Retro 21st

A big welcome to my new blog followers! I'm in the middle of making a panettone for Easter and I almost forgot to post a Retro sketch card I made yesterday. This card is done with no stamping, just pretty patterned papers and some die cuts with some tricks I learnt from Online Class Pattern Play. I'm also adding this card to Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge and Simon Says Stamp and Show Anything Goes.
Don't forget that my Blogversary Giveaway finishes tomorrow, please follow and comment for a chance to win. Thanks for dropping by! Happy Easter everyone!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Authentique Free Biked Endless and Fair-Weather

Die - MFT Die Namics Numbers and Fishtail Layers STAX, Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Pastel Butterflies

Another challenge on Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger! Cath comes up with the most amazing inspiration photos which sometimes is a bit of a challenge. I've had some pastel washi tapes for a while now and have not used them much, so it was time to get them out! I also got out my MFT DieNamics butterflies, they have been poorly neglected and are at the bottom of my Dies tin! Here is my Pretty Pastels card and I am also submitting this to MFW Washi Tape challenge. As I have used stamps from Hero Arts, I'm also submitting this to A Blog Named Hero's Freestyle Challenge, Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge and Die-Cut Diva's Washi Tape Challenge.
You still have until Sunday to comment on my Blogversary Blog for a chance to win a prize. Thanks for dropping by!

Additional Note:
This card was picked for a random prize on Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Stamp - Hero Arts CL661

Ink - Hero Arts Passion Flower, Green Hills and Pool

Die - MFT DieNamics Butterflies

Others - Washi tapes, Enamel dots from Studio Calico and My Minds Eyes

Leafy Vines

I have been playing around with one of my new stamps from Hero Arts. There are some really great cards made using this stamp. I wanted to use it in two different ways for a few challenges. The first challenge is the Hero Arts March contest - a card with the following spring colours: soft purple, soft yellow, soft sky, soft green and charcoal. This contest has been going for the whole month and I have not submitted many cards mainly because I do not have these colours. Then I thought I can use similar tones instead of the Hero Arts colours. So I have come up with these two cards.
The first card is done as a single layer with masking and Hero Arts midtone inks. This one will be submitted to Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

The second card was embossed in white and distress inks sponged into the background and sprayed with Perfect Pearls. I was not able to get a good photo to show off the pearly sheen on the card. The butterflies were white embossed on a soft blue coloured vellum with a gem on each.

I am also submitting these cards to the A Blog Named Hero - Freestyle challenge. Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget to comment on my Blogversary blog for a chance to win a prize.

Ingredients for Card 1

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Stamps - Hero Arts CL528, CG509

Ink - Hero Arts Pool, Green Hills, Passion Flower and Soft Granite

Others - Kaisercraft rhinestones and pearls

Ingredients for Card 2

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Light blue vellum

Stamps - Hero Arts CG509, CL661, 65773

Ink - Versamark, Tim Holtz Peeled Paint, Broken China and Shaded Lilac

Die - MFT DieNamics Flags Layers STAX, Hero Arts 65773

Others - White Embossing powder, Kaisercraft rhinestones, Perfect Pearls

Published!

Hi All! I finally received my Card Creations magazine last week and also bought a copy of Australian Simply Cards from the local Newsagent. I love my first ever Paper Crafts Special Issue Magazine - all the photos inside are beautifully taken and there are two photos per page. My card entitled 'Beautiful Birthday' can be found on page 32 of Card Creations. I feel so honoured to be published along side some great names in the industry! Here is my card (I had to check all the fine print whether or not it can be blogged, and I also wanted to wait until I got the magazine).

The other magazine is Australian Simply Cards, issue 53. Last year, I picked up a magazine from the Newsagent with the intention of finding out how I can submit cards for publication. Instead I submitted 3 cards (Embellishments, Tools and Templates and Stamping Categories) for a Cardmaker of the Year Competition and came Runner Up. I'm still waiting for my prize worth $300 to arrive.

Don't forget to leave a comment on my One Year Blogversary Blog for a chance to win some prizes, you have until Easter Sunday to comment. I will draw a random winner on Easter Monday!

Ingredients for 'Beautiful Birthday' published in Card Creations V11

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Basic Grey Paper Cottage 12x12

Dies - MFT DieNamics Layered Labels, Fishtail STAX, Curled Rose

Stamp - Hero Arts Florentine Message

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Others - Ribbon to match, a small pearl

Ingredients for ASC Card Competition published in Australian Simply Cards Issue 53

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Basic Grey Lucille 12x12

Dies - MFT DieNamics Fishtail Flags STAX, Spellbinders Lacy Circles, PTI Lovely Layers, Memory Box Woven Circle, MFT DieNamics Layered Labels

Stamps - Hero Arts Florentine Message, Antique Flowers and Butterflies

Inks - Hero Arts Cuo O'Joe, Wet Cement, Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet, Gathered Twigs, Ranger Archival Jet Black

Others - Hemp from Hemptique, Kasercraft Pearls,Panda Regal 4ply wool, Kaisercraft pearl brad, white gen pen, Ribbon

First Year Blogversary!

Yay! I have reached another milestone! It's been a great year of blogging! I would like to thank all my followers, only one or two have unfollowed me, the rest have stayed with me. Thank you everyone for all your lovely comments here and also on my Flickr account. I started the day with a 90 minute scramble on the Hero Arts Flickr group hosted by Barb Engler. The challenge today was a Tic-Tac-Toe. I picked Patterned Paper/Die-Cuts/Pink and Green. My card was inspired by Kristina Werner's card in Day 5 of Online Class Pattern Play. Here is my card and I'm also entering it into the following challenges:
- A Blog Named Hero Freestyle Challenge
- Die Cut Diva's Anything Green Challenge

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Basic Grey Konnichiwa

Embossing Folder - Hero Arts/Sizzix Flourish 658280

Stamps - Hero Arts Antique Flowers and Butterflies 65773, It's Your Day CL661

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Others - Kaisercraft rhinestones, white gel pen

Before I go, I have a giveaway to share with all my followers. You do have to be a follower of my blog to qualify. Please comment by next Sunday 31st March and I'll draw a winner then. Thanks again!

Pattern Play 2

I struggled with the Ombre challenge on Moxie Fab World until I saw a card posted by Jennifer McGuire on the Online Class - Pattern Play on Day 2. This is the card I came up with inspired by Jennifer's technique of embossing on patterned paper. I am submitting this card to:
- Moxie Fab World Card Creations Ombre Challenge
- Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger - Elegant Emerald
- A Blog Named Hero - Freestyle Challenge
Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, Core'Dinations Card

Paper - Basic Grey Sweet Thread

Stamps - Hero Arts CL661, CG244

Ink - Tim Holtz Pine Needles, Versamark

Die - MFT DieNamics Fishtail STAX

Others - Clear EP, Kaisercraft rhinestones, seam binding, Hemptique Hemp

Pattern Play 1

I decided at the last minute to join the Online Class for Pattern Play and I'm glad I did as I am enjoying all the inspirations and tips I'm getting from Jennifer McGuire, Kristina Werner and many other Designers. This card was made with inspirations from Jennifer and Kristina. I used the Basic Grey Card sketch by Susan Stringfellow and the lovely papers from the True Love collection (which I got for free from BG). For those participating in the class, you will see where I have used ideas presented in the classes. I'm also submitting this card to The Twinery's Banner challenge. Thanks for dropping by, please stay tuned for my First Year Blogversary blog on Sunday.

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, Desert Storm

Papers - Basic Grey True Love 12x12

Stamp - Hero Arts CL272

Ink - Hero Arts Red Royal

Die - MFT DieNamics Fishtail Flags STAX

Others - Doily, Twine from The Twinery, Kaisercraft Sparklet, White gel pen

Kissing Booth Wedding Cards

I needed to make a wedding card and I opted for the Basic Grey Kissing Booth papers and picked two different patterns with matching pinks in both. I used my favourite die to cut the flowers - Lovely Layers from PTI. I ended up with two flowers and thought it was just as easy to do another card at the same time! Here they are! Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Natural White and Desert Storm

Paper - Basic Grey Kissing Booth

Die - Papertrey Ink Lovely Layers

Stamp - Hero Arts Find Joy CL 497

Ink - Hero Arts Cup O'Joe

Others - Paper doily, Pearl brad from Kaisercraft, Hemp from Hemtique

Tattered Floral Post Card

I want to share a card with you that was rejected for a magazine publication submission. I had recently submitted 3 cards and the good news is that one of them was accepted and it was my least favourite one - go figure! Anyway I'm happy to share this one with everyone. This tag was inspired by Tim Holtz's Tattered Floral Tag in the Tattered Floral Challenge. I had used the Tim Holtz tissue paper for the first time (I don't know why I'm saving it) and combined it with my new favourites - Hero Arts Big Postcard  and Leafy Vines stamps. I'm also submitting this card to the Paper Crafts March Gallery Country Fresh Challenge on Flickr and Simon Says Stamp and Show's Chic to be Shabby challenge. Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients: 

Cardstock - Neenah Natural White

Papers - Tim Holtz Tissue Paper, Basic Grey Lucille

Die - Tim Holtz Tattered Floral

Stamps - Hero Arts Big Postcard S5665, It's Your Day CL661 and Leafy Vines CG509

Inks - Ranger Archival Jet Black, Tim Holtz distress inks Broken China and Gathered Twigs

Others - Hemp cord, ribbon, Kaisercraft Pearl Brad

Emboss Scramble

I was up very early morning today for the Hero Arts Flickr group 90 minute scramble. This is my first one for this year as I have not been available the last few scrambles. It's actually fun, a task is set at the start of the scramble and you have 90 minutes to complete and upload the card to the Flickr group. Well, I was not going to participate as I was given a ticket to the Food and Wine Festival's Italian Masterclass with Stefano De Pieri (a well known restauranteur) and Kathleen Quealy (a Boutique winemaker). I had to leave home 60 minutes into the scramble. The task today was to make a card with embossing technique. I had the card done and uploaded well within 50 minutes, with 10 minutes spare to get ready to go out!! Anyway here is my card and I'm also submitting it for the following challenges:

- Moxie Fab World Card Creations Chevron

- The Twinery Chevron and Green

- Simon Says Stamp A Bit of Green

- Die Cut Diva's Anything Green

Now you know why I picked green for this card...... 

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, Green card stock

Stamps - Hero Arts Big Ticket CL544, Tweed Background S5654

Ink - Hero Arts Field Green, Versamark, Versamark white chalk ink

Others - White EP, The Twinery Twine (Seaweed)

Wedding Post Card

I've been inspired by Jacqueline from Jacqueline's Craft Nest to get Hero Art's Big Post Card stamp. I'm in love with this stamp! I've made a few cards for magazine publication submissions already, I'll shared them if they are not accepted. I had to make a quick card for a wedding and went straight to this stamp paired up with one of my other favourite stamps - Antique Flowers and Butterflies. I only used the Dogwood flowers here and left out the butterflies. I also used Pink Paislee London Market collection. I don't know what I'll do once I've used up all the papers as I love using it for wedding cards! I'm submitting this card to A Blog Named Hero's Just Make Your Own (Embellishment) Challenge and Simon Says Stamp and Show's Chic to be Shabby challenge. Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Desert Storm

Paper - Pink Paislee London Market

Stamps - Hero Arts Bog Postcard S5665, Find Joy CL497 and Antique Flowers and Butterflies 657773

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Others - Kaisercraft rhinestone, ribbon and twine

Second Liebster Award

A bit THANK YOU to Skye from .....Blue Sky for nominating me! This is my second award, the first one was given to my by Jenny from My Paper Epiphany in September last year.

About the Award
This Award was designed to be a blog award in the "Pay it Forward" fashion. Once you have been nominated you award it to five blogs that you like that have fewer than 200 followers to encourage visitors to their blog.
Rules for Acceptance.
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog.
Post the award onto your blog. Give the award to five bloggers that have fewer than 200 followers.
Leave a comment on their blog letting them know that you have given them this Awesome Award..
Pay it Forward.
Here are the five Awesome blogs I follow, please check them out!

Karen from Snippets
Michelle (another Melbournian) from Handmade by Michelle
Dawn (a Kiwi) from Dawn's World
Cat from Cat Luvs Paper
Kelly from You and Your Big Dreams

Hope you visit their blogs and have a look at their wonderful work! Thanks for dropping by!

Masculine 21st card

Back again with a quick post for Moxie Fab World's Speech Bubble Challenge for the release of Card Creations Vol 11. I've used the current Retro sketch #53 and the photo from Runway Inspired challenge #31 (Kate Spade NY Fall 2013) for this challenge. 

If you have not realised yet (see the sidebar), one of my cards can be seen on page 32 of the latest Papercrafts Magazine! This is my first paid publication! I have not seen the magazine yet, can't wait to get it! There was a mention on the Papercrafts Connection blog today about the new designers in this magazine - link here. Thank you to Kelly for the mention! Thanks for dropping by.

Ingredients:
Cardstock - Neenah Solar white, Neenah Columns Black, Tim Holtz CoreDinations paper

Paper - Amy Tangerine American Crafts, My Minds Eyes Lost and Found 2 Blush

Stamp - Hero Arts Big Ticket CL544

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Die - MFT DieNamics Fishtail STAX

Others - MME Enamel Brads, Amy Tangerine stickers

Baby Raelene

I received very happy news this morning of my friends having a baby girl overnight! Followers of my blog would know that I was in Jakarta for a wedding last year ... nine months later... a bundle of joy! Here is my card for Moxie Fab World Card Creations Challenge - Emphasizing the Negative and Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes challenge. Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White

Paper - Basic Grey Kissing Booth

Stamp - Hero Arts Luscious Flowers

Ink - Hero Arts Bubble Gum

Dies - MFT DieNamics Tall Alphabets and Fishtail STAX

Others - ribbon and Kaisercraft Sparklets

Washi Thanks!

I just saw Moxie Fab World's Card Creations challenge - Washi Tape! I did submit two cards for publication in the Washi Tape category, one of them blogged here. This is a negative of the 'Thank You' card that was blogged here. This was also another publication reject. For every publication acceptance I receive, there are at least 2 or 3 rejects! I'm also submitting this card into the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge. Anyway here is my card! Thanks for all the lovely comments on my blog!
Additional Notes:
I've decided to also submit this card to MFW's Card Creations Challenge - The Emphasize The Negative Challenge (announced the next day after I posted).

Ingredients:
Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, Navy cardstock
MT Washi Tapes, DieNamics Tall Alphabets
Kaisercraft Rhinestones

Cardmaker of the Year 2012 Competition

I've got some exciting news to share with everyone. Last year, I picked up an Australian Simply Cards and when reading through it, I found a competition for the Cardmaker of the Year 2012. The criteria of the competition were that three cards need to be submitted in the following categories:
1. Stamping and colouring
2. Tools and Templates
3. Embellishments and Paper
I thought to myself, 'Hey, I can do that! Give it a go!' The due date was 14th December, in the busiest time of the year, but the prizes were worth $300 for runners up and $700 for the winner. Just about the same time I had received my Basic Grey package containing the Lucille collection and this was what I used for all three cards. After submitting, followed by a very busy Christmas period, I had forgotten all about it until I got a phone call in late January from the editor of Australian Simply Cards to inform me that I got a runners-up prize! All the winning cards were on display at the Australian Scrapbooking and Papercraft Expo in Melbourne last weekend. Here is a photo of the main display:

The overall winner - Karen George from South Australia

Runner Up from Victoria!

 Here are my cards:

This first card was submitted in the Tools and Templates category. I used the PTI lovely layers stamp and diecuts for the main flower and placed it on a scalloped circle (Spellbinders). The flags were die cut with MFT DieNamics STAX Fishtail dies. The sentiment was from Hero Arts Florentine Message.

This second card was for the Stamping and Colouring category. As all my blog followers know, I don't often like to colour in. So this card demonstrates more stamping than colouring! I used the Hero Arts Antique Flowers and Butterflies (a favourite of mine) for the background and the sentiment was stamped with HA Florentine Message over one of the tags from MFT DieNamics Layered Labels. A lovely wide bow from my stash finished off the card nicely!

The third card was for the Embellishments and Paper category. I don't often buy embellishments, but there were some in the 12x12 BG Lucille pack. I used the butterfly from the pack and added a crochet flower (done my moi!) with a pearl brad. The butterfly was adhered onto the Memory Box Woven circle and some fishtail flags. A few extra pearls in the background paper finished off the card.

I will upload the rest of the winning cards that were on display in my Flick photo stream - please check them out there (link is on my sidebar). All the winning cards will be published in an up and coming issue of Australian Simply Cards - watch out for it! Thanks for dropping by... I have more good news to share next week!

Pattern Play

I haven't blogged too much this month due to other commitments, one of them is submitting more cards for publication - wish me luck! When I saw this week's Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger, I knew what I wanted to make. I recently purchased some PTI stamps with Jenny from My Paper Epiphany and we saved heaps in postage! It also gave us an excuse to meet up for coffee last week, it was nice to meet a fellow blogger face to face! Part of my purchase included the newly released Folk Art series.  Lining up the PTI stamps is harder to do than it seems! If someone can give me some hints on how to do this, I would love to know. Anyway here is my card, don't look too closely at my stamping! I decided to use Retro Sketch #34 for this week's challenge and also submitting to Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge. Thanks for dropping by!

Ingredients:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, Bazzill

Stamps - Hero Arts Envelope Liner, Simon Says Stamp Sentiment, PTI Folk Art

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black, Hero Arts Wet Cement, Pool and Stone Wash, PTI Lavender Moon, Winter Wisteria and Simply Chartreuse

Die - PTI Folk Art

Others - ribbon to match, Fiskars border punch