Last day of May

During the month of May I have been making projects which use punches. I have had a great time playing with my new scallop and photo corner punches, and I am sure they will continue to feature in a lot of my projects in the coming months. Here are my last cards for May. This first card is uses only punches no stamps which is something really different for me but I like the result.

I made the vase with the large oval punch and cut the top off it although you can't really see it as the flowers cover it. I then punched out flowers using the spring flower bouquet punch in barely banana, purely pomegrante (love that colour) and only orange. I punched out 3 of each colour then overlapped them and used a brad for the top three. Then a thin matt of basic black, onto purely pomegrante then onto the old olive card.

I really love how this second card turned out. I think that soft sky, wild wasabi and chocolate chip are a great combination. Good for both male and female cards.

Supplies - stamp sets; bodacious bouquet, think happy thoughts, card/ink: whisper white, soft sky, choclate chip, wild wasabi, Accessories: white ribbon, photo corner punch, 1 1/4 ' circle punch, 1 3/8' circle punch, scallop punch.

For the month of June I am going to showcase baby and children's cards. It seems to be birthday session at the moment, my daughter seems to have party after party to go to and I am always making a card at the last minute, so June will be my month to get a good supply of children's card made. Hope you all have a great long weekend. I am looking forward to my sleepin in the morning. Will post again Sunday with my first showcase.

Thanks for stopping by.

Show and Tell Thursday

Happy Friday. I am a bit late with my show and tell this week. We did crayon resist at Jacques this week for card class. This is a technique that I haven't played around with much so it was really great to have a play. We made two lovely cards using this technique. These are the cards that I made at class.

The blush card was taken from a card that we saw at convention, love the way we make the butterfly and the second card uses a great combination of colours, elegant eggplant, purely pomegrante and old olive. Here are two cards that I made last night using the same colour combination.

I usd different cardstock but I used a similar layout and I was pleased with how it turned out. It is such any easy technique but the results are really impressive.

stamps: bud basics, think happy thoughts, bodacious bouquet. Card/ink: glossy white, whisper white, always artichoke, purely pomegrate, so saffron, groovy guava Accessories: quill tape, scallop punch 1 1/4 ' circle punch, 13/8 circle punch, sponge daublers, versa mark, white crayon.

Thanks for stopping by

My monthly challenge

Hi ladies, I would love to have some more entries in my monthly challenge, so I have extended it out until the 7th June. All you need to do is make a card based on the below sketch and email it me. Only condition is to use stampin' Up! products. I look forward to receiving your entries.

Sketch Challenge for NZSU Blog

Happy Wednesday. It has been a busy week, lots of school activities, not a lot of time to blog. It is definitely getting colder in the mornings and evenings. I really enjoy stamping in the colder months, so there will be lots of activity on my blog. NZSU have a monthly challenge. This month it is a sketch challenge. Here is my entry. Check out the other challenge entries at the NZSU blog.

Suppplies

Stamp set: birthday best

Card stock/ink: chocolate chip, wild wasabi, rose red, so saffron, basic black, whisper white


Accessories: matt pack, saffron brads

Happy Friday

Happy Friday. Thank goodness it is the end of the week. It's been a very long one for me. It probably didn't help that I wasn't feeling the best. I must admit I am feeling much better tonight, it doesn't usually take me long to get over bugs but this one hung around, must be run down. A big hello to Jacque, Rachael, Karen and Anabel who will be enjoying a nice meal out. I will catch up with you all soon, without the bugs. Hope you guys are having a great time.

I do love to make simple elegant cards. I am really enjoying using the 6x6 designer series papers. Before I discovered Stampin' Up! I would never have thought to put patterned paper on a card, but because all the colours match so beautifully it makes sense to use it. These cards I have made were inspired by a swap card I received at convention this year from Shannon West, who works for Stampin' Up! in Utah. I used the colour coach to put my colours together. I wanted to us all four 6x6 designer series papers, this is what I came up with.

This card uses the same colours that Shanon used on her card. The base is so saffron, I have stamped the dotted flower from simply said in saffron ink. Then I have placed a layer of groovy guava onto the certainly celery 6x6 designer series paper, and used a piece of twill tape, tied in a bow and wrapped it around. I have stamped the flower and dotted circle from think happy thoughts and punched it out with 1 1/4' circle punch, then a layer of so saffron punched out the with 1 3/8'circle punch and the scallop punch in soft sky.

I have used certainly celery for a base on this card and again stamped it with the dotted flower from simply said in certainly celery ink. I have then placed a layer of barely banana onto the rose red 6x6 designer series paper and used white ribbon. The flower and dotted circle from think happy thoughts is stamped in rose red, then punched out with 1/14' circle then layered on certainly celery 1 3/8' circle then I have used cameo coral punched with the scallop punch.

The next card is very soft and subtle, I think it would be nice for a baby card with a different stamp. Again I have used the dotted flower from simply said stamped onto the bashful blue card. A layer of pretty in pink onto the almost amethyst 6x6 designer series paper and white ribbon. The flower and dotted circle from think happy thoughts is stamped in pretty in pink, then layer of certainly celery and the scallop is on so saffron.

I wanted to go for a more masculine look with this last card, on card. I have used bordering blue for the card, then a layer of old olive onto the so saffron 6x6 designer series paper and I have used quill tape but made more of a knot than a bow to keep it masculine. I have used the snail from garden whimsey, then a layer of bordering blue and the scallop in close to cocoa.

Sorry If the pictures are all of the place tonight, I was having an argument with my blog writer and I think it won.

Hope you have a nice weekend

Happy stamping and thanks for stopping by. Leave me a comment I would love to know what you think.

Fun and Fast Notes

Happy Wednesday, I normally wouldn't be home on a Wednesday night as it is stamp class night at my upline Jacque's house. Unfortunately I'm still not over my stomach bug, and I didn't want to pass it round. So I thought I would do a little post. I have been mucking round with a couple of simple cards using fun & fast notes and the 6x6 designer series paper. It's funny how you have an idea in your head and when you put it together it doesn't turn out how you thought. This is what happened with these 2 cards. This is the first attempt.

On this version I decided to stick to 2 colours bashful blue and rose red, but then I decided I needed another colour to give it a bit of omph. When I thought about it I realised I nearly always use 3 to 4 colours when I make a card, so I added to it.

I decided certainly celery would tie in perfectly, so I put another layer around the picture and used some celery ribbon and the celery designer series paper. Then it added wonderful from warm words.

other supplies

small oval punch, large oval punch, blender pens

For the first version of this card I used chocolate chipe card, layers of certainly celery, so saffron and rose red. I used strips of designer series paper in rose red, certainly celery and so saffron.

I decided to add photo corners to this card and also wonderful from warm words. I think it needed that extra something.

It does show that you can change the whole look of a card by adding a new colour or by adding an extra element or two.

Remember that you have only got till the end of May to getyour 6x6 pads of designer series paper for $14.95 with purchases of $40.00 or more.

Baroque Motifs

Happy Tuesday. It has been a cold day here in Auckland. Winter is definitely here I feel. I have become soft because two years ago I had just moved up from Christchurch and was finding winter very mild, certainly no need for heavy coats, goes to show how you adjust to the climate you live in. Well I said I would post the rest of the card set I made using baroque motifs. Here they are.

Supplies

Stamp set: baroque motif

Card/ink: purely pomegrante, elegant eggplant, real red, rose red, artichoke, close to cocoa.

Accessories: Corner rounder

A very simple card idea but very effective. I can see this set being sent down to Christchurch for my Mother in law she would love them.

Have a good evening thanks for visiting

Designer Series Paper Colour matches

I just love the new designers series paper. We have such a great selection and they really are great value at $13.95 for 12 double sided 12x12 sheets. Only $1.16 per sheet. I sometimes find it a a struggle to match the colours, so here is a list of colours that match our wonderful designer series paper.

Berry Bliss: Purely Pomegranate, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa.

Brocade Background: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, River Rock

Dashing: Old Olive, Real Red, River Rock, Very Vanilla

East Coast Prep: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard

Fall Flowers: Old Olives, Really Rust, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand

Jersey Shore: Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue

Le Jardin: River Rock, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue

Notebook: Soft Sky, Kraft, Very Vanilla

Outlaw: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

Petals & Paisley: Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Soft Sky, So Saffron, Taken with Teal.

Spring Break: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky

Spring Silhouettes: Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Soft Sky, Very Vanilla

Wintergreen: Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Soft Sky

Happy crafting

Baroque motif card set

I saw this lovely card set that Marelle Taylor had on her blog marelletaylor.blogspot.com which I just loved and had to case. It is such a simple card which only has one layer but I thought it was very elegant. I have one finished card to show you. I will post the remaining cards and the folder I am going to make on Tuesday. I double stamped the baroque motif swirl twice just moving it slightly for the second image. I like how it lookes like a watermark behind it.

Supplies

Stamp set: Baroque motifs

card stock/Ink: Elegant eggplant, very vanilla, close to cocoa

Accessories: Brad

Happy stamping everyone.

origami box

Here is the origami box I made for the garden whimsey note cards. I cheated a bit and didn't use SU card for the box. It was a good chance to use some of my other supplies. I have decorated the lid with pretty in pink, and soft sky .

Supplies

stamp set: think hapy thoughts

card stock: pretty in pink, soft sky , designer series paper, non su card stock

Ink: close to cocoa, pretty in pink

Accessories: 1 1/4 " circle punch, 13/8" circle punch, scallop punch

Thanks for visiting.

Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday everyone. It has been a beautiful weekend here on the North Shore. A perfect opportunity to get into the garden and tidy up after all the wet weather we have had. Lots of weeds, my favourite thing to do weeding and also a bit of tree trimming. My DH asked if I would help him as he needed to trim a branch off a tree that was leaning over the fence. It has been rubbing on our neighbours campervan. So off we went ladder in hand. Now my husband likes to give everything a go, but it has to be said he is not the handyist man around. If there is a difficult way to do things he will find it. So here I am holding the ladder which he has leaning against the branch of a tree, while he starts to saw off the branch. The branch in question was at least a metre away from me but guess where it landed, right on my head. Off course I couldn't move or my DH would have gone tumbling. Now it would have been okay if it had only happened once but 3 times he managed to get me on the head with falling branches. There was a lot of apologising from him and a bit of cursing from me. But the neighbours will be happy.

My new signature

I have just downloaded a signature from my live signature and I just wanted to test it as I use a blog writer. What do you think?

Happy Friday

Happy Friday everyone. Friday is always my main posting day. It is the one night of the week I get the computer to myself for the whole evening. Today I have been at home again with my daughter. There is a stomach bug going around and both Caitlin and I are feeling not so great. I find I don't get a lot of time to create these days so today as been great. I have had a great play with my new sets. I am just in love with brocade basics, baroque motifs and garden whimsey. It funny but six years ago when I started stamping I would never have thought to use sets like brocade basics and baroque motifs they were just not my style. I think the more you stamp the more you grow and explore different styles and techniques. The next two cards use baroque motif. I am also just loving the new in colors. They go really well with the designer series papers and all of the existing colour ranges.

Supplies

stamp set: Baroque motifs

card/ink: wild wasabi, soft sky, designer series paper spring silhouette, very vanilla

Accessories: scallop punch

Supplies

stamp set: baroque motif

card/ink: purely pomergrante, always artichoke, very vanilla

Accessories: brads, photo corner punch

Supplies

stamp set: baroque motif

card/ink: bashful blue, whisper white

accessories: ribbon, photo corner punch, rhinestone brad from pretties kit

I was really happy with how this next card turned out. I usually use soft pastel colours so I have gone outside my comfort zone with this colour combination. The blue bayou and always artichoke look fabulous together, I can see this is going to be a favourite for the masculine cards I have to make. I really like the result . There is also quite a lot of sponging on this card, which is definitely something I have picked up from my upline Jacque. I never used to sponge anything until I met Jacque, I like the how it softens the look of the colours. All layers have been sponged with chocolate chip including the twill tape.

supplies

stamp sets: brocade basics, warm words

card/ink: always artichoke, blue bayou, chocolate chip, soft sky, very vanilla

accessories: large oval punch, small oval punch, photo corner punch, twill tape, brads

supplies

stamp set: brocade basics, warm words

card/ink: pumpkin pie, river rock, wild wasabi

Accessories: twill tape, small oval punch, large oval punch

The other new set I received in my order is garden whimsey. I have loved this set since I first saw it in the American catalogue. I am soo pleased that we have it in our new catalogue. In this first card I have used both garden whimsey and baroque motifs.

supplies

stamp set: garden whimsey, baroque motifs

card/ink: bashful blue, purely pomegrante, wild wasabi, very vanilla

Accessories: photo corner punch

I thought the next four cards would made a nice gift set. I am going to make an origami box for them tonight, I will post the box tomorrow. The size I have used it 10.5x 10.5cm. I used this size because then I can still use standard size envelopes as it is difficult to find square envelopes and I am not great at making my own, so if anyone has a good template I would love to have a look at it.

Supplies

card/ink: wild wasabi, purely pomegrante, chocolate chip

accessories: celery ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop punch

supplies

card/ink: purely pomegrante, soft sky, wild wasabi, whisper white

accessories: corner rounder punch, black brads

supplies

card/ink: wild wasabi, soft ski, blue bayou, whisper white, designer series paper spring break

accessories: 1 1/4 " circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop punch

supplies

card/ink: regal rose, soft sky, chocolate chip, whisper white, designer series paper from mini catalogue

accessories: white ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop punch

My entry for Judy's sketch challenge

Here is my entry for Judy's sketch challenge. I have been having a good play with the in colors and also some of the new designer papers. It was a little bit harder than I thought to stick to a particular layout, but it is good to get out of your comfort zone once in a while.

Supplies


Stamp sets: brocade basics, warm words

Card/ink: Soft sky, very vanilla, designer series paper spring silhouette.

Judy's photo

Here it is, Judy's entry for her sketch challenge. Thanks Judy for resending the photo, dial up is such a pain. I am at home again today. There is obviously a stomach bug going around and both Caitlin and I arre not feeling so great today. Didn't think my work mates would appreciate a stomach bug for the weekend.

Show and Tell Thursday

Welcome to show and tell Thursday where I show you the cards I made at Jacques, my uplines house.. The cards are designed by Jacque. This week we made donut cards which are fun to make. The first card uses the new outlaw designer series paper and the boho backgrounds set. The second card uses one of my favourites new sets, garden whimsey and the scallop punch.

This last card is one I made this morning. I received an order yesterday and I didn't think I was going to get a chance to play until tonight, but as my daughter was home sick from school, I had a play.

Supplies

Stamp Set: Baroque Motifs


card/ink: wild wasabi, soft sky, very vanilla, designer series paper spring silhouettes


Accessories: 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, pretties kit, quill tape

2nd attempt at posting Judys challenge entry

The photo of Judy's entry did not link properly so here is another attempt at it.

Judy's Sketch Challenge

Happy Thursday everyone. I am a bit late getting this challenge up. I have been having trouble connecting to the internet. That's the problem when you are on dial up and up post in the evening. Well my daughter is off school today so I get the opportunity to do a post during the day. Judy won my last challenge and has put together a great sketch for the next challenge. Check out Judy's lovely work at passion4cards.blogspot.com.

Isn't this a great sketch. I think we will be able to come up with some fantastic cards using it. Remember the rules only use Stampin' Up products. This challenge is open to everybody. The winner gets to select the next challenge. Entries need to be emailed to me by 30 May. I will post the entries as I receive them. Remeber to include details of supplies used. Below is Judys card for the challenge. Judy has used the beautiful carte postale set for her challenge entry. Thanks again Judy.

My Busy little bee

Well it has been some time since I did a scrapbooking page. Even my DH commented that it was about time I did some scrapbooking. So here is a page. I got out these photos of James from when we were living in Niue. James spent his first 3 years there. From the time he started walking he basically never stopped. He loved to help out around the house doing vacumming , helping Richard in the garden or watering the coconut trees. We all have fond memories of Niue, so it was fun doing this page. Note the number of punches used.

Supplies

stamp set: seeing spots


card/ink: brocade blue, close to cocoa, always artichoke


Accessories: pewter hodgpodge, photo corner punch, scallop punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, ribbon

Mother's Day

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother's day. I don't often get to post on a Sunday but because it is Mothers day I have been able to have a play on the computer. I have been very spoilt today. Firstly I got to sleep in and then just after I got up my DH arrived with a lovely coffee. Great start to the day. I have had a very nice relaxing day, went down to the park and took some photos of James and Richard trying to use Jame's boomerang. Hopefully some good scrapbook pages there. I had to share with you the lovely cards Caitlin and James made for me. This first card is from James. James doesn't really like making card anymore so this is quite a big deal . I love the way he has glittered the inside of the flower. James has an alphabet set and he told me it took him 3 goes to get the Best Mum right. Thanks darling.

The next cards and poems are from Caitlin. She writes the loveliest poems and always gives me several cards and other things such as vouchers.

I have been very spoilt and I feel very lucky to have such great kids. James and Caitlin got me a cropodile for mothers day, I am hoping it will arrive on Tuesday.