Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Try Stampin on Tuesday #16

Afternoon Stampers,

Over at Try Stampin on Tuesday this week, their sketch is another great one.
I am short on time this week.
i have been busy running around in circles thanks to the teenagers, and it wont end until Sunday, in fact the rest of the week is only going to get busier.

Here is the sketch over at 


As i said i have been busy, but i did manage to sit down and complete a card for the sketch
albeit a simple card.


But i did give a new technique a go, i have done the spotlight technique. I have added Crystal Effects to the blossoms on the colour part, to make them pop a bit more.
One i have seen many time but have never gotten around to trying.

I do not know what i think of this one, i am hoping to get a bit more time soon to sit down and give it another go, as it is a great workable sketch.

Anyway i must fly, i have another errand i must go and do.




Monday, May 23, 2011

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 174!

Well Hello again,

I wanted to post a card i made the other night, it was a quick 10 mins or less card, it was one of those ones you do as you sit at your craft desk still surrounded by items you used to make the last project.

  I came across a great sketch over at Mary Jo Price-Williams blog, for her Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge, and i decided to use the items still sitting here.
Click here to go and have a look for yourself.
The beauty of this challenge is that it is a blog hop

I have taken a while to post this one, as i still am not sure if i like it.
Here is the sketch

Here is my card

Now go on and have fun with the blog hop









A fantastic quick & easy bow

Morning Stampers,

This is a really quick post,
i wanted to share with you the amazing talents of Teneale Williams, she is an Australian Demonstrator, who is a true artist.
She recently has come back from the Australasian convention, where she presented her amazing way of tying bows.
I have been asked by a few people if i would share the link so they could see how to do it.
So here it is.

Go and have a look at this wonderful and creative lady's work

Friday, May 20, 2011

Try Stampin on Tuesday #15

Afternoon stampers,

Well the weather has turned....cold that is, i knew the warmth couldn't last much longer...so out comes the thermals. I am sitting here in my office with a small oil fin heater between my knees under my desk, trying to stay warm.
Todays creation is one i have done for the sketch over at 
Here is this weeks Sketch

I had a great time doing this one, i had just the person in mind when making it.


I turned this weeks sketch on it's side, the sketch also has a piece of ribbon in it, but i think if i added one it would be too much, so i left it off.

Here is a photo of the inside as well as the little butterfly

I have added Crystal Effects to all of the dots on the the card, i started with the dots below the message, as i wanted the effect of brads, but i couldn't stop there, and the little butterfly also has Crystal Effects on it, with a dash of Dazzling Diamonds before it dried.

I have a yet again busy weekend ahead, tomorrow i have a stamp day, one i am really looking forward to as i have not been to a class in a long time now, so it will be great to catch up with the wonderful ladies i have met through this class.

I hope you all have a great weekend ahead,and try to stay warm.





Thursday, May 19, 2011

Happy 60th Birthday

Morning Stampers,

What i have to share today is a card i did for my dad's upcoming 60th birthday.
My younger sister turned 21 last month and my dad is turning 60 next month so on the 14th of this month  they held a combined party.
I gave my sister her card on her actual birthday, and i gave dad his card when i saw him, as with him living in another town, i don't see him that often at all.

I had a blast at the party catching up with a few family members who i haven't seen since my kids were babies, they are now both in their mid to late teens, so it has been a long time between visits.
Also i learn't a very important thing, don't send the men out to get you your wine...
Well it did taste a whole lot better with a little bit of juice added.....

Here is the card i made for dad

Over at try Stampin on Tuesday, i again made the top three this week. Congrats also go to Helen Williams and Sarah for their top three picks as well.
 I urge everybody to go on over and have a play, CherylAnn's weekly challenges are fantastic.
Here is my badge
The card i did for last weeks challenge was done with a new friend in mind.
i have been part of this round of U Stamp with Dawn and Friends.
And through this site i have been chatting to some amazing people, from Australia, America and of course right here in NZ.
I wanted to send a hello to Helen Williams, a demonstrator from Timaru, NZ, also to thank her for her kind words when you ask those silly questions all newbies ask.
So i made the card with her in mind.
here is the card

Anyway i am sitting here writing this and trying to figure out what i am going to do for this weeks challenge,
Again i have a another special new friend in mind, this one is going to go further abroad though.
But i am not going to say who in case she pops in and sees her name, then it won't be a surprise

Till then take care all of you out there in blogger land







Monday, May 16, 2011

TST #14 & Butterflies, bugs and Blooms

Morning Stampers,

I hope everybody had great weekend.

My weekend was a busy one, between work, a funeral and two big birthday celebrations, it was full on.
But last night i found a bit of quiet time to sit down and think about this weeks challenge over at

This weeks challenge stumped me, it took quite a while for this one to come together, but once i got started it just flowed.
Here is the sketch

Once again i have gone with a favorite colour combination, i have real trouble going past these colours. i just love the way they gel together.

Here is my card

So go on over to Try Stampin on Tuesday and have a go.
They release a new challenge/sketch every Tuesday.
 The host of the site CherylAnn is creating great new challenges every week.

Cheryl Ann is also about to launch a great new and exciting site for all creators out there to get even more inspiration.

She has put together a list of fantastic designers to share projects with us.
Tracey Old
Kristen Conant
Amy Fleming
Laurie Gibson
Tanya Bell
Maria Vanderform
Narelle Hoggard
Paula Reid
Click here to go on over to learn more about this new site



To those of you travelling home from Melbourne in the next day or so, have a safe journey, and everyone who is freshly home, i am really looking forward to the photos and stories.

Sounds like you all had a blast as expected.





Thursday, May 12, 2011

Friend to Friend Swap

Morning Stampers,

For the first time ever i have been involved with the wonderful site of 
UStamp With Dawn and Friends. 
Each time round has a different theme.
The theme this time round is 
classes, clubs and camps

I am loving it, each and every day they put up new creations for you to copy, re-create and share, all with printable PDF's
They have spot prizes in their chat room, which i have been lucky to get two times now.
Oh did i mentioned the fantastic creations from the wonderful design team.

You can also sign up for the swap groups, i have signed up for both of them.
The first one is a group swap, where you send of 6 identical cards and then you get sent six back.
The second swap is a friend to friend swap.
Where you send a 3-D gift and a match card to a chosen swap buddy.
I am extra excited about being involved with the swaps as this is my first international swap.

Here is my Friend to Friend swap
This is my 3-D Gift, it is an altered tin.
Jacque Pedersen did this with us a while back, and i just knew i would do it again one day. I filled it with our one and only Pineapple lumps. Along with this a couple of packets of other wonderful lollies for my swap partner to share with her family.


Here is the matching card, boy oh boy look at my bow, i think i have mastered the bow making horror.
This was a card that featured on Andrea Walford's Blog, this was not the first idea for a card i had, but the first one needed a piece of 12x12 C/S and as i only make cards i didn't have any 12x12 C/S, so i had to do something else.
I wanted to do something different not just a normal card, and i think this one fits the bill nicely.

Here is the insert

Anyway must go, as i have dreaded paper work to finish, 
take care
See you all soon.









Wednesday, May 11, 2011

C/A online class

Afternoon Stampers,

On Monday night i attended my second Crafters Anonymous online class.
In these classes you are given items needed to complete the class ahead of time, then you pop into the chat room on the night, and follow the given  instructions, (along with a few pictures) to complete the gift or card.
No-one  in class knows what the finished project will be until the end

This week it was a fancy fold card. 
It is so much fun to see the other ladies creations after the class, to see how they interpreted the instructions, and once again the finished cards were all fantastic.


Excuse the photo, as it was taken soon after class had ended.
I used items that i already had on my desk from and earlier creation that i had finished.

I had already made one of these great Fancy fold cards previously, but really enjoyed doing it via written step by step instructions, with no clues as to what the end product would be.

Pop back tomorrow to have a look at the swap i made to send to my swap partner over at Ustamp With dawn and friends.

Until then stay dry and keep safe


Monday, May 9, 2011

Special occasions for all

Morning Stampers,

Well what a weekend, it was filled with celebrations.
On Saturday i had the 2nd birthday of my twin nieces, and later that night it was the celebration of the engagement of my younger sister to her partner and of course Sunday was Mothers day.
 I hope all mums got spoiled out there.
The card for my mum was posted in an earlier post, (i know she doesn't look here she doesn't have a computer), click here to go and have a look the the card i made for her

This year for mothers day i didn't have any kids at home until later on in the evening. A down side of having teenagers, they are never home, well the older one anyway, as he has his own car, so we didn't do alot.
 My DD was away at her Scout camp (which is held every year on Mothers day weekend), it was her last chance to attend this camp as she is now in the next age group, so she is no longer a scout but a venture. And boy going on the washing she had a great time, i had to hose off her clothes on the driveway before i washed them, take a look at the mud
Before the hose off

After the hose off, see the shirt was gray.

I had a few cards to make this past week, for the celebrations ahead and of course the amazing challenges i participate in

Here is the one i made for my sisters engagement.

As soon as i saw this one, i really liked it, so i  CASEd it.  The original was by a very talented Chat Wszelaki
Click here to go on over and have a browse through her amazing creations.

We all had a great night at my sisters celebrating her engagement, it was a small affair, with close friends and family.

Pop back tomorrow and i will post the cards i made for my niece's second birthday.

Until then have a great day




Happy 2nd Birthday

Morning Stampers,

opps i was supposed to schedule this not post it, oh well two posts in one day

Well it going to be a great day today, the morning started off with a surprising phone call from my local radio station, stating that i had won the weekly lunch shout....
They are coming to our business to make us a whole bunch of sandwiches using the amazing new bread from the Burgen range, and fresh salad....it will be well welcomed by all,
pity to the two who didn't come in to work.

Anyway today im going to share with you the two cards i made for my twin nieces who turned 2 on Saturday.
i haven't seen them for a while as they live in another town, and wow, they are little people now, not babies anymore, and they are so cute, if they hurt each other, they have been taught to turn around and give the other one a hug and say sorry...it was the cutest thing to see one twin trying to console the other by hugging her and patting her on the back and saying sorry.

Here are the cards i made...i love punch art for the younger ones

Being twins, i kept the bases the same but added a different center piece.
On the inside i added the same piece of DSP along the bottom half and a Whisper White top note as well to write on.



Friday, May 6, 2011

Try Stampin on Tuesday #13

Morning Stampers,

This is a quick post this morning, i have lots to do , and i am in the middle of creating again.

This week over at Try Stampin on Tuesday, they have a another great sketch.


As i have been really busy this week, i have gone for completely simple, in fact i started this sketch with one of my Twin nieces in mind, it is their 2nd birthday this Saturday.
 but i found it is not girly at all so it was back to the drawing board.

Anyway here is my creation

if time allows i might give this sketch another go, as i have a another card or so i have to come up with.
In the mean time i am busy creating a couple of cards for my twin nieces for this weekend which i will showcase later on.

Take care and if you are in the wet zone stay dry, (and Aucklanders ...stay safe).
Have a great weekend ahead



Thursday, May 5, 2011

ATC swaps and yay me

  Morning Stampers,

The other day i received my ATC swaps, these were for the creative inkers team.
I must say these were amazing, this was my first ever ATC swap.

It was really neat to get these in the mail, there were 10 of us in the group, but unfortunately two of them got lost in the post, my heart goes out to those two ladies who's great swaps didn't turn up, but there is still hope yet that they will turn up.
Aprils theme was Easter

Here is my Swap
These swaps are only 2 1/2" x 3 1/2', so the space you get to work with is small

Here are the other great swaps

L - R Top: Bev Poullney, Debi Ryan, Rhonda fawcett
L-R Bottom: Lisa Bullock, Pam Cregeen, Narelle Hoggard

And this one i have to show you separate 

Here is a photo of the inside 
Isn't it cute, i love this, 

I am luckily enough to once again receive the top 3 pick over at Try Stampin on Tuesday
Click here to go and have a look at the card chosen for the top 3 pick.

here is my badge

Please go and have a look at this weeks great sketch and play along, i will be putting up my entry in a few days.
Until then have a great day and take care