Saturday 30 July 2011

Botanicals.....

Moxie Fab World is having a challenge called "Fanatical about Botanical"  And what, exactly, is botanical style? The botanical style (think botany) is characterized by realistic drawings or watercolors of flora and fauna.  I recently saw Barb using a beautiful Hero Arts Rose stamp
(here) and when I was at Stamp Zone on Friday, I saw the set and bought it.  I was also inspired by Lin with her beautiful cards (here) and (here)
Here's what I came up with
Botanical

I started by stamping the rose onto white cardstock with Dusty Concord distress ink and then added colour with Mill Lavender.  I should have done the colouring first.... but it looks okay.  For the centre panel, I stamped the rose, coloured it and then masked it and overstamped with the Envelope Pattern in the Milled Lavender.  I stamped the rose again and coloured (used both the purple distress inks and iridescent Medium) cut out the flowers and leaves and pop dotted them onto the main image.  The panel was layered onto mirror card and then the Martha Stewart edging added.  The sentiment is a Hero Arts one too.

I have entered this into the Moxie Fab world challenge and also Simon Says Stamp and Show - anything goes.

Have just had a great night, had two couples round for dinner and to watch the rugby.  All Blacks versus South Africa.  We won!!!!  And dinner was great.  Nice and easy.  I did a big green salad, scalloped potatoes and Peter cooked steaks.  Started with an entree of avocado with chopped tomato and mayonnaise, and ended with custard and fruit tartlettes, made with my own fair hands.... (bought pastry sheets - but I did have to blind bake them)

Enjoy your weekend all

Cheers

Dawn

Friday 29 July 2011

Inspired by.... Jill Foster

I'm sure most of my readers will know Jill Foster and her lovely Inspired by..blog.  Well this week her video tutorial over at Penny Black ( PB & J video) inspired me.  I CASE'd her card

Inspired by.... Jill Foster.

I used her colour scheme and the idea of a large flower.  Where as Jill used Penny Black stamps, I used Hero Arts stamps.  I took two different flowers ( Large flower cling and small striped flower cling)  I stamped them with versamark and clear embossed.  A more subtle white.  Then used the resist technique to colour with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain distress inks like Jill did.  I also used the same background colours.  I didn't make my blue as dark as Jill and I used the blue ink to stamp the Antique Background stamp.  I cut out the flowers and layered together.  I used some Liquid Pearls on the centre of the flower and once it was dry, rubbed the walnut stain over it.  I added some string and a bow but decided to put the large sentiment along the bottom.  Thanks so much Jill for awesome inspiration this week.

Now I have a quick little card to share.  This was made for my great-nephew who turns 3 on Monday.  He LOVES Thomas the Tank Engine.... so found an image to use.
Thomas The Tank Engine...

I layered the engine and then used the red background on an angle to give it a bit of texture as does the envie pattern background.   Hope he likes it.

Hope your weekend is good and you get a chance to make a card, or do some crafting.

Take care


Dawn

Thursday 28 July 2011

No white or cream....

That's the challenge over at Simply Scrapping Crafts blog this week.  Easy I thought... and off I went.... till I realised I'd used white EP on my flower :-(  Oh well that can wait for another card.... Not that easy!
Renovated Card....


I did manage in the end... the paper is from a vintage children's book and it turned a bit brown when I embossed it with clear EP. ( Not sure I didn't scorch it a bit!) anyway - not cream anymore.  I coloured the poppies with Aged Mahogany distress ink.  There's a little trick to the poppies... The stamp is more square so I stamped it twice... and only used the bottom bit of the second one.  The strip of blue covers the gap between the two pieces.   I added the smaller strip of kraft, some silver cord and one of my clay roses.   However today I bought some awesome crimson ribbon. so might have to do some renovating on this card!.
Edited: Have done the renovation and changed the picture!

I have also entered this into the Moxie Fab World's Botanical challenge (here)

Do pop over to SSC and see what the other DT members came up with.  Very pretty cards from Clare, Dani and our guest designer, Amy.   And have a go yourself and join us..

Cheers
Dawn

Wednesday 27 July 2011

July CCC



I'm still feeling a bit pooped from my big day out yesterday.  I left home at 6.30am and got to the office at 6.50am.  Left the office at 7.00am and drove North for two hours to Whangarei.  I went with a colleague.  Our first interview was at 10.30 so we had a bit of time to spare, so manage to look at a couple of stores.  After that interview, Michelle took over the driving as she knew the roads better than me.  Our next stop was Kerikeri, a further 1 and a bit hours drive.  We had lunch there, before doing the interview and then she drove us back home... Finally getting back to the office at 6.30pm and home at 6.50pm..  One very long day for about 2 hours work!  I work for Inland Revenue as a Community Compliance Officer, which is in the relationship area.  I go out and talk to people to get an idea of what it is really like out there in the business world.   Our current focus is on Cafes and Restaurants.  A very interesting job but I hope we don't get many more jobs so far north.

Anyway, today's post is to show you the fabulous card I received in this months CCC ( over at Lily Pad Cards Blog)  My card came from the wonderful Jeane who lives just over the ditch from me... in Sydney Australia.
Isn't this just beautiful.  Thanks heaps Jeane.  I really love this.

I sent this card to Hannah who lives in Florida.  We traded emails and sent each other photos of the view from our backyards.. She lives in an amazing area near a lake.  I sent some photos of the trees around my backyard.
 This from my deck looking down to the bottom lawn and across to the top lawn.

I really am feeling tired so I'm off for a bit of an early night.

Take care all...
Dawn

Monday 25 July 2011

Christmas Elf..

I've been loving the Bugaboo Christmas in July and last Friday's freebie ( here but only till next Friday) is an adorable little elf sitting on a Candy cane...I made a card for Friday's Anything Goes.

IMG_3568
I printed it out at 50% and coloured with watercolour pencils.  I then cut it out and added to the oval with dimensionals.  The background papers are from a Christmas Mat Stack from DCWV.  Finished with a Spellbinders Fancy Tag and some silver Peelcraft sentiment.

There are some really cute images over at Bugaboo.  I've just bought some more tonight. 

I've got some design work to finish tonight... tomorrow I have a LONG work day planned.  I have to head up North to do some interviews.... Whangarei is 2 hours drive away and then Kerikeri about another 2 hours north of that... so a 4 hour trip home.  I'm sure that  I'll be too tired to do much tomorrow night.

Take care

Dawn

Sunday 24 July 2011

Wine Tag Cards

We had a double 50th to go to last night... Lester turns 50 in a couple of weeks and his wife Trudy was 50 a couple of weeks past... so they decided to have the party in the middle.  It was a 70's party and every one got into the theme.... Hubby wore an old colourful vest of mine ( made many years ago and now relegated to the dress up box) with an afro hair wig and a peace sign.  I just wore one of my retro tunics with tights.  A bit like a mini skirt!  Some people really got into and hired costumes.... lots of mini skirts and white boots... big hair and bell bottoms... a really fun night.

We had decided to give them a bottle of wine each as they had said no presents.... so I made wine tag cards for them.

Trudy's card


For Trudy, I used a Penny Black stamp and sentiment.  Coloured with Copics and added glossy accents for bubbles.  I inked the edges with Spun Sugar distress ink.

Lester's card


For Lester, this fisherman is from a set by Sullivans.  Lester has a boat and goes out fishing a bit over the summer.  This really took my fancy.  Edged the panel and card with Pumice Stone Distress ink.

And this was the bottle of wine we got for Lester:
Funny label

It made us laugh.   Why?  'Cause my hubby is Peter ~ oft called Pete.  We also used to live in Central Otago when we first met.  I like the little note from Pete as well...a man and his shed!

Hope the weekend has been good to you all.... my heart goes out to the people of Norway... what a terrible thing to have happened.

Take care

Dawn

Friday 22 July 2011

Christmas Ruby..

Another Christmas card for Bugaboo's Christmas in July challenge over at Catch the Bug.  Tuesday's challenge was to use the image provided by Jodie...  Christmas Ruby ( here)  She is really cool... Here's what I came up with....
Ruby Christmas

I printed out Ruby and coloured her with Copics and used a Spellbinders die to cut her out and matt with some green card.  I couldn't find a sentiment so went searching the net... and came across Tiffany Doodles and found just what I wanted!   The PP is from a DCWV mat stack.  I had the kraft card sitting on my desk so it all fell together.  I added lots of glossy accents for texture.

Tonight I've made a couple of wine tag cards for a double 50th we are going to tomorrow night.  One for Lester and one for Trudy.  I'll take a photo of them on the wine bottles tomorrow.

Well I'm on my own tonight as hubby is out on a boys night out... so I'm going to visit my blog list and have an early night... it's pouring outside but nice and toasty here with the heater on...

Have a great weekend all....
Cheers


Dawn

Thursday 21 July 2011

Christmas in July

Over at Bugaboo Stamps challenge site ~ Catch The Bug~ there is a week long set of mini challenges.  All about Christmas in July.   Monday was to use non-traditional colours, Tuesday to use the free image ~ Christmas Ruby~ available here and Wednesday was to use a sketch

I have downloaded Ruby but still have to make a card with here.... but last night, used another Bugaboo image to use the sketch.
Christmas in July
I used watercolour pencils to colour in my image and hunted through my stash to find Christmas papers.  I finished with a red flower and crocheted the green one while I was waiting for the glossy accents to dry.  

These images that Jodie has created are so cute.  Go see what she has in store.  And every Friday she has a Freebie... that are adorable and funny and down right hilarious at times.

Nearly the weekend ~ Yeah~  

Take care

Dawn

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Summer Card Camp week 4

I just love these colours.... so pretty and summery.
My card today is very very CAS... I used the sketch from SSC this week.... (post will be there later today)
Summer Card Camp week 4  and SSC challenge sketch

I used our sponsor "The Craft's Meow" stamp set ~ It's a Shore Thing.  I stamped the fish in different colours of Versafine and Distress inks.  I then did some faux stitching around the edge.... but I didn't realise I'd smudged it until I saw the photo.  The ribbon was from my daughter... she used it on her wedding cars.   The little tag is cut with a Cuttlebug die.
I'm entering this into "Wee Memories" challenge for CAS cards. 

I hope to get some more time this week to try and make another card.  I really want to use these colours again.

Update on Sue... I went and saw her on Tuesday afternoon.... she is cheerful despite being stuck in hospital.  She has moon boots on both ankles.  Hoping to be home soon.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Cheers

Dawn

Monday 18 July 2011

Engagement Congratulations

My friend's daughter has just got engaged so I made her a card.
Engagement card


I started with a digital image I had printed out ages ago.  It is a Hero Arts digi that I printed onto a piece of Kraft card.  It looked very antique-y so I used some watered down distress ink to lightly colour  the image. The sentiment is from a free set I got with an Australian Scrapbook magazine.  I then used some scraps of green that I found on my desk.   I used the envelope pattern background on a kraft card for some texture.  I used Versafine Vintage Sepia ink.   I added some ribbon and gems.

Now a bit of upsetting news.... some of you may read my friend's Sue's blog... Scrumplescrunch ~ well poor Sue had a fall on Sunday and has broken some of the small bones in both of her ankles.  Her daughter emailed me tonight to let me know that she is in hospital and is currently bedridden with moon boots on each foot.  She is okay other than that... but won't be on-line or creating for sometime to come.  I'm hoping to visit her tomorrow if she is still in the hospital. 

Had a fun chat tonight on-line with one of my Flickr friends, Isha.  What fun to think I'm sitting here in NZ chatting with someone sitting in Switzerland.... half way round the world away from me.  Isn't the internet just the most amazing thing!

Time for me to sign off as I'm off to watch one of my favourite programs "Castle"  plus the laptop is almost out of battery power and needs to go back onto mains power.

Cheers

Dawn

Sunday 17 July 2011

I love Teddy...

I really love Teddy Bears.... in my past crafting life, I was a teddy bear maker.  I made tiny little jointed teddies of 3 inches through to big 15 inch teddies... now I just stick to stamped teddies... my favourite being Tatty Teddy... I have a number of digital images, but recently found some stamps by Docrafts available here in New Zealand from Paperzone in Hamilton. I ordered a teddy stamp and a sentiment which arrived yesterday.

Of course I had to ink it up right away. 
Tatty Teddy Birthday
I used Copics to colour in the image and matted it onto the red card.  I decided to offset the panel for a bit of a focal point.  I finished it off with crocheted flower and one of my handmade polymer clay flowers.   I really like how it turned out.  And I hope my friend at work does too... it's her birthday tomorrow so this will be perfect for her.

Had a fun afternoon today... went 10 pin bowling with our family group.  Only two other ladies and 2 kids and us... but we had a fun time.  I struggled a bit getting the angle right ~ a few gutter balls.  Hubby won both games we played.  He's got a good style.  A fun way to spend an afternoon.

Hope you all have a great weekend

Take care

Dawn

Saturday 16 July 2011

Fun flowers

I have always enjoyed using Penny Black's Gossamer Flower stamp and last week I used it on a panel of yellow distressed  card I'd made awhile ago.  I had been playing round with distress inks and Perfect pearls gold spray.
Gossamer Flowers

Once I'd stamped the flowers I coloured them with distress inks.  I was then at a loss as how to make it into a card so went to Penny Circle Flickr group (here) and saw this lovely card by Lana.  I CASE'd her card... using the design, changing the colours around and using the page of an old book which I distressed.

I have entered this into two Penny Black challenges.... Penny Black blog ~ Distressing and Penny Black at Allsorts ~ Flowers


I also gave this card together with some yellow daisies to my son's boss and his wife for putting on dinner last night to celebrate his completing his apprenticeship.  We had a lovely night.  Here is my boy celebrating
Kieran

Now a fully qualified builder.  And here's the card I made for him....
Kieran "Bob" the Builder


Hope you are all having a great weekend.  I got all the house work done this morning and got to spend a few hours in the craft room.

Cheers

Dawn

Thursday 14 July 2011

Banner card

I've not really got into banners... so when this weeks challenge came up over at Simply Scraping Crafts I really did have to challenge myself to come up with a card.... Luckily our lovely sponsor.........The Craft's Meow had given us some lovely stamps to work with.... one of mine was a Beach set.... I thought this lent itself well to the idea of a banner
SSC Challenge ~  Banners

I use the sand stamp, the beach ball and bucket from the set as well as the sentiment.  I cut the banners from card and used Hero Arts stamps ~ Antique Brocade and Envelope Pattern~ to give them dimension.   Lots of distressing, some glossy accents and a fun summertime card. So this card can just sneak in for Hero Arts monthly challenge as well.

Do go visit the Challenge over at the SSC blog... and see the lovely samples by the rest of the DT... very creative.  And don't forget you can enter for the whole of July.... embossing last week, using banners this week and look out for next week's sketch...  would love to see your creations

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Summer Card Camp week 3 ~ Take Two

Or should this be take one... as this card uses the first panel of Poppies that I embossed.  I used a Stampendous Mushroom EP.  Once done, I didn't like it and put it to one side and worked on the other piece.  Late last night I went back to the first panel.  I had been trying to put it onto a standard card base.... but looking at it decided I need to go square... so here it is
Summer Stamp Camp ~ wk3 Take Two

I used all the colours as matting or the card base.  All the browns came from a pad of various brown card from Rosie's Studio.  In the end I'm really pleased how it turned out.  In fact I prefer it to my first one.

I've been working tonight on a card to say congratulations to our son ~ he has finished his apprenticeship and is now a fully qualified builder.  On Friday his boss is putting on a dinner for him... we are going, his workmates, some friends, his first boss... should be a fun night.  Tomorrow he is taking his Dad and I out to dinner as well to say thanks to us for supporting him... I am really proud of him.... At school he always struggled as he has Irlen Syndrome.  He is really doing well now.

Hope you all are having a great week... I am very busy at work and looking forward to a quiet weekend.

Cheers

Dawn

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Summer Card Camp week3

I found the colours this week a bit easier to use.... seeing the red made me think of Poppies so I pulled out my Poppy Background and had a bit of a play.  Things didn't quite turn out how I pictured them in my mind so I ended up with three poppy backgrounds on my desk.... So far one has made it to a completed card.
Summer Stamp Camp Week 3

I started by clear embossing the background onto some light taupe card and using Barn Door red distress, used the resist technique to colour the poppies.  I matted this onto a light brown card.  The panel was then pop dotted onto the dark chocolate card base.  I embossed the sentiment in white EP then used Swiss Dot folder to dry emboss the bottom half of the card.  I added the white and brown grosgrain ribbon and a butterfly punched out of the brown card and distressed with the red ink. 

So now I have some other poppy panels to play with.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks also for all the lovely comments that you leave. I really appreciate them

Take care

Dawn

Monday 11 July 2011

Pretty Papers

My inspiration was on holiday over the weekend.... and so Saturday at Stamp Group I resorted to using some gorgeous Patterned Paper as my starting point.  I got a pretty pack as a freebie with a magazine.  It was called "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" and has the prettiest floral papers.

My first card started with a soft Poppy paper and a red Martha Stewart butterfly
Butterfly Friends

The sentiment was from a Stampendous set. 

My second one used some pretty purple flowers.

Friendship

I added some green card and an olive velvet ribbon.   The sentiment is from another Stampendous set that I won recently.  I'm not sure if I want to add a small cream crochet flower on the ribbon....

Both the cards were quick and easy.  I love using beautiful papers and seem to collect them...sometimes forgetting what I have in my stash..... so then buy some more!

Well off to get a card made for week 3 of stamp camp.... can't believe how quickly it is going.  Over half done now.  Thanks to Jennifer and Kristina and the rest of the wonderful guests for so much inspiration..... There are so amazingly talented people out there.

Cheers


Dawn

Sunday 10 July 2011

Tatty Teddy and July's CCC

I've been struggling a bit this week with ideas ~ sometimes they just seem to flow.... other times it's hard work.  Yesterday was Stamp Group....8 hours of stamping ( give or take time for lunch and chatting!!!) and I really didn't have much creativity.... I did manage a few cards but wasn't that happy with a couple.... I had a DT one to do.... why is it always harder when you HAVE to make a card in a PARTICULAR theme or genre.... with certain stamps~  oh well... it's finished but I'm not that happy with it.... got a few days till the deadline so might have another go ...

But I digress... this post is about the July CCC..  Most of my readers will know about this... but if not... pop over to Lily Pad Cards blog and have a read.  It's a fun exchange of a card.  Each month there is a theme, colour inspiration or sketch.  This month I looked at the sketch.
Decided to flip it vertically and this is what I came up with...........
For CCC July
The Tatty Teddy stamp came as a Freebie with Docraft's Creativity Magazine At the time I purchased the magazine, I saw the matching inks for the Teddy but didn't buy them.  So I used Memento Black and Copics to colour him.   The background is a Cling stamp by Stampendous ~ called "Dreams" one of the ones I won.   I stamped in in Stormy Sky Distress ink and then sponged it with the same ink.  Sponged round the edge of the scalloped oval as well.

I also got another Docraft Tatty Teddy stamp while I was at the Paperzone stand at SENZ and used it to make a baby card for Rachel and Angus...
A Star is Born
I added colour to the star with a gel pen so it is really sparkly for real.  I used the computer to generate the sentiment and cut it out with a Spellbinders Grommet Tag.  The ribbon is thread through the tag and tie in a bow at the side. Tatty Ted is stamped twice.... once on the circle and once on a scrap piece and coloured and cut out and layered with pop dots.  The inside sentiment " A star is born to light up your lives"   And here is what is being sent over for Willem so he knows he's half Kiwi....
I picked them up at a Craft Co-op a couple of months ago.  Couldn't resist....

Well it's been a cold winter's day today after a stormy few days and last night around 3.30am was woken by a HUGE clap of thunder and a few flashes of lightening.  Heard more thunder before but nothing eventuated.  

Hope you are all enjoying your weekends whatever they may hold.

Take care
Dawn