Cancer SUCKS!

Life has a way of hitting you in the guts sometimes.  Today I learnt a very dear friend of ours passed away yesterday.  He was only 61 and such a fantastic person.  He had prostrate cancer and despite having it removed late last year and undergoing chemo and radiation, he succumbed to this viscous disease.   This is an day we won't forget as it was hubby's birthday.  

We had been down to visit Mark in April and were dismayed to see how unwell he was.   He lives about 2 1/2 hours south of here.  For weeks we have been saying we really should go visit... but now it's too late.  We will travel down on Saturday to his funeral to say our goodbyes.   

This really has made my day feel sad.  So I came home from work and did what makes me happy.... make some cards.  I did some water colouring as that always makes me feel better.

I printed the Tiddly Inks image onto some new Tim Holtz water colour paper.  I used a Copic to colour her face and then Derwent Inktense pencils for the rest and then a water downed Gelato for the background.  The red panel on the card was embossed with a Couture Creations Christmas (not that you can see much of it!)  The corner is a La La Land die.  The sentiment was part of the digital image.  I finished with a little poinsettia.  Entering into the challenge at Simon Says Stamp

Thanks for taking the time to visit.  I really do appreciate it.  Take care

Dawn

Feathery Fun

Feathers are quite on trend at the moment so when I saw this awesome set at WPlus9, I knew I wanted it.

 

To get an idea of how to use I went onto the WPlus9 Design Blog and found lots of great inspiration which I promptly added to Pinterest, so I'd have some ideas.

So here's what I came up with... both cards very CAS

First one uses Iced Spruce Distress ink

I used a 2mm calligraphy pen to make the frame around the card, giving a look of matting.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set.  I used the matching sentiment inside 

and decorated the envelope as well

My second card used Golden Glitz ink with a very similar design

This one is a get well card for a friend who came off his bike recently and is in the Acute Brain Injury unit in Porirua hospital doing some rehab.  He is very lucky to be alive and is making good progress.  

The weekend was very full on with the family.  Our nephew's 21st birthday party was on Saturday and we had some of the family staying the weekend.  So I'll finish with a pic of the nieces and nephews ( the younger 6)

My son is the last one on the right.

Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate you visits.

Dawn

A challenge to use chipboard or cardboard..............

Last month I joined in the challenge at Creative Craft Cottage and was lucky to win the lovely prize of beautiful hand crafted crochet doilies which arrived today and an email from Eileen asking if I would like to join the DT.  Now this little challenge blog is run by New Zealanders so how could not say YES.

This month's challenge is  "Chipboard or Cardboard".  I have a couple of cards to share using chipboard and cardboard.

First up is a card I made a while back using a chipboard angel.

 

and my second card I just finished tonight that uses a cardboard sticker from My Mind's Eye.  It's from their chalkboard collection

I white embossed the sentiment from Kaisercraft and used a white gel pen to go over the edging and scroll and around the word "Christmas"

I'm adding the bottom one to the Moxie Fab World Sticker/Tape challenge

Our challenge runs till 12.00pm on the 31st October (NZ Time) so there's plenty of time to join us.  All are welcome.

Dawn

In the Pink......

The latest challenge is up at Chalk'n'Stock... and here is my sample card.

I started with some pink chalk ink and a Hero Arts background stamp.  I love the creamy look this gave.  I printed off my Bugaboo image and coloured with Copics.  I matted both with some deep pink card stock and then used some of the same card to make the rolled rose.  I computer generated the sentiment and draw around it with a fine pen.  I die cut a doily and coloured it with the same chalk ink.  

Our challenge at Chalk'n'stock is "anything goes" as usual, as long as you use chalk somewhere on your project.  Would love to have you join us.

I have also entered this into the "Pretty in Pink"  challenge at Red Carpet Studio

And if you are interested I posted some Halloween cards over at Little Blue Button Stamps ~ here

A Tiddly Ink Christmas for WCMD...

My Australian Simply Cards magazine this month had a free set of Tiddly Inks stamps and some Christmas papers.  We got home around 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon and once I had unpacked and tidied up I headed to the craft room and got started on using the stamps and papers and the magazine for inspiration.... 4 cards later......

Using a number of Spellbinders dies together with the free papers.  A really cute stamp set.   I had so much fun playing with this set and I'm sure I'll being using it again.  There is still lots of the papers left to use.

Entered the last two cards into the Anything Goes at Tiddly Inks -challenge  

Thanks for visiting today. 

Tuesday Trigger

This is a lovely photo that is the  Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World.   The tines of the comb looked like woodgrain to me so that was one of the inspirations for me on this card.

I used some Simon Says Woodgrain card for my base and used some distress ink to colour.   I used a Cherry Lynn flourish die cut and snipped into pieces and then added some paper flowers.  A touch of green with the ribbon and a little tag.  Finished with some faux stitching.  

I entered this into the Stitching challenge over at the The Paper Shelter as well as the Tuesday Trigger challenge.  This card is on it's way to a friend who is having her birthday in the weekend.  

At the last minute we have decided to head up to the beach for the weekend.  We'll take off after work tomorrow and just relax for the weekend.  I'll try and get some images printed and stamped and take my pens and paints with me.  Plus my Kindle and I'm set.  But no internet for 2 days :-(  

Thanks for visiting and a big thanks to all the encouraging comments that you leave... they are much appreciated. 

A new challenge at Die Cut Divas.... Autumn and Animals

Hannah has set a new challenge over at Die Cut Divas for October and it's a goodie.... Animals/Autumn.... or a combination of two.  Hannah's lovely sample combines the two.

For my card I chose to do an Autumn card.

I used a sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.  The card started life as a single layer, but the base was a bit flimsy, so it got trimmed and added to another card base.  I sponged a white linen card with Aged Mahogany distress ink and stamped the Hero Arts sentiment in the middle.  The leaves are cut from an old book with a Tim Holtz/Sizzix die. I used 4 distress inks ~ Dried Marigold, Tea Dye, Iced Spruce and Aged Mahogany to distress the leaves. I entered it into the September challenge over at Penny Black and More

It is Spring here in New Zealand so the idea of doing Autumn cards is a bit backward for me.  But I did have fun making this one.   

Please come and join us this month with your Autumn or Animal projects ~ just remember you need to use your die cutting machine, either to emboss or to die cut.                              

I'm just off to put away some fresh Snapper that hubby has just finished filleting.  Our son went out on a fishing trip today and dropped in a couple of fish on his way home.  Tomorrow night.. fresh fish for dinner!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great week.

A BIG Thanks to Dreamweavers....

 

Die Cut Divas was very lucky to have Dreamweaver Stencils as our sponsor for September and to say THANK YOU to Lynell and Dreamweavers we all made card of thanks.

For my card I chose to use the Damask Background again ~ this time with gold embossing.

I pressed the Versamark ink onto the stencil and then removed it and sprinkled with the gold EP.   I gold embossed the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp onto red card and trimmed it to fit onto the matching die cut from gold card.   I edged the panel with a gold pen and mounted onto cream card.  The finishing touch was a gold butterfly.  I have added this to the All that Glitters is Gold challenge at Moxie Fab World. 

Thanks a heap Dreamweavers.  You have been very generous to Die Cut Divas.  Hope over to the blog to see what Paula, Arlene and Hannah have created.  And a HUGE thank you to all our entrants this month... all 66 entries.  

And pop over to the blog today (1 October USA time) and see what Hannah has challenged you with for our October challenge.  I'm sure you will have fun creating.