Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Pearls!

FIRSTLY - if you arrived here hoping to download some of my FREE files, and they do not work, please be patient.  Seems the service I was using (Ge.tt) got up and went (I did recall something about them selling)  Well it has kind of created a nightmare for me.  I need to re-upload the files (I will use my Google Drive) but it will take some time.  If there is a file you particularly need or want, please send me an email request at lalalime(at)hotmail{dot}com  Thank you!

Ok, so on to my latest creation - I decided to take part in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and its “Anything Goes With Pearls”

I’ve chosen to make something I’ve not taken a stab at before - a TAG!

I had some of the items on hand - the tag, donated to me, the chain (humm?  purse dredge perhaps?) and the twisty heart gem is actually for hair.  I cut the butterfly out in two layers and then I daubed them relentlessly with some Luminarte daubers, on a deep blue and the other a shimmery teal.  Oh la, I LIKE!  A simple sentiment by Studio g, some swirls from another stamp set (oh noooooo where did the pkging gooooo?) and a bit of embossing (you can’t quite tell, its clear, of a flour-de-lis and lastly, pearls!

I sure am glad you stopped by today.

Technorati Tags: Simon Says stamp

The Card Concept No. 4 - “Floral” and a FREE .studio tag cut

I grazed some of the challenges out there on offer and decided it would be so nice to see some flowers about now (as its snoooooowing again, outside, today) 

The Card Concept No. 4 - “Use a Floral Theme”

I chose to make a card that has resided only in my head until now:

This picture really does not really show how sweet this card is. 

The bouquet of “nail polish flowers” (read THIS post to find out more) are tucked intoa wrapper of vellum and cotton (from a cut up dress from the summer) and finished up with a teeny rhinestone for the centers. 

 

I chose to leave the background white but to emboss it.  I bound  the bouquet with a bit of crochet cotton and balanced it with a sweet tag cut and stamped with a little sentiment.  I’m giving you the cut for this teeny tiny tag (aprox 1.5 inches wide) along with two slightly larger increments (while keeping the hole nice and small, perfect for twine or crochet cotton)

Simple off-kilter little tag

(set of 3)

DOWNLOAD

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It seems that Ge.tt is no longer working (this is where I have been linking to all of my free files)  I am sorry for the inconvenience.  I will change all my free files over to my Google Drive account over the coming weeks.  Thanks for your patience. 

Technorati Tags: Card Concept,handmade greeting card,Mrs Miles cards,floral,nail polish flowers

Friday Mashup No. 148

Ha - unbeknownst at the time, I just bought a designer paper pad with a hexagons print as a choice inside.  My choice for this challenge was simple.

Friday Mashup No. 148 Card Challenge:

So of course I chose Hexagons and came up with this:

Supplies:

Designer Paper - Ki “Argyle” by Hampton Art

Cardstock

Stamp - Studio G

Crochet thread

Layer, layer layerlayerlayer - this card is all about layering the elements.  I made the sentiment a different shape so that it would draw the eye away from the total symmetrical pattern of the rest of the card.   I backed it with several layers of black and white cardstock and a solid (paint chip) color layer sandwiched between.  

After this was all done I fussy cut several of the hexagons (nicely left over from the 6 x 6 I cut the card face from) and pumped them up too, with foam tape. 

I finished it off with a coordinating bit of crochet cotton. 

So glad you came by!

Technorati Tags: Friday Mashup,Challenge Card

Fab Friday No. 35 Challenge Card

I squeaked in a bit of crafting time between household chores yesterday - chose this:

Fab Friday No. 35 Challenge

And my take:

SUPPLIES:

Cardstock

Designer Paper (scrap - I really need to pencil the info on the back of my scraps so I can give credit where it’s due!)

Stamp - Bo Bunny

Doily - I think this might be a Bird’s free Cutting file but the file name does not say.

I asked my Cameo to trim the doily to the size I needed to fit on this layer, and I actually cut it from a Glidden Paint chip.  I like these paint chips, they have so many subtle variations of color that its easy to match up with almost any designer paper.  Adding the the tiny gem for the dot of the eye added the last touch.

I found that of all the cards I’ve stockpiled, I had a shortage of sympathy ones.  I think I will have to build them up.  Do YOU have a stockpile of cards available, or do YOU make yours to meet the needs?

Thank you for visiting today.

Technorati Tags: Fab Friday,Fab Friday Card Challenge,Sympathy,Sympathy Card

Timeless Tuesday No. 259 - “A Lotta Polka Dots”

I really thin Polka Dots are so cheerful, so this challenge appealed to me

Timeless Tuesday No. 259 - “A Lotta Polka Dots”

This is what I made out of the challenge:

SUPPLIES:

Designer Paper - Trimcraft “Blank Canvas” by Kristin Cronin-Barrow

Frame - Silhouette Online Store 

Stamp - Kolette Hall

I love the soft look of this paper, you can’t quite tell from looking but each of the polkadots is slightly embossed and a bit sparkly too. 

I was able to dip into a stash of flowers I’ve had hidden away, and brads.  This card was so simple and easy and pretty that I wound up making a “batch”  Do YOU do this when you have success with a card?

My one small thing for today is… “CHAI”

I have been loving everything CHAI lately.  This tin of David’s Coco Chai Rooibos has been a welcome addition to several recipes I’ve cooked up lately.  This tea was a present from my friend Rachel, and we whipped up a batch of Chai Oatmeal when she stayed overnight.  Its simple to make a healthy fulfilling breakfast with just a few ingredients. 

For my recipe, I used:

 

David’s Coco Chai tea - zap some in a bullet, blender or coffee grinder.

Maggi Coconut Milk (powdered - optional!)

Oats

 

Choose a deep dish, put 1/4 cup whole (not instant) oats in it.  Put in 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup water (depending on what consistency you like your oatmeal)  Add in finely ground Chai (Probably 1/2 tsp or to taste)  Add a tbsp of Coconut Milk Powder, tho this is optional.  Zap on HIGH for one minute.  Stir, zap on the second to lowest setting of your micro for one minute.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Num!  You can choose whether you add sweetner, or not.  You can also opt to add fruit into the cooking process, raisins naturally sweeten it.

And yesterday, I made some Peanut Butter cookies with Flax, Chai, Ginger and Coconut.  Oh MY! 

Thanks for stopping in today!

Technorati Tags: Timeless Tuesday Challenge Card,Challenge Card,Polka Dots

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - “A Cameo Appearance”

I was so excited to see this challenge because I have had a Hero Arts stamp that I’ve wanted to show off… like forever! 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - “A Cameo Appearance”

And here is what was in my mind (the cameo being this women’s face, of course)

Oh my, where do I even begin on this one.  I used so many things.  The basic stamp for HER is from Hero Arts.  The other stamps are mostly a mix of Studio G.

I stamped and embossed her, gave her some lipstick too!  The umbrella is constructed of my husband’s cast off guitar strings while the rain drops are glossy accents. 

Thanks for visiting me! 

Technorati Tags: Simon Says Stamp,Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge,Monday Card Challenge,Card Challenge,Umbrella,guitar strings

Addicted to CAS Challenge No 32 Card

I found a small gap of time to fit in a few creative moments this weekend and paired up with Judy to make a card for the:

Addicted to Clean and Simple Challenge No. 32

And so, keeping this (fairly) simple.  I know, I know - I’m really having to work hard on this idea for simple - but I’ll get it yet.  At any rate, here’s my take on this challenge, even if it might be a bit too fussy.

If I were to re-attempt this in a more simple manner I would not have gotten carried away with the layers, the stitching - but I just could not resist.  I think I got carried away haha!

and perhaps I would have slapped my own hands when it came to the embossing, the shading in the corners with Tombow markers and even adding the pearls. 

But still…

Today’s “one small thing” is - backlighting.

I caught this orchid yesterday morning all lit up for a brief time in the sun’s first early morning rays.

There is something so very evocative about backlighting. The definition of backlighting, according to Wikipedia, is the process of illuminating from the back.  In other words, the light source  and the viewer are facing each other and the subject is in between.  This causes the subject to appear lighter in some areas and darker in others - and can be quite dramatic.  It causes you to appreciate your subject in a whole new way.

I often think of this in a spiritual context.  You are the viewer, Jesus is the light, while I hope to be the subject, but so see-through from His light that I might just be a trick of the eye  -  my desire is to be “less of me”

‘He must become greater; I must become less.’

John 3:30

So that, as I walk closer to Him, any beauty and goodness you see in me, is just me being “back-lit” by the light of the Lord. 

I found this poem today which I hope inspires you, as it did me:

 

The Beauty Of Jesus In Me

 

my life touched yours for a very brief space,

And what, oh, what did you see?

A hurried, a worried and anxious face,

Or the beauty of Jesus in me?

 

Was I steeped so deep in the ways of the world

That you couldn’t detect one thing

That would set me apart and show that my heart

Belonged to the Heavenly King?

 

Did I carry no banner for Jesus my Lord,

Not one thing at all that could show

Whose side I am on in this glorious fight?

I am His! But you wouldn’t know.

 

Forgive me! And if we should e’er meet again

Upon earth, oh, I pray you will see

No mark of this world, but His banner unfurled,

And the beauty of Jesus in me!

 

~  Alice Hansche Mertenson

Technorati Tags: Addicted to CAS,Challenge Card,Orchid,Backlighting

TTCRD Challenge Card - Anything Goes!

Well thank goodness for this “anything goes” theme, for though it is on the cusp of Valentines Day and ♥ abounds I could not seem to match my card up with a challenge.  Finally I found this challenge and its nice that its my first time here.

TTCRD Feb 11 - 17th - Anything Goes

I had EXTREME fun making the little flowers for this card, you might too -

If you can excuse the rather simple background - for (shhhhhh!) this card is for my Mr for Valentines Day.  The flowers are the special part of this - they are made from wire and nail polish.  Seriously.  I based them off of a Pinterest pin which you can find HERE.

They are fairly easy to make, once you get the hang of them.  I experimented with a few different colors.  I’m always looking for ways to use nail polish up - don’t want it to just dry up in the bottles, and when summer turns to winter somehow neon toes don’t seem as joyful when my toes only get viewed in between wool socks. 

I had to color a thin ribbon to match the colors of the yellow flower, using a Tombow marker.

 

I used my Silhouette Cameo to draw the sentiment, then I used Tombows to fill them in, and I added some dark shadows to pop the “BUNCHES” out.  The final touch is a dear little heart element, tis actually a nail art heart from Claire’s.  I embossed the lettering to make it stand out more.

The designer paper is from Basic Grey “Hey Boy”

I hope you enjoyed your visit here today.

Technorati Tags: TTCRD,TTCRD Challenge Card,Nail Polish,flowers,Nail Polish Flowers

Timeless Tuesday No. 258 Challenge Card

I love working with wood textured papers so this challenge jumped right out at me.  We have a friend in our life who recently went through a traumatic health issue and so my Mr asked me to put a card together for him.  This wood-looking paper seemed a perfect choice to me.

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday No. 258 Challenge -

 

And here is how I took this challenge:

I figured I’d use texture in two ways, a wood-textured paper and backed by an embossed wood look …

beverage container.  I experimented a lot with these this past summer, that and plastic - running gracious knows what… ANYTHING through my Cuttlebug.  The metal of this can was pliable enough to get a good texture but not too bulky.

It made a great backdrop to the lettering which I set up and cut using my Silhouette Cameo. 

The stamp was a Michael Strong “Cloisonne Words and Phrases” and a bit of embellishment with a Mind’s Eye - Lost and Found “Union Square” 

I just tucked ribbon into the shapes I desired, stapled it firm on both ends, hiding the mechanics under the sentiment. 

So glad you come check my card out. 

Technorati Tags: Timeless Tuesday,Timeless Tuesday Challenge Card,Wood Texture,Wood,Get Well,Get Well Soon

Simon Says Stamp Card Challenge - “We Love Stamps!”

Thought a nice way to spend part of Family Day (a holiday here in BC, Canada) would be to craft with… my FAMILY!   Nina and Judy both are working away on their own projects and it will be fun to see what each of us does today.

Simon Says Stamp Card Challenge - “We Love Stamps!” - the theme is to use a stamp (or more)  I’m afraid the ‘stamp’ part of my card is minimal but essential!  That little stamp says as much as my element I believe!

 

 

I had such fun with this card.  I just ‘freehanded; the dress, cutting the base of it out of a children’s “Paddington Bear” book which I’d found damaged ages ago at the thrift store.

 

 

I cut the skirt part a lot wider than the top part then crimpled it madly with my hands, then glued it down with plenty of room to froof out at the front.  I took some of that cloth paper stuff which my Father in Law gave me from his workshop, I believe it’s shop towels made of fibre.  It looks like paper but fabric all at the same time.

 

 

A little bit of embossed art paper for the top, some sheer ribbon at the waist, a lidda’ bit of thin brown ribbon, pearl, crochet cotton “straps” and….. bits of cast off jewellery to complete the magic of this pretty dress!

I hope this got you thinking!

Technorati Tags: card challenge,Simon Says Card Challenge,dress

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 206 Card

What better to brighten up a cold frozen Sunday (after all, that would be a ‘sundae’ then, wouldn’t it?) than to make a card with a bright sunny theme!  I jumped in with the

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge No. 206:

I was inspired to create the following card:

SUPPLIES:

Cardstock

Designer Paper - Colorbok Light and Bright

Stamp - Imagineisce “Berrylicious”

Colored transparency

Tombow markers 055,856,985,946

Embossing Powder

Silhouette Sketch Pen

I used layer upon layer to make this sunshine just BEAM out from the surface. I made my Cameo do all the work of writing the “sunshine of my life” sentiment all round the sun.  Yeah! 

So glad you could stop by today.  Won’t you consider “Twittering, FBing or PIN(terest)ing” my card today just for fun?  I’d sure appreciate that.

Technorati Tags: Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge,sunshine,transparency,Tombow,card challenge

Daring Cardmakers February Color Challenge Card

Oh HO!  Yet another card in the works.  Here is the challenge image from

Daring Cardmakers February Color Challenge:

image credit: Pinterest

I kind of struggled with some of the colors but managed this:

Supplies:

Cardstock: DCWV “The Pebbled Stack”

Designer Paper: BASIC GREY “Hey Boy”

Chevron Stamp: AMERICAN CRAFTS “Jared”

I had fun making this illustration on the scallop.  I chose a font called “Dingleberries” and I think it was the “D” that made this symbol.  I created a circle and then had the dingleberries flow around the edge of it.  I also created a paper button out of the coordinating “Hey Boy” and the final touch was to adhere the stick on sentiment from CREATIVE MEMORIES.  I was hesitant to try to stamp onto the “pebbled” cardstock. 

So glad you popped by!

Technorati Tags: Daring Cardmakers,card challenge,February card challenge,American Crafts,Basic Grey

Clean and Simple 279 Card Challenge

I liked the look of this challenge and it came together favorably!

Clean and Simple 279:

I had been dying to use this sentiment stamp set from Inkadinkadoo which I bought last summer.  There’s something so wrong with that!  I am challenging myself to use some of the supplies I overlook.

I also got the opportunity to play more with my Tombow Markers - they really are delightful to use, blending is so easy. 

Thanks for checking in!

Technorati Tags: card challenge,clean and simple,inkadinkadoo,tombow

The Card Concept Challenge No.3

Ohhh this looked like FUN.  All girly and pure pinkness. 

The Card Concept No.3

“Use Monochromatic Pink”

I chose to do my card in category 6 - which states:

6. Classy and Elegant

Definition:

• polished
• shiny finish
• sparkling embellishments
• rich colour scheme
• sophisticated sentiments
• regal
• sweeping
• dramatic
• monochromatic
• layered textures
• awe
• impress

And so here is my creation following these guidelines:

 

I used a 3d flower from the Silhouette online store, alternating layers between some more of that fabulous Dollar Store foil ontop of cardstock along with some ColorBok “Light Bright” designer paper (a little 6 x 6 pad) 

 

The last little touches include a bit of pretty ribbon and a silver gem for the flower center (glued ontop of a brad) 

Thanks for visiting!

Technorati Tags: Card Concept,card challenge,pink card,monochromatic,girly

Freshly Made Sketches No.122 Card Challenge

Managing to fit in a FM challenge today - it appealed to my ‘simple’ mood for the day and came together quickly.

Visit Freshly Made Sketches 122 - today’s sketch:

Here’s my take:

I used some scraps of paper and cardstock I’d had sitting around and fit this project.  The “just a note” stamp, not sure about

 

but the pretty floral (which is actually berries on top but I turned them into little sequin flowers) is from the Stampin’ Up “Oh, So Lovely” set.  I stamped it onto two layers and married them into this design.  I finished it all off with a bow of embroidery thread to ‘tie it all together’  (pun intended)  and a few gems in the centers of the flowers.

Thanks for stopping in!

Technorati Tags: Freshly Made Sketches,card challenge,Stampin' Up

Card Challenge: SIMON SAYS - “Love Notes”

I thought this challenge looked good and I was just given some rolls of this cool glittery foil vinyl for an anniversary present (yes, today - squeeeeeeee!)  My friend Mel O found these cool rolls for a mere $2 each and knew I’d be right into playing with them.  Yes, I did sit in my PJ’s till noon (between chores)  working with the card I designed! 

SIMON SAYS - “Love Notes” challenge theme:

“With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I’ve got love letters on my mind. Will you make a card with heart? Create a journal entry about someone (or something) you love? Perhaps use vintage postage as your latest inspiration… whatever inspires you – we can’t wait to see your love notes!”

And so here is what I came up with (though I tried it two different ways)

This was my first attempt.  I had to “oversize” this card because of the way I designed it in the Silhouette Software, I found I was having problems scaling down the layer with the writing, the sketch pen layer.  So, I simply found a larger envelope from my stash and built this card large scale. 

Seriously this card took me a while, I kept playing with ideas.  The heart on this card is a bit of dryer lint stuffed in between two layers of a buff colored shop towel (I snarfed it from my father in law, I’m sure he thinks me nuts) I sewed the edges, then I added this bit of hand tatting I’d done forever ago - the color works perfect.  The rest is fiddling with various layers.  On this version I glued the heart onto the back inside of the card.

Soooo… I slept on that idea and decided I had to design a smaller file which I could use on the standard 1/4 fold card size (4.25 x 5.5 inch)   I finally got it and here is the result:

This is how this version looks when its folded up.  Opened up and standing it looks like this:

The scalloped heart inside dangles and turns! 

Its all due to this little contraption I made.  This dangling heart has two glittery foil hearts glued to either side of the white scallop cut. 

NOTE: I found that its best to affix the glitter foil vinyl to cardstock before you cut!

Thanks for visiting!

Technorati Tags: Simon Says,Simon Says Card Challenge,hearts,hart,romance,love,card