Fishing

Hi, I've been busy making Father's Day cards, I realized it's only a couple of weeks away!

I've used Tim Holtz Woodgrain embossing folder on kraft card and distressed it to highlight the texture.

I cut a blue Spellbinders oval as a pond and cut the grass using a  Poppy stamps die. The fish and gear are EK Success /Jolee stickers.

I'm going to link up to Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge, where the theme is Make the Cut, to use a diecut on your project.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is embossing.

Thanks for visiting :)

Annabelle Stamps August Bloghop

Annabelle Stamps is hosting a blog hop to celebrate the launch of 4 fabulous new stamp sets.

 

Have a look and join in! There are some gorgeous creations by the DT.

 

Cathy x

Gecko on an embossed wall

Hi, I've made another gecko using my Dreamweaver stencil. This time I used texture paste and fussy cut him when he was dry.

I embossed the brick wall using my Tim Holtz folder and distressed the bricks to highlight them. 

The branch, leaves and flowers are cut from Memory Box dies and I distressed the leaves to show the tiny veins embossed in them.

The leaves were cut from snippets of green so I'm 

going to the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

At Cuttlebug Mania, there's an Anything Goes embossing challenge. You just have to use a manual  machine like a Big Shot ( I have a Cuttlebug), and use a diecut or embossing folder in your project.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme is to Make the Cut. Use a diecut in your project.

Materials used: Memory Box Woodland Branch, Tender leaves and Floral Delight dies; Tim Holtz Brick Wall embossing folder; Dreamweaver Gecko stencil; texture paste; versacolor ink to colour the gecko; distress ink; black enamel accent; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Masculine Birthday Banner

Hi, I made this card  to send off to my brother later this month, time is going so quickly I thought I'd better get it done now! 

I was inspired by the challenge at Scrapbook Boutique, where the theme is For our Favourite Man, and this is the inspiration photo.

I'm also linking up to the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is Triangles.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge the theme is Make the Cut, to use die cuts in your project.

Materials used: MBossabilities So Trendy embossing folder; Simon Says Stamp Party Banner die; sentiment stickers from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Air Mail Greetings

Hi, I made this card to enter the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, where the theme is Air Mail.

I was stumped for ages until I remembered this little aeroplane stamp. I had to lengthen the MFT wavy pennant for my sentiment sticker.

Materials used: WR Memory Keepers stamp; MFT wavy pennant die; Stampin Up cloud embossing folder; distress inks; Versacolor ink and clear embossing powder; twine and sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Altered tag

Hi, I've made another card using a clothing tag. This time I used a tag like these,

and used white gesso to paint over them. It was my first play with gesso. I used a foam applicator to apply it but a brush may be better. I stamped Hero Arts Every Flower in Versamark and embossed with white powder.

I tried to sponge memento and distress ink but they wiped straight off. I had more luck applying Versacolor ink with a craft nib and letting it dry a bit before gently wiping it. 

I matted the tag onto a scrap of black card and rounded the corners

The butterfly is a really old stamp, coloured with Prismacolor pencils. The twine is from some packaging, and the sentiment sticker is from my stash.

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

Inkspirational has a colour challenge.

 

Crafting with Dragonflies has a challenge with the theme of altering something.

Addicted to CAS has the code word Summer.

CAS on Sunday has a Tag It challenge.

And a new challenge for me is Craft Mojo, where the theme this month is butterflies.

Thanks for visiting :)

Red & Green Christmas

Hi, I've made this card to link up to Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Challenge.

(My eyes are playing tricks on me or the photo has gone a little blurry since I uploaded it. I think it's because of the shadow as the wreath is sitting up on pop dots! Sorry if it's making your eyes fuzzy! )

This week there's a picture for inspiration.

I'm going with the shape and the traditional colours.

I'm also linking up to Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Challenge Extra, a month long Anything Goes Christmas Challenge. It's a great start to the pile of christmas cards I need to make this year.

Materials used: Memory Box catalina wreath; Stampin Up tulip border embossing folder; liquid pearls; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Recycled Tag

 

Hi, I wanted to enter the challenge at

A Blog named Hero. The theme is to reuse or recycle something in your project. The DT also prefer you to use at least 1 Hero Arts product.

I thought these clothing tags might come in handy, and I had a few snippets of ribbon from the seams of a couple of jumpers. (The ribbon is supposed to stop the jumper slipping off the coat hanger but I always cut it off as it gets in the way!)

I stamped Hero Arts Everything Flower background in Versamark onto some white card and rubbed on some grey chalk. It's a technique I saw here. Donna gave a great tutorial on the  Annabelle Stamps blog. I love the soft outline it gives.

I cut a strip from the image to fit onto the black tag. I added some grey and black shading with my Prismacolor pencils, and repunched the hole for the ribbon.

The butterfly was stamped with black Versafine and coloured with Prismacolors.

I'm also linking up to this week's challenge at  CAS(E) This Sketch 

At Addicted to Stamps & More, the theme is to Make Your Mark with  pencils or markers.

I used a snippet of ribbon so I'm heading off to the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

And at Flutterby Wednesdays, the theme is to use any winged creature in your project.

Materials used: Hero Arts Everything Flower and Penny Black butterfly stamp; Versamark and Versafine ink; chalk; Prismacolor pencils; sentiment sticker and bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Camping at Sunset

Hi, I've spent most of today playing with distress inks. 

I've also been using my Stampin Up Lovely as a Tree stamp that I've had for ages and haven't used! I had a few goes at a silhouette scene and decided to link this one up to a few challenges.

I was inspired by Loll at (Stamping With Loll) by this card, which is just gorgeous.

At CASology, the cue card is Camp.

We bought part of our block in the country way back in 1987. We used to come down and camp in a shack on the property. No electricity, no water, rough dirt access road...we loved it. We'd sit out in the evenings and  watch the sunset and enjoy the wide empty sky! We still do except it's a lot more comfy in the house!

At Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge,  the theme is an Ode to Sunshine. I hope an ode to the sunset is OK.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the theme is Anything Goes. It's also Anything goes at Addicted to Stamps & More  and Inkspirational.

At Just Add Ink, the theme is to Just add Blokes! (I'm planning to give this card to my hubby as our anniversary card, so the sentiment will be on the inside LOL! He loves trees in silhouette.)

Materials used: Stampin Up Lovely as a Tree stamp; Versafine ink and clear ep; distress inks;

watercolor paper.

Thanks for visiting :)

Embossed stars

Hi, I'm so glad it's the weekend, been such a busy week.

I can't believe it's August as well!

 Last year I made my christmas cakes in July. It makes much more sense for the oven  to be on for hours in winter rather than in summer.(Christmas over here is summer time and it's usually sweltering hot!)
The only trouble with making them in July is the temptation to taste them and then not stop!! I'll have to get them done soon.

This was a very quick and easy card to make. Stars embossing folder, some purchased paper stars and ribbon! I popped the sentiment sticker on a Memory Box die cut label.

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

At Addicted to Stamps & More, the theme is Anything Goes.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the challenge is to create a Clean & Simple card.

Inkspirational has an Anything goes challenge,

and so does the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks for visiting :)

Winter snowflake

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by a couple of challenges.

Scrapbook Boutique has a winter theme challenge to use the colours brown, turquoise and white with this delicious looking cupcake photo as inspiration.

At Inkspirational, there's a sketch challenge.

The DT's have some fabulous inspiration for both challenges, but they close soon! (Scrapbook Boutique is for Australian entries only as they are unable to ship overseas.)

I used snippets of white glitter paper in my snowflake and strip above the diecut border, so I'm visiting the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop. There's always lots happening there!

Materials used: Swiss dots embossing folder; Memory Box Sanibel border die; Spellbinders snowflake die; glitter papers; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Wedding Hearts

Hi, I've been asked to make a wedding card, so I thought I'd go with traditional gold and white.

I die cut Memory Box Sofia Hearts in gold glitter paper and white linen card. I popped the white offcuts into the gold outline, to give the hearts a more solid look. I attached the gold cord and bow with glossy accents, and the sentiment sticker is from my stash.

Using snippets means I can visit the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop, there's always lots of inspiration over there!
I'm also linking up to CASology where the cue card is gold this week.

At Addicted to CAS, the code word is glitter, and at Crafting with Dragonflies the theme is weddings.

I'm home alone this weekend, so Misha our cat is following me wherever I go! She's used to a bit more activity in the house. We're tucked into my craft room with a heater on as it's very chilly outside and she seems quite content for now!

Thanks for visiting :)

Distress Ink Blooms

 

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by a couple of challenges.

At  A Blog Named Hero, the theme is to create a project inspired by a Hero Arts artist.

I have been a fan of Jennifer McGuire's work for a few years now. I think she introduced me to distress inks and Perfect Pearls. This card uses a popular resist technique I learned from her also.

I stamped Penny Black constellation in Versamark on watercolour paper, and embossed in white. I blended the three shades of distress ink to highlight the image. Lastly I sprayed with Perfect pearls mist to give it a sheen.

The challenge at Allsorts challenge blog, is to use Kraft card in your project. I embossed the kraft base with

 Couture Creations Powder Puff folder. I thought it was a good match for the stamped image. The sentiment sticker is from my stash.

I'm also linking up to the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge, where the theme is Celebrate.

Thanks for visiting :)

Birthday Bike

Hi, it's my eldest son's 23rd birthday on Friday. He has his Learner's licence for a motor bike, so I thought this image would be perfect for him!

The stamp is by Darkroom Door. I used Versafine onyx black ink. The embossing folder is Heavy Duty.

I'm linking to a few challenges.

At Allsorts Challenge Blog, the theme is transport.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge,, the theme is celebrations, birthday or otherwise. The DT is celebrating their 3rd anniversary and their move to a new website.

At Make it Monday, the theme is anything goes and to share creativity.

At Seize the Birthday, it's an anything goes birthday challenge for the month of July.

Thanks for visiting :)

Celebration Butterfly

Hi, I enjoyed getting very inky with this card! 

I was inspired by the challenge over at Inkspirational where the theme is to CASE this fabulous card.

I love Ellen's card and she has a link to an amazing wax resist technique for her background. I've got wax paper and glossy cardstock on my shopping list!!

 As a substitute I used a background stamp I borrowed called Weathered by Stampin Up. (I think that's what it's called, thanks for the loan Amanda :))

I stamped in Versafine and clear embossed. Then blended distress inks in shades of yellow and orange. 

The butterfly is coloured with Prismacolor pencils and blended with Odorless Mineral Spirit  and a paper stump. 

I diecut the greenery from snippets of green card and cut and pieced it to create the tendril shapes I wanted.

So I'm visiting the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the DT are celebrating  their third anniversary, almost, and a move to their new site with the theme of Celebrate. Congratulations!

At Cuttlebug Mania, the challenge is to use  a manual die cutting machine like a Big Shot ( I have a cuttlebug), and any die or embossing folder to create a project with the theme of Fun in the Sun. These yellows, blues and greens remind me of a sunny day in the garden.

Materials used: Stampin Up Weathered stamp; Memory Box Cocoa Bean butterfly stamp; and Madeira Corner die; distress inks; prismacolor pencils; bling and sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Glittery 21st Birthday

Hi, I had a lot of fun making this card, it's so sparkly!

I used the Memory Box small circle burst die to cut a shape in some linen card stock. Then I cut one each from bronze and gold glitter paper. I stuck a small square of copier paper behind the linen card and then replaced the snippets, gluing them in as I went.

I die cut the 21 using the Memory Box Parker number set, and the sticker sentiment is from my stash.

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

Addicted to CAS has Glitter as a code word, and

CAS-ual Fridays, theme is Count Me In, to add a number to your CAS creation.

Using snippets means I can visit the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop, and at Seize the Birthday its a month long Anything Goes, as long as it's birthday, celebration.

Thanks for visiting :)

Green Tree Frog

 

 

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by a couple of challenges. At  the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, the theme is green.

 

At Addicted to Stamps & More, it's a Clean and Simple  theme this week.

 

This is a really old clear stamp and  the name has worn off. I stamped in green Versacolor and clear embossed, then coloured with chalks. I used the Stately embossing folder, and the sentiment sticker and bling is from my stash.

 

Thanks for visiting :)

 



Best Wishes Butterfly

 

Hi, I need to get a card in the mail tomorrow so I relied on a layout I've used before but with a different butterfly, colours and sentiment.

Antique engravings butterfly is stamped in Versamark imperial purple and clear embossed. I coloured with Prismacolors and added some stickles. The die is Memory Box Pristine border, cut from a snippet of cardstock, so I'm visiting the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

I'm also entering the challenge at Addicted to Stamps & More, where it's a clean and simple theme, and Make It Monday, where it's anything goes and to share creativity.

Thanks for visiting :)

Summer Birthday

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by a couple of challenges.

Color Throwdown is celebrating their 5th anniversary with a challenge using these summer colours.

Seize the Birthday, is having a month long anything goes birthday challenge.

At Cuttlebug Mania, the theme is Fun in the Sun. I enjoy sitting in the garden on a sunny day enjoying what's flowering or growing in my garden.

I used Memory Box Cherry Blossom and Grove Branch dies with my cuttlebug. The inner melon coloured flower is cut from vellum and painted with twinkling H2O's. I added some stickles to the yellow for some extra sparkle.

The background was a white card base, sponged with blue, then embossed with Stampin Up's cloud embossing folder. The sentiment sticker is from my stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Christmas tree with red flowers

Hi, I thought I'd post another quick card tonight before I get things ready for work tomorrow, sadly the school holidays are over!

I used one of my favourite Memory box dies and a flower punch. The bling is liquid pearls.

This week at Craftyhazlenuts Christmas Challenge, the theme is trees.

Craftyhazlenuts Christmas Challenge Extra this month has an anything goes theme.

Merry Monday Always Playing with Paper, also has an anything goes Christmas challenge for this month.

Thanks for visiting :)