A Slacker, not a Blogger!

That's what you should call me! Sorry I haven't posted in an age. I'm having a creative hiatus and this, a week before Convention...and me with not a SINGLE swap made. Oh dear!

It doesn't help that I got a new DVD this week. Know what it is? Hmmmmmm? TWILIGHT!!! I'm watching it now...while the kids are pretending to have a nap...you know the sort? The door is shut, but there is banging, singing, a full-on cabaret show going on in there....the only thing I DO know is that there is no sleeping happening. Who am I kidding?

Anyway, I made this card:


I actually started it more than a week ago. It started to uninspire me and it has been sitting about, blocking my mojo ever since. It is a mojo killer! Bad card!!

Now that have that little rant off my chest..here are the ingredients (all from Stampin' Up!):

Cardstock: Ruby Red (Textured), Baja Blue (Textured), Whisper White (Textured) and So Saffron
Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Ink: So Saffron, Baja Blue and Ruby Red Classic ink and Black Stazon
Accessories: Sweet Slumber Specialty Designer Series Paper, Scallop-Edge punch, Baja Blue 5/8 inch ribbon, Vintage brads, Aquapainter, Crystal Effects (painted on with a paint brush), Chit-Chat Rub-ons, SNAIL, Dimensionals and mini glue dots.

Also, I just wanted to ask if any of you knew how to stop slaters easting zucchinis in the garden? I am growing zucchinis, and they look all small and dark green and wonderful, and the next day I come out and there are slaters MAULING the baby zucchinis! My hubby suggested I put out a hammock and stand guard (A FUNNY MAN, NOT!)...any other, more helpful suggestions out there? I really want to taste some home grown zucchini eventually!


Back to Twilight now...the cabaret show must be in intermission...fingers crossed ;-).

Sam.

ANZAC Day 2009

They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

LEST WE FORGET

Not a sketch challenge card...

I was mucking around today, trying to make a card for a sketch challenge...but in the end my card bore very little resemblance to the sketch I was using...DOH! I guess the point is that it got me creating...even if I couldn't follow those few simple instructions ;-).

Here is my card:


Yes, I'm having a bit of a glitter thing right now. And yes, it is all over the house too! Its very pretty ;-).

Ingredients (all from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red (textured), Chocolate Chip (textured) and Very Vanilla
Paper: Candy Lane Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, retired chipboard, Versamark, Heat N' Stick Powder, Heat Tool, Fine Supernova Glitter, Chocolate Chip and Ruby Red Stampin' Write Markers, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, SNAIL adhesive, sticky strip and Dimensionals.

I also wanted to show you a photo of my little man. I found some great FREE Photoshop Actions by Ree Drummond (thepioneerrwoman)...check out her fabulous website here. I can't remember exactly which actions I applied to get this effect, but it certainly incorporates B&W Beauty and Quick Edge Burn.


I am very pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks so much Ree!

Hope you had a great day.
Sam.

PS. If you need a new watermark for your photos, you should check out Karen Giron's fabulous selection here, available for only USD2.00. I'm thinking I might need a change soon too ;-).

PPS. Western NSW girls...we have your red dirt here! It is currently swirling around Canberra in great big gusts (and me with four loads of washing on the line :-(.

The Easter wrap-up...

Ok, so there is no card making going on in this post...just photos from our Easter long weekend.


The Easter baskets that I made got a real WORKOUT! They were up to the challenge though, I am happy to report that there were no basket malfunctions on the day ;-).



I thought I'd made the baskets a tad too large. Some could argue they were not large enough!!!



The adults didn't have to look too far for their Easter dessert...it was expertly hidden in the centre of the table (under a pile of berries).



A good way to work off a few calories...

On Monday dad decided a bushwalk was the order of the day, so we packed a small backpack and off into the Namadgi National Park we headed. We visited Corin Dam first...and then went on the Square Rock walk (well, not ALL of it ;-).


HI HO, HI HO, its off into the bush we go..



Small kid pit stop, and photo op.



The trees are THIS big!



You do know that you should never walk across funny little wooden bridges without checking for trolls first...don't you?

Hope your Easter long weekend was full of fun too.

See you!
Sam.

Cinema Saturday and CHOCOLAT!

This week's Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge (CSCC) movie is Chocolat! YUMMY...this is my kinda movie, what's not to love...it has chocolate AND Johnny Depp ;-).


Sankari, one of the fabulous creative talents behind CSCC, has also suggested incorporating this sketch:



I was greatly assisted by the piles of chocolate residing in my home this past long weekend, and this is the card that I made:


Ingredients (all from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red (textured and plain), Chocolate Chip (textured and plain), Pink Pirouette and Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip and Close to Cocoa Classic Ink
Stamps: Sweet Chocolate by My Cute Stamps
Accessories: Candy Lane Designer Series Paper, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, large oval punch, wide oval punch, 1 1/4 inch square punch, 1 3/8 inch square punch, Versamark, clear embossing powder, heat gun, SNAIL adhesive, mini glue dots and dimensionals.

In case you can't see, I have embossed all three choccies with clear embossing powder...to make them look more sumptuous!


Thanks for dropping by today!
Sam.

PS. If you made a donation to the Splitcoaststampers Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009, thanks heaps! The non-raffle has been finalised, and you can see how much was raised here.

PPS. Speaking of chocolately goodness...check out these choc yummies hubby brought back from Harrods for us:






Only problem is the kids and I can't bring ourselves to eat them...they look too cute!

Kristina's Color Inspiration Challenge #49

When I first saw Kristina's colours this week, I didn't think I was up to the challenge:


But after a successful Easter Egg Hunt yesterday I was feeling pretty much up to ANYTHING! ;-).

I pulled out the colours last night...and put together the base while I was watching Bones (it'll be a NEW episode next week...YAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!). I couldn't work out what the main image or sentiment was going to be though so I went to bed a bit disheartened. When I got up this morning I decided on chipboard and glitter...and this is what I came up with:


Ingredients (all from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Cardstock: Basic Black (textured), Whisper White (textured), Kiwi Kiss and Rose Red
Ink: Rose Red and Pacific Point Classic Ink
Accessories: Patterns Designer Series Paper in Pacific Point and Kiwi Kiss, Fine Supernova Stampin' Glitter in Pink and Aqua, Chipboard (retired), Pigtails Ribbon Originals, Chit Chat Rub-ons, Crimper, Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive, Dimensionals and SNAIL adhesive.

Thanks for looking. Gotta run now, we are going for a bushwalk!

Sam.

Beautiful Moon...

No cards...but check out the full moon that has just risen above Fadden Hills in the Tuggeranong Valley!




I could see all sorts of topography on the moon with the 300 mm lens, but you can't see it in these shots :-(. It was so beautiful.

While I was outside doing this, Mr almost-3 got into my camera bag and has put his lovely little finger prints on the glass at BOTH ends of TWO lenses (he even removed the filters). I just about had a heart attack! Guess who will be visiting a camera store tomorrow for lens cleaning fluid and cloths...UGH.

Going off to howl for a while now ;-).
Sam.

It's Raining Easter Baskets....

...well, it looks like it is about to rain here, and we sure are inundated with Easter baskets!

As if it were not enough that Miss 5 had made one at Preschool, and another at Daycare this week....I've just finished a bunch for her and some friends to have on Sunday when we have an Easter BBQ and egg hunt at our place. You can never have enough Easter baskets I say!


I used the backing cardboard sheet that comes with each pack of Designer Series Paper (DSP) as the base of the Easter basket, scoring it at 4 inch intervals along the horizontal and vertical. With a few 4 inch incisions, this folds into a 4 x 4 inch square box without a lid. I have stuck it together using a liberal quantity of Sticky Strip....because we all know it is going to see some SERIOUS chocolate egg-hunting action on Sunday.

I have adhered 4 inch-square pieces of Sweet Always DSP onto opposite sides of the box, and trimmed the top with a 1.5 inch strip of a coordinating design, also from the Sweet Always DSP pack. The handle is a 1 inch wide strip of textured Chocolate Chip cardstock, which has been stuck down at each end using SNAIL adhesive, then firmly secured using a Pewter Jumbo eyelet. This baby is not coming off! It will need to be ripped apart!!! ;-).


I have made name labels for each child's basket using a rectangular piece of retired Chipboard, covered in Sweet Always DSP and sanded back. The name has been applied using Rub-ons, and then attached to the basket with a piece of Grosgrain ribbon, through another jumbo eyelet. The label is also decorated with various other coordinating Grosgrain ribbons in Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink and Pumpkin Pie.


On the other side of the basket I have placed a punch art rabbit. I got the idea for this rabbit from a fellow Aussie Stampin' Up! demo, Liam. Thanks so much for the lovely idea Liam!

I have used Regal Rose and Pink Pirouette cardstock for my wabbit, not to mention a whole host of punches including: small and large oval, 1 1/4 inch circle, scallop circle and 1/4 inch circle. His eyes are googly eyes that I got from the local craft shop, and I have adhered him to the basket using dimensionals.

That's pretty much it! They have taken a while, but they look so cute! Hope the kids enjoy using them.

Hope you all have a lovely Easter long weekend, if you are celebrating this weekend.

Best wishes,
Sam.

Sweet Always

I started playing with my new catalogue goodies yesterday...and the first thing I was drawn to is all the pretty, pretty papers. I was doing my best Golum impersonation in fact ;-).

...and this is what I made:


Ingredients (all from Stampin' Up!):

Stamps: Wow Flowers
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie and Pretty in Pink
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Sweet Always DSP, Crimper, Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, 1 1/4 inch circle punch, 1 inch circle punch, Supernova Glitter, Pigtails Ribbon Originals, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, Crystal Effects, paper piercer, SNAIL adhesive and Dimensionals.

While I was outside taking pictures of the card this afternoon, I couldn't resist taking a snap of the magnificent day either...you can see the trees are starting to loose their leaves here:


Hope your day was great!
Sam.

Catch a Falling Star...

...and put it in your pocket :-).

I got the lovely stamp 'Catch a Falling Star' by Leanne Ellis from the Sugar Nellie Stamps shop online.

This is the card I made with it yesterday:


The base card is 6 x 6 inches (again...I have a thing for big squares just now ;-). The little 'sticks' poking out from under the main image layer were an accident...I had trimmed bits lying about and they got caught up behind the main image, and then I thought they kinda looked cool, so I added more...et voila! There is Crystal Effects on the red flower in her hair, on the dots on her skirt and on the star.

I am going to put a sentiment in the bottom left hand corner of the Whisper White layer...but didn't get around to it before snapping these shots. I'll use a Stampin' Up! rub-on because these are the BEST. Have I mentioned that before...Hmmmmm?

Ingredients (all from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamps: Catch a Falling Star (Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie Stamps)
Cardstock: Night of Navy (textured), Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun and Whisper White
Ink: various Copic Markers
Accessories: Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Crystal Effects, SNAIL and Dimensionals.

While I was outside taking snaps the kids were hovering about going 'take one of me Mum, take one of me'...so I did:




Mr Almost-three is far too quick for me...this shot was out of focus on the left hand side...so I just cropped it out!

And another fabulous Autumn day draws to a close...

See ya!
Sam.

What I made on the weekend...

I bought some more gorgeous glass lampwork beads from Etsy recently. They are from Tera Belinsky-Yoder (beadygirlbeads) at The Torch Porch (such a cool name). On the weekend, this is what I made with her beads:


So...the focal beads are glass lampwork, the crystals are Swarovksi in Olivine and clear, and the other beads and findings are all Sterling Silver.

I lost track of how many attempts it took me to photograph this bracelet. I had terrible issues with depth of field and reflections from the beads. This photo is ok...just ;-).

Thanks for dropping by. I hope your Monday is as lovely as it is here in Canberra today. Perfect temperature, clear skies...and the kids are playing happily together out the back :-).

Banksia - Bloom Away

I made this card for a Stampin' Up! Demo friend who is just the best....thanks again Di :-):


The base card measures 6 x 6 inches square. I know you can't see it in this photo, but I have brushed Crystal Effects onto the Banksia flower using a small paint brush.

Ingredients (all available from Stampin' Up!):

Stamps: Bloom Away, Sanded and Sincere Salutations;
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip (textured), Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, Kiwi Kiss and Kraft;
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke and Summer Sun;
Accessories: 5/8 inch and 1/4 inch chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, watercolour paper, Stazon ink, aquapainter, crystal effects, mini glue dots, sticky strip, SNAIL, dimensionals, Stampin' sponges and Crimper.

Ok, gonna go back to Bones now...have a good one!

Sam.

Bizzy Bec's Lilly

Hey there Stampers!

I have a little card to show you that I have made using Bizzy Bec's lovely Lilly stamp:


Ingredients used:

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip and Tangerine Tango, Light Brown cardstock supplied by Bizzy Bec's;
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, So Saffron and Blush Blossom Classic Inks and Black Stazon;
Stamps: Lilly by Bizzy Bec's and En Francais by Stampin' Up!;
Accessories: Designer paper and paper flowers supplied by Bizzy Bec's, Chocolate Chip 5/8 inch grosgrain ribbon, Linen thread and Button Latte by Stampin' Up!, SNAIL adhesive, dimensionals, mini glue dots, watercolour paper and aquapainter.

Thanks for dropping by!
Sam.