A Couple of Cards

Not the Chandelier this time.

One of my friends has a Wedding Anniversary coming up.  I can't forget the date as she was married on my birthday.  I remember the day well - it was gorgeous sunshine and really quite warm.  The whole family wore beautiful dresses whilst I sweltered in a warm skirt and jacket.  Anyway, Sue and Terry - Best Wishes for your Anniversary.  Here is the card I made for them:

Must have bought these two stamps together, had them quite a while but they are so not me.  Obviously tickled me at the time and handy for anniversaries but can't send it twice can I?  Painted the images with my Twinkling H2o's and did a double mount on both the image and the sentiment.  Hope they like it.

The next two are very similar as you can see.  These are two stamps from Inkadinkadoo which I bought whilst in America, I did like them.

As you can see I also used one of my MS punches which I also bought in America.

This is the other image and again I used a MS punch, but as you can see a different one.

Promise I Will Stop

Sorry folks but there are more of those Chandelier cards - think there will be enough samples now.  These are the others from the "My Cute Stamps" plate in readiness for Tracy at Oyster Stamps.  I decided I needed to play around with some of the other stamps and this is what I did:

I needed to use the "bow" stamp and tried to get it in a line to create a border.  As this is only a small square card I could only stamp part of the chandelier on but, to be honest, I rather like it like that.  All of these stamps are on the plate which you can see if you follow the link to Oyster Stamps above.

This one is simply using the butterfly stamp, again on the plate, and I made a little line of dashes leading up to them with a black pen, used one of my own sayings and then punched out a flower and attached that with a button centre.

The final one is actually black and cream although it looks more like white on here.  This is using one of the small stamps on the plate, repeated over and over to make a border.  It was surprising how easy it was to place this stamp in the repeating pattern - helped no doubt because they are clear stamps.  I rather like the look of this one.  The sentiment in the centre is, again, one of my own and I used a Spellbinders label to stamp it on.  Then I cut another one with black core paper, put it through a folder and lightly sanded it.

Hope these give people an idea of how most of the stamps on the plate can be used.  Phew!  Ready now for Harrogate.

More Chandeliers

Been busy today using more of the stamps from My Cute Stamps as I need to do some samples for the show at Harrogate.  Here are a couple that I stamped up yesterday but which needed turning into finished cards.

This one is stamped in Brilliance Orchid and then has clear ep over it.  I stamped the word "Celebrate" (same plate) randomly over the main pink cardstock and attached some paper lace top and bottom.  It looked a bit bare on the white cardstock so I added three gemstones.

I decided to try it in shrink plastic and as I had some translucent which already had Brilliance ink randomly over the top of it I just used Brilliance Violet to stamp the image.  The scalloped border is from the same plate as are the words "Girls Night".  I used a Nestability Scalloped Rectangle to cut the two shapes and I cut freehand just beyond the scallops adding a plain mauve strip to the back page.

This one looks so much better IRL as I used my Stickles Silver on the diamond shapes at the bottom to represent crystal and my Stickles Diamond (gives a sort of red and gold effect) to each of the dots/beads holding the chandelier in place.  The latter was painstaking as the Stickles is getting low and needed an awful lot of pressure to get just a tiny amount of it out.  Such a shame it does not show up in the scan.

I did some more but really need to get to bed so will scan and upload them tomorrow.  Then hopefully I can do some more card making and maybe do a challenge or two.

Hopefully Mojo is on her way back.

Lost My Mojo

Since coming back home from America things have been a bit busy and in the midst of it all I think my Mojo has gone walkabouts.

In an attempt to find it I tidied my room up yesterday and tried to get some images stamped last night in readiness for the show at Harrogate.  I spent too much time experimenting with one stamp, trying it in different colours, adding things and just generally messing about.

Anyway, as it is my dil's birthday on Wednesday I had to do something so here is the card I have made for her.  It is using a new stamp from "My Cute Stamps" which Tracy left at my hotel for me when we were in Anaheim so I could have a play with it.  Oyster Stamps are wholesaling and retailing this manufacturer - there are samples on their website, including lots of other stamps by this new manufacturer.  Can't wait to get my hands on some of the others (and yes, they are clear stamps but I have had no problem stamping with them in various inks).

It is black and white with Brilliance Orchid for the image but on the black glossy cardstock the pink does not show through.  It looks good though as it has tinges of pink.  Unfortunately the scan was too dark and so I have had to lighten it which has detracted from the card somewhat.  Maybe you can see one similar if you come and find me at Harrogate at the end of the month,.

Back Home ...

... and freezing!

Got back two hours ago after travelling for a total of 20 hours.  Am absolutely shattered and the bed is piled high with clothes waiting to be put away (thank you thank you thank you Mary for letting us wash everything before we left) and my stamp room!  Well!  Judge for yourself

The counter top is loaded up with things I brought back - somewhere under all those papers (mainly from CHA) is a Tim tin full of Alcohol Inks.  You can just see a corner peeping out but the other Tim tin for my Crackle Paint is totally hidden.

The two black pouches on the left of the picture is where the other one finished - you can see my new punches at the side of them and then the remainder of the counter is full of chocolate and nutty things for my son and dil.  The carousel is not new - I won that a couple of years ago at CHA - no such luck this time.

Am now going to have something to eat, clear the bed of all the clothes, maybe check what has recorded of my soaps whilst I have been away and then I think it is b - e - d!

Last Minute Posting

Last night we had another visit - this time from Rob, Becky and Edie again - with Robert and Matthew.  As they were going Matthew (my new man - remember?) came and wrapped his arms round me - it was so touching.  Reduced me to tears later when he came back from outside (they had already sat in the golf cart) to hold on to me again.  That brought the tears!

This morning his dad came to say "bye" but I managed to stave off the tears as I was too busy saying 'thank you' for all the wonderful meals he has cooked for us.

Anyway, it is almost time to make our way to the airport so here are my cards from yesterday.  Remember the ten cards from one sheet of Designer Paper a couple of days back - well, here is another colour scheme but this time they have a bit of decoration on as well.

Now it is time to get the tissues ready - I sure am going to need them.  Off to the airport in an hour although we already know our flight is 30 minutes late.  Ah well, more time to go round the Duty Free!

Next post will be from Blighty!

Presidents Day

Today is Presidents Day so some people had the day off - guess what?  We had a workshop.  Mary decided to do her 10 cards from one sheet of decorative paper but this time the ladies spent time embellishing them and here are the finished results:

These are some of Carols cards

Margaret's cards (she brought Timales for lunch)

Some of Mari's

I didn't get photographs of everyones cards but here they are enjoying making them

Carol working on her cards with Sandy looking for embellishments on the table

Maria came later but soon caught up with everyone else

Carrie, Mary's daughter did some beauties

Mari and Margaret (I think Margaret is taking a photograph with her phone)

Sandy choosing some flower embellishments

Here is Margaret admiring previous work on the table

A great time, some great food (Carol brought donuts) and some lovely work going home.  Goodbyes said until next time - boo hoo!  

Cathy came to say her goodbyes and brought me some more flower heads so that I can make pot pourri with them when I get home and remember her, then Edie called in her golf cart to say goodbye and finally just a short while ago Drucie (Mary's sister) came to say her goodbyes.

Quite an emotional day - and I still have tomorrow to say 'bye' to Mary.  Get the Kleenex ready!