Wednesday, December 15, 2010

New addition

Whilst in Cape Town, I will be able to see a new addition to friends of my sons. They had a bonny, bouncing boy and have named him Ethan.
I quickly made this card for them.
It is a Papertrey image and wording - my favorite stamps!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Wedding Time & Reunions

We are off to Cape Town tomorrow for a wedding and to see our family before Christmas. The wedding is my best friend from London's son and I am going to have the opportunity to catch up with her at the same time. I am so looking forward to it and seeing my children again plus my Aunt from UK who is visiting my Uncle who lives in Cape Town. Reunions galore!!
The card is made using the most amazing paper from Paola, and the ribbon as well! She just has the knack of knowing what I like and always pop's surprises into my parcels that thrill me no end. Thanks Paola! This paper so stunning, so I left it as the focal point and kept it simple.
I am delighted with it!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

No Snow for Me!!

I have a huge issue with Christmas cards!
Perhaps age is something to do with it, or the fact that I have lived my whole life in South Africa - except for one Christmas in England when I was a child, and the fact that we do not have snowmen, snow capped fir trees and bob sleighs, fur muffs, 3 meter long scarves, snow boots etc etc.this time of the year! With that in mind, and the fact that we are normally battling temperature's nearing 40 degrees Celsius, where the ice cream melts before you can serve it, icing slides off the cake, cooking a traditional dinner (turkey and all the trimmings, is a human sacrifice, not a labor of love) is as painful as a sauna with the heat turned up to maximum. The sweat runs down you body, your feet slide around in the puddle in your shoes and your temper is rising to meet the temperature. You then walk into the lounge mopping your brow to announce that 'dinner is served' and you walk past the array of Christmas cards with snow men and the likes on them! Grrr....
So, every year I do my best to send cards without the 'snow' connection and was lucky enough to spot this stamp during my web browsing. I coloured the poinsettia with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I then used Distress inks and a sponge to work in the colour onto the scripted background. Using shimmer card stock and these inks give you a lovely soft shimmery look. I then used Glossy accents on the flower and 'believe', mounted it onto gold shimmer board and a split white card. I had found this awesome, cheap velvet ribbon so stuck that down onto the right hand inner of the card and in the centre of the front flap, then adhered the mounted picture on top of the ribbon on the front, centering it in the card, and filled the gap in with bling! My photography leaves something to be desired as this does not do the card justice. Perhaps a suitably clad South African father Christmas will bring me a new camera and a course on how to use it??? I don't think so....
Anyway, this is my card for 2010 and I managed to post them out last week.
Enjoy your week! 

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Small Patchwork Fabric Cards

And finally, I used up the off cuts from the cards I have featured in the last few postings, as well as the little bits of fabric.
Lovely to have little cards available to attach to a gift.
It makes it special!
Don't you just love the teapots????

Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas fabric cards

I could not resist trying to use the organza fabric I found in my stash. I just had to find a way to use it.
For the two green cards, I just cut out the designs and glued them straight onto the card stock.
The blue card, I just covered the whole card with the fabric.
Adding a peel off greeting made these exceptionally quick and easy cards to make!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Grape coloured socks!

This weather we are experiencing is weird!
Who would think that this time of the year in Pietermaritzburg the temperature would be down to 17 degrees C and that I would be typing this up whilst wearing a cardigan and these awesome new socks??
I just love the colour and as I wear a lot of black, burgundy and all things 'purple and plumy' I could not walk past these balls of wool in the shop. They were 'bleeting' at me! I have another pair on the needles at present and then I start on a new journey in my sock making career.
But that is another posting.....

Monday, November 29, 2010

Recycled Postage Stamps

I cannot discard a beautiful postage stamp, and most of my friends know that and keep theirs for me. The first card uses Christmas stamps from the U.K. I floated the stamps off in a saucer of water, let them dry and mounted them on dark blue card stock, then silver and finally onto the main card. Added a peel off greeting and a beautiful, simple card ready for posting.

The second card is a selection of South African stamps featuring fish in our waters. Beautiful colours. This kind of card is ideal to use for a male's birthday/greeting card. We all know how difficult it is to make those cards!

Using stamps, you can generally find a selection that will suit the occasion and or the recipient.

Don't throw them away - recycle.......

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Oriental Look

Here I used scraps of paper I had in the stash. The first card I mounted the scraps onto a red square and used a peel off for the centre block. Added some coloured cord  on the side.
The second card, I used recycled gift wrap and made up an iris folded square, used peel offs again and some bling on the side!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Fabric on Cards

I raided my patchwork stash and found these lovely little bits of fabric which would be ideal for cards for someone with this interest.
I cut out the little pieces and glued them straight onto the card, added peel-offs for the sentiment, a few small buttons and simple, quick cards ready for use.
Do look at your fabric stash - heaps of lovely designs are in there..........

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Recycled/No Stamps Cards 1

I was asked by my friend Maureen, to help her get some ideas for cards together, to show her quilting/beading group, that cards need not be that complicated and you don't need R1,000's (??) worth of stash, to get a card together. Considering that years ago I made cards with only one stamp and a coloured stamp pad, it was the best exercise and excuse to revisit all these wonderful ideas! I had a ball and could not stop producing these cards.
None of the ladies own a stamp or stamp pad, but can print out sentiments on the computer and there are always the peel-offs available.
The top two cards were made from pictures that appeared on our Mass leaflets. After reading them every week, I cut out the picture on the front and add them to my stash. Wonderful for a fellow christian that needs a card for whatever reason. The bottom left is recycled Christmas gift wrap turned into and Iris folding design. Next to it is a recycled tea bag..... yes, that's correct... not the best picture, see below for close up. The tea bag is dried and slit at the back and the leaves emptied. I then used glass liners and squiggled a tree and added bling with glitter glue!
Stay tuned for more inspiration......

Monday, November 22, 2010

Using up.....

 I have been coming across partially completed all sorts in my stash and have had a ball clearing them out, mostly by using them all up in cards.
Both these cards had minimum amount of work left to get them completed. Just to select backgrounds, a little stamping and assembling and I have another two cards to add to the pile!
There are an awful lot of birthdays in December, so these will come in handy.


Now to get my mind around Christmas cards - hmmmmmmmmmm.... no stash - so it is back to the drawing board.....






Moz Bearz

Just to let you know that I have created a tab that will link to my bears.
I will be showcasing my bears on this page and will at a later date, add another page with the title Moz Bearz For Adoption!
I'm very excited about this, as I have longed to place my bears up for adoption, but have had rather bad experiences placing them in shops on consignment. This way, they get to stay with me, until we have agreed on a suitable new home for each of my babies!
Will keep you posted.......
Hugz

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Orange Bouquet

Go back a couple of posts and there is another card with the same bouquet. I love how this one turned out - I think it is the orange, or perhaps that I shaded the flowers with more intensity??
I used the big scalloped circles nestie for this one and underlay a doily for interest. Mounted onto some very understated dp, a few pearls and a butterfly pull it all together.....

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Tiffany Doodles Digi

I really love the combination of birds and flowers and this digi appealed to me. I Coloured it with Copic's and 'fussy' cut them out. I had this embossed background in my stash and thought that it would look good with the bird and flowers. I rounded just one corner top and bottom and mounted it onto a green card base and added a couple of pearls. The sentiment was cut out with a SU tag punch and a few micro tiny pearls were placed to one side.
Pretty.....

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Pink Bouquet

This was one of those cards, that all I had to do was stamp the sentiment, as everything else was already stamped, cut out etc.
The bouquet stamp is one I have had for ever. In the 'old' days I used to stamp and emboss in gold and then colour in. Somehow, there was not impact and because of that, the stamp was side lined. This time around, I stamped with Memento Black and coloured with my Copic's. What an improvement! I had 'fussy' cut the image out and placed it in my ready to go box. I had the pink square card in my stash, and hooked a piece of paper out of the W&M pads I bought and attached it. I found these awesome heart doilies at our local 'they have got everything kind of store - Denson's' and used that on top of the butterfly paper. Even the flourished tags were waiting for me as were the butterflies. I think a little bit of Stickles glue would look good on this, so will add some.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Dozens of Daisies

I stamped off several colour combo's of this Hero Arts Clings stamp I bought from Niki Zip (Paperchain). I inked up the stamp using Memento Dew Drops and using the Fiskers Stamp Press (which I have had for years and never used!!) stamped onto cardstock, trimmed, mounted onto coloured card that had been punched with a EK Success border punch, a bit of ribbon and paper flowers and finished the card off with the Paper Inspiration stamp Birthday Joy Calligraphy stamp, also from Niki.
They came together in a blink!
Thanks for the visit.
Hugz







Saturday, November 13, 2010

Folded Poppy Card

 This is such an easy folded card, ideally suited when you have several messages you would like to insert, or perhaps lots of people who need to sign the card. I have not yet inserted sentiments/verses - was just too excited to share this card and no extra postage required as it fits into the standard 22cm x 11cm envelope!

Cut 28cm x 9cm card. Fold a front panel at 7cm. Cut another piece 21cm x 9cm.  Fold a front panel at 7cm. Slip this piece into the first card and glue the two 7cm pieces together. You will then have the tri-fold card. Decorate as you desire.
Enjoy!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Lovely Dahlia's follow on

Following on from the last post, I used up bits left over from a trial run of a project. The background was stamped using Memento Cocoa and masking the flowers. I also used Copic's to colour and 3D'd the flower, added a tag with a sentiment and some pearls.
Really great to use up all the leftovers.....

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Lovely Dahlia's

Before I start working on a new swap, I normally put together all my options, make up samples and then decided what I want to go with. The last project caught me in a rather rebellious mood. Rather than conform with the 'expected' - as per this card - I went totally OTT. But that is another story......
I decided to use up my samples in cards and this is one. I stamped the background onto the light orange background using Versamark Watermark, masking the flowers, until I had filled the background. I then stamped off the flower using Memento Cocoa, coloured with Copic's and cut out. The flower is 3D'd. I cut up a doily and placed it into the corner, mounted the flower and leaves with foam squares and added my favorite sentiment on a nestie label.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Tea Goddess ATC

I have just finished a project and had some bitties left over, so I thought I would put together a couple of ATC's, which I have not made in a long while...... crazy, because I love them!
The background was made using Acrylic paint daubers and a flourish stamp. The stamp of the 'goddess' was a bargain bin special I picked up web shopping some time ago. She is actually perched on top of this awesome cream cake which is on a cake stand - unfortunately I had to cut off the stands legs to fit the ATC. She was coloured using Copic's. The icing was glittered and micro beads were added for effect. She was mounted using foam squares and bits of flourishes were added for colour.
I will show you the project when I receive the swap back.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Embossed Resist Card

This was and experiment and I decided to turn it into a card. I used the Unity Feel the Joy set, stamped onto white card stock and embossed with clear ep. I then worked Momento Cantelope with a sponge around the card and highlighted the flowers with a lovely soft orange from a mixed Brilliance pad. The flower was also an newbie - you weave organza ribbon up and under spokes on a circular card base, twisting as you go. A bit of bling in the centre and a flourish finished it off. Have still to add the sentiment.
Thanks for the visit!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Magnetic Photo Board

This magnetic photo board was made for a 25th Wedding Anniversary gift. I do not know the recipient, but was asked to keep the frame dark to fit in with her colour scheme. I decided to keep it rather understated bling wise so added a couple of old gold butterflies and several buttons from my Gran's button jar. Long may this stash last - there are the most amazing buttons in there! I added some pearls and ribbon, with a hint of bling, to the plain off-white buttons. The 'wash line' was adorned with old gold hearts and black and gold pegs on a black velvet zig zag ribbon, with a lovely cross in the centre. Sylvia was delighted with it and will be giving it to her daughter and husband in November for their anniversary.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Wedding Invitations

I have been asked to make wedding invitations for a colleague at work. Having just learnt how to make those lovely scrunched flowers, I immediately made a couple in lovely shimmery paper and could not resist sticking it onto this trial run card. Whilst this is far removed what they settled on, I thought I just had to share the prettiness of it all!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Two Needles Socks

 A few posts back I mentioned that I just had to try my hand at knitting socks on two needles, although I am a four needle fan. It was an interesting experience, but I think I will stay with my four needles, until my new book by Cat Bordhi arrives and I can try knitting socks using a new method. The pattern you follow in this book is unique to each person, as you draw around the foot onto cardboard and cut this out, and that is the pattern you follow. So you get a perfect fit. This will be great for my husband as he has large broad feet and in 30 years he has never been happy with socks I have knitted. So, one more try and then I will have exhausted all avenues in the 'big feet socks' arena.
Back to the two needled version. For someone who has never knitted socks before, this is great. The pattern is easy to follow and all you really need to know is how to sew a flat seam when joining them up. I found the joining tedious as I am accustomed to only sewing in loose threads top and bottom. The toes are joined using Kitchener stitch so they are actually grafted together. The photo below makes the socks look a little out of proportion, but that is because I chose to rib all the way down to the foot shaping as I was knitting in cotton and it is known to stretch. They feel fantastic on - soft and snugly and being cotton just right for the cooler summer days when you need socks for comfort not warmth.
All in all, a great exercise - glad I tried it and if I need to teach someone sometime, I'll start with this pattern.

Thanks so much for the visit and have a fantastic week!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Paper Flowers

 I was playing around with a few dear friends and we made paper flowers - the layered ones, spritzed with water and crumpled up and the opened and dried, and I just had to come home and play some more!!
I decided it was a waste not to use them, so made a quick card. Now, before you say anything, yes the stamping is crooked!!
I really must use the Stamp Positioner, but you know what it is, you are so sure you have it lined up, stamp, then 'poof!!' Crooked!! Oh well.....

This is a close up of the flower - looks like leather in this photo. Another skill, I need to address urgently!! Photography!!
Nevertheless, I love the flowers......................

Monday, October 25, 2010

Pearls & Bling!

I have had a wonderful time making these necklaces and bracelets for myself! I absolutely love pearls and enjoy wearing them, but often think I need to find another way to wear them. My dear friend Maureen wore a necklace like this one to Mass a while ago and one look and I was smitten! She very kindly offered to do some shopping in Johannesburg for the supplies,on her next visit and then her friend Debbie, finished off the shopping spree a few weeks later and this is the result! I am now looking at the other pearls in my stash and am wondering how many of these necklaces and bracelets one can own! Thanks Maureen and Debbie for your kindess and of course sharing the 'recipe' with me!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Twinchie Sneak Peek

I am participating in an online swap and the theme is "Twinchies - Christmas".
This is work in progress. I have completed the set of 28 and it will be in the hostesses hands next week.
I will post the completed 'Twinchie" when the swap has closed and everyone has received their parcel.
I have not signed up for many swaps this year due to health reasons, so I enjoyed this one as I had the time to work at it. I am a very slow 'creator' and can dilly-dally over choices forever. Once I have the prototype sorted to my liking, then the production line assembly goes like clockwork!
Always worth the effort when one receives back the completed swap and you can enjoy every ones creations. I wish I had more time to be involved in swaps ................

Thursday, October 21, 2010

New Sock Pattern

I was given a new sock pattern last week and just had to try it out. I am very comfortable knitting on 4 or 5 needles, but can understand how uncomfortable this can be for others, so this pattern, knitted on 2 needles was worth trying out.


 The picture above is the cuff. As I am knitting in cotton and it can stretch, I decided to do this cuff in single rib down to the ankle. You can see where the split into three is. You knit on the centre stitches for the foot upper and cast off for the toe, as below.
 Below,is the back, where the heel is worked and then knitted down to the toe.

I have finished one sock, but not yet sewn it up and am on the second sock at present. I am interested to see the finished sock and how it compares to knitting in the round. Certainly has been a quick process.
Keep checking back if you are interested in see the finished pair. Won't be long now.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Amber & Ivory

I was asked to re-string several necklaces into one last week. Two strands of Ivory beads and one of Amber beads from the Far East. I had hoped to knot between the beads to prevent rubbing, but as the holes were different sizes in the beads, some of the knots slipped through, so had to scrap that. Tried thicker thread, but ran into trouble with the smaller holes..... and so it went on. Eventually, I used tiger tail and between the beads, tiny antique copper crimps that were perfectly round. Worked like a charm and the client was exceptionally happy with the result - so was I!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Crafty Individuals

I had an extra stamped image of the flowers that I posted on the blog a few days ago, and thought I should use it up. I teamed it up with a super set from Papertrey called Tag Blessings, selected a suitable sentiment and stamped it into the blank bottom half of the circle. Added some spotty ribbon that pulled it all together.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Pretty in Blue


Paola very kindly stamped this image off and sent it to me when she knew I was looking for teddy themed images. I'm not sure what the stamp is, but she is adorable. I coloured her with my copics, and cut it out with a circle nestie. I wanted to mount her onto the matching scalloped nestie shape, but must have lifted the smaller size out and cut my last piece of this blue card with it. What to do now..... Well, I looked at the blue card that was left and thought why not use the negative cutout on the one side and the positive on the other, peeping out. I liked it and thought it created a different version of the boring normal scalloped backing. I mounted this onto card stock cut offs from the stash, added a few flowers and a computer generated sentiment that was to hand, cut with the tag nestie and mounted on a scrap of the blue leftovers. 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Plain Janes

I recently bought a few 'Plain Jane's' by Verve Stamps and this is one of them. The sentiments are all quotations that remind us to look beyond earthly things for truth and guidance.
I kept the card simple, using a Crafty Individuals set of floral stamps, black Versafine ink onto white card stock, mounted onto black nestie cut outs and a few black pearls to complete it. Simple.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Hero Arts & Distress Inks

Here I used one of my favorite Hero Arts clings - Dandelion Frame. Onto a craft mat I swooshed Distress Inks, gave them a spritz of water then picked up this ink onto my stamp and applied it onto shimmer card stock. The Happy Birthday stamp was one I found in a clearance sale on the web and I must say it is a lovely stamp to use, specially if you want the background to be a focal point. Cut the sentiment out with oval nesties, mounted onto complimentary card stock, added some ribbon and a simple quick card.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Kraft Card

Simple card using the Mint Motifs Simply Squared stamps. Stamped with Chalk White onto Kraft cardstock and then used Versamark to stamp the middle block. Scorpal lines again, a little plaited string with a button and a quick simple card, suitable for a man, I think.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Pink & Black

I like the simplicity of this card. Using Versamark I stamped the background and sealed it with clear embossing powder. Used my Scorpal to score the lines on the top and side, Lables 10 for the sentiment, some ribbon and a couple of black butterflies.
Quick and simple!
Hope you like it.

Monday, October 4, 2010

I Won, I Won!!

I entered this card into Tiffany Doodles challenge a couple of week ago - and I won 7 digis!!
Their digis are super - I have quite a few and can now add 7 more to my collection.
Pop over and visit their blog - you will be so glad you did. Tiffany Doodles, thank you!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Folded Card

Another 'blog-hop' creation. Blog hopping certainly inspires me to try out new ideas. This one took my fancy. The card is folded so that only half of the top is covered. You then stamp your sentiment onto card stock and mount that onto the half-top. This idea allows you to use spectacular dp to it's best advantage. One can write your message on the inside of the 'half-top'. I used this beautiful dp I got from Paola and a Verve stamp that arrived last week. I love these stamps, as one does not need to add anything else - the message says it all! I adhered ribbon under the dp and tied it all together with a lovely bow.
                                                                    I will be using this card design again soon.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Penny Black Brush Strokes Stamps

I have had a set of these stamps for a while now, but because I chose to go with alcohol markers instead of water markers, I have been at a loss regarding inking these stamps up. The I read that you just colour the rubber with the markers and just before stamping, spritz with a whiff of the solvent, then stamp. Well, I was thrilled that it worked, and although I need more practice, I will use this method again. At least I got to use the stamps!!
I received a lovely birthday card from Margie Edwards using this Cuttlebugged 'recipe' and was so taken with it, that I had to case it. The coloured board I stamped on is a paint chip sample from the hardware store.I just love collecting these chips as you can build up a lovely selection of colours for *free*!!
I hope you feel inspired by this idea, as it helps use up all these scraps that we eventually run out of space for. lol!!!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Comfort Crafts

I have recently had a spell of bad health and have needed to go slow with all things in my life. Truthfully, I did not have the energy to deal with much else, so, between napping, I would pick up my sock knitting. For me this is a mindless type of therapy and  as I don't feel I am wasting time whilst out of sorts, I am accomplishing something tangible! I guess I need another pair of feet so that I can wear all the socks I am knitting during times of stress! The fact that we live in a very tropical climate and only experience 'cold' weather for perhaps 2 months a year, does not help me with my stock of socks. Guess, time to start farming them out as gifts!!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Digi Image

I loved this image and thought it would be suitable for a man's card. I coloured it using my Copic's and cut it out with a Spellbinder Labels Ten die, lightly sponged it with Momento Sky Blue whilst it was still in the die so as to get a nice clean white rim around the tag. I mounted onto lovely soft coloured dp, used a few eyelets to attach it to the card. These I managed to over 'squeeze' with my Crop-o-dile. I forget you don't have to use brute force with this nifty gadget! I added a few dew drops and my favorite Papertrey sentiment on a tag to finish it off. I sent this to our one gent in our online stamping group for his birthday - I hope he liked it and apologise for not using stamps for the 'whole' of the card!