You're so special Hyacinth and a Sparkly Poinsettia

I was not well this morning - achy and has a headache but a few hours sleep and a couple of Paracetamol and I felt better by lunch time.  So into the craft room for a bit this afternoon.

First up is my Hyacinth card.

I knew I wanted a CAS card but with some texture so embossed my panel with a Couture Creations diagonal folder.  I then put my Hyacinths onto the panel.  The two big ones are on foam tape and the small bunch are adhered directly to the card.   I used the same set of inks for stamping both bunches.  The lighter ones used the first three inks in the Enchanted Garden set (Wisteria, Hydrangea, Ultraviolet) and the darker ones started with Hydrangea and finished with Andromeda.  The centres of the flowers were in Heartbeat and I added a dot of clear Nuvo drops to each one.  I used a sentiment from Versatile Vases to finish off.  I matted with some purple card and added to a white base.  I'm entering this into the SheepSki Designs challenge - For someone Special

 And my second card is for Jo's Christmas Kickstart challenge- the theme this time - Glitter, Sparkle and Shine.

I used lots of glitter, sparkle and shine!  My Poinsettia is cut with a Couture Creations die from some glittered foam.  The green leaves and gold centre is cut from shimmery card stock.  And my shine is the strips of gold washi tape. The background Patterned paper is from the pack I won at Jo's challenge a few weeks ago.   The gold piece is Altenew ink Enchanted Gold direct to paper.  The sentiment is from a Catherine Pooler Design set. I added a few gems to finish the card.

Just heard from my son, his partner Erin, is in hospital with appendicitis.  Not what you want 6 weeks after a Caesarean.  And to make things worse, they have lost her notes so she can't have her operation tonight - it will be tomorrow morning if they can find the notes.   At this stage, Kieran is coping with Grace.  I've offered to go help out if needed.

thanks for stopping by.  

Playing with Stencils

Hi there.  I've a couple of stencil cards to show you today.  I made these yesterday.   Recently Jennifer McGuire did a tutorial on using stencils with Gina K's Wreath Builder stencil.  I had misplaced my Wreath Builder stencils... till around 3.00am the other morning when it came to me where I stored it!  So yesterday I gave the technique a go.

My first card used a older My Favorite Things stencil and a rainbow of Altenew inks.  I die cut a grey scalloped circle and layered on a white circle.  I've used a Catherine Pooler Design's sentiment and little flowers.   It made a really interesting background. 

For my second card I used a Simon Says Stamp diagonal striped stencil.

This one almost made it to the Bin!  But I persevered and finished it off.  Not at all sure I like it but I can say it's interesting!  I diecut an octagon shape from Spellbinders and added another Catherine Pooler Design sentiment.  Added some sequins and clear jewels.  Both my cards are 5" square and my panels are 4" square so used matting layers of maroon and gold cardstock.

Today I opened another new to me Altenew stamps set and started stamping it before heading over to our son's place for some Nanny cuddles with Grace.  I even got to feed her a bottle before she fell asleep in my arms.  I finished off my stamping when we got home.

Now to find time over the week to get them added to a card.

Prettiest Pomander and post #1800

I finally got some time to play with the "Prettiest Pomander" stamp set from Altenew.  I had a go at layering the stamp but wasn't happy with the colours I used, so gave it a second go.  I recently saw that someone (and now can't find who it was!) advised if you want to make white flowers - miss the first layer.  So I thought I'd make the lilies in the Pomander white.

I used a pale green ink for the second layer on the white lilies

I was inspired  by Lydia Evans - for drawing stems in the vase.    After stamping the vase, I drew the stems with a maker and a Copic multiliner pen.  I added some pale blue Copic marker.  I made my background with some blue marbled patterned paper to ground my vase.  A strip of dark blue shiny washi was added. My base card is a soft grey.  A simple Happy Birthday finished off the card.

I've got another Altenew stamp set I haven't opened yet, so hopefully I'll get some time tomorrow to get it out and inked.    This afternoon I got a couple of quick stenciled cards done... I'll post them tomorrow...

I've just realised that this is my 1800th post.  My first post was 15 March 2009 - over 10 years ago.
Here's one of the first cards I shared.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Happy stamping this weekend.

WWW 226 Dawn's Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Yes, it is my turn to host the Watercooler Wednesday this week.  Our challenge this week is Masculine "Anything Goes" challenge. 

My card today started with a panel that I made with Alcohol inks with some foil added.  The black die cut is an unnamed one I got a number of years ago.  I added it to the right hand side of the panel which I cut to the size of the die.  The sentiment is a Britannia Die cut. 

Come join in the fun.  Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us.  You have until Mondays at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (Tuesdays at midday NZ time) to link up your project

Uncork and Unwind

Today I have a birthday card to share.  It's one of my work colleague's birthday today.  Anouschka loves her wine so as I had just received a new stamp set from Newton's Nook that's called "Wine a Little" I knew I wanted to use them to make a card.

I used a diagonal striped embossing folder to emboss the bottom of the card panel.  I then stamped the bottle of wine, cork and corkscrew as well as the glass of wine.  I used various alcohol markers to colour them.  I took two of the sentiments from the set and used them.  I added some nuvo drops for embellishments.  Inside the sentiment reads "Age is not important unless you are wine"   The card was well received by Anouschka.

I enjoyed making this one.  Thanks for stopping.

An Elephant for my Grandson.

I was sad to see my daughter, son in law and grandson fly home on Sunday.  I decided to make him a little elephant card to take with him.

I recently got this little Elephant die from Elizabeth Craft Designs.  It's so cute.  I cut the pieces out of white card stock ad used some Weathered Wood distress ink to colour the elephant and some Victorian Velvet distress ink for the ears.  Archie loves elephants and balloons and the colour orange.    I die cut the Balloon from orange card stock.  The die is also an Elizabeth Crafts Design.  I used a sentiment from an ECD stamp set.    The background is some marbled Patterned Paper.  My daughter gave him the card at the airport and he loved it.

I'm sharing this over at Virginia's Show and Share this month.

 

 

thanks for stopping by. 

Tropical Birthday

I have spend a great afternoon in my craft room after seeing my daughter, son-in-law and grandson off on their flight home.    They had to be at the airport by around 8.30.  As it's abou an 45 minute drive, it was a bit of an early morning.   Just heard that they are home.

One of my makes today is for an upcoming birthday for my friend, Suna.  She is away overseas at the moment, but I'll send it anyway so it will be there for her return.  I was inspired by the StampNation Spring Break challenges.... one of the mood boards had lots of great tropical photos.

My daughter had brought me over a stamp set she picked up at her local Aldi store.  It had lots of tropical images... leaves, the flamingo, ice creams, pineapple etc.  I used the leaves to make a background on a piece of torn card stock.  I then stamped the hibicus and leaf and the flamingo from the set as well as a couple of leaves from an Altenew set and fussy cut them.  I added the leaves and then used some pop dots on the flamingo head and glued he body down to the leaves.    I used a sweet birthday sentiment that was in a freebie set that was sitting on my desk.  I added some Spectrum Noir shimmer pen to the flamingo and a few of the leaves.

My kids got together and got me a printed copy of the two little ones and blew the photo up to a big size.  Looks incredible.  Plus a smaller print of me and the two of them.

It was such a special time to have them all here.  And very sad to say goodbye this morning.  I'll miss Mr Archie after sending the last week on a break from work with them.  We visited a few playgrounds and spend a few hours at the Auckland Museum.  I hadn't been there for many years.

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Rennie Roses Birthday

Hi there... it's my birthday today so what better than to share a birthday card I finished off yesterday.

A very CAS card using some Altenew Rennie Roses, coloured with Zig Markers.   A birthday sentiment and some wine coloured sequins (they do look black in the photo but are truly a beautiful deep wine colour. )

The day has started wonderfully with a cuppa of tea from my grandson (with Mummy's help of course) and now we are going to walk down to the local little village - Mairangi Bay - for coffee.  Hubby doesn't work between 9.30 and 2.00 on Friday's so it will be nice to have him with us. Dinner will be fish and chips here with my son and his family coming over, so a very special time with both my children, their partners and both grandies here on the day.

Have a great day, I will be.