Time to Party!

Hey!

Happy Monday! Happy for me because I've got this week off work too - woo hoo!!! Not that I hate work, I just like to have some quality inky time on my hands :D

Speaking of inky time (clever link, huh?!) I've been super busy this weekend not only enjoying the glorious sunshine but also taking part in the current Embellish Challenge. I'm a newbie to the Embellish challenges, but I've been admiring them from afar. I'm soooo glad I got the chance to play this time though.
The challenge is to incorporate party themed projects within this colour scheme. I was completely taken with left pic and in particular that red branch. I loved the way it balanced the picture and so this is what dictated my theme! Now if you took a peek at our dinning area here you'd know that this challenge was sooooooo my kinda style! We don't host parties as such, but that colour scheme is practically our whole dining area LOL!

So wanna party?! Well I'm no master-chef, but at my dinner party I could promise you a few paper-crafted accessories to help you feel welcome!

Firstly, you'd get an invite:


The Grungeboard 'P' is coated in Prisma Glitter - it sparkles so much IRL but my photography can't capture it! Now don't be fooled by the main panel either - that piece of 'black card' with red vines on is not dp but made using a emboss resist technique. I stamped a few vines together on PTI's Pure Poppy Cardstock, embossed with clear ep and then sponged black ink over the top. I was pretty impressed at the outcome...so much that I went ahead and made a few more things for 'my dinner party.'

So secondly and thirdly, as a guest, you'd get a personalised place card and little treat holder!


OK so the treat holder contains red buttons; I didn't have any black and red sweets on me LOL! But I'm guessing you'd probably be more happy with some PTI Pure Poppy Vintage Buttons than you would some sweet treats right?!

So here it is altogether! Obviously you wouldn't get a 'Chris' place card (unless that's your name!) but I like the fact that I can actually use this for a romantic meal (minus the buttons though - don't think he'd appreciate 'em!)



Supplies
Stamps: Inkadinkado - Delicate Branches
Ink: Versamark/Memento Black
Cardstock: PTI Kraft/Pure Poppy
Accesoreis: Clear EP/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/PTI Pure Poppy Grosgrain Ribbon/PTI White Snow Twill/Grungeboard/Prisma Glitter/White Transfers/White Gel Pen/Treat Tube/Pure Poppy Buttons LOL!

So have I got you as a guest then?! It may look oh-so-sophisticated but on the menu will be take-away pizza LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S Just found out my Sending Sunshine card is one of Taylor's Top Crops! Guess I better kiss and make up with Machiney LOL!

My Mojo Saviour!

Hey!

What a winter wonderland of a weekend! We've just had a load of snow today and it's definitely helping me get into the festive spirit!

Whilst I'd love to have been frolicking in the snow, I was paying the price for being so very unorganised this Christmas! I've been trapped away making lots of cards - I swear I'm gonna start in January for Christmas 2010!

My mind was blank today. On the one hand I don't like to mass produce the same design - I get kinda bored, but on the other hand it's hard to keep the mojo alive and kicking! Thankfully - Mojo Monday came to my rescue! Here's their near-ending sketch: ..and here's my take on it:

...I couldn't resist adding that bit of bling - just hope it still requires a small postage stamp LOL!

Card Recipe

Stamps: Inkadinkado Snowflake/PTI Signature Christmas

Ink: PTI Aqua Mist/Sweet Blush

Card: PTI Aqua Mist/Lavender Moon/Stamper's Select White/DP from Craftwork Cards

Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Martha Stewart Border Punch/Clear Gem/White Gel Pen

Seeing as this was a pretty simple design, I decided to make two more for recipients who appreciate the tradition Christmas colours!

Big, bold red:

...and gorgeous green:

The red glitter sparkles so much more IRL - this is the best shot I could get of it:

Card Recipe

Stamps: Inkadinkado Wreath/PTI Stocking Prints (sentiment)

Card: PTI Vintage Cream/SU! DP

Ink: PTI Ripe Avocado/Pupre Poppy

Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Martha Stewart Border Punch/Red Stickles

That's all I've got that I can upload for now - I've really gotta get these cards in the post! It's the deadline tomorrow for guaranteed Christmas delivery - best wrap up warm because there's no chance I'm driving in the snow. I'll suggest it as a romantic winter stroll to Chris so I've got some company ;D!

Thanks so much for stopping by during the chaotic Christmas season!

Catch ya later!

Aimes

x

Birthday Boy... or should that be man?!

Hey!

Another week done - only 2 more until I get to break up for summer, WOO HOO!!!! I can't wait until I'll be able to spend a lot more of my lazy summer days crafting away!

Just before I start this post I thought I'd share some good new with y'all....my little car is going to be patched up!!! YAY! I'm SO happy, I just love my car and I can't wait to be reunited with my lil' Starbug soon! At last, my luck is picking up a little! Thank you so much to all of you who sent your best wishes about my 'bump' (Edited to add: I mean CAR bump, no other kinda bump...Emma! LOL) - it means a lot as I was feeling rather down in the dumps about it all...

Anyways, the title of this post is the reason that I'm sharing today's card with you. It was my dear boyfriend's (Chris') birthday yesterday! He's starting to let his age get to him a little (he's the same age as me now - 27) whereas I just tend to act my shoe size, he worries that he's a step closer to 30. It's only a number isn't it?!?

Anyways cue another challenging masculine card eh?

I would love to say I was organised and had his card ready well before his special day, but....well....erm....I wasn't LOL! I was up until the early hours of his birthday making this card - on a school night might I add! I know it looks kinda simple and it would take minutes to rustle up if I had to make it again, but I can just never seem to make a quick decision when starting from scratch! I debated over colours, images, papers, layout etc for AGES!Well it had to be a guitar or something IT related (he's a self confessed geek - bless him!) so the guitar it was - he totally rocks on it though he doesn't say so himself! I love to listen in on him playing whilst pottering around - wish I had that much talent!Anyways back to the card...it's mainly full of PTI goodies and check out my paper piercing! All done courtesy of my new toy - a sewing machine! Now let me be the first to confess I CANNOT SEW! I treated myself to this little machine in the hope of stitching on some of my creations - I love to see stitching on card and have only used a white gel pen in the past. Fortunately my mum gave me a crash-course on how to use the thing so now I can 'attempt' some stitches. Note on this card there's no thread, I just wanted to pierce the card (Translation: OK I was too much of a wuss to attempt trying to thread the machine but I will soon!)

Chris loved his card, as well as his presents (Including the ultimate geek accessory - a binary watch. It looks very cool but I'll be dammed if I can tell the time on it LOL!)

Card Recipe
Stamps: PTI Around & About Sentiments, Inkadinkado Rock Star Clear Set
Ink: PTI New Leaf
Card: PTI Vintage Cream & Ripe Avocado, PTI's Bitty Box Basics (Ocean Tides)
Accessories: Sewing Machine, Button (Basic Grey), PTI New Leaf Topnotch Twill Ribbon & Rustic Cream Button Twine

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to craft a bit this weekend but I'm away celebrating Chris' birthday with his family so we'll have to wait and see...

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Catch ya later!

Aimes
x

Aaaargh another man card!

Hey!

I hope you're all having a fab weekend, the weather managed to hold for the weekend - hurrah!

This weekend was my Dad's birthday, in fact it was his 70th though he certainly doesn't look 70 (I'm hoping I've inherited his genes for aging LOL!)

So another dreaded 'man card' to make! I'd been putting it off until I couldn't put it off any more (e.g his actual birthday!) and immersed myself in my crafting corner. After 4 hours - I kid you not! This is what I came up with:


It's certainly not worthy of 4 hours work but I must have spent 3 hours out of the 4 making much needed cuppas and pondering what I was going to do!

Fortunately I had some stamped images from a swap that really suited my dad (Thanks Alison!) he's an avid gardener. I didn't really want to stick a huge 70 on the front - I wanted to focus more on the main images. You can't tell on the pic but the sentiment says "Best Wishes", it's much clearer IRL!


If you've never taken part in an image swap I recommend it. It's a really cool way to get some images that you may never have thought of playing with before. Plus it's a great justification to use that stamp set that you 'needed' but haven't cracked open yet! It's also very handy in emergencies such as this one LOL! I get very excited when I know some images are going to pop through the post for me to play with!

For a finishing touch I decided to distress the edges with distress ink. I really like the effect this gives - especially for male cards. I do think I went slightly overboard with it on the top section of the card though!

My Dad really like his card anyway - though he did need his specs to read it Bless!

Card Recipe
Stamps: From a swap (Alison can you remember ?!)
Ink: Distress Ink - Walnut Stain
Card: Double Sided DP from COSTCO
Accessories: Promarkers, Die-cut Sentiment from Craftwork Cards, Brown Ribbon (Poached from Choccies), 3-D Foam Pads


Finally, I played along with the 'A Passion for Papertrey' blog. I really enjoy the challenges both Steph & Kate create, it really gets my brain ticking and encourages me to use up my crafting goodies so I can purchase more LOL!

I confess I did make this card earlier (Wednesday) but I really wanted the intended recipient to receive the card before I posted it up here. I really hope it's been received as I posted it first class on Thurs, really sorry if it's not!

I loved making this card! I love playing with my PTI goodies, I know I keep babbling on about them but they're just AMAZING in quality! Such sturdy card and dp and the stamps - even though they're clear - give such a crisp image with the palette inks!

Card Recipe
All PTI Unless Stated!
Stamps: Around & About Sentiments, Inkadinkado - Delicate Branches
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Memento - Tuxedo Black
Card: Raspberry Fizz, Bitty Dots Basic Ripe Avocado, Kraft-coloured Card - The Paper Mill Shop,
Accessories: Ripe Avocado Ribbon, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Pink Gem - Hero Arts, Corner Punch

Just one more thing, I owe a HUGE thank you to Emma for nominating me for a blog award! It's the same one Alison nominated me for so I've already passed it on. Being nominated twice meant the size of my cheesy grin was twice as big LOL! If you haven't checked out Emma or Alison's blog then what are you waiting for?! Alison is very skilled with her Copics and Emma has created some AMAZING projects!

Right then that's enough babbling for now, thanks so much for stopping by!

Catch ya later!

Aimes
x

Grey eh?!

Hey!

So I've been trying really hard to play along with some of the challenges on various forums to encourage myself to keep using up all my lovely crafting goodies instead of staring (and in some cases even stroking!!!) them! A high turnover of goodies is surely a good thing - it gives me reason to purchase more LOL!

I recently played along with the Inspirations and Themes Challenge set by Kate on the ILWS forum. Initially, I wasn't going to pick the yellow, grey and white colour combo but then I saw just how lovely it worked on Kate's card and I couldn't resist!

I used my brayer to create the main scene along with a sponge to create the distant mountains. I know I've cheated slightly by colouring the bird black but trust me, it looked pants in the same shade of grey and provided no focal point. (Before you ask, I only have one shade of grey ink so I couldn't do much else!)
As I own no grey card I inked up a cuttlebug embossing folder with my brayer (yup, another use for that tool!) and ran it through on white card. I'm kinda impressed with the result though was scared I'd stained my embossing folder, but fortunately it wiped off easy with a babywipe (phew!)

Here's a close-up of the main image - I added extra detail with my black pen and white gel pen:

Do you recognise the scalloped square from anywhere? It's the aperture I cut from my Papertrey card entry (see my previous post!). I'd put it to the side and as normal I'd said to myself "I'll DEFINITELY use that later." I'm impressed that I actually did this time!

Card Recipe

Stamps: Inkadinkado - Delicate Branches

Ink: Adirondack Dye Ink - Slate, Whispers Dye Ink - Sunshine

Card: Papertrey Ink - Lemon Tart, Plain White Card

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Square Nestabilities (Both scalloped and classic), CB Embossing Folder (Swiss Dots), White Gel Pen, Black Pen, Ribbon (hoarded from chocolates LOL!), Flat-backed Pearls, Brayer

Hmmmmm...I definitely think grey will have to creep into a few more of my projects! I originally thought of it as a dull colour but it does work as a fab contrast colour!

Right then, off to create more crafting mayhem!

Aimes

x