Liebster Blog Award times 2

Well, I have 2 wonderful blog friends to thank for this, the first Michelle, whom I see most days as our daughters are in the same grade at school, and the other Cyndie, with whom I have exchanged email conversation and am very glad to know.

So here are my blog picks, some already have awards, but not from me

1. Cyndie - sorry but you were top of my list when Michelle sent me to her post.  This lady is incredible at thinking outside the box, her cards and art work are beautifully executed and she inspires me to try  different techniques.

2. Sue Lelli - there is a reason she is on the CR84FN design team, Sue is so good with placement and colour, not to mention being able to put alot of detail on a card without it looking overdone.

3.  Karen W - not only a great card maker but terrific photographer.  I love her Project 64 posts - she has a wonderful eye for detail.

4. Patrice - Aussie girl, does nowhere near enough card making for me as I just love the little touches she puts on cards, which makes me think - why didn't I think of that!

5.  Kelly S - I have to say I was very surprised to see she didn't have over 200 blog followers, thought for sure someone of her ability (as well as being on the WMS design team) would have hundreds.  Her style, again, packs in loads of detail in a very understated way.

Thank you all for your wonderful inspiration

Tuesday Trigger and For Your Inspiration

Tuesday Trigger - Home Sweet Home

Loved the idea of some kind of house image but beyond that no idea.  I had hoped that I could have done this in one layer and submit it for One Layer Wednesday (masking) but had terrible trouble getting the fence straight so, no chance there.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft

Stamps - PTI Boards and Beams

Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa and marker;  PTI Fresh Snow; SU Real Red

Prismacolour White pencil

"For Your Inspiration"

Just beautiful, all these divine shades of green.  So I have chosen to go for 2 shades of green on a clean card.  I couldn't work out how to achieve the reflecton, so I will be interested to see where other people took this challenge.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, New Leaf

Stamps - TE CreativiTEA

Ink - Memento - Pear Tart, Rich Cocoa

Gems - Kaisercraft

ColourQ #125

I was sooooo tempted, when I first saw the colours and pattern of this quilt, to pull out my long forgotten SU Urban Oasis DSP.  But design team member Jen had already beaten me to the punch with this absolutely gorgeous card with just a hint of orange.  Just lovely.  

(just really wanted to keep this for future reference, hope you don't mind Jen)

So here is the design I came up with -  new stamp set and was happy with how it turned out.

What you need

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics white

DSP - SU Patterns in Tangerine Tango

Stamps - SU Fabulous Florets

Ink - SU Basic Grey, Lucky Limeade;  VersaMagic Aegean Blue

Die - My Favourite Things

Gems - Kaisercraft

February 2012 PTI Blog Hop

This month's theme:  Interactive Cards

This is a take on a card I did for a past PC Submission.  It took a bit of thinking about, ie where to attach the embellishments so that the jigsaw still broke up.  Couldn't use patterned paper either as I would have had to cut around every piece - too much hard work for me (I like hand cutting but not that much).

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - PTI Sweet Love, Heart Prints, Text Style

Ink - SU Real Red, Regal Rose and markers

Die - Spellbinders

Gemstone Flourish and Rose - Prima

Bag - PTI

Other - Peg, lace, ribbon,jigsaw from craft supplies

Looks like another wet-ish day in Brisbane - a good day for cleaning, or perhaps cardmaking

Waltzingmouse Challenge #85

We gather inspiration from everywhere as creative people.  And as I have been cleaning out the craft room I have come across a box of magazine pages I have kept for just that reason.  I hope to slowly go through them and actually put them to good use (though Pinterest seems to take up alot of time these days).  

So for the latest Waltzingmouse sketch (I haven't done one in ages!)  I have used the colours from the packaging of MOR Cosmetics lychee collection. Very rarely do I get these gorgeous products as it is very hard to choose just one thing (don't know if they are available anywhere outside Australia and New Zealand).  

MOR Cosmetics

What you need
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics Black;  PTI Raspberry Fizz
Stamps - WMS Asian Gardens and Additions
Ink - Versamark;  Memento Tuxedo Black
Embossing Powder - Fantasy Gold;  Coloriser Clear
Gems - Kaisercraft

ColourQ #124 and CR84FN48

I really wish we had access to SU Cool Caribbean is Australia, I think I would have found it very useful.  However, I have substituted PTI's Aqua Mist which I think works equally well.  Don't think my colouring pencil colouring is up to much at the moment, really needs perfecting, but not completely unhappy with the way this card turned out.

What you need
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics Red;  SU Very Vanilla
Patterned Paper - PTI 2008 Bitty Dot Basics
Stamps - TE Rosy Posey
Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa
Die - SB Scalloped Rectangles
Ribbon - SU Pretty in Pink Taffeta
Twine - MME Lime Twist "Charmed"
Colouring Pencils - Faber-Castell Art Grip

Not my usual colour palette this one, and, now I have looked at the photo, doesn't do it justice in real life (note to self: NEVER photograph cream against a white background).  Love the simplicity of this design.

Edit: Have tried to take a better photo but just won't work.


What you need
Cardstock - SU Very Vanilla, Basic Grey
Stamps - SU Oh, so lovely; PTI Inside and Out: Birthday
Ink - Brilliance Lavender;  Versacolor Bamboo
Twine - Jillibean Soup
Gems - Kaisercraft

Runway Inspired #5

 I think I will just make the deadline for this challenge.  I particularly love the shimmery, gauzy look which I wanted to capture

Then, whilst waiting for an appointment found the latest edition of Harpers Bazaar Australia, which also uses the same texture and colour, so I have sort of combined them both,

The stamping on vellum isn't quite so clear in the photo but does look lovely and delicate.  

What you need
Cardstock - PTI Kraft, Spring Rain,vellum
Stamps - TE Friendship Blooms
Ink - PTI Fresh Snow
Die - TE Leaves
Pale Blue thread, Rose
Gems - Kaisercraft
Ribbon - PTI


Grade 4 had their first camp this week and have come home extremely tired but happy.  So hopefully a quiet weekend before back to school next week.

PTI Fifth Birthday Celebrations - Days 5 - 7

OK, so things haven't quite turned out time-wise as I would have hoped.  BUT I do now have an almost fully functioning craft room, YIPPEE!!  Just afew little tweaks, some pictures on the walls, and a coat of paint can wait till winter.  My final card is very loosely based on the first two challenges

 Challenge Day 5 - Pinterest Inspiration

This site would have to be the biggest time waster - I think I spent more time looking for and deciding upon an inspiring photo than actually making the card!  There are so many beautiful images (and recipes to download) and ideas that make you think "why didn't I think of that...."

So here is the photo I have chosen, it is just so beautiful and my favourite colours

ajpscs via Blue Peublo

Forest Spider Lilies, Saitama, Japan

Challenge Day 6 - Sketch

Could have picked any of the sketches, really liked them all.

Challenge Day 7 - The theme of Hearts

Just in time for Valentines Day, and my husband really does deserve a huge thank you for all the work (read flat pack assembly) and a fair degree of frustration whilst redoing my room

What you need

Cardstock - PTI black, white, Raspberry Fizz, Pure Poppy

Stamps - PTI Heart Prints

Ink - SU Real Red, Melon Mambo;  Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - PTI Mat Stack 4; Hearts

Impression Plate - PTI Circles

Glitter - Fire Engine Red

PTI Fifth Birthday Celebrations

How time flies when you are a successful company, making great stamps and making alot of people very happy (bank balances may not see it that way).  I chose to CASE Maile Belles, though I have used Modern Basics, however,  a similar colour scheme and placement.

And here is my interpretation of her gorgeous card

I wasn't sure I would be able to get any stamping done over the past couple of weeks as my husband decided, out of the blue on a very wet weekend, that the plans for the study cum craft room would suddenly come to fruition.  So I had to move out immediately.  The upside of this, apart from a wonderful dedicated space, is that I had to go through everything, toss out, donate or ... use.  It should be finished in the next week or so, not counting a coat of paint on the walls,  that is definitely a winter job.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - PTI  Modern Basics, Signature Greetings

Ink - SU Lucky Limeade, Pretty in Pink, Poppy Parade;  Memento Tangelo, Sweet Plum, Cantaloupe, Tuxedo Black

Buttons - PTI