My Rubber Therapy Blog

No news from COC but we have more cards to share.

Hi Friends

Here we are at the end of the week.  I had such a busy week when I think I can't get busier I get even busier but I am having a blast.  I have found new fantastic friends to shop and craft and play Mahjongg with.  So you will not read complaints.  I just need more sleep.  Is there a pill we can take that makes us feel rested as if we had a night of sleep LOL.  Nevermind,  I am crazy enough as it is without any of that stuff hee hee.  But really, I am having a blast, becoming a social butterfly hee hee, yes go ahead some of you I know I have some teasing coming in my inbox, but it's ok I love it.

Once Spring arrives I should be able to get some pictures of the area with some green on the trees that day can't come soon enough. I find Winter too long of a season.  Me thinks!

On a cardmaking point I have more beautiful cards to share with you.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I am.  Here they are:

Dianne (Australia) shared her card with description so here it is:

This is a quick & easy card for an Elvis fan - I used a black A5 card & added a background music sheet which I have had for a long time & can't remember where it came from. The 3d is one of Nikky's.  As the music said happy birthday to you, there was no need for a greeting.

 

Jean C.'s card is also very beautiful here is her description:

The template for the folded card is by Valita, I then added a decoupage iris,  which had been backed with some Spellbinder Shapeabilitie scrolls. The sheet had been created by  Ursula. Added a little bling also gold edging then layered onto a card front which already had Happy Birthday printed on it.
 
My thanks to both Valita and Ursula and of course to yourself for your password.

 

Sue (Kanji) made this beautifl card.  It is one of her very beautiful glitter cards.  A fun intricate shape was used but I have no more additional details so if she reads this I am hoping she will want to add to it.  Her cards are really beautiful and more detailed in the flesh.  Glitter is hard to capture on camera.

 
Angela (Chorley Cake) sent her beautiful card with description: (Awesome coloring Angela)

I used a digital stamp from Mo Manning
Coloured it with my Copic pens & mounted it onto a scalloped oval cut out using my cuttlebug
Backing paper is from my stash,  sorry I'm not sure who makes it, flowers & butterfly are Papermania & 3 buttons from my sewing box. The hug tag I printed myself then covered the paper with an acrylic tag.
The finished card is an Easel style

 

Lorna M. sent us her beautiful card and here is her describing it:

This card was made using as a frame a leftover from the use of a Spellbinders Die Template.   I had leftover craft paper as well with suitable "recovery words" and I used this as a background.  The bunny is from one of Nicole's sheets and was cut out and layered with thin foam dots to give it more dimention.   Fredshesaid flowers where added as pretty decoration and the sentiment used was a sticker.

 

Hazel made this lovely A4 Gatefold card....
Debbie Moore -Magical Moments disc for the stunning lady and backing paper,the lady printed on photo paper mat and layered onto both sides of the gatefold, and finished off with a feather.I hope you like it.
 

Joan C.'s description below:
I have used 4.25 X 5.5 inch Side Step card template by d0npen (Penny Wessenauer) & the
downloaded 3D & papers are from Craftsuprint.  The front white piece is embossed using my new
Cuttlebug folder Organic Flourish.  I have topped it off with a piece of matching ribbon & bow.

 

Naomi's description of her beautiful card:

White textured card cut to A5 size
2 shades green textured card (one dark, one light) - both embossed with Cuttlebug leaf embossing folder.
Attached the dark piece to white card, then cut around the branches & leaves of light green then fixed to dark green for 3d type effect using foam squares
Butterflys are made from clear Shrinkydink and cut using Cuttlebug butterfly die and then embossed.  Coloured with permanent pen then "cooked" for 1 minute to shrink.  Added some diamantes for body then attached to branch with more foam squares. 
Added gold corners and gold Smooch was used to enhance leaves.
Added greeting using scrap light green and white card to size.  Attached again with foam squares to lift away from card.

 

Thank you for visiting, sharing, commenting and participating in every way!

Hugs

Nicole :)

 

Here are more cards for you to enjoy!

Hi Friends

I was able to free up some more time to bring more card to the blog for you to enjoy.  I am slowly getting back on track.  Socializing here is getting out of hand LOL.  No complaints, I just have to pace myself for more time at home hee hee.  Which I want to have so I should start getting more time now that the New Years celebrations are almost over. 

Here are the cards to share for today:

Pam A.

I downloaded a digi stamp onto photo paper, from My Grafico then used watercolour paint and iridescent medium to help it. Hope that worked...
Cut the front of card to fit the scene and used the peel offs and rub on for message.

 

Ursula described her card as follows:

This is the card I made for my granddaughter for her 1st birthday.
I embossed white card with swiss dots.
Then I stamped the birthday cake onto white card, and coloured in.
This was then cut out with one of the nestabilities.
I attached a piece of ribbon to the white card, attached it to a pink card and then the cake
with foam dots to lift it a little.
The animals I stamped out, coloured in and cut out. These I attached to the card with foam dots.
I then coloured in a gold No: 1 sticker and attached that to the front.

 
Purple Pauline described her card as follows:

I simply 3D'd the duck image with foam pads, mounted it onto some yellow paper and then the matching backing paper which I cut with my decorative scissors and then finished off with some gold peel-offs....

 

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comments!  It means a lot ot me to read all of them.

Hugs

Nicole :)

Well, here we go with more cards to share

Hi Friends

I hope you are all feeling like you have a creative streak in since Spring cards are coming up and this is the time of the year when my brain blooms with the rest of nature.  We are in sink LOL.  So here are more beautiful cards to share for today.

 

"  Cut out Nicole's sheet and layered it on photo paper. Then cut out a piece of black sugar paper and roughly teared the edges. Then stuck it to card front. Added the side strip from Nicole's sheet. I then put on a cut square of hand glittered black sugar paper, with the decoupage on top. Last of all put on sticker Have Fun."

This card was covered with Lace paper and the butterfly is a large peel-off backed with individual pieces of glitter paper and backed with acetate
Anne

 

This next card is by Fern
Made this card and added punched out butterflies and bugs to corners. These bugs were the section punched out from the corner punch that was used. I also like to add glitter to many of my cards to highlight various areas.

 
Card from Hazel 

A4 Gatefold card
Debbie Moore -Magical Moments disc for the stunning lady and backing paper,the lady printed on photo paper mat and layered onto both sides of the gatefold.I hope you like it.

 

This card is from Sally Ann M.
This card was made using a challenge pattern from Ann’s Paper Art. 
I pricked the stitching pattern  on navy card stock  with a paper piercing tool and then stitched it using threads from: www.hand-dyedfibers.com  and Mettler metallic threads.
The image on the card was a freebie from Dover press which I colored with Prisma colored pencils and chalked the back ground. 
The image was then placed on gold mirror card stock and adhered with thin “lifters”
I punched the corners  of the navy card stock with a corner punch and then glued it to a dusty rose card.  

 

Christine G.'s card is next and is called Magic Slider card:

Christine made this card inspired by the link below so these are the instructions to make the beautiful card she is sharing in multiple facets to show you how it looks like once it is finished. Enjoy!

http://cardsngreetings.blogspot.com/2008/09/magic-slider-card-instructions.html

 

This beautiful card is from Martha S.this card was made from ann's paper art pattern a482 corner punch EK success.
 

Card description from Myrax
Pretty straightforward this one just layered really.
Red card layered white card embossed with swiss dots folder then black
shiny card and finally a poppy decoupaged. Added a butterfly and a
bow and hey presto its done....

 
 

 

Here we go! More cards to share

Hi Friends

Still no news from COC's situation with the other virus they have contracted. They are remaining closed to protect any one of us to get the virus on our own computers so it is very considerate.  I know I have received many emails from some of you concerned that it will not come back.  So far I am sure it will come back these things take time, unfortunately, but sometime it is better to be later comer than sorry.  I will let you know the news when I get them for you.

In the meantime I have some beautiful cards to share with you.  Starting with Fabienne

I thought it would be a good idea to share a way of using up scrap paper.
 
I've cut scrap paper and cardstock at 1/4 of an inch.
 
I traced a pencil line all along the width of the card about 2 inches from the top.
 
I drew another line diagonaly starting from the left hand top corner, finishing at the horizontal line.
 
I drew a second diagonal starting from the left hand bottom corner finishing on the horizontal line.
 
I glued a first strip of paper following the upper first diagonal line and carried on with the others aligning them side by side. Did the same with the bottom part of the card.
 
I trimmed the papers showing around the card base and hid the junction of the strips with a large strip of cardstock.
 
I stamped the Stamping Up flower (from the "Playful Petals" set) on colored cardstock, colored it with gel pens, cut it and sticked it to the card with dimensionals . I put a sentiment which is a Gaïa stamp from their set "Noël et Cie"
 
I think that's all for this card. 

 

Next beautiful card is from Rosemary G.

My card size is 8 1/4 X 5 3/4 white, folded in half.

Decorative paper a litter smaller and attached to white card.
Cut three panes white card stock and  three panels decorative paper a little
smaller and attached
To white card stock and then to card.
Punched 3 circles and attached embellishments and add peel offs.

 

Beth H. with her beautiful creation

Details: 

I followed a technique I learned at a stamp show last fall, from the same vendor that I bought the supplies from.  Using an embossing ink pad, I stamped the image on 36 lb. parchment craft vellum, and then heat embossed it with gold powder.  From the back I used the embossing tools to do the white outlines, and then colored (also from the back) just the flowers, leaves and cross-hatched areas with markers.  I cut it out with regular scissors, as I don't have the Pergamano needle tools.  I cut out a piece of darker purple cardstock which I ran through the Cuttlebug dots folder (love it!), and then edged with the Fiskars edge punch. (Use that one a lot, too!)  Glued everything on to a lighter lavendar cardstock base, and that's it!

 

Joyce gave us this description of her beautiful card:

I used Nicole’’s 3-d baseball sheet.  I layered the mitt and used the baseball paper for the background.  I added peel-offs and made the Happy Birthday in Word and then cut around it. 

 

Have a great day!

Nicole :) 

No Update on COC yet.

Hi Friends

Sorry I have been absent for a few days.  I was having too much fun.  Chinese New Year is coming to an end, that means I will be able to shop for fresh produce soon.  Yippee.  It has been a memorable almost 10 days.

Well I decided to come and let you know that I will show off your beautiful cards tomorrow from the oldest received to the latest a few of them at a time so thank you for your patience.  Back to work I go.

I hope everyone of you is going well.

New sheets will be made and shared soon.

Hugs

Nicole :)

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friend!

Hi friends

Here I am writing this to you, it is not only Valentine's day for us here in China but also the Chinese New Year the same day.  So last night we were experimenting our very first Chinese New Year.  I thought some of you might be interested to hear about it.

It all started around noon time, we could hear some crackers, really loud ones and ones that were not so loud (my favorites) LOL.  So as the day progressed, we could hear the sounds of crackers and fireworks increasing.  When it finally gotten dark outside, well, we thought we had seen fireworks shows of all shows before but none of these past fireworks came close to equal what we saw last night.

We had our videocam with us it was a 360 degree experience and to think that this crazyness is happening all over China is making us realize how big this event is for the Chinese culture.  If there were any doubts before, today I sit here to tell you that you have to be here, live it, to beleive how gigantic of a party it is.

As I was filming in the middle of our street which was looking closed because of all the boxes used for the fireworks were lining up the sidewalk so we could see few people moving around except for the guys who were preparing the next boxes to go off.  So we had to be careful and be aware of our surroundings.

Once we were in a comfortable spot (Safe) as I am filming and commenting, Mark pointed out to me that there were lanterns coming down from the fireworks LOL, I said: "what?"  He showed me one that was coming down as I will describe this to you, it is a paper lantern with some chinese Character on it for probably good fortune but the lantern is attached like the hot air balloons but in the basket there is a flame in everyone of them.  I couldn't beleive my own eyes.  But so dangerous as this was falling on roof tops around us and possibly on our heads also.  But the lanterns would burst into flame once it would fall where it had landed.

Anyhow, we ended up calculating about 14 hours of non stop noise going on and the overwhelming smell of powder was even coming into the house.  So we ended up after filming for about an hour coming back inside to warm up and play a few games of Mahjongg on our electric table.  We went to bed at 4 am.

We woke up at 8 am I know it made me jump but next to us there were a few crackers set off so I woke up and fell back to sleep for a few more hours.  We can still hear the crackers in the background but so far not so much as what we had heard yesterday.  Crossing fingers that tonight will be quieter hee hee. But the Holiday will end officially on February 16th.

We plan on traveling at this time next year.  But we can happily say we have survived the first night of the Chinese New Year.

Will work on the videocam clips to share with you all.  When I get it ready I will let you know where to view it!

Have a nice Valentine's Day everyone.

Hugs

Nicole :)

COC Circle of Crafters info

Hi friends

Update:  COC was attacked by a Trojan Virus and was closed to repair the problem it will re-open as soon as it is clean from this virus.

**********************

Just a quicky note to let you know that a lot of us are aware that COC is having a hiccup again of some unknown kind as of yet.  But as I did before in the Fall when it went down for a few weeks from being hacked I will keep the info going to you as I find out what the problem is. So you can come here to find out what is going on and when it is expected to go back up again.

So if you read this and you know what the problem is please email me so I can let all the crafters know when to expect it back up thank you.  email me at craftynikky@gmail.com

Thanks

Nicole :)

Some more cards for your viewing and learning pleasure

Hi friends

I have had the time to prepare more cards to share with you that were shared with me so enjoy them all:

Eithne made this beautiful card, here is her description of it:

I glittered the envelope to make it stand out,I used a plaid
backing and punched out a trellis design ,then I got a butterfly peel
off and put it on same backing and cut around the shape and stuck it
with silicone.

 

Irene sent her beautiful card with this to say:

This is a Gold A5 card
Burgundy Glitter Matt
Two paper borders
Fred's flowers and butterflies decoupaged
A Jimmy Choo Shoe decoupage, matt and layered onto pink floral paper and then onto purple miri card
I then finished it with a sentiment and small burgundy bow.

 

Sunday's shares

Hi Friends

A little bit more news about our adventure in our new home.  I have had the pleasure to meet quite a few new friends on our Tuesday morning coffee meetings every week.  It makes the week go buy quickly to know that we are a great bunch of ladies with so many things in common even if we are from different countries around the world. 

I was able to finish my craft room/our den so instead of displaying my fun space on here I decided to added an album called, my craft room 2010.  It can be found on the right hand side of this page.

I will display more cards on the next blog.  I had promised I would take pictures of my space for you so here they are in the album called "MY CRAFT ROOM 2010"

Have a great week everyone

Nicole :)

Commenting on your very flattering comments about my craft area

Hi sweet friends

You should have seen my smile when I started to read all of the wonderful comments you have left.  I just was itching to answer all of you so here goes:

Jo Anne, since you know everything about what I do here my friend, you are so right!  I have not had the fun chance to enjoy my craft area yet.  I have been so busy socializing (social butterfly me) I just didn't have a real chance yet.  Hubby was commenting on it the other day when he saw me take pictures of my craft area hee hee.  Oh and there is absolutely nothing wrong with your craft room except that your hubby should add bars to the windows for security. Like in my room there is a lot of money invested in them hee hee.  But I love your room too.  Wait I can also take more pictures of it when I get busy in here soon.  It will not be as tidy ladies!

Pris, I know I am so lucky to have this space now.  It all started about 8 years ago I was all over the dining room area which was forcing us to have our meals at the coffee table hee hee, but I do appreciate the progress over the years at getting out of the dining room to getting my own area in our temporary home.

Hannah, thank you.  I do love to share and help whenever possible, this is my way to give back everyday for my appreciation to good friends in life and online.  Glad I could help you!

Dianne (Australia), thank you for the lovely comment I will enjoy it for sure! 

Mary, my friend, as you know we are travelling quite a bit and will be for the next two years, watch what you wish for.........you never know who could be at your door step one of these days! hee hee thanks for the lovely comments

Jo-Anne K, Thank you I am enjoying it but will enjoy it more when I can start messing it up like it should be, but I thought I'd take a one in a 2 year picture sort of a before and a after scenario hee hee.  I am not tidy like this all the time.  A craft room is a snap shot of our creative minds....tidy, no card making, messy room, call it an artist at work.

Alison (Kiwiali), that's a good question my friend, a few more hours at best!  I had to keep my area confined since I am sharing a small corner of it with my sweet understand hubby of mine.  But all he does in here is when he comes to use his computer at night and spend some time with me watching USA TV.  It is very organized into a square O shape so my chair can slide from side to side and from back to front without any effort hee hee

Cornelia, like I said to Mary up above, you never know I could end up on your door step for help hee hee, I can just imagine the surprised look on your face, Nikky here to the rescue hee hee

Colleen B, I know, it is a start LOL if you ask me to take more photos in a month, I will be shamefully hesitating to take them without tidying up a little before I do so.  But I love the closeness of everything around me. 

Penny W, thank you for your lovely comment about being able to peek in my creative world.  I am happier to be able to say that yes, I am finally getting organized for more card making.  Thank you sweet lady

Janet in Scotland, you are right I am way up there in the clouds from being so happy I finally received my craft goodies!  How can you read my mind? hee hee

Myra, I agree with you I am and feel lucky.

Catherine, thanks I will enjoy and thank you for your comment.

Dos, well my friend, it is all good for now, wait until I start making cards again hee hee.  Yes I will galavant a little less and let my creative juices flow soon!

Beth, you and I and the rest of us crafting gals probably agree with that same thinking.  I think there is always this part in us, that want everything clean around us just in case someone shows up, right?  I know I do as for the rest of you.  When it comes to visitors coming, while my room is messy I tell them woman at work and the mess comes with it. hee hee  I show it with pride anyway!

My wide drawer cabinets (2) were purchased at IKEA, so are all the tables I needed for my craft area as I know they are established worldwide you can get them there they are called ALEX and on wheels so you can move them closer to you and the top is at a perfect height for my Cuttlebugging activities.  This set up came after like I said before 8 years of figuring out what works best for me with what I have and use most, I like to access anything at an arm reach so I make the best of my crafting hours.

I also wanted to share with you that where I shop at this market downtown they have some really pretty ribbons they sell by the meter and some sell them by the spool.  So I have gotten a huge assortment of really nice ribbons lately.  I will show them to you so you see what I mean.  That is all I have found so far to accommodate my crafting needs and double sided tape that I will show you as well.

 

Well, that's all for today, I hope you have enjoyed today.  If you are interested in ribbon that you see just send me an email craftynikky@gmail.com 

I hope you all have a nice day!

Hugs

Nicole :)

Wednesday's shares!

Hi Friends

Here are the new cards received for sharing:

Darleen shared this with us:

 It was a simple card to make. The flower was embroidered onto cream colored textured cardstock. I used decorative edge scissors to cut it out and glued it to an 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" sheet of lavendar cardstock folded in half. A purple ribbon bow and peel-off sentiment were added.

 

From Janet her beautiful stitched cards:  She sent those two before I changed to one card every other month so here are her two beautiful cards:

The one called "this Much" first card:

The stitching pattern is from Hobbydol 7 by Ann Lutolf, known better as Ann's Paper Art.
I started by putting the sentiment on the card before I printed it,m
natching the colour to the image of the bear,  then pricked the holes
for the pattern, chose the thread colours which are DMC Embroidery
Floss. 3689 pink 3350 for the heart.

Resized the image in my photo editor, printed and cut it out. I used
very tiny foam squares to giver the 3d effect. Mounted the finished
card onto similar colour cardstock, putting two way tape on the back
of stitched area first. Added some sticky stones and finished off with
Starform peeloffs corners and borders # 1034.
Also wanted to add that the pattern is stitched with one strand of
embroidery floss and a size 10 quilting needle. The 3d is yours.

The next card is done vey much the same way, except the thread colours
are Dmc 349 for the heart .437 for the beige/tan, and 3608 for the
larger swirls. The little gold hearts are left overs from peel off
corners. I used Starform peeloff borders and corners # 1033 for this
one. This pattern is also from Ann's Paper Art. Added a flat shiny red
heart sequin and placed a sticky sone heart in the centre of it This
3d is from Studiolight. Hope these explanations aren't confusing, as
I'm much better at show and tell than at explanations hee hee. 

  

Carol sent us her get well card:

I cut a quarter of background paper,and placed it on 1/3  of the card,with irridescent peel off on the edge.
then a piece of lilac mirri card on the front.
measured a piece of card to fit on top of  mirri card, leaving a border round
cuttlebugged the white card with '' dots'' folder.
decoupaged the lovely lilac flower of nikky's
and placed on top.
two strips of irridescent peel offs to match the border one, at the other edge of card.
put 3 ''pearls'' in the middle at the bottom, 2 pearls at the top,
and finished off with a lilac bow and the sentiment ''

 

Happy day to all!

We are getting ready for the Chinese New year here.  Trying to find the finest and most effective earplugs for the festivities, fireworks everywhere sounding apparently like a small war. hee hee

Learning time again hee hee

Hugs

Nicole :)