Inkspiration Colour Challenge # 7

Well do you believe that I am actually back and putting up another post, only two days after the last one (rather than two months!!) Anyway I thought I would spend the day in my newly cleaned and organised study and do a touch of stamping. (It also helped that my husband has headed off to golf and I figure the housework will still be there tomorrow...Monday.....

So today I thought I would have a go at the Inkspirations Colour Challenge #7 and to assist with the layout use (my version) of the Mojo Monday #86 sketch










And then here is what I came up with......








I have used:
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Sage Shadow, Really Rust & Chocolate Chip
Stamp Sets: Eastern Blooms & Priceless
Accessories: DSP Outlaw (from last years Catalogue), Really Rust Marker (from the Earth Elements set) and Dazzling Diamonds.

And I must say (for once) I am actually happy with my entry to this challenge (but would love to know what you think).

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Cheers

Yes I am Still Here.

Well so much for not leaving it as long between posts!! I am really not sure where the time goes. Since posting last time I have finished work and started my parental leave (12 months!!) YAY!!! Although very scary with only 7 weeks until our little bundle of joy arrives!!

I had thought that not having the work committment to honour each week that I would have more time for stamping. How wrong I have been, instead I seem to have spent the time cleaning and getting everything organised for the new arrival.

Today was spent cleaning out my study, come stamping space, which turned out being very beneficial. I spent some time going through my collection of stamps and found I number of sets I had forgotten I had bought.......(does this happen to anyone else??)

Anyway I have been meaning to make a birthday card for my husband (for his birthday on Saturday) and I had also wanted to get my act together and enter another one of Keesh's challenges and also add a post to my blog (to let you know that I am still here!!). So what better way than to use a stamp set (that I don't think has ever been inked up before) and combine all tasks into the one card...............And here it is:














Now not exactly like the sketch, I know, but it is similar!!

Although must say with the exception of the stamp set (Birthday Whimsy), the little piece of Wild Wasabi (one of last years 'In Colour' Colours) and the strip of red ribbon the rest is non Stampin Up material!!

Anyway must run and finishing cleaning up this area (which now has a little more mess added to it since I finished making this card!!) But will definately be back again (soon!!).

Cheers

I'm Back....Briefly!

Life has been rather hectic of late, so hence the first "thing" to go has been stamping and being able to enter any challenges.

Not really sure where the time has gone, but the last month has been busy with baby shopping, catching up with family and arranging new wedding and engagement rings (which I finally have by the way and I absolutely love them!!!)

Anyway one of my (many) goals for this weekend was to post again on my blog (albeit a short post!) Have therefore spent sometime this afternoon creating this card.....

To create this card I have used the layout for Mojo Monday Challenge (#77) and used the following:

Cardstock: River Rock, Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke & Very Vanilla
DSP: Le Jardin
Ink: Always Artichoke
Stamp: Not from Stampin Up
Accessories: Flower and Half White Pearls from Pretties Kit, Dazzling Diamonds (for the bling factor!!)

For a quick 'play around' I am quite happy with the result, although I must apologise for the photo. My camera has a flat battery so I scanned this one with my scanner/printer so not totally clear (but thought if I left it until the camera batteries were charged it maybe another month before I actually upload!!)

Anyway til next time (hopefully it won't be too long between posts this time).

Gemma

PS Have been meaning to say to everyone who has left a message since I first began posting - THANK YOU. Your comments have meant a lot.

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #4 Entry

When I saw this colour challenge I thought - what better way to get challenge the boundaries of my comfort zone. These are definately colours I wouldn't usually use and then (just because that wasn't enough of a challenge) - I realised that I did not have an ink pad in any of the colours. Not letting this deter me I thought I would 'have a go' at this colour challenge.








I think I was a little heavy handed with the dazzling diamonds (must be the lasting influence of my upline(Yvonne Campbell) after taking part in her Xmas Club - all projects appeared to have an additional 'bling' step added for those who were keen!!)

Anyway will wait and see what you think.
Cheers
Gemma

Another Challenge - Another Entry

The past week has been a little less dramatic - no lost wedding or engagement rings. However it seems lately that the only time I spend time stamping is when I see a challenge and think 'I'm going to have a go at that!'. Before I started entering challenges I would regularly surf the net and see the fantastic creations the very talented people out in cyberspace came up with and consequently enter into the numerous challenges.

Despite not having a blog to upload my attempts to I always found a reason not to participate - usually because I felt my creations were no match for the ones I would see. Then I read something on someone's blog (sorry can't remember where I read this!) that said competing in challenges makes us move out of our comfort zone; Using colours, techniques or stamp sets that we perhaps wouldn't use. I thought this was an excellent point and since then have tried to push myself out of my comfort zone and participate in more of these challenges.

Keeping this is mind today my entry is for the Mojo Monday #72 Challenge. This challenge was based around the sketch below and my attempt/entry.












To further push myself out of my comfort zone I also plan to participate in the Inkspirations Colour Challenge shown on Keesh's website. So will be back in the next day or so with my entry into this challenge.

Till Next Time.
Gemma

Events of the Past Week!!

The last week has been busy with trips to Perth (for doctor's appointments/scans, shopping etc), work and general home "stuff". However one event we didn't account for was losing my wedding and engagement rings!! A few weeks ago my husband decided that we would look into having an eternity ring made, so we went and saw the same jeweller who made my wedding ring a few years ago. He then assisted us in designing a ring that would fit with the current arrangement.

Anyway to cut a long story short we headed back to Perth on Thursday to visit our Obstetrician (for our 20 week scan) and also pick up my engagement, wedding and (new)eternity ring. When my husband went to the jewellers they couldn't locate the rings (and were in a state of panic) anyway after much searching and reviewing of the video survelliance footage they managed to locate the rings (well sort of).......we have been told that they think our/my rings have been accidently thrown out in the rubbish and have ended up in landfill (somewhere)!!!!

Now I guess I should be upset (and don't get me wrong I am not pleased with the findings!), however both my husband and I have come to the conclusion that in the bigger picture this is a minor event. To clarify this......we have had a few difficulties in starting a family (4 miscarriages over the last 2 1/2 years), and on Thursday we were told that all is looking well with the current pregnancy. With that in mind we have decided that we won't get too stressed with the whole ring debacle and on the positive side I will now get three new rings free of charge (either in the same design as before or I can decide on a new design - not sure what I will do!!)

So as you can see the last few days have been interesting.

This morning I decided to spend sometime stamping and was pleased to see a new sketch challenge from Makeesha's website emailed through. I enjoy participating in the sketch challenges as I have to confess that coming up with layout for cards/scrapbooking pages is the "thing" I find most challenging when stamping.

The challenge sketch was.......

Anyway enjoyed this challenge and created three different cards this afternoon. My favourite being......

And the other two were:











Anyway I am now off to have a look at baby products on the web and perhaps also see if I can find a site or two that will give me some ideas of different ring designs.

Cheers
Gemma

Baby Cards

Finally I make it back here to post again!! Since setting up my blog and posting for the first time (with grand plans to post regularly - ha ha!), I don't seem to have found the time to get back. We have had visitors for the Australia Day long weekend and they left this morning (rather early for a Sunday!) But on the up side I have then spent some time cleaning up my study, come stamping area and then also spent some time creating!

With my whole life at the moment being consumed with baby 'stuff' what else would one create but a baby (thank-you) card - thought I would have a play around with cards/designs etc so that when the baby arrives I will have some idea of the 'thank-you' cards I want to create/make and send out. I am sure this is good in theory not sure how it will work in practice, when I am sleep deprived and have a screaming baby. I guess only time will tell.

Anyway this is what I have come up with.

Boy's Card......

Stamp Set(s) - Favourite Teddy Bear, Thank-You Stamp is not

from Stampin Up
Cardstock - Brilliant Blue, Chocolate Chip

DSP - Dashing

We don't know whether we are having a boy or girl so have played around with cards for each.

Girl's Card......

Stamp Set(s) - A New Little Someone, Thank-You Stamp is not from Stampin Up

Cardstock - Purely Pomegranate, Pretty in Pink

DSP - Berry Bliss

The layout is based on one of the Christmas Card projects I completed as part of Yvonne Campbell's Christmas Club. I must say I am not entirely happy with them, but they are a start and a good excuse to spend some more time 'playing!'.

Til next time.

Gemma