Otterly Lost Without You Too

I got back home yesterday from an amazing (and very last minute) trip to meet some of my lovely crafting friends, but I'm so shattered as I write this post, that I will save telling you about it until my next post.  All I'll say for now is that it was overwhelming to meet so many of my crafting buddies in one place and I am so thankful that one in particular made it possible for me to meet another of my closest blogging buds.  I really have made some lovely friends in blogland and this weekend confirmed that.

For today, I'm sharing the forth and final from my set of Otter cards and I've reverted back to the first image I used (I think he's my favourite, as is the sentiment!)

I've added another starfish charm using some button twine and the corrugated card again.  I thought that the chevrons on it looked a bit like waves! :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - MFT Otterly Love You
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Button Twine
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables
• Starfish charm

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Anything Goes using reinkers from CVC

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Have an Otterly Great Birthday

It's the third of my Otter cards today, and this one is a birthday card. I've added a couple of fishies on this one, including a really cute one popping his head above the waves to peek at the otter. I hope he doesn't peek too long or he may find he's turned into the otter's lunch!

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - MFT Otterly Love You
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Border die
• Ribbed ribbon
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• MFT - Colour Challenge

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

There's No Otter Like You

I've got some more MFT otters for you today, this one using a sentiment from the set too.  I've added some corrugated card at the top, edged with a stitched border and added some twine and a small starfish charm to continue the ocean theme.

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - MFT Otterly Love You
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Button Twine
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables
• Charm

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Craft - Anything Goes (painted using DI Reinkers)
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Inky Chicks - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Otterly Lost Without You

I've got a couple of Otterly Cute cards to share with you over the next few days as I've been busy with a lovely new set of stamps from the latest MFT release.  This one is really sweet holding its little baby otter, and the sentiment is really lovely too.  I used a swirl embossing folder for the top pelmet to try to make it look like waves!

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - MFT Otterly Love You
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Chill Out

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Sending Hedgehugs

Hello, I'm back again with some more of those cute hedgeies!  This time they've multiplied and and there's now two of them playing on the log!  I was quite pleased with how this one turned out, and I kept the layout very CAS this time with a simple corrugated pelmet and a stamped sentiment from the stamp set.

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - Happy Hedgehogs from MFT
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad in Dove Grey
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border die
• Stitched Square Dies
• Kraft card base
• Corrugated kraft card

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean Challenge - Something new (my new hedgies!)
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Inky Chicks - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Hedgehugs

I ordered these adorable MFT hedgehogs over Christmas and I inked them up the day they fell onto my doormat!  I stamped one of the hedgies, a log for him to relax on, an extra leaf on the log and a toadstool by masking the elements to create this little scene.  The stamps were inked in pale grey for the no-lines technique.   I think he's adorable!

Here he is a bit closer up:

Card Recipe:

• Image - Happy Hedgehogs from MFT
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• WRS papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Oval nesting dies
• MFT Sunny Skies die
• WPlus9 Happy Wishes die
• Simon Says Stamp "Happy Birthday" Die
• Memory Box Stitched Clouds
• WOC & Mulberry Flowers
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Flat Backed Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Start Afresh (stamp set, oval dies)
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• The Ribbon Girl - Card Challenge
• Country View Crafts - Anything Goes (using DI Reinkers)
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Reindeer with a present on top

4 Sleeps to go...

I've been playing with another of my Stamping Bella images, this time Rudolph with a Present on Top with a purple colour theme.

I've resisted from adding a lot of embellishments, but instead have included a huge organza bow from two-tone coloured ribbon and a sentiment die.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Rudolph with a present on top
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• MFT Stitched Ovals
• Pearls
• Two tone organza ribbon
• Thin ribbed ribbon
• Magnolia Doohickey Merry Christmas die

I've been inspired by:

• Bellarific Friday - Free Form
• Magnolialicious - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Pingu Present

It's another quick CAS card from me today featuring a pingu that I'm rather fond of already (and I think this is only his second outing!)  I see from the photo that the image panel looks a bit wonky'm pretty sure it didn't show that much in real life! Maybe it's just my new specs! :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image - WRS Penguin with Present
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• First Edition Gilded Winter Paper pad
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean - Silent Night Christmas Themed
• Magnolalicious - Anything Goes
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Gift It

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Penguin Chicks Skating

I've used the same images that I used to create Monday's tag set but this time on cards and added a sentiment to create a simple flat card matted onto Kraft card.  They're really CAS and I think they could be ok for a guy's card.  The sentiment is a digi which I printed onto white card before stamping the image and die cutting using a square that I ran through my die cutter half way before extracting and re-positioning and running through again to make a die cut rectangle rather than a square!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Skating Chicks from Stamping Bella
• Sentiment - Digi Stamp Boutique
• Colouring - Alcohol Markers
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Christmas Gifts
• Magnolia-licious - Christmas

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Rudolph Lights and Chicks, erm Penguins

I'm in Christmas mode again today with a Stamping Bella image called Rudolph, the Christmas Lights and Chick.  I've kept the design quite simple and used some festive coloured papers and embellishments.  As you can see the chicks are in disguise as penguins, which I think are more appropriate for a Christmas card!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Rudolph, the Christmas Lights and Chick
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• MFT Inside Out Stitched Rounded Square Stax
• WOJ banner die
• WOC & Mulberry Flowers
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Sweet Dixie Snowflake die

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Trio (Pearls, Diecuts or Animals)
• Bellarific Friday - Sketch
• Seven Hills - Fave Xmas Song (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!) (stamp & square die)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Autumn Greetings

This is only the second 'layering' stamp I've bought, and I must admit that they're growing on me a bit.  My first was the GORGEOUS Altenew Lily which I liked so much I had to 'test' it three times!

Today's image is from Hero Arts (my first Hero Arts stamp, I think) and is called Layering Fall Trees.

I've stamped it with a range of DI inks in orange and green, and painted a colourful ground beneath them to complete the scene.  I think they do look very autumnal!

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - Hero Arts Fall Layering Trees
• Colouring - Distress Ink 
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Kraft Card

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn Colours
• Cupcake Inspirations - Trees

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Run along

I've been quite taken by some of the little House Mouse images I've seen in blogland but have never really tried them much myself, so I decided to rectify that with a little cutie House Mouse Carrying Mints. He looks like he's in a bit of a hurry!

I've used my new favourite word die again, Happy Wishes by Wplus9 which I'm really fond of at the moment. I hope you like it.  :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image - House Mouse Carrying Mints
• Sentiment Die - Happy Wishes by Wplus9
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers Pastel Dreams
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper

I've been inspired by:

• Noor! Design - CAS or Fully Loaded
• The Sketchy Challenge - Anything Goes
• House Mouse Challenge - Anything Goes HMFMC#228

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Party Kittens

I've fallen in love with these little kitties and their cheeky expressions!  I've also fallen completely in love with this new text die called Happy Wishes from Wplus9. The font is lovely and I like creating the mix of stamped and die-cut sentiment.

Because the image was quite large (this is my usual 6"x6" sized card-base) I kept the layout very clean and simple with some papers to bring out the hot pink accent in the image.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Party Kittens by Whipper Snapper
• Sentiment Die - Happy Wishes by Wplus9
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers Pastel Dreams
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper

I've been inspired by:

• Inky Chicks - Animals
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Stuffie Gang

I've been playing with my Stamping Bella images again today and have used Stuffie Gang on today's CAS card. I've tried to use (sort of) autumnal colours with the browns and golden browns (although I did sneak in a touch of pinky purple in the accents).  I think this is probably my favourite Stamping Bella image, closely followed by Honey Bears.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Stamping Bella Stuffies The Stuffie Gang
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Momento Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Border die
• Button Twine

I've been inspired by:

• Cupcake Inspirations - Party Time
• The Ribbon Girl - Any Image (using Button Twine)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Robins on Branch

I've been playing with another one of the new WRS images, this time it's robins.  I'm pleased with how this one turned out so decided to make the image the center of attention with a stitched border and a pop of designer paper which complemented the colours used on the image.  I hope you like these little guys.

Card Recipe:

• Image - WRS Robins on Branch
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper

I've been inspired by:

• That's Crafty - All Square
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - CAS

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Pingu

It's been a while since I played with a WRS image. This one's new and I do have a bit of a soft spot for pingus so I just had to have him!  I love his cute little expression but I think he's going to struggle to hide that huge pressie behind him!  I've also used Goo border edge die to look like dripping snow.

Card Recipe:

• Image - WRS Penguin with Present
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Crafters Companion Papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• MFT Goo Edge Die
• Coloured Rhinestones

I've been inspired by:

• The Sketchy Challenge - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Christmas
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Layered Lilies

I've been drooling over the Altenew layered stamps for months and so when the Layered Lilies landed on my doormat I was a teensy bit excited to ink them up.  However, I soon discovered that there was more to using these stamps than just the rubber!

I'd planned on using DI ink pads (and because I don't have any DI ink pads, I bought 2 pads especially for these stamps).  But when I inked up the clear stamps, the DI ink didn't give a good coverage and the images was horrendously spotty where the ink bubbled on the rubber. I tried sandpapering the stamp to give it some 'grip', washing it with a bit of soap, stamping with Stazon first, but nothing stopped the spotty inky image.

So I tried some of my Versacolour mini stamps (inks that I have only previously used to ink the edges of my image panels), and the result was perfect!!

Once I'd inked the main layers, I then used a pencil to darken the centres and add some streaks to the centres and edges of each petal.  Finally I used a tiny paintbrush to dot some DI reinker speckles into the centre and Stazon to stamp the stamens.

I was so pleased with how they turned out that I got a bit carried away and couldn't seem to stop using them, but instead of boring you with 4 separate posts, I've decided to bore you with all 4 cards in a single post, so brace yourself for a quartet of lilies!

Firstly I tried them in my favourite colour, pink .....

.... and I was really pleased with how they came out, but actually my next attempt, in blue, turned out to be my favourite .....

Thinking that I was on a roll, I tried them in purple next ......

... and finally in a pale golden brown colour:

Card Recipe:

• Image - Altenew Layered Lily
• Sentiments - Clearly Besotted and LOTV (Happy Birthday)
• Versa Colour ink pads, Distress Ink Reinkers, Derwent Inktense Pencils, Stazon Ink Pad
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables

I've been inspired by:

• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Make for the Border

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

I love you THIS much

This is another uber CAS make from me using Stamping Bella's Heidi Needs a Hug.  I love the look on the chicks' faces, especially the one she's snuggling! This was made for a very special friend and actually decorated a gift box rather than a cardbase so it was a little larger than my normal 6x6 shapes.

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - Stamping Bella's Heidi Needs a Hug
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• LOTV paper pad (retired)
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border die
• Ribbon
• Marianne Design flower die
• Card Candi

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• That's Crafty! - Birds of a Feather
• Bellarific Fridays - Sequins, Buttons or Dots (I went for dots; in the corner and on the flower)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Everyone needs a friend like you

Today I'm sharing a card I made for a lovely friend's birthday.  She's opened it now so I'm safe to share, and I must say that I rather liked it (and kinda wanted to keep it - but she's a very special friend so I'm happy that it's gone to a good home).  I've used Confetti Mouse from My Mum's Craft Shop and water-coloured it with a mix of DI reinkers and Sakura Stardust Gel pens for some sparkle on the confetti and banner.

Here's a close up (sorry it's a bit blurred but I didn't realise this until I'd sent her the card) to show the sparkle of the gel pens.

Card Recipe:

• Image - House Mouse Confetti Fun
• The Greetings Farm sentiment
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• LOTV paper pad (retired) but available at Nitwits as a digi
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border die
• Flat Backed Pearls

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• Creatalicous - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Special Bunny Birthday

I'm really late with my post today as I've just got home and realised that I forgot to draft it!  But it's worth the wait as it's a special card for a special birthday.  I really enjoyed the box card I made for Father's day and so decided to try a second one for a 50th birthday card for a friend.

I used MFT Snuggle Bunnies with the matching dies for my scene, and also used lots of scenery dies (sun, grass, blossom, rolling hills etc) as well as a Happy Birthday and 50.

The papers are lovely and girlie this time and I created 4 layers of inserts which were good fun, but a bit fiddly! But I was pleased with the end result, and my friend seemed to like it too.  She gave me a commercially made pop up card for my 40th so I wanted to do something similar for her special birthday.

Here's a bit more of a close up of the cute bunnies and teddies in their garden scene:

... and from the other side ....

Card Recipe:

• Image - MFT Snuggle Bunnies and matching die set
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• LOTV paper pad (retired)
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• MFT Stitched Circles
• Die-Namics Sunny Skies
• Whiff of Joy Grass die
• Simon Says Stamp Happy Birthday Die
• Sizzlets 50 die set
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Dies
• Cottage Cutz Blossom Branch
• Memory Box Stitched Clouds
• Memory Box Fancy 

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Photo - Summery, cloudy skys, scenes of nature
• Bunny Zoe - Summer
• Deep Ocean - Colours of Summer
• Live & Love Craft - Sprinkles of Summer

Happy crafting
Annette
xx