Eyelet Accents

Hi there

Tonight I've made a card and managed to combine a few challenges.

The first challenge is at Less Is More and this week the recipe is to use any kind of metal on our creations.

There is another challenge this week at Daring Cardmakers and the theme there is 'Old but not Forgotten'.

When I first started cardmaking many years ago I used a lot of eyelets and brads but these have been abandoned for a year or so and certainly since I started blogging, so I thought I'd give my eyelets an airing.

Until now I've used them to accent corners or to thread ribbon through but I went in a different direction today and used them to accent my stamped image...

When looking through my stamps this one just jumped out at me as it had little rings which were perfect to accent with the eyelets.  I stamped the image on a white panel and randomly affixed the coloured eyelets.  I chose a bright pink card base but didn't want the pink to show through the holes in the eyelets so I adhered a scrap of black cardstock behind the eyelet section before attaching the panel to the cardbase with 3D foam strips.  And there you have it, so easy.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Marion Emberson Designs - On your special day; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Many Messages
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Eyelets and cardstock from stash

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #84 - Clean and Simple
Dynamic Duos - #91 - Triple Threat Week

I never thought I'd really like a card using eyelets and I'd pretty much left them hidden away in my craft cupboard, never to be used again!  I'd love it if you'd leave a comment to let me know what you think, and share if there's anything in your stash that you've abandoned.  You never know, use it in a different way and you just might surprise yourself! :)

Bye for now

Just a Floral Note

Hi guys

Well, I've finally managed to create a card for the current Clearly Besotted Challenge right before the deadline.

Here's my card and the colour palette we were given as inspiration...

I had great fun using some of my new CBS dies on this one, and these stamps have all had their first outing too.  

Materials used:

• Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Scalloped Tag Die, Scalloped Edges Die Collection, Fancy Florals
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps- Basic Stripes, Fancy Florals, Many Messages
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Blue, Olive, Burgundy, Sky Gray; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Twine: Doodlebug - Brights Collection
• Gems: Papermania - Glazed Gems (Iridescent)
• Cardstock from stash

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Challenge #257 - Keep It Simple

Retro Sketches - #103 - sketch

Before I disappear for the evening I'd like to say thank you for all your lovely comments about my Deer's Leap card, and I was chuffed to bits to get the news today that the awesome Ardyth at CASology has chosen my card for an Honorable Mention!  That's completely made my Monday :)

Thanks so much for visiting and I hope to see you again soon.

Deer's Leap

Hi there

I have a very clean and simple card to share with you tonight.

I wanted to take part in the latest challenge at CASology where the code word this week is 'Jump'.  I had a rummage through my stash and couldn't really find anything suitable so I went on the hunt for a free digi and I found the following image at a great blog, Free Vintage Digital Stamps.

I printed the leaping deer onto white cardstock and die cut using a rectangular die.  I then dug out some red mirri card (shocker...this hasn't seen the light of day for ages, not even last Christmas!) and die cut using the same die.  I then layered them up, slightly offset, before adhering to a textured card base.  To finish I coloured a tiny clear gemstone with a red FlexMarker to create Rudolph's nose.  And that's it!  I decided not to add a sentiment as I don't think its needed here, the image speaks for itself.  I'm not usually one for making Christmas cards this early in the year but I wanted to create this one as I really love the image.

Materials used:

• Digi: Free Vintage Digital Stamps - Leaping Deer Silhouette
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles
• Gem and cardstock from stash
• FlexMarker - Berry Red

I have also decided to enter this card into the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #4 - Inspired by a Move (Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Movie)

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #83 - Holidays

Crafty Creations - Challenge #257 - Keep It Simple

Festive Friday - Challenge #25 - Photo inspiration

Thanks for stopping by.  That's all from me for today, I'm going to spend the rest of the evening in my comfies in front of the TV after a very hard week at work.  

See you soon

Masculine Best Wishes

Hi guys

Just popping by with a very quick post as its late and I should be in bed by now!

I always find cards for guys very difficult to make but I wanted to have a go as there are a couple of masculine challenges this week.  This is not a favourite card of mine by any means but a challenge is a challenge so I thought I would share.

Here's my attempt...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Need for Speed; Kaisercraft - Bubble Wrap; Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versa Color - Neptune and Khaki; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Tag Along
• Twine and cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Less is More - Week 159 - Masculine

CAS on Sunday - Challenge #27 - Masculine

Sketch Saturday - Week #297

That's all folks, I'm off for a date with my duvet!

Just to Brighten Your Day

Hi there

So much for crafting in the daylight.  Once I'd completed my chores of cleaning the office at work and doing the weekly shop and then got home to do some more crafting, the light needed to be switched on again!  Oh well, the sunshine was lovely while it lasted.

I'm back with a very colourful card this evening, the sunshine must have put me in a very bright and cheerful mood :)

For this card I inked up two stamps I've never used before.  I started by stamping the flowers in VersaMark on a scrap of white cardstock and embossed with black embossing powder.  I then coloured them in with ProMarkers.  I used a circle die to cut them out.  I chose a textured card base to make the circle stand out more.  I placed the die cut roughly where I wanted it to go and then stamped the sentiment.  Next I adhered the die cut using 3D foam and at the very end I added some Glossy Accents to make the flowers bolder.  And there you have it.  Fairly quick apart from letting the Glossy Accents dry.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Dawn Bibby Designs - Butterfly, Dragonfly; Visible Image - sentiment (unknown stamp name)
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - Black
• Die: Xcut - Nested Circles
• Coloured with Promarkers
• Accents: Ranger- Glossy Accents

Challenge Entries:

CASology - Week 82 - Bold

Keep It Simple - #33 - Tropical

Daring Cardmakers - A Pop of Neon

Just Us Girls - Challenge #228 - Colour

CAS(E) this Sketch - #64

As always, thanks so much for your visit to my little space in Blogland.  That's all for this weekend, hopefully I can find some time in the evenings this week to share a little more with you.

Bye for now

Sending Hugs

Hi guys

Finally, some decent daylight to craft by!!!  It's so nice to see blue skies this morning after what has been a very miserable 2014 so far down here in Devon.

I've missed out on the last couple of challenges over at Muse so I wanted to give this one a go before the deadline tomorrow.  This week, Therese Calvird is our muse and this is my take on her card...

Although I used natural light for this photo, the colours are showing a little 'off' (really need a decent camera!).  The background paper is 'Certainly Celery' by Stampin' Up which is much more of a lime colour than it translates here.

I dug out one of the very first stamp sets I ever bought for this card, a little set of wooden flower stamps by Hero Arts.  I coloured the blooms with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers before die cutting with a square die.  I covered the base card with the Stampin' Up patterned paper, placed the flower panel where I wanted it so I could stamp the sentiment, then adhered the panel using 3D foam to add some dimension.

As you can see from Therese's card below, I took my inspiration from the colours and the floral panel, but decided to change it up a little using a square card and panel.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up Design Series Paper (retired) - Certainly Celery
• Stamps: Hero Arts - Fashion Flowers; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Say It In Style
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers

I have also decided to link this card up to the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #82 - Make Your Mark

Stampin' for the Weekend - Flower Power

Thanks for popping by today, see you soon :)

I'm Nuts About You

Hi there

As promised, I'm back to share another Valentine's Day card I made for an order.  This was for my Brother's girlfriend to give to him.

They both love spending time with and photographing anything nature related.  I was lucky enough to win a giveaway from Stephanie at Clearly Besotted a while ago so the 'Nuts for You' stamp set and matching dies I won were perfect for this card.

Here it is...

Yes, its those waterfall hearts again, I just love that paper!

I covered the card base with the paper before die cutting a circle and running it through my Big Shot using a woodgrain embossing folder.  I die cut the branch from some dark brown textured cardstock and wrapped some jute twine around it which was secured with the two stamped and die cut hearts.

Next came the difficult bit, colouring in the squirrel.  Who knew that grey squirrels were in fact not just grey?!  After that little challenge I die cut him out and placed him over the sentiment strip which was stamped with the co-ordinating sentiment and acorns.  And another 'Valentine' sentiment strip finished off the card.

I did struggle with this one a bit as, again, this was an A5 card, but I'm pleased with the end result :)

Materials used:

• Digi paper: Pink Petticoat - Waterfall Hearts
• Dies: Xcut - Nested Circles; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Nuts for You, Paired Up and Mini Love Hearts
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Nuts for You, Paired Up and Mini Love Hearts
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Cardinal; Memento - London Fog
• ProMarkers
• Jute Twine

Challenge Entries:

2 Sisters Challenge - #173 - Embossing

Oh La La Creations - Challenge #149 - Use a Heart

Passion for ProMarkers - Week 234 - Have a Heart

Papertake Weekly Challenge - With a Heart

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #82 - Make Your Mark

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 308 - Clever Cutting

Totally Papercrafts - Challenge #206 - Valentine/Love

Thanks so much for visiting.  I intend to be a better blogger from now on, and hope to post lots more and more importantly, comment on all your fab creations!

Have a lovely weekend whatever you're up to.