Hubby's 50th Birthday Ho Hum!

I can't believe my husband sometimes!

Today was his 50th birthday, so as he gets up for work so much earlier than I need to get up, I left his birthday card on the table in his place, so he'd see it first up. When he phoned later, I asked him how he liked his card. "Whaa???" was his reply. He'd just simply pushed it aside this morning without even giving it a look! ARGHHH!

Then as part of dinner, after he'd unwrapped his presents, etc, I had a cheesecake for his birthday cake (as he doesn't like sponge cake much and I'd gone to the Cheesecake Shop to especially buy his favourite as well as a special 50th candle). Anyway, while I was finishing my dinner, he got up and got himself a yoghurt for his dessert. "But what about your cake?" I asked.   "Oh, I'm too full to eat anything more now." ARGHHH! ARGHHH!

Why do I try?

The card was based (strongly) on a card by Biggan I've pinned on my Pinterest board. Since I had no ideas - it was great to browse through ideas I had selected and choose one that I felt was right. What is it called when you pay homage to a fellow crafter by copying their work - but also remembering to acknowledge where it came from? I know "scraplift" is used for scrapbookers, but is there a specific term for cardmakers as well?

Anyway, bye for now.
Janelle

Scrapbook Boutique Challenge instead

Last night I was too late for this week's Muse Challenge, so I have decided to enter my card into this month's Scrapbook Boutique Challenge instead, as it fits into its criteria as well.

The Scrapbook Boutique stimulus photos always make my mouth water, and this month was no different. Such a pretty collection of colours! The blue, pink and cream (or in my case, yellow) flowers match in with my card. The dots on the cakes are reflected by the rhinestones.

Anyway, I'm off to make my husband's 50th birthday card - no ideas yet!

Bye for now,
Janelle

Muse Challenge #14 - late again!

Another quick post today with an entry into the Muse Challenge for this week.  However I've just missed it by 1 minute. Nothing like leaving things to the last moment! Shame on me!

The card of inspiration was created by Virginia Lu and was such a fresh and vibrant card that I just wanted to create something similar. So while I've used the same sketch, colours and flower motif, I think that my card still looks individual as I've also added the ribbon and bow, as well as the diamantes around the masked circle.

I used a number of stamp sets including Annabelle Stamps Daisy Delight and Designer Flower sets, and Marianne Design Collectables.

Anyway, that's all for now.
Janelle

Fusion #4 Challenge

Just a quick post to submit a card for this week's Fusion Challenge.

I decided to use a paper pack I've had for a little while from Kaisercraft Called Flora Delight. I also decided that I would do a combo of the two challenges - a FUSION of design!

I used the lavender rhinestones to add dimension to the design and also reinforce the circular designs from the sketch. The sentiment was from a Hero Arts stamp set. I love Kaisercraft paper pads as they have nearly everything you need for a complete card. I did originally use on of the sentiment panels from the book, but mucked it up when I tried to shift it, so had to create one of my own to match.

Anyway, must go.

Janelle

Oops ... too late for Fusion #3 Challenge

I was too late to submit this card to the Fusion #3 Challenge this week, but I thought I'd post it here anyway.

I made this card for a great niece's first birthday (which was today) and only used Jackie's sketch. I flipped the sketch vertically and sort of rotated it so the numeral 1 became the sentiment and the raccoon was instead of the flower. The ribbon was used instead of the flourish.

The numeral was a cardboard die cut that I covered with a piece of double-sided adhesive sheet and then coated the top side with gold glitter. This worked well as the glitter didn't want to fall off and spread everywhere once I burnished the piece with my finger and rubbed the glitter onto the sticky sheet.

The raccoon was coloured in using Copic markers and I'm looking forward to a copic colouring class that I'm doing at Photo Continental on the 11th May. I'm more looking forward to the classes I've already booked at the Papercraft Expo in Brisbane during the Queen's Birthday long weekend. I'm going one day with a friend and another day by myself to do two more classes. Yay! Can't wait!

Before I go, I wanted to let you all know that I've now got a Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/ellenajg/cardmaking-ideas-and-techniques/ . Join me there to share some of my fave card designs, ideas and sketches.

Bye for now,

Janelle

P.S. I hope everyone in Australia had a memorable ANZAC Day today. It's especially important to remember those who have fought for our freedom and safety over the years. God Bless You All.

Happy Birthday my beautiful boy!

Saturday was my son Alex's 10th birthday. I made him the following card to celebrate.

Alex has been doing karate for a year now and when I saw this stamp from La-La Land, I knew I had to do a card with it for him. Alex was especially happy that I'd coloured the karate belt orange, which matches his real-life belt. I coloured it to sort of match Alex's colouring as well.  

The peel-offs are some stunning glitter star dazzles  and silver sentiment dazzles from HOTP, and inside I stuck some other peel-offs from Anita's that said "Happy 10th Birthday" and had ten candles making a border across the bottom.

I also made another card, that is for my 5 year-old great nephew, Kylan.

I copied the design from a card by Therese Calvird (only hers was better, I'm afraid to say). I was also practicing my Distress Markers colouring at the time, but it didn't work too well on the paper I chose - "but waste not want not" - I don't think a five yo will care! The dots scattered around are multi glitter glue, and look much nicer if real-life.

I've been "missing due to inaction" this past two weeks as I've been trying to get my craft room finally sorted as well as completing a commission for Australian Papercraft Essentials. Hopefully I'll be able to get some challenges completed and posted.

Bye for now,

Janelle

New Card Challenge site - take a look!

I've found a new card challenge site. 

This one is co-designed by Lesley Croghan and Jackie Rockwell, the genius behind the amazing Muse site. 

It's called Fusion Card Challenge and is another blog where card makers are set challenges to design cards and then the cardmakers themselves vote to determine the best.

It's quirky as the site is set up like a science experiment, with the scientists (site designers), the experiment (rules for play), a hypothesis (this week's challenge) and the findings (the results).

This week's challenge looks great, but I'll have to come back later with a card.

Anyway, I just wanted to share the "goods".

Bye for now,
Janelle

A Number of Challenges (and sorry my photos are skewy today)

I've managed to make another couple of cards this week, instead of finishing off my craft room renovation. (Such as it is) 

The first card is for the Annabelle Stamps Colour Challenge. This time I had to use the colours of licorice and white. (Some would debate if they are in fact colours???)

I heat embossed the swirls with white EP using a couple of stamps from Autumn Leaves. Adding the ribbon, lace, flowers and pearls completed the look. 

I found the black monochromatic paper while I was sorting through my stash to move into my new wall unit in the craft room and decided it would be perfect for this challenge.

The black flower started as a white daisy from Prima that I inked with Kaisercraft slate ink and then sprayed with Graphite Glimmer Mist which has given it that lovely sparkle that you can see if you look hard enough at the photo. The white bloom (and it is totally white - something has made it look tinted in the photo) is from Kaisercraft as are the pearls. The lace is from Bella!.

My second card is for the Muse Challenge #12. This week's card was inspired by the design by  Therese Calvird, who happens to be one of my favourite card designers.

I copied her design by using the same layout, stamp ideas and similar colours. She is so good at CAS that I can't do better. You know the saying, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

As soon as I saw her card I wanted to use my set of Harvest Berries from Papertrey Ink that I've had for a while and not used much. The sentiment is much larger than the simple one Therese used, but I think it still looks balanced in the design. What do you think?

The leaves were stamped in VersaColor Bamboo ink and then highlighted with Crushed Olive Distress Marker. I assembled the flower from some lavender paper flowers from Kaisercraft (you know the single flat ones), that I sprayed with Rum Raisin Glimmer Mist, scrunched up, let dry and then assembled with the rhinestone brad.

I used a pale lime coloured card blank instead of the white that Therese used. The main reason for this is because I have a card blank set from DCWV and not as much white cardstock. Sorting through all of my stash has made me see that I have way too much cardstock and patterned papers. Maybe I'll have to take some to my Mum's retirement village for the ladies there to use.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Janelle

Muse Challenge #11 - embossing overload!

Here is my latest offering to the Muse of Creativity! 

 Here is the inspiration card designed by Laurie Willison, which is very fresh and modern. I especially like the raised layer with the die cut aperture - great focal point for the sentiment. I also liked the colours used, which I have somewhat reflected in my card.

I was actually trying out a new technique with embossing and heat embossing when I made a mistake (not at all what I was after), but rather than toss the image, I decided to incorporate it into my Muse Challenge card because I liked how the embossing from the embossing folder shows up so super well when totally embossed with white EP. So rather than have the focus on the raised tag, like in Laurie's card, I turned the focus onto the background and the stamped and heat embossed sentiment.

I also used flowers made using the FabScraps Paper Flowers pad and a white one I heat embossed with EP. This was to co-ordinate with the floral embossing on the background. So while I based my card on Laurie's, I have to admit, mine is a more traditional take on the format.

I also have to boast about being published again in Cardmaking in Easy Steps (Issue 9).

This issue featured a selection of floral die cuts, papers and stamps and I made 15 cards from the kit provided. Lots of fun!

Anyway I'm off now to wash up the dinner dishes, so bye for now.

Janelle