The key is...

Hello bloggers,

As some of you may know, I have been running a boutique forum since 2016 wherein I conduct guided meditation and offer personal development to stay at home mums. I have been conducting similar sessions for parents in my kid's school. However, due to the COVid-19 virus, we have had to stall the programme. I am hoping that everything gets back to normal sooner than expected and I can resume doing what I love. As some of you may know, the proceeds from the fees go towards a shelter that houses abused women. I was lucky enough to raise a decent sum by hosting 11 such sessions. 

Now to my card - I have had this typewriter die for years now and finally got hold of some packaging material and die cut it. I used black soot to sponge it. 

The key has been die cut from a matt gold thick cinema ticket while the red paper you see under the sentiment is from canvas packaging which we painted red as we had surplus red paint.

The sentiment is a rubber stamp which is lying in a drawer while I write this post on my dining table. 

The white rectangular nestie with holes on the edges is my new buy from Sizzix. 

I will enter in the following challenges with this card:

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/ - masculine card/project

https://incywincydesigns.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

theartisticstamper - writing

http://happylittlestampers.blogspot.com/ - positive

Happy card making,

Monica 

A nice and very bright hello!

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card whose background was made by both Aleeza and me. She painted half of the paper and I did the other half. This was the result. The card stock of the die cut leaf was smooshed with Camlin brush markers from India.

The sentiment was die cut from a piece of black cardstock from Sizzix sentiment dies.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

https://incywincydesigns.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://happylittlestampers.blogspot.com/ - dies

https://creativecrafterschallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy card making,

Monica 

Kick up your heels and have fun!

Hello bloggers,

Well, I used to wear heels once upon a time but very tame ones - nothing like these wild ones. And now all I wear are Fitflops! 

The background of this card has been made with food colours from Indonesia. I glided the entire cardstock over the food colour. The cardstock kind of got warped so I put it under a heavy book for almost four-five days. 

The sentiment and image stamp are from Hero Arts (clear stamps). I hand tore the paper on which the sentiment has been stamped for character. The strip of Kraft may be a recycled strip of paper. 

I am making up a sizeable collection to sell for the abused women's home that I am supporting. Hoping I make a good sum to donate. 

https://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://crafterscastle.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://www.vintagejourney.com/ - anything goes

http://yournextstamp.com/blog/ - creating your own background

http://qkrstampede.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/ - use red

Happy card making,

Monica 

Partly recycled

Hello sweet bloggers,

This card has been made with packaging material again and what I did was to place the printed packaging (which was actually very flimsy plastic) under the reverse of the starts. 

The sentiment is a washi tape which I cut carefully so that the edges look straight, I hope. Lol. 

The little gold dots are also from packaging material. I have used cardboard to prop up the top layer. I quite like what I created. 

I will participate in the following challenges with my card:

https://craftinghappinesschallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes twist pink

http://welove2create.blogspot.com/ - anything creative

http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.com/ - use die cuts, punches

https://creationsinpink.blogspot.com/ - anything goes in pink

Happy card making,

Monica 

I love dahlias

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today made with my new rubber stamps which I bought from a store called Tokyu Hands. It is a really cool store with stationery and other products. 

I stamped the dahlia and masked it before stamping the leaf stamp. I used two-three colours of distress inks for the leaves and Stazon for the dahlia. It was coloured with water colour pencils later. The cardstock on which the dahlia was stamped has been sponged with a distress ink as well. 

I will take part in the following challenges:

https://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://crafterscastle.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://craft-deebowz.blogspot.com/p/challenge.html - anything goes

https://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://creationsinpink.blogspot.com/ - use mostly pink

Happy card making,

Monica 

Partly recycled

Hello bloggers,

I have good news to share. Today my initiative hosted a meeting wherein I conducted a meditation and a speaker came to talk about essential oils and their therapeutic benefits. Tomorrow begins my second programme for meditation and relaxation in school for the parents.

Here is my card to show you today which has been upcycled using a chocolate packaging. The orange dots are shiny in real life. The hand made papers are leftovers from a larger sheet. The sentiment is a die-cut and I have put a rhinestone over the i of smile to jazz it up.

I will enter this card in the following:

artydivas - anything goes

http://lemonshortbreadchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://artsystamperchallenge.blogspot.com/ - monochromatic

http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy crafting,

Monica 

Wee little cups

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card that I have put together for CAS Colours & Sketches this week. 

The background has been made with watercolour brush markers from Camlin and I think I have used smoosh technique here. 

I have used 300 gms watercolour paper and propped it with corrugated packaging material as suggested by dear Maxine of https://kiwimeskreations.blogspot.com/. Thank you for always suggesting and helping come out with such brilliant solutions. 

The beige teacups were actually Starbucks cups lying around for years while the white one has been die cut using regular cardstock. I have used a Kaiser craft teacup die to die cut the cups.

The sentiment has been handwritten with a Zebra pen. I followed my childhood rule of first writing with a pencil and then going over with a pen. It worked much better than using a pen right on. 

I will enter this card in:

http://cardz4galz.blogspot.com/ - brown

http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/ - use up your scraps

http://qkrstampede.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy cardmaking,

Monica 

Love

Hello, dear sweet bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today. The top panel was embossed after spraying water on to it as I read somewhere that it helps the embossed surface to look more 3D. 

Aleeza went over the brick wall with brown chalk using her fingers.

I placed a layer of white cardboard under the brick wall nestie as suggested by my dear Maxine, who is always so helpful to share tips. 

The little jar is a die-cut from a Japanese die brand, the name of which is Wonderhouse or something similar. Pardon me! I have used watercolour paper which was coloured by the smoosh technique with Camlin brush markers from India. The centre of the jar has also been placed on a piece of white cardboard.

The washi tape is from Hokkaido, Japan and my card has been made with much love.

I will participate in the following challenges:

https://craftingwithanattitude.blogspot.com/ - always anything goes

imaginethatdigistampcreative playground - anything goes

http://timeoutchallenges.blogspot.com/ - encouraging

https://themaleroomchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - male room

artydivaschallenge - anything goes

Happy card making,

Monica 

Hugs

Hello beautiful bloggers,

Here is another card to show you today which fits with The Flower Challenge which is to make a card with flowers as the focal point. 

My card was water coloured with Faber Castells and the sentiment was die cut. 

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/ - think pink

https://watercoolerchallenges.blogspot.com/ - feminine

https://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy card making,

Monica 

Fall card

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a fall card I have put together and the inspiration for it came from dear Google. I took water colour paper as well as card stock and used my Camlin brush markers from India and vegetable dyes respectively to do smoosh technique. After die cutting the leaves, I stuck on the card stock and twine was held together with two holes and knots on either side. 

The backdrop is yet another canvas I painted. Gosh, little did I know that painting a canvas is far quicker than assembling a card.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

http://alwaysfunchallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://craftinghappinesschallenges.blogspot.com/ - orange

https://cutencraftychallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://mmmchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - autumn

Happy card making to you,

Monica

How bright could bright be!!!

Hello beautiful bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today which was actually created a few months ago. The rose has been made by me with Pentel water colours and I fussy cut it. 

The leaves have been die cut and I have used different mediums of colour. 

Some have been coloured with a brush and water colours while the others have been coloured with a plastic bag with my hand inside it using Mala paints. 

The bright pink cardstock came about as a result of acrylics and a stencil brush. It was fun! 

The DREAM sentiment in gold is actually a small strip from a Washi tape.

I will participate in the following challenges with my card:

https://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://watercoolerchallenges.blogspot.com/ - occasions

arty divas - anything goes

http://everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.com/ - use a die

http://lemonshortbreadchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://papercraft-challenges.blogspot.com/ - no designer paper

Happy card making to you,

Monica 

Green is the new black

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is my very simple creation to show you today. I have used food colour to dye the card stock and then a Sizzix die was used to cut the leaves. The first picture is slightly fuzzy, so I took one more which you see down below. I have used foam dots to pop up the leaves and the sentiment is handwritten. I know I could have done a better job with the writing. Next time, I promise.

I will submit the card down below in CASE(E) this Sketch this week.

Happy card making and happy everything,

Monica 

Pink feather

Hello sweet peeps,

Today I went to my younger one's school to host the third session of meditation and what we did was a guided gratitude meditation conducted by me and we watched two talks on gratitude and a Ted talk by Sam Berns who passed on in 2014 to Progeria. His talk was so full of good energy and motivation and in spite of watching it multiple times, I still seem to love it from a new angle. I also distributed small gratitude journals to the participants and we ended with eating oranges. By the way, the money from these sessions will be donated to an abused women's shelter in Singapore and I feel so blessed to be able to do that. 

Now to my very simple card which needs barely any explanation. The feather was bought in Indonesia from a lovely book cum stationery shop many years ago. I cut out a nestie and propped it on foam dots. The bright, oh-so-bright feather nested nicely inside the nestie and voila, my card was ready to fly. The backdrop for the photo is paper that was made from elephant poop. I have used it earlier and shared its deep-rooted background with you. Lol. My friend's daughter got it for me all the way from Thailand and the papers are actually so pretty that I dare not cut it. So I have decided to use it as a backdrop. A random thought just came to me which is that maybe I am not keen enough to make cards out of paper that was made out of poop. Lol.

I will enter in the following challenges with my card:

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/ - CAS

https://artydivaschallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://lemonshortbreadchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://getcreativechallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Wish you happy card making,

Monica

Dance like no one is watching

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card I put together a few days ago. The guitar has been die cut from a fruit packaging carton. I popped it on foam dots for added dimension. The orangish coloured paper has been coloured with an egg yellow vegetable dye. I think the sentiment is a Penny Black one which I love, I have to say. The washi tape is from Typo, a very popular stationery store in town.

I will participate in the following challenges:

http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://happycraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy cardmaking and happy everything,

Monica 

Ombre shombre

Hello beautiful bloggers,

Here is my 'oh so bright' card to show you today. The background has been made with watercolors that belong to my daughter. I used the reverse of a square nestie along with foam dots to achieve this arrangement. The butterfly has been recycled out of a pearly wedding card. 

I layered it with pink paper that is actually used for printing letterheads and it being thick really helped my butterfly. The smile sentiment completes it. I am sorry that I don't have the names of the brands of the butterfly and sentiment die handy.  I do like this simple beauty and hope you do too.

I will participate in the following challenges:

http://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/ - monochromes

https://imaginethatdigistamp.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://southerngirlschallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ - die/and or punch
https://casethissketch.blogspot.com/ 

Happy card making,

Monica 

Stamped roses

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you which is for a very special lady who ordered four cards from me. As I may have mentioned I am raising funds for an abused women's shelter in Singapore.

This is an acrylic stamp from Kaiser craft and I have coloured it with Faber Castell water colour pencils. I did it while we were in Japan and found it very relaxing. The ribbon is from my stash and I chose a bright green envelope to add the brightness of the card.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://mybestiesspanishchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes with flowers

https://craft-deebowz.blogspot.com/p/challenge.html - anything goes

Wish you peace, calm and card making,

Monica 

Yellow roses on acrylic background

Dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you with an embossing folder that I have used umpteen times and still love it so. 

The roses have been coloured with distress ink which I stamped on the top flap of the folder. 

For the leaves, I have used water colours as well as distress inks which I dabbed on an acetate sheet and used a brush to colour the leaves. 

After the embossed card stock was dry, I cut it along the roses and leaves for added interest. 

The bluish green background is actually Sakura acrylic paints which I dabbed on to a water colour sheet. I hope you like my messy and shabby chic creation.

I will participate in the following challenges:

https://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ - anything goes

https://watercoolerchallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://welove2create.blogspot.com/ - anything mixed media goes

Enjoy your card making,

Monica 

Summer smiles

Hello dear bloggers,

We were off to New Delhi for two weeks as it is summer vacation here. It was a nice hot holiday with lots of yummy food. I saw some pretty sunflowers in the complex we were at as well as beautiful bougainvilleas at every nook and corner. It took me many years to realise that bougainvilleas grow in intense and very dry heat. I will try and post pictures of the flowers next time.

Now to my card which is yet another leafy die cut one. I have used the plastic bag technique similar to the one in my previous card. I seem to have lost the tiny dot on the i but my younger one said it looks fine so fine it is.

I will participate in the following challenges:

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/ - CAS

http://carabbiemomentsofcraft.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://livelaughstamp.blogspot.com/ - tropical

http://diecuttindivas.blogspot.com/ - diecut tropical

See you soon,

Monica

Smile

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is another leafy card made today. The leaves were cut from super thick packaging material and as I shared in my last post, I marvel at how I kept running my Cuttlebug over and over again. Lol.

I coloured the kraft side of the packaging with water colours and a plastic bag which I wore on one hand like a glove and put colour on the palm. Water was sprayed on the paint and I went over the packaging sheet with this.  

Green, blue and a fluorescent yellow were used to obtain this result. I learned of this plastic bag technique on Pinterest. A zip lock bag is what was used in the tutorial but I chose to use a humble plastic bag as I did not deem fit to spoil a zip lock bag. I actually wash my zip lock bags and dry them before reusing them. That is how far my love affair with the environment goes. My children laugh at me but it is okay. Lol. Coming back to the card, the die cut black sentiment was also cut from packaging material. I used a square die to cut a window on the top layer. I quite like this simple beauty.

Ellibelle's corner  - summer scenes, treats or colours

https://watercoolerchallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes masculine

http://lemonshortbreadchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com/ - always anything goes

See you soon,

Monica 

A very green hello

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a very green card to show you today. The leaves were die cut using packaging material some of it so thick that I had to go over it a million times in my cuttle bug. To add to that there was lamination on the sheets so it took me even longer. I wish I was as persistent in areas where I need to be. Lol. 

I coloured the paper with water colours and an acetate sheet before die cutting it. I tried to be creative with the photo but I know there is too much empty space on the top. Too late now.

I will participate in the following challenges:

https://creativecraftcottage.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://daisychainchallenge.blogspot.com/ - summer time

http://happylittlestampers.blogspot.com/ - anything goes with dies

https://thehappycraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy card making,

Monica