Butterfly Paper Happy Birthday Card

Just a nice quick Happy Birthday card to go with the yellow flowers I bought.

Butterflies, a Happy Birthday sentiment using the free version of Rosewood STD Regular Font and a lovely bow. I think the beautiful deep colour and generous size of the bow adds a real richness to the card. I think maybe, I should have sponged and edged the card... maybe next time.

The gold flower is punched from gold card with a gem centre and some gold cord to finish it off. Apologies for the poor focus on the photo... must have been off dancing with the butterflies!

A Little Something For You Notebook & Pen Set

This sweet little notebook set is made with a cover of pink glimmer card and a strip of purple punched card along the bottom of the cover (Martha Stewart Doily Punch). I added a chipboard flower on the front of the notebook, then a sheet of white card in the packet as a backing.

The white card was cuttlebugged with Swiss Dots. I added a small pen sitting on top of the notebook. The topper is made with a Nellie Snellen oval die (love Nellie Snellen dies) and the sentiment stamp is from Stampin Up.

New Birthday Sundaes Challenge Blog

I've found that most people like birthday cards which actually say "Happy Birthday" or similar, as opposed to no sentiment. So I sometimes find it difficult to come up with new variations on the theme with just the same few birthday sentiment stamps I own. I'm hoping the new Birthday Sundaes Challenge Blog (starts March 20th) will give me some new ideas and also "stretch" me a bit with trying new techniques.

Apparently, more birthday cards are sold in stores than any other type of cards. And I'm finding when friends ask me to make cards, birthday cards are among the most popular, so the Birthday Sundaes Challenge Blog seems like a great idea.

From the site

Birthday Sundaes is a weekly challenge blog beginning March 20, 2011.  The goal of Birthday Sundaes is to build up those birthday card stashes!  I just love to make birthday cards and hope you do too! Types of challenges Birthday Sundaes will be hosting are color, supply, recipe, inspiration & technique challenges incorporated into birthday themed cards.

If birthday cards are up your alley, I noticed they're having a DT call as well. 

You Are Sew Fabulous Card

This card is made with a digital image from the amazingly talented and generous Sharon at Steady On. Love the buttons with all the different patterns.

I added a sentiment from the equally talented and generous Paulette at Create With TLC to the digital image and printed it onto cream paper. A few real buttons and a faux stitched border matted onto black card finish it off. I think it will be a good card to give a friend who likes sewing.

I'd love to try real stitching on cards as it looks so effective on cards I've seen... an adventure for another day, perhaps.

English Rose Elegance - 5 Happy Birthday Cards

The English Rose Paper is from Kaisercraft. The shaped tags on some of the cards are Journal Tags from the same range. I was able to indulge my love of vintage and pearls with these papers - quite the shabby chic look, I think. On the last card, I added real lace (as opposed to paper lace), something I haven't tried before.

Love the little butterfly perching on the tag in the third card. Thanks Amy for the butterfly punch. I'll be using it a lot.

Heart Cards Say Thank You - Australian Floods

Have you heard of the horrendous floods which recently deluged Australia? In the state of Queensland, 75% of the state was affected. This is equivalent to twice the size of Texas or France and Germany put together. Victoria and New South Wales were also hit by flooding. Loss of life, property and livelihoods was devastating.

Help, donations and messages of support from fellow Aussies and from people all over the world has been amazing. Now one Aussie card maker has come up with a unique idea to help those affected say "Thank You" to the generous souls who have rallied to assist.  

Simple. Make Thank You cards and send it to her for distribution. What a grand idea... the Power of One.

From The Heart Cards Site

• "HEART CARDS" is a project to give communities that have been affected by devastating events, such as natural disasters; and community groups, a way to say "Thank You" to those who have helped them out in times of need.
  
  
• Paper-crafters are asked to make packs of 10 thank you cards or blank cards that will be given to communities and groups.
  
  
• "HEART CARDS" will be an ongoing project to create hand made cards for those families who have lost so much.
  
  
• Please keep checking back here on our blog to keep up-to-date with our latest card drives.
  
  
• Thank you for your interest and for taking part in this VERY worthwhile cause.

Even if  you can't help, I thought you might like to know about this project which reflects the supportive and caring nature of our wonderful papercrafting community. For more, head to the Heart Cards site.

Update February 5th:
Since my original post above, a severe cyclone (hurricane) has hit Queensland - lots more hearthbreak. In some cases, whole towns have been virtually wiped out with houses reduced to matchsticks. Plus more terrible floods and bushfires have hit Victoria and now bushfires and homes lost in Western Australia.

Just 2 Cards - Just Experimenting

Just 2 cards where I've been trying out new techniques. Apologies for washed out photos, (also discovered it doesn't help to photograph them on a black background).  The first one I've been playing around with distress inks and background stamping... actually looks quite nice and so much cleaner and brighter in "real life".The Japnese Girl is a Sparkle n Sprinkle stamp and the background stamps are from Kaisercraft.

I love the House Mouse Amanada Writes stamp, so matched it with a Happy Birthday sentiment stamp and layered partial cuts with the Martha Stewart doily punch.

In the absence of great photography skills, I'm wondering if I  need a light box to take more consistent photos, so as not to be at the mercy of the weather and variable light. I went to the camera shop to ask about it. He said forget photos. Scan instead.

Any thoughts on lightboxes, photo tips or whether it's best to scan? What works best for you?

Looking For Nestie Friendly Stamps?

Looking For Nestie Friendly stamps?

I've just updated my October 2010 listing for Nestie Friendly stamps. I've also included some Nestie Friendly Digital Stamps I came across. Go to the orignal post to check it out.

Do you know of any others to add to the list?
I love the concept of Nestie Friendly stamps, so will be continuing to update the list as I come across more. 

Please feel free to leave a link in the comments to either new additions, or to your own creations using Nestie Friendly stamps (clear, rubber or digital)

Credit: Image is from Whimsy Stamps - Digital Dressed Up Shapes from Raindrop Echo

Friendship Card Plus An Innovative Card Idea For Charity

I've been experimenting with using doilies on my handmade cards. The sentiment on this card says
Friendship is what binds the world together in peace.

For Christmas I received  a wonderful card from my sister - not handmade, but amazing all the same. It was a card saying a donation had been made in my name to help a woman start a small business in Sri Lanka in the wake of the Tsunami and Civil War.

This is through an Oxfam initiative offering other great gift card ideas for sponsoring a bicycle ambulance, clean running water, chickens etc. Best of all, these cards can be given all year round. Great to see imagination, creativity and reaching out all come together.

And I love the idea of a card. Like our handmade cards, there's a sense of connection and something special in a card picked out especially for you.  Wishing you all everything wonderful for 2011.

Distress Style Christmas Card With Fancy Folds Flower

Tim Holtz Inspired
This is a Christmas card I made for a friend who likes the distressed look. The background is a blend of Tim Holtz Shabby Shutters distress inks onto white card, and a touch of Tea Dye distress ink overlaid in parts. I usually use a blending tool, but sponged the background this time, and quite like the effect. I still started from the edges as Tim shows, and find that works well.

I also sponged the edges of the flower with distress ink to make it stand out from the background. The background stamps are from Kaisercraft and the sentiment is a Verve stamp and I think they fit the Tim Holtz style as well.

The flower is basically 9 punched circles fancy folded then arranged  in a circle. I used a 1.5 inch scallop punch. The holly is cut from Designer paper with Glossy Accents on the 3 holly berries.

Fancy Folds
I saw the folds for the flowers in a book called Fabulous Folds For Card Making by Tanya Fox. Lisa Silver was the designer for the card that inspired mine. You can see her Happy Day card using this flower at her blog. I think hers is very effective with the 2 contrasting colours and the brad, so this flower fold is very versatile for all card styles.

Challenges
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Lord Tim Holtz technique
2 Sisters Challenge - Christmas

Gift Bag & Notecards Set

This is a little gift I made for a friend - a mini bag and 4 notecards. The bag is a variation of a Bagalope. There are numerous tutorials online for a Bagalope - a bag made from an envelope. The one I started with is a video from Dawn's Stamping Thoughts - a very talented lady.

I just varied it using Bazzill Black Swiss Dots instead of an envelope plus designer paper and ribbon to finish it off . The tag says "A Little Something For You" (Stampin Up) and cut with a Nellie Snellen Oval die.

The notecards are very simple layers prettied up with the Fiskars Threading Water Punch. The edges of the cuttlebugged (Birds & Swirls) white card are sponged lightly with pink stamp ink.  The base layer is black Swiss Dots, the same as the bag.

If you try this the only issue I had was that the folded card is hard to keep together underneath the bag as it wants to spring back. Next time I would add some strengthening pieces, but I'm happy with it for a first effort.

Do you have any fave gift bag designs you can recommend or point me to? I'm ready to try a few more now that I've dipped my toe in the water.

New Year Blogaversary Giveaway

Erika at Taylord Concepts is having an amazingly generous crafty blogaversary giveaway valued at $900 in the new year. To share the goodness around, there will be multiple winners sharing the prizes.

Not all the giveaway items are pictured here. These are just 2 pics of many you can see at Erika's blog of all the items in the giveway. The little dresses above are alterables and the second pic is an assortment of crafty goodness. Check out the amazing ribbon organizer too... love it. Thanks for your generosity, Erika.

Head on over to Taylord Concepts for all the details. Closes January 5th. While you're there, check out Erika's blog... one very talented lady.

May Your Day Be Filled With Beauty And Love... And Ribbon... And Cards

I have discovered a new (to me) challenge blog - The Ribbon Girl. How could I resist a challenge for the gorgeous colours of pink, lilac and white? I even managed to included some ribbon too.

I love the quote on this card  - May Your Day Be Filled With Beauty and Love and that is what I wish all of you. I look forward to your visits and appreciate your generous support. Thank you for the time you take to visit and comment.

Check out the challenge post at The Ribbon Girl to see all the beautiful DT samples. Lilac, pink and white is such a lovely colour palette. Closes December 14th.

Vintage Angel Christmas Card With Butterfly

Here is one of the first Christmas cards I've made this Christmas season.

The edges of the base card are brushed with Tea Dye Distress Ink and also the main image and edges and here and there. I do love distress inks. The image is layered onto gold card. I like the image - quite peaceful and reflective.

The image is from the very generous and talented Elisa at Digital Designs by Elisa. Explore the site and her shop. This image was free but prices at her shop are very reasonable.

The Seasons Greetings sentiment is done with a Cuttlebug folder onto bronze card. The butterfly is 3 stamped layers with Twinkling H20's on the wings.

Challenge:
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Distress Inks - Closes November 28th

Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted - Card

The sentiment says

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted (John Lennon)... a great sentiment for papercrafters.

This is a free digital stamp from Beccy's Place which I've coloured with Twinkling H2O's and layered using the Martha Stewart doily punch on the edges. I've added a cute yellow flower to the flowerpot.

Vintage Bird On Glimmer Card - A Little Bird Told Me

Here's a card I was quite happy with. It's on glimmery pink card. The sentiment is a computer generated font. I'm starting to see different ways to use the doilies, so am experimenting with that at the moment. And which punch would you use with a doily? Martha Stewart's doily lace punch of course - mainly because I don't own any others yet. ;)

I quite like using this larger square format... sort of a bigger "canvas" to work on.

Sweet Friend Party Girl Card

I've been experimenting with paper piecing. The stamp is a digi from Sassy Studio designs and the Sweet Friend sentiment stamp is from the gorgeous Flourishes Apple of My Eye set. I distressed the card after cuttelbugging with Divine Swirls. I added some gorgeous bling and Kaisercraft flowers for a finishing touch.

I used the Nestabilities Labels 4 die for the main image and a smaller version for the Sweet Friend sentiment. I also used my Martha Stewart doily punch for the borders and added some red ribbon.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Punch 'Em (Punches & Dies)
Flourishes - Anything But Buttons & Bows

Calling All Australian Cardmakers - Can You Help In Any Way?

Can You Help?
CURRENT CARD TALLY = 848
CARDS TO MEET TARGET= 152
 
Tracey Hanshaw has been keeping me posted on progress for this amazing initiative to provide handmade Christmas cards for troops overseas to post home to loved ones. Currently, there are 3 700 Aussie armed forces personnel in peace keeping missions throughout the world.

Appreciated By The Troops
Last year there was so much positive feedback from personnel. They really appreciated that people back home were thinking of them. And that crafters would go to so much trouble for people they didn't know. It's wonderful for these men and women to be able to send a special handmade Christmas card to someone back home, when apart from loved ones at Christmas.

Tracey says  

Just thought I would let you know with 3 weeks to go, we now have as at today, I have collected 858 cards, I know that Karen has collected another 200 odd down there in Sydney, and I know that one of my girls has another 250 with her and we still have two big days scheduled in.  

Tracey also says there are some still to come in and not counted/confirmed, so the total is likely to be much higher.

CURRENT CARD TALLY = 848
CARDS TO MEET TARGET= 152

How You Can Help (even if you're not an Aussie)

• Spread The Word in forums, blogs, in your local card groups and with friends
• Contact Tracey to find out where to send spare handmade Christmas cards you have around
• Get together with friends and have a cardmaking day for the cause
• October 26th - If you live in the Maitland, NSW area, you're invited to come along to Tracey's making cards for the trooops day

More details, including contact details can be found at Tracey's Stampin Up Blog or Karen's Paper Lady. Thanks ladies for co-ordinating such an amazing initiative.

Michelle Philippi's In The Bag Giveaway

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas with all the generous crafters emptying out their goodie bags,. Or in the case of Michelle Philippi, a super goodie box.

Check out the fab gift bags Michelle has made... so creative and inspirational. And she's giving away not a bag of goodies, but a box of goodies ... too many to fit in a bag... so generous! And the range of goodies  is amazing. I"m just dabbling in mini books, so noticed those right away, plus stamps, ribbons, brads, paper, diecuts and more.

Head on over to Michelle's site to find out all the details and while you're there, take a look around her fab site.

Shabby Chic Quilted Heart Card

Another square card. I quite like this size and shape... a bigger "canvas" to experiment with. I like the  shabby chic or vintage look of the quilted heart (papers from a craft magazine). I've added a button and embroidery thread.

The sentiment is on an oval using a Nellie Snellen Multi die. It's been a rainy day here, so again, I apologise for the photo quality due to poor light.

Does anyone have a reasonably priced source for envelopes for square cards?