New Cards

These 2 cards with the car on, were inspired by my friend Andrea (Snippets by Andrea). She has made cards like this, on her blog, and I loved them so much I bought the stamp set. It is a Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous set, Home for Christmas. I used a red brad for the door handle on the car, just to give it a tiny pop of colour. I like that you really don't have to colour the images. I stamped in Versafine Clair Portobello ink, and stamped on an un branded cream coloured cardstock. I also mounted the stamped card onto some SU Evening Evergreen and Soft Suede cardstock. 

Below is a DL size card using another THSA stamp set called Holiday Sketchbook. There's six stamps in the set. I used all of the stamps on this card. 

The next 4 cards also use the same stamp set. I have added a bit of colour  to some of the images. I used water colour markers for this.

The card below uses Lavinia Stamps products. It's a small 3 x 3 inch card.

I'm still waiting on my new LS stamps to arrive, and I am sooo frustrated. I ordered them Feb 7th. They left the UK on Feb 13th, which would have been the 14th for me as we are a day ahead of the UK. I cannot track the package. It just says they left the UK Feb 13th.  I have been in touch with Lavinia Stamps, and all they said was to let them know if the package hasn't arrived by March 3rd. Lavinia Stamps don't seem to be interested that my stuff hasn't arrived. I've also made an enquiry with NZ Post, who haven't given me an answer as to where my package is. They just say it's 'in transit'. It does not take 12 days to fly from the UK to NZ! Where is my package?? I'm no longer excited about the new LS stamps and have pretty much lost interest in them. Not good. There are other from NZ also still waiting on their packages from LS. I hope we all receive our packages soon. Watch this space.

Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self and shine bright each and every day!

 

"Ted"

 

This is "Ted". I bought him to give to a friend of mine who was not well. Her name was Patty, and I had known her for about 12 years. She lived four houses down from me. We both caught public transport, and would often meet at the bus stop. We became good friends and got to know each other and about each others  lives. Patty had 2 adult daughters, both whom I met. Patty always asked about my health as she knew I often ended up in hospital, and she would always ask if she could  help in any way. Just before Christmas last year, I got a message from her, saying she had been in hospital and had an aggressive stomach cancer. I was shocked and asked if there was anything she needed. She replied that she was fine and had good support around her. She did say she would like to see me.

However, I ended up in  hospital a couple of times and wasn't well. Patty started Chemo  in January and that made her weak and more unwell. We messaged for a short time then I never heard back from Patty. I never got to see her again. Last Friday I found out that Patty had passed away, and her farewell (Funeral) was the next day. I was in shock. I went to her farewell and found it challenging. I felt really sad. I couldn't get my head around the fact that she had gone. She had passed away about 8 days previously. So, getting back to "Ted". I had bought him for Patty but never got the chance to give him to her. I made the card that is hanging around his neck. I know "Ted" would have made Patty smile. I have kept "Ted". He sits on my bed, smiling serenely. I hope Patty is looking down from where ever she is, and can see him. I miss you Patty, and I miss out lively chats we used to have. I miss your caring personality, and the way you always made sure to ask how I was knowing I have frequent visits to hospital. I miss you, thank you for being my friend. Rest in peace, and I will see you on the other side.💖

Kliban Cats!

This was another quick and easy card to make. For a long time I have loved the Kliban Cats! I have five different stamps. The one above arrived for Valentines Day! I stamped him on to some white card, and added a little bit of colour.  I also stamped the tiny mouse (not a Kliban Cat stamp) and gave him a bit of colour as well. Once I was done with the stamping and colouring, I used Lavinia Stamps Brick stencil and used Versafine Clair Portobello ink to brush randomly around the cat. Very quick and really easy! I Backed it on to a piece of SU Soft Suede card stock. I did add some clear glitter gel pen to the image but it doesn't show on here. I am hoping to get some more of these done soon. 

It's been hot and humid here, which is nice, but it seems to take all my energy away. I do have some new Lavinia stamps arriving soon! They seem to be stuck at the Auckland Airport somewhere inside Customs at the moment. The previous post uses anther of my Kliban Cats stamps. Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUSNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!

 

Happy Valentines Day!

 

Let's Welcome Back...

...The Snarkys!! Funny, naughty, and always sarcastic! I finished these three cards this afternoon. It's been awhile since they've appeared on my blog, but I thought it was time they showed up!  Always fun to create with, and I love coming up with witty, funny and sarcastic sayings for them! The second card has one of my made up sayings on. The first and third card has sayings that I bought from a craft shop. Hope you enjoy them!

On the card above, I slightly bent the glasses in the center so they kind of pop up. Hopefully you can see this on the last photo. There's a bit of sparkle on each card, but not so easy to see on here.

Whoops! It looks so messy close up! Oh well, The Snarky's are messy characters!

I hope to be creating more Snarky's ... time will tell! Hope you enjoy them! Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!

 

Checking The Sky!

I created these two cards using alcohol inks on Yupo paper. I saw on Andrea's blog Snippets By Andrea) that she has created some GORGEOUS Northern Lights cards, and I wanted to make some. (Thank you Andrea!) Hers are way better than these, and she has reference to a video on how she created them. This was my first attempt with Yupo and alcohol inks, so I was learning on the job! I  used a Tim Holtz die for the tree's. Although these didn't turn out how I wanted, I am still happy with them. I think I prefer the top card as it has more sky area. So much to learn, and so much fun along the way! I splattered on some white Posca pen to the sky to finish the cards. Oh! I've just realized, these are NOT the correct photos I have uploaded!  I baked the cards on some black card stock as they looked better. Oops!  

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And this is what happened to my fingers! Yes, I have gloves I could have worn, but I really don't like how they feel. Even though they are surgical gloves that fit rally well, I prefer to sue my fingers! So here below is how my fingers ended up!

Not to worry, I used these to clean my hands.

I have them in two sizes, and below is what the packaging looks like.  They also clean marks off shoes, bags etc, as well as cleaning tea/coffee stains from your tea cup. I use them for crafting as well. If you have used Distress Oxide inks on your cards, if you make the sponge damp (not wet, just damp) then lightly wipe he sponge over the card, the Distress Oxide inks will kind of blend/soften and look sort of misty.

And wo minutes after using the sponge on my hands, below is what my hands looked like! I buy the sponges from my local $2 Shop. but you can also get them from the supermarket,  but they are more expensive there.

The following photos are a few I have taken of interesting cloud formations/colours.  The sky is forever changing, which is great because I get lots of opportunities to take photos!

Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!

 

Searching For...

I am looking to purchase this stamp set. Unfortunately it has been discontinued. It's one of Tim Holtz stamp sets. It is called  "Stamptember 2020", the fourth Snarky Cats stamp set. I missed out on ordering it at the time, as I was in hospital at the time. By the time I saw the set, it had sold out and was then discontinued, and they are not printing anymore sets, I have the other 3 Snarky Cats stamp sets, just need this one! If anyone has a set they are willing to part with, please let me know!! I know it was a very popular set at the time. I did 'buy' a set off Market Place only to discover I had been scammed. These days the banks have made it harder to get scammed. If the name and account don't match, your payment won't go through.  Can you help me find a set of these stamps?! Thank you in advance!  P.S...I'm working on some cards...

Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!

 

Remember...?!

 

Do you remember these guys, The Snarky's?! Keep watching, because they're making a comeback...!!

Thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!

"Romeo" and Some Random Stuff!

"Romeo", above, in his new back pack carry case! This was the first time he had been in it. We were on our way to the Vet, where he had an injection for the pain for his arthritis. He  has the injection once a month. He also had blood test done, which all came back fine, and no other health issues. I am a very tiny lady, and carrying him in this back pack was much easier than carrying a metal/plastic cage. He weighs around 6.5 kgs, (about 14 lbs) and I had to make sure I didn't lean backwards too much or I would toppled over! Not a good look! I can see the headlines in the news paper...."old lady topples over with cat in back pack and legs in the air flashing off her underwear in public..." 

The book above  is one I decorated some years ago, and I used to sketch idea's I had for creating cards. I also used to put in colour combinations I liked, using  scraps of card.

The Punch Art note book, above, has ideas of things I made using punches.  The 3 photos below show a few of the things I made. I loved making these snowmen below! I used large paper clips, I think they are about 3 inches or more in length. I had one negative experience with someone who bought one from me. An older lady had bought one from me, and then, right in front of me, she ripped the snowman's head off, saying I had put the paper clip round the wrong way. (I hadn't) This all happened in front of a group of people I was with. Once she ripped the head off, she could see the paper clip was round the right way, however, she had ruined the snowman and couldn't fix it. I used to go to a coffee group, and often took crafts I had made, to sell. This particular lady always had plenty to say, and was one of those who are always right. Once she had taken the snowman bookmark apart, I made a decision to leave the group as I'd had enough. I don't like groups of women who sit around and either gossip about others, or whinge and complain about their partners. Consequently I don't go to coffee groups any more! Yay!

The photos above and below were both made using heart shaped punches. I may have used dies for the dog one as it is much bigger than the heart shapes on the dress above.

This note book below is what I used to write down who I had sent/received Christmas cards from each year. I also noted down what card I had made. I started in 2003. Looking through it, there was a lot of people I used to send cards to. Lets put it this way, I wasted a lot of time, love, money and energy sending cards to people who really didn't deserve them, or give a rats bum about the time and effort I put in to making the cards.   I've long since stopped sending cards to those people. I learned that life is too short, and too precious to waste time doing that. I hope you guys don't waste your time sending cards you have lovingly created, to people who really don't care. Don't get to the point where you feel obligated to end a card. Because when that happens, you don't enjoy what you are creating, and you feel miserable and stressed. You're worth more than that💖. If you do feel obligated, just stop. Put your craft items down and walk away. Don't do it. Save your time and energy and spend it on someone who appreciates what you have created. 'Advice' from someone who has been there, done that, watched the movie and read the book!! That would be ME! I think I have a t shirt that says all that! 

Ok, thanks for dropping by! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!