Friday 29 July 2011

My first brass stencil embossing with Cuttlebug

Hello dear bloggers,

Happy first of August!
Thanks so much for your kind comments on my flowers...  hang in there, the tutorial is on it's way. 
Hope you lovely peeps had a decent weekend. 

I made this card on Friday and was thrilled with the way it turned out. 
And guess what I have used a brass stencil with my Cuttlebug to emboss the bird. My first time - Yippeeee!
Now I don't have to struggle with my poor fingers to do manual embossing with my lightbox even though there is a certain magic about manual embossing, you know. 

Okay enough waffle there... I am going to enter this for Make It Monday Linky Party.

Supplies used:

Cardstock - plain white.
Printed paper - kind courtesy Terry's blog candy that I won.
Purplish paper - from my stash , embossed with Cuttlebug and distressed with dark purple stamp pad.
Creamy pearlized paper - from Paddy's market, Sydney, embossed with my brass stencil, coloured in with pearl chalks in pastels and distressed with purple stamp pad.
Ribbon - American Craft
Flowers - Sizzix and Carla craft punches - home made, distressed and glittered. 

Note: This card worked like chocolate on my spirits - instant joy which lasted for 2 whole days!!! Lol.

I am off to do my rounds now...

Hugs and have a nice Monday,

Monica






Just been making flowers...


S is for SMILE.... cupcakes background to add to your smiles.

Hello dear bloggers,

Hope you are having a nice Friday... TGIF!!!

I have decided that no matter what I must give time for my art and craft - it is tonic for my soul, you know! Lol...

Here are some flowers I have made with my Sizzix die cut flowers and Carla craft punches (have used various sizes of punches to create centres and add depth).

I have taken different kinds of recycled paper in varied colours of the same family  metallic paper, construction paper and even just copier paper and look what I created... Ofcourse, I distressed the paper and sprayed it with water before crumpling the flowers.

I promise I will try and post a tutorial soon... I have been saying that for a year now. Better get down to it or I will fall in my own eyes!!! Lol.

I will come and visit soon and thanks again for all the inspiration you lovely, lovely ladies provide me.
And before I sign off I have to thank Kamya - an art and craft teacher in Mumbai who taught me quilling as well as YouTube tutorials that I religiously watch time permitting).

Hugs and flying kisses,

Monica

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Less is More - buttons and laces


Hello bloggers,

Thank you so much for your kind comments on my last card...

I have used pearlised baby blue cardstock for this card and have embossed it with my new embossing folder.
The cute baby pram  (kind courtesy Lynn) was heat embossed in sliver and coloured in with metallic gel crayons by Zeenya.
Thank you, Lynn for these delightful baby stamps that you sent me.
Doesn't the stamp look perfect with the folder?
The star shaped buttons were sent by dear Leigh (Charity Crafter) - thank you, wonderful ladies for adding so much colour into my card making. Aleeza loves these buttons and was a bid sad that they were going away because Leigh actually sent them for her!!! And I decided they were mine...
The sentiment is a ribbon which says,"It's a boy" which I had picked up a few years ago from a dollar store in Sydney. Sorry that it does not show so well.

I am going to submit this card for Less is More - the theme for which is buttons and ribbons

Hugs and hope to come and see you soon,

Monica
 

Monday 25 July 2011

Thank You Cards




Hello bloggers! I have been missing since I have been recovering from house invasion  by house guests and  am in the process of getting my apartment painted... And Aleeza has been behaving rather strangely after we have got back from our vacation... She is so clingy and cranky - hopefully it is a phase. Just that sometimes I am strapped of patience.

Now to this card - Have used white card stock and have stamped it with a Hero Arts Design block in green. Distressed the sides with crushed olive.
 The labels have been cut with my new punches and distressed as well. 
That 'oh so cute' flower with a lady bug on it has been sent to me by dear Sandra.  It is  a wooden embellie and looks really cute, doesn't it? Thanks, dear friend!
  
Another version of the same card on purple card stock which looks  blue! Have used a metallic stamp pad here...The strips of paper at the bottom are metallic  tissue papers which have been hand torn. The ribbon is from my stash. The metallic butterfly is store bought and the sentiment is hand written  - surprise, surprise!

 
This card is so simple and plain but it sold!!! I have gone over the stamp with a purple Sakura pen which made it look quite nice in real life. Have used the same metallic paper and the sentiment is handwritten as you can guess. The metallic flowers and butterflies are from my stash.


Hope you are all well and enjoying summer...

I am trying my best to resume crafting  and blogging full swing.

Hugs and thanks for your never-failing love and encouragement which has added so much sunshine to my life,
Monica

Tuesday 19 July 2011

General card

Hello my dear bloggers,

Here is a card I have made with paper from Terry's blog candy that I won last year.

The flowers have been made by me... and the sentiment as well.
I have added tiny shimmery flowers from my stash to give it a jazzy look.

Aleeza's first day was good, I think... did not get a chance to speak to the teacher because there were too many mums there wanting to know how their kids fared on the first day of school.

Hope you like my card... It looks much nicer in person, you know.

My life is a little better after Aleeza going back to school but Zeenya is still home because she goes to a different school. She is a big help, though and I do think I will miss her when she goes to middle school. But that means I will have more ME time. Yaaaay! My husband's 19 year old niece has been here since May, so we don't have many dull moments!!! I cannot wait for normal routine, though... Lol!

Hugs and have a nice tuesday,

Monica

Monday 18 July 2011

Congratulatory card

Hi bloggers,

Hope you had a wonderful weekend... 

Aleeza has started school this morning - a new class with a new teacher. I was missing the old teacher (a wonderful lady) sooo much!!! She is going to have a baby soon so has decided to be a stay at home mum.

Now to this card - Zeenya was kind enough to heat emboss this Hero Arts design block with silver embossing powder on to a shimmery mauve cardstock. It looks really effective in real life and I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

The  scalloped circles have been die cut with Ek Success. The subtle hearts that you see are actually fancy gift wrap.

The flowers and leaves (my new punch) have  been punched out of the same gift wrap. I have used three different flower  punches to give more character...and I have used shiny centres on some flowers to highlight them.

The sentiment has been embossed with Cuttlebug on shimmery cream paper.

I have made this card for a very special friend's son and daughter in law who are already married. My friend loved it!

Wish you a happy week ahead.

I will try and do my rounds soon. Zeenya wants to move her bed and change the layout of her room so I am off to help her with that.

Hugs,

Monica

Friday 15 July 2011

Thank You Card


Hello bloggers,

Hope you are enjoying your weekend wherever you are...It is 9:45 pm here as I write this post.

 I made this card for Zeenya's teacher to thank her for the kindness she had shown in our time of need.

It was rather simple but the embossing (Cuttlebug) looked great on shimmery white paper and I finished it off with ribbon and the three pahua shells from New Zealand (which I have been hoarding for almost 8 years and over!!)

I better leave as I am writing this post from Zeenya's laptop and she wants to chat with her friends...

So bye for now and have a pleasant weekend.

Hugs,
Monica

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Two wedding cards...



Hello bloggers,

I am trying to enjoy the summer holidays with my girls though from time to time, my patience is tried majorly by little Aleeza (my second one).

I am back pretty soon this time with two wedding cards... for my hubby's secretary who is getting married this Saturday. I gave Aleeza some paints to keep her busy while I made these simple cards.

For the first card I used light grey card stock and have stuck metallic silver handpaper on it.

The Docraft cake stamp has been stamped and heat embossed in silver by Zeenya on metallic creamy white paper and I have decorated the border with my Martha Stewart punch.

The silver ribbon and gems are from my stash while the baby blue ribbon is from Lynn - thank you so much, Lynn! I am impatiently waiting to find more time to start my next batch of charity cards with all that lovely stuff you have sent me...

The sentiment has been embossed with my dear Cuttlebug while the flowers have been punched with Carla craft flower punch.

For the second card, I have used grey card stock as well while the dress, shoes and flowers are from Shirley-Anne. Thank you, dear friend! I have parted with these lovely embellies with great reluctance (you know about my hoarding instincts, right?) Yet, I do think that the bride-to-be deserves it all - she is such a kind lady!

The grey punched hearts have been covered with glitter to match the general theme.

I have used my new Allegro embossing folder on metallic paper for the background.

The sentiment is handwritten but I'm afraid I did not do a good job.

Which card do you like? The first one is rather simple but looks much better in real life.

I will come and visit you all soon... forgive me for not being regular.

Hugs,

Monica


Tuesday 12 July 2011

Pictures of our vacation in France

Town centre of an old village called St. Paul de Vence (Provence)

Exterior of a pretty house in St Paul de Vence

 
 Grasse -  heart of  Perfumery

An old winery run by WOMEN!!! Yay! Women rule!

An overview of another pretty village
A church in Monaco


Hello my lovely blog buddies,

I have been missing as we have been having house guests and it sure has been keeping me busy...

Above are some pictures of our holiday in France...

Sorry, this is a quick post as it is my birthday and I am trying to convince my over worked hubby to take me out for a drink!!! He has just returned from a game of golf and wants to just chill out at home.

Hope you enjoy the pictures...

The food, wine and perfumes were amazing in France...
Paris Disney was a bit too busy but it still was enjoyble for the children.

Our holiday was fun, hectic and  a mixed bag because we lost our baggage as we arrived in Cannes! It took four days to be located. Somehow I did not lose my sense of humour - thank God for that.

All in all France was a beautiful experience and I have to say I loved it.

Hugs,

Monica



Monday 4 July 2011

Featured Blogger - Charity Crafter

Hello my sweet, sweet bloggers,

I am finally back after this so very long vacation. It was fun, hectic, busy and a bit of a mixed bag. It took me a while to find out my bearings in the kitchen.


I am glad to be back home - home, sweet home! East or West, home is best!!!  The children are still on vacation so I may not be able to get back to blogging full swing - I will try for sure once my jet lag settles down.

And believe me, I have missed blogging so much. I will try and post some pics incase there are some decent ones I have clicked.

Okay, before I continue with my waffling let me get to the point - the featured blogger for this month is the Lovely Leigh (http://www.charitycrafter.blogspot.com/


Leigh was one of the very first bloggers who touched my life - she is such a do-gooder in the true sense of the word. I consider myself lucky to be her follower... to say the least.


She makes beautiful cards and supports charities related to breast cancer and others as well. May I suggest that you do a tour of Leigh's blog and see what she does.She holds classes for scrapbooking and card making in her area too. She is quite an institution, really.


Every once in a while, Leigh does a post which is from her heart describing an incident which is just so heart warming to read. When I read those touching stories, I just feel so rich!


Thank you Leigh for the encouragement and love you have given me. Know that you are very dear to me even though I have been a bit out of touch with you.

Have a nice week ahead and I promise to come and visit you as soon as I can.

Happy Fourth of July!
Hugs,

Monica