Welcome to the World Little Angel (for a baby boy)

I know this looks as though its a soft lilac colour but you are going to have to trust me its a beautiful pale blue (baby blue is my opinion) for both the die cut panel and the spotty paper.

I die cut the world panel twice once in blue and once in white and glued them together. I die cut the blue spotty paper with a die that was not related but close enough, I wanted to use it as it had rounded corners and I thought that looked softer. It took a bit of fiddling but wasn't too hard. The paper was too thin to use on its own so I die cut a piece of white card stock and stuck them together to make that panel stronger.

I played some more and made half a dozen shaker sections using the fuse tool, by golly gosh its brilliant once you get the hang of it. It still scares me that I will accidentally burn the house down or myself trying to grab it when it falls but DH found a solution:

Soldering iron stand on eBay, cast iron base $7 including postage in Australia. There was one from Hong Kong $4 or $5 including postage - how good is that. Bloody brilliant, cant wait for mine to arrive.

Fiddly bit was lining up all the pieces, so I used repetitional tape on the back of the shaker towards the bottom of the bag so it wouldn't show through later. Was a great way to get it in position. Then added dimensional foam to the spotty panel and attached. Lastly I attached the die cut panel and just slightly tucked on one side so the square corners disappeared into the curved cut.

If course I couldn't resist adding some Wink of Stella. Glued a few sequins on the outside of the shaker part so there would always be glitter showing. The mix I used was bits of everything, Its just way too expensive to get into select little selections with our dollar so low and our postage so high.

Finishing the card off with this really cute little silver charm that looks like a little boys suit on a hanger and attached to the card with a wee bit of silver ribbon. Of course I'm not going to tell you how hard I had to work to get that ribbon to look the way it does especially since I can now see one side is tighter in the twist than the other. I was fixed on this idea and all I will say is it took me as long as it took me to make the card in the first place and was a bugger.......

Thats it, deep breath and all is well. I will use a different idea to attach my charms in future and I'm going to make a swag of these cards, its already been claimed with an order for more please, thanks mum.

Lets see if I can find a Challenge or two.

Crafty Catz: Challenge #316: Baby

This is all die cuts and no stamping so I'm not sure if its okay to enter this. I could find anything that said not but please delete if its not right.

The Crafty Addicts Challenge #11: Anything Goes Option Add a Charm

 Sisterhood of Crafters : Use Your Dies and/or Punches

Clear it Out Challenge Blog: Its Challenge time!

I reckon the paper I cut up to use for this card is at least three years old so it fits the bill as does the piece of pale blue card stock that is probably older.

Okay thank you so much for coming to have a look and I hope you come again soon.

P.S. My apologises to those who got my last post more than once, I needed to do some editing and I think it then posted again to you all, sorrrrrrrrry, really I am :)

Watercoloured Shaker Card

I have used the same background stamp from Hero Art as I used yesterday. Again silver embossed on watercolour cardstock. I watercoloured using Distress Inks using oranges and yellows. Some straight colour, some mixed and some very watered down. I love how it turned out.

I carefully cut out the centre so there is a split in the main panel half way down each side. Again I was careful to cut along the silver embossing.

As you can see I haven't used much in the way of sequins as it is so full of colour anyway. I also attached a few sequins on the outside of the card, in the centre of the flowers on each side.

If you click on the image you will see you can see the fusion of the plastic around the centre petals. This was the first time I used this tool, yes I have had it a little while but I really worry about burning myself as I am rather on the clumsy side. It was only after first trying to do with dimensional foam tape around the petals and the end result looked totally crap that I decided to try the fuse tool.

First I had to try a bit of experimenting then I did by placing the insert under the plastic sleeve for guidance when fusing but that didnt look right so I ended up putting the cut out inside the sleeve and fused.

That left little room for sequins and movement but I was still happy with the look.

Had to then line up the top panels, the biggest problem is that I used dimensional foam tape to keep everything up off the card and it has a habit of grabbing on tight so as you can see the glitter ribbon I added at each end of the card ended up uneven in look.

The white you can see isn't as obvious as it is here and I think if I did it again I would try to fuse wider and also blend some colour around the image but that said I am fairly pleased with my first fuse tool shaker card and I didnt burn myself and my husband has ordered a better stand for the tool on eBay so it doesn't fall and set the house on fire (which is something he is well aware could happen when it comes to me:)

Okay this card is for a couple of Challenges:

Edited to remove challenge  CAS Mix Up - my stuff up.... truly could I not see that this was not CAS. Off to do another to meet the criterial. Now to remove this challenge.

    

 New Addition

a2z Scrapbooking March 2016 Challenge : Embossing

'Just Us Girls' Challenge #334- Trend Week

Shaker card -yes

Addicted To Stamps Challenge #122 - Any Shaped Card

I know its not an unusual shaped card but the top is so thats why I entered this one.

Thanks for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Happy Birthday Monochrome card.

It's one of those cards that could be used this way

or this way, depending on where you do the writing on the inside. This is a Hero Art background stamp and since I bought it I have fond myself using it more often with the blending of distress inks going from light to dark. In this instance I have blended from each end going towards the centre for the dark colour.

I originally silver embossed this on watercolour cardstock that is quite expensive and I regret not using it that way but it basically sat there unused for ages. A couple of times I picked it up to do something and changed my mind each time.

Then I thought about the challenge Seize the Birthday with the Challenge to split the panel and decided to use for that.

After I had coloured with the Distress inks I cut the panel top and bottom along the silver embossed line. I went back and ran the embossing pad along the cut lines to soft the edges with the Distress Ink.

I  added a layer of coloured vellum to the card base first and oiginally it was the correct size, but needless to say I picked up the wrong base, glued the vellum, thought ohh too big so trimmed then found I had grabbed the wrong card base and so the story goes. Moral of story:

Don't leave card bases laying around on desk when working because you are likely to

a) grab the wrong one,

b)get crap like glue/ink/ sticky residue  etc on the card base that makes it unusable,

c)waste ages looking for the right one

d) trim down the next layer so it ends up too small for the correct card

e)waste precious time doing fix ups 

f) end up throwing away precious stock like the last piece of purple vellum

g) then fish it out of the bin again and use it with a bit of blending to hid the white of the card.

Look at those wonderful colours with the silver embossing, I love it.

The outer section is attached flat to the vellum, the inner layer has dimensional tape attached to lift it slightly. I also attached the outer area a bit further away so you could see the vellum underneath that just works perfectly with it.

Final touch is a few different coloured/sized gems.

Was going to add a sentiment but didn't like anything that I put there. It just took away from the beauty of the front panels so sentiment of 'Happy Birthday' stamped inside.

Would like to enter this at :

Seize the Birthday: The Great Divide

Moving Along With The Times: #15: Purple Haze

Crafting by Designs : Monochrome

a2z  Scrapbooking March 2016 Challenge: March Embossing

Silver embossed Hero Art Background stamp.

Ok thats two posts today so I better stop. Thanks for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.....

Love the sentiment that goes with this image. This stamp was a prize from Unity Stamp  Company from when the 'Hop to Stop Domestic Violence' challenge at The Damsel of Distressed Cards was on in October. Keep your eyes open for the challenge this year, wonderful way to raise awareness, make cards and maybe win a prize. We all had to do cards using Purple, it was great. My prize was $200 worth of stamps picked out by Unity Stamps. I got some of the most amazing stamps that of course have joined my NBUS that is the size of a small trailer piled to a great peak

nah only joking but just imagine!!!

As you can see by the close up I have kept the colouring to a minimal as its a one layer card and I didnt want to copics coming through. Was quite impressed when I finished with the small amount of bleed through on this particular cardstock.

So I coloured with copics and went with a blonde/brown hair colour.

Finished her off by going over the stamped hearts and dots with my red glitter gel pen and rather like the effect.

Nice and simple and wonderful sentiment, all finished off with one sparkly red crystal gem.

Start to finish less than 15 minutes and once thought out could make them in bulk very quickly.

Cant wait to try more of the Unity stamps - big thank you for your wonderful prize.

Less is More Challenge Week #267 One Layer Sentiment

Sweet Stamps Blog Challenge - March 2016 - Anything Goes

Cards 4 Galz: Challenge #17 Woman or Women

Thanks for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Here's to age....and those of us who never show it!!

This stamp has always amused me and being sentiment and image together makes life very simple.

I wanted to add a bit to it and as my friends favourite colour is green I went with the green theme.

As you can see here, its just very basic colouring with copics and a few glitter pen dots to add a bit of bling to her top. Bit of green eyeshadow, all she needs is a bit of lippy and she is ready to go.

Die cut the panel with the wonky stitches die, then cut the card front with the same die to give me a perfect match for the stamped image and sentiment.

I set the die cut piece into the card front so its one layer (kind of). Its adhered on the inside and I will add a paper layer for writing on that will cover up the white patched area.

Finished the card off a big clear sparkly gem and stamped the extra sentiment

"It's exhausting being this fabulous.... I don't know how we do it". I know this will get a laugh from her.

Perfect for a laugh mmmm

CASology: Week 188: Laugh

Addicted to Stamps Challenge: #122: Any shape card.

Cards 4 Galz: Challenge #17: Woman or Women

Thanks for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Love You Hunny "Hoppy Easter'

Thought I would go all out and make my DH an Easter card. Why?? Well because I never do so a change is as good as a holiday.

Very easy card, Stamped these cuties and coloured with copics. Added some stickles to their tails, 

A bit of Wink of Stella for a wee bit of shimmer, some green ground to sit on.

Felt it was a bit bare so decided to add another sentiment and thought of these thought bubbles in wood that I got from the $2 shop. To finish it off I added the pink heart.

Love it or as Elysha says 'lubba it'.

Challenge or two:

AAA Cards:#60: Easter

This would have to be the quickest I have ever been in entering this challenge.

Penny Black and More: March Challenge : Feature a Creature

Creative Corner Challenges: Team Mel: Hoppy Easter

thanks for coming to visit and please come again soon.

Hello Sunshine

As the sun continues to cook us here I am really enjoying all the Spring and bright colour challenges. No sign of Autumn at all, as my frangipani tree out that front continues to produce masses of beautiful white and yellow flowers and the weeds look wonderful too.

I started doing this card for a yellow, orange and green challenge at Less is More but was too slow to get moving so decided to finish it off and post anyway. Im sure I can find a challenge here or thereto add it to.

Wonderful stamp (NBUS) from Paper Smooches You may not recognise it as I did the no lines colouring and as the colours are all similar its not as clear as it would be usually.

I enjoyed doing this, I stamped with the Distress Ink Lemonade..... and then coloured with copics.

I decided to do a very pale halo around the flowers in my softest yellow and just not sure it works. Pale Yellow copic maybe too pale but decided to make the card and post and if Im not happy I will try adding a pale blue to make it green, no, just don't want to overplay it for now.

Anyway, I finished it off with a gold die cut 'Sunshine' and stamped 'hello' in pale green but that looks more yellow here.

Final touches are a few bright 'orange' enamel dots. I keep forgetting the word 'enamel' when I go to describe these dots so I hope I don't confuse you all too much when I say 'plastic' 'acrylic' etc its just my brain seems to close down a bit.

Colour Throwdown #383

Just not sure if I did the wrong thing my adding gold sentiment. If so please delete and my apologies.

Simply Papercraft: Challenge #25: Always Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #184: CAS

I think this is my third card or could be the second.

 Update on mum and dad  & Dad's 90th

It went brilliantly and I did mean to post before but I have been plagued with migraines and have barely had a morning when I haven't woken to one. After Chiro visit yesterday I am feeling sore but my head is feeling lots better so I hope I will have a break from them just for a couple of nights which would be nice.

The day started with a drive to Canberra on the Saturday and just as we arrived in Canberra my sister called to say her car had been written off in an accident just as they were leaving home.

Sitting in traffic that wasn't moving at all and bang straight into the back of them. Car totalled so they were unable to come to the party.

Both my sister and her son are being treated for whiplash and feeling the ache but are okay.

The day was big with dad sitting like the king at his table and everyone coming to say hello and catchup. Sadly not many of the oldies were there as mum and dads brothers and sisters are mostly too old to travel all that way for an afternoon tea. But lots of cousins came, representing their parents so we had a ball.

I think our kids and their kids were glad to head off home after munching out on finger food and lots of cakes and cheesecakes but my cousins and my brothers and sisters we all had a ball.

Dad is the second one along on the left and mum is the second on the right.

Dad having his first selfie with my daughter Jessie

I took mum and dad home at 5pm, got them settled, read cards and discussed who was who and I went back to the hotel at 7pm to find all my cousins still in residence in the Beer Garden. Boy we had a good time, catching up, drinking (the others, I cant because of migraines) Elysha dancing to the band and then we convinced the Bistro they needed to make dinner for us all ( 25 I think I counted). 

Took in a cousin who had arrived late and hadn't booked in anywhere so she shared with John and me and Elysha.

Family shot but was after two of my kids had left. Elysha with her twin Aaron, son Dale holding Mason, me, my husband, daughter in law with Sophie and soon to be daughter in law Rachael and mum and dad at the front.

Rachael, Aaron, my 13 year old grandson Keegan, Jessie & Elysha.

Missing from photos  son Jay,  grandkids Brock and Khloe.

I woke in the early hours to harmonious snores all round and sat thinking about the joy of this type of celebration. Elysha so relaxed and enjoying herself, me catching up with some cousins I had not seen in many years and enjoying the fact that everyone had enjoyed it so much we had decided to do another party towards the end of the year. A 'Just Because' party.

Mum and Dad are still talking about it and mum appears to have bounced back a bit. Leading up to the party was very stressful for her and we were worried that the tablets had stopped working. Its just another indicator that when we get together next it will be totally on the side without her knowledge till the day arrives. She is no longer able to handle the pressure of these things though we did everything and they only had to come but mums mind just did terrible things to her.

Vision Australia are doing wonderful things to help with her lost vision and are going to start training her in the use of the vision cane with the ball on it. Though she can see she has holes in her vision and is unable to judge when the ground is uneven or a step up or down and in places like the shopping malls where they put down intricate tile patterns they don't realise that for someone with this type of Alzeheimers what they are seeing is undulating. Its truly an amazing journey my mother is on and anything that can make life easier should be grabbed.

As mum starts her training on using this walking guide I asked if they could tach her how to swipe at peoples legs when they insist on walking straight at her. I am totally amazed at the ignorance of people these days that walk in groups talking and expecting others to find a way around them or the ones that walk straight at you though they can see a woman helping another woman who is obviously having troubles walking.

Alas they said 'no' so I will have to teach her myself or take my own cane for wacking those who don't move out of the way.