New Challenge at Inkspirational!

Hi friends!

We have a new challenge for you at Inkspirational, chosen by our lovely DT member Carol: Cute Halloween/Pumpkins or Owls. 

The DT has done amazing job as always in providing you inspiration -don't miss the cards in our challenge blog! Our guest designer this time is the super creative Becca. The colorful card she made for us is so fun, thanks for guest designing, Becca!

In my card I used a pumpkin stamp from Avocado Arts. It's quite small so I decided to stamp it several times on a tag I die cut with my Cuttlebug. The image is colored with Copics. I'm not exactly loving the color palette of my card -not very cute but rather masculine... But this is how it turned out. Oh well! :) 

I hope to see you playing along at  Inkspirational!

New Challenge at TIME OUT!

Hi friends!

We have a new challenge for you at TIME OUT Challenges: it's a very cool photo inspiration! This photo has so much to go for inspiration... I can't wait to see what you'll come up with! Our guest designer is the fantastic Anni from Annikarten. She makes such cute and stylish CAS cards, I wish I had her eye! Do visit her blog and leave her some blogland love. Please visit our regular DT members also -everyone has made great cards as always!

In my card I've used stamps by Avocado Arts. I'd like to enter the August challenge at Handmade Bliss (anything goes) and the stamp set I used, Forever Yours by Avocado Arts, is available to purchase from Handmade Bliss Store here. My card is very simple: some patterned paper, colored card and white heat embossing for the image and sentiment. I was inspired by the colors and "robe" in the photo. Hope you like and thanks for popping by! 

New Challenge at Inkspirational!

OOOOOPS!
This post accidentally came live one day too early. Please join us at Inkspirational from tomorrow, Saturday the 15th! 

Hi friends!

We have a new challenge for you at Inkspirational: Word Prompt "Melt". You can get really creative with this one... Have a look what our fabulous DT and guest designer Susanne have come up with for your inspiration by clicking here!

My card is created with stamps from Avocado Arts, patterned paper and die cut tag and snowflakes. I've heat embossed my snowmen with Liquid Platinum embossing powder and also the snowflakes have a "heat embossed coat" of glittery, white powder. A very simple card and a layout that I use often... But this will anyway be a cute card to give to someone after Christmas I think.

Thanks for popping by and I hope to see you playing along at Inkspirational!

For a Little Guy

Hi friends!

I'm popping by to share a card I made for my godson's birthday. I used a star stencil by STAMPlorations (buy it here), a Finnish sentiment stamp and a car stamp by Avocado Arts. 

I've inked the stars through the stencil with two shades of Memento inks, fading the color lighter to the top of the panel. I also inked the edges of the base card with the same manner. The image and sentiment are simply stamped with black Versafine and I added some clear rhinestones as embellishments. 

I'd like to enter:

http://cardz4guyz.blogspot.co.uk/ Something beginning with S (stencil & stars)

http://colourmecardchallenge.blogspot.fi/ Inspiration Colors

Hope you like! :)

Thank You Card for Sarah!

Hi friends!
Here's a thank you- card I made for Sarah, one of my teammates at TIME OUT Challenges. If you don't know Sarah, do visit her blog Funky Fossil Designs -she makes super stylish cards! Sarah very kindly sent me the tag die I used in this card as Christmas present (along with a Wink of Stella pen and some beautiful sequins!) so I wanted to send her a card as thank you, using the fun die. :) I used stamps by Avocado Art and Simon Says Stamp falling snow stencil with embossing paste in my tag. The sky is inked with DI and my penguin is colored in with Copics. I opted for a very simple layout.

I'd like to enter these challenges:

http://showcasechallenge.blogspot.fi/2014/12/showcase-your-style-challenge-5-theme.html Use a die cut



http://houseofcardschallenge.blogspot.fi/2015/01/january-challenge-use-glitter-andor.html Colors of the inspiration photo

Word Prompt "Note" at Inkspirational!

Hi friends!

It's time to start the first Inkspirational Challenge for 2015! It's a cool word prompt: note. The DT has been very creative with this one... Take a look here. I'm also excited about our GD Marika, a very talented card maker who nowadays happens to be my friend IRL as well! I found her blog here in blogland and we have met several times already -we happen to live in the same town. I actually loved Marika's take on the word prompt so much I asked if I could have the card and I got it! I paid with coffee, home made juice out of pineapple and oranges, warm sandwiches (made and served by hubby while we chatted!) and some store bought donuts. ;)

Anyways, to my card... I used one of the delicious stamps from STAMPlorations: Sugar Rush and colored it with Copics. The sentiment comes from Avocado Arts. I also used a die cut "piece of music" which I've received as a gift -if I remember right our team member Pia sent it to me for my birthday last year. :) Do you agree, Pia, was it you? 

That's all from me today. I hope to see you all playing along at Inkspirational and Happy New Year 2015!

New Challenge at TIME OUT!

Hi friends!
We have a new challenge for you at TIME OUT: Embossing with the Optional Twist of Shine! If you choose the twist you can win a stamp set from Avocado Arts so maybe you'll want to add some shine to your project with embossing! You could also be DT's favorite and be called to guest design for us... This time our guest designer is Lesley from Always Playing With Paper. She is not only a talented card maker and fun blogger but a challenge blog owner too -if you are not familiar with Lesley, you know where to head next! :)

In my DT card I used stamps from Avocado Arts set called Bee Thankful. I tried to make a masculine card but masculine or not, I added shine: The heat embossed cups are "colored in" with Wink of Stella glitter pen. Love that stuff! My base card shines a bit as well, it's sort of metallic silver color - this was tricky to photograph!

Our DT never fails to inspire so I hope you'll check out their creations from our challenge blog here. After that... Take some TIME OUT and craft!

Boo!

Hi guys!
Here's a fun white on white card I made for some challenges (listed below). I wanted to use a cute Fall/Halloween themed set by Avocado Arts (last months stamp club set) but wasn't too keen for going for a traditional Halloween look or colors -Halloween isn't very big in Finland... So I came up with playing with whites only. I've used my new falling snow- stencil and embossing paste to create the background (loved both items!) and heat embossed the ghost with white powder on vellum. I rolled some transparent double-sided tape to the back of the white string -that helps to keep the vellum on place. Hope you like! Have a fun weekend and Happy Halloween for those who celebrate it!

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.fi/ CAS
http://addictedtocas.blogspot.fi/ Vellum (my 2nd entry)
http://casology.blogspot.fi/2014/10/week-119-ghost.html Ghost

"Birds of a feather flock together" at TIME OUT

Hi friends!

There's a new challenge for you at TIME OUT Challenges: We are inspired by words

"Birds of a feather flock together" 

This might lead you to birds, love, feathers... My inspiration is obvious although the two lovebirds (stamps by Avocado Arts) look quite small in comparison with the big punched leaves... And maybe the double-frame looks a bit heavy too.. In case you didn't yet realize it, this card is definitely not one of my favorites!! :) Sometimes you have a clear vision of what you want to make and then it just doesn't work.. No matter how many days (!) you try to put the card together. Maybe a re-make next week. :)

I hope to see you all playing along at TIME OUT! If you need more inspiration, check out the DT cards here: I just love our DT and the cards the girls provide us every time. Beautiful work challenge after challenge! We also have a guest designer, Jill V, she made a stunning Christmas card with birds... Great idea, Christmas is soon around the corner!! 

Happy crafting everyone!

Stamping with Optional Theme of Apples at TIME OUT!

Hi friends!
It's time for a new TIME OUT Challenge! The theme this fortnight is easy peasy: stamping! You can also choose an optional twist, "apples" -doing that you have a chance to win a stamp set from Avocado Arts. I've used their stamps in my card and I own several sets: Avocado Arts stamps are super quality and so cute and fun! I hope you'll check out the shop. With the new challenge we also have a new guest designer, Loll. Loll is one of the most inspiring card makers I know and it's such a pity my fall has been so busy I haven't been able to visit her blog Stamping With Loll as often as I'd like to. If you don't know her blog, check it out, you'll love her designs!

I decided to make a CAS design this time. I used navy blue card (unfortunately it looks almost black in the photo!) and combined stamps from 2 Avocado Arts sets for my focal point: Special Delivery and Springtime Celebrations. I've used simple post-it masking for stamping the flower inside the postmark frame. The sentiment is heat embossed with white powder... Some Copics were used to add color... And there's glossy accent in the hearts for added interest. This turned out quite cute I think! I'd love to hear your opinions too. :)

I'm off to work so better keep this post short and sweet... :) I hope to see you all taking TIME OUT and crafting!

I'd like to join:
http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.fi/ Fussy Cutting
http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/challenge-114-cas.html CAS

You Are #1

Hi friends!
I had time for this quick card last Sunday and I almost forgot to post it!! It's a pretty loose take on the current CASE this Sketch, you might think it has got nothing to do with it but the idea to use the PTI No Strings Attached set completely rose from the sketch! The sentiments are from one of the newest sets at Avocado Arts. I had to flip the sketch to make room for the sentiments. I "double matted" the card with two tones of reds because I thought it looked fun. :) The #1 is heat embossed with white powder, otherwise there's just plain stamping in this card.

This will also be my third (and last, I was a good girl and read the rules!) entry to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #2. I'm especially happy about this entry because I used TWO NBUS sets, yay!

Have a very nice week everyone! I'm writing this from our neighbour country Sweden where I'm spending some days for work. It's always fun to meet Swedish colleagues and they do have better coffee here! We win the bread-competition though... Then again the Swedes have Ikea and H&M, hmmm... But we have the Santa Claus! Never believe someone who says Father Christmas is from Sweden. TOTALLY FALSE INFORMATION!!

Thanks for popping by! ;)

"Flight" at Inkspirational

HI friends!
We have a new challenge for you at Inkspirational and it's a very fun one: what does the word "flight" bring to your mind? Our DT with the talented guest designer Cornelia has come up with very different interpretations and I hope you'll visit all girls and leave them some love! :)

The first thing that came to my mind was flying with an airplane and I came to think of the stamp set from Avocado Arts that I still haven't had a chance to use. That'll make my card suitable for Darnell's NBUS Challenge 2 here. :) I love Avocado Arts stamps and belong to the monthly stamp club -the only thing I don't like is that when you get busy you feel bad for not using your new stamps right away! Anyways, back to my card: I stamped the suitcases on pieces of scrap paper and paper pieced the stack. I inked the edges a bit for a more dimensional look... And also used 3 d stickers to make the stack look more lively. I always like this layout with something in opposite top and bottom corners... And went with it once again. I can't decide if the colors of this card work or not... But it is what it is now! :)

I hope to see you playing along at Inkspirational. Have a fun weekend!

*edit*
thanks to Sandie's great suggestion, I'm also entering Virginia's View Challenge: Patterned Paper.

Photo Inspiration at Inkspirational!

Hi guys!
It's time for a new challenge at Inkspirational. We are inspired by the fabulous painting above: it's by an 20th century American artist Ralph Cahoon. I just love the inspiration photos our Inkspirational leader Marina chooses for us! Very inkspirational! :) The design team has made stunning projects, don't forget to check them out.

I've used Avocado Arts stamps in creating my nautical scene. The blue designer paper is the same paper I used in my previous Inkspirational card: if you remember that one you'll notice it looks very different this time (view the card here!) I love how this one turned out -I'm always happy when I find a way to incorporate designer paper to a pretty much clean and simple card. I did some distress inking here too so the card has a sort of retroish color palette. That's all from me now... I hope you'll play along at Inkspirational this time! Happy crafting!

I'd like to enter:
http://www.4craftychicks.blogspot.fi/  Nautical

Fun in the Sun at TIME OUT Challenges!

Hi friends!
It's time for a new TIME OUT Challenge. Summer goes so fast... Especially when you have a little guy like this at home:

Hee hee! That's my puppy Rafa! He is a lot of work... But so funny and cute!

Okey, I'll resist the urge to tell funny Rafa-stories and tell you about our challenge and my card instead. :) This time we are inspired by words "Fun in the Sun": you can use the whole phrase as your inspiration or just some words like "fun" or "sun". My card is inspired by the whole phrase since wearing a bikini usually means having fun in the sun in the beach! :) The stamps I used come from Avocado Arts. I heat embossed the sun image with gold powder, stamped the owl with Memento and colored her with Copics. I know the color palette of this card is pretty wild but I guess fun in the sun can be wild! It was fun to make a card with many layers for a change.

As always, the DT at TIME OUT has made stunning cards for your inspiration. We have a guest designer too, Carol, and I know you'll love the cute tag she created with sponging and stamping. Play along at TIME OUT and you could be a guest designer too! Happy crafting!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:
http://pdelinkyparty.blogspot.fi/ Many Layers
http://citycrafter.blogspot.fi/ Let's Go to the Beach
http://sparklesforumchallenges.blogspot.fi/At the Beach/ Summer Fun

CASEing Donna Mikasa at TIME OUT!

Hi friends!
It's time for another cool challenge at TIME OUT Challenges. We are super proud to be CASEing the very talented Donna Mikasa in our current challenge -do check out her blog three umbrellas if you are not familiar with it yet. I love the colors Donna uses in her cards... And the one we are CASEing is no exception (see the photo below). All the challenge details are in the challenge blog together with DT inspiration. Our guest designer this time is the talented Marzena. Play along and you might end up joining us too! :)

My first idea for the CASE was to use a stencil like Donna did and even to use her fab color combo... But then my new Avocado Arts stamps arrived and I ended up changing all my original plans! I used a couple of shades of blue and green Distress Inks for sponging the underwater background... And added some interest by stamping it with bubble wrap and water (I believe Donna stamped with a stencil and water). I was also inspired of Donna's gold embossing and used it for both the sentiment and the stamped sand. The hilarious bikini girl is colored with Copics. I'd like to dedicate my card to all the ladies enjoying summer... You all rock that bikini you are wearing! :)

Thanks for popping by and I hope to see you playing along at TIME OUT Challenges. Thank you Donna for the change to get to know you better and to CASE your fantastic card!

Friends Forever

Hi friends!
Quick post to share a little card I made. The stamps are by Avocado Arts and I've colored the cute birdies with Copics. These are meant to be girls so I chose girly colors for the headwear! :)  I added some glossy accents to the goggles of the birds as only "embellishment" of this card. I gave this to CAS lover Sandie so wanted to keep things super CAS! :)  Thanks for popping by.

I'd like to enter:
http://open-mindedcraftingfun.blogspot.ca/ Things with wings
http://stampingwithdragon.blogspot.fi/ Clean and Simple

More stamping for Less Is More

Hi guys!
Just a quick post to share my second card for this week's Less Is More: use more than one stamp. I used the same Avocado Arts stamp set  than in my first entry. I really like playing with cute stamps like these, I guess I'm a bit childish! I had fun coloring the images with Copics and pencils (the pencils were used for the feather-look of the bird) and my last touch was to customize the gift boxes with white gel pen. Glossy Accent was a must for the bird's goggles. :) I hope you like my card and thanks for popping by!

Thank You Card for a Guy

Hi friends!
Many of you know that I was visiting my blogging friend Sandie in London last week. We had the best time, it was SO FUN to meet in real life! I hope we get to meet soon again. Sandie and her husband were the most generous hosts. Sandie's husband took me for a run with spectacular views over London and he also made me my first ever Martini (James Bond style!), just to mention some of the treats during my stay! :) Thank yous are in order, of course for the lovely Sandie but also for her hubby who gets the card above. I wonder if Sandie will be getting a card? ;)

I've used stamps from Avocado Arts. How funny is that guy?!? I just love these cute stamps. I've used five stamps (2 of them are sentiments) so my card is perfect for this week's Less Is More: more than one stamp. I stayed away from kraft and used some sort of ribbon -mine is more like thread but looking at the DT cards it's okey!- so I can enter CAS-ual Fridays.  And last but not least, I was inspired of the Something Simple Challenge at Curtain Call. I was originally going to use twine but the all white inspiration photo at Curtain Call made me use white thread. I quite like how that looks! My image is colored with Copics and I also used white gel pen and glossy for small accents. I think monochrome cards are good for men, what do you think?

Before I go, here's me and Sandie smiling happily after a yummy Japanese lunch:

Thanks for popping by! :)

Word Prompt Bloom at Inkspirational

HI there!
Time for yet another Inkspirational Challenge! I can't believe how fast time flies -I think we just started our previous challenge! Anyways, we have a new type of challenge for you, a word prompt. This time the word is "Bloom" -very appropriate for this time of year! In my garden the tulips (all 10 of them!) are finally opening up now -the most annoying thing about living in Northern Finland is the late spring... Well actually, our winter can get pretty annoying too. :)

Anyways, to my card: I've used some fun fun fun stamps from Avocado Arts. These images are very cute, I love the naive style. This card was a coloring disaster: my Copics are in a desperate need of a re-fill! I hope I have money to do that later in the summer. I tried to rescue he uneven blending with Stickels and Glossy so this card has quite a lot going on... I hated it at first but it's growing on me!

Some challenges helped me to create this card: the sketch is from CASE this Sketch. The theme and color inspiration come from Iron Craft Challenge  Inspiration Collages 1: Memories and 3: Difficult Colors -yep, plenty of orange does get difficult! :) I'm also entering CASology: Flower. Thanks for popping by and have a great weekend! I hope you'll now head on over to Inkspirational challenge blog: there's plenty of blooming inspiration from the DT and our talented guest designer Julie.

Chicks!

Hello friends!
Despite the look of this card I was not on acid or on anything else either when making the color choices... Deepti Stephens used such a great sentiment in one of her cards lately, "Dance to your own music" -I think I was definitely dancing to my own music when making this and so are these chicks! :)

The stamps I used are from the newest set from Avocado Arts. I've stamped with Memento Inks -the flower and grass are just stamped but the chicks are colored in with Copics. I found a nice new combo for yellow: yr31, y35, yr12 and yr14. I don't have that many yellows and I've had trouble finding good combinations before. I also used white gel pen to highlight the faux stitching in the stamped tulip and grass. "Kevätterkut" is Finnish for "Spring Wishes".

Now that I continue looking at this I think the chicks might be on acid... There's fumes coming out of their heads and everything! Sorry about that. :)  I'd better end this post before things get too crazy. Have a great weekend and thanks for popping by!