Is It Really Only With Horseshoes and Hand Grenades?

Surely the old adage of "almost only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades", isn't as limiting as it sounds?  Because I reckon that I almost managed to incorporate the Week 1 colors for Online Card Classes' Summer Card Camp 2011 as they were put forth.  The colors are shades of purple, pink, orange, sky blue, and white.  Admittedly, I have gone the less vibrant/summery option but the more rebellious muted versions of the week's colors (more in line with the fact that I am currently freezing my butt of today during this Australian winter).

Instead of crafting with my sunglasses on (not because my future is so bright I have to wear shades),  I just took the colors down a notch (Scotty) and realized that my almost colors would be well suited to a baby card.  Hence, this star was born.  That pun may or may not possibly have been intended.  *shifty*

Here's a look at the class' colors of the week, so you can see what I was on about and how I almost got there:

Well, there's always next week, right?  Thanks for popping by.  It's been a real pleasure!


Supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Say It With Style, Picnic Patterns, Offbeat Backgrounds, and Seasons of Love Tags
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Sweet Blush, Stampers Select White and Lavender Moon C/S
• Ink:  Versamagic, Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Tumbled Glass, and Dried Marigold
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Star Nestabilities and Labels 17, WRMK Corner Chomper in Scallops, Provocraft Spots Embossing Folder, American Crafts Bright White Embossing Powder, Zing! Powder Blue Embossing Powder, Papertrey Ink's Enchanted Evening Bakers Twine, and Orange and Lavender Satin Saddle Stitch Ribbon, and Keisercraft White Pearl

Not Enough (Fun) Hours In The Day.

Life is certainly getting in the way as of late so it would seem and has really been cramping my style a (big) bit these days.  I've been so busy with stuff...not even fun stuff to be honest.  So, I decided to post a quirky card I made last month as we were finishing up autumn here in Sydney as now winter has definitely arrived.  Brrrr.  I love the fall and the crispy, crunchy, colorful leaves and the beguiling scents of autumn as they are a wonderful reminder of my "happy place".  This card uses pretty much all Papertrey Ink gorgeousness save the leaf die cuts as they were made with The Maestro's (Tim Holtz) Tattered Leaves Alterations die using some scraps of handmade paper from my stash.   With a bit of luck I hope to have some crafting time soon.  Lord knows, I sure could use it.

Thanks for swinging by.  It certainly brings a smile to my face when you do.  Hugs.

I Wake For Cupcakes?

Eek!  Only moments ago (I kid you not), I sat bolt upright in my bed (yes, It's nearly 4am as I write this) in shock as I realized I hadn't posted my card for this week's The Shabby Tea Room Challenge!  I actually made my card the night the challenge went live, but forgot about it until now! Silly me. With only a few hours to spare (and a few before I need to "officially" get up to start my day proper), I scurry to get this posted.  Apologies in advance for lack of anything other than my card.

So, here you go, with love, TSTR inspiration photo and my card (warts and all):

Back to bed I go.  Nighty Night.

Full of Frolicking Fun And Fairy Frosting!

It's on for old and young at Papertrey Ink once again.  This month's PTI Blog Hop is based around this full of fun inspiration photo and whatever crafting fabulousness it inspires.  My card is perhaps not an obvious corrolation to the photograph but I hoped to show just some of what joyous times it is sure to engender. Plus, I had fun.  *big grin*

Thanks a big bunch for hopping by!  Hugs.

Happy 1st Birthday Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge!

As per my custom, I was a bit of a Johnny Come Lately to Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenges, but I sure am pleased I did finally get there.  This week's  celebratory challenge is to use any of the sketches posted from their first wildly successful year to mark this highly auspicious occassion.  I chose sketch no. 26.

I used to shy away from shaped cards for a number of reason, but mainly because I didn't have the right shaped envelope to put them in and felt that the square peg into a round hole kind of thing just looked "all wrong" so to speak.  Lucky for me though, I did happen to find some square envelopes and pouchettes that I quite liked and that has made my previous excuse making rather moot.  Also too, I have gone all quaint on Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities dies and have been really enjoying shaped cards for a change.  Now all I need to do is figure out different ways to get these babies to stay still long enough for me to photograph them.  Trust me, that's a whole other kettle of fish entirely.

So here's my contribution to the WMSC birthday festivities.  I had to laugh, because I guess I am still somewhat delirious with fever as I adhered the purple paisley stamped scallop rather skewiff.  But you know what?  I decided to leave it as I (also while in the throws of my cold du jour) used tacky glue to stick down the layer instead of my usual ATG gun (why?), then proceeded to sneeze several (but it seemed like several hundred) times in rapid succession, and when it was safe, went back to crafting but it was all over red rover...the glue had already stuck fast!  Ack!  Nevermind.  I decided to just rock it like I meant it.  Afterall, it kind of adds to the rustic charm (well if you kind of squint that is) don't you think?  You've gotta laugh.

So without further ado, sketch no. 26 and my rapid fire sneeze inspired birthday card:

Thanks so very much for stopping by.  You've made my day!  Hugs.


Supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Musical Backgrounds and Say It With Style, Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card Background in Paisley
• Paper:  Bazzill Kraft, Soft Gray, and CR8TIVE Lilac and textured purple C/S, and Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream C/S
• Accessories and Tools:  MFT Daisy Die, Provocraft Circular Tag Die, Keisercraft Pearls, Brown Gingham Ribbon (from stash), Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Scalloped Circles and Beaded Circles Dies, Vintage purple Lace (from stash)

To Me, From Me...

Ugh!  Man Flu has hit my household...again! Bless. I have finally gotten the cold du jour, but it pales into insignificance against the dreaded "you know what"...so, I am laying low (for his safety more than mine...heehee) and sending myself little Warm & Fuzzies to help me weather the storm.  Enough said?  xxoo


Supplies:

• Stamps:  Hero Arts Engraved Fruits (second time this week I've gotten fruity with this fun set), Papertrey Ink Big & Bold Wishes and BB: Gingham
• Paper:  Bazzill  Green Olive C/S, Papertrey Ink Rustic Cream C/S, and Lincraft Yellow C/S, 7 Gypsies Conservatory DP
• Ink:  Memento Tangelo, Sprout and Canteloupe, SU! Chocolate Chip, Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge, Dried Marigold, and Antique Linen, Versafine Black Onyx
• Accessories:  Vintage French Lace, Orange with Yellow Trim Ribbon (all from stash), Spellbinders Lacy Banner Die, Papertrey Ink Eyelet Circles Die

Loving Lady Luck!

It's been a little while since I had a go at a Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge.  So, I thought it was high time I had.  My card is an odd one, I will be the first to admit.  I think it may be a case of the concept I had in my mind might have translated vastly differently in paper. Dunno? This card was definitely born from a crafty soup of images and notions that I had prancing around my left brain (quasi Vegas show inspired, I suspect), but my left brain hadn't bothered to let my right brain in on the action though.  As happens sometimes, hey?  Nevermind. Well, that's my story and I am sticking to it.  *shifty*


Here's this week's WMSC sketch followed by my card.  Enjoy!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps Sweethearts, Say It With Style, and Musical Backgrounds.  Hero Arts Cling Old Letter (I can't get enough of this stamp at the moment...love).
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Kraft, Stampers Select White, Misc. Red Corrugated board, Basic Grey Basics in White, Gold Shimmer Red Handmade Paper (from stash)
• Ink:  Versafine Black Onyx, Distress Ink in Fired Brick, Black Soot, Vintage Photo Memento Tuxedo Black and Lady Bug
• Accessories:  Keisercraft Rhinestones in Black, Spellbinders Fancy Tags, Papertrey Ink Tag it's Die #3 and Heart Prints Die, Clear UTEE, Provocraft Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Queen of Hearts, WRMK Corner Chomper,  White Cotton Garden Twine, and White Acrylic Paint

Ahh Choo!

Just a quickish post today to share a quick card I made in hopes of warding off the dreaded Ahh Choos that seem to have invaded my household of late.   I know the horse has already bolted so to speak, but here's hoping this card will serve to ward off any further incursions of plague and pestilence from entering our home for the moment at the very least.  Wishful thinking I somehow suspect.  Not a dry nose in sight (save mine currently) in the Adcock household.

It's winter here in Australia and it has been cold and rainy as of late and it is looking rather set in.  And...as we all know, kids seem to prefer to learn things in a rather selective fashion.  Take for example, my two year old can not only walk up stairs and chew gum at the same time (something I have yet to perfect), but has figured out how to hook up the Wii so he can get his Mario Cart groove on in the middle of the night when he (we) ought to be sleeping!  Mind you, he has to crawl out of his bed, head downstairs in the dark, get the light on, TV on, switch the Wii on and have the controllers found (something the bigger kids have yet to perfect) all by himself in order to have an uninterrupted run of the game while the rest of the household sleeps, well that is until I realize he is gone...again.  But yet, he is too afraid or unwilling to get a tissue from any of the many tissue boxes scattered around the house and at arms reach in order to wipe his nose!  I can assure you, I stopped buying those biting tissue boxes quite sometime ago. *wink* Worse bit is though, that the older kids are no better!  So, we are currently living on a medicinal diet of fresh oranges, orange juice and homemade chicken soup at the moment interspersed with some candy for good measure (as directed by Dr. Mary Poppins, of course) hoping to move this sneezy sucker on.  Ah, the joys of motherhood! 


I used Hero Arts Engraved Fruits and Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar, Friendship Jar Fillers: Spring and Paper Tray stamps to make this little "get well" number.  The base cardstock was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder called Bubbles (I think?).  C'est tout.  Told ya it was a quickie.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Keep well. x

The Cure To What Ails Ya!

Hugs and kisses and other assorted heartfelt warm and fuzzies never seem to go awry when coming from those you love (and that also love you), as far as I am concerned.  They certainly seem to always be the cure to what ails, now don't they?  So, when I saw and subsequently fell in love (once again) with this card by the incomparable Mona Pendleton, I was wonderfully reminded of the fact of this incredible Cure-all:  LOVE.  Therefore, in my CASE-ing sights went Mona's pretty card and this glorious sentiment.  Happy times.

Seeing that I am feeling a bit game in CASE-ing the uber talented Ms. Pendleton in the first place, I thought why not go the step further and enter my card into her CR84FN Color Challenge as well, simply because from here my card's color palette (Light Pink, Medium Green, and Neutral) was born.  Here's hoping I haven't really done my dash this time.  *wink*  I think it best that I cross my fingers again...

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Do know I appreciate your visits so.  XXOO


Edited To Add:  If your wondering why I posted two very similiar pictures of my card, rest assured that I didn't think it was so nice I had to post it twice (I'm bonkers, but not that bonkers), but later changed my mind after publishing the post and initially wanted to update the first picture with another. Silly me didn't realize that I couldn't just replace the second pic with the previously published one because I had already Inlinkz-ed the first.  Sigh.  Therefore, I couldn't delete it and replace it with the one I fancied more.  Live and learn, right?  


Supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Text-It and and Sweethearts
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream and Rustic Cream, Pink Paislee's Butterfly Collection DP
• Ink:  Versafine Olympia Green, Memento Bamboo Leaves, Distress Ink in Tea Dye, Old Paper, and Vintage Photo, and Spun Sugar
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Hearts, Classic Hearts and Gromit Tags, Resin Orchid, Corrugated Cardboard (Thanks G! x), Cream Seam Binding, Keisercraft Pearls in Cream, Vintage Lace, Acrylic Paint in Cream and Pink, Pink Glitter Paint and WRMK Corner Chomper in Scallop

A Gent's Birthday.

I am trying to make a concerted effort to make a few more cards for the fellas than I have done previously.  This card was a little number that allowed me to stamp my own background which I love, love, love while giving a nod to my Steampunk predilections. (*whispers* I secretly suspect that I love stamping my own backgrounds so much because then I don't have to cut into all the groovy designer paper that I hoard so...Sshhh.) Plus, Tim Holtz does indeed make this rather easy to do with his fun (and often fabulously funky) take on crafting.  This birthday card used minimal supplies and was reasonably relaxing to do.  A bit of willy nilly stamping, some snipping and chomping, a touch of acrylic finger painting, a little lassoing and...Ta da!  Robert's your mothers brother.  


X

Mad About Plaid!

I can remember the day I gladly crossed over to the darkside and started ordering from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Talk about a classy company with design esthetics, extraordinary quality and stellar customer service to match.   What had me hook, line, and sinker for this fab company after having the opportunity for a good look-see and play was their gorgeous plaid stamps.  Ahh, such fun!  You can build incredibly unique backgrounds full of scrumptious texture in any color or colors and patterns your heart desires. If you're not already on the Waltzingmouse Stamps bandwagon, I strongly suggest you get a wriggle on, because they are just that good.  So, seeing that I am such an unabashed fan, I, of course, revelled in the opportunity to use the bestest plaid stamps...ever!  I have already confessed that I was mad about plaid, so my ravings shouldn't surprise you (much).  With my stamping sanity notwithstanding, it was a no brainer when it came to choosing a background stamp or two for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge challenge.  *happy dance*

So without further ado... the sketch followed by my card:

(click pic for clarity)

Thanks so much for popping by.  Here's to a fabulous day!

Supplies:

• Stamps:  Watzingmouse Pic-Nic Patterns, Off Beat Backgrounds, Very Vintage Labels 18 and Rescue Remedies Additions
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream and Kraft and handmade paper from my stash
• Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy, Broken China, Antique Lined, and Tea Dye, VersaMagic in Ocean Depth
• Accessories:  Tim Holtz Bigz Dies in Tattered Florals, Papertrey Ink Fine Linen Vintage Buttons, Spellbinders Labels 18 and Floral Motifs Nestabilities Dies, Pinking Shears and Jute