Jacks Arty Crafty Kreations

Acrylic Block Stamping - Part Two

2012-02-10T13:05:00.004Z

This time, instead of just using two colours of Whispers Pens scribbled on my acrylic block, I scribbled a rainbow and then, again, spritzed it with Irridescent Gold Glimmer Mist.

I love the effect this gives. It's like brayering but without the lines I seem to get and also softer colours. I used a gorgeous fairy stamp from Clear Secrets - I think she is a fairy. She definitely has wings but I'm not sure about that hoof of hers, lol. I mounted her onto white card that I punched with my Martha Stewart Around the Page set (French Scroll). This is the first time I've actually used this set to punch all the way round (note to self - must not buy any more supplies till I've used what I've got - apart, of course, from the two orders that are on their way, rofl). I then mounted this onto purple card to make it stand out and added a little bit of trim I've had in my stash for quite a while. Then I couldn't find the right backing paper till I thought to look at my Stampin' Up Christmas stash. This is from the Holly Berry Bouquet stack although I don't think you'd know it was Christmas paper. Finally I mounted it on a white card blank.

I'd like to enter her in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Things With Wings

Creative Card Crew - Fantasy Creatures

CES Challenges - Give me Wings

Acyrlic Block Stamping - Part one

2012-02-10T12:52:00.002Z

On one of the groups I belong to the challenge was to use your acrylic block to stamp with. I chose to rub my Whispers Pens on my block, spritz it with Irridescent Gold Glimmer Mist and then stamp onto my paper, using the result as a background.

For this card I used the beautiful dragonfly from my Inkadinkado Morphic Bugs set (first time they have seen ink!) in black. The lovely little design around the edge is from the French Mail set by Clear Art.

This uses the bee from the same set plus the sentiment from Hero Arts Any Time Messages and the honeycomb background from Stamp Attack.

The third card uses a stamp from another Inkadinkado set I've had for ages but not inked before. It's Flower Sentiments. I've run a Stampin' Up wheel (Friendly Words) behind the main image.

I'd like to enter my cards in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Things With Wings

Crafts and Me - Use a New Image

CES Challenges - Give Me Wings

Diamonds and not accidents

2012-02-09T09:23:00.002Z

My sister asked me to make a Diamond Anniversary card for her neighbour so this is what I came up with. I found a lovely pattern by Julie Misters in an old Parchment Craft Mag (September 2009) but the centre was oval, so I adapted it. I was rather pleased that I didn't have any accidents cutting out the lattice work. The longest part to finish was adding the bling. After adding too many pearls to a card the other day and not being able to get them off I was rather more hesitant with this and only lightly placed my gems before finally deciding where to go. A lesson learnt I think, LOL.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 61 - Monochrome

2012-02-06T13:22:00.000Z

This week at Crafty Cardmakers our challenge is hosted by Beth. She has chosen Monochrome as her theme. You can use any colour you choose, it doesn't have to be black, but she wants to see your creations made using only shades of one colour. She will allow highlights of one different colour, but it must not be a major player in your project. You can also, of course, use skin tones and hair, but other than that please stick to the one colour.

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge. First up is IndigoBlu. They are offering their amazing FlitterGlu starter kit and their 'Love Is' stamp. Check out the challenge for details. Secondly, Digi Doodle Shop are offering a $10 gift certificate for their shop.

I decided to use blue as my colour. I got out a stamp I've had for a while but that hadn't seen ink before. It's by Hobby Art from the Butterfly Kisses collection and the set is called Far Away. I stamped this lovely girl using Versafine Majestic Blue onto watercolour paper and then painted her using just one of the blues from my little Koh-i-Noor pallet. I cut her out using Nesties ovals and also used the ovals for the dark blue frame. Then I mounted her onto a die cut using Labels Ten. The background paper came free with a magazine (sorry can't remember which one) and I stamped the sentiment directly onto it. Lastly I added the little bows and some pearl. I think I overdid the pearls at the top and should have just stuck to three like at the bottom, but once they were on I couldn't get them off again!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

The Stamp Man - Embellish it

Charisma Cardz - Vintage

Diva's by Design - Anything Goes

Lily Pad Cards - Patterned Paper

Challenge Up Your Life - Monochrome

Dream Valley Challenge 25 - Valentine

2012-02-05T15:53:00.001Z

This week we've got all lovey, dovey at Dream Valley and chosen a really easy theme - Valentines. Please remember that you can enter this challenge up to 3 times but no more. We have a great sponsor again this week, the lovely Joanna Sheen is offering a £10 voucher to one lucky person to spend in her on line shop, and don't forget she doesn't charge P&P.

There are some gorgeous examples by the team on the blog so go check them out.

I've made a parchment card for this challenge and I took pictures for each stage so you can see how it's done.

This is the finished card. The pattern is called Love defined by Sue McGuirk from Parchment Mag July 08.

I always photocopy the pattern as I find it easier to attach my parchment (with masking tape) to a photocopy rather than directly to the magazine. Then I traced the pattern in white pencil.

Next I embossed all of the lines and some of the rose petals using various sizes of ball embossing tools.

The next stage was to go around the edge of the heart with a semi circular tool, and then fix the parchment to a grid (small straight grid) and using a single needle tool perferate the leaves and other rose petals using every hole.

Next I used a 2 needle tool to perferate around the roses, lines and leaves and then cut and removed the waste parchment. Then I added small dots around the outside edges of the semi-circle perforations with a fine ball tool. Finally I folded the parchment along the fold line and cut straight edges around the other sides, then attached it to a red card blank.

This is a close-up of the finished heart.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Paper Sundaes - CAS

One Stop Craft Challenge - For the one I love

By The Cute and Girly - Love is in the air

Joanna Sheen - Love is in the air

Moving Along With the Times - Have a heart

Divas by Design - Anything Goes

Pembroke Castle

2012-02-03T16:17:00.002Z

I've been looking at this pattern for a while and decided to make it up for a friend's birthday. It's by Judith Maslen (Oooh, I love her patterns) from an old Parchment Magazine (December 2006). I apologise for the quality of the photo. I didn't check it properly before I posted the card and now I can see that the sentiment doesn't show very clearly!

I traced the castle in black pen and the sentiment and border in gold pen. Then I added some dorso on the reverse (blue) around the edges, behind the sentiment and as sky. Next, still on the reverse, I coloured the castle using Derwent Studio pencils and added a bit of highlights by embossing with ball tools. The border is made using a semi circle tool and a sun tool. I mounted it onto navy card using gold brads and then onto a white card blank.

Inchie Inspiration

2012-02-03T15:35:00.001Z

There was a fab article in Craft Stamper this month (although it says March 2012!). It was by Sarah Engels-Greer and she used inchies on her cards. So, duly inspired, here is what I came up with.

This was the first card I made. I made a DL card base and punched the inside edge with my Stampin' Up Scallop Punch. Next I added a strip of lace and some red ribbon. Then I stamped some butterflies from Clear Choice 20 Best Friends in SU Real Red onto white card and punched out sections using a Woodware 1" punch, then mounted them on red card and popped them on top of the ribbon using foam dots. Lastly I added the word 'memories' (from the same stamp set).

Next I made the same card blank but added some hessian (it's got sparkly bits in it - only hessian I had!) and used leaf stamps (Clear Choice Leaf Decor) and SU Garden Green. The sentiment is from Hero Arts. I'd like to enter this card into Gingersnap Creations Glorious Greens Challenge.

As I was enjoying myself I went on to make two more. The purple one uses SU Bloomin' with Beauty stamps and Rich Razzleberry ink and the brownish one uses stamps from Personal Impressions Clear Summer and Colorbox Chalk ink in Amber Clay.

I'd like to enter all my cards into So Artful's Challenge - Georgia O'Keefe inspiration (I love her paintings especially the flower ones).

Cutting down on postage costs . . .

2012-02-02T00:32:00.001Z

I decided to make a stash of one-layer cards to send abroad so that I can save on postage. It's got so expensive and I hear it's going up again in April! (warning - long post)

This card was made using a small Whispers square shadow stamp stamped in Stampin' Up in Pink Pirouette and the flower from SU Faith in Nature and a Crafty Individual sentiment stamped in SU Not Quite Navy.

This time I used a large Whispers Square shadow stamp again in SU Pink Pirouette, then the leaf and sentiment from Faith in Nature in SU Not Quite Navy and then some embossing round the image.

This time I used two colours on the large shadow stamp (SU Wild Wasabi and Certainly Celery) then the pear and a best wishes sentiment in SU Cajun Craze.

This time I stamped the little row of mice and the sentiment from Penny Black Micey Day in black on to a green card blank and added colour with Derwent Studio pencils.

Onto a blue card blank I stamped another image from Penny Black and again coloured with Derwent Studio Pencils.

Tilda paddling in the sea stamped onto a white card blank and coloured with Derwent Studio pencils. I cut a mask and sponged yellow ink for the sun and the sentiment is from Hobby Art General Greetings.

A cute little Manga Girl from Sugar Nellie coloured with Derwent Studio Pencils and a sentiment from Hobby Art General Greetings.

For these two I stamped the sentiments first (Darkroom Door and Stampscape) first, then masked off the area around them and also a circle mask for the moon, and then sponged Distress Ink (Stormy Sky) all over the card. Then I stamped the trees and seascape (Darkroom Door Wilderness Sets Vol 1 and 2) in black ink.

Blowing Bubbles

2012-02-01T22:06:00.000Z

I decided to use my Penny Black hedgehog blowing bubbles from the Transparent Hugs set. I watercoloured it using whispers pens then cut and mounted it using Circle Nestabilities. I made a card blank using the largest Scalloped Circle Nestie and also cut the backing paper (free from the Nancy Watt collection in an old Making Cards mag). I punched out 2 hearts and added the hugs sentiment to the large one then fixed them with foam pads. Then to finish off I added some green gems.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Penny's Paper Crafty - Love is in the Air

Truly Scrumptious - Love and Hearts

Simon Says Stamp - Animal Antics

Speedy Fox and Friends - At Least 4 layers

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 60 - Beads

2012-01-23T19:20:00.001Z

It was my turn to set the challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers this week so I decided that I would like to see beads used. The project can be made using just beads or using them as an embellishment. The important thing is that the beads are there for all to see.

We have two fab sponsors this week. First up is The Stamp Man who are offeringa £10 voucher for their on-line store. Secondly we have Di's Digi Downloads, who are offering a $10 gift voucher.

My project is a necklace that I made for my beautiful daughter-in-law as a Christmas present. I used pearl beads as I happened to have a few (gross understatement here, lol) in my stash and this gorgeous leaf toggle. I used 3 different sizes of pearls and between the largest ones I put sparkly rondelles. To show off the toggle I decided to make the necklace asymmetric. I was pleased with how this turned out and my DiL was thrilled too.

Dream Valley Challenge 24 - Animals

2012-01-22T23:34:00.000Z

What can I say, except Big Ooops! I was sure I had added my card to the Dream Valley DT thread but nope, it's not there so my card is not displayed on the Dream Valley Challenge blog this week (big Boo Hoo!). Still, I have made it and it's a great challenge so I will still post it here. This week there is a special prize offered by Melly for one lucky person of a Surprise parcel to include ribbons, flowers and even two stamps.

I decided to have another play with my Crafty Individual stamps and papers for this. I used the lovely Rabbit Collage (CI-202) stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia. I distressed the image using Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry, then restamped just the rabbit part and coloured him with Derwent Studio pencils before popping him back on top. The image is mounted onto blue card that has been punched down one edge with an SU punch (Spiral Border) and a fern (Darkroom Door Wilderness 2) and sentiment (SU Sense of Time) added and then distressed with SU Not Quite Navy. Under this is a strip torn from an old book that has been distressed with SU Crumb Cake and under that some lovely paper from Crafty Individuals Background Paper Book 1.

I'd like to enter this card in the Delightful Challenge - Vintage/Distressed.

As I was pleased with how this card turned out I decided to make another but this time using CI-296 (Butterfly Collage) stamping the popped butterfly in SU Baja Breeze and the sentiment is from Hero Arts Anytime Messages.

I'd like to enter this card in Moving Along With The Times - Things With Wings challenge.

Friendship treasure

2012-01-20T17:10:00.002Z

I'd been looking through my rather large collection of stamps and decided to have a play with my Crafty Individual collage stamps - the ones with the chickens and ducks.

The Chicken stamp is CI-289 and the Duck stamp (beautiful Mallards) is CI-297. I stamped them using Adirondack ink in Eggplant and then added colour using Derwent Studio pencils. The sentiment stamp is also from Crafty Individual and was sent as a freebie with an order from them. And guess where the background paper is from, lol. Yep, Crafty Individuals Book 1. The punched border was made with Matha Stewart's Embossed zig-zag punch.

Gingersnap Creations have a challenge where you have to use a line or set of stamps so I'd like to enter my cards into this.

Quick cards

2012-01-19T11:17:00.000Z

I was so pleased with myself being all organised for Christmas ahead of time that I rested on my 'laurels' for too long and fell behind with birthday cards for January! So I needed to make some quick cards. Unfortunatetly there were a lot of birthdays so now I've used them all up and will have to make some more!

These two were made using a new stamp - Sweet Floral from Stampin' Up. It's a huge stamp and it stamps beautifully. I stamped it in Brilliance Pearlescent ink (Lavender and Orchid) and just matted and layered it onto the card blank. Then I added a ribbon, stamped the little sentiment (SU Oval All), punched and matted it using SU punches and there you have it.

These were also made using a large SU stamp - this time Belle Toile. This was stamped, again, in Brilliance Inks (Mediterranean Blue/Pearlescent Crimson) and matted and layered onto the card blanks. This time two strips of ribbon were added before the sentiment was stamped (SU Four Frames and Silhouette Sentiments), cut out close to the edges and then matted onto card punched with the matching punch (Decorative Label punch). Three pearls were added to the bottom corner to finish off.

I'd like to enter these in the Gingersnap Creations Ribbon Challenge.

Bullfinches in my garden

2012-01-18T17:10:00.002Z

We had a couple of female bullfinches in the garden today. We often have two pairs of these beautiful birds but today I only saw the females. I had to make a parchment card for a swap and as the friend I was sending it too also loves watching birds in the garden I decided to use a pattern with a bullfinch on it.

I'm not sure I've got his head quite right - I know they are quite 'tucked up' but this seems a bit small! The pattern is from the Parchment Magazine September 2010 issue and was designed by Mary J Kerr. I coloured the bullfinch with Derwent Studio pencils and then added two colours of dorso behind.

A couple more kilt pins

2012-01-18T17:05:00.005Z

Here are a couple more kilt pins that I made for a friend. The little clear crystals hardly show up in the photos and some of the flowers are hidden.

A collection of children

2012-01-14T15:29:00.000Z

I have some lovely stamps that have children on them so I decided to get out some vintage type papers to go with the stamps and make some cards. The best thing about these stamps is that they were all prizes I won (yay!).

The first three cards are made with stamps I bought with a voucher I won and are from Artistic Outpost called Think and Wonder. The last two are from a fav. set I was lucky enough to win from Rogue Redhead and are from the Reading Relish plate. I stamped them all in Versafine Vintage Sepia onto Kraft and coloured them with Derwent Studio pencils. The papers are from K&Co apart from the last card and the paper from that is from a Crafty Individual pad.

The Artist Stamper has a vintage challenge this month and I'd like to enter my cards into it.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 59 - No Floral Embellishments

2012-01-09T16:36:00.002Z

After the Christmas break, Crafty Cardmakers are back with a great challenge - No floral embellishments. You can use floral backing paper or even an image but NO embellishments that are flowers or have flowers on them. We have two great sponsors for this challenge. First we have One Stop Card Crafts who are offering a £10 voucher as a prize and we also have Digi Doodle Shop who are offering a $10 voucher. Here is my card but don't forget to go check out the fabulous inspiration from my teamies.

I decided to make a card using a colour I don't often use - orange. I started with a square card blank, added a matt of dark green then the burnt orange, textured card matt. I wrapped a knotted, spotty ribbon round this layer. Next I stamped my image - the pear from Stampin' Up Faith in Nature in SU Early Expresso onto white card and added some colour using Derwent Studio pencils. This was matted onto some more orange card and I punched the edge with a Martha Stewart French Scroll punch. Next I layered it onto dark green card. I stamped the 'Best Wishes' in SU Early Expresso and used a SU Word Window punch to punch it out and then added it to the edge of the card.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Stamp and Create - Anything Goes

Joanna Sheen Challenge - Celebrations

{Lawn}scaping Challenge - Birthday

Dream Valley Challenge 23 - Anything Goes

2012-01-08T15:28:00.003Z

Well, Christmas is over and now it's the start of a brand New Year. Over at Dream Valley we are starting the year with an easy challenge - Anything Goes. You can make anything you like for this challenge, it doesn't have to be a card - so long as it's hand made. We are sponsored this time by the fab One Stop Card Crafts who are offering one lucky winner a £10 voucher for their online store.

I decided to make notebooks for my nieces for this challenge.

My first notebook is a cutesy one. I have a niece who is mad on cupcakes so my choice of stamps and paper for this one was easy! I covered a small pre-purchased notebook inside and out with paper from Paper Mania Sweet Nothings pad.

The topper is made by stamping the cute mice (Penny Black Critter Party) onto watercolour paper and watercolouring it using Whispers pens. Then I added some sparkle with a Sakura Stardust pen to the cupcake frosting and the candle flame. I cut and mounted it using Nestabilities and added a bow to the bottom. To finish off the note book I added matching ribbon to the spiral binding.

My second notebook was made for a niece who is a Stampin' Up demostrator so I used all SU products. I covered the notebook with Greenhouse Gala paper and made the topper by stamping the flower (Ornate Flowers) in SU Baja Breeze, mounting it onto green then brown card, punching the bottom of the brown with an SU scallop punch and wrapping a piece of ribbon and a bow round it. Then, again, adding ribbons to the spiral binding.

My third notebook is covered with paper from Paper Mania Amethyst Tones. The topper is a butterfly (Darkroom Door) stamped in black and coloured with Sakura pens. It's cut and mounted using Nestabilities and, again, a bow and ribbons have been added.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

CES Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Art Impressions Stamps - Anything Goes

I Brake For Challenges - CAS

Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes (Top Tip - when recovering spiral bound notebooks you can remove the binding by gently prising it apart and then you can take the covers off to work on them, then reassemble the notebook and gently squeeze the binding back in place)

Really Reasonable Ribbons - Ribbon and Sparkle

Beads, beads and more beads!

2012-01-07T14:52:00.001Z

I had a lot of fun making some Christmas presents this year using my rather large stash of beads.

First up is a brooch made from a kilt pin. I added beads, sewing themed charms, lengths of chain and bead dangles.

This bracelet is made using a spiral rope technique. The beads I used were various sized pearls in cream and coffee colours with the centre of the spiral made using clear, brown seed beads. Finally I added a pretty toggle clasp.

These are Guardian Angle bookmarks. The silver bookmarks were bought on ebay and I added the bead dangles with the little angels at the bottom. The coloured angels are made using lucite flowers, wings and crystals for the heads with a silver bead cap on the top. The little pearl angle is made using two sizes of pearls and wings. I also added an 'inspire' charm to the green bookmark.

These are mobile phone charms. Each charm has 3 dangles, the longest one having a little lucite flower angel at the end.

More Christmas cards

2011-12-31T10:59:00.001Z

These were made by making backgrounds using Pearlescent inks and then stamping a large Christmas stamp (Illuminate by Inkadinkado) on top. Then It was matted and layered onto card that had been run through the Cuttlebug using the snowflakes folder.

These were made by making a background using Starburst Stains. I stamped the large stamp onto this (Aspects of Design Traditional Christmas) cutting out the overlap edges. Then I stamped the Merry Christmas onto the bg paper, punched it out with an oval punch and matted onto a punched scalloped bg.

These simple cards are made by matting and layering cream and brown and then stamping the images (Elusive Images) in Versafine Vintage Sepia.

I used PaperMania Contemporary Christmas paper to cover the card blanks and then stamped the images from Penny Black, watercoloured them and added some sparkle. They were then matted onto silver.

More parchment cards

2011-12-21T11:55:00.001Z

These are the other parchment cards I managed to make this year. I so enjoyed doing these I will try to start them earlier next year.

This is a pattern by Kannikar Sukseree from Parchment Craft Cards For Christmas 2011. I coloured the back of the Kings with Whispers pens.

Follow the Star, a pattern by Dorothy Holness from Parchment Craft Cards for Christmas 2011.

Peace on Earth, by Anne Quinn from Parchment Craft Cards for Christmas 2011

Winter Wonderland by Ruth Venables from Parchment Craft Cards for Christmas 2011

Silhouettes

2011-12-15T09:31:00.001Z

I decided to try something new with these Parchment cards. I've not done silhouetes before and was too lazy to use paint for them and wait for it to dry so I used a permanent marker pen. I discovered it was best to turn the paper over and have the marker on the reverse which is why the Bethlehem skyline is in reverse from the original pattern, lol.

This is a pattern by Katie Johnson from Parchment Craft Cards for Christmas 2011. I chose different bg colours and did them in arcs rather than in lines as in the original pattern. Even though I went over the silhouette several times I couldn't get rid of the lines of the marker completely.

This is the reversed skyline. The silhouette is more muted but the lines of the marker don't show up at all. Again I chose different colours for the bg and adapted the border. I think I prefer this silhouette. The original pattern is by Kannikar Sukseree from Parchment Craft Cards For Christmas 2011.

Parchment Christmas Cards

2011-12-15T09:11:00.001Z

As these have been received I thought I would show them. I do enjoy making Parchment cards but as I'm still suffering from carpel tunnel I have to be careful and make sure I don't do too much embossing.

A Sue McGuirk Pattern, Parchment Craft Magazine November 2008

A Multi-Layered card designed by Kay James, Parchment Craft Cards For Christmas 2011

Pattern by Bruno Piecho, Parchment Craft Magazine 2010

Chrismas Cracker pattern by Aileen Childs, Parchment Craft Magazine November 2010

Christmas trees, from a pattern (much adapted) by Julie Roces, Parchment Craft Cards For Christmas 2011

When the red, red robin . . .

2011-12-14T21:44:00.000Z

I made this card with a birdwatcher in mind. I made the background first. I clear embossed the snowflakes (Inkadinkado) onto white card then sponged Distress Inks over the top (Barn Door and Pine Needles). I matted it onto white card and then cut the aperture using Nestabilities Octagons. Next I put a piece of parchment paper over an outline of a robin and drew him using Derwent Studio Pencils (the outline was from a card by Gail Sydenham from Parchment Magazine published in 2009). I placed my robin behind the aperture and then mounted the whole onto a green card base. I stamped the greeting onto card that had been sponged with Pine Needles and matted it onto white before popping it with foam pads.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Creative Card Crew - 'tis the season

Let's Ink It Up - Christmas Projects

Paper Sundaes - Anything Christmas

CES Challenges - Traditional Christmas

Crafty Ribbons - Traditional Christmas colours

Crafty Cardmakers Ch 58 - Use It Three Times

2011-12-12T15:13:00.000Z

For our final challenge of 2011 on Crafty Cardmakers we are sponsored by Joanna Sheen. She is offering a £10 voucher for her online shop for one lucky person. So what's the challenge? It has been chosen by Tracy who has picked Use It Three Times as her theme. Use the same stamp or image three different ways. It could be the background, main image and matching tag for example. Using different colourways is another way, or even three different cards. Go take a look at the DT's examples, there are plenty of different examples.

I decided to use a stamp I've had for ages, by Anita. First I stamped her onto white card and coloured her in with Derwent Sudio Pencils, adding Sakura Stardust pen to give her a bit of bling, and cut her out. I made a purple card blank and added a layer cut with Go Kreate Large Frames Frilly #2 in black and then Crafty Individuals DP from book 2 (Christmas). Next I made a mount for my angel using Nestabilities Labels Ten. Finally I added lots of bling.

For the bookmark I stamped the angel onto white shrink plastic using StazOn and then, again, coloured her with Derwent Studio Pencils and Sakura Stardust. I love using Shrink Plastic! I added some beads and then hung her from a bookmark blank.

Finally, I stamped the angel onto white tissue and again used my pencils and Sakura Stardust to colour her. I wrapped the tissue round my candle, then greaseproof paper before heating with my heat gun to adhere the image. For the decorative base I used black card and DP from the Crafty Individuals Book 2 (Christmas). The Merry Christmas label was cut using Nesties Labels Ten and then some bling was added.

Dream Valley Challenge 22 - Christmas

2011-12-11T16:26:00.001Z

It's our last challenge of the year over at Dream Valley so we have come up with a really easy one - Christmas. You can enter up to 3 times and it can by anything crafty. We have four fab sponsors this time: One Stop Card Crafts who are offering a £10 voucher; Digi Doodle Shop who are offering a $10 voucher; Stitchy Bear who are offering a $10 voucher; and Crafty Ribbons who are offering a Bev's Bag of ribbons.

I stamped the Three Kings from Elusive Images onto Kraft card using Versafine Vintage Sepia and coloured them with Derwent Studio Pencils. Then I matted and layered the image onto gold, then brown card. For the background I again used Kraft card, stamped the silhouete of the Three Kings in brown and then ran the bg through the Cuttlebug using the Snowflakes folder, matting it onto brown card then onto a cream card blank. I also stamped the star in silver onto Kraft, mounted it onto gold and brown card and added a gem to the centre. To finish off I added gems to the image.

Twinkle, twinkle

2011-12-01T17:32:00.001Z

This may not look much like a Christmas card, but it is! It's an Alternative Christmas card. I started with the little star stamp from Stampotique that came free with an issue of Craft Stamper. I stamped it onto Kraft cardstock (sorry for the bad picture) using ColorBox Chalk ink in Amber Clay. I added the sentiment (Penny Black) in Rouge. Then I added a strip of mustard card that I cut with a Martha Stewart punch (embossed zig zag) and some ribbon to the top, and matted it onto pink card. I then matted it onto mustard card that had been stamped with the star stamp using Rough ink, and then onto a cream card blank. Lastly I stamped the star onto pink card using Warm Red, adding Crystal Stickers.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Stampotique Designs - Non Traditional Christmas

Simons Says Stamp and Show - Show some stars

Cupcake Challenge - Colouring on Kraft

Thanks Chick!

2011-12-01T16:39:00.001Z

I wanted to make a thank you card for a special friend. I decided to use a Crafty Individual stamp (CI-269) and stamped it onto Kraft card with Versafine Vintage Sepia then coloured the chickens using Derwent Studio Pencils. The bg card was stamped with a stamp from Stamp Attack in Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler. I also ran the card blank through the cuttlebug using the Forest Pines folder but it's hard to see from the photo. I stamped my Thank You sentiment (SU) onto Twill tape and stuck it behind the image.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Gingersnap Random Readhead Challenge - Livestock

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Samuel Taylor Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 57 - Heat Embossing and DT call

2011-11-28T14:49:00.001Z

We are having a DT call over at Crafty Cardmakers. The new team won't start until January and all information can be found here.

Our new challenge starts today and this week our theme is heat embossing. It was set by Josephine who says 'Any technique using heat embossing - stamping or ultra-thick embossing powder or something else I haven't thought of.' We are sponsored by the fabulous Stampman who are offering a set of Starburst stains, Holiday Wreath, as a prize for one lucky person. I've got this set and I have to say they are really, really lush!

I chose to use the snowflake flourish from Inkadinkado. I stamped it with Encore Silver ink onto dark blue pearlised card. Then I heat embossed it using some fab Holographic Embossing Powder. I'm afraid my picture doesn't really show the fabulous glimmer this powder gives. I mounted it onto silver card and then onto a white card blank. I added silver peel-offs round the edge and a silver snowflake cut with my Cuttlebug die.

I then had a play with a new stamp, Robin Script by Funstamps. I stamped this onto red mirror card with Encore Gold ink and embossed it with Holographic EP, mounting it onto gold card and using gold peel-offs. This was sooooo hard to photograph but I think you get the idea.

Dream Valley Challenge 21 - Sparkle

2011-11-27T20:37:00.001Z

This week we have a great theme at Dream Valley - Sparkle! Any kind of sparkle on your creation will count. This week one of our fab teamies is offering two Lily of The Valley stamps as a prize - go check them out.

I decided to have some fun with masks I got from Hobby Craft. For the first one I gave it an undercoat with white acrylic paint. Then I gave it a second layer with a pearlised white acrylic paint to give it it's first bit of sparkle. Next I stamped some butterflies (Dark Room Door) onto tissue paper using StazOn Teal and Fuschia. I stuck them to the mask then added some glitter glue and gems. I added more gems and finally some feathers (think 'Her name was Lola' LOL).

I had a second mask and lots of paint left so I did this one too. Instead of an undercoat, this time I painted the pearlised white acrylic paint direclty onto the brown mask and it gave it a coppery effect. Then I stamped the flowers (Crafty Individuals 206) onto tissue paper and coloured them with Inktense pencils then stuck them onto the mask. I added some lovely gems (they were on my friends table and were soooooo calling to me!) and a few flowers layered together. I think this one is from Rio!

Sweet little cupcake

2011-11-23T11:49:00.001Z

I have a niece who is an absolute saint (well I have several nieces and they are all fabulous). She is training to be a nurse and I can tell you she is going to be one wonderful nurse. It was her birthday so I made her this little charm bracelet. She is a real cupcake fan - not just the edible kind but when she gets her own place I can see there will be cupcakes on every wall, curtain, kitchen appliance, etc, lol. Aren't these little charms sweet - almost good enough to eat!

ATC Challengess 15 - Lace

2011-11-20T10:30:00.001Z

Our theme this week at ATC Challenges is to add lace to your project. I've had this stunning pink lace for a while and thought it perfect for this. I stamped out a corset from Hampton Art ATC corsets onto pale pink card and added a bit of colour with a Sakura Stardust pen. Then I attached the lovely lace behind the top of the corset. I popped it onto my ATC using foam pads and added some bling to the corner. Very Ooh La La!

This land . . .

2011-11-17T13:58:00.001Z

Yep, I was singing away while I made this card. I might not know all the words to This Land is My Land, but I can hum, lol. I got my lovely Hobby Art Countryside Scene-Its stamps and made my little scene then watercoloured it using Whispers pens (oh how I love watercolouring!). Then it was cut and matted using Nestabilities Curved Rectangles. The green bg card was stamped with the wheat stamp from Stampin' Up Autumn Days in SU Wild Wasabi. My lovely sentiment is from Stampscapes Sheet 4. The little banner at the top was made by punching penants using my new SU Petite Penants punch, stamping the wheat again (this time using SU Rich Razzleberry) and 'hanging' them from a piece of SU linen thread. Finally I added some old buttons from my rather large button tin.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Gingersnap Creations - Farm Fresh

Let's Ink It Up - Favourite Technique (Watercolouring)

Stampalot Challenge - Blue and Green

Card Patterns - Sketch 141

Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge - Favourite Technique (Watercolouring)

A Sparkly Angel

2011-11-17T13:29:00.001Z

I decided to have a go at a Centre Step card and I must say I like this style. I decorated the card using silver mirror card and then white card that has been run through my Cuttlebug using the Snowflake folder. The little angel image is from The Stampsmith and stamped in Versafine Smokey Grey then matted onto white glitter card and then popped onto a silver label (Stampin' Up Decorative label punch) and two little pearls popped each side. For my sentiment I dug out a tiny Dovecraft stamp set I've had ages and stamped it in Encore silver then used two more SU punches to mount it (Large Oval and Extra Large Scallop Oval). I've added two layers of ribbon behind the sentiment. Finally I added some roses (from Wild Orchid) that I blinged with silver Stickles, and lots of snowflakes cut with the Cuttlebug Snowflake die.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Stamp and Create - Easel or Centre Step card

Stamptacular Sunday - Punch it

Craft Your Days Away - Embellishment Bingo (Pearls/Flowers/Ribbon)

CES Challenges - Roses and Ribbon

Little Claire's - Shaped card

Crimbo Crackers - Make it Sparkle

10 minute Christmas Card

2011-11-16T12:39:00.001Z

One of the groups I'm on has challenged us to make a Christmas card in 10 minutes or under. Easy peasy I thought! I got myself organised and it took me just under the 10 mins to do this card. Clearing up took much, much longer - not helped by the fact that my ribbon fell off the spool and I had to wind it back on! I started with a stamp I bought from Oyster Craft ages ago and stamped it onto white card using Versafine Onyx Black. While it dried I cut my silver mat to fit my card blank and wrapped some black ribbon round it. Then I popped it onto my card and added a little bow using a glue dot. I stuck my image onto black card and cut round the edges with deckle-edged scissors then using a glue runner, stuck it to my card. Finally I added some stickles to the corner decorations.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Black and White plus one (silver)

Crafts and Me - Simples

Crafters Companion - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Really Reasonable Ribbons - CAS Christmas and ribbon

Have you ever seen a triangle mouse?

2011-11-16T11:55:00.001Z

I found a pack of unopened triangle cards in the back of a drawer and thought they would make fun Christmas cards. I covered each section with paper from Paper Mania Contemporary Christmas. Then I stamped my little mouse (soooooo cute) from Penny Black's The Wonder, watercoloured him with Whispers pens, and added some bling to his stocking with Crystal Stickles. I cut him out using my Dahlia Nestabilities and matted him onto gold card, added some mauve pearls to the top. Then I mounted the image onto my triangle card using foam pads. The sentiment was stamped in gold ink and I added a few more pearls to the card.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Cutesy

Winter Wonderland - A Christmas Mouse

Bunny Zoe Challenge - Christmas and Pearls

Penny Black and More - All Creatures Great and Small

Little Claire - Shaped card

Christmas Hedgehog

2011-11-16T11:34:00.001Z

I got busy yesterday and actually made 3 (yep 3!) Christmas cards. This is the first one and it uses the cute little hedgehog pulling a sleigh full of presents from Penny Black's The Wonder set. I watercoloured the image with Whispers pens and added some gold and crystal Stickles for sparkle then matted it onto some gold card. The bg papers are from a pad I've had since last year and hardly used (Paper Mania Contemporary Christmas). I added a sentiment and ribbon and bow to finish off my card.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - Old Christmas DPs

Penny Black Saturday - Gold + Presents

Charisma Cardz - Cutesy

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 56 - Recycle

2011-11-14T17:55:00.001Z

We are getting all green over at Crafty Cardmakers and our theme this week is recycle. You could, for example, turn a container into a pen pot, use the inside of a roll of tape to make a jewellery box, or use a piece of a box for your card. The possibilities are endless and it gives us Crafters a good reason for saving all those bits and pieces we hoard away, lol. We are sponsored this week by the lovely Joanna Sheen who is offering a £10 voucher for her fabulous online shop to one lucky winner.

I decided to do something with the old Smash container that I've kept my Whispers Pens in for the last 3. I know a musical theme is unusual for a pen pot but my choice was dictated by the paper I used. The paper is from Stampin' Up called Newsprint. I added some cream lace and then stamped some music notes directly onto the paper using Encore Copper ink. The stamps are from Aspects of Design Classical Instruments set. Then I stamped a couple of the instruments onto copper Art Emboss Metal using black StazOn, cut them out and popped them onto the container.

Dream Valley Challenge 20 - Stitching

2011-11-13T14:04:00.001Z

This week we'd like to see stitching on your creations at Dream Valley Challenges. It can be faux stitching, sewing machine stitching or even hand stitching. Our sponsor this week is the fabulous One Stop Card Crafts who are offering one lucky winner a £10 voucher for their shop. Here is my attempt but go check out the fab creations from my teamies, such variety and talent.

I decided to do some cross stitch. I used to do it ages ago but as I haven't done any for a long, long time I went into Hobby Craft and bought one of their Christmas kits (very cheap!). It came complete with aida, thread (enough to do the robin twice) and even an embroidery needle. It took no time at all and was fun to do. I covered a card blank with paper that was free with a magazine and then cut an aperture with my round Nestabilities and mounted my cross stitch behind it. I framed my work with glitter card (also cut with nesties). The sentiment is from Habico Christmas Greetings stamped in Stampin' Up Red Riding Hood. I've also added a bit of faux stitching round the edge and too finish it off I added a couple of bits of bling.

I'd like to enter my card in Samuel Taylors November Challenge which is to make Christmas Cards, and Rogue Redhead Designs RC005 - only one DP.

Daisy Chain

2011-11-11T15:49:00.001Z

I love Penny Black stamps and this has to be one of the cutest. Little mice making a daisy chain! I watercoloured the image uisng Whispers pens then rounded the corners and mounted it onto pale green card. The DP is from a K&Co pad called Daisy. I added some green organza ribbon and some pearls to finish it off. I decorated the inside with the same paper, used my Stampin' Up punch to make somewhere to write the message and then stamped the little mice feet and a mouse with a balloon each side.

I'd like to enter this into the Penny Black & More November challenge - All Creatures Great and Small.

Mousey Stockings

2011-11-07T14:30:00.001Z

Aren't these Penny Black mice the cutest. They are from 'The Wonder' set. I watercoloured them using whispes pens and then added some sparkle with Stickles in Holly and Crystal, and then added some flock to the top of one stocking using Doodlebug Crushed Velvet in Lily White. The DP is from an old stack by Paper Mania called Contemporary Christmas. I then added the lovely Christmas Tree charm and a sparkly silver ribbon.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

The Pixie Cottage - Sketch

Penny Black @ Allsorts - All Creatures Great and Small

Samuel Taylor - Christmas Cards (Prize is fab Martha Stewart Snowflake punch)

Out of the Box

2011-11-07T14:04:00.000Z

Yay, I've actually got on with some Christmas cards today. For this one I used my brand new Stampin' Up Beautiful Seasons set. I watercoloured the image with Whispers pens and then added some bling with Holly Stickles (oooh I'm loving stickles at the mo!). I followed the fab tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers to cut my image using Nestabilites Labels Four. I've seen this done before and always wondered how it was done and now I know I shall use it again. I then matted my image onto a green die cut to make it stand out more. The bg paper is from SU's Holly Berry Boquet DP (so sparkly). For my sentiment I used the free stamp from the recent Craft Stamper (by The Stampman) and stamped it in Black Cherry StazOn onto clear shrink plastic and then shrank it. Such a fab technique. Then I added some sparkly ribbon (also from SU).

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Christmas Card Challenge 49 - Sketch

Little Claire - Christmas

Jingle Belles - It came upon a midnight CLEAR

Winter Wonderland - Make your card sparkle

Delightful Challenges - A Very Sparkly Christmas

Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays - Out of the Box

The Ribbon Girl - Jingle All the Way to Christmas

ATC Challenges 14 - Mermaids

2011-11-06T14:12:00.000Z

We have exciting news at ATC Challenges. We have decided to go weekly so are having a DT call in order that we can field two teams. All you have to do is leave a comment on the ATC Challenge Blog if you are interested.

Right, on to this week's challenge. Our theme is Mermaids. You can use any medium (decoupage, stamping etc) but it MUST BE AN ATC.

I decided to use a stamp from a set I've had for ages - Water Myths and Fantasy by Non Sequitur. I stamped the mermaids on Versafine Onxy Black then added colour to the seaweed with a Whispers pen and some sparkle to the mermaids' tails with a Sakura Stardust pen. Then I mounted my image onto some silver mirror card and then onto a black ATC.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 55 - Colour

2011-10-31T13:12:00.000Z

This week at Crafty Cardmakers we have a lovely colour combination for you to use. It's Pink/Cream/Brown. These are the only colours you can use (apart from colouring faces). Let's see what you can come up with. We are sponsored this week by the fab One Stop Cards who are offering one lucky winner a £10 voucher for their store.

I've gone a bit 'Ooh la la' for my card this week. I used the fab PaperArtsy Vintage Nudes Plate 1 which I've stamped in Stampin' Up Early Expresso onto cream card. I've matted the image onto a deep pink paper. My card blank s cream and I've matted and layered brown and dark pink card onto it and then some lovely flowery paper from K & Co Classic K Bailey pad. I've added a cream strip cut with my Martha Stewart Garden Trellis punch and then some little flowers with bling centres. The sentiment is from the same stamp set.

Dream Valley Challenge 19 - Anything Goes

2011-10-30T12:54:00.001Z

This week we have decided to have an 'Anything Goes' theme at Dream Valley Challenges. So, let's see what you can come up with. The lovely Melly will be offering one lucky person a £10 voucher to use in either Crafty Emma's shop OR Sauarated Canary's Digi Image Esty store.

I decided to make a Christmas Card. I had promised myself last year I would get my cards made nice and early but somehow this is the only card I've made. Must do better, lol. I started with a large white card blank and added some lovely blue, then on top of that I added some white that has been run through my Cuttlebug using the Snowflakes folder. Then I stamped the fabulous Paper Mania A Christmas Carol Bauble stamp in Versamark onto more blue card and embossed it with White embossing powder. I found some white and silver peel-offs to frame the image, and there you go. Simples.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Little Claire's Monthly Challenge - Christmas

Winter Wonderland - CAS Christmas card

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes

Crafts and Me - Winter Blues

Simon Says Stamp - One Colour

Rare Bird!

2011-10-29T11:47:00.003+01:00

I'm not sure what type of bird this is but I'm certain it's a rare one, LOL. I started with a lovely blue card blank and stamped bird cages on the top and eggs on the bottom from Stampin' Up Nature's Walk in SU Cake Crumb. Then I stamped the bird and eggs (same set) onto SU Lap of Luxury DP and cut them out. I placed the eggs randomly (well randomly for me - I appear to be turning into a neat freak when it comes to cards although unfortunately not when it comes to housework!!!). I added a strip of a different Lap of Luxury DP for the bird to stand on. The Thank You is from SU Cute and Curly in Not Quite Navy punched out with Modern Label punch and Designer Label underneath.

I'd like to enter my card in Crafts and Me - Winter Blues Challenge

I needed sunshine so . . .

2011-10-29T11:38:00.001+01:00

We have had some very grey days and I felt in need of sunshine so I made this Thank You card nice and bright and cheerful. I started with a white card blank and layered on some brown card. Onto that I added some Stampin' Up Greenhouse Gala DP to the bottom half and orange card stamped with SU Ornate Flowers in Pumpkin to the top half and hid the join with a strip of green card. I stamped the large flower from Ornate Flowers and the 'Thanks' from Scrappy Cat onto white card in SU Old Olive and tucked some scraps of ribbon behind this.

ATC Challenge 13 - Vintage or Anything Goes

2011-10-23T12:44:00.002+01:00

The theme for this fortnight over at ATC Challenges is Vintage (or alternatively anything goes). We are offering a pack of Papercraft Frames and Panels as a prize to one lucky winner.

I covered my ATC with some lovely paper from K&Co Isabella pad. It reminds me of the wallpaper my Gran used to have in her bedroom. Then I stamped some needles, scissors and buttons directly onto the backing paper using stamps from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Material Girl set. I stamped the thread, sewing machine and dressmaking dummy onto some cream card before mounting them on the ATC and added a touch of colour using whispers pens.

I love Autumn

2011-10-21T10:41:00.000+01:00

I was worried we weren't going to get a 'proper' autumn as we seemed to be getting our summer at the beginning of October (!) but it's here. The leaves are all changing to the most glorious colours, there is frost on the ground and the fields are being ploughed. I love it, lol. So I decided to get out my Stampin' Up Autumn Days set and make a birthday card for my BiL. First I stamped the lovely pheasant which I had coloured with just 4 Whispers pens by scribbling on him (red for his eye, teal for his neck and some bits on his body, and light and dark brown). Then I masked him (cutting his tail was sooooo hard!) and stamped the background using SU inks More Mustard and Crumb Cake. I added some tan coloured card to the bottom of the picture then cut it into a square and rounded the corners, mounting it onto a piece of dark brown card with, again, rounded corners, then added a leaf brad. I wanted to use my large corner rounder from Woodware but have never achieved a great corner with this as the card won't go right into the guide and you always end up with a funny edge! So it was back to my small, perfect, corner rounder. Then I matted and layered brown and a sort of greeny/gold card onto my cream card blank after first wrapping round some SU twine, and popped my pheasant on the top.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Boots - Autumn Challenge

Get Hippity with {ippity} - Fall colours

Paper Sundaes - Fall

The Artistic Stamper - Autumn Colours

CES Challenges - Forever Autumn

I think I've finally got it . . .

2011-10-21T10:17:00.001+01:00

I have some lovely Photo-real stamps and I have had so much trouble not just stamping them, but also photographing them that I have nearly given up on them. Then I discovered it wasn't them . . . it was me, lol. I had been using photo-paper to stamp on and apparently that's not what you use. You use GLOSSY card. Oh what a difference. I still need practice but the results are so much better.

So, I stamped my Flapper (from The Stampsmith Flaper 3 plate) onto Glossy card using Saddle Brown StazOn, then cut and mounted her using Nestabilities Ovals. The bg paper is from K&Co Isabella pad (so pretty) and I added some eyelet lace across the middle. Behind my image I've added some postcards (Aspect of Design in Stampin' Up Soft Suede) and then on top a little frame (again SU - Four Frames coloured with whispers pens) with a greeting, and a flower. Finally I've added some pearls.

I'd like to enter my card into the Vintage challenge at Moving Along with the Times.

Everything's coming up roses . . .

2011-10-20T17:00:00.004+01:00

For a recent parchment swap the theme was gridwork and roses. I went with a pattern from Aileen Childs which was published in Parchment Craft Magazine in February 2010. The rose was coloured without tracing first by using Derwent Studio pencils on the front, then highlighted with embossing from behind.. Then as I do not own any PCA grids I used a Large Straight Pergamano grid put put it at an angle to get the diagonal lines for the large heart and the heart-shaped borders.

Quick Birthday Cards

2011-10-20T16:55:00.004+01:00

I have loads of birthday cards to send in November so I thought I'd get ahead by making some reasonably quick cards. I used stamps from Stampin' Up - Nature's Wonder and Heard from the Heart. I stamped the images in different SU inks - Regal Rose, Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist and More Mustard. Then I matted and mounted each image on 2 shades of card. The main background was made by using one of the shades of card, stamping the sentiment and running it through the Cuttlebug using either the Swiss Dots folder or the D'vine Swirls folder. I added a ribbon in a matching colour before adding the image over the top.

A Couple of Cuties

2011-10-18T11:02:00.000+01:00

I have been busy (for a change) and have made a batch of different cards. These two use stamps I haven't played with for a while and are from Penny Black.

For this card I chose these cute mice from Penny Black Micey Day. I stamped them onto watercolour card and then painted them using Whispers Pens and a little bit of Sakura Stardust. They were then cut and matted using Nestabilities Ovals. The main card was cut using a GoKreate Large Frame - Frilly #2 and I cut the bg paper (from PaperMania Creative Tones in Amethyst) with the same die. I added a couple of swirls (QuicKutz Flourish), some flowers and bling and stamped the sentiment directly onto the bg paper.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Ch. 173 - On The Move

One Stitch At A Time Ch. 84 - Shape Up

Totally Gorjuss Ch. 102 - Bingo (Flowers/Swirls/Bling)

My second card using the stamp set Hugs!

Aren't these hedgehogs gorgeous! Again they are stamped onto watercolour card and painted using Whispers pens. Then they are cut, matted and layered using Nestability Square and Scallop Square dies. The bg paper is from Basic Grey Boxer 12x12 (which I've had for ages cos there is only one sheet of each and it's sooooo hard to cut into, lol). I edged the corner with my Martha Stewart Scallop Dot punch, added a sentiment (Stampin' Up Warm Wishes) and some bling using my i-rocks tool. Finally I got out the much underused Flowersoft to add round the bottom of the flower pots. I used Heather and Christmas Green mixed.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Stampin' For The Weekend Ch. 18 - Colours of Autumn

Creative Belli Blog Ch. 128 - Flowersoft

Delightful Challenges - Colours of Fall

Penny Black at Allsorts - Picture inspiration

Sketches by Carly - Sketch 42

Going round in circles

2011-10-18T10:27:00.002+01:00

Cherry Cobbler/Old Olive/Pumpkin Pie/Early Expresso

Riding Hood Red/Basic Black

Early Expresso/So Saffron/Soft Suede

Baja Breeze/Wild Wasabi

Old Olive/Certainly Celery/Garden Green

Ages and ages ago (at least a year ago) I saw a card made with circle stamps that I really liked. So I bought this set of stamps by Hero Arts (Circular Designs) and they have sat in my drawer unused all that time. I finally got them out and went mad making five cards. I started by cutting strips of white card and stamping various circles on them in various colours (all Stampin' Up ink - see captions), then stamped a smaller circle on spare card and cut it with a Woodware circle punch and popped it on top using foam pads. I matted the strip onto coloured card with one edge punched (Martha Stewart Scallop Dots) and added a piece of ribbon. What made me get these stamps out and play with them after all this time??? Well it was The Stamp Man challenge, Circle it. So I'd like to enter my cards in their challenge.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 54 - Cute with a Dark Twist

2011-10-17T21:06:00.000+01:00

At Crafty Cardmakers this week the theme is Cute with a Dark Twist. We are sponsored this week by the lovely Joanna Sheen who is offering a £10 voucher to one lucky winner for her on-line store. What is Cute with a Dark Twist, I hear you say? Well, some of the team (but not all) have gone for a cute Halloween theme. My own twisted sense went for something different!

I started with a tag from Crafty Individuals which I coloured by inking through sequin waste with ColorBox Chalk ink in roughe and pigment ink in Robins Egg and Glacier Ice. Then I sprayed over the top with Silver Sugar and Kiwi Glimmer Mist and mounted the tag onto burgundy card. I stamped the little girl (from Tim Holtz's The Girls set) and paper pieced her dress with paper from Basic Grey Hello Lucious pad paper. I also used some of the paper on the tag. The 'alternative' Little Miss Muffet rhyme was printed on my computer (ending written by myself) and matted onto burgundy card. Then I added some bling and fibres.

The box was made out of the same Basic Grey pad and lined with Doodlebug Crushed Velvet card in Ladybug, then a brad and fibre to make it easier to open the box.

The lovely spider is made from beads and wire. I used a flower bead for her (definitely a her) body, a round crystal for her head and then silver bugle beads and clear seed beads for her legs.

Dream Valley Challenge 18 - Halloween

2011-10-16T17:17:00.003+01:00

This week over at Dream Valley the challenge is to make something with a Halloween theme. So you can be as spooky as you like. We are lucky to be sponsored by Robyns Fetish Digital Stamps, who are offering digital images as the prize for one lucky person.

I started with the cute Sugar Nellie Manga Girl and watercoloured her with Whispers Pens. Then I sat her on some Stampin' Up pumpkins (Fall Whimsey). The background is a free download from Grandmas Scrap 2 (thank you Grandma). I added a peel-off border and some holographic stickers.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Orange

Paper Sundaes - Halloween

Sparkles Forum - Halloween

Birds and Bookmarks

2011-10-11T16:24:00.003+01:00

I've been making more parchment things this week as I have been out and about and parchment is something I can take with me. First up is a card I made for my Mother-in-Law who has just had a big op.

The pattern for the Blue Tit came from Parchment Craft Magazine April 2010 and is by Lauren Berry. I coloured the little bird with my Derwent Studio pencils, then mounted it on blue card, adding peel-offs round the edge and decorative corners. The background paper is from Create and Craft.

Next I made a bookmark for my Daughter-in-Law.

This pattern was from the Pergamano Parchment Craft book by Martha Ospina. I traced the pattern using a Pilot Gold Gel pen and Tinta Pearl White ink. Then I added colour by putting dots of felt pen where I wanted it darkest and spreading it with a damp brush. The gridwork was done on both a large and small straight grid and embossing was added to the flowers and borders. Finally it was mounted onto some pastel rainbow parchment which I had cut with decorative scissors.

ATC Challenge 12 - Girly or Anything Goes

2011-10-09T22:42:00.002+01:00

This fortnight the theme is either Girly or Anything goes over at the ATC Challenge blog.

I decided to dig out my Mad Tea Party stamp by Ching-chou kuik from Sweet Pea stamps. I love this image. I stamped it in black StazOn onto watercolour paper and then painted it using Whispers Pens as paints (I scribbled them onto an old tile and picked the colours up with my brush). I made the background by wetting the paper and then dropping splodges of 'paint' onto the wet paper. When it dried I added the trees. I also added a little bit of Sakura Stardust pen for that little bit of bling.

Pop-up flowers

2011-10-06T10:18:00.000+01:00

I joined a swap for a Pop-Up card and while searching on the computer found this fab card - http://1cardcreator.blogspot.com/2009/02/pop-up-card.html complete with instructions. So here is my version. I started with bright orange card for my inner and outer card and as I own a Stampin' Up Word Window punch I used that to make the slots for the step as instructed, lol. It certainly made life easier as I was able to get the slots the same size. Next I got out a favourite paper pad (DCWV Pocket Full of Posies) and used 4 of the pages to stamp flowers in various sizes from SU's Playful Petals set adding a tiny bit of bling with Sakura Stardust pens. Then came the cutting out! Before I added my flowers I decorated both the outside and inside of my card - outside sentiment from Paper Makeup stamps; inside sentiment unknown, both cut with Nestabilities Labels Four. Then I added my flowers and some little bees (Anita's stamp) stamped onto yellow vellum with their wings blinged.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 53 - Anything Goes

2011-10-03T15:43:00.002+01:00

Well, after a short break Crafty Cardmakers is back with a nice easy challenge - Anything Goes. We are really looking forward to seeing what you come up with. We have a new team so go check them out on the blog. There is some wonderful inspiration on there. We also have a slight change to our rules in that we will accept anything that has been entered into 15 challenges (that's 14 plus our own). And as usual we have a lovely prize (Two Clear Stamp sets by Pink Paislee). We are really looking forward to playing with you again.

Well, Anything Goes, so how could I resist. I just had to get my parchment bits out and have a play. I chose a pattern by my favourite designer, Judith Maslen, which was printed in the September 2009 edition of Parchment Craft Magazine. It's called Autumn Fairy. Isn't she gorgeous. I used Derwent Studio pencils for her upper part and for the acorns and leaves. Then I embossed her skirt and wings and added embossed highlights to the pencil work. I made the border using a semi-circle tool and a sun tool and behind that, on the reverse of the parchment, I coloured blue using a pencil. The edging of the parchment was made using the semi-circle tool again and a cross tool, then adding some gold pen.

Dream Valley Challenge 17 - Monochrome

2011-10-02T17:50:00.000+01:00

This week at Dream Valley our challenge is for you to use Monochrome tones on your creation. This fortnight's winner will receive a £10 voucher from the fabby One Stop Card Crafts.

I went with shades of brown and was inspired by my friend Cath who is a real artist.

I got our a new stamp set to play with - The Girls from the Tim Holtz Collection at Stampers Anonymous. Isn't she gorgeous. I stamped her in Timber Brown StazOn onto cream card then matted and layered her onto two different tones of brown card. The background is made using the Polished Stone technique with Alcohol Inks in Butterscotch, Mushroom and Copper. I stamped the word 'Giggle' directly onto the background in Saddle Brown StazOn and the little words at the bottom and 'Be Happy' at the top (from PaperArtsy Stage Lights 4) in Timber Brown. Then I added a hand cut heart from a dictionary page which I had edged with felt pens.

Think Outside the ATC

2011-09-28T12:55:00.003+01:00

Over at Rogue Redhead Designs, the Rebel Challenge is to Think Outside the ATC. What they want is an ATC that has an element protruding beyond it's borders. I am entering this ATC

I started with some card that I had made ages ago by sponging on Brilliance Pearlescence Yellow and Lime. I added the lovely Lavinia fairy and butterflies in StazOn Dove Grey to give them a 'far away' look. Next I added the word 'Believe' (from Crafty Individuals stamp CI 012) and then the silhouette flowers from Hot Off The Press Botanicals, giving them a bit of bling with a Sakura Stardust Pen. My protruding element is the lovely little girl from Rogue Redhead Designs Reading Relish plate, stamped onto watercolour paper and painted using Whispers pens. She is cut out and raised with foam pads. I also added the little butterfly on foam pads too. You just know she has spent the afternoon in the garden reading Fairy Tales and dreaming of fairies.

Fabulous Friend

2011-09-27T16:31:00.000+01:00

I got out some of my Stampin' Up supplies to have a play today. I started with a Cherry Cobbler card blank and than ran my Very Vintage Jumbo wheel across the bottom third using SU Basic Black. Then using Very Vanilla cardstock I stamped the central pannels. I used the fern and butterfly from A Touch of Nature in Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler, the dotty frame from Four Frames in Cherry Cobbler, and using my stamp positioner I added one of the Oval All stamps in the centre in Basic Black. I cut the label out using the Decorative Label punch. I added colour to the flowers and butterfly using Whispers and Sakura Pens, adding a black border to the rectangles. Then I added a line of dashes with the Sakura pen and popped on some little butterflies cut with an old Dovecraft punch, finally adding a bit of SU twine tied in a bow.

Just a Quickie

2011-09-27T15:20:00.002+01:00

This is another project I did while I was on my jolly hols in Wales. My daughter wanted me to make her a bookmark. I used a pattern from an old Parchment Craft Magazine (September 2009) by Ruth Venables called Daisy Chain. I traced the pattern in white pencil then embossed the daisies and leaves, adding a bit of colour to the centre of each flower with a purple felt pen. Then I did the grid work using a small, straight grid, and finally popped it into a bookmark cover.

ATC Challenge No. 11

2011-09-26T14:57:00.004+01:00

It's time for a new Challenge over at the ATC Challenge Blog and this week the theme is What Are Little Boys Made of OR Anything Goes.

I started with a brown ATC blank and added a layer of lighter brown that has been stamped with a great pencil stamp from Lost Coast in Stampin' Up Crumb Cake. I added a bit of colour to the pencils with Derwent Studio pencils but I'm afraid it hardly shows. Then I stamped the boy and books (Reading Relish stamps from Rogue Redhead Designs) in SU Early Expresso onto cream card, cut them out and mounted them ontop of the pencils.

Holiday Homework

2011-09-21T08:52:00.004+01:00

I have been up to Wales for two weeks and while there I took my parchment to play with. This is one of the cards I made. It is an old pattern by Josephine Davidson (published in Parchment Craft Magazine August 2007). I coloured the butterflies and flowers with Derwent Studio Pencils on the reverse and used a large, straight grid for the grid work. I wish now I'd used the small grid as there isn't much pattern between the butterflies and flowers. I added some peel-offs to finish it off. If I make this again I will change the pattern slightly so that the two front pieces don't overlap but it sits more like a gatefold card as you can't really see the fancy edge of the gridwork when the card is closed.

Dream Valley Challenge 16 - Buttons

2011-09-18T13:58:00.000+01:00

This week at Dream Valley we'd like to see what you can do with BUTTONS on your creations. We are being sponsored by Digis With Attitude this week who are offering one lucky winner a $10 Canadian Dollar voucher for their on-line store.

I decided to get out my teeny-tiny buttons for my card. I started with a square, white card blank, added a cream square matt then a piece of paper from the Papermania Exquisite pad. I wrapped a piece of organza ribbon round and then added a cream scalloped circle (Nestabilities) and my image, which is from Penny Black Hugs! set. I watercoloured the image with Whispers pens then added the teeny uttons and some flowers around the edge. The sentiment is from the same set and then I added some slightly larger buttons underneath.

Spinner Card

2011-09-17T11:36:00.002+01:00

I decided to make a Spinner Card with a difference and used the idea from Carol Staples that was published in Craft Stamper in March 2009. I covered my card blank with some Butterfly and Flower patterned vellum (no make) and added silver border peel-offs round the edge. Then I cut my circle and hoop from yellow card and decorated it with Rubber Stamp Tapestry stamps (Floral Filigree Wreath and Garden of Blue) using Stampin' Up inks in Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight and Tempting Turquoise. I placed my circles using 2 layers of foam pads and added a penny with a foam pad in the gap. Then I added another penny, a circle of yellow card and my butterfly - made by cutting 2 layers of vellum using the Cuttlebug Cut and Emboss Butterfly (bottom layer pink vellum, top layer Paper,mania Exquisite Vellum). To finish my card I added the sentiment and a double ribbon, plus a little bit of Sakura Stardust pen to a bit of bling.

Design Team Call

2011-09-17T10:20:00.001+01:00

We are having a major reorganisation over at Crafty Cardmakers and The Spotlight Challenge and we have a new boss (Lin). We are interested in people who are willing to try different styles or showcase their own particular technique. Your commitment will be to produce 2 projects per month and to contribute ideas for the challenges plus leave comments on a limited number of entries. If you are interested in joining our fab team, please create a blog post in which you showcase your three favourite projhects or those that you think reflect your style best, and also a NEW CREATION for the call along the theme of New Beginnings and link it to the Crafty Cardmakers Blog. The call will run until 26th September, so we look forward to hearing from you.

ATC Challenges No. 10 - Anything Goes or Something that Represents You

2011-09-11T05:00:00.000+01:00

Well what would you make if asked to make something that represented you? That is the challenge over at the ATC Challenge blog this week.

Well, what says 'ME' more than an elephant escaping from it's background, LOL. I think anyone looking at this ATC will know it's made by me as this is my absolute favourite type of project. It involves stamps, ink and masking! First I started with the green ATC, then I matted some blue card on top. Then I got a piece of white card and stamped my elephant (English Stamp Company) in Stampin' Up Basic Grey. I masked the elephant, then cut an oval (using my trusty Nesties) out of a Post It Note and placed that over the top. I tore some strips of paper and sponged on SU Old Olive and Bashful Blue to make the background, then removed the masks. To balance my ATC I added the old faithful Stampscape branch. And there you have it!

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 52 - Summer Holiday Memories

2011-09-05T04:30:00.000+01:00

Hope you have all enjoyed the Summer Break. And what a summer - where was it, LOL! Well, we are back at Crafty Cardmakers and our challenge for this week is Summer Holiday Memories. Now come on, it wasn't all rain. We did have a couple of nice days, lol. Our prize for this week is a £10 voucher to spend in the lovely Joanna Sheen online store.

For my card I decided to let you all have a peek at what a glamorous bathing costume I wear, LOL. I live about 35 mins from the coast so I spend a lot of time there (although I very rarely put on this lovely bathing costume). I made the background picture using my The Light and the Sea set of stamps from Stampscapes, then watercoloured the scene using Whispers pens. Then I made a frame by cutting the square out of a piece of blue card using Nesties and then running the card through the cuttlebug using Tim Holtz's Texture Fade Retro Circles. The bathing beauty is from Artistic Stamper Seaside No 1 plate and the sentiment is from Hero Arts Anytime Messages. To finish off I added the little seashell buttons.

Dream Valley Challenge 15 - Photo Inspiration

2011-09-04T04:30:00.000+01:00

This week over at Dream Valley we have this lovely photo for inspiration.

We are lucky enough to have two lovely sponsors this week. First we have One Stop Card Crafts who are offering one lucky winner a £10 voucher for their online store. Secondly we have Sassy Studio Designs who are offering 4 images to one lucky person.

For my card I decided to go with the colours from the photo. I started with a square card blank, then added a mat of green card. On top of this is my background made by stamping leaves (Clear Art Choice 20 Best Friends) in Stampin' Up Certainly Celery, then running the card through the Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots folder and adding a piece of SU ribbon. Then I used my lovely Stampin' Up Stamps from the Greenhouse Garden set. I stamped the flowers in Delightful Daffodil (SU), cut them out and matted them with Nestabilities and then popped some of the smaller flowers on top.

Cream and Maroon Butterflies

2011-09-02T15:09:00.000+01:00

I have at long last found time to join an ATC swap on one of the groups I am on. There was no theme but you had to use the colours Cream and Marooon. I started with a Maroon ATC blank and then added a cream top which I had stamped with some lovely butterflies (Darkroom Door) in Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy then added sentiments from Hero Arts Anytime Messages in Cherry Cobbler. The little flowers were made using my Woodware Multi Sunflower punch and I added little pearls to the centres and to the ATC.

ATC Challenge 9 - Owls

2011-08-28T13:30:00.000+01:00

This week over at ATC Challenges the theme is Anything Goes with the option of using Owls. There is a prize of a cute flower stamp for one lucky winner. I have several Owl stamps, so how could I resist.

I started with an Owl stamp that came free ages ago with Craft Stamper. After stamping it onto green card I came up with the idea of paper piecing it - fiddly but lots of fun. I added a bit of Sakura Stardust pen to make it sparkle. All the papers I have used are from Papermania Secret Garden pad (there was some with owls on but I seem to have used them all up!). I added the sentiment (from my fav. Hero Arts Anytime Messages), a bit more sparkle and a swirly clip. Go check out the other ATCs my teamies have made and, of course, we'd love to see yours.

Climb every mountain

2011-08-26T16:58:00.000+01:00

I decided to make my newphew a birthday card using the Darkroom Door stamp set Wilderness Vol. 1. It's got this great quote from The Sound of Music. I stamped the main image in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip onto Kraft cardstock. The sentiment was stamped using the same ink but I added the row of trees stamped in SU Cake Crumb. I also stamped the trees onto the card blank to make a background. The main image is matted and layered onto 2 different brown cardstocks, with the top edge torn. I just matted the sentiment onto the darker cardstock and ran a strip of the lighter brown through my Cuttlebug using the Forest Branch folder, adding a bit of ribbon. I have a small confession - that little canoist is not actually a canoist, but a bit of fibre that got stuck to my stamp, lol.

Little bird, I have heard . . .

2011-08-25T20:16:00.002+01:00

I decided to make a parchment card for a friend's birthday, and as she is a keen birdwatcher, this one ws an obvious choice. The pattern is from an old Parchment Craft magazine (September 2009) and by Mary G Kerr. I started with the outer layer. In the original pattern, this was done on blue fantasy parchment but as I didn't have any I used some printed vellum I got ages ago (sorry no make on it). I traced the flower pattern with gold pen and gently embossed it, but I'm not sure how effective that was as the patterned vellum hides the embossing. The inner layer was made by placing my parchment over an outline of a Blue Tit and then using my Derwent Studio Pencils to draw/colour it. I also drew the branch and part of the buds with pencil but traced the flowers and white part of the buds with white pen before embossing them. Finally I added some dorsing on the back of the parchment behind the bird. I really like putting drawing birds on parchment but have only got patterns for Blue Tits and Robins. Must search out some more.

Little Red Bird

2011-08-23T17:21:00.000+01:00

I've been having a play lately with my Stampin' Up stamps. Oh how I love them! LOL. For this card I got out the lovely Four Frames and stamped up the dotty one in SU Early Expresso. Then I added the little bird from SU Silhouette Sentiments in SU Rose Red. My backing card is stamped with one of the flowers from the Silhouette Sentiments set in SU Cake Crumb and then I embossed the top half of the card with the D'vine Swirls folder from Cuttlebug. The border was punched with a Martha Stewart punch (Scallop Dot) and I added a ribbon and buttons to finish off.

I'm on a Roll!!

2011-08-22T13:17:00.000+01:00

Had a lovely busy few days making cards, so this is my 3rd post today. I've got a few other cards that I've made but they can wait for another day.

I'm really enjoying getting back into Parchment after my enforced break (a bout of carple tunnel which, thankfully, has disappeared). I took my time over this as it was a pattern I had tried before and messed up. I'm afraid I don't know who's pattern it is as it was given to me at a parchment lesson I went to ages ago and has no details on it. I traced the pattern with a white pencil, then added colour to the reverse using Whispers Pens. Then I added a little bit of embossing to the bamboo and leaves, and lots of gridwork to the rest. I backed the parchment with some sparkly brown card, popped it onto a card blank and added the lovely sentiment from Stampscapes.

Inspired by Inky Fingers

2011-08-22T13:03:00.000+01:00

I have a friend who really comes up with some brilliant ideas and I'm afraid I've actually gone and stolen one (tee hee!). Her blog is called Inky Fingers. We had to make cards for a challenge ages ago using Alcohol Inks. Well I did the usual thing and made a polished stone type bg but not her! No she did this fabulous Swoosh thingy. Sooooo classy. So here are my attempts to come up with my own versions (or rather, copy, lol).

So for my first cards I used lovely shiny card and swooshed Red Pepper and Wild Plum Alcohol Inks across the middle. Then I added the butterfly (Stampin' Up Nature Walk) and the sentiments (one from Hero Arts Anytime messages and one unknown). Finished off by matting onto matching coloured card and then popping them onto white card blanks. And I have to admit, these are probably more of a C.A.S.E. job.

These two are slightly more 'me'. I added blender solution to my inks (Butterscotch and Lemonade) and found the colour too weak so my swoosh hardly showed. Then I had the brilliant idea of going over the line of ink again and again with a stamping motion. I quite like this effect. I added the sweet little bee (again from SU Nature Walk) in Saddle Brown StazOn, stamped an extra bee for each card, cut it out and mounted it with a sticky pad. These were then mounted onto matching card and again popped onto white card blanks. I have to say I rather like these and no doubt will be making lots more like this.

Dream Valley Challenge 14 - Colour Theme

2011-08-22T12:52:00.000+01:00

This week at Dream Valley we have a colour challenge for you:

Fab Zingy colours, aren't they, LOL. And we are being sponsored again this week by the Fab Stitchy Bear who are offering a $10 voucher for their store.

I made my bg paper by sponging Brilliance Inks (Pearlescent Yellow, Orange and Lime) onto white card. Then I cut out squares and added some silhouette stamps to the bottom (I used Hot Off The Press Edges and Borders and Botanicals stamps and Clear Choice 20 Best Friends). Next I printed the fabulous Rainbow Magic Silouette images from Stitchy onto acetate, added a bit of bling to their wings with a Sakura Stardust pen, cut out squares and fixed it over by bg using different coloured eyelets. Finally I added the images to some white square cards.

ATC Challenge 8 - Wings

2011-08-15T13:02:00.000+01:00

Our new challenge over at ATC Challenges is Anything Goes with the option of having Wings on your ATC. We have a fab price of Tim Holtz Adage Tickets so come along and have a go.

For my ATC I started with paper that had been coloured with Magnolia Magenta Gold Starburst STaibn and Gold Glimmer Mist. Then I stamped the fairy, flowers and butterflies (all Labvinia stamps). I restamped the fairy's wings onto vellum, cut them out and added sparkle with Sakura Stardust pens before adding them to my fairy. I also added a bit of sparkle to the butterflies and Crystal tickles to the butterflies.

Not done this for ages

2011-08-11T12:55:00.000+01:00

I don't know when I last played with Teabag folding! But I signed up for a swap and found these lovely flower shaped teabag papers that I printed out ages ago. I did try to look up the site I got them from but it's no longer there. I added a Paper Mania bling brad to the centre and attached it to card that had been run through my Cuttlebug using a Marianne Designables folder. The sentiment is from Stampscape and stamped in Stampin' Up Melon Mambo to match the backing card.

Parchment Birthday card

2011-08-11T12:49:00.000+01:00

I made this birthday card for a friend who does beautiful parchment work. The cupcake is from a pattern by Kate Price in the Jan 2010 Parchment Magazine and the border was made using a Multi Grid (no. 6). I added a bit of sparkly Sakura pen to the cherry to finish it off.

Dream Valley Challenge 13 - Distressing

2011-08-08T17:17:00.001+01:00

Over at Dream Valley Challenges this week the theme is Distressed. This could be using distress inks, distress your papers, or go wild and distress everything. We have two sponsors this week. The fab One Stop Card Crafts are offering a £10 voucher for their on-line store, and the Digi Doodle Shop are offering a $10 voucher. Go check out the cards by my teamies, but here is mine:

I used the fab 1930 Roadster from Digi Doodles for my card that I was lucky enough to win a few weeks ago. I coloured my image with Derwent Studio Pencils to give it that vintage look and cut it out with Nestabilities Labels Four. The background paper came from a Hono Value Pad (fab papers and really cheap!). I added a strip of card that I ran through my Cuttlebug using Tim Holtz Texture Fade folder Retro Circles, stamped a couple of tickets (Inkadinkado Paperwork Greetings stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede) and punched a circle adding a sentiment from Hero Arts Anytime Messages. I distressed all my papers and cards using Distress Inks in Old Paper, Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap.

ATC Challenge 7 - All things summer

2011-08-02T16:30:00.000+01:00

Come and find the summer over at ATC Challenges this week. Here is my ATC.

I used a clear stamp from Personal Impressions and stamped it with Colorbox Pigmment in Aqua onto cream card, then added a bit more colour using Whispers pens. I then matted and layered it onto some lovely icecream coloured cards. The sentiment was stamped in the same ink. Then I added three cute little shell buttons.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 50 - Flutterbies!

2011-07-26T09:33:00.000+01:00

This week at Crafty Cardmakers we are challenging you to add BUTTERFLIES somewhere on your creation. We are sponsored this week by the fabulous Stamp Man who are offering a £10 voucher to one lucky winner. Our team have come up with some wonderful creations, go check them out.

For my card I got out my Sweet Pea Stamp - Dance with Butterflies. I coloured the image with a mixture of Starburst Stains (Frosted Forgetmenot, Icy Primrose Gold and Winter Jasmine Gold), Whispers Pens (watercolour method) and Sakura Stardust pens so she actually has lots of sparkle but I'm afraid it doesn't show up in the photo. The background papers are from K&Co Tim Coffee pads (Daisy and Daffodil). I cut and embossed the butterflies in 2 layers using sparkly card and vellum with my Cuttlebug Butterflies folder, added a sentiment from Hero Arts Anytime Messages and then to finish off a bit of gold twine with a little gold butterfly.

Patience Rewarded

2011-07-25T19:29:00.001+01:00

It has taken me days and days to make this card and my patience was certainly tried at times, lol. It is a pattern by Josephine Davidson that appeared in an old Parchment Magazine (Feb 08). I've done parts of it before but this is the first time I've completed the whole pattern. It was not easy!!! To start with the pattern says fix your parchment to the small grid and follow the hole pattern first. Then without taking the pattern off the grid, turn it all over and do the embossing. Good plan except you can't see your pencil tracing when you turn the grid over - so I unstuck the pattern, turned the grid over and did it that way. Unfortunately I had a bit of trouble so I've decided that it's not errors, it's a deliberate attempt to randomise the embossing pattern (tee hee).

Dream Valley Challenge 12 - Surprise

2011-07-25T09:14:00.001+01:00

This week at the Dream Valley Challenge blog we want you to create something with a surprise element. This can be a pop-up card, a hidden part or even lift up flaps. Let's see what you can come up with. We are sponsored this week by Digi's With Attitude who are offering a $10 Canadian dollar voucher for their on-line store.

I have made a Slider card. I found the instructions in the project section of the DoCrafts site. I have used papers from the Paper Mania Black and White colossal pad and the main image is, of course, a Digi With Attitude called Goth Tween. I've added a bit of black using a whispers pen and also some bling with a Sakura Stardust pen. The sentiments are from Tim Holtz and an unnamed stamp. The flowers are mainly from my stash with extra centres punched with a Woodware punch and then little silver flower shaped brads to bold them together. All that was then needed was a bit of ribbon and, of course, a little skull hanging from silver thread.

First harvest this year and wind damage

2011-07-22T16:22:00.000+01:00

Marrow and courgettes

Well, here is my first harvest from my garden this year. A nice little marrow and 5 courgettes!

Tomato

I am determined to get at least a few tomatoes despite the weather so this one has been put inside my mini greenhouse.

Runner Beans

Runner beans are growing nicely but none ready to eat yet.

Pumpkin

Split branch

All of my fruit trees are overloaded this year including this cherry. We don't actually eat these because they are semi wild with hardly any flesh round the stones. The birds love them. But after the strong winds a couple of weeks ago one of the branches developed a split in it. We will have to do some surgery on this but will wait till the birds have finished eating.

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - ATCs

2011-07-20T16:03:00.001+01:00

Over at the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenge blog we are focusing on ATCs. They are Artist Trading Cards and are made to trade (NEVER sold). They measure 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches (you can make them any shape with as many folds but they must always measure 3.5 x 2.5 when folded). They are an ideal size to try out new ideas too.

I have used stamps from the Paper Artsy Bricks and Mortar sets for my ATC. For the main background I used card that had been sponged with Brilliance Pearlescence inks (Lavender and Lime) and stamped the little arch directly onto this. Then I stamped the houses and flowers on card that had been coloured with Starburst Stains (Lavender Mountain Gold), added some Sakura Stardust pen highlights and cut them out, then popped them onto my ATC.

ATC Challenges - Challenge 6

2011-07-20T15:53:00.000+01:00

For my ATC this week for the ATC Challenge Blog I have dug out my Crafty Individual Stamps. I've used CI-232 and stamped them in Stampin' Up Early Expresso onto brown card. Then I've cut and mounted them onto some cream card that has one of the other stamps from this set stamped at an angle in SU Sahara Sand. Then everything is mounted onto a dark brown ATC.

Go check out the fab ATCs made by my team mates

Dream Valley Challenge 11 - Summer Theme

2011-07-14T09:38:00.000+01:00

At Dream Valley this week the theme is Summer. If only we knew what that was here in the UK, lol! Most of us know it as one nice weekend and a thunderstorm! This week we are being sponsored by the fabulous One Stop Card Crafts, who are offering a £10 voucher for their on line store to one lucky winner.

I made two cards for this challenge. They both are basically the same, but different! I started with a cream card blank, added some beige hand-made paper (from PaperMania) which I'd cut into a square, wet the edges and then torn them to make it fringe. The next layer is more hand-made paper but this time textured (sorry, no lable on packet). Then I stamped my shells (KayCee Crafts) onto cream card using Stampin' Up Soft Suede. The scallop shell is then edged with stitched beads and the long shell (possibly a whelk) has a bead fringe.

Go check out the fabulous creations my teamies have done over on the challenge blog.

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - Masking

2011-07-05T11:18:00.001+01:00

It's my turn to choose the theme for this week over at Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight and I came up with a favourite - Masking! What I'd like to see is any sort of masking. You can mask your main image to stamp over it, use torn paper as a mask to make a background, use a ready bought mask to create something. And I'd love a short description of how you used your mask. We are offering a fabulous prize of a lovely Crafts and Me stamp (Flapper 2 Melody) to one lucky winner. Go check out my teamies fabulous creations but in the meantime here's what I did (picture alert - lots of them, lol).

One of my favourite techniques at the moment is masking on a One Layer Card so that is what I went for. I decided to have my main image (my favourite rhino) 'escaping' from his background.

I started with a white, square card blank and worked out where I needed my background to be. I put feint pencil lines to show this and then stamped my rhino (English Stamp Comnpany) in Stampin' Up Basic Grey. If you look closely at the second picture (you can click on it to make it bigger) you can just about see the pencil lines.

Next I stamped my rhino onto a post-it-note, cut him out and placed him over the top of the stamped image on my card. Doesn't he look cute in green! I didn't bother to mask his shadow (too much fiddly cutting out) as it was going to be outside my background square.

Next I masked off my background square with post-it-notes. First I cut my square out of one note with my Nestabilities as I'm useless at cutting a perfect square. As I had already measured (very carefully) where the square would be and marked it with pencil I placed my mask in exactly the right position and added more post-it-notes so I didn't get ink anywhere else on the card. You can see the rhino peeking out of the corner.

Next I tore strips of paper to make the background. For the ground I used SU River Rock and sponged the ink below the mask making the colour more intense nearer the bottom. I did the same, but in reverse for the sky, using SU Baja Breeze and this time sponging above the mask.

So, here is what it looks like after all that masking and sponging. At first I always think it looks a bit of a mess, but you have to be firm with yourself, stop before you over-do it, and most importantly of all, believe in the magic.

Et voila!!! All masks removed (not forgetting to rub out the pencil marks) and you have the gorgeous rhino escaping from a rather fabby background. I felt this needed just a touch more 'something' so . . .

. . . here is my final card. I've added a branch (Stampscapes) to the top left corner to balance the runaway rhino.

I really enjoyed making this card and can't wait to see what other people come up with.

ATC Challenges 5 - Anything Goes/Favourite Household Item

2011-07-04T11:33:00.000+01:00

Over at ATC Challenges we have decided to have an Anything Goes theme for the time being, with the option of Favourite Household Items as an additional challenge. We are offering a price of an A4 Vintage Bag (a bag of assorted vintage bits and bobs that will fit onto an ATC).

As I can't live without my Kettle I chose to honour it with my ATC! I used some lovely Laura Ashley paper for the background and added a stamped corner (Michelle Marsden Vintage stamps) and an invitation (Inkadinkado It's A Party) stamps in Stampin Up Soft Suede. Then I stamped my kettle (MM Vintage stamps) onto copper glossy card with black StazOn and cut it out, mounting it with silicone glue for dimension (and that is a tale in itself as my tube had sealed itself so I had to poke a hole in it with my pokey tool to get the glue out, lol). So as I sit here sipping my Earl Grey in my chipped old mug I can dream of the days of copper kettles and flowery bone china tea sets.

Dream Valley Challenge 10 Ribbons

2011-06-30T12:30:00.000+01:00

This week we have set the challenge for you to use ribbon on your creation over at Dream Valley. We have a fabulous sponsor for you too - Crafty Ribbons are offering a gorgeous selection of ribbons for one lucky winner.

I made this birthday book for my sister. She is useless at remembering birthdays so hopefully now she won't forget mine (LOL). The paper I used is from a K&CO scrap pad and is double sided. I folded the paper up at the bottom to make a pocket and then folded it in half to make 2 pages adding printed months with space for birthdays on each pocket. I made the covers and used my bind-it-all to put it together, adding lots of ribbons down the spine. I decorated the front with a stunning stamp from Delartful's Leo Plate and added a flower and some bling.

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - Sentimental

2011-06-22T16:12:00.000+01:00

At Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight this week we are challenging you to get sentimental. What we'd like is you to use a Sentiment as the focus on your item.

My card uses a sentiment by Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous Good Thoughts) as the main focus. I love this sentiment as it kinda reminds me of a fav. old song - Singing in the Rain, lol. I stamped it on white card with Versafine Onyx Black, cut it out with Nestabilities Labels Four and then used Stampin' Up Pacific Point to sponge round the edges. I matted it onto a piece of grey card cut with the same Nesties. For the background I stamped the umbrellas (from PaperMania Stamping Chic Party set - odd combination of stamps I know but it works) in StazOn Azure onto blue vellum, attached this to some grey card with brads and attached the lot onto my card base.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Colour Create - Blue, Grey and White

Moving Along with the Times - Inspired by a song (Singing in the Rain)

Creative Craft Challenges - Make Your Own Backing Papers

ATC Challenge 4 - Father's Day

2011-06-22T15:36:00.000+01:00

This week at ATC Challenges the theme has been picked by Tony and is Father's Day. My Teamies have made some fab ATCs so pop over and check them out. The prize this week is some gorgeous stamped images. All you have to do is make an ATC with the current theme to be in with a chance of winning.

I decided on an Easel ATC this week. Tiny but such fun to make. I used a stamp that came free with Craft Stamper years ago (do you remember those square, red rubber, foam backed ones - yep it's that old!). I coloured the image with Whispers pens then matted and layered it onto white and black card. The bg paper is from the lovely DCWV La Creme stack and the tiny sentiment is from Basic Grey with a bubble sticker popped over the top to hold the easel open. To finish off I added some i-rock metal accents.

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown - Create a Masculine card

Ooh La La Creations - Father's Day/Special Man

Paper Sundaes - Easel Card

Paper Creator's Craft - For the Men

Little Claire's - Cards for Men

Quick and simple

2011-06-18T15:50:00.000+01:00

I always need birthday cards or notelets so decided to have a play with my new stampset (Stampin Up Oh So Lovely bought second-hand) and see what I could come up with. I seem to be leaning heavily towards Clean and Simple cards at the moment so just went with the flow, lol. I used mainly Stampin Up Inks to ink my stamps with the paler colour for the bg stamp behind the image. The colours I used were Bashful Blue and Not Quite Navy, Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery and Always Artichoke. The red flower was inked up with Whispers pens. I added colour to the flowers using the Whispers pens too. The images were matted onto co-ordinating card and I searched through my scraps folder and found some lovely papers to put on the cards, stamping the fabulous Prima Nouveau swirl on the side in the paler colour ink. Now all I need to do is add the appropriate sentiment - or not!

I'd like to enter my cards in StampInsanity's Keeping It Clean and Simple Challenge

Birthday Belle

2011-06-14T16:20:00.000+01:00

For this card I got out my new stamp plate from The Stampsmith called Flappers 3. I chose one of the gorgeous ladies and stamped her onto photographic card using Saddle Brown StazOn, then cut her out using a circle nestie. She is matted onto cream card cut with Nestie Eyelet Circles. The papers are from K&Co (Life's Journey and Classic K Bailey pads). The pink card behind the button paper has been punched using a Martha Stewart French Scroll border punch. I stamped the sentiment (no make on it I'm afraid) onto cream card, added some ribbon, some pearls and a bunch of roses.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

The Stampsmith - Birthday theme

Mojo Monday - Sketch

The Playdate Cafe - Colour Challenge (Blueberry, Cream and Dusty Rose)

Woodware USA - Happy Birthday

Stamp With Fun - Pearls and Flowers

Crafts and Me - Stamp Something

Pollycraft - Ribbon and Flowers

Lovely flowers

2011-06-14T15:16:00.001+01:00

This card using just a monochrome pallet (brown/cream) and some simple floral arrangements. I started with a cream square card blank, added a layer of dark brown, then another layer of cream on the top. On this I stamped some flowers in the corner using Hot Off The Press Botanicals in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip ink. I added my sentiment from Paper Makeup Stamps in the bottom left corner. The hand-made flowers were made by punching out flowers in cream and brown card using various punches (Woodware Flower, EK Success Retro Flower and Paper Shapers Daisy). The cream flowers were then overstamped using Creative Expression French Script in SU River Rock and Chocolate Chip was sponged around the edges. I shaped the flowers with a large embossing tool, stuck them together and finished them off with some little brown buttons.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

The Crazy Challenge - Monochromatic

Craft Your Days Away - Monochrome

Just Some Lines - Monochromatic

Art Impressions Stamps - Monochromatic

Kaboodle Doodles - Floral Showcase

4 Crafty Chicks - Handmade Flowers

Scrapbook Sisters - An English Country Garden

My Mum's Craft Shop - Punch It