Winter Glow

Hi there

Well, after my run of posts early last week I've been a bit quiet again but during that time I took a trip to the Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show and purchased some new goodies and I've used a few of my new items on today's card.

I've been making cards for years but have never had the tools to try ink blending so one of my purchases was some Ink Dusters by Inkylicious.  I may have been a bit adventurous using them for the first time through a stencil but I wanted to use this new stencil so I could enter the latest challenge at CAS(E) this Sketch.

So, apart from the sentiment stamp and the ink, everything I used here is new to my stash...

I cut a white cardstock panel and stuck down and masked the stencil, with the bottom part masked with a ripped piece of post-it note.  I then used my Ink Dusters to blend the orange glow and the night sky.  As always, I have a problem photographing blues and purples and this is actually more of a purple tone in real life.  With the stencil still in place I stamped the trees, some using second generation stamping.  I then removed the stencil and stamped the bunny and sentiment in the foreground.  I initially wanted to just use the stencil to create some interest but I think here it gives the effect of looking through some tall trees at a forest in the distance.  My ink blending is far from perfect but for a first attempt I'm really pleased with the result.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Memory Box - Texture Wave
• Ink Dusters by Inkylicious
• Ink: Memento - Tangelo, Grape Jelly and Paris Dusk; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Card-io Combinations - Winter Walks (tree) and Christmas Scenery 2 (rabbit); Clearly Besotted - Sweet Little Sentiments

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

CAS(E) this Sketch - Challenge #94

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #129 - Clean and Simple
Brown Sugar - Challenge #113 - Anything Goes
Time Out - Challenge #15 - Stamping
{PIN}spirational - Challenge #125 - Any Kind of Project


Thanks so much for visiting and I hope to put some more of my new goodies to use very soon :)

40th Birthday Cocktail

Hi guys

I thought I'd wait until this morning to share my next card.

This was a commission card made for a mutual friend who turned 40 earlier this week.  I bought this Stampin' Up set, 'Happy Hour' months ago but this is the first time I've inked it up.  I wanted to make something bright so this is what I came up with...

I stamped the cocktail glass with the orange slice and straw and then cut this out using a stitched oval die.  I then stamped the 'Happy 40th' on dark pink cardstock in VersaMark ink before heat embossing with white embossing powder.  This was then cut out with a circular die.  I cut some patterned paper at an angle and adhered this to the card base.  The die cuts were popped up on 3D foam and I finished off by adding a few Doodlebug Sprinkes.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Happy Hour; Clearly Besotted - Basic Numbers
• Ink: Versa Color - Raspberry, Orange and Imperial Blue; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow - Opaque Bright White
• Dies: Lil' Inker Designs - Stitched Ovals; Xcut - Nested Circles
• Patterned Paper: Doodlebug - Kraft in Color: Color
• Cardstock: Papermania - Solid Coloured Cardstock; white from stash
• Doodlebug Sprinkles - Lilac Selection

Challenge entries:

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #128 - Milestone Birthdays

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

That's all I have at the moment, all the cards I have made have been shared so I'd best get a wriggle on and make some more!  Have a lovely day whatever you're up to :)

You Are Beautiful...

Hi there

Please scroll down if you are looking for my ATSM design team card :)

Today, I'm sharing a card that I started late last night.  I stamped the images but my head was starting to bob!  So I decided to colour it with fresh eyes this morning.  I completed it this afternoon, luckily before the natural daylight disappeared from my lounge so I could get a half decent photo :)

I was originally going to frame my image panel with a black mat before adhering to a white card base but, unusually for me I've chosen to mount it straight onto a black card base instead.  Once I'd coloured it in I thought these colours would look great against a black background and as the outline of the stamps and the sentiment are black I think it all ties in nicely.  What do you think?

The hummingbird and flowers are two separate stamps and I've stamped only about a third of the flower stamp and stamped it upside down.  They are from the same Kanban set.  This was a complete bargain.  A local craft shop was closing down recently (probably the only one anywhere near me now apart from Hobbycraft *sobs*) and the owner was selling her stamp sets half price AND buy one get one free!  So this was one of two large stamp sets I treated myself to and at the bargain price of £5.50!  I've stamped the two images in Memento ink and coloured with my FlexMarkers.  I used a rectangular die and then stamped the sentiment before mounting the panel on 3D foam pads.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Kanban - Birds of Paradise; Clearly Besotted - Flight of Fancy
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with FlexMarkers
• Cardstock: Neenah - Solar White; Anna Marie Designs - 6" Square Jet Black

I would like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

CASology - Week 114 - Cue word 'Flutter'

STAMPlorations - September Challenge - Stamps & Markers

D J Kard Kreations - NBUS Challenge No. 2 (Never Before Used Schtuff) - New Kanban stamp set

Inkspirational - Challenge 65 - Word Prompt 'Flight'

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Phew, I've never posted so many cards in such a short space of time, and we're only at Wednesday!  Who knows, I may be back with more before the evening is over :)

Addicted to Stamps and More #114

Hi guys

Well, at super lightning speed we are back to Wednesday again which means there is a new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps at More.  So, we're back with another theme and this week it's my favourite...

Clean and Simple

We are looking for clean and crisp lines, minimal or no embellishments and lots of 'white' space.

Here is my DT card which is a card I made for one of my good friends for her Big 40 yesterday...

Our Sponsor this week is QKR Stampede and the prize for one lucky winner is 3 free digis!

I started by placing a strip of aqua polka dot patterned paper to the left hand side of my card base.  Next I stamped and die cut the balloon.  Once the ink was completely dry I stamped the '40' in VersaMark ink and then heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Then, on a white cardstock panel I stamped the sentiment vertically to become the string of the balloon before popping the balloon up on 3D foam.  The panel was then popped up on the base card using 3D foam strips before adding a few clear gemstones to complete the card.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Doodlebug - Kraft in Color, Color
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Sweet Little Sentiments, Make a Wish, Basic Numbers
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: Versa Color - Celadon; VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Gems from stash

I would like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #128 - Milestone Birthdays

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Please pop over to Addicted to Stamps and More if you want some CAS inspiration, my fellow teamies have produced some stunners this week.  We'd love to see you enter your creations at the challenge this week.

Bye for now

Autumnal From Me To You

Hi there

I wanted to make a card for the current Clearly Besotted Challenge which has an Autumn/Halloween theme.  Where has the time gone?  I thought I had loads of time left for this one but the deadline is tomorrow so I grabbed some stash and came up with this card that I'm actually really pleased with...

The tree, leaves and sentiment were all from one CBS set.  First I stamped the tree and then the small leaf was stamped in four different ink colours.  This image was then cut out with a stitched oval die.  I scored three lines across a kraft card base to add a little interest and then lined up and stamped the sentiment above these.  The oval was popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Clearly Besotted - Design A Tree
• Ink: Versa Color - Pinecone, Bamboo, Khaki, Bark and Cinnamon
• Die: Lil' Inker Designs - Stitched Ovals

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

Let's Craft and Create - Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too - Challenge #70 - Fall/Autumn

The Paper Players - Challenge #214 - CAS Masculine Birthday Card

Thanks for your visit today, I'll be back tomorrow with more to share, and perhaps something else in between if I get the chance.

Bye for now

This Card = Photography Hell! :D

Hi guys

I had a great idea the other day and decided to have a play with one of my new stencils with translucent embossing paste.  A fab idea, until I tried to photograph it - what a complete and utter nightmare that was!

Here's the card, detailed in three photos so you can hopefully see what's going on! haha

I started by masking a circle off the edge of a panel of white cardstock and then stamped the various images in bright colours.  I then applied translucent embossing paste through a diagonal striped stencil.  The paste is semi-opaque when first applied but it does eventually dry clear.  Once dry I adhered the panel to the card base using 3D foam strips.  I then messed about for ages trying different die cuts to add a sentiment but nothing looked quite right so I decided to leave it blank.  Perhaps I should have stamped a sentiment before applying the paste! Hey ho, hindsight is a wonderful thing!  I love the effect of the glossy embossing paste but it's just so difficult to show it well in a photo.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Paper Smooches - Reflections
• Ink: Versa Color - Fresh Green, Orange, Raspberry, Lagoon Blue, Imperial Blue
• Stencil: MFT Mix-ables Stencil - Diagonal Stripes
• Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver - Translucent

Challenge entries:

Let's Craft and Create - Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Paper Smooches SPARKS - September 21-27 Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Daring Cardmakers - Stencil Revolution 

Craft Your Passion - Challenge #232 - I Can See Clearly Now (use something transparent)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stencils & Stamps

As always, thanks so much for your supportive comments, I appreciate each and every one :) 

Guest Designer - Muse Challenge #86

Hi there

I have some exciting news to share today.  I was recently contacted by the super talented Ardyth Percy-Robb to invite me to Guest Design at Muse.  I'm always so inspired by Ardyth's clean, simple, graphic and bold designs so to say I was completely stunned would be a massive understatement so once I'd stopped leaping around I calmed myself down and replied with a massive 'YES PLEASE'!

I love the Muse challenge and play along as often as I can so this is a complete honour to be able to enjoy the role of Guest Designer.  I could create any card I wanted.....oh, the pressure!  So, here is what I came up with and I hope this provides some inspiration for the challenge :)

For the challenge the rules are to:

• Use the Muse card as inspiration, explain your interpretation and link back to Muse.
• Provide supportive comments to at least 3 of your fellow members' submissions.
• Vote for 3 of your fellow members' submissions that you find inspiring.

I started by die cutting a circle to create a mask and then stamped the rose design through the aperture onto a white cardstock panel slightly smaller than my card base.  Once complete I placed the positive die cut circle over the stamped area so I could find the correct placement for the die and then I embossed the impression with the die using my rubber mats through my Big Shot.  Next I cut a strip of blue vellum and stamped the 'birthday' sentiment in VersaMark ink before heat embossing with white powder.  This was then wrapped around the panel and secured at the back.  I then cut the 'happy' from green cardstock using a word die which was adhered above the vellum.  The panel was adhered to the card base using 3D foam strips before adding a few Doodlebug Sprinkles to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Flower Power #6; Clearly Besotted - Say It In Style
• Ink: Versa Color - Baby Blue, Atlantic and Sage; VersaMark
• Dies: Xcut - Nested Circles; Clearly Besotted - Happy Word Die
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - White
• Doodlebug - Sprinkles from Limeade, Blue Jean and Lily White collections
• Vellum and cardstock from stash

I'd love it if you could join in with the Muse challenge this week, it will be great to see what elements of my card you take as inspiration.  I tried to include a few different techniques to provide lots of scope :)

I'd also like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

Let's Craft and Create - Challenge #96 - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Thank you as always for popping by and please leave a comment to let me know you've visited and to let me know what you think.  I'm on holiday from work this week so between popping out here and there, having lunches out, etc. I hope to find lots of crafty time :)