Baby Boy Album- Jan 2012

This is the album I just completed on order....Many of you have already seen it on facebook, but this is just for those who love to see it on my space....(Photos are specially for you Doc...I know you like photos better than videos)

There are hidden tags, the butterfly on the Papa page above, 

and on the Sister page, below

 

These tags on the left will hold baby's hand and foot prints..

Pages for photos of the baby with the grandparents..

 Letters form the sister and parents to the baby. 

You can also find my video for this album at Youtube....

Not much to write about....and honestly I'm going to be loony for a while...lots of things happening at my end that are just not making me feel like crafting. It has really taken a back seat...no no dears..no good news or that kinda stuff...

I'm so sorry  I'm behind on your watermarks too...today is the day I shall send most of your samples out!! Just have some patience and bear with me.

Reviewing Varna's Stamp Set

This is my 2nd post in two days...please scroll down for my previous post and leave some love!! :)

A couple of weeks back, Varshitha asked me if could review her stamp set, which she's trying to get made in India. I agreed....and boy was I impressed. Finally some fabulous stamps proudly MADE IN INDIA!!
Varshitha first of all thank you for you unquestioning faith in my review and your praises. I'm honored and humbled.
So onto the stamp set....here is the preview on her blog...

Its a beautiful set..the birdies and the sentiments are fabulous...and the background stamp, its stamps like a dream.
I wanted to test it out with different papers and different ink combinations...so I'll show you and explain everything.....Most of the photos are self explanatory, but feel free to ask me any questions...

 I loved this background stamp...lining up is so easy with this stamp...excellent transfer of ink with distress ink...

 I had some Photo paper (glossy paper) and tried it on it too...Still a crisp impression, no smudging ...

 My most used paper for making cards...Fabriano Brustro, 220 gsm...and is slightly textured...

You can see the fabulous impressions on every image...

Embossed resist on my baby scrapbook mini....

 And I have done something which even Varshitha doesn't know...see that row of dots for hanging the bird-cage...guess where I've used it???

 

 Familiar? See those journalling lines? I've used the chain for the birdcage to create my journalling lines!! :D

 

 Here too and in the tag below!! Isn't this stamp wonderful??

  

 Here is my original review that I'd sent to her...which is also on her blog...Have you checked out the sneak peeks she's been giving out for all her stamps?  I can't wait to see all of them...

1.   I really like the deep etching of the stamp. Easy to peel off the CD and sticks very well on the acrylic  

      block too. My clear block is dirty and yet after adhering and removing the stamps a couple of times there was no problem at all.

2.   It takes up ink well. The ink does not pool up on the stamp as it sometimes happens in the case of water based inks like memento and distress inks.

3.   I stamped it using dye ink- memento black and red, pigment ink- brilliance inks, distress inks, and chalk inks. No issue with impressions at all. They stamp as good as PTI stamps.

4.   I also used different papers to try it out, Fabriano brustro, Ivory paper, watercolor paper and glossy paper. Crisp impression on every paper.

5.   The border stamp is simply amazing. The design is such that it allows for continuous stamping and I could not even find the joining line. Very very crisp impression.

Thanks Varshitha for such a fabulous opportunity and wishing you loads and loads of success in your new venture! :)

You make me Smile...

Thank you everyone for you warm support and unquestioning understanding of my previous post. Most of you on Facebook have already got previews of this card...but I had to post it here!!
First of all wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's day!! hope this day brings love, happiness and much more, all year through!!
Now for my card...
This card is for Kavitha's Challenge - Blooming Gorgeousness where I'm the Guest Designer for winning her 1st challenge...

 I decided to use my Papertrey ink Sunflower set and turn it into Dahlia/Gerbera daisy's. I just stamped the flowers using Rose bud memento ink and worn lipstick distress inks...
The center is stamped with Dandelion ink and sentiment is from Signature greetings, again a PTI favorite set and embossed in white.

I do doubt that you can see the glitter on the yellow centers of the flowers...I did use my new Rock candy distress stickles!  Butterflies...I am gonna show you how to use your Pie lane stickers better!!!

All of these flowers and leaves have dimension...I have used an embossing stylus on the reverse of each flower to give each petal definition...its hard to see in the photo, but every flower is curved!!

Lots of dimension to the butterfly and the flowers!! Thanks Kavitha for such a fabulous theme!! I had fun making it!!

p.s. did you see my new digi siggy? I loved making them and am willing to make custom digi signs/watermarks for you if you are interested. Email me for price and samples.

My Big Decision

A few of you have been privy to my rantings on Facebook, and I'd promised I'd tell you in good time why I was upset. It was not one but two things that took place side by side and which added to my sadness and bitterness.

For reasons that are beyond the scope of this blog and are more personal in nature,
I am no longer a part of  the Indian Craft Room. I expect your understanding and please do not ask me why I took the step I took. If I could, I would have put it right here...nothing helps me heal better than sharing it with you all. At this point of time...I cannot share.

And the second part of bitterness came when I had to part ways with a friend. When I stood by her, for everything she believed in , I had placed a hope in her that when the time came for her to support me, she would do it. Unfortunately as is the world today, when I asked for her understanding and support in what I believed in, I only got indifference. I was only good enough to be called a friend as long as it served her purpose. So that left me with a bitter taste of friendship....but as they say, you live and you learn....one tick mark on my life sheet...
I learned a lesson and I forgave the friend and I have moved on. I am not going to look back with regret, I am not going to re-build that bridge again....maybe in time when I heal, I might or might not...but not right now!

So that is the story of this week of my life. It sure will leave a huge hole and a big impact on my life....but a quote on a friend's page yesterday gave me hope -

Its not the people that stand by your side when u re at your best, but the ones who stand beside u, when u are at your worst, they are your true friends!

MIA

Hey everyone...sorry for the long leave of absence...I will be missing from my world till the end of this month...this year seems to have started on such a fast pace note....
Sonia, I promise you, your Pie lane goodies will go out this week, ...snatching bits and pieces of time to create...


Hope to see you guys around!!! Don't forget me while I'm gone! :)

ETA- Thought I'd also show you what I'm busy after!!

Just a few pages from the scrapbook album that I'm working on!!

Book Review - Losing My Virginity And Other Dumb Ideas!

Thanks Khush for this book....loving this idea of reading one book and sending it across...kinda reminds me of the movie...Sisterhood of the travelling pants! We could have our group of the traveling books! :) What say?
Here's my thoughts on this book by Madhuri Banerjee

I hated this book after the first 50 pages or so. The writing wasn’t the fault. It was because I could so identify with the main character. She was making the classic mistakes that I had made and I so wanted to scream out at her and tell her …Stupid girl..ditch him right now..he’s not good for you…ask me how I know!! That itself should have told me that I would like this book once I finished it. 

And finish it…I did!! The last few pages of the book..30-40 pages to be precise made me feel so proud of her..For where she had reached. And to know that she had grown up…I would say that amounts to superb writing. Its not mind-blowing stuff..its not record breaking stuff…It’s not the book that will make histories…but the fact that I identified with it from beginning to the end makes this book special in my eyes.

If you’ve not had your heart broken, moped after the one person who you thought was your true love, and in the process of moping found yourself to be a stronger person than what you thought you were…you won’t identify with this. This book might feel absurd…But me…I’ve done it all…I’ve had my heart broken to the point where I thought I might not survive another day…I’ve moped for months believing that I’d lost everything when I lost the person I thought was my one true love..And then came out of it stronger than before, to the point where instead of wishing for lighting to strike that person( I've wished for worse, but this is all I can put in print), I can go across and shake his hand, look him in the eye and say hello. 

And I realized that one true love in my life was “me” I needed to learn to love myself and everything would be good…I still haven’t achieved that 100% but I’m hacking my way through the shrubs and bushes of life to find myself. 

I might copy the last few pages and keep it with me to remind myself that no matter whatever happens, I’m always stronger than I think I am. I would strongly recommend one read if you are in a quest to find your true self…it just might give you a few pointers! 

And don't ask the men in your life to read/like or understand this book....they never will....

Another CAS card...

Yes yes, yes...its another butterfly card...run away right now..Don't say I didn't warn you! (teeheehee!!)
Since I was on a CAS making spree before I left for my vacation, I had  a few to share, this being the last of the lot...Next post will have to wait for a while longer I guess!! or maybe I'll share some sneak peeks of my album...

This card is for another princess who arrived last  month!!  When she grows up, the cards will get more girly..right now, this would have to do!!! ( Do I use too many exclamation marks?, I guess I do!!!!!!)
Its a simple Die cut butterfly window and then I stamped inside of the die cut...
The stamp and die is from Paper trey ink...

Twine from The twinery and Charm from Artystree store..
Entering this card for Young Crafter's Unite where the theme is CAS,

for Crafty JC's - Something New and for Moxie Fab- Die Cutting Challenge..

That's all for now...Do write in if you have any questions!!

New Beginnings!

Hola everyone!! Back again to post some cards that I'd made for the Crafty JC - Something new challenge! This card also goes for the Bling it on- New beginnings.

Here's my card...

This is a baby girl card for a dear dear friend...she's already got it...so I can post it here!!! I just die-cut the butterfly out from the CS, and added acetate behind the opening. Added a few blings!
Stamp is from 3 bugs in a rug, twine from The twinery and the beautiful Princess Charm is from Artystree Store

Couldn't decide on the white or black background, so put in both...The gemstones I used are the ones on the right...I love the whole sheet of rhinestones..just cut and stick..no need to apply glue!!

Also I thought I would share the Car Keys Charm I did for K...Its soon going to be yours!!

 

Its a cluster charm, and the butterfly is of course from Artystree Store, but the tiny - Made with love charm is from Jovita's Store!! Thanks so much for finding this darling charm for me girl!!!

Re-visiting An Old Card

I just saw that a fellow blogger started a new challenge and the theme was stamping, How could I not join in! Plus she wanted cards to showcase stamping, and would accept an older card too (hope I got that part right)
So the blogger I'm talking about is Varshitha, who is coming out with her own brand of stamps ... I am sooo eagerly waiting to see her designs!
The one preview has me all excited...so Varshitha, here's a card just for your challenge!

This is a complete one layer card..it uses Clear border stamps from Sassafrass lass- Stitched border 2, The border is used to make the waves,
the fish is a cling stamp (its a RAK) and the sentiment is again a cling from Stampin bella .
Colored with my watercolors.

I hope this meets your challenge criteria..and wishing you all the best in your new venture...

CAS card

First of all a very very Happy new year to everyone!! I hope it is a fabulous and creative for everyone...I am hoping for loads of changes for my life. Lots of lifestyle changes, lots of changes in my attitude, perspective and mostly my thoughts!! So I guess the word for the year for me will be "CHANGE" What's your word for the year?

For my card, I chose to do a one layer card, using my newest PTI purchase, the Mehndi Medallion...Lined them up and stamped using Lady Bug, Tangelo, Dandelion, Cottage Ivy and Bahama blue Memento Dew drop inks.
The Sentiment was PTI- Signature greetings with Tuxedo Black...and the bling...is clear Rhinestones..

Clean and simple need not be one layer...it can have layers and yet stay CAS...will show case some more examples in the coming weeks!