Thanks, To Someone Special

More time in the craftroom saw me playing with a new to me card style - a 'Fun Fold Tower Pinwheel card'.

 

Card#1

This card was part of the February swap for Craft Mad Swappers - and once again, I was so very late in making my card, and sending it.

 

I really struggled with the design aspect of this card - ultimately working out 4 'cardfronts'  LOL

Altenew stamps stamped & heat embossed, watercoloured in with inks and cut with matching dies, Sentiment 'thanks' diecut in black, with the shadow in white, and attached to 'front' with foam tape. 

 

Inside section to write a personal greeting.  Altenew stamped inside the card.

Once a 'design' came to mind, then it was just a matter of 'fudging' the dimensions.  Kaisercraft Butterflies stamped on another panel on the inside.

More Kaisercraft Butterflies stamped on another panel on the inside.  I can't say it was my finest work, but I am glad I took the challenge and didn't let it defeat me.  Although I can say that the 'Fun Fold Tower Pinwheel Card' was most definitely NOT FUN and will not be on my 'to do list' again!

 

Card#2

The next swap card, was quite easy - we had to use something from our Secret Santa present.  I chose the gorgeous sequins & sprinkles to make a shaker card.

 

Penny Black hedgehog from 'Party Time' stamped and coloured in with Copics.  Balloon diecut positioned and cut out to make the shaker part. Finished off with a cute little bow that has been in my stash for a very long time!

 

And of course, the 'Thank You' card I make for all my swap partners - the die cut of the die cutting machine is actually on the inside of the card :) 

 

Linking Card #2 with the following Challenges

Addicted to Stamps & More #488 - Birthday

Allsorts Challenge - #818 Clean & Simple

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - March Anything Goes

 
 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Sending You Hugs

My friend is recovering from surgery, so I wanted a card that would make her laugh, or at the very least make her smile!  She is a cat lover and will see the funny side ...... I hope!

I have had this Penny Black Stamp for what seems like forever, and was quite happy finally to use it.

Penny Black 'Squeaky Clean' stamped in black and watercoloured with Distress Inks.  Dimensional Magic added to the water and gems added for bubbles.   Image die cut with a Spellbinders Circle die and layered on blue cardfront with 3d foam tape.  

'hugs' from Honey Bee Bitty Buzzword die cut & layered with black & white cardstock, mounted with 3d foam tape.  Entire cardfront trimmed down, then added to a white A5 card, with a tent fold.

I enjoyed making this card, and I am looking forward to visit my friend in a few days and give it to her in person.

Linking with:

Happy Little Stampers:  Anything Goes with Dies

Addicted to stamps & more - any occasion

Less is More:  Friendship

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Happy Birthday x 2

Two more cards for you today :)

Our oldest, dearest and closest friends celebrate birthdays close together, just like my hubby and myself!

Chris' birthday was on 26th January and his wife, Cathy (yes same as me) her birthday is on 4th February.  Our birthdays are September & October, and we have similar food tastes!

We had a lovely catchup last Friday, wherein we sat around the table eating, drinking (only a little) and solving the problems with the world ...... as you do!

Anyway, here are the cards I made for them.  I'll start with the birthday card for Chris.

For a change, I went with a DL size card, in portrait mode.  I have been having a lot of fun with a new way of making my own backgrounds lately, so I used this lovely green & gold combination.  Inks 'smooshed' onto a surface, spayed with water, then place the cardstock over the inks.  The edges were inked with Dark Green to define the outer edge.  'happy birthday' sentiment stamped in Black Staz On and die cut layered with 3 layers to give it substance.  Balloon die cut from a scrap piece of Holographic foil cardstock, all mounted on a DL size card.  Die Cuts layered with 3D foam.  The string on the balloon was hand drawn with black fineliner.

Over all, I was quite pleased with the card and Chris loved it!

Now, onto the card for the Birthday Girl (which was the main reason for our get together).  Cathy is celebrating a 'big one' ....... 60!

I stuck with the DL size card in portrait mode, and used another handmade background.  For the balloons I created some text in Word, prnted on purple cardstock (Cathy's favourite colour) and foiled with gold, then die cut the balloons and actually tied up the balloons with black cotton.  Balloons placed in staggered layers, then Penny Black Hedgehog from 'Party Time' stamped and hand coloured in with Copics, cut out and positioned with 3D foam.  Little butterfly with a present stamped directly onto the front, hand coloured with Copics & Kindy Glitz added.  A final bit of bling added with some sequins.

I am quite pleased with the foiling and the bonus is that Cathy loved the card!

I am linking the above cards with the following Challenges:

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes (backgrounds were made with inks & water)

Penny Black Saturday Challenge:  Anything goes/Something New  (new technique)

Seize the Birthday: Anything goes as long as it is birthday (oops, too late for linky)

Happy Birthday Joy!

My best friend Joy celebrated her 70th birthday during the week - but celebrations were put on hold as she came down with a bad cold - we waited until she was feeling a little better before catching up :)

You may have noticed from my photography blog that we go out a lot together with our cameras - Adelaide & Monarto Zoos are frequent destinations, as Joy loves the big cats!

Unfortunately, I don't have any lions or tiger stamps, so Penny Black Hedgehogs will have to do :)

Out with the Old, and in with the new:  Old: spellbinder square dies,  New:  camera theme embossing folder

Items Used:

Stamp:  Penny Black – Party Time

Card Stock:  BlueEdge Crafts

Ink:  Memento – Tuxedo Black

Equipment:  Cuttlebug, embossing folders, Spellbinders Dies – Square

Embellishments:  Kindy Glitz, Copics, gems

Linking with:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - January Anything Goes
Cut it up challenge - #112 Out with the Old, in with the new  (oops, missed the deadline)
Dream Valley Challenge - #147 something new


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

34 years ago, I said "I Do" .....

.... best decision I ever made!

It is our 34th Wedding Anniversary today and here is the combined Anniversary & Valentines card I whipped up for Mr Fixit

Stamped with a Penny Black image from 'Piece of my Heart', hand coloured with copics and highlighted with the obligatory kindy glitz/Stickles.  Mr Fixit has a real sweet tooth, so the image is appropriate :)  
Inside the card reads:  More than chocolate!

Linking with the following challenges:
CASology - Week 184: Valentine
The Stamping Boutique - I Love You
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - use Hearts and/or Red It's a bit hard to see but there is a heart shaped decoration on one of the cakes, and the ribbon is red (flimsy connection, I know :) )
The Card Concept - Sweethearts (inspired by 'sweet')

that's it from me this week - another card on the way next week :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Off to a good start ...................

My first cards for the year :)

I wanted to make a card for my friend Joy's birthday, and I knew I wanted to use a Ladybird, and I was drawn to my Penny Black stamps that I have had for years, but never used - so all that was left was to find a layout ............ harder than you think!

I came across an excellent sketch on the Sweet Sunday Sketch blog - unfortunately, it is the last sketch for that blog :(  However, I think I will keep it bookmarked so that I can go back and use some of the other sketches :)



I used Sketch #300, but changed the proportions of the centre panel so it wouldn't take anything away from the Penny Black image :)

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge is anything goes, as long as you use a Penny Black image.

I was on a roll, the creative juices started flowing, and these cards came together in a few hours!  The hardest part was trawling through my DP to find something suitable for the background.

I decided to make two cards, one rectangle and one square.  I like them both, but think I will give the square one to my friend Joy :)

EDITED:  the pink rectangle card is available in my ETSY store :)  I guess it could be used for several purposes: birthday, hello, thinking of you, missing you, or simply just because :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

You Light Up My Life!

Today is my husband's birthday. 

He doesn't like celebrating his birthday, but I do ;-)

This delightful (pun intended) digital image is from Melissa of Meljen's Designs

I would like to submit this card for:

 LIM week 33 - 1000 challenge - Anything CAS Goes.

Saturday Challenge - One layer card