Concord & 9th card stock

A Rose Note

Hello once again. I’m dropping in with a card created for a couple of challenges:

My favourite flower is the rose – all colours. I have a couple of rose bushes in my garden which we transplanted last year, and they are just getting back into the swing of things.

One of them was bought for our silver wedding anniversary (quite a few years ago) and is already flowering well. The other was already in the garden when we came to live here. It’s taking it’s time adjusting to it’s new place in the garden, but it is just starting to bud. The roses usually come later in the summer, and have the most gorgeous scent…..I can hardly wait to smell them again.

This multi layered rose die is from Honey Bee Stamps. There are seven – yes seven – layers to the rose itself, and I also added some very small foam squares between a couple of the layers for even more dimension. I used a selection of concord & 9th card stock to get maybe 4 different tones of purple – it could be five – but I lost count.

For the Tic Tac Toe Challenge I went with the bottom row, so I made a black card base, and used a Pinkfresh Studio die to create the white panel, cutting the three inlaid pieces so allow some of the black base to show through.

I was going to adhere the rose directly onto the black card base, which is why you can see a slightly off-set white layer behind the rose, but I didn’t like that stark appearance so I added the die cut white panel.

The sentiment is white heat embossed and die cut with a matching die, and I added some shimmery purple enamel gems here and there around the rose.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – lots of layers

Tic Tac Toe Challenge – tic tac toe – bottom row – black card base, white heat embossing, roses

The Flower Challenge – your favourite flower – the rose

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)

Geometric Birthday

Hi there. In between listening to the Maker Mania event happening this weekend, I have been creating a card inspired by a colour theme. Here is my card:

Onto a white card base, I adhered the most open Sizzix geo lattice die – die cut twice and layered – and then die cut that again with Concord & 9th ‘Sprout’ card stock. before removing it all from the die, I placed some ‘press’n’seal’ onto the back of it to keep all the little pieces where they should, then paper-pieced them into the white layers.

I’m glad I was in the right frame of mind to do this finicky job, and even more so when I saw it was coming together nicely.

I then replaced the centre shape – raised on 3D foam – and created my flowers.

These flowers are from Elizabeth Craft designs, and each flower has 6 or 7 layers to them. I die cut each one with a dark blue/navy card stock from my stash, and once they were glued together, I decided to run a dark blue Copic marker along the bottom edge of each piece, to create a little dimension within the flowers themselves.

I played around with their position, added stems from another floral set, and used 3D foam behind each one.

The white centre panel looked a little bare, and without adding gem stones (my current fad) I found some dots from a Concord & 9th virtual event in my stash and added them as you see, as well as stamping and adding the sentiment.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Seize The Birthday – anything goes birthday – option navy and lime green

Colour Hues Challenge – birthday in navy and lime green

Creative Fingers Challenge – anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams – birthday

Die Cutting Twofer

Hello there. It’s my time to host at The Alphabet Challenge. Having reached the letter ‘D’, I chose the theme of ‘die cuts‘. Any occasion, any creation -as long as there are die cuts involved – then you’re good to go.

I die cut sooooo many of these little layering dies from Spellbinders – I had so many left over that I created two cards:

This die set from Spellbinders ‘Color Block Mini Petals‘ only has two dies to it – a very small set. However, I think it certainly packs a punch. There is a background petal shaped die, then the other die cuts out the layers. I decided to go with a fairly simple colour scheme – but as you can see I placed each of the four colours in different order on each petal.

It’s time consuming, it’s fiddly – but I actually quite enjoyed it. I sometimes get my ‘fiddly’ head on – though rarely! – and I knew I had to just be patient, go with it, and see what happened.

I used Concord & 9th card stock – three greens and a yellow – and I knew the card stock would die cut perfectly so it was just a case of using my little Heffy Doodle mini die cutting machine over and over and over again…….

Putting the layout together also took a bit of time – which petal and which colour-way to go where. Again, time consuming….

I chose a matching green for the sentiments and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder, and even found some Concord & 9th gems in the same colours to ‘sprinkle’ down. I can’t remember ordering them – but ‘found’ them so used them.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘die cuts’ creations – I look forward to seeing all your creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Pearly Sparkles – layer it up

Dies R Us – anything goes with a brand they sell – include a die

Crafting Happiness – anything goes

Die Cut Divas – anything goes with die cuts or embossing folder

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – layer it up

Hummingbird Birthday

I have a card – two actually – to share today following a couple of days in my craft room:

I chose to use the Concord & 9th bundle and create two cards, as I couldn’t decide which of the hummingbirds to use.

I used a dark blue base layer for the birds, and other colours as you see. I also added another base layer for the bird to create another layer and thickness so I didn’t have to use 3D foam squares.

The floral arrangement I kept one colour – dark blue – to ensure the hummingbird was the star of the show, and also layered that twice – those little stems are a trifle challenging – but I managed!

The sentiment is from another C9 stamp set, white heat embossed and die cut with a banner die.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – mint green, light yellow, navy, strawberry

Addicted to Stamps – birthdays

Seize The Birthday – birthday – option butterflies or hummingbirds

Pearly Sparkles – layer it up (several layers on birds and florals)

Moving Along With The Times – birthday

CASology – CAS botanical

Merry Poinsettia Christmas

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

I first adhered some patterned paper onto a 5 x 7 card base.

The wreath, poinsettia dies, branch dies are from last years Concord & 9th ‘Holly Jolly’ virtual event, and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.

I used Concord & 9th card stock for the poinsettia leaves and the additional branches – as well as the shadow layer behind the sentiment.

The words are die cut out of glitter card stock – layered a couple of times with white card stock.

Some gold glitter drops applied to the centre of the poinsettia, the leaves curled slightly for dimension.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge – anything goes – option to add sparkle/glitter

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Addicted To Stamps – dies cuts and/or stencils

Daisy Chain Challenge – use dies

Creative Fingers Challenge – anything goes

For Someone Special

Hello there. Another time to play in my craft room whilst watching the Maker Mania 5 presentations – so many ideas and techniques to try later. Here is what I created whilst I was watching – multi-tasking in effect:

Onto a patterned paper background panel, I glued the row of rabbits, and used a little stamp from Lawn Fawn ‘All The Clouds‘ for the facial features. I did try drawing some on myself, but it looked like a hot mess – so I searched the CML app for face – and these popped up – just right for the bunnies.

The flowers are from The Greetery and die cut from Heffy Doodle and Concord & 9th card stock – a lot of die-cutting – a lot! And then layered and stuck down to create a positively cornucopia of flowers.

I have found that I shy away from small die-cutting and layering images like these small flowers, but actually I have had a lot of fun with this over the past few days. The hardest thing is which colour to go with which colour – but I manage……

The sentiment is from Mama Elephant.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge – anything goes with patterned paper

Just Add Ink – choose two from three elements – texture/patterned paper/layers (patterned paper and layers)

Just Us Girls – Photo Inspiration

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – anything goes

Hey there

Hello once again. I have created a card using the current colours for Color Throwdown:

I used Concord & 9th card stock to die cut the blossoms branch – light green, dark green, and Honeysuckle – the nearest to a plum I have.

Before sticking this down – snipped at certain places to create the look you see – I took some white card stock and splattered some pink.

This panel was adhered to the card base, then the altered blossom branch, and then I added some light pink sticky dots to the centre of the flowers, and some green dots to the bottom. The sentiment is a die from Time For Tea Designs.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – celery green, sage green, pale pink, plum

Crafty Catz – anything goes – option to add flowers

A Bit More Time To Craft – anything goes

Papercraft Challenge – anything goes

Butterfly Thanks

Hello, I have a card to share which turned out looking quite simple – but took lots of die-cutting, snipping, and many a change of mind.

I want to make more ‘thank you’ cards for my friends who have been there for me over the past couple of weeks after my mum passed away – and if I can continue to craft to help get through this and create my own little way of saying how much I appreciate them – then all the better.

I used the colours from the Color Throwdown challenge to create this, and I knew I wanted to use this die from Memory Box – the problem was – which colour for which layer…….?

I actually die cut out of all four colours for the challenge – pink, red, cranberry, Kraft – and finally – yes finally – decided on the way you see here.

On a white card base I adhered the Kraft piece, onto which I adhered the die cut using Concord & 9th ‘Ballet Slippers’ for the pink.

The inset ‘cranberry’ butterflies were die cut out of a dark red glitter card from Crafters Companion and paper-pieced into place – to leave the pink outline round them.

The red ‘Poppy’ card stock butterflies were snipped off from the whole piece I had die cut and stuck down onto their respective position, which was on top of the pink card stock already there.

The sentiment is from Time For Tea Designs – the bold ‘thanks’ word stamped with ‘Poppy’ and ‘Cranberry‘ Concord & 9th inks to match the card stock – creating an ombre effect on the word, with the smaller words stamped in black. This sentiment stamp set comes with matching dies – always a bonus.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – red, pink, Kraft, cranberry

Creative Knockouts – lots of layers

The Card Concept – photo inspiration

TTCRD – anything goes

As You Like It Challenge – true love or fabulous friendship

Just Us Girls – Friends

Poinsettia Wreath

Hello. I have had time to play in my craft room today, and created this card:

Taking the colour scheme from the current Color Throwdown Challenge, I started with a black 7 inch square card base. Onto that I layered a slightly smaller dove grey card from Concord & 9th which I had dry embossed with a wood grain embossing folder, and slightly ink blended with Distress Ink.

The wreath was die cut twice, and I cut one of them to add more layers to the part that was showing.

The poinsettias were die cut from a cream textured card stock I had and the edges were inked with some Pumice Stone Distress Ink – but then I added some Weathered Wood as I didn’t think it was grey enough. The extra darker leaves were die cut from the same cream card stock, but ink blended before I die cut with the same grey Distress Inks.

I stuck the wreath down with glue – leaving some of the twiggy bits unstuck for dimension and movement, and the poinsettias and leaves were stuck down with 3D glue – I like to use that for the more dimensional elements when I’m adding more – like the extra leaves – so I have some time to play around with the layout.

I then added some stickles to the centre of the flowers.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – black, grey, cream, kraft

Addicted to stamps and More – any occasion

Krafty Chicks – occasions

Die Cut Divas – anything goes with die cuts

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas – option to use the word ‘Joy’ (option not taken)