April 30, 2010

You Warm my Heart!











Hi everyone! It's wild and wintery here in Wellington today, so this morning I cozied up in my craft room to create something cute! What better way to spend a wet day, right?

I've used a couple of challenges for this card - the awesome Color Throwdown colours for this week - Barely Banana, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive & Pale Plum. The sketch is this weeks SCS 278 sketch challenge.
This is all pretty straightforward - the image is a mix of paper piecing and watercolouring. The snow is covered in Frosted Lace Stickles. I can't seem to stop making these little sentiment banners - love 'em! All the papers are from the Cottage Wall pack.

I love how these colours worked together - definitely a combo I'll be using again!



 
Paper & Card:  Barely Banana, Basic Black, Whisper White card
Cottage Wall DP
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Barely Banana, Pale Plum, Bashful Blue, Blush Blossom
  Other:Old Olive Button, Silver Cord
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Stamps:  Baby it's Cold Outside & Essential Sentiments - MFT Stamps

Other: Jumbo Eyelets Frosted Lace Stickles

April 29, 2010

OCC Sketch #13

Thursday means it's time for another great OCC Sketch! This week's sketch was SO fun, and I knew what I wanted to do with it right away.

Immediately I saw this sketch as a great little treat bag cover. I make these a lot and pretty much always use an oval window and a scalloped edge for the flap!

This is probably the largest I've ever made one of these - it measures 4 1/4" by almost 5". I don't think you can tell from the photo, but there's a medium SU! cello bag inside the cover. I love using the double sided specialty cardstock - when the cello bag is empty it's nice to see the pattern on the inside.

The jumbo eyelets are set on the front layer only, the ribbon keeps this closed - it can be reused again and again.

The sentiment and top bird are on a tag that loops over the ribbon and can be easily removed without damaging the cover or even placed on another project.

Here it is, full of embellishment goodies for a special friend!

Head on over to the OCC Sketch blog to see the wonderful design team creations and link your card based on this weeks sketch.


Stamps:
Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Paper & Card: Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery & Very Vanilla Card
Sweet Slumber Specialty DP
Ink:
Riding Hood Red, Apricot Appeal
Punches: Small & Large Tag, Word Window & Two Step Bird Punch
Other: Apricot Appeal Ribbon & Brad, Linen Thread, Jumbo Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Sponge Daubers, Medium Cello Bag

E-mail me to purchase.

Other:
Colluzle Template (scalloped edge), Oval Nestabilities

April 27, 2010

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.

Off-Kilter Life

I have a confession - I love my Stamp-a-ma-jig. I use it on almost every card. Some stamp sets however, while they look good having used a stamp positioner, look great without it! I just have to force myself to leave it in the drawer!

This is one of those two-step sets that I think looks great when it's not lined up perfectly...and I carried that through by being perfectly imperfect with the stitching on the card!

I used two challenges with this one - Jen's SFYTT and the Curtain Call Colour challenge to use Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery and White. I used wide ribbon as one of the panels from the sketch - it's a nice way to use those oversized rolls.

I stamped the flower panel first, then overstamped the outline images freehand (one of them is MUCH more freehand than the others!) The pleated ribbon was stitched down and I very roughly stitched around a couple of the panels.

Remember, handmade cards (and life!) shouldn't always be perfect! If something is a little off-kilter just run with it, embellish over it, make it part of your design (or invest in a stamp-ma-jig and become completely addicted like I am!)

I'll be back tonight with this week's Project Tuesday offering :-)



Stamps:
Live Like You Mean It
Paper & Card:
Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery & White card
Certainly Celery & Candy Lane DP
Ink: Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette& Certainly Celery
Punches: Wide Oval Punch
Big Shot:
Lots of Tags Die
Other:
Melon Mambo & Pink Pirouette Ribbon, Soft Subtles Brads, Dimensionals
E-mail me to purchase.

Punches: Apron Lace

April 26, 2010

Warm Wishes....in April

Yippee - my mojo is back! I definitely felt like spending some time in the stamp room yesterday, and had a LOT of fun combining a bunch of techniques on this card.

Every year I intend to stamp a bunch of unique Christmas cards well before the season - and do you think that's ever happened? Yesterday I was looking through my MFT stamps and found three Stephanie Fizer sets I've had foreverrrrr that hadn't seen ink! Horror! I have a LOT of Christmas stamps like that (love buying them, always run out of time to use them!) So I think I'll start pulling them out from time to time - expect to see some unseasonal inspiration around here!

This card is based on this week's Card Positioning Systems sketch, which I fell in love with right away. I love long cards. I've used my favourite Christmas paper of all time - Ski Slope (it's great for more than just Christmas, love that!)

I used a variety of techniques on the snowmen. The background is paper pieced - I love doing this rather than paper piecing clothes or other elements. The colouring was done with inkpads. I've added Stickles to the stars, and though you can't see it, the snowmen are all shimmery from a glitter pen. I fluffed up the trim on their hats and ear muffs with Liquid Applique - my fav Christmas card embellishment.

When I finished paper piecing the background, I was left with the snowmen all prettily cut out (this only took five minutes, I SWEAR - good scissors are a must!) I couldn't throw it out and used it on the inside of the card along with a sentiment from the new Teeny Tiny Sentiments set.


Stamps:
Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Paper & Card: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss card
Ski Slope DP
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss
Other: White Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals, Blender Pen, Stampin' Write Markers
E-mail me to purchase.

Stamps:
A Scarf for Three - MFT Stamps
Other:Long Rectangle Nestabilities, Liquid Applique in White, Yellow Stickles, Glitter Marker - American Crafts

April 24, 2010

OCC: Blossoms

Hi everyone, it's time for another wonderful OCC challenge. This week Dana has challenged us to use blossoms on our cards.

I've been under the weather the last couple of days, so I thought a nice simple, one layer card would be a great way to ease into some creative time - and it's perfect for Kristina's challenge too.

I went ultra simple. One colour (plus Kraft), one ribbon, one stamp set. I stamped the flower image repeatedly, then fussy cut around it to create the shaped border. I find it easiest to trace my cut out border then cut the back layer rather than cutting both at once.

Piercing is a great technique to use on one layer cards - lots of interest with no height!

I hope you'll head over to see the other OCC girls and link up your card featuring blossoms!


Stamps:
Vintage Vogue
Paper & Card:
Kraft card
Ink:
Riding Hood Red
Other: Mat Pack, Piercing Tool, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon
E-mail me to purchase.

April 22, 2010

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

April 20, 2010

Project Tuesday: Spiral Pop-up Card

It's time for another fun Project Tuesday challenge - and this week we're challenging you to make a Spiral Pop-up Card. These are so fun!

I went with a cute tea cup theme for my simple gift set - I thought some yummy herbal teabags would be perfect in the pillow box.

This is a colour combo I've had noted in my sketch book since first seeing Melon Mambo, it's so bright and fresh. For the front of my card I've created a window using circle punches and added some dimension by popping up the white layer. I stamped the sentiment five times, using the stamp-a-ma-jig for placement (this is a must-have tool, I don't stamp without it!)

When you open the card....you're hit by flying teacups. Ok, not really - but it's a cute effect and so simple to do!

I love, love, love the Big Shot Pillow Box die. It's just too cute. Speaking of cute, how adorable is that tiny tag? I'll be putting little tags on everything from now on!

Head on over to Project Tuesday to see the other design team offerings and to link your Spiral Pop-up creation!


Stamps: Share a Cup
Paper & Card: Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise & Whisper White card
Petals & Paisleys DP
Ink: Melon Mambo & Tempting Turquoise
Punches: Jewelery Tag, Word Window, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" & 1 3/4" Circle Punches
Big Shot: Pillow Box Die
Other: Melon Mambo Ribbon, Linen Thread, Playground Buttons, Bold Brights Brads
E-mail me to purchase.