peace at Christmas

a simple card using the design from Freshly Made Sketches #139 - but for the card, I flipped the design vertically, and instead of 3 ribbons running down the side, I decided to go with stamped and silver embossed lace trims

the main tag and bird are stamps from Penny Black - Glad Tidings stamp set, which I had embossed in white and then coloured in distress inks in blue shades

the horizontal swirls are part of Penny Black - Lace Trims stamp set - I embossed the same with silver powder for a bit of glitter but so as not to overpower the centrepiece blue tag

card is also entered for Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #111 - using aqua, white and splashes oolours

love in gold

My first attempt at inlaid die-cutting, and I am so totally in love with this new technique... and kicking myself for not discovering this earlier! For more information on this technique - tune in to Jennifer Mcquire's video on Die-Cut Inlay, and a big thank you to Jennifer for such a clear video!

card design was based on this week's Freshly Made Sketches #135, using the red and white colour monochromatic scheme from ColourMe #19 (which challenge  I was unfortunately too late for submission)

a close-up of the added layers to the heart in the centre to give it more dimension - the sentiment and edges were embossed in gold

'love' stamp is from Paper Smooches - Simply Said stamp set and the heart die-cuts are from QuicKutz - Nesting Scallop Hearts Dies

Gingerbread Christmas

A bit early for Christmas, I know, but if I try to make one a week, I will be less stressed when this Christmas comes around!

And it's good to get inspiration from these gals at Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #106 (Use a Gingerbread Man/Woman)

card design was taken off this week's Freshly Made Sketches #134

the cute gingerbread people are stamps from Paper Smooches - Giddy Gumdrops stamp set - such happy looking gingerbread yummies

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

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

The Lord is my strength

A card to encourage another ... for all strength comes from God as we face each day and all that it brings!

This card design was based on this week's Freshly Made Sketches #130 from Linda

The beautiful verse (Psalm 27:1) is a stamp from Stampendous - Hope Verses clear stamp set 

the stamp is great, but my embossing skills on such detailed stamping leaves much to be desired .... sigh, I think I really need to find an anti-static pouch especially if I'm going to use black embossing powder!

POST NOTE: and thank you so much to Jen T (from Freshly Made Sketches) for choosing this card as an honourable mention ... am so very honoured indeed!

thanks with a lollipop

thanks with a lollipop, a photo by eatzycath on Flickr.

stars and gingham... wouldn't have thought that they will go together but I was proven wrong - what a great combination of patterns!

Card design was based on the following sketch in Freshly Made Sketches #103 and what a hoot that I was first in line in the card submission (especially since I'm usually late, with too many missed submission deadlines!)

And the image is a printed digital image from Tiddly Inks - Summer Sweet Wryn, which has been colored using Caran D'ache Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastels.

Card was also submitted for the current Tiddly Inks Challenge #117 - Saying Thanks.

LOVE - for a young couple

Love-marriage, a photo by eatzycath on Flickr.

a wedding card made for a young couple, the groom being the son of a friend

in Singapore, red is an auspicious color and in keeping with tradition, the background of this card and the fussy-cut hearts are red in color

but I kept the stamped image of the bridal couple (from Stampendous - Happy Couple wood-stamp) in white with gold embossed edges, to align with the gold-embossed 'LOVE' sentiment (from Hero Arts) created on the white card-stock

a further 'marriage' sentiment (from Impression Obsession - A Good Marriage wood-stamp) was stamped on the inside of the card

and a pocket was created also on the inside of the card for the 'ang-pow' to be given to the couple - 'ang-pow' being a red packet containing a cash gift for the couple

this card is submitted for this week's Freshly Made Sketches #99 (Sketch by Rita)