Goodbye Summer...hello Autumn

*sniff*

It's a sad post from me today, as it's that time again -  time to bid farewell to Summer. This feels even sadder than most years, for Sydney had the coldest summer on record and with only 3 days left it's too late for it to kick in now.

Still the end of Summer signals a new season, the one my dear friend Deanna calls the "season of new boots" so to celebrate this, the theme for our latest challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox is

AUTUMN

The DT have outdone themselves with their latest creations - all made with images from our newest sponsor Bugaboo Stamps. Bugaboo have kindly offered our winner 7 digi stamps of their choice. I am so in love with their fabulous digis, as I am sure you will be too.

For my creation I used Ava Latte:

Look closely wonderful followers - there's stitching!!! Yes, I wrangled the new sewing machine into submission and managed to sew a zig zag stitch relatively straight around one piece of DP and cardstock. I won't tell you how many pieces of paper died in the making of that one simple rectangle, I am sure the People for the Ethical Treatment of Paper (PETP) would be on to me in a heartbeat.

The image was coloured with copics and the edges distressed with Tim Holtz distress ink. The once white lace flower was also sponged with distress ink and the button was hand-sewn to it. Is there simply no end to my talents I hear you ask? Please rest assured I had to ask my husband how to sew on the button. I am not exaggerating when I say sewing and I have been estranged for over 20 years. The lace was from my stash, and thankfully after sweating over the various sewing and stitching, I could fall back on my old friend doublesided tape to stick it on!

I have also entered this card into the following challenges:

Do You Stack Up? - distress
Southern Girls - So distressed
The Stamping Boutique - Stitching
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Drink Up
Totally Gorjuss - Yummy


Until next time keep well and happy!
Tracey

Things with Wings at Sparkles

Hello again!

Hopefully no-one is falling over in shock at the two posts in one day happenings. I'm back to tell you about the new challenge at Sparkles Challenges. This is another scheduled post, right now I hope to be dressed to the nines with a glass of champagne in hand...

Crikey, that sounds like there's a worry that I might be without clothes. I need to work on sentence construction. What I meant was the boring conference-y bit of the day should be over and it's now the gala dinner. Which I have a fancy new dress for. Which I will be wearing.

This month's theme is

THINGS WITH WINGS

For my DT work I wanted to use the last of my gorgeous Bo Bunny Valentine's papers. This little birdy was too cute to cover up with anything, so rather than me stamping and colouring a different image I made him the focus of my card. The ribbon, cardstock and gingham button brads are from my stash.

To see what my teammates have created, please visit us at Sparkles Challenges. Our sponsor this week is Lily of the Valley. I have a very long wish list of 'wants' from LOTV, and one lucky winner will get a £10 voucher for their store.

Also entered into the following challenges:
Incy Wincy Designs - Recipe - 2 papers, 3 embellishments, 1 image.
Love to Create Challenges - Buttons & Bows
Paper Creations Ink - Recipe - 1 image, 3 embellishments, 2 papers

Until next time,
Tracey
x

Vintage time at Ruby's Rainbow

Hello blog friends!


Hopefully blogger is being my friend and this post has gone live as intended, for right now I am (very reluctantly) away at a work conference in Sydney.

It's time for another challenge at Ruby's Rainbow and this month our theme is

VINTAGE

For my DT work I broke out my brand new Gorjuss stamp "Little Foxes". Isn't it absolutely darling? As soon as I saw this one I had to have it. How could I resist a stamp with foxes in it?

For this card I coloured the stamp with copics and then sponged the edges with antique linen distress ink. The papers are from Kaisercraft Homemade Collection. The beautiful antique lace is from the collection I got from my grandmother and the ribbon and pearl stick-ons are from my stash. Added to the ribbon is a sweet little antique style birdcage charm from Scrap Matrix. I've been saving this charm for ages and I'm happy to have found a perfect card to stick it on!

This card is for my husband's step sister's birthday.  Melissa joined the Fox family unofficially about 10 years ago and officially a year or so ago when her Mum married AJ's Dad. The papers I used are all about 'home' and 'family'.

I hope you will visit us at Ruby's Rainbow with your vintage creation. We have also got some new DT members joining us this challenge - pop over to give them a warm welcome and to check out their amazing talent.

Also entered into the following challenges:
Truly Scrumptious - All Creatures Great & Small
Oldie but a Goodie - Lace
Let's Ink It Up - Ribbon & Lace
Stamptacular Sunday - Pearls & Lace
Just Tracys Crafts - Something flowing (ribbon & lace)

and shared on Make It Monday.


Until next time,
Tracey
x

Valentine's Day at The Squirrel and The Fox

Hello Everyone,

It's time for another challenge at The Squirrel and the Fox and this time our theme is

VALENTINE'S DAY

My hubby AJ and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, and it's just as well, for I am scheduled to be at a work conference for the whole of next week. It's bad enough having to go, but it would be a lot worse if I was meant to be fine dining or on a romantic trip with my husband instead!

Our Challenge this fortnight is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and I used the cute little digi "Hog Wild Over You" for my creation:

I struggled with this card for a while, and then stumbled across some old blue lace that belonged to my grandmother, layered it over the background paper, and it all just came together. Gotta love it when that happens. :) I also used my brand new ribbon border die from Die-Namics. The papers are Bo-Bunny 'Crazy Love Fudge and Flowers' and the card-stock and pearl stick-ons were from my stash.

Please visit The Squirrel and The Fox and see what my fabulous team-mates have created.

If you do celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope you have a great one.

Entered into the following challenges:
Card Making Mamas - Valentine's
Delicious Doodles - All Loved Up
Fussy n Fancy Friday Challenges - With All My Heart
Moving along with the times - Cute Critters
4 Crafty Chicks - Valentine's

Until next time,
Tracey
x

Happy Birdie

It's Sunday and the sun is out. Sydney-siders will understand that at the moment, that's some kind of miracle. It has been raining steadily for the whole summer, I think I've been in the pool only twice this year and given it's February already that's some sort of (sad) record.

Right now Doodle Pantry are giving away the most fabulous digi stamp set for everyone who enters their current challenge using a Doodle Pantry image. The image I have is their Happy Bird freebie, that you can get here. Here is the little card I created.

For something a little different I followed the latest sketch by The Sweet Stop. I'm not normally a sketch follower so this was a little daunting, but I am happy with how it turned out.

Brace yourselves though people - for I have big crafty news. I bought a sewing maching so I could attemp that gorgeous stitching I see on other cards. I haven't touched a sewing machine since I failed home economics when I was 13 years old and switched to metalwork, so trust me when I say this is big news. :) It might take a while before I can stitch anything worth sharing, but today is the day I get it out of the box.

This little card is entered into the following challenges:
The Sweet Stop - Sketch
Doodle Pantry - Use a Doodle Pantry image

Until next time,
Tracey

Little Monster

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I hope you are all making the most of your weekend. I managed to do only minimal housework in favour of an early morning Zumba class and a bike ride today. I'll pay for it tomorrow but right now I am feeling lovely and refreshed after a horrendous week at work.

Today I am sharing with you the card I made for a colleague at work. She requested a birthday card for her little nephew who she fondly calls "Little Monster".

I was fortunate enough to find that adorable little monster as a freebie online from Torico Gallery. Click here to get him for yourself. The sentiment was another freebie I lost the details for (I'm writing them all down now I promise!).  Button, ribbon, twine etc all from my stash.

Entered into the following challenges:
Frosted Designs - Ribbon and/or Twine
Crafty Ribbons - For the men or the boys
Cute Card Thursdays - Buttons and bows
Digistamps 4 Joy - One For The Boys
Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Use a digi

Until next time,
Tracey
x

Flowers with Sparkle

Hello All,

Can you believe it's February already? What exactly happened to January, and more importantly why didn't Summer bother to turn up this year? It's been the most miserable cold and wet Summer in Sydney I can remember.

It's time for another challenge at Ruby's Rainbow and this time the theme is:

FLOWERS WITH SPARKLE

It took me a while to figure out how to tackle this one for my DT work, I like the occasional sparkles but my cards aren't very floral at the best of times. Fortunately I found some lovely paper flowers that I could pair with my new Magnolia Doohickey leaf die, a bit of KindyGlitz glitter glue and ta-da - sparky flowers. I also attempted my first very easel card and I'm pretty chuffed that it turned out how it was supposed to!

I made this card for my friend Amanda, who had her gall-bladder removed yesterday. Poor little kitten. She is only 34 and this is a life changing operation for her. A naturally petite person who never has to watch what she eats (insert chorus of "that's so unfair"!!!!) -  her diet consists of lots of the wrong foods. I think she is in mourning for many of her favourite dishes which she will now have to eat rarely, if at all.

This gorgeous image is Sick Lily from Pink Cat Studios. This is my second PCS digi stamp and I think I will have to add plenty more to my collection. They are so cute! She has been coloured with copics and die cut with my Spellbinders lacy squares.

I chose my DPs to best represent a living room, with swirly beige carpet and pink and white wallpapered walls. All papers are from Sassafrass Lass. Ribbons, flower brads and blue half pearls are from my stash.

To see what my teammates have created, and to add your own sparkly flowers creation, please visit us at Ruby's Rainbow.

Entered into the following challenges:
Hooked On Craft - Something Bright
Shopping Our Stash - People who need people
Kaboodle Doodles - It's all about the girls

and shared on Make it Monday - Always Anything Goes

Until next time,
Tracey
x