Inspired Stamps Sneak Peek #3

Hello!  Welcome to the Inspired Stamps Sneak Peek #3.  Today, I'm so excited to share with you a card using Inspired Stamps' latest HLO Winter Boy.  I LOVE this little guy, and he will be on sale NOON time this Friday, together with all the other wonderful new sets.
Here's my card:

I tore two strips of white cardstock to create the snow landscape & inked the edges with Distress Ink Tumbled Glass.  The HLO Winter Boy was coloured with Copic markers (Cap - R32, R35, R37; Skin - E000, E02, E11, R21; Scarf- YG03, YG17; Outfit & shoes - B91, B93, B95, B99; Hair - Y21, Y26, Y38) & cut out and adhered to the cardbase with pop dots.  I added some glitter to the boy's scarf using a glue pen and fine glitter & attached a tiny bling to the centre of the snowflake he holds.  The tiny snowman in the background is from the 1" Snowmen set which goes so well with the scene created (Copics: Outfit - R22, B91; Nose - Y38).  The sentiment is from Winter Ruth set and the snowflakes from Let It Snow set. 

I hope you like the card.  Don't forget to visit Jenn and Amber to see their Amazing samples today and also the Inspired Stamps blog.

Hugs!

Gingerbread man mini cards

Over here at our home, Christmas is a really simple celebration.  My mum has donated our old tree to a church together with all the ornaments a few years ago, and we've never had a tree since.  I guess a miniature tree does not count ;)  The family is always together for Christmas and we'd go out to a local restaurant for Christmas dinner.  I'd probably bake a cake and some shortbread cookies, but that's it.  So, I've never had to make any place cards for the dinner table...well... maybe someday.

For this week's Waltzing Mouse Sketch challenge, I made little cards measuring 3.75x4" which could be used as a place card or a note card.  I've not put any sentiment on the cards so I could decide later how to use them, maybe on the presents.

Here's a close up pic:

I really love the Nordic Winter designs and how great the patterns look when stamped on a plain cardstock.  I stamped the background with Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink and the patterned paper is from Echo Park Christmas Dots & Stripes.  The Gingerbread man is from the set Candy Jar Christmas, another favourite set of mine.  The cards were based on this sketch:

Thanks for visiting me today.  Don't forget to comment along this week to win in my last week of Birthday Giveaway.

Have a great day!

Stamps : WMS Nordic Winter & Candy Jar Christmas
Paper : Echo Park Paper Christmas Dots & Stripes
Ink : Memento Rhubarb Stalk & Potter's Clay
Other : MFT Well Worn Greetings Die-namics, American Crafts Precision pen (black) 0.3, i-rock & lace.

Giveaway Week 5 & Winner!!

Hello Friends!  I can't believe we're at the last week of November, which means it's also the last week of my Birthday Giveaway.  Thank you so much for your kind & sweet comments the past few weeks - I can't tell you how fun it has been for me.  Be sure to visit me this whole week, as I'll have some exciting prizes for you.

But, first, I have a card to share.  This card was made for the MFT sketch challenge this week.  I think this Pure Innocence girl is one of my favourite Christmas stamps.  It's a little challenging to colour her esp with the candle, and I still need more practice.

And, here's another view:

So, here's the bit that everyone is waiting for - This week's Giveaway item is sponsored by Inspiration Emporium.  I am so amazed by the generosity of Joy Kennedy - I had ordered some products from IE's online store and when the order arrived I discovered an additional item sent in error.  I wrote to Joy and she suggested that I give it away on my blog.  So awesome!  For those of you who live outside the US, I would suggest you check out Inspiration Emporium as their overseas shipping is the BEST!  So, here's the prize for this week - Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles dies!!

The rule is really easy - be sure to comment on every post this week to qualify to win this set of dies.  As per the previous weeks, if the winner is a follower of my blog, there will be an additional prize.  I'll leave that as a surprise once again, but you're going to love it.

Thank you everyone who participated last week.  Random.org helped me picked a number from all comments from last week.  The winner for Week 3 giveaway is....

lisa arana!!

Woo-hoo, Congrats Lisa!!  You win the Inspired Stamps set!   I have emailed you and look forward to hear from you.

Thanks to some of you who wrote to me offering feedback and what you'd like to see.  I'll work on it and hopefully be able to do more next year.  December is a crazy month and so is January as we'll be celebrating Chinese New Year, and I guess it's the busiest time for my family.

Have a great week!

Stamp : My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Christmas Caroler

Paper : Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas

Ink : Distress Ink Ripe Persimmon, Memento Rich Cocoa

Other : MFT Die-namics Crown border, i-rock glam rocks, Spellbinders Labels 10, Stampendous Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, Scor-tape, seam binding

Copic Markers : Hair - Y26, Y11, YR23, Boots - R32, R35, R39, Skin - E000, E01, E11, Dress - shadows C1.

Unity Friends with Flair (25.11.2011)

Happy Friday!  I never realised that Black Friday is such a huge shopping day online (for me, anyway).  This is probably the first year I'm crazy shopping for craft supplies on bargains.  Hence, I didn't have much time to make a card, and a tag was all I managed to complete for the Unity FWF today.

The snowman on the tag is probably my favourite image in the latest Nov KOM - I wish there's snow right here so I can have a snowman just like him at my doorstep.  Wishful thinking, right?  He was coloured with Spica glitter pens (Red, Melon, Turquoise, Gold & Orange) and Copic markers (R32, R35, R81, R83, R00,YR00, Y00, BG000, G00, G02).

The tag was embossed with the Tim Holtz Woodgrain embossing folder, and sponged with Distress Inks Frayed Burlap, Evergreen Bough and Iced Spruce, and Perfect Pearls Gold for some shimmer.  The patterned paper is from Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas and the tissue tape is from Tim Holtz.

I'm also submitting this tag for the current Unity Let It Snow challenge, found here.

Happy Shopping, everyone, and have a Great weekend!!

p.s. Don't forget to check out my Giveaway post here, for your chance to win some stamps!

Forest Friends

Hi Friends! I can't believe how fast the week's gone.  This is a short post - I made this card for the Taylored Expressions challenge TESC150.  I just can't get enough of these cute forest cuties from Woodland Winter.

Taking this opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US!!  I pray that you will have a Wonderful time with your families and loved ones.  Just enjoy each other's company, and of course all the delicious food too.

Don't forget to comment this week for your chance to win - read all about it here.

Take care,

Chubby Chums Thank You

I have a fun Thank You card today - I made this card last night, and I think it's a colour combo which was challenging for me.  I was so eager to use this Paper Smooches set Chubby Chums cos it was what came to mind when I saw the Sparks Challenge pic this week:

What do you think?  Any good?  Just let me know...I can take it {grins}
Here's the full pic of the card:

Stamps : Paper Smooches Chubby Chums, FOLKal Points
Copics used : C1, C3, C5, C9, BG11, BG13, YG00, YG91 & YG93
Papers : Echo Park Victoria Gardens & Dots & Stripes Christmas collection, Aqua Mist cardstock & Latte Layering Papers

Hope you like the card, & have a Great day!!

Week 4 Giveaway & A Winner!!

Welcome to Week 4 Giveaway!!  How was your weekend?  I hope you had a wonderful time and did something really fun.  My card today is CAS, one which I hardly make these days. When I started cardmaking, it was the style that I enjoyed most.  It was fun to make this card, and to be reminded of what I loved so much in my early days of stamping.

This week, I have an extra set of Inspired Stamps set "1 inch Snowmen" (Thanks to Antoinette the owner of Inspired Stamps) to give away:

It's a really cute set which I adore, and I think you'll find it's so fun & easy to work with.

And, as always, here's a bonus prize - if you are my Blog Follower, I'll throw in another stamp set, which will be revealed next week when I announce the winner (shhh... I think it's a great set).

The rule is really simple, to qualify, just comment on my posts this week.  Just for this week, the more posts you comment, the more chances you'll have.  Good luck!!

Ok, here's the part you've been waiting for - Week 3's Winner goes to...

MaxineD 

Congrats, Maxine!!  I have emailed you and will be sending you your prizes soon.  Since you are my blog follower, you get this Unity set as well.  I hope you'll enjoy them.

An early Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US.  I hope you'll have a wonderful time with family and friends.  There's indeed so much to be thankful for in this life.

Hugs

With All My Heart

Hi Friends!  Today is Inspired Stamps' Birthday, and to celebrate the day, Antoinette has something awesome in store for all and giveaways (6 prizes!!).  Please check out the Inspired Stamps Blog or Inspired Stamps Facebook page and join the celebration.

The card above is my first Inspired Stamps card which I've not shared before.  I simply adore Mark Praying and the sentiment.  He's coloured with Copic Markers and the papers are from Graphic 45.  I'm keeping this post really short so you can go check out the special announcement.

Don't forget to comment on ALL my blog posts (Mon-Fri) this week to be in the draw for  the Unity prize - click here for all the details.  You have till tomorrow before I draw a winner.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Unity Friends with Flair (18.11.2011)

It's Friday!  What are your plans for the weekend?  Whatever they are, I hope you'll have an awesome time.  I'm hoping for some time to do the Christmas projects I've been neglecting.

Here's my card for today:

Just received my November KOM yesterday, and decided to make a card with the KOM sketch (see below).  I think it's a simple card to piece together - just stamping, paper piecing and a little sponging and colouring the card is done.

Please don't forget to check out the Unity blog for all the participants this week, and comment along as you could win some Unity goodies.  Plus, if you want to win a set of Unity stamps or two, please check out my Giveaway post here.  You have till Sunday to comment and on Monday I'll draw a winner and we'll have a new Giveaway again.

I'll be back tomorrow with an Inspired Stamp Birthday celebration post.

Have a fabulous day!

Stamps : KOM Nov 2011
Paper : Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas
Ink : Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers E41, E42, BG13, BG32, BG0000, RV13, Distress Inks Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky & Spun Sugar
Other : Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles, Ribbon, Twine, Sizzix embossing folder - Snowflakes

Cupcake for a Birthday Girl

Hi! Today, I have a special birthday card for a wonderful talented lady who has really inspired me.  She will be celebrating her 50th Birthday next month and she has issued an invitation for her blog readers to join her virtual party.  She is Virginia Lu... and you can read all about her birthday party here (there's some goodies she wants to share too).  Happy Birthday in advance, Virginia!!

Here's my card for you :

I was thinking that if we live in the same place, I'd bring you a cupcake, but since we are thousands of miles away, I'd just have to settle for a cupcake card.  I hope you like the card, Virginia.

Here's a look at the flower using Glitter Red felt

My card follows the MFT sketch found here:

Thanks for coming by today, and please visit Virginia to wish her Happy Birthday.

Smiles...

Stamps : MFT Pure Innocence Hello Cupcake & WTG You Take The Cake (sentiment)
Paper : Echo Park Victoria Gardens, Hero Arts Layering papers
Ink : Memento Rich Cocoa
Copics : Dress & Shoes (R39, R37, R35, R32), Cupcake (RV00, RV10, RV11, B91, B93, B95, Y06, YR04, R39, R37, R35), Skin (E000, E01, E11), Hair (E21, E23, E25)
Others : MFT die-namics Prima Donna Petals & Crown border, i-rock, Spellbinders Labels 8, Glitter Red felt

Inspired Stamps Blog Hop

Hi, and welcome to the Inspired Stamps Blog Hop.  If you have come from Jenn's blog you are in the right place, and if you didn't start at the beginning of the hop, make sure you head to the Inspired Stamps blog for all the details.  You wouldn't want to miss any of the wonderful inspiration the Design Team has to share.

The Design Team's assignment this week is to create a Christmas focused Tag.  For my tag, I've chosen to use the HLO : Christmas Boy image.  He is really so cute, and I love the ornament he holds in his hands.

Here's the tag:

Stamp the HLO Christmas Boy on white cardstock and colour him with copic markers : Skin (E000, E01, E13, R21) Hair (E31, E22, E35, E37) Ornament (YG11, Y13, YG17, Y21) Outfit (B93, B95, B97, B99, E40, E42, E43). Add some sparkle onto the ornament with Atyou Spica Clear marker.

Cut the patterned paper to size and punch both the ends with a border punch, then adhere it to the tag.  Emboss the middle section of the tag where the pattern paper is, with an embossing folder, I used a snowflake folder.  Spritz some Glimmer Mists (Bahama Blue & Mel's Diner) on the doily and adhere it to the tag as shown.  Adhere the cut out image of the HLO Christmas Boy on the doily.  Add a sparkly ric rac trim at the bottom section of the tag and some baker's twine above it, and tie a bow, and add a glittery dot on the bow.  Stamp the Merry Christmas sentiment on some ledger paper and cut it down to size and adhere it just above the doily (I added some white faux stitches but I think it would look better with real sewn stitches).  To add some texture to the tag, I added some Flower soft (Polar white) at the top and bottom ends of the tag.  Finally, adhere a chipboard glittery snowflake with a gem stone in the centre on the top right corner of the tag and a ribbon through the top of the tag (I dyed my own seam binding using Tattered Rose Distress Ink).

Here's a closer look - hope you can see the Flower soft, and the embossed section of the patterned paper.

Thanks so much for joining us, and I hope you have been inspired by what you've seen.  I'm the last stop of the blog hop today, but, don't forget to head to the Inspired Stamps blog and leave a comment for your chance to win some prizes.

Take care, and have a great day!

Twas the Night before Christmas

Welcome to the Waltzing Mouse Blog Waltz!  I'm excited that this month's theme is Christmas, which is my favourite season to be stamping & making cards.  

I remember the first time I saw this stamp set, it brought back some wonderful memories of my childhood years when I first read the poem.  If you have not seen this set before, do check out the Waltzing Mouse store - there are some gorgeous samples there.  It's an amazing set! 

I had so much fun putting this card together:

I made a tri-fold card which measures 3.75 x 5.5" when folded.  On the front panel I stamped the label stamp and the windows on a patterned paper which I had earlier stamped with the poem text.  To add a little interest, I coloured in a little scene of a Christmas tree behind the windows.

On the second panel, I stamped the text, and distressed it with Distress Ink Scattered Straw.  For the third panel, I stamped the wreath & berries onto the patterned paper, and adhered the label with the window that can be opened.  I struggled a little with this window, cos technically it should open the opposite way, if you know what I mean {lol}.

Here's the scene when the window is opened:

I added some Rock Candy clear stickles onto the Santa & reindeers image but I can't get a good photo to show the what it looks like in real life {grins} but you get the idea, right?

Just decided to add in another card, wanting to play the sketch challenge this week.

based on this sketch :

And here's a close up look at the card:

I used an embossing folder and then sponged some white ink on the embossed areas.  I stamped and white embossed the border at the bottom using Nordic Winter.  The silhouette and frame is from Cameo Creations and the sentiment from Candy Jar Christmas.

I hope you like the cards.  Don't forget to check out the wonderful inspiration from everyone participating in the Blog Waltz today - you can find list of all the participants here.

Plus, don't forget to check out my Blog Candy post here.

Enjoy the hop!
Kary