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 :)

Sunset or sunrise

Hi, I made another sunset card with distress inks on watercolor paper. This time I used a green base card and I think it looks more like sunrise! 

I like the proportions in this card better too, as it's a landscape orientation and I tried to follow the rule of thirds a bit better!

I'm going to link up with the challenge at CAS-ual Fridays, where it's a colour challenge, aqua, green and orange.

I'm also putting another entry into the Masculine/ Father's Day challenge at Inspired by Stamping.

At Crazy for CAS, the challenge is to use wet or dry embossing. I embossed my trees with clear powder.

Materials used: Stampin Up Lovely as a Tree stamp; Versafine ink and clear embossing powder; distress inks; sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Classic Motorcycle

Hi, I've been using the sentiments from my new Darkroom Door Classic Motorcycles stamp set and thought I'd better use one of the images. I stamped with Versafine as the image is quite detailed.

I layered it on some snippets of grey and metallic grey bazzil card. The base is embossed with Couture Creations Heavy Duty.

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

Snippets means I can pop into the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop, there's always heaps happening there!

At Inspired by Stamping, there is a masculine challenge that ends soon.

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

Thanks for visiting :)

Vellum Butterfly and Flowers

Hi, I've been wanting to make a card for the Victorious Vellum challenge at A Blog Named Hero
and finally got the chance last night. I've had this Silhouette Flower stamp by Hero Arts for ages but haven't used it before!

I stamped in white Versa color on vellum and embossed with white ep. It took ages to set as there's so much embossíng. I coloured the stems on the back of the image with Tombow markers. Rather than do the same for the flowers, I put a snippet of yellow card behind the vellum. I like the hint of colour it gives.

I die cut the base of the butterfly from vellum and painted with twinkling H2O's. The top is from green shimmer card stock.

I embossed some kraft card with Lil Inkers frame impression plate and used distress inks to bring out the woodgrain. I trimmed it down so it didn't overpower the image too much!

My use of snippets lets me into the playground again at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

At Flutterby Wednesdays, the challenge is to use wet or dry embossing on your project ( I used both), and to also include a butterfly or a fairy.

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

Sister Act Card Challenge also has an Anything Goes theme.

Materials used: Hero Arts silhouette flower stamp; Lil Inkers frame; Memory Box butterfly dies; white ink & ep; Tombow markers; distress ink; Twinkling H20's;  bling from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

Classic Cars

Hi, I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at Less is More where

 the theme is to use washi tape.

The only tape I have has this car pattern on it. The background is a scrap of dp that I got as a freebie. It looks a bit like a landscape, I hope it's CAS enough though!

I die cut a rectangle from thin metal sheet. The sentiment is from Darkroom Door, stamped with Staz on ink.

I'm also going to link up to the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop, 

At Addicted to Stamps & More, there are 3 options for the challenge. I chose Option 1 to make a CAS card.

Some new challenge for me are Sister Act Card Challenge, they have an Anything Goes challenge this week, and Inspired by Stamping, where the theme is also Anything Goes, and to use IBS stamps if you have them.

Materials used: Snippets of designer paper, grey metallic bazzil and black card; Spellbinders die; Lifestyle Crafts metal sheet; Washi tape; Stazon ink; Darkroom Door sentiment stamp (from the Classic Motorcycles set).

Thanks for visiting :)

30th Birthday

Hi, I was asked today to make a card for a guy who likes to ride racing bikes.

I had this Fancy That Retro Bicycle die,

so I cut it out of a thin metal sheet, cut and modified the handlebars and the T bar to reshape it.

I hope it looks more like a racing bike!

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

At Less is More, the theme is Round & Round.

I used snippets to cut out pieces of the bicycle, so I'm visiting the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

At Crafting with Dragonflies , the theme is to make a card for a guy or Father's Day.

Cuttlebug Mania, has the theme of Anything Manly. You need to use a manual die cutting machine like my Cuttlebug or a Big Shot and also include a die cut or use an embossing folder in your project.

At Crazy For CAS the challenge is to use wet or dry embossing on your card.

Materials used: Fancy That Retro Bike die; Metal sheet; Memory Box Parker Number die; Stately Embossing folder; Darkroom Door sentiment stamp and Versafine ink; glossy accents and pop dots.

Thanks for visiting :)

Embossed cars

Hi, I made this card to enter the monochromatic challenge at the

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

I used Hero Arts Car stamp and fussy cut a few in a couple of different blues and popped them up on foam tape. The sentiment stamp is from Kaisercraft.

Thanks for visiting :)

Gardening Tools

Hi, I've made another card for Father's Day. It's celebrated on September 1 here in Australia.

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

At Cuttlebug Mania, there's an Anything Goes Manly challenge. You need to use a manual die cutting machine like a Big Shot ( I have a Cuttlebug), and a die or embossing folder in your project. In addition to the tools die, I used Swiss Dots embossing folder and the frame is a Lil Inkers impression plate. I distressed it to bring out the woodgrain.

At Allsorts, the challenge is to use your new stuff! I seem to have a regular supply of new toys to play with and my wish list keeps on growing!

I bought the Memory Box Garden Tools die recently and hadn't even opened the packet yet!

My mat pieces are cut from snippets of card so I'm visiting the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop. There's always lots of fun and inspiration to be had there!

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

Materials used: Swiss Dots embossing folder; Lil Inkers Frame impression plate; memory Box Garden Tool die; Lifestyle Crafts thin metal sheet; distress ink; brads and sentiment sticker from stash.

Thanks for visiting :)

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 :)