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Seize The Birthday #6

Another challenge entry, this time for Seize the Birthday # 6 - it's a male birthday card this week.

Keeping with the theme of the past few challenges I've entered this week, it is of course ..... Midnight Muse, So Saffron and Whisper White .... and its for an 18th!

I'm really enjoying this new challenge site as it is helping to build up my birthday card stash and is forcing me to consider making male birthday cards - I've come to the conclusion that I don't have very many male orientated stamp sets - think I might need to 'invest' in one or two!

I decided to turn the sketch on its side and introduce a wavy line between the two papers rather than a straight one.  The papers are from the Print Poetry paper stack in the new catalogue and I have cut them straight - the wavy Midnight Muse piece has been cut with the Tasteful Trim BigShot die.

To create the centre piece I first cut out a few flowers, doh!  Then I remembered, this was a male card, so changed that to stamped images from the Circle Circus stamp set.  

If you live in Melbourne I do hope you enjoyed our cooler day today - such a relief from the past few days.

Happy Stampin"

Nikki

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Just Add Ink #153 Colour Challenge

Nikki Spencer from the Just Add Ink team set a colour challenge this week - I love blue, yellow and white together - reminds me of a beautiful duvet (or doona as they say in Australia) that I wanted when I first got married.  It was from Marks and Spencers and was covered in blue and yellow flowers - needless to say it never graced our bed, Paul and flowers?  Never in a month of Sundays.  But its funny how this colour combination always reminds me of that moment when we were first setting up home together.

So I made a flowery card?  No I didn't - although now as I am sitting writing this I think I might do!  I'm still making the stash of 18th birthday cards.

 I think you could use this card for a boy or a girl - although if Olivia decides to send it to a girl I think I will add some little So Saffron flowers to the number 1, just to pretty it up a little.

And the inside is complete too - these little pieces were just sitting on my desk - off cuts, why have I never thought of decorating the inside of cards like this before?  So quick to just add a few of the left over bits onto a piece of Whisper White - love it.

I might need to go for a lie down - two challenges in two days .... that's a record :)

Nikki

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Create With Connie and Mary # CCMC239

With my daughter's calendar filling quickly with 18th birthday party 'save the dates', I thought I might make a start on a pile of cards for her to give to her friends, and thought this would be a great way to enter some different challenges I haven't taken part in before - so first up is Create With Connie and Mary.

This first 18th is a very special one, its Amy's 18th and Amy and Olivia have been best friends for as long as we have lived here (10 years ago yesterday we touched down for the first time on the tarmac in Melbourne).  The request for Amy's card was black and white - but I have cheated and added in a touch of sparkle - every girl deserves a bit of sparkle doesn't she?

Its a very bright and sunny day here in Melbourne today, so I'm not entirely sure why this photo looks grey, but its black and white I promise.

I am really enjoying decorating the insides of my cards too.  I was a little worried about making just a black and white card but I think it came out quite well - just wished I had checked these photos before it was written in and sealed  :)

Enjoy your sunny and very hot weekend if you are in Melbourne.

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

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Yes, More Love Is In The Air!

Come on be honest, you thought I had forgotten to send a card to my valentine didn't you?  If you missed yesterday's offerings for my lovestruck teenagers, check them out here!

Well here it is.  I used the lovely new Cross My Heart set from the new catalogue, together with the More Amore papers, the Honeycomb embossing folder and the lovely new Natural Trim Ribbon. Here's a close up of that lovely new trim - its quite thick.

I was so super organised with this card - I was quite chuffed - ready ahead of time and sitting on my craft desk waiting to be written in.  But then ....

Remember the love struck teenagers of yesterday, well Livs and Hayden were celebrating their 'two month anniversary' (I know, just how cute is that) and Livs spies the card and says 'oh mum that's perfect for Hayden - we are playing Words With Friends together - he'll love it ... can I give it to him for our anniversary?

Well what could I say ... so I had to rustle up another one.  My second attempt was a little wonky, hence no photo, not entirely my fault as I am trialing new multi focal contact lenses ... its going well apart from wonky cards - but as I am a little bit wonky myself, I am sure he won't mind.

And so who's this card for?  I received a SMS from Liv's boyfriend Hayden asking me if I could help him make a card - this time for Livs for their two month anniversary - and rather than put a 17 year boy through the perils of sitting at my craft desk with me (he did offer bless him), I thought I'll just make him a card to give to her.  He was quite relieved I think and of course Liv's loves owls and loved the card.

See, lots and lots of love being shared in this little household right now - perhaps it is time for me to 'step away' from the More Amore designer series papers and move on to something else from the new catalogue, what do you think?

Nikki

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More Amore!

Happy Valentine's Day.  I don't think this household could get any More Amore if it tried!  With two teenagers it was bound to happen I suppose, both Livs and KP have 'other halves'.  What better excuse than to rustle up a card or two!

So first up is one for the love of Liv's life - the gorgeous Hayden.  It's hard to make a masculine Valentine's card without girlie stuff just appearing .... so I decided to use one  of the new soda pop tops.  A fellow demonstrator Christine Blain (she who does the bestest masculine cards ever) gave us a great tip - to flatten the bottle top a little just run it through the Big Shot.  Try it, it works a treat.

As I like ribbons and whatnot and I was trying very hard to make this masculine, I decided to add extra texture with both the Honeycomb and Lattice embossing folders.  Do you think he will notice that a little flower has sneaked in there?

And then we have KP's card to give to his lovely girlfriend Lisa.  She is such a sweetie and I hope she loves her card.

Again I just love the More Amore paper and as it was spread out all over the desk it was quick to rustle up card number two.  I had a stamping date with the lovely and very talented Judy May this week and I hope she pops in here and spies all the little pieces I have used on the cards - just how lovely are the new Hearts a Flutter framelits?  Judy was a life saver too - she taught me the error of my ways with all the edgelits and so I am super happy to be using the little borders on both of these cards too - thanks Judy x

Now just in case you think I have forgotten someone .... I haven't, honest ...  but his card is in the post so I will show you that one and another special card tomorrow.

Hope you have a lovely day with someone you love.

Nikki

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One LIttle Word Blog Hop for January

Lee Currie has taken over the reins for the One Little Word blog hop from Margie - thank you Lee.  

So this month we start afresh with our new words and our January assignment - and a new OLW badge - isn't it cool - thank you Melanie.  Welcome if you hopped over from Lynn's post ... and if you are starting here, great place to start!

I was still a little undecided about this word for most of January, but I feel very comfortable with it now.  It's perfect for where I am this year and will work well for me as I set off on new adventures.

I've created the twelve areas that I want to work with, however the assigment was to give each area a month or number.  As all of these would end up January or Number One .... I thought I'd leave that bit for now :o)

I plan to write a few ideas on the back of each card this month - just to remind myself of why of choose them and perhaps this will help for the word to work its magic in each area.  The little cards will be placed into pockets when I have completed this part.  Oh and I had better take a decent photo too I suppose.

CONSISTENT has played out well in January, I was consistently on holiday and I consistently did 'not a lot'. It was great fun!

I also addressed some of the areas I have highlighted this month - Strength and Fitness is being worked on with a neighbourhood boot camp - yes the neighbours have rallied together and twice a week we rock up on someone's front lawn and we are put through our paces by our local fitness guru - I even planked for five seconds ... yes five whole seconds and managed to run to the end of the Court and back without stopping (its a very long Court, honest)!

The Happiness area has me reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and this weekend I am joining a scrapbooking group which meets once a month - that's something new for Create.

Whilst I always wished I had achieved more, I am happy with my progress so far (especially the fitness bit - :o)).  

February will see me working on these areas and taking on a few new challenges.  I'll be working with Strength (strength of mind and character this time) as I attend interviews and settle on a new job, my Health as I give up alcohol for the month of February (is it coincidental that I chose the shortest month of the year to do this I wonder?) and Embrace, as I deal with the challenges and changes that are coming my way.  I'll also be giving my blog a little make over - more Creating.

Its time to hop along now to a very dear friend and OLW blog hopping partner in crime, Kathryn Ruddick  hope to see you next month.

Have a happy February.

Nikki

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