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I was looking for some inspiration (late) last night to make the LAST page for Mum and Dad's very late calendar. Mum's favourite colour is green, so Kelly Jo's Colour Chef Challenge of White, Light Purple, Light Green and Light Pink fit the bill! It has been AGES since I played along with a Colour Chef Challenge.

The light this morning hasn't picked up the colours real well - still trying to find *that* spot in the house! I thought I'd try my hand at button flowers, which I have been seeing everywhere recently, and keep the page super clean and simple; after all, it's barely going to see the light of day with the calendar pages stealing the glory!! All of the edges were inked in the corresponding colour too, but it's hard to see.

Thanks for the inspiration! The calendar is finally finished!

Stamps: Live Your Dream (retired), Best Friend Numbers (retired)

Card: Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White

Ink: Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink

Other: Sherbert Buttons (Summer Mini - retired), Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

A Touch o' the Irish

It's St Patrick's Day tomorrow!! I love St Pat's Day; when I was at boarding school, our chef was Irish so we used to have Aussie-Irish day and everything was green or green and gold; kangaroo for breakfast, green iced doughnuts for recess, Aussie BBQ for lunch and traditional Irish Stew for dinner. I read somewhere that it is the day EVERYONE claims to be {a little} Irish!!!

In the spirit of St Pat's Day, I have joined in with the latest Stampin' Royalty Challenge - GREEN - and paired it with this gorgeous Sweet Sunday Sketch:

I actually wanted to use the Heart to Heart punch to make 4 leaf clovers, but couldn't quite make it work. As it is, I think this card still needs a little something.... You can't see it in this photo, but I've added some sparkle to the rock'n rolled butterfly wings.

Also, I wanted to share with you this card I made a while ago, 'cause it's GREEN!!!

I made this for our gorgeous godson who's grandfather is Irish, and I wanted him to know it's important to be proud of his heritage. And how could he not be with such a strong Irish name!! You can bet your boots this young man and his family will be celebrating tomorrow!!!

May the Luck of the Irish be with you tomorrow and all year through!!

So Kind Card

Stamps: Priceless

Card: Green Galore, Glorious Green, Whisper White

DSP: Kaleidoscope

Ink: Green Galore, Glorious Green

Other: Dazzling Diamonds

Lachlan Patrick

Stamps: Polka Dot Punches (retired), Pure and Simple Upper Alphabet (retired)

Card: Green Galore, Glorious Green, Whisper White

Ink: Green Galore, Glorious Green

Other: Paper Piercer

Is there anything better than Chocolate?

I think this little 6x6 page is the most challenges I've managed to put in to one project - Makeesha's Inkspirations Colour Challenge, Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge, Just Add Ink Easter Challenge and ABC P is for Paper Piecing!! How about that?!

I must admit, I really like this sweet page. Luana LOVES chocolate (have no idea where she get that from {GRIN}) and I managed to get this photo of her last year devouring an egg. We had made the decision to stick to only a few little eggs from Easter Bunny... wise of us!! She didn't end up anywhere near as covered in chocolate as the year before.

These colours from Keesh are FANTASTIC and gave me the perfect excuse to pull out my retired Loves Me DSP and the coordinating Flirty ribbons. I have another project in mind for these colours, but will have to see if I have the time to make it . I thought the ribbon was a cheeky way to add the 'scallops' from Taylor's sketch too, as it's a bit frilly :)

I know it's only little, but the Easter Egg has been paper pieced - I stamped it in Chocolate Chip ink on DSP and Taken with Teal, cut the zig zags out of the Teal and pieced it together.

Can't wait to play with the photos I take this coming Easter!

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini), Tidy Alphabet (retired)

Card: Regal Rose, Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

DSP: Love Always (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Other: Flirty Ribbon (retired)

Just Add Ink Debut

Just Add Ink is a new challenge blog that I've noticed popping up on a few blogs - in fact one of my friends featured in the Top 5 last week!! (Yay Leah!!). I was looking for a nice bright colour combo for a colleagues birthday card today and Just Add Ink Challenge 7 provided just the inspiration...

These colours are just gorgeous together and I just had to pull out my Kaleidoscope DSP; Joy Fold cards work SO well with DSP, so the card comes together quite quickly (a bonus as I put this together today at the last minute 'cause I fell asleep early again last night).

A closer squiz at the 'holder' part - I managed to line up the petals on the circle with the petals on the greeting part of the card.

A peek at the inside.

Tini loved it, so I was quite chuffed, and she had a great afternoon!

Happy Birthday Tini (21 again!!).

Stamps: All Year Cheer II (retired), Friendship Blooms (retired)

Card: Green Galore, Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

DSP: Kaleidoscope (Summer Mini)

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Pink Passion

Punches: 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle

Other: Vintage brads, 5/8" Jumbo brads

Return of Bold Butterfly

Do you have a favourite stamp set that has been retired for a while, but you still can't resist reaching for it? Mine is Bold Butterfly. It was one of the very first sets I bought, with the coordinating Flitting By Jumbo wheel of course, and I just LOVE it! Looking at Makeesha's Inspiration Challenge, and pairing it with the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 57, I just had to pull it out again.

I thought I'd keep the 5 panels on the sketch quite basic for this one and just scored Whisper White card. I also played a bit with ribbons and adding the sentiment as a tag on this one. I'm thinking the wings may need a bit of Dazzling Diamonds though.... I'll post a better photo tomorrow too.

Must be off as I have a couple projects to finish for my boss's 30th birthday.

Stamps: Bold Butterfly (retired), Short & Sweet

Card: Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red

Other: Rose Red 1" Double Stitched ribbon, Turquoise Grosgrain ribbon, Word Window punch, Sherbert Designer buttons (Summer Mini), Circle Scissors Plus

First Time for a ColourQ Challenge

I've seen another colour challenge appearing frequently on blogs I visit, ColourQ, so I thought I'd pop on over and check it out myself. Arielle has put together some great challenges, so I thought I'd play along when I can. I missed last week, but not this week!!! Aren't the colours just great?! I am planning on using them for a scrapbook page for Mum's (very late) calendar too, but have run out of time tonight (and I'm not sure if this challenge is cards only or not).

The son of my friend in Germany is turning 3 soon. I have been a terrible friend and have not kept in fabulous contact (they last time we saw each other in person was 1999), and now I feel extra guilty as I received a care package from her the other day with some lovely bits and bobs for Luana and Haribo lollies for me - they are so good!! So, I have organised myself and made this card for her little man. Those animals from Animal Stories in the Summer Mini are just too cute! I've also edged the Whisper White mounted panels in Real Red to add a little bit more dimension.

Now I just need to remember to send this so it arrives in time for his birthday!

Stamps: Animal Stories (Summer Mini), Best Friends Numbers (retired)

Card: Brilliant Blue, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Yoyo Yellow, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Yoyo Yellow

Punches: 1 1/4" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle

Other: paper piercer

Sale-A-Bration Workshop

Yesterday I had a great group of girls around for a Sale-A-Bration workshop. We made three projects, each one featuring a Sale-A-Bration set, and two of the projects using products from the current Summer Mini.

As this was the first time I had inked up any of my new SAB sets, these projects qualify for the current ABC Challenge - N is for New!!

For the card project, we made an easel card where I had used Colour Throwdown 79 for inspiration. I actually made two with different base card (as I didn't have enough Riding Hood Red for everyone... oops). Even though the Blush Blossom was my back up, I think I actually like that one better than the tone-on-tone one.... The technique demonstrated with this project (apart from the funky card) was paper piecing.

For the 3D project, we whipped up these very cute and very easy PostIt Note Holders. I am officially in LOVE with the Kaleidoscope DSP from the Summer Mini. It is just divine!!! I was working on a bit of an eclectic feel with this project - funky DSP and colours with more traditional stamps from Vintage Labels (or should I say Vintage stamps...)

Our third project was using the super cute Scallop Notes from the Summer Mini together with Tall Tales DSP and Animal Stories stamp set - such a great combo!! The greeting is from the oh-so-versatile SAB set Whimsical Words. I ran with the retro feel of the DSP and placed my little owl off centre. I also ADORE the buttons in the Summer Mini so had to include one from Playground on this card. For that little something extra on the card, the DSP on the inside of the card was punched with the scallop edge punch. I love the look of lined envelopes too and little cards with little envelopes are just perfect to demonstrate that on.

We had a lovely afternoon creating and chatting - thanks for joining me girls, we'll do it again soon!!

Happy Birthday Easel Card

Stamps: Happy Moments (SAB)

Card: Riding Hood Red, Blush Blossom, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

DSP: Candy Lane

Ink: Sage Shadow, Riding Hood Red

Other: Scallop Edge Punch, Dress Ups Ribbon

For You PostIt Note Holder

Stamps: Vintage Labels (SAB)

Card: Pink Passion

DSP: Kaleidoscope (Summer Mini)

Ink: Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise

Other: Scallop Circle Punch, Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon

Too Kind Scallop Note & Lined Envelope

Stamps: Whimsical Words (SAB), Animal Stories (Summer Mini)

Card: Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Old Olive

DSP: Tall Tales (Summer Mini)

Ink: Brilliant Blue, Rose Red

Punches: Scallop Edge, 1 1/4" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Square, 1 3/8" Square

Other: Scallop Notes (Summer Mini), Playground Buttons (Summer Mini)

Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 16

I'm not missing the submission cut off this week for Stacey's Curtain Call Colour Challenge :) Although I will try to take a better picture tomorrow when the sun is up instead of the moon. (ETA: done!!) I didn't realise until just now that the sweet pillow in the inspiration picture is very similar to my card... oops.

Being so close to Valentine's Day, and considering the colours included Real Red, I thought I'd go with a Heart card. I've already made Paul's Valentines Day card, but our anniversary is in a couple of weeks, so I'm getting in early. This card therefore also qualifies for this weeks Stampin' Royalty Challenge of Love/Valentines theme.

These colours made me think of the Bella Bleu DSP almost straight away, and I think the pattern in the heart from I {Heart} Hearts just compliments it beautifully. I've been playing with easel cards too - they're fantastic!! I'll post another I did for my latest workshop tomorrow. I didn't want to take the focus off the big heart with the 'stand' so have kept the red to an absolute minimum for that part.

Wishing you all a wonderful Valentines Day!! XXXXX

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts (Summer Mini)

Card: Kraft, Very Vanilla

DSP: Bella Bleu

Ink: Real Red

Other: Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Heart to Heart Punch

Super Bright

You know how there are times when you think 'wow, those colours are bright'? Well, this is one of those times :) This weeks Scrapmaster's Paradise Colour Combo is SUPER bright!

I think kid's birthday cards are a great excuse to use bright colours, so put these ones to work on a card for a 4 year little girl using this weeks Taylored Expressions sketch. Pink Flamingo DSP was the obvious choice for me to pull out, and I paired it with a flower from Blooms Die Cuts - big, bold and beautiful!!

Stamps: A Little Birthdy Cheer, Best Friends Numbers (retired)

Card: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun, Whisper White

DSP: Pink Flamingo

Ink: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise

Punches: Word Window, 1 3/4" circle (Summer Mini)

Other: Blooms Die Cuts, Playground buttons (Summer Mini), Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon (Summer Mini), Circle Scissors Plus (Summer Mini)

Curtain Call Act 15.... Missed the Submission Time

I really enjoy Stacey's Curtain Call Colour Challenges, and even though I have missed a few, I try really hard to play along. However, this week I played along but missed the submission time (I didn't read the fine print....). Just thought I would share this anyway - it's a great colour combo and not one I would have chosen on my own.

I've used the fabulous set I {Heart} Hearts from the Summer Mini, which is also part of the Haiti Fundraiser running at the moment; Stampin' Up! will donate $2 to the American Red Cross for every set sold before February 28th. I also played with my new Heart to Heart punch and the ever so cute Sherbert Buttons, also in the Summer Mini. These are the first buttons I have bought (and the Playground ones) and I am loving having them!! Why did I wait so long to order them?!

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts (Summer Mini), Best Friends Alphabet (retired)

Card: Lovely Lilac, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White

DSP: Garden Green Patterns (Level 1 Hostess Gift)

Punches: Scallop Edge, Heart to Heart

Other: Sherbert Buttons (Summer Mini)

Welcome Ella

My cousin welcomed a beautiful little girl, Ella, into the world a few weeks ago - a tad early so I wasn't quite expecting the text. My cousin isn't a girly-girl, so I didn't want to make a full-on pink card. Leah's latest Colour Wheel Challenge fit the bill: Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum, So Saffron and Mellow Moss. I also used the most recent Mojo Monday challenge as inspiration...

I stamped the adorable elephant from Animal Stories in Pretty in Pink, then rock'n rolled it in Perfect Plum before popping her up with dimensionals on layered Whisper White and Mellow Moss circles. I felt the square 'bit' on the sketch was a bit sharp for a baby card, so adapted it to a circle. The Whisper White scallop circle has been sponged in Pretty in Pink around the edges to soften it. A few Pretty in Pink brads added the finishing touch I was looking for.

I think my cousin will get a kick out of this! I'm looking forward to meeting darling Ella next visit home.

Stamps: Animal Stories (Summer Mini), Jumbo Bold Alphabet, Short & Sweet

Card: So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss, Whisper White

DSP: Afternoon Tea

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum

Punches: 1 3/4 " circle (Summer Mini), Scallop circle, 1 3/8" circle, 1 1/4" circle

Other: So Saffron 3/8" Grosgrain ribbon (from Ribbon Bundle, retired), Prety in Pink Grosgrain ribbon, Soft Subtles brads

It's Simple.... Love You

Super simple card for the latest Scrapmaster's Paradise Colour Challenge. I'm actually trying to think ahead a bit and have been hiding this one from Paul as it is likely to end up being his Valentine's Day card!

I fuddled around a little bit with stamping the hearts (from Wagon Full of Fun) on Pretty in Pink and Apricot Appeal card in the respective colours, and then the centre part on Whisper White, but it just didn't work for me... hmmm. As you can see, I ended up stamping in those colours directly onto the Whisper White card base, having the focal heart in Real Red. I thought I'd try out using rub ons directly on to ribbon - very easy and a nice effect! For the folded part of the ribbon, I used glue dots and sticky strip in strategic locations to keep it all fastened!

What a challenge Samantha!! I really have to think with red and orange tones :)

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Whisper White

Ink: Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Real Red

Other: Fashion District Rub ons (retired), Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon

Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 13

I just LOVE this duck!! It's one of the main reasons Wagon Full of Fun was the first set I ordered from the Summer Mini. This would have to be my favourite card of the moment, and it's one of those that I didn't have a firm idea of what direction I wanted to take when I started, just that I wanted to do paper piecing (you can sort of see in the photo that the wing is popped up too). The latest Curtain Call Colour Challenge was perfect for that:

The rest of the card is quite straight forward, but if you do want extra details let me know.

This card was made for an awesome friend of mine for her birthday, although I originally envisaged using blue as it's her favourite colour. She used to have a set of duck measuring cups sitting on her kitchen window sill, so ducks always make me think of her. I'm sure she'll forgive me for the lack of blue :)

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Passion, Whisper White

DSP: Sweet Always

Ink: Basic Black

Other: Scallop Edge Punch, FairyTales Ribbon, Blooms Die Cuts, Jumbo Brad

Friendship

This is going to be quick as I must be off to bed... It's been ages since I've played with a Colour Throwdown challenge, so this is my latest offering.

Once again, I've had to substitute Perfect Plum for Rich Razzleberry (as it's not available in Australia).

I've fallen back on a tried and true 'technique' for my last couple of cards that I've noticed myself using quite a bit recently when I'm either a) a bit tired or b) not ENTIRELY comfortable with the colour combo I'm working with - one sheet wonder stamping. Although I don't always stamp a whole A4 sheet, generally a much smaller panel. It hasn't failed me yet!!

Must be off, but hope you enjoy my recent postings.

Stamps: Organic Grace (Level 1 Hostess), Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Garden Green, Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Whisper White

Ink: Garden Green, Prefect Plum, Mellow Moss

Other: Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware (retired)