Truly Appreciated CAS

Afternoon all,

Here is a CAS (Clean and Simple) card using my newly arrived Hero Arts stamps. The new catalogue is out and brimming with lots of must haves. (If in Australia, give me a buzz, as I do carry them!)

Also, I am on a yearly mission of using up the tonne of scraps I acquire throughout time. For the next little while, I am going to endeavour to not cut into a full sheet of anything....Methinks, this will be SOME challenge! I get a tick for this one, though, coz everything came out of the seconds drawers.

Cheers!

Rustic Flowers

Good afternoon all,

This card was fashioned after a card I saw when flipping through the current Hero Arts catalogue.

The flowers, come from one of the Hero Arts clear sets and is proving to be quite versatile. Add string, buttons and a strip of card which I ran through the corrugator and the top part of the card is done. I loaded the base card into the Cuttlebug so the entire front was embossed.

Simple, yet appealing.

A Hint of Spring

Hi there on this miserable rainy day!

Here is the same Hero Arts flower which I used yesterday. This time I stamped it up on a brayered piece of gloss card, cut and raised it. The centre of the flower has mini micro beads.

The Martha Stewart punch makes an excellent fence, don't you agree? I punched the fence from a scrap piece of a background I made some time ago, using salt, dye inks and gloss card. Pearls were added to give it some pizzazz.

The flower is backed by a Cuttlebugged piece of Bazzill which I have swiped with Brilliance Ink. To finish it off, I attached a few SU butterflies with little diamantes.

I know the quality of the picture leaves something to be desired. Please bear with me on this. I will endeavour to grab my camera as soon as I can. I figure I best give my poor old blog some love and attention, so scanning is better than nothing.

Purple Flowers

Again, the light is less than perfect as the trying conditions continue! I love this colour combination...but then, I love purple! Should have seen me impersonate a contortionist trying to get this photo taken without shadows and dark bits happening!

Colourbox Chalk ink, Hero Arts stamps and a Cuttlebugged background piece and Voilà!. Done!

Enjoy your weekend people!

Paint Chip Flowers

I have to apologise for the quality of photos taken for the last little while. Our light is quite woeful at the moment. It is very dank and gloomy and this is the best I can do under trying circumstances!

Again, I have used some of the new Hero Arts stamps, in the flower and the sentiment. The background was made using an old Amazing Creation block stamp and various Colourbox Chalk ink pads.

And to finish off, I have stamped on a brown paint chip, which fulfils my second challenge for Ladies Ink this month...use a paint chip! Not quite monochromatic since I used a white layer, but almost!

Heading for the weekend. I have one boy on the road today so am hoping he arrives in Rocky safely! The roads are wet and dangerous, so I am going to be in worry mode until he texts he is there in one piece!

Daisy Blues

Afternoon all,

After an extremely hectic day in Mackay yesterday, I haven't really come up roses today. I have been uber slack....

But, hey!!!! I received my Secret Sister parcel all the way from America!!!!!! I cannot say too much as yet, because not everyone has received theirs. Now, how hard is it going to be to keep mum about it!!!!!!!!!!!?????????!!!!!!!! I can say I have been so very fortunate to have such a highly talented young lady bestow some of her brilliant work in my direction. Way cool, in fact....So cool, I totally forgot I had a second parcel in the mail until late this arvo!

Here is another Upsy Daisy card. This time, I have used Piñata Inks, which were the forerunners to the alcohol inks you see around the traps today. Unfortunately, you do not see any of the lovely gold highlights on the blue piece in the photo, but know they are there, full of subtlety, and really do make the card zing a little.

Stamps: SU Upsy Daisy, Hero Arts LL249 You Sparkle Inks: StazOn Black, Piñata Inks- Baja Blue, Sapphire Blue Cardstock: White Gloss Card, Bazzill Other: Gold Krylon Pen, Kaiser Bling, Unknown Ribbon Source

Simple Flowers

Afternoon all,

Very dismal here today and I am thinking I am so glad I ditched the camping idea. I could barely see the highway for the rain, going into Sarina for supplies for the long weekend. Crikey, every man and his dog were at the shops this arvie.

I haven't stamped at all in the last three days...what with going back and forth to Mackay. This simple card was done last week but I hadn't shared. Thought I would today...coz no stamping will be done today either. Hubby is due home any time. We are off to the pub for tea and for him to put his footie bets in.

Hero Arts is the manufacturer of this beautiful stamp which was stamped with Coral Chalk Ink.

Have a good one everybody!

Stamps By Judith Floral Hello

I so love playing with my Stamps by Judith stamps. Got a new lot in the mail last week. Seeing as I was seeing road lines in my sleep (with the endless trips to and from Mackay), I have not had a real chance to play with them....yet!

These ones I have had since I first saw her delightful interactive stumps being demoed at a stamping convention. The poor lass who was demoing them must have heartily become sick of my friends and I because we kept annoying her to do more, more, more...LOL!

All stamps used in this card apart from the wording are SBJ stamps. I used the bent leaf, the tiny flower and the dots to make up the card. I have no idea who manufactures the wording. I used Kaleidacolour Spectrum as my ink...Beautiful pads those. I thoroughly recommend ALL of them. The card is actually layered on to a white base...not that you can see it!

Flowers anyone?

Evening everyone!

Simple and sweet. This is a very OLD PB stamp....I have had it for quite a while now. I do not get it out much as it is fairly intensive in work. It takes a jolly long time to colour in!

I have used Prisma pencils with Odourless Solvent to colour and added some Kindy Glitz to the centre of the opened flowers to add a bit of zing.

Hope you like it!

Checking In

Good morning everyone,

Well that nasty cyclone just whizzed on by without too much harm in our region. We are most thankful it stayed out to sea!!!!

Here is a card made last time I visited my friend Jackie (McGee). I love the layout of it as well as the "wedgewood" feel. I don't know if it was Jackie's original idea or if she found it somewhere else, so can go no further with acknowledgements.

The stamp used is from Lucy's Stamps. The ink is Colourbox Chalk Inks. The patterned paper is from an unknown source (found scraps).

Guess what I did yesterday????? All day yesterday????? I have so much "stuff"!!!! I cleaned and tidied my "dungeon" aka my stamping room. (Remember I was on a de-moulding mission....No mould in my stamping room because I keep it closed off in inclement weather, but wanted to give the whole house a once over!). I still have to go through the mounds of scrap card, paper and images and try and put them in some sort of order in the hopes I might use them one day. Order will mean a better chance that this will happen!

Tidying up your stuff is always good because you come across stuff you had totally forgotten about. Not a bad exercise in all. I spotted something I want to play with later and found the rest of my alphabet moulds I was missing.

Celebrate the Day

Hi everyone,

I am sharing a card made a while ago with you tonight as I have not been stamping the last couple of days. I have, however, been gainfully occupied de-moulding our house now it has stopped raining! I am so over cleaning...but not even half way through! So wish I had a cleaning lady....oh that's right, momentarily forgot I am not rich enough for a cleaning lady...drats, drats, drats! Where IS that winning Lotto ticket when you need it?

Hero Arts stamps have been used throughout and also the fastenater! Lovely little toy, that one! Simple brayering (Kaleidacolour) with the image stamped twice, ending up with the middle bit raised. Diamantes adorn the floral border.

Hope you are all having a grand week!

Hope Your Day Shines

Hi all,

I haven't been able to stamp today, but thought I would share this one, made some time ago. I love this Hero Arts stamp. I steered away from cutesy colours just to see how it would turn out. I work so much with the maroons/pinks/purples that is sometimes nice to work outside the comfort zone. I was pretty chuffed with the way it all panned out!

Mad On Yellow Part 2

Materials

Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Stamps CL140 Thinking of You Messages

Inks: StazOn Black

Cardstock: Prisma Yellow, Bazzill Raven, Yes White

Other: Ribbon, Kaiser Gems, Stampin Up Tearing Ruler Tombow 055 Canary Yellow

Afternoon all,

Here is another very yellow card. I don't normally work much with yellow, but I do love this lovely bright shade. I find it very cheerful and very eyecatching!

It is sooooo wet here now. Nearly bogged the car getting out of the driveway this morning! In this weather, one has to be super careful with one's stamping stuff. I close off my room. Windows remain closed and I keep the door closed too. The less moisture the better for all that cardstock and pretty paper. I am already half there as I keep the card in plastic bags...deters the dratty little geckos from pooing all over it!

Now, you can really feel the "dankness" in the air. It sure doesn't look like letting up any time soon...But hey, better the rain than the heatwave the poor buggers down south are copping!

Mad on Yellow Part 1

Materials
Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Stamps CL140 Thinking of You Messages
Inks: StazOn Black
Cardstock: Prisma Yellow, Bazzill Raven, Yes White
Other: Ribbon, Kaiser Gems, Tombow 055 Canary Yellow, 985 Orange Yellow, Marvy Markers11 Light Green

I have changed the image to a photo. It has come out better than the scan but IRL, it is really a canary yellow...very bright.

I love Prisma cardstock for its vibrancy and as a little change to the usual Bazzill I use. This card isout of 2008's Hero Arts catalogue. I just changed the colours and ribbon but the design remains very similar.

I have decided this set from Hero Arts is quite versatile and am very pleased I have it!...oh and now it is no longer in the uninked pile!!!! Brownie points for Shell!!!!

Shabby Chic Window Revisited

Materials

Stamps: Artee SP308C Double Blossom, Dream Mode F232 Say it With Flowers

Inks: StazOn Black

Cardstock: Bazzill Brown, Unknown

Other: Paper Crimper, Big Bite with Large Eyelets, Lyra Crayons, Grosgrain

Hello fellow stampers,

Here is another shabby chic window. Well, I reckon it looks like shabby chic!

I used my big bite for the very first time with this card.(Lucky girl I am, received it for my birthday from Cheryll, Grace and Jackie!!!!) A little bit of a learning curve involved and I was very tentative because I just didn't know how much pressure I would need to follow it through. Luckily, you don't need too much, so I am away with it!!!!

The background on the red part of the card was not achieved by the use of stamps. I do have texture stamps, but since I was crimping anyway, I crimped a piece of card and then used it as my stamp. (Read....Too lazy to get out of my chair to get texture stamp!)

Now off to watch the tennis and do some more creating...hopefully!

Shabby Chic Window

Materials:

Stamps: Judikins Bolio 6805 Baroque, Stamp It 2237E Long Stemmed Swirl Bud, Stamps By Judith AAA 01 Carved Rose, AAA Dots, TAC Little Messages

Inks: StazOn Black, Colourbox Olive Pastel

Cardstock: Bazzill Lemonade, Grape, Parakeet

Other: White Brads, Mini Tag, Cheap Ribbon, Stampin Up Punch, Marvy Markers96 Jungle Green,, 106 Amethyst, 15 Olive Green, 62 Wisteria.Tombow 370 Very Pale Blue, Sponge

Good morning everyone,

I had my head in an old American Stampin Up magazine yesterday, as I was going through stuff with an eye to decluttering a bit. I spied a card with a torn window which I really liked, so I decided to try one myself.

The colours I have used are a bit different for me, but I think they have gelled quite nicely. If there is something that is essential to my work materials, then I would have to be nominating the little stamp from Stamps by Judith...the 3 dots. My, oh my, I love that stamp as a little fill it inner!

I shall be away most of the day as I have to go back into the hospital to keep DH company, but hope to be back in time to put the TV on the Australian Open for the tennis and settle nicely at my art table. I have a few ideas I would like to try, now I have had lots of inspiration from the mags.

Update

Materials:

Stamps: Penny black 2831K Carnation, Stampin Up Riveting

Cardstock: Bazzill- Lemonade, Firehearts, Parakeet

Inks:

Other: Tombows-743 Pink, Marvy Markers-11-Light Green, 96-Jungle Green, Kaiser Pearls, Green Diamante, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Folders Swiss Dots, Floral Border, Pricking Tool and stitching placement template

Evening everyone,

Thank you for visiting my blog and especially thank you for leaving a comment or two!

I went nowhere today for the first time in a very long time! Firstly, I quickly did a cursory sweep of the house doing the very necessary chores only!!!! Then came and updated my visiting everyone's blogs....and finally into the art room. Here is one of the cards produced today. Will post another tomorrow.

Many thanks also for the many good tidings for the health of my DH! He requested I stay home today (must have seen how worn out I was becoming with the eternal driving!). He is doing well and tells me he galloped up the ward hallway.....Yeah right! He did go for a little toddle this morning....but was really dizzy and opted not to try this arvo.

I may just stay home tomorrow too...if he agrees he really doesn't need me in there. But then, not going for two whole days just doesn't seem right!

Stand Up Flowers

Materials
Stamps: Penny Black C3881 Best Girlfriend, Penny Black 2831K Carnation, Lucys 602LI
Inks: Colourbox Chalks Pastel Pink
Cardstock: Bazzill, Nopa White
Other: Ribbons, Hole Punch

Good morning everyone,

I have made up a card from my left over packs from classes I did a while back. This one lays flat for sending in the mail...as I have shown in the first picture here. When opened up, it will stand alone, as in the second. These are really easy to make and are a lot of fun to receive as they are that little bit different!

Guess what? It is raining again...But not as much as I thought it would be. We must be just that little bit too far away to get the great deluges from the cyclone remnants! DID get the howling gale force winds yesterday, so be interesting to see how today pans out.

DH heads in a fortnight early for his hip op, so now it is a mad rush to get things done. Upside of this...He will be out of my hair and down playing with his implements!

Agapanthus Mania

Materials:

Stamps: Stampendous D140 Agapanthus Bloom, P107 Agapanthus Cluster (Thanks Judy!), SU Warmest Regards Set

Cardstock: Scrap of who knows what!

Inks: StazOn Black

Other: Big Brads, Cuttlebug and Nestabilities Long Rectangles

I just adore the two Agapanthus stamps from Stampendous. They always make a card look good with little effort! I am waiting for some watercolour expressionist sheets to dry, so thought I would upload this fellow whilst I wait.

I may get back here tonight, but doubt it, as I am holding a meeting at my place for a community function coming up and have to organise my family in the meantime.

Good news today!!!!!!!!!! By the time the fortnight is out, Neil and I will be the only ones living at our home! Magella received word today that the house she applied to rent has been approved! She is doing the little happy dance (as is mum, who thought it was never going to happen!)...Mind, after a week, I will probably be looking for her to have a spat with! But I can also see so much less work to do!!!!

I am also losing our extra body, back to his grandmother at least until Xmas. He has a desire to return to America by Xmas and the work we had for him here has now dried up.

Looking forward to a new era!

Flower Day 2

Materials

Stamps: StampIt Antique Flower Trio 2161E

Inks: Colorbox Chestnut Roan, StazOn Black, Brilliance Graphite Black

Cardstock: Bazzill Brown, Unknown

Other: Brads, H2O's Golden Sand, Midori Melon

And continuing! No freaking out...Michelle with two posts in one day! Sit down! Take a breath! It really IS for real!!!!!!!!

Well I got to using this stamp again as it is so pretty. I was going to add ribbon but did not have the exact colour either in the ribbon or in the ink as the base card. Didn't want to wreck it, so let it be!

I quite this one even though there is no technique whatsoever involved with it!