Seasons Greetings

I have been taking the skin and hair class with Alyce over at Kit and Clowder and it has got me back into colouring as I haven't done a lot this year.  If you haven't checked out Alyce's classes you should.  I saw this challenge over at All dressed up and thought it was a good way to practise my colouring.  All dressed up are having a DT call if your interested.  Here is my card:

I used Digi image Three Little Christmas Girls from All dressed up
coloured with copics
Hair - E37, E33, E31, E11
           E33, E53, E51, E50
           YR18, YR15, E19, E08
Skin - E37, E33, E33, E31, E11
           E11, E00, E000, E0000, R20
           E00, E000, E000, E93
Clothes R29, R27, R24, R20,
              BV00, BV0000
              Y15, Y13, Y11,
              C9, C7, C5, C3
and clear, gold, buttermilk and lipstick spica pens.


Thanks for stopping by.

All dressed up clean and simple

This poor little blog has been neglected, but I do have a post for today.  I gave this card to my Nan for her birthday.  It's just a quick clean and simple card using the All Dressed Up digi image Party Girl 1, she comes in a set with her friends Three Little Party Girls.

I used Vintage Bliss paper and embellishment from Simple stories. 
Party girl 1 was printed on x-press it blending card and  coloured with these copics (I am guessing because I didn't write it down):
Skin E0000, E000, E00, E11 and R20
Hair YR20, YR21, E50, E51, E53
Clothes and shoes R81, R83, R85 and C1, C3, C5, C7 and C9.

I am entering this card in All Dressed Up Challenge #10 - Clean and simple.
Thanks for visiting.

An Autumn sketch in spring.

I thought I'd make another card and combine these two challenges. 
All Dressed Up Challenge #3 Autumn colours or Give Thanks
Sketch Saturday Week #283

For this card I coloured up Party Girl 3 from All Dressed Up (this image is actually sold as a set of  three called Three Little Party Girls) with these copics -
E11, E00, E000, E0000, R20
E33, E35, E29, E27, E25
Y15, Y13, Y11.
YR18, YR15, YR12, YR0000
Designer paper is Tangerine from My Minds Eye

Thanks for stopping by.

Cute just got cuter

I saw the sketch over at CAS(E) this sketch and thought of so many ways to use it. 

 

Here is my interpretation of the sketch, I did tweek it a bit by moving my main image down to the bottom, it seemed more balanced there.  I am thinking of giving this card to a friend who has just welcomed her first baby.

For this card I used the image Cute just got cuter a free image from All Dressed Up. 
The dog is coloured with these copics:
E31, E33, E35, E37.
B0000, B000, B02, B05
C1, C2.

I have entered this card into the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge #51.

Dance...

I stumbled across these All Dressed Up images and saw they had a challenge blog, so I decided I'd give it a go.  The image I have used is Abi Ballerina and she is actually a freebie (you can find it here)...I couldn't believe it as it's one of my favourites.  I also saw this sketch  over at Seize the Sketch #5 and thought it really highlighted Wendy Burns' beautiful image.

Image - Abi Ballerina All Dressed Up

Coloured with these Copics on Xpress it blending card

E11, E00, E000, E0000, R20

R85, R83,R81

E35, E33, E53, E51, E50

Blossom and pink spica.

I am entering this card in two challenges
All Dressed Up Challenge #1 - Anything Goes
Seize the Sketch #5

Card class with Alyce

Well I have been on a hiatus for quite some time.  To be perfectly honest I didn't realise how long.  Just been a little busy, we took a lovely trip to Queensland in July for our 20 year anniversary (I will share photos soon).  Since returning I haven't really felt like colouring, so I decided to take a few classes with Alyce from Kit n Clowder.  I really enjoyed her classes and loved getting the kits so I could put the cards together.  I often have difficulty putting cards together.  I tend to go for the clean and simple cards, so these are something completely different for me.

The first class I took was Picture Marci and here is my finished result.  Please note frantage is not my friend...I don't think it ever will be!

The second class/kit I completed was Charmings.  I used the no lines technique by stamping my image with toffee crunch momento ink.  All these pleats were an incredible but fun challenge for me.  And her hair well I am in awe of how Alyce colours hair so it was fun to see how she colours and learn from her.

 

I am so grateful to Alyce and Arnolds for making these kits/classes available for those of us who can't attend live workshops, as far as I know there are no copic classes offered anywhere near where I live.  It means I get to join in and learn new things without having to pay for airfares! 
If you haven't seen any of Alyce's work I suggest you head over to her blog Kit and Clowder and check it out.

Choc Chip Kaylee

I made this card to fit with Some Odd Girl's May sketch.  I love baking so I had to fill Kaylee's tray with choc chip cookies.  The spotted paper I used is one of my favourites (October Afternoon - Modern Homemaker Snickerdoodles), I have been hoarding it and finally decided to cut into it.  I paper pieced Kaylee's apron and oven mitts.  The rest of her was coloured with copics.

Stamp Gingerbread Kaylee Some Odd Girl

She is coloured with these copics:

Dress and shoes C9, C7, C5, C3.

Tray C2, C1

Biscuits E35, E33, E31, copic multiliner.

Hair E08, E09, E19, E29.

Skin E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20

 

Thanks for visiting.

Gretchen

A girls night out

My second card for this months Mad for Markers challenge (something for a girl) features Uptown Girls - Victoria and Juliette's night out a rubber stamp from Stamping Bella.  I coloured these girls to look like much, much, much older versions of my little girls. 

Coloured with these copic markers:

Dresses RV04, RV02, RV00, RV000 and YG06, YG03, YG00

Skin E11, E00, E000, R20

Hair E50, E51, E53 and E50, E37, E35, E33, E31

Wine YR00, YR000

Margarita R20, 0

Clear and Blossom Spica

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Audrey

This months Mad for Markers challenge theme is something for a girl.  I chose to go with the feminine icon Audrey Hepburn when I made this card which features Uptown Girl Audrey from Stamping Bella. 

This is the first Uptown girl I have coloured and have to say I love love love them.  Of course when I ordered them I had to get more than one to make it worth my while with shipping costs...well that's my reasoning anyway :)
Audrey was coloured with these copics
SkinE11, E00, E000, R20
Hair E31, E29, E27, E25
Blacks C9, C7, C5, C3, C2, C1
Pinks RV04, RV02, RV00, RV000
Kindy Glitz and Pink spica are also featured. 
The ribbon is recycled and the paper is Teresa Collins - Posh.

Thanks so much for stopping
Gretchen

Gifty Gwen is ready to party.

Have you ever visited the Some Odd Girl Community there are some fantastic, creative and talented people there.  They also have some fantastic challenges and inspiration ideas.  One challenge they are running at the moment is


I made this card to enter in the challenge

It uses SOG Gifty Gwen coloured with these copics:

Skin E11, E00, E000, R20.

Hair E53, E51, E50.

Dress and shoes BG18, BG15, BG13, B000, B0000

Jacket R85, R83, R81.

Present RV02, RV00, RV000, Y15, Y13, Y11.

 

Sentiment is from Baker Mae

Paper is My Girl from My Mind's Eye

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Autumn Kaylee

This month over at Mad for Markers our challenge is an Autumn tones photo inspiration

My card uses Kaylee's closet from Some Odd Girl.  I don't usually colour with Autumn tones but I do love this hair colour and will no doubt be using it more often.

 

Kaylee is coloured with these copics:

Hair E08, E09, E19, E29

Skin E000, E00, E11, R20

Dress YR12, YR15, YR18 and Gold Spica

Shoes E29, E27, E25

Shadows BV0000, BV00

Paper: A Walk in the Park - Echo Park

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Gretchen

Anzac Biscuits

I thought I'd share with you our Anzac biscuit recipe.  We make them for Anzac day every year as our way of remembering the men and women who have served our country. (We do make them at other times too).

ANZACS
(taken from The Central Cookery Book)
130g butter
1tbsp golden syrup
1c flour
pinch salt
1c coconut
1c sugar
1c rolled oats
2tsp bicarb soda
2tbsp boiling water
6 drops of vanilla


Preheat oven to 160oC.
Line biscuit trays with baking paper. 
Melt butter and golden syrup. 
Sift flour and salt.
Add sugar, coconut, rolled oats.
Dissolve bicarb in boiling water and add vanilla. 
Mix all ingredients together and mix well.
Roll into small balls and place on baking tray (allow room as biscuits will spread)
Bake in the oven for 10 mins
Allow to rest on the tray for 1/2 minute before lifting off to cool on a cake cooler.

I am not 100 percent happy with this recipe so I have found a few more ANZAC biscuit recipes I would like to try including this one I found at The Australian War Memorial Website it features an original recipe provided by Bob Lawson, an ANZAC present at the Gallipoli landing.

The Ode

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

To all those who have served and are serving our country thank you.

 

For more information on Anzac day you can look here.

Chasing purple butterflies

I saw the purple and green challenge over at Wild Orchid Challenge and thought I'd combine it with the anything goes Saturated Canary challenge.  I rarely use green and embellishing is really not my strong point, but here is what I created:

I used the digi Chasing Butterflies from Saturated Canary she is coloured with these copics:

V17, V15, V12, V09.

YG06, YG03, YG00,

C7, C5, C3, C2, C1

E35, E33, E31, E11, E00, E000,

R20, RV02

 

I used these products from Wild Orchid Crafts:

Vintage Seam Binding Ribbon Lilac

Lavender open roses 15mm

2 tone lilac tea roses 25mm

Lilac closed rose buds

Lilac semi open roses

 

Paper is La Di Da Collection from Kaisercraft.

Autumn Forest Friend Fairy

The theme over at Mad for Markers Challenge this month is an Autumn leaves photo inspiration.

 

 

Here is my card for this month.  I don't know what happened with the layout of this card...my next Autumn card will be much better..I hope.

I used Some Odd Girl digi - Forest Friend Fairy I think she is super cute but I am not a big fan of Autumn colours.  She is coloured with these copics (I forgot to write these down when I coloured her, so I am guessing I used-

Skin - E11, E00, E000, R20,

Clothes and wings YR18, YR15, YR12, YR00 and most likely E31, E25, E19

Bird Y15, Y13, Y11

Hair E33,E25, E19, E08, E09 (I think)

 

We'd love it if you joined in our April Challenge over at Mad for Markers

 

Monster birthday

I made this card for a friend of ours who turned 9, his name just happens to be the same as this monster.   I think it is simple but cute and funny. 

 

I used a

Digi stamp - Monster Chris from A Day for Daisies

I added the spots and coloured with copics:

B05, B02, B00, B000, B0000, YG06, YG03, YG00, C3, C2, C1

The font is smiley monster

 

I am entering this card into There She Goes 201 - Masculine challenge

 

Thank you for visiting.

Gretchen

 

Anya Styles like Carrie

I have been looking at Anya Styles rubber stamp for a while (waiting to get the chance to colour her) and she reminds me of Carrie from the Carrie Diaries.  I love fashion so maybe that is why I like Carrie Diaries so much...her clothes are fabulous for the 80's.
 

I thought I would colour Anya up and put her on a card in 80's style. 

For my card I used the stamp by The Greeting Farm Anya Styles, coloured with these copics:

Skirt and bow - RV04, RV02, RV00, RV000

Shirt, boots and bag - C9, C7, C5, C3, C2

Skin E11, E00, E000, R20

Hair E53, E51, E50

Shadows BV0000

I am entering this card in the Farm Fresh Friday embossing challenge over at Splendid Stamping with The Greeting Farm.  My black card has been embossed with a dots embossing folder.

Thanks for visiting
~ Gretchen

Pretty Pastel Princess

I saw the Pretty Pastels challenge over at the Saturated Canary Challenge blog and thought I'd make a card to enter.

I'm not really sure what is going on with this photo as I uploaded it and it was blurry, I  re-uploaded it via photobucket and it seems fine hmm not really sure why that is, something to do with compression rates? Any suggestions? Anyway onto my card for today :

 

 

For this card I used

Saturated Canary Digi - Butterfly Princess

Copics

Dress RV0000, RV00, RV02, BV00

Hair YR20, YR21, E31, YR0000

Skin E000, E00, E11, E93

Butterflies B000, RV0000

 

Paper embossed with dots

Flowers are from Wild orchid Craft

Twine Blossom from the Twinery





 

I am also entering this card into the Sketch Saturday challenge. 

 

Thanks for stopping by

~Gretchen

 

Easter Ideas (lots of photos)

Last year the girls dyed eggs to decorate the table

and we had our families around for lunch on Easter Sunday, which included these cute cupcakes and a yummy quinoa and roasted vegetable dish which I have no idea where the recipe came from(don't you hate when that happens) .

This year my husband has to work and it is his Mum's birthday so we aren't having lunch (we are having dinner with her on Saturday and morning/afternoon tea with my parents sometime), but here are some of the things we did to get ready for Easter.  The girls chose an Easter basket to make with the silhouette

We used 3D Easter bunny basket and bunny box 

Meg and I made these pinch bags filled with Easter eggs for her teacher and teacher's assistant.

We used the tutorial from Under a Cherry Tree (amazing tutorials), Pinch bag file from Lettering Delights and Nitwit Collections Spring Whimsy Kit

 

My daughter Nell saw jellybean butterflies while I was looking on pinterest and decided she wanted to make them.  Here is our version.

She made one for each of us with a bit of help.  Nell doesn't like jellybeans so hers is the little one with no beans.  These were so quick and easy

Meg's buddy is a lovely grade 6 girl and for Easter she made Meg a bunny tail and gave her some bunny ears and a chocolate.  So to thank her we made her a jellybean butterfly and decorated a bag for her. But I didn't photograph that :)

Here is the part where Meg says "Grandma don't look"  She wants to surprise you when you come around for morning tea.


We also did some cooking.  Although I don't know if these count as cooking they are Easter bonnets made out of Reese's mini peanut butter cups and Arnott's choc wheaten biscuits decorated with sprinkles from our pantry. They look more like Easter Akubra's but that's okay. 

My camera battery went flat so I didn't get more photos of the girls ones.

We also found some Caramel Hershey Kisses so we decided to make these.

The labels are a freebie from Anders and Ruff you will have to use a punch or if your like me cut them by hand.

We also continued our Easter tradition of making Kiss Biscuits.  I will share the recipe with you eventually.

This year we decided to ice them different colours and I think the girls did a fantastic job icing the biscuits and they taste delicious.  I just love the carrots.

Have a wonderful weekend
~ Gretchen

Some Odd Girl March Challenge

I had been meaning to do the sketch over at Some Odd Girl for their March Challenge and finally got around to it.  Initially I was going to do a summer themed card but there was already one of those in the entries so I decided to go with winter.  I should of done Kaylee's jacket blue as in red she looks like Santa.  Anyway here she is.

I used

SOG stamps - Kaylee's closet wardrobe, Kaylee's closet Winter Warmth

Copics

Skin - E000, E00, E11 and R20

Reds - R20, R24, R27, R29

Blacks - C1, C2, C3, C5, C7, C9

Shadows - BV00, BV0000

Snowflake was cut with the silhouette.

 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter

Here is my second Easter card for this year, actually ever - I don't normally make Easter cards.

For this card I used 

Duck duck goose - Saturated Canary digi.   

Copics -

Skin E000, E00, E11. R20

Hair and boots E31, E35, E37

Clothing Y11, Y13, Y15,  B93, B97, B99

Background G20, G24, G28, B0000 

Shadows BV0000, BV00

Paper - Springtime Echo Park

Washi tape - The Sweetest Thing My Minds Eye

Rose from Wild Orchid Craft

Font Bickham Script Two

 

~

 

 

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Easter.

Gretchen