Two Cards Bigz Clear Oval Accent

I've been playing around with my new Sizzx die cut, the Bigz Oval Accent. I like these a lot and plan to make more.

Birthdays Galore

In our family, June is big on birthdays.

As my remaining siblings, (all sisters now) and I get older, I find it's more difficult to buy birthday presents for them. 

So I have taken to making their gifts and only making them something I know they will use. 

Here is what I have made my Twin Sisters for their birthday this month.

For three years running I have made them a bunch of cards.

Since Mr H.P. has spent up big on card making supplies for my Mother's Day gift this year, I thought I had better make good use of them.
Above is a sample of some of the cards I made.  The ones above are for the older of the Twins. (Ha! Ha!)

With the cards I include envelopes (of course),a sheet of postage stamps and a nice pen.  Then I place all of these items into a useful container, this year a tin which I purchased at the Hippy Shop in Springwood.

The New Age Markets (aka The Hippy Shop) is a shopper's heaven!  Be sure you'll find a gift for any occasion. An hour or two could easily be spent behind the five-shop-fronted emporium!

A warning though...if you spend too much time in there, you're bound to come out smelling of patchoulli and sandalwood...so you can't hide where you've been!

 (I'll put the link up later as it seems to be busy right now.) 

Above you can see a few of the cards I've made for P, the younger of The Twins, and at the back is the tin I will put the bundle into.

I hope they like them, but most of all, I hope they find them useful.

Two days after The Twins' birthday my niece L. turns eighteen...or as she says...she turns "legal", as in Australia, 18 is the legal age for drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and voting.

Above is the card I've made for L.
I've tried a new technique, using white embossing powder (this one is called Seafoam White and has a bit of a pearlescence to it) stamped on baby blue card stock.

The butterfly was stamped on black card stock and embossed with the same embossing powder and then cut out with scissors before mounting on card using foam tape. 

I'm also trying my hand at word cards but I'm feeling a bit uncertain about them...so maybe more about them later.

Four birthdays down...four to go...in June.

(By the way...February is our busiest birthday month).

Do you have a month that is jam packed with birthdays?

Mother's Day 2013

In Australia we celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.

I haven't shared any card making of late so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share the card I made for my Mum this coming Sunday.

The torn heart card has been coloured with chalks. 

I've applied the KISS principle here. 

As my Mum ages, I find it more and more difficult to find a suitable gift for her.

I'm beginning to understand her requests for 'no gifts', and 'spending time with family' as I grow older too.

Last week I caught her admiring a succulent that is growing in my garden.

A piece had fallen off one of the plants and I could see that she was itching to take it home with her.  She is a proud woman and no way would she ask to have the 'cutting'.

I've inherited some nice ceramic pots so I'm thinking I might give her a much larger and well established version of the plant in one of these pots.

Over the years she has propagated countless plants and now that she is losing her garden in her eightieth year, I recognize signs in her behaviour showing how much she still wants to continue with her favourite pass time.

I know the gift she'll love most is having her children, grandchildren and great granddaughter spend the afternoon with her.

What are you planning for your Mum on Mother's Day? 

Day 347/366

I've been busy.

Potting marmalade...

Sewing pouches...

(Instructions here and here)

(My Grand Daughter chose three fat quarters from her mother's stash and asked me to make the pouches for her Mum for Christmas.  The orange and pink ones are my prototypes).

and paper crafting.

Once I get my database sorted and my Christmas card labels printed I will start writing up my Christmas Cards.

These are handmade too...

here is a sample...

I found a tutorial here for the Christmas tree cards (the tutorial is for Christmas tags) and other fun things.

What have you been up to lately?

Day 322/366

Finally, I'm up and about again.

The last five days are like a bad dream.

I took it relatively easy today and Mr Honey Pie helped me with replenishing our fruit and vegetable supply at the local markets in Glenbrook.

Besides the fresh fruit and vegetables, I bought myself a box of owls.

Fifty owls to be exact, some of which I used to make the above card for our Second son's thirty ninth birthday tomorrow.

I hope his 39th Year is a Hoot!

Day 107/366

I'm A Winner!  

Thanks to Victoria at

Paper Squirrel who sent me to 

Scrapalicious USA's facebook page.

I am now the proud owner of this cute note book which travels everywhere with me in my handbag.

Victoria produces some gorgeous digi art and here is a card I made for Easter from one of her art works.

Why don't you visit Paper Squirrel 

to see more of Victoria's creations. 

Day 96/366

A Sneak Peek!

Thank You.

I've had a request to make two thank you cards for end of year celebrations.

This is my first one.

The papers are from my stash.

I've used some vintage lace on the right and inked my Penny Black images and "thank you" with Color Box Fluid Chalk Ink, warm red.

One butterfly image was embossed with Transcendence embossing powder and the other with Snowflake.

The scroll was printed on a clear sheet.

This is my inspiration for the layout.

Sketch Saturday #184  By Karita

I hope you can find the time to visit Sketch Saturday's blog.

Tri-Shutter Card.

Super simple instructions provided by Splitcoaststampers *
achieved the most amazing results for this card for my darling Grand Daughter's 4th Birthday.

   I downloaded the cute image for free at 5 Star Digital Scrapbooking Blog.

I'm definitely imagining this card in many, many, more themes.  

Another minimum effort project with maximum impact.

*(Tri-shutter card by Bonnie Szwalkiewicz)

Twin Cards for Twin Sisters - Card 2.

In an attempt to be very organised for my Twin Sisters' birthday I took up the sketch saturday challenge to inspire my gone by the by card making skills.

I've used Kaisercraft background papers and embellishments, Penny Black image - Brush Butterfly - and one of my favourite.  Also Ruby Rock-it up Stairs down Stairs Narrative sheets, Bradz, Kindyglitz glitter glue and whatever else I could find lying around.  And I have LOTS lying around, I can assure you!

Linked to sketchsaturday.blogspot.com

Twin Cards for Twin Sisters - Card 1.

In an attempt to be very organised for my Twin Sisters' birthday I took up the sketch saturday challenge to inspire my gone by the by card making skills.

I've used Kaisercraft background papers and embellishments, Penny Black image - Brush Butterfly - and one of my favourite.  Also Ruby Rock-it up Stairs down Stairs Narrative sheets, Bradz, Kindyglitz glitter glue and whatever else I could find lying around.  And I have LOTS lying around, I can assure you! 


I have linked this post to sketchsaturday.blogspot.com