Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Oodles of birthdays!

Hi there,

You know how in Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rebecca has that one credit card frozen into a block of ice? I really should do that too. And also delete the bank-app from phone and burn my account-codes. Granted, I don't have a credit card, it's just a debit one, but still! I lost all self-control lately! 

Yesterday I picked up a package from the post office containing 8 Ranger Dye Inks, a Wink of Stella (finally I remembered to buy it!), a clear embossing powder, a glow-in-the-dark e/p, a MFT  in&out stitched rounded square die-set, a couple of HotP small stamp sets and a pouch a white iridescent sequins that the shop-owner (the fantastic Heidi of Heidin Korttipaja) threw in as a surprise! Thank god the sweet Mister only shrugged and helped me unpack (no mention of my crazy shopping - phew!).. 

I have been playing quite a bit lately! Well, not too much playing around, but more goal-oriented playing, as in needed to make birthday cards for my son's cousins. And I also made cards for my in-laws to give to the birthday boy and girl, so double the fun, double the crafting!

Here's for the boy turning 8:



Stars from a Stephanie Barnard set for Sizzix, the one with cupcakes and balloons, the number 8 with Tim Holtz's word play die (also Sizzix), and letters from a Memorybox die set I bought barely used.


Same Stephanie Barnard dieset, the balloon used this time, and the same Memorybox letters. The string were just doodled.

And his sister turning 15:




This card includes my second ever colouring with Distress Markers - a fussy cut Gorjuss girl (on top of the world) and the Marianne Heart Border from last post. The tag is cut with a die from the BS+ Starter Pack, and numbers again with the word play -die. Numbers are popped up with some foam tape so they catch the easel part perfectly. Also behind the girl is a piece of acetate, with a couple of the hearts that cut out from the Heart Border glued on. And a few pink half-pearls scattered around too. 







The dies used for this one:
- Box die from Started pack
- Butterfly die from Started pack
- Scalloped strip die from Starter pack
- Spellbinders spiral flower dieset (medium and large rose)
- Sizzix (TH) Tiny tabs & tags die
- Memorybox alphabet

The stamp I used for the pink embossing on the black paper is from a swirly set by Artemio. And I added a few dew drops for good measure - mind you, the photographed REALLY green, in reality they were way more translucent and colourless. 

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Now. For some reason this post is being a technical and layout-ish jerk, and I am very, very frustrated with Blogger right now. I just can't seem to make it work as it's supposed to. We'll just have to see how many times I will need to repost this, or whether it is only in the writing stage that it won't cooperate with me in the least. The pictures are all willy-nilly, there are huge gaps here that really shouldn't exist, but oh well. Maybe it might still work out well enough :P

I still have a lot of playing to do, some stamps to try out and display, I have a couple projects due - one to a 7-y.o boy in America, one for my parents to bring with them as a thank you to their friends with whom they are spending Midsummer (time to bring out the Art Impressions - yay!), and also to one of my BFFs, who just got married!

I am also about to go on a shopping strike. Which has basically already started, but I will still be receiving a few items. As I might've said already, I am ordering the Misti with a few crafting buddies - order went in on Sunday, so now it's just a waiting game. Also, I have ordered 2 stamp sets from Altenew through a Finnish shop-keeper (Vintage roses and I believe it was called Love Labels?), also I'm waiting on the TH/Sizzix spiral mini tattered florals thingy die. (Can you tell I can't remember the name of it?) These are sold out everywhere and so there's no knowing when they're arriving. I also asked a shopkeeper who makes custom stamps to make both a Finnish and Swedish "Happy Birthday" stamp that looks a bit like DYMO-ribbon - so that one I'm still waiting to see how and if it turns out. Other than that, I won't buy a thing - lol!

Happy crafting and tons of hugs,
Sofia



Thursday, June 4, 2015

Happy Mail, Happy Summer

Hi all,

And sorry for being MIA! I did 2 weeks of subbing at a high school and was soooo beat each day that I truly couldn't even craft! *shock, horror* 

Being in such a loud place for many hours at a time can be really draining for an introvert like me, but I still love it! It only takes one teenager to say something nice, or to strike a conversation after class and you can go on for ages.. And being able to help someone, or being able to calm down a "rowdy" kid.. Sort of wishing I had gone for teaching instead of accounting now, lol!

Anyways - I have been playing!

I'm in the midst of making invitation cards to a confirmation, and because of some happy mail that I picked up yesterday, I decided to make a little surprise to the design! So I have been cutting these (and picking them clean, and cutting again)...:


I totally fell in love with these!

And most of you will probably guess what this fancy die means? Yes, I splurged, and got myself this:


It's the most amazing, most wonderful thing in the world - the Big Shot Plus Starter Pack! That box die? Was of course the first thing I tried, and even when cut out of the thinnish paper that came with the pack, it's quite sturdy! And so pretty, and super easy to assemble! This is going to be perfect for small gifts - can just stuff it with some candy to brighten someone's day!

And since I got the machine I had to add some new candy to the order, so I got some brushes, hook & loop stickers, that cute tea-cup border (I'm not sure yet, but I think there's a cute idea for a Get well-card in there somewhere?), and that Marianne heart e/f with a matching heart border die :D 

The sweet Marika (Käsitellen facebook-shop) also threw in that Marianne heart-balloon die - isn't it fabulous?

I also ordered me some fancy stamps as a pick me up earlier, will share those later!
Now I'd better get cracking on those invitations so my SiL can get them sent out asap :)

Hugs 'n Love,
Sofia