Crafty JC Challenge #3 - Inspiration Challenge.

Welcome to the 3rd Challenge from Crafty JC Challenge! I am so honored to be the DT for this month along with Sudha and Khona. It has been a fabulous time for me.

This month the Challenge is "Inspiration". All the 3 DT will have one inspiration photo for you to choose from. I have 2 cards to share with you today! And we are being sponsored by none other than Karen's Doodles.The prize for this challenge is 3 images from the fabulous collections at Karen's Doodles.

Here is my inspiration photo for this challenge. Its a card from one of my very sweetest blog friend Michele Kovack. She was the one who filled my collection of wood mounted stamps! A wonderful person, a super mom and a wonderful,wonderful crafter. She too loves glitter as much as I do...

I would love for you to step by her blog and say Hi to her...Here is the card by her and there is a tutorial too.

I have loved this card for its glitter (no prizes for guessing that) and the vibrant colors. I chose to take the rainbow as an inspiration and create my own.

I used the cut-n-tuc templates to create the rainbow. Sun is from Tiffany's Doodles- a freebie.  I used glue and gloss on the acetate sheet to create the rain. After all you can't have a rainbow without the rain and the sun!! The clouds have been lined with silver pen (literal silver lining in the clouds!!)

Loads of martha stewart glitter! yumm! (ignore my finger in the corner)

The second card is with an image generously given from Karen's doodles. I chose to pick these Birthday Penguins coz I found them to be the most happiest! To be honest I had a tough, very tough time picking an image to work with..they're all so gorgeous!

Here I chose to keep the rainbow theme and used 5 colors in coloring the card..and the cupcakes in front are in the rainbow colors and I knew I had hoarded that rainbow ribbon for a reason!

Glitter and glue and gloss!

I hope you like my DT cards for this challenge and I would love to see what you can create with the inspiration.

Just some simple rules :
1.Pick anything you like from that photo, the colors, the shape, the theme...and show us your interpretation.
 Do mention which photo inspired you and what inspired you. If you can put up the inspiration photo along with your card, that would be great..but not necessary.
2. Make sure its a new project.
3. Link it up on Crafty JC's Challenge blog. 
4. And as my favorite blogger says, Have fun!

I've kept my chatter to a minimum today.. I wanted to go on about how I created these cards. But since there are a lot of pictures today, the banter goes down!

Supply list

Rainbow card:

Fabriano CS, OHP sheet, Cut-n-tuc template-circle, Sharpies for coloring, Memento-tuxedo black, sentiment-Heart and soul rubber stamps, Martha Stewart glitter, glue and gloss for the raindrops. Clouds hand cut- and watercolored. Lined with silver gel pen, Black ultrafine Sharpie

Penguin card:

Fabriano Academia CS, Faber-castell watercoloring pencils, hobby ideas glitter in shimmer ice, glue and gloss, rainbow ribbon -a RAK, small cupcakes and sentiment- Inkadinkado Cupcake stamps.

Cut-n-tuc templates/Coluzzle

This is post no.3..please scroll down for older posts..

This is just a post to show my cut-n-tuc templates, what is called the coluzzle in the USA (they have been discontinued in the USA). I've got a lot of queries as to what it is or how I use it. But I can show great photos, so this is what it looks like. Its pretty easy to use once you get it in your hand. There are a load of videos on youtube if you want to see how it works.

1. The foam mat is what I had with me, from my Parchment kit. What you can use is those packing materials sheet, usually white in color, similar to Styrofoam. You stack your foam mat, then your paper and then the template and then cut.
Tip - Do not use your cutting mat as a foam mat, you will not get perfect cuts. It needs the foam mat to push the knife into the grooves.

The foam mat on left is from Shilpi, and one of right is the one from my parchment kit.

2. Now my multi-colored template. Its a tip I learnt form SCS (splitcoast stampers) It makes sense to color every groove else you start at cirlce one on right and circle two on left. Trust me, I've done that..it makes it easier for you to remember which circle you were cutting or need to cut!! I used my Sharpies since sketch pens won't work. Fear not you can use those OHP permanent markers to line them too!

These are the other two templates that I have. The oval still has to be used..hence not colored. I do have more fancy templates too, but these are ones I use the most..

3. The rotating knife/swivel knife- pricey but a must. I've tried other blades but the grooves are too thin and a straight blade, while helping you to cut may scratch the grooves of the template. Smita reminded me to add this bit, you get refill blades for this knife. Since it gets wedged between the two groves, there is a good chance you will break it. (I'm on blade number 3 right now). Most importantly, direction of the blade in the groove is very important. Keep the sharp edge of the blade in the direction in which you are cutting. Should minimize the breakage of the blade.

If there are any more questions, bring it on. I'd love to help you as much as I can.
And no they aren't paying me for this. I wish they would!

All of these can be found at your nearest Shilpi store and if there isn't any near you, they are more than happy to send it to you at your home address. Here is their email (sales@shilpi.com). Their website is down as of now.

Scrapbook mini

This is my second post for the day...scroll down for my first post! 

You've all heard me whining for so long that I'm trying to finish my mini..its finally done...at this point I don't have much to say...(but you know I still will say something) Mind you, these are only some of the pics...

The front, still going to be embellished

Pages 1 and 2, the page on the right is a pocket with a tag.

This is the mini tag.

the tiny pink flower peeking, is a mini tag too..

So these are just some of the pics..love to know what you think of them. I hope my friend likes it. Though she is more interested in her baby's album which btw has not even seen the light of the day..and she arrives on 23 of this month!! Is it any wonder that I've got headaches most of the week!!!

And then there are some peeps that I want to hug, literally if I could and since i can't, {{{A virtual Hug}}} Jaya and Ujjwal, love you girls..Thanks for sending me such amazing blog candy...wanna see what Ujjwal sent me?

It is like paradise for me. All that glitter, punches, flock, stickers, paints, handmade embellishments! Thrilled beyond words girl..Thank you so much!!

And this is what Jaya sent me..(yup peeps I can smell the smoke) I'm a lucky girl what can I say!!

(This photo is from Jaya's blog)
Thank you girls so much!!

Glittery Cupcake

Hey people, its been a long break for me. 15 days since my last post..working on a few projects that took all of my time..then family was visiting..and so on forth...to cut the long story short, I'm back with a card..
It was such a pleasure to work on a card after so long..I've been working on scrapbook pages for 3 weeks non-stop..and they never seem to end..no matter what you add, there is always something to add...and being the finicky perfectionist that I am, it adds to my work.
There's so much to share, I'll be dividing it into two posts, one tomorrow..

On to the card, this card is based on two challenges, the Card patterns's sketch #81 and Crafty JC's 1-2-3 challenge...
It all came together pretty fast...my newest Inkadinkado cupcake stamp is what I used..every stamp on this card is from the same set. And that gorgeous doily is a RAK from Juhi..you rock girl !! Thanks so much!!

Loved how this turned out. The glitter that I used on the cupcake took my breath away..This glitter was sent to me by Jan and I've been hoarding it ever since..(a year back)  it shimmers! I don't know what kind of glitter it is,but I want some more and also need a fine tipped glue pen for this... Compared to this the hobby ideas glitter looks like chunks! that's how fine this glitter is..

I loved how the PP tied up nicely with the white dots I put around it..The sentiment looked too bare with just the word sweet so I gave some dots around it. I have to admit, it looks nice! The rose with leaf trio is stamped on the pink CS with Versamark.

Ok, that's enough about glitter..not enough? ok one more shot of the glitter! :)

This photo does not do it justice..IRL it is much more pretty..
The roses next to it have the hobby ideas glue in ice shimmers.

Next up, I wanted to show my ATC's for the month of August. The theme was orange, white and green. And Butterflies had to be there...this was very very simple, took me more time to print this than put it together. Images are colored with Sharpies, are glossed with glue and gloss. Backed on a black CS. The white flowers are colored with very light grey..just for shadows.

There is a different way of assembling this butterfly..if you're interested I'll show you how. the second wing on top is popped up with a foam adhesive.

Here's a shot to show the gloss..

That's it for now..will be back with photos of the amazing candy I won from Jaya and Ujjwal and the album that has driven me nuts. I will still be MIA for a couple of days as i try to finish the bigger album..but should be back with Crafty JC's 3rd challenge.

Supplies:
Cupcake card
Pink CS - Fabriano, Black memento ink,Rose bud memento ink, sharpies, Ultra fine glitter, hobby ideas glitter-ice shimmer, signo white gel pen, rhinestones, versamark, PP from Itsy bitsy(sweetheart)

A blog award

Smita passed this award to me. Thank you so much girl...Really appreciate it.. I found  her through the comments on Dina's blog. Imagine finding your neighbor on a blog of someone outside the country!! Such is the quirkiness of life..

Now I need to pass this award on to SEVEN favorite blogs. Its tough but here's the 7 peeps

1. Priya 
2. Manasa
3. Shraddha
4. Jaya
5. Michelle

That's all the peeps I can think of..rest all of them have this award on their blog, if you feel i've missed out on you...please add this super badge to your blog!!

Thanks a ton Smita for this..

Butterfly wishes!

This post is a mix of the bad and the good..lets leave the bad for the last...The good part...I won the first ever CraftyJC's challenge! Yay! Sooo excited..and I get to be the DT for the 3rd Challenge..excited and nervous already!Thanks Jaya for this wonderful opportunity.

Just made a card yesterday night..I had seen this card making kit in Hobby ideas and I loved the colors it had..so wanted to make it..first tried with punched out butterflies..nope..then with punched out daisies..nope..then had to turn to this handcut butterfly...yup..worked perfect..The card kit that I had seen had long petaled daisy.
Also used some recycled corrugated sheet. Loved the effect it gave. Started to hoard cartons and boxes after this card...Hubby thinks I've finally lost it..:D

Here's the card

Woo-hoo! It seems blogger has finally fixed the issue..Love the clarity of this pic..good going blogger!!

Yes! I am showing off my new Apron lace Fiskars border punch..its a super toy..and yup..its wanna made me buy some more..any suggestions as to where to buy the cheapest from? 

Just a close up of the card.

Been busy making my scrap book album..long way to go..Its my first attempt and its not easy...Hats off to those who make it seem so effortless.

Now for some bad news, we didn't win in the Paperworks Challenge. It wouldn't have shocked us or upset us so much if the voting process had been clear from the start. The voting process had loopholes, and at the beginning of the voting process we were told, the total votes will count. At the end when we asked them to clarify the votes, the public votes counted only for 50% of the votes..It feels so awful that we stayed up at night till 3 am (some of us really did) to finish the cards since we were fighting with their time zone advantage too and not make to the top 3. Really bummed!

Anyhow, it was a learning process..I love that 4 of us got to share such super camaraderie, send texts in the middle of the night..bite nails waiting for each others cards and loved the encouragement of each team member! Here's a toast to the fab 3 team mates..the best I could ever have! Cheers to you girls!

Photo courtesy -Corbis.com

Supplies:

Fabriano CS, blue and green lightweight CS, pink ribbon-local, pearls-Itsy bitsy, glitter-hobby ideas ice shimmer and blue shimmer, paper flowers - Rak from Heather, Sentiment - Heart and soul rubberstamps, blue ink- Memento Bahama blue.