Shaker Card

I can't remember when I last made a shaker card but having done this one I realise it is a bit of a faff, so that's probably the reason why.  This particular one is a CASE from one made as a magazine sample by the clever Jules using a set of freebie dies and stamps which came with Cardmaking and Papercraft #206.  She was featured in this issue and has made a lovely selection of cards demonstrating various ways of using the freebie.

As I'm well within the category of 'oldies' who have been asked to stay indoors and avoid people I'm so glad that I have so many interesting things I can be doing to keep myself occupied - beats daytime TV any day!!   I'm probably going to have to clear a space to store the cards I'm making and just hope I don't run out of raw materials ... or ideas.

Papers - from Stampin' Up in my scraps box
Dies and Stamps - free set with magazine and by Crafter's Companion.

Caged Owl

After having a bit of a sort out of my 'stuff' I had an idea for a card using a couple of sets of stamps which I've had for simply ages, neither of which has seen the light of day for some time and in fact some of the stamps in the sets have never seen ink - how bad is that???  Having played around with them on some scrap paper I came to the conclusion that for once the Misti wouldn't do the job but luckily I still have a 'Stamp-a-ma-Jig' gadget so resorted to using that on this occasion.  After a few trial and error efforts I managed to get things lined up and this card is the result - quite pleased with it eventually and it certainly kept me occupied for a while.  I cut the resulting image with an oval die and a scalloped layer using the next size up; found some background papers in the right colours; added some die cut corners and that's it.  I like to keep some cards in my box with no sentiment and no words inside and this one fits the bill. In hindsight (a wonderful thing) I think the leafy branch would have been better in green but I didn't feel up to doing it all again so soon but maybe a variation will appear at some point.

Stamps - World of Dreams Stampin' Up for leaves
Stamps - Aviary Stampin' Up for stand, cage and owl
Butterfly - punch from SU
Corners - die from Whimsy (very old)
Ovals - die set from Tonic

Witty Words

I've used another stamp from the 'Word Wit' set to make a birthday card.  Not much to say about it really, the dog was stamped onto a scrap of watercolour paper and coloured using water-based pens and the witty words were stamped onto another piece and cut out with scissors. used a piece of dotty paper and embossed some larger dots onto a scrap of toning card with two little banners punched from yet another scrap of brown card.

A lovely bright and sunny morning but yesterday started like that and later on we had some heavy showers/storms - hopefully it will stay dry today.

Words - from Word Wit stamp set by Stampin' Up
Dog -  from Tim Holtz dogs stamp set
Banners - punch from Stampin' Up

Under the Weather

There was a magazine freebie recently which I was unable to resist - a stamp and die set with a weather theme.  What particularly pleased me was that the umbrella die included both a whole shape of the open umbrella and also the part which could be cut separately for the coloured sections - very good for a freebie I thought so thanks Clearly Besotted for such a good die.  I cut two layers in white and carefully lined them up and glued together before cutting out the top sections using scraps of blue and pink card so that these could be 'paper-pieced' into the shape; finally I used one of the stamps to add grey to the handle (using the Misti) which made that straightforward.  The wording at the top, the clouds and raindrops were from the stamp set, although the clouds had to be fussy cut with scissors.  The message at the bottom used a stamp which I've had for ages.  The sky effect was achieved by smooshing some distress ink onto a glass mat, spritzing with water and then sort of mopping it up with a square of watercolour paper.  There are several umbrella stamps within the set which I've not used yet - plenty of possibilities.

Stamps and Die set designed by Clearly Besotted - free with recent magazine
Get Well - stamp from a really useful free set which I've had for ages
Background made using Faded Jeans Distress ink on watercolour paper

Snippets Challenge #373

I have my snippets card ready to take along to the Playground this week and if you take a look by following the link you will see the great prize(s) on offer this time - no less than five unusual cat stamps.  There is the usual great card for inspiration.

For my card I've used a fair few snippets - the background paper is from a pad I've had for ages - long since lost the cover and there are only a few oddments left.  I've also managed to use up a good number of white card snippets because I stamped the main word image on one in black and then die cut into a banner shape; this was followed by inking in various colours and stamping again on different pieces of white card so that I could cut out the words to apply making the 'message'  multi-coloured.  Of course I still have all the other pieces left so that I can cut them all out and use for several more cards in the future.  I found some bright pink snippets to cut a layer for the banner and also an oval for the sentiment.  Finally used some snippets of ribbon to add a bow.

Stamps used - from Birthday Wit set by Stampin' Up
Banners - Sizzix dies for SU
Ovals - die set from Tonic

Floral Theme

I 'found' these two stamped and die cut flowers and a leaf amongst the bits and pieces littering my work space along with some scraps of blue and green card with of course the inevitable pieces of white - always plenty of those around.  Far too many to be hoarding really if I'm honest but 'old habits' and all that.  Anyway I've put together a card with a bit of a Spring feel about it matching up with the colours outside the window at present although it has been coming over dark and chucking hail-like showers at us.

Started with a piece of toning background paper remaining from a pad I probably bought years ago; cut a couple of circles, a square and a birthday sentiment.  Once assembled I thought it just needed a little something more so stamped and punched a couple of small butterflies and tied a little blue bow using organza ribbon finishing off with blue sparkly gems as flower centres.

Flowers - Dies by Sue Wilson, Creative Expressions

Butterflies - stamp and punch from Stampin' Up

Snippets Challenge #372

I've realised that I seem to have missed the previous challenge - not quite sure how it happened, a senior moment maybe!!  Anyway I have a  card to take along to the Playground for the current one.  This was made using up bits and pieces which were lying around left over from recent projects.  I do try to clear up my working space when it shrinks too much but these bits hadn't even made it into the 'store' of snippets.  The ovals were cut out from a scrap of text paper (quite heavy weight, almost card) and then the flower silhouettes were stamped in black.  A larger snippet was about the right size to fit onto my normal card blank and some over-stamping was done using a text stamp. The piece of brown card was run through an embossing folder for a  bit of texture and a narrow snippet of the same card was used to die cut the sentiment.  Do pop along to the Playground to see the adorable Easter card which Di has made to showcase the great prize on offer for a lucky winner.

Stamps - an old set of Stampin' Up stamps Silhouette Sentiments
Embossing Folder - Hessian texture from Embossalicious
Sentiment - Source forgotten, sorry
Text Stamp - set from Phill Martin