Tickled Pink Stamps Challenge #3

Happy Australia Day!!!

Today I have a card to share for the Tickled Pink Stamp Challenges - it's a sketch one and a really fun one too.  I'm on a roll with these challenges and love having the inspiration everyweek to use some of my stamps.

So here's the sketch:

 And here's my card:

 I've used 60's Ivy from the Lolita's - the dress has been paper pieced and I've coloured the rest with Copics!
The papers are by Basic Grey - Olivia.
Some of the embellishments are an adhesive black heart (found at my local discount store), some paper roses, lace and a sentiment.
Here's a closer look:

Thanks for a great sketch Pink Ladies.
Happy crafting and have a great day - we are off to the beach for a family day out!

January Journal

I loved the idea of a December Daily - such a fun way to document a month.  But December is such a busy month with end of school events etc.  So I decided to do a January Journal - for us, January means the big Summer school break, going on camping holidays, spending time at the beach and just having fun together.  We also have a birthday celebration in the family.  So I thought it would be great to document this wonderful month of the year with a photo journal.

A long time ago.......... I made a paper bag album, yes, out of good ole' lunch bags.  I remember it being such a great project; but I gave it away as a gift.  So I thought that I would make this journal from brown paper bags - and keep it myself!!

I have put 15 bags together and used my Crop-o-dile to punch three holes for the jumbo eyelets.  Then I've put in some jump rings - I hope to have lots of ribbons hanging of these at the end!

Next I chose my cardstock and embellishments that I want to work with - I want to have a uniform colour scheme and limit myself to a certain amount of embellishments (my dining table is covered at the moment).  So I've gone with a Kaisercraft Collection - Seaside Collection - this is really perfect for my Summer themed journal.  I have twine, crochet trim, American Thickers, buttons..... but I'm sure I'll be adding more to the table as I go along.

 Here's a little peak at the front page and I'm loving how it's coming together.... already!

I'll keep you up-to-date with my progress!
Thanks for coming by and happy crafting.

Etsy shop is open again!

My Etsy store is open again!!  You may have noticed a name change - it's now

Creative Bits.

For those that want to add me to their blog - you can use the shop logo at the top of my blog.

I've stocked up on doilies in different colours - there's a little Valentine's Kit available with some cute ruffled hearts - and some TWINE - in 7 different colours.  There's some other new things too - so pop over to the shop and have a look.

Next month there will be a giveaway for the shop's 1st year and I'll also be sponsoring some challenges - so keep an eye out for exciting things.

Thanks for coming by and happy crafting.

Lollipop Ladies Challenge #11

Time for another challenge over at the Lollipop Ladies!  We had such a fabulous response to last weeks challenge - it was great to see so many entries. 

I think you will LOVE this next challenge: LICORICE ALLSORTS - these are one of my favourites.  The added bonus is to have BLACK in your creation.

Here's my card:

 I've used one of the sweet images from My Favourite Things - 4 leaf clover. I paper-peiced the clothes so there wasn't much colouring left to do.  But I've added some sparkle to her shoes and a pearl flower which she is holding!
Papers are by Stampin'Up - Sweet Always - these colours really suited the inspiration picture - especially with the stripes.
I've used some crochet trim and made a cluster of embellies - hand-made flower and some buttons.
Here's a closer look:

I hope you are inspired to join in with this challenge - pop over to the Lollipop Ladies to view all the details.  Be sure to check out all the amazing work from the Design Team - we look forward to seeing what you create.

Happy crafting

Tickled Pink Stamps Challenge #2 - I (heart) you

Tickled Pink Stamps have their second challenge going - I (heart) You!!  I just love the Cherrie stamps and have some more coming soon.  But in the meantime, I've improvised with the Christmas Cherrie.

Here's my card:

 As I mentioned, I've used the Christmas Cherrie - instead of the Christmas ornament, I've punched out some paper hearts, distressing them and then adding a rose - then I've placed it over the ornament image!
I've used Webster's Paper - Life's Portrait - they have a great vintage feel to them.
The image has been coloured with Copics, then I've used my oval cutters to create a series of ovals, distressing then layering each one.  Lately, I have a 'thing' for off-setting my image so it comes off the card a little - now I've done it again!!
I've stitched some lace trim (which you can hardly see now), added some ribbon and button and made a tag for the sentiment.
Here's a closer look:

Thanks for the fun challenge Pink Ladies!!

Not much scrapbooking happening as yet - I've just been enjoying some fun card challenges.  But I have a project planned which I can hopefully share very soon - an OTP item - something I haven't done in a while!

Happy crafting.

Just add Ink #51

Happy Monday!! I did a little crafting over the weekend, making a baby card for friends in our church. I used the latest Just add Ink challenge - Monochrome - and went with shades of pink - perfect for a sweet little girl.

I've used Melon Mambo & Regal Rose with some pattern paper from my stash.  The image is from Wild about You - I've inked it up in Pink, then rolled the edges into a darker pink - then I've added some Kindy Glitz to the spots!

I've used my Nesties to create the scallop circle, added some Regal Rose ribbon, a sentiment and a patchwork fabric flower.

Here's a closer look:

I have lots of crafting planned, but whether I will get to it - that's another thing.  We are enjoying warm weather and school holidays, so spending time at the beach and the kids have swimming lessons.
Til next time - happy crafting.

Tickled Pink Stamps Challenge #1 - anything goes

The Tickled Pink Stamps have a new challenge blog - it's all about cute, pink and quirky and since I just love their new range of Cherrie Stamps - I joined in with their first challenge - ANYTHING GOES!

Here's my card using Cherrie with Cupcake:

 This is a 13cm x 13cm square card with a Kraft base - I've layered coloured cardstock and used some pattern paper by Basic Grey - Nook & Pantry - I've used this same paper to do some paper-piecing on the image.  I love the effect this gives!
The image has been stamped in Memento Ink and coloured with Copics.  I've added a small heart button to the cupcake.  Then I've used by Nesties to create the shape, layering onto some Melon Mambo by Stampin'Up.
I've also added some stitching with my sewing machine around the edges - another thing I love to do and you will def. be seeing more of that.
The embellishments include a pink doily from my Etsy store, sentiment, twine, button and rhinestones.
Here's a closer look:

Keep an eye out for the twine - I will be stocking some great colours in my shop - Creative Bits -  when it re-opens in a few weeks.
I just got to this challenge on time - I started the card a few days ago, but with school holidays there have been lots of interuptions - good ones that is!  So I'm off to link it up! 
Happy crafting!!

Looking back.......

I was looking back thru my creative posts for 2010 and thought I'd share a collage of them here.  They are not necessarily my favourites, but it was fun to see what I was creating at the start of the year til now!  I mainly focused on cards, using cute images coloured with Copic Markers.  Then I opened my Etsy store and so began my obsession with collecting doilies and creating hand-made embellishments.  I have enjoyed that so much and hope to continue with new idea's in this new year.  After retiring from some fabulous design teams, I concentrated more on scrapbooking, something that I'm very passionate about - I love preserving and recording the memories for my family.  My style changes as I find new things to play with and be inspired by, but I will always use something hand-made!

For this year, I'd love to continue on with my scrapbooking and be as faithful to my comittment from last year;  to have a family album completed by the end of the year.  Last year I committed to doing at least two LO's per month and did really well.  So 2010 has a nice family album to show!!

I plan to re-open my Etsy shop at the end of the month - there will be a giveaway soon to celebrate 300 sales and the first birthday.  So stay tuned for that.  Some new products are in store for the shop too!!
I'm really looking forward to making new things and also hope to show-case idea's and ways to use my products.

So in saying all that; thanks to those who check in on me to see what I've been up too - I hope to share heaps more creativity this year - I'm always in awe of the many talented people I pop to see and it's great to see the big craft wheel in motion.
Til next time - happy crafting.

Lollipop Ladies Challenge #11

My first creative post for 2011 - and it's a colourful one!!  The Lollipop Ladies are back with a fun challenge to get your creativity going - the theme is Jubes with the added bonus of glitter/sparkles.  Don't you just love the bright, fun colours of this inspiration picture!!

Here's my creation:

 My inspiration came from the bright colours - I've used a B&W picture of my son Liam to make a fun scrapbook LO.  I love how it turned out.  The whole LO is rather simple with the punched out coloured squares.... yes they are coloured cardstock squares hand-punched by me then attached with tape - lots of work but worth the effort.   Then I've done some stamping and added a cluster of embellishments - a stamped tag and flower with spotted button, red crochet doily and a small plastic doily!
The title is some black glitter letters and rub-on's.  For some sparkle, I've added some small red gems to a few of the squares.
Here's a closer look:

So that's my inspiration for this challenge - hope you like it.
We would love for you to join us - pop over to the challenge blog to view all the details and be sure to check out the creativity from the talented design team.

This is a scheduled post as we are still camping, but I hope to be back soon to check out your entries!
Til then - happy crafting.