Flying Crane

I often seem to end up with pieces of background paper cut to size for a card and then in the end not used. I always do a sort of 'dry run' with my layouts and sometimes decide that certain elements aren't quite right so they get put aside.  The paper here is one such piece which I was determined to use so I started with that and then stamped the crane and dragonflies onto card from the bits box, cut out with a Stampin' Up Sizzix die - the stamps are from a clear set by Chocolate Baroque. As this die is quite large all that was needed was a greeting popped onto one of the smaller die shapes, a corner and a few gems. It is a lovely sunny morning at the moment, hopefully it will last because I'm being taken out today to see the seasonal display at a garden centre - always impressive and I think lunch out is the plan too so that has to be good.

Make My Monday Challenge

We are onto a new month of challenges at Make My Monday and this time the theme is AUTUMN and the first thing they want us to do is 'use our supplies' - KRAFT AND STRING.  I've used some Tim Holtz Kraft resist card, sponged with Distress ink as a background.  A Sizzix (SU) topnote die cut has been partially embossed in a cuttlebug embossing folder using one of the wonderful Sizzix embossing diffusers to leave an oval shape un-embossed so that I could stamp the branch.  Another small tag shape was cut using a Sizzix die and onto this I've added a posy of Sizzix tattered leaves and branches cut from distress-inked watercolour paper with a hand cut swirly pine cone (sort of) and some stamped acorns. I'm afraid I was in such a hurry to take a photo of the card before the light disappeared that I haven't left time for the glue to dry on the pinecone but now it has dried of course there is no white streak in the middle!!  The leafy branch and acorns are stamps from Stampin' Up Touch of Nature set.  Some string tied around and a greeting and there it is. 

Do pop over to Make My Monday to see the inspiration from the design team and maybe even take part in the challenge - there is a prize on offer which has to be a bonus!

A Bingo Card

I think I might just be catching up a bit although there is still some of the dreaded housework staring me in the face this morning.  The people at Addicted to Stamps and More have given us a bingo challenge this week, where we can chose three items from a line to make a project.

I selected DIES, BIRTHDAY AND FREE (embossing) to make this card.  Background paper is from Prima, the main image is a digital stamp from Just Inklined, punched out with a Stampin' Up punch and popped onto an embossed frame by Sizzix (SU), I die cut a Top Note shape,  embossed, sanded and inked to show up the detail.  The swirl was a Marianne die cut from a scrap of spritzed card (forgotten what it was spritzed with now as it was from the bits box), as was theSizzix dragonfly.  I used a few odd bits for the flower embellishment and to die cut for the sentiment.

Now I really must step away from the computer and press on with the h****work - excuse the rude word!!

A Late Owl

And why is this owl late you may be asking - well he was destined to be coloured with markers and made into a card for the challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More but unfortunately I completely missed the boat. Hopefully I can get something made in time for this week's challenge which is a 'bingo' card.  The owl is a stamp from Joanna Sheen and as suggested has been coloured using markers - a mixture of  Promarkers, Flex markers and Copic.  The image was cut out with Sizzix dies, backing paper is from a set of freebies given with a magazine, daisy border was cut using a Tonic punch and as I couldn't bear to throw away the 'waste' daisies, some of them have been used.  Corners were a die from Whimsy Stamps.

I hope you are all having a good weekend despite the horrible weather - lashing rain today after a cold but bright and sunny Saturday but the sun is at last trying to break through today as well so fingers crossed.