Light at the end of the Tunnel!

This is a long post so be prepared!

I can see the light - still need to get there. My craft space is filthy, full of bits and dust and glue and glitter, and everything has been pulled out and just put where-ever for the moment while I work in this tiny space I have left for myself! Interspersed with cups of coffee and chats with my family, I have made nearly all the cards for Christmas, created a few other things and dealt with the various interruptions that occur in life.

My lovely sister-in-law survived her 8 hour operation with three surgeons, and is making steady progress.  Spoke to her this morning and she is optimistic and determined to beat this bloody thing. She has lost most of her intestines, her bladder and some other bits but is soldiering on.  She has her faith and strong family support so I can see her making a full recovery!

Our next-door neighbour lost her brother suddenly last week, and is understandable upset and shocked. Vale Ted....what a lovely man. Such as loss as a father, husband, teacher and friend.

At the other end of the spectrum, my Great Nephew (that makes me feel so old!) Harry was christened last Sunday in his Grandmother's family christening robe - 110 years old and hanging below his feet.  So cute but he was not that impressed with the proceedings really! It was great seeing his Mum again; as well as being my niece she is my God Daughter, and as they live in Brisbane we don't get to see them often.

Congratulations Harry, Michael and Rachel

I decorated a gift for Harry's room - 

I found this letter H while Christmas Shopping and immediately purchased it as it was already painted and sanded back! I stamped it with StayzOn and coloured it with SU pens, which took a while to dry but did eventually.The image is from LOTV and is called Ooops.  The rest are RubOns. It can be stood or hung on a wall as a decoration. The little card is a copy on one I was given some time ago, that used a heart punch to create the flower. 

Scraps of paper and card were used to create this - cute eh!

In addition to the family stuff I made this deco using an SU set of stamps and dies - Ornament Keepsakes. A bit time consuming but easy enough to make.

The die cut snowflake makes a good centre.

Now for some Christmas cards. I have a selection here of some that I have made. The first card is a straight case from an SU Conference I went to last month - looks good and makes up quite quickly - once you have cut out all the mounts and white card! Again, it uses the Snowflake die.

Just a  few others I have made. I tend to make singles and if I like them and they are reasonably quick to make, I will make a few more the same or very similar. They are mostly SU card and mostly CASED from other's work - I blog-crawled and found ones I liked and just copied.  Sometimes I added something new but most are just as they were! I have made some original ones but I will show those another time

If you are still reading - thanks! Sorry for the poor photography  - taken inside and quickly!

The last two are examples of ones done for Unstampabelles mid-way DT: our challenge this month is Monochrome, so I went blue here. I used an SU embossing folder and cut the image into thirds.  I think I used one with a blue ribbon as well for my card at Unstampabelles. After embossing I sanded the image and then mounted it onto various other blues. Some bling and ribbon embellishments and a simple sentiment finished them off - they were quick to make but you can see that I was not that particular with my spacing!

Bromm, Bromm

Challenge #59 - Racing Cars

Can you believe we are up to Challenge #59 for the Lollipop Ladies?  

This fortnight we're getting into the competitive spirit with  Racing Cars!

With the additional challenge of Stripes.

Guest DT spots are able to be won each fortnight

and our sponsor this fortnight is: Annabelle Stamps *

$10 Voucher (thanks to Andrea).

Remember, there have to be seven (7) entries before the prize can be awarded.

My card for you this fortnight is based on the CAS principle and is stamped straight onto the card, with limited embellishments.  However, please note that my STRIPES are in the ribbon - stripy ribbon!

The images come from the Waltzing Mouse stamp set called Pint Sized Hero's and have been stamped straight onto the white card base.  I have coloured them in a straightforward way (no shading) with the Copics in primary colours.  The ribbon road is from a giveaway, and is also in the primary colours - and has STRIPES!The  top sentiment comes from the WMS set, and the bottom one is from Annabelle Stamps. 

The card base is a commercial one and while it is flat, and smooth, it did not take the Copics well and they are a bit streaky.  I am afraid to add more ink as I think it will flood the back of the card. I wanted to keep it fairly simple to match the child-like drawings - however, I feel I could use it for a child or an adult (or even a teenager!). I love the way the sentiment on the bottom goes up and down as well - adds to the feel of driving. 

Well, now you have seen what I have done - have a go yourself for this challenge - great prize and a chance to be a Guest Designer.  You cannot win if you don't go into it! 

A sketch for Chocolate, Coffee and Cards

This is my second Guest DT spot for November (one more to go!) for the lovely team over at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards!  This one uses a sketch.  It is sponsored by The Robin's Nest.

I am having so much fun doing these Guest spots for CCC and encourage you to throw your hat in the ring too!

I am currently knee-deep in Christmas cards (as I am sure lots of you are) and so my design is a Christmas card!  I have not added a sentiment, as I feel it would be a bit too busy and the Christmas Angel does sort of give it away.  This is a Lili of the Valley stamp. I stamped and coloured up a few of these, in different versions and colours and just played around with scrap papers and card until I got a colour combo that matched.  Therefore, I have no idea where the scrap of DT came from (except I suspect it was from a magazine) behind the angel;  she is stamped on X-Press Blending card with Momento Black Tuxedo.  The card is all SU, the white being the standard WW, but the pink/mauve card is old stock and I think is Opulent Orchid?  The brads are current SU ones, and the ribbon is scrap.  I used a Sizzix embossing folder - Snowflakes. 

 I think you can see the sparkle from the fine glitter on her wings, and on some of the snowflakes around the edges too. AtYaSpica pens have been used too on the wreath in her hair. The die-cut doily is from Cherry Lyn. I fussy cut her out and layered her up with dimensionals.

Pineapples

Not my favourite fruit or my favourite lolly either - and very hard to get inspirations from, but that is Gin's choice over at The Lollipop Ladies for this fortnight's challenge, and I don't mind telling you - it's a challenge for me!

It's time for a new challenge and so this fortnight we're focussed on...

Pineapples

With the additional challenge of Triangles

Guest DT spots are able to be won each fortnight
and our sponsor this fortnight is: Mad for Markers*

(thanks to Sammi).

A choice of 3 of her M4M digi stamps.
So cool :-)

So, here is my poor attempt at this challenge.

I'm knee deep in Christmas cards and I knew I had used my Copics to coloured up a green angel so I got her out (LOTV image of course) and die cut her out with a Spellbinders Nestabilities die.  I stippled some Distress ink - Ocean Blue - around her and put her on the embossed background, with a Memory Box die cut - Frosty Border. 

Where I hear you ask are the triangels triangles? I can see a few - there is one on the top of the border, the wings of the angel are triangular in shape...........alright, I'll admit they are a long shot, but they are there! 

You can also see the AtyaSpiker pen glitter on the wings of the angel and her hair etc better in this photo. I added some bling to her wreath as well to make her sparkle more. Hope she pleases - not some much green and yellow but it's just to get those creative juices flowing folks you know!

Beginning to feel like Alice's rabbit!

Well, I'm late again.  Been making Christmas cards and forgot to put up my post for Unstampabelles - actually, thought I had a few days up my sleeve but there is nothing up there there days but an old hankie and few dead skin cells!

Unstampabelles latest challenge is Challenge #17 - Monochromatic

(mon.o.chro.mat.ic Adjective: Containing or using only one colour.)

Any form of paper creation will be accepted as long as NO STAMPS (Digital or Rubber) have been used.

IDEAS: quilling, parchment, stickers, boxes, books, cards, scrap pages, etc
You can find our rules here for further information.

Our sponsor this month is Cardmaking Online which is an Australian online only business - by not having a retail store, they avoid significant costs such as rent and electricity which enables them to bring you quality products at the lowest possible prices.  They have a wonderful range of cardmaking kits, dies, peel-off stickers, parchment craft materials and much more. 

Cardmaking Online is sponsoring us with a $25.00 gift certificate as our prize for this months challenge.

My contribution this month is using acetate.  I have tried several thing with this before and thought I would have another go - I am not happy with the backing of the acetate; perhaps I should have gone with coloured card rather than white? Maybe a circle or die-cut shape rather than the square of white......I doesn't seem to sit well, but I wanted to cover up the space where you can write your message on the inside so you only see it when you open the card. Anyway......

Rolled roses and die cut leaves - from the same paper range, so why is the bottom one showing bluer than the others? Who knows!

Not quite as blue here but still not aqua-green. I used rub- ons indie the card for sentiments, but really could have put the second one outside on the acetate, if I had thought of it before now!!!!

I used a Martha Stewart border punch and the card stock is SU Whisper White and an old colour Sage Green, which  I really like but cannot get any more. Some aqua pearls and its done. Thanks for looking. 

I made Top Three at Annabelle's!

I have made a few cards so thought I should blog. Before I show them to you I need to tell you I was very excited when I found out I had made Top Three at Annabelle Stamps last Challenge.  Yippee! The lovely Michelle (Whirligig) who was giving away some blog candy has also sent me some goodies, so I feel pretty special!!

ED:
Just found out (too late though) I made Top Three at Stampacular Sunday Challenge - Yippeee! I didn't check it again until now, but I did check earlier and missed it. Never mind - its the thought that counts!

I have made a few cards as well - as I said in my last blog - but didn't Sandy create a lot of damage on the East Coast of the USA!??!  It has been a bit of a week really.  Hubby has had the second eye cataract removed and is in "I refuse to acknowledge that anything is wrong" mode - he is gardening today, five days later. He went to wood turning on day 3 but the guys there wouldn't let him use the machines! Yay for common sense.  He went to the gym on Friday too - not sure if it was for the exercise, the socialising or the coffee after! I must admit he is looking fine and despite having his bottom lid turned down and stitched into place on Tuesday (due to ingrown eyelashes) he is doing well.

Did I mention I made some cards - I hope all those on the East Coast who are still without power in America soon get the power back and haven't been too damaged, either physically or emotionally, by the storm. Voting week too - go exercise that right to democracy!! Here in Australia it is compulsory to vote (or you get fined) and I think that is good because then when anyone complains about government decisions you know they at least have a right to complain as they did vote!

Anyway, I made some cards.........

This is cased from Sue W (Thanks Tillymint) at A Consuming Passion - I wanted to have a go at the 3D bauble. 

I purchase many magazines (for inspiration) and one a few months ago had a packet of christmas postcards as a gift with the magazine. It was from the UK - that's all I can remember. Anyway, they were good quality so I made up them all - here are a selection.  I just mounted them and then added some bling or snow or stickles or something to make the image jump a little.

I think they look good! Quick and easy cards are important when you make a lot of them! I used a commercial blank card for the base and SU card for the mounting.

Cheers, and keep safe. 

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards

Who could ask for more?  What a great name for a card challenge!

As my first Guest Design Team member card for Chocolate Coffee and Cards, I was able to get a Bugaboo Digi to work with!  Beauty Mate! I particularly love the Stella's as they remind me of me on so many occasions! This first challenge in November is being sponsored by Bugaboo Digi's - how good is that!

There is an additional part of the challenge - you must include STRIPES in your project.  

With a few girlfriend's birthdays coming up and a few family member's birthdays as well - who could resist going for a Stella image! When I saw this one I just laughed out loud and  I know exactly the person  this card is going to!!

She is coloured with my Copics and I used the AtYou Spica pen to put a bit of glitz and sparkle into the image as well. The addition to this Challenge is STRIPES - you have to have them in your card! So I have used striped DP from My Mind's Eye - Nostalia 6 x 6 pad.  There are also three sprinkles from Annabelle's Stamps and all the card comes from Stampin'Up.

I printed out the image twice onto X-Press Blending card, and coloured them both up together, exactly the same.  I then used one to cannibalise and to decoupage the image a bit, cutting out the flower on her hat, the balloons, her top, glasses, the present and the sentiment and putting them over the top using dimensionals. 

The card itself is a commercial blank, and as the image is so busy I kept the rest of the card pretty clean, just adding the sprinkles for balance and mounting the DP for contrast. 

Hopefully you can see the decoupage better here.

I will enter this at the following challenges:

ATC's and Cards with Attitude: Anything Goes
Raise the Bar: Anything Goes
365 Cards: Day 246 - Say it with Flair (I think it does!)