Botanical Cafe

Another couple of Foxes

2012-01-23T12:27:00.001-06:00

Good Morning! Hope your week-end was grand and you had time to relax and create!

I have been having a lot of fun with this little fox from Hero Arts. I made a couple of cards for a challenge that a few friends of mine issued. I was to use blues, a colour that I rarely use and NOT use florals. This is what I came up with and I really think that this little creature is adorable! I paper pieced parts of this cute creature, gave him sparkly whiskers and coloured some white Maya Road heart stick pins with my Copic markers. I made the sentiment on the computer.

Thanks for taking a peek today,

hope you have a great start to your week!

Hugs,

Chriss

Birthday girls

2012-01-21T15:49:00.000-06:00

Hello again!
Two posts in a day...whoa!
I have been having some fun with this other new Hero Arts stamp and made two cards with different colour combos. The skirt is paper pieced and the presents are coloured with Copic markers and Spica pens, they have a nice sparkle to them IRL.
The top piece of patterned paper is cut with a Spellbinder label and cut in half and I added some Maya Road vintage style buttons threaded with some embroidery floss. The second card has a textured background that I made with a PTI embossing plate. Again, some really easy cards.
Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss

Lost (without you)

2012-01-21T15:11:00.001-06:00

Happy Saturday all!
Hope that your week-end is great so far! I had breakfast with a couple of very dear friends this morning and afterwards went into Michael's and found this adorable Hero Arts fox. I had some time early this afternoon to finally create a card for the Map to your Heart Moxie Fab World challenge using this darling image and this is what I came up with..a very simple paper pieced fox. I placed him/her over a cork heart and added a Maya Road kraft ticket that I wrote the sentiment on, added a Maya Road heart stickpin and used a May Arts striped ribbon from my stash. I also added some black rhinestones for his eyes and nose. Simple and cute (I think)!
Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek,
Have a great week-end,
Chriss

Happy Birthday Ros

2012-01-14T15:54:00.000-06:00

Happy Saturday all! How is your week-end going so far?
Mine started off today with a trip to IKEA, bought a couple of cream coloured pillows with a nice black leaf outline print on them...great pricing.
I saw over on the City Crafter Challenge Blog that it was Ros's birthday. Well, this gal is such a sweet and dear blog friend, always quick to post a comment (there are a few of you out there and I appreciate each one of you!) that I really wanted to make a card for her. I am joining in with the blog team members in wishing Ros the very best year ever!
For my card, I started with this K and Co. cream and black vine print paper that I have treasured for a couple of years now. I think it is quite elegant and fitting for Ros, she makes such beautiful cards! Herb log banner has some bluebirds in it and I wanted to incorporate that element with this tiny bird from Magenta and simply coloured with Copics. I placed a rather large cork heart on the front panel and added my stamped PTI sentiment onto a cream Memory Box die cut that I found on my desk. These dies from MB (a set of 3 I believe)are really darling and I have misplaced or lost them. I am hoping that they will turn up one day. The stamped flower is from an older set that I purchased from Technique Tuesday. I cut this out from the kraft cs and layered it onto a Memory Box die cut wreath that I cut from a very thin sheet of cherry wood. To finish off the flower, I added a crocheted cotton flower and topped it with a Stampin up flower and a lacy button with a blue feather tucked under. The buttons in the left hand corner are some vintage-y ones that I had in my stash and I simply threaded them with a length of black twisted thread.
That's my card for Ros...hope you like it sweet friend!
Wishing you a truly fabulous year filled with all good things!
Thanks for stopping by,
Chriss

A friendly hello

2012-01-13T19:34:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone. Friday-yay!
I made another card for the Moxie Fab World die cutting challenge and this one also qualifies for the City Crafter "Back to Black" challenge to incorporate a black silhouette (I stamped my fern frond directly onto the patterned paper).
For the die cutting part, I started with this long Cuttlebug tag die. I cut out one in black and one other in the patterned paper and trimmed it down a slight 1/8th" all around, then sewed together with black thread. I sewed the edges of the front panel directly to the card and then stamped the silhouette.
I used an alphabet die also from Cuttlebug and cut out the letters on some chipboard coasters and then cut out the letters again with various patterned papers. I adhered them to the chipboard with glue and then to the tag. I used this big button that I had in my stash (BoBunny I think)and threaded it with some silk floss. The silk floss was quite slippery and I didn't think that the knot would hold, so I placed a dab of glue on top of the knot and sprinkled with MS black glitter. the tag was placed onto dimensional foam and I placed it over another die cut I made using my Spellbinders eyelet square die and I stamped a PTI bold hello onto the top portion, positioning it so that the bottom part of the white cut die shape would peek out of the bottom.
That's it for now...
thanks for taking a peek,
Chriss

50 years of wisdom

2012-01-12T15:45:00.001-06:00

Hi there!
I needed a birthday card for a male friend turning 50 and I thought this Hero Arts owl was perfect! I am a little older than 50 and I would like to think that I have gained some wisdom over the years...this little guy is here to give some wise and happy birthday wishes!
I stamped the Hero Arts newsprint owl onto PTI kraft card stock in SU black craft ink, cut out and sponged around the edges with PTI spring moss ink. I coloured the leaves with a Copic marker. The medalion at the top was made with a Memory Box die and I glued it into place, nestling in this fun Jenni Bowlin button at the same time, it sits on a sponge dimensional. The little wooden tag is one of several that I have had in my stash for a few years. They are not a craft item, but rather tags that were extra to some little wooden ducks and lambs that Smith & Hawken carried. When they closed, I was allowed to take some of them home...:)) I knew I could use them one day and I think this makes a great masculine tag. The 0 is a sparkly sticker and the 5 is something that I had in my stash. It was a paperclip, but I broke the wire off and glued the 5 in place.
That's it for this simple card.
See you soon-hope your day is going well and that you are safe and warm. It's pretty cold here in Austin today, 40's and windy. I am staying inside today. Yesterday's winter day was MUCH nicer 79 and sunny...
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek,
Chriss

Happy Birthday in aquas

2012-01-09T23:59:00.003-06:00

Here's a little birthday card that I made for my SIL, her birthday is coming up fast! I don't know if it will get to Canada on time for the exact date...but it is on it's way :))

I used the Alla Prima 6 X 6 paper pack with all of these yummy prints and colours. The stamp and die cut are from PTI as well as the sentiment. Quick and easy, some spongeing, a rhinestone and a ribbon finish it off. I also added strips of the paper inside the card and the outer edges of the kraft cs have an eyelet punched edge.

Thanks for taking a peek!
Have a great day,
Chriss

Newsprint Birdie says Lots of Hugs

2012-01-09T17:14:00.003-06:00

Good Monday to you. Hope your week-end was fun and that you have had some time for yourself. I went to a brunch yesterday with two of my very best friends and hubby too!
I received some very happy mail on Saturday too...my little order from Ellen Hutson arrived and I could't wait to stamp this new newsprint bird from Hero Arts. I used Julee's MOJO sketch 223 for the layout (that's 2 weeks in a row...I hope I can keep up and do a few challenges every week!). I stamped this bird on kraft cs from PTI and simply cut out, a very easy bird to cut! I added a green rhinestone for her/his eye and placed a teeny little black one on top of that for the pupil. The MoxieFabWorld has a die cut challenge going on and I wanted to try my hand at this too, so I used the eyelet circle from Spellbinders(black SU cs) and a new Memory Box wreath die(pear pizzazz SU cs) to place on top of a Spellbinder circle (Echo Park "Yours Truly"polka dot). The card base is also in Pear Pizzazz and the black and white vine paper is an older K and Co. sheet that I have loved since it has been available...quite a while!
For the heart I used 2 heart PTI die cuts and with some more red papers from Echo Park and PTI. On the green panels I used a CB folder and a PTI embossing plate. So, that's it---a fun anniversary/Valentine card. I may have to hold onto this one to give to my fabulous hubby! Thanks for taking a peek,
lots of hugs to you,
Chriss

Life is beautiful Thank you

2012-01-07T13:37:00.001-06:00

Well, HELLO there all! It has been a while since I have posted, not that I have not been creating, just a little lax in posting. It's a new start to a new year, new job too. Life really is beautiful and I created this card for my very dear MIL. She is the sweetest woman and always so very thoughtful. This is an over due thank you card for her.
I used Julee's MOJO Monday 222 sketch as my jump-off point...it's been too long since I created with a sketch and I really enjoyed making this card!
I used a Sixxix folder to emboss the white PTI cs and sponged the edges. The patterned papers are from the 6 X 6 paper pad "Alla Prima" (some of my favourite colour combinations in this one) and a stray smaller polka dotted paper. The edges were sponged and stitched. I also stamped the Verve flower from "Great Friend" directly onto the patterned papers and cut out and sponged with PTI aqua mist then added a resin flower from Webster that I dabbed with SU dazzling effects for a little sparkle. The peacock canvas is also a Webster's piece that I have hoarded for more than a year...but I am happy that I still had it to use for this card.
Thanks for visiting and I hope that this first week of the new year has been very good to you!
hugs,
chriss

Moxie Fab horizontal sketch challenge

2011-09-13T12:59:00.002-05:00

Good afternoon everyone! It sure is good to be home and in a more regular routine. Our community was evacuated Sunday Sept. 4th due to wildfires right in our community. We were allowed to return on Tuesday afternoon and we were very, very lucky that there was no damage to our home or any of the homes on our cul-de-sac.
We really are blessed to have such good friends calling and looking for us at shelters to offer up their homes! Birds, dogs and the 4 of us were all invited into a very warm and comfortable home!
I was supposed to leave for a fun filled week in Italy with two very dear girlfriends a week ago, but decided on staying here while the fires were not totally contained. Rome will be there next year :)
Now that I am back and into a little of a routine, I decided to use this clever sketch offered up on the Moxie Fab World blog to create a little Christmas card for a knitting lover!. I have been wanting to use this little lamb and sentiment from MemoryBox ever since I bought it a couple of months ago. When I saw the sketch, I knew I could make it work. I used this great Cosmo Cricket 6 X 6 plaid that I have been hoarding since it came out for the card front. I layered it onto a SU cherry Cobbler base after spongeing the edges with the same colour ink. I sponged the edges of the Spellbinder hexagons and stamped a small script SU Joy on one of them, used a Martha felt snowflake with a PaperTrey Ink aqua button on another, fashioned some knitting needles from some toothpicks I had and also made a little skein of "yarn" using crochet cotton. The MemoryBox sentiment is stamped in black craft ink onto a piece of artist canvas from an art book that I bought at Michael's. The little lamb was stamped on PTI cream and coloured with a garnet Copic marker, some white enamel for the fleece on the hat and I added little aqua rhinestones to the joy, hat pom pom and the I in Navidad. I finished it off with some more of the crochet cotton wrapped around the entire card front a few times. I really liked using this sketch for this themed Christmas card. Thanks for taking a peek today and I hope that all is calm around where you live!
Hugs,
Chriss (you can click on the photo for a larger pic)

Sunflower friend

2011-08-25T15:03:00.001-05:00

Moxie Fab World Square Sketch Challenge Hello there! Anyone seen any sign of Fall weather out there? We are still roasting here in Austin. We have set the record for the hottest summer here...ever! Thinking of Fall always reminds me of sunflowers. When I used to walk to school in 4th grade, I would pass by a neighbour's house that had sunflowers for us to pick the seeds! It is such a special memory to me, all these years.

For my card today, I wanted to make a card for a friend at work that is leaving. She is a wonderful friend and loves Fall colours, so here I go with a Sunflower card. I decided to use the square sketch over on the Moxie Fab World blog for the Square sketch challenge.

I started by stamping the sunflower image (Heartfelt Creations Sunflower II) right onto a piece of K and CO. dp and shaded and dotted with various Copic markers. I cut the image out and positioned it onto a piece of card stock and cut that out too for a heavier base and added some foam dimensionals. The card base is made with a rust coloured card stock. I layered a smaller square of ivory under a smaller piece of a different K and CO. dp and stitched together. All edges were sponged with crumb cake SU ink. This front panel was adhered to the rust card base.

The sunfloer image was trimmed to a 90 degree and added to the bottom right corner, just a little over the stitched edge to create a little something something. For the sentiment panel, I used a Label 18 and cut another K and Co. dp, stamped the sentiment in black ink and stitched the top of it right through the whole card front. I added the Basic Grey square rhinestones and I also made these Spellbinder leaves from a piece of paper that I received flowers in a few months ago. I kept it because I was intrigued with the lines and the thinness of the paper.I am really pleased with how the flower turned out and I just returned from giving it to my friend Jackie...she loved it too! I must thank the MoxieFabWorld for this great sketch!

Thanks for peeking in,

Chriss

Happy scarecrow DTGD11suzannejdean

2011-08-04T15:54:00.000-05:00

Hello again!
It's so very hot here that I got my errands done early in the day and I was able to make this happy card for yet another of the Dirty Girl challenges. I had a lot of fun colouring this happy guy and I used one of my favourite old Basic Gray papers "chutney" from the Ambrosia collection.
I stamped the Northwoods scarecrow in SU basic brown, coloured with Copics and used a petite oval from Spellbinders. The borders were created with a strip of canvas from a rice bag and an embossed strip of blue using a CB button EF. The little flourishes are made with punched papers and cs using the MS frond and fern punches. EASY!

Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss

Punched and sparkled birthday cupcake

2011-08-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Have you all been busy with the Dirty Girl challenges? I have been meaning to keep up...but daily life is getting in the way! Anyhow...here is a card that I combined a few challenges on DTGD11juliemlacey, DTGD11Kitty747, DTGD11dini, DTGD11AndreaEwen
I started by embossing a kraft card front and placed over my pink card base. I stamped a Lockhart daisy cupcake stamp using PTI white ink and then coloured with Copic markers. I added glitter to the daisy centers for some added sprinkled sparkle. I used a Spellbinder circle die, cut out and then another larger one and cut out a pink circle, mounted onto a MS doily. I created a border using a wide EK Success punch used on a kraft strip and layered onto a SU scallop pink punched strip. The little paper flowers were created with SU punches and I added pink rhinestones to the centers.
That's it for this morning...have to run some errands now and meet a friend for lunch. Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss

DARE to get DIRTY!

2011-07-30T15:15:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again...time to

GET DIRTY!

The details to create and participate in these challenges are secret, and only those members of the Splitcoast Stampers Fan club will know how to access those details. If you are not a member and want to join in on the fun, just click here to join.

I am combining two challenges on this card, Jeanne's and Julie's.

Thanks so much for taking a peek,

Cheers!

Chriss

~ seeds in my cup ~

stamps SU A Flower for All Seasons, PTI Peaceful Poinsettia

ink SU Cherry Cobbler, PTI true black

paper SU Cherry Cobbler, PTI kraft

access. polka dots EF, Spellbinder label 14, petite oval, circle, Memory Box loopy flower, Copic markers, Spica buttermilk pen

Congrats for Gallery Idol

2011-07-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

I made another card for the Gallery Idol contest...they are announcing the 20 finalists tomorrow. This is a first time for me so...
I made the card with Echo Park papers "For the Record" and used the tiny Lockhart kite stamp as inspiration, stamping directly onto the printed paper. For the kite tails, I tied some narrow silk ribbon scraps around the tail. They are popped up on foam for better definition. The Congrats letters are a mix of black thickers and some CuttleBug alpha dies that I used on the Echo Park papers. I also added black zig zag stitching for more contrast. Have you entered into this contest? I read that there were over 1500 entries this year!
Hope that you are having a great week and thanks for taking a peek!
Cheers!
Chriss

Birthday Celebration

2011-06-20T12:06:00.001-05:00

Good Monday morning everyone!
One of my dear friends is celebrating a birthday on Wednesday and I will be taking her to lunch tomorrow after a shopping visit to a yarn shop. We are both knitters and she is a beach lover, so I made this card for her. As inspiration, I used the CR84FN32 colours pic and this is what I came up with.
I started with an aqua card front (Coredinations) and this great colourful letter print paper (October Afternoon). I rounded 2 of the corners and sponged the panel with SU crumbcake ink. I used 2 new circular dies from MemoryBox that I bought from Ellen Hutson and layered together. I then stamped a SU heart that has French printing and a floral image, cur out, sponged and coloured. I have had these great cocktail picks with shells on them that I bought at Anthropologie last Summer and finally using one of them. The Celebrate sentiment is from the SU set Fancy Phrases and I stamped it onto another MemoryBox "pastry labels" die that I also recently acquired from Ellen's store. The little charm is removable for my friend to add to a bracelet or necklace and I tied a SU Pear Pizzazz seam binding length and tied into a simple bow. I hope she will like the card and the yarn and I know we will both enjoy the Margarita that we will have with lunch in celebration of her birthday :)
Thanks for taking a peek,
Cheers ~ Chriss

MFW Cosmopolitan Neopolitan

2011-06-10T22:12:00.001-05:00

Cosmopolitan Neopolitan

Here's my take on the MoxieFabWorld Tuesday Trigger
I love pink and brown together and and I couldn't resist trying my hand at this delightful Tuesday Trigger. I got out my inks and sponged the center part of my card front, stamped this sundae image from an older SU set (Sweet Treats) and coloured with Copic and Spica markers, can you see the sparkles in the chocolate brown?. I cut out and embossed with a Spellbinder curvy rectangle and sponged the edges of it with the pink on one side and the brown on the other. The Celebrate sentiment is stamped in the same cocoa craft ink and I added these resin flowers on the side to duplicate the same colour repetition. I guess there is no explanation needed for my inspiration on this card...:)
Thanks for taking a peek,
Cheers! ~ Chriss

Dad's pocket rose

2011-06-09T14:51:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon all! Still hot here... a good excuse to stay inside and play with my crafting goodies. I made a card for Ellen Hutson's "pocket/pochette" challenge using these MemoryBox Brioche papers that I have had for a little while now. There are some great patterns in this collection and I selected these 3 from the 6 X 6 pad that I think are masculine. I started off by making the card front with some strips of the paper and then cut out a plaid piece with a Spellbinders label # Eighteen die. I cut the top off and used the little strip as the fold-over on the front of pockets and went over the edges with a vermillion Copic marker, using the broad end tip. I then ran some red stitches over it and was more convinced that it looked like a pocket :) I wanted a little pop of colour and added the resin Prima flower, like a boutonniere, but from the pocket corner. The sentiment is made with Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alpha stickers, so, so easy!

Congratulatory Wedding Wishes

2011-06-07T14:33:00.000-05:00

Hello there! Is it hot in your part of the country? It sure is warm here in Austin! It was 104 yesterday! Feels like we will have much of the same today.

I had some time to create a wedding card today using Verve's Love Story and the congratulations is from Papertrey Ink's Boards and Beams set. This card is a try at the Papercrafts Gallery Idol. I have only ever submitted 3 cards for anything "designer" like and I am trying to get better about this, so...

I used a sheet of K and CO that I thought was so perfect for a wedding card, classic pattern and neutral colours, my kind of comfortable :)

I stamped and coloured the heart image from Verve and then stamped the sentiment in the middle. I popped this onto a beaded circle die cut that I made using PTI Vintage Linen card stock (I used this for the card base also). I added a few yellow Prima roses that go so well with the paper and also punched out some MS fronds and leaves in the linen cs and a kraft cs. The congratulations was stamped and trimmed off from the rest of the sentiment phrase and I sponged the edges in SU crumb cake ink (all of the edges on the card are sponged with this). The last little detail is the seam binding as my ribbon and I placed a bronze brad with a pearl center through the bow center.

Hope you have a great day and enjoy the summery weather!

Cheers,

Chriss

Chevron Chic

2011-05-27T10:41:00.000-05:00

THE CHEVRON CHIC CHALLENGE

The latest challenge on the MoxieFabWorld blog is to incorporate Chevron pattern onto a project, the Chevron Chic Challenge! I am always interested in what these challenges are and Cath is such a great promoter of the latest trends spotting/highlighting and educating us. Although I may not be the trendiest gal around, I do try to pay attention ;)
So I got all excited for this latest challenge...I knew it was coming and guess what...I don't have any Chevron striped stamps!!! What to do...well I did have this embossing folder and I had some teeny tiny knitting needles and two colours of crochet cotton. Thinking cap on and staying calm...
Here's what I made with the smaller in diameter than toothpick sized knitting needles.
The card stock used is Papertrey Ink Kraft and Jewel, the stamped lamb and knitting needles are Stampin' Up from the Hand Knit set and I printed the sentiment on the computer. I used a Spellbinders Label 14 and the fancy rectangles for some die cut mats. These were sponged in a matching ink. I had the little metal crown in my stash. Here it the card that I made...

Cheers!
Chriss

Father's Day chef

2011-05-20T08:58:00.000-05:00

Good morning! It's been a little quiet on the blog front here, but I finally got a little time to make a couple of masculine cards. I used a Flourishes stamp from the Mix n Match set (perfect for the chef Dad) and some papers from the Pyrus collection by Basic Grey. I stamped the chef tools onto Papertrey Ink's vintage cream cs and coloured with Copic markers and a Zig silver pen, cut out. The mug was stamped onto a PTI coaster board and coloured with Copics, stamped with the #1 Dad and cut out with my tonic scissors...I love these and use them for all of my "fussy cutting". I used dimensional foam behind the cup and adhered to a Labels Eighteen cut from the BG paper. I had some embroidery floss and tied around the front of the card before placing the image on the card front.

For the next masculine birthday card, I used Papertrey Ink's Through the Trees stamp and used the rock and roll technique on the trunk with two inks and also on the leafy top but adding some dabs of the darker ink. The ribbon is Stampin' Up's seam binding and the button is from PTI. The green border die is a new one from MemoryBox. Thanks for taking a peek, I hope to get some more cards loaded this afternoon ... :)

Chriss

Tissue Box Hen

2011-05-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

The Moxie Fab World blog has a tissue contest going on...Here is a card that I made for the challenge. This is my Moxie Fab hen tissue box get well card :)
I started by stamping these darling Lockhart images and coloured with Copic markers. I placed a slit on the hen's back and crumpled a little triangle of kraft coloured tissue...voila~ a tissue box with a little greeting that I made on the computer. The paper is K and Co. and I used some vanilla seam binding to make a simple knot in for the top of the card. I hope to make another card for this challenge as I think tissue is such a great element to work with.
Thanks for taking a peek...have you made a card for this challenge yet?

Hugs,
Chriss

Porcelain blue rose

2011-05-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

Good morning! How is the weather where you are? Bringing Spring flowers to you ...I hope! We have had some very warm weather here in Austin, but yesterday evening the temperature dropped 40 degrees!!! It's in the 50's now, quite chilly for me :) I'm not complaining, because I know that this will be very short lived.

Onto card business...I used the Mojo sketch, #189, from Verve and made this Mother's Day card for the contest going on this week. I gathered some K and CO. papers from the old stash to create the fun and feminine greens and blues theme and used some Copic markers to colour the flower from the Verve set "One Person". I stamped the flower twice and popped the center of one of them onto the full flower. I also got to use some new-to-me Spellbinder dies, the eyelet square and the beaded circle to create some great frames/accents for this card. Most edges were sponged with PTI Spring Moss and the border dies are a new Memory Box steel border die. The sentiment is also from the same great set and I stamped it onto a ribbon die from a CuttleBug set that I have had for quite a while. The bakers twine is Martha Stewart, very old in the stash, and a perfect match to these papers. I finished the card off with a little layered hand cut banner and added some K and CO. green rhinestones.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hugs to you all,

Chriss

Happily Ever After Mojo188

2011-04-25T12:51:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Hope your Easter weekend was filled with family and fun. I had to work a couple of the days, but managed to get in quite a bit of yard work, mostly mulch laying and some trimming...
I wanted to start this week off with Julee's Mojo188 sketch challenge and I love how this card turned out. I used Lilybee Designs Picket Fence papers for this wedding card. The little 6 X 6 pad is a treasure! I made the square version of the sketch and cut the front of the card 3/4" shorter (more narrow) than the back of the card to show off the Memory Box border die that I adhered to the inside of the card, newly acquired from Ellen Hutson's shop. I used the Happily ever After sentiment from the Verve set Love Story. Lots of great sentiments in that set! I layered it onto a polka dotted circle and then onto a white doily-like shape that I made with another new die from Memory Box, nice and crisp looking and I think it adds a nice contemporary look to this card. The leaves are punched in the Lilybee paper with a MS leaf/frond punch and the resin flower is a Prima. Some stitching on the front panel with a perfect match thread that I had.
Thanks for taking a peek today,
hugs
Chriss

It's a MoxieFab gift card holder for the graduate!

2011-04-21T10:28:00.001-05:00

Hi there! Hope that Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods...it already feels like Summer here...not complaining, but it has been a little humid for yard and garden work. I will deal with that anytime over snow...just saying;)
I made this card with gift card holder inside for the MoxieFab challenge going on here. With graduation-moving on season almost here, I know a certain someone that deserves a card and gift.
I have had these patterned papers for several years and I still love the contemporary design and ease of using together, especially for a male. I don't often create masculine cards, so here is something a little out of my comfort zone. I used the card positioning Systems sketch, #214 to combine these two challenges. I did some stitching on the top front of the card, just above this great Hugo quote, a Unity stamp. More stitching on the triangular pices and across the narrow strip.
Here is the inside of the card. The left hand side is finished with the large contemporary polka dot gray and cream paper (rounded the corners) and I made the gift card holder (the GC to be placed vertically) with a PaperTreyInk die for a library card pocket in the complimentary Chevron pattern.
That's it for now...have a wonderful day!
Chriss

Easter bunny gets the carrot

2011-04-11T14:25:00.000-05:00

Good Monday! This clever little guy has his treat and just in time. I have been having fun with some Easter images and my Memory Box wreaths, here's my latest :)

I stamped the wreath and cut with a blossom Spellbinders die, stamped the bunny from Deadbeat designs directly onto polka dotted paper and, cut out and adhered with foam. The little carrot stamp is from Stampendous, stamped and coloured with Copic markers. The card base is PTI Aqua Mist and I used a Sissix EF, then added the pretty Stella Rose Mabel panel and the cotton lace. The resin flower is a Prima. Simple and fun!

Hope you are having a great Monday!

Tub of raspberry flowers

2011-04-08T18:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a card that I made for the Impression Obsession Encouragement challenge. I love sending cards to people just to let them know that they are on my mind and that I am thinking of them, whether in good times or in bad.
I made this with the IO Flower Tub C1182 stamp and a PTI sentiment. Simply stamped and coloured with Copic markers, a couple of dies and the resin flower from Prima is a perfect match in colour! I added the MS punched foliage. The patterned paper is Basic Grey Indian Summer....I know it's Fall paper, but couldn't resist using because of the colour match :)

Thanks for taking a peek today,
Have a great week-end!
It's warm here and there's a Margarita calling my name ;)
I will be participating in our community garage sale tomorrow morning...not really a garage sale holder, but I have been busy cleaning and pricing various goods this last week...wish me luck in selling. At least if I have a lot of goods left, the community center will have three charities that will take our "stuff" and distribute/sell for a good cause.
Chriss

Easter chick wreath

2011-04-06T12:03:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick card for this morning,

I embossed the PTI Aqua Mist cs, added a panel of this new Stella Rose "Mabel" paper with a layered cotton lace. I used a Spellbinder blossom die and stamped a MemoryBox wreath in PTI true black. I stamped this cute Lockhart chick and coloured with Copic markers and then used a Spellbinder circle die to cut out. Placed dimensional foam on the back and adhered to the wreath shape, added a resin flower from Prima. EASY!
Thanks for visiting today,
Cheers!
Chriss

Friendly Miss Ladybug

2011-03-31T17:56:00.000-05:00

A simply friendly card today, just because and poppies are a Springtime thing, so I am entering this for the SCS challenge!

I am feeling a little under the weather...what I thought were chigger bites turn out to be shingles. Not the end of the world, just a touch uncomfortable and to be truthful, a little painful, but it's a beautiful day here today, 84 and sunny so I will keep calm and carry on, as that poster says.

The patterned paper is a K and Co from a couple of years ago, still one of my favourites. I love seeing this cream and black with a pop of colour and I chose to use red for the poppies. I need to make a card like this with blue poppies for a friend that loves everything blue ;

The poppy stamp is a new one that I bought at Ellen Hutson's, from the Magenta Company. I just stamped right onto the PTI kraft cs, coloured with a Copic marker, added some black Atyou Spica pen to the centers and layered onto this black cs frame that I made with a MS punch around set. I removed the little ladybug from a tiny clothes peg and glued her onto the black and cream paper that I had placed on the oval frame back. The oval frame is from Maya...love the little embellishments that they offer. The cream and black alpha stickers are Cosmo Cricket.

Hope your week is going well and thanks for taking a peek,

Chriss

Elegant Easter blessings

2011-03-30T08:22:00.001-05:00

Good morning! I made another Easter card last night...that means another entry into the challenge at Splitcoast for Spotted Canary. There is a huge prize up for grabs.
I don't often create with yellows, but this card is chock full of yellows. Inspiration is from the Magenta tile and the yellow daffodil. I found some Bazzill card stock that I thought was a good match and created from there. The patterned paper that I layered under the cs is a K & CO. one that I have had for a couple of years, you know the collections that Michaels had in the pretty pink boxes? I can almost always find a pattern or colour in there when I am looking for a match of some sort. As you can see, I used a MS border punch again on the edges. I also stamped this PSX elegant egg in black onto the same patterned paper and cut out 5 of them to use as a border, instead of a lace. The Magenta tile is sitting on a mega scalloped oval. The Easter Blessings sentiment is also an older item, from SU Fancy Flexible Phrases.
Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss
It's cold here today, 46 right now, but we have promises of the temps going to the low 70's. Still no rain here and we sure do need it!

Easter basket birdie

2011-03-29T16:06:00.001-05:00

Hi there! Today's card is my take on a pink Easter card using Card Patterns Sketch 108. This is definitely a spring card, so I am entering over on SCS for this challenge that's going on. I have had these two patterned sheets of Neapolitan Ice Cream? for over a year now...so time to cut into them!
I embossed the front of the card with a Sissix EF, cut the center panel strip from one of the patterns and used a MS border punch on either side (swirling lace I think)and cut the other pattern for the top shape with a Spellbinders Mega scalloped ovals die. The SU basket stamp is from the A Season of Flowers. I stamped it in SU gray and coloured with Copic markers and layered the pink and white circles, then adhered with foam. I used a CB die for the circular ribbon sentiment holder and stamped the sentiment from SU elegant Sentiments. A paper flower from Michaels and a K & CO. stick pin in the center of the flower finish it off.
Thanks for taking a peek today,
Chriss

Baby Boy Mojo

2011-03-22T11:14:00.002-05:00

Good morning, how about a baby boy card for today? I don't have any baby cards in my reserve, so today I will be working on baby boy and girl cards. I hope to get a dozen or so done...
I am using Julee's Mojo 183 sketch.
This first one uses PaperTrey Ink's Baby Button Bits stamp set. I paper pieced the teddy bear and the two letters. The papers are a SU striped (retired I am sure) and Prima Madeline polka dots. I wrapped a SU seam binding and made a simple bow, The star is Maya Road and the button is PTI. All of the edges are sponged with SU Baja Breeze. The teddy's panel is old SU confetti cs. EK success border punch was used on the two lower horizontal layers. Easy Peasy...now onto the others :)
Thanks for peeking,
Chriss

A second post...this morning :)

2011-03-21T11:29:00.001-05:00

Yep, here's a couple of more cards, using the same stamps on my desk.
For this first card, I stamped the magenta image in Memento Tux. black on PTI vintage linen and coloured with Copics and then added white enamel to the bells. Glued onto black cs and closely trimmed, adhered to foam and mounted to the Labels One die cut. I embossed the PTI kraft card front with a CB EF and made another for an extra center panel strip. I made a wider panel with the vintage linen and used a MS border punch on either side. The sentiment is Verve from the Great Friend set. Love the simplicity of it! I used SU seam binding for the simple ribbon. I made this card for the SCS Spring challenge, the Card Patterns Sketch #107 (2nd entry) and also for the Verve "Get your Diva On!"
The next card is a CAS version using my little Lockhart chicklet...simple!

Chicklet Easter Wishes

2011-03-21T08:57:00.000-05:00

Good Monday morning and Happy Spring! I have been playing with some more of my Easter images and made this card for a couple of challenges, CPS #107 and the Spring challenge going on at SCS. I also used this tutorial from Tosh to create this flower. I wanted to try it with paper and, although it's not as pretty and full as Tosh's, I still like the effect for this card.
I started by stamping this cute Lockhart chick stamp and coloured with Copics, edging the circle with a Copic also. I used Tosh's loopy flower tutorial on a couple of strips of the October Afternoon paper and placed the stamped circle in the center of the flower. The Label one Spellbinder die was used to anchor the flower and I added these Cosmo Cricket letters for the greeting. I made the yellow center panel with a CB folder and then another panel underneath it with some punched MS edges. The ivory ribbon finishes it off.
Thanks for taking a peek today,
Cheers ~ Chriss

Easter cards

2011-03-19T13:35:00.002-05:00

A couple of Easter cards...have you noticed the later date this year? Seems like far away, but we all know how very quickly 5 weeks can speed by...right ;)

This first Stampendous Easter bunny card is such a sweet image. I made it for the challenge going on over at SCS here. I love the sweet little bunny face and love paper piecing the letters. I chose to use Graphic 45's Once upon a Springtime 8X8 pad ...again. Love this collection and I have almost completely exhausted it! I used PTI ivory cs for the card base, embossed the front with a CuttleBug polka dots EF and stitched the gingham panel with zigzag and straight stitching in peach thread, added a length of lace and adhered the bunny panel with foam.
As for my next card, this year's version of one of my all time favourite Magenta stamps. I have had this stamp for a couple of years but I saw that Ellen Hutson is now carrying it. Ellen has great taste! The Springtime floral tiles with the French and English Easter script as background are truly a joy for me to work with. I enjoy colouring the images and this year I used a white enamel on the lilly of the valley bells. The background PTI kraft cs is embossed with a PTI metal embossing plate, you might have to click onto the photo to enlarge and make more visable...
I used PTI harvest gold cs for the Paper punched border (EK Success border punch) and stitched some machine zigzag across. The sentiment is an older Stampin'Up from ..well, I am not sure what set. I orphaned the stamp from it's family a couple of Easters ago I think and have not re-united.
The weather has been so beautiful here in Austin. I have been in the garden every day this past week cleaning/pruning/amending and planting. Still have a lot of mulching to do...and then onto the back yard :0)
Hope it is warm and bright where you are and Thanks for taking a peek today!

Cheers,
Chriss

Verve's Get Your Diva On!

2011-03-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone,
Today's card is one of the many Thank You cards that I need to make. It seems I never have enough on hand. I saw that Verve is having a little challenge for guest diva and I am submitting this. The "Get Your Diva On" link is here. It's not too late for you to try too!
This Verve flower from the Great Friend set was just screaming to me to take out some silk ribbon and make some French knots in the center. I have a stash of hand dyed silk ribbon in bitty lengths and used various colours for this flower. I stamped the flower on two different patterned papers from the Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime 8X8 paper pad, cut out and then did the French knot sewing and layered the two flower sizes with dimensional foam. Love stamping directly onto patterned papers, instant visual texture! The center panel has distressed edges and I stitched two rectangular panels together.
I layered the Verve Thank You from the Dream Big stamp set onto another Graphic 45 sheet from the same pack. The lace is some that I have in my growing stash and I just ran a length of the tape runner over the card front, pleated the lace as I was positioning it and then ran the sewing machine over it.

A lot of knitting going on...

2011-03-14T13:15:00.000-05:00

Good Monday morning everyone. I am back from Montreal and very thankful to be home with my family and in the warm weather. It snowed often while I was there and was quite chilly. The car rental I had didn't even have heated seats :0)
I have been knitting a lot of late. I find it very therapeutic and the little projects that I entertain myself with travel very easily. I decided to finally use this Penny Black "Spinning a Yarn" stamp to make a card for the Moxie Fab World Paper Piecing Challenge and paper pieced two of the knitting chicks. I love the expressions on these faces... especially the last two, determination and "hey, I'm getting this!" The first two look like they are catching up on their busy lives.
I used Basic Grey's Marjolaine 6 X 6 paper pad, love these patterns and colours! I rarely use any plaid papers but love this one as the card front. I am slowly getting back into a routine and will hopefully be making lots of cards! Thanks for taking a peek,
Chriss

2011-03-03T23:36:00.000-06:00

Just a short note to let you know that my Mom passed away last week and I have been in Montreal. I will be returning next week. Thanks to all of you that have visited, I will be in touch later next week,
Chriss

St Patricks Day cards

2011-02-22T17:30:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone,
Here's a group of St Patrick Day cards that I have been making this week.
Very simple sketches, so I will just list the materials that I used for each card.

Seeds in my cup
stamps ~ PTI
paper ~ PTI Green Tea Leaves, Avocado cs
access. ~ MS border punch, MS medallion punch, lace, Spellbinder circle dies, SU scallop border punch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

stamps ~ PTI
paper ~ PTI bitty dots
access ~ Lace to make flower petals, MS border punch, Spellbinder circle dies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

stamps ~ PTI, Studio G from Michaels
paper ~ PTI avocado cs, Basic Grey
access. ~ Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type stickers, Spellbinder Large Octagon die
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

stamps ~ Studio G from Michaels

paper ~ Bazzill, Basic Grey

access. ~ Spica green sparkle pen

Moxie Fab World Paper Piecing

2011-02-17T13:10:00.000-06:00

Happy Thursday all,

Here is a card that I made for the MoxieFabWorld paper piecing challenge going on for the Stamp It! Techniques Week. I love using this little owl image for paper piecing, lots and lots of possibilities and because the little sign that he is holding is blank, you can stamp any sentiment or write your own, as I have done today. Please note...I am not a beer drinker..(love my red wine, 'ritas and Cosmos) but have had probably 5 beers in my life! Just never got a hankering or appreciated the taste. Now, having grown up in Montreal, where there were a lot of Irish folk, a big St. Patrick's Day parade (St. Catherine's Street, a main street where a green stripe was painted down the center in honour of the celebration) and lots of green beer flowing, I can tell you that a lot of beer drinking was going on. That's my inspiration for the handwritten sentiment and I am sticking with it!
I paper pieced the little guy's wings and made a special little hat for him.
I like my little Irish owl and his custom hat...he reminds me of a parade goer lining the streets for the parade! ;)
I used three patterned papers (Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 105 challenge) and the card is loosely based on the WMSC #34 that I used for yesterday's card.
Let me know what your take on St. Patrick's celebrations you may have experienced.
Thanks for taking a peek, Cheers!
Chriss

Seeds in my Cup
stamps ~ owl from Studio G (Michael's) feelin' green sentiment and hat Hampton Arts
paper ~ Bazzill green, Reminisce Lucky Stripe/Micro Clover and a scrap from my stash
ink ~ PTI True Black
access. ~ ribbon from Ellen Hutson, Spica sparkly black for eyes, micron black marker

An orchid note

2011-02-16T10:45:00.000-06:00

Hi again, today's card was made for 4 challenges! They are Our Creative Corner "cut it out" , The MoxieFabWorld's Stamping with Shimmer Sprays for the Stamp It! Techniques Week, The Cupcake Inspirations #98 pic above and I have based the card on the Waltzing Mouse SC #34, also shown above. It is quite rare for me to be able to combine challenges, at least usually not more than two!

~For the card base, I took two green velum panels and before sandwiching together to place in an embossing folder, I laid one of the panels in white craft ink. I like the effect that the craft ink gives to the plain area of the velum, like a parchment.

~I stamped the Lockheart orchid in PTI black ink and clear embossed. This gave me the little "walls" that I wanted to contain the glaze and shimmer mist in place.

~I used a Claudine Helmuth white glaze on the orchid petals and painted the leaves with a green shimmer mist from Tattered Angels. The pot was coloured with a few Copic markers.

~I used a lavender coloured thread to stitch around the edges to a BG Kioshi patterned paper larger panel.

~I stamped this ornate frame from PTI's Mat Stack II stamp set and painted the same glimmer mist into the open work of the flourished frame. It looks like a different colour on the purple BG paper, but it is the same shimmery green. Fussy cut this out.

~I stitched this narrow hand dyed ribbon with the same thread, using a straight stitch and cinched up to form the teeny ruffling effect, laid across the front panel and wrapped around the card front before adhering the panel to a white card base.

That's it :)

Thanks for taking a peek today, your kind comments are always appreciated !

Seeds in My Cup

stamps ~ Lockheart orchid, PTI Mat Stack II frame and sentiment

paper ~ green vellum, Basic Grey Kioshi

ink ~ PTI True Black Hybrid

access. ~ Treenway silk ribbon, Tattered Angel shimmer mist"Wicked", Claudine Helmuth white enamel, Copic markers, SU Tulip Frame EF

PTI Make it Monday~Velum strip sentiment

2011-02-14T13:43:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day all! My DH surprised me at lunchtime, came home and handed me a flower bouquet resembling our (my) wedding bouquet from almost 31 years ago :) I feel so lucky to have the most thoughtful man!

To continue this wonderful day, I made a card for PaperTreyInk's "Make it Monday" challenge. The challenge is to make and use a velum sentiment strip on your card. There is a video on the website, same link as above. I watched it and was prepared to follow Nichole's steps precisely, but I didn't have any velum tape, so I adhered mine by placing regular tape runner onto the back of the velum on both ends and wrapped around the card front panel. This seems to have worked out fine.
The card is quite self explanatory and I will just point out that I stamped the Lily of the Valley image twice, once on the PTI vintage cream and again on the PTI white. I cut out the white bells and used mini pop dots to adhere over the vintage cream image. I also cut along the the lowest leaf so that I could overlap the velum strip. Easy Peasy!
Thanks for taking a peek today, hope it is filled with unexpected surprises.
Chriss

~Seeds in My Cup~

stamps ~ PTI Year of Flowers-Lily of the Valley
paper ~ PTI Vintage Cream, white, Green Tea Leaves patterned paper
ink ~ Memento Tuxedo black
Copic markers, velum, scoreboard, scissors, mini pop dots

Log Cabin Big Bloom Quilt card

2011-02-12T15:13:00.001-06:00

Happy Saturday everyone! I am back from the great white north (Montreal) and am late to the PTI anniversary party contests, but had time to get this one in :)
The contest is to "Think Big", I am using a large button as my big and focal point.
I guess I could also say that this whole card is "big" because I super-sized the teeny quilt square, the classic log cabin pattern to design the basis of my card. I cut the strips of the Autumn Abundance patterned paper and pieced and sewed them onto the kraft card stock base with some ivory thread. I made a flower from the PTI Beautiful Blooms II dies (the medium sized and largest) layering and adding the button with a narrow PTI silk ribbon tied into a bow through the buttonholes. I had inked the edges of the flower petals with a crumb cake ink.
I stamped one of the pretty Mat Stack II stamps onto a die cut Mat Stack II label in the same ink and then stamped the sentiment from the same set in PTI true black ink. The little log cabin stamp pattern was inked in PTI true black and stamped directly onto the floral patterned paper from Autumn Abundance paper collection.
The card came together quite easily, just as I had pictured in my head ;)
Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss

Seeds in my CUP
stamps ~ Beautiful Blooms II, Mat Stack 2 Collection, Quilters Sampler
paper ~ PTI kraft cs, Autumn Abundance patterned paper, Dotty Biscotti
access. ~ Mat Stack II die, Beautiful Blooms II dies, PTI button from Custom Vintage Mix, PTI silk ivory ribbon
ink ~ SU crumb cake

A Cameo appearance

2011-02-01T17:50:00.000-06:00

Hi there! I am still in Austin, leaving for Montreal tomorrow as my flights were cancelled today through Dallas. It sure is cold and windy here in Austin! The temperature fell 30 degrees early this morning from 64 to 34. The wind picked up and did some damage to a fence, knocked down five panels, oh dear. DH is in a snowy part of the country until Friday, Boston. What a thing to have to deal with upon his return, but I just could not do anything about it today.

I had started this Cameo card on Monday, but did not have time to finish, so that's what I spent a little time on today. The cameos that Cath showed us on the Moxie Fab World blog are so breathtaking. Here is my humble attempt at making a card with one. The Cameo is one that I had in my stash from Webster's Pages and I touched the ivory parts of the flower with a peach Copic marker and some craft SU blush blossom ink to add a very slight hi-light to the piece.

The papers are from Graphic 45 "Once Upon a Springtime", a very romantic collection of 8 X 8 sheets with some whimsical images on the reverse side. I added teeny tiny black rhinestones around the Cameo that was layered onto a scalloped oval. I stitched around a Label one die cut (I cut out a section of the label shape to make it more rectangular) and used this as the "frame for the Cameo. The sentiment is from the Well Scripted SU set and I also made a flower from the same patterned papers and added a Tim Holtz button to the center and set some of the same black rhinestones in the center.

All of the paper edges are sponged with craft SU blush blossom ink.

That's it friends...

So, hopefully I will be getting to my destination tomorrow, although I just checked the weather and Montreal is expecting 20 centimetres of snow tomorrow...I will get to test my driving skills after having not driven in wintry weather for 12 years now! Wish me luck,

Until later,

Chriss

MoxieFabWorld Pretty Pastels challenge and CPS 100

2011-01-29T20:14:00.000-06:00

Blossom, Lupine, Baby Pink Light, and Intense Pink

So here I am, with my try at the Moxie Fab World Color Challenge, Pretty Pastels. I used the above Bazzill colours to make an Easter card!

I stamped this cute Easter with bunny from Stampendous onto the baby light pink(I used a SU pink), Lupine, Blossom and Intense Pink. I added some Copic markers to the sweet bunny in the ear and cheek areas on the stamped baby light pink. I cut the various letters from the different colours and arranged as seen. The card front is Intense Pink and then layered with a smaller panel of Blossom. I used a CuttleBug polka dots embossing folder on the vertical Intense pink panel and for the Lupine horizontal panel, a MS border punch. Instead of a ribbon on the very left hand side of the card, I layered 2 strips of the cs that I created with another MS border punch. That's pretty much it. I really enjoyed piecing this card together. Don't know if I will have time for the other Moxie challenges...

Thanks for taking a peek,

Hope your week-end is wonderful so far!

Chriss

My Flourishes/MFW Tuesday Trigger meets City Crafter

2011-01-27T11:03:00.001-06:00

I know, long title, but it's for 3 challenges, something I don't often get to say ;)
For today's card, I stamped this new Flourishes rose heart onto Bazzill Sugar Cookie card stock with black PTI ink and coloured with Copic markers. I cut out and then cut a larger heart from the Sugar Cookie, used a Tim Holtz distressing tool on the edges and adhered together with dimensional foam. I used a Spellbinders rectangle and cut out this Core'dinations cs and then a scalloped Nestie on the Sugar Cookie cs. The scalloping reminds me of the scalloped box pictured above for the Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger is sitting in! Stitched these together.
My card front is the same Core'dinations cs and I used a Sixxix from SU embossing folder. I used a large EK Success border punch on the Sugar Cookie cs and then stitched X's in between the "flowers" for the City Crafter challenge #41 (Linda has challenged us to sew) Finally, I added some hardware (as per the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge FTTC102 that Cindy is hosting) and a resin vanilla coloured rose that is newly acquired from Michaels.
That's it. Three challenges, one card ;)
Thanks for peeking in today,
Chriss

Moxie Fab World Jewel Tones color challenge for Card Makers Week

2011-01-25T20:14:00.000-06:00

Sugar Cookie, Sunshine, Pansy, and Blue Calypso

Another Moxie Fab colour challenge, the Jewel Tones and a MoJo Monday sketch!
First of all, let me tell you that I had a difficult time capturing this card. All of the Sugar Cookie texture is just not showing up. I tried to shoot this in a couple of areas in the house and also took it outside. It may have been too late in the day. I will try to get a better photo tomorrow in the morning and I may replace it, but for now, here are the details.
I am using the Mojo Monday #175 sketch and Verve Great Friend stamp set . I could not find Blue Calypso at Archiver's last week, so I picked up Mysterious Teal. It looks quite dark on the screen, oh dear. I really did enjoy making this card with the great Bazzill textures, so lovely and easy to sew into. The Verve sentiment looks beautiful in PTI Black against this Bazzill Sugar Cookie, a real classic look. I added some stitching to the panels and hand cut the Sunshine and pansy coloured Verve flowers that I had stamped onto the card stock.
Another card done, I am on a mini roll ;)
Thanks for looking,
Chriss

MFW The Neutrals challenge

2011-01-25T12:03:00.002-06:00

French Vanilla, Twig, and Smoky

Here is my Wonderful Friend card using these three colours for the Neutrals Challenge for Card Makers Week at Moxie Fab World and I am using the Verve VLVJAN2011 week 4 sketch.
I am using the Bazzill Twig for the card front, Spellbinders Label and the simple SU scalloped border, the Smoky was put through the CuttleBug with a Sissix folder and the gorgeous wreath is a MemoryBox stamp. I stamped the wreath in SU crumb cake onto the Bazzill French Vanilla (the SU crumb cake ink is quite close to the Bazzill Twig, sorta ;) I added some colour to the berries using the a bluish gray Copic marker (the closest I could determine to Bazzill Smoky) plus I used a beige Copic to adjust the little bird's colour. (in a previous life he was attached to a paperclip and living at Anthropologie...I bought a little flock of them;)
The sentiment is from the PTI anniversary set Round and Round.
The ivory Japanese ribbon is some that I bought at my local yarn shop. I am not sure how this would knit up...but it would be an expensive scarf as it is sold by the yard!
Are you playing along for these MFW Color Challenges? Let me know if you are and what your favourite colour combo is.

I hope to be back with another colour group later today or early tomorrow.
Thanks for looking...hope you are warm and cozy,
Chriss

Is it Spring yet?

2011-01-24T17:34:00.000-06:00

This card is for the following three challenges
CR84FN12 color challenge
The Dirty Dozen Sketch DDSKETCH0111
The Impression Obsession Is it Spring Yet?
I wanted to use this cute Spring Garden Boot That I purchased just before Christmas and I actually pictured it in pinks and lavenders, so when this CR84FN challenge appeared yesterday, I gathered up my supplies and started on it this morning. I am really enjoying embossing kraft card stock (this one is PaperTrey Ink) and love the deep impressions. I also used PTI's Dotty Biscotti to match the solid PTI cs "Lavender Moon". I used the Dirty Dozen sketch of the month from SCS, just rotated it a quarter ;)

I coloured the boots and flowers with Copic markers and cut out, dimensional foam on the back and layered onto a kraft Spellbinder oval. Another very easy card!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Chriss

The beautiful lavender lace...from Ros. I loved everything that she sent to me in a swap last Fall and I am actually using instead of hoarding :)

Aqua and red Valentine

2011-01-24T10:01:00.000-06:00

Good Monday morning!

Here's another Valentine made with these paper doilies, this time, using one of my favourite colours...aqua. I know it's not a conventional colour theme for the big V Day, but couldn't resist! I layered the paper doily onto the same colour card stock as the card base, stamped the Lockhart cupcake in Versamark and embossed with Aqua Zing embossing powder, coloured the cupcake top with aqua Copic and filled in the hearts with a red liquid pearls (those hearts are tiny!). Cut out and adhered to the paper doily, added the layered SU sentiment and layered a couple of Prima paper flowers with a couple of punched hearts.

I created the side border with some scalloped border punches, lace from Ros and a May Arts polka dotted ribbon from my stash. Another easy one!

Hope you have a great start to your week.

I have a lot of housework to do and I have to pack up and go to Montreal early next week to see my Mom. My DD will accompany me and I feel very blessed for that. Mom is not in good health and I will be there for at least 10 days.

Thanks for visiting,

I will be back later in the week (I hope) with some Moxie Fab challenges that I really want to do...

Chriss

Classic red/black and white Valentine

2011-01-22T15:25:00.000-06:00

Good Saturday afternoon all! Here's a simple kraft/red, black and white Valentine that I made with thees red Valentine doilies that I got at my grocery store yesterday! Great detail on them, 20 to a pack from Hallmark, also available in white, a real steal of a deal around $2.00.
Anyway, I used PaperTrey Ink's kraft cs and embossed the front with a Sixxix folder, made some borders from MS punches and some polka dot pattern paper, tied a SU kraft seam binding ribbon around all and then added this SU sentiment and positioned a tiny red heart over the flower in "you". The little bird is also a MS punch and I used a red Copic on the heart and adhered over the polka dot heart on the heart doily. How simple is that?
Have a great day,
Chriss

Garden Window with Purple Flowers

2011-01-20T16:00:00.002-06:00

Hello again! It is a very cold day here today and the wind is blowing! Warmer days are ahead, but until then, here is a card that i made for the City Crafter Challenge #40, to use handmade flowers on a card and I am combining this with the Impression Obsession challenge to create a card using the colour purple, based on the SC316 sketch challenge.
I started by stamping this pretty I.O. Garden Window image onto a sheet of cherry wood "paper" and then onto a scrap of a light blue patterned paper. I went over the window frame and window box with a white prismacolor pencil to give it a bit of a whitewashed look. I coloured the flowers, leaves and my cabbage with Copic markers and used a white gel pen to hi-light the curly edges of the lettuce. I then cut out the patterned paper version, minus the window box and frame and adhered it to the stamped image on the wood paper. I arranged the different sized panels (all Memory Box 6 X 6 from Poppyfinch) onto the front of the card, adhered and then layered the image on top in the center panel. The paper flowers are made from the Poppyfinch papers, and a floral Cuttlebug die. The fabric rose has a pearl center and I made it from a silk scarf that I had and have never worn, but the silk is luscious and very easy to work with. The sentiment is also an I.O. one and I stamped it a couple of times onto a scrap of purple paper from my stash and used SU punches to cut out and separate the words.
That's it :)
Thanks for taking a peek!
Chriss

A couple more pink Valentines

2011-01-18T18:58:00.000-06:00

Hi there, yes, I am creating with pink, believe it or not! I find these papers so delightful and easy to work with, They are the Basic Grey Bittersweet and a new K and CO.

This first card is for a challenge at Card Patterns Sketch, #98. I love the panels and added simple stitching to them. The felt hearts are some that I picked up at Michael's and have been having fun with them! I stamped the Hero Arts "lots of hugs" onto white cs and just cut out and applied to the hearts with glue. Th flower that I created with started with this MS doily and some PTI and CuttleBug dies. I added a Jenni Bowlin vintage style button that I got at Ellen's a while ago and filled in the button hole with some tiny dangly cuttings from some lace and then added some MS glitter. I had also wrapped the bottom striped panel with some MS baker's twine and added a punched out heart. SIMPLE! Here is a close-up of the different layers.

The next card is a just for fun card that I wanted to create movement with the felt hearts. I used the K and CO papers for the main card front and for the punched out heart that is centered in the middle of the crocheted lace panel. The little embossed paper heart is a MS and the little floral stick pin is from the same K and CO collection. Same amount of stamping on this card :)

Thanks for looking and I hope that you are having a safe and warm week!

Cheers!

Chriss

Paper and Lace Pretty in Pink Valentine

2011-01-17T21:26:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Hope everyone had a good start to the week? I have been busy making some Valentine cards, some for friends, some just because I have all of this cool Valentine "stuff" and I want to make use of it!
I like the way this card came together, my version of Shabby Chic, without the artful distressing and fewer embellishments, It doesn't even have a stamped image or sentiment on it!
The paper is K & CO, paper doilies from MS, some lacey hearts trim, satin and chiffon ribbon and a stick pin with a heart, also from K & CO. The flowers are some from the UK that I ordered early LAST year. It's about time that I start to use them, before I lose them ;)
hugs and cheers,
Chriss

The colors of Love (or a birthday)

2011-01-12T16:07:00.000-06:00

Flourishes is having a new release of stamps for January and I saw a preview today of some floral hearts...so very pretty, I will be adding this to my collection for sure!
As seems to be customary for Flourishes at release time, they have issued a colour challenge to make a card using pink/white and red and you can win the new release of stamps. Pretty exciting to me and I am always up for a challenge to make a few cards to add to my birthday stash (it is a small stash right now)
I inked up this new set from last month Flourishes called Mix n Mugs first stamping the mug onto a scrap of pink paper and cut out and then the floral bouquet directly onto some white card stock and cut with a Labels 14 Spellbinders Nestabilities die. I coloured with Copics (I need more variety in the pinks) and cut slits along the stems and also in the top of the mug. This let me insert the bouquet into the mug :) The background ledger-like paper is a Cosmo Cricket from the Girl Friday collection. The borders were made with Basic Grey papers from the Bittersweet collection and I used a MS border punch and an EK Success punch. I stamped the birthday sentiment directly onto a MS embossed heart sticker...easy!
Thanks for taking a peek today,
Cheers!
Chriss

MoxieFab button cupcakes

2011-01-11T11:01:00.000-06:00

MoxieFabWorld Color Inspiration for Card Makers Week Day 1 Bold and Bright

So here is my try at the colours above. A very easy card to put together and another to add to my birthday stash! I am trying to use some papers that I have had in my "collection" and I was pleased to see that I had this versatile polka dotted black and white, 2 colours down, 2 to go. The pink is from a stack that I had, not sure what brand, maybe Bazzill and the Jenni Bowlin buttons were the last colour for the equation, yay! I decided to make it very simple, stamped a Lockhart cupcake bottom(cupcake liner) on some polka papers, cut out and used the JB buttons for the "cake". The thread I used on the buttons is a silk thread, very rich and lustrous. The sentiment is PaperTreyInk from the Big and Bold Wishes set. Hope you are having a great day and are cozy warm. It is quite cold here today, unusually so and I have to go to work shortly..
Until next time,
Chriss

MFW Gray and Pink Bee

2011-01-10T19:51:00.000-06:00

I've been working on some Valentine cards for my family and designed this one for my DD. She is 24 and very active, like a little bee! She mentioned to me just this last week that IF she ever decided to get a tattoo, it would be of a pink and gray bee, a tiny one. Well, this is a thought, I can make a card for her that will mean something to her and I can enter it into the MoxieFabWorld Gray is the new Black challenge :)

Do any or all of you out there suffer from tying everything back into stamping and creating? Do you see an article of clothing and think, oh! I must make a card with that colour combo? Do you save something from packaging to make something else with it? Maybe I'm just weird, but it happens to me all of the time. This flower is made from a Spellbinders Flowerability bouquet that I embossed with the die and tan mat, added a jeweled center and added some loops of gray twill (the handles from an Anthropologie bag !) that I thought gave the flower a nice homey look.
The bee is a Pink Paislee stamp from the Queen Bee series and I stamped once on the pink cs and the sparkly bee wings were stamped with SU basic gray ink onto some SU sparkly white cs and I then went over the sections with a clear Spica sparkly pen and a pink Spica that I used on the wing edges. The polka dot gray paper is some old SU and the circular border is a PTI die (1st time that I am using it ~ love it!) I hope she likes this :)

MFW~Gray is the new Black

2011-01-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

Here is an entry for the Gray is the new Black challenge going on at the MoxieFabWorld. I have loved gray and yellow for some time now and I think it makes for an elegant Wedding card. I used this Cosmo Cricket paper from Everafter and made the flower embellishment from a couple of PTI flower dies and a Spellbinder floral. A lot of rdges on the card are sponged with craft SU Going Gray. Some stitching here and there, the perfectly sized Verve sentiment from Love Story, a MS border punch and the gray pearls that I bought at Ellen Hutson's give it the elegant finishing touch (imho)

Here is a close-up that shows the gray button I have been itching to use.

Thanks for visiting and I hope your weekend involves family and fun and some stamping :)

Cheer!

Chriss

List of fours from Tanis

2011-01-08T21:22:00.000-06:00

This from TannyP (I just read this on your blog)
here goes...

1. Four shows that you watch:
Dexter
Divine Design
House Hunters International
Californicationwaiting for ...Nurse Jackie, The Big C
2. Four things you are passionate about:
My Neil, Caitlin and Ryan
GardeningStamping
spending time with friends

3. Four words/phrases you say a lot:
Actually
Really?!Are you serious?
Sounds like a plan

4. Four things you've learned from the past:
A sense of humour can get you through a lot of trying times
Don't put too much on your plate
There’s a reason for the way things turn out (I second this Tanny)
I can accomplish more when I make a list
5. Four places you would like to go:
Italy
France
Spain
Australia
6. Four things you did yesterday:
Went to Direct Buy to price commercial style range
Cleaned the wood blinds in kitchen and family room
Made a card and blogged it
Family dinner at home
7. Four things you are looking forward to:
Our square foot vegetable garden, MrB set it all up today! (we still have to plant in it)
Being more organized and maybe getting a card published one day
Organizing the garage
Seeing my friends from Toronto in Austin this year and Neil's family from Montreal(and maybe China) for American Thanksgiving in Austin

8. Four things you love about winter:
I left Montreal to escape the winter, but
I do think the first snowfall is pretty, especially clinging on the plants and trees
Walking in the snow late at night when you can hear the echoes of every crunch under your feet is something to be experienced
Being all snug and warm in the house while there is a blizzard outside
I honestly can't think of one more...

9. Four people I tag to play along (no worries if you pass :)!!) I know there are only 3 here, but if anyone reads this and wants to play along...
Joan at Stamping with a Passion
Ros at Mikey's Mom
Lydia at Understand Blue

Hopscotch Valentine

2011-01-07T21:40:00.001-06:00

Another Hopscotch Valentine! Love this Basic Grey Hopscotch pad for Valentines cards, yummy colours!
I used another coloured Lockhart cupcake and this time I used Claudine Helmuth multi medium gloss on the pink hearts. I like this effect as it gives a little dimension to them and they stand out more with the shine. I used the end of a paper clip to apply the medium. The punched shape is a SU punch from a while ago.
The border is layered with a wide white ric-rac length, a MS lacy borders punch and a narrow strip of the brown pattern paper.
The sentiment is an older one from SU and I used SU basic brown and added a few pink pearls to frame the hugs & kisses.
Here are a couple of close-ups.
Thanks for stopping by
Hugs,
Chriss

Lots of Hugs

2011-01-07T17:48:00.000-06:00

Hi there, back again with an inchie card for Ellen's inchie inkling challenge. I chose to use black and white with red, a classic for Valentine's day.
I stamped the Lockhart Hearts cupcake and coloured with a red Copic and a Spica glitter pen, then cut out. Stamped the image again on this tiny gingham paper that I have in my stash and cut out the cupcake liner, adhered to the cupcake image and popped up on foam and layered onto the red polka dot paper circle. This was added to the card front and I placed a Kaiser rhinestone circle frame around it. The border layers were created with a MS punch and an EK success punch. I stamped the Hero Arts "lots of hugs" onto white and punched out with the small MS tag punch and layered onto the same gingham. The hearts are felt and I added a gingham brad to one of them (I have had these for years and I want to try and use something old on a lot of the cards that I make!) and left the other laying over the border and silk white ribbon. Very simple!
Thanks for taking a peek,
lots of hugs...
Chriss

Birthday SFYTT

2011-01-06T11:54:00.000-06:00

Happy Thursday everyone!
Just a quick post before I tend to the grocery shopping...
I made this birthday card using Jen's January 2011 SFYTT
I don't have any of The Cat's Pyjamas stamps (which is a requirement to win for the month) but I wanted to make something with my new Basic Grey "Hopscotch" paper and show off this great sketch that Jen designed, so here it is :)
I also made this for the Inchie challenge going on at Ellen's, but I misread the details, so I will be back at the drawing board for this one (I was supposed to make the card with black/white and one other colour).
The stamp is a Lockhart cupcake with petunias that I coloured with my Copic markers and cut out. I layered onto a piece of the solid blue from the Hopscotch pad cut with a PTI die and then a circle of textured pink card stock that I had in my stash. I added some zig zag stitching at the top and bottom of the panel and some straight stitching on the solid pink panel. The tall vertical panel was created with a MS border punch. I added the three pink pearls for a little je ne sais quoi?. It still looks a little sparse to me...hmmmm, I may add a flourish yet.
The sentiment is from PTI.
Hope you are having a great day,
Cheers!
Chriss

Card Architecture Heart Owls

2011-01-04T11:46:00.000-06:00

Good morning!
Here's a little card that I made for Ellen Hutson's "Card Architecture" challenge from the premiere issue of CrEate.
I wanted to use up a length of this pretty May Arts ribbon from my stash and some scraps of various patterned papers to create with this cute Heart Owls stamp from Hero Arts (purchased from Ellen). I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo black ink directly onto two different scraps and cut out. I coloured in the wings, beaks and eyelashes with Spica and Copic markers and added a teeny aqua crystal to her flower on her right ear. The cute couple was layered onto a label 14 shape of kraft card stock and then layered onto a classic oval nestie shape. The front polka dot paper is from PTI and I stitched all around with ivory quilting thread. The right hand edges were made with two border punches and I wrapped the ribbon around and threaded through a large aqua button from my stash and tied a simple bow. The aqua crystal flourish finishes it off. I think this could easily serve as a Valentine or Wedding card, what do you think?
I will be using this template some more this month. It is a great and simple sketch to work with. I hope to read all of Ellen's and her contributors' features in this new issue as it seems there is a wealth of information for me to refresh on and implement!
Thanks for taking a peek!
hugs~Chriss

Love Story with a glittery touch!

2011-01-01T15:22:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

My first card of the year, made this morning from this great sketch for Viva La Verve.
I have had these Heidi Grace patterned papers for about a year now and have been wanting to use them. I love the colour combo and the combination of the pretty fonts. When I saw the Viva La Verve sketch, I knew that I wanted to finally cut into these papers!
Quite straight forward, stitched around the different patterned paper panels, the frame and sentiment from Verve called, appropriately, Love Story. I stamped the frame on PTI kraft and cut out, coloured with a Copic marker and added a touch of glitter on the beautiful frame "corners". The sentiment was stamped on PTI ivory and I used a petite oval Nestie. The border punch that I used on the front of the kraft card front is a MS. The inside of the card has a long strip of the far right patterned paper along the bottom edge. The pretty jewelled piece over the sentiment is a hair barrette that I bought a few weeks ago. There were an assortment of 12 to a package from a store that I had never been to before, Sam Moon. An expensive embellishment, but I couldn't resist at the time. At least I put it to use :)
My goal this year is to participate in challenges, to use a lot of what I have in my stash and to actually get the cards out in the mail for birthdays and holidays. I am sure that many of us have similar intentions, but I would love to hear what your "crafting resolutions" are this year!
I made this card for the Moxie Fab glitter challenge that is going on until Monday and the Viva La Verve sketch challenge!
Now it's off to continue the tidying and cleaning in the house! Cheers~ Chriss

SCS ETSY contest

2010-12-16T16:31:00.000-06:00

Hi there everyone! Amongst all of the holiday ongoings, I was able to make a card today for the contest that Splitcoast Stampers has going on! You can win a $100.00 Etsy shopping spree. I would love to win and purchase something from this treasury! How about this beauty!

We have to create a card with sheet music. I had this tiny little panel (Cosmo Cricket) left over from last year and made a very simple card, as you can see :)
The wooden snowflakes were purchased from World Market last year. They have red glitter on them that match with the sheet music! The blue and white snowflakes were created with a Sizzix border die from Stampin' Up.

I stamped the Dear Lizzy focal sentiment with PTI black and clear embossed, cut out and then mounted on this pretty blue g.c.d. paper and cut that out. The simple ribbon bow finishes it off.

That's it for today folks...
Hope you are warm and enjoying the season!

Hugs,
Chriss

A Moxy delicately glittered wreath

2010-12-10T12:02:00.000-06:00

Hi there everyone. I am getting down to the wire for getting some Christmas packages out in the mail, but I did make a little time to create for the MoxieFab glitter challenge using this sketch (#93) from Card Patterns.
I chose to use this newly purchased twig wreath from MemoryBox and Cosmo Cricket's Mitten Weather paper pad. I stamped the image on PTI vintage ivory card stock in SU gray classic ink. I used the blossom Nestability die to cut out the wreath and then another Spellbinders die on the teeny polka dotted CC paper to back the wreath. I made some purple berries on the wreath with a Copic marker and then dabbed glue(Very little) on top of the berries, ready to accept the pretty Martha glitter. The PTI ivory panel was whizzed through the CB with a polka dot embossing folder and edged with the sketch end of the Copic marker. I added a zig zag border that I cut out with an EK success border punch and brushed the edges with the Copic, placed some glue on those edges and then added the glitter.
The other polka dotted border was created with my SU scallop punch and the gorgeous lace on this is from my swap partner Ros. Such pretty lace, I am really rationing it! The sentiment is from the Flourishes set "Paperwhites" and I stamped it directly onto the CC paper that was cut with a Mat Stack die from PTI.
Hope you have a great day! Thanks for taking a peek!
Hugs,
Chriss

Shabby Winter Whites with Flourishes

2010-12-07T14:48:00.001-06:00

Good Day all!
It seems that the season is really upon us and I am wrapping and mailing some gifts that have to reach Canada...just a few more days left in this window I think...better get a move on!
I did make this card yesterday for a couple of challenges, the Flourishes FLLCDEC10 "Winter Whites" and I used the Card Positioning Systems sketch 196.
I started by stamping the Flourishes Cyclamen flower(from this set) in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured with Copic markers and added just a touch of clear Spica sparkle to the flower bases. I then cut out using Tim Holtz Tonic scissors and a Fiskars finger craft knife. I placed foam dimensionals behind the cut out image and adhered to a MS doily that I sponged with vanilla craft ink.

The card base was created with a Quickutz embossing folder. I placed 2 quarter panels in the folder and ran through the CB. I used a Spellbinder Label 1 die to cut the opening in the 2 panels. It was a little tricky lining up the card base front with the 2 already cut panels and I should have cut all 3 at the same time...I'll remember that the next time :)

Once the panels were cut and lined up, I took a length of this ribbon that I purchased from my local yarn shop and I adhered it sandwich style with tape runner.
The rest is quite simple, just adding the MS dove with pearls at the flower center and the dove's eye, some spongeing on the dove, the MS fern punched foliage atop another length of the same pretty ivory trim and these paper flowers and tiny crocheted ivory flower that I had the pleasure of receiving in a swap earlier this year.
This is the inside of the card. The beautiful Merry Christmas is also a Flourishes stamp from this set "Christmas Wreath"
The tag was made using a MS punch and the JOY! sentiment is a Flourishes from the new Paperwhites set, such a beautiful and versatile set!

The last photo is a close-up of the foliage.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you are having a great season so far!
Cheers!....Chriss

Vintage-y Happy New Year

2010-11-29T12:36:00.001-06:00

Good Monday morning!
Hope that everyone had a great weekend and that you have eaten up all of the Thanksgiving left-overs :)
Here is a card that I made using the Basic Grey "Curio" 6 X 6 paper pad. Vintage-y and warm. Flourishes has a sketch challenge going on and this is what I came up with. You know that there are yellow paperwhites and peachy coloured ones too...well, here are my yellow ones with a blush center. Flourishes released this stamp set earlier this month and being the flower fanatic that I am and always will be, I had to purchase it. When I saw the sketch, I thought this would work well with the largest image in the set. I stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink and then coloured with Copics. Then came the cutting. I placed some dimensional spots behind the cut out image and placed over all of the card layers. The little orange spots are punched out from the Curio paper. Below is a close-up of the flowers at a different angle.
I would love to make a bunch of these to send out, but have to simplify the design a little :)
Thanks for taking a peek today!
Cheers, Chriss

Seeds in my cup
stamps ~Flourishes Paperwhites
paper ~ Basic Grey "Curio"
Spellbinders Label 14, Copic markers, EK Success border punch

Wedding Wishes~Circa 1934

2010-11-28T15:13:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone! Hope you weekend has been enjoyable so far. I have been making some challenge cards today and here is one of them. This one is for Card Patterns Sketch #92. I think this is such an interesting sketch, right up my alley.
I am so in love with this Circa 1934 Cosmo Cricket paper pad...I used it again today and it probably won't be the last time that you see it here :) I cut a couple of panels of this medallion pattern and placed on top of the pretty aqua polka dot paper and cut 4 strips of narrow silk ribbon that I have in my stash, sewed on and then added the multi colour teeny print to the top of the card and added a narrow strip of the tiny graph pattern and a length of lace. For my sentiment, I stamped this Verve Wedding Wishes from the Love Story on vintage lace card stock from PTI. I used the petite Spellbinders ovals to cut out and layered over a scalloped polka dotted one that I inked the edges with Memento Tuxedo black. I then layered with a rectangle of the same graph pattern. My flower is stamped directly onto the paper with Verve's flower from Great Friend and cut out. If you look closely, I layered a Spellbinders Flower shape cut out again using the graph pattern. The large button is from PTI and in the center I added a circle of the graph pattern paper and some black seed beads. I like how the Cosmo colours and the silk ribbon make this look like a vintage-y wedding card. This was such a fun sketch to work with! I will be adapting for some other cards for sure!
Thanks for taking a peek today,
Cheers!
Chriss

CCCB32 a Cuppa...or two

2010-11-25T17:10:00.000-06:00

Happy turkey day!
The bird is in the oven, the side dishes are done and I had time to make a card!
It has been a while since I have been able to play and I am so happy to be posting something new. The City Crafter Challenge blog has a little "cuppa" challenge going on right now and here is what I came up with.
I am using some new goodies and others from my stash. The inspiration for this friends and caffeine card is totally from the new Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 and I just LOVE it! I used various papers from the 6 X 6 paper pad and I even stamped my fancy mugs directly onto this delightful teensy print from the Circa pad. I love how small the print is and that it has all of the colours in the collection. The stamp is a Stampington & Company that I had in my stash. It is called "cup collection". The burlap is cut from a basmati rice bag and I am using the inside of it without any printing on it. I layered a beautiful Maya Road black on kraft precut doily and a red hand cut out and distressed the edges from the Cosmo paper pad. The sentiment is from the Just Rite Caffeine/borders set that I stamped in Memento Tux. black ink onto a PTI cs scrap and used a Labels die cut. The buttons are a hoarded T!m Holtz, a Jenni Bowlin and a beautiful black from U Italy with a funky texture. I like the way this turned out and will be making more in this same themed style for a few friends that live far away and we can't "have coffee" on a whim.
Thanks for taking a peek,
Chriss

A whole month!

2010-11-15T18:29:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! Does time fly or what? It has been one whole month since I have posted...and what have I been up to you ask? Well, I finished a custom card order, 550 cards and invites as seen in the photo. I was a vendor at 2 craft fairs. I had a birthday.
I am back and will have regular posts. It feels good to be back because I feel as if I have missed a whole lot out there :)

Hugs,
Chriss

HYCCT08 Make a Flower

2010-10-15T08:23:00.001-05:00

Good Friday morning everyone! I have been busy making cards, cards and more cards. Here is one that I want to share with you that I made for one of the SCS Hope You Can Cling To month long challenge. The challenge...to make a flower. I made three for my card, simple ones using a PTI flower die on some SU pink cs, another layer in SU Pear Pizazz and I added some PTI pink buttons for the centers that I embellished with embroidery thread and also with seed beads.
The paper is BG Eskimo Kisses and has all of the colours in it for the SC colour challenge CC292 earlier this week, so 2 challenges!
I will be adding this card to my package for the

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
The Department of Volunteer Services – Unit 115
Attn: Maggi Suttles
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030

Witches Night Out!

2010-10-06T20:17:00.001-05:00

Hello again! I am back with a couple of Halloween cards that I made today.
I am using the same stamp (Lockhart witches dress) for both of the cards tonight but coloured with a different colour palette.
The first one is a traditional purple and green. I used Copic markers and Spica Atyou sparkly black pen, truly sparkly in real life!

The second card was made for Lydia's challenge over at Splitcoast. They are having challenges all month long and we are sending the cards that we make to UT MD Anderson in Houston for breast cancer patients, hence the pink! Don't you love this witches dress in pink and black? I paired it with the same MS spider web border punch and used Basic Grey's Porcelain line for the patterns. The background is a CB folder called Kassies Brocade that I bought today. I had not noticed this one before, but love the bigger size!
Hope you will be able to make some cards this month for this really wonderful cause!
Chriss

Doily Swap with CCPB

2010-10-06T19:51:00.002-05:00

Hi there everyone! I finished work last night and stopped by the post box on my way home to discover a package from Ros in Liverpool!
Yes, Liverpool!
We are partners in the City Crafter Party Doily and Lace Swap. Have you heard about these swaps? It is my second one and they are so much fun!

Ros really spoiled me...I mean REALLY spoiled me.
The package arrived wrapped in yellow tissue and a yellow rose (for Texas?)
When I opened it I could hardly believe my eyes!
Ros made me this beautiful stitched vintage-ey card with a personal handwritten note inside.

The laces that Ros sent are exquisite! I have never seen such beautiful laces...ever! I have never dreamed of such beautiful laces...

There is a collection of teeny crocheted flowers.

A collection of white and cream paper doilies.

Some sparkly sticky tape too:)

Some beautiful lacey snowflakes and these gorgeous collars/triangular flaps...very romantic elements.

Thank you Ros for your generosity and beautiful package of treasures! My heart is very, very happy and filled with gratitude!

Thanks Kirsty for putting this swap together, you have done a wonderful thing to pair people from all over the world in this swap!

Until the next swap...

Chriss

Lockhart Halloween

2010-09-30T20:20:00.001-05:00

Hi there everyone, is it feeling like Fall in your town?
The temps here in Austin have dropped about 10 degrees in both days and nights and it is actually feeling like a Fall season is upon us!
I made a couple of Halloween cards using some patterned papers from last year's stash and some current Martha Stewart papers. Love these Fall colours and enjoying using up some of what I've got ;)

The stamps are Karen Lockhart and I purchased them at Ellen Hutson's.
The pumpkin cupcake is simply stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink onto SU Pumpkin, cut out and placed on a Spellbinders Label die that was cut out from a SU black cs. I added the orange woven ric rac at the bottom and some sparkly square mosaic tiles as embellishment. The sentiment is from Pink Paislee.

This next one uses another Lockhart withes legs and I took this close up to show you the sparkly black on her stockings, dress edge and shoes that I coloured with a black Spica atyou pen. If you click on the pic you can see how very sparkly it really is!
I had these little silver star and moon brads that I added in the corners over the existing stamped stars and moons.

The papers are mainly this year's MS from a 6 X 6 pad.
The border is an older MS border punch that I thought resembled the dress edge.
I did some simple black zig zag stitching on the main panel.

Hope you like these and are enjoying the weather...wherever you are!
Thanks for peeking in!
Chriss

Back with 1 little card...

2010-09-26T07:08:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone. I am back from Montreal (a week now) and have been busy getting back into the swing of things, but I did make a halloween card yesterday.

I started with this fun Hero Arts bat that I simply coloured with Copics and a green Spica pen, cut out the image and popped onto a new Spellbinders label die 14. I used various papers from MS and MM. I used black thread to machine stitch a zig zag around the green paper edges and a straight stitch across the purple paper at the bottom of the card. I also used the MS spider web border punch and layered the strip with a wide black ric rac ribbon. The tag stamp is from SU Tiny Tags and I had the little bat brad in my stash. That's it for today...another busy week ahead and World card making Day is less than a week away!

Thanks so much for taking a peek!

Chriss

PrettyThings Jar Swap

2010-09-06T09:22:00.001-05:00

Hi there everyone! It's been a while since I have been able to post, but I have not been a slacker. I have been working on a large client order (550 Christmas cards) and getting ready to go back to Montreal to visit with my Mom and hubby's Mom.
This post is the result of a very cool idea, a jar swap! This was so exciting!
I participated in my first ever over at City Crafter Party Blog and had no idea what goodies could be placed into a jar from my swap partner. Boy oh boy she was so so generous! My swap partner was Linda and just look at this beautiful presentation, she even made me a CUTE card!

I don't know how she managed to stuff all of these goodies into the jar, there was even a stamp set!
Some of my very favourite items are the crocheted flowers and the lace wrapped pegs/spools. I can't wait til I have the time to create a card with some of these very special items!
Thank you Linda!!!
Do you know that Linda even included a pair of earrings that she made! Vintage and special, that what this whole package represents to me and I am so lucky to have received such great goodies! I loved this idea and would really like to participate in this again. Why don't you check out this new blog, City Crafter Party Blog
to see what's in store next!

Anni-VERVE-sary sketch challenges

2010-08-20T16:05:00.001-05:00

Happy AnniVervesary! I was able to make a card for each of the 5 sketches that Julee issued earlier this week so here goes,

This first one uses the Verve sentiment from Harvest Blessings and paper from MemoryBox "Blackbird". The card stock is PTI Terra Cotta and the shaped edges were made with a Labels Spellbinder that I stamped with the Verve wheat.

The border is the branches from MS and I layered it with a trim that I bought at HL. The ink that I used is SU basic brown.

This second one was quite hard to photograph...

The textured card stock is a Bazzil that matches perfectly with the Basic Grey Indian Summer. I stamped the beautiful Harvest Blessings in SU basic brown and used some Martha punches for the oak and fern punched shapes. The flower is from a trim that I also got at HL.

This really is a nice card in person, not so much on this screen...

This next card was made for a friend's birthday. She is a blue lover but I also threw in some rich yellow to go with the pretty geometric DCWV mat stack. I stamped Julee's flower from Wishful Elegance three times on different papers and cut out. I also punched out a small circle of the geometric and cut out a small flower from another sheet.

The Birthday Wishes sentiment is also from the Wishful Elegance set and I layered it onto two mega scalloped Nestability ovals. The border punch is the MS hydrangeas. I did a little stitching on the blue panel and added a delicate triangular white lace.

The square that the flower sits on was distressed with a T!m Holtz tool.

Here is a CAS with texture card for this sketch. It is a simple thank you and the sentiment is a thank you from a Verve order. Julee alway's includes a little something...sweet!

The sentiment is layered onto a Sissix die from the SU lots of labels set. The half flowers are some crape myrtle bark from my backyard that I used a PTI flower die on. I am really amazed at the natural aqua colour on this bark! The patterned papers are from DCWV "Home" and the cs is PTI Aqua Mist.

This last card uses some more DCWV Home paper, SU River Rock and PTI Ocean that I put through a Damsk ef. I layered two buttons at the top left corner of the solid panel and put a tiny silk ribbon through. The flourishes are also Verve from the "One Person" set as is the sentiment and frame.

Thanks for taking a peek,

Have a great weekend and have fun tonight with the Verve release!

JustRite photo inspiration

2010-08-08T11:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday all!
It's still quite a bit warm here and should remain for, well probably 'til October ;)
I like warm weather, so I am quite ok with that.
Even though it is warm, I had to make a Christmas quilt like card for the JustRite inspiration photo challenge #30. It has some of my favourite colours in it and I got to use my favourite right now wintery paper from MemoryBox that I purchased at Ellen Hutson's. I will be submitting this card too for the flower parade Ellen is having because I think these octagon die cut birdie topped "flowers" are just sweet and whimsical.
If you look closely at the patterned paper, you can see that all of the colours in the inspiration photo are represented in the card. Don't you just love that when it happens!

So, for the card I cut out one of the MemoryBox Mistletoe papers for the card front and then cut out the tiny bird print paper into a couple of squares. The red print paper is from DCWV Once Upon a Time that I have in my collection. It compliments the MemoryBox paper well (imho). I lined these up on a narrow strip of another paper from the MB Mistletoe collection and then just stitched across with a tiny zigzag.
To the top of this, I added a narrow silk aqua ribbon and tied a simple bow with it.
The JustRite sentiment is stamped in Memento Tuxedo black ink (did you see that JR now sells these inks!)and I edged the deckled cut sides with a Copic marker.
The flower die is PTI and I used the SU Cherry Cobbler cs to make these and topped them with more of the MB birdie paper that I cut out with the smallest Nestability octagon die.
That's it for my simple wintry birdie quilt!
Thanks for taking a peek, have a great Sunday!
Chriss

Ellen's floral colour inspiration

2010-08-07T17:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Saturday to you all! Is it hot where you are? It's been 100 here for a few days...
Ellen Hutson has been having some fun challenges over on her blog and I have been able to play!
Here is a card that I based on the colour inspiration...
It's such a pretty photo and here is what I came up with.
Very easy, mostly die cut shapes, some pretty pearls and a gorgeous button that I bought from Ellen's shop and some pretty silk ribbon that I have in my stash.
The paper is a sheet from DCWV matstack Once upon a time...
I thought these colours worked perfectly for the inspiration.
Thanks for looking,
Cheers!
Chriss

JustRite Hobbyhorse tag

2010-08-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday to all!
Have you seen the challenge going on over at Caardvarks ?
I made this tag for it using a new JustRite stamp from the Hearts Come Home set. These are perfect for using as a special focal image and really easy to use for some smaller projects, like this tag.

I love this little hobbyhorse and I remember that one of my very dear friends while growing up had one from England. It was a little shabby, but I have fond memories of it. This stamp brought back those childhood memories.

I think this frame of lights is a really fun one to use with the hobbyhorse and together, they make for a perfect little boys tag to attach to a special gift.

Onto the actual creating of this tag...
I stamped the hobbyhorse and the frame separately with Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured with Copic markers. I also added some crystal effects to the lightbulbs for a little glassy effect, although it doesn't show well in the photo. I knew that I wanted to use unconventional Christmas colours, and I saw these papers/tags from Pink Paislee that I have had since the Spring and have really neglected them, so I indulged. The tag was a great size to layer onto a piece of green pattern paper from the 6 X 6 Bayberry Cottage collection. I used a long scalloped rectangle Nestability die for this and edged a little of my sketch end Copic along the scalloped edge and the tag edges that I had distressed with a T!m Holtz distresser tool. I cut out the hobbyhorse image with some old deckled edged scissors and layered it onto the Labels one die cut lightbulbs frame.
I added some fun trim that I had in my stash from Ellen Hutson's shop to both ends of the tag.
For the top, I cut out a circular motif from one of the patterned papers and punched a hole in it, added it to the top of the tag and added 3 different colours(gray, blue, green) of various width and length ribbons to attach to the gift. That's it!
Thanks so much for taking a peek!
Cheers!
Chriss

Mojo geraniums Thanks!

2010-08-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

a close-up of the geraniums :)

Hello again! I know...two posts in a day, a little unusual for me, but I have been keeping up with the housework and thought I could spend a bit more time in the craft room. The result of course is that I now have to tidy that room up ;)
So here is a card that I made for two challenges, Julee's Mojo 150 and Ellen's Flower Parade.
I was a little intimidated working with this sketch, but really liked how it turned out. Oranges and aquas are some of my very favourite colours to craft with and that's what I decided to use for these two special challenges. The paper is all Kaisercraft "Peachy Keen" and the sentiment is a Verve Thanks that was an extra inclusion from Julee in an order to me!
The geraniums are from Lockhart. I have bought many Lockhart stamps from Ellen's shop. I love the florals and fruit. They are coloured with Copic markers and I did a little stitching here and there. Pretty simple once I really looked at the sketch's curves.
You still have time to participate in either of these challenges, just click on my underlined words and they are linked to the place you will want to go to.
There are prizes involved !!!
Good luck,
Have a great afternoon and thanks to all of you that pop in and visit!
Chriss

JustRite Poinsettia

2010-08-05T08:53:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Where has the week gone, it sure is speeding by!
Between watering and house chores, I found some time to use this new JustRite stamp for a little challenge going on at the JR blog. It is this sketch for challenge #29. Oh my, I had better hurry with this post, it closes in 12 minutes!

The new square stamp set, Hearts Come Home, is perfect for this sketch!
I stamped the image 4 times in Versamark and sprinkled with gold ep and heat set, coloured 3 of them with Copic markers and cut 1 of them out following the postage stamp outline and 2 of them were cut out, flower only.
I placed the 2 fussy cut flowers onto some die cut flowers (PTI dies) that I made with SU Cherry Cobbler and Memory Box new Mistletoe 6 X 6 paper pad.
The border was created with the MS Modern Garland punch and the swirl is a Sissix die cut.
Hope you have a great Thursday!
Thanks for taking a peek,
Chriss

2010-08-01T19:39:00.000-05:00

ETA
Hi there all who have visited and have been unable to leave a comment, I apologize for this frustrating inconvenience! I don't know how to fix this, but I do appreciate all of you that have visited. I can tell from the counter and it looks like there were approx. 100 of you!
Again, I apologize for this and I will try to find out what is preventing comments. They ARE and had been enabled...so I am truly perplexed!
Welcome to the Anni-VERVE-sary Blog Hop! Verve turns three today and we’re celebrating with a hop, hop, hop! If you've already been hopping along, you arrived here from Tanis P's blog "all that rubbish". If not, head on over to Julee's Blog (owner of Verve), for all the info on how to win prizes (after all, what's a party without presents?), and to start hopping from the beginning. If there's a hiccup along the hop, you can always head to the Master Hop List to get the full list of links.

Happy Birthday Verve!!!
So many beautiful stamps to pick from, gorgeous flowers and the most profound and eloquent sentiments!

For today's special occasion, I chose to use this gorgeous Verve sentiment from the One Person set as the focal point. I love Julee's font styles on this, it is so, so elegant. I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto PTI vintage cream card stock and sponged around the words with SU River Rock classic ink with a dauber to give it a slightly antiqued look. The frame is from Pink Paislee's Artisan Elements and I sponged this also with SU RR and a bit of Sahara ink. I selected the Queen Bee 6 X 6 paper pad also from Pink Paislee. I created a punched border with a MS punch and a very small scallop punch from EK Success that I layered to the left of the focal sentiment.

Here is a close up of the ivory flower that I made and the "ribbon" that I used is a Japanese one that I purchased at a local knitting store. I sponged the tightly curled center of the flower with SU River Rock ink to tie in with the overall card colour theme.

Thanks for hopping by! Now it's time to hop on over to Janelle's Rain Puddles Design blog, for a little more Verve-y goodness.

Thanks so much for stopping by on this special anniversary! Congratulations Julee!!!

Happy Birthday Verve!

2010-08-01T09:00:00.008-05:00

Welcome to the Anni-VERVE-sary Blog Hop! Verve turns three today and we’re celebrating with a hop, hop, hop! If you've already been hopping along, you arrived here from Tanis P's blog "all that rubbish". If not, head on over to Julee's Blog (owner of Verve), for all the info on how to win prizes (after all, what's a party without presents?), and to start hopping from the beginning. If there's a hiccup along the hop, you can always head to the Master Hop List to get the full list of links.

Happy Birthday Verve!!!
So many beautiful stamps to pick from, gorgeous flowers and the most profound and eloquent sentiments!

Above is a close up of the ivory flower that I made and the "ribbon" that I used is a Japanese one that I purchased at a local knitting store. I sponged the tightly curled center of the flower with SU River Rock ink to tie in with the overall card colour theme.

Thanks for hopping by! Now it's time to hop on over to Janelle's Rain Puddles Design blog, for a little more Verve-y goodness.

Thanks so much for stopping by on this special anniversary! Congratulations Julee!!!

Fussy cut poinsettia wreath

2010-07-30T14:06:00.001-05:00

Another DTGD card here, this one for DTGD10BevMom, DTGD10kmahany and DTGD10rsalamon.
I am also entering this for the CPS sketch 177
I stamped this beautiful Northwoods poinsettia wreath in Always Artichoke SU classic and coloured with my Copic markers. I cut oy the whole image and popped up on foam for some dimension. For the border, I used a MS punch and layered a length of lace over it. The sentiment is a SU one that I haver had for a while.

I won't be making too many of these cards because I can't lie...this one took a while to colour and cut :0)
Thanks for taking a look,
Chriss