I am lucky to be receiving this award from Aud of http://craftycards-aud.blogspot.com/  




It is always a great feeling to receive these awards... Thank you, Aud, for making my day! 


Sorry for taking long to post this card - just been caught up with my life.


I have found such a nice bunch of crafters through blogging and believe me, it has enriched my life for the better... to say the least.

Here is what one is supposed to do:

Step 1 - Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award!

Step 2 - Share 7 random things about yourself 


( I will pass this one as there is enough waffle you hear from me every time I post a card - Lol!)

Step 3 – Award 15 recently discovered bloggers with this award

                                                    

Step 4 – Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won the award

Well, to be honest I am going to skip step 2 as I have been rambling on quite a bit in my posts... and I am sure you all are a bit tired of that by now...

And I am going to pass this award to the following blogs which are rather new to me:




http://sugarflorals.blogspot.com/ - Neryl  does not make cards but makes the most delightful sugar flowers

http://relovedrubbish.blogspot.com/ -  Amanda, too, does not make cards (at least not yet) but recycles and recreates beautiful stuff for home

http://happycraftytimes5.blogspot.com/ - Sylvia 

http://joy-sandyscreations.blogspot.com/  - Sandy

http://shogan03-timetoplay.blogspot.com/ - Susan

http://sahajshakti.blogspot.com/ - she makes varied crafts (apologies as I could not find her name on her blog)

http://stampupyourcraft.blogspot.com/ - Aileen

http://catherineshandmadecards.blogspot.com - Catherine

http://sendajoyfulcard.blogspot.com/ - Laura


http://maricelv.blogspot.com/ - Marciel

Do visit these ladies and check out their blogs - they make lovely stuff, believe me...




Hugs,


Monica

Thank you cards for Aleeza's birthday

Hello bloggers,

Thanks for your lovely comments on my last post...

Here are two simple thank you cards I made for Aleeza's play mates in nursery with paper lying around on my table.

I did not have the motivation to look for more paper lest I increase the mess on my slightly clean table... I got some inspiration from my dear friend, Sandra to clean my table so I went for it...

Now I know how Sandra makes breathtakingly beautiful cards with such detail and patience - because her uncluttered table helps her think clearly alongwith her brilliant creative instincts of course.

If you want to prove me right, just make a short trip to her wonderful blog and seeing is believing, right?


The first of the two cards is for a girl and the second is for a boy... they should have had a childlike appeal but it seems that I am trying to impress the mothers more than their kids.

I am going to enter them for the following challenges:

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

http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.com/ - anything goes

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

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


Happy crafting with lots of love,

Monica

Handmade crochet flowers and partly recycled

Hi bloggers,


So this is the third week of February already and soon daffodils will be smiling... :)


I have been wanting to make my handmade flowers for a long, long while but somehow could not get down to it... This time I thought I would try something different - so I made some crochet flowers with woolen yarn.


I remember trying my hand at crochet as a 10 year old girl and then years later I gave a go at crochet flowers which were not really brilliant...


I have to thank Helen of  http://helenmade.blogspot.com/ for inspiring me to these flowers again... You honestly have to check out her brilliant site - she creates the most amazing crafts.


They are not the best because I think wool is a bit much for summer cards.


 I could not find a thinner crochet needle so here I am with my woolen flowers which I do think are a bit bulky.


The three square blue backing papers behind the flowers are actually wall paper - a free sample from a home store in the UK. So I recycled yet again!!! Just a teeny-tiny bit, but still...


The metallic steel grey cardstock is from my stash and so are all those ribbons. 


I weaved the ribbon through after punching with my new Fiskar's border punch which is my fave companion these days. 


And yes, the turquoise satin roses are not made by yours truly - they were bought from a store in Mumbai.




I am going submitting this card for the following challenges:


http://peartreedesigns.blogspot.com/ - one colour (all shades of a colour are allowed - so hopefully my card fits the bill)


http://stampingwithdragon.blogspot.com/ - birthday card - I hope this can pass off as a birthday card.


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




http://michelle-pinkpaperparadise.blogspot.com/ - Monday Linky Party




Hugs,


Monica

Brown and blue at last...

Hi bloggers,

Hope you are happily crafting away... I have been lucky to be able to post  so many pictures this month... 

For this card I have used the following:

Brown card stock

Flower stamp - a freebie from Cardmaking and Papercraft

Flowers stamped with Archival Brilliance pearlescent blue stamp pad

 Stamped flowers cut manually and stuck with double sided foam tape

Leaves cut freehand with scissors

Blue bow and lacy ribbon from my stash

'You're wonderful' stamp from Whisper words - Do crafts stamped 

and 

heat embossed with black glitter embossing powder on hand torn pearlised paper 

Fiskar's scalloped edge border punch for the border


I am going to post this blue and brown card for the weekend linky party at Monique's blog - www.naturallymecreations.blogspot.com/

This card was Aleeza's handiwork this evening. 

I was presented with this cute book mark by Aleeza and her classmates when I went to read them a book for Valentine's Day. It means a lot to me - so thoughtful of the teacher to do that... 

I conducted a card making activity for the three-year-olds with lots of help from the teacher.
This card above was made by Aleeza.

Simple card for a baby boy

Morning bloggers,


It is 10.30 am here in Jakarta as I post this card. The weather is a bit cloudy and it may soon be pouring... 


Hope you all are doing well - keeping warm and staying healthy. I do hope that March brings better weather - hopefully the daffodils will be out by then.


I made this card on creamy, vanilla cardstock. 


The scallop edged oval has been die cut using my Sizzix dyes. 


The embossed flowers are from Cuttlebug.


The embossed pram is from Sizzix - had it lying with me for 7 years and used it for the first time!


For the distressed effect I used Jim Holtz ranger inks - broken china.


I coloured in the pram with Do craft pastel chalks and rubbed glitter glue on top.


The shiny ground below the pram was made with left over glitter glue in the tube which was a waste really but I somehow managed to retrieve it. I cut the glitter glue tube in the centre and dragged out the remaining dried up glitter glue with a satay stick and stuck it on this card...


The sentiment is handwritten and the faux stitching is done with Sakura nail pens (which belong to Zeenya). They have a special 3 D effect on paper which looks really cool. 


Ever since I discovered how nice these Sakura nail pens are, I have conveniently in my art and craft drawer! Keepers are owners!!!


I know this is a rather common place card but I did enjoy making it.


Have a nice day, afternoon, evening (or goodnight) depending on where you are!


Hugs,


Monica

I cheated and I have the nerve to say that!!!

This is the inside of the card...

Hello bloggers,

Here's wishing you A Very Happy Valentine's Day! 

I have to confess that I did not make my DH a Valentine's Day card - instead I gave him a ready made card from a shop. 

Now that is blasphemy in the world of hand made cards, right? 

Specially when my blog is called "Handmade Cards With Love" - ironic, that!

 But, please, I have a genuine excuse for doing this - I bought this card when I was in Singapore because DH does not like those mushy, mushy cards. 

I thought this would cheer him up after his bout of ill health.

I hope I will be forgiven by my fellow bloggers for cheating...and also that you all will still love me the same and keep visiting me. 


Hugs,


Monica

Hi bloggers,


Hope winter is less extreme... soon it will be March and daffodils will arive... 


That reminds me of the poem , "Daffodils" by William Wordsworth... 


Does anyone recall it? 


I hope I have got the name of the poem and author right?



Here is my latest card for a man really... I cannot believe that I made it this easily!!!

Materials used:

Vanilla card stock


For the distressed effect on the sides I have used Jim Holtz  ranger distress inks - 
                                     wild honey
                                     peeled paint
                                          and
                                     rusty hinge

The squiggly design and happy birthday sentiment stamp are JUMBO stamps from Stampendous impressions.

I used a mixture of wild honey and rusty hinge to stamp the squiggly design.


The happy birthday sentiment was done with a mixture of rusty hinge and walnut stain.


The random pieces of mosaic are from my stash.


I do like how this card turned out... hope you like it, too. 


On second thoughts which I seem to have often, I think I should have used mosaic all over the card. I was being stingy because I love this embellishment and want it to last a loooong time.






I am going to submit it for the following challenge:


www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes


Hugs,


Monica


                                                                            

My yummy goodies from Singapore

Since one of my very dear blog buddies - Leigh  (Charity Crafter) asked me to show my crafting goodies from Singapore (and some from Jakarta, too) - here they are!

 I am so chuffed - just hope DH does not see this picture because it may hinder his recovery...  hehe!

I love these sentiments - just find them so very witty. I picked it up just to amuse myself...

Read the one about Youth - a bit rude but funny nonetheless!!!

And the one about families being like fudge...

Enjoy!

Aleeza's birthday in school

I thought I must share some pictures of Aleeza's birthday in school. My older one had a holiday so she tried baking a chocolate cake which just refused to get baked! So in desperation we had to order a cake from the restaurant downstairs because we were really running late. It could not be fancy but the quality of chocolate that the pastry chef used was excellent. The kids loved the cake and so did the teacher and her aides.

Aleeza lounging around on the carpet in her class room.

This picture is obviously not good for obvious reasons... I was so touched with the way the teacher stuck her name on the window. They even hung a Happy Birthday banner above - so thoughtful of them.

Aleeza blowing her candle with help from Zeenya and me.We should have taken a better picture of the cake but can you believe that in all the mayhem we forgot... It was a real tasty choco cake called 

Chocolate Devil.

Aleeza eating her snack.

Hugs,

Monica

Aleeza's Birthday card

Hi bloggers,


We just got back from Singapore last night after a whirlwind of activity...


Thanks to all of you for asking after my husband - he is faring much better and on the road to recovery.


I managed to find time to gets lots of crafting goodies for myself - yippeeeeeee!!! 
Singapore for us is like a haven because everything is just so easily available. 


Here, in Jakarta I have to struggle to get craft supplies but in Singapore it is the opposite. 


Still not like the States or the UK but good enough! 


And the food is pretty good, the air is clean, the public train and bus system is a breeze... It is truly the Switzerland of Asia! 


Saw how much I could waffle without even being asked a single question!


I have made this card for Aleeza's birthday today - she turns three and it seems like she was born yesterday!

Material used:

240 gsm cardstock in creamy yellow for the base.


Blue cardstock stamped with Hero Arts flower stamp with Jim Holtz distress ink - broken porcelein.  


Scalloped Martha Stewart border punch used at the bottom of the blue card stock before sticking it on to the base cardstock.


Hero Arts little girl stamp stamped with Stazon permanent ink and coloured in with Darwent water colour pencils.


Blue and off white lace from my stash.


Organza roses in yellow, blue and mauve from my stash, too.


The Happy Birthday sentiment is handwritten with Sakura metallic pens.

I was quite pleased with the way the card turned out even though the picture seems a bit blurry.


Hope you like it - Aleeza did!  : )


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


www.littleclairesdesigns.blogspot.com/ - anything goes


www.toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/ - anything girlie ( I love that coz' I always seem to struggle with making men's cards.)


www.mygraficocrafts.blogspot.com/ - anything goes 




I promise I will come and visit you all as soon as I have opened all my bags - luckily there is not much laundry this time as we went only for 3 days.


Hugs,


Monica

Hiya everyone,

It is me again... I am delighted to accept this award from  Monique - www.naturallymecreations.blogspot.com/ 

Thank you so much, Monique! 

I feel honoured and treasured to say the least. I just feel so touched when I receive these awards because they put me on the top of the world... 

Do visit

Monique's 

blog to see her wonderful creations... she is amazingly creative and loves to recycle as well. 

Here are 7 things I would like to share about myself ( I hope I don't struggle - Lol!)

1. I studied Sociology honours in college and wanted to go and do my Masters in Social Work 

INSTEAD

2. Landed myself in a job as a Guest Relations Executive in a 5 star hotel and loved every minute of it. 

3. I have worked in the garment industry and in the hospitality industry. I have to say that I loved working in a hotel because I got to meet people from all over the world... and I realized that people are the same inside even though they all have a different exterior. We all need to be loved and respected no matter which part of the earth we come from. And I am lucky that my life has been touched by so many lovely people as yourselves.

4. My hair started greying at 28!!!

5. I always wanted to study Design in any form but did not - some day I will.

6. I have a dream to write a book - one fine day, it should materialize.

7. I love blog land and could spend hours visiting blogs and making friends. I have come across such nice people through blog land that it has made my life far richer than it ever was.

The second thing that I gotta do is to share this award... 


WELL, I PASS THIS ON TO WHO EVER READS THIS POST... WITH LOVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. DO TAKE IT AND POST IT ON YOUR BLOG. 

Monique, I am sorry that I took so long to post this... we are going through a bit of a rough phase at home with my DH having to undergo surgery in Singapore while we are here. Wish I could have been there with him at the time of the operation. We are going to fly to Singapore on Thursday to look him up for 2 days. 

Hugs,

Monica

The first post for February

Hi bloggers,


Can you believe that it is the 1st of February today??? One month gone by so very quickly!


I made this card a while ago and you can see my famous handmade flowers on it... That reminds me that I must start making my flowers again. Remember how I used to make only flowers for the longest time... I guess that was a phase.


Now to this card - I have used a stamp called Tara Reed designs by Stamps Happen, INC  that Zeenya picked up from Hobby Craft in London... I had to pick it up - simply irresistable!


The green distressed effect has actually been stamped with a square stamp from Whispers (docraft). Have colourd the stamp with my Darwent water colour pencils. 


I love the sentiment of this card... The ribbon is from my stash and so is the metallic violet paper (Paper Chase tissue paper). 


Hope you like this card. 


Hugs,


Monica

I am delighted to receive this award from not one but TWO LOVELY LADIES - 

 Leigh -http://www.charitycrafter.blogspot.com/ - a blogger with a heart of gold who makes the most beautiful cards to donate them. And she is so full of love, cheer and humour at all times. She provides me with so much inspiration...

AND

Shirley-Anne - http://www.shirley-anne-stampingforjoy.blogspot.com/ - I admire her talent for making the most effective cards with such grace. More than that I look up to her in ways more than one for her stoic approach to life... She has been through a lot in the past few months and has bounced back with such ease.

The usual number of blogs to receive this award are 3 to 5 

BUT

I will be passing this award to twice the number of blogs since I have received it from 2 ladies. So lucky me and lucky all of you... Lol!

Okay, before I start waffling again here goes my list:

Sandra - www.rosepetalcreations.blogspot.com/  - She uses the most wonderful papers and images for her cards and turns them into even more stunning creations... and to top it all she is such a loving and caring person. Even if she is famous I cannot resist giving her this award for the simple reason that she has brought me so much joy. It is just a tiny way to reciprocate. 

Lynn - http://creativecraftsbylynn.blogspot.com/ - You have to check out her classy and elegant cards... She knows exactly what to do to make her cards stand out. And she provides me with so much inspiration and motivation - NEVER missing to post her lovely comments on my blog... I do know that she is famous already but please I could not overlook her.

Helen - www.helenmade.blogspot.com/ - Such an amazing crafter - makes so many different arts and crafts... and is blessed with incredible amount of patience. Makes flowers, does quilling and a host of other stuff.

Monique - www.naturallymecreations.blogspot.com/  - A lover of recycled stuff and makes much more than cards - all of which is delightfully impressive. I love her weekend linky parties - do check them out...

Andrea - www.andreajbpiecesofmine.blogspot.com/ -  Another gifted crafter - makes such pretty, pretty cards with so much charm and writes the most touching posts.

Fat Monica - www.chasingart.blogspot.com/ - She is into ATCs... and makes real neat ones. An ATC specialist - unusual that!

Shelly - http://shanarunacreativespace.blogspot.com/ - She is into photography, paper crafting, scrapbooking and a host of other lovely things...

Philippa - http://quilliance.blogspot.com/ - She is into quilling and oh-so-gifted... makes the most wonderful quilled creations.

Maria - http://craftycre8tions.blogspot.com/ - Her cards are really stylish... and she has a kind heart to donate them to great causes). 

Marie - http://cardmakingbird.blogspot.com/ - She makes such beautiful cards and I just love reading her posts. A lady with such a positive and kind attitude.

Please do visit them and see for yourself what they do... it would be worth it, I promise you that.

There are a couple of conditions for the award :

The aim of this award is that we bring unknown, good blogs to light, so I would ask you not to blog fellow bloggers that already have 3,000 followers.


You have been TAGGED and want to participate?


Then create a post where you post the 'LOVE BLOG' image.


You should also blog the persons link that gave you the award and inform her/him that you accept the award.


You can then choose 3 - 5 favourite blogs which you also link in your post, then each blogger will inform you that they have been tagged.






As Leigh has put it in such wonderful words, "It is okay if you are too busy to accept this award, I understand".

A card for Luke

Hi bloggers,


While I was visiting one of my fave blogs - Leigh at http://www.charitycrafter.blogspot.com/  I read about Luke so decided to send him a quick card which is posted above... 


Just sharing the blog post - just in case you wanna send that little gem of a boy called Luke a card...

 The picture above is that of Luke

Below is Leigh's (charity crafter0 blog post:

Hi all, over at Lacey's blog (Hand stamped by Lacey) HERE, she was asking for cards to cheer up a very poorly boy called Luke and to send them to him care of her (address at the bottom) he will be 6 years old on the 16th February so a card could be birthday. I have made my card and it is more of a cheer up card here x

My card will be sent tomorrow, can you spare one too?

Cards can be mailed to:

Pray for Luke

c/o Lacey Stephens

12623 NW 6th Street

Coral Springs, FL 33071

USA

Thanks for dropping by x Leigh x

Old is Gold!

Hi bloggers,

I made this card from the left overs lying on my table... I have been cleaning up my table and organizing my papers of late and that has kind of deprived me of ideas.

"A creative mind is rarely tidy" - cannot recall the author. Sorry about that!

That is my excuse for my creative juices not flowing...Lol! A lot of you well organized souls may not agree, right?

Waffling again...!

This card has been made without much fanfare with dried leaves that I picked up on the road while I was walking in pretty, pretty Prague last summer... I just pressed them in a book and here they are now. I just love their shape!

I have used the following Jim Holtz ranger distress inks for the edges -
wild honey
peeled paint
walnut dye
For the darker effect on the edges, I have used rusty hinge.

The stamp that you can see is from Inkadinkado and I stamped it with peeled paint distress ink.

The sentiment is hand written with a calligraphy pen - it went a bit crooked but never mind.

Hope you like my card - I  do because I have used natural embellies on it.

Hugs,

Monica