Strawberries in August....

Over at Die Cut Divas Arlene has a theme of Hot August Nights...  It's summer time in the Northern Hemisphere and summer time means Strawberries to me... so today I am sharing a shaped card I made

I hand cut the strawberry from a template I found in a Papercrafts Inspirations magazine.  I embossed it with Swiss Dots folder and then added some Versamark and clear embossed it.  I used a Swirls folder on the dark green for the top of the strawberry.  I die cut a Holly Flourish and a small Tattered floral flower.  Added the double bow and some string.  I coloured my pearl with a Copic as I'd run out of big yellow ones.    My sentiment was computer generated and then die cut with a Spellbinders tag

As Virginia's View challenge this month is shaped cards, I've entered this one.

Been busy with commissions this week... One lady wanted three similar cards for Brother's Day, an Indian celebration... I did them but forgot to take a photo.  She also wanted a birthday card for a friend and I used a paper piecing technique that I saw on the OCC this week..

 

Using some PP to piece the Kaisercraft roses before fussy cut them out.    

Way behind in my homework for the class, but have been pinning like mad, some of the stunning gallery cards for inspiration.   Hoping to catch up later this week and over the weekend. 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Saturday stamping, Sunday strawberry picking....

 Yesterday I finally managed to catch up with some stamping buddies for a day of stamping.... I have missed a number of their get togethers because of a variety of reasons, but yesterday I was available and stamping was on at Lei's place. Here some of the lovely ladies are - Lei and Jackie, Helen and Glenda.... Sandie and Janet were there as well, but evaded the photos.... We had a fabulous day, lots of talking, eating and of course stamping.  All this despite the temperature soaring to the high 20's.  It was HOT....
I managed to get two cards and two book-marks done, and coloured in two "Ian" images I had.

 

I have been having fun with the Pure Innocence images that I got from Heather Ellis's site.  So cute and fun to colour.  I love the digi images as you can resize to what ever you want.  

Friday I bought two more Hero Art stamps... Silhouette Burst and Silhouette Spray.  They both tie with the Dandelion Frame.  I used part of the frame and the Silhouette Burst on the first book-mark.  Very pleased with the result so will be making a card with similar colours.  The second book-mark was made with Distress inks rubbed over the cardstock to make the lovely orange background.  I stamped the butterflies and sentiment with Versafine Sepia ink.   My Purple card is for Anne-Maree at work, she LOVES purple, wearing it just about everyday!!!!  I used the Hero Arts Friends Definition Cling to make the background paper which I tore and distressed in Dusty Concord.  I then stamped both the Burst and Spray onto it.  Finished them off with a gem ( coloured with Copic to get the right colour) and the Happy Birthday. 

Finally my Pure Innocence card was nice and quick to make.  In my stash I had the background Paper ( no idea where I got it or what make it is!!!) but it tied nicely into the colours I had used.  The sentiment is by Stampin'Up.  I borrowed it from Helen.

Our day finished around 4.00pm and it was still very HOT!! so when I got home, I quickly unpacked my stuff, put on the togs ( swim suit) and headed to the beach.  It is 5 minutes walk from home... and had a quick dip...the water was so warm.  This was my first swim this summer.... it's been too cool up till now.  Just magic...  Finished the night by going out to an Indian restaurant with some friends... Fabulous Day.

Today was not such a nice day,... still warm but overcast at times and raining at others.  However we had decided to go Strawberry picking.  One of the strawberry farms near us ( about 20 minutes drive away) has a yearly day when you can pick your own ($7 a kilo) and all the funds go to the North Shore Hospice.  Of course as soon as we started picking it starting to spit and then rained.... not too heavy but enough to get a wet tee-shirt.... Hubby and I picked just over 3 kgs.... so tomorrow am going to make jam.  We had some of the better ones for our dessert tonight... so tasty and fresh.

Thanks for stopping by.