From The Heart

Hello blog friends,

Today I am posting my guest designer card for the new challenge at Twisted Tuesdays. I won a challenge at Twisted Tuesdays a few weeks ago and was invited by Melina to do a card for the challenge  “Don’t Go Near the Edge!”  It’s all in the name already but to explain further : other than your base paper/card stock, don’t let anything else on  your project get very close to the outside edges. So that means no  ribbon going all the way to the edge or border strips, photos or images, etc. Keep everything clustered in the middle. And then the twist : Use dictionary, old book or script paper on your creation. You must include the challenge and the twist in your creation.

I really have fun to create this card because usually I go over the edge of the card with my lace , flowers or  sentiment. I first cut a square from old book paper as guide to cluster the image and embellishments in the middle. The chipboard image is from Faye Whittaker and it fits perfectly in a little resin frame. I added a Prima flower and die cut leaves and flourishes. The sentiment and banner die cut is from Marianne Design Collectables. Thank you Melina for the opportunity to join the talented Twisted Tuesday Design Team for this challenge.

Challenges:

• Crafts and Me March Challenge #146 (ends 03/31) – Anything Goes
• Word Art Wednesdays Challenge #123 (ends 03/19) – Anything Goes
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #63 (ends 03/23) – Anything Goes
• Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #27 (ends 03/25) – Anything Goes (but card must be square)
• The Crazy Challenge #167 (ends 03/31 ) - Flower Frenzy
• The Shabby Tea Room Week #210 (ends 03/24) – Anything Goes

The Faye Whittaker vintage card topper in the resin frame from Jani Projects

The sentiment stamped and die cut with a Marianne Design Collectables set

The Prima flower, fancy pin and flourishes

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• Cream and green cardstock
• Script paper
• Faye Whittaker vintage card topper “All Our Yesterdays”
• Marianne Design Collectables  – sentiment stamp and die (COL1324)
• Marianne Design Creatables Flourishes die (LR0271)
• Spellbinders Shapeablilities “Foliage”
• Prima flowers “Trellis roses” (Item #533137)
• Fancy pin
• Pearls
• Resin frame
• Tim Holtz distress inks “Peeled Paint” and “Pumice Stone”
• Skwiglues  “Crystal”

Thanks for visiting today. Have a lovely week and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

Count The Sunny Hours

Hello everyone,

We had lots of rain in our country the past two weeks with very little sunshine. To see everything turn into all shades of green is such a blessing in our part of the world. However my card today is about Spring, sunshine and flowers. I have the privilege to be guest designer for My Sheri  Crafts new challenge “Celebrate Spring”.  I am sure most of us love springtime and the lovely flowers typical of this season, so come and join the challenge at My Sheri Crafts. You may use any supplies as long as it fits the theme.

I created a garden scene with some Graphic45 designer papers and a garden bench die cut from Marianne Design Creatables. The paper daisies are a new addition to my already huge collection of flowers. The lace stamp is from Stampendous and a favorite to add a vintage touch to my cards. Hope you like my take on the challenge. A big thank you to Sheri for the invitation to join the talented My Sheri Crafts design team as guest designer.

Challenges:

• Alphabet Challenge (ends 03/28) – C for Country Flowers
• Really Reasonable Ribbon’s Rambelings Challenge #91 (ends 03/28) – Welcome Spring and Ribbon theme
• Sister Act Card Challenges #48 (ends 03/21) – Anything Goes
• Allsorts Challenge Week 250 (ends 03/21) – Pretty in Pink
• Love to Create Challenge #106 (ends 03/17) – Anything Goes
• Make My Monday Challenge (ends 03/17) – Spring
• Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #26 (ends 03/18) – Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly Challenge  (ends 03/18) – Bingo (Die cuts, Free, Glitter)
• Crafting For All Seasons Challenge #72 (ends 03/19) – Spring Into Spring!

The garden bench cut from Tim Holtz distress paper and distressed with sanding paper.

A close-up of the chipboard sentiment and daisy.

The vintage scrap, pearls, daisies and rose buds.

The inside embellished with a leafy flourish.

Project details:

• White and brown cardstock
• Graphic45 designer paper “Secret Garden Collection April Showers” (#4500659)
• Graphic45 image from “Secret Garden Collection Springtime” (#4500650)
• Graphis45 sentiment “Secret Garden Collection Chipboard 2″
• Marianne Design Creatables dies “Garden bench”(LR0258) and “Leafy Flourishes” (LR0271)
• Stampendous clear stamp “Elegant borders” (SSC1122)
• Pearls
• Hug snug seam binding “Iced lime”
• Brown wax cord
• Paper daisies and rose buds
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Tea Dye” and “Peeled Paint”
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

Thank you for taking the time to visit and looking at my card. I really enjoy reading your comments and appreciate each one so much. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting

Regards,

Amelia

Forever Yours …

Hello friends,

Today I have a cute card to share  with you. It feels like ages since I last used my aquarelle pencils for coloring and worked with cute images. I have the image stamped ages ago but never sat down to make a card with it. It is really busy at work since the beginning of the year and time for my hobby is so limited – hopefully things will calm down.

I am an animal lover and working in a Veterinary Science Library, animal stamps are always a popular choice for me. This cute stamp is from the Crafter’s Companion range Everyday with Barkley “Special Friend”. Those two adorable faces really portray a perfect animal heaven on earth. For the layers I used designer paper from Iralamija and a Spellbinders die cut “Fancy Lattice”. The leafy branch is from Marianne Design Creatables. Hope you enjoy my card as much as I have in creating it.

I  entered my card in the following challenges:

• A Gem of a Challenge #112 (ends 02/14) – All You Need is Love
• Little Red Wagon Challenge #223 (ends 02/12) - Love
• Crafty Calender February Challenge (ends 02/28) – Love is All Around!!
• Fantasy Stampers Challenge #3 (ends 02/15) – Love and Cherish
• Open-Minded Crafting Challenge #3 (ends 02/22) - Show Some Love
• Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #2 (ends 02/28) – Add a Gem, or Glitter, or Candi or any Bling
• Fairies Challenge #19 (ends 02/28) – Love is in the Air
• Craftitude Challenge #58 (ends 02/28) – Anything Goes or Valentines/Love
• Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge #107 (ends 02/20) – Be My Valentine
• Crafty Little Fairies Challenge (ends 02/13) – Love
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #58 (ends 02/16) - Anything Goes or Create your Own Challenge (sentiment, image, die cut, stickles, flowers, bling and ribbon)
• Penny Black and More February Challenge (ends 02/28) – Make It Sparkle (gemstones and glitter)

A close-up of the stamped image from Crafter’s Companion “Special Friend” and the ribbon roses

The sentiment

The roses

A peep at the inside with another two bling hearts and a fancy lattice

Project details:

• White and pink cardstock
• Designer paper from  Iralamija
• Crafter’s Companion stamp Everyday with Barkley “Special Friend”
• Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Fancy Lattice”
• Marianne Design Creatables “LR0150″
• Cuttlebug die “Tiny Tags” (37-1222)
• Gemstones
• Wax cord
• Paper roses
• Ribbon
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Antique Linen” and “Peeled Paint”
• Skwiglues glitter glue “Crystal”
• Lyra Rembrandt aquarelle watercolor pencils

Thanks for visiting today, it is always such a pleasure to read your comments. Have a wonderful week and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

You’re Tea-rrific

Hello friends,

Greeting you from a very hot summers day in South Africa, We are midst a heat wave with temperatures rising during daytime to 38 – 40 degrees Celsius. I can tell ya the sun is making barbecue out of us and the best place to be is in the swimming pool or in front of an air cooler. But despite the heat I am excited to share my card with you for the new challenge over at Sugar Creek Hollow  today. The challenge is to use fibres and texture, not just ribbon and lace, on your shabby chic or vintage project.

I found a pretty piece of Granny print cotton fabric in one of my numerous craft boxes and decided to use it as background for my “Victorian tea” theme card. For more texture I also added a strip of frayed unbleached cotton and lace. The filigree teapot from Cottage Cutz is one of my favorite dies – it is so elegant and stylish with the  intrinsic details. The little pink resin roses just fits perfectly with the theme of the card. The Sugar Creek Hollow challenge will run for two weeks, thus leaving you with lots of time to show us your fabric themed card or project.

Challenges:

• Paper Crafting Journey Challenge (01/30) – Vintage/Distressed/Shabby Chic
• Fairy Tale Challenge #85 (01/31) – Schleifen/Bows
• Sister Act Card Challenge #40 (01/24) – Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Challenge #9 (01/23) – Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times Challenge (01/23) – Girly Cards
• Crafting by Designs (01/25) – Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations Challenge #254 (01/22) – Something To Drink
• Cuttlebug Mania Challenge (01/21) – Distressed (Dies used: Joy Crafts, Marianne Design Creatables, Cottage Cutz, Cuttlebug Tiny Tags, Spellbinders Nestabilities)
• Fan-Tastic Tuesday Were It’s Hip to be Square #18 (01/21) – Pink and Patterned
• Divas By Design Challenge (01/22) – Use Ribbons

The oval frame and lady silhouette

The sentiment, roses and corner flourish

A close-up of the filigree teapot and teacup embellished with little resin roses

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• Cream and olive-green cardstock
• Clearly Impressed clear stamp set “Vintage” (CI-2045)
• Hot off the Press clear stamp “You’re Tea-rrific” (HOTP-1115)
• Joy Crafts Teacup die (6002/0113)
• Joy Crafts Vintage flourishes die (6003/0015)
• Marianne Design Creatables Flourish die (LR0271)
• Cottage Cutz die “Filigree Teapot” (CC4x4-480)
• Cuttlebug Tiny Tags die (37-1222)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities die (Labels Twenty” (S5-026)
• Granny print cotton fabric
• Unbleached linen fabric
• Lace
• Prima flowers “Encore B” (#561345)
• Paper roses from “I am Roses”
• Hug Snug seam binding “Cameo Beige”
• Resin roses
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Old Paper”
• Chipboard oval
•  Tim Holtz distress paint ‘Picket Fence”
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

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

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

Autumn Colours

Hello blog fiends,

The warm, splendid colours of autumn is the challenge theme at Sugar Creek Hollow this fortnight. Your project can also be about fall activities or scenes as long as it is  in the vintage or shabby style. I love the warm earthy tones of autumn and the image from Bumble Button Antique and Vintage Graphics was so perfect for the theme.The lovely outdoor scene with the children just stole my heart. To enhance the shades of brown in the image I added a die cut garden fence and  bird-cage hanging from a brass chain. The roses are from ‘I am Roses’ and the Forget-me-nots from Petaloo.

Sue Butler is our guest designer at Sugar Creek Hollow  for this challenge. She created a beautiful card for our challenge and you can see more of her lovely work on her blog Scrumplescrunch. If you like to create in the vintage or shabby style and you need some inspiration for the fall colours or activities challenge a visit to Sugar Creek Hollow will be worthwhile. Hope to see your creation.

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• A Creative Romance Challenge (ends 09/27) – Dies or Punches (Birdcage, fence dies and leaf punch)
• Card and Scrap Utfordring #61 (ends 09/27) – Vintage/Shabby Chic
• Brown Sugar Challenge #60 (ends 09/27) – Shades of Brown
• Just For Fun Challenge (September) (ends 09/30) – Colours of Autumn
• 4 Krafty Girlz Challenge #2 (ends 10/03) – Anything Goes
• Crafty Ribbons Challenge #62 (ends 09/26) – Anything Goes with Ribbon
• Marianne’s Design Divas September Challenge (ends 10/15) – Anything Goes (Marianne Design Creatables  LR0205 Bird-cage and Fence)
• Sister Act Card Challenge #25 (ends 09/27) – Anything Goes
• Creative Creations Challenge #19 (ends 09/30) – Down at The Bottom of the Garden

The flowers

The bird-cage

The lovely image from Bumble Button Antique and Vintage Graphics

A peep at the inside embellished with lace and a die cut garden fence

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Graphic45 designer paper “A Ladies Dairy Collection”
• Vintage image from Bumble Button Antique and Vintage Graphics
• Marianne Design Creatables dies LR0205
• Paper roses from “I am Roses”
• Forget-me-nots from “Petaloo”
• Hug Snug seam binding “Antique gold”
• Brass chain
• Lace
• Tim Holtz distress inks “Tea dye” and “Walnut stain”
• Skwiglues “Gold”

Thank you so much for your visits and lovely comments, I love to read them. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Warm regards from South Africa,

Amelia

Greetings from the Farm

Hello dear blog friends,

Last week I was browsing through my Penny Black stamps storage box and discovered two golden oldies. Oh dear, I just love the cute cow ladies and had to ink then up immediately and  colour them. It feels like ages since I last made a card with cute images and making these two cards were fun. I kept the layout for both cards the same except for the sentiments. As the images look so happy and cheerful I used minimum embellishments to kept the focus on the critters. After my eye surgery, coloring of images were difficult but my vision did improve so much over the past three months that I am very glad to have my coloring pencils back in hand.  Hope you enjoy these two cards as much as I have enjoyed creating them.

Challenges:

• Word Play Saturday July Challenge (ends 07/27) – Birthdays
• Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #96 (ends 07/29) – Birthday
• Let’s Craft and Create Challenge #74 (ends 07/23) – Anything Goes
• Anything Goes Challenge #97 (ends 07/30) – Anything Goes
• Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #156 (ends 07/23) – Anything Goes
• Addicted To Stamps Challenge #60 (ends 08/04) - Lots of Layers
• Stamp with Fun Challenge #217 (ends 08/05) – Celebrate

A close-up of the image, the cow lady and her two chicken friends

The roses, doily and leafy flourish

My second card with three pretty cow ladies

A close-up of the three ladies with their fashionable head pieces

A peep at the inside which was decorated in the same way for both cards

Project details:

• White and green cardstock
• We R Memory Keepers gingham designer paper  “Baby mine”
• Penny Black stamps “Skip and Romp” (2877L) and “Ladies Devine” (2882K)
• Penny Black sentiment stamp “Critter Party transparent set” (30-013)
• Paper doilies
• Marianne Design Creatables “LR0271″ and “LR0191″
• Memory Box die “Puffy Clouds”
• Green wax cord
• Prima flowers “Sherwood rose cottage” (Item #552718)
• Tim Holtz distress ink” Tea Dye”
• Lyra-Rembrandt Aquarelle water-color pencils for coloring
• Skwiglues glitter glue “Crystal”

Thanks for visiting today to look at my cards and I would love to know what you think. Have a wonderful week and I will be back next Saturday with a vintage/shabby card. Happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia