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A Big Birthday Wish

Hello there. I have a busy day ahead – crafting and house stuff. I’ve already been out for my third mini-bike ride…….I’ve just started to cycle, and currently only going out for 15-20 minutes. The second time I went out I fell off – that seat was just too high and I couldn’t put my feet down when I stopped……gravel rash in hand and knee – but now all good.

So, now I feel all proud that I’ve already done some exercise – I feel craftiness coming on. I have to make a card for the next Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – due to start on the 26th March; it is Mother’s Day here in the UK next Sunday – 31st March; it is my mum’s birthday on Thursday 28th March………..and on the 3rd of April the next ABC Christmas Challenge begins………I’d better get to it, hadn’t I?

The card for posting this morning was a little fiddly, but I enjoyed creating it:

I stamped the Mama Elephant ‘Little Cat Agenda‘ and coloured with Copics. All the same colour, and only used red and yellow for the items the cats were holding, as I knew I was going to do a vibrant and colourful background.

I then used Distress Oxides in rainbow colours to create the background, and cut it out with my newly purchased MFT ‘Puzzle Cover-Up Die-Dynamic’. I toyed with the idea of putting the puzzle pieces back together correctly, then thought about them all back crooked, but went with this way – some gaps between each piece.

It also took me a bit of time arranging these little puddy tats – I didn’t want yellow additions on the yellow piece, and wanted to ensure some contrast between the cats and the background.

The sentiment is also from MFT – a freebie from Seven Hills Crafts ages ago, but a great range of birthday sentiments in different fonts – I usually go to that stamp set time and again.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Always Fun Challenges – dogs or cats

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Seize the Birthday – Birthday with option dots and stripes (not used)

MFT Birthday Project – birthday and rainbow colours

Flowers are always a good idea

Hi again. I managed to get some crafting time after work today, and used my new Concord and 9th ‘Fine Line Florals‘ die set, and the Lawn Fawn ‘Fancy Lattice Backdrop‘ die:

I used the colours from the current Color Throwdown Challenge – red, yellow, soft green, and white – and I am sure I did the most complicated method of creating this card that you can probably think of……….

I started with some red card, backed with double sided sticky paper, and die cut the large flower. I then die cut the flower and leaves in white card, and coloured them with Copics.

I then placed the red flower outline over the yellow flower, and added the black centre part.

All the pieces are pieced back into the outline – because the Gemini Junior cut them out so well – they all fell out…………..now where did I put my reading glasses???? I certainly needed them for that job!

Here is a little close-up:

The sentiment is also from the Concord and 9th matching stamp set – I think I may have to use that sentiment again – love it!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – red, yellow, soft green, white

The Flower Challenge – flowers anything goes

Aud Sentiments – any sentiment except Happy Birthday

Sparkly deer

Hi there. I have a quick posting for a card today, to enter the current challenge at CAS Christmas Cards:

I took this very intricate deer from X-cut, and cut it out of glitter card from Crafters Companion, after sticking some double-sided sticky sheet on the back of it. I knew the deer was intricate, and didn’t want to glue it, as I generally get some glue leaking around the edges.

I used the Crafters Companion Gemini Junior to cut it – and that took several passes through the machine – which is very unusual. I even used the metal plate too…….

The blue/green rectangle is Distress Oxides, which I blended through an aperture I masked off. The sentiment is from a Concord and 9th stamp set. I thought the sentiment was suitable for a peaceful looking deer.

So – a quick posting, as I was at the computer buying the newest Catherine Pooler release…………which will take 2-3 weeks to get to me!! I am sure you will know when I have it, as there will definitely be some cards made very soon after receiving it…….. :)

Copic Peony

Hello there. I decided to have a go at Copic colouring again for this beautiful stamp set from Uniko – the Pure Florals Peony:

I enjoyed colouring this image so much – strange for me to actually enjoy colouring – so I did another one:

I even managed to grab some fresh air to take the photos – I do miss going outside to photograph my cards. It makes such a difference.

The colours for this image was from the current challenge at Just Us Girls – yellow, purple, teal; the layout is for the current challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches; and Copic colouring to enter the current challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More, where they invite you to ‘make your mark’.

I hope you are having a fabulous day, (perhaps recovering from St Patrick’s Day), but I am waiting for our St George’s Day on 23rd April………..

:) :)

CAS Wild Ferns

I seem to have lost my posting about this card, but have found it via a challenge link. Hopefully it works now……….and it hasn’t posted twice!! :(

Hi again. I have a simple card to share today. I have spent the past couple of days playing with some intricate techniques and cards – see previous post – so today I wanted to go a little more clean……….

I actually made another with out the sequins, and matted and layered slightly differently:

The idea behind these cards, was for a couple of guys at work who have just been through some exams, and I wanted to give them a card which is not my usual more feminine style – obviously – so these are what I came up with. A clean and simple – yet effective – card.

Who says a guy can’t have sequins on a card? Not me……….

I used the Altenew ‘Wild Ferns’ stamp set and went with a simple stamped image using three of the Altenew green inks.

This layout is one I have used for a previous challenge where the idea was to use just one third, or just the top part of the card. I find going back to previous challenge sketch layouts gives me an idea about my design.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Male Room – Male and green

The Card Concept – Photo Inspiration

Addicted to CAS – green

Faux Stained Glass Flower

Hello there. I have been trying out a new technique – new to me, anyway. I decided to try the faux stained glass technique, and I thought I knew what I was doing, that it would be easy, no hassle, get it done, seen some videos months ago…….. quick……well…….erm…..not quite!

Firstly, here is the finished card:

Now a close-up:

I used the Altenew ‘Antique Engravings Cover die’, cut out several times in white card. I actually removed the outer thin frame, because when I started to stack them up together, it just kept getting in the way. I stacked at least four of them together, and then went in with Nuvo Crystal Drops in the green and pick as you see.

Sticking such a lacy die on top of another several times? Challenging. The Nuvo drops were the second challenge hurdle. Then letting it all dry – I had to wait until the next day – I’m not that good at waiting…………….but I managed.

Then realised I wanted to add Glossy Accents too…………..more waiting……….!

At this point I decided I ought to look at some videos about this technique after all……uh huh! Just at the end of my ‘playing’. That’s me all over…. :)

I used one of the tips from Jennifer McGuire – I had a final white outline which I embossed using Altenew Rose Gold embossing powder, stuck that down, and made the card as you see……(First time using that embossing powder – certainly won’t be the last! Lovely stuff!)

Now – in the future I can see me doing this technique again – but I will be using Copics to colour the lower level. Though, now this card is done, I really like how shiny the colours are. I must remember next time to allow a couple of days – and even to do several at a time……

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up Challenge – CAS faux stained glass + stamping + your choice – (stamping the sentiment, my choice of heat embossing and die cut layer)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – feminine/girly

Altenew March Challenge – Photo Inspiration

Stitched Blooms

Hi there. I created another card yesterday, and waited for today to try and get some natural light to take the photo – there is plenty of light – but outside is sooooo windy that I daren’t take the card out for the photo.

Here it is anyway:

I used the newly purchased – and restocked at Seven Hills Crafts – MFT ‘Stitched Blooms‘. I have been waiting for these to come back in, and when I received the email to say there were in stock – off I went to order them (and some other stuff) :) :) and I’m not disappointed in them.

I die cut the whole lot out of white card stock, then coloured with my Copics. The colours used were for entry into the current Color Throwdown Challenge – orange, light blue, brown – and the layout is for the current MFT Sketch Challenge.

A clean and simple card, which actually took a lot of preparation – die-cutting, colouring, sticking the flowers together……and yet it looks so simple……I am sure to be crafting over the weekend, so I will catch you at some point, I’m sure.

Hello Spring…..

Hi there everyone. So – in the midst of snow flurries and windy/icy conditions yesterday – I made a card for Spring. I know – but that’s how my mind works……..! Maybe it was wishful thinking…….

Here is my card:

I have been ‘trying’ to sort out my stamps and dies – putting them in pockets, sorting alphabetically by company (O.C.D. much!) and came across this stamp set I have never used. I don’t have the matching dies for this set, so I started by trying to create a one-layer-card…….then realised Copic colouring just doesn’t work with one-layer-cards – too much seepage through the card. So – I matted it onto a card base.

I stamped the images as you see, then masked the bottom of them to stamp the little floral/grass arrangement repeatedly across the bottom. The Copic colouring I kept to the same colours, to kinda join the image together. I did a little shading, but with these images, a solid block of colour works quite well, I think.

One thing about the middle little bunny – I didn’t realise until colouring her that the stamped image has a sad kind of look, so I took an Artliner pen and drew a smile………….but I think I added a moustache instead……what do you think?

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Addicted to Stamps Challenge – anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – create a scene

AAA Cards – sentiment + 3 = sentiment + stamped image/colouring pens/one matted layer

Some Flowers and a Tree

Good morning everyone. I have been a little remiss in my blog postings. I posted a couple of cards at the beginning of the week – Christmas cards – for a couple of challenges I am now Design Team for – ABC Christmas Challenge and The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge.

This means I will have a significant stash of Christmas cards by the end of the year, so I hope you will join us there.

I managed to get time in my craft room yesterday, and made three cards for separate challenges, so I hope you will bear with me for the bunch of photos, and as the lighting currently is quite poor – despite a light box – I did struggle with them, but I hope you can enough for what I was trying to achieve.

As Christmas has been on my mind for the above challenges, I decided to add just one more for the CASology Challenge , using the colours from CAS Colours and Sketches, and adding into the Christmas at Sweet Stampin’ Challenge:

Here is a little close-up:

I used a stamp from Paper Artsy, and coloured with Copics. The sentiment is on two separate blocks to add to the ‘funky’ feel of the card, and the two outer strips are coloured with Copics, and cut to add as you see. I left quite a bit of the image white, so try to maintain a clean and simple look, as the image is quite a large one at six a a half inches tall.

This second card was inspired by The Color Throwdown Challenge, to use Grey, Purple, Lavender, and Kraft:

I turned to me Altenew 3D flowers for this, die-cutting them and then colouring with Copics. I did put the uppermost level as white initially, but then coloured it grey, which I prefer, but leaving the middle stamen white. Those leaves – my goodness – loving those leaves, I must say.

My third and final card for today:

The colours were inspired by the photo inspiration at Pinspirational – the greys and whites, along with the stripes. An Altenew stamp and die set, and Altenew inks, and also dry embossing the Gradient Stripes Cover Die into the white background:

Once again, the lighting not brilliant, but I hope you see the stripes.

This card will also be entered into:

Watercooler Challenges – anything feminine goes

Clean and Simple on Friday – CAS dry or heat embossing

The Flower Challenge – anything goes with flowers

A Very Merry Moose

Hello there. Another month, and another challenge at ABC Christmas Challenge. A chance to work with us every month and have a batch of Christmas cards by the end of the year – and – of course – to have fun.

This month, Carol is hosting, and the theme is ‘E’ for Embellishments, ‘F’ for Fabric, and ‘G’ for Glitz. Here is my take on the letters – actually incorporating all of them in one card:

and a couple of different angles:

I sued the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Merry Moose die set, just adding some gold shiny card for the details on the moose. The moose itself is cut out of a faux leather look paper/card. I have a roll here and never used it – so I thought the moose would be a good start.

The background circles are from Sue Wilson, the circular tree cut-out is from Dawn Bibby, and the trees from the same Merry Moose die set stuck on top of the Dawn Bibby trees for added interest – with the glitter card for the background and the snow detail on the trees.

The sentiment if from Clearly Besotted, stamped and heat embossed.

So – I have the glitter card for the ‘G’ for Glitz, the ‘F’ for Fabric is the faux leather the moose is cut out of, and the ‘E’ for Embellishments, is the star on the moose’s neck collar (no idea what that is called….is it a harness??!!)

I actually can’t remember the background paper – who made it, nor how long I have had it – but I think it suited the vintage kinda style I was looking for to make the Moose a home winter wonderland…..

Feel free to join us this month, sticking to our challenge theme letters, please, and check-out the other members of the Design Team – again some varied and amazing work done for this challenge.

I hope to see you over there soon. :)