Blooming One Layer!

Hello!

Just a quick one tonight. I'm already past bedtime, and fading fast!

The other day, I was looking at Chrissy Stokes' card, which is super gorgeous, and some vague ideas that had been circulating in my head formed into something concrete. Then I had to wait a day or two before I could make the idea into a card (if only I didn't need to go to work). The card(s) I made didn't live up to my imagination, but I think there is promise in the idea. ;-)

Card base is Poppy Parade. Stamps are Hero Arts Tall Flowers and Say It All. White embossing with Delicata Gold selective colouring.

I also made another one, which I had decided was too subtle, but now that I made the bolder one I am switching back and forth with my choice as to which one I like best.

Card base is Pool Party. Stamps are Hero Arts Tall Flowers and Say It All. White embossing with Clear Spica pen selective colouring.

I am entering into CASology Challenge #44

I am entering into A Blog Named Hero Challenge #24

Also Less Is More Challenge #119 where it is one-layer week and we're asked to use a coloured card base.

And last, but not least, One Layer Wednesday #140 where we are making borders.

Four challenges for one simple card. I think that might be a record for me!

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

For Your Inspiration #42

Hello!

Today is For Your Inspiration day!  Today's inspiration is bold, and so I have made a bold card, using colour blocking. For me, there was no other way to combine the colours and the feeling of the image. ;-)

For this card I used a brand new stamp set (which I won at Clean & Simple Card Making 2 class, yay!) Hero Arts Tall Flowers. I created a colour-blocked card base using SU! Brilliant Blue, Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, and Chocolate Chip. I stamped in Versamark and white embossed. I coloured the flowers a little with Delicata Gold.

The inspiration photo for For Your Inspiration #42 is this one. What's your take on it? I'd love to see your interpretation over in the gallery.

Check out the rest of the Design Team contributions, beautiful work as always.
Debbie
Karen
Mynnette
Rochelle
Rudlis
Sara
Vicki

I will admit, that I used some other inspiration in making this card. I am entering this into Muse Challenge #9, where Marion Vagg has brought us this beautiful card. I loved the coloured stripes with the white images and sentiments. Marion make the most beautiful cards!

And also A Blog Named Hero Challenge #22 where the theme is Freestyle - we can make anything, so long as we have fun!

Thanks for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Dynamic Duos #35

Hello!

Apologies for bombarding you with posts today! I forgot to post this one, and the deadline approaches for Dynamic Duos #35, so I can't reschedule for another day...

I used Hero Arts Bicycle stamps. Colours are SU! Barely Banana and Certainly Celery. Card base is PTI Vintage Cream.

Edit to add: I made this card with A Blog Named Hero Challenge #18 in mind, and I forgot to link it up! Lucky it is still open! The Hero Arts Bicycle stamps package have a (c)2011 date, so I'm guessing they're from the 2011 release... does that qualify as "old"? :-)

In other news, I signed up to take the Clean & Simple Card Making #2 online class. I did the first one, and it really made a difference for me creatively. I hope that I can step it up again this year! I'm sure I will, since the Guest Designer list is a roll call of some of my very favourite card makers, so I'm sure to be inspired! If you haven't done one of these classes before, I recommend you consider it, I found it $25 well spent. :-)

Thanks for coming to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Bicycle Thanks

Hello!

I have a card to share with you... surprise, surprise!

I used Hero Arts/Sizzix Bicycle stamps and die set. Colours are SU! Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, and Old Olive.

I am most impressed with the fact that I managed to get that stamped bicycle on the card base in the correct position to fit in the die cut hole in the top panel. It's a miracle! I managed it with a little help from my Stampamajig.

My card is in response to three challenges, CASE Study #115, CAS(E) this Sketch #4, and A Blog Named Hero #15.

This week's CASE Study has had me intrigued. The muse this month is Angeline Yong, who happens to be a super-talented stamper who inspires me regularly! Her card was so superb, that I was feeling a bit intimidated.  This is Angeline's version. I went with the blues and greens, the stripes, and the die cuts.

CAS(E) this Sketch had this sketch to offer us. My interpretation is a bit loose, but I  still went with three different sized shapes focused on the bottom left corner.

And over at A Blog Named Hero, we are asked to use die cuts or punches.

Thanks for popping in to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Some ultra-CAS cards

Hello!

Now we move to my ultra-CAS cards I made today.

First is a birthday card that I made for one of my daughter's young friends (a boy, so no sparkles or flowers allowed). The simplicity of this card delights me... am I allowed to say that about my own card? ;-)

For colour inspiration I turned to the Dynamic Duos colour choice for this week. I didn't have Tangerine Tango, so I used Pumpkin Pie. The stamps are Hero Arts - Bicycle and Say It All.

And I just realised that I have fit into the theme over at A Blog Named Hero this week as well, yay!

The other card I made was more experimenting with PTI Teach & Inspire. I'm thinking this might do for one of my littlest girl's kindy teachers at the end of the year. They're doing marvellous work with my little acorn. :-)

I used Early Espresso, More Mustard, and Really Rust on a Vintage Cream card base.

Inspiration came from CAS-ology #14 theme - LEAF.

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

A Retro Kiss?

Hello!

I have finally made a card for Retro Sketches. They are up to challenge #17, and every time I see a sketch (since #1), I want to join in, but for some reason I ALWAYS miss the deadline! Not this week-end, I made it! Yippee!

This is my card.

And this is the sketch.

I think I used my artistic license a bit with my big flower, but that flower really wanted to be on this card, and I couldn't say no. :-)

Now, I also made this card with two other challenges in mind. The colour scheme came from Color Throwdown #197, where the colour combo this week is totally irresistible.

And I did a bit of kissing for A Blog Named Hero #6.

The stamp sets I used were PTI Rosie Posie (and dies), Postmarks, and Think Big Favorites #16. I stamped the backgrounds in Versamark. Colours are Crumb Cake, Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, and Old Olive with Tuxedo Black for the sentiment.

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

I'm back!

Hello!

I finally got to sit down today with some of this week's challenges. I'm still intending to go back and play some more. This week I received some new PTI goodies and I also went to the Brisbane Papercraft Expo yesterday and picked up a few nice things there too. :-)

The card I have created today is for three challenges: CAS-ual Fridays, Jay Gee's Nook, and finally I have managed to enter over at A Blog Named Hero.

This is the card I created:

What I used: Hero Arts/Sizzix Bicycle stamps & die set, Hero Arts envelope pattern background stamp, a mix of patterned papers, Memory Box cloud dies. Ink colours are daffodil delight, tempting turquoise, and tuxedo black.

The inspiration from the challenges was:

Use polka dots

Use two or more colours from the A Blog Named Hero logo

 and

Jay Gee's Nook inspiration board 

Back to the Papercraft Expo. Guess who I saw while I was there? (If you have visited my photo blog since yesterday you'll already know the answer.)  This guy:

Yes, that is Tim Holtz in the process of embedding a deep desire for alcohol inks into my brain. He's a lovely guy, and very inspiring. I was so glad to get the chance to stand right there next to him and listen as he talked through the creative process, awesome!

Thanks for dropping by. I'll try to get back later today with more cards.

Michelle
xxx