Fusion - Musical Butterfly

Hello!

Fusion Card Challenge this week has a fun inspiration for those of us who like music, butterflies, and rainbows! The sketch is also super! I've used both sketch and inspiration photo to create a Fusion design for my card this time around.

I used Uniko Bright Butterflies and Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps to create my card. I clear embossed the butterflies and used Zig Clean Colour Brushes to watercolour their edges.

Isn't this a cool inspiration? I can't wait to see what you come up with for this one. It's sure to be a bright and cheerful gallery. :-)

Thanks for coming by to visit me! You brighten my day.

Michelle
xxx

Happy Little Stampers February Watercolour Challenge

Hello!

Happy February! Today is the start of the February Watercolour Challenge at Happy Little Stampers. For my card this month I stamped HLS Doodled Flowers, coloured the flowers and leaves with Kuretake Zig Real Brush watercolour markers. I then masked flowers and leaves and went over the top of everything with Prussian Blue Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolour. I held my breath as I unmasked it all and then breathed a sigh of relief! It turned out just as I had hoped. :-) Then I die cut and stamped the sentiment and adhered it all together.

I used HLS Doodled Flowers stamps and Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamp and die. Paper is Arches Hot Press 300gsm smooth watercolour paper (it's beautiful to work with).

I hope you're inspired to join us in the fun! We had so many amazing entries for the January challenge and I know February will be no different!

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 161

Hello!

Summer is still solidly here in Brisbane. We've been enjoying the pool on the week-ends. The work days are not so joyful... walking to and from the train station in the blazing heat, ugh! I event got sunburned this week on that little walk! I'm thankful that my kids' classrooms are air-conditioned. Not all classrooms are in Queensland, so my kids are very lucky. I remember sitting in hot classrooms as a kid - it's completely impossible to concentrate!

I'm here to share my card for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch. When I saw the sketch, my pandas came to mind immediately and there was no moving from the idea. Isn't he so cute?

I used Mama Elephant Pandamonium and Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps. This card is sitting right next to me now, because my little one has requested a purple version for her friend's birthday. I think panda-love must run in the family.

This cool sketch is so easy to use and I think I'll be keeping it for later use. I hope you're inspired, too.

Life's been a bit busy for me lately. Work is challenging and very, very busy. I'm loving it, but I could do with another two of me to keep up with it all. Definitely too much to get through right now. It will work out in the end.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you join in with us at CTS this week. :-)

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 159

Hello!

This week's sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch is one of mine. The funny thing is... it took me forever to think of how to use it, haha! I knew I wanted a background that covered the card, but what that background would be took a while to evolve in my brain.

I finally decided on diagonal rainbow stripes! :-)

Stripes are Mama Elephant Basic Borders. Sentiments are Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy.

There are so many options with this sketch, and I know my fellow design team members have made amazing cards with it! I can't wait to see what you all do.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 155

Hello!

It's time for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge! When I first looked at the sketch, I thought of using two different patterned papers to create the two sides of the design but, when I sat down to make my card, those butterflies had other ideas!

I used Happy Little Stampers Butterfly Birthday and Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps.

I hope you're inspired to join us in the fun this week. The design team have created some beautiful cards to get your creativity sparked!

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

CASEing Kelly Blog Hop

Hello!

There is a fabulous blog hop underway! Kelly Latevola has been running an awesome series called CASEing Genius. I was one of the lucky ones who she CASEd. There are quite a few of us. I think Kelly is the Genius! We all do, which is why we thought we'd pay the compliment back and CASE Kelly. So much fun! We've each chosen three of Kelly's cards and CASEd them. I cannot wait to hop around and see what everyone else came up with.

For my inspiration I chose these three cards of Kelly's.

 
 
I love everything that Kelly makes, but her florals are at the top of my loves! From these three cards, I took dramatic colours; watercoloured, splattered, and patterned backgrounds; a bold sentiment paired with a sentiment banner. I used a darker, grungier style than Kelly and I came up with this:

I used Altenew Striped Florals,Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy, and Hero Arts Dots and Flowers Background stamps.

What is a blog hop without some fun prizes? Leave a comment by 11.59pm EDT on Thursday October 29th along each stop in the hop to increase your chances of winning a prize from one of our sponsors:
a2z Scrapbooking
Altenew
Create a Smile Stamps
Dee's Artsy Impressions
DJkardkreations
Hero Arts
Ink Road
Lia Stampz
Simon Says Stamp
Winners will be notified by email after October 29th.

Here is a list of everyone joining in on this hop!

a2z Scrapbooking   

Amy Tsuruta 
Ardyth Percy Robb 
Brandi Hall   
Char Kochensparger   
Cindy Chiu 
Darnell Knauss 
Dawn Turley 
Debra James 
Deepti Malik
Donna Idlet
Elizabeth Campau
Ellen Haxelmans
Heather Ruwe
Jennifer Loftfield
Joan Bardee
Kara Vrabel
Kara-Lynne
Kathy Wade
Katie Gehring
Kristie Goulet
Kristina Beagle
Kymona Tracey
Laura Jane
Leigh Penner
Lin Brandyberry
Linda Trace
Lindsay Amrhein
Lydia Evans
Maria Sabina
Raita Marika Rahtu
Martha Lucia Gomez
Michele Cunningham
Michele Ferguson
Michelle Lupton
Michelle Williams <That's me!
Monica Maier
Niki G.
Nina-Marie Trapani
Rubeena Naz
Shelly Kurth
Taunya Butler
Thordis Dogg
Vera Yates
Kelly Latevola

Thank-you for dropping by! I hope you're enjoying the hop!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 134

Hello!

I made it in time this week for CAS(E) This Sketch! Yay! The sketch inspiration is super this week. I was thinking of layering die cuts when I came across another inspiration idea that sent me in another direction completely. This is what I came up with.

I used Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps and Happy Trio die. To create my background I masked using a circle die-cut and sponged distress inks.

This sketch has me in graphic CAS heaven! I LOVE it!

The reason I created masked and sponged circles is because I was reading the new issue of Australian Cardmaking, Stamping, and Papercraft when a card LEAPT off the page at me. (Ignore my dodgy photo, the card really is fabulous.)

You can see a better picture of Linda's card over at her blog A Happy Scramper. Linda was inspired by Laura Bassen, which I think is a superb starting point for inspiration. ;-)

Thanks for dropping by! I hope you can join us at CAS(E) This Sketch this week. I'll be checking for you in the gallery!

Michelle
xxx

Curtain Call - Tropical Trip

Hi there!

Just a quick one tonight. I made a card for Curtain Call Challenge. I couldn't resist those bright tropical colours!

I used wPlus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps to create this bright and happy card.

And now I'm rushing towards my bed! It's been a long day. :-)

Michelle
xxx

CASE Study 191

Hello!

Today I bring you my first card as a member of the CASE Study Design Team! I still can't believe that I'm in this fabulous team! Wida is our muse this month. I think you can clearly see in my card where I've drawn from Wida's inspiration - the colours, the general layout, the die cuts, a little white-on-white.

I used wPlus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps and dies. Colours are SU! Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, and Memento Tuxedo Black.

To layer up my die cuts, I cut two white layers to sit under the top layer. I used my brand new Xyron sticker maker to glue them up. That tool makes sticking little things down a little easier!

I hope you can join us this week. Wida's beautiful card is full of inspiration, she makes it easy for us!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch #75

Hello!

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch challenge! The card I made this week uses inlaid die cuts. I wanted it to be flat and easily mailable because it is for my Dad, who is in Italy. When I send him cards that are popped up I always wonder if they'll make it there in one piece! It is my Dad's birthday this week. The card is probably still in the mail. Italian mail can take a while...  My Dad isn't a blingy type of guy, but I did sneak in a shiny yellow star! Happy Birthday, Dad!

I used wPlus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps and Star Stax die. The tag die is PTI. Colours are SU! Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight.

While I had this fabulous sketch in front of me, I also made another card. This one didn't photograph well, so I'll explain it. I punched some hearts and then ran the hearts and card base through the BigShot, causing debossed hearts across the card front. I filled these with Wink of Stella sparkles. The tag I made using Mama Elephant dies and stamps.

I've told you before how much I love these little pandas... my love has not faded yet. ;-)

Thank-you for visiting me! I hope you join us at CAS(E) This Sketch this week!

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