Cupid Dupid!

Wondering what I made with those bits and pieces on my desk? Here is my new Anniversary card. I've had this stamp for quite a while now but I inked it up for the first time last week. The card has been ready for a while but with being sick and having an assignment to finish, I couldn't really spend too much time online. But here I am now, with a new favourite stamp!

Materials:

Anniversary Cupid by Penny Black

A to Z Alphabet by Fiskars

Ashlyn and Chloe papers by Basic Grey

Grey cardstock

Brown ribbon (hobbycrafts)

Faber Kastel watercolours

White embossing powder

Butterfly (Accesorize stickers)

Tools:

Scallop and Rectangle Nesties

Big Shot machine

Martha Stewart scallop dot edge punch

Heat gun

How to:

1. Cut two panels from Ashlyn and Chloe papers. Distress the edges.
2. Punch a border from green paper and attach the ribbon.
3. Stamp the image twice, colour and mat on a scalloped panel. For the second image colour only the hearts
4. Stamp and heat emboss the letters, cut them individually.
5. Assemble everything as shown, embellishing with a butterfly.

Endlessly

Ooh, have I been feeling down in the dumps this week? I've been sick since last Thursday and am struggling to finish even the smallest chore. Housework has to wait ladies. In the meantime, here is my card for this week - a wedding card for my friend's sister. I'm joining the DCM, the Papercraft star and the ABC challenges. I'm so glad I seem to have finally found my style - yippee! I love working with square cards, stitching, symmetrical designs...you get the feel. Maybe too symmetrical? Not sure, you tell me. So, on to the list now:

Materials:

Lace from Infuse Collection by Basic Grey

Ledger paper by Making Memories

Black, white and red card stock

Peeled paint and antique linen distress inks

Sewing machine

Tim Holtz Visual Artistry - Lifes Possibilities

Rhinestones

Tools:

Sizzix Trixie Girl Alphabet

Sizzix Circle Nesties

Sizzix Circle frames

Big shot machine

Martha Stewart Frond punch

Sewing Machine

How to:

1. Cut a panel from Infuse paper and sew a border.
2. Cut a smaller panel from Ledger paper, stamp the clock and distress with antique linen. Mount on black card stock and sew the edges.
3. Die cut the letters, a circle frame and three circles. Cut the circles into spirals, twist around a pair of tweezers, put upside down and cover the back with PVA. Stick a rhinestone in each.
4. Punch and distress the leaves in antique linen and peeled paint. Start with the lighter colour first.
5. Assemble everything as shown.

Forever Yours - Wedding Shaker card

It took me some time to finish this card but I was very pleased with the way it turned out, especially since it was for a good friend of mine who got married today. Once again, I went for another shaker card.  I just came to love these card.  They are so three dimensional.

At the DCM, we were challenged to use sapphire on the the card. I'll be honest with you, for some reason, I was always daunted with these type of challenges but thought of having a go at it this year. So ladies at the DCM, I hope this fits the bill, :)

Materials:

Tim Holtz Distress inks - Broken China and Antique Linen

Forever Friends Wedding stamp

Flowers For You Recollections clear rubber stamps

Gold Leaf

White cardstock and chip board

Papermania Gemstones

Sizzix Dots embossing folder

Faber Kastell water colours

Transperancy

Gold Glitter

Diamond dust

Tools:

Nesties Circle and Scallops

Sizzix Big Shot

Wedding 2010: Green and Pink

I thought that this year I would not have enough time to craft, and in fact, I did not have as much time as I would have liked. However, I realized that I did make quite a few cards but haven't had the time to post them here. So, I'll try to catch up in the next few weeks, especially since the project I have been working on this year will be finally over by 4th July. Hope you like my project today:

Materials:

Paper from local craft shop (no brand name given)

Doodlebug Wedding Cardstock Stickers

Pink and Gold colours

Papermania ribbon

Pink Flowers from The Works

Tools:

Frond punch by Martha Stewart

Scallop Dot Punch by Martha Stewart

Note:

The green paper used on this card was very difficult to punch as it is like fabric. I don't think I would use this type of paper for punching especially when doing leaves. Apart from this, I just love the Frond punch - it adds so much dimension to the card.

Love Quote - Using Spellbinder's Nestabilities

Hello peeps. Today's card highlights an interesting way of using the Spellbinder's Nestabilities. I know I said my posts will be shorter but I this technique is awesome and wanted to share it with you, so here it goes:

Materials:

Bloom & Grow 'Bloom Line' by My Mind's Eye

Kraft Cardstock (RAK from Suzie)

Brown Cardstock

Watermark by Top Boss

Clear embossing powder

Brown Ribbon from Hobbycrafts

Metal Charm

Nestabilities Oval and Scalloped Oval Frames

DCWV Rub Ons Quote Stack - Love

Scallop Rotary Blade by Purple Cow

Sizzix Spring Flower Stamps

How to:

1. Cut a panel of background paper to cover 3/4 of the card and 2 strips of striped and spotted paper .
2. Die cut an oval frame directly from the patterned paper, ensuring its in the centre.
3. Die cut the scalloped frame from brown card stock and rub on the quote.
4. Fix the strips on the lower edge of the designer paper and cover the edge with the ribbon. Fix charm with metal wire to the bow.
5. Stamp and heat emboss the flowers on the lower edge of the craft card stock us.
6. Use 3D foam pads to fix both the main panel and the frame on the card.

donepowhe

Crackle Love

Today I am showing you a commissioned card I made for a colleague of mine using the crackled glass technique, die-cutting and punching.

Materials:

Red and black, white and silver cardstock

Tim Holtz faded jeans and fired brick distress ink

Flower punch

Sizzix decorative accents

Large scalloped nestabilities

Brads

Patterned paper

UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel)

How to:

1. Cut a layer of black and red cardstock. Trim 3 rectangular pieces of patterned paper to cover 3/4 of the panel.
2. Die cut a scallop (black) and a plain (white) oval. Stamp the sentiment using the fired brick ink. Cover and heat emboss with UTEE for at least 4 times. Put in the fridge to cool quickly. Once cool, crack the enamel and ink with Antique linen. Clean excess ink with a scrap cloth.
3. Distress some scrap paper using the faded jeans ink then die cut the accents and circles to be used under the flowers. Punch three flowers from silver and black cardstock. Assemble everything using red metallic brads

Thanks to Rachel Jakes for sharing her great idea on using UTEE to create a crackled glass effect!

Seems like this year I won't be blogging so much. No excuses on this end of the line, it's just that I'm working on some new projects lately which involve creativity, paper and ink but no cards - or at least not as much as in the past. You will still see some of my creations, like today's but my posts will be kept short.

This card was made for Valentine's day and it's in 3 D even if it doesn't show so much on the photo. Hope you like it.

This the card I designed for Valentine's Day this year. I was pleased with its funky look even though there is a very long story behind its making which I'd rather not go into here. Suffice it to say that I recruited my hubby and a friend of mine to do the batch of cards I had to finish for this year's demand. By the end of the day I was really tired and grumpy but very pleased with the result.

Materials:

Red and black cardstock

Chipboard

Heart Template (or free draw)

Sizzix Trixie Girl Alphabeth

Sizzlit Brackets

White and red Acrylic paint

White glitter

Making memories ledger paper

Antique linen - Tim Holtz distress inks

Ribbon (Hobby Crafts)

Tools

Heat Gun

Friday Sketcher's 70: Totally Pink Wedding and Die cut Dreams Challenge

I'm back with a card! Yes I have finally managed to finish a commissioned card while I still have to finish about 3 more before next week. The main cue for this card was that it had to be pink, and pink it is. Hope it is not not too much and that the groom likes it! The flowers have three layers and were handmade using the Fancy Pants From the Garden stamps and lots of glitter. I am including this card for the Friday Sketcher's Challenge following the sketch on their blog and also hope to have it accepted for the DT Call Susie and Vickie at Die cut Dreams have up till the 25th September.

Peachy Wedding Day

Edited to say: Thanks to Sherri - I just learnt that I can submit this card for the 365 cards peachy challenge for this week. So here it goes:

Hi everybody - I have been abroad for a while and didn't have a lot of time to update my blog. I will be posting some pics of cards I made this summer. I must apologize for the pic as it is a bit overexposed, I am afraid. Let me know what you think as always.

Cute Card Card Thursday - Challenge 64

Here is my card for the Cute Card Thursday's Challenge this week where we had to use a quote on the card. Hope you like it!

Materials:

Sugared - Basic Gray

Anita's Dimensional Stickers

Martha Stewart - Scalloped Dot Punch

Collage Saying - Inkadinkadoo

PC and Printer

Rhinestones

Cute card Thursday - Challenge 58

I'M BACK, I'M BACK!

I am finally back after a week of painstaking decisions to take and deadlines to meet. And I couldn't come back without telling you the news. Can you guess what the postman brought me this week? I used the three most wanted items on my wishlist in the card above - yes they are the Nestabilities and the Martha Stewart Punch. Hurray! I was jumping with joy when I got them and had to play with them. Then I realized I didn't have anything else on my wishlist for once. I also remember the promise I made DH - that of not buying anything else till summer. Long broken and not a good promise keeper.

But let's move on to today's card which I did for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge - Mirror Mirror. I used shimmery paper from papermania as well as the bronze paper which is glittery.

Materials:

Double sided silk screened paper

Bronze shimmer card

Silk Paper

Stamp - Bride and groom - Papermania

Stamp - Wedding day - Papermania

Clear embossing power

Faber Castell water colours

Tools

Martha Stewart scalloped dot punch

Nestabilities - Oval and Scalloped Oval (Large)

Sizzix Big Shot

Heat Gun

How to:

1. Cut a panel from the silk screened paper and punch the edge. Cut a narrow panel from the bronze and punch one edge. Stick to the card, hiding the bronze panel underneath the pink one. Use the narrow offcut strip to use as border on the card above the punched edges.
2. Stamp the image thrice. Once on white paper, skin coloured paper and silk paper. Cut the hand from the skin coloured paper, and the dress and veil from the silk paper. Colour in the other body parts and suit. After stick the cut pieces accordingly.
3. Once ready, cut the oval shape using the nestie. Die cut the scalloped oval from bronze card and assemble as shown.
4. Stick everything as shown in the card.

Mum's Creations

I have gone missing but am back again. This week I was working on a personal project and really didn't have time to make any cards - honestly, not even one card. So today I am posting my mum's cards, the one I promised to show you on my previous post. At first she refused to have a go, but once the ball was rolling, she really got into and wanted to outdo me and my sister. What do you think? Did she manage? She is looking forward to read your comments.

Friday Sketchers 44 - Wedding Bells

Can't believe I am posting again this week. I seem to be getting more addicted than ever to the blog world. I couldn't resist not taking part in Friday's Sketchers this week and to be honest I feel the time spent on every card is improving. If I used to spend 4 hours deciding which paper to use (I'm not joking) now I am spending 30 mins. Maybe my ever increasing stash is helping out here - in fact I have promised my DH that I would not buy anything else till summer.

Sure, sure I will try but I am already craving to spend some more - nestabilities, a border puncher, more sizzix dies, designer paper ... I could go on but don't wanna bore you to death with my early Christmas letter to Santa. So here are the details of my card:

Materials:

Gift of Love - BoBunny papers

White card stock

Pool and Copper - Adirondack Paint Dabbers

Black Staz On Ink

Doodlebug Wedding Icons

Faber Castell Water Colours (for the bell)

Chalk - Pebbles Inc.

Tools:

Big Bite

Paper Trimmer (Purple Cow)

Die cut machine

Birds embossing folder - Cuttlebug

Circle Frames - Sizzix

How to:

1. Trim two panels from the double sided paper in order to have one smaller than the other.
2. Cut the extra paper from the inside of the bigger panel (thrifty again, lol!) and use it for the third and smaller panel.
3. Trim a narrow panel from white cardstock, cutting one edge with a scallop trimmer. Punch holes with the big bite or any paper punch. Cut another extra narrow cut out for the second panel/embellishment.
4. Cut a panel from Gifts of Love so that the borders are visible. Stick the sentiment.
5. Paint a piece of chipboard with copper paint (I added a dab of red and black to match the colours better). Die cut into the largest circle.
6. Cut another circle with a pair of scalloped edged scissors. (Circle drawn with a compass). Chalk and ink the edges for extra definition. Stick the doodlebug image on cardstock for added strength and assemble all three as shown.
7. Dab the edges of the designer paper in Pool and fix as in picture.

Check out my Blog Candy - Ends 3rd April

Daring Cardmakers - Patterns and Flocking

Its been quite some time since I blogged but I have a good excuse as I have been crafting, crafting and crafting, lol. Now, I just need to find some time to blog and share my cards.

Today I made this wedding card for my cousin. I love the pattern of these papers and it really is similar to some curtains I have - so it fits the bill for the DCM Challenge this week. I set myself the challenge to try and create a card that had flow and softness in the layout, however I still need to work a bit harder to achieve this. Still I am quite pleased with the way it turned out especially with the flocking technique which I used for the first time.

Materials:

K & Co Classic K

Doodlebug Velvet Flock

U Mount flourishes

Papermania Sparkling Trims - Lime

Papermill cream card

Ink it Up - Pink, Chocolate brown, white

How to:

1. Cut a piece of wine patterned paper to cover 2/3 of the card. Cut another from lighter coloured paper to cover 1/3 of the card. Trim a piece of cream cardstock using edging scissors. Distress the paper with pink and brown ink.
2. Cut a heart shape, stamp the flourish and go over it with sakura quick glue, then use flock to cover it. Roll a pen to press the flock. Ink the edges with pink and then chocolate ink.
3. Prick around the edge of the heart.
4. Punch two small holes, pass the ribbon from these holes and tie as shown.
5. Stamp and heat emboss the sentiment, cut around the card and stick using foam pads.
6. Embellish with the sparkle trim and assemble everything as shown.

Mr & Mrs - Recycling

Can anyone guess which part of this card is recycled?

I made this card for a colleague of mine and wanted it to be special. Couples (or the bride-to-be) take ages to choose the invitations and once sent to guests they do not see anymore of them. I wanted to make this card a bit special and used part of the actual invitation to make the hearts. Here it goes:

Materials

Blue cardstock
Glitter cardstock
Embossing Powder - Rainbow
Clear pigment ink
Black Staz on ink

Tools

Sizzix Die Cutting Machine
Twang Alphabeth - Sizzix
Scalloped Cutter
Heat Gun

How to:

1. Cut a piece of blue cardstock to cover the front of the card ( or use blue cardstock for the cardblank - I happened to run out of it). Heat emboss the edges
   
2. Cut a slightly smaller piece of white card stock using a scallop cutter. Draw and cut out the heart shapes.
   
3. Die cut the letters and stick as shown using double sided tapes.
   

Wedding Card

School has finished but its been a hectic week and I only managed to do this card for now. I have been working on those commissioned cards and this is the card I made for the groom to give his future wife (J if you are reading this, please try not to peep!).

Materials

Papermania Creative tones - Venetian and Antique Cream
Papermania Silk Flower - Blue
Papermani pearl brads
Papermania - Wedding Stamp
See D's - Aged and Elegant
Ink it up - Black Ink
Heat it Up - Pearl Embossing Powder
Acetate

Tools

PC & Printer
Heat Gun
Edging Scissors

How to:

1. Cut a patterned paper from the Venetian skies slightly smaller than the card. Cut a scalloped circle using a compass and an edging scissors.
   
2. Stamp the couple on white cardstock and stamp it again on patterned and black paper. Cut the dress,veil and suit and stick on the first image. Stamp and heat emboss the emblem on the top using bronze or metallic ink and pearl powder (I used the latter to mute the colour a bit)
3. Print "On Our Wedding Day" on acetate. Cut and put a piece of white paper behind it. Draw two small semi circles on the blue paper and slot in the sentiment as shown. The sentiment should be slightly larger so as to stick out.
4. Ink all the edges, embellish with silk flowers and assemble as shown.

Would love to know what you think!!!!

Wedding Card #4: Wedding Bells

Here is my card for the Ismaki Challenge:

Materials:

Silk Paper
Wedding Bells embellishments - Inspirations
Gold Ribbon
Chalk
Anita's Flower Swirls
Flower Stamp - Papermania - ref PMA 10016

Tools:

Edging Scissors
Sizzix Big Shot
Tags

How To:

1. Cut the silk paper, using scallops scissors for one edge and stick to card.
   
2. Cut a rectangle and chalk it with golden hues.
3. Die cut a tag, clear emboss the flower stamp and chalk the tag.
   
4. Attach ribbon to tag and silk paper. Embellish rectangle with peel off.

I like the way this card came out however, I feel there is something missing. Can't quite place it - any ideas?

Wedding Card - Golden Hues

Once again I have been asked to make some wedding cards for a colleague's wedding. For the above card I opted for soft, golden hues which I find very romantic. I have had the background paper for quite some time now but did not feel like cutting into it. It's so pretty. In fact it has been lying in my folder for months now. However, I am glad I have waited up till now as I am quite pleased with the outcome.

Materials:

Chipboard
Cream, Flesh tone Cardboard
Pink Lemonade Collection - Sugar Cookie
Gold leaf
Wedding stamp - Papermania
See D's - Springtime Swirls
Clear Embossing Powder
Ink It Up - Gold Pigment Ink
Papermania Silk flowers - Neutral
Leaf from Local Haberdashery

Tools:

Big Shot
Sizzix - Zig Zag Original Die
Heat Tool
Needle

How To:

1. Cut the patterned paper to fit the card front. Die Cut the zig zag frame and cover the outer part not the actual frame with gold leaf.
2. Stamp and colour the wedding couple. Cut out and stick on the flesh tone cardstock.
3. Emboss the sentiment on cream cardstock, attach to the fleshtone one and cut out. Cut out chipboard slightly bigger than the former and cover with gold leaf. Fix as shown.
4. Prior to assembling everything prick holes along the edges.
5. Assemble and decorate with silk flower.

Tip:

Instead of buying chipboard, I recycled thin panettone boxes - its cheaper and eco-friendly!

Thanks for visiting!

Papertake Weekly - Katerina's sketch

So here is the card I made for the Papertake Weekly Challenge. For this week we had to follow Katerina's sketch. I must say it was a lovely sketch and got down to making it immediately. Sorry about the photo as you can see the colours are not so great in the second one!

Materials:

Red and White Cardstock
Papermania Love Kit
Papermania Silk Flowers
Everyday Brads Tower
Anita's Stickers
See D's Springtime Swirls
Red Embossing Powder
Cuttlebug Stylized Flower embossing folder
Chalks

Tools:

Heat Gun
Cuttlebug
Edging Scissors

How to:

1. Cut a piece of white cardstock slightly bigger than half the square blank card. Emboss it and use red chalks to give it a slightly reddish hue.
2. Cut a piece of red paper to cover the other side of the card. Trim one edge using the edging scissors.
3. Take the peel off and stick on red card stock. Trim around the edges and then stick onto pink paper from the love kit.
   
4. Emboss the sentiment on white card. Trim it and stick it onto red card stock. Trim around it as well.
5. Assemble everything as shown including the silk flowers.

Would love to hear what you think!