Pink Poppy and a DIY stamp

Good morning, welcome to the weekend!

Next weekend is Mothering Sunday so this week at Fantasy Stampers we would like to see your projects on the theme of -

MUM'S RULE

Now because we are a traditional stamping challenge I had to think hard about how to incorporate a stamp into the main focus of my image. I wanted to enter the challenge over at Memory Box challenge, it's been on my to do list for awhile but I didn't have any stamps from them, so I remembered about an article I'd read, about extending your dies and made my own stamp. So here is my card.

I used my MB Perky Poppy die to cut an outline, then cut it again this time using some funky foam. I had the positive outline as well as the inner for the petals, so as I wanted to try using the shape left after cutting the die I decided to make a stamp from the petals.

I trimmed the white top panel to leave a border of base card showing, then with the panel in place I drew a faint line around the area of the flower heads with a pencil. Removing the top panel I used my homemade stamp inked with Memento Rose Bud, to stamp inside the pencil line.

I added some more colour to the stems and leaves of the outline die cut then placed it back in the top panel, securing it with doublesided tape. I used a freebie set of stamps from this month's Creative Stamping magazine for the greeting and some pink pearls, then popped up the top panel over the stamped petals. I didn't get it exactly right but I quite like that you can see a little bit of the base card.

Please check out the rest of the DT's inspiration and why not join us this time.

I'd like to join in over at -

Pink or Red

AG with a stamp and a die

Penguin Celebration

Good morning all.
It's looking like another bright crisp day, much better than the grey and mizzly ones we had over the weekend, even if it isn't as warm.
The guy at the Met Office said be prepared for colder conditions, hey it is still February!
Anyway as it's Tuesday it means a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.
This week our theme is -

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

No, not the sitcom, we'd like to see lots of those feathered friends in the gallery this week.
My bird isn't what you might think of as feathery but it's definitely a bird!

I've kept the background pretty plain, using a denim striped DP from NitWits, to re-create the sketch at Sketch Saturday, I mirrored it for this interpretation, and a cheeky penguin digi from Bugaboo.

I printed him out then coloured the image with Copics before fussy cutting and mounting him on a pierced rectangle die cut from the same textured linen card as the base card. I indulged in a pack of it from the wholesaler I go to for my ordinary card last week. The Happy Birthday die cut is from Crafts Too.

Like I said, v simple, so now it's over to you. For more inspiration check out the rest of the DT and then why not join in?

I'd like to join in over at:-

     

Cupcakes or Candy

Hat anyone?

Good morning all. 

It promises to be a lovely sunny day here, such a change from the rainy miserable one we had yesterday. I caught a forecast yesterday that said temperatures could reach 14'C by the weekend, how weird is the weather this winter!

Anyway it's time to announce a new challenge over at Cardz4Galz. This week I chose the topic which is -

GET AHEAD GET A HAT

So we would like to see some headgear somewhere on your project!

For this card I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday again and one of my LOTV girlies.

I noticed that LOTV are resurrecting their blog, it's been sadly missed this last year. Seems as though the girls have been doing some restructuring in those last twelve months, I hope it means their challenges will start again.

The backing paper is from NitWits Fairytales collection and I coloured the little girl with Copics before fussy cutting her and mounting on pads over a star die cut and a few MFT lilac die cut banners. The HAPPY is fromWplus9 and BIRTHDAY from STAMPlorations Balloons and Banners set embossed in white.

OK, that's it from me, please check out the rest of the DT for more inspiration then why not join in.

I'd like to join in over at:-

Anything Goes

Die Cuts - banner, happy and star die cuts

One layer friends

Good afternoon folks.

This a post to remind you that there is still time to join in the theme/sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations.

Here are a couple of cards I made followig both the theme and sketch.

    

I made the first with a couple of challenges in mind then went to play again keeping it one layer but a mirror image.

The flower stamps I used are one of my faves, Blooming Buds and the HAPPY BIRTHDAY is from the Balloons and Banners set. The text stamp in the background was stamped and embossed with white after I had stamped and masked the flowers and leaves. On the first card I washed some Salty Ocean DI over the text leaving the flowers white, then coloured them with wages of Spiced Marmalde and Mustard seed. When I went over the stems and leaves in the Mustard Seed they went green, just what I wanted! For the one layer card I coloured the flowers and stems first then washed in the blue.The first ended up darker than the second, not sure which I like best.

Anyway now it's over to you. Please check out the main page of all the important details and why not visit the DT for more inspiration and join us.

I'd like to enter the first card over at - 

                                                                                                       

         

I'd like to enter the second OLC over at -

   

Friend                                                OLC  -include a stem

Take a Technique

TEXT ME

Happy Birthday to Ewe

Good evening and welcome to apost to announce the latest challenge over at ATSM.

This it is our challenge where -

ANYTHING GOES

Here's my card for your inspiration

I used the layout from a new challenge to me Share Joy and used a stamp from a MFT set I purchase quite recently, as I thought I would be able to make good use of the 'sheep' stamps. I was also inspired by quite a few different challenges as well. I must admit that it does make it easier when it comes to the AG weeks!

I used a MFT cover plate I got for Christmas but until today unused, but I left the cutaway parts in and secured then with some tape so the wouldn't fall out when I trimmed it to size. I was using the colours over at MFT's Colour challenge, so inked the panel when cut to size with Picked Raspberry and made the square up to size with a scrap of grey card embossed with a Couture Creations EF, then mounted the panel onto a square card base. The tag was sploshed with some watery Salty Ocean DI and to complete I stamped and coloured the sheep with Copics, fussy cut it and embossed a greeting in white on black. The banner was cut with a MFT banner die but was too large so I cut it down using the stitched line as a guide, it leaves a sort of pinked effect which I quite like.

Some bakers twine to match and job done!

So now it's over to you.

This week we are sponsored by

and Kylie is offering a prize of a $15 gift certificate

Happy Little Stampers was created in 2015 by Kylie (owner of ATSM and ATCAS). Kylie wanted to bring out a line of stamps that were useful for every day crafters. From cute to whimsical images, from everyday to funky sentiments there is something for everyone!

So no excuse not to have a go!

I'd like to join in over at -

Just the sketch

A Visit to the Zoo

Morning all.

It''s Tuesday, it's 9 o'clock so it must be time for a new challenge at Cardz4Guyz.

This week our theme is -

GOING TO THE ZOO

I thought for awhile about this one then realised that although I didn't pocess any stamps that fit the brief I did have some NitWit papers and images that would, so a little bit of time with a graphics programme and I had a focal point for this week's card

I printed it out twice and decoupaged three of the animal heads for added interest, the DPs are also from NitWits, Hullabazoo and Junglefun collections.

As I've finished my GD stint over at Sketch Saturday, I was free to use their latest sketch so I did.

The banners were cut using a MFT banner die from a Blueprints collection and the sentiment was computer generated.

For more inspiration please check out the rest of the DT and why not join us this week.

I'd like to join in over at -

Favourite fold or shape.

With me it's really boring, I love my tent fold A6 card base. I think it's the Yorkshire in me that doesn't like waste and you can get 2 card bases from one sheet of A4 card! All other shapes and sizes involve cutting it down and then having lots of bits that you can't use left.

Hello Friend

Good morning, hope you've got lots of lovely things planned for the weekend.

We are due a visit from my Grandson and his Mum and Dad so it's going to be lively!

Today is the start of a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers. This time our theme is -

JUST ONE LAYER

Now I quite like this theme and enjoy coming up with ideas for making a simple layer interesting.

Anyway here is my DT inspiration for you.

I made this with a small stamp from the Jofy series from Paper Artsy, which I stamped twice and a free greeting stamp I got with a mag a few months back.
No masking for this OLC just a little bit of stamping and water colouring for the blooms.
I did add some extra buds to the stamped images to fill out some gaps left after the initial stamping, but that's about.
The thing with OLC is that the planning takes the time and I must admit I do try ideas out on a scrap piece of paper first just to be sure my idea works.
So now it's your turn.
PLEASE REMEMBER WE NEED TO SEE GOOD OLD FASHIONED STAMPING AS YOUR FOCAL POINT.
For more inspiration please check out the rest of the DT here.

I'd like to join in over at -


Friends

    
                                                    One Layer

Happy Anniversary

Welcome to a post to share a card influenced by a few challenges out there at the moment.

Over at Less is More the girls are celebrating 5 years with a White on White challenge, I love this style of card  and their challenges, so I really wanted to enter but couldn't focus in on what I wanted to do, but when I saw the latest sketch at CAS(e) this Sketch that clinched it as did the MUSE card by LIM DT member Anita. It sort of came together in a flash.

I took the layout from Anita's Muse card, the WOW from LIM and the criss cross pattern from Anita's card and the sketch at CAS(e) as my inspiration.
The background was made using a NEBUS EF from X Cut I picked up the other week as belonging to the 'I think that would be useful' category! The 'happy' die is also a new purchase from Seven Hills Crafts (also sponsoring LIM this week) by Wplus9. I was really impressed by their service, so think I will use them again. I cut it out twice in black and white and glued them together so a tiny bit of black was showing to give it more definition against the white background. The butterfly and leaf elements were die cut using MB dies in silver and vellum and the MFT banner was stamped with a freebie stamp I picked up with a mag at class on Wednesday and embossed in silver.
That's it then, better get a wriggle on or I will miss the LIM deadline, :) .

I'm joining in over at -

5th Anniversary - WOW

Rawr!

Good afternoon folks.

It's been a rare couple of days this week, we've had wall to wall sunshine!

It's been such a warm, wet and windy winter that I'm quite prepared to be a bit colder and have the joy of the sun on my back as I walk the dog!

Anyway down to business. The talented Becca has another set of stamps with her signature Big Grins @ STAMPlorations. Just the thing for boys young and old.

Here is a card I made using just one of the cute dinosaurs and a few die cuts.

I stamped and fussy cut the TRex after colouring him with Copics, then stamped an explosion in matching green and placed a panel with the RAWR stamped in black on top. It just wasn't big enough to stamp direct.

To make the scene I inked a sky with Salty Ocean DI then a couple of die cut skylines in grey and black. The small greeting is also part of the set.

So to celebrate the release we are having a mini blog hop here.

So this is how the mini release hop works:

• Comment on the main blog post.
• Visit each of the designers' blogs and comment on their featured project(s).
• Commenting closes on Friday February 12, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-7).
• We'll randomly select a winner of the stamp set from comments left on all the blogs and announce it on the main blog on Sunday February 14th.

Want to increase your chances of winning?

• Share the link to this blog post on your Facebook status. Make sure to tag your post with #dinothingsand #stamplorations
• When you visit the designers' blog posts, pin their cards to your Pinterest board. Again, make sure to tag your pins with #dinothings and#stamplorations
• Leave a second comment on the main blog post telling us that you've done the above (include a link to your FB profile/page and/or Pinterest board).

By the way, Dino Things is now available in the shop and for one week only, it's 10% off!

I'd like to join in over at -

AG with and stamp and die/s

Valentine for a Guy

Good morning all.

Tuesday's mean a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

This week we want you to make a MASCULINE project on the theme of -

VALENTINE/ LOVE

For my take I went with a very CAS interpretation of the theme.

I stamped a pair of gent's specs in black then added some small hearts in red to the center of each lens, then printed the sentiment from the computer, and used a MFT pierced rectangle die to cut it out. To add a little more texture to the card I added a panel die cut with a scalloped border. Once the idea was in my head the card was finished in a few minutes.

OK, that's me done, now it's over to you, please check out the rest of the DT for more ideas.

I'd like to join in over at -

   

Valentine                                        Have a Heart

Confetti Plate Meets Hearts

Afternoon folks.

Just popping by to share a card I finished yesterday for a DT then changed my mind and decided on something else instead!

I used my Sizzix Confetti plate that I used for the baby card for Dee.

This time I replaced the circles of white with red glittery and textured card. From the white circles I cut away heart shapes with dies and punches then popped them above the red circles.. A simple you was stamped in the corner then mounted on a white base card.

A very simple card.

I would like to join in over at -

Inspired by the different shades of red hearts.

I think my card is clean and layered

   

 

  hugs and kisses

Clean and simple