Floating Shaker Card + Two Mo’s Challenge + WOYWW

{Apologies 😉 for long post, have some tips, techniques}
Observant ones might know well that today’s Wednesday AND the 25th of September, yes, folks three months till my favourite day of the year - Christmas! Twelve or so rapidly disappearing weeks. 

I love Christmas, but not how quickly they come around! As it’s desk day or WOYWW, do pop over to our wonderful Julia’s for What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday.
To my desk(s):

Desk 1: No surprise! this morning’s desk has a Christmas card in an attempt to upcycle an image from last years received cards, to join up with Scrappy Mo’s Christmas Challenge.. over here. First die cut on desk failed. It was extended die cut, so will re-attempt. This is why Snippets abound chez moi. I excell in mistakes! There’s a Christmas stamp set on left to use. On right are used dies awaiting a return to their homes.

Desk 2: have just worked out good way to correct a EF attempt I don’t like. I’d used a CB folder not liked it on card base which is 5x7",  folder  too small. Decided to water spritz both sides of card front, then multiple emboss with my fav Embossalicious Swirls folder! Wow, what a great result. No evidence of previous embossing. 

 

Here’s finished card. Gold is CCD extended die cut, bought set while ago, very versatile. Joy to world stamp die set by Poppy Stamps. Greeting says "Tidings of Comfort and JOY" to complement the wise men image.

Desk 3:Working on Emily’s 8th birthday, hard to believe she’s 8! The card had many stages, four base card attempts till sorted it out!!! Tip re last week’s spinner cards .. use only simple shape images. This image I loved, sadly did NOT work as spinner.

So ended up with this - image by second Mo mentioned in post title.
A  "Mo Manning Digital Pencil" mermaid digi, called "Naunet.  Inverted image in Picasa (as Cntrl + Shift +H keystrokes inverts an image or photo). Coloured them with glimmery gelly roll pens, used 3 weeks ago. Wanted glimmer on image so perfect solution. Fussy cut 2 images  to make it strong, put a silver embroidery thread between middle of joined images, as planned to suspend it in shaker card (see Jennifer McGuire video here). Have shaker sequins, etc. on left in bowl. Had printed an background underwater sea digi via Google. Edited it on phone, as couldn’t on computer.

Completed card. Centre die cut is another CCD bought ages ago, it’s a small vertical oval, I enlarged it by cutting 2/3 one way and 2/3 other way and trimming up in middle. Did test runs first.

The mermaid image has loose thread suspended in background. Stops it turning upside down as you shake and it jiggles around.. looks great. Had glued on background some beads & sequins + some teeny coloured fussy cut fish as well. Delighted with end result.

The birthday greeting stamp is one from disc set by Joanna, Inspired to Stamp. Heat embossed, used first Memento Bermuda blue, then adding versamark on top of Memento and clear heat embossed. Braid to finish, numbers are CB Olivia alphabet disc. Everything was popped up for dimension.

Now to Aussie shots. These are from a lovely walk through over headland in north part of our town with family, there’s a cute wallaby standing so still hoping we can’t see him - the rest are sea views.

Well, that’s it for me today. I do hope you’re well, I’m grateful for our lovely spring sunshine and showers, but really, really pray it goes over the hills to parched lands there. 

May God bless your day, everyone, and thanks so very much for popping over for a visit and chat.

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

Thought for the day:

In the midst of life storms, our Heavenly Father longs to help comfort, just as we love to comfort help our children - so He longs that we might turn to Him for peace, help in the midst of storm.

Also joining over with:
1. http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/?m=1 
2. https://pathofpositivitychallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-72-opt-twist-curiositysept.html?m=1 First card.. curiousity was solving the faulty embossing,  second card curiousity was solving the design difficulty. what an answer to prayer.
3. Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge. Anything Goes + optional use JOY.   http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/chnc-challenge-456.html?m=1
4. First card. ABC Christmas Challenge  S = Sparkle and T = Texture .. sheen shine from Gold foil and Texture from dry embossing and die cuts.   http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/abc-christmas-challenge-s-and-t-are-for.html?m=1 
5. Cuteand Crafty Anything Goes 
6. Tuesday Throwdowns Anything Goes http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/2019/09/tuesday-throwdown-441-paper-shelter.html?m=1 
** Mo's Digital Pencil have a colour challenge and used these colours on catd baee and in colouring digital images. Repeated some of small images in this digi too, and inverted some of them.
http://mosdigitalchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-283-color-challenge-with-mo.html?m=1
** Also over at Simon Says Wednesday it's  Anything Goes! .. yay!
https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-66/

Spinner card With Z-Fold + WOYWW

Hi there everyone, yes, it’s Wednesday and World Desk Day.. over at Julia’s, WOYWW for What is on Your Workdesk Wednesday right HERE!! 😊

My desk midstream ... you can see it's a Blinky Bill Card (for the non Aussie folk Blinky Bill is a 1920's koala story book full of Aussie animal shenanigans). This card is a spinner card with Z-fold, here video by Jennifer McGuire. I looked at many other simple spinner card videos though, and used some of their techniques. 
Dos and Don’ts
DO: a prototype. Mine  is on desk.. right hand side. 
Printed off various size image, on Google. Ended up with 70%, just did rough image cut out on prototype to test image spinner.
DO: need an inverted image, my Gallery app on mobile so just reversed Blinky Bill for this card.

DO: chose right type of thread. I used Dental Floss. Knew sewing or embroidery thread wouldn't be strong enough, but really fine fishing line, which didn't have, would be best. The Floss had a bit too much give in it to spin well as opened card.
Do: centrally balance and attach image to thread before adding to card.
Do: USE lightest cardstock you can, because works a lot better at spin release when you use lighter card. As my card was for Mister Four, it needed to be very, VERY sturdy
This meant best spinner mechanics was a single finger flick! 

Brilliant that way. 
Do: remember to attach the spinner to top layer BEFORE you've joined other layer (NOT like me! 🤫 Arrrgh!!).

Background was made with SU Stencil and Red + purple Distress inks with finger daubers, because Mister 4 is a purple fan, and Blinky is red, so combine! then works for both, took while though as A4 sheet of grey. 
Back verse of card.

The cards are both birthdays, this one here is made with images etc from my "use it or else" bag.

The EF is my current fav of Embossalicious Swirls. It just goes with everything plus ribbon from Snippets, like all but base card.
Our Aussie images are quite a few with commentary, (which you can skip) it’s going across middle of WA, an enormous state, so takes 3 or more days to cross it.

Enjoyed walk to Fortescue Falls and the Fern Pool. A lot of people swimming at the falls ... too cold for us! The Fern Pool was very pretty with the maidenhair ferns lining the rocks.

The Circular Pool was viewed from the lookout above 😊

Kalamina Gorge... beautiful and rewarding walk with red and blue dragonflies constantly darting around us. Light superb in the afternoon and the beautiful clear cool water cooled our feet perfectly! The folds in the red rock formations were truly amazing!

Another beautiful overnight camp Tambina Creek (Waterhole). Birdlife was prolific... few too many vocal corellas but thankfully they went to sleep too 😉 Up the end were massive flat slabs of granite.. almost polished. Great campfire and a relaxing breakfast watching the reflections on the water.

We came across a temporary cattle yard beside the road of we think Hillside Station. They were sorting the cattle for the sales, drenching them and keeping the weaners aside. There was one massive bull, by his sheer presence, he let you know he was boss! One guy called out to us so we chatted to him for a while. He said the property was 2 million acres with no fences.. mustering must take quite a while.

 We were intrigued by the hills closer to Marble Bar with the dark exposed rock on the top, Marble bar pool is also beautiful.

It still amazes us that most of the green you see is spinifex!

The drive to Roebourne was amazing ... constant Mula Mula, Sturt Desert Pea and other wildflowers.

Last image is sunset, outback style. 

It is a wide brown land! Here  on the north coast of NSW in last ten days of fires 200,000 hectares (approx 500,000 acres) are burnt, and 36 homes destroyed,😢 many more in Qld. Our Firies did a magnificent job!

We had good rain last night, but not sure if it went over the hill. I pray so, it cleared our smoke though.
Many thanks everyone for popping over for a peek and a chat, may God bless your day wherever you maybe.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
Thought for the Day:

If we want the healing of our land & burdens, the Lord is clear in His word. .. has made it simple to understand. 
If my people,.. called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Putting God out of every aspect of our lives will not bring His blessing. 
That's what's wrong in Oz, sadly. I pray🙏🙏, pleading for forgiveness for my sinful ways and I seek His blessing again.

Linking up to:

1. Word Art Wednesday

2. Snippets playground lots of snippets on missionary birthday card with verse from Word Art Wednesday   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/09/pixies-snippets-playground-challenge-361.html?m=1

3. https://pathofpositivitychallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-72-opt-twist-curiositysept.html?m=1 First card.. curiousity is to make it with minimum booboos! Second card no curiosity,  just blessing from Gods word. 😄

4. Interactive cards over at Wed Challenge Simon Says. https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

WOYWW + Snippetty Gelly Roll pen colouring

(Warning photo overload again today!)

Hi there everyone! I'm perplexed here? 🤔 How is it Wednesday again already!?? A third of September vanished! How I ask you? As our Queen Julia said last week, there ought be a law against it!

Ah, well! Time for WOYWW again or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday? So over to Queen of Deskland - Julia of the Stamping Ground. My desk earlier..

Soo.. puzzling over this colouring sheet showed last week’s desk. Started with pencils... then a light bulb moment, and out came Sakura gelly roll pens!
Sooo satisfying to use all that sheeny colours, just rolling, blending sheen onto the card. Tested on back of sheet before using in front.

In my element here, on this photo you can see the sheen which is all over colour up in top of this image, unhappily hard to share. Had scanned and printed it off to reuse before colouring. Added afterwards white gelli roll highlights.

This purple piece is the envelope that Cindy in US sent it in. It triggered my colour choices.

So decided to turn the envelope inside out, and make it the main base for the image as it really made it pop. I just reinforced it with scrap cardstock on the back, a thin border of black, too.

Finished card. Used Embossalicious Swirls EF, a snippet of gingham ribbon to finish.

Next share is new stamp set from Simon Says Stamp, had voucher and some pennies from eBay sales, I loved the multiple uses on these, for single banner greeting.

Or stamp directly as I’ve done on this card, adding some scored lines on either side. Image is a digi in my “Use This or Else!” bag, and inked + gold embossed simply lovely Simon Says stamp greeting.

Now the Aussie shots. This is really photo overload so skip if you like.

First ones are local, floral is the first rose of season, Freisia with mauve sweet peas, oh the knockout fragrance! 

Sunset at weekend.. that’s smoke, a smoke filled weekend, not good with breathing issues. Sadly 78,000+ hectares burnt in Guy Fawkes Nat Park, an ironic name, not fun for farmers who’ve nursed their animals through severe long drought to have them taken by fire, plus fences, cattle yards, outbuildings some homes, over 60 fires in NSW over weekend as I write this all sort of under control, but really the strong wind and lack of rain is issue.

Sunset this evening on walk home, taken few minutes apart, the second one has one of the seagull flying to home somewhere!

These photos are taken by Pauline in Oz, another dear one travelling in WA, she shared this amazing selection! 

Just a few of many native flowers in our spring Downunder.

Truly the handiwork of one single blossom could never be created as exquisitely by a human hand!

Yet the amazing handiwork of our Creator God brings forth an astounding array!

There were two dozen images were shared on FB, all plants so diverse!

Pray you’re all well, and thanks so much for popping over for a peek and chat. May God richly bless you wherever you maybe!
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
Thought for Today: 

This verse has always meant a lot to me.

I remember in 1992 just before Christmas when I was sole carer for my darling mum, I stepped down from a wee stool and broke my ankle! A simple foot roll & broke it! At the busiest, hottest time of year just before Christmas, I had crutches and a broken right foot. I remember in a wakeful, painful night writing this verse on my bright, white plaster cast. 
It was the only thing I allowed on it, it spoke to me (and others I know) loudly and long. 

God our loving all wise Father is the Stronghold in a day of trouble. Run to Him and WE ARE SAFE, for He knows we trust in Him.. 

Many times in life, as for those dear hurting farmers, and hard working firies fighting just over the hills, there is suffering and hurting in ways we do not understand. God is always only ever a prayer away. May we seek Him. He is our Help in time of trouble.

Also linking up with:
1. Word Art Wednesday
2. Stamp it! Wednesday Simon Says Challenge second card with new Simon Says stamped greeting.
3.Simon Says Monday Challenge Stamp it.. second card with new Simon Says stamped greeting.
4.  https://pathofpositivitychallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-72-opt-twist-curiositysept.html?m=1 First card.. curiousity is how to colour.. till tried gelly roll pens! Yummo!

Baby Shaker Card + WOYWW

Hi there everyone.
Wow, a new month! I lost August I’d decided when I was still writing July on dates in fourth week of August! 😆 Once the first “ember” month is here, the year gathers momentum even more and licketty-splits along! It’s Wednesday so time for WOYWW or What is on Your Workdesk Wednesday over at Julia’s at the Stamping Ground! To my desk:

Yes, mid-creation again. A baby shaker card, did it once before about four years or so ago. It looks like multiple cards are on make, and you’re right. It’s an ultra special card, and didn’t quite crack first pass to my satisfaction, so reserved it for prototype and a generic baby card.  On left is lovely SU paper disc., was 12 x12”. Managed to scan it and print off an equally good copy (after arguing with my newish scanner for 1/2 an hour). Rest is usual scissors tape, open drawers exploding into workspace.

On far right is this! which just arrived in mail from US, a card colouring topper to colour, isn’t it lovely? Love that verse .. from a FB Christian Cardmakers Group I belong to. Will be doing it after calligraphic piece, which is next on agenda, if time permits, as have a “must-make” list.

Problem is this Memory Box Die was made by a non crafter... or so I think. 🤔 see that cute little coat hanger for the baby suit?
Well, it’s attached to Die, not detachable and the cause of my grief  in troublesome die cutting of just wee suit for shaker part. I did attempt when last used it to remove it but impossible.

Here’s the finished first card. It’s a welcome for little Baby Oliver Charles. He’s named in his second name after his great grandad, my darling dad, who passed last August. So very apt little Oliver also arrived in August.

You can see the middle one is shaker section then two regular triple mounted ones on either side. The Baby Die is Nellen Snellen. Greetings etc are digis, and Kaisercraft label on bottom. 

A4 EF is Crafts-Too, called “Dottie” I love it, and works treat on my newish electric Couture Creation machine with B plate and base sandwich. Didn’t like recommended sandwich, this works best IMHO.

Aussie photos are local, just skip if you like. Haven’t had time to copy up the family current outback trip.

First are two sea photos clicked when good swell, on walk end of last week.😊

Next is in frontyard, Birdsong (Orange!) grevillea, White Leptospernum, (or tea tree) in full flower for spring.

The next is backyard, a callistemon (Mr Foster) or bottle brush, with a rainbow lorikeet who was playing: “You can't see me?!!”

Last two on walk yesterday.. love second one with elkhorns on trees, and evening light.

Well, that’s it today, pray you’re well, and every blessing of the Lord wherever you maybe. 

** Especially praying for Bahamas and the assault of Dorian, the (thankfully now lower Cat. 2) hurricane is now heading up US east coast.🙏🙏🙏

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. Xx 

Thought for the day:

Well, you may not know but I’ve another blog over here and the latest post share the background of this beautiful hymn. Truly there is no other Friend so true as Jesus!

He never fails and He understands us like no one else does. In time of need He is there, I know the Lord Jesus is the only reason that I’m still here!

Linking up:

** Snippets of all sorts used on this baby card, all white except base and stripe was original 12" square piece used "sticky out  bits" (am sure that's a crafter's term😉) to neaten it up for scanning.  Off to playground yay! http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/09/pixies-snippets-playground-challenge-360.html?m=1
** Word Art Wednesday

** https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/
** http://mmmchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-104-use-shapes-on-your-card.html?m=1 used die cut shapes of baby suit shape on card.
** https://pathofpositivitychallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/challenge-72-opt-twist-curiositysept.html?m=1
I think shaker cards are always s curiousity, and this one even more than normal. 😉