Things are looking frosty over at the Color Me Creative challenge group!

Brrr...Baby it's cold outside. 

Our Boss Lady Suzanne challenged us to make cold and frosty cards using some ca-ute Lily of the Valley images. Well that says silver, grey and blue to me! I dug out some of this season's winter paper by Echo Park called Winter Park. To get my frosty snowflake trim under my image I used the Tim Holtz die 'Snow Flurries on the Edge' and some clear packing I had saved. I actually made a quick picture tutorial that I will share in another post. 

Lily of the Valley gave us some amazing images to work with- thank you!!! I was already in love with their whimsical images and this cutie sealed the deal. He is called 'Ski Jump' and has seriously inspired this girl on a mad LOTV shopping spree!!

Did you know that there are cool prizes for playing along with us at CMC? This challenge's prize is from Lily of the Valley!!!! I wish I could enter!! There is still a few days to play along with us and we would love to have some more entries! Click here to visit us and read the full challenge deets!

We are having more High Hopes challenges each month- and this one has me seeing PINK!!

I am so happy to share that we are increasing the amount of times we throw down the challenge gauntlet over at the HHS challenge blog! This is great news for those of you like me that typically use challenges as a 'springboard' for my creativity...or those of us who love to win prizes!! I have to admit to being in that category too hee hee!

The lovely Anna has challenged us to see Pink..Pink and more Pink on your HHS challenge entries. Not a problem for this cool cat...that would be me ;)

I inked up the sweet Dino-mite stamp that was released Winter 2010 along with other perfect for Valentine's Day images. Or just to tell someone that you kinda like them images hee hee. I won't go on and on again today about how much I love using Red and Pink together...let's just say my face hurts from all the goofy smiling I was doing while crafting this cutie. I also used some of my new Doodlebug Sweet Cakes papers, a button, some twine and a whole sheet of pink candy dots!! Which means the dots alone cost me about $5- that is how much I was committed to this pink and red creation. At least I can finally say I used something up too- instead of the room full of hoarded materials that I own. Yep- one sheet of candy dots down- 1200 to go!!! LMBO!! Sounds like a good reason to buy more me thinks ;). 

We would love for you to join us on this pinkest of pinks challenge. Click here for the full challenge deets and to see the gorgeous crafts my fellow HHS Divas have made to help get the inspiration train rolling!

Cheers, Andi

Sending Love Letters with help from High Hopes

Any excuse to use Red and Pink together is fine by me! And with High Hopes current challenge of making Valentine's Day cards I am in pinky red heaven!

I inked up Love Letter sentiment and Love Letter Mailbox for the challenge as I hadn't used them previously and for the life of me couldn't figure out why! I also used some of bright pink copics that I am also sure I hadn't used before but they match the colours wonderfully in the Doodlebug Design Sweet Cakes papers that I used. I am so hoarding this paper! I also used a Marianne Designs new embossing and cutting folder called 'Romantic' to add texture to my white card. 

If you feel like making some Valentine's along with us we would love for you to play along!

Cheers, Andi

Cozy Gilli is keeping warm during the current Winter Gilli challenge..

Popping in here with my Winter Gilli Challenge card. I inked up my fave Cozy Gilli and her snuggly for my inspiration as I just adore being wrapped up in something warm with a hot cuppa tea in one card. I coloured Gilli with my copies and I tried blonde hair for a change from my usual brown hair. I used Y23, YR21 and YR23. Not too bad! I will have to use this colour combo again. 

I hope this helps get your inspiration going for our current challenge. If you don't feel like making a card for that cold icy stuff that floats down from the sky think warm like I did! 

Don't forget to link up your challenge cards over at the House of Gilli challenge blog so that you can have a chance to win some yummy Gilli stamps of your own!

Cheers, Andi

Quick cards playing with Perfect Pearls

I just wanted to share 2 examples of the cards we made on a previous Product Talk session (aka Therapy Thursdays) where we played with Perfect Pearls over at SGD. 

To make this card we first stamped our image using Kaiser Crafts cute butterfly stamp in Versamark ink. We then took our perfect pearls and gently brushed a SMALL amount of the pigment onto the image. We found it best to work with one colour at a time and put it where we wanted it before moving onto the next colour. Once done you then take the larger brush that is included in the kit and brush to remove the excess pigment around the image. 

An important tip is that you should just use a light hand when applying the pigment as you don't want to grind it into the fibers of the paper and therefore leave a colour 'cast' around the image. As well I like to seal my images. In this case we used Goosebumps spray to seal and add texture to our cards yet you can also just use a mini mister and water to set your design. Love that!

One of the fun things about perfect pearls is how versatile the colours are. I used the exact same colours on each card yet based on what colour of card stock I used they looked completely different. I did also have an example on white paper but I gave that one to my partner in the A-Team the fantastic Anja. 

So here is another 'what's old is new again' tool that many of us have in our craft supply. Dig it out and see what fun it us to play with pigments!

Of course if you don't already have Perfect Pearls you know SGD has you covered!

Cheers, Andrea

My cards using SGD's Jan Card Kit

I just love the challenge of getting a mix/match of papers and some stamps to see what I can come up with to help customers make cards with SGD's monthly card kits. Here are the two cards I designed. 

The first card is using one of Unity's Itty Bitty stamps called 'Life is so good'. And instead of copics this time I added colour to my image using stickles! I used Stardust, Fruit Punch and Christmas red. I also stamped the image using my absolute have ink for detailed stamps- Versafine in Onyx black. 

My second card I used one of my fave Unity Itty Bitty stamps "Just Be You". It may be my fave cause I have the matching shirt from Unity that the amazing Angela gave me last time I saw her. I love it! And let's face it- we all need a reminder from time to time that we should stay true to yourself and who you are instead of being who you think people want you to be. I know I have been guilty of that myself. I should probably get it tattooed on my hand to remind myself of that lol! 

I inked up the papers in the kit with some of the Mixed Media ink in Leather by Donna Salzar. It takes a bit to dry so be warned that you either want to set it aside or use a heat gun to dry it faster. 

I am really happy with my cards using this kit and I hope it helps inspire you too!

Cheers! Andrea

My first Gilli challenge card of 2012

Hello! Happy New Year!

Andi here with my entry for the anything goes challenge. I love making Valentine's day cards and here is the first one I have made for the year so far. I used Lil Gilli Girly for my card and coloured her up with my copies. I used some of my MME valentine's day papers and hearts everywhere! I love using pink and red together and wore it frequently as a colour combo when I was younger. I still remember how upset and depressed I was when I was told you couldn't wear those two colours together as they 'clashed'. I think those rules may have gone out the window as I frequently see that colour combo all the time now! I gave Lil Gilli a blue outfit to help the image 'pop' on the card- I hope you like it!

Don't forget there is still lots of time to play along with our ANYTHING GOES challenge so link up to win some yummy Gilli stamps! You can find all the challenge deets over at the House of Gilli!

Hugs, Andi xo