Hope Springs Eternal

These little guys really "hope" they get a bit of that fabulous pudding!  Not the traditional use of "hope" at Christmas... but relevant all the same, lol. 

As soon as I saw this gorgeous image from Lili of the Valley, I KNEW I had to have it!  So.... I bought it, and about thirty to keep it company, lol.  So far I've coloured up this one, sigh
Anyways, I digress... I coloured the image with Copic markers, added some Prismacolor pencil shadows and highlights and coloured the cutlery with a metallic pencil... gives a a good finish.  I added glitter to the dots on the green scarf... which you can't see in the pic, Glossy Accents to the "cherries" in the pudding... which you can't see in the pic, and Stickles  to the "snow"... which you can't see in the pic unless you reeeeallly try, lol.  But they're all there, honest

I used a kraft card base because I liked it with the vintage-y feel of the image (though I've fiddled around making a 'bright' version and it doesn't look vintage at all, lol) and I used papers with the same style... I think they're both Kaisercraft, but the tartan strip may be Basic Grey
I used red glitter card that I bought in a pad (because I couldn't get any of the one I usually use) and it is BRILLIANT!  It doesn't shed at all and even the tiny little scallops (from a set I bought from Ali Express... which I LOVE) cut cleanly

The image was popped up on two layers of foam dots, the tartan strip on one... it does look 'flat' in the pics but good IRL.  The "Hope" sentiment is a stamp from a set I have had since my very first days of cardmaking... I bought the set for the flourishes that came with it and have only 'seen' the sentiments (there are only three one-word sentiments) since I reorganized my stamps - I put sentiments together and in theme - and have them more readily accessible.  

I used Coffee Archival Ink for stamping, to continue in the vintage/homegrown vein.  I stamped my all-time favourite (I use it on at least half my Christmas cards!) stamp for the sentiment inside the card.  This is a very old stamp, I got it from my sister... it was wood mounted, but not any more :-) and she got it from her friend years before that; that's what you call upcycling, lol
That's it for today's card.  I'd like to enter in the following challenges:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Y is for Yummy

As You Like It CASE a DT's card… and say Why; I CASEd Brenda's… Adding sparkle is my "go to" for Christmas cards :-)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Aud Sentiments Christmas or Winter Sentiment

My Time to Craft Winter Scenes… this is a "scene", hope it is "scenic" enough

Cardz 4 Galz Cute Christmas… this cute card is for my friend Mirella; she is my biggest fan now my lovely Mum has gone :-)

Simon Says Challenge Traditional Christmas (I've used traditional Christmas colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Anything Christmas Goes, option: Use something beginning with "R"; I have Running mice, Racing to the pudding because they're Really hungry :-)

Send a Smile for Kids Happy Holidays-  or Anything Goes - for kids

Winter Wonderland Anything Christmas Goes

Cuttlebug Mania has Christmas

Creatalicious Challenges, Anything Goes, Opt: Winter
Addicted to  Stamps, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft and Cute Card Thursday All have Anything Goes

It's been six WEEKS since I posted anything on my blog... there's been a lot going on.  
Don't know what it is with my family, but the drama continues.  The latest is my nephew Craig's house burnt to the ground on Wednesday (well it's been condemned, the roof has collapsed etc)  $300,000 worth of damage to the house, and most of his possessions ruined by smoke or water if not fire.  He was NOT insured.  
Of course my sister is devastated for him; he bought the house from the proceeds of a Workers Compensation payout for an accident in which he lost his right arm... he will not be in a position to buy another house, ever.  He has no money, we have all chipped in what we can to get him the basics... we don't really know what the next step is towards getting the house sold (the house needs to be demolished to increase the value of the block of land it sits on, ironically) all we know is it will cost big bucks 
It has put a damper on Christmas... usually my favourite time of the year.  If you are so inclined say a prayer for him, or appeal to the stars.  
I hope to be back soon, I have SO many cards to 'blog'
Until then, Happy Crafting (and pay your house insurance!), Donna x 

Another Naughty Knight

The card I have today is very similar to one I made for my hubby for his birthday (here's a link to that one if you missed it)... in fact this card was made first, it was for our friend's 50th birthday - I had printed up a different cheeky sentiment but that got spoiled (something to do with impatience and ink) and I already had printed the one for hubby; so they ended the same sentiment - I know, but I ran out of time to reprint, and luckily he's the sort of guy who loves a bit of cheekiness :-)

The image is Brave and Cute Knight from The Paper Shelter, I coloured with Copics, adding some highlights and extra shading with Prismacolor pencils.

The papers are absolutely lush in real life, they are from Kaisercraft... "Velvet Ensemble" I believe... it's a pretty old pad so I'm not sure it's still available,  it is a shame if it's not.  

The borders at the top (both the patterned and the black) are cut with Paper Roses Cloud Borders dies... they have a nice stitch detail along them, which is hard to see in the pic, but does add a nice detail.  It's my favourite way to add stitching to cards... I'm useless with a sewing machine (though I love the look on other's cards) and when I add "faux" stitching using a pen (my other "go to" for stitching effect) I invariably smudge it or don't plan ahead - Dies are much more of a safe bet, lol  I added more of the same papers inside along with the punch line.  

The font is called "Storybook" and I think that fits really well with the little knight :-)  The number on the front was actually from my stash of years ago... they were digits from clockface sets I had when I was teaching egg decorating - though it was my sister who sourced them as she was  running a ceramic studio at the time.  Hands up if you remember ceramics, lol

I would like to enter my Cute and Brave knight in the following challenges:

Die Cut Divas Autumn Colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets... it's the last of that luuuuush paper, sob

As You Like It Favourite Style of Stitching and Why: Die cuts with stitch lines…because they came in all sorts of designs and give a lovely crisp fool (read "Donna") proof finish! 

Allsorts Challenges Add Something Gold and/or Silver: The "50" is gold to match the gold in the patterned paper

Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends,Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges (Opt Autumn),  Crafting With an Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes Challenges and Cutie Pie Challenge has Anything Goes as Long as It's Cute… this little guy is a tad cheeky, but no denying he's a real Cutie :-) 

That's it for today.  I'll be back.... Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

An Elegant Lady for an Elegant Lady

The card I have for today I made for my friend's birthday last year.  As it is her birthday again on Friday I thought it was time I posted the pics of last years.  Mind you, I still haven't put up the pics of my nephew's wedding card, and he's been married three years in March, lol.  For today though, here's Andrena's birthday card :-)

This is one of those cards that looked much nicer in real life, I'm sure you know the type I mean, lol.  The cream background paper has a lovely pearl sheen to it.  The "lady" is black velvet... and the black filigree and silver backing the ladies dress up is glittery, the sentiment is too.
The trellis die and the lady die I used were all bought from AliExpress.  The rhinestone trim is from my stash, one of my many "treasures" brought back from Malaysia by my Mum, many happy moons ago
I finished the inside of the card much the same as the outside, the flower dies are MFT Plentiful Petals and the leaves are Sue Wilson Faux Quilled Leaves

Here's a bit of a closeup of the velvet lady....  that velvet paper is all gone now, I only had a scrap and another pic showing the glittery goodness of the black glitter paper 

I added a foam dot and a piece of Card Candi (I have so MUCH of this stuff, lol) to the centre of the flower to finish it off.
That's it for today's card. 
As You Like It has the theme: What is Your Favourite CAS or FAFF, and why... I love "fully loaded" cards, but I just struggle to achieve the look myself.  I like SOME embellies, so this card represents "my" favourite... tending to the CAS, but not exactly CAS

CAS(E) this sketch has this sketch

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets

Addicted to  Stamps For a Lady/Girl

Cute Card Thursday Sentimental

Aud Sentiments Anything Goes + a Sentiment

Simon Says Challenge, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes

Happy crafting until next time, Donna

Dino Baby

Today's card is one I made for my nephew's little boy's first birthday.  He loves dinosaurs, andI loved making this card in a box!

The image is from Cute as a Button, coloured with Prismacolor pencils.  The paper is from a pad I bought in Spotlight … it was as cheap as chips and is REALLY heavy, well printed.  Of course, I bought one pad, and I'm not sure they do it any more, sigh

I cut the balloons from snippets of blue and yellow cardstock - I really do keep the smallest bits, they do come in handy for these "little" embellishments - using a die from Paper Smooches, I added some coloured pencil shading and Glossy Accents for that shine and some baker's twine "strings"

The numeral "1" is a wooden one, coloured up with Star Dust Stickles added.  I had to use a heavier weight acetate to hold it up as it was quite heavy, but it still managed to bob around quite nicely :-)

The grass is cut with Lawn Fawn's Grassy Borders die, the banner is cut with (I think) a MFT die, the little flower is a punch and the pearl in the middle was white, I coloured it with a Copic marker to suit.  The Happy Birthday Sentiment is from Elizabeth Crafts, I beliive.  The gold cord and tiny blue dragonfly are from my stash.

I added a jotting panel to the rear of the card, and the piece of patterned paper at the bottom served as a pocket for the gift voucher we gave him

That's it for today.  I would like to enter in the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown Pile it On

Give a Crafter a Cookie

Pixies Snippets Playground Use Snippets (balloons)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Cupcake Inspirations Blue and Yellow

Give a Crafter A Cookie Picture to left... bunting and "Happy Birthday"

Send a Smile for Kids Anything Goes for Kids

Catch The Bug, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers,  Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes

I'll try and get back soon... I have had my implant done now, accompanied by my normal EXTREME pre-op anxiety... and the meltdown immediately after when the surgeon told me I could not wear my plate for a week until I had the stitches out and he could look at adjusting it to not interfere with the implant.  
I did not set foot out of the house for the entire week, I found the whole thing distressing and am so glad I am on this side of it.  The pain was minimal (unlike the block graft, which was pretty uncomfortable and the swelling and bruising were quite heavy) but the blow to my self-esteem was surprising even to me, I was completely miserable and felt very low.  Ah well, done now, just got to wait for the final stage of healing... it looks good so far... and in 60 - 90 days I can get the crown made and be done once and for all.  At least I've got my magic plastic back in as of yesterday... soooooo glad about that!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna 

Beautiful Butterflies

The card I have for you today is one I made for my sister in law last year.  The "Eclipse" style was all the rage at the time and I made a couple of cards in this style, this was the first - and I learned a few things from it, not enough to make no mistakes on the next ones, but at least different mistakes :-)

The paper I used for this card is absolutely lush in real life, with a soft textured finish, really good quality printing and gold foil details... of course none of that shows up in the pics, lol

I made an easel card, I love them and my sister in law does too... and it's a good chance to show the "eclipse" effect off with it's different angles.  I cut the edge with a Sue Wilson border die, the pink card was a bit light to support the weight of the card front (with all the added layers under the letters) so I backed it up with some acetate, I cut the corners with a curved corner cutter - so it doesn't spike you!

The letters were from a die set I bought from AliExpress, they are 3" tall.  Here's a link to a tutorial showing the Eclipse technique, it's one of the (many, lol) videos I used to learn.  I used three layers of black card to raise the letters up.  

The pearl trim is from my stash, actually it's some my lovely Mum brought back from Malaysia on one of her many trips... I've been loathe to use anything she has given me, knowing that once it's gone it's gone, but my SiL absolutely loved my Mum, so it felt "right" to use it

I used sticky back pearls from my stash on the centres of each "medallion" on the border die too.  The inside of the card was finished very simply, with just a strip of the pearl "ribbon" as a prop for the front of the card.  The sentiment is a stamp from Kaisercraft

That's it for today's card.  I would like to enter in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Galz Wings

Crafty Cardmakers  Challenge #239 It's a Bug's Life

Double D Challenge Pearls, Gems or Rhinestones

As You Like It Favourite: Pink and Green or Blue and Orange and Why... I love all colour :-) I love Pink and Green together - perfect for pretty flowers AND butterflies

Cutie Pie Challenge My Favourite Colour... again, I love all colour.  Pink and teal green look so pretty together

Allsorts Challenges Feminine

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Crafty  Creations,  Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes

That's it for today.  I have to make a Father's Day card (or two!) for next Sunday... my Dad is deep in the throes of Dementia now, and doesn't know me from a bar of soap, but we still celebrate all the events and I still like to make his cards.... and he still likes the chocolates I always give him, especially so now; the only things he'll eat are sweet - sweeter the better!

Until next time (which may be after the next stage of my dental surgery, which is bringing it's own set of issues, tba) Happy Crafting, Donna

Clowning Around

G'Day from WA :-)

The card I have today was the card I made for my eldest son Matt's 36th birthday in 2017... just getting around to posting it... and no, it's not the oldest one in my Drafts folder, lol.  

 Matt has coulrophobia - a fear of clowns, so being a loving Mum I'd thought I'd tease hm about it.  Well, not really... I actually thought he'd got past this more than he has, he is very much better than he was... and it such a nice clown, but.... ah well.  We are a "jokey" family, he took it in the spirit it was intended, thank goodness.

The image is a digi from Rick St Dennis called, unsurprisingly, "Clown with Balloons".  I coloured with Copics adding some deeper shadows with Prismacolor pencils.  Glossy Accents to the balloon after adding the numbers "36" with my laser printer and then foiling them in iridescent foil with the laminator (hard to see in the pic, pretty effective IRL.  I added some fluffy/glittery cotton balls cut in half on his costume and hat (they DID try to fall apart, but I got 'em, haha) 

The paper is from a Kaisercraft pad, I only had a bit of the paper on the front left, so I cut around the edge of the windmills to give a banner-like effect. I used more paper from the same pad and used the same technique to cut around the flags on the piece I used on the inside of the card, and some more scraps to make the pocket to hold the gift card that was Matt's present

I also foiled the computer-generated sentiment using the laser printer/laminator technique, not that it looks shiny in this pic, mind you the glitter on the DP doesn't show up either, sigh

That's it for today's offering.  We are still (technically) in winter here, though the weather has been really very nice (not that winter is ever "bad" here... I've lived in England and Wales, I know the difference, lol) so I've (technically) got a bit more crafting time on hand.  It hasn't quite panned out yet, but I live in hope :-)  Work is very quiet, beyond the seasonal slump... the economy is pretty sluggish at the moment and hubby and I are enjoying a taster of (semi) retirement... gotta say, we are now not worried that we'll be bored when we DO retire, we are busy, busy, busy, lol.  My "other" bookkeeping clients are in the same boat, same industry more or less so no surprise THERE! If we go back to boom times I think I'll give them up, I'm enjoying the pace I'm at much better, One Power Ball....

Anyway, I'm entering my card in the following challenges:  

Little Red Wagon Digi Do (Use a Digital Image)

Aud Sentiments For a Child + a Sentiment (Matt's my child, and it IS a "child" image, so I hope my entry fits the bill)

Sweet Stampin' Spots and/or Stripes (Spots and stripes on the clown's cossie)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Pixies Snippets Playground Use Snippets (The piece on the front)

Send a Smile for Kids Anything Goes for Kids (Again, this is a "kid" image, hope it's okay to enter)

Catch The Bug, Cute Card Thursday, The Paper Shelter, Simon Says Challenge, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge and A Perfect Time to Craft All have "Anything Goes"

and I thought I'd add a picture of "the new dog", not ours... our son said he would leave it until little Rocky was gone before getting another dog.... true to his word, now Rocky is gone, here's Miss Molly with her new owners, The Twins
She is a sweet girl, and the kids love her... unlike her previous owners from whom she was rescued... so sad, but now not, she's landed on all four soft little feet :-))

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Christmas Joy, I believe

I have a couple of Christmas cards today, though they are so similar you'd be forgiven for thinking they are the same card, lol. 

 Both cards use paper from Kaisercraft, the green panel raised up on foam dots, all matted on gold foil card.
The "white" paper isn't white, it has almost a self-pattern on it, very nice IRL.  The border die is "Poinsettia Edger" from Creative Expressions, the "Joy" is a die I got from Aliexpress, cuts really nicely - which isn't always the case with gold card :-)
I popped the word up on more foam dots, well cut up bits of foam dots, lol
This pic gives a better idea of just how golden this card was.
As I said the other card I have for today is exactly the same... but different :-)
The "believe" came from Aliexpress too, it was a bit more "fiddly" than the smaller word, so the bits of foam dots were really fiddly... and I forgot the dot on the "i", oops

I'd like to enter my card(s) in the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon and Crimbo Crackers Have: Christmas

The Creative Confetti Challenge over at Power Poppy and Crazy 4 Challenges Have: Christmas in July

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Wants us to: Use Patterned Paper
Creatalicious Challenges Has: Anything Goes, Opt: Use 2+ Patterned Paper... I've used 3 here

Digi Choosday, Polkadoodles, Through the Craftroom Door,  Crafty  Creations, Crafting From the Heart (#247), Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, A Perfect Time to Craft, Crafting With Attitude Die Cut Divas and Corrosive Challenge All Have: Anything Goes

That's it for today.  I'll be back, well I'll be back :-)  Hope everyone is ticking along okay, until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Carol Singing Duo

Hello.  Long time no see :-)  I have a very simple little card today, a Christmas card which may not seem seasonal to some, but we are in midwinter and the Season of the "Christmas in July" is upon us so I thought... why not?

I used a couple of images from Lili of the Valley.... they are so cute, you don't need much more to make a nice looking card :-)  These two are "Carol Singing Mouse" and - wait for it.... "Carol Singing Dog" :-)  How cute are they?!  

I coloured them with Copics, adding some Ice Stickles to the trim on the hat and a few lines to the snow and some Emerald Green Stickles to the scarf
I also added some Glossy Accents to the musical notes, very hard to see in the pics
The patterned paper is from Kaisercraft, quite an old pad... 'Tis the Season I think.  I cut the curved scalloped border die, I can't remember the brand.  I got it seperate from the straight scalloped border die that I cut the BOTTOM border with, and that's all I can remember :-)  I cut a mat for the scalloped edges using red foil card to match the foil stars and spots on the patterned paper... it was the very last scrap of the red, I'm gonna have to get some more, all I've got to remember where it came from, lol
The sentiment is also from Kaisercraft.  Stamped with Memento ink, using the oh-I-wish-I'd-found-it-years-ago stamp positioner that makes it possible to get it at least straight, lol
That's it for today's card... I never took a pic of the inside, it was finished much the same without the red foil matting as I ran out.  I'd like to enter in the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown Keep It Simple

Moving Along With The Times CAS

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Cuttlebug Mania Bingo: Sentiment, Image, Die Cut

The Paper Shelter Stripes and/or Dots

Cardz 4 Galz Favourite Colour Combo

As You Like It Summer or Winter Colours and Why - "Summer", or warm colours... also Christmas is in Summer here and I LOVE Christmas :-)

Fab'n'Funky Challenges Christmas

Jingle Belles Snow Much Fun

Winter Wonderland Use Red or Green

Sweet Stampin' Christmas Anything Christmas, Opt: Non Traditional Colours

Creatalicious Challenges Anything (Christmas) Opt: Spots and/or Stripes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Anything Christmas

Crimbo Crackers Anything (Christmas) Goes
Aud Sentiments, Through the Craftroom Door, Corrosive Challenge, Digi Choosday, Crafty Creations Challenge # 392, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge and A Perfect Time to Craft All have Anything Goes

On a personal note; thank you to everyone that left messages re the loss of my little Rocky, I appreciate it.  I miss him, the house is very quiet without him... my son Matt got a new dog yesterday.  He has been looking at Rescues for a while but wanted to wait until Rocky was gone as it would have been too much for the poor old fellow - especially once he was blind AND deaf.  That was considerate.  Now the time has come.  

Matt drove out to the Wheatbelt to get a dog from a rescue service out there as they are much harder to rehome than dogs in the city.  She is a lovely girl called Molly, but I think she may have not been treated well at all.  We will have to do our best to remedy THAT.  For all that she is sweet and already you can tell she will learn quickly.

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Fiona's Birthday and Farewell Rocky

I have a "mixed emotion" post today.  First I have the card I made for my sister's birthday last year 

My sister is a quilter, she makes clothes and costumes too, but her passion is quilting.  She also has a treadle machine (along with the super-duper modern job she uses all the time) which she LOVES so as soon as I saw this image "Vintage Seamstress" from the Paper Shelter, I knew exactly what Fiona was having on her birthday card, lol.
I coloured the image with Copic markers, adding some detail and extra shading with Prismacolor pencils, purple was always going to figure heavily as Fiona also looooves purple :-) 

The patterned paper is the very last of a sheet from Kaisercraft's Magic Happens pad, I've had it for years and it has been so versatile.  It has a bit of silver foil in it so I cut a border with a stitched scalloped die I can't remember the origin of  and the sentiment is also silver, it came pre-cut, from Craftworks.
I finished the inside of the card much the same as the outside.  The sentiment is a combination of the musical notes digital stamp and computer generated words... as Fiona turned 64 I added a line from the Beatles' hit "When I'm 64".  
I thought the musical reference tied in with the vintage radio in the image on the front
That's it for my card today, I'd let to enter in the following challenges:

The Paper Shelter: Birthday Girl

Allsorts Challenges and Crafty Cardmakers: Birthdays

As You Like It: His or Hers and Why (I don't generally make very embellished cards and there are far more "hims" than "hers" in my life so "his" cards often feature... but it is nice to use feminine colours and images so I've gone for "Hers" in this case)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Use Patterned Paper

Crazy 4 Challenges and Pixies Snippets Playground: Use Scraps

Catch The Bug: Colour Challenge, using this pic

Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers,  Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge: Anything Goes

Now for the second and much sadder part of my post.

We had to make the agonising decision to put my darling little friend Rocky the Dog, featured in my sidebar, to sleep last Monday.  
He has been declining for some time, going blind because of Lupus disease three years ago reduced his quality of life but he did adjust.  Unfortunately, he went deaf a few weeks ago, coupled with his other health problems and just being old (he was 12 and a half) he was truly miserable.  We kept him going as long as we could, in the end, the only thing we could do for him was let him cross the Rainbow Bridge to join his bestest mate Kruza (my son's dog) who went to wait for him in October 2017.  I hope you don't mind, I have included a few pics of "healthy Rocky" to commemorate his all too short life, and that of his little mate too

Two really great dogs, how sad I am that they have both left us... but Rocky will be more than missed; he sat by my chair every day, while I worked and while I crafted.  Knowing you've done the right thing isn't really enough sometimes, certainly not yet in this case.
I have had a lot going on, between bone grafts and a dog bite (yes Rocky, two days before he died,accidental but significant... especially with a fresh bone graft) and ailing parents (hubby's and mine) I am emotionally exhausted, I hope to find the energy to craft and blog very soon
I will be back whenever I can.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna x

90th Birthday Wishes

Well, I finally made it back to Blogland... lots going on - like my 60th birthday (eeeek!) and a little holiday with all my family - which was not eek, lol.  The card I have today is the one I made for my Mother-in-Law's 90th last July.  It, as is usual with the difficult-to-photograph (courtesy, in this case, of the iridescence) nicer in real life.  I've added loads of pics in an effort to show the effect

I saw some of these iridescent finished cards on Pinterest, and worked out you need to use a very detailed embossing folder to get full effect.... so, despite REALLY not needing another embossing folder to add to my collection I bought this beauty from Crafters Companion "Ornate Lace"... of course now I've seen how delicious they are... suffice to say I've added some to my Wish List

I used a pearl finished cream coloured card for the base, it took the deep embossing very well.  I used mica powders I bought in a set from Ali Express, they're pretty good... but as I've never used them before it was a bit of a learning curve to get them to stick; I found that mixing them with aloe vera gel worked really well (bit pricy) and hair gel worked pretty well too... and not as pricy :-)

There are about 12 different colours on the card, I'll be more efficient next time, lol
I cut the butterfly using a die that was in a set of three I bought from ebay.  I added some purple iridescent to it - though that was using Jo Sonja's Violet iridescent paint, it is transparent so not "heavy" but gives a bit more coverage... I added some to the edges of the mulberry cherry blossoms I added to the corner.  I got those, and the small rose leaves, and "filler" flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts... a while ago.  I added a few spirals of green wire cut from the stems
I used some Swarowski crystals to the body of the butterfly, and a smattering to the flower arrangement.  They throw different colours and are beautiful in real life
The numbers are big dies (Ali Express), I cut them using glitter card bit of a nightmare... next time I'll add the glitter later!  Then popped them up on foam dots
I finished the inside of the card very simply, adding another iridescent butterfly and a computer generated sentiment
I really liked the effect and I've made a couple more cards using it, black card looks really nice... it's a stronger look so I think it works for masculine cards
I also made the cake for the occasion,  but that's a set of pics for another day ;-)
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges

As You Like It Flowers or Ribbon (and why) ... I don't use a lot of embellies on my cards, when I do a "special" card, like this one for my MIL, I like to add flowers because they are not found on commercial cards very often.  If the card is being handed to the recipient you don't have to worry about making it "post friendly" 

Moving Along With The Times Floral

Little Red Wagon, Floral

My Time to Craft Spring Flowers
Simon Says Challenge, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, Corrosive Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft and Crafting With Attitude Anything Goes

Just thought I'd add a few pics from my birthday celebrations (that spread over a week!)  We hired a stretch limo to take us to the revolving restaurant in town and took a pic of the kids dressed to the nines - how grown up they are!  and also a pic I took with my phone yesterday evening when we went for a walk down by the river - the restaurant we went to for my birthday is in one of the office towers in the pic, the view from there is  of the river and city... and when you have a lovely sunset it's really quite gorgeous

The black blobs on the water in the foreground are actually black swans... our State fauna emblem
Until next time, Happy Crafting Donna