Happy Birthday Card (Fairy Tale Challenge #163)

Hi everyone! :o)

It's time for a new challenge at Fairy Tale Challenge Blog. 

Our theme for this fortnight is #163, Dein erster oder letzer Stempel / Your First or Last Stamp.

This time our lucky winner will win this lovely froggy stamp. :o)

I went with last stamp option and made this Happy Birthday Card. :o)

To make this card I was inspired with a beautiful card I found on Winterlia Design, here.

For my card I used patterned circles stamps from my latest stamp set Uniko Studio Background Builders 'Round In Circles' clear stamps. I was a Uniko #38 challenge winner and received generous prize from Bev, Uniko owner and designer. I got myself this gorgeous stamp set and two Christmas themed stamp sets. :o)

I also used circle stamps from various stamp sets and a sentiment stamp from Jane's Doodles 'Belated Birthday' stamp set (find detailed supply list below).

I stamped patterned circles in black on a white cardstock panel. Then I stamped smaller circles in black and yellow tones. For yellows I used Distress Inks Mustard Seed and Fossilized Amber. Tiny circle stamps I used are outlined circles and at this point everything looked a bit boring. I colored some of those tiny circles with black marker and Distress Ink Fossilized Amber and made them solid circles. Better!!

Then I stamped the sentiment on the panel, trimmed it a bit, glued it on a slightly larger black cardstock panel and glued everything on a white top folded card base, slightly larger than panel, and my card was finished.

Dimensions of card: 102 mm x 133 mm (4" x 5 1/4")

List of supplies:

• Uniko Studio Background Builders 'Round In Circles' clear stamps (large patterned circles)
• Jane's Doodles 'Bealted Birthday' stamp set (sentiment)
• Jane's Doodles 'Geometric Patterns' stamp set (large solid circle; discontinued stamp set)
• Create a Smile 'Eggstraordinary Egghunt' stamp set (tiny circle)
• Create a Smile 'Perfect Tune' stamp set (two tiny circles)
• white cardstock paper
• black carstock paper
• Ranger's Arcihval Ink (Jet Black)
• Tim Holtz's Distress Inks
• Mustard Seed
• Fossilized Amber
• Staedtler Lumocolor permanent black pen S (superfine) 0.4 mm
• UHU universal glue
• Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
• bone folder
• acrylic block (102 mm x 102 mm)
• Marabu rounded fine paint brush
• wet microfiber cloth

I hope you liked my project for this fortnight and got inspired. Stop by the Fairy Tale Challenge Blog and see gorgeous creations my Design Team Mates made for this challenge. Do join us, we can't wait to see your projects. :o)

I'm entering my card to following challenges:

Note: bold text and challenge badge (if any) are direct links to the current challenge and blog badge (if any) is a direct link to blog or challenge home page.

1) Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, Anything Goes
This is my 3rd entry to this challenge.

2) Stempelgarten Challenge, Challenge #58 - Non Cute

3) Uniko Studio, 5th Birthday Party

Thank you for stopping by and your kind feedback. Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka

TOP4 and Winner (I Love Math Challenge #4)

Hi everyone! :o)

Thank you all for joining I Love Math Challenge #4! There were 8 FABULOUS entries!! I enjoyed very much visiting your blogs and seeing your Math creations. Brilliant!!! :o) Girls, you've inspired me a lot and gave me a very hard task to pick TOP 4 favorites.

You can see all entries on main challenge post here and also on Pinterest, where I created a board for this challenge.
Note to challenge participants: If you don't want your card pinned on Pinterest, please leave me a comment below or send me an e-mail. Thank you.
Update April 25th, 2018: all I Love Math Challenge boards on Pinterest are permanently deleted.

Before I continue, I would like to give a special thanks to Kaja (Kajcyika), who was very kind and offered her help to make I Love Math Challenge signature watermarks for Neha (designer collaborator) and me, as I don't have a proper software to create them. I've sent her my sketches and she made them in a speed of light!! She created elements, those I can use in the software I have, so I can do with them whatever I like, as for example badges. Thank you Kaja!!! ♥

And here are my TOP 4 favorites, 

in order of entering the challenge:

1. scrAPpamondo (AliceP) #3

Alice used a Tangram (Chinese geometrical puzzle consisting of a square cut into seven pieces which can be arranged to make various other shapes) as a main Math element on her card. With beautiful patterned papers she created gorgeous swan. Love this so much!!! I like how she arranged everything together and created this gorgeous card bursting with Math elements: Tangram, dots, lines, geometrical shapes (circle, triangle, square, parallelogram, rectangle), pinwheel, sacred geometry (patterned papers).


2. scrAPpamondo (AliceP) #4

Another amazing card by Alice bursting with sacred geometry and a Tangram cat as a focal element. Love!!


3. Kajcyika #8

Love the design, layout, colors, Ombré Effect, mathematical elements on the card (heptagons and curvy line), black images stamped over colored heptagons... Kaja combined bunch of tinny details on her card and kept it CAS. Gorgeous!!

4. Preeti D. #9

Love the design, layout, soft color palette, circles pattern on circles and how Preeti combined different geometrical shapes (rectangles, circles, pentagrams, parallelograms) into her card and kept it CAS. Super cute card!! 

Congratulations Ladies!! Here is a TOP 4 badge for you. Feel free to download it and proudly display it on your blogs.

The winner of one Jane's Doodles stamp set from the TOP 4 Favorites, 

chosen by Random.org is

2.  scrAPpamondo (AliceP) #4

Congratulations!!! :o)

Please contact me in next two weeks to claim your prize (email: milkagubo81 (at) gmail (dot) com). If not, another TOP 4 Favorite will be randomly picked.

Thank you all for wonderful support and participation. I hope you'll be also joining next challenge which will start on April 7th 2017.

Big hugs to all!! Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka

Hello Card (Jane's Doodles DT Spotlight)

Hi everyone! :o)

My second post today... If you missed the first one, just scroll down or follow a direct link here.


Today is my turn to be on the spotlight over at Jane's Doodles and I made this CAS (clean and simple), one layer, Hello Card.

To make this card, I used GORGEOUS Jane's Doodles 'Cactus' stamp set. Succulents and cactus are my favorite plants, so you can imagine how much I LOVE the set. :o)

When I received the stamp set (August 2016), I stamped all images on paper scraps and fussy cut them out. I made these to use them as a help to arrange scenes and as masks. I store these in a pouch with the stamp set.:o)

For a card base I used Canson XL Mixed Media Paper. I stamped the the cactus/succulent pot directly on the card base using pre-made masks. Here and there I fixed some lines with black fine liner. I colored the stamped image in watercolor technique using Distress Inks. After drying, I stamped a sentiment on the card overlapping the pot. I like this a lot!! :o)

As a finishing touch, I coated a cactus's bloom and sentiment with glossy Wink of Stella. Love the shimmer!! :o)

Card dimensions: 101 mm x 101 mm (4" x 4")

List of supplies:

• Jane's Doodles 'Cactus' stamp set
• Canson XL Mixed Media Paper, 300 g
• Ranger Archival Ink, Jet Black
• Staedtler Lumocolor permanent black pen S (superfine) 0.4 mm
• Tim Holtz's Distress Inks
• Mustard Seed
• Fossilized Amber
• Twisted Citron
• Cracked Pistachio
• Lucky Clover
• Vintage Photo
• Walnut Stain
• ZIG Wink of Stella Brush (Gl. clear 999)
• acrylic block (102 mm x 102 mm)
• Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
• bone folder
• Marabu fine rounded paint brush no. #0
• water
• paper towels
• pre-made masks

I'm entering my card to following challenges:

Note: bold text and challenge badge (if any) are direct links to the current challenge and blog badge (if any) is a direct link to blog or challenge home page.

1) AAA Cards, CAS Game #84 - Watercolour

2) Happy Little Stampers, Watercolour Challenge, February 2017, Anything Goes

This is my 7th entry to this challenge.

3) Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, Anything Goes
This is my 2nd entry to this challenge.

That would be all from me today. Thank you for visiting and your kind feedback. Enjoy and smile! :o)


Milka

Shoot for the Moon Card (LMMS Challenge #157)

Hi everyone! :o)

It's time for a new challenge at Little Miss Muffet Stamps Challenge Blog. It's #157, Anything Goes Challenge.

For this challenge I made this one layer, Shoot for the Moon Card. :o)

To make my card I was inspired with a card I made in December 2016. You can find it here.

For my card I used beautiful LMM's Forgotten Scraps 'Shoot for the Moon Sentiment' digital stamp. I love it!! :o)

I made a simple layout on my computer and printed it out directly on a card base, for which I used Canson XL Mixed Media 300 g Paper. To prevent ink smearing, I left image drying couple hours. 

I watercolored the card with Distress Inks. First I watercolored a background with Blueprint Sketch. When I was satisfied with the color of background, I masked the sentiment and Moon, splattered the card with Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink mixed with a bit of water and dried the card again. Then I watercolored the Moon with Distress Inks Mustard Seed and Fossilized Amber.

As a finishing touch, I coated the sentiment, Moon and stars with clear Wink of Stella and my card was finished. :o)

Card dimensions: 95 mm x 127 mm (3 3/4" x 5")

List of supplies:

• LMM's Forgotten Scraps 'Shoot for the Moon Sentiment' digital stamp
• Canson XL Mixed Media Paper, 300 g
• Tim's Holtz Distress Inks
• Mustard Seed
• Fossilized Amber
• Blueprint Sketch
• ZIG Wink of Stella Brush (Gl. clear 999)
• Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
• bone folder
• printer
• Marabu fine rounded paint brush no. #2
• Marabu fine rounded paint brush no. #0
• Ranger Heat It Craft Tool (for drying)
• water
• paper towels
• paper scraps (for masking)

I hope you liked my card for today and got inspired. For more inspiration, stop by the LMMS Challenge Blog. Join us in on Challenge #157. The challenge will last for two weeks. There is also a prize for one lucky winner: $10.00 Gift Voucher to the LMMS shop. We like to select couple other projects to highlight as well. :o)

I'm entering my card to following challenges:

Note: bold text and challenge badge (if any) are direct links to the current challenge and blog badge (if any) is a direct link to blog or challenge home page.

1) Happy Little Stampers, Watercolour Challenge, February 2017, Anything Goes

This is my 6th entry to this challenge.

2) Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, Anything Goes
This is my 1st entry to this challenge.

Thank you for visiting and your kind feedback. Stop by this afternoon, I'll be posting again. Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka

Constellations Card Set

Hello everyone! :o)

Today I want to share with you this Constellations Card Set.

I made these one layer, monochrome cards with a gorgeous Hero Arts 'Reverse Constellation' background woodblock stamp.

Before I started making cards, I tested stamp on a scrap paper. I inked the stamp with Distress Ink and pressed the paper on it. Stamped impression was not good. Last year, Jennifer McGuire shared a very helpful tip on her blog: Getting Clear Stamped Images. I tried that and a result was excellent. :o)

I inked the stamp with VersaMark Watermark Ink, wiped it with my palm, inked the stamp with Distress Ink Blueprint Sketch and pressed a top folded white card base on the stamp. I removed the card base from the stamp and left it dry on air.

My first idea was to make only one card, but I liked it so much and I made three more. I cleaned the stamp with wet microfiber cloth between stamping and repeated inking and stamping process previously described for each card.

The stamp is larger than card bases I used, which allowed me to stamp different impressions by pressing card bases in different corners of the stamp. I also rotated the stamp.

I wanted all these stars to shimmer, so I traced all constellations and stars (all withe parts) with Clear Wink of Stella and my card set was finished. :o)

Dimensions of cards: 95 mm x 133 mm (3 3/4" x 5 1/4")

List of supplies:

• Hero Arts 'Reverse Constellation' backrogund woodblock stamp
• white cardstock paper
• Tsukineko VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad
• Tim's Holtz Distress Ink, Blueprint Sketch
• ZIG Wink of Stella Brush (Gl. clear 999)
• Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
• bone folder
• wet microfiber cloth

I'm entering my card set to a challenge:

Wednesday Creative Inspirations Challenge, Challenge #268 - Anything Goes
This is my 4th entry to this challenge.

Thank you for stopping by and your kind feedback. Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka

Celebrating 30 Days of Pisces 2017 - Intro

Hello everyone! :o)

Just now, Sun entered Pisces and Pisces period starts. :o)

Two years ago (2015) I started a personal challenge which took time in Pisces period, Celebrating 30 days of Pisces. I gave myself 4 challenges to complete them in 30 days. Goals of these challenges were to improve my coloring and card making skills, to learn some new techniques, to finish a "long time waiting to be finished" project and to improve my English with writing here on blog daily. I managed to complete all challenges, I accomplished my goals, made some new friends and had loads of fun!

Satisfied with results of my first challenge and self improvement, I decided to make this challenge annual. :o)

Last year (2016) I've challenged myself to make 30 CAS cards in 30 days, as they were (and still are) my favorite card design. I made 30 CAS cards and completed the challenge. Not all cards I made were unique design, there were couple sets and CASEs, but I accomplished my goals and improved coloring and designing skills.

You can find all about my previous years celebrations/challenges on my Personal Challenges Page.

Celebrating 30 days of Pisces 2017

This is a personal challenge and will take time in Pisces period that starts today, on February 18th at 12:31 PM and ends on March 20th at 11:29 AM. (CET, UTC +1, Dubrovnik, Croatia).

I like a lot hand lettering and would love to improve my hand lettering skills.

Last Winter, while I was on vacation in Ivanić-Grad, my friend Sandra, an artist, showed me basics on how to hand letter using paint brush. She gifted me two quality paint brushes and dip pen nib for practicing.

I was very inspired and motivated by the work of Christine Drogt of Das Kartenchaos (owner of Create a Smile Stamps, set-up an art-project Smilespotting) and gave it a try in Spring last year. With Christine's approval, I used her hand lettered #Smilespotting samples as practice guides and CASEd one of her samples. She even encouraged me to share it. I've shared a sample from a photo below, for others to use, here.

Since then, June 2016, I haven't practice seriously. Scribble here and there, but not enough to improve.

I'm challenging myself to practice hand lettering every day in Pisces period.

"Practice makes the master."

Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

Goals of the challenge are to improve my hand lettering skills, to encourage myself  to hand letter on my projects and to continue practicing after the challenge ends.

Idea is to hand letter samples that I'll be using for other projects, for example cards, #Smilespotting, encouragement messages etc., as shown on the photo above, or to hand letter quotes I like in my notebooks.

I'll be sharing my progress and hand lettered samples here on my blog. At the moment I'm not sure if that'll be daily, weekly or something else, as I'm planing more fun activities here on my blog in this period. I'll go with a flow and share when I manage. :o)

Thank you for visiting and reading. Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka 

Easter Bunny Card (KBD Aloha Friday Challenge #88 Mid Inspiration)

Happy Friday everyone! :o)

Today I'm sharing a mid-inspiration project for an ongoing Aloha Friday Challenge at Kitty Bee Designs.

The challenge for this fortnight is #88 - Color Challenge. Use at least 2 colors from this color palette.

Ranunculus Brights

Image source: Design Seeds

We have two sponsors for this challenge: A Day for Daisies and All Dressed Up, so there will be double prizes! :o)

  

And here is my take on the challenge: CAS (clean and simple), Easter Bunny Card.

I used an ADORABLE 'Easter Egg Bunny' digital stamp. I decided to go with super simple design, no sentiment and simple paper piecing (layering).

Image has two layers. I printed the image on a white cardstock panel and colored it with black marker. I printed one more image on a watercolor paper paper and left it dry for a while to prevent ink smearing while coloring.

After an hour of drying printer ink, I watercolored the image with Distress Inks, fussy cut it, traced edges with black marker, softened the image with stylus ball and glued it over the "black" image on the panel.

I glued the panel on a square top folded card base, added withe highlights on the image as a finishing touch and my card was finished.

Dimensions: 102 mm x 102 mm (4" x 4")

List of supplies:

• Kitty Bee Designs 'Easter Egg Bunny'
• white cardstock paper
• watercolor paper
• Tim's Holtz Distress Inks:
• Spun Sugar
• Festive Berries
• Spiced Marmalade
• Hickory Smoke
• Unibal Signo White
• Stabilo Fiber Tip Pen (Marker) 68/46, Black
• UHU universal glue
• printer
• Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
• bone folder
• Ranger Heat It Craft Tool (for drying)
• Marabu rounded fine paint brush no. #0
• Marabu rounded fine paint brush no. 3/0
• scissors
• stylus ball
• soft working mat
• paper towels 
• water

I hope you liked my project for today and got inspired. For more inspiration, stop by the Kitty Bee Designs blog and check out lovely projects my Design Team mates created. And don't forget to join us in this challenge. We are looking forward to see your projects. :o)

I'm entering my card to following challenges:

Note: bold text and challenge badge (if any) are direct links to the current challenge and blog badge (if any) is a direct link to blog or challenge home page.

1) Addicted to Stamps and More, Challenge #229 - Clean and Simple

This is my 2nd entry to this challenge.

2) Digi Designs Challenge Blog, Include An Animal Challenge
This is my 1st entry to this challenge.

3) Happy Little Stampers, Watercolour Challenge, February 2017, Anything Goes

This is my 5th entry to this challenge.

Thank you for visiting and your kind feedback. Enjoy and smile! :o)


Milka