Happy Birthday ...

... to my friend and colleague Jane. She had birthday a few days ago but I could not really share her birthday goodies with you before she had seen them (lol). Jane is such a vivid and talented crafter. It is always a pleasure to pick bits and pieces which she might be able to use in her crafting. Amongst the bits and bobs like patterend paper doilies, little buttons, ... I crocheted some 'Mary Go Round' ornaments from the relatively new Mollie Makes magazine using bangles and cashmere wool
I put all goodies in a paper bag and added quite a big birthday tag with candles because ... what would be a birthday without candles?
The basic layer of the tag is cut from plain white paper and layered with Echo Park paper. The candles are actually paper candles (also Echo Park paper) rolled in the same way as I previously made some paperbeads - except that I rolled the paper around a cotton string as candlewick. The sentiment is from Lily of the Valley and the little butterfly punched with a Martha Stewart punch. Happy Birthday, Jane! Petra.

Shared Moments

This is for the Gingersnap Creations Random Redhead Challenge: Shared Moments.
The ladies seem to have so much fun enjoying some cups of coffee or tea (I cannot remember anymore where I found the image, if anyone knows, it would be great if you could let me know, x). The image is layered on black card, Basic Grey paper and background paper I created with the VersaMark resist technique:
I stamped a geometrical pattern (Kaisercraft) with distress ink (scattered straw) on plain white card and embossed it. Then I coloured the card with various shades of red and brown inks. The stamped pattern is just about visible - it gave a bit of a distressed effect which I quite like.
The sleave around the card is made of brown wrapping paper, the stamped sentiment and stars are from 7Gypsies, the die-cut star cut with nestabilities. The little bling is the finishing touch to it.

Why not pop over to see all fabulous DT pieces and take part in the challenge? Happy crafting, Petra.

Let's Recycle

The Blog Challenge Garden tag challenge is all about creating a tag using recycled materials ... at least 90% should be recycled. I LOVE such challenges. This is my recycle pool
A script page from a clothes catalogue, corrugated card from a parcel, a tag with some beads from a dress I bought last year, a cut-out circle from soem packaging, a little label which came with a stamp, some white twine from a Christmas tag and a wonderful little angel image which I found in the street - I don't know who lost it but I couldn't leave it, could I? It was a bit dirty when I found it but with a little bit of careful cleaning it looks wonderful now. And here is the tag
Have you spotted it? The only two new items I used are two new staples - haven't found a way of recycling those ones yet (lol) Petra.

Be Transparent

... with your creations ... the current challenge over at the Cheerful Stamp Pad. I always loved the effect of stamping on transparencies. It gives such a crisp and clean look

Supplies:
transparency - stamp: Heindesign, ink: Elzybells hybrid ink -
paper: Memorybox - Nestabilities, charm and ribbon

Come and join us and check out the fabulous creations of the DT, Petra.

Keys

Keys is the current challenge at Inspiration Avenue hosted by the ever so talented Hettienne from Her Grace: to use a key or keys or the metaphor of a key in your creations. This theme offers so many choices and possibilities, so it was time to make a decision (lol)
This is a very simple and surprisingly quick tag. I absolutely enjoyed the process of using various techniques: first I coloured and patterend the background of a plain Manila tag with a That Special Touch mask and distress inks. I had already printed a key definition from the web which I gessoed and transferred to the tag. And then it is all in rubbing it down gently but firm and allow the paper to dry. With a little bit of water I rubbed off the paper to disclose the script but left some paper so that some areas are a bit obscured - an effect I quite like
The last steps were to stamp the music key (stamp: 7Gypsies) with Coffee Archival ink onto the tag and to attach a bit of leftover twine. Petra.

Catching Up With Friends

Oh dear, after having been away for a few days I realized that I am well behind with any blogging - especially with uploading my DT piece for the Gingersnap Creations Chestnut Theme challenge: Gal Pals.
Aren't they sweet? I love these two ladies (stamps: Lily of the Valley) ... they remind me so much of my Mum and my Auntie ... if they have the chance they do exactly the same (lol)...
The base for this card is a plain white square card covered with patterend Crate papers. The image is coloured with Copics and colour pencils. I mounted the image on more patterend Crate paper and attached it with nestabilities tags and some buttons from my stash to the card. The individual letters were self-adhesive (sorry, I cannot remember where they are from).

If you haven't looked yet at the fabulous creations pop over to the Gingersnap blog ... and there is still time to join in! Petra.

Bees and Beehive

For the second week of Vicki's 'Let's Reuse' challenge I paid tribute to the bees in our garden which are so busy collecting the pollen for the wonderful honey

Supplies:
recyclables: beer bottle cap, corrugated card, receipt -
images: Graphics Fairy, Percy & Bloom -
stamp: LilY of the Valley - ribbon, raffia

There is still quite a few days for you to join the challenge. Just pop over and have a look at the amazing pieces of the DT, Petra. x
Linked to: the Graphics Fairy

Knit Happens!

This is a postcard I made for the Kindred Spirit Postcard exchange. It is for the month of August and went to the lovely Christine from Change of Heart Creations.
Here theme was: pick your own theme/anything goes ...

The base of the post card is digital cloud paper from TracyAnn Digital paper. For the second layer I first stamped all the images (stamps from Kraftie Kimmie and Little-Z) on white card and then coloured the background and the images with Koh-i-noors and Copics. And ... I know it is a postcard ... but I couldn't resist to give it a bit more depth and a bit of a three-dimensional feel by adding some 'true' knitting (the knitting needles are pins), make the sheep all fluffy with cotton pads and add some stamped (stamp by Elzybells) and cut flowers.
Wishing you a great weekend, Petra. x

Stardust & Moonbeams

First I have to tell you that I feel very achy today and any action takes so much longer than usual ... I have been swimming yesterday - the first time in 10(!) years. And now I really feel like this lady (lol)
To get over this I thought it would be best to attempt some crafting and explore the new tag challenge at the Blog Challenge Garden: Moon
It just had to be something sweet and girlie with paper from the girl's paperie, Elzybells stamps, some paper piecing, some ribbon, blings and lots of golden glittery gel pen. Happy Crafting, Petra.

Let's Reuse - Paperbeads

Have you ever asked yourself what to do with all these advertising brochures which come through your letterbox? Quite often they have a good size, nice colours and the paper might have an appealing texture. With Vicki's new challenge at the Cheerful Stamp Pad: Let's Reuse I decided it was time to do something with these brochures which are sort of piling up in my crafty corner.

I started to cut one of the brochures in triangles - very long and pinty but very slim to make paperbeads. I would have never imagined this to be so much fun and thought I make a little tutorial to share it with everybody:
1 It all starts with long pointy thin paper triangles

2 Take one of them and find something round like a knitting needle (just make sure that it is thick enough to leave a nicely sized hole in the middle of your beads) and begin rolling the paper around the needle starting on the wide end. Roll it as tighly as possible and as regular as you wish - paper is amazingly flexible and don't worry if it gets ripped in the process, just add it on maybe securing it with a little dab of glue

3 I only add some glue to the paper when 3 to 5 cm of the paper left, continue to roll. Don't worry if some glue squidges out on the sides just continue with the rolling

4 Once you have finished give the glue a few seconds to settle and then the bead of the needle

5 What to do now with such lovely beads? For stability and to smooth the surface I covered some with Modge Podge and some with glossy accents. Of course, you could also paint them with acrylic paint, roll them in Versamark ink and emboss them with UTEE, ..... and turn them into wonderful embellishments, charms, .....

Of course, you can give the beads different shapes, sizes and uses. Just have a play, it is so much fun but be aware ... it is addictive as well! Hope to see you over at the Cheerful Stamp Pad, Petra.

Have a Heart

... and make it the focal point of your tag ... this is the current challenge over at the Blog Challenge Garden. I haven't participated for quite a while but could not let this one pass (lol)
As base I used a simple Kraft card tag and covered it with BasicGrey patterned paper which I distressed around the edges and stamped on with Kaisercraft stamps (ink: Elzybells whipped cream and shattered straw distress ink). I added some paper lace, a bit of cheese cloth and some scrap music paper. The heart itself is cut from Basic Grey patterned paper and seriously distressed around the edge and slightly ripped on the surface. Two ribbon knots and some bling are the final touches. Petra.

Linked to: Blog Challenge Garden - Have a Heart