Saturday, 3 July 2021

Playing with some new Stampin' Up stuff

 Hello Peeps
I have been playing over the last couple of weeks with some new SU items

You have seen the first card - last week maybe?
Just using DP and a rub on and creating a flower with an old die


I used a stamping set that I won recently for the next few
Set up the stamps on a big block and used them three times in 3 different ways



Stamped with a dryish Stayz On black stamp pad and then sponged with some of the new in-colours for 2021-22: the set is called Enjoy the Moment


Stamped with Archival ink and allowed to dry and then used a Versamark pen over the images and clear embossed them before tearing a sheet of paper and using it as a mask to paint the inks  - a bit like a small stream


This technique is called Black Ice
I was supposed to use Stayz On but initially thought I didn't have any and used Archival
Allowed to dry for 24 hours before I discovered I had SO ink after all - but my pad was not wet enough
I dragged it across and used the Versamark and clear embossing powder and it looks kinda grungy
We did it again in a class  with the proper ink and the other's all turned out well - it has a glassy look to the foil



Made a shaker using the Circle Celebration stamp set and some masking
This has all the colours of the new in-colours but the photo was taken at night so it is a bit yellow....

Looks OK though irl


This one was for a family member
I used Viva Los Vegas stamps....
and a gelly plate background

WARNING bad language.....


Not wonderful and mostly cached but that is way I run these days with limited time....

Cheers, 





Sunday, 27 June 2021

Unstampbelles Challenge #112: Seasons and Seasonal TWIST: use handmade flower(s)

 Hi Peeps....

I quickly made this card this afternoon to celebrate mid-winter.....

It is for the Unstampabelle's Challenge #112

Seasons and Seasonal TWIST: use handmade flower(s)

My handmade flower is made from gold card and green card mixed together


The background is the beautiful new papers from Stampin' Up




I used a rub-on for the sentiment


A quick and easy card for the challenge.

Remember, no stamps can  be used in this challenge!
You have a week left to enter!


Monday, 14 June 2021

Unstampabelle's has a new June challenge

 The June challenge at Unstampabelles is 


#112: Seasons and Seasonal 


with the TWIST: use handmade flower(s)        


I had to make a card for a 90 yo who was throwing herself a party today
It was a good party too!

I used the theme at Unstampabelle's as it was both

Seasonal= there are a lot of birthday's this year in our family ending in 0
and it is winter!

Plus I made some flowers using a die I have had for over 10 years and have 
only used at the most once before!

It is raining outside so all photo's were taken inside, the first one 
on the work desk which is incredibly messy!


I taking the second on the stairs, a small black and white paw sneeked into the shot 
so I had to do it again....


Before I put it into the envelope I added a small sprig of gold leaves to the leaf pile
but of course I didn't photograph it.....


I was reading about creating a winter garden the other day and it appears that 
all the foliage is various shades of green and gold and sometimes with an occasional red flower....
mine is without that!

It has a soft glitzy gold shimmer about it

What are you going to create?




Monday, 24 May 2021

A quick one for Unstampabelles Challenge #111 Adventure

 Hi Peeps

Labouring under a handicap atm - its black and white and sitting on the desk in front of the screen, and occasionally helping me key....

Made a little scene up - I was watching the BBC show Escape to the Country last night and it gave me the idea of a card for someone who is having a tree-change or moving from the urban to the rural....


I started with some w/c card and painted a little scene with my w/c pens from Uniquely Creative

I die cut out a house, some pond animals and plants and a fence plus some grasses from scrap card bits

Then I just layered them up



I darkened the sky afterwards to make it more late afternoon...



Taken outside in the shade....


Not sure what sentiment to add - taken in the dying sunlight


I might just write inside it rather than spoil the little picture.

It is an adventure going to a place where you haven't lived before
and my threes - well, three bull rushes, three lots of foliage and three 
square windows on the house.   

Why not go to Unstampabelles and see what it is about and have a go too!
See you next time!

Monday, 10 May 2021

Challenge#111 at Unstampabelles

 Hi Peeps

Hope all is going well with you. My hubby has been in hospital for three weeks now but he is getting better. He is an a rehab hospital now and it is expected that he will be home soon. However, it got me thinking about how long we have been married - 37 plus years - and so when I had to make something for the Unstampabelles challenge, I went to the Wedding Album and took out one of the photo's to scrap. That was the start of our adventures together......

I was working late on this so when I tried to take the photo's the light was impossible. So I will try for better ones later but for now these will have to do.....today in Australia it is Mother's Day so this was also part of my thinking.......


The dark strip is dark blue to match John's suit.
We are signing the Wedding Certificate here
A larger one of this photo sits on my work desk - it has faded somewhat over time now that I compare the two photo's but then so have we......


I carried Singapore Orchids in that creamy mushroom shade. I didn't order them until a week before the wedding and the florist said to me "My God, you are a layback bride!"


We look so young.....
....and skinny!
My dress was not a traditional wedding frock and was silk and knee length
I am sure the locals were counting the months to see if we were pregnant (we weren't!)


The lace strip is a similar colour to the dress

My three things are the gold filigree flowers - there are three each of several of them

My eldest brother gave me away - he is now 83!
Dad had died the year before and we were married to the day of his funeral
My lovely Mum


It was about 38 degree's that day too - but the afternoon sea breeze cooled things down 
at home for the party!
I did my own hair and makeup and cannot believe how happy I look.
Brian's facial expression still makes me laugh!

Let's see what adventures you can come up with.




Monday, 26 April 2021

ANZAC DAY Tribute for Unstampabelles Challenge#110: Animals

 A long shot I know, but I had fun making it so the theme Animal Fun sort of fits - man is an animal too.

There are a lot of layers which is the TWIST for Unstampabelles for the month of April.


I started with a sheet of w/c paper and in the top part I created a morning sky with my w/c pens.

I tore some card to create a background of hills and a foreground of lawns. I used a die cut to create the field of poppies and glued them over my lawn. 


I mounted the sheet onto some red and then onto the white card base.
The die cut of the soldier and the sentiment were then added, with the soldier being lifted up a little.


It is quite evocative - we couldn't get to a service this year as hubby is not well enough yet, sothis in a way was my tribute for the day.


My Dad was a Japanese POW on the Burma Railway for 3 and a half years, and spent time in Syria and Egypt before that during WWII. He died aged 69 from illnesses contracted during this time. 
I never forget.


Details on the soldier - a nice die.

I know it probably doesn't really match this months theme but it is what I made this week.

You have until Friday night to enter. 


Monday, 19 April 2021

Unstampabelles Challenge is a Status Update

 Hi Peeps, - couldn't resist this one when I saw the die - I have had it for sucha long time and this is the first time I have used it but it goes so well with the bird dies, don't you think?  All those gossips!

A line of native Australian birds all talking at once and all telling stories!

I made it with my assistant 'helping'. He has currently removed one of my decoupage bears from it's card and I cannot find it - and he is not telling where it might be. Usually he is unspooling 3 mtrs of ribbon or chewing up paper bits or stealing paper clips and pens.......


The bird die is so good, isn't it. 


Lots of layering - offset deliberately unless you think my wonky eye was worse than usual!


The sentiment strip I have had for years - purchased for scrapbooking about 6 years ago I think....possibly longer.


The sky background is my last piece of DP from SU in this pattern. 

If you go to Unstampabelles, you will see some excellent cards made by other DT members!

You have two weeks left to enter!



Monday, 12 April 2021

Challenge#110 at Unstampabelles for April

 Hi Peeps, Unstampabelles latest challenge is called 

Challenge #110: Animal Fun!

TWIST: Layer it Up!

Any animal you use - human or non-human - will fit this one

Plus it is around Easter so you can use the rabbits and chicks and ducklings to your hearts content!

Just Remember please: NO STAMPS!


I used an old decoupage sheet I found in the stash!

It is a cold, wet day here and so I did some cleaning up and in the process found this sheet of teddies and badgers - so English! I was happy to use up old stash and along the way some other bits and pieces from other small packages, such as the card and the doily.


Decoupage has gone out of fashion a bit I think but I still enjoyed making this one. 


Layering is with the doily, and the decoupage bits


I added some bling too


Bingo says Hello!


He has his favorite toys Rat (who needs a wash) and Bear (stolen from my bed)!
He is growing like a weed but is still being bullied by Weasley. 






Monday, 8 March 2021

Journalling page from last year for Unstampabelles

 Hi peeps, I have cheated a bit and used a spread I made from last year in my journal for the challenge now. I will try and do a new page for the journal before this challenge finishes....

Over at Unstampabelles, the challenge is to 

 Challenge#109  Lockdown 

TWIST: Scrap It! 

I have not scrapped it in one sense but in another I have as I have used scraps of paper in my collage to create the bird and the leaves. It started by me painting and smearing onto a sheet of paper and then adding dots and stuff. When it was dry I cut it into scraps and leaf shapes and used these to add to the journal pages. 


I journalled around the edges
More dots of colour and shading were added over the top of these


Some shapes are scraps and some are leaf shaped


More foliage hiding the figure watching in the shadows....


she looks pretty unhappy - it is not a self portrait but she could be some of me.....


Sort of Picasso....


Bingo watching while I was photographing to make sure I don't run away.....

You can have a go at expressing the feelings you have (had) during lockdown too.....


Monday, 1 March 2021

Unstampabelles March Challenge: #109 Lockdown!

 Hello Peeps, the new challenge over at Unstampabelles is all about what you did in 2020! The theme is

#109 Lockdown

with a TWIST of Scrap It!

I did a quick scrap page of a typical day in our lockdown in March 2020

We were only locked down for a few weeks at the beginning......

but I had several more weeks than everyone else because I broke my fibula at the beginning of the year too and spent time on the couch

We have a big yard and it runs down to a public footpath along the river's edge so by April going for a walk was essential for me for several reasons. I always had a companion to the water's edge and he was waiting for me to return each time.


This was pre Bingo of course.....



Why not show us how you spent some of this time in a scrap page OR
.....you can journal or make a card with scraps!

You have a month from now to create!