Thanks

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is another card to show you with strips of paper. The white strips are the leftover pieces of cardstock while the coloured strips are leftovers of watercolour paper that I had smooshed. I coloured the sentiment with Pentel watercolour tubes. 

I will participate in the following challenges with this card:

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

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

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

Monica 

Partly recycled - black and white with red

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card that was made with a cake box from Brunetti, which is a patisserie walking distance from our place. We bought my fave Tiramisu while the girls got their non-flour almond chocolate cake. The box had the image you can see below and it was too pretty to be binned so here is what I did. The red layer at the bottom was cardstock that I coloured in with a Prisma pencil. I only coloured the edges after estimating how much red needed to be seen. I have to say I find this an easy way of adding a layer or an edge. 

The crocodile textured background is a lovely paper that came from Skye in Australia, a year or two ago.  

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

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

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

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

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

Monica

Happy Birthday tag on a card

 Hello lovely bloggers,

Here is my card which I finally managed to put together after much rumination. The tag is recycled and I actually took a picture to show you this time. So you know I am genuine. Lol.

Some of my fave washi tapes went around the back of the tag and a black ribbon on top. 

I embossed the card stock under the tag and stuck the tag with foam tape since I am a bit done with cutting cardboard and sticking it on either side. 

If I may say so, I quite like the way this card turned out. 

Down below is the tag with a faint shadow for which I apologise.

I will participate in the following challenges:

http://cardz4galz.blogspot.com/ - black and pink

https://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - cute card Thursday

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

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

http://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/ - birthday or folded

Monica

Recycled flowers and leaves from a fancy envelope

 Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card I made from a super pretty envelope. The flowers on the envelope were fussy cut and I die cut leaves from the same envelope as well. The sentiment is store bought. 

Down below is a close up of the flower to show you the sparkle. 

I will participate in the following challenges:

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

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

https://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - for the girls

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

https://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/ - flowers

http://cascoloursandsketches.blogspot.com/ - sketch

Monica 

Partly recycled and homemade embossing paste

Hello dear bloggers,

I keep hoping that this virus will leave us sooner than it came. So this card is a tribute to it in advance. I hope this lockdown results in an open up and we find the key to our freedom. All puns intended in the hope of reality.

I have used my homemade embossing paste and a die cut lock and key from a die set. A brochure has been used to cut the dies.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

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

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

http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com/ - die cuts/punches

http://snarkystampers.blogspot.com/ - upcycling

http://cutitupchallenges.blogspot.com/ - must have die cuts

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

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

Monica

Sparkle!!!

Hi bloggers,

Here is a card that is partly recycled yet again. I have used a very old piece of wallpaper sample (19 years and over if you want to know) to die cut the butterflies. 

Over the butterflies, a Sakura gel pen was used to give a special effect. 

I had to cover a faux pas hence the rose gold washi tape (bought from Typo - an Australian stationery chain of stores that is much loved by teens). The sentiment is also a washi tape.

I will participate in the following challenges with this card:

https://aaabirthday.blogspot.com/ - dots and stripes

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/ - things with wings
http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.com/ - add a butterfly

http://snarkystampers.blogspot.com/ - upcycle

Monica 

Partly recycled/ Dream

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today which is partially recycled. The background has been made with sparkly Camlin pastel crayons and it looks quite pretty in real life. This is the best I could get with the camera. The rose has been die cut from an Altenew die and I have used watercolour paper to cut it. I have used Camlin brush markers and an acetate sheet to achieve this effect on the roses. One of the layers had a coating of glitter glue and I chose to go for it.  

The green leaves have been die cut from the packaging of an old perfume bottle. It is a form of pearlized pistachio or something similar. The sentiment is a washi tape, which I simply love.

I will participate in the following challenges with my card:

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

http://cutitupchallenges.blogspot.com/ - diecuts, our beautiful earth

https://polkadoodle.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
https://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ - make your own flower/embellie

Monica 

Recycled thank you

Hello bloggers,

Here is a card I made a few days ago with a cupcake box. Their cupcakes are the most delicious to say the least and I have collected a serious number of boxes. So you may see plenty of it in the coming days. Lol. 

The black paper is also from an old file that belonged to Aleeza so this card is pretty much recycled.

I have used a die that I ordered from ebay a few months ago for the nesties. I have used them earlier and quite like it. 

The thank you sentiment has been cut from a card stock. I know I use it often which bears testimony to the fact that I LOVE it.

I will participate in the following challenges with my simple beauty:

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

https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ anything goes

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

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

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

Monica 

Choose joy

Hello bloggers,

This is a plaque that I made with a stencil. The stencil paste was made at home with baking powder, talcum powder, glue and water. When the paste dried up, it appeared peach in colour so I used my Sakura gold gel pen to go over it. I do like the texture of the paste. Very 3D.

I mounted it on an old wedding card to give it more depth and character. This wedding was a very special one. It was a Dutchman who married an Indonesian girl after he lost both his legs in a bomb blast in Marriot Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia. What struck me most was how his enthusiasm and inspiration to carry on seemed to get stronger. His mum and dad were present and their smiles were full of love and endurance.

Down below is the plaque without the recycled mount.

I will enter the following challenges:

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

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

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/ - anything but a card
http://qkrstampede.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Happy card making,

Monica 

Partly recycled masculine card

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today for which is an ideal card for a man. 

The tools have been die cut using foil from Ferraro Rocher chocolates. 

The matt gold paper you see at the bottom of the tools is from a brochure from Singapore Airlines. There is washi tape on the top and a Hero Arts birthday stamp. Yes, for a change I did remember the name of the stamp. 

I will participate in the following challenges with my card:

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

https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/ - boys and their toys

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

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

Happy card making,

Monica 

A bauble for Christmas with love and light in it.

Dear bloggers,

This card was designed by Aleeza. I used a die cut to make the ornament from a yoghurt lid and embossed it with a Christmas folder. Used a black ribbon and silver cord and that is it. Never mind that it took me forever to stick to the card. Just when I thought it was time to give up, I tried many layers of double sided tape and it worked.

I will participate in the following challenges:

http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/ - E, F, G (embossing, free bee, gold respectively)

https://thepapershelter.blogspot.com/ - circles

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

https://aaacards.blogspot.com/ - maxi white space + optional metallic

http://blog.dare2bartzy.com/tag/challenge - anything goes

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

Wish you happy cardmaking, 

Monica 

Rooster from a coaster

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is my card to show you today. The image is actually a coaster that was in the breakfast room of a hotel in Jakarta. The background on the cardstock below has been created with shaving foam and food colouring. It all came together beautifully I thought. 

The BIRTHDAY sentiment has been die cut from a scrap of wallpaper. 

I hand wrote the HAPPY on the coaster with a red Sharpie. I do think I could have done better with the dot on the i of the "birthday". And yes, I have used glossy accents on the feathers of the rooster for added interest. 

I do like my card overall. 

I will enter my card in the following challenges:

https://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.com/ - use die cuts/punches
http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/ - a little patch of crafty friends

Happy card making to you,

Monica 

Water coloured bird

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you made from a Youtube video. I have used Pentel water colour tubes to colour the bird and the cherry blossoms. 

The red paper under the white paper is actually packaging material from a canvas.

I will enter this card in the following:

https://colourcrazychallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything colour goes

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

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

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

Happy card making,

Monica 

Thank you

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card to show you that was made with leftovers of water coloured paper as well as hand made paper from India. And there are a few scraps of coloured cardstock as well to fill in the matching colours. 

The sentiment is a rubber stamp (too far away to read its name) and I have used Stazon ink to stamp it.

 I think I did go overboard with the strips of paper yet there were a few errors to cover up so more strips came in handy. 

The inspiration for this card came from a post on Pinterest.

Learning for next time: use wider strips to ease the gluing process.

I will participate in the following challenges with this card:

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

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

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

http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/ - create your own background

Happy card making, happy health and happy, happy happy!

Monica 

Thank you card

Dear bloggers,

Here is my card to show you. The purple colour is actually leftover from Dylon fabric dies which we needed to dye Aleeza's t-shirt for her house colours. I took card stock and gently glided it over the liquid dye that was left behind in the basin and this is what I achieved. The thanks sentiment, as usual, has been die cut from a yoghurt lid. I have mounted the dyed cardstock on cardboard instead of foam dots. Sometimes I take a whole piece of cardboard and stick it under. 

I will enter in the following challenges:

Arty Divas - anything goes

http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/ - make your own background

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 

Partly recycled

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a quick card to show you made with almost all packaging material. 

The checkered paper is actually an envelope of a premier cinema ticket while the shells are from a perfume packaging of a perfume called White Linen. They are a pretty shade of gold but the camera did not pick that up. I used a circle die to cut them out. 

The sentiment has been handwritten on a gold piece of paper which is at the bottom of the box of Ferraro Rocher chocolates. 

So this creation is all about beauty for the eyes (cinema ticket packaging)  nice fragrance for the senses (perfume carton) and something for the taste buds (chocolates).

I am going to enter the following challenges with this card:

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/ - always something goes

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

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

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

Happy card making,

Monica 

Dream Big

Hello dear bloggers,

Belated Happy New Year to all of you.

Wow, this was a long absence indeed. My older one was visiting from university and my mum also joined us from India so it was a nice reunion. My older one, Zeenya is 20 years old and she is great company. She has chosen Psychology so there was lots to share besides other things.

For New Year's Eve, we went to a beautiful Indian restaurant for dinner. There was live Indian music accompanied by traditional folk dances from Punjab, the green state of India. The food was good, too.

Now to my card. The background has been created with Camlin brush markers from India on 300 gsm watercolour paper. As you can see, the hues of these brush markers are bright and super colourful which I simply love. 

The stars and sentiment have been die cut using a yoghurt lid which seems to be quite my trademark for some time now. Lol. 

I will participate in the following challenges:

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

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

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

Happy card making,

Monica

Partially recycled

Dear bloggers,

Life has been nicely busy... I just finished the last session of 'guided meditation and the science of happiness' session for the parents at school. It went well overall and I am grateful that the parents who attended the programme found it calming and enjoyable. We managed to collect a sizeable sum from the earnings of this programme and went to visit the shelter for abused women where we handed over the cash along with 20 handmade cards with love to be used for birthdays at the shelter for women and children. I also took small tubes of hand lotion from Bodyshop to spoil the ladies.

The card below is one of the 10 thank you cards that has been requested by the manager of the shelter. 

This time I concentrated on giving goodies to the staff at school and tried to include whoever I could and it was so nice to see smiles on their faces. A small pack of chocolates or biscuits can create such wonders!

Now to my card which has been created with silver washi tape, a strip of printed vellum and a sentiment which has been die cut from a yoghurt lid. I thought the photo was fine but obviously, it is not. Lol. There is always a new tomorrow to hope that it will be better next time.

I will enter my card in the following card challenge:

https://perfectlycas.blogspot.com/ 

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

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

https://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/ - white space

Happy card making,

Monica

Partly recycled

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a rather bright birthday card made with leftover tape from Aleeza's acrylic painting. She used it as masking tape and when she got it off the canvas it was too nice to be thrown away. Known to be the recycling queen (title given by dear Lynn), I had to use it and this is what I did. 

The birthday sentiments are store bought. It looks a bit messy here as the background is too close to the colours on the card but in real life, trust me it looks really nice.

Happy card making,

Monica