Thanks Chickadee!

 Hi everyone - thanks for stopping by! Wendy is our OCC hostess this week, and she has a fun inspiration challenge for us - use this photo of a Chickadee as a basis for your creation.

You could choose to use birds, winter, snow - or you may be inspired by the colours like I was. I just loved all those neutral tones with that pop of red!

Tis the season for Thank You cards - you'll see a lot of them coming up!

I stamped my PI girl on watercolour paper, coloured her with SU! markers and paper pieced her dress.

I cut out a portion of my large square layer to show some embossed Very Vanilla cardstock. I used a bunch of dimensional dots on this one!

Inside I stamped the image again, this time piecing just the heart.

I hope you'll head over to Our Creative Corner and give the design team girls some love (we're looking for some new stampers to join us too!)



Colour Combo: Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Basic Grey Stamps: I Love You With All My Heart (MFT) Paper: Ambrosia (Basic Grey) Dies: Oval & Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Punches: Photo Corner Punch (SU) Other: Taffeta Ribbon, Black Brads, Markers (SU) Jamara Embossing Folder (Provocraft)

SUO Birthday

Hi everyone - thanks for visiting! It's a gorgeous day here in Wellington, bright, sunny and warm. I've been sitting outside enjoying the sun and a good book, it's so nice to finally feel like summer might be around the corner!

Today I thought I'd share a clean and simple card I made for my brother's birthday using the cute Funky Four stamp set. 

My colour combo for this card was Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade and a little Early Espresso. One of the things I love the most about our new product range in this catalogue is the additon of In Color markers. I use markers almost every time I stamp, so having these colours is invaluable.

This card is as simple as it looks - I've used square punches to create the background grid from Poppy Parade designer paper and used those adorable toadstools as my focal image adding a sentiment from Picture This (retired).

I'm currently waiting on a big parcel of brand new goodies from the soon to be released Summer Mini catalogue - look out for some sneak peeks soon! 



Stamps: Funky Four, Picture This
Paper & Card: Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade, Whisper White
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso (markers)
Punches: Scallop, Square & Corner Rounder punches
Other: Pear Pizzazz Ribbon, Rhinestone, Dimensionals E-mail me to purchase.

Corner Bookmark

Hi everyone and Happy Tuesday! The team at Project Tuesday have a fun challenge this week - Corner Bookmarks. I've had this on my "must-make" list forever, and I'm happy to report they are simple to make and so much fun to decorate. You can find a tutorial here.

I used various punches and dies to create the layers for my bookmark. The image was coloured on watercolour paper with SU! markers.

The paper is an oldie, Petals and Paisleys and the colour combo is Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive & Pretty in Pink.

These really are fun to make and embellish - not only that, they work really well too!

I hope you'll stop by the Project Tuesday blog to see what the other designers have come up with and to link your own creation!





Paper & Card: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive & Whisper White. Petals & Paisleys DP. Ink: Old Olive
Punches: Scallop Border punch
Other: Old Olive Ribbon, Playground Buttons, Linen Thread, SU! Markers
Stamps: Apple For You, Clearly Sentimental About Books - MFT Stamps Other: Jumbo Scallop Die-namic - MFT Stamps
Challenge: Tip Top Tuesday

Colour Challenge!

Yippee - it's the weekend! My Saturday's over and done with almost, and it was a great one. Lots of time with DH, lots of sunshine, and milkshakes sitting by the sea - ever noticed how everything tastes SO much better at the beach?

My Friday was altogether quieter. I got to sit and read a book cover to cover in one sitting. BLISS! The book was "Still Missing" by Chevy Stevens - highly recommended. I love to read....and so you'll see why the card I've made for this week's OCC challenge was oh-so perfect for this week!

When this stamp set dropped into my mailbox this week I knew it would look great in today's OCC challenge colours. They are Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Early Espresso. The image was coloured with SU! Markers and a waterbrush on watercolour paper. I used the fine tip to add dot and stripe details. The Marina Mist circle was embossed then brayered on the negative side with Early Espresso ink.

I've kept the inside pretty simple. I loveeee the sentiments with this set, so true!

Head on over to OCC and see the wonderful design team creations and we hope you'll play along!



Paper & Card: Bella Bleu DP, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla & Marina Mist cardstock.
Ink: Marina Mist & Early Espresso
Punches: Square punch
Other: Soft Suede Ribbon, Soft Subtles Buttons, Linen Thread, SU Markers, Brayer

Stamps: Well Read WTG - MFT Stamps
Other: Circle Nestabilies, Prima Flowers, Jamara Embossing Folder - Provocraft, Brads - Basic Grey

Tri-fold Pocket Card

Happy Tuesday everyone! It's been lovely and sunny here in Wellington today, makes a nice change from the windy days we've been having. It's been nice to get the housework done while the sun was streaming in and I could daydream about future crafty projects.

My challenge for the Project Tuesday crew this week was to make one of these awesome Tri-Fold Pocket cards. I love these - they're nice and flat for easy mailing and are perfect to slip a little gift card inside.

 
I used my fav paper again (Greenhouse Gala) this time to make a masculine birthday card. The bold prints on these sheets are great for guy cards - this pack seriously has something for everyone! The sentiment is from the new Afterthoughts hostess set. I love this stamp, it looks great blocked out in different colours like this.

I've left the insert blank for the moment. I love the new Pear Pizazz - you'll probably be seeing a lot of it!

Head on over to Project Tuesday to see the design team creations - we hope you'll play along!





Stamps: Afterthoughts
Paper & Card: Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip, Greenhouse Gala DP, Whisper White
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip
Punches: Corner Rounder, Round Tab punches
Other: Jumbo Brad, Choc Chip Ribbon, Markers

School Daze

Hey there creative peeps! Hope you're having a great weekend. It's time for another OCC challenge, and this week, in honor of the northern hemisphere returning to school after the summer break, we're breaking out school supplies or a school theme for our projects.

I kept this card clean & simple - it's how I saw it in my head, and it just refused to be embellished further! I used a brand new level 2 hostess set launching here in NZ next month - Apple Blossoms. It's too cute! For my school theme I used the apple image, some paper from the Notebook pack, the Spiral border punch and a little paperclip from the Clips Assortment. My colour combo was Very Vanilla, Kraft (soon to be Crumb Cake), Soft Sky and a pop of Real Red.

Head on over to see what the mega-talented OCC team have for you this week!



Stamps: Apple Blossoms
Paper & Card: Notebook DP, Very Vanilla, Kraft
Ink: Sahara Sand, Real Red, Old Olive, Choc Chip, Basic Black
Punches: Circle Punches, Spiral Border, Lg Corner Rounder, Scallop Border
Other: Real Red Ribbon, Clips Assortment Paper Clip

Faux Sunshine

Brrrr! I know some of you in the Northern Hemisphere are having an unusually warm spring, I have a friend in PA who has taken great delight in telling me just how warm it is there this week (I'm looking at you B. - and yes I'm jealous!) so the idea of needing faux sunshine might seem silly, but goodness is it grey and dreary here in Wellington/New Zealand! Heading into what seems like the 100th day of rain in a row, I settled for creating something bright and cheerful in my stamp room.

I've used the Crazy 4 Challenges sketch by the wonderful Cindy for this card. The colour combo is Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun and a hint of Yoyo Yellow.

Oh how I love that Urban Prairie paper. See that cute little bee? *happy sigh*

I've left the inside of the card blank for the moment, I'll stamp a sentiment when I send it.

Hope there's sunshine where ever you may be!




Paper & Card: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise & Summer Sun card
Ink: Rose Red, Summer Sun, Tempting Turquoise & Old OlivePunches: Large Corner Rounder punch
Other: Linen Thread E-mail me to purchase.
Stamps: Three Flowers - Inkadinkado
Paper & Card: Urban Prairie - Basic Grey
Other: Square Nestabilities, Satin Ribbon, Button, Rhinestones

OCC Sketch #14 - Thanks

Yippee! - it's time for this week's OCC Sketch.

I love this sketch! It's perfect for a card with lots of layers and embellishments, or a nice clean design.

I have a confession - Circle Circus is one of those sets I just HAD to have, but it's barely seen ink! I can't be the only one with stamps like that, right? I made up for it today by making my own designer paper with the set - it's perfect for that. I also LOVE the new hostess set, Picture This - the sentiments are just so adorable!

The colour combo for this card is from the Curtain Call challenge this week - Not Quite Navy, Kraft, Rose Red and Whisper White.

I used another circle element in the inside of the card, pairing it with a sentiment from Basic Phrases.

Pop on over to see the awesome design team creations at the OCC Sketch blog - we hope you'll play along with us this week!



Stamps: Circle Circus, Picture This, Basic Phrases
Paper & Card: Whisper White and Not Quite Navy card.
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Rose Red
Punches: 1&3/4" Circle, 1&3/8" Square Punch
Other: Not Quite Navy brads E-mail me to purchase.

Project Tuesday: Folded Paper Frame

It's time for another fun challenge at Project Tuesday. This week we're making these fun folded paper frames. These are a great way to show off all your double-sided designer papers!

I've used paper from the retired East Coast Prep pack - they just worked so well with the cute cute cute Lots of Bots set!

I just think this set is too adorable for kids (or big kids!) I really like the way these frames work - it's not until you stick the last part down that you realise how well they fit together and how effective the result is.

I coloured my robot with straight markers. I wanted a bold, primary effect, no shading here! I used Crystal Effects to give him and his balloon some shine and dimension.

Inside the card I've used squares of paper to jazz things up, and the bolt image on either side of the sentiment helps tie it all together.

Head on over to Project Tuesday to see what the team has come up with and to link your folded paper frame creation!


Stamps: Lots of Bots, On Your Birthday
Paper & Card: Basic Black, Whisper White card
East Coast Prep DP
Ink: Stazon
Punches: 1 1/4" Square Punch
Other: Stampin' Write Markers, Crystal Effects, Earth Elements Buttons, Linen Thread, Dimensionals
E-mail me to purchase.

OCC Sketch Thursday

Hi everyone - I hope your week has been going good so far. If you've been visiting for awhile you'll know I LOVE sketch challenges - so I'm extra excited to be joining the OCC Sketch design team every Thursday to bring you a fun sketch!

Sketches are a wonderful starting point for your creativity - when you play along, you should feel free to go where the creative muse takes you! Here's this week's sketch...

and here's my card...

I was fortunate enough to get to play with a friends Thoughts & Prayers set - I love the effect you get from inking this stamp with markers. I got the colour combo by pulling out a few markers just to see how they looked together - it's a great quick way to try out colours. My combo here is Almost Amethyst, Brocade Blue and Garden Green.

I hope you'll play along with the OCC team this week - head on over to see the wonderful design team samples and link up your creation!


Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers
Paper & Card: Almost Amethyst, Brocade Blue and Whisper White card
Tea Party DP
Ink: Almost Amethyst, Brocade Blue & Garden Green
Punches: Large Corner Punch
Other: Stampin' Write Markers, Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers
E-mail me to purchase.
Other: Oval Nestabilities, Self-adhesive Pearls, Ribbon