Sending You Happy Thoughts

Happy Monday everyone!  Hope my US friends are enjoying their long weekend.  I sure do enjoy this extra day that gives me extra time to play at my craft desk. :)

It has been ages since I played along any challenges.  Since it is Monday, I'm playing with Mojo Monday Challenge.  I have already made many layouts with the Close to My Heart Zoe paper, but I still have quite a bit of scraps left.  The scraps, together with the new For Family stamp set, are just perfect to create this card:

I've followed the sketch carefully:

I'm also entering my card to the following:
All sorts challenge - lots of layers
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Stamp and Punch/Die Cut

I'll be sharing the layouts later.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Mother's Day

I know it seems a bit early to have a Mother's Day card but as my mom will be traveling so I do want to make sure she gets the card before she takes off.  

The sketch at Mojo Monday is a perfect way to start the card.  I love love love this sketch:

I feel that I do not use patterned paper enough and this sketch gives me an incentive to use it.  I am using the *new* Blossom paper from Close to My Heart:

I'm very happy with how it turned out and I know that this is what my mom will like too!  So happy!

My card is entering the following challenges:
Mojo Monday - see above sketch
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' - Flowers
Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes
Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Mum' the Word

Thanks for stopping by!

Identical cards again

A couple of days ago I made two cards that shared the same design.  I'm doing it again!  

This time I'm using the sketch from Mojo Monday 363:

I miss Mojo Monday challenges!  I wish I could participate more.  It's just that my craft time usually falls on the weekend so it is easier for me to play along the challenges that are posted mid-week or weekends.  I'm so glad that I got to play along this time.  It's a great sketch and I made two cards with it!

First up is the fall card:

I've also made a Christmas card with it:

I'm sorry that the Christmas card is so yellow.  This picture just does not do it justice (and I know that I should take a photography class!).  In reality it looks much nicer!  I like that the blue card base makes it more winter-y and interesting.

Did you notice that the patterned paper I use here is the same as that here?  Someone just needs to clean up her craft desk.  LOL.

I'm linking up the fall card to:

1.  Mojo Monday challenge - see sketch above

2.  Crafting for All Seasons - Colors of Autumn

3.  Stampavie and more - Autumn Colors

4.  Creative Moments - Fall colors/Anything Goes

5.  Double Click - Anything Goes

I'm linking the Christmas card to:

1.  Add a Little Dazzle - Home for the Holidays/Anything Goes

2.  ABC Christmas - S for Something Festive

3.  Addicted to Stamps - Holidays

4.  Ruby's Rainbow - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi everyone!  Just a quick post to share a Valentine's Day card.  I am very happy with the results of applying Distress Pint on wood veneer embellishments:

During Christmas sale I got quite a bit of wood veneer embellishments but I have not really used them until recently.  I love how Distress Paint gives full color coverage!

My card is based on the sketch from Mojo Monday:

The sketch looks complicated and I was intimidated when I first saw it.  I'm glad that I tried it out and made a V-day card.  :)  I've also played with the Wink of Stella Clear brush - I added the shimmer to the word "LOVED" and 2 (heart) 14.  The heart was added glossy accent after the shimmer has dried.  It is quite a bit of dimension.  Love it.

My card is linking up to the following challenges:
Artistic Inspiration - Anything Goes/Hearts
Crafty Your Passion - Love is in the Air
Lexi's Creations - Valentine's Day
The Paper Nest Doll - Anything Goes
Cheerful Stamppad - Love/Valentine
Pals Paper Arts - color challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Mojo Monday challenge

I saw the Mojo Monday challenge a couple days ago but I was too sick to stay at my craft desk.  Thank god I'm finally feeling better so little by little I have finished the card.  Let's take a look at the sketch:

I like sketches with clean lines and focal image.  After all, I am quite a big fan of clean and simple style.  The hearts in the sketch prompt me to make a Valentine's Day card:

This card should not have taken a long time to finish, but the fact that I have been sick impaired my ability to even sit well (never underestimate the muscle-ache when you have a cold), I am glad that even though I took a small step a day, I am able to put together everything to link up to the challenge.

My card is also linking up to the following challenges:
Mojo Monday Challenge
Artistic Inspiration - Anything Goes
Creative Corner - Anything Goes
Lexis Creation - Anything Goes
The Paper Nest Doll - Anything Goes
Paper Take Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas bird

There are a couple of bird stamps that I reach out a lot.  For a Christmas card, this one from Close to My Heart To You and Yours stamp set is by far the most popular one.  I like to play coloring with it.  I usually color it with watercolor pencils, or sometimes just color pencils.  I have yet mastered coloring with markers, but I secretly play with them often to practice.

Today's card is based on the sketch from Mojo Monday:

I set my heart on making a Christmas card then I saw this requirement from Merry Monday:

So I added the bird to the sketch:

I like this card and I just had a lot of fun coloring the bird. 

I'm afraid it's time to treat my eyes again so I have to stop here.  Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!

Round Christmas card

I'm rushing through because I'm posting it just minutes shy of the cutoff of Mojo Monday Challenge.  Its sketch asks us to make a circle or square card:

I've picked the round version and made a Christmas card:

I have been having quite some fun with round cards recently.  They are fun and easy to make!

Since I'm cutting circles, what about the interior?

My card is entering the following challenges:
Holly Jolly Christmas challenge - no patterned paper
There she goes clear stamps - decorate the inside
CAS on Sunday - shape it up
Christmas Stampin - circles
Jingle Belles Rock - Shape-up for the Holidays

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Autumn

I have fallen in love with this stamp set Happy Autumn and am always looking for ways to use every single stamp in the set.

The floral images are great and so are the sentiments.  As the temperature is getting lower I am inclined to make more Fall cards.  

I am sharing a card based on the sketch from Mojo Monday:

I like the simplicity of the sketch and I've used the grid technique as suggested by Just Us Girls on my card:

This is my first time playing with this grid technique and I like it A LOT!  It is easy and convenient but such a technique adds so much fun to the card!  Thanks JUGS for sharing this technique with us! Imagine if the grid technique not used, my card would be rather dull and flat.

While making this card, I came to realize that I do not have any brown embossing powder for the sentiment "Happy Autumn" so I used the bronze embossing powder from Ranger.  I've only used that on manly projects but am happy to find out that it works great on a Fall card.  This is one of those "surprise" moments!  Yay!

My card is entering the following challenge:
613 Avenue - Anything Goes/ Fall
Come and Get it Challenges - Focal image on the side
Jo's Scrap Shack - Fall
Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Fall
Catch the Bug Challenge - Fall

Thanks for stopping by!

Combo of products

Sometimes I like to challenge myself to mix and match products of various brands/age (yes, age - depending on the time it has been sitting in my stash, shhhh....) to finish project.  I like that manufacturers have made our lives easy by creating coordinating products but sometimes it is fun to see how a combo of different things will result. 

I've used the new Close to My Heart Laughing Lola paper for my card background.  It involves a special color that is exclusive to this paper pack and so I thought it is the perfect time to try various things on this background.  This is what I've created:

I've used ink pads from various manufacturers to achieve the harmonious color scheme, while paper comes from Close to My Heart, the stamps also come from different brands - truly a mixture of a variety of products.  I like it!

My card is based on the card sketch from Mojo Monday:

I've turned it 90 degrees clockwise in case you can't recognize the sketch on my card.

My card is also entering the challenge at Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Anything Goes and Bearly-Mine Challenges - Anything Goes.

Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday

When I saw the sketch at Mojo Monday earlier this week I meant to try it out.  I was worried that I would not have the time or supplies to play along because most of my stuff are packed in boxes for the rearrangement of my craft area.  I'm so glad that I can still function with my limited supplies!

The awesome sketch looks like this:

And I've decided to make a feminine birthday card with it:

I've used the retired Mayberry paper, one of my faves because of the great color combo.  I can't help using other patterned papers from the set as the background!

My card is also entering the challenge at The Pink Elephant - Feminine Birthday Theme.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mojo 300

Wow!  Mojo Monday is celebrating its 300th challenge!  When I checked it out earlier today, there were already more than 500 entries.  Wow and Congrats to Mojo Monday!

I always love Mojo Monday's challenges and how can I not play along this one?  Its sketch looks like this:

 When I first saw it I wanted to make a Christmas card but I changed my mind.  I decided to make a masculine card:

The Christmas card idea is stuck in my head.  Perhaps I'll make a Christmas card as well.

Happy Sunday and happy crafting!

Dream Pop

Sadly, even though I have had my Dream Pop paper for a while, I have only used it once.  Sometimes I just can't explain why that happens.  I am glad that I got a chance to use it and share this card with you.

I was reminded of the Dream Pop paper when I saw the Fusion Card Challenge:

I was totally inspired by the colors!  Such bright and vibrant colors are good for a birthday card, don't you think?

I've used the sketch from Mojo Monday:

It has been quite a long time since I last played Mojo Monday's challenge.  This is a fun one, the black scallops got me thinking and I think a strip of cardstock is not inappropriate.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you well

A quick post to share a card that uses one of my favorite stamp sets - Take Luck.  It has images of four-leaf clover, a horse shoe, a banner saying "Good Luck" and my favorite one is that it says "love means to wish someone well."  Every time I read this my heart is warmed.

Because we are so close to St. Patrick's Day, I really need to give this stamp set an opportunity to see some ink:

This card is based on a sketch from Mojo Monday:

Love this sketch!

This card didn't tae me to long to make.  The Wishing you Well circle was cut from Cricut cartridge at 1.5"  (just perfect size) then the scalloped circle was punched out by the 2" scallop punch from CTMH.  The four-leaf clovers were stamped in second generation to create a faded look for the sentiment in New England Ivy.  I love playing with the seam binding ribbon!  Just a couple drops of Olive re-inker and some rubbing alcohol the ribbon turned Olive!

This card is also entering the challenge at
1.  The Pink Elephant - Happy St. Patrick's Day
2.  Heart 2 Heart Challenges - Go Green
3.  Papercraft Star - Green
4.  Use it Tuesday - Diecuts, Punches and Cutouts
5.  Mojo Monday

Thanks for stopping by!

For Always - a Sneak Peek at the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book

My new goodies arrived a couple weeks back but I have yet got a chance to play with them due to sickness.  Contrary to what I normally do, the box of new goodies was sitting in a corner.  I'm so glad that I can finally play with some of the new toys!

I've chosen to use the For Always paper to participate the Color My Heart Color Dare challenge - black, white and a "pop" color.  The For Always paper is just perfect for this.  The sketch is from Mojo Monday:

My card added red as my "pop" color:

The one thing I like is the two white panels that were stamped in slate using a background stamp.  Because the For Always paper is a bit distressed, I wanted to give the two white squares some background to match with the distress look.

Thanks for stopping by!

Materials used (All Close to My Heart unless noted):
1.  For Always paper packet
2.  Black cardstock
3.  White Daisy cardstock
4.  Slate Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
5.  Diverse Background stamp set
6.  Dimensional Elements (Hearts)
7.  Brad Assortment (Black)

Enjoy the Ride

It's a birthday card.

"Enjoy the ride" means two things.  One, as it suggests, enjoy life.  Two, the recipient is going to a theme park to celebrate, so I hope that he will enjoy the ride(s). 

I turned to the musculine Victory paper for this card.  The plaid pattern and the color combo are just perfect for a musculine card.  The stamp set "Enjoy Life" remains one of my faves.  To tell the truth because it will soon be retired I bought another Enjoy Life set just in case any one of the stamps gets lost or ruined.  Crazy?  I agree.

Let's take a look at this card:

The sketch is one provided by Mojo Monday:

Thanks for stopping by!

Friends

I'm playing along Mojo Monday this week.  The sketch looks like this:

I'm choosing the square card to work on.  My card uses the Avonlea paper packet:

The Pirouette stamp is one of my favorites.  It is such an intricate image that carries a lot of elegance!  I really like the Avonlea paper packet too, but in retrospect I think I have not given it enough love.  I was probably carried away by all the Christmas cards.

Thanks for stopping by!

So Long Sweetheart

After finishing my project for today, all my scraps of the Sweetheart paper pack are gone.  It is a cute girly paper pack and I will miss it!

I used it for the Mojo Monday sketch which looks like this:

My Sweetheart card looks like this:

I have decided to leave it this way so it will go to my multi-purpose card stacks.  Sometimes it is good to have some of these as you never know what will run low next.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

I've created my own patterned paper!

So after watching the video, how can I not create my own patterned paper with stamping?

I've used the stamps in the new Whooo's Your Valentine Kit to create my patterned paper.  The Kraft background was stamped with a chevron pattern and the bamboo panel was stamped with a background of little hearts.  Check this out:

The owl is so darling cute that I can't finish the card without it.  The hearts were stamped with coordinating XO backgrounds and further stamped with words in pigment ink.

I strictly followed the sketch by Mojo Monday:

Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday card

I'm still replenishing my inventory on birthday card so I have to continue my "birthday card" journey.

I am very happy to see the sketch from Mojo Monday and know that I have to play along:

I've used the color Buttercup and some black to participate Color My Heart Color Dare's challenge as well.  My card uses the Dotty for You paper:

A Merry Little Christmas

It's Christmas card again!

I've adopted the sketch by Mojo Monday:

And the color scheme by Dynamic Duos:

to create my Christmas card:

Most materials came from the Pear and Partridge cardmaking Workshop on the Go, except for the Bamboo cardstock and the retired Cranberry ribbon and the Cranberry brads.

A Workshop on the Go has everything we need to make a card, layout or a home decor item.  Love it!