CUTplorations January Challenge ...

Happy New Year

Good evening!! It is time for a new challenge, the first of the new year, over at STAMPlorations CUTplorations:

The photograph to me is all about a new start and a new year as well as the colours of a new dawn ... so that is the direction I took:

I used:

Distress Inks - Squeezed lemonade, Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon and Candied Apple

CUTplorations - Happy, Manila Tags Nesting Dies, Uppercase Alphabet, Lowercase Alphabet and Numbers Plate Die

If you pop across to the blog you will see loads of inspiring projects from the design team ... it really is worth a visit ... and I know you'll be inspired to join in with the challenge.  I am looking forward to seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

CUTplorations December Reminder ...

Well there is just one week left before the big day ... are you all sorted? cards posted? gifts bought and wrapped?  If you are all sorted ... why not take some timeout and get creative!  Or maybe you're like me and just need to make one more card ... then take some time and get crafting.  I'm here to inspire you to join in with this month's CUTploration challenge at STAMPlorations.

Two simple small cards ... letting the dies do the work!  I cut four bauble bases and adhered them together using double sided tape.  I added a layer of the tape to the top layer and adhered the intricate die cut and gold gilding flakes to the red bauble and silver to the blue one. The gilding shines beautifully in real life ... the photograph doesn't do justice to it.  I finished the card with a simple sentiment and for added interest add some gold and silver thread to the top.

I used:

STAMPlorations - Christmas Bauble #1 - Layering dies

Gilding flakes from my Mum's stash!!

I do hope you will join in with the challenge and look forward to seeing all of your beautiful creations.

Enjoy!

CUTplorations December Challenge ...

Have you completed all your Christmas cards? Me neither!!  Hopefully I will be able to inspire you to get out your dies and card making supplies.  It is time for the new STAMPlorations Cutplorations challenge has a decorated Christmas tree as the theme! So no excuses ... get creating!!

I decided to hit the challenge head on and went for the classic baubles!!

I die cut three bases and three top layers of the baubles.  I covered the bases in double sided tape, added the intricate patterned top layer and then added gold gilding flakes to exposed tape.  Before adding the baubles to the card I stamped some "leaves" ...  I actually used a feather stamp as I thought the looked like pine fronds!

I used:

STAMPlorations - Christmas Baubles #2 layering dies

                              - Feathery

Gilding Flakes - from my Mum's stash!!

If you need further inspiration pop across to STAMPlorations and check out the design team's brilliant designs.

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!

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!

CUTplorations reminder ...

Have you joined in with this month's challenge over at STAMPlorations ... you still have time so get out your dies and start cutting!  These are the details:

My original project, here, was on the 'home' theme in this reminder post I've gone with the colours and Autumn feel:

I took one of the leaf dies and die cut a number of leaves.  I added some detail by stamping with distress ink and then heat embossing with clear powder before smooshing them in various distress inks to add colour and texture.  I then stamped and heat embossed some leaves onto the background before adhering the leaves with foam pads to add more dimension.  I added some splatters to the background.

I used:

STAMPlorations - Trendy Leaves 2 Coordinating Dies

                              - Trendy Leaves Stamp Set

Distress Inks - ripe persimmon, abandoned coral, festive berries, spiced marmalade, carved pumpkin, candied apple.

WOW White and Clear Embossing Powder

I hope you will be inspired to join in with the challenge - if you need more inspiration why not pop across to the blog and check out the other designers.  If you fancy treating yourself to some of the STAMPloration products then I have a treat for you - use this code and you will get a 20% discount ... STAMPGIRLELAINE

Fancy some more inspiration - how about this:

A simple design with just words!

Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home ...

It is time for the start of a new season of CUTploration challenges over at STAMPlorations and I am excited to say I am now a permanent member of the design team!  I had such a great time being part of the Guest Design team that when I was asked to join the main team I did not hesitate.  So this is my first post that I hope will inspire you to join in with the challenge ... if you are not inspired by my project then pop across to the blog and see the awesome projects from the rest of the team.

I went with the literal interpretation and created a 'new home' card with the 'home is where your heart is...'

I used:

CUTlorations: Crazy Double Running Stitched Rectangles; Lower Case Alphabet Plate; Sweet Spring Wishes; Clustered Heart Die.

STAMPlorations: The Bee's Knees - Houses

Distress Inks - Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Twisted Citron and Tumbled Glass

I hope you will be inspired to join in with the challenge!  If you fancy treating yourself to some of the STAMPloration products then I have a treat for you - use this code and you will get a 20% discount ... STAMPGIRLELAINE

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!