Wednesday 31 July 2013

Walking on Sunshine

I made this card to enter a couple of challenges, but then I got carried away and so completely ignored the themes for all but one of the one's that I'd picked out to enter. What a womble! Anyway, here is a little Tiddly Inks image of Wryn, and a simple circular card, with very few embellies which is soooo unlike me, but it just goes to show that I can be flexible.  (Sometimes!)

I cut the cardbase out using a large Go Kreate scalloped circle nestie and edged it with ink.




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Card Recipe:
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Happy crafting.

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Pippi Locksocks

I've been playing with my new Sugar Nellie stamps, and decided to decorate a gift bag with this 'girl with attitude'!!

I love her 'don't mess with me' poise!

Last time I coloured her in similar colours with my DI reinkers, so today I've used my Copics for a change.

I'm not sure which version I prefer;  the DI's make it a much softer look, but these colours are really vibrant.  Either way, she's a cutie, and great for any occasion.

Hope you like her.



Here's a close up of the image:





I typed a sentiment onto card, and then cut it out using a Magnolia tag die, and tied it onto the bag's handles with 2 colours of embroidery thread.



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Card Recipe:
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Monday 29 July 2013

Just One More

I've got a 'just for fun' card with a summery theme today, featuring a little BBQ bear from Lili Of The Valley.  The image is called 'Just one more'!!!  A bear after my own heart!!! LOL



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Card Recipe:
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Sunday 28 July 2013

Mountain Lily

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Today's card features the adorable Mountain Lily from The Stamp Basket.  I think that this is the first time I've used this image and I really like her.

I wasn't sure if this was a Christmas image because of the bell on her wings, but I decided that she could be either depending on the colour scheme and accessories, so I've stayed away from snowflakes and festive colours.

I've used a blue and brown colour scheme (the ribbon is a rich chocolate brown, not black as it appears in the photo).  The matting card is also a kraft colour brown but it is a shimmery paper, although again this doesn't show up much in the photo.

I've sneaked in some lace under the ribbon and a bow which is held on with a pearl brad.

My typed sentiment has been cut out with a Notables die on which I've then punched a hole at one end to create a small tag.





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Card Recipe:
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Saturday 27 July 2013

Starry Night

I've got a cute Bella the Heffalump Christmas card to share today.  This one's called Starry Night, and I've cut out the image and raised it up on foam pads.

I've also done my 'frame' technique again (see here for what I mean) and added some white flowersoft for snow.

The sentiment is typed in red and overwritten with red stardust gel pen.  Other than the sprinking of flowersoft and some white pearls in each corner, I've opted for 'embellishment-free'.  Ooooh I feel naked!


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Card Recipe:
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Friday 26 July 2013

Barry Swing

StampFairy are sponsoring Chocolate Coffee Cards today where the theme is animals, so I've made a cute card using Barry Spring to support their challenge as a guest designer.  I really love these bear images, and have coloured him using my distress reinkers.  I seem to have better luck painting bears with the reinkers than I do any other characters. I think the browns are easier to work with!   The flowers on the image are coloured with startdust gel pens


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Card Recipe:
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Thursday 25 July 2013

Carolling Trio

The theme today at As You Like It Challenge is fancy folds, and I've created a J-fold (or Joy-fold) card.  I really love this fold as it is such an easy card to make, and looks really effective too, with the focus well and truly on the image without a lot of fuss.

I've used a Penny Black stamp that I've not used in a while, and I really love it.  I've painted it with my DI reinkers and added a few pearl dots around for snow.

Simples!!!




Here's a few quick pictures of how it was constructed from the two main parts:





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Card Recipe:
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Wednesday 24 July 2013

Wish upon a Star

The theme today at ABC Christmas Challenge is O for "O Christmas Tree", and I've used tree die cuts instead of a tree on my image and one of my new Sugar Nellie images called 'Wish upon a Star'.  She's painted in DI reinkers and I've chalked clouds around the image and also chalked the edges of the trees to keep a simple blue and white colour scheme, although a bit of golden shimmer sneaked in there on her wings and a speckle of red on the gift and bells.  I've not included a sentiment as there's some Christmas themed text on the backing paper.



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Card Recipe:
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Tuesday 23 July 2013

Miss Muffett

The theme today at Top Tip Tuesday is "spooled items".  I've chosen to use cotton (for stitching the panels), sheer butterfly ribbon and some floral cut felt ribbon.  I took the inspiration for my colour scheme from the glittered paper. I've used this paper pad loads, but have not used much of this actual page from it, so I thought I'd use it today.

I cut out a square from the backing paper leaving a larger frame, and then matted the square I'd cut out onto purple card, and then stuck it back down over the frame I'd created.  The purple matting card had made the inner square larger, so that it easily covered the join, and it gives some more interest to the backing paper.  But hopefully you can see that the design on the paper flows from the inner panel to the outer one.  For example, the butterfly in the top left corner has it's left wing on the outer panel, and it's right wing on the inner panel, lined up perfectly.


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Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Posting Letters

My card for The Stamp Basket today features "Posting Letters" from Wild Rose Studio.  It's a really elegant image which seems to match the script papers from Marianne Design perfectly with their elegant vintage style.

Hope you like it.  Don't forget there are still a few more days left of The Stamp Basket summer sale.  The papers are on offer too, so if you like what you see, pop over to grab them before the sale finishes in the next couple of days.



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Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
  • Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Green
  • The Hobby House - Vintage
Happy crafting

Saturday 20 July 2013

Bella carrying a pile of presents - Christmas style

It's yet another Christmas card today, featuring Bella carrying a pile of presents, from The Stamp Basket. The summer sale is still going, and there's a special Christmas in July feature at the moment.

I'm not really sure if this is a Christmas image (it could be a birthday image too maybe??) but I've coloured it in festive colours and used lovely Christmassy papers from Wild Rose Stuido called Annabelle's Christmas.



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Card Recipe:
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Thursday 18 July 2013

Summer Lovin'

I've made a little card to enter a few challenges that have caught my eye this week.  StampFairy is sponsoring I Love Promarkers, where the challenge is Anything Goes, but there are a couple of challenges featuring pink and green.  Now I'm not usually a fan of green, but I thought I'd give it a try!

Hope you like my creation.  I've kept it quite C&S which is really unlike me. But it's good to be outside your comfort zone occasionally!  (it won't last long!)



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Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
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Wednesday 17 July 2013

Barry Summer Swing for Samantha

I was looking for a card to give to the lovely Samantha for her birthday (which is today!!), and found none in my stash that were not overloaded with pink.  Since she doesn't like pink, I decided that I would just 'have' to make one specially for her, and restrain myself from using my own favourite colour.  I opted instead for a summery citrus colour scheme, with not an ounce of pink in sight.

She also likes C&S designs so I've tried (again) to keep it minimalistic, but it feels a bit unfinished to me!

Please pop over to Samantha's blog and wish her a happy birthday.  She's been having a bit of a rough time lately, and could probably do with some extra friendly comments.

Happy birthday honey!  Luv ya.



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Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
  • Joanna Sheen - Citrus Colours (soooo not "my colours", this was a real challenge!)
  • Without Words - Summer Picnic Colours (red seat, cream card for matting, green everywhere else!)
  • Tando Creative - Favourite Artist (my all time favourite artist is Monet, and I just adore his Japanese footbridge over the water lily pond, which is probably one of his most famous paintings.  It looks so tranquil and I'd love to be sitting on the bridge dangling my toes over the edge!  I've used the yellow and green colours and also tried to capture the relaxing tranquillity of the scene in my project.  Click on the image below to find out more about the painting.  I love love love it!!  I just wish I could create something as classically beautiful!)
monet japanese bridge
Happy Crafting

Monday 15 July 2013

Baby Girl (and a couple of freebies)

I was asked to make a girlie version of a baby boy card I made a while ago, so I'm sharing the baby girl version with you today.  Because it was made to order, I also personalised it with the baby's name, Niamh.

I really love this image for a baby card, and it was lovely to colour. I painted it with my distress reinkers, and used my favourite Papermania Lucy Cromwell papers.



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Card Recipe:


Today's project has been inspired by:

Freebies:
I had a query on my chatbox widget thingy yesterday from Ursula asking about a wedding sentiment.  I was sure that I'd created one, but couldn't find that I'd published it on my blog.  Anyway, when I checked my files, I actually found 2 that I don't think I've shared already yet.

So, as promised above, here are a couple of wedding sentiment freebies that you may find useful.  You're free to download them if you like them.  Just click on the image for a larger version, then right click and 'save picture as' to save to your own computer. 

My Freebie conditions are as follows:
  1. Please become a follower, then you will see more freebies as they are posted,
  2. Please leave a comment on this post to let me know you've downloaded it,
  3. Please don't share my freebies directly with other people (this includes posting them to Pinterest which is against copyright), but please feel free to send people over to collect the freebies directly from my blog themselves by providing a link,
  4. Please give me credit when you use them and post your finished creations on your blog.
I also adore seeing your creations using my digi sentiments, so I'd really love you to send me an email with links to your creations so I can pop over for a peek!



Happy crafting.

Sunday 14 July 2013

Helping Santa

It's yet another Christmas card today (are you getting the impression there's a theme going on this week!!!).

Today's card features Nellie Snellen's Helping Santa, from The Stamp Basket.  Their summer sale is still going, and there's a special Christmas in July feature at the moment.

I've coloured my image in festive colours and used lovely Christmassy papers from Marianne Design.



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Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting

Saturday 13 July 2013

Take a Present

My card for The Stamp Basket today features one of my favourite Christmas stamps from Nellie Snellen, Take a Present.  I just love this sweet image.  I've used a festive red and green colour scheme to match the lovely Wild Rose Studio papers, and added just a couple of dies, a large snowflake and also a sentiment die.  The red satin ribbon and white lace seem to complement each other, as the red twine and white snowflake do too.


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Card Recipe:
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Friday 12 July 2013

Bloomin' Lovely

Woohoo, I've got a special 'just for fun' card to share with you today, and I'm a little bit over-excited.  Right back when I first saw a card on my lovely pal Samantha's blog (see her GORGEOUS card here), I knew immediately that I 'needed' that stamp and so I started hunting for it.

Well that was about a month ago, and I was waiting to see if my local craft shop stocked it when I went there on Saturday.  Unfortunately they didn't BUT when I got home, feeling a bit disheartened from my unsuccessful shopping trip, there was a little packet on my doormat, with a LOVELY card from Samantha, and a little present.  Guess what the pressie was !!!!  Yes, the stamp I'd been trying to find!!!  I was so delighted that I inked it up straight away.  Thank you honey!!!

And in tribute to Samantha's card I case'd her card too (except I added a little row of pearls at the bottom - sorry I couldn't resist.  I was all "C&S'd" out from yesterday's card!)

I hope you like my creation.  I predict that this stamp is gonna get a lot of inking.  It's perfect for a pretty and classy card, suitable for any occasion.


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Card Recipe:
  • Stampendous Ruffled Bloom
  • Colorbox Cat's Eyes Sapphire Silk Ink
  • Typed Sentiment
  • Cardworks Shaped Card base
  • Martha Stewart Lace Doily Border Punch
  • Bazzill Basics Papers
  • Pearls
I've been inspired by:
  • Simon Says Stamp & Show - A Little Stamping (only partial bits of the whole image were used as I stamped it "off the page")
  • Penny Black & More - Dies or Punches
Happy crafting.

Thursday 11 July 2013

A Versatile Wryn!

Well, I know it's only July, but the theme this fortnight at As You Like It Challenge is to make a card for your favourite occasion, and I'm afraid that my favourite occasion is Christmas!!  YAY!!!  I love snowflakes and glitter, and it's the only time of year I can put them both together on my cards!!

It's snowflakes overload as I've also made my card in the shape of a snowflake and used a snowflake embossing folder for the background.

The image is my favourite Tiddly Inks character, Wryn, but this is actually 'Birthday Wryn' although I've used her on my Christmas card.  The presents could be from Santa rather than for a birthday.  I think she looks like she's about to put the presents under the tree!

I coloured my image to match my lilac papers and green tree, which I die cut in mulberry paper stuck onto some white card to give it some strength.  I then used a few drops of liquid pearls on the branches.

The 'snow' is some textured knitting yarn, and I've outlined both my card and the embossed circle with purple Stickles for some Christmas sparkle.



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Have you seen there's also a design team call at Tiddly Inks?  My lovely blogpal Larissa is on their team and I always marvel at her lovely creations.  The Tiddly Inks images are gorgeous and there are always such beautiful card samples from all of the design team.  Click on the badge to read all the details.


Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Ultimate C&S

The theme today at ABC Christmas Challenge is N for No Embellishments, and we're sponsored by Stampfairy.

So, how difficult can a 'no embellishments' be, huh?  Surely 'not' doing something has to be easier than actually doing something, right?

Well, for a gal who sprinkles embellishments like confetti on most of her cards, it's flippin' near impossible!!

However, I took inspiration from one of the blogs I visit, Jen Nelson, who's creations always look so amazing.  I tried to follow one of her designs in particular (link here), and below is my 'poor relation' attempt.  

I still feel that it looks 'unfinished' though and I feel weak with withdrawal symptoms!

Just to get you into the Christmas spirit, there's a "Christmas In July" sale feature at The Stamp Basket for the next fortnight, with lots of special offers on all sorts of lovely crafting items.  Pop over there to grab some festive bargains before the sale ends.  I might pop over there myself to find some embellishments to adorn today's card when no one is looking!!  LOL


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Card Recipe:
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Tuesday 9 July 2013

Fairy Sunny Day and a Circle Step Card Tutorial


I've got a Top Tip Tuesday Tutorial for a circle step card to share with you today!!!  I'm using one the new Tiddly Inks images and she is ADORABLE. I love Wryn anyway, but this sweetie is just gorgeous to colour.  I also flipped her before I printed her, as I wanted her to be looking towards the steps on my card.  That's the great thing about digis, they're so versatile in terms of size and direction.





Tutorial

Step 1:
Cut a circle, mine is 15cm in diameter.
I used a circle cutter to cut mine, but you could use a circle die too.
(or draw around a plate!)

Cut a vertical line about two thirds across, starting about 3.5cm from the top, and ending 2cm from the bottom.  
(in the diagram below, the pale grey lines are just information markers, the red line is a cut line, and the dark grey lines are a fold (marked mountain or valley)

Score horizontal lines (dark grey lines are a fold) at 2cm from the base, then 1.75cm, 1.75cm, 1.75cm and 3cm moving upwards.
Ensure you keep the lines level to each other.




Step 2:
Fold your side steps on the mountain or valley folds as indicated above, and determine where the midway point of the card is and score your main base-card fold (the left hand side of the card):



Step 3:
Turn the card over and using the base as a template, cut the excess folded card away to leave a neat circle.



Step 4:
 This is how your card should look now from the front.


Step 5:
The fun part - get decorating!
This is where I put the backing paper.
Unfortunately my colour printer has decided not to work, so I've had to use other papers rather than the digi papers I'd planned to use, but this mulberry paper seems to suit the card when there's not much of it on show after the image panel is added (see below).



Step 6 :
The finished article!
Hope I've inspired you to have a try!



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Card Recipe:
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Happy crafting.