Happy Monday dear friends! I have seriously been thinking about Christmas...scary I know!! BUT it's not that far away and I always make my cards and have to seriously start thinking about making them. I sit back and wonder where this year has gone. It's like someone snapped their fingers and we have gone from January to October. It's crazy how quickly the year goes.

Okay enough babbling I hear you say and get on with the post.

Here's a lovely feminine card I created for my SIL. Something a bit different from my usual style I think.

I have used Crate Paper 'Farmhouse' collection. Again using the 6x6 pad and chipboard. I find myself purchasing these more and more as they are so great for cardmaking. The only time I buy 12x12 sheets now is when I need them for my layouts. Otherwise I find I buy heaps of paper in loads of different patterns and never use it.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Mel xxx

Male Birthday Card

Yay, It's Friday I hear you all say!! Nearly weekend time again, time to relax a little and chill, catch up with friends or go to the park. Oh I adore weekends.

Here'a a card I made for my Dad's birthday. This time going against the traditional sailing theme I often do on his cards.

I have made this one using the new 'Happy Days' range by Echo Park. It has a good variety of papers suitable for both male and female cards. I specifically bought it for my card making so only bought the 6x6 paper pad and element sticker sheet but I am really happy with the versatility of the range.

I am sure you will see more cards from me using these papers.

Take care and have a fab weekend.

Mel xxx

Honk Honk!! Little Boy's Card.

Happy Thursday. It's getting close to the weekend. By now we will be enjoying the hot, warmth of the sun in Parabadoo...where you say!!. In the Pilbara, red dirt country of WA, an hour from the beautiful Karajini National Park.

We are so long overdue for a family holiday so I have been longing for this trip.

I will share photos when we get back at the end of next week.

But for now here is a bright, cheerful card I made for a friends little boy who turned one recently.

This one uses Echo Park 'Little Boy' papers and Sticker sheet.

Thanks for looking.

Mel xxx

Happy Wednesday friends!! Hope you are all well and enjoying life.

Today I have a couple of cards to share. Both using October Afternoon 'Seaside' papers.

I have had these in my stash for quite a while and never used them. I never had the right photos to use them on a LO but thought I should not waste them so here they are on cards. They worked perfectly for my Dad's father's day card.

I loved the banner paper so used them on both cards. I fussy cut them out and stuck them on and then rolled them up slightly to give a 3D effect.

The stamped image on the first card is another TGF image called 'Blush Bonnie' and on the Father's Day card above I used the yacht and waves from the Sticker Shape sheet to create a mini scene. My dad loves sailing so I try to incorporate this in his cards as much as I can.

Thanks heaps for looking.

Love

Mel xxx

Teacher Graduation Card

Hello wonderful bloggers!! I hope you are all having a great start to the week.

I made this special card for my dear friend who recently graduated from University with her teaching degree. It has taken her 9 years part time to complete, so it is an amazing accomplishment.

I created this card using Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe papers and chipboard specifically using the children playing and hopscotch as my friend is working in Early Childhood with Kindy and Pre-primary students. There are a few Kaiser Pearls too, to bring in some more blue, her favourite colour.

Thanks for looking.

Mel xxx

Blast From The Past

Happy, happy weekend to you all. Where ever you are I hope the sun is shining for you and you can delight in Spring.

I made this birthday card recently using some scraps I had left over from Crate Papers Restoration collection. So good to use up little bits and pieces.

I have used Blush Babette here again from The Greeting Farm. She is so beautiful and love practising colouring her hair.

Enjoy your weekend and take care.

Love

Mel xxx

60th Birthday Card

Happy Friday friends!! How exciting the weekend is just about here.

I think we are supposed to be having a lovely warm, sunny weekend which will be wonderful. Love, love, love, spending time outdoors, especially after a wet, stormy week.

Here's a card a friend asked me to create for her Mum. Being it was her mum's 60th birthday she wanted a special, handmade card, using her favourite colours of reds and creams.

I used the gorgeous Emma's Shoppe papers and chipboard embellishments by Crate Paper, a Prima flower, Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and American Crafts fabric Thickers. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up. Lots of distessing and inking which I love.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Mel xxx

Playing Catch Up

Hello sweet friends. I am playing catch up at the moment with a number of cards that I have made over the last two months. So there will be plenty of inspiration for you card makers out there and even one or two layouts for you scrapbookers over the next week.

For both of these cards I have used MME Stella and Rose 'Gertie' 6x6 paper pad and TGF stamps.

This first card has the gorgeous Blush Babette coloured with copics.

The TGF here is Cheeky Chat.

Thanks for looking.

Mel xxx

Happy Day - Get Picky September Sketch Challenge

Happy Wednesday to you all. Not only is "Happy Day" the title of the LO below but it is a "Happy Day" as I got to sit down and actually scrap book. It has been a long time and it felt really good to get back into it again.

I did this for Get Picky's latest sketch challenge which finishes tonight. Just scraping in there.

Here is the sketch

and my interpretation

I only found these photos the other week and thought I had to scrapbook them as these little ones are still friends (and they are 5 now). It is so nice to have these photos for Dillon to look back on later.

I have used a mixture of Echo park papers and sticker embellishments from 'Summertime' and 'A Walk In The Park'.

Here are some close ups:

Thanks for looking.

Take care.

Mel xxx

Hello there long lost friends. I know it has been a while since I have seen 'Blog Land', and it took a while to get the courage up to get back on as I know I have missed out on so much of your wonderful creations and have way too much to read. So I have decided to start over and read all your new posts. Sorry about that. But it was either that or just give up blogging altogether.

I have been busy just like I am sure you all have been too. I had my 40th birthday at the end of July and also managed to strain muscles in my neck and arm leaving my left thumb numb. Don't even ask me how I managed to do that as I have no clue. But after three weeks of being on painkillers and a couple of Physio appointments, my neck is slowly recovering and this is the first week I have not needed to take the anti inflammatories and pain medication. Can I just say, I am very excited about that.

So here is a new post sharing some of the creations I have been busy making over the last month and a half. Ooops, it has been a while!!

It's that time of year when most of my son's friends have birthdays and as you can probably tell, they are all turning five. I have used Echo Park 'Little Boy' papers and The Greeting Farm stamps on both of these cards. I have started practising texture on the hair. Slowly getting there.

I will share more soon and will get around to reading your blog posts too. Sorry I haven't been a very good blogging friend of late but I am getting back into the swing of it again.

Thanks for any lovely comments.

Mel xxx