What a "charming" couple

Well, as you may or may not have noticed my crafting time has still been very limited.  Today, however, is my son and daughter-in-law's third anniversary so I had a good excuse to sit and make a card! Happy Anniversary Matt & Elaine!

 I don't have a lot of time to "blog" it though.... some of you are probably very relieved to hear that, lol. Creative Craft Challenges has Special Occasion, NOT birthday as their challenge theme, I think an Anniversary is pretty special, so I'm entering there.
The cute image I've used is a recent purchase from the Digi Doodle Shop...in their closing down sale unfortunately.  It's really sad to see  this little shop go, I had quite a few of their images... now I have quite a few more!  When I was trawling through my burgeoning digi collection I realised how few images I have that work for anniversaries, 'specially someone else's anniversary!  I'm glad I grabbed this one now :-)  The computer generated sentiment inside says "Happy Anniversary... to a charming couple".... snakes, charming, get it?  Hubby didn't, but then my youngest son did so I felt better :-)
I've coloured with Copics adding some (very few) Prismacolor details. The Pink Elephant has Use Your Favourite Colouring Medium as their challenge, which I have, so I'm entering there; and My Mums Craft Shop has Bold and Bright, which this is , so I'm entering there too.

The papers are from Kaisercraft's Made With Love collection, I've used only one paper (along with one image and one ribbon) on the front of the card so I'm entering Crafty Creations Just One challenge. 
The acrylic hearts are from my stash, coloured to suit using Copics, and I've added Stickles to the hearts and the centres of the flowers on the image.
I've used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch this time around, it was ideal for the oversized image (I really should pay more attention sometimes when I print my digis, lol) and the busy background paper.  I chose to use the sheer polka dot ribbon so it didn't compete with the paper too.  I'm entering the Paper Crafting Journey Ribbon or Twine challenge and I hope the polka dots are enough to get me in to the Gem of a Challenge.  
The Paper Shelter , Stampin' for the Weekend, Catch the Bug and The Crafty Pad all have Anything Goes challenges running.... I KNOW my card qualifies for those, lol  
Well that's it for me today.  The kitchen renovation actually "begins" tomorrow (well we should be getting the skylight fitted, so a start of sorts) hopefully they can put one in my craft room too - though we "went solar" with our power last year and most of that face of the roof is covered with solar collectors, so I'm not sure if they can fit a skylight tube in.... we'll know tomorrow at 2pm!  I'm still trawling tiling shops looking for "the" wall tiles, but one of my spare rooms is brimming with new oven, hotplate, dishwasher - even the kitchen sink, lol.  

The cupboards and tops are being made (well the granite was made millions of years ago, but you know what I mean!) the floor tiles are ordered (we had to change 75m of tiling because we altered the kitchen layout and couldn't match the floor, curses of open plan living) the new window is going in once we remove the old kitchen - which we'll do the weekend before the new kitchen is scheduled, eating out for more than one week would be too hard..... or would it?????  We're not even thinking about ripping up the old tiles until work settles down a bit, we did our bathrooms two years ago and it's really hard work and very dusty... we have a few weeks over Christmas, I may be able to nag encourage hubby into it then, lol

Well, I promised it would be a short post then didn't deliver, sorry 'bout that!  Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

A "BOO-kmark" for Halloween

We don't celebrate Halloween in a big way in Australia, having said that I just had the cutest bunch of kids rock up for their treats - and I did carve a pumpkin... alright, I didn't have a pumpkin so I used a sweet potato - but it looked the goods :-)  My hubby took a photo with his phone, so I'll upload it later.  Even though we don't "do" Halloween, I love all the cute images that are out there for it, and there are so many Spooky themed challenges at the moment, I thought why not?  

I made a bookmark, which I did offer as an alternative to the sweet treats in my basket, but only the mums thought it was a good idea, lol, so I still have it - my sister loves all things witchy so she'll probably end up with it.  Cupcake Craft Challenges has Witches and/or Pumpkins for their challenge, I'm in.
I love these little magnetic bookmarks, I get to colour up nice images... this is Alison the Witch from Tiddly Inks... and use nice papers (these are from my stash,  I do remember the one was called Oogie Boogie - can't think why I remember that, lol) and even add some embellies. They take a fraction of the time a card takes to make, which with my current level of activity means I at least get something finished :-)  Gem of a Challenge has Polka Dots or Spots as their challenge so I'm entering there.
I've coloured the image with Copics, cut it out, stuck it on.   Totally Gorjuss and Addicted to Stamps have Things With Wings as their challenge theme, I hope Alisons medium counts :-)  The 2 Sisters Challenge this time around is Halloween Colours, so I'm entering there and Colour Me Copic has Anything Goes with a Twist of Orange, so I'm entering there too.
The magnets are covered with more paper (on the inside of the bookmark)  The rest is pretty obvious, the bling is from my stash.  Paper Pretties has a Bling theme, so I'm in there too.
Usually I don't present the challenges I enter as a list, but there are so many with a Halloween theme that I will be listing them this time....

My Time to Craft Halloween
One Stop Craft Challenge Halloween
Di's Digi Designs Halloween
Creatalicious Challenges Halloween
Totally Papercrafts Spooky Halloween
Crafty Calendar All Things Spooky
Crafts 4 Eternity Ghouls Ghosts and Goblins
Moving Along With The Times Too Cute To Spook
Cute Card Thursday Something Scary
Fashionista Challenge Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter Anything Goes
Stampin' for the Weekend Anything Goes

Phew, that's the end of my list!!  I'm off now to link up... I may be in bed before midnight, lol.

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween, and on a more serious note I hope that those of you affected by Hurricane Sandy fared well.

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

I'm ba-ack... with a Christmas card

I can hardly believe it's been two full weeks since I posted anything on my blog, but to say things have been manic is an understatement.  The new challenge starting today at Here Come The Boys is Die Cuts and Punches.... too easy! I thought that I would make a start on my Christmas cards for this year as my DT project.

We're being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps this time around (you could win 7 digis!!) so I thought I'd give one of my favourite Bugagoo characters, Gus, an outing.  This is Gus Be Naughty, and he comes with the sentiment too.  Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge has Here Comes Santa as it's theme, so I'm entering there.

Sketch and Stash had this fab sketch this time around, nice and versatile :-) Having Dies and Punches as the theme at Here Come The Boys was a nice easy one for me... I just about always use dies, and often punches.  I thought I'd make the effort to use both for the occasion so I cut the image panel with my new Nestabilities Labels One dies, then cut some snowflakes with my Martha Stewart punch... then forgot to add them to my card, duh!  Oozak has Die Cuts as their current challenge theme, so I'm entering there.  I've coloured with Copics and added some extra shading and highlights with Prismacolor pencils.  I added Platinum Stickles to the sleigh, Royal Coat Gloss to his glasses and Fun Flock to the fur trim... but it looked grey, so I added White Opal Liquid Pearls, which at least helped it look white again! 

The card is dark green pearl, the glittery card (which was really hard to cut neatly, even with my fab new Fiskars Cutter) and starry card are from my stash, the stripy paper is from Kaisercraft - 'tis the Season collection, I think!   The ribbon is also from my stash, Paper Crafting Journey wants us to use Ribbon or Twine, as is the Card Candi.... Creative Craft Challenges theme is to Use Three of something, so I'm in!  The Crafty Pad has and Anything Christmas challenge.  Fashionista Challenge and Stampin' for the Weekend both have Anything Goes challenges running so I'll be entering those too.

I used the negative of the mat I cut for the image panel, on the inside of the card, backing it up with some of the starry paper and adding a jotting panel to the centre.  The "Merry Christmas" is (are, correct grammar??) stickers, I added an eyelet and some gold cord to this little tag for two reasons; a) I was going to "hang" it from the edge of the card, and b) I wanted to use my drove-miles-to-get Cropadile ... 'twas fun and soooo easy to use (in the past I've avoided adding eyelets with my old Fiskars eyelet setter; bang, bang miss, curse!) 

Well, as they say, that's the end of my story for today.  I hope to be back in the swing of things this week, though there is still much going on in my world that is both time and energy sapping.

My folks continue with their run of not-quite-poor but could-be-better health, and with my Dad being currently unable to drive, my Mum being too nervous to drive to "new" places and my Sister having moved 400 km away essentially full time,  I find myself being taxi again (those of you with teenage kids will know what I mean!) A LOT.  

We have had some new building regs passed here too that impact on our business; it's taken a few months for everyone to be on "the same page", and now we all are, our workload has exploded.  

In the midst of all this, oh and Menopause... which is a whole other ball of misery, I decided that the new kitchen we were planning for early next year had to be brought forward so that it is complete before "the twins" arrive in March... (I want to be free to help out if needed, twins... what do I mean "if", lol) 

Of course the kitchen itself will only take a few weeks to do, but we have to lift the kitchen floor tiles because the slightly different layout will leave a gap and as the kitchen abuts the casual living area and we can not match the floor tiles there, we have to re-tile the meals area, family room, passageway, Entry and Study too - 80m2 - that lovely seamless open plan living idea is looking like an expensive option now, I can tell ya!  Hopefully my new kitchen will be STUNNING, and this will all be viewed as a minor inconvenience in the pursuit of perfection.... well, you can dream, lol.  I will be getting a skylight in my craft room at the same time, and new carpet there too, so (apart from having to move a quadzillion bits of craft stuff out of the way), that's something to look forward to :-) 

Meanwhile I hope you'll join in the Die and Punch (well, it's better than Punch and Die, lol) fun at Here Come The Boys, do pop over and see what my lovely teamies have come up with... if you fancy being a Guest DT member, just put GDT after your name when you enter the challenge ;-)  Until next time,Happy Crafting, Donna

It Takes Two To Tango

Hello everybody; I'm on holiday (well, long long weekend at least!) with my Family (who don't live at home any more, so it's "special")  in Melbourne at the moment, and didn't get time to make a card for the "Edwin Only" challenge starting today at Here Come The Boys... so I thought I'd post this card which I made before I came away.

 I made an easel card, which I often do when the image I want to use is large or the paper "busy", it  is a good way of still getting a sentiment on to the "front" of a card, it's also a way of making a square card a bit more interesting, though Craft Your Passion think it's Hip to be Square for their challenge this time around, lol.

I've used the Sketch and Stash Sketch this time, I like to use sketches as a jumping off point, and this was a ripper!  The papers are from Kaisercrafts Le Chateau Collection, they're really lush IRL... Without Words wants us to use dark colours, I have so I'm entering there.  The sentiment was one of the die cuts included in the pad.  I used Nestabilities Large Scalloped Squares for the image panel and the mat behind the sentiment, Simon Says Challenge has Dies and Punches and Oozak has Die Cuts for their challenges so I'll be entering there.
The image I used is "Tango" from Karen's Doodles, I love Karen's images and she's "back" after a bit of a break, so I'll be grabbing some more (though there's still several unused in my stash!)  Papertake Weekly has All Creatures Great and Small for their challenge and Addicted to Stamps has Animal Friends, so I'll be entering those.  The Paper Shelter has Love Beats All as their challenge theme, so I'm in there too.
I've coloured with Copics and Prismacolors, quite a lot of the shading and highlighting is with pencils this time, I like the level of control they give you in the fiddly bits, lol.  I find Copics give the best solid red coverage (rich and even) but I like to add the deepest shades and lightest highlights with pencils, like her dress folds and straps - Copics can be hard to control in the red department!  Colour Me Copic has A Touch of Red for their challenge so I'm entering there.
The very sparkly rhinestone trim is from my stash (actually I bought it in Malaysia earlier this year) I wish I could show just how sparkly it really is, but alas that never seems to show in photos!  Paper Crafting Journey wants us to Add Some Bling for their challenge, I have so I'm in.  The Deep Ocean Challenge, 2 Sisters Challenge and Divas by Design all have Anything Goes themes, so I'll be entering them too.
Well that's it for today's card, I'd better get to bed, everyone else has long gone... I'm like a blog junkie; I had to have a fix before I rush off tomorrow to enjoy the last day of my mini holiday (it's tiring, this holiday lark, lol)
Why not pop over to Here Come The Boys and check out my teamies wonderful "Edwin Only" creations, and why not crack out your own Edwins (ooh, that sounds painful, lol) and join in the challenge while you're there?
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Ice Cream and Pickles to Celebrate

I have a "special" card today; it's special for a number of reasons... it is a card to celebrate a pregnancy, always special, and in this case it is my Son and Daughter in Law that are going to become parents - so, EXTRA special..... and they're expecting TWINS so EXTRA EXTRA special, lol

 I made a Joy Fold card, to make it more special, lol, here's a tutorial by Beate Johns, like all her tutes it's very easy to follow.  Joy Folds are pretty straightforward to make... hard to photograph though, so I've erred on the side of what the heck and taken LOTS :-)

The fabby image is Ice Cream and Pickles from Saturated Canary, perfect blend of Sassy and Cute, isn't she?  I've coloured with Copics adding gloss to the cherry and the eyes.  Colour Me Copic has Bright Colours as their theme,  and Deep Ocean Challenge is to Use More Than Two Colours, I have in my image, I'm in!! 
The Patterned paper is from DCWV All Glittered Up Mat Stack, which I've had for years!  I don't keep my mat stack pads with the rest of my paper so I keep forgetting I've got them, which is a shame as they're so lush, there's loads of glittery goodness too, without being too "shouty", lol  I used the colours on the photo Cupcake Inspirations have as inspiration for their challenge this time around, Simon Says Challenge has Glimmer and Sparkle and Paper Play Challenges have Shine On, so I'm entering there.

The sentiment on the front is from Craftworks Cards, the flowers are from my stash as is the  (Metallique) Card Candi.  The challenge theme at the Saturated Canary Challenge Blog is to use office supplies, I've used a lovely acrylic bulldog clip from Officeworks, it's decorative and it keeps the card shut!  Divas by Design want us to use Texture (Flowers.... or bulldog clips, lol) so I'm entering there.
Totally Gorjuss has an Anything Goes theme and Papertake Weekly has Anything Goes, optional theme Celebrate I'm in on both counts ;-)

The sentiment on the inside I made up on the computer, feel free to grab it!  I added a jotting panel to the inside front and the card was done, tada!  All the ovals are Nestabilities Classic Ovals.  I added some faux stitching with gel pen.  Cutie Pie Challenge is to Use a Digi, which is never a challenge for me, lol, and they'd like you to have regularly entered their challenges (and to mention which ones) - I checked: I've entered challenges # 2,7,9,11,12,13,15,19,20,25 and 26 - I've even had a few wins, hope that makes me regular enough :-)  BTW, checking was much more of a challenge!

Matt and Elaine have been together for eleven years, and we didn't think they were going to have kids, as my youngest son is gay and Australian Law not kind to gay men in regard to adoption, we thought our chances of becoming grandparents were slim at best; we are SOOO pleased that we are getting the chance to join this "club", the twins bit is admittedly scary but I'm sure we'll adapt, lol.  We've had to wait until now to share this great news, my DIL is at the age where "the 13 week scan" holds significance, but it's all good so I'm blabbin'!! Sassy Cheryl's Show Me Thursday is a good place to "blab" ;-)
That's it for today's card, and my bit of news.  Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna.... (a thought: I've always been AuntDee am I now going to be Nannaonnna? lol) 

Close Encounters of the Chemist Kind

I have a very simple card today;  I have told you in the past that my aging parents have a very friendly relationship with our local pharmacist, when he took over the business (under trying circumstances) my Mum asked me to make him a card to mark the occasion, (one year ago today, coincidentally) which I did here's a link if you're interested :-)  Now my Mum has asked me to make another card for him.... he's invited my folks to his wedding later in the year and this is their Acceptance card.

Less is More has Love and Marriage as their theme this time, so my Less is More card is being entered there!  I found the lovely silhouette image on the internet, I'm afraid I didn't take note of the link.  It was more pink (as in less apricot) than this, I changed the hue in Photoshop.  

I added glittery embossing powder, though of course it's hard to see in  the pic, the close up shows it better but as it was taken in low light (which shows glitter up better, I've discovered) it is not accurate for colour. Simon Says Challenge has Glimmer and Sparkle as their theme and Paper Play Challenges has Shine On as theirs, so I'll be entering those challenges too.  I used pink pearl paper, embossing the panel with Cuttlebugs D'vine Swirls folder, Fab'n'funky Challenges has No Patterned Paper as their theme, so I'm entering there.  I used burgundy cardstock for the mats as that is the colour on the invitation.  Gold brads finish it off - told you it was a simple card!

I finished the inside to match the front.  The text on the front is computer generated using Fiolex Girls font, the inside text is computer generated also.I wanted to print the graphic on the top left corner of the inside but didn't want hard edges to the image, so I altered it using Photoshop, I'm quite happy with the result; a seamless blending into the background - and I learned a new technique, which is always a plus :-)  Papertake Weekly has an Anything Goes challenge running, so I'm in!

That's it for today - record "short post" for me, lol.  I'll be back in a few days with a "special" card I've made - until then Happy Crafting, Donna