Secret Message

Closed....The black gets tied in a bow to the little pink ribbon i tucked underneath!

Top flap untied and opened.

Middle section. The tie at the top (from the last picture) has been undone and this is what it opens out to.

Left side untied and opened.

Right side untied and opened. Obviously, this is where I get to write my little missive!

Good morning everyone on this lovely showery Boxing Day!

We had a lovely family get together yesterday at my daughter's home to celebrate Xmas. Everyone was sufficiently stuffed and really happy with all their goodies. Today, everyone will descend to my house for another afternoon of fun and games and of course, more eating! Sigh.....It will take a month of Sundays to be rid of all the excess!

Here is a secret message card I made a while back...Lots of different nooks and crannies to this one, Each section is tied off, making it a very interesting card to receive as it takes a while to untie all the ties. I have them untied coz I wanted to take the piccies today...in between the showers!

What do you think?

Xmas Reindeer

Good morning everyone,

I am getting a head start on next year's cards whilst I am in the mood...As husband's can attest, one has to take notice and act upon "in the mood" scenarios...ROFL!

I have used the reindeer out of the Darkroom Door Christmas Reindeer set, an old Hero Arts C4207 Warm Wishes greeting and some lovely paper from Reminisce called Snowflake. I have had the pretty paper for a while but decided I should try and use it before it goes mouldy!

I stamped both the image and the sentiment in Colourbox Chestnut Roan and sponged the image with the same. Added some grosgrain and raised the image with DSFT and voilà. All done.

It is difficult at this time of year to be posting as often as I would like. Family and parties are eating into my stamping time and space. I know most of you are in the same boat, which makes it somewhat better!

MFT Frenzy

Hi there,

Am still working on Xmas cards and have to say I have been the very busy little bee in that area.

Here are four cards from a kit I bought from Michelle www.michellescardsandstamps.com.au a little while ago. Sometimes, it is lovely not to think at all and just do, so I was happy to throw these together using all her instructions. Pretty nifty, eh? I love MFT stamps, so it was a pleasure playing with them!

I am on a second design for Xmas now, so hope to share that with you soon.

Now on a Roll

Hello there,

I have settled on my Xmas design! YAY!....Ok, I am a little tardy with this, but I AM getting there. Life has certainly been in the way this last few weeks.

This card is not exactly traditional. I have opted for a green base, but the red part is hinged at the top and opens from that top to reveal the green base.

I have Cuttlebugged the white card, layered on to the red, add a bit of glitter glue to the ornaments, a swish of ribbon and a great diamante to embellish the top of the hinge.

Finally I used the good old Cuttlebug again to cut my long rectangle Nesties. I left the white in the straight Nestie and sponged Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy which is a perfect match to the Bazzill Ivy used as the base. I am pretty sure the sentiment is a PB and was also stamped with the Brilliance.

Seven down...Lots to go. I will aim to have most postal ones gone by Monday. A good aim, to be sure. Now to make it happen!

Traditional Xmas

Hello there,

Here is a more traditionally coloured Xmas card!!!!! I think if you click on it, you will see it better. I had troubles again because of the glittering...with the H2O's and glitter glue. I will have to investigate a way around this problem, though I do not have the time nor energy to do so right now.

Stamps Used: Stamp It Holly Swirls 3878E....and I am guessing the wording is Hero Arts?? It is a clear stamp and belongs to a set. I had thought PB, but could not find the set online....Doofus, I am!

Am still loving the Cuttlebug and its great versatility! The Nesties are a dream come true for getting proper shapes without trimming the card to nothingness and their best selling point to me is that I can use them in the Bug!

More Non Traditional Xmas

Good morning people on this fine, hot Monday!

Here is another non traditional Xmas card I had almost finished for the last couple of days! I have used an alcohol ink background, stamped in StazOn over the top with one of Stamp It's gorgeous Xmas range (with the little wording from TAC) and buffed to a shine using Judikins Micro Glaze. (I love that stuff!)

The background stamping is using one of the fabulous Darkroom Door stamps from Rachel's Reindeer set (This set is sooo versatile!)

I ended up having to take the piccie on the side as my camera has conniptions when trying to take gloss card, but I am sure you still get the idea of the card, even so!

Anothery

Thanks so much to Christyne for this award!

"Rules of Play" Tell some stuff about myself!!!!

1. I am a mad keen stamper. Oh wait! You know that already.
1 again. I do needlework as well and specialise in Cross Stitch and Hardanger...both really, really beautiful stitcheries.
2. I am married and have two adult children. Oh wait! You know that already.
2 again. I love to read and to watch on telly: whodunnits.....especially the British made ones!
3. I am 50 years old. Oh wait! You know that already.
3 again. I am a mad keen cryptic crossword person. I have them littered around all over the place.
4. I live in country Qld. Oh wait. You know that already.
4 again. I also like to do word games ...the wordfinder on Facebook, Scrabble at home and one where you find as many words as you can from 9 letters...called various names around the globe.
5. I come online every day ...if I can possibly physically do so. Oh wait. You already know that.
5 again. My whole family plays a myriad of games.....especially card games. It is surely a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and is a great excuse to call the family together. We taught the kids to play cards as soon as they recognised the numbers. It is so social!
6. I love to have visitors!
6 again. But I am also happy to have just my own company and have peace and quiet...Not at all like my husband. He is uncomfortable in the car if you are quiet for 5 minutes.

Over the Top Questionnaire

Ok I give up....NOTHING I do enables me to cut and paste into this thing....ARRRGGGGHHHH.....

I will type the thing up....

1. Where is your mobile phone? At my left hand!
2. Your hair? Shoulder length, bobbed, dyed and foiled.
3. Your mother?
4. Your father?
5. Your favourite food? Watermelon....and guess what? It is watermelon season!

6. Your dream last night? Do not remember....I am sure I do, but I rarely remember anything form the twilight zone....not event he blowing zeds parts sometimes!
7. Your favourite drink? Fresh orange juice...alas and alack I am not supposed to drink much of it!
8. Your dream/goal? To go travelling before I am too feeble to do so!
9. What room are you in? My son's old bedroom. It is where I set the computer up after he moved out. (Gave me tonnes more space in my dungeon aka artroom!)
10. Your hobby? Rubber stamping first and foremost!

11. Your fear? Heights...but I am getting good at that...climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, didn't I?
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Alive and kicking thanks!
13. Where were you last night? In my dungeon, watching Stargate and cutting up card and paper for 15 Xmas cards.
14. Something you aren't? Ungenerous.
15. Muffins? Nope...don't see the big deal there!

16. Wish list item? Just got my wish list item...a sew mini for my birthday....But I would like some more Nesties.
17. Where did you grow up? South Grafton, Sydney and Lismore, NSW, Australia...Yes, I am a ring in for Qld!
18. Last thing you did? Read an email from Christyne!
19. What are you wearing? Yard clothes...having just come in from my early morning walk amongst the cane fields. One doesn't dress prettily for that activity when one has a very excitable little doggie!
20. Your TV? Near my stamping table....brand new...got the digital HD thing happening...with the dvd thing at the side of the telly and provision to tape shows straight onto a USB stick...brilliant!

21. Your pets? One crazy little doggie....chihuahua cross.
22. Friends? Do I have any? Oh yeah, they know who they are!
23. Your life? Insanely busy...I wish to sleeeeeeppppp!
24. Your mood? Very tired...too much to do....not usually a cranky person!
25. Missing someone? My friends from away who were here for my birthday!

26. Vehicle? Toyota Camry Altise and Mazda BT50
27. Something you are not wearing? Oh I could have been naughty there! Jewellery....only coz I haven't yet hit the shower.
28. Your favourite shop? Any papercrafts shop I can access!
29. Your favourite colour? Used to be maroon but am having a current love affair with teal.
30. Last time you laughed? This morning watching my crazy doggie chase anything that moves when we were out walking!

31. Last time you cried? Cannot remember precisely.
32. Your best friend? Hubby
33. One place that I go over and over? To the loo...don't you?
34. One person who emails regularly? Cheryll Miller
35. Favourite place to eat? Out...so I don't have to cook!

36. Facebook? Yes, but usually to play games and keep track of the billylids!

Ladies Ink Challenge Non Traditional Xmas

Hello everyone!

Here is my challenge card for November...I DID have it done Sunday, but life intervened and I couldn't get it up here on to the blog sooner.

Our mission for November was, as suggested in the title of this post, to create a non traditional Xmas card....meaning in particular....NO RED OR GREEN.

Here is my effort....I used alcohol inks to create the background, stamped one of the gorgeous Stamp It Xmas stamps in StazOn over the top. I used micro glaze over this which I buffed off to give the shiniest finish.

The dry embossing was achieved using an Impressibilities die with Brilliance Gold swiped over the top. Finishing elements are a diamante brad from Finishing Touch Ideas and the tab at the side punched from a SU punch and stamped with a TAC tiny stamp.