hello in color swatches

ColourQ Challenge #243 was initially tough for me with the array of colours in the palette but when I saw this striped pattern paper in my leftover basket, it screamed to be used for this challenge!

the centre piece with the 'hello' die-cut layers was inspired by the card in Muse Challenge #69 (which timeline for submission I missed)

the 'hello' was die-cut using Paper Smooches - Quote Tag die-cut set, whilst the 'hey there' sentiment is a stamp from Paper Smooches - Sentiment Sampler set

a close-up of the centre-piece will show the slightly glossy finish to the 'hello' die-cut - with the help of Ranger's Glossy Accents - I also went over the 'hey there' phrase with a silver glitter pen for some subtle shine

hello sunshine!

3 umbrellas on the ground ... perfect to signify the end of rain and sunshine ahead ... 

also perfect for CAS-ual Fridays CFC 131 challenge - Three Thirds

CFC131: Three Thirds? The idea is to use three of something, could be colors, sequins, etc
on just 1/3 of the card, and keep it clean and simple.

Card colour palette is based on ColourQ challenge #239

The pretty umbrella stamps come from Penny Black's April Showers stamp set.

What's Up?

With paint already on my palette, I thought I might as well colour up a few more images, and this one of Cheeky Chat from The Greeting Farm is one of my favourites!

She's colored in yellow, aqua and grey shades ... for the last challenge at Dynamic Duos: Challenge #100 (and it's so sad that they are closing the wonderful blog just when I have discovered them.... sob.. sob!)

The sentiment comes from Hero Arts - Guess What stamp set, whilst the diamond-shaped embossing folder is from Cuttlebug.

Cheeky Chat was coloured using Caran D'ache Neocolor II Water-soluble wax pastels - I love the richness of the colours and the ease for water-colouring and blending.

HELLO on newsprint

Sometimes a simple card just makes the best impact ...

- the red flower (which is a Hero Arts silhouette stamp from the Sweet Threads Thank You stamp set) was first stamped on white card 
- then a mask of the flower was stamped and cut, and with mask in place, I then proceeded to stamp the background (using Hero Arts - Newspaper Background stamp) in sepia ink
- final touches include affixing the 'hello' die-cut from Paper Smooches - Quote Tag (which has been embossed in copper powder) and some rhinestones on the flower centre and across the card 
- with the edges of the white card distressed and coloured with distress ink, it was all ready to go onto the brown card base

and it was great to know that the card was noticed in the Hero Arts Flickr group, and was tweeted by myheroarts .... wheeeeee!

hello, little kitty

card was created using the sketch design in Seize the Sketch #17 from Jen Mitchell

the cute little kitty comes from Paper Smooches - Nine Lives clear stamp set, which comes with its own matching die-cuts - convenience personified! The tag with the 'hello' sentiment is also a die-cut from Paper Smooches - Quote Tag set - love the little window in the centre of the tag which is great for placing background paper and photos as well

Card is also going in for this week's April 6-12 "Anything Goes" Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge 

POST NOTE (14 Apr): and though I didn't win the PS SPARKS challenge, it was great to be selected as one of the Featured Players .... yayy!

hey there, friend

hey there, friend, a photo by eatzycath on Flickr.

I love Popcorn the Bear stamps, but I must say that the images are a challenge to color.... especially the furry shades of brown, yellow and orange. 

This stamped image is actually a combination of 4 stamps, with some masking work done on the bear, to position the picture frame, table and teaset, and finally the lying dog just behind the bear - the positioning of the stamped images was made a little easier with the help of a stamp positioner - a nifty little gadget that is very useful especially when combining stamped images.

Coloring was done using Caran D'ache NeoColor II wax-based water-soluble pastels - love the vivid colors of the pigments.

* Bear with tray and dog with flowers : Crafter's Companion - Popcorn the Bear - Floral Delight stamp set

* table with tea set : Crafter's Companion - Mulberry Wood - Tea for Two stamp set

* Roses and leaves : die-cuts from CheeryLynn Designs - Large and Medium Rose and Stacker Flower 1 Leaf designs

* 'hey there friend' sentiment : Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler stamp set

Card was submitted for Crafter's Companion Challenge - August Challenge: Animals

Hello, Baby

Hello, Baby, a photo by eatzycath on Flickr.

It's always such a joy making cards to celebrate a newborn child ..... and with this week's Muse #25 challenge, which features the colors of pink and blue, a baby card is just begging to be made! Below is the Muse inspiration card from Therese -

The cute image stamps come from Hero Arts - New Baby stamp set, whilst the 'hello baby' sentiment comes from Paper Smooches - Word Up stamp set.

The pram was first stamped on the white card to use as the base for the paper piecing to come - using stamped pieces of the various images cut up from light blue and pink patterned papers and layered onto the card with mounting tape.

Fishy Hello

Fishy Hello, a photo by eatzycath on Flickr.

The theme for this week's Paper Smooches Sparks - Trend Watch Challenge is OCEAN! Such a great theme with lots of possibilities and I get to use my itsy bitsy little fish stamps!

Instead of portraying a huge big ocean, I decided to fit part of the 'ocean' into a little bell jar with a cheery hello from some friendly fishes.

* the bell jar stamp comes from Paper Smooches - Crystal Clear stamp set which comes with matching die-cuts

* I stamped first on white cardstock and die cut the same out - stamped a second time on white card stock and die cut only the lid (which was then colored with silver and glitter blue pens, before affixing onto the base stamped image with foam tape) - finally I die-cut the inner part of the jar from blue vellum paper, which was then affixed to the base stamped image

* the two fishes were stamped using Paper Smooches - Birthday Buddies stamp set, colored and fussy-cut, affixed onto blue vellum portion with foam tape

* the gingham checked 'tablecloth' is actually a triangle cut from a stamped paper using IO - Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card cling background stamp (Gingham)

* affix 'tablecloth' onto bottom part of the card, then affix the jar with foam tape

* the 'Hello There' sentiment was stamped onto the white base card-stock, which was followed by the stamping of the 'talk bubble' in dark blue ink - 'talk bubble' stamp comes from Paper Smooches - He Said, She Said stamp set