Pollycraft Monday #117: Anything Goes

Good Monday Morning!  Another week has flown by and over here the temperature has dropped a little bit more.  It looks like we might be in for a cold winter!

It's time for a new Pollycraft Monday Challenge!  We had loads of great entries into our Spooky Goings On challenge last week!  It was great to see so many people getting into the spirit of Halloween.  

This week it was Marit's turn to choose and she chose everyone's favourite challenge... Anything Goes!   Our sponsor this week is Letraset and the winner will receive a pack of 5 Promakers.

Head on over to the Pollycraft Challenge blog and check out the fabulous projects our DT has to show you this week!  Also, did you know that Paula is having a bundle sale on in the Pollycraft shop?  You can get some amazing deals there at the moment!  For example you can get all four of the Christmas Chesters for £2.50!!!

I decided to try to start getting ahead with my Christmas cards and I used one of the adorable Chesters. 

The papers I have used are from Crate Paper and October Afternoon.  I coloured Chester with copics and highlighted around him by flicking out from the image with B0000 and B000.  I added Stickles to his hat.  The charm is from The Secret Garden on Da Wanda and the sentiment is a stamp from Lili of the Valley and I think the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

The Ribbon Girl: Jingle all the way to Christmas
One Stitch at a Time #86: Christmas
Dream Valley Challenges #19: Anything Goes
Come and Get it Challenges: Anything Goes
Little Claire's Designs #14: Christmas

Here's a close-up of Chester:

And here are the copics I used:

Have a lovely week!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece  

Best Witches!

Hi!  It's Sunday and the clocks went back this morning, only we forgot and we didn't get our sleep in!  I feel totally robbed.  We turned up to work early too!  

The guests came for lunch on the boat today and since it was a wintery day and I had 8 egg yolks in the fridge from the pavlovas I made last week I decided to try out a bread and butter pudding recipe that I got from another yacht chef.  Yum!

This week the challenge at Tiddly Inks was to make a card using the following colours...

It's a tough one right?  I wasn't going to enter as I didn't think I could make a card without putting any red on it!  But I decided to give it a go anyway...  

Here's what I came up with:

This image is called Higgelty. The papers I have used are from My Mind's Eye and October Afternoon.  The charm is from The Ribbon Girl as is the ribbon.  The swirly bling is from Prima.  I have coloured Higgelty with copics (see details below).

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Tiddly Inks #70: Silvery Blues

The Secret Crafter #158: Spooky or Whimsical 

Glitter Geeks #21: Ghosts and Ghouls, Spiders and Spooks

Polka Doodles #43: Mystical and Magical

These are the copics I used:

Have a lovely Sunday evening!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Sugar Bowl Sketch #70

Good Saturday morning all!  It is a long weekend here in Greece (a version of Independence Day called 'No' Day I believe).  Unfortunately the weather is not great for boating, so our boss is not going to get to take the boat out, but they will probably come down to the boat for lunch on Sunday.

I was going to do some crafting today, but my mojo seems to have disappeared overnight due to a migraine or maybe it got blown out with all the hayfever I have had lately.  Anyway, I might have to find something easy to do like hemming curtains instead.

Earlier in the week I made a card for the current sketch (#70) at The Sugar Bowl.  This week it was Maria Therese's turn to make the sketch and it's a lovely plain and simple one.

Here's the sketch:

I decided to use one of the Gorjuss girls for my card... I hope they still count as Sugar Nellie stamps as they were the first stamps I saw online that inspired me to start card making and to me they will always be Sugar Nellie stamps.

The paper I have used is from Crate Paper.  I have painted the edges with Adirondack Paint Dabbers.  The sentiment is an SRM sticker.  The flourishes are from Maya Rd and I crocheted the flower.  

Here is a close-up of the little lady...

Here are the copics I used:

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Challenge #21 at Little Miss Muffet Stamps - Clouds

Good morning all!  It's time for a new challenge at Little Miss Muffet stamps and this week we have a doozie for you!  It's to use Clouds on your creation!   The DT girls have done a fabulous job with their creations this week, so do head on over to the Challenge blog for a looksee.  If you are wondering how to make a cloudy background, we have linked to three helpful tutorials on the challenge post using three different mediums.  If you haven't tried it before, there's no time like the present!

I decided to pull out one of my old favourites for this challenge... Monster Bubbles...

The papers are from October Afternoon, My Mind's Eye and Webster's Pages and the diecut clouds are made using my Slice Elite machine.  The background clouds are done using Amy's Distress Ink method.  I have added googly eyes to Monster Bubbles and Glossy Accents to his bubble.  The sentiment is from Pollycraft.  Other than that, I have kept it pretty simple!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

More than Favours Wacky Wednesday #57: Anything Goes
Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge #58: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Scrap Creations: Doing it Digi
Party Time Tuesdays #39: Anything Goes

Here are the copics I used:

Have a lovely day!  Today is the start of a long weekend here in Greece... unfortunately the weather is not looking so good, so I am cooking for a dinner party at the boss's house tonight instead of them coming to the boat.  They are probably going to come out on the boat later in the weekend.  

Want to know what's on the menu?

Nibbles: Grilled goat's cheese crostini with red onion relish and bang bang chicken filo tart cups

Starter:  Prawn, cashew and lemon risotto served with a rocket salad

Main: Herb-crumbed oven baked snapper with a chilli lemon dressing served with pistachio lemon cous cous, French beans and bell peppers roasted with tomato and pesto. 

Dessert:  Individual pavalovas with whipped cream, fresh berries, berry coulis and a brandy snap garnish

Have a lovely day!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Copic Colour Combos and Some Odd Girl Birthday Celebrations

Hello!  It's me again...  I thought I would drop by to share what I am working on at the moment...  

It's a Copic Colour Combo Book totally inspired by Kirsty's awesome tutorial post here.  Have you been over to the Some Odd Girl blog lately?  If you haven't and you're at all interested in copics, colouring, making cards, that kind of thing...  you should definitely head over there and check it out.  Kirsty just turned 30 and to celebrate she is having a whole month of tutorials, giveaways and fun on the blog.  I highly recommend you head over for a visit! 

So, here is the cover of my wee booklet...

and here is what the inside pages look like...

I am just waiting for my jump rings to arrive in the mail and I will be able to connect the pages together nicely!  I was thinking of using ribbon, but I think a jump ring will be tidier.  I have had so much fun finding new copic combos to use for skin and hair!  I think I have been playing it safe for a while and just sticking to the really easy hair and skin colours, but this book really made me think outside the square... I am loving the auburn hair colour pictured above!  I think I might have to stamp a few more pages as I have a few more combo ideas to add.

The stamp I used is Blush Babette from The Greeting Farm... I've had her for several months, but this is the first time I have inked her up.  She's so cute!  I also have her sister Blush Bonnie, but she hasn't seen ink yet.

Here are the copics I used for her cover page version:

Have a lovely day!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Karber Christmas cutie

Good morning!  Today I have another Karber Digital cutie to share with you.  Meet Christmas Leslie!  This image makes me smile every time I look at it!

Christmas Leslie was so much fun to colour!  The papers I have used are a mixture from October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket, Crate Paper and Echo Park.  The charm is from The Secret Garden on Da Wanda.  The ribbon is from my stash.  The crystal is by Maya Road and the Swirly Bling is by Prima.  I have coloured Leslie with copics and added Glossy Accents to her glasses.  The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley.  I cut the circles using my Slice machine.  I added Stickles to the snow on the tree.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Diecut Dreams #101: So charming 

Ooh La La Creations #91: Let it Snow

Christmas Inspirations #35: Diecuts and Punches (I hope the circles count)

Crafting When we Can: Christmas

Here is a close up of Leslie:

Here are the copics I used:

Happy Tuesday!

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece

Comfort on Cabot - a B & B I can highly recommend

We've just returned from Johannesburg, South Africa where we attended the wedding of our niece. I love weddings... we each 'interpret' our dreams in such an individual way!  I'm particularly 'nuts' about wedding cakes, flowes and general 'wedding decor' and was delighted to see...

Fairy lights and suspended crystals inbetween beautifully arranged, hanging circles of flowers...

The wedding was held in Modderfontein (just outside Johannesburg) at the Champetre conference and spa centre, in an old refurbished barn. It was a lovely wedding and the weather was kind enough for the ceremony to be held outdoors.  We didn't need coats or brollies, it was a glorious spring evening and a good time was had by all.  We really enjoyed catching up with old friends and long lost family members and we danced until our shoes just had to come off.

We spent the first few nights we were in South Africa, at a B and B in Eastleigh Ridge (just up the road from where I grew up) and if you're ever in need of a safe, clean, friendly place to stay in the Eastern suburbs of Johannesburg, I can definitely recommend that you give Glynnis at the  Comfort On Cabot a visit.  She was most helpful in every regard (including offering the use of the office phone).

It's not your typical B and B - the owners don't live on site so you're not living 'in their home'.  Which I like.  The rooms stretch out along the lenth of the 'house' and the beautifully appointed kitchen, dining room, patio and lounge are at the end of the house.  You go through two sets of security gates to get onto the property, and there's not a hope of anyone climbing over the walls to surprise you - which meant I could sleep soundly at night.

This is a picture of the first gate, on the road... you drive through, close the gate (with a remote controller) and then open the next gate.

The B and B is in a secure suburb accessed through a security boom manned by a professional security agency - which you can catch a glimpse of at the end of this street... all in all... I have to say that we never felt 'unsafe' or 'threatened' at any stage of our visit to South Africa. 

Johannesburg has changed a LOT since we left.  The ever changing/growing highway system is amazing and definitely world class.  There were times when we were most grateful for the GPS we borrowed.  That said, local councils seem to have dropped the ball in most suburbs and suburban roads aren't quite up to scratch at the moment, particularly in rural areas.  See!  I'm ever the optimist.

Huge shopping centres abound.  I have never seen so many new developments!  Business and industrial parks are springing up on every available piece of empty land.  Housing developments stretch as far as the eye can see!  Things are happening and a lot of people are making a lot of money.  Generally, people are a lot more upbeat than they've been in years.  People with jobs, that is. 

And therein lies the crunch.  The same crunch the rest of the world is experiencing really.  Not enough work to keep everybody clothed, housed and properly fed.  So crime is still a problem and you still have to be wary of where you drive/park and what you do. That said, I can honestly vouch for the fact that we didn't feel 'threatened' in any way, even once.

Hope does happen!

April Blackbird

Pollycraft Monday Challenge #116 Spooky Goings On

Good morning all!  It's another beautiful autumnal day here in Athens and the garbage in our street is finally being removed!  Yay!  I can't help but think that they have created a lot of extra work for themselves though as the bins were full weeks ago and people have been dumping rubbish bags in the streets in the general vicinity of the bins instead.  

It's time for a new challenge at Pollycraft Monday.  We had loads of fabulous entries into our Girls Girls Girls challenge last week.  This week it was Mary J's turn to choose the theme and in honour of the upcoming Halloween celebrations she chose:

Spooky Goings On!

This weeks prize is a very cool 10 digis from our very own Pollycraft!  

My teamies have once again created some fabulous projects for your inspiration.  Head on over to the Pollycraft Monday blog for a look!

For my card, I decided to use Lil Spook from the Swings and Slides collection...  He's just so cute!

I have followed this week's sketch from Sketch Saturday (a tricky one I thought) and added a cobweb in thread over the top.  The papers are a mixture of Webster's Pages, Crate Paper and Cosmo Cricket.  The buttons are by Jenni Bowlin and I have inked the edges around my image with Memento Tuxedo black ink.  The sentiment is made with Pollycraft sentiment stamps and Doodlbug rub ons and googly eyes.

Hhhmmm.... and now that I see the picture, I can see that one of my black pearls has fallen off from the far right of the card.... I will have to have a hunt for it and glue it back on!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday: Week #178

Card Cupids: Halloween (this is for a Halloween birthday)

Dream Valley Challenges # 18: Halloween (this is for a Halloween birthday)

Gingerloft Challenge #27: Halloween or Fall (this is for a Halloween birthday)

Here Come the Boys #13: Halloween (this is for a Halloween birthday)

Sentimental Sundays #78: Halloween (this is for a Halloween birthday)

The Crafty Pad #144: Halloween (this is for a Halloween birthday)

Here are the copics I used:

And here's a close up of my Lil Spook...

Have a lovely week!  

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

BB's cake and a pretty box...

Good morning!  It's Sunday morning here in Greece and my husband has just gone off to the Irish pub with BB's husband to watch the World Cup Rugby Final (NZ vs France).  My husband is wearing his All Black's shirt and has taken the NZ flag with him.  I hope NZ wins!

I'm about to sit down with my crafting gear and have some 'me' time.

I thought I would just pop a picture in here of BB's birthday cake... sadly it is all gone now, but the memory lives on : )

Yum!  Mum's choklit cake recipe with a kind of chocolate buttercream filling (I say kind of because it is something I tend to make up as I go along and is never the same twice) and a chocolate ganache icing...  I'm glad it's all gone now... it was dangerous!

I made a wee box for BB's birthday present that I thought I would share here because I used a fantastic tutorial that I found on the web... You can see the tutorial here.  The box was super easy to make and has quite a professional feeling finish and the making of it is actually a bit therapeutic.  I have found myself since then just randomly making boxes when my mojo is low on batteries.

Here's the box I made:

It all folds in so there are no raw edges and the base and top are made in the same way.  The sides are all double thickness so it is quite sturdy and can be made with paper rather than card if you prefer.  Since I made the first box I have found that I prefer to make the size difference between the top and bottom 0.2 or 0.3cm difference rather than the recommended 0.5cm.  

I was inspired to make a box after reading this post by Rimna.  I really love her work... it has such a beautiful feel about it.

I hope you are having a lovely relaxing Sunday wherever you are!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

By the Pricking of my Thumbs...

Of course I read Macbeth at school, but for some reason this phrase only stuck when I read an Agatha Christie novel a few years later and for some reason it pops into my head every now and then.

"By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes."

Anyway, I thought it was rather appropriate to be thinking about while I was making a card for the current Tiddly Inks challenge which is Halloween is Coming.  Actually, that's probably where it resurfaced in my head as the challenge post starts "Something wicked this way comes..."

I based my card on the current Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch number 124 by Arlana Patten and decided to use Poppy from Christy's Gothic Cute collection since she has been all coloured up with nowhere to go for months now in my stash. 

Here's the sketch:

 

And here's my card:

The papers are from Webster's Pages from Crafty Emma's Store and the ribbon is from the Ribbon Girl.  The swirly bling and the black flower is from Prima.  I have coloured Poppy with copics (see details below) and sponged around the edge of the frame with Memento Tuxedo black ink.  

We don't really celebrate Halloween in NZ, so I decided to leave the card sentiment free.  I thought it might be appropriate for an October Birthday though...

The spiderweb is made with embroidery thread.  The spiders were a challenge... I really wanted to add spiders instead of flowers along the bottom, but couldn't think of anything to make them with, then I spotted some fuzzy green brads in my brad jar and had an 'ah ha' moment.  I coloured the brads black with copics, glued on some googly eyes and then sewed thread legs through the paper before pushing the brads through.  I really like how they turned out.  The spider on the far right looks a bit goofy as I think I put his eyes on too high, but I rather like him like that so I decided not to change him.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday: Sketch #124

Tiddly Inks Challenges #69: Halloween is coming

Delightful Challenges: Halloween

Paperplay Challenges Week 42: Use Black

Here are the copics I used:

I am in the process of replacing all my copic originals as I find them much more difficult to colour in as I prefer a flicking kind of colouring rather than the circular motion that some people use.

Happy Saturday!  

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece