Craftmad December 2105 Card Swap - Fancy Folds

Time for a catch up post.  Over at Craftmad our December swap was all about fancy folds.  These are the two cards I sent to my partner.  I fell back on my favourite fold card - Joy Fold.  I love all the layers and how easily it comes together.  Out came the Stampin Up papers and card stock as I know that they will all work together.  I pin pricked around the edge of each panel and finished with this wonderful wooden Santa shape I found in my stash.

The inside I added a tag also found in my stash.

For the second card I thought I would try something new which was this centre step easel card.  I found this through Pinterest posted by Amanda over at The Craft Spa and she has a wonderful tutorial.  This is a fold I will be doing again and again. More Stampin Up papers and card stock makes this card go together easily.  The sentiment is a rub-on I have had for a while and finished with a present sticker to hold the easel open.

I think it's going to be another hot humid day today, not as bad as yesterday as we did have a good storm and heavy rain last night.  Thanks for passing by and wishing you a terrific day.

Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia day to all the Australians.  

No special celebrations for me but a day at home with my husband.  I will be finishing off new curtains for my craft/computer room.

Craftmad January Swap - Tic Tac Toe

Over at Craftmad this month our swap was two cards using this Tic Tac Toe board.

For my first card I went diagonally with Stitching, Pearls and Glitter.  I had a fun time paper piecing this lovely image (by Ruth) using blue glitter paper and colouring her with my copic pens.  I did some faux cross stitching down the side of the image and used my new word stamps (a christmas gift) on the edge of the card.

This card I selected the first column of the Tic Tac Toe board - Stitching, Embossing and Buttons.  The patchwork of square papers is another of my attempts to use up my scrap paper stash, so you will see a couple in the near future.  I am following in Beccy's steps…..click here to see her inspiration.  I punched out the squares and attached them to a piece of scrap cardstock….a colour I don't use as it is all hidden.  Then I ran it through an embossing folder.  Did a little faux stitching around the edge.   I really liked how Beccy had attached her buttons on her card so I gave that a go too.

Pop on over to our Craftmad Pinterest board and see what everyone else came up with using the Tic Tac Toe board

55th Wedding Anniversary

My cousin's parents recently celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary - Emerald and mentioned how hard it was to find an appropriate card.  How could I not offer to make one for family.  Now green is not my thing but I am really happy with this card and it was so nice to put papers and card into use that rarely get looked at.  I layered up green and cream card stock added some vellum with vines, a piece of glitter card stock, cut out the word anniversary with my new letters die.  The flowers and leaves I also cut from die.  For the flowers I used crepe paper that I had played with many years ago to create this wonderful light and dark effect.   I think we added different food colourings to white crepe paper.  The card layout and inspiration came from this card by SisterSandie on Splitcoaststampers.

Its back to work for me, so things may slow down again in bogland.   I hope not as I have really enjoyed catching up with everyones crafting and feeling very inspired craft wise. Although I will have a few scheduled cards from last year to share, so that will keep things on my blog moving.  Hopefully I have better plans and organisation this year that I can (want to) sit at my craft desk a little more often.

Have a great day. 

Craftmad January Sketch Challenge

This is my take on the Craftmad January Sketch Challenge. It was great for using up some of my Stampin Up patterned paper scraps.  Sorry can't remember the set but it is a bright and cheery on.

Finished with a row of purple bling and a white Happy Birthday sticker.

See other takes on this sketch here at the Craftmad Sketch Challenges.

My Christmas Collection

 Our computer no longer reads my cameras SD card since an upgrade, finally I bought a card reader.  I am surprised at how many photos I have to share and now seeing the blurry photos taken on my old camera very happy with the new camera my husband gave me for Christmas. 

So today I thought I would share all my Christmas photos.  I had a production line going for the cards above.  Made 20 all up and loved being able to use my bling.  The stamp is Festival of Tress from Stampin Up and I bought the matching punch.  I used four different embossing folders for the backgrounds of all these cards. 

Best bit was I proved I was only human with these cards and I am sure gave some people a smile. I stamped the sentiment on the front and thought I might as well do the inside at the same time.  I then completed the front of the card and attached it only to find when I opened the card to write inside I had attached the front to the wrong side…….so all (bar two of 20) of the inside sentiments were upside down.  Yes, I wrote upside down starting with 'Oops'. :-)

I sent this card to my friend and her son who is right into Star Wars.  I did have plans to send a card like this for his birthday at the beginning of December but time got away from me.  So I adapted the card to Christmas.  I copied Lassa's card using the dies I had that best matched.

I think he enjoyed the card.

I decorated some brown bags with christmas paper and quickly sewed up three stockings using the green felt one as a template.  I then filled these with some christmas knick-knacks.  These were used as the prizes in a Christmas Story game at our Museum Christmas break up.  

The story is fun as it is a version of pass the parcel.  In the story references are made to left and right and that is the way the parcel is passed when they are mentioned.  At the end of the story whoever has the parcel ends up with the prize.  

I forgot to send two cards to family members so I quickly made up four….thought it was safe to have spares.  This was the start of my raiding the scrap box.  I cut all the squares and attached to the front of the card then run each one through an embossing folder.   Then attached a sticker sentiment from Sticker Store.

Then it was time for a Christmas present for each of my friends I have had since school.  As I had finally made it to the craft room in December I was really in the handmade mode.  So whipped up these little bags and inside I added Coconut Lemon Meltaways Biscuits…..so yum and no sugar which I figured was a bonus over Christmas. Although there is a sweetener, I use rice malt syrup and not quite as much as suggested in the recipe. 

Well thats most of my Christmas caught up.  Have a great day.

Happy Birthday to our Daughter

Yes it's our daughters 20th birthday today.  Yes, I am still trying to get my head around the fact we no longer have any teenagers and that our baby is 20. :-0  We don't get to celebrate with her as she is working hard down in Brisbane….so I hope the customers are all in their happiest of moods for her. I made her a starburst card (told you would see a few of these while I use up my scraps).  I have dragged out my sewing machine and added some straight stitching and zig zag to the joins.  Finished with a touch of bling.

Since we couldn't be there with her and she lives in a room by herself I thought I would send a birthday party in a box.

I have crammed in decorations, water balloons blown up, chips, chocolates, lollies, party hats, whistles that unfurl when blown, bubble blowers, popcorn, a miniature game of Trouble (like Ludo) and birthday confetti.  I tried to find some form of cake/cupcake sealed in a package but no luck.  

Have a wonderful day everyone.

More Flowers in the Garden

This is our Flame tree with the last of its flowers.

Our Poinciana is a little slower that others around, finally some flowers.

This is the whole reason for me sharing these flowers.  I bought this bush mainly because of the name. "RazzleDazzleBerry", how could you go past that plus the flowers are pretty too and as you can see the bush is full of flowers.

A closer view of the RazzleDazzleBerry. :-)

A pink Ixoria

Some more Fire Balls.  

The Allamanda is flowering also.

The last of the lillies

Have a great day.

Slowly Getting Organised

This is what all my patterned paper folders looked like earlier this week.  Until my wonderful husband brought me home a label maker.

Tadah! a little tider, although I have run out of Dymo tape so the last couple have to wait a week or so.  I have slowly been spring cleaning the house, even though it is middle of summer.  Three rooms done and a million more to go.  I making the craft room last as incentive to finish the other rooms quickly.

It's hot and humid here today promise of showers.  Hope you all have a great weekend.

Happy Birthday to my husband

Our first day of 2016 was filled with fun celebrating my husbands birthday.  Everyone home, presents opened, relaxing in front of TV, a game of Monopoly.  This is the card I made for my husband, it's the start of many star/sunburst cards you will see this month.  Yes, I am going to try my hardest to get my paper and card supplies in order and use up the scraps.  So will be on the look out for any card designs that help me do this.  This style of card is quite fun and I have made four with another 6 cut out and ready to be put together.  Brilliant as it covers all my birthdays in January.

This is the birthday cake I made….a bit of flop, although it tastes nice.  For the past year we have been really reducing the sugar we have and I have been baking with rice malt syrup in lieu of sugar.  So thought with all the extras we have been eating over Christmas I would try to bake a slightly healthier cake.  This is a Vanilla Cake made with coconut flour and icing made with cashew nuts.

Well this is what I thought I was making.  :-)  I really think its the camera angle. lol

My version does taste nice but I do not for the life of me know how the white icing was made from the ingredients that were listed.  I have read them over and over. 

Vanilla Cake click here if you would like a try.

Edit: Two days later and the cake is all gone, my husband didn't even offer to share the last piece…..so it wasn't too bad and I definitely will try it again.

Have a great day everyone.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone.  

We had a wonderful start to the year having an amazing viewing area for these fireworks.  Our son booked an apartment for the night directly across the road from the Cairns esplanade.  So we visited for a couple of hours and had this view above the trees without the crowds.  The weather held out too, no rain.

Now it's time to celebrate my husbands birthday and the last day of the kids being home before they head back, one to Brisbane and one to Townsville.