Flying By To Say Hello….

I had a play with new – and some not so new – items and created this card:

The hummingbird die is part of a Spellbinders/Bibi Cameron class last weekend. We created a total of three cards with the hummingbird die set, which also comes with some large lilies. I understand these die and their add-ons will be released next month. In the meantime, I have been playing….

I changed my mind several times with this card. I first die cut the hummingbird and all the layers with some lime green and yellow card stock – to match the colours of a current challenge – but decided the image was too flat, despite the layers.

I decided to create my own yellow and lime green card by ink smooshing Twisted Citron and Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks, and then using those two panels to die cut the bird layers. The only decision to be made was which colour for which layer – but I like how this turned out.

The background panel was created using a piece of light blue card stock, a a Sizzix 3D embossing folder. I thought the blue was too even, so I then took the Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink and gently – so very gently – swiped it across the piece of card. The white highlighted the most raised areas of the embossing, and I was much happier with this look.

I cut down that panel to be slightly smaller than an A2 card base, adhered it with 3D foam, and then attached the bird – also with 3D foam.

The sentiment is from the add-on sentiment stamp set from the same release.

I also added some light blue iridescent sequins – three slightly underneath the wings of the bird, and three below the sentiment.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – emboss it

Color Throwdown – pale blue, yellow, lime

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with an animal as main focus

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

Triple B challenge – birds, blooms, butterflies – any or all

Yummy…..!

There is a new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. Having reached the letter ‘Y’, Billie A has chosen the theme of ‘Yummy’. Here is my card:

I ink blended the base panel using the Concord & 9th ‘Popsicle Party’ stencil set onto a white panel, then adhered that to the card base.

The biggest popsicle is from the ‘Sweet Summer’ stencil and die set, ink blended, tone-on-tone stamping for the berry details, then die cut, adding the popsicle stick behind. The large sentiment added once the ink was dry.

It would seem fitting that this post went live whilst we here in the UK are having some snow issues. We don’t have snow for very long, but it does seem to create havoc when we do get it. I took this picture whilst in front of a roaring log fire – the best way to view snow in my opinion:

I think it’s going to be a while before the hammock and swing chair are used again…….!
Excuse the window reflection – I wasn’t going to venture outside…. :)

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘yummy’ creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Crafting Happiness – lots of green

Avenue 613 – anything goes, option of CAS not taken

Here Is A Place To Start – anything goes

Stencil Fun – anything goes with a stencil, option of CAS not taken

Cardz 4 Galz – use vellum

Hello once again. The new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz has gone live, and Billie A has chosen the theme of #Vellum’. Use vellum on your girlie creations. Here is my card:

A took a piece of vellum slightly smaller than an A2 card base, and put it through a Spellbinder embossing folder. I then ran that through my Xyron machine, and attached it to the white card base.

I die cut the Gina K Designs feathers from a yellow ink smooshed and splattered card panel, ran them through the Xyron machine too – and stuck them down as you see. I then took some gold and black metallic paint and splattered.

Whilst that was drying, I die cut the word ‘enjoy’ three times, and stuck the layers together. I then stamped the two extra words, and cut them at a jaunty angle.

The larger word was adhered directly onto the dry vellum panel, with the two smaller words adhered with 3D foam.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations using vellum – there are so many ways to use this product. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Die Cut Divas – anything goes with a die cut

Give A Crafter A Cookie – yellow as main colour

Love To Craft – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option distressing


ABC Christmas Challenge – E, F, G

Hello. The new challenge has started at ABC Christmas Challenge. Whilst this is a Christmas creation challenge – we do have themes for the letters. This time the challenge is hosted by Carol, and the themes are:

E is for Elves, F is for Food, G is for Gold

Here is my card for the ‘E is for Elves’ prompt:

The image is from Simon Says Stamp, which I stamped, coloured with Copics to match the patterned paper I was going to use, then die cut with the matching die. I added some white gel pen for interest. The sentiment was stamped and white heat embossed on black card.

The background patterned paper, which had some glitter detail, was adhered to the card base with just a little border, I added a red and white layered oval, then attached the elf image, then added the two sentiments – all with 3D foam.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/Festive makes following our themes – I look forward to seeing your creations.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Arty Divas – anything goes

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes = option CAS – option not taken

Ellibelle’s Corner – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Snowman Snowflake Kisses

Hello everyone. The new Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has gone live. As always, the theme is ‘anything goes Christmas/Festive‘. Here is my card:

I saw this snowman die when I visited my local Crafters Companion store, it was on sale – many Christmas products are currently – and decided I had to have it – it’s not as though I have many snowman images or dies – but this one looked too cute to resist.

The snowman is a layering die, so onto the white body, I adhered the gold scarf, and die cut some of the black Spellbinders glitter foam for the hat, gloves, and walking cane – and then used red glitter foam for the nose……..why not a red nose? Maybe he is a Rudolph snowman…..

There is a stamp for the facial features, which I used, but also went in there with a black liner pen.

The die set also comes with a tall lamp post, but I didn’t really want to create a scene this time round – just the jolly snowman.

The bakcground panel is from Pinkfresh Studios, with some silver glitter card behind it, and the sentiment is a previously foiled strip.

I hope you can come and join us with your festive creations -slowly but surely building your stash.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Christmas with the Cuties – cute Christmas – include sentiment

Creative Knockouts – lots of layers (snowman has lots of layers, card base has three layers)

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Sparkles Christmas Challenge – Christmas and warm winter clothes

12 Months Of Christmas – anything goes Christmas – option of ‘light the way’ not taken

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Birdie Birthday

Hello. Happy Little Stampers anything goes birthday challenge has returned after a little break, and the first challenge for this year is now live.

Here is my card:

I started by taking a white panel and used the Altenew ‘Scalloped Frame 3D embossing folder’. The folder is the full circle, but I only wanted half of it on my card. It came as part of an online class with them – another class I haven’t fully completed.

I then took some Spellbinders dies and die cut, layered, re-arranged, die cut more, re-arranged again – you know it can get sometimes – until I was happy with the layout.

I used a combination of 3D foam and glue to adhere and layer the elements, and added a debossed sentiment from Spellbinders. I find I am loving these debossed sentiments. Sometimes my die-cutting machine has a little too much pressure and the words actually cut through the piece of card – no worries – either cut another, or layer a piece behind. Sorted…..

A Some of these dies came from the Spellbinders Advent calendar – and I will certainly be signing up for the next one…….

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner – add a heart (gold hearts in semi-circle die cut)

Seize The Birthday – anything goes birthday (option of red and white and one other colour not taken)

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of things with wings taken

Creative Fingers – anything goes

Crafters Café – cute

Happy Blooming Birthday

Hello once again. I little more time in my craft room to create:

Following the colour scheme for the current Color Throwdown Challenge, I die cut the Spellbinders leaves and flowers – mixing and matching the layers several times until I was happy – then arranged onto w card base.

I thought a little something more was needed in the background, and I was going to add a basket, but instead found this Crafters Companion embossing folder. It is called ‘Hessian’, and I thought looked good for the background – not too much or too heavy – just added interest.

The sentiment is a debossed sentiment from Spellbinders, but to make the words actually cut through the navy blue card, I used a shim to create more pressure – to make it cut through, and not just deboss. A white panel behind to make it stand out more.

No added jewels or gems to the background – I think the coloured gems in the centre of the flowers is enough – even for me…..!

I used to avoid all small die cuts and layering dies, until I did a virtual class which included a lot – I believe it was a Spellbinders Christmas event – and since then I find I like layering all the little doodads, playing with layers and colours, adding little bits here and there, and in fact find it quite therapeutic……

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – coral, yellow, blue, navy

Beautiful Blossoms – flowers – optional mood board

Shopping Our Stash – flowers

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Die Cut Divas – anything goes with die cuts

AAA Birthday – birthday with stripes and/or dots (flower centres)

Happy Fruity Birthday

Having just been a part of the Pinkfresh Create and Connect event this weekend, and being able to do two classes, I did watched a third class this morning and whilst the instructor was using more realistic colours, I decided to use the colours for one of the challenges I will be entering (sky blue, pink, red):

I gold heat embossed the stamp – a huge slimline stamp – then used the matching die to cut out all the elements. Before choosing which of the elements to use, I die cut the frame – also from Pinkfresh and a previous event – and die cut the inner piece but then dry embossed that inner piece with a Spellbinders embossing folder, and ink blended just a little of the light blue in the bottom corner – to try and ‘connect’ the images and the sentiment.

I inserted that piece then played with which elements to use, where to use them, how to arrange them. I chose a sentiment from this recent event, then adhered all the elements with a mixture of 3D foam and wet glue.

This stamp, die and stencil set also comes with the matching washi tape – another huge roll – and the die cuts out all the elements – playtime for another day…..

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks – occasions

Here Is A Place To Start – anything goes

Beyond The Blue – use one or more stencils – (at least 6 layering stencils with this stamp set)

Cupcake Inspirations – sky blue, pink, red

CYHTP – embossing folder – (option of things with wings not taken)

X is for ‘XOXOXO’

Hello once again. The Alphabet Challenge has reached the letter ‘X’, Dawn is hosting, and we want to see your ‘XOXOXO – Hugs and Kisses’ cards. Here is my card:

Onto a Distress white heavy-stock panel I ink blended some pink Distress Oxides – I find I can blend them better than the inks – then splattered with metallic acrylic paints in gold and silver.

I took another white panel and ran through through s Spellbinders embossing folder, adhered it to a card base.

Once the ink blended and splattered panel was dry, I used a Time For Tea designs ‘Stitched Hearts’ cover die – I think you can just make out the stitched hearts around the pink edges – and also used inner rectangle to cut out the middle.

Out of that pink cut-out piece, I die cut two hearts and added them to the card as you see, and also cut out the x’s and the o’s, after putting the strip onto double-sided sticky tape, then adding them to another white strip – trying very hard to keep them aligned……

I hope you can come and join us. I’m looking forward to your take on the theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Inspiration Station – photo inspiration – inspired by love and hearts

Here is a place to start – anything goes – option to pick a palette not taken

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner – add a heart

Papercraft Challenge – hearts

Cardz 4 Galz – red, white, pink

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge and this time the theme has been chosen by Pamela – a girlie card with red, white, and pink. Here is my card:

I struggled with this colour scheme a little – I am not a pink kinda girl 0 but it is a challenge, isn’t it, so I went with it and created a card I am quite pleased with.

Onto a 5 x 7 inch card base, I matted a piece of patterned paper with red.

The butterfly is an old one from Sue Wilson, which I die cut in red, then added a glue spray, then added glitter.

To ensure the butterfly didn’t get lost on the background, I added a scalloped circle, and then added the foiled sentiment.

I’m looking forward to seeing your red. white, and pink creations – maybe it will give me some ideas for future challenges with these colours……..

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

MMM Challenge – all creatures great and small

Shopping Our Stash – something starting with ‘B’

Ally’s Angels – anything goes