Skating bear

I've just finished a very glittery, winter-themed card and do I feel sparkly now lol!
Here's the culprit:

Believe me, I tried to take the photo so that all the bling can be seen, but as usually it's not the easiest thing to photograph.
Background snowflakes were stamped with the Whisper Grey ColorBox ink, and halfway through drying I sprinkled over it fine yellow glitter. I highlighted the bear's outfit with brown watercolour pencil.

The card enters Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #46, I'm dreaming of a White Christmas at Daring Cardmakers, Christmas/Winter Card at 2 Red Bananas, and The Pink Elephant Challenge #43 - Colour Me Wonderful.
I will most probably come out with another submission for TPE later, as my preferred way of watercolouring is to make the colours vivid and the image stand out.

Thank you so much for stopping by, I'll see you tomorrow!

Personalized CD holders

Hello, hope you're having a nice day!
I'd like to show you the project that I've just finished, for JUGS9 - Template Challenge, and Color Throwdown #70 with dusty durango, elegant eggplant and old olive for a colour combo.

I chose a template by Cindy Lyles on Splitcoast Stampers for my inspiration, and I created my sample around it. I didn't stick to the given dimensions, firstly because inches tell me nothing at all (I come from Europe) and I'm too lazy to convert, but all in all the design is very easy to figure out.
I made these identical CD holders for two of my hubby's sisters and their families for Christmas. The discs contain the footage from the early hours and days of my precious baby girl :)
The sentiment is hand-written and says "memories".
I don't know why the colour of the ribbon and the flower turned out so vivid... in fact it's much more moderate. Oh well, it's one of these days that my camera decided to play pranks on me lol.

Thank you for looking, hope to see you again soon!

Still making holiday cards...

I told myself the other day that I should already stop with these bloody holiday cards this year (anyone want some? LOL), but they're so fun to make, and DT teams keep coming up with relevant themes! :)
I'm curious to see how many more I'll create before Christmas... actually yesterday I gave a bunch of them to my sis-in-law and she was pretty pleased, so it's not a bad idea after all to have a few spare ones available for sharing!
So what's this card for?

Firstly it goes to OCC's current Sketch Challenge, Crazy for Challenges Week 13 - Punch Happy, and also CD44 - Real Soft Saffron (as my second submission - these colours together are to die for!)

I made one more card tonight, and this one's for Embellish Leaves, Acorns & Pine Cones Color Challenge, and PPA18 - KISS.

I discovered the new technique today, that uses chalks instead of inks to colour the stamp. To create such lovely effect, you've got to stamp your image with VersaMark, Perfect Medium or other clear embossing ink pad, let it dry for a while to avoid smearing, and with a soft brush or cotton pad gently spread the chalk over it. I find using several shades of one colour more attractive, as it creates some depth.

I hope you like these two, and also the new look (and address!) for my blog :)

Welcome to my (revamped) blog!

Hello fellow crafters, I'm so happy to see you here!!
If you're one of my existing followers, please sign up to follow my blog again, as my old address
http://chupasrandomactsofcreativity.blogspot.com/
will from now on stay inactive, and all my future blogging will take place here.
Also if you previously subscribed to the content in any other way, please update your subscription with the new details.
Lastly, I'm welcoming future guests, and I'm looking forward to continue sharing with you my projects, as well as offer fun workshops and demonstrations as an Independent Kaszazz Consultant.
Make yourself at home, be inspired, and above all - have fun!

simple card with an angel

Hello, just a quick post this time, and a simple card to show you:

This is my submission for I is for Indigo Blue at ABC Challenge, KISS - PPA 18 at Pals Paper Arts (where KISS means Keep It Simple, Sweetie), and Winter Love at Simon Says Stamp.
I'm more and more into simple cards... having a baby, it's just the right solution if one wants to keep up with the crafty stuff :) But apart from that, the simplest designs are often the most lovely.

Thank you so much for looking!
Chupa xx

Tree Trimming

I just got my hands on the beautiful SU stamp set, and I'm showing you two more holiday cards that I made with it. I suppose I don't need any more Christmas cards this year, for I made plenty already, but any extra ones I'll give out to my family to distribute them further :) I just can't stop making holiday cards lol!

The first card enters the Embellish Brads Color Challenge at Embellish Magazine (blue, red. green & yellow). I CASE'd this wonderful card by Teneale Williams. I love everything about that design!

Next one is for the Stamps and Smiles sketch (SASSC 42), and the colours are from The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC06:

There are a few more Christmas themed challenges around this week (I wonder for how much longer lol!), so I'm submitting these two to all of them. They are:
- Christmas Crackers at Papertake Weekly;
- Crafty Creations Challenge #43 (sadly I couldn't have a go at the cracked glass technique, as I don't have a heating gun yet...)
- Charisma Cardz Challenge 47 - Anything Christmas.

Hope you like them, thanks for visiting!
Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!
chupa xx

Dare to colour

Hello, long time no see right? :)
Well, much has happened for the last two days - I got my starting kit from Kaszazz, YAY!
This means that there are changes coming to my blog, but I'll get to this in a couple of days...
For now I'm going to show you the two cards that I whipped up today.
The first one is for CD44 - Real Soft Saffron:

The second card features colours from Color Throwdown 70, and I used some tearing to create the bloom, so that it suits the Tearing challenge at Quixotic Challenges:

It's a quick post, but it's also a busy day for me, so I'll see you again tomorrow!
Have a lovely evening!
Chupa xx

A sketchy line up

I decided this morning that with the solemn will to do a couple of challenges today and a limited time, I wouldn't waste it on posting a card or two at a time. Thus I'm going to show you today's harvest in its entirety :)
I'm going to be brief with descriptions, for it's late and I really don't know why I'm not leaving this for tomorrow lol!
First project is not a card, but a hanging decoration:

I made it for my hubby's niece as a b-day present. It uses Kazan's Sketch 40.

Next one is a card that I made for TSG 30:

This card goes to MOJO114:

Both this project and the previous one, being of Holiday theme, are also my submissions for FTTC43.

Next is my submission for Mercy's sketch (MTSC 49):

And the last card goes to sweet Sunday sketch challenge #45:

All images have been watercoloured, and there is a lot of background stamping in the first three projects.
Whew! I'm done for tonight :D
Now I must have some sleep, but I'll see you again tomorrow!
Happy crafting,
Chupa xx

Birdies again

Ok, so this is my last post for tonight, but I'm calling this day enormously productive lol! I made five cards altogether, so please scroll further down to catch up with all of them! :)
The card that I'm showing you uses Sketch 42 from Card Patterns, the recipe from TPE: Something Plaid, any # of Brads and No Ribbon, and I worked with the colours from OCC's recent challenge.

The image is a digi stamp, I paper pieced the birds and mounted them on dimensionals.
Thank you so much for visiting, see you tomorrow - have a good night!
Chupa xx

Festive pixie

I'm pretty much in a cardmaking mood today... I can't stop completing various challenges, while in fact I should be working on the other craft projects that I'm planning to give as Christmas presents for the family. Maybe tomorrow :)
This time I'd like to show you my submission for Crazy 4 Challenges Week 12 (C4C12):



I also used again the colours red, green & white, that are the theme for the Challenge 32 at Colour Create. The design is very simple, but I like the clean look, crisp colours, and how the dimension adds interest to the card.
Thank you for stopping by, see you again - perhaps still tonight lol!
Chupa xx

Tailored tree

I'm really pleased with the card that I'm about to show you :)
I used the lovely sketch from Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #92 (TESC92), and (again) the colour combo of Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie & Bashful Blue (JUGS8) at Just Us Girls.
The sentiment was chosen to suit the I Am Thankful challenge at 2 Red Bananas.

The tree is a free clipart that I printed out in the needed colour, and then divided into panels, that have been then sponged with blue and light green ink. The sentiment is also computer generated. I popped up the journal block, and the main panel, on the mounting tape.
Thank you for stopping by, happy crafting!
Chupa xx

Think green

Hello folks, here I am with the first set of cards for today!
First one is for Friday Sketchers #79 and CD43 - Green Chocolate Roses (as my second submission):

The brown colour's being a little blue-ish on the photo, sometimes my camera decides that it would play up...
The image is watercoloured and blended.

I made the next card for CPS143, and the colours come from Colour Create's Challenge 32 - green, red & white. This is a thoroughly Holiday set of colours, but I decided on something different this time:

Hope you like them, see you again soon!
Chupa xx

OCC in Autumn mood

A warm hello! I hope you enjoyed the weekend - mine was busy as always, so I didn't have time for cardmaking until the evening. There are a couple of new challenges waiting for me, and all of them look really yummy... I decided to go with the earliest first, and that's OCC's Thursday sketch challenge (SASSC41)
Here's what I did with the little house:

This is a tri-fold card, you can see how the folds work here:

I chose to work with the colours given by the Just Us Girls team this week: Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue and Really Rust (JUGS8).

Our Creative Corner came out with a very similar range of colours for their next challenge for this week, and these are Close To Cocoa, Pumpking Pie (again), White & chocolate Chip.
I whipped up a quick card with them:

The card also goes to the Thank You Somethings challenge at Stamp Something.

This post is very pumpkin pie-ish isn't it? lol
Thank you for visiting, I'll try to be back once more tonight so peep in later!
Chupa xx

Purple birdies

I was given a link to another challenge blog earlier today, and guess what happened... I decided to celebrate the fact that I like it there with a submission for their recent challenge lol :)
The place is called The Play Date Cafe, and they're having a colour combo this week, of grey, blue, purple and white (PDCC05).
Now, blue and purple can look very stylish together, but I learnt that it's so easy to go overboard with them and end up with a card that looks too busy, and just not right. I think the trick with these two is to make one of them a dominant colour, and use the other one for highlighting/ complimenting the first one. This way they won't be competing :)
Anyway, here's my card:

The image with birds is a digi freebie, but excuse my lazy brain - I forgot where it came from...
I used a magnified part of the branch to create a subtle pattern on the grey cardstock. The birds are paper-pieced, and the sentiment is also computer-generated.
Because of these cute creatures, the card also goes to the Animal Antics challenge at Simon Says blog, as my second entry.
I wanted to keep this card simple and stylish, I hope I succeeded :)
Thank you so much for visiting, happy crafting!
Chupa xx

Throwing down colour

I mentioned yesterday, that I would make another submission for the current Color Throwdown, and so I did. Actually, I created two more cards with the given combo of chocolate, olive, cream & dark red.
Why? Firstly because it's a really nice set of colours, and secondly because of the yummiest prize ever - a set of stamps from Flourishes! This must be one of the companies with the most adorable stamps, I'm in love with them all!
Here are my submissions:

For this card I used the sketch from Charisma Cardz, although I altered it quite a bit - I decided on rectangular shape, and resigned from the accents on the upper sides. They're a nice idea, but wouldn't go well with my busy background.

Here's another card:

The sketch for this one comes from Pals Paper Arts (PPA 17).
All images were watercoloured, and I must admit that they're not the best examples of my skills lol :P
I'm also submitting the two cards to the Animal Antics challenge at Simon Says Stamp.
Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope to be back later tonight with some more paper stuff...
Chupa xx

Poinsettia card and a girl with flowers

There are quite a few colour challenges around this week, did you notice? Well, I don't mind it at all, for I LOVE working with different colour sets! I especially like the moments when I discover that the colours that looked at least awkward together, in fact look fantastic :) But that's what's in my opinion the best aspect of taking part in challenges - each time our creativity is stretched a little bit further.
Anyway, I've got something to show you, and surprisingly it is a card lol. Actually two.
Here's the first one:

It goes to Quixotic Challenge #3: Colour Combo - Kraft & Red, and TSG 29 - In Stitches (I used faux stitching).

The other card uses the colours from CD43 - Green chocolate Roses.

The theme is taken from Thank You challenge at Paper Blooms (it's their last challenge!), and I also included a charm to suit the Crafty Creations Challenge #42 - metal or metallic finishes.

Thank you for visiting, see you tomorrow!
Chupa xx

Christmas card & tag sets

I'm having my first make & take this Saturday, at the local market. I'm planning on advertising my soon-to-be business as a demonstrator for Kaszazz (it's an Australian version of SU)
I'm still waiting for my starter kit to come, but first I want to give people a hint about what I'm going to offer, as well as tease them a bit. Everyone likes a little freebie, right? :)
Here are two sets of a card and matching tag that I prepared for the demonstration:

All cardstock pieces are pre-cut, so there will be only stamping and assembling to do on site, which will take relatively little time.
I stamped the snowflakes with beige ink on a red and cream card, and the words are stamped in brown ink.
I chose to work with these colours earlier, but they fit just right for the Color Throwdown #69, with chocolate, cream & dark red. There's also optional olive, and I'd love to make another card later, that features this colour too. I'll see how it goes :)

Colours galore

Hi folks, I have two projects to show you. My mojo seems to have taken a vacation today, so I'm not thrilled with them though. They're not too bad, but I've got a feeling that I went overboard with the colours lol!
Here's the first one:

The sketch comes from 2S4Y (Laura's sketch 39), and the colour scheme is taken from the Embellish Magazine, but silly me forgot to use brads as another requirement, so I'll have to give them another chance later...

Here's the other card:

The sketch for this one is Papertake Weekly's current challenge (Sketch #28), and I used the recipe from Tuesday Morning Sketches (3 decorative papers, 2 embellishments, 1 flourish).
It's not too apparent on the photo, but the deep blue paper underneath the central panel is not a plain cardstock, but a nice textured DP.
The flower was watercoloured and blended with an aquapainter.

Thank you for stopping by!
Chupa xx

Two sketches

It's late and I should sleep, but I bet you know what kept me awake for so long...lol :)
I've been working with two wonderful sketches, first of them being Mercy's MTSC #48:

I made the card more regular in size, although not because I don't feel comfortable working with narrower shapes, but because I wanted to use my gorgeous cardinal stamp, and I needed some space around it. I added a resin snowflake and button with a bow for some interest, and wrote the sentiment myself, for I wouldn't bother printing this digi out tonight :P

The next card is for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC42):

This week's host is one of my favourite artists, the super talented Silke Ledlow. For this occasion I decided to go for her style (again). I think I actually got pretty close to it this time :P

Thank you so much for visiting, have a lovely evening!
Chupa xx

Two angels

I'm running late with posting today, but I've got two new cards for you.
The first one responds to OCC Sketch/Inspiration Challenge:

while the other one is for Mojo Monday Week 113:

This cute angel and accompanying sentiment are freebie digis from Crafts On The Net. The angel's head and the panel with the snowflake were popped up using dimensionals.

I'm also having with these two another entry for Merry and Bright at Charisma Cardz (as a matter of fact, I could link there at least half of my recent cards lol) .

Thank you so much for stopping by, happy crafting!
Chupa xx

The Pink Elephant Challenge #41

TPE has scalloped circle for a sketch this week, and I understand why they call this one a challenge!... I'm amongst these ladies without dies, who have to compromise the design to some extent in order to come out with something decent enough :)
My compromise this time was to enclose the scallop within the larger circle, so that the shape is much easier to cut:

The lovely image is Precious Moments. I watercoloured and blended it, and as a final touch I added some doodle dots around the circles.
Thank you for stopping by tonight, see you tomorrow!
Chupa xx

Botanical scraplings

Firstly I'd like to thank so much all of you ladies, who chose my cards to be featured on their challenge blogs in the last two weeks! I'm so happy, and I still cannot believe in all the goodness that happened to me - you girls make me fly!

Now onto the new cards! I finally used some of my leftover cardstock, thanks to the current challenge over at Daring Cardmakers, which is to make scraplings :) I love this format - in fact the narrower and taller the card, the more fun! This time though I have them a tad wider, for they're what I had left from an A4 size.
Here's my bunch (excuse the pun):

I used only a small part of a leafy DP, some cardstock for matting and stamping, and less than a metre of ribbon. A few embellies and some mounting foam added a nice finish. What a nice effect still, innit?
Each card features a different sketch. For the first one it's Friday Sketchers #78.
Different format of the card forced some changes in the design though:

Next one uses this week's sketch from 2 Red Bananas:

I decided to use some eyelets and thread the ribbon through the holes.
Finally, the third card was made to suit CPS 142:

All images were stamped in grey ink, watercoloured and blended. I didn't go for my usual style and let the colours stay soft and pastel. It gives the card a nice summer look (hey, summer is about to come here in Oz!)

Hope you like them, see you again later today!
Chupa xx

Night time, craft time!

I thought that I wouldn't find time for some cardmaking today, but every addict has this amazing ability to get what he needs in the most hopeless situations... LOL
Here I am then, and with me two cards.
Here's the first one:

I used the lovely sweet Sunday sketch #44, and the very Autumnal colour scheme (CD42) from The Color Dare. I added a small green accent to the palette. This is also my entry for JUGS7 - Dry Embossing. I just LOVE polka dots!! (but who doesn't...?)
The sentiment is computer generated - I needed a custom design to suit the sketch. As a finishing touch I added some doodly dots around the circle.

Next project is for the Card Patterns Sketch 41, and I used (again) the colours from Paper Blooms' current challenge: orange, blue & white. It's also yet another submission of mine for Dry Embossing at Just Us Girls. This time I used an embossing template & a stylus to emboss the squares, and then sponged the raised pattern lightly with white chalk ink, to help the dimension stand out.

To add to the pile, finally the card goes to the TPE Challenge #40 - Be Thankful. I already have made two submissions for this one, but I love making thank you cards so I couldn't resist :P Besides, they prove very useful for me, especially after my Zuzia was born :)
There are also some doodles drawn around the card edge.

That would be it for now, I'll see you tomorrow!
chupa xx

Ye olde card

Ugh, I'm having just one card to show you today - but why? Because I spent my day at the Paperific expo in Melbourne, and it was terrific! LOL
Today, after a long conversation with some nice ladies, I decided that I sign up with Kaszazz. It's an Australian version of SU! and has some really good stuff! I'm so looking forward to converting my hobby to business, and to share my passion with the others! :)
There will be also some changes coming to this blog too, so stay tuned!
But on to the card:

I'm very much into vintage, and I love papers with a touch of nostalgia, but I don't think they always have to go with ageing/distressing. Clean lines also work very well, as you can see.
I made this one for the fresh new Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #91.
I cut out the image from the cream cardstock and I wouldn't do this again lol :) I then coloured it in with the marker.

Thank you for looking, have a lovely weekend!
Chupa xx

Three trees and my fav colours again

I've got one more card for tonight, and it's another Christmas one to use not quite holiday set of colours:

I don't care though, as soon as it's my fav combo lol!
I made this one for the current Thursday sketch at OCC (SASSC 40). I love it, although the vertical panels are quite narrow, and it can be tricky to find a stamp to fit in these. Fortunately these lovely trees from Craftwork Cards did the job :)
I attached little pieces of silver string to the bottom of each tree, so that they imitate the trunks. I finally came to use this gorgeous velvet ribbon, that I bought over two months ago - I completely forgot that I have it!

Thank you so much for peeping in, have a wonderful weekend!
(Mine certainly will be, for tomorrow I'm going to the Paperific expo in Melbourne to indulge myself in the crafty yumminess, and most definitely will be back with some goodies lol!)
Chupa xx

Ta(i)lored sketch

Woohoo I found Taylored Expressions blog! Well, not exactly found, 'cause I've heard about it for a while, but I didn't bother to look as I thought one has to play with the brand stamps to be able to participate... apparently not! *grin*
This week's sketch (TESC 90) is lovely, and so I made two entries lol!

The first one is yet another Christmas project (I'm having SO much fun making Holiday cards this year!)

The theme suits very conveniently two current "seasonal" challenges:
- Merry and Bright over at Charisma Cardz;
- and Challenge #41 - Snow at Crafty Creations (I trust that snowflakes count!)

I used Olive ink for stamping, and I added a little dimension by raising the circular panel on the mounting tape. I think the combination of tealy blue and olive works beautifully :)

The other card is quite different:

Can you see all that sparkly yumminess on the cupcake? I think that's enough to have the card entering Glitter Me Silly at Cute Card Tuesday :)
The idea for this project came from the Picture This challenge at 365 Cards. We've been given the most delicious photo of a cupcake with pink frosting. I tried to recreate that look, but nothing is going to beat the one from the picture!!
I'm also giving another go for Quixotic Challenge #2: Stitching with this one. Again, I used my favourite faux stitching technique.

I got quite a few challenges covered with these two... As much as I hate "using" my cards like this, it's very convenient when there are so many of them (and all oh-so-tempting lol!), and so little time...

Thank you for stopping by today, I hope you'll come back later for I'm most definitely not calling it a day yet! :)
Chupa xx

Encircled birdie

Let me tell you, I lost my nerves a couple of times over this card:

You know how it is to cut a scalloped circle with a pair of scissors? I did it a couple of times with smaller scallops, but this shape took me AGES to cut, not to mention that the result is far from being neat... Cuttlebug machine and a couple of Nesties are certainly at the very top of my shopping list!
(anyone for a little bank robbery? LOL)

Anyway, I've done it for purpose :) - the first one being Tuesday Morning Sketches #19, that features a sketch for a circular card (although I flipped it, and replaced the vertical panel with the bird), and the other is Quixotic Challenge #2: Stitching. I used faux stitching, this technique is always fun and gives great results :)

The stamps are from Nature's Moments by Tim Holtz (except for the sentiment)
The birdie and the panel with sentiment have been popped up on the mounting tape, and the card was embellished with two ribbons.

Thank you for stopping by, happy crafting!
Chupa xx