Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Butterflies all around


Somethings stealing my time !!

I just can't believe it's Tuesday afternoon and I seem to have achieved nothing for days. It did not help that the weekend was dedicated to setting mu my new Mac, at least that was the plan. A whole weekend of faffing, disconnected from the Internet as my old machine had to be removed from my craft room to make way for the Mac and still no further forward.

I had to wait almost a fortnight for delivery as I needed a vital piece of software.......well that's what I was told and suffering techno phobia I took them at their word.....which was out of stock. It's apparently necessary to convert all my files on my old system to a Mac compatible format. After two days of messing about, dozens of call to John Lewis and the Mac help desk, seems the software is faulty and your got it..............it's out of stock again.

So my old system has been re-installed and the Mac sits in hubby's office where he has discovered a chess game which he appears addicted to.........a pretty expensive game machine if you ask me.

Very little crafting took place over the last few days, even less blog hopping, so not a lot to share. But here is what I do have........

An easel card using a stamp I won last year from the US Stampabilities KR1042 Jack and Jill stamped with versafine sepia, embossed with detail clear and coloured with Copics. The DP is October Afternoon, some lace, punched butterflies, chippies and ribbon to embellish. This is for the following challenges:


Everybody Art Challenges - Blue, green and brown
Tuesday Taggers - Nursery Rhymes
The Crafts Pad - Distressed edges



My second card is a pretty plain and simple Christmas card. I stamped a piece of vellum with versamark and a mixture of snowflake stamps, then embossed with detail silver. The sentiment is one I love and use it time and again at Christmas Hero Arts C2604 Winters Butterfly. I embossed the edges of some lilac flowers with silver, glittered some punched leaves, a border using Martha Stewart cornice punch, a butterfly stamped onto vellum with Penny Black 3819D and a stick pin threaded with matching beads. This card is for the following challenges:

Wild Orchid - Pastels
Christmas Cards - Add a Butterfly
An Oldie But Goodie - Add a Butterfly

And one final share which I have been meaning to post for days, it's one of the gorgeous dahlias that we have in flower in the garden at the moment. They are really late this year, but just look at the size of the blooms.



46 comments:

SannaS said...

Oh WOW!!! Gorgeous card!!! I love that lilac card, it's just perfect!! =)
Hugs, SannaS

Beryl said...

Love the scene on the top card Brenda - and the shaped corners on the easel card. The second card is fabulous - a lovely way to use vellum and the colours are gorgeous - and that dahlia - wow - it's enormous. I bet that plants lights up the garden at dusk.
Beryl xx

Lisa said...

Hi Brenda, Beautiful cards! I especially like the lilac Christmas card. Love the snowflake background and beautiful sentiment.

Lisa x

Elizabeth said...

Both cards are beautiful - love the Jack and Jill image on the first and your idea of stamping and embossing onto vellum on the second. And isn't that dahlia something else!! My one and only dahlia still has a few buds on it bud I don't hold out hope of seeing them open up this late in the season. Thanks, Elizabeth

Kari said...

Oh,my,these are gorgeous cards,Brenda!
And the flower is so stunning!It`s great to have flowers so late in the year :)Wonderful!
Have a great evening :)

HUgs,Kari :)

Mervi said...

You've been busy, Brenda, managed to do again two beautiful cards. And what a white beauty dahlia!
Sweet greetings;-))m

PinksyDoodles said...

Hi Brenda,
Wow, that's one big Dahlia bloom!
Sorry to hear about your problems with the MAC, it seems that anything technical always takes ten times longer to sort than imagined!
Your cards are wonderful, as always! Thank you for joining us at Oldie but a Goodie with your beautiful Christmas card.
Hugs, Clare x

Leanne said...

WOW your creations are amazing!

These would be fabulous entries into the Top Tip Tuesday Anything Goes challenge this week - we have 4 amazing prizes up for grabs!! You can add up to 3 cards into the challenge!

Hope to see you there!

Leanne xx

chris said...

Hi Brenda, wow what a selection you have on offer, so so gorgeous, including your gorgeous flower. hugs chris xx

Denise said...

Wow, your cards are equally gorgeous. Love the colors of both. Beautiful job with the background of your Christmas card!
And wowzer....I have never, ever seen a dahlia quite so big. It is amazingly beautiful.
Hope you have worked out your computer dilemma. Can't live with them and can't live without them:)
Thank you so much for playing along with the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge.
Denise
MMSC Design Team

Nicola said...

Oh my what lovely cards. That flower is huge!! But one of my husbands favourites. Hugs Nicola xx

Lisa Jane said...

HI renda - wow that Dahlia is faulous!! thanks for showing us.
Love both cards , but the second is my favourite and not just cos you entered it into a Oldie but a goodie lol
Thank you anyway and good luck
Lisa ;)

rozzyb said...

Two fabulous cards Brenda, and that Dahlia is stunning. You must have a glorious garden.
have a good week
hugs rozzy xx

PatR said...

Love your fabulous cards Brenda and the Jack & Jill one is perfect for the TT challenge. Thanks for joining us again this week.
Hope you are soon up and running on your MAC. BTW how are you getting on with Photoshop? I'm still undecided whether to take the plunge.
xx

pinky said...

Don't talk to me about internet and computers, the bain of my life but can't do without them!! Love your Jack and Jill card, so reminiscent of childhood. Love that Christmas card too, gosh it really is stunning Brenda. What big Dahlias you have!!
Pinky

Sadilla said...

LOvely cards dear! Bothe very nicem elegant and smart! :)
And what a fabulous flower! That Dahlia is gorgeous!!!
Hugs
Sadia

Fleur said...

Hi B. Gorgeous cards & what a stunning flower, hope you get things sorted
Thanks for joining Oldie but a Goodie.
Hugz Fleur xXx

Dragonlady said...

Hi Brenda

Sorry you are having computer problems. Great cards though and what a beautiful flower.

Hug sAli x

Merry said...

Wow...what an amazing sized Dahlia....beautiful. I hope you get your Mac all sorted we got ours at the start of the years and it has been brilliant. Wonderful cards. Love the silver and purple together. What a clever idea using that bracket as a holder for your Easel card. Can't wait to see what you do with a Joy Fold card.

craftymum said...

Great cards Brenda especially the easel card. I am easel mad at the moment. I have just done one , on my blog for a commission and I am pleased with it.
That Dahlia is MASSIVE. You must have green fingers as well as Crafters hands!!!!!
Love Sarah x

Tracy said...

Really beautiful, Thanks for joining our challenge Oldie But A Goodie with this great entry, good luck.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Kat said...

Love these cards Brenda. The image on the first is so sweet and I just love the colour of the second one. Wish I could find more time too. Sometimes I struggle to get my DT work done and I do like to visit my favourite blogs!

Kat x

Juls said...

as always, such incredibly gorgeous cards!!! LOVE your winter butterfly one it looks so luxurious and elegant!!! Hugs Juls

Linda W said...

Hi Brenda, lovely cards. I especially like the second one - its so pretty and I just love lilac. Linda x

cheryl said...

oh wow hun yet another 2 amazing cards you have done,here but totaly adore that lilac one its just stunning,hugs cheryl xxxx

Anonymous said...

I love that jack'n'jill image card, very unique and yet modern vintage look and feel!

LOOOVE purple and silver with the snowflakes and butterfly, so true!

lmao about hubby playing on the mac, hope you get it sorted and claimed back soon!

Those dahlias are huge and so gorgeous!!!!!

Francesca said...

Both cards are Beautiful Brenda , Thanks for joining us at Oldie but a goodie this fortnight and good luck!
Hugs
Francesca

debby4000 said...

WOW wonderful cards Brenda, love them both.
luv
Debby

Nannieflash said...

Good Morning Brenda wow two stunning cards and your Dalhia is gorgeous, I do hope your computer gets sorted it sounds like a lot of work. With love and hugs Shirleyxxx

Lynda said...

Lovely cards Brenda. That Christmas one looks so delicate - how have you managed to heat emboss on that vellum without it all curling up - it's just so perfect! Fabulous bloom too!

Love Lynda xxx

Unknown said...

Hi Brenda x Your first card is so pretty and quaint, and reminds me of days gone past, the second card is gorgeous and sparkly, love the colours and as for that flower, it is absolutely gorgeous thank you so much for sharing x Leigh x

PatR said...

Hi Brenda, me again. Thanks for getting back to me re Photoshop. Think I would end up with the same problems as yourself so will definately have to do more research. Thanks again. xx

KarinsArtScrap said...

what great cards they are beautiful

greetings karin

Zoechaos said...

Hi Hun and congratulations on more fabulous work and a beautiful bloom. Jack and Jill perfect just didn't have time to make a piece this week so extra impressed that you did! Hope the computer sorts its self out soon or perhaps the chess set up will be perfect for someone else LOL

Thanks for sharing with us at Tuesday Taggers, good luck xx Zoe

craftimamma said...

Wow Brenda, that dahlia is huge! My Mum and I bought a coffee coloured dahlia each which was supposed to be that size a few years ago and Mum's was fantastic whereas mine ............. sent up a very week shoot and then died!!!

Love your Copic colouring on the first card and the papers are lovely. The lilac card is really pretty and I love the MS border across the middle.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Mel said...

Hi Brenda, Beautiful as always. Mel xxx

Nikbee said...

Beautiful cards. I love the purple one.

Nikki x

Claire Phillips said...

Oh dear Brenda - I hope you can kick the Mac into submission soon! Love your Jack and Jill card those papers are devine! Cheers Claire x

SYLVIA-ANNE said...

Hi Brenda - hope your Mac is up and running very soon - you must be feeling rather fed-up by now.
Two beautiful cards (as always) - I absolutely love those silver embossed snowflakes. The Dahlia is fabulous - you obviously have "green fingers"!
Hope you are well - Hugs, Sylvia xxxx

jem (jane elizabeth middleton) said...

beautiful cards and stunning flower bloom, love the jack and jill image and card design. janex

Maarit at Violets Corner said...

Oh, the Dahlia is stunning!

The cards are fab as always, hope you get the computer problems sorted, they always tend to take so much time from us.

Hugs
Maarit

Connie M. said...

Oh my, Brenda! Both cards are just so wonderful! I so love how you made this weeks MMSC into an easel card...such an adorable image too! Your flower is just sooo beautiful too! Thanks so much for playing this week in the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge! Hugs!!

Connie
MMDT

Debbie said...

What a beautiful card and love the distressing. Love your laying too.
Thanks for sharing it with us at our Crafty Pad Challenge. :)

xxDebbie The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs.

Kay Carley said...

Just LOVE the first card and the second card is delightful. I am in awe of where you find the time to create all these wonderful cards though!! xx

Tina46 Kreativblog said...

wonderful cards !!thanks for joining in our challenge.
hugs tina46
eac-team

liza said...

Hi Brenda,
Love your cards they are both fabulous,thankyou for joining us at Oldie But A Goodie.
love n hugs
liza
xox