Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!

When we were young, our maternal Grandfather used to wish us "Happy Easter Egg" on Easter Sunday and I think I had that in my mind when I made these adorable little egg holders. Each of them encases a marshmallow Easter egg in its packet. It is such a great idea to make for all the little ones that you may share Easter with. 
Also for creative Granny's to make for her little Chickie's for Easter.

Wishing you and yours a "Happy Easter Egg", and remember the reason for the season.
May you be blessed abundantly by our risen Lord!

Blessings and Hugz






Saturday, March 30, 2013

Easter Card

A very easy and cute Easter card, made using the Frantic Stamper Precision Square Die and a Martha Stewart Bunny punch.  The sentiment was attached to a die cut scallop circle and a cute button die cut was placed on top of it. 

I think using the very pretty checked paper in assorted colors really made the card.

So simple, so effective!

Wishing you a very Happy Hot Cross Bun day!!


Thanks for the visit! 

Friday, March 29, 2013

Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge # 54

I had to sneak in this post as I wanted to enter this  Altered Box into the challenge and time was running out!

I was so greatly inspired by Amelia's Altered Tin that I went hunting down something to alter in the storage room. Well I found this heart shaped box, but was too embarrassed to take a photo of it in it's filthy state, so you will have to believe me that it is altered! After a huge clean up session, it was presentable enough to be worked on. I covered the box with gorgeous pink and white checked card, but it was too 'clean' looking so I 'vintaged' it up a lot with Distress Inks, Victoria Velvet and Vintage Photo and felt a lot happier about the colors. I then dug around in my scraps box for the bits of lace etc., but needed flowers and really did not want to used bought ones, so made my own! Very chuffed with how they turned out, so they got a bit of 'vintage' treatment as well. Out came the glue gun and I attached all the little bits of braid, lace and flowers with leaves I had die cut. Little ribbon rosettes out of seam binding (from Amelia) scraps, with pearl stick pins (from Paola) and a heart locket finished it off - so I thought! I had collected a parcel from the post office yesterday and in it was this lovely La La Land Heart Banner, so I die cut it, 'vintaged' it, snipped off one of the banners and attached it to the box. I then found those cute pearl heart shapes and attached them to the banners where the hearts were actually cut out.

I am delighted with the box and with a little treatment inside, it will be ready to hold a beautiful gift destined for a lovely lady!

Thanks for the visit and enjoy your Good Friday!



A close up of the flowers
Love this Heart Banner!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Easter Treats

This year, I decided to focus on children and treats for them, over the Easter season.

We made this delightful Bunny card and I teamed it up with a lovely little paper container made out of a square, that I was fascinated with, so had to try it! I also found some great freebie printables that I cut out and attached to a clear packet filled with gums. 

I did not put chocolate Easter eggs in either as I was positive they would never have made it to the class nor survived the class as they are so yummy! 

It was great fun making these treats!




Monday, March 25, 2013

Hero Arts Silhouette Grass

 Another very simple set of cards.

This stamp is another of my favorites.

The first card I stamped onto black card using  a Brilliance multi-color stamp pad. It does not show up clearly in the picture, but IRL you can see the subtle change of colors.

I used the same stamp pad on white card for the second card and you can see the colors clearly.

Both cards have HA sentiments on them.

Clean and Simple at it's best!


Saturday, March 23, 2013

Hero Arts Starburst

One of my favorite stamps from Hero Arts.

I decided to 'bling' it up, but keep it simple so I used Silver and Gold Embossing powder and added a simple sentiment.

One rhinestone just finishes it off perfectly.

I love this CAS look and it shows off the stamped design perfectly.



Wishing you a wonderful weekend and thanks for the visit.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Hitchhikers Scarf and Woolhogs 'Making it Happen'

I have to say, committing myself mentally to complete and post a project monthly on the Woolhogs site has certainly moved me along with my knitting!

 I have finished two projects I can post for this month and today will showcase the amazing 'Hitchhikers Scarf' I purchased on Ravelry

I loved that it was 'different' and that it was also so easy to knit. I used fabulous Katia Sock wool, that has become a firm favorite of mine. This is earmarked for a birthday present but I have another one on the needles! I find it irresistible to knit and look forward to when I can pick it up in the evenings and 'grow' it some more.



I will posted my second project later in the month.

Thanks Woolhogs for nudging me on with my knitting - am loving the challenge!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Hero Arts Leafy Vines

This stamp is amazing and I wish I had done justice to it. I know it will give me a second and third chance....lol!

Firstly, the photo does not do it justice, then the ribbon is wrong but I still love the image.

I used a chalk pad and dabbed it onto the stamp carefully. I then took a Distress Marker - not sure which green it was - and touched the stamp on the 'leaves' here and there, then stamped it off onto white card. It is such an amazing technique and I want to do it in other color ways.

It is such a stunning stamp. If you have it, I urge you to try this technique. You will be as excited as I am with the result, I am sure!

Thanks for the visit and have a great week!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Hero Arts Tall Flowers

I wasn't too sure about this stamp at first. It seemed to me that it was 'top heavy', but once stamped and colored with Copic's I was happier with it.

I teamed it up with another Hero Arts set I had used before and the 'hello' seemed perfect placed on a banner further down the card. The rule of 'thirds' works well here.

I think this stamp could 'grow' on me and I look forward to using it again, and again.

Thanks for the visit and wishing you a wonderful weekend.


Monday, March 11, 2013

Vintage Card featuring Ophelia


I wanted to try out a new masking technique I found in a magazine and this is the result. I'm quite pleased with it, but know now what I will do differently next time.

I used a fabulous image called "Ophelia", in lovely red rubber (nothing beats red rubber stamps for the perfect image, IMHO) and stamped her onto white card using Versafine Vintage Sepia Ink. I worked with Distress Inks for the shading and used a script background stamp from Scrapbook Direct.


A close up of the stamped image of Ophelia
I looked carefully at my chosen patterned paper and decided to cut into it and use the built in swag as a feature. I added pink lace and a scroll and border die cut in pink and of course had to use my beloved Olba punch for the little flowers. I tried to pick up some of the blue in the paper by using it in the flowers. Of course there are tiny pearls sprinkled all over the card! A lady is undressed without her pearls.....

I finished it off with a PTI tag and some seam binding threaded onto a stick pin.


The card is destined for a belated birthday and I know the recipient loves Vintage, so here's hoping this card is well received!

Thanks for the visit and have a great week!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Vintage Lace


I was so inspired when I saw Amelia Breytenbach's DT card for the Sugar Creek Hollow latest challenge to use Lace, that I hauled out my box of vintage lace and scratched till a piece of lace 'spoke' to me.

I knew that I wanted something soft and romantic and went into my file of printed vintage images and found this lovely background I bought from 'Made by Janet' in her Etsy store. 

Front of the Card
Next was how to use it and my eyes fell on the fabulous new Spellbinders Marvellous Squares set that was on my desk and I challenged myself to use as many of the die cuts from this set as I could. That I almost managed, but for one square, but am totally thrilled with the card. I even managed to cut little bits out of the small strip of lace left over and am thrilled that I did not waste any of this fabulous lace.

The sentiment is from a set from Whimsy that is so special. I cut out lace and used this here again. 

 I distressed some seam binding Amelia sent me and placed it in the top corner with a lovely velvet flower. You can also see some of the delicate bits of lace I cut out and placed over the corner of the center cut out.  So delicate!
This bottom corner also has a little motif I cut out of the left over.
Do you see the little pearls I placed onto the lace flower?
You can see the little pearls I placed in the center of the Forget-me-nots.

A peep into the inside of the card.



Well, I seem to be back on the Vintage kick again, but I have not given up on the CAS!

Watch this space.......


Saturday, March 2, 2013

Hero Arts Wish Big Candles Card

I have been on a Hero Arts binge this week, working on sample cards for display in the shop where I teach. They had received a big shipment of HA stamps and I had the enormous privilege of 'playing' with them!

I have always liked this set. Such a bright, fun, card, that says it all.

I colored the candles with Copic's and chose a sentiment from the set that was lovely and big and added it to the card, popped it up with foam squares. A couple of rhinestones just married it all together perfectly.

Another CAS card......???