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30 March 2012

A peek at my desk and copic storage

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Good morning!  No card today, sorry.  I've been busy working on some cards for next week's big anniversary celebrations at Tiddly Inks!  You heard about that right?  




Of course you did!  And don't forget there's still time to answer the three Trivia questions about our lovely leader Christy Croll over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog to be entered to win one of 5 gift vouchers!  I think you might find some hints over on the Facebook page.

Anyway, I thought I might give you a peek at my 'temporary' craft desk today...   It's a bit messy, but that's how crafting is right?



































I say temporary because we are not living in Greece permanently (we only intended to stay 1 year... this is now our fourth year!) and we are renting, so I don't have any permanent fixtures.  I have lots of ideas for when we move back to NZ and have our own house again (and of course a lot more stuff to fit in it...  half of my supplies are still in NZ)!

So on the left of the Ikea desk is my pen, pencil and scissor holder.  Next to it under the shelf are my copics, stored in those faux leather boxes from Ikea (I'll show you a better pic later).  Then my Slice Elite, twine and charms behind it, 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 paper pads, and finally my laptop.  My Fiskars paper trimmer is underneath the desk on that wee table as are my large scraps sorted into folders by colours.

On top of the shelf on the left is a box of Prima swirly bling, then a box of Maya Rd and Tim Holtz and Make it Crafty embellies, then a box of stamps, then on those cute little (very cheap) Ikea shelves (I think they are for mugs in your pantry) are my Distress inks, Stickles, buttons etc...    Next to the shelves are three super cute felt containers custom made by the lovely Emma at Sew Sweet (you get to choose colour and applique).  I use these to store my smaller scraps in colour order (warms, neutrals and colds).  Next to that are more boxes of embellishments (pearls, bling, journalling cards, punches etc...) and bit and pieces.

Over on the far right is my TV and DVD player with headphones.   My husband and I both use this room to sit at our desks.  He plays computer games with his headphones and I semi-watch TV series while I am crafting.

Here's a closer pic of my copic storage:























It's not ideal, but the boxes are portable, so I can take them downstairs to colour in front of a movie with my husband when I want to.  I have separated the colour groups with empty CD cases.

Anyway, that's it from me for today!

See you later!

Arabella

29 March 2012

Mid Challenge Little Miss Muffet Inspiration

If you are interested in my 100 Follower Thank You blog candy, please click HERE.

Please scroll down for my Special Tiddly Inks Happy Birthday Christy post or click HERE.

Good morning!  It's time for some mid-challenge inspiration over at the Little Miss Muffet Stamps blog!  We also have two new DT members... Welcome Deb and Lis-M!   And we are sadly saying goodbye to Leah Ann who has been amazing us each week with her stunning easel cards.  We'll miss you on the team Leah Ann, but will be sure to visit!  

For my mid-challenge inspiration card, I decided to use and oldie, but a goodie... Birthday Bunny:






Isn't he sweet?  He's an old favourite of mine.  I actually coloured this one up a year or so ago and didnt get a chance to use him until now.  I based this card on sketch 183 from Clean and Simple Stamping.  The blue paper is from Crate Paper as is the red with the white dot.  I think the stripey one may be from October Afternoon.  The sentiment stamp is from Lili of the Valley.

I coloured this wee bunny with copics, but don't have a photo sorry.  I also added Glossy Accents to the balloons.

The starburst shape is cut with my Slice Machine.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
The Pixie Cottage: Cuddly Critters (I did not use the sketch)
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays: Anything Goes

Have a lovely day!  Don't forget you still have one week left to get your Silhouette creations in to the challenge!

Arabella


Happy Birthday Christy!

If you are interested in my 100 Follower Thank You blog candy, please click HERE.

Good morning!  Today is a special day!  It's Christy Croll's Birthday!  Happy Birthday Christy!  Your art is amazing and it makes so many people happy and you are such a sweetie!  We love you!  Hope you have a wonderful day today!

We girls have got together and made Christy special birthday cards and we are having a bit of a Birthday Bash over on the Tiddly Inks blog!  And guess what?!  There are prizes to be won!


Want to join in the celebrations?  Head over to the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog today... there will be three different posts at different times today with three different questions for you to answer to enter to win prizes!

Here's my card for Christy using the adorable Little Hopper - Toadally Amazing:




Here's a shot of the inside:


The papers are from my stash.  I can't remember which companies they are from.  The chipboard frame is from Crate Paper, the felt flowers are from Sew Sweet and the seam binding ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.

Here's a close-up of my Little Hopper with his Googly Eyes:


I hope you can join in the celebrations with us today!  Don't forget... you will need to check back at the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog three times during the day to get three entries in and get the best chance of winning and of course you'll want to see all the DT's cards!

Here's a picture of the copics I used for anyone who is interested... a very small bunch for me!:


Alrighty then!  I'll see you back here soon for some Little Miss Muffet mid-challenge inspiration!

Have a lovely day!

Arabella 

I {heart} you Mr Postman!

If you are interested in my 100 Follower Thank You blog candy, please click HERE.  (I got sick of having it as a Sticky).

Good afternoon!  Is anyone else having problems with the New Word Verification?  I keep checking my settings to find it has turned itself back on, no matter how many times I turn it off and save it!  And the new version is so hard to use!

Anyway, I got some lovely crafty mail today from Mr Postman and I thought I would show you what I got...

Firstly, I was one of the lucky winners of the recent Some Odd Girl Blog hop and I won the new Hey Kaylee set!  How cool is that?  It arrived today in the mail.  Thank you Kristy!  I can't wait to use it, but I have a few other DT commitments that I must get off my desk first.
























Then, I got a delivery from The Scraprack.  They sent me an email recently advertising this cool new fancy stapler thing that has pretty staples and can stamp anywhere on your page, not just at the edges.  Of course me being the perfect consumer that I am just had to buy one!  Here it is:























Pretty cool huh?!

Anyway, that's it from me for now.  There were a few other things in the mail for me today, but these were the most exciting.  

Ciao for now!

Arabella


28 March 2012

A little Ketto

Good morning!  I have a quick card to share today before I get going and do stuff!

I made this one for this week's Sketch Saturday challenge using Phoebe Ketto (another previously uninked stamp from my stash):























Actually I inked this up two years ago and when I was home in NZ on holiday and cut the frame with Spellbinders (my Cuttlebug lives in NZ) to bring back with me to Greece to play with and then I never got around to colouring her in!  How awful to leave her there like that alone and uncoloured!  Actually I have a few of her sisters that also need to be inked up!

Here's the sketch:


















Some more shots of the card:














































The papers are from Crate Paper and the cute washi tape is from The Secret Garden on Da Wanda.   The stitching is done with button thread from The Ribbon Girl.  The sentiment is a rub on by Pebbles and the red gems were white ones by Prima that I coloured with my R29 copic marker.  I added Spica pen to her wings and the flower for a faint sparkle.

Here's a close-up of Phoebe:






















Here are the copics I used:


















I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Sketch Saturday: Sketch 200
Use it Tuesday: Uninked Stamp 
Hippity with Ippity: Things with Wings
Paper Creations Ink: Things with Wings

That's it from me for now!  Gotta run!  I've got things to do!  

Oooh, but before I forget... Do check back tomorrow because we have a special something happening for a special someone's birthday at Tiddly Inks and I believe there are prizes involved!





Ciao!

Arabella





27 March 2012

It's a Birthday Bash challenge at Tiddly Inks!

Good morning!  Are you ready for another Tiddly Tuesday?  This week is a special week because it is  our fearless leader and artist extraordinaire Christy's birthday!  She's going to be turning... I don't know!  It's a secret!

We are celebrating by making the challenge this fortnight a Birthday Bash challenge.  To join in with us, just make a Birthday card, Birthday banner or any kind of Birthday project (remember only Tiddly Inks images qualify for prizes)!

Here's my card using Wryn Blooms:




































































Isn't she sweet?  This is one of those cards I made by choosing my papers before I coloured the image and once again I'm not that happy with the result.  I think I'm going to go back to just colouring first and choosing papers later!

The papers are from Crate Paper, October Afternoon and Sassafras Lass.  The seam binding ribbon is from the Ribbon Girl and the swirly corner embellishment is from Make it Crafty.  The stitching is done with button thread.  The sentiment is from the Wryn Birthday Girl image.

Here are the copics I used:


















I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Creative Monday's Challenge #4: Anything Goes
Nettie G's Digital Gems: Just Have Fun
Color Me Creative: Anything Goes (second entry)

That's all from me!  I hope you can join us this fortnight!  And don't forget Tiddly Inks has it's 2 year anniversary coming up soon and there will be lots more celebrating for that!

Ciao!

Arabella 



26 March 2012

Pollycraft Monday - Choklit!

Good morning!  It's Monday again so soon!  How does that happen?!  Well anyway, it's time for a new challenge at Pollycraft.  This week the lovely Cazza has chosen the theme and she chose 

Mmmm Choklit!

That means we would like to see either the colour chocolate or and Easter theme for you projects this week.    The lucky winner this week will win a 5 pack of Promarkers from Letraset!



I decided to use Celeste Amberglow - Cookin' up some Love:


































































I based this card on the Deconstructed Sketch number 44 at Deconstructing Jen.  I had to leave off one layer as it was getting too busy, and I added a few other things too, so I guess it's loosely based.   The yummy papers are all from Simple Stories.  The sentiment is a stamp from Inkadinkadoo and the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.  The brad is from Crate Paper and the charms are from my stash.

Here's a close-up of Celeste Amberglow...























And here are the copics I used:





















I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Deconstructing Jen: Sketch 44
Color Me Creative: Anything Goes
Catered Crop: Stitching
One Stitch at a Time: Anything Goes

That's it from me this morning!  

We really hope you can join us this week!

Arabella

Casing Lou Mac at The Greeting Farm

Good evening!  I hope you had a lovely lazy Sunday like we did!  We got a bit of a surprise this morning though as without warning, it appears that Daylight Savings has started here in Greece.  That sort of thing is always a bit of a problem when you don't speak the language and therefore can't watch the news!

Anyway, I had a bit of free crafting time yesterday, so I decided to play along with The Greeting Farm's Friday Spy Day challenge (number 25) which was to case THIS card by Lou Mac.  Here's what I came up with:


































































It was actually kind of fun to case someone else's card!  The image I have used is CC Lula (yet another previously uninked TGF stamp I own). The main paper I have used is from October Afternoon and the little brown bits are from Simple Stories.  The lace is some that I picked up while I was in Sydney recently.  The seam binding ribbon and twine is from The Ribbon Girl.  The buttons and brad are from my stash (I think Doodlebug and My Mind's Eye respectively).  The flowers are from Prima.  The sentiment I made using Doodlebug rub-ons.  The tag and centre cloud square were cut with my Slice machine.

Here's a close-up of Lula:























And here are the copics I used:

















As well as The Greeting Farm's Friday Spy Day challenge, I would like to link with with Inspire Me Friday's linky party and the Anything Goes challenge at Stampin' for the Weekend.

Right, I'm off to do some more colouring!

Happy Sunday!

Arabella Chickie in Athens.

25 March 2012

Flutterby Fairy Wishes

Good evening!  I hope it was a lovely day today wherever you are!

I have another Greeting Farm card to share with you today.... I've had this one made up for a little while, but hadn't had a chance to post it.

This is Blush Bonnie, but I added butterfly wings...




































































I really love these papers from Simple Stories, but I always have the hardest time using them!  I have cut them up so many times to use on a card and then left them off!  The other papers I have used are from Crate Paper and Bo Bunny.  I have coloured Blush Bonnie and her wings (from Hero Arts I think) with copics.  I masked Bonnie with sticky masking paper (Frisket Film) before stamping the wings.  The Post card stamp is definitely from Hero Arts.  The seam binding ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl and the flower is by Prima.  

Here's a close-up of Bonnie:























I would like to enter this card into the following challenges and linky parties:
The Old Back Porch: 52 Card Pick-up
Stamping with the Dragon: Things with Wings
Fairy Fun Fridays: Spring Fling
Simple Create Too: It's Spring?

Have a lovely evening!

I'm watching some Medium and crafting!

Arabella Chickie in Athens

23 March 2012

Simple silhouette

Yay for Fridays!  It's such beautiful weather here at the moment that I can't help having a little bounce in my step today.  If it weren't for all the pollen and my horrible allergies I'd be a really really happy camper!

I have a quick and simple little card to share with you today using another silhouette... Making a card for the challenge at Little Miss Muffet Stamps that started yesterday inspired me to break out one of my uninked Craft's Meow silhouette stamps that I have had for ages!























I am using some new button thread that arrived from The Ribbon Girl earlier this week as my top thread ... and as you can see, I haven't quite got the tension right yet, but I love the look of the thicker stitching.

Speaking of The Ribbon Girl, look at what was in my lovely package!   


















Ah joy!  I wonder why pretty colours make me happy?  I love they way the girls at The Ribbon Girl package everything up so nicely.  The whole pile came wrapped in pink tissue paper.  

Anyway, back to the card... I added some Glamour Glaze to the sweet fairy's wings and Stickles to her dandelion...














































Such simple little card!  I'm thinking a bunch of these in different colour schemes in a little box would make a great gift!  The papers I have used are from My Mind's Eye and American Crafts.  The seam binding ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl and the sentiment is a rub on from Pebbles.

I actually made this card to include with some chocolates that my husband wanted me to get for him to give to the boss's PA to say thank you for all the extra work she is doing for us while we are in the yard, but he said "I can't give her that!  It's got kissing in it... she'll think I'm coming on to her!  It's too personal!"   Ah, my lovely husband... a man's man.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
The Crafty Purple Frog: Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday: Anything Goes
The Little Red Wagon: Clean and Simple
Flutterby Wednesdays: Anything Goes

Have a lovely Friday!

Arabella



22 March 2012

Silhouette fun at Little Miss Muffet Stamps

Good morning!  Happy Thursday... Yay!  We are past the mid-week mark!

It's time for a new fortnightly challenge at Little Miss Muffet Stamps and we have a good one this week!   You may remember that last week we had some lovely new releases to show you?  Did you notice they included Silhouettes?  Well this week our challenge to you is to create a project using a Silhouette for the main image.

Head over to the challenge blog to check out what the design team have done and while you are there pick up the free bunny silhouette Barbara is giving away until March 31st!  I love how everyone has their own unique style.  It really shows when there are no images to colour up.

Here's my take on the challenge using Monster Winds as a silhouette:


















































I based this card on an old sketch from The Sweet Stop... I was so inspired by DT member Wendy's card, that I wanted to try this layout with bright colours.

The papers I have used are a mixture from Cosmo Cricket, Pink Paisley and Crate Paper.  The sentiment is an SRM sticker.  The brad is from My Mind's Eye and the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.  It's rather hard to see in the photo, but I distressed around the black matting with my Ranger Distressing  thingy and added Distress Inks around the edge of the silhouette circle.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Freshly Brewed challenges: Dots
The Perfect Sentiment: Thank you plus distressing
Whimsy Stamps: Anything Goes

We hope you can join us this fortnight!

Arabella Chickie in Greece

21 March 2012

Pretty Birthday Wishes

Good morning!  I have a quick post to share today... got to get going and do stuff!

I wanted to join in the March sketch challenge at Some Odd Girl as I purchased some stamps from there a little while back, but hadn't had a chance to use them.  These girls are super fun to colour!  This one is called Gifty Gwen.

Here's my card:














































Here's the sketch:
























The papers I used are from Sassafras Lass and American Crafts.  I have coloured Gwen with copics (see pic below).  This time I added some BV000 for shadow on her skin... I'm undecided if I like it or not.  The felt flowers are from Sew Sweet and the brads are from My Mind's Eye.  The crystal is from Webster's Pages and the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.  I cut the tag with my Slice and used a rub on sentiment from Pebbles.  I added Stickles to the prezzie and Glamour Glaze to Gwen's hair clip and Perfect Pearls to her necklace.  Other than that it's pretty simple!

Here's a close-up:
























And here are the copics I used:




















I would like to enter this card into the Some Odd Girl March Sketch challenge.

Have a lovely day!

Arabella Chickie