

Paper Tole Time at The Stamp Spot

For The Stamp Spot this month Marcia sent each of her DT a stamp to use for inspiration this month. I received this cute Rachelle Anne Miller stamp - Lily:Magic Fairy. I've decided my challenge with this cutie is to see how many different techniques I can come up with - this week I've paper toled her. I love the this look as it gives the image a more 3D effect - an effect I've added to by using a paper flower in her hair.



I based my colour scheme around some gorgeous Basic Grey DP I bought from The Stamp Spot Online Store. It's from the Indian Summer Paper Pad - and I love the fact that the scale in these paper pads is reduced - it works perfectly for cards! The whole range is gorgeous though - I had trouble deciding which one to use!!! I've used this week's Mojo Monday sketch - I love their sketches but very rarely find time to get a card entered - so this will be a first for me!! The Flowers are layered Kaisercraft flowers (available at TSS Store) - something I've been playing with recently - I love layered flowers! The sentiment is a digital ticket from Bizzy Bec's Digital Store. All CS is from Stampin' Up.

Just don't forget to see what fabulous things the other The Stamp Spot DT girls get up too with their stamps - and check back next Wednesday to see what I've come up with for mine!

xXx

Magnolia Down Under Store is Back for 2010

Kellie is back from Holidays and has re-opened her Magnolia Down Under Store with some amazing bargains on the beautiful Magnolia So Jolly Designer Papers - so rush in NOW to grab a bargain - once they're gone they're gone!!! She has also got new stamps and other DPs in store - FABULOUS! It's all just a mouse click away!

xXx

Mo's Challenge - It's All About Birthdays

YAY - I've finally found some time to play!!! The kids are both out with friends and hubby is jetting his way off to Singapore for a week of business meetings so I have the house to myself!!! I decided to card up this fabulous image from Mo Manning - I just lurve this curvaceous fairy - maybe because I share some of her curves - LOL. The purple theme is because she was one of the images I had coloured up as a choice for the 50th card from the previous post. I have glittered up her wings, and the sparks and star from her wand.

Luckily for me the latest challenge over at Mo Manning's Challenge Blog is "It's all about birthdays" - and I was more than happy to make a birthday card for my stash with this lovely lady! The sketch  came from the Just Christmas and Birthday Cards Challenge Blog - they always have fun sketches! This one is #53 by Georgia. I've turned it on it's side and popped the sentiment in place of the star.

The DPs I've used are from the Basic Grey Wisteria range - they are gorgeous IRL. The lovely roses are from Bizzy Bec's - as is the  McGill leaf punch I used. I've sprayed the roses with gold Glimmer Mist I got from The Stamp Spot.

Hoping the weather in your part of the world is bearable - we seem to be suffering extremes around the globe if the news is anything to go by - sweltering hot here in OZ and amazing snow storms in the Northern Hemisphere. Whatever your weather - stay safe!

xXx

Fabulous Fifty - My First Easel Card!!!

It's definately a decade for me to try new things - first there's the scrapbooking and now I'm trying card styles I've had on my "To Do" list for ages! These easel cards have been tempting me but I just hadn't had the opportunity to try one - until my DD's boyfriend asked me if I could make a card for his mum's 50th birthday. After asking his sister what her favourite colour was because he didn't know (typical male - LOL) - it's purple - I printed off a few Mo Manning images and coloured them in. Matt chose this one and then it was up to me!

I paired some Elegant Eggplant CS with Summer Sun CS - both from SU. The lilac DP is also from SU - it was sent to me by the lovely Donna over at Butternut Sage as a gift after I lamented the lovely Halloween papers the U.S had that we didn't - how sweet is she!!! The other DP is from Kaisercraft - it was a freebie in the back of their catalogue and just suited perfectly. I've found purple based DPs aren't that easy to come by!!!

The flowers and leaves are from Bizzy Becs - with the exception of the white flower - a local find!

I've cut the tag out using tag nestabilities that the lovely Marcia at The Stamp Spot sent me for Christmas - although the yellow tag was traced around the outside of the nestie and hand cut as I preferred a finer border. The numbers are cut using Cuttlebug dies and then slathered with Dazzling Diamonds. There is more sparkle on the yellow edge of the skirt and on the yellow flower at her waist to balance everything up.

I was warned by a fellow blogger that these cards are addictive - and I think Lynda might just be right!! I'm really happy with this card and the fact that it's a little "different" will hopefully make it a bit more special for the birthday girl.

My daughter has told me she would also like me to make a 50th card for Matt's mum - and HER'S has to be better than this one - LOL!!! Hmmm - now there's a challenge - wish me luck!

xXx

A Scrapbooking I Will Go!!!

Well it's a new year and I've decided to try my hand at a bit of scrapbooking!!! I've never been a scrapbooker but then 18 months ago I wasn't a card maker either, and it's a new decade so time to attempt a new challenge!!! I decided to use some of the gorgeous DPs and embellishments I had in my DT pack from The Stamp Spot - and came up with a page for my first DT day back there - this is an 8"x8" layout - start small - LOL - I have a whole Debutante Ball album to begin soon........

I had also bought some wonderful Kaiser rub-ons from The Stamp Spot last year - I've always loved the look of rub-ons but have had "issues" transferring them properly - but these worked fine - maybe because I didn't leave them to last and then worry I was going to stuff everything up if I messed it up  - and then messed up because I was stressed about it - LOL!!!!

I chose a couple of pictures of my son and nephew spending time together at St.Kilda beach on New Year's Eve - my nephew was staying with us from London so wasn't used to hot walks along the beach at this time of year!!! We had planned to go for a swim after a wonderful lunch and before heading home, but the beach was strewn with jelly fish - YUK - check out this picture of my son dodging them. The storm clouds were starting to roll in so it was all happening - the storm hit later almost causing the midnight fireworks to be cancelled!!!

The CS is from Stampin' Up but all the DP's, rub-ons and embellishments are from The Stamp Spot Online Store. I hope you pop over to The Stamp Spot Blog and check out what other fabulous inspiration the DT are coming up with too - the rest has done everyone's mojo the world of good - LOL.

xXx

A Boxing Day Birthday!

I've had the pleasure of having some family from England staying with us for Christmas and the New Year - and to add to the celebrations my niece also celebrated her 19th birthday with us on Boxing Day (Dec.26th). As we were heading off to Phillip Island to see the Fairy Penguins - a local park where the wild penguins come in from the sea every evening to their burrows! - her mum asked if I could make her a birthday card with penguins on! I had these gorgeous penguins from Angel's Landing already so what could be easier!

We had a FABULOUS night but as you aren't allowed to take photos I don't have any to show you! You used to be able to photograph the penguins without flash but unfortunately too many people ignored this rule and there had to be a blanket ban on cameras!!! Why do the few ruin things for sooo many others????

Back to the card... Unknown to me I also managed to use my niece's football team colours - blue and white - am I a good aunt or what - LOL! The penguin on the RHS is popped up for some added dimension. The fabulous leaves are from Bizzy Becs while the flower was a find at my local scrapbook shop. For some birthday sparkle I added some stickles to the background panel which I had already cuttlebugged. More stickles went onto the flower edges.

I also made a card to give my niece from my family - it's a CASE of a this card I made for my daughter's friend's 18th. I LOVE this digital fairy from The Greeting Farm - Mainly because I love the way you can layer the flower for extra dimension. She's also a perfect choice for teenage girls! The last time I coloured her I made her have black hair - but I reckon she looks pretty good as a blonde too! Once again I've sparkled her wings and flower up with dazzling diamonds.

Now I'm about to head off to bed before a packed day tomorrow - NEW YEAR'S EVE - aaaagh - a new DECADE is nearly upon us! I hope you ALL have a FABULOUS night and that the year ahead brings you lots of fun, laughs and STAMPING - LOL.

xXx

Magnolia Down Under Christmas Swap

A few months ago Boss Lady Kellie came up with a fabulous idea for the Magnolia Down Under DT - we were invited to join in a Christmas card swap! The AMAZING creations that landed in my letterbox just blew me away - I knew these lovely lady's were talented but to see their work IRL has been incredible - I am honoured to be in their company! I am going to make myself an inspiration wall with these after I frame them up - a job for the New Year!

 I also received some other gorgeous handmade cards and email Christmas wishes from other wonderful blogging friends - and for that I thank everyone - it has made my Christmas extra special this year!!! I hadn't blogged these earlier as I wanted to make sure the girls had all got theirs - but I thought I'd better blog them now or the Festive Season would be well and truly over - LOL!

A few weeks before Christmas I found these gorgeous wooden snowflakes in a little gift shop! My imagination took over and I knew I would use them for the swaps! I bought 3 different colours and decorated them with a layered snowflake, Christmas Tilda, some rhinestones and a ribbon bow! Now to make the card to go with them.....

I decided to re-size the "box and a card" I made here to create a card and packaging in one, the top opens up to be the card. I'm really happy with how it turned out - though there were a few frustrations along the way getting the drawer to fit just right!

Here you can see Tilda snuggled up in the drawer on some bubble wrap for the journey to her new home!

The handle for the drawer was a build-a-brad and I popped some Magnolia DP behind the bubble. The stamps, DP and gorgeous red lace ribbon all came from Kellie over at Magnolia Down Under Online Store. The CS and taffeta ribbon is from Stampin' Up. I used SU's chunky glitter on the large snowflake and Dazzling Diamonds over some liquid applique on the hat band and pom pom. I use a mix of Touch and Copic markers to colour!

I can't believe another year is almost done! I hope everyone is getting over their overindulgences of Christmas and are readying themselves for a new celebration to see in not only a New Year but a New DECADE!!! Have a safe and happy one.....

xXx

Magnolia Challenge #29 - Stamp with Another Use

How often do you want to enter a challenge but don't have the exact right stamp for the job!!! Well this is the challenge for you! At Magnolia Down Under Challenges this week we are asking you to think outside the box and find a use for one of your Magnolia stamps that is different to the use it was designed for. Here I have used an Easter stamp to make a baby card. Or you could use a Christmas stamp for a birthday card - do you get the idea??? If you're still not sure pop over the see what amazing examples the wonderful MDUC team has come up with to inspire you.

As it's Christmas in only a few more sleeps this challenge will be open until January 17th - when the next challenge will be up. We also have THREE fabulous prizes on offer - check them out HERE.

All CS for my card is SU. The DP is from Magnolia and available at Kellie's Magnolia Down Under Store. The flowers are from Bizzy Becs own range - and they are GORGEOUS. I must say it was FANTASTIC having the chance to play with my stamps after the forced break I've had - it has done my mood the world of good - I'm now ready to face Christmas head on - LOL. Thanx for all your well wishes about my stresses of the past week - I'm putting them behind me until I return to work at the end of January - life is toooo short to waste time on negativity!

xXx

Another Christmas CASE

Before I give you all the information about my card I must apologise for being MIA lately. My posts last week were scheduled as I was away showing our English family the beautiful scenery of the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians. I then came home to a week of stress and upset at work - not knowing if I would have a job next year and then not knowing if I WANTED to take the position on offer! I've had sleepless nights and been up emailing work at 5am. And then there's trying to finish off the Christmas shopping before the kids finish school for the Summer today. With all of this I haven't had the energy to craft or to visit you lovely people out there - so please bear with me - I can smell the ink pads beckoning and feel the need for some down time with my stamps! The joy of seeing the AMAZING work others have been up too is also on my "To Do" list!

Now onto my card. When I was at Stamp Camp a few weeks ago the lovely and talented Kristy Young asked me if I had seen THIS amazing snow globe card made by the always inspiring Kirsty Brown! When she showed it to me I was itching to get home and CASE it - I knew exactly who to give it to - it was PERFECT. The video tutorial for these is HERE. I did add some Glycerine (usually available at Health Food shops) to the water as it makes the liquid more viscous and the particles are suspended longer - sorry - a hint of my Science background there - LOL.

I made 2 "globes" but did have one leak a little - so I did secure the seam with some Pritt Power Gel - I think I got some water on the adhesive on the one that leaked! I have also been wanting to try a double bow with my new Bow Easy - and it turned out not too bad! I think lighter ribbons may work better though - or more practice - LOL.

All supplies are SU except the digital ticket stamp from Bizzy Becs, the embossing folder I used under the ribbon and the holly leaf punch.

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting over the next couple of weeks so in the meantime I'd like to wish each and every one of you an AMAZING Christmas and nothing but good things for 2010! Thanx for all of your support and inspiration in 2009 - you guys make blogging SUCH a rewarding experience!!!

xXx