We were away to a hill station for two days

Hello sweet bloggers,

We were up in the mountains for two days and we also managed to go to the Animal Safari close by.  We have been here many times, but it always seem like a new and refreshing experience every time. What luxury to go to a hill station and sit there just watching the beautiful scenery and admiring the breathtakingly beautiful flowers. Oh beautiful Indonesia!

We also drove through a picturesque tea estate and bought tea from there.

Be warned - this is a picture heavy post. Lol.

Flowers in the resort ...

More pink flowers...

And still more flowers... these are zinnias down below. Incidentally Zeenya is named after this flower but we changed the spelling of her name.

Down below is the beautiful view from our villa

Another angle...

 View from  the tea garden - a bit cloudy

 Tea gardens...

Down below are pictures of animals we saw from our car... Aleeza loved them and so did Zeenya (even though she is not so much into animals)

Guess what this is - a hungry hippo ;-)

 I guess one has to pay a price for everything - the price I paid for this was a flu' that I came back with. Never mind, it was still worth it - of course Zeenya could not wait to get back to wifi as their was poor wifi there. She even tried her best to pre-pone our departure... Lol.

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my previous post. 

I am all ready on the mend so will come and do my rounds soon.

Love,

Monica 

Second entry for Less is More - beads

Hello bloggers,

It is me again with my third post for the day...

Here is a card I have made for Less is More with beads as is the theme this week. I started out this card with much excitement but there were many a slip between cup and lip. Finally this is what turned out.

I have used a stamp by Penny Black and it has been coloured in with water colour pencils. The beads are what I had in my stash from Zeenya's hair braiding in Thailand many years ago. The sentiment

is from Docrafts. The white bits you see in the centre of the beads is undried glue. Maybe I should have waited for the glue to dry.

See you later.

Love,

Monica 

For Less is More this week - beads

Hello sweet bloggers,

At Less is More the theme this week is beads... I have plenty of beads in my stash but just could not think of a clean and simple card. Anyway here is my take on the beads. Simple card but sweet I think. These hearts were bought in Singapore the last time I visited. They came in a pack and I have thrown away the the flap on the top which had their name. The embossing folder is a Sizzix one and the beads came free with a magazine called Card Making and Paper Craft some seven years ago. This is the first time I used them. Talk of hoarding, yet again. Lol.

I just realized that I could also enter this card in CAS(ual) Friday this week for their no stamp challenge.

Second card for Casual Friday - no stamps

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a quick card I made last night with paper in my scrap folder. I had these piece of cards tock that I had embossed in dark green and I cut the squares with a punch carefully positioning the embossed lines in the centre. Stuck green gems in the centre along with scoring lines on the top. Topped it with green yarn on the top. It seems too green and a tad incomplete to me but I just could not think of what to do with it. I did think of making Christmas gift boxes by tying ribbons on the top - changed my mind as it is too early for me to make Christmas cards. Lol. This will be my second card for CAS(ual) Friday  this week - no stamps.

Wish you a crafty Sunday.

Love,

Monica

For CAS(ual) Friday - NO stamps

Hello lovely bloggers,

Over at CAS(ual) Friday this week they have a challenge which involves using no stamps. So here is my take. Very simple but I kind of like it. And the congratulations sticker was sent to me by Shirley-Anne. Many thanks! The other stickers and washi tape are from my stash.

Off to see a film called Argo now which has come after a long wait. 

Catch you later.

Love,

Monica 

Monochromatic card

Hello lovely peeps,

Welcome to my newest follower Bbt Barton and many thanks for joining me.

Here is a card I made yesterday with my Do craft stamp which I have had for almost 12 years and never used it - can you believe that??? I have coloured it in with water colour pencils after stamping it with Brilliance graphite black. The sponging has been done with wild honey and crushed olive. The tiny little flowers are from India and the ribbon is from my stash. 

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/ - ribbon or lace

http://milkcoffeechallenge.blogspot.com/ - go green (use green or anything recycled)

http://stamp-n-doodle.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes

Wish you a happy weekend.

Love,

Monica 

Angels create miracles and...

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card I made this afternoon for http://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.co.uk/  with stuff left over from a previous card. The printed paper was actually a recycled gift wrap which I have punched with an MS punch. This little strip is all that I could save of it and I have stuck it over pink gingham paper. The rose is a stamped image from Hero Arts. It is from a larger stamp and I cut out a flower and leaves after colouring it with water colours. The corner punch is from Carla Craft and the sentiment is from Penny Black - it is one of my fave sentiments and the pearls are from mys stash. 

I will also enter this card in:
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - anything goes
http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/ - spring

I cannot believe it is Thursday all ready...

Will come and visit later.

Love,

Monica 

Another variation with the same sentiment stamp (which I love)

Hello lovely bloggers,

Thanks for the comments on my last post and that prompted me to try the same sentiment stamp (from Penny Black) again. The striped paper is fancy gift wrap while the black and white keys have been stamped with a small Prima stamp. I had to stamp it twice to cover the entire length. Used Brilliance graphite black ink and am quite happy with the way it turned out. Actually I love this stamp even though I have to go over it with a fine tipped marker almost everytime and that can be a bit trying you know.

I have used Washi tape at bottom of the white stamped strip. This was another attempt at a making flat card though I was tempted to add crystals or pearls BUT I resisted. Lol.

I will enter this in the following challenges:

http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/ - masculine

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

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Down below is something I saw on Facebook and had to share it.

Will come and visit later.

Love,

Monica 

Third entry for Less is More - Frame it

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is my third entry for Less is More and I will enter this in CAS on Sunday and Addicted to CAS as well.

Not sure how this card turned out as the sentiment stamp (from Penny Black) did not work too well on the textured card stock. I was fairly certain it won't work but since I am getting quite confident in stamping directly on to card stock I took the risk. I had to go over the stamped sentiment with a permanent marker and that may have made it smudgy. The background stamp is from Prima and I have used American Craft Aqua to stamp it. The butterfly has been punched out of glittery paper and the gems are from my stash. 

Wish you a happy Tuesday :-)

Love,

Monica

Second entry for Less is More - frame it

Hello sweet bloggers,

Welcome to my newest followers, Satya and Linda - many thanks for joining my blog as a follower.

Here is another five minute card I made this morning to add to my stock (having sold off most of the ones I had).

It is an Inkadinkado stamp and I have used my blue Brilliance pearlescent ink while the sentiment is from Hampton Art. The nestie is from Spellbinders and the pearls are from my stash. I am quite happy with how it turned out and hope you like it too. It is going to be my second entry for LIM this week.

Wish you a pleasant week ahead.

For Less is More - frame

Hello sweet bloggers,

Hope you are having a good weekend where ever you are...

We went to see a film called, "Flight" which was actually quite nice inspite of the language. Such luxury to see a Hollywood film here. 

This is a card that I made in minutes this morning with this lovely Itty Bitty stamp from Unity which I have had for months in my drawer. I randomly stamped it on the card stock with Stazon black and I do like the way it turned out. I was tempted to colour in the roses in red or even add some red flowers or something red but resisted it all.  I am going to enter this in Less is More this week for their theme of frames. 

Down below is something that Aleeza (my little one) painted after drawing it. She calls it a web and she took the photo herself - bit shaken but I wanted to share the bright colours with you. 

Another one with Aleeza making a heart out of play dough. She calls it an Indian heart :-D

Catch you later.

Love,

Monica 

Second entry for Cas(e) this Sketch

Hello sweet bloggers,

It is a hot, sunny day here on this Saturday morning and I am sure it will rain soon to break the heat.

Here is a another quick card I made for Cas(e) this Sketch.

The image was stamped by Zeenya some two years ago - it is a Hero Arts one and she has used peeled paint distress ink to stamp it. She sponged it with the same ink as well I think. I have also sponged the card base with crushed olive distress ink after embossing it. It kind of looks yellow in the picture but in real life it blends in quite well. Stuck ribbon and hand wrote the sentiment after three lousy attempts.

The card below is the previous one I posted which I thought was rather bare so dressed it up with pink cotton lace to fill up the empty space on the top. 

Wish you a pleasant weekend,

Monica 

For Cas(e) this sketch

Hello sweet bloggers,

I have had quite a busy week hence could not blog or visit. But I will surely come and do my rounds. My mojo is not with me and I could hardly get any ideas. Then finally came Cas(e) this sketch for this week and here is my take. Sorry about not loading the sketch - I still haven't figured out how to copy a picture with ease on to this laptop. 

Anyway, here is my simple card which Aleeza said was a bit dull ! I have used an Inkadinkado stamp and a Brilliance pearly orchid stamp pad. Trust me it shines in real life. Stuck three crystals on the left to make it more lively. The base card stock is baby pink by the way.

I will come and visit soon.

Thank God it is Friday !

Love,

Monica

Baby girl card

Hello sweet bloggers,

Thanks for the lovely comments on my last card. Today is a holiday here so while Aleeza was engaged in stamping, I made this quickie. The ribbon with footprints is new as is the stamp from Penny Black. I did make a card with it a few weeks ago (yet to post it) and it sold off instantly. So I thought I would make one more and I am happy with it. The pink ribbon on either side of larger ribbon (with footprints) was used to hide stains on it. The rose is from a larger ribbon and the flourishes were just sitting around on my craft table. I finished off the card with pearls. The sentiment is sweet, don't you think?

I am going to enter this in the following challenges:

http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - two colours only

http://www.cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/ - sentiment as the main focus

http://fashionistachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - pink

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/ - ribbon and pearls

http://houseofgilli.blogspot.com/ - anything goes with pastels

http://dustinpike.blogspot.ca/ - pastels

I hope you like my sweet little card...

Love,

Monica 

The perfect pear

Hello sweet bloggers,

This is a card I made this morning after really pushing myself. The image is a stamp from Hampton Art and it has been coloured with water colour pencils. The printed paper was won two years ago in Terry's blog candy. The sponging on the paper below the image was done by Zeenya (my older one) in the good old days when she used to love card making. The flowers are from my stash as is the ribbon. The leaf at the bottom left is a pressed leaf which has sentimental value as I picked it up while walking in a park in France !!! I have to add that I do like this card and the colours on it.

I am going to enter this in the following challenges:
http://addicted-to-stamps-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - bring on spring (lots of flowers)
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes
http://opus-gluei.blogspot.com/ - spring has sprung
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/ - sketch

Hope you are having a good week...

Catch you later.

Love,

Monica 

For a man

Hello sweet bloggers,

This card is for a friend's son and she wanted a flat card which she could post overseas without any fuss. Much as I was tempted to put twine and real buttons, I restrained myself to keep it this way. The buttons were sponged and the sentiment is from Penny Black. The papers are from my stash. In real life the buttons match well but my camera decided to change their hues.

I will enter this card in:

http://casethissketch.blogspot.co.uk/ - sketch

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

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

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

See you later.

Love,

Monica 

Pastels

Hello lovely bloggers,

I am so happy that I have sold a total of 43 cards all ready so am kind of taking a break from card making.

Here is a card I made a few days ago with an embossing folder that I love. It was almost a five minutes job except that I had to wait longer for the liquid pearls to dry up. The lace is my new buy and the butterfly is from a scrap booking section of a stationery store in India.

I will enter this card int he following challenges:

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

http://stampinroyalty.blogspot.com/ - CAS

http://everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.com/ - butterfly

I must do my blog visits this evening.

Love,

Monica 

Sold another 15 cards

Hello dear bloggers,

I forgot to mention that a friend bought six cards from me in Singapore and this afternoon I sold another nine cards this afternoon which makes a total of fifteen. So my tally is a total of 43 cards sold so far and I will continue to support schooling of financially challenged primary children. 

Now to my card... I have stuck fancy gift wrap on this card and have touched up the music notes with a silver Sakura gel pen. The white music punched out shapes are the left overs from my Ek Success border punch ( used for another card) which I actually coloured with the same silver Sakura pen as well. So they look quite glittery on the card. Stuck shiny stickers, crystals and ribbon and my card was complete.

I did not sell this card but gave it to a dear friend who supports my passion by buying my cards.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/ - make it manly

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

http://cardsformen.blogspot.com/ - masculine and monochromatic

See you soon.

Love,

Monica 

All pink and white

Hello sweet peeps,

Here is a card I made a couple of days ago... I have stamped a Penny Black image with Brilliance Archival in pearlescent pink. The paper is my latest acquisition from Singapore and buttons and ribbon are from stash. I have used my MS corner punch for the corners to add more interest.

I will enter this in the following challenges:

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

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

http://songbirdchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Mother's day

See you later! 

Love,

Monica 

Second entry for CAS(E) this sketch

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is my second entry for CAS(E) this sketch this week and it took me all of five minutes to make. The lace and ribbon are from my stash and so are the pearls. The sentiment is from Hero Arts which I stamped with Brilliance pearlescent blue and went over it with my blue Sakura gel pen to make it stand out. I do like this card, I have to say.

I will also enter this card in:
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes
http://www.creativeinspirationspaint.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Wish you a pleasant week ahead.

Love,
Monica 

Second entry for CAS-ual Friday

Hello bloggers,

I had a nice weekend as it was a friend's birthday party we went to and had a great Friday evening there. This afternoon we went to see Silver Lining which had a good story apart from poor language. Of late we have not been getting Hollywood films here so this was a treat.

Here is a quick post to share my second card for CAS-ual Friday this week. The theme is stamping your own background. I have used an Inkadinkado stamp to create this simple card and have touched up the image with a silver Sakura pen and given it a border as well. I thought of adding on crystals or ribbon but they did not seem to match with these Oriental flowers.

I will also enter this in:
http://ladybugcrafts.blogspot.com/ - the colour blue.

It is 840 pm here so the weekend is almost over...

Love,
Monica

For CAS-ual Friday

Hello sweet peeps,

I would like to welcome my newest follower Lindsay - many thanks for joining my blog.

Down below is a card I have made for CAS-usal Friday, the theme being to stamp your own background. I have used my Hero Arts cling stamp which I had lying in my drawer for months. The stars were sent by Shirley-Anne and the buttons and blue cord are from my stash.

I will also enter this card in:

http://ladybugcrafts.blogspot.com/ - the colour blue

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

http://addictedtocas.blogspot.com/ - masculine

Wish you a pleasant weekend,

Monica 

Waiting for mojo to come back

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card I made for Case this sketch - not quite pleased with it. I had handwritten the sentiment but it was crooked so wrote on another piece of hand torn card stock which I swear is cream but seems yellowish here. That kind of ruins it, I feel. The rose is a Sizzix emboss and cut mini die. The embossing folder is also from Sizzix. The flower has been coloured with pearl pastel chalks. I tried to place the buttons as though they were tiny florets on the embossed image. 

Cheers to Friday,

Monica

I am back but my mojo is gone!!!

Hello lovely bloggers,

We got back late Tuesday night from Singapore - it is always nice to be there. Unfortunately my favourite craft shop has closed down for revamping so it was a bit disappointing for me but certainly good for my pocket. I met up with my close friends and that was very refreshing indeed. 

Here is quick card I made this afternoon with almost no mojo on cream card stock and kraft paper (which was once upon a time a table mat in an Italian restaurant). I do find it a trifle dull and it could have done with a metal charm but buttons and jute is all I had in my stash to fit the bill for a masculine card. I have used my Sizzix embossing folder and coloured in the embossed images with chalk and distress inks. The sides have been sponged to make it more rugged looking. I have coloured around the punched hole with a felt pen to add interest.

Down below is something one of my friends shared with me... It was a photocopy but I could not resist sharing it.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:
http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/ - birthdays
http://craft-roomchallenge.blogspot.com/ - for a man
http://partytimetuesdays.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

I promise to come and visit your lovely blogs soon.

Happy to be back,

Monica

Will be away until next week

Hello bloggers,

Here is a quick card I made for a friend who wants to buy a few of my cards to support my work... I may have made such a kind earlier but I liked the design so I repeated it. Doesn't need much explanation - simple enough.

I will enter this card in:

http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/ - flower power

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

We are going to Singapore until next week - happy change indeed.

See you when I get back.

Love,

Monica 

For Mojo Monday

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card I have made with the nesties and stars sent by dear Shirley-Anne (and so much other stuff). Thank you so much for the wonderful early Christmas present. These stars are perfect for a masculine card, aren't they?
I am going to enter this in Mojo Monday challenge this week and Make it Monday which is one of my fave challenges. 

Happy Wednesday,

Monica

For Cas-ual Friday - black, white plus one

Hello lovely bloggers,

Welcome  and a very warm one to my newest followers - Evie and Sara!

Here is a quick card I made with my latest stamp from Prima. It is a background stamp (done with distress ink in black soot) and I have cut out three stamped flowers and stuck them on the image after colouring them with water colour pencils. Blue crystals in the coloured flower centres and my card was ready. No sentiment on it to let it be flexible enough to be sold with ease.

I will submit this card for the following challenges:
http://cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com/ -anything goes
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://www.craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://thedynamicduoschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - dynamic duos

Off to bed now...

Love,
Monica 

For One Stop Craft Challenge

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a quick post to show you the card I made for the challenge at http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ which is a sketch. To me it seems a hash of card... Too much, too busy but never mind. I have used a Penny Black image and have coloured it with my water colour pencils.  The papers are from my stash - fancy gift wrap. The purple flower you see is homemade and the flourish is from Sizzix. The sentiment is handwritten. There is hand tearing and distressing as well as sponging here hence the rough edges specially at the bottom.

I will also enter this card into:

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes
http://www.gingerloftchallenge.blogspot.com/ - the colour red

Catch you later...

Love,

Monica 

Trying to get better at colouring

Hello bloggers,

This is a teddy bear card I just made for the heck of it because I wanted to improve my colouring. The stamp is from Paper Craft (a set of them)  which I bought for Aleeza. I had this scrap of blue paper which was actually packaging for lace flowers that I bought a couple of days ago and I stuck it under the stamped white paper. The sentiment is a tape and I used colourful buttons as embellishments. The blue card stock has been embossed and there is a layer of washi tape at the bottom. 

I could have added some colour at the bottom but forgot all about it in the end. 

I will enter this card in:

http://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - for men
http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/ - teddy bear picnic
http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Am off to bed now. Catch you in the morning.

Love,

Monica 

Second entry for Cas-ual Friday

Hello bloggers,

Gosh, this is my second post of the day!!!
The movie, "Love and Honour" was quite sweet and the fact that there was no violence was good enough for me. It was a story about two American soldiers fighting the war in Vietnam and their love lives.

Now to my second card for Cas-ual Friday - I have stencilled this spatter image with pickled raspberry distress ink. The sentiment is handwritten and I have added a couple of buttons to make it look interesting. I promise the pink button matches the distress ink in real life but I don't know what has happened in the picture.

Hope you are having a pleasant weekend,

Monica 

For Casual Friday - black and white plus another colour

Hello lovely bloggers,

Hope you are having a decent weekend...

I am going to catch a movie called Love and Honour (we are practically starved for Hollywood films here) after I post this card so this is going to be quick post.

Over at CAS-ual Friday, the challenge is to use black and white with another colour - so here is my woody card. The punched flowers have been layered and popped on foam dimensional and the centres have liquid pearls in gold on them. Not sure how it turned out but Zeenya liked it so that means a lot.

Down below is how I placed the card first.

However, I did not seem impressed with the above placement so carefully dismantled it while the glue was still fresh and what you see below is how the final appearance. Anyway would love to hear which version you like. The  sentiment is handwritten on the one below.

I will also enter this in:

http://www.thecraftgarden.blogspot.com/ - colour take

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

Happy weekend,

Monica 

Cupcakes

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a quick post and another simple card. The cupcake has been cut out from a larger image. I have glittered it and used pop fabric glue on the icing and the flower centres to give added texture. The embossed card stock has been coloured with water colour pencils and I have used glitter on the icing too. Done some faux stitching and the sentiment is actually a ribbon cut and mounted on card stock. I have rounded the corners of the card with my Carla craft punch - not sure they look rounded enough though!

Down below is something that a friend sent me - she is a brave lady and is going through a trying time and yet this came from her.

I will enter this card in:

http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

Thanks for the get well soon wishes for Aleeza. She seems on the mend for sure. Hopefully she will be back to school on Monday morning.

I cannot believe another week has gone by so quickly.

Wish you a pleasant weekend.

Love,

Monica

Life is about learning to dance in the rain...

Hello sweet bloggers,

I have not been crafting since the past few days as Aleeza has been ill - she has been down with this wretched fever since the past week. Finally today I took her for a blood test and it is not dengue fever (which is not uncommon here) but she has been put on antibiotics to get rid of her throat infection.

This is a card I made a while ago and it sold off as well. I am not sure whether I have posted it earlier - I just wanted to do a post to distract me from Aleeza and the sentiment on this card touched my heart. This was a card that was made for an order but someone else bought it and loved it even though the hand written sentiment is not perfect. The lines are not straight but that is the best I could do. The printed papers I thought matched perfectly with the sentiment.

I will enter this card into:

http://www.craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://www.flonzcraft.com/ - blues, brown and beige
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - anything goes


I wish you good health, joy abundance ...

Sorry, forgot to wish you all a very happy Valentine's day - thank you for all your love.

Much love,

Monica 

Sold another 16 cards!

Hello lovely bloggers,

I thought my card selling was slow but I have managed to sell another 16 cards to people in my hubby's office as well as friends. So the total count so far is 28 cards. I may have gathered enough honey oops money to support another kid's primary education for one year.

And I would like to extend a hearty welcome to my newest followers - Cathryn, Shari and Darnell. Feels good to see my list of followers grow ;-)

Here are some Valentine's cards I made a few days ago. All the hearts were sent to me by dear Shirley-Anne and I happened to own matching ribbon in polkas and checks to go along which I bought when we were visiting pretty Prague. Both sentiment stamps were sent by Lynn.  Simple cards which I love and they sold so what more could I want?

I will enter these cards in the following challenges:

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.com/ - Valentine's

http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ - Valentine's

http://cachallenge.blogspot.com/  - Valentine's
http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com/ - blue and white

Hope you are having a pleasant week... Unfortunately Aleeza's fever did not go away so she is at home. I am hoping she will be better tomorrow.

Love,

Monica 

My first Acetate Card by fluke!!!

Hello sweet bloggers,

Hope you are having a decent Monday :-)

Here is a card that I was trying to make for the Less is More challenge which is all about music this week. Frankly speaking, I just did not feel motivated to make a one layer card with music as all I owned was an embossing folder and a Hero Arts Background stamp with music notes. I made a couple of failed attempts and finally decided to give up. Anyway, down below is my card or a hash of a card. The stamp is from Kaiser craft and the roses have been cut from a longer piece of lace. I saw some bloggers do that so got inspired as well. The leaves have been sponged with the same stamp pad and so has the embossed card stock. Finished it off with bling and lace at the bottom which seems mismatched in the picture but looks fine in real life.  And oh yes, that acetate was stuck on the card as an after thought.

I will enter this card in:

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - challenges for everybody

http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything girly

Wish you a sunny week ahead,

Monica 

Hero Arts background stamp

Hello bloggers,

Thanks for your good wishes - Aleeza is better! However I could not really craft today because I felt should be a good mum/mom and spend time with the girls. Aleeza and I made a butterfly wall art. And I took Zeenya shopping and she picked up pretty clothes. So I hope they are happy - anyway I am :-)

Here is a card I made a while ago with my dragon fly punch. The printed paper is handmade - with a Hero Arts background cling stamp. I have so many background stamps that are just sitting in the drawer and they were bought with much passion - sadly now in need of compassion. The dragon flies have been punched out and I have done tacky doodling on them with my metallic pen. Used Martha Stewart and Ek Success border punches on the edges and stuck crystals on the dragon flies. This card sold pretty quickly even though it is so simple.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

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

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

Hope you are having a pleasant weekend

Love,

Monica 

Coloured with chalks - love this stamp

Hello sweet bloggers,

After that lovely birthday Aleeza had in school, she has been down with a high fever - I guess that is the price to pay for such a wonderful day. Hopefully she will spring back soon. 

Here is a card I made a few days ago with my new Penny Black stamp.

I stamped the image with Versa mark clear embossing ink and coloured it in with Do Craft pearl pastel chalks. Stuck pearls in the centre and some pretty pink ribbon to complete it. 

I will enter this card in:

http://deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.com/ - no designer paper (right up my street)

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

http://chalknstock.blogspot.com/ - just use chalks

http://craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.com/ - just use ribbon

Off to check on Aleeza now - fingers crossed hoping she has a better night :-)

Much love,

Monica 

The butterflies are recycled

Hello sweet bloggers,

Thank you all for the sweet wishes on Aleeza's birthday - it was indeed a wonderful day. 

Here is a very quick card I made a few days ago - no stamping just slapping on lace and ribbon. And you know what those tiny butterflies have been punched out of - from the cover of a card making magazine!!! Stuck pearls on the butterflies and here it is smiling at you. 

I will enter this card in:

http://craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.com/ - ribbon (I have ribbon and lace here)

Off to do look at your wonderful creations now.

Happy that it is Friday again.

Love,

Monica 

Aleeza's fifth birthday today!

Hello sweet peeps,

Today was Aleeza's fifth birthday and trust me I can literally see the years flying. We had a small celebration in school. She wanted a Minnie Mouse cake which of course I outsourced since all my time is spent in my craft room. It was a lovely chocolate cake and the kids just loved it and so did the teachers. Her class teacher asked me for birthday decorations which I had and she did a swell job with them. And she did face painting for the kids and they were over the top with joy. The kids are preparing a song by Bruno Mars called 'You can count on me' for Valentine's Day. So the teacher asked the kids to sing it for her along with dance movements. It was so touching to see them wiggle and shake to the touching lyrics and music.

Below is a picture with her class mate and best friends - she was so excited that she could not stand still! Lol. Aleeza is the girl with green roses in her hair and the little girl next to her is her best friend and so is the boy with a rainbow on his forehead. Their faces are covered in face paint and sweat specially Aleeza's. I am the one who is holding her tight (I still have some years to do that).

It turned out to be such a fun day for me and the all the kids in class.

Down below is my card for her - a Penny Black stamp with printed paper (gift wrap) and a home made flower mounted on foam flower with punched leaves which have been recycled from an old super market brochure.  Aleeza loves baking cookies with me so I thought this image was just right for her. Of course this little girl is baking cup cakes and not cookies but baking all the same. There is a pink crystal on the cup cake which you can't spot as the picture is too small. And you know why the picture is small??? Because I don't want you to spot the flaws in my colouring. Lol.

Her gift was a  small stuffed Donald Duck which she asked for - how happy they are with so little when they are little.

I will enter this card in:
http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/ - anything goes
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - anything goes

See you later.

Love,

Monica 

Third entry for LIM - Kraft and Kreme

Hello lovely bloggers,

Thanks for all the nice comments on my previous post - means a lot to me, you know. I also welcome my newest follower Anita with much delight.

Here is a quick card I have made for Less is More and it has a little history to it. The kraft paper you see on the cream card stock is actually a table mat from a wonderful Italian restaurant in town (with a handsome chef as well). I don't really think that kraft card stock is available in the scrap booking store that I visit so this was a great find for me. I lovingly rolled it and brought it home most carefully. 

The stamp which is from Kaiser craft ( Flora delight) is my latest buy. I have used Versa Color Bark and have coloured it in for some depth with my water colour pencils. Some liquid pearls in Brisque on the little punched hearts and three pearls from Kaiser on the medallion complete the picture. Oops forgot to mention that the lace is also new.  

I will also enter this card in:

http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/ - monochrome

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

http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - love and lace

Note to myself - I must learn to crop pictures from next time onwards. 

Wish you lots of crafting joy,

Monica