Lucky Cat

Hi everyone,

Goodness what's come over me - two posts in two days - is there a chance I might be getting my mojo back! Lol!  (you can see my fabric covered book here)

When I saw the cue word over at Addicted to CAS this morning, I felt inspired!  I had a quick think and decided to go for a Lucky Cat ....

Supplies Used:
Lucky Cat stamp is Hero Arts
Sentiment is Personal Impressions
SU Real Red Card and some Gold Miri
Chinese Ribbon
A touch of colour with Promarkers
SU Chalk Talk Framelit Dies

Thanks for the inspiration ladies (and that includes you Mrs P! Lol)

Wishing you all a great weekend

Suze xx

Oriental 1, 2, 3

Happy Monday everyone,  hope you are all well!

It's time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and Elaine is our hostess.  Her challenge is 

1, 2, 3:  1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments.

I have to say I found this challenge quite tricky as I'm not very good with embellishments or papers!!

Anyhows, after much faffing about I came up with an oriental style card ...

The Geisha stamp is by Bravura and I've used 2 oriental style papers.  My embellishments are sequin waste, a TH die cut flower and some gold twine.  (Sorry the photo is a bit glary, it's pouring of rain today and the light's very dull)

Our sponsors for this challenge are The Paper Shelter and Woodware Craft Collection.  Hope you can join in - the challenge is running for 3 weeks this time.

Thanks for popping in, see you all soon.

Suze xx

UFOs and a load of Waffle

Hi All,

Well it's over I week since I last posted, still can't seem to get back into blogging mode.  I'm sure the dark, cold winter weather has a lot to do with it.  I just want to snuggle up on the sofa and do NOTHING!

However, I haven't been totally lazy.  Yesterday I was up at the Children's Hospital making Valentine's cards with some of the kids.  The children range from toddlers to teenagers so we have to do something quite simple to suit all ages, so we did lots of gluing and sticking, and they all had a great time.

I've also a couple of UFOs (unfinished objects) on the go ...

my photo inspriation

Last Friday I went to a class where we were making a fabric landscape.  We had to take a photo in as inspiration and then create the landscape layering up different fabrics. 









This is my one in it's half finished state, with hills, heather and a little stream. I'll show you it when it's finished - but don't hold your breath!

There's still a lot of work to do on it -  machine stitching, hand stitching and maybe adding some little 3D elements.


This is my next UFO - a 1000 piece puzzle which I got at Christmas.  I haven't done a puzzle for years and it's so addictive once you get started!  It's nice to do something different for a change though.







Finally, I do have something finished - a late entry for the Artful Times Challenge, which is HAPPY NEW YEAR (Chinese that is!)

I had already pre-sewn strips of oriental fabric together ages ago, so I just added some stiffener, backing fabric and a ribbon (which I attached a chinese coin to) and then zig-zagged around the edges to make a  bookmark.

I have been very remiss in my commenting too so I'll sit down this evening and do some catching up.

Thanks for coming to visit and listening to all my waffling!

Take care
Suze xx

A Panda

Good evening bloggers,

I'm supposed to be ironing (I've even got it switched on) but just wanted to take a couple of minutes to post this.

I've just made a quickie card for 2 challenges ...






CASology and            Retro Sketches

Back in August we had a family trip to Edinburgh Zoo to see the Pandas, so I've used this as my inspiration - well that and the fact this is the only zoo animal stamp I have!

Stamps are Inkadinkado Asian Influences and Asian Characters. Bamboo is stamped in Memento Bamboo Leaves and Panda & Sentiment are black embossed.  Coloured some linen thread with a Promarker and matted onto red card.

Okay dokes, thanks for popping in, see you all later.

Suze xx

A Postcard and a Twinchie

Hello bloggers,

How's everyone doing today.  I'm actually feeling in quite a good mood - was at the hairdressers this morning and I no longer have any grey hairs in sight!

Yesterday I dug out my box of oriental stamps (that may sound like I'm organised but I'm not - I've got a box for oriental, a box for christmas and everything else all jumbled up together!) and I've made a postcard and a twinchie.

The postcard is for two challenges:
Out of a Hat Creations - A Travel Postcard, and
Fashionable Stamping Challenges #25 - Oriental

I started by gluing some red oriental paper onto a blank postcard.  I then collaged on some pieces of  white handmade paper and gold napkin.
I stamped the Geisha (Bravura stamps) and Mt Fuji (make unknown) onto tissue paper then stuck them down with 'Glue n Seal'.
I then gold embossed a blossom stamp onto tissue, stuck that down then gold embossed around the edges.
Added a coin for good luck!

The twinchie is for Show Us Your Twinchies - Anything Goes

Background made with Distress Inks, I then gold embossed the buddha (Inkadinkado), coloured his robe with DI then edged with a gold pen. 

Okay, that's me for today, it's cuppa time again and I haven't done any commenting today yet.

See you all again soon.   

Take care.

Suze xx

Where did that grey 'hair' come from?!

Memoirs of a Geisha

Hi everyone,

Enjoying the lovely weather (not), well, nothing for it to stay home and do some housework craft!

The challenge this week over at Less is More is to "paper piece".  I quite enjoy paper piecing, it's exactly the same principle as doing applique - cut out the different pieces in paper/fabric and adhere with glue/bond-a-web!

So this week's challenge didn't really faze me but I did have to search through all my stamps four times until I decided on the stamp to use and of course I didn't use StazOn on the metallic paper and ended up with black smudges all over the place and had to completely start again! Anyway, here's my card ...

Whilst on holiday in Malaysia last year, I came across a Japanese pound store.  Wow, it was fab and I bought heaps of stuff, although I'm embarrassed to say there's lots of it I haven't used yet - including some packs of Japanese paper, which is what I've used here.  The stamp is by Personal Impressions. I coloured the teapot and did a bit of 'ground shading' with promarkers.

My card also fits with the challenge over at the DYSU blog (my first time of entering here) which is "Inspired by a Movie". I've gone for Memoirs of a Geisha, based on the fab book by Arthur Golden. My last post would also have fitted with this challenge (thanks Diane) but I'd posted it before the challenge was announced, very spooky.

Okay, a bit too much waffling from me today. Have a great week everyone and thanks for dropping by.

Take care
Suze xx

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Chinese New Year falls on the 23rd January and it's going to be the Year of the Dragon.

Many of you know that I love all things oriental so I've made a tag with several challenges in mind:

The Craft Barn - Colour Wheel Tag Challenge (I've gone for complimentary colours)
Pan Pastel UK Challenge - Anything Goes
Gingersnap Creations - GC134 Spicy Supply Challenge - Ribbon
The Stamp Man Challenge - Use Red

Background - Antique Linen & Peeled Paint Distress Stains
Bamboo stamp (Inkadinkado) inked in Memento Bamboo Leaves
Dragon stamp (make unknown) inked in Versafine Satin Red
Sentiment - printed on PC
Chinese 'double happiness' ribbon & red satin ribbon
Small Chinese coin

So to all those who celebrate - "Gong Xi Fa Cai" (Gong See Fa Chai) - I believe the translation is "I wish that you will be prosperous".

Thanks for visiting.

Suze xx

February

It's the second week of the calendar challenge over at The Craft Barn, and this week the theme is ... Red and Embossing

Background: Stampin Up Vintage Roller - Versafine Satin Red Ink
Geisha and symbol (Inkadinkado) stamped and embossed in black
Butterfly (Hero Arts) embossed in gold
Geisha coloured with Twinkling H2Os.


Love symbol for Valentine's Day

I went for the oriental theme, partly because I love oriental and partly because last weekend our community had a gala day to celebrate the centenary of Thomas Glover's death. Glover grew up in the suburb where I now live. He travelled to Japan when he was 17 and he went on to become one of the founders of the Mitsubishi Corporation.  There is also suggestion that his wife was the inspiration behind Madame Butterfly.

The highlights of the day for me were geishas performing a tea ceremony







and the children's parade and fabulous fireworks display ....

Apologies for the long post but I wanted to share the pics!

Suze xx

An Oriental Recipe

Week 30 over at the Less is More Challenge and this week it's a recipe ...

Take 3 Challenges

We want you to choose 3 from any of our previous 29 and combine them in your design.

I've been very good and have used a scrap which I had left over from yesterday when I was playing about with inks and my new Geisha stamp.

This is the scrap piece ...

and the finished card ...

I've incorporated:
Week 4 - 3 Squares
Week 12 - Off Centre
Week 28 - Ink
(it would also fit with a couple more weeks)

Background was made with Distress Inks and Geisha stamp is by Bravura.

Apologies for not getting round to visiting many of you last week - it was just one of those weeks!

Thanks for popping by - have a great week everyone and thanks again Chrissie & Mandi for a great challenge.

Suze xx

Geisha Bookmark

I bought a beautiful new stamp this week and I've used it to make a bookmark for the Just for Fun Challenge which is "Black, White, Silver & 1 Other Colour"

Geisha by Bravura Stamps (inked with Versafine Onyx Black)
Swallow Stamp is Papermania
Hero Arts circular background stamp (inked with Stampin Up Pink Passion)
Edged and added detail - silver Uni pen

Thanks for visiting and hope you're having a lovely day.
Suze xx

Yin Yang

The challenge this week at Just for Fun is "Black and White", so I've gone for a little oriental style yin yang piece.

First I made a round origami thingy made from After Eight packets (yum) - found a video on YouTube.

Then I white embossed bamboo and buddha stamps (Inkadinkado Asian Influences) onto black paper and layered them up.

Now after all that monochrome I think we need a bit of colour ....
Yesterday we went for a little walk in the woods ....
                         some rowan berries

     

and a toadstool (do you think this is where the fairy snowman lives!).

Thanks for another great challenge ladies.
Have a fun week and thanks for dropping by.
Suze xx

'Arty' or a 'Scrappy Mess'!?

Okay, don't laugh, this is me trying to be "arty".

At Just for Fun this week the challenge is to use 'Corrugated Card' and as this is an inky/get messy challenge blog, I've tried to create an 'aged' piece but I can tell you this is harder than it looks.

I tore some of the paper off of the corrugated card, then gold embossed a chinese dragon onto it.  I cut it out with a circular nestie (had to roll it through 3 times), then aged and coloured it with various distress inks.  I mounted the dragon onto another piece of card, which I had aged with torn strips of paper and various inks.  Added a chinese coin and some raffia.

Thanks for visiting and I don't mind if you have a giggle - after all this challenge is "Just for Fun"!

Suze xx

My First ATC

On my recent bloggy wanderings, I came across the new ATC Challenge Blog.  I only started cardmaking  in August last year and I have never made an ATC, so I thought why not give it a go!  

Their first challenge is "Anything Goes" and as I'm a big oriental fan, I decided it would be easiest to go with this.

It also fits the bill for the Gingersnap Creations 'Red and Gold' Colour Challenge, so I'm entering it there too.

Oriental papers

'Double Happiness' ribbon

Tim Holtz Rosette Die

Inkadinkado Bamboo and Buddha Stamps

Black & gold inks and gold EP.

Perfect Pearls Bronze

Thanks for visiting and I don't mind constructive criticism!

Suze x

GC99 Gingersnap Creations - Fans

The new Random Redhead Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations is "Fans".

I decided to use my favourite die of the moment - Tim Holtz' mannequin.  I used the die to make both the mannequin and the cheongsam but trimmed them down to a more slender oriental frame!

The fans are an inkadinkado stamp which I coloured with promarkers and sakura pens and mounted onto a 'panel'.

Maybe a bit 'clean & simple' for this challenge, what do you think!?

Happy Crafting
Suze x

GC97 Gingersnap Creations - Geishas

I have decided to step out of my comfort  zone and enter this month's challenge over at  Gingersnap Creations.  One of their guest designers this month is  Valerie-Jael Tups, who does some fabulous altered art and it's she who has inspired me to enter this challenge.

I'm really only being brave because the theme this month  is 'Geishas'.  I love all things oriental and I have quite a few oriental stamps, so here is my entry:

Geisha stamp  is embossed in black and coloured with Sakura pens. The Mount Fuji stamp is embossed in copper and matted onto black cardstock.  I've used a couple of oriental patterned papers and embellished with origami 'lucky' stars.  The card is placed onto a felt placemat which I bought in Asia.

Just for fun, here are the other geishas I have in my home ...

the last one's an appliqued wall hanging which I started at a class a few months ago but which hasn't seen the light of day since (really must get my sewing machine out again!)

Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting

Suze x

"Less is More" Challenge

Week 8 over at the Less is More Challenge, and this week the criteria is to follow a sketch and produce a DL sized card. Well there's another couple of firsts for me - never done a sketch before and surprisingly never done a DL card either (I like my squares!).

I've gone with Chrissie and done a male & female version.

The male card is oriental and was inspiried by a circular dragon stamp.  I printed the sentiment straight onto the card, stamped the horizontal border then mounted the dragon stamp.

Shanghai font from Dafont.com

Bamboo stamp - Inkadinkado Asian Influence
Dragon stamp - make unknown
Versafine Olympia Green ink
Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves Ink & Clear EP

The female card is so NOT my style - I think it's the bolder colours and it's a bit fussy - but I suppose that's good that I've done something different.

Sentiment stamped and clear embossed onto card base, Tim Holtz tattered floral mounted onto horizontal strip.

Base card from local Paper Mill Outlet
Sentiment - TPC Studio, Boho Blooms
Tim Holtz Tattered Floral Die
Bo Bunny Paper
Versafine Vintage Sepia & Clear EP
Little bit of glitter & bling

Great inspiration as usual from Chrissie and Mandi and of course all the other entries. Thanks and hugs to everyone who takes the time to visit me.

Happy Crafting

Suze x

"Less is More" Challenge

It's week 3 over at the "Less is More" challenge and oh my goodness, this week has been even tougher than last week.  The theme is Spring.

I decided to go oriental and do cherry blossom (that was the easy bit!)  Oh my, trying to find a suitable sentiment to go with it.  I spent ages on the internet and eventually came across this quote by William Shakespeare (who'd have thought culture and crafting would blend together so nicely! Lol), then of course printing it out took a bit of time too!

The image is stamped and clear embossed, then coloured with promarkers and a touch of Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom, don't you know!) Gelly Roll pen.

(Added Note: The image is the same stamp, stamped twice and it's a stamp which was purchased quite a few years ago from Lakeland (Kitchens) who I don't think do craft supplies anymore.)


(Further Note: I notice Beryl  (entry no 131) has used a blossom stamp from the same stamp set I've used.  She says hers is from the English Stamp Company, so I've checked their website and it's exactly the same stamp set and it's still available to purchase - obviously ESCo made it for Lakeland!).

Hope you like it.

Happy Crafting

Suze x

Variations on a theme

Had my favourite oriental girl stamp out today, though somehow I just can't bring myself to make two cards exactly the same!

Chinese Money Wallet

At last I have a little spare time to upload a new photo.  This is a chinese money wallet I have made for some chinese friends who are getting married this month.

Made from red card (to signify good luck) with oriental paper depicting the 'double happiness' symbol and mandarin ducks to signify love and partnership.  The ribbon also has the 'double happiness' symbol.

Wednesday's Work (if you can call crafting work!)

Was at my quilting/sewing class this morning.  Didn't get much done - too much chatting and not enough working (as usual!).  Am trying to get my 'coral reef' embroidery finished - this is how it looks like so far:

I'm meantime 'home alone' so I've just done another quick card.  I do love my japanese girl stamp.

Happy Crafting x