Friday, July 31, 2009
My First Blog Award!
No matter, I'm determined to make a card or two this long weekend (Civic Holiday) even though I have a ton of things scheduled! We have to get a new car seat for the baby, I have a massage and we're meeting friends for brunch. It's going to be so much fun! Then I have to decide if I want to purchase the QuicKutz Epic Six! Do you have this or have you used it and what do you think of it? This is a big decision because if I take this step to die cutting I'm going to be buying a whole lot of die cuts especially nesties. Uh-oh... :D
But...wait...look what I found in my inbox this morning before 8:00 a.m.! Yup, my days start at 6:00 a.m. (yikes) and sometimes earlier. I've been trying to catch up on my blog roll this week and I got this beautiful email from Alysabeth Johnston at Layin' Rubber Ink. Alysabeth, you're the best! You made my day and, best of all, it's Friday! I know, I don't work right now but it's nice to have my husband around on the weekends so I always look forward to the end of the week. I haven't been blogging all that long so I'm thrilled this is my very first blog award. I'm still clutching my heart. I know, I'm such a sap. LOL
So now, to pass this award on to five more lovely and creative ladies. It was so hard to choose just five as I've made so many friends in such a short time. In no particular order...
Wendy
Kristina
Michelle B.
Michelle Y.
Jenna
Have a great weekend everyone!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Hey There Cupcake
Sources: The Paper Company (cottonwood), DCWV (sweet stack), Paper Reflections (orange) & Halcraft (smooth white) cardstock; Stampendous Hey There Cupcake; Memories Artprint Brown & Sky inks; Vivid Butterscotch ink; SU Ballet Blue ink; Copics; Pebbles chalks; dimension squares; Marvy-Uchida 1/8" long reach circle punch; Darice hemp cord
Monday, July 27, 2009
Together Forever
Sources: The Paper Company (cottonwood), SU (chocolate chip), SBD (kraft) & Paper Reflections (all other colours) & Halcraft (smooth white) cardstock; Pink Cat Studio Lily & Billy Sweetheart; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Vivid Red ink; Copics; Gutermann thread; McGill 1-1/4" circle punch; SU scallop circle punch; Urban Scrapyard ribbon; American Crafts brads; dimension squares
Saturday, July 25, 2009
It's a Junk Food Kind of Day
I didn't have any ideas for the inside except to use the same papers as the front as I've seen so many talented ladies do. It only makes sense! I double-stamped the sentiment in black and pink. I think it turned out okay for my first decorated inside of a card. ;) This was fun. Now I might be getting requests to complete the inside on future orders. Uh-oh...
Sources: DCWV (green, plaid), Halcraft (smooth white), Paper Reflections (pink) & SU (chocolate chip) cardstock; Provo Craft (bella's pants) & random (bella's top) papers; Stamping Bella pmsabella; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Copics; Fiskars Threading Water border punch; K&Company Wild Saffron adhesive paper ribbon; American Crafts brads; dimension squares; SU scallop oval punch & large oval punch; HOTP Tiny Words & Images; SU Pink Passion ink
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Perk Up Your Day
Sources: SU chocolate chip, Paper Reflections & Halcraft cardstock; Provo Craft, Making Memories Chloe's Closet & random dp; Stamping Bella javabellas; HOTP Tiny Words & Images; Memento Tuxedo Black & Memories Black inks; Fiskars Threading Water border punch; Straight 'N' Narrow ribbon; SU large oval punch; SU scallop oval punch; dimension squares; SU crystal effects; Gary M. Burlin & Co silver glitter glue
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Cupcakes Again!
Mmm, cupcakes! Who doesn't love cupcakes? The one thing I miss most about work is baking cupcakes for everyone. I used to do this quite often but now that I'm home with a baby I can hardly find the time or the excuse to make 24 cupcakes. I certainly can't eat them all myself! All I can do is make cards with cupcakes and drool over them. LOL There's definitely no shortage of delicious cupcake stamps out there and I thought that this Pink Cat Studio version was just the perfect focal point for this sketch.
Sources: DCWV sweet stack, Halcraft & Paper Reflections cardstock; Pink Cat Studio Sweet Treats image and sentiment; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Copics; SU crystal effects; PSX Diamond Stickles; EK Success dotted wave edger punch; dimension squares
Sunday, July 19, 2009
One Hour Card
Sources: SBD, Halcraft & Paper Reflections cardstock; Making Memories Chloe's Closet dp; Forever In Time 2" hammer scrapbook embellishment; Darice hemp cord; HOTP Tiny Words & Images; Memories Black ink; McGill 1-1/4" circle punch; SU scallop circle punch; Fiskars Nostalgia corner edger; EK Success dotted wave edger punch; dimension squares
Saturday, July 18, 2009
My Favourite Sweets, Part 2
The third card was more difficult as I couldn't think of what to do with it. I was determined to use my scallop circle punch and wanted to use an additional embellishment so I came up with this.
Looking at the closeup of this piece of cake, I wish I had a tiny silver fork to put on the plate. LOL I can't believe that I used the entire roll of ribbon for these three cards. I guess it's time to buy more!
Friday, July 17, 2009
MFT + Sweets = My Favourite Sweets
I stamped out a few of each dessert on a big sheet of smooth white cardstock and coloured them all in with Copics. I did this because I had the intention of creating different variations of this card to use either as a gift set or individual cards. I used my Spica Glitter pen to shimmer up the icing on the cakes and donuts. Then I used crystal effects on the plates of the cake and all over the lollipops. I also used it to glue the tiny beads as sprinkles on the donuts.
When I was waiting for the crystal effects to dry, I couldn't decide if I wanted to stitch up the navy blue squares and the peacock blue background. I hemmed and hawed and decided against it but looking at the card now it seems like something is missing. Oh, and look, I finally managed to tie a half decent bow without showing the reverse side of the ribbon! LOL This isn't my most precise or detailed card but I'm pleased with it and am now going to have some ice cream. :Þ
Sources: SBD kraft cardstock, DCWV sweet stack & unknown cardstock; Studio G clear stamps; Memento Tuxedo Black & Memories Black inks; Copics; Atyou Spica Glitter pen; random beads; Fiskars Threading Water border punch; McGill 1-1/4" square punch; American Crafts ribbon, SU crystal effects; dimension squares
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Celtic Birthday
Sources: SBD kraft & Halcraft smooth white cardstock; Making Memories Chloe's Closet paper; Pink Cat Studio Dress Up Billy & Lily and Billy Accessories; Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark Smokey Gray & Memories Black inks; Copics; SU crystal effects; Gutermann thread; dimension squares
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Cheung!
Sources: The Paper Company cottonwood, DCWV sweet stack & SBD kraft cardstock; Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday Wednesday & Provo Craft paper; The Japanese Paper Place origami foil; Sharpie fine black pen; Stamping Bella cuppacakeabella; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; HOTP (Happy Birthday); Verve Because Of You (Mom); SU Taken With Teal ink; Copics; SU Crystal Effects; K&Company Wild Saffron adhesive paper ribbon; SU scallop oval punch & large oval punch; Fiskars Nostalgia corner edger; dimension squares
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Happy Baa..thday
I decided to eliminate the use of ribbon on this card because, well, you all know that I can't tie bows and I have no problem saying it. LOL I decided to create scene with a whimsical outdoorsy feel. For the two horizontal strips in the background, I immediately knew I wanted to use the clouds from Verve's Up, Up & Away set and the Martha Stewart picket fence border punch, two of my favourite products.
I wanted to use the cute mushroom dp that I previously used in this card which interestingly also uses Pink Cat Studio images and similar colours. I guess that dp just inspires me to use Melissa's stamps. I picked one of the lambs from the Farm Animals set and got out my embossing pen and powder for the wool but for some reason it didn't work. I decided to stick with the weave patterned paper and go au naturel. I raised the lamb off the background with thin dimension strips, double-stamped the lamb's head and flower, and paper pieced the wool on its little head. I used thick dimension squares under the head and flower. I added Crystal Effects to the lamb's hooves, flower and icing on the cupcake in the centre of the sentiment. Then I reverse popped the sentiment by double punching the top piece and raised the ring of petals with thin dimension strips so it wouldn't compete with the lamb.
For the middle rectangle, I couldn't decide if I wanted to cut grass this way or with the tearing edge. I decided to go with the more subtle approach as I did here and here. Originally I was going to use a coloured background but it didn't look right to me. Leaving it plain didn't look right either so I settled on some simple stitching which represents a nice light breeze. I think it added just the right touch to finish off this card. I wonder who will be the lucky person to receive this on their birthday! ;)
Sources: SU chocolate chip, The Paper Company weave white, DCWV sweet stack, SBD kraft & Halcraft smooth white cardstock; Imaginisce twitterpated mushroom fancy & Provo Craft paper; Verve Up, Up & Away; Pink Cat Studio Farm Animals; Memories Artprint Brown ink; Copics; Martha Stewart picket fence edge border; SU crystal effects; SU tearing edge; McGill circle punch; SU scallop circle punch; Gutermann thread; dimension squares
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Smiles for a Baby Boy
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Amanda Hamilton Jewellery
Amanda is currently working with Murano, sterling silver, vintage German, Lucite and semi-precious stones. Much of her extensive collection comes from her travels around the world. Aside from designing and making jewellery, Amanda is also a collector and is always on the lookout for Georg Jensen silver, Bakelite and anything with a retro sensibility. Amanda is a member of the Toronto Bead Society and The Bead Museum in Phoenix, Arizona where she often vacations.
Here are some samples of Amanda's lovely work: