2 Sketches 4 You - Laura's sketch #5

This bright and sunny card is based on Laura's sketch #5 over at 2 Sketches 4 you blog. I was in serious need of some brightening up. The weather today is positively arctic and miserable. Perfect weather for indoor crafting!! The papers are all from Sasafrass Lass, and the stamps are Melissa Frances (sentiment) and October Afternoon (curly brackets).

I'm a bit excited about this weekend! We are all heading down to Melbourne to stay with Karen for a night. The men are going to the football on Saturday night, and we are hoping that once the kids are in bed, we will be able to play. At the very least, on Sunday the men should take over the care of the kids while we visit a Scrappy shop or two!

CPS #75

This card is based on Sketch #75 over at CPS blog. The fancy edge on the Pink Paislee paper made it a "must use" for this particular sketch. The Sentiment is a Cuttlebug die. I just purchased a few new embossing folders and a couple of new dies, so prepare yourself to be inundated with cards featuring them!!

I am hoping to have heaps of cards to share over the next couple of days. I have been working the past few days, so very little creating was happening. Now I have a backlog of challenges, and heaps of ideas swirling around in my "mostly empty" head!

Caardvark's "Sensational Sketches"

There's a fantastic challenge going on over at Caardvarks blog at the moment. The talent and genius behind 2 Sketches 4 you (Kazan and Laura) have designed two sketches for the Caardvarks challenge. What fun! This card of mine is based on Kazan's sketch. I hope to make a card based on Laura's sketch a bit later today. I used Basic Grey "Periphery" papers for this one. I love the muted, but classy, colour scheme of these papers.

CPS #74

I am obsessed with BG Euphoria at the moment. I promise that I will move on and use other papers for a while now! This card is based on Sketch #74 over at CPS blog. The flowers are Doodlebug, the chipboard buttons are American Crafts and the sentiment is a Stampin' Up stamp.

Kazan's Sketch #5

I bought this funky blue trim today and couldn't wait to use it. When I saw Kazan's Sketch #5 on 2 Sketches 4 you, I knew just how to use it. I've used more BG Euphoria here, with a bit of KI Memories lace cardstock. I'm sorry the pic is not the best... it's 9pm so I'm lacking natural light. My "daylight" lamp helps, but it's not match for the real thing.

My kids were home from school today because we had Parent-Teacher interviews at the school during the day. I am so proud of my three cherubs. They all got glowing reports, socially, academically and behaviourally. It sounds awful, but I was convinced that Oscar (my youngest) was going to struggle at school, since the other two are excelling. I figured that one of the three would need a bit of extra help. However, Oscar is starring as well, so it makes me very proud. They are all gorgeous, frightfully clever, sensitive, trustworthy, beautiful children. I am feeling very lucky tonight.

All that being said... I will happily pack them off to school tomorrow so that I can get a heap of cards made! Hehe

2 cards and a Birthday Boy

It was my eldest son's 8th birthday yesterday! He got out of bed in the morning, grinning like a Cheshire Cat, and that theme continued for the whole day. He is such a handsome little man! He is my darling, my middle child, my perfectly gorgeous boy! He is having his birthday "party" next Sunday, but on his actual birthday we celebrated with his best friend, and some other good friends. Fun times! Here is a pic of my boy:

My wonderful friend Kell had her baby today!!!! This was a much longed for, and planned for, baby. I am so happy for her that I could just about burst. As fate would have it, my DH Steve set up for her C-section. Being the Sensitive New Aged Guy that he is, he set it all up, then quietly left the operating theatre to give Kell a bit of privacy. (I love you Steve!!!!). So, she had a girl (which I predicted, and I usually go *against* my gut instinct because it was wrong 2 times out of three with my OWN kids!) I don't know any more details yet, but I am beside myself with joy!

In other news, I contributed to the Remember When Paper Company blog today. These are the cards I shared, based on a sketch by *me*.

Righto, it's time for bed. The kids have the day off school tomorrow due to Parent-Teacher Interviews. It will be predictable, but will make me proud. As luck would have it, all 3 of my kids are smart little cookies and are blitzing school and the curriculum.

Good night,

see you tomorrow, I hope, with some CPS etc.

love,

Annie

Laura's sketch #4

I finally got around to using my Basic Grey "Euphoria" papers. I wasn't sure whether I was too thrilled with this range, so I only bought a 6x6 pad. I really like the way the colours look together, but no so fussed with each individual pattern, if you know what I mean?!
Anyway, this card is based on Laura's sketch #4 over at 2 sketches 4 you blog. I like the simplicity of it!

I hope to get a chance to sit down and make some cards tonight. It's been a brutally hectic week, and today was no exception. Sometimes the weekends are busier than the weekdays around here. Steve has gone to Melbourne to see the footy, so I'm flying solo tonight. I miss him when he's gone, but I love the solo time when I can stay up late, watch my shows in bed, channel a "starfish" while I sleep etc. LOL

CPS #73

This card is based on Sketch #73 over at CPS blog. I've been looking to use this beautiful wide ric rac for ages, and this sketch was just the thing. I have been madly trying to use up scraps lately. Masses of new products are due out of CHA soon (although most things take longer to arrive on Aussie shores), and I need to make way for them all!

I am off to the movies tonight to see "Mama Mia". It should be fun.

Toot Toot!

I have some exciting news to share today! Kazan and Laura over at 2 sketches 4 you blog have named one of my cards in their Fab 5 this week! You can check it out here.

You really must check out the work of the very talented Johanna who won the prize this week. Her blog is full of gorgeous, inspiring work.

Rainy Sunday

I'm getting a lot of cards made on this beautiful, rainy, mellow Sunday. I've been working heaps over the past couple of days, but I'm still managing to pump out some cards. The kids go back to school tomorrow *insert a happy dance here*!!




I hope that your Sunday is as productive and as calming as mine has been so far.

Triple the Sketch: Sketch 15

Have you checked out this sketch blog called "Triple the Sketch"? It's super cool, and you can adapt the sketch for a layout, a card or a tag, or anything else that you can think of! The card below is based on Sketch #15. The cute little baby onesie is a chipboard lasercut from Remember When Paper Company. It's brand new, and I think everyone needs some in their stash.

Latest sketch from 2 sketches 4 you

My mojo is back baby! Woo Hoo. It's horrid when you want to sit down and create something and all you get is... nothing. However, today I have been happy with each and every card I have made. This card is based on Kazan's sketch #4 over at 2 sketches 4 you blog. The adorable chipboard lasercut is from Remember When Paper Company. It has such gorgeous detail with some etching as well. Paper is Sass Lass, and the stamp is Melissa Frances.


Can I share something with you? Something completely and totally anal, which is SOOOOOO not me? It took me almost a day, but I have arranged all my Bazzil into the correct order (colour groups etc, as per the Bazzil swatch book that is like a bible). Now when I want to match cardstock to patterned paper, I pull out my swatch book, find the right shade of Bazzill, and then I know exactly where to find it. I then jot down the name of the cardstock I've used, so that next time I place an order I can replace it. I am normally the queen of random chaos, but as I get older, I am becoming more organised and ordered. Perhaps by the time I'm 70 I will no longer procrastinate over everything, and my life will run like clock work!?

Tags, tags, tags!

I have a confession to make... until last month, I HATED tags. I thought they were a waste of time... wondered why you would bother... However, that opinion was formed from a scrappers point of view. I saw them as purely an embellishment for a page. Now, I can see the value in having a very pretty "gift tag" to accompany something special! The big turn around came when an Australian magazine "Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft" asked me to take part in a challenge for their Xmas issue. I gladly accepted the challenge, but then found out that the project was Christmas tags. I scratched my head for a long time and cursed etc. Eventually I came up with three tags that I adore. Obviously I can't share those particular tags until the magazine is published, but I am now a little addicted to making tags! They are perfect for using up scrap pieces of cardstock, patterned paper and ribbons.

Here are a few of my latest efforts. I am finding a hot glue gun invaluable for adhering the lumpy bumpy bits.

CPS #72

I am in love with these papers from October Afternoon. I'm not normally drawn to bold prints like this, but something about this range just draws me in. This card is based on Sketch #72 over at CPS blog. I haven't played along for a few weeks as I've been busy with the kids out of school for the holidays. I have missed it, and will be back regularly again now.

The cards below are just a few to share. My mojo was MIA a week ago, and nothing I did turned out right. These ones were the "drought breakers" and now the creative juices are flowing again!

This last card uses more October Afternoon papers. The sentiment is one of their Rub-ons - too easy! The little tree is a chipboard lasercut from Remember When Paper Company.

Laura's sketch 3

I just love this blog. Laura and Kazan have launched a hugely successful blog called 2 sketches 4 you. They have awesome prizes to win, but the real fun is in playing along. I love the hand drawn sketches too.


The card below is based on Laura's 3rd sketch. I have used K&Co Smitten paper. The orange and pink colour combo is one that I don't use much, but I really like it!!

We are home!

Hello! We are home, safe and sound. I love a good holiday, but it's always nice to come home to everything comfortable and familiar.

So, we ventured to St Andrew's Beach on Tuesday morning, car packed to the rafters (does a car even have rafters????). I always have a minor panic attack the night before we are due to go on a trip somewhere. I envisage us all dying in a horrific car accident. I suppose it's better to expect the worst, then I will be on my best driving behaviour and be super careful. Anyway, the driving was uneventful and we followed my friend (who had been there before) to our destination. It was just lovely. It was all about the kids of course, but in the evenings we allowed ourselves a "platter" and drank wine and watched movies. It was relaxing, we bonded, and have made some memories.

We had shocking weather. Everytime we made a move for the beach it rained. On Thursday, we thought we waited for a break in the weather and once we got on the sand, a torrential downpour came down. We all came home soaked. But it was an adventure! We are from the drought capital of Victoria, we don't "do" rain!!!

Anyway, the kids are all quiet now. They haven't been asleep before 10.30pm while we were away, so I sent them off to bed early tonight. I will get out to my scrapping desk tomorrow and whip up a card making frenzy (being positive here, my mojo has taken a holiday as well it seems). So, until then, goodnight!