Side Step Christmas Card 1

Hi again! How are you?
I have a GREAT example of Customer Service to tell you first before I show you the first of my Christmas side step cards.
Like most of us, we use our computers fairly regularly and we love 'em! ONLY when everything works right?? So when something doesn't work it can get VERY frustrating. This is particularly so when you have tried all avenues and feel you have no support. ENTER Aris from Inlinkz!
I use a Fantastic Tool from Inlinkz at the bottom of my posts to show the details of the ingredients I have used to make the card shown. This is great because a) you get to see what I have used in more detail and b) I get to remember what it is I used and where I got the item. It's a great database and many Bloggers use it.
Well for the past two days I have been "Off" with inlinkz. There was a constant hand holding throughout my frustration by Aris who always quickly responded to my e-mails with positive suggestions and help. I was sent requests to provide what it was I was seeing on my page with screen shots and the like and Hey Presto! The answer comes back with code having been changed to help me log back into this tool from which I had been denied access - horror of horrors!!

Let me provide you with some details here:
The URL Address for this Great tool is: www.inlinkz.com/
There is a great video that provides a Tutorial on how to use it HERE:
I'd really strongly recommend this tool to you if you have your own Blog.
Again HUGE thanks to ARIS xxx









I do have a Christmas card to share with you today. Actually I made two that are similar, I'll post the other one at a later time. I was hugely inspired by Marisa Job. She has one of my Favourite Blogs to visit because she makes such great inspirational projects. You'll see her Blog details on my Blog List to the left of this post.

Here is my card:

The colours look a little darker than in reality. I will work on getting better lighting.

It is really easy to make. I started with a piece of A2 red card from Office works as the base piece is 17.25 (approx 44cms) inches by 6 inches (approx 15cms).
The finished card is approx 6 x 6.











The stamps I used are the O Christmas Tree set from Justrite stampers which I stamped with memento Black ink and coloured with Copics; then fussy cut out with a margin. I then distressed them a little bit with a mixture of Tim Holtz ink pads on a piece of acetate (as my palette) - Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Pine Needles Distressed Stain ink.

The background cardstock is Kaisercraft weave - Latte which I stamped with Justrite stampers Elegant Fronds background stamp and using a Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad.

This is the main stepped piece of the card at the front opened up so you can see it more clearly.
The sentiment stamp is from Waltzingmouse Stamps which I cut out using a Spellbinders labels 14 die.

The ribbon is from my stash, and the beautiful Poinsettias are  from Petaloo Darjeeling Collection - Floral Emellishments (Medium PL 1477-002)

Inside the card I used a piece of cardstock from my stash as the background, a HOTP Vintage Papers label as well as more of the Elegant Fronds Background stamped paper.

The hollies and berries are a Digi image (sorry cannot remember where I got that).

On the front I added a little touch of Crystal Stickles to give a little sparkle.

















Here is a more detailed list of the ingredients I used (Using the GREAT tool by Inlinkz!!!!):

Kaiser Craft Latte Weave Card Stock	JustRite Stamps Elegant Fronds	Spellbinders Labels Fourteen S4 - 290	Memento Rich Cocoa Ink Pad	Waltzing Mouse Stamps - Compliments of the season
JustRite Stamps - O Christmas Tree	Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink Pad Antique Linen	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink Pad Vintage Photo	Tim Holtz Pine Needles Distressed Stain
COPIC Sketch Markers	Petaloo Poinsettia Medium	PORTACraft Self Adhesive 5mm Pearls	HOTP Forever Christmas 6 x 6 Paper Pad	Stickles - Crystal

InLinkz.com

There you have it. I hope you like the card. I'll show the second that I made (which is very similar) at a later time. Stay well.

Desmae's Birthday Card Number 3

... and here it is; the third of the Birthday cards that were made for Desmae's 70th Celebrations.
It is similar to a card I have posted previously. This card is actually the FIRST of this particular type that I have ever made. It's success was what spurred me on to make the second card for Ngaire.

So here is the card, I have placed my images on a Blue background so that you can see them better.

This is a "Starfold" card - the instructions to make it can be found HERE. There is also a YouTube Tutorial which cab be found HERE.
I cut the base card at 40cm not 30cm as is suggested in the instructions. I used an A2 White card sheet I purchased from Office works for the base.

The back of the card I kept plain.
The brief was to include 3 areas of interest for Desmae.
The first is her connection to the Dorrigo Sweet Shop (which her Daughter Claire owns).
The second is her connection to Politics as she is a Bellingen Shire Councillor.
The third is her connection to the Tree, Plant and Flower Nursery she and her husband Richard own and run in Megan, Dorrigo.

The images on the first Flap depicts her "Nursery" interests.
I added a wire butterfly (purchased at Spotlight) to the top flap which is visible when the card is folded closed.

This image of Little Sweetie Jars (filled with Glass Beads) on the second Flap depicts her "Sweet Shop" interests.
The Happy Birthday sentiment was stamped using Papercraft celebrations stamp set.

This image of part of the Dorrigo Plateau and the Bellingen Shire Council logo on the third Flap depicts her Political interests.
The embellishment is from a set of stickers from Little Birdie Handmade Boutique Elements from Lincraft Australia Pty Ltd QC1938.

This is the image at the centre of her card, using Just Rite Stampers and Papercraft Celebrations stamps.

The Design Papers used throughout the card design are from K & Company "Juliana Lilacs" by Brenda Walton (I believe are now out of print).















I will be back at a later time with a more detailed list of the ingredients I used to make this card.

UPDATE: Here is the list of the majority of ingredients I used:

Various Glass Beads	Flourishes Butterflies and Blossoms Stamp Set	PaperCraft Celebrations Clear Stamps J6423-06	K and Co Juilana Muscari 12 x 12 Paper	K and Co Juliana Lilacs 12 x 12 Paper
K and Co 6 x 6 Juliana Lilac Paper Pad	K and Co Juliana Lilac Embossed Stickers	K and Co Embossed Border Stickers

InLinkz.com

I do hope you liked this card; I know Desmae was thrilled to receive all three for her Birthday. It was so nice to see her reaction when she opened them all. Usually this is not something I see first hand as the cards I make are often sent by others to their recipients.

Thanks for stopping by to read this post.

Desmae's Do and Card number 2

Hi. Hope all is well with you.
We had a lovely time last evening celebrating Desmae's 70th Birthday. Lots of family and friends all together to celebrate alongside Desmae and her husband Richard. The atmosphere was lively and great fun - we had a ball!

 Here is a montage of some of the pictures we took last evening. Lots of family and friends with lots of Pressies and Cards too! The evening was held at a great little place in the Dorrigo town centre.

As promised here is card number 2. This one I made on behalf of Richard - Desmae's Nearest and Dearest.
Here it is:

 It is a Wallet fold card. The instructions to make it can be found on Splitcoast stampers.
The Double wallet fold hold two Tags which I'll show you next.
The card base was made with Double sided Design Paper from 12" x 12" First Edition "Isabelle" Premium Paper Pad. The Ribbon/Lace was from Spotlight and the embellishments are from KaiserCraft Magnolia Grove Collectables.

Here are the two Tags made to go inside the Double Fold Wallet. I used scraps of cardstock to make the designs. The templates are ones I drew onto scrap pieces of card and cut out. The Happy Birthday sentiment is from PaperCraft Celebrations stamp set and the lovely quote is from Just Rite Stamps "Botanical Medallions and Banners" stamp set. The Buttons are from my stash as is the Gold Peel Off. The Pink and Red Gingham ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

This is the inside of the card and the quote is taken from the Flourishes - Lace Heart stamp set.
So there you have card number two. I'll post the third in my next post.

I'll put a more detailed list of ingredients that I used on at a later time.

UPDATE: Here is the list:

Kaiser Craft Magnolia Grove Collectables	First Edition 12 x 12 Premium Paper Pa	JustRite Botanical Medallions and Banners	PaperCraft Celebrations Clear Stamps J6423-06	RRR Red Gingham Ribbon
RRR Pink Gingham Ribbon	Flourishes Lace Feat Stamp Set

InLinkz.com

Many thanks for dropping by to read my Blog.

Desmae's Birthday - Card 1 - Flower Pot

Hi there. Do you like the "New Look"? I felt a change was in order. I wanted to make my Blog a little smarter; as well as more appealing to read. I hope I have succeeded - you'll have to let me know.
I have added a direct contact e-mail link as well as my personal Blog List which contains sites I constantly go to when my creative Mojo is on a break! There are one or two other little changes you might spot. There maybe a space at the top of my Blog for a few days; this is because I am adding a feature here and Google (who governs the Blogger templates and processes) needs to approve this before it can go ahead.

I have promised to show you these cards before. I have THREE to show you. However I will add them to my Blog as Three separate posts otherwise it'll be too long and may prove unreadable. So grab a cup of your favourite beverage for all three coming your way!

I think it is OK to go ahead today and show them to you as we present these cards to the Birthday Girl - Desmae this evening at her 70th Party.  I suspect (and hope) she'll be far too busy to come and look here before she receives them.

This first card is a Flower Pot card. The template instructions to make this can be found at Splitcoast Stampers and there is a YouTube video tutorial as well.

Here it is:

I have placed my pictures on coloured backgrounds so that you can see them a little better.

I used Kaisercraft weave Card stock - Papaya as my card base, then followed the instructions on the Tutorial links I provided above.

I trimmed the edge with a Martha Stewart Deco Fan Punch.

As you can see the Flower Pot and the Tag that goes into it are two separate pieces.

The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon "Happy Halloween" September 2012 Subscription pack and fits beautifully.

The "Friends" embellishment is part of a set from K&Company - Brenda Walton - Chelsea Word, they are now out of print  ... I have had them for ages and thought I'd use them.

I also added a Gold "Happy Birthday" Peel off.

The tag fits into the top of the "pocket" created by how the card base is folded.
The Flowers we die cut with Spellbinders Layered Flowers S4-355 and some Stampendous Stickers from my stash adhered on the top of the Design Paper scraps that I used.

The leaves were cut our using Spellbinders Nested Leaves S4-321 (which I cannot see on any web site currently!!).

The base of the tag was the same used for the card base and the Tag in the centre was from KaiserCraft Collectables - Magnolia Grove Die Cuts.

Last image for this card I did deviate from the original instructions by adding a little stand for the card on its reverse.

There you have it - a relatively easy card to make that looks really effective.














Ingredients for this card:

Kaiser Craft Weave Card Stock - Papaya	Kaiser Craft Magnolia Grove Collectables	K&Co Brenda Walton, Chelsea Word Stickers	Spellbinders Nested Leaves S4-321	Spellbinders Layered Flowers - S4-355
RRR September 2012 Ribbon Club	Martha Stewart Deco Fan around the page punch

InLinkz.com

I hope you are keeping well. Thanks for stopping by to look at Desmae's cards. I'll post the other two as soon as I can. I Just need to go and make preparations to go and celebrate with her!