It's Time to Celebrate

Hi guys

A bit of a late post for me today.  I'm busy tomorrow evening so I wanted to link up my card for the latest challenge at Less is More which this week is a sketch.

I bought the 'Time to Celebrate' stamp set with matching dies from Clearly Besotted last month and hadn't yet inked it up so I had a little play with it tonight.

I chose the clock with the roman numerals for this card and thought metallics would work well with it.  So I stamped the hands of the clock in silver and then stamped two balloons from the Clearly Besotted 'It's Your Birthday' set in gold and bronze before die cutting these with their co-ordinating dies.  A sentiment and some gems finished it off.

Materials used:

• Stamps and Dies: Clearly Besotted - Time to Celebrate and It's Your Birthday
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Silver, Gold, Bronze
• Gems from stash

Here is the sketch Chrissie designed for this challenge...

Sorry for such a short post today but I hope to be back over the weekend with more to share with you.  Enjoy the rest of your week.

Bye for now

Citrus Happy Birthday

Hi guys

Just a quick post to share my final card of the day.

I have made this card for this week's Muse challenge, as well as a few more which are detailed below.  This week's Muse is the fab Marion Vagg.

I have taken the colours and layout of Marion's card and here is my take on it...

Have you ever started something and then got halfway through and wished you hadn't?  Well that's how I felt with this one!  I decided to use the linear flower stamp from Uniko Studio's new stamp set, Flower Power #4.  I stamped it in blue ink in a repeated pattern and then coloured it with ProMarkers which took AGES!  I then stamped in between the main blooms with a ditsy flower from Uniko Studio's new stamp set, Background Builders: Vines.  This was then die cut using a square die and matted onto some blue cardstock.  I then stamped the banner sentiment in blue and popped this up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Flower Power #9 and Background Builders: Vines; Clearly Besotted - Mini Basic Banners
• Ink: Memento - Danube Blue and Bamboo Leaves; Versa Color - Cyan
• Dies: Xcut - Nested Squares; Clearly Besotted - Mini Basic Banners

And here is Marion's card which we were to use as inspiration...

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps - Challenge #92 - Make Your Mark
Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin' - No Designer Paper


Thanks so much for your visit, and that really is all I have time for today.  I hope to see you again soon.

Take care

No Stamping and the Revival of an Old Friend!

Hi there

I'm having a lovely crafty day and this is the third card I'm sharing today.  Please scroll down to see my previous posts from earlier today.

I decided to create something a bit different to that which I have been doing of late and grabbed a few old faithfuls that have been in my stash for years.....pearlescent card, a brass stencil and my old friend, the light box!  My poor light box has been in the back of my craft cupboard since the day I discovered embossing folders and purchased my Big Shot.  But there is something very therapeutic about embossing by hand and the results are always great on pearlescent card.

This next pic highlights the shimmer of the pearlescent cardstock...

I used a pearlescent card base I had in my stash then used a second one (so I had a matching panel) to hand emboss the flower and ladybirds by hand through the brass stencil using my light box.  I then cut this out with a flag die and used a slightly larger flag die to cut some lime green pearlescent card.  I used a darker green cardstock to die cut the 'hello'.  Next I created two rows of double score lines across the card base, adhered the die cut word between them and layered up the flags.  I'm not sure I love this card but I certainly enjoyed creating it.

Materials used:

• All pearlescent card stock from stash
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax; Clearly Besotted - Hello Word Die
• Brass Stencil: Unknown brand
• Tools: Stampin' Up - Simply Scored Scoring Tool; Light box

Challenge entries:

CASology - Week 92 - Garden

Crafty Creations - Challenge #261 - White plus One Other Colour

Papertake Weekly Challenge - White + 1

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Keep it Clean and Simple

Crafty Catz - Challenge #228 - Anything Goes

Thanks as always for visiting.  I've no idea what I'm going to create next but I hope to be back with more later.

Happy Birthday Wishes

Hi guys

As promised, I'm back to share my second card for this morning.  I've managed to combine lots of challenges with this one!

So without further ado, here it is...

I started by cutting a panel of white cardstock slightly smaller than the card base.  I knew I wanted to use ProMarkers to colour my image which is why I didn't stamp directly on the card base as the markers show through onto the inside of the card.

I then used a wooden stamp I've had for years but have never used, and I inked this using Memento ink.  I then coloured in the image with Promarkers.  Next I stamped the sentiment using the same ink as the image.  I chose grey rather than black as I wanted the whole card to have a soft and pretty feel.

Initially I was going to just adhere the panel centrally to the card base but I chose to add some more colour by using some patterned paper on the card base and then adhered the white panel in line with the bottom corner.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Wooden Stamp by Great Impressions (ref G366); Stampin' Up - Petite Pairs
• Ink: Memento - London Fog
• ProMarkers: Tulip Yellow, Powder Blue, Mint Green, Bluebell and Orchid
• Patterned Paper: Dovecraft - Back to Basics IV Designer Paper Pack

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

CASology - Week 92 - Garden

The Shabby Tea Room - Week #215 - Pastel Goodness (use pastels, flowers and polka dots)

Craft Your Passion - Challenge 210 - Pretty Pastels

Addicted to Stamps - Challenge #92 - Make Your Mark

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Keep it Clean and Simple

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #9 - Purple and Blue

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Challenge #228 - Anything Goes

Right, I'm off to link up this little lot.  I will no doubt be back with more later today, I'm not feeling particularly great today so I think I'll stay in my comfies and make some more later.

Have a lovely Sunday x

Home Sweet Home

Hi there

Firstly I'd like to give a warm welcome to my newest follower, Sarah.  Thanks so much for showing an interest in my blog, I hope I can provide you with some inspiration.

Onto my first card for today, and this is for a challenge I've been wanting to enter all week.  This is for the latest challenge at CASology where this week's cue word is 'Garden'.

I have no New Home cards in my stock so I decided to start there.  I used two stamps from a set I've had for a long time but I've only previously used one of the sentiments.  I cut a panel of white cardstock slightly smaller than the card base and stamped the fence and sold sign image first using Memento ink.  I then stamped the grass image using Versa Color ink and finally stamped the sentiment below.  The fence and sign were then coloured in with ProMarkers.  I used some 3D foam strips to adhere the panel to the base card and that was it...simple!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Woodware - Home Sweet Home
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versa Color - Green
• ProMarkers: Tan and Cinnamon
• Cardstock from stash

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps - Challenge #92 - Make Your Mark

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Keep it Clean and Simple

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - No Designer Paper

I've also made another card for the CASology challenge so I'll be back in a mo with my next entry :)

Color Throwdown #289 - Guest Star Stamper

Hi there

Today I'm delighted to share the news that I was recently lucky enough to be Featured Stamper at the Color Throwdown Challenge and have therefore been invited to be Guest Star Stamper for their latest challenge! How could I say no?!  The Design Team are so talented so I'm absolutely thrilled to get the chance to feature in this week's challenge alongside them.

Here is the beautiful colour palette for the latest challenge:

I was excited when I saw these colours as I was dying to ink up a new stamp set I recently purchased from Uniko Studio and these colours are perfect for a floral themed card.  I don't have any Stampin' Up inks in my stash so I used the closest shades I had and came up with this.

I do have some Stampin' Up Designer Series Paper in my stash, albeit now retired, but as its Perfect Plum I decided to use some and adhered a strip along the bottom edge of my landscape card.  Next I cut a panel of white cardstock and began stamping.  This new stamp set from Uniko Studio, Background Builders: Vines, has so many options and a lot of two-step stamping.  The combinations are endless and I only used a small selection of stamps from the set.  Next I stamped a central sentiment before mounting the white panel onto some green cardstock, which was then adhered to the base card.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up - Designer Series Paper: Subtles (retired)
• Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Premium Cardstock (green); white cardstock from stash
• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Background Builders: Vines, and Flower Power #2
• Ink: Versa Color - Grape, Petal Pink and Olive; Versafine - Onyx Black

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Stampin' for the Weekend - Your Favourite Stamp (after one use this has got to be my new favourite set!)

Moving Along with the Times - A Card containing the word 'Happy'

Less is More - Week 168 - Theme 'Makes Me Smile' (this new stamp set!)

I would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to Tammy and the girls at the Color Throwdown for letting me join them this week.  Why not pop over there for some inspiration from this fab Design Team and have a go at the challenge yourself.

Thanks for visiting today, I hope to see you again soon :)

A Little Note

Hi guys

I'm back to share a card I've made to combine a few different challenges.

I started by stamping the notepad image.  I stamped this off onto some scrap paper first as I wanted it to be faint.  I then cut this out using a rectangular die.  The stamp does include impressions for the holes but on this occasion I chose to punch these out.  I then chose some patterned paper and cut this out using the same rectangular die.  Next I stamped the flower and sentiment image before colouring in with ProMarkers, choosing colours to co-ordinate with the paper.  I then added a metal button brad through the top hole before laying up and adhering the rectangles.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Just a Note; Pink Petticoat - free stamps with a publication
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Sunny Side
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles Large
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Brad from stash
• Single hole puncher

Challenge entries:

CASology - Week 91 - Note

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #91 - Anything Goes

Keep It Simple - Challenge #38 - Bright Sparks

Crafty Catz - Challenge #227 - B is for... (in this case B is for brights, button and brad)

Retro Sketches - Sketch #111

Thanks for popping by, folks.  I hope you are all having a lovely Easter Sunday whatever you're up to.

Hope to see you again soon.

Spring Blossom

Hi there

Sorry I've been absent on here since last weekend.  It's been a busy week at work and I've just been crashing in the evenings but have had lots of ideas for cards flying around in my mind but haven't managed to put any into practice until now.

Today I'm back with my entry for the latest Clearly Besotted Challenge where the theme is Spring.  I absolutely adore Stephanie's stamps so was glad to ink them up this morning.  The one thing I love about Spring is the trees full of blossom so that's what I wanted to attempt to portray on my card.  I saw this gorgeous card a while ago on Caryn's blog, Glitter Me Silly, and had a go making my version of it, using a different flower stamp for the blossom.

I chose a panel of pale blue cardstock as I wanted to portray the blossom against a blue sky.  I stamped the branch image three times using Memento ink, this stamp being from the Clearly Besotted 'Paired Up' stamp set.  I then used the little flowers stamp from the same set to create the clusters of blossom.  As I was using pigment ink for this I was hoping the white would stand out enough but it didn't so I quickly grabbed some white embossing powder before the ink dried.  I used pink ink for the other tree branches and used clear embossing powder this time.  I then nestled the sentiment between the branches.  I fiddled around for a while with some twine and ribbon which I was going to tie around the bottom of the panel but it just wasn't working so I decided to leave it as it was, almost a one layer card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Paired Up and Design a Tree (sentiment)
• Ink: Memento - Desert Sand; Versa Color - White and Orchid; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - White; Rubber Stampede - Clear
• Cardstock from stash

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Creative Card Crew - Challenge 59 - Spring
A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #117 - Spring is in the Air
Oh La La Creations - Challenge #154 - Easter/Spring
Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #91 - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Challenge #227 - B is for... - For my card, B is for blue, branches and blossom
Fusion Card Challenge - I took my inspiration from the photo - colours blue, pink and white and the flowers

That's all for now folks, I hope to be back with more over the Easter weekend.  I hope you're all having a lovely Easter break, I know I'm very grateful for a four day rest!

Take care

Celebrate Your Day

Good morning

I would like to start by welcoming my new followers, its always great to see my little number increasing, so THANK YOU!  I hope you like what you see and can get some inspiration from what I create.

Yesterday at Less is More, it was time for the team to set a new One Layer Card challenge....yay I like those now!  Then I read on, 'the proviso for your cards this week is to have evidence of Shadow Stamping'.....yikes!!!  The DT cards look fab so off I went to see what I could find in my stash.

I grabbed a wooden stamp of a swirly flower I've had for ages but never used and some markers and had a play on some scrap paper, stamping once, then 'huffing' on it and re-stamping.  After two practice runs which turned out ok I grabbed some cardstock and went for it...messed it up!  So I grabbed some more cardstock, re-inked, stamped....messed it up again!  Now it was me that was in a huff and was throwing my toys out of the pram!

So, I tried a completely different idea, had a couple of practice runs and came up with this card that I'm actually really happy with.  Its very simple, too simple maybe, but I like it and I've managed to design a masculine card (hoorah!) that I may have to now recreate for my stock.  Here it is...

I inked up the balloon stamp using the blue and grey ink, this was fairly easy to do with the little ink cubes, stamped it once and then moved it up and over slightly and re-stamped.  I then stamped the sentiment in black and added a few little star gems to finish.  These little stars are by Papermania and I like them because they are glossy and smooth, not faceted.  And I picked these up in Bastins of all places, for £1.25 a pack!

Who knew that making a masculine card could actually be pretty easy after all?! :)

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - It's Your Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Royal Blue, Sky Gray; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Gems: Papermania - Sparkling Stars (Pastels and Brights)

I would also like to link this card up at the following Challenge blogs:

Craft Your Passion - Challenge 208 - No Designer Papers

Time Out Challenge - Challenge #3 - Happy Birthday (with optional twist of a Masculine Birthday)

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes

I think I may have to have another play for this challenge, the creations I've seen so far in the gallery look fab so I WILL NOT be defeated! Haha

Have a fab Sunday my lovelies x

Just for You

Hi there

I've found a little time this afternoon to have a play and decided I felt like I needed more practice at colouring with my ProMarkers.  I still only have about a quarter of the colours so still struggle a bit with blending as I don't have many colours that work together.

I also had a play with an unused stamp.  This is an unmounted stamp by S.w.a.l.k. so I needed to get this mounted first before I could use it.  I got in a bit of a sticky mess with my EZ Mount but got there in the end!

I stamped the image and coloured it in with ProMarkers before cutting out with a rectangular die.  I then chose some patterned paper and die cut it with a flag die, ensuring that the diagonal stripes were running in the same direction as the raindrops on the image.  I finished with a simple sentiment.  This was originally the finished card but I then spotted the challenge sketch at Seize the Sketch and realised I could enter this card if I added something to the top right corner.  After a rummage in my stash I came up with a twist of ribbon, held together with a flower head brad, in colours to match the rest of the design.

Materials used:

• Stamps: S.w.a.l.k. - After The Rain; Clearly Besotted - A Little Sentimental
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Patterned Paper: My Minds Eye - Vanity Fair
• Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles Large; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Grosgrain Ribbon: American Crafts
• Flower brad from stash

Challenge Entries:

CASology - Week 90 - 'Wet'

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #8 - April Showers

Seize the Sketch - Challenge #17

That's all for now.  Thanks for popping by and I hope to be back again soon to share more with you.  I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Have a Delightful Day

Hi there

This morning I'd like to share another card I've made for the latest challenge at Less is More where the theme is 'A Touch of Turquoise'.  As this is one of my favourite colours I couldn't stop at just one entry!

The current challenge at The Card Concept is to 'Use a Butterfly Theme', so I'm linking this card up there too, and I think my design fits into the Clean and Layering category.

Here it is...

I started by stamping the butterfly with VersaMark ink on a strip of vellum which was then embossed with white embossing powder.  I then coloured the gaps in the image from the rear side of the vellum using a FlexMarker.  The strip was then wrapped and secured around a panel of white cardstock.  Next I stamped the sentiment and then mounted this panel on a piece of turquoise cardstock which was then adhered to the card base.  The card was finished off with a few turquoise and clear gems.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Elegant Butterflies and Design a Tree (sentiment)
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - White
• FlexMarker - Surf Blue
• Cardstock and gems from stash

Right, must dash and get ready for work!  Have a fab day :)

Make a Splash...

Hi guys

I'm back with a quick post tonight to share a card I've made for a few challenges.

I wanted to have a go at the latest CASology challenge where this week's cue card is 'Wet'.  I was trying to think outside the box but didn't find much in my stash.  I then had a flick through my digis and found this image I downloaded for free a while ago.  Unfortunately, I can't remember where I found it.  The image actually included two elephants but I managed to crop it just to include this little fellow.

Firstly I printed the image onto some white card and cut it out using an oval die.  I then printed it again on some blue gingham paper and again on some yellow paper.  Then came the time consuming bit, cutting him out so I could paper piece the design, something I've only tried once before.  The dots on the ear were part of the image so I coloured these in with a ProMarker, and also coloured in the water splashes.  Next I printed the sentiment from an MS Word document, after downloading a font called 'CK Splash Regular' to pick out the word 'splash'.  This was cut out using a tag die.  I scored two horizontal lines on the base card onto which I adhered the sentiment strip, and above it the oval panel, both of these with 3D foam.  Finally, I added some Glossy Accents to the water splashes.

Materials used:

• Digi image: Unknown
• Digi papers: Pink Petticoat
• Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large; Clearly Besotted - Tag Along
• Glossy Accents and ProMarkers

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Oh La La Creations - Challenge #153 - For a Child

Totally Papercrafts - Challenge #213 - Pastels

My Time to Craft - Challenge #242 - Wildlife

Color Throwdown - Challenge #287

Thanks so much for visiting today, I really now need to tidy away some of my stash before I make any more, my lounge table is a bit chaotic!

Bye for now

Hello!

Hi guys

I've got a fun card to share with you this afternoon.

I've seen a couple of wildlife/animal challenges which are current at the moment and I immediately thought of a stamp in a set I've had for a while now but haven't yet used.  I just love giraffes and this cute little chap just makes me smile every time I see him so I thought I'd let him make his first appearance on Neet & Crafty this afternoon! :)

I stamped him onto a scrap of white cardstock with Memento ink and coloured him in with ProMarkers.  I then produced some digi paper which is a mix of two digis from Pink Petticoat.  I first printed the paper in Totally Tangerine and then ran it back through the printer using the Animal Print from the Marshmellow digi set, before adhering it to the card base.  I cut the giraffe out using an oval die and after stamping the sentiment on some orange cardstock, I die cut this using a flag die. These were adhered with 3D foam and a few gemstones were added to complete the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Crafty Impressions - Life's a Jungle
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Digi Paper: Pink Petticoat - Solid Shades and Marshmallow
• Gems: Papermania - Adhesive Stones Capsule Sunshine

Challenge Entries:

My Time to Craft - Challenge #242 - Wildlife

Creative Card Crew - Challenge 58 - Animals

Colour Me - #14 - Monochromatic (Pumpkin Pie)

Crazy for CAS - Challenge #41 - Colouring

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #89 - CAS

I Love Promarkers - Challenge #213 - Clean and Simple

Thanks for your visit, you've no idea how appreciative I am of your visits and comments, so please leave a comment, I'd love to know what you think :)

Bye for now

Honeycomb Thanks

Hi there

The weather down here in the South West today is wet and miserable so that's enough reason to stay in and enjoy some cardmaking.

So, without further ado, here's my first make of the day...

This was actually my second attempt at this card.  The first time I used the embossed impression of the honeycomb background but I decided it looked a little too harsh so I started again and used the reverse side, i.e. the debossed impression.  I stamped the dotted images onto a scrap of white cardstock and used a small hexagonal die to cut these out.  The embossing folder is by Sizzix from Stampin' Up and the hexagonal die is from Clearly Besotted but they work brilliantly together!  I arranged the hexagons in a floral pattern, adhered these to the debossed panel and then framed the panel with turquoise cardstock and used the same cardstock to die cut the 'thanks'.  Another reason I'm so glad I used the debossed side....it made it so much easier to stick down my word die!  

Materials used:

• Cardstock: Southfield - Premium Pure White; Papermania - Premium Textured Cardstock
• Embossing Folder: Stampin' Up - Honeycomb
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Building Blocks and Building Blocks II
• Ink: Versa Color - Turquoise
• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Honeycomb and Thanks Word Die

Challenge entries:

Less is More - Colour Week 166 - A Touch of Turquoise

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #89 - CAS

Charisma Cardz Challenge - Anything Goes

Muse - Challenge #61 - I was inspired by the white embossed background, the turquoise and the swirly die cuts

I hope to be back with more to share later on today.  Thanks so much for dropping by and I hope you're all enjoying your Sunday...and probably even more if you're one of those lucky people who are now relaxing on your Easter break.  Unfortunately for me, tomorrow is just a normal Monday at work.

I hope to see you again soon.

Birthday Cupcake

Hi there

I thought I would write another quick post tonight to share a card I made for my oldest friend who turned 40 this week, and we've known each other for about 37 of those 40 years!

My mojo wasn't in full swing when I made this and I'm not entirely happy with it, I think its the glitter.  This is a fine glitter I had in my stash but I SO need a Wink of Stella pen!  

I stamped the card base with the cupcake and the stripes and then adhered some glitter to the cupcake frosting.  I then stamped and die cut the cherry and adhered this once the glitter/glue was dry.  The sentiment was computer generated, printed on white card and die cut before being adhered with 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Tasty Treats and Basic Stripes
• Ink: Versa Color - Petal Pink, Baby Blue, Rose Red and Green
• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Tasty Treats; Spellbinders Nestabilities - Reverse Wonky Rectangles

Challenge entries:

Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 229 - Food and/or Drink

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #89 - CAS

Charisma Cardz Challenge - Anything Goes

Moving Along with the Times - Sweet Treats

Totally Papercrafts - Challenge #213 - Pastels

Thanks for visiting as always.  I'm so appreciative of your visits, thoughts and comments.  I hope to see you very soon.

Take care