Addicted to CAS - Challenge #13

Hello everyone - welcome to a brand new Addicted to CAS challenge.

This challenge is hosted by the amazing Kylie who is our much respected founder and leader at Addicted to Stamps.  Here is the code word she has chosen:

And we have the wonderful ladies over at

as our awesome sponsor for this challenge. If you are crowned our CAS Perfectionist, you will be entitled to choose 7 digis from their store!!!!

 

I have chosen to use Pleasant Poppies by Stampin Up on my card this week.  It is quite a large stamp and has three slightly separate groups of poppies so I chose to use just one group.  I masked off the part of the stamp I didn't want with tape before I inked it up and then removed the tape before I stamped.  I am sure there may be another way to do this but it works for me.  I coloured the image in with my Polychromos pencils and then die cut the word HAPPY from the image (All Occasion Dies).  I die cut the word twice more from white cardstock and then glued the three layers together and popped them back into the image which was popped up on the base card blank.  The sentiment "Birthday" is from Clearly Besotted "Happy Days" stamp set.  Corners of both layers have been rounded using my Corner Chomper.

Thanks for dropping by.  Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog to see the amazing cards the rest of the DT have come up with.

Less is More - Week 119 - One Layer

Hello all from a very chilly and damp Somerset.  What a difference to last weekend eh?  Well, in between painting walls I managed to grab a crafty break to join in with the latest challenge over at Less Is More where Chrissie & Jen have set us this challenge:

This week it's everyone's favourite.. One Layer Cards and this week we would like you to use a

Coloured Card Blank

Yes that's right, none of your boring, white, ivory, black or kraft card blanks we want to see you add some colour.

I actually managed to make two cards.  The first one is on a 4" square kraft card blank and I used stamps from my Stampin Up Bordering on Romance set, inked up with black Versafine.  Now I don't know if you've tried to use coloured pencils directly onto kraft card but you normally end up with a very "flat" image.  I was given a great tip from Jo Austin of Docrafts quite a while ago.  The secret is to stamp your image and then colour everything in with a white pencil......then colour as normal over the top of this.  Not only does it give a bright finish you also get a sort of glazed finish as well but not sure that shows up in my photos.  I used Polychromos pencils.

My second card was very simple.  I made up a red pearl card blank and using Versamark stamped the three elements from the Stampin Up Fabulous You set.  I then used fine detail gold e/p and "Bob's your uncle"!!!  Again it is really difficult to get a good photograph of embossing on a coloured cardstock, especially the sentiment, as you have to turn it at an angle, but I'm sure you get the drift.

 

Oops..........I've actually just read the challenge rules and suddenly saw that Chrissie & Jen have said "none of your boring, white, ivory, black or kraft card blanks".............hope they forgive me as I have got quite a lot of colour on my kraft card!!!  lol  That'll teach me to read it more carefully next time!  But at least I have redeemed myself with the red card (I hope!).

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for dropping by to visit.

Clearly Besotted!!!

Hi Folks - just a very quick post today as I'm packing my bags (no, I'm not leaving home....... lol) as it's our craft night tonight and I have quite a lot to take along for the two projects we are going to be completing tonight.

However I just had to have a quick play as my new goodies from Clearly Besotted arrived this morning from Stephanie's May release.  I've used the Just Fabulous stamps and die set.  I started off by embossing a piece of white cardstock using my Cuttlebug Geometric e/f but used my Darice Easy Frames to keep a clear oval at the bottom right hand side of the embossed piece (not sure you can see it on the photo very clearly).  I then stamped the stem and leaf directly into the clear oval and decided where I wanted my smaller flowers to go so I could add stems for them as well.  I then stamped up my flowers using SU Tangerine Tango and die cut them.  I inked up the larger vase and die cut that as well.  These elements were shaped with my bone folder and added to the card using Pinflair Glue Gel.  I then stamped the sentiment and punched it with my SU label punch.  I also punched the same shape on the main piece of embossed card so I could place the sentiment on the base card which could be seen through the "window".  The whole of the main image was then raised on d/s foam pads and added to the base card.


I have always admired Stephanie's ability to die cut her images perfectly so asked if she actually die cut the stamped image or die cut the shape and then stamped on top.  She directed me to a blog who gave the best solution I have seen - and perhaps you all know about this, but it was one of those "duh" moments.  Firstly you die cut each shape out of a separate piece of card.  Keep these negative pieces and then when you stamp your image place the negative card over the top and pop your die into the aperture and tape down.  Put through your machine and you have the perfect die cut!  Simples eh?   

Anyway, must get on with getting all my gear together.  Have a great evening and thanks for dropping by.

Less is More - Week 118 Colour

Hello everyone - hope you all had a fantastic Bank Holiday weekend with glorious weather.  It was beautiful down here in Somerset and continues today - although tomorrow and Wednesday don't look good at all!!!  Typical eh?

Anyway onto the Less is More challenge which is:

Colour Challenge 

This month we would like you to choose TWO opposite colours from this Colour Wheel

For my card I chose to use my Woodware stamp Fuchsia Spray which I first saw my friend Jill use.  I've stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black and then decided to use the colours Yellow-Green and Violet-Red.  Happily I have a Flexmarker called Violet-Red ........ how lucky was that? lol

 

I stamped onto white card for the base and coloured with Flexmarkers, I then stamped again so I could use the three main flowers to decoupage and finally stamped again onto vellum for the top layer (calyx or sepals I think they are called).  I die cut the main image using my Spellbinders Nesties Labels 1 and then I used Pinflair Glue Gel for the decoupage.  I mounted onto a matching mat and then added it to a square card blank.

Thanks for dropping by.  Don't forget we've got a new challenge over at Addicted to CAS with a great prize up for the CAS Perfectionist.  The code word is RAINBOW.

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #12

Happy Saturday to you all.  I'm scheduling this post but am hoping that the weather is going to be as nice as it is today (Wednesday) but knowing our luck with Bank Holiday weekends it might not!!!  lol

Well it's time for another challenge at Addicted to CAS - the weeks just fly by.  Here we go:

ATCAS - Challenge #12 - Hosted by Christine

Sponsor for this challenge is 

There is an amazing range of goodies over here! The wonderful Cassie is offering the winner of our challenge an amazing $15 gift voucher!!! 

I've used one of the Clear Dollar Stamps images called Sunshine & Smiles and printed the image of the sunflowers out twice and then fussy cut and decoupaged for some dimension.  Everything was coloured using Flexmarkers.  I've used rainbow colours in baker's twine for the rainbow and the clouds are a combination of Memory Box Puffy Clouds and Marshmallow Clouds. 

I sponged Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass for the grass and sky and I had masked off the sun and the rays before I sponged.  I then used the negative mask (eg the hole left after cutting the mask) to sponge Mustard Seed and Dried Marigold inks.  The sentiment was part of the Clear Dollar Stamps image and was cut using my Stampin Up label punch.  I added some copper Stickles to the centres of the sunflowers.  The whole thing has then been mounted onto a slightly larger piece of card which had been scored using my Stampin Up Simply Scored board and then attached to the base card.


Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog where the DT have some amazing inspiration awaiting you.  We are dying to see what creations you come up with and look forward to visiting your blogs.  This really is a very generous prize from Cassie so well worth having a go!


Enjoy the weekend.

Less is More - Week 117 - Sketch

And back round to Monday we come........hope you all had a great weekend.

This week's challenge over at Less is More is a sketch challenge that has been drawn by Jen:
 

Sketch #9

This week we have a sketch for you drawn by Jen.

It's simplicity itself, so to add a little constraint, we ask that the card stays in this orientation.  Remember we still want to see plenty of white space.

 

 

Here's my take on the challenge.  I am just loving this technique, I think it looks so nice.  The stamped elements are from a Chocolate Baroque stamp set called Breath of Spring and I have used the main hydrangea flower and one of the corner stamps.  Inks used were Stampin Up Perfect Plum and Always Artichoke.  The alphabet dies are Memory Box Large Classic and the border die is Cheery Lyn Lace Light Deco Border.  I actually cut the words directly out of the stamped image and then cut two more layers out of plain card to give it dimension and then just popped the letters back in their holes......much easier than the original way of doing it!

Thanks for visiting and hope you all have a creative week.

Burning Issues............

Hi everyone - hope you're having a good weekend.  Does anyone know where the good weather that was forecast has gone????  Cold, wet, miserable - and it's the end of April!

I was asked to take my "wares" along to a sale yesterday morning so I duly paid my money for the table and turned up at around 9.30am - after setting up (which normally takes about 45 minutes or so) thought I'd have a look round at the other sellers' goodies...........to say I wasn't a happy bunny is an understatement - there were three other people selling cards and seeing as there were only about 20 tables in the hall this was absolutely ludicrous.  It's not good for the people paying to come in and it's not very good at all for us poor folk trying to sell a few things.  One lady who passed my table was heard to say "not more cards!!!" - needless to say she didn't even bother to stop to look at all the other stuff that I was selling.

Anyway I thought I'd share with you a little project I started on Thursday when Jan and I did a workshop with the fabulous Margaret Beal working with organza, felt and a soldering iron.  It wasn't finished as we only had about 50 minutes at the show - so had a play this morning and this is the finished "sampler".  Basically it is cutting (to show different colour fabrics underneath) and making marks with the soldering iron and fusing together and onto felt.  Margaret had a few metal objects that we could "draw" around to cut out the organza or just to make marks and I said to Jan we could use our metal dies........so out they came and I had fun playing with cutting out some leaves and the large flower on the top left hand side.  I thought the abstract piece (bottom right) looks a bit like a landscape.  It was great fun and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Unfortunately I just couldn't seem to capture the vibrancy of the pieces in the photos as the organza really does sparkle and shimmer, but it gives you an idea.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Thanks for dropping by and leaving me your lovely comments.

Less is More - Week 116 - CASe It

Well, what a glorious day we've got here in Somerset - blue skies and sunshine although a chilly wind......but it lifts you up seeing the sun.

Here is my card for the latest Less is More challenge.   Here are the details:

This week we are having a challenge not previously employed at "Less is More".

We have only two sample cards this time as we would like you to choose one (or both if you feel so inclined)  and CASE IT/them.

There could be a variety of ways that this could be achieved... ie use of the colours, the layout, the subject matter, technique or the complete card. Please state the inspiration for your CASE.

I have wanted to try out this new (to me anyway) technique of stamping an image and then stamping it on letters/sentiments and placing one on top of the other.  It looks stunning but I had a bit of trouble in that the alphabet dies I have are quite small and I use them mainly for card making hence the size; but you really do need something slightly larger so it shows up. 

The first card I did went totally wrong and the letters got engulfed in the background.  So then I spent ages cutting out letters from a Die-Versions Editor in Chief alphabet.  I die cut two of each letter to make them stand out more and then stuck them together.  I chose quite an open stamp of sketchy boats/sail boards (not sure which) on the sea.  I stamped this in Memento Bahama Blue ink.  I then placed the letters for Happy Birthday on some easy lift tape so they wouldn't move and then placed this on a piece of acetate.  I lined the acetate up with the stamped image so I could decide on the placement.  I then stamped the image again over the letters and acetate - this way I could see exactly where they should go.

I have used my Big Splash border (MB) along the bottom and then mounted it onto a piece of coredinations which was embossed and sanded.  I used some white linen cardstock for my base card and embossed two lines and added a thin strip of the same coredinations.

Thanks for popping in - hope you're having this lovely weather wherever you are.

Amazing blog giveaway

Just thought I'd let you know that Caryn Davies has a new home at Glitter me Silly.  To celebrate she's posted an absolutely amazing blog giveaway:

 

Here is a list of what Caryn has included in the giveaway:

Clearly Besotted Stamps: Butterfly Wishes, Blooming Marvellous and Post It: Love (kindly donated by Steph at Clearly Besotted)

Papertrey Ink: Selection of cardstock (not all colours shown), A2 envleopes and a roll of Pure Poppy satin ribbon.

Memory Box Die: Cosmic Star Border

MFT Die-namics dies: Stocking Trio, Santa’s Sleigh, and Bon Appetit

Rangers Glossy Accents

Stix 2 High tack permanent tape roller (essential)

Memento Tuxedo Black inkpad

Cabury’s chocolate selection (is there any other kind??)

Please pop over and have a look and add your name to the list for a chance to win some gorgeous goodies.

Thanks for popping by.

Japanese Bookbinding

Hello everyone.  Just thought I'd make a quick post to show you a project I made yesterday at a Japanese Bookbinding workshop I went to.

Had a thoroughly good time and it was lovely to bring home a completed project, although, saying that, I have added to it today.  I made the basic book yesterday and then today I have added the beaded skewer, wooden heart button and copper maple leaf (which was sitting on my desk waiting to be used).  I also stamped the sentiment which comes from the Heartfelt Creations set HCPC3514 - Floral Fence - stamped in Rich Cocoa Memento ink both top left and bottom right (although it's not so clear due to the colouring of the paper on the cover).  Not sure I've chosen the right ribbon for the closure so may end up changing that.

Right, just going to catch up on some blog posts and then off to start dinner.  Hope you've all had a good weekend.

See you soon.

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #11

Happy Saturday everyone - hope you're looking forward to a relaxing weekend.  Where do the weeks go?  It's time for another challenge at Addicted to CAS and this week the theme has been chosen by the lovely Caz.  Here are the details:

Our amazing sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps!!!! They are generously offering you a pack of 7 digi's from their store!!!

I've made two cards, both with images from Bugaboo.  The first is using their SCENEIT Ladybugs and on the second I have used their Silhouette Hummingbird Flowers digistamp.  

 

I printed out the ladybugs digi onto printer card and coloured with Flexmarkers.  I then used a Spellbinders nestie to die cut the image in the shape of a flower and before I took it out of the die I sponged DI Dried Marigold around the edges.  I added Crystal Lacquer to the flower centres, the ladybugs, butterflies and water drops on the petals and leaves.  The sentiment is from the Stampin Up Circle of Friendship set and was die cut and sponged as above.  It looked a little stark just putting it on a plain white card blank and then I remembered I had an embossing folder that had flowers of a similar shape......so off I went and it was exactly where it was supposed to be.....hehe.  It is the Creative Expressions EF-004 Floral e/f.  I placed the card blank in it so the central panel would be embossed and then I embossed a line top and bottom of the design.  Image and sentiment were popped up on d/s foam pads.

For the second card I printed off the silhouette image on my laser printer and then foiled it with a lovely blue foil.  It was then mounted on a matching piece of mirri card which I die cut using my Spellbinders Lacey Circles.  The sentiment was computer generated and foiled.  It was then die cut and matted using my Spellbinders D-Lites Ornamental Tags 2 dies.  The embossing down each side was done using my Stampin Up Simply Scored Borders Plate.  Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog and see what lovely cards the DT have come up with and we look forward to seeing all your fantastic creations and visiting your blogs.

 Have a great weekend.

 

 

Magic Card

Hello everyone.  Well although it's pretty chilly and very breezy we have, at last, got blue skies and sunshine......long may it continue.

We are still slogging on with the new bathroom and ensuite but I managed to get away for a bit of play time. 

I found a brilliant card design by the very talented Marianne Skjelstad and you can find her tutorial here. 


I really thought it was such a pretty design I couldn't wait to have a go and as it's my friend Barbara's birthday soon I made it with her in mind. 

Not sure why it's called a "magic" card but from what I understand Marianne's son was showing her some magic tricks to do with paper folding and this idea came to her.........

I'm not going to list exactly the sizes and method as you can find that in the tutorial but I have used my Martha Stewart edge punch and card/paper from my stash.  The image is a lovely digi stamp called "Noon" by Sara Burrier and has been coloured with Flexmarkers, Glamour Dust added to her wings and then fussy cut and popped up on Pinflair Glue Gel.  The sentiment on the front is from my Heartfelt Creations Heartfelt Expressions stamp set stamped in Sweet Plum Memento ink.  Inside the card the ovals and scalloped ovals have been die cut with Spellbinders Nesties.  The sentiment on the inside of the card is from Elusive Images and the actual greeting was computer generated.  Flowers, pins and pearls from stash and I've added Liquid Pearls to the centre of the flowers on the front of the card.

I was really pleased with the way this card turned out and hope Barbara will like it.

Thanks for dropping by - don't forget to come by tomorrow for our latest challenge over at Addicted to CAS.

Less is More - One Layer Week 115

Hi Folks - here I am with another entry for the Less Is More One Layer challenge with the theme of Films.

This card is really self explanatory.......... totally computer generated with an image of Marilyn Monroe and the sentiment.  I don't even have to tell you the title (hopefully!!!  lol) - it is what it says!

Thanks for your visit.

Less is More - One Layer Week 115

Hi everyone - well today hasn't given us the nice weather they forecast.......it's been raining all day!  Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Over at Less is More there's a new challenge which is:

This week we have a fun challenge for you.

It must be 

ONE LAYER

(If you're unsure of our rules for this, just look at the Glossary at the top of the blog)

The subject of your cards this time should be inspired by

A FILM

Any film will do, but preferably one that most people will have heard of.

We'd obviously like you to tell us the title of your film and not keep us guessing.

I definitely had a head-scratching moment (or couple of hours.....) as nothing immediately sprung to mind as I didn't seem to have anything that matched the films I thought of.  So decided to turn it on it's head and find a stamp and then look for the film!  Hope this isn't cheating Chrissie & Jen????

I've used Paris Postcard from Elusive Images for my card and the image was stamped with a mixture of Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant and Melon Mambo SU inks directly onto a white linen card base.  I've also used the same inks for the sentiment. 

And the film???  Well it's An American in Paris - a 1951 American musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner. The music is by George Gershwin, with lyrics by his brother Ira, with additional music by Saul Chaplin, the music director. 

I couldn't figure out how to add a link for the American.  Note to self "must do better.......".  Will try to come up with another card later in the week but am on wallpaper stripping and tile ripping duties at the moment - so will be glad of a break.

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for popping by.

Water Stamping

Happy Friday everyone.  Sorry not to have been around much this week but I was at a 3 day workshop earlier in the week and then other things have taken priority!!!  There is a great technique tutorial over at Mynette's Technique Tuesday on water stamping.  Do pop on over to have a look and see the great inspiration provided by the DT.

For my card I inked Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters, Mustard Seed and Marigold.  I then used my Leafy Accents stamps from Clearly Besotted for the water stamping.  I cut out the nicest part of the inked card and trimmed it and matted it on the base card.  I inked up the large trailing leaf stamp and then die cut it with the matching set of dies.  The banner and sentiment is also from Clearly Besotted and was die cut with the matching dies.  I then used a Stampin Up punch and used the waste inked card to punch my flowers.  Everything was then popped up on the card using Pinflair glue gel and I added some Liquid Pearls in the centre of the flowers and at the bottom of the card.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you all have a great weekend..........fingers crossed we will be getting some good weather as predicted!