Bonjour!

Doesn't everybody love Paris?  It's certainly a charming city to visit, and unforgettable.  Today, I'm playing along a sketch challenge, at SFYTT, for the first time.  I think it's a good incentive to help me ink up my much neglected stamps.  

Here's the card:

All images and sentiment are from MFT's Who's That Parisian Girl set.  The main image is coloured using Copic markers ( Skin - E000, E11, E01, E21; Dress, Shoes & Bag - C1, C3, C5, R01, R02; Background BG0000, E43, E42, E41) with some paper piecing.  All patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye Lost & Found II Sunshine 6x6 pad.  The sentiment was stamped on Spellbinders Floral Doily Motif die, and stacked on top of 2 Perfect Petal Trio Die-namics.

I'm also submitting this to the Simon Says Stamp challenge, Anything Goes.

Have a great day!
Kary

Silver Fairy

What do you look for when shopping for stamps?  On the one hand, I love simple images for quick cards but  I'm also attracted to the pretty stamps which need colouring.  When I first started stamping, I stayed away from open images stamps, but, eversince I started collecting Copic markers, I'm finding that I love a good challenge in colouring.  Always happy to practise colouring, and to look forward to your feedback & suggestions, so I can further improve.

I've had this Silver Fairy stamp for several months, and this is my first attempt at colouring it.  Frankly, I'm a little intimidated by the image, but I reckon this is a "passable" attempt {lol}.

The image was coloured with Copic Markers and I'm sorry I didn't write down the colours.  The sentiment is from another Whimsy Stamps set Birthday Letter Seals.  Here's another view, and hopefully you can see a little sparkle on the card from my Atyou Spica Clear Glitter pen.

I'm submitting this for the Whimsy Stamps Challenge this week, Pearls or Blings.

Thanks for coming by today.  Have a great week!!
Kary

Just a little Note...

Happy Sunday! I hope your weekend is going great. I received the new MFT January VIP kit yesterday, and I just had to ink up this Pure Innocence Violin Girl. She is so adorable! 

The PI girl was stamped on the larger doily of the Open Scallop Doily Duo Die-namics, and coloured with Copic markers - Skin (E50, E01, E13), Dress (R81, R83, R85, R89), Violin (E44, E43, E42) & Hair (E18, E99, E21).  I didn't have the right cardstock colour for matting, so I coloured the edges of a white cardstock with Copic marker B97.  I used the same effect with  for the two border strips cut with the Little Open Scallop Strip Die-namics as well. The patterned papers are from Echo Park's Times & Seasons.  The felt flower and leaves are created using MFT's felt Strawberry Ice Cream and Sour Apple with the Rolled Scallop Flower Die-namics and the leaves from Upsy Daisy Die-namics. 

The card was made following this MFT sketch:

Here's a fun trivia - according to the Chinese calendar, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year is Everyone's birthday!! I don't know much about the history of it, but, here's wishing all of you a Blessed Birthday, and a year filled with much joy and happiness!!

Enjoy!

Kary

Unity Friends with Flair (27.1.2012)

Wow, it's Friday again. Yay! I have 2 cards to share today for the Unity Friends with Flair post.  I've not played the Unity challenges for sometime, so I'm doing both this week :-)

The first card follows the Unity KOM Jan challenge sketch.  I just couldn't find good lighting for the photo somehow.  I used the image and sentiment from Dec 2011 KOM.  Added lots of pop dots behind the centre of the sentiment and the patterned paper for some dimension ;)

The second card is for Unity's New Beginnings challenge.  I inked up my Itty Bittys, Authentique On {This} Journey Together and Simple Stories Life Bingo.

Keeping this post short, so you can check out all the other wonderful creations from all the Friends with Flair participants.

Inspired Stamps - All About Love

It's all about LOVE, this week at Inspired Stamps!  For my card, I just couldn't resist using Winter Ruth and have her hold a red heart in her hands.  I paired her with the sentiment from the Inspired Stampers Favorite Collection #2.

This little card measures 4"x4.5".  I stamped Winter Ruth on the cardbase, just off the card a little, then stamped her hands holding the heart.  Winter Ruth was coloured with Copic Markers - Tree (YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG99, E35, E47), Ruth's boots, heart & ear muffs (R22, R24, R27), Ruth's outfit (RV63, RV66, RV69, RV91, RV93, RV95, R00, R01), Hair (E97, E35, E30), Skin (E000, E01, E13).  The cardstock was scored and folded such that one panel was 4" and the other panel 4.5".  To cover up the Copics bleed on the inside of the card, I added a red cardstock with scalloped borders adhered to the front panel of the card and a strip of patterned paper. The sentiment circle was stamped and cut out with a circle Spellbinders die, and coloured with Copics R00, R01, R02.

Now, head over to see the Fabulous projects the rest of the DT has in store for you - I've listed the links below, just click on their names and Enjoy the hop!!

Amber 

Belinda

Chere

Deneen

Jamie

Jenn

Inspired Stamps Blog

Have a great day!
Kary

StampTV Challenge

Hello Friends!  It's an auspicious day on the Chinese calendar today - it marks the beginning of Spring and the celebration of Chinese New Year (CNY).  Although my family does not keep to many Chinese traditions, we do celebrate CNY and it's a time of the year, where we do lots of baking, cooking, etc.

Today is also special day for me, because I'm hosting a Challenge for the first time at StampTV!  Pretty nervous about it, and yet so very excited!!  I hope you will visit StampTV and join the challenge.  Since, it is CNY, I thought it might be fun to have a challenge related to the celebration.

Check out the challenge & some background information here, and please join me for some fun, and you might win a Gina K stamp set!

Here's my card for the challenge :

I used Stamps from Theresa Momber's Dogwood and Butterfly stamp set (I LOVE this set!!), and papers from My Mind's Eye Love Me 6x6 pad.  The images were coloured with Copic Markers, and on the butterfly, I added some Glossy Accents for added interest.  Here's another look at the card:

For more info, please click on the link to StampTV where you'll find details of the challenge.  I really look forward to see you at StampTV and can't wait to see what you create.

Enjoy today, wherever you are.
Kary

Happy Birthday

It was my brother's birthday yesterday... I can't believe how time has flown.  It seems just like yesterday when he was only a kid, and now he's not so young anymore. ;)  For his birthday card, I pulled out another stamp which I've had for awhile, which has not seen ink.  I reckon this Fred Bear stamp is really him - he has some serious travel bug in him.

The card was rather loosely based on the MFT sketch MFTWSC55.  I used papers from Echo Park's A Boy's Life.  The Fred Bear image (from Fred Bear takes a Hike set) was coloured with Copic Markers E31, E33, E35, E37 and to create a little texture I poured some Colourless Blender on a terry towel and dabbed it onto the image.  I kinda like this effect!  To add some interest I added a wooden button with the Game Spinner from Tim Holtz at the bottom of the card.  I think my brother was quite happy with the card.

The card was based on this MFT sketch:

It's almost Chinese New Year, where I am.  Tomorrow night, it's a reunion dinner night and we will be cooking almost the whole day ;)  I'll be back on Monday (Chinese New Year) with a bit of exciting news.

Have a Happy Weekend!!
Kary



(Products used : Stamps - MFT Fred Bear Takes a Hike, First Class Friend (sentiment), Die-namics - Tag, You're It, Oval Tab, Inks - Memento Rich Cocoa, Copic markers, Papers - Echo Park A Boy's Life & Dots & Stripes Candy shoppe, PTI cardstock, X-press It Paper, Woodend Button (Prima), Tim Holtz Game Spinner)

Unity Friends with Flair (20.1.2012) - Card Set

Friday means it's Unity Friends with Flair post.  There's lots of inspiration always - just click to visit the Unity blog for the list of participants today, and enjoy the hop.

It's a Card Set from me today.  Nothing fancy but just a clean and simple design. I used stamps from the sets "The Time is Now" and "Live what you Love" and the sentiment from "Dutch Mustard Soup".  Here's a closer look at one of the cards:

These are really quick to make and a perfect gift to give away.  This set is for a friend I'm meeting later tonight.  I stamped the sentiment on the red patterned paper and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  The images on the card are stamped with various Memento inks and cut out with various Spellbinders dies.  The front of the card was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder.

Have a wonderful weekend!!
Kary

Inspired Stamps - Desk Calendar

Hello Friends!  Today at Inspired Stamps, the DT will be sharing a project with Nature & Scripture.  I made a little easel calendar project using the Inspired Stamps set Ask, Seek, Knock.  The verse from Luke is a favourite of mine from young, and I wanted it on this mini calendar which I can place on my desk.

I just couldn't get a very good picture of the Scripture sentiment, but hopefully you can read it.  The tree was stamped on white cardstock and coloured with Copic Markers (Tree - E29, E25, E99, E33 and E53; Grass - YG91, YG93, YG95).  I was keen to try out this marker combination after watching several videos on youtube (incidentally, I learnt a lot on how to colour with Copics from youtube - there are lots of good videos available).  The little birdhouse was stamped on the same cardstock and again on a small piece of cardstock.  I coloured both of them using Copics RV10, RV63 and RV66, E04, R22, R24, R27, R29 and cut out the image on the small piece of cardstock and adhered it with pop dots onto the piece with the tree image.  I added some brown Baker's Twine to the string above the birdhouse.

Here's how the calendar looks when opened:

And, now, please click on the names of the DT on my sidebar to see their wonderful projects or visit the Inspired Stamps blog for more info.

Thanks for coming by today.

Have a beautiful day!
Kary

WMS Blog Party 17.01.12

I'm joining the Waltzing Mouse Blog Party today!  The theme for today's party is "Sweet Things".  When I saw this, all I could think of was a Tea Party... I wonder why.  So, here's an invitation to a Tea Party... I'm not sure when it will eventuate, but wouldn't that be so fun?

I had a little struggle trying to get the colours right, to match the background that I had already stamped with the Chevron stamp from Off Beat Backgrounds set.  Somedays I start a card with no planning ;( - I won't ever recommend doing so {lol}.  The sentiment and the teacup are from Afternoon Tea Sentiments set, and papers from Echo Park.  The card shape is cut with Tim Holtz's Vintage Cabinet Card die.

Be sure to check out the Waltzing Mouse blog for all the participants today.

Enjoy the Party!!
Kary

Jump for Joy

I adore this MFT Pure Innocence set Jump For Joy. It transported me back to the days when I had so much fun skipping with my friends.  I can't do those tricks anymore these days.. ;-)

The little girl is coloured with Copic Markers (Skin - E000, E01, E11, E13, R21; Hair - E21, E35, E57; Dress & Shoes - YR02, YR04, YR07, YR09; Rope handle - R29; Shadow - C1) and the patterned papers are from Crate Paper Farmhouse 6x6 pad.  I split up the sentiments and stamped the first three words on the Mini Pennant diecuts (coloured with Copic Markers E57, YR00 & BG11), and the rest on the Ticket Tab diecut.  In between the two patterned papers I added a strip cut with the Crown Border die-namics.

Here's the card:

It was based on the MFT Sketch :

Hope your weekend is going great!!  Have a good one!
Kary

Unity Friends with Flair (13.1.2012)

Hello Friends!  I'm so glad it's Friday because it's time for some awesome inspiration from the Unity peeps.  Check out all the participants here, and comment along and you could win some Unity goodies.

On my card today, is one of my favourite Unity sets ever - "Your Wings Exist" by Phyllis Harris.  I love how carefree this little girl is, taking in the nature around her.  Something I really miss, living in the city.

I coloured her with Copic Markers (Skin - E0000, E000, E11, E13; Hair - E21, E11, E15, E09; Dress - RV21, RV23, RV14; Grass - YG61, YG63, YG65; Ground - YG91, E31; Background - BG0000).  The seam binding is dyed using Spun Sugar Distress Ink refill diluted with water.  The patterned papers are from Crate Paper's Random 6x6 pad.

Thanks for visiting me today.  Have fun & enjoy the blog hop.

Smiles,
Kary

Supplies - Unity set "Your Wings Exist", Copic Markers, Neenah Solar White cardstock, Crate Paper - Random, Spellbinders Labels 12 & Fleur De Lis Squares, Seam binding, pearl.

Inspired Stamps January Release Sneak Peek

Welcome to the Inspired Stamps January Release Sneak Peek!  Today, Amber and I will be sharing some sneaks of a new set called "Draw Near".  It's a beautiful set with very useful sentiments including Scripture sentiments and a gorgeous image.  The sneak peeks are happening the whole of this week and Friday noon time, all the new releases will be available on the Inspired Stamps store.

I am excited to share with you 2 projects from the "Draw Near" set.  The first is a slightly more elaborate card with colouring.  I stamped the girl image using the X-press It Blending cardstock and coloured her with copic markers (Skin - E000, E11, E31, R21; Lips - R32; Eyes - E21, YG23; Hair - E21, E35, E37, E57; Attire - V000, V12, V15, B41, B45).  The image was cut out using Spellbinders Circle die and I sponged some Distress Ink Tumbled Glass around the edges, and layered it on the two of the Spellbinders Ironwork Motifs diecuts.  The patterned papers are from BasicGrey Picadilly 6x6.

My second card is simple, it's a card which you can make in about 15 minutes or less.  Just choose a pretty patterned paper and let the sentiment be the main focal image.

There are just so many possibilities with these scripture sentiments and they are so great for encouragement cards.  I had such fun with it and I hope you'll check it out.  The patterned papers are from Fancy Pants Summer's End 6x6.

Thank you for coming by today.  Remember to visit Amber's blog to see her gorgeous project too and the Inspired Stamps blog for more info.

Kary

Thank You card (MFTWSC53)

Last year, I did 25 out of the 52 sketches posted by My Favorite Things.  It was fun, and I know the number because we were asked to count on this post at Splitcoaststampers.

Hoping to do better this year, and so, here's the first MFT challenge card for this year:

based on this sketch:

I used the MFT Stamps & Die-namics set Always Time for Tea, and and the die-namics set Dainty Doily Duo for the card.  I added some Viva Decor Pearl Pen Lilac to the flower centres on the tea pot and some Sakura clear glitter pen to give it some sparkle.  The papers are from Lily Bee Design Head over Heels - love this line!

If you are playing along with this challenge, I'd LOVE to see your card.

Have a great day!
Kary

Thinking of You

An item on my "wishlist" (or you could say resolution) for 2012, is to be more diligent in using up my craft supplies as well as to ink every stamp I have in my stash.  I reckon it's a little ambitious but guess I have to try.  One great way is to make more effort to participate in challenges ;-)

So, here's the card:

based on this WMS Sketch :

I used papers from Webster's Pages 6x6 pad and stamps from Waltzing Mouse "Roses in Bloom", "Very Vintage Labels 18" and sentiment from "Say It Loud".  The rose is coloured with copic markers R21, R22, R24, YR20 & R30 and adhered with pop dots onto the the Vintage Label.  The label was inked with Memento Angel Pink and rocked with Memento Rhubarb Stalk on the edges.  I added some fancy strings of pearls for some added interest.

Here's a close up of the rose:

Hope you're having a great day!
Kary

Hello 2012!!

Dear Friends, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations!  Didn't the year 2011 go by so quickly, especially the month of December.  We had a great time over Christmas and it was especially lovely that my parents get to spend time with all their children.  After Christmas, I went to Bangkok to meet up with some friends, to celebrate a dear friend's birthday, and to experience the New Year celebration in a different country.  So, I guess you could say 2011 ended in a most memorable way - I had good company, great food and wonderful shopping!!

Now that things are back to normal here, it's nice to be able to join the Unity Friends with Flair once again.
Here's my card:

2011 has been a difficult year, in many ways, for our family, nevertheless, we are not short of God's grace and goodness.  And, I'm thankful for being able to stamp and colour for it brings much joy.  I hope it shows in this card that there's always hope in this life.

Thanks for visiting.  Your comments always bring a smile to my face.

Have an awesome day!!
Kary


Stamp : Unity Itty Bitty Little Girl Believes
Papers : Cream & Canyon brown cardstock, Fancy Pants Love Story 6x6 pad
Ink : Memento & Copic Markers
Other : Papertrey Ink die Spiral Notebook