Lots of Bees…..

I decided to make these cards at the last minute today, so I hope you like them:

You’ll have to excuse the lighting, but it’s STILL raining here in the UK. I think it stopped for a couple of minutes two days ago……..

Here they are individually:

(I decided one of the grass pieces was to become a crown……..)

I used a stamp and die set from Clearly Besotted, and a stamp and die set from Heffy Doodle. The images were coloured with Copics – it’s amazing how many colours you use, isn’t it?

I had a visitor to my craft room, who settled in one of my craft drawers – thankfully not one I was using:

The honeycomb stencil is from Imagination Crafts, ink blended onto one of the backgrounds, and the embossing folder of the other card is from Sue Wilson.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Twofer Card Challenge – bees

Time Out Challenges – Nature – option of one layer (not followed the option)

CAS(E) This Sketch – sketch

Seize The Birthday – anything goes Birthday

Christmas Presents

Hi there. A quick posting today to share a card involving Copic coloring and some masking:

This is made for the current challenge at the CAS Christmas Card Challenge:

CAS Christmas Card Challenge

I took the single present stamp from the Altenew ‘Celebrations‘ stamp set, stamped once, then masked it off and stamped again a couple more times. I then coloured with Copics, and added a Heffydoodle sentiment.

A quick, clean and simple card, which actually took quite a bit of planning, but the main thought process was which colours to use……..

Now I’m off to plan the card for Dad for Father’s Day……and then it’s his birthday a couple of weeks later………masculine cards are ones I tend to struggle with – but I’m sure I’ll manage – and even more sure you will see what I make.

:) :)

Well Hello……

Hello once again. I have another card to share today, using a new stamp bought at the Doncaster craft show last week:

I just fell in love with this stamp set – cute and quirky. I chose this stamp as I thought just laying there, finger swirling in the puddle – cute. There are some great sentiments on there too – I am sure you will be seeing them in the future…

The image was stamped with Gina K Amalgam ink and coloured – very basically – with Copics, to match the colour challenge. To follow the sketch challenge, the two outer bands were pieces of card coloured with the same light blue copic, and die cut with Lawn Fawn ‘Stitched Simple Wavy Borders‘.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CAS Colours and Sketches – powder pink, pool party, so saffron

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Clean and Simple on Friday – CAS birds

Altenew June Inspiration Challenge – photo Inspiration

Glittery Pink Fox

Hi there. There is a new challenge beginning at Cardz 4 Galz and the theme this time is ‘Fox – foxy ladies, or foxes – your choice‘. I took the opportunity to go all out and pink and glittery. Who wants to see a pink fox? Here we are:

So – a lot of products were used in this card, from lots of different companies…..so I’ll begin….

Crafters Companion sentiment. I masked each part of the sentiment to stamp – instead of cutting the stamp apart, with the word ‘fabulous’ embossed with glitter pink embossing powder from WOW!; Pink glimmer card from Stampin Up; Altenew Cozy Flannel Cover Die; Waffle Flower ‘Be Her’ stamp and die set, Copic colouring.

Phew – I don’t I missed anything out…….let me know if you think I have!

Anyhoo – I am sure we don’t Prosecco to get fabulous – but it certainly helps increase our fabulous-ness………..(a new word!)……and this little fox looks like she is quite stern and precise…….

So – an awesome theme for the challenge and so many ways to take the word ‘fox’ and ‘foxy’. I look forward to seeing what you create and dropping you a comment – or two!

:) :)

Let’s Shellabrate

Hello yet again – As you can tell – I’ve been busy in my craft room. I’ve spent some time relaxing in the sun, reading, and thinking about challenges and colours for my next card. I was so inspired, that I couldn’t wait to make it:

You’ll have to forgive the couple of rain drops – I didn’t realise it was raining until I got out there, by which time the drops had hit!

For this card I used Heffy Doodle ‘Let’s Shellabrate‘ stamp and die set – I think they were actually a freebie with one of their orders. Once stamped, I used the colours for the current Color Throwdown challenge to colour this little blighter in, added some white gel pen for accent, added his little hat, then followed the current sketch at Fusion Challenge.

The theme using the turtle, is taken from the current challenge at Die Cuttin’ Divas, and using their inspiration photo.

Have a good day, and I’ll see you again soon. :) :)

Color Throwdown – coral, aqua, navy

Die Cuttin’ Divas – inspiration photo

Fusion Card Challenge – sketch and/or photo

Indoor Garden

Hello everyone. I have a clean and simple card to share today using the Altenew ‘Indoor Garden‘ stamp and die set, so I could create a card for the current challenge at The Paper Players:

I took another picture in the sunlight:

I don’t like either photo, as I think the lighting isn’t great on either one of them – but you get the impression of the card, I think.

I took some elements from the stamp set, stamped the outlines, then took certain liberties with Copic Markers for the colours. I tried to match my colours with the current challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches – pumpkin pie, coastal cabana, daffodil delight – as I don’t have those Stampin’ Up colours – and coloured what I felt needed colouring, really.

I dry embossed a rectangle onto the card base, leaving a wider border at the top and bottom – I just liked the effect – and as I placed the die cut plants onto the card, they kinda fell as you see them…..and I liked it….so I left them in that position, sticking them down with 3D foam pads.

It’s the beginning of another Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK, so I am planning some ‘down time’. I hope you get to do the same. :)

Happy Robin Christmas

Hello there. I hope you are all well. This card is for the new challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge, which begins today:

A close-up picture:

The theme for this challenge – and all the challenges actually – are anything goes, as long as it a Christmas. Come along and join us to get your stash ready for the end of the year………..the Design Team have some amazing inspiration………..

I had a recent delivery of the Clearly Besotted April release, and as I was shopping, I took a look around at their sale pages. This ‘Rockin’ Robin‘ stamp set, matching dies, and add-on stamp set were all in the sale. Well – it would be rude not to buy them, wouldn’t it?

I used the Lawn Fawn ‘Hillside backdrop‘, and after I cut it out – wondering what to do about the background part of it. My eyes fell on my recent purchase (I know, another one) from Catherine Pooler, and the background ‘wild thing‘ stamp, which I thought would look like falling snow – especially when I embossed it with Wow! sparkly powder.

I stamped the images in Gina K amalgam ink, then coloured with Copics. I did stamp the belly’s of the birds with the add-on dotty stamp, but then went over the whole with a red Copic – I wanted a full red belly.

Whilst I was colouring and putting a card together, I made another similar:

This is better for the shimmer

I hope to see your creations on our challenge site – bye for now. :) Lynda

Have a Magical Day…

Hello again. I have a card to share today based in the colours from Color Throwdown:

When I saw the challenge colours come up last week, my page loaded very slowly – so I saw the purple first, then was hoping for a yellow or green as I had these little dragons in mind……….and got both yellow and green! With some grey thrown in, too!

I generally get inspiration the first time I see a challenge – the colours or the sketch – but it takes me a few days to organise myself – which is why I generally post to the challenge in the last days – if not the last hours!

I bought these little ‘Dragon Plushies‘ from the newest release from Clearly Besotted, and stamp, coloured and die cut them. I used 2 or 3 three Copic colours for the dragons, the yellow’s and purples, then added some green anyway, because I didn’t quite know how I was going to put these onto a card.

Then I realised that part of that same release had a stamp and die set ‘Scene It More’ which I thought would be ideal. I stamped the hills and trees, then stamped again the hills. Stuck together, and coloured with a few YG Copics.

I did use some grey on the trees – but kept that quite light so the dragons and hills drew the eyes. I mounted the coloured piece onto some Lawn Fawn grey card stock anyway, to give two border edges.

I was tempted to ‘ground’ the dragons with some shadow beneath them – but I was too scared to add that to the mostly completed card….. – I do have some fear! I also thought the right side dragon looks almost as though it’s in flight……maybe…..kinda……and stuck down with foam pads – maybe hovering?

Whilst I was planning my colours and colouring, I had a look on the Clearly Besotted web-site – blinking heck that’s some amazing colouring! I am no-where near that standard of colouring, but this time I had fun with the colouring – usually it’s a chore to me. (I also had to Google what a plushie was!)

The sentiment is from that same dragon stamp set, and I think is quite universal and for any occasion. I mentioned yesterday about whether or not to put a sentiment on a card – sometimes I don’t – unless made with a specific person and occasion in mind.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – yellow, purple, green, grey

FabnFunky challenges – just add ink – messy or colouring

Inkspirational – pop it up – use foam tape etc for dimension

QKR Stampede – anything goes

Happy Cottontail Cutie

Hi there everyone. I have a card to share to day which is just bursting with colour:

I am trying to make more scenic cards – well, some elements of a scene anyway. This card had some grass – that’s part of a scene, right? I really struggle with the other elements – but I’ll keep trying.

I am also trying to do cards with die-cutting, to see if I can keep the die-cuts clean and smudge-free……..and this card fitted the bill just right.

I took the MFT ‘Cottontail Cutie‘ die set and cut it out of white card. I then took some of the elements and coloured with Copics. I then die cut the MFT ‘Stitched Blooms‘ out of white card, and coloured with Copics, too.

The grass is made out of Lawn Fawn ‘simple grassy hillsides‘ – and this is where I struggle to layer – I think I cut the hills out of the same piece and don’t leave enough border at the bottom. I think I should leave a wider bottom (where have I heard that phrase before?) and then cut it off when I have decided on the layers………..maybe I’ll learn that lesson someday!

The grassy hills are coloured with Copics, too, and stuck down as you see, with the flowers inserted – and I also used some of the leaves to the grass.

I then thought the background was a little too plain, so I used a We R Memory Keepers embossing folder, just for a little added interest.

I put the card together, adding a little flower to the cottontail’s hand, because – well – I could….I realised when taking the photograph, that the cottontail is kinda floating there, somewhat above the grass…..do you see?

So – I think she is just so bursting with joy among the grass and flowers that she is almost flying – almost like that popular drink – giving her wings…..or maybe she is jumping for joy? I still love it, though. :)

I caught some daylight to take the photo, but it has been dull all day here in Chesterfield UK, a little cool and windy too.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Watercooler Challenges – anything feminine goes

MFT Colour Challenge – Razzleberry, Cotton Candy, Lemon Chiffon, Limelight (Copic colouring to try and match)

Cardz4Galz – Flora or fauna or both (obviously gone with both)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – Animal Antics

Holiday Cheer

Hi again. I hope you are doing well. I have a Christmas card for you today for the new challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge. This challenge is always ‘anything goes’, and I hope you join us to have that stash ready for later in the year.

Here is my card:

I used a stamp set from Gerda Steiner designs I received when Justin Hovey was doing her de-stash sale. After stamping with Gina K amalgam ink, I coloured with Copics – very simple colouring, no shading, as this card stock isn’t suitable for blending, and I didn’t want white – but a cream/off white card for this.

I added the two little birdies and kept them in the same colours as already used. I think they look a little upset about being sat on the reindeer’s antlers….don’t you?

The frames are from Reverse Confetti. I did think about raising one of the frames, but kept it quite simple in the end, letting the images speak for themselves.

The Design Team have some amazing projects for you to help inspire you, and I hope you are able to join us for the next couple of weeks. I look forward to seeing your creations.

:) :)