Magical Mondays - Snowman or Christmas Theme

Hi Everyone!  Sadly today this will be my last post and the last Challenge for Paper Cupcakes/TIMITA.  Nina has decided that it is time to move on to other art pursuits and close her shop and challenge site.  I have really cherished my friendship with Nina and loved her beautiful images, and working on the DT with all the other girls has been so much fun.  I wish her every success with her new artistic ventures and can't wait to see what she gets up to.

For the very last  Challenge Nina has a freebie for you all called 'Little Snow Friend' and the theme for our Challenge is to create a card/project with a Snowman or Christmas Theme.

The freebie image 'Little Snow Friend' is featured on my card above.  I have colored him in with my Tria Markers and then misted around the edges of my scallop circle with some Frosty Forest Green Starburst Mist from Lindy's Stamp Gang.  The card background consists of a strip of paper from the Echo Park Everyone Loves Christmas Digital Collection.  The other side of my background has been embossed with the Vintage Wall Paper Embossing Folder from Stampin' Up! and then misted with some Rudolph's Red Nose Starburst Spray also from Lindy's Stamp Gang.  To finish I added three Metallic Red Dew Drops.

I do hope you will join us for our very last challenge and can't wait to see what you create.  To link up your entry and for more wonderful inspiration using 'Little Snow Friend' be sure to visit the There's Magic In the Air Blog.

Lastly I just want to say a bit Thank You to everyone who supported and participated on the Paper Cupcakes Blog over the past few years its been an absolute pleasure.

Magical Mondays - Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle

Hi Everyone, I just don't know where the end of the weeks are disappearing to......and its only going to get worse as we approach Christmas and the Party Season.  It's already time for a new Challenge over at Paper Cupcakes -There's Magic in The Air.  This fortnight our challenge has been chosen by Ildiko Cseh and it is "Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle". We want you to make a card/project and add lots of sparkle. It can be any kind; glitter, stickles, foil paper... anything that gives a little sparkle to your card/project. Yes, it is that easy.

The sparkle on my card today comes from some Red and Green Kindy Glitz and a White Pearl Pen.

A bit of shine is also achieved from three metallic Red Dew Drops.  This cute image is called Noel Bears and is from Paper Cupcakes.  The papers are once again from my scrap/leftover bits.

Magical Mondays - Freebie and a Snowflake

Good Morning!  I hope everyone is doing well today!  I must say I am feeling a little tired.  I had a rather early morning yesterday (4am to be exact) and am feeling it today.  Its time for another Magical Monday with Paper Cupcakes and this fortnight sees Nina offering another fabulous freebie for the next 48hrs, so be sure to follow the link from the TIMITA Blog to grab it for yourself.

This adorable 'Snowman with a Tree' is the image the entire DT has used for their projects today and the theme of our challenge as chosen by Angie was simply to incorporate a snowflake into your creation.  This could be a die cut, punch or stamped snowflake to name a few ways to do so.  I do hope you will join us!

Magical Monday - Pretty in Pink

Hi Everyone!  I am a bit late in posting my Magical Monday post this week for Paper Cupcakes/There's Magic in the Air, as I normally do it live however a last minute phone call saw me out most of the day yesterday.

Anyway this fortnight as October Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close we want to see a little more pink to promote this wonderful cause, so our theme chosen by DT Member Shirley is Pretty in Pink.  For this cause Nina has also has a new image - Breast Cancer Cupcake which is what most of the DT have used on their inspiration cards and speaking of new there is also more new images about 20 now available at the Paper Cupcakes Store so be sure to check these out!

For my card I am playing along with the Sketch at My Time Made Easy Challenge Blog. - Challenge No. MTMEPPS74.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Magical Monday - Orange and Purple

Hi Everyone!  Today it was my turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's Challenge over at Paper Cupcakes, There's Magic in the Air Challenge Blog.  With Halloween just around the corner Nina has a fabulously fun image (What Characters) and a few sentiments which you can download for free to play along and which the DT has featured.  So my choice of theme was easy and I made it simply to use the colors Orange and Purple on your card.

For my card I have combined these two colors on a elongated purple card base.  Using some orange corrugated Cardstock and some other bits from my scrap hoard.  The night sky and my sentiment background I have done using my new Gelatos and a Water Brush, whilst the characters, moon and the tree branch have all been colored with my Tria Markers.

Be sure to pop over to the TIMITA site to check out all the DT's creations using this fun image and don't forget if you play along using any Paper Cupcake image you get two entries into the random prize draw.

Magical Mondays - Anything Fall

Hi Everyone!

I am a bit late with my Magical Mondays post this week for Paper Cupcakes/There's Magic in The Air, there just seems to be not enough time in the day of late nor do I want to bombard you with more than a couple posts per day!

This fortnight we want to see you create Anything Fall related!

For my card I have used the Paper Cupcakes Image - Harvest Geese!  And staying true to using up my scraps and old stash, I have teamed it with some old Stampin' Up! papers.

There's lots of signs in blog land this month of the arrival of autumn, so lots of challenges you can combine with our Anything Fall Challenge over at There's Magic In the Air!  So I do hope you'll play along.

For lots of lovely fall inspiration showcasing the wonderful designs from Paper Cupcakes be sure to head over to the TIMITA blog and check them all out!

I have heaps on the creative horizon this week so stay tuned.  I will be back a bit later today to share my Day 3 - Use Primary Colors and Day 4 - Fallen Leaves cards for the 31 Day Card Challenge.

Magical Mondays - Ahoy Mate and Recipe

I am actually a day late posting this card as it was due yesterday for Magical Mondays at There's Magic in The Air, however I already had done two posts, so a third would have been overkill.  But its kind of fitting that I post it today as its - National Talk Like a Pirate Day and my card has a cute picture of a Pirate Owl!

The Paper Cupcakes DT all got to play with this adorable image called Ahoy Mate and this week our challenge was a recipe set by Kathy.  She wants us to create a card using the following:-

- 1 Embossing Folder or dry embossing of some sort 
- 1 or more die or punch 
- 1 ribbon, twine, string or something of the like 
- 1 button 
- Use glitter or some sort of sparklies 

It turned out that I forgot to add my button!  But I am hoping it will pass as I have used the Robin's Nest Dew Drops which are like little gem buttons.  There's lots of spots and dots on this card, behind the image I have used white ink and punchinella on the red cardstock.  The black cardstock I embossed with my Swiss Dots embossing folder. The very background piece is a piece of paper I have had in my stash for sometime now which was created whilst at the Time To Create Studio on a Terrific Tuesday last year.  It uses stamps cut out of fun foam.  You can see strips that had holes punched into it in the black ink and the more textured look was strips that had been engraved into.

I do love creating my own backgrounds, however I don't always get the time to play and do so.  

For the rest of the required recipe, the twine I incorporated by using it to keep the pirate's treasure map in tact.  For further texture and to have the glitter part of covered I have used my Gold Viva Decor Glitter Liner and simply swirled it all over the card.  I was trying to create the richness of the buried treasure this little pirate might find if the x on his map marks the correct spot!

Magical Mondays - Things with Wings

Hi Everyone!  I was asked to choose the theme for the Paper Cupcakes Magical Monday's Challenge this week and as I am a lover of all birds and butterflies I couldn't go past choosing to include something with wings on your project.  It can be something winged in the main image or an embellishment. ie. Fairy, Butterfly, Bird etc. on the card.  

I have gone for a bit of a distressed look (used my paper distressor around the edges) with this one,  choosing some more vintage oriented colors/papers and the Gorgeous Sunday Afternoon Image from Paper Cupcakes.  I have also broke out my SU Pastels/Chalks for this one, so my coloring is a bit distressed also.......lol.

For my things with wings I have the adorable goose on the main image and three butterflies which I have stamped using Unity Stamp Co KOTM stamps.

So for more winged inspiration be sure to head over the TIMITA Blog and checkout all the wonderful DT Creations and we would love for you to play along too!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-
Vintage Elusions Cards and Crafts - #5 Distressing/Anything Goes Challenge
Crafty Card Makers - Challenge #74 Winged Things
Tammy's Scrapping Corner - #26 Anything with Wings
Quirky Crafts Challenge - #18 Recycling on the Farm (Have Recycled Leaf from Christmas Centrepiece)
Craftymess Challenges - #16 Animals with a Blue Theme

Magical Monday - Just Say Hello

Hi Everyone!  It's time for another Paper Cupcakes  Magical Mondays Challenge and this week we want to see a card you create for a teacher, neighbor, friend etc to say Hello!

The DT Cards this week are all showcasing this month's freebie called 'Greetings'.  Simply follow the link over on the TIMITA site to download it!

I colored the image in with my Tria Markers, and the two papers I have used are some that I have had in my stash forever, I know that one of them was from Basic Grey but not sure about the other.  The colors are those I don't normally use, but I thought together they coordinated wonderfully, so I colored the image accordingly and  have gone for a simple layered design. 

So if you create a card saying, G'day Mate, Hi, Hello, Bonjour this fortnight we'd love to see it!  And don't forget this image is only available free for a limited time, so act quickly.  And whilst over at the TIMITA Site be sure to check out all the wonderful inspiration from the DT using this image.  As always if you use a Paper Cupcakes Image on your card you will be entered into the random prize draw twice!

Magical Monday - Decorate with Doilies

Hi Everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.  We had some glorious winter weather here, so we made the most of the sunshine and got out and about in the garden.  Its such a wonderful time of year with Spring just around the corner and our garden is home to such a vast array of wildlife.  Throughout the day one part of the garden in particular is frequented by numerous birds coming to see what feed may have been put out for the lorikeets.  Wild Woodland Ducks, Galahs, Rainbow Lorikeets, King Parrots, Doves, Magpies, Cockatoos, just to name a few. 

In other parts of the garden including just outside our bedroom window (my cats favorite viewing point is here) we have the wrens, honey eaters, willy wagtails, fantails and peewees. It really is quite Magical to watch them all.

Speaking of Magic this week for Magical Monday's with Paper Cupcakes at TIMITA we want to see you decorate your cards with Doilies.  Whether it be a paper, a die cut or a stamp if it's a Doily we we want to see it! 

For my card today I decided to go with a paper doily and make a circular card using the doily as the background.  It's something a bit different to what you would be used to seeing here on my blog.  It was the perfect shape for the beautiful Mandelina (image) to adorn.  I have simply colored her with my Tria Markers.  

I created my circle card base with my Spellbinders die which I also used to cut out the frame and sentiment panel for the centre. I simply layered my Doiley over the green shimmer card base. For embellishment I used some green in a similar shade to my card base in the way of the ribbon roses along with some white paper roses and some blue rhinestones and coordinating green ribbon.  And every fairies wings needs a little glitter so I have added some Crystallina Kindy Glitz to  them.  The Sentiment is from Stampin' Up!

For more beautiful Doily inspiration be sure to pop over to TIMITA.  Don't forget if you join the fun of our challenge and use a Paper Cupcakes Image you have two chances to win.  To help you do just that Nina has the beautiful flower cupcake image available in store for just $1.

Magical Monday - Waste Not!

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are all doing well, I've been a bit quiet on the crafting front of late other than my DT Projects as I have still been feeling a bit flat and have lots of other 'stuff' for want of a better word going on at home.  We've got tradesmen doing some fix ups at the old house including painting the exterior, whilst we have been doing a bit of tidy up (still sorting through boxes from our move) and fix ups of our own around here which has included redoing our drive way (well 1/3 of it so far) with a new layer of road base.

This week at There's Magic in the Air our theme is Waste Not! This fun theme was set by my fellow DT Member Shirley who wants to see you reuse/recycle something and use it on your card/project such as a coke tab, game piece, tag etc.

For my card today which I have to admit I was a bit rushed for time for I have used two recycled items.  Can you pick what they are?

Firstly the patterned strip across the bottom of my card isn't actually a piece of scrapbook paper its actually cut from the packaging page that displays what items are included in the pack of scrapbooking papers.  This one is from the Echo Park Merry Christmas Collection as seen below.

The second item is the ribbon and jingle bell which is from a Lindt Gold Bunny I normally get for easter each year similar to the ones shown below.  On coming in to the office to do my post this morning I picked up my card from the desk to find the ribbon and bell missing (just a pop dot remaining).......my kleptomaniac cat has struck again.  And sure enough I found her under our bed playing with it.  The jingling of the bell gave her away. She has a real fascination for my craft supplies.....in particular my washi tapes.  I have to remember to shut all the doors.

So what will you reuse or recycle for your card.  Perhaps you do this regularly for your creating I'd love to hear about it!  Almost forgot to mention that the cute Christmas Image is called Noel Bears and is available along with a host of other fabulous Christmas Images from the Paper Cupcakes store.  What's more if you want to play along with our challenge this week Nina has the cute image shown here for just $1 in store for this week only.

For more great ideas for recycling be sure to pop over and take a peek at the blog for all my fellow DT Members wonderful creations.

And lastly I thought I'd share some updated photos of my kitties ......who are now eight months old.....this photo shoot all came about as when I went to use my photo box to take a picture of a card, I found Felix sitting in it and his sister BB watching from under the bed.  I can't believe how fast they have grown.  

Have a great week everyone! 

Magical Mondays - Cocktails, Cupcakes and Cheer

By the title of my post I may have you all thinking I am indulging a bit too much for a Monday Morning, but alas no I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet this morning.  It is simply the sentiment I have used on my Birthday Card for the latest challenge over at There is Magic in the Air!

This week the DT got to play with the fabulous new Margarita Cupcake Image from Paper Cupcakes and Nina is kindly offering this image as a freebie for you this week. So you can use it to play along with our challenge this fortnight which is to use one of the two provided sketches to create your card.

For my card today, I have used the first sketch shown above and some yummy papers from a Carolyn Gavin Designer Mat Pad that I brought some time ago.  Using my Tria Markers and Kindy Glitz I have colored in the cupcake and paper pieced for some extra dimension.  Buttons and a strip of ric rac punched cardstock along with my computer generated sentiment finish it off. 

Be sure to pop over and take a peek at all the fabulous inspiration by the DT this fortnight including our July GD using the Margarita Cupcake.  There is lots of yummy cards for you to view and get you in the creating mood, so you can play along with us.

We are still in the middle of a winter here so this card now has me thinking of summer, and how we always tend to entertain in the warmer months with a BBQ and a few drinks.  It also has me wondering just what a Margarita Cupcake would taste like........would you be able to eat and drive?

Anyway enough of my daydreams I'd best be off.  I hope you all have a wonderful day full of cheer at the very least if it can't be full of Cocktails and Cupcakes too.

This week I am also entering this card into the following Challenges:-

The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes Challenge

Magical Monday - You're invited to Play

Good Morning

Its yet another rather fresh and foggy one here this morning.  Yesterday we got down to  a chilly 2 degrees here which is one of the coldest winter days we have had for a few years. I so don't like the cold, but having to take Rod to work each morning at 5.30am means I get to experience the coldest part of the day most mornings.  The best part is I get to see the magic as the sun rises and the day begins.

Speaking of magic its time for another Magical Monday Challenge over at Paper Cupcakes, There's Magic in the Air Blog.  This week we were all challenged by our lovely DT member Carroll to make an invitation.

Using one of Nina's newest images 'Girl with a Umbrella' I decided to create a Invitation to a Bridal Shower.

Image:  Paper Cupcakes Girl with a Umbrella Digi 

Papers/Cardstock:  Stampin' Up!

Ink:  Tria Markers and SU Concord Crush

Other:  Ribbon, Bling, Kindy Glitz.

Of Course the invitation could be for a barbecue, cocktail party, baby or wedding shower, birthday party, pool party or just a get together to have Fun!  

The Design Team this week pretty much have all these bases covered with their creations, so be sure to pop over and take a peek if you are needing a little inspiration.  I do hope you will join in the fun of this challenge.

Magical Monday - One for the Boys

A big warm hello and thank you to all my wonderful blogging friends for all the lovely comments you have left for me these past few weeks!  I really appreciate them and I also love visiting your blogs and seeing what you have all been up to.  Sadly that's about all that is bright and warm here today.  Its another wet and cold day here!  The rain has eased a little but has been replaced by a strong and very cold wind.

Its a great day to be rugged up indoors, creating with a hot chocolate and the radio on.  So that is what I have planned for this morning, however I do have to brave it and go out a bit later.

For our Magical Monday's Challenge this fortnight Nina has a wonderful freebie for you to use if you want to play along with our Male Inspired Challenge which was chosen by Ildiko this week.  Its the same image all the DT have used for their cards today.

It's called 'Mustache Cupcake' and you can download it by following the links from the TIMITA Challenge Blog.

Red, White and Black seem to be my go to colors this past week, perhaps because I have been creating male themed cards but then again I love this color combo.  For my card today I have used some of the Bo Bunny 6 x 6 Enchanted Collection Papers.  I have paper pieced my cupcake as well as using another paper from this collection for my background.  I added some red ribbon and backed my sentiment with a pop of red to match the glossy cherry on top of the cupcake which I have colored with my Red Tria Marker and coated with Glossy Accents.  I also used a couple of funky brads to match my background for the center of the bow.

I know you are just going to love all the other wonderful mustache cupcake creations from the DT this week, as much as I do, so be sure to pop over the TIMITA blog and see them for yourself.  Whilst there you can  get all the challenge details too!  I do hope you will play along and I can't wait to see what you create! 

Magical Monday - 3 In a Row

This fortnight for Paper Cupcakes Magical Monday I was asked to choose our challenge criteria and thought it would be fun to have a 3 in a Row Challenge, where you choose a row of elements from a grid which are in line either, vertically, horizontally or diagonally and you must incorporate these into your card.

For my card I chose to work using one of the vertical combinations of elements which is to use 2 or more patterned papers, lace and bling.

Image:  Mommy's Shoes by Paper Cupcakes

Sentiment:  Art & Possibility Set by Donna Downey from Unity Stamp Co.

Cardstock/Paper:  Stampin' Up & Christy Tomlinson She Art Papers

Ink:  Tria Markers and Memento Black Tuxedo Ink

Other:  Spellbinder Long Rectangle Nesting Dies, Lace, Felt Flower, Rhinestones.

Isn't this image so sweet!  It's called Mommy's Shoes.  The minute I saw it I fell in love with it.  It's one of  20 new images released by Nina over on the Paper Cupcakes site this month, so be sure to pop over to the store and check them all out as there is a great variety suited to so many occasions.

For more wonderful inspiration from the team and to see the full list of elements you can choose from to play along with our 3 in a Row Challenge, be sure to pop over to TIMITA.

Other Challenges I am entering this card in:-

Sassy Studio Designs: DTBST #126 Hats off to You
ATC's and Cards with Attitude:  Challenge #14 Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays: #60 Anything Goes
Patties Creations: #44 Recipe
Totally Gorjuss - #133 Something New (Digi and She Art Papers)

  

Magical Monday - Sketch Challenge

What better way then to start today off with a new Magical Monday Challenge.  Its a beautiful sunny autumn day here and after spending the past three days in bed with a dreadful throat infection which took hold midway thru last week, I am feeling a little better this morning.  I am going to make the most of the beautiful weather and probably sit for a while in the sunshine which I hope may help me get this bug finally beat.

We have a delightful freebie image for you and a fabulous sketch from Nina for our Paper Cupcakes Challenge this week over at TIMITA.  The image is called 'Sending Cheer Your Way' and is available for the next 48 hours by following the link in the Challenge Post.  The name of this image encouraged me to use bright and cheerful papers, so what better than Echo Park's Sunny Days Collection and a Yellow Card Base.

Sadly we said goodbye to two of our DT Members this week with both Audrey and Wilma stepping down but excitedly (its always exciting to welcome new DT) we have two new members stepping up to take their places.  So please be sure to pop over and welcome Carroll and Angie

Even more exciting news is that there is 20 new images now available in store at Paper Cupcakes Digital Stamps.  I am sure the DT will be showcasing some of these wonderful new images over the upcoming weeks, as I know I will be as I have fallen in love with quite a few of them.

So with so much magic in the air today, be sure to pop over to TIMITA and see it for yourself.

Magical Monday - Be Inspired

Monday here was Magical.  The sun was out for the full day, and combined with the wind it was the perfect day for doing the washing.  It was a nice change from all the wet weather we have been experiencing.

Our Challenge this fortnight over at There's Magic in the Air has been set by fellow DT Member Sonia Rivera and she has challenged us to come up with a card using the wonderful picture below as our inspiration.

The pops of color from the furnishing and the white couch were my main inspiration.  The Patterned Paper and Green Strip down one side was taken from the floor rug, the yellow strip and flower from the pot in the top left corner and the shape of the image panel was from the cushions.

The image which I've colored with my Tria Markers is called 'Sent with Love' from the Paper Cupcakes  Store.  I've cut this out and popped it up and once again I am using the beautiful She Art Papers by Christy Tomlinson.

Be sure to pop over to the TIMITA blog to see what inspiration from the picture the rest of the Design Team has taken.  You are sure to love them all, and I can't wait to see what wonderful entries we have, one of which I am hoping will be yours!

Thinking of You

Today being ANZAC Day here in Australia I thought it was fitting to share with you a recent Thinking of You Card I made using a image of Poppies from Paper Cupcakes.

Digi Image:  Poppies from Paper Cupcakes Digital Store, Sentiment:  Darkroom Door Stamp

Paper:  Christy Tomlinson She Art 6 x 6 Petite Paper Pack

Other:  Martha Stewart Border Punch, SU Ribbon, Viva Decor Gold Glitter Liner

The poppy has long been part of Remembrance Day Ceremonies marking the Armistice of November 11, 1918 and now it is also more widely being used to commemorate ANZAC Day.  It was the first flower to be seen growing on the devastating battlefields of France and Belgium during the First World War and soldiers folklore explain that the poppy's vivid red color comes from the blood of their comrades who died on those battlefields.

In searching for an Anzac Themed Poem to also share with you today as we remember those who fought so bravely for their country, to give future generations the life they now lead, I found this poem which seemed fitting as it beautifully describes the interpreted symbolism of the Poppy. I have copied this from http://www.anzacday.org.au/anzacservices/poetry/inquisitive.htm, who have a list of other Anzac and Remembrance Day related Poems.

"The inquisitive mind of a child"

Why are they selling poppies, Mummy?
Selling poppies in town today.
The poppies, child, are flowers of love.
For the men who marched away.

But why have they chosen a poppy, Mummy?
Why not a beautiful rose?
Because my child, men fought and died
In the fields where the poppies grow.

But why are the poppies so red, Mummy?
Why are the poppies so red?
Red is the colour of blood, my child.
The blood that our soldiers shed.

The heart of the poppy is black, Mummy.
Why does it have to be black?
Black, my child, is the symbol of grief.
For the men who never came back.

But why, Mummy are you crying so?
Your tears are giving you pain.
My tears are my fears for you my child.
For the world is forgetting again.

LEST WE FORGET.
 

Magical Monday - Let's Get Acquainted

Its time for another Magical Monday with Paper Cupcakes over at There's Magic In the Air and this fortnight our fellow team member Shirley asked us all to get acquainted, and case a card from one of our fellow DT Members.  For those of you have been following me for some time, you know that I tend towards CAS Cards, so when I saw a recent card on Shirley's Blog using lots of layers I just knew this is the one I wanted to copy the design of.  I am really happy with how it turned out and all the colors together and the image is so fitting for today as it has been raining here for the past couple of days.

Digi:  April Showers from Paper Cupcakes

Papers:  Echo Park & Stampin' Up!

Colour:  Stampin' Up! Watercolour Pencils, 

Other:  Oval and Scallop Oval Dies, Crochet Flowers.

SHIRLEY'S CARD 

This is Shirley's Card I copied the design of.  You will find her blog post about this card here.

Nina is kindly offering the delightful image 'April Showers' which has been featured by the DT this fortnight  as this month's freebie, so be sure to grab it while you can. And don't forget that when you use a Paper Cupcakes image in any of our challenges you will be entered in the random prize draw twice.

So to get better acquainted with our DT and for all the other challenge details see this fortnight's Magical Monday Post over at TIMITA.