Swinging on a rope

Good morning again!

This time I'm here to show you a card I made for the latest challenge at Cardz4Guyz.

This week we would like to see your masculine creations that have a connection to -

Something beginning with S

OK, get your thinking caps on and have a go!

For my 'S' I went through my stamps and landed on this little chap having a great time-

'Swinging on a Rope' You see you can also think laterally!

This is a LOTV image that I coloured with Copics to match the NitWits papers left over from last weeks card. I'm still building up my stash of children's birthday cards!

I used the latest sketch at Sketch Saturday for the layout.

I added a star with a number 5 sentiment banner and a rope knot to complete the card.

Right then it's over to you. Check out the rest of the DT and our fab GDs for more inspiration. Don't forget if you fancy a month as a GD just add GDT to your entry.

I will also join in at -
As You Like it Challenge - Line or no line stamping
( I must say I prefer an outline for character stamping such as above, though if I'm watercolouring flowers I may use the same colour to stamp.)

2015 World Wide Open DT Challenge
Lil patch of Crafty Friends- Anything Goes

Tag it @Cards und More

Good morning crafters and welcome to my latest post for the new challenge over at Cards und More.

This fortnight we would like to see your projects using a :-

TAG

For my card I took inspiration from the latest challenge at Tag it .. You're it!

I've used kraft for the tag die cut from a Marianne die and stamped and embossed in white a line of a music score, then stamped and embossed some flowers from STAMPlorations. The flowers were coloured using DI in a w/c effect then fussy cut and mounted on the tag, adding some Marianne swirls and a Spellbinders Happy Birthday die cut in white and silver. 

If you look closely at the inspiration card you will see chevrons in white over the base. I used some zigzags cut using a MFT die, a bit of ribbon and twine from the stash finished it off.

Pop over to the CuM site to check out some more inspiration from the rest of the team and join in.

I would also like to join in at -

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

2015 World Wide Open Dt Challenge 

Saturday Crafting

Afternoon all.

Just a quick post to show you what I got up to at the demo I went to yesterday at Burleydam Garden Center with Kaisercraft demonstrator Elizabeth Robinson. I also met up with one of my STAMPloration blog buddies Monika for a chat and quiche in the coffee shop.

We were introduced to the latest Kaisercraft releases and had a chance to play with some bits and bobs in the afternoon. We made a banner usiing only one sheet of 12x12 paper and whatever was floating around!

I stamped some butterflies from Kaisercraft on the scrap from cutting out the banners and showed the ladies how to make a flower without using a die ,cutting a spiral freehand then folding and curling to get the rose. I finished it off by adding a few die cuts and I 'borrowed' a little bit of bright pink chord from the lady sat next to me. I added some bling and used Copics to colour some of the white diecuts to match the DP, think it was Kaisercraft, Cherry Blossom Collection - Tranquil. Not much of it left! The large doily die cut was too large for the banner so I cut the middle away and stamped a sentiment then cut away the outer edge. I tried to use that but went for some MS punched lace instead.

I had a lovely time chatting away to the other ladies, hope to get back for another demo later in the year.

Easter at Fantasy Stampers

Good morning crafty friends.

I'm off to have a little crafty chat this morning, I do like to get together with like minded people. Having moved to a new area I'm finding classes a bit thin on the ground so when a blogging friend suggested the demo I jumped at the chance, think it's a Kaisercraft demo this week.

Anyway down to business. As it's Saturday it is time for a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers.

This time we would like to see your take on the topic of -

EASTER

Plain and simple but keep to the 'old fashioned' stamps as we don't allow digis.

This is my card for your inspiration.

This another discontinued LOTV stamp called Bunny with Daffs. The embossing folder is a new one from Crafters Companion that I got with their latest magazine. I colored the image with Copics and then cut the bunny off from the daffs to make him jump higher to fit the oval diecut of blue marbled paper. With the daffs at the bottom it looks a bit egg shaped! I've kept the overall design very CAS. I did consider using some DP but in the end decided against.

OK, that's it so get those Easter stamps out and join us over the next two weeks.

I would also like to join in at the following challenges:-

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes

Hoppy Easter

Hi and welcome to a late night post to announce the latest challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More. This week is our challenge is -

MAKE YOUR MARK

So anything that you can use to make a mark, inks, w/c pens, stamping, embossing, pretty much free rein!

Here's my DT inspiration card for you.

Don't you just love this cute Easter Bunny on a Pogo stick!

The stamp is from LOTV, discontinued I believe. I checked their site and they have discontinued quite a few since I got their catalogue from a friend. I suppose they can't carry all their stamps and keep launching new ones! He was jumping over the eggs on the original image but to make this design work I cut him off and put him slightly to the left of the eggs.

I coloured the eggs and bunny with Copics, picking up the colours from the DP in the aperture. The front panel was embossed with a free EF after cutting an oval. The eggs and bunny were glued flat and the embossed panel popped up on foam pads.

This week we are sponsored by

who are offering 4 digis from their shop to the winner.

Pop over to see what inspiration the rest of the DT have for you and join in.

I would like to join in the fun at -

(look like Cadbury's Mini eggs to me!)

Addicted to Stamps - Celebrate

Without Words - The Bunny is coming/ Easter

Simply Create Too - Easter or Bunnies

Transport

Good morning everyone.

Another Tuesday so time for a new challenge for you from Cardz4Guyz. Thanks for all your fab CAS cards from last week, though some of the entries weren't exactly CAS, there were some great entries and it wasn't an easy task to choose the top 3. Pop over and check who the winners were.
This time we would like to see your masculine projects and cards on the theme of -

TRANSPORT

A very masculine topic I think.

I have used up my stash of child's birthday cards and I know there is one birthday in particular coming up and he is obsessed with trains so that was where I went with this Molly Bloom train card.

For the layout I used the latest sketch over at Sketch Saturday

The pennant in the middle reminded me of the disappearing lines of train track so that was perfect!

I cut the pennant to echo the angle of the sleepers in the train from a NitWits 'Finncy's Garden' green paper mounted on white and used co-ordinated papers for the background panel and strip. 

I coloured the train with Copics to match the red in the strip and then fussy cut it out. I know you can't see any, they just happen to be behind the pennant!

I put the '6' on the other side of the sketch as it was to crowded on the side in the sketch.

The sentiment is from a Woodware set stamped in black on white and glued flat.

The overall effect is of the train coming out of a tunnel of green I think.

OK, that's all for now. Checkout the rest of the DT and GDT's inspiration over at the Cardz4Guyz blog and join us.

I would like to join in the fun at -

Sketch Saturday - #353

Stamping Sensations - One for the Guys

Blossom

Good afternoon. 

I've not been in my craft room much due to child minding duties this weekend. What with the lovely sunny weather we were out and about with our Grandson, so no blogging or making for me until late yesterday afternoon then it was for DT duties. I did try to do something for the challenge over at CASology but it didn't work to my satisfaction so abandoned it only to see something similar posted, so couldn't go down that route!

Anyway for a better late than never post, I managed to develop my original idea and came up with this -

When I saw the cue word early last week I thought of cherry and apple blossom but couldn't find any stamps small enough in the stash, so went down the die cut route but as I said it didn't work. So looking at my branch stamp I saw my palette with DI still on it so started splashing some v watery ink over the stamped branches but thought it a tad flat so added some chunky embossing powder over the top and the stamped a sentiment from a freebie set to match.

I used the layout over at Less is More where the theme is 

CASe the DT.

I chose Chrissie's card for my CASe.

I kept the layout roughly the same but put the sentiment panel at the bottom and made the panels slightly larger. I used a phrase sentiment and a 'flower' image same as Chrissie. So that was it, quite quick in the end and a good job too as the 'Blossom' challenge closes today!

As there is so much white on this I am entering it at-

and also at Uniko's - Anything Goes

OK, that's a wrap. I better get some lunch ready for the workers!

At last!

Morning all.

I have finally got around to posting a card I started last Friday for the challenge over at CAS(E) this Sketch. I was thinking of using it for a DT card but went for a different one and forgot all about it. So I finished it and thought I better post before the challenge closed!

and this is the sketch

I was trying something a little different here and I rather like the soft water colour effect. Darnell got me to thinking about using dies to stamp and then emboss. I've tried it a couple of times and perhaps this is the most successful I think.

The die I used was MB Wildflower Corner stamped with Versafine and embossed in detailed white ep. You can hardly see the outline which I quite like. The washes of DI look as though they they are freehand. The central panel was cut using two MFT pierced rectangles to leave the base card showing through.

I shall also join in at -

The Friday Mashup  where they are celebrating 200th Challenge and you can choose any two of your favourite challenges and choose one from each or go the whole hog and mashup the lot.

I went with 2 previous challenges and mashed up the lot-

#5 Nature and Embossing

and

#167 w/c wash and CAS

OK, that's wrap for me.The sun has finally broken through the mist so hopefully the rest of the day will be a gorgeous spring day.

Featured Stamper

Good morning.

This is a scheduled  post to show you the card I made for the latest challenge at Color Throwdown, as I will still be asleep hopefully when the challenge goes live! Apologies for the poor quality, photography has been a struggle in the poor light this week. I've lost track of the number of times I have taken a photo of this in recent days!

I entered the other week with my little skateboard card and was selected as their featured stamper.

This week the challenge is Orange, Navy and Pink 

Now when I got the swatch I was a little bit stumped but after a bit of surfing various challenges over the weekend I came across the latest challenge at One - Layer Simplicity which is Words, Words Words.
So it was out with the DIs and my word stamps and away I went.
First I masked off a rectangle using a leftover from a diecut panel. Then I stamped away, first stamping HAPPY in navy then scattering birthday stamps in assorted fonts in the challenge colours.
The main happy and a birthday are from STAMPlorations, the rest are from some freebies and Woodware sentiments in the stash.
So that's about it from me, I'm sure the DT will have lot's of ideas for your inspiration, so why not have a go and join in.

I shall join in over at -
 One - Layer Simplicity - Words, Words Words.
Seize the Birthday - Make the sentiment the focal point.

Below Par

Good morning crafty friends.

I can't believe we are are already half way through March, the clocks will be going forward soon.

As it's Tuesday it must be a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

This week it was my turn to choose and guess what, I chose -

CAS - Clean and Simple

So we would like to see your take on a masculine CAS card.

Plenty of scope here, no topic just a free rein to create a masculine CAS card. I find that CAS is the perfect style for a masculine card, no frills allowed!

So here is my card for your inspiration.

Plenty of white space here (it doesn't have to be white so long as it's clear of embellishments).

I used the latest challenge over at Addicted to CAS for my springboard for this idea. Their theme is-

Now I could have simply gone down the colour route but when I read the word I thought golf for some reason, Al says I have a weird brain!

Rather than make a birthday card I went with a pun on a golfing term and made a get well card for the stash. I suppose you could also include being a bit under the weather being green as well!

The sentiment was computer generated and the golf ball and tee were made from die cuts. The 'Green' grass was made with three different strips of card cut with a MS grass edge punch.

OK, that's about it, don't forget to keep it clean and simple and join in. For more inspiration visit the C4G blog to see what the rest of the DT have made.

Here is another photo of the lambs, this time showing their love for Max!

Unfortunately the ewes have other ideas and Max came running home yesterday!

Sketch #30

Good afternoon folks and welcome.

Today sees the start of a new sketch challenge at STAMPlorations. Here is the card I made using the sketch-

and here is the sketch -

As you can see I sort of played with the way the shapes overlap but so long as we can see the sketch you can do what you like, rotate, flip change the shapes, its up to you, but do explain if it is a bit off the wall!

I used the remaining uninked stamp from my Bloom Sketches set. I read on the wonderful Darnell's blog a couple of weeks ago that the poppies were in full bloom so perhaps they have been and gone over in California, the photos were certainly spectacular. I do love poppies but our's are more delicate and bloom on disturbed ground in the summer, a field washed red with these beauties is a site to behold. Perhaps I can persuade Shery to release some poppy stamps of the UK variety!

The poppies on this were coloured with Copics and the frame coloured to match, the 'thanks' was from the bold sentiments set. The background was embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder.

As usual Shery is offering the following prizes:-

Winner

(voted by the design team)

prize: 2 stamp sets (3" by 5") if you use STAMPlorations stamps, 1 stamp set if you don't

+ guest designer spot in a Sketch Challenge

Top picks

prize: 3 digi stamps 

+ the option to be a guest designer too in a Sketch Challenge if you will use  STAMPlorations digi stamp (to be provided )OR if you already have STAMPlorations clear stamps

All winners and top picks will receive a personalized guest designer badge that they can display on their blogs, as well as a STAMPlorations guest designer watermark.

Frequent Players Spotlight. Play in all 3 challenges for the month for entries to the random draw. Prize is always going to be a stamp and stencil pack valued at $10.

So no excuses to have a go and join us.

Pop over to the DT's blogs for more inspiration and info on their designs and check out our fab GDs.

Robyn Oliver GD

Stephanie Severin GD

Kathy Schweinfurth GD

Becca DT

Laura Jane DT

Sari DT

Tenia DT

Wei Wei DT

On the subject of spring here are a couple of lamb photos.

Number 84b has a splint on it's leg as it broke it just after birth. We think he got trampled on by another ewe. He is coping well and getting bigger.

Thanks for calling around.

I would like to join the fun over at-

Time Out Challenges - Picture 

Spring

Good morning crafty friends.

Today marks the start of a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers. This time we would like to see your traditionally stamped projects (NO DIGI's) on the theme of -

SPRING is in the AIR

Lots of ideas, too many as usual. The blackthorn has blossomed in places and the lambs are jumping in our fields but no daffodils or crocus as the rabbits have feasted on them! Anyway I went with this idea in the end.

I used the latest challenge over at Fusion to focus my thoughts, using both the picture and sketch.

The stamp I used is Blended Bloom from SU, not an anemone but it did bare a resemblance, especially with the central area of anthers! I do like anemones and have tried to grow them without any success, think it's something to do with the corms you get which are tricky to germinate.

I first took my cue from the colours and and inked a rose patterned embossing folder with DIs in pinks and purples before spritzing with water and then printing on a card panel. I went over the image with a wash of water to soften the image before it dried. 

On a separate piece of card I masked and stamped three of the blooms in Versamark then embossed in white before colouring with DI in a w/c technique.

When dry I die cut a panel, then went over the centers of the flowers with a dark blue grey Copic to loose some of the white contrast.

I die cut a panel with a Creative Impressions Striplet die to create the vertical panel, a stamped Happy Birthday completed the design.

OK, that's about it, pop over to the main blog and check out the rest of the DT's fab inspiration and join in the fun.

I shall also join in the fun at -

As you like it Challenge - Rubber or Digi Stamp (Much prefer a traditional stamp, you can't heat emboss a digi! )

Creative Inspirations - AG, option of a sketch (no sketch for me)

Spring Muse

Good afternoon bloggers.

It's a foul day outside today, wet and windy and very miserable, so I needed a little sunshine.

This is a card I made that I think certainly has a sunny spring like feel and cheered me up when I took the photo this morning.

I'm sorry that the photo is not my usual standard but the light was very poor this morning.

I used this week's  Muse card for my inspiration as well as the colour challenge at Less is More.

This is Michelle's fab Muse card.

I took inspiration from the layout and Michelle's idea of hi lighting just one bloom on the panel. As the LIM colour challenge is green and yellow I kept to that for the colouring.

I stamped and masked a rose stamp from Clearly Besotted onto a die cut panel and used DI in Mustard Seed to wash in the petals on one of the blooms and Mowed Lawn on the leaves and stem.

The back panel was stamped and embossed in white with a Sizzix panel die as I had seen the fabulous Darnell do, then washed it with Mustard Seed DI. I used a Copic pen to colour some twine and attached it and a tag sentiment to the flower panel. Everything was then mounted on a bright green base card.

That's a wrap then, better get some lunch made for hubster as he is working in his office upstairs!

Photo Inspiration

Good evening, time for another late night post for Addicted to Stamps and More.

This is the card I made for this weeks challenge.

This week its come around to our photo inspiration.

For my card I took inspiration from the cake stand full of cupcakes in brightly coloured cases.

The stamp I used is yet another I picked up from a bargain bucket on holiday in Norfolk last year. Its a Docrafts stamp called 'Bellisima Cupcake Stand'.

I coloured the image with brightly coloured Copics and then set behind the frame which I cut using my MFT pierced rectangle die. The extra cupcake was stamped from a freebie set and then fussy cut and mounted on the corner. I stamped a Woodware happy birthday then doodled a border in a fine liner.

That's it then, pop over to check out the rest of the DT's fab inspiration and join in.

This week we are sponsored by 

Deedee is offering a $15 coupon to the store for our winners.

I would like to join in at-

CAS on Sunday - Girl Power (What girl doesn't love a cupcake!)

A Gem of a Challenge - Clean and Simple

ARTplorations Blog Hop day 3

Hi fellow crafters, welcome to day 3 of the 

What a fantastic response to the last two days and thanks for all your kind comments, they do mean a lot.

Here is my card for today. This time I used the Bold Florals stencil to create this card. 

When I first saw the blooms on this they reminded me of hibiscus flowers so I Googled a few pictures for reference and away I went.

My base was actually an experiment from using Brusho in lemon and emerald green on shaving foam to take a print. It was about the third I got from the foam so the colour was quite delicate. 

The resultant print is quite silky so I decided to use Copics to draw around the leaves and flowers moving the stencil around to get the coverage before colouring them in the same. To create the central stigma I drew it free hand with a white gell pen and added chunky white embossing to the tips then coloured them with a yellow Copic. The sentiments from the Boxed Blooms and Bold Sentiments and Bloom Sketches were stamped in black. You have to be careful as it takes awhile to dry on the print base because it so silky, think I should have got the Staz on out!

If you like this you may like another card ( here ) I made using the leaf stencil.

So that's it for the last day of the blog hop. Don't forget to check out the rest of the girls projects, you'll find links to all our projects here.

Leave a comment at the end of this post and on the rest of the team's blogs for a chance to win one of the fantastic prizes. Commenting closes on March 13. Winners will be announced on March 15.

Thanks again for all your fantastic comments, they make it all worthwhile.

I would like to join in at -

I hope the card isn't too summery!, 

Sweet Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes

Hobbies and Pastimes

Good morning crafty friends, hope I find you well.
As it's Tuesday it means another challenge over t Cardz4Guyz. This week we would like to see your projects on the theme of -

HOBBIES or PASTIMES

Now I had to think hard on that one, when is a sport a hobby? Anyway after looking through the stash I decided on the 'Vintage Tractor' stamp from Molly Bloom. Hubster has been to quite a few vintage tractor rallies and has spent a lot of time getting his vintage grey Fergie to work, not for showing mind you, just for working! There are plenty of devotees of these tractors and spend alot of time and money on getting them renovated, so definitely a hobby/ pastime.

I used the latest sketch over at Sketch Saturday for the layout but tipped it on its side!

The side panels are raised with an added strip of kraft on the edge and the landscape panel made up from a NitWits paper scrap in the bits box and some marbled paper together with some die cut clouds. This was glued flat on the base and the image was stamped then coloured with Copics, fussy cut, then mounted on pads.

OK, now it's over to you, what will you choose? Join in the fun over at Cardz4Guyz and don't forget to check out the rest of the team's and our fab GD's inspiration.

I should also like to join in at -

Copic Marker Europe - Things with Wings
(There are two wings over the large wheels on the tractor, hubster has two wing shells to fit on his !)

ARTplorations Blog Hop Day 2

Afternoon folks and welcome to day 2 of the -

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's hop and are ready for another stencil fest. Thanks for all the lovely comments you left yesterday, don't forget to leave one at each step of the hop today to increase your chances of winning a fab prize.

So without further ado here is another card using the ARTplorations Bubble stencil.

For this card I first inked my card with a selection of DIs and then spritzed the stencil surface and used it as a stamp. The water acts as a bleach to remove the ink, so to get a good contrast you need quite a bold panel of colour to start with. The second part was a bit of luck really as I have had the die cut and coloured MB Perky Poppy floating around my desk for awhile wondering what to do with it and I just laid it over the top and liked the look of it. I did die cut the poppy out of the panel and inlaid it so it became more of a OLC. I originally cut the poppy in white then coloured the stem and flowers with Copics replacing the petals after colouring. The greeting is from my Stamp Club set Bloom Sketches, I am certainly getting my monies worth out of this set!

The main panel was then mounted on a black mount then on a pink base card.

Leave a comment at the end of this post and on the rest of the team's blogs for a chance to win one of the fantastic prizes. Commenting closes on March 13. Winners will be announced on March 15.

Check out what the rest of the team made! You'll find links to all our projects here

Come back tomorrow for the final installment of our blog hop.

I'd like to join in at -