Friday 29 November 2013

Case Study Challenge #168 and Festive Friday

It's Friday here in Australia and I've been busy crafting, while all my American friends have been celebrating Thanksgiving and are now tucked up in bed, getting ready for Black Friday sales! My daughter is very jealous of all the wonderful holidays which are celebrated in the USA - she thinks Australia is very boring!

One of the cards I made today is for the Case Study Challenge and based on another Festive Friday theme, which is to include the word 'Merry' in the card. It's Keisha's last week as Muse at Case Study and I have really enjoyed casing her graphic/Cas style!




I decided to go Nordic again and use this gorgeous DP I got from Spotlight, a local craft store.
You can't tell by this photo, but I have mounted the striped paper with foam tape and the sentiment is from another sheet of paper, which I thought looked great on top of the stripes, balancing the design.

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Muse Card Challenge #45 Guest Designer Lucy

I was very inspired when I saw the inspiration card by Lucy in the current Muse Card challenge - it is a total stunner...


Here is my take on Lucy's card...



I die cut the ornament from the card and then cut the another ornament with 2 dies from chipboard and thirdly a smaller ornament to sit in the middle. The chipboard was inked and embossed 3 times and the centre ornament was embossed with a cuttlebug folder. The charm is from a local craft shop.

Designed to Colour - Christmas/Winter theme

I found a new challenge which looks like fun, because the challenge is to colour at least one image in keeping with the theme. This is good for me, because it really is a bit of a challenge for me - not my best attribute and I'm sure I can improve with practice!

Now I'm not super happy with the result of this card. It's a Kaisercraft stamp and I love the image, but I've tried various ways to stamp/emboss or not emboss and colour and so far I'm happiest with the silver. I've tried black, but it was too boring, but I might try again.

You can play along with the Design by Colour challenge here.




As you can see, I stamped the image in silver and embossed with silver sparkle powder. I coloured the image with Wink of Stellar Pen and Copics.

I've tried fussy cutting this image, but it is difficult with the flourish. Has anyone got any ideas?

Christmas Countdown - Festive Friday Final take 3/Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I'm still in Christmas card mode and today I watched the Papertrey Ink Make It Monday video, which was hilighting the use of heat and stick powder with glitter. I have been using this method quite a bit lately, it really is magic! 




 
The tree stamp is from Hot off the Press (magazine freebie) and the sentiment is from Pink Petticoat.
I have used a combination of Pan Pastel, distress inks, PearlEx and glitter.

Monday 25 November 2013

Muse Challenge #44

I just managed to complete a card for this weeks Muse Card Challenge.  The muse is Marion Vagg and she has come up with a real stunner for us to case. I decided to keep going with the Christmas card production and my inspiration was obviously the chalkboard trend.

I used a die to make a stencil for the doves and then swiped ink over the stencil and white embossed. I got the mirror image by turning the paper over and die cutting the second bird in the reverse.
The sentiment is from Penny Black.


Saturday 23 November 2013

Case Study #167/Runway Inspired #48

Hi again - 2nd post for the day! I noticed that a few people have combined 2 of my favourite challenges, Case Study and Runway Inspired, so I decided to try that myself. Here is the result....






I used one of my favourite Hero Arts stamps and a mix of water colour pencils and gelatos and once it was dry, I swiped the image with versamark and clear embossed it.

Festive Friday Challenge - Final Challenge

Oh dear, I only recently found this fun challenge and now this is the last one for the year!
It certainly inspires me to make holiday cards! But the good news is Festive Friday will start again in the new year, so I can start extra early for Christmas 2014!

The challenge is to choose our favourite challenge inspiration and make a card based on that. So I went back through the old inspiration photos and found this one....



I've used 2 different Memory Box dies, lots of distress ink, perfect pearls and glitter. It makes me wish we were with my Husband's family in Scotland for a white christmas!




Wednesday 20 November 2013

Festive Friday & Scrapbook Boutique take 2

Another quick post, because I'm trying to finish off lots of uncompleted projects.

This card is my second for both The Festive Friday challenge and the Scrapbook Boutique Challenge.




Scrapbook Boutique Challenge

Hi, just a quick post today. I made these tags for the latest challenge at Scrapbook Boutique.



The ornaments are made with the Spellbinders 2010 Heirloom Ornament die.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Less is More #146

Less is More have a challenge to Use Design Paper  in a CAS way. Well that sounds like an easy challenge for me! I have been challenging myself to use up my Christmas DP and NOT buy any more this year! So Here is another tag, which I have used on an embossed white card base. No stamping!!!




Monday 18 November 2013

Bokeh Stamping

I saw this gorgeous card by Libbie Hickson on the Hero Arts blog and thought I would case her card.
I used the rubber tip of a pencil and an ink dauber and various inks, wink of stellar pen, stickles and recycled foil for the snowflakes. The sentiment is from Kaisercraft.



I like Libby's card much more than mine, but I guess it's not too bad for a 1st attempt at this technique.



MUSE Card Challenge

Hi there Everyone! Here is a card for the latest Muse Card Challenge, based on another gorgeous card from Therese Calvird.



The background was created by stamping the larger snowflakes with versamark  on white card
and then swiping the card with PanPastels and blending to get the ombre effect. Then I stamped the other snowflakes with chalk and silver ink. The ornament was stamped and embossed with white embossing powder and then coloured with a gelato.

Sunday 17 November 2013

Case Study #166 take 2

I'm having so much fun getting in the Christmas Spirit, so I thought I'd make another tag for the Case Study Challenge, this tine in traditional colours.




I used some of my favourite Christmas paper, from The Girls' Paperie and a brad from My Mind's Eye.
The sentiment was cut from a Penny Black die. The ribbon is seam binding, which I dyed and distressed to match.

Saturday 16 November 2013

Case Study #166 Week 2 Keisha Campbell

Hi there Blog Buddies! It's been a quiet week here with regards to challenges. With the excitement of the Moxie Fab Thanks Blog Hop over and there being no Moxie Fab challenges (sob), I have decided to just play, without any particular guidelines in mind. I also invited some non-cardmaking friends over for a free cardmaking day. So I've been getting in to the Christmas spirit and having lots of fun.

Today I decided to get back in to some challenges and this tag is for the Case Study Challenge.



Is this enough glitter for you? It reminds me of the MFW all that glitters is gold challenge.

I had the chipboard frame in my stash and thought it would fit this challenge well. I inked it and embossed with silver hologram powder. Next I die cut the oval and letters from AC glitter paper. The chipboard snowflake was also inked and embossed. The white and silver trim is an adhesive tape - love it! The tag was die cut with a Penny Black die.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Case Study Challenge meets Festive Friday

There is a new muse over at Case Study ChallengeKeisha Campbell! I am really looking forward to seeing and casing Keisha's beautiful creations. 

I saw the hanging letters  and the bow in Keisha's card and remembered the metal letters buried deep in my stash. I inked and embossed them and then decided to make a christmas card, based on the Festive Friday challenge. 










Sunday 10 November 2013

Moxie Fab Thanks!!! Biggest Blog Hop Ever!


Clever and insightful
A
musing and a Muse
T
here for everyone
H
eart of gold!

Just a few of the words I would use to describe Cath Edvalson! 

Cath has been a huge influence on me in so many ways. She has challenged me to think outside of the square, to be aware of trends, to look on the bright side of life, to understand more about design and to be a better cardmaker. Most importantly, Cath has made me smile every day and often laugh out loud! Moxie Fab World gave me somewhere to meet and get to know other cardmakers. 

I decided I would make a collage card for Cath, because I really wanted to stretch myself  - I find this style of card incredibly difficult.  I was basing my card on an old TT - It's Completely Collagical! 
I hope you like it Cath! The sentiment is 'sweet', because Cath is the sweetest lady I know!




Cath, thank you for everything and I hope you find a new niche, which is equally rewarding! I miss you already but look forward to connecting on facebook  and hearing about your new endeavours!

  This humungous blog hop has been organised by the lovely Keren, Taheerah and Virginia for us 
all to say thank you - thanks so much ladies! I wonder how long it will take Cath to complete the hop! You should have arrived here from Pattie's blog. The next stop on the blog is Michelle Bala.
Thanks for visiting and enjoy hopping! You can find the list of participants of this hop over at Moxie Fab World.

Friday 8 November 2013

A Card For Cath - Farewell Moxie Fab World

Yes, as I'm sure  everyone knows by now, Cath Edvalson is moving on from Papercrafts Magazine, which also means she is leaving Moxie Fab World! Sigh!

 I feel very selfish to admit that from the moment I read Cath's words saying  she was writing her last post, I have been in a state of sadness and my mojo completely went out the door!  I know I am not the only one who feels this way, because tributes have been pouring in for Cath all week! So much love!!!

Like so many others, Moxie Fab World has been a huge part of my life, especially in the last year, when I needed an escape and something to inspire me. Every day I would sit down with my morning cuppa, settle down in front of the computer and click on MFW.  The greatest part of MFW to me was the feeling of community that Cath created and encouraged! She also managed to make us all strive to try new techniques and create outside of our comfort zone. I will never forget receiving the email from Cath, asking me to be Moxie Fabber of the week - it was so amazing and so unexpected! I adored 'Five for Friday', 'Oh My Moxie Fab, 'Tuesday Trigger' and appreciated all the research behind Cath's wonderful posts.

Cath, I hope you enjoy some well deserved rest and then launch in to something exciting and new  when you are ready! Thanks for everything!
Oh yes, I seem to be back creating again- yay! and this card is dedicated to Cath.
If anyone else want to make a card for Cath, you can link it up at Moxie Fab World.


Thursday 7 November 2013

Runway Inspired #47


Ummmm! Hi I'm back from a week of non-cardmaking and blogging! I have definitely struggled to create this week.  So I can't tell you what a relief it is, to have looked at the inspiration photo for Runway Inspired and thought "yes that's what I'll do!" and the card virtually made itself.