Friday, January 31, 2014

A New Year

Hello Friends!  Today marks the first day of the lunar calendar, and here's wishing all my Chinese friends A Happy New Year!!  I had a great time with my friends last night and the celebration continues for the next 15 days... not exactly, but there'll be lots of lunches and dinners with friends.  That's how the Asians celebrate - there's always lots of food.

Last night I was thinking I should make a card with an attitude for today's Unity FWF.  I just love how fun this image is ( Jo {Fashionista}) - she is such a spunky girl.  I picked the lovely quote by Helen Keller (Itty Bitty Poppy Bundle) to go with it.  Love the sentiment and the message behind it.  I guess we shouldn't let the world dictate who we are, but to find ourselves and let our experiences in life change us for the better.

I wish you can see all the shimmer around the edges of the stamped image, from the distressing with Delicata gold ink pad.  The image was coloured with Copic Markers.

Here's a closer view of the sentiment:


I hope you'll have a great weekend, and I can't wait to see what you create.

Thanks for visiting me.
Kary

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Birthday Card Set


Happy Thursday!  Today we are sharing a set of 3 Birthday Cards using one set of Inspired Stamps.  I've decided to keep it simple with an Inspired Stamps greeting and some pretty papers.

The stamp set I used is 1.5" Circle Greetings - I love how easy it is to create with this set.  All you need is a 1.75" circle punch and some markers to add colour to the stamped image.

Here's my second card:

and, the third card:

This week is rather exciting and full for me, it's Chinese New Year tomorrow, and tonight it's tradition that families get together for a reunion dinner.  Since I'm away from the family, I'm celebrating with my friends. 

Before I go, just want to remind you to stop by the Inspired Stamps blog for more Birthday card ideas.

Happy New Year to my Chinese friends!
Kary

Friday, January 24, 2014

So Thoughtful of You

Hello Friends!  It's fun time once again with Unity FWF, and I rushed to make a card so I can play along.  I have been really looking forward to Friday, and the long weekend (it's Australia Day!).  I have a few new toys to play with :) namely one Kitchen Aid and new stamps. 

I used 3 stamp sets for this card, Hold Your Hand, Blossom by Blossom (sentiment) and A Bit of Insta-Frames.  The patterned papers are from October Afternoon and Crate Paper.  The girl image is coloured with Copic Markers.

It's really late at night here, and I have to keep this short to get ready for bed.

Have a fabulous weekend!
Kary

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Birthday Card

Hello, and Happy Monday!  Today is my not-so-little-anymore brother's birthday.  I wanted to make a really cool birthday card for him.  When he was young, he really loved his train set, so I thought it would be nice to create a card along that theme. 


I used one of my absolutely favourite set from Taylored Expressions All Aboard and the matching die Train Track Border.  The ticket image is from the set Life is a Circus. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches set Birthday Sampler.  The other supplies used are American Crafts - Amy Tangerine paper, clock face from Maya Road, Sunburst Wood Veneer from Studio Calico, and cardstock Hero Arts.

I hope you like the card :)

Have a good week!
Kary



Saturday, January 18, 2014

Stitched with Love

It tickles me to think of a Winter card when we are having such a hot Summer here.  The only stamp set other than Christmas in my stash which is suitable is Stitched for You.  No one knits in the summer, right?

This card is for the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge, to use a button on a winter card.  I must try and be more diligent to ink up my stamps.  I'm stocking them faster than I have been using them :)  Hopefully this weekend, I'll get to ink up a few more.

The image is coloured with copic markers.  For a little interest, I stamped the word Stitched and popped it up with foam adhesive at the bottom of the image.  The patterned papers are from Lily Bee Design and October Afternoon.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for visiting me.
Kary



Friday, January 17, 2014

How could I ask for More?

So very glad Friday is here again :)  I think I say this every Friday.  Feels great that it's end of the week, and time to join my friends in the Unity FWF post.  Plus, I am looking forward to make more cards over the weekend.  What about you?

My Friday Unity card is an older stamp set by PH - Just Breathe, I just can't get enough of PH stamps :)  They bring a smile every time, and they are great images to improve my colouring.

I am just going to do nothing this weekend, except make cards and read some books, and maybe bake a cake.  Hope you'll have a wonderful time too!

Take care!
Kary

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Inspired Stamps - Love

Hi, I hope your week has been good.  I'm finally getting well after 2 weeks of flu, so relieved.  Today's Inspired Stamps theme is Love.  I've decided to focus on Romans 8:28, a slightly different emphasis, perhaps.

I stamped the Scripture sentiment on vellum and heat embossed it.  The card is put together with some hearts die-cuts and little confetti hearts.

Lately, some friends of mine are facing some challenging times.  We talked about it, and though we don't fully understand the reasons why, we know that God is in control. We just have to trust him.  Some day, on hindsight, we may come to understand why some things were meant to happen.  But, even if we don't, it will be ok because we know God, and his unfailing love.

Let's pray that we will never lose faith no matter what life brings.

Please visit the Inspired Stamps blog for more inspiration from the Design Team.  Check out the sale too which is on right now at Inspired Stamps webstore:



Thank you for visiting me.
Kary

Monday, January 13, 2014

Have a Fabulous Birthday


I am new to JustRite Stamps, and this is probably my first card using their stamps.  The card was made for a friend's birthday, and I'm playing along with the JustRite Friday Challenge #112 - Colour Inspiration.


JRFC112 I used the set Grateful Heart Vintage Labels Two together with the Vintage Labels Two dies to create the card.  The flowers were coloured with Copic Markers.  I did some sewing just above the border die-cut and added some pearls to finish off the card.

I hope to play along regularly, so that I get a chance to ink up all my new stamps.

Thank you for visiting me.
Kary

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Happy Birthday

I'm always in need of birthday cards, and finally had a chance to sit down and make some this weekend.  I have not used my MFT stamps for sometime, they are "stocking" up and to ease my guilt, I have to start inking them.

My card follows the sketch MFTWSC158:
MFTWSC158 

I think this stamp set may be retired, but I adore the cute image (DG- I'm Raptor Round Your Finger).  I extended the hearts by the feet of the little 'Raptor' for some interest.  I had to keep the card pretty flat to be mailed out.  I used Copic Markers to colour the image (YG21, YG03, YG17, R24, R35, R39, E13, E01, E50, R20, E11, E23, N1, N0). I also used MFT dies : Blueprints 1 & Pierced Rectangle stax.  I used the rectangle stax for the stamped image, and adjusted it to fit the image.

It was fun to be able to play along this week.

Thanks for visiting me.
Kary





Friday, January 10, 2014

Just You and Me

It's Friday, and my very first Unity Friends with Flair post for the year!!  So very glad to be back and I will try harder to post every week.

I've had 2 wonderful weeks in Malaysia, and it was great to spend Christmas with my parents and a short trip to Cambodia.  Towards the end of the trip I caught a flu bug and had to start the year being sick :)

My sister had given me this beautiful border lace and the fabric flower which I think dressed up this card nicely.  I used the image from Stamp of the Week - Let Beauty Surround You, and coloured the girl's top to match the colour of the flower.  The sentiment is from the PH set And for a Moment.  Have you seen the new Phyllis Harris stamps?  I can't wait to get them :) So excited!

And, since I mentioned Cambodia, I'll share some pics from the trip.  I visited Siem Reap, well known for its amazing temples, one of which was the site where the movie Tomb Raider was filmed.  I had a great time, and really enjoyed the food as well as a peek into the lives of the locals.  It's a place I wouldn't mind going again...

This was the temple area where Tomb Raider was filmed. Look at that amazing tree growing on top of the temple!

A closer look at the temple

Amazing engineering, in the 12th century, man figured out how to distribute the weight away from the centre of the structure

Long corridor just outside the temple

View from the top of the highest temple in Angkor Wat

The guide told us this is the difficult climb to the temple, the height of the temple brings one closer to heaven.

Another temple view

The 4 smiling faces of buddha

This tree gleams in the sun, coppery and so beautiful

A visit to the waterfall on Mt Kulen

My favourite dessert in Cambodia - Chocolate Banana Pancake, absolutely delicious!!
Hope you enjoy the pics.

Have a great weekend!!
Kary

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Happy New Year with Inspired Stamps

Welcome to the January 2014 Inspired Stamps Release!  It's a fabulous release and a great start for the new year!

Today, I'm showcasing the new His Word stamp set - Antoinette has done a great job with this updated set.  It's a very versatile and useful set to have.

The set comes with the image of flowers in a vase, and I love that I can easily colour the flowers to match my card. The sentiment is also from the same stamp set.

Keeping this post really short so you can view all the wonderful samples the Design team has prepared for this release on the Inspired Stamps blog.  All the new releases will be available on the Inspired Stamps webstore Friday noon! :)

Thank you for visiting me.

Happy New Year!
Kary