Fusion - Beach House

Hello!

The inspiration at Fusion Card Challenge this week made me think of sea, sand, and sky. I went looking for pretty paper in these colours, and I found it! I also found my Uniko Label Love: Thank You stamps. :-) My card has me wanting to head to the beach, right now!

This inspiration and sketch are so lovely! What would you make with these as inspiration? I'll look for you in the gallery!

I had to collect my little girl from school at midday today. She had a 38.5 degree fever which hasn't wanted to go away. She's had a cranky afternoon. I'm hoping she wakes up in the morning all recovered. Fingers crossed. ;-)

Michelle
xxx

CASE Study 202 - big, bold flower!

Hello!

It's our last week with Shari Carroll as our muse at CASE Study Challenge. I've really enjoyed this month. Shari has such a fabulous style! This week is no exception with a big bold flower on a kraft background. Irresistible!

I didn't venture far from the inspiration with my CASE of Shari's card. I even tried out a square card, which is highly unusual for me (I have an enduring love for 5.5" x 4.25" cards).

I used SU! Regarding Dahlias and PTI Turning a New Leaf stamps.

You can check out the rest of the team by clicking on the links over on the sidebar. We also have our guest designers, Amy Tsuruta and Tenia Nelson, who are definitely worth a visit! :-)

I cannot wait to see the gallery this week. That big flower just makes me smile, and I look forward to seeing more big flowers on display.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Make It Monday 173 - no outline watercolour

Hello!

I couldn't resist this week's Make It Monday Challenge - no outline watercolour! Heather demonstrated the technique, and I wanted to separate the petals a bit more, so I painted them at different times, letting each batch of petals dry before painting their adjacent petals. This means this card took me two days to make, sigh! Even now, I could go back and do some more shading, but I've run out of time.

I used my new Botanical Blocks stamps with Winsor & Newton Cotman water colours on water colour paper. I gold embossed the sentiment.

While I had the Botanical Blocks stamps out, I also made another card. This one coloured with a mixture of Copics and SU! Blendabilities. I'm new to colouring, so don't look too closely!

I have two aunties who have birthdays approaching. These cards are for them.

It's Sunday night. It's time to prepare for the week ahead. I am wishing the week-end was just a little bit longer... ;-)

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey Ink July Blog Hop

Hello!

This month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop almost passed me by! I wandered over to check out Make It Monday and discovered the Blog Hop was well and truly underway, oops! So with two hours to spare, I rushed off to my craft table and whipped up a contribution. :-)

I used Note Niblets stamps and dies to create this quick card. Such a cute set! As soon as I saw the banner and little flowers in the inspiration, I knew this was the set to use.

Thank-you for visiting. Now, should I go back to crafting or do some of that housework that is desperately needed?

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 86 - Doily snowflake

Hello!

I'm flying in to share my card for CAS(E) This Sketch #86! The sketch this week is another fabulous one. For some reason I decided to torture myself by piecing together a cute little doily die-cut at the end of a busy day... it tested my patience, slightly, lol!

Does this photo look pink to you? The card is bright white, but on my screen the white is looking pinkish. Perhaps something went wrong during my editing (or the night time photography).

This sketch had me wishing for a nice big bee stamp. I love it!

Sorry for the quick post. I'll try to come back and chat a little more sometime soon! I hope you can take some time to visit the other CAS(E) This Sketch designers. They are all listed over on the side bar ---->

Thanks for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

Case Study 201

Hello!

I've been away for work. I flew home late last night. I was in Canberra. It was a little cold. My ears and nose just about dropped off from icing up in the mornings, lol! Along with the cold we had lovely fine days, lovely! I've rushed home just in time for this week's CASE Study Challenge #201 where we have our muse Shari Carroll's inspiration once again.

Shari's card this week had me scratching my head about how I would approach the CASE process. It is so clever and really gorgeous! I've taken elements of the outline sentiment, black and white and pale blue, and worked from there. I left behind the awesome layering (but will revisit that idea another time!). I created a one-layer card that I think radiates just a little of the original card. ;-)

I used Mama Elephant So Breezy stamps. The photography took me about three days to find the right light that would capture the contrast between bold sentiment and pale images without loosing either. :-)

The whole team have made some amazing cards this week. They are all listed in the sidebar --->  Why don't you pay them a visit, too?

Just a quick hello today. I'm squeezing this post into my morning routine of getting kids ready for school and getting off to work. I hope you are all well and happy! Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch #85

Hello!

This week's sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch truly has my CAS-loving heart all a flutter! I think I could make a hundred different cards using this one sketch! Really! Unfortunately, I don't quite have time for making 100 cards this week. Maybe next week. ;-)

Stamps are Altenew Hennah Elements and PTI Boutique Borders: Father.

Are you inspired? Do you want to rush off to your craft supplies and make your own version right now? I can't wait to check out this week's gallery to see everyone's version. :-)

Thanks for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion - Flowery Cupcakes

Hello!

It's Fusion Challenge time! This week's inspiration photo has the most delicious-looking cupcakes in the photo. They look almost too pretty to eat... almost. ;-)

I have made a fusion card using inspiration and sketch.

I used PTI Heart-2-Heart #7 stamps and dies. A very simple card for a simple sentiment.

You can find my team mates over on the sidebar, I'm sure they'd appreciate a visit!

Thank-you for visiting me! I hope to see your response to this inspiration in the gallery. :-)

Michelle
xxx

Case Study 200

Hello!

It's CASE Study #200! I love these nice round numbers! I also love our muse this month, Shari Carroll! Did you see her CASE of herself last week? Amazing! I can't wait to see what she does this week.

What I did was take Shari's design, and pretty much copy it. I really loved the layout (and all that white space)! I really didn't want to change it much at all.

I used Waltzingmouse Stamps Funky Feathers and SSS Sketchy Banners stamps.

I would love to see how you interpret this gorgeous card!

The design team are all listed over there on the side bar. Why don't you pay them a visit? Our guest designers this month are Amy Tsuruta and Tenia Nelson.

Thank-you for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Die cutting at its simplest

Hello!

I had grand visions of joining in at Virginia's View Challenge this month with a card made with all sorts of die-cutting magic. It hasn't happened yet and, looking at my schedule over the next few days, the magic is not going to happen, lol! I've run out of time! So, I thought I'd join in anyway with a simple card using a die-cut sentiment block.

Despite its simplicity, I quite like this card. Golden smooch spritzed background with a little stamping for interest, patterned paper behind the black sentiment block. That patterned paper looks like there just might be a party going on back there!

Today was my youngest daughter's first ballet exam. She went off confidently and came out smiling. She thinks taking a morning off school to do an exam is an excellent way to spend her time! She danced for RAD Primary Grade today. Now she progresses to Grade 1 ballet. I thought that getting her into the exams while she's still little may demystify the process before she hits bigger, more important exams later on. The way she was today, I have the feeling that she will never find exams a problem. ;-)

Thank-you for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

Playing with new toys!

Hello!

I have had some new toys arrive! The brand new Stampin' Up! Blendabilities alcohol markers were released on 1 July, and my order was in on 1 July! I may need every colour, but I started with yellow and green... for now... I've been watching for months as demonstrators all over the world showed off Blended Bloom coloured with markers, and knew my first order from the new catalogue well in advance, lol!

When I saw that the Pals Paper Arts Challenge colours included Daffodil Delight, I was off and running. I am just learning how to colour with alcohol markers, so don't look too close! ;-)

I used Stampin' Up! Blended Bloom and wPlus9 Hand Lettered Hello stamps. Colours are Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, and Whisper White.

I love the combination of navy and yellow and I love the excuse to use it!

Before I go, I'll share a photo from last night. We celebrated our niece's 21st birthday, and the restaurant was on the Maroochy River where we were treated to the most beautiful sunset. This photo is straight from the camera with no editing.

Thank-you for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 84

Hello!

I have had a fabulous day! I have a couple of days off with my kids. It is the last couple of days of school holidays and my youngest has ballet workshops leading up to her exam on Monday. Rather than try to work magic to be at work and also taking her to ballet, I took the days off. And today, I did nothing else. Just one trip to ballet and the rest was a lazy day at home. :-) I snuck to my craft desk and made a few cards, too. I'll share them over the next few days hopefully!

Tonight I bring you a card for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #84.

I used Waltzingmouse Stamps Fine Feathers and wPlus9 Hand Lettered Hello. Ink is SU! Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, and Tsukineko Delicata Gold.

How are you inspired by the sketch? I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Thanks for dropping by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Case Study 199

Hello!

I have had a busy few weeks! The nice part of this past week is that part of the busy-ness was caused by a little trip to the Gold Coast. We were greeted with the most stunningly perfect Queensland Winter weather! I might whinge all Summer long about the heat, but a beautiful Winter day at 22 degrees with the sun shining on the beach can't be beaten. :-)

I'm here to share my card for Case Study #199. Our muse is still the amazing Shari Carroll. I took the overlapping circles from the inspiration and made a card using inlaid die cuts. I added a few sequins for sparkle, and I was done! Fitting those die cuts together was a little like a jigsaw puzzle at times, lol!

Last week I forgot to mention our two guest designers for this month. Yes, TWO! And they are two amazing ladies who I count among my bloggy friends - Amy Tsuruta and Tenia Nelson. If you haven't met them before, make sure you take a wander over to their blogs and check out their fabulous work!

Okay, now, back to the Gold Coast. I thought I'd share some of the fabulous week-end.

The beach. The water was clear and perfect. The sky was clear and perfect. Just wonderful!

That's my kids playing. There was a big rip, so I had to keep asking them to come back closer to the beach, but they couldn't resist and kept going out into the water. I had visions of me having to get out there to rescue them, lol!

And the reason for our trip - the marathon! My hubby ran it exactly as he predicted - 3 hours 45 minutes. This was about 4km into the race, right outside our hotel. They ran back this way, too, at about 27km point.

And finally, one of the beautiful sunsets. No editing. This is straight from the camera.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle

xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 83

Hello!

Sometimes a sketch comes along that I like so much that I just want to recreate it on my card. The sketch this week at CAS(E) This Sketch is one of those! As soon as I saw it, this card was fully formed in my head. :-)

In actual fact, it wasn't quite as simple in execution as it was in my imagination. Do you know how many variations on a theme you can create using one little pile of flowers and leaves? Ack! I played and played and played and then I left the pile on my desk for a day before coming back and looking at it and thinking, "Oh, I think that works!" LOL! I just needed a little distance to see what was right before my eyes.

I used wPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals and Strictly Sentiments stamps. The banner is a Mama Elephant die.

This week-end our family is heading to the Gold Coast. My husband is running in the Gold Coast Marathon on Sunday. Last year he ran his 10th year in the Gold Coast Half Marathon (and got that special 10 year shirt) and so this year he's starting his series of Marathons... maybe. This will be his second ever marathon. The last one was really difficult. I think this time he'll breeze through, as far as you CAN breeze through a marathon... breezing through in the way that still running at the end is a major triumph, lol! He's aiming at 3 hours 45 minutes. Just quietly, I can't run 5km at that pace, and I'm pretty sure I can't walk 42km in one go, so I'm super proud! I'll let you know how he goes.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion 14

Hello!

Our last Fusion Challenge was amazing! The superb entries in the combined challenge had my jaw dropping! This week we're back to normal programming with an amazing inspiration photo and sketch.

I did use both inspiration and sketch to create a Fusion, but my interpretation of the sketch is quite "loose", so you might need to squint to see it. ;-)

Those of you who visit regularly will know that I have been experimenting with water colours. This card is my first attempt at drawing and painting gerberas. When I asked my hubby what flowers I'd drawn he first said carnations... and... after I rolled my eyes... he gave it a real go and identified them as gerberas. Oh dear! I'll take that as a positive - correct identification when focusing on the task and not just paying me lip service, lol!  I think the flowers on the dress are poppies, and poppies ARE on my "to try" list for painting, but today it was gerberas (they're still flowers, right?).

Thank you for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Case Study 198

Hello!

It's a new month and we have a new muse at Case Study Challenge. Our muse in July is the one and only Shari Carroll! This is exciting, but also a little daunting... for me. Shari's style is really different to my own, and is a style that I have not really experimented with. But, that is why I love Case Study so much. It really stretches me creatively.

The card that I made for this week has actually been under construction for months. I was halfway through and was not sure how to finish, so it has sat on my desk waiting... Along comes Shari's inspiration and I suddenly knew what I needed to do! I completely changed the elements around, added a pile of sequins, followed Shari's basic design, and my card was done. My version is a little brighter, busier, and crazier than Shari's, but I think you can probably still see where I was inspired, if you look closely, lol!

My card is made using Studio Calico Snippets paper and Teresa Collins sequins. No stamps!

This month is going to be awesome, I can already see it! I can't wait to see how you are all inspired by Shari. I am betting most of you won't go quite as bright as I did. ;-)

Onto local news, Winter finally arrived. Thank goodness! The Southern Alps received about 2 metres of snow last week. They had grass and dirt before the blizzard(s) arrived. The Australian ski season opened with no snow! And then the snow came, two weeks after opening, and it's fabulous!!! And I'm stuck about 1500km north of the snow, feeling the cold winds, and WISHING I could afford to spend several weeks skiing. It happens every year - the snow arrives, and I wish I could be there. Many years ago (in the early '90s) I worked in Jindabyne for a ski season. It has stayed with me, the joy, the fun, the relaxed lifestyle. I think I infected my husband when I took him skiing in New Zealand. The thrill of skiing is truly addictive! In a very good way. ;-) We took our girls last year. They're addicted now, too. Now, to win the lottery...

Thank-you for visiting!

Michelle
xxx