Foiled snowflakes ...

Good evening ... just popping in to share a card ... I'm still on the hunt for a design that is effective but easy to replicate ... I quite like this one but it takes too much time to make multiples of but I might be able to adapt the design using a different technique!

This is full of very shiny snowflakes but, as always, impossible to show in a photograph - you will just have to trust me.  I die cut all of the snowflakes from a sheet of double sided tape and adhered them to a piece of card.  I removed the tape backing and then applied a selection of different coloured foils to the images.  I added the die cut sentiment and adhered the panel to the card base with foam tape for dimension and interest.  I think the design might work with stamped snowflakes and heat embossing which would be quicker than foiling the images.

I'm going to enter the following challenges:

"Less is More" #356


Uniko Challenge #44


STAMPlorations Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge


Enjoy!

ATSM Photo inspiration ...

Time for a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More this week we have a photograph to spark your interest:

For my card I've taken the words and gone for a simple uncluttered design:

I ink blended a piece of card before die cutting the letters once from this card and then three more times from plain card before adhering them on top of each other.  I then played with the layout for hours ... well it seemed like hours!! I then 'Wink of Stellar-ed' to add just a touch of sparkle!

I used:

Dienamics High Rise Alphabet dies

Distress inks - tumbled glass, mermaid lagoon, salty ocean, blueprint sketch and chipped sapphire.

I hope you are inspired to get out your crafty stuff and join in with the challenge - I'm looking forward to checking out what creations you make.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Christmas ...

As we hurtle towards Christmas I'm delighted to say the new challenge at AAA Cards is all about Christmas ... so you have no excuse not to create another Christmas card!  I don't know about you but I'm still short of Christmas cards and even considered buying a box the other day!!!

... so get the supplies out and get creating ... remember you can enter the challenge more than once.  So let's get down to business, this is my card:

I masked, stamped and heat embossed the snowmen before colouring them with markers.  I then die cut the panel and a larger panel before adhering them together with fun foam to add dimension.  I then added the sentiment,

I used:

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

PaperArtsy JOFY 17 Three Wise Snowmen

UNIKO Simply Said II

STAMPlorations Crazy Running Stitch Rectangles

I do hope you will join in with the challenge ... I look forward to seeing your designs.  The challenge is being sponsored by UNIKO so you could be in with the chance of winning a new stamp set and who doesn't need a new stamp set!!

Enjoy!

CUTplorations #2 Reminder ...

We are two weeks into the CUTplorations November challenge over at STAMPlorations and the good news is you still have time to enter!! I'm sharing another card in the hope that I might inspire you to join in ... 

Check out the image, get out your dies, put your thinking caps on and get creating!!  This is my effort:

I began by stamping the background and then die cut a panel.  I had inked up another piece of card with some distress inks before stamping and die cutting the feathers.  I die cut 2 feathers out of the background panel and inlaid 2 feathers cut from the coloured panel.  The red feather was stamped and die cut from a piece of cream card before I adhered it to the panel with foam adhesive for added dimension.  The whole panel was mounted onto a Kraft card base using red fun foam - which you can see from the side!!!  A sentiment was added and that was it!!

I used:

STAMPlorations - Feathery Stamp Set and Coordinating Dies

                              - Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangles

                              - Bloom Happy Coordinating Dies

Distress Inks - Wilted Violet and Festive Berries

Distress Oxide Ink - Wilted Violet

Versafine Black Onyx

Why not have a go and join in with the challenge.

Enjoy!

Monster Christmas ...

Another week closer ... another Christmas card to add to the pile - still not enough but heading in the right direction.  Today's card is just a bit of fun that hopefully will go down well with the younger members of my family.

You may recognise the monster ... I just masked off the corner of the stamp and added a Santa hat (which I drew by hand on a separate piece of card, coloured and fussy cut).  I created the sentiment from a number of different stamp sets and an alphabet set.  I want to add a little texture in the background so used some texture paste through a snowflake stencil.

I'm entering the challenge at "Less is More"


Enjoy!

Mixed Media mark making and fun ...

I can't tell you how relieved I am that it is Friday tomorrow ... I've had a non-stop week and would just like to sit down and relax ... a busy week at work, a three hundred mile round trip on Monday, a wonderful evening at the theatre on Tuesday, my print making evening class on Wednesday, catching up with design team commitments in between ... the list just seems to go on!!!  Tonight I want to share something creative with you ... I started the year with a plan to do more mixed media projects ... a plan that I have not been that successful with ... but tonight I would like to share this:

This is an eight page book created using various techniques - image transfer of photographs, acrylic paint resist, stamping and heat embossing, mark making with ink and loads more.  I was lucky enough to spend last weekend on a two day workshop at the yard: Art Space with Sue Brown, printmaker, sharing her techniques and skills.  Sue is an amazing printmaker and a fabulous teacher ... I will be returning next year to learn more!!  In the meantime I need to find time to practise and perfect the techniques!!


I also created a second book:

More white space on this one and fewer techniques!

I would like to enter the challenge at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

 

Enjoy!

Giving Thanks Blog Hop and Wishlist Linky Party ...

Exciting times ... today is the start of the STAMPlorations Annual Giving Thanks Blog Hop ... there are 38 designers involved so lots of inspiration for you to feast you eyes on ... so get comfortable, get hopping and have some fun!   Along with loads of inspiration there are prizes to be won.  Check out the main post on the STAMPlorations blog for all the details.

I've created a number of cards using new stamps from Typografia Thankful range.  The first  are using the Unknown Blessings.

The following cards are using 'We have enough':

Apologies for the wonky photograph!

I hope you like what you see ... why not join in with the rest of the hop ... 

3rd Annual STAMPlorations Giving Thanks Blog Hop & Wishlist Linky Party Participating Designers

1. STAMPlorations blog  2. Deepti Malik  3. Melissa Chipperfield - CASology  4. Carol Mayne  5. Christine/Craftyfield  6. Kathy Schweinfurth  7. Becca Cruger  8. Debbie Owens - Cupcake Inspirations  9. Sue Nagata  10. Stephanie Severin  11. MariLynn DeGroot  12. Julie Beech  13. Trish Latimer - Craft Stamper Make It, Take It  14. Terri Koszler  15. Jerrie Mead  16. Ina Grehan  17. Melissa Lane  18. Sandie Munro - Time Out Challenges  19. Wei Wei Wang  20. Tanja Kabel  21. LauraJane Head  22. Monica Taylor  23. Sarah Platt - Less Is More  24. Karola Rehnstrom  25. Sanna Lippert  26. Chris Dring  27. Elaine Place  28. Jane Taylor - AAA Cards  29. Monika Skinner  30. Maria Fischer  31. Cornelia Wenokor  32. Dana Warren - Coffee Loving Cardmakers  33. Amy Almeida  34. Helen Gullett  35. Nonni Niskanen - Time Out Challenges  36. Shery Russ

(Linkup closed)

Enjoy!

ATSM Holiday ...

As another week disappears into the past it is time for a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More ... and we are back around to the 'Holiday' theme ... and remember any holiday is a good holiday to create a card for this challenge.

I'm in urgent need to create Christmas cards so that is the holiday I'm concentrating on!  The card I am sharing is designed to be simple and easy to replicate.

The snowflakes are stamped with a background stamp and the the sentiment has been stamped and heat embossed over the top.  I trimmed the panel and adhered it to the base using foam adhesive to add some dimension.

I used:

UNIKO - Background Blocks: Falling Snow

             - Christmas Sentiments

Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass

Wow Gold Embossing Powder

Versamark Ink

Please take some time and check out the blog you will see some amazing designs and hopefully will be inspired to join in with the challenge.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Celebrate ...

It is time, once again, for a new challenge over at AAA Cards ... I hope you are all ready with your supplies to join in for some fun!  The theme this time is:

I have taken the approach of a generic "Celebrate" card .. but you can decide your own take on the theme - any type of celebration is welcome for the challenge.

A simple card with just some stamping and heat embossing.  I thought the detail and beauty of the stamp needed to be showcased through simplicity.

I used:

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Wow Clear embossing powder

UNIKO Simply Said Stamp set

IndigoBlu Colour Me - Dahlia

I hope you will drop by the challenge and check out the design team's inspiring cards - we are joined by a guest designer for this challenge Ros (ros-mikeysmom.blogspot.co.uk).  Why not join in too ... you could win a gift certificate from Happy Little Stampers with a built in excuse to 'buy more stuff'!!

Enjoy!

Firework stars ...

Just popping in for a quick post, to share my entry for this week's challenge at "Less is More" - it's a two week colour challenge and the colours to use are Firework colours!

I've used bright reds, oranges and gold ... with a hint of black for the night sky!

All of the stars have been heat embossed some with clear embossing powder and others with gold.  The 'smile' has been given a coating of Wink of Stella to add some sparkle.

I used:
UNIKO -Reach for the Stars and Background Builders: Seeing Stars stamp sets
Distress Inks - Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin
Versamark Ink
Wow Embossing Powders - Clear and Bright Gold.

These are the details of the challenge:



Enjoy!

CUTplorations #2 ...

Is it me or is the year whizzing by?  Here we are in November already ... and a new month means a new CUTplorations challenge over on the STAMPlorations blog!  Do you enjoy using dies in your card-making? Then this could be the challenge for you - this is the inspiration for this month:

I was inspired by the colours - purple and grey with a pop of red - and this is my creation:

I began by creating two panels - one in purple and one in red and die cut the flowers from the panels and also from some grey card.  The large flowers were stacked and adhered together to make thick 'chipboard-like' flowers.  I coloured some card for the 'awesome' and then die cut the word in grey card as well to add depth to the word.  I then combined all of the elements together onto the card base.

I used:

STAMPlorations - Trendy Spring Blooms and Matching Dies

                              - Awesome

                              - Mixed Media Elements

                              - Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangles

Distress Inks - Wilted Violet, Candied Apple and Festive Berries

Distress Oxide Inks - Wilted Violet and Candied Apple

I hope that I have inspired you to get out your dies and have a go ...

Enjoy!

ATSM Anything Goes ...

It is time for a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More and I'm here to inspire you to get creating and join in with the challenge.  I know this week's theme is a favourite as it's time for Anything Goes!

I was recently asked to create a card for a wedding, this is the design I came up with:

Why not pop by the blog to see the other designs from the Design Team ... I'm know you will not be disappointed with what you see!

Enjoy!