Spring is in the air

Or the Sakura is in bloom...as they say in Japan :)

Spring is especially beautiful in Japan and is widely celebrated. What better way to herald the new season than by making a card (at least that is how a crafter thinks)!

Spring is the season for new beginnings and the card today is my first attempt at making a tunnel card and not surprisingly, I like it. It is very easy to make too!

The stamp is Magnolia Tilda which I colored with my copic markers ( the collection is growing, YAY !!)  The traditional Japanese doors (Shoji) were easy to make with the square dies.  I used the Origami paper that one gets in the 100 Yen shops and I think it works perfectly for this card.

I used quite a few different dies - the Spellbinder nestabilities, Memory box etc. The flower on the vine is not a part of the die, it is from the Martha Stewart hydrangea punch.

Since this is a tunnel card, the place to write a message is at the back.

I wanted to show that despite the 3-D effect, the card is not quite thick and can be easily mailed. The recipient can pull the sides a bit to make it deeper. 

Submitting for the following challenges

Addicted to stamps - Any shape
Midweek Magnolia - anything goes
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Favorite stamp company - obviously Magnolia - a look-back at my past posts is all that one needs for that declaration :)
Addicted to stamps and more - anything goes
Craft your passion - Always anything goes
Paradise of Magnolia - Dies and punches

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Crazy me....

Actually what I meant to say that in the crafter world, we have all gone crazy about the Tim Holtz's Crazy bird stamps. I love them too ...and here is the proof..

The card is a Zig-zag card and I used these two birds because I just love, love, love the expression on their faces. These two definitely are my favorite! The sentiment is hand written just because my collection of stamps is sometimes not as large as I would like it to be :(

And these is how it looks once you take out the inside card ..which incidentally is a full fledged card and not just an insert.

The sentiment inside the card is also handwritten and very simple..

Submitting for the following challenges

Crafting with an attitude - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Lace or ribbon
Crafty Girls Creations - anything goes
7 Kids college fund - Anything goes
Sweet Stamps Blog - anything goes

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My first gorjuss girls card

So I have finally been bitten by the "gorjuss girl" bug and I made my first card today. And after a long time, I have also followed a sketch from a challenge blog. And I also made a monochromatic card after a really long time, or perhaps for the first time ?

The image is perhaps the most popular gorjuss girl image ever! But what I did realize is that the imperfections in coloring come out much stronger under a camera lens. Believe me when I say, her hair doesn't look as bad as it appears here :(

And of course, the picture of the inside which I left blank, intentionally. This is one of those images which can be used for a number of occasions / messages. And of course, one always needs such cards.

And the side view

Submitting for the following

 Freshly Made Sketches
Addicted to Stamps - Clean and Simple
Stamping sensation - Flower Power
Clear it out - Use pattern paper more than an year old
ABC Challenge- C is for Cute

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It is all about Pink

Though not my favorite color to craft with, I did end up making this "pink" card which I think turned out pretty alright. I had colored the image a really long time ago - may be an year or even more but just couldn't find the mojo to use it. After a lot of wasted paper, here is what it turned out to be..

The image is, of course, magnolia tilda - one of the really old stamps. But still very cute. There is a bit of glitter on the front layer of her dress - my attempt to try and make it look a bit transparent..
And I think the sentiment goes perfectly with the image.

And here is the usual side view. The best part about this card is that it is rather thin and I won't have to pay extra for postage :)

Submitting for the following

Alphabet Challenge Blog - A is for anything pink
In the Pink - For a Special Lady
2 Crafty girls challenge - anything goes / monochrome
Creative Moments Challenge - Anything goes / place sentiment in the front

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Working on the Christmas Cards :)

So far, it is holding up...my resolution of making the Christmas / New year cards way in advance so that I do not have to panic at the last minute. So here is another one in that collection.

The Card is, of course, a Zig-zag ( or cross-over) card with the Magnolia Tilda stamp which has been covered with Copic markers. The lacy doilies on the left side are Memory box dies. I have also used the Spellbinder dies to frame Tilda image.

And this being a festival card, I have used the trifecta - lace, ribbons and pearls :)
And here is the inside for message..

Submitting for the following:

Digi Design Challenge - Use 2 or more dies
Crafting from the Heart - Anything goes
Inky chicks - Ribbon and/or Lace
Creative Craft Cottage - Pearls and /or Lace

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Spring is in the air

I love spring..but then who doesn't? Finally gives me a chance to get out and explore though this year, the winter wasn't as bad. And with the turning of the weather comes the urge to create something bright and light and that is how I think of the card I made.

The image is from A Day for Daisies. These images lend themselves beautifully to a simple, clean, light arrangement - perfect for this kind of weather :)

The background clouds were my first attempt at this- I think it is a bit too much. Next time, may be not so many clouds in the sky...

Submitting for the following:

A Day for daisies - Add dimensional flower
Crafty Sentiments Design - Spring
Artistic Inspirations Challenge - Anything goes
Craft your Passion - Anything goes
Ooh La La Creations - Add a sentiment

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