The Craft Angel

My Craft Evolution

2011-12-01T15:35:00.001+11:00

Hiya! I'm back! I haven't been crafting at all lately, the most I've done are a couple of note card sets to give my friendly neighbours for Christmas. But I was just sitting here and thinking...
Thinking and reflecting on how my crafting style has evolved over these past few years. I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. The earliest memory I have is back in the days of Doordarshan (a nationally broadcast channel in India), exclusively, before all the 50,000 channels on cable TV existed! There was something called 'afternoon transmission' (pretty self explanatory, huh?) and sometimes it had craft demonstrations. I would watch it in awe and want to make the 'wall hanging' or a card that they'd show. I didn't have any fancy crafting tools then. I would scour the house for clever substitutes and have fun making, well, something :-)
I think I was probably six or seven years old. I realised early that I had a passion for crafts. (I think I get it from both my grandmas.) I remember the time I cut up my mum's beaded necklace and stuck the beads on to some sheets of paper from my notebook and marvelled at my lovely creation! Mum didn't seem so pleased though *wink*.
Anyway, so over the years, as I grew into a bubbly teenager and then into a confident young woman, I clearly knew I was the 'crafty' kind (surely someone who loves paper and scissors, not the wily kinds!). My friends had labelled me 'creative' :-) I slowly started enjoying buying bits 'n' bobs for my craft. Something that has grown into a sort of obsession now! But, like I said before, I was walking down memory lane and it was heart warming to trace a kind of 'craft evolution', so to speak. Of course, I'm not highly evolved or anything now, but I've come a long way! And one thing I've realised is that while your ideas and design sense are an important part of being 'crafty', the right tools and accessories are a vital element too, oh most certainly yes! I say so because I know how I used to make cards and such before, and although they had the heart warming handmade feel to them, they were not really very professional or very neatly finished. But today, with so many clever crafting tools, creating projects with a nice finished look is such a breeze, while still retaining that handmade look, mind you :-) I mean, rubber stamps, paper trimmers, scorers, tape adhesives, etc etc etc! And my heart swells with joy as I look at my 'half-a-craft-room' that has grown from just a clearing on my table years ago. Thanks to husby darling who has been so tolerant of me abusing his credit card one too many times :-)
Hmmm...so what was the point of this post, by the way? I don't know, really! Well, maybe thankful for some of the tools that I have and can't possibly think of sitting down to work on a project without them. So my list of 'The absolute Crafting Basics' -

Paper trimmer (with a cutting and scoring blade)
Bone folder
Good quality tape runner adhesive, double sided tape and a strong multipurpose glue
A good collection of stamps (rubber and/or clear) - some basic images and phrases will do for starters and then if you're an obsessive woman like me, you'll get hooked on to buying stamps by the dozen!
Good quality ink pads and markers/pencils
A huge self healing mat to use as a work surface

And then, of course, there are the other things like an embossing and die cutting tool, a heat gun, distressing tool, various kinds of specialty ink pads and such.
Speaking of which, I have my eyes on some items...husby are you reading? *batting eyelashes*

The yummy, gorgeous Silhouette! Sigh...
Copic markers and distress inks
The amazing Bind it All

I'm sure I'll keep adding to that list! We're a crazy bunch, we crafters. Husby always jokes about how crazy I am about paper and stuff. Maybe I should shock him with a 'Honey, I'd like a diamond ring' for a change :-)
But, all said and done, I don't want to sound greedy, I'm so thankful for what I have to work with now. Now if I could just find some time to craft...sigh!

Our Precious Little Bundle!

2011-10-17T09:46:00.000+11:00

So I'm still alive! Sleepless nights aside, the arrival of our little baby girl, Sia, has changed our lives forever! She is such a blessing :-) We've been having a wild roller coaster ride since September 28! But we love every moment of it, diaper changes and burping sessions included :-)

I don't know when I'll be able to get back to crafting yet, although I miss it terribly. But for the moment, I'm content looking at my baby's face as she flashes those gorgeous to-die-for smiles when she's asleep :-)

Happy crafting!

On a (short, hopefully) break!

2011-09-22T10:06:00.001+10:00

There's a little part of me that is depressed about not being able to take time to craft and blog regularly. But only a little tiny part of me, 'cos the rest of me is beaming and waiting in anticipation to step into a beautiful new stage of life, motherhood :-)

I will be back, as soon as I practically can! Meanwhile, I try and keep my crafting passion alive by visiting other fab blogs whenever I can. I already have a bunch of exciting projects I want to try once our little baby doll arrives...

Happy Crafting!

In love with Quinn's ABCs!

2011-08-04T12:43:00.000+10:00

I just received my Quinn's ABCs stamps from Lawn Fawn and I'm in love :) It is SUCH a great set! So many ways it can be put to use, *fun*fun*fun all the way!
I went over to Lawn Fawn's blog for some inspiration and came across the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge CFC13. Make a long card and keep it CAS, easy :) Click the picture for details.

And here's my card -

BIRTHDAY stamped (Quinn's ABCs), cut out and popped on to foam dots. Easy as that! CAS cards are super cool, super fun and super easy. Got to love them!

Happy crafting!

One Layer Cards haven't been this fun!

2011-08-02T08:42:00.000+10:00

Stamp once, stamp twice, stamp all over and voila! You have a super simple and super cute one layer card. And if you love colouring, this is a treat :)

I'd been itching to ink up the Anya stamp and the Robot stamp. This was so much fun!

I think this is a clever technique to create colourful cards in a jiffy. Great as card sets for gifts. They're so versatile. Love the idea! I also like how this has made me look at all my stamps in a whole new perspective. I'm now overwhelmed with how many several ways one stamp can be used :) So stare at your stamps a wee bit longer and get the creativity flowing!

Happy crafting!

What little boys like

2011-07-29T13:13:00.002+10:00

I just finished whipping up a batch of 'cards for little boys'. It was a recent order from a client, Megan Kate Tregilgas, who owns a charming little shop in Willoughby, Sydney.

I was all smiles when I first visited her store. It's so colourful 'n' pretty. The shop holds an eclectic mix of accessories, stationery, gifts, homeware, baby 'n' kids stuff - you just have to see it for yourself. Most of the products are exclusively crafted by artists around Australia. You'll find The Craft Angel's handmade creations on the shelves too :-) So if you live in Sydney, or if you're visiting, do drop in at the Megan Kate Emporium in Willoughby where some cute 'n' interesting purchase is a sure find :-) Like this adorable little giraffe we picked up for our little bun in the oven :-)

Okay, so about the cards for little boys...I was immediately thinking of dinosaurs, space crafts and robots :-) And Megan also suggested a 'farm animals theme', which works great for children's cards. So here are some cards I made -

I didn't make any with the space or robot theme. But I did have fun making these simple yet cute cards with a set of super cute graphics -

So much fun! You can see I clearly get very excited about crafting :-)

I think I'll end this post here, after the heavy overload of pictures!
Back soon with more projects.
Until then, happy crafting!

Celebrate Raksha Bandhan the Handmade Way...

2011-07-28T13:35:00.000+10:00

Send your love and wishes to your brother this Raksha Bandhan with these simple 'n' elegant handmade cards and rakhis.

To buy, please send an email to thecraftangel@gmail.com with your full postal address and your preferred payment method.

Card Description: 4x6, blank on the inside for your personal message, comes with a plain white envelope, sealed in a clear bag.

Rakhi: Made with colourful yarn, beads and sequin.

Price: 1 card + 1 rakhi + postage (within Sydney, local) = $5 (I will combine postage if you're buying more than one set)

Payment: PayPal or Direct Deposit

(please see contact details on top to buy)

Please note: As these are completely handmade, colour combinations may vary according to availability of supplies.

Wishing you all a bright and colourful day!

A Bout of Crafting!

2011-07-27T13:49:00.000+10:00

Here I am again! Considering the slow trickle of posts, I can see how I might have given you all the impression of me being a lazy, uncommitted and inconsistent blogger. Well, it's not all wrong...part of it is true. However, (excuses, excuses) there is a reason for my sluggish behaviour though and it's a sweet little reason :-)
Here are some cards I made recently, now let's see if you can guess 'the' reason -

Yes! Our little bundle of joy will be here in September!

The mommy-to-be-ride hasn't been all fun. Nasty nausea took over the first trimester, that clearly meant no crafting activities :( The second trimester was a soothing relief. The joy of pregnancy actually kicked in - the glow, feeling special, the works :-) And now, in my third trimester, I'm constantly exhausted! But I do enjoy spending time crafting. It soothes me and keeps me occupied so I don't go white with anxiety about the coming times. All in all, pregnancy is beautiful! I'm now looking forward to meeting our little girl. I can already imagine bonding with her on those crafty afternoons :-)

Happy crafting!

Put on Your Party Hats!

2011-07-19T13:02:00.002+10:00

One of my fave stamp companies Amber Ink. is turning ONE! They're having a fun party! So hop on aboard and join the fun!

Here's what I made. Okay, so I did go a little overboard with the colourful party hats :)

Happy crafting!

A Makeover!

2011-05-12T15:55:00.000+10:00

I'm running out of space to hoard my numerous empty jars 'n' bottles! Husby darling is quite accustomed to the sight of a couple of glass bottles soaking in warm soapy water in the sink every few days, LOL! I just can't help it, those jars look too good to be thrown away after having served their original purpose loyally - mostly jams, sauces and juice :) And they're so pretty too, so many different interesting shapes and sizes! So I religiously give them a good scrubbing, get rid of all the stickers and icky sticky stuff and stow them away with a firm belief that they'll be put to some good use soon.

And today was the day :) I picked one little (jam) jar and decided to give it a makeover. Nothing fancy and garish, just some simple dressing up. Take a look -

You could fill it up with some candy...

or some buttons for a crafty friend :)

Or just about anything - homemade hot chocolate mix, cookie mix, etc.

What a fun way to make a quick 'n' easy gift with that special 'handmade' touch!

So next time you scoop out the last spoon of jam, stop, remember, clean and stow away!

Happy crafting!

Delight!

2011-05-10T12:11:00.001+10:00

Hey there! Don't you just love it when you discover a stamp, hidden away in your stash, neglected because it is dominated by the ones you claim to be your favourites and tend to use very often? Well I do! And it was an absolute delight to find this gorgeous silhouette stamp, sitting pretty in the last page of my clear stamps' folder :) I wonder why I never used it all this while, gosh! In all my excitement, I made this chic 'n' trendy card set -

It was quite a challenge to get a crisp image though...since it is a silhouette. I actually stamped twice to get a 'full' solid image. But I'm quite happy with the way these turned out :)

And now, it's like a light bulb moment. I plan NOT to buy any MORE stamps and make full and better use of the ones I have, LOL!

Happy crafting!

Another Mini Album

2011-05-09T11:22:00.001+10:00

I'm back with another interesting scrapbooking project. It's a mini album made from envelopes, how cool is that? I found the idea at Following the Paper Trail. Love!

Each 'page' is actually an envelope, so fun! I haven't made the inserts yet, but that's easy breezy. I've used a 6x6 paper pad with shabby chic prints. Didn't venture into much in the embellishment department...kept the pages very, very simple so there's enough space for pictures or journaling. But if the envelopes were bigger, then I'd have more space to spare for embellishments and borders and such. That's the best part about this album, any size envelopes would work. Hmmm...I'm jotting down a pack of 6x6 square envelopes on my 'to buy' list :)

Hope you try this cool little project. Have fun!

Happy crafting!

Scrapbooking: Mini Album

2011-05-02T11:00:00.003+10:00

My fascination for mini albums started a while ago when I stumbled upon a tutorial for 'toilet paper roll' mini album. It was just too good an idea to resist! I saw several other similar ones and then I HAD to try it myself. And once I made a couple, I was hooked :) Then there were the 'paper bag/lunch bag' mini albums. Oh they're so cool too! I made a couple of those as well, they're so much fun. And now, just the other day I found this tutorial for a cool 'pouch mini album'. Awesome stuff! I made one right away...

The colours I've used for this project are mainly purple and pink. I love these pattern papers... they're from a pack I bought from Kmart long ago, I finally got to play with them. The pictures don't show the true colours though, this looks so much brighter IRL.

I didn't have 6x6 chipboard, so I just used the backing card from the paper pack. It's quite sturdy, sort of like lightweight chipboard itself. I simply had to cover it with the same pretty paper. Works like a charm!

There are six pouches in this mini album for which I used three sheets of 12x12 card stock in shades of purple and four sheets of 12x12 pattern paper for the matting layers.

I made the inserts with plain white card stock.

Added three binder rings to hold everything together, then some pretty ribbon in coordinating colours and very simple embellishments and voila! My super cute mini album is ready!

Mini albums can be made in so many possible colours, sizes and themes and are wonderful as little handmade gifts to give away or make a set for your own photos and memorabilia. I'm definitely stricken :)

Happy crafting!

I'm back...finally!

2011-04-29T15:14:00.003+10:00

Hello there! I finally decided I need to get back to blogging :) It's been way too long!

I had most of my craft stuff stowed away as we needed to clear out some space for family who were visiting. We couldn't let the poor things unpack and sleep amidst glue, glitter and loads of paper, could we? So with that went my mojo, all packed and out of the way :( How I missed crafting!
And then, eventually, I did pull out things from their hiding, one by one, but then I had a lot of things on my mind, had a lot of sorting out to do and so...not crafting, not taking pictures and not blogging wasn't really that hard. In fact it seemed like an easier option then. So days went by, and then weeks and then months! Although, I did manage to occasionally take some time and play with my stamps 'n' paper. And I did some shopping too :)

So here I am! Back to regular blogging (hopefully).

I thought I'd share with you the things I've been upto the past couple of weeks...

First up, I finally, FINALLY, organised my crafting space! Before, everything would be strewn across my table and I somehow managed to put my projects together in the 6x6 clear space I had, LOL! But now, thanks to husby darling who got me some much needed storage solutions, everything is now neatly tucked away in drawers, boxes, shelves and baskets. That way, I have more elbow space on my table.

I got these gorgeous pattern paper packs, yum!

a pack of 12x12 pattern papers from Spotlight

I bought this lovely K&Co paper pad from this Etsy store

And then, these are some altered note pads I worked on today. They were so much fun!

Whew! Feels so good to be back :)

I think I've done well enough for the grand 'come-back post'! Will leave you with these for now and will be back with more news and more crafty things to share :)

Until then, happy crafting!

What's up?

2011-01-11T20:14:00.000+11:00

The Craft Angel seems to be on an extended holiday!
Got to get back to work soon :)

Hope the new year started off well for you.

Happy crafting!

Holiday Cheer Gift Tags

2010-12-16T10:12:00.004+11:00

I strongly believe that a gift given with love is always well received, no matter what the size or price tag. And if it comes with pretty packaging then even more smiles :) I love nicely presented gifts. They say a lot about the thought that's gone into it and let's face it, even the plainest of presents can be dolled up with a little bit of creative presentation. It doesn't always have to be the conventional wrapping paper or a gift bag, that's the best part. Little altered tins, interesting jars, boxes, anything can be innovatively used. And the great thing is you can upcycle/recycle several things as unique packaging. I know I collect those yogurt tubs/biscuit tins (and the like) for a reason (much to husby darling's growing fury though!).

But if you don't have the time (or the patience) to channel your creative side, especially after you've spent hours finding 'just the right gift' for like twenty something important people on your list, then some ribbon and gift tags should do the job nicely.

Here are a few CAS gift tags. I'd been wanting to ink up that fun stamp, I think I bought it at Lincraft, love it!

They are listed on my Madeit Store. I made them in four colours - kraft, blue, pink and green.

Oh and speaking of prettily wrapped presents and the joy that comes with it, have you ever seen a little girl's eyes light up with the most beautiful smile in the world when she's handed over a present wrapped in pink with shiny twirling ribbon? Sigh.

Happy crafting!

Lulled into a Craftless Sleep!

2010-12-14T09:02:00.000+11:00

Busy days, a week long trip to Adelaide, being sick (bummer) and a slow and bumpy episode of house cleaning have all left little or no time to craft. Although some faint voice inside my head is prodding me to make something for the holidays, ignoring it seems convenient and easy enough! OMG! I can't believe I just said that! But sadly, it's true. Where's my mojo? I'd better find it soon...

For now, here's a card that I'd made for a dear friend's baby shower a couple of months ago... (remember the diaper cake I'd made for the same occasion?)

Image: In Style Stamps (I customised it a wee bit for my friend)

Well, I do hope I get over this sluggish phase soon. But otherwise, hope everyone's right in the holiday spirit and hope you're having lots of fun!

Happy Holidays!

A Dog's Christmas Promise

2010-11-25T10:05:00.001+11:00

I haven't been posting regularly and it's not a good feeling :`( I seem to have lost my mojo, boohoo! Well, anyways, it's almost Friday and I don't want to bog you down with my woes. So here's a holiday card that probably would spread some smiles around :)

The adorable little poodle is Pasha from Inktegrity. Right now, they're hosting a challenge where 'Anything Goes'. This is my card as a DT. So visit their blog and send in your entries to win some goodies from their store.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday spirit! And Happy Thanksgiving to all my American blog buddies :) And oh yeah, have fun shopping on Friday! Husby & I were there last Black Friday and shopped till we dropped!! This year I might do some online shopping just to relive the fun :-D

Happy crafting!

'Tis the Season!

2010-11-16T19:25:00.001+11:00

It's official...the holiday season is upon us! As Sydney swelters in the heat of the familiar Christmas summer, baubles, holly and tinsel dot the ceilings of shopping malls and huge decorated Christmas trees stand tall and grand. Stores have already displayed their wares, Christmas style, luring impulsive buyers. Christmas carols play softly in the background and the festive spirit is infectious. Considering the number of times I've mentioned Christmas, 'tis the season indeed! It's no surprise then that I made my first holiday card today after a trip to the mall :-)

Image - Inktegrity

I made this card as my DT creation for Inktegrity's sketch challenge. Drop in there and have a go if you wish. They have a challenge there every Wednesday.

I think more holiday cards are not far behind :-) Will be back soon with more.

Happy crafting!

Yes, I'm Alive!

2010-11-10T09:59:00.000+11:00

Phew! What a month it's been! I had to prepare for a craft stall here in Sydney's west. It was part of a vibrant and colourful festival called Parramasala organised over the Deepavali weekend. I had so much fun making everything and the two days that I had the stall were so exciting! Here are some pics -

The whole event had an Indian flavour, hence the colourful India inspired creations. I'd made photo frames, cushion covers, little cloth birdies, cards 'n' other paper goodies, jewellery and more. Overall, it was a fun experience :-)

I've kind of stashed away all my craft stuff for now...yikes!! But I'm sure it won't be that way for long :-) I have Christmas cards on my mind right now...will get working on them soon. Of course, I will be back with another post soon :-)

Happy crafting!

Black Leaf Designs - Halloween Blog Hop

2010-10-31T07:00:00.002+11:00

Hey there! Welcome to BLD's first ever blog hop! If you came here from Chris's blog then you're doing great :-) If not, then please start here. You'd probably know by now that you could win all the fun halloween images you see featured in all the DTs projects. Isn't that great? Loads of inspiration + a chance to win some cool images.

Here's what I made - a 4X6 note card. I don't know why, but this scary house instantly reminded me of the giant's castle from Jack and the Beanstalk. Hmmm, that giant would make a nice halloween costume :-) "Fee Fi Fo Fum...I smell the blood of an Englishman, muhahahaha!"

The image in my project is from the Trick or Treat Stamps Set and the pattern paper is from the Trick or Treat Patterns set.

Hope this project inspires you to create something spooky this Halloween.

Your next stop is over at Fink's place. Remember to leave a comment and some love at each blog for your chance to win some spooky Halloween images.

Happy crafting!

It's a cake alright!

2010-10-24T13:06:00.000+11:00

My second attempt at a diaper cake!
I made this for a special friend's baby shower. It makes a great centrepiece and not to mention, a practical gift for the new mom to be :-)

Happy crafting!

Quick Share!

2010-10-06T11:21:00.000+11:00

Hello there! Just a quick post to share these cards I made...

Lots of shopping to do, yippeee! So gotta rush! Oh and yeah these cards need to be mailed too :)

Happy crafting!

I'm very much here!

2010-10-01T10:01:00.000+10:00

Hello! I know it's been strangely quiet here...I've been busy with other things and haven't had much time to sit down and craft. There's a part of me that is sort of uneasy about the fact that my craft table is a mess, I haven't stamped in ages and haven't been listening to my creative side. But I'm sure I'll work on it and manage to get back to crafting more often. Like I did yesterday when I made this card.

Image: Inktegrity

I have a couple of other projects in mind and am determined to get them done soon. Will be back to share them :)

Happy crafting!

Designing for Inktegrity

2010-09-21T14:55:00.000+10:00

Woohoo! I'm on the DT for Inktegrity! Here's a card I made with one of their adorable images...

Speaking of DTs, here's another card I made with Black Leaf Designs' Cupcake images...

Happy crafting!

Paper Wallets

2010-09-10T06:54:00.001+10:00

I made these, well I like to call them, paper wallets :) They're based on a couple of inspiring tutorials I found on the net. I just adapted them to suit the supplies I had. They're so so flexible as a design idea. I mean, so much room to tweak around with the colours, the embellishments, the theme...fun, fun, fun :)

Thanks M, for your encouraging nudges, I came up with these :)

I'm thinking these would be perfect for gift cards, a little money gift or maybe for some girly stuff or just some candy :)

Happy crafting!

whoo-ooo-ooo is i? Contest @ Some Odd Girl

2010-09-09T09:37:00.000+10:00

Hey there! Just popping by quickly to share this contest at Some Odd Girl. How fun! Time to put your thinking caps on and suggest a name for this cute lil fella. If your name fits the bill, then you could win some fabulous stuff. So head over to Some Odd Girl and play along!

Sunkissed!

2010-09-08T10:38:00.001+10:00

What a lovely day! I love the sight as I look out of my kitchen window...the sun is out, the grass looks green and is glistening with the morning dew. Some inspiration to do the dishes :)

Ginger, (from In Style Stamps), seems to be enjoying out in the garden too!

The cling rubber stamp is so good, excellent image quality! (although I did a very mediocre job of colouring it. Damn! I really have to work on my colouring skills!) I'm waiting to ink up the other ones from ISS as well...

Hope you have a wonderful day ahead!

Happy crafting!

Spring is here!

2010-09-02T10:29:00.001+10:00

It's officially spring time in Aussie! There are pretty little daisies in bloom, the birds chirp incessantly and the sun is smiling again :) I made this simple card with my favourite birdie stamp. I just knew I would use the lil bird when I thought spring :)

I love how the sun and the venetian blinds play hide 'n' seek in this picture...

On another note, Alison is having a fundraiser over at her blog Free Digital Stamps. You can help by purchasing a digi stamp set for $10. They're lovely images and there are a couple of other generous gestures as well. Read her post for more info and please help if you can.

Happy crafting!

Par-tea Time!

2010-08-25T10:02:00.000+10:00

I love the quintessential English teapots! They're so pretty, with dainty little patterns on them, looking all lady like and proper :-) I can almost imagine a scene - a beautiful backyard with pink 'n' white roses, white patio furniture, a tray of cakes and sandwiches, pretty cups 'n' saucers and a pot of fresh tea...sigh!
Well, maybe it's time to have a tea party! How about this fitting invite and matching place card?

teapot digi stamps: Black Leaf Designs

Head over to Black Leaf Studios for your chance to win a free image!

Happy crafting!

New at my Handmade Store

2010-08-24T12:51:00.000+10:00

Hey! Thought I'd do a quick post to share these latest additions to my Madeit store.

For details visit my store.

Happy crafting!

Look who's here...and quite early!

2010-08-19T14:27:00.000+10:00

I felt like making a Christmas card, just like that! So I went and made one :) And then I saw that I wasn't the only one. A Spoon Full of Sugar and Stampavie are both a having a Christmas in August Challenge and I'm sending my Santa cheer their way!

Hope you've been good this year, 'cos Santa seems to be in a rush to be here early :-)

Happy crafting!

Whimsical Owls

2010-08-10T11:10:00.002+10:00

I'm back! I know it's been quiet here for a while...let's just say my mood hasn't been very upbeat these past couple of days. At times I would wish for everything around me to evaporate, leaving me in a vaccuum and staring at nothing. Intense, huh? Well, I think I quite need these days in my meandering life. They give me a perspective, help me clear my vision ahead and learn valuable things about myself.
Alright then, enough of my philosophy and over to this project I wanted to share with you. It's interesting that I chose a card I made with Owls in it. Owls - wisdom - wise old owl...I digress.

Here's the card -

These adorable owls are from Black Leaf Designs. Aren't they the cutest? Check them out and other fab images and projects from DT members at Black Leaf Studios.

The card itself was very simple to make - 6x6 card base in kraft, some background stamping, lots of inking on the edges, the owl digis printed out on white CS and coloured and cut out, the sentiment also printed out on white CS and cut out, the tree hand cut and fed into the crimper and the flowers punched out of patterned paper - easy peasy! (on the inside it says 'Happy Birthday'. But it could be anything really)

And so now, after my much needed being-in-the-void phase, I foresee creating and posting more often. It worked, see?

Happy crafting!

PS: Thanks to a special silent regular reader of my blogs! You made me feel great :) Will get back to posting regularly :)

Pretty in Pink

2010-07-26T14:02:00.003+10:00

I printed out a bunch of digi images from my stash the other day. It makes me uneasy to know that I have loads of them just sitting there, waiting to be used in a project. I think I should use them more often.

Here's a card I made with a cute image. Some quick colouring, some dry embossing and a simple punched out embellishment - easy and adorable! And one can't go wrong with gingham for baby cards :)
(Sadly, I don't have details of where I got this image from.)

The pink gingham paper appears a little brighter than the actual shade. All a matter of playing with light I guess...

Happy crafting!

Cool Shirt Card

2010-07-16T16:27:00.001+10:00

I made this card for someone special. It will be on it's way to the reciver soon, so I thought I'd take a couple of pictures and share it with you.

Isn't the shirt adorable? I found the tutorial for it on Bird's Cards under 'Video Tutorials'. I think it's a faboulous idea for cards for men. And it's fun to play with, you can go dress up with it, dress down, funky patterns...lots of options.

Mine isn't really perfect...but I guess it's pretty decent for the first try :) Hop on over to the tutorial and have a go. It's fun!

I just got my heat embossing tool and I'm still a little shaky :) Will get there soon!

Over to something else now, The Stamping Bazaar is having a DT call. If you're interested, give it a shot. Even otherwise, stop by at their website. They have some really cute stuff.

That's it from me for now.

Happy crafting!

Born to Shop!

2010-07-13T16:26:00.001+10:00

Who'd say 'no' to retail therapy? This card reflects my mood so well! Maybe that's why I enjoyed making it :)

The image I've used is a digi from Amber Ink. Isn't it absolutely adorable? Love it! It's a treat to colour in :)

Happy crafting!

Christmas in July!

2010-07-08T19:30:00.002+10:00

Welcome to The INKlings’ Team’s Christmas in July blog hop. You may have arrived here from Fiona Poirier's blog or just be visiting my blog, whichever way once you’ve checked out my creations you can continue the hop through the link at the end of this post to the next team member.

This year is flying by! It's July already and it's probably a good time to start thinking about your Christmas cards and projects. The INKlings team has and we thought that this month was the perfect time to host a Christmas in July blog hop. You'll find lots of great ideas provided by some of the team members’ fantastic blogs.

Want to win some Blog Candy? Simply leave a comment on each blog and then email Christie Wallace [Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au] and let her know you’ve done so and you’ll be in the running for a fantastic prize of handmade cards plus other goodies.

Sorry Blog Candy prize not available to SU! demonstrators but you're more than welcome to leave us a comment!

I chose pixie pink and green galore for my theme and created a card, an ornament and a lolly bag. EDITED TO ADD: The inspiration for the colour combo came from an old issue of Better Homes and Gardens :)

Supplies used: Stampin Up!
card stock: Pixie Pink and Green Galore
stamp sets: Basic Phrases, Fun & Fast Notes, Short and Sweet
ink: Pixie Pink, Green Galore
punches: Scallop Circle, Star, Circle, 1/16 handheld
other: white gel pen, crimper

Well that’s all from me. Next stop on the INKlings’ Team Blog Hop is Rachel Jackson.
Have fun and don't forget to leave a comment on each blog to win some great Blog Candy.
Happy crafting!

This is where I fell asleep!

2010-07-07T12:58:00.000+10:00

Cute, colourful bookmarks...

Happy crafting!

Enjoy Your Day

2010-07-02T12:48:00.000+10:00

Have a great weekend!

Drop by at my stores - here and here to see my latest additions.

Happy crafting!

My Craft Table

2010-06-28T16:38:00.001+10:00

Thought I'd share a picture of my (messy) craft table :) The Order of the Opus Gluei nudged us for a picture of our craft tables, as-is, without any beautification! Mine's always, always messy. It was me who argued with husby darling about not needing a very large table while he insisted otherwise. So glad I married him! He's way smarter :) The table offers a very generous working space and I still seem to need more! Or maybe I just need to be more organised, well...Pictured here is only a portion of it!

Happy crafting!

More Card Sets

2010-06-25T21:43:00.000+10:00

Card sets are fun to make. I like sticking to simple layouts so making several of them is a breeze. Crafting for me is like therapy. And these sets are a blessing when I'm not particularly feeling very upbeat. As I trim, fold and stick, card after card, all annoying and nagging thoughts seem to disappear into the distance and an unusual calm sets in. Wow! It does sound so intense when I put it like that, but to me it's quite simple - crafting hits just the right spots :)

They're on my Etsy store.

Happy crafting!

Mini Album

2010-06-24T08:36:00.002+10:00

I found this project on the internet. It was a lot of fun to put together. I'm gonna be making more of these :)

More pictures in my Etsy store.

I'm sending this over to the toilet paper mini album competetion hosted by Scrap Book Crazy About Mini Albums.

Happy crafting!

Quick 'n' Easy!

2010-06-22T11:34:00.001+10:00

This project was so much fun and was really easy! I love taking pictures - at home, on a holiday, on a special occasion...I'm mad about photographs :) I love having them around the house. They make me smile, they bring back beautiful memories and add a great personal touch to home decor. So I made a couple of these. Now, they scream 'COLOUR!', but hey that's me! I love reds 'n' oranges and anything earthy. I got these packs of plain wooden frames from Ikea and simply painted them in my favourite colours. I used acrylic paints. And then, all I did was glue on some funky tiny faux mirror embellishments. ( I stamped the red and yellow ones)

They now adorn the wall on our book shelf. Love them! More to come in that space soon :)

I'm sending this to Order of the Opus Gluei's Challenge #60 - It's as Easy as ABC.

Happy crafting!

Card Making Class

2010-06-15T12:41:00.000+10:00

Unleash your creativity and have fun. Make beautiful cards for family and friends.Three projects to make and take.

When: Monday, 5 July 2010 OR Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Time: Monday 10am - 12pm OR Wednesday 7pm - 9pm
Cost: $20 (includes all supplies)
Where: My place in Waitara. Contact me on 0423 955 331 or mail me - thecraftangel@gmail.com for address and more details.

There is a certain charm in something handmade. Not only does it make the receiver feel extra special, it also gives immense satisfaction and pride to the person who makes it. Come to my classes and feel the joy of crafting!

My nephew is here!

2010-06-10T12:32:00.000+10:00

I thought I'd post this little card I'd made a while ago, 'coz we just got to know that my sis had a baby boy :)

We love you lil one!

Chocolate Dipped Kisses

2010-06-08T12:08:00.000+10:00

Here's a card I made the other day. It's hard to resist all things girly :)

Happy crafting!

A Set of Cards

2010-06-03T16:15:00.000+10:00

Simplicity seems to have won me over these days :)

Happy crafting!

Celebrate!

2010-05-31T13:49:00.000+10:00

The much loved stamp set is back in action :) Here's a very simple card.

Happy crafting!

It's Coffee Time!

2010-05-28T13:01:00.000+10:00

I wanted an interesting clock for my kitchen. I had a specific project in mind - a cutlery clock. I'd seen it in one of the issues of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The original project had a salad bowl for the clock face and I couldn't make that work as I don't have a drill. So I made an ambitious trip to the Op Shop one Sunday afternoon and came back home with a dozen forks 'n' spoons and an old clock. I thought I'd improvise and make one using the old clock. However, a couple of hours later, I ended up with spoons 'n' forks that wouldn't stick to the plastic hiney of the clock and three of my fingers that were almost glued together permanently! Anyways, once I recovered from the sticky trauma, I decided to wrap up the cutlery and stow it away for some other time. Instead, I kind of just went with the flow and made a simpler one. I pulled the clock apart carefully, traced a circle onto black card stock to make the face and wrote the numbers using my white gel pen. I had a set of 'coffee' cards from Ikea and I simply cut one to fit my clock and glued it in the center. Then I attached the clock mechanism, painted the frame yellow and finished by fixing the glass back. I love it!

A couple of days later, Husby & I were in a mall and I saw my dream clock in one of the stores...complete with six forks, six spoons, a plate for the face and tiny knives for the hands. Oh the irony!

Never mind, I still love my shabby, handmade one that ticks away on my kitchen wall :)

Mother

2010-05-24T15:02:00.003+10:00

God couldn't be everywhere, so he made mothers!

Happy crafting!

Fun & Fun!

2010-05-14T17:24:00.006+10:00

I made two cards this afternoon, yay! It was fun & fun :) The first one is for Caardvarks' May Challenge. I chose this sketch -

And here's my card -

The second one is for A Spoon Full of Sugar's Challenge 103 - Recipe. The recipe - 3 designer papers and 3 buttons. I chose a really clean and simple layout. Quick and easy but still capable of drawing some wows and aaahs I think :)

Off to kickstart the weekend! Have a beautiful weekend everyone and happy crafting!

Birthday Boy

2010-05-12T14:35:00.004+10:00

I made this card for our friends' little boy who is turning one soon. It's based on In Style Stamps' current Sketch Challenge.

Happy Crafting!

The Road Less Travelled

2010-05-11T09:57:00.001+10:00

I hadn't even noticed this adorable stamp until now, wow! I don't know how I missed it. Probably because I have so (in)efficiently organised my clear stamps (rapidly growing much to husby's bewilderment). I don't think I have to be very explicit about my fetish for craft supplies, especially stamps. One look at my craft cupboard (and shelves and drawers and random boxes) will say it all! Oh I digress. So, this stamp...now isn't it just adorable? I just had to use it :) I mean, look at it -

Here's my card -

I have to do something about my blog layout. I hate to see my pics shrink so much to fit in :(

And the inside -

Isn't that patterned paper just gorgeous? I found it at a Target in the US. A whole pack for 99c!! *Sigh* it's a pity you don't come across such bargains here. So, I digress, again :)

This card, I guess, was more like a card I gave myself. I'm in the last of my twenties now, I can feel the cliched panic setting in. I think it's high time I took the road less travelled. I mean, I do really want to do something, pursue my passion and I'm willing to take all the roads that hold promises to help me get where I want to be!

One of a Kind

2010-05-10T09:14:00.002+10:00

I figured I was making too many pink, girly kind of cards (Eeeeks! How can there ever be too much pink and girly?? Well, yeah, I actually did need a break from it this time!) So I thought I'd make a more general/masculine (I hate the sound of it, but that's pretty much the word I guess) card. I found this rubber stamp, a rather majestic looking horse, at a local craft store. It's probably one of it's kind in my otherwise flowers/hearts/shoes/etc stamp collection :) And I was excited about inking it up and playing around with the image.

Finally, I chose a very simple layout and kept the highlight on the stamped image. And, maybe it's the gray winter which is setting in here, I ended up using black and grey. Whether the card turned out great or not, it sure did look a lot different from the ones I've made before :)

Laundry Woes!

2010-05-04T09:42:00.007+10:00

It's a feeling well known. Frustration, laziness, irritation and desperation - all mixed into one big lump of a feeling called 'doing the laundry'! As you may have already noticed, I don't enjoy it :) So then I thought, 'why not make something fun and have it staring me in the eye as I enter the room of gloom?' and here's what I came up with.

Click on the pic to read my wise old saying more clearly :)

I know, the cuteness and charm of this handmade laundry room plaque will soon fade away...but the heaps of unwashed clothes will remain. Sigh! But until then, it'll at least make me smile :) The words of wisdom are from yours truly's experience in the laundry room area. And that's why I'm sending this to Order of the Opus Gluei's Challenge #53 Can I Quote You on That?

"Clothes maketh the man" and so this woman has to doeth the washing so thine man can weareth the clean clothes!
LOL!

Happy Crafting!

For the Love of Crafting - see what they created...

2010-05-03T16:35:00.005+10:00

Thanks to Anita, Tejal and Spardha for sending in great cards for my first sketch event! I hope making the cards made you as happy as receiving them made me :)
See what the lovely girls came up with -

Anita

Tejal

Spardha

And here's my take on it. Owls are popular these days and I so wanted to ink up the adorable owl stamp I'd bought last week.

Thanks again for playing along!

Happy Crafting!

Thank You!

2010-04-16T23:06:00.001+10:00

Thanks to everyone who sent in their entries! I'd love to share the lovely cards with you. Will be back soon :)

Happy Crafting!

My First Sketch Event! *Closed*
Dear fellow crafters

Like I'd mentioned in one of my older posts somewhere...

"I frequently scour the internet for craft ideas and inspiration. I'm amazed at the creativity that's out there! It makes me feel so proud that we're all this big, huge crafting community, constantly creating. In my head it's like this massive wave of positive energy, all flowing into making something beautiful! *sigh*, it's an overwhelming feeling. Tell me if you've felt it too..."

Sketch Events/Challenges are one of those things that bring us all together as a crafting community. So I thought I'd have one too, you know, for the love of crafting :)

Presenting to you...my first sketch event -

Here's the sketch -

The usual stuff -

1. Please make a card based on my sketch.

2. Post it on your blog and link it back to this post.

3. Please feel free to copy and paste the event logo on your blog.

4. You have until 30 April 2010 to send in your entries.

5. Please send the link to your post and a picture of your creation to
thecraftangel(at)gmail(dot)com

6. I will post the round-up some time in the first week of May 2010.

Let's spread the craft vibes around and have some fun! Please do tell your other blogger friends about this.

Looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations!
Happy Crafting!

The Blogosphere brings us together...every day :)

2010-04-16T22:55:00.005+10:00

Vicky from Clips-n-Cuts has reached a milestone in blogging - her 100th post! And she's celebrating by making a list of as many cardmaking/scrapbooking blogs as possible, isn't that a great idea!

So make sure you participate. Simply post about this on your blog and provide the link in your post for your readers to join in the fun.

The constant and growing stream of inspiration flowing through the thousands of crafting blogs is fascinating! I'm so glad to be part of this beautiful Blog World.

Congratulations again Vicky :)
Happy crafting everyone!

My First Digital Image - Coffee Trio (Freebie)

2010-04-14T12:52:00.000+10:00

I was trying something yesterday, you know, just experimenting. I was attempting to create a simple digital image. Coffee being something I love, this seemed quite easy to do :) However, I've used really, really primitive methods to make this one! There are so many cool tools and loads of software available today to digitise sketches and images. And I'm thinking they're not as simple as I think they'd be! I'm yet to explore. Well, how's this for starters?

Click on the picture, right click to save the image on to your computer and enjoy!

Just a few tips from my experience with this image:
Preferably, open it in Word or PPT. - Open a new Word or PPT document and 'Insert' 'Picture' from the folder saved.
To set transperancy, double click the picture and under 'format' - 'recolour' choose 'set transparent colour'.
Reisze and print on your preferred card stock/paper.

Hope I haven't made it too complicated!

Have fun! I'd love to see how you've used this image in your creations. Please leave me a comment if you do use it in a project.

Happy crafting!

Bird's Cards

2010-04-13T09:38:00.000+10:00

Hi Everyone

Just a quick post. Wanted to share this awesome site with you (in case you don't know already!). There are some great free digi images. Enough to last many many fun crafting afternoons :)

http://www.birdscards.com/

(Make sure you register, leave a comment to say 'thank you' and read her Terms of Use.)
Have fun creating!

Bird of Paradise

2010-04-12T10:37:00.001+10:00

When I saw the current challenge on at Order of the Opus Gluei, I just knew I had to show off these gorgeous pics husby had taken at the San Diego Wild Animal Park last winter. I even wrote a little something for it :) This is for Challenge #50 For the Birds. Thinking out of the box, eh?

Please click on the picture for larger text.

So all you beautiful crafters, go on, spread your wings, fly high, wish big!

Another ISS Image...

2010-04-09T10:51:00.000+10:00

I love the retro collection at ISS. The images are chic and trendy and a lot of fun to play with. Here's a card I made with a baby shower theme. I wanted to avoid the standard pink 'n' blue. Green seemed like an option. I also wanted to use my new bundle of 6x6 pattern paper and it had these cute baby themed ones in there.

Be back soon. Happy Crafting!

Retail Therapy!

2010-04-06T09:37:00.000+10:00

Need I say more?! *wink*

Image: In Style Stamps

Angel!

2010-04-02T18:30:00.001+11:00

Good friends are life's little treasures!

2010-03-29T10:29:00.001+11:00

Husby darling & I went visiting our friends yesterday. We dropped by at three different homes, all in one evening and on our way back home I couldn't help thinking how blessed we are to have found these gems! Truly, good friends are forever :)

This card I made says all about me - 'a friend and some coffee' - the combo can hardly go wrong!

And now, about the card itself...although I love how this card looks, a closer look will tell you how important it is to print digi stamps on quality card stock. I printed this particular one on a piece of scrap white and it just revolted against the water colour pencils. So, lesson learnt - don't take card stock for granted.

Featured here on the card are Joyce and Marcy from In Style Stamps . I love how much fun you can have with the look of the girls, just dress them up in your favourite colours and patterns.

Back soon with more.
Happy Crafting!

Colouring Fun!

2010-03-26T17:20:00.004+11:00

Isn't this duo simply adorable? I found this image on Free Digital Stamps. I totally enjoyed colouring it with my watercolour pencils. Digi stamps and colouring - my two latest favourites :)

I'm back!

2010-03-22T15:22:00.000+11:00

I'm back in Sydney from my trip to my hometown, Bangalore, in India. It was a 'home-away from home' kind of thing :) I'd told myself that I'd continue to blog while I'm there, especially because India is a such a colourful place that I wouldn't find it hard to find things to blog about! However, time flew and I had so much fun spending time with family and friends, shopping, eating, etc. and sadly, I couldn't really post on my blog regularly.
But I'm back now! I've been missing everyone back in Bangalore since I've come back and here's a card that's perfect for the way I feel right now...

Hope I feel better soon as I slowly settle back into my routine life here...

Will be back soon with more cards!

Happy Crafting!

Fun at the Bazar!

2010-02-27T01:38:00.002+11:00

Mum & I went to a local handicraft expo the other day. It was great fun looking through the wares and finding such pretty stuff to buy. Though the whole outing gave me really sore feet, it was indeed a feast for the eyes. Look at all the colours!

Good old hometown and beautiful nostalgia!

2010-02-22T17:54:00.001+11:00

I'm in Bengaluru, the charming and endearing city I grew up in. It holds so many precious and beautiful memories. The sights, the smells, the feeling - it's good to be home :) The crafter in me is delighted to explore the fascinating world of colour, design and decor here. You can expect some rambling posts from a very excited yours truly :) To start with, here are the invites I made for a special occasion at home -

The colours are a reflection of the Indian way of celebration and the pretty ribbon is called 'zari' and is available in several different colours, materials and widths. I don't have to mention that I'll be taking these back with me now, do I? :)

Will be back with more soon!

The beautiful feeling of being in love!

2010-02-17T08:50:00.003+11:00

The roses look specially beautiful
and the grass greener
the butterflies flutter by, so playful
and the sky's never been clearer
I'm in love and it's a wonderful feeling
I can sense it, you are the one
you make my heart sing
you're that special someone!

Psst! Husby Darling, yes it's for you :)

This cute lil girl, so in love, goes singing away to Kavita's Valentine's Day Event.

The image, isn't it just adorable? This is one of those many cute ones I found on Free Digital Stamps.

Here's hoping that we are all surrounded by so much love that we sing away our troubles and worries! Someone once said, 'there's nothing more comforting in the world than to love and be loved'. How true!

Comfort...

2010-02-15T17:43:00.002+11:00

I thought I'd ramble a bit about comfort :) Well this card I made got me thinking about it. So, comfort to me is -

being in my husby's arms
my mum's house
sleeping on sweet smelling sheets, fresh from the laundry
a relaxing foot soak after a long, tiring day
a warm home-cooked meal
a good book and a hot cuppa with the pitter patter of rain outside
of course, crafting!

What comforts you?

The Craft Angel's first stall and Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T12:35:00.001+11:00

Yes, I'm now officially The Craft Angel. How's that for a cute name? :) My craft stall was a great experience. And although I can't really say I sold a lot, I got so many appreciating smiles and positive comments that I'm so, so glad! It's so comforting and rewarding. There will be many more stalls in the future, yes there will. I'm more confident and conscious about what people are looking for, what they like and what appeals. I've also got a bunch of fresh new ideas that I want to execute, all in good time :) Overall, it was a rich learning experience and a tremendously encouraging one. Truly glad I did it! And thanks to husby darling for being just that and thanks A, and H&A for being there, as always :) Love you guys!

And yeah, Happy Valentine's Day everyone! May all our lives be filled with love and laughter.

Been a little sluggish on Blogger...

2010-02-11T10:33:00.001+11:00

Hey everyone! I have a craft stall coming up and have been super busy. But every time I finish making a card, I keep thinking how I'd love to post about it. However, considering the number of things I've been making this past week, I'll have enough to post about for a whole year I guess! I've been sleeping late and have been glued to my chair, hehehe. But I'm enjoying every bit of the rush! It's truly satisfying and oddly calming to be crafting away, I love it.
Anyways, I thought I'd drop in a quick post and show you one of the cards I made last night...

It's a (snail) digital stamp, but I'm having the hardest time recollecting where I bought it...will update soon. I just thought it needed something fun, so decided to add a little party hat and a cupcake :)

Oh, and before I forget, I wanted to tell you all about this awesome blog - Free Digital Stamps. Check it out, you'll love it!

Ok, I'm off now. Still have loads to finish. Will tell you all about it once I'm done :)

Happy crafting!

On a Date!

2010-02-04T16:12:00.004+11:00

I'd been wanting to use some of the super cute digi images I'd bought from ISS. Digi images are great, they're user friendly, there's so much choice out there and they're pretty easy on DH's plastic card too :) So, today I made this card with the adorable Dan & Mandy. Aren't they the cutest? Oh-so-in-love and totally enjoying their date! And after their romantic date, they're headed straight to A Spoon Full of Sugar, Challenge 89 :)

Love in Bloom...

2010-02-03T10:40:00.005+11:00

I had so much fun making this card! I love that I got the K&Company patterned paper packs for a steal :) I kind of like large flowery patterns and this paper went so well with the new stamp set I have from Inkadinkado. I just used the sentiment from it, it's actually a very cute clear stamp set. See...

I'm sending this card to Mojo Monday 124 Contest. Here's the sketch -

And here's my card...

As you can see, I'm a big fan of inked edges!

Flower-power! Guess it'll never go out of fashion :)

one of my resolutions...

2010-02-01T17:02:00.004+11:00

This year I thought I'd use my sewing machine more often. The guilt pangs are acute, especially since I almost threw a tantrum at the store some time last year and got my way. Husby darling is so polite that he sometimes only just casually mentions the almost unused, near new Brother, tucked away in a dark corner of the room. The Opus Gluei Poobahs have presented their latest challenge - Soup to Nuts. The deal is that we either finish off a long overdue project or start a new (maybe yearlong) project. So my take on it is to start making better use of my sewing machine. I hope it makes sense and qualifies for the challenge!

I love patchwork quilts. They have an endearing country style charm that I can't resist. I'd love to make one myself, but the thought is overwhelming since I'm still very new to the world of sewing. So I thought I'd bring in a bit of that element into my card. Here's how it turned out -

And now that the sewing machine is out, I might try some easy sewing projects :)

On my shelf right now...

2010-01-31T11:38:00.000+11:00

The bout of reading is here! You'll find these on my shelf right now...

Autobiography of a Yogi - Mum had suggested this book to me a while ago and she keeps talking about what an interesting read it is. So I finally bought myself a copy while we were at The Self Realisation Fellowship in California. (which by the way is such a beautiful place!). Paramahansa Yogananda, a great saint, talks about his remarkable life dotted with saints and yogis, science and miracles, death and resurrection. I have to admit, I did find it a little hard to read when I started as the tone of the book isn't very modern. But as you go on, the book simply fills you with sheer wonder! It is a spiritual book and I'm very intrigued by philosophy, so this book is very interesting, in my terms.

Sacred Games - the adorable couple, H&A, (our very good friends) lent me this book. We share a common passion for good books and they promised I'd like it. And I do :) I'm still reading it. It's quite on the same lines as 'Shantaram'. It's set against the backdrop of the Indian underworld, the gangsters and the power-play. I think it's a great read.

The Food of India - It's a book on Indian food and has gorgeous, gorgeous pictures, I love it! It's my latest inspiration in the kitchen :)

Husby darling also picked up Dan Brown's Deception Point and since he's hogging it right now, I'll have to wait my turn :)

Another Birthday Card

2010-01-29T15:28:00.002+11:00

I'm back with another birthday card I made this afternoon. Colouring in that cake has brought in some cake cravings. Darn! Maybe I'll settle for some of my instant 'throw-in-a-buncha-stuff in a bowl' microwave choc pudding instead, hmmm...

Birthday Card

2010-01-28T15:17:00.001+11:00

I must admit, I've been addicted to pink 'n' purple and all colours girly. So, when I sat down to make a card for my cousin, I was kind of lost! I'm sure he wouldn't really be flattered with a pink or purple card :) So I chose to make one in shades of green. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Hope he likes it. I wouldn't know that now would I, if I haven't mailed it to him yet?! *sigh* Will I ever be organised? I wonder...
I have to put in bold on my 'to-do' list and soon :)

A closer look...

Oozing with cuteness!

2010-01-25T20:23:00.000+11:00

These gift card holders look yummy enough to eat! They're so so so easy to make, see it here. I've used K & Company's Valentines Day patterned paper. They're so pretty, all pink 'n' red and girly :) I've also used some of my new stamps that I was dying to use. Hmmm. life's good!

Hide 'n' Seek: A Card? A Bag?

2010-01-23T19:09:00.005+11:00

I frequently scour the internet for craft ideas and inspiration. I'm amazed at the creativity that's out there! It makes me feel so proud that we're all this big, huge crafting community, constantly creating. In my head it's like this massive wave of positive energy, all flowing into making something beautiful! *sigh*, it's an overwhelming feeling. Tell me if you've felt it too...

So, I made this super cute gift bag that looks like a card. It's so easy to make and again, can be so easily customised for anything. I bought a pack of (paper) party loot bags in white. They're available in different colours too. Then I trimmed down the bag to the size I wanted and cut out two pieces of CS. Then I stuck them on to both sides of the bag and used patterned paper to decorate. For closure, I used a square piece of CS and used dimensionals at the bottom only. That way the flap opens and closes easily.
I love it!

All boxed up!

2010-01-21T18:48:00.003+11:00

Continuing my box frenzy (for some reason!). I love how these turned out. They're so versatile, great for small gifts. And they're so easy to customise to suit any occasion. Love it, love it, love it!

I'm sending the red 'n' black one as my entry to Caardvarks' Red Heart challenge and the pink cupcake one to In Style Stamps' Sweets! challenge.

Please click on the images for a larger view.

Love is in the air!

2010-01-19T15:55:00.003+11:00

For people in love, every day is Valentines Day, what say? *wink*
But February 14 does bring with it romance, dancing, flowers, chocolates, candle light dinners, etc, etc. Here are two cards I made for that special day :)

The camera doesn't do much for the shade of red, but the cards look very lovey-dovey :)

I got to use my new stamps. The shoe (stamp) looks familiar, doesn't it? In that case I don't think I need to remind you that it's one of my favourites, oops! I just did!

Inspired Projects

2010-01-18T20:29:00.006+11:00

How cute is this? I say it looks yummy enough to go 'slurrrrp'! I saw this on Angie Kennedy Juda's tutorial here. Boy, am I gonna be making several of these or what?!
(I should've probably put it on a darker background...)

Angie is a SU demonstrator and has some pretty awesome videos/tutorials on YouTube. Check them out here. Here's a book mark I made inspired by one of her projects.

Okay, I also have lots of other fun stuff that I've been making and wanting to share. More in my next post!

Good Things Come in Tiny Packages!

2010-01-13T14:58:00.004+11:00

Well, I can't really stand by that statement...maybe, maybe not :)
I made these little boxes for Valentines Day. Aren't they the cutest or what? They are perfect to hold something tiny and cute and precious, maybe. I don't know if you think chocolate is worth making a fuss about but I certainly do! And that's exactly why I put in a little Hershey's kiss in one of them. Let's see now, maybe I'll give it to a special someone.

Pssst! I gobbled it up right after I took the picture, hehehe.

Will be back with more Valentines Day treats soon!

Grandpa

2010-01-10T12:00:00.006+11:00

Ajja, that's what we fondly call our grandpa. Everyone's favourite, grandchildren and great grandchildren alike. With his loving smile and gentle ways, he is such a calming presence for our large extended family. I have spent so many memorable summer vacations at my grandparents' place in Mangalore and whenever I think of my grandpa, I remember the little orange candies that would mysteriously appear in his hands if we closed our eyes (!), the yummy sweets he used to bring back home for all of us, the stories he used to tell as we drifted into a blissful sleep at night and the medicines he used to give us with his magical touch that would just scare the coughs and sneezes away! I love you Ajja, we all do!

I made this card for his birthday this month.

The sparkly silver and gold flowers don't photograph well...but the card turned out quite well overall.

My craft loot from the US!

2010-01-09T19:52:00.004+11:00

Okay, so here's what I've been raving about :)

Tools: Got my Cuttlebug, yes!! An embossing heat tool, a large crimper, a 2-in-1 corner rounder, a snowflake punch.

Some yummy patterned paper...

Clear stamps...
Rubber stamps...I love the shoes set, they're from Hero Arts.

Stamping markers...

Glitter and ribbons...

I used a couple of things already for the scrapbook pages I was talking about. There's so much more to do and I'm so excited, yay! Will be back with some pictures soon.

Made something, felt good :)

2010-01-07T22:11:00.005+11:00

I've brought back so many beautiful memories from our holiday! Even while we were there, seeing places, doing fun stuff and taking pictures, the thought of getting back and making some scrapbook layouts always lurked around somewhere in my excited mind. And then, I had all that lovely craftsy stuff that I'd bought, so I worked on a couple of scrapbook layouts. I picked some of my favourite pictures that I want to send to some very special people back in the US. I won't post the pictures of my pages just yet, 'cos I want it to be a surprise and don't want them seeing all of it right now :) I should be mailing them in a couple of days, so will be back with some pictures soon.

And I'm back!

2010-01-03T21:01:00.005+11:00

Hey there! Happy New Year!
We're back after a wonderful and memorable holiday in California. We had such a good time! Here are some pics -

One of my fav parts of the trip was the craft shopping I got to do. I got so many fun things and at such a bargain, wow! And for the 'crafty' reputation I have, I got some gorgeous gifts from my cousin. I can't wait to use all of it. Will come up with something soon.

This new year, I want to take my crafting hobby more seriously and do something worthwhile with it. I want to organise my craft supplies and work on creating a little craft nook for myself. I better get started then!

Holidays!!

2009-11-25T13:36:00.002+11:00

Just a quick note to say husby 'n' I are off on our holiday! Will be back soon :)

Happy Holidays Everyone! Hope your days ahead are filled with joy, cheer, love and laughter.

Take care.

Let it Snow!

2009-11-13T17:20:00.004+11:00

Here in Aussie land it won't! Christmas is all about summer fun :)
Anywho, ISS's challenge of the month is to make a snow themed project using one of their images. They had a generous give-away on their blog - the first 150 people to follow their blog and leave a comment got a free digi image of their choice. Isn't that awesome! I chose the 'girl singer' from their Band set. I have bought a few digi images from them, but none with a snow theme. I was all excited about using the new free image I got, so my right brain did all the work to fit it into the theme :) I had a lot of fun making it. And no, in case you're wondering, I don't think there is a song like that...but hey, it's my own composition! I hummed it all along as I made this card :)
The picture is not that good, well what's new, heh! So please click on it to see more clearly.

But I have to confess, I totally botched up the glitter on this card. I couldn't find my glue pen and thought my glue stick would work. Turns out it doesn't! Hope it doesn't look too messy...hmmm, you think?

Yummy Cards!

2009-11-11T17:16:00.007+11:00

I made these cards for 'Hey Hey Good Looking - What Ya Got Cooking' challenge hosted by Order of the Opus Gluei. The title was so cute that I had to make some cards! I rummaged through my stuff for the two DVDs I'd purchased long ago. They have loads 'n' loads of clip art and I knew there were heaps of cute ones in the 'food' category. So I decided to make these cards. They're easy-peasy but aren't they oh-so-yummy? All I had to do was arrange the images and sentiments on Word Document and figure out how to feed the card stock into the printer to get it all in the right place. By the way, I love the card stock I ordered from Blue Edge Crafts. They're textured and give my cards a really crisp 'n' professional finish. These are very bad pictures and I'm awfully sorry! Click on the images to see more clearly.
(Pssst! Husby darling has a beautiful SLR camera which I have to learn how to use one of these days!)

These cards were fun to make + I loved the part where I had to make up the right sentiments for the images :)

Trash from Treasure - II

2009-11-10T08:40:00.004+11:00

I'm back with another 'found-in-the-house' project! I was just about to throw away an empty sultanas carton, but didn't quite. As you might have guessed...opened it up carefully, traced around it and then cut + fold + decorate + glue together = a darling box! I thought I'd use it to hold a set of cards, perfect little gift for someone who loves pretty stationery 'n' stuff :)

I kind of struggled with the picture...couldn't find the right angle. The flap on top is open. Have to figure out a few techniques to get better pictures. One day...I will :)

Until next time...cheers!

Two Cards - Two Challenges

2009-11-06T12:48:00.005+11:00

I had a lot of fun making these cards :)

The first one is for Caardvarks' Circle of Friendship challenge. The challenge is to make a round card. It's my first round card ever! I'd seen a really cool tip on Jennifer McGuire's blog - make a tiny flap on one of the circles and glue the decorated circle on top (the front of the card). That way, you can accomplish the 'full circle' card front, clever, isnit?

The next card I made is for Instyle Stamps' Wednesday Challenge - Felt. No points for guessing, I had to use felt in the project. And I had to use at least one ISS stamp, perfect! I was waiting to use some of the digi stamps I'd bought from them and it was perfect timing :) Featuring in my card here is Sasha. I think she's gorgeous! I used pinking shears and cut out a strip of red felt for the sentiment and attached a little pink felt flower on her hair band with a brad.

So, that's it from me for now. Off to make some party invites and thank you notes for my lil niece's birthday party :)

Until next time...cheers!

Tom the Turkey

2009-11-05T12:56:00.003+11:00

Made this card this morning for Challenge #31 hosted by Order of the Opus Gluei. The star of the challenge is Tom the Turkey, who Kristen has generously offered. Me thinks he's really cute :)

A closer look at Tom...

Treasure from Trash!

2009-11-04T13:22:00.004+11:00

Strange thing, you know, when I open a fresh bar of soap I don't throw away the box immediately. I kind of like the lingering smell it has...and that's one of my weird things, I just leave it on the counter, only to pick it up later during my routine cleaning and toss it into the bin. Yesterday was one of those days and I just held on to the soap box 'cos I had an idea; especially after the blog hop at Caardvarks, I was inspired by all the pretty decorative packaging ideas I'd seen.
So, I opened up the box carefully and traced around it on a piece of patterned paper, scored and folded along the lines and made myself this pretty little decorative box! It can hold candies, buttons, tiny stamps, trinkets...anything! I think it's a great idea for gift-giving over the holidays. I know I'm going to make several of these, so I went ahead and made myself a template using some heavy card stock ('cos the original soap box was almost in tatters by the time I finished opening it up!). I think I'm going to put all such templates into a folder for easy access.

I thought I'd make more using other empty cartons lying around in my kitchen. Will be back with something :)

Until next time...cheers!

Fun with Stamps!

2009-11-03T12:51:00.003+11:00

I'm back with three more cards I made, all using some new and some old stamps. And although they did not take very long, I really enjoyed making them. Me thinks these are great if you want to make a bunch of cards for a fete or sale.

Have fun creating!

My First!

2009-11-03T10:52:00.003+11:00

Thanks for this very encouraging award Juhi! I'm glad I started craft blogging again - I'm thoroughly enjoying myself, I've found great blogger buddies and I've been so inspired by the hundreds of wonderful blogs I've come across and am still discovering!

I have to answer the following questions with one word answers (Hmmm, let's see now)

1. Where is your cell phone? coffee table
2. Your hair? frequently heat styled!!!
3. Your mother? endearing
4. Your father? loving
5. Your favorite food? everything that goes straight to the hips, lol!
6. Your dream last night? can't remember (what?? must be the first time!)
7. Your favorite drink? flavoured water
8. Your dream/goal? to find constant happiness
9. What room are you in? living room
10. Your hobby? crafting
11. Your fear? being alone
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? in a happy place
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren't? emotionally strong
15. Muffins? oh yeah!
16. Wish list item? a long *list* :D
17. Where did you grow up? India
18. Last thing you did? ate breakfast
19. What are you wearing? PJs
20. Your TV? the last resort
21. Your pets? would love to have one :)
22. Friends? lots
23. Your life? lucky
24. Your mood? upbeat
25. Missing someone? a friend
26. Vehicle? wishlist
27. Something you're not wearing? shoes
28. Favourite store? I love craft stores
29. Favourite colour? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? last night
31. Last time you cried? can't remember!
32. Your best friend? is a sweetheart
33. One place I go to over and over? my kitchen
34. Facebook? keeps me connected
35. Favourite place to eat? anywhere with good food

I'd love to pass this on to all those lovely blogs out there. To you, you and you!

Ho Ho Ho!

2009-11-02T14:53:00.003+11:00

CS: Stampin Up!, Snowflakes: Stampin Up!, Background: 99c stamp from Riot, red CS: Stampin Up!, Ribbon: Riot

I got this (background, Ho Ho Ho!) stamp from an art & craft store called Riot. At just 99c, I think it's great! I was waiting to use it and made this really easy card. I'm totally hooked on to making Christmas cards these days :) I bought a couple of other new stamps as well that I want to try out. Will be back soon with something!

Until next time...cheers!

Standing Tall

2009-10-22T12:03:00.004+11:00

I made this card for my lovely SIL for her birthday and then I thought, 'hmmm, that's a pretty tall card...' and decided to send it to Caardvarks' latest challenge - A Tall Order.
The card itself was very simple to make. I used double sided patterned paper and glued two wide strips with the pattern on each side. Then I glued some coordinating buttons on the flower patterns on one strip and coloured the centres of the ones on the other. I stamped the word 'love' on the bottom corner and used my corner rounder on two opposite corners. That's it! Ain't it pretty? :)