A-MUSE-ing Equation...

Jen's gorgeous MUSE card

There are so many elements I LOVE on Jen's MUSE card that I couldn't resist playing along this week!  And as I love combining challenges, I couldn't resist adding a few more challenges into the mix too.

I love Jen's layout, the butterfly element and the teal and yellow combo, to which I added some orange for extra zest.  Jen's combination of the maths washi tape and teal twine section reminded me of an equation - so what better sentiment to pair with my teal equation washi tape with than "We equate".  The sentiment was created using Paper Smooches Spring Groves "We" from "Welcome Spring", and die cut Wise Dies alphabet, perfect for playing along with this weeks Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes Challenge.  I love the embossed background, perfect for playing along with this weeks Catered Crop Make an Impression Challenge, and the washi tape, perfect for this weeks The Pink Elephant Washi Tape Challenge too.

Thanks so much for stopping by - hope you have a FABULOUS weekend, 

and National Scrapbooking Day!

This made me smile!!!

Congratulations on Your New Addition...

I couldn't resist this combination of Paper Smooches Sparks Cool Shades Challenge, and this fab Retro Sketch by Deanna.  I thought these Cool Shades would be perfect for a baby boy card.  I fell in love with this teal  American Crafts 5th Avenue paper, with images of houses and "home is where the heart is", "at home" and "happy little life" sentiments scattered on the paper, so combined we have "Congratulations on Your New Addition"!  Featuring this gorgeous mama and baby elephant from Paper Smooches A Little Lovin' and sentiment from Sentiment Sampler, together with papers from American Crafts, with the corrugated kraft card left over from some recycled packaging, all tied together with some Trendy Twine in baby blue.

 

Batty in Love, Since I Spotted You...

UPDATED: I discovered these boxes are a perfect match for Jaffas...

I thought I'd have a go at making a candy box for this months Trendy Twine Sweets for My Sweetie and Addicted to CAS Candy Challenges, inspired by Paper Smooches Sparks and Catered Crop Polka Dots Challenges, and Scrapbook Boutiques Love Photo Challenge.  First I adhered my red polka dot and pink polka dot pieces together and negative die cut a heart from this panel.  Next I cut two pieces of red cardstock two inches wider and two inches taller than my heart panel, and scored along each edge one inch from the outside edges.

Front two pieces before I sandwiched the clear plastic between them

On the lid of the candy box, I used my heart panel to trace then cut out the heart shape (as my cardstock piece was too big to use the die cut again).  I stamped sentiment from Paper Smooches Falling for You on the heart panel, before sandwiching and double-sided taping some clear plastic between the heart panel and the cardstock lid.  I used a hole punch to create the handle holes, in the top and bottom pieces of my box, and threaded 6 strands of Trendy Twine Valentine Cherry Cupcake through the handle holes and plaited the handle before securing to the inside of the box.  I cut a 1 inch strip of the red cardstock and adhered to the inside top edge of the box, so the twine ends are concealed.  Using Paper Smooches Alphadots and Sentiment Sampler I stamped the inside sentiment - which appears at the bottom of the candy box when the recipient finishes the candy.

Inside the finished box

I finished constructing the box securing the corners with double-sided tape and adding the gorgeous polka dotted Paper Smooches Falling for You bat.

Now all I need to do is go find some polka-dotted candy before Thursday - 

or maybe some Lindt chocolate balls - then again they probably wouldn't last til Thursday LOL!

Scrapbook Boutique Love Inspiration

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Have a Heart too!

You Light Up My Life...

Wishing you all have a fabulous and safe Christmas / Holiday Season!  

I decided with my new job that I would step down from The Alley Way Stamps Design Team after completing my first term with them, ironically because my card making skills were taking too much time - but now with fab 10 Minute Craft Dash my cards seem to be getting made a lot quicker!  So for now this is my last official TAWS DT card - it has been a blast :) sending out a huge THANK YOU to Alison and the team!

Sweltering here in 38 degree heat, what could be more appropriate than a snowman card LOL!  Inspired by this months Trendy Twine Holly Berry Tag Challenge and Ribbon Carousel Holiday Spirit Challenge, together with this weeks Little Red Wagon Christmas Tag Challenge.

I created this tag card using The Alley Way Stamps Jolly Holiday snowman and Christmas lights - I stamped the lights onto American Crafts shimmer cardstock, cut the cardstock out roughly in a rectangle around each light, then folded the rectangle in half along the base of the light and cut around the folded cardstock so you end up with a mirror image of the light - this allows you to fold the light over the Holly Berry Trendy Twine and adhere the front and back piece together to secure the light around the twine.  The snowmans arms are die cut from a Memory Box branch and trimmed to size.  The sentiment is from The Alley Way Stamps Fa-la-la.

 

Season's Greetings Two Roo...

I know it's not supposed to be good form to laugh at your own jokes, but making this card just made me smile.  It's as Aussie a Christmas card as I'll be making this year :)  Inspired by this weeks Paper Smooches Sparks Trend Watch Challenge Cameras or Polaroids, traditional Christmas colours from Color Throwdown and this fab sketch from Retro Sketches.

Stamps are all from Paper Smooches, A Little Lovin', He Said She Said, Swanky Snowdudes and Alphadot. Papers are a mix of old Daisy D and October Afternoon Christmas papers, finished off with a holly sticker from October Afternoon and some gorgeous Holly Berry twine from Trendy Twine.

I hope Roo have a Happy Season too!

 

ThankFall...

Inspired by this fortnights BE Inspired at The Alley Way Stamps, this gorgeous turkey was created by paper piecing the turkey body and leaves from It's Fall About You, with the sentiment created from Jibber Jabber and Alphabet Soup.  I love how his beak perfectly fitted into one of the leaf patterns from the MME paper.  I'm joining in this months challenges at Trendy Twine with Thankful Orange Truffle and Ribbon Carousel Fall Spirit.  

For the Moxie Fab World Paper Crafting Tips & Tricks Stitching Challenge here's a little tip - remember to do a little dot at the start and end of each faux stitch dash to make it look more like the real thing.  

Inspired by this weeks Unscripted Sketch and playing along with Simon Says Stamp Thanksgiving / Thank You too!

Don't forget you can join in TAWS BE Inspired til November 22nd

BE Inspired The Alley Way...

Can you tell I was SERIOUSLY inspired by the chocolate and strawberry dessert in this fortnights BE Inspired Challenge at The Alley Way Stamps!!!  This gorgeous slice of strawberry cheescake with chocolate biscuit base was created using AdoraBOWL and Hey Cupcake sets, using papers from Crate Paper Pretty Party and American Crafts Dear Lizzy Neapolitan, and Posy Trendy Twine.

I used this FAB sketch from Retro Sketches, and joined in the fun at The Ribbon Carousel Button & Twine, and Catered Crop Knot Now Challenges too!

Why don't you BE Inspired at The Alley Way Stamps and WIN some FAB stamps!!!
You have until October 11th to join in the fun!

BE Inspired...

This is my second post for today, please scroll down for my Trendy Twine Guest DT post :)

Can you tell it's creeping closer to Halloween!  Love this months BE Inspired Challenge at The Alley Way Stamps.  This gorgeous pumpkin image and stitches stamp are from Ghould-Friend, with the sentiment created using Alphabet Soup.  Papers are a mix from My Minds Eye.  This perfect fall Orange Truffle Twine is from Trendy Twine, and the stitched heart was from my stash.  LOVE this weeks Retro Sketch too - perfect for my pumpkin patch!  Dotty enough to join in the City Crafter Polka Dot Palooza too.

 

For your chance to WIN some FAB stamps, why don't you BE Inspired too!  

RULES:

1) You MUST use an image from The Alley Way Stamps (you can find freebies here!).
2) You must mention this challenge and link to it in your blog post.
3) - The challenge linky closes on 27 September 2012 at Noon, TAWS time!!!

This made me smile...

Trendy Twine Guest Designer...

So honoured to be asked to be a Guest Designer today over at Trendy Twine :)  September is "Snips & Snails & Puppy Dogs Tails, That's What Little Boys are Made of" Challenge Month featuring this gorgeous blue and chocolate twine, Chocolate Sprinkles.

To try and encourage my sons' reading efforts, I thought it was a perfect time to create a boys bookmark, featuring a Trendy Twine tassel. This bookmark was created using The Alley Way Stamps Priceless Joy and Alphabet Soup, together with Autumn Leaves and Doodle Bug papers.

Making a tassel is easy and fun!!!  Just take a piece of cardstock twice as wide as you want your tassel, and fold it in half.  Wrap your tassel around one end of the cardstock around 50 times, starting and ending at the open end of the fold.  Take another length of twine, twice as long as you want your attaching string to be, slide it under your wrapped twine and tie in a knot at the folded end of the cardstock.  Take the scissors and cut the wrapped twine in half at the open end of the folded cardstock (see photo).

Take another piece of twine, about three times the length of your tassel, and fold in half then secure with a knot about 2cm from the top of your tassel.  Wrap the ends of your knot in opposite directions 3-4 times around your tassel then secure with a knot.  Trim the end strings of your knot at the same length as your completed tassel.  Tie a knot in the end of your attaching string and attach to your bookmark - easy!

Why don't you join in the fun at Trendy Twine this month!