Sunday, May 24, 2009

Shop till you... Drop!!!





Hello everyone?! Had a lovely weekend? Or having.. for those who are some hours behind me?! Mine was fabulous, got some time to play, and some more to rest and pray, so it couldn't get any better! :) Today I want to share with you this queen of beauty.. what you think of her?

She's having some fab time.. shopping and shopping.. till.. she drops something! A girly card, isn't it? I decided to use lavender, purple and green as main colours. Purple is my favourite colour, but funnily enough I don't use it often in my creations. Anyone knows why?? :)






I used some papers that were gently sent to me some months ago, this cutie Anya stamp, and Friday Sketchers' sketch. I added lots of bling, and emellishments on this one. I added some stitching on the panels for some more movement.. and I did move! Can't get straight stitching! Something else I need help for! :)

On the inside I kept the same scale in colour. I added that cute sentiment from a craft cD, some more embellies.. and a shoe that Anya must have dropped from her stuffed bags! :)






Click on the pictures for better viewing.


I'm off to sleep now.. I'm tired, and I don't want to start the week on a tired note! :)) Big hugs to you my friend. Thank you for the time you spent here. I hope you'll find some inspitration of any kind. Know that peace and prayers have already been offered freely to you from me! x





Materials used:

Image: The Greeting Farm stamps
DP: Provocraft
Flowers: Papermania and PrimaGems, stars,lace, shoe sticker from my stash
Stickles (Milled Lavender and purple)

Distress inks: Milled Lavender and Dusty Concord for purple shades
Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint for greens and panel inking (around the edges)
Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick for body parts
Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo andWalnut Stain for hair

Black pen for doodling
Nesties : Labels
Tools: Big Shot and sewing machine




Thanks for looking

Saturday, May 23, 2009

ROP DT - Enjoy!





I don't like repeating, but this time I must say this once again... isn't the Chasing the Butterflies collection cute?! They are so lovely to colour, and easy to assemble and coordinate. Some stamps give you lots of choices about styles you can experiment with. These are a bunch of them. So I decided to play with some freebie colourful papers I had been given with Papercraft Magazine I think it was! Can't remember.. it was about two years ago, when I was still new to cardmaking skills, and wasn't still making part of blogland! :) So I needed inspiration from somewhere!!

I love how these papers coordinate, and even though vibrant colours aren't my speciality.. but when I do use them, I always like the result! :)


Simon Says Challenge have this lovely sketch to follow, and I really wanted to try it out. I have seen that they also published my last blogged card on their site! Thank you, I'm honored :) You can see it here.


Close up of the embellishments I used.
As usual, my Distress inks came to the rescue, when it comes to colouring, they are wonderful! I used blues and reds, and Scattered Straw colour for the background, but it doesn't really show in the photos. IRL it has a lovley yellowish colour as background, then Brushed Courduroy for the ground.

I embellished with a ladybug, which was in my stash quite a while,some flowers and doodle dies parts. For the semi circle part of the sketch, I divided a doily lace in half, and I used one of them on the front, the other half on the inside.





To embelish here, I used these sticker gems, a lovely sentiment, computer generated, and some mini pearls circles. I left the circle panel emprty for a persosnalised message, and I used an embossed prima flower, matted with a punched flower my dear friend Lim had sent me when I had won her candy!!! :)






I hope you like it, and help me know what you think of this creation by leaving a message. I'd be overjoyed! :) Thank you for being here, and I hope you're having a peaceful and tranquil weekend. In any case, do remember to bless the Lord!






If you want... or mmm "need" this stamp, it is avalable at Roses on Paper, together with all the lovely Magnolia stamps for grabs! Keep coming here and follow the posts on this blog for more on Roses on Paper news these coming months!! I'm getting ALL Excited!!!
By the way, don't forgrt to join us in the current " One for the Boyz" challenge. We have already quite some lovely entries! :)






Thanks for looking

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Spring Magnolia - So thankful!


Hello everyone!!


These Magnolia Chasing Butterflies Collection 2009 are such a lovely bunch!! I cannot resist inking them up! I had ablast working on these two stamps together. Spring Tilda is sooo cute and I have masked the butterfly background stamp from the same collection behind her! I think they really work well together. Do you think so? I had a blast following Sketch Saturday's sketch, and I really loved colouring my Magnolies so much!! I also used a miniture image on the inside! This is also good for the Basic Grey Challenge blog, which this week's theme was "Ice-cream.. be inspired by ice-cream flavours!" Mmmm choc... and cherry, amarenas!! Yum yum!!





I matted the image with the indispensable nesties! I simply love these tools!! I used the Bittersweet Basic Grey papers, they inspired me alright.. I think I will need an ice-cream soon! :))

To embellish the card I used hand-knitted flowers, and for the center I used a transparent button with silver centre, and the other one a silver button, to remain on the same colour scheme. I added a splash of pearls, a Prima flower centred with a Stampin' Up thanks sentiment and Basic Grey brad. On the inside I used coordinating papers I found as 12x12 from our local craft shop. They are from Papermania I think.
I distressed the edges, and inked up the edges of the pink panel.



I need to turn around the sentiment I bet!! lol


I used the same layout, almost repeating the sketch from the outside. Actually I did repeat it, just changed some elements, using fibres instead of ribbon, and other flowers. On the other panel, I stamped another Tilda, smaller in size, and used the bits of paper I had left.






My Magnolie would be happy to know if you like her, and what would you like to see more in my blog :) Listed below you will find the list of materials, also with direct links to those things that can be purchased from Roses on Paper. A big hug to you, and remember to show your gratitude to those who shower you with love and help you in all ways. Don't leave it for tomorrow!! You 'll never know if tomorrow will be too late!!






Images: Spring Tilda and Butterfly background- Magnolia chasing the Butterflies collection 09
DP: Basic Grey Bittersweet Papers, Papermania 12x12 papers
Prima flowers
Centre floral kisses
Buttons, fibres, ribbon and gems from stash
metal embellishment - Papermania
Basic Grey Brads
Tools: Circle and Scalloped circle nesties, Martha stewart doily lace punch
Distress inks I used:


Face and body parts: Tattered Rose and Worn lipstick (for the cheeks)
Top and boots: worn Lipstick and Fires Brick
Sky: Broken China
Sun: Mustard and Scattered Straw
Hair and trousers: Scattered straw, then Brushed Courduroy, Vintage Photo, and last Walnut Stain
Leaves: Peeled Paint
Flowers: from the same colours I had in my hand
Clouds: a touch of Weathered Wood on the top part









The stamps I used. They can be found by clicking on the link provided above.



Last, but not least, do not forget the challenge which we have for you on Roses on Paper challenge blog! If you want to have a chance to lay your hands on some new Basic Grey papers and brads... enter by making a Boyz card.. see the details by clicking on the link!




EDITED TO READ: On 1st June, there is the launching of ANOTHER challenge blog: The Next Level. Go and check it out, and read to see what you have to do to be part of their lovely candy; which will be drawn on launching day! Naughty people.. more challenges.. less sleep!! :)

Thanks for looking

Monday, May 18, 2009

ROP DT - One for the Boyz!





This is the new theme for this fortnight's Roses on Paper challenge - a theme set by our own talented Peta! She wants some inspiration for men /boyz cards.. want to help her by doing one yourself??

So roll on! Make a "boyish" card. No ribbon, sparkle, glitter or flowers allowed .. only for this time!! :) We all need something like this once in a while to get ready for a Birthday card, or something made for a man. I think we all prefer girly stuff! :)p


Look what Peta said:

"NOTHING GIRLY - NO PINK, NO FLOWERS, NO RIBBONS, NO LACE, NO CUTE SAYINGS -LOTS OF BLUES/GREENS/GREYS/BROWNS, LEATHER, TWINE, BRASS, METAL ETC - THINK FISHING, FOOTBALL, GOLF, CARS, CRICKET, BEER/WINE"...BOY!







My card was done with Celebrating Edwin :) He's getting ready to celebrate something very special!! Look how he's dressed.. champagne ready, two glasses, rosy cheeks! Mmmm.. guess who is the special one???

I have followed Just Magnolia's sketch.. another lovely one this week! you rock girls!! I managed to do all their challenges till now! :) It is also good for SFOS challege... because they want to see Buttons on cards, and I have two metal ones there. 3rd challenge would be Charizma cards - they want stars.. and I have confetti ones on the front, and some other ones embossed on the panel behind Edwin ;) Yay, just read that Simon says also want a Boy card!!! Isn't that gorgeous?!!






















This card is another commisioned one. Someone requested from me a boy card. She wants to give it to her husband-to-be just before marriage.. which will take place next month! Do you think it fits? I hope she'll like it!! I haven't given it to her yet!! I will wait for your comments to do so! If it were you, do you think you will want to give it to him?? Take a peek on the inside..





She saw this message on another of my cards, and she asked me to include it in her card.I left her a small white panel for a personal message.



All sentiments are computer generated using Papyrus font. I love this font.. looks good on cards! :)




Please join us on Roses on Paper Challenge Blog. You have two weeks to enter this challenge. Head over there for some inspiration from my fellow DT members!! They did a marvellous job! And then you will have another card ready for the man in your life!!! Could be your son.. or whoever you want to make a lovely surprise!

And besides this.. .The prize for this Challenge is Basic Grey's new
Lime Rickey 6 x 6 Paper Pad with Matching Glazed Brads...YUM!







For this card I used:
Edwin stamp: Magnolia
DP: Basic Grey Arcaic papers, and brads. I also used DCWV Text Matt Stack for the inside
Sizzix Folder for making swirls and stars embossing
Colouring medium: Distress inks (all of them available here)

Stickles
for the shirt and wings
Balloons, stars and champagne glasses confetti
2 metal buttons (they have Manshire written on them) and embroidery thread
Robin's nest dewdrops
Nesties, gems and stickers from stash

So... I hope to see your entry here!! We'll be glad to see some lovely entries.. Can't wait!! :) I wish you all a very beautiful week, hoping that each one of us is successful in making someone happy with his/her card. This is the best part of crafting! :)) And by the way... My favourite song won the Eurovision SC last Saturday!! I was right!! LOVE Alexander's song. horray to you Norway! Next year it will be in Oslo :)


Thanks for looking

Friday, May 15, 2009

Sketch Saturday - ConGRADulations!





Hello my friend! I hope you're having a fabulous week! Mine is okay, filled with Blessings, and overloaded with work of love!! :))

This week I have to sacrifice some of my crafting time in the evening to watch the Eurovision song Contest. We made it to the final! Yay!! It was two years since we didn't make it. Saturay is the grand finale!! Who are you cheering?? Me..
Obviously Malta.. but I loved Norway song! :) It has a lovely twist, but there were some good ones! ... bah.. back to today's card!!

This is a Commisioned card for one of my girls' teachers. She wanted a graduation card for her daughter. I HAD to use Graduation Anya Digi stamp.. she seems so happy!!







I chose Sketch Saturday's sketch for this card, and I think it fitted very well. After colouring Anya with the Distress Inks, I mounted on Porcelain Papers and cardstock. I punched a doily lace edge for some design (yeah.. with my feet you guessed!) and added some swirls with Spellbinders dies. I punched the corners of the image and the matt with a circle punch, and stamped lightly with Distress ink with a clear stamp on two of the corners. Then I sponged the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink. It has a greenish colour, so it matched perfectly.

At the bottom, I embellished with two diferent ribbon on top of each other, and on top of that, a Computer generated sentiment. At each edge, I added a Basic Grey brad. Some flat back pearls.. flowers, and the front is ready :)







As you can see, I decorated both sides again.. thanks to some encouragment from Jacque! Thank you sweetie:)
I made a verse for the top part, and cut with labels nesties. Added some faux gold stitches, swirl, 4 gold square brads and some fired brick coloured dewdrops.





The bottom side has a smaller panel with "Your time to shine" sentiment. I matted it on some piece of coordinating scrap of paper, and embellished with a swirl, pearls, and stamping in the corners. I chose to leave some white space, for a personal message.. if they wish. I finished with black faux stitching; and it's ready!!

Last thing I added was some gold on the verses' capital letters, for some elegant touch.




Hopefully, if you click on the image, you will be able to see the goldembossing I did on the capital letters.


I like how this card turned out! What do you think of it? Because I'd love to hear from you sincere comments. Do you like it? Could I have done something better? It is my first Graduation card ever.. so I was a bit tense about it, to be honest!

Off to sleep now! I'm tired, but very happy! :)
I hope I can join another challenge, I have only made this card yet this week.






Recipe:

Core-dination Cardstock
Porcelain Basic Grey paper and brads
Image: Digi stamp: The Greeting Farm (Other greeting Farm stamps can be found here)
Flowers: Prima and Papermania
Centre Kisses
Brads, ribbon, pearls, black and gold pens: from stash
Stamp used on the inside: Studio G
Tools used: Martha Stewart punch, Nestabilities







Thanks for looking

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy birthday Friday sketchers!




Yes, this fab challenge blog, one of our favourite.. is one year old! :) Hip hip Hooray!! :) lol Everyone loves a good sketch.. it means that half the mental work that a card needs.. the layout.. is done. I love to make my interpratation of sketches, it doesn't make ant difference if it is mine, or somebody else's. I Love seeing what others do with sketches that I have presented to others in challenges. It's fab. Also a reason for me to celebrate is the fact that Jacque, one of my lovely online friends, which I have met through Roses on Paper, has been asked to join Friday Sketcher's DT. Go here to see why.. her talent and personal touch is special and unique. I'm proud to be called your friend Jacque!





I used one of my newest Magnolia Summer kindly sent me. You can definitely find this beautiful girlie at Summer's store. I will talk to you about something which regards Roses on Paper later on.. read till the end. Sorry.. a long post today :) lol Bear with me :))




I have coloured her in my Distress inks.. I hope I didn't overdo it with colour.What do you personally think? Do you prefer to see a white background behind the image? I have also used Crystal Lacquer on her boots, rain coat,umbrella and rain puddle/drops. If it isn't visible in the photo, click to enlarge. Maybe it shows better.

I also cut a tag with a Sizzix die, and popped an eyelet, and some embroidery thread, to embellish. In fact, this card will be my entry for Just Magnolia challenge, which this week is Stitching. I have stitched all the panels, not the tag though. I have used Friday Sk. sketch, as I told you , and there was another challenge (can't remember at the mo, I'll edit when I find it) which requested metal on creations. I have several brads in mine, but mostly the flower on the tag is surely metal.





On the inside I have used one of my typical verses, and embellished with stikers, brads, lace and gems.





I used my label nesties for that quick lovely touch. I just love nesties for that!!





The other card, which I left without sentiment at the moment is for Mojo Monday challenge. This week there was also a lovely sketch, but I had to be quick on this, as there is not much time left to participate. I do wish to enter for some more challenges.. How can I find more time? lol I have used a House mouse image for this card, Seed Shooter.. isn't he naughty? :)



I'm off for now, the kids are arriving. By the way, go and check ROSES ON PAPER. I received a lovely newsletter from Summer today, saying that some lovely bling rhinestones half pearls arrived at the store, new Basic Grey papers and brads.. new Magnolias and Greeting Farm stamps.. and ho ho huh??? Halloween and Christmas stamps for those who want to make a head start and don't leave till the last minute to start.You find these "In this Week" section. Check out also the fantastic offer Summer is making to returning customers.. wow isn't that great for your purse?? :) You'll feel less guilty after the purchase you make :))

BTW, Don't forget our present ROP challenge, a folder card. You have still one week to go, and as always, Summer is offering a lovely prize for a random winner :) Yay!! Check the lovely creations that some of the talented bloggers have entered. Have a happy week. For me the weekend is almost over. Another busy week coming, but with Him in all I do, I'm ready to go! :) Are you??



Thanks for looking

Friday, May 8, 2009

Happiness Shared




Hiya!! Sorry about being away for some days from here! This week I had the kids here for most of the time, and we had to revise for May tests etc.. This is to gear them up before the final exams .. then the summer holidays from July - Sept. That will be some hectic time! *roll up eyes* lol

Anyway here today to share with you a card, a different one from the usual cuties. I needed a more elegant card, one that had to be ready in one and a half days (or better nights, my time to craft! :) Also this week we decided to sell my cards to help the Home, and the teachers wanted more and more.. so I had to spend a lot of time doing the inside of the cards I had done before. If you remember, I used to decorate only the outside before, so I had to roll up my sleeves and dig into paper and embellies! Well, that was worth it. Now I only have two cards left, and a couple I saved for my personal use! Whew!! They were really appreciated. They want me to give courses in summer.. but tell me.. being 24hrs with 6 kids around your feet.. for three months in Summer.. when its super hot here! can I organise couses??? I was never into that! I prefer creating, and stampin away! :)



Close up of the inside message. Click on the picture for a better view



Back to the card.. When it comes to this type of cards, my main inspiration is Becca. She's hooks me everytime I visit her blog, and maybe this summer I'll try to invest in some Bible themed stamps,for when I need these type ofcards. When my Birthday arrives *wink*, I know my brother always asks me to get me something, and Our Daily bread stamp sets are delish when it comes to this type of cards needed. I decided to case Becca's card, and even though at first I wasn't sure on how it will be at the end, I decided to give it a go. It's not that bad , is it?





Sorry.. not a perfect picture this one
The sentiments are computer generated (enjoy is the only clear stamp used and the Bible verse is a clear sticker), and I used my nesties a lot here. Also this week I managed to break my Martha Stewart Doily lace punch *sob*, but I still have most pieces.. so I managed to make that border by punching... with my feet!! lol



An view of the opened card

It doesn't have the handle, and it's hard to punch with the hand, the metal hurts! But.. when there is a will there is way!! I simply could not part with it.. lol (poor punch, she travelled too much to come to me, it would have been too much on it to bin it!! :))





Now I'm off to stamp something, and do something more that goes in my comfort zone. My new Magnolias arrived today.. and they are calling me.. sorry HAVE to go!! :) See ya!!

By the way, I'll be more than glad to hear your opinion on this creation. You know that your comment makes a huge difference to me!

Hugs xxx


Thanks for looking