Hoppy Spring!

I've just finished my first spring and Easter cards!

I'm happy to be back to pastel colors after all that red!

Here's my card:

I've used Spring Bunnies from Hambo Digi Stamps, a digi I had wanted for a long time and which I gave myself at the end of last year. I love this digi so much that I made two cards, one for spring and one for Easter!

I've always had the idea to use some foam pads to add dimension to some of the bunnies, a lovely little detail!

Colors are Copics and papers are from First Edition.

This card is for the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday Challenge # 256. An Eye for Details

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge # 134: Anything Goes

Deep Ocean Challenge # 45: Letter B (Bunnies)

My 100th Post!

I can't believe I've reached my 100th post!!!

But here I am!

Again, one week later than my last post....

I'm definitely a bit... lazy? No, not lazy, busy. Yes, busy...

I only have one Custom order to prepare and I'm working on it but it's still in my head, I don't manage to put my ideas into something "real" and this makes me angry.

School is finishing in four days and this means that swimming, ballet and English lessons are also coming to an end.

Things are coming from school and need to be sorted, cleaned, washed and put away until September.

Last week it was hot enough to wear summer clothes which needed to be tried and sorted as well.

We had a first Communion to attend and the end-of-the-year ballet with related dresses to be prepared (and now to be washed and put away).

I still have some wool sweaters around (this week is less summer and more autumn...) which need to be washed...by hand...

And I actually have little time to sit down and enjoy some crafting. I don't even list weekly challenges that I'd like to enter because I know I don't have time to prepare cards.

But yesterday, while washing some sweaters, I had time to prepare at least one card:

I've used this Strawberry kid - digi which we were given as participants in last week challenge at Hambo Hoedown: it's part of a lovely new realease of fruit kids. Have a look at them in the shop here.

The Challenge was to use this digi and buttons... I love buttons and it's always hard to use them and let them go...

I notice from the picture that the boy isn't glued to the glittered cardstock behind him. I finished my super glue and I used an ordinary one but, despite several attempts, it doesn't work. I'd better go out and buy a new glue!

 Of course, I'll enter this card in Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 18.

Four days to the end of the school means the last four days of silence. Then, for the next 3 months silence will be something to long for...

Why Always at the Last Second?

When I was given this image as participant in last week Challenge at Hambo Hoedown I was really Over The Moon for I immediately had an idea on how to use it!

But...

Challenge closes in a few hours and I'm still here, writing my post.

Well, here's my card:

I love this moon and I decided to paint it lilac and light purple with my watercolor pencils. If you like this image, you can find it here.

Maybe the color of the shuttle is not a perfect match, but I bought them fron the UK last year (I don't have a cutting machine) and this green was the best match among the three available.

Of course, this card will be entered in Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 17 "I'm Over the Moon".

Thank You Hambo for these lovely digis!

Time for Another Hambo Challenge!

It seems that my posts are always for Hambo Challenges!

I've so much to do these weeks that I absolutely don't manage to prepare but a few cards.

Today, after I finished my first card as DT memeber at Paper Playtime, I finished the one for Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 16:

This Sumo digi was given to all participants in last week's challenge (but you can find it here).

The Challenge is to use this digi, one of the sentiments coming with the digi and some chipboard.

I glued a white paper with black dots on a black card and added some touches of red. The sumo wrestler is colored with pink and red watercolors. I also added a ribbon, brads and my chipboard accent is the star which I painted red to match.

This image makes me smile everytime I look at it!

What a Week!

The last couple of times I tried to sign in Blogger there were problems... I hate technology when it does not work. For me, computers and everything related should always work and never have problems or be slow... It makes me really furious!

Anyway, my birthday party decorations are almost done! I'm preparing them little by little because I don't have enough space to glitter 45 tags all at once and let them dry so I do them in groups. Everything has some glitter (of course...) and everything needs to rest for a while before being touched or packed.

While waiting for some bigger pieces to dry, this afternoon I made a card for two of my favorite challenges: I used the image given by one of them and the sketch given by another... Perfect!

But let's start from the beginning.

This is the card:

The digi was given by Hambo as participants in last week challenge and the layout to follow was this one from Sweet Sketch Wednesday:



This card will be entered in the following Challenges:

Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 15: in addition to the image, the request was to use bright colors and paper piecing. I paper pieced the basket (is it the correct word?) and colored the digi with my watercolor pencils. The background paper from an old Sizzix stash is maybe not too bright but I used brighter and bolder colors in the other elements of the card. I loved the idea of lightness and movement the bubbles give to the card!

Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge # 101: they gave us the lovely sketch.

Karen Doodles Challenge: they asks for Bold and Bright colors.

I adore this little girl on flying in her baloon! A really great image, isn't it?

How Busy!

As you know I've just been chosen as a DT member in Paper Playtime Digi Challenge and I'm really honored and happy to be a part of my very first team.

I'm already planning my first card due at the end of the month but I'm surprised at how much work there should be to coordinate a DT team. Our coordinator is great in sending messages and keeping track of all the things we need to know and do!

I'm also making some samples for another DT call and I'm still working on the party decorations for my Customer. Add some Custom orders to prepare...

It's really a busy period and that's why I have so little time to enter other challenges. I still list them hoping to find some time to make a card and actually I did find a couple of hours yesterday to make my card for Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 14:

This sweet chicken seems a bit sad, that's why I decided to make a "Miss You" card.

We were given this stamp and asked to use dots and stripes: I dotted the card with white paint and made stripes on the punched circle. I wanted the two yellows to match perfectly.

I love this summer yellow!



Well... I'm Ready!

One of the reasons I entered only few challenges these past weeks is that I was working on a Custom order, my first order from the blog.

A lovely girl asked me to make some decorations for her daughter's first birthday.

I've worked very often for weddings (cards, invitations, favors, tags, place cards, tableaux de mariage, etc.) but it's the first time I approach the birthday theme.

It's been a long journey: I'm rarely completely satisfied of the result when I create something but I usually manage to change a little something and like it. This time I cut, glued, threw away, printed, cut again, glittered, assembled and disassembled my creations so many times I've lost the count!

But this morning I finally manage to be satisfied with every piece I had created and in a little while I'll send the pictures to my customer...

For this reason, this afternoon I've had a spare hour to make a card for a weekly challenge I love:

Hambo Hoedown

They gave us this adorable basket as participants in last week's challenge and the mission was to create something with mum in mind and with lace and flowers.

The doily is glued in the center only, for I wanted it to be... well, I don't know how to translate the word I have in mind (maybe "wavy"?) and I wanted to use purples instead of reds for the hearts with a touch of green (the basket is green, not yellow as it appears on the computer...).

Well, better go and send the pictures of my birthday creations... I'll keep my fingers crossed.

... Again?

I can't believe it!

My last post was about Hambo Hoedown Challenge, exactly one week ago...

Time REALLY flies!

It's been a busy week, with schools closed, Easter to celebrate and little time to craft.

Yesterday I managed to prepare my weekly card for the above mentioned challenge: Hambo is so nice to give us freebies to play with that I always tries to take part in their challenges.

Here's my card:

The theme this week was to use this King digi and make an announcement: I thought about a newborn little girl, who is of course a princess for the whole family!

I used my watercolor pencils and some glitter for the digi stamp, rhinestones to embellished the crown and the sentiment (which was stamped), a paper from DCWV and a lovely pink ribbon.

The card will be entered in Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 12, wish me good luck!



"What color is an ogre?"

The friend I was waiting for is a bit late so I have time for my 2nd post!

As I do every week, I've made a card for Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 11:

They gave us this sweet ogre and asked to use it together with the sentiment and something distressed.

I asked my daughter: "What color is an ogre?" and she replied: "Green, of course".

Thus, I couldn't do something different, I had to color it green.

And green is all over the card!

I found this distressed green card in my stash and added some paper stripes, hearts and of course this little ogre colored with watercolor pencils.

With this challenge I've learnt somethng new: the word "ogre". I didn't know how to translate the Italian word, but now I know it!

Another Challenging Challenge...

This time the Challenge was really challenging: I had to make an "Easel Card".

I hardly knew the meaning of easel and I thought I could never do one but, thanks to the instructions I found together with the Challenge, it was very very easy to make one and I'll surely do more in the future.

This is the card:

and, of course, it is for the Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 10: they gave us this lovely "Penguin-Bunny" digi with the instructions to make an easel card.

It is my very first card of this type so it may not be a great card but I love this little penguin disguised as a rabbit!

It's Time for Another Hambo Hoedown Challenge!

Time really flies.

It's Tuesday again... it seems like yesterday when I posted my card for the Hambo Hoedown Challenge and a week has passed.

I know, I know... I'm a bit lazy these last few weeks, I don't blog so often as I used to do in the past few months but I promise I'll be back on track soon!

For today, I have my card for the Hambo Hoedown Challenge ready to be posted:

Isn't it a lovely image??

They gave it for free to all participants in last week challenge to be used this week with a green and hot pink color theme.

These bright colors suggested me a girly card, with rhinestones, ribbon and floral papers.

I love this little Caterpillar!!



Tomorrow we will be given another image and I always look forward to their email and new image!

I Need Coffee Today...

Last night I didn't sleep well - or maybe I didn't sleep at all - and today I feel a bit tired and I long for coffee, a lot of coffee...

The weather is ugly, it rains and it is dark, it seems to be back in the worst winter days and this doesn't help my mood.

Moreover, I spent the morning cleaning the house.

You can understand how I feel today.

BUT

I had some time to make a card and color some digis! And this makes me smile and be happy!

A coffee -themed card was perfect today:

This card is made using another Hambo stamp - Coffee Girl - we were given as participants in last week challenge.

We also had a sketch to follow:

I colored the digi with watercolor pencils as usual and used some paper from an old Sizzix paper pad. I glued some parts with 3D dots for added dimension.

This card will be entered in Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 8 Can Anyone Say more please?

I can, I can...

A very quick post.

Good morning!

I've not been a good blogger in this period but my family still has health issues and I have Custom orders to prepare so I have little time to dedicate to cards and posts.

Anyway, yesterday I manage to prepare a little tag for a challenge.

The original idea was to make a card as usual. I was printing some digis and I had a little space in the page for another one so I decided to fit in a lovely little elephant from Hambo Stamps. Once printed I realized it was a bit too small for a card so I turned it into a tag.

Here's my tag:

The Hambo Hoedown Challenge this week was all about this little elephant they gave us for free (as participants in last week challenge) and sparkle.

I used a metallic blue tag and added sparkle in the elephant hat, in the lollipops made from glitter card and in the rhinestones.

Well, I have many cards almost ready and some stamps already colored waiting to be turned into cards, I hope I have time to finish something!

Have a nice week!

St. Patrick's Day.

In Italy, we do not celebrate St. Patrick's Day, we know it because we are shown images from Ireland or the US of the St. Patty's parade on March 17 by the TV.

I don't know if I like all that green, green is a difficult color so it took a while to make this card.

But we do believe that shamrocks mean good luck and we all need good luck these days so I followed this theme.

This is the card:

This funny image is from Hambo Stamps and it was free as I entered a card in last week challenge.

The theme for the challenge was to use this St. Pat Hamster digi stamp together with gold. I used gold glitter for the coins and a yellow/gold/light green paper from an old Sizzix stack as background. I also put some gold paper behind the sentiment.

Of course, this card will be entered in Hambo Hoedown Challenge.

But it's perfect for some other challenges:
Meljen Design Challenge # 49 which asks for GREEN
Crafty Hos Challenge which asks for GREEN, GOLD and WHITE

Good luck to everybody!

I Miss You... Challenges!

I really miss you challenges and blog posts!

My mom is still recovering and I spend most of my days taking care of her but she has no computer at home so I cannot use the spare time I have there to write something on the blog. And when I come home... well, lots of things are to be done and time is never enough.

Yesterday, I took some supplies with me and managed to color some stamps and make a card for a challenge!

Here's my card:

This digi is Lion - digi from Hambo Stamps and was given for free to all participants in last week Challenge. Of course, I made this card to enter Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 5: they want to see the lion, the sentiment and some stripes.

Well, I have to go: it'll be another busy week, in addition I have Custom orders so I don't know when I'm back but I hope SOOON, there are so many interesting challenges out there...

Heroes...

With my mom still in bed and some Custom orders to finish, this week I have little time to have fun with Challenges.

But I've managed to make one:

I've made this card for Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 4: they gave us this BIRD HERO digi for free and the card should be made following this sketch:

It's not clear from the picture, but the card is light green. The bird is colored with watercolor pencils and I added paint dots, pearls and a button.

Isn't this bird lovely?

And this card is perfect for Father's Day: here in Italy we celebrate fathers on March 19 so it's not too far away!

Tomorrow I'll be back to show you a card I made for a lovely Etsy Customer! Stay tuned!

Another Hambo Challenge

It's a dark rainy Sunday and I've just finished a card with a summer feel.

This week Challenge at Hambo Hoedown says "Let's Take a Trip to the Beach" and they gave us a fabulous digi with a pelican eating fish.

We had to use shades of blue, brown and tan and make a beach themed card.

It's funny how things work when you make cards or handcrafted items: you start thinking about Halloween and Fall in June, about Christmas in July and August when the sun shines, it's hot and winter colors and weather are really out of one's mind.

I love Christmas but I never dream about dark cold winter days while I always dream about summer, so it's been a pleasure to think something beachy today..

Here's my card:

This pelican is so cute with its fish in the mouth!

I thought about adding some little shells I collected on the beach last week but I'm not ready to see them on a card!



Little Monsters...

* * 2nd Post today! * *

So here I am again...

I should be sitting next to the computer and not in front of it.. there's a card waiting for me on the table but I still need time to think about it before gluing the pieces together so here I am.

As I already told you, I'm quite tired of making Valentine cards but I made another one and I have to show it to you:

I was given this adorable little monster by Hambo Stamps as I entered last week challenge and I couldn't help myself from entering this week's challenge too!

Thus, I will enter some more Valentine themed challenges today, here's my list:

Hambo Hoedown Challenge # 2 where we had to use this free digi + 1 sentiment (also free) + at least 1 heart.

Cupcake Craft Challenge # 128 where the theme is "Seeing Red" (and this card is definitely RED!).

Papertake Weekly Challenge where they asked for "Hearts" (are there enough?).

Digital Tuesday Challenge #97 where the theme was "Valentine".

and, last but not least,

Incy Wincy Challenge # 80 where the theme is "LOVE".

It's funny how a monster can fit so many challenges!!!

And speaking of little monsters... my daughter has been invited at a friend's house next week... without me... she'll go with her friend and her mom once they get out of school and I'll see her only in the evening... She's growing fast...

This Was a Real Challenge...

Last week I discovered that Hambo Hoedown stamps was starting weekly challenges. I like their stamps and they have digis too which are surely the best choice for me living across the ocean and not too willing to pay for shipping and to wait for delivery.

They gave us a theme and a free digi to work with and it was a real challenge for me, the theme being FOOTBALL. Well, I know almost nothing about soccer which is our national sport game but I know absolutely NOTHING about football!

But I like challenges so I made this little card, with a little girl running for her own match in mind.

The paper is from DCWV and as usual the digi is watercolored.

My daughter dances and swims, she could never play football or something so masculine (she would be swept away) but I guess somewhere there are girls playing this kind of sports and, since I think that a girl is always a girl I had to glitter numbers...