Bird Cage

Last year a friend bought one of my cards with wording on to send to one of her friends and this year asked for something similar but with a different verse so I stamped off all my suitable words and let her choose.  This Elusive Images stamp was her choice and I used backing paper from Artylicious Echoes of Italy collection, overstamped around the edges with some swirls (also EI stamp).  The birdcage and bird were stamps from Papermania from a set called Tweet which is being sold with a donation of £2 per sale going to Cancer Research UK.  The addition of some cream lace and a computer greeting complete this card - I do hope she likes it!!

Get Funky Monthly challenge

The monthly Get funky Challenge is all about hearts and I've used papers and a digi image from their Craft The Year Away CD.  The background papers came from the CD and were printed on  pearlised paper; the text used the Hobo font. The colours made me think of chocolate so I added wording to the heart and used some card candy in matching colours to finish the card. The sentiment was cut out with a Nestabilities die.

Less is More Week 5

This minimal card style seems to be catching on and this week the challenge at Less is More is to use pastel colours but still leaving 'white space'.  This week I've chosen to use another of the Pampered Pets stamps by Papermania - well they were on a 'three for two offer' so who could resist??  The chic poodle has been coloured a delicate shade of pink using coloured pencil and simply cut out using a Nestability die, embossed and sponged in a matching pink.  The sentiment was stamped directly onto the hammered cream card.

Bah Humbug Challenge 9

The challenge this week over at Bah Humbug is embossing and the main decision to make was which type of embossing to use.  I eventually settled on spraying some card with Glimmer Mist and then embossing in the Big Shot using Cuttlebug snowflakes folder and using a Crafts Too embossing folder for the greeting.  I resorted to using my favourite snowman stamp (Funstamps), some background paper from my stash and a few die cut snowflakes using a Cuttlebug die and glitter card.

Forgotten Friday 7

The card I've made for the Forgotten Friday challenge this week uses a 'forgotten technique'.  I was reminded of this earlier in the week when I got together with three other crafty friends and one of them  (thanks Janet) told us about a way of using cling film with the lovely images which often appear on serviettes.  This is instead of using mod podge which is how I've done it before and as well as taking ages to dry it has a strange smell and can be messy.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to get the right brand of cling film yet so I resorted to using a piece of Bondaweb instead which also works but would work out more expensive than using cling film.  Background paper is from Papermania and I added some black lace and a scrunched flower made from brown wrapping paper, sprayed with Glimmer Mist.  Greeting was composed on the computer, cut out using Stampin Up punches and the leaves were cut using a Marianne die.  Judith had made a flower using brown paper - thanks - I'd not have thought of that but it is effective.

Something for a Change

I've not made a single card since the weekend which is most unusual for me but I've not been idle.  As well as having a little 'teach in' with three crafting friends yesterday making beaded beads, I've also managed to make a fabric covered box just the right size to hold a box of After Eight mints which is a nice way of presenting a little gift to a chocoholic and they will always have an excuse to buy more when they've eaten the ones you've given them!! Naturally the box could be used to keep anything if you don't happen to like mints.

And here is the open box showing the box of chocolates peeping out

Less is More Week 4

The challenge this week on Less is More is a 'recipe' to use three squares so maybe not quite so daunting. I have chosen to use  papers and a stamp from Papermania Pampered Pets collection.  The faux postage is from Forever Friends Good Life and the sentiment is a free stamp given on the cover of the current Creativity magazine.  What can I say - the dog was stamped  onto plain card using Distress ink and brushed out with a water brush; the squares were all cut using Nestabilities, sponged around the edges and arranged tastefully (I hope!!) onto a plain white card. - there is still some white space but not as much as last week.