... Taylored Expressions Challenge #20

Hello again everybody,

I have made a card today for the Taylored Expressions Challenge #20. You can see the sketch and the requirements here. This is a great sketch to use to make a clean and simple card. The focal image will carry the whole card.

My card begins with a cream coloured card base over which I have layered a simple blue pattern paper. I have rounded the corners on both the card and the paper.

 I have used the Taylored Expressions stamp set Paw-some for my focal image and for the sentiment. Isn't he just a cutie? I am a sucker for a cute puppy since I have two of them myself.

I cut him out of the same cream coloured cardstock using the accompanying die. I used a stamp positioner to get him centered right on the die cut out. He is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

He is coloured up with Copics in the colours noted below. I also used a Silver Sharpie marker for his dog tag for the metallic quality. I have matted him on a piece of blue cardstock cut with Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Circles. Both the blue mat and the puppy are raised up on some pop dots. With a card this simple I think you need these extra little touches to add interest.

This was such a fun card to create, especially as it will be my dear hubby's birthday card.

I am also going to be entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday challenge which was to use something new. This stamp set is new to me so that is ok.  :)

Thanks so much for visiting today. I do hope that you will leave me your comments as it makes my day to read them. Cheers.

     ~Melanie ~

... ivory elegance

Hello everyone,

Occasionally I find a technique for a card that I absolutely fall in love with. Usually it is something simple and elegant.

I recently made a card for the Taylored Expressions challenge and I used an Anna Griffin embossing folder for the background of the card. Anna Griffin's supplies are always timeless and elegant. I own quite a few of her embossing folders because of that reason. I would love to have all of her amazing paper crafting products but... alas... I do not.  :(

I decided after I had made the previous card that I would get out a few more of her folders and some Spellbinders dies and a few stickers and die cuts to see what I could come up with.

Well, here are five cards that I made and all of them are simplicity itself.

All are the same but different.

All have an ivory card base. All have an ivory cardstock panel which I have embossed with an Anna Griffin folder. All have an ivory Spellbinders die cut. And all have a focal image which is a sticker or die cut. 

This is a fun and very quick way to make cards. I am a stamper through and through but sometimes you see some products like stickers or die cuts that you simply must have. Well... that is all very well and good but then we need to use them and I seldom do that. Not anymore! I am going to be busting my stash for a while yet but this sort of idea is a way of using it all up... in a beautiful way.

Thanks a lot for stopping by today and leaving me your comments. I really appreciate it. Cheers.

     ~ Melanie ~

... Taylored Expression Challenge #19

Hello everyone,

I have made a card today for the Taylored Expressions challenge #19. I finally own a stamp from this company and it is a beauty. I simply adore floral images so that is what I chose.

Here is the sketch and details of the challenge. I have followed the sketch and also chose to use the Tic-Tac-Toe. I used the line of hearts, glitter and embossing.

My card starts with a cream coloured base over which I have added a panel of cream run through an Anna Griffin embossing folder called Acanthus. That took care of the embossing part.

 Next is the heart and for that I used a Spellbinders die called Lace Hearts. Again I used the same cream card stock. It is popped up for some dimension.

For the detail up in the corner I decided upon a ribbon bow attached to ribbon that I crossed over the corner of the card.

Lastly and certainly by no means least, we have the focal image. This is a fantastic stamp from Taylored Expressions appropriately called Calla Lily Bouquet. I used the die that matches the stamp to cut out the image from the same cream cardstock and then stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
I coloured it using Copics in the colours noted below. I actually got out a garden catalog for inspiration and found this stunning bloom all in peachy orange shades. Perfect!

The last bit of the tic-tac-toe was glitter and I wanted it to be very subtle so I used Wink of Stella just on the inner section of the blossom.

I used the same Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp the sentiment which is from the same stamp set.

A single peach coloured pearl completes the card.

Thank you so much for visiting today and leaving me your comments. I adore to read each and every one of them. Please consider following my blog so we can stay in touch. Cheers.

    ~Melanie~

... My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge # 264

Hello there everyone,

I am back again with my card for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge # 264. Here is the sketch.

I do not usually do whimsical cards but something about this sketch made me instantly turn to the My Favorite Things The Whole Herd stamp set and I decided to make a whole field of cows!

I began with a cream card base and added a panel of blue cardstock. 

I cut two different green cardstocks with the My Favorite Things Scenic Safari dies. One I attached flat to the card and the other with pop dots.

I cut out five cows using the coordinating die set and then stamped out the cows using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I then coloured them up using Copics. I opted for easy and simple colouring ... pink noses, black and white cows.

They were then added to the card, again, some flat and some popped up.

For the circle in the top corner I have created a sun out of ribbon and a button. 

The sentiment, also stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, is from the same stamp set.

I have just met a new work colleague who was born and raised on a dairy farm so this would be a perfect card for her.  :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving me your wonderful comments. It really makes my day. Cheers.

   ~ Melanie ~

...PapertreyInk Make It Monday #237

Hello everyone,

I am participating in the PapertreyInk Make it Monday Challenge #237 which was to create a Matchbook Valentine. This turned out to be a very fun project and I could see myself making lots of these little matchbooks for all sorts of reasons.

Mine begins with a package of candy. Now, at the store I went to, they did not have any small packages of Valentine Candy so I opted for a package of Easter Eggs. Who cares, right? It is all candy. :)

I began with a soft pink card stock which I cut to size after measuring the candy package. I opted for the flat top to my matchbook as I like the look. I stapled in the candy to hold it in place. 

l decided that I did not like the fact that you could see the staples at the back of the package. I decided to use a red stitched ribbon and I wrapped it all the way round using some Creative Tape. Love that stuff.

I cut a banner using Spellbinders Baby Buntings dies and then popped this into a Swiss Dot embossing folder.

My focal image is from PapertreyInk from the stamp set Tiny Treats: Valentine. I stamped the outline in Memento Rose Bud ink and then that sweet little bunny in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and added just a tiny touch of colour to his ears and the heart shaped tail with Copics. Cute!

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

I added a red button tied up with some pink and white butchers twine at the top.

Thank you so much for visiting and leaving your comments. I will be back very shortly with another project. Have a great day! Cheers.

   ~Melanie~

... SSS Wednesday Challenge Create With Critters

Hello everyone,

I am finally back today making cards after getting a nasty cut to my hand that ended at the doctor's office and a tetanus shot! Ouch!!!

I have a card today that I made for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the theme is "Create with Critters" preferably featuring Lawn Fawn stamps.

I happen to own exactly one set of Lawn Fawn stamps and lucky for me, it does indeed contain a critter.  :)

Buff coloured card base over which I layered some pattern paper and then three banners, also in pattern paper. All of this came out of my scrap bucket.

A very simple picot ribbon tied in a knot and the main focal image popped up on top.

That cutie patootie of a teddy bear is from the Lawn Fawn stamp set Pa-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum. I stamped him in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then coloured him up in the Copic colours you see below. He was cut out with Spellbinders Standard Circles Large die and then matted on Spellbinders Scalloped Circles die.

The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions stamp set Paw-some, again stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

As requested, here is a shot of my critters, basking in the late afternoon sunshine on a cold winter day here in Ontario.

Thank you so much for stopping by AND for leaving me your comments which I absolutely love to read. Have a great day. Cheers.

     ~Melanie~

... Power Poppy Stretch Yourself Challenge

Hello there everybody,

I have a card for you tonight which I made for the Power Poppy Stretch Yourself Challenge as you see here. The idea was for us to make a tall card and also to use something that is new to us, which could basically be anything.

I have used an older Mojo Monday sketch that I really like and it already has the "tall" part covered.  :) I love Julee's sketches as half the battle is already won when you have such great designs to work with.

My card begins with a white base over which I have layered some pattern paper I found in an old Colorbok punch out pack. Gosh this paper has to be well over 10 years old (I never throw out paper) and it fit in perfectly with the look that I was going for which was something soft and feminine. I am sorry for the picture quality but I took these shots at night and the light was not the best. 

Over this I have used the Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles Two die (one of my very favourites) in white. I used a pink gingham ribbon along the edge.

Now we come to the meat and potatoes of this challenge which is to use something new. Well, I have actually owned the Power Poppy Happy Crabapple stamp set for a while now but never used it. So I think that qualifies.  :)

I cut out circles using the Spellbinders Standard Circles die set and then stamped bits of the Crabapple stamps on them using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. These I then coloured using the Copic shown below. I matted them on a deep rose shade of card stock which I cut using the Spellbinders Lacey Circles die.

The sentiment which is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink is from the Power Poppy stamp set Farmers Market. I think it is very appropriate. There is something very sweet indeed about the scent of apple blossom.

I popped up the little nuggets of crabapples with pop dots and then added a few soft pink pearls just for fun.

So there you have it. Tall and new. 

Thank you so much for visiting with me tonight and leaving me your comments which I tell you, they just make my day, or night as the case may be. :)
Cheers.

     Melanie