There She Goes Just Hanging Out...

I've seen so many amazingly creative cards for the current Moxie Fab World 75 Creative Card Challenges Week #60 Make a Card with a Window, that I just had to join in.  I created my window by using a blue cardstock base and removing a rectangular section from the front of the card.  I created a wood grain tree and branch for the side and top of the window (sandwiching the branch between the front wood grain panel and the blue cardstock panel) then securing the sentiment to create the base of the window.  I paper pieced the monkey behind and in front of the branch so he's securely hanging out LOL! The cute monkey, branch and sentiment are all There She Goes, perfect for this weeks There She Goes Wood Grain Challenge.  My branch and monkey are paper pieced too, perfect for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Paper Piecing Challenge.

A CASE of Forever...

Inspired by this weeks CASE Study card, with its red-backed negative die-cut heart, X marks the spot and corrugated card base, together with this weeks Little Red Wagon Text Me and City Crafter Forever Mine challenges. Papers are from Crate Paper, and upcycled corrugated card from a Christmas gift.  Stitched with half embroidery thread (3 strands instead of 6).  To make stitching easier, I die cut the letters and hand cut the heart first, then marked out my stitching lines on the reverse of the text paper - so I didn't need to remove any pencil marks after stitching.  Hard to tell from this angle, but the text paper is pop-dotted too :)

Almost forgot to add my wedding pic in here as part of the challenge the fabulous & lovely Ardyth co-ordinated to help celebrate the very funny & creative  Darnell & Misters wedding Anniversary, so here I am with my Mister, over 20 years ago...

CASE Card by Amber Kemp-Gerstel

Caffeine Deprivation...

Inspired by this weeks CASology cue, the perfectly drinkable Dynamic Duos monochromatic palette and this fabulously versatile Retro Sketch, especially Kasia's interpretation.  I broke out my coffee washi tape (hoping nobody will notice the splash of red there!) and paired it with these gorgeous Skipping Stones Design stamps and My Favourite Things sentiment, stamped in Espresso ink (of course LOL!) backed onto cafe style checks from MME.  I pop-dotted and used dimensional magic to highlight the coffee in the cup - which got me thinking these would make a great design if you sealed them and created a set of coffee coasters!

Australia Day a-Muse-ment...

Playing along with the inaugural Muse Challenge with a gorgeous inspiration card by Amy Kolling. MUSE rules:

• Use what you have in your stash, don't purchase anything new for your Muse cards.
• Explain your interpretation of the Muse inspiration card in your post and link back to Muse. 
• Provide supportive comments to at least 3 of your fellow member’s submissions.
• Vote for one of your fellow member's submissions that you find inspiring.

I was inspired by everything about Amy's card - from the layered watercolour paper pieced flower and leaves stamped in white ink, perfect for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Let's Get Paper Piecing Challenge, to the embossed stitched frame, perfect for playing along with this weeks Keep It Simple Dry Embossing Challenge.  Interpreted Amy's card in mirror reverse, using American Crafts papers and Fancy Pants chevron stripes, added a Li'l Inkers photo frame, and sentiment and even added some Kaisercraft pearls.  Off to add some supportive comments too!


I loved Amy's card so much it was difficult not to CASE it!  Note to self - next time less CASE, more MUSE LOL!

Amy Kolling - Muse Card Week #1

Sweet Dreams & Sunshine...

OK so no prizes for guessing where the colour & pattern inspiration came from for this card LOL!
I've been meaning to join in with this gorgeous MoxieFab Tuesday Trigger Sweet Dreams inspiration for weeks.  Luckily for me, Cath's been pre-occupied with the CHA so I'll just be able to sneak this in while she's not looking ;)  LOVE this Rita's Freshly Made Sketch too - it's one I think I'll be revisiting!  Papers are a mix of My Minds Eye and Lily Bee, paired with a sentiment from American Crafts Dear Lizzy, perfect for celebrating all the sunshine in the inspiration photo!

I {heart} you Valentwine...

No I didn't mis-spell it I just couldn't resist a word play LOL!

Did anyone guess Valentine's Day is almost upon us?!?  Inspired by this weeks fab Retro Sketches, the colours from The Alley Way Stamps BE Inspired Challenge, and Forever Mine hearts challenge from City Crafters.  I just LOVE this little plane from TAWS and thought it was a perfect time to do a Valentine version of one of my favourite cards.

City Crafter Challenge - Forever Mine

One of a Kind...

Inspired by this weeks gorgeous Color Throwdown palette and the watercolour blooms from this weeks fabulous CASE Study card.  As soon as I saw the gorgeous watercolour flower from  Amber Kemp-Gerstel's card, I knew I wanted to try this watercolour technique.  Using a snap lock bag I stamped on some Regal Rose, Melon Mambo and Pumpkin Pie, before using an aquabrush to colour in my die-cut and embossed Lifestyle Crafts Floral rose circle (Done using a Big Shot baby sister LOL so I think that qualifies for this weeks fab Just Add Ink Big Shot Challenge & Blog Hop).  The colour palette matches perfectly with American Crafts Dear Lizzy Neapolitan, and finished with an MME Sweetest Thing sentiment.

Try Painting (or Inking) Yourself...

I wanted to have a go at making my own background paper for the 75 Creative Card Challenges Week : Challenge #49.  I'm not sure this qualifies as background paper - more like inside paper - but I did make it myself LOL!  When I saw the CASology Blue cue card this week, and  City Crafters Winter Blues Challenge the first thing I thought of was this stamp from Inkadinkadoo, and I couldn't wait to get inky.  I used a series of foam make-up pads to swipe my rainbow series of stripes across a piece of watercolour paper using Distress Inks and then using a rather wet, large paintbrush, liberally and repeatedly splattered before drying off with a heat gun.  Blue is negative die cut usig MFT Dynamics tall letters, perfectly proportioned for this weeks CAS-ual Fridays Long and Short Challenge.   In case you are wondering, the finished size of my card is 4 by 8 inches.

A Happy Dashing Accident...

Believe it or not, this card started out in a white cardstock base, but I managed to smudge my stamping (or smudge my Smooching may be more correct LOL!), and as I was in the midst of timing for this fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash, I madly scrambled through the papers on my crafting table and stumbled upon this perfectly weathered background paper.  I missed my 10 minute deadline, by just over 4 minutes - but I have ended up with a card I love even more!  I love this weeks Retro Sketch so much this is my second card for the week.  I really wanted to join in this fortnights Keep It Simple Frame Challenge, and as I was aiming to join in the 10 Minute Craft Dash, I decided to keep my frame in its raw state to save time.  I think it compliments the weathered wood perfectly - even if it is slightly less CAS than originally envisioned!  To create more textural interest, I embossed the green polka-dot strip with leaves - difficult to photograph but it looks really effective in real life, and perfect for this fortnights Addicted to CAS Embossing Challenge.  I love the pop of colour from the Spellbinders butterfly, and this fab Paper Smooches sentiment looks like it was designed to fit perfectly for this card.

P.S.  The more I looked at this card, the more I thought it was missing a little something, so I ran the butterfly through the Cuttlebug and added some pink bling :)  Added another 45 seconds too ;)

Totally Gorjuss Birthday Pinspiration...

I really wanted to join in the inaugural Challenges of these new blogs, Pinspired Challenge, and Seize the Birthday, and as I was surfing the net I also discovered Totally Gorjuss, a new (to me) blog.  So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to ink up my Gorjuss Scribble stamp, with an added hairband created using Gorjuss Little Foxes, and Verve Making a Statement sentiment, and run with the Spotty theme from Totally Gorjuss and the fab Pinspired Challenge #1 photo.  I just love combining bright colours (in case you couldn't guess!) and these patterned papers are from Simple Stories.

You'll have to forgive my colouring "L" plates - I'm hoping it will improve and that means practice LOL!

Well, there you have it, the first of what I hope will be a growing pile of Birthday cards for my stash! 

Bee Mine...

Thought I'd have a little fun with negative die cutting again, combining the first fab CAS(E) this Sketch for the year with There She Goes "Love is in the Air" Challenge.  I just love the little bee and trail stamps from There She Goes, paired with My Favourite Thing Dynamic tall die cut letters, perfect for a Valentine Bee Mine card.  Using masking tape to align the letters and adhere to your cardstock before cutting, it makes creating faster & straighter LOL!

 

You're brrr-fect...

It's Paper Smooches February Guest Designer Search time 'til January 23, perfectly timed to enter this gorgeous chartreuse, aqua and grey colour challenge over at the Cards Blog Challenge, with a bonus Paper Smooches prize pack!  With some fab inspiration from this weeks Retro Sketch, I inked up Paper Smooches Chilly Chums, Swanky Snowdudes and Warm Hearts to play along.  Papers Smooches are perfect for paper piecing, with a mix of papers from Kasercraft, October Afternoon and Pebbles, finished with a Kaisercraft pearl.

February Guest Design Search