Orchid and Bamboo.......

...or is that just another way of saying 'pink and green' , a colour combo I seem to be overdoing at the moment. (It's our current challenge at Inkspirational).

Anyway, I do love an oriental theme so I had to enter the challenge at Allsorts. I normally go for a more ornate oriental look, with rich and dark colours, but I had a piece of card on my table which I'd used to mop the ink of my mat from a prcvious project, stamped  the geisha on it (make unknown) and liked it. I stamped and embossed the lily ( Sheena Douglass)  on the same cardstock and, on both images, stippled the edges with Orchid Brilliance ink. The background embossing folder is also Sheena Douglass.

Pinspirational Challenge 105 - On Yer Bike

Here's my DT project for this week's Pinspirational Challenge  and here's the photo:

For my project I relied heavily on my digital die-cutting machine. First I cut out a bicycle, (which I cut in half) and then I cut out these lovely flowers and leaves, kindly provided by one of our sponsors, Fred She Said.  I coloured the flowers with two colours of pink ink and assembled them with a pearl centre.

How does the photo inspire you? Come over to Pinspirational Challenges and join in - we have fabulous prizes to win, provided by our sponsors.

I'd like to enter:
Ecletic Ellapu birthday
That Craft Place  anything goes
Cut it up  birthday
Use Your Stuff flowers

Bus Birthday

My partner is a 'classic bus enthusiast' who owns two doubledeckers and organises an annual bus event in a seaside town. I think you can see why I made this card! We've been together ten years and it's a challenge to keep coming up with fresh bus-themed ideas!

I found a free 'vector' image of a bus silhouette on the internet, opened it in Photoshop and converted it to a PNG. Then I pulled it into Silhouette Studio , traced it and cut it.  I typed in the numbers and sentiment and used 'print and cut'.  The seaside background was composed from the picture builder section of My Craft Studio 'Setting the Scene' CD.  Then I just inked and mounted everything.

Looking at the front of my bus, bet you can't guess how many candles he'll have on his cake!
I'd like to enter:
CD Sunday For someone special
Little Red Wagon  numbers ( hope they're not too discreet)
Moving along with the times transport
Seize the Birthday anything goes

Inkspirational Challenge 55 - Green and Pink

We have a spring-like colour combo at Inkspirational this time - green and pink. For my DT card, I used an A Day for Daisies image, printed directly onto the patterned paper. Then I paper-pieced her dress with a different pp. The leaves were already on the patterned paper so I highlighted them with pearls and gems and stamped the sentiment.

We'd love you to join us at Inkspirational with your green and pink creation. We have a fabulous Guest Designer, Alycia, so please do come and have a look.

I'd also like to enter:
Sparkles Challenge Fave colour combo - green and pink
Crafty Catz anything goes
Fab n Funky paper piecing
Inspired by photo inspiration

Festive 48 - Week 15

I love robins. We see them in our garden all year round but I still love them as an image for Christmas cards.

For this card I cut the robin on the Silhouette, out of Kaisercraft patterned paper, with the breast cut out of white card and coloured with 'Barn Door' distress ink. I embossed the ivy on colour core card and sanded it. I used two lovely pre-made die-cuts form My Mind's Eye and a Martha Stewart border punch. I put it together using the sketch from Just Add Ink. 

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. 

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

As well as Just Add Ink, I'd like to enter:
Winter Wonderland little robin redbreast 
Crafty Catz b is for (bird) 
Creative Knockouts Feathery friend 
Allsorts birds and feathers 
Crafty Calendar Things with wings 

An InLinkz Link-up

I Get Misty

We had an hour to fill between dinner and bed, and my 7 year old said-'Let's do crafting' and I know what that means... He loves to grab my box of spray inks and use as many as possible!

This is no job for flimsy cardstock, so I chopped up an empty cornflakes box . And while he was drenching his with as much ink as he could, this is what I made.

I used two colours of distress ink pads, sprayed with water, then stamped with Paper Artsy JOFY stamps. Then I used Perfect Pearls Gold spray and finally, stamped with a circular 'happy birthday ' stamp (origin unknown).

Luckily I'd finished this when my son vigorously shook a turquoise Cosmic Shimmer spray whose lid (apparently) was not fully screwed on....

He's fast asleep now and our clothes are soaking in the sink and hopefully the Cosmic Shimmer will come out....

I'd like to enter:
Artful Times- spray
Scrapping 4 Fun  Use a stamp
Shopping our Stash  recycle (cornflakes box)
Vintage Stamping Challenges anything goes

Pirate

Here's a birthday card for another of my nephews, but this one is only five.  I used a Lili of the Valley stamp and paper scraps, which I severely distressed!

I'd like to enter:
Retro Sketches sketch
Make my Monday distress it
Come and Get it  where the boys are
Cute Card Thursday Splish splash

Stocking up on Birthday Cards

A few days ago, I was surprised to discover that my stock of birthday cards was running perilously low, so I am trying to make some now.

The first card here was made using rub ons (the buildings) and a very old All Night Media balloons stamp.  I'd like to enter this into Curtain Call  (Confetti crush) and My Time to Craft (Up, up and away).

The second card was going to be a 'white on white', but I really couldn't get the panel with the sentiment to stand out enough so  decided to add a little pink. (I hope it doesn't look too much like a wedding card!). The panel is a Stampin Up stamp with a matching punch , and I added a sentiment (unknown) and used the same ink to colour the tips of the white flowers. I know the ribbon looks grey in the photo , but it's a pearlescent white. I'd like to enter  Crafty Creations (white plus one other colour) and Seize the Birthday ( white on white or ag - well, I nearly made the optional theme!).

Still Rockin' the Robin

Earlier, I posted a card featuring a robin cut out on the Silhouette.  After I made that card, I was looking at the hole left from the die-cut and decided to try using it as a stencil, using the same brown and red Distress Inks that I'd used earlier. It's a softer look , I think.

The text stamp is by Darkroom Door. The clock is a die-cut, coloured with ink and copper stain.

I'd like to enter:
Christmas Stampin AYL  sketch
Squirrel and the Fox Die cut or punch
Shopping our Stash Use numbers
Winter Wonderland Little Robin Redbreast

Ballooning

I'm lucky enough to have two weeks off work at the mo, but I've realised it's my friend at work's birthday on Saturday, so I need to post her a card tomorrow. No problem, I thought, I'm always making cards. But when I looked, I had 'thank you', 'new baby', 'new home', 'get well soon', 'Christmas'........ very few birthday cards and they just didn't seem right for my friend. I suppose it's because often I make a bday card with a particular person in mind.

So I decided - a) I need to stock up on bday cards , and b) I needed to make one quickly!

In a hurry, I find my Silhouette Cameo , and a couple of challenges, invaluable.

I had already intended to enter the City Crafter challenge 'balloons' , because I can't use enough images of hot air balloons , I love them so much.  I also spotted a useful -looking sketch at Feeling Sketchy.

So, I cut out the balloon, border and scalloped circle using the Silhouette Cameo, Kirsty Wiseman patterns and black cs. I stamped some turquoise cardstock with a Woodware(?) sentiment and then embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder.

As well as City Crafter and Feeling Sketchy, I'd like to enter:
Sentimental Sundays Embossing
Addicted to Stamps  Anything goes

David!

I had a great weekend at a scrapbooking 'retreat' with my local group. I cannot reveal everything that went on; in fact, I deny everything!

Anyway, here is one of the layouts I made, using a sketch provided.  The patterned papers are by Studio Calico 'Take Note' and nearly everything else was cut out on the Silhouette Cameo.

The layout is about a sightseeing trip to Buckingham Palace and how excited my son got when he thought he spotted the prime minister.

I'd like to enter:
123 Get Scrappy  journalling, yellow background, silver
Lasting Memories  It's the little things.

Typewriter

This is a birthday card for  my nephew, who is in his twenties and is a computer 'whizz' - I hope he will know what the typewriter is!

I used a sketch and colour scheme from a new challenge blog , Poppy Sketches .

The typewriter is from a Serif Craft Artist CD ( not sure name of CD as contained several digi-kits - this one was Vintage Typewriter.) I added the ink splodge and recoloured them both to match the colour scheme. Then I brought it into the Silhouette Cameo for cutting. I downloaded a typewriter style font for the sentiment and stamped a Paper Artsy grunge stamp over it, adding an enamel dot.

P.s - Looking at the colours on my computer screen, they do not look the exact red, teal and grey of the real card!

As well as Poppy Sketches, I'd like to enter:

CD Sunday  Something Old, Something new  ( old typewriter, new technology used to make the card)
Time Out Masculine Birthday

Pinspirational Challenge 103- Some Bunny Loves You

It's time for another Pinspirational Challenge and here's the inspiration picture:

As you can see, I noticed the bunny the little girl is holding and picked out a bunny detail in a digi, kindly provided by one of our sponsors - Elisabeth Bell. 

Please come over to Pinspirational  and join in with the challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Delightful Challenges egg
QKR Stampede easter
Alphabet Challenge Easter
CASual Fridays good egg

Pink Reindeer

An extra Christmas card this week - I am going to be so smug by December.

I stamped a Hero Arts reindeer in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink, coloured it with Promarkers and cut it with the matching die.  The tree dies are from the same set and I embossed one of them with spots. The circular frame was a die cut - I stamped it using a Stampin Up stamp and two colours of pink ink. Then I sprayed the frame with glitter spray AND chucked a load of extra fine glitter over it - but you can't see it in the photo! Let's try a close up:

Can you see the sparkle???
I also used a scrap of snowfall acetate and a diecut sentiment.

I'd like to enter:
Winter Wonderland  Pink Christmas
Crafty Boots sparkle
Fab n Funky  Pink
Crimbo Crackers make a scene
That's Crafty You spin me right round.

Festive 48 week 14

Just quickly scheduling this before I clear off for a crafty weekend.  The tree stamp is Woodware. The background behind it is a Hero Arts stamp which is very similar to the patterned paper I used at the back. I also used very gliterry glitter paper, Martha Stewart punch and gems.

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. 

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

I'd like to enter:
ABC Christmas Challenge  g is for glitter
Sparkles Christmas Challenge  Christmas song. (O Christmas Tree) 

An InLinkz Link-up

Inkspirational Challenge , a Sketch and a DT Call

Here's my DT card for Inkspirational Challenges and here is the sketch we are using.

For my card I used a Silhouette cutting file of bunnies and a Samantha Walker digikit called 'Cottontail'.

There are loads of reasons to pop over to Inkspirational right now. We have a fabulous Guest Designer
Elaine, beautiful cards from the DT, a DT call and , of course, we'd love you to make a project using our sketch and enter the challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Unstampabelles Animals and pastels
Red Carpet Studios hop
Simply Create Too no digis or stamped images
Inspired by  photo

Festive 48 - Week 13

Inspired by the theme'gingerbread' at Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge , I stamped the jar of gingerbread men on the left(Molly Bloom), coloured it, cut it out and realised it was just too small for a focal point.  I then stamped the boy and tried sitting him on the jar - but then you couldn't see the gingerbread! Eventually, I masked him off and used an empty jar from Stampin Up  with a sentiment (Woodware). I cut a gingerbread man from another Molly Bloom stamp and put him in the top left.

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. 

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

As well as Holly Jolly, I'd also like to enter: 
Moving Along with the Times  Sweet Treats 
Crimbo Crackers  Anything goes 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pinspirational Challenge 102

It's not my team's turn to create at Pinspirational Challenges this week - but when I saw this cute bunny digi from our sponsor, Dorky Prints, I couldn't be left out.

Here's the pinspirational photo

I'd like to enter:

The Squirrel and The Fox All creatures great and small

Make my Monday Easter 

Simply Create Too  Easter/bunnies

Totally Papercrafts pastels

Poppy Love

A few years ago, I bought a friend some bright green gloves to wear with her bright red coat. She sent me a 'thank you' card saying, 'I now feel like the kind of confident person who can wear bold, clashing colours.'! I hope this is the kind of confident card that can take bold clashing colours! I like this colour combo, but I'm sure it's not for everyone. I love the stamp, 'Lulu Loves Poppies' by Stampin Bella and, as poppies are often associated with rememberance, I wanted this to be bright and happy.

The poppies were cut on the Silhouette cameo with Ranger liquid enamel middles.

I'd like to enter:
Use Your Stuff Die Cuts
Penny Black and More Blossoms and blooms
A Song in Your Heart  Everything Grows
My Craft Creations Anything goes
Suzy Bee's  Anything goes
Scrapping 4 Fun  Anything Goes

Festive 48 - Week 12

This  stamp (Papermania) isn't actually a Christmas stamp, although I've used it on a Christmas card before.  I've paper-pieced it with Wild Rose Christmas papers (magazine freebie). I used the sketch from Christmas Challenges and the bingo card from Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - gold, more than 3 layers, ribbon . (The gold and red ribbon is trimming the back layer.).

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.

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

As well as Holly Jolly and Christmas Challenges, I'd also like to enter: 

Addicted to Stamps  Holiday 
Cuttin and Stampin  paper piecing 
Fab n Funky  Christmas 

An InLinkz Link-up

Dog in a Trophy

I made this card using the sketch from CD Sunday  and the Docrafts Digital Designer'Tulip and Friends' CD rom.

I'd also like to enter:
Desert Island Crafts 1,6,7
Make My Monday one for the boys
Little Red Wagon masculine

B is for Butterfly

Here is another example of me straying from my original ideas! My idea was to make a dead-creature-free version of a Victorian butterfly collector's box. But somehow I ended up adding some really bright non-Victorian colours!

I used one stamp - a very old one by Anita's and used it in several different ways - on dominoes, on a wafer of mica (with added Pearl Ex) , onto a Tim Holtz 'fragment', onto shrink plastic and directly onto the backing paper. I cut the word on the Silhouette Cameo and coloured it with Moonglow Starburst Stain. The frame is a Tando Creative mini printer tray that I painted with pink acrylic paint.

I'd like to enter:
Time Out  photo
Tando Creative  recycle (the dominoes)
Totally Papercrafts think pink
Eclectic Ellapu wings
Crafty Cardmakers  You've been framed

{Pin}spirational Challenge 101

It's time for another Pinspirational challenge and here's the picture:

For my DT card, I was inspired by the hexagons on a turtle's shell. The papers I used were generously provided by our sponsor , Imagine That  - I love the sunburst design and because they're digital, I was able to scale them down for the hexagons (which I cut on the Silhouette).

How does this picture inspire you? Come over and join in at Pinspirational challenges.


I'd like to enter:
My Craft Creations  anything goes
Use your Stuff die cuts