White with a Pop of Colour

Welcome

No I have not fallen off the edge of the world - 

First I lost my USB stick with my photos on,

Then I just plum got busy... culminating with a long weekend away with friends...

This card was created as an exchange in a card swap here Down Under, and the challenge set was

White, with a Pop of Colour

 I think I might have overdone the colour a bit, but the recipient loves it.

I was really pleased with the result

The 'smile' is an old M.B. die, and the daisies are  John Next Door (NBUS) die I have had for some time and only just used.

The paper is from a rainbow sheet of paper that I have had for longer than I care to remember, from the days when I bought patterned paper by the sheet when I found it, then came the pads.... 

I trimmed both the inside of the card and the envelope with the scraps.

I also forgot to take the photos until after I had written in the card and on the envelope, hence the pieces of paper covering parts of them. 

I am linking this to:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #73

Elliebelles Crafty Wednesday April Challenge - Anything Goes

Elliebelles Garden Party Challenge #1 - Anything From a Garden

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Wekks #692 + 693 - Anything Goes

Interactive Butterfly Card

Welcome

I first started a new post on the 20th of last month - then lost my USB stick with all my card photos on...

I made and posted this just last weekend, and it was delivered on Monday - I think the local posting box I use had superpowers!!

This card was made for a swap group I am in, and the challenge was to make an interactive card

For some reason I dislike making interactive cards, but a challenge needs to be taken!!

I discovered this technique on a You Tube video here by an S.U. Demo, Trevis.

The butterfly panel rotates as the cover is opened and sits above the inner panel

It's actually quite a simple make, and the video was very clear

My biggest problem was trying to get the butterfly image done - initially I tried it on another piece of the patterned paper - but it was cheap (and nasty) paper that absorbed the medium I used to stamp 

I was going to foil the image using this technique by Natasha Foote,

But after numerous failed attempts, I gave up and stamped the image on pale green card, embossed it with sparkly gold ep, and added some purple using a ball point pen, and was finally satisfied with it

The hello was an old Avery Elle die - I cut it in gold paper, which was too close in tone to the patterned paper, so I layered it up over orange card!

A few Champagne rhinestones finished the card with a wee bit of sparkle.

I am linking this to:

We Love Stamping March Challenge - Spring or AG

A Gem of a Challenge #3 - Anything Goes

EllieBelles Crafty Wednesday Challenge for March - Anything Goes

Digi Chooseday Challenge #2 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #698 + 690 - Anything Goes

Flowers for a Friend

Welcome

I needed a birthday card in a hurry, and chose to use this Katy  Sue printed sheet of images

They are pop-out images, with no white edges, which gives a stunning result.

I chose this pansy image as my friend loves pansies!

They decoupage beautifully - it's a bit fiddly, but well worth the effort. 

The only thing I added to the image was some light penciling under the vase to form a shadow to 'ground' the image.

I embossed the sentiment, a very old clear stamp, with glitter gold embossing.  

The white panel was inked with yellow around the edges

The inside panel has a strip of yellow washi tape, some of which was also added to the envelope.

I am linking this to:

A Gem of a Challenge Challenge 2 Week 2 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams February Challenge - CAS

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge 248 - Anything Goes

Sabbatical Over, and a Double Birthday Celebration

Welcome

It's been a long sabbatical, but I am finally back - the intentions have been there - I just haven't made it to the computer.  

There has been gardening, as it is summer here, and lacemaking and initially, just relaxing, or as the grandies would say, chillaxing... 

My posts are going to be shorter, with fewer challenges entered - well that is the theory

The double birthday is for this card, made for a family member, and Uniko's 13th birthday bash!

I used the Uniko Bauhaus Blocks set, stamped with black ink and embossed.

The minimal colouring was done with watercolour paints

The black stripe is part of a sparkly adhesive

I ruled stripes of differing widths on the inside, inspired by the stripes on the middle block.

I did the same on the envelope.

I am linking this to:

Uniko's 13th Birthday Linky

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge # 2502 - Anything Goes

Polka Doodles Challenge #2 Week 4 - Anything Goes

Oops Over, Now a Big Announcement...

Welcome

My computer is now up and running smoothly again - thankfully,

but in the meantime I have come to the conclusion that I am going to take a break from blogging,

 and visiting blogs.

I has become very time consuming, and almost all my evenings are being spent on the computer.  Should I go out, I then feel stressed in trying to 'catch up'.

On top of that I have come to the conclusion that  age is slowing me down, So not impressed, but to be able to cope something has to give, and it's not going to be me in the middle.

I will still be cardmaking, and will share them on Instagram, under Kiwimeskreations, 

should I remember.  

I also want to pursue some other crafts that I 'do', namely my embroidery and lacemaking, as well as gardening etc.

I will review my decision in a few months and decide then if I will return, and if so, how.

Thank you all for all your wonderful support and friendships over the years

Big oops

Welcome

Please bear with me - I have been away for a few days, and my laptop obviously didn't like it, and is now sulking, and not letting me do ANYTHING.  

 This is being posted using my phone

I will be back when the laptop is over it's hissy fit

Flowers Galore

Welcome

It has been longer than I would have liked between postings, but life has thrown me a few curved balls of late, and to be honest, I have not done very much of anything over the past week.

This was made for an August birthday.  I was inspired by this video by Natasha Foote.

I started by masking off a panel, and using a this stencil by The Crafters Workshop,

I stenciled white texture paste to form a feature panel directly on the base.

I then diecut and coloured a floral die from S/B, from the in'spire range called Flower Power 1

I cannot find it on the site, and as I got it on 'special' recently, I suspect it may  be discontinued. 

The sentiment (a Magazine Freebie) was silver embossed, and a few clear gems added, and the card front  was finished.

The inside panel was finished with some floral washi tape, and the same tape was used on the envelope.

I am linking this to:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2437 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks# 656 + 666 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams September Challenge - Happy Birthday

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #238 - Anything Goes

We Love 2 Create Challenge #8 - Anything Mixed Media Goes

A Gem of a Challenge Week #18 - Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge #798 - Anything Goes Opt Used

Polkadoodles Challenge Week #37 - Anything Goes

\Crafty Catz Challenge #678 - Anything Goes

Simply Clean and Simple Sept Challenge - Anything Goes Opt Used