Saturday 30 August 2014

Inkspirational Challenge - Peacock


We have a 'photo inkspiration' challenge for you at Inkspirational, and here's the photo:
For my DT card, I inked and stamped a tag and then stamped the image of the peacock  ( brand unknown).
Behind it, I layered a panel of resist stamped card and a part of a doily. The background panel was coloured with ink and water.

Please do visit us at Inkspirational , see what our DT have done and meet our Guest Designer, Pauline. 

I'd like to enter
Creative Knockouts whimsical wings
Delightful Sketches layers
Red Rubber Inspirationals  stamping
Tuesday Throwdown anything goes
Sugar Creek Hollow  tag, you're it

Friday 29 August 2014

Chevron Balloon


I was inspired by the picture at Use Your Stuff  to make this card. Sorry the picture is a bit shadowy - I will miss the deadline if I leave it till the light is good! I'd also like to enter the banners and balloons challenge at Incy Wincy. 

Festive 48 - Week 33


I've used another Heather Ellis image here, coloured with Promarkers. The swirly snowflake backgound is a Justrite stamp and the 'noel' was cut on the Silhouette.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

This link up is always 'Any Christmas Card Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
QKR Stampede monochrome 
Completely Christmas  anything goes 
Simply Create Too monochrome


Monday 25 August 2014

Happy Birthday Pia


Happy Birthday to my Inkspirational team-mate, Pia .  Hopefully, she will have already received this card in real life.

This card was mostly made from things I had lying around. The bird is an ADFD digi that I had printed off some time ago and never used. I sponged it with distressed inks and sprayed it with water.  The yellow background was made when I was trying out the kiss stamping technique. All I had to do then was ink a mat using one of the ink colours I'd used on the bird, and stamp a sentiment.

I'd like to enter:
Red Rubber Inspirationals  just wing it
Seize the Birthday  anything goes
Crafting from the Heart  anything goes
Through the Purple Haze  anything goes
The Squirrel and the Fox spring

Get Well Puppy


I know a puppy is not traditional for 'get well' but when I saw this image I thought it was a nice symbol of the health and energy we'd like a sick person to regain. I also thought it might work well for a man.

The puppy is a pre-coloured image from My Craft Studio Setting the Scene CD and I added the text to the bowl.  I use some scrap patterned paper and I doodled some frames.

I'd like to enter
CD Sunday  get well
Come and Get it  anything goes with a sentiment
Crafting when we can doodles
 4 Crafty Chicks  masculine

Make My Monday - Tag or Topper



This week's challenge at Make My Monday is Tag or Topper.  As you can see, for my DT  project., I made a tag. I coloured the white inner layer with Distress ink and stamped it with script and heart stamps - it's very subtle - a bit too subtle for the photo I think! Then I used die-cuts from a sheet of Fancy Pants printed die-cuts I impulse bought years ago and have never used. I used every distressing trick in the book - inking, crumpling, scratching and frantage-ing ... I'm surprised anything survived!  Finally I added lace and a brad.

We'd love you to come over to Make My Monday , see what the rest of the DT have done and join in the challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Crafty Creations  Dig deep (the Fancy Pants die cuts)
Creative Knockouts  tag you're it
Scrapping 4 Fun  technique - distressing and frantage

Sunday 24 August 2014

Secrets of the Garden

Well, if I had a fairy in the garden, I would probably keep her secret so that people wouldn't think me mad!

Here I used a digi from Crafts and Me.  I coulered her by sponging her with two pink and one yellow distress inks. The torn background was made using Fresco paints and a Paper Artsy stamp on waxed tissue paper. The text 'secrets of the garden' is from the same Paper Artsy set as the flower. I also used pearls , a chipboard heart sprayed with glitter, roses and 'wink of Stella' on the wings ( doesn't show in photo).

I'd like to enter:
Crafty Cardmakers fantasy
Try it on Tuesday  use your stash - first use of the Paper Artsy stamp set , Fresco paints and tissue paper
Aloha Challenge In the garden
Shopping Our Stash   chipboard (heart)
Inky Chicks fairies

Saturday 23 August 2014

Knitting


When I saw this Heather Ellis digistamp, I knew I could use it for the photo challenge at City Crafter . 

I think this card would be perfect for a friend who knits. Unfortunately, I don't have such a friend! 

I coloured the image with Promarkers and paper-pieced the dress. 

As well as City Crafter, I'd also like to enter: 
Scrapping 4 Fun  technique challenge (paper-piecing) 
Stempelgarten  paper-piecing 
Brown Sugar  kraft 

Friday 22 August 2014

Marmalade Cats


Well, I've just completed my first week back at work after my four week summer break - it has really helped that the weather has taken a turn for the worst, so not too bad to be back in the college.

For this card, I used an old Magenta stamp - I stamped it on a piece of scrap inked paper left over from my Inkspirational DT project, cut out the cats and cosied them up together. The grid is a Kaisercraft stamp - it's a long stamp so I masked it off to make it square and added a sentiment.

I'd like to enter:
Craftroom Challenge  cats
Papergirls  Challenge  make your own challenge - messy(inked paper) , 3 images (3 stamps), make a card.
Tuesday Throwdown furry friends
Addicted to Stamps  cas

Festive 48- Week 32


This week I have resist embossed a Hero Arts text background and made a rosette. The centre of the rosette is a Echo Park sticker, which I've glittered.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

This link up is always 'Any Christmas Card Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
Holly Jolly  non traditional colours
Hobbycutz fancy folds
Creative Card Crew embossing 
Addicted to Stamps holiday 
Sweet Stampin  Christmas 



Happy Birthday Nonni


Happy Birthday to my lovely Inspirational team-mate Nonni. Hopefully,she will have received this card in real life by now.

I used 6 stamps from two Sarah Hurley stamp sets, coloured with Promarkers. Nonni is a red-head and I think that influenced my slightly autumnal colour scheme.

Sandie is hosting a surprise linky party on her blog, so I am linking up there.

I'd also like to enter:
Corrosive Challenges  B unique - bird, birdhouse, birthday , branch
Crafters' Cafe square cards
Red Rubber Inspirationals just wing it
Hobbycutz fave kind of challenge - wings!

Thursday 21 August 2014

The Photogenic Tower


Is it possible to take a bad photo of the Eiffel Tower? This layout tells the story that, on our recent trip to Paris, we queued for 2.5 hours to get into the tower and when we got up there, it rained!

I used some Teresa Collins paper for the background , washi tape, die-cuts made on the Silhouette and 7 Gypsies 'Numero' stamp set.

I'd like to enter:
Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge  favourite summer memory
Crafting for All Seasons  monochromatic

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Some things I've made this week


As well as my usual cardmaking and scrapbooking , I've done some other crafty things this week.

At the weekend I made my first attemepts at glass etching using a stencil (cut on the Silhouette) and etching cream. I kept to pretty simple shapes and was amazed when it worked. I might try something more complicated next.
And here's the cushion cover I made - not displayed to its best advantage, perhaps!

Cruise


I do a lot of 'hybrid' these days. I love how technology can be combined with good old cutting and sticking !
For the central image I combined six elements from two different digikits in Craft Artist. The spotty paper also started out as digital - Samantha Walker Nautical - and I (on my Silhouette) cut an aperture in it and stuck it over the image on 3d foam, so the image is recessed.

The anchor is an SVG cutting file, and I added gems, punched hearts and some layers of card.

I'd like to enter:
That Craft Place nautical
Eclectic Ellapu nautical
Mod Squad  coastal

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Pinspirational Challenge 121



See below for the inspirational picture for this week's Pinspirational Challenge  I picked up the theme of friendship for my DT card. I used a digi stamp, from my own collection, which is by one of our sponsors this week, A Day for Daisies. I created a torn mask and framed it with a Hero Arts text background, 'Friendship'. 


Please come over to Pinspirational  and show us how the picture inspires you. There are great prizes to be won. 
 
I'd like to enter:
Crafting from the Heart anything goes
Simon Says Stamp anything goes   

Monday 18 August 2014

Make My Monday - Sports


This week's challenge at Make My Monday  is to make a project on the theme of 'Sports'.

I made a scrapbook layout of my son and grandson playing football. I used papers from Simple Stories and Echo Park . I stamped using an arrow stamp and a dotted circle. I cut the banner and title on the Silhouette and added badges, stickers etc from various brands.

We'd love you to join us at Make My Monday  and show us your take on the theme.
I'd like to enter:
Craft your Passion  at least 3 patterned papers
Crafters Cafe anything but a card
Love to Scrap  anything goes

Sunday 17 August 2014

Everything's Coming Up Roses


I know the image of the woman sniffing the rose comes from a famous painting but I don't know who by, I just know this is a very old stamp from Oxford Impressions. I used four stamps on my project: the woman, the rose frame (Stampin Up) , the sentiment and a rose stamp that I used on the die-cut butterfly (both unknown) . I used red ink and two shades of brown throughout.  I dry embossed the roses on the background,sanded them and added brown ink. The semi-circle of text was found on my craft-room floor! I guess it must have fallen out of something from a previous project.

I'd like to enter:
City Crafter  roses
Craftroom Challenge Summer garden
Crafty Creations  flower power
Moving Along with the Times vintage
That's Crafty  Stamping Ground

If you go down to the woods today...


Actually, they're not in the woods, it's just my back garden! But the picture reminded me of the song, Teddy Bear's Picnic. I distressed plain cardstock with sprays, inks and stamps, and cut the trees out of patterned paper and distressed them too. The title was made on the PC, except for 'woods', which I cut on the Silhouette.

I'd like to enter:
Simon Says Stamp Monday  scratched up
Cut it Up  inspired by a song

Saturday 16 August 2014

Inkspirational Challenge - Red, Orange,Yellow

Our new challenge at Inkspirational is to ues red, orange and yellow - you can use all three or just two of them.

I used inks of all three colours to make my background, which I then distressed. The giraffe was clip art that I traced and cut on the Silhouette and I added a sentiment and a semi-circle of buttons.

I hope you'll make a project using these hot colours and share it with us at Inkspirational. 

I'd like to enter
Craft Your Passion add some yellow
Crafting for All Seasons   creature
QKR Stampede  add a button
Scribbles Designs  animal planet

Friday 15 August 2014

Aloha



Just back from my holidays - but they were nothing like this! Thought this bright card might make a fun birthday card for someone. I used a Design's By Dani digikit  (all precoloured) , cut the elements on the Silhouette and added them to a stepper card, made from Echo Park patterned cardstock.

I'd like to enter:
Try it On Tuesday  wish you were here
Seize the Birthday anything goes
Imagination Crafts  Summer Holidays/ create a scene

Thursday 14 August 2014

Festive 48 - Week 31


This week I used an Indigo Blu stamp, coloured with gold mica powders; embossing powders and a die cut reindeer head.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

This link up is always 'Any Christmas Card Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
Crafty Hazelnuts  Fur or feather 
Completely Christmas  anything goes 
Allsorts  all sentimental 
Craft for the Craic  item never uses before - stamp. 




Monday 11 August 2014

Make My Monday - Circus

This week's theme at Make My Monday  is 'Circus' .

I used a digital kit by Samantha Walker and lots of  distress ink - I think this has a vintage nursery look.

I hope you'll 'send in the clowns' and join our challenge at Make My Monday this week. 

Saturday 9 August 2014

Retro Sundae

This week, I stayed with my friend in Southend (for my international visitors, it's an English seaside resort). This is my 'thanks for having me card' for her.

In Southend, I was inspired by a cafe I saw on the front - it's called 'Three Shells Beach Cafe' and it has three pastel-coloured fibreglass (?) shells for the roof - I think it looks like a kitschy retro American-style diner , although I didn't see inside.  (Might have been disappointed!) . That's the style I'm going for with this card.

The sundae is from Papermania Happy Days CD and I cut it on the Silhouette, also cutting an offset 'shadow'. I coloured it with Promarkers, liquid pearls and glitter. The 'cherry pie' label is also from Happy Days and I put it in a flattened bottle cap. I also used various patterned paper, 3 Candi and a die cut text.

I'd like to enter:
CD Sunday  food glorious food
Clear it Out  sketch and die cuts
Craft your Passion  sweet treats
Open-minded Crafting Fun  summer food
Silhouette Challenges offset feature

Friday 8 August 2014

Festive 48 - Week 30


Still going on the Christmas cards! I used a digi-stamp (just says LPW on file name - can't  remember what that stands for), Promarkers , 'Noel' cut on Silhouette and an embossing folder.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

This link up is always 'Any Christmas Card Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
City Crafter - animal 
Crafters Cafe- use a digi 
Winter Wonderland anything goes 
A Gem of a Challenge embossing 


Thursday 7 August 2014

Boy Tshirt


I had a plain white Tshirt and I asked my grandson (nearly 4) what he would like on it and he said 'butterflies'.

I created this image in Silhouette Studio. I found a cloud ( digital version of Echo Park Sweet Day) and it contained words such as kindness/ caring/ carefree - words not always associated with 'boyishness' but which are just as important for boys as girls. I used the text feature to add the word 'boy' on top. The butterflies are part of this week's Silhouette free cut file and I used the 'fill pattern' feature to fill them with the cloud pattern.  Then I traced the image and cut it out of heat transfer paper, on the Silhouette Cameo.

I'd like to enter:
Country View Challenges  word play
Sarah Hurley Favourite things - Silhouette and making things for my loved ones.
Craft Hoarders Anonymous  upcycle
Crafty Calendar  ag

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Pinspirational Challenge 119


It's time for another challenge at Pinspirational, and here's the inspirational photo:

For my DT project, I used shrink plastic, and a digi kindly provided by our sponsors , Little Blue Button Stamps , to make a place setting or drinking glass charm. 

At first I tried to hand- colour the image, but whatever colour I chose for the skin, when it was shrunk, it intensified so much that it looked awful. So, I coloured the image digitally in Photoshop and I added a name - it's my daughter's name - but I think it would be nice to do a set with all the names of the guests at  a summer barbecue. 

Beach, sea, surf - even boho - how does this photo inspire you? Come and join in at Pinspirational Challenges . 

I'd like to enter: 
Fairytale Challenge - sun, beach , sea 
Crafty Calendar  anything goes 

Monday 4 August 2014

Make My Monday - Birds


It's a real crowd-pleaser theme at Make My Monday this week - birds.

For my DT card, I  resist-stamped the bird onto a page from a book , tore the image out and matted it. I'm sorry I have lost the brand name for the bird stamp - I tried googling it but just found a whole load of new stamps I want to buy!

I pleated the music paper and added a die-cut flower I had previously coated in the melt-pot. For the middle, I added a piece of the book paper to a clear epoxy circle, and surrounded with gems.  I stamped the card base with a music stamp, masked with torn paper.

Which of your fabulous bird images are you going to choose to enter our challenge at Make My Monday?

I'd like to enter:
Red Carpet Studio   pitch perfect
Stamping Sensations  anything goes
Patties Creations for the birds
Scrapping  4 Fun  anything goes
Scribble and Scrap  anything goes

Saturday 2 August 2014

Inkspirational Challenge - Use Markers or Pencils


Our new challenge at Inkspirational , chosen by Nonni, is to use markers or pencils. Nonni is an expert at using alcohol markers and I can't aspire to that skill level, but I do enjoy using them to colour in stamped or digi images. The stamp is by Stamping Bella and the misteltoe embellishment was cut on the Silhouette.

I hope you will join us at Inkspirational , where we have a fabulous Guest Designer, Greta . See you there.

I'd like to enter:
Shopping Our Stash - triple threat - pearls, die cuts, dry embossing
Twisted Tuesday  include an evergreen (mistletoe)
Creative Card Crew Christmas
Winter Wonderland  anything goes
Sparkles Forum Christmas

Friday 1 August 2014

Lamp


So, yesterday my partner said to me, 'Oh, Mum's moving tomorrow; can you make her a card? ' !

The lamp is a cutting file, cut on my Silhouette and I stamped the base with a woodgrain stamp and inked all the edges. I decided to use the colour scheme from Mod Squad Challenge (blue, brown and one other neutral).

I decided to make the sentiment in Silhouette Studio - I always feel a bit overwhelmed when looking for a font, there are so many. Then I remembered a challenge I had been looking at earlier, Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  'J is for..' and decided to look for a font beginning with J - there were only three - and this is Jasmine UPC.

As I think this qualifies as CAS, I'd also like to enter Less is More anything goes.

Festive 48 - week 29


I used a digital version of Glitz Design 'Hello December', cut into circles, inked, with glitter gems etc added.Two circles were stamped, using cherry ink and a Papermania snowflake and Inkadinkado script. Some of the circles are stuck on with 3d foam.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

This link up is always 'Any Christmas Card Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
Holly Jolly  deck the halls
City Crafter Christmas
Little Red Wagon Christmas 
That's Crafty  Christmas