Someone Is Thinking Of You

Hello. A little crafty playtime – and lots of die cutting – to create this card:

For some reason, I was obviously in a purple and pink mood today, using Concord & 9th card stock – Grape Soda & Briar Rose. It may be because Grape Soda is one of the colours they are retiring and it was on my mind.

I die cut the [post box and all it’s layers, assembling together, then die cutting the floral elements and two white envelopes, choosing to keep to the two colours instead of adding any extra.

I used a Spellbinders stencil set to create the ‘air mail’ look around the outside of a white panel, and the matching inks to the card stock.

Once this panel was placed onto the ‘air mail’ panel, I thought it looked a little plain, so I used an old (very old) Darice embossing folder of small flowers to emboss it.

The sentiment was stamped then die cut with the matching die, layered with a couple more of the die cuts for dimension.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Tic Tac Toe – middle column – die cut/punch & emboss wet or dry & layers

Just Us Girls – stencil week

A Cut Above – die cuts, option of pastels not taken

Happy Birthday

I have a card to share created for a good friend who is celebrating her 60th birthday tomorrow:

Following the theme from AAA Birthday to use Washi tape, I gathered my Pinkfresh Studio product suites which included Washi tape, and used ‘Fluttering Butterfly‘ to create the leafy sections and the butterfly itself. The Washi was adhered to white card, then the matching die to cut them out.

To add interest to the background, I die cut the ‘Floral Lace’ die twice and layered it together, glui9ng to the card base.

The leaves and butterfly were adhere, then some gold gems for extra interest, and to match the gold within the Washi tape itself.

The sentiment banner is from a Simon Hurley/Spellbinders die set, cut out of gold, with a white backing, and adhered with 3D foam.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and birthday/anniversary

AAA Birthday – birthday and Washi tape

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Cocoa Kisses

I created a card inspired by the challenge at 52 CCT, where the current theme is Christmas and Mug:

I started by die cutting and assembling the Spellbinders Santa mug from the die set called ‘Cocoa Greetings’. You do have the option of creating a penguin and deer also – but I was feeling that Santa vibe.

Once assembled, I took a piece of a light teal blue card stock and used a Spellbinders embossing folder to create a snowflake background, stamped the sentiment – also from Spellbinders, and die cut that with it’s matching die.

I added some small black gems for the buttons on his tunic.

A fairly straight-forward card which came together quite quickly, once I had decided on the colours.

I shall be entering into the following challenges:

52 CCT – Christmas and Mug

Peace On Earth – Christmas with optional mood board

Thinking Of You Today

Hello again. I have a card to share whilst trying to keep my mind busy after saying goodbye to one of my cats yesterday.

My starting point was the list at Festive Friday and searched my CML app for ‘envelope’. This Spellbinders hot foil plate came up, and with it were layering stencils, so out came my foil machine, and off I went.

I used a brass foil and Hammermill card stock. Now – I am not a fan of this card stock. I have not had great results when foiling or ink blending, but thought I would give it another go……..in future, I will stick with my Neenah for ink blending.

It did foil perfectly. I just don’t like how the card ‘grabs’ the brush, the ink doesn’t flow smoothly enough for me. I will use it for foiling or for stamping – but not for ink blending….

Anyhoo – onwards……I ink blended Pinkfresh Studio inks in the colours you see using all the layering stencils. I added a slightly darker blend to the areas of the envelopes I felt would be a little,in shadow under another envelope.

The panel was then cut down slightly to leave a white border showing on the card base.

The sentiment is from Pinkfresh and one of their recent virtual events, heat embossed in brass, then die cut with the matching die.

I created a die cut vellum label to go behind the sentiment, also from Pinkfresh Studio.

I can see that I shall be crafting over the next few days – in between cuddles with my other cats – that’s if they let me. They aren’t particularly a cuddly bunch. The weather in the UK seems to be a little brighter this next few days so I much venture out on my push bike…….

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Festive Friday – 3 items from the list – envelopes/vellum/thinking of you sentiment

Addicted to Stamps & More – die cuts and/or stencils – I used both

Stencil Fun – stencils, option of rainbow colours

Happy, Happy Birthday

Hello again. I have a birthday card to share using some new products from Spellbinders:

There are a couple of challenges calling for Spring themed cards, so I used the new dies from Spellbinders which included these bluebells and pansies, and some bright card stock off-cuts I have handy.

I first cut and layered the pansies, then the bluebells, adding the stalks. The bluebell stalks hold one flower, but I layered three together to create several which dangle from the same stem.

The background panel was created using an older SIzzix 3D embossing folder and trimmed down slightly.

The bottom light brown/Kraft section was cut, and then the border added so it looked like a window box.

The flowers were arranged, then stems tucked beneath the brown section, with 3D foam behind each flower head.

The sentiment is from Pinkfresh Studio – stamped then die cut – and two of the spare bluebell flowers attached to the side.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Seize The Birthday – birthday and Spring Garden

CYHTP – embossing folder with option of blue on blue not taken

Cut It Up – die cuts and colours of Spring

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and birthday/anniversary

Mixed Media Butterflies

Hello everyone. I am here to announce the new challenge starting at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reached the letter ‘Z‘, and Deborah has chosen the theme of:

Z is for Zoology

Here is my card:

As you can see I chose butterflies, which – according to Google – are classed under the order of Lepidoptera.

I started by grabbing the Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous red rubber stamp set called ‘Flutter‘ and chose to go down the mixed media path.

I first grabbed my Distress Pencils, some water, and then coloured each butterfly stamp with the wet pencil nibs in a selection of colours, applied a spray of water to that, then stamped.

This gave a water-colour pattern, not precise, which is what I was going for. After that had dried, I fussy-cut them out…..yep, me, fussy-cutting…….!!

Now for the background panel.

This was created with a piece of Distress watercolour card, some script stamps, Distress pencils – using the same wet pencil to stamp technique, and stamped a couple of times.

This was left to dry whilst I hunted out more stamps I could use, and found a label stamp on which I used a light purple Distress pencil – same technique – wet nib then spritz.

Once the panel was dry, some splatters applied and left to dry – again.

I then used a stencil from Finnabair ‘Gothic’ script and some clear embossing paste – you can see a slight shine in some parts on the background.

Once everything was dry, I attached the background panel to a white card base, created a little curve in the butterfly wings and attached with glue – 3D foam under each wing to maintain dimension.

The foiled sentiment was added – silver on black – and little black gems stuck down as you see.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Just Add Ink – inspiration & colours – pink, brown – light and dark, white,

Addicted to Stamps & More – die cuts and/or stencils – stencil on background

Stamping Sensations – stamping and inspired by nature

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

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Party – anything in or from the garden

When it rains – look for rainbows

Hello there. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Sue J is hosting, and she has chosen the theme of:

April Showers

Here is my card:

I decided to go slimline with this card to get more umbrellas on there, so I created the background panel using a Clearly Besotted stencil, Versamark ink, and silver embossing powder. I had to move the 6 x 6 inch stencil to cover all the background panel – but it worked out well.

The rainbow umbrellas were created using a Spellbinders die set, ink blending a slightly darker colour for the under-side of each umbrella, and adding the lacy layer – ink blended to be slightly darker – for a little more interest and dimension.

The sentiment is from an older Avery Elle stamp set – stamped then cut into a rectangle.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations following our theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Addicted to Stamps & More – die cuts and/or stencils (both used)

Ellibelle’s Corner I Spy – Spring flowers or Spring showers

All White Christmas

I have a card to share which took me a while to make – going back to my die-cutting roots of more than 10 years ago. This is the kind of card I used to create all the time – lots of die cutting, lots of movement, lots of dimension – and large. I usually had to make boxes for these cards to go into.

I followed the current theme at 52 CCT – the theme is ‘All white‘. I wanted poinsettia dies – of which I seem to have quite a few – and used Honey Bee Stamps ‘Winter Bouquets‘ for the flowers.

I die cut the flowers out of white and also out of a white glitter card stock from Pink Frog Crafts – a local crafting shop. I created three poinsettia – alternating white and glitter card for the layers – slightly curving the petals on each layer before sticking them together.

Then for the card base – an 8 inch square ‘ice white’ card, matted with glitter card, then a frame die cut from Sue Wilson square dies. This frame has three layers for added dimension, then glued onto the glitter card.

I arranged the flowers, then thought about foliage and the sentiment.

The foliage is die cut from other Sue Wilson die sets using white card. The sentiment is from Concord & 9th – the shadow layer from white card stock and the words from glitter card.

I first arranged how I wanted everything, then glued the base of each of the foliage die cuts which would under the flowers, then stuck the flowers down with 3D foam – that way the foam could also ‘catch’ each the base of each of the foliage layers, leaving the other end of each to have flow and movement.

The sentiment was attached with a glue and 3D foam, then the finishing touch was to add some white gems – from Phil Martin – which I have had for ages. The larger of the three sizes for the centre of the flowers. with the medium and small gems for each corner of the frame.

I enjoyed going back in time to create this card – lots of dimension and movement……

I shall be entering the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown – Christmas and all white

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up – anything goes with option of die cuts taken

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

12 Months of Christmas Link-Up – anything goes Christmas – option of Nordic Noel not taken

Christmas Crafts All year Round – Christmas with G or H – G is for Glitter

Thank You For Being You

Hello there. I have a card to share using a pale pink and pale blue:

My starting point for this card was to use the images from Pinkfresh Studio, products from the recent SCT event. The stamp set is called ‘Delicate Whispers‘ and comes with four of the floral images in one stamp, so I stamped twice using a brown Gina K ink instead of black for a softer outline.

Once stamped, I ink blended the light pink and light blue Pinkfresh Studio inks, then die cut with the matching die. I die cut another layer to place behind for more stability – each floral image layered twice.

I wanted to place several of the images on a card front, so I then used the Waffle Flower ‘Postage Collage Blocks’ stencil to shade each block with both of those colours.

The sentiment was stamped – from the same Pinkfresh Studio stamp set – then the panel adhered to a white card base with 3D foam.

Each of the images was glued down, and then some light blue sparkle gems from Spellbinders added here and there.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

(PIN)spirational – pale pink and pale blue

Allsorts – in the garden

A Cut Above – die cuts option of pastels

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

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Party – anything in or from the garden

Patterned Paper Play

Hello once again. I am stepping out of my comfort zone to play with some patterned papers from 49 & Market. I have had these – along with many more – in my stash for absolutely ages, and I was in the mood to play yesterday. I created 3 cards:

I think that these collections from 49 & Market are best suited to folios, but I have never tried one – maybe that is another comfort zone exit for the future…….

I created 6 x 6 inch card bases in the colours I thought would match the images, and matted a slightly smaller layer onto them.

I cut apart the images and strips from the collection, played around with mats and layers until I was happy, then either glued or used 3D foam to put everything together.

There are lots of images and papers left over, and I may explore different card styles and folds over the next few days, maybe even some folio pages – I found a folio in my stash when tidying up a little – who knew I had one of those……?