Bright and cheery

Hello all,

My posts are going to be a bit random for the next few week or so. Vacation's getting over now and there is a lot happening before school reopens. I hardly have the time to craft.

I loved this week's Card Patterns Sketch# 66. It really did have lot of scope for layers and embellishments. Though I couldn't do complete justice to the sketch, here is my take on it:

It did take a little effort but I kind of like it. I think I'm using these colors for the first time and I like the bright n cheery feel.

My recipe:

CS: Base black CS is Fabriano, the golden yellow is a sheet of handmade n textured paper, the DP is an RAK from Tanja.

Stamps and others: Tim Holtz mini masks sponged with orange and yellow inks [Hobby Ideas], the stamp is also Hobby Ideas

Embellishments: The 'believe' and printed dome stickers are Heidi Grace (from Donna), all lace from my stash [thanks Mamma], flowers are also from my stash [I hate the quality though :-(]

PLUS a lot of faux stitching and a little embroidery floss for finishing the card. :-)

Ciao later...

Hugs,
Smita

Masculine ;-)... second post for the day -- double yahoooo!!

Hello once again people!!

I can't believe this is my second post for the day. It didn't look as if I'd manage even one though. This card is for 2S4Y's sketch no. 53 by the uber talented Kazan. How I love their sketches, only my archives can tell you :-) Though I don't manage to submit my card every time, I do love them so!! I can't believe it is their 2nd anniversary already. And I started blogging at around the same time :-) They've grown beyond imagination; and poor ol' me is still learning :-)

But here's one card I'm happy with:

Tell me the DP is gorgeous!... *waiting*.... thank you ;-) Well, do you know where it comes from? he he he.... We'd gone out for dinner at a pub last week with some cousins. They had these super tempting sheets of paper used as table mats. The first thing I said when I saw these was that I have to use them in a card. So my hubby obliged by picking up a new sheet from the counter on our way out :-) And I am loving this card now. Too bad I took only 1 sheet... next time I'll ask them to give me a few more :-)

I wanted the pattern to be visible so I layered a piece of vellum [I couldn't locate my acetate sheets :-( but no regrets now]. I flipped the sketch of course. Added simple foam letters and a chipboard diamond. I doodled the stars using my silver gel pen. The ribbon is from mom :-) and it is kind of elastic... it was fun working with it!! Do tell me what you think of this simple but truly masculine card [too bad the cask of whiskey is hidden behind the black CS] ;-)

Cheers [literally!],

Smita

Beary cute

I was in the mood for a cute card and this week's Card Patterns sketch 65 let me make just that!

I've had this free digi image from Sassy Cheryl colored and ready to use since really long. And I bought a pack of cute little clothespins a while ago too. Just that I hadn't used it yet and it was calling out to me today. ;-) I found CS & DP matching to the socks and boxers in this picture and I just had to try something different... I layered the cute beary and held him with a clothespin :-) and I even attached some string to make it look more real. I popped up the bear using foam tape. The embossing is Swiss Dots.

PS: Did you notice the matching twine bag in the pics? LOL! That was just a happy coincidence ;-)

The outside sentiment says 'Caught you...' and the inside of the card reads:

Hope you like it. [pssst: my 3-year old son loved it and is wondering if I will let him have it :-).... Do you think I should give it to him? ;-)]

Ciao,
Smita

RAKs!

I have been very lucky and blessed to receive some gorgeous RAKs from a few lovely ladies over the past few weeks.

From the warm-hearted and full of life Radha [there were some more prima flowers and brads too, which are not in the picture]:

From the uber talented Tanjaa:

I also received some patterned paper from Melanie.... unfortunately the postal service let me down - someone tore the envelope and took out a stamp and other things from within :-(

I am a lucky girl, huh? ;-) I hope so... Wondering what to get for each of them though.. I've a list of things to send to so many people now... God let me not be lazy this week!!

Ciao,
Smita

Card Patterns 64

My take on this week's Card Patterns sketch # 64:

I tried the fan fold flower for the first time... easy but took some practice.

Ribbon, lace and button are from my stash... I've used 3D outliner for the bling effect.

Bejeweled

Bejeweled - well that's what my card is today! ;-) I started with a little bling... and then went on and on and on... till my card began to resemble a jewelery box LOL!! But I don't mind it one bit... I loved the card though the pics may not do justice to it yet again!

Disclaimer: If you don't like bling, stop rightaway and get on with your work (or you'll be down with a headache! ;-) )

The card is inspired by the awesome sketch at 2S4Y (Laura, you and the DT rock this week too)... It is my favorite sketch blog and I am happy to be able to take part this time... 

I am also submitting my card for the Cinema Saturday Creative challenge (gosh! I miss it almost every week...) - use silver in your creations.

A little about my card:

CS: Both red and black are from Fabriano. I embossed the black one.

Others: Silver metallic CS; embossed and inked vellum

Embellishments: Lace (thanks Mamma) and rhinestone are from stash... all other forms of glitter are using my favorite 3D outliners; flowers are handmade [ my take on 5 petal dimensional flowers]; the swirls are hand drawn and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up.

I randomly stuck rhinestones for that 'chicken pox- like' effect :D...

Hope you liked my card. I'd love to read your comments and suggestions :-)

Hugs,

Smita

Few more

Hi all,

I know I've been MIA on and off... another short post from me. I've been busy with life in general, though I did manage a bit of crafting time.

Some of the cards I've made for friends...

General cards:

Birth announcement (this had a matching envelope and the inside of the card also decorated):

I kind of loved this bear punch the moment I saw it. A little embossing on this metallic paper worked wonders. Not that good a pic though (I tried some 10 angles... :-( )

Ciao for now,

Smita

What I've been upto...

It has been a while since my last post. I've been occupied - partly busy with my little boy; partly some cards on order and partly with a novel (Amitav Ghosh's 'The Glass Palace' - liked it very much!) But yes, as I said, I've been crafting a bit too... also reorganizing my craft space.

The cards (all general and very simple ones):

And the main card of the lot...

The box:

The card:

Another view:

I chose the rich red and gold colors for a couple's first anniversary (this is for the wife).

PS: there were 12 cards in all.. didn't photograph the rest. :-(

That's from me...

Smita

Simply red

Hi all,

This is going to be a short post. Here is my card for this week's 2S4Y sketch by the gorgeous Kazan. I have kept my card very simple. It is part of a set of cards a friend of mine asked me to make. He wants the cards without any sentiment so that he can use them generally. 

Yeah very simple... but I loved it. The flower is a kind of paper bow that I made with strips of thin red cardstock. And yes, I am now finally enjoying my MS border punch... I really had a tough time getting it to work right though :D. Thanks to Donna and Linda for all the help!

Ah yes...! and I scribbled on the edges and on the petals with my Signo gel pen ;-)

Ciao for now,

Smita

Vintage beauty

Here's my half-take on this weeks Mojo sketch.... Why half? Well, as I've mentioned many a time, I find their sketches to be really full of details - much more than I can fill in ;-) So here it is...

I have to tell you that though not visible properly in the photo, this one's an elegant card.. and I'm in love with it. [Where's modesty gone off to..!?]...

The gorgeous background paper is handmade paper in a beautiful teal color. The tiny embossed off-white squares (I had been dying to try some paper quilts after seeing them on Tracy's blog) are from a sheet from my stash; the glittering teal squares are from a sheet dad got me; the flowers are done with these 2 sheets too. The maroon one is ofcourse a silly ribbon flower (I'm no good at these; that is why I call it silly!)... The leafy is hand cut, inspired by Sarita's louts flower tutorial. The to-die-for lace is from Mom... she got it from my great-grandmom..;-) so it is really vintage :-D I sponged the cardstock a bit to match the vintage feel of the lace.

I hope you liked it as much as I did. {I didn't want any touch of white in the base. I'm tired of my white base cards.. LOL!

Ciao,

Smita

Simple projects

A donut-inspired gift card:

The sentiment is from Meljen.. I thought it suited my donut well.

And a simple everyday card:

This ribbon technique from Ashley Newell is to die-for! I'm still trying to perfect my hands..

Both made for my personal use. I finally had some success with this border punch!! Donna, guess my CS wasn't thick enough earlier. :-)

Ciao,

Smita

I'm going crazy....!!

"Ok, I think I won't post a thing for another 2 days now... I'm going crazy!!" ... My mind almost went blank while crafting; my head was spinning and I thought I'd die!!! Relax, I told myself... nobody dies while making a card... and so I am here fit and fine.

** This is going to be a long post... so if you are sleepy, don't bother ;-) **

A old school friend of mine asked me to make Mother's day cards for her mom and granny yesterday. Since she stays far away, I was almost in a fit. I panicked not knowing how I'd be able to live up to her expectations! I didn't do a thing yesterday. Finally sat down to the cards in the afternoon, itching to use the CPS sketch but not knowing how...

Finally, these are what I came up with:

Here is the story behind this card. I had wanted to make a flower pot card... I've made quite a few already so I thought it would be quick and easy. But I saw Kathy's card here and thought I'd attach my card to an easel card; I did't know how to make it like her, so I decided to have a little garden for granny  ;-) Well, right from the beginning everything went wrong. I made an inverted easel [if you need to know how to mess up an easel card, you know whom to contact!!]. Then I started all over again and came up with this one. Propped the butterfly on a piece of acetate inspired by Chhavi's ideas. (Thank you Kathy and Chhavi.) The pretty orangish lace is from mom; everything else is either punched or handcut...

I am submitting this for the Daring Cardmakers challenge - Easel does it. The closed card: (5" square)

Where the frame rests:

The second card follows the CPS sketch #62. Nowhere close to the gorgeous DT work, but here's my take:

I'm also submitting this one for:
> The Cuttlebug Spot - favorite flowers
>The Pink Elephant challenge - Mommy, I love you

I've again die-cut, embossed, and inked vellum here. The faux blanket stitch (ok, I'm not an embroidery expert, so whatever that v-shaped stitch is called) was done with a Signo gel pen. 'mom' are alpha stickers from Itsy Bitsy. And the reason why I chose this sketch.... the flowers... I loved them.. they are inspired by Betsy. I just had to try something from her tutorials!! They are sup fab. Mine is nowhere close.... wish I had some colored felt in hand!!! The pom-pom lace is from my stash... the gorgeous patterned paper is Heidi Grace (from Donna of course!).

Hope you enjoyed my little post ;-)

PS: My hubby hates pompoms! :-( And he didn't like them on this card either.

Signing off...

Smita

A little something

Just a little note card I made for a friend yesterday:

Bad photo... sorry!! Took it in a hurry..