Another Male Birthday Card

There are lots of birthdays in my family at the moment. This card is for my uncle. I have again tried to include a few challenges.

Penny Black - Sketch

Pink Elephant - Plaids, Brads, No Ribbon

Stamp With Us - Recipe: 2Patterned Papers, 3 Brads, 1 Stamp

I used SU DP from the mini catalogue that ends this month, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Bashful Blue and Whisper White card from SU. I do love these colours together. My 1 stamp is a Penny Black image and the sentiment is a sticker from Big W. Instead of ribbon I used some hemp twine and three silver brads from my stash. I added some crystal effects to the water to give it a wet and shiny look. It has ended up being a fairly clean and simple card...no pretty flowers, lace, ribbons etc. I have one more male card to make before I can get back onto the more feminine styles!

A Card for Beau

My cousin Beau is in year seven and it was his birthday a week or so ago, I am a little late with his card, but better late than ever I say! I always really struggle with male teenage cards and this one was no different. But I am having fun entering many challenges at the moment and I have entered this card in the following four challenges:

Tuesday Morning Sketches - Sketch

Crazy 4 Challenges - Punch Happy (I have used my tag punch)

Cute Card Thursday - Snips, Snails and Puppydog Tails

The Play Date Cafe - Colour Challenge - Dark Green, Light Blue, Orange and Sea Green

For my card I used Not Quite Navy and Bashful Blue SU card stock. I used some Magnolia DP and some strips of Kimberly Poloson's DP. The puppy dog is a Penny Black stamp cut out with a Nestabilities circle, the Happy Birthday tag stamp is SU (now retired) and the buttons came from spotlight. I like how the buttons are all the same shade of orange, but different sizes. I colured the puppy in with SU markers, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive and Mellow Moss. I added some Hemp Twine to give it a boyish feel. To be honest I am not in love with the card, but then I never really like the boy ones!

I went to the launch of the new SU mini catalogue today at Lucinda's house. I have ordered some new things to play with. I feel like I have lots of things to make at the moment...so I guess I better get a start on them.

Thanks for visiting today.

A Christmas/Thank you card

This card is for my beautician who is leaving the industry and going back to uni. She has been looking after me for about four years and I do like to spoil her from time to time. This card is going with a box of chocolates to say "Merry Christmas" and "Thank you".

I am entering this card in the 8 challenges listed below:

MDUC - Christmas
Papertake Weekly - Christmas Crackers
Creative Card Crew - Favourite things (I love the glass baubles for the tree)
Charisma Cardz - Anything Christmas
Colour Create - Green, Red and White
Stamp Something - Thank you
Creatalicious - Christmas Challenge
Just Magnolia - Sketch

The green DP is from the Kimberly Poloson range - "Nature's Flora". The other card stock is SU Real Red, Old Olive and Whisper White. I used the Cuttlebug to emboss the white and green strips underneath the main image. I added lace, pearls, leaves and flowers. I coloured in with SU markers and I used Heat and Stick powder and Dazzling Diamond glitter on the bauble. I coloured her hair with Close to Cocoa and Chcocolate Chip. The card looks much nicer in real life. I hope she likes it! Thanks for visiting.

Sketch and Stash Card

After a busy Tuesday I am here posting a card....Its is a birthday card for my Auntie Mary who lives in Coffs Harbour NSW. She is a special Auntie to me because she often comes and visits me on the Gold Coast so I wanted to make her a special card.

I followed the Sketch from Sketch and Stash Challenge this fortnight. I really enjoyed the sketch. My new stash is the gorgeous SU DP, the lace, flowers and oval punch. The neglected stash is the blue ribbon and the SU stamp set (window, cat and vases of flowers).

I also decorated the inside of the card very simply. The main colours I used for the card are Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa, and White. Thanks for popping over and visiting my blog.

A beautiful gift...

Yesterday I received this beautiful gift from my teaching friends at school...and there is a long story behind it....

Ben and I have made the decision to move to Tamworth. We both grew up there and our families live there so after 12 years of living away we are moving back in January. We have both resigned from our jobs on the Gold Coast. I have resigned from my teaching job and Ben has resigned from his Finance job.

This was obviously a big decision for us to make but we do feel like it is the right thing to do at this time. For those of you who have never heard of Tamworth you can see a few pics here. Basically it is in North West NSW. It gets very hot and pretty cold! It is a regional centre, but we will be living out of town. It will be nice to get out of the city and slow things down a little bit.

Yesterday we had plans to go to Jo and Adam's house for an early dinner, but when we arrived it turned out to be a surprise Farewell party! I was so shocked, I was shaking! Both of us did not have the slightest suspician about the party. We had rocked up in casual shorts and t-shirts ready for a relaxing evening. Many teachers from work were there. It was a lovely night. I felt many emotions, and have still been trying to sort them all out today. I am still blown away that they organised such a wonderful night for Ben and I. It was very kind and thoughtful.

Amanda and Lucinda organised this gift for me. It is truely beautiful and captures five years of memories at our school. A lovely keepsake that I just had to share with you...and some big news!

The reason I haven't posted anything for 10 days on my blog is due to my dreaded reports. I finished them yesterday thank goodness. We have two weeks left now of school. Lots and lots and lots to do. It doesnt seem to ever end. But it will and everything will get done.

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Enjoy whats left of your Sunday...

A Card for Sam

This card is for my brother-in-law Sam. It is his birthday today. I am entering this card in two challenges:

Creative Card Crew - Strings Attached (Where you have to use hemp, twine or string)

and

Crafty Creations - Metal or Metallic Finishes (Where you have to use something metal)

Because Sam is a mechanic and a farmer and he loves fixing things I thought these tool embellishments would be perfect. I found them at Spotlight yesterday when I went in for one thing and ended up coming out with a bag of goodies $110 later!

And finally a card...

I have been working on this card for a couple of days...little snippets of time here and there and I wanted to post it last night, but didn't make it so here it is tonight.

I have been trying to "multi-challenge" so this card is for the following challenges...

Kellie's MDUC - Yummy for your Tummy

Flutter By Wednesday - Scene

Just Magnolia - Distressing

Well that's three challenges - pretty good for me! I sometimes have trouble getting my head around multi-challenge cards!

Now I thought I might tell you about my card! The base card colour is SU Mellow Moss and the deeper purple paper is from the Kaiser Craft Lilac Avenue Collection. The Blue Berry paper and the spotted mauve paper used for the floor is from Kellie's Magnolia store as is the kitchen cupboards. Tilda is from a blog giveaway on Kellie's blog I was lucky to win a few months back now.

I distresesed averything I could! I coloured with SU markers Creamy caramel, Close to Cocoa, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss,Lovely Lilac, Summer Sun, Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery.

My card is for my teaching partner I had when we were living in Newcastle. Her name is Cath and I learnt so much from her. She is a good friend, and although we dont talk or see each other that often she has a special place in my heart. I hope she likes the card.

Friday tomorrow and then the weekend. Busy times for me at the moment (how unusual!). Three more weeks left of school - I can hardly believe it! Lots to do and then holidays. Should be good.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Take care.

A Lovely Award

I have been spoilt by two lovely blogging buddies;

Fran from Raiding the Scrapping Stash and

Jeannie from Dragonfly Journeys.

Both these ladies make the most amazing cards. I thank them very much for this award. Pop on over to their blogs for some inspiration!

I have to answer these questions in one word...here I go...


1. Where is your cell phone? bedside table
2. Your hair? washed
3. Your mother? home
4. Your father? home
5. Your favorite food? salad
6. Your dream last night? awful
7. Your favorite drink? hot chocolate
8. Your dream/goal? family
9. What room are you in? card-making
10. Your hobby? cards
11. Your fear? none
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? country
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren't? nasty
15. Muffins? yum
16. Wish list item? house
17. Where did you grow up? Duri
18. Last thing you did? Marking
19. What are you wearing? pyjamas
20. Your TV? off
21. Your Pets? Honey
22. Friends? the best
23. Your life? busy
24. Your mood? positive
25. Missing Someone? yes
26. vehicle? Ford Focus
27. Something you're not wearing? gloves
28. Your favorite store? Portmans
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? today
32. Your best friend? Ben and Alli
33. One place that I go to over and over? school
34. Facebook? Yes
35. Favorite place to eat? Ioesco

The 5 people I would like to pass this onto are:

Amanda - Blop Blop Blogger
Lucinda - Stampin' With Lucinda
Annette - My Pommie Purple Patch
Linda - Linda's Craft Creations
Loz - My Free Time Filler

I am hoping to start a card tonight...but by the time I hop around and visit everyone it might be time for bed. Have a lovely evening.

A Doodling Recipe...

This card is for my cousin Danika. I wanted it to be a bit funky and different. I had this image stamped when I was card-making with Amanda and Lucinda and was waiting (all coloured in) to be used one day. I thought this would be the perfect image for my "funky" card.

I chose bright colours to go with how the image was coloured.

I am entering this card in two challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Doodling

Lili of the Valley - A Recipe: 3 Papers, 2 Stamps and 1 Embellishment.

I spent quite a bit of time yesterday and today giving my blog a fresh new look. (Thanks for noticing Carol). Perfect for coming into Summer I think. The weather has been lovely lately and we are hoping for some more rain tonight. I love it when it rains at night-time. Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Celebrate with Ribbons and Gems

Hi everyone,

I can't believe it has been a week since my last post! Time is flying! I have been tutoring most afternoons after school and going to bed early every night so I haven't had time to get on and post many cards. I did make this card during the week for my friend and Assistant Principal at school Emma. She is such a lovely lady and so generous. She loves chocolate so I bought her the biggest box of Lindt chocolates I could find and wrapped them in shiny pink paper with silver ribbon. I made the card to match the colours of the paper.

I am entering this card in two challenges:

Crafty-Anne's New Challenge Blog - Celebrate

Creative Card Crew - Ribbons and Gems

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

A Kitchen/Cooking Card

Two posts from me today! Unusual..I know...but this can make up for my lack of posting during the week. This card is for my Nan's birthday which is on the 3rd of November. Can you believe we are in November! Not long till Santa comes now!

I am entering this card in A Spoon Full of Sugar's Kitchen/Cooking Challenge. This card is set in the kitchen - note the Magnolia Kitchen cupboards with jars. This stamp I bought from Kellie's store along with the Magnolia DPs. I also used my Magnolia Background stamp with the sun and the clouds.

The little girl is from the SU set "A Kind Word". I loved this stamp when I bought it and have hardly used it much. The colours I focused on were Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue, Baroque Blue, Ballet Blue, Lavender Lace, Pale Plum, Orchid Opulance, Pretty in Pink and Green Galore.

I bought my Nan some crossword books, blue eyeshadow and hand cream to send down to her. I hope she enjoys her little birthday package. I am heading upstairs now, I might try and make some lunch box treats for this week before starting dinner. I hope you had a lovely weekend and thanks for visiting.

Happy Birthday

This card is for the Sketch and Stash Challenge and my for my Uncle John for his Birthday. I wanted to use bright colours, because he lives in tropical Queensland and loves wearing bright-coloured boardies and thongs. I coloured with my SU markers, ink pads and aqua painter. I added crystal effects and dazzling diamond glitter. I used the colours Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and Summer Sun. I haven't entered a Sketch and Stash challenge for ages, my stash is all neglected...nothing new and exciting on this card. But I do love these Pink Flamingo SU DPs. Thanks for visiting.