ATC Block

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog!!  Hope you've all had a good day today and that the weather has been nice in your part of the world.  It's been absolutely beautiful here in Adelaide, almost like summer again.

Today I'd like to share an ATC Block  that I made.  I first saw one of these on Astrid Maclean's blog and I really loved the one she created.   She has made a couple more since then and they have all been gorgeous.  Any of you who visit Astrid's blog will know about her amazing creations.  Her work is stunning!!

Anyway, on one of her comments on my blog, she told me about Jenny Marples of 'Pushing the Right Buttons' and how she uses a lot of mixed media on her cards so, of course, I had a look and fell in love with her creations too.  Well, Jenny also makes ATC Blocks and I totally fell in love with one of hers and could no longer resist the temptation to make one of my own.  I'm afraid I pretty much copied Jenny's  because I loved it so much.  If you'd like to take a look at hers, HERE is the link, and HERE is the link to Astrid's Blog for any of you who haven't been there before.  Take the time to check them both out, you will not be sorry.  They are both awesome artists and create the most gorgeous things!!

So, here is my block.

 The block was made from paperboard and measures 3 x 3 on each side, and the papers I've used to cover it are from BoBunny's Weekend Market Paper Pack.  I've had these papers for a long time and never got around to using them.  I'm so glad I still had them in my stash because they were perfect for this Block.  The colours were just what I was looking for.

 The leaves were cut with my Silhouette except for the autumn leaves, they came from  Meg's Garden.com.  The flowers are a mix from different retailers but I have no idea what brand they are.  All the edges, including the leaves, were inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

 The chipboard Trellis is the Moroccan Shape with Cutouts from Imaginarium which was heat embossed with Whispers Metallic Embossing Powder.  It does actually look like bronze but that doesn't show too well on the photos. The cutouts were coloured with Versa Colour in Gold, Silver and Bronze and then clear embossed.

 View from the top.  Added a few gem sprays from Magnolia Ink to the flower cluster.  The chipboard tag is from G45 as are all the other chippie labels.

 A closie of the cluster on the front ...

 ... on the right side ...

 ... on the right corner ...

 ... and on the left side.

 A view of the inside.

I enjoyed making this block so much that I am definitely going to make more of them.  Have no idea what I'm going to do with them, although I do think that they would make a lovely little gift when filled with chocolates or sweets of some kind.  They could even be used as Birthday Card replacements although they would not be easy to post.   Perhaps just for ones that get hand delivered.   Hmmmmm!!!  Might have to consider that.  Would give me a wonderful excuse to make more, not that I need an excuse!!  LOL!!

Well, I hope you like my little ATC Block and I want to thank Astrid and Jenny for giving me the inspiration.  I absolutely loved making this!!!  Gotta make More!!!!!!

I have decided to enter this into the Challenge at 613 Avenue Create 

Thank you so much for visiting and putting up with my nonsense.  I do hope you enjoy what's left of your day.
Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

In Step with Meg's Garden Damask Collection

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.

I'm back to share my Meg's Garden DT Project with you today.  This card is made with the stunning new Damask range of papers. Once again, it's a centre Step Card.  I think I'm stuck in a rut.  I seem to be making a lot of these step cards but I just love working with them.  So .......  I guess there probably wil be quite a few more to come.  Really hope you don't get bored ???  

 As you can see I've incorporated a few different papers from the collection in this card to create the layers.  Some of the papers are from the Mini Pack and some are scraps from the 12 x 12 sheets left over from another project.  The leaf flourish on the side panels was stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black'. 

 For one of the layers I've used a square doily cut in half  and scrunched up a bit and then placed a torn piece of the paper over that.  Added a bit of lace and another strip of torn paper.  I love using odd bits of paper.  The uneven edges look more interesting to me that regular straight cuts.  The flourish and the twigs  were cut from cardstock with my Silhouette and the label was fussy cut from one of the mini papers.  You'll also see I've inserted some small branches in between some of the layers for extra interest.  The small gem sprays are from Magnolia Ink.

 Just a closie of the layers.  You can also see I've used a little bit of gesso in the corners and down the side as well.

 This gorgeous flower was white originally, but it simply looked too stark against the rest of the card so I decided to give it a bit of a make-over.  I gave it a burst with my Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray in Sea Grass Green and 'voila' now it blends in beautifully.  Well, to me it does anyway.  I really love that the centre is now more or less a solid green and the petals have also got some spots of colour as well.  Wetting the flower with the spray actually caused it to open out a bit and gave it more dimension ... you could say the spray made it blossom !!  LOL

 The chippie border is from Little Birdie and I've simply coloured that with some watered down Acrylic Paint.

And there you have it.  My Centre Step Card made with the new Damask Collection papers.  These papers are truly beautiful and such a lovely colour.  The photos really don't do them justice.  Why not visit Meg's Garden shop and have a closer look, you can find it HERE.  Believe me, you won't be sorry.

List of Meg's Garden Products used:

Blue Belle Jardiniere 12 x 12 Paper - P6380

Blue & Green Damask 12 x 12 Paper - P6368

Framboise Fleur 12 x 12 Paper - P6370

Damask Mini Paper Pack - S120

Gardenia 3 Layer White - gar wh

1.6cm White Lace - L2920

Mini Square Doily - bond10

If you'd like to see the awesome projects created by my Teamies please visit Meg's Garden Blog HERE

Thank you so much for visiting with me here today, I really do appreciate you taking the time. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Altered Box for Meg's Garden

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.  So nice of you to stop by.

Hope your day is going well and that the weather is being kind to you.

We are getting the most wonderful rain in Adelaide at the moment.  It has been coming down steadily since yesterday morning and, apparently, there is a whole lot more on the way.  I absolutely love it.  It's coming down nice and steady and everything smells and looks so fresh and new. We really needed it too.  It is wonderful!!

I have a new project up on the blog at Meg's Garden.  It is a small altered box and here is a little sneaky peek for you.

For more piccies and all the details please visit Meg's Garden Blog HERE and perhaps, leave a little comment there as well.  That would be lovely and much appreciated..

Thank you so much for visiting.

Take care and God Bless!!

oxox Marg

Cards for Meg's Garden #2

Hello everyone and a very warm welcome to you all.

I hope you are having a fabulous day and that the weather is being kind to you.

I am here to share the second card from my Meg's Garden DT project.  

 The base of the card  is a pastel pink cardstock  and, as with the previous card, the papers used are from the 'Dreaming in the Meadows' Mini Pack.  For this card I machine stitched around the edge to create a bit of a frame for the design.

 The die cuts are Couture Creations 'Starburst Doily Die', and 'Oval Nesting Dies' and Marianne Creatables 'Frame & Swirls'.  The banner was cut from the cardstock by hand and layered with the same paper.  The floral sprigs were cut with the 'Honey Blossom Sprig Die' from Memory Box.

 The gorgeous flower is the Ivory Primula to which I've just added some autumn leaves.

 Just a close-up of the sprigs and the gorgeous design on the Meg's Garden papers..

 For the inside I've simply cut two strips of paper and edged them with Martha Stewart's Doily Border Punch.

This card and the one in my previous post are similarly constructed and yet are very different.  When you find a design that you love, you can use it again and again and by just changing the paper or adding or changing a few elements, your cards will look very different and no-one would know they are actually the same design.

Meg's Garden products used

S118 - Dreaming in the Meadows Mini Pack

325iv - Ivory Primula Flower

Why don't you pop over to the Meg's Garden Blog and take a look at the awesome projects created by my Teamies.  You can find it HERE.

I am so pleased you dropped by and thank you so much for visiting.

Please  take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Meg's Garden DT Project

Hi everyone, so pleased you dropped by and hope you are all having a lovely day

My next Meg's Garden DT Project is up on the Blog.  

Here is a little sneak peek for you.

For all the details please visit the Meg's Garden Blog HERE and maybe leave a little comment there.

That would be really lovely.

Thank you for visiting.

Take care and God Bless.

ox Marg

Side Step Card

Hello Everyone!!!  Welcome to my blog, I hope your day is going well.

The weather here in Adelaide today is beautiful, bright and sunny but not too hot, just the way I like it.  I do feel so sorry for those of you caught up in the extreme cold and terrible floods they are getting in the Northern Hemisphere.  It must be so difficult to get on with your life in those kinds of temperatures and conditions.  Let's hope it lets up real soon.

I have a side step card to share with you today.  Haven't made one of these in a long time, I do find they take a bit more effort, but I really do like them.

 The papers used are from Pion's Flower and Frames Collection.  I really love these papers, they are so pretty.  Lovely pastel colours and subtle patterns and so easy to work with.   Below you can see a close-up of the subtle images these papers have on them.  Love it!!  This time I've used the 12 x 12 papers which are double sided so the base paper and the top layer are cut from the same sheet, I've just used opposite sides.  The contrast is easier to see in real life.  As you can see, I did a little doodling with my white gel pen.

The piece of lace used here was the last little bit I had left and it wasn't quite long enough for the length of the card so I manipulated it to look like the edge of a doily sticking out of the side.  I've also used Memory Box's Honey Blossom Sprig Die again (love that die, I use it a lot) and placed a little bit of gauze and a couple of branches between the layers.  

The large flower is called Meadow and both it and the small roses are available at Meg's Garden.com.  The leaves were cut using my Silhouette (they are actually left overs from my Christmas cards) and I used some Perfect Pearls for the veins.  The small branches were cut with Martha Stewart's Twig Branch Punch and the music is Memory Box's Virtuoso Music Die. 

The metal embellishment was coated with gesso and then sprayed with Pearl Glimmer Mist.

This card took a little more effort only because you need to marry up the side panel with the embellies on the front and I had a little trouble with that initially, but I'm happy with the final result.

Thank you so much for visiting  and, hopefully, for your comments as well.
Please take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

Christmas Cards # 3

Hi everyone!!!  Welcome to my blog ... so pleased you came for a visit.

I'm back to share with you the last of the Christmas Cards I made for this year.  These are the ones I made for close family and some special friends, although I must say, all of my friends are special.  They must be to put up with me!!  hehe!!

As with the other cards I've shown you, these are all basically the same card just made with different papers.   They are Easel Cards and all of the base papers are from Meg's Garden's 'Musical Christmas' and 'Christmas Time' Mini Packs and the trees were made with a number of different Kaisercraft Christmas papers.

 Construction of the tree is simple.  You just cut a triangle to whatever size you want from chipboard or some other type of stiff board, glue a small frill of border punched paper along the bottom and then fill the shape with leaf diecuts from different papers.  It is a little time consuming but I thoroughly enjoyed making these, they are a lot of fun.  You could add some glitter here and there or maybe a few small gems to represent lights or even use some white puff paint or embossing powder to represent snow but I left these plain.  I felt the different colours of the paper was enough.

The star at the top of the tree is a plastic snowflake which I painted with gold acrylic paint.  The label is from Kaisercraft to which I added the greeting sticker and the diecut is the 'Virtuoso Music' Die from Memory Box.

 The inside was decorated with more of the papers from Meg's Garden and I just added a diecut oval shape with the sentiment and also a Kaisercraft 'Holly Border' flourish.  The flourish was coloured with Versa Color in Scarlet and Green  and I also added a few red gems to represent berries.

 Here is how the card looks standing up ...  

 ... and here are a few pics of some others made with different papers.

On this one you can see the little bit of border punching I did on the paper.  It doesn't show up quite as well on the others.

Once again, this is just a sampling of the cards made.  

Not sure if I'll be back here before Christmas so I would like to wish all of you a wonderful and joyous Christmas.  Hope you all have a fabulous day and many Blessings to each and every one of you.

Thank you so much for visiting.

Take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Christmas Cards - #1

Hello everyone!!  A very warm welcome to my blog!

So, I guess everyone is busy getting ready for Christmas.  Life is starting to get quite hectic around here.  Shops are chocka-bloc full of people every time we go and it's getting more and more difficult to find a parking space!  I know!! I know!!  If I had been better prepared I would have done all my Christmas shopping ages ago and had all my cards made!!  I say that every year and every year it's a last minute rush..  Don't know why I just can't learn from past mistakes!!  Ah well!!  Maybe next year??!!!

Anyhow, I have a card to share.  One of the Christmas ones I've been busy with.

The papers I've used are from Meg's Garden's Christmas Time Collection Mini Pack. Distressed the edges and added some hand sewing.

 The gorgeous ribbon also is from Meg's Garden.  It was ivory originally but I coloured it with Fired Brick Distress Stain.  Simply sprayed it onto my non-stick mat and then ran the ribbon through it. I love how it turned out.  

 The wreath was cut from cardstock with my Silhouette Portrait.  I simply tweaked it a little and added some small branches to fill it out a bit.  Added the small gems for berries and the 'snow' is white puff paint.  

Some closies.

 On the inside I used some Kaisercraft papers but I don't know which collection they are from.  The border punch is Martha Stewart's Doily Lace. 

 Found the little verse on the net, printed it onto some cream cardstock and cut it out with Couture Creations Victorian Square.  The sprig was cut from another Kaisercraft paper with Memory Box's Snowflake Sprig Die.

 I used Versa Color  'Olive' and 'Scarlet' for the stamping but don't actually know where the stamp is from.   I know it looks light and uneven but that was actually the look I was going for so I'm quite happy with it.

 The die cuts underneath the wreath are Couture Creations Crystal Star and Memory Box's Tiffany Frame.

I haven't finished all my Christmas cards as yet but I am getting there.  Luckily the overseas ones have already been posted so hopefully they will get to their destinations on time.  

Thank you so much for visiting, I know how busy everyone must be at this time of the year and I really appreciate you taking the time.

Take care and God Bless.

Marg oxox