CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

Hi there

My lovely crafty friend from across the pond, Michelle Lupton has invited me to join her once again in her CASE Me a Christmas Card Series.  I'm so happy to be part of Michelle's series again.

CASE can either stand for 'Copy and Share Everything' or 'Copy and Selectively Edit'.  This year, the series features ten creative hops in October - two on YouTube and eight on Instagram - where we’ll CASE cards from fellow crafters.

So, to join us, make your own unique Christmas card inspired by someone in the hop, upload it via Inlinkz on @michelle_lupton ’s blog (link in Michelle’s IG profile), and you could even snag a prize from one of our awesome sponsors. Just look at this line up...

Or leave a comment on the stops on the hop (either on IG or on YT)! It's all about sharing ideas, connecting with other cardmakers, and sparking your creativity for the holidays!

I was inspired by Beth Opel, here's her gorgeous card...

I was inspired by the monochrome design, the embossed background with the white accents and the bows.

And here is my festive take, using Beth's card as the inspiration...

Beth embossed her background using pink cardstock and used white ink to highlight the raised elements. I started with white cardstock and inked up the background part of this festive embossing folder with dark green ink, thereby leaving the raised parts white. I too added a white sentiment on a die cut coloured background, mine being on a tag which I ink blended to match the background. And I added a white die cut bow cut from white glitter cardstock.

Materials used:

• Embossing folder: Spellbinders - 3D Pine Cones & Berries
• Ink: Altenew - Evergreen; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Dies: The Greetery - Fit to be Tied; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Eat Drink Be Merry

The full list of my fellow crafters on this particular Instagram hop is as follows:
@michelle_lupton
@pocono.pam
@little.finn.crafts
@tinstar05
@craftyneet - THIS IS ME
@bopels
@hannelie.bester
@joy_in_a_jar
@thealtcardmaker

Thank you so much for taking a look and thank you once again to Michelle for inviting me to take part.  
CASEing cards is a great way to craft if you need a creative nudge, just remember to give credit to the original designer.

Uniko June 2024 Release - Introducing...Flower Power #9

Hi there

It's Day 2 of June release introductions from Uniko and next up is a fantastic set to add to the Flower Power series...Flower Power #9.  This set also works well with a few other products already available from Uniko.

I went super simple with this card, a one layer card with stamping and minimal colouring...

I stamped the flower, stem and leaves in Copic-friendly ink and then coloured them in with co-ordinating Copics.  The remaining images and sentiment were simply stamped and all of these elements are from the new set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Flower Power #9
• Ink: Memento - Cantaloupe, New Sprout; Versafine Clair - Nocturne, Morning Mist
• Coloured with Copics

And for my second card I combined images from the set with a honeycomb embossing folder I had in my stash...

I started by embossing a panel using the embossing folder and then came the time-consuming part.  I stamped the florals and bees inside each of the hexagons and then coloured with Copics.  This was then trimmed down and adhered to the card base.  The sentiment, also from the new set, was stamped and heat embossed in white on a die cut strip of black cardstock.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Flower Power #9
• Embossing Folder: Stampin' Up - Honeycomb
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Coloured with Copics
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Altenew - Featured Sentiments

There is lots more inspiration over at the Uniko blog, here where the team are sharing their projects.

The entire release will be available to purchase from 9am BST on Saturday 29 June 2024. 

Another introduction will follow tomorrow so, if you have time to pop back, please do take a look.

CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

Hi there

The lovely Michelle Lupton has invited me to join her once again in her CASE me a Christmas Card Series.  CASE can either stand for 'Copy and Share Everything' or 'Copy and Selectively Edit'.  The aim is to take inspiration from any card made by the other and make a Christmas card.

I had a scroll through Michelle's lovely makes and a set of sympathy cards she had made back in May caught my eye.  I was itching to use a gorgeous Christmas embossing folder I'd purchased a month or so ago so this design was perfect...

I embossed a panel using the Perfect Poinsettias embossing folder by Altenew and trimmed it down slightly before inking up the edges with Distress Ink in Aged Mahogany and Festive Berries.  I matted and layered the panel on some deep red cardstock and cut a matching sentiment strip.  The sentiment from the Color Layering Christmas Tree set by Hero Arts was stamped and heat set using Wow! embossing powder in Metallic Gold Rich.

And here is Michelle's gorgeous set of cards below, the photos are shared with her permission... 

Other than making the design a lot bolder for Christmas I didn't really change anything up other than using gold for the sentiment.

So, as that last card was more of a blatant copy than a CASE, I had another scroll through Michelle's and couldn't resist making another! :D

Here it is...

You can see Michelle's inspiration card for this one below.  I used the same layout but instead of a rainbow of inks, I cut strips of cardstock in the traditional Christmas colours of red, green and gold and adhered these to a scrap of paper just to get them lined up.  I trimmed it down to make a panel with nice sharp edges before stamping the stockings image, from a stamp set given free with a previous year's Creative Stamping magazine.  I stamped it in black but the gold cardstock was a little slick and I wasn't sure it would actually dry any time within this century so I heat embossed it in Wow! Clear Gloss to seal the image.  I adhered the panel to the card base, added a slim strip of back glitter cardstock along the top edge and finished with the sentiment, stamped in black, from the same free set.

And here is Michelle's gorgeous rainbow birthday card....

Thank you so much for taking a look and thank you once again to Michelle for inviting me to take part in her fun series.  

CASEing cards is a great way to craft if you need a creative nudge, just remember to give credit to the original designer.

Perfectly CAS July 2021 Challenge

Hi there

The July challenge at Perfectly CAS is now live.  Here's the cue card for this month's challenge...

I have recently purchased a couple of new 3D embossing folders so wanted to use one of those for my DT card.  I just had to figure out how best to use it while keeping to the challenge guidelines of one third or less.

Here it is...

On a panel of white cardstock I embossed just the corner with the embossing folder.  I then blended three shades of Distress Oxide to cover the embossed parts.  I used blending brushes here but in hindsight I should have used foam so the ink wouldn't transfer onto the background parts of the design as much.  I trimmed the panel down slightly and adhered it to my card base, before then embossing the sentiment onto a strip of black cardstock.

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Altenew - Scalloped Flowers
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Salvaged Patina, Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar; Versamark
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Mini Messages
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe

As always, the challenge link will remain open until a day or two before the next challenge starts next month, so plenty of time to play along.  And there's lots of inspiration from my teamies over at the main challenge blog too.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Less is More Challenge #418

Good morning

I do believe it's Saturday!  Although I'm working from home at the moment I keep completely losing track of my days, I'm sure you're all the same.

If it is indeed Saturday then it's time for the new challenge at Less is More.  We have a Recipe challenge for you this time, and here is the cue card...

We also have some wonderful news....we have not one, not two, but THREE NEW DESIGN TEAMIES!  So please pop on over to the main Less is More page, here, to see who they are.  Welcome to the team, folks!


Ok, on to my sample card, and this is a bit different for me...

This was my second attempt at making this, there was a bit of trial and error involved!  I wanted to use one of my new Clearly Besotted stencils to create the drips of an ice cream topping.  I'm clearly thinking about food far too much while in lockdown, eh!  To create the chocolate waffle cone I used brown cardstock and an embossing folder then trimmed it into a cone shape.  The ice cream was a little trickier...I ended up using pearlescent pale pink cardstock which I partially cut with a cloud die and then partially cut the rest with a round balloon die.  It's far from perfect but I think it worked out ok.  I then used part of a splat in the stencil which I blended through first with pink ink before topping with embossing paste and then sprinkling with glitter.  Once dry, all that was left to do was mount it on a panel, trim off the bottom of the cone, stamp the sentiment and pop the panel up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; MFT Die-namics - Cloud Trio and Blueprints 26 (partial dies used)
• Embossing Folder: Darice - Wire Fence
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Splat It
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Sweet Plushies
• Ink: Distress Ink - Festive Berries; Versa Color - Camelia
• Embossing Paste: Sweet Poppy - Stencil Dimensions Translucent
• Accents: Super Fine Satin Glitter in Crystalina Rainbow
• Cardstock from stash

Challenge entries

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #386 - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers - April Anything Goes with Dies Challenge






Hopefully this theme will give you lots of options for themes and techniques you can use.  Looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery.  And if you need some more inspiration, there's plenty over at the LIM challenge blog, just follow my teamies' links for more info on each of their cards.

40 Sensational Years

Hi there and Happy Good Friday, everyone!

Today I'm sharing a commission card I was asked to make by an old work colleague, for him to give to his wife on their Ruby Wedding Anniversary last weekend.

This card is A5, so larger than the normal A6 cards that I make.

I began by embossing a piece of white cardstock with the hearts design which was then matted onto some deep red cardstock.  I then heat embossed the Happy Anniversary in silver onto a strip of vellum and wrapped this around the panel before securing on the reverse and adhering to the card base.  Two hearts were then die cut from white and red card, and one stamped and also heat embossed in silver.  These were adhered offset and I added a ribbon bow and some clear gems to finish.

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Creative Expressions - Heart Strings
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Happy Anniversary; Uniko - Classic Numbers
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silver
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Heart Stax

That's all from me today, I'll be back tomorrow morning to share details of the next Less is More challenge.

Beer Cheers

Hi guys

It's been a while since I shared anything so I'm popping by tonight to share a card I made for my boss for his birthday.

I find masculine cards especially difficult but I'm pleased with how this one turned out.

I began by embossing a panel of white cardstock using a streamers and confetti embossing folder.  Next I stamped the beer glasses from a set which was free with a magazine, and also had co-ordinating dies.  I coloured the image with ProMarkers.  I die cut the 'cheers' from some gold glitter cardstock and once again from some fun foam, and stacked the two together for some dimension.  The panel was adhered to the base on fun foam, the glasses on 3D foam pads and the cheers adhered below.

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Hobbycraft - Streamers
• Stamp: Bubbles & Fizz - Free with Papercraft Essentials magazine (and co-ordinating die)
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Die: Paper Smooches - Birthday Words

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - June Challenge - Stamps and Birthdays

STAMPlorations - June CAS Card Challege - Anything CAS Goes

Seize the Birthday - Challenge #167 - Anything Goes

Uniko - Challenge #53 - Anything Goes + Optional Twist Masculine

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope to share more very soon.

Less is More Challenge #396

Good morning, crafters!

New challenge day is upon us once again over at Less is More, and today we're back with a Recipe challenge.  Here's the cue card with details of what we want to see you creating and sharing with us...

We're specifying less than one third to be true to our challenge guidelines and our love of unpatterned/untextured white space.

Continuing as our sponsor for this month is the fabulous and generous CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

and don't forget, as well as our monthly prize, they are also offering the discount code below

So, without further ado, I'll move on to my sample cards.  And it appears my mojo has returned, I have four cards for you!!!

Here's the first, and my favourite of this batch of makes...

I began with the dragonfly die cut, cut from white cardstock.  I squidged my VersaMark pad over it, held it with tweezers and poured two different embossing powders over it.  I heated it to melt the powders then repeated the process twice more to create the glossy effect.  On the card base I blended through a leaf stencil with Distress Ink and stamped the sentiment in metallic pigment ink.  To finish I adhered the body of the dragonfly only, and manipulated the wings upwards for some dimension.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted - Dragonfly Die Collection
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Peppermint Tea, Metallic Copper
• Stencil: Funky Fossil - Forest Foliage
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Lucky Clover; Versa Color - Bronze

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards - CAS Game #140 - Up to One Third (not twisting this time)

Onto my second card, and some simple stamping and heat embossing...

I chose a teal card base and panel for this one.  Before stamping the images with VersaMark I treated the surface with an anti-static powder tool to avoid the embossing powder clinging to unstamped areas of the panel.  I used parts of the same floral image at the top and base of my panel, and heat embossed these along with the sentiment in white embossing powder.  Once cooled I used a soft cloth to ensure no anti-static powder remained on the panel.  It was then adhered using fun foam.

Materials used:

• Cardstock from stash
• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Roses and Lilies; MFT - Grand Peaceful Wildflowers (sentiment)
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White

Challenge entries:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #98 - Monochrome Colour

I'm not loving this next one but thought I'd share it anyway..

I used a floral corner embossing folder on a white cardstock panel here and stamped the sentiment in pigment ink.  I adhered the panel flat to the card base then added some Nuvo drops to the centre of the flowers.  My drops weren't behaving and weren't coming out evenly so the look isn't really what I was going for but it's still quite a cute card.  I thought the embossing alone wasn't enough but perhaps it needed embellishing in a different way.  I might revisit this one :)

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Craft Concepts - Florette
• Stamp: Wplus9 - Strictly Sentiments
• Ink: Versa Color - Lagoon Blue
• Accents: Nuvo Crystal Drops - Carnation Pink

Challenge entries:

Alphabet Challenge - E is for Embossing Folder

For my final card I embossed a panel using a die set...

I used a set of dies, a tulip square and pierced frame, to emboss a panel using an embossing mat in my Big Shot.  I trimmed around the edge of the frame then die cut a slightly larger pierced square from purple mirri card.  I adhered the mirri square flat to the base then popped up the tulip square on 3D foam strips.  I used a bold sentiment below the focal point to finish the card.

Materials used:

• Dies: Creative Expressions - Tulip Flower Square; MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• White and mirri card from stash
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Brushed Greetings II
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 520/1 - Happy Birthday 

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #32 - Embossing

There are so many ways to add embossed details to your cards.  If you need some inspiration please do visit the main Less is More challenge blog, here, to see what my teamies have been creating.  I'm looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery, and don't forget, the linky is open for a fortnight so plenty of time to play along.