Stamps Ahead

This weekend I am heading to a wedding and here is the card I made for them.  I handmade the flower rosette from antique lace. A little secret between us, of course, I thought I would buy them a card, I have been busy, BUT the cards were $6.99 each.....can you believe it!!!!    So I quickly hightailed it home and made this one. I love the graphic nature of the black and white. Thanks for looking, Margaret

I completed this layout for a sketch challenge at Soul Scrappers.  The photograph/s are of my sister and I catching up with Ali (our second cousin) in London in December, last year.  Ali, who is a qualified primary school teacher, made the big decision to apply for and was subsequently successful at obtaining a teaching position at a school in Staines, on the outskirts of London (very near to Heathrow Airport) Knowing we were travelling we arranged to have dinner with her at a restaurant near where she lives and we bought with us Christmas gifts from her family back in Australia.  She was so pleased to see us - to see family from Australia and to receive the gifts that she did not know were coming.  After dinner she took us back to her lodgings and we met one of her housemates. Ali, it was great catching up with you - I hope you get a chance to read this blog - all the best for your continued success in London and all the new experiences that are to come yo...

Another challenge - this time a blind challenge - where you are given a list of requirements and then instructions to complete your layout.  Here is my layout. We were to gather together - 1 small landscape photo; 1 x 12" square piece of patterned paper (PP); 1 x 10" piece of PP; 1 x 7" x 8" piece of PP, Washi tape - two patterns; flair, buttons or flowers; sequins or bling; alphas for title.  I followed the instructions to put together however I did reverse the small washi tape sequences to the left and right of the 10" square PP as I had another persons head to the bottom right of the photo that I needed to cover with embellishments - haha. My journal is tucked under - you might just see it to the left and it says: "Engelberg, Switzerland. One of the activities that Heather was looking forward to was this ride.  We sand, we waved, we enjoyed........". Heather (in red) is my sister. Note: the PP is proving difficult all three have glitter on ...

This weekend I am participating in an "at-home" retreat on their Facebook page.  They have several challenges that you can complete and some Bingo games.   Here is my layout for the Challenge 2. The photographs were taken at a restaurant/beer hall in The Vienna Woods - I naively thought we were headed to a forest!!!  Am sure there were woods somewhere close but we did not see them, it was night as we headed out of Vienna into what seemed just like an outer suburb.  There was this accordion player who played for our group - all night - he was a character.  I loved his playing and got into the spirit of the evening - singing along and providing some antics - I am not sure what song he was playing but it had a great beat and just called for some fun times. My title - I do not drink alcohol what you see is a glass of Diet Coke.  As my sister, says "it is only Diet Coke - image if she did drink alcohol!!" Back to the layout - we were required to do ...

These photographs were taken at a café in Rothenburg - taking time out from looking around the markets and cute shops we found this café.  The cake was the standout it was chocolate and vanilla sponge, cream and coconut and topped off with that half Coconut Rocher and a chocolate Christmas tree - Yum to the max!!! Marktplatz translates as Market Square. I was inspired by a layout by Lisa Dickinson and I have left her some thanks on her website. Thank you Lisa for the inspiration.  Thanks for looking, Margaret :)

I completed this layout for a challenge at Pixels and Paper . I am in Berlin, Germany. These photographs were taken on a cold, wet and windy day in Berlin.  They are of a sculpture called Berlin and my journaling (from Wikipedia) , in part says "First conceived in 1985 and unveiled by the husband and wife sculpting team of Brigitte Matchinsky-Denninghoff and Martin Matschinsky.  The sculpture's principal motif, a broken chain, was mean to symbolize the severed connections between West and East Berlin due to construction of the Berlin Wall." I have kept the layout rather simple.  I went searching in my stash of paper for map paper and could find bright coloured maps; maps of Australia; maps of anything and everything --- and then I found this paper.   I did not want colour as I wanted the sculpture to be the main focus and the more and more I looked at the paper as I was laying down the photos - I was struck by several things:- The words We...

I have completed this layout for a challenge at The Memory Nest  for their Make it Monday No 53 challenge. The photo is of my sister outside Saveurs Bakery in Dartmouth, UK.  I found this bakery whilst watching "Britain's Best Bakery" on television last year.  Knowing we were heading that way in December, 2015 I took down the details and put them on my 'must see' list.   It did not disappoint. I thought the background paper just looked like meringues/macaroons on a sheet ready for baking. Below is the sketch for the challenge. Thanks Leslie, for another great sketch.   Why not head over to The Memory Nest yourself and participate in their sketch challenges. Thanks for looking, Margaret :)

Okay, had fun creating the cards below for challenges over at Soul Scrappers for their 6th Birthday Bash. Sit back this is a longish post showing all the cards I have made. Challenge - add stamping to a card.   For this card I have used a stamp set I purchased in England recently by Woodware Craft Collection called Square Garden.   I have coloured in the image with my Faber-Castell coloured pencils. Challenge - add a number.    This card is heading to Wales, next year for a friends 90th birthday celebrations.   The dotty image is a Kaisercraft Card Creations die - you can cut, emboss and stencil with it.  Challenge - Using Die Cuts.   A really easy card to put together, I used Kaisercraft Take a Note die cuts.  I good way to use up all those die cuts in your stash. Challenge - Masculine card.  I have embossed onto some core co-ordination paper and then rubbed with sand paper to expose inside core. This is t...

Soul Scrappers is celebrating 6 years and as part of the celebrations they are holding several card challenges.  This is my entry for the Funny saying or image category. Looks a bog standard card with no greeting on the front doesn't it?   Well open the card and there it is!!! I have used a retired Stampin'Up! called Blast Off.   I loved the images when I bought the set BUT if have never used it - until today.   I have lifted round stamped images with foam tape. You can also see I have used a small star punch just to add something extra. I hope you find the sayings funny...I did! Off now, to have a go at doing some of the other card challenges.  Margaret :) p.s I have decided that this card will be made by the ladies (alas no gentlemen attend) at a local community group where I volunteer as table leader for cardmaking later in the month.

You may be thinking - did these girls eat their way around Europe!!!  Is it not one of the joys of travel that you get to try different food to what y ou would normally eat.... Here we are eating real German Pretzels at Bratwurst Restaurant, Nuremberg, Germany.  They were so huge.  I have completed this layout for The Memory Nest  Make it Monday 52 sketch - see below. Why not head over and have a go at their sketches - great sketches that I love. Ooops, just noticed I'm mssing the other dot in the percentage (%) symbol - off I go to fix that.  Thank you for looking, I'm off to eat lunch.   Margaret :)