Christmas card with gift

Paper by Beary Patch.

Stamp is by Stampabilities, embossed with Top Boss Gold embossing powder by Clearsnap.

The insert is cuttlebugged with the divine swirls folder.

The blank cream-coloured piece on the inside right is for a hand written sentiment. It was punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

This was my card for a class tonight. We made our own earrings too!

Challenge: Wednesday Stamper

The challenge this week at Arty Girlz is to create using squares, and the challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to create with words. I used a collage image and a sentiment stamp from Quiet Fire Design, an SU background text stamp, and a Martha Stewart embossing border punch.

This card will be sent to one of far too many friends coping with breast cancer.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Created by Hand Challenge Nov 27th.

This week's challenge at Created by Hand is to use burgandy and vintage brown together, creating anything we want.

But I GOOFED! I set to creating right away, before I read Kelly's instructions for this to be CHRISTMAS art. ACK! So...this one isn't. But I'll leave it here anyway because I like it! (lol) I'll create a more Christmas-y piece later and add it to this post. Sorry Kelly!

I'm enjoying creating "Z cards" this week. I used two Gentle Thoughts stamps, this little boy vintage image and this yummy mulberry paper from Quiet Fire Design. The Bazzill burgandy and brown cardstocks are from Quiet Fire too. I sprayed the mulberry paper (as well as my left hand and arm, right up to my elbow!) with Krylon Gold Webbing spray.

The musical stamp is manufactured by Heather's Stamping Haven.


Here's a small image of the opened card. As you can see, the inside sentiment is hidden by the outside image when the card is closed.

Here's how I created the card:

1. Cut base cardstock to 5" X 10."
2. Score at 2.75" and 5.5."
3. Cut papers to fit over base cardstock as shown.
4. Add images and sentiments to suit yourself.

These are simple to create, and just a little bit different. Have FUN! Thanks again for visiting. I hope you'll leave your thoughts.

4 X 4 Friday

The challenge over at 4 X 4 Friday (which I'm doing Sunday!) is to add some lace to your work. I wanted to do a fall card with a recipe for a friend, so this was a perfect opportunity to do this one, which is actually 4 X 8, but folded it's 4 X 4. I used Daisy D's cardstock and a Hero Arts sentiment stamp, along with some lace and Primas.

For this card, I stamped a Paper Inspirations stamp with Ancient Page Chocolate Ink onto glossy cardstock, and mounted it on a piece of K & Co script paper, then added the Making Memories rub-ons and the bit of lace.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog again!

Pay It Forward

I will send a handmade gift to the first three people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay it forward exchange.

I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise!

The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So basically, if you comment, I’ll send you something crafty and handmade by me.

Once you sign up, you need to copy and paste the above paragraph on your blog, so that three other lucky people will be recipients of your handmade work.

I came to this from Godelieve's blog and Beatrice's blog.

In the spirit of the season, let's pay it forward!

Deborah.

A first for me!

Isn't it always such a thrill to see our own work in print?

I've been so lucky to have been published often, and I'm always tickled pink.

This time, it's even more special.

This is my first international publication!

These cards appear in the current issue (Vol 3, # 13) of Stamping and Papercraft Australia.

Although I've lived in eastern Canada for most of my life, I was born in Sydney Australia, and came to Canada as a toddler. So I am just tickled pink that my first international publication is in an Aussie magazine!




The majority of image stamps here are Roben-Marie Smith's delightful Paper Bag Studios.


The calligraphy sentiment stamps are designed from Suzanne Canon's hand calligraphy, you can find these at Quiet Fire Design.


Thanks so much for visiting my blog again.

Arty Girlz Challenge

This week's challenge over at Arty Girlz is to use ribbons and fibres on your cards. This is waaaayyy "over the top," but it's for a pre-teen girl, so it "fits," kwim?

This shadow box card used SU stamps with pop-dotted flowers, the SU word window punch with computer generated text, and...ribbons!

Thanks for stopping by again!

Nancy's Gothic Arch Challenge

I've been away from home, and from my creative space, for seven weeks. It is just so GOOD to be home, and to "nest" with my artsy things.

This is my submission for Nancy's Gothic Arch Challenge this week. I’ve used an Inkadinkado arches stamp with India Black Ink and a sentiment stamp from Quiet Fire Design, embossed with Top Boss Gold EP, paired with this beautiful image Nancy shared with me (THANK YOU Nancy!)

The bottom strip on this card is pop-dotted. This could be better seen if I'd taken a photo rather than scanning, but my camera is not cooperating these days, and is scheduled to be replaced...SOON I hope! (lol)

I really enjoy creating “no-occasion-just-because-I-like-you” cards.

Thanks for this challenge Nancy, for this theme Jacqueline, and for stopping by my blog.

Diamonds at Wednesday Stamper

This week's challenge over at Wednesday Stamper is diamonds! This birthday card uses a harlequin stamp comes from Stampers Anonymous, embossed with Top Boss White on black cardstock.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Arty Girlz!

The challenge this week over at Arty Girlz is to use ribbon and fibre.

For this card, I used the kiss technique with vase and flower stamps from Heather's Stamping Haven, and a sentiment stamp from Quiet Fire Design. The flowers are created from polymer clay.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Created by Hand Challenge

This week's Created by Hand Challenge is to create tags. This one uses my favourite Madonna and Child image printed on linen fabric run through my ink jet printer, scraps of Basic Grey paper (at least I think that's what it is) and a Quiet Fire Design calligraphy stamp.

Hearts

THANK YOU for visiting my blog!

Over at Arty Girlz, the challenge this week is HEARTS. I love hearts! I am particularly in love with the Impression Obsession hearts designed by Leigh Hannan. YUM YUM!

This card used Leigh's Impression Obsession heart filigree stamp and a calligraphy sentiment stamp from Quiet Fire Design.

The stamp is initially stamped with the tinted Top Boss Embossing Pad on watercolour paper, then heat set with clear embossing powder. Then I wet the cardstock with a wide brush , and drizzle Ecoline Watercolour Inks in little "blobs" all over the image, moving the cardstock around in my hand to allow them to move freely all around the paper. After it's dry, I press the image between a couple of pieces of clean scrap paper and iron off the embossing powder (hot dry setting on the iron), leaving this "faux batik" look, which I really like.

Finally, I stamped the sentiment with Ancient Page Archival Dye Ink (Coal Black), and put the card together.

Here are a couple of other cards done with the same Impression Obsession stamp. I like how different cards can be, using the same stamp!

THANK YOU!!

Well, it looks like I've been chosen as the very lucky (and equally grateful) winner of this BEAUTIFUL bracelet, offered by Shaz on her blog during breast cancer awareness month in October.

Thank you SO MUCH Shaz!

If you've been a regular visitor here, you'll know that a dear, young, special friend died during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

You can read about her here.

The day of her Celebration of Life service, I entered Shaz's generous blog gift drawing. I'll wear this with honour, always remembering my friend "Dr. Debbie."

Having fun with my very limited supply of Just Johanna stamps

Over at Arty Girlz, the challenge is BLING! Well, who doesn't love bling!? ;) Join the challenge!






For this card, I used a JJ border stamp over a Twinkling H2O background, then over white, and a Dreamweaver Brass stencil with Martha Stewart Glitters. In the centre, I added a K & Co brad.















This one is called a "spring card." It folds flat and "springs" open when it's removed from the envelope. It was done simply with Tria alcohol inks on glossy cardstock as a background, and the Flora Hugabundos stamp.















For this one, I simply added a Flora Hugabundos flower to a stitched background, then glued some seed beads and glitter in the centre.

Earrings with Flora Hugabundos stamp on Twinkling H2O watercoloured background, and Anna Griffin Clear Glass coating over top.

Transparency Christmas card with the JJ border stamp. I added Tulip Fashion Bead Paint pearl drops to the border, and painted parts of it with Twinkling H2O's

Thanks so much for spending a little time here today. I love to read your comments...

Created by Hand & Skinny Saturday Black and White Challenges

This is one for the new Created by Hand challenge by Quiet Fire design, and for the Skinny Saturday black and white challenge.

I used a Cuttlebugged embossed background (Textured Textiles), an All Night Media heart stamp, a Quiet Fire Design sentiment stamp. I found these little wedding rings at a wonderful little shop in Nova Scotia called Paper Pleasures.

Thanks so much for visiting. I love reading your comments!

"Arty Girlz" and Ecoline Watercolour Inks from Quiet Fire Design!

The new Arty Girlz challenge is BLING! I hope my teeny Swarovski crystals count! (can you even SEE them :0) Thanks to Godelieve's tremendous inspiration, I've been playing with Ecoline Watercolour Inks. I'm thrilled to know Suzanne carries them here in Canada at Quiet Fire Design. I've colour washed these backgrounds, a couple with resist techniques, and one with a plain colour wash. I am LOVING these inks! For the resist cards, I stamped and embossed with clear EP, then wet the watercolour paper, then dribbled two colours on the wet paper, tipped the paper and let them run.



Stamps used: Card directly left uses the Agapanthus from Stampendous and Butterfly Ball from Penny Black (available here at Scrapper's Haven); card at far left uses the Butterfly Ball; sentiment stamps on all cards are Gentle Thoughts calligraphy stamps from Quiet Fire Design. These are reproduced from Suzanne's beautiful hand calligraphy.

This fabulous Impression Obsession Flower Background stamp designed by Leigh Hannan is available directly from Mitra's collection at Impression Obsession). I first saw this used by Daria over at her Two Peas gallery and just had to have it...you know that feeling! Thanks for THAT inspiration Daria!






Thanks so much for visiting. I always appreciate your feedback.