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

In my sewing box.....

Good day!

Seasons are changing rapidly, here, down under. Last week when we spoke, it was still summer and this week it is about 10 degrees less. Not that I have a big problem with the cooler weather, but I don't like to have cold feet.

Today's inspiration was triggered by the Cupcake Craft Challenge #186 - Sewing box. In a few weeks time it will be mother's day in South Africa and my mother in law has a passion for sewing and as I went through all the challenges at Feline Playful, pink and cream and pastels came out. All colours to suite my mother in law. The digi is from Digi my World, called mannequindress. The corners and embossing is done with my cuttlebug. I've added lace, wool thread, metal thread in faux needle and buttons to it. The other embellies is left overs from a previous project and just added some xtra flair to the card. The sentiment is taken from Desert Diva. She's very sweet and can make any sentiment on request. Sure something to keep in mind. All papers is from my stash.

Other challenges I'm joining:

Quirky Craft Challenge #7 - Sketch
Sketchy Colours # 111 - Pink and Cream
Fashionista Challenge #1 - Anything goes for girls
Anything Goes #7 - Anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown #92 - Pastels

Hope you have a lovely day and thank you for your visit.

Olga

You're my #1

An Irish blessing.

Good Day

I've made this card for my hubby. As from the 1 of April a new phase, in his career, will start for him and all of us. He has been appointed as the new GM at the local plant. I'm very proud of his success and I wanted to make him something to remind him of this special day.

I've used the latest freebie of bugaboo stamps called guy-car-keys, though I have erased the car in the background. Added an irish blessing, which I believe he'll need. DYSU has a challenge for plaid and this paper, from fabscrap, contains all the colours that he loves. Used a cuttlebug border emboss template on the green.

Challenges I've been guided by:

Catch the bug - Stella says sketch 107

Do your stackin up # 64 - Plaid

Cupcake Craft Challenge # 185 - Sound of music - Tina Turner's Hero

Pile it on #13 - For a Man

Thank you for your visit.

Olga

Wanna be a Rockstar

A close-up of my image designed James Usher, which I found over at The Outlawz and coloured with aquarelles and distressing with chalk.

The open card, paper from Teresa Collins - on the edge: guitar

Good day

This weekend I have found a new challenge site called Forever Night Challenge. They have a colour challenge of red, purple and black. Usually I'm reluctant to work with black, but this paper just added to the rockstar mood. Used a bit of purple glitter on the edge of my computer generated sentiment. All the papers is from my stash and the red snake skin design added a bit of bling to the card. For the edges I've used my crafter's companion ultimate pro.

Challenges I'm joining:

Forever Night Challenge #FFC32 - Red, purple and black

Fussy and Fancy #59 - No square or rectangular

Cupcake craft challenge #185 - Sound of music - I wanna be a rockstar By Nickelback
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards #9 - Fancy folds

Pattie's creations #40 - Anything goes

ATCs & cards with attitude #8 - Steampunk/Anything goes

Thank you

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

Born to be Wild

A close - up on the weathered tegnique.

Good Morning

The seasons are changing. Slowly the sun peeks out later and go to sleep earlier and the leaves are falling and there is a new chill in the mornings. A promise of winter on its way.

Today's card is another boy birthday card. The image is a freebie from Beccy's Space called little hobo. In a sense it reminds me of my boys. At a certain age it really feels as if they are hobos, for the clothes are always dirty and it seems as if you are always on the repair of clothes, patches all over and one day or another, they want to leave the house to find another that is less strict.

With the Ribbon real's challenge of weathered look with White, Blue, craft and a hince of red, natural twine/twill, this card got his life. It just fitted the hobo image. I used sandpaper on the edges to give it the weathered look with distressing done with chalk - brown, blue and red. The sentiment is from Create with TLC. All goodies is from my stash.

Challenges I'm joining:

The Ribbon Real # 22 - Weathered

Cards for men #5 - Sketch

Cupcake Craft Challenge #181 - Boys and their toys

Creative Craft Challenge 28/2 - Boys will be boys

Robyn Festish #96 - People

Papercrafting Journey # 4 - Anything goes

Divas by Design #24 - Spots and/or stripes

Shelly's images TTT1/3 - Spots

Thank you for your visit and have a splendid week-end.

Olga

Pink Birthday

Good Morning

My boy's teacher is celebrating her birthday soon. So he chose this beautiful digi from Sliekje, called cupcake girl. Like many times before the card does not end up with the original colours in mind. He requested blue and the card ended up in pink. I just felt pink suites this cutie better. She seems so fragile. I've used some 3D paint on the frosting of the cupcake and added beads for decorations. The designer paper is from Kirsty Wiseman designed for the crafts beautiful magazine. The yellow is from basic grey and I used a cuttlebug emboss template for the embossing. The fluffy knitting twine and lace is from my stash. Finished it of with the flower brads and pearls in the righthand bottom corner.

Challenges I'm joining:

A Gem of a Challenge #40 - Sketch

Cupcake Craft Challenge #180 - Fluffy pink Cupcake

Robyn Festish #95 - Pretty in Pink

Glitter Geeks week 7 - Girls and boys

Charisma Cardz #6 - Anniversairy

Use it Tuesday #25 - Celebrating their Birthday Party

Sweet Stampin #24-2 - Choose 3 in a row; Lace, Ribbon, Pearls / Lace, Brads, Flowers

Shelly's images 2-16 - Show what you have

Thank you for your visit!

Have a wonderful day!

Olga

Wanna grow old with you

Good Afternoon

My second post for the day! This time a bit more romantic. When you are a young, you believe that you will have honeymoon for ever. But that is not very long lived, according to a british study (2008) the honeymoon phase only last 31 months and 25 days. Then reality kicks in and you have to cope with everyday stress. So, for me, the picture of two elderly people still holding hands is the ultimate form of love. For it takes a lot to keep the romance alive in the mist of everyday hustle and bustle. With all the current valentine challenges, I've decided maybe it is time to work on my own romance for a change as well. Hubby just might need it. I only hope he will be around on the 14th of February. Now, for my project. A gate folding card. I've used a Mo Manning Clear stamp called Jack & Ginger. Instead of normal black ink I've used a light grey and coloured it with aquarelles. I saw that this is the new tendency to do colouring. I did some lacé technique on the background. The papers is from my scrapbook stash. Used a fiskar heart corner punch and added some heartshape rhinestones. The sentiment was computer generated and say "I wanna grow old with you on my side".

I was guided by the following challenges:

JUGS # 120 - Red, pink & white

I did it Creations #91 - Love

A gem of a challenge #38 - Sketch

There she goes clear stamp #tsg140 - Love is in the air.

Cupcake Craft # 176 - All you need is love

Get hippity with ippity #13 - Hearts inspiration

Use it Tuesday #24 -All about love

May you have a day full of love!

Thank you

Olga

High on Life

Good afternoon

Firstly, I would like to tell you of Elaine's great candy gift away over at her blog Craft my Life . She's also chosen as part of a new DT at a new challenge blog, Joanna Sheen, that start soon. You can just click on the photo in my blog's sidebar and it will take you directly to her blog.

With the weather a bit cooler and grey, it kick started my mojo for crafting. This time a birthday card for a teenage boy or maybe older, getting a bit out of the groove of christmas cards. These days, if there is something electronic on the card it will do for a teenager since they are hip on it and that makes it a bit easier for us crafters. I used Cling Changito at home from stampendous, still in his pajamas, but with his laptop on his lap. Just love this little caracter. The "high on life" sentiment is from TLC and the birthday sentiment is from Hannelie, my sister in law, that does some great creative digital stuff lately. Very proud of her. She is also chosen to be part of a new DT at I did it creations challenge blog. The embossing was done with my cuttlebug emboss folders and I used a fiskar border punch for the circle border on the top left. I love to use border punches on both sides of a small strip of paper, since you can have a whole different effect than normal. Then I added some rhinestones for the final touches. All goodies is from my stash.

Challenges I'm joining.
Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #131(MMSC131) - Sketch

One Stop Craft Challenge #158 - Colour Challenge: Blue

Cupcake Craft Challenge #169 - Teenage boys

Top Tip Tuesday #61 - More than one fold

Cards for men #24 - Fancy folds, must be for men

Get Hippity with Ippity# 10 - Embossing

Creaticve Card Crew 22/11 - Monochromatic

Thank you

Olga

Boyz Rule

Good Afternoon
When I woke up this morning it rained and I had that same feeling, as when we stayed in France on a Sunday, when it rained. I just had this mojo for crafting.

On Monday the ladies at Cupcake Craft Challenge #165 started a new week with denim and lace, a very interesting combination and a bit of challenge when I had to make a boy card. So on Thursday the ladies at Cute Card Thursday #188 gave up this sketch for this week, with some beautiful Kimmie Kraftin Stamps to be won and Charisma Cards #43 has an anything goes quest for this week, with also some lovely prizes. This is my interpretation for these challenges:

My images is from an online colouring book, the papers is from my stash and luckily denim today is almost any colour blue. I've highlighted the image with some red and green papers. The buttons is from Dress It Up - Boyz Rule. The lace I bought from my local craft shop and I digged out some alphabet stickers, from my scrapbook stash, that I had for ages now.

This card will go all the way to France, where I know the people just love the outdoor thing to do.

Hope you have a splendid week and thank you for visiting.

Olga

Boo!

Just a quick hallo again!
This is one of that quick cards that comes up from time to time, especially when you have boys that are very popular at parties. So my oldest came home with a haunted house invitations for Saturday night. Luckily there are a few challenges that helped me with this one.
I found the digi at GTC's Craft Corner. I used some Brazzille paper in purple and did some distressing in black. I used a fiskar brick texture plate for the background in frame and a nestie for the frame. I resized the ghost and used some perfect pearl on it. To set the perfect pearl I use some hairspray. Finished it off with a spider charm. I printed a second ghost with sentiment and made a pop-up inside. I also used some perfect pearl on it. The corners is punched with a Bugs fiskar corner punch. I know a lot of people print the right size paper for a card but there is always some corner that falls off, that I recycle, so I have a drawer full of bits and pieces of paper, that I normally use for punching or in this case for the back of the frame.

The challenges I used as guidelines:
CAS-ual Friday CFC20 - Mini cards - my card measure 4x4 inch (10x10cm)
Cupcake Craft Challenge #160 The darkside - only purple and black - hopefully the white ghost inside does not count.
Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #51 - One for kids

Thank you and have a nice day!

Olga

CDAC Mini Paperbag Album

Hallo Everybody


Today I'm not quite sure on how to do my post, since it is a challenge with a bit of differnce. The Crafter's digital Art Centre have a mini paperbag album swop. You have to make a mini album with paperbags, for jounaling and photos. The idea is to make an album for your partner, with something that she likes and with a touch of your own. This is the paperbag that I used, 12.5 x23.5 cm or 5 x 9 inch. The other requirements are:
- 6 digital images
- 3 x tags
- 3 x pullouts
All papers and embellishments is from my stash unless otherwise mentioned. I've added some inspirational words in Afrikaans and English on each page.
My Partner, Janina from Port Elizabeth in South Africa, is a non fussy lady, which likes all shades of blue. She'll be using her album for herself. So, here we go!

This is my cover. This paper is probably one of my very first sheets I've bought. I've used some silver sparkle on the J with soft magic, light blue, from Carole's Craft. I've stringed some beads on elastic string, so that it can extend when more photos are added. Just finished it off with some feathers and a butterfly, from Creative Talents.

The idea is to put a photo of the owner of the album, in the frame and the digi is from Disguised as Grown up.
I just could not resist, since the theme of the page is: Me and this lady owl looks as if she loves herself.

With his page, with the ladybug(springlady) digi from Digi my World, was inspired by spring. Currently, spring has arrived with all the trees blooming. I've used a fiskar corner punch and emboss templates and did some wet embossing.

This is brazzill paper and I used Marianne's design and spellbinder templates to make the page. The pullout is a pale blue which is decorated with some confetti flowers and ribbon.

I had friends in mind when I made this page. So I made another photo frame with a tag to make some notes. The words say: Hang your friends on the same way as you would do a masterpiece, so that the right light will fall on them. That is loosely translated.

This is a page with a touch of feminity. Used a fiskar music background template. The digi is from CDAC progressive challenge and is called Dance. I've coloured it with aquarelles and used some chalk to distress. The pullout is plain lilac with a bow.

I got my inspiration from this piece of paper, though blue, it gives me a feeling of romance. With spring in the air, all the birds come out and sing their songs. It is so joyful. I've added a heart border from fiskar and the pullout, (better photo under) is a pale blue. I did some dry embossing on. I've attached a butterfly ribbon.

Since it this is my second last page, I felt like holidays at the beach. The digi left top is from Netty's blog and I have to make a very big confession, I am not sure on where I got the tong digi. I used some 3D varnish on the straps with rhinestones. I made the seastar from crazy clay. The "water" reflection is from the last page.

This is the last page, with this vintage camera from Beyond the Fringe and the tag, with a leftover piece from the birdpaper. I've added a acetate piece, to add another photo with some comments on. Did some distressing with ink this time.

I'm also sharing this with:

Cupcake Craft Challenge # 157 Alter it - Hope altering a paperbag into an album falls in their category.

Digi My World #1 Anything goes - I've used their springlady digi.
Charisma Cards #35 Anything goes - Just something different.

Thank you for your visit and have a wonderful creative week-end.

Olga

Spring Bath

Good afternoon
I had this paper and image in my head, all week. So, finally I had some time for myself and this came out. I added a bit of orange/tangerine to bring a bit of brightness to the card. The image is from Anne's Digital Art, which I got from CDAC, and it is called Olla in Tub. I just love her, surely gives you a feeling of spring. The paper is from my stash and I added three rhinestones, the sentiment is in Afrikaans and says: Thank you. I've used the the sketch at Cupcake Craft centre faberoony, who celebrates their third birthday with a lots of fun. This was the first blog I joined and from whom I get a lot inspiration. Happy Birthday, Faye and your team, and may there still be a lot of crafting inspiration for you all.

Thank you

Olga

For you

Good afternoon on this chilly Friday afternoon
It's been a while since I joined the group at Cards 365. But they have a challenge on backgrounds this week and I bought this beautiful polka dot paper some time ago and did not get to play with it as yet. Cards 365 Day 147 have the quest half polka dots half plain. I've used a Adam Pescott stamp and I used some foil on the white circle to emphasize the blue on the paper. Then I finished it of with some scrap netting and made a border with my favourite fiskar border punch with some sparkle. With the lovely twine and tickets on offer over at Scrap Affair with also a challenge on Polka dots, I'm joining them as well. The Ladies at Cupcake Craft Challenge #152 with their Shabby Sparkle challenge have a prize from Sassy Studio design with the most beautiful pirate digis available. I do enter again, for I think this time I've tried to take a better photo to show the sparkle on the paper.

Wishing all a quiet crafting week-end.
Olga

Do you want to go shopping?

Good morning
Time for a girly teenager card. Not often I can do this, since I only have boys. But I do enjoy making a girly card from time to time and I have all this nice things to use and I think for a teenager, fashion is an important subject.
The image is a Mo Maning clear stamp from Stampavie. The image was coloured with aquarelles and I added the purple pigment ink. I applied it with a dry wet wipe from the outside in, which I find the best medium to apply this with, since it give you a fluent effect. The dotted and printed paper is from "All about girls stack" from DCWV and the rest of the paper is from my scrapbook stash. For my embellishments I used some rub-ons and peel-offs, that I glued to flower diecuts.
I am entering the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #26 - Sketch - the sketch is presented in the most beautiful ice cream colours and I could not resist.

Sweet Stampin - Fashion

Top Tip Tuesday #44 - Girly

Cupcake Craft Challenge #152 - Shabby Sparkle

Thank you for the visit and have a nice day!

Olga

Going on a safari....

Hallo on this quiet Sunday afternoon in South Africa

I have found this freebie over at Kenny K and I could not resist. Giraffes are such gracious animals. The ladies at Midnight Madness sketch 112 also have an irresistible sketch and prizes. So I have used Safari Chic paper in the background and on a sale, sometime ago in France, I have found this faux leather piece as well as the textured paper that almost looks like tree-bark. The guinea fowl feather and porcupine quill is from my stash and I added Edwin Zookeeper from Magnolia, the images I've coloured with aquarelles and the diecut is from Marianne's design.
So I am going to try my luck on the following challenges, since I feel a bit reckless today and all the DT cards is such an inspiration for me:
Midnight Madness Sketch 112 - Sketch 112
Crafty Creations Challenge 127 - Boyz to men
Paper Crafting Journey Nr 14 - For him
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Your Favourite of the last 150 Challenges - nr 13 Inspiration from Home - I have interpret home as South Africa, whom is known for its game reserves and I could not resist to enter a second time this week.
Fairy Fun Fridays 57 - On holidays - The bush is definitely my favourite place to go on holiday.
A Gem Challenge blog 25 - Let's hear it for the boys
Use it Tuesday 11 use011 - You are an animal
Sweet Stampin - One for the boys

Thank you and wishing you a splendid week full of inspiration.

Olga

Flower shower

Hallo

I had such a lot of ideas lately, but somehow do not get the time for crafting, although it is winter holidays in SA. When I saw the colour and sketch challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary challenge, CCMC 158, with the colour scheme of So Saffron, Basic Grey and Pumpkin Pie, I felt like spring. So I got out my Penny Black stamp and diecuts and came up with this card.
I'm also entering the following challenges:
Cupcake Craft Challenge 150 challenge - make your favourite and I chose nr 1 Flowers and nr 21 Spring, since it will be spring in a month's time.
Penny Black at Allsorts July challenge - Flower Power
Charisma Cardz Challenge 27 - All about flowers

Hope you have a nice day!

Olga

So Chic

Hallo

The girls at Cupcake Craft Challenge have a challenge for a single layer card. It sounds quite simple, but if you are used to use a lot of layers this is a challenge. So since Monday I've been thinking on how to make a card and finally this morning I had an idea. This is what popped out. I know everybody in the northern hemisphere is endulging in summer and I do envy them, especially if I look at all the beautiful DT cards, but I just love this Penny Johnson stamp and it suites our season currently where we are in the middle of winter. I've dusted of some of my embossing templates for the side, which I gave some chalk colour. Used my leave Fiskar punch for the edge and added some ribbon. The sentiment is a Molly Bloom stamp. I'm also joining the ladies at Class Act Insider with their colour scheme of red, white and green and of using a rubber stamp.

Hope you have a wonderful week-end.

Olga

Enjoy a musical 50

Hi again

Another post for today. 3D is probably my favourite technique, but I do not do it often anymore. But for this special birthday, I have decided to page through all my designs and finally ended up with this one by Angelika and Sasch Wagener 2004. I was a bit guided with the sketch from the Cupcake Craft Challenge 147 sketcharoony, and used the musical emboss template from cuttlebug, some note brads and finished it off with some peel-offs. Paper is from TOGA and Brazill Basics.

Have a nice day!

Olga