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

Stitched, Stylised Flower

Welcome

A card made for a 'no frills' young woman.

I started with part of an incomplete kit of patterns for stitching on card - all the prickings and instructions are there, but I had to provide everything else.  I cannot recall when or where I got them!  All I know is that this is my first time using it. (It surfaced in the various moves)

I used rayon variegated threads for the bud, stem and leaves. and a metallic for the blue

The card is one I was given some years ago, and has a subtle sparkle through it.

Once I finished the stitching, I added some pale blue watercolour paint for the water, and grey for a wee shadow to ground the vase.  Three clear gems completed the image panel

The panel was then mounted over silver mirror card, and then a deep blue embossed panel.  The geometric pattern went well with the design of the bud.  This was then mounted on a white base, stamped with the sentiment - another long ago purchase. 

 I finished the inner panel with the some washi tape which was repeated  on the envelope.

I am liking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #663 + 664 - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge # 2435- Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge #321 - Anything Goes

Digi Chooseday  Challenge Week #35 - Anything Goes

Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes, Opt Leaves

Polkadoodles Challenge Week #35 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams Sept Challenge - Happy Birthday

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #237 - Anything Goes

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

Krafty Chicks Challenge #731 - Anything Goes

Classic, Not Old....

Welcome

I recently made a card for a family member who is older than me, and as they have a sense of humour, I had fun making this card!!

It  is very simple and came together quite quickly.

I was 'playing' with some iridescent medium and a new stencil recently, (Creative Expressions Basketweave)  masking to give just a strip of texture.

I then diecut the vintage car using a magazine freebie I was gifted, in a matt silver card.

The sentiment, stamped in memento London Fog ink is from a Newton's Nook Birthday Essentials set.

You can see the shimmer on the stencilling just above the sentiment. 

The birthday greeting was stamped inside (same ink, same stamp set)  and some car themed washi tape added - the same tape was added to the envelope.

And yes, the recipient did enjoy his card!

I am linking this to:

Allsorts Challenge #795 - Anything Goes Opt used

                                        Polkadoodles Challenge Week #34 - Anything Goes

C.R.A. F.T. Challenge #730 - Anything Goes

 Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2433 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #661 + 662 - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge Week #17 - Anything Goes

Cut it Up Challenge #311 - Anything Goes

Simply Clean and Simple August Challenge - Off Centre

Little Red Wagon Challenge #770 - Put it in Neutral

The Male Room Challenge #189 - Mixed Media

Multiple Fractures

Welcome

Some time ago I watched a video (which I have never found again, despite hours of searching) on the fractured technique... but the video took it many steps further - this is my result.

The overall premise was that you not just make the one shape, and also that the outlines on all shapes extend to the edges from both ends of each side of the frame... 

I used a simple black and white colour scheme - the paper is from an old Amy Tangerine 6x6 pad called 'Sketchbook'.  

First look, and my granddaughter said 'this makes my eyes bend' - I totally understood what she was saying as the pattern 'jazzed' before our eyes

'

Both the sentiment and image are from a magazine freebie set. stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black 

I didn't get the inside very accurate... but that adds to the uniqueness of the card 

- well that's my story and I am sticking to it :)

I am linking this to:

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #258 - Anything Goes Opt Used

Creative Inspiration Challenge #17 - Anything Goes

Polka Doodle Challenge Week #33 - Anything Goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #236 - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2433 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #661 +662 - Anything Goes

Ally's Angels Challenge #85 - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore August Challenge #126 - Anything Goes

Mirtillamente August Challenge #34 - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping August Challenge - Focal Sentiment or Quote

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head...

Welcome

Sorry if you now have that (B.J. Thomas) tune buzzing around you head...

This card was for our local swap this month, where the criteria was to use a stencil, some stamping, and stay in the same colour group

I started by picking up a sprayed sheet of card that was on my desk - I think it was a Cosmic Shimmer airless sprayer trial.... I then stamped over it in dark blue with a brick pattern and writing - placing only part of the image down in any one spot.

Next I picked up a Dylusions 'teardrop' stencil, and used it with a clear  Gel Medium.  This reactivated the sprayed background, but it added to the rainy look, note the shine in the bottom of the next photo!

The image, Simon Says Follow the Rainbow set, was stamped in blue and clear embossed, painted with Twinkling H2O's, fussy cut and mounted on the card with foam dots

The sentiment, from the same set, was white embossed on the same deep blue card as the base, and attached with foam dots

Inside I stamped the image off the edge, using a very pale blue ink, and repeated it on the envelope.

I will 'fess up here, there was a major oops on this card - I discovered when I went to assemble the card that I had stenciled the panel upside down, so if you look closely, you will see the script in the background is now upside down... way less noticeable than rain drops going upwards!

The recipient had a giggle, as she also has been known to make a panel the wrong way up!!

I am linking this to:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Sparkle and Shine

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #661 + 662 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge #320 - Hand Coloured Image

Dragonfly Dreams August Challenge - These are a few of my Favourite Things

I love creating mixed media cards, and Twinkling H2Os)

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2432 - Anything Goes

Little Red Wagon Challenge #769 - Sparkle and Shine

The Paper Shelter Challenge - Holiday Anything Goes

D L Art Thankful Thursday and August Challenge - Anything Goes

Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday August Challenge - Anything Goes

Snippets and Ephemera

Welcome

I made this card for a very special friend some months ago.  

My starting point was this video by Natasha Foote, a fellow New Zealander..

I made the base using snippets of paper from an old Kaiser Craft pad, Rose Avenue.  These were glued onto copy paper  and I added the twine to the top before adhering the panel to the card base.

The tag is part of the ephemera pages from the same pad, and I added some lace to the top of it.

Across the base I added some vellum ephemera from a pack I was gifted

On the inside I added some more lace and washi tape down one side, and stamped the sentiment from the Newton's Nook Birthday Essentials pack in green ink 

Although I didn't photograph the envelope, i suspect it had some washi tape down one side... 

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Weeks #659 + 660 - Anything Goes 

 Love Those Pretty Papers August Challenge - Optional Theme Summer, not used

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge 2432 - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge Week #16 - Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge Weeks 793/4 - Anything Goes Opt used

Creative Fingers Challenge #283 - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter Summer Break Challenge - Anything Goes

Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge 486 - Anything Goes Using Snippets

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #235 - Anything Goes

Polka Doodles Challenge Week #32 - Anything Goes

Mixed Media Trees.

Welcome

We are starting to see signs of spring - my first daffodil is open, and the others are showing quite a few buds - my planter of daffodils is a great harbinger of spring!

My card started with a panel that I had used to mop up some ink from my glass work surface

The colours were green and brown - TH Distress Mica Sprays Burnt Ember and Tree Lot

I intended to stamp the row of trees from the S.U set Lovely as a Tree across the front of this panel in Versa Clair Pinecone Ink, but.. the image did not stamp too well as the card has a fine linen texture to it, so I diverted to random stamping over the whole panel.

I then stamped and embossed the image onto some kraft paper, cut it using an oval die, coloured under the trees with chalks, and mounted it over the background panel, and added some faux gold stitching to the edges of the oval and card.

The sentiment, and scripture reference, were printed on vellum, then gold embossed

The corrugated card was some I had stripped one of the smooth sides off, then sprayed with the same mica sprays used on the background.  It has an incredible depth of sheen on it IRL.

I finished the inside with a smaller stamp from the set, carefully inked with brown and two shades of green ink, and lightly spritzed with water before stamping to give a watercoloured 'look', and a strip of washi tape

I repeated the stamping and washi tape on the envelope.

The gentleman who received this card appreciated it.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks %659 + 660 - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2431 - Anything Goes

Paper Funday August Challenges #68 - Anything Goes (Opt Summer/vacation)

Digi Chooseday Challenge Week #31 - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping August Challenge - Anything Goes Opt used

Creative Knockouts Challenge #527 - Something To Say

Crafty Calendar August Challenge - Anything Goes

Little Red Wagon Challenge #768 - Make it Masculine

The male Room Challenge #189 - Mixed Media

Elliebelles Crafty Wednesday August Challenge - Anything Goes

A Ruby Bloom

Welcome

This card was made as a CASE of one I saw online, but I cannot recall where I saw it, as I made is some months ago... if anyone recognises it, please let me know

I started by stamping the main image on an angle, then cut a white frame using S/B nesting rectangles - plain and scalloped and placed  the frame 'square' over the image

(from memory the original had the image square, and the frame angled) 

I then stamped the flower portion of the stamp again, painted it with Twinkling H2O's, fussy cut it and adhered to the corner of the frame

The sentiment (a magazine freebie) was stamped directly onto the card

The inner was edged with black ink, and another flower stamped there - I think I used masking to isolate the flower image...

The envelope was edged with the same stamp, stamped off the edge, see the top photo.

I am sharing this with:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2430 - Flowers

Polka Doodles Challenge Week #30 - Anything Goes

Pink Gem Challenge Week #15 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #677 - Anything Goes opt of Hot Colours used

The Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #657+658 - Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge #791 - Anything Goes Opt used

We Love Stamping July Challenge - Anything Goes Opt Used

Cut It Up Challenge #309 - Clean and Simple

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes Opt of Floral taken

A Dragonfly Finally Flies

Welcome

And a very warm welcome to my latest follower, Fiona from Mumsey's Ramblings

Fiona does not make cards, but I did enjoy reading her blog when I found it recently - and an added bonus - she only lives about 20 minutes away from me!

This card is the result of three sources of inspiration and a challenge!

The monthly (New Zealand)  swap group challenge was to use the technique shown in 

Natasha Foote's video here   I have used the technique before here 

The technique os to use your white scraps and cut strips, either straight or lace edged, and stack them three deep as the background - and just add one pop of colour

The layout with the vertical raised strips was inspired by

  Marta Debika (A Drop of Sunshine) on You Tube

I had just received a bundle of background dies from a very generous giveaway on Instagram, so I took a liberty and embossed the base.

My pop of colour was to layer two pink ribbons and cinch them in the centre before adding a VERY old dragonfly embellishment that I cannot recall when or where I bought ...

I stamped the sentiment (another oldie) in Memento Angel Pink ink and Versamark ink and clear embossed it before cutting out the tag shape

The inside was finished with a strip of embossed white card, edged with pink ink, as was the envelope.

My swap partner liked the card

I am linking this to:

Polka Doodles Challenge Week #29 - Anything Goes

Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #485 - Anything Goes using snippets

Pammie's inky Pinkies Challenge #2429 - Anything Goes

Digi Chooseday Challenge Week #29 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #657 + 658 - Anything Goes

A Place to Start July Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Add a Sentiment

'Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #234 - Anything Goes

We Love 2 Create Challenge #6 - Anything Goes using mixed media

Allsorts Challenge #790 - Anything Goes opt used