Pastel Stripes

Hello!

When I saw the current Tuesday Trigger inspiration, I just knew I had to join in. Even though the colours are not ones I would generally put together, I really love how they turned out! I was particularly inspired by the striped fabric in the photo, hence my striped background (stamped and embossed with stripes).

I used Uniko Studio Label Love: Thank You, Mama Elephant Basic Borders, and Hero Arts Zig Zag background stamp. Colours are Hero Arts Soft Cantaloupe, SU! Gumball Green and Daffodil Delight. Sequins are Avery Elle Lemonade.

I really love how the background stamping of my stripes has ended up a bit distressed/rustic looking. I feel that it added just the texture I was looking for. I used the zig zag background on my banner to reflect the rick rack and the pinked edges of the fabric in the photo.

This is the inspiration - Tuesday Trigger: Scene in Tangerine.

Today I took my girls into Brisbane City to visit City Hall. City Hall has recently been refurbished and I was hoping to take a tour and to go up the clock tower, but when we got there at midday, all available places on both the tour and the clock tower entry were full for the rest of the day. :-(  We'll have to try again another day. The best part of our visit was the main auditorium with its central light called the Oculus. Here are a few photos to show the massive ceiling and its ever-changing colours.

 

 

 This next photo puts it into perspective. The pipe organ is massive. The Oculus is 31 metres across.

The floors inside City Hall are beautiful. The main foyer is mosaic stone, with beautiful patterns in black and white. Those of you following me on Instagram (@amusingmichelle)would have seen one of the mosaic's already today. Upstairs (up a grand marble staircase) at the first floor entry to the auditorium they have the same pattern as the mosaic downstairs, but created in inlaid stone. The artistry and precision is amazing. The photo is not great. I was dodging a massive tour group who were walking over the floor, LOL!

And a last photo of the frieze at the front of City Hall. It was sculpted by Daphne Mayo, and it is spectacular. This photo is a stitch of three photos.

Thanks for coming by to visit me!

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger - All Sweetness and Light

Hello!

A new stamp set arrived in my house this past week. It has been very difficult to not sit down and play immediately. But I had to wait until today. The stamp set in question is Mama Elephant's Filigree. Oh my goodness, I'm in love! As I usually do with a new stamp set, I sat down and made a simple card to start with. I made this one in response to the Tuesday Trigger: All Sweetness and Light.

I used Mama Elephant Filigree stamps. Colours are SU! Daffodil Delight and Cameo Coral, and Memento Tuxedo Black.

This is the trigger image. I could just jump in there right now. What a pretty bed! There is so much going on in that photo for inspiration, but as I said, I was keeping it simple.

If I were you, I would expect to see a flurry of Filigree cards appearing on my blog. I will definitely be doing some more playing with this set. It's irresistible!

Today was a bit exciting. I spent the morning at the Brisbane Papercraft Expo with my friend Cassandra and our daughters. I was relatively restrained, although it took quite a bit of willpower to walk past a wall FULL of washi tape. Cassandra's daughter makes magic with distress inks, and so my eldest daughter was inspired. We have started with six inks (and lots of sponges), and she had a lesson with her friend right after the show. She came home a master and promptly gave me a lesson. :-)  I forgot to photograph our work. I'll have to show you another day. It was amazing watching those colours blend as my daughter worked. I know, I'm VERY late to this trend.

While my daughter was having her inking lesson. I was sewing up a case for my Kindle. This one is a prototype, as I have other fabric in mind for the final version. I searched the internet for case tutorials, and found a few different patterns. The one I ended up using was THIS ONE. I still need to add buttons or velcro, but this is it almost done. I will say, I added extra seam allowance when measuring, because I added a batting layer and that added to the bulk of the seams. I also added an extra layer of fabric inside (as well as interfacing) to toughen it all up, because my pretty outer fabric is fine Japanese cotton lawn (super soft).

That's probably enough words and pictures for you today.

Thanks for visiting me! I hope I'll be back again soon with something else to show you.

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger: Pretty Little Petits Fours

Hello!

Today's card is for Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger: Pretty Little Petits Fours.

I used MFT flower dies, and PTI Square Prints dies and Woodgrain impression plate. Colours are PTI Vintage Cream, Melon Berry, and SU! Blush Blossom. The silver frame came from a shopping bag. ;-)

This was the inspiration photo.

I've hurt my back. I was vacuuming and I picked up the rug and vacuumed sideways, twisting at my hips. Never a good move. The upshot of my telling you this is that I'm having a hard time sitting for any length of time. Not good for my crafting or blogging time. :-(  I hope the anti-inflammatories work quickly (it's the third day now).

Thanks for coming to visit.

Michelle
xxx

Watercolours for Mothers Day

Hello!

I had just finished my card for Runway Inspired Challenge the other day when I saw the Tuesday Trigger for this week over at Moxie Fab World, and I thought I would give the Large Flower Background stamp another run while it was out. :-)  I love this stamp so much.

Stamps are Hero Arts Large Flower Background and PTI Pretty Peonies (sentiment). I white embossed and then watercoloured using Inktense pencils (Fuschia, Cadmium Yellow, Bark).

The Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger this week is Magnificent Magnolias. Oh. So. Pretty!!!

I was also inspired by the Hero Arts April Challenge, using both the theme "Just For Her" and the sketch. My card was definitely based on the sketch, but it wandered slightly away in the final product. ;-)

I'm also linking this up to Simon Says Stamp April Showers or Spring Flowers.

Thanks for coming by to visit me!

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger: Pretty Pastels

Hello!

Just a quick one this morning. I'm off to parent-teacher interviews, and I don't want to be late!

I zipped up a card the moment after I saw this week's Tuesday Trigger.

I used PTI Polka Dot Parade #1 stamps. PTI Soft Stone, SU! Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight. Twinery Twine.

The Trigger is this cute pastel image. I think they are sugared almonds, but they brought to mind candy Easter eggs, so I made a row of bunnies with pastel tails. :-)

I hope to be back later today, but if I'm not, I'll be back later over Easter. Tomorrow I'm off to the Sunshine Coast to visit family. Fingers crossed for some sunshine so that we can go to the beach.

Thanks for coming to visit me!

Michelle
xxx

Hearts and Smiles

Hello!

I am bringing you a couple of cards in this post. The first is this.

I used Hero Arts Envelope Pattern Background, and PTI Botanical Silhouettes sentiment. It's hard to see but I used the PTI Linen impression plate. Colours are Berry Sorbet & Real Red (mixed on the heart), Bashful Blue, Night of Navy. I forget the name and brand of the twine.

I made this card in response to Tuesday Trigger: Cross My Heart

 and also Addicted to CAS Challenge #5

and I'm putting it into the A Passion For Papertrey challenge where the theme is Love Is In The Air.

My second card is my homework for Day 8 of Clean & Simple Card Making 2 where we received a video tutorial on plaid stamping from the super-amazing Laura Bassen.  This card was also going to be homework for Day 7 (since I'm running behind), but my one-layer card had a massive stamping error (the masking worked at the edges, but my mask leaked through and left some splotches on my lily-white card). I really need to get some masking paper!

Yesterday Jen Rzasa told us to not look too closely at her plaid stamping (go and take a look if you haven't already seen her awesome card). I think she really has nothing to worry about, mine is the one that you shouldn't look too closely at!  I used some older inks from my stash and it wouldn't lay down evenly, so I had to over-stamp several times (hence the leaking mask). The sentiment is made from SU! "sticky strip" that I die cut. I left the orange backing on it while I stamped, then took it off at the end and rubbed in the only glitter I own (which was not really opaque enough). It is a very glittery sentiment over a very bright plaid. I die cut a new card front and stuck it on top to cover the splotchy card front. Pretend it's one layer - that's what I intended, LOL!  Colours are all Stampin' Up! from the old Bold Brights collection.  By the way, I'm never die-cutting sticky strip sheets ever again, they don't cut through properly, argh! I had to hand cut half of those letters.

That's a lot of words! If you read them all, thank-you. I'm just having a whinge! Getting it all off my chest. I was up late last night trying to finish this card, and had such high hopes for it. I'll have to make another... when I get some masking paper. :-)

Michelle
xxx

Moxie Fab Sweet Dreams

Hello,

I have made a card for two challenges over at Moxie Fab World.

Tuesday Trigger: Sweet Dreams  and Make Your Own Background Paper.

I used PTI Guidelines II to white emboss the background, and PTI Botanical Silhouettes for the sentiment. The paper is PTI Aqua Mist. Card is PTI Basic White and SU! Pool Party. The Little Leaves are Sizzix.

This is the inspiration photo for the Tuesday Trigger. It's so pretty, I wish I did it more justice. I think if I made this card again, I'd use a paler yellow, and while the guidelines circles is what I was aiming for, I'm not sure I like them now that the whole card is finished, LOL!

Thanks for coming by!

Michelle
xxx

Shimmer, Shine, and Sparkle!

Hello!

This is my second card today.

It was a challenge to photograph, so here is the other angle.

I used PTI Happiest of Holidays, Hero Arts Envelope Pattern Background, and Hero Arts Collage Music Background. Colours are PTI Fresh Linen and SU! Soft Suede. I used Silver paper for the sentiment frame. There are pearls and rhinestones all over, and the card itself sparkles with glimmer mist (although you can't see that in the photos). That beautiful button is SU! The ribbon is from my stash.

This card is in response to three challenges.

Tuesday Trigger this week is: Shimmer and Shine. My silver frame is that tray, and I've added gold, silver, rhinestones, and pearls.

CASology is SPARKLE

and CASE Study #120 is this gorgeous card by Windy Robinson. I used the central die cut and the bow and the symmetrical layout.

Okay, now I'm off to do the ballet preparations!

Thanks for visiting.

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger: Frame by Frame

Hello!

Today I get to show off some of my new stamps that haven't had a blog outing yet. I bought Mama Elephant's Nursery Deco set when it was first released, because it is totally irresistible! Here is today's card.

Stamps are Mama Elephant Nursery Deco. Patterned papers are a variety from Stampin' Up! and Papertrey Ink. Colours are PTI Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist, Fresh Linen, SU! Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Coral, Barely Banana. Ink is Memento Tuxedo Black and SU! Early Espresso.

The inspiration came from Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger: Frame by Frame

I went a bit bolder in the colours that I used, but I think I still ended up with a card that reflects the trigger. :-)

Those of you who have been hanging out with me for a while will know that I'm not a fan of fussy cutting, but this card is full of it. I can say that I feel that, in this case, it was worth it. ;-)

Thanks for dropping by.

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger - Ready For Red

Hello!

I am at home, waiting for a doctor's appointment to see about an allergic reaction I had over the week-end. Don't you just love the puffed up face and eyes that accompany the maddening itch of allergy? Ugh!

Anyway, other than putting on a load of washing while I wait, I thought I'd whip up a card for this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World, Ready for Red.

I embossed Hero Arts Collage Music Background in cream, the SU! Ornament Keepsakes are clear embossed. Colours are PTI Fresh Linen, SU! Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Real Red.

After cutting about five different card bases, the Fresh Linen was the winner. In the photo, it doesn't look like it quite matches, but trust me, in real life it does. :-) None of the dark card bases worked, which is what I was imagining during my design phase on this one.

Anyway, this is the trigger photo. So elegant!

Thanks for coming to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger: Val de Victorian

Hello!

It feels like ages since I've entered a Tuesday Trigger. The current challenge inspired me very directly.  This is my card.

and this is the inspiration

I really wanted to add that angled sidewalk in, too, but couldn't work out a solution for that one! Such a cute picture. As soon as I saw it, I was thinking housewarming cards. I wanted to use the same colour combination, because I found it unexpectedly appealing (I NEVER in a million years would have put these colours together myself). I didn't have the inspiration picture in front of me while I made the card, I looked at it first, took a note of the colours, and then went to work on my own version.

I used one of my favourite little stamp sets, which doesn't get enough love. It is Stampin' Up! Good Neighbors. The sentiment is from PTI Think Big Favorites #19 (I think). Colours are SU! Perfect Plum, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake.

My husband looked at my card and asked me how many stamps I used to make it... he's usually fairly unimpressed with my "flat" cards (one-layer, or close to one-layer), but I got the idea that he realised there was a bit of work putting this one together. I used 9 separate stamps (with 13 different opportunities to make a mistake), and my trusty stamp-a-ma-jig. 

Thanks for dropping by. That was a lot of words to get through!

Michelle

xxx

Pastel Prettiness

Hello!

I made this card a few days ago for a young friend of ours who celebrated her 10th birthday this week. Happy Birthday, Sophie! I'm sorry the card hasn't made it into the mail early enough to arrive for your birthday!

I used PTI Hexagon Cover Plate die, PTI Strawberry Patch stamps and die, SU! patterned paper, ribbon, and brad.

My inspiration for the card came from Tuesday Trigger: A Pin Therein

and from Jay Gee's Nook Challenge #23 (the pretty pastels, especially those dots)

I'm also entering this card into the Moxie Fab World Asymmetry challenge.

Thanks for dropping by to visit!

Michelle
:-)

Allegro strips...?

Hello!

A quick one tonight. It's late, and I was up super early to get my big girl to her swim meet. Definitely didn't get all the week-end jobs done this week-end!

I did squeeze in making a card this afternoon, as I have yet another birthday coming up this week. :-)

I used SU! Everyday Enchantment paper, PTI Pretty Peonies stamps, SU! ink Cameo Coral and Old Olive. Card base is PTI White and rhinestones are SU!

I made this card for CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #61 and Tuesday Trigger: Allegro con Brio over at Moxie Fab World.

CAS-ual Fridays is asking us to use strips of some type on our card.

The Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World is this image.

This image had me stumped all week. I played and played with patterned paper today, and finally came back down to a very simple card using three strips of striped paper, offset from each other to create a bit of interest.

I must get to bed. I'm about to collapse asleep on my computer desk!

Thanks for dropping by.

Michelle
xxx

Tuesday Trigger - Poppy

Hello!

I am going to go on record and say that this is one of my very favourite cards that I have ever made. I've been pondering the Tuesday Trigger photo for a few days now. I really wanted to make crepe paper poppies, but I don't have any red crepe paper, and I didn't get to the shops. :-)  So, I was making another card, inspired by something completely different when the idea for this card appeared in my head. I love it when that happens.

This is my card.

And this was the inspiration - A Plateful of Poppies.

I used the PTI Heart Prints die to cut out 8 hearts in Poppy Parade and folded them over to create the petals. The leaves are Sizzlets Little Leaves in Old Olive. The sentiment is Think Big Favorites #12. Card base is PTI White. The brad is SU! Everyday Enchantment.

Thanks for taking a look at this card.  :-)

Michelle
xxx

Man-tastic! Yep, I'm late to this party!

Hello!

The Tuesday Trigger challenge Man-tastic was extended. Sadly because Cath is not recovered quickly from her surgery (I'm still sending you get-well-wishes, Cath!). This did give me some time to enter Man-tastic, even though I was slower than a snail getting to making this card. My mojo is struggling at the moment. It is being crowded out by things for the kids -  swimming, music, ballet, school... you know, all those PARENT things we have to do, let alone my other job (you know, the one that I get paid for)! :-) Not whingeing, just a bit frustrated that my mojo goes walk-about so often!

This is my card

I'm having a mental blank on the stamp set. It is Stampin' Up! and I'm pretty sure it is no longer available. The colours used are SU! Tempting Turquoise, Not Quite Navy, Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Ruby Red, and PTI Fine Linen. Twine is from The Twinery. Card is PTI Vintage Cream.

This is the Man-tastic inspiration (in case you haven't seen it before)

Michelle
xxx

Vintage Vogue Birthday

Hello!

CAS-ual Fridays is celebrating their first birthday this week. So for CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 51 we have been asked to make a CAS birthday card.

To make this extra-special birthday card, I went looking for some additional inspiration and found it over at Tuesday Trigger with the Vintage Vogue photograph.

I can't tell you how much this photograph appeals to me. It's delicious!

There's not much colour there, but there are lovely textures, and that lace! I wanted to make a card that captured that feeling of old lace without being vintage or lacy... if you get what I mean... since I was trying to make a CAS card. So this is what I came up with.

I used PTI Rosie Posie to clear emboss on vanilla cardstock a flowery background. I sponged with SU! Crumb Cake. The label is PTI Mat Stack #1 and Mat Stack #1 Layerz (in vanilla and barely banana). The sentiment is PTI Think Big Favorites #12 in Crumb Cake. I used PTI Filigree border die to make the vanilla border and finished off with some SU! vanilla grosgrain ribbon and pearls.

I quite like this card. It is different colours to what I usually work with, but I love them! And I always love that big daisy stamp from Rosie Posie. :-)

Thanks for coming by to visit.

Michelle
xxx