Another Retirement

There's another retirement at my office. At least some one made it all the way before they decided to put us all out of a job :-)) This is for a guy who has worked for the company since he left school and has been there about 38 or 39 years now. That is a life time!

I used one of the latest Elzybells releases, called Gardening Ted, which I am dying to order, but have to save up a bit before I can spoil myself again. Paula luckily sent me this gorgeous little thing, I absolutely love it, and do yourself a favour go and see her creation with this image. I was SO happy when I saw it amongst the loads of images she sent me.

I did things a little different than my last 4 or 5 cards, I chose the paper first and then coloured the image. It actually does seem to be a lot easier. I always used to do that, but then got bored and just coloured up images as I felt, and have found it a bit difficult some times to find paper to match.

I coloured it with my Prismas, and have to admit, even with the 120 choice that comes with the Prisma, I still used one or two of my Lyras as well.... just couldn't help it. I blended it with Sansador and cut the image with my nestabilities die. No glitter on this one, cause it's for a guy, but I was so tempted though to put some on the little flowers. I guess it wouldn't have gone down too well with a 61 year old guy.

Now, I have to share something REALLY exciting, I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight. I made it onto the Stampingbella Challenge post!!!! Wooooohooooooo!!!

Go have a look at the latest challenge, oh boy have the design team come up with some gorgeous cards! And if you scroll down a bit and a bit more and maybe a bit more, you will see this design of mine. I feel so honoured.

Very first CHALLENGE!

I've really impressed myself!!! I've managed to make a card for a challenge, and not just any challenge, the Stamping Bella Challenge.

It's really simbple and probably why I managed it :-), you have to use pink and brown, oh and a Bella stamp of course. I have just one tiny problem, the email has to reach Emily by 5pm EST. Now seeing she's in Canada, and I'm in South Africa, I have no idea whether my email I just sent made it on time. I do know that we are ahead of Canada, and it is gone 10pm here. I can only hope for the best.

This image was sent to me by Paula, and seeing it's been cold here the past couple days, and winter is threatening to spoil my mood, I decided this little image is just perfect, except that she looks FAAAAAR too happy. I would not be looking so pleased if it was so cold that I needed such a warm jacket. (A word of warning, I am due to moan a LOT more in the coming months about the cold weather - in case you haven't noticed, I HATE winter!!)

Anyhow, enough blah blah stuff. The image was coloured with my Prismas and blended with Sansador, cut out with my oval nestabilities dies and layered on 3d dots. Nearly forgot, I addes some glitter glue here and there.

The results of our elections are slowly coming in, and it looks like, as usual, the ANC have won again. I guess when you're out numbered 10 to 1, that is likely to happen. We can only hope for the best. But who wants to talk about politics, I'm off to google reader to go and see what the rest of you have been up to.

Another birthday

Heeha.... the voting is done! My mom and I ventured to the voting station again at about 3pm this afternoon. The queue was still as long as the other two times we tried going. This time we braved it and queued. I wanted it over and done with, cause tonight is American Idol and I do not want to miss one minute. Even if we are only at the top 11 now, I still like to watch, cause somewhere along the line we catch up and see the final live...

Okay now for the reason of this post. Here's the other card I finished today. It's quite productive for my card making hobby when we have a voting day :-)

I coloured this one with the Prisma's as well, and Paula if you do look at this post, how's that RED cherry!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, for the pencils and the images and of course my beautifully coloured bunny!!! I'm going to frame it - hehehe.



I put a bit of glitter glue on the icing, and some glaze on the cherry. This stamp is also from Stamping Bella, in the Bella range, called Cuppacakeabella. I just love how she sits on the cupcake, as if to say I've conquered you cupcake and you will not make me fat! Of course it was cut out with my brand new nesties die. I've been dying to use it.

Okay got to go or I'm going to be late for the start of American Idol!

Primsacolor first use!

I eventually decided to bite the bullet and order a set of Prismacolor pencils. I went for the 120 set, cause I figured I need to make it really worthwhile. I ordered them from Blick art materials, as it was the best price I could find and they ship internationally. Some were slightly cheaper, but do not ship internationally. My pencils arrived last Friday and I sat forever sharpening them..... however, I was SO sad and SO upset when I had 20 with broken lead, they are totally useless now. I contacted Blick and they are kind enough to give me partial credit, but I would really rather have replacement pencil. I also do not know if the others are broken too and I just can't tell. Blick have suggested putting them in the microwave, apparently it should soften the wax and fuse the lead again. It didn't work.... so they suggested putting them in the oven, that also did not work. Now I have to contact Prisma they want to speak to me. I will tell you the next chapter in my sad story hopefully in my next post!!!

This card I coloured with the Prisma's, the ones which seem not to be broken and blended with sansador. I have to say, the colour choice is just great. I still love my Lyras and will still use them often, but the Prisma colour choice makes life so easy.

This stamp is from Stamping Bella, and she's called Betty Bombshell. I love her, she is so funky, and reminds me of someone who's not really sure they want to be on the beach, although well prepared. A bit like me, I do not like the beach at all!!! I love the bush and being around lots of animals.

The sentiment is from Micia, and it seemed to go perfectly with Betty.

The sun in the right corner was done with ink and a spunge and I applied it while the image was still in the nesties die. I got the idea from Linda, now don't compare her beautiful colouring to mine please ;-)

I'm off to the voting station again, we have national elections today. I went early this morning and the queue was down the road, my mom and I went straight home. I'll pass by again to see how it looks now. I have to go out and get gas for my heater, and guavas for the parrots, so I might as well take a look at the queue.

Talking about gas, it is getting colder and colder. It's so sad, winter is coming. Okay I know you all up north are so not feeling sorry for me, cause you are probably ecstatic to have summer and warm weather.... but remember, we are not as well prepared for the cold as you guys. (That sounds sad enough to me...)

Till later.....

Another retirement, and still not me!

Believe it or not, but I've finally made a card. One whole card since, umm, lets not even go there. This card is for a friend at the office, who is sending it to a colleague in Zurich, seems lots of my cards are going north. Pretty cool.

When I saw the free shipping offer from Elzybells recently, and it was free international shipping, I just had to order some stamps. I love Elzybells stamps, they are so easy and such fun to work with. Believe it or not, but I ordered a stamp I already had. Thank goodness I realised it before my order was packaged and shipped and Elizabeth was very kind to exchange it for me. Of course this was the one I chose. Now look how handy it has come in. The lady who's retiring loves cats, and I figured this image was just puuuuurfect.

I coloured the image with my lyras and blended it with Sansador. Oh I knocked my bottle of Sansador over the other day! What a stupid thing to do, and at the cost of that stuff, so not something I hope any of you ever do.

I've included a close up picture of the image, just so you can see how cool this cat is. Not even scared of the dog, typical of cats though. Cheeky, unpredictable and ever so adorable.

I've got lots of images all coloured up waiting to be made into something other than a coloured image laying around my house at the moment, so hopefully I'll be getting to make at least one more card before the end of the week, but I won't hold my breath, so don't hold yours either :-)

If you have some spare time and want to see some great cards, go do the My Favourite things Blog hop, it starts here with Kim. But ladies, and guys if there are any of you out there, please don't get too excited when getting to Paula's blog - don't ask why, you'll see when you get there, LOL!!!! Don't we just love her.

New home

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but I guess I have to make cards to have something to post.

My cousin moved into her new home a little while ago, and on Sunday my mom and I went for cake and tea. It is luuuuvely and I want one just like it.

I made her a little house warming card. She is studying horticulture, so this stamp from PSX was just perfect. Inside I wrote 'may your new home grow with love and happiness'.

I coloured this image with my lyras and blended with sansador. I raised the flower pot with a large stickydot, and used my nestabilities regtangle for the mat.

I have received some of my orders I have placed, and can't wait to get the others! They got here pretty quick, I was impressed considering I'm at the bottom of Africa. So far I have only stamped out a whole lot of images and am colouring away. No cards have been produced though. I'll get there I hope!

Have you had a chance to check the results from the last Bella challenge. Go check it if you have time, they've got some beautiful cards on show, as always!

Awards, for me?

Aren't I a lucky girl. I got two awards from Debbi, isn't she just the best!

I have not had time to post them since she awarded them. Life has not been too rosy down here, and tomorrow we will hear our fate! Will we have a job or not.

For now, lets stick to the cheerful fun stuff. These are the two awards that were given to me.

The Lemonade and Hugs awards!

I think the prices advertised are a bit low. Although a hug should be for free! Thanks Debbi, that is awfully nice of you and just what a gal need to cheer things up a little. AS they say everything happens for a reason, soon as I know the reason for what's happening in my life lately, I'll be sure to share it just here.

Some info while I'm at it. Has anyone done the My Favourite Things blog hop today! Go hopping, it's great fun and you get to see some really cool stylish cards. Just what the Dr ordered.

Babyshower II

It seems there's a baby-boom at my office. This card is for baby-shower number two. Hmm, come to think of it, I don't think there is another after this one. Maybe there isn't a baby-boom after all.

This little image was also sent to me by Paula, speaking of Paula PLEASE go and check her latest Ketto creation. OMG!!! I know, I know, I said this the last time, but it's not my fault she just keeps out doing herself.



There's not too much to tell about this card. I only did a tad of colouring, with my lyras of course, and then just used all sorts of stuff from my stash. The stork and the mat behind it are both raised, it's somewhat visable from the shadow in the image.

On a different note, I have to confess that I finally ordered some Stamping Bellas and Magnolias. I just couldn't resist it anymore. I decided if I end up being unemployed, at least I'll be happy with my stamps! Does that make any sense.

Oh and if anyone was thinking of getting any Lyras, they are available from Stamping Bella.

Have you seen the latest challenge by them? It's pretty cool, all sorts of delicious colours, pink, yellow, green, orange. I'm considering doing it seeing there is a two week window this time. I'm slow remember :-)

That's it for today. Gonna go watch our one an only local craft show! Whohooo!

Diva Mandy

Finally after a weekend of struggling with my poor baby being so sick, I managed to finish one card. Simby, my little Jack Russell has been sick since Wednesday last week. I've had her in and out of the vet, but today finally she seems to be getting better. She wanted to sit on my lap the whole time while she was sick, she never does that. It's very difficult to make cards with a little Simby on your lap so I ended up in front of the TV most of the time.

Anyhow, this card is for a colleague who wanted something special for his wife, Mandy. Seeing that she's forever getting speeding tickets, I figured this is just the image for her. The card was supposed to be more yellow, as her favourite colour is yellow, but somehow the green snuck in there and managed to stay :-)

I see the diva on the charm is not too clear, but that's what it says on there - specially for diva Mandy.

The image is one which Paula sent me, my mentor, teacher, idol whatever you want to call her, in card making. She has got me hooked on Stamping Bella, do yourself a favour, go and check her latest Stamping Bella with the Ketto range. OMG it is so tempting to just go out and buy some!

I coloured the image with my lyras and blended it with Sansador. The sentiment is my one and only from Elzybells.

I hope she likes her card, if not, hubby might have to get another - more yellow hopefully - hahaha.

Enjoy your Sunday evening, I'm off to watch the movie which started 20 minutes ago.

Baby shower

No thank goodness it is not me!

We're having a baby-shower for a girl at the office. Funny when she first fell pregnant, we couldn't tell and thought maybe she had one hamburger too many over Christmas, but it turned out she was very pregnant (is there a degree to pregnancy :-)), and as time goes by so fast, she'll be going on maternity leave soon.

Monday's her shower at the office and tomorrow we're going to get her something. I'm actually the worst person to send as I so know nothing about babies! Give me 4 legged ones rather.

This image was sent to me by the lovely crazy fun loving Paula! I just love Stamping Bella, and even considered buying some today, I was on the site, but we heard some bad rumours that our office might close, so I decided not to spend any money for now :-(((

I coloured it with my lyras and blended with Sansador. The charm is a little cherub hanging over the moon, and I was quite happy to use it, as I have enough beads to start my own shop. I never do any beading - bad bad bad!

I have to share, that my aunt and cousin were over the moon with their 21st cards! It's always so great when people are happy with what you made for them.

Hey did anyone see the blog hop today over at My favourite things. So cool, I love these hops. I hate it when they end though. If you keen to do the hop, start here at Kim's blog. MFT have released a new set of stamps, that's what the hop is all about.

That's all for today. I now have another baby shower card to do, also for a colleague - the baby boom must be going on there, and a birthday card for a collegue's wife!

Have fun!