Tuesday Throwdown #264: Clean & Simple

Good morning, friends! Welcome to September and to another Tuesday Throwdown Challenge. Our theme this week is "Clean & Simple" and we sponsored by Sugar Pea Designs.  Check out their online store. The stamps are so cute and adorable.

If you don't have anything by Sugar Pea Designs, that's ok. Neither do I! You can still play along, as long as you follow our challenge theme and make a Clean & Simple project. I'm using stamps by Clearly Besotted to make my cards and coloured the images with Graph'It alcohol markers.

Here is my CAS friendship card:

Challenges:
Happy Little Stampers Sept CAS: Colouring
Eureka #160: AG
Less Is More #243: Something Shiny

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Here are a couple of seasonal variations to this design. These are by no means CAS but why not pimp up the design to make an Autumn inspired thank you card....

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion #291: AG
Make My Monday: Autumn Colours


.... and a Christmas card with all the traditional colours.

Challenges:
Crafting From The Heart #79: AG
Addicted To Stamps & More #163: Holidays
Use Your Stuff: Markers & Ink


Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Clean & Simple". For ideas and inspiration, take a peek at what the rest of the DT members have made. Remember to link up your project at the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog by 3pm Pacific / 11pm UK Monday, October 5th.  And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

Thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Beijinhos!

I Wheelie Like You

Good morning, friends and a very happy Monday to all. Did you watch the Harvest Moon Eclipse last night / this morning? Wasn't it amazing?  Over here the spectacle started at 2am finished around 6am. Simply spectacular!

I made a card over the weekend. Another (dreaded) CAS ... and to add to the trauma - a One Layer Card ... aaaaargh! I am determined to not be put off by it and hopefully, in time, it won't take me quite so long to complete. This card  landed in the bin... twice, before I decided to post it. Live and learn, right?

I inked up this cute set by Lawn Fawn called Wheelie Like You, which I bought a few months ago. The chubby tubby little hamster reminds me of my chubby tubby Peanut. The Vet wagged his finger at me recently and said little Peewee needs to eat less and exercise more. Try telling that to a Doxie!

Enough chit chat, here's the card: I masked circles and inked the outer edges, first with Tumbled Glass, followed by Bundled Sage for the smaller circle. A light brushing of Squeezed Lemonade brightened everything and to soften it I ran a damp brush over the inks. Next, I stamped the image and the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured it with Faber-Castell Polychromos in various shades of grey: Cold Greys ( 230, 231, 232) for the wheel and Warm Greys (270, 271, 272) for the hamster. I also added Silver 251 to the wheel and some Wink of Stella Silver.

Here's a closer look at the little guy. The card needed some colour so I stamped the little hearts from the set with VersaFine Satin Red. And gave a double coating of Wink of Stella Clear to the hamster and the hearts. To finish, I rounded the corners with the ½" Corner Chomper.

Challenges:
Lawnscaping Challenge: One Layer Card
CAS-ology #165: Circles
Happy Little Stampers September CAS: Colouring

That's all from me today, folks. Must dash! Thanks for stopping by and have a sun shiny day!

Beijinhos!

Polka Doodles #39: Favourite Card Shape

Hello, hello, hello!!! It's FRIDAY.... at last, so brace yourself for another fortnight of challenges, friends! A new theme starts today and it's a super easy one: your "Favourite Card Shape". It can be rectangle, square, round or one of the many fancy-fold cards. All you have to do is make a project using your Favourite Card Shape.

My favourite card shape is rectangular ... the regular A2 rectangular. Boriiiiiing. I hear you sigh. But hear me out. These cards are fuss free, quick to put together and versatile - portrait, landscape, top-folding, side-folding and, if I'm feeling particularly lazy, no-folding postcard. :)

For today's card, I made a top-folding landscape card. My card features images and papers from the Witchie Witchie CD, which is fabulously ghoulish and perfect for fun Halloween projects. The papers and sentiment are also from the same CD. Loads of cute stuff in there for the fainthearted.

Here's a closer look at the image. She's called Witch Wendie and I coloured the witch with Faber-Castell polychromos.  This card is for a young person, so I kept the colouring loose and fun. Also, I have it good authority that she'll be dressed exactly like this.... because I helped her mummy make the costume. What fun!!!  Witch Wendie and is also available as a separate download digi.

Challenges:
Crafty Girls #5: AG
Addicted To Stamps and More #163: Holidays
Sisterhood of Crafters: Pumpkin Patch
Southern Girls: Whimsical, Cute or Fun
PDE Linky Party: AG

Supplies

Now it's over to you, my friends. Create any project - card, tag, lay-out, box, bag, etc. You have until Noon (UK Time) on Friday, 9 October 2015, to link up your entries over at the Polka Doodles Challenge Blog. You don't have to use Polka Doodles products to enter, but if you have it, by all means, flaunt it! One randomly selected winner will receive downloads worth $10 from the Polka Doodles Online Store. In order to qualify you must follow our Rules. Remember, you are only allowed TWO entries per challenge.

Thank you so much for stopping by and have a sun-shiny day!

Beijinhos!

MHK Designs: Tulip of Thanks

Good morning, friends! Most of you know that Mynn Kitchen of On A Stampage has launched her very own line of digital stamps and papers. Over at the MHK Designs ETSY Store you will find the most delightfully adorable vintage designs that work for all crating styles.

This month we are having a Mini Release of FIVE digital stamp sets and TWO Special Event digital stamp set. And if that weren't enough, Mynn has added more Digital Paper Bundles that coordinate perfectly with her digi stamps. These are available for purchase NOW at the MHK Designs ETSY Store. 

As a special treat to celebrate the MHK Designs September 2015 Mini Release, Mynn is giving away a set to a lucky winner who will be randomly drawn from all the comments on Mynn's blog On A Stampage.

Today, the Design Team will be showcasing a new digital stamp set called Tulip of Thanks over at MHK Designers and Friends Facebook Group.

I made a couple of projects with this set. First, is a card with a twist. I flipped the tulip, printed them so they face each other and coloured them with Graph'It alcohol markers. Then I inked the edges with Peacock Feathers and matted the piece on some Basic Gray paper from my stash. To finish a couple tiny bows made form thin yellow gingham ribbon.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #202: AG Family Friendly
Crafty Creations: It Takes Two
Inspiration Destination #52: AG


My second project is a set of favour boxes for a friend's wedding. Here are 3 design options chosen by the happy couple. Obviously I made more than three! :) Love that font on the sentiment. I used white card and WRMK Gift Bag Punch Board to make the bag. Added some patterned paper, and inked the sides of the boxes with Distress Inks to match. Then I punched a couple of holes at the top of the boxes with the Crop-a-Dile and ran some matching ribbon through to tie the box. I'm surprised how quickly it all came together!

Challenges:
Decorate To Celebrate #109: AG
Wonderful Wednesday: AG
Crafty Girls Creations #5: AG

Supplies

If you want to win any of these digital stamps, click on the image below.  Mynn is generously giving away a set of digital stamps. So make sure you leave a comment on Mynn's blog On A Stampage for a chance to win. Click on the button below:

For more design inspiration, drop by the rest of the Design Team's blogs to see these digital stamps in action.

Rocky ... Judy ... Stephanie ... Ruza ... Kendra ... Lilian ... Donna

Thanks for stopping by and have a sun-shiny day!

Beijinhos

MHK Designs: Cat To Be Kitten Meow

Good morning, friends! As you are already aware Mynn Kitchen of On A Stampage has launched her very own line of digital stamps and papers. Over at the MHK Designs ETSY Store you will find the most delightfully adorable vintage designs that work for all crating styles.

This month we are having a Mini Release of FIVE digital stamp sets and TWO Special Event digital stamp set. And if that weren't enough, Mynn has added more Digital Paper Bundles that coordinate perfectly with her digi stamps. These are available for purchase at the MHK Designs ETSY Store. 

Over the next 5 days, the Design Team will be showcasing the new digital stamp sets. As a special treat to celebrate the MHK Designs September 2015 Mini Release, Mynn is giving away a set to a lucky winner who will be randomly drawn from all the comments on Mynn's blog On A Stampage.

We begin our September Mini Release Party with an adorable set called Cat To Be Kitten Meow over at MHK Designers and Friends Facebook Group.

Kitty is incredibly handsome. All he needs is a special frame for his vintage inspired portrait. Now that is a regal kitty ... utterly claw-some. I cut the frame with Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangle die and inked the edges with Vintage Photo DI.

Here's a closer look at kitty. I coloured him with Graph'It markers and finished his portrait with red blind at each corner.

Challenges:
TTCRD: AG
Crafting From The Heart #78: AG
Craft Your Passion #280: AG

Supplies

If you want to win any of these digital stamps, click on the image below.  Mynn is generously giving away a set of digital stamps. So make sure you leave a comment on Mynn's blog On A Stampage for a chance to win. Click on the button below:

For more design inspiration, drop by the rest of the Design Team's blogs to see these digital stamps in action.

Rocky ... Judy ... Stephanie ... Ruza ... Kendra ... Lilian ... Donna

Don't forget to leave a comment on Mynn's blog On A Stampage for a chance to win. Thank you for stopping by and have a terrific Tuesday.

Beijinhos!

Chocolate Baroque: Halloween Treats

Hello again, friends! I've got a couple of projects ideas to house your Halloween treats.  The first is in the shape of a grave - complete with tombstone and grassy border! The web and mushrooms are from Put A Spell On You. The Trick or Treat sentiment is from Spookilicious.

Here's a closer look at the Bat-Owl Hocus Pocus which I coloured with Faber-Castell polychromos. After colouring, I fussy cut and adhered it to the headstone which I cut using Spellbinders Labels 4 die.

To make the grassy border I snipped a strip of green card and inked it with Hickory Smoke.

The treats (or tricks) go in the pull out drawer of the matchbox.

Challenges:
Brown Sugar #164: Anything But A Card
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Use A Stamp
Get Creative #24: Fantasy
Alphabet Challenge: P is for Peacock, Pelican or Other Bird - other bird
Decorate To Celebrate: AG

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The second treat bag is a simpler affair. The Cat is from Hocus Pocus and the sentiment is from Halloween Edges, both heat embossed with WOW Ebony EP. After colouring the moon with Faber-Castell Polychromos. I cut the image out with Spellbinders Standard Circles die and inked the edges with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink. Finally, I matted it on a piece of black card cut with Spellbinders Scalloped Circle die. The sentiment is from Halloween Edges. I used WRMK Black Baker's Twine to tie the bag.

To decorate the back of the bag, I stamped the tree and sentiment from Put A Spell On You  and the bats from Hocus Pocus with VersaFine Black Onyx. To create the box I used WRMK Gift Bag Punch Board.

Challenges:
TTCRD: AG
Crafting From The Heart #78: AG

Supplies

It's almost Halloween and I hope these projects will give you some packing ideas for your special Halloween treats. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you later ... today :)

Beijinhos

Brighter Days

Hello, friends. I made a CAS card! Not an accident, but a deliberate act that took me hours complete. I know it is supposed to be simple, but I wrestle with the beast called CAS and usually end up bruised and demoralised. Yesterday, I entered the ring again and... survived!

I'm using Clearly Besotted April Showers stamps and coordinating die. For the umbrella I used Memento Bamboo Leaves and Rich Cocoa. For the rain drops I used Peacock Feathers Distress Ink. The sentiment is also from April Showers, stamped on to a die-cut label also by Clearly Besotted.

I circular embossed panel is a left-over bit from another card.... which you will see next week. I inked it up with Peacock Feathers and adhered the centre piece on to the card base with foam tape.

Challenges:
CAS(E) This Sketch #141
CAS Colours & Sketches #142: Colours
CAS-ology #164: Umbrella

Supplies

I'm off to bed now...it's frightfully late. We have a full day tomorrow: Church, lunch... and a concert in the evening. Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful Sunday.

Beijinhos!

Polka Doodles #38: Shabby Chic

Good morning, friends!  It's FRIDAY... and I am doing cartwheels. Am I excited the week is almost over? Well, just a little! :) But first it's time for a for a little inspiration for this fortnight's Polka Doodles Challenge: Shabby Chic.

Now what exactly is Shabby Chic? Honestly, I haven't the foggiest. For my card I picked up an old favourite of mine: PickNix 1 All Sewn Up. The papers, sentiment and digi embellishments are from the from this set. To finish my card I used flowers, pearls, lace and some ribbon from my stash. It's soft, feminine, perhaps Chic? It also looks a little weathered and distressed, dare I say Shabby?

Here's a closer look at the sentiment. I layered it on Spellbinder Label 16 die cuts and added some fussy cut digi embellishments from PickNix 1 All Sewn Up.

Challenges:
In The Pink #78: For A Friend
Southern Girls: Layer It Up
If You Give A Crafter A Cookie #27: Photo
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Die Crazy
Word Art Wednesday #201: AG
Blogger's Challenge: Flowers For You
Creative Moments #77: AG
Digichoosday #37: Monochromatic

Supplies

Now it's over to you, my friends. Create any project - card, tag, lay-out, box, bag, etc. You have until Noon (UK Time) on Friday, 25 September 2015, to link up your entries over at the Polka Doodles Challenge Blog. You don't have to use Polka Doodles products to enter, but if you have it, by all means, flaunt it! One randomly selected winner will receive downloads worth $10 from the Polka Doodles Online Store. In order to qualify you must follow our Rules. Remember, you are only allowed TWO entries per challenge.

Don't forget to check out the brand new Autumn / Fall Digis and Papers now available in the Polka Doodles Store.

Thank you for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!

Beijinhos

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #15

A new Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge has started and we're kicking off this monthly meet-up with another collection of gorgeous colours. If you haven't played yet, now's the time to do so. These colours are gorgeous and will work for any occasion.

You can use any medium to create your projects: paints, inks, pencils, pens, stains, etc., as long as you keep to the colours from the colour swatch. You don't have to use Chocolate Baroque stamps to play along but if you do you will be entered into a random draw to win £15 to spend on Chocolate Baroque stamps. All participants will have a chance to be on the Design Team's Top Three list and proudly display winner's badge on their blog.

I made a CASish Halloween card. This simple design can be easily reproduced. The focal image and sentiment are from last year's Halloween release called Things That Go Bump In The Night. I cut and matted the image using Spellbinder dies. The sentiment is stamped with VersaFine Smokey Grey, cut with Spellbinders Ribbon Banner die and inked with Scattered Straw DI. I inked the card base with Hickory Smoke DI and dotted with Black Stickles.

I heat embossed the focal image with WOW Ebony EP and coloured the moon with Faber-Castell Polychromos. Then I inked the background with Hickory Smoke DI.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Die Crazy
Cards Und More #141: No DSP
Cardz 4 Guyz #88: Embossing - Heat or Dry (heat)
Addicted To Stamps #162: Make Your Mark
Creative Moments #77: AG
Crafty Girls Corner #37: AG

Supplies

Challenge #15 will close at 12.00 p.m. (UK) on Tuesday 20th October 2015, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday 28th October 2015. I hope you'll play along and run the risk of winning £15 to spend on Chocolate Baroque stamps.

It's 21 weeks today since Rosie left and on Friday it will be 8 weeks since we said goodbye to André. To be honest, I am looking forward to when I can think of them without chocking. Soon, I hope.

Thank you for stopping by today. It's a dull and gloomy day so far. Hope the sun is shining brightly where you are.

Beijinhos

Tuesday Throwdown #262: For A Child

Good morning, friends! Welcome to another Tuesday Throwdown Challenge. Our theme this week is "For A Child" and we sponsored by Sweet & Sassy Stamps. If you don't have anything by Sweet & Sassy Stamps, you can still play along, as long as you follow our challenge theme.

My project features Sweet & Sassy Stamps' adorable mouse Cocoa. He really is the cutest digital rodent ever! For my DT card I've used Cocoa Loves Soccer. I've kept it simple with scraps of (matching) paper from my stash. And since this card is for a child, I've dispelled with unnecessary embellishments. They put everything into their mouths, don't they!

I coloured Cocoa with Graph'It markers. Cut and matted him with Spellbinders die cuts. I finished the card with a birthday greeting. Super quick, super simple.

Challenges:
Crafting From The Heart #77: AG
Craft Your Passion #279: AG
Eureka Stamps #158: Fall Sports
Paperminutes #400: AG
TTCRD: AG
Pile It On #86: Birthday
4 Crafty Chicks #263: Birthday

Supplies

Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Treats". For ideas and inspiration, take a peek at what the rest of the DT members have made. Remember to link up your project at the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog by 3pm Pacific / 11pm UK Monday, September 21st.  And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

The weather seems to be turning.... fast. I guess summer is well and truly over. My pomegranates and figs are having a tough time catching up. One more week and I might have to prematurely harvest them. Ok, enough fruity lamentation for today. :) Thanks for stopping by and have a great Tuesday, friends!

Beijinhos

Peanut in the Park

Hello, friends. We went to the doggie park yesterday with our little Peanut. The weather was good: sunny but not too hot or humid. Peewee had so much fun - she hopped, skipped, ran, chased and was chased. A couple of ice-creams later, we went home exhausted but happy.

This card tells it all, don't you think? The stamps are from Lawn Fawn's Critters At The Dog Park. The  sun and clouds are dies from Lawn Cuts Spring Showers set. I popped the sun up on foam tape. The patterned paper is an old DSP by Stampin' Up. I ran it through the Big Shot with the Swiss Dots embossing folder. It's not that obvious in the photos but the bumps add a fun element to the card. I stamped the sentiment with VersaFine Vintage Sepia.

Here's a close-up of Peanut in the park! I coloured her with Graph'It alcohol markers. For the grass, I used Lawn Cuts Grassy Border die.

Challenges:
Make the Day Special September Colour Challenge using Lawn Fawn products
Lawnscaping Challenge: Texture - embossing
Creative Knockouts #106: Clean & Simple

Supplies

So what's the weather like today? Hah! Not sunny! In fact, it's been raining all day and poor Peanut is stuck at home. But she's using her time wisely... by sleeping on the sofa with daddy! Hope you're having an equally restful weekend.

Beijinhos!

When Ghouls Come Out To Play

Ghoul Morning, friends! It's almost that time of the year .... when ghouls come out to play. I have a couple of easy projects for you featuring the new Halloween stamps by Chocolate Baroque. All you have to do is ink and stamp - that's it. I also want to show you how well Chocolate Baroque's older Halloween stamps coordinate with this latest release.

My first card depicts a dark and creepy night where ghosts wander in the fog. I inked up the background with Distress Inks: Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans and Weathered Wood. The trees and greeting are from the new Hocus Pocus A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black. The clouds are from the older Spookilicious A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Smokey Grey.

The trio of ghosts in the foreground are from the new Put A Spell On You A5 sheet, which I heat embossed on vellum with WOW Bright White EP . The ghosts in the background (seen in the picture above) is heat embossed directly on the card.  The single bat is from the older Spookilicious A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black.

Challenges:
Crafting From The Heart #76: AG
Haunted Design House September: Nights Are Drawing In
Make My Monday: Something Starting with F - fog
TTCRD: AG
Unicorn Challenge #1: Mythical & Magical


The second card is slight more "cheery" ... on account of a few smiling pumpkins. I started by stamped the images, masking them off before creating the sky and ground.

Again, I inked the sky with Distress Inks: Black Soot, Dusty Concord, Chipped Sapphire and Milled Lavender. I masked off the moon  with a die-cut circle and coloured it in with Faber-Castell Polychromos. The flying bats and crow are from the new Hocus Pocus A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx. For the ground I used Fossilised Amber, Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy and a touch of Vintage Photo.

The scarecrow is from an older A5 sheet called Witching Time, stamped with Memento Paris Dusk. The plan was to use alcohol markers but I ended up using my Faber-Castell Polychromos.  These stamps work so well together! I finished my card by dangling a spider on one arm of the scarecrow and resting a crow from the other. The spider and the sentiment are from the Put A Spell On You A5 sheet and the crow is from the Hocus Pocus A5 sheet.

The pumpkins on the ground and the spider are from the new Put A Spell On You A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Smokey Grey.  I coloured the pumpkins with Faber-Castell Polychromos. You could even paper-piece these pumpkins and speed up the process. I stamped the sentiment with VersaFine Majestic Blue.

Challenges:
Tuesday Throwdown #261: AG
Lost Coast Design #16: OLC
City Crafter #278: Feeling Flat
Papertake Weekly: Things With Wings - bats & crow
Inkspirational #90: OLC
Time Out #39: Make Your Mark


So there you have it - a couple of Halloween cards. Believe it or not, I had fun making them and I hope you've got some ideas to make your own too. Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Beijinhos!

CASE-ing Christmas September

Hello, friends! Welcome back to a another month of  CASE-ing Christmas Challenge! As you are aware, we are now a MONTHLY challenge and our challenge will run from the 5th of each month at 6:00am CST until the last day of the month at 11:55pm CST.

Each month, we will be celebrating CHRISTMAS on the 25th by doing a random giveaway to one lucky participant! We will have a variety of prizes to give out, but you MUST be linked up by the 23rd of each month in order to be entered into the drawing! :)

As before, we'll give you a card to CASE and you CASE it! If you've never CASEd a card, here's what you need to do:

• Look at the CASE card photo.
• Be inspired by some element of the card. This could be colours, layout, image, etc.
• Make a card based on that inspiration and link it up at the CASE-ing Christmas Challenge Blog by 11:55pm CST 30 September 2015.

Let's kick off our challenge by showing you the card to CASE for the month of September.  This beautiful card was created by Mynn and I can't wait to see your take on it.

I was inspired by the snowman and the snowy landscape to make this card using Clearly Besotted stamps and dies. The cute snowman is from the Merry Little Christmas set, which sadly is now discontinued. For the snowy landscape I used the Tree Landscape Die, also by Clearly Besotted. Lots of layering for dimension. Each snow dune is a die-cut layer, with the trees snipped off.  And to finish minimal embellies for this card: some silver string, Stickles and Liquid Pearls.  

I stamped the little guy with Memento Paris Dusk and coloured him with Graph'It markers. The greeting is also stamped Memento Paris Dusk.

And here's a closer look at the landscape. I created the sky by blending Distress Inks - Chipped Sapphire, Milled Lavender and Shaded Lilac. The snowflakes are embossed with WOW Bright White EP.

Challenges:
Allsorts #327: Lots of Layers
Creative Artistes #6: AG
Jingle Belles: Tic Tac Toe - Stamping, Die Cuts, Glitter
Winter Wonderland: Add A Sentiment
CHNC #245: Twas the Night Before Christmas
Christmas Stampin All Year Long #55: AG
CHNC Extra September: AG Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas: Use A Die

Supplies

Link up your project by 23 September 2015 and you will be entered into the Christmas in September random prize draw.  We are giving away this festive patterned paper pack called Christmas Past by MHK Designs. This bundle offers 14 gorgeous papers with a vintage vibe to remind you of Christmases past. So pretty, so versatile.

Head on over to the CASE-ing Christmas Challenge Blog for links to all the cards made by the DT for this challenge. There's no shortage of inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy CASE-ing!

Beijinhos!