Back to business........

Back to school/work/routine now everyone?  It has been fun getting the children back to school and starting Kindy.  I think we were all ready for it!   In the past week we've had visits from the Tooth Fairy, swimming lessons started again, and a bite from a (non-venomous) spider so it has been a bit crazy around here.

I've made a few quick cards, hope you like them!  I must say I'm enjoying the bold colour combinations in the Bali Breeze DSP (from the Summer mini, which ends 28th February).  I love Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red and Tempting Turquoise/Taken with Teal.  I hadn't ever used them before this DSP I must admit.    I made the first one, and then decided to use the scraps to make a second card while I was at it.  

  

And notice the co-ordinating brads and Felt Flowers?  

I was feeling inspired to try out my Bundle of Joy stamp set and made this sweet little baby card.  

I used my new spiral punch on the side there  and stamped some cute sprinkles for a bit of interest in the background.  I also coloured the main teddy bear with my blender pen and ink and finished off with some of the wide rose ribbon from the Mini Catalogue. I mounted the main teddy on dimensionals and stamped the sentiment with one of my favourite sets, short and sweet.  (Seriously, it is such good value! )

And, while surfing around Splitcoast Stampers I found a tutorial for a gable box, so I tried it, and it was really easy!  I added a card to the front of mine.  Yes, it is very yellow - I hardly ever use yoyo yellow cardstock and thought I'd give is a go.  Could make a cute party bag for a child's birthday party or hold a small gift?  When you go wandering through the excellent tutorials over at SCS be prepared for hours to pass without you realising.  It is a wonderful resource.

I've a few fun things happening in the next month or so, but you'll have to wait and see as I don't want to spoil the surprise.    Insert Evil Laugh He he he!

 And I missed Australia Day on my blog - hope all the Aussies had a good one.  Have a slice of   (home made by me!) Pavlova :

Eureka!

I'm on a roll!   I've made a pretty bag to hold some cards - check out the styled silver hodgepodge big brads there.  Cute, huh?

       

Note also the Say it with Scallops stamp punched with the co-ordinating Scalloped Square punch, and Ginger Blossoms DSP from the Summer Mini.  

I also made a matching card (Hodgepodge, again!  This frame perfectly matched the small oval punch).  

So satisfying when it all goes together easily.

I  will be back to edit with the credits for the design of the box, as I don't have them handy just now and I'm squeezing in a post between bathing the kids and cooking dinner.  I will have to have another play with the box as the measurements are for US standard sized card & envelopes, which is slightly smaller than ours.  Edited to say it looks like the fabulous Sandi Dailey adapted this box from a design by Melissa Roberts.  I will do another dig around to find the blog address.

I realised I'd never made a card with this gorgeous Level 1 Hostess set before - Oh So Lovely.  I used my markers to colour the stamp.  The Pale plum base card was stamped in pale plum ink with the En Francais background stamp, and the yummy wide vanilla ribbon was part of the December special.   These flower images are so delicate, and they are really fine and crisp when stamped - beautiful!

This is a card I made a while ago but hadn't finished - all it needed was a largish sentiment to balance it out.   The card sat on my desk, mocking me with its large empty space until I happened to be cleaning up my craft room and re-discovered this stamp, from "All Occasions" (I think).  Eureka!

I again used my markers to ink up the sentiment.  It has some of the Bali Breeze DSP, and the Eastern Blooms flower - with Chunky glitter from the Summer Mini.  I think the background flower is from the Three For You Punch Box set. 

I have to take the kids shopping for school stuff tomorrow and may need intensive therapy afterwards.  

Sweethearts from the Summer Mini

  

Aren't they sweet?  These are all made from the "Happy Heart" set in the summer mini.  I used some Styled Silver Hodgepodge on some of them to jazz them up.   I realised I'd been hoarding my lovely hodgepodge, but no one else can see how pretty it is then!  Also - pretty in pink and Real red as a colour combo - hadn't tried it before, but I LOVE it now!    I think the pink card is my favourite so far.  And it co-ordinates with my blog!  Hahaha!