Before and after ...

My first attempt at upholstery!   I wouldn't win any awards for it but its OK and better than what it was before.  (It belongs to my son and DIL who love the 70s retro colours and styles.)  It's a slipcover so that it can be taken off and washed when Harper gets his grubby paws all over it, so I suppose technically its not upholstery, just sewing.  Hey, I'm proud of my efforts whatever it is!

Two Splitcoast challenge cards

I joined the Sketch Challenge on Splitcoast today, a little late for the week, but enjoyable all the same.  I'm going through a "chalk" phase at the moment!  More to come so watch this space!

 

And here's another one using the same image, for the Splitcoast CAS challenge this week, which is to make a card that conveys the sentiment the image portrays without actually using a sentiment.  Makes sense, yes/no ...?!

 

 

Bright and sunny

It's a beautiful sunny winter morning here, with all the doors wide open letting in the fresh country air and sunshine, with M sitting outside on the deck in only shorts and Tshirt, getting a good dose of Vitamin D!  Not bad for the middle of May.  Gotta love this country!
Here's a quick card for the Clean & Simple blog challenge this week. 

 

Here's the inspiration sketch, so be sure to play along too.

 

 

Love love love rainbows!

Be sure to take a peek at the wonderful rainbow-inspired CAS cards on the Addicted to CAS blog.  There are some absolutely stunning happy cards there.  Here's my contribution, using my new Mason Jar die from Memory Box with acetate for the 'glass'.

 

 

Move over Andy Warhol!

I made these four 6 x 6 canvases for K for Christmas and although they are not perfect, we were both happy with the result and her beloved Ms Kitty's pics now have pride of place on their livingroom wall.  I used a black and white photo and printed it onto the 4 colours of paper, then Mod Podged them (not very well, as you can see!).  The sides are painted in acrylic paint to match the colours of the papers used with each one.  Love you Ms Kitty and your Mum!

Baby Elephant baby card

Over on the Less Is More blog there's a fun color wheel challenge for week 118, and here's my take on it (using blue and orange).

 

I'm loving my new little elephant punch with the sticky-out ear!  The Momma elephant was just cut out with a bit of experimenting and trial and error!

Clean & Simple

There's another great CAS challenge sketch over here on the Clean & Simple blog, so I'm playing along once more.

 

It says "You're a Tea-riffic friend".  The teacup, sentiment circle and small plain blue circle are up on Pop Dots for a bit of dimension.

2 CAS challenges

CAS-ual Fridays, one of my favourite sites, are celebrating their 100th weekly CAS challenge this week with a Tic-Tac-Toe inspiration sketch, so be sure to check it out and play along. 

This card is for the "Text, Punches or Die Cuts, and Blank and White" column, but there are so many great options in the other columns that I'm sure I'll be making a few more cards with those as well.

I have a new Mason Jar die which is very useful, and I used it here on acetate as my jar.  The bug is a freebie dingbat font and the text is another freebie called Sunshine Poppy.  I love it.
The CAS challenge on the CASology blog this week, "Care", is also covered by this card, so be sure to play along there too and check all the inspirational cards on show.

Easy wedding card with template

This is a simpler variation of a wedding card I've made many times before (here), and which people often ask me for a "how to", so here it is.  Copy the template, pieces 1 and 3 onto white card, and piece 2 onto black card.  Piece one goes on the left side of a folded white card (this one measures approx. 10 cm. (4") by 14 cm (5 1/2").  Lay the black piece (#2) on the dotted line and glue it to #1.  Lay the dress (#3) over the top as shown, and glue down.  Embellish the "groom side" with a black bowtie cut from black card scrap, and small white half-pearls for the shirt buttons.  Add a silk or paper flower and a ribbon scrap to the dress as shown.  I ran the "dress card" through the Cuttlebug for an embossed fabric look.  I think it's very elegant, modern and easy! 
This card qualifies for the Addicted To CAS challenge this week as well.  Take a look at all the beautiful cards on the website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I've been doing ...

This poor little blog has been very neglected of late, but behind the scenes I'm slowly starting to get a few more projects done now that M is on the mend at last, and down to getting about on only one crutch now (hooray!), so he has some independence again.  He even drove the car for a short trip to the library a few days ago.  A huge milestone.  It's the first time he's been able to drive in over a year.

So, here are a few things I've made lately that I'd like to share.

Here are some polar fleece slippers I made for Harper today, using this fairly easy pattern (free).  The first pair I made were way too small so I just took a guess and enlarged it, and am hoping they'll fit him.

 

 

Easter has come and gone since my last post, so here's a cute pic of our little man on his egg hunt in our forest.  Now every time he comes to visit us he goes back to the same places in the forest in the hope that the Easter Bunny has left him more treats!

 

 

And here are a few cards I've made recently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also decided to get a table at a craft market later in the year, so have been having a play with a few projects I'd like to stock up on and sell (hopefully!), like these little guys.  They come in their own little "suitcase", matchbox-style.

This "Owl and the Pussycat" is my favourite.

 

 

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to come again soon, as I REALLY am going to be more productive now that I have some time to myself again.