We Stamp For Lara!

I'm thrilled to say that I'm a part of the fantastic team that's about to launch We Stamp For Lara.  It's an online stamping event (a bit similar to UStamp), and it's in support of raising funds for Madonna Dunn's daughter, Lara May, who needs some essential equipment  to make her life a little bit easier.  You can read more about Lara here. 

Check out the details below...

To join in and buy your entry to this fabulous event, go to Madonna Dunn's blog or Alisa Tilsner's blog.  Invitations to the Online Community will be sent out closer to the 1st November.  Perhaps you'd like to try your luck with winning a FREE PASS on Just Add Ink?  All you need to do is help us spread the word!  Head over to get the details...

Hope to see you online!

Another JAI41 Card...

Hi again!  I liked the colours I used for my Just Add Birthdays submission so much that I had to make another card!  They're from the Curtain Call Color Challenge: (ACT 53), which is:

Isn't that a fabulous colour combo?  Here's my second card:

Hope you liked my card!  Thanks for stopping by.  :-)

Materials:

Cardstock - Basic Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP

Accessories - Wide Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, dimensionals

Olivia Makes Her Move...

As in her chess move.  She recently discovered this chess set at our local library, and got right into it...

In case you're wondering about what's going on in the back corner of the chess board...

That's the king.

He lives in the castle.

Obviously...

JAI41 - Just Add Birthdays!

It's Just Add Birthdays at Just Add Ink!  Okay, so my card isn't strictly a birthday card because it doesn't have that actual sentiment, but once I put the card together I decided it didn't need one.  I seem to be doing that a lot lately... hmmm...

I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Punch 'Em Challenge (to use punches!) and the Curtain Call Color Challenge: (ACT 53), which is:

Hope you liked my card!  Thanks for stopping by.  :-)


Materials:

Cardstock - Basic Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP

Accessories - Pumpkin Pie Satin Ribbon, dimensionals, EK Success large scallop border punch

Happy Mail From Chupa!

How adorable is this card?? 

I was lucky enough to have this appear in my mailbox today.  Thanks Chupa!

You can find all the details HERE on Chupa's (aka Iwona Palamountain) blog, Random Acts Of Creativity, and a fabulous watercolouring tutorial featuring this very card HERE on the There She Goes blog. 

Every week the team at There She Goes post a Week In Review, with all the cards they've made for the week.  It's fabulous inspiration, and if you leave a comment, you're in the draw to win one of the cards!  Your choice!  I was so excited that I won, and I just had to have Chupa's gorgeous card.  It's so beautiful!

I'm off to admire it again... :-)

I'm A Top 5 Curtain Call Show Stopper!

Woohoo!  My card was chosen as a Top 5 Curtain Call Show Stopper for Curtain Call Color Challenge ACT 52!  I'm so excited!  It's so lovely to have my work showcased.  :-)

This is the card I entered:

Check out Stacey's Stamping Stage for the next challenge.  I know I will!


Materials:

Stamp sets - Unity 

Cardstock - White Cambric Linen, Taken With Teal, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White

Inks - Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Taken With Teal

Accessories - Early Espresso striped grosgrain ribbon, Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Embosslit, pearls, dimensionals, large scallop punch (EK Success)

Playing With Prismacolours...

I treated myself to a set of Prismacolour pencils recently.  I've always been tempted to try them, but after seeing Judy Laing's gorgeous work with them on kraft cardstock, I just HAD to get some!  I want to say a BIG thankyou to Judy for letting me pick her brain about using them!  If you haven't been to Judy's blog, Judy's Crafty Moments, you really need to check it out.  She does the most exquisite colouring!

Okay, so be gentle everyone, this is my first one!

It's a little rough around the edges, but I think it's okay for a first attempt...?

I had no idea where to start with playing with colours, so I chose to use the Colour Challenge at There She Goes, which is to use Orange, Green and Black.

Don't forget to check out Judy's Crafty Moments!


EDITED TO ADD:

A few more tips from Judy (isn't she brilliant??) and here it is again with a few tweaks...

Materials:

Stamp sets - Sugar Nellie - Bumble Bee

Cardstock - Crumb Cake

Inks - Black Stazon, Prismacolour pencils

Accessories - pearls

A Little Advice, Please!

Hi there!  I was hoping to get some advice from all my lovely visitors...  :-)

You may already know that I have quite a few cards for sale at Funky Homes in Hobart (149A Liverpool Street for you locals!), and I've been thinking about selling some of my other cards, but I'm not entirely sure where to start.  Do I put them for sale on my blog?  Etsy?  Would anyone even buy them??

Here's where you (hopefully) come in... I'm putting a series of cards on this post that have proven to be popular through my blog.  Could you please write a comment about whether you think any of these cards would sell, and what price you think I should put on them?

A Gift For You

 A Little Hug

 Apple Blossoms

Love Letter

 Echoes of Kindness

 Fifth Avenue Floral

 Gorjuss Girl

 My Umbrella Lace

Thanks so much!  I really appreciate your help!  :-)

Becoming A Butterfly... A Challenge Card

I had a little play with some challenges tonight - Curtain Call Color Challenge ACT 52 (colour selection is at the bottom), Sweet Stampin Challenge 48 (to use ribbon), and a new one for me, Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (to focus on the sentiment).

I'm still not sure about the way it turned out... but I took heaps of photos anyway!!

I just love this quote...

I hope you liked my card!  :-)

Materials:

Stamp sets - Unity 

Cardstock - White Cambric Linen, Taken With Teal, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White

Inks - Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Taken With Teal

Accessories - Early Espresso striped grosgrain ribbon, Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Embosslit, pearls, dimensionals, large scallop punch (EK Success)

Happy Mail

I got this STUNNING card from Gardenia Pepworth in the mail yesterday... I'm so thrilled!  Isn't it gorgeous?  Thanks Gardenia!

Dress Up Christmas!

Are you ready for a Stampin' Up! Christmas Promotion?  It's a good one!  Click the flyer below to download the flyer, or read the information below... 

Create beautiful packaging to fit any Christmas gift with exclusive products from Stampin' Up! From 16 October-30 November*, there are two ways to get FREE ribbon:

•Get an exclusive package of ribbon for FREE when you purchase a Christmas gift-giving bundle!
•Get an exclusive package of ribbon for FREE when you host a $550 workshop!

Choose from these bundles:

Choose from the following limited-time ribbons when you purchase a Christmas gift-giving bundle or host a qualifying workshop:

*Bundles and ribbons available while supplies last.

Just Add Blue...

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is another special one.  We're highlighting another cause - Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month.

As many of you might be aware from this previous post, I'm still recovering from Post Natal Depression.  My daughter is now 3 and a half and it's extremely frustrating to still be recovering.  I'm not going to waffle on in this post, but I do want to share something that I was told that I found extremely significant.  Perhaps it can help someone else.

During one type of treatment that I received (about 2 and a half years after diagnosis... we're still trying lots of things), I spoke at length to the treating psychiatrist about symptoms of PND and many other disorders.  I really enjoyed those sessions because he was fascinating to listen to and didn't mind that I had a million questions, and he explained things so well.  At one stage we spoke about how it's often difficult for people to know how to deal with a friend or loved one with depression.  I'm paraphrasing, but this is basically what he said:

When someone enters the hospital room of a friend who's had a car accident, they can clearly see the damage - broken bones, cuts, grazes, bruises... and they can see that the person is in pain.  Even if they're smiling at the time.  When someone enters the hospital room of a friend who's suffering depression, they can't see the damage.  There are no casts or bandages, no drip, nothing.  The patient might even seem completely normal, because people with depression can hide their pain for periods of time.  But the pain is there.  It's real and it's agony.

I hope that can help someone out there.

On to my card... it's very simple!  There isn't any stamping at all!!

I had no idea where to start with this challenge, so I used this challenge as well from There She Goes.

If you're interested in a more lighthearted story about my experience with PND, read this post.  :-)

And just in case it's of use to anyone, if you have any questions about depression that you'd like me to answer (knowing that I'm just going on my experience), just leave your question in the comments section.  I have no idea if it's of any use, but the offer is there.  :-)


Materials:

Cardstock - Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Marina Mist

Accessories - Black satin ribbon, Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, pearls, dimensionals

Curtain Call Colour Challenge #51

It's taken quite a few attempts to make a card for this challenge!  I gave up last night and went to bed grumbling about "card-makers block"... it's funny how a hobby that I love can also be such a source of frustration!  Anyway, I'm not too sure about the card I'm sharing... but it will do!

Here's the Curtain Call Colour Challenge #51...

Regardless of whether it's any good or not, I love that satin ribbon!  It's so easy to work with!

Materials:

Stamp sets - Friends Never Fade

Cardstock - Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Whisper White, Basic Black

Inks - So Saffron

Accessories - Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Marina Mist satin ribbon, White gel pen, dimensionals