Thursday 31 March 2016

Hello Dotty


The challenge this week at Less is More is to use Polkadots.
The challenge at Dragonfly Journeys is 'As Good as Gold'.

Here is my make for these challenges:


It is a very simple card made from die-cut polkadot card.
The card is from Deco Time and is glittered, golden-coloured, tiny polkadots. The two end strips and the wreath were cut from this.  
The bird and the sentiment were cut from gold mirror card.
The die used is the Tattered Lace Wreath Die.


Tuesday 29 March 2016

Heartfelt Flowers



This is the card I made for the Simon Says Stamp 'Work it Wednesday' challenge, where the theme is FLORAL.

 

The background is white embossed card stock. I used the Damask Background embossing folder from XCut.  The embossed card was attached on foam pads to add dimension.

The flowers are from the Heartfelt Creations range of stamps and dies. The stamp is called Vintage Morning and it pairs with the Majestic Blooms die set. The blooms were stamped and heat embossed on vellum using holographic embossing powder. Once die cut, the back of each flower was coloured using Inka Gold wax in Rose Quartz. Flat back pearls were used for the flower centres. 


The leaves were also cut from vellum using the Spellbinders Foliage die set. They were coloured in Crushed Olive distress ink. Some natural fibres and pearl stamen were added to the leaves and flowers to create the cluster.





I cut a banner using the smallest Cheery Lynn Designs Pierced Banner and embossed this with the Damask folder. The banner was raised on foam pads. 

The sentiment is from a Crafters Companion stamp set called Vintage Floral Sentiments . It was stamped in Ranger Jet Black ink and die cut using a XCut Scalloped Circle die, then the whole sentiment disc was heat embossed with holographic powder.


Monday 28 March 2016

Pawly Sick

Here is my make for this week at Digi Choosday where the theme is 'Thinking of You'.


This helped me to win another feather in my cap!



The background is glitter card stock from Deco Time. The image is called Pawly Sick from Polkadoodles. It's a gorgeous little bunny feeling 'under the weather'.  I printed the image three times so that I could colour and 3D decoupage it to give it some dimension. It was coloured with Spectrum Noir markers. The decoupage was mounted on red card stock from Core'dinations and placed on foam pads onto the backing card. A Papermania glittered sentiment was added.



Friday 25 March 2016

Faux Mother of Pearl


The March challenge at Happy Little Stampers is to create a faux mother of pearl background using pearl paint or liquid pearls and ink. I only had metallic acrylic paint on hand today, so I made mine with that. The effect is a beautiful, subtle, shimmery background.  Definitely a technique I will use again!

This week's theme at Less is More is 'What's Outside Your Window?'  My husband feeds the birds every morning and we love to watch them coming and going and, at this time of year, nest building. So I thought I would combine both challenges in one card.

Here is the card I created:



A ball of cling film was dipped into white metallic paint and this was then dabbed over a heavy white card stock. Once it was completely dry, inks were blended over it. I used Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers, Memento Nautical Blue and Memento Danube Blue. The card was die cut with a Cheery Lynn Designs Pierced Banner (the largest one) and mounted onto the card on foam pads.
The bird was die cut, using Bird on a Branch die from Marianne Designs, from white card and the flowers cut with a palm punch. Tiny gel dots were added to the centre of the flowers.
The sentiment was stamped in Ranger Jet Black ink using a stamp from the Dovecraft Floral Muse set.

I would like to enter my card at these challenges:

Less is More What's Outside Your Window



Thursday 24 March 2016

Rubber Dance March: Colour Challenge

March's colour challenge at Rubber Dance is:


This is such a gorgeous colour combination!
Here is a card I made:




Background: First, white card stock was heat embossed with clear powder using a cracked tile stamp and a script stamp, both from Inkilicious Essentials 1 set. Once dry, Tim Holtz distress inks in Crushed Olive and Spiced Marmalade were applied with a blending tool. To add extra depth of colour, the card was spritzed with Dylusions ink in Fresh Lime and Pure Sunshine. 

Image: The two dandelion seed heads called 'Make a Wish' from Marion Emberson Designs were stamped and heat embossed with Snowflake Tinsel embossing powder.
Lines of diamond shapes were stamped around the edges using Memento Bamboo Leaves  and Inkilicious stamps.

Banner: Sentiment was heat embossed in white Sea Foam powder and inked with distress inks and Dylusions inks. The banner was attached on foam pads.

All edges were inked with jet black Ranger ink. The finished piece was mounted on black card, then mounted onto the card base.

Thanks for stopping by and looking!

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Snippets : Bunny Tag Card







This is a tiny card - just 10cm by 10cm.





The snippet I used to make the tag was from an unsuccessful attempt at making a CAS card last week. The card was stamped using inks (Memento Dandelion and Rose Bud) and water in an embossing folder. I  love the way the print turned out - just like watercolour, with the inks blending into one another, but it didn't look right as part of the CAS card.



Patterned paper from Polka Doodles was cut using Scalloped Nesting Square dies. The tag was die cut using an Xcut Large Tag die and this was attached on foam dots. The little rabbit image is from Vera Lane Studio, from a digi set called Hello Spring. It was coloured with Spectrum Noir markers and attached with pop dots. Tiny crystal star gems were added to the tag and it was finished off with a ribbon bow.

I'm entering this at 
Brown Sugar Challenge #190 Spring

Thanks for stopping by and looking!
xoxo

Cute and Cuddly Blossom


How adorable is this little bunny?
She's a digi stamp called Blossom Bouquet from Polkadoodles

.

She helped me to win a Feather in my cap over at Digi Chooseday!




Blossom is coloured using Spectrum Noir markers. 
She is the focal point of this simple mini-card measuring 10.5cm x 10.5cm.
The background is made from two nesting Xcut Scalloped Squares and a die-cut doily.
The pink square and Blossom are mounted on foam pads to give extra dimension.
Small adhesive pearls finish off the card.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Cardz4galz Challenge #18 Cute and Cuddly
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Cute and Cuddly
Great Impressions  March Challenge - Bunny Hop
Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #49 Hippity Hoppity
Digi Choosday Week #10 Easter/Flowers
Just Us Girls Week 335 Colour Challenge


Thanks for stopping by and looking!
xoxo

Monday 21 March 2016

ATC: Spring Sunshine


I made this ATC for the 'Spring Into Spring' Vera Lane Studio ATC/Tag swap.

I used two gorgeous Vera Lane Studio digis called Hello Spring and Birdy - whimsical gal with birdhouse.

 

Background: White ATC card was covered with design paper left-overs from my stash. These were gessoed to mute the colours, inked through a script stencil and then black paint splashes were applied with a paintbrush. A hand-drawn border was added.

Images: All images were coloured with Spectrum Noir markers and then fussy cut. The Easter Bonnet and the bird were freebies for Facebook subscribers. The images were mounted on foam pads.

I'd like to enter this for the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge #201 - Spring Sunshine.

Thanks for stopping by and looking!
xoxo

Easter Bunny



Spring is most definitely in the air. Isn't it lovely to see the sunshine and feel a little warmth? The days are gradually getting longer and the crocus and daffodils are in bloom. Bliss!



For this Easter card I used Winnie Sugar Sprinkles springtime happy easter digital stamp from Polkadoodles and the FREE!!! Tatty Twinkle Easter papers also from Polkadoodles



The border was cut with an Xcut border punch. A thin adhesive glitter strip was added.
The circles were cut with Xcut Nesting Scalloped Circle dies and attached on foam pads.
The Winnie Sugar Sprinkles bunny image was coloured with Spectrum Noir markers and then fussy cut.
Small crystal gems were added to the inner circle and a small organza ribbon bow finishes off the card.

I would like to enter these challenges:

Digi Choosday Week 10 Easter/Flowers challenge
Crafty Boots Easter Challenge
Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge 53 Easter Card

Thanks for stopping by and looking!

xoxo

Friday 18 March 2016

CAS: One Layer


Week 267 at Less is More is the 'One Layer Challenge' with the sentiment being the main focus of the card.

You would think that making a one layer card would technically be the easiest sort to make ... oh no!!!  I have a pile of failed attempts and I'm still not happy with this one.

My one layer card :

 
The background was ink stamped, using Memento Dandelion and Rose Bud, with a very old embossing folder from Darice. The watercolour effect is the result of spraying water onto the ink in the folder before printing the card. The border was stamped in Memento Gray Flannel using a Papermania Capsule Geometric Mono stamp (this really could do with a strip of ribbon or washi or something to hide the disjointed joints between the stamping, but I thought that would be classed as embellishment). The sentiment was stamped in Ranger Jet Black archival ink, using a stamp from the same Papermania set.

Thanks for stopping by and looking!
xoxo

Thursday 17 March 2016

Pocket Letter: EVG Sweet Songbirds

I have just finished this vintage style pocket letter. It is heading to Vermont, USA. Hopefully it will arrive safely in time for the recipient's birthday. I hope she likes it.


The nine cards are ATC size (9cm by 6.5cm) and are cut from white card stock. Book paper was glued to the cards and distressed with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink using a blending tool.
The images are from Ephemera's Vintage Garden and all of the images I used came from three sheets which are freebies and which you can get , along with many others, if you subscribe. These sheets are Sweet SongbirdsSweet Songbirds II and Chipboard Labels. I first resized some of the images then printed two of each sheet, so that I could make the cards dimentional. 

The four corner cards were made from the Sweet Songbirds sheet.  The Songbird cards were resized (I do this in PowerPoint), trimmed, edged in Vintage Photo distress ink, then glued down with a glue stick.  From the second Songbird sheet, the flower and bird were fussy cut, edged in ink and positioned on top of the card with pop dots to make them 3D.  I let the edges overlap the original image. Ivory satin flower trim with yellow crystal gems were applied to finish off each card. 

The two bird cards in the middle row were cut from Sweet Songbirds II, using a Spellbinders Nestablities 'Scalloped Circle' die. The edges were inked in Vintage Photo and the image glued onto the ATC base. Cotton lace was added with tiny pearls. Some of the satin flower trim was cut into individual flowers and attached around the edge of the image  - yellow crystal gems placed in the centre of each. A wooden butterfly button, attached to the outside of the pockets, finished off these cards

The three cards in the centre used the chipboard labels sheet. Again these were trimmed and edged in Vintage Photo ink. Some flowers were fussy cut and attached on pop dots. Lace was attached, along with sentiments stamped onto kraft card using Floral Muse stamps - these were heat embossed with black sparkle powder. The kraft card was then stained using Old Rose chalk edger and distress ink. The butterflies were resized and fussy cut from Doodle Fairies. They were attached, with foam pads, to the outside of the pockets.

The front of the pocket letter was finished off by adding a strip of ivory cotton lace along the spine edge of the pocket protector. Finally a burlap tag decorated with die cut leaves and a paper rose was attached.
The back of the pocket letter also has cards, trimmed and glued down with inked edges. The cards were a digital purchase from Kristie Art Design called Shabby Grunge Fowers.

  
Each pocket holds some paper craft goodies which can be used by the recipient on future projects:
1) lace flowers and a note, 
2) ribbon and flower trim, 
3) burlap die cut flowers and butterflies, 
4) laser die cut flower sprays and dragonfly charm, 
5) ivory and grey adhesive pearls, 
6) laser die cut butterfly, metal charms, wooden butterfly buttons, 
7) wooden embellishments, 
8) vintage travel stamps, 
9) bird tags.
 

Thanks for stopping by and looking!
xoxo

Monday 14 March 2016

Gorgeous Lady




I have a couple of female birthdays coming up later this month, so I decided to make a card using a Santoro Gorjuss stamp.


Over at Digi Choosday the theme for Week 9 is Ladies, Ladies, Ladies.
At SLS Lines, challenge #17 has the theme 'Inspired by a movie/book/song'.  My song choice is, of course, You're Gorgeous by Babybird.



Sparkly striped turquoise DP by DecoTime.
Borders were die cut from white card using Spellbinders Shapeabilities Parisian Accents.
Square was die cut, using Spellbinders Scalloped Square die, from co-ordinating Core'dinations card. 
Image is Santoro Gorjuss mini stamp No. 5 Ladybird, coloured with Spectrum Noir markers. Image was die cut using Spellbinders Scalloped Circle die and background inked with Tim Holtz's Peacock Feathers distress ink.
Tiny adhesive pearls and Gem Florettes were added as embellishments.

I'd like to enter into the following challenges too:

Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge 52 - Girly cards
Crafty Calendar  March Challenge - Mum's Day/Special Female
Cardz4galz Challenge 17 - Woman or Women

Thanks for stopping by and looking.
As a relative newcomer to card making and colouring, any comments are very much appreciated.
xox

Sunday 13 March 2016

ATC: Green and Gold

This week is the 200th ATC challenge at Wicked Wednesday and the theme is Green and Gold. 

At the risk of sounding 'full of myself', I have to say that I was quite pleased with how my ATC turned out.  I had been pondering which way to go with this colour challenge and was, if I'm honest, lacking inspiration, so I just got my stuff out and began to play. 

Here is the result:

 

Today was a beautiful sunny spring day and the gold really sparkled, but it's tricky trying to capture that, so here's another shot: 


Background: Flourish (Inkilicious) stamped in TH Vintage Photo and, when dry, texture paste was applied through Balzer 'Tiny Dots' stencil. Tim Holtz's Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Crushed Olive and Memento's Bamboo Leaves were blended with a sponge to colour the whole background. Using an embossing pen and Tinsel Gold powders the stems of the flourish were heat embossed, as were the edges of the card.

Image: The toadstools, from the Dylusions 'Doolally Doris' collection, were stamped and heat embossed in black onto white card, then cut out. They were inked with Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade. Then the spots on the mushrooms were heat embossed with Tinsel Gold. They were positioned onto the ATC on foam pads.  The Inkilicious fairy was stamped in Jet Black ink and iridescent glitter applied to her wings.

Words: Tim Holtz 'ChitChat' stickers.


I'd also like to enter this into

Brown Sugar Challenge #189 Green and Gold

Thanks for stopping by and looking!

Friday 11 March 2016

CAS Card: Citrus

I made a very simple card today.




The background was embossed with Decadent Blooms - a free folder :)  from this month's Papercraft Essentials magazine (issue 131). A small strip of card was embossed for the ribbon and coloured with Crushed Olive distress ink.
Using the Spellbinders Nestabilities Scalloped circle die, I cut a circle and, using a blending tool, coloured it in Crushed Olive and Dandelion.
The 'Thank you' sentiment was die cut from a scrap of white card using another free die from Papercraft Essentials magazine (issue 128).

I'm entering this card into:


Thanks for looking!

Thursday 10 March 2016

Pocket Letter: EVG Heartsong

Here is a pocket letter I made using digital products from Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  I chose the beautiful Heartsong collection, using the Journaling Cards and Embellishments and Doodle Fairies.



The journal cards were printed onto white card and the edges inked. The embellishments were fussy cut and attached with pop dots. The large fairy was spray adhered to heavy card stock to make it more durable, then fussy cut and attached to the outside of the pocket protector with foam pads.(Only the lower part of the fairy was attached, so that the goodies in the back of the pocket could be accessed.)

Small crystal gems and glitter sticker dots added some extra embellishment. A strip of washi tape was fixed to the spine and painted wooden beads were threaded onto twine and held in place with a ribbon bow clip.

The back of the pocket letter was decorated with more Heartsong journal cards. Craft goodies and gifts were inserted.  Here is what is in each pocket:



1)  Note to recipient and info 'About Me'.
2)  Packet of flower seeds.
3)  Metal charms
4)  Wooden butterflies
5) Tea bag
6) Adhesive crystal gems
7) Washi tape samples and gel stickers
8) Glitter tape and adhesive heart stickers
9) Bakers twine sample and more adhesive bling

Thanks for looking!