Arty Aspirations

Mojo Monday #111

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:49:00 +0000

I've used this week's sketch from the Mojo Monday blog for this card.

I know I was going to make more Christmas cards, but this image has been sitting on my desk top since before I had surgery! I watercoloured a number of images using Tim Holtz Distress inks and this is one of them. The stamp is by Inkadinkado and it's one of the first stamps I ever bought....thought it was about time it got used again.

The pink background piece is a technique from the Technique Junkie Newsletter, called Simple Whitewash. The design paper is by Heidi Grace, flower by Green Tara and the greeting is a Hero Arts one.

Thanks for visiting today!

My 1st Christmas card made!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:40:00 +0000

I thought I'd better get a head start this year with my Christmas cards as I don't think I'll feel up to it once my Chemo starts. I should have had more done by now, but this is my first card........it's taken me days to complete!

I used this weeks sketch, #12, from the Get Sketchy blog.

Supplies used:
SU cardstock and ink - except the trees, which is Pedigree Paper.
Justrite stampers tiny letters for the greeting.
Assorted snowflake stamps from several stamp sets - some are Fiskars, I forget the others.
Cuttlebug Christmas Tree dies.
Making Memories green flower, not sure about the white one.
Ranger Frosted Lace Stickles.
Kaiser gems.
Making Memories gem brads.
Carl snowflake punch.
Nestability die.
Other - white handmade paper for the snow, unknown PP for the snowy sky b/ground, green/white/gold ribbon, snowflake eyelet.

Thanks for stopping by today!

A beautiful gift...........and the roller coaster ride continues.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:20:00 +0000

I was hoping to be able to post some good news today after my visit to my Oncologist yesterday..........sadly it is not to be. My PET scan has revealed that the cancer has spread into the lymph glands, it means that they are not confident of getting rid of it all with chemo. The hope is that they will reduce the size of them and prevent them from spreading into other parts of the body. This news seems to have hit me harder than the original diagnosis did, I think it's finally sinking in how serious my condition is.............it really felt like a kick in the guts hearing that news yesterday! The weird thing is that I don't feel like I'm ill right now!

I start chemo in around 2 weeks from now, I'm just waiting on notification from the hospital........my life seems to revolve around doctors' appointments and diagnostic procedures lately!

Thanks again for continuing to post positive, supportive comments.....I really appreciate it! I refuse to let this disease get the better of me and am trying my best to remain confident of a good outcome.

Anyways, that's enough of me, please have a look at the beautiful gift my lovely blogging friend, Sonya - Pickles Patch, from NZ sent me! It's a beautiful journal with lots of stamping and pockets and spaces to put photos and journalling etc. I've photographed the cover and just a few of the pages, so please scroll down and have a look at them all. Thanks so much Sonya for such an awesome gift!

OSA Sketch Layout #41 and more DAK/RAKs.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:13:00 +0000

I've been feeling pretty good over the last week, so managed to have some craft time. This week's OSA sketch layout #41 was a fairly simple one, so here's my effort. I used Stampington's Acey Deucy "Calligraphy Robe" stamp....one of my favourite Oriental images.

Here are yet some more DAK/RAKs that I've received from other OSA members recently, please scroll down the page to see them all. I feel so blessed to belong to such a wonderful caring group, thank you all so much for thinking of me.

Cards from Bonnie B. and Carolyn S.

From Willow and Sandra G.

From Linda I and Margo S.

I had my PET Scan on Wednesday and go to see my Oncologist tomorrow. I will probably find out about how much Chemo I'll be getting and when it starts......fingers crossed that nothing has showed up on the PET scan!

I'm still here!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:14:00 +0000

I just wanted to give my blog readers a long overdue update on how things are going here, and show you some of the lovely cards I've been sent by well-wishers from around the world.

I can't believe it's been 5 weeks since I had surgery! I'm pleased to say that I'm feeling much better now, it took me a while to figure out why I kept feeling so nauseous during the night. Finally the penny dropped that it was a gastric reflux thing.........and I already had medication for it, I just thought I didn't need it! I haven't had any nausea for almost a week now so I'm eating a little better now, but still not up to a proper meal size portion. I've lost around 9.5kg since I got sick, but have only put 0.5kg back on again, so I have to take some protein supplement drinks to try and get my weight back up again.

My CT scan was clear, but my oncologist tells me that it won't show up microscopic sized cancer cells, so he's sending me for a PET scan next Wednesday. He hasn't scheduled me for Chemo yet as I was still feeling so sick when I saw him, but I guess I will know more when he has the PET scan results.

Here are some of the beautiful cards I've been sent from some of the online groups I belong to, and from my wonderful blogging friends. Thank you all so much for caring about me, I can't tell you how wonderful it's been reading your heartfelt messages!

Clockwise from top left: Sandy Nolan, Sharon Williams, Sonya Pickles, Janis Rothermel, Elaine Cox and Shanti Keogh.

Mary Waspe, Margaret Ashby, Bonnie Waliezer, Bonnie Belk, Margo Seegrist and Lyn Wareham.

Lydia Storey, Nancy Freckelton, Carole Meisenhelter, Diane Young and my dear friend Wirgie.

Suzanne Boyer, Marie Doody, LaVerne Wilson, Vicky Fernando and Minda Oberle.

Thank You!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:11:00 +0000

I've just been reading the comments left on my last post and I have tears running down my face at the beautiful well wishes left. Thank you so much for caring about someone most of you have only met through blogland.

My recovery is going slowly, I'm not in too much pain but I can't seem to get on top of the nausea just yet...but it's early days still.

I'll pop in here when I can to give an update, but it might be a while before I'm up to much.

Checking in.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Hi everyone, I'm just popping in to give you all an update on why I've been MIA lately. If you read the previous message posted by my daughter, Jo, you'll know that I've had surgery. Well, I'm home now, but unfortunately it's not good news I'm afraid. I went into hospital for a bowel obstruction which turned out to be bowel cancer......not something I was wanting to hear, especially after my Mum died of it just over 2 yrs ago! It's been something that I've been kind of expecting to happen, but not at age 54!

My family have been wonderful and supportive, although it's come as a huge shock to us all. I will be fighting it all the way and will be starting chemo, probably next month. I'm not a religious person, but I will take all the prayers, well wishes, positive vibes etc you can send my way. I hope to be well enough soon to be able to contribute some art to my blog, but please understand that it may be a bit sporadic.

Thanks to those who left comments and well wishes on Jo's post, I have over 600 emails sitting waiting to be read so it might be a while before I get around to answering those. If any of my fellow OSA members are reading this, please feel free to pass this info onto the group...it might be a while before I can join in again.

Sorry Sandie and Vicky, but I won't be able to do a catch up at the next Picture to Page show. Angela, if you're reading this, I did get my SU order the day before I went to hospital...thanks for that.

OK, I think that's it for now! Bye for now.

Re:Lyn's update

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:18:00 +0000

Hi, I am Joanne, one of Lyn's twin daughters. Just letting you all know that Lyn will be unavailable to use her blog for a little while. She has just had surgery and will be recovering in hospital for the next few days. So stay tuned, it may be a couple of weeks before she is feeling well enough to do her blogging. I am sure you will all join me in wishing her a very speedy recovery.

Thanks, Jo.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:33:00 +0000

Good morning everyone! Sorry I've been MIA all week, I just haven't been feeling the best. I'm having a lot of problems with my left eye at the moment which is affecting my vision. Hopefully now, after a visit to the doctor, I am getting it under control. So I'll make this a quick post while I can see clearly right now.

This is just a quick card that I made as a birthday card for my DH's sister. I was late making it and needed to keep it fairly flat for posting, so it's fairly plain. I used a stamp from Stampin' Up's 'Seaside Sketches' set (retired). I love this set, but don't often use it. I coloured the image using Tim Holtz Distress Inks. DP is by SEI.

Thanks for looking, I'm way behind on my blog reading too, hope to catch up as soon as my eye is better!

Take care!

Wild Thing!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:59:00 +0000

August's theme for Inkurable Stampers is "Music", you could interpret this however you liked. So, me being from the Baby Boomer generation, I had to pick one of my all time favourite rock songs "Wild Thing"! The original version of this song is by The Troggs, you can watch a YouTube clip HERE........but, I think my favourite version is by Jimi Hendrix. My older brother is responsible for introducing me to the music of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppellin and Eric Clapton, to name a few.....and I still love their music today. This was the Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll era, so the music and lyrics were pretty outrageous for the times! I found THIS YouTube video of Jimi doing his version of 'Wild Thing' at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, he finishes the song by setting his guitar on fire, then smashing it to pieces! Wild Thing is right!

Warning! If you're easily offended don't watch the Jimi Hendrix video - he simulates sex with his guitar......consider yourself warned!

OK, onto my card! Originally I was going to use an animal for my 'Wild Thing'......but then I remembered "Heart throb" (by Stampotique), I figured he was perfect for the job!

My cream folded card and blue background layer are sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Inks, the old sheet music is torn and sponged with Distress Inks too! My psychedelic swirly piece is from the August/September Technique Junkie Newsletter, it's called Al Foil. I can't tell you exactly how this is done as this is a subscription paid newsletter, I'll just tell you it involves alcohol ink and foil. The piece that Heart throb is stamped on is also a Technique Junkie tech, but I've forgotten what it's called as I did it some time ago........I seem to remember it involves gesso and Pearl Ex. I stamped him in Versamark ink and heat embossed with black embossing powder. I used 2 different font styles from Justrite Stampers alphabets to make my lyrics - stamped in black on cream card and sponged with Distress Inks. The stamped blue heart is from a Heidi Grace set, added a wooden painted flower and black brad.

The close-up shows how I put 'Heart throb' and the lyrics on dimensional pads.

FYI - A bit of rock history: The Who also played at the Monterey Pop Festival and Pete Townsend didn't want to follow Jimi Hendrix on stage as they both had plans of smashing their guitars. Jimi conceded and let The Who go first as he "had something else up his sleeve"!

When Jimi was asked why he destroyed his guitar he said, 'You sacrifice what you love, and I love my guitar'!

It's too bad he died at age 27, I'd love to have seen what he could've done in later years!

Going Dotty!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:20:00 +0000

This card is for Caardvarks blog challenge......

THE CHALLENGE

Create a **NEW** card which incorporates the colors of our sponsor's logo (myStampBox) - black, white, and hot pink!

I just love this colour combination! I went for a dotty design with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing on the black card, black and white polka dot organza ribbon, the Fiskars Water Threading punch border and a couple of rhinestones on the side border.

I painted the chipboard numbers with Jo Sonya's Magenta acrylic paint and topped it with Royal Coat when it dried to give it a glossy finish. Added some Nestability shapes, a metal key, some hot pink flowers and a vintage button. The wavy stamped greeting is from a Hero Arts set.

Not much stamping here, but I think it looks pretty cool! What do you think?

Medallion card.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:55:00 +0000

I made this card for a sketch contest at the Kaisercraft blog. I didn't win the contest, but I like how my card turned out anyhow!

The directions were to use at least 80% Kaisercraft product for the card. I used papers and stamps from the Kaisercraft Pennyroyal range, rhinestones, a pearl and ribbon. The cardstock is Bazzil and the ink used is Colorbox. The three layers of the medallion are all stamped and so is the base image, which is a journalling block with nice decorative edges.

You can check out the winning card and honorable mentions HERE. Kaisercraft are also thinking of hosting a weekly card challenge, which might be handy as I have quite a lot of their papers and love their rhinestones and pearls!

Thanks for stopping by and continuing to leave comments, I appreciate them all! {Big Hugs}

Summer Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Challenge #28
at
The Pink Elephant

This week the THEME of our challenge is...

SUMMER

Design anything you like using a fun summer theme!!

My background is a stamped technique from the Technique Junkies Newsletter called 'Depth of Field'from the June/July 2009 Newsletter. The stamps used in the background are from a Fiskars clear unmounted set called 'Let's Party', the main image and greeting are Stamping Bellas. The image is coloured with re-inkers and marker pens.

I hope summer hurries up and arrives here, the wind has been blowing straight up from the Antarctica the last few days!

Baby Giraffe

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Hope you aren't getting tired of my baby cards! I'll make this the last one for a while, but since I stamped out a few images from the Stampin' Up 'Wild about You' set, I thought I might as well use them up. I used the giraffe for this week's Kazan's sketch #33 from 2 Sketches 4 You.

I turned the sketch on it's side and took a few liberties with it!

Thanks for looking, enjoy your weekend!

Mojo Monday - #100 Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:45:00 +0000

Mojo Monday is celebrating it's 100th sketch with a whole week of sketches. This is the first time I've played there and I've used the sketch from Wednesday for my card. I used the same Stampin' Up elephant stamp as my previous post, but used it in blue this time for a baby boy card.

Thanks for visiting :)

How uncanny!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Last night I posted a card featuring a pink elephant image.......this morning I find out that I made the Top 5 at.............wait for it!

The Pink Elephant Blog!

The card was for last week's colour challenge, and my entry was THIS CARD I made for my nephew's birthday. BTW, he loved the card too, it was his birthday on Tuesday!

OK, that's enough tooting from me, I have another busy day baby-sitting today so I won't have a chance to do any card-making. Hope you have a great day!

Card Patterns Sketch #28

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Time seems to have gotten away from me this week! Sorry for not posting for nearly a week, I have been extra busy this week and just haven't had a lot of computer or craft time lately.

I made this card today for Card Patterns Sketch #28. The elephant stamp is from the retired Stampin' Up 'Wild about You' set........and it's the first time I've used this set! I've had it for ages too! The greeting is by Stampin' Up too, as is the cardstock and ribbon. The design paper is by Heidi Grace.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Card Patterns Sketch #27

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:47:00 +0000

I used another of the Al Foil (Technique Junkie Newsletter - August/September 2009) Cuttlebugged pieces for this Father's Day card. The Card Patterns Sketch #27 was a simple design, the only stamps used are the Stamp-It 'Father's Day' and the small 'Dad' made with JustRite Stampers alphas.

Thanks for looking! We are having an early bit of Spring weather today and tomorrow...yay! Hope you have a great weekend wherever you are in the world!

Teenage birthday card.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:20:00 +0000

I almost forgot it was my nephew's birthday this month! He will be 16 years old, and not having very many suitable stamps to use, this is what I came up with.

I combined two blog challenges to make the card, the 1st challenge is using the sketch from CPS sketch #128, and the 2nd challenge is from The Pink Elephant blog...a colour challenge - use the colours brown, turquoise and neutral.

My background Cuttlebug embossed piece uses a technique from the Aug/Sep 2009 Technique Junkies Newsletter called Al Foil.

For the chocolate background piece I used sequin waste as a stencil with Linen coloured acrylic paint.

FYI: Sequin waste is what's left over after sequins have been punched out of it.

Thanks for visiting today, it's very cold and bleak here today.....hope Spring hurries up and arrives!

CPS Challenge #127

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:10:00 +0000

This is a quickie card I made for CPS Challenge #127. All patterned paper is from the Basic Grey Urban Prairie 6 x 6" pad and I also used chipboard from the same range. Shapes cut with Nestabilities Label 1 dies, greeting by Stamp-It. Machine stitched around the background layer.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend! It was lovely and sunny here today, so managed to get some things done in my garden..........bit sore and achy now, so I think a good soak in the bath would be just the thing right now. Talk to you later!

Ouch!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:27:00 +0000

This is another 2 challenges in one card! The 1st challenge is a sketch for 2 Sketches 4 You - Kazan's sketch #32. The 2nd challenge is for Papertake Weekly, the challenge was to use colours or things, relating to one of the 4 seasons - I've used the colours of Autumn.

I used a digital stamp by Dustin Pike.......poor little "ouch" dragon! I used Prismacolor pencils and odourless mineral spirits to colour him. All cardstock is Stampin' Up, gingham paper by Christina Re, and a stamped Flourishes greeting.

Thanks so much for visiting today!

OSA Sketch Layout #30

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:50:00 +0000

I haven't done one of the OSA Card Layout challenges for a few weeks, and this one certainly is a challenge! We had to make a Tri-Shutter card.....you may have seen one of these cards on Splitcoast Stampers lately, here's the tutorial given by the card's creator, Bonnie S.....there's even a video to watch as well.

BTW, the card is not as complicated as you think by looking at it.....the hardest part is getting the folds in the right direction.

Above is the view of my card closed, and below is 2 photos of the card open.

Stamp credits: geisha by Stamp-It, fan by Stonehouse Stamps (I think!), Cherry blossom and word stamp by Stampin' Up.

Papers: Blush by Basic Grey, the crimson metallic paper has a flocked design and is by Christina Re Designs - this paper is really lovely in real life!

Also used: Nestabilities Label 4 dies, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, holographic butterflies, Fiskars flower lace border punch and Kaiser rhinestones.

Hope you like my Oriental Tri-Shutter card.......please let me know what you think of it!

Birdie Friends!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:23:00 +0000

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge - Be Inspired #42 is :- Your challenge is to make a gatefold card, with your favorite cuttlebug folder, for National Friendship Week! This week's Challenge Card Winner will receive free Mlamarre Designs Digital Images, and will post our Winner's Blinkie!!!

I used a sweet birds on a branch stamp from a Christina Re unmounted set, the little cherry blossom flowers on the background piece are also from the same stamp set.

I stamped the birds image on watercolour paper and just gave the background a light wash with Bashful Blue Twinkling H2O's. All cardstock is from last year's Stampin' Up 'In Colours' range. The Cranberry Crisp pieces are embossed with my favourite Cuttlebug folder, the Swiss Dots!

I'd love to hear what you think of my card, thanks for visiting!

Father's Day card.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:24:00 +0000

It will be Father's Day in Australia in a few weeks time, so thought I'd better get busy with making some masculine cards!

I used the 2 Sketches 4 You - Laura's sketch #31 for my card. The patterned paper is by Heidi Grace, 'Happy' stamp is also Heidi Grace and 'Father's Day' stamp is by Stamp-It.

Cardstock is Stampin' Up, also used Nestabilities dies, ric-rac, raffia and buttons.

Thanks again for stopping by!

CPS Challenge #126

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn S) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:10:00 +0000

Here is my card for this week's CPS Sketch Challenge #126! It's just a quick card using a Stamping Bella stamp, coloured with markers and dye re-inkers. Used some Cuttlebug embossing folders and added some flowers.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!