Elliot Elf gets stuck...

...up a chimney! I am sorry if you are over Elliot Elf by now, but I'm having fun with him. I seem to be spending at least part of each night where I can't sleep (almost 31 weeks now and the belly is getting, well, you know, BIG) thinking about what Elliot can get up to next. I have another one on the back burner...not sure about it yet though....we'll see.

Anyway, this is Elliot stuck up a chimney. Easier to do than the others because I didn't have to work out his arms juggling presents...that's the hardest part of Elliot IMO.

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Real Red, Chocolate Chip (plain and textured), Basic Black, Close to Cocoa, Glossy White, Shimmery White, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Blush Blossom and Brushed Gold (all SU)
Ink: Real Red, Blush Blossom and Kiwi Kiss Classic Inks and Whisper White Craft Ink
Stamps: Merry, Merry (retired SU)
Punches: 1 3/8" Circle, Two-Step owl, Word Window, Curly Label, Boho Blossoms, 1/ 1/4" Square, Eyelet Border, 5-Petal Flower and Small Star (retired) (all SU)
Accessories: Woodgrain Emboss Folder (Craft Concepts), Dashing DSP (retired SU), White Gel Pen (Misc), Gold Cord (retired SU), Real Red Brads (SU), Dazzling Diamonds (SU), Crystal Effects (SU), Basic Black Marker (SU), Stampin' Sponges (SU), Real Red Stampin' Pastel, Basic Black Stampin' Pastel, Sticky Strip (SU), Dimensionals (SU) and Tombow Adhesive (Penwa).

Once again, the instructions for making this cute little elf can be found on Marie Shaughnessy's blog here.

Thanks again for all the lovely comments on my other Elliot cards. Your time and feedback is always really, really appreciated :-).

Well, its gonna be hot here today...only 27 degrees celcius, but my body seems to be adding 5 - 10 degrees...so I'm going to be doing my best to not do much!

Hope your day is a good one.

(Blogged to Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals, Bust a Move - Young MC and Tik Tok - Ke$ha).

Elliot Elf at the North Pole

I had so much fun making the last Elf scene I thought I'd make another one. I am pretty happy with how it turned out, except for the back of Santa's sleigh...its looking a bit too 2D for me. But as it IS only 2D...I guess that's not such a biggie ;-).

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Real Red, Brushed Gold, Whisper White, Shimmery White, Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom and Chocolate Chip (all SU)
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom, Night of Navy and Real Red Classic Inks (all SU)
Stamps: Merry, Merry (retired SU) and Evolution Magnetic Alphabet (Making Memories)
Punches: 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, Two-Step owl, Oval Extra Large, Oval Medium, Word Window, Butterfly, Curly Label, Boho Blossoms, Paper Piecing (retired), 1/ 1/4" Square, Eyelet Border, 5-Petal Flower, Small Star (retired) and Scallop Oval (all SU)
Accessories: Ski Slope DSP (retired SU), Brayer (SU), Crystal Effects (SU), Dazzling Diamonds (SU), White Gel Pen (Misc), Real Red Stampin' Pastels (SU), Dimensionals (SU) and Tombow Mono Adhesive (Penwa).

The 'snow' is shimmery white cardstock, the night sky has been brayered in (with a combination of Baja Breeze and Night of Navy Classic Ink), the moon was masked out with the 1 1/4" Circle, and those little blobs of Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds in the sky are supposed to be stars...I am thinking I could have found something better to make stars (maybe next time ;-).

Again, thanks must go to Marie Shaughnessy for her terrific elf-making inspiration and instructions, which you can find here.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend,

(Blogged to: Let it Snow, Let it Snow - Michael Buble and Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall).

Just Add a Christmas Elf...

I have to say right up front....I didn't read the instructions for the Just Add Ink #43 Challenge - Just Add Christmas very carefully at all! I made this card (that I am about to show you) yesterday, and then last night when I was browsing the Just Add Ink homepage I noticed that they say ' we can't wait to see what fantastic designs you are mass producing'. Can I just say here and now....neither THIS card, nor the one I posted the day before yesterday...will be mass produced. I don't have that many years left in me ;-). Sorry for not reading the instructions fully girls!

The next thing that I need to say is that I owe a vote of thanks firstly to Ros Davidson for the inspiration for this card. When I saw her creation here, I knew I had to CASE the elf design, and as Ros mentions in her post, thanks must also go to the fabulous Marie Shaughnessy for the design and full instructions for making the elf, which you can find here. While you are visiting, check out the rest of Marie's awesome punch art here, the girl is absolutely amazing! I have saved many of them to my TO BE CASED folder! Thanks so much for the inspiration Ros and Marie!

Now for my card...and yes, this one took an age to make and was incredibly fiddly, but I love the end result so much I don't care! Giving it away is going to be the hardest part...

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Real Red (Textured and Plain), Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom, Basic Black and Brushed Gold (all SU)
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink, Old Olive Classic Ink and Blush Blossom Classic Ink (all SU)
Stamps: Merry & Bright (PTI)
Punches: 1 3/8" Circle, Two-Step owl, Oval Extra Large, Oval Medium, Word Window, Butterfly, Curly Label, Boho Blossoms, Paper Piecing (retired), 1/ 1/4" Square, Eyelet Border, 5-Petal Flower, Small Star (retired) and Scallop Oval (all SU)
Accessories: Dashing DSP (retired SU), White Gel Pen (Misc), Gold Cord (retired SU), Real Red Brads (SU), White Liquid Applique, Dazzling Diamonds (SU), Crystal Effects (SU), Basic Black Marker (SU), Stampin' Sponges (SU), Sticky Strip (SU), Mini Glue Dots (SU) and Tombow Mono Adhesive (Penwa).

Marie's design called for the Ornament punch for the head...which I don't own, so I used the 1 3/8" Circle instead. Marie also used the Modern label punch for the elfs pants, but I don't have that either, so I used the retired Paper Piecing punch. I also used the Boho Blossoms for the his hands, instead of the small circle punch like Marie did. I used the medium and large circles from the Two-Step Owl punch for his eyes and nose.

I love that you can almost always find another punch to give a similar effect if you don't have the exact punch that someone else has used...this said, I MUST get myself a Modern label punch soon. I think I NEED it!

I will also add that you can't see the Liquid Applique on my elf anymore. I put it on his hat and pompom, but I think my tube had been open for too long (two years) because it never went puffy, it just dried smooth like gloss paint. So I added Crystal Effects over the top and sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds over that. Problem fixed!

Well, that's about it I think. Like I said, this one took forever, but I love his adorable little face so much! I've forgotten to blush up his cheeks...but you get that!

Have a great day everyone, and thanks so much for stopping by at my blog.

(Blogged to: Jingle Bells - Diana Krall and Happy Holiday - Bing Crosby).

Just Add Christmas

Over at Just Add Ink this week, it is time for challenge #43, and the challenge is to Just Add Christmas. Not such a hard challenge at this time of year!

My colours are a bit out of left-field for this project, but I am happy with the overall effect:

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Poppy Parade, Whisper White and Peach Parfait (all SU)
Ink: Poppy Parade Classic Ink (SU)
Stamps: Trees With Trimmings (PTI)
Accessories: Sugar Plum 8x8 Patterned Paper (PTI), Mistletoe Ribbon Originals (SU), Stocking Prints Die (PTI), Orchid Fine Cosmo Stampin' Glitter (SU), Violet Pure Wool Felt (Felt on the Fly), Red Glass Seed Beads (Miscellaneous), Dimensionals (SU), Mini Glue Dots (SU) and Tombow Mono Adhesive (Penwa).

I just sprinkled some of the Orchid Fine Cosmo Stampin' Glitter onto the Violet felt and kind of worried it in with a paintbrush. There is no other adhesive holding it on. The glitter just kind of sticks in the fibres of the felt. Of course if you went and gave it a good ol' scratch it'd all come off...but who is going to do that? It's not a scratch and sniff card!

The red micro beads are stitched along the top of the stocking. I was going to stitch them all over, but they were a tad on the fiddly side (understatement of the century)...I am glad that I didn't because I really like how the glitter looks on the felt!

Still raining and raining here. The garden is exploding out of all the beds, and I only go out there with a flame thrower...I'm worried about triffids ;-).

See ya!

(Blogged to: Straight Lines - Silverchair and Don't Change - INXS).

Thanks and Congrats

First of all I want to say a big heartfelt thank you to everyone who left a lovely comment on my last post! You guys sure know how to make someone feel special. Thumper sends thanks and a big high five too...OUCH! ;-)

Some friends of ours also recently announced their pregnancy, and hubby actually asked me to make them a congrats card! He does that a bit my hubby...asks me to make a card for this or that occasion/person. I am interested to know if other people's husbands do the same?!

I got cracking after dinner last night (I only found out about the pregnancy on Thursday...so I wasn't being too slack ;-). Hubby then rocks up to my desk at about 8 pm last night and says 'I'm seeing them tomorrow, will it be ready in time' (as he looks at my pile of cardstock, stamps and accessories that I have put together on my desk, but otherwise not touched). Says me...lying propped up on the bed (waiting for the soothing effects of the Gaviscon to kick in)...'sure, its almost done'. He looks at the pile of stuff, which includes several FULL A4 sheets of cardstock, and says...gee, its gonna be a big card...and looks at me pointedly. I laugh.....now I'm being told how and when to make cards by him, am I??????

Anyway, I got the message...and went to work. Luckily I had been thinking about what I was going to do for most of the day, so it was relatively quick and painless to put it all together.

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Concord Crush, Baja Breeze and Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Ink (SU)
Stamps: Springtime Stems (retired SU) and Warmest Regards (retired SU)
Accessories: Baja Breeze Patterns DSP (retired SU), Beautiful Blooms II Die Collection (PTI), Vintage Cream Pure Wool Felt (PTI), Violet Pure Wool Felt (Felt on the Fly), Ocean Tides Buttons (PTI), Concord Crush Poly Ribbon (SU), Dimensionals (SU), Tombow Mono Adhesive (Penwa) and Mini Glue Dots (SU).

The beautiful violet coloured pure wool felt is from Felt on the Fly, which is an Etsy shop that I was introduced to by the lovely Sharon Dines of Lemon Delicious. Thanks again Sharon for 'enabling me'. I've shopped at Felt on the Fly twice now, and will certainly go back. Janet stocks such lovely colours and her service is awesome!

Okey dokey...its raining here again, so unfortunately I can't do any washing (boo hoo)...might go and see what Miss tinker is up to. There is singing involved, so it can't be TOO suspicious can it? :-)

(Blogged to: And We Danced - The Hooters and Computer Games - Mi-Sex).

Cupcake Challenge

I don't actually need to have a good reason to want to stamp and create with cupcakes as the theme...but in this case, I did have a good reason! There was a Cupcake Challenge on the We Stamp for Lara forum last weekend, in honour of Miss Lara's second birthday! It is still not too late to join in this fabulous, month-long forum, check out the details on Madonna's blog here.

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Red Riding Hood, Pink Pirouette (textured and plain), Tangerine Tango (textured and plain) and Whisper White (all SU)
Ink: Riding Hood Red Classic Ink and Whisper White Craft Ink (all SU)
Stamps: Big Bold Birthday (retired SU) and Birthday Wish (retired SU)
Accessories: Sponges (SU), Big Bold Cupcakes Dies (SU), Crystal Effects (SU), Liquid Pearls (Ranger), Pink Fine Supernova Glitter (SU), Scallop Edge Border punch (SU), Spellbinders Circle Dies, Crimper (SU), Dimensionals (SU), Tombow Mono Adhesive (Penwa) and Sticky Strip (SU).

I enjoyed every moment of making this card. In fact I may have even drooled thinking about how much I'd like to devour a cupcake that looked just like this!

I hope you had a lovely second birthday Miss Lara!

Have a great weekend,

(Blogged to: We No Speak Americano - Yolando B Cool & Dcup and Bulletproof - La Roux).

Leonie's Christmas Planner

Today's 'We Stamp For Lara' tutorial is a very groovy one, and has been put together by Leonie Schroder.
Leonie's tutorial is for a Christmas Planner! Such a novel idea for me..actually planning for a big event. So I ripped out my crafting goodies before lunch and made my own using Leonie's instructions.

 

 

Look carefully at the middle image...can you see the doozy of a boo boo I made while making this? I was bopping along to Super Massive Blackhole at the time, thinking about Bella and Edward...when I....OOOOOOPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSS! As you 'might' be able to see, I've worked out what I consider a passable work around (just)...but I felt so silly at the time!

I cracked out some of my old Ski Slope DSP (SU)...I love that paper to bits, but managed to make this entirely with part sheets that I had lying about. I didn't have to use any of my untouched stash.

I also used SU's retired Merry Merry stamp set on the front (another old favourite of mine), as well as some delicious Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon.

SO...if you want the instructions to make one of these handy little doovers for yourself...I guess you'll just have to join 'We Stamp For Lara'....HERE.

I have to go back to my washing now...before it takes over the house...BLAH!

(Blogged to: Fever - Kylie Minogue and Silver Bells - Bing Crosby).

Shimmer Paints...

Well...being the 1st of November, today is the first day of the wonderful 'We Stamp for Lara' initiative, which I mentioned in a recent post here.

Today's tutorial is one by Nicole Derendorf, and focuses on the use of Shimmer Paint! It is not too late to join in this wonderful event, and for a small entry fee you get a new tutorial for every day of November....and chances to win lucky door prizes too. Not to mention the fabulous online forum that you become part of when you sign up, where you can chat with other stampers, ask questions etc. What is not to love!? You can read more and sign up for 'We Stamp for Lara' here.

Now...on to my project. First up, I don't own any Stampin' Up! Shimmer Paint, so I have used Liquid Pearls instead. I think it gives a similar effect, I was happy with the end result at any rate. My card design is not particularly inspired...just very simple squares on squares...sorry about that. I've been feeling a bit blah today...and have done the best I could. I did enjoy playing with shimmery goodness though. It made me smile, and made me a bit sparkly too ;-).

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Real Red (Plain and Textured), Elegant Eggplant, Shimmer White and Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Elegant Eggplant and Real Red Classic Ink (SU)
Stamps: Trees with Trimmings (PTI)
Accessories: Diamonds Impression Plate (PTI), White Opal Liquid Pearls (Ranger), Clear Rhinestones (SU), Tombow Mono (Penwa), Stampin' Sponges (SU) and Dimensionals (SU).

Ok...better go do something about dinner now. I've been running about like a fool all day. Lots to do this week.

(Blogged to: We Will Rock You - Queen and Radio Ga Ga - Queen).