Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Outlawz colour challenge, but no card.


Good morning friends,

Once again it is a beautiful day here in the southern part of Africa and I would love to welcome my new followers. I hope you will be back to visit often and do let me know what you thin, I love to read all your comments.

This week  the Colour challenge at The Outlawz is being hosted by my teamie Heather.

She has chosen the South African flag as her colour palette, and of course that excites me no end, as that is my country's flag. All you have to do is make a project using these colours and there is no extra twist.

Our sponsor for the last time this week is All Dressed Up.  Most of the DT have used one of their images, but I decided to leave out an image this week, as I had something else I wanted to try with these colours.





I have been doing some quilling on and off for the last few years, but for some time now I have been so inspired by the work of some quilling artists and one in particular just amazes me with her beautiful work. The work that Otilla does is truly mind blowing and you can see some of it HERE.

I have made a map of Africa, using some quilling shapes to fill it in. I decided to put it onto a small canvas. (I have a number of these gathering dust in my cupboard) and coloured the background with shades of blue for the sea, and some browns for the land.With some gell medium I created a bit of a design on the canvas.

The words are taken from a poem written by John Nox Bokwe and it has been set to music. It has been recorded by several choral groups and soloists. One of our African sopranos sings this so beautifully and it just moves me every time I listen to it. HERE is a rendition of this beautiful prayer if you would like to here it.


I do hope you like my little African canvas, and I would love to see you enter our challenge using these lovely colours.

Now to enter some challenges:
Come and Get It...Clerar it out...use a stash item..The canvas
Eclectic Ellapu...Anything goes
That Craft Place...Mixed Media...Anything goes
We Love to Create #20...Anything mixed media/Creative goes
Word Art Wednesday #202...Anything goes.. Hope this qualifies
Inspiration Destination #52...Anything goes
Crafts 4 Eternity #245...Water
Crafting with Friends #7...Anything goes
Simply Papercraft #...14...Anything goes
Crafting from the Heart #79...Anything goes
Craft your Passion #281...Anything goes
Not Just Cards #24...Anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations #5...Anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude #7...Anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore...Anything goes
DL.ART Linky challenge ...Anything goes
Sisters of Craft ...Anything goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit ...Any Mixed Media
Through the Craftroom Door...Anything goes

I hope you all have a great week, as this is the last week of September, I just can't believe that there are only 3 months of the year left.  Take care and see you soon.

Love Ursula

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A shaped or fancy fold card at The Outlawz.


Good morning to you all,
Another cool, cloudy day here, but we have had thunder and lightning and a bit of rain since early morning, so hopefully it will continue into the day. I hope the sun is shining where you are.

Another Tuesday has come and that means  a Colour challenge at The Outlawz.                                               
This week our teamie Ina, has given us a lovely challenge. A gorgeous colour palette and the twist is a shaped or fancy fold card. Now that might be a bit out of some comfort zones, but that is what a challenge is for.
Once again the sponsor is   All Dressed up Stamps and the DT have all made some stunning shaped and fancy fold cards with their images. I invite you all to go and have a look, then come and join in the fun. There are even some prizes up for grabs.


My card is quite a simple one. It is actually a gatefold with a centre cut out.

I used the image Abi Ballerina, which is a freebie on the All Dressed up site. Coloured it with Distress inkpads and lots of glitter, cut it out and mounted onto a diecut.

The patterned paper is from an old Tattered Teddy range ..Especially for you. I ran the blue card through my CB with an embossing folder and added some gems to the centres

The sentiment is from Just Rite Stamps.

Finished it all off with a bow and some pearls.



Will enter it in some challenges:

Crafting from the Heart #78...Anything goes
Craft Your Passion #280...Anything goes
Love to Scrap #62...Anything goes
Ooh-La-La Creations #189...Feminine
Where the Heart is #1...Add some text
Whoopsi Daisy ...Add embellishments
Crafting for all Seasons #110 ...Layer it up
Crafty Gals Corner #37...Anything goes
Creative Moments #77...Anything goes...no twist
Inspiration Destination #51...Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #201...Anything goes
All Dressed up #41...Anything goes

I hope you all have a lovely day and a great week. Hope to get some more cards made and then I will be back. Take care.

Love Ursula



Monday, September 21, 2015

Anything goes at Creative Craft Cottage

Happy Monday friends,
I am a little late with this posting, but I had a busy morning, that just took a bit longer than I had hoped.. Today there is a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage and it is an easy one... Anything goes.

Our sponsor is Rick St. Dennis and the lucky winner will receive 2 digis of their choice.

The DT have all used one of their images, so do go and see the lovely creations they have made.

 For my card I have used Cocoa and cookies Santa and you can find it HERE

I have coloured the image with Distress inkpads. For the trim on Santa's clothes, I used texture paste and then spread glitter over it. I cut it out and mounted it on my new star die, from Marianne designs. I placed this over red card and trimmed it.

The paper is all old Christmas paper from my stash. I think I need to shop for some new paper this year, as I now only have bits and pieces left.

On the front I have 2 Christmas tree diecuts. These are cut from a Marianne Design die. I have also had this one for a number of years. Decorated them with some glitter.

I will be back later to enter some challenges. I do hope to see your cards in the challenge. You have 2 weeks to enter, so come and join in.

Challenges entered:
Crafting from the Heart#78...Anything goes
Craft your Passion #28)...Anything goes
Get Creative #24...Fantasy
Love to Scrap #62...Anything goes
Melonheadz Friends ...Try something new...new fold card
Hiding in my Craftroom #217...Freestyle
Crafting with Friends #6...Anything goes
Jingle Belles...Use something at least a year old...my papers about 3 years old
Simple Create Too #94...Early holiday wishes
Simply Papercraft #13...Anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude #7...Anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations #4...Anything goes
Wags 'n Whiskers #162...Glitter/Sparkle
DL.ART Linky challenge ...Anything goes
12 Months of Christmas link up ...Oh Christmas tree

I wish you a wonderful week and thanks for popping in. I do love to read any comments, so please let me know what you think of this card.

Love Ursula 


Sunday, September 20, 2015

Sunday releases at Digistamps4Joy

Good morning friends,
Happy Sunday to everyone, We are having a cloudy cool and hopefully soon raining day here. It was very hot earlier in the week, but the cool weather is most welcome and some rain would be so lovely. The gardens are just putting on their lovely spring coats, but do need rain to flourish.

Anyway to business. Today there are 4 lovely new digi releases at Digistamps4Joy. I really do love them all, and if you hop over  HERE you will be able to see the gorgeous cards made by some of  the DT with these images.





I have used the image 'stained glass roses'for my card.

I coloured the image with my usual Distress inkpads and cut the oval out. Mounted it onto a piece of patterned paper from a Prima paper pad.

The sentiment is a Whiff of Joy, stamped onto an IO label, which is attached with a pearl brad.
The ribbon I coloured with my distress inkpad and added a bow.
Some more pearls to finish.


I have some people asking for the regular sized card for normal postage mailing and not to bulky, so decided that I need to make an effort and get some stock of these. This was just such a nice easy one to do.

Will enter some challenges:

Crafty Calendar Anything goes
Crafty Friends chalklenge #14...B is for..brad, bow
Hiding in my Craftroom #217...Freestyle
Crafting from the Heart #77...Anything goes
Craft-Dee Bows ...Anything goes with a handmade bow
Craft your Passion #279...Anything goes
Where the Heart is #1...Add text
Bloggers challenge ...Flowers
Simply Papercraft #13...Anything goes
Crafting with Friends #6...Anything goes
Aud Sentiments #140...Anything goes with a sentiment
Crafting with an Attitude #7...Anything goes
Crafty Girls challenge #4...Anything goes
In the Pink #78 ...For a friend
DL.ART...Linky challenge...anything goes
Little Miss Muffet #120...Anything goes
Cards Galore Encore ...Anything goes
Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper...Anything goes
Lia Stampz #92...Anything goes
Petal Lu challenge ...Anything goes
Sisters of Craft...Anything goes


That's all from me today, will be back tomorrow, till then have a great day and enjoy the weekend.

Love Ursula










Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Tuesday is Colour challenge at The Outlawz

Hello everyone,
I am back again with my card for the  Colour challenge at The Outlawz.

This week it was the turn of Laurian to choose a colour palette and twist for the challenge and this is the photo that she has chosen together with the colours. Laurian decided to make it a real easy one and her twist is Anything goes..so have fun with what ever you want to do.







All Dressed Up is  our sponsor this month and some of the DT have used their images, so please go and see what they have made for your inspiration.





I have used some patterned paper from my stash, and I did some embossing  on the brown cardstock.

The image is called 'girl on bike', coloured with Distress Inkpads, added some glitter and pearl dots for the flower centres. I also added a few small flowers punched with my Olba punches.

3 little buttons to finish and some raffia to attach the label with sentiment.

Will enter the following challenges:

All Sorts challenge #328...Buttons
Crafty Friends challenge #14...B is for....buttons
Eclectic Ellapu ...Anything goes
Crafting from the Heart #77...Anything goes
Craft Your Passion #279...Anything goes
Crafty Cardmakers #147...Floral embellishments
Where the Heart is #1...Add some text
The Paper Nest challenge #9...Anything goes
Craft-Dee Bowz...Anything goes with a handmade bow.
Creative Moments #76...Anything goes...use a sentiment
Little Red Wagon #306...Digi do...Use a digi
Inspiration Destination #50...Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday...Anything goes
The Outlawz Greeting challenge...Pink

I wish you all a wonderful week, and I will be back soon. Till then take care.

Love Ursula






A 'Girly' card for DS4J challenge #116

Hello  my friends,

Here we are in the middle of September and a happy Tuesday to you all.  This serves as a reminder for challenge #116 at Digistamps4Joy. The theme as always is Anything goes, but there is a twist if you would like to go with it.

Desire my very talented teamie is hosting this challenge and she liked the idea of a "Girly girl"twist, so this is  my card.
The DT have all made such lovely cards, so please come and have a look. You do not have to use a DS4J image, but of course you stand a chance for the main prize if you do use one.





I have used the image "Strong Lady 6 and you can find it HERE

Coloured it with Distress inkpads, added some glitter and cut it out with a Nellie Snellen MFD.

The paper I used is from a JBS paper bloc.

Added a piece of lace, that I have had forever (almost all finished now) , a metal corner and pearls.

The flower is handmade and finished off with a metal spacer and brad, and a flourish added.



Will be entering it in some challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams #21...Let's get Girly
Eclectic Ellapu...Use your stash..older than 6months...my lace
Crafty Calendar challenge...Anything goes
Crafty  Friends challenge #14...Something with B...beads and brad
Scrapper's Delight...Anything goes
Card Mania  #72...Pastel Colours
Crafting from the Heart #77...Anything goes
Craft your Passion #279...Anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs...Only digis
Love to Scrap...Do a double take...use at least 2 patterned papers
Crafty Sentiments Designs...Anything goes
Paper Minutes #400...Anything goes
Retarte #60...Anything goes
Through the Craftroom Door...Anything goes
Try it on Tuesday...Add some Metal
Crafting with an Attitude #7...Anaything goes
Crafty Girls Creations #4...Anything goes
DL.ART...Linky challenge...Anything goes
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #99...Fancy and Feminine
Crafting with Friends #6...Anything goes

Enjoy the rest of the week, but I will be back  with another DT card, so see you later.

Love Ursula


Saturday, September 12, 2015

A celebration....now just memories.

Good morning friends,
Today I have nothing crafty for you, but all about a lovely family celebration..just a word of warning..lots of photos....
About 2 weeks ago I posted about our big family get together for our 50th wedding anniversary. The family came from all over to celebrate with us, and we did have a lovely day with family and friends on 16 August, before everyone returned home to their respective countries.

So now the actual day of our anniversary arrived, and yesterday we just relived all the beautiful memories of the time since 24th July when the first of the family arrived.  The day was not forgotten by all our family and lots of phone calls, skype calls, messages and visits, starting off with a relaxed breakfast, and more visits and ending with a great get together with all our neighbours in the village where we have now been living for almost a year. Our lovely  friends Brian & Linda had organized for everyone in our street to come together to toast us on this great day. We feel so Blessed to be living amongst such wonderful people and so enjoyed an evening of great camaraderie and getting to know more of our neighbours.

Well all is now just a memory, but these memories will be treasured and remain with us for as long as we will be able to remember.

Indulge me please to post a few photos of the last few weeks.



A weekend at a game lodge with the whole family. One of many photos taken around the table enjoying, good food, wine, laughs and lots of fun.









Lovely game drives with good sighting of game so enjoyed by all, especially the overseas family..





Many outings, some on quad bikes enjoying the thrills of off road riding,  cable cars  to see the gorgeous views.







Some time spent in shopping malls to satisfy the young and then fun time at a theme park with great rides for the daring and not so daring,

Then after the big "official celebration lunch", some great family time at home before our visitors all returned to their own countries.......

                                                                             

Picnic lunch for the younger members......

After a great braai (barbeque)lunch, just relaxing chatting and enjoying some 'desserts'.



All in all just such a fantastic time.......






Then adieu, farewell, totsiens, till the next time...whenever....


Thank you to all my blogging and FB friends, for all the loving messages we received the last few weeks while our celebration was ongoing. We do appreciate them all and feel very Blessed to have you all as our cyberfriends together with the friends that we are able to meet and see.

Will be back soon with something crafty again. Have a wonderful weekend.

Love Ursula








Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Colour challenge at The Outlawz

Hello my friends,
Today I am here with another colour challenge at The Outlawz.

 This week it is AJ who is challenging us with this gorgeous Autumnal photo. I felt as if we have stepped back from gorgeous spring weather the last 5 weeks to autumn over the last few days, but am happy to say spring has returned.


We are sponsored this month by All Dressed Up



I do hope you will pop in and see the lovely cards made by the DT for inspiration and look forward to you coming to join in.

Here is my card, which is a Pop-out swing card and I found this tutorial card at Debbie's Designs. It is so easy if you follow here instructions which are perfect.



























I used coloured cardstock for the card and for the inside a piece from a paper bloc in my stash.
The image is 'Little Treasure' coloured with Pan Pastels.
The sentiment was a freebie from Create with TLC. Printed and cut with a Marianne Design die.
Added 3 buttons and scattered some small leaves around the inside.

This was a fun card and am sure will use it often, as it really is so easy to do.

Entering the following challenges:
Eclectic Ellapu...Anything goes
Lil Patch of Crafty friends #17...Anything goes
Crafty Calendar ...Anything goes
Crafty Friends challenge #13 ...Use a sentiment
Digi Designs challenge...Include a sentiment.
The Pencil Case #1...Anything goes
Crafting by Designs ...Anything goes
Creative Moments...#76...Anything goes/use a sentiment
Word Art Wednesday...Anything goes/Use a sentiment
Inspiration Destination...Anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack  #104...Anything goes
Simply Papercraft #12...Anything goes
Crafting with Friends #5...Anything goes
Crafty Catz #291...Anything goes
Craft Your Passion #278...Anything goes
Crafting from the Heart #76...Anything goes
Our Crafty Corner #1...Autumn Colours
Simon Says Stamp challenge ...Monday challenge,,punch/diecut
Where the Heart is #1...Add text

The weather is lovely and warm, so I think I'll spend an hour or two min the garden today. 
Have a wonderful week and will see you soon.

Love Ursula

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Using Dies or punches

Good morning bloggers,
I hope you are all looking forward to a great weekend. We have had some beautiful rain on Thursday night and it has turned a little chilly as well, but having the rain is so welcome. I can just see the garden rejoicing.

The challenge at Let's Craft and Create this month is to use your dies or punches, so I decided to make a wine bottle tag as I received some lovely new dies when my family came to visit last month. These are just so right for this tag.





I cut the small tag with the circle from  burgundy cardstock and matted this to a Kraft rectangle with rounded corners.

Cut the wine glass and grape diecuts, then coloured these with Pan Pastels. These are Marianne Design ..Creatables LR0366 and 0367

The sentiment I printed and then tore the edges and antiqued this with Distress inks.

Please visit the challenge and see the lovely cards made by the DT for inspiration.



Entering the following challenges:






Crafting with an Attitude #7...Anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations #3...Anything goes
Crafting with Friends #5...Anything goes
Crafty Catz #291...Anything goes
Simply Papercraft #12...Anything goes
Crafting by Designs...Anything goes
Creative Moments #76...Anything goes with a sentiment
The Male Room #18...Fruit
Inspiration Destination #49...Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #199...Anything goes
Wonderful Wednesday...Anything goes
City Crafter  #277...In a jam/use fruit
Cuttlebug Mania...Anything goes
Deep Ocean challenge #111...For the boys
Through the Craftroom Door...Anything goes

Enjoy your weekend and thank you for popping in. I do love reading your comments. 

Take care and see you soon.
Love, Ursula


New releases today at DS4J

Happy Sunday everyone,
We are still having cloudy cool weather. We have had over 60mm of rain since Thursday evening with breaks...., but have had no sunshine,  The gardens are going to thrive after this, and we will certainly be spending some time in ours. The veggie garden needs to get going fast now.

Today there are some new releases at Digistamps4Joy and I am using the image 'stained glass lily'

If you would like to see the cards made by the DT for some inspiration, just go  HERE and see the gorgeous creations.



I used a burgundy cardstock, matted a sheet from a Marianne Design paper pad 'La Musique

Image is coloured with Distress inkpads.

Sentiment stamped onto a label from Nellie Snellen MFD

Added ribbon and pearls to finish


Entering the following challenges:

Crafty Calendar...Anything goes
Crafty Friends #13...Use a sentiment
Digi Designs...Include a Sentiment
My Time to Craft #303...Flowers
The Pencil Case #1...Anything goes
Crafting with Friends #5...Anything goes
Crafty Catz #291...Anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack #104...Anything goes
Simply Papercraft #12...Anything goes

Stempelsonnen challenge #149...Anything goes
Crafting from the Heart #75...Anything goes
Clear it out challenge...Use your stash...anything goes
Retarte challenge 59...Anything goes
Doodle Pantry...Ants in my Pants #9...Anaything goes

I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend, and wish you a good week ahead.

Love Ursula 


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

September Progressive challenge

Hello friends,
I am a little late posting this, but my card for the DT was done on time. Still having a few PC issues and posting on my blog is a bit of a challenge at the moment.

Over at The Outlawz the new Progressive challenge for September has started and if you played in the previous one, you will have received the image for this month. If you are new to this challenge then just go over and join the group, you will then be sent the image. As long as you continue playing, the next image will be sent yo you every month.





The sponsor this month is Nicrane Designs with one of the images from the Flower Children sheet.

Please go and see the lovely cards made by the DT, using this sweet image.




This is my card and what I used.


I coloured the image with my usual Distress inkpads, and cut it out with a Nellie Snellen MFD.
The paper comes from a Joycrafts Paper bloc...With love.
Added pearls and a peeloff sentiment.

Entering the following challenges:
Crafting from the Heart...#75...Anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs...Anything goes
Doodle Pantry...Ants in your Pants #9...Anything goes
Craft your Passion #277...Anything goes

I hope you like it, and we would love you to come and join in this challenge.

Thanks for visiting and hope to be back soon. Have a great day.

Love Ursula

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Colour inspiration at The Outlawz

Good morning friends and a Happy Spring day.

Yes it is Spring here in South Africa, not officially until 21 September, I think, but it is definitely Spring. Warm temperatures, lovely green shoots on the trees, daffodils, sweet peas and many more all flowering...a beautiful time of the year.

I have made my first card in 6 weeks and it did almost feel like I was a beginner, but I am sure in a week or so I hope to feel like a pro.

This week for the Colour challenge
at The Outlawz, Susan has challenged us with a beautiful inspirational photo...just perfect for those lovely evenings we are having. To enter the challenge just use whatever inspires you from this photo.


Our sponsor this month is All Dressed Up and for my card I used a freebie image called Butterflies which you can find HERE
Please go and check out the cards made by the DT, to see what inspired them.

My inspiration was the colours and the flowers.








This is what I used:

Image - coloured with Distress inkpads, cut with a Nellie's MFD.

Paper - I used a new paper pad from the JBS collection, my DIL brought me from The Netherlands.

The flowers were made using Nellie Snellen floral punches and all coloured with Distress inkpads.

Added pearls and some glitter.

Sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.


Entering the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania...Anything goes
Through the Craftroom Door...Anything goes
Doodle Pantry.. ..Ants in my Pants #9
Crafting from the Heart #75...Anything goes
Craft your Passion #277...Anything goes
Not Just Cards #23...Anything goes
Use Your Stuff ...Use your stash
.Colouring in Scrapland #2...Things with wings
Robyn's Fetish #279...Square cards
Dragonfly Dreams...Flying high with wings
Crafty Friends challenge #13...Use a sentiment
Di's Digi Designs...Use a sentiment
Hiding in my Craftroom #214...Freestyle
My Time to Craft #303...Flowers
Scrapper's Delights #47...Anything goes

Have a wonderful day. I will be going for a visit to our local Botanical Gardens for a lunch picnic, as we have our 2 young grandsons with us for the day.

Take care and see you soon.
Ursula