Power Poppy Mini & Mighty Challenge

Hello everyone....

I am just in time to get this card in for the Power Poppy Mini & Mighty Challenge which ends tonight.  Whew! Here is the inspiration for the challenge.

My card is the requisite size being only 4" in diameter. I have used that gorgeous stamp set called 

O Holy Night which is a favourite of mine.

I have stamped the image with Brilliance Ink in Mediterranean Blue and then used clear embossing powder. I cut the image down to fit on the dark blue cardstock that I cut with a Spellbinders die.

I have made a round white card to which this is attached. The small banner uses a sentiment from the same set in the matching blue.

You may not be able to see it in the photo but I have accented various areas on the image with a silver micro pen.

That is it for me for today. Thanks very much for visiting my blog today and leaving me your wonderful comments. They make my day. Cheers.

By the way....the "Followers" section of the blog appears to have been corrected...yeah!

Melanie

Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #301

Hello again everyone...

Back with one more card for Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #301...
Matting with Glitter.

This was a really fun challenge. I have decided only to mat a part of my 
card with glitter rather than the whole thing.

I began with a soft green A2 card and rounded the corners.

I have used stamps and dies from Love Lives Here and Love Lives Here Holiday. These are two of my absolute favourite stamp sets from Papertrey Ink. I turn to them over and over.

I have stamped the everygreen cluster a couple times across the top of the card and added a few hearts here and there. 

The sentiment has the requisite glitter matting and on top of it is the little house. I cut it out 4 times from heavy cardstock for a bit of heft. Some additional greenery around it and a ribbon across the bottom and all done.

Thanks for visiting with me.

A note to all you wonderful people who have been following my blog...there was some sort of an error with the "Follow" button and I have had to delete it. I will be re-installing it right away but I think you will need to sign up all over again. Really sorry about that. There are times when I really do loathe computers.  :(     Cheers.

Melanie

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #356

Hello there everyone...

I have a card to share that I am entering in the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #356 and also in the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge which is to add a gift on the card.

Here is the sketch we had to work with.

I have chosen to sort of turn the sketch on it's side. 

I have used a soft green A2 card and covered the front with paper from 

Graphic 45 and rounded the corners.

The white panel features stamps from My Favorite Things Santa's Elves. I have added a little bit of Wink of Stella to the bells for a bit of sparkle.

Thank you for visiting with me today. I will be back shortly with another card. Cheers.

Melanie

Whimsy Challenge #100 Anything Goes

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog...

I have a card to share that I am entering in the Whimsy Challenge #100 - Anything Goes. I am also entering it in the Double D Challenge - Leaves (here is the link)  daranddiane.blogspot.ca and finally Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes. Whew! That is a lot of challenges for one little card.  :)

I have quite a few Whimsy stamps but most of them are older ones. However, I love them just as much now as when I bought them several years ago.

For my card I used a harvest gold cardstock cut to A2 size and I covered the front with some pattern paper from my stash. The focal image is called Fall Wreath from Whimsy. I love it.

I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black on watercolour paper and coloured it up with Zig Clean Color markers and then matted it on some gold cardstock.

Across the bottom of the card I have attached a strip of ecru lace and a length of ribbon.

The sentiment is by Whimsy from the stamp set Friendship Tickets. I have tucked in a couple of leafy flourishes cut from an olive/mossy green cardstock using a Spellbinders die.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I look forward to reading your sweet comments. If by chance you should decide to follow my blog please do let me know and I will return the favour.

Cheers.

Melanie

Papertrey Ink October 2017 Blog Hop

Hello everyone and welcome...

Today is the 25th of the month and that means Papertrey Ink Blog Hop day. It is always so wonderful to hop around and see the amazing work from all the participants. 

Here is the inspiration photo. I have to tell you, I struggled with this one. I finally decided to pick apart elements of the photos to use as well as certain colours.



I have an affinity for little houses in design so I immediately knew that would play a part in my card. I also liked the tree/leaf elements and that striking blue and the softer peachy colour.

So...here is my card.

 I have used a sheet of Bitty Baby Blessings pattern paper to cover an A2 card. Then I cut out the Quilted Tag Sale die from watercolour paper and washed on some of those delicious peachy tones.

Over that I have used one of the houses from Boards & Beams. This was cut using the die, also from watercolour paper. I used Zig Clean Colour markers to colour it in. I was trying for a very loose effect, almost not quite finished, which I have found is much more difficult to achieve than my normal method of colouring, but it seemed to be in keeping with the photos.

I have used the branches from Spring Woods in several clusters top and bottom tucked in under the house which is on foam tape. In the background are a few sprigs from Stitched Sentiments in the same blue tones as the house.

I used one of the Tiny Tags dies at the top with the sentiment, also from Boards & Beams, and topped it off with a soft bow in the same peachy colour.

Thank you so much for making my blog one of your stops along the way today. Your comments mean the world to me and I enjoy reading each and every one of them. Enjoy the rest of the hop as I will be doing myself. Cheers.

Melanie

Double D Challenge Leaves

Hello again everyone and welcome...

I have a card to share with you that I made for the Double D Challenge. Here you can see the mood board. The theme is "leaves". Here is the link. daranddiane.blogspot.ca

I absolutely love to participate in various challenges from the stamp companies whose products I really enjoy using. That being said, there is certainly something to be said for participating in a challenge like this one. The only stipulation is that your project follows the theme. You can use whatever products you like.

For my card I am using some very very old Rubber Stampede stamps. I loved these leaf stamps when I first bought them at Michael ages ago and I love them still.

I have covered my A2 white card with some gingham paper from Papertrey Ink and then added an embossed panel cut with a Sizzix die over a piece of ribbon. I am sure the embossing folder has a name but I cannot remember what it is. I sponged on a small bit of Memento Dandelion and Tangerine ink to bring out the embossed leaves.

The focal image(s) are the three leaves that I fussy cut. These stamps were made LONG before the days of die cuts! Luckily I have  patience and sharp scissors.

On top of that is a small tag from Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die. The sentiment is another old stamp from Hero Arts. I finished off with a small button tied up with twine.

I was trying to keep all the leaves nice and soft in colour as a foil to the deeper sharper paper in the background to strike a nice balance.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. I appreciate the time you take to leave me your comments. I value each and every one. Cheers.

Melanie

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #355

Hello everybody and welcome...

I have a card to share today that I made for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #355. You can see the sketch here.

I started by covering the top half of a white A2 card with a soft blue pattern paper. I used the MFT Scenic Safari dies to cut a couple pieces of green for the bottom.

I have used that utterly adorable MFT stamp set Sweet Safari and the coordinating dies to cut out the elephant, tiger and some leaves. These I all coloured up with Copics.

The sentiment is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and it is from the same set.

I have scattered the leaves at the top of the card instead of using buttons or sequins.

Thank you very much for stopping by today. I do love to read your sweet comments. Cheers.

Melanie

Reverse Confetti Sketch #53

Hello everyone and welcome....

I am playing along with the Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try and here it is.

Lots going on in this sketch. I decided to use the Reverse Confetti stamp set called Mouse Mail. Those wee little mice are simply too cute.

I started with an A2 white card base, rounded the corners and then sponged on a bit of yellow ink around the edges to soften them. Then came two pieces of pattern paper.

I bisected the card with ribbon from which dangle lots of little envelopes, no doubt containing wonderful cards for loved ones. :)

The focal image is that darling little lady mouse holding an envelope which I coloured up with Copics. I popped her up for a bit of dimension.

The sentiment in the bottom corner is from the same stamp set.

Thank you so very much for visiting today and leaving me your comments. They never fail to make me smile. Cheers.

Melanie

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #354

Hello everyone...

I am rushing to get in under the wire for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. You can see the sketch here.

It is that time of year when the garden needs to be put to bed for the winter so my garden duties are eating into my stamping time.  :(

I started with a pink A2 card base and added a strip of pattern paper. Over that I have added an oval put through a Swiss dot embossing folder and matted with a scalloped oval.

For the focal image I have used the smallest and cutest bear from the My Favorite Things Birthday Bears stamp set. I just love the expression on his little face. The cake he is looking at is from the same set.

I used a sentiment, also from Birthday Bears, on the banner on the left.

And yes, if you look closely you will see that I have fussy cut out the bear and the cake. Yes, all around all those wee little candles. I really MUST get the dies to go with this set. Cutting out the bear and the cake took as much time as the rest of the card.

Thanks a lot for visiting today. I really appreciate your kind comments. Cheers.

Melanie

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #300

Hello everybody...

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I have a couple cards today that I have made for the Papertrey Ink Make it Monday challenge which was Build a Wreath by Melissa Phillips. I just adore everything that Melissa makes. She has such a delicate style and always makes the things she does look so easy.

I have used the large scalloped frame die from Papertrey Ink's Nostalgic Notions and the wreath from Rustic Wreath on both cards.

For the first card I covered the card front in a soft plaid paper and added the scalloped frame and the wreath. 

I added some little sprigs of greenery here and there from the Holiday Folk stamp set along with some metallic stars. The sentiment stamped in black and the focal image of that darling little deer are from the same set.

I finished off with a few little sparkly gems here and there.

........................................................

The second card is a white card base and I have stamped the corner detail from Nostalgic Notions in the upper and lower opposite corners in a soft pink.

Then comes the scalloped frame in a checkerboard paper and I have darkened the edges. The wreath in a metallic paper follows but it does not really show up in the photos.

I have stamped and cut out the flowers from Nostalgic Notions and positioned them around the wreath along with a few leaves. In the background I have used the Stitches & Swirls stamp set for a few swirls and finished off with a few pearls.

The sentiment is the die cut from Bloomin Cute Sentiments.

I cut out a piece of fun foam using the frame die and then trimmed it down just a bit so it would not be visible so I could mount the whole thing up on the card for a little something extra.



So there you have it. This was a really fun challenge to play along with. Thanks every so much for visiting with me today. Your comments always make me smile. Have a wonderful day. Cheers.

Melanie

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #299

Hello everybody...

I am just squeaking in under the wire for this weeks Papertrey Ink Make it Monday Challenge.

Dawn made a terrific card for us to use as our inspiration for this challenge which is Sentiment Windows.

I love this challenge. I am seriously thinking this will be my Christmas card for this season, or at least quite a few of them anyway. On to the card...

It is a bit of an odd size as I used a Spellbinders die and had to make the card big enough to accomodate the die. I attached a piece of pattern paper to the front, centered the die and cut through.

The sentiment and the snowflakes are from Papertrey Ink In the Meadow. I absolutely love that stamp set. I use it over and over again. 

The dies on the front of card are from the In The Meadow die set.

All in all, a fairly simple card, but with a lot of style.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your comments mean the world to me. Cheers.

Melanie

Congratulations

Hello everyone...

Thank you so much for visiting with me today. I have a very special card to share.

The son of one of my dearest friends just got married this past Saturday.

I wanted to make a special card for the happy couple.

With that end in mind, I ordered a fantastic die from Papertrey Ink, part of Betsy Veldman's Paper Clippings series. This set is called "Love Story".

 How appropriate, yes?

I have kept my card all white. Starting with a 5 x 7 white card base I added a single later of heavy white cardstock mounted up on a full sheet of fun foam for strength and dimension.

On top of that is a 5 x 7 Spellbinders die cut. Intricate but not too much.

On top of that I have layered that stunning Paper Clippings die cut. I actually cut out 4 of them and layered then one on top of each other for lots of extra dimension as you can see from this photo below

.

I have the stamp set that you can get to accompany these dies but chose to just leave the front crisp and clean with just the addition of a few small white pearls.

For the inside I used a very old PSX stamp that I have had for ages but remains to this day one of my absolute favourites. I love how elegant it is and I thought it would be perfect for the card. I stamped it in a shade of blue that was quite close to the colour of blue they used on their invitation.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Do leave me your comments as they make my day.

Cheers,   

   Melanie