celebrate - flowers in vases

a simple card based on the sketch for this week's retro-sketches #112 (which I flipped horizontally)

stamp of flowers in vases comes from Stampendous - Thinking Bouquet stamp set, whilst the sentiment comes from Paper Smooches - Pretty Phrases stamp set.

Post Note (10 May 2014): I was pleasantly surprised that this simple card was selected as the Rockstar for retrosketches #112 - so very encouraging, thank you!

blossoms into dreams

A little girl watering her precious blossom .... from Mo Manning's digital image April.

I totally loved colouring her using water-colours - and especially 'muddying' up her cute little pink boots!

Sentiment comes from Penny Black's Friendship (T for Transparent) stamp set.

Entering card for this week's 

Mo's Challenge #228 -"CAS (Clean and Simple)" 

with a Mo Manning digi or stamped image!

a final close-up shot of the adorable cutie-pie

mini-cards

This set of 3" x 4" mini cards were so much fun to make, quick and easy, and perfect as gift toppers. Thanks to Lawnscaping Challenge #80 : Mini theme for pushing me in this direction.

With less surface space, this set of small cute stamps from Lawn Fawn - Admit One stamp set and die-cut collection were perfect for taking the center-stage of the cards.

Can't wait to do more of these mini-explosion of colours!

POST NOTE (4 May 2014) - yippeeeee .... these set of cards were chosen as the winner of the Lawnscaping Mini Challenge... how cool is that!

happy birthday in aqua

card design was inspired by this week's Freshly Made Sketches #133 and the colour palette of blues and aquas come from Colour Me Challenge #17 - Playful

the 'happy birthday' stamp comes from Hero Arts - Good Luck Stamp Your Story set, stamped using Tsukineko Kaleidacolor Rainbow Dye Inkpad - Caribbean Sea, and clear-embossed

multi-colored friend for life

a very simple card inspired by The Paper Players Challenge #192 - Washi-tastic CAS Challenge (a clean and simple design using washi tape)

and what a perfect way to use these lovely thin strips of multicoloured washi tape in my stash!

The sentiment is from Penny Black's Edge to Edge clear stamp set - stamped and heat-embossed in white on kraft-stock and mounted using foam tape. With a few simple embellishments (multicoloured pearl dots and a green flower) - the card is ready to go!

thanks on a net

this card's design was based on this week's retrosketches #111

and the choice of colours were taken from colorQ challenge #238

* the card's base was kraft card, sprinkled over with Stampendous Frantage aged ivory embossing enamel and heat-embossed (I love the specks of gold sprinkled across the card)

* instead of using another patterned paper for the outermost square, I decided to go with a square of straw netting (which was inspired by the straw hat in the colorQ picture) layered over the purple distressed edged square

* 'thanks' sentiment is a die-cut on yellow glitter paper - die-cut is from Paper Smooches - Quote Tag dies.

I particularly like how the tiny flowers appear as if they are caught among the netting!

Die-cut used:

a simple 'thanks so much'

loved how easy this card came together, starting of course with the great sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #132 (and once again, I have missed the submission timeline... sigh!)

But never mind, I still love the simplicity of this card with its pretty patterned paper - and this is the first time I tried my hand at heat embossing on vellum - the flowers were stamped on vellum, very gently heat-embossed with white embossing powder and sponged with distress inks in blue and red

Flower stamps are from Hero Arts - Three Dotted Flowers stamp set

More Altered Post-It-Noteholders!

3M has made a Post-It-Note addict out of me with their super attractive colours! I was itching to make more of the noteholders using the acrylic stands mentioned in my previous post - this time using the bright yellow and cool blue colours of the post-it-notes.

First in YELLOW (with contrasting reds)......

And then in BLUE!


The Bible verses are from Stampendous - Hope Verses clear stamp set, whilst the die-cuts for the frames come from Spellbinders Shapeabilities (Fancy Tags Two) and Nestabilities Decorative Elements(Beaded Circles) range.

Supplies Used:

Post-It Purple Fun

Thanks to Kari (from the Lawn Fawn Design Team) for her great idea of using acrylic stands/photo frames in this really fun way - by turning them into Post-It Notes holders!

Admittedly, I didn't have any such acrylic stands lying around,  but that didn't stop me - and a trip to the stationery store was quickly made. Armed with a couple of 4" x 6" acrylic stands and some colourful neon 3M Post-It-Notepads, patterned papers, ribbons, punchers, stamps and die-cuts, embossing powders, colouring medium and some rhinestones blings, I was on my way into fun land!

The cute little birds come from Paper Smooches - Chubby Chums stamp set, whilst the 'have faith' sentiment comes from Paper Smooches - Spiritual Sampler stamp set. Since my post-it pad was neon purple, the selection of the orange and purple patterned paper (including the hexagon layered die-cuts - using Hero Arts -Geometric Shapes Frame Cuts), lilac ribbon, and colour choice for the two little birds was obvious!

This altered project is entered for this week's Paper Smooches SPARKS - April 20-26 Anything Goes (Wk 3) challenge.

Supplies used:

friends are special gifts

ovals and more ovals - that's the theme for CAS-ual Fridays CFC130 Challenge: Good Egg

- a lovely shade of lilac patterned paper affixed on the base white card stock, which had been cut using Lawn Fawn's Large Stitched Journaling Card die cut - I love the detailed stitching lines round the edges!
- this was followed by a white strip of paper and some silver threads affixed and tied from end to end at the bottom third section of the card
- the centre oval royal purple card was first embossed and then lightly dusted with VersaMark Ink before sprinkling a light sheen of embossing powder - heat-embossed to bring out the beautiful contrasted details
- another oval white card was affixed behind the purple card but offset slightly
- the sentiment stamp is a beautiful stamp from JustRite - Special Gifts Labels set - stamped in VersaFine Imperial Purple and heat-embossed before affixing to the card with mounted foam tape
- finished off with a little flower embellishment at the side and some pearls at the top left corner

have a nice 'brekkie' day

this week's Apr 13-19 Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge is a Picture Perfect challenge 

based on this inspirational photo

To re-create those whacky banners of colours, I decided to use all the cute little stamps from Paper Smooches - Wake Up stamp set - the 'sausages', 'bacon rashers', 'cups' were perfect and with a little masking work, I had my criss-crossing banners. After colouring, the glitter on the 'bacon rashers'  and liquid pearl dots on the 'cups' provided that extra zing.

The red-checked 'tablecloth' pattern below was stamped using Impression Obsession (IO) - Cover-A-Card Gingham background, and grounded my little red toaster.

PS Note (21 Apr 2014): Am giddy with delight that this card was selected as the PSS February Picture Perfect PRO winner!

and featured on the Paper Smooches blog on April 27!