Make It Monday 231 - Motif Building

Hello!

I was so intrigued by Betsy's motif building over at Make It Monday this week that I just had to try it out for myself. I think I need a little more practice! It was a fun exercise, so I'll be trying this technique again. :-)

I used PTI Lovely Layers, Rosie Posie, Sparkle & Shine, and Scripted stamp sets to create my motif. Colours are PTI Hibiscus Burst, Smokey Shadow, Soft Stone, Hawaiian Shores and SU! Certainly Celery.

I'm also linking this up to Susan's Thanksgiving challenge and also to One Layer Simplicity where the theme is Gratitude.

Thanks for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 133

Hello!

I've been away in Sydney for work, so I missed adding my card to CAS(E) This Sketch with the rest of the team this week. I've been looking forward to this sketch so I couldn't just skip the week! After dropping my daughter at the bus for netball at 6am this morning, I had a little quiet time all to myself. :-) This is what I came up with.

I used SU! Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, and Delicata Gold ink. I masked the Hello with a PTI die cut. The dots and spots are from PTI Rosie Posie.

I went out to dinner a couple of times in Sydney. I checked out the GPO in Martin Place (downstairs from the Westin Hotel), which is a massive basement bar, restaurant, cafe venue. My friend and I had tapas (and sangria) from Postales Bar and wood-fired pizzas from Wood. Very, VERY, yummy!  On Thursday I headed out to The Rocks (between Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge) and after a quick drink at the Orient Hotel (just a regular pub) we headed to Phillips Foote for dinner, another pub with excellent steaks at an excellent price!

Okay, I'm off to a Copic workshop this morning where I will hopefully learn something. ;-) I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion #6

Hello!

I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!

Oops! I forgot to schedule my post for this week's Fusion Challenge. So here I am, finally!

I used PTI Rosie Posie (both sides of the stamps) and Simon Says Stamps Sketchy Banners. Inks are SU! Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight, Mama Elephant Mojito, and Memento Tuxedo Black.

I took my inspiration directly from the picture. It reminded me of the kitchen in the house I grew up in, which was apple green and yellow, very 70s. :-)

I hope you can find some time to join in with us this time! The rest of the design team have made some wonderful creations, and are well worth a visit, too. :-)

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

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan 

Michelle Williams

Michelle Lupton

Sindhu
Stephanie Severin

Thanks for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

CASE Study #161

Hello!

Today I'm bringing you my second contribution as Guest Designer over at CASE Study Challenge. Our muse is Elena from Just ME, who is super inspirational! I'm still pinching myself that I get to play along with this awesome team of card artists all month. :-)

Elena's muse card this week is a cutie - a matryoshka doll card with a smaller matryoshka inside! So sweet!

I don't own the stamps that I would like to have used for this inspiration... So I sat down and pondered matryoshka/babushka dolls and what their image conjured in my imagination. I decided it was folk art, so folk art is where I headed with my first card. I will admit that it took a few goes to get the stamping and positioning right on this one. I almost gave up, but I'm glad I persevered!

I used PTI stamps - Stylish Sentiments:Birthday, From Me to You, Rosie Posie, Birds & Blooms, Turning a New Leaf. Colours are SU! Poppy Parade, Gumball Green, Bashful Blue, Calypso Coral, PTI Berry Sorbet, Memento Tuxedo Black.

I was feeling all satisfied with that card when I thought that perhaps I should make a card inspired by my daughter's beautiful matryoshka set... and off I went back to my craft table and came up with the next card.

I used PTI stamps - Stylish Sentiments: Birthday, Rosie Posie, Turning a New Leaf. Colours are SU! Poppy Parade and Basic Black. Embossing is white and gold. I also used a gold paint pen for the dots along the edge, which I had punched using a scallop edge punch.

Thank-you for coming by! What does Elena's gorgeous card inspire you to create? I can't wait to see!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop - Take 2

Hello!

My second card for the Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop looks more like an actual wreath. ;-) I had thought I would use Autumn colours, to blend in with my Northern Hemisphere friends, but the reality is that while I am actually in the very beginning of Spring here, it feels like SUMMER. Today was 34 degrees Celsius (approx. 93F). I ended up using Spring colours on this one. Perhaps the positive thinking will work and the hot weather will disappear, maybe. Or maybe we're really in for a stinker of a Summer.

I used PTI Rosie Posie, Turning a New Leaf, Think Big Favorites #16, and Harvest Berries (the smaller dot). Colours are Hero Arts Pale Tomato, Crisp Cantaloupe, Soft Olive, Wet Cement, SU! Soft Suede.

Thanks for visiting me. I'm out of steam tonight, so not much chatter (I'm sure some of you are sighing in relief right now, LOL!).

Michelle
xxx

Sunflower Wishes

Hello!

Tonight I snuck to my craft desk right after I tucked the kids into bed to make a card for CASE Study #157 and Curtain Call challenges. I've been staring at the CASE Study inspiration card by Kathy Racoosin since it went live last week, and sifting through various ideas. Tonight this card came to me.

I used PTI Rosie Posie and Sentiment Signs stamps. Ink is SU! Gumball Green, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, PTI Fresh Linen, Delicata Gold, and Ranger Archival Black. Twine is from the Twinery.

My take on Kathy's card uses pretty much every element as inspiration. Firstly, I went with the big bright flower. I was pondering the stripes and the vellum, and I decided to reflect those in the sentiment lines stamped on vellum, and I also added a little bit of striped washi tape up the side of my card. My little green twine bow is a nod to Kathy's ribbon.

For Curtain Call, I was responding to the Sunflower theme. I would have loved to have used burlap and raffia, but I had neither. I did make a big, luscious sunflower bloom, though!

Before I go, I'll share a little close up of my card, which hopefully shows to golden highlights on my flower.

Thanks for visiting me!

Michelle
xxx

Dynamic Duos #68

Hello!

Phew! What a busy few weeks! I'm happy to report that we had an AMAZING long week-end away last week-end. I took lots of photos, and when I get a moment at home, I will sit down and put together a story (or two) on my other blog (Happy Snap Michelle). My kids took their first ski lessons, and managed to ski a few (slow) runs with us afterwards. I remembered how much I LOVE snow skiing!  This week-end we are at our nephew's wedding at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. A wonderful celebration in a beautiful location!

This week at Dynamic Duos, we get to work with Perfect Plum and another colour of our choice. I chose Primrose Petals.

I used PTI Round Repeats, Hero Arts Envelope Pattern background, and Avery Elle Modern Leaves stamps. Ink is SU! Perfect Plum and Primrose Petals. Card is SU! Perfect Plum and PTI Basic White.

While I had these colours out, I couldn't resist making another card. This time I added PTI Soft Stone to the mix. I'm loving these three colours together!

I used PTI Rosie Posie, Stylish Sentiments:Birthday stamps. Ink is SU! Perfect Plum, Primrose Petals, PTI Soft Stone, Memento Tuxedo Black. Card is PTI Soft Stone and Basic White.

My gorgeous team mates have created some fabulous cards this week again, too! I'm sure they'd love a visit!

Alison Barclay

Anne Marie Hile

Debbie Henderson

Hayley Kew

Janet Bagnall

Janet Zeppa

Lori Turner

Susie Wittwer

Tara Bourgoin

Tracey McNeely

Thanks for coming by!

Michelle
xxx

Dynamic Duos #55

Hello!

This week's Dynamic Duo's Challenge #55 brings us the pretty colour combination of Raspberry Ripple and Wisteria Wonder.

My card is here. I masked the flower to stamp the leaves. I love how the text shows through the image. I've used this layout before, but not quite like this.

I used PTI Rosie Posie, Text Style II, and one of the Heart-2-Hearts (forget the number).

The rest of the team have done beautiful work, as always! You should really pop over and visit them for some inspiration!

Alison Barclay

Anne Marie Hile

Debbie Henderson

Hayley Kew

Janet Bagnall

Janet Zeppa

Lori Turner

Susie Wittwer

Tara Bourgoin

Tracey McNeely

When you've finished your visiting, I hope you join in with your own creation. :-)

Thanks for visiting me.

Michelle

xxx

Dynamic Duos #51

Hello!

It's my first post as part of the Dynamic Duos design team! Woo hoo! :-)  To say I'm excited is an understatement!

Dynamic Duos has been one of my favourite challenges for almost a year now (one year next week!). I have always treated Dynamic Duos challenge as an exercise in extreme-CAS stamping. This first card is not the best example of that style, LOL! But over the next six months, you'll most likely see several of my really basic CAS designs coming out. I love the limitations of using only the two colours, it forces me to really think about the design of the card. I know that other neutrals are allowed, but I do my best to just use the two colours (and usually white card base). As soon as I saw this week's colours, this card jumped into my head and wouldn't jump back out, so here it is:

I used PTI Rosie Posie and Stylish Sentiments: Birthday. Colours are Daffodil Delight and Baja Breeze.

The Dynamic Duos #51 colours are:

I am honoured to be working with this amazing team, and I would love it if you would pay them a visit, too!

Alison Barclay

Anne Marie Hile

Debbie Henderson

Hayley Kew

Janet Bagnall

Janet Zeppa

Lori Turner

Susie Wittwer

Tara Bourgoin

Tracey McNeely

Thank-you for visiting!

Michelle

xxx 

Feeling Blue?

Hello!

I promised myself I was going to bed early tonight. And then I decided to make a card... you know how that goes, LOL!

I used PTI Rosie Posie and Hero Arts Say It All stamps (and I snuck in a few dots from Harvest Berries, too). Ink is SU! Bashful Blue and Pumpkin Pie.

I'm thinking the only way someone would feel better getting this card, and only if they had a sense of humour, is someone with chicken pox! It turned out quite spotty, didn't it? ;-)

I made this card in response to Dynamic Duos #48

and CAS(E) this Sketch! #23

I also made an earlier version, but then realised I'd missed the mark on the sketch slightly, and I decided I preferred the pure blue and orange rather than adding neutrals. I'll show you anyway.

Thanks for coming to visit!

Michelle

xxx

Flowery Chevrons (CFC#97 & CSC#135)

Hello!

Who can resist flowers and chevrons? Not me! When I saw the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #97, my brain went to action thinking up ideas. I ended up with flowery chevrons. ;-)  I placed a couple of strips of washi tape on card, and die cut my chevrons, and voila! The most beautiful chevrons in the world, LOL!

The stamps are PTI Rosie Posie and Stylish Sentiments: Birthday. The dies are PTI Chevron Stripes and Sizzlits small leaves. The inks are SU! Primrose Petals, Pretty in Pink, and Early Espresso.

I was also inspired by JJ Bolton's card over at CASE Study challenge #135 this week.

The gorgeous bright flower, the die cuts. I do love the actual technique that JJ has demonstrated in this card, but for my CASE I went a different direction - using the same font for the sentiment, bright flowers, and die-cut chevrons.

When I bought my very first washi tape recently, I couldn't decide which rolls to start with. I chose this floral pattern, a chevron pattern, a triangle pattern, and a love heart pattern. And then I also picked up a striped one. But now I have discovered that I need all of these patterns in every colour, who knew? I don't think I should have started a washi collection, I think it may be addictive!

Edit: After thinking it over, I have decided to submit this as my third contribution to the Fusion Challenge #1. I made the card as a fusion of the two inspirations, sketch and photo, but when I decided to move one of my flowers away from it's position as per the sketch, I second guessed myself out of entering the card. Now I'm triple guessing myself and entering it anyway. ;-)  I think it isn't only washi tape that is addictive...

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Clean and Simple Card Making 2 - Day 2

Hello!

I had visions of stamping one-layer cards all day today. Instead I've been doing a very last minute job of covering books and ensuring my girls have everything they need for the start of the school year. They were supposed to start today, but due to the storm damage and flooding in Brisbane, school was delayed. My big girl starts Grade 5 tomorrow and my little girl starts Prep (first year of school) on Monday next week. I can't believe school holidays are over. It's been so nice not doing all those school lunches, chasing kids to brush teeth and hair, etc!

Anyway, back to the reason for this post. I did manage to make one card for Clean & Simple Card Making 2, where today's theme is one-layer cards. A couple of years ago, one-layer cards petrified me. These days I actually really love them.

This is what I made today. I used masking to add depth and interest.

I used PTI Rosie Posie and Think Big Favorites #12. Colours are SU! Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, PTI Berry Sorbet, and Memento Tuxedo Black. Card base is PTI white.

Thanks for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey Ink January Blog Hop - Part 2

Hello!

Today has been rainy here. It's forecast for even more rain right over the long week-end. Tomorrow (January 26) is Australia Day for us. It appears that it will be a soggy celebration! Fingers crossed for a miracle.

This is my second card for the Papertrey Ink January Blog Hop. It was quite tricky to photograph!

I used Rosie Posie and Think Big Favorites #16. The dies are Rosie Posie for the leaves, and a Spellbinders circle for the flower.

I really like black background cards. Because I love my white card bases so much I often forget about black!

Thanks for coming to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Kara's Inspiration Challenge

Hello!

Kara over at KandRDesigns is hosting a little challenge to celebrate 100 weeks of pinning her weekly Friday Inspiration File on Pinterest. I have been enjoying Kara's blog and her Pinterest pins FOREVER, so I thought I'd take part in the challenge (I always love a chance to CASE someone!).

The challenge is to pick one of the cards in the Friday Inspiration File and CASE it. I chose a card from week #98.

This is the card I created.
I warn you, I didn't come close to the card I was CASEing, probably because I chose a MASTER to CASE. :-)

I used (all PTI) Rosie Posie stamps. Block Alpha dies. Patterned paper Plain Jane. Basic White card base. Fresh Linen ink. SU! Soft Suede ink, and Ranger Liquid Pearls in bisque.

Are most of you already shouting - "That's Pamela!"?  - well, you would be right.

This is Pamela's gorgeous card (please, if you want to pin this, go to Pamela's blog and pin from the original source).

It would help if I kept the original in front of me while I worked, but I like to CASE by looking, examining, and then going with what is in my head, rather than the actual card. I think my card has promise, and I'll be using this design again (thanks, Pamela!).

Thanks, Kara, for hosting this challenge, and for your inspiration file. I love your work, and I love your choices for inspiration!

Michelle
xxx

Retro Sketches #34 - a study in speed stamping

Hello!

What do you do when you have 30 minutes between gymnastics pick up and ballet drop off? Make a card, of course! Well, no sane person would try to do this, take the photo, and then blog it... but I do try to push the boundaries of time-management on a regular basis!

Here is my card for Retro Sketches #34

The deadline is fast approaching and I didn't want to miss out this week like I did last week. :-)

This was the sketch:

Pretty, isn't it?

I used PTI Rosie Posie, Turning a New Leaf, and Pretty Peonies. Colours are Vintage Cream card base, Berry Sorbet, SU! Pure Poppy, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Early Espresso.

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge - take 2

Hello!

Well, another idea took hold, so I'm back for a second go at the Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge! I don't usually enter challenges twice, but I like this card better, so I thought I'd share. :-)

I used PTI stamps - Pretty Peonies (sentiment), Rosie Posie, Turning a New Leaf. I also used Hero Arts Envelope Pattern background stamp over the PTI Hexagon cover plate to add a bit of texture.  Colours are SU! Old Olive, Barely Banana, Daffodil Delight, Pretty In Pink, Cameo Coral. 

Still using the beautiful inspiration, and the same colours as the last card, but as I said, I like this one better.

I'm also entering this one into Moxie Fab World's Hooked on Hexagon's Challenge.

Now, off to hang washing out, ferry my little girl to gymnastics and music lessons, and then to collect the big girl from school before coming home to collapse briefly before getting dinner underway. So glad I took some time to do some stamping this morning. It's good for my mental health. :-)

Thanks for dropping in!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey June Blog Hop Challenge

Hello!

I was sitting here, preparing for an early night to bed, when I remembered (with a little memory jog from my friend Cassie)... it's Papertrey Ink's June Blog Hop day! The timing of the hop meant that I either made a card tonight, or I miss the challenge.  So, off I toddled to my little stamping corner and whipped up a card. :-)

This is the inspiration this month.

Isn't it lovely? I didn't have enough time to make the ruffles this picture evoked for me, so I focused on that floral and leaf patterned cushion and the greenish/blue and yellow colour scheme. What colour is that green, anyway? Please, someone tell me it's name, I can't think of it. It's not really aqua (which is what I used), it's not really green, it's not teal, not really verdigris (is it?). I'm going to be dreaming bluey-green all night, LOL!

Here is my card.

I used Rosie Posie, Pretty Peonies, and Turning a New Leaf and stamped like crazy in SU! Pool Party and Daffodil Delight. My token ruffle comes from the pool party ribbon over a daffodil delight satin ribbon. Oh, I would like to take a moment at this time to thank PTI PROFUSELY for creating a die for that little frame from Pretty Peonies... no more fussy cutting this one for me!

I also had another challenge in mind when I created this card. I just saw over at Moxie Fab World that Cath is back. She's challenged us to make a Thank-You card where stamping is the star of the show for the Stamp It! Cards Thank-You Challenge.  Stamping is definitely star of show on this card. :-)

I'll be back to link this card in the morning when the Blog Hop will be well and truly up and running.

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

A couple of rejects

Hello!

I made a couple of birthday cards for the most recent Paper Crafts call for submissions. They weren't selected for publication. I also submitted some Christmas cards, but I'll save those rejects for later. :-)

These two cards I made using one of the sketches. I made them pretty much the same, but in different colours. I always struggle choosing colours "appropriate to the season" because in Australia, Christmas is in the middle of summer. And here in Brisbane our Winter isn't that cold, so I think I have creative block when trying to figure out colours for a Winter Christmas season, LOL!

Here they are. I really like them, so I guess rejection isn't so hard in this case. If they'd been picked, I wouldn't be able to use them. ;-)

The first one went with "red and green" for Christmas colours.

 The second one, I used "blue and purple" for cold winter colours.

Colours used are Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Real Red, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso; Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum. Stamps are PTI Rosie Posie and Think Big Favorites #12.

So, what do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts on these ones.

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey May Blog Hop Challenge

Hello!

I almost forgot to post my entry to the May Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! I think I've made it just in time. The card was made, I just forgot the post, silly me!

This was our inspiration:

I had a few more ideas than the one I created, but my limited crafting time in the past two weeks has seriously impacted my ability to make more than one card here and there (sob!). (This is where you chime in and say, "There, there, you poor dear." LOL!)

This is what I came up with.

I made another card the same, in a different colour, in fact, I might show it to you as well. When I made the green one, I wanted to add some bling, but its purpose was to be a bit more unisex, and the older men this was aimed at are not blingy types. So I made a second so I could add the bling! :-)

Both cards are constructed the same. I stamped PTI Rosie Posie, then masked and stamped the Hero Arts Zig Zag and added the Hero Arts Sentiment. I popped up the front panel to add some dimension to what is essentially a one-layer design. Card is PTI Basic White.

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle
xxx