Wednesday 20 March 2013

Dear Sir...



Hi hi,

My easel card today is one for the boys (big boys).

Over at the Saturated Canary challenge blog the theme is "Read All About It".  Can you guess which book inspired this card?  Heeheee....
 
Now I've started the hubby to reading 50 Shades.  It's our 11th anniversary this Saturday and I have something special planned.  However, I'm a little scared to give him this card now, since he's reading the book.  Too suggestive perhaps.  Yes, can't have him thinking funny ideas.




 
  
The image is one of Krista Smith's called Grey Tie and coloured with copics.  She's got to be the sexiest digi I've ever seen.
 
For the layout I followed a sketch from Simon Says Stamp.  Their current challenge is a sketch challenge which is ending very soon.  Better hurry up with this post.
 
 
 
 
The Sentiment reads "Dear Sir..." embellished with a heart paperclip.  Edges of all layers are sponged with Aged Mahogany and black.  Card is finished off with some black satin and sheer organza ribbon, and a handcuff charm.



This is what the card looks like closed.
 
So what do you think? Give him the card? Nah...
Well I'm glad you all got to see this card because after this, its staying in the drawer.
Hope you liked it and thanks for stopping by.
Hugs
Phi
 
 
This card will be entered into the following  challenges:
 
Simon Says Stamp - Choose a sketch - Using sketch 2.
Dutch Dare Challenges #208 - Spots and Stripes.
Saturated Canary challenge #39 - Read all about it
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #41 - One for the boys
Love to Create #57 - Anything goes

 
 

Monday 18 March 2013

Green Luck


Hello Crafters,

My card today is a small one and all green.  I must say, I take really poor pictures.  The colours look really washed out on the screen.  In real life its alot more vivid.

The image is one of Krista Smith's Irish inspired new digis called Shannon.  She's so pretty I just had to have her.  I tried to colour her up all in green (as this card needs to be an all green card) but that proved to be stretching my colouring skills.  I did try though and now I have a not-so-flattering Shannon with green hair and green dress staring at me from my desk.  Since I wanted the main focus to be the clover, leaving the image uncoloured worked out well.
 
 
For the layout of the card I followed a sketch from the current Simon Says Stamp challenge.

The clover is made of jute twine taken from an old gift package, coloured in with a green copic marker, and coiled around into the shape of a clover.
 
The sentiment reads "good luck" and is punched out using the word window punch from Stampin Up.  The doily is cut out using the antique doily die from Quickutz.
 
Stampin Up sage shadow card stock is used for the card base and printed image.
 

 
Even thought the pictures are poor I hope you will like the card anyway.
 
Thanks so much for spending time at my blog.
Have a wonderful week.
Phi
 
 
This card will be entered into the following challenges:
 
Twine it up with Trendy Twine - March challenge - Going green
Simon Says Stamp - Choose a sketch - Using sketch 1 and flipped.
Sarah Hurley Challenge #78 - Recycle - I used recycled jute twine from old packaging to make the clover.
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes
Gingerloft challenge - The colour green
Sentimental Sundays #146 - Anything goes
Love to Create #57 - Anything goes
 


Friday 15 March 2013

J for 'Just as you like'



Hi All,

The new fortnightly challenge over at ABC Challenges is "J for Just as you like".  As GDT this is the card I made for the occasion.


Since the papers were so pretty and I didn't want to hide all the flowers on it, I kept embellishments to a minimum.  Papers were from a Kaisercraft paper pad called Precious Moments.
 
 
 
The sentiment is from the sentiments page of the same pad.
 

The image is from Paper Shelter and coloured with copics.


Papers were distressed, added ribbon and bow, stuck on a die cut butterfly and finished off with some flatback pearls.  A very simple card with a sentiment that says it all.
 
 
 
 
Thank you to ABC Challenges for having me as GDT this month.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

That's all from me for now.
Wishing you all a lovely day.
Phi
 
This card will be entered into the following challenges:
 
Polkadoodles Week 10 - Distressing
LEJ Designs #44 - Things with wings
Dream Valley Challenges #52 - Mothers Day or Female
The Crafty Bloggers Network #9 - Spring or Pastel
Heck of a Challenge - Spring/Butterflies and Pearls
 
 
 
 

Sunday 10 March 2013

Bewitched



Evening everyone.

I'm not sure what to make of this card I'll be sharing with you tonight.  My daughter (my number one fan and critic) tells me its a little dark.  I meant it to be a little dark, but more on the magical than the spooky side.  Hmmm....

The Image is by Sherri Baldy - one of her cute Besties - and coloured with copics.  For the layout I followed a sketch from The Sketchy Challenges #42.  All layers of the card have been distressed on the edges and corners.  Faux stitching were drawn on the bottom two layers of the card.
 
Dies used:
Leafy flourish from Die-namics
Nesting circles from Quickutz ( for the little circle to redecorate the button)
Labels eighteen from Spellbinders

Used tulle for the circle behind the die cuts, and lace behind the image, both recoloured with copics to match the card.  Never thought I'll use the chisel end of my copics.

The button was redecorated with the same paper used for the backing paper and flourish die cut.  The sentiment reads "wishing you everything Magical".  A few rhinestones added for some bling and the card is done.
 
Well, what do you think?  Spooky or magical?  The more I look at it, the more spookier it looks.  Maybe my daughter is right.
 
Thank you for your time here at my little blog.
Have a lovely day.
Phi
 
 
This card will be entered into the following challenges:
 
WHW - Inspired by Stamping #92 - Decorating buttons technique
Crafty Catz #173 - All stitched up
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #40 - Anything goes with ribbon
Simon Says Stamp - A bit of green
The Sketchy Challenge #42 - Kathrin's Sketch
Polkadoodles Week 10 - Distressing
 
 
 



Wednesday 6 March 2013

Kissing Technique



Hi peeps,

A very quick post from me today.  Just wanted to share with you a technique I have just learnt.  It is called the kissing technique where Joanna from Inspired by stamping explains it here

This is my card using this technique.

Ooops.  This picture is blurry but the colour is better than the other pictures I have.  I'm really not that good at taking pictures.
 
The image used is Anzac Poppies by Beccy at Beccy's Place.  Coloured with copics and popped up with foam tape.

This is a picture showing the use of the kissing technique close up.  The technique is basically stamping straight onto the embossing folder and when you emboss, the stamped image transfers onto your paper but only on the debossed areas.  Makes sense?  Joanna explains it better with pictures.  Check out her site with the link above.
 
With this technique I wanted to emulate blades of grass with butterflies hidden in it.

This card was inspired by Brenda's blog (Floral Fantasies) header.  She has a blog celebration going on with amazing prizes here.  Go check it out, you'll want to join in.
 
Thanks for visiting today.
Phi
 
 
Card will also be entered into the following challenges:
 
Simon Says Stamp - A bit of green - My poppy leaves are green
The Crafty Bloggers Network #9 - Spring or Pastel - Spring
 Challenges 4 everybody #15 - Anything goes
 

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Snowflake Tree






Hello fellow crafters,

I am on a roll.  Have completed my second Christmas card for the year....hehee.....not much of a roll I guess.  But I usually don't get any done until the very last minute so I guess that's something.

Ever since I have discovered copics (around October last year), that is all I've been focusing on.  Practising and trying to improve my colouring, and simply having fun with them.  Have completely ignored my rubber stamps.

Let me show you my card.

For this card I pulled out an old little stamp set by Stampin Up! called Snow Flurries.  Stamped these in Old Olive (SU), Close to Cocoa (SU), and Worn Lipstick (Tim Holtz).  Then cut each out with my little circle die.  Yes, a die!! Can you imagine running little circles through your cuttlebug heaps of times?  Not only the ones you see on my card but a whole heap more as I couldn't decide which colours with which snowflake until I saw it all laid out. Sooooo wish I had one of those small circle punches.  A 5/8" one would be perfect *sign*.  Except for this part, putting together this card was really fun.  With my copic obsession I have forgotten how much fun it was to simply stamp.
 
 
A few things helped me with putting together this card.  Firstly, for the layout I followed a sketch from Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #205.  For colours, I went with white, light pink and green, in line with the colour inspiration challenge at IBSIC. 
 
 
 
 
But mostly, this little cupcake stack inspired my little snowflake tree.  This came from Cupcakes Inspirations Challenge and its cupcake number #169.
 
 
 
 
Added mini bows made of sheer organza ribbon amongst the snowflakes for some shimmer.  Love this ribbon!  Adds a hint of colour without being overpowering.  And love the shimmer!  First, I tried to add some bling with rhinestones but didn't work out.  Found it to be too much so just used a couple on the corners.  Finished off the card with white satin ribbon.
 

 
So here you have it.  I'm quite proud of this card.  Not a copic use in sight.
Hope you like it.
 
Thank you so much for visiting my space.
Phi
 
 
 
This card will be entered into the following challenges:
 
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges #51 - Ribbon and Bling
Inspired by Stampin Inspirational challenge #48 - Colour inspiration - White, light pink, sage green
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge #114 - Ribbons, ribbons, ribbons
Totally Gorguss #173 - Anything Goes with pink
The Ribbon Girl - Add Ribbon or twine
Christmas Cards All Year Round March challenge - Sparkle and bling - Rhinestones and sheer organza ribbon that has a shimmer.
Cupcake Inspirations challenge #200 - Used cupcake #169 for inspiration.
The Crafty Bloggers Network #9 - Spring or Pastel - Not Spring but definitely Pastel
 
 
 
 
 
Woohooo I won top 3 at IBSIC #48
 

Sunday 3 March 2013

Pastel Christmas



Hello lovely people,

Today I want to share with you a card I just finished.  Thought I might get on top of my Christmas card supply before the time hits.  Yeah, like, way way before.

 
I wanted to use non-traditional Christmas colours so the card is made mostly in pastel colours.  For the backing I used two different sheets of DP from the same pack.  The pack is called Christmas by Dena Designs.
 
For the layout of the card I followed sketches from Creative Crafts Challenge2 #4 and Papertake Weekly sketch #74.  As these two sketches are so similar I thought I will take advantage and enter both challenges.
 
The image used is called Penny Penguin by Sherri Baldy and was coloured with copics.  This is such a sweet image that it inspired this sweet card.
 

I'm not sure if the above pictures has captured this or not, but the card is embellished with glitter in many places.  All around the borders, on the girl's collar and dress, on the penguin's hat and on all the snowflakes.  There's even some on the teeny tiny holly berries.   Right now the card is sitting on my desk, sparkling in the corner of my eyes.
 
 
I must wrap up this post now as I'm cutting it fine to enter this weeks Besties Challenge...hehehe....as always.  Hope you find this card as pretty as I think it is.
 
Thanks for visiting.
Phi
 
 
This card will be entered into the following challenges:
 
Inspired by Stampin Inspirational challenge #48 - Colour inspiration - White, light pink, sage green
Creative Craft Challenges2 - A sketch for you
Besties Challenge #7 - 2 different patterned papers
Crafty Sentiments Designs - A recipe for you - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments
ABC Christmas Challenge - D for designer paper
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #116 - Use our favourite colour - This month my favourite colour is pink.
Divas by Design - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges #51 - Ribbon and Bling - My bling are all the glitter I used.
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge #114 - Ribbons, ribbons, ribbons
Crafty Ribbon Challenge #40 - Anything goes with ribbon
Christmas Cards All Year Round March challenge - Sparkle and bling - Heaps of glitter on my card
Totally Gorguss #173 - Anything Goes with pink
 
 
 
Yippee! I'm a winner at CSAYL #5

 
 


Friday 1 March 2013

GDT make for ABC Challenge


Hi everyone.

For the month of March I am lucky enough to be a guest designer for The ABC Challenges.  Their current challenge which starts today is "I for In Love".  I created this little card for the occasion:

For the layout of the card I followed a sketch from Creative Craft Challenges2 for their current challenge.  Instead of using 3 separate pannels, I used a DP that was already sectioned into three with different patterns.
 

The image I used is called Donna and Donny from Stamp Fairy.  These bears are the cutest!!
 

The first half of the sentiment was typed up on Word and printed on DP.  The word "heart" is half of a stamp by Stampin Up.  If anyone knows where I can get awsome fonts for sentiments let me know as I have very few sentiment stamps.


I enjoyed sharing this little card with you and thank you to the ABC Challenge team for choosing me to be their guest designer for March.

Thank you for visiting me today and I hope you liked what you saw.
Phi


Card will be entered into the following challenges:

Creative Craft Challenges2 #4 - A sketch for you
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges #78 - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges #51 - Ribbon and Bling
Allsorts #195 - Animals
Whoopsidaisy - Add a sentiment
Challenges 4 Everybody #14 - Anything goes
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #116 - Use your favourite colour
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Fab 'n' Funky #160 - Pastel colours
Inky Impressions #99 - Splash of red
The Stamping Chef - Bling challenge
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #40 - Anything goes with Ribbon
A Gem of a Challenge #68 - Add a bow
Totally Papercrafts #156 - Love is in the air