10 minute craft dash

I recently discovered the 10 minute craft dash challenge on the blog Pretty Pink Posh by Paulina.

I thought I'd give it a go with a new die that just got delivered in the mail earlier this week - Woodland Branch from Memory Box.  I pulled out some very cute pre-made little pink and white flowers that I have had for EVER, and added a sentiment from SU in Wild Wasabi ink, and voila!

 Well under 10 mins, but a pretty CAS card :)

Pattern Play - patchwork

I had some offcuts of patterned paper strips left over from my last 2 cards (in which used weaving), so I thougth I'd try a technique shown by Kristina Werner in today's Pattern Play class - patchwork. 

Thanks for visiting - have a great day!

Pattern Play - some more weaving

These are the smaller circles I spoke about in my last post (HERE) - I decided to go a bit more simple with the layout for this card.  I actually had 5 smaller circles, but went for a simpler approach.....

Pattern Play - weaving

One of the guest artists in the Online Card Class "Pattern Play" today is the fabulously talented Lisa Spangler - she made a card using weaving, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I made a weaved piece using paper from Basic Grey "Indian Summer" 6x6 pad, and I die cut a circle from the piece, then punched some smaller circles.  I couldn't seem to get them all to work on one card, so I just went with the large circle for this card and came up with this - my niece is turning 11 in May, so getting in early :

Remake

I had a whole heap of letters die cut out from the last card I made, so I thought I'd try a slightly different version of a congrats card - used the same paper for some of the letters, but added in a blue paper. I put the letters on straight this time, and I used my new Sakura stardust glitter gel pen to add some interest to the letters - I REALLY like that pen!! It's going to get HEAPS of use, I think!!

Used no stamps (again), so submitting this to CASual Fridays challenge, "No Stamps". 

Love that subtle glimmer from the pen!   Gorgeous in real life, but I hope the photo captures it a little bit:

I hope you're having a great day :)

Pattern Play meets CASual Fridays

Today's Pattern Play class was about adding stuff like glitter and glossy accents to patterned paper to add some interest.  This week's CASual Fridays challenge is to use no stamps.  I came up with this card to fit both, using a set of letter dies from Papertrey Ink, and papers from Echo Park's "Sweet Summertime" collection :)

I used Diamond Stickles on the pink letters, green marker around the green gingham letters, black dots bordering the yellow letters, and dots of Glossy Accents on the orange letters.

 Have a great day :)

Pattern Play Day 3, take 2

I was determined to try Kristina Werner's idea from class today, of cutting bold patterned papers into strips to break up the pattern.  I pulled out a patterned paper that is not exactly one of my favourites - I love the colours, not the pattern so much.  But, with Kristina's technique and a dash of my own idea of cutting out a curve so the sentiment could be flat on the base card, this is what I came up with:

Pattern play - Day 3

Taking part in today's Pattern Play Online card class, and I wanted to try Kristina Werner's idea to break up patterned papers that have BIG patterns.  I tried to cut this paper into strips.  I really did. But I just love it so much as it is, I decided to just cover the entire card with it!! I decided that I had to do *something* to alter it, so I added some dots of stickles ;)

Chipboard birdie for CASual Fridays

This week's CASual Fridays challenge is to use chipboard.  I have a chipboard set from Cosmo Cricket called Earth love that I bought a few years ago (there was also a matching paper pack) with these cute birdies, and I just bought a new stamp set, "You're so tweet" from My favorite things: Pure Innocence, and I thought they'd go together well.

Pattern Play paper piecing

Part of the Online Card Class Pattern Play today was stamping onto patterned paper to paper piece an image.  I just got this new stamp set in the mail this week from Simon Says Stamp, and I thought it was screaming out for some cute paper piecing.  I used 4 different patterned papers on this one. 

Isn't she just the cutest thing EVER!?!?!?!?

I'll be submitting this card to Addicted to CAS challenge - "Wings".

Pattern Play day 2

Seeing as I stamped and clear-embossed onto patterned paper for my card yesterday, I decided that I would use the offcuts from the diecutting in that card, but add some coloured Distress ink (Stormy Sky) to the reverse scallops.  This is what I came up with:

 The stamp I used on the pale blue paper is Hero Arts Leaf and Floral Background Cling stamp, which was clear embossed, then inked over with Stormy Sky Distress Ink.  The other layers also got a swipe of the same ink on the edge to give some definition. 
I'm submitting this card to Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger Elegant Emerald (all those lovely blue-green layers), and to A Blog Named Hero's Free Style Challenge.

 Have a great day!!

Pattern Play, Day 1

Busy day at work today, and choir rehearsal tonight, but I was DETERMINED to make a card for Day 1 of the newest Online Card Class, Pattern Play.

I used 3 patterned papers from Basic Grey's Picadilly 6X6 pad, but I stamped and clear embossed a HA background stamp onto the pale aqua paper.   There wasn't enough of an edge between the middle and bottom papers, so I drew in a line of faux stitching with a white gel pen.  I added some glimmer to the buterfly with my brand new Gelly Roll Stardust pen from Sakura.

I'll be submitting this card to 4 challenges - Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger "Elegant Emerald",  A Blog Named Hero's "Free Style",  Addicted to CAS "Wings", and Retro Sketches #55.

 Have a great day!!

Purple and Yellow

Whenever I make cards for kids, I either go with BRIGHT colours, or possibly pastels.  I definitely went with BRIGHT for this one!!

Liebster Award 2013 :)

Hi, all,
I have been lucky enough to be nominated for a Liebster Award once already (in February last year, I was nominated by Lisa of I'm in Haven - thanks again, Lisa!)  but in the last couple of weeks, I've been nominated again! Twice!! A huge thank-you to Cecilia Hseih of Cecilia's Cards, (who also lives here in Melbourne - yay!) and Christine of Das Kartenchaos (from Germany).

About the Award
This Award was designed to be a blog award in the "Pay it Forward" fashion. Once you have been nominated you award it to five blogs that you like that have fewer than 200 followers to encourage visitors to their blog.
Rules for Acceptance.
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog.
Post the award onto your blog. Give the award to five bloggers that have fewer than 200 followers.
Leave a comment on their blog letting them know that you have given them this Awesome Award..
Pay it Forward.
Here are the five Awesome blogs I follow, please check them out!  

1. Abbey Childress of 2ndhandstampsblog.  So many of her cards, I just think "I wish I'd thought of that".  So clever.
2. Michelle at Amusing Michelle - I love her CAS style, always so perfect :)
3. Glenda at Glenda's Paper, Scissors and Rocks - her style is so inventive and original, and whenever I see her takes on challenges, I just think "of course, so perfect!"  And she's a science geek, just like me!! Hooray! And I know she won't take offense at being called a geek, because she calls herself a geek on her blog ;)
4.Linda of Linda Trace Designs -  Linda does cards that are cute, elegant, artsy, pretty, funky - she does them all, and all so well!! 
5. Gillian at Made with Sparkle - I love her use of white space and her approach to challenges - always so elegant.  

So, please go and visit these lovely ladies' blogs and leave them some love :)

And thank you agaim to Christine and Cecilia for nominating me ;)

Have a great day :)

Michelle

Waste not, want not.

I had a very narrow strip of watercolour paper that I trimmed off a panel from a card last week, and it was all rainbow-y and lovely, and I couldn't bring myself to chuck it out, so I made a card.  Sorry, the photo looks out of focus - my camera had difficulty focussing on all that white!

 I used a Papertrey Ink impression plate on the front of the card, because it looked just a bit too empty.

 I'll be submitting this to Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes.