2 in 2 days - don't get carried away!

I just read this on someones blog and I had to share it - makes you think - well it made me think anyway.



My blog won't let me paste it in here - go check it out at Michelle's Blog

Yep - still alive

I have been so long blogging I'm surprised I remembered my password.

I have been working at a great job - but that means much less time for creative pursuits. The job is part time, school hours and for GirlGuiding - it just doesn't get much better than that (well perhaps being paid for 40 hours and working 20). The job will only last short term and I'm sure it will be over sooner than I hope.
I am trying not to love it too much so that I don't get so sad when I have to leave.

Anyway ... I have managed to make Christmas cards this year and have even posted most of them ubt we are way behind in the present buying stakes and we leave on our holiday on Monday .... oh well - they have shops where we are going.

All the best to you and yours and I'll try to be a better blogger again next year - don't hold your breath.

I caught a mouse ... and other things

Yeah I finally caught a mouse. It seems the peanut butter was the trick but perhaps I should have spread it straight onto the trap and not worried too much about the bread - anyway I got one... which reminds me he is still in the trap and I'm not totally sure how long he's been in there as I was away for the weekend. Better go and sort that out.

Other news is that I have a new job that has started very suddenly. It is to cover someone's maternity leave position and will last 6-12 months. I was going in for some training but turned into the first day! My head is spinning now!


No cards to show you for now ... hopefully everything will settle down and I'll get back to it.

Same card, new colours

Here it is again …. only in a different colour scheme – better I think.

A New Upsy

Here is another take on my favourite Upsy Daisy. Better in real life though :-)

Joy Fold Friend

I really like these Joy Fold cards and here I used a mixture of designer paper and my new stamp set – Great Friend.

More Great Friend

Here it is again in a totally different colour way ….

Great Friend

Kelly finally gave me my latest order and you know what that means – yep a few new cards!

Back to Baroque

Using this years In Colours – Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and last years…Blue Bayou – lovely.

Another Upsy

I followed a sketch for this one …. in a new In Colour – Kiwi Kiss

Flowers

Here is an oldie but a goodie ….

Hand Bags

Here are a trio of hand bags made using the round label punch and some designer paper and brads.

Urban Daisy

Here I have stamped the Daisy’s onto the designer paper – simple but effective I think.

Cupcake

Now this scan does not do this card justice – I should have taken a photo I think. Where there is white – that’s not part of the card – this one is shaped and is the size of the cupcake and can stand by itself. I’ll have to take a photo sometime to give you a better idea of it.

Still yummy though :-)

Another Upsy

I hear you all screaming “NO not another Upsy Daisy card!” but humour me please – there are a few more :-) and secretly you lone them too.

Mice Update

Good news - I have found something that mice don't like to eat - licorice. I was getting desperate so I baited three traps with licorice, tied it in with string but the traps were still set and the licorice untouched after two days - I think I have found their achilles heel.

No closer to getting them though.....

I might go back to try peanut butter again - and someone suggested peanuts.... I'll keep you posted.

Pieced Cupcake

Madeline and I bought ourselves this cupcake stamp – It’s hard to say who loves it more – her or me.

This one I have stamped onto a couple of different patterned papers and layered up to recreate that delicious cupcake with sprinkles and a cherry look. Yummy!

Joy Fold

Here is a Joy Fold Upsy Daisy. The top panel with the daisy’s folds out to the right and the pale green (Baja Breeze) folds out to the left. This one looks MUCH better in real life.

Chalked Daisy

At Cards Unlimited this week, Megan was demonstrating chalk pastels and this was my take on it – subtle.

You can go and see what Keryn did here.

Card

Well it’s about time I showed you some of the cards I have been making over the last few weeks of work….

This was based on a colour challenge somewhere – Teal, Plum, Blue and black – I really like this combination but don’t think I’ll use it often – who knows.

Long time no post and MICE

Yep I have been MIA again ... working, recovering from working (:-), school holidays and now more working have all kept me from the computer and the craft room and the blog - oh well - things will return to "normal" soon - I hope.

Anyway those of you who have followed my life on here for a while will remember my party loving mice who 'share' my craft room with me ... well you guessed it they're back - I have already caught one but the others are pretty clever having managed to sneak the bait on more than one occasion. Last night while I was down there creating they were having a feast on something behind me (not a nice sound I tell you).

So this post is really just to say I am still alive and kicking and will be back soon I hope but am off to set some more bait - wish me luck.

Cherish

 

It’s somewhat comforting to be able to fall back to old favourties – always as faithful as ever – Yeah Baroque Motifs!

Back to old friends

And here is another old favourite – Baroque Motifs. Sorry for the slightly wonky picture – just tilt your head slightly :-)

No More Upsy Daisy

OK I admit all that Upsy Daisy was a bit much …. so last night I challenged myself not to use it and here is one card I came up with using an old favourite – embrace life.

Keryn’s colour Challenge #22

Last week, Keryn’s colour challenge was Elegant Eggplant, Lovely Lilac and Old Olive – this is what I managed to do with it. I am not happy with the smudge on the greeting – but sometimes you get that – and next time I’d do foliage with the flowers I think.

It’s Wednesday again so check out Keryn’s blog for this weeks colours.

Happy Birthday Ruth

Yesterday was Ruth’s (my Mother-in-law) birthday but I didn’t get a chance to post this cos I was working. I hope you had a great day – despite having to work and that you get to celebrate really soon!

One Last one for now…

As this is being posted to my blog I am at work, have been for a week or so and have a week to go. I am an early childhood teacher and at the moment I am filling my time with relieving where ever I am needed. This is a two week stint – normally it’s just a day or two at a time. Luckily I scheduled all these posts cos I’ll be way too tired after work to get through all the regular stuff let alone get close to the computer to post!

Now this card, using Upsy Daisy (of course!) I stamped onto a piece of card I found in my stash. This piece of card was brayered at the first ever crafty kids workshop I attended 12 years ago!- now that takes me back! That’s one old piece of card – I might have to give brayering another go though – it looks pretty good!

Glitter and Glitz

Here are two ATCs for a May Swap – yes I know a little behind (but thanks to the magic of scheduling I have already posted these ones too – I hope!)

The theme was ‘Glitter and Glitz’ – the one on the left was made with Jac paper, lace and glitter – leave me a comment if you want to know more and the one on the right is using some gorgeous adhesive felt lace and some bling.

Little Pieces of Paper

One of my swaps for May was make a card using up little pieces of paper – as you can see it is now June and the card is still here – well hopefully not – by the magic of ‘scheduling’ I have hopefully already sent this card off to it’s new destination by now!

This is a mosaic card that Val showed us how to make at one of the craft groups I attend – but it needed something more – the butterfly is stuck onto acetate and so in real life looks to be flying off the card – the scanner didn’t do it justice.

Just Jessica

Kelly and I had one of our Community Craft nights last week and the theme was “cards for kids” . We borrowed Keryn’s Stamp and tried some paper piecing with it. We also tried glittered numeral cards and everyone came away with some lovely cards for the kids in their lives.

Based on a sketch …

Here’s another one based on the sketches Sally gave us – and using one of the images she supplied in our little pack of goodies. I hope Keryn, Kelly and Vicky have had a go at creating something with Sally’s goodies – we are getting together this week for show and tell.

Creating In May

I know you are thinking – surely not another one!!!!

This card is based on another of the sketches Sally supplied for our weekend away -thanks Sally!

I totalled up the amount of creating I did in May – I managed 27 cards, 20 ATCs, 4 CJ pages and two tags to go with them and one canvas for my Nana’s 80th birthday which is coming up later this month! Whew it makes me tired just looking at the list …. but you know the scary thing – I don’t even know how accurate I was with my recording - so there may have been MORE!

A Little Birdie

I was playing around downstairs and came up with this little number for a swap with the theme of “Birds” It is based on one of the sketches that Sally included in the pack of goodies she gave for our Waikanae Convention Weekend

Make-and-take

Here is the “Make-and-Take” from a recent Stampin Up! party I was invited to – long story …I ended up being invited to two one the same night and then at the last minute remembered I was taking transport for the Cubs outing – ooops!!! anyway I was lucky enough to receive a make and take anyway – lovely isn’t it – using some of the new range of designer papers in the Stampin Up! range.

Honest Scrap Award

 

This is the second award that Libby has awarded me this month – thanks Libby – go check out Libby’s blog.

 

There are a few requirements to accepting the Honest Scrap Award and they are as follows:

1) I must thank the person who gave me this award and list their blog and link. (see above)

2) I must list 10 honest things about myself.

1. I have a lovely husband and two beautiful children whom I adore.

2. I’d love a job where I can work around my children – and get paid really well for it!

3. I love crafting and making cards!

4. I really enjoy going to the gym – now I just need to watch what I eat so that all the hard work pays off.

5. I am currently sitting inside wearing 6 layers + hat+scarf and want to wear gloves but it’s to hard to type wearing gloves – don’t ask me how I know :-) It is freezing here right now!

6. I only learnt to drive when I was 27 years old.

7. I’m not very good at thinking of these things :-)

8. I am a GirlGuiding leader and have been since my 18th birthday. I really love it and get as much from it as I give.

9. I can say the alphabet backwards

10. I am ambidextrous – I taught myself to write with my left hand one day when I was bored.

3) I must put a copy of the Honest Scrap Award on my blog.

4) I must select at least 7 other worthy blogs and list their links.

Kelly http://scrappydo.wordpress.com/

Keryn http://kerynscards.blogspot.com/

Sharlene http://www.magpiecreates.com/

 

How sad is that I don’t know 7 more people who blog – come on friends get a blog – if you want this award consider yourself awarded!

 

And thanks to Libby for the other award she also gave me!

Last one…

for now anyway :-)

This card did not go to plan at all – it all looks very different in my head but I think it turned out ok in the end – thanks for all your suggestions Keryn.

Birthday Daisy

I love how versatile this stamp set is – 3 different greetings for any occasion you could think of and flowers that look as good stamped in one colour as they do in several.

and another one….

Here is another Upsy Daisy card, coloured with markers – but here I’ve used some DP and a piece of ribbon.

Another One

Here is another Upsy Daisy card – no kidding – get used to it :-)

 

I coloured the flowers with markers – this meant I could get green stems and orange and red flowers. I think this would have looked better with some paper piercing – but my gear was downstairs in the cold and I was upstairs in the warm ….but another time.

I LOVE Upsy Daisy

Yeah I know my favourites change as soon as I get a new stamp set but the one of the minute is Upsy – quick and easy or a bit more complicated – it meets many criteria for a stamp set :-) I sat down and had a play straight away and here are a few cards …. I know many of them are essentially the same but you might get some new ideas ….

Keryn’s Colour Challenge 20

Here are my two entries for Keryn’s colour challenge for this week – using my new Upsy Daisy stamp set – you guessed it – I love it and there will be a few more cards to show over the next few days – you know me – feast or famine!

Keep warm everyone!

Happy Birthday Kelly

Ok, I know it is a little skewiff (tilt your head a little to the left) but here is the card I created for the lovely Kelly (Head over to her blog and give her come birthday wishes)

I tried a new technique – faux tearing – DH said “I just don’t know why you didn’t just tear it – I don’t get the whole faux thing” – don’t worry darling – you are so not the target demographic :-)

I even decorated the inside and the envelope to match – going way out there with this one :-)

I hope you are having a great day Kelly – I hope the girls spoil you rotten :-)

12 on the 12th (well 13th)

Once again I missed the 12th – why do they fly by so fast? And once again there are not 12 shots – well there were but some were blurry and some just of another angle – here is a snapshot of life in our household ….

Washing, piano, lunchbox, flowers,  the moon was still out when we walked to school, the Venus Flytrap is flowering with this beautiful flower and the groceries ….

Triptych

You may remember a few weeks ago I showed pictures of the triptych I created for a swap … well I received this lovely one in return, created by the very talented Glenda.

Thank You for Sally

Sally provided some goodies for our goodie bags and so I created a card for her to say thanks – the green is Stampin Ups! new Kiwi Kiss colour.

Sometimes it doesn’t pay to judge these things too quickly. I had decided that I wouldn’t go for the new In Colours (the ones that change every year) but to stick to the tried and true – and there are so many of them that I didn’t need any more … well I won a cardstock pack of the new In Colour Range and now I am hooked – and trying not to be.

I am hoping I can get away with just using the card and patterned papers with the inks I have … only time will tell :-)

Card Folio

Here is Kelly’s Make-n-take that she recreated on the fly – based on instructions she had seen online – they look a bit like these ones here – not too sure if they are but worth a look anyway.

We used a 12x12 sheet of card and patterned paper, scored and folded, holes punched in the sides and then threaded with ribbon to tie the whole package together.

Of course you could fancy up the cover like Kelly did!