All White

Hello friends,

Today we have a fun new challenge at Double D Challenges . The theme for this fortnight is “All White”. I love working with lots of colors on my cards and is always in the deep end with “white” challenges. For my creation I decided on a shabby card with texture, layering, embossing and a few embellishments. To make the birdie, wreath and leaves pop on the white embossed background I used mirror tape to give some dimension. For embellishments I added two bows and a little music tag to match the embossed music background.  To bring the little birdie to life a pearl necklace was the finishing touch. Hope you like my take on the challenge.

I entered my card in the following challenges:

• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #200 (ends 08/31) – Anything Goes/Optional Twist – Shabby Chic
• Crafting With Dragonflies Challenge #87 (ends 08/19) – Embossing (wet and/or dry)
• Daisy Chain Challenges #11 (ends 08/31) – Anything Goes
• Die Cut Diva’s August Challenge (ends 08/31) – Anything Goes for August….
• Scrapy Land Challenges #72 (ends 09/06) – Anything Goes using any brand of die that Scrapy Land sells. (Dies : Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Wreath” (S4-572) — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations  Thinlits die “Foliage” (661206) — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations  Thinlits die “Celebrate” (660223) — Memory Box die “Meadow Bird” (98339))
• Dies R Us Challenge #79 (ends 08/28) – Anything Goes Using Dies
• Day Dreamer Challenges #1 (ends 08/30) – Always Anything Goes
• Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges #186 (ends 08/23) – Birthday
• A Snowflakes Promise Challenge #43 (ends 09/12) – Anything Goes

A close-up of the bird, wreath and leaves

The sentiment

The music tag

A peep at the inside

Project details

White card-stock — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades embossing folder ” Postcard and Sheet Music Set” (656946) — Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Wreath” (S4-572) — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations  Thinlits die “Foliage” (661206) — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations  Thinlits die “Celebrate” (660223) — Memory Box die “Meadow Bird” (98339) — Nellie’s Multi Frames “Tags” (MFD074) — Marianne Design Craftables “Music Notes” (CR1367) — Wax cord for bows — Pearls

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I appreciate it so much. To see more inspiring “All White” cards, a visit to Double D Challenge is worthwhile. Enjoy a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

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Summer Butterflies

Hello friends,

Today’s creation is a shabby chic card, inspired by the new challenge at Double D Challenges. I am joining Team Darlene for this fun challenge. The theme is “Shades of Purple”. With such a lovely inspiration photo you can create anything in shades of purple. 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 rosettes and butterflies in the picture and made it my focal point on the card.I added lots of gemstones and glitter, some vines, lace and paper roses for a shabby/vintage feeling. The sentiment is a Poppystamp die and I just love the vintage font. For the project list of dies used please scroll down to the end of my post.

Challenges:

• A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge #24 (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes
• Live and Love Crafts Challenge #49 (ends 07/31) – Sprinkles of Summer
• Card Mania Challenge CMC#82 (ends 07/31) – Lace and/or Pearls (I used lace)
• Creatalicious Challenges #95 (ends 07/31) – Anything Goes + optional add flowers
• Die Cut Diva’s July Challenge (ends 07/31) – Make It Glitter (I used glitter on the rosettes and gemstones)
• Crafty Friends Challenge #36 (ends 07/30) – To Use Your Dies (Dies used: Sixxiz Thinlits die “Rosettes”, Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzlit die “Mini Paper Rosettes”, Poppystamps sentiment die “Vintage Happy Birthday”, Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Romantic Vines”, Crealies Butterflies die.)
• Artistic Inspirations Challenge #161 (ends 08/01) – Anything Goes
• Use Your Stuff Challenge #230 (ends 07/25) – Die cuts and/or punches (Dies used: Sixxiz Thinlits die “Rosettes”, Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzlit die “Mini Paper Rosettes”, Poppystamps sentiment die “Vintage Happy Birthday”, Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Romantic Vines”, Crealies Butterflies die.)

The rosettes and butterflies

A close-up of the flowers and rosette

The sentiment

A peep at the inside

Projects details:

• White and purple card-stock
• Prima designer paper “Meadow Lark”
• Sixxiz Thinlits die “Rosettes” (658932)
• Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzlit die “Mini Paper Rosettes” (657177)
• Poppystamps sentiment die “Vintage Happy Birthday” (No. 1178)
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities die “Romantic Vines” (S4-581)
• Crealies Butterflies die (No. 5)
• Paper roses
• Gemstones
• Lace
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Dusty Concord”

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

Regards,

Amelia

For the Boys

Hello friends,

Today’s creation is a masculine card, inspired by the new Double D Challenge. I am joining Team Darlene for this challenges and the theme is “One for the Boys”. With such a lovely inspiration photo you can create anything but we would like to see sports, cars, motorcycles, checks,or fishing. For more information about the challenge and the lovely prize visit the Double D Challenge blog. Looking forward to see your card!

I created a card in the vintage style using gears and a vintage car die cut. I layered everything on a red background, a strip of checkered paper,  an embossed panel and two tags cut from Kraft paper. I added some red and black buttons for interest. Please see the project details at the bottom of this post for the dies I used.

I entered my card in  the following challenges:

• Try it on Tuesdays Challenge (ends 06/18) – It’s All About Him
• Crafty Boots Challenges (ends 06/19) – Masculine Cards
• Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #166 (ends 06/27) – For A Special Man
• The Corrosive Challenges #6 (June) (ends 06/30) – Lots of Layers
• A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge #22 (ends 06/29) – Anything Goes
• Die Cut Divas June Challenge (ends 06/30) – Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination Challenge #90 (ends 06/22) – Anything Goes
• The Male Room Challenge #37 (ends 06/21) – Father’s Day
• Scrapy Land Challenge #44 (ends 07/03) – Masculine (Dies: Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz die (Sizzix) “Gadget gears” (656636) (Large gear) ; Elizabeth Craft Designs die “Clock and Gears” (917) (Smaller gear) ; Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Phrase Set One” (S4-563)(for sentiment).

A close-up of the car and sentiment

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• White , black and red card-stock
• Checkered paper
• Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades embossing folder (Sizzix) “”Postcard” (9656946)
•  Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz die (Sizzix) “Gadget gears” (656636)
• Cottage Cutz die “Vintage Car” (CCE-262)
• Elizabeth Craft Designs die “Clock and Gears” (917)
• Nellie’s Multi Frames die “Tags-4” (MFD074)
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Phrase Set One” (S4-563)
• Buttons
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Vintage photo”

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

Regards,

Amelia

 

Springtime in Paris

Hello crafty friends,

It is a pleasure to share my post today as the guest designer at Frilly and Funkie challenge blog.  I have this honor following the winning of the Valentine challenge recently. You can see my winning entry here. Thank you for asking me to join the Frilly and Funky Challenges as a featured guest designer – your challenges always inspires me.

The theme of the current challenge at Frilly and Funkie  is  “It’s All About Vacation”. I decided to make a vintage card showing a vacation during springtime in Paris. I never visited France but one can always live your dreams in paper crafting! I chose a silhouette image of the beautiful Eiffel Tower and a lovely vintage image of two ladies as my focal point.

 To add some texture to my background I used delicate leaf die cuts for the top and bottom and then framed the image with a vintage clock die cut painted with Tim Holtz distress crackle paint. I love to add swallows to my travel themed cards because these lovely little birds travel each year, long distances to countries far away – they are for me world travellers in their own way.

The Eiffel Tower silhouette is cut from recycled cardboard and distressed with Tim Holtz distress inks.

 

The sentiment is attached with twine to the Tower and then cascading down to connect all the flowers on the card.

A close-up of the flowers

And finally, the inside with a miniature Eiffel Tower, a bow and a few pearls

Project details for the card:

• Cream cardstock
• Prima designer paper “Delight” and Sun Kiss” collections
• Vintage image from Janet K. Designs
• Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz die “Weathered Clock”
• Poppystamps die “Leafy sprig border” No. 1002
• Sentiment stamp from Country Crafts (South Africa)
• Eiffel Tower silhouette
• Chipboard swallow
• Wax cord
• Pearls
• Roses
• Skwiglues “Crystal”
• Tim Holtz distress crackle paint “Picket Fence”
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Tea Dye”

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

• Shopping Our Stash Challenge SOS#190 (ends 03/02) – Out of the Jar (I used TH distress crackle paint on the bird and clock and glitter on the flowers)
• Through the Purple Haze Challenge #79 (ends 03/02) – Anything Goes
• Come and Get It Challenges  (ends 03/02) – Lots of Layers
• Card and Scrap Udfordring # 91 (ends 02/27) – Alt er lov / Anything goes
• Vintage Utfordring Challenge #96 (ends 02/28) – fugl/fuglebur – bird/birdcase
• Crafting for All Seasons Challenge #96 (ends 03/04) – Dies and/or Punches (Dies used: Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz die “Weathered Clock” ; Poppystamps die “Leafy sprig border” No. 1002)

Thanks for looking at my card and I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards,

Amelia

Hearts and Roses

Hello everyone,

Greeting you from a cold winter’s day in Pretoria. Yes finally we must put on our winter woollies for the next 3 months. I am one of those rare human beings who love the crisp cold air in my face when outside  and to snuggle up under a soft and warm blanket in the evenings. So for me this weather is not so bad. But today’s post is not about the weather but to tell you about the new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow. The theme for the new challenge, “Here Comes The Bride” and we would love to see wedding cards this fortnight. Your project can be a card or other paper crafting item, such as a scrapbook layout, box, tag, etc. but must be made in a vintage or shabby chic style.

I made my shabby card in shades of pink and with a lovely lace heart die cut. The sentiment was stamped on a tattered banner die cut. I used some vintage lace, ribbon, flowers, pearls and gem hearts to finish off. This card was really quick to make and I love the soft look with the contrasting bling hearts.

Challenges:

• The Shabby Tea Room Week #221 (ends 06/09) – Vintage Love
• In The Pink Challenge #45 (ends 06/12) – Shabby Chic/Vintage
• Make My Monday (ends 06/09) – Weddings
• The Crafting Cafe June Challenge  (ends 06/30) – Love and Marriage
• Sisters of Craft June Challenge (ends 06/30) – Anything Goes
• A Creative Romance (07/04) – Anything Goes With The Option of Happy Birthday
• Cute Card Thursday Challenge #324 (ends 06/12) – Perfectly Pink
• Paper Crafting Journey (ends 06/12) – Perfect in Pink!
• Creative Moments Challenge #44 (ends 06/18) – Anything Goes / Monochromatic
• Oldie but a Goodie Challenge (ends 06/10) – Filigree (The sentiment stamp, Lace heart die and flowers are oldies)
• Top Tip Tuesday (ends 06/10) – Monochromatic
• Suzy Bee’s Bloomin’ Challenge #32 (ends 06/13) – Anything Goes
• Crafting at the Weekend Challenge#2 (ends 06/28) – Anything Goes
• Try It On Tuesday (ends 06/10) – Feminine and Fancy
• Sparkles Monthly Challenge (May) (ends 06/15) – Celebrate Mum of For a Special Lady

The flowers and bow

The lace heart and lots of bling

The sentiment stamped on a Tim Holtz tattered banner die cut

A peep at the inside

 Project details:

• Cream cardstock
•  Melissa Francis designer paper “Classic Elegance”
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Lace Hearts”
• Tim Holtz Alterations die “Tattered Banners”
• JustRite “All Occasion Nested Sentiments” stamp
• Tim Holtz distress ink “Victorian Velvet”
• Gem hearts in various sizes
• Lace
• Pearls
• Hug Snug seam binding “Cameo Beige”
• KaiserCraft paper blooms “Dusty Pink”
• Prima flowers “Serenade”
• Skwiglues “Crystal”

Thanks for visiting today and I hope you can join us for the challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow this time. Have a wonderful week and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

A Vintage Christmas

Hello blog friends,

I’m back with my DT project for the new challenge over at Sugar Creek Hollow. I can’t believe the last two weeks of November are gone – time just flies. For this fortnight the Sugar Creek Hollow challenge is “A Vintage Christmas”. You can make anything you wish (cards, altered items. gifts, etc.) as long as it is vintage or shabby chic. For this challenge we are pleased to have Avril Branthwaite joining us as guest designer. You can see more of her lovely work at Mrs. B’s Crafting Addition.

My card is created with traditional Christmas colours and a lovely vintage Christmas image from Janet K Design – I so much love her designs! The card is for a very dear friend and she loves lots of glitter on Christmas cards, so you will see more sparkle on this one than on my other cards. The rosettes were made with a Tim Holtz Alterations die and I embellished them with glitter, distress ink and pearls to make them look like hanging Christmas ornaments. Hope you like my take on the challenge.

Challenges:

• A Creative Romance (ends 12/06) – Vintage Style
• Craft-room Challenge (ends 12/10) – Vintage Christmas
• Allsorts Challenge #235 (ends 12/06) – Inspired by a Christmas Song /Carol (Song: An Old Fashioned Christmas)
• Crafty Hands Challenge #3 (ends 12/06) – Sparkle and Bling
• 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #170 (ends 12/05) – Christmas
• 365 Cards Challenge #Day – 333 (ends 12/02) – Rough Around the Edges (I used edge distresser)
• Papercrafting Journey Challenge (ends 12/05) – Bling It Up!
• Crafty Girls Challenges #7 (ends 12/12) – Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash SOS#129 (ends 12/09) – Holiday or Winter
• Crafting by Designs Challenge (ends 12/04) – Christmas or Winter
• Creative Moments Challenge #31 (ends 12/11) – Anything Goes/ Vintage

The rosettes embellished with glitter and pearls

The image from Janet K Design

The numerals cut with a Tim Holtz Alterations die

The chipboard corners, flowers and leaves

A peep at the inside

Project details:

• Cream and red cardstock
• Vintage image from Janet K Design
• Tim Holtz Alterations die “Festive Greenery”
• Tim Holtz Alterations Movers and Shapers die “Mini reindeer and 25 set”
• Tim Holtz Alterations die “Mini paper rosettes”
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities “Snowflake Wonder”
• Chipboard corners
• Pearls
• Lace
• Paper roses
• Tim Holtz distress inks “Vintage photo” “Tea dye” and “Peeled paint”
• Skwiglues glitter “Gold”

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

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia

Live, Laugh, Love

Hello friends,

The challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow this fortnight is to create a mixed media project or card  in the vintage or shabby chic style. Your card or project must reflect lots of different techniques and media like textures (such as lace, paper, texture paste) and embellishments (resin, chipboard, metal etc.). All the designers have created beautiful projects to inspire you and we would love to see your creations at Sugar Creek Hollow this fortnight

I decided to make two canvases in a shabby chic style. As this type of project was a first for me I must admit that it was a learning curve. For the background I used techniques such as masks with glimmer mist and acrylic texture paste, aquarelle pencils and layering with designer paper, doilies and  antique lace. For embellishments I chose  from a wide range  of media. The focus point is a charming resin cherub holding a little bird. This I purchased from our local Crazy Store for a quarter of the price in comparison to resin embellishments in craft stores!. Originally it was a wall hook but my dear husband altered it without any damage to this charming embellishment. I did some wet embossing with PSX embossing powder on the weathered clock, swirl corners and banners. The resin and metal embellishments, paper flowers and chipboard birds are all coated with a layer of gesso, glimmer mist and distress inks for the shabby look. The two canvases are going to be mounted together on glass and then framed in a large white  wooden frame to fill up the space where I want to display it in my craft room.

Challenges:

• Country View Craft Challenges #4 (ends 06/30) – Die Cuts
• Unruly PaperArts June 2013 Reader Art Quest 2  (ends 06/25) – Shabby Chic in 3D
• WordArt Wednesday Challenge #84 (ends 06/19) – Anything Goes
• In The Pink Challenge #22 (ends 06/ ) – Pink with Flowers
• ABC Challenge (ends 07/01) – P For Pretty In Pink

You can click on the  first  picture for a better view of all the details and embellishments on the canvases.  All supplies I used are listed below.

The canvas with the cherub and weathered clock. The background was first colored with Lyra-Rembrandt Aquarelle pencils and then layered with designer paper, antique lace and doilies

A close up of the wet embossing on the clock

The chipboard bird and layered doilies

The canvas with the sentiment. The letters were cut with a Sizzix Sizzlits die  “Cute as a Button Alphabet”. The dots and swirl at the top and bottom were done with acrylic texture paste and a stencil. The background on the left hand corner was done with a mask and Cosmic Shimmer vintage mist “Antique Rose”. I added white painted resin corners to the edges of the banners.

A close up of another chipboard bird, flowers,  the fence and part of the Spellbinders corner swirl ‘”Garden weave”

The bird-cage decorated with pearls and tiny rose buds, more distressed flowers and a metal embellishment painted with gesso

Project details:

• 2 Artist  canvases, size 5″ x 7″, 100% cotton, 380 g/m2
• Designer paper of  color choice
• Paper doilies
• Lace
• Cherub embellishment
• Chipboard birds
• Metal embellishments
• Resin corners
• Prima (“Coventry Rose Romantique”, “Belle Artes Novelty” and “Charme Rose Meadow Lark”), cherry blossoms and I am Roses paper roses.
• Stamens
• Tim Holtz Alterations die ” Weathered clock”
• Sizzix Sizzlets alphabet die “Cute as  a Button”
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities die D-Lites “Garden Weave”
• Memory Box die “Rounded Fence”
• Dala  acrylic gesso
• Dale acrylic texture paste
• Heritage modge podge
• Background stencil (Unknown)
• Lyra-Rembrandt Aquarelle water-color pencils
• Tim Holtz distress inks “Victorian velvet” and “Stormy sky”
• PSX embossing powder “Verdigris” and “Rose”
• Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Mist “Antique Rose”
• Skwiglues glitter “Crystal”

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you like what you see. For everyone who so kindly leave a comment – this is so much appreciated. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting.

Regards from South Africa,

Amelia