Red & Gold... Is it Christmas yet?

This morning I woke up early as usual and decided to finish a card I have been planning for a few days.

I took the inspiration from this week's Challenge at Meljen's Designs to make another Christmas card.

Well, Christmas... It seems far away but it'll be here in a blink of an eye and the shop and my card stash need to be filled with seasonal goodies as soon as possible.

Red and Gold speak clearly of Christmas, decorations and festive atmosphere but I think they are not "my colors". It's the first time I use such a great part of gold in a card but I think that they look beautiful together.

Here's the card:

Being not a fan of gold, I had troubles in finding a gold paper in my stash. It was in a very old pad of Sizzix Little Sizzles Papers called Classics and of course they were just perfect. There were only a few sheets so I decided not to make more than one sample of this card, so I can save the remaining sheets for other projects that may require gold.

This lovely owl is a digi stamp from Meljen's Designs and I colored it with Copics... yeah... Copics (the red is "more red" than it seems from the picture)! The white part of the hat is glittered with glitter dust while the snow is made with waterfall stickles.

This card was made for Meljen's Designs Challenge # 81 where they request for Red & Gold.

But it's perfect to be entered in a couple of other Christmas Challenges:

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long where they want to see some SPAR-KA-LAY, and I used glitter, stickles, rhinestones and of course gold

and

ABC Christmas Challenge where U is for Unused Stash and both papers and ribbons are so old and never used!!!

The family has now waken up and they need me.

Happy Sunday!

Meljen's Designs Challenge # 80 and some updates...

Well, I know... I promised to post more often than in the summer but somehow three weeks have passed since my last post. I'm sorry.

But...

I was not on holiday... I am working on new cards and paper goods, I've tried new techniques, I've made cards in more than one sample... I'm really a busy bee!

I love fall: I love changing colors, I love that we're back on routine, I love thinking about Christmas which is really just around the corner. This fall we've been blessed with such a wonderful weather: we wore T-shirts until last week. Well, now we are freezing and I don't like it at all... The funny thing about this fall is that it seems we've missed... fall! From summer temperatures we dropped to winter temperatures...

This to say that in this period of the year I'm usually full of energies, inspiration and things to make.

I made several Christmas cards and tags, often in more than one copy, lots of notebooks, girly things and this card:

I know that Mother's Day is so far away (and this is the reason why you probably won't see this card up in the shop now) but I wanted to take part in Meljen's Designs Challenge # 80 and I wanted to use this digi stamp. The request is to "Use a Ribbon" and it wasn't difficult since I love ribbons and bows and I often use them in my cards.

For probably the first time I've decorated the inside of the card too:

I printed several small and bigger whales on two dotted papers: then, I simply had to cut them and decorate them with some glitter.

This little whale is one of my first digis and still one of my favorite, I made several different cards with it and this time I wanted to use the full potential of digi stamps and create two digis from just one image.

My daughter and I use to go to see a dolphin show every summer and she loves it and she loves dolphins so I thought about celebrating this event we do together with this card. They are whales and not dolphins but they remind me of our happy trip.

As for my other "achievements" I can anticipate I made a card with a movable image, discovered the magic of Copics, made tons of Christmas tags and little notebooks...

I'll post about them soon!

It's Another Paper Playtime Challenge!

It seems so long since my last post for Paper Playtime Challenge!

Now we're back into the winter routine with school, dance lessons, swimming and everything else.

Back to  Paper Playtime Challenge # 56, some things have changed in this last month: the last Monday of the month is no more a digi Monday but a Stamping Challenge. Everyone can enter it with a card or project with something stamped on it.

The theme this month is Halloween and here's my card:

This lovely Halloween cat is from Digital Delights and I painted it with my watercolor pencils. A punched moon, some rhinestones and a touch of glitter complete this simple little card.

Don't forget to have a look to the other cards made by DT members!

Aqua, White and Glitter... Wonderful!!!

Ohhh... I'm SO happy!

During the summer I spent many pleasant early morning hours sipping coffee and reading a lovely inspiring blog: Mish Mash. It had been pinned among my favorites for a while but I decided to read it more carefully and I discovered great tricks and techniques, inspiring photos and yummy recipes, tips and crafting projects.

One of the things which inspired me most was what she calls "Mass Production": make several pieces of the same card/tag/project. I never thought I could do that, mainly because I do not have friends or relatives I can sell my cards to, so I don't need to pile up. I don't even send cards so I don't need them for myself, even if I sometimes need a card and don't have one made by myself.

But... I decided I had to try. First of all, I have to let my papers go: I'm always afraid to finish that perfect sheet of paper and avoid using too much BUT, as Michelle says, they keep on selling papers, I can eventually buy some more if I need it. Second, I have to trust myself and be positive I will sell more than one card.

The other day I decided to make a card with a lovely stamped image I had colored few days before: I chose the card, the paper, added glitter, found the sentiment and the embellishment. It was quite easy to finish it and I found it so lovely I decided to make two more. I had stamped several copies of the same image and it was so easy to color them following the finished card. I cut the paper which was still on my table, add sentiments which I had in some copies and punched the snowflake... et voilà, three cards made so easily and quickly!

This lovely stamp is from Lili of the Valley and I colored it with watercolor pencils and added tons of glitter to the igloo to make it shine like snow.

The dotted paper is from Dovecraft (Christmas Fancy Collection) and the wonderful aqua card was bought in Paris: it's such a lovely color! It was hard to use three of them but I love so much the finished card that I think it was worth the effort!

When I saw the three cards on my table I felt so proud of myself and it was really rewarding.

Well, maybe three cards are not properly a "Mass Production" but it's certainly more than one...

I'll enter this card in Lili of the Valley Challenge # 113 which says "Aqua, White and Glitter". What lovely combination!

I enjoyed myself so much in mass producing that I'm still in that mode...

I'm Baaack!

Yes... I know I probably said the same thing back in July but now I should definitely be back on track.

School is starting on Monday, some rain is coming to refresh us a bit, leaves are turning yellow and days are shorter.

So sad summer is over! Although I do love fall I'm sad this wonderful period of the year is over. Although I love the house when it's all silence, I'll miss my daughter's company and chat. Although I love routine, I'll miss these long summer days when you have to invent the day everyday.

And I absolutely don't like cold and adore this wonderfully hot days! I'll miss each of them!

This morning I woke up quite early and I didn't want to spend too much time on my computer so I decided it was time to go back into challenges.

I was a bit tired of challenges, maybe because last spring I tried to enter as many as possible, so happy with the ideas and themes they gave for my cards. I had a list, I checked my favourites everyday... it was a real job!

This morning I decided to check a couple of them and to use a stamp among those I had already colored during the summer.

Then, I made a card. It turned out quite easily and I'm ready to take part in two challenges.

Here's my card:

I chose this lovely Pennyblack stamp which I colored a while ago with my watercolor pencils. I just added some glitter here and there. Then I decided to use some paper leftovers from my stash: the floral glittered paper is from DCWV, the dotted one... well, I don't remember.

It's a fresh spring card... not the ordinary fall/Halloween/Xmas card I use to make in this time of the year.

I will enter it here:

Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 168: the theme is Delicious, something yummy on our creations! And these cherries are sooo yummy!

And

Cute Card Thursday # 182 where Anything Goes!

I'll also try to list cards on my Etsy Shop once I've linked them to the Challenges so those of you who are interested will find them immediately!

Oops... I Forgot!

I forgot to add another card for Paper Playtime Digi Monday Challenge!

My daughter made a card which I sent to our DT coordinator, just in case she had a spot and... she has chosen her as Special Guest Designer!

This is her card:

When I saw this digi in Di's Digi Shop I knew she would have loved it: she loves horses and she rides with no fear.

She colored the digi and chose papers among those I was using for my DT card. My only advice was to suggest how to use the papers I had cut for her and arrange the flowers. Since I was a little behind her with my card, she didn't let me use the same papers so I had to go with a lighter color scheme... I let her look for something in my embellishments drawer (which she loves!), and she chose three rhinestones and some flowers. I also gave her the sentiment and the punched circle.

I love these summer days spent together in our craft room chatting and making things!

Vacation, Vacation...

Good morning!

It's the last Monday in August and this means... it's Paper Playtime Digi Monday again!

This month the theme is: VACATION!

August is THE MONTH for vacation here in Italy. Even if there's more people around in towns these days than in the past, most of us still go on holiday in August. The 15th being a National Holiday, offices and factories closed, the two central weeks of August are absolutely the most quiet in town!

Back to our challenge, here's my card:

I used these lovely Beach Huts digi from Delicious Doodles which I simply colored with pencils. I love this turquoise and white look, it's calming and refreshing!

Don't forget to have a look at the other amazing creations from our DT!

No, Not Lazy... Just Busy!

I can't believe it's the middle of August... this summer is really flying!

This time, I cannot say I'm lazy... well, yes, I'm a lazy blogger these days but I have so many things to do!

I spent some days trying to re-organize my craftroom (without too much success, but I've discovered some hidden treasures!), making little gifts for Christmas and reading inspiring blogs.

I also spent a few days with my daughter, my sister and my little niece (and I had the chance to find a shop with satin ribbons in wonderful hues!).

But...

I only made a couple of cards...

Here's my first:

I made this card for the Paper Playtime Anything Goes Challenge # 53.

The sponsor is Whimsie Doodles and I used this adorable little girl starting a new school year.

Schools will start one week later than usual this year: September 19! They say it's for tourism reasons but we feel it's really late! When I was a little girl, I used to start school on October 1! Maybe only for a couple of years but I remember when we started going to school around the middle of September and, of course, I didn't like it!

I made this card with my daughter in mind and I wanted to use bold colors: this paper from Die Cut With a View was perfect for my little girl and my black card.

Well, that's all for today. Don't forget to visit the Paper Playtime Challenge Blog and see all the wonderful DT creations!

Lazy Summer Days...

It's been a while since I came back from the seaside and I still dream of my lazy mornings under the sun on my deck chair...

I love to wake up early, have a huge breakfast with cofee, bread and jam (which I don't normally eat) and time to do that...

Then, we head to the beach: it's not yet crowded, not yet too hot, sun is still of a warm yellow and I lay down and enjoy the hot rays on my back.

When I was asked to choose an image for my monthly card for Paper Playtime Digi Monday Challenge with Summer as theme I immediately had to have THIS ONE: it means summer, seaside, vacation, laziness, sun, hot weather...

Here's my card:

This perfect summer digi is from Delicious Doodles and is called Deckchair (you can find it here).

I used a simple yellow card (yellow is the color of summer!) and I dotted it with white paint. Then added a patterned paper I found in a magazine and some ribbons. The digi is colored with watercolor pencils and I also added a touch of glitter and two pearls.

Don't forget to have a look at our monthly digi challenge DT cards!

I'm Back!!!

I've just come back from a short vacation on the beach and I've realized I have to start with Fall and Winter cards!

It was terrible: I sat down and switched the computer on (I don't bring it with me on holiday and... I don't miss it at all!!!), had a look at my favorite shops and blogs and... voilà, Christmas in July...

Although I love Christmas, I don't feel the need to celebrate Christmas in July, I don't like to start buying Christmas gifts so early and I don't like to think about snow and winter with 40°C.

But...

I have an Etsy shop and I have to start thinking in advance and that's why I have a Halloween card to show you:

I was looking at all the new releases I missed while on vacation and immediately fell in love with this little wizard from Stampfairy: I've never read Harry Potter and I've never seen one of the movies but this little wizard and his adorable owl had to be mine!

I missed challenges a bit so I decided to have a look at my favorite one: Sweet Sketch Wednesday. And it was a GREAT idea, Stampfairy isthe sponsor this week, so I immediately started making my Halloween card!

This is the sketch:

Unfortunately, I haven't had time to look through my list of challenges to see if I could enter another one with this card, so I will enter only Sweet Sketch Wednesday # 110 but I'm so happy I've made a new card after such a long time.

I actually made two... I'll show you the other one in a few days!

MESSAGE for SWEET SKETCH WEDNESDAY DT: I don't manage to leave comments! I don't know what's happening, I'm sorry!