By The Tide

Have had this stamp set for a little while now, and this is the first time it has seen ink! I know thats disgraceful, so today I set about making amends! Our eldest son's birthday is today and he is a mad fisherman and knew he would love this card, anything at all to do with fishing and her is there. The card base is Crumb Cake, layered with Very Vanilla and Sahara Sand. I scored a border at 5/8" and 3/4" around all sides of the Sahara Sand to make a frame for the main image. I made a mask of the fish, stamped my focal fish and off stamped  the other two fish  using Soft Suede. Then I stamped a little sea horse on the diagonal corners of the Very Vanilla card stock. The sentiment is from the Express Yourself Hostess set and that was also stamped in Soft Suede. I seem to find myself reaching for this set all the time now, as the sentiments are so versatile. The other day when I was playing with my Simply Pressed Clay and the Simply Pressed Blossoms and Buttons Molds I made some coloured buttons. This one is  believe it or not has been coloured using Early Espresso re-inker, I didnt use much at all, because I didnt want to make it too dark, so I began lighter. I really like the way the colour has come out on the faux button, which I attached to the side of the card with Hemp Twine. I have tried several ways to get the buttons particularly out of the molds and really the easiest way is to pop the mold into the freezer for 15 mins and they just pop out and stay in shape! Another lovely simple card for a male of any age! Till next time, Happy Stamping.

Sunny Challenges 85/13

Hi there Stampers!
This week at sunny Challenges and Creations it was Kris's turn to issue the challenge to us all, and what a great sketch has been provided for us to work with.
For my card I used Soft Suede, So Saffron and Whisper White. I used the bird from the Hostess Stamp Set Simply Sketched, and stamped it onto the card base using Soft Suede Classic Stampin Pad. A small Paper Doiley was cut in half and the So Saffron cardstock I ran through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing Folder. I wrapped a length of White Taffeta ribbon around the So Saffron and attached this to the card front. 2 1/2" Scallop Punch was used to cut out a Soft Suede backing for my 1 3/4" Circle Punch to cut out my Water Colour Paper after I had coloured the bird. The Bird I stamped using Stazon Ink, then using a combination of Stamp n Write Markers and my Aqua Painter I coloured the the bird using Crumb Cake for the body of the bird, Daffodil Delight for the area around his eyes and Old Olive for the grasses. Bermuda Bay was the colour I used for the background, and this was painted on using the Aqua Painter and picking up the ink from the lid of the Bermuda Blue Classic Stampin Pad. The Sentiment is stamped in Soft Suede on Whisper White and punched out with the Large Oval Punch, another ovals was punched out this time in the Soft Suede and it was just offset at the top of the Whisper White. The sentiment and the Scallop Circle were placed on Dimensionals before attaching to the card front.
Kris, Vicky and I would love to have you join us for at Sunny Challenges and Creations.  Remember each one runs for two weeks so you have plenty of time to take part. Who knows you might just be our next winner and Ray of Sunshine! Till next time, take care and happy stamping.

Sunny Challenges and Creations 84/13

This week at Sunny Challenges and Creations, the brief was a simple one, to create a male card. Male cards for me are hard to create, but the task has been made so much easier because of  some of the beautiful male orientated stamp sets and backgrounds that we have in the new 2013 - 2014 catalogue. I started with a Crumb Cake base, on which I matted with Soft Suede that I had stamped using the Wood grain background stamp in the same colour. The Open Sea was my choice of stamp set for this card, I love the ships log stamp particularly so I inked it up in Crumb Cake, off stamped then stamped onto Very Vanilla Cardstock. The Ship I stamped in Early Espresso, then cut it out and it was put on the card using dimensionals. The compass and the sentiment are in Garden Green. I used some hemp twine and tied a knot and attached this with a Glue Dot, the sentiment was punched out using the Modern Label Punch and attached straight onto the card front. I do hope that you will play along with us for  this challenge, you have two weeks to get your entry in, and who knows you might just be our next Ray of Sunshine! Till next time, happy stamping.

Another Wetlands Creation

The Wetlands stamp set has really grabbed my imagination! This is a true 'bloke' stamp set, and so versatile too. It caters for Birthday, Anniversary, Sympathy, Get Well and even Fathers Day! It is not often that an idea will come to me in the early hours as this did. I stamped the centre image then created a mask and stamped the other two birds. I watercoloured the ground using the Aqau Painter and Old Olive. I sponged the sky with Marina Mist, then over the top of that with Smoky Slate to give the appearance of an over cast day. Garden Green Stamp n Write Marker was used to highlight the grass under the birds. The birds themselves I coloured using Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and two retired colours More Mustard and River Rock. The eyes I put a spot of Tempting Turquoise. I decided to use my Oval framelits and cut out an oval in the  Soft Suede card front, then cut an oval frame from Cherry Cobbler. The inside of the card I lined with Very Vanilla on both sides. The greeting is stamped in Soft Suede from the Gifts of Kindness set, and punched out with the Modern Label Punch, and to finish it off put to mini silver brads on each end of the frame and popped the sentiment up on dimensionals. I loved creating this card, and hope you like it too, Till next time, happy stamping.

Week 8 Card Share Sunny Challenges and Creations

Hi everyone, My apologies for being late with posting my creation for this week for Sunny Challenges and Creations. If you havent entered for this weeks challenge.....what are you waiting for?  Our daughter married on Saturday and things are only just now starting to settle back down. The sketch this week was done by Kris and the added challenge was to use the colours Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake and Marina Mist. The colour combination screamed 'masculine' so that is how I went. I used Crumb cake for the card itself then topped it with Whisper White which I had randomly stamped with the Confetti stamp set using Cajun Craze. For the centre band I laid a strip of Marina Mist topped with Crumb cake, then I cut a small Scallop Square using the Big Shot, and then laid it over the larger Scallop Square to make it a frame. I set that as a diamond on top of the centre band and it shows sections of both the band and the stamped background. I used Cajun Craze to stamp the image from Need for Speed set onto Whisper White which I backed onto a piece of Marina Mist. The sentiment is from the Short and Sweet set and I used Marina Mist ink on Whisper White card stock. I punched out the frame for this from the modern label and layered that onto another piece of Marina Mist. I was stumped for a bit doing this challenge, but the stam set Need for Speed certainly came to the fore! I hope you like my creation and be sure to check out Kris' blog and also Vicky's blog and have a look at their wonderful works!

A Quick Birthday Card

 It is my son David's Birthday the end of next week, and as he works in Papua New Guinea I had to have it ready early to send off to him so he got it on time! He is a Marine Engineer so I thought I would use Sail Away for the front of the card. I know he will like it because he loves anything at all to do with boats and ships and the water! I chose a base of Crumb Cake and topped it with a mat of Night of Navy that I had swiped using the ink pad of the same colour. I topped this with a smaller mat of Crumb Cake and stamped the image in Night of Navy onto Whisper White. The sentiment is from the set Occasional Quotes and was stamped on Whisper White using Night of Navy ink also and I used the Modern Label Punch to punch it out then backed it onto a small piece of Riding Hood Red that I had run through the Big Shot using the Punch Windows. I placed a small black brad on each side of the label to give it a rustic look.

Tent Card - Welcome Baby

This evening I was sitting at my desk and found some owls that I had punched out, and started to play with them. I saw a picture of a tent card on the net a while back and thought I would attempt to make one. Well I am here to tell you, they are the easiest cards ever to make. I sponged the inside of the card with a combination of More Mustard, Crumb Cake and Wild Wasabi for the ground area and sponged Marina Mist for the sky. I then stamped 3 little rabbits from the Forest Friends set along the bottom. I covered the front piece of cardstock with Designer Paper and run it through the Big Shot using the Top Note Die to give the opening to hang the little owls from. I attached them to the card with a piece of Certainly Celery Grosgrain ribbon and a rhinestone brad to attach it to the top of the card. I stamped and cut out some bambi's and some baby owls and attached them to the four corners of the front. The sentiment I stmped in Early Espresso and punched out using the large oval, then placed that onto a scallop oval that I had punched out in Always Artichoke. I think it is so cute, even if it is a little unorthodox for the occasion. The measurements to use for the Tent Card are to cut 2 of 12 x 16cm  and for the base 1 of 10cm x 12cm. The base is folded in half then each side folded back so that a W is formed. Attache the back of the card to the base, sitting it in the crease of the valley on the right hand side and adhere. The front of the card sits on the outside of the other side of the W leaving the mountain fold in the middle which enables the card to fold flat for postage. Either glue the tops of the card together or join with brads (I think glue is tidier)
  Hope you like it too. Bye for now,

Motorcycle Card Share

Today's card bought me much pleasure in the creation. After seeing this image stamped it reminded me of my late dad, who was a motorcycle fanatic. Not quite the 'easy rider' type of enthusiast was my dad, but he had a true appreciation of all fine motors. So it was with my dad in mind I made this card with the type of colours that he would love to receive in a card. The card base was Very Vanilla which I topped with a piece of Crumb Cake that I had run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Folder on the upper portion of the card and the bottom section is a piece of designer paper from the Woodland Walk collection. To conceal the join Grey Taffeta Ribbon was used. The image needed something but not anything that would detract from the motorcycle so My trusty Matt Pack came to the fore and I pierced the corners on the diagonal. The image was then matted onto some Crumb Cake and the Marina Mist. This motorcycle stamp has so many possibilities I m sure it is going to be a firm favourite for those hard to create masculine cards. Let me know what you think, I would love to hear your thoughts. Bye for now.

Sail Away

Hi Stampers!

I thought tonight I would share a quick card that I made while watching the cricket with my husband (not). The baja breeze base had been sitting on my work table for a few days and has been moved from this spot to that. I was mounting the Sail Away stamp and thought I would use it with what I had on the table. I coloured the yacht with Watercolour Pencils and then used my Blender Pen to colour. I thought that I would distress the edges and this was very hard to do, because the whole time my mind is screaming at me to "STOP", it isnt straight or structured. I backed it with Baja Breeze and mounted it on dimensionals. I also matted the baja breeze on some Whisper White Cardstock that I had run the Very Vintage Wheel over and then embossed using the square lattice embossing folder.l I quite like it (I think), made me not step but jump out of my comfort zone of orderliness and into scraggy and distressed. (I wonder if they call is deistressed because that is what the artist is becoming the whole while! Well thats it for me today, so please let me know what you think, bye for now

Punch Bunch from Sale-a-bration!

Hi everyone, today I thought I would move away just a little from the Swee Summer set, but still staying with Sale-a-bration. How lucky are we that we can earn free top quality stamps, just for spending as little as $100. How many other places can you purchase goods you were going to get anyway and get such a fabulous bonus. They are very special because they are not for sale - ever. Wow! I feel so lucky to have been able to earn my stamp sets. Over the last couple of days I have shown you the Sweet Summer ser, today I am using the owl from the Punch Bunch set as well as the cute in flight butterfly from the Sale-a-bration set So Happy For you. Using Crumb Cake  ink I stamped the butterfly randomly over the Very Vanilla base card. I decided then to use the Scallop Border Trim Punch and punch both edges on the Crum Cake and the Pacific Point Cardstock. They were then layered with a piece of Blueberry Crisp Designer Paper. I love this paper, it has really taken a hold on me and I am tempted to use it all the time! Three owls were stamped on Very Vanilla  in Melon Mambo, and two in Pacific Point, then punched out using the XL 2 Step Owl punch, I attached these to the card front using Dimensionals. The colours are lovely, and I think the owls look super cute sitting on the Blueberry Crisp, dont you? Well thats if for today, come back tomorrow and see what I have to share for you then. Bye for now.

My First Stamping 411 Colour Challenge!

I participated in my very first 411 Stamping Colour Inspiration Challenge today. The Challenge was to use Crum Cake, Choc Chip, Wild Wasabi and Certainly Celery. I have had such fun making the flowers that Maria has been doing Tutorials for that I decided to use some of them on my card! I know that roses dont come in Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery or Crumb Cake, but they just seemed to fit with this challenge. I started by swiping the Crumb Cake with the same stamp pad, and embossed the Wild Wasabi with the Square Lattice Folder. Layered Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon and Choc Chip Grosgrain Ribon across the card and then placed the mats of Choc Chip, Certainly Celery and the Whiper White( which was embossed with Petals a Plenty folder on top. The only stamp I used was the 'Life is Beautiful' sentiment from the Style Beautiful stamp set. A spot of Crystal Effects on each petal and a light smattering of Dazzling Diaminds finished the roses off. I would love to know what you think. Bye for now, Gwen

Comfort Folder Instructions

CARDSTOCK:
27.5 x 21cm - Score at 10.5, 11.5, 22 and 23cms on the longest edge. Cut out the section at 22cm to score line and to edge
2.5 x 14cm - Scallop Punch on short edge, then measure 4cm from the edge of the scallop and cut off.
8.5 x 13cm - Whisper White or Very Vanilla for insert
Scrap of Whisper White or Very Vanilla for front sentiment, and also scrap of contrasting cardstock to cut back label die in Big Shot.
 15 x 8cm Designer paper for front of folder
INCIDENTALS:
Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad, So Swirly Jumbo Wheel, Sticky Strip, Snail, Scallop Border Edge Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Round Corner Tab Punch XL, Sponge for inking edge of card.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Score and cut cardstock where required. On the short edge that has the piece cut out of it, edge with the Scallop Edge Punch. Sponge this end with ink colour of choice. Punch one end of the 14 x 2.5cm cardstock using the same punch.
Using Jumbo So Swirly wheel and ink colour the same as cardstock, roll the whole sheet of cardstock, rolling the portion of the folder that folds up last so the imprint is very faint. Sticky strip the bottom portion that folds up at the ends, in the space that is measured at 10.5 and 11cm, and then at the edge where it has been cut away. This will form the pockets to hold the sachet and letter or insert.
On the right side attach Designer Paper, then the strip of contrasting card stock. Then attach the 4cm strip so it matches the other scallops.  Stamp sentiment and punch out using Wide Oval Punch, and then attach it to the largest label in the Lots of Labels sizzlet dies. Use snail on the portion of the tag that is going to sit on the main portion of the folder and have the balance of the tag sitting out over the small section of the folder. This small section of the folder will slip in under the tag to keep the folder closed.
Off stamp the So Swirly Wheel and then run it across the bottom of the insert. Punch a tab to pull the insert up (if using), fold tab over and attach to insert. Stamp sentiment of choice on insert or better still slip a letter in the pocket.

Spotlight on Every Moment

The ladies that come to technique classes asked if we could revisit this lovely technique. I looked through the IBC and decided on the set Every Moment. I really havent used it much and it is a beautiful set with so much potential. I decided to have a look on SCC to see what others had done and came across Mary Brown's rendition of a sketch that she had used this set in. I changed it around slightly so that I could incorporate the layout and this is what I have come up with. I think the ladies will have a great time revisiting this technique and I will throw another technique in while we are at it. I hope you like what I have done with this set, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Bye for now, Gwen

School Holidays!

Sorry I have been missing in action the last few days. A combination of really not being able to do much at all becasuse I have been ill with the Lurgy, and having one of my grand daughters here for a few days is not conducive to blog writing............or creating for that matter. The house is quiet again now that said grandchild had gone home.

   I love the way that kids are so creative and uninhibited when it comes to their creativity. They dont think like we do (is that good??) and are so much more adventurous in what they do. September is a very busy month for us as far as birthdays go. This month so far we have had, mine, my husband, our son and a very good friend not to mention the nieces and nephews that arent even in the same state as us!

Last week being my husband's birthday, the two girls made their grand dad a  card each, and also a get well card from each of them for me too. Their cards are of course beautiful and will be placed away now, so that in years to come they will get them back and be able took upon them and the memories of that day will no doubt have a good chuckle. The insert on one of the cards reads

"Happy Birthday!
Thank you for everything and all the advice you have given me....
Even if its not the best to use,
P.S. You look like you're only 22!! xoxoxoxo"
Now this child will go far!!!

Seriously though, I know we all have bits and pieces that we have made or started to make and they have not turned out the way we had envisaged, so we have put them asisde for "another day". Well all my bits like that I put in a container and when the kids arrive we sit and do something together with all the "another day" goodies. So we sat and potched and played. I thought this is the perfect time to use only what is on the table or within reach.

No cheating and getting out of the chair, use only what is within immediate reach. I was very disciplined which surprised me, and I proceeded to dig around in the box of goodies for unfinsihed projects, scraps of ribbon, 1/2 pearls, brads, 1/2 rhinestones (I know that I didnt leave them out last time I used them!) dazzling diamonds, diecuts that I had made to either try out a new die or they didnt fit in whatever I was making at the time.Even dimensionals I cut up the edges to use. These are just three of those that were made up from scraps, left overs.

There are another four cards and I will post them straight after this, as I (still) have dreadful times trying to get the pics where I want them!