Cottage Greetings - You are Amazing!

Hello!

Thank you so much for popping in! I have been playing around with Stampin' Up!'s new Seasonal Decorative Masks from our new Holiday Catalogue! Today's card is my entry for this week's Global Design Project theme challenge (#gdp055)! The theme... Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)! A tip from me would be to use only a loose piece of note card or paper for your message inside the card, this way the receiver can pass on the card and so also a Random act of Kindness.

A mix of Dapper Denim and Soft Sky makes for a pretty background!

This time I went with Silver accents. I like it with the blue!

My Product List

Notes

• First I tinted Embossing Paste (any brand will do) with Soft Sky and Dapper Denim. I only mixed the colours in lightly - this way getting colour variations. After working the paste with a small spatula over the mask (onto watercolour paper) I left it overnight to dry. I also added some Flirty Flamingo and Emerald Envy watercolour wash to Watercolor Paper to dry overnight 9these will be used for my die cut pieces).
• White heat embossed words from the Love & Affection stamp set adds more interest to my die cut pieces.
• To finish of my card I inserted frayed spirals of a tiny scraps of Burlap Ribbon that was lying around on my still messy workspace.

In between preparing for my upcoming Stamp-a-Stack for Christmas (on the 11th of October '16) this card was a breath of fresh air! Let me know what you think! 

Remember the 1st of October is World Card Making Day and we will be celebrating with a number of Blog Hops all through the day! Only current Stampin' Up! products will be used and crafters from all over the world will be taking part! If you don't want to miss out follow me via e-mail! 

I hope to see you next time!

Mel xx

Wonderful Year - It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hello Stamping Friends!

So just to confirm... Big W have their Christmas trees out!! As a crafter I say "Yay!!" As a mom I say "What!!!".

Today I'm sharing my Global Design Project sketch challenge (#gdp054)! I am still in a Festive mood (I keep on being inspired by Stampin'Up!'s Holiday Catlogue). Today features another Christmas card!

I found Tenealle Williams' beautiful sketch challenge really difficult! I struggle with banners! But here we go... my take on this week's sketch! I tried to make it work for me.

My take on banners... and horizontal lines!

Tenealle's inspiration.

I still adore the Peaceful Pines Bundle! It makes for easy cardmaking!

My Product List

Notes

• I used ribbon for my banners and lines in my paper to try and keep to the design.
• I loved making use of the Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack for this Christmas card! Go through your stacks of Designer Series Paper and see what you can use for your festive cards!
• Take part in challenge blogs like the Global Design Project to get your Mojo back (Mojo Monday is also a great challenge blog).
• Early Espresso is my new favorite paring with the Serene Scenery Paper Stack!

Let me know what you think! All your comments are appreciated!

Take care!

Mel xx

Blog hopping with the Crazy Crafters!

Hello!

Guess what! Today I will be hopping with Kylie Bertucci's ! What an amazing honor! I was lucky enough to win a top 10 position in Kylie's International Blog Highlights!

Oh, how I love this time of year! With the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalogue out, I can officially kick of my Christmas projects! If you want to send a handmade card to your friends and family this Christmas, NOW is the time to start!

Today I'm sharing one of the cards we created in my Stampin' with Mel Cardmaking Class!
I simply love the Merry Medley Background stamp from Stampin' Up!'s NEW Holiday Catalogue and decided to use it in a different way!

 Emerald Envy and Real Red work perfectly together!

I also used this colour combination and the Merry Medley stamp on another card!

Red, Green and Gold! Classic Christmas!

My Product List

Notes

• Remember to use an Embossing Buddy before adding your Versamark ink and Stampin' Emboss Powder! Nothing worse than having your embossing powder go all over the place, especially when stamping greetings!
• I found the best way to adhere the Burlap ribbon  was with Fast Fuse adhesive. Apply your adhesive to the paper and then your ribbon to the adhesive.
• I keep a tiny glass jar for all my left over sequins from previous card kits and normally add sequins from there.

I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment!

Don't forget to keep on hopping...!

Designer Tin of Cards - Sending Love

Hello!

So we are having the entire interior house painted! What a mess! All over! It will definitely be worth it in the end! My craftroom however, is done and repacked! Yay! Just in time for me to share my entry for this week's Global Design Project Colour Challenge (#gdp053)! I love a colour challenge!

I always aim for simple cards... I love the idea that my ideas can be easily replicated! And Pinned! ;-)

A pretty little square card (measuring 10,5cm x 10,5cm)!

The colour inspiration!

The Golden Baker's Twine from the Trio pack (p 16 of the new Holiday 

Catalogue) is so beautiful! It matches all of Stampin' Up!'s other Gold products perfectly!

My Product List

Notes

• To get a watercolour effect, I used an Aqua Painter to paint colour onto my stamps. Only add the tiniest bit of water to the ink.
• For the flower centers I punched out dots (from Gold glimmer Paper) with a 1/16" circle punch and adhered them with a Fine-tip Glue Pen. A little patience will be needed for this step... and reading glasses! 
• The Tin of Cards Photopolymer stamp set includes beautiful sentiments! Definitely a set worth getting!

Don't forget to let me know what you think! I love reading your comments!

Take care!

Mel xx

Banners for Christmas ft Perpetual Birthday Calendar - Joyful Christmas and Happy New Year

Hello!

Yes! I am sharing another Christmas Card today! Not only a Christmas card but also a Happy New Year card! Relax! Still a while before the Season starts but that just mean you have enough time left to create some beautiful cards for your friends and family!

One of the things I love about Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Catalogue is the amount of stamps that coordinate with framelits dies in our Annual Catalogue!

Today's card is truly simple but I still think it is quite beautiful...

Even though we enjoy a sunny Christmas in Australia, I had to add a snowflake or two...

Sooo  pretty!

My product list

Note

• Real Red and Mint Macaron is a great combination! In this instance a colour wash of Real Red on watercolour paper! This makes the Gold embossed sentiments really pop! 
• Again one of my favorite background stamps from the You've Got This! stamp set.
• The piece of Delicate White Doily peeking out from underneath the framelit adds some soft interest to a very simple card! This is also a great way to get more bang for my back, 4 cards with one Doily!
• Sequins and Basic Rhinestones add an even more festive feel to my card!
• My son thought that my card needed a bit of green! Of course I agreed with him, so I stamped a tiny snowflake from the Peaceful Pines Photopolymer stamp (133728) set in Emerald Envy!

I simple card made with a lot of love! 

Know someone that loves creating handmade gifts or home made bakes? Why not give them the gift that keeps on giving? The I Stamped This stamp set is perfect! Add  ink, cardstock and a punch and you have the perfect Birthday or Christmas gift! The set comes in both Wood Block or Clear stamp!

My perfect bundle:

137049 I Stamped This stamp set (wood blocks included) - $44.00 AUD
140931 Archival Stampin' Pad Basic Black - $12.25 AUD
133674 Kraft Cardstock - $12.25 AUD
133324 Scallop Tag Topper Punch - $38.00 AUD
141996 Kraft Rope Trim  - $8.75 AUD

You can shop HERE! Remember to add the hostess code for September (K6XUNKJF) for orders between $50 AUD and not more than $249 AUD!

As always... take care!

Mel xx

Jar of Love ft You've Got This - For You

Hello!

Today I am sharing another card made during my Stampin' with Mel cardmaking class - also made with the Jar of Love Bundle! This time a beautiful bunch of flowers! You will find the other card HERE!

So pretty and yet very easy to create with the Jar of Love Bundle!

The stems through the glass were stamped off once... 

My Product List

Notes

• I used the same colour - Flirty Flamingo - for the darker shading on the flower image.
• To stop my jar of flowers from floating on my card front, I used the background image from the You've Got This stamp set to anchor the image.
• I stamped the stems on my jar first and adhered the jar with dimensionals placed only around the edges of the jar to leave space to insert the die cut stems. 
• To add "movement" to the stems I only used adhesive here and there and lifted them slightly of the page.
• For the flowers I used dimensionals.  

I think this card will look beautiful in a frame! Instant decor piece for my little girl's room!

I hope I have inspired you to purchase this beautiful set! I you have it already.. I would love to see what you have created with it! 

From now on you will see more and more Christmas creations! Yes it is time to start! If you live in Western Australia, I would love to send you a copy of Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Catalogue!

Take care!

Mel xx

Jar of Love ft Perpetual Birthday Calendar - Best Fishes

Hello from a stormy Perth!


Today I will be sharing one of the projects we created in my Stampin' with Mel Cardmaking Classes this week!

I simply adore the Jar of Love Bundle! There is just so much you can do with it and to add even more value there is the Jar of Cheer Photopolymer stamp set in Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Catalogue!

Isn't this just the most adorable fish ever?

Two of my all time favorite bankground stamp sets - Perpetual Birthday Calendar and the image from the You've Got This set!

My Product List

Notes

• So easy!
• To add that little bit extra to you handmade goodies... why not add the I Stamped This set to your next purchase! It is available in Clear or Wood Block! 

As always I would love to hear what you think! 

Take care!

Mel xx

Paisleys &Posies - I thank you for your part in my journey.

Hello!

Before I share my entry for this week's Global Design Project - TWO WORDS - Hostess Code! The new code for September is available and if you want a special thank you gift in the mail, add it to your next online order!

This week it is a CASE the Designer challenge (#gdp052) and the designer none other than Teneale Williams! I loved everything about her card and decided to follow her sketch to a T.

I love the new Paisleys & Posies Bundle in Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Catalogue and have been playing  with it quite a bit! Today I share a rather cute little bird build with some of the Paisley patterns from the bundle!

The Petals & Paisleys Specialty Designer Series paper is so beautiful...

I simply had to stick to this stunning sketch by Teneale!

Kraft Cardstock and Copper really go together!

Love the Burlap Ribbon!

My Product List

Notes

• Although it would have been easy to cut out the Copper embossed images with the coordinating framelits dies, I decided to cut by hand. It worked better in this case for my little birdy's wing/body proportions!
• I cut 3 strands of the Burlap ribbon for a narrower ribbon - it really cuts easily!
• As for my little bird's feet, I used and image from a retired set and used the little raindrop shapes from the Paisley Framelits Dies for a beak!
• By now I have a stash of Stampin' Up! sequins and found different ones for my eye and to add more sparkle to my card!
• An extra Vellum layer makes my bird pop even more!

I really hope you like my idea! Let me know if you want to own this beautiful set or go to my ONLINE SHOP!

Take care! I hope this week treats you well!

Mel xx

Jar of Love ft Balloon Builder - For You

Hello!

A quick idea for this week's Global Design Project theme challenge #gdp051 (I still hope to make the deadline)!

A quick card to wish someone a speedy recovery!

This week's theme - Food!

Jellybeans for those of us that cannot have the real thing!

This week's theme challenge - food!

A pretty bow to make it a gift!

My Product List

Notes

I did'nt mask of the Jelly beans but definitely something to do if you have more time!

There you go!I hope you love the idea! Let me know

Take care!

Mel xx