Simply Masculine

Welcome

I needed a masculine birthday card today, and I have not really got to know the person I was making it for.  I saw a card on facebook from the Spellbinders Blog, using basic shapes over a patterned paper.  That gave me the inspiration for this card.

I cut out three shapes in three metallic coloured papers using some Sweet n Sassy mini tag dies, These were  mounted over a Diamond Pattern embossed layer on which I had first (heat) embossed the sentiment.

The tags were attached with white brads.

After mounting that layer on the base of purple card I was finished!  

Simple and effective, and I am happy with it.

I am linking this to:

Paper Creators Challenge #26 - Anything Goes

Paper Crafting Challenge #13 - Anything Goes

Crafting At The Weekend Challenge #3 - Anything Goes

Stamping For The Weekend - Anything Goes

Sister Act Challenge #63 - Anything Goes

Keep It Simple Challenge #64 - Turquoise

Docerela Challenge #64 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge # 237 - Anything goes

Art By Miram Challenge #9 - Anything goes

A Creative Romance Challenge #26 - Anything Goes option, Happy Birthday

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Burlap and Leaves Birthday

Welcome

The other day I chose to make a masculine birthday, inspired again by a pin on Pinterest, of a card made by Iwona Palamountain

The images on the squares were stamped in Rich Cocoa ink on cream coloured card - the watch face is the Donna Salazer pocket watch stamp, the others part of an old set by Hero Arts.  After stamping I sponged the edges of both the cream and orange card stock with the same ink.  The cream layer was mounted using foam tape.

The happy birthday was stamped and layered in the same manner, then adhered to the burlap.

I mounted all the small elements on an embossed layer of kraft card that I had sponged lightly with the cocoa ink. What I did not realise was that I used the wrong piece of sponge when I did it, and there was a layer of Gold Delicata ink under the brown, which in the end gave a very subtle sheen to the card.

The kraft layer was then mounted on the orange, and I was really pleased with the outcome.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #138 - Anything Goes

Red Rubber Inspirational Challenge #126 - Get Krafty

Creative KnockOuts Challenge #43 - Make it Masculine

Aud Sentiment Challenge #109 - Two Word Sentiment

Crafty Girls Challenge # 21 - Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes

Scrapbooker PhD Challenge #12 - Add Texture

Sassy Studio Challenge #235 - Celebrate

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed.

Butterfly Sympathy

Welcome

I decided that I would make a sympathy card today to have in my stash.

I am unashamed to say that I was inspired by this card on Pinterest, pinned by Pat Carson.

I recently bought some gray card, so that formed my base, then I embossed the tree onto white cardstock and layered it onto the gray.

The butterflies were in my jar of pre-cut butterflies, and I had just enough in the sparkling silver to 'do' this card.

The sentiment from ODBD was stamped in London Fog ink, and all the edges of the card layers were sponged with the same ink.

I finished the inside with another ODBD stamped in London Fog ink.

I am linking this to:

We Do Doobadoo Challenge #8 - Use Ribbon

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #34 - Anything Goes

Art By Miran Challenge #8 - Anything Goes

Stamping With The Dragon - Clean and Simple

Sister Act Challenge #62 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #137 - Anything Goes

Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #207 - One Layer Card

Fussy and Fancy Challenge #116 - Things with Wings

Docerela Challenge # 63 - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Bleach blocking and Skipping

Welcome.

I came across a technique called bleach blocking the other week, and thought I would give it a try. Talking of trying, try as I may, I cannot find the blog which was featuring it to link it here for you.

To describe the technique briefly, you sponge a background with distress inks, and then use a damp sponge to take 'squares' (blocks) of colour off.

This is my result.

The inks I used were Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Crushed Olive and Peeled paint.

Initially I tried sponging through a template, then using a tissue, then just dabbing the sponge onto the card - the easiest and most effective way.

I then took the His Child stamp set from Sweet'n'Sassy Stamps, and stamped the image and sentiment with Tuxedo Black Ink

The sentiment was stamped randomly over the background.

This is a close up of some of the bleached blocks..

Another view of the card, with the light striking some of the sequins that were added as a final detail, after mounting the panel over an orange layer and a  dark green base.

I enjoyed trying this technique, and the result gives an unexpected depth to the background.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #137 - Anything Goes

Scrappers Delight Challenge - Anything Goes - Twist - get sentimental

Rhedd and Rosies Challenge # 35 - Anything Goes

Paper Pretties Challenge #315 - Summer Fun

Hambo Hoedown - Summer

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #68 - Distress it

Crafty Sentiments - CAS or Full on

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Blue and Gray Sympathy

Welcome.

Once again I needed a sympathy card, (for a man) and this time I reached for some delightful patterned papers I had received in a RAK from Grace.

  The sentiment is an ODBD stamp that I have used repeatedly. I gold embossed it onto cream card, and then cut it using  a die, which I stenciled delicata gold ink through.

Initially I thought to place it just over the papers, but it lacked, so I fidgeted around with dies and papers and came up with this combination.

You can see in this photo the texture and sheen on the blue paper.

After assembling the papers on the cream base card, it was finished with the gold ribbon and some champagne pearls.  I really like the muted tones to this card, and think it appropriate for the gentleman it is intended for.

I am linking this to:

Unruly Paper Arts June reader Art Quest - Colour Challenge

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #136 - Anything Goes

Sisters Of Craft June Challenge - Anything Goes

Scribbles Designs Challenge #18 - Say it With a Sentiment

Reves 2 Scrap June Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

Mema's Crafts June Challenge - Only Men Allowed

Ladybug Crafts June Challenge - for the boys and/or die cuts

Crafty Hazelnuts June Challenge - Use Patterned Paper

Cards Galore - Use a stamp or digi stamp

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Pink Sprite - CCC Digi Challenge

 Welcome

I am showcasing a card that I have made for the CCC Digi Challenge #3, to   

use a digi image and flowers.

  The image was supplied by our sponsor Aroura Wings, and is from the 

 Sprite collection.  

I coloured her using chalks, and added Kindy Glitz for some sparkle. Isn't this such a pretty image!!

To finish the card I distressed the edges of the image panel, and sponged it with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, and mounted it over a floral embossed panel

As you can see, the pink panel is a pearlised card, subtle, but very pretty.  I sanded the embossing to give some more emphasis to the pattern

A few rhinestones, a length of ribbon and a layered flower held with a (pink) gem brad finished the card.

I am linking this to:

Scribble and Scrap Challenge #20 - Anything Goes

Ditzie Digital Designs Week 6 - Anything Goes

The Doodle Garden Challenge # 4 - Summer Lovin'

Crafting at theWeekend Challenge #2 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #136 - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed

A Change of Pace

Welcome

I have had some spare time recently as it has been very wet here, so I  challenged myself to get back to my lace pillow, after years away.

I am only a learner, and have not done much in the past ten years, so it was a challenge, but this is the result in less than two weeks.

These photos taken before it came off the pillow

... and these afterwards.

This is a close up of the pattern - just a simple fan edging and central diamonds with two differing patterns in them - this is far from perfect, but I am happy to have completed it.

I did have this on the pillow in another colour-way, but there were too many errors, so I cut it off, and the flower was (a class) project before that, also incomplete......

So here you have a glimpse into some other crafts I do :-).

Thanks for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

CASE'd Poppy

Welcome

I was inspired by a card that Michelle Pearson blogged recently.  So I got the bleach out and had another go at the bleaching technique. 

 I have never really had what I thought was a satisfactory result with this technique, but I was more patient and this time applied the bleach four times and got a far better result.

After I succeeded with black embossing and the bleach, using an image from the Precious Poppies set. I decided to mount it over some old dictionary paper, layering it over a chrome yellow and black card.

The sentiment (from a Crafts Meow retired set) was also black embossed.

I am linking this to:
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #67 - Black, white and one other colour

Crafty Creations Challenge #265 - Tic Tac Toe (Top line)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #136 - Anything Goes

Scrappers Delight Challenge #24 - Anything Goes - Twist - Layer it up

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge #81 - Flora and Fauna

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #181 - Anything Goes

Inky Impressions Challenge #163 - For the Girls

Addicted to Stamps challenge #99 - Clean and Simple

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Tulips and Butterflies

Welcome

I was fossicking around on my desk the other day before doing a tidy-up, and came across some images I had stamped in white ink on dark green card, far longer ago than I care to remember.

I had in mind the chalkboard technique  I learnt on Splitcoast Stampers some years ago.

I coloured the tulips with prismacolor pencils, cut them out, stacked them together and figured I could use them... 

I then found some papers that 'worked' and mounted them up, popping the centre flower up slightly on a foam dot.

I added the butterflies that I had already punched, I have a jar of pre-punched butterflies which is most useful, and added some stickles.

The sentiment is a a Montarga stamp ( a NZ firm) and was embossed onto the bottom panel of paper.

Although this was a quick card to make, I love how it turned out.

I am linking this to:

Sisters Of Craft June Challenge - Anything Goes

The East Wind Blog Challenge #8 - Embossing - Wet or Dry

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge - June 

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #14 - Use a Stamped image

Crafts Galore Challenge - use a stamp or digi.

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #135 - Anything Goes

Corrosive Challenge #210 - Cut it or Crop it.

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #210 - Anything Goes

Pile it on Challenge #23 - Use Patterned Paper

Scribble and Scrap Challenge #20 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge #6 - Things with Wings

Avenue 613 Challenge #75 - Anything goes / Best Friend (My daughter)

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Owl Get Well

Welcome.

 I have some great news to share today - I have been invited to take part in the design team for Creative Craft Cottage - a New Zealand online forum for various crafts, it has two challenge blogs, one exclusively for digi images and one for general papercraft and card making projects.

This is my first card as a DT for the CCC Digi Creations Challenge #2 Use a digital image and die cuts.

The image is from Oak Pond Creations, and I must admit this wee owl is rather cute!  I coloured him with prisma pencils and the background was coloured with chalks.  I used some stickles to add interest.

I computer generated the (original) sentiments.  The top one was cut into segments, inked with gold Delicata ink and doodled around with a black pen.

The second sentiment was die cut and sponged with the ink too.

The final touch were the gold stars scattered over the design paper.

I am linking this to:
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #135 - Anything Goes
Moo-Mania and More - Feathers
Creative Moments Challenge #44 - Anything Goes/ monochromatic
Crafty Creations Challenge #264 - All About 'S' - Stars
Crafting By Design - Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
Paper take Weekly - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiment Challenge - Anything Goes
Craft Room Challenge - things with Wings

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

CAS Masculine Birthday

Welcome

I recently made this masculine card.  

I started with the watercolour paper that I had been experimenting with a day or so earlier.  I had started trying to 'ink' a stamp using Antique Linen Distress stain ... it did not work, so I played with some other stains (Barn Door, Crushed Marigold, and Scattered Straw)  and water, and this background is one of the results.

I then stamped the sentiment (from Kiwi Stamping) using the Kaleidacolor inkpad Cappuccino, and cut it out with an oblong die and sponged the edges with the darkest colour. 

The final detail was to die-cut the strip of hexagons, which was then sponged with Delicata gold ink before the die was removed. 

I was really pleased with the outcome of this card.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #134 - Anything Goes

Mema's Crafts June Challenge - Only Men Allowed

Whoopsi Daisy Bright Colours Challenge

Through The Purple Haze Challenge #44 - Make Your Own Background

Love to Create Challenge #118 - Happy Birthday

Lexi's Creations Challenge #117 - Happy Birthday

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #21 - Anything Goes, Option of a song (Happy Birthday)

Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #23 - Colours of Autumn

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated.

May your day be blessed.

Sparkling Yellow Poppies

Welcome

I have been playing with watercolours since seeing some of the awesome results from the recent online class.  The idea I have tried here is to emboss in white on a water coloured background.

After embossing, I coloured the stalks with a marker, and then painted the yellow over the blue background - I had tried it on a scrap and it appeared to work, but I ended up with a green hue to the flowers ...

I decided to use red for the sentiment and cut it out using an oval die - rhinestones were added and the edges of the die cut sponged.  

To try and correct the poppy colour somewhat I sponged gold delecata ink over the petals, and was a lot happier with the image panel.

The poppy panel was mounted over a die cut doily and onto red card, then onto a pale gray base. - the final detail was to doodle a frame around the poppy panel - I was impressed with the difference it made to the card.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #134 - AnythingGoes

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #214 - Anything goes

Penny Black June Challenge - Use Your Favourite Stamp 

(the poppies and the sentiment)

Lacy Sunshine Challenge - Dies or punches

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #263 - Flowers

Challenge 4 Everybody Challenge #42 - Take your Theme from the blog

Catered Crop - Garden Party

My Time to Craft Challenge #250 - No Design paper

Crafting At the Weekend Challenge #2 - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting - any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed