WOW - It's been a hot minute.

 Well, life aye?
I can not believe it has been so long since I made a post on here.
Nearly a year and a half.
Lots of changes, my oldest son is out in the work force, farming and loving it.  Great friends and has a pretty fun life.  Good work, life balance.
Son #2 is at University, doing a major brainbox degree.  He must get that from his dad I think.
Only daughter is still footballing, has now taken up hockey as well.... I am so glad summer is nearly here!  She is doing very well at school, has exams shortly then heads into her final year of highschool next year.
Son #3 is in second year of highschool this year, big year for him next year.  He has started a wee lawnmowing sidehustle and also working the odd evening at a takeaway shop in town.  Still his same sweet personality and wonderful sense of humor.
And Hubby and I - we are tracking well with life.  It is pretty great and we are incredibly blessed with our children, home and work.

As for crafting, after a long hiatus I am back into it.
Well the posting part.
I have still been papercrafting, just not posting. 

So, here are a couple of cards I made yesterday...

I was inspired by a card from quite sometime ago that I found on pintrest that was made by Darla at https://www.scraphappensherewithdarla.com/

I found some old SU dies in my cupboard and decided to have a play.
On that note, I am actually destashing some stuff.

If you are in New Zealand you can find my listings on 
TRADE ME 

or 
FACEBOOK NZ SCRAP & CARD STASH SALES GROUP

I will be back soon with some more crafty stuff

Lou x

Inlaid Die Cts - Mix It Up Challenge

 Shesh, my post for this is totally late, I thought I had scheduled it but NOOOOO.
Our theme at Mix It Up Challenge for this month is 
INLAID DIECUTS

Funny story I totally screwed up with the card I originally made for this challenge as I was working off last year theme list, DOH, so I quickly came up with a new card and here it is.....

I used Birch Tree Die from Hello Bluebird, Forest , Hello Bluebird Forest Fawns stampset
the papers are Jen Hadfield Peaceful Heart.
I coloured the images with my prisma pencils, which I hadn't used in a while and on smooth paper, so not the best colouring.

Thanks for popping by
Louise

A Beary Sweet Thank You

 A cutie to share today. I used the bear from "Happy Day" by Colorado Craft Company.

I tried to do a background with just distress oxides but it turned out quite s%#* 
so I covered it up with the big Thank You die from Lawn Fawn.
I had stamped and masked the bear image before trying to blend the background.
The grass was done using slimline grass stencil from Lawn fawn.

In the end with the background mostly covered, I don't hate it.

The image was coloured with prisma pencils and blended with odorless spirits, which doesn't really work the best on smooth cardstock, but that too turned out ok. 

Thanks for visiting my blog
Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....
Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Diagonal - Stencil, Diecut, Critter
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Inkspirational Challenges - Mood Board

Polkadoodle Challenge - Anything Goes

Gem Of A Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

Hello (Autumn) Sunshine

Well, I blinked and summer disappeared.
Only one beach trip this year and here we are into Autumn and football (soccer for my USA visitors).

Now that all my children's teams are about to kick off, LOL see what I did there, that is my weekends down the tubes.

So in memory of my favourite season of the year here is a summery smile to share....
 

 The diecuts are from Lawn Fawn
The background paper was sent to me from my wonderful friend Julie, quite a few years ago now!

Thanks loads for dropping by my blog 
Lou

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges....

Lawn Fawnatics - patterned paper

Dragonfly Dreams - Use a Die

Little Patch of Crafty Friends- Anything Goes

The Paper Players- Sunshine and Rainbows 🌈 Picked as HEADLINER! 

Best Day Ever Bunnies

 Some adorable little bunnies to share with you today.
I used we herd stamp set from Waffle Flower Crafts.

I used MFT puffy cloud dies, lawn fawn simple grassy hillsides.
The background clouds were done with distress oxide tumbled glass using MFT cloud stencil.
The bunnies were coloured with copic markers.
Sentiment and die from Taylored Expressions

Thanks for visiting my blog
Lou

I would like to enter the following challenges....

Crafty Critters Challenge - Animal Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Anything Goes Spring

The Cutie Pie Challenge - Simply Cuties
Gem of a challenge - Anything Goes - Top 3
Allsorts Challenge - For the Love of Animals
Polkadoodles Challenge - Anything Goes
Classic Designs Challenge - Four legged friends - Top Pick!
Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Feed Out Time On The Farm

I seriously wish my farm looked this green at the moment, we have just headed into Autumn and things are pretty dry. 

I decided to make an interactive element on my card, I used MFT Surf & Turf Sliders

I used loads of Lawn Fawn product on my card
Hay There Stamp set
Hay There - Hay Rides 
Grassy Hillside border dies

I coloured the images up with my copic markers.

Thanks for popping by
Lou

I would like to enter the following challenges

Creative Knockouts - Birthday 

Moving along with the times - planes, Trains and Automobiles (hopefully a tractor counts) Top 5 Pick

Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes

Lil Red Wagon - Animal Antics
The Paper Funday Challenge - The Dies have it

Dream Valley Challenge - Dies and punches

 

Another Fly By

When I was playing with cloud backgrounds a couple of weeks ago, I also did this background using distress oxide in Mermaid Lagoon, I used a light touch and spaced the clouds a reasonable distance apart compared to my usual clouds which gave me lots of lovely white puffy space.

 The image is called Sky's the Limit from Kraftin Kimmie, it is now retired but I did find a link HERE where you may be able to still purchase it.
I coloured up my image with Copic markers and Promarkers

Thanks loads for popping by my blog :)
Lou

Entering in the following challenges....
Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes

Moving Along With The Times - Planes, Trains & Automobiles 
Crafty Gals Challenge - Anything Goes

Box Card from The Whole Herd

 A couple of posts ago, I shared a card for the Mix It Up Challenge fancy folds challenge, I mentioned that I had made another fancy folds card.
I hadn't made a box card in ages so I decided to get my hand back in and give one a go.

I used Hay There stamp set by lawn fawn along with an alpha dieset from them and added sentiments from You Goat This

I coloured the images with my copic markers.

I know there are tutorials for box cards but I just made mine on my score board with no measurements, playing around with the score lines and eyeballing it.
I really enjoyed putting this one together and it has definitely got me in the mood for adding some interactive elements on some cards.
So I am off to have a play and will post the results in some upcoming posts.

As always, thanks for popping by,
Lou

I am entering my card in the following challenges....
Aud Sentiments - Use Glitter/Bling and/or Green/St Patrick's + a Sentiment
Simon says Stamp - a bit o green

Lil Patch of crafty Friends - Anything Goes - Top 5 Pick
Gem of a challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Calendar - More Than one fold
Crafting Happiness - More than one fold - Top 3 Pick

Polkadoodles - Anything Goes - Top 3 Pick

Birthday Flyby....

 I wanted to do some cloud backgrounds with distress oxides which meant I had a couple of cool backgrounds to use so I am sharing the first card today using the coloured background....

I used distress oxides in Saltwater Taffy, Dried Marigold and Victorian Velvet.
The stampset is My Favorite Things Magical Dragons
and the white clouds are die cuts

This card inspired my 12 year son to make me a card....

I was a little surprised at the american spelling of Mum, but totally thrilled anyway :)

Thanks for dropping by 
Lou

I am entering my card in the following challenges....
Simon says stamp Monday challenge - Bright and cheerful

Worldwide Crafts and colorists challenge - anything goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes
A Perfect Time to craft - Anything Goes
AAA Colourful - Colour board - Top Pick :)

Fancy Folds at Mix it up challenge...

 This month at Mix It Up Challenge our theme is Fancy Folds.
I made 2 cards but only submitted one as my DT card.
I will share the other one at a later date.

I am not sure what the fold is called but I worked out the measurements through trial and error and uses my score board to make the score lines.
The cloud background was inked with SU ink in soft sky and MFT cloud stencil.
The grass was inked with SU ink in green galore and cucumber crush.
The stencil is a longline Lawn Fawn one.
The images are all from Lawn Fawn Hay There, Hayrides and coloured with copic markers.

Looking forward to seeing you play along with us at the challenge this month :)
Lou

A Little bit Elegant....

Today's card is one I put together with things I had on my desk that needed to be put away.
I diecut flowers from Sizzix #665285 by Lisa Jones and added dimension with prisma pencils.

The background was run through my bigshot on a folder that I have no clue what it is called, but to be honest doesn't do a great job.
I then painted in with Kuretake Gansai Tambi opal colors in Opal Gold

 The sentiment was cut using my silhouette cutter and cut on plain white cardstock with a vellum shadow piece.

Thanks for visiting today

Lou 

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....
Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers Challenge - Anything Goes
Simply Clean & Simple - Anything Goes
Craft Rocket Challenge - Birthday

Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes
Creative Knockout Challenge  -  Diecuts

Wibbly Wobbly Fun In The Sun....

 Some summery fun today.
This card was quite the lengthy card make, the background including the beach house had been sitting on my desk attached to my make art stay-tion for about a month.

Finally, as I was falling asleep a few nights ago I remembered my cute Hello Bluebird "Come On In" stamp set and knew that was the set for this back ground.

I stamped my images and coloured them up with copic markers and die cut them.
The bear has an action wobble attached so she looks like she is bobbing about in the water.

I am pleased with the end result for this card, I honestly was so nonplussed about the background before hand.

Thanks for visiting
Lou

Flower Power

For today's card I layered up diecuts from a sizzix die #662700

I made this card for my lovely niece for her 16th birthday.

 If I could do a redo on this I would probably add some depth to the diecuts with inking and add a little bit of bling.
It still looks ok, but I may do a remake in the future.

Thanks for poping by
Lou

A Bit Of Sunshine

We are in the middle of summer here in New Zealand, however the weather today is far from delightful.  It is showery and cold and not conductive to days at the beach :( 
VERY UNIMPRESSED

So I am sharing the sunshine through cardmaking, trying to entice the summer back.

 A fairly straight forward card, AC cardstock, Lawn Fawn die cut, Sequins and a MFT sentiment.

Catch you again soon, when hopefully the weather is better 
Lou

Mixed Media with Mix It Up Challenge

Excited!!!!!  Our theme this challenge is Mixed media.
MIX IT UP CHALLENGE
I used to do lots of art journalling a couple of years ago, so I have loads of lovely goodies in my mixed media draw.
I had so much fun making this card.

 For the challenge you need to use more than one medium, I think I used plenty!

Tim Holtz Mica Spray
Liquid Pearls 
Clear distress Crackle paint
Icicle Stickles
Ink
Pen

Hope to see you come and join us
Lou

Shake It Baby!

 With it being a year of losing my mojo, Christmas has honestly been the kick in the pants I needed to get creating again.

I got home from work one day last week and just really wanted to make a couple of shaker cards, so I got making and here is what I finished up with....

Paper - Craft Smith, bought from the warehouse ages ago!
Die - My Favorite Things Merry & Bright
Sequins from my sequin box
Stickers - Rosie's Studio

Die - My Favorite Things
Paper - Craft Smith (as above)
Sequins - Loose Lemon Crafts

Thanks for dropping by, see you soon
Lou

Mix It Up Challenge - Anything Goes + Optional Stamping

 OMG!!!!!!!!!! I am so in love with this "We Herd" stamp set from Wafflecrafts.
I purchased it from Ribbon Rose who seem to have started stocking Wafflecraft's stamps, the sets are a bit pricey but this one is really versatile so I was ok with the price.
I have already made 5 cards with this set and planning a christmas one or two

I have used this one as my DT card over at Mix It Up Challenge where our theme is stamping, but only physical stamping, no digis.

Which brings me to my next segway, I used to make cards with digi images ALL THE TIME, but I have noticed lately that I have reverted back to my beginnings and I have gone back to physical stamps.
I actually think my style has changed again and I also have so many issues with my stupid printer it is just frustrating every time I try to print.
I have so many gorgeous digis maybe I should invest in a proper printer.

Anyway, I hope you will come and play along with us 
Lou

MIUC Make Your Own Background

 I know, I know, yet again it has been almost a year between posts.
I ma not even going to promise to try and do better because I never do.

But I do have a card for this months Mix It Up Challenge. 
Make Your Own Background is the theme.

I made the base with glimmer mists, which I am happy to say that pass the longevity test.  The last time I used them was 4 or 5 years ago and they still worked like a charm :)
I then stamped with distress ink in vintage photo on a hero arts background stamp.

I cut the sentiment with  lawn fawn giant die, I have to say these dies are really awesome for a quick card with loads of impact.  No questions about what the card is for.

So I guess that is a wrap until next time, let's hope it isn't a year away.
Lou

Hooray, It's Your Birthday

My baby is turning 11, where the heck did that time go!

When this posts we would have just spent a weekend in Gisborne at his sister's football tournament.

I am hoping we will get some nice part of the family time in the evenings to do something fun.

 I made this card with the giant Hooray sentiment die from Lawn fawn, star stencil from Newton's Nook and lawn fawn inks.  The stamps are from the Lawn Fawn Really High Five set and cut on the scan n cut.

For any New Zealander's interested I am selling some of my craft supplies over on Facebook.  You can find them at 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/268414300586930/

Thanks for dropping by,
Louise

Sending Big Hugs with Lawn Fawn

GUESS WHAT!!!!   The sun is shining!
I have managed to catch up on the 50 million loads of washing I needed to do, just about... one to go.

I made this card when I was playing around with the backgrounds the other day.

 I stamped a whole page full of the lawn fawn critters from loads of sets and coloured them all up, then I cut them on my scan n cut... honestly that machine has changed my life.

Unusually, all the products I used on this card are lawnfawn.  Unusual for me as I like to mix and match. Apart from the markers of course.

Thanks loads for popping by,
Lou