Hummingbird Birthday

Hi everyone, I'm happy to report things are getting back to normal here - well, as normal as they get, I DID spend all day yesterday thinking it was Tuesday!

I was SO inspired when I saw the colours for the Color Throwdown this week - Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Old Olive & Kraft. I find the best thing to do with a colour challenge is to pull a sheet of each colour cardstock and see if they "speak" to you! This combo is so bright and fresh when you see the colours all together.

Right away I knew the colours would be great for colouring this image from the Spring Song stamp set. I wanted to create a shaped flap on one side of my card, so I cut the image apart and layered it together to give it a shape that would better fit in a circle.

I needed to fill some of that blank space - the Little Leaves die cut was perfect. I added a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Sentiments - yup, it's my fav set at the moment, I love how it works with the Word Window punch. Birthday cards are the challenge at Allsorts this week!

By going over and over my image with an ink loaded aquapainter I got these really rich tones of Old Olive & Baja Breeze. The Baja circle is heavily sponged to match this intensity.

Inside I used a sentiment from my much loved On Your Birthday set. I hope your week has started well - I'll have a post set-up tonight for this week's FUN Project Tuesday challenge!



Stamps:  On Your Birthday, Spring Song, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Paper & Card: Baja Breeze & Kraft card.Walk in the Park & So Saffron DP
Ink: Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Old Olive & Black Punches: Word Window punchBig Shot: Little Leaves die
Other: Piercing Tool, Circle Scissor Plus, Sponge Daubers, Aquapainter, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.

OCC: His Birthday

This week's challenge at Our Creative Corner is a fun one, and a useful one. If you're anything like me, you have a distinct lack of masculine cards in your stash - most of my cards end up being more on the girly side. So this week, we want you to create a masculine birthday card!

Keeping a layout simple with bold focal elements is one way to make a great 'guy card'. It's also a great excuse to pull out those stamps with a more streamlined font.

The inside of this one is simple as well - the patterned paper does all the work. Head on over to OCC to see the always amazing design team samples and to link your masculine birthday creation - we can't wait to see what you come up with!




Paper & Card: Basic Gray, Very Vanilla & Riding Hood Red Card
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black & Tangerine Tango
Punches: Large Star punch
Other: Piercing tool, Ruby Red Button, Hemp Twine, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Seeing Stars & Happy Thoughts - Verve
Paper & Card: Ambrosia - Basic Grey
Other: Circle Nestabilities
 Challenges: OCC, BG Challenge

It must be that time of year....

In NZ at least! You know, the time of year where you and your hubby and/or kids are constantly swapping illness? I have a VERY sick husband on the couch today - I'll spare you the gory details but no one in this house has had any sleep since 11:45pm last night (even the cats have been up with us lol)

So no stamping goodness today - but fortunately I have tomorrow's post all scheduled to go. I just wanted to stop by to share a really useful link in case any of you are going through what we are at the moment....it's a recipe for the World Health Organization's Rehydration Solution. I found it on this blog this morning, and it's been a big help.

Table Salt (NaCl) 1/2 tsp.
Salt Substitute (KCl) 1/2 tsp.
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp.
Table Sugar 2 tablespoons
Tap Water 1 Liter (= 1 Qt. 2 tablespoons)

You can mix it with lemon juice or sugar-free drink mix for palatability. It's all Shan's living on at the moment (and hopefully he'll keep some of it down soon!) and although I didn't have the salt substitute he says it makes him feel a teeny bit better than just drinking water.  

OCC Sketch #15 - With Sympathy

We have a really great sketch for you this week! Break out your tree stamps, or use another element - whatever you do I know you'll have fun with this one!

I went with a shabby look again, much like this Mother's Day card. I've used emboss resist and sponging again on my card - the colour combo is Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy and Always Artichoke with Very Vanilla for my neutral. 

The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Sentiments - I'm getting a lot of use out of this new set!

Inside I've used the faux tearing technique and more emboss resist to add interest.

Head on over to the OCC Sketch blog to see the wonderful design team entries and to play along!





Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Medallion, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Rustic Rooster, Thoughts & Prayers
Paper & Card: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Versamark
Other: Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, Sponge Daubers, Stampin' Write Markers, Clear Embossing Powder E-mail me to purchase.

Catching up on some Housekeeping!

Hi everyone! I have a post made up of lots of bits and bobs today...lots of things to catch-up on!

First - over the weekend I bypassed the 100,000 hit mark - wooohoo! Thank you SO much for all your visits, being able to share my creative pursuits is so much fun, and it's lovely to read your comments, they always make me smile! I'll definitely be putting together some blog candy (hint: you might want to be one of my followers!) soon, but it probably won't be this week by the time I get around to it :-)

I was so excited to be one of Taylor's Top Crops with my 'Hi Cupcake!' card! I LOVE Taylor's work, it's always so bright and cheerful.  

It must be blog award season again - last week I receive a big bunch of them - thanks so much everyone! Rather than spend a few hours fufilling all the very detailed requirements, I'm going to cheat and share three of my daily craft reads. I love Dawn's stamping - she has that cool, clean but embellished style I love. Drew has my favourite recipe blog - lots of step-by-step photos, and unlike a lot of bloggers - makes everything from scratch and is always VERY honest about the results! Planet June is where I taught myself to crochet, she has some very cute free patterns and her tutorials are fantastic!

I didn't get chance to make a Project Tuesday sample this week - but head on over to find the very cool paper fortune cookie project and to see the wonderful design team creations!  

I better leave you with some eye candy right? I made my Mum this crocheted brooch as part of her Mother's Day gift - I love these for brightening a winter coat or top. I so loved the red and cream, that I made her card and a box filled with chocolate kisses to match....

I made the matching flower with the Scalloped Circle punch. A little embossing with the Manhattan Flower folder, some pleated ribbon and a gorgeous sentiment finished off this clean and simple card. For the Pillow Box, I used the Pillow Box die then ran the resulting die cut through the embossing folder. Simple and elegant!

Lastly, congrats to my Mum who received her New Zealand citizenship yesterday! Mum was born in Wales and got to have a lovely reception with the mayor, and a day off work - that's always good!

Stamps: Occasional Greetings, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Paper & Card: Very Vanilla
Ink: Real Red
Punches: Word Window & Scalloped Circle punches
Big Shot: Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder, Pillow Box Die E-mail me to purchase.
Other: Satin Ribbon, Button

Miss You

I had a great crafty weekend. Stamping with my friend Janine on Saturday and shopping for new supplies on Sunday! I couldn't wait to break out some new goodies, and Jen's SFYTT this week really appealed to me - lots of layers to play with!

The colour combo for this card is Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky and Old Olive. I used some new (to me!) Eskimo Kiss paper, a new Daisies embossing folder and....

on the inside my new Upper Crest punch! There's nothing like new goodies to get the stamping mojo going! 




Paper & Card: Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla CardSpring Silhouettes DPInk: Going Gray, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky & Old Olive
Punches: Large & Scalloped Oval, Large Corner Rounder Punches
Other: Old Olive Ribbon, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Call Me & Essential Sentiments - MFT
Paper & Card: Eskimo Kisses - Basic Grey
Punches: Upper Crest Punch
Other: Jumbo Brads, Daisies Embossing Folder

OCC - Anniversary Cards

Happy Sunday and Mother's Day everyone! I hope you're having a great day. This week our OCC challenge is to make an Anniversary Card inspired by the gifts for that year. Last month Shanan and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary which is flowers - so that's what I used on my card.

I made a gatefold card using one of my all-time favourite sets - Heartfelt Thanks. I just love how these flowers look in so many different colour combos. My combo here is Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red.

Inside I've repeated the flower image - and how cute is that little sentiment? Love it!

Head on over to OCC and see the gorgeous design team samples and link up your Anniversary card inspired by a gift year!




Stamps: Heartfelt Thanks, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Tiny Tags
Paper & Card: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White & Riding Hood Red
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette & Riding Hood Red
Punches: Scalloped & Large Oval punches
Other: Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.

Hang in There!

Hi there peeps! I have a brand new creation to share with you this morning - seriously, the ink is barely dry! I've been up and stamping since 6:30am - I'm SO not a morning person so stamping is about all I can get my head around at that hour. Someoneeeeee might have set off the smoke alarm while toasting his crumpets this morning so it was a rude awakening to say the least - but out of my tired brain comes stamped cuteness, so that's ok!

I combined three of my fav challenges for this one. The cool sketch is from CPS. The colours, Ruby Red, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze & Pumpkin Pie are this weeks Color Dare and the AllSorts challenge this week was to use animals!

I've had this Hero Arts set since, oh goodness, 2008 so it was well past time to get it inky! All my colouring was done with inkpads on watercolour paper. I finally used that leafy cuttlebug embossing folder too - it added something subtle and fun to my background.

Doesn't this wee giraffe look rather somber? I think this would make a good "get well soon" card.

I hope the sun is shining bright where you are today! Happy stamping :-)



Paper & Card: Ruby Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White & Baja Breeze cardWalk in the Park & Ginger Blossom DP
Ink: Black, Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel & Pumpkin Pie
Punches: Large Corner Rounder punch
Other: Pumpkin Pie Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Felt Fusion Flowers, Earth Elements Buttons, Linen Thread, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Playful Animals - Hero Arts
Other: Embossing Folder

OCC Sketch #14 - Thanks

Yippee! - it's time for this week's OCC Sketch.

I love this sketch! It's perfect for a card with lots of layers and embellishments, or a nice clean design.

I have a confession - Circle Circus is one of those sets I just HAD to have, but it's barely seen ink! I can't be the only one with stamps like that, right? I made up for it today by making my own designer paper with the set - it's perfect for that. I also LOVE the new hostess set, Picture This - the sentiments are just so adorable!

The colour combo for this card is from the Curtain Call challenge this week - Not Quite Navy, Kraft, Rose Red and Whisper White.

I used another circle element in the inside of the card, pairing it with a sentiment from Basic Phrases.

Pop on over to see the awesome design team creations at the OCC Sketch blog - we hope you'll play along with us this week!



Stamps: Circle Circus, Picture This, Basic Phrases
Paper & Card: Whisper White and Not Quite Navy card.
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Rose Red
Punches: 1&3/4" Circle, 1&3/8" Square Punch
Other: Not Quite Navy brads E-mail me to purchase.

Hi Cupcake!

Hi everyone. I was hoping to bring you something new yesterday - but spent the day surrounded by all manner of craft supplies! I undertook a major clean-up of all the problem junk areas in my craft room - you know the ones right? Those areas you've "hidden" bits and pieces you don't know what to do with! I'm 99% finished, so rewarded myself with some stamping time today!

I just HAD to play with Taylor's sketch this week - love it! And I was inspired by the Shabby Tea Room to use a LOT of glitter and glimmermist - hopefully you can see the sparkle on the flower petals behind the circle layer.

Mmmmm, I love those Bittersweet papers. I'll be back late tonight (I'll schedule the post for 11pm) with the OCC Sketch for this week - it's another great one!



Paper & Card: Bravo Burgandy, Whisper White & Always Artichoke card
Ink: Black, Regla Rose, Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Soft Sky
Punches: 1/2" Circle punch E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Birthday Cupcake - Inkadinkado
Paper & Card: Bittersweet DP - Basic Gray
Punches: Apron Lace - Fiskars
Other: Circle Nestabilities, Prima Flowers, Stickles, Glimmermist, Jumbo Brads