Feb 22

A Berry Sweet Birthday Blog Hop!

Hello there! I’m chiming in today, with a special Birthday card

Light the candles, cue the music and get ready for a little bit of birthday fun! It will SOON be a very special lady’s birthday and so we rallied the troops to send some birthday wishes her way a little early!
On Monday, February 25th, Jan Marie Caruso, the fearless and creative force behind Flourishes will be another year older — what a wonderful thing to celebrate! So, we’ve asked Flourishes’ designers from all of our teams to join us to help make this day super special with a……

Here’s the scoop, there’s a way YOU can help Jan celebrate and win some Flourishes stamps as well! HOW? We just love creative challenges here at Flourishes and so, why not usher in another one! One randomly drawn winner will get a $25 gift certificate to the Flourishes store, just for playing along!
You can find the challenge on the Flourishes blog, all you need to do is create a birthday project inspired by the graphics above, just like we all did!

Here’s my offering for Jan Marie…

Since it’s a “berry sweet” occasion, I chose the Cherries and Peaches set for my card. I used R02/R05/R46 Copics for the peaches, with a hint of Y11/Y15 in the light areas to add some warm yellow tint. The leaves were coloured with YG61/YG63/YG67, and a we bit of YG97 for the stalks and shadows.

You can also find on this card, paper from MME and a scrap of older American Crafts PP, French Pastry Doily die cut from PTI Aqua Mist cardstock, some decorative trim & brads that I haven’t used for longer than I remember… lol
I wanted this card to have an orderly, layered look that I used to reach for a lot, two or so years ago. It’s not so much of my favourite any more - I prefer a messy, bit more ‘artsy’ layers now, but I thought Jan Marie would enjoy this style more

Jan Marie, I hope your day is filled with much love!! You deserve every bit of it, in return for the kindness that you’re spreading around, and the strength and courage that shines through you and inspires us. I’m grateful to know you, even if not in person, hopefully one day!

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One extra note? Jan may be the head of this company but one thing she doesn’t get a ton of is happy mail from customers using her stamps? Let’s change that for her birthday and flood her with some creative “love” by sending her your Berry Sweet Birthday Blog Hop creations! Here’s her address so you can pop them in the mail!

Jan Marie Caruso
4140 Lyric Lane
Pensacola, FL 32514

I know she would love to see “in real life” what beautiful work you all do and I know it would bring a huge smile to her face! So, join us in singing her a special little birthday song! Be sure to check out all the fun and festive wishes and grab some great ideas for birthday cards along the way.

Thanks for stopping by and helping us with Jan Marie a wonderful and fabulous BIRTHDAY on Monday!

Feb 21

CASE Study Challenge #129

Happy (almost) Friday! I’m waiting for the weekend ever so impatiently, it’s been a looong and exhausting week. I seem to fit thrice as much as I normally do in my day, and I can only wonder why these things always happen to me when I’m pregnant. LOL!
OK I know, it’s a classic nesting thing, right? Last time I did a complete house makeover, while in the second trimester, and I was running around with a mad look look on my face, and a paint roller/screwdriver/cleaning agent in my hands. Right now I settled down for making myself a craft room and running a craft sale. Relaxation is overrated :p

Thursday as you know, means another CASE Study challenge, and with it comes a new piece of goodness from Teri Anderson. Lookie!

Gorgeous colours that pack a punch, I knew I was going in this direction but I didn’t have any particular idea about my card, until I thumbed through the box of scraps and discovered the pieces of cardstock cut with Rainbow Die-Namics, left from some long-forgotten project

I added the sentiment from Apothecary Labels (Simon Says Stamp), stamping the ribbon part once more on yellow CS and cutting out. The curvature of the sentiment completes the rainbow perfectly

Click on the links below, for more inspiration from our Team, Muse & Guest Designer!

Teri Anderson - February Muse
Amy Wanford
Andrea Ewen
Christina MacLaren
Clare Buswell
Debby Hughes
Jean Martin
Jeanne Jachna
Maureen Plut
Teneale Williams
Sylvia Blum - February Guest Designer

The challenge details, as well as the Inlinkz list to link up your entry, can be found on the CASE Study blog

Feb 18

February Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party

It’s time for a new WMS Blog Party!! I’ve been waiting for this one to happen, for the theme is DOILIES which you must know I love with all my Chupish heart…
Besides, I’m gearing up behind the scenes, for my first gig as a newly fledged WMS DT member and this is such a nice warm-up. Tee hee!

It’s so my style, to reach for several sets at a time, especially while creating with Waltzingmouse. The sets often fit together beautifully, regardless of being part of a larger theme group or not.
First up, I used Dainty Doilies 2 set, to go with the theme. I stamped them on SU! Sahara Sand, with either Pumice Stone Distress Ink or with Versamark and white embossed.
Added to the background, were the pine branches and berries from Festive Foliage.
The antique lamp and leaves from Bright Season, was stamped in HA Soft Granite Shadow Ink and ColorBox Ice Jade, and shaded with Copics. I used various Memento inks for the rest.
The sentiment comes from A Cottage Christmas, and was stamped on the Ribbon Banner Shapeabilities die cut.

I distressed the edges and inked them white. The burlap DP underneath belongs to the Glitz Design French Kiss paper pad.
The embellishments include lace, pearls and a Prima bloom/leaves.

Here’s the inspiration behind this card, click on the graphics to be taken to the relevant challenges:

Check out the WMS BLOG for the rest of the Blog Party entries, and please join us if you find the time!

Feb 17

Sketchbook Saturday Challenge #90

Judging by the number of people who played with my last sketch, many of you are a bit scared of skewed panels. Am I right??
I promise not to give you these too often, in fact it would be interesting to see if I come up with anything of such again - I’m not an expert myself but I do admire those who operate diagonals like it’s nobody’s business!

Today’s sketch as well as my card, are the result of another one of my card fascinations. This one, to be precise. Wendy does magic with cards as well as layouts, and that little beauty I had in my inspiration folder forever. It was high time I CASE’d it and I did so. Shamelessly…

It’s a gorgeous little layout, isn’t it?? As always, the fact that I used butterflies on both is only an indication of my small obsession with the aforementioned, and doesn’t mean you have to follow the order. Unless you’re in the club too. lol
Feel free to substitute them for flowers or any embellishments you like, or do some stamping and fussy cutting.

I’ve got PTI Aqua Mist CS for the base, and a panel of My Mind’s Eye DP (Lucky In Love). I stamped on it, using the leaf stamp from Inkadinkado, Memory Box Birch Branch Print and Hero Arts Soft Blossom/Soft Stone inks.

I cut some butterflies from various scraps, mainly of MME Lost & Found 2 - Blush and Teresa Collins Now & Then pads, using dies from Spellbinders, PTI and a Martha Stewart punch. Then I embellished them with a cabachon, Maya Road stick pin & a button.
I also utilized a border punch, again a Martha Stewart. I sat unused for far too long, love this folk motif.

I used the beautiful colour palette of PDCC169, I like it so much I couldn’t wait for the first opportunity to cet creative with it

I also wanted to thank you for the feedback re: the potential future changes in my sketch challenges. I might start highlighting some of the participants’ cards, or maybe invite those interested to a wee Guest Designer gig… is any of these options tickling your fancy?
There’s plenty of time before I’d implement any of these anyway, so take your time responding I’m thinking my 100th sketch would be a good time to start!

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A few things to keep in mind if you decide to use my sketch:

- You’re kindly asked to save the image onto your computer first, and if you make a card based on it, please link back to this post.

- If you upload your card to an online gallery, use the code SSC90.
- Feel free to share the link to your creation via the Inlinkz widget, so that I can come and check it out!
- The colours/elements mean nothing towards the card. All styles, colours and supplies, as well as slight alterations of the sketch are welcome.
- A new sketch and sample is posted every other Saturday night (American EST time ~ or around mid-day Sunday Melbourne time), but you’re welcome to play any time! Just leave a link in the comments section after Inlinkz widget closes.

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Feb 16

Jay Gee’s Nook - A wonderful friend

I’m back with another card for Jay Gee’s Nook blog today!
I was playing with come die cutting - I combined Chloe Stem and Perched Reedbird from Memory Box, with the sentiment from a Simon Says Stamp “You” stamp set.
I used negative die cutting for the flowers, and I adhered some glitter cardstock (Core’dinations) behind the panel. Yay, sparkle on, little card!

Bracket Edge Duo Die-Namics, were used to die cut a decorative edge in the panel. I was so stoked to see that die, I’ve been looking high and low for a simple and classy shape like this.

Hop on over to the Jay Gee’s Nook blog for continuous inspiration from the Team, product reviews and more! If you happened to miss it, we also had a group post for Valentine’s Day, jam packed with lovey-dovey paper goodness

Feb 15

Two styles, four challenges

Hello there! It’s Friday evening, another awfully hot day with no chance for getting any better in the next week, but I’m glad the sun is down and the fan is working
I’ve got a couple of cards to share, each of a different kind, I wonder which one you prefer.

A CAS take on The Camera Craze Challenge in the MFW, and CTS#15 (sketch below)?

PTI Hawaiian Shores CS, stamps from MFT (sentiment), The Craft’s Meow (hearts) and Hero Arts (camera). Memento Love Letter ink and PTI Fresh Snow for the sentiment. WPlus9 banner die. Sewing machine.

…or perhaps the ‘scrappy’ take on Tuesday Trigger: I’ve a Notion, and Muse Challenge #4 (photos below)?

PTI Blueberry Sky and Melon Berry CS, patterned paper from Kaisercraft (background) and Basic Grey (fussy cut flowers), embellies from Kasiercraft and Prima, plus buttons, trim, lace, button thread, white acrylic paint.

I took the colours & ‘feel’ from the Tuesday Trigger, layout from Muse. Btw, shouldn’t I be a little bit too familiar with the name/rules of the latter?? lol

See you later, alligators

Random Acts of Creativity

by Iwona Palamountain

Monthly Archives: February 2013