Monday, June 29, 2009

Blog candy

Enfys at Going Buggy is celebrating 500 followers and 225 000 hits with a great blog candy. With over 700 entries I don't have much hope of winning this candy, but hey, I have to try, right? ;)

Charlotte and Jane at Craftie-Charlie Blog is celebrating the launch of two new ranges from MME and is giving away a selection of goodies from your favourite of the two!

And you should take a look at Bev's blog every Saturday, where Simon Says Stamp sponsors her with a new Magnolia stamp - every week!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Have a nice summer!

Just popping in to say hello! And to let you all know that I'm enjoying summer outside, away from my desk and cards. Don't be surprised if I'm gone for a week or so now and then.

Although... Yesterday I came home with two big bags of paper, ribbons, embellishments, flowers and more after a little road trip with a friend, and the urge to dig into my new stash right now is strong. I'll be back when you least expect it. ;)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Learning curve


My first knitted ascot has got a little brother! I used some of the things I learned to adjust the recipe a little. This one isn't quite as wide as the first - it's also shorter, as it won't be worn by me. I just noticed that the photo, taken at an angle, makes it look a little unproporsional... The "flaps" aren't as big as they seem here. There are a few other differences as well, without getting into the details now.
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I have another one planned (I can see these as christmas gifts!) and will incorporate the last of the details I learned from the first two. Maybe I'll post the recipe if I feel up to it.

And again, those mixed colours have me drooling... Simply amazing.

Off to enjoy summer now! See you all later!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

#100 (and welcome summer!)

Wow, it's hard to believe that this is my post number 100! I haven't even been blogging for half a year... One day short of five months to be exact. I dedicate this post nr. 100 to SUMMER! Welcome! :)
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I saw this sketch at Trykkpressa a long time ago and promptly forgot all about it. Then it reappeared in my mind yesterday, and today I had the idea of making it look like a window overlooking the sea. And now, having made the card, I feel like the sketch was made especially for me and my idea... Although I might have used a little creative licence with it. ;) But somehow I couldn't have done it any other way! This card also deserves to be entered to the ABC Challenge, where they're asking for cards about summer.
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The window frame was cut from Core'dinations Whitewash cardstock and lightly sanded to give the impression of old, weather-worn wood. I didn't have matching Core'dinations regular cardstock, so my turqoise Bazzill was carefully treated with a white pencil to give a similar look. I chose the colours not only because of the DP, but also because they make me feel like summer right away! The Mamma Mia movie uses a lot of these colours as well... ;)
This card is all about layers and dimention, so I paper pieced the wrapping around the stack of books twice and highlighted it with a white pencil. The sail boat charm was a last minute addition, but I think it looks good there!
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To everyone out there: have a warm, bright, sunny summer!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Inspirational Card Sketches #21

The only thing I knew when I started this card, was that I wanted it to be blue so I could use my new flowers. ;) And boy oh boy have I been through my stacks of blue pattern paper today! Finally landed on something from the awesome BG Wisteria pad. Teamed it with a bit of green and piled on the flowers. Too much of a good thing is wonderful... Right? ;)

I used a sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches, it was easy to work with when I finally found the papers I liked.

ETA: Forgot to mention - I paper pieced both parts of the dress! That qualifies me to both the Lili of the Valley Challenge and the Creative Inspirations Challenge! Three in one go, not bad. :) I might very well paper piece this stamp again - I've always found it a bit difficult to colour that dress and make it look good.

A Spoon Full of Sugar #56

This card was supposed to look very different, but as it so often is, it took on a life of its own and morphed into something quilte unlike what I had originally intended...
As you can see in the bottom right corner, the swirls along the edges are quite subtle because of the Perfect Pearls powder, but when the light hits them just right, they shine!
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Although I'm not exactly thrilled with how this card eventually turned out, I'm adding it to the Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge, since I've used their excellent sketch. I've just flipped it to suit my image better.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Having another go at the vintage style

It's been a while since my first attempts at the vintage style. They weren't always a great success, I have to say. But I'm getting there! This card came together quickly, probably as it is built over the same recipe as the last few cards I've made... If it works, don't change it. ;) The nearly invisible sentiment in the bottom right corner says "Congratulations".

I couldn't resist using some of my newest supplies! It took me a while to rearrange the contents of my desk drawers to fit it all in... ;) Here you can see (some of) my newest nesties and the lovely Revolution Brackets.
I'll add this card to the celebration themed challenge over at the Simon Says Challenge Blog! It makes perfect sense to enter this particular card - after all, these great nesties were a prize for a card I entered to Simon Says a little while back... It's the circle of life. ;)

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Bliss

This first day of summer vacation isn't all that summery. No worries. Just whip up some chocolate chip cookies. Add dark sweet cherries, a nice cup of tea, some luxurious yarn and the thought of not going to work for a month. Instant bliss.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Katrine and Espen

I finally got to try my new nesties! Love these. And later today I'll get a lot more... sshhh! ;)

There's quite a bit of shine in this card, I promise. I was afraid it would look boring and sad without some bling! ;) Now if I could just find a way to make it show better in photos... It's all about the angles.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Tick tock


This was a rush job... And the pictures doesn't make it much better. In real life it benefits greatly from the luxurious shimmering papers and doesn't need much embellishment, but I still wish I could have done just a little bit more with it. A clogged drain in my bathroom stole most of my day away and left little time for anything else. But at least now the water runs down into the drain instead of out from it! That's always a good thing. ;)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Wedding card

Another card along the same lines as the last one - I needed something done fast and they are going to two different families - two different countries even! So no chance of anyone discovering the cheating... ;)

Again, lots and lots of bling. I just miss my bling swirls... **Must. Buy. More.** The DP is shimmering, there's Bazzill Bling and silver ink, silver cardstock, rhinestones, loads of Glimmermist and some Stickles glitter glue to top it off. My wedding cards usually have quite a bit of shine... ;) But I feel it's nescessary when working in such a muted colour scheme.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Candy alerts!

Katharina is giving away 2 surprise packages filled with stamps of the new Whiff of Joy Wedding and Baby collection designed by Elisabeth Bell, to be released June 14th! These are some of the most beautiful stamps I've seen in a long time... I'd love to give them a good home here. ;)

Michelle has a great candy with, among other things, the wonderful Core'dinations Whitewash stack I've been drooling over ever since I first saw it... One way or another, I WILL get my hands on one! Keeping my fingers crossed. ;)

Line has a triple celebration blog candy up for grabs! Blogoversary, birthday and becoming an aunt. Congratulations Line!! There'a a lot of nice stuff in this candy, Hänglar stamps for instance, and a Spellbinders nesties set I was eying at HobbyHimmelen earlier today...

Friday, June 12, 2009

Going TRI-lingual!

You may have noticed that I've had a little blogging break - it's been a card making break as well. Having posted a card every other day throughout the whole of May, I felt the need to do other things for a while...
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But today I have something to show you. A big card, it measures 15cm by 21cm! It's for a wedding taking place in the Netherlands. And to please everyone involved, I was asked to write the sentiments in three languages: Norwegian, Dutch and Frisian! That's a first time for me... But it was a fun project. The sentiments on the front say "congratulations on your wedding day".
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The sentiments were written in the font Porcelain -it's a free download at Misprinted Type. I played around with the layout of the words in PhotoStudio, printed it on white Bazzill and cut it out with my nesties.

I used layers and textures to create some interest in this muted monochromatic colour scheme. Two shimmering DPs, Bazzill Bling, silver cardstock, silver ink, flat-back pearls and silver-rimmed pearl brads give the card a lot of shine. The flowers are all white, but in various shapes and sizes. I probably used about half a bottle of Glimmermist Pearl on them, and some Stickles Diamond glitter glue for good measure!

A little peek of the inside. Clean and simple as usual. The sentiment is again in all three languages - loosely translated they say "best wishes".
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I've entered this card to two challenges: At the ABC Challenge they are saying that R is for roses, and I have three of those. And I think I'm just in time to enter Secret Crafter as well... I hope so. Their theme is bling, and there's enough of that here, for sure! ;)
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I'll be back soon with more cards and some more knitting. My task for the day was to find online tutorials for grafting/kitchener stitch... Not a problem, there were loads to choose from. Now I just have to see if I can make it work.

Friday, June 5, 2009

The old ways

It had been a long time since I walked along these paths.

Memories of the little things along the way came to life. The mossy roof tiles, the tree stump covered in moss and straws. The way I placed my feet going down the rocky hills.
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Just as I left the first drops of rain fell from a blue sky. I had forgotten to put on my contacts. As the sky turned a dark grey I chose the small trails over the wide gravel paths, walking under the protection of the thick green canopy. The forest smells differently in the rain.

We were all longing for the sun to shine.

And it did, a little. Sometimes it filtered through the leaves and made them glow. The path lit up with scattered flecks of bright light.


The ice in my water bottle had not melted entirely. As I got out of the shower the blue skies had returned and the sun was shining again. Nothing had changed. Except me.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Hallway canvas art


Wow, I don't feel pretencious at all calling this "canvas art"... ;) Let's call it wall decoration then.

My hallway furniture is dark brown stained wood, and in a huge glass wine balloon I have pink flowers. And in a narrow space between two doors, these three canvases bloom in (of course) brown and pink! It's a very simple way to decorate a canvas, just grab a few large flowers, some buttons and brads, a few paper leaves and some "angel web" and glue it all on.

I made these to match the colours already in my hallway, but I can really see something like this other places - and in other colours. Black and bright red flowers on a white canvas perhaps, for a dramatic look? Or... soft orange colours, pale blues, the list goes on.

Close-ups below; top - middle - bottom canvas. I'm sorry to say the pictures don't do them justice. The light in that hallway is not exactly the greatest.



Monday, June 1, 2009

'Tis the season... (or maybe not)


I saw this knitted ascot first on The Purl Bee and figured I'd like to make it some day. With a little help from Google, I found a few free recipes and set about making something of my own.

And why do I make thick wool scarves on the hottest days we've had this year, you say? Well, I'm more than half-way on my Jeanie shawl and it has become a rather large and warm bundle in my lap when I'm knitting. And in this heat it's simply indurable! So I needed something smaller. That, and I couldn't resist digging into my newly aquired stash of lovely Eskimo yarn... Just look at these amazingly rich mixed colours! (Similar to my skin, which is now a mix of ivory white, blushing pink and lobster red. Anything but tan.)

About a week ago I went ever so slightly crazy in my local yarn shop. 40% off on nearly all DROPS yarn?! I came out with a huge shopping bag full of yarn, and all I can think now is I should have bought MORE!



So if you're looking for recipes on this, here are a few links: The Purl Bee basic knitted ascot, Page's tip on changing colours, a free baby version, and the DROPS Design free ascot pattern (Norwegian) that I used as the main base reference for my scarf. Enjoy! By the way, did I mention that this ascot knits up in a day? ;)
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Right now, I'm back to my baby socks again. Wow, I felt awkward with my five 2,5mm double-pointed needles after knitting in the flat on those huge 9mm circular needles! But the socks are perhaps the very best knitting project for hot days - very, very small.

Blog candy

Somehow I managed to forget mentioning this candy in my previous candy post. I wonder how... Marlene has been on my blogroll for quite a while now, go take a look! Closes May 5th.
And then there is Bev, who is celebrating 300 000 hits! I've been following her blog for a while and let me tell you, her cards are amazing. Closes May 5th.