Month: April 2022

B is for Blooms

The Alphabet Challenge has started another challenge. Having reached the letter ‘B’, Debbie has chosen the theme of ‘BLOOMS’. Here is my card:

I chose another stamp set from Clearly Besotted, it must be an older one as it also has the matching die – something they don’t do any more. I love the vase full of the Spring daffodils and tulips.

Once stamped, coloured with Copics, and die cut, I added some white gel pen for some detail.

The ‘hello’ sentiment was die cut several times and layered for dimension.

The background strip was an off-cut from a previously used piece of patterned paper.

I look forward to seeing lots of colourful blooms on our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Four Seasons Challenge – anything goes Spring

TTCRD – anything goes

Colour Crazy Challenge – week 15 – anything goes colouring

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams – Spring/Easter

Crafty Gals Corner – Spring/Easter

Pink Birthday

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. This time the theme has been chosen by Helen, and she has chosen ‘Think Pink’. Here is my card:

I think I may have fulfilled the brief!

I used a Lawn Fawn stitched scallop die on some patterned paper, also cutting out the centre and layering this with some pink splattered paper – also from Lawn Fawn.

The sentiment was die cut with some pink sparkly card stock – layered a couple of times with white for dimension.

I then added some pink gems from Doodlebug Designs which are from a previous online class.

I’m looking forward to seeing all your ‘pink’ makes in our gallery – it should make for some very bright viewing. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Seize The Birthday – anything goes birthday (option signs of Springs not taken)

Daisy Chain Challenge – birthday

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge – anything goes with patterned paper

Creations In Pink – anything goes mainly pink

Shiny Holly Wreath

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started another ‘anything goes Christmas/Festive’ challenge. Here is my card:

This holly wreath and berries is another die bought from the Charlie and Paulchen company based in Germany. I die cut the wreath in white, then again in green, and the berries in shiny red card stock.

The panel on the card base is embossed using a 3D embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp, with the white wreath adhered, then the green wreath on top and off-set.

Once I had added the red berries, I added glossy accents to the green holly leaves for extra shine.

I hope you can come and join us with your festive/Christmas makes – I look forward to seeing your creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks – Christmas

CYHTP – anything goes with an embossing folder (twist of Easter not taken)

Cards Galore – anything goes

12 Months Of Christmas – anything goes Christmas (gift box option not taken)

Christmas Crafts All Year Round – Christmas with red and green and circles and/or ribbon (wreath circle)

3 Birds and a wreath

Hello. Some playtime again and creating with a new die set:

The wreath die comes with a bird die, and to create the colours I ink blended some Distress Oxide colours onto Bristol smooth card stock – Milled Lavender, Kitsch Flamingo, Bundled Sage, Faded Jeans.

Out of these pieces I die cut the wreath from the Bundled Sage, and the the birds from the other colours.

I embossed a piece of card with a Simon Says Stamp 3D embossing folder, trimmed the edges with the Tim Holtz Deckle Trimmer, and adhered with a piece of craft foam.

I glued the wreath down, but as it is quite a fine wreath, I only placed the glue on strategic points, there is some movement and dimension, and then added the three birds which I had layered and glued together.

I did play with placing them down individually, arranged around the wreath, but it looked a little off, so I decided on this way.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – pink, sage green, lavender, blue

Lil Red Wagon – three of something

CYHTP – embossing folder – optional twist of Easter not taken

The Card Concept – inspiration photo (inspired by the bird and florals (embossing folder)

CAS Joy To The World

It may seem strange that on a very warn day here in the UK – and Easter as well – I have created a Christmas card. I was so inspired to use a new die set, from a company based in Germany – that it just had to happen…..

I chose to use the Perfectly CAS theme for this card, which I feel works quite well. It’s hard to photograph a card with glitter and sparkles, and sometimes the white doesn’t look crisp – but I assure you this is a very crisp cut in real life.

I used white card stock for the house die – it’s meant to be a panorama die, but this time I also die cut a gold glitter card with a circle juts slightly bigger – to create a gold border around the die itself – and the background for the houses.

For such an intricate die – all those little windows – it cur very well in my Sizzix fold-away – but I did cut with the die facing upwards just in case.

The sentiment is gold heat embossed using a stamp from a Clearly Besotted stamp set.

I liked this simple design so much, I created several more with different colours of glitter card – black, silver, pink – and they all look lovely. I will change the sentiment up on those, and have them ready for later in the year.

ABC Christmas Challenge – Ho Ho Ho, or Inky

We have started a new challenge at ABC Christmas Challenge. H is for ‘Ho Ho Ho’ and I is for ‘Inky‘. As long as they are Christmas/Festive related – then you’re good. Here is my card:

I attached the patterned paper onto a white card base. The words are from an MFT die, die cut out of white glitter card, and layered several times with plain white card to create some dimension.

Santa was stamped coloured with Copics, die cut with the matching die, and some white gel pen added.

I wanted him to overlap the letters, so he has been raised with 3D foam squares.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/Festive makes – following the themes – and increase the stash ready for the end of the year. I look forward to seeing your creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On earth Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Colour Crazy Challenge – week 14 – anything goes with colouring

Cards Galore Challenge – anything goes

Hay There – You Goat This…..

The Alphabet Challenge has started at the beginning of the alphabet, and this time Meg has chosen the theme of ‘A for Animal Antics‘. Here is my card:

I used the Lawn Fawn circle stitching dies to create circular frame in the patterned paper. Into this I adhered another circle – going for bright and fun colours.

I then stamped, coloured and die cut all the images – playing around with placement for quiet a while, then settled on what you see here.

Once these were stick down, I added the grass and flowers, layering and snipping as needed.

The sentiment was and adhered in a crooked manner to add a little more whimsy.

I’ve already sent this to my sister-in-law who is going through some stuff at the moment – hopefully it will brighten her day a little.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘Animal Antics‘ creations – I look forward to seeing you in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted To Stamps – make your mark

Colour Crazy Challenge – anything goes colouring – week 13

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

Cardz 4 Galz – Fun Fold

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. This time we want to see your ‘fun folds’. It doesn’t have to be a card, but it does have to be papercraft related – a card, tag, layout – I decided to go with something a little different to my usual makes, and created a gift card holder:

I virtually attended the recent ‘Maker Mania 5’ and this was one of the projects on that intensive few days – a ‘Craft Along’ projects by the only UK company to be part of this event – Sir Stampalot, based in Peterborough.

I made the project using some different papers and embellishments, but the instructions and video were so easy to follow – I can see that I’ll make for little pressies in the future. It could be for any kind of gift card, so I’ll have to stock up on them

Following the written instructions – and watching the video yet again – I added all the paper layers to the base project.

The flowers are from left-overs from a previous card ‘Hey There’ snipped and added as you see.

The shabby ribbon is from my stash, bought ages and ages ago and used to tie the gift card holder together.

The gold embellishments were also part of the Maker Mania 5 kit – to add a little bling.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘fancy fold’ creations – I look forward to seeing wat you create. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge – anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge – add a flower

Arty Divas – anything goes

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge – anything goes with patterned paper

Thanks A Bunch

I fancied doing some Copic colouring today and created this card:

I started by stamping this oldie but goodie stamp from Clearly Besotted. I then chose some Copics to create different coloured tulips, and die cut with the matching die. Clearly Besotted don’t do matching dies any more, and my Scan-n-cut comes into play with the newer stamp sets.

The patterned paper was a freebie with their current and new release – yep, I ordered it all!! – and I thought was a perfect background layer for these flowers.

I wanted a vase for the flowers, so turned to the Honey Bee die set I have, and used vellum……which doesn’t really show up very much, so I outlined it in white.

To get the ribbon on the bunch of flowers to come out of the top of the vase, I had to snip a little – but I think it works.

I then used my Xyron for the vellum – a handy tip from Daniel West on one of his classes – then stuck this down, and added 3D foam under the bouquet itself.

The dots are from a previous Crop and Create event from Doodlebug, and the sentiment is from the same Clearly Besotted stamp set.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Creative Crafters Challenge – anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Easter/Spring (colours and flowers)

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Inkspirational – photo inspiration

The Four Seasons Challenge – anything goes Spring (spring flowers and colours)

Crafty Friends Challenge – Spring Colours

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and tic tac toe (first left column – at least 2 layers, yellow, flowers)

Meowy Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started a new ‘anything goes Christmas’ challenge. Here is my card:

I first started by creating the acetate layer you see behind the cat. This is a technique demonstrated years ago by Sue Wilson – the ‘caught in crystal’ technique. I have tried it a few times and always like the result.

Onto acetate you squirt clear lacquer, spread it around, add Brushos or colour bursts. I also added some bits of glitter for a little sparkle, then add a layer of tissue paper – scrunch and spread that around so it all has contact with the colours and the lacquer – then let it dry. I left this overnight.

Meantime, I die cut the layer with curved rectangle dies, then die cut the ‘peeking cat’, adding some black gel pen to the eyes and nose.

I then heat embossed the sentiment you see.

When the acetate panel was dry, I die cut a circle to fit behind the cat, used red liner tape to adhere it, then used 3D foam to stick that down to a white card base.