FUSION - Tea and Bouquets

Super fun FUSION inspiration this fortnight! As it is a tea party, I thought I would run with an Alice in Wonderland theme, with this fabulous stamp set from Emily McDowel & Studio Calico, stamped in Hero ARts Shadow Ink in Soft Cantaloupe and Momento Luxe Rich Cocoa, on a Lil Inkers Stitched Square diecut, atop American Crafts patterned paper.

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!

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

A Little FUSION Christmas...

Heard someone mention they couldn't believe how one year can manage to stretch out endlessly and fly by in a blink at the same time. Definitely feeling it with the festive season almost on us this year! 

Perfect timing for Christmas card inspiration with a fabulous neutral colour palette plus a pop of red in this fortnights FUSION. Inspired by the knotted textures, gorgeous bow and seasonal theme, together with another super cute and versatile sketch this fortnight. Playing with my Tara Wakefield stamps and Studio Calico papers, paired with My Favorite Things Christmas sentiment.

Head on over to the FUSION blog for some more super inspiration from our fabulous Design Team...Betty J. - Jeanne Jachna - Jen MitchellKarren 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 Addicted to Stamps CAS

Happy Little Stampers Starry Christmas...

Having fun with a friends Concord & 9th diecut Christmas letters. Substituted the "L" with that from Altenew Upper Case Alphabet as "NOEL" was too wide to diecut and fit on standard 6 inch patterned paper pad. Cut a second wreath from white cardstock, coloured with Juniper Distressed Oxide, replaced back into the "o" and used this as my front panel for a shaker card filled with Studio Calico wooden stars instead of the usual sequins. Created to join in the fun at Happy Little Stampers Christmas May Challenge with optional stars.  

Happy (Aussie) Day @ FUSION...

A HUGE thank you to Christine @ Create a Smile for her generous support of the FUSION 3rd Anniversary celebration. So many fabulous creations in the FUSION gallery!

On to another celebration this fortnight @ FUSION. 
Loving the green and gold inspiration for Australian Day on January 26th! Looking forward to Australia Day as a great opportunity to chill out with friends and family and 'throw another shrimp on the barbie!'.
Created a simple card using a super cool Studio Calico Australia map diecut, together with diecut 'Happy' and 'day' (cut from 'birthday') sentiments from Winnie & Walter, to deliver a card that is fair dinkum Aussie mate!

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

Can not wait to see how you are inspired! 

Hop on over to the Design Team blogs for more fantastic inspiration:

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

Linda Callahan - Michelle Leone - Michelle Lupton - Michelle Williams

Also playing along with
Simon Says "Chill Out",
MUSE, CASology Cut

(Belated) Christmas in July...

Invited a lovely group of my crafting friends over for a play on the last day of July. Much fun and laughter, though not much crafting by yours truly!

I had stamped and fussy cut a number of these gorgeous Papertrey polar bears in winter fair isles knits, together with a number of die cut combinations of this gorgeous Studio Calico "Christmas" and xxx Papertrey "Merry". Finally got around to completing this ensemble this afternoon with Heidi Swapps cute patterned paper as the background, and Dienamics landscape diecut snowdrift, so I thought I'd share it with you. 

After almost two months, you may say I'm coming out of hibernation LOL!

Playing along with Merry Monday 'Christmas in Summer'.

Fabulous, Foxy & Fifty...

I had this card all lined up for FUSION this fortnight, but as FUSION has taken an early Summer break (see you back in September!) and as the card is for my hubby's 50th (hence the fabulous, foxy and fifty), I thought I would link it up to this weeks Simon Says For Him, and Seize the Birthday challenges instead. Created with Coute Coture embossing folder, wood veneers from Lawn Fawn and Studio Calico, letter stickers from Lily Bee, and papers from my stash.

Hubby noticed the the markings around the "fabulous" and asked "Does this mean you think I'm burnt out!?" LOL.

Spent a lovely couple of days relaxing in the Yarra Valley to celebrate - wine, cheese, chocolates and staying warm by the fire, while listening to the rain on the roof - perfect!

Playing along with Simon Says For Him and Seize the Birthday.

FUSION - Heartful

Returned recently from a trip to Tasmania - no internet or crafting for more than a week - fabulous fun, but I'm feeling a little rusty LOL!

Love is in the air... inspired by the fabulous different sizes and shapes of hearts in this fortnights FUSION inspiration photo. Simon Says Stamp Lots of Hearts and Studio Calico JJ Bolton hearts, stamped in Momento Luxe Red Letter, Rosebud and Bahama Blue, and sentiment is from Technique Tuesday by Ali Edwards Live in the Moment.

The Design Team have some FABULOUS creations to inspire you

Amy Tsura - Betty J - 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 The Card Concept - Clean and Graphic
and Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes

and don't forget, there are still a couple of days to join in and link up a post highlighting your favourite creations for 2014 on Our Favourite Things linky party on my blog here!

CAS(E) this Study...

Playing along with CAS(E) this Sketch, and another fabulous inspiration card from Debby Hughes at CASE Study, together with Catered Crop Good Medicine Recipe Swap.

Created with a kraft base, two super cute die cut feathers from when we went away with Joy (sorry, I can't remember who makes them!), Lil Inkers Stitched Polaroid, Clearly Besotted Fancy Feathers sentiment embossed in Zing White, and Studio Calico Woodgrain Enamel Dots.

 

You're My InFUSION...

Over 50 gorgeous FUSION cards in the gallery again last week!  I can't wait to see what this week brings - be inspired by this fab sketch or graphic or both!  Will you be inspired by the colours, the patterns, the cups, the calendar, or even that funky little bird?!

I'll be the first to admit that I struggled with the colour combo this week - I have realised that given the choice I pick cooler (blue-based) colours over warmer (yellow-based) colours - but hey, that's why it's called a Challenge right!!  I thought this weeks FUSION Challenge photo was the perfect time to have a play with my Skipping Stones Design coffee cup and "Happy Birthday (a little latte)" sentiment, inked in Cup O Joe - of course!  I chose a range of patterned papers from Studio Calico and MME, in graphic checks, spots and even little hearts.

I hope you get a chance to stop by and grab some inspiration from the rest of the Design Team - and experiment with FUSION today!

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

A MUSE CASually Framed In Stitches...

Laurie Willison's gorgeous MUSE card

I must say with gorgeous MUSE cards like this one from Laurie, our task of creating is made so much easier!  Probably veering more to CASE than MUSE this week I couldn't resist - inspired by the gorgeous white stamping on kraft cardstock, faux stitched frame, black & white pattern, fab sentiment  and hearts.  I couldn't wait to ink up my MME Sweetest Thing doilies, stamped in Versamark and embossed in Zing White, perfect for playing along with CASual Fridays Wallpaper Challenge, paired with this gorgeous sentiment by Ali Edwards from Technique Tuesday, embossed in Zing Aqua.  I love this stitched photo frame from Lil Inkers, perfect for playing along with the current Paper Players In Stitches, and Catered Crop Framed Challenges too.  Perfect for Emphasise  the Negative Moxie Fab World Challenge too!  I love that this patterned paper from my stash looks like faux quilting too.  Finished with a wooden Studio Calico heart.

Instant Attraction...

What do you get when you combine the fabulous Moxie Fab World Camera Craze Challenge, the super Paper Smooches Sparks Picture Perfect Challenge, and colossal Catered Crop Framed Challenge, with the perfect Paper Players In Stitches Challenge?  Instant Attraction of course! Well I did anyways LOL!

I had been tempted to use this super cute fussy cut polaroid camera from Studio Calico on a card which read "How do you stop 'roid rage?", "Use a Canon", but with the timely intervention of the Paper Smooches Sparks inspiration photo, this card took on a more amorous overtone.

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I'm loving this Glitz wood veneer paper, combined with Paper Smooches Alphawhimsy die cuts.  Today's card is paired with Lil Inkers stitched photo frame and Paper Smooches Alphadots stamps too.

Looking forward to a gorgeous sunny first week of Autumn here, 

hope the sun is shining in your corner of the world too!

A Tale of Two Cards...

Card #2 - Keepin' it Simple

Card #1

I thought I'd play along with two challenges this week by combining Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge with the Keep It Simple Snowman Challenge.  My first card (below) was based on a rather literal interpretation of this weeks Paper Smooches sketch, and I wasn't convinced it was CAS enough for Keep It Simple, so I CASed it up a little more, with a more metaphorical (or in this case perhaps it's meta-chlorophyll) interpretation LOL.  As the CAS version was so predominantly red, I thought I'd add it to this weeks CASology Red Challenge too.  Both cards are created using Paper Smooches Warm Hearts and Pretty Phrases, together with October Afternoons Cakewalk papers and Dienamic Snowdrift diecuts.  Card #1 also has a cute Studio Calico wood veneer heart.