October Card Sketch Challenge

Alicia has the October sketch challenge up on her blog here and this is the card I've made.

I've coloured it with a combination of water colour pencils and copics.
Supplies used:
Patterned Paper - Basic Grey Urban Prairie, Bittersweet and Eva.
Copics - (E50, 51, 53), (E42, 47), (RV02, 04)
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Versa colour Raspberry.
Stamps - C.C. Designs Balloon Emma, Sentiment -Laughing Moon.

Although I'm only a beginner at using copics I'm really happy with this effort.

Scraps, Free Blocks and Stampin' Up

I went to a Stampin' Up party yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed myself while making a card (Please note the gorgeous mini library clip on the tag!) Some how managed to glue some bits on back the front but what the heck. I went with every intention of ordering some punches but somehow I ended up ordering another stamp set (of course). They have some fabulous sets and when I win Lotto I'll buy them all.

Stampin' Up Christmas card

Another thing I've managed to do is make the first block of my scrap quilt. Yay! One down and who knows how many to go.

First scrap block

The Janome shop 'Free Block Frenzy' Block Number 4 was another thing crossed off my To Do list There are another six blocks to go and I think it will look pretty good when it's finished.

Block # 4.

I'm glad I finished it on time because tomorrow is take and show day in order to receive my next free pack. I did cut it a bit fine. It's also patchwork day at my local group, Port Curtis Patchwork, so it promises to be a busy day.

New Background

Decided to change my background again courtesy of The Background Fairy, and I've been having fun (no, really) fiddling with all the fine details. Since I'm not really computer literate it can be a little frustrating at times, so I think I need to call it a day and come back tomorrow nice and refreshed.

 

 

Refreshing photos from Dreamworld

Copic Classes

I'm really enjoying the copic classes at Scrapbook Fantasies. Alicia is so talented and an excellent tutor, we always have a great time in class. I really need to do more practice at home, but I'm pretty happy with my progress.

Light source shading

Texture

 

Card (Scrapbook Fantasies design) with Feather Blended rabbit

I've also done skin and hair colouring classes but haven't photographed them yet. That's for another day.

Girls' Night In

Last night was a Girls' Night In get together at Joys' house. Although it was small, we had a lovely time. Scrapbooking, great company, good food and coffee and a little bit of fundraising for cancer research. Definitely well worth it (although it was pretty cold going home at midnight).

 Me

 Joy

 Donna

There is no photo of the youngest member of our party (Joys' grandaughter) who started out scrapping, but couldn't quite go the distance and curled up on the lounge for a snooze.

Jelly Rolls

I've known about Jelly Rolls for some time but since I haven't been sewing much I've never gotten into them. Since the quilting retreat has renewed my enthusiasm I've bought myself a Jelly Roll, co-ordinating Layer Cake and Charm Squares. My friend Joyce has also bought Jelly Rolls, so along with our other friend Marilyn we may have a Jelly Roll weekend coming up in the not too distant future.

Moda 'Garden Party' 

One of Joyce's UFO projects at the Retreat. A Lisa Walton kit, 'Power of Three'. Doesn't it look fantastic? The hand dyed fabric is gorgeous.

Power of Three

More Scraps

My collection of squares and rectangles continues to grow. I was up at 6.30 am. this morning, started cutting straight away, and had a nice little pile by breakfast time.

 

Up until now I've been cutting up my collection of charm squares, but needed more lights (512 for an 8 block x 8 block quilt) so it was time to tackle my lights scrap box.

 

Scraps from the box

 What a mess

Why oh why didn't I trim those scraps as I went, instead of just stuffing them in the box! Now I'm being quite ruthless and any scrap smaller than 2" goes in the rubbish.

 

 The overflow

Some of the scraps brought back memories. The scraps (above) were trimmed from the end of the strip pieced set used in my 'Hidden Wells' quilt. I made this at my second Retreat (1997) in a Joyce Carter workshop. It's still one of my favourite quilts.

 Hidden Wells

 Since g.g.s. Zachary has now returned home I have had to clean up my mess and will have to be more organised. :-0

Zachary

Zachary and friends

Scraps

I had a lovely time today visiting my good friend Marilyn. I took my container of scraps with me and spent the afternoon cutting and increasing my pile of 2.5" squares for this quilt. It's amazing how much work you can get done when you're in the company of friends. We never run out of things to talk about,  even when we've just seen each other the day before.

Marilyn-C.Q. Retreat 2010-'Playtime Cards'

Best Blog

I came across this while blog hopping. I found it totally amusing and I just love it. Check it out.

I'm watching 'Hellboy' on T.V. at the moment and really enjoying it (extremely impressed by the exploding monsters). I think I'm just a big kid at heart.

Cards and Quilts

Telstra have finally updated their technical support for Apple's latest operating system which means, at last, my computer has a wireless connection. What freedom, to be able to carry my laptop anywhere in the house with no messy cords to get in the way. Now I just need to work out how to install my printers' wireless connection.

This is the card I made for Alicia's September card sketch challenge. I'm really happy with it.

I love the little bird on a branch, which is from a Stampin' Up! set 'A Touch of Nature'.

It's really quiet here at the moment because Jastine and Zachary are down the coast for a short break. This means I can leave my sewing supplies spread all over the dining table and not worry about little fingers. A week of sewing at the retreat has energized me and I've been busy cutting 2.5" squares with a view to making a scrap quilt. I think I only need to cut several hundred more and I'll be finished! Time to change my cutter blade.

Retreat Fatigue

I've just returned from my annual week long quilting retreat in Rockhampton. It was really great to catch up with old friends. I even managed to get some sewing done. This year I decided to work on my UFO pile, and was able to complete the top I started in a Jan Phillips 'Freedom' workshop in 2008.

The workshop featured freehand rotary cutting and curved piecing, and the top went together quite quickly. Just need to quilt it now!

Another project I managed to finish was my shabby chic table runner.

This was the first time I'd made Prairie Points and I really like the effect. Another quilting job to be done.

I also managed to finish my third issue for Free Block Frenzy.

Block #3.

Block #2

Block #1