Happy New Year ...

... a new year brings with it new challenges and opportunities.  For me, January can be the longest and hardest month to deal with ... a time for reflecting back on the year that has gone and looking forward to the year to come.  One thing I've been thinking about is my blog and how I can improve it ... I seem to get less visitors as time passes. Part of the problem is that I haven't been posting as often as I did so I plan to rectify this (of course this means I need to find more time to be creative!!).

So here we go ... my first post for the New Year ... 

I was inspired to create this card by two challenges:

Time Out Challenges #126


Inkspirational Challenge #177
 

It seems strange to be asked to CASE one of my own designs for a challenge ... this is the original card:

Enjoy!

Rainbow Stripes ...

Good Afternoon!  I hope you are all well ... if you are in the UK I hope you are managing to make the most of the wonderful weather.

I'm on holiday from work (the paid type) and I'm trying to catch up with all the household chores in between spending time away with my family.  I'm just back from visiting family in Lincolnshire and tomorrow I am heading to Edinburgh, with my daughter, for a long weekend to see my son - it's ages since I saw him and I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am!!  So in a break from chores and to help the day pass quickly I decided to create a couple of cards ...

A one layer wonder ... two stamps, eight ink pads and a pokey tool!! ... and all completed in less than 10 minutes (9 minutes and 40 seconds!!)

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #376

Inkspirational #166
 

The Male Room #91


Enjoy!

More flowers ...

Another sunny day, another card to share:

I'm entering the following challenges:

Inkspirational #165


CAS Colours & Sketches #280


Enjoy!

Purple and Gold ...

At last we have had a whole day of blue sky and sunshine, long may it continue ... it brings out the smiles!   This morning I was up and on the go quite early (well, early for a weekend!) washing done and out on the line, dinner planned and still time to create before meeting my friend for lunch and a chat!!

This is the first card I finished:

I promise you that the colour is purple ...

I've been struggling with many things recently and designing cards has not been easy ... mainly indecision about what to do!  This morning I decided that if I began with one of my all time favourite stamps maybe, just maybe inspiration would pay a visit ... I think it did ... this is the first of three cards I created.

I used:
UNIKO -  Pure Florals: Gerbera and Simply Said Stamp sets
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers - Violet and Light Violet
WOW Metallic Gold Rich Pale Embossing Powder
Versamark Ink
Die-namics Stitched Square Dies

I'm entering the following challenge:

Inkspirational Challenge


Enjoy!

Happy New Year ...

Good Afternoon!  Happy New Year to you all ... I hope you are all set for the challenges of a new year ... have you made any resolutions?  I always make resolutions - I don't know why as I seldom make it to the end of January before I've broken at least one of them!!  This year one of my resolutions is to keep my resolutions!!!!

One of my resolutions is to do something creative everyday ... so I'm off to a good start as I've spent time today creating a card.

I stamped and heat embossed the two roses before water colouring with Zig markers and then added the sentiment - it was only when I finished that I realised that I had created a one layer card!!

I used:

UNIKO - Pure Florals: Rose; Festive Sentiments; Simply Said

Versfine Onyx Black Ink

WOW Clear Embossing Powder

I am entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #360 & #361

Inkspirational #151

Penny Black and More December Challenge - CAS 

Enjoy!

Inkspiration Guest Design Slot ...

Good morning!  Today I join the team at Inkspirational Challenges as Guest Designer my reward for winning one of their recent challenges ... a real honour.  I'm hoping that my card will inspire you to join in with the challenge.  The prompt for the challenge is "Rural"... 

I wasn't sure which direction to take at first but decided that wild flowers, butterflies, open spaces and beautiful uninterrupted sunsets were all about the countryside and this is what I came up with:

Apologies for the dappled lighting!

I masked off the area and then ink blended the background with distress inks before stamping the image.  The stitched frame was die cut from another piece of card, stamped with the sentiment and adhered to the card base using foam adhesive.

I used:
Distress Inks - Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin and Candid Apple
Die-namics - Blueprints 29 dies
Papercrafter Magazine Free Stamp Set
Versafine Onyx Black Ink.

I hope you feel inspired to join in with the challenge, please pop by the blog and check out all the inspiring projects from the design team.

Enjoy!

Back to Back ...

What a difference a day makes ... yesterday it rained virtually all day but today the sun has been shining ... it is amazing the impact the weather has on my mood!! 

I've been on a bit of a roll with my crafting this weekend so have another card to share with you:

I first die cut the streets on the front and back of the card before water colouring the houses with distress inks then added a sentiment.  Not a complicated card to make!

I'm entering the following challenge:

Inkspirational #135 


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!

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!

Birthday leaves ...

Good afternoon!  Yesterday I coloured some modelling paste for a card I was making and coloured far too much - so I created another background using the same stencil.  I thought I would use it sometime and much to my surprise I used it today!!

Once I had created the background it just seemed to make sense to add a die cut flower and a small sentiment.  To make the flower I smooshed some distress ink onto a piece of card - I love this technique as it coloured the flower but with added texture and interest.  I also did the same with some distress ink to die cut the ink splat from.  I added a brad for the centre of the flower and popped some foam tape behind to give a little more dimension.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up Card Challenge - Loll and her design team are celebrating the challenges 1st birthday.  I love this challenge as it gives me an excuse to tip my toe into mixed media but in a CAS kind of way!  This month the theme is:



I used embossing paste, stencil, smooshing distress inks, stamping and die cuts.

Inkspirational Challenge #130



Enjoy!

Poppies ...

No useful words of wisdom today, just a card.

This card looks so much better in real life - the red is far redder than this photograph suggests!

I used:
STAMPlorations Blooming Buds
CUTplorations Double stitched rectangle die
Disress Inks - Festive Berries, Crushed Olive and Antique Linen
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Washi tape - origin long since forgotten!!

I'm entering the following challenges:

Djkardkreations NBUS challenge - I've been looking forward to Darnell's latest challenge and am delighted to join in.  If you don't know Darnell it really is worth popping along and visiting her blog you really will not be disappointed - as well as a wonderful card maker her blog post are eloquent and fun.  The challenge is to use stuff you haven't used before - in my case the stamp set and the washi tape have only previously been admired!


Inkspirational Challenge #116 - Primary Colours


STAMPlorations Never-ending Anything Goes Challenge


Enjoy!

Vibrant smile ...

I've been inspired to play with alcohol inks and glossy paper (waiting for my Yupo card to arrive) and it must be the only time it is fun watching ink dry!!  Once you drop it onto glossy photo paper or yupo (a synthetic paper made from plastic) it starts to move all on its own add more drops of different colours and the effect is amazing.  The reason for my new obsession is the fabulous work of a fellow blogger - Janey of Janey's Cards - you must pop and see her designs they are vibrant, stunning and very stylish.  My first attempt does not do justice to the effect but it is my first go.

I used:
Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Wild Plum, Cranberry, Sunshine Yellow, Stream and Clover
Stampin Up - Hexagon Hives Thinlit Die
Stampin Up - Happy Day Stamp Set

I'm entering the following challenge:

Inkspirational #103


Enjoy!