Wildflowers ...

It's been a busy week back at work ... too tired to create in the evenings ... so I just had too do something creative today but ideas were not coming very fast!  I did manage to create one card and created some base layers for a couple of tags.

This is the card:

I began by colouring a piece of water colour card using Distress Oxide Inks (my first attempt at smooshing with them).  I used the panel to die cut three wildflowers,  I die cut the same wildflowers from some black card, then die cut them from a piece of card and inlaid the black ones back into the negative spaces.  The coloured elements were adhered slightly offset so that the black could been seen and appeared to be the shadows.  I mounted the panel to the card base with a narrow piece of black down the edge to echo the shadow! 

Why all the shadows? well, this week's challenge at "Less is More" is all about Shadows!!

I used:
Distress Oxides - Wilted Violet and Broken China
Sizzix Tim Holtz Wildflowers dies

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #326


TIME OUT Challenges #82 Theme - "Flowers with the optional twist of kissing"

Before I go I'd like to share this picture of a flower in my garden - this is the first of six Allium bulbs that planted in the Autumn.  I'm excited as this is the first to flower and each day it seems to get bigger and more beautiful.

Enjoy!

Graffiti Wall ...

It's an early start for me this morning ... it is the last day of my two week break from work and I need to make the most of it!!  I had planned to do so much during my time off ... and yet there still seems to be a lot left on the 'to do list'! 

I finished these two cards yesterday but ran out of time to share them with you ... another reason for getting up early!  The first:
 

The second

I first stamped three panels with a selection of words.  I then die cut the centre of one of the panels using a brick wall die.  For the first card I lined up some of the bricks onto the base and adhered some with foam to add dimension.  On the second card I lined up the 'mortar' grid from around the bricks an adhered it to the panel.  Both panels were then adhered onto a Kraft card.

I used:
STAMPlorations - Blossom Overture, Mixed Media Elements, Hello You, Old Type and Joyful
Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Hickory Smoke, Ground Espresso
Distress Oxide - Broken China
Marianne Design - Brick Wall

I'm entering the following challenges:

Inkspirational Challenge #133


The Male Room Challenge #58 - hopefully a brick wall counts as architecture!!


STAMPlorations


Enjoy!

Butterfly stripes ...

It has been a beautiful Spring Day today ... lots of sunshine and blue skies ... enough to make you smile and begin to believe that Winter has finally gone.  I've been out and about this afternoon in Oxford taking in the sights and sounds of the Oxford Folk weekend - this mainly involved standing in the sunshine watching Morris Dancers (English Folk Dancers find out more here).  I even managed to visit OVADA (Oxfordshire Visual Arts Development Agency) gallery to see an exhibition which included some works by my son.  So a fun filled afternoon but I did have chance to create a card this morning.

I die cut the butterfly out of the card base before ink blending the ombre stripes and then stamped the sentiment.  The detailed butterfly was cut from some black card stock and adhered to the inside of the card.  Then I did something very unusual for me - I added some enamel dots!!

I used:
CUTplorations - Flutter Zen 1 Layering Dies
Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch
Enamel dots - ancient and no longer attached to a label!!

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #325


STAMPlorations Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge


STAMPlorations April Theme and Sketch Challenge


Enjoy!

Things with Wings ... Part 3

Have you joined in with the STAMPlorations 'Blog hop and Linky Party' yet?!  Please do, you really will not be disappointed there is lots to see and some beautiful creations to make you smile and inspire you.  There are also prizes to be won if you join in!

My first post for the hop (here) was clean and simple ... this time I've created a couple of tags - one clean and simple and one not!

A simple tag which I hope does justice to the beautiful butterfly die ... I really wanted to showcase the die set so used some teal card for the solid die to make the whole image pop (at least that was my intention!).

The second tag is very different:

I created the background by stamping the butterflies and heat embossing them with clear powder.  Then I ink blended the image.  I then stamped the butterflies again and heat embossed them before ink blending the image with a darker shade ... and repeat!  Once completed I ironed the panel to remove the embossed image and to leave behind the ink blended butterflies.  This time the die cut is popped onto some navy blue card stock.

I used:

CUTplorations - Flutter Zen 1 Layering Stencils, Sweet Spring Phrase Dies
STAMPlorations - Butterfly Row - Artsy Borders
Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch.

Click on the image to visit the blog and join the linky party:

Enjoy and don't forget to join in with the fun!

Christmas in April ...

... four months into the year and I'm already failing with one of my New Year Resolutions ... I was supposed to make one Christmas card a week ... I still have time to catch up! At least my design team responsibilities mean that I have created a Christmas card this week ... yes you've guessed correctly we are back to the 'Holiday' challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More.

Why not join the challenge and get ahead with your Christmas cards ... it can be other holidays as well!  This is my card:

First I heat embossed the snowflakes with white embossing powder before smooshing them with distress inks to create a soft watercolour background.  I used a small piece of acetate to control where the ink went.   I heat embossed the sentiment onto a small piece of vellum which I wrapped around the panel before adhering it to the card base.

I hope you are inspired to join the challenge.

Enjoy!

Patience and die cuts ...

Morning all!  I ran out of time yesterday to post this second card ... made during my day of crafting.  

I die cut the focal point using a Tim Holtz die designed to stay in the card.  I used the same die to cut up some scraps of card coloured using the faux mother of pearl technique (leftover from a previous project) and the inlaid the elements in to the focal point.  I can safely say that I am unlikely to use this die for this technique again - the pieces are just so small and fiddly!!  As you can see, I also used the die to cut the card base to echo the design and to add more interest.  I popped the panel on to the base and stamped the sentiment.

I used:
Tim Holtz Mixed Media #2
Distress Inks - Spun Sugar Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet and Salty Ocean
UNIKO - Simply Said
Dovecraft 3D Pearl Effects

I'm entering the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up April Challenge 


STAMPlorations CAS April Challenge


Enjoy!

Ranunculus ...

Good evening ... I hope you are all enjoying the holiday weekend and have lots of chocolate to hand.  Today I have had a crafty day ... I've made a couple of cards and spent a lot of time messing about with paint, stencils and my gel printing plate.  I seem to have a lot of paper with paint on it but nothing that really makes my heart sing - I guess I'll just have to try again tomorrow!!

This is my first card for the day and is all about Spring colours and flowers:

I used:

Simon Says Stamp! Sketch Ranunculus
Inktense Blocks
Wow White Embossing Powder
Dienamics Stitched Square Dies

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #324


Inkspirational #132


Enjoy!

One layer wonder ...

When I first started card making and entering challenges the one that filled me with dread was the "one layer card" ... you see sometimes my stamping is not quite perfect (it still isn't!) and stray bits of ink are difficult to disguise without adding more layers!  But I have to say that I do now enjoy the challenge!  Just as well because "Less is More" this week is One Layer week.

This is my first design for the challenge - well, one design, two colourways:

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you will recognise the technique that I am currently obsessed with - faux mother of pearl!  I decided that it would be worth trying on a masked element of a card front to see if it would work ... and it did!  So a simple technique for two very simple one layer cards.  I just need to remember this when I need a card in a hurry!

I'm entering the following challenge:

"Less is More" #323


Enjoy!

Flutter ...

Do you ever remember a technique that you haven't used for ages ... and then keep doing it?  I was showing my mum how to do the faux mother of pearl technique using pearl effects, distress inks and cling film ... so having created a number of panels using different colours I decided I would try to make a card with them.  Also I find that when my creative mojo goes off for a walk trying out old and new techniques sometimes gets the ideas flowing again.  So this card uses some of the panels:

I die cut the pale blue using a Tim Holtz mixed media die which is designed to stay in a piece of card but I thought if I trimmed it, it would look like a piece of lace.  I die cut the solid butterfly in pink faux mother of pearl before layering the detailed white die cut on top. Stamped the sentiment and then added it all to the card.

I used:
Tim Holtz Mixed Media #2 Dies
CUTplorations (STAMPlorations)  Flutter Zen 1 Layering dies
Distress Inks - Tumbled glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Spun sugar, Picked Raspberry.

I'm entering the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - April Anything Goes with the twist



STAMPlorations Never-Ending Challenge



"Less is More" #322




Enjoy!

Things with wings ...

Today is the first day of a 'Blog Hop and Linky Party' over at STAMPlorations ... and I'm lucky enough to be joining in!  Why not pop over and check it out - there are prizes to be won as well as an opportunity to visit lots of blogs and view some amazing creations.  We are celebrating Spring ... with wings!

I'm hoping that my card will inspire you to join in with the fun!

I created a patterned piece of card before using it to die cut the butterfly and sentiment.  Isn't that a beautiful butterfly die ... it is part of the new release from STAMPlorations and there is a matching solid butterfly die which you can just see peeking out from underneath.  I love created patterned card to use for die cuts it just seems to add the right amount of colour but with extra interest that you just don't get from a flat colour.  I also white heat embossed the base card with some solid butterfly images - not very easy to see in the photograph but it just adds a bit of interest.

I used:
CUTplorations - Flutter Zen 1 Layering dies,  Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Dies,
Sweet Spring Wishes Die
STAMPlorations - Mixed Media Grunge, Mixed Media Elements and Trendy Butterflies
Distress Inks - Tumbled Grass, Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch

Pop along and join in the fun!

Epic Stamping ...

Another month ... can you believe we've made it to April already?!  In the UK it's a month of sunshine and showers ... and that, of course, creates rainbows and that is my inspiration for this card.  I hope that this will inspire you to join in with the new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More - this week it is your choice as Anything Goes 

I hope you will feel inspired to join the challenge.  This is my card:

This card is all about stamping - three stamps and six distress inks.  I treated myself to a stamp positioner and it proved to be invaluable for creating this card.

I used:

STAMPlorations - Grunge Floral Strip

Distress Inks - Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin and Wilted Violet.

I hope you will pop along and join in with the challenge.

Enjoy!