Perpetual Birthdays....

Did you wonder what was inside this parcel? 

Well..... It was a Perpetual Birthday Calendar that I made for my mum for Christmas.  Actually I made 3 as gifts, as I decorated each in a slightly different way.

This first one is the one for mum, which I decorated using the embellishments from the pack, but using her favourite colours, Real Red and Bermuda Bay.

This one is for my sister and uses the colours suggested in the kit.

This one is for my mother-in-law, who loves greens and purples and butterflies.

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Merry Christmas.....

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.....

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Peace.....

Just a quick post today..... and with a card with not much stamping, but it is such an important word.

I'm entering this one into Colour Throwdown....

And the complete card....

Colours:  Smokey Slate, Real Red, Whisper White

Stamps: Holly Jolly Greetings

Other: Merry Moments DSP, Red Foil Paper, Delicate Ornament Thinlit Dies

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Crumby Christmas......

Well.......kind of .... but only in colour ways!!  Though this does remind me of a joke that I tell my young class members at school......but I digress.....

This is a card we made at my December Stamp-a-Stack, which was a couple of weeks ago now, and yes I have been slack in posting, but that's what holidays are all about.....right?? 

 

I love the way the wreath is the focus of the panel, but the red glimmer paper really gives it the splash of colour that the crumb cake wreath needs...... very neutral, very rustic...... and I love it.  I think this might be my favourite card from all the SAS's this year.

I'm also entering it into CAS(E) this Sketch

Colours: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Real Read, Whisper White

Stamps: Wondrous Wreath, Embellished Ornaments

Other: Red Glimmer Paper, Wonderful Wreath Framelits

Oh.....and just in case you were wondering....the joke is.....

Q:  Why did the Teddy Bear Biscuit wear pants?

A: Because he had crumby knees...... 

I love it ....but it often needs explaining to 5 year old. LOL.

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Santa's Joy...

 

With 3 children, I'm sure that what brings a lot of joy at this time of year is the jolly rotund man dressed in red.  Stampin' Up!'s gorgeous Home for Christmas DSP, has an amazing array of whimsical designs that are perfect for fussy cutting. 

 

I've created a set of 3 cards, based around a similar design, all just a little different.

 

This one is my favourite.....not sure why, but probably cause Santa is waving at us!! 

 

 

I'm entering this cards into this week's Addicted to CAS challenge.

 

Colours: Real Red, Whisper White,

Stamps: Holly, Jolly Greetings, Six Sayings

Other:  Home For Christmas DSP, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, Gold button from my stash.

 

Happy Stamping...Manda

Purple Inspiration....

 

For those of you who follow my Facebook Page Manda Stamps  you will have seen me post this photo last week. 

 

 

I was sitting in a waiting room at work and this was the view out of the door that I had, which prompted an idea for a Christmas card.

 

Here's the card front....

 

 

From the photo I've taken inspiration from the colour scheme, but also the idea of looking through the door to the window behind.  I used a window sheet to create the see through panel on the card front, which you can see more clearly here.

 

And hiding behind the purple and silver tree on the front is another little tree....

 

I'm entering this card into the Sparkle and Shine #19 Challenge. 

 

 

 

Colours: Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White, Silver Foil Paper

Stamps: Peaceful Pines

Other: Silver Metallic Thread, Rhinestones, Window Sheet, Dimensionals, Perfect Pines Framelits

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Remarkable Dreams.....

 

I've been asked to make a few 'special' cards lately, large A5 cards for my workplace to sign for those who are leaving at the end of the year.  I've made this one for a lovely young lady who has chosen not to return next year, as she wants to pursue her wish to teach kindy.

 

Now despite her being my son's teacher, I really don't know her all that well, so it took me a little while to 'find' the card.  Sometimes I know exactly what I am going to do....not this time!!  But once I settled on a  colour scheme and my embellishments, it all came together fairly easily. 

 

Of course, I did take inspiration from Addicted to CAS and Can You Case It?

 

 

I've created dimension with lots of layers.  Leaves stamped, leaves die cut and glued straight down, then glue dots, and then dimensionals.  Add in the Blossom Accent embellishments, and there's the top layer!   I deviated from the sketch just a little, by moving the sentiment to lower on the card front.

 

 

Colours: Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Tip Top Taupe, Hello Honey, Delightful Dijon, Whisper White.

Stamps: World of Dreams, Remarkable You

Other: Rhinestones, Blossom Accents.

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

Joseph's thanks.....

 

I love being able to reinvigorate a technique that's 'old'..... that is, one that's been around for a while, that everyone has used, but it's still such a cool technique.  It's just needs some new interest.

 

That's what I've done for this collection of challenges..... a tried and true technique that some call Joseph's Coat (because of the variety of colours that are hiding) but is essentially emboss resist.

 

Here's the card....

 

and here's a close up of the Joseph's Coat.

 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges.....

 

Case this Sketch

 

CASology

 

and Colour Q

 

(I've used Tangerine Tango as Dusty Durango was never released in Australia, and Island Indigo as Not Quite Navy is retired)

 

Stamps:  Perpetual Birthday Calendar, Watercolour Thank You

Colours: Whisper White, Island Indigo, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Hello Honey

Other: Hello Honey Ribbon, Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Old Olive Button

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

CASEing Mary....

 

One of the very first Stampin' Up! demonstrators whom I discovered once I joined SU! was Mary Fish.  She is from the States, and way back then (when the US had stamps and colours sometimes 10 months before Oz) she was a constant source of inspiration for my good friend Anna, and I.....needless to say we still love her creations!!

 

I got to spend a quick couple of hours crafting with Anna today, and we took the opportunity to CASE Mary...... Here's her card.

 

I changed it up (only a little) by changing the sentiment and choosing different reindeer images from  Home for Christmas DSP.   The border on my circle framelits is a little thicker, too.

 

 

And the set of four that I made.

 

Stamp Set: Santa's Gifts

Colours: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Real Red

Other: Brights Candy Dots, Home for Christmas DSP

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

More Spritzing.....

 

I've been looking around social media and found this new (to me!) challenge site, called Sparkle and Shine.  It's designed to appeal to those who love sequins, which I do, but also often struggle to use.  So I thought I'd pull out some from my stash and have a go.  I have to say that the colours of the dresses in the inspiration photo grabbed me as well......though I think my card ended up more peacock colours....Oh well .....sigh....

 

 

 

And for my card, I decided to do some more spritzing....using my ink pads direct to the acrylic block and then spritzing with water.  I've stamped the block straight onto thick whisper white cardstock.

 

 

Colours: Cucumber Crush, Marina Mist, Island Indigo, Elegant Eggplant, Memento Tuxedo Black.

Stamps: Six Sayings, floral image from my stash.

Other: Sequins from In Colour Sequin Assortment (retired)

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Calypso Baubles....

 

It's been a busy week at my house......at work we are trying to get 60 6 year olds to present an hour long nativity play, at home daughter #2 is leaving for a week long school trip to the national capital.  Factor in various dental and medical appointments, play dates, birthday parties, and co-curricular break up parties, and .....well, lets just say it's been a crazy week. 

 

Needless to say, I've been a little tired, and haven't had an opportunity to sit at my craft desk for a while.

 

But....good news!!  I've managed to make time, (and stay awake!!) to create an entry into this weeks Can You Case It challenge.

 

 

I've also decided to enter it into The Paper Players Challenge for this week.

 

 

 

Here's what I came up with.

 

 

Colours: Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper, Basic Black

Stamps: Holly Jolly Greetings, Embellished Ornaments

Other: Calypso Coral Thick Bakers Twine

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

Embellished Baubles.....

 

I've been a little bit creative with my interpretation of the sketch challenge from Case This Sketch this week.  Here's the sketch.

 

The flower = the sentiment on my card

The thick banner = the bauble (created by sponging the background then stamping a border)

The thin banner = the holly leaves.

 

Colours: Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White

Stamps: Embellished Ornaments

Other: Real Red cotton ribbon, Dazzling Details (Cherry Cobbler)

 

Happy Stamping........Manda xx

Blue Elf....

 

If you follow my Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/mandastamps?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

you will have seen the preview of this guy that I posted a couple of weeks ago. 

 

Well I finally got a chance to assemble the card......here it is in all its simplicity.

 

Stamps: Christmas Cuties, Petite Pairs

Colours: Pool Party, Real Red, Night of Navy, So Saffron, Blush Blossom (retired) for the skin.

Other: Softly Falling embossing folder.

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Acrylic Block Spritz.....

 

That's the way I've made the background for these cards......I used my stamp pad to add colour to my acrylic block and then I spritzed with water before stamping onto Whisper White.....Don't you love the way the colours blend together?

 

Here are the full cards again....

 

 

I'm entering these cards into the Can You Case It Challenge #92.... a sketch challenge.

 

Colours: Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Cucumber Crush, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Whisper White, Memento Black Tuxedo.

Stamps: Crazy About You

Other: Various retired and non- SU things from my stash..... Opps....

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx