Crafted by Jules: May 2019

Wednesday, 22 May 2019

STAMPlorations - It's a wing thing

Spring has sprung and the grass is riz!

Please excuse the Yorkshirism, you can take a girl out of Yorkshire but not Yorkshire out of the girl!

The grass is now growing strongly away and silage cutting going on on the surrounding fields. Our fields are looking lush, except where the sheep are grazing then its just about keeping pace!

Any way, over at STAMPlorations we are celebrating for the whole of May with our wing themed blog hop and linky party. We've already had parts 1 and 2 so now here is my contribution to part 3.

This spring has seen so many different butterflies fluttering over the fields and garden, must be down to the fabulous summer last year. I was even buzzed by a dragonfly yesterday whilst out walking the dog!

For my card I used one of Shery's new digi images, Fluttery Garden coloured with Copics, fussy cut and mounted over a panel of subtle text. The sentiment, my fave from Balloons and Banners was stamped in black on a white card banner.

So if you would like to join in, here's what to do:-

Comment on the DT and then when you've finished hopping and commenting, share your own projects in the Things with Wings linky party! You've got until 4th June and winners will be announced on June 10th.

Here are the rules to the linky party.

Create a new winged-themed project (any kind!).
Post it on your blog (or Flickr, Instagram, SCS gallery, etc.) and then link up below.
Display our event graphic in your blog post and link back to this post to qualify for the prizes.
You may enter as many projects as you want, but each project must be in its own post (1 project = 1 blog post = 1 entry)
Use whatever product(s) you have; STAMPlorations products are not required.
Link up by Tuesday, June 4, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-7).

Prizes:
FIVE (5) winners of $10 gift code - randomly drawn from all comments left on the blog and participating designers blogs.
THREE (3) winners of $15 gift certificate - randomly drawn from all Things with Wings linky party entries

Note: Gift codes and gift certificates are different. It’s all explained here.

May store promotion: All throughout May, products in the THINGS WITH WINGS section will be 15% off instantly + with your DT code, customers can get up to 35% off.

So what are you waiting for?

Tuesday, 21 May 2019

Well its been quite awhile!

Hi folks.

It's been quite awhile since I've been posting at this time of day, but after an enforced absence I'm back with a new card for the new challenge at ATSM.

This week it is -

MAKE YOUR MARK

So we need to see some for of mark making as the focus of your project.

Here is my, sorry are my cards.

I made the first then decided to add some Pretty Pink Posh sequins, now I can't decide whether I made a mistake, what do you think?

My starting point was the image for May's Altenew challenge. I used their Extra Special flower spray and watercolor stripes cover die but embossed it instead of cutting with it to create the suggestion of a textured wall for my blooms to cascade across.

I used a no line technique, stamping in a pale ink before colouring with Copics and then fussy cutting out. I stamped the sentiment from Altenew's Beautiful Day with black on a white card strip.

For more inspiration, please bob along to the ATSM blog for more DT inspiration.

I'm joining in over at:-

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.

Have you booked your jollies yet or are you waiting until pesky Brexit has been concluded?

We've not booked anywhere, truth betold, since we moved down here every day seems like a holiday. Sometimes I even struggle to tell what day of the week it is. So my blog serves as a calendar as well as a record of my creations!

Over at Cardz4Guyz, its time for a brand new challenge for you :-

BY THE SEASIDE

Here is my interpretation.

I started by creating the background panel. I took a small panel of card and masked off sections with a Post it note to create a horizon and then inked in the sky using Salty Ocean DI and my new MFT cloud stencil. Moving down, I masked off the sky and added the sea and sand. A few scribbles and lines in white gel pen suggest the waves on the beach and the sun glinting off the waves.

My little guy is from Paper Pretties, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. The top panel had a circle cut from it with a die, then the beach added behind and the little chap added. A Uniko sentiment completes.

OK, that's all from me but please check out the rest of the team here for some more fun ideas.

I'd like to join in over at:-

No twist for me

Friday, 17 May 2019

Uniko May Challenge

It's time for a brand new challenge over at Uniko. Here's my inspiration for you.

This time our theme is Anything Goes with the twist of Masculine.

Now some of you may quake at the thought of masculine cards but being out numbered by boys in our family, I've got quite used to them!
I find that a CAS approach works well as well as the choice of colours. This card uses a panel made my combining two recently released sets, Mid Century Florals and the Mid Century Stencil.
To be honest the design of this card was dictated by the fact I smudged the stencil so had to hide it under the die cut plain top panel!
The stencil was inked through with Altenew black ink onto white card, then over stamped with the solid oval from the floral set in masculine colours, Altenew Parrot, Aqualicious and Memento Tangelo. The starburst from the floral set was then stamped randomly over the panel. The greeting is one from Simply Said Blocks, a couple of black pearls complete.
Voila, CAS and masculine!

Check out the rest of the DT here for some more inspiration and you'll also find all the Ts and Cs there too.

Tuesday, 14 May 2019

Bev's 40th

Good morning.

Today is a special day at Uniko, it's Bev's birthday, but it's not just an ordinary birthday she's, whisper it quietly, 40!

To celebrate the DT are holding a birthday party over on the Uniko blog and you are invited to take part with your birthday cards.

Here is mine which I gave to her on Saturday at the Happy Stampers Festival in Port Sunlight.

Not wishing to push the actual age to the fore, I tucked the silver die cut numerals between two of the leaf clusters after mounting the water coloured and embossed Pure Florals Peony largest bloom over a die cut silver frame. The die cut sentiment is from Poppy Stamps and the stamped one from the peony set.

If you would like to celebrate with us just pop along and add your card to the Uniko blog here, where you'll also find all the details. Thanks to Jane for organising this surprise party.

I'd like to join in over at:-

Heat Embossing

Feminine with AG option

Tuesday, 7 May 2019

It's a man thing

Good morning folks.

I thought I better make a comeback for the latest challenge at Cardz4Guyz as it was my choice of theme. So after an enforced absence of a couple of months following a broken arm, I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things.

For this week's challenge I chose the theme of -

MAN CAVE

A bloke isn't happy unless he has his own little retreat in my experience. Big or small, indoors or out, a man cave is where they go for some relaxation away from the OH!

My OH has grown his man cave with each subsequent house move, 6' x 8' shed at the top of the garden to single attached garage to a tractor shed as well as a brick built outhouse the size of a small bungalow. I even bought him a sign for for it for his birthday a couple of years ago!

So your card needs to show something that blokes do in sheds, gardening, pigeons, somewhere to tinker or simply a place for their toys!

There is a programme here in the UK about the wonderful world of sheds and their owners, its amazing what fantastic ideas they come up with, not all of them by blokes either! Check this link to see some of the bizarre themed sheds and outbuildings.

Here's my card based on a rather typical use of a Man Cave I think.

This LOTV digi image was coloured with Copics before being fussy cut and added to the base card.

Sentiment from Uniko and some MFT small numbers added in black over a scrap of DP on a A6 card blank.

Simples.

Please check out the rest of the team here for more inspiration on the theme, but don't forget to make it masculine.

I'm joining in over at:-

Monday, 6 May 2019

CUTplorations - May challenge

Hi and welcome to a brand new challenge over at STAMPlorations.

It's the first Monday of the month so it must be CUTplorations, so focus on those dies folks.

Here is my inspiration for you.

This the photo that we have to work from this month.

image source: Ellen Giggenbach

I was intrigued by this image, so I clicked the link to see where this fab image that Maria chose came from. It took me to an Esty page with other similar pattern images all along with a similar theme of panels of colour and over laid images. It took me back to my O level Art exam a long time ago where I was influenced by a poster on the back of the Sounds music paper, which I read on the way to the exam. The essence is that the colour of the object or shape changed colour when it passed over a straight line. So to cut to the chase that's how I was influenced to create my design. I ignored the bird element and just used the shapes and colours as inspiration.

To start, I cut some gift panels using the one of the dies from the Gift Builder #2 die set, the one with the cut away centre. To get some added interest, I chose some textured card from my stash. The centres of the die cut were laid together on a scrap of paper and glued flat before adding the non bow outline to the edges. To create the large fronds I used the frond die from Trendy Spring Blooms and cut them from scraps of green and blue card. Using the two daisy dies from the same set I cut some flowers in shades of orange to match the picture and two petal shapes from another of the flower dies for extra leaves.

Where the leaves and flowers crossed the horizontal and vertical lines in the background, the die cuts were cut and matched with a contrasting part to complete the picture.

The completed panel was popped up on pads and the sentiment from Hello You, was stamped in matching dark teal ink.

OK, that's all from me. For more inspiration though, check out the rest of the team here and there you'll also find all the Ts and Cs for entering the challenge.

Sunday, 5 May 2019

Release Day at Uniko

Good morning peeps.

Hope you are having a fab Bank Holiday weekend, even if the weather is not what it should be. There's been snow on the Welsh and Scottish hills I've heard!

Anyway it's release day at Uniko so grab a cuppa and settle in for some more fantastic inspiration from The DT.

If the introductions have tempted you into wanting the May release you'll have the chance to win the whole release by partaking in the blog hop but if you feel you can't wait all the sets will be available to purchase HERE at a NEW time of 9pm GMT tonight.

First up is a card featuring the English Country Garden stamps and matching dies.

This is a card where the butterflies actually wobble over the background! I've seen so many butterflies this spring so I just had to include some with the Sketched Foliage stamp.

The central panel was created using Copic reinkers on Yupo paper and Alcohol Lift-Ink. I tried to stamp the lifted off ink onto another panel but as it wasn't proper alcohol ink it did't work awfully well. I will just have to bite the bullet and buy some proper ink when I go to Port Sunlight next week. 😉

The small butterflies were cut then stamped and coloured with Zig pens.

I saw the wobble technique for the butterflies on Jennifer McGuire's You Tube channel here. She explains the technique much better than me, it involves cutting holes in the panel then attaching the butterflies to a disc of card through the hole. I mounted my finished panel under a frame before adding the whole to a base card.

My second design uses Background Blocks Mid Century Modern II. I was playing around with it and ended up with a slightly patchy embossed panel. I put it to one side and tried again but I liked the first attempt better as the patchy embossing allows the colours to show through.

I couldn't decide which card design I liked best so went with all three! What do you think?

The finished panel reminds me of some wallpaper we had in our first house in the 70's! The first layer was stamped with a pale ink then coloured with Copics before the gold embossed layer was added.

That's all from me but don't forget to check out the rest of the team.

Here's the release in full.

As usual we have our traditional Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway. To be in the chance of winning The ENTIRE April / May 2019 Release! (4 clear stamp sets, 2 previously released clear stamp sets, 2 co-ordinating designer die collections & 1 stencil design), simply comment along the way, it's as easy as that! You have until Midnight Sunday 12th May 2019. Winner will be announced a few days after.

Happy hopping!

Bev
Jenny GD
Carol
Izzy

Julie-that'll be me

Joining in over at:-

English Country Garden

Saturday, 4 May 2019

Introducing BIG & BOLD Wish Designer Dies

Good morning.

I hope you are going to have a great Bank Holiday weekend. The weather is not so good here, rather nippy if truth be told so a good excuse to stay indoors and get crafty!

Its day 3 of the Uniko May release and today we are again showcasing a die set to match an existing stamp set, Big and Bold Wish.

Here's my inspiration for you.

Instead of using the wish word dies, I chose to focus on the small candle and flame die.

The sentiment was inked up in a variety of overlapping inks to create a rainbow effect. My die cut panel was then cut repeatedly with the two dies. I found a few feint pencil lines help to get the layout square. To create the shadow effect, I cut the candles again bit in black fun foam before replacing them in the openings and adding back the white ones.

Quite an effective technique if a tad fiddly.

There are even more ideas on the rest of the DT's own blogs, so pop over for a look and be even more inspired.

Bev
Jenny GD
Carol
Izzy

Julie-that'll be me

Come back tomorrow for the big release and blog hop with prizes!

Friday, 3 May 2019

Introducing Mid Century Modern Stencil

It's day 3 of the new release intros at Uniko, how are you liking it so far?

Today sees us launch the next stencil in the range.

Simply called Md Century Modern Stencil, it is essentially a chunkier version of the Background Blocks I launched on Wednesday.

Here's my take on how to use it.

The stencil was attached to panel of white card and Altenew black ink sponged through.

When dry, the solid oval from Mid Century Florals was stamped in Altenew Rose Quartz, Cosmic Berry and Bamboo randomly across the stencilled panel. The star burst element from the same set was then stamped in the black ink. The design was based on many images on Pinterest including this. The colours just appealed!

A wavy panel was cut from another white panel and then stamped with a greeting from the Birthday Sentiments set and over laid the inked one, using foam to create some dimension.

OK, that's it from me but there's plenty more inspiration from the team as well as our GD Jenny from Crafting in the Country.

Bev
Jenny GD
Carol
Izzy

Julie-that'll be me

Wiebke

Come back tomorrow for some more May release inspiration from Uniko.

Joining in over at:-

Thursday, 2 May 2019

I'm back!

As it says at the top I'm back at HLS CAS after an enforced break, to share a card for this month's challenge. Sorry I haven't been around for a couple of months but I fell in February and broke my arm. All is healing well and physio on going, crafting playing it's part in helping me back to normality!

Our theme is -

I nice simple card to ease me back in, watercoloured panel and Mama Elephant stamp, simples.

The completed Oxide ink watercoloured panel was trimmed to size when dry and the sentiment stamped in Versamark and WOW white EP. All added to a kraft card base.

For lots more fab inspiration check out the rest of the team here. Join us, we'd love to see your interpretation of the theme.

Introducing English Country Garden Designer Dies & Large Background Sketched Foliage

Today at Uniko sees the introduction of some dies to match the English Country Garden stamps and a gorgeous addition to the background blacks stable.

In this card I've used the large butterfly stamp and new matching die, there is a smaller one too.

I stamped my butterfly onto a panel of w/c paper in Antique Linen DI and then washed in some more turquoise and dark grey colour with my Zig pens. Just love how the initial stamped lines take on the colour from the over painting. On a separate panel of card, I die cut the aperture and again in fun foam. Before layering up, I first added the sentiment from the set and then placed on a top fold note card.

Here is the second new release, a large background foliage stamp. No card as my attempt ended in the bin and no time to make another!

Large Background Sketched Foliage £10

So that's all from me for the moment but pop back tomorrow for some more ideas for the May release at Uniko.

Check out the rest of the team as well as our GD Jenny from Crafting in the Country for more fab ideas too.

Bev
Jenny GD
Carol
Izzy

Julie-that'll be me

Joining in over at:-

No twist!

Wednesday, 1 May 2019

Introducing Mid Century Modern Florals & Mid Century Modern Background Blocks I & II

Morning.

It's day 1 of this month's release previews at Uniko.

The first set up is Mid Century Modern Florals.

Bev has gone all retro on this release, focusing mainly on designs influenced by her love of the MCM movement, you'll find more details about that here.

I might be showing my age here but they remind me of designs from my youth, such as Mum's dresses and wallpaper!

Using a couple of the solid background stamps to create the ring of blooms, I then added detail stamps to each centre. A few high lights were added with a white gel pen and the leaves and stamps added with matching grey ink. On a die cut circle the Happy Birthday from Birthday Sentiments was stamped then added to the card.

My second card is a more masculine card using Background Blocks Mid Century Modern and a sentiment from the December release Wonderful Day.

A few homemade gems were added for a bit of colour and dimension, just dot some clear Nuvo Jewel Drops onto a sheet of acetate then let dry. Add Copic pen in the colour of your choice, peel off and add to your project when the ink has dried with a bit of Matt medium in this case. I prefer to use thid than adding directly as you cut down the risk of splodging and ruining your card!

Card three uses the second Background block and the Big and Bold Happy stamps and dies.