Embossed Mouse

I love the texture and subtlety of an embossing folder. It's amazing to see a beautifully intricate design appear once you peel away the folder and allow the light to reveal the pattern in its shadows.  I've raised the image and layered sentiment on 3D foam pads too for added dimension.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Mouse: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

• Berry Sweet Mice from Last Minute Manda
• Whimsy Stamps Birthday Word and Shadow Die
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Whimsy Stamps Slimline Embossing Folder Daisies

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Apple Green Card 240gsm

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Lots of Texture
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Teddy Handstand

We're asking what's your favourite sketch this week at As You Like It Challenge and I knew straight away what I was going to pick.  I love the pretty design of this card, with its two complementary designer papers and a strip of ribbon covering the join.  As usual it's decorated with a double bow and a cluster of papers flowers on the diagonals.  If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you will recognise it as being a layout that I return to time and time again.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Flowers: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

• Teddy Handstand by Lee Holland
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Marine Blue Card 240gsm
• Aqua Blue 6mm Satin Ribbon
• Yellow 15mm Organza Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• Mini Rosebuds
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL41 Pierced Circles
• Gems

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Panda

I've embossed some pearlescent silver to make this slimline card. I prefer pearl to mirror card as it's a bit more subtle, and very pretty paired with some accents of dark violet. I've framed the watercoloured panda image and the embossed silver layer with purple card, and then die cut a sentiment in alternating purple and silver.  The strip covering the join where the embossing ends is a satin ribbon in the same rich purple.

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Panda: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass, Weathered Wood
• Yellows: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed

Card Recipe:

• Cute Teddy Bear by Lee Holland Digis
• Whimsy Stamps Birthday Word and Shadow Die
• Gummiapan Happy Birthday Die (Happy element only)
• Whimsy Slimline Embossing Folder - Daisies
• 10mm Satin Ribbon

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Violet Plain Card 290gsm
• Silver Sirio Pearl Card

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Koala

I've watercoloured a cute Koala image from Lee Holland's digi shop and paired him with some Springtime papers in the hope of charming the sun to shine this weekend!

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Branch: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

• Koala on a Branch from Lee Holland Digis
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• 6mm Satin Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cosmos Daisy
• Open Roses
• Mini Rosebuds
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Blue Polar Bear

I've made this fun Polar Bear card using some smooth white card for the base and some of my favourite Marine Blue for his cosy scarf.  His eyes are so dinky that I struggled not to lose them before sticking them on with the smallest dab of glue.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

• Polar Bear Silhouette Cut File

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Marine Blue Card 240gsm
• Dark Violet Plain Card 240gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Soft Pink Tilda

This week at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you prefer soft or bold colours.  I honestly thought I would pick soft colours every time, but having a look at some of my recent cards they've been fairly bright and bold. But I'm sticking to my guns and opting for soft pastels, because I'd pick those out of any line up!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Hair: Brushed Corduroy, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Holly: Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Pinks: Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
• 'Whites': Speckled Egg

Card Recipe:

• Magnolia Tilda It's Cold Outside
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL41 Pierced Circles
• Bubblegum Pink Card 170gsm
• 15mm Organza Ribbon
• Open Roses
• Hip Rosebuds
• Lily Flowers

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Feminine

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Lighthouse

I loved the look of this lighthouse box and decided to make one just for fun. It looks more complicated that it was in practice, although the flagpole was meant to be a straw, but because I didn't have one, I rolled up some orange card into a sausage and glued the edge instead.

I'm not sure what I'm going to put inside it yet, but for now, it was a fun project and I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Project Recipe:

• Lighthouse by Sweet Afton

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Ocean Blue Card 240gsm
• Navy Blue Card 240 gsm
• Sherbet Orange Card 200gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Penguin Card

I've adapted this penguin shape to become a tent-fold Christmas card by mirroring the main black oval and adding a dashed fold-line for the cardbase.  I've also elongated his body a bit to fit 2 cardbases onto a sheet of A4 card.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

• Penguins by Snapdragon Snippets

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Woodstock Giallo Card 285gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Pingu Gift Tags

I've used a cut file by Sweet Afton to create these pingu gift tags from plain black and white card and have added a little white acrylic paint for light speckles on the eyes and beak.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

• Penguin Earrings Silhouette Cut file by Sweet Afton
• Orange Twine
• White acrylic

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Woodstock Giallo Card 285gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Toucan Tango

I've watercoloured this sweet toucan image by Lee Holland and framed him using an orange colour palette. 

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Leaves: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Branch: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Toucan: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Toucan by Lee Holland
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• 15mm Golden Organza ribbon
• 6mm Satin ribbon
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Have a fin-tastic day

At As You Like It Challenge this week, we're asking if you prefer Clean & Simple or Fussy.  I personally enjoy making both styles, although I find the clean and simple theme far more challenging because mine seem to feel 'unfinished'. I've tasked myself to make a clean and simple card that I'm happy with. This one's for a dad who's keen on fishing, so the masculine theme tends to lend itself more to clean and simple.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Lili of the Valley

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Rod: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Rusty Hinge
• Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

• James Fishing
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Marine Blue Card 240gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Typed Sentiment (Fonts: 'KG Beneath Your Beautiful Chunk' and 'Outside')
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

It's a Bug's Life

I'm not usually a fan of bugs, in fact I'd normally be running in the opposite direction if I saw one, but I will make an exception for this sweet little fella.

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers

Card Recipe:

• Caterpillar with Butterfly by Lee Holland Digis
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Woodstock Giallo Card 285gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• Hip Rosebuds
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL41 Pierced Circles
• 15mm Satin ribbon

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Flower Power (using Distress Ink reinkers from CVC)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Badger

Today's question at As You Like It Challenge is whether you like prefer floral or cute themes in your projects. I'm definitely a fan of anything cute and I'm not overkeen on purely floral images (the singel flower held by my cute critter is the closest I'll get to floral images!). I do like floral papers though, but in the main my image will usually include some kind of critter!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Badger: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Flower: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

• Badger holding a flower by Lee Holland
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Smooth White Card 160gsm

I've been inspired by:

• TBA

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Woodland Emma

I've been keen to use some of these adorable woodland alphabet letters by Lee Holland, and I've created this sweet personalised card for a friend using the ornate 'E' and leaf-sprouting lowercase and a couple of extra elements (the sunflower and a couple of extra leaves).  I've watercoloured the image, blending some greens and browns for the lettering and adding some yellow and orange for the flowers.

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct


Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Lettering: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Flowers: Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Greys: Pumice Stone

Card Recipe:

Image:

• Lee Holland Woodland Alphabet with Lowercase and Elements

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Apple Green Card 240gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Fresh Vegetables

I've used this Flower Cart cut file to create this fun pop-up card.  I've added the watercoloured bunny and vegetables which are fussy cut and layered onto the cart.

I really enjoy making pop-up cards. They seem a little more special than the standard square fold which I normally make.

Designed for:
Dies to Die For

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Oranges: Dried Marigold, Fossilised Amber, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Colorado Craft Company Summer Garden

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Mocha Brown Card 240gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm
• Smooth Orange Card 200gsm

Other:

• Typed Sentiment
• Silhouette Flower Cart Cut File

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Squirrel and leaf

I love these little woodland critters by Lee Holland so I've created a clean and simple notelet card where this adorable squrrel is the focus.

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

Image:

• Squirrel with Leaf Umbrella by Lee Holland

Cardstock:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Apple Green Card 240gsm

Other:

• Nitwit Collections Papers

Watercolouring:

• Ecoline Watercolour Card 
• Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Leaf: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Speckled Egg
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Easter Bunny

This cute little bunny gift pouch has some of my favourite treats in his tummy!  I hope he's willing to share!

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

• Bunny Candy Box Silhouette Cut File
  
  

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm
• Pompelmo Nettuo Linen (yellow)
• Pink Pearl Card

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

James Gardening

This adorable James the Bear image is coming out at Lili of the Valley this week, and as usual I can't resist this sweet little bear.  I've watercoloured him with my Distress Inks, and added a simple typed sentiment and pretty Nitwit papers.

Designed for:

Lili of the Valley

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Spade: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

• James Gardening by Lili of the Valley
  
• Marine Blue Card 240gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Typed sentiment

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Pastel Rose

I've converted this Stained Glass box file into a cardbase using lots of pearl card.  It was a little fiddly with the very narrow black 'lead' but I've used a couple of layers to give it some thickness.  I cut the corners off the cardbase to make the card into the same shape as the panel.  

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm
• Lots of scraps of Pearl Card in red, green and pastels

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Cute Chickie

This Cute Chickie is from the Silhouette Store but I've added some white accents to his eyes, an extra layer to his feet and convered it into a cardbase using a mirror image to create a tent-fold.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Card Recipe:

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Sunlight Yellow Plain Card
• Daffodil Yellow Plain Card
• Terra Rossa Materica Card
• Woodstock Arancio Card  285gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Easer / Spring

Happy crafting
Annette
xx