Mini Flower Cluster

 Hi there.   Despite the family being here, I managed to get a little crafting done this afternoon while my daughter son in law and grandson to Kelly Tarlton's aquarium.  My Dad and his partner were playing Scrabble so made the most of some me time. 

In my last Altenew order I got the Mini Flower Cluster Layering Die.  I have to say I did struggle a bit to get it layered but it turned out okay. 

I started by die cutting my layers.  I took the white layer and added some watercolour paint down one side.  I then took the Feathered Leaves Stencil and Volcano Lakes ink and blended over the same area.  I went through my card stock and found colours that worked together.   Once I had layered the flowers I added to the card with some extra leaves.   I then used the black woodless watercolour pencil to make some very find splatters.   I used a Happy Birthday sentiment from the Fresh Freesia set.  

Here are a few photos of my grandson and my grandaughter.... 

 These two hit it off like a house on fire despite the 3 year age gap.  They played so well together and then had a bath together after dinner.   Today Archie was devastated when he found out Grace was not coming to play!  But tomorrow they will get to see each other at the rehersal - they are the flower girl and page boy.   

I am so loving having a house full.  Archie is so bright and fun and I'm having fun spending time with my daughter.   And it's great to have my Dad here.  4 generations in the same house.  Very happy times. 

Hey There Girlfriend

 Hi there- Here's my last card for this month's challenge at Die Cut Divas                                    

                                                 

Prize: $20 gift code

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This is a Tic Tac Toe challenge month using the grid below.

Please tell us which row you picked on your entry.

 

For today's card, I've gone for a diagonal line on our tic tac toe - Uneven edge, Friendship and Flowers.

I used a Spellbinders die to cut my uneven edge out of some lacy looking patterned paper.  My CAS-ual Friday's stamp set is unfortuneatly now retired.  It's called "Girlfriend" and I used it to add the sentiment and to stamp the flowers.  I used some ink blending on them and then fussy cut.  Added lots of bling to the centre of the flowers and some leaves from my "scrap" pile. 

I've scheduled this post so as you read it, I'll be enjoying a full house..... my daughter, son in law and Grandson -Archie will be here and also my Dad and his partner.  It's going to be one really busy week.  Thursday is the Wedding!!!!  My son and his groom's party ( Best Man and Groom's Maid - yes his best friend, Brooke is part of his wedding party) are also coming here on Thursday to get dressed.  So very full house on the day.  Showering will need to be rostered!  

Thanks for stopping by.  

Let the Shenanigans begin.

Hi there.... Time for my card for the Die Cut Divas May challenge.  

 

Prize: $20 gift code

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This is a Tic Tac Toe challenge month using the grid below.

Please tell us which row you picked on your entry.

 

My card today uses the middle row down - emboss it, friendship and blue...  It's a birthday card for a dear friend.  And there is a bit of blue in there....

My embossing is subtle.  I used a dotty stencil and some pink, blue and green inks from Altenew.  I then used the two dies by Gina K from Master Layouts 1 - the smaller one for the stencilled panel and the larger one for the layer in a nice bright blue.  I then put the stencil back over the ink blending and ran it through my Cuttlebug with an embossing pad and got a subtle embossing.  I made the mistake of stamping my CAS-ual Friday sentiment after doing the embossing so you can see some of the levels showing through.  The stamp set I used is called "Shenanigans"   I white embossed the subsentiment onto some black card.  To finish I used some Rose Gold sequins that arrived today from my friend Betty. 

Do come and join us at Die Cut Divas for our May challenge.  Just remeber - used your machine to cut and/or emboss on your card and tell us how you used our Tic Toc Toe board. 

Daisies in a Teacup - May CCC

 Hi there.  This is the card I made to send to Jo in England as part of the May CCC... Jo has now recieved it so I can share.   I haven't taken part in CCC for a while so it was fun to get a card away. 

You can check out what our challenge options were here

I chose the colour option and the tea and Friendship themes. 

The day before I made this card my Altenew order arrived and in it was Paint-a-flower Chamomile set.  It had this gorgous bouquet in a tea cup.  I had hoped that the stamp set would arrive in time for me to use it for my CCC card.   I masked off some white card and did some blue ink blending.  I then trimmed it with a Gina K die.  I die cut Altenew fine frames die from gold card and kept all the frames together to add to the card.  The tea cup bouquet was stamped and coloured with pencils before fussy cutting it.  Added the little sentiment for my friendship option. The card base looks black, but is actually a very dark blue.   I really like daisies and the Chamomile flowers are very daisy-like.  I'm adding this to the Flower Challenge - your favourite flower 

For once, mail was very quick.  Just on a week from New Zealand to England.  I have posted today rather than wait for the full reveal as I will be way too busy to take the time to post later.  One week till the Aussie crew arrive.  Excitment is building in the house. 

Have an awesome weekend everyone. 

WWC 316- Cathy's Challenge: All About Occasions.

Hello there, it’s time for another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Cathy is our hostess this week with an All About Occasions challenge.

 

 I've made a Friendship card today.  I had some stamped backgrounds made with a stencil and Simon Hurley stamping foam.   I took this one stamped in greens and blue.

I trimmed and layered the panel and cut a scalloped rectangle (from a Gina K Master Layout) and added onto the white base.   I added a Hero Arts sentiment die cut from black card covered with clear packing tape.  I added the stamped sentiment from the Hello There Stamp'n'Cut set. 

Come and join in the fun at  Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and check out the project from the other designers.  Then take our challenge and link up your project to the challenge post.    We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday 31 May at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday 1st of June at 12.00 noon NZ time ) to link up your project.

Let's Squash It #8 Let's Make some Space and Bring on the Bling!

 I'm back with a card I've made to enter the Let's Squash It Challenge.

The challenge is to use an embossing folder that leaves some space and to add bling.   I recently got an Altenew order and purchased the Simple Frame 3D embossing folder so used that as my inspiration. 

I embossed onto some white card and trimmed around the embossing.  I then took some Altenew Encanted Gold pigment ink and a dauber and added colour to the embossing.  It is really sparkly looking (hard to photograph).  I had the Hill Blossom stenciled panel sitting on my desk.  Orginally wasn't sure about the colour scheme (plus there was a little smudge of the yellow ink) but trimmed it down to fit in the space left by the centre of the frame and added some flicks of gold ink splatters.  Add a sentiment from Sentiment Stripes 2. To added some bling I used Nuvo drops in Copper Penny to the flower centres and the corners of the frame.  I made the card a little smaller at 5" x 41/8".

This morning I had to be at the Radiology Group at 8.00am to have an MRI on my shoulder.   Half an hour in the machine, lying still.  I close my eyes so I dont' get the closed in feeling if I'm looking up at the tube I'm in.  Luckily they have ear plugs for the noise and also give you headphones and put on whatever radio station you like to listen to.   Was pleased when it was over even though I felt a little dizzy when I first came out.   Hopefully this will let the specialist know why I'm still feeling pain in my left shoulder. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Blended Ink Backgrounds.

 Recently I watched a Gina K Live where she did some masking and ink blending.   I don't have any Gina K inks so pulled out my Altenew inks and did some masking and blending.  

I used soft colours in pink, blue and green.  Once I had removed the masking, I took my new Altenew Dovetail Butterflies and used Obsidian ink to stamp the butterflies and sentiment.  I layered with some dark blue card and then onto a white card base.  

I really like this card design so can see myself doing some more blending in the future.  

Stamped Wreath

 The NZ Swap group this month had the theme "Make a Wreath"  Not to be made with a single stamp but with multiple smaller stamps wiht an extra challenge of not using a Wreath Builder stencil.

I started by drawing around the edge of a circle die to start my wreath.

I used little stamps from Gina K's Wreath Builder set in a variety of Altenew inks. The sentiment is from the same Wreath Builder set.  The little bow is from a Hero Arts set.   I added some little gems after using Gina K Master Layouts 3 to cut my panel and the black layer.    My wreath did get a little lopsided but still looks okay. 

Hope your weekend is going well.  I finished work early on Friday and drove up to Mangawhai to stay with my friends.  Usually hubby drives his car up but I drove my little car as he was going on a pub crawl for our son's Stag party.  They did a crawl from Auckland up to Mangawhai where they had hired a house for the night.  I got a call from hubby around 5 o'clock.  He was slightly worse for wear but had a great time.   This morning I texted my son early, asking how he was  "Ummm good would be an overstatement,  But I'm up and about"   It's only 2 1/2 weeks to the wedding now.

Twofer cards - Inspired by Jennifer McGuire.

 I am a great fan of all things Jennifer McGuire and love watching her videos.  Recently she did one where she mangaed to get two card from one blending, stamping and embossing - so after a few false starts - such as my clear embossing powder being contaminated with white powder and one card getting stuck together - I ended up with one set of two cards.  I was inspired by my blog friend Sally with her choice of background stamp - a Hero Arts background stamp called Leaf and Floral background. 

I chose some Distress Oxides in Broken China, Weathered Wood and Cracked Pistashio to blend as my background.  Then I clear embossed the Leaf and Floral background.  I liberally spritzed the panel, added another on top and ran through my Cuttlebug.  

Here are my two cards

This is the first pane..  You can still see the beautiful glossy background.  I took a Gina K oval and scalloped oval to make the focal point.  I added a sentiment from a Gina K sentiment.  I stamped a flower from Altenew Line Art stamps using the same colours in Distress inks.  I die cut it and a couple of other layers to make the flower stand up a bit better.  Added a few clear gems. 

And here is the second panel I got.

This panel is a much softer looking.  I stamped the flowers and used Distress inks in the blues and greens to watercolour them before fussy cutting them.  The little Thanks is from the same stamp set.  I die cut it with the matching die and stamped the sub-sentiment straight onto the card base. 

I was pleased with the results of these two. 

Trying to find the missing Mojo!

 Hi there.... well after a week away and a busy week back at work.... the old Mojo has been missing.  So I decided to just play around today.  I pulled out some of my pre-made backgrounds and found one I liked. To be honest, I not sure how I did it, but know it was a stencilled one. 

I think it's a type of Joseph's Coat technique using a stencil.  I die cut it and added a white border and then added to a black base.  I used a Gina K flag die with a bit of extending done.  The sentiment is also from Gina K.  Love the sentiments in the Wreath Builder set.  Added the little flourish from the set as well. 

Next up I thought I'd make a card for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge...

I had some Christmas images stamped and die cut in my stash - so again pulled them out and did some colouring.

This is a mini slimline.  I used an embossing folder to add the holly and berries to a red panel that I layered onto a gold panel.  The middle sentiment circle was popped up.  I added some glossy accents to the reindeer's nose. 

We had a lovely week away and enjoyed great weather - apart from one afternoon.  It was cold and raining the afternoon we got to Gisborne.   And now only three and a half weeks till the wedding and another week off to spend time with the family. 

WWC 315 - Marsha's Challenge: All Things Feminine

 Hi there.  Time for another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Marsha is our hostess with an All Things Feminine challenge 

My daughter's birthday is 6th May (today my time) and this is the card I sent her. 

As the card had to make it's way to the far side of Australia, I made it a while back.  At that time I had just received some new Altenew ink sets and a Layering Stencil called Hill Blossoms.  It's a colouring stencil.  I fell in love with it when it came out.  My local online store, Krafters Cart had it shortly after the release so it went into my basket, together with a Gina K Wreath builder set.  I love the wonderful sentiments that fit beautifully into the circle dies from one of the Master Layout dies.  So inks from Martian Terrain and Nature's Wonders were used with the stencil.  I also purchased the tiny blending brushes from Altenew which made it so easy to blend the small parts of the stencil.   I'll be using this one with lots of different colour combos for sure.   The Martian Terrain inks were a bit more orangey than I expected but I love them.  I had some dark orange card in my stash that went perfectly as the layer for the card panel and the circle.  

Come and join in the fun at  Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and check out the projects from the other designers.  Then take our challenge and link up your project to the challenge post.    We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday 17th May 2021 at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday 18th, at 12.00 noon NZ time ) to link up your project.