Summer Flower Tilda

Summer is definitely my favourite season of the year. I love the warmth of the sunshine and the long light days.  Unfortunately we're coming to the end of it now and it's certainly starting to feel colder.  We relented this week and have had the heating on since Tuesday!

We're asking what your favourite season is at As You Like It Challenge and I've used this colourful floral image, papers and embellishments to represent summer.  

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

• Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• 'Whites': Weathered Wood

Card Recipe:

• Cute Sakura Tilda
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Wild Orchid Crafts Open Roses
• Wild Orchid Crafts Mini Rosebuds
• 5mm Pink Crystals
• 15mm Satin Purple ribbon

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes using Distress Ink
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Lovely hAnglar or Sweet Magnolia - Flowers (mine are more Summer than Autumn though)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Magical Christmas

I'm still in Christmas mode but I've used a non-Christmas fairy image today to create a magical card by adding some snowflake papers and a typed sentiment.

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

• Hair: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• Yellows: Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw
• Ground: Pumice Stone, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Blanche the Butterfly from Stamping Bella
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Snow Princess papers from Nitwit Designs

I've been inspired by:

• Crafty Catz - Christmas

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Squirrels

A really simple card featuring a Christmas scene which is very, erm, green!

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

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• 'Whites': Weathered Wood

Card Recipe:

• Squirrels from Lili of the Valley
• Holiday Magic papers from Nitwits

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Christmas

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Honey Pot Thanks

I love this stamp set from W Plus 9. The bears remind me of a certain 'silly old bear' and I've used two different bears from the set along with the log, beehive (hanging from the tree) and a worried bee!  It's a simple card layout with just a die cut border and sentiment.

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

• Fur: Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy
• Tree: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Beehive: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
• Flowers: Seedless Preserves

Card Recipe:

• Curious Forest Friends from WPlus9
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies Extreme Labels and Tags No.12 (used for the stitched border)

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - B for bears, blue, brown, bee, beehive
• Allsorts - Create a scene

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Puppy Power

For someone who's usually more a 'cat person', I couldn't resist these puppies when I saw them and just 'had' to have them!  

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

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

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• CC Designs Puppy Power
• Versafine Ink Pad
• MFT Plaid Patterns Papers
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Sending Hedgehugs

A quick post tonight with a card I made last week and had decided I wasn't going to post it, but I came home tonight and figured I'd make a last ditch attempt for the MFT challenge. I decided I've nothing to lose (except my pride, which is long gone!). 

For someone who doesn't really like green, I seem to have used it a lot recently!

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

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass, Broken China
• Acorn: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
• Log: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• MFT Happy Hedgehogs
• MFT Roses All Over Pastel Papers
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges

I've been inspired by:

• MFT Colouring

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny Pop-Up Box Card

I've not made one of these pop up box cards for a while and had to dig out my template (safely filed away!) but they're fun to make. I used my cute bunny bubbles stamp set.  The 'mechanism' for making the inside box 'pop' is just an elastic band and it folds flat for posting which is ideal!

I've attempted a little video - hopefully it shows the pop up mechanism working.

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• MFT Bubble Over With Joy stamp set
• MFT Bundles of Blossoms paper pad
• MFT Watercolor Wash paper pad
• MFT Dienamics Square Peek-a-boo Window

I've been inspired by:

• MFT Innovation
• Stamping Sensations - B for Bunnies Blowing Bubbles on a Box card

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bear with me ....

We're asking whether you prefer girlie or masculine cards at As You Like It Challenge
this week, and it's got to be cute and girlie for me. I love pretty papers, pinks, and embellishments, as well as cute images, none of which tend to lend themselves to masculine cards!  

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

• Fur/Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Seedless Preserves

Card Recipe:

• A Hand To Hold from Lili of the Valley (rubber version but digi also sold)
• Nitwit Papers - Romance and Roses
• Wild Orchid Crafts Cosmos Daisy
• Wild Orchid Crafts Open Roses
• Wild Orchid Crafts Mini Rosebuds
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL65 Double Stitched Circles
• 5mm Pink Crystals
• Spotty satin ribbon

I've been inspired by:

• Allsorts - Bears
• Stamping Sensations - B for bears

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Sending Hedgehugs

This is one of my favourite MFT stamp sets and for some reason I really prefer colouring it using the no-lines stamping style.  I've inked in the sky using a stencil and the sentiment is from the same stamp set.  

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• MFT Happy Hedgehogs
• MFT Cloud Stencil
• MFT Roses All Over Pastel Papers
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2
• MFT Stitched Scalloped Basic Edges 2

I've been inspired by:

• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Furry and Bright

As soon as I saw the puppies in this stamp set I fell in love with their expressions.  This pup is one of my favourites. I just want to scoop him up and snuggle him!  I kept the design very simple with some pop of colour in the papers and a little pale green ink edged around the card base.

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

• Puppy: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
• Hat/Scarf: Abandoned Coral, Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
• White Trim: Hickory Smoke

Card Recipe:

• MFT Happy Pawlidays Stamp Set
• MFT Happy Pawlidays Coordinating dies
• MFT Plaid Patterns Papers - Merry & Bright
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges
• MFT Stitched Scalloped Basic Edges

I've been inspired by:

• MFT Clean and Simple
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Stamp it
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Time spent with cats is never wasted

Although I do like doggies, I'm definitely a 'cat' person so this image from Stamping Bella is perfect for me!  The sentiment is also very true in my eyes!

We have two rescue kitties who are our furbabies.  Here's a picture of them from several years ago, but it's still one of my favourites of them because they both look so content snoozing together.

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Tiny Townie Courtney Loves Kitties
• Versafine Ink Pad

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Stamp it using DI reinkers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny Christmas Jumper

It's another clean and simple Christmas design from me today featuring one of my favourite characters from Lee Holland Illustrations, this adorable bunny dressed in his new Christmas Jumper!

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

• Bunny: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Ripe Persimmon, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Bunny Christmas from Lee Holland
• Typed Sentiment
• Stitched border die
• Red card for card base
• Flat backed pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Holidays
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes watercoloured using Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stamping Sensations - Something beginning with B (bunny)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Christmouse Pudding

I think this Christmouse Pudding image is one of my favourite Lili of the Valley images. I have teamed it with a simple but colourful design and a little twine.

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

• Browns: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
• Pinks: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
• Ground/Cutlery: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Christmouse Pudding from LOTV (original rubber, now available in digi)
• Versafine Ink Pad
• My Favorite Things Plaid Paper stack
• MFT Stitched Scalloped Basic Edges 2
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Holidays
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes watercoloured using Distress Ink Reinkers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Merry Mousemas

It's the last day of August, so naturally I'm thinking about Christmas with another really clean and simple design featuring a cute little mouse from Lee Holland.  

Simples!

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

• Fur: Pumice Stone, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Hat: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• 'Whites': Weathered Wood
• Ground: Pumice Stone, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Christmas Mouse from Lee Holland
• Typed sentiment
• Stitched border die
• Flat backed pearls
• Red card to create card base

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Holidays
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes using Distress Ink Reinkers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

For those of you watching in black and white...

We're looking for non-card projects at As You Like It Challenge this fortnight.  Although I love making non-card papercrafting projects like boxes, crackers and tags, I've been getting back into a spot of jewellery making which I tried my hand at several years ago.  

I used to mainly make earrings, but this time I've tried my hand at necklaces and double stranded bracelets (although I did make some into a full set with matching earrings too!).  

I'm showcasing a couple of my bracelets today, one in blue and a similar one in pink.  I tend not to buy the cheapest beads because I think that they look cheap and 'plastic' and I was really pleased with how these turned out.

As usual with anything sparkly and shiny, the finished items were a nightmare to photograph.  The faceted rondelle beads were opaque and a little lighter in colour than they appear here, but these pictures (especially the close-ups) were the closest I could get to representing the true colours.  

Talking of seeing the true colours, I've just smiled as I reminded myself of the old Ted Lowe snooker commentating gaffe .... "for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green".

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny Stuffies

I adore most of the Stamping Bella Stuffies including this pair of bunnies.  It's been a while since I inked them up so I'm rectifying that with a clean and simple design, water-coloured and mounted on a Kraft card base with no frills or fuss.

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

• Brown bunny: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• White bunny: Pumice Stone, Black Soot
• Ears, nose and paws: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Flowers: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:

• Bunny Pile Stuffies & Sentiment by Stamping Bella
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Kraft card

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

What muppet thought this was a good idea?

I saw this fancy sliding card on Miranda's blog and decided I'd have a go at it. I modified the fold a bit so it was only made from 2 pieces of base-card (I thought it would be less bulky).  To be fair, the fold worked out fine but it has taken me pretty much all day to (a) make and (b) photograph!

Anyway, here's the end result. I'm going to show some photographs and also try to upload a video (I've not been very successful with videos in the past so please leave a comment letting me know if it plays for you).

Here's a photo of the front of the card, with the peek-a-boo window for the sentiment. I found a sentiment with a carolling theme which I thought matched the singing critters.  The sky is inked with Distress Inks and a dauber. I also speckled some water onto it to make it look a bit more snowy.

Here's a photo of the inside ... the birdie 'flies' into view when you open the card which I hope you can see in the video afterwards.

...and here's the video (fingers crossed) ...

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

• Robin/Bunny: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Candied Apple, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint.
• Penguin: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade
• Sky: Weathered Wood, Stormy Sky, Black Soot
• Lamplight: Squeezed Lemonade
• Snow: Weathered Wood

Card Recipe:

• Stamps from Purple Onion Designs Stacy Yacula Collections (Mistletoe Singing Penguin, Snowball Singing Bunny, Cranberry Bird, Lamp Post and 2 Forests)
• Sentiment from Stamping Bella Nachodeer
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Distress ink pads (for sponging the sky) and some finger daubers

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Holidays

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Hip Hip Horray

Today's card is a scene made by using several stamps from the Mama Elephant Animal Parade stamp set from Dies to Die For.  I've used one of the sentiments from the set for the banner. I used some blue button twine at the top and added some small beads on the ends of the ties.

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

• Brown Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
• Mouse: Hickory Smoke
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Fired Brick

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Mama Elephant Animal Parade Stamp set
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid papers
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2

Other:

• Twine
• Beads

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Dragon Hugs

I fell in love with these dragons as soon as I saw them in the sneaky peeks at CC Designs and thanks to a naughty friend they suddenly arrived on my doormat. 

I've used two dragons from the set to create this pair of similar cards, both with a moon scene in a clean and simple design.  I just love this guy's cheeky grin!

I created the background by masking a circle and hill shape before sponging the sky in purples and black Distress inks.  I then used the reverse of the hill mask to sponge the grass in shades of green and finally drew in some grass and gave the moon some shadow.

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

• Dragon: Milled Lavender, Seedless Preserves
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Moon: Antique Linen
• Sky: Victorian Velvet, Seedless Preserves, Wilted Violet, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• CC Designs Dragons
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Simon Says Stamp Big Hugs Die
• MFT Plaid Patterns papers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny on Swing

My little scene is created using this adorable bunny on a swing and a blossom branch, both from Purple Onion Designs.  The grassy hill was hand drawn and the sky sponged using Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  I have a soft spot for bunnies, but this little fella has been sent to a special friend so I know he's found a good home.

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

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Blossom: Dusty Concord

Card Recipe:

• April Bunny on Swing from Purple Onion Designs
• Blossoming Perch from Purple Onion Designs

I've been inspired by:

• Penny Black & More - Something beginning with B (bunny)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx