A very happy Polar Bear

Are you looking for my Candy? Click here to enter
I am lucky this week to present you with a great image from Designed2Delight, I love this challenge as you recieve a new image to play with each week, as long as you played the week before.  The challenge restarts at the beginning of each month in the progression.  Please go and have a look, the images are varied and great.
Charisma Challenges made things a little difficult this week with White on White, with the exception of images!  I used the Polar bear image as he is white too!  He did need some colour though.
Prairie Fairy Fridays had a great sketch that fit the image i was using really well.. that made life a little easier!
Susie and Vicki at dcd Christmas club have asked for non traditional Christmas.. well I live in Australia so a white christmas is far from traditional!

addit:- apologies to Bee Crafty.. I got the challenge wrong and have edited to remove it from this card.  big sorry!







All Pink Girl: INKADINKS MEGA BLOG CANDY

All Pink Girl: INKADINKS MEGA BLOG CANDY

I just stumbled across this Candy on the all pink girl blogspot, its a little TOO wonderful to ignore!




AiFactory challenge and more

Are you looking for my Candy? Click here to enter

Can you tell school went back today, I have been in this craft room since 7am this morning, if you don't count going to the gym for 40minutes at 8.30am and picking the kids up from school.
My two youngest kids are happy, they got friends in their classes and teachers they like! GREAT NEWS!

Anyway, back to the business at hand.  Its AiFactory challenge day today, and of course I have to play along.
One more week until I start on the DT..  I'm very much looking forward to it, the weekly challenge may keep me on my toes but thats Ok.

I have used a Free image from the AiFactory Vault and followed the "challenge" which is to use any sketch from any challenge blog.  Im  cutting it very fine but my sketch is from this weeks Delightful Sketches Challenge.

Little Red Wagon -Hearts (used my new punch, yep i snuck that one into the stash yesterday)
Raise the bar - gift that keeps on giving (the Ai image was a gift.. it keeps giving)
One stop craft - Love and Kisses
Magical Crafts- Valentine
Pile it on - warm wishes  (im hoping the sentiment covers warm/good wishes..who knows)
Lily boo too - Valentine



That just about covers it!  Well from the challenge blogs I have linked to my site it does.  Im sure there are a million more!





Challenges Galore and a Wedding Card

Are you looking for my Candy? Click here to enter










I am going to Dubbo which is a few hours away from where I live (5hrs drive)
to a Wedding for two very special friends.  We have been told its a casual 
wedding (we are camping on their property with all the other guests.. so I guess that 
it casual.. I have no idea where we are going to shower and get ready for the wedding) 
Anyway, I needed a card, and we cant have a card without a challenge entry can we!
Craftycardmakers - Hearts and Romance (wedding card covers that!)
A spoon full of sugar- Freestyle (anything you want)
Cooking it up with Katie-recipe challenge (non human image-the maniquin texture
-cuttlebug and something never used-brand new nestabilities tag template)
Raise the Bar - The gift that keeps on giving
(I had a friend give me a bag of ribbons and a box of brads...
I think they are going to last me a lifetime.. (the brads that is)
Totally Gorjuss - Dimension (my dimension is very subtle with layering and embossing but its there!)
and finally Craftycreations is celebrating their birthday and has a theme of Celebration!


I went searching for an appropriate image and even got out some rubber stamps, then I remembered I 
got some lovely images with a digikit from Pink Petticoat!  I think the image is stunning and I didnt colour 
it as I felt that keeping the card two toned cream and black made it more formal... a tad hypocritical
perhaps considering the wedding isnt going to be formal!
























ABC Christmas and Friday Sketchers

Are you looking for my Candy? Click here to enter
Finally I have something to post for a challenge.  This card is for
the ABC Christmas Challenge blog this fortnight.  I must admit I
am quite enjoying the challenges and the fact that I am slowly building
up a stash of Xmas cards that are all individual.  Lets face it it does get tiresome
when you are repeating the same card over and over.  I used to make clothes and
hated mass production items.  It drove me batty!  I have used the sketch from
     the Friday Sketchers this week.

I knew exactly what papers I wanted to use for this sketch and then ABC challenges
made it hard by saying use pink... ACK...pink red green and cream...vintage colours and PINK..
Can you spot the pink I ended up using.. it actually turned out OK.. phew.
I used pink bling and the pink bow on the image!
Thanks for dropping in!  Please follow the links to my candy..its feeling lonely!


Blog HOp

Are you looking for my Candy?



Have you heard about the blog hop
at


Im off to play!

AiFactory Design Team


I have a stupid big grin on my face today, I was asked today
to be part of the AiFactory Design team for Feb-April.
I am absolutely thrilled.  I applied for this a few weeks ago, 
with no assumptions of actually getting it. 
I was hopeful and when the closing date came and went 
and I hadn't heard anything more about it, 
I thought Oh well.. they didnt choose me but I was still happy I tried. This morning, I opened up my email and 
WOW.. an invitation to accept! WOOOHOOO.  
As you can see I have spent some time today blinging
up my Blog to celebrate!  
I am hopeful that I can work out some Aifactory Candy 
in the next week to Celebrate!  The plan is that the candy will be a gift voucher to AiF for whoever the lucky winner is!  
Stay tuned.. I am still figuring out the "how to's" of arranging that!
If you check my side bar you will see a link to the AiF groups page, just click join and it will take you flying over there~ 
The forums are very friendly and easy to follow!


Playing with tools - No digital images!

I have a wardrobe installer today and i'm trying to stay out of his way. 
 My wardrobe is finished and he is now working on my girls rooms.  
Two of them had built in wardrobes with just a shelf and hanging room and
 hinged doors and the other daughter had a free standing wardrobe.  
By the days end they will all have mirrored doors and shelving, hanging space etc...
 We are also putting in floating floors, as their carpet is horrible... 
Once its done they all will be very happy.


Anyway onto craft! I have just tidied up my craft room AGAIN
 and sat down to play.  Im aiming to put things away as I use them
 so my bench top doesn't turn into a workplace made of 
nightmare's.  Wish me luck.


I went through a heap of blogs yesterday to find idea's for challenges
 and I have come up with the following challenges for this card.


Simon Says - Punch it
Creative Card Crew - Punch it
Craft Card Makers - Whats new (the punch)
AiFactory - 5 embellishments  (im not sure if i was menat to use a digi image in this..)
ABC Christmas Challenge - Bells
Your next stamp - Anything that sparkles (im pushing it here.. but bling sparkles)
oh and I have just realised this fits in with Creatalicious, which is funny as I originally was struggling with the theme of No stamped images other than sentiments!



I used my pazzles inspiration to cut a die cut of the bells and overlaid the negative image on red cardstock, I then used my new martha stewart around the page punches (love them) and cut out the centre of the cardstock to create a frame for the bells to sit in.  Added some bling, ribbon (love the bow easy -thanks Cheryl of My Cardmaking Haven for the recomendation for that wonderful tool).  The very merry is of course a SU stamp that is overused in my house and then the oval punches are also SU.

Don't you love GOOD MAIL DAYS!



I got some money for Xmas that I actually wanted to spend on me, instead of something for the house, kids, my husband etc.  I have put off getting any Martha Stewart Punches since my last splurge on them in 2009.  But I really wanted the Valentine's single heart and the border punch.  Well after searching the net I added a few more to my wish list, this is nowhere near all of the punches I "wish' for.. there is a new DEEP valentine punch that is BEAUTIFUL, I didnt get that yet though.  I fell in love with the Deep vine punch though and the border punch at the bottom of the photo... heavenly! (you can see that used on my journal on the previous post to this)  I will have to practice with the around the page punches...

Happy Day!
now my week will be complete when I get my goodies from BizzyBecs!.. stay tuned!

Multi Challenge Project

CreataliciousNo stamped images, you can stamp sentiments 
and use punches, diecuts and stickers(anything as long as it is not
 a stamped image or a digi image)


3d Challenge group 3d45 - Journal for Many.
I used my Bind it all to make this journal, normal a4 typing paper
some chipboard, kaszazz DP and some remnant ribbons.
Oh and Rub on's... if you want to know a secret I have NEVER used
a rub on a project! Never ever ever!

I was going to try for Ai Factory challenge to, which was lace 
but also Valentines card!
And another challenge that I found was to use 3 ribbons! do you think
what challenge it was! AHHHH... I found it! Pile it on..
I was sitting here searching for the ribbons challenge and wallah...



Now this brings me to the point of this book. I often sit here and
look at sites and challenges and think thats a good one.. i then
promptly forget what challenge site it was.. and what the challenge
is!

There is also the fact that so many sites run similar challenges..
so this little simple journal is to help me.

Be it, to draw a sketch up, use a sketch, remember a link, right
a wish list from a web site, shopping list.. etc!

I have also managed to use some more of my stash on this
project, I wanted to use up some Kaszazz DP.







Buttons and Boxes!


First of all, I am thrilled to announce that
I was asked to participate in the


I'm a bit scared really, as the standard of work on
that blog is absolutely stunning, I really am going
to have to work on the creativity!


The Challenge over at Creatalicious this month is
exactly that. A Challenge. For those that don't know
what it is..
No stamped images, you can stamp sentiments and use punches, 
diecuts and stickers
 (anything as long as it is not a stamped image or a digi image)


My entry for the month isnt exactly as I planned but
its close, I have the rest of the month to work on a few
other ideas that are floating in my head.


This little box fits the criteria of both Creatalicious and
My Little Paper Shop LPSC51, which is to add buttons
to your project.


The box is 2.5inches square at the base, 2inches high
the lid is 1inch deep. I have used card stock from my stash
which is slowly dwindling down.. ..really slowly!










Multi Challenge Card




Where to begin, well I just received my image for Designed to Delight for week 3 
and I knew I wanted to do with it immediately. 
For some reason this card just came together so easily,
I didn't follow a sketch and a plan, I just did it.  
Very odd for me and for me to make it so easily
and love it is a mean feat! I used to of my favourite "in life" colours red
and brown for the card,  maybe thats why I like it so much as a card. 

Bee Crafty's theme this week is Favourite colour combination so I had to
enter that challenge with this card.  

Charisma Challenges is asking for anything new, well that
was easy, the image is brand new, infact it was in my inbox on the computer
for less than 10 minutes prior to it being printed out and used.
Is that new enough?

Lily-boo Too wanted a Valentine themed card this month.

Im off to hide this card, my husband isn't a fan of Valentine's Day as he says its a 
Hallmark celebration day, well I figure Hallmark has nothing to do with this card
..so its his!  Men really will do anything to get out of "another" gift
or occasion wont they!







Totally Gorjuss Monotone










Totally Gorjuss has a theme challenge of Monotone today, I noticed after i coloured my
beautiful prize from AiFactory that the DT on Gorjuss actually used 
colour in their images for skin tones!
I have straightened the image and the sentiment since taking the photo!  
Not my best camera work or sticking!

Designed to Delight -Week 2


I was in a mad rush today as I hadn't made my challenge card for Designed to Delight this week.  Its a progressive challenge and if you participate you get the next weeks freebie image!  It does motivate you to play along knowing you get the new image!  I love this image, its my first 'coffee or latte" image in my stash of rubber or digital stamps so I was really looking forward to using it.  For some reason the seniments that came with the image print with the PNG background on it, you know the little checkers.. so i just used Word to create the sentiment even though the font from Designed to delight was prettier.  If anyone can tell me how to print png without the checkers that would be great!  I did copy it to word which probably was an issue.

p.s I accidentally used SU whisper white as my printable paper for the image and the copics really dont like it.

Digital Ingredients:-
BizzyBecs digital papers, Designed to Delight image

Summer Fun Card

Have you ever gone to make a card with a set theme and just had no idea what to do, I have spend the last two weeks trying to decide what to do with this theme and it just stumps me.  Maybe as i really am not a summer girl.  If the theme was Winter I would of just nailed it.
I have gone from thinking..ice cream cones, sunglasses, sunshine.. and then thought OK Thongs (or flip flops for those thinking..what on earth)
I have managed to work with the theme but I simply do not have any bells and whistles in this card which is dissapointing.  Then again, often i make a card that doesnt grab me but someone else likes it.  I am sticking with that theory.  You cant tell from this photo but I have cut the thongs (flip flops) from craft foam with the dotty paper mounted on it.  So they are three dimensional.  I then threaded ribbon through the base to give the appearance of straps on the thongs.  I made the thongs on the pazzles machine fairly simply, the knife didnt want to cut all the way through the foam so i did a little by hand which is fine.  I think the actual thong is quite cute and i would use a larger version of that for a pool party invite of similar!

Im a little Excited!

What a day, I don't normally post about my life on this blog as I have another one that I ramble on.. the two may soon end up as one but time shall tell.
But today I decided I can ramble on this blog for a few reasons
I am officially unemployed again!  I finished work today at 3pm and i nearly ran out the door.  I got another cake, which is funny as i got a big farewell the first time I left so I didnt expect another cake. That was nice.  And I won another blog challenge, this excites me the most as I am really only new to this challenge fun!  There is a real thrill when you see your name in the winner's circle!  Its the small things in life isnt it.  Thats it.. I know nothing dramatic but hey I just wanted to share.  I am getting my thinking boots on for the Creatalicious Challenge for this month, its NO stamping other than sentiments!  I am thinking of a 3D project instead of a page or a card, I mean the ideas are endless so I am really looking forward to playing along.

Colour Challenge



Robyn's Fetish has a challenge this week of Red, Yellow, Blue, Black and White. I logged onto Blogger this am and found that she also was kind enough to provide a freebie image that I decided to use with the challenge.


The Pink Elephant has a theme of Birthday.


I havent made many cards this week, its not that I havent wanted too
its just that I got busy!
I am hoping that after this friday I will have more time to play.
I finish my casual work this friday and will have a few more hours
up my sleeve.










Pink, Black and white



The challenge at
Little Paper Shop LPSC49, is a color challenge. You need to use Bright Pink, Black and White.
And the challenge for AI Factory Challenges is Embossing. I chose to dry emboss as i really wanted to use the AI image I got from their freebie section on this card!
I hope your all having a great day!

Designed to Delight


I just whipped up this card for the Designed to Delight challenge, if you head on over there this week grab the freebie digi image and submit your card which then means you are eligible for the freebie next week!
I followed the sketch from Sketch Saturday which I quite like.

Unfortuantly I'm not thrilled with my colouring of the image, so i think i will have to play with another print of it later.. I distressed it a little too much, i was distressing for another challenge and for the life of me I cant recall which challenge!

Oh, I tea dyed the lace last year for a planned project, I found it today when i was cleaning out the ribbon box.

sorry for the poor quality photo, the camera is going flat and the flash refused to work. If i find the camera charger I will take a new photo!






I was playing around with pizza boxes for the 3D challenge at Papercraft and thought now this could work for a party treat! I know this is very bland but im off to bed and i wanted to test cut it! It plays in to Stampactular sundays challenge to create a party favour! I will play some more tomorrow to jazz it up. this little box is tiny, big enough to hold an after dinner mint..

pen

3D challenges




I just made this cute box to follow a challenge at 3D Tuesday Challenge Group.
I made myself a cutting file for the cutting machine and off i went on my merry little way!
if anyone would like the cutting file email me or comment and I can send it to you, i dont know how to embed it in here!
its WPC.

My daughters blog!

Erins Blog My daughter is fascinated that i am posting photos to the internet of cards I am making. She loves craft and just made her "first" blog card. Its not her first card!
She knew which stamp she wanted to use, and what bits and pieces she wanted to stick on. the poor kid cant manage to use my ek punches though.. i think she needs some muscles!

Fairy's and dots and colour oh my!


Truly Scrumptious Challenges had a sketch challenge with an extra challenge of using, pink green and black in the project.
Stamp Something Challenges has a challenge of something new. My something new is a stamp from Mo Manning. I have loved this image ever since spying it on My Cardmaking Haven
Crazy for Challenges has a theme of Polka dots...My dots are bubbles, cuttlebug embossing and the paper.
Pile it on has a challenge of Anything digital for challenge 29, I couldnt come up with anything for challenge 30 which was crystals..i dont think the glitter in the image is enough to be considered Crystals!
and lastly both Bee Crafty and Totally Gorjuss has a theme of Thank You.


I made the base and the squares and half of the circles on this card with my pazzles cutting machine, the flourish under the butterfly is also from the pazzles. Im slowly learning about "embellishments"...im sure there is a secret 'get the knack" of using embellishments school somewhere in the world.

Many thanks to Truly Scrumptious for the great sketch~ I really enjoyed working with it.

Talk about being a bit of a challenge freak on this card!
No..I am not addicted to card making challenges... No I am not.. (im sure if i keep repeating that I may believe it!

This card will be put away with a special girl in mind.. her birthday isnt until September.. Im sure i may add some bling to the card by then.. I mean every two year old deserves some bling!

The image is a Dustin Pike one, i purchased a Multi set from him months ago and forgot about it.. but it was pages and pages of images.. they are coming in handy for colouring!

I have also learnt to watermark. I was playing around looking for websites to do it then realised that Picasa can do it! Duh!

I have a lot of bloghopping to do now... to link up this card to all the challenges!
Who is playing along on these ones..


Crazy for Challenges Sketch
Three Clovers Designs Celebrations
My time to craft Anything Goes
Simon Says Challenge Simon says PARTY!
Cupcake Craft Challenges A time for Celebration
Charisma Cardz Celebrations
Creative Card Crew Anything goes

Happy New Year

 
I spent a few hours with my wonderful friend Deby today, laughing away the day in her craft room, I had these photos printed off last August and this morning when i realised I had nothing planned to scrap I grabbed them with a semi thought of what to do with them!

When my family was in the USA in 2008 we went to Sea World San Diego and at every watery event there was the splash zone. As i am yet to scrap the millions of dolphin and whale photo's i had to use the term "splash zone" for these photos. I had an empty spot on the page so i put in a "warning advice" and some fake tickets to those that would witness the "splash" event!

My kids think this page is funny, while my husband thinks its mean.. but he did laugh.

It was nice to spend the day crafting.. and not a card was made! i used Deby's Gazelle cutter today and it was a bit of a learning curve as it works in the exact opposite to my pazzles!~ Learning is good though!

Happy New Year everyone!