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.

My birthday bash!

Last weekend I celebrated my birthday with family and friends over a 2-day period. Oh I was so, so spoilt and fussed over. Lunch with friends on the Friday then a barbeque lunch down at my sisters with family on the Saturday ... and just look at all the beautiful cards and presents I received.

The group photo is my husband, Nev and two daughters - Kim on the left and Nicky between Nev and I.

Naturally I just had to make thank you cards for everyone and I came up with these two versions which gave me a good excuse for using the Au Chocolat d/s paper. I also used my Sale-a-Bration stamp sets - Friendship Blooms and Merci. Cardstock was Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Regal Rose.

Thanks everyone for a really memorable birthday bash!

More cards

Have had a flurry of cardmaking just lately. First card I made was for old family friends celebrating their 50th (Golden) wedding anniversary. What a wonderful achievement for two such lovely people.

As you can see I love the French Flair background stamp which I have gold embossed on the Elegant Eggplant background though in this picture it appears to look like black. I then mounted on the main card using the gold cardstock.

Next I made this birthday card for a male friend (mainly cased from gbedwright) and was very pleased at the way it turned out. It was an opportunity for me to use my new Stem Silhouettes stamp set which I feel will prove to be most versatile. Also used my new Cuttlebug embossing folder, Distressed Stripes then used my Crystal Effects to give it a shiny, glossy finish. This set off the leaves mat beautifully. Cardstock used was Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla and Sage Shadow. The patterned paper is a non-Stampin' Up paper but feel it compliments this card very well.

Anabel had us around to her house and her lovely tidy and well arranged craft room last Wednesday where we made these two 'buckle' cards - so called because the flaps slot into the front of the card to hold it closed. 'Scuse the ink mark on the 'friends' card - when stamping the floral card ink accidentally got onto the first card I had made!

Thanks so much Anabel for a lovely evening.