Buttons and Bows at Whimsy

Welcome to a new challenge at Whimsy Inspirations Challenge.  This week we bring you Buttons and Bows.  Here is what I made as my inspiration card.

I've used the Butterfly Bonus digi stamp that comes as a bonus when you purchase the new release Butterfly Border a StampArt Design by Kathryne.  You can find it here.

I've also used the new release butterfly papers from Michelle Roos design.  Love this paper!  My bonus butterfly has been printed 5 times, a tad smaller each time.  Don't you just love digi stamps!  I have to say I wasn't exactly a fan when they first came out, but wow, you can do some much with them.

My butterflies are coloured with copics.  BG000, BG15, B00, B02, B04, G000, E71 & E74.  Mint, Turquoise and Blue spica.

Hope you get out your buttons and bows this week and enter the challenge at Whimsy Inspirations.  

This card is also being entered at ...


Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Peacock / bird photo inspiration.  I used peacock colours.

Craft your Passion ~ Anything Goes

Make it Monday ~ Anything Goes
 

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Christmas Angel

Hello all, 
I'd really like to say a huge Thank You to those Wonderful ladies that manage and host all the fabulous challenge blogs out there in blogland and a huge Thank You to all of the amazing design teams for their inspiration.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been quite some time since I got my copics out and did some colouring.  I have had this angel stamp for some time but this is the first time I've used copics on her.  Love the way she turned out!

The camera hasn't picked up clearly, there is a fine line of stardust gel pen edging the white layers of the angel and the backing layer as well as the stars and embellishments on her wings and dress, but it just looks so good and ties the whole white/cream combination together nicely, I really thought it wasn't going to work as white and cream are not colours I usually combine.

My Christmas Angel is going into the following challenges.

Mad for Markers - Christmas Card

Hand Stamped Sentiments - An old Fashioned Christmas Theme #97

4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas Card Challenge #68

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Monochromatic blooms

Hello, I'm back with a second post for today.  I love monochromatic cards, there is just something calming about a colour scheme like that.  Hand Stamped Sentiments has a monochromatic challenge this week.  I've chosen Early Expresso, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla.  All following browns through to cream.  Really happy with the way this one turned out.

I really liked the vertical bow, but then I tied it so it sat horizontal and took another pic of the card.  I'd like to hear your opinion on which way you like it tied.  I think I prefer it vertical.  

I've sponged undiluted Champagne Mist shimmer paint over the Soft Suede ink after inking the stamp, while dabbing the paint over the ink the two mix slightly and you end up with the most amazing metallic ink look.  The flowers on the card fold are stamped using only the shimmer paint so they are soft and shimmery.  The same image is stamped on the Crumb Cake card with Crumb Cake ink.  Here's a shot of the inside.

And finally here's a shot of it partially open, I'm really happy with this funky shape to my card.

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Challenge # 82 Monochromatic

Ocean Adventure

Can you believe it?  This project also won at the City Crafters Challenge Blog!  Thanks you for selecting my project, I'm very proud of it and when I gave it to my daughter today she was blown away by it.

Thank you Hand Stamped Sentiments for chosing my project among the Artist Picks winners for your challenge #76  

I found a small Tim Holtz configurations box at the local craft shop and just had to grab it.  All sorts of ideas were racing around in my head and I finally settled on an Ocean theme and decided to make it for my beautiful daughter.  She lives at the beach and loves shells, fishing & camping and all that stuff.  It also happens that this fits a couple of themes for challenges as well so I'm entering this project into those.  I have been inspired to make a project like this from the moment I first saw the amazing Encouragement Emporium over at Neelz Expressions.  So here is my first effort at one of these wonderous creations.

I warn you though, this is a long post so grab a cuppa and settle back in for a long scroll.

 This pic was taken without the window sheet in, to prevent reflection in the photo.  

 This is the configurations box without the lid, you can clearly see all the little boxes inside now.

The next pics are all closeups of each of the boxes so you can see them in more detail.

All the boxes are lined with some ocean themed papers I found on holiday in Cairns months ago,  I inked the shell paper with Antique Linen distress ink and the edges of the box have been inked as well.  Included in the back is a little glass bottle filled with gold leaf, (sorry about the glare in the photo)  Next is a resin treasure chest and star fish and a of couse the obligatory gold dubloon...OK not a real one.  I aslo added a stamped shell image from a SU retired Stippled shells set behind the treasure chest.  The netting in the top of this box is a deep brown with gold highlights and seemed to suit the whole theme so I added some.

This one is lined with a beautiful foil paper is inked with faded jeans distress ink and the whole box is loaded up with charms laid on a bed of gold and champagne micro beads from my stash. ( I wondered when I'd get round to using them)  I couldn't really make the amazing books that Neil created so just made up some covers...Moby Dick and a whale stamped on the cover!

Compartment number 3 has some gold netting an anchor and a series of fish, tyres and whatnot caught with a home made fishing rod....a cut down toothpick and a gold safety pin!  Loved making that one.

Compartment number 4 is the largest at about 7cm square, the note in the bottle says HELP!.  more microbeads and a coiled rope and a starfish charm along with the large silver starfish and the gold net this one has a picture of my granddaughter and my daughter on the beach and a copy of Treasure Island.

Compartment 5 has a double sailors knot tied out of glittery elastic and adhered to the side wall of the box, again some charms and this time some antique copper buttons and a pretty little dragonfly.  This box was inked in Weathered Wood distress ink.

More microbeads, this time in a little glass bottle in compartment 6.  There is a silver dragonfly on the wall and three mini photos of family on the beach. on the other side wall and this time a copy of Robinson Crusoe.

 

I love compartment 7 because I've used two buttons to make the fishing reel and yes it has actual fishing line on it!  I've wrapped some jute around the glass bottle, hoping for it to look like some rum....maybe I should have put some strong tea in it...LOL.  Silver charms were added to this box.

Now we come to the wrecked pirate ship and the treasure map which of couse would lead you to the treasure chest up in box one if you're clever enough to follow the clues!  Oh don't you just love the skull and crossbones button?  More microbeads and an anchor and starfish complete this little box.

Finally, my own little pirate....this is a photo of my grandson at about 5 or 6 years old riding his Hardly Davidson motor bike on the beach.  More microbeads and some netting,  I had to add this amazing glitzy blue card on the base of this box, it is just gorgeous.

I hope you've enjoyed viewing my little Configurations Ocean Adventure as much as I enjoyed making it.  Congratulations if you've made it this far!

I am entering this project into the following challenges.

City Crafter Challenge Blog ~ It's a Shore Thing

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Summer Theme

Wedding Bliss

Hello everyone....finally my mojo has shown up!  No explanation of where its been though.   I thought it was prudent to just let it drop and not put it through the third degree just in case it high tailed it back out the door!  LOL

I was inspired to meet a few challenges with this card and hopefully I'll get a few more done before the week ends.

Cardstock:  Early Expresso; Sahara Sand; Marina Mist

Stamps:  Bliss

Inks:  Early Expresso; Sahara Sand; Marina Mist; versamark

Accessories:  Stampin Dimensionals; clear embossing powder; Pearls; beautiful wings embosslit; Top Note die; Glue

Challenges...

Hand Stamped Sentiments:~ Wedding Theme

SU Only: ~ Wedding Theme

Stamp - a - Holics:~  Early Expresso; Sahara Sand; Marina Mist

Sweet Stampin':~  Things with Wings

Stamp Scrap - Doodle:~  Photo inspiration - I chose brown and blue from the photo.

Mother's Day Card

I'm so very pleased that this idea turned out the way it did.  It took a bit of guesswork and measuring but turned out just sensational.

This is my first time using the Strength and Hope set, it's fabulous and what is even better is that Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the sale of each and every set to Breast Cancer research, so what better set to use for a Mother's Day card than this.  The words in the background also aptly describe Mother's.

Here is the card closed, I used a narrow vanilla ribbon for that.  The colours are Rose Red, Perfect Plum and Very Vanilla, a combo I came up with a week or so ago and I've been waiting for the right card to come along to use them.

And whent he card is open there is room for your message on the under side of the scalloped circle front.

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Challenge # 65 Mother's Day Theme

SU Only ~ Challenge # 17 Mother's Day

Jac-inks Papercraft Challenges ~ Challenge # 7 colour inspiration photo 

( I took the pink and purple from the photo)

Cute Card Thursday ~ Challenge # 162 - Re use a sketch from anywhere or design your own.  I designed my own!

Three in one

I recently made some beautiful papers using the shaving cream technique and used them to make this card and another one which I will post in a separate post.

I love working with pinks and this challenge was no exception.  The shaving cream technique is one that I will be repeating many times, this was my first attempt and I love the marbled look it gives.  

If you follow my blog you will know by now that I love making my own background papers, weather I use stamps and sponging or alcohol and inkers I love how it allows me to add something completely unique to my projects.

This card is entered into the following challenges.

Stamping 411 - Sketch Challenge #197

Picture Perfect Creations ~ Colour Combo #54 ~ Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride and Whisper White

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Pink-a-licious Challenge # 62

Pastel Flowers and a Butterfly!

Inspried by pretty pastels and on a roll with using reinkers and rubbing alcohol, see my last 3 or 4 posts I've probably made this card a LOT busier than I normally do but well there was all these layers in the sketch and then flowers and well I HAD to add bling......LOL

The colours I've used here are Lovely Lilac (retired), Sage Shadow (retired), Marina Mist and a touch of whisper white in the sentiment and ribbon.  Then I went to my stash of flowers and just added some to pick up on the colours used. 

To finish it off I added some flowers stamped in silver, but I think that was a mistake! oh well, see Andrea......I do make them, I just don't usually post them.

I'm going out with a bang with 5 challenges in this one post as this will be my last post for a little while, I'm moving house so I won't have time to craft, plus I need to have the internet transfered and all that jazz.  Mind you though, if the packing is driving me crazy and I haven't gotten to the craft room then I might just have to make another card.....somehow I doubt it though....*sigh*

This creation qualifies for the following challenges.  

Friday Sketchers ~ Sketch # 147

Paper Pals Arts ~ # 86 Elements of Style - Embossing

Colour Create ~ Pastel Colours

Southern Girls ~ Add an Animal  ---- YES BUTTERFLIES COUNT!

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ #60 Use Flowers

Swirls, hearts and flowers

I've managed to just squeeze in 4 challenges with this card.


I had to be just a little bit creative to meet the Ribbon and Lace criteria as when I went searching in my stash and in my sewing cabinet there was NO LACE! I couldn't believe it, no lace at all.....well I used the Eyelet Lace border punch and will have to just hope that's ok.

I've used the So Swirly wheel in both Concord Crush and Certainly Celery to make the background paper. Then added the ribbon and lace strip, a spritzed flower, label and heart. Also added just a little bit of bling with a rhinestone and some tiny pearls.

Just Us Girls ~ Sketch Challenge #70

SU Only ~ Challenge 12 Get wheelin' with Stampin' Around

Picture Perfect Creations ~ Colour Combo # 48

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Theme Challenge #54 Ribbon and Lace

Three Little Words...

OMG! Such a wonderful surprise! Grand Creations Winner at Picture Perfect Creations #46. I'm so proud of this card and so pleased others loved it too. THANK YOU to the lovelies over at PPC.

Oh third place again at SU Only challenges! Yay, I love how this card turned out!

I'm on a roll with Valentine cards today...LOL pity there is no valentine to give them all to! But of course, this kind of card doesn't have to be limited to valentines it can be given to anyone that you love.



Features on this card are

Home made Brads---- little hearts punched from cardstock, glued in place then coated with Crystal Effects.

Woven Papers background----On Very Vanilla cs I stamped Bella Toile in Marina Mist and French Filagree in Bashful Blue, I also used the Designer Papers in Marina Mist and Bashful Blue and cut strips from all of these, I then wove the background mat and trimed the ends.

Hearts----Bella Toile stamped in Marina Mist and Cherry Cobbler, usning the large heart punch, I punched out two blue and one red heart I then sponged the edges. Using the embosslits heart I ran this through the big shot twice in Cherry Cobbler and once in Marina Mist. I then layerd the punched out heart shapes over the embosslit shapes and layered the three on top of each other topped three rhinestones on graduated from small to large.

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ I {Heart} Hearts

Picture Perfect Creations ~ Colour Combo #46

SU Only Challenges ~ Valentine

Valentine

Happy 'Australia Day' everyone!

This is my twist on a valentine card and is being entered into FIVE challenges! I thought this masculine colour combo would work quite nicely for a valentine card.

The base is Crumb Cake, layers are Cajun Craze and Peach Parfit DSP from the level 1 hostess pack. Then Rich Razzleberry and the Rich Razzleberry DSP, next layer is Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake stamped with the swirl from Baroque Motifs in Cajun Craze ink. Then the Circle is backed with Rich Razzleberry and topped with Whisper White. Hearts are in Peach Parfit, Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake with a rich razzleberry brad in the middle. The stamp comes from Word Play and was inked up with Stampin' Write Markers.



Paper Take Weekly ~ Sketch

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ I {Heart} Hearts

Colour Q - Colour Challenge

4 Crafty Chicks ~ Ribbon, Brads, Patterned Paper

SU Only Challenges ~ Valentine

Pink.....Hearts.....Butterflies ......and....BLING!

Yay.....the lovely ladies over at Hand Stamped Sentiments have bestowed on this card the Artists Pick! Thank you very much. I'm still doing my little happy dance.

What could be better? Pinks, Hearts, Butterflies and Bling not necessarily in that order. I'm thrilled with this creation. It just came together for me as my interpretation of the Hand Stamped Sentiments sketch challenge this week.

I used the Colour challenge #83 from Scrapmasters Paradise as well to make this card.

I wanted the large scallops so I punched 3 circles and layed them side by side to form the first layer, then did it again in Crumb Cake to get that layered effect. I sponged Pink Pirouette ink over the white ribbon and tied a loose knot in it and coverd the join.



Next came the hearts, I used the embosslit die for the Regal Rose and Crumb Cake hearts. I used the large heart punch to punch out the Crumb Cake heart which removed the scallops, then I spritzed the Crumb Cake heart with.....LOL yep, you guessed it, champagne mist shimmer paint, I can't get enough of this stuff for that elegant shimmer and it comes up so beautifully on the Crumb Cake. The embossed Presto speciality paper was still on my desk from last night's card so I sponged it with Regal Rose to bring out the pattern and layered all three hearts over each other.

Now of course, you all know that no project is really complete without butterflies and bling. I've added a single rhinestone to each heart growing the size with each one.



Thank you for stopping by, I hope you love this card as much as I do.

Too Hot

I got home from work this afternoon and it's so darn hot up here that I switched on the airconditioner and shut myself away in my craft room and created some cards. Apart from trying to escape the heat, I didn't start our with that burning desire to get the ideas out into reality, which I'm sure you would agree is mostly what happens, you have these little moments of inspiration taht just have to become a reality.

I'd printed out a couple of pages of pictures of sketches and colour combos from various challenge sites, this sits on my desk and vaguely refer to it while creating hopefully at the end of the session the cards actually match up with one or more challenges...LOL

Here is the first of three just created.. I'm going to head back in there as the humidity is astounding tonight and just being here long enough to type the entry I have worked up a sweat.....ewww I hate that! Give me cold weather any day!

Complaining about the weather aside.....this card is a sort of remake of one I did a while ago for a Stampin' 411 Challenge this time I've used Bashful Blue, Night of Navy and Sahara Sand.



Challenges this card is entered into are...

Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ 'Use Punches'
Diva Coffee Break ~ Colour Challenge # 210

On to the next post before I melt!

The year begins...

News Flash!:....... This card was chosen as an Artists Pick on Hand Stamped Sentiments. Thank you to the lovely ladies there for that honour....LOL Wheeeeee.


Hi everyone, the year not yet two weeks old and already it's shaping up to be hectic, even a little chaotic! I've finally made some time to do some challenges. I'll have to come back to post the others, here's the first of them

This entry is for the SU Only Challenge # 9 'Bling' and Hand Stamped Sentiments #49 Winter Blues.

I found this stunning dragonfly bling the other day and thought it would be great in a scrapbook page it's almost jewellry with the crystals and diamontes. Not sure that this pic does it justice cause it sure counts as Bling!

I've used Bashful Blue and Night of Navy card stock, Night of Navy ink, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, pinking hearts border punch sizzix ovals, Rhinestones and Marina Mist taffeta ribbon. The sentiment comes from a long retired hostess set.

I've had a request for the instructions for the border, so here goes....


1. The borders are pretty easy, cut your oval or circle and apply double sided tape around the edge you need to pleat it a bit to go round the edges.

Note: if you are using the oval or circle to stamp on, stamp your image prior to putting the tape on as it won't lay flat enough to stamp on after the tape or edge has been applied.

2. Next punch your border on the long side of a sheet of A4 Cardstock then trim it off leaving about 1/2 inch strip.

3. Snip along the strip towards your border evenly at every scallop or between the points on the pinking edge ( see picture below)

4. Peel off the backing paper, with the right side of the oval or circle facing you, begin at one end section of the border strip and stick that to the edge, slightly overlap the next section lining up the edge of the oval with the border and keep doing this until your border is around the oval.

Front view

Back view

The finished oval or circle will look something like this

Depending on the size of your oval or circle, you may find the edge doesn't meet neatly, put an embillishment over that and you're covered. Can you spot where this one meets???