Pique-nique à la Française

Good Day
Hope you had a lovely weekend and that you are looking forward to this new week. Here, summer seems never-ending. I know some of my fellow countrymen would hope for a never-ending summer, but I do wish for a bit of winter.
When I opened my blog this morning Cupcake Craft Challenge has an Ooh La La challenge. That can be just French. Since I had some great memories of our stay there in the mountain areas and probably our favourite favourite way of relaxing were walking in the mountains and having a picnic next to a small stream, where my boys can play in. The French love walking in the mountains and to have picnics were they come.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to do another card for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge MMSC138, this time the card has a bit more meat around the bone. The digi is from Shelly's image and is called wine basket and it have all the real good French picnic stuff: wine, cheese and baguette, oh and fresh fruit. The sentiment is from Desert Diva, I've just changes the background colour with Photoshop. Father's day is just around the corner. The dotted paper is from DoCrafts, that I got with Papercard essentials magazine.Used a cuttlebug emboss template on the red and used a torn ruler for the torn edge of the white that I distressed with chalk and I used my Crafter's companion ultimate pro to make the ribbon, it makes life much easier. I know the flag of France is vertical, but for my card I've turn the ribbons horizontal.
I'm entering in the following challenges:
Midnight Madness MMSC138 - Sketch
Cupcake Craft Challenge #191 - Ooh la la - Something French
Craft Your Passion #109 - Torn/Distress
Come and Get it Challenge 6/5 - Let' hear it for the boys
The Craft Place Challenge 29/4 - One for the boys
Sparkles Forum Monthly Challenge # 31 - Men only
Incy Wincy Challenge # 144 - Dots and spots
Shelly's images TTT 3/5 - Don't punch me
Cards for men #10 - Kicking back - something to relax
Robyn's Fetish #106 - Blue, Buttons and bow

Thank you for your visit. Have a blessed day.
Olga

Special celebrations!

Good Morning

I had such a lovely time with my French friends in the bush, that it took me a day or two to recover. But in my head I played with some ideas on a special birthday card. With a few help from some challenges this project came up. I've used a taupe cardstock with a golden undertone as base. The peach is from my stash. The images is from Penny Black's Hugs clear stamp. The taupe with flower glitter effect is from New Leaf by Mindy Terasawa, the scraplabel is from Marianne's design and embroid with silver thread, butterfly diecut from Spellbinder and corner diecut from cuttlebug. The lace, pearls and butterfly brad, coted with perfect pearl powder, are from the stash. The Outlawz colour challenge has a twist with something crochetted.....one technique I could not mastered, so I supported the local ladies club and bought this flower and some others.

Today's challenges I'm joining:

Guylou's Inimitability Challenge Blog 4/5/12 - Sketch

Penny Black Monthly challenge April - Oh so cute!

Craft Your Passion #106 - Diecuts and punches

Lexi's Creations #63 - Punches and diecuts

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards #6 - Lace and pearls

The Outlawz Tuesday Colour Challenge # CC041712 - Taupe, peach and white/off white

Cupcake Craft Challenge #188 - In the deep end.

Thank you

Olga

Op die rug van my ysterperd

Photo of the closed card.

Photo of the opened card.

Good Morning

My second easel card. Starting to enjoy making them. The digi is from Di's Digis and are called Biker Bear. This digi has been on my table for a while now, since I was not quite sure on what to do with it. Luckily, I still had time for this birthday card, that has to go all the way to France, soon.

The Outlawz colour challenge, finally gave this digi life. I've found the leather look ribbon at our local haberdashery shop and used a Upikit border punch. The sentiment was embossed with a Fiskar emboss and I used some heat emboss in silver. The sentiment - handwritten- "Speed is fun, but it is the journey that counts" and as from this morning a Afrikaans song turned in my head called " Hoeka-toeka " all about being on my iron horse(motorbike) with the wind in my hair. Something we miss a bit, since my husband had to sell his motorbike when we moved back to South Africa.
Challenges I'm joining:

Everybody Art Challenge #184 - Easel Card

Craft Your Passion #101 - Easel Card

The Outlawz CC031312- Black, white and winter sky blue, with fuzzy friend

Tuesday Throwdown #89 - Clip it up

Stella says sketch # 106 - Sketch

Cute Card Thursday 208 - Happy Birthday (they are celebrating there 4th birthday)

Aud Sentiment #50 - Song Title ( on my card: Happy Birthday and songtitle - Leader of the pack)

Thank you and have a lovely day!

Olga

Pizza Delivery

Good Friday Morning!

My mom came to visit us and we had a good time together, so I was not much on the internet the last week. After she left yesterday morning, I have found a bit of time to get crafty. Since spring is on its way to the northern hemisphere there is a lightness in all the challenges. All the bright colours are coming out of the drawers. I am a bit of romantic, I just love red and the combination of a bright yellow, just gives it that extra umpf. This digi set is from Digi my World. I've used the menu board(just added my own menu inside), pizzas and the pizza chef. Cooking is another hobby of mine, of which I am very fond off, but do not get the opportunity to do it that often, since it is not the same to cook for the family everyday, than to cook for guest. As my sister-in-law said the other day: Paper is a bit more forgiving and patient, you can do it more often. The gingham is from the NitWit coleection - Cookin' Cookies. Digi my World, is sponsoring Catch the bug's Stella says sketch, this time around. The sentiment in Afrikaans says Happy Birthday. I'm also celebrating with Craft your passion's 100th challenge celebration with some lovely prizes.

Challenges I' m joining:

Digi my World #5 - Sketch

Catch the bug: Stella says sketch SSS105

Cupcake Craft Challenge #182 - Red and yellow

Divas by Design #25 - Favourite things - Red, yellow and cooking

Craft Your Passion #100 - Anything goes for their 100th challenge celebrations!

Aud Sentiment #49 - Happy Birthday inspiration

Thank and have a lovely week-end.

Olga

Bee Happy

Good Afternoon

I've started working on this card on Friday afternoon, though I have only finished it this morning. So, I used Mojo Monday's sketch, but I'm a bit too late to enter their challenge. I was however inspired my Melissa over at Meljen's design challenge for pastels and I use this bee freebie and her sentiment. The designer papers is from two magazines namely Papercraft Essentials - the bee happy paper and the doodle paper on the background is from cardmaking & papercraft. I did some embossing on the other backpaper and used the distressing technique with some pale blue ink. The diecut is from Marianne's design, I added some beads with the buttons to brighten up the card. I have to admit that I prefer bold colours with pastels and that I find it sometimes to pale to play with only pastels, although the projects over at Meljen's are beautiful. Challenges I'm joining:

Meljen's design #96 - Pastels with a meljen's digi

Craft your Passion # 97 - Recipe - 1 Ribbon, 2 Pattern Papers, 3 Buttons

Charisma Cards # 5 - Things with wings

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #94 - Square cards

Have a beeautiful day.

Olga

Everyday Love and Chocolates!

Good Day

Today's post is going to be a bit longer as usual since I would like to tell you about Shelly's image 2nd birthday celebrations. Below is the way to join in the fun! She has some awesome digis!




1. Place her 2nd Birthday Badge in the sidebar of your blog. It isn't required that you make a blog post, but that would be awesome too.
2. Be sure that you are a follower of Shelly's blog.
3. Go to their store and sign up for our newsletter. The form is on the left side of the page in the sidebar area. And it is super fast. Just fill in your name and your email address. (While you are there you should enter for our January Free Image Giveaway. Enter once each month for a chance to win a digi from our store.)
4. Leave us a little comment on her blog. They will love hearing from you and they read every comment.
On January 31st we will post the random winner of our blog candy.
We will also post one random entry to receive 6 images of their choice from the store.
(Up to $18 in value)
And for every 25 entries we will choose one more random entry to receive one image of their choice.
(Up to $3 in value)


Above is the colour bingo challenge #94 over at Craft your passion. My choice is purple, orange and red. At first I thought it a rude colour combo, but I have to admit that my papers fell in the right combo.

My teepee card with "Mexer balance diet" digi from Bugaboo Digi Stamps for the Crafter's Digital Art Centre's challenge round 10.(cdacpc10, bug) The sentiment is computer generated and says "All I need is lots of love and a chocolate a day to keep the doctor away". Though the theme for this round is "Bringing in the new year" I thought everybody needs love everyday and something sweet to brighten up your day, whether it is something like a piece of chocolate or just a small gest like a smile or a hug. Below is a view on what the other sides looks like. I've used a small magnet to keep the card close.

The designer paper is from Toga and Papercraft magazine. Purple cardstock from my stash. I saw the tutorial on how to make a teepee card on Shelly's image blog. I'm also joining in the fun of a Designer's choice for a Terrifically Thrilling Thursday at Shelly's image where anything goes.

Thank you for your visit and have a nice day!

Olga

Congratulations!

Good Morning


With hubby away, I woke up early this morning and decided to take time off to do some crafting. With Hannelie's reminder of the Robyn's Fetish Cottage's sketch and with my stepdaughter's good results in her final exam it just became the beginning of this card. With my playing around in blogland I visited Shelly's image blog. She has a quite interesting challenge, called roll 'em, where she has a list of 10 options and using the true random generator 3 times you get the recipe for your card. Well, as I went through the list I was puzzled by nr.10 - doodling, since it is not a technique I'm acquainted with. As faith wanted it, my 1st number generated was nr. 10 - doodling, so......Google here I come. Eventually I came upon a site called Paper Craft Junkies, where you can find tutorials and techniques. According to them: A doodle is basically any mark on your craft project which has been made by hand and can be anything from dashed lines for faux stitching to your handwriting when journaling to extravagant swirls and flourishes. Below is a close up on my attemp on doodling. I do have a natural unsteadiness.



I've used vellum paper from W&M and the glitter dot paper is from DCWV stack - All about girls. Swirls from marianne's design and the flowers done with a clippunch was done with a piece of scrap grey glitter paper due to a lack of silver paper, brads and peel-offs from my stash. The cute dragon is called Smookie and is a clear stamp from Nellie Snellen distributed by Kars in the Netherlands. The sentiment - Always wear your invisible crown - from Paulette from TLC was found on Aud Sentiment's blog. I found it appropriate since my stepdaughter made us very proud on her 3 destinction and as she starts a new era in her life at university soon.

So I'm joining the following challenges:

I did it creations #89 - Sketch

Aud Sentiment #45 - Inspirations & sentiment

Sweet Stampin - Spots and dots

Shelly's image blog 12 jan 2012 - Nr 10 - Doodling

- Nr 3 - Layers

- Nr 8 - Brads, Buttons or bling

Chocolate, coffe & cards #4 - Glitter Latte

Craft your Passion #92 - Mythical Creatures

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend

Olga

Bless the beast

Good Morning

This is propable my last post before we leave for a bit of holiday! Seeing forward to it. So I cleaned my desktop, but before I start my preparations, I would like to share this card with you. This is Bakster Helps from Just Some Lines, one of round 8 of the Crafter's digital art centre's digis with the theme of Animals holds our hearts. The image I've coloured with aquarrelles, added some heat embossing on the nose and teeth to give it a wetlook. Distressed with terracotta pigment inks. I've used paper from the Pet stack paper set, from DCWV, with glitter and gloss. The sentiment tag, I've found in my scrapbook stash. The bone embellishment and the row of bones, covered in glitter, on the background, is also from the Pet stack that I have cut out. With my fiskar handpunch I've punched some bones, which I added on to the scallops. Ended off with some brads on the corners and a heart button.

This will most definitely do for a male or a boy birthday and I would like to invite you all for a DT call over at Lexi creations and we welcome the new blog challenge: Chocolate, coffee & cards, wishing them all the best for their future.

Challenges I'm joining:

JUGS #113 - Sketch
CDAC round 8 - cdacpc8 JSL
Charisma Cardz # 47 - Seeing Spots
Lexi Creations #54 - One for the boys
Stampalot December Challenge - Bingo - Brads, Buttons, Punch
Craft your passion # 87- Anything goes with glitter
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge # 1 - Celebrate!


Hope you have a colourful day, despite the weather conditions outside!

Hugs
Olga

Friends

Such a warm and luscious photo inspiration. Whether you get excited about the idea of some warm pumpkin soup infront of the fireplace or playing in the falling leaves like a child.

Good Morning

I was inspired by Paint your world's challenge to make a frame with a picture stamped into it. There is a very nice tutorial on there blog. Since digi stamps is the current buzz thing to do, it's been a while since I used any of my stamps. I used "doodle frames" from stampendous for my frame with some gold wet embossing and my picture is "sisters" from Leeré Aldrich, Stampavie. The outer border was made with a diecut from Marianne's design. The designer paper is from Cardmaking and papercraft magazine and was chosen for it is warm colours inpired by the above picture, I added some lace and pearls and for the sentiment in Afrikaans(friends) I used some gold peel-offs, to give it a bit of shabby chic feeling.

Challenges I am entering:

Paint your world #5 - stamp picture frame with picture

A Gem of a Challenge #34 - sketch and add sentiment of stitching faux or real

Charisma Cardz #45 - Lace and Pearls

Craft your Passion #85 - Photo inspiration

Have a nice day

Olga

Clean and simple

Hallo

The fourth round of the Progressive challenge at Crafter's Digital Art Centre is here, with the "theme of halloween or mystical" with some exciting digitals. The above mandela is from Daisy Doodle. I don't celebrate halloween, though I'll try my hand on one of the other images for the fun of it, but this is my first project for this round. I've directly printed it on the cardstock and just added some red and gold, with gelpens.
I've added some gems, eyelets and a lace ribbon.
Challenges I'm entering:
Crafters Digital Art Centre, round 4 - cdacpc4, daisydoodles
Fetch-a-sketch #8 - Sketch
Craft your passion#78 - Anything goes with a ribbon
Crafty Cardmakers #53 - Anything goes
Make it Monday #57 - Anything goes

Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Olga

Time for Tea

Good Morning
It is a lovely spring Monday down here, with sunshine, although still a bit of chill in the air for the moment, but the temperature will rise definitely.

The ladies at Top Tip Tuesday tried to define "Shabby Chic" this week. Finally I came to the conclusion that it is an old time romantic feeling. This is where my card started to get form. Though I did not use a lot of broken white, I could not resist this faded olive green paper from TOGA, which I matched with a faded pink, lace and pearls. The diecuts(circle, flowers and stem) is creatables from Marianne's design and the corners from Cuttlebug. The digi is from Digi my World and the sentiment from Bird's cards. I've coloured the image with aquarelles and distressed it with chalk.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Top Tip Tuesday #49 - What is Shabby Chic?

Digi my World #1 - Anything goes

Paper Crafting Journey # 18 - Sketch

Craft your Passion # 74 - Anything goes if a flower is added

Crafty Creations #134 - Use at least 3 diecuts or punches

Charizma Cardz # 35 - Anything goes

Wish you all a piece of sunshine today!

Thank you for your visit.

Olga

You're Invited

Good day

I must confess that today's post I've started from the other side. I had all the ingredients and then I had to search for a recipe. Sometimes a bit more difficult, since it does not always comes out as you have planned, not that I really had anything in mind.
This is an invitation for my 40th birthday party and I have decided on a Pop-rock dress-up theme, so for me, I have associated the theme with black and a lot of bling and to include red and blue.
The sentiment was cut with my craft robo, as well as the red oval. The paper is from Teresa Collins and Melissa Frances scrapbook paper series. The electric guitar is a stamp that I have used and the rest is from my stash.

The following challenges gave me my recipe to follow:
Midnight Madness MMSC111- the sketch
CCEE Stampers CCEE1126 - Use electronic cutters -Craft Robo
Cute Cards Thursday Challenge 171 - Technology - Electric guitar
Craft your Passion Challenge 65 - Anything goes
TSG Clear Stamp TSG114 - Glitter, Glitz and bling - paper
Use it Tuesday Challenge 10 - Red, White and Blue

Thank you

Olga