Card Chain Challenge - December Reveal

 I took part in the December Card Chain Challenge and got to send a card to my dear friend, Arlene, in California.  

As well as the usual themes we also had a Tic Tac Toe board to use

I chose the right hand side - washi tape, blue and emboss it. 

My washi was some pretty Poinsettia tape, my blue was both the shimmery card stock and the colouring on my Gnome and Emboss it was the folder I used to emboss the blue card.   And I got my Christmas card for Arlene done at the same time.   Saved me postage for sure.    Added bonus, that Arlene loved it!  She had made a number of Gnome cards for her family so this one suited well. 

It's such fun taking part in the Card Chain Challenge... always a bonus to get card from anywhere in the world.   Still time to join the January sign up  (here)

Card Chain Challenge.... May 2020

I took part in May's CCC and the was a bit of a blog hop for the reveal.  However I had to wait for my card to reach it's recipient as I had forgotten to take a photo.   Did you know that the Card Chain Challenge started in October 2009 - and I was there for the first challenge.  I've missed a few months over the years.  In fact, I realised that it has been going so long when I check out the first reveal Here
I'll share my first card after the May one

I made this one using a freebie from Catherine Pooler Designs. It is a digital image that Catherine made.  I stamped with Catherine Pooler's Tilly's Garden stamp set.  I cut out the centre part and matted it with the purple card and popped it back in the space.

And here is the very first card I sent to my dear bloggy friend, Arlene.

My goodness, my card making has progressed a lot since Oct 2009.  At that stage I had only been crafting for a year or so.

So here I am over 10 years later I still as enthused with card making as I was then - just with many dollars worth of supplies more!

Today this my birthday.  I've had a great weekend away with friends at Mangawhai and on our way home we stop off to visit with Grace. She is growing so quickly.   Tomorrow will be my first time back in the office in 12 weeks.  Started working on Monday  23rd March and NZ went into Lock-down Level 4 on the 25th March.  It will be strange going back into the office.  I got to enjoy working from home.... no commute, starting early and finishing early so I could get my exercise done.   This coming week I am rostered to work at our Front of House - seeing anyone who comes into our office for tax assistance.  It's from 8.45 to 4.00pm so a bit latter than I have been used to.

Christmas at CCC Reveal and a Vintage Santa

I have heard from my recipient to say my card had arrived for the November CCC.  I chose to send a Christmas card to my CCC partner as it was one of my very best online friends.... none other than the lovely Greta Hess....aka GG Creations

Here is the card I made for her using the theme of Baubles.

My background paper was some wrapping paper that came from charity I help as a thank you for the donations this year.  I trimmed a little bit to the make the background, layered onto some bronze/gold card.  I die cut the Altenew Mid Century Frame die from the same bronze/gold card as well as the sentiment from Britannia Dies.  My baubles are a little stamp from Couture Creations that I stamped on a white circle.  I used a variety alcohol markers to colour them and added some glitter gel.

And I have a card to share that I added to the "Show us your Santas" at Jo's Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 This stamp is a white silicone stamp from La Blanche that I got many years ago.  I used Catherine Pooler ink - Eucalyptus ink and Altenew Obsidian ink to stamp the image.  I added some pencils on the holly to enhance it.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set.  I tore around the image and added some of the green ink to distress.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope your Christmas cards are coming along.  I'm off to start addressing mine. 

CCC October Reveal

My October CCC card has made it's way to Tina in Slovenia.    If you haven't heard about the Card Chain Challenge (CCC) do hop over to the blog and find out all about it.  If you love sending and receiving a card from anywhere in the world... this is the challenge to join.

I chose the Theme of Leaves...

I used Catherine Pooler's Leaf Motifs set  for my card.  I used some Zig Markers and Spectrum Noir Aqua markers.  I add some splattering of the markers to the background and stamped the sentiment to finish. 

Do take a peek at the challenge and sign up - still a couple of days for the November challenge.

Laugh and Live - May Card Chain Challenge.

I'm sharing my card for the May Card Chain Challenge as Helen, my recipient  has received the card.

 

 I decided to use the Sketch this month 

I used some pretty Patterned paper for the bottom half of my card and a stripe of green to separate the two areas.  The beautiful floral image is from Altenew's Wallpaper Art set.  I used Altenew Alcohol markers and Spectrum Noir markers to colour the flowers and leaves.  I then used my Scan'n'Cut to cut out the flower and leaves.  I stamped the sentiment from Kaisercraft's Violet Crush set.   Some gold gems finished off the card.  

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bunnies for April CCC

My partner for the April CCC was Jo in England.  One of the themes for April was Bunnies.... so I decided to go with that. 

This was a freebie stamp from a magazine a couple of years ago.  I used some PP I picked up the other day... a 24 pack for $6.  This one had some foil on it.  I stamped the sentiment.  My die cut doily is from Catherine Pooler Designs.  I fussy cut my bunny after colouring with Copics. 

It's been added to Gail's Birthday bunny blog hop to celebrate her birthday.

 

Looking forward to the weekend to catch up on some more colouring and card making.  Started a card with Altenew Sweet Roses Bouquet this evening.... struggled with the leaves big time.  Must work out a way to make sure I use the correct layers.  Not the easiest to layer.   It was my homework for the latest Altenew class - For the Love of Colour.  Day 1 was using layering stamps.   Hope to get it finished off tomorrow. 

Thanks for stopping by.

April Card Chain Challenge Reveal

It's time to share the reveal for the April Card Chain Challenge.  (see it here) 

I sent my card to Jo in England... a long time blogger friend..

Jo makes amazing cards using Art Impression stamps so I thought I'd send her one.    I used my Prismacolor pencils to colour the card.  I used a Simon Says Stamp stamps and die to add my sentiment. 

My partner was Cat from Maryland and this is what she sent me

 

Cat used the fabric to cut out some of the flowers and added them to adhesive background and added to her card.  And she sent me some spares as well... Just love this fabulous card.  

If you haven't taken part in the Card Chain Challenge... I can highly recommend it... You sent a card to someone and get one from someone else.  Still time to sign up for May  - HERE

Thanks for stopping by 

 

 

April CCC reveal

It's time to reveal that cards that have been send for April's CCC.  See them all Here at Deborah's blog.  We had several options - a colour combo, a sketch, or one of these themes Cinco de Mayo  or  Cats  or  Friendship.    I chose to use the Cats theme together with a variation on the sketch.

I send my card to Christi in Colorado.

I started by embossing some grey paper (cut from an envelope) with a folder. I had the cut circle and just sponged with yellow inks.  The cats are die cuts (one black and one white) that my friend Monika from Germany had sent me.  I layered them up off setting a tad.  Added a little gem to the girl cat. The sentiment is a die cut from Hero Arts and the rest is from Altenew's Label Love.

Adding to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes.

Thanks for visiting today.  I appreciate  all of my visitors.

September CCC card for Lizzy

I really love taking part in Deborah's CCC monthly challenges.   You get to send a card to someone and someone sends you one.   This month, I got to send a card to Lizzy in Australia.

Each month Deborah gives options for the card... a colour combo, a sketch or a theme.  For September I chose the colours - Ivory, Olive and Cobalt Blue

My card base is Ivory and my olive is Distress ink sponged through a Tim Holtz stencil.  My butterfly is a Memory Box die and the friend die is from the SOA from StampNation and is by CAS-ual Friday. The rest of the sentiment is from Winnie & Walter and is stamped with a Memento ink.  Finished with some blue enamel dots for the butterflies body.  Lizzy has now let me know it has arrived.

I'm entering this into the Die Crazy challenge at Simon Says Stamp. 

April CCC reveal...

my goodness I'd forgotten to share my card from April's CCC... getting the reminder for May made me remember.

My card headed off to La Von.  Silly me forgot to take a photo before sending it off... reason being I'd made this card thinking it was the sketch for March...so had it sitting round waiting for the recipient...but La Von was kind enough to take a photo for me.

I took the easy option and went with Friendship.  I used PP and pre-printed dies - just stamping a Kaisercraft sentiment and adding a butterfly embossed and die cut from PP as well. 

Now the rush for Mother's Day cards is over, I'm going to be spending time just playing with some new stamps - some Hero Arts ones, and some free stamps and dies from several magazines.   Wintery weather expected over the weekend, so good time to stay cozy inside crafting.

March CCC - a card for Lizzy

I was really on the ball this month with my CCC card (I'm sure you all know about Deborah's CCC - make a card and sent it someone and get one back)  My card winged it's way to Lizzy in Australia.

March included a sketch, a colour scheme and theme's of Easter  or  Trees  or  Friendship plus a product - watercolour paper.

I sort of followed the sketch, used the Friendship theme and watercolour paper...

My background was made with a faux letterpress technique.  I inked up my embossing folder with inks and pressed it with water colour in it.  I just pressed it with my hands and not through the Cuttlebug.  I then used the distress inks to sponge on colour.   My butterfly is also die cut from watercoloured paper.   My sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.

I'm watching the Cricket World Cup Semi finals tonight.  New Zealand are playing South Africa.  We are chasing a total of 298 and are not doing too bad... but it will be a close game and I'm hoping we will win.  I'm not sure I will stay up till the end as there's still a couple more hours to go.

Thanks for stopping by. 

February Card Chain Challenge

Deborah has shared all the CCC cards for February (here) so I can share my card for Lucille.

Deborah always give lots of choices in the challenge.  Use a sketch, or colours or a theme or use a particular product..  One of the themes this month was sewing and one friendship, one of the products twine and this was the sketch

And so to my card

A little shabby chic using PP from Couture Creations. The die cut is also from Couture Creations and I used PP for it as well.

And here is the amazing card I received from Shawna

 

There is still time to sign up for March CCC over on Deborah's blog  It is so much fun to receive a card in the post. 

Happy Mail

Very exciting mail today....a box of goodies from Tiffany that I won on her blog giveaway...

Plus an adorable little tote and a jar of flowers... talk about generous... Thanks Tiffany

And speaking of mail.... here is the card I sent to Jo in England as part of the Card Chain Challenge organised by Deborah.

I used a Tiddly Inks digi stamp.  The background is to embossed and a few enamel dots to finish off.   A nice CAS card.  It has made it's way to England.

June CCC Reveal.

A bit late posting here, but here is the card I made for Deborah Nolan's CCC.  If you don't know about this..... it's a Win Win for everyone.  Deborah gives you the choice of making a card using a colour combo, or a sketch or a theme... or if you are clever you can do all three together!.  Then you send the card to the person above you in the link up.   My card for June went to Mynette who lives in Kansas

 

I used the theme of Friendship. And used my all time favourite Poppy stamp from Hero Arts.  I used water colour paints to colour and add the splatters.  Sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.  

And I was thrilled to get a beautiful card from Jo in England.  You can see her post about it HERE. It is simply stunning.  

And if you'd like to play along, July's sign up is HERE  ~ there is something special this month... a prize as well.

More watercolouring.... using Fireworks spray inks

I was thinking about my May CCC card (for those of you who don't know about CCC - see here)  I haven't had my email telling me who to send it to, but I've done it tonight.  I wanted to try some watercolouring with spray inks and I recently got a set of 3 Fireworks inks.  So found a lovely rose from a Hero Arts set (AC037) and off I went.

I started by using Dusty Concord and Bundled Sage Markers to colour the rose.  Spritzed with some water and stamped in the corner.  I then used water colour brushes and water with the spray inks to colour the flower.  I let it dry and then using the markers again, over stamped moving ever so slightly.   I then used the three spays to spritz the card.   When it was all dry, I used the Winnie & Walter stamp to ink my sentiment.  Just loving these bold and typewriter sentiments together.  So much choice. I then decided to layer it on an angle on the mat, for a bit of variety.  Finished with some sequins.

As I think this is CAS despite all the sprays... I'm entering it into the challenge at CASology ~ Cue word Flower and into the Monday Challenge at Simon Says ~ Botanical.

And I'm leaving you with a photo I took last evening.

I could hear a bird singing and when I looked up I saw this Thrush in the plum tree.  He had a beautiful voice.  

Card Chain Challenge April 2014

I LOVE taking part in Deborah Nolan's Card Chain Challenge each month ~ you get to send a card to someone somewhere in the world and you get one as well.
This month I got to send my card to Oreet who lives in Colorado.

I had fun making this card.  The stencil was sponged with two green distress inks, slightly moving the stencil for the second sponging.  The stencil I used, is actually a cake stencil.  It is a round stencil that you lay on top of the cake and use icing sugar to sprinkle on top.  I picked up 4 different stencils for $1.99.  I added a Hero Arts butterfly and sentiment.  I trimmed and layered onto the a black background and added a small stripe of green PP down the side as well.

I hope Oreet like it.

I've joined up for May's Challenge - HERE - do come and join us.  It's fun.

Thanks for stopping by.

February CCC

Greta has received my card in Deborah's February's CCC so I can now share it here

This is a new stamp from Close to My Heart.  I got it because of it's sayings... The stamp is called "Island Greetings" and the words Kia Ora are Maori (NZ Native language) for Hi there.  I used some PP to cover my card base and then stamped the image onto some water colour paper and torn the edges.  The sentiment is a little Hero Arts stamp.

And the card I received was a beautiful butterfly card from Jo in England.  Be sure to visit Deborah's blog on the 1st of March to see all the CCC cards and to sign up for March CCC.  It's such a fun thing to do. 

Thanks for stopping by

January CCC

I was thrilled to see that Deborah Nolan over at Society of Stampaholics has resurrected her CCC (Card Chain Challenge) starting January.  For those of you who don't know about this... be sure to pop over to her blog and have a look.  It's all about making and sending a card to someone, somewhere in the world and receiving a card from someone else, somewhere in the world!  Win-Win for everyone.  You just sign up, use one of the three themes Deborah has in her blog post... (or two or even all three!) and then when she lets you know, off it goes.

This time my card was heading to Betty in Nebraska

I used the sketch provided by Deborah and some pretty PP.  I used a Fiskars edge punch, a flourish and a hand made flower. My sentiment is a happy little one from a Hero Arts set. 

And I received a gorgeous card from Alicia in Australia 

so a big thanks to Deborah for organising this.  And if you want to take part for February... sign up HERE.... I have!  See you there.

May CCC ~ sending smiles across the miles

I took part in Deborah's Card Chain Challenge  for May.  My card winged it way to Judy in Canada.  She has let me know it arrived okay.   So I can share it here.

 My card is loosely based on Deborah's sketch

 I flipped the sketch and centred the sentiment.  This card has NO stamping!!!  The PP came from a magazine as did the printed sentiment.  I thought it was appropriate for the CCC as I always send my cards overseas.

I very been really busy at work this week, so not a lot of card making got done, but I will share tomorrow a card I made with a Hero Arts Stamp that Anita sent me.  Thanks Anita...it is beautiful.

July CCC ~ from Arlene

I though I would just share with you the beautiful card I received from Arlene as part of Deborah's CCC.  If you haven't taken part in a CCC (card chain challenge)  then you have missed out on making and receiving a wonderful card from somewhere around the world.  August's sign up is here...

anyhoo here is the beauty

Isn't it just gorgeous.

And I sent my card off to Linda in Minnesota....



For details see this post

and to see all the other wonderful entries in July's CCC pop over to this post on Deborah's blog/

And I'll leave you with a photo of the Hero Arts ATC Swap  cards that arrived in my mail today

 

8 glorious pieces of artwork.  Thanks to all the lovely ladies who took part in this swap.

Had a bit of a mishap yesterday lunch time.... biting into my lunch I broke a tooth... got a temporary filling yesterday afternoon and went back today to have the tooth rebuilt.... Several hundred dollars and one and half hours later... a new tooth, although the dentist tells me that it will need a crown before very long...  and all this just 6 days before my regular dental appointment...  back on Monday for my 6 month check up!

Dawn