C & S 118

I haven't got around to making Christmas cards yet, but the Clean & Simple challenge has inspired me to at least make a start.

 

The sentiment stamp is by Stamp-It but I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know where I got the pine branch.

This is my effort at OSA layout 97.

Stamp: Stamp World

C & S 117

This is my version of Clean & Simple FTL 117.

 

Stamp: Papertrey Inc

Punches: Martha Stewart

I'm behind with my posts and my cardmaking. Our little dog (Maltese cross rescue puppy) had his annual vaccination yesterday and has had a very bad reaction. He won't eat, drink or walk. The vet says we must just wait and see how he goes. If he isn't better by tomorrow, he'll have to go on a drip. I'm sure all dog owners will understand how worried we are.

I finished OSA Layout challenge 96. It's not as drab as it looks. The pale paper is all gold.

I also finished OSA layout 95 last week.

Our king parrots have been visiting a lot lately. I don't really approve of feeding wild animals, but these birds are very tame and very insistent. This is the male. I'm always surprised how little he weighs.

FTL115

I haven't much time today so I've just had a very quick go at Clean & Simple FTL115. It hasn't got a purple border, I just put it on some purple paper to scan it.

 Stamps: Inqueboutique and Papertrey Inc

OSA layout challenge 94

I can't believe such a simple card can take so much time and effort. I think I'm too fussy when it comes to straight lines and perfect squares or whatever. And I can never find exactly the right colour paper or inkpad to match what I'm doing. I keep reminding myself that the people who make Persian rugs never make a perfect rug. They always make sure they include a tiny flaw, because only God makes perfect things.

Saying:Stamp-It Australia
Oriental script: I Brake for Stamps
Punch: Martha Stewart

I was going to make a card for the Clean & Simple FTL114 layout tonight, but my daughter rang and asked us to have her three kids overnight tonight. So I've had a quick go - it's a great layout with lots of possibilities. I also thought butterflies or dragonflies could be fun. I'd like to make another card tomorrow if I get the chance.

Sentiment stamp:  Stamp It Australlia

During the week I made a card for OSA layout challenge 93.

I took me ages to make. I had to do it in five minute grabs between other commitments. I kept changing my mind. My cards rarely end up the way I plan at the beginning. Often I start with one colour scheme and finish with a completely different one. In the process my desk becomes covered with piles of paper, stamps, ink pads, cuttlebug folders, spellbinder dies and various tools. In fact I'd better have a big cleanup now before the mob arrives!

FTL113

I had a go at Clean and Simple layout challenge 113. The card is white and doesn't show up well. Still haven't got organised to take a photo instead of scanning.

 

Stamps: Hero Arts

Had trouble with the OSA layout 92, so I rotated it and left out the greeting. I hope it's Oriental enough.

 Stamp: Hero Arts

We're going on a camping trip to Myall Lakes NP on Thursday. Our kids and all five grandchildren will be joining us on Friday. I've been asked to provide all things sweet - desserts, afternoon tea, etc. so I'm off to do some baking.

This is my take on Clean & Simple challenge 112.

Flower stamp: magazine freebie
Sentiment: Papertrey inc
Cuttlebug folders

We had a visitor to our garden - an echidna.

He tried to hide under one of my flower pots.

Echidnas eat ants and termites and are unusual because they lay eggs. They're cute and intelligent and one of my favourite native animals.

After battling computers all week (and ending up with a stiff neck!) I've at last found time to attempt the OSA layout challenge 91.

My husband's computer crashed and he hadn't backed it up so we've been preoccupied getting another and setting it up. He knows even less than I do about these things, so I've had to do most of it. Cardmaking had to take a back seat. I've now managed to finish Clean & Simple layout challenge 111.

Stamps: GinaK designs.
Paper: Papermania

This is the card I made for OSA layout challenge 90.

Flower stamp: Stamp-it
Sentiment: I Brake for Stamps

It's raining today so I've found time to make a couple of cards. The first is for Clean & Simple layout challenge 110.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink, Darkroom Door.

The second was to use a Hero Arts background stamp that I bought recently.

Stamps: Hero Arts, Papertrey Inc.
Punch: Martha Stewart.
Fern cut with Silhouette.

I've finally found time to finish OSA layout 89.

The stamp is from About Art Accents.

A quick take on CAS 109

 The vase of flowers is cut with the Silhouette. Sentiment by Papertrey Ink. Scallops are nestabilities and dot embossing is cuttlebug.

This is my first attempt at an OSA challenge.

The inchies are from Inkadinkado and the round stamp is Hero Arts.

We're back from our trip and feel totally overwhelmed by the backlog of chores, gardening, office work, etc. that has piled up. But never too busy to have a go at a card challenge. I'm not very happy with my effort at Clean and Simple FTL 108. Since I scanned it I've added glossy accents to the flower which is definitely an improvement. I notice other people take a photo of their card rather than scan it, so I'm going to have to find a place with a plain background and see how I go.

It really is a round card - the scanner just makes a square background. Paper is Basic Grey, flower stamp a freebie in a magazine, and sentiment from Stamp-It.

Had a quick go at 107.

Tree stamp is by Grace Taylor and sentiment from Darkroom Door.

We had a great camping trip. Stayed in Coolah Tops National Park on the way out. There were lots of very tame kangaroos and wallabies in the camp ground, many with joeys.



We then went on to our favourite camping spot on the Paroo River in SW Queensland - very remote and very quiet. It restores my sanity

We're off on a three week outback camping trip tomorrow so I've made a very quick attempt at sketch 105 between spurts of packing. I'm sneaking in to my study when my husband is occupied elsewhere so he doesn't notice I'm not putting all my energy into our preparations.

The main stamp is by Stamp-it and the sentiment is Hero Arts. Punch by Martha Stewart.

Our resident diamond python made an appearance today. Usually he lives in our roof space and keeps it free from possums and rats. He has just shed his skin and is finding one of my hanging pots very cosy. He came out this morning to enjoy some winter sunshine. We estimate him to be nearly two metres long.

I made a card using a stamp from Stamp World, an Australian company. The text was printed on my computer.

Tomorrow we're heading down the south coast for a few days at Bateman's Bay.