Sunday 26 June 2011

Gingham and Spots (take two...)



Challenges:
The Shabby Tearoom 'Gingham / Spots' (I got my colours wrong on the last one, doh!)
Simon Says Stamp and Show 'Show Some Metal'

And yes, I've used another one of those butterflies! I think they are fab (they are actually wedding decs from M&S) but I'd had the idea to use this for the Shabby Tearoom's gingham and spots challenge, then realised I'd used the wrong colours so had another go lol. I used stamens for the and pearls to decorate it.




Aside from the butterfly, I've layered up the doilies and used another one of those yummy roses from the Ribbon Reel. Lace, velevet ribbon and of course gingham ribbons give some nice textures.
I finshed off with a tissue paper ribbon with metal embellishment in the centre and made a little felt coil in the middle (just cut some with pinking shears and rolled it up)



Green papers and sentiment, Pink Petticoat
Red dot paper, Echo Park
Doilies
M&S butterfly
Lace and gingham ribbons
American Crafts green velvet ribbon
Pins
Metal flower embellishment
Tissue paper

 


Friday 24 June 2011

Bright & Breezy


I've been having a fair few issues with my crafting recently so now is a good time to invigorate it with some colours I'd forgotten about for a while.

Challenges:
Card Patterns Sketch
Shabby Tearoom Gingham / Spots
Simply Create Challenges 'Fly With Us'

I loved this Card Patterns sketch this week:


This card was orginally going to be shades of purple, but somehow ended up cream, yellow and aqua.

It was nice to use my new silky crush ribbon it is soooo lovely, and makes great ribbons. I'm also heavily obsessed with chipboard hearts, they are so cool and chunky and I can use them anywhere!
The border is die cut and the butterfly was a tag which I decorated up with pearls and stamens.




For the sentiment banner, I used a Pink Paislee journal card as I thought it matched the paper, and cut it up. The buttons were half handmade - I cut 3 circles out of chipboard and covered them in glitter, then glossy accented them. I just layered them up with a smaller paper circle and buttons.


Chipboard heart
Alpha stickers (a freebie :)
Silky crush ribbon, Bakers Twine, 4cm rose The Ribbon Reel
Buttons
Pearls
Echo Park gingham paper
Spot paper from Sweet Shoppe Designs



Somthing Old, Something New

New dare day at Daring Cardmakers today, and Lythan's set the challenge : Something Old Something New, which means interpreting the old wedding rhyme "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue" into a card.



I've used:
Something Old - Blue and pink card, paper strips, old denim off cuts
Something New - Yellow patterned paper, mini alphas
Something Borrowed -  Denim off cut, star dies, dots embossing folder
Something Blue - Paper and Thickers stickers







So get on the blag, get rifling through that big pile of old neglected craft stash (I know we all have one...) And of course have fun using exciting new purchases!











 

Sunday 19 June 2011

Happy Dad's Day


The above is going in the below :)

The Ribbon Reel 'Black, Blue, Kraft, Grey/Silver' colour challenge
Papertake Weekly 'Dads & Lads'
Simon Says Stamp & Show 'Distressed / Torn edges'
Totally Papercrafts 'Die Cuts & Punches'


I'm pleased to say I had fun making this one, doing some of my fave techniques - distressing, ribbon crinkling and die cutting.

I started by die cutting the frame from some scrap leather, I really like cutting with different materials to paper. I have inked it for a worn look and used an Echo Park digi image in the center printed onto Bazzill. The kraft card has been embossed and lightly inked with hand stiching, and I've distressed all my edges, sanding them and inking with chalk ink.




Tim Holtz brackets die on the ends of the card gives it some shape.
I used cream seam binding and coloured it with Pro Markers, and then wet and scrunched it, I so enjoy doing this! The button started out as plain chipboard, which I've stamped with a doily style stamp from Pink Paislee's Butterfly Garden set. The side tab is a printed greeting die cut with Nestibilities.



Bird, from Echo Park 'For The Record' digi kit
Black paper, October Afternoon 'Hometown - KM Building'
Grey paper, from DCWV 'All Dressed Up' stack
Nestibilities Labels 4
Sizzix Scalloped oval die
Cuttlebug 'Victoria' embossing folder
Tim Holtz 'Brackets' die
Pearls
Chalk ink



Friday 17 June 2011

On A Roll


Hello and we have a new challenge over at Daring Cardmakers, this week our dare-host is Kathy, who has set the theme 'Rockin All Over The World'. We want we'd like you to make a Wobble Card - these are cards which have a curved base so that when you tap them they rock, or wobble from side to side.
Now what you put on your card is up to you, BUT if you're up for a bit more of a challenge, how about adding something of a pun, and giving your card a "rocking" theme too?
Rock and Roll, Rocking Horse, You Rock My World, Whisky on the Rocks, Rocket Man ....ohhh the list is (almost) endless..




For my card, I started off with a die cut circle folded in half, but decided it wasn't big enough so opted to draw around a small plate to give me some more space. I cut a smaller circle from the green Basic Grey paper and die cut the backing layers. I was going with an afternoon tea theme and this vintage digi image from Etsy was perfect.

This is the first outing of the oh-so-cute memo pins by Tim Holtz, which I used to pin my greeting and just finished the card off with ruffled ribbons and a layered flower with tissue paper and pearl string.




I'll be entering it in The Shabby Tearoom 'Pink Lemonade' challenge
Simon Says Stamps Challenge 'Bingo' (bottom across - shape, ribbon, sentiment)

Core'dinations 'Whitewash' card
Paper rose, The Ribbon Reel
My Minds Eye 'J'Adore' paper
Pebbles Inc. pink polka paper
Basic Grey 'Tidings/Wintermint' paper
Bo Bunny 'Gabrielle' chipboard butterfly
Tea cup image, Etsy
Greeting, Pink Petticoat 'Sweet Sentiments'
Perfect Pearls
Pearls



Tuesday 14 June 2011

An Allsorts card



Over at the Allsorts challenge blog they are currently having a DT call, and as it was one of the first challenge blogs I came across I thought it'd be fun to try out for it. This is the card I have entered.



The card is made up of a sheet of Kaisercraft die cut paper which has been made into the card blank. I've used Basic Grey 'Wisteria' paper and the flower head sections and layered them around the die cut doily main feature. Applique and lace have been added for texture, along with a handmade concertina flower. The butterfly is stamped using chalk ink onto vellum, and I've used some rub ons here and there for interest. I love the little Cosmo Cricket alpha stickers, so they got another outing! The card has earthy colour tones, which I really like together. That's pretty much it, thanks for looking x


Basic Grey Wisteria paper
Kaisercraft die cut paper (main backing)
Die cut brown lace style paper, stash (sorry, it was an oddment!)
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphas
Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden stamps
Flowers, applique, buttons, pearls from stash




Sunday 12 June 2011

'Gift Of Love'




Well, I've a real issue with mojo the past two days and so pleased I managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this one! I had so many gorgeous bits and pieces in front of me, but just could not get going with it. Maybe the ultra miserable and wet weather we've had today didn't help...

Anyway, I will be entering this into:

Cr84fn Colour Challenge Pink, Green, Neutrel
The Ribbon Reel Sketch
The Shabby Tearoom 'Embossing'
Papertake Weekly 'Anything Goes'




So once I finally got going, I started by using my current favourite technique of distressing my paper edges with sandpaper and inking them. Love the dimension it brings to layers of paper. The thick pink polka ribbon is from Costco(!) and I've been itching to try it on a card and it seemed to fit perfectly with this one.



For the main feature, I die cut two hearts to layer onto the doily which I embossed, sanded and inked. I enjoyed using my new chunky chipboard hearts, they are fab :) The crackle paint came out once again, and I finished the hearts off with a Melissa Frances embellie. The butterfly is die cut out of Pink Paislee paper also. The rose is layered up onto an applique flower with some tulle (net) and a twine bow, and I just finished it with two tactile velvet leaves, which someone very kindly donated to me!



Pink Paislee 'Butterfly Garden' paper
Making Memories 'Wild Asparagus' paper (green)
May Arts pleated ribbon and twine
Peach Rose, Seam Binding, doiley Wild Orchid Crafts
Cuttlebug 'Victoria' embossing folder
Chipboard Heart & applique flower from The Craftz Boutique
Tim Holtz 'Shabby Shutters' Crackle paint
Melissa Frances resin lock
Digi sentiment, Etsy
Velvet leaves, tulle, lace button, pearls from stash



Friday 10 June 2011

We're All-white


Two posts in a day, no wonder I feel light headed! Here's my card for these challenges:

Allsorts 'All White'
Simon Says Stamps 'Feeling Fruity'
Onestop Craft Challenge 'Texture'

It's defo hard to make a card with no/minimal colour! I wanted a soft pretty look, with lots of textured/embossed card to give depth. You can just make out the paper pricking around the main backing paper, and the next layer got the Tim Holtz brackets die treatment. I was going to go a bit bolder with fruit, but decided to go a bit more subtle inkeeping with theme so used a Pink Petticoat image with glossy accented cherries and strawberries, and snipped tiny pieces of card for the chocolate sprinkles. The plate has been paper pieced and then layered onto a Nellie's die cut doily.



The flower is made by ascending sized scallops scrunched, wet and left to dry so they go crinkly. The edges were inked and secured with a brad.




The rest pretty much speaks for itself! Thanks for reading x

Pink Petticoat Cake stand and sentiment
Pro Markers
Glossy Accents
Versamark Chalk ink 'Fairy Dust'
Bazzill Swiss Dot card in 'Salt'
Doodlebug Paisley embossed card
Tim Holtz 'Regal Florish' embossing folder and 'Brackets' die
Perfect Pearls
Ribbon ,pearls and twine from stash



Ho Ho Oh No!



Another Friday and a new challenge over at Daring Cardmakers, and this week it's Jo's turn to set  the dare which is - brace yourselves - Father Christmas. I admit this was a shock to the system making this in June, as I'm more of a November/December girl lol. At least I have a micro head start!

And also this week we have another lovely prize to give away, kindly donated by the fabulous Crafty Emma's Store - which is a real treat to browse and buy from so please take a minute to click the link and see for yourself all the treasures Emma stocks.
As always the winner will be chosen at random, then as long as our simple rules have been adhered to this fab Echo Park 6x6 paper pad could be winging it's way to you



The Rules:
1. Make a card for this week's challenge and share it on your blog, leave us a link or a comment on this post
2. Your post must mention and contain links to
Crafty Emma's Store 
and also The Daring Cardmakers
3. To qualify for the prize you may only link your card to 5 other challenges





Now I love kitsch Chritmas cards, and red and aqua are a fave festive colour combination of mine, and I am obsessed with candy canes and peppermint swirls ;) I've used a fab digi paper (see below for details) and a cute little K&Co Santa. For the Ho Ho Ho, the 'O's are twirled twine wrapped in cellophane to resemble peppermint swirls and layered them onto sewn paper strips. All finished off with a big bow and die cut corrugated star and of course a little pom pom!




Santa, K&Co Peppermint Twist Grand Adhesions
Semi Circle label  'Happy Holidays Cute Cuts', Doodlebug
Peppermint Swirl digi paper, 'Winter Wonderland' from Sweet Shoppe Designs
Red polka paper, Doodlebug
Red flourish sticker, Doodlebug
Gingham paper, from stash
Ribbons, from stash
Button and twine
Paper Lace, Paper Cellar


Sunday 5 June 2011

2,4,6


This is my entry for this week's challenges at :

The Shabby Tearoom 2 papers, 4 buttons, 6 layers
Cardpatterns sketch
Samuel Taylors 'Male Cards'
Simon Says Stamps 'Fathers Day / Male'


Now the 2,4,6 thing was a bit of a headache...you get so used to putting as many layers on as you want, so it's really challenging when you have to rein yourself in! It took many attempts to get it right lol. So I've used : 2 layers of paper, my border strip, then doily scallop and crackle star. Phew! I have stuck to two papers, which were double sided :)




The large star is die cut chipboard painted with crackle paint, which I layered with my handmade star button, which was die cut from the newsprint paper heat embossing with clear glitter powder and glossy accent-ed, finished with a small star button.





Echo Park 'For The Record' papers
Alphabet digi stamps, Pink Petticoat
Glossy Accents
Martha Stewart border punch
Crackle paint
Doily, Wild Orchid Crafts
Twine, The Ribbon Girl



Friday 3 June 2011

June Flowers


Hello again, and it's a new month already so we return once again to the Flower Of  The Month series over at Daring Cardmakers, and for June the flowers are Roses or Honeysuckle. Check out the blog for some fab cards by the Design Team.


And as you can see, I went for Roses (of course ;) which I made out of strips of felt which I twisted and coiled. It's the first time I've tried this and I love the technique. For the rose leaves I used a Prima felt flower and snipped it up. Lots of sanding and distressing my edges along with hand sewing (eyes and shoulders felt every second lol)




The little birdie is chipboard which I 'Decopatched' and for those of you that are unfamiliar with this, it's
basically tearing pieces of paper and adhering them to cardboard, wood, chipboard etc with Decopatch glue glaze. It's good fun to do, and quite therapeutic!

Two things on this card I am very pleased about using are the felt ric rac (divine) and my little resin rose (had these for a while and been desperate to use them!)

Will be entering it into these challenges:

A Spoonful Of Sugar 'Flower Power'
Allsorts 'Things With Wings'
Truly Scrumptious Challenges 'Summer Sparkle'
Charisma Cardz 'Something That Flies'


Thanks for reading x


Scenic Route chipboard bird
Decopatch glaze
Echo Park 'For The Record' flourish and papers
My Little Shoebox alpha stickers
American Crafts velvet ric rac
Making Memories epoxy flower
Resin rose (from ebay!)
Pins and twine, The Ribbon Girl
Papermania kraft card blank