Craft Roulette #225

 Episode #225 - my 19th submission.   I watched the replay in the weekend and yesterday I made my card.  

An A2 card - with tea party colours - inspired by pretty floral tea cups.  House pet is my little kitty cat and stripes - embossed stripes on the base layer, kitty has grey stripes and the sunshine stripes shining down.  The cat stamp is an older cling from Penny Black - called You are the Bestest.  I stamped with Versafine Onxy Black ink and clear embossed it.  I painted it with Zig Markers.  I added the grass with a Copic marker, and used Distress Oxides to stencil the sunshine stripes.   Finished with a little pre-printed sentiment from Creative Expressions.  

WWC 318 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

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

Today I have a little birthday card to share with you.  This cutie was the one that made it's way to Australia for my Grandson Archie's birthday back at the end of April.

Although I did not know it, one of Archie's birthday cake was themed... Train your Dragon.  So he was over the moon to get a card from his Nanny that had a dragon on it.  I stamped this sweet dragon from My Favourite Things onto some textured dark kraft card and used metallic paints to colour it.  I used a Penny Black speech bubble die to add his age.  The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz 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 28th at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday at 12.00 noon NZ time ) to link up your project.

Sweet Stampin' Challenge. - Cards for Kids

It's Team Susan's turn to inspire over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge and our challenge this week is

Cards for Kids (celebrating Roald Dahl Day 13 Sept )

My card was made with some gorgeous blue/grey patterned paper for the background.  I had the die cut black frame sitting in my bowl of bits together with the little dragon.  I stamped and coloured him a while back.  He's a sweet little dragon from My Favorite Things.  I used my Scan'N'Cut to cut him out.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set. 

Do come and share you Cards for Kids at Sweet Stampin' Challenge.

Introducing Grace Georgina Turley

Our beautiful Granddaughter has finally arrived... 11 days overdue on 10th May 2019 at 1.59am, weighting in at 8lbs 1oz (3.69kg) 

Mum, Dad and Grace 

 Proud Nanny with Grace

 Pop, Nanny and Grace

Happy Baby Grace

As Erin had to have a C-section, they spend the day and night at the hospital and today moved to the Birthing Centre in Warkworth (about 30 mins north of our place) to have a rest before going home in a few days.  We are heading up tomorrow morning to visit and cuddle again. 

Here's the card I made to celebrate her birth 

And then late afternoon got a panic message from my son... he hadn't got a Mother's Day card for Erin and asked me to make her one for tomorrow.  Lovely that Grace arrived in time to celebrate Mother's Day.  

A sweet little card for Grace to give to her new Mummy.  Inside it says "it doesn't get any better than this" 

Thanks for stopping by today.  One proud Nanny signing off

One Layer Wonder and a little Toucan

Hi there.   I can't believe it's the weekend again!  Where has the week gone????  I don't seemed to have done much -  it's been cold and wet so have been hunkered down in front of the heater each evening so not much crafting done.  So today I race around and got the house work done, some veggie soup on, pull apart bread made (with the help of the bread maker) cookies baked and slow cooker casserole started... so time to have a bit of a play.   My first card is is a little Toucan I started last evening and finished off this afternoon

I used my Prismacolor pencils to colour this wee cute up.  The sentiment was masked so I could get it on two lines to fit in the Penny Black Chat Bubble die.   As it is a CAS card but I wanted some extra texture, I used a tropical flower die from Darice to emboss the background.  A few 3D liquid drops finished it off.

Plus I did Day 1's home work from Altenew Academy class " One Layer Wonders" which Kelly Latevola is teaching.  Day 1 was about giving the perception of a raised layer across the card.

Well this was definitely PRACTICE!  So many errors.  First off I didn't stamp the sentiment in the centre, but happy with the masking of the little sentiment.  Next I must have moved as I got some double stamping...then I realised I'd not used Copic friendly ink so some of it smudged when I went to colour.   My dark lines went a bit wobbly when I went to add the shading to give the perception of a raised layer... and both my dark and light grey Copics went dry on me.  Oh well that's hand made card making for you.   I did manage to save the sentiment panel by adding the extra flowers which made it look much better.    I do like the technique and will practice some more.  I used the flower stamps from Starry Flowers set with the sentiment from Flower Arrangement set.

Day three's class is there now so I've just turned on the heater here in the craft cave and am going to watch Kelly's magic happen.

Enjoy your weekend... hopefully get some crafting done.   

Kids cards

When I was at the beauty parlour the other week, my therapist was saying she has 13 nieces and nephews and was always looking for kids cards so I told her I'd make some.  Over the long weekend I got a few done...

 This one used some MFT Snuggle Bunnies and WPlus9 balloons.

The next two were inspired by Pinterest.  Used punched circles for my caterpillar and die cut circles for my birds. 

 Next is another MFT bunnies and the WPlus9 balloon

And my  final card uses MFT dragons

 I enjoyed making these cards and if she likes them, I do her some more.

Thanks for stopping by.

Peachy Keen - Swap cards

During May I took part in two swaps - one being the Sursee Swap over StampNation and one being the Card Chain Challenge..  The theme for the Sursee Swap was Peachy....

I used a letterpress technique with an embossing folder and some Catherine Pooler Bellini ink.  Added some die cut flowers and leaves.  The folder and the dies were a freebie with a magazine recently.  My card went to Michelle in Melbourne Australia.  The Sursee swap is where you send an encouragement card to your recipient.  You might not receive on in return this month, but sometime when you least expect it a beautiful encouraging card will arrive in your letterbox.

My CCC card went to Dee who lives in Kenya, but gets her CCC cards sent to her sister in England.   I used the same technique and ink colours

 I used the sketch from the CCC challenge for May.  I stamped the flowers from Altenew, used a stitched oval die and a Winnie & Walter digital SVG cut with my ScanNCut.

This weekend is a long weekend here in NZ... to celebrate the Queen's Birthday.  And with being off sick last week, I had done the housework and hubby was helping our friend with his renovations on Sat and today.... I got lots of time in my craft space.... lots of cards to share over the next few days.  And a little drama this morning when we had a couple of hours heavy rain that caused some flooding in our backyard, some leaks upstairs in our big windows - water pouring through the seals - but once the rain eased, all went back to normal... luckily I got buckets in place quickly to catch the drips.


Here's a peek at some colouring I did today

One card made with one of these cuties.  My ScanNCut had a bit of a work out.

Hope you all are having a fun fulled weekend and maybe taking part in Kathy Racoosin's 30 Day colouring challenge.

More colouring....

I can't stop practicing with my Prismacolor pencils.  I did some more colouring on Tues morning prior to driving home.  It was my first time driving hubby's Nissan Maxima home on my own.   It took me an hour and a half.  The first part is on windy country roads then onto open motorway.  I admit to being a city driver!

Any way I got this piece finished and made into a card on Tuesday night

The flower is a Concord and 9th stamp and the sentiment is from a Kaisercraft set. 

As I was home alone Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I did even more colouring....

 

These are from a MFT set.   I have now cut them out with my ScanNCut and will use them on cards soon.  

And I did some more fur colouring on a teddy.  Here's a sneak peek at the colouring.  The card will be revealed on the 8th for my Southern Girls Challenge post. 

 

Quite happy with the fur on this one.   It is such a tiny image it was quite a challenge to colour.  See room for improvement but practice, practice, practice.....

I'm now back up at Mangawhai, having driven up after work today.  I'll be happy that hubby will be driving home on Tuesday.  Yes another long weekend.  Get used to short work weeks.... which it could continue!    Two full weeks then another  4 day one. 

Hero Arts Black Butterfly

It's my day to share at A2Z scrapbooking today and I am continuing with our theme of using a stencil on your project....

The other day I saw a video by Ingrid Blackburn where she used embossing paste with a stencil, shook on some Colourbursts/Brusho's and spritzed with water.  I have something called Pixie Powder which is similar to these with lots of mica powder in them.   I thought I'd give it a go.



It has produced such a pretty pale pastel background as I went lightly with the powders.  Did get a bit of seepage but it adds to the whole look.    I have used Hero Arts Swirl Stencil (currently out of stock but you can do a special order - check out the store HERE)

Once my panel had dried, I die cut it with a rectangle die from DieNamics (MFT) and layered onto black then onto a white base.  I die cut the Hero Arts Butterfly Fancy Die from black card.  The sentiment is from THIS Hero Arts stamp and die set.  (currently on sale in the A2Z store!)

Remember if you go shopping to use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  And don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Plus during the month of March, we’re giving you a second way to win a $25 Gift Certificate to the a2z Store! Just comment on any blog posts here in March.
We’ll do a random draw from the blog comments during the month of March for one gift card. You can enter once a day by commenting on the blog post and earn up to 31 chances to win! If you’re feeling it, you’re welcome to enter both the Hero Arts with Stencils challenge and the commenting challenge…maybe you’ll win both!

MFT Sketch Challenge... Sending Birthday Wishes

I get the MFT blog posts via my e-mail feed and today the latest sketch called to me.  I need a card for one of my stamp group ladies who has her birthday 1 March.

 My winnings from Altenew arrived this week and I had stamped, coloured and die cut a Daffodil from Wishing You set.

I had stamped the daffodil in Altenew Ink - Industrial Diamond.  Not as harsh as black ink.  I then used Copic markers to colour the image.  I die cut the flower and then I had put it aside as I had orders for 4 cards last night.  So this evening I saw the MFT sketch and knew that it would be perfect to use the Daffodil with.  I used some light yellow card to die cut a circle frame and the small scalloped piece.  The green PP was sitting on my desk and again seemed to fit perfectly,   Added the sentiment from the Wishing You set as well.  Finished with a few sequins.

I'm entering this into the Sketch challenge at MFT Card Challenge and the Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp

Embossed Wax Paper Background a la Gina K

Die Cut Divas are being sponsored by the Amazing Gina K Designs this month

Today I want to share some cards I made after watching Gina at StampTV  - Embossed wax paper background.

I couldn't wait to do this technique as it has been a few years since I tried it out... so here's my results of embossed wax background.

I CASE'd Gina's card for this first one.  I used Mermaid Lagoon distress ink to sponge the background.  Not sure who makes my folder as it has no name on it... But it was a great one to use, being very detailed.  I then used the flowers and leaves from Warm Spring Wishes and coloured with Distress inks and daubers before fussy cutting.  The sentiment is from Frame and Flowers 2. I used a La La land die cut for the corners.  And my flourish was one that came with a magazine so has no name on it.  My mat and the corners and flourish are all dark blue card.
Entering this one into the Birthday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp

And the other half of the ironed off wax paper

This one was sponged with Dried Marigold distress ink.  The flowers are from Frame and Flowers 2 and were stamped with Hero Arts Apricot ink - first layer stamped off and then the second layer being full strength.  The leaves are die cut with a MFT dienamics leaf die.  I added some Spectrum Noir glitter pen on the roses.

If you haven't checked out Gina K design's Stamp TV, I can totally recommend it.. there is so much inspiration there. 

MFT Sketch #273

I follow My Favorite Things and get notification about their challenges.  This week's sketch challenge is a great sketch 

 

I don't have many MFT stamps, but do have a few older dies.  So pulled out some of them and a stamp set that I've had for years but never used!

I bought a paper pack yesterday as it was on special ($3.45 for a pad of sheets of  81/2" x 11 " paper)  It is yellow/orange base so I decided to use layers of different papers

 

I used a creamy coloured card base and then used MFT stitched and rounded rectangle dies to cut different PP.  I stamped the sentiment onto the smallest die cut from the same card as the base.  I stamped the butterfly onto the die and then onto some PP and fussy cut it.  Add a few sequins to finish

Hope you all have a lovely Easter.  

 

Inspired by Catherine Pooler's class at Craftsy.

I've been taking the Craftsy class by Catherine Pooler - Wild Cards - 21 Techniques.  It's been lots of fun with tons of neat techniques and ideas.  Here are two cards I made with techniques that Catherine shared...

First up was a technique using the back of a sentiment stamp to colour block.

 

I used the back of the Kaisercraft stamp and a rainbow of Memento inks to make the base.  Stamped in sentiment and added some punched stars and sequins. 

My second card used a Double stenciling technique. 

My first stencil was a MFT Houndstooth inked up with Tea Dye ink.  I only sponged a little bit of the stencil.  Over top of this I sponged some Weathered Wood ink and a Hero Arts stencil (Leaf and Flourish)  The sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.  I had to channel my inner Catherine as I got a smudge on it.  So out came the Sequin stamp set from Winnie & Walter and I stamped some black sequins and stars. 

I've done one more card inspired by the class - but you'll have to wait a week or so to see when I post of A2Z Scrapbooking on the 6th August! 

If you haven't joined Catherine's Craftsy class I can highly recommend it!  You can get it HERE.

More "Stenciled" action

I have another card I created CASEing a card from Debby Hughes on Day 3 of class

I started by spritzing some Perfect Pearls mist in Heirloom Gold and a pinky colour I had made myself.  Once it dried I used used some Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste over a Mr Huey Chevron mask, just down one side.  I then worked on the flower embellishment.  It is a digi from Bugaboo.  I printed it out twice and used some chalk inks to paint the flowers.  I then layered the flower centres with some dimensional tape.  I then used some pearlescent paper and cut two leaves pieces using a Sizzix die.  Added all the elements to the card together with the sentiment which is Simon Says Stamp  and was white embossed onto black card.  I added some pink and white pearls to finish.

I also made a lovely felt flower tonight.  One of my FB friends saw a die set I posted last year and asked me about it and then another one want to know what size it was... so I made it up to show Anita and Lilian

That's it for me tonight.  Time to head to bed

Lollipop Heart Charlie..

It's my turn to post a card over at Little Blue Button Stamps.... and I used Charlie Lollipop Heart

 

I printed Charlie out and coloured with Copics...  after I fussy cut her, I layered her onto my oval frame.  The centre oval is by Spellbinders and the outer doily oval is by MFT.  The background paper is from Kaisercraft's "Gypsy Sisters" pack.   I finished off adding three flowers I made the other week.  

I have been having fun this weekend with my stencils and using my new Gelli Plate.  I enjoyed day 1 of the Stencilled class and have made a start on a card for day 2.  Didn't get quite as much done this afternoon as I hoped as we decided to go pick strawberries.... the local Hospice does a fundraiser in conjunction with the owner of the strawberry patch.  We picked over 4 kilos of strawberries.  I have frozen a whole lot to have in my smoothies and the rest we will eat over the next few days.  Totally yummy, there is nothing like fresh strawberries and cream.   

Thanks for stopping by

 

 

Don't you just hate it when............

you carefully add all your elements onto your card base and ....... find you've added them upside down....

can you see what I mean?  Frustrating.

But never fare I managed to selvage it...



I simply trimmed the black card and layered it onto a white base.

My stamped image is from Tim Holtz and is stamped with Black Archival ink onto some grey core'dation card and layered with black and more grey.  The gears are Peelcraft stickers added to black card which I then layered onto the grey card.

and I added some Peelcraft edge stickers to the inside

I'm finishing today with a photo I took of a newly hatched Monarch butterfly



this butterfly had made it's cocoon on the cactus plant.  It was one of three that hatched today.  The sun was shinning and it warmed the wings.

Wishing you a happy weekend.

Beautiful Butterfly

I was tiding up some of my Patterned papers and I came across a packet of Cristina Re pearlised papers I had got at a sale.  I just love the luxury of the PP and it's pearlised feel.  I matched it some Webster's Pages PP.

I used the backside of the paper to stamp the sentiment from a My Favorite Things set and then cut with a Spellbinders Labels die.  I stamped the butterfly from a HA/Sizzix set and white embossed it on the textured side of the paper.  I then cut it out with the matching die.  I added some scrap ribbon that was on my desk. 

I've decided that with summer coming I need to get back into some exercise and lose some weight, so I've joined the gym again.... it's been a year since I had my back surgery so it's time to get back into it.   I go for my assessment and programme tomorrow.... Hopefully I can commit to at least  3 days a week.  It's a women only gym on my way home from work which makes it easier to go.

Looking forward to the weekend...........  I'm going to a Stampin' Up workshop on Sunday ~ all day... should be fun as I think there are only a few of us going. 
Off to catch up on the On-line class "Kick Start" Day 2

Dawn 

No Patterned Paper and oh so cute!

Recently I was inspired by Judy's use of a Penny Black set called "Hedgie Friends" that I just had to get it!  ( thanks for enabling me Judy) and I finally inked it up a couple of the stamps in the set, last night.  I found 5 challenges that inspired me to make these two cards

 First card

 For this one, I die cut the doily (MFT die won over at Jay Gee's Nook - thanks Judith) and stamped the PB Hedgie.  I then stamped again on the scrap bits from the die and coloured and cut out. Added mini pop dots to the middle and glue round the edges to give dimension to the Hedgie.  All colouring done with Distress inks and a water pen.  I added the panel to a white embossed background before adding to the card base.  The coloured piece behind the sentiment was coloured with Evergreen Bough distress ink to match what I coloured on the circle. I added the daisy button ( cutting off the shank) and added the other button in the corner to balance the card,

Challenges entered with this one:
PaperPlay Challenges ~ Animal Antics
Penny Black Saturday Challenge ~ No Patterned Paper
Penny Black and More ~ Oh So Cute
CES Challenge ~ Button It
Die Cut Divas ~ Embossing

Card two is a mini one ~ 4"x3"

This used the smaller of the two MFT dies that I won.  Again I did decoupage with the Hedgie.  My background was some home made watercoloured paper with Hero Arts Envelope pattern stamped.  This was in my scrap pile.  Added some distressing.  Also added the ribbon and some faux stitching.  The little sentiment is from Hot of The Press, from a little set called Ticket.

this one is entered into
PaperPlay Challenges ~ Animal Antics
Penny Black Saturday Challenge ~ No Patterned Paper
Penny Black and More ~ Oh So Cute

I really was on a roll yesterday as I got half the room tidied, these two made and the butterfly card.  Thank goodness I like CAS (relatively anyway) cards.  They don't take that long to do!

This morning we had Brunch with our son and his girlfriend at the Catalina Cafe in Hobsonville.  A really nice place about half way between their place and ours.   So just going to potter about this afternoon... maybe another card or two... plus that dreaded ironing to do!

Take care
Dawn 

Sending Hugs to Sophie

My great-niece Sophie (who is 5) sent me a letter this week, with some pictures she had drawn.  So I decided that I would sent her a sweet little card.



I have these pre-cut window cards so started by covering the card with some lovely pretty patterned paper from Pink Petticoat pack and cutting out the opening.  I then stamped the little Mini Magnolia stamp onto some dark cream card.  These Mini Magnolias are so cute.... only 2 inches by 1 inch.  I coloured with her Copics and paper pieced her dress.  I added the Hero Arts sentiment.  The top corner pieces are from a Martha Stewart round the edge punch and the the green flourish from MFT die cut.  I punched to butterflies and added a little bit of HA Antique Flower background in my new Distress ink (Seedless Preserves)  The little yellow flowers are a small punch and I coloured some white pearls with a yellow Copic for the centres.
I'm entering this one into a few challenges as well.
Simon Says Stamping ~ Dies to die for
Lily Pad Blog ~ Bling
Wee Memories ~ Use Patterned Paper
Hero Arts ~ Window card

Hope you are having a great weekend.... mine has been good.   The All Blacks won last night and the Warrior's ( NZ's League team) are in the Grand Final next week.

Dawn