Posting Overload

Wow, you must be sick of me by now.  I don't post for ages and now I have overloaded your inboxes!

I took part in my first challenge in ages the other day and the posting is now buried below.  Anyway that got me to thinking what other challenge could I set myself.  Well, last night I thought I should pack up my very messy dining table as I still had the leftovers from classes last week everywhere.  Sometimes when I am tidying up, rather than putting away all the little bits of leftover cardstock, I create little gift tags.  I try to include these with every order I receive as a little thank you from me.  I don't write in them and I try to keep them very simple.
This week, I thought I would set myself an additional challenge.  The unofficial ground rules where:
1. Only use what is on the table
2. All products must be within arms reach
3. Cannot even lift butt off chair to reach something
Now my table was pretty messy and there was quite a bit on it but I think I thought I had Go Go Gadget arms when I dreamt up the guidelines.  Some things that I would have loved to have used where so close - yet so far away.  Anyway it was a fairly rewarding experience and I did come up with 35 new tags for my collection - not to mention that I didn't have to clear up all those messy little bits of card stock.
Why not give this a go next time you are having a play day and see what you can come up with.  Little gift tags are always a great thing to have on hand to add to that gift wrapping to make it look a little more special.
I look forward to hearing what you come up with and the rules you set yourself to do it.

Happy Easter

As I won't get to see any of my lovely ladies until after Easter I just had to share my Chocolate addiction a little early.  Everyone who attended classes in the last week received a little pressy.

Thank goodness for the Big Shot and the Fancy Favor Die.  If you are constantly making boxes for different things this Die is a godsend.

The hardest thing about doing these was stopping all the little and not so little Dean mice getting into the chocolates.

Have a Happy Easter everyone and enjoy the school holidays.  Stay safe and I look forward to catching up next term.  Don't forget to bring along any creations you come up with through the break to show and tell.

Must Have Chocolate

When I first looked through the new Autumn/Winter Catalogue I just knew that I had to have the Eat Chocolate set!  Like how can you possibly be a choccy holic and not want this set.  Even if you aren't, you MUST know someone who is.  This is a gorgeous set that I am sure will be hugely successful.  There is only one problem I can see with it and it may be a big one - everytime I look at it, I have an over powering urge to Eat Chocolate which is probably who it was named.

And what a great moto for life - I'm no quitter - so I gues I have to just keep eating chocolate!

Card stock:    Chocolate Chip (of course), Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla
Ink:                Choc Chip, Marina Mist
Stamps:          Eat Chocolate
Accessories:   Decorative LAbel Punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Marina Mist ribbon

Beautiful Butterflies

I had a request for something girly for Mothers Day for our last class and I don't think you can get too much more girly than this one.  With Sale-A-Bration about to finish I had to incorporate another bit of Bliss before it went and managed to use something new from the Autumn/Winter catty also.

I didn't put any words on the front as not everyone wanted to do Mothers Day as such but for those who did, I used the new Decorative Label Punch with Happy Mothers Day on the inside of the card.

Card stock:   Melon Mambo, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Cenlery and Very Vanilla

Ink:  Melon Mambo

Stamps:  Bliss, French Foliage

Accessories: Big Shot, Polka Dot Emboss Folder, Paper Distresser, Beautiful Wings Die, Rhinestones, Scallop Square punch, Dimensionals

Just In Time

 

This first term just seemed to disappear before my eyes and I barely got to use some of the goodies I got from the Summer Mini.
In the last few weeks I tried to use things I am ashamed to say I hadn't even opened so out came Rough Type which is a fantastic alphabet set for card makers - that is once you get the fiddly little labels sorted.  I don't do much scrapbooking and find some of the alphabets too large for cards but this is the answer to our problems.
I haven't used the new In Colours much either so this card ticked off two things I needed to use.  The balloon looks a bit dirty in the photo but it has actually been stamped with Champagne Shimmer Paint and sparkles beautifully in the flesh.

Card stock:     Concord Crush, River Rock and Very Vanilla
Ink:                 Concord Crush, River Rock
Stamps:           Rough Type, Crazy For Cupccakes
Accessories:    Big Shot, Polka Dot Emboss Folder, Scallop Edge Punch, 1/2" & 3/4" circle punch
                       Concord Crush ribbon, Dimesionals, Champagne Shimmer Paint

How Time Flies

I had one of those moments that only a parent can understand last week when we started the day singing Happy Birthday to my wonderful first born who was turning 17!  I mean when did that happen!!!  I am sure that it was only a few years ago that he was just starting out at school fresh faced and full of awe at everything.  Now he has whiskers and is ready to take on the world. 
We have had a few heart stopping moments of late with the first time your child gets into another childs car - who isn't sitting in a booster seat but who is actually sitting behind the steering wheel!  I am SO not ready for all this grown up stuff from my little cherubs.  Does anyone know how to turn the clock back or at least stop time.  Anyway he had a wonderful birthday.  
As usual I was last minute mum yet again and was up late trying to think up a card idea.  He isn't into fussy so here is what I came up with.

I kept the colours very neutral with Basic Black and Very Vanilla.  I used the Newsprint DSP which very kindly had a 17 amongst the print on one of the sheets.  To lift it a little I added Crystal Effects to the 17 to make it stand out and added a clip from the Mini Library Clips.  True to the male species he couldn't work out what it was there for if it didn't really do anything.  That's boys for you, they just don't get the whole accessories thing!

Luckily this was a quick and easy card and I wasn't up till all hours but - there was no stamping (shock)!

What A Ride

If you are anything like me, when it comes to boy or man cards, you struggle.  When I saw this awesome motor bike stamp I got a little excited!  I know crazy aren't I? "Motorcycle" is one of the great new stamps in the Autumn/Winter Catalogue just released and I am sure it will be popular.

I made this card really only to show what can be done for a quick simple male card and one of my lovely downline ladies Karen who is linked on the side bar of my site suggested I submit to the Just Add Red Challenge on the Less Is More site so this is my entry.

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White & Real Red

Stamp:  Motorcycle

Ink: Basic Black

Tools:  Paper Piercing Mat and Piercer & Real Red Marker

Kimono Cuties

One of the first sets I had to have when the Catalogue came out was Kimono Kids.  I just fell in love with these two gorgeous little dolls.  With all that has been happening in Japan lately and with both of my children going to Japan in the near future (OMG, I will be a nervous wreck), I had to do a bit of a tribute.  We have been doing a bit of colouring over the past few weeks in classes and this one was done using crayons and Aqua Pens.  The images were embossed to make colouring in smaller areas easier.

Stamps:  Kimono Kids

Card stock:  Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White

Crayons:  Real Red, So Saffron

Ink Pads:  Versamark

Accessories:  Black Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Aqua Pens, Dimensionals

Mother Of Pearl

It is such a shame that my camera doesn't take great pictures as this technique looks gorgeous.  It is called Mother Of Pearl as when you can see the full effect, it looks like the inside of a pearl shell.  I am looking forward to experimenting with different colours and if they take better pictures I will definately post them.

Stamps:  Tiny Tags, Elements Of Style

Card Stock:  Glossy White, Pink Pirouette, Early Espresso

Ink: Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette

Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, White Shimmer Paint, Daubers, Early Espresso Ribbon

Award Surprise!

Once again I am behind in updating my Blog.  The lovely Kez kindly nominated me for this award and I am only just getting around to doing anything about it.  Thanks Kez it was a lovely surprise.

Now this is what I have to do:

Acknowledge who I recieved this award from - Thanks Kez
Link back to the person who awarded me - Done
Nominate 3 of my favourite blog sites with less that 300 followers.  Now if you think that is easy, think again as there are so many extremely clever ladies out there that inspire me when my mojo takes leave of my body!

1. Karen - Karen is one of my lovely downline ladies and is very talented.
2. Michelle - Michelle is in the same group of demonstrators as me and also very creative.
3.Jennifer - Jennifer is also within the same group as I am and makes some wonderful creations.

Take a look at these fantastic blogsites and enjoy.