Love at Fantasy Stampers

Good morning crafters.

I hope the weekend will give you a respite from the awful weather we are having here in GB and on the East coast of America.

As it's Saturday it means a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers  (entries don't need to be of a fantasy nature just plain old stampin!). This week Jan has chosen the theme of-

PS I LOVE YOU

Make of that what you will! I went literal with my interpretation here.

I've wanted to try this camouflage die technique for awhile so with only a couple of large font dies this was really the first chance I've had.

The die is from Avery Elle and the stamps are from STAMPlorations, Vignette: Eclectic Florals and the 'you' is part of a phrase from their Bloom Sketches set.

The choice of colour is down to the challenge over at  Colour Q

These are SU colours, so not having any I used DI's in similar colours.

I stamped the flower panel then die cut the word LOVE across the middle. I cut four more 'LOVEs' in plain white and layered them up before gluing the panel onto an A6 white card.

OK, that's about it from me for the moment. Pop over to the main Fantasy Stampers site for more inspiration and have a go. 

PLEASE REMEMBER NO DIGIS

If you feel like joining our little band we are having a DT call see the details here.

If you don't fancy the full DT thing why not try a stint as a GD to try it out. All you have to do is add GDT after your entry or contact Jan as above.

I shall also enter at the following challenges:-

Creative Inspirations - Roses (I think the large red ones are )

Allsorts - Flower Power

TIME OUT - Valentine's Day with a twist of hearts (no twist this time)

CAS @ATSM

Hi, it's another late post for me as it's 9am in Australia and time for a new challenge over at ATSM.

This week out theme is -

 CAS

Well that's right down my alley and double joy we are sponsored this week by Shery at STAMPlorations.

So without further ado here is my card for your delectation and inspiration.

This is based on the latest sketch over at Less is More.

                                     

I used the stamp set 'It's Your Day' from STAMPlorations, stamping the greeting square a few times on white and heat embossing in silver before cutting a panel out using my Die-namics pierced rectangles. I followed the instructions on Chrissie's video for extending the length of dies.

The cake was stamped then the icing was coloured to match the main panel using Copics then the cake and candle flames were done in similar fashion. The cupcake wrap, plate and candles were embossed using a Versamark pen then heat embossed in silver. I then fussy cut the cake and popped it up on pads. I considered long and hard whether to have a white border or not or a pink one, well you can see I went with the former!

OK,  why not pop over to the maine ATSM site to check out the rest of the fab DT's inspiration and join in. You could be the winner of a $10 gift certificate from

I shall also enter at -

Love Rubberstamps Challenge - Pink and Girly

CASology - Birthday

Cardz4Guyz- something faux

Good morning fellow crafters.

As it's Tuesday it's time for my DT inspiration post for Cardz4Guyz.

Before I show you this weeks project can I say how pleased I was at the level of entries to our Anything Goes challenge last week. I was overwhelmed by the number of entries, so I hope I managed to get around everyone to comment on your fab entries, if I did miss anyone I do apologise. Anyway you all made it very difficult to choose a top 3, so you'll find who was in there over on the C4G blog.

OK, enough of last week, this week we would like to see your projects on the theme of 

Let's Pretend
Something FAUX or Dressing Up

For my project I decided to go with the FAUX and went with a Faux leather technique I found online here.

I went the whole hog so to speak and made a faux leather note book using one of my EFs from Cuttlebug, (see here also). I love using embossing folders as regular readers will know, they give such great interest and depth. This one is great for creating masculine texture and in this case it looks a bit like crocodile skin I think. 

I did think of making a gift wallet from the panel of card but went with the book idea, 'cos Al is always asking for a note book!

The technique for making the faux leather can be found on You Tube and involves the use of glycerin. I didn't have some of the products that are used in the video but it turned out OK in the end. The glycerin reacts with the card and turns it soft and malleable, so easy to use without tearing.

The inside is strengthened with a fabric lining and the paper is stitched in place using thread. I used some invisible that I got in a set from Lidl!

The outside of the book is inked with DI in Chipped Sapphire and Faded Jeans to give the original blue card a more leather like appearance.

The fastening is black covered round elastic and a large button.

The end of the elastic is looped over the button to secure.

OK, that's it from me, so for more inspiration check out the rest of the Fab DT's inspiration here.

I shall join in the challenges at -

The Male Room - Shades of Blue

As You Like it Challenges - Your favourite Embossing Folder ( I just love efs! )

Thanks for calling around and see you soon.

MUSE

Welcome fellow crafters.

Today I have some really special news to share. I am the Guest designer this week over at MUSE.

I couldn't believe it when I saw the email with the invitation from Ardyth in my inbox. 

'Would I like to be the guest Muse for this week?' You bet ya!

Once the initial glow had passed, I then had to think of what I should do to inspire you all?

In the end I thought I would do what seems to best reflect my style, CAS with a little DP, diecuts, dry embossing and of course an image coloured in Copics!

So without any further ado here it is, this week's MUSE card.

As it's not far off Valentine's Day I went with the romantic theme of roses using one of my NEBUS stamp bargains from a trip to a store while on holiday in Norfolk last year. Regular readers will know I love a bargain bucket to rifle through! It could equally be a card for an anniversary if you prefer.

This one is a DoCrafts stamp called Forever Love - Rose and of course I used my Copics to colour, matching the rose to the free rose DP by Kaisercraft I got last year with a magazine. I fussy cut them before attaching to the card but not before I cut a heart shape in the top panel using my Little B hearts die and then dry embossed using a Rose folder from Cuttlebug. I stamped the STAMPlorations greeting (Bloom Sketches) in Versafine then heat embossed in detail gold, mounting flat on the top panel and lifting the rose panel up on pads.

I would love to see how you are inspired by my little offering, please take inspiration from where ever you want, it doesn't have to be a Valentine's card, it could be the layout, the theme of roses or just the colourway!

I shall enter it into the following challenges:-

( I went with the photo, the hearts and roses mainly)

Copic Marker Norge - Anything Goes
Time Out - Valentine's Day with a twist of hearts.
Penny Black and More - Stencil, masks and embossing folders
Uniko Studio #17 - Love and Friendship

Blue and white Muse

Afternoon all, thanks for stopping by.

I've been looking at this week's Muse card by Marion Vagg all week trying to come up with a suitable entry.

Problem was that my stock of dark blue card is limited and my choice of border stamps also. In the end I settled on this entry -

and this is Marion's card

As you can see I went with my diecuts, inlaying a white MB Tessatina border then adding some Marianne flourishes and a MB butterfly. I left off a sentiment just as Marion did but added a few blue sparkles on the body of the butterfly.

This is the same card from a different angle. The card was a pearlescent finish and a bit tricky to photograph but it does show the inlay better than the first.

I didn't go with the heart theme as I'm all Valentined out at the moment, I've got quite a collection of them now if anybody wants them!

Anyhow that's about it for the moment, see you back here soon for some more exciting news.

STAMPlorations @ TIME OUT

Good morning all.

I'm posting this morning for the first time as an official  STAMPlorations challenge designer.

Shery is sponsoring the latest challenge over at TIME OUT where the theme is -

VALENTINE'S DAY with a twist of hearts

So some of us newbies are contributing to a post to advertise the fact. Here is my card -

I went with the twist of hearts.

I printed out the sentiment on the computer then stamped the jam jar from the eclectic florals set in Versafine then embossed in white. I inked a heart using Copics the added the back of the jar in embossed white using a Versamark pen, then added glossy accents over the red..

When the GA was dry I inked my panel with DI Salty Ocean to create an Ombre effect, then softened the effect by adding water with a paint brush and a few drops of water on the inked panel and some splashes of colour on the white. I added some linen thread to the neck of the jar to create some vertical interest. 

I shall also enter it over at -

Inkspirations - Ombre

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart

Thanks for stopping by, come back soon.

Anything goes @ Cardz4Guyz

Good morning, good morning, good morning!

Hope I find you all fine and dandy.

As it's Tuesday it's another challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

This week I have chosen the theme of -

ANYTHING GOES

So let yourself go wild! Any style, any format so long as it's for a guy we don't mind.

Sorry if your entry isn't for a guy then it wont be eligible for the top 3!

So without further ado here is my card for your inspiration.

It looks like I'm going down the CAS and humour route this week.

The idea came to me while looking through my stamps for a couple of challenges. 

I used my Die-namics pierced rectangles to frame the phrase which I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, using a set from DoCrafts- Nostalgia Out of Bed. The cat with ear defenders is from the same set. The paper was in the stash, I think a left over from some NitWits papers but not sure which one.

OK, that's a wrap. Pop over to the Cardz4Guyz site and check out the rest of the DT's inspiration and join in.

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:-

     

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - It's a Guy Thing

The Paper Players

Merry Monday GD

Welcome fellow crafters, hope I find you well after the weekend.

I'm here to share another Christmas card with you that I made as a result of the last one! It's not that I'm so organized that I've made a start on 2015's cards but I won over at Merry Monday's with the last one, so Bonnie asked me to do a little GD spot. So with out further rambling on, here is my card.

This week the theme is

For my card I used an old stamp from DoCrafts by Micheal Powell. It's called White Christmas from their Urban Stamps range.

In the past I have struggled with what to do with this stamp and hence I didn't use it for last year's cards. I love the look of it but it is very busy and quite tall, so I went with a very CAS design and I think it works well. I stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black then coloured it with Copics. The Greeting is from a LOTV set. I could have added a few glossy accents on the fairy lights but in the end left it as it was.

So that's about it. Hope you'll pop over to Merry Monday's to check out the rest of the DT's inspiration and join in.

I shall enter the following challenges-
CASE-ing Christmas

Friends

Good afternoon crafty friends.

The day started with a lovely bright and crisp morning with a sugar dusting of snow but it has now deteriorated into a damp chill and grey afternoon and no snow. No wonder we British are obsessed by the weather!

Still the grey weather is a perfect excuse to get in the craft room and forget what's outside.

This is the card I made with reference to a few challenges. Sorry for the poor photo quality, it's a grey day!

Over at Less is More the theme is Friends, CASology's is NBUS, Uniko Studios's is Love and Friendship and Flashback Friday is ABC, 123. ( I went with 123)

The two girls is a stamp from LOTV  called Best Friends that's been in the stash but not been inked up and the numbers embossing folder from Cuttlebug is also an old one bought 6 or so years ago, that has not been used either! Well that's 2 off the pile of Never Before Used Schtuff. So I suppose I can also enter Darnell's challenge as well.

 The sentiment is from a set from DoCrafts I got as a magazine subscription incentive called- Nostalgia- Out of Bed. The DP is from Nitwits, Bonnets and Bowties. 

I used Copics to colour the girls before fussy cutting and stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx Black.

Vicki is running her Flashback Friday again so I thought I would join in, I quite like reminiscing about old cards! When I first started to make cards, I didn't have much in the way of stash and stamps and dies were so expensive, I didn't possess many but I did have a printer and a pair of scissors so I used to print out numbers and letters and paste them to pretty card then fussy cut them. Here are a couple of old ones, the first from 2006.

This was made using an origami shirt and football buttons and computer printed football kit images and peel offs!!!!!!!!!!.

About 2008 and more peel offs, coloured this time and a magic slider!

Looks like I've come a long way since then and the stash has certainly grown, as has the NEBUS pile.

Go on and check out your old stash and give it a make over, then join in the fun at Flashback Friday, it's great fun. You could say as easy as 123 or ABC.

OK, better get a wriggle on and post this before getting on with the tea.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks if you leave a comment, love to read them and visit you in return if life doesn't get in the way.

Fairies

Good morning.

I hope I find you all well this weekend and not too battered by the weather.

Today marks a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers.
This time the theme is -

FAIRY NICE

So anything to do with fairies!
Simples, so long as you use a traditional fairy stamp in your design it will be fine.
We wont be able to accept entries which use DIGIs. I'm afraid quite a few entries from last time were lovely designs but either did not have much stamping or used a digital image.
So without further ado here is my card for your inspiration.

This image is a LOTV stamp called 'Fluttering'. I picked it up in the bargain bin, on the last trip to Farsley during October half term. The papers are from Nitwits, 'Promises' The image was stamped in Memento London Fog and coloured with Copics.
OK, so that's about it, pop over to the main site to check out the rest of the teams inspiration and join in.
We are also on the look out for a couple of new DT members, so if you love stamping and fancy joining us, we don't bite, just add DT to your entry or pop over to the main Fantasy Stampers site where you will find all the details.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Sketchy Colours - a sketch

Love Rubber Stamps - Stamp with anything but black (I used Memento London Fog)
Without Words - Dreaming of Spring
Simply Create Too - Mother's Day or for a female

Make Your Mark @ATSM

Welcome back to my late night post for the brand new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More. Our first challenge of 2015 is- 

MAKE YOUR MARK

So lots of scope there! For my DT card I also took inspiration from a couple of other challenges and came up with this.

I started with the idea from Less is More where their challenge is OL with the theme of New Beginnings. I was slightly stumped I must say by the stamps available  to me then I eventually went with an old favourite, my MB Calm Countryside die and a MB Country Landscape one.

I cut the Calm Countryside from my base card then cut part of the Landscape die from the waste to show one house and a couple of trees. I inked the sky with DIs and coloured the trees, house and grass in Copics, adding a little path. I added a bit of colour to the clouds to give them a little definition and stamped a congratulations on the base card. I then replaced all the little bits to create a OL card.

I think Nich might be asking for a New Home card soon as one of her friends is hoping to move house so this should suit.

This week we are sponsored by

who are offering a 20$ gift certificate, so that's a fantastic incentive to have a go and join in.

I shall also enter the following challenges -

Mixed Media Card Challenge

Allsorts - New and Cute

The Male Room - New Beginnings

OK, that's about it, hop over to the main site and check out the rest of the team's fab inspiration and meet the newbies on the block as well as say hi to the oldies.

Happy Birthday Cardz4Guyz

Good morning folks, hope I find you well.

Today, as it's Tuesday, sees a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. This week we have been challenging you to make MALE orientated cards for a whole year. My doesn't time fly when you are having fun. So to celebrate our 1st year what else would our challenge be but:-

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

So we would love to see your creations for the male in your life, young or old and any style. My card for you today is a little tongue in cheek as it's for my 20 something nephew. I hope you like it.

I had a couple of challenges on my mind when I came up with this card using a stamp from the Woodware Looking Good set. If you look down you will see the inner which completes the pun.

I really don't spend enough time finishing the insides of my cards, so this made me do it!

I used the sketch over at Sketch Saturday for the layout but kept the background plain by using embossed white card on a blue base card.

The sentiment was computer generated and the 'briefs' were stamped on scraps of NitWits Coastal paper then fussy cut. The waistband and fly were stamped on plain white and fussy cut before being pieced on the DP.

I shall also join in over at Inkspirational where their theme is 

OK, that's about it.

Pop over to the main site and check out the rest of the DT's inspiration and join us in our one year celebrations!

STAMPlorations

Well I can finally share some news I have been bursting to tell you, I'm on the DT over at STAMPlorations!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how excited I am to be part of the DT of one of my favourite stamp makers and challenge blogs. I will miss the chance to play along but now I get the chance to inspire you lot out there!

Pop over to the main blog and check out the rest of the fabulous team.

To celebrate I am linking in this card.

I quite like the look of the logo in the corner! The flowers are Bloom Sketches and the sentiment verse is a digi kindly provided by Shery to those without stamps to enter the continuing AG challenge. Rather appropriate I think under the circumstances. 

If you came over from the main blog you will have probably already seen the fab new team members but if not why not pop over and check out the range of inspirational talent on show.

I shall join in over at the Card Concept where they are celebrating their 1st anniversary.

I love the flowers on this photo, I think that my card fits into the Mixed Media category.

Thanks for coming around, see you back here soon.

Flashback Friday

While having a bit of a treacley day, you know not right but not sure what's wrong, but a bit off, I happened across this on my ATSM team mate 'Vicki's' blog. 

Flashback Friday encourages us to look out those long forgotten stamps we all have stashed away in a box that haven't seen the light of day for donkey's years. So in an effort to throw this funny mood off, I went rifling in dark corners and came across a wooden stamp that I probably bought in a bargain bucket many, many years ago. I looked on the side and it said 1999!!!! It looked so clean it could well not have ever been used, just destined to sit in the box of discarded wooden stamps at the back of the cupboard, my never ending NEBUS mountain. I suppose it's the Yorkshire in me that is always on the lookout for a bargain, but it isn't one unless you use it!

Any road up, I decided to create a little something using a couple of challenges and my Brusho w/c inks.

I first stamped the snowflakes and heat embossed in white. Then I sprinkled a few crystals of Brusho onto the panel then spritzed it with a fine spray of water. When it was dry I wiped the ink off the snowflakes and then decided to cut out a halo from the coloured and stamped panel then glued everything flat on to a white basecard. The greeting is SU Sassy Salutations embossed in silver.

I put this photo in to prove the date on the stamp!

'Vicki' included a few of her older cards using her stamp set but my stamp hasn't been used before so there isn't one but I did find one of a couple of snowman cards I made way back, so far back I'm a little ashamed to post it but what the heck!

This was my first foray into photographing cards back in November 2008 so apologies for the quality! I made these in our caravan while Al started to convert the barn.

I shall enter the main card in a few other challenges:-

Merry Monday Christmas Challenge - Photo inspiration use a snowflake

OK, I suppose I ought to get on with tea, Al was going to take me out tonight but don't really feel like getting dolled up so it will be a quiet evening in and an early night.
Thanks for popping around.

Less is More meets Muse

Good morning all.

I meant to post this yesterday but time just flew away! (The winds were quite strong here last night but happily not as bad as in Scotland and the North of England.)

As the title of this posts suggests, it's a fusion of two challenges, Muse and Less is More.

This is the Muse card from Vicki Dutcher.

I was inspired by the central words, dots aperture, gold and the colours, well pretty much everything really! 

When I first saw this Muse card I thought I knew what I was doing as I have this MB die but then I thought that the word love deserved a heart, and my large LOVE die didn't really fit the opening of the circle burst.

I embossed a panel of white card then inked it in Festive Berries DI before cutting out the large love word, then cut out the heart using my Little B hearts die. I searched the stash for some gold sequins but couldn't find any, could have sworn I had some left over from Nich's dancing costume making days! Anyway, I improvised with some shaped gold mirror card tiny punched circles. I was going to pop the panel on white but tried it on black and it was a much richer effect so stuck with that and added a white die cut 'you' from a Spellbinders set.

As I said at the beginning the card was also inspired by the colour challenge at 

Less is More - Black, metallic and one other, this being red!

OK, that's about it. I should take Max out for a walk soon before that wind gets up some more and blows us up the drive!

Vintage Guyz

Good morning my crafty friends. 

My second post of the day is for the new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

This week our topic is -

VINTAGE

Mmm, not my favourite subject but I put my thinking cap on and remembered a card by Jen Nelson on the LOTV site. I thought it was just my version of vintage so I took her inspiration and came up with this little number.

Of course it uses one of my many LOTV stamps, this time it's called Man's Best Friend. I stamped then heat embossed in white. The parcel was a panel of kraft inked with vintage photo DI and over stamped with a couple of franking stamps from Artemio. I splashed a bit of water and roughed up the edges to create a more vintage feel.

I added a bit of dark brown Copic pen and white pencil to the image and left it at that. A couple of tags from a LOTV set were attached to the string to finish the parcel effect. The panel was then stuck to a black base card.

OK, that's about it, pop over to the main site and see what the rest of the team have come up with for your inspiration and join us. Don't forget it has to be for a MALE person, young or old.

I shall enter the following challenges -
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Crazy for CAS - Splatters ( I did splatter the background with water!)

Love Rubberstamps Challenge - AG

Clear it Out Challenge - AG

Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Turn up the Heat

Thanks for stopping by.

Use a doily

Good morning all you early bloggers.

I will hopefully still be asleep when this goes out, recovering from my childminding duties. We had my Grandson for a sleepover yesterday as his Mum and Dad went back to work and his school didn't, I love him to bits but he is a shocking sleeper. He fell out of bed at 9 then got in with me in the early hours and was full off beans by 1/4 past 6. I think I deserve a little lie in!

My first post of the day is for the new challenge over at Cards und More. For this challenge we would like you to -

 Use a Doily in your creation

Here is what sprang to mind.

I used a variety of ribbon, lace and washi tape to camouflague the join in the embossing on the base card. My folder was only A6 so to cover the square card I had to emboss twice which leaves a tell tale line if they don't line up, so the toppings are just the job. I cut part of my doily away before gluing down the strips. I used some brand new washi tape I bought in a bargain bucket at Hobbycraft and the lace and ribbon were in the stash. The flower and leaves were from a SU set Stippled Blossoms. I have had this set for ages as I like the effect they made but struggled to get the 2 phase stamping going! It's still not perfect but it's a lot better after making a DIY stampamajig from my Grandson's LEGO bricks! I fussy cut the leaves and flower and added  punched tag with a stamped greeting, girly without being over the top!

As this card uses two NEBUS (NEver Before Used Schtuff) items, I shall join in the fun over at Darnell's 3rd NEBUS challenge.

Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge

Make new friends but keep the old

Old -Favourite embossed basecard and CAS style

New - Washi and SU Stippled Blossoms

Love Rubberstamps Challenge - AG

Clear it Out Challenge - AG

OK, that's a wrap, pop over to the main blog to check out the rest of the DT's inspiration and join in.

See yo back in an hour for the latest challenge at Cardz4Guyz.