Pink Birthday Blooms

Hi,  I made this aperture card today for a friend's birthday. I added the scallop after the card was finished as I thought it needed something else and I couldn't quite position it right. The next one will be better!

I'm going to link up with the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is to use a Simon Says Stamp exclusive product on your project. This flower  is the SSS fresh daisies die and I painted them with twinkling H2Os. The aperture and scallop are made with Spellbinders dies.

I'm also linking up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where it's Anything Goes.

Thanks for visiting :)

Autumn Leaves

Hi, I bought a new sentiment stamp yesterday and really wanted to use it. I usually leave them to languish in my drawer for ages!

I cut the leaves from watercolor paper, gave them some veins and shaped them a bit with my stylus tool.

I coloured them with a few distress inks.

I'm going to link up to the following challenges.( I'm borderline CAS I think, so I appreciate the feedback if my card is too busy.)

CAS-ual Fridays to use fall colours and a leaf.

CASology where the cue card is Autumn.

Addicted to Stamps & More where the theme is Clean & Simple.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes.

Materials used: Tim Holtz tattered leaves die: Memory Box branch die: Kaisercraft True Friendship stamp; Versafine black ink and superfine gold ep; distress inks.

Thanks for visiting :)

Get well flowers

Hi, it's finally cooled down a little tonight, it was so hot today that I had to rummage through my wardrobe for my sarong! Hubby has been getting the swimming pool levels right after winter, so if it keeps up we'll be jumping in soon!

I made this card for a few challenges.

At Scrapbook Boutique, the theme is Spring is in the Air and to use this photo as inspiration.

The challenge closes at the end of this month, so if you live in Australia there's a little bit of time left to join in.

At Addicted to CAS, the challenge is to create a Get Well card.

Addicted to Stamps & More has a Clean & Simple challenge.

Materials used: Memory Box Prim Poppies & Petal Party dies; Stampin Up Square lattice embossing folder; tombows; foam dots; bling & sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Christmas presents

Hi, I was inspired to make this card for a few of challenges.

Nessa at The Crafty Laydee is challenging us to create a frugal christmas card without using products designed for christmas.

I've used my Spellbinders dies, Stately embossing folder, snippets of designer paper and some sparkly silver ribbon. You are allowed to use a christmas sentiment!

Snippets means I can pop in again to the playground at Pixies Crafty Workshop.

Crafting with Dragonflies has a Use Your Scrap challenge. You need to use at least 5 pieces of designer paper on your project.  My sister gave me these A4 sheets of silver embossed dp some years ago. I've slowly been using them up and am glad to use up some of the scraps!

Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Challenge Extra has an anything goes as long as it's christmas challenge for the month of September.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an Anything Goes theme.

Inspired by Stamping has a holiday theme.

Thanks for visiting :)

Congrats on your graduation

Hi,  I made this card for my youngest son who finishes his Bachelor of Business degree very soon. He's in the middle of his exams now. The three years has flown by!

I used another piece of my designer paper along with snippets of grey, black and silver shimmer paper.

I'm going to visit the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop, there's always lots of inspiration there and you just need to use a snippet on your project to play along.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge the theme is anything goes.

Materials used: designer paper from stash; stamp by Autumn Leaves, Versafine ink and clear ep; Fiskars star punch; star bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Silver & Black Congratulations

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at Inkspirational.

The theme is to CASE this card.

I found it quite challenging as I don't usually put many layers on a card, I think I've done a sort of CAS CASE!

I've had the silver and black designer paper in my stash for a while and there's no label on it. I cut the flower from silver bazzil using my Tattered Florals die and used a stylus to curl the petals a bit. The centre is cut from snippets using my  Memory Box cherry blossom die. The label is also a snippet cut with an MFT sentiment strip, and the sentiment is a sticker from my stash.

Using scraps means I can visit the snippets playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop again. I think I'll just make it in before the gates close! (Edited to add: Oops! The gates shut 2 hours ago, I'll have to camp outside until the morning and see if Miss will let me in then!)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is celebrating Stamptember with a challenge to use a product that can be purchased in the Simon Says Stamp online store. I got my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die there earlier this year.

Thanks for visiting :)

Autumn Thanks

Hi, I haven't really done a lot of stamping directly onto a card lately. I usually fussy cut images and pop them up on foam dots. There are a couple of challenges I wanted to enter though where this was required.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the theme is to stamp on anything but plain paper.

At Inspired By Stamping Woohoo Wednesday Tutorial, the theme is Fall or Autumn. Joanna's tutorial included stamping on patterned paper with great results.

At Flutterby Wednesdays the theme is Anything Goes as long as you have a butterfly or fairy on your project.

I used a piece of 12 x 12 dp by Basic Grey called Lucille. I actually bought it because I liked the pattern on the other side!!
 I stamped Kaisercraft Lilac Avenue seedhead and stem over part of the paper that had lines going this way anyway. The butterly is Hero Arts Antique Engravings. The sentiment is Annabelles Stamps Standing Tall. I masked over part of the sentiment as I just wanted the word Thanks. I love the script on this set.

I used Versafine sepia ink and coloured the butterfly and some of the leaves with Prismacolor pencils.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the theme is to celebrate Stamptember by using a product that is available  from the Simon Says Stamp online store. I purchased my Antique Engravings stamp set and my Prismacolor pencils from SSS a year or so ago.

Thanks for visiting :)

Autumn Butterflies

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at Flutter by Wednesdays, to use Autumn colours and a butterfly or fairy on your project.

I die cut Memory Box Isabella butterfly as my base out of black card. I had distressed some water color paper for another project and used some of the leftovers to cut my top butterfly from the Pippi die. I also cut a top from black and glued the pieces back into the wings, fiddly but I like how it looks.

Since I used snippets I'm going to visit the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an emboss it challenge. I used the tiny bubbles embossing folder as a background for my butterflies.

Seize the Birthday  has an Anything Goes challenge as long as it's a birthday theme. You can also add a topping to your project if you want to.

Make it Monday is also anything goes and to share creativity.

Thanks for visiting :)

Embossed Daisy

Hi, I was asked by a friend to make a few feminine cards. I looked to a few challenges for inspiration.

At Inkspirational, there's a photo inspiration.

At Just Add Ink, the theme is to add a frame. I've used a Lil Inker impression plate that has a woodgrain frame on one side and this frame on the other. I've highlighted the embossing with distress inks.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge the theme is embossing. It's also an emboss it theme at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

Materials used: Hero Arts Wildflower Garden stamp; Versafine ink & clear ep; Memory Box butterfly die; Lil Inker frame impression plate; distress ink; Prismacolor pencils; Flocking powder: sentiment sticker & bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Autumn Birthday

Hi, I'd coloured this tree diecut ages ago with distress inks and a pen nib brush tip. I don't have distress markers so I use these nibs instead. They are great for colouring small areas. There are some autumn challenges around so I thought I'd change the leaves a bit. I added rusty hinge, fired brick and crushed olive.

Hubby suggested some fallen leaves at the bottom so I distressed some watercolour paper on both sides and used  the Memory Box raindrop die to create these little sprinkles. 

I'm going to link up to a few challenges.

At Craft Mojo, the September challenge is to use Autumn colours.

At Seize the Birthday, the theme is Anything Goes as long as it's birthdays. You can also add a monochromatic topping to your project.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is Back to Nature.

Addicted to Stamps and More has a Make your Mark challenge. Use markers, pencils, chalks, anything that writes or colours.

Since the little pear shaped leaves are snippets I'm visiting the playground Pixie's Crafty Workshop too! I heard there might be some baby pigs to play with, so cute!

Materials used: Memory Box A little Rain and Arboscello tree dies. Ranger brush nibs; distress inks; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Butterfly Baby Welcome

Hi, I was asked to make a card for one of our teachers at work who has had a baby boy. 

I've used a similar design before but this time I used glitter paper for his name and vellum painted with twinkling H2Os as the base for the butterflies.

I'm going to link up to a few challenges.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the theme is Embossed. I've used the Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder.

At Cuttlebug Mania the theme is Back to Nature with birds and bees and flowers or trees.

At Allsorts Challenge the theme is to add butterflies to your project.

At Make It Monday the theme is Anything Goes and to share creativity.

Materials used: Birds & Swirls embossing folder; Memory Box butterfly and Parker alphabet dies; EK Success flower punch; vellum; Twinkling H2Os; cardstock & bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Cat in the window

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at CAS on Sunday, where the theme is to create a Welcome Home, or New Home project.

I hope this is CAS enough, there is white space, but it's embossed with the bricks folder.

I'm also linking to a few other challenges.

At Addicted to Stamps & More, it's an Anything Goes challenge.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the theme is Animal Antics. I used black flocking on the cat. It's the first time I've used it and it does look furry IRL. I think the cat looks as if it's not supposed to be sitting on that window sill and his tail is twitching!

I've used quite a few snippets here, the cat, the flower pot and the decorative blind. So, I'm off to the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Materials used: Tim Holtz brick embossing folder; Poppystamps window and cat dies; Mpress edger fan die; Martha Stewart branch punch; flower pot punch; distress inks; flocking; Craft Queen paper flower painted with twinkling H2Os; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Birthday Stars

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at Inkspirational. It's a colour challenge this week.

I thought I'd revisit a design I've used before. I cut the stars out of snippets of coloured card, so I'm also visiting the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Materials used: Cuttlebug stars embossing folder; MFT Country Charms die and sentiment strip; Fiskars star punch; black snippet of ribbon from a cardigan!; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Orange butterfly

Hi, I'm stating the obvious by saying this card is orange! LOL!

I'm trying to use up some of my stash of dp that my sister gave me years ago!

I stamped Memory Box Cocoa Bean butterfly in Versafine & embossed with hologram powder. I coloured it with Prismacolor pencils. The label is diecut with MFT sentiment strips, and the sentiment is a sticker from my stash.

I'm going to link up to a couple of challenges.

Allsorts Challenge Blog has a butterflies theme. Make sure you use a butterfly on your creation.

At Flutterby Wednesdays, anything goes with a butterfly or fairy.

Thanks for visiting :)

Thinking of you with Mini Daisy

Hi, I've used a new die that I was coveting for quite a while! Susan's Garden/ Sizzix Mini Daisy.

I knew it would be small but I didn't realize how small! It was very fiddly to create...lucky I like fiddly LOL!!

I improvised with the tools and chalks that I had. I am thinking that the tool set that Susan uses might just be worth it though. I use a mouse pad and a stylus and I have some good tweezers, but the veining tool looks interesting and the leaf mat might make a difference too.... hmm.

I'm going to link up to a few challenges.

At Addicted to Stamps & More, the theme is Anything Goes, always lots of fun!

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is Back to Nature. You also need to use a manual die cutting machine like a Big Shot, ( I have a Cuttlebug). I'm using my daisy diecut as my nature element.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the theme is Stamping All Stars, to use your favourite product.
I love distress inks, die cuts and I equally love embossing folders. So that's what I've used for this entry. I also love sentiment stickers and bling!!

I cut my daisy petals and my leaves from snippety scraps, so I'm visiting the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Playground. I heard there's going to be a soccer match coming up, might be fun!!

Materials used: Sizzix Mini Daisy die; Mpress nesting die; Entangle embossing folder; Martha Stewart Branch punch  for some extra greenery; distress ink; decorating chalks;  sentiment sticker coloured with black copic; liquid pearls covered with flower soft; bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Birthday Guitar

Hi, I received a new stamp set from Inspired by Stamping in the mail late last week and was keen to try them.

I stamped the guitar and plectrum with Versafine sepia ink, clear embossed them, and used Prismacolor pencils to colour them. 

The embossed background is Couture Creations Peacock Pleasure. I was trying to get a bit of a retro feel!

I'm going to link up with the Masculine/ Father's Day challenge at Inspired by Stamping and their customer gallery.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge the theme is Anything Goes.

Craft Mojo has an Autumn Colours challenge.

Seize the Birthday has an Anything Goes challenge as long as it's a birthday.

Thanks for visiting :)

Wise owl

Hi, I stamped this owl when I visited my sister about a month or so ago. She borrowed the stamp from a friend and I think it may be Stampin Up. I fussy cut him ages ago and he's just been sitting looking at me!! 

The challenge at CAS-ual Fridays this week is to create a project combining Kraft and text. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Find Joy stamp set.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the theme is dotty so I've used the Tiny Bubbles embossing folder on kraft parchment card as my background.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is anything goes diecuts. I've used Memory Box Woodland Branch and Tender Leaves dies.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an Anything Goes challenge.

Thanks for visiting :)

Butterfly Anniversary

Hi, I was asked to make an anniversary card without any other clues as to what the recipient was celebrating, so I hope they like butterflies!

At Less is More, the challenge this week is to use a rubber stamp and also to use water colors if you can.

I stamped this butterfly onto regular cardstock with Versafine and embossed with clear ep. I fussy cut it and coloured it with my Tombow markers and blended the colour out using an aqua brush. I highlighted the dots with diamond stickles. The leaf trim is punched from a snippet of vellum. The bottom layer is painted with twinkling H2O's and I added another layer on top to diffuse the colour a bit more.

I bought my first copic marker the other week. It's black. I read that you can colour almost anything with copics, so I thought I'd try colouring my sentiment sticker. I wanted to use a black sentiment but only had a gold sticker. I think it worked pretty well!

I'm going to link up to a few other challenges. At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the theme is Anything Goes.

Using snippets means I get to visit the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

At Just Add Ink, the theme is to just add colouring.

Materials used: Penny Black Social Butterfly stamp; Martha Stewart frond punch; Tombow markers; vellum; twinkling H20's; bling and sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Footy Fan's Birthday

Hi, I've been asked to make another card for a guy's 30th. The recipient plays Aussie Rules football, so I hope he likes this card.

I was inspired by a technique I saw used by Jo at Cropstop in her Birthday Flowers post. She inked the embossing folder so thet the raised section would remain clean and only the background section would be coloured. Mine turned out quite splotchy but I like the effect.

I'm going to link up to a few challenges.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the theme is Anything Goes.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is Die cuts Anything Goes. You also need to use a manual machine like a Big Shot, or a Cuttlebug.

At Seize the Birthday, it's an Anything Goes Birthday Challenge.

Materials used: Cuttlebug number embossing folder; Papertrey Ink number and Spellbinders oval dies; chipboard football from stash; distress ink; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting :)