Faux Cross stitch

Hello everyone, hello to another fabulous and busy week ahead. A quick share of a card which I made yesterday.
I had used a pattern paper to make this card, combining a sketch and a picture challenge together for this card.
I used a textured card base in vanilla, and simply cut the strips of the pattern paper, and aligned in alternating fashion to create the layout of the card. The Sentiment is from 2 different stamp sets, and I had added an embellishment to finish it off, a very simple card to make. Hope you all like it.

Linking this card with:

CAS(E) this Sketch

Curtain Call

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!

Ombre Circles

Hello my second post of the day, a quick post , just finished a card, and thought of sharing it right away, when the natural light is still great.

This card is inspired by couple of challenges
I started off with a textures base card, and a white front, I used circle stencil to randomly sponge with peacocok feathers distressed ink. Once done, I ran my turquoise gel pen around the circles to give some more dimension to the circles, and added some plain circles too. That's it, it is a very simple card. The sentiment is from Kaisercraft, I personally think it goes well with the circles background.
I added some matching sequins to finish off.

 

Linking this with:

Fusion Card Challenge

I am using only the picture, I was inspired by the colors, and the ombre effect here.

STAMPlortions Biweekly Sketch

This time I am adding a card minus any STAMPlorations stamps, I just went with the sketch.

Lia Stampz

This challenge calls for black, white and another color. I have just used three colors here.

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!

A Tag and a Card

Hello! Its Friday, and I can say it is already a weekend here, since my kiddos have a holiday today.

 I am sharing a card and tag which I made on Wednesday, but yesterday was bust to share.....I spent the whole day out, watching the Macau Grand Prix. By the end of the my ears were buzzing! Instead of coming home, hubby and I went straight to school to attend parent teacher conference. We have just finished the first term here, already!

 Sharing some interesting moments from the formula 3 and motorbike races.

I got my heat tool and couple of other supplies, from my store in Hong Kong , so I made a card using heat embossing.
This card is a very special card for me, I made it for my cousin, who is getting married in coming December. She was a little girl when I got married, and I cannot believe she is getting married now!, time is indeed flying. I cannot the attend the wedding, so for time being I am just sending a card :(

Sharing a picture of me for the first time ever on my blog! the baby in the picture is my cousin on her 1st birthday, and on the other side a picture we clicked last year when she was almost my age in the previous picture.

I chose Indian wedding colors for this card, I think this one is perfect for the Chinese theme too, living next door to China for 7 years, I know the similarities between Indians and Chinese cultures now!
A red base, and front, and a middle gold panel too.
The stamp is from Kaisercraft, I heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. Then added a ribbon, and the sentiment is also from Kaisercraft, but a different stamp set. I don't want to use just Congratulations on this card, something different and more meaningful. I haven't added the date yet,which I will add later.

Linking this card with:
Virginia's View

This card all with touch of gold, card bases, embossing or the ribbon.

Inkspirational
 Used gold to add a bit of shine!

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 This tag is made by recycling the tag, my son got some jeans from Giordano and the tag is from that.
All I did is just add another front panel to it, for which I had distressed the edges with red, tied a twine with a bell, and stamped the sentiment from Kaisercraft in green. I just wanted to use all the Christmas colors in a minimal way.

Linking this tag with:

Mod Squad Challenge Blog

 The challenge calls for tags, I made a CAS tag.

The Crafting Cafe

 A tag from me.

CASology
I made a simple tag using the basic colors of Christmas.

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!

Couple of cards

Hello blogger friends, I am sharing a couple of cards today, I made all these yesterday. I had the full day to myself, and nothing much to do. My helper comes in the morning, so the household work is taken care of, and my Hubby comes to lunch everyday, but yesterday he was busy, so I decided to sit and craft.

I could have taken an initiative and done some studies, I joined full time college to study further. Yes I did!!
At 38 when most people have established careers, I have an established household. A 14 year old, and a 12 year old, who are very independent. Hubby dear is very encouraging, so after finishing my masters in 2000, and exactly after a gap of 14 years, I decided to go back to college. Kids are pretty excited, and I am sure they will be interested in my grades, as much as I am interested in theirs ;)

Ok enough of that, I don't want to make you run away from my blog with my stories :D

I am sharing 3 CAS cards. the first one up, I just doodled a landscape, and then sponged with 2 shades of green pigment ink, and then I did a free hand drawing of the sign-board, and wrote everything in my not so fancy hand-writing. I stamped the house to the edge, stamping only half the house, and decided to add the sentiment at the very bottom, it is from Avery Elle - handwritten notes.
Few sequins to finish off. Pretty simple card!

Linking this card with:

One Layer Simplicity

The theme is home this month. I made a one layer home themed card.

The Pink Elephant

This week's call is for CAS cards, and I wanted to link this one up, though all the cards are CAS in this post.

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The second one is also a super simple one, I just used a kraft card base, and printed the sentiment off,
added a small handmade wreath, with a bell. Just kept it as simple as possible. Nothing really to brag about it!

Linking this card with:
CAS on Sunday

 Use Ribbon and/or Twine 

I had used a twine around the wreath and a tiny bow too.


TIME OUT
I drew inspiration from the kraft color, and the wreath o the ladder, and kept the same theme.

Festive Friday
I made a wreath and used the kraft colors from the picture.

Alphabet Challenge
 I just made a wreath, using traditional Christmas colors.

* T for Traditional Christmas * 

 

Virginia's View Challenge

 I think my 3rd entry here, might add another one if my heat tool arrives from Hong Kong soon ;) 

 I have added a metal golden beaded string on the wreath, plus a metal bell.

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Finally the third card, this card took me quite a bit of time, mostly the inking part. I chose shades of black, Indigo,  navy blue, pale blue, and a  golden shimmer ink to create the night look of the sky. I added the dots and random shaped stars using a silver gel pen. Masked and added part of the trees. The sentiment is computer generated.

Linking this card with:

Less is more
I made a one layer card with a starry night.

One Layer Challenge

This week the focus of your creation is 

Starry, Starry Night!

Stitches on vellum

Good morning, a brand  new week is here. I sat down to execute a card which was sitting in my head for last few days, I couldn't make because of the weekend, hubby and kiddos around, so decided to give them my time.

I have tried something new today, I has added stitches on the vellum, I never did this before. Actually I wanted to do heat embossing on vellum, but my shipment is still in Hong kong(I am waiting for the heat tool), so had to drop that idea. I used a shaded yellow thread to add the eyelet stitch flowers.

I had chose a vanilla colored textured card stock, added some random leaves all over, and then covered it with vellum, to give a feel of the sheer. I also punched the vellum border to give it a lace feel. The sentiment is from STAMPlorations - subway art builders, a few sequins added to finish the look.

Hope you all like it!

A close up at the stitched flowers.

Linking this card with:

Runway Inspired Challenge

I like all the pictures from the DT's but keep coming back to this one as green is my weakness, plus it has the leaves too, I just had to do this. I chose the vanilla shades from the background, but kept the leaves and the sheer look from the dress onto my card.

STAMPLorations - Anything goes

Just editing to add the

STAMplorations - November challenge too, 

it all about layers and stamps, which I had used on this card.

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!

Palak pakora~ Spinach fritters

Hello, sharing a recipe after a very long time. I feel very bad for not adding recipes, I should change my blog name ....lol. 

Its a veggie dish, a finger food. Palak pakora or spinach pakoras.

Super easy and super yummy too! An all time favorite in my family.

Lets look at the ingredients:

You will need :

fresh chopped spinach - 1 1/2 cups

besan / chickpea flour - approx 3/4 cup

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

water - 2 Tbsp or as needed

Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

1. Cut spinach in small pieces, wash and drain and keep aside in a colander for a while, till the water runs out.

   

2. Transfer spinach into a medium sized bowl, add the above mentioned spices ans salt on the spinach. Mix with your hand.

3. Now add the chickpea flour/ besan to the spinach, knead it by using a very little water, you might want to start with one Tbsp.

4. This is how your mixer should look, kind of dry. Do not add more water, or else your fritters/pakoras won't be crispy. More water soaks up more oil too.

5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, take a handful of mixture, and drop small portions of it in the hot oil.

6. Turn sides at least once, it should be done in between 5-8 minutes. Once the leaves look crispy, its done. take it out on a kitchen towel to drain any excess oil.

A close up, by looking at it, you can tell that it is crispy. I hope you try and enjoy this simple and delightful dish.

 

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!

Red and white

Hello my second post of the day, and the weather got worse from this morning......

 This is how dark it is, the picture looks better for some reason ;)


 I take pictures by the window, so the lighting wasn't that bad for the cards, I managed to get some good pictures.


I am sharing a Christmas card.
I chose a red base, and added a white front to it. I chose a Christmas designer pattern paper for my front panel, and a beaded string, plus a tiny glittery bauble and few red colored star sequins to finish off with a simple sentiment.

Linking my card with:

Freshly Made Sketches

Colour Me

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!