Appley Dapply card

Me again!

One of my girls at work is celebrating the 1st birthday of her daughter, Emily.  I have just bought the Crafters Companion Appley Dapply CD Rom and stamps and needed an excuse to use them, so I decided to make Emily a card.  This was actually one of the projects on the CD but I was very pleased with how it came out.  I shall certainly make it again.

It is a gatefold A5 card with a decoupage plate in front which then becomes an easel card to make it stand up.  Clever, isn't it?

This is the decoupage plate which has five or six layers.  Fairly easy to cut out, except for the tails!!

I printed out the alphabet from the CD Rom which is different from the project, but I thought it made the card more personal.

And finally the insert also matches.  I hope she likes it. x

I got a Valentine card .....

Hello
Look what I received in the post on Monday - a Valentine card! 

And I know who it is from - it is from my cat!  Millie.

Isn't that sweet?  My daughter sent it to me, bless her, although she denies all knowledge of doing so, I know it has to be her - it could hardly be from the cat, could it?

Everyone who knows me knows that the cat and I have a love / hate relationship.  Cats are not my favourite animal; I am more a dog person, but my children decided I needed someone to look after! (Which I don't).   Millie is a rescue cat, and did have both eyes when I got her, but she had a disagreement with either a fox or another cat and lost her eye.  She doesn't seem that bothered about it, but it is funny watching her trying to find her balance on a very thin fence!!  She's not a lap cat, which is probably just as well but she will sometimes permit my lap to be her cushion, just for a short time though!

Anyway - I was tickled pink and thought you might like to see too.  xx

Scrapology entry

Hello
Here is my entry for the Scrapology challenge.  The picture is taken when I went to Melbourne over Christmas.  I loved the colours of the Christmas tree and the decorations.  Purple and gold, very regal!  The papers I used are Basic Grey, Doodlebug, Pixie Press, Paper Heart and some free papers from The Scrapbook Magazine (so you can see how old they are!), Ashlyn Cricut for the title and Nesties for the journalling.
I was especially pleased with how well the paper matched Flinders Railway Station across the river, spooky or what? 

xx

Medallion stamping

Me again - he he!  Can't keep away!

Jill from Cardinal Cards has opened a new shop quite near me.  Its lovely and sells lots of scrummy things!!  She has kindly asked me to make some cards using Creative Expressions medallion U-Mount stamps.  There are four medallion and four text stamps.  So here are a few samples:

Both of the following cards have been heat embossed in gold on white and black card stock and then cut out. 

I matted a white card with gold and black and used my Big Shot machine to emboss the black card, Card Candy and the text is also from the stamp set.  I used different Pee Wee glitters.

This one uses the same stamp but I've turned it the other way round and used gold, black and white matts.  I've used gold Pee wee glitter, the gingham bow I've made with my bow maker and the text is from the same stamp set. 

This is one of the other medallion stamps.  I've used no glitter at all and heat embossed with white embossing powder on red and black card stock.  I've used card candy and again the text is part of the medallion stamp set.

The two cards use the same stamp.  The top one has been coloured in using Pro Marker colours and is stamped directly onto the card, with no layers.  I've matted it onto pink and lilac card and mounted it ona white card.  I made the flower using a couple of little flowers in my stash and a tiny little button.  The other card has been stamped onto acetate and glittered using all the Young at Heart Pee Wee glitters.  I then mounted the acetate onto lilac card, cut it out and then mounted it onto pink, rose pink, lilac and then rose pink matts onto a white card.  Another text from the set and some more card candy.

The last stamp I've just finished and I'm afraid the picture is not very good.  I heat embossed using white embossing powder onto pale blue, pale pink and cream.  They were glittered with Crystal Pee Wee.  I've used card candy and pale blue, pale pink and cream matts onto white card.

Jill has put them in the shop window together with the stamps and glitters so people can see what to do with the stamps.  I hope it works! xx

I've done some knitting!!

Hello

I haven't done any knitting since my children were babies, and my eldest is now 35 so you can see how long it is!!  I've had an 'niggle' in my mind for quite a long time to start some knitting again, but I get very easily bored so thought I'd do some smallish things.  I've already knitted a couple of hats (i've blogged about them previously) which came out well but I don't think they'll ever be used, hey ho!! So I thought I'd try to make a knitting bag.  I've never made one before, but I googled and found a reasonable pattern.  So I undid the hat I had made from a large ball of wool and gambled on there being enough wool for the whole bag. 

I was lucky - there was exactly enough wool, though nothing to spare.  So the next thing was to buy some lining.  I've done no sewing again since the children were tiny so another novelty.  I found exactly the right colour and guessed the amount I'd need!

So, using my new toy (my Christmas present to myself !) my new Brother sewing machine I attempted to attach the lining.  I did have fun - I practised on bits of material - it took me a long time to even work out how to do straight sewing (actually I'm still not sure I've cracked it but I'll keep on trying).  There are over 60 different stitches the machine can do!  Still I'm determined to give it a go.

The knitting pattern suggested using very large needles to leave the final stitches on but I couldn't find any.  Instead I found some large wooden handled spoons so I've used those instead.  I have to say its quite an unusual decoration but I like it.

Yesterday I went to Jill's monthly crop (Cardinal Colours).  One of the ladies there, Julie, brought her knitting with her.  She brought with her two projects she was working on.  One was Jane Greenoff's dolls - a little sailor doll and the other was Grommet from Wallace & Grommet.  They were beautiful and I learned from Julie that she puts each project in a seperate working bag, so I think I shall be making a couple more bags!!

At the moment I'm making a little pixie which I found on one of the knitting sites - I can't remember which one but when I've finished it, I'll pop it on here with the name etc.  I'm on the look out for any small little projects to keep me occupied, if anyone can think of any, please let me know.

Bye xx 

Quick note cards

Hello
Anita sent me a lovely Christmas card using Rubberstamptapestry stamps and this gave me inspiration to use my stamps for to make some quick little notelet cards.  I think they're very effective, simple to use, you can use your other tiny stamps as well and they don't take long.

The inside figures from the first two cards were from 'Make a Wish' by Penny Black, Craftwork Card Card Candy and bows made using Crafters Companion Ultimate Pro bow maker.

This image is from Adam Pescott stamps given free with Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine. text stamp from the free Bentley Bear set, card candy and Ultimate Pro Bow Maker.

This one is from Bentley Bear stamp set, again free with Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine, Craftwork Cards Card Candy and a bow made using the Ultimate Pro Bow Maker.

These two images are from Jayne Nesterenko Cute Companion stamp sets, one text stamp (don't know from where) and one from the free Bentley Bear stamps, a bow made using the Crafters Companion Ultimate Pro Bow Maker and Card Candy.



This image is from Wild Rose Studio clear stamps, Craftwork Cards Card Candy, text from the free Bentley Bear stamps and a gauze bow from my stash.

I used the Big & Juicy stamp pads and the Basket of Flowers, Boxes and Bows, Floral Vine Border from Rubberstamptapestry stamps and un-named Craft Xtensions stamps.

xx