MISSING IN ACTION

WOW!! Where has the last 5 months gone?!?

I can't believe the last time I posted here was back in September last year!

I have good reason though ... I started up a facebook business page ... Julie's Handmade Creations ... to sell my handmade cards and other papercraft items and it has just taken off I'm happy to say :-)

I picked a bizarre time of the year to start it with the lead up to Christmas and was absolutely flat out trying to keep up with orders .... To the point where if I never saw another Christmas card or Christmas themed project I would've been happy ... Very bah humbug of me I know and I plan on being better organised for this year lol. Let's just say the no-one but my God Family were the only ones who got cards from me I'm ashamed to admit.  Thankfully Miss Bella (almost 10) made some beautiful cards for my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and Father-in-law who came on Christmas Day lol.

Having said that ... Where would I be if not for those who wanted something personal and different to give to their loved ones?

I am really hoping to get back into colouring and entering challenges now in between custom orders (of which I have 13 on the go right now ... phew!).  I have really missed the community spirit of blog land and getting immersed in all your talent with a cuppa in one hand and my trusty mouse in the other :-)

So, I am going to make my resolution this year to make a concentrated effort to post on here more often ... 

Hope you have all been well and happy and a belated Happy New Year for 2013 to you.

Ciao for now

Julie

xxx

 

My gorgeous Miss Isabella on her first day back at school last Wednesday.  Almost 10 years old and going into Year 5

It's just plain Redonkulous!!

Well I'm finally back! Wow I don't know where the time goes ... It's so funny someone will ask "Whatcha been up to?" and I'll reply with "Been so busy but couldn't really tell you what with!" I remember my Mum always telling me to stop wishing time away becaue one day you will realise how fast it really does go and you will want it to slow down ... Too true ...

Anyway, now that netball season is over all we have to concentrate on is Miss Bella's dance and cheerleading concert at the end of November (with just about every Sunday in October taken up with rehearsal!) and her busy and very hectic social life ... Tough for some lol.

So, onto today's offerings ... I found this awesome digi shop a little while ago called Redonkulous Designs and they have some of the cutest and cheekiest images I've seen ... When I found them on facebook I couldn't wait to buy some and get colouring.  As per usual I manage to colour and sometimes make a card but hardly ever seem to be able to get them onto my blog!

Well Redonkulous are having their first challenge and I really wanted to get this card onto my blog to enter.  The stamp is called Birthday Kisses and you can buy it here.  As I was searching for challenges a couple of days ago to try and inspire me I found the challenge at Dream Valley that was perfect for this card ... It's "Something Old, Something New" and while my Redonkulous image is pretty new, the paper and the chipboard sentiment that I used I have had in my stash for well over 18 months!!

Looking forward to being back in the 'blog saddle' on a more regular basis ...

So until next time

Ciao

Julie

Used:

Paper: SU! CS, patterned paper from stash

Stamps:  Redonkulous  "Birthday Kisses" digi stamp

Other: SU! ruffled ribbon, chipboard sentiment from stash

CHALLENGES I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

Redonkulous Designs - Challenge #1 - Celebrations

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Things That Make You Go Awwww (18/9)

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog - Challenge # 26 - No Flowers (17/9)

Natalie and Amy's Challenge Blog - Challenge #1 - Anything Goes (30/9)

Stamp and Create - Anything Goes (30/9)

Dream Valley Challenges - Challenge #40 - Something Old, Something New (16/9)

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 171 - Layers (15/9)

One Stop Craft - Challenge #198 - No floral embellishments (15/9)

Delicious Doodles - Challenge #1 - Celebrations (13/9)

Yep, I'd say the Mojo is Back ...

Hello again from me in chilly old Newcastle, Australia ....

Can you believe this?!? My mojo has come back and I'm enjoying it while I can ... It's probably all the time I've had to blog surf while I've been trying to look after my blasted broken toe!!  All that inspiration has tweaked the creative part of my brain he he ...

So, I've had this Kenny K image coloured for a few weeks now and really wanted to be in a creative frame of mind/mood when I made a card with her ... I'm glad I waited coz I'm kinda happy with the way the card has turned out ... What do you think?

I have been going through a phase of distressing all my coloured images with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink all over them to kinda 'dull down' the colour. I'm loving it ...

I've followed the sketch over at Deconstructing Jen for this card and was inspired by the photo over at Cupcake Inspirations have found a few other challenges that I will enter her into ...

I've flipped the image 90 deg right

But for now I'm off to bed ... Hubby is already there watching the Tour de France and the deal in our house is that while 'The Tour' is on and he wants to watch it in bed I have to get a back rub to help me fall asleep ... gotta luv that lol ...

So until next time

Ciao

Julie

PS:  I am going to take a better photo of this in the  morning with natural light coz this photo does the card no justice ... It looks sooomuch better in real life ...

CHALLENGES I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

Deconstructing Jen - Sketch #61

Cupcakes Inspirations - Challenge #169

Card Makin' Mamas - Challenge #50 - 1, 2, 3 .. Recipe (3/8)
(Use 1 image / 2 x designer papers / 3 embellishments)
Papertake Weekly - All things Girly  
DYSU - Challenge #81 - Food
Simply Create Too - Challenge #18 - Use it Two Times (at least) - (3/8)
(Flowers, Gems, PP strips)
Poodles Parlour - Use a Digi Stamp (27/7)
Allsorts Challenge Blog  - Week #164 - Distressing (27/7)
(I've distressed the edges of the PP and used Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink)

USED:

Paper: SU! CS, MME Lost & Found Madison Avenue, Kaisercraft Lakehouse

Stamps:  Kenny K Troublemake digi, Bizzy Becs digi ticket

Other:  WOC flowers, Kindyglitz, gems.  Coloured with Copics.

Red, White and Blue ....

Just a quick post tonight ... Got to be up bright and early for Miss Bella to be at netball at 8.15am and early Saturday mornings are soooo hard ... It's freezing cold but so worth watching Missy Moo play, score goals and do her little "yeah, I got a goal" dance lol ...

Anyway, I really wanted to get this card posted for Sweet Stampin's challenge this week ... "Use the colours of your Nation's flag" ... These are colours that are definitely out of my comfort zone but I persevered because that's what challenges are all about aren't they?  So I definitely wanted to get it finished, photographed and on my blog before I head to my nice artificially heated (electric blankets ... gotta love 'em lol) bed ...

Hope you like the card, I think it turned out reasonably OK and until next time,

Ciao

Julie

CHALLENGES I'D LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

Sweet Stampin - "Use the colours of your Nation's flag"

(Red, White and Blue - for Australia)
Stamp and Create - Hands Full of Love (5/8)

(My gorjuss Girl is holding her teddy)
Digi Doodle Shop - Challenge #117 - Anything Goes (26/7)

USED:

Paper:  SU! CS, SU! DSP

Stamps:  Gorjuss Girl Lost Heart

Other:  WOC flowers, Nestabilities Labels 2 die, lace, bow and rub on sentiment from stash

Pretty in Lilac

Well, school holidays are over ... it's first day back and this is my first post of this school term ...

I am soooo very excited because I got my Wild Orchid flower delivery late yesterday afternoon and after I checked off my items I counted up how many flowers I actually ordered and am (only slightly) embarrassed to report that the total number of flowers ordered was .... drum roll please .... 2020!!  Yep I said 2020!!  Slightly OTT I agree but soooo worth it lol.

I made this card last night and said to my husband "It's amazing what a little flower inspiration can do to get the creative juices flowing" ... 

I just love these Saturated Canary images by Krista Smith ... As much as I love them and love colouring them I find some of them quite difficult as they are so detailed but I am always happy to give them a go lol.  After colouring this sweet girl the card just came together in a monochromatic theme and I have found a number of challenges that she will fit into perfectly.

I hope that those of you whose children are back at school this week are enjoying the peace and quiet and find a little time for some well deserved crafting lol .... I know I will ...

Thanks for visiting, please leave a comment if you feel like it

and until next time

Ciao

Julie

CHALLENGES I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

There's Magic in the Air with Paper Cupcakes - Sketch (23/7)

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog - Challenge #22 - Glitter and Bling (23/7)

The Paper Makeup Stamps Challenge - Digi Makeover Challenge #45 (21/7)

Whimsy Stamps - Challenge #47 - Monochromatic (18/7)

Poodles Parlour - Challenge # - Use a digi stamp (27/7)

Totally Papercrafts - #125 - Lots of Layers (20/7)

Saturated Canary - Challenge #21 - Bling It Out (19/7)

Crafty Creations - Challenge #178 - Free For All (18/7)
Papertake Weekly Challenge - All things Girly
Crafts and Me - Challenge #93 - Ribbon and a Bow
Crafty Creations - Tags Challenge #170
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
 

USED:
Paper:  SU! CS, SU! DSP
Stamps:  Saturated Canary Ava digi stamp
Other:  Mesh, kindyglitz, ribbon, chipboard heart, brad and rhinestones all from stash.  WOC flowers, Magnolia doo hickey tag die. Coloured with Copics.

Everyone's had a moment like this .....

Hi from chilly Newcastle Australia ... bbbrrrr ...

Dress & Tiara: RV34/32/000 B23/21/000  Boots: E74/71/70  Present:  E44/43/41/40  Hair: E29/27/25  Skin:  E51/50/0000 R21

I coloured this Lilly of the Valley image called "It's my Birthday" and entered it into a facebook competition that they are having and just noticed that their challenge over at Lili's Little Fairies this week is for "Pretty and Pink".

I think we've all had moments where we feel like this or many of us have little princesses who have had moments like this lol ... I know I cananswer yes to both of them ha ha.

I apologise for the quality of the photo ... I just cannot seem to get my pictures nice and bright when I take their photo and the photo just doesn't do the card justice ... I think I'm going to have to do some research into this ....

Anyway, hope you like the card and until next time ...

Ciao

Julie

CHALLENGES I'D LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

Lilli's Little Fairies (LOV) - Pretty in Pink (19/7)

Card Makin' Mamas - Challenge #49 - Rubber (Break out the rubber stamps) (20/7)

Crafty Ribbon - Challenge #23 - Photo Inspiration (18/7)

Scrap Creations - Use something bought in the last two weeks (16/7)
(I have just bought the Kaisercraft PP, the SU! pleated ribbon and the cherry blossom flowers)

USED:

Paper:  SU! CS, Kaisercraft The Lakehouse PP

Stamps:  Lilly of the Valley (LOV) "It's my Birthday"

Other:  Wild Orchid Flowers (coloured with my copics to match), SU! scallop punch and pleated ribbon, coloured with copics

Third card for the day!!

Oh my gosh .... I don't post for weeks / months and then all of a sudden I'm onto post #3 for today lol.  Well I can blame my hubby and our friend Terry having their birthdays this month and me having the evening to myself because Miss Bella has gone to her friend Jade's house for the night so I'm managing to sit down and post ....

I can't believe how little time I get to spend making cards yet alone posting them on my blog! I can find the time to colour but then trying to find the time and mojo to actually create cards is a different thing lol.  

So, as mentioned in previous posts it has been our friend Terry's birthday and also my hubby Gray's birthday and this is the card that I made for my hubby from Bella and myself ...

Bella and I had a big day planned for Gray, with breakfast out, maybe the movies or bowling or just heading up the vineyards, but of course the 'Gods' had a different birthday in mind for Gray ... His birthday fell on a Sunday but I broke my toe on the Wednesday night ... Well it was actually 2am Thursday morning ... I slammed my little toes into the lounge and it was UNBEARABLE ... the pain was soooo intense!! Over the next couple of days I was of course "It's all good, I can still walk on it so I can't have done too much damage!" Famous last words lol ...

We ended up spending the morning of Gray's birthday at the Dr's where she took one look at it and just said very sombrely "Mmmm, looks like you've broken it. You'll need to go and have an x-ray first thing tomorrow but stay off it in the mean time" ... So, we managed lunch and a day spent at home instead lol.  Gray said that for him it was the perfect birthday just hanging out with his girls and having a snooze but I think we have a bit to make up for!!

Anyway, I hope you like the card I made from us ... I was pretty happy with the way it turned out and welcome your comments and feedback.

Until next time, be good and take care of yourself

Ciao

Julie

CHALLENGES I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THIS CARD INTO:

 Creatilicious - Challenge #35 - Anything Goes (14/7)

Paper Play Challenges - Week 27 - Happy Birthday (12/7)

Paper Pretties PWC 213 - Celebrate - Any ocassion

Whimsy Stamps - Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Challenge #106 - No Girls Allowed
Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog - Challenge # 122 - Anything Goes 
Papertake Weekly Challenges - Anything Goes 

Used:
Paper:  SU! CS, Kaisercraft PP
Stamps:  The Greeting Farm Dressy Edward digi stamp, SU! sentiment
Other:  Tim Holtz walnut stin distress ink, clear glaze around distressing, coloured with copics.