Fusion Christmas Wishes...

Hope you can join in the fun @ FUSION for the last challenge of th eyear!

I was inspired by the window shapes in the lantern and snowy Christmas scene. Created using Distress Oxides for the moon and night sky, paired with this gorgeous Memory Box Countryside Circle die cut and super cute Mama Elephant Reindeer flying across the sky, paired with Winnie & Walter Merry and window diecut.

PROCEDURES:
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.

Grab some more inspiration from our super Design Team

Barb Ghigliotty - Jeanne Jachna - Jen Mitchell

Karren Johnson - Linda Callahan - Michelle Leone 

Michelle Lupton - Michelle Williams - Wanda Cullen

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"

Challenge Me A Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton...

 

So thrilled to join in this year with the fabulous Challenge me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton. My challenge was for her to create a card with Alcohol Inks and Die Cuts, although looking at some of her gorgeous recent posts I don't know how challenging it actually was lol. You can check out Michelle's gorgeous creation here.

As Yupo paper can be a tad on the expensive side, I created a themed set of 4 gift cards from one A5 sheet of Yupo paper. The Alcohol ink background was created by randomly dripping combination of Alcohol inks in a variety of shades of greens, mine include Pinata Rainforest Green, Arto Teal, Tim Holtz Limeade and Turquoise with a touch of Pinata Mantilla Black. While the ink was still wet I moved it around the A5 sheet of Yupo paper by tilting the paper in the direction I wanted the inks to run, and the Yupo paper was then blotted with a scrunched up sheet of A4 copy paper in a diagonal pattern. Once the inks were dry, the sheet of Yupo paper was cut in half. One half of the Yupo sheet was used to make the first two cards. 

Onto the second half of the Yupo sheet I also added some Pinata Claro Extender, to reactivate the base layer of inks, together with Tim Holtz Pearl Mixative and Pinata Old Gold. This layer was also blotted with some scrunched up A4 copy paper to create the background of cards three and four.

The first three cards feature the Merry Christmas Holiday Frames photo frame die by Simon Says Stamp, paired with one of the Deer Trio by Simply Dies. The final card once again features one of the Deer Trio by Simply Dies, together with Memory Makers Countryside Circle, and Avery Elle Seasons Greetings sentiment. The American Crafts glitter paper in gold helps to add a little festive sparkle.

I hope you are inspired to challenge yourself and join in the fun of creating with Alcohol inks and die cuts!

Card #1

 Card #2

Card #3

Card #4

Perfect set of gift cards for playing along with Simon Says Stamp & Show

and Simon Says Anything Goes 

Also joining in the fun at Muse Christmas Visions

and the Jingle Belles Christmas

FUSION Falling for Christmas...

Inspired by this fortnights FUSION to get a wriggle on with Christmas card making! Combined the super versatile sketch with the Autumn wood tones, wreath and candles from this fortnights FUSION inspiration photo. Featuring die cuts from Avery Elle Seasons Greetings, MFT Dienamics Winter Wreath and Memory Box Glowing Candles.

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

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

Can't wait to see what you create!

Also playing along with this fabulous colour combo from Color Throwdown

The Harbour FUSION

Looking back, I realised it has been just over 5 years since my very first post on the original FUSION design team! How time flies when you are having fun!

Playing with heat embossing and masks to create for FUSION this fortnight. Using the super versatile sketch turned on its side, I heat embossed this Reverse Confetti Shine from Within sentiment in Liquid Platinum Ranger embossing powder. It is amazing how different this embossing looks at night compared to in daylight - almost night and day lol! The light rays were created using Law Fawn white ink and MFT sun ray mask. Added a panel of fussy cut chevron paper to represent the sea and topped with these gorgeous Ocean Lighthouse and Waves die cuts by Memory Box. I die cut the lighthouse from the same wood grained patterned paper used in my last post. 

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!

Playing along with CASology Marine too

It's beginning to look a lot like...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Card Challenge time! 

Both cards are created using Memory Box Country Scenery die cut paired with Winnie and Walter Peace sentiment. 

Card 1 is a shaker card, complete with Winnie and Walter Snow Mask in texture paste background, with Snowflake and Moonbeam sequins.

Winter Wonderland Snow Much Fun (Card 1)

 The Merry Christmas Challenge Anything Goes

Card 2 is diecut and coloured then the diecuts are inlaid flat in the diecut background a la Jennifer McGuire. Distress Oxides used were Faded Jeans, Black Soot and Squeezed Lemon, then added a star diecut from MFT Shining Stars in black cardstock already heat embossed in Hero Arts Gold.

Muse Christmas Club inspired by colours and snow theme (Card 2)

The Merry Christmas Challenge Anything Goes

Simon Says Anything Goes

Doing a Happy Dance!!!

A Christmas FUSION...

Hope you get a chance to play along with FUSION this fortnight, in our last challenge for the year. So much fabulous inspiration from this gorgeous Christmas interior, and super versatile sketch!

I kept my card simple, taking inspiration from the white on white layering and Christmas candles. Layered this gorgeous Memory Box Christmas Candles diecut in white glitter paper, over a cardstock background, over vellum stamped in silver tinsel embossing powder using this gorgeous Verve sentiment.

Love to see how you are inspired by FUSION photo, sketch or both!

Hop on over to FUSION to see some more fabulously joyful inspiration from

 our amazing Design Team too:

Becca Cruger - Betty J. - Carol Mayne - Jeanne Jachna - Karren Johnson

Linda Callahan - Michelle Leone - Michelle Lupton - Michelle Williams

Also playing along with CASology Candle,

52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown Glitter and

CAS on Sunday Christmas

This made me smile!!!

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

 

 

CAS(E) this Festive Friday...

Had a play with some crafty friends yesterday - although there was more laughing and chatting than crafting me thinks! This is one of the two Christmas cards I managed to add to my collection. Inspired by this gorgeous Festive Friday inspiration photo and CAS(E) this Sketch. Created using Paper Smooches Christmas dies and Memory Box Pine Needle border, with papers from Echo Park and Basic Grey. 

Playing along with Virginia's View CAS Challenge too!

Going Green...

Catered Crop Think Green is celebrating the forthcoming Earth Day on April 22 (and USA National Arbor Day on April 25), a perfect time to Think Green. Just make a project that includes the color green and come join the party, and, of course, be sure to recycle your scraps!

I created my mixed media piece completely from scraps or recycled materials. I started by recycling a page from an old book, covering with Gesso, then applying Gelatos in blues and grey, blended together with a baby wipe. I used the Crafter's Workshop Mini Clouds stencil and using a baby wipe, removed the Gelatos from within the clouds, then filled three of the clouds with texture paste for some added dimension.

Using the Lil Inkers Leaves background die, I cut a few of my green scrap papers into leaf shapes, and layered these around the edges to create a frame, these were adhered using mixed-media paste. The Memory Box Woodland Branch, Poppystamps Serene Bird and Lawn Fawn letters were also cut from scrap papers. The Verve Words of Wisdom sentiment was stamped - and I discovered that the Momento Tuxedo Black doesn't dry as fast when stamped over Gesso! But hey, like it says:

"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful"

Playing along with Virginia's View Stencilled Challenge too!

E.T.A. Linking up to the new Mixed Media Card DT Challenge!
My Mixed Media projects can be seen here :)

Shades of CASual Watercolour...

Inspired by CASual Fridays Shades of Gray, Virginia's View Watercolour Challenge
and Shopping Our Stash Sentiments Only.

The watercolour background was created using Faber-Castell Gelatos in Black and Silver, then once dry, flicked with Glimmermist Black Magic and Heidi Swapp Tinsel. The Memory Box Countryside die cut is highlighted with a yellow watercolour panel behind to create the lit window, and stamped with this cute Verve sentiment in Hero Arts Neon Sunshine and Soft Graphite. The watercolour background and sentiment panels were adhered together then die cut with Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle.

Come Play with Me...

Created this for fun and to to play along with a few challenges too!  Inspired by Keep It Simple Things with Wings (DT), FUSION photo (DT), this fabulous Muse card by Marion, A Blog Called Hero Roy G. Biv, Verve Diva Dare Perk Up, The Crafting Musketeers Butterfly Challenge, Catered Crop Birthdays Recipe Swap and Seize the Birthday Hearts Challenges.

Pulled out my gelatos and paintbrush to create the watercolour background behind my Memory Box die cut butterfly heart. This die cut usually leaves the butterflies attached to the heart, but I carefully removed the butterflies so you could see more of the rainbow panel. Stamped with this gorgeous Verve sentiment and framed in black to help pop the colours.

Hope you are having an AMAZING weekend!

  

This made me smile...