Chicks and Ice-Cream

Hello Friends! It's Good Friday and we're off to church soon. We have friends arriving later this evening, staying over for the holidays. Busy few days ahead.

Ok, so I just LOOOOVE Lawn Fawn's new Chirpy Chirp Chirp set. Well, guess what? These chicks found their way onto an ice-cream themed Easter card! How cool is that? (pun intended!)

I made a 4½" square card, cut out with the LF's Large Stitched Square dies. The centre panel is popped up on foam tape. For the cute characters I used Chirpy Chirp Chirp and Treat Yourself stamps and coordinating dies.

Stamped the images with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured them with Copics. And lots of Clear Wink of Stella on the bunny ears and ice-cream. There's Gold Wink Of Stella on the chicks... it's Easter and they deserve some shimmer too. For the greeting I used VersaFine Deep Lagoon and Onyx Black. Final touch, some Glossy Accents on the belly band of the tubs.

Challenges:
Lawnscaping Challenge: Sweet
Uniko Challenge: Spring / Easter
A Beautiful Mess #1: Always AG (*NEW* challenge)

This card is going to our favourite Gelato makers on the planet... I am not kidding you. These guys are on par with some of the best and well known ice-cream. If you are ever in Lisbon, Portugal swing by Nananrella... you will not be disappointed.

Have a beautiful day and I'll see y'all soon.

Beijinhos!

MHKDesigns March / April Challenge

Hello, friends!  Welcome to our third MHKDesigns Challenge - Spring Edition! This Challenge is all about keeping it simple and having fun while creating. Each each month you will get  a photo and colour swatch prompt. YOU decide which you're inspired by to create your work of art. It can be either or both. AND you are free to make what ever paper project you fancy - a card, scrapbook layout, a tag, a box, art journal page... you choose! The options are limitless.

The Design Team will be showcasing products from MHKDesigns Etsy Shop and we would love to see you use them too. However, you are free to use any products and enter the challenge to win some fabulous goodies by MHKDesigns. If you use stamps or papers by MHKDesigns you may ignore the Challenge prompt altogether; i.e. it's ANYTHING GOES for you!

Let's take a look at the Challenge prompt:

Everything about the Inspiration Photo screams Easter and a perfect fit for the Bunny Love set from the February Release. Here's my card featuring a bunny and using the soft pastels. Minimal embellies: die-cut eggs and some pink twine. I also added some Glossy Accents on the butterfly wings, eyes and the paint palette.

Here's a closer look at the adorable image, which I coloured with alcohol markers. There's something so French about the dude... I think it's his beret. LOL

Challenges:
Eureka Challenge #185: Easter Cards
Craft Your Passion #304: AG
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Cute & Cuddly
Crafting From The Heart #104: AG
Artistic Inspiration #152: AG + Twist Easter
Where The HeART Is #7: Easter / AG

The winner of this Challenge stands to win some fabulous products by MHKDesigns. So make sure you follow the challenge rules and you'll be eligible for the prize. And if you need a little creative boost, you'll find more inspiration by the rest of the Design Team over at the Challenge Blog. You have until April 15th to link up your project.

Thank you for stopping by today and I'm looking forward to seeing what you create for us this month.

Beijinhos!

Supplies

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #21

Hello, friends and welcome to another month of Chocolate Baroque inspired fun -  Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #21. We have a lovely colour swatch for you to use in your projects - fresh verdant colours. If you haven't played yet, now's the time to do so.

You can use any medium to create your projects: paints, inks, pencils, pens, stains, etc., as long as you stick to the colours from the colour swatch, using as much or as little of each colour as you wish.  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.

So here's an easy Easter card. The bed of flowers is from the Springtime Edges set and the sentiment is from the Easter Traditions set. Both are stamped with VersaFine Olympia Green. The background took some work. I wanted a fresh vibrant look which did not overpower the focal image. I picked Distress Inks for the job: Cracked Pistachio, Lucky Clover, Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass and Evergreen Bough. For textural interest - a few blobs of Liquid Pearls in Mint and Baby Blue and the card is done.

Here's a closer look at the flowers. I coloured them with Faber-Castel Polychromos and added some sparkle with Wink of Stella Clear brush.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #222: AG Inspirational
Crafty Creations #311: Spring Fever
Let's Colours Linky Party #5: AG Something Coloured
Inspiration Destination #77: AG
Words 2 Craft By March: Easter  / Rebirth

Challenge #21 will close at 12.00 p.m. (UK) on Tuesday 19th April 2016, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday 27th April 2016. I hope you'll play along and run the risk of winning £15 to spend on Chocolate Baroque stamps.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by - I really do appreciate for sweet comments. Have an amazing day and I'll see you again in a day or so. Take care and stay warm!

Beijinhos!

Supplies

Tuesday Throwdown #285: Round and Round

Good morning, friends! Time for a new theme over at Tuesday Throwdown Challenge and this week were are playing "Round and Round". Our sponsor for this challenge is Lacy Sunshine. My project features one of their many cute images called Rory's Eggstra Delivery.

I made a circle card using Spellbinders Standard Circle dies and added a layer using Spellbinders Scallop Circle die to make a top folding card. I inked around the image with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink. The focus is on the cute image, so I kept he embellishments to a minimum - Daffodil Liquid Pearls and some sheer peach ribbon tied in a bow.

Here's a closer look at little Rory. I coloured her with my beloved Faber-Castell Polychromos.

Challenge:
Let's Colour Linky Party #5: AG Something Coloured
Eureka Stamps #184:AG
Deep Ocean Challenge #124: Easter
PINspirational #161: Photo Inspiration
Through The Craft Room Door Mar 15: AG



Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Round and Round". 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 on Monday, March 21st.  And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Have a brilliant day and I'll see you tomorrow!

Beijinhos

Mothering Sunday

Hello, friends. It's been a good few days since my last blog post. Been feeling poorly - gastroenteritis. The usual aches, pains, cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting and a thumping headache.

End of my sob story. Here's my offering for this fortnight's Tag You're It Challenge #42, inspired by Marybeth Lopez's sweet tag. I'm working with Marybeth's colour combo and some of her design elements: the floral theme and stitched tag. For the flowers I used Clearly Besotted's A Little Something stamps and coordinating dies. The tag is Lawn Fawn's Stitched Circle Tag.  I knocked back the white with some Tumbled Glass DI, a dollop of Glossy Accents on the bow and little droplets of Mint Liquid Peals in the centre of each flower. And pink ribbon to finish the tag.

Mothering Sunday is celebrated on the Forth Sunday of Lent - also called Laetare Sunday, Refreshment Sunday or Rose Sunday (for the rose coloured vestments). Children give out presents and posies to mothers, which was incorporated in our Sunday service.

I started making these tags a couple of weeks ago. They are to be tied on posies of pink carnations that the kids in our church would preset to their respective mothers. I photographed one batch of posies. The final count was 25... and I went straight to bed after and stayed there till Sunday morning!

So, why Pink Carnations? Carnations have a history dating back more than 2000 years. Christian legend has it that at the time that Jesus was carrying the cross, Mary cried. Everywhere Mary's tears fell, pink carnations bloomed. These flowers have become a symbol of a mother’s pure and undying love for her children.

Challenges:
Tag You're It #42: Marybeth's Tag
Just Us Girls #333: Flowers
Allsorts #353: Feminine Creations

Thank you so much for stopping by. I'll leave you with a picture of a posy that was placed in St. Mary's Chapel today. I'm off to bed and will see y'all in a couple of days. Good night and sweet dreams.

Beijinhos!

ATSM #182: Make Your Mark

Hello again, friends! Time for another challenge over at Addicted To Stamps and More. This week we are playing Make Your Mark and our sponsor is Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps & More. For this challenge, you can create anything you like as long as you use something to make a mark. Feel free to use pencils, pens, markers, chalks, crayons, paints, stains, inks ... whatever takes your fancy.

Here's my offering -  an Easter card using our sponsor's image called Easter Basket. I'm keeping it simple: an easy sketch, some twine and few sequins for the obligatory sparkle.

And to make my mark, I used Faber Castell Polychromo pencils. I didn't fuss too much with blending, shading etc.  Not too shabby?

Challenges:
Fan-Tastic Tuesday #125: AG + Add An Animal
TTCRD Feb 23: AG
Critters & Creatures February Linky Party: AG With An Animal


So now it's your turn to link up your project at Addicted To Stamps and More. Don't forget to follow the rules to be eligible for the prize.

Thanks for stopping by and have fun with this challenge.

Beijinhos!

Supplies

MHKDesigns February / March Challenge

Hello, friends!  Here we are - at our second MHKDesigns Challenge. It's all about keeping it fun and simple, so each each month you will get  a photo and colour swatch prompt. YOU decide which you're inspired by to create your work of art. It can be either or both. AND you are free to make what ever paper project you fancy - a card, scrapbook layout, a tag, a box, art journal page... you choose! The options are limitless.

The Design Team will be showcasing products from MHKDesigns Etsy Shop and we would love to see you use them too. However, you are free to use any products and enter the challenge to win some fabulous goodies by MHKDesigns. If you use stamps or papers by MHKDesigns you may ignore the Challenge prompt altogether; i.e. it's ANYTHING GOES for you!  

Let's take a look at the Challenge prompt:

This month I'm going with only the colours and these are perfect for the brand new February Release set called Easter Blessings. The floral image from this set goes so well with the Easter Flowers paper pack. A few droplets of Liquid Pearls and some sheer ribbon is all I need to finish this card.

Here's a closer look at the beautiful flower. I coloured the image with polychromos, fussy cut it and did some partial die cutting before matting it onto a scalloped circle cardstock. I also managed to do some real stitching. How about that?!

Challenges:
Crafting When We Can #113: Use A Digital Stamp
Lil' Patch Of Crafty Friends #28: AG
Robyn's Fetish #304: Stitching - Real or Faux
Ribbon Girls February: Use Any Image
Creative Knockout #129: Stitching - Real or Faux

The winner of this Challenge stands to win some fabulous products by MHKDesigns. So make sure you follow the challenge rules and you'll be eligible for the prize. And if you need a little creative boost, you'll find more inspiration by the rest of the Design Team over at the Challenge Blog. You have until March 15th to link up your project.

Thank you for stopping by today and I'm looking forward to seeing what you create for us this month.

Beijinhos!

MHKDesigns February Release: Easter Blessings

Good morning, friends! Welcome to MHKDesigns' February Release Party. Head on over to the MHK Designs ETSY Store for the first full reveal for 2016 where you will find lovely vintage designs that suit all crating styles.

This month, MHKDesigns is releasing FIVE new digital stamp sets. Mynn has also 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 February 2016 Release, Mynn is giving away sets from this release. More on how to win at the end of this post.

One of the new products featured in this new release is this beautiful set called Easter  Blessings.

Here's my final offering for this release party - another Easter card. Purple seems perfect for the occasion. I've used patterned paper from the new Easter Flowers digital paper bundle and finished the card with ribbon and bling - also in purple!

Here's a close-up ... loosely coloured with polychromos and I softened the edges with distress inks.

Challenges:
Hiding In My Craft Room #239: CAS
Brown Sugar #186: AG
A Bit More Time To Craft #14: AG

How To Win

In order to get this new set OR the entire release for FREE, here's what you'll need to do:

1. Comment here on the MHKDesigns blog.
2. Comment on each DT member's blog (see list below)
3. Join our MHKDesigners and Friends Facebook group and comment there.

Alicia | Asha (me!) | Donna | Judy | Jerrie | Jessica | Lilian
Michele | Mynn | NanaConnie | Rocky | Sathya | Shawna

Mynn will be choosing comments randomly from all these places after the release is over, and the authors of those comments will be our winners! The best way to win is to comment every day! 

So this is our last day of the February Release. I hope you enjoyed see all the lovely projects and will be inspired to show us your works of art. Thank you for stopping by and come back tomorrow for the start of MHKD Challenge #2. 

Beijinhos!

Supplies

MHKDesigns February Release: Bunny Love

Good morning, friends! Welcome to MHKDesigns' February Release Party. Head on over to the MHK Designs ETSY Store for the first full reveal for 2016 where you will find lovely vintage designs that suit all crating styles.

This month, MHKDesigns is releasing FIVE new digital stamp sets. Mynn has also 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 February 2016 Release, Mynn is giving away sets from this release. More on how to win at the end of this post.

One of the new products featured in this new release is this beautiful set called Bunny Love.

Well what d'you know! I made an Easter card. I'm going with soft neutral colours. The doily and sheer ribbon add interest to this card.

Simple colouring with polychromos... again! :)

Challenges:
Crafty Ribbon #144: LEAP year and anything that jumps - bunny
Aud Sentiments #149: Cute + Sentiment
Cardz4Galz #16: Get A Hat
Cute Card Thursday #413: Warm Colours
PDE Linky Party: AG

How To Win

In order to get this new set OR the entire release for FREE, here's what you'll need to do:

1. Comment here on the MHKDesigns blog.
2. Comment on each DT member's blog (see list below)
3. Join our MHKDesigners and Friends Facebook group and comment there.

Alicia | Asha (me!) | Donna | Judy | Jerrie | Jessica | Lilian
Michele | Mynn | NanaConnie | Rocky | Sathya | Shawna

Mynn will be choosing comments randomly from all these places after the release is over, and the authors of those comments will be our winners! The best way to win is to comment every day! 

Thank you for stopping by and come back tomorrow for the last day of our new release. You'll have another chance to win a new digi set AND more prizes!!

Beijinhos!

Supplies

MHKDesigns February Release: He Is Risen

Good morning, friends! Welcome to MHKDesigns' February Release Party. Head on over to the MHK Designs ETSY Store for the first full reveal for 2016 where you will find lovely vintage designs that suit all crating styles.

This month, MHKDesigns is releasing FIVE new digital stamp sets. Mynn has also 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 February 2016 Release, Mynn is giving away sets from this release. More on how to win at the end of this post.

One of the new products featured in this new release is this beautiful set called He Is Risen.

Here's my card - a simple Easter card. The patterned paper is from the new Easter Flowers digital paper bundle. The lily on the design matched the image perfectly. A sheer deep green bow and a few sequins finish this card.

Here's a closer look at the elegant image. I barely touched it with my polychromos and gave the flowers a little shimmer with some Stardust Stickles.

Challenges:
Crafting By Design Feb 17: Tic Tac Toe - Glitter, Diecut, Faux Stitching
Crafting For All Seasons #120: 3 Of A Kind - 3 Sequins
Word Art Wednesday #220: AG Inspirational

How To Win

In order to get this new set OR the entire release for FREE, here's what you'll need to do:

1. Comment here on the MHKDesigns blog.
2. Comment on each DT member's blog (see list below)
3. Join our MHKDesigners and Friends Facebook group and comment there.

Alicia | Asha (me!) | Donna | Judy | Jerrie | Jessica | Lilian
Michele | Mynn | NanaConnie | Rocky | Sathya | Shawna

Mynn will be choosing comments randomly from all these places after the release is over, and the authors of those comments will be our winners! The best way to win is to comment every day! 

Thank you for stopping by and come back tomorrow for another new digi set AND more prizes!!

Beijinhos!

Supplies

Chocolate Baroque: Spring Daffodils

Good morning, fellow chocoholics. Are you ready for Spring? To get you in the mood,  here's a card I made using stamps from the Spring Bird - Daffodils DL sheet. The colours are fresh and light - the perfect palette for these vernal blooms.

For the background I used  The Crafters Workshop Tie Dye stencil and Distress Inks in Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean and Tumbled Glass. The greeting is also from the Spring Bird - Daffodils set,  stamped with VersaFine Majestic Blue.

I stamped the daffodils with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured them with Graph'It alcohol markers before fussy cutting and adhering them to the inked background. For the all important sparkle, I applied Glitter Yellow and Glitter Green from the Wink Of Stella Brush Tip Glitter Marker Pretty Garden set, with a touch of the Gold Glitter marker to add depth to the flowers. To finish the project: a bow tied with some sheer blue ribbon.

Challenges:
Craft DeeBowz #34 February: AG With Handmade Bow
Our Crafty Corner #6: AG
Cards und More #151: AG
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Ray of Sunshine
Crafting When We Can #111: Celebrating Any Occassion

That's my spring inspired project for today. Thank you so much for stopping by and have a beautiful day. I'll be back in a bit with another floral card. Have an fabulous day, friends!

Beijinhos

Supplies