Jungle themed

Hi there. It’s been a few days since I last posted, due to several longer days at work, and working later, but I think I’ve made up for it with todays card. It isn’t what you would call ‘clean and simple’. It isn’t a single layered card. It looks as though I’ve chucked everything at it, doesn’t it? Let me explain…………..

I have been trying to get to grips with masculine cards, and saved a challenge theme to try from ‘Cardz 4 Guyz’ as the theme was Jungle Fun. I bought a bunch of metal stencils from Sweet Poppy at the Doncaster Racecourse craft show, which depicted wild animals, and haven’t played with them yet. This is only one of the stencils, and I am currently waiting for texture paste to dry on the others I have made.

This card is, obviously, using the Giraffe stencil. I used a Cosmic Shimmer texture paste – Chic Pumpkin – on top of black card. A base card of 7 inches square, to which I added a greeny/shimmery card slightly smaller which I had embossed with the Die’sire ‘Tumbling Leaves’ embossing folder. Once I added the giraffe, I played with the position thinking about adding more leaves, a sentiment, wondering what I would put where on the card, and decided to put things a little haphazardly on the card, slightly off kilter, giving an impression of wildness – maybe? Kinda? Sorta? That’s my thought process, anyway.

The sentiment is from Tonic, and I shadowed it with white. In hindsight – as there isn’t any other white on the card – maybe this wasn’t the right choice of colour………

The leaves added to the left of the card are from Sue Wilson – Finishing Touches – Mosaic Leaves. I use these a lot to add interest and dimension to a card, and I particularly like them when they aren’t flat. I have only glued the stems down, slightly bending the branches themselves so they don’t stick straight up, but lie along the card.

And again – away from the clean and simple – I added some bling. Who says a masculine card can’t have some bling? I added some goldy/coppery jewels as you can see. You can also see that I not knowing my colours today – goldy/coppery and greeny/shimmery. I think it’s a new trend…….

Here are the challenges I will entering this card into:

Cardz 4 Guyz – Jungle Fun

Always Fun Challenges – dry embossing (background)

Tuesday Throwdown – texture (background and texture paste)

Watercooler Wednesday – masculine/anything goes

Simon Says Stamp – bit of sparkle (gems)

Crafty Catz – more than two layers

 

 

 

 

Green Flowers

For today I have gone completely mad and opposite to my clean and simple card yesterday. You could say I have gone embossing and die cutting crazy. Embellishment crazy even.

I was inspired by several challenges to create this card, and it all seemed to work well by combining them. This is the sort of card I started to make back in the day. I loved die-cutting and embossing with a passion, and added everything to every card. I tend to do these kinds of cards for Christmas, adding loads of layers, loads of different die-cutting elements like deer, or trees, or angels. Love it.

For this card I was going very floral, and very monochrome! I used a 7 inch square base and put an embossed green and white layer on top. They are both embossed with a Crafters Companion Die’sire Embossalicious folder called ‘Floral Vine’, cut with a Sue Wilson Noble Frame die – as always.

The roses are, again, Sue Wilson – Finishing Touches Wild Rose – cut three times, and embossing after cutting. Such lovely detail on the rose, don’t you think? Sue Wilson’s ‘Trailing Ivy’ was also cut and embossed.

The main sentiment is from Paperartsy ‘Eclectica 3’, and stamped in black versamark, using my Misti. I tried to find an ink which matched the green, but decided on black as I wanted a bold statement and sentiment which would stand out from all the floral happenings on the card.

I used yet another Sue Wilson die set – Frames and Tags ‘Grace’ – for the sentiment, using the main scalloped outside layer and detailed inner layer, adding a green layer behind to highlight the design.

For the final added embellishment, I turned to my Tonic Nuvo drops, added them to the four corners, then added around the sentiment. I told you I was harnessing my inner multi-layering personality!

The challenges I will be entering are:

Aud Sentiments challenge – flowers and a sentiment

The House that Stamps Built – tic tac toe – (flowers, pearls, frames)

Brown Sugar challenge – embossing

Craft for the Craic – anything goes

Allsorts challenge – ring a ring o’ roses

Crazy for Challenges – use green

Crafting with Dragonflies – lots of flowers

 

 

 

 

Less is definitely more

Hi all, I hope everyone is having a good weekend. I’ve been having a little struggle with my mojo for the past few days, what with busy at work, being let down by a charity I was making cards for. Isn’t is amazing how things affect your creativity sometimes, and yet other times it doesn’t make any difference.

I was having a look through my recent challenge entries, and remembered I had made a major ‘boo boo’ with the last ‘Less is More’ challenge – I entered a card but entered too many other challenges. So – you know what – this card is only being entered ONLY into the challenge.

The theme for the current challenge is ‘one layer: spots/stripes’. I knew I had some small stamps somewhere by Catherine Pooler which had plenty of those on them – now to find them! Actually, it wasn’t too difficult as I have been trying to organise my stamps into makes, as opposed to themes and find that works better for me. I always seem to know I have stamps and dies, and usually who makes them so it works better.

I used some Crafters Companion Neenah Crest Solar White card, which is lovely and smooth, perfect for stamping on. I cut two pieces of A4 card down to make four cards, as I was planning on putting some together in a four-pack for notelets, varying the sentiment on each one, but the design staying the same.

I used Catherine Pooler inks, too, as I find these stamp extremely well, but being very careful as they stay a little wet for longer. Beautiful inks……but I still used my Misti just in case!

So, I am only entering the current ‘Less is More’ challenge, and hope I have read the rules correctly this time! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trio of butterflies

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Hi everyone. I’ve gone a different route to the most recent cards. And – I’ve read the rules for the challenges more closely, after the last time! My advice – read, then read again, then read again!

Anyhoo…….for this card I have used three ‘twinchies’ and stamped a layering butterfly from a Hunkydory set I have, using my Altenew inks. (You just knew there would be Altenew somewhere, didn’t you?)

The base card is Kraft card, with an embossed ‘pinprick’ design from Sue Wilson/ Creative Expressions as the first layer. I love those embossing folders, as they give really good dimension and texture when you use them. This one is called ‘Checkboard Pinpoint’, and gives a checkboard and dot effect.

After embossing that, I lay out my butterfly twinchies, but thought it looked a little boring. I had a hunt around my card and paper stash, not really looking for anything in particular, and came across this vellum with a bronze/brown/gold pattern on it.

I stuck that to the brown embossed card using glue which would be underneath the twinchies, therefore hiding it. I stuck the twinchies down with foam pads, and turned my thoughts to a sentiment.

I wanted a die cut sentiment and went to my Katie Skilton set, as I liked the look of the arrow, and that the sentiment could almost be suspended and flying – just like the butterflies…..well…..that’s what I thought, anyway.

I will be entering this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge – ‘going dotty’

Addicted to Stamps and More – ‘anything goes’

Cardz For Galz – ‘add texture’

Moving Along with the Times – ‘Butterflies’

 

 

 

 

 

Still Altenew

Hi everyone. I am still with the same stamp set, and now playing with different colours. I seem to have gained some confidence with layering stamps. I’ll let you look at the blue cards to spot some mistakes – I’ll tell you at the end!

The inspiration for the yellow card is from the ‘Less is More’ challenge to use yellow and grey only, so I thought I’d have a play with the only flower from that set I hadn’t stamped yet. I did initially think of doing the sunflowers stamp set, but as I’m on a roll with this one, I decided to stay with it. Three layers for the flower, and two layers for the leaves at the base of the flower. This particular stamp actually fits together, and is quite easy to match-up – with the correct lighting, anyway.

I tried doing it and found that leaning over created a shadow and I couldn’t really see what I was doing, so in came a light I placed nearer and to the back of my craft table. That seemed to work very well.

I used colours from Altenew inks, so I didn’t even have to try and find colours that worked well and toned well together as it is already done for you with the ink sets.

So, onto the mistakes. Did you spot them?

On the top blue card I couldn’t figure out which way up the flower was supposed to be! So – it’s crooked. I think it was planted into alcohol!

For the second blue card I think I had a stutter with the stamping. I completely misjudged the darkest layer at the bottom of the bud. Well, take about artistic licence. So my blue cards are a drunken flower and a stuttering stamper…….some fun, at least.

I will be entering the yellow card into the following challenges:

Less is More – ‘yellow and grey’

Make My Monday – ‘May flowers’

Incy Wincy Designs – ‘Clean and Simple’

Crafting From The Heart – ‘anything goes’

Colour Crazy Challenge – ‘anything goes’

Crafty Calendar challenge – ‘flowers’

Altenew frenzy

Today was a day for a frenzy of activity. Why? Well, I have spent most of the day on the phone between two companies trying to get a brand new washing machine – which doesn’t work – changed. I have had it for two weeks, and it has taken that long for an engineer to come and say it is broken! Well – duh!! Anyway, after the saga I just had to go and craft.

I have certainly had a frenzy of stamping – as you can see! I have finally – yes finally – got to grips with multi-layer stamping. I think. Maybe. Sorta.

I have stuck to yellows and browns for the flowers, and green for the leaves. The colours worked well, so I stamped my way through my most recent Altenew acquisition ‘Budding Thanks’. All the yellow flowers are from that set. I am still working my way through the different flowers, and they are blinking gorgeous. So easy to line up…….and how about me going all ‘Clean and Simple’? Gotta say, lovin’ the simplicity.

A comment on a previous posting was absolutely right – it takes time to appreciate the simple after crafting so intricately for years, with layer upon layer of die-cutting.

The brown flowers were because I saw a posting from Yana Smakula on Pinterest, and she did her flowers in coffee colours. They were stunning. I had to give it a try. I am also liking that effect too.

As I haven’t posted for a few days, and was in frenzy mode, I have decided to choose some challenges using a different card from this posting for each one. I couldn’t decide what to do which would match the same challenges, and had some serious crafting mojo happening, I just went with it and kept going. I took one of my cats meowing at me constantly to realise how late it was and that I had been in my craft cave for a few hours!!

I did venture outside at some point today, and took a picture of the bluebells currently in bloom, almost at the end of their bloom actually. Still a stunning display, though.

I will be entering the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches – ‘Sketch’

Crafty Catz challenge – ‘anything goes’

Crafting when we can – ‘CAS’

Dies R Us challenge – ‘flowers – must have die cuts’

Artistic Inspirations – anything goes/optional brown and cream

Craftaholics R Us – ‘spring colours or flowers’

Come and get it challenge – ‘make it square’

 

 

 

 

Monochrome Friend

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Isn’t it true? A good friend does make everything ‘better’. Sometimes just being there, and sometimes not even being in front of you, but knowing they are at the end of the phone, makes everything ‘better’. Just sending ‘xx’ on a text – no words, just those two little kisses means someone is thinking of you, and wishing you well.

When I had done all my Gelato colouring and embossing yesterday, I decided to go for a more monochrome look. I have used a lot of colour recently, and wanted a change of pace, as it were.

Creative Knockouts has the challenge to produce a card for friendship, and so I decided to mix a few of my stamp sets up, and come up with a sentiment which is personal to me.

I used the sketch inspiration from Paper Play Sketches which I found to be very simple, and yet a great layout with so many different ways of interpreting it. I went with almost exactly what was given to us, as you can see….

I created my own background on a strip of black card, using the stamps from Altenew ‘Freeform Greenery’. I stamped and embossed them in white, haphazardly around that piece of card, and used the smaller stamps to fill in the gaps.

The sentiment is a mix-up from a couple of stamp sets. ‘to a wonderful friend’ is from Stampin Up’s ‘Dragonfly Dreams’, and ‘you make everything better’ is from Altenew ‘Halftone Everything’. I only used the outline of the word ‘everything’ as I liked how it actually looks bolder than the other words, and yet is not a solid stamp.

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Paper Play Sketches – ‘sketch’

QKR Stampede – ‘Anything goes’

Creative Knockouts – ‘Friendship’

Morgan’s Art World – ‘Anything goes’

 

 

 

Graffiti card

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Hi there. I’ve been playing again! I was inspired by a graffiti challenge from Inkspirational, as I immediately thought of my Crafters Companion Textures embossing folder ‘Dry Stone Wall’. My first thoughts of graffiti was colour, words, and all painted onto a wall, which is why I went with this folder. I had no idea what to do to colour it, and what card base I wanted to start with, until I saw a Faber Castell show on Hochanda. I have some Gelatos, and – again – have never used them. Now was the perfect time.

I used a piece of Kraft card, and scribbled some Gelatos colour on it. I only have four colours, so I didn’t have many options. I scribbled, then wet the card, scribbled some more, rubbed with my fingers, scribbled some more, blended, even used a water brush at some point – it was very therapeutic…..

Once I was happy with the colour – it probably took about 15 minutes – I then stamped and embossed the letters. I have a stamp set full of capital letters and small letters and punctuation, no idea which company it was from, but I laid the letters out on my new Tim Holtz/Tonic stamping platform. I have only had this for a couple of days, but it came in very handy today when my card was more than 6 inches wide.

Once the letters were stamped and embossed, I then embossed the whole sheet. I find it easier to emboss afterwards, as stamping on an uneven background, even with a stamping tool, can be very awkward.

I tried to age the card by using a blending tool, but that started to rub off the embossed letters. So – I went in the my distress ink pad ‘Frayed Burlap’ and just rubbed the whole pad over the whole piece of card. It obviously caught the raised areas – such a great embossing folder – to add a darker colour.

A layer of black card, then all onto a base Kraft card.

I may have to try the Gelatos on some specific water-colour card for another project, after I have had a look at some YouTube videos, of course.

Challenges I will be entering:

Inkspirational – ‘Graffiti stamping’

Watercooler Wednesday – ‘masculine‘

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge – ‘anything goes’

Brown Sugar challenge – ‘no image, just a sentiment’

Colour Crazy Craft challenge – ‘anything goes’

 

 

Embossed Peony

I’ve been playing in my Craft Cave again, unwinding from a busy week, attempting different techniques, and trying to get-to-grips with water-colouring still. I still prefer to do embossing then water-colouring, as I find this can help stay in the lines, and I also like that some stamps do the shading for you, by having lines where the darker shading should be.

I have had this HUGE Peony stamp from IndigoBlu for ages, found when trying to find something else I wanted to stamp with. I saw this, saw how big it was – A5 rubber stamp – and thought it would be ideal to be the main and only focus on a bigger card.

I began by stamping in Ranger Perfect Medium, and embossing with black detail powder, heat setting it. I stamped it a couple of times as I wanted to try two different colours. Are Peony’s blue and purple/pink? I googled it and found that they do indeed come in a variety of colours. I didn’t need to make any excuses, then.

I took my Zigs – three or four shades of blue, and three or four shades of purple and pink, and went in there. It is a very large stamp, and I found the easiest way was to colour each petal separately. On some part of the flower I started with the lightest colour, then added the darkest and blended with a third colour. I changed tactic part-way through the flower, added water first, then added the colours. I tried to keep the darker colours near the darkest part of the embossing, but rarely strayed outside the lines of each petal. It seemed to take an age…….

I found that when I changed tactics and changed the way I water-coloured, it gave a more natural look to the flower. Even now I couldn’t tell you which part of the flower had which technique.

I then thought the flower was too stark against a white background, and had seen some videos and blogs where shadow had been added around the flower, so I thought I would give it a go. I wet around the flower, a small area at a time, added some grey Zig colour, then dragged it around with the water brush. I also tried adding the colour to the dry card, and dragging it out with the water brush too. In the end, I don’t think it made much difference which way I did it.

Then I had to decide what size for the card base. I went with an A4 sheet of card, folded in half for side opening, cut an inch or so off the bottom, leaving room for a sentiment separate to the flower. I didn’t want the sentiment to cover any part of the flower. I embossed this in white on black card, and stuck it to the bottom, quite liking the effect.

As I have tried for fewer embellishments on my recent cards – I decided to add some to this. Some clear drops which look like dew, I think. It’s been a while, and still like adding them.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Make My Monday – ’embossing’

Tuesday Throwdown – ’embossing’

Colour Crazy Challenge – ‘anything goes’

Crafty Friends challenge – ‘anything goes’

Allsorts challenge – ’embossing’

Hiding in My Craft Room – ‘anything goes’

A Gem of a challenge – ’embossing wet or dry’

 

 

 

 

 

Just a rainbow note…..

For today’s jaunt into crafting – as I only have a limited time today – I ventured into the clean and simple genre again.

The inspiration for this card was from Addicted to CAS, with the code word of ‘rainbow’. I may have gone a little too much the other way, compared to my multi-layered and embellished cards, but I like the simplicity of the design, and thought it would be ideal if I created some little note cards, sold by the charity in a set of four, for instance. I may try other little stamps in the corner, but have used stars and hearts from the Catherine Pooler stamp set ‘For Everything’. This stamp set was part of her Stamp of Approval collection and I hadn’t had a chance to use it yet.

The actual small little set comes with many stamps, for a variety of occasions, including sentiments, strips of dots, Christmas tree, kite, stars, a mug…..a wide variety.

I also used several of her inks, as I find them very vibrant, and stamp beautifully with a full and crisp image – I didn’t even use my Misti! The base card is Stampin Up, as is the layered part, as I find this very smooth card to be ideal for stamping.

I struggle to accept a clean and simple design and technique, as I have said before, but it does mean that the cards are quicker to make – once you have decided on the design and colours. Which is the hard part. Which is why I like to get inspiration from a challenge.

I shall be adding my latest card into:

Addicted to CAS – rainbow code word

Addicted to Stamps and More – theme of Clean and Simple