MerryMade Crafts etc ...

Thought I would make a couple of baby cards for my stall this Saturday.  I have been seeing a couple of people paper piece baby romper suits and they have come up so well.   So I have used Cardmadfairy's Baby Girl and Baby Boy images .  The top card is the baby boy image and I just added a bow. ;-) I have used some lovely pink card topped with paper from a 'Something Special' pack.  A strip of Bazzill Bling along the bottom with a gold 'A Baby Girl' sticker .  Copics were used to colour the face and hands with a touch of chalk for the cheeks. Here I have used the same pink card with a scrap of pink plaid paper.  I embossed along the bottom with my Swiss Dots folder.   Added a strip of lace on the side.   Finished with a silver ' Congratulations ' sticker. Thanks for coming to visit...wishing you a Terrific Thursday.

This month over at Craftmad our sewing swap was a Bukuro Drawstring Bag . This was so much fun to make and all you need are two fat quarters and some ribbon.... oh, and a sewing machine. This is not my swap bag as I forgot to take a photo before I sent it away.  I will show you when my partner posts a photo of it in the gallery.  I enjoyed making the swap bag so much I have another five on the go here and one is going to a special friend who has been very patiently waiting for a package from me. I started with a fat quarter the (outside fabric) that I received from Cathy in last months sewing swap which we swapped two fat quarters. I have teamed it up with a plain yellow fat quarter.  Since this is a Japanese style bag...to get the shape you use a little origami.   Finished it with a yellow cross grain ribbon.

Morning everyone, I hope my blog is a little easier on the eye now.  My daughter had a play as well last night.  Her choice was just way to bright for me as was my first choice yesterday.  So now I have settled on this background and colour. My daughter and I have also been busy making some fridge magnets that I can sell this weekend at the Gordonvale markets.  I so hope the weather stays the way it is today.  Sunny and a degree or two cooler I think. My cousin and I did our first Oral History yesterday for our local museum.  We used a video camera while the interviewee chatted about growing up in this area.  The plan is to edit the video and add photos of what the interviewee was talking about and have this playing at the museum when people visit.  The lady we spoke to yesterday turns 98 this year.  She was such a pleasure to talk to and to listen to.  Growing up in a hut type house, dirt for floor.  Washing clothes in the creek...

Morning everyone, as you can see I have been playing with my Template and fonts.  Sorry it is a bit bright and mismatched at the moment but I have run out of time.  So my blog background will be a work in progress. :-)  My changes are all because I helped my friend Joy start up her blog on the background.  I have discovered I can do a few more things with the background that what I had realised.  Wait until I show Joy. lol  Joy is my photographer friend and is starting up a blog to show off her trip to Italy a little while ago and plans to show her next trip to Italy which starts this April.  Will give you all the link when she is up and running. I promised more hedgehogs.   This time his is carrying a bunch of split pin balloons with some 'Happy Birthday' wishes.  I have doodled around the edge with my fine tip black pen.  Coloured the hedgehog with my copics.  Hoping to order just a couple more today with a gift voucher that my ...

Hi everyone,....... Friday already.  This week sure went quick.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned our household certainly has people going here there and everywhere this weekend. Time for the card.  Today I have used the Tilda I coloured the other day when I received the copics to expand my collection from two to 16.  I added some glitter to Tilda's dress to add a little texture to her. I have used the wonderful sketch from Cards and Things sketch challenge #71 The card is Stampin Up Taken with Teal.   The paper was part of a prize package from the lovely Gail .  I embossed the background circle with my Happy Birthday embossing folder which I forget to use. Finished with three flower bling. I would like to enter into the following challenges: Crafts and Me - Anything Goes ends 30th March Scrapbook Sisteres - Anything Goes ends 30th March

Hi everyone, how is your Thursday going so far.  Mine is great...sun is shining and have already done a few little jobs. This card, I made up yesterday.  I coloured this cute little hedgehog from the Penny Black stamp "a thorny affair".  He normally carries a Holly leaf.  I have coloured him with my new Copic pens and I am so happy with how he has turned out.  I don't have a pink for the cheeks but love the colour of the chalk I have used instead. I started with some Stampin Up card Kiwi Kiss.  Next strips of Stampin Up design paper from the Goodmorning Sunshine set.  I stitched around all the edges.  Printed out the Sentiment on my computer.  Layered up some paper flowers from Blue Edge Crafts .  Then I hand drew the stem with a fine black pen and Stampin Up Old Olive pen. I am so happy with the end result.  I have stamped up a couple more hedgehogs to play with.  So shall share them in the next coming days. Wishing you a...

Morning everyone.  Glad you came for a visit. Here I have my two swap cards for March over at Craftmad. We had to make two mini cards 2" x 3" with matching envelopes. Really had fun digging through my scrap paper to come up with a layout. I have used Stampin Up papers on both cards.  Stamped out the letters for the 'Thanks' card with my Just Rite letters and finished that card with some bling. The second card I used a Cardmadfairy Digi image called Flirty Fairy .  Isn't she so sweet.  I coloured her with my water colour pencils and aqua brush.  Of course added some glitter to her wings.  Finished the card with three flower buttons knotted with kitchen twine. I would like to enter into the following challenges: Craft Your Passion #50 - Show Your Appreciation ends 28th March (top card) My Partner in Crafting Crime #23 - 3 or more buttons ends 4th April (bottom card ) Simon Says - Show a Word ends 28th March (top card) The Crafty Pad #113 - Use a Digi Im...

Morning everyone, finally made it.  Had a couple of jobs to do first then neighbour rang as apparently there was a wallaby in the yard this morning and the son had locked the dogs (2 great danes) in the house.  So I have been over letting them out, making sure the wallaby has gone and then letting the horse out of the back paddock and into the front.   Then come home to my dog who sniffs me like a vacuum for all the smells.  All sorted now and bonus the sun is shining. Well it was my birthday yesterday and a wonderful day it was.   This is the cake I made ..... a spice cake.  Thought I would take a leaf out of our daughters icing book and fancy the cake up with a few colours.  Our daughter had organised a surprise party with four of her mates for one other friend on the weekend for her birthday.  DD also cooked a cake for her friend.  So after a busy, fun and sleepover weekend she just did not have the energy to cook a cake for me. ...

Hi another Design Team card for Stamping Vacation . This time it is for the Sticky Situation Challenge .  This is where you get to use your stickers.  The challenge is to use Easter Egg Stickers . Took me a little to find some Easter Egg stickers, well nice colourful ones but I did. I decided to change them into birds....so much fun adding the wing and beaks.  Dug out a googly eye for each of the birds and hand drew their legs on with a fine tip black pen.  I started the card with some nice white Bazzill Card .  Layered up some Stampin Up Gable Green and Pixie Pink.  The pink I have run through my Cuttlebug with the Bloom Dots embossing folder.  Finished the card by printing out the 'Happy Easter' sentiment and turning it into a banner. Now it's your turn to play with the Easter Egg stickers.   Can't wait to see what you come up with. Remember your entry puts you into the draw for the prize drawn on the 1st April. Winner gets one $25.00 gift ...

Hi everyone, another month has passed already and here is my card for the Fountain of Youth Challenge - Dress Ups at Stamping Vacation ends 20th April. So join on in entering the challenge with any creation relating to dressing up. Anything with shoes, hats, bags etc. Can't wait to see what you all come up with. Remember at Stamping Vacation there is a different challenge for every day of the month. Come and check them all out.  You can enter this and as many challenges as you would like.  You can also enter each of the challenges as many times as you like. The prize drawn on the 1st April is: A $25.00 gift certificate to the craft store of your choice. I would also like to enter into this challenge: Sketch used from Craft Your Passion challenge #49 .

Can you believe we are up to our third challenge over at Cardmadfairy Digi Days. Time sure does go fast and we have had such wonderful creations entered. It is sure wonderful to see all the Digi images and how you use them all. Congratulations to the winner of our last challenge. This fortnights challenge is called ' Back to Nature '.   Here is my Design Team card also the birthday card I gave to my Mum last Friday. I started with Fawn Bazzill card, then I used a sheet of Kaiser Craft Empire paper.  I have made a gate fold card.  Stitched around all the edges of the background paper.  Added a strip of lace and some lovely square silver bling.  Three little flower buttons which I have threaded with white wax cotton.  Sentiment is a rub-on.  The topper is the wonderful Bugaboo wateringcan digi image called 'Flowers '.  I coloured it with my water colour pencils and added a touch of Kindy Glitz to the flower. Now it is your turn. Can't wait to s...

Exciting news...we now have a new Design Team member at Stamping Vacation . Please welcome Pat Garvin .....you can visit her blog The Eagles Nest .....beautiful work. Remember this months prize drawn on the 1st April...no joke! :-) is a $25.00 gift certificate to the craft store of your choice. If you have the time you could visit the rest of the Design Team and see what they are up to. Stacie at All Things Crafty Audrey at Audrey's Cards by Design Dana at Aspiring to Creativity Karen at Dreaming and Creating  I also wanted to share with you this wonderful post that Allison has written about ' Word Verification ' and how your comment box shows up. For me....I have Word Verification turned off but I moderate all my comments as I like to read what you have all written.  I feel if I have it set to moderate comments older than 14 days that I will miss someone thoughtful comment. Had to edit to add a link....silly me.

Sadly, I have had to make another Sympathy Card. This card is for the family (hubby, 15yo daughter and 20yo son) of a beautiful lady. I will remember her lovely smiling eyes and amazing art work. Glad to have shared some walks, talks, trivia nights with her and meeting her at my brother's wedding 10 1/2 years ago.  Enjoyed being a moment in  her life. Sadly she lost her all too short battle with cancer (less than a year), Wednesday morning but will be forever in our hearts.

Took me a long time to come up with this card but I am happy with it now. I started with this months Card Sketch Challenge over at Craftmad .  When I first saw the sketch I thought easy peasy but two card failures before I came up with this.  I started with  Chiffon Bazzill Card  then a layer for blue Bazzill Card .  Then I dug out a die set that I recieved when I bought my cuttlebug.  I forgot that it came with this square die until I saw a card posted in the Craftmad Gallery .  You can't really see in the photo but the squares are yellow spotty paper.  I then added these lovely wooden shapes that I have had for a while.  I coloured the gold 'Thank You' sticker with my black permanent marker.  I like how some of the black has rubbed off showing hints of gold. This was the end of my card but I thought it needed more.  So dragged out my raffia and added a strip top and bottom...still needed a little more so lifted the top ra...

My husband's Aunt sadly past away last Thursday due to breast cancer. I never had the chance to meet this lady but I know she will be sadly missed by her husband and three kids. I decided to use cards that Karen has been doing as inspiration. I started with white Bazzill card then a layer of Stampin Up Barely Banana.  Some more white Bazzill card that I firstly stamped up with some rose images from the Stampin Up Both Way Blossoms stamp set.  I used SU Barely Banana and Apricot Appeal inkspots.  I then ran the card through my Cuttlebug using my Swiss Dots folder.  I wasn't happy with the roses as they seemed a little too washed out.  So punches out some yellow and white medium retro flowers, put together with cream paper flowers and a split pin.  I had printed the sentiment on the computer.  Still need a little something so I added a little black bow. My thoughts go to the family. It makes me really happy that I have joined a Relay for Life team ...

This is the card that my daughter made for my Mum on her birthday. Thought I would enter her into a couple of challenges. Catch the Bug - Scallops ends 19th March Little Claire - Flowers ends 18th March Saturday Challenge - Flowers for Mum ends 31st March  (Hoping Mum's Mum works too) Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays - Spring has Sprung ends 19th March

Been playing again with some Paper Tole Die Cut sheets .  This sheet was made up of three flower arrangements...all are grey tonings with silver highlights .....so pretty. I had thought to add a little colour to the flowers but thought that might ruin the whole effect.  So decided to add a glimpse of colour to the card.  I have used the lovely Stampin Up Orchid Opulence card as the background colour.  Started with Bazzill Card (Raven) for my base card.  Found the lovely patterned paper in my collection...it is actually embossed.  Dug out my scalloped edge circle and plain circle Spelldinders to cut the background for the Pansy Die Cut Paper Tole. Here is a side on view so you can see the layers.  I went around the edge of each layer with my embossing tool on the back to make the petals curl under a little. I would like to enter this card into these challenges: Desert Islands Crafts -#3 I chose, Birthday Theme, Inspired by Nature, Make it Square en...

A couple of weekends ago I attended the Stampin Up Fundraiser that Ruth organised for Cyclone Yasi. We had a wonderful day and a perfect day for crafting it was as it was raining all day. I bought these lovely Stampin Up design papers on the day with matching card.  Ruth and Robyn had a couple of creations made up to inspire us. So I tried this coaster and with box. Ruth gave us instructions for the box and a friend and I worked our way through it.  Me making all the mistakes and telling her to be sure...not to cut this one...be sure to fold it here.  lol.  All the same I am happy how my box turned out. The coaster started as a plain white tile which we stuck four 1cm cork squares to the base so it doesn't scratch a table.  Then cut a piece of design paper slightly smaller than the tile top.  Clean the tile top so everything glues nicely and glue the paper to the tile.  Ruth advising to to be sure to get all the way to the edge.  Well I did conc...

Morning everyone, I have a couple of things to share with you today.  The kids have been busy and I love the work they have done so have to show the world. :-) Firstly, I have created a card using Cor's very special sketch created especially for her Whopping Candy to celebrate two years of blogging. I have used the second rose picture on the 3D paper tole Rose Sheet from Blue Edge Crafts .  I went around edge of each layer with my embossing tool to make the petals curve down.  I have joined each layer with silicone glue. I have used Bazzill Card starting with the base card ' Haley '.  The pink strips are ' Blossom '.  I have also used a design paper, sorry I don't know the name.  Found some lovely cream ribbon with a gold trim and finished with the gold ' Best Wishes ' sticker. I would also like to enter into the following challenges: Card Cupids - Anything Goes ends 13th March Gingerloft - Use Flowers ends 19th March Little Claire's Designs - F...

Thought today was a good day to let you know what we are up to over at Craftmad. Kaye has kindly posted the the following sketch challenges for March: Card Sketch Challenge. Scrapbooking Sketch Challenge. The March swaps are about to start.  It's not too late to join the group and join in the fun.  This months swaps are: Sewing Swap - Bukuro Drawstring Bag.  This bag is made from two fat quarters and uses origami. Card Swap - 2 x Mini Cards 2" x 3" and matching envelopes. You have until Monday 7th March to sign up for either of these groups and then I will be posting partners.   Swaps are to be sent to their partner by 31st March. Yes, international members are more than welcome. Our next Create and Chat night is coming up on the 18th March. Kerry and Kaye give us a list of equipment we will need to create their creation.  We mark it on the calendar, feed the kids, hubby and anyone else, put them to bed or give them a video to watch.  Then sit yours...

I had a wonderful time visiting everyones creations for the Distressing Challenge last fortnight. So many talented people and so many wonderful Digi's available.   Congratulations to the winner. This is my DT card for Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge.  This fortnight the theme is Glamour and Glitz .  Challenge ends 18th March.  Be sure to pop over and see the rest of the Design Team creations...what a talented bunch they are. Remember your creation must include a Digi image.  If you use a Cardmadfairy Image that will count for two entries into the prize draw. :-) For my card I started with Raven Bazzill card  which I layered with the new Design Papers from Blue Edge Crafts.  I have used Cardmadfairy's Oriental Fairy  Digi Stamp.  I coloured her with my water colour pencils and gold metallic pen.  I added gold glitter to her wings.  Found these wonder Asian stickers in my collection. Finished the corner with a gold bord...

This month at Stamping Vacation the theme for the When I  Grow Up challenge is 'Truck Driver" (ends 3rd April).  I found this truck image on  Blogart Toon  and the little fellows name is Spike....I found him at  The CraftyMonkey .  I coloured both of them with my watercolour pencils and added some silver metallic pen to the truck.  The base card is Lava Bazzill Card , I round the front edge corners.  Adhered the truck image with the tab on the side saying 'Big Wishes'.  Then cut out Spike and added him to the card with 3D foam.  I found some left over pieces of Stampin Up Design Paper...not sure of the name sorry. I stuck to the spine of the card and wrapped it around to the back.  Added three black eyelets.  Then finished the card with the black border sticker and the black Happy Birthday sticker from Sticker Store .  When I had let the card sit for a little I thought it needed just a little more so grabbed my fine tip b...