Ideas for Clean and Simple Cards (CAS)

If you're new to crafting, you may be confused when you read abbreviations like CAS. CAS stands for Clean and Simple cards. Usually such cards have one layer or maybe 2, large amounts of white space or open space on the card and have a single focal point. It sounds simple enough but unless such projects are instinctively your style aesthetic, you'll actually find it more challenging than an elaborate and intricate card. In this post I will share 3 projects to give you some ideas on how to go about your CAS cards.

My first card shows how you can use an embellishment to create a clever CAS card. I have this little dress on a hangar embellishment from ItsyBitsy. I decided to hang it on a ribbon and add the sentiment 'Hang in There'. To create this card I embossed some white card stock with the ItsyBitsy spots folder. I added a spotted pattern paper above it from the DCWV Lemon Flower Stack and created a scalloped band in the centre with my rotary cutter. Then I tied  a bow and hung my embellishment. The text is cut from my Sizzix Doodle with Dazzle Die. 

My second card shows how you can use small decorations to create a clever card. I used my Sew Easy stitching tool to add 3 cross stitches on the corner. Then I added a sentiment below titled - 'Sew' Grateful. It seems so easy and clever right but I spent so so so so so much time getting the colours, the papers and the layout right. I used the DCWV Luxury stack for this pretty green design. 

My third card shows how you can create a very smart modern card using shapes and buttons. This one is a Christmas tree. I just cut out a triangle from a paper in the DCWV Evergreen Stack. Then I sliced off bits in the middle. I filled these gaps with red buttons from the ItsyBitsy Fashion button collection and voila my CAS card was ready.

Have you made a CAS card that you're really happy with? Leave a link and let me know, would love to drop by!

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The Itsy Bitsy Picture Inspiration Challenge

Folks, it's the 15th of the month and time for a brand new challenge here at ItsyBitsy. This time, we have a beautiful picture inspiration for you and we want you to create anything you like as long as you are inspired by this picture. It could be the colours of the picture, the objects in the picture, the layout of the picture or all of the above. Just make sure it's clear what your inspiration was. As always there will be two categories - Jewellery Making and Paper Crafting.

And to get you started, here is some inspiration! I created an easel card with a drawer which I think is a really clever way to present a gift to someone. I've based my design on the colours in the picture and added a lot of flowers too, which is taken from the picture too.

I used the Spellbinders Fleur De Lis border die to create the fantastic edge to the top layer. I also used some paper from the DCWV Lemon Flower stack for that pretty green design.

How do you like my large roomy drawer? Isn't it nice to slip in some jewellery or a gift voucher? I think so. This isn't the first time I've tried an easel card with drawers. You can see my previous project here and to see a video of how to do it, click here.

Rules of the challenge:

1. For the Paper/ General crafting project, your submission can be a card, box, tag, scrapbook layout, dress, embroidery, crochet work etc - anything as long as it is handmade and
is inspired by the picture at the top of this post. 
2. For the jewellery making project, your submission must be some form of jewellery and once again must be inspired by the picture at the top of this post. 
3. Quilled jewellery or jewellery made out of paper beads will fall under the Jewellery making category.
4. Entries can be submitted until 10th December 2013.
5. Entries will be open to audience vote from 11th to 14th December 2013
6. Following this, the winners will be selected after combining both audience feedback and judges feedback.
7. In order to submit your entry, click on the inlinkz button provided at the end of this post, add your image and link to your blog post containing the submission. There is a separate button for each category.
8. If you do not have a blog, please create an album on any online photo gallery, ensure the settings are public and link it up as detailed in point 5. 
9. Each participant can submit a maximum of 3 entries within each category.
10. Submitting old projects is not permitted. All submissions have to be created after 15th November 2013
11. In your blog post, create a link back to this page - The Anything Goes with ItsyBitsy Challenge.
12. Entries are welcome from all over the world however if you are the winner, we can only ship your prize to an Indian address.
13. 2 winners will be selected, one for jewellery making and one for paper/general crafting who will each receive a voucher of Rs. 1000 each, redeemable online at 
www.itsybitsy.in.
14. In addition 3 to 6 finalists in each category will be selected all of whom will receive a badge to display on their blog.

Stay tuned to the Jewellery Making Inspiration which will be published in a fresh post on the 25th of this month.

All the best folks!!!

Submissions for Paper Crafting

Submissions for Jewellery Making

Supplies Used

A Floral Frame Gift Set

My four year old son had to participate in a shloka recitation contest in school last week. Being a Christian, I had no idea where to even begin teaching him a shloka. The grand-mother of one of his school friends very sweetly agreed to help and thanks to her daily attention for 2 weeks, he recited his shloka flawlessly and effortlessly! I was bursting with pride and filled with gratitude too, towards this wonderful kind lady and her patient teaching, encouragement and support. Of course I wanted to make something to thank her and this is what I presented. 

          

 My set has 3 components - a photo frame, a card and a box. I wanted to use my Tattered Floral Die from ItsyBitsy to make some lush red open roses and I  built my project around that. I will shortly be uploading a video tutorial on how I made this photo frame including the flowers so watch this space for all the details. 

Next I made a card in which I could write my words of thanks to this lovely lady. I followed the same theme as the frame. Plain and simple with a little pop of red. The pattern paper is from the DCWV Forever and Always Stack. Love the muted greys against the bold red. 

                          

My final project was a box in which I could place the frame and the card. I added a big bow using some mesh ribbon and one more rose in the centre. Here's a closeup of the bow. 

When my son and I presented her with this gift, she was very reluctant to take it. 'No gift necessary!' she insisted!! But then I told her that it was hand-made - that I had made it for her and she relented. She was delighted and grateful.

How do you like my floral frame set? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Till then Happy Crafting

Supplies Used

Magnetic Bookmarks with Sizzix Cut and Stamp Die Sets!

I've seen Magnetic Bookmarks on other Craft Blogs especially Saumya of Scrap Your Idea (who does a really stellar job with them) and I've always wanted to try them. I think there's something particularly challenging about making something one-dimensional which is an essential feature of a bookmark that's going to get smashed flat inside a book most of the time. The only real way to embellish such a creation is to stamp.  So when I got a brand new Sizzix Stamp and Cut die set during the amazing Sizzix Sale last month at ItsyBitsy, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try them out. 

Here is my first bookmark. The shape is a traditional bookmark rectangle. I added some paper from the DCWV Lemon Flower Stack over white card stock before adding a final layer embossed with the ItsyBitsy Flowers Embossing folder. Then using the butterfly stamps in the Sizzix Die Set, I stamped the designs with green and purple ink. Finally I placed the die over the stamped image and cut my butterflies. Two magnets are concealed in the bookmark, one on either flap. The first is under the middle butterfly and the second is under the green PP inside the flap. This way when the bookmark is in place, the magnet ensures it will not move/ slip or shift. 

For my second bookmark I used some pattern paper from the DCWV Luxury Stack and stamped a pretty flower design from the same Sizzix set. I placed the die exactly where I had stamped the flower and cut it out. I added some scallop layers at the bottom of the bookmark using my ItsyBitsy Scallop Square die. Once again 2 magnets are concealed, one under the center flower and the other under the inside flap. 

For my final bookmark, I took a step back from the conventional bookmark shape and went for an oval design. My Scallop Oval and Regular Oval dies came in handy for that. The stamped die cut is another design from the same Sizzix set and the magnets are concealed as with the other projects 

Aren't these bookmarks a fun and cute way to keep your place in a book. I really enjoyed working on this project. I haven't stamped in a long time so that was satisfying as well.

Have you tried magnetic bookmarks or any other kind of bookmark? Would love to see your work. Leave a comment with your link and I will be sure to pop by!

 Supplies Used

The Itsy Bitsy Great Moving Sale at Paragon Mall New Delhi

We have news folks - good and not so good. The not so good news is that after 18 months of operating in Paragon Mall, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, we have decided to move. The good news is that we're not closing, we're MOVING! And we want YOUR suggestions on where to go. Plus everyone in the vicinity can enjoy massive discounts on the first ever Itsy Bitsy Great Moving Sale only at Rajouri Garden.  Check out the amazing discounts on offer!!

20% off on the entire range of WOW Embossing Powders

A MASSIVE 50% off on Quilling Supplies

50% off on all our Pattern Papers and DCWV Stacks

30% off on all Sizzix Products

20% OFF on Jesse James Buttons

50% OFF on Kaisercraft Products!!

50% OFF on Boutique Elements Products

20% OFF on Spellbinders!!

50% off on our We R Memory Keepers Range

So what are you waiting for? Come on over to our Paragon Mall, Rajouri Garden store and stock up on your favourite craft supplies!! And don't forget to leave your suggestions for our next location in New Delhi! See you soon!!

Celebrate Diwali with some Homemade Lanterns

First off, on behalf of the entire ItsyBitsy family, here's wishing all our lovely readers, friends, fans and shoppers a very Happy Diwali! I hope it is a wonderful festival for all and that it brings all the prosperity and good fortune possible! I love lighting diyas for Diwali but often get frustrated when I find the wind has blown off all the pretty flames. So this year I started thinking how I could create something that would preserve the beauty of the flame and sustain it. Here are my creations.

This one is a pretty cube shaped lantern with an open top. Slip in the candle or diya, light it with ease and rest assured knowing that the wind cannot blow it out. And you can seriously go to town decorating it. I started with red card stock and created the cube shape. Then I cut out the sides using the Spellbinders Kaleidoscope die. I added some vellum for a semi opaque look and a few flowers made from the Tattered Flowers Die to adorn the corners. I finished off the lantern with some lovely golden bling. Isn't it lovely! Here's how it looks in the night with a diya inside. Love the warm glow!

For my next lantern project, I decided to try some yarn balls. I've seen them all over the Internet and thought it would be perfect to try them out  as a Diwali lantern. There are numerous tutorials online explaining how to do it and I strongly suggest you watch/ read them before you start. But in a nutshell, here's how you do it.

1. Blow a large balloon a little so the shape is still round and knot it.
2. Cover it with Petroleum Jelly or Vaseline
3. Open out your yarn and soak it in a mixture of PVC glue and cornstarch.
4. Then wrap the yarn randomly around the balloon.
5. Leave to dry overnight.
6. Next day, pop the balloons, ease it out with a tweezer and your yarn ball is ready!

Here's how it looks when a light is placed inside. I tried it with a candle but found the heat was too much and the yarn at the top started burning so NO CANDLES in the yarn ball. Instead, you can add some twinkle lights or battery operated tea lights. The effect will be really pretty and the result the same!

Did you make any Diwali lanterns this year or before? Would love to see your creations. Leave a comment and let me know! Till then - once again a very Happy Diwali!!

Supplies Used

Happy Halloween!!! Fun and Easy Kids Costumes

Today is Halloween so Happy Halloween folks! Here in India, we don't celebrate it much but we are aware how big it is overseas and the heat is catching on. Of course the key ingredient is the costume so I decided to get a bit crafty with it.

I found this fabulous idea on Spoonful.com which not only provided the steps but also included a super template. I added a few tweaks here and there. For example, I replaced the red and black felt with card stock - far easier to find and work with. I also replaced the hat containing the antennae with a hairband containing the antennae. The black circles were cut using a circle framelit die - the biggest size and some broad satin ribbon kept the wings in place. 

And here's my little girl Kyra modelling her ladybug antennae. Isn't she looking precious! She is becoming quite a pro showing off my craft projects for Itsy Bitsy - check out more projects for Kyra here and here. 

Did you try making a costume this Halloween? Leave a comment and let me know. Would LOVE to hear from you! Till then Happy Crafting!!

Supplies Used

Calvin & Hobbes Wall Art for a Fun Kid's Room!

As you know, ItsyBitsy is a Hobby and Craft Supplies MEGASTORE so if your hobby extends to art and painting, then this is your definitive destination for all things arty! So when I wanted some wall art for my kids' room, I figured I'd best do it myself and with ItsyBitsy around, it was easy peasy!

The MontMart range at ItsyBitsy is extraordinary! You've got literally EVERYTHING - from brush sets, to paints, to mediums, to canvases to easels. I decided to go with acrylic paints on a canvas background so everything you see here is painted as such.

I know what you're thinking - 'wow, Sunehra's an artist' - not quite! My mother taught me this fantastic way to draw perfect pictures. It's actually the approach followed in many kids activity books to help them draw but I never did it as a kid and I am seeing it's benefits only now.

1. First, I find a picture online that suits my project. 
2. I print it out on a piece of paper.
3. With a pencil and ruler, I create a grid of 12 squares on this printout encompassing the entire picture. 
4. Then I create a similar grid of 12 squares on my canvas with a pencil.
5. I then attempt to copy the picture by using the grid as a guide.
6. Once I'm done, I erase the grid lines from the canvas which is not easy so make sure the grid lines are very lightly drawn. 

Once I was done, I went to my local frame shop and got it framed in different colours. They had a great kids range, brightly coloured frames - perfect for my creations. 

What do you think of my wall art? Have you tried anything for your home? Would love to see. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to pop by!

Supplies Used

Diwali Cards with Stencils and a Video Tutorial

It's a happy and festive time of year! Diwali! North, South, East or West, all over India, everyone is happy during Diwali! Whether it's the sweets, or the gifts or the new clothes or family time or my personal favourite - teen patti - everyone loves Diwali! ItsyBitsy loves Diwali too! They've got a range of really fabulous Diwali Stencils, designed to help you make professional, thematic and very stylish Diwali cards.

For this card, I used the Diwali Flower Pot part of the stencil along with embossing powder and a heat gun to create this fabulous focal feature. There is just one flower pot in the stencil but I just replicated the design 3 times. Love this card not just because of how it turned out but also because flower pots are my favourite crackers. No noise, only pretty lights! To see how I created this effect, don't miss the video tutorial at the end of this post. 

For my second card, I used the Diya stencil with some alcohol markers. I used the stencil as a guide and with a marker outlined the entire drawing. Then I moved the stencil aside and coloured it. As a final touch, I used an ink pad to edge the sides with orange ink. Again, a video of how I did this is at the end of this post. 

Finally a Diwali Lantern Card. This time I used an ink pad with the stencil to create the design and then fussy cut the shape so that it would be a stand-alone embellishment. Isn't that fun! And here's the much awaited tutorial.

How do you like my Diwali Cards! Aren't they bright and festive? Have you been crafting for Diwali? Would love to see your creations. Leave a comment and I'll be popping over very soon! Till then Happy Diwali!

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