Unicorn Sparkles

Hi there

I'm popping back today to share this card I recently made for an order, for a little girl's birthday, the niece of a work colleague.

As well as being from her auntie it needed to include pink, glitter, her name and her age too.

Here's what I came up with...

I started by stamping the unicorn and colouring it with a mix of ProMarkers and FlexMarkers.  I used a cloud die to cut some pink and white glitter cardstock which I positioned and adhered along the top of the panel.  I die cut the letters for Izzy's name from the same pink glitter card and the number 9 from the white.  I die cut the balloon from some purple glitter polka dot card and drew the balloon string with a silver pen before adhering down the die cuts.  I stamped the sentiment in black before popping the panel up on 3D foam.  To finish I added some sparkle to the unicorn's horn and and hooves.  The sparkle can be seen much clearer below...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Azeeda - Proud Unicorn; Clearly Besotted - Sweet Little Family
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers
• Dies: MFT - Bottlecap Letters; PTI - Modern Numbers; Lawn Fawn - Puffy Cloud Borders; Clearly Besotted - Let's Party Die
• Accents: Spectrum Noir - Clear Sparkle pen; Signo Uniball pen - Silver

Thanks so much for popping by, I appreciate all my followers and visitors so much :)

AAA Cards Game #112 - Guest Designer!

Hi guys

I was super excited to win Challenge #109 at AAA Cards and today I'm thrilled to be once again joining the lovely team for their new challenge, you can find the main post here.

The challenge is...

I decided to combine two of my favourite techniques when creating my card, ink blending and the watercolour lifting technique.

On a small piece of cardstock I stamped and heat embossed the leaves in white.  There's actually a third technique here too that I love, emboss resist, where the image is revealed when ink blending over the top.  Here I used three green shades of Distress Ink.  I then 'painted' the leaves with water and lifted away the colour using a paper towel.  I filled in the berries using a white pigment pen before die cutting the image out with a pierced square die.  Using a larger die from the same set I embossed a larger square into the card base and adhered the blended panel on 3D foam.  The sentiment was then stamped with co-ordinating ink.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Lovely Leaves
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Crushed Olive; Versa Color - Green Tea
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax

Challenge entry:

Just Us Girls - Challenge #434 - CAS

The challenge is running for two weeks so plenty of time to play along using your favourite techniques.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

First Birthday Unicorn

Hi there

Today I'm sharing a card I recently made for an order.  The brief was to make a personalised first birthday card featuring a unicorn and it had to be pink and sparkly.  The request was for the card to be fairly large which was a challenge in itself as, being a CAS card maker, I'm used to making standard A6 cards and often struggle to fill larger designs.  This one was A5.

Here it is, a lot busier than my regular designs but I was pleased with the result and I think I fulfilled the brief...

I started on the card base and used a stencil to create the pink and lilac clouds for the background.  Two panels were cut with stitched cloud border dies and set aside until I was ready to adhere them.  Next I stamped the unicorn, coloured with ProMarkers and fussy cut it out.  I die cut the stitched rainbow from a selection of cardstock scraps (and now have lots of bits remaining to make another five rainbows!)  Lots of die cutting was involved for this card!  Next I die cut the balloon from some textured lilac cardstock, then cut the lettering and number 1 from glitter cardstock, some in white for the balloon, and some in pink for the name.  It was then just a case of putting it all together and adhering in place.  I stamped the sentiment onto the front cloud panel before popping that one up on fun foam for some dimension, as well as popping up the unicorn.  And of course, no unicorn is complete without some sparkle so I added some clear Wink of Stella to finish the card.  The photo below picks up the sparkle a little better.

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Mini Cloud Edges
• Ink: Distress Ink - Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender, Shaded Lilac; Versa Color - Heliotrope
• Stamps: Woodware - Unicorn
• Dies: Lawn Fawn - Puffy Cloud Borders; MFT Die-namics - Bottlecap Letters, Blueprints 26 (balloon), Stitched Rainbow; Papertrey Ink - Modern Numbers
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Accents: Wink of Stella - clear

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Alphabet Challenge - M for Make Your Mark

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #53 - Add a Number

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #257 - Make Your Mark

Thanks so much for popping by.  I'll be back in the morning with details of the next challenge over at Less is More.

50th Theatrical Balloons

Hi there

Earlier today I shared a shaker card I made for my friend's 40th using stencilled balloons, here.  Here's another version, this time a masculine card I made for a 50th birthday order, for a guy who loves his amateur dramatics.  This was made for my neighbour to give to her son.

As before, I stencilled the overlapping balloons with Distress Inks onto a white cardstock panel which I'd already printed with a theatre masks image.  I then die cut the sentiment and backed it with black cardstock before adhering the little bits from inside the letters back into position.  I die cut the numbers from a scrap of silver cardstock and heat embossed the 'son' sentiment in silver.  The panel was then adhered to the card base on 3D foam.  This was also a large card, made A5 size.

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Big Balloons
• Ink: Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive, Blueprint Sketch, Spiced Marmalade; VersaMark
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Happy Birthday to You; Papertrey Ink - Modern Numbers
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - My Hero
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silver

Challenge entries:

CAS(E) this Sketch - Challenge #202

Crafty Creations - Challenge #330 - Masculine

Thanks for popping by.  I hope to share more Christmas card makes shortly.

40th Balloon Shaker

Hi guys

I made this card for my friend's 40th birthday last month so I thought I would share it today as a break from all the Christmas cards!

I absolutely love the MFT Big Balloons stencil I bought earlier this year, it's so versatile, and I decided to pair it with another MFT product, my recently purchased Happy Birthday to You die.

I cut a panel of white cardstock slightly smaller than my card base and blended ink through the balloon stencil, overlapping each one. I then die cut the Happy Birthday to You, making sure to keep all the little bits which create the inside of some of the letters.  I then adhered acetate to the reverse and created the shaker with some teeny silver/holographic flowers.  I adhered the panel onto the base using 3D foam and die cut the '40' from a scrap of silver cardstock.  All that was left to do then was adhere the fiddly bits to complete the letters, very carefully as I was adhering to acetate so they did want to slide around a bit.

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Big Balloons
• Ink: Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord, Peacock Feathers
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Happy Birthday To You; Papertrey Ink - Modern Numbers
• Shaker flowers from stash

Challenge entry:

Happy Little Stampers - December Challenge - Anything Goes with Dies

I recently used this same design for another card which I will share in the next post.  This time for a male and a bespoke request.

Back soon.

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...

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 :)

Muse #152 - A Leafy Hello

Hi there

Wow, I can't believe how fast the last month has flown by and that it's my turn to be your designer again over at Muse this week.

Just to recap, the challenge at Muse is to take inspiration from any element(s) of the designer's creation, e.g. layout, colours, techniques, etc.

I hope my card will inspire you this week...

I was recently super lucky to receive some happy mail from my lovely blog buddy, Sarah (thank you, sweetie!), which was a set of two fabulous embossing folders so I wanted to use one on this card.

On a panel of cardstock slightly smaller than the card base I stamped the leaves, stem and berries from a set by Papertrey Ink.  I then ran the panel through my Big Shot in one of the wave embossing folders to create this fabulous texture.  I then die cut the 'hello' from some pink cardstock to co-ordinate with the berries.  The panel was then popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Lovely Leaves
• Ink: Versa Color - Winter Green, Celadon and Magenta
• Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers - Next Level 'Wave'
• Die: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Hello

Fingers crossed you like my card and I hope to see you in the Muse gallery this week.

Have a great week, bye for now

It's All About the Boys

Good Morning!

It's time for yet another new challenge at Less is More, where on earth are these weeks going?  We're back with a Theme challenge for you this week and it's certainly one that I always struggle with, we want your creations to be.....

Masculine

Please remember to keep your creations clean and simple

So, without further ado, here are some examples for you...

A while ago I received a lovely gesture from the very sweet Barb Ghig of Barb's Studio Creations. She had seen a comment I had made about not being able to get hold of Papertrey Ink products in the UK without paying really high shipping costs so she very sweetly sent me lots, and I mean lots (!!!), of die cut images, all by Papertrey Ink.  Thanks once again, Barb, you are so so kind!  My stash has been all over the place for a while but I finally used one of them on this card.

I stamped various sunburst images to create the background directly on my card base.  I then used the 'happy' die cut word and coloured it with a black ProMarker and adhered it to the card base.  I stamped the sentiment offset below in black, and a few tiny black gemstones were scattered around before smothering the 'happy' with Glossy Accents.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Sunburst, Sentimental Type
• Die: Papertrey Ink - Wet Paint
• Ink: Versa Color - Topaz, Khaki, Atlantic, Bamboo; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Glossy Accents; Black gemstones from stash

Challenge entries:

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #331 - Clean and Simple

Crafty Catz - Challenge #297 - Anything Goes

Card two...

I adhered a piece of striped patterned paper to the bottom section of the card.  I then cut a thin strip of blue cardstock and adhered this along the top of the paper to give it a clean edge, and doodled a faux stitched line using a black fineliner pen.  The celebrate flag is from a free set I recently received from Clearly Besotted and this was stamped at the top in black ink and a few co-ordinating Doodlebug Sprinkles were added to finish.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Hot Off The Press - Cardmakers Ultimate Pack (years old!)
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Flag Sentiments
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Derwent Graphik Line Maker pen; Doodlebug Sprinkles - Blue Jean, Limeade and Bon Bon

Challenge entry:

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #155 - Spots and/or Stripes

And finally, one for the younger male...

I'm always lacking in my stock of these cards so thought this was a good opportunity to make one!  I used a rectangle die to cut out a piece of polka dot patterned paper and adhered this flat to my card base.  I stamped the train, die cut with its co-ordinating die, and then coloured it in with ProMarkers.  The train was then popped up on 3D foam and the sentiment from the same set stamped below.

Materials used:

• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles; Clearly Besotted - Going Places
• Patterned Paper: Doodlebug - Kraft in Color paper pad
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Going Places
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers

If you have the time, please pop by my teamies' personal blogs where they will be sharing more inspiration with you.  I'm looking forward to seeing your creations in the gallery this week to give ME some inspiration for masculine cards!

Bye for now

Blossom Birthday

Hi guys

Well, we had a lovely day down here in South West England yesterday so Spring has definitely arrived.  With the sun shining in I put a little time aside to make this one layer card.

I used this two step stamp set from Papertrey Ink (still the only PTI product I own - it's so hard to win items on eBay here in the UK!) by first stamping the branches and then stamping the petals.  This set is called Lovely Leaves but this stamp certainly looks like blossom to me!  I then accented the centres and part of the petals with ProMarkers.  I then stamped a central sentiment to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Lovely Leaves; Uniko Studio - Fontiments Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Umber and Burgundy; Memento - Angel Pink
• ProMarkers: Antique Pink and Pale Blossom

Challenge Entries:

CASology - Week 138 - Blossom

Uniko Studio - Challenge #19 - Anything Goes

Fantasy Stampers - Challenge #32 - Spring is in the Air

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #130 - Pretty in Pink

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #108 - What Season are you In (Spring)

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #365 - Spring Fever

I may be back with more later, I'll see how the day goes.  Have a lovely Sunday whatever you're up to.

Lovely Leaves

Hi guys

Tonight I'd like to share a card I've made for the latest challenge at Less is More and this week it's one layer card week and the theme is foliage.

I'm really pleased with how this one turned out...

Unusually for me I chose a coloured card base for this card.  I recently picked up some Stampin' Up cardstock from a craft sale, all of which were retired colours so I've no idea what shade this is but I love the pale olive tone.  I also chose to use the one and only Papertrey Ink product I have in my stash, the Lovely Leaves stamp set.  I bought this a while ago on eBay, the only time I've ever managed to place the winning bid for anything of this brand, it was very stressful!

I love this set as it has separate stamps for the outline and the centre of the leaves.  I stamped the stem and the outline of the leaves in green ink and then used white pigment ink to stamp the leaf centres.  I then used my Uni-ball Signo pen which contains white pigment ink to gently mark the centre of the berries.  A sentiment in the same green ink completed my card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Lovely Leaves; Stampin' Up - Simply Sketched
• Ink: Versa Color - Bamboo and White
• Cardstock: Stampin' Up
• Accented with Uni-ball Signo pen - white

Now that I've used this stamp set I've got lots of ideas going around in my head so it will certainly be inked up again in the future :)

I'm so grateful for your visit, I'd love to know what you think.

Take care