A simple Birthday card

The DT's cards at CAS(E) this Sketch, this weeks challenge Sketch #21, were so serene and beautiful.
The beauty of keeping it simple and open space..
Had a Birthday card to make, and decided to give this sketch another try.
Its just 4 months since I really got obsessed with card making, and still in the process of discovering me, and learning stuff.
CAS has me stuck like magnet.. Now to see how the pull affects me :-)

Hmm..I need to take better shots.. This card looks so much better in real life..

Supplies used :
Martha Stewart Balloon punch
Paper cord saved from some packaging.
Happy Birthday clear stamps I picked up from the dollar section at the local Joanns
Inks from Momento
Recollection cardstock
Fiskars corner punch.

Easter random cards

Simple 2 min cards for easter.
Randomly assembled.
Fell in love with this bunny even before as the first stamped image dried.
Reminds me of the Alice in Wonderland, White Rabbit.

Simple is sometimes very difficult.
But yet, many times, simple touches the soul.
Yet another attempt at simple cards.
This one is based on this week's sketch from CAS(E) Sketch #21

Green yet again

Always bouncing like Tigger,
Creativity in every stroke,
I am & so I do,
No, I am not talking about my son, but the aunt, he so takes after.
My little sister by age.. A walking wikipedia of such knowledge, sometimes so bizarre..
I can go on and on..
But why, cos I made this card for her.
Doesn't really reflect her personality..(Or does it??) As always, she continues to daunt me!
But So will cheer her up.

A small 4*4 card..
For the star who always shines in anything she puts her heart into..
And who always wins any argument :-)
Here I ramble again... Stop...

Here are the challenges being entered

• Mojo Monday : Sketch 286 - http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2013/03/mojo-monday-286.html
  

• Pause dream enjoy challenges : Ch# 6 Anything Goes - http://pausedreamenjoychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/ch-6-anything-goes.html

• Die Cut Divas : March Challenge ~ Anything Green - http://die-cut-divas.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/march-challenge-anything-green.html

• Simon Says Stamps - Anything goes - http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2013/03/simon-says-anything-goes.html

Supplies Used :

• Pattern paper from 
• Random vellum quotes from Joanns
• Really random ribbons from Joanns. Have had them for almost like 4 months.
• Sizzix Stars BigZ die
• And of course my favorite Big Shot..

Green, everywhere I turn....

Spring is in the air, water, earth and sky..
Everywhere I turn, I see bright green replacing the dull & brown.
Fresh showers and the bright blooms.
The afternoon sun showing his head, with streaks of bright through the window blinds...
I am sick, with allergies, but nothing could beat my Spring Spirit today.
Couldn't drive, so stuck at home..
With my battle with Kerberos, taking a break, I found my escape in my craft room mess.
A green card, not so bright, not so dull,
Oh, I like it just well..

I used a stamping technique, I saw on youtube sometime back - by Dawn Olchefske
Stamping across layers of cardstock., which I adopted to the Mojo Monday (MOJO286) Sketch.
My first attempt, at this technique, and I think I came out pretty good.
Once you figure out which part of the stamp you need to give extra pressure when crossing across layers, the stress melts away..

The little butterflies, were embossing using polka dot cuttlebug folder.
Talking about green, I like the different greens of this card, though clicked from the same camera, in succession, same location, just change in the camera angles.. :-)

Following are the challenges being entered :

• Mojo Monday : Sketch 286 - http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2013/03/mojo-monday-286.html

• Pause dream enjoy challenges : Ch# 6 Anything Goes - http://pausedreamenjoychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/ch-6-anything-goes.html

• Die Cut Divas : March Challenge ~ Anything Green - http://die-cut-divas.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/march-challenge-anything-green.html

• Simon Says Stamps - Anything goes - http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2013/03/simon-says-anything-goes.html

Tools :
------
Flower stamp from Martha Stewart
Versafine vintage sepia ink
Martha Stewart Stamp and punch - Leaf
Recollections mini butterfly punch.
Paper from Recollections & Bazil.
Polka dot embossing folder from cuttlebug.

Fathers day a little too soon

And so some how I wandered into Michaels..
Well, what can I say, even my car can smell Michaels and heads towards it..
"My crafting obsession, is still very alive and controlling me", borrowing the most favorite reason, my five year old gives, when asked why he did something naughty/unacceptable.
:-)

This time I found myself drawn towards 2 lovely stamps from Hero Arts.
And wandering on the blog land for cards, I happened to see that Hero Arts too run monthly challenges.

Since this stamp set, Joy Ride, was very much close to my heart, I couldn't wait to use it.
Rummaging through my overflowing box of sentiments, there I found the perfect vellum quote.
And withing seconds, knew what my card was going to look like.

This was a candidate to enter Hero Arts March2013Bm challenge, so I used the Letter Tiles Technique.
This card, is one that is very very close to my heart..

Like our Ilaiya Thalapathi said in Ghilli,
"Should Fathers be celebrated only on Fathers Day" :-)

Since this card suits the One for The Boys theme, from Lets Create And Craft, this is going to be my entry there too.
Also entering Penny Black and more's - http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/2013/03/still-time-to-join-in.html

MojoMonday 285 #2

If there is something I hate more than being sick with cold and allergies,
it is the side effects of the cold and allergy medicines.

The entire day went away in a haze...
Idle mind, is definitely a crafter's paradise..
I had so many ideas running through my head..
And when I could muster up some clarity, I decided to try out an idea, which had taken birth, in-spite of my brain being surrounded in the cold allergic drugged haze.

My first time experimenting with the masking technique.

And so I decided to try out the Mojo Monday  285 Challenge again, but this time fully by Stamping.
And ended up creating this.

The How

Gathered my supplies - my silver white sheet cut out, a post-it sheet die cut to a circle, stamps & ink pads.
Masked the post-it circle in the desired location.
And started distressing away using Tim Holtz - Antique Linen.
Then  I covered the rest exposing the small rectangle, and used the finger sponge to dab bronze.
Then Stamped the first layer of the shrubs in Momento Rhubarb.
3 lines of creeper sort of grass came next in Versafine Sepia
Little blooms formed an horizontal border.
Then used the negative of the diecut to mask the card exposing the circle, and followed similar steps.
Next got out my mini butterfly punch, matching brown paper and 2 little winged beauties completed the card.
Stamps used were from Inkadinkado.

The Sketch (MOJO285)

Other challenges, being entered.
http://crafterscornerindia.blogspot.in/2013/02/crafters-corner-challenge-6-stamping.html

You can find me on Facebook as - My-Other-Cuppa-Java-Handcrafted-exceptions/538271102867262?ref=hl

Graduation Time!!

And....... My bigger kid is graduating..
You got it right.. Yep, my bigger kid... Men never grow up do they :-)

After 2 looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong years
Of what seemed like eternity,
It is Graduation Time...

Couldn't wait till the Graduation Day..
And so decided I will keep making as many as possible....

Here it is..
By far the simplest card I have made so far...

Graduation card for a Guy!!!

The inside... See, I am so happy...

Since it boys running wild at Lets Craft and Create, I am sharing this for One For the Boys

Supplies :
---------
Absolutely no distressing ( :-) ).. Phew!! After all the distressing I have been doing..
Brown cardstock .. I think recollections or bazzill.. Had a precut one, so cant know for sure..
Graduation Stamp from Stampendous
Black Dye Ink from recollections.
And Studio G mini alphabet set.

One for the boys

And so I saw this challenge on Lets Craft and Create One For the Boys, & Creative card crew and couldn't help but share this card.
I wanted to enter Lets Craft and Create's last weeks confetti challenge, but couldn't get to making one.
So this week, am in :-)
First time entering both these challenges.
This was made, on request, for a very special friend, who just likes blue and lots of it.

Challenges entered :

http://letscreatechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/challenge-66-one-for-boys.html
http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/2013/03/challenge-32-masculine.html

Supplies Used :
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Denim
Paper Stack from DCWV
And random

For my mother....

Today turned out to be a pretty sentimental day.
It was all about my mother... 
First it started with me being angry at her for something, that I don't even remember why now.

Then my mind went back and reached into the deep vaults of love I have for her, and...
Played a non stop, no commercial break, Vintage style (Film projector flickering background Old fashioned style typography) run of the fondest memories of me, my mom, and of course the 2 Leo's, Dan n Nick..
So by the end of the day, I was so missing her..
And since she will be in meetings all day long, and given that she is in another corner of the world, I couldn't just pick up the phone and talk to her..
(Well, I can write all of this, but cant really get to actually tell her in person how much she means to me.. :-) )

And so when I stumbled across this weeks Sketch challenge from Mojo Monday 285, 
I decided to do something, especially for her. A card Just like my mom.

Tough and sturdy.Always there for us.I will always love you no matter what. Even when you take Dan's side ( :-) ).

Here's the card for you Amma.

The inside,

And the sketch,

This card is an entry to this Mojo Monday 285 Challenge,  my interpretation of their sketch.

A little about the making of the card :


Since my love with burlap continues, and it is tough and strong symbolizing my mother, I picked this.
Initially I wanted to make the flower too with burlap. But it turned out that the burlap was pretty thick and the flower would be pretty bulky. So then, I dug into my stash and found this.
These petals were originally made for a card for a very favorite not-so-aunt of mine.
And had saved the rest.
The flowers were punched out from Coffee filter using the Stampin Up Build a blossom punch and died to dusty rose using food colors.
And the card came through.. But there was one problem. The flower was pretty big and there was no space for the tiny one in the left side, as per the sketch.
So I substituted it with a butterfly.



Supplies Used : 
Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink,
Paper Stack from DCWV
Stampin Up Build a blossom punch.
EK Success 3 in one butterfly punch

A vintage inspirational card

This is my entry to the HSS Color Challenge #155 (HSSCC155) challenge for this week.
Since I am yet to step into Stampin Up world(I already have my big list ready, and waiting...)
So I had to go with the "Any neutral" theme.
I had seen many ideas in the Hand Made cards with burlap incorporated so elegantly.
And been a couple of weeks, since I bought this stash from Michaels..
1+1 and I decided to use this since the color of the burlap went with my neutral base.
Most of the Burlap cards were essentially cute n girlie.. but since the color combination is all in neutral hues, and I didn't really want to make another girl card, this one had to be all tough n rough.

Other stamps and papers fell through...
For the guy, taking up new ventures, starting with a little adventure
Here's to all the sharing and riding the dreams with him....

Here's the supplies used.
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Vintage photo
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen
Recollections brown / black ink
Recollections Stamps
Heidi Grace Stamps (Hot Air balloon)
DCWV Stack Paper Pad
Recollections Cardstock - Nuetral

You can find me on Facebook here.

Loved these burlap cards from Carla, for a tough little girl.. 

Finally A Baby Card

A soft card, welcoming a little princess..
There is something about the subtle beauty of pink..
Tried my best to go with another pastel, but I was drawn to pink..
After fighting for almost an hour, gave in and within minutes could find all the matching parts...
Hmm, guess, sometimes you need to trust your instincts.. :-)
And so this card is thus.

Other tools....
Martha Stewart Embossed Elephant Punch,
Matching paper from DCWV
Random ribbon and brad...

Birthday time.... Yuppie...

Sunday was Birthday time..
This time a for a sweet little boy, who takes after his mom, for the heart stealing smile.
:-)

I really wanted to do something, different...
And after the hot hot feedback from my in house critique, on the Hello Kitty card I had made earlier, this time decided,  I had to redeem myself.

So after lots n lots of thought, decided to play it safe with the punches.
MS elephant punch & sizzix embossing folders to the rescue.
I had cut the cardstock 6*6.
Didnt want to cut it down.. Lazy.. no other reason....
But now, the sizzix folder is smaller than 6*6..
So had to become creative, and used 2 different border folders, I think these were cuttlebug, and after multiple runs through my BigShot, the base was ready.
The elephant punch outs were also done..
Now, what to do?
Since it is not a baby card, I wanted to make it a bit interesting too..
And seeing how excited my kid is with stories.. decided to make a mini story in the card.
And so, the card was born...
The baby elephant wanted a balloon, but the balloon was flying away into the clouds..
All  his friends helped him and he climbed on them and reached the balloon

Whats gonna work?Team Work? (Team Umizoomie)

So did I pass the critique test,I should say yes.
My little one was excited on seeing the card, and he made up the story, with more interesting twists like, kid flash also helping from the outside..
And happily signed the inside of the card and decorated it with more elephant punches..

Other supplies used :
Martha Stewart Embossed Elephant Punch
Fiskars Scallop circle punch
Clouds were cut out by hand from scallop punch outs.
The Happy Birthday tag in the corner was from Spellbinders diecuts
The stamp is a random one I picked from Michaels..

Meow with Hello Kitty.

Crazy times galore @work.
All I could think of at home, was actually not to think at all.
And stare at anything I could legally,possibly stare at.Which for most was the blank wall..
For the first time @my life, maxed out my "unlimited" AT&T smartphone minutes..
From one of the spectrum to another, I covered,
- almost 30 hrs of a rendition of Valmiki Ramayana
- 2 seasons of Psych
- Multiple reruns of Thor, Hulk and anything Super Hero
- And much much more.....

Which meant, there was absolutely no crafting.
Finally I had a reason or I should say deadline, to make a birthday card.
It had to be pink, for a little princess.
I had a few ideas in mind, trying my best to start thinking again..

But then turns out the pink princess, is a Hello Kitty Fan.
So my card had to meow..
I dont have any oval punch, or Hello Kitty dies..
So had to draw and cut out the Hello Kitty by hand.
After multiple tries, finally assembled one together.
Turns out, Hello Kitty face is easy than he body.
Really had a tough time with the body.
A couple of MS ribbon punchouts + A red rhinestone and the bow was complete.
A couple of more embellishments and did it come pretty decent???
Hmmmmmmmmmmm