Posts

Thursday 31 December 2015

Homespun

Simply less is moore have their last challenge for the year and it is Homespun.
They want you to use something home made.
I do a lot of knitting and that is definitely homespun so I decided to look at that a little differently and make a card about where the wool comes from.
So here is my Sheep card.
 
 
To complete I did some faux stitching around the topper.
Supplies:
Pattern: Stitching cards sheep
Card Stock: 160gsm in white
Thread: DMC in Black
             Silver: DMC E168
Paper: Source Unknown
Flower sequins
Hybrid gel roller in green

Tuesday 29 December 2015

Back up card

I will be using the sketch at Share joy challenge for my card today.
Here is the cue card
 
 
and my card
 
 
 I initially made this as an option for a challenge that I won earlier this year. I was asked to be a guest designer and I made two cards but used the other one for the challenge.
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: Pintrest
Paper: Paper Pizzazz stripes, dots and squares in soft tints
Bought flowers
Thread: Silver: DMC E168
Clear beads

Sunday 27 December 2015

Parcels

Well now that Christmas is over I can show you what my gifts for this year looked like.
Every year I choose a colour scheme and wrapping style and try to stick to it.
This year the colour was silver and I made each person a small felt tree ornament which I used as part of the decoration. I then used a satin ribbon in a matching colour to pull the theme together.
 
Here are a couple of my gifts
 
 
and up close (be warned this is a photo heavy post)
 A Christmas pudding
 
 
Father Christmas (as we call him here in South Africa)
 
 
A selection: two hearts, an owl and a tree. Love the owl.
 
 
more hearts
 
 
and finally some cats
 
 
My youngest sister lost one of her cats earlier this year and so decided that she wanted a new kitten for Christmas (don't worry this one will be loved for life!). The problem was that she rescued him from a shelter about a month ago and so he won't be wrapped up and under the tree on Christmas morning. I wanted her to have something to open so decided to make her three ornaments, one for her boy who has passed on and the other two for her present babies. I embroidered their names on the back of the ornaments.
 
 
I have fun making all these ornaments and they were all very well received.
I got my inspiration from Pintrest.
If you would like to see what I did last year click here.


Thursday 24 December 2015

One word wonder

Well before I get really stuck into the food preparations for Christmas I thought I'd take time to play over at Split coast stampers Free 4 all 304 were the cue is "One word wonder".
Moving totally away from Christmas here is my card

 
 
Supplies:
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Thread: DMC Jewel effects E135
Gold peel off sentiment and border
Pattern: Pintrest
             


 

Wednesday 23 December 2015

Holly, Jolly Christmas

So how are the Christmas plans coming along? I think I'm on track but tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I'm planning to do as much as I can ahead of time.

To get us into the Christmas spirit TGIF challenges have this cue
 
 
and my card


I'm also entering it over at CASology where the cue is

 
 
Supplies:
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Thread: Brand and colour code unknown
             Sentiment: Stitching Cards Free words

Tuesday 22 December 2015

Star tags

  
I made these tags. They were inspired by something seen on Pintrest
 
 
I did some faux stitching around each star to finish them off.
 
 
Supplies:
Cuttlebug
Die: Sizzix star die
        W plus 9 Timeless tags 2
Card stock: Kraft in 200gsm and scraps of cream
Flat backed pearls
Pentel fine liner in black
Paper: Free download from Activity village

Monday 21 December 2015

Traditional Wreath

Time out challenges are using this inspirational picture this month.

 
Here is my card
 
 
I will also be entering this at Freshly made sketches where the sketch is
 
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: Easy embroidery on paper by Erica Fortgens
Thread: Gold DMC E436
             Red and green: brands and colour codes unknown  
Reda and white stripes baker's twine
Card Stock: 160gsm in white
Flat backed gems in red

Saturday 19 December 2015

Floral heart

Splitcoast stampers Featured Stamper FS462 is sixclarks.
The idea is that we CASe one of her cards and here is mine

 
 I was inspired by this one of hers.

I will also be entering this over at CASe this sketch where the sketch is

 
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: Pintrest
Thread: All scraps. Brand and colour codes unknown
Butterfly corner: Won from Butterfly challenge blog spot
card stock: 160gsm in white
Double sided Foam
 

Friday 18 December 2015

Toy

Well the first week of the holidays is over and it's been a good one. I have caught up with a couple of people I didn't get to spend much time with in the last couple of months and have even started spring cleaning. You know washing wall tiles, curtains  and cleaning out cupboards. Plenty still to do but I'm pleased that I have at least started.
 
This weeks cue at Casology is
 
 
Here is my card
 
 
 
This card was made for a little girl who was turning one. I was asked to specifically make a card with a rabbit on it as her favourite toy is a rabbit.
I added a coloured sequin to the centre of each flower and then pasted a clear gem in the middle to complete.
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: I think it is one by Eric Forgtens but I stand  to be corrected
Thread: Brands and colour codes unknown
Cards stock: White 160gsm, salmon in 200gsm
Cuttlebug
Sizzix circle die 8 pieces
Clear flat backed gems
Assorted coloured sequences
Peel off number
small wobbly eye

Thursday 17 December 2015

Stars

Clean and Simple on Sunday. have a new theme challenge and it's
 
Stars

This card was made for a male birthday

 
The sentiment is computer generated.

My inspiration was found on pintrest

 
 
Supplies:
Cuttlebug
Sizzix 5 star die
Card stock 160gsm in cream and Kraft
Page from an old dictionary
Scrap of read and white baker's twine
Double sided foam


Wednesday 16 December 2015

Joy

Addicted to CAS have a new challenge and it's
 
 
Here is my card
 
 
I keep the stitches to a minimum on this card with only a few on some embroidery material. The sentiment is computer generated.
 
This is not an original layout but unfortunately I can't remember where I initially saw it. 
 
I will also be entering it over at CASe this sketch where the sketch is
 
 
 
Supplies:
Cuttlebug
Sizzix 8 circle die
Scrap of embroidery fabric
Thread: DMC in red
Red satin ribbon
Card stock: 160gsm in white

Tuesday 15 December 2015

Silver snowflake

This is the new challenge at Share joy challenge.
 
 

I choose to be inspired by the silver and white colour scheme


I made a similar one here.

Supplies:
             Sentiment: Stitching cards Free words
Thread: Silver: DMC 415
Cuttlebug
Sizzix 8 circle die
Card stock: 160gsm in white
                    200gsm in silver
Double sided foam

Monday 14 December 2015

Memories of a Geisha

Splitcoast Stampers. Free 4 all F4A301 have a movie challenge. You have to make a card with a movie title as the inspiration.
I immediately thought of Memories of a Geisha.
I absolutely loved the book and the movie didn't disappoint either.
Here is my card
 
 
I made this for my second cousin when she turned 15.
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: Bergkaarten
Thread: All brands and colour codes unknown
Card stock: 160gsm in white 200gsm in mirror red
Lace border: Paper Pizazz Laser Borders
Flat backed clear tear drop shaped gem

Sunday 13 December 2015

Fussy cut butterflies

 
 
I turned the sketch side ways

 
To do this card I reduced the butterfly pattern to 75%. I then fussy cut around the butterflies, hand drew a line from one body to the next and backed it with black paper.
 
 
Supplies:
Thread: All brands and colour codes unknown
Seed pearls
Pentel fine liner in black
card stock: 160 in white
Paper: 80gsm in black
Flowers: Olfa punch

Saturday 12 December 2015

Tree

First day of holidays yeah! Time to sew, read and craft. In other words some ME time.

CASology.blogspot.ca/
 
 
My cards
 
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: Pintrest
Thread: Brand and colour codes unknown
Flat backed gems in red
Paper:
Rolfes metallic pen in gold

Friday 11 December 2015

Nine maids a dancing

Don't you just love the new inspirational sketch for Pinterest inspired challenge? So much to choose from.
 
 
After much deliberation I decided to concentrate on the skirt itself.


I love the movement of the skirts in this pattern.
To emphasise them I stitched the skirts in nine slightly different pastel shades.
 
Supplies:
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Thread: Colour codes and brands unknown
Rolfes metallic pen in blue
Scrap of bought embossed mauve paper


 

Thursday 10 December 2015

4 beaded flowers

Simply less is moore have a colour theme this week and it's Blue and Green
 
Here is my card
 
 
Blue and Green with a touch of gold
 
 
Supplies:
Beads: Bugle beads in green and blue
            Small beads in green, blue and gold
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Paper: Blue check : Free download from  Activity village
           Gold


Wednesday 9 December 2015

12 hearts

Today is "Break up Day' the last day with the boys. It's been a tough year with a challenging class but no matter how tough or challenging I am always sad to see "My boys" moving on.

CASe this sketch
 
 
I turned the sketch sideways
 
 
 A line of faux stitching in silver gel pen finished  it off. Instead of a sentiment I did the one heart red.
 
 
Supplies:
Pattern: an adaption of  Stitching cards Christening church
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Thread: White DMC in blanche
              Red: make and code unknown
Pentel gel pen in silver

Tuesday 8 December 2015

All Kinds of fairies

Last night was our Grade 7 leaver's dinner. It's a dinner hosted by the Grade 7 parents for the Grade 7 boys and the staff. It's always beautifully executed with the hall decorated and delicious food. Last night was no exception.

Butterfly spot challenge have a monthly challenge this time instead of their usual fortnightly one and it's "All kinds of fairies"

A while ago I was commissioned to make a batch of fairy cards.
Here are some of them


and


 
Supplies:
Pattern: 1st card: Stitching cards.Fairy sitting
              2nd card: Stitching cards Fairy standing
Thread: all colours codes and brands unknown
Card stock: 160gsm in white and 200gsm in silver
Scrap of ribbon
Scrap of cerise store bought embossed paper
Rolfes metallic pen in pink

 
 
 

Monday 7 December 2015

Light house

Well it's the homeward stretch now, the last week of school for the year. The boys finish on Wednesday and teacher's on Friday. Where has the year gone?

Freshly made sketches have this sketch for their most recent challenge
 
 
I decided to turn it on it's head and made a masculine card for a lover or the sea.
 
 
As is often the case when I make a masculine card I steer clear of the embroidery. Here I used a digi stamp. I'm not very good at colouring, probably because I don't practise enough, but I had fun making it  anyway.
 
Supplies:
Digistamp: A freebie but can't remember the source sorry
Card Stock: 160gsm in  both shades of blue 
Water soluble pencil crayons
Mineral turps to blendearbud
white gel pen
scrap of white and blue wavy paper
red button from my stash
 

Sunday 6 December 2015

Holiday card

We are having some much needed, lovely soaking rain at the moment. It has more or less been raining continuously since Thursday evening. We are in the middle of a drought, some people say the worse in 100 years, so this is most welcome. Some of our farming areas have been declared disaster areas and there are also lots of areas with water restrictions. I hope this rain is not just failing on the coastal regions but also in the river catchments. Long may it last.

Simon says stamp blog work it Wednesday
 
is make a Holiday card.
I decided to make some tags
 

 
The layout was inspired by these cards by Debbie Hughes

Source: Lime Doodle

 
 Supplies:
Cuttlebug
Stickers
Card stock: 160gsm in white
Scrap of gingham paper
Pentel fine liner
Die: W Plus Timeless tags
 

Saturday 5 December 2015

CASing Susie Nelson

 
Of course I had to  CASe  this one of hers as it is stitched.
I keep the idea of the circular motif in white but couldn't match the colour of the card stock exactly.
Congratulations Suzie, great work

 
I removed the shank from a button and added it to the centre.
 
Supplies:
Pattern: 101 ideas for Embroidery on Paper by Erica Fortgens
Thread: DMC blanch
Card Stock: 200gsm in linen effect aqua
Flat backed pearls
Oval white button from my stash.





 

Friday 4 December 2015

Fruit

The challenge at Simply less is moore is Fruit. This was a difficult one for me.
My cards don't have an actual fruit on them but more like a circle which stands for a cherry.
I made these for my god child and my niece.
 

 
I bought pre cut card bases and then had some fun decorating them
 
Supplies:
Pre cut card bases
Paper: Stripes: paper Pizzazz soft tint stripes
           Star: source unknown
           Scrap of cream
Glitzing Glam Crystalina glitter
Scrap of ribbon
Card Stock: Scrap of red
Cuttlebug
Sizzix 8 circle die