Some cards for my mother

For a couple of days I rather thought I would be making a dash back to Sydney because my mother developed pneumonia.  However my brother was visiting daily and he and my husband both assured me that they would let me know if I needed to return.  I also had daily bulletins on her progress, and she is recovering.  Fortunately they were able to care for her in the nursing home without sending her to hospital, though I left instructions that if she deteriorated at all they were to send her off immediately.

I made Mum a couple of cards.  The first one is a get well card, which I posted a few days ago.  Sorry the colours are a bit washed out in the photo - I took it in fairly bright sunlight through the window.

The second one is just to tell Mum I am thinking of her. I will post that today so that it arrives before I get home next week.  The stamps are part of a new set that arrived this week, and I love them.  They give a a little bit more variety to my cards.

Mum loves cards that I make for her - she still has the cards I have made since Christmas  pinned to the notice board in her room.

My first card class - what fun!

Kylie and I went to our first ever card class yesterday.  It was run by a really nice lady, Lorraine, who works for Kaiser Craft and designed the three cards we made.  It was supposed to be a two hour class but went over time - the first class took more than an hour by itself but she did all three anyway.

Here is the first card - it was specially designed to feature copic pens and to teach us blending techniques.  

Card #1

Card #1

It is the first time I have used the pens, and the reason I really wanted to do the class.  I need to expand my repertoire of techniques, as I've said before.  I bought the two sets of pens we used for the class, since they were on sale at a reduced price. And of course I also bought the transparent one, to erase any mistakes I make when going over into areas I shouldn't!  I also bought several stamps featuring the little girl in different poses with different things - flowers etc.   I didn't realise at the time that you also have to buy a specific kind of ink for the stamps and the special copic paper too.  Nothing is straightforward, is it?

The second card has parts of a zipper, and again uses several layers of paper and card on the cover. The paper used lends itself to making lots of cards, and after we went to all the trouble of cutting out the robot Lorraine told us that there was also a sheet of robot stickers available lol!

Card #2

Card #2

The inside of my card wasn't very successful - I messed up the 'happy birthday' stamp and overdid the smudging around the edges.  I loved the tool that Lorraine called 'the chopper', it punches the holes and puts the eyelets in beautifully - except that I pressed too hard for the first one and squished it somewhat.

The third card is simpler, and more practical if you are making a large number of cards because it doesn't involve so many layers.  It also used copic pens, but this time it was more straightforward, just colouring in the robot.  

Front card #3

Inside card #3

We both enjoyed the class immensely, though we felt rather rushed.  We didn't finish the cards, but brought them home to complete.  I took photos of each of them so that we knew what we had to do, and it didn't take long to finish them off at home.


We're looking forward to the next class!  And in the meantime there's lots of practise needed to improve our blending techniques.

More birthday cards at last

It's been ages since I've posted - sorry for my long absence! I've finally made a few more cards, so I can use them for my birthday card exchanges on a couple of miniature groups I belong to.  This first one is another 'pretty in pink' one, following a similar template I've been using for quite a few of the cards as you'll notice - but I have brought limited supplies of punches etc with me on this trip away to my daughter's place and this is a pretty and quite effective design.

A second pink card uses patterned paper, with a design of butterflies - I love butterflies!  I found a charm with 'knitting diva' and it is perfect for the person I made the card for.  She does beautiful knitting - in miniature.  So delicate and tiny.  She lives interstate so the card hasn't arrived there yet, but she doesn't read this blog as far as I know so I'm fairly safe posting the photo, I think.

Then I did some using red and white.  This first one has a red and white check ribbon and little dots on the background of the main part of the front.  I really like it, it is sweet and simple.

This second one is also red and white, with the emphasis on more red.  I really like it too.

And in this one I explored red, black and white and I think it's quite interesting.  Not sure who I will send it to though.  

I'm thinking about going to a class in the city half an hour from here next week.  It is about using some pens so I assume it's colouring stamps.  I'm ready to move on to more techniques   and to expand the skills I can use for cards, though it will mean a lot more expenditure buying stamps when I do lol!  I have some, several in fact.  But as I have found with the Cuttlebug, you often need a different die or embossing folder than the ones you have no matter how many you already have.  And I'm pretty sure it will prove to be the same with stamps!

I have downloaded lots of card patterns from a couple of sites.  I'm not good enough to enter the challenges, and I'm really in awe of the skill of the entries.  But the patterns are useful as a guide for designs, and for giving ideas.  The challenge entries are often far fancier than you would do as a normal card too - they'd be impossible to post for one thing.  But they do also give inspiration.  

I've made cards with two of our grandchildren as well -- both of the 9-year olds.  Grace, Kirstie's daughter did a birthday card for her mother.  I did too, but apparently didn't take a photo of it :(  And Kylie's son Cameron did an 'I love you' card for his mother as well.  I have promised Luke (5) that I'll help him do one on Monday.  Kirsten and her family have gone home so there hasn't been a chance to do any more with the rest of the children.

Maybe I'll also be able to do some scrapbooking while I'm here, though mainly I'll be doing cards with Kylie

Exploring red and white

The trip to the scrapbooking store yesterday was somewhat disappointing - and discouraging too. I really wanted some lovely heritage-style papers but they didn't have any vintage themed ones that appealed to me at all. Plus the cards that were on display for the card classes are so fancy that I felt embarrassed by my efforts. They are dressed up in multiple layers of papers, stickers, 3-D embellishments, bling etc as though being entered for a competition. In fact I don't know how you would even write a message on some of them - and there was certainly no room on the front to say what sort of card it was. I guess they are items of beauty rather than the sort of card you would send normally. I certainly could not afford to send that kind of card routinely as a greeting card! They sure did make my efforts look amateurish!

I had been experimenting with red and white. Mainly because I am due to send off a birthday card to a member of one of my groups. She is Japanese, and I want a card that reflects the colours for happiness and good luck for Japanese people so I googled and came up with red and white. I also want a card that is simple (as in uncluttered and understated) and elegant, because everything Kazumi does is just that. I also looked for something at the shop to inspire me along those lines but didn't find anything for that either, although I bought some ribbons in different colours. Then when I got them home I realised that I really, really like spots and checks!
Coming home I tried out a couple more and here are some variations. First, for Kazumi:

I think that is elegant and simple - what do you think?
Then there is this one, with the background embossed with spots again, the red flourishes, and some of the new red ribbon.

I bought a set of nesting shapes at the shop, and for this next card I cut around the printed greeting (done on my computer) with the white shape then hand cut the red shadow shape behind it because the next largest is just that bit too big. The border is done with a border punch and again I've used the same satin ribbon.

So there they are. I hope Kazumi likes hers, and the other recipients like theirs too.

Some birthday cards - creative criticism please

It's time to start making some birthday cards. First of all, my mother's birthday is 29th January - she will be 87 this year and she is so proud of the cards that I make myself. I want to make her something pretty special if I can.

Then there are the cards for two of my groups' Birthday card exchanges the year. The first one is due 1st February. I want to do all the cards and mark the dates of the birthdays on the envelopes so I know when to post them.

I've been experimenting with birthday card designs pretty much along the same line, using my border punches, embossing folders and diecuts to get a feel for what I want to do for Mum, and to make some cards for the card exchanges as well. I am terribly slow at making them though - I do hope I speed up as I become more experienced!

I am showing them to you here even though they aren't all completed. After my back treatment today I need to go shopping (if I can manage it) for more 'bling' and bits to add to cards, as well as some more cardstock.

Okay, so #1 is navy on white, approx 6" x 4" when folded. I hope the embossed pattern on the white sheet shows up, though I'm fairly sure the little holes in the scallops around the navy circle won't. The flowers need something added in the centre.

Good heavens! What on earth has blogger done to the 'post photos' function? The photo is just showing up as the computer command, I can't see the photo itself in this draft form. YUCK!!

Plodding on. #2 is a square card, 5 1/2" each way when folded. I have made these first two based on Sketch #131 from Card Patterns. Heres' the sketch:

and here is #2 card. It is a burgundy colour on cream. The cream background is textured.

#3 uses a ready-made hot pink card, 4 1/4" x 6". I embossed the white cardstock with dots, cut the edge with a border punch, added flowers using my dies and pearls in the middle. The other pink pieces and the sentiment are also cut with dies on the Cuttlebug.

Next, #4 is another cream card with a purple cardstock. All the details including the 3-d butterflies are done on the Cuttlebug, the border is done with a border punch.

My love of blue and white is reflected in #5, a Royal Blue and white combination, again with a 3-D butterfly.

#6 still needs the writing added, and I'm not sure whether to do it in the dusty pink of the ribbon or the darker green of the border. What do you think?

And finally #7 is again on the cream square card, with a grape background overlaid with a lighter purple that is embossed with 'happy birthday' and spots. Do I need to make the words stand out more? I thought maybe coloured stones in the flowers, or clear or pearls? Suggestions please.
I think I've posted the same photo twice but don't have time to adjust it now because it is time to leave for my back treatment. Will fiddle more later but I do want your opinion.

And did you notice that the lovely banner and signature are here now too?

Hello Natalia!

By the way, have you noticed that I have finally uploaded the beautiful banner that Sharon designed for me, and the signature as well? I chose the same font as the Studio Snippets blog. I think I've mentioned that the font is called 'Sunshine in my Soul' - how pretty is that?!!

Thank you Natalia for joining us here - it is lovely to see the numbers of friends growing bit by bit. I hope

you enjoy my exploration into this new world of card making, and the scrapbooking pages I share on here as well. I don't profess to be an expert in either field by any means, I am learning in both areas. So I really would appreciate feedback on how to improve as well as anything I am doing 'right' or effectively. So please do visit, relax, enjoy, and comment!

...and more friends are here too

It's exciting to have you join me

So thank you Vera, Sharon, Heidi and Jan for signing on as followers!

Vera is a very busy owner of two groups to which I belong, a family tree one and a miniatures one.

Sharon is the wonderful person who owns Plumrose Lane and designs backgrounds Including the one I've used here), banners, signatures for blogs, Etsy shops and more (I gave you here link before but again it is http://plumroselane.com ) the backgrounds and side tags are free and there are lots of free banners etc but I have bought custom banners and signatures for both the backgrounds I have chosen for this blog.

I met Heidi on eBay and she knows just how to tempt me - but she is a lovely person, we have lots in common and I am happy to call her a friend as well.

As for Jan - she is a dear friend indeed. If you follow my minis blog http://SnippetsfrommyStudio.blogspot.com then you might remember my Bundy holiday last year. Jan is the friend who offered the wonderful hospitality and with whom I had such a wonderful mini holiday. That's when I did the main part of the English Cottage by Debbie Young.

So each and every one of you my friends - welcome, and I hope you will visit often and leave comments. I will try to show enough of what you have asked for in the posts on our groups - how I do simple pages (my pages are always quite simple - I have too many to get through), sites I find helpful for cards and scrapbooking, and hints that help me when doing my projects.

In short - hopefully you will find it interesting and motivating (and motivating for me too vbg).

Comments: Some people have emailed me to ask how to leave a comment. At the bottom of this post, where I put my name, you will see a row of little icons and then there is some blue writing that will say '0 COMMENTS' . If you click on the word 'comments' it will take you to a box in which you can write a comment.