Challenge me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton and Friends...

So glad you can join me as I play along with 

"Challenge me A Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton and friends".

My challenge for Michelle this year was to combine die cuts and fussy cutting. 

As you can see, I was just a bit excited about this and got carried away, 

with not just one but nine cards...

First two feature Winnie+Walter stamps and Lil Inkers Stitched Oval diecut...

Also playing along with AAA Challenge - Maxi white

Technique Tuesday's Celebrate the Seasons by Ali Edwards sentiment paired with 

My Favourite Things window diecut and santa stamp set...

Also playing along with 
Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge

Technique Tuesday's Celebrate the Seasons by Ali Edwards with dies from

Poppy Stamps Pine Tree Border and Memory Box Deer Trio and Lil Inkers Stitched Oval...

Next up two cards featuring Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames die cut

 and Inkadinkadoo stamp set, with Bo Bunny patterned paper...

Also playing along with 

Challenge up your life - Black and white +1 colour

Inspired by the Bathurst car races on the weekend I was card-making, featuring 

Winnie+Walter Merry and SC Christmas dies..

Also playing along with the fabulous Jingle Belles

Is it Christmas Yeti - add a creature Challenge

And finally two cards featuring Stacey Yacula's Purple Onion snowman, 

and Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames. Created the sparkly background

using Lindy's Stamp Gang Magical Shaker Afternoon Delight Denim...

Love it if you are inspired to create your own die cut and fussy cut Christmas card!

"Challenge me A Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton and friends"

A Little Christmas FUSION

I am not sure what our endless fascination with snow at Christmas here is in the Southern hemisphere. Maybe we dream of it whilst melting in the sun by our BBQs, or perhaps it is just that because we do not have to deal with the reality of it, it will always keep its little bit of magic. Whatever the case, this fortnights FUSION inspiration is sprinkled with that same magic!

I flipped the gorgeous FUSION sketch on its head this fortnight, and saw the four panels as my window frame, peeking out to see the reindeer fly over the rooftops. Patterned paper is by Bo Bunny, stamps from Mama Elephant's Believe the Magic, and diecut Poppystamps Small Madison Window, Papertry Inc Merry, and Studio Calico Christmas. 

Head on over to the FUSION blog for some more super inspiration from our fabulous Design Team...Betty J. - Jeanne Jachna - Jen Mitchell - Karren Johnson - Linda Callahan - Michelle LeoneMichelle Lupton - Michelle Williams - Wanda Cullen

Hope you can join in the fun this fortnight @ FUSION.
Can't wait to see what you create!

Also playing along with 

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge (optional Snow)

Simon Says Monday B is for Blue

Blue FUSION P.S. Lots of Hugs & Kisses

 

Double the fun with FUSION this fortnight. Created two cards, one inspired by a FUSION of the photo inspiration and the sketch, and the second just focusing on the sketch. Both cards feature Paper Smooches Hugs & Kisses die cuts, the first also features Paper Smooches Flower die cuts, overlaid on a watercolour paper wash background, with added MME enamel dots as flower centres. 

The second card also featured Paper Smooches Forever and Always diecut, and MFT arrow diecut overlaid on MME patterned paper ampersand.

Love to see how you are inspired by FUSION photo, sketch or both! 
Hope you get a chance to play along!

Hop on over to FUSION to see some more super inspiration from the Design Team, and our special Guest Designer Cris G!

Betty J - Jeanne Jachna - Julia Aston - Katie Brooks

Karren J - Kimberly Wiener - Lynn Mangan - Michelle Folland

Michelle Lupton - Sandie Munro - Stephanie Severin

I would LOVE if you could join in the fun @ FUSION too!

Playing along with Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies

Paper Smooches Guest Design - 3D Faux Metal Photo Frame

Thought I'd try something a bit different for my Guest Designer spot at Paper Smooches this week, and created a 3D faux metal photo frame using Paper Smooches diecuts. If you hurry you can still join in the fun @ Paper Smooches June Guest Designer search today!

My project started out with a chipboard photo frame base covered in heavy black gesso (watered down slightly), and layered this with a selection of Paper Smooches Hugs and Kisses, Smooches and Hearts diecuts in black cardstock. Once the base layer dried, I added a top layer of heavy black gesso over the diecuts (see photo below).

Once the gesso dried completely, I mixed some transparent soft matte gel together with Mica Powder, one lot in Black Cherry, and a second in Copper. I dipped a soft brush in the soft matte gel mix, brushed off most of the colour on a wet wipe so there was only a tiny amount of the soft matte gel mix on the brush, which was then lightly applied over the photo frame - almost like you apply blush when you are doing your makeup! It is important to add only a little at a time and I find it useful to keep the brush strokes on a diagonal to the project i.e. first layer from the top right hand corner towards the bottom left hand corner next layer from the top left hand corner towards the bottom right hand corner and so on.   

Playing along with {PIN}spirational Challenge #165,

Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes Challenge,

Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies 

Paper Minutes Hearts Challenge too!

 

Discovering... FUSION

Time to discover... this fortnights FUSION!

I thought this may be my last FUSION contribution on the Design Team, but after having a massive clean out of my crafting space, I am feeling totally re-inspired! Combined this fabulously versatile FUSION sketch and gorgeous photo inspiration, rotated the sketch 90 degrees anti-clockwise and used this beautiful over-sized butterfly as the star element. Had a blast getting inky with a range of Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemon, Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade and Picked Raspberry, together with this gorgeous Prima Cherry Blossom mask. Butterfly coloured using Mr Heuy's spray mist in Heirloom Blue. This fabulous over-sized butterfly stamp and sentiment are by Tim Holtz.

Hop on over for more gorgeous butterfly inspiration

from the rest of the fabulous FUSION DT

Amy Tsura - Betty J - Deanne - Deepti 

Jeanne Jachna - Julia Aston - Katie Brooks

Kelly Griglione - Kimberly Wiener - Lynn Mangan

Michelle Folland - Michelle Lupton - Stephanie Severin

Hope to see you playing along, can't wait to see what you create! 

Remember you can play along by being inspired by 

the photo, the sketch or BOTH.

Please check the linky for the days left to play with us.

Also playing along with Card Concept The Butterfly Effect (Mixed Media) and Happy Little Stampers CAS Mists / Sprays

PS Happy 4th Anniversay - Hogs & Kisses...

Happy Fourth Anniversary Paper Smooches

I thought I'd try and kick myself out of my mojo lull by joining in the fun with Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes, this very cool Freshly Made Sketches and Addicted to CAS Hugs and Kisses. Don't forget the Paper Smooches Designer Challenge is on at the moment too!

Created the large heart by using the small Paper Smooches Hearts die cut, enlarging on the photocopier by 400% and using this as my template to fussy cut the large heart. Cute little hog is from Paper Smooches Green Acres, and the sentiment is from Paper Smooches We Connect. Papers are from Kaisercraft, including the gorgeous red embossed paper for the hearts, the little hog is stamped onto Gelatos on watercolour paper then fussy cut, with die cut alphas from MFT.

Also playing along with 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge H is for Hearts, Hugs, Hogs...

AAA Cards Love, Love, Love, Happy Little Stampers Embossing,

Crafty Cardmakers Love, Love, Love,

Inspired by Stamping Colours & Hearts

I'd LOVE it if you could play along with this months 
Mixed Media Card Challenge - LOVE too!

This made me smile...

This made me smile too...

Saturated Watercolour Wishes...

Today's card is inspired by the fabulous colours in Runway Inspired and the idea that a colour as bold as hot pink works together with the lightness of tulle.

RIC#75 Ralph Lauren 2015 Spring

I thought I would create my colours using saturated watercolour, with a technique similar to that used by Loll (her fabulous video can be seen here), however I dropped my Distress Ink ReInkers directly onto slightly damp watercolour paper, then spritzed the paper lightly to blend the Picked Raspberry and Squeezed Lemonade colours. Once the paper was dry, I die cut the fabulous Winnie and Walter The Big, the Bold and the Happy Cutaway, and Simon Says Stamps Balloon Bouquet (NBUS). The balloon outline was also cut from black cardstock, and the second half of the sentiment is Winnie And Walter Winter Wonderland, stamped in Momento Luxe Tuxedo Black.

 

Playing along with...

Happy Little Stampers Watercolouring

Cure for the Monday Blues Scattered Sprinkles (those cute pink bubbles reminded me of little balloons on top of the cupcakes!)

Runway Inspired, Seize the Birthday Party Topping, NBUS

Dies R Us Anything Goes (with Something New)

Cuttlebug Mania It Takes Two (with two colours, two words, two manufacturers)

PS I'd LOVE if YOU could link up a post highlighting your favourite creations for 2014 on 
Our Favourite Things linky party on my blog here!