10 Minutes to Create with FUSION...

Having recently arrived home from celebrating my MILs milestone birthday in Christchurch and successfully completing an amazing Accelerated Coaching Course in Sydney, I decided to challenge myself to a 10 minute card making frenzy!

Combining inspiration from this fortnights FUSION sketch and inspiration photo, I created this in under 10 minutes flat - combining papers from the fabulous Kaisercraft Chapter One and American Crafts Amy Tangerine Stitched collections. As it says, anything unattempted remains impossible, a fabulous reflection on my last week!

If you are short on time but would still like to squeeze some crafty goodness in, I challenge you to join in the fun and create a card in 10 minutes too! 

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 Leone

Michelle Lupton - Michelle Williams - Wanda Cullen

Looking forward to seeing what you create with this fortnights FUSION inspiration. 

FUSION 5th Birthday Celebration...

Really enjoying this fabulous New Year - hope you are too! 

For those of you craving some crafty inspiration, check out the double dose of inspiration from our Design Team and our special invited guests who have dropped in to share the FUSION 5th Birthday celebration.

This fortnight I was inspired to do some multimedia crafting using my NBUS Gelliplate with a selection of blue, teal, green, navy and white acrylic paints, to create the background panel, the butterfly panel and the base colour of the large butterfly, using this gorgeous Heidi Swapp butterfly stencil, Tim Holtz butterfly stamp, Ranger black archival ink, and adding the super cute MFT Stitched Daisy and Kaisercraft sentiment. 

My guest is the fabulous Jenny Martin from My Paper Epiphany. 
Check out her gorgeous watercolour interpretation of the FUSION inspiration, then head on over to the FUSION blog for some more super inspiration from our fabulous Design Team, and their special invited guests...

Betty J. - Jeanne Jachna - Jen Mitchell

Karren Johnson - Linda Callahan - Michelle Leone

Michelle 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
More Mixed Media Challenges Anything Goes (optional Blue),
 Mix it Up Anything Goes and CAS Stencil Challenge

CAS Watercolour Ocean Shell-ebration...

Thought I'd shell-ebrate by playing along this month at CAS Watercolour Ocean challenge with two variations on a theme. Using this gorgeous shall diecut by Kaisercraft as a starting point (thanks Jenny!), First up I created a watercolour wash background, overlay the Kaisercraft diecut in kraft cardstock and added the Paper Smooches sentiment.

Variation on a theme saw the Kaisercraft shell diecut smooshed into a variety of blue Distress Inks, sprayed with water, reverse diecut out of the pale woodgrain patterned paper.

FUSION A Little March Madness...

I thought I would take on the added challenge of creating a Christmas card from this fortnights FUSION inspiration, combining the colours and rectangle frame from the inspiration photo with this fabulously versatile sketch. Layered Kaisercraft papers diecut with Couture Creations Victorian Squares and a fussy cut poinsettia, together with wooden veneer photo frame from Basic Grey and Happy Holidays from my stash.

To play along you can take inspiration from either the FUSION sketch or inspiration photo - or combine the two as I have!

Hop on over to the FUSION blog for some more super sized inspiration from our fabulous Design Team...

Becca Cruger - Betty J. - Jeanne Jachna - Jen Mitchell - Karren Johnson

Linda Callahan - Michelle Leone - Michelle Lupton - Michelle Williams

Hope you can join in the fun this fortnight @ FUSION.

Can't wait to see what you create!

Shake your Tail(feather) on World Card Making Day...

Although it was officially World Card Making Day for us yesterday, much of the festivities did not get kicked off til about 2am our time - just about when we had to put our clocks an hour forward for daylight savings, and as luck would have it, in the middle of a fabulous crafty retreat too!

Here is one of the creations I made over the long weekend away - this shaker card was created using some of the fabulous sequins Cecilia gifted us, together with some Pretty Pink Posh and Winnie and Walter Birthday Celebration sequins, and featuring die cuts from Winnie and Walter (Happy), Memory Box (trees) and Papertrey Ink (Holiday), together with this gorgeous watercolour fox, also from Papertrey Ink.

Playing along with 

The Card Concept Woodland Friends Challenge Mixed Media Card

Inkspirational Picture Inspiration and
Mixed Media Card Challenge Orange and Black plus Glitter

 

 

Mixed Media Card Challenge - BeYOUtiful

Layers of die cut patterned papers really bring this card to life, especially paired with these gorgeous Prima flowers for this months Mixed Media Card Challenge Flowers theme. Papers and sentiment die cut are all from Kaisercraft, paired with Simon Says Stamp leaves and My Favorite Things butterfly diecuts. The butterfly is pop dotted for added dimension.

There's some more fabulous Floral inspiration from the design team

 over on the Mixed Media Card Challenge blog.

Can't wait to see what you create!

Just remember to link up your card before April 25th.

Also playing along with The Paper Players Claire's Tic Tac Toe

(Flowers, Die cuts and Pale Lemon),

Mixed Media World Anything Goes and

Virginia's View Layers & Dimensions

CASE Study 4th Anniversary, Inspired by Clare...

Joining in the 4th Anniversary fun at CASE Study with a card inspired by this gorgeous creation by Clare Buswell, and looking at Clare's card I probably should have tried to photograph mine with a coloured background too LOL! The lace strip stamp is by Kaisercraft and the lace doily and sentiment by MME, all stamped in Momento Luxe Bridal White, heat embossed with American Crafts Zing White. The Simon Says Stamp leaves were die cut in vellum and burlap - and I discovered that burlap die cuts don't always stay in one piece! So I used the individual burlap leaves as shadow highlights instead, and added some Kaisercraft pearls to finish.

Playing along with Little Red Wagon Embossing Challenge,
and I had this Clean & Simple Sketch lurking in the back of my mind
(flipped the sentiment to the other side and the ribbon became my leaves!)

Keep It Simple and Take a Bow...

OK I have to admit, tying beautiful bows is definitely not my forte, so when this fortnights Keep It Simple card is "Take a Bow", what is a girl to do? I had to Keep It Simple of course - and created my beautiful bow by using three loops of ribbon, and two fancy cut end pieces, all cleverly adhered together - you won't tell on me will you?!? The gorgeous sentiment is from Kaisercraft, stamped in Momento Ink Rose Bud, which matched perfectly with this hot pink ribbon from my stash.

Remember to stop by the blogs of the Keep It Simple DT 

for some more terrific Take a Bow inspiration...

Anni

Christine

Mia

Tanja

Tenia

Love to see how you are inspired this fortnight!

Playing along with Sister Act Card Challenge Anything Goes too!

The Mixed Media Card Challenge... Bliss

SO excited to share with you for the inaugural The Mixed Media Card Challenge. 

The theme for July is Touch of Nature, and the optional element is Tag.

This month I went close with the optional element, but ended up using a canvas flag, rather than a tag (or maybe it's actually a hole-less tag LOL!), and incorporated a Touch of Nature in the textures, colour palette and floral and dragonfly images.

Created by applying Brushed Corduroy Distressed Ink around the edges of the Kaisercraft woodgrain paper and Francheville stitched canvas flag then layered these on a pale Kraft cardstock base. Tarnished Brass Distress Paint was applied to the grungeboard Tim Holtz flowers. The Tattered Angels dragonfly was stamped in Versamark Watermark Ink and Zing Gold embossing powder onto blue mulberry paper, and added the Studio Calico wood veneer sentiment.

I hope you take the opportunity to have a play with Mixed Media, I'd LOVE to see your creations!  In case you're wondering what qualifies as a Mixed Media Card, I have posted details here, and they can be found on The Mixed Media Card Challenge blog. 

While you are there, grab some more fabulous inspiration 

from the amazing Design Team!

Julia Aston

Shirley Bampton

Charlene Cundy

Maria Fischer

Jan Jenitis

Kripa Koushik

Maria Levine

Sanna Lippert

Deepti Malik

Jenny Martin
Shery Russ

Elina Stromberg

Loll Thompson

HOW TO PLAY

1. Create a mixed media CARD based on the theme, with or without the optional element.

2. For this challenge only, you may create a mixed media TAG based on the theme.

3. Display the challenge graphic on your blog post and link back to this challenge post.

4. You may enter as many times as you want, as long as each entry is different.

5. You may combine a maximum of 7 challenges (6 other challenges plus ours).

6. Submit your projects by July 25, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT -700).

7. We’ll announce the winner and favorites on July 31.

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes too!

Celebrate Birthday FUSION...

How gorgeous are all those beautiful butterflies!!! 

I can't wait to see what this weeks FUSION inspiration brings - will you be inspired by this FAB sketch, or this gorgeous photo - or BOTH?!?   This fortnight I was inspired by a combination of both the sketch, and the photo, with its butterfly theme, I focused on the colours of one of the butterflies - love the green, turquoise and orange colour combo! Created using texture paste and Heidi Swapp mask background, Kaisercraft butterfly stamped multiple times and fussy cut, Simple Stories papers, coloured vellum and gorgeous Verve sentiment.

We'd LOVE you to join in the fun...

How to play:

1. Play with just the sketch challenge.

2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.

3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.

4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.

5. Please read the other considerations on the Rules Page before playing along.

Drop by for some more fabulous DT inspiration here:

Betty J - Cathy Weber - Dannielle Robeson - Deepti
Geri Freeman - Julia Aston - Katie Brooks - Kelly Griglione
Kimberly Wiener - Lynn Mangan - Michelle Lupton
Michelle Williams - Sindhu - Stephanie Severin

Don't forget to check FUSION Mr Linky to see how much time is left to play!! 

Joining in Seize the Birthday and CASology Bold and 
The Crafting Musketeers Butterfly Challenge too!

 

A Beary Special Birthday...

I had fun today, stamping on cork to create this little birthday tag card.  Inspired by the Little Tangles Into the Woods,  I incorporated some Kaisercraft wooden paper, and paired Glitz teal woodgrain letters with these cute stamps from Neat & Tangled for the sentiment.  Inspired by Amy's gorgeous Freshly Made Sketch and the Little Red Wagon Tag You're It Challenge, a tag was created from Echo Park paper using My Favorite Things vertical sentiments diecut, trimming off one end and punching a hole for the twine.  I love the cute Neat & Tangled bear paw print trail too :)

Playing along with Seize the Birthday Anything Goes Challenge. 

FUSION in Red, White & Blue...

Wow, some truly gorgeous creations in the FUSION Gallery last week!  Can't wait to see what surprises you have in store this week - will you choose to make the most of this fabulous sketch by Jackie???  Or will you be inspired by the colours, the theme, the elements from this gorgeous photo from Lesley???  Or will you choose to create a FUSION of both???

As a FUSION scientist I chose my favourite elements from both Jackie's sketch and Lesley's photo, and combined for my creation.  I loved the white text on blue background from Lesley's Challenge this week, and achieved this by stamping my Mama Elephant little boy and Verve sentiment in Versamark Watermark and heat embossing with Zing White. My clouds were created by die cutting Lil Inkers clouds from some clear plastic sheet and using the negative sheet as a mask, inked inside with Tsukineko Brilliance Platinum Planet, then heat set, as these inks tend to take a LONG time to dry.  To keep with the rainy day theme, I repeated the umbrella element in place of the flags from Jackie's Challenge.  The three Kaisercraft wood veneer umbrellas were inked in Distress Ink Festive Berries then overcoated with Dimensional Magic, to mimic wet umbrellas!

Head on over to the FUSION blog for some more FABULOUS inspiration from the Design Team!

Allyson  Anderson  / Amy Tsuruta / Deanna Jean / Kelly Griglione / Stacey Schafer

Playing along with CASual Fridays Red, White & Blue Challenge,
Cupcake Inspiration Challenge, with its gorgeous red, white & blue pinwheels,
and Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes too!

TAWS Blog Hop... Hop to it and WIN!

Todays Blog Hop card features The Alley Way Stamps Doodle Frames, together with a sentiment from last months release, Trees Company. Inspired by this weeks Retro Sketch, the frame is stamped on Kaisercraft music paper, and coloured in Whisper Textas.  The background is dry embossed with Cuttlebugs Allegro, and topped off with two roses and some crushed velvet ribbon from my stash, perfect for this weeks Play Date Cafe - touch of maroon, and Stampin' for the Weekend - texture challenge.

It's TAWS Blog Hop time, and one lucky person will win ALL 3 NEW SETS!!  So if you want that person to be you, all you have to do is comment on the Hop.  The more you comment, the more chances to win:

1. Comment on The Alley Way Stamps Blog

2. Comment on the DT girls Blogs

3. Post about it on Facebook or your Blog

4. Like TAWS on Facebook

and leave a comment on the TAWS site for each thing that you do.

You have until 9:30pm November 30th TAWS time to leave comments.

Here are the DT Blogs to Hop to...

Sneak Peek - Doodle Frames

Sneak Peek - Petal Pushers

Sneak Peek - Petal Pushers