Anniversary Blues

Welcome

Yes, another anniversary card - I hope you don't mind.

The inspiration for the colours came from the original wedding colours.

Although this is a CAS card, it fought me, right down to a smudge as I was about to assemble the whole....

My trusty stamp was employed again, and I gold embossed it (again).

The flower is a Spellbinders die, and I cut three layers of vellum and two layers of blue, and painted them all with silver mist (rather than spraying them). 

I attached it over an image of an owl that was in the embossing - I wanted to use the flourishes, but not the owl.

The only other colour was Tumbled Glass DI which was sponged on the edges of the embossed top layer, and the blue rinestones.

I am linking this to:

Mema's Crafts May Challenge - Anything Goes

MelonHeadz Friends Challenge - Flowers Everywhere

Love to Scrap Challenge #54 - Anything Goes

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge #25 - All or Nothing (layers)

Dream Valley Challenge #107 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #184 - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Challenge #263 - Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #61 - Anything Goes

Artistic inspirations Challenge #132 - Anything Goes with twist of Die Cuts

Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #87 - Anything Goes with twist - add texture

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed.

Ruby Anniversary

Welcome

We had a ruby wedding anniversary dinner to attend a few weeks ago, and this is the card I made for the couple.

I started with these (very) old stamps from All Night Media, and stamped them in Delicata Golden Glitz Ink.

These were trimmed and mounted on red card, and then a layer of gold paper.

My old faithful anniversary stamp was gold embossed in one corner

The background hearts were stamped with Versamark ink, but once dry, they did not show up. When I saw this a few days later I tried to liven it up and discovered that they caught and held some Perfect Pearls powder.  It was not the best, so I fiddled around with a stamp positioner and masking, and managed to re-stamp the images, added the Perfect Pearls again and was happy with the result.  

I also learnt that the best way to remove the surplus Perfect Pearls was to wipe the card with a normal tissue, and volia, the excess is barely noticable!!

I am linking this to:

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #112 - Anything Goes

Avenue 613 Challenge #125 - Anything Goes (twist not used)

Corrosive Challenge #225 - Anything Goes

Scribble and Scrap Challenge #45 - Anything Goes

Scrapbook Blessings May Challenge # - Anything Goes

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #265 - Anything Goes

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #81 - Anything Goes with a twist - make it girlie

Artistic Inspirations Challenge #132 - Anything Goes (No twist used)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #184 - Anything Goes

V's Sweet Ideas May Challenge #34 - Embossing

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed

Side stepping Trees

Welcome

I recently made my first side step card - I had been putting it off as all the measurements I could find were in inches, and we here in the Antipodes use metrics, and our card comes in a slightly different size to the American sizing.  

I finally 'bit the bullet' as it were and worked out the correct measurements for the card and getting the folds to work - thankfully the 'steps' are covered with paper and you cannot see the one 'oops' that I had.

(I have typed up the dimensions - if anybody wants them, just let me know)

This is the final result, with which I am very happy.

I used the stamp set Lovely As A Tree by Stampin' Up, and varied the colours by mixing inks on the stamps, and fussy cutting the images.

The patterned paper is from the Kaiser Craft After Five pack.

Some of the inking is a bit odd as I ended up having to use a linen textured card as I was running out of plain card....

The sentiement is a (retired) Crafts Meow Stamp, that I cut to put the words side by side. It was embossed with dark green ep.

I am linking this to:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #184 - Anything Goes

Stamps and Stencils Challenge - Three of a kind

(Three tree stamps)

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #112 - Anything Goes

Creative Knockouts Challenge #90 - Sentimentally Yours

Whimsy Stamps Inspiration Challenge #83 - Anything but Square

Inspiration Destination Challenge #34 - Anything Goes

Fab n Funky Challenge #260 - Flora and Fauna

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed

A Fancy Fold and Victorian Ladies

Welcome

This is another 'different' fold that I taught recently. I first found it here, and it was linked to the tutorial on this blog. (You have to scroll down for the tutorial).

It makes quite a large card, but folded, it fits in a standard  business envelope.

I started with an A4 piece of recycled card (it has a grey tone to it, with a darker gray fleck).

After making the folds, I stamped the main panel, using this set from Kiwistamping.

The small stamps were used to make a background with London Fog ink.

The ladies were stamped on a snippet of white cardstock and coloured with chalks, fussy cut and adhered, along with some sequins.

As I was teaching this fold, I kept the inner fold embellishment simple with a half doily on either side.

The outermost panels had patterned paper attached, and then a layer of lace, with the footside to the edge so the picot lace edge does not get folded in the envelope.

I am linking this to:

Party Time Tuesday Challenge #118 - Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore May Challenge - Anything Goes

Score Pal Challenge #15 - More Than One Fold, For a Special Lady

NordSalten Hobby Challenge - Use at least Three Stamps

One Crazy Stamper's May Challenge - Anything Goes

Petal Lu Challenge log - Anything Goes

Sugar and Betty's Challenge - Anything Goes

Sisters Of Craft May Challenge - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #184 - Anything goes

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed

Monochromatic Kitty

Welcome

Today marks the start of another challenge (#25) over at CCC Digi Creations, and this time it is a Monochrome theme , using a Digi image.

Our sponsor this fortnight is Auroroa Wings Stamps, and the winner will receive US$10 worth of stamps from the store.

I used the Kitten in a Tea Cup image, and decided to leave the kitten white and make the flowers around it, and on the china, orange.

The image was coloured with prismacolor pencils. To mount it, I cut away the blank part of the image and then mounted it over a brown piece of card covered with some net, to mimic a table and cloth.

The image panel was then mounted over an embossed piece of yellow card that I had used the letterpress technique with orange ink, but the ink did not colour the yellow as well as I had hoped.

I placed some ribbon around the panel before adhering it to the base.  The designer paper was from an Amy Tangerine pad Ready, Set Go.

Some flat back pearls were added as the finishing touch.

I am linking this to:

Southern Girls Challenge #110 - Animal Crackers

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #119 - Animals

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #183 - Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Inspiration Challenge #82 - Colour an Image

Moo-Mania Challenge - Flowers

Inspiration Destination Challenge #33 - Anything Goes

Crafting By Design - Flowers

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed.

Sympathy and a Poppy Diecut

Welcome

This was one of the projects I taught in my card class today.  Although the result is CAS, it was quite a challenge, especially not to smudge it - as I and one other discovered!!

The first step was to stamp the sentiment (from Our Daily Bread Designs)  in black ink, in a position that the Prim Poppy die cut would cross.

I coloured the die cut using water colour markers, 

then re-inserted it into the void, holding it in place with sticky tape.

The final detail was to add the strips of washi tape before mounting the feature panel over the orange base card - I toyed with the possibility of adding sequins, but decided against it.

I made this on Sunday, ready to have a sympathy card 'on hand', not knowing that I would need it by late Monday. 

I am linking this to:

Come and Get It Challenge - Got Flowers

Stamp and Create May Challenge - May Flowers

Mema's Crafts May Challenge - Anything Goes

Eureka Stamps Challenge #140 - Flowers

Craft Your Passion Challenge #261 - Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #59 - Anything Goes

Always Playing With Paper Challenge #34 - Yellow, Orange and Green

Happy Little Stamper May CAS Challenge - Use Dies or Punches

Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #85 - Anything Goes, Twist - Add Flowers

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #182 - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May you day be blessed

The Butterflies Strike Again!

Welcome

Yes, another dose of butterflies :-)

I started with a piece of paper I had used to "mop up" the surplus from my monoprint a few weeks ago, and love the way the colours had dried on it.

I used the STAMPlorations butterfly stencil to sponge Versamark ink onto the card, then embossed it using white powder.  To define the butterflies I sketched around them with a very fine brown micron pigment pen.

The sentiment was stamped and red embossed onto a Spellbinders  Fancy Tags Three Die cut that I thought echoed the butterflies - the tag was sponged with Spiced Marmalade DI before removing it from the die.

It looked a wee bit lost, so ran the brown micron pen around it and although it is not immediately visible, it defined and grounded the tag beautifully.

I am linking this to:

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #80 - Die Cuts

DRS Designs Challenge 3173 - Beautiful Backgrounds

The Stamping Boutique Challenge - Die Cut or Punch

Sistr Act Card Challenge #105 - Anything Goes

QKR Stampede Challenge #138 - Nature

Polkadoodles Fridayt Challenge #19 - Things with Wings

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun Friday Chgallenge #87 - Anything Goes

Craft for the Craic May Challenge - Wings

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #182 - Anything Goes

STAMPloraions Ongoing Anything Goes Challenge

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed

Clustered Flowers

Welcome

I saw a technique on Splitcoast Stampers called Cluster Stamping, so I 'had a go' , and this is the result, which I taught at my last card class.

I made a circular mask, and stamped through that directly onto the card, which is a recycled cardstock with a grey tone, and a darker grey fleck. 

There were times I stamped over the edge of the mask too, which gave a more defined edge.

For the flowers (which are roses from a retired Layers of Color set) I used some old die inks that have the brand name "Whisper" - I overlapped some of the stamping, which was not an issue, and also turned the flowers for differing angles and a more relaxed 'look'.

I finished the card by stamping three bees on and around the flowers,

and livened them up with some Kindy Glitz on the wings.

A simple sentiment completed the card.

I am linking this to:

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #243 - Flowers For Her

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Retro Rubber Challenge #13 - Anything Goes

Stamps are over 3 years old

Paper Take Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #150 - Anything Goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #84 - Anything Goes - Twist, use pastel colours

Deep Ocean Challenge #103 - Flowers

Clear it Out Challenge - Anything Goes 

both the inks and stamps have been owned for years

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #182 - Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations May Challenge - Flower Power

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed.

Orange and Gold Roses

Welcome

Although it is late Autumn here in the antipodes, I really enjoyed colouring up these roses from a Just Rite set of stamps sent to me in a RAK by Shelly

The image was coloured with prismacolor pencils, and the frame with gold pens, then the image panel was mounted on a floral spellbinders die cut.

I secured the ribbon on the card and tried to make a bow for the 'crossing', but it would not

 co-operate.  I then found this charm, and adhered it with a glue dot.  Problem, how to make it look tied on - I used some pearle thread, but it was fun and games to get it looking o.k.  Moral of the story, sort the charm and adhere before securing the ribbon!

The final detail was the sentiment, (a long time ago, unmarked purchase)  embossed on the patterned paper, which came from my stash - again I am uncertain of it's origin.

I am happy with this card.

I am linking it to the following challenges:

Llil' patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #9 - Anything goes

Addicted To Stamps Challenge #103 - Flowers

613 Avenue Create Challenge #122 - Anything goes/twist Feminine

Life In Details May Challenge - Flowers

Crafty Hazel's Patterned Paper May Challenge - Use patterned paper

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #25 - use a Die Cut

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #181 - Anythng Goes

Crafts Galore and Encore May Challenge - Anything Goes

Bee Crafty and Craft Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

Penny Black and More - May Challenge - Punches and dies

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed

Beary Happy Bloom and Balloons

Welcome

Today I am making this post brief as I have a severe infection (cellulitis) on the back of one hand and I am supposed to be keeping it elevated.... can't do that when I am typing :-)

This is to introduce the (Recipe) Challenge #24 over at the CCC Digi Challenge, and we are being sponsored by Stitchy Bear this challenge, 

and I have used their image Beary Happy Bloom

The recipe is to use 1 ribbon, two papers and three gems or brads.

I mounted my image, coloured with Prisma Color pencils, on two die cuts from the Spellbinders Mavellous Squares .

I am linking this to:

Creative Fingers Challenge #78 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #181 - Anything Goes

Scrap and Craft Inspiration Challenge #7 - Ribbon or twine

Sassy Studio Challenge #279 - Anything Goes

Moving Along With The Times - Recipe

1 Digi image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments and a touch of glitter (in the droplet)

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #118 - Anything Goes with Ribbon

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #244 - Anything Goes

Time Out challenge #30 - Inspiration photo

I was inspired by the shapes and colours in the wallpaper

Thank you for visiting my blog

Any comments you may leave are deeply appreciated

May your day be blessed