Stamping Sensations May Challenge - Guest Designer!

Hi there

I'm thrilled to be joining the lovely design team over at Stamping Sensations as Guest Designer for their May challenge.  Thanks so much, Brenda for inviting me.

The theme for this month is

Anything Goes with a Stamp and Ribbon

Here's my card...

I've got sooo much ribbon in my stash but haven't used any on a card for a long time!  I stamped the flower image in black, along with the sentiment onto some Neenah white cardstock and die cut with a diagonal stitched rectangle.  I then coloured the Cosmos flowers with ProMarkers.  To continue with my love of creating clean and simple designs I took a small piece of yellow grosgrain ribbon, twisted it and adhered it behind my panel.  This panel was then adhered to some polka dot patterned paper using 3D foam before being adhered to my card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Cosmos, All Occasion Sentiments #6
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Inside and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles
• Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Basics Cardmaking Pad 2
• Ribbon: American Crafts

Challenge entry:

I Love ProMarkers - Challenge #307 - Pastel Colours 

Thanks for visiting today.  And why not play along at Stamping Sensations, the challenge will run until almost the end of the month :)

CAS with Designer Paper

Hi guys

We've whizzed around to another Saturday morning so it's new challenge time at Less is More.  As there are five Saturdays in April that means this month we have a Lucky Dip challenge for you and our theme is...

Use Designer Paper in a CAS Way

With every Lucky Dip challenge comes a Guest Designer and this week we have one of our fabulous LIMettes, the lovely Esther of The Carnelian Wood.  Esther participates every week and shows so much support by visiting so many of our entries!  It's a pleasure to have you as our Guestie this week, Esther xx


So, this week I have three cards to share with you.  Here's the first...

I wanted to create the look of a wrapped present for this card.  I took some red gingham patterned paper and cut two strips.  I also used a die set to create the bow.  As the bow had a stitched edge detail I used a straight stitched detail die to die cut along both edges of my two strips.  On a white cardstock panel I adhered the two strips and topped with the bow before stamping my sentiment.  The panel was then adhered on 3D foam.  I was really pleased with how this one turned out, it looks so much like gingham ribbon!

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Sunny Side
• Dies: Frantic Stamper - Small Solid Bow; Paper Smooches - Stitched
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Celebrating You
• Ink; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #173 - Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #55 - Celebrations with optional twist of die cutting/fussy cutting

I used some digi paper for this next card...

I started by printing the designer paper.  I then cut two strips of white cardstock, and a strip of the paper the same length.  I adhered the paper flat to the cardbase and the two white panels on 3D foam.  I then cut the scribble die cut from some pink cardstock and on a strip of green cardstock heat embossed the sentiment in white.  These were then adhered across the aperture.

Materials used:

• Digi Paper: Pink Petticoat - Perfect Papers
• Stamp: Personal Impressions - Mix & Match
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embosssing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Scribble

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

And a super simple design for my third card...

I die cut the balloon three times from polka dot papers.  I temporarily placed them where I wanted them and stamped the sentiment and strings, then adhered the balloons on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Let's Polka
• Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Sayings
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entry:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

I don't use designer paper nearly enough and I have a fair amount piled up in my stash.  But I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed creating these this week.  Why not have a rummage and join in the fun this week!

Less is More Week #273

Hi there

Happy Saturday and Happy St George's Day!  There's a new Recipe challenge just starting over at Less is More this morning and to celebrate St George's Day we have a very fitting theme for you this week which is...

Saints and Dragons or Heroes

Wow, this was a complete toughie for me this week!  I had very little in my stash that was leaping out at me.  I do have a digi which I was possibly going to use but my printer decided to throw a wobbly and not work for some reason so it was back to my stash to see what I could muster.  All I can say is 'Hallelujah' for Clearly Besotted! haha

So, just one card for you this week and I went down the cutie path...

I started by stamping the little dragon and then masking him apart from his right hand (paw, claw?!).  As a nod to St George's Day I decided to create him holding a red rose, as wearing a red rose is one of the old traditions to celebrate today.  I then completely masked him and the rose before stencilling the burst design to appear behind him (one of my new purchases from the Sincerely Yours papercraft show last weekend!).  I then watercoloured him with some Distress Inks.  This actually started out as a one layer card but I wasn't happy as the dragon and stencil were off centre so I die cut with a stitched rectangle before stamping the sentiment (with my Mini MISTI of course so as not to mess it up!) and then mounted the panel on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Hot Stuff, Je T'aime and Petite Plushies
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Scattered Straw, Cracked Pistachio, Shaded Lilac; Memento - Cottage Ivy, Lady Bug
• Stencil: The Crafters Workshop - Mini Burst
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangles

A tough challenge this week but knowing you fabulous LIMettes, you'll smash it and come up with some fabulous creations.  There is more inspiration from my teamies over at the main challenge page.  I hope to see you over in the gallery.

Addicted to Stamps and More #190

Hi there

Addicted to Stamps and More has a wonderful new challenge for you, starting right now.  This week we are back with a fabulous photo inspiration challenge.  Here it is...

Our sponsor this week is the fantastic Happy Little Stampers and
the prize for one lucky winner is a $15 gift certificate. 

As Mother's Day has already passed in the UK I chose to take my inspiration from the multiple words, the colours, the white space around the edge and the butterfly.

For this card I used a really old wooden stamp from my stash that I bought second hand on eBay years ago and have never used.  I stamped the words image in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white powder.  I then blended over the embossing with two shades of Distress Ink before die cutting with a stitched rectangle die.  The die cut panel was then mounted onto my card base using 3D foam and then I simply added a die cut butterfly and some smooth gems to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Elzybells - It's a Girl Thing
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangles; Clearly Besotted - Butterfly Duo Die Collection
• Accents: Papermania - Glazed Gems (Iridescent)

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Butterfly Beauty
Stamping Sensations - April Challenge - One for the Girls
The Paper Players - Challenge #291 - CAS Butterflies

My teamies at ATSM have created a lovely and diverse collection of makes this week so why not pop over there and take a look.  We would love to see where this week's photo inspiration takes you.

On Your Wedding Day

Me again!

Another card to share with you today which was made for my brother and Sarah for their wedding day earlier this month.

I chose to use the same layout as I did recently for my card at Muse, here.  I loved how it turned out and it got a great response from you guys so I used it again and I'm sure I'll return to this design many times.

So, on a panel of white cardstock I masked a horizontal strip towards the top before blending upwards and downwards with Distress Inks.  With the mask still in place I stamped various small flowers, leaves and flourishes above and below it.  I then removed the mask and stamped the sentiment in the clear area.  The panel was then adhered on 3D foam to the card base.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Shaded Lilac and Spun Sugar; Versa Color - Heliotrope, Lavender, Lilac, Amethyst, Celadon and Laurel Leaf; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Love Blossoms; Uniko - Natures Treasures II

Challenge entries:

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #147 - What Season are you In (Spring - Blossom)

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #18 - Spring Flowers

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #249 - Favourite Things (Two favourite stamp brands and my current favourite layout)

Dream Valley - Challenge #129 - Anything Goes

The Card Concept - Challenge #53 - Bright and Fresh (Clean and Simple style - inspired by floral pattern with white border)

AAA Cards - Challenge #62 - Anything Goes

Phew, that's all for today.  Thanks so much for visiting as always.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow as I'm off to the Sincerely Yours Papercraft Show in Taunton.  It's worth the hour and a half drive each way to get my hands on some goodies.  There are no decent stores near me in the South West so I have to order most of my stash online, so it will be nice to actually have a good rummage around and properly see things before I buy.  Let's hope I manage to stick to my budget! Hmmmm

Mr & Mrs

Hi there

Back again with another recent make, this time it's the card I made for my brother and Sarah for their wedding earlier this month.

I used a Clearly Besotted set I hadn't used before, loving the design of these leaves.

I started by stamping the leaves and sentiment onto a piece of white cardstock in VersaMark ink before heat embossing with platinum embossing powder.  I separately stamped the magnolia, also heat embossed, coloured with ProMarkers and fussy cut it out.  I die cut the stamped panel with a diagonal stitched rectangle and also die cut a piece of pale blue cardstock with a stitched die and matted them together before adhering flat to my card base.  The magnolia was popped up on 3D foam and then I coloured the empty spaces in the leaves with a pale blue ProMarker.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Magnolia Blooms
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Platinum
• Dies: MFT - Inside and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles and Stitched Rectangles
• Coloured with ProMarkers

Challenge entries:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #107 - Use Stitching (real or faux)

Crafty Creations - Challenge #313 - Stitching (real or fake)

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #147 - What Season are you In (Spring in the UK - Magnolia trees in full bloom)

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #18 - Spring Flowers

Dream Valley - Challenge #129 - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #110 - Die Cut

Passion for ProMarkers - Challenge #341 - Bingo Board (I chose embossing / image / die cuts)

Uniko - Challenge #31 - Use Metallics (sorry, no Uniko products on this one)

AAA Cards - Game #62 - Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers - April CASE the Designer Challenge (I used the pink bloom and central stitched panel as my inspiration)

Phew, that was a lot of challenge link ups!  I've checked and I think I meet the criteria of all of these.

Another card to share shortly!  Thanks if you're still with me :D

Birthday Boy

Hi there

Back with another card I've not yet shared with you.

This one was made for my Godson for his 10th birthday.  It uses the same stencil as the card in my last post, but this time I used it to create the look of tyre tracks.

I started by masking and blending ink through sections of the stencil.  Next I die cut a stitched rectangle before stamping the car image and sentiment below.  This was popped up on 3D foam as was the dark red double stitched circle and numbers.

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Diagonal Bars
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangles and Double Stitched Circles; PTI - Modern Numbers
• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Need for Speed; Clearly Besotted - In The Frame (discontinued)
• Ink: Distress Ink - Black Soot; Versa Color - Cardinal; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #107 - Use Stitching (real or faux)

Crafty Creations - Challenge #313 - Stitching (real or fake)

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #171 - Anything Goes (optional twist - Masculine card)

Back soon with another make...