A Video Walkthrough of a Baby Scrapbook

This is a short a quick post. A few weeks ago I completed a scrapbook for a baby girl. I posted some of the pages on this blog but I didn't get a chance to publish all of them. I did however manage to capture a video of the book which view here. Hope you like it.

To see other pages of this baby book and other baby scrapbooks I have created, click here
If you would like to know the supplies used for this or any of my projects, please write to me at craftingtillthecrackofdawn@gmail.com

A Garden Swing Card

I'm still bitten by the Vintage/ Shabby Chic bug thanks again to Saumya at Swap Central for this post. It sort of opened my eyes to different styles of vintage being not just beiges and browns. At the same time I am in LOVE with the challenges over at the Shabby Tea Room. This week is another picture inspiration and we are required to use not just the colors but also the theme of the picture to create our project. So here's my creation. 

 

The photo inspiration is at the bottom of this post and it's a picture of what I think is a blue garden bench filled with flowers - lovely spring flowers. So I've created a garden swing - which actually SWINGS! How cool is that. I created an oval frame window on the cover of the card from where my swing would hang. I used a piece of wood for the swing and colored it blue with Tumbled Glass distress ink. Then I glued a couple of tiny roses on it before hooking it on to a silver chain which I attached to the top of the frame. Here's a close up of the swing from front and side views.

   

I used some gorgeous pink lace for the border of the card and added a rim of pink pearls to add to the Vintage effect. A soft lavender organza bow completed the shabby chic look. For the inside panel I used some floral pattern paper to compliment the color scheme. Here a look at the card when it is closed. 

 

Oh my God... I just love love love how it turned out. You know how you conceive a card and then you try to follow through on your idea and most often it just collapses and you end up making something else? This time it turned out exactly as I imagined it... so I am so so so so happy! Here is the inspiration photo from the Shabby Tea Room #161 - Shabby Spring

Thanks so much for dropping by. Would love to hear your comments on my card. If you would like to know the supplies used on this or any of my projects, please write to me at craftingtillthecrackofdawn@gmail.com

Also linking to:
Crafters Corner 7 - Bingo (I have used everything on the grid except for stamping)
Simon Says Stamp - April Showers or Spring Flowers
Fab n Funky Challenges 166 - Spring Colors
Crafts and Me Challenge 128 - Lace and Pearls

An Apple Tree Card for my Mother

If you're looking for my 100 followers candy - click here.

I got this embossing folder maybe 2 months ago and have been conceptualising this card ever since. I knew it had to be for my mother and that it had to be clean and simple - my mom doesn't like grand and lavish cards too much. Then I wanted to get the color scheme right and this week's combination at Dynamic Duos is pretty awesome - Cherry Cobbler and Pool Party. And with Mother's Day around the corner, I thought it was time to finally create this card. 

The embossing folder has a tree design and I wanted it to put a spin on the saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'. It means 'like parent, like child'. So my card shows an apple tree with a few apples fallen beside it and my sentiment is "Hope I never fall too far from your tree". 

I was thinking about it and I realised the sentiment applies physically and emotionally. I am very lucky to have my folks living just down the road from my place which means I am literally physically close to my mother. Plus emotionally we are very close and I hope that continues for as long as I have her in my life. Hence the sentiment "Hope I never fall too far from your tree.

Oops, I'm tearing up... Better close this now. Thanks for stopping by and thanks so much for all your kind words on my 100 followers candy. I am so grateful to you all for your support and all the comments just made the candy sweeter!

Here's the inspiration picture from Dynamic Duos:

For the supplies used on this and any of my projects, please write to me at craftingtillthecrackofdawn@gmail.com. I am more than happy to share!

Also linking to:
Lulupu - My Mum My World

A Big Thank You (with Goodies) to my 100 followers!!

I am writing this post with great excitement and gratitude! I recently crossed 100 followers on my blog and it is a milestone certainly worth celebrating. I started my 'Crafting Till the Crack of Dawn' blog on December 6th 2012 - thats about 4 months ago but I first began blogging in June 2012 with the Itsy Bitsy blog. Some of you knew from the Itsy Bitsy blog and others found me here, but whatever the source, I really really REALLY appreciate your support and encouragement. Craft blogging has literally opened my life to a whole new hobby, new people, like minded folks and a world of self satisfaction and I can't thank you all enough for helping me along in this venture.

But I'm going to try... :) Since my whole start to blogging began with Itsy Bitsy, I am giving away a whole set of my favorite Itsy Bitsy supplies to one super lucky recipient. It's CANDY TIME!!!

There are loads of flowers, embellishments, eyelets, die, embossing folder, glitter strips, tags, and much more. I've really tried to pack in as much as I could. Here's what you need to do to win the candy:

• Be a follower of my blog - Crafting Till the Crack of Dawn.
• Enter your name on the inLinkz gadget at the end of this post.
• Add the image above to the sidebar of your blog with the title - Sunehra's Candy.
• If you don't have a blog - Create one! It's super easy to do - just head over to blogger.com and get started. 
• You have 3 weeks to enter the draw. I choose a winner on May Day - May 1st. 
• Worldwide entries are welcome! I will ship anywhere!

While the candy is available for all, it will only go to ONE random winner. While that's great for that one person, it's kinda sad for everyone else. I wish I could send all my 100 followers a little thank you present and perhaps one day I can but for now, I want to appreciate the support of 8 particular blogger friends. They have all frequently visited my blog, left me some very encouraging words and all this gave me a great sense validation for my creations! It's not easy to find the time to do this, God knows I never find the time to do it so to each of them I am sending a small gift along with a HUGE bucket of gratitude - Thank you SO SO SO MUCH ladies for being so nice to me!

To Hussena of Quill and Punch Works, the masterful florist on paper, I am sending this gorgeous pack of ItsyBitsy flowers, I'm sure she will create something even more magical with it. 

 

To Khush of SomethingSassy is the PP addict, what else could I sent a pack of DCVW papers - this is a 24 page stack and I know Khush will use it better than anyone!

For Pooja of Reusing with Quilling - I suppose I should've got her some quilling supplies but then I would love to see her work with these Itsy Bitsy Camden Cottage flowers.

For Dr. Sonia - of Cards, Crafts and School Projects, who has offered me so much advice and guidance over the last few months, I am sending this Itsy Bitsy Swirly Rose Die - I know you have the other swirly flower die so this one can add to your collection.

To little Miss Stamps A lot - Deepti Stephens of Catchy Crafts - I am sending you this Kaisercraft Stamp set. Have fun lil D - your stamped creations are DA BOMB!

To Snehal of Snehal's Creations - I am sending this fabulous 2 by 2 Cuttlebug Die set - it's great for tags and bookmarks and we all know Snehal just ROCKS the tags.

To Tanvi of Paper Fantasee I am sending my all time favorite embossing folder from Itsy Bitsy. It's a Damask design and I am eagerly awaiting Tanvi's totally original spin on it to inspire my next project.

Finally to Sindhu of Trapped in Craft, I am sending 2 packs of pearls - because she, like me, is addicted to pearls - love how she uses them and one can never have too many pearls on a project.

That wraps up this post. Once again thank you all for your support and looking forward to your continued encouragement as I progress in this wonderful world of Blogland. Hussena, Khush, Sindhu, Sonia, Pooja, Deepti, Tanvi and Snehal, please send me your postal address to craftingtillthecrackofdawn@gmail.com. I am already packing your parcels for despatch. You can also participate in the candy above, it's for everyone!

Everyone else, there's a yummy candy on offer! So link up and you could be the lucky winner on May 1st.

A Shabby Teapot Card

School's out for the summer!!! My son's school that is. And what does that mean? No waking up early, no packing snack boxes, no hurried baths and most important of all - endless crafting till the crack of dawn!!! Last night after my husband and I caught a late movie (GI Joe - please don't ever ever ever watch it) I sat down at my craft table and by 4am - here's what I created.

As you can see I'm still over the top obsessed with the Shabby Tea Room and their 'Beautiful Blues' theme this week. Yesterday I posted another card for the same theme which you can view here. Today I went with a more pastel feel. I started with some navy card stock and then I layered over white distressed with some Tumbled Glass distress ink. For the central doily design I used a rose frame cutfile from Birdscards.com which you can find here. The centre focus is a vintage teapot, again a cutfile from Birdscards.com.

Another thing I tried for the first time is adding charms to my card. I got some delightful little charms recently and took great pleasure chaining them up and adding them to my bow. The photo above provides a close up of the charms. And how gorgeous is that open rose! Another one of my faves from ItsyBitsy.

Finally I gotta say, I just love the theme over at ICR this time. It's all about English being such a 'Punny' Language and we are required to use witty sentiments and callouts using puns. I guess that inspired me to use a pun for the sentiment - You are TEAriffic. Cute isn't it! The sentiment was etched on my cameo using a pen holder and a Staedler Microtip Pen. 

Also entering this card into Crafting When We Can - #41 - Name That Tune. "I'm a little Teapot' is the song - my daughter just makes me sing it to her all the time.

I have made a video tutorial on how I used the Cameo for this card. It's still being edited but will share as soon as I spruce it up for you! And as always, if you want to know the supplies used for this or any of my projects please write in to me at craftingtillthecrackofdawn.gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by....

Blues for the Shabby Team Room

My latest favorite challenge blog is the Shabby Tea Room. What fabulous themes, fabulous DT inspiration projects, fabulous colors.. I can't say enough! This week's the theme is 'Beautiful Blues' and here is my creation. 

I started with a white base and cut a swirl background out of navy punch paper which I laid over the base. I found a strip of lace left over from my daughter's Christening gown and used it to create the lace overlay you see. Then added loads of organza ribbon and finished off with a crochet flower from Itsy Bitsy. Here is a close up of the lace, bow and organza ribbon. I've also added a side view so that you can get an idea of how dimensional the card is. 

And here's the inspiration photo. Now come on - with a picture like that, who can resist creating a card. Just LOVE IT! I think I will be making a couple more cards for this challenge - if of course time permits.

As a sad end note, I want to dedicate this card to Liz Chechi who left us a couple of days ago at the tender, incomplete and unfair age of 43. I made this card thinking of her - tall, classy and so elegant. It perhaps doesn't do her justice but it's my very best attempt.