Winter Blues

Hello friends,

Time for a new challenge at Double D Challenges. I am joining Team Darlene for this fortnight’s challenge with the theme “Winter Blues”  Please visit the Double D challenge blog and see more wonderful samples from the talented designers and join in the fun!

I was inspired by the pale blue colours, tree branch, birds and the wreath in the inspiration photo. I used a lovely designer paper as background for the shuttered window die cut. I decorated the window with small wreaths and a garland, which is embellished with gemstones and silver bows. The two grey cats peeping through the window were added on second thought for more interest. To complete the wintery look I added some branches with tiny birds and a few silver snowflakes. To finished off the sentiment was then layered on an oval die-cut border to let it stand out a little bit more. Hope you like my take on the challenge!

Challenges I entered:

• Merry Little Christmas Challenge MLCCB#28 (ends 11/30) – November Anything Christmas Goes
• The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #83 (ends 11/24) – Anything Christmas Goes
• Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday – November Challenge (ends 11/30) – Christmas
• Cuttlebug Mania Challenge (ends 12/01) – Project must have a cat – MEOUW (Supplies: Listed at the bottom of post)
• Daisy Chain Challenges #47 (ends 12/05) – Christmas is Coming
• Pearly Sparkles Challenge #57 (ends 11/30) – Christmas/Winter Critters
• Dragonfly Dreams  (November) (ends 11/30) – Christmas/Winter

A close-up of the shuttered window and cats

The birds and branches

The sentiment

A peep at the inside

Project details

White, brown, grey and blue card-stock — Mintay designer paper “Happy Place” (MT-HAP-08) — Silver glitter paper — Spellbinders Shapeabilities Die-D-Lites “Shuttered Window” (S2-078) — Impression Obsession die “Cat Set” (DIE83-K) — Impression Obsession die “Tree / Branch” (DIE219-P) — Paper Smooches Wise die “Chrishtmas Wishes” (OCD087) — NellieSnellen Filling die “Eastern Oval Border” (QD008) — Sizzix Thinlits die “Village Christmastime” (662424) — Memory Box die “Resting Birds” (Style no 98527) — Marianne Design Craftables die “Snowflakes” (CR1335) –Tim Holtz distress ink “Stormy Sky”

Thanks for stopping by. I love reading your thoughts in the comments below. Have a wonderful day!

Kind regards,

Amelia

Don’t Fence Me In!

Hello friends,

A new challenge starts today at the Double D Challenge blog. Team Darlene is hosting this challenge with the theme “Don’t Fence Me In”. The inspiration picture says it all, we want to see a fence on your creation. The team have created beautiful cards to inspire you – a visit to the Double D Challenge blog will be worthwhile.

I decided to create a shabby birthday card. I used kraft card-stock and designer paper for the background layers. I added a white picket fence at the bottom of the card with mirror tape for dimension. To create a spring scene (it is spring in South Africa now) I added leaves, blossoms, rabbits, birds and birdhouses. I finished off with a die cut sentiment.

I also entered my card in the following challenges:

• All Fun Challenges #15 (ends 09/27) – Anything Goes
• Cuttlebug Mania Challenge (ends 09/29) – Anything Goes (Supplies: Marianne Design Creatables “Picket Fence and Birdhouse” (LR0205) — Fantasy die “Banweed Leaves” (FD510) — Impression Obsession die “Rabbits” (DIE168-C) — Creative Expressions Craft die “Necessities- A Little Birdie Told Me” (CED23024))
• Always Fun Challenges #180 (ends 09/21) – Make A Scene
• Allsorts Challenges Week #589 (ends 09/19) – I Love … (I love Shabby Chic, Flowers and Birdhouses)
• Do-Al(l) Kreatives #45 (ends 09/ 30) – Inspiriert durch einen Song (Don’t Fence Me In – Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters)

The sentiment and a little birdhouse

A close-up of the birdhouse and flowers

The picket fence and rabbits

Some of the flowers and leaves

A peep at the inside

Project details

White and kraft card-stock — Mintay designer paper “Beauty in Bloom” — Marianne Design Creatables “Picket Fence and Birdhouse” (LR0205) — Fantasy die “Banweed Leaves” (FD510) — Impression Obsession die “Rabbits” (DIE168-C) — Creative Expressions Craft die “Necessities- A Little Birdie Told Me” (CED23024) — Paper blossoms — Wax cord for bows — Tim Holtz distress inks ‘Mowed Lawn” and “Old Paper” — Glitter glue.

Thanks for stopping by. I love reading your thoughts in the comments. Have a wonderful day!

Kind regards,

Amelia

Beauty of a Butterfly

Hello friends,

A new challenge starts today at Double D Challenges. Team Diane is hosting this challenge with the beautiful theme of “Butterflies”. Butterflies are always a favourite theme for me – maybe it is their lovely colours and elegance. The team created beautiful cards to inspire you – a visit to the Double D Challenge blog will be worthwhile.

My inspiration from the picture was the lovely colours and so I tried to incorporated the yellow, pink, green and black into my card. I used a beautiful designer paper as background, then layered an intricate rose edge die cut on the one side for interest. I used watercolours to paint the butterflies to match the colours of the flowers on the designer paper. I finished off with pearl swirls and a sentiment.

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• Dragonfly Dreams Challenge (08/31) – Anything Goes
• Crafter’s Cafe Challenge #248 (ends 08/15) – Anything Goes
• Love to Craft Challenge LTCCB #49 (ends 08/31) – August Anything Goes
• Pearly Sparkles Challenge #54 (ends 08/27) – Anything Goes
• The Creative Crafters Challenge #30 (ends 08/08) – Anything Goes
• Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday August Challenge (ends 08/31) – Something Beginning with “B”.

A close-up of one of the butterflies

The sentiment

A peep at the inside

Project details

White and black card-stock — Mintay designer paper “Beauty in Bloom” — Precious Marieke die “Rose Edge” (PM10156) — Sizzix Thinlits (Tim Holtz Alterations) die “Detailed Butterflies, Mini” (661802) — Creative Expressions Craft die “Mini Expressions – You Are The Best” ( CEDME034) — Black pearl swirls — Tim Holtz distress ink “Worn Lipstick”

That’s it from me today! I hope you like my card. If you do, please leave a comment – I love reading them. Have a great day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

Vintage Scraps

Hello friends,

A new challenge starts today at Double D Challenges. Team Diane is hosting this challenge with the theme “Scraps” (Use your scraps).  The team have created beautiful cards to inspire you – a visit to the Double D Challenge blog will be worthwhile. The prize to win for this challenge is a “My Favourite Things – Notched Border die” and absolutely gorgeous!

I used left-over paper from a Mintay paper pad “Love Letters” to create a vintage card. I used the sheet with the small images and die cut each of them with a small scalloped rectangle die. I added the pieces with mirror tape, for dimension, to the base card to form a square of pictures. Each image is then embellished with a rose and leaves cut from scraps of green paper. I finished off with a sentiment, pearl strings, a bow, a bit of glitter and a little pearl heart. I love the outcome of this card!

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• Creative Fingers Challenge #187 (ends 06/12) – Anything Goes
• The Crafter’s Cafe Challenge #244 (ends 06/15) – Anything Goes
• Creations in Pink Challenge #22 (ends 06/15) – Anything Goes in Mainly Pink
• Love To Craft Challenge #47 (ends 06/30) – June Anything Goes
• The Creative Crafters Challenge #28 (ends 06/08) – Anything Goes
• Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge (ends 06/09) – Tickled Pink!
• Crafty Friends Challenge #136 (ends 06/05) – Add Embellishments

Two of the images and embellishments

The sentiment, bow and pearl heart

A peep at the inside

Project details

Cream card-stock for base card — Green and cream scraps of paper for sentiment and leaves — Mintay “Love Letters” polka dot designer paper — Mintay “Love Letters” sheet of designer images — Spellbinders Nestabilities “Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large”  — Poppystamps “Leafy Sprig” (No 1001) — Creative Expressions Craft die “Mini Expressions – Wishes Come True” (CEDME040) — Roses — Pearl strings — Wax cord for bow — Pearl heart — Tim Holtz distress ink “Antique Linen”  — Glitter glue.

That’s it from me today! I hope you like my card. If you do, please leave a comment – I love reading them. Have a great day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

Spring

Hello friends,

We are celebrating “Spring” at Double D Challenges and I hope you can join us this week with your flower creations. Although we are on the brink of winter in the southern hemisphere and the lovely autumn days are almost gone, I love to do cards with pretty flowers.With such a lovely inspiration photo you can just let the creative juices flow. For more information about the challenge and the lovely prize visit the Double D Challenge – we would love to see your card.

I used a flowery background paper for my base layer and then added delicate die cut vines in a wreath pattern.  The flower bouquets are arranged on the vines to match the flower pattern of the designer paper. I added  vintage bird cages, silver bows and pearls. I finished off with a die cut sentiment.

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• A Bit More Time To Craft Challenges #112 (ends 04/01) – Anything Goes
• Daisy Chain Challenges #39 (ends 04/05) – Use Dies
• Pearly Sparkles Challenge #49 (ends 03/30) — For the Ladies / Girls
• Sognando Scrap #77 (ends 03/30) – Waiting For Spring

The roses and bird cage

The sentiment

Another rose bouquet, pearls and bow

A peep at the inside

Project details:

Cream, black and greenish gray card-stock — Mintay Designer papers “Love Letters” — Couture Creations Intricutz die “Classic Vine” (CO724046) — Nellie’s Choice Vintasia Figurative die “Vintasia Birdcage” (VIND036) — Impression Obsession sentiment die “For You” (DIE383-C) — Paper roses — Silver tread for bows — Pearls — Tim Holtz distress ink “Pumice Stone”

Thanks for visiting today and for leaving comments – I really appreciate your time. Have a wonderful day and please come and join us at Double D Challenges.

Kind regards,

Amelia

Balloons

Hello friends,

A new challenge starts today at the Double D Challenge blog . Team Darlene is hosting this challenge with the theme “Balloons”. The team created beautiful cards to inspire you – a visit to the Double D Challenge blog will be worthwhile. And as always there is a prize for one lucky random winner!

I like to make cards with a pink and green colour scheme – it is always so pretty and soft on the eye. I used  a lovely designer paper from Mintay  as a background for my die-cut hot air balloon. I cut the balloon twice from white and black card-stock, snip off the lower part of the white die-cut balloon and glue the white top part onto the upper part of the black die-cut. The balloon and basket were lightly coloured with grey ink. I embellished the balloon with pearls, paper flowers and leaves and layered it on the background paper with mirror tape for dimension.   I really love the outcome of this as the die-cut balloon matches the balloons on the background paper perfectly. I added a leaf flourish at the bottom for interest. I fussy cut some flowers from the same designer paper and layered this also with mirror tape for dimension. I finished of with a die-cut sentiment.  Hope you like my take on the challenge!

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• Scrapy Land Challenges #130 (ends 02/05) – Anything Goes with a die cut from a brand that Scrapy Land sells (Dies:  Spellbinders In’spire die “Up and Away” (IN-050) — Memory Box die “Tippington Vine” (No 99299) — Creative Expressions Necessities die “A Little Birdie Told Me” (CED23024) — Creative Expressions Finishing Touches die “Swirly Leaf Trio” (CED 1468))
• Dies R Us Challenge #137 (ends 01/28) – Birthdays (Dies: Spellbinders, Creative Expressions and Memory Box)
• Use Your Stuff Challenge #389 (ends 01/18) – Anything Goes
• Funky Junky Boutique Challenge  (ends 01/21) – Let’s Play Tic Tac Toe in Shabby Chic style (Layers (Background paper, Fussy cut flowers. Balloon) , Bling (Pearls) and Die-Cuts (Balloon, Sentiment, Vine))
• The Paper Funday January Challenge #13 (01/31) –  Anything Goes

A close-up of the hot air balloon

The sentiment

The flowers

A peep at the inside

Project details

White, green and black card-stock — Mintay by Karola designer paper “Secret Places”  (MT-SEC-08) — Spellbinders In’spire die “Up and Away” (IN-050) — Memory Box die “Tippington Vine” (No 99299) — Creative Expressions Necessities die “A Little Birdie Told Me” (CED23024) — Creative Expressions Finishing Touches die “Swirly Leaf Trio” (CED 1468) — Tim Holtz distress ink “Pumice Stone” — Paper flowers — Pearls

Thank you for stopping by today, I really appreciated your time. I would love to read what you think about the card. Have a wonderful day.

Regards,

Amelia