Upcycling - Notebook Cover to Tag

Hi guys

This morning I came across the new challenge over at AAA Cards where they want us to recycle something not bought for crafting, and use it on our creations.

Firstly I kicked myself as recently, in an effort to tidy and re-organise my craft cupboard, I disposed of a few bits and pieces I had collected over time thinking they might 'come in handy' one day!  But I still did have a couple of things I thought could work.

So, earlier today I made two cards, here is the first.

This pretty little tag started it's life as a plastic semi-transparent notebook cover...

I started by die cutting part of the cover using a stitched tag die which I ran through my Big Shot a few times.  I stamped a sentiment onto a panel of white cardstock and then embossed with a wave embossing folder.  I die cut the flower and adhered this to the tag. The tag die didn't include the hole so I used a single hand-held holepunch to make this (lots of brute force was needed to get through the plastic!), threaded through some ribbon and tied with some twine.  With the tag being plastic I wanted to make sure it would adhere firmly so I used Glossy Accents behind the flower die and ribbon so it wouldn't show through.  There's plenty of the plastic left and I still have the other cover too so I can make more with this :)

Materials used:

• Stamp: Altenew - Hennah Elements
• Ink: Altenew - Cotton Candy
• Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers - Next Level Wave
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax; Wplus9 - Flower Doodles
• Ribbon: American Crafts - Grosgrain
• Twine: Hemptique - Ruby Collection

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards - Game #73 - Upcycling

Sunday Stamps - Challenge #135 - Happy Colours

Happy Little Stampers - September Challenge - Anything Goes with Dies

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #28 - All Kinds of Everything (Butterflies)

I'm glad I've finally got the chance to put my thinking cap on and use this.  The post about the second card I made will follow shortly.

Thanks so much for visiting today, I'd love to hear your comments.

Less is More Week #293

Hi there

This morning kicks off a brand new challenge week over at Less is More and dare I say it....it's time for the shuddersome One Layer challenge!  Whether this fills you with dread or if you can't wait to play along, we have an easy peasy theme for your OLCs this week...

Favourite Flower

I only have one card to share with you this week but I've used images of my absolute favourite flower from my favourite season, Tulips.  I just love seeing Spring flowers after the dull, grey, wet winters we have here in the UK.

I started by masking off a horizontal section of my card base with post it notes and blending green Distress Ink up from the bottom of the panel, and blending purple down from the top.  I then stamped the tulips, the flower heads being two-step stamping.  I thought this had a lovely peaceful feel so I chose a sympathy sentiment.  I wanted to add a little more interest so I used a die to create the dotted rows above and below the inked panel.  I was a little worried the card might lose some stability by die cutting the dots but as the cardstock is 300gsm it's still nice and sturdy.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Shabby Shutters, Dusty Concord; Altenew - Forest Glades, Lavender Fields, Deep Iris; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - With Love (discontinued)
• Die: Paper Smooches - Dots and Dashes

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #328 - Just Add 'P' - I have used purple and perforations

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - STAMPtember Stamp It - apologies but I don't yet own any SSS goodies

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - STAMPtember Stamp It - no SSS goodies but wanted to enter here too :)

My teamies have created some beautiful one layer floral cards this week so if you have the time please pop over to their blogs via the links at the challenge blog.  And I think any crafter will have floral images in their stash so why not play along?

Thanks for popping by, I hope to see you again soon.

Muse #182 - Big Birthday Balloons

Hi there

Over at Muse I'm thrilled that it's my turn once again to be your designer for this week's challenge.

This also gave me a chance to have a first play with some MFT products I bought a couple of months ago so hopefully this creation will give you some inspiration to play along.  You can take inspiration from any aspect of my card: layout, colours, theme, etc.  Just have fun, I'd love to see where this one takes you...

I started by cutting the birthday die from a strip of cardstock to place at the base of my card.  Next I blended Distress Inks through this fabulous balloon stencil directly onto the card base, so glad I bought it!  I tried to use colours so that this card would be suitable for either gender.  The 'happy' was then stamped both onto the die cut panel and the card base, the MISTI made the positioning effortless!  Once the die cut panel was adhered in place I then added a scattering of co-ordinating enamel dots from Doodlebug.

Materials used:

• Die: MFT Die-namics - Blueprints 26 (I've been trying to get my hands on this set forever!)
• Stencil: MFT - Big Balloons
• Ink: Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Fancy Sayings (part of 'happy birthday')
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Lilac, Swimming Pool, Blue Jean, Limeade

Challenge entries:

The Paper Players - Challenge #311 - Circles

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #209 - CAS

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #7 - Both MFT products had their first use on this card :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope I've inspired you to play along and look forward to seeing you in the gallery.

I Miss Your Smile

Hi there

I wanted to make sure I played along at Muse this week as my fabulous teamie at Less is More, Sarah, is our Guest Muse this week.

Here's my card.  I used lots of the elements of Sarah's card to create this one...the black glitter die cuts, inlaid with the yellow/blue/green background, the stripy paper and also the popped up sentiment strip...

I started by watercolouring with Distress Inks in blue and yellow which also then created the green when blended.  I cut this out with a butterfly die and also cut the same butterfly from some black glitter cardstock then inlaid the bits and bobs onto a scrap of cardstock covered in adhesive.  I then fussy cut the completed butterfly.  The 'smile' was cut from the same black glitter cardstock and adhered over some striped yellow paper onto which I stamped the first part of the sentiment.  The butterfly was then popped up on 3D foam as was the rest of the sentiment which I stamped onto a small strip of white cardstock.

Materials used:

• Dies: Memory Box - Vivienne Butterfly; Wplus9 - Flower Doodles (smile)
• Ink: Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Mermaid Lagoon; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Wplus9 - That Is All
• Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Let's Polka
• Glitter Cardstock: Best Creation

Here is Sarah's fantastic card, there's still the best part of a day to enter if you want to play along at Muse...

I'm also going to enter this card at the following challenges:

Penny Black and More - September Challenge - Add a Sentiment

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #209 - CAS

And as this is the first use of my 'smile' die I'm also going to link up at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #7!

That's all from me today although I will be back tomorrow as it's my turn to be your designer over at Muse.  I hope you'll pop by again soon.

Less is More Week #292 - Peacock Feather

Hi there

Honestly, where does the time go?!  At Less is More we've whooshed around to the beginning of another month which means today marks the start of another Colour challenge.  And this week we want to see colours of...

Peacock Feathers

When I think of peacock feathers I think of greens and aquas, and also deep indigo/purple shades, as well as what seems to be a shade of gold.

I've made two cards this week, here's the first...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the flower and leaves image in waterproof black ink.  I then watercoloured using my Zig markers.  I used Strathmore Bristol cardstock as this works brilliantly when blending with these markers (thanks to my LIM buddy, Sarah, for the samples!) so the panel was adhered directly onto the card base.  The die cut Thanks was then adhered, this cut from some pearlescent gold cardstock.

Materials used:

• Stamp: Stampin' Up - So Very Grateful
• Ink: Archival - Jet Black
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Bush Pens in Light Green, Deep Green, Blue, Turquoise Green and Violet
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Twice the Thanks
• Gold cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #209 - CAS

And as this thanks die is a shiny new addition to my craft stash I just have to link up at the lovely Darnell's NBUS challenge.






And for my second card I made a shaker, and decided to leave it sentiment free...

I started by die cutting the smaller stitched rectangle from some white cardstock.  I then die cut the butterfly from it and adhered some acetate to the back.  The same butterfly was cut from some pearlescent gold cardstock and inlaid into the aperture.  I then filled with sequins to create the shaker.  I was going to adhere the small rectangle to the card base but it looked a little incomplete so I inlaid it into a larger stitched rectangle and then adhered this to the card base on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Rectangles; Memory Box - Vivienne Butterfly
• Sequins: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Rainforest Shaker Selection; Doodlebug - Various

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - It's a Stitch Up

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #28 - All Kinds of Everything (Butterflies)

CASology - Challenge #213 - Stitch

My Time to Craft - Challenge #328 - Something that Flies

My teamies have created a wonderful array of cards using these colours this week, if you have the time please stop by at their personal blogs for more inspiration.

I'm looking forward to the colourful gallery of entries this coming week!

Happy Little Stampers September 2016 CAS Challenge

Hi there

As it's the beginning of another month Happy Little Stampers have started their monthly flurry of new challenges and today marks the start of September's CAS Challenge.

Every month we have a new technique we would like you to use on your clean and simple creations and this month we would like to see...

There are some video tutorials over on the challenge blog to give you some inspiration.

This month's challenge is once again sponsored by Happy Little Stampers

My DT card is actually a card I made at the Happy Little Stampers Craft Retreat which took place just over a month ago (where on earth does the time go, only seems like yesterday I was getting very inky with some lovely crafty pals!)

I used Brusho colours to create this card...

On some watercolour cardstock I sprinkled some Brushos in Leaf Green and Lemon, spritzed with water and left it to dry.  I then die cut two ivy sprigs from the panel.  The butterfly was taken from another piece of cardstock created with Brushos but for that background I sprinkled the Brushos in Purple onto a craft sheet, spritzed that with water and then smooshed my cardstock into it.  I took a panel of white cardstock and created some splatters with a mix of Distress Ink and water, then adhered my die cuts.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white onto some black cardstock and adhered to the panel before the main panel was popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Brusho - Leaf Green, Lemon, Purple; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean; VersaMark
• Dies:Britannia Dies - Small Ivy; Clearly Besotted - Butterfly Duo Die Collection
• Stamp: Happy Little Stampers - Mix Mash
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White

Challenge entries:

Virginia's View - Challenge #23 - Spray, Mist and Splatter

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #209 - CAS

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #28 - All Kinds of Everything (Butterflies)

My Time to Craft - Challenge #328 - Something that Flies

My teamies have created some lovely projects to inspire you this month which you can find over at the challenge post together with links to their personal blogs for more information.

The challenge will run until the end of the month so there's plenty of time for you to get spritzing!

Wedding in Orange and Grey

Hi there

I was recently asked to make a wedding card based on the invitation they received.  All I had was a photo of the invitation to work from.

Here's the finished card...

And this is the photo of the original invitation I worked from...

and I made a co-ordinating insert too...

I started by die cutting a square and stamping the leaves in grey ink.  I needed orange leaves but didn't have the right shade so I die cut the leaves from some coral cardstock and accented them with some Distress Ink.  These were adhered to the square and trimmed. I then stamped the sentiment in black and mounted the square onto some grey textured cardstock.  The panels were then adhered to a square linen card base.  The names and date were computer generated and die cut with a stitched heart, and a grey heart layered behind.  I then added a single silver enamel dot.  The insert was stamped with the same grey leaves.

Materials used:

• Dies: Xcut - Nesting Squares; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Heart Stax; Memory Box - Pointed Leaf
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Leafy Accents, Love Blossoms
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
• Cardstock: Papermania - Grey; Stampin' Up - Calypso Coral
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Silver

Challenge entries:

Allsorts Challenge - Challenge #378 - Use at least Two Dies

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - No Designer Paper

Happy Little Stampers - August Challenge - Anything Goes with Dies

Stamping Sensations - August Challenge - Anything Goes

Penny Black and More - August Challenge - Anything Goes with a Stamp

I was really pleased with how this turned out.  I've not worked with these colours together before but I think it looks really great.

Thanks for visiting!