Papertrey Ink April Blog Hop

Hello!

I thought I wasn't going to have time to enter the PTI Blog Hop this month, but then I found myself with an hour "spare" in between swimming lessons, vet visits, and ballet lessons... yippee!! I quickly did a google search on "embroidery" and found a lovely piece that inspired me immediately. Actually, I found two, but I only have time to make one card. ;-)

This is my card.

I used PTI Doodlie-Do stamps. Colours are SU! Night of Navy, Real Red, Daffodil Delight. That strip on the side is actually navy, not black.

The inspiration I used was this lovely handbag, which I found at Harujion Design.

This is the PTI inspiration board.

And just before I go, here is a photo of my Penny in all her colourful glory.

Thanks for visiting... now, back to the crazy Saturday kid-taxi schedule... ;-)

Michelle
xxx

Fusion #9

Hello!

It's time  for a new Fusion Challenge!

When I sat down to make this card, I had something completely different in mind. But while I was pulling out colours and getting myself ready to stamp, this idea jumped into my head and decided to stay. I only used the inspiration, not the sketch this time. I was looking at those zigzags and it brought to mind the edges of the dahlia petals. So I followed the inspiration to create this card. It's so bright and fun!

I used SU! Regarding Dahlias. Colours are Memento Luxe Morocco, Rose Petal, Tuxedo Black, and Dandelion, and Mama Elephant Mojito. The sequins are Avery Elle.

Please take some time to visit the rest of the Design Team, they've done some wonderful work!

Betty J
Cathy Weber 
Dannielle Robeson
Deepti  
Jeanne Jachna
Julia Aston
Katie Brooks
Kelly Griglione
Kimberly Wiener 

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan 

Michelle Williams

Michelle Lupton

Sindhu
Stephanie Severin

Thank-you for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

CASE Study DT Call Challenge

Hello!

CASE Study is holding a Design Team Call Challenge. We are to choose a muse who will push us out of our comfort zone. I chose two.

Firstly, I decided to CASE Sanketi, who I have been admiring for SO LONG for her amazing watercolouring, both in cards and other art. This is my card.

I used PTI Strawberry Patch stamps, stamped in grey, and then watercoloured using Derwent Inktense pencils. 

The dark background is a nod to Sanketi's style, she uses dark backgrounds to amazing effect. My card is a little cleaner (reflecting my style). My watercolouring has a long way to go, but I'm working on it. ;-)

This is Sanketi's card:

For my second card, I chose Debby Hughes as my muse. Debby has so many cards I could have chosen, but I wanted to choose one of her "minimalist" cards. Although I am a CAS card maker, Debby takes it to the next level, so CASEing her (for me) is a challenge! This is my card:

I used PTI Round Repeats to make the pattern, SSS Happy, and PTI Stylish Sentiments Birthday.

A while ago Debby mentioned a technique she used for CASEing where she looked at the card, examined the elements, and then went away to make her card without looking back at the original. I did this here. When I thought about Debby's card I thought about bright colours, diamond shapes, and stamping in a pattern.

This is Debby's card:

And now it is the end of the Easter week-end. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I had better get some beauty sleep. Thank-you for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Get Well Flowers

Hello!

If you were feeling ill, do you think a blue and green bunch of flowers would make you feel better? I'm not so sure, but my daughter loves this card, she thinks blue flowers are PERFECT, lol!

I used Avery Elle Thanks a Bunch stamps. Colours are PTI Hawaiian Shores and SU! Pool Party, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, and Pacific Point.

I'm entering this into the Avery Elle Colour Challenge.

I made another card using this stamp set just the other day. Now that I've made the blue version, I want to go back and remake this one. I was thinking of my Mum for Mother's Day with this one. I'm pretty sure Mum doesn't read my blog, so I should be safe sharing here. ;-)

I'm making torta pasqualina for dinner tonight. My favourite part of Easter food. The kids get their chocolate eggs. I get my spinach, egg, and ricotta pie. :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Graphic and Flowers

Hello!

I love the mix of a graphic pattern with flowers. I love the contrast of the sharp lines against the curves of nature. This week's collaboration between Runway Inspired Challenge and CAS(E) This Sketch provides me the opportunity to play in this way.

I used PTI Square Prints and Pretty Peonies. The sentiment is wPlus9 Strictly Sentiments II.

It took me a while to work out how I was going to reflect this inspiration. All the design team members have done such beautiful work already and I didn't want to just make a card "just like theirs". I think I've managed to make something a little different, but still close enough to the inspiration. What do you think?

We have the most beautiful Easter week-end here. The sun is shining. It is still a bit too hot during the days, but we are finally getting some lovely Autumn nights. I look forward to the night temperatures dropping just a bit more so that I can really enjoy my doona without having to leave a foot or leg outside. ;-)

Thanks for coming by to visit!  Happy Easter everyone!

Michelle
xxx

For my friend

Hello!

I have a friend who helps me out a lot. We help each other. I'm pretty sure I owe her a thousand more than she owes me. I value this friend SO MUCH. I thought I'd give her a card as a memento to how much she is valued. :-)  My friend is also my SU! dealer, yes, DEALER. She has a magic way of making me buy things I wasn't going to buy... sigh! I should really stop going to technique class, lol! So this is a SU! card using a set I've loved forever but only recently bought.

Stamps are Regarding Dahlias. Colours are Poppy Parade, Whisper White, and Basic Black.

This week is a short week at work, but it is feeling rather long. I have so much happening, and a short week just means it has to happen in four days instead of five. Add to that a three day week next week (Easter Monday and ANZAC Day on Friday) and work life is hectic! I will admit that I am so looking forward to the Easter week-end. Four days to relax and hopefully recover my health sounds like heaven right now. :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Mama Elephant April Challenge

Hello!

Today I'm playing along with the Mama Elephant April Challenge. I couldn't resist the inspiration photo. I love the colours! I immediately thought of soft sea-glass coloured watercolour background, so I went ahead and created it using watercolour paper and my Inktense pencils. Added to this background is a wistful panda holding a little balloon and saying hello. I don't know if you can see it in this photo, but the background sparkles with Perfect Pearls, as does the dotty card base. :-)

I used Mama Elephant Pandamonium, Party Kit, and Basic Borders stamps. Background coloured using Inktense pencils. Ink is Mama Elephant Mojito, SU! Pool Party, and Memento Luxe Black.

Thank-you for coming to visit me!

Michelle
xxx

A Country Quilt

Hello!

I'm back with a quick post before bedtime. I had another quilt idea for Make It Monday that was inspired by the sketch at Retro Sketches.

This card feels like a warm country-style quilt to me. :-)

I used Papertrey Ink Birds & Blooms and Doodlie-Do stamps. Card is PTI Vintage Cream. Patterned paper is SU!

Now I'm racing to bed. Back to work tomorrow and I need a good rest before then. Still not well and I need as much sleep as I can get.

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Some cozy quilts

Hello!

I'm bringing you two cards this post. I was sitting pondering two challenges last night and ended up using the same sketch for both cards. It must be a great sketch!

My first card is for CAS(E) This Sketch #72.

I used wPlus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamp and Happy Trio die. The card is SU! Tangerine Tango, Soft Slate, and Daffodil Delight. Paper is SU! Watercolour Wonder. Black ink is Memento Luxe.

At first I wasn't sure how this card would turn out. It was feeling VERY bright to me. Once it was finished, I found that the softer colours in the patterned paper gave me enough breathing space from the bright orange that I really liked it. I love that die! I cut the happy twice - once in tangerine and once in daffodil and offset them to create a shadow effect.

My second card is for Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #159. I used the same sketch, but a different technique. The technique is no-sew quilted cards. I decided to make a quilt to place on top of my card (and I embossed the card base in the same pattern).

I used Hibiscus Burst card and paper. I embossed using the Hexagon cover plate. The stamp is from Meadow Greens.

Before I go, I have a couple of photos for you. First is my chicken Penny. She has the most amazing colours. For a while I was worried she was a rooster, because her colouring is so fabulous! Her black feathers glow green as well. She's 14 weeks old now and I'm happy to say I'm confident she is a hen. :-)  She was feeling a bit hot yesterday, so she had her mouth open and her wings spread out for most of the day. My black chickens feel the heat just as badly as my black dog. The white chickens don't seem to have the same problem.

My other photo is what I found when I went to turn the light off for my 6 year old daughter last night.

Because we all know that to be completely cool we have to wear our sunglasses while reading our book...lol! I don't know how she was reading, the light in her room isn't the brightest in the first place.

Thank you for coming to visit me! Have a great week-end!

Michelle
xxx

Runway Inspired #57 - a little bit of modern art

Hello!

If you've been hanging around here for a while, you'll know how much I love Runway Inspired Challenge. You'll also know that I haven't entered very much lately. The inspiration is constant, but RIC really stretches me, and it takes some time for my ideas to come to fruition. Most of the time I miss the deadline! But not this time, I have almost a whole day before the deadline, yay!!

The inspiration this week took me in a whole new direction in card design. I really enjoyed the journey. This is what I love about RIC - I try so many new ideas out! :-) This is what I came up with.

I used PTI Doodlie-Do, Building Blocks, and Square Prints stamps. Inks are a mix of SU! and Memento Luxe.

And this was the inspiration. What a cute dress. I think I would like this dress in my wardrobe, gorgeous shape, and quirky pattern. :-)  I'm not sure I can pull of the short hemline these days, but you never know...  This dress had me wishing I had a pigeon stamp. On the topic of pigeons, who puts a pigeon on a dress??? So unexpected, and so much fun!

Today I went for a lymphatic drainage massage. I'm still battling my sinus infection. My massage was AWESOME. I'm hoping it has a positive impact on my health, quickly. I'm falling further and further behind at work, and I know how much is waiting for me when I am back up to speed, sigh!

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion #8

Hello!

I am predicting that this round of Fusion Challenge we will see some super-pretty cards in the gallery. The inspiration is pretty and pastel and the sketch lends itself to garlands of flowers. :-)  My card is definitely inspired by the inspiration photo, but if you squint your eyes, you may also see a whisper of the sketch in there, too. I flattened it into one layer, so it takes a bit of lateral thinking to see it. ;-)

I used PTI Wonderful Words: Friends and Ruby Rose stamps. Inks are a mixture of Stampin' Up!, Memento, and Hero Arts.

The rest of the design team have amazing cards, so please take some time to check them out!

Betty J
Cathy Weber 
Dannielle Robeson
Deepti
Geri Freeman
Julia Aston
Katie Brooks
Kelly Griglione
Kimberly Wiener 

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan 

Michelle Lupton

Sindhu
Stephanie Severin

Thank-you for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Happy Birthday!

Hello!

I know, I know... I haven't been here for a couple of weeks and then I post twice in two seconds. It isn't fair! The problem is that a deadline is approaching, and it is now or never. Sorry about that! ;-)

This sweet little card is being entered into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where they are having a birthday celebration.

I used Mama Elephant Pandemonium, Party Kit, and PTI Sweet Speech. Inks are Mama Elephant, Memento Luxe, and Memento.

Yes, I had those pandas out, and I was determined they'd have a fruitful outing. Brace yourself, they may show up again soon. Don't you love my panda's little pink bow?

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle
xxx

Birthday Party Balloons!

Hello!

I'm bringing you a card that I've had in my head for quite a while. I fell in love with these pandas the second I saw them. I knew they belonged with a big bunch of balloons! :-)  Doesn't the panda look so happy?

I used Mama Elephant Pandemonium and Party Kit, and PTI Sentiment Signs stamps. Colours are SU! Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, and Memento Tuxedo Black.

I'm entering this card into The Paper Players challenge where we are invited to use three of something. I used three balloons. I also used three colours (if you ignore black and white).

I'm also entering Simon Says Stamp Birthday Party.

Not so many words today. I'm still unwell. I'm into my fourth week of having a cold. The doctor thinks it has been repeated infections rather than one infection hanging around. Whatever it is, I wish it would go away. My head is exploding.... whinge whinge whinge...

Thanks for visiting me! I really love to have you pop by.

Michelle
xxx