LPoCF #256 Polkadoodles

 Hello all,

Well, we have been having another Antarctic blast, we made it to 2C earlier in the week, if you add in the feels like temperature, it has felt more like -8C over the last few days. Today we are enjoying some winter sun, if you can stay out of the wind, it's actually quite nice.

I recently overheard some tourists who were shocked to see an Aussie parent hand their under-school age child a 'baby chino' for context they were passing by a Cafe strip, I did not feel the need to correct their belief, curiosity though what people from other countries think a 'baby chino' is?

Today brings us to another all-new challenge with my team mates over at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends, this fortnight we are sponsored by Polkadoodles who kindly gave our team two images to use, I have used an image called Jolly Santa to make two Christmas cards. Apologies for the photo quality, Winter is not the greatest time for photos.

Polkadoodles

Prize 3 digital images

Polkadoodles Blog

Digi Choosday Blog

Gem of a Challenge Blog

Here are my cards

What I used

2 white 14cm square card blanks

Doodlebug patterned paper (traditional coloured card)

red cardstock

Polkadoodles Jolly Santa digital image

Faber-Castell Coloured Pencils

Stitched Rectangle dies

Snowflake dies (I think impression obsession)

Discount store patterned paper

Purple pearlescent card

Mauve corrugated card

Stitched Scallop border die

Circle and Scalloped circle dies

I would like to enter these cards in:-

Traditional coloured
613 Avenue Create June Anything goes
Polkadoodles Challenge 7 week 3
Creative Knockouts #548 Die cuts, stencils and/or punches
Merry Little Christmas Challenge #62 Anything goes (missed cut off)

Non-Traditional Coloured
A Cut Above June Anything goes with a Die cut
Crafts Galore Encore June Anything Goes
Digi Choosday challenge 6 week 2 Anything Goes
Paper Rocks Scissors Anything goes scissors used to trim corrugated edge
12 Months of Christmas #123 Anything goes optional blue and gold

Thank you for looking in...
I am off to see the specialists again, this time 'the boss' an Associate Professor
Shortest wait I have ever had one week!

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. Many thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all.

{For those who really want to know what a 'baby chino' is, it is usually the leftover heated milk/foam from making a real coffee, with a dusting of chocolate powder}

LPoCF #254 Sheepski Designs

 Hello again,

We now have a lovely carpet of Autumn leaves under the flowering cherry trees, as the weather has cleared here is a photo first of Autumn leaves, second of one of our banksia's this one's commercial name is 'birthday candles' the local indigenous clans used to use these types of Banksia as a hairbrush as the brown parts are quite stiff, the local honey eaters like to stop by an feed on them too.. 

In other local news we currently have over 5000 tourists who specifically came here to run in an Ultra Trail Marathon, and they also come with their own support crews, they have had cool weather to run in but, due to heavy mountain mist no chance of a quick helicopter rescue if someone gets hurt, they would have needed to get emergency services to walk in.... this is a link to a random runner last years adventure.

Today brings us to another all new Anything goes challenge with my team mats at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends, this fortnight we are sponsored by Sheepski Designs. I have used "Twiggy" from the gnomes Collection

Sheepski Designs

Prize 3 images

Blog Shop

Facebook

Instagram

What I used:
12.5cm square card blank
Sheepski Twiggy digital stamp

Faber-Castell Coloured pencils
checked paper
brown, orange and white cardstock scraps
Cottage cutz owl dies Festive Owls, just minus the extras last seen here in 2015...
mystery branch die
Oval dies, as I used the largest one, I traced and trimmed around for the layer with scissors

Adhesives: double sided tape and pva glue in fine tipped bottle

I would like to enter this card in...

Paper, Rocks, Scissors May Challenge #4

Neglected Stuff Challenge  (owl die last used 2015)

613 Avenue Create anything goes optional twist Floral Delight

Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #230 Anything goes with digital or stamped image

Crafts Galore Encore #135 Anything goes

Many thanks for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. A huge Thank you to my blogging friends and visitors who take the time to leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all.

LPoCF #252 Patties Creations

 Hello again,

Wishing you all a Happy Easter. Autumn has arrived here in my part of Australia; the trees are starting to get their Autumn colours. We have three street trees, beautiful flowering cherry trees, the local council sold to each house that wanted them nearly 50 years ago, the next streets have Maple trees. As new houses or neighbours have moved in, so they have added the same trees for continuity in the street. 

Today brings us to another all new Anything goes challenge with my team mates over at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends our lovely sponsor this fortnight is Patties Creations who kindly gave each of the design team an image to work with, I have used Pansies in Pitcher to make my card.

I fussy cut the Pitcher and poked it through the lacy circle die so it is all one piece, cutting along the table edge Pattie has drawn.

Patties Creations

Prize 3 images

Here is my card

What I used

White 12.6x17.8cm card blank
Patties Creations Pansies in Pitcher
Daiso woodgrain paper
Magazine freebie paper
Kaisercraft template 'tiny triangles'
Distress Oxide Antique linen and Ground Expresso ink

Mauve cardstock scrap

Marianne Design Die 'punched butterflies'
Nesting lacy circle dies 
Faber-Castell coloured Pencils

Fiskars scissors

Stanley knife

Cafe embossed die (CCD) 

White adhesive pearls

Adhesives Double sided tape, PVA glue

I would like to enter this card in
Polkadoodles Challenge 5 week 3 Anything goes
Alphabet Challenge A is for Alphabet- F is for Flowers
Double D Challenge Springtime Flowers
Crafter's Cafe #318 Anything goes optional Feminine 
Patties Creations Design Challange #229 Anything goes with stamped or digital image
Paper Rocks Scissors #3 April Anything goes 
The Neglected Stuff Challenge- Kaisercraft stencils first outing, bought more than 5 years ago, Daiso paper was bought 6+ years ago...

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week

Megan

p.s. Many Thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all!

Pansies

Hello again, 

Two posts in one day! It has been a while since I have managed to do this... 

I recently brought home two new baby budgies who are seemingly the easiest to finger tame to date, once they have settled in and are less scared, I will try and get a photo of the two of them, Pip has a lovely lilac body and dark wings, and Dusty has a powder blue body and white wings... they weigh less than 35g and it is like playing with a little butterfly, once they are able to come when needed, I let them out to stretch their wings and play outside their cages.

Tourists abound as the schools have broken up for the Easter holidays, they have the next two weeks off. Living in a tourist zone means we get busy roads, add to that our area has been advertised on television as a wonderful place to view Autumn leaves... cue the tourists stopping traffic to grab the perfect photos.

My second card with homemade embossing paste uses a new set of dies from Paper Rose Australia called Etched Pansy 2 and Nesting Arches, I was pleasantly surprised that the embossing paste survived being die cut. I chopped the rounded edge off the arch to make a vase shape for the pansies with my trusty scissors; some are glued flat others have some foam dots added to lift them.

I had planned on adding a sentiment, but the set I was looking for has gone AWOL. I will add it later, when I find them... 

Here is my card:

scraps I used (some for the earlier card)

What I used
Embossing folder Kaisercraft Flourish
Yellow silk paper, purple, green x2, off white, and pale blue card
Paper Rose Etched Pansy 2
Paper Rose Nesting Arches
Memory box Lorelai Branch
My Favorite Things Stencil (I cannot remember the name)
Homemade embossing paste
Clear flat backed round gems
Adhesives: Double sided tape, PVA glue and Foam dots
12.6x17.8cm card blank

I would like to enter this card in

Group of Seven Gallery Embossing Paste

Snippets Playground Anything goes with snippets

I.D.E.A.S with Darnell D is for Dies

NBUS 73 arch and pansies dies are NBUS

Addicted to Stamps and More 490 Die cuts and/or Stencils

613 Avenue Create Anything goes with a touch of colour

Paper Rocks Scissors 3 Anything goes using paper and scissors

Thank you for looking in... 

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. Many thanks for all my kind blogging friends and visitors who stop by and take the time to leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all!

Embossing Paste with Stencils

 Hello again, 

We are enjoying some lovely Autumn weather here in Australia, clear blue skies, and great weather for the local fire brigades to do some preventative burn-offs of the undergrowth. We currently have three fires burning in the valley on the north side of the village, in our case the Grose Valley, which is more fire prone at least in our area due to wind and conditions in summer months. 

I am again joining in with the lovely ladies at Group of Seven this month's product is Embossing Paste, I have one art store nearby who knows how to charge accordingly, Christine had a recipe to make your own embossing paste which is very similar to the one from Shaz in Oz.

I mixed embossing paste

20g Baby powder
20g White Paint
10g PVA glue

mixed in an empty yoghurt cup until smooth, adding water as it thickened slightly. I used old plastic gift cards to spread the embossing paste over the stencil.

I did not plan on storing this so used it until it was gone. I managed to make 13 pieces and used some plain as is, and others used Distress Oxide re-inkers to add colour.

My first card has a mix of three distress oxide colours added over a leaf stencil from a magazine set called fabulous foliage. I added clear embossing powder after removing the stencil and heat set it a couple of hours later.  Sentiment layered in black and the same dark green cardstock.

What I used:

White 12.6x17.8cm card blank

Fabulous Foliage Stencil set from Magazine

Homemade embossing paste

Distress Oxide re-inkers, Mustard Seed, Festive Berries and Ripe Persimmon

Elizabeth Crafts Happy Birthday sentiments

Black, Orange leather-grained and Dark green cardstock

Green flat backed gem

PVA Glue, Double sided tape

I would like to enter this card in: 

Group of Seven Gallery Embossing Paste

Allsorts Challenge Blog Stencils or Masks

Aud Sentiments Challenge Embossing Wet or Dry and/or Flowers + Sentiment

Crafts Galore Encore 134 Anything goes

Creative Knockouts 544 Embossing Delights (Heat embossed over the texture paste)

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. Many Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all. 

LPoCF #250 Star Stampz

 Hello again,

Today brings us to another all new Anything goes challenge with my team mates at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends (edit-added link), this fortnight our sponsor is Star Stampz who kindly gave the team two images to use. I have used Christmas Star.

Star Stampz

Prize 3 Images

Here is my card:

What I used:

White 12.6x17.8cm card blank

Christmas Village patterned papers

Marianne Design poinsettia die

Cottage Crafts Holly and Berries

Memory box small branch die

Spellbinders Noel die

Star punch

cream and gold scrap paper (flower, sentiment and stars)

I would like to enter this card in 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday using Sketch #298 

Creative Inspiration Challenge #24 Anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore #133 Anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #61 Anything Christmas

12 Months of Christmas Link up Anything goes optional theme Owls

The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #180 Anything Christmas

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. Many thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all!

Floating Frames

 Hello again,

We are having a late heatwave here in New South Wales, this week has been 27C to 30C a little too hot for me. I am again joining the lovely ladies over at Group of Seven Cardmakers this month's technique is Floating Frames I chose some lovely new stamps for my Christmas present from Paper Rose called Sketchy Rose, I stamped them in Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured them with Faber-Castell coloured pencils before die cutting them.

I rolled up pieces of washi tape (sticky side out) to temporarily position the flowers over a 12x17.2cm piece of white card stock.  I added foam circles to the backs and replaced each flower, before die cutting the hexagon from the centre adding the first piece to a card blank covered with black paper.  

The second card uses the die cut hexagon, I have added an Inkylicious sentiment which I won from Snippet's Playground on a snippet of black paper. Adding some clear (no silver backing) flat backed gems, packet says it is meant to be 'shaker mix' also from Paper Rose. The black layer behind the die cut was traced and cut by scissors.

The two cards together

What I used:

Paper Rose 'Sketchy Roses' stamp and die

White A4 cardstock

Faber-Castell coloured pencils

Memento Tuxedo black ink

Clear embossing ink

Gold and white embossing powder

Inkylicious sentiment

Kaisercraft Hexagon nesting die

Kaisercraft Roses embossing folder

MFT Happy die

Scraps of black and gold papers

Magazine freebie stamp 'birthday' and butterfly die

Flourish of gems clear silver 

Adhesives: Foam dots, Double sided adhesive, pva glue

Other: Stanley knife, scissors, steel rule, heat gun.

I would like to enter these cards in:

Group of Seven Gallery Floating Frames

First Card

Creative Knockouts #242 Birthday Wishes

Cut it Up Challenge #325 Happy Birthday 

Beautiful Blossoms #27 Anything Floral goes 

NBUS #72 Anything goes with Never before used schtuff (flower stamps and dies)

613 Avenue Create March Anything goes optional Any Occasion 

Second Card
Love to Craft Challenge Blog #84 Anything goes
Make My Monday Challenge #247 Use die or punch

Crafts Galore Encore #133 Anything goes

Crafters Cafe #317 Anything goes optional CAS

Can You Handle the Pressure? Optional Lucky, St. Patrick's Day

A Cut Above Anything goes with a die cut

Thank you for looking in...

Have a Wonderful Week...

Megan

p.s. Many Thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all!

Rudolph Day Purple Baubles

 Hello again,

I was one of the top 3 for Rudolph's Day for December last year, I am joining Helen this month as a Guest Designer. My Christmas card features stamped baubles from Beccy's Place heat embossed in Platinum embossing powder and coloured with smooshed Distress Oxides Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, and Wilted Violet painted onto the baubles.

Here is my card: 

What I used:
White 14cm Card blank
White cardstock
Black paper
Purple glitter paper
Couture Creations 'Be Merry and Classic' Paper
Beccy's Place Festive Baubles Clear Stamps
Distress Oxide Inks, seedless preserves, picked raspberry and wilted violet
Clear embossing ink
Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder (Ranger)
Marianne Design Star punch die
Star hand punch
MFT Pierced Circle die
Brads

Adhesives Double sided tape and fine tip pva glue

I would like to enter this card in:

12 Months of Christmas Link Up Optional Couples

ABC Christmas Challenge C and D (d is for Die cut circles and stars)

The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #177 Anything goes (edited- ended already)

Crafts Galore Encore #132 Anything goes

Crafters Cafe #316 Anything goes optional Spots and/or Stripes

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan 

Trio of Snippets

 Hello again,

This fortnight Miss Di and Miss Sarn are Celebrating the 500th Challenge for Snippets Playground, with a request for Celebratory Snippets makes, I have been working on diminishing some of my snippets and cut an A5 piece of card stock in half and covered them in snippets, I have made three cards and as a bonus I cut one of the pieces in half again and now have an extra piece. I only managed to remember to take a photo of one partially assembled set of the 'before' pieces.

Pink snippets

Purple and Black snippets 

Neutrals

What I used

3 x 12.6x17.8cm card blanks

Snippets, lots and lots of Snippets straight cut (various widths)

2 A5 sheets

2 different CCD (Ali Express) on first card 

Star hand punch

Pink, purple, and brown snippets (larger pieces to layer and cover cards)

Fiskars Eyelet setting tools (they make perfect circles for the cars wheels, flower centres and dots over each 'i')

Waffle Flower C7 scalloped pierced die

Square stitched die 

MFT Happy Birthday sentiment die

Flower punch

Magazine Car die 

Elizabeth Crafts Happy Birthday die

Adhesives DS Tape and PVA glue in fine tipped bottle

I would like to enter these cards in:

Pink Card #1

Crafters Cafe #316 Optional Spots or Stripes

Snippets Playground Celebrate 500th Challenge

613 Avenue Create optional twist Lots of Love 

Purple Card #2

Neglected Stuff Challenge (I dug out my old flower punch) (second entry)

Vintage Car Card #3

A Cut above Anything goes 

Paper Rocks Scissors Challenge #1 Scissors used to cut off all the overhanging snippets, also to cut car so the black layer showed in tyres and canopy

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

Many thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who stop by and take the time to leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all!

LPoCF 248 The Paper Shelter

 Hello again, 

Well, our local wildlife has disappeared back down the into the valley, after coming daily for some free seed. We have had lots of rain and summer is coming to its end, I have even spotted some leaves beginning to change colour. 

Today brings us to another all-new challenge with my team mates over at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends, this fortnight we are sponsored by The Paper Shelter who kindly gave our team one image called Everyone can Fly. 

The Paper Shelter

Prize 3 Images

here is my card

What I used:

White 14cm card blank

The Paper Shelter Everyone can Fly

Lily of the Valley patterned papers

Pink cardstock 

Nesting Circle dies, Scalloped circle die

Flower corner (magazine freebie) 

Sentiment (Magazine) 

Wink of Stella over wings

Faber-Castell Coloured Pencils

Clear embossing powder

Colour box pink ink

I would like to enter this card in

Digi Choosday Challenge 2 week 1 Anything goes

Ally's Angels Anything goes #91
Crafters Cafe Anything goes optional Birthdays (edit missed the end)
Daisy Chain Challenge #93 Layer it up
Crafts Galore Encore Anything goes #132
Neglected Stuff Challenge #1 neglected items sentiment and flower corner die

I have lost one of my little budgies in the last week, the cheeky boy had been sneaking out of his cage and flopped on the floor, 10 mins later he had passed, I then had to find an avian vet for my other little girl who can also open her cage doors, she has some form of cancer and will shortly pass... not a good week....

Thank you for looking in...

Have a wonderful week...

Megan 

p.s. Many Thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I appreciate them all!

Dry Embossed highlights

 Hello again,

Our weather has settled back down to our usual summer temperatures here, warm enough for us, as we get few extremely hot days, a visitor once asked us to put the air-con on, we may get 10-15 of the really hot days where I live so we and most homes in our region don't own air-conditioners... 

We have had a family of King Parrot's coming to visit, the male will eat from my hand... I will try to take a photo the next time they stop by...

I am joining in with the lovely ladies over at Group of Seven Cardmakers, this month the technique is Dry Embossed Highlights over ink blending. 

Here is my card:

What I used:

White 14cm cardblank
Black paper
Lisa Horton 3D embossing folder 'Fancy Foliage' (Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine)
White Cardstock (American Crafts)
Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn and Luck Clover Distress Oxide inks
Versamark clear and white ink pads
Fern Die cut (magazine)
MFT Essential Sentiments
White embossing powder
MFT pierced Fishtail flags
Silver glitter paper scrap

(edit) Adhesives Double sided tape, PVA glue

I have a Cuttlebug, if anyone else wonders what 'sandwich', white base plate, 3D folder and cardstock and 'C' plate... 

I would like to enter this card in:
Group of Seven Gallery Dry embossed highlights over ink blending
Can you handle the pressure? Optional 'Snow'
A Cut Above Anything goes with a Die cut (Fern and Fishtail flag)
NBUS #71 Anything Goes (NBUS is the 3D folder)
Creative Knockouts #539 'Something to Say'

Thank you for looking in...
Have a wonderful week...
Megan

p.s. Many thanks to my kind blogging friends and visitors who stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all... 

LPoCF #246 All Dressed Up

 Hello again, 

We have been enjoying our summer weather, including some spectacular storms, again the local river system for Sydney's water supply was under flood watch, as the dam is sitting at 98% full, one decent downpour across the catchment and they open the flood gates. Some poor Sydneysiders have been without power for four days, ours was out for one day, while waiting on news from an ill family member from interstate, was not ideal, not even mobile reception was working.

Today brings us to another all new challenge with my team mates over at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends, this fortnight we are sponsored by All Dressed Up who kindly allowed two of the Design Team to choose an image to share, I have chosen Strawberry Patch, I printed the image twice and coloured both, I could not decide which one I liked better and have made two cards. I am sure that I had some paper with strawberries on it but when I went looking, I could not find the one I was thinking of.... so, either I have used it, or maybe imagined it... does that happen to anyone else???? 

All Dressed Up

Prize 2 Images

All Dressed Up Challenge Blog
All Dressed Up Shop
All Dressed Up Facebook
All Dressed Up Instagram

Here are both of my cards:

Green 

Blue 

What I used:

All Dressed Up Strawberry Patch Digital Stamp

Faber-Castell Coloured Pencils

White Square card 13.8cm

Cricket cardstock (American Crafts) 

Doodlebug Design 'Fruit cocktail' patterned paper

CCD Cross Stitched nesting dies

Bow (from a discount store)

Mulberry Flowers (craft show) 

White 12.6x17.8cm card blank

Sullivans 'Ocean' cardstock

White cardstock

MFT Pierced Square die

Nesting circle and scalloped circle dies

Memory Box Arboscello Tree die

Marianne Design butterfly punch die

MFT grass die

CCD cat die

tiny butterfly punch

crafters Choice pastel basics paper pad

scraps used blue, brown, green and white

Adhesives- Glue stick, PVA in fine tipped bottle, Double sided tape

I would like to enter these cards in:

Green

Polkadoodles Challenge 2 week 1 Anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore January Anything goes
Colouring with Pencils (Kleuren met Potloden) Anything goes

Blue
Crafty Calendar Challenge Add a die cut
Creative Inspirations Challenge Anything goes missed cut off

Thank you for looking in..

Have a wonderful week...

Megan

p.s. Many thanks to my blogging friends and visitors who take the time to stop by and leave me a comment, I truly appreciate them all.