Monochrome Dreams...

I thoroughly love using bright colours for my card stock and layers on my cards and I don't often work with a monochromatic palette. YG, my dearest one, often chides me (or at least comments) on my non-ability to know when enough is enough, but sometimes I surprise even him and come out with something like this.



CS is Keyes Reindeer Black, New York stamp is PSX and Italy Postage stamp is Hero Arts, stamped and layered on white CS. "Dreams" is from a keyboard sticker set.

YG loved his visit to New York, via Rome and so I felt this card was most appropriate for him. Thanks to HRH Amanda for the images and info!

TFL!



PS. Remember to look out for my 100th post in the next few days and leave your comment on that day to be eligible for the Blog Candy!

Findings & Earrings...

When I first started going to HRH Amanda for card classes, a few years ago, it was to learn techniques and design, how to stamp, and which stamp pads to use for which kind of effect. Sometimes though, she throws in a curve-ball and gives us ironing and sewing to do!

Luckily it's all in the pursuit of the enjoyment of our craft! After one of the "sewing card" classes I decided to make a few of these cards for birthdays that were coming up. What I've also learnt from HRH, and along the way on other blogs and cards I've seen, are the interesting "findings" that we can use and adapt to create a piece of art. This is just such a card!



I was inspired by the Mask stamp (from DoCrafts I believe), which was given to me by my friend Debbie. It lent itself to some finery and so the earring "finding" found its way onto the card, acting as the bodice of an exciting evening gown.

CS is Keyes Reindeer Black, stamped with Brilliance Gold and a Hero Arts stamp. The mask is coloured with Twinkling H2O's and the bodice is decorated with Crystal Stickles. I used glass beads to edge the bodice, and to hide the stitching of the fabric to the earring finding. I used red, orange and white tulle for the skirts.

I made this card in 2007 - and I'm happy to say I'm still proud of it! (There are some of my early endeavours which will remain in the "forsaken" pile.)

TFL!

Just 4 posts away...

... from my 100th blog post! Goodness gracious - how did that happen? I know I can be verbose, but, well, even I didn't think I had that much to say, or show :)

To celebrate my 100th post in a few days time I shall give away a little blog candy - a small set of clear Christmas-themed stamps, and a bonus "surprise" gift.



To qualify you can be one of my regular subscribers, a follower, or just leave a comment on the day of my 100th post. I will use ...



to chose the winner, and I will post anywhere in the world.

Thanks for coming to listen to me go on about stuff that's probably only interesting to me ;b

Cuttlebugged Christmas Cards

These quick Christmas cards were made using my Sissix Big Shot, ProvoCraft Christmas Tree embossing folder, Versamark inks and embellishments.



After the cards were embossed I dragged a Versamark inkpad over the embossed sections, the above card is Silver ink and the card below is Rich Plum. And of course I couldn't do a Christmas card without Stickles - so you'll spot them too.



TFL!

Under glass decoupage...

As it is Friday the 13th, I was looking for something to share with you today, that was unusual, or at least different, to my regular offerings... So while searching my photo archive I remembered that my camera had gone belly up for a few months last year and my dear one - YG - had taken pics of my creative endeavours. A quick search of his computer yielded this little lovely.

I learnt this (cheat) technique in 2008 at our local Keen on Crafts expo, a three day craft-filled bonanza. My original project was a Hurricane Lamp (and of course I can't find the pics of it!)

I made this as a gift for Coleen, one of my card class gal pals. Each year we draw a name out of a hat and make a gift for that person. I'll be at card class tomorrow and we'll be doing the draw for this year - it's always exciting to see whose name I draw, and who draws mine.

(Click on pic for a larger version.)

My choice would be that it is a sushi platter - but of course it could be used for any (catering) purpose. The glass is 4mm thick, with polished edges. I cut out some of my favourite Asian themed serviettes, and separated the images from their extra, plain layers. I applied Mr Hooks Varnish to the serviette images, as well as the fine white and gold mulberry paper, to adhere it to the glass, as well as to seal it. I used blue glass pebbles as the feet.

TFL!

Halloween - not so much about cards...

Halloween is not an event that our country has "celebrated", until recently that is... At some point in time the trendy moms-and-dads decided to let their children rule the world and declare Halloween a great time to dress up and get higher on sugar than at Easter time. This year there were an abundance of toddlers-to- grandfolks traipsing around neighbourhoods in search of a major sugar fix.

Friends of ours decided to use the opportunity to create some community awareness of their neighbourhood watch programme and a fun event was held in the local park.

Best part of all of this (for me) was the co-ordinator's dog - TIZZA - who, aside from having a ghoulish skull sprayed on her rump, allowed me to dress in her some discarded wings.

Minor adjustments...



Testing our wings...



Trick or Treat?



Flying Tizza-monster doing a scary TRICK...



(What really happened...) Jools feeding Tizza...



TFL!

Little things can = big happiness...

It's wonderful how little things can make me happy - today I changed the background on my blog to something lighter and less wintery - and I'm loving it! What do you think?

And yesterday, while I was making some Christmas tags, I was making a mess of folding my CS by hand so I brought out my "blue board" or Eazi Scor and found that because of the size of card I had chosen to make, it wasn't a simple task to just score and move on...



Then I remembered my Mini Scor-It board and hey presto - two seconds later and I had a stack of beautifully centred and scored tags!



Just perfect.

TFL!