Happy …

Hello friends,

A card to share for the new challenge at Double D Challenges. The theme for our two weekly challenge this time is “Anything Goes With Gingham”. For more information about the challenge and the prize up for grabs visit the Double D Challenge blog and start creating – we would love to see your card.

I discovered this golden oldie in my Penny Black storage box and I love the dancing cow  and chickens – they sure are so happy! It feels like ages since I last made a card with a cute image so I had a lot of fun with this one. I kept the layout  simple with two strips of pink gingham paper to frame the image. To finish off I added pink gem hearts, paper flowers, green flourishes and wax cord bows. The coloring was done with my Derwent Inktense water-color pencils.

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• Penny  Black and More Challenge (July) (ends 08/03) – Anything Goes with A Stamp
• Allsorts Challenge Week #370 (ends 07/09) – Gingham Style
• Lemon Shortbread Challenge #19 (ends 07/19) – Anything Goes
• Use Your Stuff Challenge #228 (ends 07/11) – Show us an animal
• Dragonfly Dreams Challenge (July) (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends Challenge #35 (ends 07/15) – Use the colours Pink, Green & White
• Sisters of Craft Challenge (July) (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination Challenge #93 (ends 07/13) – Anything Goes
• Paradise of Stamps Challenge #45 (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes (with a stamp)
• Crafts Galore Encore Challenge (July)(ends 07/31) – Anything Goes

A close-up of the image

The sentiment and flowers

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• White and green card-stock
• Pink gingham paper
• Penny Black stamp “Skip & Romp” (2877L)
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Phrase Set One (S4-563)
• Marianne Design Creatables “Flourishes” (LR0271)
• Paper flowers
• Gem hearts
• Wax cord
• Derwent Inktense water-color pencils

Thanks so much for visiting today and the kind comments you so kindly write each week.  I appreciate each comment so much. Hope to see your card at Double D Challenges this fortnight. Enjoy your day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

What’s in my Stocking?

Hello friends,

Today I share a one layer Christmas card with lots of white spaces. These  cards are difficult for me to create but the Penny Black stamp is so adorable and cute that I can live with the “clean” look of the card! I colored the image with Derwent Inktense water-color pencils and add Stickles to the stocking for a bit of bling. hope you like my take on the challenge.

I entered the card in the following challenges:

• Less is More Challenge Week 254 (ends 12/19) – One Layer – What’s in my Stocking
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #154 (ends 12/20) – Anything Goes
• Penny Black and More December Challenge (ends 12/30) – Anything Goes with a Stamp
• My Time to Craft Challenge #310 (ends 12/19) – Christmas Animals
• Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #116 (ends 12/22) – Anything Goes with a twist … Make it Sparkle

A close-up of the adorable critter

Project details:

• White card stock
• Penny Black clear stamp set “Jolly Friends”
• Sentiment stamp (Unknown)
• Derwent Inktense water-color pencils
• Stickles “Diamond”
• Black fine tip pen for lines

Thanks so much for stopping by. Wishing you a happy day.

Regards,

Amelia

Spring Bouquet

Hi everyone, My card today is for all the cat lovers  – a colourful spring bouquet delivered by an adorable kitty. I used the inspiration photo from The Shabby Tea Room’s latest challenge for my color choice  – it is so beautiful and bright. The stamp is from Penny Black and as the image is so striking I just layered it on a Sizzix die cut and embellished the card with a few sweet blossoms. The sentiment is stamped on a tiny die cut tag and tied with a little purple bow. Hope the card will bring a lot of happiness to the receiver. Challenges:

• The Shabby Tea Room Challenge Week #249 (ends 04/20) – Rainbow of colors
• Moving Along with the Times Challenge (ends 04/23) – Anything But a Square Card
• The Crafter’s Cafe Challenge #112 (ends 04/22) – Animal Antics
• Penny Black and More April Challenge (ends 04/29) – Birthdays
• The Crazy Challenge CCH#194 (ends 04/27) – Springtime
• Craft for the Craic April Challenge (ends 04/30) – Die-ing for Spring or an Easter theme.
• Inspiration Destination Challenge #29 (ends 04/22) – Anything Goes
• 2 Crafty Girls Challenge #1 (ends 04/27) – Spring Time
• Artistic Inspirations Challenge #129 (ends 04/25) – Anything Goes with a Twist of Spring
• Eureka Stamps Challenge #136 (ends 04/20) – Four Legged Friends

 A close-up of the adorable cat

The sentiment and bow

The blossoms and daisies

A peep at the inside with more daisies

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Prima designer paper “Sweet Fairy Collection” (Charmed)
• Penny Black slapstick stamp “Merci Bouquet” (40-063)
• Penny Black sentiment from “In the Garden” stamp set (30-044)
• Sizzix Thinlits die “Frame, Garden Lattice” (659004)
• Sizzix Framelits die “Tags” (659100)
• Sweet blossoms
• Hug Snug seam binding “Sky Mauve”
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Antique Linen”
• Memento Dye ink “Tuxedo Black”
• Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

Thank you for visiting today – I appreciate it so much. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting. Regards, Amelia

Love Tale …

Hello friends,

It is quite a while since I last post a card. We are having such hot weather that I find it so difficult to sit in front of my craft table and create – the swimming pool is more inviting. I am still on my journey to improve on my clean and simple card making skills and I can tell you it is a difficult one for me. Today I am sharing a CAS card with a Penny Black stamp that I so much love. I also enjoyed to do some coloring again, I neglected it far too long this time. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did in creating it!

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

• Less Is More Challenge (ends 02/06) – Little Ones (Little hearts)
• Simplicity at its Best Challenge (ends 03/01) – Clean and Simple with Penny Black Products
• Sweet Stampin’ Challenge (ends 02/07) – Love
• Stampin’ Royalty Challenge #264 (ends 02/04) – Love/Valentines
• Simply Create Too Challenge #78 (ends 02/12) – Happy Valentine’s Day (or use Hearts)

For a bit of sparkle I added glossy accents to the little hearts

The curved line is hand drawn – love how it matches the tails!

Project details:

• White cardstock
• Penny Black stamp “Love Tail”
• Penny Black sentiment stamp from “Hugs” clear stamp set
• Memento dye ink “Tuxedo black”
• Ranger Glossy accents
• Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils

Thanks for visiting today and looking at my card. Have a wonderful week en happy crafting.

Kind regards,

Amelia

 

Summer Fun

Hello friends,

To brighten up a blue Monday, and a cold one in our country, there is a new challenge at The Shabby Tea Room. Just look at the beautiful inspiration picture and you will see it is all about summer. The theme is “Fun in the Sun” and the challenge is to create a card/project inspired by the photo with a summer theme, at least three colors from the photo and one or more of these items – vellum, polka dots and/or ribbon. For us in the Southern Hemisphere it is shivering time but soon winter will be over and we can enjoy some watermelon and ice cream again.

For my guest designer card at The Shabby Tea Room I used a Cottage Cutz die “Parfait with strawberries” as focal point. I coloured the cherries, spoon and parfait with my Spectrum Noir pencils and added some glitter to the topping for a yummy look. The background paper is from October Afternoon and was  for a long time hiding in my stash. Some bright coloured buttons in different shapes, sequins and flowers are added as embellishments. I also managed to incorporate all three items, vellum, polka dots and ribbon onto my card. This was for sure a challenge for me as bright colours are a bit difficult for me to work with but I hope you like my take on the challenge.

Challenges:

• My Sheri Crafts Challenge #137 (ends 07/19)  – Food
• Crafty Calender July Challenge (ends 08/01) – Summertime Fun
• Suzy Bee’s Bloomin’ Challenge #37 (ends 07/18) – Anything Goes
• We Do Doobadoo Challenge #10 (ends 07/26) – Spotty and Dotty
• Crafty Catz Challenge #239 (ends 07/18) – Flowers
• Sister Act Card Challenge #65 (ends 07/18) – Anything Goes
• Crafting by Designs Challenges (ends 07/15) – Use Dies
• Fab ‘n’ Funky Challenge #223 (ends 07/ 16) – Feels Like Summer
• Crafting from the Heart #27 (ends 07/21) – Anything Goes
• The Crazy Challenge  TCC#175 (ends 07/21) – My Summer Vacation
• Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge #83 (ends 07/23) – Summer Treats

 A close-up of the parfait

The flowers

Bright buttons to add a summer feeling to the card

The sentiment stamped on vellum

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• White, red and yellow cardstock
• Designer paper from October Afternoon “Snickerdoodles”
• Designer paper from Prime “Divine”
• Cottage Cutz die “Parfait with Strawberries” (Scrapping Cottage)
• Penny Black sentiment stamp from set “Hedgie Friends”
• Lace
• Apple green sequins
• Paper flowers
• Fancy buttons
• Hug Snug seam binding “Lipstick Red”
• Spectrum Noir alcohol pens for colouring
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Antique Linen”
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

Thanks for visiting today. Have a wonderful and creative week.

Regards from South Africa,

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

That’s Amore …

Hello friends,

Hope you are all well and I am so glad you are here. It is time for a new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow today. As February is the month of love the challenge is to create a card or paper-crafted project for Valentine’s day, or for an anniversary or wedding. We would love to see your entries but they must be either vintage or shabby chic (or a combination of both).

For my Valentine’s card I used a cupid image from Back Porch Graphics. The colours of the image matches the moss-green gingham paper so well it was  so easy to put the rest of the card together. I framed the image in a chipboard oval die cut for a little bit of depth on the card. For a vintage look the scalloped oval is painted with Tim Holtz distress paint to form little cracks. I added vintage lace, red paper roses, pearls and two little heart-shaped gemstones  for embellishments. The sentiment stamp is from a Penny Black stamp set “Raindrops and Kisses”.  Hope to see your card at the Sugar Creek Hollow “Love and Adore” challenge this fortnight.

Challenges:

• 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #179 (ends 02/06) – Anything Goes
• Divas by Design Challenge (ends 02/05) – Vintage With Lace
• City Crafter Challenge #196 (ends 02/03) – Love Story
• C.R.A.F.T Challenge #244  (ends 02/06) – Love/Valentines
• Creative Moments Challenge #35 (ends 02/12) – Anything Goes / Add Some Sparkle
• A Creative Romance  (ends 02/14) – Show Us Some Love
• Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge #106 (ends 02/07) – Vintage
• Live and Love Crafts’ February Challenge #20 (ends 02/28) – Love N’ Lace
• Allsorts Challenge Week #244 (ends 02/07) – Love is in the Air

The cupid image from Back Porch Graphics. I love the little winged hearts

The sentiment and heart-shaped gemstones

A close-up of the roses

The vintage lace. I took a little bit of  time to cut out.

A peep at the inside

Project details

• Cream and red cardstock
• Green gingham paper “Hazy Days”
• Cupid image from Back Porch Graphics
• Penny Black sentiment stamp “Raindrops & Kisses”
• Spellbinders Nestabilities “Ovals”
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Lace Hearts” (Corner die)
• Chipboard frame
• Vintage lace
• Wax cord
• Pearls
• Heart shaped gemstones
• Paper roses from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Tim Holtz distress paint “Picket Fence”
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Vintage photo”
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

Thank you so much for all your support and lovely comments  – I appreciate them so much. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia