Girly Card

The image on this card is from Crafters Companion, cut out with Spellbinder dies; the lacy doily is an X-cut die; background strip embossed using a Cuttlebug folder; computer sentiment popped onto a couple of Cuttlebug die cuts with a Marianne corner die - finally a ribbon bow and some card candy.  It is a lovely sunny morning at the moment - long may it last!!

Time Flies...

This saying is so true - where has this week gone??  It is almost a week since my last post here so today I'm sharing a wedding or anniversary card which I made recently using die cuts from Marianne  together with a stamped and punched sentiment from Stampin' Up - what did we do before there were so many lovely dies available??

Wedding Card

Posting on my blog two days running - can't be bad eh!!  I guess the weather can be partly to blame for that because it is wet and windy again today so I decided indoors is a good place to be.  Looking through my box of cards I noticed I needed a few more cards in various categories other than birthdays so started with this one suitable for a wedding or engagement perhaps.  I used the piece of Centura pearl card embossed using a Creative Expressions folder and added die cut circles from Marianne (the large frame) and Spellbinders.  The sentiment was produced using Craft Artist and then cut out using circle dies.

Yellow Flower

It seems ages since I actually made a card and I seem to have lost momentum so I'm planning a bit of a tidy up in my room and then really must get down to using up some of my stash.  For the moment I've decided I don't need to buy anything more and have managed so far to resist all the offers which arrive daily from the various companies I deal with - not sure how long that resolution will last!!  This card was made before the Christmas rush began and I used a Marianne die set which really didn't need  much more to finish it off apart from the flower in the centre which was layered up using three ready-made flowers with a large brad in the centre (all from Papermania)..  A simple greeting produced on the computer and layered onto Cuttlebug die cut shapes and a piece of toning background paper completes the layout.

This will be another fragmented week with a Bank Holiday in the middle and I'm looking forward to normal weeks which start and finish on the right day.  Wishing everyone all the very best for 2014.

Bicycle Girl

Earlier this week I met up with two of my lovely crafty friends for lunch at our local craft shop and was, of course, tempted with a little retail therapy in the form of some toppers by Hobby House.  I’ve combined one of these with die cuts – Stately Circles from Spellbinders and the larger circle was cut with two of the dies from Tonic Verso Decorative Bow Rings, all using Centura Pearl card.  The flower was made using a Marianne die and two X-cut punches, some die cut leaves were added. Background paper is a piece of pretty floral from my stash. It is nice to be working in delicate colours as a break from the Christmas cards and I don’t think I need any more of those for the moment.
                                    

I see this has come in with a wide margin which I don’t normally do – sadly I was unable to use the programme I'm really used to for getting pictures from the scanner to post on the blog which is a real pain. I’m still trying to work around my various options with programmes on the computer and obviously haven’t really got to grips with it yet – previously I could do it without thinking!!  I will persevere.

EDITED - I managed to get the picture to look as I'm used to but by a very circuitous route, just hope I remember what I did!!

Where Did That Week Go??

I can hardly believe it is almost a week since I posted anything on my blog - apologies.  However I've at last managed to find a bit of time to get into the craft room and make something for the  Make My Monday challenge  This week they are asking for ANYTHING BUT A CARD and CHRISTMAS THEMED so I decided to use one of the box 'blanks' which I bought recently at the Stampin' Up Extravaganza.  The boxes are made from sturdy kraft card and have an acetate sleeve which slides over to cover the contents (mine is empty at the moment) but they are food-safe so could contain some nice home-baked goodies perhaps or even some shop-bought ones which appear to be home made - not that I'd cheat like that LOL!!!  I've added some patterned paper with matching mat layer and die cut a selection of Marianne poinsettias using Centura Pearl card.  The embossed detail doesn't show up in the main photo but the close-up should give you an idea.

House of Cards Challenge

The House of Cards challenge theme this week is SHABBY/VINTAGE, still using the sketch for the month of October.  I used a Marianne die to cut a shaped square from Core'd'nations card which was then sanded and cut into four triangles  layered onto another piece of card.  The penny farthing is a Stampin' up stamp on a Stampin' Up label die shape with a greeting added.  Backing paper is from Tim Holtz vintage shabby paper pad. Next week we will be into a new month with another theme for the month so keep an eye on their blog if you are interested in taking part.

The sketch for october

House of Cards

We are into the third week at the House of Cards so the theme is CLASSIC AND ELEGANT following the sketch which we have been given as inspiration for the month. Somehow I've managed to miss the first two weeks this month - sorry!

I decided to use a Marianne  corner die cut four times with a floral stamp from Stampin' up onto some Spellbinder oval shapes and a simple computer greeting. Background paper is from my stash - a pad which lost its cover I'm afraid.

Ladybug

When I saw some of these ladybirds on a friend's blog I thought this would be a die which would get good use so it had to be added to my growing collection.  I have a feeling someone will soon need to start an organisation called 'Crafters Anonymous'  as it seems so easy to become an addict - harmless though I'd say and brings so much pleasure to so many people it can't be bad, can it?.  I used this cute image cut out with Nestabilities dies and coloured with Copic pens.  Background was a handy piece of paper which was in my stash and I just added some die cut grass using a Marianne die.  Sentiment was produced on the computer and popped onto a Cuttlebug die cut.  A handy card to keep in the box for maybe a child's birthday.

A Bit of Mixed Media

I've had this box lying around for quite a while with the intentions of decorating it in some way - it started off as a plain kraft coloured box of about 7" square.  My first move was to cover it all with a layer of gesso, followed by Distress paint in Weathered Wood with a final light touch of Rusty Hinge.  There were a few things I wanted to try on this and one of them was the faux aged metal effect which I spotted on Jenny's blog recently where she had used it to good effect on a pocket watch.  As I have this die I thought I'd use it too - the face of the watch was printed from the Wellington CD which I used recently (Docrafts).  The image was resized  to fit the die, sponged with some Distress Ink and then covered with rock candy crackle medium, hands were from a Marianne die which luckily was the right size. I started the background by sponging distress inks and overstamping with various text and images.  The area over the text in the top left has been textured through a diamond mask with glass bead texture medium which dries clear to show what is behind it - unfortunately because it is clear it hasn't shown up well on the photos although I'm pleased with the effect on the actual box.!!  The grungeboard swirl was coloured with rusty hinge and clear embossed.

It so happens that Make My Monday this week are asking for 'anything but a card' so this will be my entry for their challenge and also it fits the metallic theme on Sunday Stamper where hopefully faux metal will be acceptable.

I've managed to get a half decent photo of the glass bead texture medium area - not easy to photograph

Special Day

Another blue card to share today which I made using up various die cuts and a digital image all of which were lying around on my work space and are mainly either left over from other projects or were cuts made to try out dies to see how they looked when cut.  The embossed panel was part of an A4 embossed sheet and the lacy edge was the first piece I cut with this Cheery Lynne die to see how it cut and how easily it came out of the die - beautifully in both cases!.  The circular pieces were a Nellie die which I've had a long time. Image was a digital one and the central blue area is made up from part of a Die-sire set combined with a fancy corner from Marianne. I still have a bit more tidying up to do before I will be able to see and use the whole area of my glass cutting mat - it keeps disappearing under a mountain of card and paper scraps!!

One of my blogging friends Sue suggested I should enter this into the Pan Pastels challenge this week where the theme is embossing so here goes.  Thanks Sue.

House Mouse in the Rain

I'm sure this House Mouse is enjoying his cool shower - just the thing while the weather is so hot.  Matching backing paper was used and the image was cut out using a label die from Stampin' Up (Sizzix framelit) with a largerone in a similar colour with pricking detail using a matching template.  This was then popped onto an embossed Top Note die shape and finished off with a Marianne corner, greeting and some flowers with Memory Box die cut leaves. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and take care in the extreme heat.

Clean and Simple

The new challenge blog which launched last week at House of Cards has a monthly theme and within that month each week offers a different style or technique.  We are still with the colour theme set for July but this week the style is clean and simple which my 'regulars' will know isn't really a favourite of mine but then if we stick to what we know and enjoy it wouldn't be a challenge would it?

Working within this colour scheme I've made my clean and simple card with lots of 'white space' by die cutting a label in light blue using a Sizzix die (Stampin' Up) and cutting off part of it before running through a dots embossing folder.  I then stamped some flowers using a retired SU stamp set called Raining Flowers, cutting several layers and adding a gem together with a leaf using a Marianne die.  Greeting was produced on the computer, punched using a SU punch and popped onto a strip of rich razzleberry card to match the stamping.  Apart from the base card, all the components were made using oddments of card from my bits boxes - will they ever be used up - I doubt it!!

Christmas in July

You're right it does seem early to be thinking of Christmas but the team at Make My Monday are asking for a Christmas card for their challenge this week. I suppose if you have lots to make it does make sense to start in good time rather than be in a last minute panic.  I've used an image (layered onto Spellbinders circles) and backing paper from Docrafts, the sentiment was printed and cut out using a Stampin' up punch and the fir branch and poinsettieas were cut out using Marianne dies - a little gold glimmer was added to the flowers.There you have it, my first seasonal card this year and if you need the impetus to make a start on yours it is worth taking a look at the inspiration from their design team.

Wedding Owls

I have a wedding card to share with you today using a couple of cute owls from Polkadoodles - I arranged the two images so that they look as if they are holding hands - ahh!!  Backing paper is from a pad of wedding papers I've had for ages, the heart behind the computer greeting is a Marianne die and a Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder was used on some Centura Pearl card. 

It's been a lovely sunny day today and I should have been mowing lawns but decided it was maybe a bit to warm outside - perhaps this evening if it cools down... but then perhaps not!!

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. 

Green and Yellow - take 2

I had an idea for another card suitable for the Make My Monday colour challenge when I came across this background paper on a Docrafts CD. I simply added a digital sponged effect around the outside before printing it off to the correct size for the card.  The greeting was also printed from the CD and cut out with Spellbinder dies.  The fence is a Spellbinder die, larger bird a Marianne die and the tiny birds were a Memory Box die. The flowers were from a pack which I think came from a Docrafts goody bag some time ago and I just added a bit of glitter to the tree withusing a quickie glue pen. The little leaves were a Memory box die also.

Make My Monday Challenge

It is the turn of Caz this week for the Make My Monday Challenge and she is presenting us with a series of colour themes as we go along - this week it is to use GREEN and YELLOW for spring. (Just wish the weather would be more spring/summer like). Amongst my scraps and bits and pieces I remembered I had a piece of green and yellow background made with Glimmer Mist sprays and masks and fortunately it was large enough for this card.  I overstamped with some swirls and then thought it deserved to be seen as much as possible so I die cut a Marianne bird cage, stamped a couple of butterflies onto yellow patterned paper using green ink, then sprayed them with Goosebumps texture spray.  The butterflies were from Chocolate Baroque Harlequin Butterfly set.  A simple greeting and that's it - a card using green and yellow and mainly using scraps.

Home to Nest

I have to confess to being tempted to buy this set of tiny birdhouse stamps from the new Papermania Home to Nest range and they really are quite tiny especially the birds which are smaller than my small fingernail so I will have to be careful that I don't drop any of them into my waste bin - don't ask.  It happens!!  The colouring was done with Promarkers and Copics; background paper was from my stash overstamped with Tall Trees from Chocolate Baroque; Cuttlebug swirls embossing folder was used (inked with Distress Ink) for one of the layers and I punched a strip of daisies and the other bits and pieces from scrap pieces of matching card.  The daisy border is a punch from EK Success.

Literature Challenge

The challenge this week at Make My Monday is another one inspired by literature and this time it is a book I've not come across called Garden Spells and fortunately we've been given a brief idea of what is within the pages.  I decided to go along with the floral theme suggested by this but of course didn't have any stamps of the flowers mentioned so have had to improvise by using what I had.  The daisy stamp is from Crafty Individuals and the other flowers are from my stash with the addition of a couple of die cut swirls.  Various oddments of card  have been used to add the embossed panel with a punched border and the sentiment is a Stampin' Up stamp popped onto a Spellbinder die cut. I have to admit this is very loosely connected to the theme but inspiration seems to be failing me this week - I did say before that literature isn't really my thing and I hope this will be acceptable for the challenge.  The synopsis provided did conjure up various ideas in my head but somehow they just wouldn't translate into anything workable with what I have in the way of stamps etc.and believe me I have plenty to work with - maybe too much and that could be the trouble!!