It Wasn't Lupus....

Just the flu....well....not "just". I had to take an unscheduled vacation to the couch...where I spent time with my trusty box of tissues (ok, five boxes) at my side while dosed up on hefty amounts of flu medication watching season one of The Vampire Diaries because I couldn't even focus enough to read. Thank heaven for impossibly perfect looking teenage vampires, right?

 

I'm still oh-so tired, and I think my crafty mojo might be gone for good, but I have some things in the vault from before my sniffles and sore throat turned me into a flu zombie. I'll try and get some eye candy up for you all soon. Be well :-)

OCC: Summer Inspiration

Oops! I'm a little late blogging my sample for this week's OCC challenge - it's a long weekend here in NZ, and Shan and I have been relaxing to the max - we caught a basketball game on Friday, went to dinner and did a little shopping today and in between enjoyed lots of snuggly DVD time - heaven!

The theme this week is what Summer means to you. Summer seems a long way off here at the moment - but I love this topiary image, it always seems summery to me, and I definitely miss the sunshine!

I watercoloured the image and added glitter glue paint to the hearts before trimming it, layering on black card and cutting it out again. The quilt image was stamped in So Saffron, Bashful Blue & Certainly Celery before cutting with nestabilities.

I've repeated the super simple layout on the inside of the card and used an offcut of the stamped background to bring it all together.

Head on over to Our Creative Corner - the team has some wonderful samples for you this week! I'll try and get a new project posted tomorrow in between all the lazying about! :-)




Paper & Card: Basic Black, Whisper White. So Saffron DP.
Ink: Regal Rose, So Saffron, Bashful Blue & Certainly Celery
Other: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds

Stamps: Inky Antics
Other: Circle Nestabilities

Merry!

Hi everyone! Can you believe it's June already? 2010 is flying by! Today I've got a cute little square card using OCC Sketch #18.

I dove into my collection of Christmas papers and stamps for this one, I just love Christmas products, and I'm enjoying playing with them throughout the year - who knows, my Christmas cards might even go out at the start of December!

 

I'm a very happy stamper this week - I got some happy mail from MFT over the weekend and this Jumbo Scallop Die-namic was part of the parcel - you're going to see jumbo scallops on everything for awhile and I make no apologies because they're just too darn cute!

I've paper pieced, watercoloured and coloured with marker on my focal image before adding a healthy dose of glitter to make the snow sparkle. Now to try and get all the glitter off my person before going out tonight...

Inside I've used more scallops, more paper from the Dashing pack and a Verve Sentiment. Head on over to the OCC Sketch blog to see what the design team has created and to play along!

 

Stamps:  Tiny Tags

Paper & Card: Real Red, Bashful Blue & Very Vanilla card.

Dashing DP.
Ink: Black
Punches: Medium Jewelery Tag
Other: Earth Elements Buttons, Silver Cord, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Two-Way Glue Pen, Always Artichoke Ribbon

Stamps: Baby it's Cold Ooutside - MFT, Ornamental Christmas - Verve
Other: Jumbo Scallop Die-namic - MFT, Circle Nestabilities, Snowflake Embossing Folder, Prima Flower

Project Tuesday - Luminaria

We have something a little different for you this week at Project Tuesday - Luminaria. These are so fun and simple to make - I had a blast making mine, and can already envisage a few on the Christmas dinner table!

I went with a simple country look to mine, but you could decorate yours as over-the-top as you like!

Head on over to Project Tuesday to see the design team creations!




Paper & Card: Sweet Slumber DP
Ink: Black
Other: White Taffeta Ribbon, Baja Breeze Brad

Stamps: Thoughtful Florals - Verve
Punches: Threading Water - Fiskars
Other: Colluzle Template

Inspired by Joanne

Joanne is one of my favourite paper artists - and this week she had a fun challenge to celebrate 500,000 blog hits - you go girl!. She gave us this great sketch, but we were also to choose three techniques or materials from a list she provided. I chose to use text paper, gingham paper and paper piecing on my card.

I pieced the girl's dress and added some sponging for depth. The rest of the image was watercoloured. I found a 6x6 pack of paper from 7 Gypsies that I've had foreverrrrr with this funky text paper in it. I ran the ric-rac through my little xyron sticker maker (come on, you know you have one gathering dust too!) so it would sit nicely on the ribbon.

The inside is nice and simple, a coordinating sentiment and some more paper. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend - especially those of you in the US - Happy Memorial Day!



Stamps: Summer by the Sea, Short & Sweet, Heard from the Heart
Paper & Card: Creamy Caramel card
Ink: Creamy Caramel, Assorted inks for colouring
Other: Very Vanilla Grosgrain, Sponge Daubers

Paper & Card: 7 Gypsies paper
Other: Oval Nestabilities, Colluzle Template (scallops), Ric-Rac

OCC: Colour & Texture Challenge

This week's challenge at Our Creative Corner is extra fun - Loretta has challenged us to make a black and White card with lots of texture - and to use text as our focal point. I went for a range of textures on my card, dry embossing, paper flowers, brads and a little ribbon.

I've used the Circle Scissor Plus to cut my circle elements and a jumbo grommet and brad for my flower center.

Pull out all your black and white supplies and play along. Head on over to Our Creative Corner to see the wonderful array of design team creations!

 

Paper & Card: Whisper White & Basic Black card 
Ink: Black

Other: Black Brads, Jumbo Grommets E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Feeling Groovy - Verve
Other: Long Rectangle Nestabilities, Ribbon, Textile Embossing Folder, Flowers - Prima

Faux Sunshine

Brrrr! I know some of you in the Northern Hemisphere are having an unusually warm spring, I have a friend in PA who has taken great delight in telling me just how warm it is there this week (I'm looking at you B. - and yes I'm jealous!) so the idea of needing faux sunshine might seem silly, but goodness is it grey and dreary here in Wellington/New Zealand! Heading into what seems like the 100th day of rain in a row, I settled for creating something bright and cheerful in my stamp room.

I've used the Crazy 4 Challenges sketch by the wonderful Cindy for this card. The colour combo is Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun and a hint of Yoyo Yellow.

Oh how I love that Urban Prairie paper. See that cute little bee? *happy sigh*

I've left the inside of the card blank for the moment, I'll stamp a sentiment when I send it.

Hope there's sunshine where ever you may be!




Paper & Card: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise & Summer Sun card
Ink: Rose Red, Summer Sun, Tempting Turquoise & Old OlivePunches: Large Corner Rounder punch
Other: Linen Thread E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Three Flowers - Inkadinkado
Paper & Card: Urban Prairie - Basic Grey
Other: Square Nestabilities, Satin Ribbon, Button, Rhinestones

OCC Sketch #17

Hi everyone - long time no blog! I've had a completely offline week, filled with good books, snuggling, lots of crochet, baking and getting things done around the house, it's been lovely and quiet. The weather here has been very cold and wet - great weather for relaxing by the fire!

This week's OCC Sketch got me back into my stamping room and creating - this is a great sketch that you can dress up with lots of embellishments, or keep it simple like I did.

 

I've used the Stampin' Royalty colours for this week - Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery & Pretty in Pink. Soft Summer must be my all-time favourite two-step stamping set I think - it just looks so pretty in any number of colour combos.

I kept the inside of this one really simple - I used the Top Note die to cut my layer, and added a sentiment from the Best Yet hostess set.

Head on over to the OCC Sketch blog to see the wonderful design team creations!



Stamps: Soft Summer, Best Yet
Paper & Card: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry & Certainly Celery
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry & Certainly Celery
Punches: Lg & Scalloped Oval, Curly Label punchesBig Shot: Top Note Die
Other: Piercing Tool, Soft Subtles Brads E-mail me to purchase.
Other: Circle Nestabilities, Satin Ribbon

OCC: Sketch Week

This week the lovely Loretta has given us a fun sketch to work with at Our Creative Corner. Love this one -  lots of layers for stamping or embossing or patterned paper.

I've also worked with the Color Throwdown challenge for this week - Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette & Melon Mambo, and the Stamp Something challenge to use two of something on your creation - I've used two jumbo eyelets.

I watercoloured my image and added glitter glue paint to the icing on the cake.

For the inside of the card I've repeated that fun paper from the Walk in the Park pack and punched out my sentiment from On Your Birthday.

Head over to Our Creative Corner - the design team have some wonderful samples this week!




Stamps: Celebrate Everyday, On Your Birthday
Paper & Card: Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo & Whisper White cardWalk in the Park DP
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo
Punches: Scalloped Circle & Circle Punches
Other: Melon Mambo Ribbon, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Mat Pack, Piercing Tool E-mail me to purchase.
Other: Jumbo Eyelets, Oval Nestabilities