Cake Decorating - Tortoise cupcakes

O turned one last month. I was inspired by a local animation for his birthday. Phil and his team at Sunrise Productions have created a wonderful, African animation that is universal. The baby tortoise in their character library just reminded me of O - big, beautiful, blue eyes.

I started with green fondant, shaped them and then hand painted the shells. The eye sockets were filled with white balls and then painted.

basic shape

Naked!!!!

The hatchery.......

close up...ain't I cute??

all of us

Well - only a few more sleeps till I leave the security of my job. Excited and scared - must make my hobbies pay my way now! Huge step - anyone got some good advice about making your hobby a business??

Take care and hope to hear from you soon!

Card Making - Early days

Wow - it has been a very long October, jam-packed with O's 1st birthday, My DH, Sister and Dad's birthdays and a buying trip to Chile. To end the month off I resigned from my job - so no time to post.
I hope you have all been well?

I was browsing old folders the other day and found some of the first cards I made......a VERY long time ago. So just for kicks I am going to post some pics....It all started with some punches, hand-made paper, beads and a stamp....

 

Very beige and natural...it is certainly fun to see where you started and how your style changes over the years! What has been your influence? How did you start?

Take care

Card Making - J is the letter

My latest two cards are more birthday cards for the lovely ladies at card class.  It was Jenny and Joyce's birthdays this month.  I was going through the scrap paper I had to sort into colours. I can across this lovely salmon pink with cream......

I used my Sizzix alphabet die and Big Shot to cut the letter J and the the nestabilities for the circles. My favourite Cuttlebug folder was used to emboss some brown craft card. I have this cute punch from Stampin Up that cuts the top to look like note paper. I am lovin the 'jute' twine at the moment, so had to incorporate it into my card. I use some CM ivory card stock to punch the flowers and embossed the top flower. The flower was finished off with a paper flower in a deep salmon and glitter brad.

This layout is from Stampers' sampler Take Ten (Sept/Oct/Nov 2010) design challenge results. My DH says it looks like the SA Flag! I used CM Ivory and embossed it one of the Cuttlebug folders and my Big Shot. Waste not what not - The cut out J from the above card was used and mounted on foam. The scrap book paper and textured 'web' paper were adhered to black card stock and then layered. Finally some ribbon and flower as above.

HMM - looking at it now - I think the black was too harsh for the colours I used.......Hey - live and learn!!
Hope the ladies had great birthdays. Ok - I am hearing too much crash and bang, so I better be off to see what havoc O is wrecking......We have a long weekend here, Heritage Day (or BRAAI DAY)! Looking forward to a yummy fillet on our Braai and some great friends down from Johannesburg.

Take care!!