Still Going Gangbusters! Part II

Here are several more Christmas cards I wanted to show you before the year was out (which will be any minute now won't it?).   You'll be pleased to know that there are only a small handful of cards left to post as well as several wine bottle tags, and a selection of other holiday bits and bobs remaining to share and that will be this year done. Time sure does fly.  I always say that I wish I had gotten a wriggle on in my Christmas crafting sooner in the year as I do end up having really enjoyed myself when it is all done and dusted.  Yes, I must admit, I do get a wee bit sad about packing up my holiday goodies until next year as quiet as it's kept.  I am forever saying that I will start earlier and just leisurely potter away at making Christmas cards throughout the year, but I don't.  Sigh.  Oh well...maybe one day. 

Thanks so very much for stopping by.  Happy Holidays Lovely Ones!  Much cheer! x

Still Going Gangbusters!

I am still crafting away at my To Do List and still doing so in relatively good humor too I might add.  Here are several more of the Christmas cards I have created since I last posted about my holiday handiwork.  This is a rather pic heavy post, but what can ya do?  ...Keep Truckin' On! 

Thanks for scooting by as I know you are all so very busy.  Sending you fond regards and, most importantly, wishes of supreme stamina for The Season.

Well Hey There Little Lady.

Still lacking in much by way of mojo these days (talk about crap timing) and with great hopes of jump-starting my crafting mojo with a CASE, I went for a stroll through Waltzingmouse's Gallery which is always full to the brim with incredibly inspiring creations.   Before too long, I fixed upon a "cute as pie" card from Jennifer Holmes cleverly using a onesie die cut and the fun, "Well Hey There Little Lady" sentiment.  I instantly knew I wanted to try my hand at a card inspired by Jennifer's for a wee lass using those incredible colors from this week's CR84FN Color Challenge showcasing Coral, Light Pink, and Aqua. Not too sure if I have done Jennifer's onesie card much justice, but I had a hoot of a time trying. Yee Haw!


Edited To Add:   This card was selected as one of this week's CR84FN Top Three!  Woohoo! 

Thanks so much for popping by.  Here's to an inspired day!   


Supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Back In The Saddle, Offbeat Backgrounds, ans Way Out West.  Hero Arts'Woodgrain Pattern.
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Aqua Mist and Rustic Cream C/S.
• Accessories:  Papertrey Ink Onesie Die, Spellbinders Tags, Tim Holtz for Sizzix Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Aqua Grosgrain Ribbon (from stash), Vintage corded trim (also from my stash), and Cream Acrylic Paint.

A Birthday Wishing Willow.

Apologies in advance for the last minute nature of this post (but you know me).  All week long I knew I wanted to post an entry into this week's The Shabby Tea Room Challenge, because I thought the inspiration pic was super lovely, but as per my usual...I plum forgot.  I forgot that is, until earlier today, that I had intentions of creating something for this challenge.  You should have heard my scissors clicking and Cuttlebug clanking (yes, it is that old).  Who wants to bet that not a one of The Shabby Tea Room members will even have time to pop over to take a peek before it's too late?  I don't like my chances.  Oh well, what can you do (besides post earlier in the week)?   My mojo has been rather lacklustre of late, so I went to Melissa Phillips' blog hoping for a kickstart via a CASE.  Golly is she ever good for that.  But despite the rev-up I got from ogling her cards, I realized that I didn't have much by way of supplies to match Madame's cards exactly,  so I created my card from a mishmash of "near enough" crafting supplies that I had hanging about.  The willow is from the fantabulous Waltzingmouse Stamps' Blessed By You set.  Talk about a goodie, chock-full of really special sentiments and, of course, that natty willow tree.  The other bits and bobs are from Papertrey Ink.

The brief for this week's The Shabby Tea Room Challenge is to create a project inspired by the following photograph using White or Cream, Neutrals, Silver and Glitter. Ooh, and if you squint, you might just spy the glitter I placed on the corrugated layer at the top of the card and the willow is bedecked with silver discs, just in case you were wondering. *wink*  I have complied, really.  Bit of an odd time for me to go the less is more route now isn't it?   Talk about a recipe for gorgeousness, that inspiration pic.  Not sure how great mine will taste though.

But most of all, thanks for cruising by.  I appreciate your visits so.

A Welcomed Reminder.

I am not going to lie, as much as I have been enjoying crafting for the hoilday season, I am starting to get a bit overwhelmed with the seeminlgly unending perparations in advance of Christmas.  I can generally stave off the hardcore angst of the holidays but everything seems to go pearshaped once December 1st actually gets here.  And true to form it's the 1st today and I can feel it in my waters that things are about to head south.  Eek! Deep breath, deep breath.  In a feeble attempt to hold it together a bit longer, I went for a stroll down Memory Lane and found this card I made earlier in the year.  Its sentiments seemed apt and was a welcomed and ever so timely reminder to not let my racing mind and its tendency to stress get too far ahead of me.  Today is today and not tomorrow, right?  No need to put the cart before the horse just yet.  So, I am off to smell the roses a bit today while quietly chanting "keep it together, keep it together" to myself.  Crazy days! Oh darn it!  There I go again!  Keep it together, keep it together...Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff........SNIFF!




*wink*

Still Merrily In Christmas Cardmaking Mode...

Well, that's Thanksgiving done and dusted for another year.  I do love Thanksgiving so.  So back at it I am, making more Christmas cards to (hopefully) sell for this festive season.  Here are several more I have made since my last report.  It's a bit pic heavy this post, but I didn't want you to think I'd just been slacking off, still blissfully basking in the joys of my post turkey L-tryptophan high.  

The bulk of the stamps used in this current collection of cards is from Waltzingmouse Stamps, Hero Arts, Papertrey Ink, Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous and Impression Obsession.  Many of the dies either belong to Spellbinders or Papertrey ink.  You will let me know, now won't you, if you'd like any more specifics of any card?  ...And fingers crossed I will remember the requisite bits.   

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Here's to a fabulous day for us all!  

Happy Anniversary!

I am still trying to get into my Holiday card making groove, but best laid plans...  I had to briefly switch crafting caps because I needed an Anniversary card and I needed it quick.  So, I whipped this little number up using this fortnight's CR84FN Color Challenge colors showcasing Brown, Tan, and Green.  Not a combo I use often as it can look a tad swampy in my hands, but it was a nice refreshing change in the end (and hopefully not too swampy looking).  Only Waltzingmouse Stamps were harmed in the making of this card.  The sets used were the Dainty Doilies - Large and Say It With Style.  Love 'em! 

I also delighted in cracking open my new (to me that is) Spellbinders Shapabilities Ironwork Motif die along with the Large Scallops Circle Nestabilities die (which so happens to perfectly frame the largest WMS Dainty Doily image).  The nifty embossed script on the background Basic Grey DP is called Gauchi Script by Provocraft.  It's another fun way to tjuz up a card in a flash, I reckon.

So pleased this card is crafted and posted.  Off now to continue making my way down my seemingly bottomless "To Do" list.  I bet you've got one of "those" too. *wink*

Enjoy the day!  

Kicking It Into Gear For Christmas...finally!

I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to get started on my Christmas cards.  Crazy huh?  Well, we all know that one of my many aliases is Last Minute Larrena, so it won't come as a huge surprise that I am finally kicking my holiday card making into gear only just now.  Here are several of the cards that I have managed to put together.  To be totally honest, I have no idea what all the ins and outs are for these cards as I pretty much raided my scrap bucket which looks more like a totally out of control, burgeoning barrel of random bits and bobs at this stage. As for the stamps and other assorted crafting goodies used on these cards, I will try my best to give a shout out when able, but to be truthful, the details are looking rather sketchy.   I think I should confess first up that outside of knowing that I used supplies from across Papertrey Ink, Waltzingmouse Stamps, Hero Arts, and My favorite Things, I should just really take a pass and put myself out of my misery.   But really though, being the crafty mavens that you all are, I know you'll totally be the first at the buzzer to successfully name that "bit".  You all really do rock when it comes to that and it is so impressive.

So without further ado, my holiday warm ups:

Thanks a wonderful bunch for stopping by.  I appreciate your visits immensely!

A Thing Of Lacy Beauty...

Since I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off of late, I am so pleased to have a hot minute to pop in to post a card I made for the current CR84FN Color Challenge, seeing that I have not posted for any challenge in what seems like donkey's years, I am excited to have returned from my papercrafting crafting hiatus with this little number.  Staying true to my penchant for roses, tags and lace, I revelled in the opportunity to make this card containing all three yummy faves, albeit in a somewhat unorthodox form.  This fortnight's CR84FN Color Challenge colors are Black, Pale Pink, and Neutral.  Such an elegant trio of colors don't you think?

Only two stamps were used (or harmed perhaps) in the making of this card.  I returned to my familiar and cherished Itty Bitty Unity stamp called A Thing Of Beauty for the wonderful Keats sentiment and used a new and oh so fantabulous stamp for the background.  The scrumptious lacy background stamp is an Impression Obsession Cover-A-Card stunner called Lace Rose.  Can I just tell you how much I adore this background stamp.  Love, love, love, love, love.  It is such a rich looking stamp that can be dressed up or dressed down and still look the goods.  I just stamped a piece of Paprertrey Ink Vintage Cream cardstock with Memento's Tuxedo Black on this ocassion.  I was thrilled to bits with this rather aged boudoir effect.  Did you know that the literal translation of the french term boudoir means "sulking place"?  How odd.  I then spritzed the bajesus out of random sections of the lacy background with the palest pink Chalkboard Glimmer Mist in Cotton Candy.    It looks rather fab in person, but alas, it hasn't translated as such in the photo. Sigh.

Ooh, and apologies again and in advance for presenting to you yet another Spellbinders Rose Creations die cut rose but more so for the fact that I can't see this set of dies being sent out to pasture by me for some time yet.  It is such a good'un. Guess who's smitten...again?

Well that's pretty much all the notable mentions for this card done.  Thank you ever so much for joining me on the blog.  I adore your visits so.  Here's to a blissful, craft-filled day for us all!  

Just A Note Card.

Not much crafting time was had over the last two weeks of the precious papery kind.  I had a huge festival showcasing and selling my handmade gemstone bracelets.  Needless to say, I was busy, busy, busy in the lead up to the festival solely beading my little heart out.  The four day festival is now over until the next one in May 2012, so I can now get back to my regular scheduled and oh so beloved papercrafting.  Ahhhh.  

I made this card last month.  Not sure what inspired it, but I do recall having fun using stamps from an Australian company called Darkroom Door.  All of the correspondance-like images on the green background are from them.  Darkroom Door is certainly a company worth looking into if you are after quality red rubber, more photo-realistic  type images.  The floral image edging the green card base is from Unity's Itty Bitty line (also red rubber) presenting the delightful Unity and Webster's collaboration and it's called Beauty.

I also must confess that I adore that whopper of a label from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Well, anything from Waltzingmouse Stamps will usually send me and that's no great secret, but this one in particular is pretty special in my estimation.  It's from a wonderful set called Vintage Labels 18, which coordinates with the Spelbinders label of the same name. Divine.

The remainder of the card was put together with various other nifty bits and bobs from my papercrafting collection.  But the last of the nifty bits that bares mentioning is, just how cool wired ribbon is.  Love the stuff.  I know it may be a bit shiny for some, but if you pick your colors right, you will absolutely adore how easy it is to get a half decent bow when using this ribbon piped with a fine edging wire.  No crush, no fuss.  I got the several rolls I have from my local sewing shop in their haberdashery section.  Isn't the word haberdashery so cool?   Haberdashery. Haberdashery. Haberdashery. Haberdashery.  Love it!

Silly aren't I?  But really, thanks so much for stopping by.  I do appreciate each and every one of your visits so.  Here's to an inspired day!

You're Not Old...You're Vintage!

Just recently I received an order from Simon Says Stamp (an online craft supply company that I just love by the way:  Such a great selection, wonderful customer service, and affordable international shipping to boot.  Nice) and in it was this cling stamp I ordered from Art Declassified called Little Patriot.  I just love the look of this stamp and the company's design asthetic on the whole.  Plus, you know me...never pass up an opportunity to craft with a one-stamp-wonder if you can.  And throw in a tag for good measure and I am one crafty and oh so happy camper. Ah, the joys! The office supply store-bought swing tag was stamped with sentiments from a My Favorite Things stamp and die set which I seem to have momentarily mislaid. Eep! I think it is called something like Vintage Typewriter or Just Your Type or something.  The three distresseed stars are from Papertrey Ink's Est. 1776 stamp set, which I adore.  The dry embossed Nautical Star background was done with a provocraft folder.  And that's this card done.  Too easy!


Thanks a bucketful for stopping by.  Here's to a magnificent day!  

Well, What Do Ya Know...My 100th Post!

Who would have thunk it?  100 post later and still enjoying myself a plenty.  Just wanted to mark the occassion with a few air punches and a resounding Woohoo!  Thanks for each and every one of your lovely comments over these last 100 posts. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading them just as much as I have enjoyed posting. I do hope that you will continue on this journey with me and know just how much I appreciate you and our crazy beautiful world of papercraft!  Cheers!  

Supplies: 

• Stamps:  Impression Obsession Cover-A-Card in Quilt, Papertrey Ink Love Birds (sentiment)
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Stampers Select White Cardstock, Lincraft Green C/S, Basic Grey White Basics DP (ledger), Melissa Francis Kitchen Kitsch DP (gingham)
• Accessories:  Spellbinders  Floral Motifs Die and Rose Creations Dies, Folliage Die (leaves) JustRite Stampers Label Die, Fancy Tags die, Pearl Brad, Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer Mist in Cotton Candy, Glimmers Mists in Crushed Eggshells and Pearl, WRMK Corner Chomper in Scallop and 1/8 Corner Rounders. 

I've Got My Eye On You...

An eye for an eye, ICU, an eyeful...Who knows?  As you may have gathered by simply having a butcher's (butcher's = butcher's hook = a look in English slang) that this is yet another card born out of no good rhyme nor reason.  It just sort of created itself....as they do.  I have no idea what a card of this nature would be best suited for.  Maybe it would be a good one for an optometrist,  a magician, casino security, Peep Show patrons (eww), and Big Brother even.  Not so good though for those with paranoid ideations I would imagine.  And yes, I have resisted all temptation to start in with the one eyed and no eyed deer jokes, you'll be pleased to know.

I do know though, that this weird and slightly wonderful one was created largely with Tim Holtz's Stampers Anonymous Cling stamps.    From memory, it looks as though the collage-like background was created with smatterings from the Oddities, Splatters, Going Somewhere, Steampunk and Slight Alterations sets.  The tag's stampings (as I am hesitant to actually call it a sentiment) is from Papertrey Ink's Just The Ticket stamp set. I do enjoy a collage stamped background I must say and even though I have no idea where I was going with this card, I enjoyed this one too.  Ooh, and lastly, the flower is also a Tim Holtz goodie created from his Tattered Florals Alterations die with one random red and gold swirled die cut from...Lord only knows where, placed in the rear for good measure.  The gray top portion of the flower is actually handmade paper using wool.  Cool, huh?

Well, that's me done for today.  Thank you ever so much for stopping by.  Eye really adore when you do.     ;-)

Some Ghoulish Goodness!

I just love Halloween.  It's not a big celebratory event here in Australia, but I do do my bone-chilling best to bring a bit of ghoulish goodness to my home and family's heart each year.  Seeing that there is a fair swag of us, we generally try to mark the occassion with either a Halloween party or just deck out our home with a devilish decor and have tons of villainous victuals for all to enjoy throughout the day.  I have yet to get cracking on making the most spooktacular banner but I have a few ideas in mind.  I have though, gotten a wriggle on my Halloween cards.  These are a few of my favorites that I've made thus far.  The best bit about these three cards is that they were all made with Papertrey Ink stamps and some of which weren't even Halloween related sets.  Just Boo-tiful!

Off I go to get the Cuttlebug cogs cranking while I have a moment free.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  As always, It's been a tremendous treat.  Have a wonderful day!

On The Road Again...

Well not really, but one can always live in hope.  I made this card way back in June and just hadn't gotten around to posting in.  This card was relatively quick and definitely fun to make.  I used Papertrey Ink's Road Trip stamp set that I love, but unfortunately it can make me feel a bit homesick, so I only take it out to use in small doses.  When I've used this set in the past, I just went for the sentiments mainly and the broader map image as used in the background layer with the pinked edges, as it seemed more applicable to those in other climes.  But on this day, I really must have had the Go Hard or Go Home kind of attitude, as I went for the good old US of A outline image.  Love.  I bet too, it's the rather cool retro feeling of this set on the whole, that also pulled me in.

I also was able to use my Tim Holtz ATC die from Sizzix.  This is a nifty die, but I doubt I've used it to its fullest effect, quite simply because I don't really now what ATCs are or even what they are supposed to be used for if I am brutally honest.  Silly I know.  But I just love the die's natty size and cool retro fitted corners and I don't half mind using the die as I have done so here.  And lastly but certainly not least, I had to throw in a bit of corrugated cardboard on the card for good measure...as you do.  This stuff is such a hoot to use and the price is right too (free).  After all, a penny saved is a penny earned, right?

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a spectacular day!

Just A Note About A Note Card.

Have you ever made a card for no special reason, but that you were just mucking around with your supplies and wanted to see what happened if you did this or did that?  Seemily driven by something not necessarily evident at the time.  Well this rather bedraggled number is the end result of such a crafting session.  I made this a while ago when I had received my first Tim Holtz Distress Ink Stains and some new Glimmer Mists from Tattered Angels.  So this rather oxidized looking cardstock started off life as a crisp piece of Papertrey Ink Ocean Tides cardstock that was stamped initially with Versamark using one of the larger Fleur De Lys stamps from PTI's Embellishments stamp set.  I (impatiently) waited for the Versamark to dry and ended up giving it a wee toot with the heat gun, as it was really taking so long with very little effect.  After all that, I could hardly see the fleur de lys so I decide to give Vintage Photo Distress Stain a whirl.

I must say as a veteran enjoyer of Distress Inks, I found the use of Stains an all together wetter and less controllable experience truth be told and one I don't know that I see the benefits of, other than in covering (read: saturating) larger areas of paper quicker while maintaining the density of the color of the Stain. Yes, the jury is still out.  So after stepping back and having a look at the failed Versamarking and the now Stained Ocean Tides cardstock, it looked like an over-aged bit of scraggly paper that wasn't so interesting and fairly warped.  Sigh.

In an attempt to salvage the much coveted bit of Papertrey Ink cardstock, I decided to run it through the Cuttlebug with the Woodgrain Impression Plate by Papertrey Ink.  This is a much loved and often used tool from PTI and one I'd heartily reccommend.   It seems to add interest to just about everything from die cuts, to background layers and everything in between.  Luckily too, this also straightened out the bent card fairly well.  Phew!

Just because I couldn't help myself, I shook (and on hindsight that was my first mistake) and sprayed Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Coffee Shop straight onto the besieged card base at point blank range (mistake number two).  Yep, you guessed it, I didn't know that one must hold the card or item being glimmered at least an arm's reach away and waft the base through the shower of (stirred not shaken) mist as one would do with a fine perfume.   Hence, the globs that splatted onto my base.  Eek!  Oh well, even though I did learn to not employ my rather rough as guts technique forevermore, unless splats were what I was definitely after, but I think it sort of worked on this patently experimental card.

Luckily, the rest of the card was fairly straight forward and just involved using my tried and true Distress Inks, good old Memento ink and a trusty shipping tag.  The stamped images and text was from Waltzingmouse Stamps and Papertrey Ink.  I know that the sentiment is from PTI but I don't recall if the text stamped under the frill was as well or if that belonges to Waltzingmouse Stamps.  It is definitely one or the other.  The nifty Asian-inspired tiling is from Waltzingmouse Stamps for sure.  The bookplate is a Tim Holtz goodie from his large Shipping Tag die from Sizzix. Oddly enough, I rarely use the large tag as it is indeed a large'un, but get tons of use from the two bookplate options included on the same die.  The buttons are cool and are authentically vintage treats complete with the original threads still in the holes.  I just love that.  So, they just needed a bit of glueing on top of the mint green vintage tassle, also from my stash, and Robert's your mother's brother.

This card has long since sold and has ended up being one that I think of often.  Not only because I was truly crafting out of my comfort zone, which I certainly was, but because it ended up being a likable card born out of happy (and some not so happy) accidents.  I kind of think about it as a diamond in the rough, that stayed rough and was still admired.  The woman who bought this card from me said it was going to her friend that was in rehab and that it reminded her of her...her diamond in the rough , who was rising up through adversity and still continuing to shine despite all that she had been through and thought this card would suit her to a T.  How cool is that!   Perfect.

Thanks for letting me share with you yet a bit more about my musings in craft.  Do know it means the world to me.  Have an inspired day!