Cream on Cream

With so many wonderful embossing folders and an ever increasing amount of elaborate dies becoming available - very tempting I must say but where do you start?? (or stop!!) - I thought I'd have a go at a card in the style which is becoming popular but using what I have.  Base layer is a piece of embossed pearlescent card, next is a panel cut with a Marianne die/embossing folder combined and a punched strip was added top and bottom.  Sadly I couldn't use a more lacy punch because it wouldn't cut through the card.  The sentiment is on a couple of Spellbinder die cut shapes and two Marianne butterflies were added .  Not my usual style but I think it works - just wish my really pretty lacy punches would go through card!!  I might need to look out for a nice lacy die instead.

Beautiful Day

This card was designed on the computer using Docrafts Digital Designer programme. The elements were then separated and printed so that I could cut them out to assemble the card conventionally - I do like my cards to have some dimension but also enjoy dabbling with design using the computer so this covers the best of both options..  A die cut leaf from Marianne was added.  We are not having a beautiful day at the moment because summer seems to have gone AWOL  and it is quite chilly and breezy outside, not the best for mid June. 

Another Quintile

This is my second idea for the quintile swap within the theme of  June Brides - very loosely connected but I had to work with what I have.  The background is a love letters download from Chocolate Baroque, the heart stamp is from their Lovesong set as are the birds and wording.  Hearts were stamped onto the love letter paper, embossed with WOW fine detail gold and cut out.  A scrap of cream pearl embossed card was added as a border, with some gold ribbon.  I really will have to stretch my brain for next month's theme so if I come up with anything worthwhile I will share them in due course - my mind is a blank at the moment!!  It is great when the envelope pops through the letter box with the swaps and so interesting to see the many interpretations of the themes.

Faux Chalkboard Technique

This is the technique being demonstrated on the Technique Tuesday blog and as it is getting very close to the closing date I'm posting a second card for today which I've just made playing around with this technique.The idea is to use white embossing powder onto dark card and with words of course it could look like a chalkboard.  Background is a piece of experimentation with the gelli plate which has been  over-inked with distress inks.  The stamps are by Sam Poole and the 'blackboard' has been cut out using a Sizzix (Stampin' Up) framelits die and the quirky flower was stamped, embossed and cut out with scissors.

Flowers for Make My Monday

When I saw the theme for Make My Monday this week I was pleased, then spotted the dreaded words 'clean and simple' which isn't really my chosen style. I decided that while the floral bouquet stamp by Chocolate Baroque was out I would use it again but in a different way.  I've had this stamp plate for quite a while but to my shame this the first time I'd actually used that particular stamp - shame really because it is so pretty.  I cut a mask out of thin card using a Spellbinder die and coloured through it using distress inks before stamping the flowers in black - a simple stamped sentiment and the CAS floral card is done.  Do take a look at the various ideas made by their design team - lots of ideas there.

The sunshine seems to have deserted us for now and it is dull, grey and very wet this morning so you can probably guess what I will be doing today.- once I've tidied away the stray ink pads, stamps and so on which seem to be cluttering my working space.

PS there is a great giveaway from the Ribbon Girl - leave them a comment to be in with a chance

Time for Quintiles Again

Well the months certainly seem to come around really quickly and this month the theme for the Chocolate Baroque Quintiles swap is 'June Brides' which had me somewhat stumped but eventually by giving it some thought I've come up with two this months loosely based on the theme and of course using products and/or stamps from CB. For this one I used a stamp from Floral Bouquet  set, stamped onto kraft card.  with white and embossed using fine detail powder. The small amount of colouring was done using Coloursoft pencils. Background is a piece of Tim Holtz kraft resist card, sponged with Distress Ink to show up the resist pattern. A piece of watercolour paper was spritzed with Glimmer mist and embossed with Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder and finally the word is from CB Artistic Expressions stamp plate. The second one is quite different and I will share that another time.

Purple Haze

This is the title of the challenge from Hels on the Sunday Stamper blog and she is looking for something including purple and of course some stamping..  I've used a  delicate asters stamp and die from Heartfelt Creations as well as various Spellbinders ornate dies and an EK Success punch. Image was stamped and coloured with Copic pens with an extra flower stamped so that it could be die cut to go on top of the image. Backing paper was from a Back to Basics pad by Dovecraft.  I'm having a little debate with myself at the moment about adding some die cut corners but I think maybe not - what do you think?