Tri-ing it

It's fourth Monday of the month, which means it's Trifecta Time at Design Dollies - a chance to get serious about a challenge, and combine the first three challenges of the month into a single creation.  Sooooo ~ using the green/ivory/purple colour combo AND hearts (for the 'love' element) AND the sketch by Kristy ~ this is what I came up with:

Click to enlarge

I'm not too sure about the purple, but I can't blame anyone except myself for that colour combo!!

I'm submitting my layout at: 
# Paper Variety ~ Challenge 22 ~ Sew Much Fun
# Paper Crafting Journey ~ Challenge #4 ~ Anything Goes
# Stamp and Create ~ February ~ Love

I used a freebie 'Bollywood Heart' digi image from Sarah Paris on my layout:

Yum!

At C.R.A.F.T. Challenge this week, we are working with this colour pallette:

I always struggle with pastels, but I did have some soft pinks and pale greens in my Prima 'Annalee' 6x6 paperstack, and I used the Prima February Build-a-Page as inspiration too:


Click to enlarge

I don't make double page layouts very often, but it felt right for these photographs of the heavenly Mars Bar cheesecake that Jolene made for my birthday weekend :)

I'm submitting my layout at:
# Cupcake Craft ~ Challenge 130 ~ Cake'n'Icecream
# Party Time Tuesday ~ PTT #4 ~ Anything Goes
# Top Tip Tuesday ~ Top Tip #23 ~ Bling it On
I used Prima 'Say it in Crystals' flourishes, which I cut up and placed around the flowers.

Friendship and flowers

I made this card for a special friend, who will be receiving it in the mail later this week, I hope:

Click to enlarge

I still love making these spiral paper roses with my paper scraps:



I'm entering the card at:
# Skipping Stones Designs ~ Sketch #64  (I found the SSD blog hop when I was visiting Jenn's blog, and then I couldn't resist the amazing sketch by Lea Lawson)
# Simon Says ~ Make your own embellishments
# Charisma Cardz ~ Week #7 ~ Spring has sprung

The digital sentiment was created by Bethany from Elegant Word Art.

CRAFT and Kraft and more Kraft

I love Kraft, and this week I loved doing something different at CRAFT Challenge. The challenge is "not a card". Usually I would take the opportunity to create a layout (hehe, I am SO far behind on my layouts this year already...) but instead, I had fun playing with a giftbox template from our sponsor, Angela at Toucan Scraps:

I'm submitting my little giftbox at:
# Our Creative Corner ~ Cut it out

What I did: I printed the template and hand cut it (including those scallops!), then assembled.  I added a sticker (from SRM) and rosettes (Prima and Green Tara), a piece of organza ribbon, and that's it! Easy.


Another Kraft creation, a layout this time, for Kraft it Up! February colour challenge:

And last, another card:

I'm submitting my card at:
# The Kraft Journal ~ Challenge 6 ~ Hip to be square
# Challenge up your Life ~ Challenge #37 ~ Monochrome
# Fab'n'Funky ~ Challenge #6 ~ Make your own embellishment
# Top Tip Tuesday ~ Challenge #22 ~ All stitched up

What I did: I cut paper scraps (Crate Paper 'Crush') into 1"x1" squares and sewed around the edges using blanket stitch (DMC embroidery thread) to make my own 'inchies' embellishments. My tip:  When handstitching paper edges, pre-pierce with a needle, piercing tool, or if you want even stiches, use the unthreaded sewing machine.  I also used: Cuttlebug 'Textile Texture' EF, Scenic Route paper (leaf motif), Pink Paislee alpha stickers.

Another Valentine...

February seems to be all about Valentine's Day, at least in the crafting world. In my little corner of the world it's not really an event that is celebrated or acknowledged. I did make a few cards though, of course!

Over at the Design Dollies Elements Challenge this week, Adina challenged us to 'get romantic':

Click to enlarge

I'm entering my card at:
# Paper Sundaes ~ Challenge #56 ~ Toppings (pink and lace)
# Sentimental Sundays ~ Challenge #42 ~ Red, pink , white
# Allsorts ~ Week 90 ~ All about the sentiment

The sentiment is an epoxy sticker - the quote is by Thoreau: "There is no remedy for love but to love more". I 'framed' the sentiment by matting it and placing it inside the card, showing through a diecut window (Spellbinders Nestabilities, Labels Three).

(This card is another tiny step towards achieving my New Year's Resolution to reduce my old stash by 50% - some little scraps of BoBunny paper, ribbon and lace offcuts, and the sticker, which I received in a colour swap over a year ago).

Two hearts...

Over at C.R.A.F.T Challenge, the sponsor this week is The Crafty Pad and we're focussing on Valentines:



I played with layers and used lots of bits and pieces from my scraps folder - MME 'Madison Avenue', Carolee's Creations, Paper Trunk, Bazzill cardstock and some vintage book papers.

I also used:  Cuttlebug 'Seeing Spots' EF, Colorbox fluid chalk 'Dark Brown', DMC embroidery thread.

I'm entering my card at:
# Paper Playtime ~ Challenge #37 ~ Cupid or hearts
# Fab'n'Funky ~ Challenge #59 ~ Tempting texture
# Allsorts ~ Week 89 ~  It must be love
# Tuesday Throwdown ~ Challenge 35 ~ Add buttons

Jasmine's Valentine

Jasmine is totally in love with the idea of being a Junior DT at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - though she needs a bit more work on the concept of meeting deadlines!  This week was a success, and she loved making this card for Challenge 89, with a Valentine theme:

I think she did a fabulous job of colouring the sponsor's digital image ('Teds in Love' from The Crafty Pad). She is entering her card at:

# Pear Tree Designs ~ Challenge 35 ~ Free for all
# Stamp Something ~ February Digi Day
# Stamp and Create ~ February ~ Love
# Kona Kid Krafter's ~ Challenge #17 ~ Valentine or hearts

Challenging colours

Hmmmmm.... you'd think that since I had the opportunity to choose this month's colours at Design Dollies, that I'd choose something I really like!!  But I decided instead, to choose a combo that I find to be a personal challenge:  PURPLE, GREEN and IVORY.   After driving myself nuts trying to pull the colours together, I finally settled on some Bo Bunny 'Jazmyne' papers and some older photos (2007):



This is also another entry for Papertake Weekly - Anything goes, with flowers

Girls girls girls

I've scrapped some more photographs from my special October weekend getaway, and I'm very happy with how my album is coming together.

The first one uses more Prima 'Annalee' papers, and I had some fun with some handstitching as well. I used the February sketch from Scrap the Girls:



I also used: Kaisercraft 'After Five' journalling tag, Prima flowers, Cosmo Cricket 'Tiny Alphas', Studio 18 'Strass' rhinestones (thank you to Jacque for your sweet stuff), Kindy Glitz and DMC embroidery thread.


The second one features my friend Leah - I couldn't resist scrapping this photo!



I'm entering this layout at:
# Scrap Lounge - February sketch
# Basic Grey Challenges ~ Challenge 36 ~ Flower power
I used Basic Grey 'Sugared' paper (even used the scraps to make some rosettes). I hand-cut a floral scalloped mat and added some more Prima flowers.

I also used: MME 'Madison Avenue' paper, 'Strass' rhinestones, Rose Moka alphabet stickers.

A little bit of love

Another card this week:


Click to enlarge

This card is for:
# Fussy & Fancy ~ Challenge 29 - Valentine with no red or pink
The text on the journalling card (Kaisercraft 'After Five' collection) is really hard to see in the photograph, but it actually has a 'love' definition on it.
# Make it Colourful ~ Challenge #4 ~ colour an image NOT on white card
# Wee Memories ~ Saturday sketch

What I did:  I stamped on Kraft cardstock (Stayzon ink, Rhonna Farrer 'Swirls v2' image) and coloured with yellow and white gel pens (Uniball Signo) - then I fussy-cut the swirl and used it as an embellishment.  I also used:  Cuttlebug EF ('Jamara' and 'Script'), unknown flower, Colorbox fluid chalk 'dark brown'

Party of Four

This week at CRAFT Challenges the theme is 'diecuts'. With most of the team making cards, I decided to go back to my favourite pastime and scrap a layout instead. I printed a few more photographs from my amazing weekend away in October with the girls, and I finally broke out my Prima 'Annalee' papers and started to play:



My die cut journalling card was made using Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels Four. It's still one of my favourites. I also used some Prima goodies from the 'Sweet Taffy' pack that Jolene gave me for my birthday :)

I'm entering my layout at:
# Papertake Weekly ~ Anything Goes + flowers
# Lollipop Crafts ~ Challenge #24 ~ Sisters