Alter it!

Ever made a card that just doesn't seem to come together and you end up accepting it as it is cos you've just spent far too long on it already?!!! Well, I have several of those! This weeks challenge at Quixotic challenge blog is to alter an item - it gave me a good excuse to take one of these cards and improve it! I also altered the flowers by shaping them - not sure if that counts though! Here it is altered...

And here it is in its original form. I made it for a challenge but it ended up forced and I hated it, it's like having cognitive dissonance when the world just doesn't seem right! Alright, being a bit over the top with that but at least I like it now!

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, DCWV Far East paper
Mediums: Derwent Colorsoft, Sansol

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Geisha Anya and sentiment

Accents: textured "ribbon" (from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here), brad from stock, BasicGrey buttons
Tools: Woodware flower punches

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Kung Hei Fat Choy to all my blog buddies, here is a card for you! Being half Chinese (the other half being English and Portuguese), we always use this as a good excuse to eat lots of yummy Chinese food and be with family. Well, I've done plenty of both this weekend and wanted to share a little of it with you all for your continued encouraging and kind words.

This is the year of the Tiger, but I don't own anything crafty with a tiger in it, not even a cat! So decided to do this week's Flower Power challenge for Anyone for Anya. I've kept to the oriental theme by using my Sakura flower punches (Sakura is Japanese for the blossoms of the cherry tree). I also used my Derwent Colorsoft pencils to give Geisha Anya a softer look and do you like that strip of black? It's stiff, coarse, matted fibre - love how it gives the card such interesting texture.

I also used Taylor Expressions's sketch below to make sure I joined in with Taylor's 100th sketch celebration! I thought it would be ideal to showcase the delicate Sakura flowers.

Chinese New Year lasts for three days, so two more days of celebrations to go, woo hoo! (Goodness, I'm gonna have to go on a diet from Wednesday...)

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, DCWV Far East paper

Mediums: Memento black ink, Derwent Colorsoft, Sansol, Distress Inks Tea Dye

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Geisha Anya and sentiment

Accents: textured "ribbon" (got from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here), brad from stock

Tools: Nestabilities octagonal die, circle cutter

Cup Cake Tilley - my version!

Hello all! Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend. I've spent my Saturday sanding walls down in readiness for paint next week - I can't tell you how tired I am now!!! I feel very "muscley" - my upper arms feel like they are bulging! Sexy.

Anyway, you might remember an entry last week with the free Cup Cake Tilley download on Wendy's Digital Doodling blog. I've now created my card and here it is...

It's a very feminine image and I knew straight away what paper to use - Blue Hill by Crate Paper (that I haven't touched since I bought it last year!). To add to the feminine feel, I used ribbon to create the border. I first did a large stitched down one side to scrunch it, but because it was self adhesive ribbon, it kept sticking where I didn't want it to stick! Boy, it was a pain.

I also wanted to machine stitch the paper down, but my Janone mini sewing machine is broken! Sooo annoyed, but luckily it's within its 1 year warranty so that's going back asap! I ended up using a Bazzill template to pierce the border and used Bazzill floss for the back stitch.

Another challenge completed. What shall I choose next?

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill brown cardstock, Crate Paper Blue Hill collection

Mediums: Derwent ColorSoft pencils with Sansodor

Image: Wendy's Cup Cake Tilley
Accents: DCWV ribbon, Bazzill floss

Tools: paper piercer, Bazzill In Stitch'z 8x8 Circle template

Anyone for Anya?

I've been meaning to do one of the challenges for AFA, but always seem to miss the deadline date! Luckily I had a couple of hours to spare while I was waiting for the paint to dry in my hallway so I managed to create my card for it at last! The challenge is to use TGF image which you think represents your personality or resembles you the most so here is my choice...



I actually have very dark brown hair but it made the card a bit dull but apart from that it resembles me! The eyes could be oriental, don't you think? (I'm part Chinese if you couldn't tell from my profile photo!) If I'm really honest it looks more like me in my early 20s - I haven't worn a mini skirt in years!! But I do own a lot of brown boots and bags. I've also kept the card very simple as that is my dress style - I just can't seem to get the hang of accessories or jewellery! A very poor excuse for a woman, lol!! Hope you like!
*Speak* soon!
Cardstock: Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: The Greeting Farm - Miss Anya Collection
Mediums: Derwent Coloursoft pencils
Accents: American Crafts ribbon
Tools: Martha Stewart New Scallop border punch