Spiral Happy Birthday

Hi guys

I've become a bit of a weekend stamper these last few weeks and haven't found much time throughout the week to get anything made but I'm here today to share a card I quickly made last night for a few challenges, one of which is ending in a few hours, so I'm cutting it fine again.  I wanted to wait until now to photograph it now that we have a bit more daylight into the early evening...don't you just love the start of British Summertime :)

So here it is, very simple, and I wanted to have a play with one of the word dies I recently purchased from Clearly Besotted, I love their squiggliness - obviously that's not a real word but I'm using it anyway! :)

I very simply stamped the spiral of dots three times in different colours before cutting out the word die and adhering this on top.  I then finished by stamping the sentiment and rounding off the top corner.

I would love to know how you go about sticking down fiddly bits like these word dies.  I used Tombow Multi Mono Liquid Glue which worked pretty well but I did get a few small splodges where I didn't want it!

Materials used:

• Stamp: Inkadinkado - Circle and Dots; Clearly Besotted - A Little Sentimental
• Ink: Versa Color - Sand Beige, Mint, Raspberry; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Happy Word Die
• Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Calypso Coral; white cardstock from stash
• Tonic Corner Rounder

Challenge Entries:

Less is More - Week 165 - Round and Round

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #89 - CAS

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Happy Birthday

ColourQ - Challenge #235

We've finally got some sun this afternoon and this evening which is very welcome after a very wet week here in the South West.  The weekend isn't looking too good though but I hope you all have a wonderful weekend whatever you're up to.

Bye for now

You & Me...

Hi guys

I'm back again as promised.  This time I'm sharing a card I made a few days ago to give to my man, for the third anniversary of our first date (awwww!) :)

I wanted to say something other than 'Happy Anniversary' so this is what I came up with...

I adhered some Pink Petticoat digi paper to the base card.  I then had the idea of fitting two hearts together like a jigsaw so I die cut two hearts from textured cardstock and then cut a section away from one of them so they could fit together.  I used a little tape on the reverse to hold them together while I stamped the 'you & me' before using 3D foam to adhere them to the card.  I then simply printed the 'just fit' from MS Word using a font similar to that of the stamp onto white paper before using a flag die to cut this out and adhere to the card.  Two little heart gemstones were added to finish.  These were not self-adhesive so I used some Glossy Accents to stick these down and then left them well alone to dry!

Materials used:

• Digi Paper: Pink Petticoat - Pretty Little Hearts (Pure Silver)
• White cardstock from stash
• Die: Xcut - Nested Hearts
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Say It In Style
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Gemstones from stash

Challenge entries:

2 Sisters Challenge - Challenge #174 - Black, White and 1 Other Colour

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #7 - CAS

Crafty Catz - Challenge 224 - Anything Goes

That's all from me.  I hope you're having a lovely Sunday and that all you mums out there are having a relaxing day.

Take care

Happy Mother's Day

Hi there

Today I'm sharing a card I've made for my chap's mum for Mother's Day.

I wanted to have a go at the latest challenge at Uniko Studio where Bev has set us the theme of 'Hello Spring'.  We also have a lovely photo and colour palette to use as inspiration which I've shown below.

Here's what I created...

And this is the inspiration photo...

I started by using a scrap of white cardstock and stamped one of the images from the Natures Treasures 1 stamp set to create a delicate background in pale blue and green ink.  I then overstamped the leaves and the bloom from Flower Power sets 1 and 3.  I used a square die to create the inked panel which was matted onto a square of green textured cardstock.  I stamped part of the sentiment on the panel and then the rest of the sentiment on the base card before adhering the panel using 3D foam.  I finished it off with a single green pearl.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Natures Treasures 1, Flower Power #1 and Flower Power #3; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Happy Days sentiment)
• Ink: Versa Color - Baby Blue, Seafoam, Celadon, Sky Blue, Royal Blue
• Die: Xcut - Nested Squares
• Cardstock: Green - Papermania Premium Textured Cardstock; white from stash
• Green pearl from stash

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Dream Valley - Challenge 78 - Mothering Sunday

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #7 - CAS

Crafty Catz - Challenge 224 - Anything Goes

Stampin' for the Weekend - Spring Colours

CAS(E) this Sketch - #70

Thanks for popping by.  I'll be back shortly with another card I made this week.

Bye for now

Mums are like buttons...

Hi guys

I want to start by saying a massive THANK YOU to all my followers, subscribers, anyone that's commented on my posts and my lovely crafty blog friends.  This is my 200th post and I can't believe the support and general loveliness I've received since I created Neet & Crafty.  I always feel so overwhelmed when I receive so many visits and comments about my creations.  I know I've been a bit rubbish with posts and comments lately but I'm not going anywhere, I love this hobby so long may it continue! xxx

Now, on to today's card.  This is the card I made and posted to my Mum for Mother's Day and I can share it tonight as she opened it early without realising it was a card for tomorrow! Oops :)

I printed the lovely digi sentiment from Pink Petticoat onto a white cardstock panel before doing a bit of stamping, masking and die-cutting.  I layered everything up but kept everything fairly flat on this card as it was posted oversees.  

Materials used:

• Digi Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - Mums are Like Buttons
• Stamps & Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Fancy Florals
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Blue, Hyacinth, Orchid, Sage

Challenge Entries:

Oh La La Creations - Challenge #152 - To A Special Lady

Dream Valley Challenges - Challenge 78 - Mothering Sunday

Craft Your Passion - Challenge 206 - Mother's Day / For the Ladies

Creative Inspirations - Challenge 258 - It's a Girl Thing

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes with Buttons

Crafty Catz - Challenge 224 - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 314 - Floral Delights

Thanks for visiting today.  I hope you have a great Sunday tomorrow and that all you mums out there get treated :)

Take care

Geometric Birthday

Hi guys

I am still here!  Massive apologies for being missing in blogland this week, I just haven't found any crafty time at all.  Then when I sat down today, after making nothing for over a week my mojo decided to go on strike!  But after a good old shuffle through my stash I managed to create something, finally!

Most of the cards I've made recently have used very feminine and soft colours so I've gone for something completely different today - a clean and graphic design which will be great for a man's card, something I usually really struggle with.

I wanted to take part in the latest challenge at Less is More which is to use three of something.  I then tied this in with the colours from the current challenge at CAS - Colours and Sketches.  I only have one small pack of Stampin' Up cardstock and three of the colours in this pack are the ones chosen for this week's challenge so I had to go with it!

I started by die cutting a rectangle out of the three different colours of cardstock.  I then stamped each rectangle with a different pattern using VersaMark ink before embossing with clear embossing powder to add a gloss finish (and almost burnt my fingers in the process as the rectangles were so small!!).  I created a frame for my white cardstock panel by matting onto some matching Island Indigo cardstock and then, after taking ages to work out where to place everything I stamped the sentiment.

I really like how this turned out.  I was going to just use VersaMark to create the darker patterns but I think the glossiness of the embossing powder really lifts it.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Geometric Style
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Building Blocks and Geometric Style
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear
• Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Pool Party; white linen cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Less is More - Week 164 - Three of something
CAS - Colours and Sketches - Challenge #66

Thanks as always for your visits, it really does make my day when I see people have visited and left such lovely comments.  I promise not to leave it so long before the next post!

Congratulations (Take Two!)

Hiya

I've got another card to share with you, this time its the card I made for my mum to give to my brother and his new fiancee.

Apologies for the rubbish photography on this one, it was taken late in the evening with artificial light and my daylight lamp...

This one is fairly self-explanatory.  I stamped the flourish on a white cardstock panel before matting this on some matte silver cardstock to frame it.  I then layered up with stamped and die cut hearts and a sentiment strip.  Pearl accents were added to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Modern Flower Flourish; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Hearts and Happily Ever After
• Ink: Versa Color - Cinnamon, Gold and Silver; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Hearts; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Pearls: Hobbycraft - White Pearl Gem Stones 3mm

Challenge Entry:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #86 - Anything Goes

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to visit, and your feedback is always appreciated.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

Congratulations

Hi guys

I've not managed to find any crafty time yet this weekend but I'd just like to share a card I made last week to give to my brother and his girlfriend on their engagement.

I cut a square of white pearlescent cardstock slightly smaller than the base card and mounted this with low tack tape onto a piece of pale lavender cardstock, leaving a slim border.  I then cut through the two layers with a heart die.  Next I stamped the base card with the hearts, butterflies and flowers, in the area that would appear within the aperture.  Next I stamped the sentiment onto a strip of vellum with VersaMark ink before embossing with silver embossing powder.  This was then wrapped around the pearlescent panel before mounting the layers together.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Many Messages, Framed Sentiments, Happily Ever After
• Ink: Versa Color - Laurel Leaf, Misty Mauve, Smoke Blue; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Silver
• Die: Xcut - Nested Hearts
• Cardstock and vellum from stash

Challenge entry:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #86 - Anything Goes

I've not made anything new this weekend but I have been having a go at redesigning Neet & Crafty.  I'd love to know what you think.  I wanted to give it a more fresh, clean and modern feel so hopefully I've achieved that. You won't believe how many colour combos I've been faffing around with since last night!  I don't have any software of any kind so this was done entirely using the free options on PicMonkey.

Thanks for dropping by, I'm now off to hang the washing out now that we have some lovely sunshine in the UK (I know how to party!!)

Bye for now x