All very CAS

I would like to be able to say that we are having a rare sunny weekend but, we aren't.  Gloomy and rainy again.  A quiet weekend punctuated by a 60th birthday celebration last night.  It was one of my husband's former triathlon friends, so it was wonderful to catch up with a few familiar faces from the squad of 12+ years ago.  It's a bit surreal to see these men and women now, married with children, when the squad were training hard, they were just out of university, coping with new jobs and relationships.  

So, these 2 challenges dovetail nicely.  This stamp set is about the only one I have with anything vaguely balloon like.  I used vellum for the background to create the illusion of sky, perhaps it worked.

What you need
Cardstock - BB aqua;  PTI vellum
Stamps - PTI Everyday Button Bits
Ink - SU Early Espresso, Real Red
Buttons - PTI
Thread - DMC

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One for my Christmas card collection. 

I hadn't tried to emboss with this die before, but knew the effect would be lovely.  Just wanted to keep it simple, with just a touch of red and black

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Die - Memory Box

Gems - ?

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And just to finish, a quick card for the Stampin' Royalty challenge.  The theme  

STRIPES

I saw a design similar to this on a quilt (Pinterest).  I forgot to pin it, unfortunately.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - Avery Elle Knotty, To the Point

Ink - Memento Lady Bug, Nautical Blue

The Paper Players #151

Here's a quick one for Friday.  I had to try this very interesting sketch, so had a quick flick through my Pinterest colour palette board, and decided on this combination.

It's a bit hard to see the orange stamping (yes that colour again), and I have loosely interpreted the large diecut with 2 half circles in the reverse paper and a Martha Stewart doily.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black

DSP - SU Brights Collection

Stamps - SU Pocket Silhouettes;  Avery Elle Blossoms and Blooms (sentiment)

Ink - SU Pumpkin Pie

MS doily

Various Punches

Ribbon - SU black satin

PTI June 2013 Blog Hop

Gold...Hmmm..... 

I had a couple of ideas from Pinterest that I was keen to use.  But too much gold can just look cheap.  Initially the black panel at the bottom was plain, which did please me, but may not have suited the Papertrey challenge, just using an alphabet set.

Well, this is my card, for better or worse (HA, really bad pun)

What you need

Cardstock - PTI black, white

Stamps - PTI Trajan: Monogram Basics, Background Basics:  Vines

Ink - Versamark

Embossing Powder:  Zing! glitter gold and black

Ribbon - Craft Supplies

Now that's just way too much orange!

But that, at times, isn't a bad thing.  And on the whole, have very much enjoyed getting out all my various oranges.

This first one uses a set that hasn't seen the light of day for quite a while, and don't know why it popped into my head, but very glad it did

What you need

Cardstock - BB Brown/Orange;  PTI white

Patterned paper - SU Brights Collection

Stamps - HA Everyday Sayings;  SU Pocket Silhouettes

Ink - Brilliance Rust, Memento Rich Cocoa

Die - MFT Fishtail Flag Stax

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Another Cardablities sketch I missed coupled with the Summer Camp challenge 1 colours.  The idea was to use at least 4 of the 5 colours

I think this is my favourite of the last few posts and I don't think I have used grey and orange before but I really like it.

What you need
Cardstock _ SU Basic Grey;  PTI Orange Zest, white
DSP - SU Neutrals Collection
Stamps - HA Everyday Sayings
Ink - Memento Tangelo
Dies - MFT Fishtail Flag Stax

A few more weekend challenges

It is a happy coincidence that this weeks sponsor of The Play Date Cafe is Avery Elle.  So whilst these stamps are still languishing on my desk, they have been utilised.  

Of the sets I have, nothing really lent itself to the dotty background, so I have coloured vellum with various shades of Copics.  Adhering them was an achievement in itself, so that nothing showed

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Orange Zest, Vellum

Stamps - Avery Elle Framed Fonts, To the Point

Ink - Memento Pear Tart, Morocco;  Versafine

Die - PTI Tag Sale

Various Copics and circle punches

Gems - Kaisercraft

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Now, this one makes me happy!

I love the colours and the design in equal measure.  Initially I thought of patterned paper for the RHS panel but really wanted to stamp it.  So with stamped stems the punched flowers look right.  I don't have Cajun Craze but Brilliance Rust is a good substitute.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  SU Primrose Petals

Stamps - PTI Turning a New Leaf, Inside and Out: Thank you

Ink - SU Gumball Green;  Brilliance Ruse

Punch - EK Success

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Looking forward to the latest instalment in Online Card Classes.  Whilst my daughter has completely hijacked the Tim Holtz series (that class owes me nothing!), the rest are completely my own.  This time, they have introduced a few pre-class challenges, which is great for me as class starts when we are back at school, but I am able to have a go at these at my leisure.  

This is challenge number 2.  I am still getting my head around the colours in challenge 1.

Given the simplicity of the sketch I felt it really lent itself to the simplicity of the Runway colours.

And love how it turned out.  i love the look of glitter but it is messy.  However this glitter is amazing.  After sprinkling it on the adhesive, a vigorous rub over with a bone folder and IT DOES NOT MOVE.  Heaven

What you need

Cardstock - PTI shimmer pink, white:  SU Adhesive sheets

Stamps - Avery Elle To the Point, Bonjour (sentiment)

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black;  SU Regal Rose

Various SU punches

Glitter - Glitter Ritz Ocean Spray

Holidays at last ...... almost

Just one more ballet commitment to go and we will be on holidays officially!  My daughter has her ballet exam tomorrow afternoon, and they are very well prepared.  Yesterday, together with her "adventure" buddy, she did the Spartan Run.  Now you may ask what that is and you may also be asking what sort of mother lets her daughter do this before a ballet exam.  Well, I'll tell you ..... one that certainly wasn't thinking ahead when she cheerfully said, yes, nothing on that day, she is on holidays!!!

The Spartan Run is a an obstacle course cum exercise in lunacy.  Needless to say, the clothes that came home were destroyed with mud (make that 2 sets because my husband did the adults (or idiots) version.  Of course, now it's winter they held it west of Brisbane - absolutely freezing.  

It did give me a day to make cards though ....... YAY

This is the previous sketch from Cardabilities which I missed but really loved and, as you may know, I cannot resist Navy.  There were so many elements to this graphic and would have liked to use them all. 

I don't know that there was any driftwood or any other type of wood in fact, but wanted to use something like that, so cut very thin strips of kraft card.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft, white

Patterned paper - MME Lush 2 (Navy Stripe)

Stamps - Cas-ual Fridays Bold Wishes; PTI Star Prints;  SU Ocean Commotion

Ink - Memento Nautical Blue; SU Marina Mist, Midnight Muse

Punch - Fiskars

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Along with one of my standby challenges, I wanted to get a few birthday cards under my belt.  There are a few coming up in my family, including my best friend who is "enjoying" a significant birthday today.  I have seen a couple of beautiful cards done for this challenge, and I think this will be a very versatile sketch (notice using up more of the patterned paper - yay me!)

Turquoise is a tricky colour for me - not because I don't like it, just that my SU ink pad isn't the best and have no other colour close to it, so I have opted for the paper

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Patterned Paper - MME Lush 2 Turquoise stripe

Stamps - Avery Elle Petals and Stems;  PTI Stylish Sentiments: Birthday

Ink - SU Poppy Parade, Gumball Green;  Regal Rose

Corner Rounder

Die - PTI Ribbon Tails

OK, time to work on my PTI blog hop card - the theme is gold.  I have a few ideas but really need to settle on just one, before it looks just plain gaudy.

A quick Tuesday night card

Couldn't let this colour scheme go untested.  So what I tried to incorporate is the delicate pink of the apricot/peach flesh with the more striking colour of the skin.  

This is based on a previous CAS(E) this sketch challenge which I didn't get around to.  Again, my favourite stars but no bling - how rare is that for me!  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI black, white, melon berry;  BB apricot

Stamps - MFT On the Line, Pretty Poppies (sentiment)

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Die - MFT Star Stax

Would like to be back before the end of the week, but, well, work calls and that is what pays for this addiction.

Now ....... Breathe ............

WOW ... huge (cultural) weekend for us, but I have to say my daughter did the hard yards.  In the past week, she has had the final week of school for this term.  But also rehearsals leading up to the mid year Aust. Girls Choir showcase, a day long workshop with choirs from other schools in the area and  a charity concert for dance.  Now we can relax.

This first card is a real mix up of colours and patterns which I thought would be great for a teenager.

Love these colours, so summery, which is nothing like the weather here at the moment.  Winter has really hit now - but nothing like the Northern hemisphere experiences - but we do suffer ("tears tears").

Love this little sentiment!

What you need

Cardstock - PTI red, white

Stamps - CAS-ual Fridays Woot woot, Big Thanks

Ink - SU real red, Island Indigo, Certainly Celery;  PTI Hawaiian Shores;  Memento Tuxedo Black

Punches - SU

Ribbon - Certainly Celery satin

Gems - Kaisercraft

Marker - SU Island Indigo

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Now, I have to add a few thoughts on the Bolshoi Ballet.  So very glad we went, larger than life, BUT,   I think I far preferred the subtlety and elegance of the Hamburg ballet we saw last year.   It is a great experience for children to see these famous companies and make informed decisions on their preferences.  They were faultless but, in my opinion, a bit emotionless. 

OK enough artsy opinion,  needed to have a go at a few challenges close to my heart.  No stretch on colour, theme or bling (NEVER a problem there).  I loosely interpreted that Graphite Black was BLACK.  

Edited to add:  this was selected as the Headliner for The Paper Players.  Thank you, that is a real thrill!

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black;  SU Lucky Limeade

Stamps - CAS-ual Fridays stamps Bold Wishes, Mum's the Word

Ink - SU Lucky Limeade Memories Unicorn white, Brilliance Starlite Black (well, it has black in the name!!)

Die - TE branch

Gems - Kaisercraft

Now.... tell me...

... how is it that a day spent in not doing much activity leaves you exhausted.  My daughter had 5 teeth out today, not complicated but she had to deal with a general anaesthetic for the first time.  

 North West private hospital on the northside of Brisbane were BRILLIANT.  Every level of care were just fantastic, particularly with a child who has had no experience of a hospital.  

Thank you from the Jones family.

She came through it beautifully, and ate when she came home.  She will definitely have tomorrow off (as her nurse said "children, school and raw wounds - not a great mix").  

OK, here is a quick card from today - between serving various forms of cold food and blog surfing, I came up with this one.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Black, white

Stamps - Cas-ual Fridays Woot-woot, HA Year Round Sentiments; PTI Star Prints

Ink - Versamark;  Versafine Onyx Black

Glitter Ritz

Bolshoi Ballet Sunday

Guess who's going to the ballet today!!  Can't wait.  Queensland audiences have been warned that we are too reserved when watching ballet (of the Russian kind) and that if we feel like clapping and cheering mid dance, then we should.  My daughter has one busy day today, still sick of course.  First up this morning she is doing "The Colour Run", a new thing to Australia but it looks SOOOO much fun.  She is doing it with one of her school/triathlon friends, so I think they will giggle more than run and enjoy having as much colour as possible hurled at them.  Parents at a respectful distance behind.  That is on the Gold Coast - 1 1/2 hours from home.  

So once we are plastered in colour, she has to be back for a private ballet lesson, presumably un-coloured, not sure how that will work out as I am pretty sure she won't have time to come home.  THEN, we go to the Bolshoi.  BIG BIG BIG here in Brisbane.  

So by evening she will be exhausted.  Le Corssaire (never been staged in Australia before) is 3 hours 20 minutes long with 2 intervals.  So we won't get home till after 7 and of course, it is a school night.

First up, a Christmas card of the CAS kind.  I assure you that his beard and hat are furry.  This one could be a goer for my daughter's friends cum the end of the year.

Edited to Add:  My little friend here was nominated for a Shout Out - what a thrill!

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white; Canson shimmer gold

Patterned paper - PTI patterns in New Leaf, Pure Poppy

Stamps - PTI Holiday Button Bits, Communique Curves

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black;  Delicata Gold Glitz

Copics

Brads - SU

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Now for one of my favourite challenges, particularly when we have  a divine graphic like this one.  Summer - hmmm, second day of winter here, but none the less, most of our year is spent in near summer conditions so shouldn't have too much trouble channelling warmth.

It is hard to see, but the yellow paper is striped

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Summer Sunrise;  SU Old Olive;  BB mid pink

DSP - SU Brights Collection

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Stamps - Cas-ual Fridays Stamps Woot Woot

Dies - MFT Layer Flag Stax;  TE branch;  PTI Ribbon Ends (?)

MS butterfly punch

Pearls and Gems - Kiasercraft

*****

My Avery Elle stamps have arrived and what better way to christen them than with my first Avery Elle challenge - and in beautiful blues and blue-greens. 

Apologies for the photography - taken on my iPhone

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - Avery Elle Framed Fonts, To the Point

Ink - Memento Danube Blue, Bahama Blue;  PTI Hawaiian Shores

Twine - The Twinery (Ocean)