The perfect way to spend a wintery Saturday

Hi folks,

It's a bleak, cold day in Melbourne today - perfect for spending time in my craft room, so that's just what I've been doing.  Yippee!  Working full-time, and trying to tend to the needs of the family, leaves little play time some weeks, and this past week has been one of those.

Yesterday afternoon we were all packed and ready to go away for the weekend, when I received a call from Ethan's school asking me to pick up my sick little boy.  Poor little thing is feeling pretty miserable, so we are staying home this weekend after all.  Hubby and eldest son are out watching a local football match, and Ethan is happy to snuggle on the couch and watch tv for a while, so I have been stamping.

I have a couple of cards to show you.  I've just got the Lovely As A Tree stamp set, which I have been wanting for a loooong time, so decided to use it on my Dad's birthday card.  (I don't think there's any danger of Pop checking out my blog before he receives this).  The main colours I've used in the card are Chocolate Chip and Old Olive.  I really love how the Old Olive paper from the Holiday Treasures Designer Series pack complements the tree image.  I've also stamped the Weathered background on a separate panel of Old Olive card, to help add to the masculine feel of the card.  I have stamped a tiny leaf from Lovely As A Tree onto olive card, punched it out and created a brad with my trusty Build-A-Brad set.  (It's been a few days since I've made a card with the BAB - didn't want you to think I was neglecting it, ha ha.)  The word "POP" is made using twill stickers, from my extensive stash of alphabet stickers that have been sorely neglected since I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!



Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, On Your Birthday, Weathered

Card: Chocolate Chip, Old olive, Close to Cocoa, Confetti Cream

DSP: Holiday Treasures

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa stampin' pads; Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Always Artichoke markers

Other: Sponge Daubers, Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain, Antique Brass Build-A-Brad, 1/2" circle punch, Nestabilities (rectangle & scalloped rectangle), horizontal slot punch, twill letter stickers and decorative scissors (not Stampin' Up!)

I LOVE the colours in this next card; white, baja breeze and kraft is one of my favourite combinations at the moment.  I love the look of white ink on kraft, and am also very partial to Sahara Sand ink on kraft (great match).  This card is intended for my parents-in-law, who are about to take our family on a fantastic holiday - an incredible experience.  To create the background of flowers, I stamped off once onto scrap paper, so the impression on the card is subtle.  I think everything else on this card is pretty self-explanatory, so I'll desist from waffling, and just show you the photo:



Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, En Francais

Card: Whisper White, Kraft, Baja Breeze

Ink: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand stampin' pads

Other: Eyelet border punch, sponge daubers, white embossing powder, Baja Breeze 5/8" striped ribbon, kraft taffeta ribbon, dimensionals

I have REALLY enjoyed spending a bit of time stamping today; I hate going days on end without making something.  I hope you enjoy looking at these cards; I sure enjoyed making them!

Christine :)