Stamps Ahead

Yesterday and today there has been heavy fog here in Sydney.   Here is a photo of my front yard yesterday at about 8.30am and one of a spiders web in the backyard.  Beautiful.

It is my brothers birthday today, and I made this card for him.  I love many of the Tim Holtz products and this card uses two - texture embossing folder and Ideaology Numerals.  I have used a core cardstock that I have sanded back to reveal the Kraft core.  This is technique that I love to use and it is good for male cards. A clean and simple card full of heartfelt wishes for his birthday.

This layout is for the current challenge at The Lollipop Ladies  is Boiled Lollies with the added challenge of curves.  Here is the inspiration photo. No holiday in the USA or Hong Kong is complete without a visit to See's Candies - this photo of my sister was taken at their Ala Moana store in Waikiki when we were there in December, last year. I searched my stash to find a suitable patterned paper (PP) and I think I was successful in matching the colours and roundness of the boiled lollies. I freehand cut the curved borders. I handmade the flowers by using scallop punch and punching out 5 in PP and 1 in cardstock (CS) then using small hole punch in the middle of each one.  The PP punches were then wet with water and scrunched up and then applied to the CS shape with a blingy brad and manipulated into the flower shape. Here is a close up of the flowers.  I love this technique and they look good on cards, bo...

It is a wet and miserable day today in Sydney - can't complain as it is the first rain for a long time.  I can feel my garden soaking it up. So today I did some scrapbooking.  Here is a layout from our holiday in Hawaii, last December. Unfortunately, due to the overcast weather the photos are not very clear. The papers and embellishments are from Basic Grey Soleil collection. Double page layout Detail of the left hand page Detail of right hand page.

This photograph was found in a suitcase of photographs that belonged to my dad's brother that was given to me on the death of my uncle.  The photograph is showing it's age and was calling out to be saved.The photo shows my mother centre and her sister to her left (the tall one) was chief bridesmaid and a friend was the other bridesmaid and the flowergirl was the daughter of another friend. My mother made all the dresses as well as her going away outfit.  This layout was for a challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges  to creatively frame a photograph. I went to my stash and endeavoured to find embellishments that reflect some of the details of the photograph.  I used Graphic 45 paper and inked the edges with Tim Holtz tattered rose Distress Ink, the paper matting the photo was first distressed and then inked. The flowers for the bouquets, the lace doilies (again inked with tattered rose) represent the veil my mother is wearing, the pearls for the beautiful cov...

For Scrapbook Challenge - Tabitha's Colour Challange The colour challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges was to use Red, Yellow, Blue, Green and Brown on a layout. I immediately went and found this photo of a Macaw that I took at San Diego Zoo in November, 2012.  Isn't it a beautiful and coloured bird. I took a day trip from Los Angeles and had a fun wandering around taking photographs of all the animals - so more layouts yet to come. I used a mask and then Cocoa Glimmer Mist to give the illusion of leaves and a few stickers from my stash complete the layout.  As the red sticker says "Wherever you are ENJOY".  Enjoy today wherever you are.

Yesterday I purchased a new die - Spellbinders Filigree Vase and just had to try it.  This card is for The Lollipop Ladies current challenge of Sour Cola Bottles with glitter twist. The Filigree Vase reminded me of the bottles. I used my Cuttlebug and cut out the bottom vase shape in silver glitter paper (it does not show up clearly in the photo) and used brown cardstock for the filigree overlay and a piece of Kaisercraft paper cut out strategically at a spray of flowers. I gave this card to my cousin and her new husband for their holiday - congratulations to Sandra and Peter. Want to play along with The Lollipop Ladies head to their website I have also submitted this card to current card challenge at Scrapbook Challenges .