Cards for Hollie

I've made a couple of cards for Hollie's birthday next week.  She is very into Disney princesses! Thankfully there is a website with pages to print and colour, so I was able to make a card with her favourite, Sofia. Then for the niece card, I decoupaged a sweet little trio and mounted it onto paper that I had already put through the printer. I hope she likes them!

This beautiful zinnia stamp by Stampendous can easily transform a card used on its own! I love the Picked Rasberry Distress Ink. It is such a deep, glowing colour, so I decided to sit and waste an hour cutting out masks, and stamped them all over. I used direct to paper technique on a spare scrap of card, then stamped with Staz On Black, and cut and decoupaged one flower. And that was it! Simple but striking. Oh, and a touch of Diamond Stickles applied to the centre to add a bit of depth. Its very satisfying; a bit like making a simple recipe from one or two ingredients!

Thank You Card using Distress Inks

I stamped and clear embossed the flowers before building up a coloured background with Distress Inks, leaving the centre lighter to give a glowing effect. I sprayed the card after inking with a mica spray, which gave it a lovely dappled effect, and then stamped some further images on top.

Using the negative image from a die cut scallop circle, I used a stencil brush to colour and blend the inks. Then I stamped in black Staz on once the colors were dry. The first time I made this card, I smudged the pink ink before it dried! So to try and save the card, I used a Tulip 3d paint to cover it up! But I liked the effect so much, I did it on the next card, even though I didn't smudge this one. I also used liquid pearls in  silver grey at the top of the card, to provide a balance, and it reminds me of champagne bubbles coming from the glass.

Cardmaking and Papercraft have an Autumn Challenge going. The card could be anything 'autumnal' but had to include a leaf somewhere. So I started off smooshing Distress Inks in autumn colours onto a craft mat, and picked them up with glossy card, which I then sprayed with mica spray. I had a lovely flourish stamp that included leaves, so stamped that across the page, before building up with buttons, gems and flowers in coordinating colours. I made a few leaves with shrink plastic, and coloured them with alcohol inks. A banner stamp, coloured in with the same Distress Inks used below completed my entry for the challenge.

I adapted this idea from Art Journey, as I loved it so much! I have seen the droplet stamps used before, and was fascinated with them, but didn't know where they were from. I found Art Journey on Pinterest, and ordered the stamp from Holland. It took just two days to be delivered! Fantastic service, lovely stamp. So please forgive the plagerism, but I simply loved this layout! The droplets look almost real. I stamped them with Distress Ink and clear embossed them to add to the 'wetness', then I used a white gel pen to add a little highlight.

This little stamp was a freebie from Craft Stamper. I love their little 2x2's so much! The stamp was so pretty, so I used minimal colour and embellishments. I used a stencil brush to lightly dust Distress Inks around the image, and coloured the image with a water brush and Distress Inks. I added a little interest by decoupaging some of the flowers, pricked around the card,added a few gems and left it at that. White on white? I quite like the minimalist effect for a change!

This card was made for Jill's Challenge on the docrafts site. The challenge was to use the sketch idea provided. I decided to use some Forever Friends paper that I had in my stash, and the hexagon dies. Very girly!

Holidays in Italy

This is a card I have entered for the quick Cards Travel Challenge. I have used the Artemio Italy stamps, with Elusive Images papers as a background. I love the little Pisa Tower die! A few Crafty Individuals stamps have been cut about and pasted to the foreground, after colouring with Distress Inks. Then I added the lovely Prima doll, complete with paper pieced dress and headband. Very summery!

Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge. Letter 'T'

Here is my entry for the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge. Letter 'T'. memories of a wonderful holiday!!

Here is my entry for Craft Stamper Embossing challenge. The background is made from stripes of red and green embossing powder, and the butterflies are covered with  clear UTEE. The stamp is by Julie Nutting.

Entry for the Craft Barns 'Y' challenge

This is the first ever blog challenge I have entered, and it all feels slightly scary! But everyone has to start somewhere. I chose Year as my word and signified an anniversary date, with the addition of a Yellow Pages advert, just to echo the yellow theme! 

Here is my entry for Cardmaking and Papercraft's Lace challenge. I love the new Julie Nutting Doll stamps. The only trouble is I haven't got an acrylic block long enough! Still, with a little delicate handling I managed to stamp without using one, the lines are so crisp and clear. I then decoupaged her dress, shoes and crown with the Emma's Garden free papers from last month's issue. And lace, lace and more lace. I made a lace frill by pleating pink ribbon at the edge of the card, and then some beautiful old fashioned cream lace and a strip of lacy washi tape. I gave the doll a lacy frill to her skirt, and added a couple of bits to the crown, so she is fully co-ordinated! Oh, then to ensure the lace theme came over fully, I added a lacy doily. Over the top? I think so!

Minimalist style

I punched out a circle and masked off a small area, then coloured it with Distress inks and over-stamped with some fern stamps from Crafty Individuals. After removing the mask, I then stamped the dandelion head and a greeting. A few matching stick on gems and a ribbon made a nice quick, simple card.

Another iris

Another stamp from the beautiful iris set. 

First time using tissue mask

I got a beautiful new stamp from Chocolate Baroque. The iris is very delicate and pretty, so masking using the conventional method of a post-it note wouldn't have been successful. So I tried the tissue masking method. The tissue is backed by thin plastic, which means it is easy to cut around even the most intricate designs. I then peeled it off carefully and placed over an image I had stamped on to white card, and sprayed green and yellow Dylusions ink over the top. The mask came off and left the stamped design perfectly clear. I have stored the masks on a sheet of paper, as I think I will be able to use them again. Any slight 'halo' effect round the design was easily filled in afterwards.

Get well soon!

I had been looking for this Tim Holtz umbrella man for ages. I finally found him at the Five Craft Exhibition, so when my friend had a horrid bout of 'flu, I knew just how to cheer her up. I thought he was great for a get well card. The tiny box of tissues brought a smile to her face! I made the box, then cut up a tiny tissue to stick inside. What with the teardrop gems, and the cloud shaped die, it was the perfect card for feeling 'under the weather'.

Canvas wall hanging

This was made using Tim Holtz tissue paper, which was sprayed with Dylusions ink spays. The words were stamped onto face tissues, and coloured in on the back with pastel sticks, taking great care not to tear them! The butterfly (Chocolate Baroque) was also coloured this way too. I then stuck on a few watch parts and some charms on the bottom edge. I filled in one of the watch parts with Glossy Accents over a word to give the appearance of a magnifying glass. 

Amelie, aged eight, also made a canvas, in pink and mauve. I laughed so much at the way she sprayed the tissue, with one in each hand, and shooting them like guns! She also fitted all her own jump rings and charms herself.

OOH! Christmas...way too early! But I just wanted to have a go at a one layer card, and it just developed into a christmas card. I love the effect of masking hills. It is so effective. I added a little touch of Stickles to the top of the branches, and it brought the scene to life.

A bit of fun! paper piecing created this charming young robot delivering Birthday greetings to my Grandson.

I masked a diagonal line on shiny card, then applied Distress Inks. Once the mask was removed, I overstamped with jet black Archival. The black is so very crisp against the white background.

I did a Reader Submission article for Craft Stamper featuring these cards, created with Craft Stamper stamps, and coloured with Distress Inks. I then used bleach to paint out some of the details, before covering them with a small square of acetate.

I was having a clear out of my craft stash and stamps. I came across these old wood mounted stamps by Image Tree. They are so pretty. I used promarkers to colour them, and then mounted on coordinated card.

Another Craft Stamper freebie! I stamped one house on a coloured book page, the other two on plain paper, then mounted them onto watercolour paper.

This stamp was a freebie from Craft Stamper magazine. I love those stamps! They are so versatile and a lovely size to play with. I stamped these onto shiny card coloured with Distress Inks, then mounted them on coordinating card.

Another die cut, this time used very simply as a silhouette. Just a black bow and a stick on greeting completed the card.

I have this lovely new aster die, so I want to keep making pretty cards with it. The first one was a masked background, overstamped with Brilliance Twilight, which gives the card a  sparkly hue. I then added distress ink while the flower was still in the die to give the two toned effect. The second card was personalised for a wedding, and used a lot of die cut hearts, and two large jump rings from my jewellery stash for the wedding rings.

Oh dear! How did they get on my blog?! A little story about these pretty beasties. My granddaughter Amelie, who is eight and INCREDIBLY talented and beautiful, wanted a spider made for an animal diorama she was making. Of course, after making one for her, I then had to make one for all the grandchildren; we Nannies are not allowed to have favorites are we? The boys loved the black ones, but Hollie (3) wanted a pink one. And why ever not? It didn't stop there either. I ended up making them for people to hang in their offices and studies. I have one hanging above my PC. Dangling on invisible thread, they are surprisingly realistic. Slighty creepy.....

Just playing around one afternoon with punches and stamps.

This was meant to be a quick make, to congratulate my Grand neice Rya on passing her driving test. I had a lovely little freebie stamp from Craft Stamper magazine, which I then clear embossed after stamping in jet black. I then dug out some little letters and mounted them on raised foam pads. Isn't it funny how the simplest cards sometimes appeal the most? I was really pleased with the result. Sometimes I can spend hours on a card, and make it too fussy. That's why I rather like the one-layer cards that are so fashionable at the moment. It's hard to over-cook them!

For my neice Rachel. Congratulations!

 I have made a birthday card for Alice ever since she was born. This year, I went a bit over the top! But I did have fun.

Anniversary card-made using embossing folder.

This is why I cannot throw anything away! Using a discarded pizza cardboard base, and an old serviette, I made a thank you gift for a friend who allowed us to spend a wonderful weekend in their cottage by the sea. I painted the base with gesso, then distressed the edges. The tissue was stuck using Mod Podge.

A fun card for valentines/anniversary/or just to say I love You!

I just love using Dylusions sprays. The colours are so true and vibrant. I oversprayed with perfect pearls, and then stamped a floral background in complimentary shades of Distress Inks.

I decided to have an afternoon of colouring, taking me back to my childhood! Using a sheet of A4 paper, and Chocolate Baroques Large Flowers, I stamped and masked the whole sheet in various shades of Distress Inks. Using a tile, I then picked up the colours with a water brush and filled in the stamped images.

Once I had finished my masterboard, I then selected various images from this, and made up a selection of cards. Not a scrap was wasted! the tiny thin sliver left was added to another card at a later date. 

One layer card

Well, we appear to be working, albeit erratically and awfully slow to load anything.