Michael Strong Stamp Group Challenge for November

My first card after some time away from the MSS Yahoo group, is this one for the Thank-You challenge.

Items used:

Michael Strong Cloisonne Flower stamp

Grace Taylor Nature Girl series for flower centre

Marvy Brush Markers

White E.P.

Craft Concepts Dragonfly embossing folder

Inside:

Sentiment by Stampin Up

Decorative edging with Martha Stewart Doiley border punch

Queen of the Night cactus

Last night my neighbour invited me to see her spectacular night-flowering cactus. Two long buds had been showing promise and slowly taking shape. On 26th November late in the afternoon, there were obvious signs that this was "the night" to watch with cameras poised.


I'd been able to witness this event also last year, and had written this article about a rather ordinary plant with an extra-ordinary flower. I guess it's a little reminiscent of the ugly duckling story.

Mosaics with Xenofex 2 filter

Corel's PhotoImpact 3 is the graphics programme I get to play with every now and then. I just love Alien Skin Xenofex 2's Classic Mosaic filter effects!

Checkout the Alien Skin site and trial their wonderful software downloads for 30 days.

Here's my three experiments with original photographs shown before adding the mosaic filter:

Creativity day: more paper-crafting

Another of the boxes using an ecclectic mix of scrapbooking papers to hand ...

Then to cardmaking and paper-cutting again; I'd first admired this fantasy image some time ago on Cindy Fergusson's blog. My earlier posting links to Cindy's site if you'd like to view some of Cindy's artful creativity.

A card with a difference, and I'd wanted to try this technique myself after having been sent a 'folding card' recently.

Link to this technique on Splitcoaststampers Tutorials shows you the way.

Paper Cutting: Squirrels & Birds

Ellen Brown offers so many designs online for paper-cutting projects. This is one I had cut some time ago .. and it came to light today when tidying up my craft room.

You can find the pattern here

A surprise package

Here's a different paper-craft project.

I've used a sturdy 12 x 12 scrapbooking paper for construction.

Outside measures: 6 inches x 11-3/4 inches

Lid measures: 8.5" square

Four inner boxes are cut from 8 inch square

This project had been given to me in a printed format. It is available online, though none of the printed pages I have, show any reference to the website. If you have seen it elsewhere, I'm happy to add an acknowledgement with link, so all can access the construction details.