Look what I got

When i arrived home from work, guess what i found waiting for me. A mail from none other than Maria, and a beautiful RAK card.

It is beautiful and she was so kind to enclose me two sets of studio g clear stamps. She is the most incredible person I know. Thanks a lot Maria, it sure made my day.

I needed that boost. Life's a little low right now. Thanks a ton girl.
Do stop by her blog and say hi to her.

new cards.

Yeah yeah, i know lazy me. No new cards, no posts and no participation in challenges. Had lost my creative streak, took ages to find it. I am struggling to get some PP from someone in US or Aus. An aussie pal is trying to send it over. 12x12 sheets are big to send, i'm thinking of basic grey 6x6 pad. Will work fine. too much cribbing over what i want, here's what i made over the weekend.

This card was made for my best friend during college days. The cake didnt' stamp out properly so had to redo it. Looks a bit weird, need a good black inkpad. just mounted the image a lil off. thought it looked neat.This one is for my cousin, just a 15 min card. the watercolorpencils look dull. I need something better to perk up the images. Copics...not for me..way too expensive, prismacolor pencils...maybe someday...

long time no me??

Life is showing me a lot of twists and turns, there have been just tears and tears since one month. But now i'm a lot more composed. I've finally decided to stop crying, its not getting me anywhere and it certainly will not get me what I want. It's something to do with love. And I gave in to the saying "If you love someone, set them free. If he comes back he was yours. And if he doesn't he wasn't " I've left the future in God's hands, coz there isn't much I can do to change the situation. It's practically out of my hands. I'm just keeping the faith and living each day with the happy memories I have. And not lament over what I might or might not get. And at the same time, I'm trying to move ahead. Not get stuck up, not bottle up all my emotions, or feelings. Letting it out in various ways, making cards and listening to good music is another of it.

So I de-stressed by making a few cards. The Dentist my brother assists, sent me an amazing book on the way Mumbai was pre-independence. Great book. So I made him a thank you card and since his 5 yr old chatter box kid would ask why she didn't get anything, I made her a card too.
I used a roller stamp and partially inked images to separate them. It was a pink Fabriano paper. And oh yes I forgot to mention that my brother gifted me a faber-castell set of watercolor pencils. 48 of them. Gifted would be a wrong word coz I kinda bullied him into buying it for me as an advance rakhi present. Sisters can be mean sometimes, especially when Rakhi or b'day's are around.
This one was a very simple one with a handmade marbled paper I brought almost a year back. Since I basically eyeball all my layering and gluing, most of the times my cards are a little crooked. Makes it look hand-made IMHO. hehe!!

till next time

Red and black

This is the card I made for Maria's weekly challenge. I've so far not done any other challenges this week. Hers was to use scraps of ribbon. Who does not hoard ribbon. A good way to use them.
Initially I just had one red layer. It looked naked. So I layered it with black and again with red. And used my roller flourish stamp with black ink. A tiny butterfly sticker completed it.






Right now my brother is eyeing it. I know to whom it will go to. But sending my card to her!! How will that help. I never understand boys.

Wishing a Great weekend for all of you.
Love.

random cards

Looks like i'm very late in posting my cards. Life is a bit twisty right now. I am supposed to make a decision whether I can fight for what I want or take with bowed head what life wants to give me. What I want is what I love, and what I will get, I will have to learn to love. Its a tough choice, not knowing what to do, whom to love and whom to hurt. Because someone is going to get hurt no matter what decision I take. Actually the power of decision has been taken from my hands, I'm just awaiting my fate.

Sounds too cryptic, but I can't reveal more. Maybe once the decisions are made, I could elaborate. Right now, I just need strength to accept what comes my way. I need courage not to break down, and faith to help me get through this phase. And I need lots of positive energy around me. So no more grumbly me!!!


Now on to my random cards, I made this card just to channel my energy to somewhere else other than thinking. So this is what i came up with. I wanted to color the flowers around the heart, but the watercolor pencils I have were to thick to get into the tiny detail. So I left it blankThe right hand side was looking too bland, so added a few bling sequins. And with the scraps left over from this card, I made an ATC for Maria's weekly challenge. Turned out great.
The bling in this card are stones I found in an embroidery store. Tried paper piercing too. Used my pergamano piercing tool and the grid. Its tough as I have to eyeball the distance. Will have to look for a transparent template for piercing.


This next one is also an ATC, I tried out for the first time. I'd never made any ATC before, and I think they're super easy. .I tried faux stitching in this card for the first time. and its cool.

Trifold card

Here's my card for Maria's Tuesday inspirational challenge. She's come up with amazing challenges every week. I never used to participate in challenges, but now I kinda look forward to challenges on every blog, forum, or even from other blogger. It helps to stretch my creativity. It makes me wanna create something new, something good for someone or the other.


The inside sentiment is still pending..depending to whom i decide to give the card to.

I'm thinking of trying paper piercing now. Should check up on Emily's post for that. Awesome tutorials.

more later.

The rains are awesome right now. Love getting drenched and coming home to eat a roasted corn cob.

Roller coaster week

I really dont' know if this entry will get published. Reason, my computer is behaving erratically. just shuts down so before it does that again, here's the stuff i wanted to post.

Two cards, one for father's day. Got the idea from a couple of tutorials, which Allison puts up on her blog. She is one helpful lady. Her's is the first blog i always check.
so anyhow, i made this card for my dad. And got him a Parker pen. I think he has all the Parker pens in the world but will jump with glee if he got just one more.

And this one is for a friend. Tried out the gel card on SCS projects. turned out wonderful. The fish is so cute, just copied the clipart from the net, as i didnt' have any fish stamps.

The week was a bad one, tears, stress and complete failure of my positive thoughts to act. Just kept going bad to worse. Today its a little better, but i wish it could be even better than this. It's utter chaos, if you could peek into my mind. Standing on the cross-road, knowing you want to cross, but knowing you might die if you cross. AArgh!!! misery!! misery of not knowing what road to choose, not knowing where to go...

i guess love will keep us alive!!!

The hardest card to make...

This by far has been the hardest card to make. Not in terms of technique or layout. This card is for my best friend who lost his beloved dog. He was 14, old in dog years.

He was a stray puppy, lying with his 4 sibling pups and mom, all of whom were dead, only this one was fighting for life. My fren adopted him, and as the puppy grew, it adopted my friend's rebellious attitude. There was nothing in this world that could make the dog do what he did not want to do. And of course, the companion thru the darkest hours, that's what makes a dog man's best friend.

I've never owned a dog, but the stories i've heard about this dog, really made me want to adopt one. but an apartment is no place for a dog. when i heard that he was hit by a bike and paralysed waist down, i prayed that he should not suffer. Yet he pulled thru for over 4 days but could not eat anything, and on 4th day he passed away.

Everytime i sat down to make this card, i would choke up, not sure what to write or what to say that could console someone. Its like having lost your very best friend.

The image was taken from the net, and just drawn on a paper and then on acetate sheet, it looks bold.
The card says "mummy" coz i wanted to tell him, that the dog is finally at rest with his mom in heaven.

Is it just me?

When I had decided that I would make cards for all my family and friends this year, I really just wanted to do something new. I was getting bored of my daily 10-12 and 5-9 part time job. Ok, I'm in the profession where I'm helping everyone else heal, but was not healing myself.

Anyways, so when someone tells me that they loved my cards, or even appreciates it, or even just thanks for the card, I'm over the moon. I get the same good feeling when some of my patients come back and thank me, or just tell me that I helped them heal. It makes it worth my time and day.

But 2 days back, when I made 2 cards, one for my granpa, and one for my couzin sistah, well they never said anything about it. No thanks, no I like it, no anything. Sadly they didn't even acknowledge it at all. My granpa is 85, so I can let it go. But my sitstah? We'd been thru a rough patch and I was trying to smooth things out. And I thought the card would start the road to mending, but sadly it's not to be.

I'll just have to forget that i made anything for her. But on the whole, is it wrong to expect people to appreciate you?
is it just me who feels this way?
As I'm writing this I just wonder about my mom, or for that matter every mom in this world. They're caring, working and being happy, yet without an expectation of thanks. I'll appreciate it more when i become a mom myself. Long time to go!!!

I think i answered my own question. Anyways, here's the card i made for her.
Background paper was downloaded from The template section of inkstains forum.
The envelope in the background was stamped repeatedly with a confetti stamp to give it the border.

card goin to Australia

this is card made for my fren whom i used to call bee. dunno how the name stuck. She was my roomie in the hostel and there in started the bond that lasted for 10 yrs and going strong. She just moved to NZ and her hubby is in Melbourne, so i made a card for her. I was planning on using yellow but i saw this card on a blog, and i fell in love with the colors. I think more than the designs the colors inspire me. the patterned paper is by doodlebug desgins. Love the new black and whites they have.
I simply love how it turned out. i guess the sky is a bit smudged out. But i have to compromise on the colors i use so i think its pretty ok. I used a bit of copper glitter on the tree trunk(hand sketched)
overall i'm very happy with this card.