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Monday, 10 August 2015

Pop Up Challenge

The Daily Marker is having a Pop Up Challenge or two

Heres the link (Pop Up Challenge) so you can read all about it.
Kathy will be having another 30 Day Colouring Challenge in October but until then there is to be a Pop Up challenge or two. Kathy has asked if we can spread the word and in doing so you have a chance to win a grab bag.

Gotta be in it to win it and I do soon love Kathy's Colouring Challenges.

Thanks for visiting, card coming soon.

Sunday, 9 August 2015

It's exhausting being this fabulous......


I love these AI stamps, have quite a few and its time to start sharing them. Another last minute challenge,  nah there's still 13 hours but I thought I better get it finished and not risk missing the dead line.
I'm hoping to be home a couple of days this week so I am going to try and enter some Challenges before the last minute.

Ok, with this one I stamped onto watercolour paper. I then coloured my beautiful ladies in with Inktense pencils. I cheated with their skin and used Copics. Don't you just love that although they have their PJ's on they are still fully made up with lippy, blush and earrings.


Since they are on the couch, I thought they should have some wallpaper. Used some patterned paper from a Stampin Up paperpad. I attached the patterned paper flat to cardstock. Then cut out around my ladies, did a wee bit of light blue copic around them so I didn't have to try and cut off all the white as the watercolour paper is rather thick and hard to cut. Added the image with dimensional foam.

Then I did my usual and thought about the sentiment and where it should go. I have quite a few of their sentiments but decided just one would be fine. I chose the light purple colour cause it looks brilliant with the green strip on the wall paper. Oops got a bit of lippy on the third lady from the left teeth. Their too busy laughing to notice anyway.

Added bits of sparkle with glitter pens on their jewellery but night photos just don't pick it up so you will have to believe me - ok.

Going to enter this in:

using favourites: AI Stamps; Inktense pencils; Humour; Favourite Colours

Love their challenges so there we go.

Hope you enjoy your visit and come back again.



Friday, 7 August 2015

Berry Merry Thanks

No, no berries and its not Christmas theme either I just thought 'Thanks' was a bit boring and as I made this card to go in  the Less is More Colour Challenge : Berry Shades Thought this title worked.

okay here comes the card.

This is another last minute card. I was down looking after mum and dad, got home late this arvo. Unloaded the car, got Elysha settled, unpacked, takeaway (ahh bless Friday) and sat and looked through Feedly. Too much to catch up on, then saw the Less is More Challenge had only 10 hours left so I couldn't go to bed and do in the morning. I had another of those ideas or six stewing in the old brain but with shortness of time and tiredness setting in I went with the easier of the ideas.



I love how this card turned out but there was no way to get the camera to show the true depth of colour in the blended distress inks panel. Night time, lights, flash etc so you will just have to believe me. The colours are deep and rich and remind me of berries, boysenberries, blue berries, raspberries.

I used the Hero Art background stamp again, this one was actually embossed on watercolour paper but I distress ink blended and will have to try with watercolours another time.


I have used a third of the panel and cut two white panels same size. the watercolour panel is flat and the white panels a lifted ever so slightly. I then cut out the 'Thanks' word 3 times in white and glued together then the purply berry colour once. In a couple of photos it looks splotchy, don't know why because IRL its perfect, no glue marks. Maybe reflection.


Even the 'Thanks isn't showing up true colour here, I am disappointed.
Okay thats it. I hope this fits the bill. Still feeling my way these days.


Marybeth was kind enough to point out another Challenge I could enter this in.
Since the Die cut 'Thanks' is a Serendipity die I will enter this in their  Monochrome Challenge


Thanks for coming to visit & I hope you come again.

Tuesday, 4 August 2015

Card Set

WARNING: This is a photo heavy post lol. I needed to clean my desktop and I had this set of cards sitting all over it so I decided post just to share what I did. No challenge in mind here.



Each of these cards has the same basic design. Used multi coloured wools/yarn on each. Lucky for me I had colours to go with each.



The same layout of 7 squares lined up within a piece of card stock I have cut 3/4" holes in as evenly as possible.  3/4" coloured cardstock that went together. Some left plain, some have a wee bit of glitter and some have glossy accents.


Some of the cards I just did 3 lines along the bottom of them with my score pal others I have done a crossed pattern on the card front with the score pal.


After I attached the coloured card stock piece then I went through my gem collection and added bits and pieces within the colour theme.

Some I have stamped with black ink, others with greys from Hero Arts inks.


When I attached the yarn to make sure it stayed on well, I cut a very small slit
at the fold on the card and fed the yarn thru. This made sure it stayed in one place. I actually didn't notice when I took the photos that some of the yarn was sitting very straight. It looks better crossed over so I fixed that before I wrapped the set to give away.


I used a mixture of sentiments from a few different companies. Some taking up centre stage others just at the top.


I was quite pleased with how it turned out and am pleased to say I have nearly used up all the card bases I made this way.


This sprang from a card I saw at an online class that looked so wonderful and when videoed it looked so simple. Simple turned into the card of the century.  Of course the card I saw the squares were just laid along the white strip - think I could get them straight - no way.  


You should have seen this place, first cutting out the squares, I swear that I must have punched out over 400 different squares going for all these different colour combinations. Then of course I had to add kindy glitz to some and glossy accents to others. some warped, smeared etc, it looked like a  mad house.

Now I can happily say there are just a few left, the box full of coloured squares that are left is tucked away where I can't see it to ponder using those other squares and I will never attempt to make these again. 

Lesson Learnt : I learnt that I should just make a couple of cards when I like an idea, stop obsessing over how it would look with this or that or I will never get through all the stamps, dies, papers, embellishments I have.

I hope you enjoyed my little journey with these cards and that you will come visit again.

Monday, 3 August 2015

Hang Loose

I was going through my stamps (the never ending pile and found another stamp to use). Penguin for the Muse Challenge - 50 minutes to go till closing. can I do it?




Isn't he cute as.


Stamped, coloured with copics, fussy cut out my ohhh so cute penguin. Will have to add the brand name later. Stamped with copic friendly ink but it wasn't black enough. Should have used the Misti. So I went in and coloured the black with black copic - very scary.

Got the card base and a great stencil (brand later) and thought this looks like waves so did my blending with blues from distress inks, once then lightly over again for more depth.

Added my penguin who is hitting the waves and saying 'Hang loose'. Just edited the photos so here goes.


Took the inspiration from Tracey relaxed Penguin and the stencilled background.

Hope you enjoy your visit.



Spread your Wings and Fly



This was an idea that was chugging away in my brain and I thought I might just be able to squeeze into a Challenge I had seen that is ending soon so thought I would give it a go.

First I cut the die cut butterfly out of the card front.
Then I looked through the bits and pieces I have coloured, painted, blended etc and saw the piece that is from a background stamp made by Hero Art. I love the stamp and have embossed cardstock and watercolour cardstock in gold, silver, clear, white, sparkle all with this pattern


But most of what I do just sits waiting for me to decide how to use it. Well I found one way. I had a gold embossed and it has colours blended in pinks using Distress Inks. I die cut another butterfly.

I cut a small piece of card stock to put behind the original butterfly, laid the patterned butterfly inside the die cut and held in place with temporary tape.
Then I put wee little dots of glue inside each space. Picked up each piece and placed inside, bit like making a puzzle but easier. I then die cut the body from gold vellum. Once they were all in place, I lifted the butterfly out line so it sat slightly raised.



Now I can't decide which I like more, all pressed flat or slightly raised. Any thoughts ??

Decided to keep this very simple with the sentiment stamped in Charcoal.

I would like to enter this card in:

I think that makes three entered there

Sorry if you get this twice. Realised I had picked Less is More and forgot my colours didn't quite match Berry shade so had to delete.

no was tape but there is a butterfly

Enjoy your visit and see you again soon I hope.


Saturday, 1 August 2015

Happy Father's Day


Yes I know its not Father's Day yet but thought I would colour a few cards so my grandkids can pick out which one they want for their dad when it gets closer (we celebrate Fathers Day in September here in Australia). This is one of the few Mo's Digital Pencil rubber stamps I own. Mostly own digital images of hers but have started buying the rubber which then gives me a bit more choice with my stamping. Actually I painted the little ballerina last week and she is also a Mo's clear rubber stamp (can't think of the name they use for clear stamps so that will do). 

 I coloured in with Distress inks and had a little bit of overflow with the orange t-shirt (lesson one - clear emboss when stamping with black ink just to ensure there is no overspill) I have always clear embossed for watercoloring but have become rather lazy/eager to get things done and have been bypassing this step.
Its not too bad but does look better with clear embossing so will get back into the habit. Also can't work out why I did the ground in grey, maybe I was thinking shadow and got carried away. Should have been grass - looks like dad is dragging her along the road (lol).

Ahh come on she's smiling, it can't be too bad!!!! Finished it off with a free stamp sentiment I got from Stamplorations the last time I bought something. Its a beauty hey!

Cut the panel smaller than the card base. Added a sheet of patterned paper to the base of the card then attached my coloured panel. All done.




Okay thanks for visiting and hopefully you will be back soon.

A Vase of Flowers




I love the Photo Challenge over on Addicted to Stamps and More.

So I decided to give it a go. Loved the flowers and have a couple of gerber flower stamps but they were all to big for what I wanted to do. I then thought of the new stamp set I had purchased from
Stamplorations 'Blooming Buds - Dee's Artsy Impressions'. Love them. So I stamped (cut out) and masked  and stamped some more  in a bunch. Then I stamped some more just on their own so I could add to the bouquet. 

I coloured them all in with copics and I can see the colour pink is lacking in my mix of colours so of course I will need to buy some more. But anyway I got the look I wanted. Now I needed a vase. 

What better than the glass jar die from the Stampendous 'Cling Build a Bouquet Set' which yes I am sad to say I have not used yet but is on my to do so very soon list (hang head in shame).
Anyway used the die for the jar and cut out using silver card stock (this was after first placing thud upside-down the first time and cutting a nice deep pattern into my magnetic plate). Moved the die up further after cutting to reduce the size of the jar and recut. Wish I had had shiny silver card stock but this will do.

I curved the die cut piece a bit then attached with dimensional foam tape. I coloured couple of additional flowers, fussy cut them out along with a couple of leaves.


Added the extra flowers also with dimensional foam tape. Cut the panel slightly smaller than the card base and attached flat to the card base. Decided not to add a sentiment, felt it would just crowd the card out.

Okay so what do you think? Does it work? Too much? Thinking maybe I should have coloured the pink flower fully pink. Ahh well its done.

I would like to enter this in :

used their stamp set.


Thanks for coming to visit. Hope you come again.



Wednesday, 29 July 2015

You are so Sweet












I had to make another one. After looking at my other card and struggling to see the bling I thought 'come on Aileen, you can do better than that!'

I had coloured in this little cutie before with mix of Distress Inks and Inktense pencils (really really bad hair day). Added a bit of glitter to her laces and the edge of her skirt with glitter pen.
Cut the watercolour card stock with the stitched rectangle die then cut a sheet of silver glitter paper with the next size up. Attached silver layer with tape it is flatter looking than it appears in the photo. Honestly it appears to be this die, the papers tend to warp unless its thicker card stock, might need to reinforce next time.

Anyway stamped sentiment then attached a beautiful little pale pink flower. All done.

Off to enter this in:

and cutting it very close :)

since its so feminine I thought I would also enter the challenge



Again thanks for coming to visit and hope you come again.

Light and Bright Hello


My W9PLUS flower stamps arrived. I did a pile of stamping, masking and more stamping. I started out doing single flowers with watercolour pens, wasn't happy with any of them. Tossed the lot.

Went back to my Inktense pencils and I am so glad I did. I had forgotten how easy they are to use and how vibrant. The watercolour pens are back on the shelf for now I will stay with what I really am comfortable with. My Inktense Pencils and my Tim Holtz Distress Inks. Both are perfect for watercolouring.



Check out the vibrancy, I have not lightened the colour of the photo at all. After I finished colouring the flowers I added a little green in the empty areas then went over the flowers with Wink of Stella pen.


I have taken a close up of the flowers in the hope you will see the sparkle going on here, it really looks brilliant but its just not showing up as well as it should. Then I die cut 'Hello' in the flowers and put that one aside, did another in black and laid the black layer straight back into the coloured image.

Added a little glitter with Wink of Stella to the black layer as well not that you can see it.

I'm so glad I went back to my Inktense pencils. Time to do some more.

Would like to enter this in 


I hope it sparkles enough, if not please delete.

Well I hope you all enjoyed your visit. See you again soon.