Crafting in Croatia: October 2014

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Autumn Leaves with Watercolors

We're right in the middle of fall here in Croatia. The leaves have changed and the trees are starting to look bare. It seems autumn came and went really fast and now we're having temps close to freezing already. Yikes! I'm not quite ready for snow.

I have a simple fall card today using my Penny Black Foliage Fancy stamps.I first water colored with background (inspired by a few craft challenges), then embossed the maple leaves in white. Pretty simple.

The sentiment was stamped with Versafine ink. And then I flicked black watercolor all over.

Challenges: SSS Wednesday, Card Concept, Color Throwdown, Pink Elephant, Just Us Girls.

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Monday, October 27, 2014

Bird on a Bike

As you've probably noticed, I'm not much of a Halloween crafter. We don't celebrate it in Croatia and never did celebrate it growing up in the Philippines. I do love the colors associated with it and I notice so many of the craft challenge blogs I follow have very similar challenges the last few weeks. So, I decided to take their halloween inspirations and make a springy card with them. I also want to say that I'm not a big fan of purple so I used the closest hue: blue! Here is the result.

I made a fun & cute card with a country bird on a bike for my daughter who recently celebrated a birthday.The patterned papers, bike are by Fancy Pants. I die cut the chevron paper using PTI clouds. The bird is Penny Black's Perched die that has been watercolored with orange.

The sentiments are by SRM Stickers. Buttons, twine finish the card. The different elements were adhered using SAby3L Foam squares.

Challenges: Time Out (bird), Card Mania (buttons), Color Throwdown, Just Us Girls (photo, basket, country), Seize the Birthday, Die Cut Divas (fall colors on a spring card).

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Friday, October 24, 2014

Mixed Media Sunflower Botanical Card

Hi, all. Aren't you glad it's Friday? I have another mixed media card today. I have been inspired by many challenges that seem to highlight the fall colors of yellow and orange. I didn't want a fall card, so decided on a sunflower. I freehand painted the sunflower with watercolors. I meant for it to be just a plain painting, but I messed up on some of the petals, so I decided to use it as a background for my card. I love that I didn't have to throw it away.

I stamped the Penny Black Music Background stamp with Distress ink and spritz it with water. When it dried, I white embossed Penny Black Letter background with white on the lower right of the panel. I tore some paper scraps for the corner, distressed the edges then stitched the whole thing on the card base. The bird stamp I got from ebay and was water colored as well. The sentiment is from PB Amazing! I adhered Want2Scrap pearls on the corners. Adhesives by SA by 3L.

Challenges: Fusion, Diecut Divas, SSS Monday Challenge, Card Concept, Mixed Media Card Challenge, Color Throwdown, Curtain Call, Card Mania,

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Fallish Spring Mixed Media Card

***Before I begin, please check out the stamps and dies I have for sale. They're heavily discounted (at least 40% off). The Craft's Meow, GinaK Designs, Layers of Color, Spellbinders and Other Items***

It has been a very busy week. Our family celebrated 3 birthdays and I had to finish my Christmas cards by Sunday night. I had to send them off through someone heading back to the US. It saves me a ton of money that way. :)

I have been playing around with water colors and other media. For my birthday, I got some fancy water colors by Lefranc & Bourgeois. I'm not sure yet if it's really that much better than my $10 tube set from Hobby Lobby. I have also been playing with Distress inks. So far, I think my favorite is the Distress brand. I will let you know if I change my mind. I have been eying one brand that I've seen online, but that will have to wait till Christmas, I guess. :)

I have a mixed media card today that uses watercolors, stamp inks, pigment inks, and embossing paste. The background is watercolored then stamped with the Penny Black Letter background. After that dried, I used an old favorite LOC stencil to create the raised lace design using embossing paste. I then inked the edges of the panel before adhering them with SAby3L foam squares.

The butterflies (Penny Black Social Butterfly) were stamped in coordinating colors and adhered them to the panel by stitching them through the middle. The stamped and die cut (PB Triple Banner) sentiment banner (Amazing!) is also by Penny Black. I adhered Want2Scrap pearls on the butterfly bodies. Doily by SRM Stickers and adhesives by SA by 3L.

I'm entering this to the following challenges: Runway Inspired, Die Cut Divas, SS Monday Challenge, Mixed Media Card Challenge, Fusion,

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Monday, October 13, 2014

Bright Fancy Pants Cards

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a great weekend. I actually had some down time and was able to craft. I've been playing around with freehand water color painting and really enjoyed learning something new. I hope to make something worth sharing soon. :)

The Want2Scrap® team is featuring Fancy Pants all month. I love this combo so much that I made at least a dozen cards with many different styles using the same beautiful Fancy Pants Me-ology Collection and Want2Scrap embellishments.

I have to say that my first card is not classically elegant. It also touches on the fun & cute style. The papers, banners, sentiment and birdhouse are by Fancy Pants. Also note that I'm using a non-holiday paper collection for a Christmas card! :)

I adhered the Vintage Fancy Frames and the Sleek Strips 6" Silver Rhinestones along the bottom. I then mounted the birdhouse adorned with Beautiful Blooms in the center. I then covered the with Fences with DecoArt Gesso and adhered on the side. I finished by adding Silver/Clear Rhinestones on the banners and tag.

For my second card, I made a shabby chic card with lots of stitching, pearls, pretty ribbon, and flowers. I adhered the left over cutout of the Vintage Fancy Frames from the card above and Sleek Strips Pearls under the sentiment.

I used some pretty Mulberry Paper Flower Pink on the seam binding. I finished the card with some Baby Bling Pearls White on the center of the die cut flowers.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

The Craft's Meow Stamps for Sale!

TCM Stamps for Sale!

Check out my GinaK Designs, Layers of Color, Spellbinders and Other Items for Sale

All SOLD items are either removed or their names stroke through, e.g. ~~Heirloom Legacy~~.

I cleaned out my craft room and have lots of stamps and dies to sell. Most of these are BRAND NEW and in original packaging. The rest were used just a handful of times. I am asking at the most is 40% or more off the original retail price. The prices are indicated below.

For an easier process, please take note of my sale guidelines:

1. I take Paypal only on a first come, first serve basis. Unfortunately, since I am dependent on my mom to pack these for me, I cannot reserve items. I will sell them to the first person to send me payment.

2. The items for sale are in the US, but I will ship everywhere. I will ship Priority Mail for US destinations. The number of sets could be a combination from any of my sales lists (TCM, GKD, LOC, SB, Others). Shipping fees to US destinations are the following:

FREE SHIPPING if you purchase $50 worth of items
1 stamp set - $3
2-5 stamp/die sets or combos $6
6 or more $8 Shipping, unless you qualify for the $50 free shipping above

International Destination shipping fees:

1-2 stamp/die sets or combos $10
3-4 stamp/die sets or combos $15
5-8 stamp/die sets or combos $20
9 or more $25

*Please note that when purchasing the Stamp Packs, I will charge shipping as if the sets were purchased individually. For example, Stamp Pack #1 will cost $6 to ship to a US destination..

3. Please email me your list and Paypal email address at ninabdesigns@gmail.com with subject line, "Stamp Sale." I will then send you an invoice of the total.

4. ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

5. If you want to see card samples I made with these stamps, please search on the box on the right side bar. ---------------------------------------------------------

THE CRAFT'S MEOW STAMPS

Baby Shelf $6