Sunday, August 31, 2008

Copycatcards

Copycatcards is the brainchild of my very talented but WAY too enthusiastic sister (LOL) Leisa. It is a basically a challenge blog. Each week there is a theme, and you make a card of your choice following the theme guidelines. I find it is a great excuse to pull out my scraps and just make a card! It is also a great way to build up your stash of cards, so that you always have a couple of spares on hand.

The challenge this week is to make a card using black, orange and white...too easy!!!! Mine is pictured above. I love doing these challenges...they take me out of my comfort zone sometimes, but that's a good thing, right? Once you have created your card, you upload it straight into the slideshow on the blog (and check out what everyone else has done while you're there!). So why not have a go? I would love to see what you come up with! I should also note that I had never made a card before Leisa persuaded me to do this, and cardmaking has me hooked now...a fantastic way to use up those scraps from your scrapping, and get rid of a bit of the buyers guilt at the same time :) So don't let the fact that you are not a "cardmaker" hold you back! Check out the site:

www.copycatcards.blogspot.com

Another thing while I'm on the subject of cards....

Most of the cards I make are for sale at Tomorrows Memories here in Perth (link in the sidebar), as well as cards by other members of the Design Team. I got so addicted to cardmaking that I make far more than I could ever use! So if you are after a handmade card, pop in and check out what they have.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

The start of something wonderful...

Starting a new project is one of my favourite parts of patchwork.Choosing a new pattern, agonizing over the fabrics and colours and how they will all go together is so much fun! This is probably the reason why I usually make block type quilts rather than overall patterns...I get to choose new fabric combinations for each block as I put them together!

The Christmas quilt that I started recently is called "Christmas Belles" by Mum's Moment. It is made up of 14 blocks of Christmas stitcheries...angels, trees, and even a little row of plum puddings (my favourite block...can you tell? LOL). I am making it mostly in a fabric range called Faded Memories by 3 Sisters for Moda...gorgeous, gorgeous fabrics, as you can see by the stack!
This angel is the first block...quite a bit of stitching in this one.


And this one is Block 2, which will sit next to the angel. I am working on a little Christmas tree at the moment, and then we get to the puddings (YAY!)
I am not terribly confident that it will be completed for Christmas this year...depends on how much it hooks me in, really, but it doesn't matter really. I just love having a stitching project on the go!

And now, for the reason why it probably won't be completed this year.... scrapping LOL!


We spent the day at The Maze a few weeks ago, which is actually several mazes...pines, wooden etc. It was a great day out! This particular maze looked easy, until we read the rules...no left hand turns! It took us ages to figure it out (me especially!) Ho hum. The paper is by Heidi Swapp and seemed perfect for the theme. I did a bit of stitching and distressing around the outside edge, which I seem to do a lot lately. Also keeping it fairly simple, which I also seem to be doing a lot of lately! It has a black border around the outside edge too...bit hard to tell by the photo.

I hope to get into a bit of cardmaking over the weekend because...copycatcards is back! I will tell you all about copycatcards after I make this weeks challenge...and then maybe you would like to join in ;).

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Thanks...and some stitching

Thank you so much to everyone who has left a comment for me here on the blog. I appreciate that you have taken some time out of your day to make me feel so welcome!

I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to fabric....I have LOTS and don't tend to use it much (especially since I discovered scrapbooking :) ) and to be quite honest, for a while there my sewing machine only came out when I had a LO to sew on. However...I am happy to say that I have been doing a bit of stitching lately.





This cushion pattern is by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched from her book "A Family Gathering"...a gorgeous book if you ever have the chance to have a look :) I did most of the hand stitching while on holidays earlier in the year, and had purchased the gorgeous trim and ceramic bee buttons at a Craft Fair several years ago. Love those buttons :) The cushion came together really easily, and looks so cute on my lounge!
I am working on a Christmas quilt at the moment, with lots of hand stitching and piecing, and using some of my favourite fabrics...not in traditional Christmas colours, but with the cutest little plum puddings you have ever seen! Must take a photo so I can show you....

I have been assured that loading photos is quite easy, so I figure my challenge for the day will be to do that. Baby steps are good!
This is a layout I created recently using some of the new Basic Grey Euphoria range ...I am SO loving this range! The diecut stickers make it really easy for a LO to come together without too much thinking. I finally used the last of my Making Memories Garden Party papers too, which is a bit sad, really...I loved those papers (sigh).
I didn't have a lot I wanted to say about the photo this time, but I found a beautiful Irish blessing which reminded me so much of my girl, so I hand wrote it around the diecut paper.
Well, this 'photo upload' process has taken me a while, so I will leave it there for now.
I received some very happy mail this morning from my favourite online store (Scrapsidaisy in beautiful downtown Wingham NSW)....a Cuttlebug ...woohooo! So I am off to have a play :)



Wednesday, August 27, 2008

So. I have finally given in to the pressure to create a blog. And to be honest, it really wasn't as hard as I expected...well, so far, so good anyway. I have no idea how long this will hold my interest or really, if it will ever make it past it's first post. Funnily enough, as I sit here typing, I also find myself at a loss for words! Ha!

Perhaps now would be a good time to publish....and play with some options to make this blog pretty.