Monday, April 30, 2012

365 Cards Day 59 ~ All Boy...Sort Of

From the title of this challenge you probably guessed that it’s about creating a card fit for a boy.
But we don’t like it to be that simple, so let’s add the challenging part…
Create a birthday card for a boy, but skip the traditional BLUE color.

I asked my boys "What kind of birthday card would you like to receive?" and they just replied "Any kind."  I asked them about colors and they said "Any color."  I asked "What if it is a pink card?".  They replied "It's OK.".  Hmm... and they can be so specific about their birthday party and presents.  "I want a NERF gun", "I want The Hunger Games Trilogy", "I want a RIPSTIK waveboard".

I decided to go on my own way to make this card.  My guys and I like reptiles (in fact they bugged me for a green snake a while back but green snakes eat life white mice).  We especially like the green iguana because of its spiky look and the fact that it is a herbivore (so no need to get life food).

My initial card did not have any creativity in it, so I decided to make a new one, using the same green iguana lizard image which I like very much.  This time, I thought about the layout and used 3 different patterned papers for contrast.  Stuck the Happy Birthday sticker on a card base and cut it out before mounting it on the left top corner.  To complete the look, I lined a piece of ribbon just under the lizard and stuck 3 green buttons on the bottom right.


This card is also meant for Sentimental Sundays Challenge #100
This week's challenge is:
Cards for KIDS
(plus a sentiment)

365 Cards Day 58 ~ Color Scheme

I am waiting patiently for the Cuttlebug my sister is hand carrying back to Malaysia from good old USA.  I believe I can do so much more with the little bug.  In the meantime, this is my simple card for the challenge.


Saturday, April 28, 2012

365 Cards Day 57 ~ Try a Technique

Is there a crafting technique you always wanted to try, but never have?  How about one you've tried unsuccessfully that you want to try again?  Here is your opportunity...
Select new technique to try (or re-try!) and use it on your card.

I have been wanting to make my own flowers for a while since I started making cards.  So for this challenge, I made florets out of satin ribbons.  It is a simple card really.  Making the florets (or little posies?) was not as difficult as I thought (I have no sewing skills).  Did them in 2 colors and sizes, and put them together with the white flowers in the center.

On a white card base, I banded a string of baby blue satin ribbon and tied a simple knot.  Mounted the 3 florets in a column.  Stamped "Thank you" on the parchment paper and glued that in place.  This card can also be used as a wedding invitation or a congratulatory card.


This card was submitted for The Outlawz Challenges Sunday CAS Challenge April 22

Friday, April 27, 2012

Accomplishments So Far on 365 Cards and Outlawz

I was spotlighted on 365 Cards Day 9 and Day 37.

Here are your Spotlight Designers

Here are last week's Spotlight Designers


I've also been diligently submitting cards every day since I discovered 365 Cards in February this year and have been on the Weekly Challenge All-Stars since the new 365 commenced on 1 March 2012.

It is kind of exciting and rewarding to see my card in the lineup, although I have not won anything yet.

The most pleasant surprise was when I received an email to say that my card was featured on The Outlawz Challenges with this card.

School Time

Thursday, April 26, 2012

365 Cards Day 56 ~ Loud

If you like bold, bright and graphic cards, then this challenge is for you...
Have you ever looked at someone's outfit and said, "Now THAT is 'loud'" ?  If you have, then you know what I'm talking about when I say I want to see your cards reflect that idea that something you see can be described that way.

What's loud?  A fashion statement?  Psychedelic (Mike Myers in Austin Powers)!!  Lady GAGA?  How do we gauge, how do we judge?  What is food to some is poison to others.  Lady GAGA is deplored by the so called moral guardians but her songs are so good.  BORN THIS WAY speaks so true.  We are all born the way we are.

Decided to fashion this card following The Outlawz Challenges Twisted Thursday Challenge April 26.
So what is our twist for this week’s “Anything Goes” challenge?  It is flowers.  We want to see flowers somewhere on your projects. The more the better ;)
The challenge tag for this week is TT042612.

Cut out the lovely poppy flowers from designer paper stack by Kate Knight (free gift with Cardmaking & Papercraft March 2012).  Loosely glued two swags on parchment paper, mounted the sentiment card (intentionally left blank for handwritten message) with more poppy flowers and pink jewels.  Clipped on the bling butterfly hair clip on and finished the card with bling HI.  Now is that LOUD enough?



Wednesday, April 25, 2012

365 Cards Day 55 ~ On The Fringes


Today's challenge is called On the Fringes because "fringe" is what we're loking for on your cards.  Specifically, we'd like to see FOUR different types of fringe on them.

FRINGE is not my favorite TV show, too far fetched.  But fringes on a card, now that is nice.  Scallop, zig zag, edged, torn, stained.  Now to work on the card... if only I have a Cuttlebug...

Worked on the card based on The Outlawz Challenges Wednesday Sketch Challenge for April 25.

The card is done using just scissors, several pieces of blank papers and cards, some ink, a piece of patterned paper (for origami), grosgrain ribbon and K&Company chipboard flowers.  Voila, it is a birthday card.




365 Cards Day 54 ~ Black and White Plus Two


Create your card using only BLACK, WHITE and TWO other colors.  Otherwise, anything goes.

Black and White, Pink and Green, for an apology card.  Simple, no frills, no fuss.  The word SORRY is nicely positioned to connect with the creeper twine.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

365 Cards Day 52 ~ Imagine This: The Cinema

Image This: The Cinema


What comes to mind with CINEMA?  Lights, Camera, Action.  Popcorn and soda.  HOLLYWOOD.  Tickets to the Cinema.  I am having some difficulties with this challenge.  The images come but I can't seem to get them onto paper.  A tough one indeed.

Finally got some inspiration when I was browsing through The Outlawz Challenges for my next card with them.  The color palette is Sea BluePositive Red and Yellow Flash.
The twist is to add stripes.


Google searched and found this cute penguin off http://www.nothingbutpenguins.com/about-penguins/take-that-penguin-to-the-zoo/, copied it to file and got it printed along with the sentiments.  Used a white card base, glued a strip of stripe blue/white grosgrain ribbon at the bottom, cut the adorable penguin (after gluing it to a blue card base) and glued it in place as a pocket.  Glued the Invitation message on a red card and the Movie Ticket on yellow.  Mounted the red card on top behind the Penguin and placed the ticket in the pocket.

Now we are set to go to the cinema with this invite.



365 Cards Day 53 ~ Super Sketchy Sunday

Sketch 8 Day 53/365
I was thinking GREEN for this sketch challenge.  So pasted a patterned paper on a cream colored base and stuck that on a green card base.  Placed a strip of green striped Grosgrain ribbon and completed it with a sentiment on green circle topped with a chipboard from K&Company Poppyseed.

The card is so fresh for a Happy Day.  This card is made with The Outlawz Challenge 

Paper a la Mode Challenge - April 21 - "Happy"

 in mind.


Monday, April 23, 2012

365 Cards Day 51 ~ Color Scheme

These colors look good on a chocolate box.  The Thank you card is a chocolatee one, yummy enough to eat.



Friday, April 20, 2012

365 Cards Day 50 ~ So Smart

Today's challenge is to think "School" - I'm talking about using at least one image and one word that are associated with learning.

All things about "school" - ABCs and 123, Back to School, School's Out, Recess, Principal's List, To Sir With Love, Rock School, GLEE, the list goes on.

I made this card in conjunction with The Outlawz Sketch Challenge for Wednesday April 18

The card features all the elements of SCHOOL ~ ABC song, 12345 once I caught a fish alive, An Apple for Teacher, School House and Back To School.  Sweet!

This card is featured in The Outlawz Challenges.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

365 Cards Day 49 - Getting Inky


Today's challenge is to find at least 2 uses for that stamp pad. 
Any color, any type of ink will do.
And you can keep it simple, as I like to do.

I am not much of a stamper but anyway, here goes.  Stamped 2 square white cards with 3 flowers in pink and drew in the stems with fine artliner.  Stamped sentiment on another square card.  Pasted them on card with patterned paper which looks pretty much stamped itself, and completed it with sakura silk ribbon.  This card is entered in The Outlawz Challenge Paper a la Mode April 14-21



Feeling that I have not done enough stamping and inking, I decided to do a couple more cards using the stamp pad and here they are.  It is amazing to see how the stamp pads themselves become stamps.  The effect is a scruffy look.



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

365 Cards Day 48 ~ Ad Inspired

Ad Inspired Challenge
This ad inspired challenge is interesting, the colors, the quirky fonts, the bottle.  I can feel the creative juices flowing (pun intended ~ Juicy Couture).  Although the words Dirty English reminds me of Johnny English (Mr Bean meets James Bond, starring Rowan Atkinson aka Mr Bean).

Cut a self made patterned paper (color pencil shading on slate) and pasted it on a white base.  Cut out a THANK YOU sentiment printed on paper, pasted it on a white card, decorated it with some color coordinated jewels on four corners and mounted it in place on a slant.

Cut out white circle, inked the edges with gold and mounted on orange flower.  Mounted that on the card and completed it with a blue glass jewel, to follow the bottle of perfume in orange and blue.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

365 Cards Day 47 ~ White Space


Today I’m tackling a white space challenge and here’s how it works…
When designing your card, keep all the decorations to the blacked out areas if you can.


I love cards with lots of white space!  And I definitely love this challenge!!!  Used to buy Hallmark cards with lots of white when I was young.  Pasted the doily sticker on to parchment paper, cut it out and mounted it on the white base.  Cut 3 squares of the same parchment paper with scallop scissors and mounted them.  Finally tied this lovely Grosgrain ribbon which I just got this afternoon and stuck it on the centre square to complete the look.  Used the ribbon as I wanted to leave the squares empty.

Sometimes, the simplest and plainest of things are best to reflect a clear and simple message.  This card shouts out love and light to me.



Monday, April 16, 2012

365 Cards Day 46 ~ Super Sketchy Sunday

SSS Sketch Day 46
To a certain degree, I love 365's Sketchy Sundays.  It leaves a lot of room for creativity within a sketch constraint.  You can take it all out with colors or you can take it simple, elegant.  I decided to keep it elegant, using the parchment paper twice over, as the base card and as the inlaid piece edged gold, topped with a white message card.  Accessorized with a navy ribbon and embellished with 3 handmade roses on curly wires.



This card is suitable as a congratulatory card for a wedding or a graduation or even retirement.  Any memorable occasion.  It can be used both horizontally like this or vertically as per the sketch.

365 Cards Day 45 ~ I've Been Framed

Frame and image with patterned paper.  Any image, any pattern you wish, but those are the only restrictions.

Free and easy.  Framed a THANK YOU message for a stupendous deed.  Nothing can express my gratitude, in a simple straight forward way.  Intentionally left a lot of empty space for the expression to shout out the heartfelt appreciation.


This card is also submitted for http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.com/2012/04/cahllenge-98-frame-it.html and http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com/2012/04/n-for-neutral.html.

365 Cards Day 44 ~ Color Combo

It took me a while (again) to work this challenge out.  Yellow, olive green, red and grey.  Settled for this big bloom card for a blooming friendship.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

365 Cards Day 43 ~ Just A Touch

Select an image to add to your card, adding just a touch of color to it.

Glued the rose patterned paper on a red base card.  Stamped the 2 cute bears and sentiment on a white card.  Inked the edges and pasted 3 cutout roses on it.  Colored the bouquet of roses and one heart pink.


365 Cards Day 42 ~ Fill'er Up

This challenge is about taking an image and filling the card with it.

Used a fairy sticker with a watering can and pasted it on a white card, and mounted that to a small blue base card.  Tied a ribbon and stamped the sentiment.  Nice and cheerful!


Friday, April 13, 2012

A Break in Singapore

Here in Garden City for the day with son Johan for Bilingual Competition at Nanyang Girls High School. Saw nice craft shop at Clementi Mall.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

365 Cards Day 41 ~ Cute Critters

I love cards that include adorable little animals, bugs, and even imaginary creatures.  For this challenge, we want to see at least two cute critters on your card.

I love birds, butterflies and snails.  Worms too but they are in hiding.  All are singing "Hello, is it me you're looking for?"  This card uses Freshly Made Sketches FMS30.


365 Cards Day 40 ~ Let's Chat

For this challenge, I'm looking for something along the lines of an "everyday" sort of theme.  And that's what the title refers to - think of a sentiment that you might put on a card for a friend, but nothing too personal.

A sentiment for a friend, but nothing too personal... hmm...  Tea?  This card uses Mojo Monday Sketch 236.

Tea?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

365 Cards Day 39 ~ Super Sketchy Sunday

Sketch Day 39
Sketches are really fun to do as it leaves lots of room to play with a direction.  Kept it simple with a navy ribbon, papercups from Ikea, seashells and a floret on the top right.


365 Card Day 38 ~ So Sorry


Create a sympathy card that includes a peaceful image on it.

When my Mom passed on May 10, 2000, I was carrying my second child into the 3rd Trimester.  It was a difficult period but it was time for her to go.

This card is made just so, life is fleeting and good.




365 Cards Day 37 ~ Color Combo


Beautiful combination of colors but requiring some thought for one who is limited by colors.  Creativity is called for.  Cut zannias out of Little Yellow Bicycle Zannia paper and lined the bottom of the card with a ribbon with posies to complete it.  Simple and sassy, I think.


Friday, April 6, 2012

365 Cards Day 36 ~ Imagine This : Freedom


Today's is all about FREEDOM

Freedom to do what one likes.  Freedom being happy with friends and loved ones.  Freedom to fly in the sky under a rainbow.  That would be wonderful.



365 Cards Day 35 ~ Fine Feathered Friends


Let's see a bird on your card included as part of a nature scene.


Birds, I love birds.  Birds of a feather flock together.  Magpies sing a lovely song.  eagle2phoenix is my username and my email address on gmail.

Tied this challenge with Freshly Made Sketches #29.  Left the card sentiment free for later use.


365 Cards Day 34 ~ A Certain Sentiment

Create a card that includes the sentiment "Cheers" or, if you prefer, you can depict it.


Cheers! In celebration of something. Cheers the very successful TV comedy series in the 80s with Ted Danson and Danny Devito. Cheers or Yam Seng in Cantonese. Cheers as in 3 cheers - Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! or Hip Hip Hurray! Cheers as in cheer leading.

My cheers is simple, over tea for two. Here's to friends and friendship.


365 Cards Day 33 ~ Play on Words

Let's create some cards that include a play on words.


Toyed with a few options like "Happy Bird Day", "Wormiest Regards", "Thanks a Latte", "Merci Bouquet". Settled for "Wormiest Regards" as I love worms! The sentiment is hand drawn in worm font (my own creation).  It was fun doing this card.  It feels very warm.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

I am So Sorry!!

I only discovered how to use exact post link last Friday.  So my sincere apologies to all who had to search my entries on the entire blog.  Will make sure that I will always copy post link instead of just putting the blog link henceforth.

365 Cards Day 32 ~ Super Sketchy Sunday

The Challenge Sketch
Ahh.. the last card of the week.  Pretty pinwheel paper on upper part of a dark pink card.  A leather flower tied to cords form the ribbon line (this was cut out from an old belt I had which my youngest boy ruined when he was 2 or 3.  Yes, he took a pair of scissors and cut the strings.).  The ring of lace and flowers I simplified with a cutout and embellished it with some shiny blings.  Did not put in any sentiment so that the card can be used for almost any occasion, for anyone.


365 Cards Day 31 ~ Stampin Saturday


Stamp a background on your card - using any stamp you'd like - but it must be made up of three different colors.  It doesn't have to be fancy or have a dramatic color scheme to meet the requirements.

I do not have a good collection of stamps just yet.  So I decided to do reverse stamping (or relief art) by shading paper on slate with color pencils.  Nature slate (tiles) are really beautiful pieces of art by nature.  Each piece is unique by itself, the surface, the grains, the lines, the colors.  Here I used light green, light blue and purple to pick up the beautiful lines.

Because the print was so beautiful, I had to cut the paper where the lines came out best.  For the message, I cut out a blue piece of paper with scallop scissors, stamped in the sentiment and inked the edges.  Then I smudged the sides with chalk.

Added the 3 colored hearts to complete the card.



365 Cards Day 30 ~ Color Combo

I find Color Combos rather challenging.  Sometimes it is difficult to get all the colors right.  But challenging as they come, we've got to get it done.  Now that rhymes!

Took a mottled lilac paper as background, glued 2 strips of light and dark purple patterned paper on the left, cut out 2 butterflies in purple and dark green and placed them on the card.  On a rectangular card, stamped the sentiment and flowers, colored them in, chalked the edges and placed that just under the butterflies.

A card for a friend.  Most times, butterflies flutter around in pairs, did you know that?  I noticed it at the retreat.


365 Cards Day 29 ~ What's Your Sign

The Challenge And by "sign" I mean traffic sign -- or anything along those lines.

My sign is the traffic lights cos it is red, yellow (or amber or orange) and green.  It reminds us that we need to stop, look and see-listen, not just for the traffic, but also in life.  A song comes to mind in the children's story by Richard Scary about kids having to stop at the lights, to look left and right, about paying attention.

This card is for a boy who loves Cars The Movie.  I chose stickers of Lightning McQueen (he's red), Luigi (he's the Italian yellow) and Fillmore (he's green and green).  So ready, set, go!  Have a wonderful start to your day!!