Card with Leigh's delightful goodies

Hiya everybody, hope you had a good weekend... I did and am so happy about that. I saw a film called,  Prada to Nada...  For those of you that haven't seen it, it has been adapted from Jane Austen's novel (sorry, forget the name). The film seems to be a low budget one but the story is really grasping and the main female characters is just so likable as is the  lead male actor. 

Besides watching the film, I made this card with Leigh's (Charity Crafter) lovely candy that she sent me via snail mail a while ago... wonder how it reaches me in Indonesia everytime... 

Do go and check out her awesome blog in case you dunno who she is  - full of love and great deeds that she does beside making the most wonderful cards.

Don't you love these papers?

 I stuck my FAMOUS handmade roses that I make from a Sizzix mini diecut. One day I will share the tutorial for sure... 

The sentiment is handwritten with a gold pen and the little gold dots on the brown strip are done with the same gold pen.

I wanted to punch some sprigs and stick them with the flowers but my design consultant asked me not to! 

BTW, I am sure you know who that is - Zeenya!

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

littleclairesdesigns.blogspot.com/ - flowers

http://www.toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/ - favourites (which are my flowers and the colour combo)




http://michelle-pinkpaperparadise.blogspot.com/ - weekly Monday linky party

These are the lovely papers that lovely Leigh sent for the girls and me - a great assortment.

This is a close up of the embellies Leigh sent for Zeenya and Aleeza. They were overboard with joy! But you know who will use them, right??? Me, me, me!

Have a happy and healthy week. 

Hugs,

Monica

Hello bloggers,

I am back again with another card... I am just so happy to be blogging away. It takes me to a whole new world which is almost like fairy tale, you know!!!

Materials used:

Base card stock - light blue

Striped paper - it is actually gift wrap

Scroll stamp - from Hero Arts

Metallic flowers - from my stash

Silver ribbon - from my stash


By the way, this is the first time I have stamped on already printed paper. I have learned this from blog land and videos on You Tube - apologies that I cannot remember the name exact source.

I am going to enter this for the following challenges:

www.cceestampers.blogspot.com/ - swirly designs

www.peartreedesigns.blogspot.com/ - ribbons

http://oldiebutagoodiechallenge.blogspot.com/ - - spring's in the air

Apart from the challenges above,  I am going to submit this card for the weekend linky party at www.naturallymecreations.blogspot.com/




Hugs and TGIF,


Monica

Matching gift wrap and card

Hello bloggers, I am back again... 

I hope the sun is shining more and it is less cold...

I made this card recently to match a gift for Zeenya's friend's birthday party. 

The gift wrap was done at the toy shop - it is a bit plain, I have to say and not even worth sharing with the high standard stuff I see in blog land.

 I had all of ten minutes to get the card ready and this is what I did.

The satin roses are store bought but the little crochet flower peeping out on the top was made by me.

Rather quick and simple but Zeenya was happy with it and so was I.

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

www.cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - signs of spring

www.ccmonthlychallenge.blogsgspot.com/ - Easter

www.delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/ - welcome spring

www.doyoustackup.blogspot.com/ - green on your card


www.dutchdare-cardchallenges.blogspot.com/ - who's who in the zoo

I am sorry you have to bear with the woven ribbon yet again but I do LOVE it!

Happy crafting and have a great weekend,

Monica

First card for March

Hello bloggers,

I have not been able to post a card since last Thursday...  just been caught up with mundane activities and the like...

I have been seeing your lovely cards and it is always so enrichning for me to learn new techniques and styles when I visit your blogs.

Here is a clean and simple card with my famous handmade flowers...

Materials used:

White cardstock

Polka dotted paper from dear Terry's blog candy

 Plastic ribbon with lemons that I bought from a close friend's closing down store sale - I loved it the first instant I saw it

My famous handmade flower diecut with Sizzix using ordinary yellow tissue paper - curled with my quilling tool

Beads - recycled from Zeenya's braids when we went on holiday to Krabi, Thailand some nine years ago (talk of hoarding!!!)

Hope you like my quick and easy card.

I am going to enter this for the following:


http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ - anthing goes

http://cinspirations.blogspot.com/ - in the garden (hope I qualify)

http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/ - spring has sprung

http://crazychallenge.blogspot.com/ - spring themed projects

http://robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.com - be creative with your punches and dies

Hugs,

Monica

Time flies and so do butterflies :P

Hello bloggers,


So it is going to be the 1st of March tomorrow... there flies another month!


Hope you are healthy and in good spirits... I went swimming after a long break and am happy with myself.


I made this card a few days ago but did not post it. I have been saving this lace for the last ten years!!! I got this from the haberdashery department in John Lewis and could never get down to using it because I loved it far too much. 


 I have stuck the lace on metallic silver card stock - somehow both the lace and card stock look much nicer in real life.  :( 


The butterflies were randomly stuck on the top as I could not think of anything else to fill up the empty space with.

As you can see, I am not letting go of my Fiskar's border weaving punch! Lol! Every second card I make seems to have ribbon weaving through it. Hope that is not too boring for you.


I don't have the time to look for challenges as I want to call it an early night. I am expecting a friend to visit me from Malaysia so I must call it a day so that I am all charged up for tomorrow.


However, I am going to enter this for Michelle's Monday Linky party - a real nice place because it has no conditions.


Happy crafting with lots of hugs where ever you are,


Monica 

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