The Wheel Thing

If you've read my previous post, you'll know about this card. If not, I'll tell you all about it anyway. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm always up for a chat!

Another problem I had with the flower card on the previous post, is when I rang my hostess to get a head count for the workshop, I realised I didn't have enough CTC cardstock for everyone! Dang it, another thing to add to my ever growing list of card to get and another reason to come up with another design!

I have plenty of C/Chip so I went with that and wheeled the Scatter Sunshine inked in C/Chip Classic ink across the card twice. As this is a jumbo wheel, it covered the whole card front. I also used my much neglected wheel guide, an absolute necessity for me, I'm so hopeless at getting things straight! I then randomly stamped the 2 solid flowers in C/Caribbean and overstamped the matching dotted image using C/Chip ink and the SAMJ to line them up. I stamped the sentiment and realised I didn't like the big gap I'd left under it, so I masked it off and added another flower. This gave me the idea of adding the extra line of faux stiching! Added some cream organdy ribbon and attached to the card base. I think this is really pretty too, I'm really getting into this Vanilla groove, so you'll see some more projects using this colour in the future.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Simply Said, Scatter Sunshine Jumbo wheel

Ink: Cool Caribbean, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip marker (thin end)

Cardstock: Cool Caribbean, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Jumbo Handle, SAMJ, Wheel Guide, Paper Piercer & Template, sponges, Cream organdy ribbon.

I Love Chocolate!

Well, I do and I also love the SU colours of Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Cool Caribbean! I'm also becoming fond of Very Vanilla too!

Here are a couple of cards I created using these colours.

I had a recent workshop where my hostess requested a Stampin' Around Wheel project. We decided upon Simply Said and the matching wheel, Scatter Sunshine. This is what I came up with! It's pretty much a CASE of this card by Sharon. I stamped the dotted flower image 3 times on V/Vanilla using C/Chip Classic ink. I then coloured the flowers with C/Caribbean with my blender pens. I was very pleased to find that the ink did NOT run when using the blender pen to colour the flowers. I stamped Happy Birthday (from It's Your Birthday) in C/Caribbean and used my SAMJ to make sure I got it straight. I then created some Faux Stitching around the edge using the paper piercing template and piercer and the Chocolate Chip Marker (the thin end). I sponged some C/Chip ink on the edges as a finishing touch.

The vanilla panel was then mounted onto a piece of C/Chip and then mounted onto a piece of C/Caribbean that was distressed using the fabulous distressing tool that's part of the Cutter Kit. The whole lot is mounted onto the CTC card that was randomly stamped with the tiny flower (stamped in CTC ink) using dimensionals.

I was so happy with the final result, it looked so pretty, however I hadn't used the wheel anywhere, DOH. So I had to start again. I think I'll show what I finally came up with in a new post as this is getting a bit long!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Simply Said, It's Your Birthday

Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean, Very Vanilla

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean

Accessories: Paper Piercer & template, SAMJ, blender pen, distressing tool, dimensionals

I'm Back..

Well, I've been back for a while but I've feed Harrison and changed him etc, etc. He's not happy at the moment because he's supposed to be napping and he's wanting to get up. Never mind, he'll eventally fall asleep cause he's really tired. (Update - he's now up and about playing with his blocks and the dump truck they came in - block all over the floor, lol)

As I mentioned earlier, this is the Thank You card that I made to send out after Harrison's birth. I had around 50 of these suckers to make so I wanted something quick & easy. I attached a photo of Harrison to the inside using the 2-Way Glue Pen as a repositionable adhesive so the photo could be removed without destroying the card.

The image is from The Cats Pajamas Rubber Stamps and was inked with Night of Navy and stamped 3 times without reinking. The sentiment is by Stampa Rosa. How bad is it that I can't remember how I came to own this stamp, LOL! Does that mean I have too much stuff??? I'm not sure I've even used it before this card!

I did try adding some ribbon but it just looked like someone had plonked some ribbon in the middle of the card, um... that's because that's what I'd done...so I took it off. It looked better without it!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Rocking Horse (The Cat's Pajamas Rubber Stamps), Thank You (Stampa Rosa)

Ink: Night of Navy Classic Ink

Cardstock: Non SU White

For Mandi....

Sorry it took me longer than I said to post these. Unfortunately I only have 1 spot in the house where there is enough light to take photos and it wasn't light enough till today! This is the invitation I made for Harrison's upcoming Christening. Bear in mind I only made 12 of these!



This is a gate fold card that started as a piece of A4 Night of Navy cardstock. I scored at 2-1/16" in from each of the long sides. I then cut it in half (through the short side) to give me a A5 card. There is a tiny overlap at the middle but that was as accurate as I could get it as this silly trimmer only has imperial increments.

I ran a piece of W/White cardstock through my Cuttlebug using the Textile plate and then dragged the Night of Navy classic pad over the top to give it a slightly 'shabby chic' look. I then trimmed them down and layered onto a piece of Going Grey cardstock. I really like this colour - at first glance it looks silver! I then layered onto each side of the panels. I then made a slit along the fold line and threaded some silver organdy ribbon through and tied it in a bow to keep it closed.

I printed all the invitation details onto SU Vellum Cardstock using MS Publisher 2003, printing 4 copies on the one page. They ended up being nice & evenly spaced and made it a snap to trim them up. (They are trimmed to a little under A6 size). The vellum is layered onto a piece of el' cheapo' white card, attached using silver star brads. The white & vellum was then layered onto a piece of Going Grey (A6 size) and then attached to the base of the card.

I've got to go out now so I'll post the Thank You card later.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: None (LOL)
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Going Grey, Whisper White, Vellum Cardstock, other White Cardstock
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Silver Organdy Ribbon, Silver Star brads (source unknown)

Since It's A Holiday Tomorrow

I figure I can stay up a bit later and post another card I made. See, I told you, I have been making stuff, just haven't gotten around to posting any of it!


This is a card I made for a little boy in Harrison's playgroup. He is the first one in the group to have his first birthday - a very exciting time for all of us.

I was very pleased to see that Wild About You made it into our 07/08 IB&C. It is just the greatest set for kids cards. I also stepped out of my comfort zone and used some patterned paper. I often don't like the results when I use PP, but this time I think I did good, LOL.

So, down to the details. I stamped Charlie the croc (I think he looks like a Charlie, so that's my name for him) in Old Olive and grounded him using a faux A Muse Oval. I haven't seen any A Muse stamps stocked here and with the changes in postage rates from the US to Australia, buying one has now dropped a little further down the list. How did I make this faux oval I hear you ask, well it was easy.

The A Muse site gave the dimensions of the stamp, so I opend my MS Word program and picked the drawing tool and made a circle. I changed the dimensions to those of the A Muse oval and then printed it out. I trimmed down the oval, cut out the centre, applied some 2-way glue and set it aside to dry. When it dries, it becomes a repositionable adhesive, how cool is that. I then made a mask for Charlie, by stamping him on a Post It and cutting him out. I then placed the cut out Charlie over the stamped Charlie and then positioned the oval at his feet, and then sponged Going Grey in the oval and voila - a faux A Muse oval. Here's a helpful hint, DON'T throw your masks away, just store them in the case of the matching stamp set and you're good to go for next time!

I then matted Charlie with some burgandy card from my stash that I'm pretty sure I picked up from Fern Gully Stamps. I have no idea who makes it but it was a perfect match to the PP which is Hang Ten from the North Shore line by Scenic Route. It's a double sided paper so the dots were on one side and the diagonal strips are on the other. The card base is Night of Navy and I've placed some SU Navy grosgrain over the join in the paper! The HB sentiment is from the Paper Tray set. It was stamped in Versa Mark and embossed with White EP. I usually use the W/White craft ink but because it is SO moist it doesn't alway emboss the best, especially with fine sentiments. I think the results using Versamark ink have turned out a little better. The 1st was made using Thickers. These are self-adhesive chipboard letters by American Crafts. I have used them before and they were so cool, I just had to get me some! I was really pleased with how it turned out.

Supplies Used: (SU! unless otherwise noted)

Stamps: Wild About You, Paper Tray (PaperTrey Ink)

Cardstock: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Burgandy (unknown)

Ink: Old Olive and Going Grey Classic Ink, Versamark

Accessories: Dimensionals, Navy Grosgrain Ribbon, 2-Way Glue, Paper Snips, White Detail EP, Post It Note, Computer, Thickers by American Crafts

As Promised.....

OK, here it is, as promised, something that is actually creative!


Now, I'm the first to admit, I should have uploaded this a little earlier than now, but this is the card I made for Jarrod for Valentine's Day. It uses the stamp that go me hooked on SU! - the wonderful (now retired) Soft Swirls.

The Soft Swirls are stamped on Ruby Red cardstock using Ruby ink. The little bear is Bear Heart - Melanie (2230D) from Stamp-It. She actually holds a heart but I thought she'd look cute peering over the sentiment, so I trimmed her down. The sentiment is by Katie & Co and is stamped on W/White using B/Black ink. The heart is coloured with Ruby ink using a blender pen. I'm pretty sure I used my 1" RD punch to round the edges. I did this by trimming down the W/White and then pushing it through the bottom of the punch. I used my 1/8 punch to punch the holes in either end and threaded white narrow organdy through and tied a bow to finish off. The sentiment panel and Melanie are raised up on dimensionals and the edges of the card are sponged with Ruby. Oh, I forgot to mention I coloured Melanie using the Gamsol technique - using my Derwent pencils, paper stumps and Art Spectrum Odourless Solvent since I haven't been able to source Gamsol here in Australia. I found the odourless solvent at Riot.

Supplies Used: Stampin' Up! unless noted
Stamps: Soft Swirls (retired), Bear Hear - Melanie (Stamp-It), Happy Valentines Day (Katie & Co)
Cardstock: Ruby Red, Whisper White
Ink: Ruby Red, Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: White Narrow Organdy Ribbon, 1/8" RD punch, blender pen, dimensionals, stampin' sponges, Derwent pencils (had forever), 1" RD punch (EK Success), paper stumps, odourless solvent (Art Spectrum)

It's Been A While - Life's Been Interrupting

Yowzers, it's been ages since I last posted something. It's that long ago, I can't even remember if it was something creative or not. Oh, hang on a minute, it's coming back to me....it was a birthday card for my partner's little brother's birthday!

I have managed to do something creative in the meantime, however pictures are still to be downloaded from the camera......it's on the 'TO DO' list, along with a million other things.

So what would be on that very long list:
*download photos taken of project I have made
*upload here
*make & send out invitations for Harrison's Christening, to be held next month
*find a new job!!!

I guess most of you know that I'm currently on maternity leave. I was planning to go back to work in July, starting back a couple of days a week and slowly getting back into full time work. I had it all worked out in my head - was going to all slot back into place really well - as it does when it's in your head, LOL. Unfortunately, it looks like I don't actually have a job to go back to! Business has been a bit slow in the Machine Tool industry and there's no work for me (insert sad face). There is the possibility of part time but definitely no full time work.

It's a bit of a bummer. I've gotten myself all psyched up to go back to work, cause I'd much rather be a S.A.H.M. but the equation goes like this:
another baby = bigger house (actually we need a bigger house regardless)
bigger house = way more money than we have now
way more money = me going back to work so my SU! is really thick icing on the cake!

So tonight I've attempted to re-do my resume. I've been at my current job since '97 and boy is it hard to remember what it was I did before then! How exciting is my Saturday night!

Well, it's almost midnight, so I'm going to say 'So long, farewell, auf weidersen, goodnight' and I promise to upload something purty in the next few days.