Paper Doll Design

So what do you think of these colours together? This was the new colour challenge over at Colour Inkspiration. Elegant Eggplant, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party and Lemon Lime Twist. Had to get my thinking cap on for this one, but once I started, I loved the combo and made several cards - just entering one, which made it into the TOP 5!! I was so pleased! Here's what I made with this combination and the Top 5 entry is the last one: Using a retired stamp set called Betsy's Blossoms for the flowers (I love it because it reminds me of fireworks exploding!) and the new Lovely Words thinlets, for the word FRIEND and the Lovely Inside and Out stamp set with the additional words. I love blending and these colours went so well together.  It looks a little unfinished - that's because I stole the words "for a great" from the card and used it on the one above!! I just got this set, Jar of love ,  as a gift from Stampin' Up !   I had had m...

 Two of my friends lost someone very dear to them, so it was my turn to send some sympathy cards this week.  Both friends had to fly overseas to be with their loved ones, both making it in time to say farewell. One lost their sister after an illness and the other their father, quite unexpectedly. It is at this time that you reflect. How lucky you are. How anything can happen at any time. How precious all those "moments' are. And makes you reach for the phone or send out a message to those close to tell them you love them and are thinking of them, because you just never know.  It is only a short while ago that I lost my mother, so the feeling were still fresh and my heart went out to the both. I made sure they had a heartfelt card waiting for them when they returned home so they would know I had been thinking of them. The colours  - Mint Macaron and Smokey Slate - are calming and peaceful.  Just to make it twinkle, I added some Wink of Stella...

Well I've been having fun with some new goodies that arrived. There are some beautiful sets in the new annual catalogue and that's what arrived the other day I want to play with them all at once, but that would send me into chaos, for sure! So I started with the Happy Birthday Gorgeous set. There are 32, yes, 32 stamps in this set! There are the larger sentiments, small and delicate sentiments, balloons and flowers.  This set is truly versatile. Here are just four of my creations.   I cut the centre from the card and backed it with vellum to create a softness to the window.  I stamped the rose behind it as a feature and created a bouquet around the edge of the window.  I used one of the more delicate sentiments.  The card is in Fresh fig. The Bermuda Bay flowers really make this garland pop.  I only raised some of the flowers to give it some dimension. There's a lot of fussy cutting happening in this one!! ...

It was decided at work that we would have a Bake off to help raise some money for one of the charities work supported. The office divided into teams and we had to choose someone to bake.  The theme was cupcakes and it would be a blind tasting - no one would know who made what.  They would then vote for the winner. The winning cupcakes were to be voted on for presentation and taste. The two of us in our team, nominated by our workmates, decided to secretly co-ordinate our presentation.    Inspired by Pinterest (love Pinterest!!) my colleague made little tents on top of her cupcakes while I made campfires! They looked so cute!  Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate sultans for the rocks, mini flake for the logs and swirls of icing for the flames! Hidden inside was a cream cheese, chocolate and orange centre, that you only discovered once you bite into it! My colleague had a caramel centre in her chocolate cupcakes as well as hidden chocolate under...

With a large die sentiment, birthday cards couldn't be any easier! This die makes it so easy to put together a quick card that looks amazing. Co-ordinate with some Designer Series paper (DSP), cut two sentiments, one in black for a shadow effect, and put it all together.  Add a few enamel dots to finish it off! Using black as the background makes the sentiment pop - especially the Lemon Lime Green. Some fussy cut flowers from the Whole Lot of Lovely DSP range, change this card from masculine to feminine. More fussy cutting!   I cut out the motif from the Fresh Florals DSP in Berry Burst with the sentiment in Powder Pink.   I love this die!  So quick and easy to make a celebration card that I'm sure the recipient will love! If you want to get this die and have a go yourself, then just click into my store! Happy crafting!

August / September is a busy time for birthdays! One of my crafting buddies had her birthday at the end of August.  I try to make it a point to send her a card that she hasn't seen me make before, post or demonstrate.   In other words, one that is all hers! She tells me she keeps all these cards in a box and she looks at them for inspiration - awww! I knew for sure she hadn't seen my new stamp set - Jar of love so I set about coming up with a design, just for her! Spring was just around the corner too so I wanted to use fresh and vibrant colours. A  bouquet of flowers, delivered by the postman! That was it! Using the Jar of Love, I made a bouquet in a jar using Calypso Coral, Bermuda Bay, and Lemon Lime Twist.   Love, love, love!! Touch of gold in the centres and it was ready for the post box. Hope she likes it as much as I do!!

With my sister living overseas, I like to send her a special card to let her know I am thinking of her, on her birthday. Yes, I could message her or pick up the phone - both of which I do, but the card is like a little present really. I always make it a one off - just for her. I was thinking rustic glam for this one. I am in love with the Wood Textures Designer series paper ( DSP) Stack. So many different textures to choose from and each 6 x 6 sheet is double sided - what value!!   This would be my rustic. The flowers from the Whole Lot of Lovely DSP would add the feminine touch. And gold would add the Glam!! I set about fussy cutting ( yes, again!) some lovely orange blooms to use, picked out my wood finish and die cut Happy Birthday in gold. Here's how it turned out!!!  Added some blooms inside too. Think I achieved Rustic glam with this one? Hope she likes it.  Will have to  wait a couple of days and ...

Sorry for the delay in my posts. Recently I have had to make the sad journey home to farewell  my beautiful mother. She had been ill for some time but, never-the-less, took us all by surprise when she passed away in the middle of the night. Never having had to make these arrangements, I didn't realise how much there was to do in such a short amount of time.  Luckily, with my sister and brother all working together  we were able to put in place all my mothers wishes and send her off proudly amidst many, many tears. Back home with the dust beginning to settle, I  set about making some Thank you cards for those that helped us out, ensuring that everything was in place, people were able to enjoy a beautiful morning tea, and to those that shared beautiful, heartfelt tributes. The cards  featured Mums favourite colour, lilac. I hope they like them.