Try Stampin on Tuedsay #52

Hello fellow crafters

Well once again it has been a while between posts.

I have so much going on in my personal life right now, some things are good and some things are well i have to wait for an outcome before i decided if it is a good thing or not.

I will revel more when i know, until then i will post as i get the chance to do a bit of crafting.

Todays post is a card that looks very much like the last card i posted. 

This unfinished card has been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now, i had fully intended to do two of the last card i made, but after seeing this weeks challenge over at Try Stamping on Tuesday, i decided to change it a little bit to fit the sketch.

Here is my card, the photo doesn't show up the light hint of glitter i used around the edge of the flowers.

This is my most favourite colour combination to use, it suits every ocassion,

Well i had better run as i have a yet another busy day ahead, i just hope this on coming cold/flu keeps away, well for a few more days at least

A new Challenge.....Friday Mashup

Afternoon stampers,

After doing a bit of blurfing (blog surfing) this morning i came across a great challenge site

Friday Mashup

I came across this challenge while popping over to the amazing

Andrea Lowcock, I love her work.

Anyway the challenge was

This took a bit of doing and re-doing, i don't do too well with too many colours, but i think i got it just right.

The only thing i don't like is the sentiment, but it is only just sitting there, i can change it at anytime, to suit the occasion.

Anyway i'm off to go and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, so i will be back in a few days to show off  case some more of my latest projects

TST #23..... Let it Snow

Afternoon stampers,

Over at Try Stampin on Tuesday this week is another great sketch, this sketch is very different from all challenges so far to date.

Here is their sketch.

As soon as i saw it...it screamed scrapbook page, so that is what i did.

As i'm new to scrapbooking, i was very nervous about doing this page. but i am very happy with the out come. 

Here is my page

The Bashful blue doesn't show up the detail of the snowflake background, stamped with versamark.

The bottom right hand corner needs something, i might add a bit of journaling there, but i just want to work out a way of doing it without ruining it with visible words

Oh no..... im hooked, i have even gone through all of our photos and sorted a whole lot out to be done.

i loved these photos, i am so happy to have a great way to show them off, this was our first ever day in the snow, up to this date, the kids (including me) had never seen snow, we all had a great day.

My time in the spotlight

Afternoon Stampers,

On Monday night i had the fantastic opportunity at hosting a live tutorial in the Crafters Anonymous chat room.

If you read my last post it will explain all about our Monday night online blind class.

I had a bad case of nerves before i started as i have never done anything like it before. But once i got into it i had a blast, it was so much fun, and even better seeing what everybody came up with after the class.

Here is what i taught to the ladies.

A fancy fold star card

Here it is open

This is an easy card to do.

I also have been playing with scrapbooking a bit so i will have another page or two to show in a day or so.

Try Stampin on Tuesday #20

Morning Stampers,

Phew that was close as i nearly missed the deadline to enter this.
then i would have let myself down with my personal challenge, to enter every challenge over at 

Try Stampin on Tuesday

Here is this weeks fantastic sketch

Don't forget to go and have a look at the new sketch due up sometime today.

I didn't think i was going to get around to putting in an entry this week, due to some serious problems with one of my children, and with all of this happening, i haven't been in the creative mood,

But after making a late (as usual) card for my sister Narelle, who's birthday it was yesterday,
ha ha she is getting old now, yes yes i know i'm still older.

 I was inspired to go ahead and create a card to submit.

I used the color coach and came up with these dynamic colours.

it isn't the best of work, as with other things on the mind it is hard to do a clean and tidy job.

I will post the other one i made in a few days once it arrives at it's destination.

I was lucky enough again to make last weeks top 3 pick

Here is my badge

Try and stay dry, 

Have a good day.

Out of the blue challenge FTL145

Hello Stampers,

The other night i got to talking to my sister online over at Crafters anonymous, 

and out of the blue she set a challenge.

 She gave us both 1 hour to do and complete this weeks sketch over at 

Clean & simple

Here is the sketch

at first i didn't want to do it, but i caved in and gave it a go.

Here is my attempt.

this is the result of being put on the spot ...a yuck moment, i don't do well put on the spot

I didn't like this at all.

So i gave it another go, when i wasn't put on the spot

This time i had my nephew in mind as it is his birthday next Monday.

This one turned out really great.

you can see yet again i went for punch art,

the idea came from

here.

It is an UK demonstrator. Lisa from Norfolk.

Today i'm off up to Auckland, in fact by the time this post goes live i will be up there and attending the SENZ craft show. so i will be back to tell you all about it maybe show you a new thing or two.

2 Challenges and a swap

Evening stampers,

I'm am so glad that weekend is over, i had a huge weekend.

Starting with Friday night, we had an International night for our Venture group, now that was an interesting night, topped of with a late night trying to get some things done.

Saturday was combined with work, kids sport and personal commitments.

 i went to my first ever competitive live football game, 

The Waikato chiefs took on Queensland Reds, and sorry to say my home team lost, but a good game anyway A late dinner afterwards.............. yet another late night.

Sunday was an early start, we had our annual Cub/Kea/Scout and Venture fundraiser, we get to do the Fielday's clean up (woohoo, not!), Then after that another Venture event, this time a Road safety and Vehicle maintenance down at our yard.

Boy oh boy see what i mean.

Anyway on to crafting.

The card i have to share today was done for my new friend to friend International swap, i have combined two different challenges, 

They are from

Try Stampin on Tuseday 

A sketch challenge

And

Just Add Ink

JAI 72 - Just Add Some Colouring In

So here is my combined effort

Here is a close up of the flowers

Along with the card for the swap we had to do a 3-D gift, so here is what i did.

( i will also add a few favorite NZ lollies, a postcard or two from my home town), hope my swap sister likes these

it is an altered photo frame

well sorry it has been along post, but this is what happens when you haven't blog in a while

See you again soon

TST # 18...one for the men

Morning Stampers,

How are we all today.

Today i started by doing a little blog surfing as normal, and popped over to my favorite challenge site

Try Stampin on Tuesday

And yet again they are yet to disappoint me with their sketch, for the first time in a long time i had a sketch come to mind as soon as i saw it.

Here is the sketch

This time i went for a card designed for the men in our lives

I turned the sketch on it's side as it fitted my chosen stamp better

I am really happy with this one, i must say it is one of my better ones lately. 

I might even put this away for my Husbands birthday or maybe Fathers day.

I have done a two tone edge sponging, and marker to stamp inking, i used three colors on the stamps.

The DSP is an oldy but a goody, i love this one for male cards, it is Windsor Knot.

With the second half of the year starting i now have a very busy time coming up with birthdays.

The first half of the year is a slow one for me, then once June hits it is all go until December, i should think ahead and start doing xmas cards now, as i always run out of time at the end of the year, with all of the birthdays, oh well maybe next year i will be better organised

Have a great day, Take care :)  

TST #17... Lets play a game.......

Hello Again,

I have gone from no posts to two posts in one day,

this is a very quick post, as i have left it to the very very last minute to put up my card for this weeks challenge over at

Try Stampin on Tuesday

Here is the sketch this week

And here is my attempt at it,

This is where the game comes into play, as i did this card in such a hurry, lets play spot the boo boo's.

i have to say this is one i would rather not blog, but i did challenge myself to do each and every challenge over at this fantastic site.

i had an idea earlier in the week, but it completely has gone, so i had to wing it.

As for the last card i posted, it won me a prize...yay me, it won the colour challenge that i had created it for.

thanks so much to CherylAnn for her brilliant new site, i am having a blast...

if you do not want to miss out on the fun please click here to sign up....

Stampin' Fun & Friends Colour Challenge

Hello Stampers,

Boy oh boy it has been over a week since my last post.

In the past week i have been up to so much, it is a matter of where do i start.

Well first things first i have been battling a head cold, that has been following me where ever i went, and wouldn't give me any peace.

I had a very busy end of month in our business and then at the end of this week i have had friend fly over from Aussie to visit and have been busy showing her my home town,

so that mean shopping, shopping & more shopping along with lots of coffee.

but the creation i want to share with you today is one i have done for the wonderful new site called 

Stampin' Fun & Friends.

Over at this new site they are giving you great and exciting new blog they are giving you new projects and challenges to compete in

Here is the Colour challenge they gave us to do

 Here is my card

All i did on the flowers was using markers i colors the middle with Rose Red directly to the stamp, and filled in the rest of the petal with my So Saffron marker, starting outwards working towards the Rose Red color, which gave me a natural blending of color but i had to clean my marker after each petal to stop color transfer build up and ruining my marker.

I will be back later to post a few more latest creations

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 

Try Stampin on Tuesday

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 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

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 

Try Stampin on Tuesday

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.

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

Try Stampin on Tuesday 

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.

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

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

Try Stampin on Tuesday #12

Evening Stampers,

Wow what a night last night is was all happening,

The NZ Breakers won the NBL grand final, and of course there was the royal wedding.

It was a daydreamers fantasy, to see an everyday girl marrying her prince.

I watched it from the beginning to the end, well i tried to, i managed to watch all of the wedding, then waited for the balcony appearance, but i must have fallen asleep as the next thing i knew was the reporters talking about the happy couple and their time on the balcony.

i was really annoyed with myself as i (like all others) was waiting for that first kiss, well public one anyway.

Both the groom and the bride looked stunning.

I had a few tears when i saw Prince Harry and Prince William together thinking of how proud Diana would have been of her two men on this special day.

Well enough of the daydreaming back to crafting,

 After been very very stumped by this weeks sketch challenge over at

Try Stampin on Tuesday

I managed to came up with a second attempt at the sketch.

See the previous post for the sketch challenge.

This one is very much like the sketch itself.

Here is a photo of the insert

This is my original card i started with, but it was one of those that i didn't know how to finished it off.

So it sat on my desk for a few days until i could come up with something, in the end instead of another scallop in the opp corner i settled with a bow, using twine.

But i did know i wanted to do a criss cross card, so i made a smaller one on the card, 

The bigger criss cross idea came later on

Again no sentiment, i will add this later as i decided on it's use.

Well im off to bed to catch up on the late night i had last night.

Take care

Try Stampin on Tuesday #12 & JAI #66

Afternoon Stampers.

How is everybody today, i have had a very busy day. 

One of those days in which there is not enough hours to get every thing done even working at full speed.

Todays creation was created for the TST (Try stampin on Tuesday) weekly challenge.

The sketch this week has me a bit worried, as this weeks sketch is out of my normal scope of cards i do.

Here is the Sketch

I decided on doing a card i have wanted to have a go at for a while.

A criss cross card.

As i was about to blog this i thought i might do a bit of blurfing first, im glad i did as over at Just Add Ink, their weekly challenge was

Just Add Flowers

As mothers day is approaching fast.

And my card fits their challenge perfectly

Here is my master piece

i absolutely love how this turned out

Here is a picture of the insert

This is perfect as my sisters and i got our mother a voucher for a complete relaxation massage for mother's day, and this will fit nicely in the pocket as well.

Well i had better go and complete the rest of the items on my every extending list

take care

Crafters Anonymous online class

Morning Stampers,

Last night i attend my first ever online class,

over at Crafters anonymous

We were given a list of items needed to complete the class before hand, but no idea as to what we would be doing.

I had a blast doing this as we were given written instructions, which is a challenge alone for me to do.

Tia (our lovely host) put up photos along the way to help as some people like visual instructions (me included). 

I have to confess that these did help at times, but i did try very hard not to use them, to challenge myself

Here is my card,

It is a fantastic spinner card.

 It is the one i competed at the class, not touched up or re-done later,

I had to have a laugh as i had chosen the same DSP and contrasting card Stock as the host of our class.

I might go back and re-do this as i want to change the colours, but i am happy with the finished card.

It was great to see the other ladies cards that they posted after the event,

 to see their take on what the instructions were.

 Have a great short (yay) week ahead, try to stay dry if your also sharing this horrible wet and very windy weather.

Try Stampin on Tuesday #10 & JAI #64

Afternoon Crafters,

This weeks is TST's (Try stampin on Tuesday) 10th challenge week, and so far i have lived up to my personal challenge of trying to complete every challenge put forward by CherylAnn who run this amazing blog/challenge.

She has just announced that if 8 more people join in this week she will have a prize for the entrants.

So please go on over and see what you come up with.

Click here to go and give it a go

Here is the sketch

Also over at Just Add Ink, their weekly challenge this week is

Chocolate Wrapper Colour Combo

And one ( i stress One) of my Favourite Chocolate bars is a hard (in NZ) to find Cherry Ripe bar.

Which is Red, yellow and green.

 So with this card i just sat down and played with my tools and stamps, i must say i'm not sure what i think of this one.

I like it but then again i don't,

You decide......

 i wanted to do a bit more to the base card but with so much already happening in the foreground, i didn't want to make it too busy, so i just gave up and left it plain.

What do you think,

 what could i have done to the background. 

Every now and then i am blank and feel like a newbie when it comes to techniques, a bit like writers block.

here is a side view of the dimensions i used

I used Crystal Effects in the center of the 3-D flower.

I could draw/sketch no worries but for someone who has always has trouble with adding colour i always ruined my art work, but now that i have mastered ( well i think i have) the art of water colouring i am really happy with my attempts of adding colour to projects.

I an earlier post i said that i would post a few cards i have made lately, but i have to re-create one of them as i didn't take a photo before i gave it out, so as soon as i get that done i will post it.

Have a really great weekend ahead.

I have a busy one planned, in Hamilton starting today we have the ITM Hamilton 400 V'8 street race on, and we are going along tomorrow so we can see ZZ Top in Concert, oh and the racing.

 Sunday is a day in the bush, on a trek with our Venture group.

Bring on Monday.....sleep in (hear that Narelle, ha ha) no routine for the next two weeks, the kids are on holidays, so anything goes with the teens.