Saturday 28 December 2013

New Baby, New Beginnings....

Hi!!!! I'm back!

I've had a few days break from blogging over Christmas, although I've done a bit of crafting here and there... I have a few projects going on that I'm not able to share with you just yet...

I hope you all had a fab Christmas. In here, at the Diaz-Kaleem household we had a very happy little girl, who has become a "mummy" to her baby doll now... she got a lot more things, but the doll is her favourite! I got some great crafty things I can't wait to use now... and of course, the new CD of Olly Murs, I just love him!

 Now I'm just waiting for New Year Celebrations... bring on 2014!!!! nothing like the feeling of starting new, with the New Year resolutions and all that! I'm still working on my New Year Resolutions, and this year, I'll make all of them happen!!!! (well, I won't put too much pressure on myself... with achieving just a few I'll be happy!)

Today I got a New Baby card I was asked to make (yes, another one! and more to come soon, so many new babies!!!). I used my Lili of the Valley "Baby Blanket" rubber stamp.



The papers I've used are from First Edition Rose Garden Paper Pad.
I have hand-stitched the borders of all the papers... I should really start using my sewing machine... I bought it years ago, but never managed to do it properly!!!  for the moment, until then, I'll carry on with my hand-stitiching!









As always, I used my Promarkers to colour the baby.

For face: Vanilla, Almond, Ivory and blossom
For clothes: Pink Carnation, blossom, pink mittens and blender pen.
Floor: Lavender
I paper-pieced the blanket with a bit of scrap left from papers.








The Die cuts I've used are: Marianne Creatables corner, Joy Crafts tag and the Sizzix Scallop Circle nesting dies.

The flowers, lace and pearls are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I


I'm entering this card into the following challenges:


I hope you enjoy this card. Please let a comment below if you do! I love reading all your nice comments... and don't forget to follow me!

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my card.
Until next time!



Monday 23 December 2013

Merry Christmas!!!!! plus a LOTV Birthday card...

Hi!!!!! 2 more sleeps to go!!!!!

I'm so excited, having young children makes Christmas so much special!  All the presents are wrapped and hidden, food shopping is done for Christmas Eve (I follow my Spanish tradition on this and celebrate Christmas Eve with a nice dinner and family time). On Christmas day we will open the presents (this is my UK tradition, as in Spain presents are on the 6th of January when the 3 Wise Men bring the presents instead of Santa Claus), and we will have the leftovers from the night before! Although we are spending Christmas in the UK alone, we will have Christmas Eve dinner and open the presents with my parents and grandma through Skype! We did it last year and it was great!

So, as this will be my last post before Christmas, I would like to wish you all 

A Very Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!


Today I've got a Birthday card for you.... Yeah, no more Christmas cards! yay (I love Christmas, but I struggle with making my Christmas cards so much...).

I used a lovely stamp by Lili of the Valley called Maisie Two Balloons. I've had it for about 2 years, it's great for a little girl!!!!



I really love the combination of brown and blue (one of my favourites together with brown and pink!). 
The papers I used are from: First Edition Desert Bloom paper pad and from the K&C paper pad.
The sentiment came with a pack of sentiments as a free gift with a craft magazine.



I coloured Maisie with my Promarkers in brown and blue colours.

For her hair and shoes I used Cocoa, Sandstone and Buttermilk.
For her skin: Vanilla and blossom.
For her dress, bow and balloons: Cornflower and powder blue.

I used a Nellie Snellen flourish corner die-cut as a mask and inked around it to leave that beautiful flourish shape as a blank area to contrast with the inked area.... This technique is one of my favourites, together with distressing every edge with ink and blades!!!!

I think it is a beautiful way to frame the image and cover the blank spaces.




The dies used are: Tim Holtz Alterations Elegant Flourish and Marianne Creatables leaves.

The flowers and pearl are from Wild Orchid Crafts.
The butterflies are from a local shop and  the piece of mesh under the layers was part of the flower arrangements from my cousin's wedding last year... talk about recycling!!!!!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

All sorts challenge #238 - Brown with blue, aqua or turquoise
Penny's challenge #158 - Favourite technique or colour combination (inking with a die-cut mask)
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Birthdays (2nd entry)
Deep Ocean challenge #67 - Something old  stamp and mesh
Seize the Birthday - AG Birthday with no toppings
Crafty Little Fairies - Anything goes
Stamp n Doodle - Anything goes
Sister Act #38 - Anything goes
Polkadoodles #51 - Anything goes
Stamping for the weekend - Anything goes
Alphabet challenge - W for whatever you wish
Brown Sugar #73 - Anything goes
Inkspirational challenge #46 - Anything Inkspirational goes
613 Avenue Create #51 - Anything goes no twist
Scribble and Scrap #8 - Anything goes GDT
The Pink Elephant #231 - Anything goes
Addicted to Stamps and more #76 - Anything goes (2nd entry)
Crafty Girls #8 - Anything goes (2nd entry)
Passion for Promarkers #228 - Include a Sentiment (2nd entry)

I really hope you like this card. If you do, I would like it if you leave a comment with any feedback!
I like comments!!!!
and don't forget to click on the follow me button!

Have a lovely holiday season!
Until next time!

















Thursday 19 December 2013

and I though I was finished with Christmas cards...

Hi!!!!! I hope you are all well! 6 sleeps to go until Christmas!!!

and no, I haven't wrapped the presents yet!!!! :(. I've been so busy with Alaia, going to nursery trip and Christmas party, I haven't had the chance! maybe tonight once she goes to bed.....

Do you remember a few posts ago when I said (very loudly) that I had finished with my Christmas cards.???? well, it seems  I hadn't!!! My husband asked me to make one for his manager, so as the wonderful wife I am, I did!!!!



I went for traditional colours this time and a nice image, from a clear stamp I got last year with a magazine subscription. It's from Wild Rose Studio.  I don't know why I haven't used this stamp before.... I kind of forgot about it! I'll make sure I use it next year, as it is so beautiful!

The papers are from the same collection. I decided to put a layer of white card stock embossed with dots, to break the heavily patterned papers and give it some texture.







I used an sketch from Incy Wincy Challenge. As you can see, I flipped the sketch, as I think it suits the image better to be on the right.
I also added a snowflake.... I had to put some embellishments! you know how I like my embellishments!!!












I coloured the image with my Promarkers.

I used mainly just reds and greens!
Poppy, shale (for the red shadowing), warm grey 1 (for the white bits), leaf green, pear green, blossom, sandstone and spice.

together with a white gel pen and lots and lots of glitter. 

COLOURED!









The snowflake is a die from Joy Crafts, which I covered with glitter.
The ribbon and rhinestones are from local shops.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:



Thank you so much for taking a look. Don't forget to leave a comment and follow me... 
Thanks!


Until next time!!!!


                l
















Wednesday 18 December 2013

ANNOUNCEMENT! I'm excited!

Hi there! I hope you are all well and not stressing out too much with Christmas preparations like me!!!!

Today I haven't got a card for you... what??? yeah,  I just wanted to write a quick post to let you all know that I've been one of the lucky ladies to be chosen to join the Designing Team at Sentimental Sundays Challenge blog!!!! so from January, I'll be making cards and projects to be used as Inspiration for the challenge, commenting on the lovely challenge entries and joining in the fun!!!!

I'm really excited to start this new stage on my card-making /blogging experience and really looking forward to get to know all my new team mates!

So, check out Sentimental Sundays challenge (click HERE), where the lovely Calypso has introduced us all newbies!!!!!  (my picture is not one of my best... )

by the way, have I told you I am very EXCITED???!!!!!!!

I'll be back in the next few days with a new card for all of you!




Tuesday 17 December 2013

A SC Birthday card... and some New Year crafting thoughts!

Hi!

9 days until Christmas!!!!  and I failed to meet my deadline of having the presents wrapped by the weekend....My only chance to do it is when Alaia is in Nursery, that gives me a total of 2 hours a day... and last week I decided to do something else instead... so presents are not wrapped yet. Oh well, they are not going to be out until Christmas Eve!!!!

With the end of the year approaching, I'm starting to think about things I would like to achieve or just try on during the coming year.... I would like to improve my colouring, try new techniques and things out of my comfort zone... I will try altering canvas or objects, and other crafty stuff... One thing I've already started is making my own clay embellishments!!! yay! I've seen a lot of fellow card-makers using clay embellishment on their cards, I love them!!!!... so I took a look... oh dear, quite a bit more pricey than I would like! so with the thought that I would use it quite a lot, I bought some air-drying clay and a mould and made my first clay embellishment! (the white and brown corner on the image). It's not perfect, but for a first I guess is ok???!!!

On to the card......

Today I have a Birthday card for you....  I've used a Saturated Canary image called Pricilla Pie. Isn't she great? This card is for someone quite close to me... I will add her name soon, I just didn't want to put it in the card for the blog as I haven't sent it yet!








For this card I used sketch #248 from Sketch Saturday, I hope you like my interpretation of it!

I left the sketch as it is, I just replaced the big corner at the top of image with my handmade clay corner and I used a fabric piece for the horizontal layer under the image, instead of paper. 
I also added some flowers, ribbon and butterfly.





The paper I've used are from my K&Company paper pad and from the Papermania Capsule collection Spots and Stripes Pastels.
I really love this colour combination, Pale pink and brown, it give it a vintage feeling I like....



I coloured the beautiful Pricilla Pie with my Promarkers.
For her hair I used: buttermilk, Sandstone and Raw Sienna.
For her face and skin: coral, vanilla, almond, ivory, blossom for the cheeks. Powder blue for the eyes.
For the jewellery: mustard.
For her clothes: Pale pink, blossom, pink carnation, sandstone, buttermilk and the blender pen.


I stamped the sides of the image with a flower and birds stamp strip, don't know where it came from as I've had it forever.

I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink pad in Tea Dye for this stamp and to distress the whole card.





the big brown piece of fabric is new... I bought a whole reel of it in Hobbycraft last week. I think it is some kind of Christmas decoration, but when I saw it I though it would be great for cards.

The pink and yellow ribbon is from Dovecraft.
The pearls are from Wild Orchid Crafts.
The butterfly is punched with Martha Steward butterfly punch.
The stars masking tape, buttons and flowers are from local shops.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday #289 - Any sketch after #215
Cutie Pie challenge #59 - Cute card for a special friend
Love to Create #96 - Anything goes
Creative Corner Challenges - Color it: favorite color combination
Crafty Ribbons #73 - Anything goes with Ribbons
Crafty Girls #8 - Anything goes
Pumpkin Spice #50 - Ribbon or Bows
Loves Rubberstamps -  Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments blog - Birthdays (3)
Penny's challenge #157 - Feminine with a sentiment (2nd entry)
Crafty Catz #211 - Anything goes (2nd entry)
QKR Stampede #68 -  3 favorite embellishements (ribbon, pearls and flowers)
Divas by design - Anything goes (2nd entry)



I hope you like this card. If you do, I would love if you leave a comment or any type of feeback.
and don't forget to follow me if you don't want to miss any of my cards and crafty stuff!

Thank you so much to my followers for your support, I really appreciate the time you spend taking a look at my crafty corner!

Until next time!















Friday 13 December 2013

Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled..... my last Christmas card!

Hello! 12 days until Christmas day!!!!! (sorry I keep counting down, I'm so excited!)

Yesterday I got really frustrated....  I had a card idea in my head, chose image, chose papers... coloured image, tried to put card together... it wasn't working!!!! and then I decided to add some embossing powder to the snowman... and my heating tool decided to die on me!!! (maybe is the fuse... not sure yet!). And you know what? I'm happy that it didn't work the first time (well, not happy about my heating tool going bonkers...). after all that, I put card together, and I like how it has turned up!


I used this image from Kenny K, it was a freebie from their website! bargain!
and then I just went crazy with the papers! I don't know how many times I've moved these papers around!  I got all the papers as freebies in card-making magazines. The Vellum paper it's been in my stash forever.




As always, I coloured the Snowman with my Promarkers.
For the hat I used: cornflower,powder blue and warm grey 1.
For the carrot nose: peach and spice.
The tongue: pink carnation.
Scarf: cornflower and azure.
Gloves: Icicle and Warm grey 1.

I used some white gel pen here and there to highlight.











Dies I used are: Snowflake from Joy Crafts and a scallop circle nesting die for the glittery vellum paper.
The "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" ribbon is from Hobbycraft. The snowflake mesh underneath is from a local shop.
I took a golden snowflake from my stash (my last one!) and painted it white. then added a bit of glitter. I love glitter and sparkle!!!
I created the sentiment on my computer (I saw this quote on-line and I love it!).
Buttons are from Papermania.


I'm entering this card into the following challenges:  



wow!!! that was a long list! I really really really love challenges!!!!!

I really hope you like the card! please leave a comment if you do!  
and don't forget to follow me! ;)

Thank you and until next time!!!



Wednesday 11 December 2013

I set myself a challenge! A Shabby Chic Magnolia Calendar & Drawer!

Hi!!!

14 days until Christmas! I've started to count down now.... and really getting on the Christmas spirit!

Last night I set myself a challenge.... I wanted to make something different, just because... for myself! So I decided to make a calendar/drawer/card! I haven't got a name for it yet... And I'm quite happy with the outcome! when I started I though: "OMG! how can I make this? I'm so bad with measurements!" yeah, I'm not the best at keeping measurements right, and I haven't got an scoring board! but I went ahead... and this is the final product!


I used this beautiful rubber stamp called "Tilda with Heart Socks" by Magnolia.
The papers I used are from the First Edition Paper Rose Garden paper pad, K&Company and some scraps (I'm really trying to use up my scraps, but I usually forget and go for a brand new paper!)




I followed this sketch from the Bearly-Mine challenge this week.
Such a beautiful sketch and perfect for my little challenge!









I distressed all the card stock and paper edges with a blade and inked them with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen.








I coloured Tilda with my Promarkers (what would I do without them?)
For her hair I used: Raw Sienna, Sandstone and Buttermilk.
For her face and skin: Coral, Vanilla, Almond, Ivory, Blossom and blender pen. Plus a white gel pen.
For her clothes: Pink Carnation, Blossom, Pink Mittens, Buttermilk, Antique Pink and blender pen.










The Dies I used are: Tags from Joy Crafts; Swirls from Marianne Creatables; and Ornate Square from Xcut.

I used the Martha Stewart butterfly punch to create the Vellum butterflies.

The LAUGHTER and MEMORIES sentiments are part of a paper from K&Company.

The pink with yellow stitching ribbon is from Dovecraft.

I painted the metallic corner with a bit of white acrylic paint to help with the Shabby chic look.

The flowers, pearls, metallic corner, brad and lace are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

The mini-calendar is from Hobbycraft.







A side view with drawer open


I'm entering my project into the following challenges:



If you like my mini project, please leave a comment. All feedback is appreciated!
and don't forget to follow me if you don't want to miss any of my posts any more!

Until next time!











Monday 9 December 2013

I just love New Baby Cards!

Hi! I hope you are all well...

In here I'm trying to get into the Christmas spirit... Alaia has her Nursery Christmas Performance tomorrow! She is going to be an Angel and they will be singing Christmas songs. I can't wait! it's her first performance... I get so emotional seeing the little children all dressed up and excited! I'll try not to cry...  And I've finally put our Christmas tree up!  we've also added some sparkly lights on the staircase this year... Apart from that, I still have lots to do... I haven't finished buying the presents, but hopefully they will be all wrapped up and place in a secret place at the end of the week!

Today I'm taking a break from Christmas cards (I confess, I still have a few left to make... ), and I bring you another New Baby card. This time it's a Baby boy!


I used one my favourite Mo Manning (Mo's Digital Pencil) images "Baby and Bunny". 
I've used papers from: K&Company, Me to you "Especially for you" paper pack and Little boy blue pad by Crate Paper. I really love the latest.... it has all kind of papers for new baby cards, some with moses baskets, growth charts.. and I love this one, it's like a page for babysitters to take notes in!

I inked the edges of the papers with Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen and with blue ink.





I coloured the image with my Promarkers.
For the hair: Sandstone and Buttermilk.
For the skin: Almond, Sandstone, Satin and Blossom
For the cushion: powder blue.
For the Bunny: lavender plus blender pen.

I used my Xcut Square Nesting die for the image.







The flowers and lace are from Wild Orchid Crafts.
I used my Marianne Creatables die for the leaves.
The Doily is from Trimcraft.
I printed the sentiment and baby's name and covered baby's name with Anita's 3-D Gloss.
The brads and beads are from local shops. The safety pin just comes from my sewing kit!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Here come the boys #66 - Anything goes for the boys
Crafty Creations #251 - Anything EXCEPT Christmas
I love Promarkers #197 - For a child
Crafty Catz #210 -  Use two or more dies (Xcut square nesting dies and Marianne Creatables leaves)
A Gem of a challenge #109 - Anything goes
All sorts challenge - Anything BUT Christmas
Kraftyhands challenge - December Anything goes
Glitter n Sparkle #62  - Show us some blue
Scribble and Scrap #7 - Anything goes (GDT)
Challenges 4 everybody #35 - Anything goes
Created with Love #70 - Anything goes


If you like this card, feel free to comment. I really enjoy reading all your comments and any feedback you can give me!
And don't forget to follow me! all links on the side bars.

Thanks and until very soon!




Friday 6 December 2013

A Clean and Simple Christmas!!! Part 2

Hi! I'm back again with my second card of the day!

Another CAS card, using the lovely Winter Fairy Halla from Mo Manning (Mo's Digital Pencil).


A very simple (but hopefully nice!!!) card. The papers I used are a freebie from a card-making magazine.

I coloured the cute fairy with the Promarkers. 
The hair with Sandstone and buttermilk.
The Face and body: almond, ivory and blossom.
Clothes: lavender and blossom.
Wings: cornflower.
I inked all around the image with blue ink .

I also used my embossing powders and heating tool after almost 2 years of having them stored away...
I kind of forgot about them!
I wanted to give the fairy's hair, wings and blow a frozen effect, so I used the Ranger Embossing Antiquities Frosted Crystal with the heating tool; the Do Crafts embossing powder in Seafoam white for the falling snow and DoCrafts pink embossing powder for the little pink dots in the clothing.
I used it all with the Versamark embossing pen.




That, together with a few buttons, completes the card!!! 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Don't forget to leave a comment, I welcome any feedback you can give! and please follow me if you don't want to miss any of my new cards!

Until next time. Thank you for stopping by!!!




A Clean and Simple Christmas!!!! part 1

Hi there!!!

I hope you are all safe and well after all the storms and bad weather... In here it has been ok. Very windy and snowy, but no other problems...  This morning we woke up to a white landscape... I really love snow, but I really hate walking on it!  I guess it is due to all the memories of me slipping and falling down in the icy and frozen snow...

Today I have two cards for you!

I'll show you the first card on this post, but don't forget to check my next post for the second card!

I decided to go for CAS style....



I used Little Elf Kit by Mo Manning from Mo's Digital Pencil. (I'm addicted to Mo's little cuties!!!!)
As I tried for a CAS style, I tried to keep it simple... the paper is from Holly Hobbie Christmas Joy Paper Collection (a free gift from Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine). It's such a nice paper, like Candy Cane!





I coloured the little Elf in traditional Christmas colours: Red, green and gold!

I used: Slate, Red, Warm Grey 1, Burn Sienna for the hair; Almond, Ivory and Blossom for the face; Pear green, Moss and Apple for the trousers. 

Together with lots of chunky gold glitter for the star, and fine glitter for the furry white in the clothes... and voila! finished colouring!










I created the sentiment on my computer. 
And as a final touch, I used some red and white stripe and spots washi tape from The Santa's workshop by Helz Cuppleditch (Trimcraft).

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:



Don't forget to leave a comment, I welcome any feedback you can give! and please follow me if you don't want to miss any of my new cards!

Until next time. Thank you for stopping by!!!






Wednesday 4 December 2013

There is a penguin in my cocoa!!!

Hi!

December is here! It's not officially Christmas yet, but  it's in the air!!!! 
the lights and trees are going up, Christmas music everywhere you go, Christmas shopping, Christmas smells, .... I just can't wait!!!!

 let's talk about card-making now... 

When making cards, I haven't got a rule, sometimes I go for Shabby Chic (my "messy" look), sometimes I go for structured and following a sketch, I've tried CAS (I may try it soon again...)... I like trying all type of styles! some I like more than the others... but oh well, I guess there are always favourites in everything!  Does it happen to you? or do you have a style that do you always follow? 

My card today has got layers, but for me, it's simple... not a  lot of embellishments, just the cute image and sentiment!
I got this image as a prize from a challenge. It's from the Paper Shelter. When I saw it I had to have it! 

(sorry for the picture quality, light is not very good so used a lamp as lighting, too bright!)

The papers came as gift in a card-making magazine.





I coloured the image with my Promarkers.
I used:
for the presents: Poppy, Shale, Moss and Pear Green.
For the Penguin: poppy, shale, icicle, peach, blossom and powder blue.
For the cocoa and mug: mustard, buttermilk, cocoa, sandstone, pear green and poppy.
For the marshmallows: icicle
For the spoon: shale and lavender.

Also, I decided to give some dimension to the image and did some decoupage... the presents as background, the penguin with cocoa mug as middle layer and marshmallows with spoon as top layer....








I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts #195 - Ho Ho Holidays
QKR Stampede #66 - It's starting to look a lot like Christmas
A Gem of a challenge #108 - Winter Wonderland
Natalie and Amy challenge #15 - Cute and Cuddly Christmas
Come and Get it challenge: Christmas Card + Blog hop
Sketchy Colours #189 - Red and Green
The Ribbon Girl - Ho Ho Ho Christmas
My Mum's Craft shop #112 - Winter / Christmas
Sentimental Sundays #183 - Traditional Christmas Colours + a sentiment
Whoopsi Daisy - Christmas using traditional colours
Created with love #69 - Christmas
Scrap-creations - Holiday
Holly Jolly Christmas challenge - Christmas + bloghop
Through the Craft room door - Anything goes
Bearly-Mine challenges  #115 - Christmas sentiment
LEJ designs #82 - Christmas is coming
Clear it out challenge - Anything goes
Digi Choosday wk 7 - Christmas cheer!
Crafting by designs - Anything goes with a twist - penguins
Divas by design  - Feeling festive
Stamp n Doodle - Christmas in coming
If you like this card, feel free to leave a comment. I love reading all your feedback on my cards!
and don't forget to follow me! links on the sides.

Thanks and until next time!





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