Sunday funday

Wow, just got back from Paper Diva's Extravaganza and all I can say is WOW.  What a fun day was had by all the ladies there with 4 different projects made and lunch included was a total blast.  

Will post pics later, Im off to do the family BBQ thing for our daughter's birthday.  I just came on to update my blog with information regarding the We Stamp for Lara appeal which I have just this minute made my payment for.  30 tutorials in 30 days, can't wait to get started.   Thank goodness its uni holidays or I wouldn't have time to make anything.

Anyway, if you haven't heard about it check it out now .....

The week that was

Wow, what a fun week it's been so far.   Tuesday I went over to a friends studio to stamp.  I was struggling to get an idea for team training swaps so just fiddled around a bit and came up with the little yellow box in the photo below.   I have since modified the basic idea and come up with something great (will share after training).  The rest of the week has been much of the same.   Playing around with concepts and ideas, lots of blog surfing as well.   The other yellow box is destined for the mother of one of my friends who is having a rough time after the death of her former husband.  I intend on filling it with a few goodies for her.

Today I tried my hand at a top note box, using Danielle's design from  her Just Add Ink tutorial.   I used Blushing Bride, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla cardstock, versamarked the blushing bride and then used the chocolate chip ink for the words.   I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

On a sadder note, we just discovered that my 13 yr old son's much loved goldfish Splash has just departed for fish heaven.  Splash had been in our family for just over 2 years and was the catalyst for our fish habit.  We now have 8 remaining goldfish and I imagine another one soon.   Obviously he is quite sad and tonight we will be giving him the proper burial - in the "coffin" designed and made by my boy just this afternoon

Anyway, thats me for today - im hoping to enter the Just Add Ink just add birthday challenge so have my thinking cap on for inspiration.  

Julz

JAI entry

So the ladies over at Just Add Ink came up with yet another lovely challenge this week.   To use these gorgeous colours.

I deliberated a while.   I didn't have all the colours necessary so have substituted just one, the sahara sand although perhaps you could all just use your imagination and pretend that the box itself is made of sahara sand as I believe the colours would work just as nicely.  I substituted some very vanilla cardstock and used chocolate chip ink for the wording

This wee box is intended as a gift for a friend, and will be filled with handmade liquorice truffles.   I altered the dimensions of the very first stampin up box I received from Paula Dobson my wonderful upline to make a slightly taller box than the one she gave me.   I'm really happy with the result.   Hope you all like it too

Materials:  Pear pizzaz, blushing bride, very vanilla & chocolate chip cardstock;  Bashful blue DSP patterns stack, Beautiful wings embosslit die, perfect polka dots embossing folder,  blushing bride & chocolate chip inks

Play date Monday

Gotta love long weekends.   Saturday was taken up with not one but two exams.   Eep.   My brain was dead by the time I got home and bed called early.   Sunday was taken up with the traditional Labour weekend Kiwi pass time - yes gardening.   The garden beds were topped up with extra compost and potting mix, new tyres laid down for more corn and a number of plantings made.   Tons of sweetcorn, two tomato plants to start the season, some snow peas, a cucumber plant and some lettuces went in.   Will be adding to it frequently over the coming weeks with plans to plant a lot of extra tomatoes.  

Today though I got to play, not only with my new tree trimmings stamps but also my fellow crafter Ali's big shot.  I wasn't overly inspired and just ended up playing around a bit. 

The card here actually started out stamped on the top note die using tree trimmings on the chocolate chip paper in white craft ink and highlighted with dazzling diamonds. 

I decided I didn't like it once it was all assembled so carefully disassembled and cut all the trimmings out, added some ribbon and was fairly happy with the result.   Along the top I used the versamark and the decor wheel.  To lift the brown and the vanilla I used a piece of retired brights cardstock.

I really wanted to enter the just add ink challenge but found getting inspired difficult so just wanted to warm up so to speak.    I have an idea brewing, Im about to sit down and see if I can't come up with something.   Watch this space.......


Julz

So exciting

Guess what arrived on my doorstep this morning??  Thats right, you got it.   My demonstrator kit is finally here.   Super exciting although it arrived when I had a study buddy over so it wasn't until just now I was able to rip off the plastic and drool over all my new goodies.

Can't wait to create some super new things, although I will have to as exams loom tomorrow.   Two exams, one three hour and one two hour one back to back.   So not looking forward to it but definitely looking forward to finishing and being able to come home and make great use of all the shiny gorgeous colours and new stamps I have.  

Day 1 part 2

So I had to blog this.    I didn't really get any actual card making done this morning thanks to this wee poppet.  I just love babysitting my wee neighbour, even if it does mean I can't create in peace.  Isn't her "card" adorable.  

Day 1

So, here I sit.   University lectures are now over for the year and I am on study leave for the week before two exams on Saturday.    I should be studying, I want to stamp and create.   So the battle between the two begins.   To add to the mix, I have both my youngest home for the day and the neighbours almost 3 year old daughter for the morning.   She loves my stamps and punches and so it's likely that I will wait until she has left before I do any stamping.

On Friday night the wonderful  Paula Dobson  came over to run a class for myself and a lovely group of ladies.   I so would love to show what we made but we have been sworn to secrecy.   Suffice to say it will be worth the wait.   Paula truly is one talented lady with what she came up with.

Over the weekend I managed to make a number of creations, one of which was created with the  Just add ink challenge in mind.  The challenge over there this week was "Just add blue" to mark Anxiety and Depression month.    So my focus on the weekend was blue.   I used it in a number of different ways but this card was the most simple but I think it is quite effective and just a little masculine as well, quite a difference from my usual girly bling cards.   Hope you like it.