Happy Birthday Karen

Well today was officially Karen's birthday though she has had a 3 day practice run up to the real event!!

Thought I would once again wish Karen all the best and share with you the card I made for her - I had to try and do something a little different, her being a demonstrator and all!!

This is a trifold card and I must confess that it is cased!!

Back to work and normality tomorrow Karen - boo hoo!

I've had a sneaky look .....

Yes, that's right I've already had a sneaky look at the new Stampin' Up catalogue and it was like, "oh I want that, and that, and that ...." and so it went on and now already have my order ready to pounce and place after the 1st April!! It's not that I definitely need all those things, but more like an obsession - you've just got to have them!

Well, back to the present, or in this case the past ... I don't normally post cards that I do in class but thought I might this time. These were done around at Karen's at what she calls the meeting of the Braeburn stampers ('cos we all live on the Braeburn estate)!

The cards above were both done using the emboss resist method. I think Karen has put the recipe on her blog. Below is a bagalope and my one is slightly different to what everyone else made. These are great for small gifts or chocolates.

At Jacque's last week we made these cards using the beautiful Carte Postale set.

Back to work now .. have a wedding and male 60th card to make this week.

Summer just keeps rolling on .....

What an absolutely gorgeous summer we have had this year and there seems to be no end in sight.

Getting really excited - not long before the new Stampin' Up catalogue is released and I can't wait to see what tempting goodies are in there!

Another birthday card I have just made for a friend:

Stamps: SU Both Way Blossoms, SU Warmest Regards, SU Scribble wheel

Paper: Lavendar Lace, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Black

Ink: Lavendar Lace, Certainly Celery, Black,

Other: Spritzer, White Gel pen, Scallops made using SU corner rounder and Lavendar Lace, Pale Plum, Certainly Celery SU markers.

Think I really need to improve on my photography or maybe I need a better camera - some people post some really great photos.

Had a fun evening with all my friends last Friday night. Hubby was away for the weekend and I had been given a DVD - La Vie en Rose - for my birthday that I wanted to watch so invited everyone around for a movie night complete with ice-creams at the interval! One friend brought her husband - she hadn't understood the invitation that this was strictly a female only affair! Never mind, he stoically sat with all the ladies and actually think he enjoyed himself. Fortified ourselves with gin & tonics, bubbly and nibbles. All in all a great evening.

That morning however, wasn't so great as I had to go first thing for another CT scan and it took them over 30 minutes just to find a vein to put a line in! Why do I always have to be so difficult? I now have the dubious honour of being at the top of the Radiology Department's "Most Challenging Patient" list according to the nurses there. Now waiting once again for the results, aaargh!!!

Oops, I have found another card!

Nearly forgot to post this card - this is cased from a card by Sharlene. Borrowed Karen's brayer and it is amazingly easy to do. Just love the colours (mine are slightly different to hers) and the overall effect is stunning.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Big Pieces

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Basic Black, Glossy White

Inks: Kaleidacolor Spectrum - Autumn Leaves, Staz On Black, Versamark

Accessories: Brayer, Mat Pack (for double pinning on side of black strip)

I have ordered a brayer for myself now and intend to use this technique more.

March Madness

Here we are into March already. It's frightening how quickly time flies. I always thought that once you were retired the days would stretch ahead of you - leisurely, long, wonderful days. Now I'm retired I am no better organised, nor do I seem to have all those lovely free hours for enjoying myself - time goes just as quickly and I often wonder how I managed to find the time to go out to work!

February/March is a hectic time here for birthdays, etc. so I have been kept busy creating cards for various people. Unfortunately, I have somehow managed to give some away without taking photos first!! How stupid of me! Anyway, here are photos I did remember to take.


The card on the left is sadly a sympathy card I made for friends. Really hard to make these cards I find as you need to find the right balance. I used the lovely Stem Silhouettes set inked using a Kaleidacolor Spectrum inkpad - Autumn Leaves on Whisper White cardstock. This gave it a multi-coloured effect and I then spritzed over this using the Old Olive and Creamy Caramel markers. Each stem effect was then layered onto Old Olive cardstock and positioned on to the Creamy Caramel cardstock card which had been overstamped using the Rough Texture wheel in the Creamy Caramel - looked good. A cream organza ribbon was added and With Sympathy stamp from the Warmest Regards set stamped and cut out with the 1-1/4" circle punch and mounted on an Old Olive cardstock 1-3/8" punch.

Second from left is a card for my 14 yr old grandson (he hasn't actually got it yet but I'm pretty sure he never reads my blog!)
Stamps: Birthday Whimsy.
Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Old Olive, Whisper White and the patterned paper is an odd piece from my scraps box.
Ink: Old Olive

Card on right was for my husband's birthday.
Stamps: Scribble This, Lots of Thoughts, Scribble Jumbo Wheel
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie
Inks: Creamy Caramel
Other: Glitter, Twill Tape

Another thing that keeps me busy (and is playing havoc with my social life as I can't plan any holidays or trips, boo hoo!!) is my ongoing health issues. Went for another hospital checkup last week and my CA125 levels have elevated even more so as far as they are concerned there is no question about it - my cancer has returned. Scheduled for another CT scan end of next week then dependent on results there is still the prospect of being sent to Melbourne for a PET scan. The tests seem to go on and on but it is inevitable that at some stage they will operate and give me some more chemo. Will keep you all posted.