Calligraphy First Birthday, Optical Illusions + WOYWW

Hullo there, everyone, and yes 'tis Wednesday so it’s time to pop over at Julia’s Stamping Ground, where we see desk of marvellous inspiration worldwide.

This desk is actually a few weeks ago as was preparing for a birthday pressie and card. This is an Aussie bird, of course, a Kooka, or more correctly blue winged kingfisher or colloquially called kookaburra.
NOTE: I did NOT draw this image, it’s taken from web.
 I tried unsuccessfully to find who it was by, to give them credit but it wasn’t clear on google image, I suspect it’s an old one. I did very light grey print out of image on good art paper, hand coloured it with Prismas and did calligraphy with dip pen and Calli black ink "Oliver sleeps here".

I wasn’t really well when did this and writing was shaky, but did my best, coloured image with pencils.

Here is a pickie I took of our Kookas on good camera a few years a good.

The card is LOTV Image (a NBUS had for years), used some random DP, with TH EF called dot matrix, edge die is old one by Nellie Snellen, fitted circle die with number on is also from an old Nellie Snellen Lace Circle set (this is smallest die, never knew it cut this shape till made this).
Next two are some quick makes a while ago as needed cards, one old brayered inky stamp, not sure what stamp set, edge die disc ODB, Corners SB square die piece cut up.

Love this Sweet n sassy verse stamp, had pre-stamped.

Its card for a very dear friend. Braid is old NBUS, corners are Lala Land filigree, DP printed from stash.

 

Last card is for a very special mathematical lad in our family, he loves maths like my dad. Dad was the first person in Aust to do the diploma of Mathematics from the London University, by correspondence in early 1960’s.

So I made an optical illusion card for Thomas‘ 11th birthday on 26th Aug. last Thursday.

Digi was freebie that came up in google search of “optical illusion”.

Now Aussie photos, some flowers from our garden, my friend’s favourite colour is red 😁.

This pot plant is a mystery plant, a succulent is all I know for sure, a type of kalanchoe according to Google.

These are taken in our Botanic gardens the other day.

Last is a beach photo, we have had lots of wind lately.

Thanks so much those who’ve popped over for a peek and chat. I loved Le Tour de France Sprint win on Monday leg by our little Aussie sprinter, Caleb Ewan - he wove his way through from 300m out from 18th to 1st, a breathtaking overhead view! 

Praying God’s keeping upon you and those you love,

Prayer hugs, 🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x

Thought for day: 

This verse on card above, the full verse is 
“Cast thy burden upon the lord and He shall sustain thee; 
He shall not suffer the righteous to be moved” 
Psalm 55:22 is always uplifting.. because it points us to the Lord, He never fails when we seek Him. Such a comfort and strength in every circumstance, and only ever a prayer away. 
Over here is the first post since heart attack on Christian blog.

Sharing cards with following:

**All cards shared with Word Art Wednesday.. link here.

** NBUS challenge = NBUS= Not Used Before Schtuff  https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2020/09/nbus-challenge-18.html 
Baby card, NBUS is Image, LOTV, DP Unkown, Circle Die, but octagon  with number is NBUS Nellie Snellen.

** https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-76/ all cards.

** https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2020/08/week-587-going-round-in-circles.html 

Allsorts theme chosen by Kath is “Going round in Circles” How I often feel 😁 = LOTV Image baby card has lots of circles or dots, and also the Ocaragon is actually a circle die byNellie Snellen circle die old set, as is NS border die and has dot edge EF is TH Dot Matrix.
**Not sure if can add second card of Optical illusion 11th birthday, but if can, adding it too, as has dots or circles all over it. 
Was hard on your eyes working on this card! Had to cover some of image as made me go cross eyed. 

WOYWW + More Faux Vellum Technique

Hi one and all, time is running away from me so lobbing in with a very quick post for WOYWW and to share a new card in the Faux Vellum technique but as this is WOYWW or What is on your Workdesk Wednesday (pop over to Julia's and join in do!). So here is my desk.. or as was last night, as packed up now!

Have two images stamped in Black Onyx Versafine and embossed and you can see there are more Christmas cards being made! I have used my Caran D'Ache Aquarelle pencils, and as the are water colurs they make for lazy colouring, you colour then blend with a brush. I had the DI Antique Linen ink out, smooshed it on my laminated white sheet to colour the skin tones on the images with a watercolour brush. Grey promarker was there for highlights around the images. Other colouring pens are at back but didn't use them on these images.

I made a set of three of these cards, this is using the Faux Vellum technique which I showed step by step on the post below (or here). Used some Victorine stamps (the three silhouette wise men and the sentiment stamp - Wise Men seek Him Still). The the pebbles and the reed grass stamps are two Stampscapes stamps, multiple stamped. I rubbed some Cocoa Memento ink with my finger around the bottom to define it before removing the mask.

Out on our Sunday icecream drive, we saw this beautiful scenery down at our local jetty. I clicked a few to share with you.
It is springtime here and our flowers are just magnificent .. the roses and the sweetpeas are abundant this spring. Not much rain but beautiful sunshine, we are very blessed of God indeed to live where we live!

Thats it for today am busy making up some DT cards as want to get the posts for next three months done ahead of the busy Christmas time. Some of the DT cards are also Christmas ones so that is a double bonus!

Thanks so much for popping over for peek and chat.. you are really appreciated!

May God richly bless your day wherever you may be!

Shaz in Oz.x

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.  John 6:29

Also linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on my card.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 

2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes     http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  
3. Simon Says Monday Challenge theme is Explore the World - or travel - and the three wisemen are travelling very far on there camels on my card.http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=6845
4. Crafty Hazlenut's  Extra Christmas challenge  http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/chnc-challenge-extra-for-october-2016.html

Bizzy Bec's September Anything Goes Challenge

(NBUS post just below, please scroll down. Thank you)

Firstly I want to apologise for being a really bad blogger at returning comments, it wont be any better for wee while either, but will do my best! Do appreciate you all though. 

A CAS card here today as did not have much time, made in an hour quite late at night last night, I had seen the idea on Pinterest, so knew where I was going which helped immensely. Didn't quite have right dies but didn't matter. Late at night is not ideal, but hey it was done! here is my September DT post.

To join in with us over at Bizzy Becs ANYthing Goes Challenge - please pop over here!

Frame made with Cottage Cutz Stitched Ovals, as they fit perfectly into most of Spellbinder oval sets - bonus!

Floral ovals - largest die
 Cottage Cutz Stitched ovals

Vivienne Butterfly die

I cut the purple snippet first and made the largest Flora l oval. I then cut I think it was the third of the CC Stitched ovals to get the frame. I've found these are totally interchangeable with my SB oval dies, like the spellbinder ovals never are!

As you can see I popped the frame up on mounting tape. Decided to leave base card un-embossed. I normally emboss but was on a schedule here! Cut two Nellie Snellen Fanciful flourish (Small) and joined them in middle. Cut Vivienne butterfly die in the firm Parchment cardstock, coloured a thin sheet for underneath the butterfly, which I fussy cut out.
Shaped the wings with a pencil, rolling it around it, then popped them up on pop dots and added some bling. Card mounted on same card as top and declared finished. Wanted greeting but nothing looked right so left it plain

Thanks so much for popping over for peek and chat.. you are really appreciated!

May God richly bless your day wherever you may be!

Shaz in Oz.x

O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1

Also linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on my card.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 

2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes     http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  

WOYWW + Snippets Card Our Daily Bread

Mm, running a tad late for WOYWW as having computer issues with Windows Update. I pray it will be sorted.. its back in the too hard basket for moment.

  WOYWW or What is on your workdesk Wednesday over here ..at our Julia's of the Stamping Ground!   

To my desk this morning:

Was busy this morning - on homeward run with a card. Sharpie blue pen was there 'cos used it to colour the bright turquoise ribbon threaded though the ODBD Beautiful borders. 
Blue Spellbinder fancy Label 8 was done two years ago for my sister's card and not used. Stamped a verse on it, now getting ready to die cut (front centre piece) MB Pippi butterfly and Nellie Snellen fanciful flourish dies.
The red framed piece near Monkey's hand is a Christmas verse found yesterday; thought it would be good for Scrappy Mo's Rudolph Challenge on Anzac day 25th (to 30th April).

Well, this is new part to my desk. Kinda home made looking, but is my wee shelf set, for which I've looked everywhere!!  Gave up and made it myself from a free sturdy box, cut to size, covered it with stash glue and paper, attached it with freebie bulldog clips - so for free I have a wee three shelf topper on my wee set of drawers at the back of my desk. Can display some things and store all those weenie things you need so often. Also have my home made tape tower to the left.

"Nellie Snellen Fanciful Flourish Small" die cut, inked it up with Versafine Majestic Blue, and embossed in Iridescent EP. Did the same with MB Pippi Butterfly

Completed card, for friend with recent surgery for cancer, hence why I chose Stampendous great stamp of Psalm 91:1. DP was snippet, as were all the other elements including the peach card base. Flowers are Impression Obsession - Bunch of Blossoms. Starting point was the centre die cut - pity it wasn't teal as would enter it into Mrs A's Butterfly challenge with is T for Teal and texture this fortnight.

Now for the Aussie shots today .. last weekend we watched some of the *Grom Surfing competition on our local beach. *Surf Groms are aged between 5 to 12 years so these are very young surfers .. only managed few mediocre shots.

These silver gulls were amusing we thought on our icecream drive.. all in unison (almost) preening their feathers, enjoying the very stiff wind that was blowing on this southern beach break.

Thanks so very much for popping over! 

Please say hi - to let me know you've been by!

Shaz in Oz.x  

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:1, 2

I would like to link over to:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

2. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on all of the cards.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/  

3. Simon  Says - Butterfly Beauty (Monday Challenge) include a butterfly.
4. Joining up with recipe Challenge at Our Daily Bread http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/odbdslc273-o-d-b-d-recipe-challenge.html 
Recipe   O -Our Daily Bread Designs Beautiful borders die
                 D - Designer Paper
                 B  - Butterfly
                 D -  Dimension, Dies

Word Art Wednesday Guest Designer - Jan 2016

For WOYWW post - see post below ... thank you! 

Last month I had an email from the wonderful Karen Letchworth of Word Art Wednesday Challenge asking me to be a guest designer for January.
I was actually surprised and honoured. I love this challenge and the Design Team is a great team of talented card makers. I thank them for asking me to join their team for this month :D

This year we are having two week Challenges so this makes it easier for folks like me - and as always - Anything Goes! so please join us! great prizes to be won.

So here is my offering - two in all for this week.

 This was the first one I made.. I had two ideas as had to make some cards for a FB challenge too.The colours I wanted for this card wouldn't work for the challenge so decided to make two :D
The verse lends itself to a circle so a plain circle  edged with black edging used, and yellow chalk to shade it softly.  Cut a yellow *SB Shapeability Lotus Pendant, mounted it (*this year I want to use things in my stash ie hardly or unused items so here is good start on both cards).  Cut 3 Dienamics Daisies and leaves, plus leaves from a Marianne die and Nellie Snellen leaf swirl. The embossing folder is new one from trip to Brisbane craft show @ $3.95, a bargain and love it .. very different on emboss and deboss sides .. this is Debossed and it is a 5' x 7" Couture Creations Circles Folder. I extended this too. see how here.

Its been so much fun playing with these verses as so often I don't get to do this for the actual week's WAW verse.. and to do it ahead is really special, I so appreciate it.

This is the second card which I scanned a piece of DP (in case idea didn't work didn't want to waste the piece so could skip that step). Added the digital verse in Word by adding the DP image first in to a text box right size, + added verse as an overlay and printed it off high quality. I had checked the size the verse needed to be for die before overlaying it on rough piece cut out.
With the barely used SB A2 Divine Eloquence I cut the verse with a green snippet, and largest die. The saved negative part of the die was pasted for reinforcing onto a scrap piece of card, then also used on the bottom. To check out more on how I made this please look at the desk post over here.

 This is the verse this week, it is clickable for saving if you right click on it and select save. 

I wanted to share how much this verse means to me. 

As most of you know I was born with some health issues. 

It was something that as a teenager really affected me and into my twenties. I was different from my "normal" friends and younger sisters. 

I came to know the LORD Jesus when I was young - I share it in the post below or see this post here (as it's fifty years two days ago that I trusted Jesus down at our beach). 

However I was so angry at God. 
He could've made a better job! He is God after all. 
Finally after about eight bitter years the LORD brought me to the end of myself, a key part in this was this very verse. 
Proud, angry, stubborn, "self-willed" me was able to say with all my heart:

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" Psalm 139:14

I know now - God doesn’t make mistakes. As Romans 8:28 says:
 "ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called, according to His purpose."

His purpose note,  not mine.

His ways are always best.. 

Hard? yes, not easy, but best - do we want second rate?

Well, thanks for popping over - and staying for a peek and chat.

May God bless your day where ever you may be. 

Shaz in Oz.x

Linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on both cards http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

3. Our Daily bread challenge - Use old and new, first card - old SB circles and Shapeablitiy and new EF.
http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/odbdslc269-something-new-something-old.html

Majestic Labels 25, Stampscapes + WOYWW

Hullo there everyone.. well, another "desky" share as it is Wednesday again!! and that means the great worldwide Blog-hop around desks of the world for WOYWW or What is On Your workdesk Wednesday.. pop over to our chief's desk for the link up, at Julia's Stamping Ground! 

To my desk:

Here am mid morning today... and has not progressed much since then. This is using Majestic Labels 25 Spellbinder die set from many months ago - see here {Oo, so long and first time using!!} For those wondering about tool in one, it has the thumbs up! there are times when is poky tool only but mostly if use it correctly it works a treat except for few SB dies. Have two completed cards at top then starting on two other cards with different verse from and centre. They aren't needed this week but hoping to get ahead. I have three birthdays close together, and one sympathy being required. Snippets were used on top layers for these.

Building up the layers to get 3D effect.

Cards made with Majestic Labels 25, layered up. Psalm 91:1 is appropriate at all times "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High shall rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91 is also called the Christians life Insurance Policy if you read it throguh you will see why :D Stamp is also current, or relatively so - Copyright 2006, bought on Ebay few years ago - by Stampabilities, GR1114

 

Stampscapes *log cabin with *sedge filler, *rock ledge + *reeds all unmounted stamp. From Snippet drawer with completed images, image done ages ago with PanPastels. Corners are made with SB Fleur de Lis square die, DP is discontinued one and thought it matched the image with fine Nellie Snellen Ribbon edge die, love this one.

Native Fanflower (Scaevola –see here) growing down close to beach, in creekside garden.

Our beach ~ a bird's eye view - a Peewee preening himself was caught some time back our on a walk - taken on my mobile. It doesn't have digital zoom so was standing close to him :D

I will comment as able ~ may take 'til next week but will get there :D

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek as chat, and may God bless your day wherever you may be!  

Shaz in Oz.x 
PS just heard two cyclones,  one Cat.1 in far north Qld, other Cat.3 (highest category is Cat. 5) in NT in Gulf country. Praying for the folk concerned and rain winds etc will not be as severe as forecast. We are predicted to have heavy rainfall fir several days.. flooding a prayer point too for many areas north of here. All prayers appreciated. 
UPDATE: Both Marcia and Lam crossed landfall within hours of one another, both were Cat. 5.  Now praying for rain not to cause massive flooding, we often get a tropical lows after these events.

Linking the two cards up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on both cards. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2..Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au. 

Thomas is FOUR! Monkeys say Happy Birthday!!

{Warning - picture heavy post}

Well, sorry for long silence. I have been creating, as needs must, just not up to blogging as well, thanks for your patience. Have card today for a very special member of our family who has just turned four years old!!

 It is an easel card - used this tutorial for easel card - see here

 

Here on this photo am trying to work out what paper/ embossing folder to use as background for the card. Main elements have been done, number four is Tim Holtz Grunge board which was first coloured with distress ink pads two different colours, (trying to get bamboo look) then covered in Dimensional Magic.

 Used some monkey DP made up into 3D figures. The top and bottom are border parts on DP.Paper chosen and now final bits of layout for leaf features being tried. Used swirls/ leaves from assorted dies, some Marianne, some Nellie Snellen.
 Then had greeting which is mounted on Fleur de Lis labels 8 by Spellbinder, and wanted a neat outline around it for top piece.

It is best to emboss  this first, then mounted on top to get clearer cut out line - see stages.
Photo top left is embossing on Cuttlebug. Photo top right is accenting it with embossing tool, as shown on lower left photo. Then carefully cut around it and any slightly rough edges smooth off with sanding block. Mount on mounting tape.

 The completed card. Added some string and buttons matching the DP (done with the button maker which don't use enough) to hold up the easel. By the bye, Thomas' favourite toy is Monkey, and so he is number four monkey {or maybe Thomas is? :D}
Many thanks for popping over for peek and chat - I really appreciate all your kind words, more than words can say. 

[Also special welcome to newest follower Peg Robinson, but I cant find your blog Peg, to encourage you also - so if you have one please let me know.]

May God bless your day wherever you may be, Shaz in Oz.x

I would like to enter this into:

1. Di's Snippets Challenge - Snippets of card used, plus DP was actually snippety too. Woohoo, I may get to play in playground!

2. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes