Being Featured!

Hi there

I just wanted to pop by as I'm really excited today.  I was recently contacted by Dotcomgiftshop as they wanted to feature Neet & Crafty on an upcoming blog post, together with some of my past designs!

The post is about handmade birthday cards and it is live on their blog, here, if you'd like to take a look.

Some of my wonderful friends in blogland are also featured along with some who are new to me, it's worth a look if you want to discover more crafty bloggers.

Thanks for popping by, as always.

Going Dotty!

Hi guys

Happy Saturday!  And another Saturday means it's time for a new challenge over at Less is More.  And this week it's the turn of another Recipe challenge which is...

Polka Dots

Please remember to keep your creations clean and simple.

And before I share my cards with you I'd like to introduce our fab Guest Designer for this week's challenge, one of our regular LIMettes, the lovely Kay Wallace.


I have three cards for you this week, here's the first...

I started by adhering some polka dot paper to my card base.  I then took a panel of white cardstock and used a stitched rectangle die to partly cut the panel to create two stitched edges.  I stamped the sentiment in black before adhering flat over the patterned paper and added three Doodlebug sprinkles to finish.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Papermania - Spots and Stripes Pastels
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangles
• Stamps: Altenew - Painted Greetings
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Cupcake, Bumblebee and Lilac Collections

Challenge entries:

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #109 - CAS

Crafty Catz - Challenge #317 - Stitching (real or faux)
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (not topping option this time)

I decided on a very classic layout for my second card...

I started by die cutting a pierced square from some white cardstock.  After removing any static with a powder tool I stamped the sentiment in VersaMark before heat embossing in gold.  I then stamped the balloons and strings, one onto a co-ordinating die cut which was mounted on 3D foam.  The square panel was then adhered to the card base on 3D foam strips.

Materials used:

• Die: MFT-Dienamics - Pierced Squares
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - It's Your Birthday, Got Your Number
• Ink: VersaMark; Versa Color - Pacific, Mint; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich

Challenge entry:

Color Throwdown - Challenge #385 - Teal, Aqua, Gold

And my third card I have made for my boyfriend as we are celebrating another year together tomorrow...

I die cut various hearts from three shades of polka dot glittered cardstock and adhered these overlapping onto a panel of white cardstock.  I then simply stamped the sentiment in turquoise and black before adhering the panel to the base using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Dies: Lawn Fawn - Hearts
• Coloured Cardstock: Kanban - Sherbert Pips
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Happy Anniversary
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Turquoise

Challenge entry:

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #418 - To Die For

Thanks so much for visiting today.  I look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery this week and I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend. 

Addicted to Stamps and More #186

Hi there

It's new challenge time over at Addicted to Stamps and More and we're back with our regular challenge, and everyone's favourite...

Anything Goes

Just get creative and share your projects with us over at ATSM

Our sponsor this week is SLS Lines and they are offering 2 digital images to one lucky winner.

For my Anything Goes DT card this week I decided to go super simple as that's just what I love to create...

As I do more often than not I started with a panel of white cardstock slightly smaller than my card base.  Each of these daisy stems are one stamp but as I use small ink cubes it's easy to ink up the stems and blooms separately and then stamp all at once.  I just love these delicate sketchy images, they almost look like they are drawn with coloured pencils (I wish I was that artistic!).  I stamped the sentiment in black and popped the panel up on 3D foam strips.  And that was all there was to it!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Both Way Blossoms; Wplus9 - Strictly Sentiments
• Ink: Versa Color - Bamboo and Marigold; Memento - Tuxedo Black

Challenge entries:

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #109 - CAS
Addicted to CAS - Challenge #84 - Delicate
Crafty Creations - Challenge #311 - Spring Fever
My Time to Craft - Challenge #317 - Flowers
STAMPlorations - March CAS Card Challenge - Anything CAS Goes (Yellow)




Thanks so much for visiting today.  If you have the time please drop by each of my teamies, they are sharing some lovely creations this week.

Bye for now!

Less is More - Week #268

Hi guys

It's new challenge time over at Less is More and we have a great Theme challenge for our LIMettes this week which is...

What's Outside Your Window

(you can use your imagination and dreams!)

We also have a lovely Guest Designer joining us this week, and someone from my neck of woods, Lou from A Devon Kitchen Table.  If you have the time please pop over to her blog and leave her some love :)


Ok, my first card is quite realistic for what's usually outside my window.  Until about a fortnight ago I think a day hadn't gone by this year without us having some rain!  Pretty normal for England so not just April showers!

On a white cardstock panel I masked a square and used Distress Ink to blend the blue background.  I then stamped the stems, flower heads and the raindrops.  After the mask was removed I stamped the sentiment and added some hand drawn dash lines with a black fine liner pen.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versa Color - Evergreen, Rose Red and Sky Gray
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - A Little Something, April Showers Additions, April Showers II
• Pen: Derwent Graphik Line Maker

Challenge entry:

CASology - Week 189 - Doodle (hopefully my hand drawn dash lines will qualify!)

For the next card I created a view I would love to see from my window.  I live in a first floor flat and have a very small garden, and as there are lots of cats in my neighbourhood a bird bath wouldn't be a success!

I printed the digi image onto some white cardstock and coloured it in with my some Flexmarkers.  I used a stitched rectangle die to create the panel and stamped the sentiment before popping it up on 3D foam.  Super simple.

Materials used:

• Digi image: A Day for Daisies - Daisy Bird Bath
• Stamp: Happy Little Stampers - Doodled Flowers
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangles

Challenge entry:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #16 - In the Garden

Right, I'm going to wind up this post as I'm having internet problems which is driving me mad.  Thanks so much for visiting today, I hope to see you in the gallery this week.

Muse Challenge #157 - Have a Fabulous Day

Good afternoon

It's my turn to be your designer over at Muse for this week's challenge and hopefully my card will inspire you to play along.

The idea at Muse is to use the designer's creation as the inspiration for your project.  You can, for example, use the layout, colours, technique, etc.  Hopefully there are a few elements here that will kickstart your creative mojo!

This card just sort of evolved as I went along, I didn't have a finished image in my head, just went with the flow...

On a white cardstock panel I started by masking a horizontal strip before blending out from it with pink Distress Ink.  I then added a little water to a couple more Distress Ink colours on my craft mat and created some splatters over the blended area, blotting gently with a paper towel to keep the splatters a little more subtle.  Next, I stamped the flowers, leaves and flourishes, using masks over some images as I went.  The horizontal mask was then removed and the sentiment stamped in the centre before popping the panel onto the card base using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Mermaid Lagoon; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Stamps: Altenew - Hennah Elements; Clearly Besotted - Just Fabulous

Challenge entries:

My Time to Craft - Challenge #317 - Flowers

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes/The Great Divide

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #246 - Pretty Projects

Thanks so much for visiting today.

 

Less is More Week #267

Hi there

I've just noticed, while quickly editing this post, that this is my 500th post!

Holy moly, no wonder I never seem to find time for the housework! :D

Today is the start of our next challenge at Less is More and we're back with the challenge everybody loves (or not!!), One Layer.  And this week's requirement is...

Sentiment Takes Centre Stage

We have Irina joining us as a Guest Designer this week, so if you have the time please drop by and leave her some love.

I've made a few samples for you this week.

This card is a CASE of a design I saw AGES ago by the fabulous Laura Bassen, here, I loved it and it just remained in my mind ever since.  I think the image stamps I've used are a little too large for this technique but I was struggling to find anything smaller in my (very messy at the moment) stash.  I cut a circle mask from a post-it note and stamped around it with the images.  Then removed the mask and stamped the sentiment...super simple!

Materials used:

• Stamps - Clearly Besotted - Flower Arrangement and It's Your Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - various; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Die: X-cut - Nested Circles

Challenge entries:

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #246 - Pretty Projects
Crafty Creations - Challenge #310 - Sentiment as Focal Point
My Time to Craft - Challenge #316 - One Layer Only

I then realised that missing from my stock of cards are baby cards so I made these next two...

This was easy peasy.  I ran the card base through my Big Shot with a stitched rectangle die using a rubber mat so it embossed rather than cut.  I then simply stamped the sentiment in grey, I wanted to keep the feeling of the card very soft, and then stamped the heart in peach.

Materials used:

• Die: MFT Die-namics - In and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Cutie Pie
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray and Seashell

Challenge entries:

Inkspirational - Challenge #104 - Pink and Grey
Addicted to CAS - Challenge #83 - Gift (baby)
Ooh La La Creations - Challenge #99 - Add a Sentiment
AAA Cards - Challenge #59 - Embossing






I think this next one would suit a boy or a girl, very handy to have in any stash!

I wanted to go super CAS with this one so kept everything off the edge in the lower corner.  I stamped the cutie giraffe then masked him off before stamping the flag sentiment so he appeared to be sitting on it.  I then coloured him in with coloured pencils.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Cutie Pie and Petite Plushies
• Ink: Versa Color - Mint; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils

Challenge entry:

Penny Black and More - March Challenge - Feature a Creature

I'm not overly pleased with this last card, the colours are all wrong but I thought I'd share it anyway...

I stamped the sentiment in blue and added the balloon in black before colouring with a purple FlexMarker.  I then roughly masked the images and stamped across the card using the grungy dots stamp, this in copper.

Materials used:

• Stamps: MFT - Brushstroke Birthday, Clearly Besotted - Petite Plushies; Stampin' Up - Gorgeous Grunge
• Ink: Versa Color - Indigo, Copper; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with FlexMarker - Imperial Purple

Challenge entry:

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #144 - Inspired by a Song (Kool & the Gang - Celebration)

Thanks so much for popping by.  If you have the time, why not visit my teamies' personal blogs, they'll have some great inspiration for you.

Happy Saturday!

Addicted to Stamps and More #184

Hi there

I'm back to introduce another new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More.  This week it's the turn of my favourite of all our regular challenges...

CAS (Clean and Simple)

If you are unsure of the challenge guidelines you can find them here.

Our sponsor this week is STAMPlorations who are offering a $10 gift certificate to one lucky winner!

Without further ado, here's my DT card...

I made this card for my boyfriend's mum for Mother's Day.  I stamped the daffodil onto a panel of white cardstock and coloured it in with my Zig markers, blending the colour out with some water.  When the panel was completely dry I ran it through my Big Shot using a wave embossing folder.  I stamped the sentiment onto a strip of white cardstock and adhered this over the panel before mounting the whole panel on 3D foam to my card base.  A few sequins were added to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Just Darling
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Brush Pens
• Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers - Next Level 'Wave'
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Icicle Sequin Mix

Challenge entries:

This is the first inking up of the Just Darling CB set and also the first time I've used this embossing folder so I'm linking up over at Darnell's fabulous NBUS Challenge #6 - Anything Goes

STAMPlorations - March AG CAS Challenge - Optional colour yellow

A Gem of a Challenge - Spring

Stamping Sensations - March Challenge - Flower Power

Dream Valley - Challenge #126 - Mother's Day

There are some lovely creations in our DT gallery this week if you need some CAS inspiration.  We'd love for you to join in the challenge this week.

Bye for now

Two More for Mother's Day

Yes, me again!

As it's still Mother's Day here in the UK I thought I may as well share two more cards I made for today, one for my brother to give to our mum, and one for his fiancee's mum too.

So, without further ado, here they are...

I die cut a stitched rectangle and started by stamping the tulips with waterproof ink.  Then before stamping the bowl I used a post-it to mask part of the stems so the top of the bowl would appear to go behind them.  The sentiment was stamped next, I didn't want to spend time colouring the image and then mess it all up with the sentiment not stamping properly (I've learned this lesson the hard way previously!).  I then coloured the flowers with Zig markers and water, and added some pale blue to the 'water' before adding some Wink of Stella.  The panel was popped up on 3D foam to complete the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - You Are Wonderful, Fresh Flowers
• Ink: Archival - Jet Black, Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens
• Accent: Wink of Stella - Clear

Challenge entries:

A Gem of a Challenge - Spring

Stamping Sensations - March Challenge - Flower Power

Time Out Challenges - Challenge #51 - Easter/Spring/Masking (Happy 2nd Birthday, Time Out!)

Fantasy Stampers - Challenge #57 - Mums Rule

Just Us Girls - Challenge #333 - Flowers

And the next card...

The sentiment was computer generated using Cutie Pop font.  This was then die cut with a fishtail die, as were some bright patterned papers.  Next I stamped some flowers and leaves in bright fun colours onto a white cardstock panel before layering up and adhering the fishtail strips.  The panel was popped up on 3D foam and some co-ordinating buttons were added to the flower centres.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Flower Power #1 and flower Power #7
• Ink: Versa Color - Boysenberry, Rose Red, Orange and Tropical Green
• Patterned Paper: Avery Elle - Brights Collection
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Tiny buttons from stash

Challenge entries:

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 415 - Mother's Day

Allsorts Challenge - Week 353 - International Women's Day/Feminine

Dream Valley - Challenge #126 - Mother's Day

That is all I have now for today, I hope you've had a lovely weekend and hope to see you again soon.

Cheeky Monkey

Hi there

I'm back to share a card I actually made in January for my friend's son but completely forgot to share it with you here.  I've found multiple challenges to link up to for this one so it's a good thing I forgot about it!

Still a fairly clean and simple design, albeit a little busier than my usual designs.  I haven't really made many cards for children so this was a bit of a challenge for me, but as he loves monkeys I knew exactly which stamp set to reach for.

I started by covering my card base with some green nature themed patterned paper.  Then, on a white cardstock panel I stamped the monkey and sentiment and coloured him in with my ProMarkers.  I die cut the number 8 from a scrap of matt silver cardstock and the leaves from some deep green cardstock which were placed over the whole card and the edges trimmed off.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up - Summer Smooches 
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Wild Thing
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Leafy Accents; Papertrey Ink - Modern Numbers

Challenge entries:

Penny Black and More - March Challenge - Feature a Creature

Simply Create Too - Challenge #104 - Use Green Only (a couple of the DT cards look like they have featured a couple of neutrals so I hope this one qualifies - please disregard if not)

Just Add Ink - Challenge #301 - Just Add Numbers

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

I Love ProMarkers - Challenge #303 - Use a Number

Thanks so much as always for popping by, I may be back with more tonight, if not definitely tomorrow evening :)

Wonderful Peonies

Hi there

I'm here tonight to share the card I made for my lovely Mum for Mother's Day.

I was SO lucky to get my hands on the new Altenew Peony Bouquet set which I knew would be perfect for this card.  It's so hard to get hold of American brands over here in the UK and they sell out so fast....apologies to one of my good blog buddies for beating you to the checkout with this one (as I'm constantly reminded lol!), you know who you are! ;)

The one thing I'm very short of in my stash is decent inks, especially colour families for these multi-step stamps but I managed to find three mauve/rose shades which went well together.  I need a lot more practice with lining up these stamps though, they're not the easiest.....I can't wait for my pre-ordered MISTI to arrive!

I kept this card nice and simple with lots of white space...

On a panel of white cardstock (actually the third panel after the others ended up filed under B!) I stamped the large flower first then masked it to stamp the smaller bloom and leaves.  All that was then left to do was stamp the sentiment and I adhered some sparkly sequins to finish off the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Altenew - Peony Bouquet; Clearly Besotted - You are Wonderful
• Ink: Versa Color - Misty Mauve, Ash Rose, Burgundy, Evergreen, Sage, Olive; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Lily White Sparkly Shaker Mix

Challenge entries:

This was the first outing for these two new stamp sets so I'm popping over to link up at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #6

Just Us Girls - Challenge #333 - Flowers

Stamping Sensations - March Challenge - Flower Power

Dream Valley - Challenge #126 - Mother's Day

Fantasy Stampers - Challenges #57 - Mums Rule

Thanks for visiting, I'll be back soon with more to share.

Less is More Week 266

Hi there

Welcome to a new month at Less is More.  As most of you will know our challenges run in a regular weekly sequence so, being the first week of the month this week we have a Colour challenge for you, and this week we want you to use...

CITRUS COLOURS

(Citrus colours please, you don't necessarily have to depict fruit on your creations)

We also have a new sponsor this month which is Happy Little Stampers.  So play along with our challenges this month and you could be the lucky winner of a prize from Happy Little Stampers.

My evenings this week have been a bit hectic making Mother's Day cards and some wedding stationery so, unfortunately, I only have one sample for you this week.

I watched a recent tutorial by the fabulous Jennifer McGuire, here, and decided to give this watercolour lifting technique a whirl.

I squished some Distress Inks onto my craft mat, added some water and created a blended background.  Once dry and treated with some anti-static powder I stamped the images with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I then took some clean water and brushed it over the background to lift the colour away, and blotted with a paper towel.  The colour beneath the embossing stays true while the background fades.  I cut the panel down and mounted it onto some black cardstock to create a slim frame.  On some black cardstock I heat embossed the sentiment in white before die cutting with a stitched tag die.  I adhered the panel and tag onto 3D foam and added a glittered Doodlebug Sprinkle to the tag.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn; VersaMark
• Stamps: WPlus9 - Happy Wishes
• Enbossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear; Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Fall Assortment

Challenge entries:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

AAA Cards - Game #59 - Embossing

NBUS Challenge #6 - Anything Goes (New Wplus9 stamp set)

We'd love for you to play along this week and, if you have time, please drop by to my teamies' personal blogs to see what they've been creating this week.  Our new DT members are now in full swing and here to provide more inspiration for you.

That's all from me today, have a great weekend.

Happy Little Stampers March 2016 CAS Challenge

Hi there

Can you believe we're at the beginning of another month?  It's crazy how fast this year is flying by!

It's time for another CAS challenge over at Happy Little Stampers and this time we have a great technique for you...

Our challenge this month is sponsored by Happy Little Stampers and one lucky winner will receive a $15 gift certificate!

If you are unfamiliar with this technique there are some tutorial links over on the main challenge blog.  This technique was completely new to me so the videos were a great help.

We also have a fabulous Guest Designer playing along with us this month, the super talented Anita of My Papercraft World.  She, along with my teamies have created some wonderful sample cards for you this month so please take a look if you have the time.

Here's what I created...

On a panel of white cardstock I masked a vertical section.  I then squeezed a little liquid pearls onto my craft mat and gently 'pounced' into it with some crumpled cling film and 'pounced' it onto my panel.  When dry (not long at all) I then blended distress inks over the top and the liquid pearls resist the ink.  I then buffed with a paper towel to reveal more of the shimmer.  After removing the masks I adhered the die cut poppies over the top and added the sentiment in black before matting onto some pearlescent silver cardstock and adhering flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Liquid Pearls - White Opal
• Ink: Distress Ink - Weathered Wood and Victorian Velvet; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Poppy Stamps - Arched Poppies
• Stamp: Happy Little Stampers - Butterfly Birthday

I am linking this card up at the following challenge blog:

Daring Cardmakers - Simply ir-resistable - Use some kind of resist technique

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Take a leap into the unknown (this technique was completely new to me)

So, why not have a go and try something new if you've not come across this technique before.  You have until the end of March to link up :)