Bright and beautiful Bugs

I like this Annabelle Stamps set so much I decided to use it again this week. On my last Annabelle post I showed you the stamp set, (click HERE if you would like to see it again). Today I have used 3 different stamps from this set, they are the grass, the snail and the butterfly. The sentiment comes from the 'I can fly' set
I stamped and embossed all images and watercoloured using my Twinkling H2Os.
The designer papers I used are from Scenic Route Paper Inc abd the green is from SU. The sentiment and it's layers were all cut using nestabilities. The distressed edge was done with my Heidi Swapp distresser.
This was a very easy card to do, not a lot of colour blending but I couldn't help myself and I had to do just a little. A nice bright cheery card to make a friend smile.

Until next Time
Inking of you All
Michelle

Timeless Tuesday Challenge #30

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge has hit week 30, wow that is just amazing. I guess I would of participated in about 20 of these challenges. I just love Flourishes stamps the Floral sets are just beautiful.
For FTTC30 our challenge was to use pearls on our cards. For me this was so easy as I have pearls by the hundreds. I just love them and the range of colours that are now available is just astounding.
I chose to use the Sweet Violets set, this one has only been out a couple of months. It is just so gorgeous.
I stamped the violets using Brilliance Graphite Black ink and coloured in with my favourite Prismacolor Pencils and blended with Odourless mineral spirits My shapes were all cut out using nestabilities classic oval and petite oval sets. The designer paper was from Kaisercraft as were the pearls.
I was so pleased with how this card came out. Lets see if it's enough to win the challenge.
Don't forget blog candy will be drawn in just a few days

Until Next Time
Inking of you all
Michelle

High Hopes Challenge #30

I am back from my holiday and I am straight back into creating cards. The first one I have done is for the High Hopes Challenge... The theme... One for the boys.
I have used Froggy Gift. This is one of my favourite stamps and I just love this bright colour scheme. The colours of course come directly from my paper choice. These designer papers are from Scenic Route.
I have stamped the image using Black stazon and coloured in using Prismacolor Pencils blended with odourless mineral spirits. The coloured cardstock is Cranberry Crisp from SU and the green is Bazzill. I cut the stamped image in a circle using nestabilities.
The sentiment I used is a rub on.
In Australia you can buy these stamps at Heavenscent Crafts. If you would like to check out the Challenges go to the High Hopes Blog

Until Next Time
Inking of you All
Michelle

Butterfly Christening

When my friend Maria asked me to make a Christening card for her Grand daughter using butterflies I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
After thinking it over for a couple of weeks. Here is the finished card.
I stamped the butterfly (by Stampendous) all over white cardstock using Memories Angelic Pink Chalk Ink. I also stamped one in gold ink and embossed with Egyptian Gold sparkly embossing powder. Using they same ink and powder I did the sentiment (PSX).
Next I cut out the sentiment using the petite oval nestabilities, and cut out the butterfly with an x-acto knife
I painted the butterfly with Twinkling H2O's in 2 shades of pink. Then added some antennae made from artistic wire.
I layered it altogether using Bazzill cardstock, some pink ribbon and finally embellished with some pearls and a floral swirl cut from a Spellbinder die.
I think my friend will be very pleased.
This is my last post for several weeks as I am off on vacation to the United States. Talk to you all when I get back
Until Next Time
Inking of you all
Michelle

High Hopes challenge #24

Here is my card for this weeks High Hopes Challenge.... Creative Borders.
I decided to use a paper lace doily. I was really happy how it all came together.
The image was stamped and then embossed onto watercolour paper. I then coloured using Lyra watercolour crayons. I cut out the circle using my nestabilities (I just love them I don't know what I ever did before they came out).
The purple card stock is Bazzill criss cross. I embellished the finished card with some stickles and paper flowers.

Until Next Time
Inking of you all
Michelle

My Guide to making a great card- tutorial

Here is my first tutorial, I call it My Guide to making a great Card. It is the basics on helping co-ordinate the pieces need to make a simple elegant card.
I have decided to show you this years' Christmas card, but you can apply this to any card you make.Step #1 (above): Choose your Stamp and Designer Paper first

Step #2 & #3 (above): Choose co-ordinating plain cardstock.

Stamp and colour your image. I have chosen to stamp my image in Black and colour with co-ordinating pencils. Choose any other inkpad colours now. If not using a neutral colour like black, choose an inkpad shade the same or as close to possible as your cardstock
When mass producing cards like Christmas cards cut and prepare all necessary pieces at the one time. This makes your life so much easier.

Step #4 (above): Now assemble all the pieces to your card.

I have chosen to do a simple card with a folded front for a bit of interest. As I am making lots of Christmas cards I didn't want to do something to fussy with lots and lots of work (that takes hours per card). However at the same time I still wanted a card that looks nice and classy. I think this card captured the look I wanted.

Step #5: add any embellishments now. I accented my card with red Rhinestones and stickles on the 'ribbon'

Last but not least. Take several photos of your creation before you put them in the post. You might also like to stamp a co-ordinating envelope, just remember to leave enough clear space to address it.

Hope you enjoyed my guide to card making.

The pudding stamp I used is from Stamp It (Australia) and the sentiment is from Hero Arts. The Designer Paper is Kaiser Craft

Until Next Time

Inking of you All

Michelle

Rachel Anne Miller stamp

Here is a stamp sent to me from Deb at Heaven Scent Crafts. It is from Stampavie and is designed by Rachel Anne Miller. She has a whole range just like this adorable image. I have done it in 2 different colour themes and I think each one looks completely different. This first image (top) has been layered using Designer Papers from Euphoria by Basic Grey. I have coloured in both images using Prismacolor Pencils.
This card is embellished with flowers
that have been set with
eyelets, just to be a little different



This bottom card is done in Earthy tones and the designer paper is unknown. It's amazing how much different the card looks by accenting the image in a circle.

Until Next time
Inking of you All
Michelle

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Here is my first Christmas card. I made it for the Flourishes Tuesday Chat Challenge on SCS forum. The challenge was to create a Red, Green, Brown and White Christmas card.
Since I didn't have any Flourishes Chrissy stamps I quickly ordered this one. I can't tell you how happy I am to now get them in Australia. In 2 days no less.
I stamped this image in Black Brilliance and coloured with my Prismacolor Pencils. Then blended with Odourless Mineral Spirits.
I cut all the ovals out using my nestabilities classic ovals, I roughed the edges and then inked around the edge in brown.I added a couple of embellishments, The rhinestone for the nose and the bow around his neck. I layered it altogether with the Christmas papers from K & Company. All in all a very easy card to put together.

Flourishes stamps are some of my favourite stamps to use. In America they are available from Flourishes .Org and in Australia at Heavenscent Crafts

Until Next Time
Inking of you All
Michelle

Believe in Beauty

Yet another new image that I have just fallen in love with. The bird and the sentiment are from an unmounted RUBBER set by Pink Poison Stamps.
I started off by stamping the bird in Black stazon, on SU naturals Ivory cardstock (CS). I then coloured it using Prismacolor pencils and blended with Odourless Mineral Spirits (OMS)or Gamsol. I cut around the tail with scissors and carefully cut with the classic oval nestabilities. NOTE: Pull tail outside of oval nesties frame so it doesn't get cut off.
Cut another oval out of Stampin UP (SU) River Rock CS and a scalloped oval from SU Cranberry Crisp. Layer together as shown.
The sentiment is stamped in SU Cranberry Crisp Ink on River Rock CS.
The designer paper is from We R Memories and co ordinates beautifully with these colours.
Michelle's Hint: #1
Choose your Patterned Papers and matching coloured cardstock first . Then colour your image to match. This way your project will be much better co- ordinated.
Too many people colour first than try to match papers and cardstock, this really is the hard way to do it. Nobody likes doing things the hard way.
Until Next Time
Inking of you all
Michelle

Holy Hanna ...

Hanna Stamps that is. This is the first stamp set Hanna Stamps brought out. It's called 'But I need it...' When I ordered this set it was the only stamp set on the website. Well it's about one year on (give or take) and you should see the stamps now. My collection is not quite as extensive but it's getting there.
Here are 2 cards for you to look at today using this set.

Both cards are colored in using Prismacolor Pencils and blended with odourless mineral spirits. I have just used the the colours on my Designer Papers as a guide. I also love using my nestabilities, the top card uses the scalloped rectangle, The bottom one uses the circle set.

Until next time

Inking of you all

Michelle

Colonial Fall

Down Under in Australia we are coming up to our Spring and we don't celebrate Halloween here, but with Fall fast approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, and Halloween right on it's heels everyone is making Halloween Cards.
So, I too have decided to get into the 'spirit' of things and make a card. I truly do love the concept of Halloween and with all the great stamps out there, how can one resist.
This stamp is from Impression Obsession and really lends itself to coloring in, I stamped the image using Stampin Up's Basic Brown and have colored in using Prismacolor Pencils blended with Gamsol.
Take a little look at the Jack 'o Lantern brad in the bottom left hand corner. I purchased a set of Halloween Brads when I was in California eight (yes! I said 8 ) years ago, because you just never know when it will come in handy. This is the first one I have used. LOL. I hope you enjoy this card as much as I do.

Until Next Time,
Inking of you all
Michelle