Card Making

Mistletoe Kisses

Hello there. ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the letters ‘J‘ and ‘K‘, and we want to see your Christmas/Festive creations with ‘J’ for Jingle Bells, and/or ‘K’ for Kisses (under the mistletoe)’. Here is my card:

I have some slimline card bases in this gorgeous dark blue and never think to use them – so I grabbed one, and embossed the front half with a Spellbinders embossing folder.

The birds, bird house, and all the floral elements were die cut and assembled, and the hardest part was deciding on where each of the elements were to go. Thank goodness I went for slimline so I could get everything on there.

I’m looking forward to seeing your Christmas/Festive makes following our themes. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes flowers/florals

Sparkles Forum – emboss it

Fab’n’Funky – things with wings

Creative Fingers – anything goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Most Magical Time Of The Year – anything goes Christmas or Halloween

12 Months of Christmas – anything goes Christmas – option Christmas Decorations not taken

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

You Had Me At Meow….

Hello once again. The Alphabet Challenge has reached the letter ‘C’, and Helen has chosen the theme of ‘CATS’. I am currently ‘owned’ by four cats, but rarely seem to make cards with cats……. Here is my card:

The background panel is patterned paper – a subtle one as I wanted everything else on there to be bright and cheerful.

The main sentiment is from Time For Tea Designs, die cut in the bright pink with the white shadow layer, and attached with 3D foam.

The cats are from a Tim Holtz die set, the die set aptly called ‘Mischievous’, and I chose the three cats which I would be able to intertwine around the sentiment – again in bright and cheerful colours.

The hardest part about creating this card was choosing the colours. I wanted bright, cheerful and fun colours, which I think I achieved.

I hope you can come and join us with your cats themed creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Addicted To Stamps and More – use die cuts and/or stencils

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Crafts Galore – anything goes

You Are Amazing….

Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Sue J has chosen the theme of Mother’s Day (US) or flowers for a friend. I went with flowers for a friend:

Onto a white card base I added a die cut layer from a Pinkfresh Studio die set to create the interest around the edges.

The main image was stamped and gold heat embossed, and the layering stencils used, including the one which allows you to colour the background behind the flowers. I then took a smaller die from the same Pinkfresh set and die cut that panel, and added it to the layers on the card base.

I added a foiled sentiment and some gold gems for more interest.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Allsorts – anything goes – option one for the girls

Make My Monday – flowers

Cupcake Inspirations – Mother’s Day of someone special feminine

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes flowers/florals

Ellibelle’s I Spy – April Showers or May Flowers

Stencil Fun – stencils and option of flowers

Debossing Birthday

The new ‘anything goes birthday challenge‘ has started at Happy Little Stampers. Here is my card:

I dry embossed a panel using a Spellbinders embossing folder, and decided to use the deboss side instead of the usual embossed side. I matted this with a brushed gold panel, then adhered to the card base.

The flowers are also from Spellbinders – die cut and layered – and added to the white debossed panel.

The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp, layered three times, and stuck down to a brushed gold shadow layer. This sentiment was stuck down to hide the bottom of the flower and leaf stems.

I added some gold sequins as you see.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘anything goes birthday’ creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Beyond The Blue – birthday

Creative Fingers – anything goes

Seize The Birthday – birthday with option of balloons not taken

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of baby not taken

Crafters Café – Easter and /or flowers

A Cozy Christmas

The new challenge at Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started. The theme is always ‘anything goes Christmas/festive’. Here is my card:

I wanted to try and create a one layer card for this challenge. I don’t do many of those as I find them quite difficult.

I used a Kraft card base, and stamped multiple images, in reds and greens, and tried to fill the card base up.

It took a little planning, but I’m quite pleased with how effective it turned out. It seemed to take me longer to do this than when I do lots of die-cutting, I don’t know why…

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/festive creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge – Christmas

Crafty Catz – anything goes

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Stitched Hello You……

The same friend that gave me the idea of using peonies for the last post, gave me some threads to stitch some of my stitching dies. I used to cross-stitch and sew tapestry many years ago, but when I started to need glasses and a spotlight to sew, I gave all my stuff away.

Here is what I came up with:

The stitching die is from Spellbinders, and the layers die cut out of white card stock. I wanted the embroidery to stand out.

All the coloured card stock is from Concord & 9th, using some of their new colours. Once the three layers were die cut and stitched with a lilac, a pink, and a darker purple, I die cut the centre panel, and attached the three elements together.

A Briar Rose panel was dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder, attached to the white card base, and the three die cut and sewn elements were added with 3D foam.

I then die cut some florals and leaves, layered them together and added to the centre panel. I decided to go with a landscape orientation, as I felt it suited the floral dies better.

The small sentiment is white heat embossed, and die cut with it’s matching die.

I added some purple sequins around the larger sewn piece, and three smaller purple onto the centre panel.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – anything goes

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes flowers/florals

Ellibelle’s I Spy Challenge – April showers or May Flowers

Birthday Peony

Hello. I have a card to share using some die sets from Honey Bee Stamps:

I wanted to use the three colours for the current Color Throwdown Challenge and was stumped. I mentioned the colours to a friend of mine, and she instantly said ‘peony’…….I searched the Color My Life app for what peony items I had (quiet a few actually) and this die set just spoke to me.

I ink blended a panel of Distress White Heavystock with Spun Sugar Distress Ink – keeping it quite light, and not being too perfect – and die cut the leaf from that due set twice.

On another panel I die cut the flower layers first, then ink blended the Tattered Rose Distress Ink afterwards – I wanted to vary how strong, how blended, and how smooth I wanted the blending to be, depending on which part of the flower showed when all layered together.

I die cut three of the ‘Lovely Layers Heart Vine’ outlines and arranged them behind the rose and leaves:

Once I had the placement I wanted, I used some ‘Press’n’seal’ to pick the whole arrangement up and attach 3D foam to the back, and then stick down. The leaves were not stuck down any other way and left loose to give even more dimension.

I stamped the sentiment then used the matching die to cut it out, and arranged as you see.

I also added some enamel dots to the top right corner.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – blush, dusty rose, white

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – make your mark

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – anything goes

Krafty Chicks – occasions

Make My Monday – flowers

Hey Chick….!

I have a fun card to share today:

The colour scheme is for one of the challenges I am entering, and as soon as I saw that yellow was in that challenge, I thought of chickens. No idea why – I don’t have chickens – but I remembered this Tim Holtz layering die set so I started from there.

I die cut the chickens from several shades of yellow card stock from Heffy Doodle. The egg was from the same Tim Holtz die set, and created using Lost Shadow Distress Oxide, and ink smooshed onto Kraft Heavystock. I loved how the oxide gave a mottled and chalky effect.

Once all the layers were glued together I decided I wanted to create a scene, so I ink blended Salvaged Patina Distress Ink and used a Lawn Fawn cloud stencil, and for the grass I used a Pinkfresh Studio green ink and a Lawn Fawn grass stencil again.

I also wanted a speech bubble and suitable sentiment, so I searched the Color My Life app and it came up with the speech bubble from Lawn Fawn which is meant to be part of a reveal wheel, and the sentiment from Stampin’ Up.

I die cut that stencilled panel with a stitched rectangle and adhered flat to a white card base.

I stuck down the two chicks and the sentiment with 3D foam, and wasn’t going to add an egg (I made three altogether) but decided to put it on at the last minute. In hindsight, I think I should have left it off the card. It kinda looks like the chick is sitting on a stone……..anyhoo. Hindsight is always 20/20….I think it’s cute and fun anyway.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – celery green, yellow, aqua

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – things with wings

Crafty Catz – anything goes – option of celebration not taken

Daring Cardmakers – feathers or something feathered

Stencil Fun – stencils – option of patterns

Black and White Hug

The Alphabet Challenge has started a new challenge, and as we have reached the letter ‘B’, Veronica has chosen the theme of ‘Black and White’. Here is my card:

The base panel is embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder – a lovely deep impression of all those flowers.

Into the centre I attached a die cut circle = also from Spellbinders, and part of the Maker Mania 5 kit we received. I layered that with couple of other circles – alternating black and white, then added sentiment.

The butterflies were stamped and die cut and added as you see.

I also added some faceted black gems in the four corners.

I hope you can come and join us with your black and white creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Country View Challenge – things with wings

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

Birthday Cocktails

Hello everyone. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Dawn is hosting this time round, and she has chosen the theme of ‘cocktails’. Here is my card:

I die cut the Pinkfresh Studio deco frame, leaving the inner part intact. Onto that piece I used a Lawn Fawn stencil to create some pink interest, then also used some glitter paste for a little sparkle.

Whilst that was drying, I die cut the MFT dies – from several sets – to create the cocktail glasses, inner drink from an ink smooshed panel, and also the garnishes – which were extremely fiddly – but satisfying once completed.

Once layered, I played with which garnish to go with which drink, stuck them all together, then had a play with placement onto the now dry stencilled background.

The glasses were stuck down with 3D foam, then sentiment stamped and added, and then I decided to add some additional sparkle with these coloured sequins I found in my stash.

I also added some glossy accents to some of the garnishes.