Pumpkin Time

Hello friends,

I hope you are all doing well. Today’s post is about the new challenge at Double D Challenges with the theme “Pumpkin Time”. You can create a card or project inspired by the photo and we want to see those pumpkins! For more information about the challenge and the lovely prize visit the Double D Challenge blog. Looking forward to see your card!

I was inspired by the colors and beautiful pumpkin decorations in the photo.I use a stone urn die cut for one of the pumpkins and layered several leaf die cuts to make a wreath on the edge of the urn. The pumpkins are a free coloring page from Co-good.com and you can download it here. I colored the images with my Derwent Inktense water-color pencils and fussy cut the leaves and pumpkins. I the layered the images on designer background paper and strips of washi and lace tape. The sentiment die cut is from Spellbinders.

Challenges:

• Artistic Inspirations Challenge #164 (ends 10/10) – Anything Goes
• Cuttlebug Mania Challenge (ends 10/18) – Thank You (Dies used: Joanna Sheen Signature die “Stone Urn” (SD 035), PoppyStamps die “Leafy Sprig” (no. 1001)’ Impression Obsession die “Leaves” (DIE066-C), Spellbinders Shapeabilities sentiment die “Phrase Set One” (S4-563))
• Crafting From the Heart Challenge #130 (ends 10/10) – Anything Goes
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #190 (ends 10/30) – Anything Goes
• Come and Get It Challenges (ends 10/09) – Welcome Autumn
• Aud Sentiments Challenge #165 (ends 10/13) – Anything Goes + A Sentiment
• The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge (ends 10/09) – Happy Harvest
• Sunny Day Crafting Challenges #17 (ends 10/11) – Anything Goes
• The Crazy Challenge #232 (ends 10/10) – Autumn is Coming
• Inspiration Destination Challenge #106 (ends 10/12) – Anything Goes
• Scrapy Land Challenges #51 (ends 10/16) – Anything Goes plus dies Scrapy Land sells (PoppyStamps die “Leafy Sprig” (no. 1001)’ Impression Obsession die “Leaves” (DIE066-C), Spellbinders Shapeabilities sentiment die “Phrase Set One” (S4-563))

The pumpkin  and leaf wreath

The sentiment and washi tape

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• Cream card-stock
• Designer paper in black and cream
• Pumpkin digital image from Co-good.com Pumpkin Coloring Pages for Kids
• Joanna Sheen Signature die “Stone Urn” (SD 035)
• PoppyStamps die “Leafy Sprig” (no. 1001)
• Impression Obsession die  “Leaves” (DIE066-C)
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities sentiment die “Phrase Set One” (S4-563)
• Washi tape
• Lace tape
• Derwent Inktense water-color pencils
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Old Paper” and “Mowed Lawn”

Although it is the beginning of summer in my part of the world I hope you’re all enjoying a beautiful fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Thanks for visiting today  I appreciate it so much. Have a wonderful day.

Kind regards,

Amelia

O’ Christmas Tree

Hello friends,

November is here  … and Christmas is coming soon. I have my first Christmas card for this year to share today. The card was created for the new challenge at The Shabby Tea Room and the theme for this fortnight is “O’ Christmas Tree”. Our sponsor is Bugaboo stamps and you could be the winner of 7 Bugaboo digi stamps by just playing along. A visit to The Shabby Tea Room for the inspiration picture and more info on the prize and rules will be worthwhile.

For my card I used a Bugaboo stamp “Merry Christmas Tree”  so kindly sponsored by Jodie. As the Christmas tree is so cute with the pink gem stones and glitter as decorations I decided to keep the rest of the card clean and simply. To capture the rustic and shabby look of the inspiration picture, I layered the image on a wooden plank background, add a strip of burlap, some vintage seam binding and pink roses. The distressed edges adds a perfectly aged, weathered look. Hope you like my take on a non-traditional Christmas card.

Challenges:

• Alphabet Challenge (ends 11/27) – T is for ‘Tis the Season’
• Crafty Calender November Challenge  (ends 11/28) – Sparkle, Bling and Embellish.
• Craft for the Craic November Challenge (ends 11/30) –  Something Glittery
• 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #272 (ends 11/19) – Ribbon
• Aud Sentiments Challenge #144 (ends 11/17) – BINGO plus A Sentiment (I used middle row horizontally: Ribbon, Digi, Flowers)
• Crafty Ribbons Challenge #134  (ends 11/19) – Christmas Tree with Ribbon
• Scrap & Craft Challenge #15 (ends 11/29) – Shabby Chic or Vintage
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #150 (ends 11/22) – Anything Goes

A close up of the Christmas tree

The flowers and ribbon

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Wooden plank designer paper
• Bugaboo stamp “Merry Christmas Tree”
• Pink gem stones in various sizes
• Skwiglues glitter
• Derwent Inktense pencils for coloring
• Hug Snug seam binding “Pink Tulip”
• Roses
• Tim Holtz distress inks “Antique Linen”

I love having you stop by, thank you for visiting! Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

Blooms and Butterflies

Hello blog friends,

It is a lovely day in South Africa although it is still winter and chilly. I am looking forward to springtime and therefore it was such fun to create my card with a spring flower for the new challenge at The Shabby Tea Room. This fortnight’s challenge is called “Peaches and Cream” accompanied by a lovely photo for inspiration. Our sponsor this fortnight is Crafty Secrets and you could win a fabulous prize! For more details about the challenge, inspirational creations from the design team and the Crafty Secrets prize visit The Shabby Tea Room and please join in the fun. We would love to see your creation for this challenge.

I chose a beautiful gerberia daisy image and sentiment from the “Fairy Wishes” digital stamp set kindly sponsored by Crafty Secrets. I used watercolor pencils to color the image in bright orange and yellow. It was then layered on Spellbinders die cuts “Antique Corner”. I added two butterflies, some pearls, a heart embellishment and a bow to complete the card. Hope you like my take on the challenge – I really struggled to put this card together as this is not colors I usually work with!

Challenges:

• Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge R#237 (08/07) – Anything Goes
• Crafting With Friends Challenge #3 (ends 08/14) – Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too Challenge #91 (ends 08/14) – Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft Challenges #10 (ends 08/14) – Anything Goes
• Sister Act Card Challenges #117 (ends 08/07) – Anything Goes
• Sisters of Craft August Challenge (ends 08/31) – Anything Goes
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #135 (ends 08/09) – Anything Goes
• World Wide Open Design Team Monthly Challenge #2 (August) (ends 08/27) – Anything Goes
• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #96 (ends 08/14) – A Flower in Your Image

A  close-up of the gerberia daisy

The sentiment

A butterfly

The inside

Project details:

• Cream and orange card stock
• Crafty Secrets digital stamp set “Fairy Wishes”
• Spellbinders die D-Lites “Antique Corner”
• Spellbinders Nestabilities “Standard Circles Small”
• Crealies dies “Butterflies”
• Hug Snug seam binding “Cream”
• Pearls
• Derwent Inktense water-color pencils

Have a wonderful day and thank you for visiting – I appreciate your comments so much.

Kind regards,

Amelia

 

 

Sweet as Sunshine

Hello friends,

Today’s post I share with a happy dance – this is my first as design team member for The Shabby Tea Room Challenge blog! I am so honored and delighted to join the very talented team of ladies. This is going to be an incredible experience and a golden opportunity to learn more about card making and the shabby style. Thank you for holding thumbs for me and all your kind comments when I submitted my cards for the design team call. I appreciate it so much.

The theme for the The Shabby Tea Room challenge this fortnight is “Sweet as Sunshine”. Please hop over to The Shabby Tea Room to see the lovely inspiration photo and more details on how to enter the challenge. Our sponsor is Bugaboo stamps and they offer a lovely prize of 7 digi’s for this challenge!

For my card I was kindly sponsored with a yummy cupcake image that I layered on a paper doily. I coloured the image with my watercolor pencils and paper piece the cupcake layer and cream topping for more dimension. To embellish I added a gingham ribbon, some sequins, a red button and glitter. The sentiment is a a die cut from Marianne Designs Creatables.

The bow and button

The yummy cupcake

The sentiment

Project details:

• White, yellow and red cardstock
• October Afternoon designer paper “Confetti”
• Bugaboo Stamps: Yummy Cupcake
• Marianne Design Creatables sentiment die (LR0223)
• Doily
• Gingham ribbon
• Star button
• Sequins
• Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils
• Skwiglues glitter “Crystal”

Thank you for visiting today. Please come and join in the fun at our challenge at The Shabby Tea room, I would love to see your take on the challenge. Have a wonderful day.

Kind regards,

Amelia

 

Polka Dot Love

Hello blog friends,

Mondays are not my usual days to publish a blog post, but today is very special as I have the privilege to be the July special month-long guest designer for The Shabby Tea Room. Oh my,  never thought in my wildest dreams that I will have this opportunity to be part of this beautiful challenge blog. Thanks Debbie for your invitation to join the team this month. The theme for this week’s Shabby Tea Room challenge is “Polka Dot Love” and the challenge is to create a card or project inspired by the lovely photo and to include flowers and dots.

I decided to create a shabby card for a young girl with a free whimsical “Rain Boots” digital stamp from Broken Box Stock. After embellishing the boots with pearls and pink blossoms it reminds me of shoes little fairies would wear. After turning my craft room upside down to find a matching sentiment stamp I finally decided on this little treasure “Fairy Sweet” to match the boots. I added some die cut hearts in various sizes, fishtail banners , sweet blossoms, butterflies and a few sequins for bling. I had so much fun making this card and hope you will also join in at this week’s challenge at The Shabby Tea Room.

Challenges:

• Digi Galore Challenge (ends 07/12) – Anything Goes
• Totally Gorjuss Challenge #243 (ends 07/12) – Bling
• Crafting At The Weekend Challenge #3 (ends 07/12) – Anything Goes
• Suzy Bee’s Bloomin Challenge #36 (07/11) – Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore July Challenge (07/31) – Use a stamp or digi stamp
• Just for Fun July Challenge #1 (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes
• Sisters of Craft July Challenge (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes
• Pile It on #27 (ends 07/12) – Add Some Flowers
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #79 (ends 07/13) – Anything Goes
• The Cutie Pie Challenge #73 (ends 07/21) – Use a Cute Digi (Digi from Broken Box Stock)

A close-up of the “fairy” boots

The sentiment and sequins

The flowers, banners and bow … and a tiny butterfly

A peep at the inside with more hearts and sequins

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Designer paper “Prima Divine paper pack” and Iralamija
• Broken Box Stock digital image “Rain Boots”
• Penny Black sentiment stamp “Fairy Sweet stamp set”
• Spellbinders Nestabilities “Classic Hearts”
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Lace Hearts”
• Upikit Butterly punch
• Pearls
• Lace
• Sequins
• Paper rose and blossoms
• Wax cord
• Hug Snug seam binding “Pink Tulip” and “Turquoise”
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Victorian Velvet”
• Lyra -Rembrandt Aquarelle water-color pencils
• Skwiglues

Thanks for visiting today, I appreciate it so much. Have a happy Monday and wonderful week.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

Feeding The Birds

Hello blog friends,

Time for another fun challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow this Saturday. The theme is A Child’s Life and we would love to see what you create this fortnight in the vintage or shabby chic paper crafting style. Our sponsor for this challenge is A Day for Daisies – I just love Tammy’s lovely designs. For my card I chose the adorable image “Feeding the Birds” so kindly sponsored by Tammy. As a child , and still as an adult, the birds always captivate me with their behaviour at our bird feeders in the backyard. So relaxing to watch their hustle and bustle around the garden. I used Prima “Romantique” paper for my background and lovely Prima and Petaloo flowers to embellish my card. The image is coloured with Lyra-Rembrandt aquarelle pencils, my favourite coloring medium for cards. The Design Team at Sugar Creek Hollow created beautiful cards with their ADFD images, please pop over and join in the fun. Your card could be the winner for this challenge.

Challenges I would love to enter  are:

• Bearly Mine Challenges #98 (ends 08/13) – Tic Tac Toe (Digital Image, Sentiment, Flowers)
• Cuttlebug Mania Challenge (ends 08/13)  – Anything Girly (I have used Spellbinders Nestabilities “Fleur De Lis Squares” with my Cuttlebug)
• The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge #14 (ends 08/31) – Favourite Things (Flowers and Feeding wild birds)
• Crafty Boots Challenges (ends 08/18) – Die Cuts
• One Stop Craft Challenge #238 (ends 08/17) – Pastel Colours
• Crafty Calender August Challenge (ends 09/06) – Anything Goes
• Paper Crafting Journey Challenge  (08/22) – Distressed/Vintage
• The Crazy Challenge CCH#151 (ends 08/19) – Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday Challenge #281 (ends 08/15) – Die-ing to Punch
• Creative Fingers Challenge (ends 08/31) – Anything Goes
• Brown Sugar Challenge #54 (ends 08/16) – Anything Goes
• Sister Act Card Challenge #19 (ends 08/16) – Anything Goes)
• Wordplay Saturday August Challenge (ends 08/31) – Childhood
• Really Reasonable Ribbon Ramblings Challenge #77 (ends 08/12) – Things With Wings with Ribbon
• As You Like It Challenge #8 (ends 08/ ) – Favorite Ribbon or Twine and Why (I used seam binding on most of my card as I like the vintage feel and shabby look it creates on my cards)

The lovely “Feeding the Birds” image from A Day  for Daisies

The sentiment, a little pink gem heart and blue Petaloo For-get-me nots

The Prima and Petaloo flowers

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Prima designer paper “Romantique”
• A Day for Daisies digital image “Feeding the Birds”
• Spellbinders Nestabilities die “Fleur de Lis Squares”
• Prima flowers “Bel Canto C”
• Petaloo “Forget me nots”
• Paper cord
• Chipboard sentiment (Unknown)
• Hug Snug seam binding “Cameo beige”
• Skwiglues glitter glue “Crystal”
• Lyra-Rembrandt Aquarelle water-color pencils
• McGill leaf punch ” Designer Leaf Spray”
• Tim Holtz distress ink ” Bundled sage” and “Old Paper”
• Gem heart

Thank you for visiting today and looking at my card. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia