Monday, April 30, 2012

Less is More Sketch

Hello,
This weeks Less is More Challenge is a sketch.  There is a choice between two similar sketches.  This is my choice
And here is my card
 Supplies:  White card, Butterfly - Grace Taylor stamp, sentiment -  Hero Arts, pencils - Lyra

Bye for now and thanks for dropping by

Sunday, April 29, 2012

The Circus is in Town

Hi everyone,

Another weekend over, time to prepare for the work week.  Before I get into work mode I have a card I made today. 

The challenge at Alota Rubber Stamps is to make an easel card.  I have never made an easel card before so I thought this was a good challenge to attempt.  It involved a lot of fancy cutting and took a lot of time. 

A friend asked me to make a card for her young son - this is what I came up with

Supplies:  Red, green blue and white card, Alota Rubber Stamps digital circus figures, Hero Arts sentiment, Fiskars edge punch, Lyra colour pencils.

Must head off chores beckon

Thanks for dropping by.  See you tomorrow, I will have a card for LIM.  I do enjoy their challenges 

Goodnight

Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Eye of the Storm

I have just been to see a exceptional movie.  It was a Fred Schepisi movie, The Eye of the Storm.  This film had screened at the Melbourne Film Festival last year but I couldn't work it into my viewings. So I am glad I was able to see it tonight. 

This is Fred Schepisi first Australian film since Evil Angels.  It  is a handsome adapted of a novel by Patrick White.  The Eye of the Storm was published in 1973, this was the year Patrick White receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first Australian to receive this accolade.

The film has a superb cast - Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis, Charlotte Rampling, Colin Friels, Helen Morse, Robyn Nevin, John Gaden, Alexandra Schepisi and Maria Theodorakis.  It is set in Sydney’s salubrious Eastern Suburbs in 1972.  I loved the look of the movie, it is a sumptuous production design.  The ‘70s mansion is wonderfully recreated
Megan Lehmann of The Hollywood Reporter describes it as - A classy, grown-up drama that explores the emotional wreckage of a dysfunctional family with caustic wit.

I haven't read the book but I understand it is supposed to be autobiographical — a cruel portrait of the author's family.

Charlotte Ramplings make-up is so good your don't question the mother/daughter relationship between her and Judy Davis.  Although their ages are not that different in reality. 

Helen Morse, I haven't seen her a movie for ages, was unrecognisable as Lotte the housekeeper - a great role.  Fred Schepisi's daughter, Alexandra, had a role as one of Elizabeth Hunter's (Charlotte Rampling) nurse.  She was very good in the role.  Colin Friels is a scheming, randy politician and aspiring Prime Minister.  I have my suspisions that this is based on Bob Hawke
Branfor Masalas , US saxophonist, makes a  major contribution to the score.

Well worth seeing.

http://www.theeyeofthestorm.com.au/

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Charm and Friend

The first card tonight is for the challenge Less is More - How Charming! make and/or use a charm on your project
I started this project with a wedding card in mind.  But I think it could be for a wedding, anniversary or even an engagement card
Supplies: White and gold card, Inkadinkado sentiment, ribbon flower, ribbon, gold VersaColor and charm

Now for the second card
 Supplies:  White card, Hero Arts digital butterflies and background paper, Kaiser rhinestones and Thickers

 This card is for the following challenges:
 Our Creative Corner - Butterflies
Make It Monday Challenges – Anything Goes
Cup Cake Craft Room Challenges – April, Bugs n Birds n Wings n Things
Simon Says Stamps - Anything goes

Today was ANZAC day - Lest we forget!

RIC #10

What an interesting dress in this week's Runway Inspired Challenge inspirational photoFirst there are rich colour - gold, silver and orange then the silky material and  finally the chevron pattern.

My card card for the challenge
Supplies:  White, gold and silver car; orange specialty paper (has small metalic dots); sentiments Hero Arts stamp

I have photographed this at night and unfortunately the silver and gold card don't show up very well.


Monday, April 23, 2012

Flamingo Pink Shoe

This weeks gorgeous colours  at The Play Date Cafe  are Flamingo Pink and Bright Orange.  Great colours to play with.
Supplies: Pink , orange and white card, Hero Art stamps, Kaiser rhinestones and ribbon

I stamped the shoe on white card and then on pink card.  I cut around the pink shoe and then popped it up on mounting tape

Here is the inspiration image

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Watercolour Butterflies

Yesterday my computer decided  to play silly games.  As a consequence I spent the day trying to fix it, grrrr.  Thankfully I was able to get it working again.

Onto the card I had wanted to post yesterday.  It is for Moxie Fab World's,  Tuesday Trigger, Watercolor Butterflies.
Supplies:  Pin and white card, Arches watercolour paper, Distress inks, Hero Arts Emossing Powder, VersaMark stamp pad, Butterfly, Grace Taylor stamp, sentiment, PTI stamp and Kaiser pearls

Here is the trigger
Thats all for the moment.  Now I am off to the library hopefully between rain showers.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Zentangle

'Doodling' is the theme for the Less is More challenge this week.  Mandi used a form of doodling called Zentangle for her card.  I have seen a few cards using this technique before and have been intigued by them.  So here was a golden opportunity, I just had to try it. 

I enjoyed making the design but I need more practice. The next boring meeting might be the perfect venue you to practice. 

Here is my card for the challenge and my first attempt at zentangles

Supplies: White card, black marker and PTI sentiment

This was so much fun that will definately be doing more zentangles

Balloon

The challenge this week at Penny Black Saturday challenge is "Spots and Stripes"
Supplies:  White and blue card, Scenic Route design paper, Penny Black stamp Wonderful, sentiment Hero Arts, Kaiser Rhinestones

I have used the sketch from Unscripted Sketches

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Buttons and Bows

Hi,

My card tonight is for Crazy 4 Challenges ,C4C132, Buttons. and The Crafty Pad Challenge #166 - Bounty of Buttons
Supplies:  White and coloured card, sentiment Penny Black, Nestabilities, buttons and ribbons

Tonight the is post is short and sweet.

goodnight and thanks for dropping by 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Floral Hearts

Hello,

Tonight I have used the sketch from  Mojo Monday
Supplies:  White and green card, October Afternoon design paper, Cuttlebug hearts, Rhinestones Kaiser, Fiskars border heart punch, sentiment Penny Black

This card is not the norm for me. I usually do fewer layers but it seems to work.

This is the challenge sketch from Mojo Monday

Goodnight and thanks for dropping by.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Male Card

Hello,

It's not often that male cards are the theme for challenges.  This week there are a number so it is a good opportunity to add a male card to my card reserve.  I used a Darkroom Door photo stamp.  They have some nice male themed stamps.
Supplies:  Kraft card, Motorcycle and plaid Darkroom Door stamps, Sentiment Hero Arts, Tea dye and fired brick Distress Ink, Graphite black Archival ink, String and Button.

I have used the sketch from the current Retro sketches challenge, but swung it.

The Challenges

Bye for now and take care

Flower Power

Hello,

Just squeezing in another card for today.  I noticed that there were a number of challenges involving flowers.  So here is this evenings card.
Supplies: White card, design paper Kaiser, scallop Stampin Up punch, Kaiser pearls, Catarina Stampit  stamp, sentiment Penny Black stamp, label Nestabilities,
Challenges
Crafty Creations: #165 Flower Power
Lily Pad:Simon Says Stamp presents a Flower challenge
The Pink Elephant #143 - flowers
Simon Says Stamp - April showers bring spring flowers

As usual it's past my bedtime.

Goodnight and thank you for dropping by.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Black

Yesterday I headed up the highway to Ballarat.  It was nice day to be out and about, this weekend we are experiencing an Indian summer.  The Ballarat Art Gallery has had a Cecil Beaton exhibition on celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Eilizabeth II.  The photos fell into two groups.  The first was war time, these were reminisent of old Masters and had elaborate backgrounds and the second was modern which focused on the subject against a stark white background.  It was very interesting, well worth the trip.

This week Annabelle Stamps is celebrating Friday the 13th with a "Say it with Black" challenge.
Here is my card
Supplies:  Black and white card, Plaid DarkRoom Door, Flower and sentiment Hero Art stamps, White embossing powder Hero arts, ribbon and lace.

Birds

Hello,

This week's Tuesday Trigger on Moxie Fab is Tree Little Birds
Here is my card
Supplies:  White, blue and grey card, Newspaper Owl Hero Arts stamp, Shabby Sutter Distress Ink, Green Tea VersaColor,Azurite ColorBpx Chalk Ink, Sentiment Hero Arts

Here is the second card for today
Supplies:  White and green card, design paper Dear Lizzy, Birds Galore Inkadinkado stamp, Sentiment Hero Art stamp. Swiss Dots Cuttlebug,Ribbons and Button.


The card sketch I used is from iSpy Sketches

Challenges entered-
Paper Play: Things with Wings
Crafty Ribbons: Things with Wings
Dutch Dare: Buttons and Bows
Paper Pretties: Two or more Design Papers

Bye for now,
Thanks for dropping in

Friday, April 13, 2012

Pink Flowers

There is only time for one card tonight and I'm entering in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Case-It Challenge.  This is Helen's lovely card - the 'case'
 Here is my take on Helen's card.
Supplies:  Green, pink and white card, Aspire Penny Black stamp, two pink and a green Tombow, pink Kaiser rhinestones, ribbon and lace

Autumn Tones and Crown

This weeks Mojo Monday 236 is this sketch









Here is my card for the challenge.  I had forgotten I had this design paper. I bought it because I liked the nice autumn colours. 
Supplies:  Brown and cream card, design paper (unknown), two ribbons, lace, Nestabilities, sentiment Penny Black, Amber Clay ColorBox chalk inkpad

I have a second card this evening and it's for the Crazy Amigo Challenge - Princess
This was a fun card to make.

Supplies:  White and pink card, Paper Kaiser Blush, Kaiser rhinestones, flowers, Nestablilities, the crown pattern and the sentiment are from the Cutting Cafe

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Red Roses

The current challenge over at Clean & Simple is a sketch.  I have been scratching my head over this sketch.
This the card I finally came up with.
Supplies:  White, black and red Bazzill card, Sizzix rolled flowers, Leaves Martha Stewart punch,  Hero Arts sentiment

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Three Green Stripes

Hello,

It has been a nice day today.  It wasn't too cold so I was able to do some gardening.  I was mainly taking care of maintenance because I have neglected the garden lately - about as long as I have been blogging.  It is also the time for rose and clematis catalogues to arrive.  I go through the catalogues and pick all the plants I would like and then go back over them and pick what I can afford - it's fun and no calories.

Tonights card is my second card for Less is More challenge, Three Shades of Green
Supplies:  Three green and white card, Hero Art stamps Blossom Art and Year Round Sentiment, Distress Ink Shabby Shutters, Hero Arts white embossing powder

Well all good things must end and tonight is the end of the Easter break, it's back to work tomorrow.

Must go. 

Goodnight

Plum Cake

I just had to share a recipe I found on the SBS website http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/13889/Plum_cake_%28g%C3%A2teau_aux_prunes%29?cid=23221.  It is delicious!  With cream yum.

A couple of things to mention though, I did cut the amount of sugar, I wasn't able to purchase blood plums and even though I bought 640 gm I didn't use all them.   I substituted a plum with a yellow flesh.

Plum cake recipe (gâteau aux prunes)
Created by Olivia Andrews

*        Cuisine: French
*     Serves 8
*    Ingredients
165g (¾ cup firmly packed) brown sugar  (I used 1/2 cup)
125ml (½ cup) light olive oil
140g (½ cup) Greek-style yoghurt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml (⅓ cup) orange juice
1 orange, zested
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
120g (1 cup) ground almonds
8 x 80g blood plums, halved, stoned

110g (⅓ cup) plum jam
Raw sugar and double thick cream, to serve
Preparation
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22cm springform pan. Place sugar, oil, yoghurt, eggs, vanilla, orange juice and zest in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Place flour, ground almonds and ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add yoghurt mixture and whisk to combine. Pour batter into prepared cake pan, then gently press plums, cut-side up, into surface. Spoon ½ tsp jam into the centre of each plum, then bake for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. You may need to cover the cake with foil to prevent over-browning.

Brush the cake with remaining plum jam, set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Scatter over raw sugar and serve with cream.
Photography by Brett Stevens. Styling by David Morgan.

Monday, April 09, 2012

Pink Flower and Three Green

Hello,

I hope everyone  has had a happy Easter?  We have had a very relaxing long weekend.  The weather has turned cold, a taste of the coming winter.  This wasn't a problem, we just stayed in and enjoyed the slower pace.

I made today’s card for the latest Just Us Girls challenge


 and Retro Sketches challenge.


I turned the JUGS sketch on its side and I came up with this card.

Supplies: White card stock, Cuttlebug Scribble flower, Hero Arts Digital Patterned Paper Earthmalldots and
Year Round Sentiment stamp, Pink and white felt, Kaiser rhinestones
The night photograpy is messing with the colours again.  The rhinestones are pink.
The second card I am sharing with you is for the "Less Is More" Challenge - Three Shades of Green.  I enjoy these challenges because I always learn something new.  My biggest problem with them is to know when enough is enough or put another way, when less is more?  For the pears I used masking and double stamping.
Supplies:  Green and white card stock, Pear stamp (unknown), Hero Arts Year Round Sentiment stamp, ColorBox chalk inkpad Olive Pastel and Distress Ink Shabby Shutters

Bye for now thanks for dropping by

Liebster Award



I have received a lovely surprise, Ardyth at MASKerade has nominated my blog for a Liebster Award.


This award is given to up-and-coming bloggers who inspire you and have less than 200 followers. The Liebster award takes its name from the German word meaning "Beloved, Dearest or Favourite".

Once nominated, you then:

Acknowlege the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them
Give the award to 5 other bloggers, who have less than 200 followers and let them know through a comment on their blog
Post the award on your blog

So here are my nominations:

Please take a minute to visit these ladies and leave a comment for them - we bloggers LOVE c0mments

Sweet Surprise


:

Good Morning,
This morning I have a card I made for the Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger.  Here is the inspiration:
Gingham on white, so  pretty.  Here is my card:
Supplies:  White cardstock, Christina Re Baby Blue, Little Yellow Bicycle doilies, Kaiser pearls, Flowers

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Black Hat and Blue & White

Hello,

My son arrived home from Uni for the mid trimester break.  He is only here for a fortnight but it's lovely to have him home even for such a short time.

City Crafters Challenge Blog has a great challenge this week (week 103).  The topic is Hats Off to You.

Supplies:  Card - Bazzill, Stamps - Flourishes, Ink - VersaColor/gold, Kaiser- pearl, brads and ribbon.

The second card for tonight is for two challenges: the sketch challenge at iSpy Sketches ISSC10 and for the colour challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges.
I liked the sketch, fairly straight forward and not too fussy and for the colours I chose blue and white with green.  I must sort out the photography because again the green is looking washed out. 

Supplies:  Card - Bazzill, Design paper - Melissa Frances, Sentiment - Hero Arts, buttons and ribbon

This week has been so busy I didn't have time to tell you about the a paper Expo I went to last Saturday.  It was the first of the Paperific Expos and was held at the Melbourne Showgrounds.  I spent an interesting afternoon checking out all the new techniques and tools.  I allowed $x and left with not even enough for coffee - so a good time was had by all.

Well that's all for now

good night

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Coffee and Hearts

Hi,

A funny thing happened on the way to.....That's not quite accurate, it was funny but I wasn't on my way anywhere.  This morning I got up early to prepare hot cross buns in the new bread maker.  Followed all the instructions but when I went to take out the dough to make the buns I had a loaf of bread instead.  I had been so looking forward to hot cross buns for breakfast.

Onto the cards for today. 

I have had this stamp set for some time and have never used it   So I thought todays monochromatic card would be ideal.  A coffee coloured card using coffee themed stamps.

This was made using BasicGrey design paper, flourish stamps, Colourbox chalk inkpad and Kaiser Rhinestones.  I used the Basicgrey paper as background and for the mug as well.  I stamped the mug on brown card and on  design paper, cut out the paper mug and popped it up on the stamped image on the card.

Challenges
Crazy Amigo:  Free theme
Papercraft Star: Anything goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything goes and option monotone
Anything goes - Anything goes
Paper Pretties Wednesday: Monochromatic

The second card
The Blockheads' Magic Metal Technique  and this is triple embossing. A new technique for me to learn.

I used Stampington & Co, Lg Sheet Music; Alison Ellis Design, Just Gold Embossing Powder; Hearts were made with Cuttlebug and Martha Stewart punch.  The sentiment was computer generated.

I had promised myself I would finish before midnight but alas.

Goodnight and thank you for dropping by.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Lucky Dip and Party Dress

This weeks challenge at Less is More :- is "Lucky Dip" and here is the picture inspiration.  So pretty
I was having trouble coming up an idea and then I saw an interesting waterclour technique on Paper, Scissor and Superheroes.  Betsy Veldman said it was easy and her card using this technique was lovely.  So I thought I would give it a go.
I used Distress Ink, Spun Sugar and Shabby Shutters. the stamps were Hero Arts and Art Stamps.

I have another card and this one is for the challenge at For Your Inspiration: Photo inspiration. 
I loved the photo, the colours are so rich. But again I had trouble thinking of a card design. I kept thinking of Japanese themes. Then I thought I would concentrate on the rich colours
I used Stampit's Caterina and Inkadinkado stamps, Nestabilities ovals, ribbon and Kaiser rhinestone.
 
That's all for tonight.