Monday, December 31, 2012

My monthly favourites of 2012


I saw a few other people where doing a yearly wrap up of there favourite projects that they had made.. So thought I would take a peek back at mine and see what ones where my favourite for each month..
Its been a great way to see how my card making has developed over the year..
Well as I didnt start blogging cards till March I will start there..

March


April


 May


June


July


August


September


October


November


December


So that's the year in review for me.. Have a look back at what you have made I would love to see your favourite of the month..  
Happy New year.. 
Looking forward to all the new crafting possibilities ahead..
Sandy :)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

WOYWW #186


Well Christmas is done and dusted bring on the New Year for a fresh start to a new year of crafting possibilities.. 
I have learnt so much this year and have had such a good time learning new things and discovering the world of blogging (new friends),  youtube crafting and pinterest.. The information out there is mind blowing... Cant wait to see what I find out and learn next year...
So my desk is tidy this week nothing going on but am going to break out the new stamp set in the next few days..
So here is my desk.....



For those of you who wanted to see the exploding box that has been on my desk in pieces, here is the finished item.. Link Here for more photos.....



Caught up with 3 of my long time friends last Friday and we went to my favourite place for lunch and stayed chatting for afternoon tea.. A local Chocolate factory..  It was a wonderful day and the food was yummy..


So hope you have a great peek around desks and make sure that you link up with Julia's Stamping Ground this WOYWW? 

Have a great 2013...
Sandy :)

Monday, December 24, 2012

Challenges 4 Everybody #10 DT

Its time for Challenges 4 Everybody #10. 
This week we are sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs They are giving away 4 free images to our randomly picked winner..  We would love to come and visit your blog and see your creation..  As always its everyone's favourite Anything goes.. 

I have been working on bits of this for a few weeks now and thought I would pop it on here as close to Christmas as I could get it to say...
 Merry Christmas to you all..
I have been looking at a lot of youtube videos of how to make these exploding boxes. I ended up coming up with one with my own sizes so that I could use my Kaisercraft 6x6 Christmas paper packs.. I used a lot of blending with walnut stain all around the edges of everything, I had very inky fingers.. I used cream card stock and blended with walnut stain and red card stock was Kaisercraft..  Little pine cone,  flowers, birdcage, bird and leaves where all Tim Holtz dies..  Brads where Stampin Up.. 
My second use of washi tape thought it needed a little something on that side and it fitted with the theme with the birds..  
So here is my exploding box....





The light brown flowers where made for me from a friend (thanks Elizabeth) and they fitted so well here, just the perfect color.. I will so have to get that die they are so pretty..


The stocking where hung saying is a Kaisercraft rub on..  Flowers where white and I first inked it lightly in red and then the walnut stain gave it a bronze look that I quite like.. 
I would like to welcome a new follower to my little blog, welcome April, just arrived in time for Christmas. 

I would like to enter this in the following challenges..
The Squirrel and the fox Christmas
Crafty hazelnuts Christmas challenge 
Crafty Mess challenge blog Vintage Christmas
Make it Monday

Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New year
Take care if travelling around..
Sandy :)

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WOYWW this Xmas?

Hi all, I was excited my parcel finally came that I ordered.. Did you see I finally got one of those tape gliders, no more pulling backing off tape for me.. (Well maybe will have to use up all the rolls of tape I have stashed).. I also got some stampers anonymous stamps and cant wait to get them all inky.. Then there is the magnificent Tim Holtz bag I bought too, it was wonderful, like getting Christmas presents early..  I blinged up my desk for Christmas and put my tree I made on it just for all of you to say 
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends and eat drink and be merry.. If you are travelling around take care..
So here is my desk...


Update on the veggie garden, (my other work desk)... 
Its going mad with all the rain we have had. We finally finished all the paths and popped some logs on the corners of the gardens so the hose doesn't get tangled..  This 6 bed system is so much easier to manage we made the paths wider too much easier for the wheelbarrow to get around, it took a bit to do, but as you can see everything is booming.. The Zucchini plants are huge and the pumpkins are running everywhere.. Still no tomato's but they should be ripe soon.. We have picked heaps of snow peas and are just starting to pick beans.. I did manage to get some carrots to germinate will try again after Christmas..
So here is our veggie garden..


I would like to welcome to my little blog a new follower Jennifer.. Grab a cuppa and have a peek around hope you find something to inspire and get you all inky..
So hope you have a great peek around desks and make sure that you link up with Julia's Stamping Ground this WOYWW? 

Merry Christmas 
Sandy :)

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

WOYWW #184


Today I am in the middle of making one of those exploding boxes.. Hope to get it finished by the weekend lots of little bits to it but am enjoying doing something a little different..  I always like to do something new to me..  There are so many of them on youtube for inspiration.. So just had a cuppa and browsed away.. Then I did my own thing as many of the measurements called for 12 x 12 sheets of cardstock.. I wanted to use my 6x6 paper packs to make it and by doing it a little smaller.  I was able to just cut one sheet into 4 and cover the inside and outside with only 2 and a half sheets of my 6x6 paper packs.. They are such lovely papers from Kaisercraft and think they will look lovely for this.. Lots of inked edges, so very inky fingers at the moment and lots of drying time so nothing gets all smudgy.. 
So here is my desk...


I did make a card to pop my little birdcage in. Thanks for all the suggestions last week of what to do.. I just popped a little brad at the top and hooked the little birdcage over the top.. 


It was such fun last week also to catch up with another WOYWWer.  Eliza at Queenartoypia and I met at her lovely workplace the gardens are so lovely and the day was just perfect..  We chatted away about all things crafty while drinking lots of coffee.. Those lovely flowers on the right of my desk and the little pinecone and leaves are a present that Eliza made and gave to me I am using a few on my exploding box.. We had a bit of a swap of dies, was lovely to get some ones to use that I do not have yet.. 
So hope you have a great peek around desks and make sure that you link up with Julia's Stamping Ground this WOYWW? 
Have a great day
Sandy :)

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Challenges 4 Everybody #9 DT

Its time for Challenges 4 Everybody #9. This week we are sponsored by
 Bugaboo Stamps.. They are giving away 7 free images to our randomly picked winner.. How cool is that??  We would love to come and visit your blog and see your creation..  As always its everyone's favourite Anything goes..  I would also like to welcome some wonderful new people to the Design team 
Sharon Crafty hugs
They have wonderful creative cards on there blogs don't forget to drop in and say hi..

We all got to choose and image and I chose this wonderful Rose image to have a play with.  I thought it was so lovely and was really happy with the way it printed up on the Raspberry ripple card stock and the crispness of the image on the white card stock .  I fussy cut  the rose image and hand cut the leaves. Bit tricky with the leaves, sponged the edges in black and drew the vein on with black marker. Then I popped the rose out to give it some dimension..  Punched out 3 little tags with the tag punch from Stampin'up and popped a black brad in it..
So here is my card...




I am going to enter this card into the following challenges..
The Squirrel and the fox Summer or Winter
Casual Fridays Create a clean and simple project that features a knot or knots. 
Southern girls challenge  Endless summer.. To me summer is the smell of roses in the garden and the house, as I love the cut flowers inside. So I think my rose counts as summer..
Have a great day
Sandy :)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Christmas Decoration and card

Hi everybody, had fun making this little bird cage decoration with the Tim Holtz movers and shapers bird and a cage die cut.. I cut the cage out in craft card stock and then inked it up with walnut stain.  The mini tags is a punch from Stampin'up and the Merry Christmas was from the stampin'up set Teeny tiny sentiments. Papers where from Kaisercraft Dear Santa 6x6 paper pack. The card is 4 inch x 12 inch and scored at 4 and 8 inch very easy card to make.. Then I just cut the front 2 panels from corner to corner.. Wanted to have something to be able to slide the little birdcage in.. I just popped a brad on the back and slid the birdcage over the top of it to hold it there.. 

So here is my card...




I would like to welcome a new follower to my little blog of cards Miss Cindy.  Hope you pop in every now and then and say hi..

I am going to enter this into the following challenges

Fussy and fancy challenge I love Christmas
Q K R Stampede Holliday Cheer
Jingle Belles Rock Anything (holiday) goes
Have a great day 
Sandy :)

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

WOYWW? 183


Just a quick post today of my desk.  Making a few little decorations that I intend to pop into a Christmas card somehow..  I haven't quite figured that out yet, but I do like the way the little birdcages turned out.. Its the Tim Holtz mini bird and cage set, movers and shapers. I did it with craft paper then sponged with walnut stain.. 

So here is my desk..


Close up of the birdcage...


So hope you have a great peek around desks and make sure that you link up with Julia's Stamping Ground this WOYWW? 
Have a great day
Sandy :)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

WOYWW? #182

Thought I would take the long view of my desk today just to show that, yea my desk is a little bigger that a few feet that I normally show..  I have 2, 12 inch cutters one has a swirly cutter on it and the other is a straight one.. My scoring board is there under the little container I keep some of the papers that I am working with at the moment.. I just have my stamps all stacked in the basket.  I really need some better storage for them now, this was working for me till I bought more and now they just don't fit anymore.. My bigshot normally goes under my desk when not in use it has a little spot there.. I moved some of my stickles into one of my little buckets so they are upside down after seeing Julia's last week in her holder, this is much better. Thanks for that tip, they do work much better without the air and bubbles now.. Plus they are handy there at the moment with me using them so much at the moment..
So here is my desk....


Here is the card I finished on the weekend 
with the papers I had on my desk last week...
 

So hope you have a great peek around desks and make sure that you link up with Julia's Stamping Ground this WOYWW? 
Have a great day
Sandy :)

Monday, November 26, 2012

Christmas Card

I have been making Christmas cards and having a bit of a play with these great papers from Kaisercraft the Belle collection.. I have been playing around with banners and I really like these traditional colors..  I so love the wording on the paper it is so pretty too, raised and very sparkly..
I didn't follow a sketch or anything I know surprise, surprise just mucked around with little bits of paper and ribbon.. I was doing the card Hokey pokey...
You place it here, 
you place it there. 
You put it on
then move it all around..

So here is my card...




I am going to enter this in the following challenges 
One stop craft challenge Traditional Christmas
Make it Monday Anything goes

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Challenges 4 Everybody #8 DT

Hi all, well another 2 weeks has gone by and its time for 

Have you joined in yet?? Its just a bit of fun to do and we get so many awesome entries.. Its so interesting to see what other people are doing.. Great to get that mojo flowing when its taken a hike.. As always its anything goes so go ahead link that next project up we would love to come to your blog and take a peek.. 

My friend and I bought these wooden trees and then painted them, we had such fun and lots of giggles.  Mine is silver and hers was gold.. We sprinkled glitter all over them when it was wet to make them sparkle..  I really like the way they turned out..  I found these lovely clear glass Christmas ornaments and tied the red ribbon on them and onto all the branches.. They are so delicate looking, they don't really show up that well on the photo... I really like this on my dining table.. 
I so love Christmas, love all the family gatherings and so love decorating the house.  Its a big thing in our house on December the 1st we go all out.. Table runners, ornaments, the all important tree, door decorations, even the coffee mugs get changed to Christmas ones..  It all goes so quickly and then it feels like its time to pack up in no time.. January 1st it all comes down again, so its such a special month... 

So here is my tree table decoration...



I am also going to enter this is the following challenges
Make it Monday anything goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings anything but a card with ribbon
Anything but a card #6 
Sparkles forum challenges Christmas is coming

Have a great day 
Sandy :)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Merry Monday #42




I decided to join in on the challenge at Merry Monday #42 I have not joined in for a little while and as I am still a few short on Christmas cards, thought this was a great way to get a few more done... I really liked the lovely sketch by Margaret Moody and think I will make a few more of these in different colors.. 

So here is my card for the Merry Monday Sketch....



I am going to enter this in the following challenges 
Merry Monday #42 Sketch
Crazy 4 Challenges Put a bow on it
Hiding in my craft room Christmas

I would also like to welcome a new follower to my little blog Carole.  So glad that you have decided to follow hope you pop in every now and again and say hi..
Special thanks to all, for all the lovely comments I receive on my blog.. I read and appreciate every one of them, so thank you so much...

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

WOYWW #181

Hi all WOYWW  at Julia's Stamping Ground. Well I have put everything away that is not Christmas related as I really need to make a few more Christmas cards.. Think I am about 6 short so not too bad, think I will make a few doubles of the same card..
So here is my desk....


All the wood is stacked and we are all finished till next year Yay, Woot, Woot, thanks for all the lovely comments about my stacking of the wood.. The photo below was one I took near where we got the wood.  It was so pretty this bush all out in flower all speckled throughout the bush..  I have no idea what its called but thought you might like to see it too..




I wanted to share this really cute link to a cat foster carer called John. He has a livestream camera feed of a litter of kittens he is caring for.. They are called the Spice Kittens and its so cute to watch there antics..   As so many of you love your cats I thought you might like to have a peek... 
Livestream link to The Spice Kittens

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Christmas Card

Hi all, got to have a play with the sketch from retro sketches today.  I am still a few short of Xmas cards so thought it was time I started to remedy the situation..  This was such a cute one from Retro Sketches the sketch was done by Arielle. The trees where a freebie in July from The Alley Way Stamps. I printed them out onto green and blinged them up with some stickles and cut them out.. All the papers where Kaisercraft.. 
So here is my card...





I am also entering this in the following challenges 
Tanda Stamps Anything Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge Christmas card

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

WOYWW #180



Well I have been very busy but only a little of it has been craft related..
So here is my desk.....

We have been getting our wood in for next year and I have been busy stacking it under our wood shed.  We can only get it till the 30th of November then its off limits as its fire season... They are thinning it out before they do a burn off..  I stacked all this wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow all by myself...
Here is the wood....



The vegetable garden is growing great, only trouble we are having is getting the carrots to germinate, they are being stubborn.. This is the Lettuce snow peas and onions.. 
So here is the vegetable garden....


This is the photo from just a few weeks ago they have really grown when you see it like this...

So I am off to take a peek at other desks and see what everyone is up to on this 180th WOYWW

Have a great day 
Sandy :)

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Challenges 4 Everybody #7

Hi all, well another 2 weeks has gone by and its time for 
I so look forward to seeing and commenting on all the fantastic projects every fortnight that everyone comes up with.  
 We so enjoyed working with Cara on our design team and wish her well, her cards are amazing and I will be popping into her blog 
Purple Princess pretty things  to keep in touch..

Today I am using  the new stamp I bought last week, I so adored it knew it was going to get inked up straight away... It has such lovely detail, its called Botanical and its from Kaisercraft.
The card stock and ink are all  Wisteria wonder by Stampin'up, I seem to get hooked on colors at the moment last week it was all Raspberry ripple..  Needed a few thank you cards in my stash of cards and think this one fits the bill nicely..
So here is my card....






I am also going to enter this is the following challenge
Make it Monday anything goes


Have a great day 
Sandy :)