Blog Hop: Here For You Always

Hello, my friends! Welcome to a SPECIAL SURPRISE blog hop for a friend and design team mate, Julie Odil.

Julie was recently diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, so this hop is our way of letting her know that we are here for her. You should have come here from Mynn Kitchen. If you didn't, please hop over to THIS POST for a complete list of participants! 

Along with this hop, there is a special release Get Well Flowers digital stamp set and coordinating paper pack from the MHKDesigns Etsy shop designed specifically for sending get well cards to those struggling with different forms of cancer. The colors of the paper pack are lavender (all cancers awareness), lime green (lymphoma awareness), pink (breast cancer awareness), teal (ovarian cancer awareness), and peach (cervical cancer awareness).

Here is the card I made for Julie using one of the lovely floral images from the Get Well Flowers set. It's on it's way to Julie and I hope she'll find comfort in knowing that we are all rooting for her speedy recovery.

I coloured the image with Copics and added a few dusty pink pearls.

Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends! I know that Julie needs our support now more than ever, so let's band together and show her that we are here for her! Your next stop on the hop is the lovely Donna Thielker.

Have a lovely day!

Beijinhos

Floral Outburst!

Hello friends! Over the weekend, I forced myself to get crafty.  As a result, today's post one of many photos. Are you ready for my floral outburst?

First up is a tag. This one is for the Tag You're It #52 challenge. The featured designer is Any Tsutura and she made a beautiful tag with lots of white space. And that is a real challenge for me! I tried my best to stay true to Amy's design with the little vase, pink flowers and gold reinforcer ring. The stamps are by Clearly Besotted: A Little Something and Scribbled Flowers. I water-coloured the images with Distress Inks and fussy cut them.

I popped a couple of the flowers with foam tape.

Next up are three cards featuring stamps from Peony Bouquet by Altenew.

#1 - Wedding card for a young couple. Extras: gold heat embossed greeting and bling.

I popped up one yellow flower.

Challenge:
Altenew July Inspiration Challenge: Weddings




Inspired by the photo,  I found my self making a couple more based on the same design.

#2 - Birthday Card. This one is for a special lady who will be celebrating her 80th birthday soon.  Extras: sequins and pearls.
Challenge - Seize The Birthday: Bold & Bright

#3 - Thinking of You card for a friend who needs a pick me up and still be able to drive home! :) Extras: sequins.
Challenge - Cardz 4 Gals #27: No Patterned Paper

That's all from me today. It is crazy hot here! Please tell me you're longing for the cool breeze of autumn too.

Thanks for stopping by today.... and stay cool :)

Beijinhos!

Tuesday Throwdown #277: Under The Weather

Good morning, friends! Welcome to another year of Tuesday Throwdown Challenges.  Our theme this week is "Under The Weather" and we are sponsored by Stitchy Bear Stamps. I picked this stamp called "Puppy" and made this get well card.

I coloured the little pup with Copics and added the sentiment on a tag. The word "hugs" is cut out of fun foam and coloured with Copic for a woody finish. The paper is by Basic Grey.

Here's a closer look at the little guy. I used Spellbinders Circle die and Scalloped Circle die for cutting and matting. To finish, a few blobs of Liquid Pearls and faux stitching around the circle.

Challenges:
TTCRD Jan 19th: AG
Love To Scrap #70: AG
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Jan 18th: Best Friends
My Time To Craft #313: Tag It!
Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #113: AG + Twist - Get Well Soon

Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Under The Weather". 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, January 25th.  And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

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

Beijinhos!

P.S.
And yes - I was strongly influenced by another one of my BFFs. You'll see a striking resemblance from the photo below.

Tuesday Throwdown #244: Add A Doodle

It's Tuesday again, friends! And that means another week of crafting fun with the Tuesday Throwdown gang. The theme of our challenge this week is "Add A Doodle". Our sponsor is Doodle Pantry but you can use any stamps from your stash as long as you follow the theme.

Here's my card. I made a get well card for a friend who has been and (still is) battling a bug for the past 2 weeks! I'm using the pre-coloured image and patterned paper from the Everyday Jargon set, making it so easy and fun to churn out these cards. There are several themes to choose from.

Here's a close up. I fussy cut the little bugs and stuck them around the jar. With a blue marker, I doodled their buzz-paths and added doodle dots around the die cut frame.

Challenges:
Cards In Envy: When Nature Calls
Crafting From The Heart #59: AG
Craft Your Passion #261: AG
Digi Sketch: Animals
Cutie Pie #87: Layer It Up
Dream Valley #106: Things With Wings
Love To Scrap #53: A Stitch In Time
Whoopsi Daisy: Things With Wings


Thank you for stopping by today. Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Add A Doodle". 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, 18th May 2015. And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

Beijinhos!

Tuesday Throwdown #242: Get Well

It's Tuesday again, friends! And that means another week of crafting fun with the Tuesday Throwdown gang. The theme of our challenge this week is "Get Well". Our sponsor is Karleigh Sue Digis but you can use any stamps from your stash as long as you follow the theme.

For my get well card, I'm using the naughty little Love Sick Nurse, available form Karleigh Sue's etsy store. I'm keeping it simple with a few sequins and a some twine tied into a bow. Truth betold, the bow is there to cover an ink smudge! The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn's On the Mend clear stamps set.

Here's a close-up of the naughty nurse. I coloured her with Graph'It markers and, after a little fussy cutting, adhered her to the card.

Challenges:
2 Cute Ink Challenge #128: AG
Crafting From The Heart #57: AG
Simon Says Stamp Monday: AG
Craft Your Passion #259: AG
The Pink Elephant #296: AG

Supplies:

Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Get Well". 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,  4th May 2015. And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

Before I sign off, I just want to say that I am deeply moved by all your beautiful comments on my Farewell Rosie post yesterday. Thank you all so very much.

Beijinhos!

Speedy Recovery

Hello, friends! Spring is finally here... and about time too. I have a quick post today - a card for my mother in law who's feeling poorly. I'm hoping his card will cheer her up.

It's been ages since I inked up my Lawn Fawn stamps. This set is called On the Mend. I did some masking and stamping and simple colouring with Graph'It Markers. All the edge I sponged TH Distress Ink Cracked Pistachio - LOVE that colour. Finally, 3 teeny tiny clear bling to seal the deal.

To add shine and sparkle, the flowers and bugs got a few coats of Wink of Stella Clear and Glossy Accent.

Challenges:
Lawnscaping Challenge #102: Addicted To Distress
Addicted To Stamps #136: AG
Time Out #27: CAS
CASology #138: Blossom

Products used in this project:

That's all from me today. The sky is looking a little gloomy. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain. Thank you so much for stopping by and enjoy the Spring weekend... whatever the weather!

Beijinhos!

Feel Better

Hello, my friends. Just a quickie from me. I made this card for a friend who's under the weather.The plan was to make a simple card but then I was possessed by the spirit of anti-CAS. I fought back, spun my head and hurled out pea-soup ... alas! All in vain.  My card looks like this:

I started by sponging the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass in the top half and Tea Dye in the bottom. The flowers and leaves are stamps and dies by Clearly Besotted. I adhered the design piece on a stripy panel which I made by stamping Diagonal Stripes with Tea Dye ink on kraft card.

You can see in the close-up below that I did some inlay die-cutting for the 3 pink flowers. The purple flowers an the leaves are all die-cut and adhered on the card.  To finish and put little dots if Liquid Pearls all over. So much for doing CAS! :) And to think I was inspired by Happy Little Stampers March CAS challenge where Sponging in the theme this month!

Challenges:
Happy Little Stamper March Sketch
The Shabby Tea Room #247: Pop Of Pink
Eureka Stamps #131: AG
Craft Your Passion #252: AG
Crafting From The Heart #50: AG
Bunny Zoe's Crafts March: Spring Colours
Through The Craft Room Mar 10: AG

Products used to make this card:

Thank you so much for stopping by. We're expecting a beautiful day today - blue sky, sun shine, birds singing and all that. I love March, don't you? Hope you're having a fab day too.

Beijinhos!

Tuesday Throwdown #213: Bows And Butterflies

Good morning, friends! As promised yesterday, I bring you a non-Christmas card... finally! This is my offering for this week's Tuesday Throwdown - the theme: Bows an Butterflies. Our sponsor for this challenge is the über talented Deedee Anderson of Deedee's Digis. Her online store is jam packed with the most  adorable digis.

I picked the "Loads of Love" sheet for my project. This image reminds me of those times when we need to put on our big girl panties and deal with it!

The floral paper is from the Spring Feast 8x8 pad by First Edition. I tied some twine and let
loose a few butterflies by Clearly Besotted. The sentiment is from Deedee's Loads Of Love sheet. 

I just had to stamp those butterflies on the inside too.

The bloomers are getting an airing at these challenges:

Stamps + Fun = Creativity #216: Butterflies

Love To Scrap #38: AG

Eureka Stamps #105: Use Floral

Digi Makeover #158: CAS

Craft y Bloggers Network September: AG

Crafting From The Heart #36: AG

Inkspirational #65: Word Prompt - Flight

Now it's your turn to create a project based on this week's theme: "Bows and Butterflies". 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 PST / 11pm GMT by Monday, September 22nd. And the most important requirement: Have Fun!

Thanks for stopping by today and I wish y'all a beautiful Tuesday.

Beijinhos!

Chocolate Baroque July Release: Harlequin Fragments

Hello, my crafty comrades!  Today I have 3 cards to share with you, featuring stamps from Chocolate Baroque's brand new Harlequin Fragments A4 sheet. You can see the original post on Chocolate Baroque's Design Team blog. Here, I will detail the inks, markers and other materials used in these projects.

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My first card is a bright and cheerful number. I started by inking the background TH Distress Inks in Mustard Seed and Squeezed Lemonade. Then I fashioned the border by repeat stamping around the card with TH Rusty Hinge. Next I stamped the feathery backdrop with TH Salty Ocean. The end result is an image in turquoise green - perfect for the fussy cut peacock from the Indian Textiles A5 sheet. I stamped the bird with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured it with Promarkers. The greeting is from Birthday Words A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx.

On the inside is another sentiment from the from Birthday Words A5 sheet.

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My second project is all about the tranquil blue waters. Here I'm using a stamp from the Harlequin Fragments A4 sheet to create bubbles and foam by stamping first in blue using VersaMagic Sea Breeze and again in white using VersaMagic Cloud White .

The supporting cast - clouds and gulls - are from Seashore Scenes A5 sheet and Seashell Collage A5 sheet respectively. I coloured the birds and wood stumps using Graph'It alcohol markers: 9400, 9401, 9402, 3160, 3180, 3245, 3250. That lovely sentiment is from Words Of Comfort And Cheer A4 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Smokey Grey.

Here's the inside ... all stamped with VersaFine Smokey Grey.

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My final project for today is an easy peasy birthday card, created with the help of the pile of fussy cut pressies from A Gift Of Christmas A4 sheet. First I prepared the background with warm pink in warm pink by blending TH Distress Inks Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose. Next I stamped the harlequin stamp from Harlequin Fragments A4 sheet with TH Crushed Velvet. Then I coloured the presents with Graph'It alcohol markers and adhered it to the background. The sentiments is from Birthday Words A5 sheet, stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx.

On the inside - another go at the Birthday Words A5 sheet and VersaFine Black Onyx.

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Thank you for stopping by today. Hope to see you tomorrow for a little Christmas show and tell! Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Beijinhos!

Killer Curry!!!

Hello my friends. Just a quick swing-by to show you a get-well card I made late last night. The colouring is quite hurried but I had to have it done quickly to take on a hospital visit this evening.

My friend was dragged to the ER late last night by her husband for what she dismissed as a severe case of heart-burn after a particularly potent curry dinner. As it turned out she was having a heart attack and was admitted immediately. She spent the rest of the night hooked up to various machines, and very likely to be so for the rest of the week. It's serious, of course, I cannot help but laugh at the irony of the last thing she said to me yesterday afternoon: "We're having a killer curry for dinner tonight"! I bet she'll have plenty to say about that when I see her. LOL.

Here's the get-well card. I'm playing with Chocolate Baroque's new April release stamps ... so versatile!

I made my own background paper by using a couple of stamps from Chocolate Baroque's
Oriental Florals - A Thing Of Beauty. I used TH's Tattered Rose and Peeled Paint on cream CS.
The sentiment is from CB's Words of Comfort and Cheer stamped with VersaMagic Jumbo Java.
The star of this card is CB's brand new Springtime Edges. Gorgeous row of spring blooms!

Here's a close-up of the flowers. They are primulas and I know that is NOT their natural
colour. But hey, my house my rules! LOL. Besides, I wanted to give her a bunch of peppy
flowers ... so bright pink they shall be! I used Caran d'Ache Suprasoft pencils.

Here's the inside: I stamped the primulas with TH's Tattered Rose to make a border.

Sending my blooms to these challenges:

A Song in Your Heart #4: Everything Grows

Divas By Design: AG - and they're having a Birthday Blog Hop too!

Word Art Wednesday #126: AG + Uplifting Sentiment 

Crafty Girls Challenge #4: AG

Crafting By Design April: AG

4 Crafty Chicks #188: Colour A Stamped Image

That's it from me for today. Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to see my friend. We've had news that she's doing really well and it was just a minor attack. There will be much laughter about the events that lead to her internment, for sure.  I'm glad she listened to her husband and allowed him to cart her off to the hospital where she got the attention she needed and tragedy was averted. There's a lesson in there for all of us.

I doubt if I would have gone to the doctor so willingly. Perhaps I should listen to my husband more often... nah! What a boring marriage that would be!

Beijinhos!

Eclectic Ellapu: Sequins, Gems ... Sparkle!

Good day, fellow crafters! It's challenge time over at Eclectic Ellapu and the Purple Team is in charge this week. Our hostess this week is Chris the theme is "Sequins, Gems ... Sparkle". Just think of the possibilities!

I made a card for our friend who was is now home from an extended stay in hospital following a hiking accident. We are all in agreement that when the weather is bad the best place to be is at home, preferably under the covers! Hopefully this Get Well / Thinking of You card will lift her spirits.

No patterned papers and keeping it simple  This lovely border from
Chocolate Baroque's Indian Textiles is taking centre stage. I don't have
any sequins so I'm going to town with gems in red, green and gold.

Here's a close-up of the textile border. I applied 3 rows of TH Distress Ink:
Barn Door, Rusty Hinge and Peeled Paint. And then I stamped the border over
these row, this time with VersaFine Black Onyx. Then I adhered this panel to
the card base with some foam tape. To finish some sheer orange
ribbon tied in a bow. 

The sentiment is from Chocolate Baroque's Words of Comfort and Cheer,
stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx.
 

On the inside I stamped another sentiment from Words of Comfort and Cheer
and a little border accent from Indian Textiles. I inked the edges with a little
TH Rusty Hinge.

I'm playing along with:

Make It Monday #180: AG
Word Art Wednesday #120: AG Encouraging or Uplifting
The Squirrel and The Fox #64: Something Spooled - ribbon 
Pile It On #8: Thinking of You
Amusing Challenge #5: AG, No Digi
Dynamic  Duo #91: Triple Treat Colours
Avenue 613 #60: AG Optional Twist: Use Your Country's Colours - Portugal: red, green, gold 


Now it's your turn to create a project using sequins, bling or sparkle. Link it up to the Eclectic Ellapu Challenge Blog by midnight (GMT) on 1 March. I hope you have fun with this challenge.. I sure did!

Thanks for stopping by today and I wish you all a blessed Sunday. (We're heading into the last week in February! Can you believe that?!)

Beijinhos!

Thinking Of You

Good morning, my friends! I'm kicking off my first Monday of the month with a sunny card. As I write this post its pitch dark outside and the weather man is eagerly pronouncing that the day will be bitterly cold and the sky miserably unforgiving. Oh well, as the song goes.... it's another day in paradise!

I made this card last Friday for a dear friend, a very special lady, who is having a hard time with her health. With the weather being the way it is all over the country (quite unusual for the southern part where she lives), I thought I'd send her some sunshine... and to tell her that we are thinking of her. And praying for her.

The background is embossed with the Swiss Dots folder. I made a frame for the
greeting with SB's Oval and Lacey Oval dies. The blooms are from Clearly
Besotted's Fancy Florals set, stamped with Versacolor Marigold, Memento
Canatloupe and Versacolor Tropical Green.

The greeting is from Clearly Besotted's Many Messages, stamped with
Versacolor Black Onyx. For embellishments, I used a button and some bling. 

A little peek inside.

I'm also playing along with these challenges. Join me?

Just Add Ink #200: Photo Inspiration
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #14: Flowers
CAS-ual Friday #127: Over The Edge
Totally Gorjuss #221: Sunny Colours

Paper Crafting Journey: Emboss That

Must dash ... it's Monday! I'll be back later today (hopefully) with my Mojo Monday offering. Until then, have a warm, dry and productive start to the week. Thanks for stopping by!

Beijinhos!

Brighter Days

Hello, my friends! Just popping in to share with you a card I made for someone dear to us. She could do with some cheering up. Given the wet couple of days we've been having, I could do with some cheering up too. It's a perfect day for a warm sticky bun and hot coffee!

Here's my simple card. It's not CAS, I know. But it's a lot simpler than my usual production, wouldn't you agree?

I made 5" square card, with a little strip of paper from Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness pad. For the lace edge I used Woodware punch. The umbrella and sentiment are from Clearly Besotted's April Showers set. 

Here's a close-up of the umbrella, stamped with Memento Bamboo Leaves, Cantaloupe and Danube Blue and cut with Clearly Besotted's coordinating April Shower die. For layering I used Spellbinders Circle and Scalloped Circle dies.

For the inside, I flung the umbrella down. She won't be needing it on bright sunny days! 

A few challenges for this card:
Inkspirational Challenges #39 - sketch
Color Throwdown #261 - colours
Sister Act Card Challenge #26 "Anything Goes"
365 Cards Day 270 "Keep It Simple"
Totally Papercrafts #186 "Stitching On Card"
Drunken Stampers #143 "Die-Cuts"
4 Crafty Chicks "Bingo" - Embossing - Sentiment - Lace
Crafts 4 Eternity #143 "Anything Goes"
Make It Monday #159 "Anything Goes"

That's all from me today. Thanks for stopping by and I hope
the sun is shining where you are. Take care my friends!

Beijinhos!