30 minutes old...

Every once in a while my friend Eleni was asking me to do some more scrapbooking. Once I found out I was going to be an aunt, I told her "as soon as my nephews are born, I'm sure I'll get into scrapbooking as well".

Two days ago my first nephew was born, and I missed a meeting with our crafty group because I couldn't get away from him and his mother. And Eleni told me "been there done that twice (...) give up card making and devote yourself to scrapbooking (...) ".

Well, I think she's right. I LOVE cardmaking and I don't want to give it up... But since I got the first photos of my nephew, all I want to do is scrapbook. And here are the results of my attempt this morning:

It is the very first photo of my nephew Andreas. In the room there were twelve crazy of us, father, grandmother, aunts, uncles, looking at him, most of us crying (me included of course!). And when he opened his eyes and looked at us... omg, I just wanted to stop crying because the tears were so many I couldn't see him well! 

You see, we are the typical Greek family, very close to each other. And he is the first of his generation! Luckily, we are waiting for his cousin in two months, so he won't be too spoiled by all of us, hehehe

So... for the layout I used the sketch from Once Upon A Sketch:

Nadia asks us to combine the sketch with the journalling theme of "Hello 2012 or Goodbye 2011"? What a better way to say hello to a new year than a new baby... and a new generation?

I hope you like it!

Hugs,

Anastasia

Crochet time...

On Friday the latest my cousin will give birth! I'm going crazy, can't wait! (And of course I'm taking Friday off work!)

So, I had to finish asap the baby blanket that I started back in summer. The last three days I have been crocheting like crazy to bring together all the pieces and to do the edging. I finished it last night, and now it's washed, ironed and received by the future mother.

I quickly took some photos, not the best quality and apologies for that, but it's better than nothing! Here you go:

Freshly ironed...

My cat Sakis seems to really like to blanket (ok, I'll admit it, he walked over it while I was taking the photos, I should have seen it coming!

And a close-up of the heart design:

So that's all from me for today... Now I have two more months to finish the white blanket for my other cousin who gives birth early April. I'm halfway through it, there's still much work left!!!

Lily Pad Cards - Virginia's View 1

Good morning!

Those of you that follow Lily Pad Cards, you will have read about some changes regarding hte design team. Karin Akesdotter, the new member of the design team is a great card designer whose blog I have been following for some time now. I was really happy to see that her cards will be inspiring us through Lily Pad cards as well!

There is also a new series of challenges, "Virginia's View", with inspirational photos chosen by the amazing Virginia Lu.

How could I not prepare a card for the first challenge? Here's the fantastic photo Virginia has chosen:

And here's the card I have prepared:

For the hearts, I used several distress inks (you can see the supplies at the end of the post) and then I used pearlised water and a small brush to make to pearly spots, as you can(?) see in the next photo:

To make the silver window I used the masking technique with post-it notes and silver embossing powder.

I hope you like it!!

Supplies:

Layout - The wonder of life

Hello!

Oh yes, the title is right... today I won't share with you a card, but a layout that I prepared these last few days. I was thinking that the inspiration for scrapbooking would come once I become and aunt and I was right. ok, maybe I'm not an aunt yet (will be in a few days!), but even my pregnant cousins of mine have given me inspiration to scrapbook ;o) Here's what I made:

I think I've found the style that I like (I don't even know how it is called!). With the other layouts that I prepared (three in total!) I wasn't very satisfied. I was trying to do things that I saw in other layouts and I liked, but they weren't really my style.

Lately I've started looking around again, and the inspiration started coming to me. This layout has many elements scraplifted by layouts from Elena, combined scraplift I would call it, so I won't submit it to any challenges.

I also thought that I didn't really have to ignore my favourite techniques I use for my cards. So I did some paper piecing with a few of my favourite Lawn Fawn stamps, and I repeated the technique learned from Jennifer McGuire, layering many papers of the same motif to make the stars dimensional (close-up photo below).

I did the same layout twice, to give to each of my cousins. So I did everything twice... the truth is that at the end I was ready to shout to myself "no more paper-piecing!". It's one thing to do paper piecing on one or two stamps for a card, and another to do 3 stamps twice each... ouf!

I hope you like it! I'm looking forward to your comments and feedback!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Clean & Simple Card Making Day 3

Hello!

This is a quick post to share with you another card I made inspired by the Clean & Simple classes.

Jennifer McGuire showed us tone-on-tone dimensional cards. So this is what I made:

I cut the flowers from white cardstock with my Silhouette and glued together 4 layers to make them dimensional, like a chipboard. Isn't that technique cool?

Yeap! No inks this time and only a sentiment stamp!

I hope you like it!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Clean and Simple Cardmaking

Hello!!!

I am sooo happy that the Clean and Simple Cardmaking classes have started, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, because I have enjoyed SO much ALL the classes by Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner, in each and every class I have learned tons of things, techniques and whatnot, and they provide great, great inspiration!

Secondly, because lately I'm into CAS cards and the timing of the class couldn't be better!

And thirdly, this time we have another super-talented, CAS expert teacher, Julie Ebersole.

What more would a girl want... ;o)

Unfortunately, these last few days I've been trying to get back to my routine, what with starting work after two weeks of vacations, so I didn't have much time to play along. Yesterday I managed to make a card though, that I wanted to share IT with you:

Apologies for the photo, it's really the best I can do with the weather being really awful these last couple of days in Athens...

So, for the background I used the resist technique with my very favourite red Distress Ink, Festive Berries and one of my favourite background stamps, Vine Background by Hero Arts and Basic Grey. The letters are from Maya Road's Olivia alphabet.

I will also submit this to three challenges:

- CAS-ual Fridays #34 - Use chipboard:

- Lily Pad Cards - Use chipboard

- Young Crafts Unite 5 - CAS

LAST but not least, don't forget that you can also play with your CAS cards over at Get Creative challenge blog as well this month! There will be a number of challenges this month, one of which is to make a CAS card. The winners will take our places as creative designers for the month of March and there will also be a random winner for some goodies from Sfragidomania!

That's all folks... Hope you like the card.

Supplies:

A mini card...

Hello!!!

First day back at work tomorrow after two weeks... :o(

So I thought I would make another card today...:

The card is the result of the inspiration from two challenges:

- Paper Smooches Sparks: with the following inspiration picture:

- Wee Memories: Mini cards - up to 4x4 (which is exactly the size of my card):

There are a couple of things that I learned while making this card:

First, the white marker gets lost below the Glossy Accent. But on top of it it looks great!

Second, I was trying to find a way to use the white marker to add the gloss on the letters. I tried a couple of things but wasn't satisfied with the result. And by then the Glossy Accent had dried and I noticed the glow from my desktop lamp. So I draw the glow that I was seeing ;o)

Finally, I've ran out of red ribbon and didn't have red twine, so I coloured a twine in natural colour with Poppy Red ProMarker.

So that's all for now... I hope you like it!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Supplies:

Lucy Abrams' sketches based cards

Hello!!!!

On Monday I'm back at work after two really great, relaxing and creative weeks.... So I thought I should break my records and yesterday I prepared five cards. I decided it would be better to have one long post with all five cards than one post for each card, so the post will be quite long!

First, I will start off with a picture of all five cards so that you can see if it is interesting for you to read more details:

All cards are based on sketches from Lucy Abrams that I really, really love. Although a new mom (congratulations!!!), she decided to have a week of sketch challenges, so if you want to get some seriously great inspiration, you can visit her blog, it is highly recommended!

So, let's start (you can see the main supplies I have used at the end of this post):

Sketch and card no. 1:

A CAS card. To give some dimension, I have inserted the paper towel into the box and used foam stickers to make it pop. A closer picture:

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Sketch and card nο. 2:

I made the large butterfly again for the Inspiration Showcase canvas from Jennifer McGuire. This time I added the antennae... Closer picture:

Sketch and card no. 3:

The two chipboard birds are from a Greek company, Sfragidomania and I coloured them with Distress Embossing Powder. I have used distress stickles on the heart. Closer photo:

Sketch and card no. 4:

The things I did to the poor heart... white paint, distress inks, distress stains, I tried many, many things! At the end I thought I should stop and here is the result. For a contrast, I have used Glossy Accents on the small heart. Closer photo:

Last but not least, sketch and card no. 5:

The sketch is quite similar to the second one, but I thought I would do something different, so I went for two felt rolled roses. Closer look:

So that's all folks! I hope you like them!

Which one do you like best?

Now I'm going to focus more on my crochet, as my cousin is going to give birth until Feb 4, so I have to have the blanket I've been preparing ready asap!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Supplies:

It's a girl!

Yesterday a friend of mine gave birth to a healthy girl. As I am waiting to become two times aunt in the next three months, lately I've become even more "misty" with newborns and new mothers :S

Anyways, I had the time to prepare the following card before going to see her:

The bear is a stamp from Lawn Fawn's Christmas set Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum (isn't that a great name? hehehe). To make it "look" on the other side, I stamped it first on a stamp block and then I used this second stamp on my paper. Because the design wasn't as well stamped of course, I used the Memento Tuxedo Black marker on top of that and I was pleased with the result.

The other trick that I read somewhere (unfortunately, I don't remember where!) is for when we do paper piecing - you know how you can see the white of the paper on the cut edge? Well, if you use a black marker on that, the result is perfect. (I'm not sure it's clear what I'm trying to say?). You might be able to see that on the close-up photo below, as well as the 3-D part of the card and the three little windows:

With this card I will also participate in the following challenges:

- Simon Says Stamp - New Something (what better than a baby, a new life???)

- Freshly Made Sketches #16: I discovered this blog a while ago and I like very much the clear sketches they provide. The current challenge sketch is the following:

- Wee Memories #81: New. Unfortunately, Jenny has announced that this will be the last month of challenges. This has been one of my very favourite challenge blogs so I'm really sorry to hear that, but it has been really great to be able to play along these last few months. I want to thank Jenny and the team for all the inspiration provided and wish Jenny all the best to her new endeavors (I will keep on reading the blog though, I will be looking closely at the stamps she designs, they are soooo cute!!!)

I hope you like it!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Supplies:

Life is like a rainbow - Part 2

Hello!

Today I have something somewhat different to share with you...

Maybe some of you remember the twine rainbow card I made a few months ago... My (otherwise lovely) cats did one of their few mischiefs and they destroyed the rainbow.

For some time now I wanted to repair it, so yesterday that I wanted to do something but didn't have much inspiration, I decided to do so. However, there was something that I didn't like. I was wondering whether it worths the while to correct it, but on the other hand I liked the idea, it was the execution that I didn't like much. So I thought I would do it again. But a card again? So I decided to use the same idea, but make a 30x30 canvas instead:

I enjoyed so much making this, that now I don't mind at all what my cats did to the card ;o)

I painted the border with a simple black marker. For some time now I've been flirting with the idea of doodling and this was a simple first trial. I almost entered a state of meditation which I really loved, so for sure I'm going to give it a go to doodling!

For the rainbow I just printed the outline of a rainbow, cut it, covered one side with adhesive (I used my ATG gun), and then my favourite twines from The Twinery.

The sun, the cloud and the coloured alphabet are from Maya Road. First I coloured the chipboards with Distress Inks and then I added Glossy Accents. The rain are stamps from the Lawn Fawn Plus One stamp set.

Finally, the black letetrs are Daydreams Black Foam Thickers from American Crafts. Luckily the adhesive behind them was exactly what I needed, because I had to change their placement again and again!

I hope you like it!

Hugs,
Anastasia

Supplies:

Get Creative a month full of challenges - CAS card challenge!

Good morning!!!


Have you heard???

At Get Creative we were so ecstatic with the participation in our October card challenges that we are going to start off the year with another month of challenges!!! So here is how it is going to go... Every couple of days a new challenge will be set by one of the design team. The challenges will be for cards and layouts - it will be specified in the challenge. All challenge entries have to be uploaded by January 31st. You can enter as many times as you like in as many challenges as you like. The winner of each challenge will be chosen by the design team and the winner's prize will be...

Guest designer on Get Creative for the entire month of March!!

It doesn't end there... all the participants of the challenges will be then placed in the random generator and one lucky winner will win a fabulous prize from Sfragidomania!

So today it's my turn to start the card challenges with a really "simple" challenge. So the challenge is to make a CAS card, ie "Clean and Simple" card!

I'm sure most of you know what this is, but in case you wonder...

Clean and Simple cards are the ones who have clean sketches, clean lines, minimal and smart embellishments, "white spaces" (spaces that do not have any images, embellishments, layers)... The cards however can have colour, pattern papers, embellishments... they just have to be used in a smart way!

I have prepared three cards so that you get an idea and (hopefully!) a bit of inspiration.

The first card has quite enough white space, almost one layer (the sentiment is an additional layer), on stamp that was coloured with distress inks, water and pencil.

The second card has clearly one focal point, without any embellishments other than the frame that was drawn by hand.

And the third card has again enough open spaces (they don't have to be white, they can be whatever in colour you like), discreet embellishments with just a bit of sewing and black marker.

I hope you like them and they can inspire you to make your own cards! Just come over to Get Creative to share them with us!

Hugs, Anastasia-Natasa

Supplies:

Happy New Year!!!

I wish you all a very happy, healthy 2012, full of love, creativity and courage (especially for my Greek friends!)!!! As long as we are healthy and surrounded by our family and friends, we can deal with everything...

These days I thought I would take a few days off from the blog... We celebrated the New Year's Eve with friends in my house and I had the New Year family lunch at my place as well. It was a bit crazy, but I managed to cope since I didn't really cook anything, hehehe. That might sound crazy, but it is known to everyone that my kitchen is my least favourite room in my house (as shocking as it may sound to most of you!). Plus, there are 5 ladies in my family more than willing to cook - mother, aunts and cousins. I still have food for the next week!

I also had to prepare my handmade presents - not many (only three), but quite time-consuming. But I made them for people I love very, very much and I really enjoyed it. I finished them the very last minute, but was able to take some quick photos.

For my two aunts I prepared a "book/album" for their favourite recipes. They liked it very, very much and I was really pleased. As it is supposed to be used in the kitchen, I avoided the embellishments (after all, we don't want glitter in our food, right?) and went for practical:

Each page has three pockets for tags-recipes, front, back and on the top:

Also each page has two more pockets (front and back) to use temporarily for recipes found in magazines or that have hastily written in papers (as they usually do):

Now, for my mother, just like last year (and every year it seems like!) I made a wall calendar. She uses them to take notes of payments, doctor appointments and the like.

This year I decided to have a theme - and the theme chosen was happiness. I chose some of my favourite quotes and this is the calendar I made:

So that's all for today...

Happy 2012!!!

Hugs,
Anastasia