My 2015 favouarites.... Jan- Jun

hi there.  With it nearly the end of the year (where did it go???????????) I am going to share my favourite cards for 2015.  Today I will share January to June and then July to December tomorrow.

So here I go.

January 2015

February 2015

March 15

April 15

 

May 15

June 15

It's been hard to pick my favourites - I've been happy with the cards I've done this year.  I have tried many different styles, techniques and just had fun creating.   Pop back tomorrow for the next 6 months  tomorrow.

 

What a naughty cat.....

Snoopy has been up to his old tricks again.... but this time he has upset my next door neighbour!!!!!  He bought home her big straw hat the other night.... how on earth he managed to drag it over the fence, up 6 steps and inside, I really don't know.... but unfortunately this neighbour is rather odd and not as tolerant as the other side ones....  she really got into a state yesterday, demanding I get rid of the cat.... and it was causing her to be mentally stressed!!!!!  I was patient and told her to get a water pistol and spray him whenever she saw him over at her place.......... what more can I do?????  He really is a bit of a rat bag.....

Anyway Snoopy got me to make a little card to give to Joshua, Lucy and Elle who feed him while we were away.....

The background was some that I made with distress inks and gold pearlised water.  The image is a stamp I bought of Trade Me for $2.  I added Metallic Accents to the cats ears and feet and tail...  Although you can't see it in the picture... the outer edge of the back of the card has the same edging punched.  To get it to sit properly I had to open the card a bit.   Inside it says " thanks for feeding me.  Love Snoopy"

I got quite a bit done yesterday as it was a bit windy ( to windy to swim)  I made some multi coloured backgrounds with Kaleidocolor  inks and my Fabric design background cling... and I cleaned off the brayer by running it over a scrap piece of card.  I then overstamped the design in Fired Brick ink and cut up the pieces to create a Mosaic background to enter into Louise's latest challenge .  I used some Black Metallic Accents for the grouting ( think it looks more like Stained Glass though)

added some netting for texture and a bird from The Graphic Fairy.   The text was typed onto some translucent paper via the computer and torn

And just when I had posted the Christmas cards from my friends,.... two more arrived in yesterdays mail.... so many thanks to Suzz and Donna...

Aren't they just gorgeous.  Donna also kindly sent me some of her lovely dyed ribbon.  It is so pretty.   Thank you to these kind ladies.

Well today is my last day of holidays... back to work Monday  :-(  and the weather is perfect... infact a bit too hot.... hence being inside at 2pm trying to stay cool.   I think a swim is in order shortly and then shower and get ready to go out to dinner.... Hubby told me this morning he would take me out to the Club ( we belong to the Bays Club) for dinner. 

Thank you all for your lovely comments on this blog.... I ramble on and it is nice to know that someone takes the time to read it.... Much appreciated.

One of those days....

when my Mojo was on a break..... Yesterday was stamping group at Stamp'n'create.  Usually I have a great day - but for some reason ( maybe was too tired after the trip south) I struggled to get motivated or inspired.  Even seeing all the lovely things the others were doing didn't really get me moving...  Still I did manage 4 cards for the day....
I started by using some of the watercolour backgrounds I had made using Joy's technique - basically copied a card I had already done but this time in blue rather than purple.

Next I decided to try making some flower embellishments I had seen in my Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine.  It involved using punches and cutting the petals down the middle, splaying them apart and then putting 6 large and two small together.  Quite pleased with the results despite how fiddly it was.  Once I made the flowers I followed the design in the magazine to make the card.

I did have a bit of a hitch.... first off I embossed the lines upside down and they ended up at the top of the card!!!!  So put that one aside and started again.  Still have to decide on what sentiment to use and how to put it on the card,

I needed to use the card I had the embossing at the top of, so I made a very simple card.  I trolled through my stash I had with me and found a butterfly I had stamped onto some pink vellum.  I stuck it onto a piece of alcohol inked card I found and cut it out.

Added some ribbon and the butterfly and the sentiment which is from a Stampin Up! set.  I think this will make a nice sympathy card.

And then I finally put together a card with a piece of acetate I had stamped and coloured iwth alcohol inks a few weeks ago,  NOT AT ALL HAPPY with the result.... just couldn't get it how I imagine it....

So this is going to be a sample card!!!!  Just to show the technique.

I didn't really feel happy with any of these.... but I did have a great day chatting and catching up with the others.  And I did manage to get a couple of stamped images from one of Sue's lovely stamps - for a special card.

Hope the week is good for you all.... Going to be awesome for me... My birthday tomorrow and then on Friday ( very early) hubby and I are off to Australia for 5 days - a mini break-.... meeting up with my parents and going to spend a few days in Mooloolaba.  This is where we are staying.... but before then I will be drawing the winner of my giveaway... stay tuned tomorrow.

May's card chain challenge,

As many of you know, I have taken part in Deborah's Card Chain challenge from the beginning.  This month her challenge was to use these colours

or this sketch  or the theme of Friendship, Mothers Day or Memorial Day.

My recipient was Deborah March who lives in Nova Scotia.  Now I had to look up the map to see where that was!!!!!  Deborah has a great blog here.  She is one extremely talented card maker who has been recognised all over the place.  She has the most amazing tutorial on her blog for making flowers.  Go see this.

Anyway I sent off a card based on the sketch and another card with a book mark as part of it.

I had made some purple alcohol ink background and I cut a circle in half for the pieces.  The quote is from a set of by Inkadinkado kids quotes. 

For the book-mark card, I started by adding a strip of silver duct tape on the white card and embossing it with a CB border.  I added some colour to the buds with Copic pens. I then cut it to fit onto the side of a card.  I used a perforating cutter to mark down where it is torn off.  The rest of the card was decorated with a panel - made by stamping the HA cling Flourish in silver ink onto a black card wrapping some silver thread around it and mounting on silver card stock then onto the purple. The birds were made by stamping twice onto the purple card and then when I cut them out, turned one over. 

As usual I had fun making these cards and love sending them off.  I can't wait to see what I get in the post... hopefully not too long away.

Thanks for looking today, wishing you all a great day.

Stamp Camp 2010 - Day 1

PS  this is a long post.... like the day was!!!
Whew... what a day.  We started at 9.00am this morning and our table looked like this:

but I can tell you did not look this tidy at the end of the day.  Our table of four had a great day... Angela, Bernie, Jax and I had a fabulous time.  We started the day with Kay giving us our kits for a mini Jacobs Ladder album that we will do tomorrow.

Our task for the day ( and homework if we didn't get it done) was to prepare all the pages.  Our group managed to get them done through out the day.
Next was to prepare a cover for the Technique's folder we were all given.  It involved stamping on cold laminate, turning it over and adding gold leaf and PearlEx powder and then added that to Jac paper and surrounding it with crumpled up and inked tissue paper, mesh,leaves and flowers.  Unfortunately the weather turned a bit nasty and I didn't get to go outside and get some photos.  Will try again tomorrow or Monday to get some good photos.
Onto the next project- a broach.... under the tuition of Sue.  This one involved stamping and shrinky-dink.... I have to admit to failure of one of my pieces :-(  It curled up into a ball and nothing would persuade it to behave!!  Still got there in the end

Next card caused me some issues as well....It was an amazing Zig Zag card... you cut a piece out of the middle of a long piece of card, folded in a concertina and added another piece in the middle... sounds complicated but once I get the photo up - you'll understand what I mean....

 It took a couple of goes to get the inside the right way!!!!
 
Next was a card shaped like a box.... needed accurate cutting of pieces the right way round.... luckily we were given plenty of patterned paper-  ( photo tomorrow or Monday as I haven't quite finished it!!!)

then onto a simple flower card - just lots of layering of the flower... Stamped 5 times and sponged then layered.

Back to Sue for the next card - one using strips of card and a hot glue gun!!!  We made our own patterned card by stamping on green and cream card with gold and red and green inks... cut into strips.  Once the strips were all put together we used a hot glue gun to make patterns on the card.  Once they were dry, we rubbed metallic paste onto the glue.  Very effective

Made one more card before heading home for the day... it involved using a Spellbinders flourish ( 11 pieces) all stuck together to form a circle.  It also used some Perfect Pearls so it was still wet at home time so that will have to wait till tomorrow to view....

So you can see that it was really a full on day - tomorrow 9.00 until 4.00pm... so will be one tired but happy stamper!!!

Thanks for taking the time to view this...
Cheers and happy stamping.....

PS- forgot to say I arrived home to TWO parcels... stamps and inks ordered this week!!! so even more fun for next week..new stamps to play with!!!! .(together with new stuff from camp)

A new computer .....

After last weeks fiasco with the internet, I decided I need to update my computer so I could go totally wireless.  My modem is wireless but was hardwired to my desk top so in the weekend went out and got myself a laptop - a 16 inch one so I could use it like my desktop on the desk - with printer attached  I was going to use my other monitor but that turned out a bit of a mission so have just stuck with the laptop screen.  Not as good at viewing colours for the photos but getting there as I get to know my way around it.. but oh so much faster at connecting to the internet.  Slowly getting used to the keyboard - but did go buy a wireless mouse as I HATE the little swipping thing.... (excuse the technical term there)  Have most of my programmes reloaded, still just a few to go.  Tonight though I went out to a Coffee group that has started at Stampzone... only three of us turned up.  Made a nice card... but not sure I'll go again.  Too much of a rush as I go for an hours walk from 5-00 till 6-00 and by the time I get home from one, have a shower and get off to the other... there was no time for tea :-(

This is a card I made for my little grand niece who is 4 next week, I used Club Anya's Saturday sketch #9.  The two green papers are from a digi kite by Vinnie Pearce called Weathered Papers.  Just lovely. Thanks to Lucy for linking it on her blog.

And look what I got over the last few days... cards from Virginia and Sanne.  Just wonderful.  I am totally surrounding in all these amazing cards from all round the world.

 Well thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate all your comments.  Just to let you know my job application went in today... so now it is in the lap of the Gods as they say!!!  Next week interviews... doesn't help that it's a busy weekend.. stamp group all day Saturday and I'm doing the Round the Bays Fun run on Sunday.... with about 70,000 others~!!!
Take care

R.A.K's and a few cards

My mail man has been busy again... this time two lovely ladies whose R.A.K's arrived.

Firstly the super talented Lucy who lives in England had picked me to receive a little something..... a wonderful pink elephant card and some really cute flowers, buttons and a cute little giraffe stamp.  Thank you so much Lucy

And today I received a wonderful card from the equally talented Kathy ( The Daily Marker).  She had made this back in January and I commented on how nice it was and guess what!!! she has sent it to me...How cool was that!.. You can read all about how it was made here.    Thanks Kathy.  It is just awesome and also the lovely little cupcake stamp is really appreciated.

I decided that I wanted to say thank you to the owner of the bach we recently stayed at.  She is the sister of our friend Michael.  So this is what I came up with

 

The lovely flowers are from the ones Lucy sent me and the dark blue edging is from Monika.  

Did a couple of other cards over the weekend, but I'm posting them off to their recipients and will write about them once they get there!!!!  A little R.A.K for someone. 

Plus yesterday afternoon DH and I headed off to the Villa Maria Vineyard ( about 50 mins south of our place) to go to a concert..... TOM JONES!!!!!!  It was a amazing venue.  We had GA tickets and got to choose a spot on the grass to set up our picnic - blanket, chair, picnic basket - listen to some lovely music from The Lady Killers and Hallo Sailor while eating our dinner, followed at 8pm by Tom Jones.... For someone nearly 70, his voice is still vibrant. He sang some of his oldies - Dahlia, What's New Pussycat, Green Green Grass of Home, plus some newer songs as well.....  Total awesome!!!

Not much time for any crafting tonight as it's Crime night on TV.  CSI followed by NCIS LA.  

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the week.

A bevy of cards this week.

My daughter phones me on Tuesday afternoon.... chats away ....then "oh by the way Mum, want to commission you to make me some cards..... one for.....and ...and ...    so three requests later....."  Still I love making cards and it is great to be able to have a reason to make them( and they won't end up with the numerous others in my crafting room waiting for homes!!!)

>

So got my thinking cap on and away I went.... One of the cards was for her partner's Dad - he's getting the brown and green card.  Based on the bookmark I made last weekend.  One is for her girlfriend.... the pink one.  I got a new Inkadinkado set - one of which was this cute cupcake boxed message.  As Emma is know for her cupcake creations, I thought it was appropriate.  Made it nice and girly as well.  Lots of pink and gems.  Finally her and her partner are off to a wedding later in the month and she wanted a wedding card.  So I made two - just to give her choice.  You should have seen me at lunch time on Thursday scoping out the Hallmark cards at the local bookstore... drawing little diagrams on a scrap of paper... was tempted to get the cell phone out and take a picture or two... but restrained myself.  Anyway got some inspiration and these two cards resulted.  ( I did have to make a trip to the LSS for the Hero Arts cake as had nothing suitable in my supplies - still it will come in handy) ( The gold card used a lovely heart stamp I had on a freebie set from a stamping magazine.  I did some embossing and masking to get the two hearts overlapping.  Cut them out and layered onto the cream card. A bit of gold PP for a matt and embossed the Congratulations from the HA set.  Understated but I think quite elegant.   - this card removed for publishing) The cake card is a direct copy of the one shown on the Hero Arts site here .  I just added a pile of little pearls and the gold peelcraft at the top and bottom.  Thank-you Hero Arts.
Edited April 2010 - card removed for publishing....

So that was my Wed and Thurs evening.  A good haul I think.  Now it's to get ready to head off on Monday to the Island.... so maybe not much crafting over the weekend.( see what I can squeeze in) with getting the housework and the packing done.  Hope everyone has a happy weekend and see you all in a week or so time.

One last post before Christmas...

I had a great afternoon yesterday, spending time with my daughter.  We bought some interesting material to try out an apron pattern she has.... She has an amazing idea for a photo of her and her bridesmaids - that involves retro aprons... but can't say any more yet... ( NB Wedding isn't until 27 Nov 2010 - but this is one totally organised woman!!!)

Anyway we made a couple of aprons ( to give away to some special people ) and had a ball all afternoon. We also managed to make a garter band for the wedding as well...

I managed to get a couple of cards done this week.  One for my parents who celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary between Christmas and New Year and one for my niece who's birthday is on the 2nd January.  She will be 13.  I got some amazing image from the lovely Deborah Nolan that were from The Greeting Farm - the most amazingly sophisticated fairies.... I was rather pleased with the outcome  (BTW  visit Deborah's blog for the most amazing cards and the best posts ever.  She is just so clever with words)

I used my watercolour crayons and a Tombow marker pen to colour it in.  Don't have enough Copics to do it justice.  I attempted to use the techinque of cutting out the oval nestie with leaving some bits hanging over the side.... didn't quite work, but still happy with the result.   The one for my parents is very simple but I liked the elegance of it.  The Peelcraft flourishes were changed from silver to green with a Copic marker.

Well I should be finishing the housework and baking for Christmas.  I head off to the airport after lunch to pick up my parents so am very happy and excited about that....  I haven't seen them for over a year now... Sept 2008 when I went and visited them for 5 days over on the Gold Coast of Australia.  We are heading off Emma and Brad's for dinner with his parents as well... so an early Christmas get together for the two families.

May everyone have a great Christmas.
Best wishes to you all.  Thanks for stopping by.

Book mark for Hubby

Book mark for Hubby
Originally uploaded by turleyfamily(Dawn)

Friday 16th was my hubby's birthday. He is soooo hard to buy for, but this year I decided to get him a book ( Ice Station by Michael Reilly ) and made this book mark to go with it. I got a Tim Holtz mini mask about 4 months ago but had never used it. I decided to try one of the techniques that Jennifer McGuire did in her Thinking Inking series earlier this year. It involved using distress ink then using the mask and then using another colour of distress ink over top. I uses a few colours on the bottom layer and Spiced Marmalade on the top. This meant that the mask left a couple of colours underneath. I really liked how it turned out. The sentiment is by Penny Black.

I had also done a number of book marks as a fundraiser for the local Hospice. At work we have a book sale going on where you donate a book and then can buy another one for $2. I donated the bookmarks and they are selling them for 50cents.  This is just some of them.

I'm just in the process of cataloguing some stamps I bought over the past few days so I better go finish them.  I also have to make a sympathy card.  I am sending it to the doctors and staff at the Medical centre I use and my doctor (Graham Robinson) was tragically killed while riding his bicycle on Wednesday.  Very shocking and sad news.

2 challenges in one - HA and 2Sketches4You

Butterfly piecing
Originally uploaded by turleyfamily(Dawn)

This weeks challenge at Hero Arts blog is to do paper piecing. I decided my Heart winged butterfly seemed just the stamp to do this. I used two coordinating patterned papers that I got in a freebie from one of the English magazine I get. I stamped the butterfly twice on card stock, and twice on each of the patterned papers. I them cut out the patterned pieces and stuck them on the plain card. I then cut out the middle hearts from one and layered onto the other to give a bit more dimension. The sketch was from 2sketches4you challenge this week It is a great sketch by Laura. I stamped HA raindrop background on the card using Kaleidocolor Ink ( Autumn Leaves). I didn't have any dark brown ribbon so used a strip of a shiny brown card as a ribbon ( also put it under the punched out edge). I used a Fiskars edge punch to make the scalloped edging. I finished with some lovely pink pearls and a tiny sentiment stamped in Sepia Archival ink. The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up! set.
I also got a few other bits and pieces done today.  I have make a butterfly a bit like this one - I used the papers on the back of a stamped butterfly on acetate - just waiting for it to dry so I can design the card it is to go on and made a lovely book mark which I still have to photograph.

Over the last couple of days I have also made a Halloween card ...I don't have any Halloween stamps but want to sent a Halloween greeting to someone who just loves Halloween, so found this wonderful vintage image here. I printed it out on photo paper and matted in orange cardstock. The lace edging was from my friend Monika and was white. I used Distress Spiced Marmalade to colour it.

I also printed off a card from a site I found that has free gift wrapping with matching cards and tags.  Here it is ,  There are lots of designs.  The card came in the orangey colour - all I had to do was print it out, titivate it a bit with the faux stitching and added the rub-on word Inspire and added a leave cut out on my cuttlebug from a paint sample I had. 

Well thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my Dad's birthday.... Happy Birthday Dad!!!!
This is the card I made and sent to him.  I liked the nice bright colours as they remind me of him, bright and cheery.  My Mum and Dad live on the Gold Coast in Australia, a long way from me and it's times like this I miss them both.  I managed to ring during my lunch break and speak with Dad (and Mum) but it has been a year since I have seen them.  I'm counting down the weeks till 23rd December when they arrive to visit for Christmas.  It has been some time since I have had a christmas with them.  I also get to celebrate their wedding anniversary ( end of Dec) and Mum's birthday ( 4 January) before they head back.   So lots of good times coming.

Not much crafting done this week... lots of exercise though.  I did a big walk yesterday and today went to a body balance class.... boy am I unsupple!!!! It was a mixture of yoga and pilaties. I know I'm going to feel it tomorrow. 

Well in just over a week ( Friday 18th) I head off to Australia for 9 days.  We are going to Cairns, way up north Queensland.  My DH and a few of his mates are going to play in a Masters rugby tournament  hosted by the Cairns Old Crocs.  He went last year but I visited the parents and then meet up with him later.  This year I am going to the tournie as well.  2 other wives will be there so us girls will do some retail therapy while the guys play their rugby.  It is only the Saturday with a big brunch on the Sunday.  Monday we hope to do a trip to the Barrier Reef ( as long as it's not too windy or rough as I get VERY seasick!!!) then off to Ellis Beach ( 1/2 way between Cairns and Port Douglas) for some sun, sand and sea.  Can't wait for the warm weather.
thanks for visiting. 

Saturday stamping.

Yesterday was Stamping Day at Lei's place.  There were 9 of us there and the group had organised with Jacquie from Stampin Up! to come and demonstrate for us. She did a lovely demo card and then we did a make and take of a set of 4 mini cards.  When we finished those we had a lovely shared lunch and then got on working our own projects.   I got 3 cards made.... one for my Dad's birthday ( no photo as I know Mum looks at this and I don't want to spoil the surprise)

My cards were both inspired by lovely lady's from the Flickr Hero Arts group.  The Teddy was inspired by the lovely Lin
Her cards are just the most delightful ever.  I just loving seeing all her wonderful creations.

The lovely purple card was inspired by Kelly.  Her blog page is here. She also makes the most amazing cards. Take a look around her blog... aren't they just the most amazing cards.  I really liked the simplicity of the sympathy card she made here and so decided I needed to CASE it.  Thank you to both of these lovely ladies for their ideas and inspiration.

I had a fabulous day which was finished off by going out to our Family Groups' "Soup, Shiraz and Jazz" evening.  We meet at Jenny and Alfred's house to share soup ( chicken and vegie from Yvonne and Bacon and veggie from Mia) followed by two different versions of Lemon Meringue Pie ( one from me and one from Vivienne)  I did not partake of the Shiraz ( not fussed on red wine - plus I was on my own so had to drive) but enjoyed some Jazz music provided by Michael's CDs.  A nice way to round off a great day.
Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a great week.  Take care