Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 205

Today I've managed to plan some new cards and finish one:

While browsing my challenge list the other day I decided to enter Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 205: the theme is Red, White & Blue! and it was perfect for what I had in mind.

I love Pennyblack stamps, especially hedgehogs and mice, and when I saw this stamp set early this year, I thought I had to have it!

I wanted a crisp and clean look on my card and this light blue is just perfect!

The striped paper is from Pink Petticoat and I was lucky enough to find a matching ribbon in my stash!

Well, that's all for today. I'll be back soon with a new project for another challenge I'm so exvited about!



Time for Picnics

It's June!

It's almost summer!

We had a terrible May: rain, cold and... earthquakes!

We are not sure that earthquakes are over but at least it's hot and sunny!

My daughter's school closed sooner than expected because the earthquakes damaged the building and it was not safe. Luckily enough, and with a great effort, teachers managed to organize the end-of-school party at a nearby garden yesterday so we could "close" this school year in a happy and cheerful way.

Kids were a bit impressed when they experienced the earthquake while in class and I thought that celebrating the start of summer vacation in a "normal" way was positive for them.

We left early beacuse we had to attend a 3-hour dance lesson and we missed the picnic on the grass but I'd like to make a few picnics this summer, just to have fun and relax.

A few days ago I made this card for Broken Box Stock:

Summer = Picnics = red & white tablecloth = ants...

I love this Picnic Toodle (it's available in black and white and in color too, if you need a quick make)!

She is probably not allergic like me, she doesn't start sneezing as soon as she arrives in a park and her eyes don't become big, red and full of tears like mine.

But spring should be over in a few days and maybe I'll be able to go and relax on the grass without tons of hankies!

Stitches Challenge at Broken Box Stock

It's time for a new challenge at Broken Box Stock and the theme is:

STITCHES!

Challenge Directions: 

1) Use a graphic form Broken Box Stock to create a paper craft that incorporates STITCHES in your design. The stitches can be real stitches using thread/yarn/etc or they can be drawn onto your craft. You may use a color or digital stamp graphic. Feel free to use our freebies too!

2) Be creative. Be unique!

3) Email a photo (or a link) of your card to brokenboxdesigns@yahoo.com

Deadline: Tuesday, June 12, 2012.

Prize: Toodle Birthday Calendar (a printable craft)

 

Rules:

1) Use a Broken Box Stock graphic as the main image in your craft.

2) Up to 3 entries per person.

3) Follow challenge's design criteria above.

4) We reserve the right not to draw a winner if there are less than 5 entries.

 

Here's my card for this Challenge:

 

I've used Ballerina Toodle colored with Copics and glitter and Follow Your Heart (it's a freebie, don't miss it!).

I'm not good at stitching on cards so I drew stitches around the toodle and added a stitched ribbon and bow.

Don't forget to check out the other DT creations and, of course, don't miss the chance to win the faboulous Toodle Birthday Calender!

Getting Fit

It's finally warm enough to wear short-sleeve T-shirts, capris and flip flops and, like every year, it's time to try bikinis on...

And, like every year, it's time to follow a diet hoping that those bikinis will be on a slimmer and more tonic girl.

Hopelessly.

Not that I'm fat but I'm surely not tonic.

I don't use my weighing scale often but every now and then I have to check and... well... my face looks like this:

When I saw this digi stamp from Birdie Brown called "Step On It" I knew I had to have it! I love her face, the way she steps on the scale and that tiny sweat drop on her cheek...

In between hearthquakes, dance lessons, DT work and custom orders I managed to squeeze this little Journal: pretty enough for a girly girl who wants to keep track of her schedules, plans and achievements!

Pretty in Pink

I LOVE pink!

And...

I'd love a pink kitchen.

Well...

Not entirely pink, just a few touches here and there: a wall, some appliances, curtains...

I remember a special issue of Marie Claire Idées a few years ago which had a perfect "pink" kitchen. And I was inspired by that lovely kitchen when I created this:

and this:

 I discovered a new stamp Company, The Alley Way Stamps, a while ago and I had to treat myself with a couple of sets: one dedicated to the kitchen (Kitchen Gadgets) and one to baby boys and girls (Priceless Joy).

I've read that they have a DT Call at the moment and of course, I'll apply... fingers crossed!

Pure Cuteness

Happy Monday!

First of all, I'd like to thank all the visitors fromTSG Mother of All Blog Hops: you left such sweet comments, I didn't expect such a response to my card.

And welcome to the new followers!

These days last year I was making favour tags for a wedding: she was a Customer from my Etsy shop and she asked me to prepare tags to be added to her wedding favours. I also made a matching Tableau de Mariage and really had so much fun!

Yesterday, I finished the tags she asked me for the birth of her little girl!

It's incredible to be part of a wedding, somewhere far away from your town, thinking about people touching and taking home something I've made.

But it's even more incredible to be part of a birth!

She saw a daisy in my shop and we made tags to be added to favors. I started with this:

Aren't they cute! I had two trays like this one full of freshly glittered daisies and I couldn't help taking a picture of them!

Then, I ended up with this: 

The daisy digi stamp is from Birdie Brown. Tags were made with colors matching chevron bags my Customer had bought and will be attached to the bags by means of wooden pegs.

If she send me a picture of the finished favors, I'll post it here for sure!

Little Maia was born last Friday, so my best wishes to this blessed family!

And: Benvenuta Maia!

There She Goes Mother of All Blog Hops 2012

Hello, Stampers!

Welcome to the 3rd annual Mother of All Blog Hops sponsored by There She Goes Clears Stamps!   

Over the next two days, customers and trendsetters will be featuring some of our favorite There She Goes Clear Stamp sets!  

Not only that, we’re going to give YOU a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

To find out how, please go to the There She Goes’ blog and read the simple instructions.

I'm so happy to be part of this Blog Hop this year! It's my first Blog Hop ever and I'm so excited I can use There She Goes Stamps, I love them!!!

Here's my card:

I've used the Wrapped in Joy set and chose this little girl with gifts, gifts and more gifts! I colored her with Copics following the shades given by the flower paper.

I had just made another card with the same color scheme and I loved it so much I wanted to make the card for this hop with similar colors.

The hot pink paper is from DCWV and I've used a white card base. The satin ribbon matches the hot pink paper and I stamped a gift from the same set, colored it with Copics, cut it and used it as a charm. Some touches of glitter make the card shine!

I don't remember where the floral paper comes from. I remember only that I found it 10+ years ago when I didn't know anything about Photoshop or digital products and asked a colleague to scan it: I have it in my computer since then!

Please click on the InLinkz below and follow it to the next blog!

 I hope you'll enoy There She Goes MOABH 2012!

Time for A Polka-Dot Challenge at Broken Box Stock!

It's time for a new Challenge at Broken Box Stock!

The theme is a favorite of mine: Polka Dots!

I LOVE dots, I use dots in almost every card: I dot borders and background, add dots to pretty dresses or bows, use dotted papers and dotted bows...

So, this Challenge was perfect for me!

For my DT card I chose Mermaid Toodle and I loved the digi and the layout so much that i decided to make three versions!

Here's my cards:

These are the Challenge Directions:

1) Use a graphic from www.brokenboxstock.com to create a paper craft that incorporates POLKA-DOTS in the design. You may use a color or digital stamp graphic. Feel free to use Broken Box Freebies too!

2) Be creative. Be unique :)

3) Email a picture (or a link) of your card to Broken Box Stock.

Challenge Deadline is on Monday, May 21, 2012

Challenge Prize:
Toodle Club Clipart Membership & Toodle Birthday Calendar (If you are already a Toodle Club Member you'll be given a $25 Broken Box Stock gift certificate instead).

Challenge Rules:

1) Use Broken Box Stock graphics as the main image in your craft.

2) One entry per person.

3) Follow challenge's design criteria above.

4) Broken Box reserve the right not to draw winner if there are less than 5 entries.

5) License rules apply, so if the license purchased w/graphic requires credit please do so.

We look forward to seeing your creations!

White on White

Happy Sunday!

I've just discovered an interesting Challenge which is perfect for this card I made a few days ago with another Challenge in mind:

When I saw this image at Bugaboo Stamps I couldn't help buying it. I had been thinking for a while about making a simple card, with just a little main image colored with bright colors and nothing else. This digi was perfect for what I had in mind and for the traditional Challenge at Bugaboo Stamps which says "Anything Goes" at the beginning of each month.

Then, I discovered another Challenge at Totally Papercrafts where the theme is "White on White".

In addition, there is a color Challenge at Less is More and I'm lucky that this week is Yellow!

So, this card is for the following Challenges:

Bugaboo Challenge - May Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts Challenge # 115 - White on White"

and

Less is More Challenge Week # 66 - Yellow

It's been a while since I entered a Bugaboo Challenge and it's the first time I enter the other two Challenges so I'm pretty excited! I love the "Less is More" look of cards and I'm already planning a few more!

Well, better go back to the family!!

New Challenges!

First of all: yesterday I was featured on the Trendsetting Spotlight at There She Goes Blog! I'm SO honored and excited and happy! I love their stamps and it's great that they like the cards I made using them! In addition, I already won their Challenge twice so I'm slowly building up my stash of their Clear Stamps!

Then, in between DT work and Custom orders, I managed to make this Father's Day card:

Father's Day here is in March but I tuned to the US official date and planned to make a few cards.

I've used Fishing Stan from DigiStamp Boutique and colored it with Copics. I mounted the stamp on a patterned paper (it was a remnant so I don't remember the brand) and used a cream card with a green frame I purchased in Paris a few years ago.

I'll enter this card in the following Challenges:

DigiStamp Boutique May Customer Competition

and

Here Come The Boys Challenge # 26 - Hobbies

Have a happy weekend!

Update: Dawn posted a comment suggesting to enter this card in another Challenge: Dude Time Doodles May's First Wednesday Challenge and, of course, I'm more than happy to play!