Hang in there

Hi everyone, I made this card for a friend who is coping with some difficulties at the moment. I'm hoping she can hang in there until all is well. She is a cat lover and I just love this cat image!

I saw this fabulous card on pinterest recently and just had to track down the stamp. It was a post from 2011 so I think I was lucky to find that Katzelkraft still stocked it.

So I'm casing Jo's card, using tombow markers instead of torn paper.

I scribbled on an acrylic block, spritzed with water and pounced into a masked area near the cat's claws.

 This stamp only arrived from France yesterday so it must be the first time I've used NBUS (never before used stuff) straight away! The sentiment is also NBUS but I've had this Kaisercraft stamp for a few years. Just goes to show if you keep something long enough you'll find a use for it lol!

I'm linking up to a few challenges.

Darnell has an NBUS challenge theme to celebrate her huge well deserved following. If you don't know Darnell, pop over and visit her blog, you're in for a real treat.

CASology is hosting Darnell as guest designer and has an NBUS challenge in her honour.

Virginia's View Challenge has a CAS one layer theme.

I rarely make one layer cards but thought I'd give it a go with these stamps.

At Addicted to Stamps & More the theme is to make your mark with markers, pencils etc.

The blended tombow markers only cover a small part of my card so I hope that's enough to qualify.

Supplies:

Katzelkraft cat stamp; Kaisercraft sentiment stamp from Life set; tombow markers; versafine ink & clear embossing powder; Stately embossing folder.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Brusho butterflies

Hi again, I'm trying to get lots of jobs done around the house these school holidays but I've been playing in the craft room instead! I'll start ticking things off the list tomorrow!

I die cut the butterflies from another of my experiments with brushos. Here's the sheet.

There's only grey powder sprinkled on here, spritzed with water and then when dry, some perfect pearls sprayed on. It's amazing how many colours make up the grey!

I didn't used this sentiment in the end as I wanted to link up to Inkspirational

where the theme is note.

I thought hello was a good starter for note cards.

The hello was cut from a scrap of black card so I'm also visiting the playground at

Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Supplies:

Watercolour paper; brushos; perfect pearls spray; Memory Box butterfy die; Simon Says Stamp sentiment die; Kaisercraft denim pearls; Cuttlebug tiny bubbles embossing folder.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Birthday rose

Hi again, I was trying to make this rose red.

 The tombows I used were Chinese red and then crimson. I think I need to visit my sister and stamp some more on watercolour paper so I can really work the colour up, as the cardstock was getting too saturated!

I'm linking up to the challenge at Seize the birthday where the theme is anything goes birthday, which I've done. or there's the optional topping of party.


Supplies:
Tombow markers; Stampin Up rose stamp; versafine ink & clear embossing powder; Memory Box Fresh Foliage die; distress inks; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,
Cathy x

Pink watercoloured rose

Hi again, I was inspired by the challenge at 

The Card Concept to make this card. Here is the gorgeous inspiration pic.

I scribbled a tombow marker onto an acrylic block and picked up the colour on an aquabrush to colour the rose. I stamped the image a year or so ago at my sister's but it's on regular cardstock, not watercolour paper. I've layered a section of the rose for dimension. I think my card fits the clean and layered category.

I'm also linking up to the challenge at Happy Little Stampers where the theme is watercolouring.

Darnell is having an NBUS challenge to celebrate the New Year and her ever growing following.

Her blog is always full of inspiration and is so much fun!

I've used a sentiment stamp for the first time that I bought from Inspired by Stamping. I cut the stamp into two, another first! It was too long to fit where I wanted it and my masking skills weren't up to the challenge!

I diecut the leaves from leftover snippets of white card and coloured them with distress inks. So, I'm popping over to the snippets playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop. to see what the playmates are up to!

Supplies:

Stampin Up rose stamp; versafine ink & clear embossing powder; Inspired by Stamping Fancy sentiments stamp: tombow marker; Memory Box Fresh Foliage die; distress inks.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Black & White anniversary

Hi everyone, this is the card I made for my hubby to celebrate 31 years of being together.

Time certainly does fly!

It's a variation on my blue swirl & snowflakes card, no embossing this time. I got some new alcohol ink colours for christmas and a blender pen, so I was able to put a drop into the embellishment and colour it blue rather than leave it silver.

I'm linking up to the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday where the theme is to use something old and new. 

The La Rue flourish die belongs to my sister, and I've had these diecuts since a visit last year. I cut some black ones on a trip up to see her recently.

 I bought the embellishments ages ago from a scrapbook store and wondered why I ever bought them! I've got at least 60 cm of them. (They came joined together with thin cord like a ribbon).

My new thing is some different alcohol inks and a blender pen. I'll be able to make jewels of all colours now!

I'm also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday where the theme is to use something new.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Butterfly Thank You

Hi everyone, I'm a bit late in saying Happy New Year,

 but I hope 2015 has been good for you so far, and continues to be a great year for all of us.

I've been playing with brushos on watercolour paper and wanted to use up my experiments!

I had enough of this piece to die cut these butterflies and thought they'd be best on a CAS card so the colours could stand out.

I'm linking up to a few challenges.

Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge has a thank you theme.

 Darnell is celebrating her 700th + followers with an NBUS challenge.



Use new things or things you've had for ages but haven't had a chance to use.
If you haven't visited Darnell's blog before you're in for a real treat, there's lots of inspiration to be had! This embossing folder is a Christmas present so it's having its debut here!

At Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge the theme is to use something old with something new.
These Memory Box butterfly dies are some of the first ones I ever bought so I've been using them for a few years now.

At Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge the theme is ti use something new.
So it's my embossing folder.

I'm also linking up to a new for me challenge Happy Little Stampers,

I sprinkled my brusho paint crystals onto watercolour paper, spritzed with water and watched the magic happen! When it was dry I spritzed again with some perfect pearls spray to add some silvery sparkle.

Supplies:
Couture Creations Loren embossing folder; Memory Box Moonlight & Kaleidescope butterfly dies; MFT label die (I used a card layer topped with a vellum layer for a softer effect); vellum; Brushos; bling and sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,
Cathy x

Celebrate with balloons

A little while ago I saw a couple of cards that I wanted to CASE.

They are by crafters that I really admire so I hope they don't mind me CASing their work.

The first card was this gorgeous CAS card by Birgit.

The other one was this fun card by Karen at Made by Meadie.

I love both of these cards so thank you for the inspiration.

I'm also linking up to a few challenges:

AAA Cards wants us to use some gold.

I used snippets of gold glitter paper for the die cut sentiment so I'm visiting the playground at

Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

It's an anything goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

At Serendipity Stamps the theme is sparkle and shine, and you need to use one of their stamps or dies.

Supplies:

Serendipity Stamps Celebrate die; gold glitter paper; Paper Smooches balloon dies; Hero Arts tiny star background stamp; versamark & gold embossing powder; distress inks; gold cord.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Gold & silver 21st tag

Hi everyone, hope you all have a wonderful New Year celebration wherever you are, and that 2015 is a happy and healthy year for you.

I was inspired to make this card by the challenge at Seize the Birthday where the theme is anything goes birthday with the optional topping of silver and gold. 

I'm also linking up to the challenge at Serendipity Stamps where the theme is sparkle and shine.

You also need to use one of their stamps or dies. I've used their celebrate die, I love the curved font.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an anything goes challenge.

Supplies:

Hand cut tag; Hero Arts tiny star stamp; versamark & silver embossing powder; Serendipity Stamps Celebrate die; Paper Smooches balloon dies; Memory Box number die; silver, gold and white glitter paper; silver shimmer paper; birthday sentiment sticker; silver & gold cord.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Marbled panel with dragonfly

Hi everyone,

 I hope you are all well and happy and that the festive season was a good one for you!

Among my Christmas gifts was this marbled background stamp from Serendipity Stamps.

(I've cut the stamped image in half to use in his panel).

I remember marbling my wedding invitations way back in the late 1980's using a tray of water, some turps and small tins of oil paint. It was so much fun!

I stamped the image in silver, clear embossed it and then coloured with distress inks.

The dragonfly was die cut using snippets of silver shimmer paper so I'm visiting the playground at 

Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an anything goes theme.

Edited to add: I was visiting in blogland and saw that  Serendipity Stamps also has a challenge where the theme is sparkle and shine.(I hope the silver shimmer paper is sparkly enough). You also need to use one of their stamps or dies. (Thanks Darnell :)

Supplies:

 Serendipity Stamps marbled background; Memory Box dragonfly die;

 distress inks; silver shimmer paper; sentiment sticker; bling.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

James Bond Birthday Theme!

Merry Christmas everyone!

 I hope you are all enjoying a happy day with good company and lots of festive treats.

I'd like to thank you for your support and kind comments throughout the year too, it really means a lot to me!

I was asked to make cards for twin brothers turning 40. The brief  included a black base, lots of silver and a James Bond theme! Also, even though the twins are identical the cards were to be different.
Oh and the gun was ok as one of the brothers is a firearms instructor.

I had a lot of fun making these and I believe the twins liked them too!

I'm linking up to a couple of challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday has an anything goes theme. The challenge is open for 2 weeks so there's lots of time to join in!

I used snippets of silver shimmer paper for the alphabet die cuts so I'm visiting the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop

The theme at Addicted to CAS is

I hope that making this pair of cards fits the theme!

Supplies:

Memory Box number and alphabet dies: sentiment sticker; Jolee's Boutique gun stickers; Spellbinders Circle dies; sequins. The swirly panel was printed off the computer, (I stretched the image out to fit my card base).

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Candle and poinsettia

Hi again, I've been slow in deciding on my christmas card design this year.

I thought I'd use these dies as they're pretty new and fairly easy to put together.

I've found it best to lay the candle outline down and use a couple of pieces of washi tape to keep it in position. Then glue in the insert candle pieces.

Lift up  the outline, pop glue on the back, and when you lay it down you can fit it around the insert pieces and it tends to stretch out of shape less.

(Ask me how I know LOL!)

I'm linking up to the challenge at Inkspirational where the theme is to use gold with any other colours.

 I thought the challenge was gold and any other colour, so initially I just used a pop of red bling. 

I've linked that card below but I think I prefer the red and green flower.

I used snippets of gold and green paper for my leaves so I'm visiting the playground at

Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

The theme at Just Us Girls is sparkle.

I've used metallic gold paper, creamy goldish shimmer paper and bling to add sparkle.

At Addicted to Stamps & More the theme is CAS.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge the theme is holidays/ christmas.

Supplies:

Memory Box taper candle and small blooming poinsettia dies; Martha Stewart branch punch;

sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Snowman tag

Hi again, I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

A storm is brewing here this afternoon so there will probably be a mad scamper to bring washing in and to shut windows soon!

I was inspired to make this tag by the challenge at The Card Concept.

I was just going to make a winter scene as I don't have any snowman stamps or dies.

I used some snow tex paste I bought a while ago to spread on the branches and at the base of the tree, and realized that it could cover a couple of circles to make a snowman too!

The heat is definitely affecting me lol!

I think my card fits the clean and layered category.

I'm also linking up to the challenge at Virginia's View where the theme is distressing.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge has a holiday theme.

and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has a christmas/ holidays theme.

Supplies:

Hand cut tag: Memory Box twiggy tree die; distress inks; Deco Art Snow tex; Spellbinders smallest circle die & circle punch; twine; hat cut from scrap of black card; wink of stella pen and sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,
Cathy x

Yellow butterfly

Hi again, it's Friday here and I'm so looking forward to the weekend!

I made this card for a friend who likes CAS cards and loves texture.

I'm also linking up to a few challenges.

Addicted to Stamps & More has a CAS theme.

At Just Us Girls the theme is anything goes.

Seize the Birthday it's an anything goes birthday theme.

Supplies:

Hero Arts antique engravings butterfly stamp; Annabelle Stamps sentiment: versafine & clear ep; twinkling H2Os; bling;Couture Creations embossing folder;

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Blue swirl and snowflakes

Hi again, it's very stormy outside so I'm hoping the power doesn't go off!

It's lovely to have more rain though as the place is greening up at last.

I was inspired to make this card by quite a few challenges.

Addicted to Stamps & More has a clean and simple theme.

AAA Cards has a blue christmas theme.

Cuttlebug Mania wants us to use a snowflake and a sentiment along with a manual machine like a Big Shot.

 I used a snowflake embossing folder and a Memory Box die in my cuttlebug.

Inkspirational has a christmas theme with an optional twist of no red or green.

Simon Monday Challenge has a holiday theme.

Simon Wednesday Challenge has a Christmas/ holidays theme.

Supplies:

I used a borrowed snowflake embossing folder (not sure of the brand) and a Memory Box die, (I cut them out at my sister's place so I'm not sure of the name of it either!); distress inks; silver bling and a sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x