Back from Portugal and India

Dear sweet bloggers,

We were away to Portugal for the wedding of a friend's daughter which was a lovely affair. Since we had two days off after the wedding we did manage to go to two small towns called Cashcais and Sintra which were both so beautiful. Lots of fresh fish and vegetables is what we ate most of the time. 

I am sharing some pictures of the Palace we visited and the beach as well. 

Now to card made with smoosh technique and inlaid die cut. Just a simple beauty but I love the way it turned out. The green polka dotted paper from which the leaf has been die cut is actually a pamphlet from a mall. I could not but resist!!! I placed the leaf in such a manner so that it produced a wee bit of a shadow underneath.

I will enter this card in:

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

https://crafting-with-friends.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

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

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/ - no patterned paper

Now to some pretty pics from Portugal:

 Flowers in the rose garden of the Palace

A tiled frame in the garden - the tiles of Portugal are breathtaking specially the ones on the outer walls of stand alone houses.

Ceiling in one of the sections of the palace

The inside 

Flowers in the garden - they were actually flourescent

Another ceiling

Stained glass window

Happy crafting,

Monica 

Dragonflies

Hello sweet peeps,

Here is my card to show you today made with smoosh technique using water colours. The shiny dragonfly has a slight bit of damage to it since it could not take the punch very well. This lovely paper came from Merry a few years ago and I have been hoarding it since. The rest of the dragonflies have been punched from smooshed paper as well. The sequins are from my stash. I decided to let this card be sentiment free so that it could have the flexibility to be used in which ever way the giver desires.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

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

https://paperminutes.blogspot.com/ - sequins

https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/ - things with wings

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

Happy crafting,

Monica 

Two sweet feathers

Hello dear bloggers,

Here is a card I put together yesterday with the paper that I had smooshed with distressed inks last summer. To be honest it was not the finest first attempt so after months rather one whole year of rumination, I die cut these feathers from the paper and suddenly they started to appear rather respectable.  A doily was stuck under the feathers and sequins (far more than desired) were adhered on to the card. I refrained from a sentiment as my customers prefer plain handmade cards. I have to share that the inspiration for this card came from Pinterest. 

I will submit this card for Less is More where the theme is to use items from your 'Bits Box". 

Well, I have several such boxes and my table, my shelves, my drawers and basically my entire craft room is a BIG BITS BOX. I have papers and embellies which are 17 years old and over. 

Sometimes I wonder how untidy one could get. Lol. Notice how I say one and not "I" as "I" is too close for comfort.

I will also submit this card in the following challenges:

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

Happy crafting,

Monica 

Mr and Mrs

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card I have made with Sizzix thinlets and I have used water colours for the roses and the leaves. The paper underneath the stamped sentiment is a pearly cream one and it looks quite nice in real life. I quite like it even though there is an overdose of roses here. But since it is summer and it is a wedding card I am allowed. Lol.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

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

https://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/ - keep it simple

https://a-step-in-the-darkness.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

https://crafty-girls-creations.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://creativesketchygirls.blogspot.com/ - summer

Happy crafting,

Monica 

Water colour for CAS on Sunday

Hello dear bloggers,

This is my second entry for today. I was so taken in with the challenge on water colours at CAS on Sunday. So here is a card that was water coloured in the ombre style by my younger one, Aleeza and I die cut it and stuck it on this card. The die cut sentiment is also from a paper which was water coloured by me. I have embossed the white rectangular paper for added interest.

I will also submit this card for the following challenges:

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/ - dry or wet embossing

http://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
https://crazy4challenges.blogspot.com/ - ombre
http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - CAS

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

Happy crafting,

Monica 

You Rock

Hello sweet bloggers,

Here is a card for a friend's grandson who has had several health issues which he seems to have overcome yet the road ahead is long for him. He is a wise old 10 year old boy and I will post this card  to him in Australia. 

The blue stars have been diecut from a Marks and Spencer tea pack. The red paper has been embossed with the star embossing folder. The buttons and washi tape are from my stash. The sentiment has been handwritten and I tucked it below the white button but now feel unsure about what I did. The star on the bottom left was diecut using two star dies one inside the other.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - red, white, blue

http://crafting-with-dragonflies.blogspot.com/ - baker's twine

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes with the option of embossing

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/ - for a male

Happy blogging,

Monica 

Thank you, Skye

Hello sweet bloggers,

There is some good news to share - I sold five cards last week to a dear friend and the proceeds would be going toward the education of the kids I support in Indonesia.

Here is a Pinterest inspired card made on pearlised paper. 

The die cut has another pearlised layer underneath which was sent to me by Skye from Australia. Thank you, Skye for sending me such lovely papers and embellies. The sentiment is from an embossing folder from Tim Holtz I think and the lace on the top and bottom of the pearlised paper is from my stash as are the pearls on the heart.

I will submit this card in the following challenges:

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

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

http://getcreativechallenges.blogspot.com/ - monochromatic

http://pathofpositivitychallenge.blogspot.com/2018/06/challenge-60-optional-theme.html - neutrals

Happy crafting,

Monica