Kenny K Blog Candy!

Hello Lovelies!

A special post from me this evening. In order to celebrate the New Year and the new team at Kenny K's Krafty Krew, the fabulous folk at Kenny K have given each DT member blog candy to give away.

I am lucky enough to be giving away a Kenny K Rubber Stamp!

Yup, all you have to do is be a follower of Kenny K's Krafty Krew (and if you aren't already, then here's the perfect excuse!) and leave a comment at the end of this post to be in with your chance to win.

The blog candy will run from 8am UK time 30th December, until 23:59 Saturday 12th January. The winner will be chosen at random.

It's that easy. So what are you waiting for?

Tracey
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It's Party Time!

Tonight is New Years Eve Eve!

I can't believe that in just 2 more days it will be 2013. 2012 was such a rollercoaster year for me, starting with leaving a horrible job in March without a job to go to (super stressful with a mortgage like mine!), to finding a fabulous job just one day later and ending up with a promotion just one week ago. It has been a year of highs and lows, with illnesses and the end of a friendship at the low points, and new friendships and celebrating 20 years with my best friend and husband in the highs.

I hope your year has been eventful, in all the good ways.

To round out another year of challenges at The Squirrel and The Fox we have a NYE inspired challenge for you:

PARTY TIME

Woo-hoo!

Our challenge is sponsored by Make It Crafty, who are offering AU$15 of free digis for our lucky winner.

For my DT card I used Party Girl Zoe. I don't think there's a more fitting image than this one!

Party Girl Zoe was coloured with copics in one of my newest favourite colour combinations -orange and blue. Whilst Zoe was new, every other element of this card was used from my scraps. Gotta love it when it's too hot to go crafty shopping - I get very resourceful!

I hope you'll join us at The Squirrel and The Fox for our Party Time Challenge for your chance to win.

 

I have also entered this card into the following challenges:

 

JellyPark Challenges - Old and New (new is the digi stamp, old is everything else!)

Paperplay Challenges - Out with the old, in with the new

Fab n Funky Challenges - Add Ribbon and/or Lace

Totally Gorjuss - New (digi)

 

 

Thank you for visiting!

 

Tracey

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Anything Goes for Sparkles 2nd Birthday!

Hello lovely blogging friends! I hope you are enjoying the weekend wherever you may be.

It's time for another challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenges and this one is going to be popular I am sure.

ANYTHING GOES

Yup, to celebrate that Sparkles Monthly Challenges is turning 2, we want everyone to celebrate with us. So no matter what your creation, head to Sparkles and join in the fun.

For my DT creation I used another Tiddly Inks image - Wryn Birthday. How cute is she?

I tried something new this week.. paper piecing! I've never done it before so I thought I'd give it a go on the presents in this images and I have to say I love how they turned out.

I decorated the inside of the card to match. I finally had some luck with my bow tying skills and managed a pretty decent bow on this one. The button, ribbons and pearl stick ons were from my stash.

The rest of the image was coloured with copics as always. The papers are Carta Bella "Paris Girl", except the middle present which was the tiniest scrap of something else. This card is for one of my very best friends, who adores the colour pink and anything cute.

I hope you'll come join us at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. Our challenge is sponsored by Digital Delights who are offering $5 of digi images to our lucky winner.

This card is also entered into the following challenges:

Pile It On - Embellishments
Papercraft Junkies - Bingo (top row - pink, pearls, ribbon)
In the Pink - Pink & Pearly
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Polka doodles - A Birthday at Christmas
Totally Gorjuss - For someone special


Thanks for visiting and your lovely comments as always.

Tracey
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Exciting DT news

Hello,

Some of you may have swung by my blog a few weeks ago and saw that I was applying to join the team of the Kenny K Krafty Krew. I am excited to be able to announce today that I was chosen. Yay!! I will be creating for the team from January to June so expect to see lots of Kenny K projects in this space.

To celebrate being chosen, I thought I'd post a never-before-blogged Kenny K creation (or should that be kreation?)

Here is Download Diva, in a card made for my good friend's Zumba instructor.

This card has a tutti fruiti theme- lots of lime, watermelon and orange. I used my Die-Namics ribbon border die on some blue cardstock to set off the gorgeous green ribbon. I'm sorry I can't remember where the sentiment came from. If you recognise it, please let me know so I can give due credit.

 The image was coloured with copics, and all cardstock has been distressed with my Tim Holtz distressing tool. The image and sentiment have been stuck on with dimensionals.

I hope you'll like my Kenny K cards over the next 6 months.

To see who else made the cut, and to check out their awesome skills, head to the Kenny K Krafty Krew blog here.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Dilly Beans Challenges - Layers and Pop Dots
Paper Pretties - Girly
Digital Tuesday Challenges - Girly
One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
That Craft Place - No Squares

Tracey
x

Summer or Winter at The Squirrel and The Fox

Hello Blogging Friends,

I haven't been able to spend much time crafting or blogging lately as I am super busy at work and it's likely stay that way for the next few months. Fortunately I was able to make some time yesterday to create a card for the newest challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox, which is

SUMMER OR WINTER

The first day of Summer here in Sydney was a scorcher. I was so grateful for our swimming pool yesterday!

Our challenge is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More, who are giving our lucky winner 5 free digi images.

For my DT piece I used a pretty dragonfly and flowers image

The sentiment is a Stampin' Up stamp, and everything used on this card is from my stash. I really must try using stuff up before buying anything else, or I will run out of room to store it all!

I glittered up the dragonfly and the centres of the flowers with Kindy Glitz glitter glue to add that sparkle.

I hope you'll join us at The Squirrel and The Fox with your summery and wintery creations.

Entered into the following challenges:
Crafts and Me Challenges - Ribbon or Trim
Divas by Design - Glitter and Sparkle


Tracey
x

It's almost Christmas

Can you believe it? Less than a month until Christmas.. and only 4 more days until I feel I can officially get into the Christmas spirit. December 1st is the beginning of my 4 weeks of Christmas  carolling my way to work (lucky for all involved I drive to work and don't catch public transport!) and I can put up my Christmas tree. I won't pretend that I haven't listened to the odd carol already - after all, who can blame me when my ipod is set to shuffle? - but now I can do it in earnest.

Time has absolutely gotten away from me, so much so that I completely missed posting this for Sparkles Monthly Challenges!

It's time for another challenge at Sparkles, and of course the theme is:

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

For my DT work I just couldn't resist making a card with Mistletoe, a gorgeous Kenny K image.

Of course I coloured her with copics, and then Kindy Glitzed all the fur trim on her outfit so she sparkles under the light. Embossed red cardstock with a snowflake design and a white enamel snowflake charm complete the wintery Christmas theme.

I hope you'll join us at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. Our challenge is sponsored this month by Lili of the Valley.

Entered into the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Add some Glitter
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Die Cut/Ribbon/Charm

Thank you for visiting and for your lovely comments as always.

Tracey
x

Better late than never!

Hello!

After a week without internet at home I am finally able to log on and post my card for this fortnight's challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox

ANYTHING GOES

That's right, a super easy challenge for everyone!

Our challenge is once again sponsored by the ever-wonderful Bugaboo, who are generously giving our winner 7 free digis of their choice. I wish our winner lots of luck narrowing their choices down to 7, there are so many fabulous images.

For my DT creation I used "Back Pain" and came up with this:

I made this card for an expectant friend of mine. I am sure she'll love the sentiment! The papers are a bit of a cheeky choice with all the measuring tapes to allude to her larger than non-pregnant girth. I bought the ribbon as it matched the papers perfectly, and I didn't realise it was double sided until I went to use it. Fortunately the black seemed to be an okay addition. My cardstock was all from my stash as were the pearls.

I hope you'll come play with us at The Squirrel and The Fox.

Also entered into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Ribbons and Pearls
Craft Your Passion Challeges - Scraps
Incy Wincy Designs - Hip to be Square
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi
Jellypark Challenges - I'm hungry (of course, it's chocolate!)



Thanks for visiting and for your kind comments, you always make me smile!

Tracey
x

Flowers, Hats or Horses

Hello, or should I say, Bula!

I have been holidaying in Fiji and am doing all I can to remain in the relaxed state I found myself after a few days on the gorgeous Yasawa Island although from the minute I got home it's been non-stop drama, everything from family members in hospital to work catastrophes. I had hoped to get a card made for the latest challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox a week ago, but just couldn't get a chance.

So here it is, better late than never I hope! Our theme this fortnight is

FLOWERS, HATS OR HORSES

This is of course in honour of Australia's favourite horse race, the Melbourne Cup. Every year I have a small flutter on the horses and this year was no exception. But unlike other years where a favouite romps home this year was a major upset with all the favourites finishing in the middle of the pack and outsiders taking first, second and third. The odds were so high one lady bet eight cents on the first four horses to win and took home over $75,000!! How amazing is that?

Our challenge is sponsored by the ever wonderful Make it Crafty. Zoe kindly gave me Melody to work with, and you can find her here.

 

 

Now I have no idea why this photo is so blue! The colours are actually much brighter than this, pinks and greens and blues. I will re-take this photo, but given right now I am putting in such long hours if I wait until I get time to take the photo again in daylight the challenge will be over!

 

I hope you'll join us at The Squirrel and The Fox. As always, thanks for looking and your kind comments.

 

Tracey

x

Something a little different..

Hello friends!

My normal blog posting has been suspended for this extra special post to apply for the Kenny K Krafty Krew Design Team.

Those that have been following me for a while know all about my fondess for Kenny K images, and this DT position would be an absolute dream job for me.

To show the Krafty Krew my style and how I like to use these images, let's take a stroll down memory lane together.

Created most recently, my card for a good friend who completed her first Figure Competition (and came third!). This card uses Scarlett West and some fabulous steampunk papers. The sentiment was computer generated by me, the inside of the card was also decorated and featured the sentiment "congratulations!". The original post can be found here.

The next card was funnily enough for the same person! This was a motivational card for her, as not only was she training for her comp, but opening a gym. For this card, I used Download Diva as she bears an uncanny resemblance to Shereen, who is a Zumba instructor and personal trainer. The original post is here.

My third card was a guy card, using the awesome Dirt Bike Mike image. This was for my husband's birthday and I coloured the bike in Kawasaki colours (he owns a Kawasaki road bike and dreams of adding a trail bike to his collection). Here is the original post.



The fourth card uses Frieda Flapper. This was created for a party girl, and I loved her blinged up head-piece. Most of my creations feature lace, so it's only right I show a card with some! The papers had a Parisian style, and I loved the pink and black combination. The original post is here.

 

So there you have it, four of my Kenny K creations that show my style and what I like to make.  As you can see, a coloured image is the focus and I use copics for all my colouring. I love distress inks, ribbons, lace and subtle embellishments like pearls and other gems.

I would love to be considered for the Kenny K Krafty Krew, so wish me luck.

Tracey
x

It's Ribbon Time!

Time for a new challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox and this one is nice and easy -

USE A RIBBON

Now I have to admit to ribbon envy - for the life of me I can't tie those big, gorgeous bows I see on so many other cards here in blogland. I am contemplating purchasing one of those bow tying contraptions I have seen out and about, does anyone recommend them?

My card this fortnight was for a special friend. I have mentioned her on this blog before, she is one of the most inspirational people I have ever known and for many months has been training for her first ever Figure Competition. Last weekend I had the pleasure of watching her compete at the Australiasian Natural Body Building Championships, where she came third in her division. I screamed and cheered myself hoarse, it was a phenomenal experience.

Regardless of whether Shereen came first or last, her sheer dedication to achieving her goal of hitting that stage made her a winner. I wanted to make sure my card said so, so using Kenny K's Scarlett West image, I made this:

 I was thrilled with how this card turned out. I coloured Scarlett with copics and computer generated the sentiment. I used mesh ribbon as well as ordinary ribbon for the challenge, and used little brass eyelets to give it that old western feel. I used Tim Holtz ink to distress the edges.

I decorated the inside of the card to match.

Our challenge is sponsored this fortnight by the Digi Garden. I hope you will play along!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Autumn colours
C.R.A.F.T - Use metal on your card
Crafty Sentiments - Bows or Ribbons
Sweet n Sassy - Use metal
Stamptacular Sunday - No rules! (woo-hoo -good thing I used a stamp that looks very 'anti-rules'!)


Thanks for visiting!

Tracey
x

It's Halloween at Sparkles!

Happy Monday!

It's time for another challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenges, and this one is very apt for many of you around the world, for it's

HALLOWEEN

Now most Aussies don't celebrate Halloween, although it is starting to catch on with some of the little kids going Trick or Treating around the neighbourhood, and generally upsetting my dog a lot with all the doorbell ringing! This year I won't be home to greet any little witches, fairies or Harry Potters, for I will be in Fiji.

Woo-hoo!!!

For my Sparkles Monthly Challenges DT work, I of course purchased another Tiddly Inks image. My collection of these darling images is steadily growing - they are just too sweet for words.

This is Alison the Witch and you can buy her here. I coloured her with copics - first time I have ever coloured bright orange hair! I was a little nervous about using so much grey, but I am very happy with how she turned out. The edges were distressed with Tim Holtz ink in denim blue. I think I am now a fan of orange and dark blue together.

I have now started decorating the insides of my cards too!

Make sure you head to Sparkles Monthly Challenges for your chance to win the fabulous prize from our sponsor

Entered into the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenges - Too Cute to Spook
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - Boo-tacular!
Red Carpet Studio - The Birds
Card Makin' Mamas - Halloween or Spooky
Polka Doodles - Halloween
Southern Girls Challenge - Tie a Ribbon Around It
Craft Your Passion Challenges - Which witch is which?
Tiddly Inks Challenge - Fall

Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comments as always.

Tracey
x

Things with Wheels at The Squirrel and The Fox

Hello everyone and a big wave to my new followers - I'm so happy to have you here.

A reminder that The Squirrel and The Fox blog hop is still on, and there are loads of fabulous prizes to be won. If you are looking for my blog post to continue the hop, please scroll down, or click here.

Our challenge this fortnight at The Squirrel and The Fox is a new one for us:

THINGS WITH WHEELS

Our sponsor is Bugaboo and I had such a hard time choosing which of their images to use for my DT work. Finally I decided on AKV Moving Car and this is what I did.

Almost obscured by the image is evidence of my newest crafty present to myself - the Die-namics Fishtail Flag Stax. These dies are wonderful and I think that I will get a lot of use out of them. Everything else was from my stash. The sentiment stamp is from Wild Rose Studio.

I hope you'll join us at The Squirrel and The Fox for the challenge and the birthday hop (if you haven't already).

I am entering the following challenges:

Marker POP Challenge: Use your oldest copics - mine are R17, 27 & 29 and B93 & 97.
The Cutie Pie Challenge: Use a digi
Catch the bug challenges - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting and your lovely comments as always.

Tracey
x

The Squirrel and The Fox Birthday Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome to my part in the Squirrel and the Fox blog hop!

If you have come here from Mags B's blog, then you’re in the right place. If you just happened to stumble upon my blog, head to The Squirrel and The Fox to start at the beginning and read how the hop works. You can also see all the amazing prizes up for grabs.

To celebrate one whole year of The Squirrel and The Fox, the team are giving away some wonderful prizes. There’s even an individual prize for just landing here on this page.

To showcase their work, each DT member is also showing off some of their favourite creations. I have chosen this card, made by me in July this year.

I love this card for a few reasons. This card uses my first Tiddly Inks image and I made it for my Mum and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary. 

 

 I love the antique lace that was from my grandmother and the little birdcage charm from Scrap Matrix.

The prize that is being given away from my blog has been generously donated by Designed to Color and it is a one year subscription to their digital magazine - how awesome is that??

 

If you haven't heard of this magazine, you have to check it out. It's the magazine completely devoted to stampers and paper crafters that love to colour. After seeing it, I am going to subscribe to it myself!

To win this prize, simply leave your comment below (which you are doing anyway as part of the hop), become a follower of my blog and at the end of the hop I will randomly draw one winner.  It's that easy! Remember, to be eligible for any prizes, you must complete the entire hop.

Thank you for visiting. Now you’re off to visit my fabulous teammate Vanessa . Happy Hopping!”

Celebrate the Occasion with The Squirrel and The Fox

Hello and welcome to another hasty post from me. This will be a quick one as I have many things on the To Do List today, and as the first one is like embarking on Mission Impossible (read: Find New Clothes) I have to get cracking.

It's time for a new challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox and this time our theme is

CELEBRATE THE OCCASION

This fortnight's challenge celebrates that The Squirrel and The Fox is turning one. Awww, seems like just yesterday when Linda and I decided to start blogging and to start our own little challenge blog. Since then there's been a few hiccups but overall, we've had a wonderful run.

Bugaboo are sponsoring our challenge this time, and gave the DT some fabulous images to work with. I chose Theodore Birthday Sign, and here's what I made:

Of course the image was coloured with Copics, and I used three new colours to colour little Ted, W0, W2 and W5. They are such nice greys, so glad I added them to my collection.

I hope you'll join us to be in with a chance to win those 7 digi stamps from Bugaboo.

I've also entered this card into the following challenges:

The Corrosive Challenge Blog  -  Animal Companions
Dream Valley Challenges - Celebration


Thanks for visiting, see you again soon.

Tracey
x

Away with the fairies at Sparkles

Hello All,

It's Saturday evening in Australia, and right now, my card making enthusiast friend Linda and I are drinking a very lovely bottle of wine and spending some much needed time together. We live 3 hours apart and don't get much time for just us. But we are keeping a level head (for now), as we are both part of the DT for Sparkles and as conscientious team members, and the fact it's early morning in the UK, means it's also time to tell you about the newest challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. Our challenge this month is about those mythical winged creatures from the bottom of the garden, fairies.

AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES

As soon as I heard about this theme I went hunting for a particular fairy image I'd seen before. After a lot of googling and blog stalking I finally found her - Fairy 3 from Mo's Digital Pencil.

Isn't she just marvellous? I coloured her with Copics and once again pulled pages from my Kaisercraft Bonjour collection of papers. As I do so very often, I added lace and this time some Kindy Glitz glitter glue to sparkle up those wings.

Our challenge this month is sponsored by

Please see the challenge blog for all the details. I hope you'll join us at Sparkles with your fairy creations.

Entered into the following challenges:
Totally Gorjuss - Pink and Green
Paper Crafting Journey - My Sentiment Exactly
Sarah Hurley Challenges - Magical
Flutterby Wednesdays - Favourite colour (dusty pink Copics)


Thanks for visiting!
Tracey
x

Anything Goes at The Squirrel and The Fox

Hello All,

Happy Spring to those of us on this side of the world and Happy Autumn to those on the other! It's been Spring here for 9 whole days and Sydney has been putting on a wonderful show, with lovely sunny days and blue skies. I want to spend all my time outside enjoying the warmer weather, after my hibernating ways through Winter.

We have a new challenge over at The Squirrel and The Fox, and this one should be pretty popular!

ANYTHING GOES

Now I am sure you have just created something that's perfect - so make sure you head over and enter for your chance to win 5 free digis from Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More.

I made this card for my friend's sister in law. She's a party girl and seems to attend more than her fair share of dress up parties, she's even been to a Jersey Shore party. I bought this image especially, Kenny K's Freida Flapper - isn't she wonderful? She looks like she's been captured mid Charlston, dancing up a storm with her cigarette in one hand - I guess people must have danced quite far apart in those days with such a high risk of setting your neighbour alight!

I decided to keep my colour combination very simple, just pink and black. I finally had a chance to use the black lace from my grandmother's collection and now I think I will be using it a lot more!

Frieda was coloured with copics, and the papers are Carta Bella "Paris Girl". I thought they fitted the image perfectly. I added some matching pink pearls and black gems. My favourite embellishment was the sparkly gems that I stuck to her headpiece.  I'm not sure the photos do them justice, they sparkle brilliantly under the light.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Kaboodles Doodles Challenges - Music, Dance or Any of the Arts
The Poodles Parlour  - Here come the Girls
Craftymess Challenges - Vintage Paris
Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenges - Take Me Away
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog - Lace & Pearls
Pile It On - Patterned Paper
The Ribbon Girl - Pearls


I hope you all have a fantastic week. Thanks for visitng and see you again soon.

Tracey
x

A 21st birthday card

Hello All,

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. It's Sunday evening here, and it's been such a glorious day today I found myself throwing the idea of doing any housework to the wind and just spending time outside. I took my dog Loki for a run beside my bicycle, and then went back out for a second ride later in the day with my husband AJ. Riding with Loki is far easier, AJ rides so fast it's a bit like torture than pleasure as I try and keep up. I am sure I will lament this 'no housework' business when I have no clean clothes this week though!

I was asked to make a card for a colleague at work whose sister is turning 21. The brief was girly, lacy, fun and to use her name. I purchased my very first Saturated Canary image for the occasion and this is what I came up with:

The image is called "bubbles, coloured with copics and the sentiment was computer generated. I hand-stitched pink wool through the lace to affix a silver key charm. All three background papers are from the Kaisercraft "Bonjour" collection.

 

 

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - A stitch in time

Crafting for all Seasons - Stitching

Craft Room Challenge - Pin or Charm (my key charm) 

Dream Valley Challenges- Something Old (lace), Something New (digi stamp)

PanPastel UK Challenge - All About Stripes

 

Thanks for popping by and have a wonderful week.

 

Tracey

x

 



One for the Men

Good morning!

It's a fabulous sunny day here in Sydney for the last weekend of Winter. I am so excited to see the end of my least favourite time of year, and welcome the warmer weather. I have been sick for 6 weeks (6 weeks!) with the flu and then a chest infection and asthma, but I am finally starting to see the end in sight. Saying goodbye to the cold can only be a good thing for my asthma. I have 7 weeks to get this breathing under control before a diving holiday in Fiji.

It's time for a new challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox, and our theme this fortnight is

ONE FOR THE MEN

Now like lots of card making enthusiasts, I struggle a little bit with guy cards. I get a bit lost when it comes to embellishments if I can't use my all time favourite, lace. So I make sure I use a fabulous image that can do all the work instead!

Our challenge is sponsored by Bugaboo, and this is what I created using their fabulous image Gus Golf and matching sentiment.

I thought this would be a great image for a card for my golf playing Father-in-law. My husband always likes to rib him about his age with a humorous card, so I thought this would fit the bill.

I have coloured the image with copics and everything else is from my stash.

I hope you'll join us with your manly creations this fortnight. After all you gotta be in it to win it, and seven free digis from Bugaboo is definitely a prize worth winning!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Dude Time Doodles - Add Buttons
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenges - Masculine
Tuesday Throwdown - It's Hip to Be Square (use squares)

Until next time, thanks for looking and happy crafting.

Tracey
x

Define Nature

Hello All,

Time for another challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenges and our theme is

NATURE

Hmm, now how to define nature? Do you think of trees, or plants or the littled winged creatures found within them? I went with a bit of a combination of both for my creation this month, using both flowers and butterflies.

This card was created for the Mum of a friend of mine, who loves Paris and the colour purple. I apologise for the poor quality photo - the light was horrible and I think all these drugs for my asthma and chest infection are making me tilt to the left - my photo is crooked.

The image of course is another darling Tiddly Inks one - Wryn Spring Bling. My Tiddly Inks obsession means this is a fast growing collection of images.

I wish the colours had shown up properly, for this card has wonderful pale greens and pinks through the background papers. The pearls are the palest green. I have added some sparkly purple gems to her hair clips. All cardstock and the lace is from my stash.

The prize this month is from Digital Delights, who are offering our lucky winner $5 worth of digi images.

I hope you'll join us!

Entered into the following challenges:
Crafts and Me Challenges - Lace
Ruby's Rainbow - Butterflies
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Can you Digi It - Purple
Bearly Mine - Things with Wings


Tracey
x

Mermaids, seahorses and pirates oh my!

Hello again,

Oh it's nice to be blogging again and to be feeling somewhat human. Unfortunately I have been very unwell since contracting the flu a month ago - the flu infection led to severe asthma and now a chest infection. I'm now on some hard core drugs and slowly improving, but I think I'm also slowly going mad with boredom. You'd think I could spend time crafting while I'm forced indoors to rest, but sadly the medication gives me the shakes and colouring in is often an exercise in futility.

But it's time for our latest challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox, so shaking colouring will have to suffice!

Our theme for this challenge is:

THE SEA

And once again we are sponsored by Make It Crafty. I had such wonderful visions of how this card was going to look, but somehow the reality left me a bit disappointed.

It's something a bit different for me to attempt, a big departure from my normal fondness for lace and distressed edges. I attempted to add a net made from a bit of old bandage and added a gorgeous little starfish charm. I coloured my image with copics and added some sparkly jewels. All the blue cardstock was spritzed with Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist for that underwater sparkle.

I was going to attempt another card, to do justice to Zoe's gorgeous images, but just haven't been well enough.

I hope you'll pop over to The Squirrel and The Fox to see what my teammates have come up with. There's some stunning mermaids and underwater sea creatures to feast your eyes on. Of course I also hope you'll enter your own Sea creation for your chance to win the Make It Crafty prize.

Entered into the following challenges:
C.R.A.F.T - Add a charm
Paper Play Challenges - Shaped Card
Southern Girls Challenge - Water Play
Whoopsi Daisy - Dies or Punches



Thank you for visiting!

Tracey
x

Making it Sporty at The Squirrel and The Fox

Well the Olympics are in full swing and already the Aussie swimmers are doing us proud, with our 4 x 100m relay team winning gold and setting a new Olympic record.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!

It's of course only fitting that our challenge at The Squirrel and The Fox celebrates the world's biggest sporting event, so our theme for the next fortnight is

MAKE IT SPORTY

Our challenge is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More, and this is what I came up with using this cute little bunny image:

I pulled out some of my favourite papers for this one - unfortunately I don't have the details but it's the most gorgeous shimmery paper covered with compasses, just perfect for a little bunny setting off in a rowboat.  The sentiment is from my Woodland Folk clear stamp collection and all card stock and the ribbon are from my stash. The image is coloured with copics.

I hope you'll join us at The Squirrel and The Fox with your sporty creations and be in the chance to win 5 free digi images from Robyn's Fetish.

Thanks for visiting, see you again soon!

Tracey
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A birthday card for AJ

Hello All,

It's an unusual post from me, for it's 3.30pm on a Friday and normally I would be at work. This week I was unfortunately struck down with the flu and boy, have I been sick. It sure makes you realise how much you take your health for granted when it all but disappears - I have been pretty much flat on my back since Monday night. Today is the first day I felt up even blogging, so I thought I would celebrate this milestone by sharing the card I made for my husband's birthday.

Every year, without fail my husband asks me for a jet-ski or a trail bike for his birthday, knowing full well we don't have the space for either. I have told him he can have one, as long as his road bike isn't here, because that's the only place it would fit. He LOVES his road bike, even if he only rides it a few times a year, so that's always the end of it until he brings it up the next year.

It's a long standing joke between us, so this time he got a trail bike themed card!

Of course this is a Kenny K image - Dirt Bike Mike - coloured with copics. The bike was coloured like a Kawasaki, and the gear matches AJ's trail bike riding gear. The papers and cardstock are from my stash, and the brown mesh and orange ribbon set them off perfectly. I added the white metal rivets to tie it all together and ensure that masculine feel.

I would like to enter this card into the challenges at:

Kenny K's Krafty Krew - Get Sporty
Craft Room Challenge - Sports
Kaboodles Doodles - Olympics, Sports, Outdoors, Adventures, Hobbies
Whoopsie Daisy Challenges - Use Up Your Stash

Thanks for visiting - now I'm off to wander around your blogs too.

Tracey
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Wedding time at Sparkles

Hello again!

For my third and final post this weekend, it's time to tell you about the latest challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. Our theme for this month is:

WEDDING

For my DT work this month I took the opportunity to use the gorgeous Tiddly Inks digi image 'You and Me'. This image is so lovely to colour and is one of my very favourite images.

I created this card for my Mum & Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary. You may recognise the papers from a card I created only a week ago for my expectant friend. I originally bought this paper for all the lovely quotations on it, and then proceeded to pretty much cover them all up except the "Forever in Love" one.

The lace is very old, and came from my grandmother. The antique birdcage is from Scrap Matrix and the ribbon and pearls are from my stash.

Our challenge this month is being sponsored by Di's Digi's who are offering our winner a $10 voucher for their store.

Visit the challenge blog to see what the Design Team have come up with. I hope you'll play along with us this month.

Also entered into the following challenges:
Southern Girls Challenge - Pearls
The Paper Shelter - Pearls & Swirls
Bearly Mine - Pearls & Lace
Creative Card Crew - Swirls & Pearls
Shopping our Stash - Folds or Pleats


Thanks for visiting!
Tracey
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Kids or Babies at The Squirrel and The Fox

Brace yourself Blogger friends for this is a busy blogging weekend for me, as all three of my challenge blogs have challenges go live within days of each other. I'm not sure this little blog has ever had so much action!

Our challenge theme at The Squirrel and The Fox this fortnight is an easy one:

KIDS OR BABIES

Now I don't have any children of my own (just one of the furry variety), but even I seem to make cards for kids quite often. So far they've all been birthday cards or cards to welcome new babies to the world, so I thought I'd make something a little different - a bright and cheery kiddie Get Well Card.

Our challenge is sponsored by Bugaboo, and I used their cute little Deacon Rain digi for this card. I had bought the cute rainy DP a while ago and was very happy to have a chance to use it. The sentiment is a CC Design rubber stamp. Deacon was coloured with copics and the ribbon is from my stash.

I used some 3D crystal lacquer for the rain and puddle, but sadly it just doesn't show in the photo.

I hope you'll join us for our Kids or Babies challenge - make sure you pop over to the challenge blog and check out the inspiring work from the DT. Lisabee has had to step down from the blog due to other exciting commitments, so I also want to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work over the past 21 challenges.

Thanks for looking and for your kind comments as always!

Tracey
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Steampunk and Metal at CCCC

Hello Everyone,

I'm excited to tell you about the new challenge at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenges:

STEAMPUNK PLUS METAL

What a fabulous challenge theme I am sure you will agree. I love steampunk, but have never tried it myself, so this card needed a little bit of thinking time. I actually bought a chipboard clock for it, but when I put it together the clock just didn't work. So here's what I came up with:

The image is Steampunk Josephine from Sassy Studios. My little butterflies are my metal additions. The background paper is "Steampunk Debutante Collection" from Graphic 45. Background mesh ribbon and lace are from my stash. I coloured Josephine with all my earth tone copics to create this rather sepia monochrome look.

Our challenge this fortnight is sponsored by Sassy Studio and Robin's Nest - check out the Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenges blog for all the details and to check out the fabulous steampunk creations from the team.

Also entered into the following challenges:
Stamp n Doodle - Monochrome
Whimsy Stamps Challenges - Monochrome

See you again soon!

Tracey
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Guest Designer at Fussy and Fancy

Ooh, it's an exciting post for I am happy to be the Guest Designer at one of my all time favourite challenge blogs - Fussy and Fancy!

My task as Guest Designer was to create a card for their current challenge -

FANCY FOLDS

As my wonderful friends in blogland know, I'm still quite a novice when it comes to creating cards and tend to stick to my favourite square or rectangle cards. In fact I've only veered from that path once, to create an easel card. I spent a fair amount of time googling all different types of cards with folds and almost created a flowerpot card, but in the end I couldn't resist having a coloured digi as the star, so once again I created an easel card. Ambitious aren't I?

I loved this little digi from Tiddy Inks and thought it was just perfect for a card for my pregnant friend Renee. I computer generated the sentiment "So excited to hear you are egg-specting" to match the darling image, which was of course coloured with copics. I am very proud of her hair I must say!

The papers are from Cosmo Cricket and I have set it all on Bazzil cardstock. The lace and metal paperclip are from my stash.

I hope you will pop over to Fussy and Fancy and enter your own fancy folds card. The Design Team have created some seriously clever folds, I intend to attempt each and every type along my card making journey.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:
Sassy Studio Designs - Metal
Paper Makeup Stamps - Easel Card
Poodles Parlour - Cute or Cuddly
The Ribbon Girl Blog - Girlie

Until next time,
Tracey
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