Happy Birthday Mum

Hi guys,

I know I know I've been quiet. Truth is I just got back from holidaying in QLD. I had hoped to schedule posts in my absense but I was working insane hrs prior to going that it just didn't happen. Sorry. It is my mums birthday today so I thought I'd share what I made her with you all. Its very vingtagey and a bit Teneale Williams esk without the big bow but I really like it.

Stamp Sets: French Foliage, Elements of style, On Your Birthday*
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla

Ink: Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, Perfect Plum, Timber Staz On, Soft Suede

Accessories: Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Dye, Embossing Folder, Scallop Border Punch, Dimensionals, Sponges, Old Olive Stain Ribbon,

Thanks for looking and I will be back with more to share very soon

Dani :)

JAI 87

Hi guys,

Guess what! I finally bought a new camera. Woo! That means lots more posts. It also means you need to bare with whilst I get used to it and work out how to use lighting with it as I didn't need to with my SLR. Anywho I'm excited I can back into challenges again. Today I used these beautiful colours from Just Add Ink...



Here's the card I made. Now the photo doesn't do it justice cos I need to play around with lighting and you can't tell dimension. It's a pity I already gave it to my dear friend Bec (Happy Birthday Bec) otherwise I'd work on another photo tomorrow. Anyway, here's the card



Stamp Set: Summer Solice, Creative Elements, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, French Foliage
Cardstock: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Crumb Cake
Accesories: Aqua Painter, Dimsionals, Glue Dots, 1 3/4" Circle, Sponge Daubers, Crumb Cake Ribbon

TFL,
Dani

200 Posts, Woo!

Well I can't believe I would ever make 200 posts when I started my wee little blog years ago but I got here. How exciting!!!!

Also I really want to apologise for my quietness during the last month. Truth be told my SLR decided to die and I haven't had time to go camera shopping but hoping it will happen during the week when I finally have 3 days off work. So I have made lots of beautiful creations and haven't been able to share them. I do however have a card to share today. I was really desperate to be able to put something on my blog so the mr took this photo at Maccas on his phone and then I editted it on the computer lol. I made the card for my beautiful niece who turned 4 during the week. Shes growing up too quickly.



Unfortunatly the photo doesn't do the card the justice it deserves. There is stamping on the daffodil panel and dazzling diamonds on the wand that you just can't see. As well as the dimensions from the dimensionals. There are a few things I do love on this card from the new catty though:
1. The Princess- Will get alot of work out in my house of girls
2. Wisteria Wonder - need I say anymore?? Divine
3. The new 2 1/2" circle punch. Extra large and fabulous! Love it.

Stamp Set: Perfect Princess
Cardstock: Watercolouring paper, Wisteria Wonder, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Melon Mambo Prints DSP
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride
Accessories: 2 1/2" circle punch, Daffodil delight satin ribbon, Aqua Painter, Two way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, Rhinestones, Dimensionals, mini glue dots, Sponge Daubers

Thanks for looking and tanks to my loyal readers for sticking around and enjoying my creations

Dani

Welcome Baby Luke

Hi guys and gals,

A few weeks ago one of my dear friends I met through my mums group gave birth to baby number 2, another little (Ok maybe not so little he was 4.5kg) boy. When he was born I made him a card but its taken me a while to get it up on here. But when I saw this weeks challenge at Just Add Ink I thought it would suit perfectly. This weeks challenge is "Just Add Colouring In." I made this card with limited supplies on night shift and didn't have watercolouring paper with me so am not as happy with the colouring in as I would have been with watercolouring paper, That stuff is the bomb! Aside from that I am really happy with how the card turned out, except for my dodgy bow which I royally screwed up at 3 am when tiredness set in. I really hope you like it though...



Stamp Set: Baby Tees Jumbo Wheel, Nursery Necessities, Baby Bundle
Ink: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Black Stazon
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and Marina Mist Prints DSP, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla,
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Lots of Tags die, Big Shot, Certainly Celery Ribbon, Sponges, Dimensionals, SAMJ

Thanks for looking,

Dani

Botty Bot!

Hi guys,

Wow 2 posts in 2 days. Hope I can keep up this momentenum. My brother asked me to make his girlfriend a card for her birthday which was yesterday, Happy Birthday Silver (Her names Sylvia but my daughter pronounces it Silver hehe), And she's quiet nerdy and geeky so I had to make her a robot card, Been loving robot cards lately. So I pulled out Best Bots Forever which unfortunatly isn't available here in Australia, sorry. But it's still super cute. And I made two cute bots holding hands. Aren't they so sweet??



Stamp Set: Best Bots Forever, Lots of Bots
Ink: Black Stazon, Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist, Basic Grey
Cardtock: Watercolouring Paper, Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist Prints DSP
Accessories: Marina Mist Taffeta, Sponge Daubers, SAMJ, Word Window Punch, Aqua Painter

I asked my youngest what was on the card. She's been a bit slower with her talking but is really starting to take off lately and she told me it was a "botty bot" which was just so sweet so I thought that was an appropriate title for this post esp when I always struggle with a title.

TFL! Have a great Saturday
Dani

Inksprirations #69

Hi guys and gals,

Wow I've been mighty quiet. Things have been really quiet on my side of the world and unfortunatly craft hasn't been my top priority. Also my camera has been having issues. Looks like it's working, sorta, now so hopefully there will be alot more posts soon.

Anywho I got to particpate in the latest Inkspirations challenge. This week it s great sketch. Here it is...



I'm actually really chuffed with the end result cos I made most of it on nightshift at work with what I thought was "limited" supplies. This card is for my friends soon to be foster son whose about to turn 3. The colour combo is great too...



Stamp Set: Lots of Bots, It's Your Birthday
Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Baha Breeze, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolouring Paper, Pear Pizzazz DSP from Level 1 hostess set
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Baha Breeze, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Black StazOn
Accessories: Red Grosgrain, Brights Brads, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Big Shot Alphabet, Aqua Painter, Baha Breeze Marker, modern label punch

Thanks for looking. Will be back soon with more stuff to share. Also my counter has hit over 20,000 hits in my absense so think I may have a special giveaway soon too

Dani

Just Add Ink #50

Hi guys,

Third post in 3 days! I'm on a roll. Have a very quick card to share with you today. Must admit I'm not 100% happy with it. Few things not perfect on it and I wanted to do more with it but I needed to get it up so I could enter it in time for Just Add Ink's 50th Challenge!!! So here it is...



Stamp Set: Awash with Flowers, On your birthday
Ink: So Saffron, Elegan Eggplant, Ridinghood Red, Pear Pizzazz
Cardstock: Watercolour Paper, Pear Pizzaz, So Saffron, Elegant Eggplant
Accessories: White Taffeta, Aqua Painter, Dimensionals, Vintage brads, SAMJ

Thanks for looking,

Dani

Thank you gifts

Hi guys,

Something I love doing is making little Thank you gifts for my hostesses for having a party. Last night I hosted a workshop for an old friend who I haven't seen in 8 (or so) yrs. She found me on Facebook and started looking at my blog through my facebook page. It was so great to rekindle the friendship and do a great party for her and her mum so I had to make them something extra special and beautiful.

Here's a card and double pillow box gift I made for them.



The beautiful card was made with Friends 24-7. I used one of my much loved colours which will be retiring in September (tear), Mellow Moss teamed up with the beautiful Rose Red and Choc Chip. Such a beautiful combination. Here's a close up of the goodies



The Pillow box was made as a double box by starting with an A5 halved and cut out in the bigshot leaving half of the top tab over lapping so it connects the box and doesn't fully cut it out. I then covered the middle with cardstock so you couldn't see the middle score lines of the box. (I hope that makes sense) Email me if you want more detail. I then put a hot chocolate sachet inside which fit perfectly.



Stamp Sets: Friends 24-7, Trendy Trees
Ink: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Timber Brown Stazon (Non SU!)
Cardstock: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Watercolour Paper
Accessories: Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Aqua Painter, Rose Red Brad, Mini Glue dots, Sticky Strip (for pillow box)

Have a lovely and fun weekend
Dani

Inkspirations Guest Designer

Hi guys,

I was so super excited this week. The card I made for the Inkspirations sketch challenge (You can find it by scrolling down a few posts of click here) 2 weeks ago won! I never enter challenges with the hopes or thoughts that I will or want to win but merely for the sheer fact that I get to stamp for myself. I also love seeing what other great ideas others come up with. There's so much talent out there! So when I saw my name that I had won I was absolutely blown away! The great thing about winning is you also get the great privlege of guest designing and having your card on Makeesha's blog, Such an honour. Here's the layout I got to work on for my guest design spot



I saw this sketch and was really intimidated at first, I think it was more the prospect of being a guest designer than it being a tough sketch. Once I got going it was really easy to whip up a card. I had a really great and fun card I wanted to do but with the busy-ness of also preparing for the blog hop yesterday and returning to work this week it just didn't get done. Hopefully I'll have a bit of time in the next few days. Here's the card I came up with instead.



I love the cute little cake in this stamp from Greetings 8! If you look closely you'll see the cake icing has a bit of bling. Looks so pretty IRL. I also have been having heaps of fun playing around with ruffling ribbon and different ribbon effects and I just love the cute little ruffled ribbon on this card. Gives it something extra without taking over the whole card.

Also apologies for the crap photo. I took over 40 photo's of it and just couldn't get it right. The sun hasn't been shining here in Sydney this week :-(

Stamp Set: Greetings 8
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolour Paper, Sweet Always DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Pirouette, None SU! Timber Brown Staz On
Accesories: Aqua Painter, Chocolate Chip Ribbon, Two-Way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals

Thanks for looking,

Dani

Inkspirations Sketch Challenge 10

Hi All,

It feels like ageeeeeeeeeeees since I have participated in one of Makeesha's Challenges and I really enjoyed it! This weeks challenge was a Sketch Challenge to make a card based on the following Sketch.



Karl's mum has been really sick lately and hasn't been able to see Riley since she was born because of it and it has really been getting her down so I decided to make her a Get Well Soon card to cheer her up. I changed the sketch up a little and used a rectangle instead of the circle cos I really wanted to use the flower image from Friends 24-7. Here's the final product I really hope that she likes the card and it cheers her up because I had alot of fun making it.



Stamp Sets: Friends 24-7, Thoughts & Prayers
Cardstock: Not Quiet Navy, Watercolour Paper, Bella Bleu DSP
Ink: Not Quiet Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Basic Grey, Black Stazon
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Very Vanilla grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Pretties Kit (Cream half back pearls), Scallop Egde Punch

Thanks for Looking,

Dani :)

Bundle of Congrats

I saw Kristina's lastest Colour Inspiration challenge this morning and though wow they are super nice and a bit of a challenge but doubted I'd be able to make a card before the deadline due to missing mojo and general pain with my condition. I had a MUCH NEEDED afternoon nap (Thank you Panadene Forte) and woke up with some ideas on what I wanted to do with the colours.

As mentioned in the previous post my partners Brother and his fiance are expecting there second child in August so I will be a (kinda) aunty again! YAY! I haven't been able to see them, due to my health, since finding out the news and have set plans to go visit next week. I've been planning to make them a card to say congrats on there news because they were reluctant to tell anyone at first because they didn't want to steal my thunder especially with everything going on. So I decided to use the inspiration colours to make the card. Here's the colours

Awwww Pwedddddy! And here's the card I made...

Stamp Set: Bundle of Joy, Congrats (SAB Set)

Cardstock: More Mustard, Old Olive, Watercolour Paper, So Saffron Prints DSP

Ink: More Mustard, Taken with Teal, Old Olive (Stampin' Write Markers)

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Hemp Twine, Mini Glue Dots, Random Button I found (Non SU!)

Technique: Watercolouring

I'm rather happy with this card. It's a little different to what I usually do but I like it. I am a more mustard convert I must say, It's a great colour to play with and I'll be using it more often than I do at the moment! The giraffe was a bit fiddly to watercolour so make sure you have lots of time (and patience) if you ever plan to watercolour him.

Happy Stampin'

Dani

Another Keesh Challenge

Hi all,

I saw Makeesha's challenge for this week and loved the sketch and had alot of ideas run through my head. Here's the sketch that we needed to base our creation on.

I decided to make a baby card. After recieving more news of friends being pregnant including my partners brother's fiance I thought it was more than fitting that I start gathering a collection of baby cards. I then counted the amount of people I know who are pregnant and got 14! Eeek! There is definatly something in the water I think. I made a girl card as I know definatly one of them is having a girl. Here's the card I made...

Stamp Set: Polka Dot BG, Wild About You, Short & Sweet

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery

Ink: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink

Accessories: 1/2" & 3/4" circle punches, scallop edge punch, Pretty in Pink Brads, Dimensionals

I must say I am not 100% sure about this card. It didn't turned out how I had invisioned and it reminded me of a circus for some reason. Please let me know what you think. For this reason I decided to make a second card. I am SO much happier with this card. Here it is...

Stamp Set: Bloomin' with Beauty (From Spring Mini)

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Watercolour Paper,

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke (Stamp Pad and Stampin' Write Marker), Mellow Moss, Rose Red (Ink pad and stampin' write marker)

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Choc Chip Ribbon, Mat Pack, Pewter Jumbo Eyelets, Sponges, Sponge Daubers, Scorer

Technique: Faux Tiles, Watercolouring

For this card in the background I used the Faux Tiles Technique. I scored whipser white cardstock on diagonals on both sides to get the checked pattern. I then sponged it in mellow moss and highlighted it in Always Artichoke.

Update on my scan. All went well. Baby is developing well and has normal features for it's age. As for the sex, we didn't find out. Baby had it's legs closed the whole scan which I think is a sign that we aren't supposed to know the sex which is fine by me! Thanks for all your well wishes and thoughts

Happy Stampin'

Dani

Amethyst Bloomin'

Hi kids,

I am so sorry for my absense this week or so. I hate when it leads up to Christmas there is always just so much going on. I have been doing some stuff this week but the images are all on my camera which my brother took with him to his year 10 formal last night so you will just need to settle with a card that I made a while ago but never really added here. Again it is using that GORGEOUS flower from Bloomin' with beauty from the Spring Mini. If you like it please get in fast as it (and the other sets in the mini) won't be available for purchase after 30th November!

I made this card for my mum to give to our "aunty and uncle" for there anniversary back in September. I think it's really elegant and pretty.

I watercoloured the flower in mellow moss for the stem and leaves and then a combination of almost amethyst, elegant eggplant, bashful blue and ballet blue for the flower and petals. I love how the colours have combined together so perfectly. Here's a close up.

Stamp Set: Bloomin' with beauty, Short and Sweet, French Script*

Cardstock: Watercolouring paper, Very Vanilla, Almost Amethyst

Ink: Almost Amethyst, Elegant Eggplant, Bashful blue, Ballet Blue

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Mellow Moss Gingham Ribbon, Hodgepodge, Sponge Daubers

I will be going away this weekend for mine and my boyfriends anniversary. I will post some photo's and more projects when I return home.

Have a great weekend!

Dani

I'm a sucker for Colour Challenges

During the week I have came across a few colour challenges and although life is super hectic I can't help but want to make a card for it. The first colour challenge I tackled was a challenge by the lovely Makeesha Byl using Choc Chip, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery and Very Vanilla. I love these colours! I came up with the following card using a layout that I had seen on her blog. I was going from memory though and it isn't exactly like the layout but I'm still happy with it.

Stamp Set: Bloomin with Beauty

Ink: Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Choc Chip

Cardstock: Watercolour paper, Choc Chip, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery Prints DSP

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Corner rounder, Hemp Twine, Spounge Daubers

Technique: Watercolouring

I then saw the latest Kristina Werner colour challenge using some more beautiful colours. Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Old Olive and Sahara Sand. Soooo Pretty. I had to make a thank you card for my mum to give to family mate who helped us with the electricals on our new spa so thought these colours could be used. Here's the quick and easy but stylish card I made.

I was a little worried it wasn't very masculine but my dad and brother told me it they liked it (which is HUGE) so I'll take there word for it. I coloured the branch from Always in Certainly Celery and then the branches in Old Olive. Here's a close up...

Stamp Set: Always, Occasional Greetings

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Old Olive, Whisper White

Ink: Old Olive (Marker), Certainly Celery

Accessories: Wide Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, hemp twine, sahara sand eyelet, crop a dile, word window punch

Thanks for looking!

Have a great Thursday night!

Dani

Ben and Karl's Colour Challenge

Hi All,

I'm back from my little break! Gee's it was so good to get away with no phone, no tv, no electricity and just relax! Was much needed! Anywho...

The other night I was a little stuck for ideas so was looking at the In Colour Chart that Stampin' Up! have on the Demonstrator site. Just one of the great benefits you recieve from being a demonstrator. The chart has a whole heap of colour combinations that you can use all using at least one of the 2008-2009 In Colours. Some of the combinations are quiet nice and I got lots of ideas from them other's I would never consider.

My apprentice (my 16 yr old brother) kept looking over to have a look at them. He would comment on weather he liked them or how crazy the colours were together. I then did the stupidest thing possible... I opened my big mouth and told him to chose a combo and I would make a card up using those colours. I then did something stupider (if that's a word I did it!) I told him that I disliked/wasn't comfortable with using groovy guava I also don't own the ink pad which makes it even more difficult. So naturally he chose to only look at the combo's using Groovy Guava and finally decided on the following colours...

Groovy Guava, Ballet Blue, River Rock and Rose Red. Ouch! was my initial thought! I wouldn't normally put those colours together! I pondered it for a while and then decided my best bet would to do some watercolouring. I am quiet happy with what I came up with. If you stand back from the card the colours look so well blended and really pop!

The beauty about this card is that you can use it both ways and it works... SEE!!!

Stamp Set: Scribble This

Cardstock: Rose Red, Groovy Guava, Watercolouring Paper

Ink: Black Stazon, Rose Red, Ballet Blue, River Rock

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Corner Rounder, Ballet Blue Wide Ribbon, River Rock Double Stitched Ribbon

Just as I had finished the card my Darling Boyfriend came me over to find me crafting. He asked what I was up to and so I explained. He then decided to jump on the band wagon and choose some colours. He is quiet obsessed with Real Red at the moment. (He keeps suggesting it for everything I make) so was trying to incorporate that into the card whilst also not making it to easy for me. He finally decided on a combo and added Real Red to it.

My colour combo was Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum and Real Red. To make the combo just that bit harder I was forbidden to use watercolouring as I did that with the prevopis card. As these colours aren't really something I would use either I again had some difficulty but am happy with the end result.

Stamp Set: Whimsical Alphabet* Everday Flexible Phrases, Looks Like Spring

Cardstock: Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Real Red, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Real Red, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum

Accessories: 1 1/2" and 1 3/8 Square Punch, More Mustard Ribbon, Spring Bouquet Punch, Red Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Staples and Stapler

I have always wanted to do this layout card before but never have so was really happy that I colour have a bit of fun with it! I'm thinking I will be getting them to set me some more of these challenges more often as because they are here I am forced to do it otherwise they will rouse on me and that's WAY too much trouble then it's worth! I had lots of fun with it despite whinging at them.

Thanks for looking!

Have a lovely night

Dani

* indicates that product is retired

Stampin' Up! 20th Birthday

As mentioned a few posts down it is Stampin' Up! 20th Birthday and to celebrate they are giving everyone 20% of selected Stamp sets. Here is another card using two of the sets, Short and Sweet and Pretty Princess. Pretty Princess is a very girly set and I'm not very girly but have gotten into alot more pink since joining SU! I will show you how to boy it up when I get a chance.

For this card I did some more of my new found love... Watercolouring. I watercoloured the cake image in So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegrante and Regal Rose. I added some hodgepodge and chose a piece that I have always struggled with using cos I wasn't 100% sure what to do with it. I think it looks so funky and stylish though. I thread some Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon through it and finished it with some So Saffron brads. I then finished the card off with some polka dots and 'best wishes' from Short and Sweet.

Stamp Set: Pretty Princess (Thanks Carol), Short and Sweet, Polka Dot BG

Cardstock: So Saffron, Regal Rose, Watercolouring Paper

Ink: So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegrante, Regal Rose, Black Stazon, Basic Black

Accessories: Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain, So Saffron Brads, Hodgepodge Hardware, Aquapainter

Technique: Watercolouring

How super cute is it?? Want to make your own! Well now is the best time as there is 20%. Contact me today to order your set!

I am going away for a few nights to get some much needed R&R! See you when I get back!

Ciao,

Dani

Happy Birthday to my Little Man

On Monday it was my younger brother Ben's 16th Birthday. It was sort of very surreal because I cannot get over the fact that 1. He's a teenager and 2. He's starting senior high school next year. Due to that I still affectionally call him my "little man." At 6 foot tall he is not really little but unfortunatly he's not very man-like either! He is sort of crafty and artistic like me and will occasionally sit down and make cards or help me out. He's really likes the Fishy Friends set and will often suggest that set for cards just because he likes it! So it was a very easy choice on what to use to make his birthday card.


Here is the card I made him for his birthday. I'm so impressed at how good I'm getting at my watercolouring and tend to be using it alot more in my cards of late. The card is very simple but that's the way my brother likes cards...


and here's a close up of my watercolouring...




Stamp Set: Fishy Friends, Occasional Greetings, Seeing Spots
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Watercolour paper
Ink: Bashful Blue, Ballet Blue, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, Stazon Black
Accessories: Aqua painter, Certainly Celery Ribbon
Technique: Watercolouring

Happy birthday Little Man! You rock! Love you lots

TFL! Happy Stampin'

Dani