Go Check It Out!!!!!

Blog Candy over on Michelle's blog. Her blog is one year old and she has some awesome goodies for a lucky someone.

I go visit her blog every day and there is always something cool to see. Whether it's one of her awesome cards/creations or some news and pics of her donkeys. I just love the donkey's. Not forgetting her cute little puppy. Gorgeous little bundle of fluff - Libbie and her cat - Gato. I think she is well worth a visit blog candy or not. Go on go see http://donkeysmiles.blogspot.com/

Tracy's Christmas Challenge #2

I think I just made it in time this month. It has been a busy few weeks what with hubby's operation and everything. It doesn't look like March is going to slow down too much for me either but we will just wait and see.

The challenge this month was to once again make 5 cards. You have to use the same main image although the cards themselves do not have to be all the same if you don't want to and this time they had to be square. Any size but definitely square. The key was keep it simple and do not put a sentiment on the front, only on the inside.

The card is simpler than it looks. The cardstock is Red Riding Hood and Very Vanilla. I used SU snow flurries on the vanilla to make it look like the opposite of my DP paper which was the next layer (DP was making memories). The image is from Whiff of Joy and that finished my card. I used left overs of my DP on the inside along with the sentiment from one of my clear changito sets which fit the image on the front.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Nic

Cat's Birthday

I saw this stamp on a couple of other blogs and just thought it was the cutest thing. We have two cats so it appealed to me to make a card and try and make them look like our cats. I gave in to temptation and got it and it arrived in the mail the other day. Cute Card Thursday (the link is in the side bar) this week has a challenge called animal magic. Which is to make a card with an animal stamp as your main image. Seemed like a good opportunity to ink it up to me.

I actually made 2 cards one for our cats who will be celebrating their 1st birthdays next month and one for our cats that we left with my MIL. They have been with her over 5 years now so I guess they are not ours any more but I still like to send them a card on their birthday cause I miss them. The one pictured is for my MIL.

The latest craze I have noticed at the moment is to decorate the inside of the card a little also. I thought I would give this a try but I chose to keep it simple and not get carried away seen as the rest of the card was pretty minimal also.

Cardstock, ink and ribbon are Red Riding Hood. I used my top note die for the first time. The paw print is from TAC and the sentiment from SU.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Nic

Changito Spring

I got this awesome Changito set from Archivers. I has the cutest images of those mischievous monkeys springing about. I chose the one with the flowers as I was in a spring swap on my friend Joani's group and nothing says spring to me more than flowers. I have been surrounded by flowers this last week as hubby really spoilt me. Three days in a row he sent me flowers on the lead up to valentine day. It was right after his operation; to thank me for looking after him. I told him I didn't need the flowers I was doing it because I love him but they sure did brighten the house up.

Ok small change in topic there. Back to the card; I used an old splitcoast sketch for it. Well not a really old one only one from a few weeks ago SCS211. Cardstock is Pixie Pink and Gable Green. The DP is from doodle bug designs and the pink flowers on it are flocked so it feels really soft. I colored the image with my markers and added 2 flowers with large brads to finish.

Here's the link to Joani's group if ya'll are interested. http://cardsmadebyhand.yuku.com/

Thanks for looking.

Hugs

Nic

Finally Finished

Firstly I want to apologise for going MIA. Hubby had his facial surgery last Wednesday and I have been busy playing nurse. He is feeling a lot better and so I was able to steal some crafting time. I started this card over a week ago but it has been hard to find the time and the energy to finish it.



Also I usually make my cards in multiples so it was not so much the task of finishing one card but on this occasion 4. I usually make either 2, 4, 6, or 8 depending on upcoming events that match the theme of the card I am making. This time I was making Get Well cards and I thought it might come in handy to have a few spares on hand.


Cardstock is Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive and Summer Sun. Both images are from Whiff Of Joy stamps. Both Willow and her chair were watercolored. She has been cut out and mounted on dimensionals. Sentiment is Stampin Up. DP is from Imaginisce, double sided, I used both sides to give the effect of wallpaper behind her. I just love this paper. Flowers are punches with gold brads.


Thanks for Looking


Hugs
Nic

Valentine Box

Just wanted to share a joint effort with you. Jake had to make a valentine holder for school and announced that he wanted it to look like a Lego brick. Beyond the idea and writing his valentines his help stopped here. So I enlisted the help of my hubby and together we came up with this.

He also had to make a card for his writing buddy. He asked if he could use my stamps so this is what he made. The inside says 'your the cats meow'.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Nic

Hoppy Birthday

Here is a boy's birthday card I just made. I am not totally happy with it as my coloring skills are pretty crap as you can see. I also have very few masculine papers. Here I go same old complaint. Anyway the card qualifies for Kimmie's Day Four Challenge as it has both an animal stamp and ribbon on it.

Cardstock colors are Green Galore and Brocade Blue. I think the ribbons are too.

The image is Whimsy Frog from Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment is from SU Unfrogettable

Thanks For looking

Hugs

Nic

WoJ is Going Medieval

That's right. Whiff of Joy are releasing a new Charlotte and Charlie collection with a medieval theme.

Alison Acton is such a talented illustrator. Charlotte and Charlie are my favorite.

Release date is February 14th. Katharina has the whole set up for grabs on her blog.

You can pop on over to the store from the button on my side bar or if you want to take a look at Katharina's Blog you can find it here. http://katharina1704.blogspot.com/

She and her talented design team are going to be showing sneak peaks all this week. I can't wait.

Here is a pick from Katharina that shows Jester Charlie isn't he the cutest.

An'udder Birthday

Hello again. I seem to be on a card making roll right now and wanted to pop in and show you this little lady. Isn't she cute. She's from a TAC set called an 'udder birthday. I wanted to join another of Kimmie's challenges. http://kraftinkimmieskorner.blogspot.com/ I used the sketch from Day Two for this card and the extra must have of embossing.

*

Cardstock is Cameo Coral and Soft Sky. I matched them up to the ribbon which I picked up in the dollar spot at Target. If you want a chance to win some of Kimmie's goodies or just check out her awesome blog. Pop on over and take a look.

Courtney's Closet #29

Where did the last year go? I cannot believe it has taken me a whole year to get around to participating in one of Libby's Challenges. I have loved visiting and seeing what she has created with her daughter Courtney's baby clothes as inspiration. I have wanted to join in so many times but had so many other things to do. Well, when I saw that she was hosting the final one in celebration of little Courtney's First Birthday I thought it's now or never. The fabulous candy that she is offering with it helped a little too mind you. LOL.

http://stampinlibby.blogspot.com/

Courtney is the sweetest little thing ever. Again I ask where did the last year go. Seems like yesterday I was congratulating Libby on her birth and now she's a year old. Go on over and check out her awesome blog and if you want to try the challenge you still have time. The deadline is Wednesday February 11th.

Speaking of celebrations Kimmie http://kraftinkimmieskorner.blogspot.com/ is celebrating all week long. It is her birthday, her 2nd blogaversary and she has hit 300,000 visitors. Each day this week she has been having a daily challenge. Every day has a different prize and sponsor. Each challenge lasts a week from the day it starts and every time you enter your name goes towards a grand prize draw at the end of next week. This card actually fits her challenge for Wednesday which was to have pink on your card and a button.

Both these blogs are on my inspiration list. You just have to go check them out. Seeing is believing.

Hugs

Nic

Tag Punch Star Card

I have been wanting to make one of these for the last year. Ever since I saw it on someones blog. I never had the time or energy to do all that punching until now. I found step by step instructions on splitcoast stampers http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/tag_punch_star/.




Speaking of punches you just have to look at this http://stampwithheather.typepad.com/stamp_with_heather/2009/01/monkey-around.html I just have to make one of these, aren't they the cutest thing you have ever seen.


Anyway back to the card. I spotted a challenge on one of the blogs I visit http://tracyshappyplace.blogspot.com/. To help get a head start on Christmas cards. I thought this was an awesome idea. I missed the challenge deadline - Something I do frequently but I did finish them and she is going to have one every month. The next one will be posted February 15th if you feel up to the challenge. Hopefully I can make the next one in time. So here are my finished Christmas cards. I actually made 6 but only had to show 5 in the photo to meet the challenge.



All the cards I have seen like this in the past have all shown 2 stars layered and it made me think. What on earth am I going to do with all the punched out tags. You know the middle piece that doesn't get used for the star. Well in order to make my cardstock and vellum go further I had the brain wave of using them to make a smaller star. Here's what I did step by step more or less.


I put 4 of the tags together and taped them so they would not come apart. Your best doing this on the reverse side. My Silver cardstock was the same on both sides so it didn't matter. I did this twice.


I put the second set on top of the first as shown in the above photo. I used my glue snail to glue them both together. I then cut out the middle of the tags just the same as the original instructions told me to do for the vellum star.




The other good thing about doing this is that the pieces you cut off can also be used again as photo corners. Can you tell I hate to waste. LOL. Once you have finished you are left with a star as shown below.




Which fits perfectly behind your vellum star.



Extra Info:

*Cardstock used: Whisper White, Silver from Archiver's and Awesome shiny swirly blue from my friend Sonya.
*Snowflake brad
*Swirl and sentiment were Embossed. One in silver, one in white.
*Vellum is Disney Pixie Dust Vellum
*Swirl from TAC set Holly Swirls
*Sentiment from SU set Snow Swirled

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Nic

**Added After Posting. - I just noticed on tracy's blog where it said to use ribbon for the challenge. I had fully intended too but when I got the stars finished and the card was starting to come together I just couldn't figure where to put ribbon. Probably just as well I missed the deadline. LOL

Back in the Saddle

The sewing saddle that is. At least kind of. Having a few technical difficulties with the old girl but I got my first project made at the weekend with a little help from hubby. You could almost say he made it not me.LOL.

Finished Curtain

I wanted to put a curtain up in the little window over the downstairs shower. The sun comes through there with a vengeance and the room gets pretty hot. I bought a single panel curtain from either Target or Walmart. Can't remember which off hand but it was too long for where I wanted it. The plan was to cut off the excess and re-hem it. However my machine kept eating the thread. I had this problem before but can't remember what I did to solve it and my sewing mentor is now in California so Paul offered to have a look for me.

Before (Picture off packet)

He dismantled it as men do and put it back together. What ever he did it worked and he pretty much sewed the whole hem himself. Now that the machine is plugged in and good to go, I am excited to get on with my other sewing projects.

Anniversary Tree

Here is a card that I made for my bestest friend. Her anniversary was yesterday so I'm hoping it made it in time. I chose her favorite color - purple (orchid opulence) and inked a fairly new TAC set for the first time. I actually chalked the image with the same color but I sprayed hairspray in it in an effort to stop the chalk coming off and it totally changed the color. Luckily it still complimented the card enough to not look out of place