It hasn't been forever ...

... since my last post. Surprised, huh? I know I am! Although, I suppose a week and a bit in blogland can seem like a long time.

I made the following card for a friend of mine in Canada. And it really has been like FOREVER since I sent her something to remind her that she is in my thoughts and heart. I was thinking how easy it has been for so much time to pass by in the whirligig of every day and, in that time, not reach out to those that I care about - especially those who may be far away. Definitely time for redress...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Always Artichoke
Chocolate Chip
Old Olive
Soft Suede
VersaMark

Stamp sets:
Defining Alphabet
Vintage Vogue

Cardstock:
Always Artichoke
Naturals Ivory
Old Olive

Accessories:
Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon
Earth Elements Brads
Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon
Rich Regals Brads
Soft Suede Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon
Sponge Daubers
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
Stampin' Dimensionals

A pink lighthouse

To me, a lighthouse symbolises "Awareness" as it serves to alert unwary seafarers of dangers hidden nearby. Colour it Pink Ribbon Day pink and it so represents Breast Cancer Awareness, don't you think? Or am I speaking for myself? *looks around*

Well, it seemed like a good idea to me at the time! It still does except for the sting of rejection. *sniffle*

Anyway, the amazingly talented Teneale Williams sent out a request for 6" X 6" pages to compile a book of inspirational quotations for those affected by breast cancer while they visit the Westmead Breast Cancer Clinic and the McGrath Foundation office. You still have time to help her as she is waiting until Monday October 12 for the last submissions.

I chose the Elisabeth Guinot quotation for mine because I believe that we don't really know what we are capable of until we are tested. And I'd like to think that we are chronic underestimators.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Kiwi Kiss
Pink Pirouette
Rose Red

Stamp sets:
A Great Friend
Eastern Influences
Lovely Letters
Uncharted Territory

Paper:
Pink Pirouette CS
Rose Red CS
Rose Red Prints DSP (retired)
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Flower Assortment Designer Brads
Mat Pack
Sponge Dauber
Striped Grograin Ribbon in Pink Pirouette
Word Window Punch

PS. The title is Rose Red cardstock cut using the QuicKutz harvest font.

Decompression chamber

The INKlings team weekend was tremendously enjoyable and really constructive! It started with a bit of a wobble since I only finished my Card-in-a-Box and swaps at 4:30am on the morning of the camp, began packing anything a couple of hours before I had to leave and the only navigational tools that Kylie and I had to get to Vision Valley was a powerless sat-nav and some printed directions local to a cafe 10 minutes away from our destination. The motorways got us through the first 75km and even though we contemplated exiting a couple of times, we were too giggly (read: slow) to do so and, thus, were saved from ourselves. Once we neared Galston, it seemed like all the roads intersected with each other several times over - which made missing a turn just a reminder of what to do at the next juncture. Now that I look back on it, I am so thoroughly impressed that those responsible for the roadworks had the foresight to invent the equivalent of a Möbius strip highway...you couldn't even choose to be on the wrong side (I'm sure we tested and affirmed that theory a couple of times).

We met up with Fiona at the Greenshades Cafe, amazingly at the designated time, for a hearty serving of lamb shanks on creamy mash and crispy toasted bread soaked in olive oil with basil and garlic. Great company, good food and a wonderful way to start off the team weekend. As for Cania, what's that again?

After finishing lots of everyone else's Card-in-a-Box, I had time to try one of the sketch challenges suggested by Carol. As I only packed a paltry amount of cardstock and ink, I imposed on Fiona, Ruth and Lis for Dimensionals, mat pack and piercer, white embossing powder and inspiration - the last one was completely gratuitous and attention seeking. Thank you for putting up with me, INKlings! Here's an arty shot of the completed card:

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Baja Breeze
Chocolate Chip
Sahara Sand

Stamp sets:
Always
Curvy Verses

Cardstock:
Baja Breeze
Chocolate Chip
Parisian Breeze Speciality
Whisper White

Accessories:
1/2″ Circle Punch
Heat Tool
Mat Pack
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Stampin’ Write Marker in Chocolate Chip
White Embossing Powder

The mug shot version is on the Elite Challenges blog ... my scanner has a penetrating brightness that seeps into all the indentations of the textured cardstock leaving it looking completely smooth - a bit like Hubby's head.

Many thanks to Jayne for a fabulous team weekend - I am very grateful to have her as my upline. Also, I'd really like to thank those of you who have been incredibly patient and dropped by even though my blog must have looked like time capsule - frozen in time with no hint of anything new, week after week!

I've been to Hell

to be exact, Cania, the icy eighth of the nine hells of Baator..and back! To be really exact, I've just finished playing Hordes of the Underdark, a computer role-playing game. Here's a Wikipedia definition for CRPG that'd put you through at least two levels of the nine should you choose to read the whole entry. After a near total immersion in the game as an epic² monk, travelling through tortuous freezing climes (fairly approximated by sitting at my computer during these cold days and nights), helping the wretched and battling evil with my bare fists³, on completion of those adventures, I am now suffering decompression.

I am sure many of you would have gone through this condition - it comes upon you lightly when you have watched a wonderfully absorbing movie or hits you like a freight train (or, for RPGers, a Heavy Flail + 10 wielded by a weapons master wearing a Belt of Storm Giant Strength) when you've finished reading the final instalment of a much loved fantasy series. It is particularly heart-wrenching if you've fallen in love with one of the characters. Twilight readers - you know what I'm talking about! Real life suddenly seems like just an opportunity to seek out ways to prolong the experience ... Google the characters, discuss the story to the nth degree with other passionate fans, relive moments in the adventure and, quite possibly, dream about the one that you are most attached too. In other words, do anything to defer the sadness that comes from the end of something that strangely felt special even though it existed only in our imaginations.

I guess it will take a little time for me to mentally pack away by my magical bags of holding and say farewell to my preferred One True Love after I ended up with two from alternate scenarios. Luckily, I had Hubby asking me to leave the computer to keep him company last night - an important reminder of the reality that was worth surfacing for.

Speaking of Hell, I designed the following card for a INKlings Card in a Box training session. A few of the team found making this card rather hellish since a standard wheel can be tough to control at times⁴. The card is deceptively difficult since there are no OFFERs (Opportunities-For-Further-Embellishment Recovery) - there are no layers or embellishments with which to hide a mistake! As the card featured my Marker Over technique, I made copies of it for Convention swaps *wave to Megan*

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Certainly Celery
Chocolate Chip

Stamp sets:
Funky Forest wheel
Occasional Greetings

Cardstock:
Whisper White

Accessories:
Earth Elements Markers
Mat Pack

---

1. Hordes of the Underdark^TM is an expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights.
2. Epic - a character that has reached the 21st level for those of you with some RPG interest.
3. Supplemented by the odd pair of magical gloves ... who am I kidding? Make it supplemented continually as soon as I got hold of the first pair...
4. Just like Valen suppressing his demonic taint while in Cania - I couldn't help slipping that in for anyone who has played Hordes of the Underdark.

How predictable am I?

Completely. Utterly. Depressingly so. *sigh*

A year ago, I took part in Jayne's Cyberstamp where one of the challenges was to select two numbers, put them together to make a page number in the Idea Book & Catalogue from which to case a card. IIRC I chose 7 and 8, giving me 78. Since page 78 featured a scrapbook layout, I reversed the numbers to give 87 and ended up with this card.

This year, Dani reissued the same challenge and what random numbers did I choose? Yep! 7 and 8! AGAIN! Didn't realise it until I thought about it days after the Cyberstamp - about the time I started writing up this blog entry for the new card. Just to reinforce the fact that I am a machine, it turns out that I used Orchid Opulence and Tempting Turquoise both times on a squarish card. Oh well! At least the Curly Label Punch is new... *slinks off*

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Gable Green
Glorious Green
Orchid Opulence
Tempting Turquoise

Stamp sets:
Petal Pizzaz
Polka Dot background
Say it with Scallops

Cardstock:
Gable Green
Tempting Turquoise
Whisper White

Accessories:
Curly Label Punch
Eyelet Edge Punch
Mat Pack
Stampin' Dimensionals
Stampin' Write Markers in Glorious Green, Lovely Lilac, Orchid Opulence, Tempting Turquoise
Styled Silver Hodgepodge
Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon
White Gel pen

Embossing's a beach!

I've been doing a bucket load of embossing recently as I've been preparing for various embossing technique classes including Cracked Glass and Faux Metal. Until Stampin' Up! Australia introduces Glassy Glaze, I have to stick with its clear embossing powder (EP) for demonstrating the Cracked Glass technique - which means six to eight layers of embossing to achieve the same thickness as a couple of layers of UTEE.

This really isn't a problem - after all, it is kinda fun applying the powder and watching in wonder when it melts under the roar of my heat tool. After the novelty of the first four embosses though, one's mind starts to wander. *apply VersaMark* What should I have for lunch today? *pour EP over project* Had leftovers yesterday...got leftovers today... *tap tap off excess EP* *return excess to container* *fire up heat tool* When this is done, shall I play drums or guitar on Guitar Hero World Tour? This t-shirt I'm wearing REALLY needs washing! Hmmm...wonder what's on TV? Is this the fifth or the sixth layer? *apply heat to project* Oooooh! Shiny! Gah! Hot! Quick! *point heat tool away while simultaneously pouring EP on project* And so it goes...and goes. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz...

Until the moment that I get completely complacent (or comatose - not sure which comes first) and forget to point the heat tool away while attempting to cover the project with a new layer of EP. An instantaneous cloud of EP billows over my workspace, transforming it into a sandy paper beach - even my right arm is encrusted with EP like I had been spending the afternoon making EPcastles. *sigh*

So, the moral of the story is ... nope ... there's none to be had. Bring on Glassy Glaze, Stampin' Up! Australia!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Basic Brown
VersaMark

Stamp sets:
For Father

Cardstock:
Naturals Ivory
Not Quite Navy
Old Olive Textured

Accessories:
Aquapainter
Clear Embossing Powder
Gold Embossing Powder
Heat Tool
Hodgepodge Hardware in Antique Brass
Mat Pack
Theatre Ribbon Originals
Watercolor Wonder Crayons in Earth Elements, Neutrals

Many happy returns Mum!

It is my amazing mother's birthday today. What else could lure me back to this blog after neglecting it for yet another week?! Just-too-busy-ber is living up to its name (I have to admit that it was me who named December as such) and I've been clinging on to the edge with my toes propped on my blog to keep me from falling into the abyss of "BELATED"ness. *pictures self falling from cliff, with arms flailing, towards a river* Please don't ask me about the river...probably to do with watching too many disaster movies when young.

Gee...that stream of consciousness took a windy route! Anyway, back to my wonderful mum who I have to thank for a great upbringing and for working so hard to make sure that I was never short of opportunity. I'd go on and on but it would just embarrass her especially if I told everyone how much I love her and miss her.

So, instead, I'd like to share with you the quaint beginnings of the phrase "Many Happy Returns" in my life. When I was a child in Malaysia, and subsequently, in Perth after our migration, my Auntie Kim and Uncle George (who lived in Sydney) would send me a birthday card every year along with a crisp 10 ringgit or dollar note along with wishes for "Many happy returns of the day". I was always perplexed by this as I wondered whether they wanted me send the money back. Even worse, why would they want me to return everything that I had received from everyone else? Sounded like a miserable thing to wish someone for their birthday if you ask me!

And then I consoled myself with the thought that perhaps the phrase originated from Aborigines and the fact that there is always much happiness when one threw a boomerang and it returned effortlessly to the thrower's hand. After all, I had heard that boomerang catching was a tricky business. Needless to say, I held on to the money and every other gift that I received for my birthday albeit with a sense of how inscrutable Australian phrases and customs were.

Many happy returns, Mum!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Pumpkin Pie
Taken with Teal

Stamp sets:
Live Your Dream
Wonderful Favourites

Paper:
Old Olive CS
Pumpkin Pie DSP
Taken with Teal CS
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Mat Pack
Scallop Edge Punch
Stampin’ Write Markers in Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Taken with Teal and Old Olive
White Gel Pen

By the way, I didn't send this card to my mum - rather I made a card for her using "Summer by the Sea" and didn't take a photo of it in my haste to make sure that she received it in time. Just-too-busy-ber, may you know what it's like to be you! Er... ie too busy!

Serenity serendipity

Things have been rather busy for me since the Papercrafts Festival. On top of the goings-on in my little craft world, there has been a couple of momentous races - one involving horses and the other presidential candidates! Amidst all that hurly-burly, I made a card using the Summer By The Sea stamp set and the watercolouring brought me a sense of serenity that made me feel as if I had a teensy holiday, away from everything.

Now, when I look at the card, I imagine being the lady in the boat, dipping her toes into the cool water, without any intrusions on her lake of solitude. Of course, to the right of her, off the page, would be a mountain of calorie-free delectable morsels and, quite possibly, Hubby having a quiet snooze. Aaaahhhhh!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Old Olive
StazOn Black

Stamps:
Summer by the Sea set
Sweet Serendipity set

Paper:
Cameo Coral CS
Naturals Ivory CS
Old Olive Prints DSP
Watercolor Paper

Accessories:
Aquapainter
Crop-A-Dile
Jumbo Eyelets in Antique Brass
Mat Pack
Natural Hemp Twine
Stampin' Dimensionals
Watercolor Wonder Crayons in Earth Elements

Wishing you moments of sweet serendipity for the rest of the week!

A pinch and a punch...

...for missing a post for the first of the month. Yes! I missed posting properly yesterday due to duties at the Papercrafts Festival, which has been a whirlwind of preparation and activity. It has been great meeting so many crafty women over the past two days *big wave* - I can honestly say that I have yet to do a make and take with a man at the fair. Perhaps this is why women are called the fairer sex? Also, a special hello to belle for being so sweet to visit me at the stand.

Stampin' Up! promotions will be starting on the 10th this month - when you click on the Specials heading on the top of this blog, you'll see that markers will be offered for purchase as single items very soon! I'll update the blog with the promotions as soon as they are made public. Also, I'll be sending out my newsletter with all the details on that date too. So, please sign up if you are interested (check out the free subscriptions panel on the left right [don't know my left from my right!] of the page).

This is one of the cards that I have on display when I do my demonstration of the Poppin' Pastels technique at the fair. I can sneak this on now since some of you have seen it already.
Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
VersaMark

Stamps:
It's Beautiful wheel
Short & Sweet set

Cardstock:
Naturals Ivory

Accessories:
Mat Pack
Paper Piercer
Paper Snips
Sponge Daubers
Stampin' Dimensionals
Stampin' Pastels





Today is the last day of the Papercrafts Festival so poppin' I mean pop in if you can. We have an amazing array of papercraft samples (and I can say this because you should see everyone else's work) and you can even take a photo or two of your favourite pieces. There are also specials just for the show including a Pick-A-Prize for all bundles and if you are thinking of joining Stampin' Up!, you'd definitely want to ask us about it!