Fab’ Friend

This is one of those “no reason” cards.  I’m not entering it in a challenge, don’t need it for a birthday or other occasion, just wanted to have a play and see what I could come up with.  I had decided, or thought I had, on a completely different card with darker tones and quite different embellishments.  In the end I am very happy.  Perhaps I need to play and experiment more often to give myself more freedom to try different things.

Can you see the discreet sparkly flourishes on the white card?  I have a glue pad (the same as an ink pad but with glue of course) and it has had a lonely life pushed right to the back in one of the draws.  It finally saw the light of day today.  I used a flourish stamp (another neglected crafty item) with the glue pad and then stamped it around the image.  Then I sprinkled glitter lightly onto the glue.  I like the understated effect.

I stamped the same flourish in smokey grey, with a little addition of some distress inks, onto the very light pink card then ran it through a swirly embossing folder.  I cut around the flourishes to create a frame (well half a frame).  I added some distress crackle paint to the frame (first time I’ve attempted this – next time I will use a thicker layer of paint).

I think this image is great.  It is called “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by the Octopode Factory.  The sentiment is from a set by Stempelglede ”Just a Note”.  The filigree style corner is a die cut from Lal-lal land crafts.  Lots of sparkle and glitz on the card and on me, desk and floor as well.  I think that I should try another card in the darker tones and style which I first envisaged.  That might be possible over the weekend.

Okay that’s all for now,

A yummy meal

Welcome back.  I have made some time to quickly let you know about a meal I cooked yesterday.  We loved it.  I saw it on TV on the “Everyday Gourmet” with Justine Schofield.  She had a quest on from Weight Watchers and this was her recipe.

Creamy chicken and pumpkin pasta

Ingredients

• 300 g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 160 g pasta
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 250 g lean chicken breast, fat trimmed, sliced
• 1 medium red onion (I just used a brown onion)
• 1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp cornflour
• 375 ml evaporated skim milk
• 6 green olives, drained, pitted, sliced (I didn’t have these)
• 1/4 cup granted parmesan cheese
• 1 x 3 second spray oil spray.

Instructions

• Preheat over to 220° C or 200° C fan-forced.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Place pumpkin on prepared tray and lightly spray with oil.  Bake for 20 mins.  Add tomatoes and bake for 10 mins. or until pumpkin is lightly browned and tomatoes soften.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instruction or until just tender.  Drain
• Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring, for 5 mins. or until lightly browned.  Transfer to a plate.  Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 mins. or until softened.  Return chicken to pan.
• Blend cornflour and a little evaporated milk in a jug.  Stir in remaining milk.  Add milk mixture to pan and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 mins. or until sauce thickens slightly (I stirred it for about 5 mins.)
• Add the pasta, olives and roasted pumpkin and tomatoes to the sauce.  Stir gently to combine. 
• Serve pasta sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

It should serve 4.

It was delicious but the best bit was that it used up some of our pumpkins.  We almost have pumpkins coming out of our ears – that sounds painful doesn’t it

Why not try it  ‘cos it is quick and easy and you’ll love it.

Bye for now,

A STITCH in time

The card I have today is for the Challenge “Stitching” at Splendid Stamping with The Greeting Farm.  You can use any type of stitching (machine, hand, faux…).  My type of stitching is “bad” (just as well they don’t judge the sewing).  The loops from the back have come through to the front.  I think I might have threaded the machine incorrectly.   Actually I quite like the effect even though not what I was aiming for.  The stitching is used to “ground” Anya – I know it’s her birthday but she still should be grounded.

I also added 2 rows of pierced holes on the sentiment block.  You might be able to see it more clearly here -

The stamp is from The Greeting Farm “Miss Anya Bags”  one of the 3 lovely girls in this set.  I have coloured her with Copics and paper pieced her bag with paper from a Teresa Collins Paper Pad “Spring Fling”.  The sentiment is from PTI as are the stamped butterflies.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

This might be the last card for a couple of days as I have appointments now until Thursday.  You never know though I might get a bit antsy and just have to make something late at night.

Bye for now,

{heart} cupcakes

I’ve made a batch of cupcakes – well “cupcake” ATC’s.  A cupcake theme for ATC’s sounds easy doesn’t it and you wouldn’t think that someone could singe this type of cake.  Well I managed to!   It was early yesterday morning and the light was very poor when I decided to heat the “liquid applique” so it would puff up.  There was no problem with it puffing up but on a few of them I heated for a tad too long and they were singed.  I laughed to myself because that often happens with my real cooking as well.  If you take a close look at the photo you probably see what I mean.

The “Heart Cupcake” digi stamp is from Limited Runs Digital Stamps.  They have a wonderful array of cupcakes and I didn’t know which one to buy so, of course, I bought a few

I am actually early with my cards this month so everyone should be happy.

Bye for now,

Which Christmas Carol/Song is this?

Can you guess the Christmas Song which I have based this “tee pee” card on?  NO!  Well I should tell you -  “I saw mummy kissing Santa Claus” underneath the mistletoe last night.  Yes the Magnolia Stamp is “Mistletoe Tilda”.   I’ve made this card for the Christmas Cards All Year ‘Round May Challenge which is to create a card inspired by your favourite Christmas carol or song

I coloured the stamped image with Copics.  Usually when I cut out stamped images I cut right on the black line but this time I left a fine white border (which I notice is quite popular with some stampers).  I left a border to make it easier to cut around the fine details of the mistletoe.

Here are photos of the sides of the card -

I have used the “mistletoe” die from C.C. Designs to decorate the sides of the card.  The embossing folder I used for the background is from Sizzix “Stars & Swirls” (I love that folder – I think it even works for baby cards).

Last year I provided short instructions on how to make a “tee pee” card.  Click here to go to the instructions.  I’ve used this style of card because it reminds me of a Christmas tree.  Here it is unfolded -

The sentiment is a Whimsy stamp.

For some good news for me (hope it doesn’t sound like I’m bragging) I won the Octopode Factory Challenge “Animals”.  I was sooo happy ‘cos I hadn’t won a challenge this year.  Look here!

Bye for now,

Caution – reading this might make you gain weight

Don’t read any further if you don’t want to gain weight and start on the road to tooth decay.  lol

A month ago I went to a 60th party and there were some fun slices there.  I put the thought of them at the back of the brain for future reference.  In the meantime we had promised to watch an 11-year-old boy play football when his team vs my dh’s team.  Well that happened to be last Sunday and his mum invited us to morning tea at their home after the game.  They have 4 young children in their family and I was trying to come up with something I could make to take along.   Perfect for children – well perhaps not healthy but a fun treat.  Easily found lots of recipes on the web.

Licorice Allsorts Slice  and  Lolly Banana Slice -

Banana Slice (from Best Recipes.com.au)

• 1 x 250g packet of sweet biscuits (I used Marie biscuits) – crushed
• 1/2 x 395g tin condensed milk
• 115g margarine or butter, melted
• 1 packet of lolly bananas, musk sticks, maltesers (or anything else that takes your fancy) chopped roughly
• coconut (optional)

1. Brush or spray pan and line with non stick baking paper.
2. Mix all ingredients together then press into a 20 cm x 25 cm slice tin
3. Sprinkle with coconut if desired (I covered with white chocolate – see measurements in the next recipe)
4. Refrigerate, then cut into SMALL squares.

Note.  This can also be rolled into a log shape and rolled in coconut, then sliced after being refrigerated.

Licorice Allsort Slice (from Taste.com.au)

• Melted butter, to grease (or spray oil)
• 125g butter, chopped
• 160ml (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespn golden syrup
• 1 x 250g pkt plain sweet biscuits (I used Marie again) crushed
• 45g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
• 1 x 375g pkt licorice allsorts, coarsely chopped
• 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
• 30g copha

Brush a 19 x 29cm lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease.  Line the base and sides with non stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.

Combine the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Cook, stirring to 5 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth.  Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.  Add the biscuits, coconut and licorice allsorts and stir until just combined.  Press the mixture into the base of the prepared pan and set aside for 30 mins to set.

Place the chocolate and copha in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Use a metal spoon to stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the slice in the pan.  Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.  Cut into SMALL squares to serve.

Two last thoughts.  I would suggest you chop the lollies fairly small – I left them too big.  If you have time to leave it overnight it is much better.

Well there are the recipes, it’s up to you if you are game enough to try them.  REMEMBER – use only as a treat

Bye for now,

You make me smile

Really …. you do make me smile.  I have had some really lovely comments lately and that makes me grin from ear to ear – love comments.  Thank you.

Something else that makes me smile is this “off the page” project for The Octopoade Factory Friday Challenge (TOFF #48 – Animals). 

The digi stamp is called “Carebear”.  Cute in his own special way   I printed him twice.  Once on Kraft card and then again on cheap scrap card.  I cut the craft card to fit the front of the little note-book and then carefully cut out the second image to use as a negative and positive mask.  I masked the bear and stamped background swirls over the mask with Distress Ink.  Than I masked the background and stamped a burlap background stamp onto the bear again with Distress Ink.  I used Prisma pencils and Gamsol to colour the bear and background.  The last step was to stamp the sentiment from ”Verve Stamps” with a darker Distress Ink.

I have a few of these little Kraft note books and I am so thrilled with the result this time that I’m sure I will have a lot of fun with the others. 

I have added red Bazzill card under the ATC size stamp Kraft card, on the spine and back.  I die cut the edge on the front only.  The final touch is some fine gold card.

This is my first attempt at this style of stamping and I love it.  It is good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes but only sometimes.

Bye for now,

Doing Cartwheels

This afternoon one of my dgs’s came to visit.  I was in my craft room when he arrived (I know you won’t be surprised to hear that)   He saw the card I am about to show you and wanted to play with it, which I let him do under my strict guidance.  He giggled and was not too keen to give it back.   I took that as a very good sign that all little boys would like this card.

Today’s card is for Mo’s Digital Pencil Challenge #135 – Circle Card.  I love circle cards so straight away knew that I wanted to enter the challenge.  I looked through my Mo’s digi stamps to find one which would fit  into a circle very well.   Georgie Cartwheel was perfect I thought.  Here is my circular easel card -

Georgie can actually do a cartwheel.  What a clever little fellow.

So that Georgie could swivel I printed 2 images and cut them out.  Coloured one just around the edges and the copy which was to be the top was coloured fully with Copics.

I cut out the die shapes in card and patterned paper.  Adhered the patterned paper to the teal card and placed the half coloured Georgie on the centre of these.  Then I punched a hole through the centre of them and set on eyelet.  Next I attached the fully coloured Georgie with ds foam dots to the top.  (I actually had to loosen the eyelet a little so it would swivel well).  Voila – Georgie could cartwheel.

Kids love to sumersault and cartwheel outside on the grass so I wanted some grass under him.  I diecut some grass and folded it up.  This not only satisfied my requirement of grass but also kept the front focal piece of the card in place.  You might see more clearly in this photo.

The grass folds down when posting the card.

The sentiment is from Hero Arts and usually goes with shoe stamps, but I thought it suited this card – he is definitely kicking up his heels.

Bye for now,

Quilt

While I was babysitting yesterday a friend dropped in to go for a walk so off we went with dgs in the pusher.  She was telling me about the “Grace Kelly Exhibition” which is now showing in Bendigo.  Apparently it is beautiful and well worth going to see.  Has anyone else seen it?

 

I was also lucky enough to see her newest quilt.  Absolutely gorgeous.  Here is a photo which gives you the idea but in “real life” it is so much prettier.  The flowers and leaves (which must have been a real challenge, there are so many of them) are “puffy”.  I’m not a quilter so “puffy” is the best word I could come up with but I’m sure there would be a technical term

 

 

You can’t actually see the quilting which is a shame because it is lovely.

 

Sorry, no card today, just catching up with life.

 

Bye for now,

 

Good OLD Gus

Good OLD Gus.  I use “Gus” digi stamps from Bugaboo very often for male birthday cards.  This card is for my dbil who will be —— no don’t worry I won’t giveaway his age.  I hope he enjoyed his birthday and likes the card.

I didn’t construct this card in the usual way.  Instead of cutting card and folding it in half to make the base, I cut 2 card bases and joined them at the top with strong ds tape then decorated the front panel.  Then I added an eyelet at the top for added strength near the fold.  This photo might show the fold more clearly.

From the back.

I have paper pieced Gus’s overalls, party hat and the balloon.  Apart from the paper piecing it is a very straightforward card with some  Prima Alphabet/number stickers  and a few Kaisercraft Rhinestones.  The paper is from My Mind’s Eye “Away We Go”.

Bye for now,

Snowman – it is getting cold enough (well not quite)

I’m only talking about a card challenge, not the weather, thank goodness.

The challenge at Winter Wonderland this week is “Frosty the Snowman“.  Because it isn’t cold here at Christmas I only have a couple of snowman stamps.  I have this one which comes in a Transparent set from Penny Black.  Here is the card -

I have used “many many” (that always reminds me of Commandant Lassard in Police Academy) dies, embossing folders and punches for this card.  The snowman is the only part which I hand cut.  No patterned paper (gasp).  Lots of sparkle.  Here is a close-up of the snowman.  He is glittery as well.

Thanks for dropping by to take a peek at my card.  I have another ready to show you tomorrow,.

Bye for now,

 

But why is all the RUM gone?

A new challenge site for me, yippee!  I have a project to enter into the TOFF #46 -RED WHITE & BLUE only trouble is I’m not quite sure if it fits the challenge requirements.  I have plenty of RED & BLUE but not so much WHITE.  Well I’ll enter and find out I guess.

Have you guessed from the heading who might be staring in my project?  Well if not, take a looky here -

Still don’t know (where have you been hiding)!!  It be Cap’n Jack Sparrow with his beloved rum.

The digi stamp is from The Octopode Factory – first one for me.  The sentiment goes so well with Jack don’t you think?  It is from Graphicat.

It is a bottle hanger of course and I needed a bottle of RUM to hang it from.  I didn’t have one so I had to embarrass myself and go into a “bottle shop” and ask the men if I could borrow the bottle, add my little hanger and take a photo.  At first they were a bit stunned but then they were very helpful and got me the biggest bottle they had.

What a fun project this was.  Hope you enjoy it too.

Bye for now,

Cutie Patootie Note Cards

I must admit that I’m a sucker for cuteness and these little note cards are just adorable.  These are my practice run and they are fairly basic but I can see huge possibilities to dress them up.  I’m thinking lace, texture plates and heaps of other embellishments and sentiments for all sorts of occasions.

Everybody saw awwwh -

They are approximately 9 cm high by 8 cm wide – not very big but perfect to put with a baby gift.

Sweet little baby girl note card.

With numbers or initials for all sorts of baby occasions.

What about FIRST Christmas? 

I can see that I’ll have a lot of fun with these.  Oops – almost forgot to tell you what brand.  The onesie die is from Taylored Expression.

Bye for now,

Teddy Bo – Button Challenge

I’ve been keeping an eye on the antics of these cute teddies for quite a while now and finally have decided I would like to invite some of them to live at my home.   Today I’ll introduce you to my first digi image “Teddy Bea 116″.  Actually she should be holding a wand but  I wanted her to seem to be trying to catch the butterfly so my scissors just made an extra snip.

I’m on a roll with easel cards now, after not making any for so long, so again today it’s an Easel. I promise my next card or project won’t have anything to do with easels.

Here is my card for entry into The Teddy Bo Challenge #31  : :  Button  Up  :  :    -

I have used 3 different Spellbinder dies for the card.  The butterfly is my first attempt at using a Nellie Snellen “Double Fold” Die.  The instructions are on the packet but butter-fingers me couldn’t follow them.  I looked on the web and found a video but that was too quick.  Eventually I just squished and it worked.  Next time I’ll be fine.  Love the effect of the 3 dies gives the butterfly.

Can you see that Bea’s skirt, beanie and bodice are paper pieced? The papers are from the beautiful paper pad from My Mind’s Eye “Be Happy”. I’m very pleased with the results. That meant that I only had to use my Copics to colour Bea’s arms, legs, face and wings and other small pieces of her clothing .

Embellishments are minimal – a bow and 3 buttons (remembering that buttons were the required challenge item).

Well I’m off to add my card into the challenge.

Bye for now,

Oo La La ….. land

I’m in love ….. with this Cupid Marci stamp.  You must agree that she is cute.  I have wanted to use her on a card for a while but couldn’t find a sentiment which I thought complimented her, then I found this great digi stamp from TLC Creations.  The Anniversary sentiment stamp is from Verve.

Over at the La-La Land Crafts Blog  the “Inspiration” was “All Wired Up” – use wire or metal in some way on your project.  Click here to go to the La-La Land Blog  http://lalalandcrafts.blogspot.com/ . 

You can see more clearly on the next photo that I have added a silver filigree heart on top of the die cut from Whiff of Joy  ”Heart Banner”.  I thought the silver embossing on the Kaisercraft paper “Bonjour” complimented the silver heart.  I have used quite a few Spellbinder dies on this card, 4 different styles I think.

Here are the Copic colours I used -

Now I just have to wait for the right couple to have an anniversary to be able to use it.

Bye for now,