Take Joy In The Little Things

Hello. A late posting today as hubby and I have been out and about in the cooler weather. We visited a maize Maze near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. There’s quite a bit to do for the little ones – of which we certainly are not – but walking amongst the sunflowers and wildflowers as well as working our way through the maize maze took almost a couple of hours – with an ice cream at the end…..

This card was created yesterday, and fitted our little sojourn today:

For the foliage and the butterflies I used a stamp, die and stencil set from Pinkfresh Studio ‘Fluttering Butterflies‘. I also have the washi which goes with the die set but used the other products this time round.

I stamped, ink blended then die cut the images. I did the foliage twice as I wanted plenty on this card.

The background panel was created using a grey card stock, then a Spellbinders embossing folder. I chose a darker colour to enable the colours of the foliage and butterflies to stand out more.

I ran a white circle die cut through with the grey panel and the embossing folder, to keep the pattern aligned – though I ended up covering most of the outside of the circle.

The circle was attached with 3D foam, then the foliage arranged by tucking underneath. I did have to cut some down, but managed to get them as full as I wanted.

Before adding the butterflies, I added the sentiment. This is a pre-printed sentiment, received as part of a virtual event I think, then the butterflies arranged around that. I did have to double-up small pieces of foam tape as my butterflies were half on, and half off the white circle, but this wasn’t hard to do.

The final step was to add some ombre glitter gems.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder with option of ‘tie it up’ not taken

Ellibelle’s Corner I Spy – something with wings

Tic Tac Toe – upper right to bottom left diagonal – insects/gems/free

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

You Bring Colour To My World

Hello there. I have a card to share inspired by the current challenge at As You See It. This time round, it is a speed challenge – you have to make the card within 10 minutes. You can prepare certain things, get your stuff out – and that does involve a lot of preparing – what you are going to use and how, you can mount your stamps, etc. Here is my card:

I wanted to use a panda which didn’t involve colouring, but I saw this cutey from an older Heffy Doodle set, and wondered if I could just a little colouring and die cutting within the time frame.

I got out my Gina K amalgam ink, a couple of pink and gey Copics, my little side-kick die cutting machine, the dies for set on a magnetic mat to the side of me, low tack tape pieces handy, 3D foam pieces handy, a pink ink cube from Pinkfresh Studio…….my stamps were added to the Misti strategically to put them all on the same panel. The word stamps I placed at the edges so I only had to cut down two sides….

I stamped the images in black, then the one word in pink. Quickly heat set with a blast of my heat tool, did basic colouring and even added a scribble of pink to the centre of the painters easel.

Cut down the panel so the images would all through the small die cutting machine in one pass. Cut down the sentiments with my scissors.

Added small pieces of 3D foam behind all the pieces, attached to the card base – the sentiments added haphazardly so I didn’t have to worry about them being straight. Glued the little paint brush into the slot created by the panda die. Done. Phew!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

As You See It – speed challenge

Critter Crazy – anything goes with a critter

Daisy Chain Challenge – animals

Dinosaur Birthday

Hello there. I have a birthday card to share as Surprise Party Guest at the new challenge at Seize The Birthday. The new theme is:

Birthday and funny/punny

Here is my card:

For this card I used the new dinosaur dies from Gummiapan. These little cuties come as one set, so I die cut them out of water-colour card and used my Zigs to colour them in – very haphazardly, very roughly, and just let the colours do their thing.

I decided to go more mixed media for a change with the background, and started by die cutting another label/tag die from the same company out of an ink smooshed and splattered panel I had.

The background panel was created by using a piece of Distress Heavy white card stock, a little ink blending, running it through with a Spellbinders embossing folder, then brushing a brown ink pad over the top to catch the higher parts of the design.

All the elements were attached, then the sentiment stamped and added as you see.

I hope you can come and join us with your birthday projects following the theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

Addicted to Stamps & More – birthday

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of tie it up not taken

Critter Crazy – anything goes with a critter

Daisy Chain Challenge – birthday

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – funny/punny

A Quartet of Penguins

Hello there. A new challenge has started at ABC Christmas Challenge. We have reached the letters P, Q & R, and we want to see your Christmas creations featuring the following themes:

P is for Penguins and/or Q is for Quartet and/or R is for rectangles

Here is my card following the Penguin and Quartet themes:

For the four penguins, I chose to use the Tim Holtz/Sizzix die set called ‘Winter Critters’. Die cut and layered as needed.

I die cut them all in white woodgrain card stock, then used Copics to colour what I wanted – the dark grey for black, red, and orange.

The four squares are die cut from a gold foiled panel, using Spellbinders ‘Dazzling Diamonds‘ hot foil plate.

The background is a red panel, run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder ‘Nordic Noel’, then some gold wax run gently over the top to bring out the details.

The sentiment is gold foiled and die cut, layered a couple more times for dimension.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas creations featuring one, two, or even three of our themes, and you can enter up to five times. The challenge finishes on Sunday 5th September.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas (or not) Bingo – column B – Christmas/red/free

Critter Crazy Challenge – anything goes with a critter

Daisy Chain Challenge – animals


Sending Birthday Swings

Hello everyone. It is hubby’s birthday on 11th August, so I created this card using Waffle Flower die and stencil sets as he is an avid golfer and frequently travels abroad on golfing trips:

I first die cut the golf bag and clubs, using grey and black, as his current golf bag is those colours – he isn’t a flashy kinda guy!

The background was created using another die and stencil set from Waffle Flower, first die cutting the mountains and the water, then used the stencil to create some dimension.

These were layered together, adding some paper for the sky area, and some green card stock for the grass.

The sentiment is also from Waffle Flower – part of this release – stamped then die cut, then layered a couple more times before gluing to the card.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Love To Craft – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes, option of shaped card not taken

Addicted to Stamps & More – birthday

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cuts

A Deer Christmas

Hello once again. I was intrigued by the current colour inspiration for a Christmas card at 52 CCT to use brown, red, and green, and came up with this card:

I wanted to use this new deer die set from Spellbinders, which I thought would cover the brown part of the colours, and as you can see – I fully embraced the brown…..

I started by die cutting and assembling the deer, and then used several tones of green and a red to cut the foliage and flowers from another Spellbinders die set, as well as red for the buds. I also die cut some white flowers. I did die cut quite a few of all the elements, as I didn’t know how many I was going to use on the project.

I used a 5×7 inch card base and added a piece of brown card stock which had been run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder – I also swiped some white pigment ink over the top to catch the raised areas – almost like adding a touch of frost.

To further enable the deer to stand out a little more, I added a white circle behind him, and then arranged all the foliage and flowers around the edge of that. I just kept adding to create fullness, and am quite pleased with the outcome.

I did want to add some gold, but that isn’t included in the neutrals you can use, so I stayed with the three colours and white.

The sentiment is from a Spellbinders/Simon Hurley die set.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

52CCT – Christmas with red, brown, green

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas Bingo – column B – free/Christmas/red

CYHTP – embossing folder, option of ‘tie it up’ not taken

Critter Crazy – anything goes with a critter

Coastal Memories

Hello all. As you know, I have recently returned from visiting my sister in Canada. During that trip, we travelled to see one of her friends in the stunningly gorgeous area of Grand-Metis. This card was created as an homage to that visit, and to send as a thank you note to her friend.

I started by creating the images using a Waffle Flower layering stencil – Postage Collage Coastal. This panel was then die cut with the postage collage die, then cut down to be individual images.

I then created the frames using another Waffle Flower die set (Postage Collage Frames), stacking the frames a couple of times for more dimension, then the images glued behind.

I chose these particular images as the chalet was right on the coast facing the sunset, there is a lighthouse nearby, and I saw a few ships passing by in the distance.

The crabs are also from Waffle Flower, die cut and layered.

To make enough room for everything, I chose a 5×7 inch card base, and added a piece of light blue card stock. This blue piece was run through a Spellbinders embossing folder, after first inking up one side to give the background a little more colour.

All the images were arranged and added with 3D foam.

I chose not to add a sentiment on the front, but will instead write a note myself for the inside, but first I need to translate it into French before writing it……

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Four Seasons Challenge – summer

Critter Crazy Challenge – anything goes with a critter

Daisy Chain Challenge – animals

Give A Crafter A Cookie – at the beach

The Card Concept – summer by the sea

Thanks For Helping Me Grow

Hello once again. It is time for the new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reach the letter ‘H’, and Deborah has chosen the theme of:

H is for Horticulture – the science of creating gardens

Here is my card:

For this card I chose to use Spellbinders die sets which were part of a virtual event

I started by die cutting the layers for the glass vial and the foliage out of Spellbinders and Concord & 9th card stock.

The blue water level in the glass was created by taking a blue ink cube and smooshing it down onto water-colour card stock, and adding some splatters.

The background panel was ink blended, run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder, then some white and gold shimmery splatters added.

The shelf created by die cutting with a Lawn Fawn woodgrain card stock. The sentiment stamped and die cut, layered a couple of times.

All the elements were assem,bled then added with either glue or 3D foam pieces.

I hope you can join us with your horticultural creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Love To Craft – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

A Cuit Above – anything goes with die cuts

Birthday Mushroom Mansion

Hello everyone. I am back from my sojourn to see my sister in Canada – fabulous to catch-up face-to-face and help sort her craft room in the new house.

It is time for the new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz, and Caz has chosen the theme of:

Blue Skies

Here is my card:

I started by creating the blue skies in the background by using an MFT stencil and Pinkfresh Studio inks. I then added a couple of layers of grass, also by using a stencil and ink blending.

The main image of the mushroom is from a Spellbinders die set ‘Mushroom Mansion‘ and die cut from Spellbinders and Concord & 9th card stock. The foliage and flowers are also from the same die set.

All the layers were glued and assembled, the layout arranged to my liking, and then the sentiment die cut and added.

A few small gems inserted to the centre of the flowers, and for the door knob on the mushroom.

I hope you can come and join us with your creation following our theme – add blue skies. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge – birthday

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cuts

Stencil Fun – use stencils – option of CAS not taken

AAA Birthday – birthday and flowers

Queen of Games

Hello once again, It is time for the new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. Having reached the letter ‘G’, Pamela has chosen the theme of:

Games

Here is my card:

I’ve been wanting to play with this collection of dies from Spellbinders/Jaycee Gaspar, and just haven’t got around to it. Here was my opportunity.

I die cut all the pieced for this Queen, then followed his YouTube video on how to piece everything together. There are quite a few pieces for this picture, and of course using the two Queen images doubled the work – but it was all worth it to me. I really enjoyed the process.

To let the Queen stand proud, I used the letter press plate for the background and a light grey ink, rounded the corners just like a real playing card, then glued to a card base.

The Queen was added, using glue and very, very small pieces of 3D foam tape where needed, as well as the red Q and heart.

I hope you can join us, following our theme, and I look forward to seeing you in our gallery. xx