Monday 18 December 2017

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:
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!

Tuesday 12 December 2017

ATSM Make your Mark ...

Whoosh ... that's the sound of 2017 disappearing into the past ... with less than a month left before 2018 arrives we have time for another challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More and it is time to make your mark:

I hope you will find time to get out your colouring supplies and join in with the challenge - I used distress inks to water colour poinsettia images before die cutting large snowflakes, adding a sentiment and this is what I got ...



I hope you will find time to join in with the challenge - if you need more inspiration pop along to Addicted to Stamps and more and check out the awesome designs from the rest of the design team.

Enjoy!

Sunday 10 December 2017

A special card ...

Good afternoon from a very snowy Oxfordshire ... I hope you are all tucked up somewhere dry and warm!!  I've been trying to get the house straight all ready for Christmas ... something that I really shouldn't leave until December!!!  

I'm just taking a lunch break and wanted to share this card with you ... a very special card for a very exciting and positive event.  You see my daughter has just got engaged!!! I make lots of cards but this one is more special than ...



I ink blended a panel of card for the hearts and stick frames.  I created some washi tape using a mixture of stamps, tissue, distress inks and double sided tape.  I also die cut congrats four times and adhered them together to create a solid sentiment.

I used:
Sizzix Heart dies
Poppy Stamps Stick Frames die
Distress Inks - Salty Ocean. Mermaid Lagoon, 
STAMPlorations - Mixed Media Elements, Mixed Media Grunge
CUTplorations - Congrats die
Wink of Stella
Tissue

I'm entering into the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up - December Challenge - die cutting, ink blending, stamping, splatter, tissue


STAMPlorations Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Sparkle ...

It is hard to believe that this will be the last challenge of 2017 at AAA Cards ... doesn't time just fly by so quickly!!  I do hope that you can find time to join in with the challenge ... what's the theme ...

... not only is it the last challenge of the year but we are also giving you extra time to join in.  As you can see this challenge will be open for four weeks instead of the usual two ... so even more time to get out the supplies and get creating!!



It is difficult to see the sparkle but the snowflake is covered in gold gilding flakes and does shimmer and sparkle especially when spinning on the card.

A simple design using:

UNIKO - Designer dies Snowflake Trio,  Festive Sentiments Clear Stamps

I do hope that you will join in with the challenge and I look forward to visiting your blogs and checking out your designs.

Enjoy!

Monday 4 December 2017

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:
                              - 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!

Sunday 3 December 2017

Lots of words ...

Good evening ... I'm still on the hunt for the elusive ideal Christmas card ... this is today's contribution:



I like a card that is all about the words!!  I first stamped and heat embossed with clear embossing powder the red 'Happy Christmas' then stamped the rest of the words with distress inks.  I trimmed the panel, added a fishtail and then adhered it to the card base with foam tape for added dimension.  This might just be the design I use for the balance of my cards as it is relatively simple to create.

I used:
UNIKO - Festive Sentiments, Pure Florals: Poinsettia
Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Pine Needles and Peeled Paint

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" #357


Penny Black and More - December CAS



Enjoy!

Wednesday 29 November 2017

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!

Tuesday 28 November 2017

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!

Sunday 26 November 2017

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!

Monday 20 November 2017

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:
                              - 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!


Sunday 19 November 2017

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!

Thursday 16 November 2017

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!