White on White Christmas

Hi and welcome to a scheduled post to announce the start of a brand new challenge over at ATSM.

Here's my inspiration for you, can you guess the theme this week?

This week we are looking for projects that are -

Here are few quick pointers to the rules of CAS if you were wondering.

- one main focal point
- lots of open (no pattern) space
- minimal layers
- minimal embellishments

For my card I went with a Christmas theme inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) the Sketch and Addicted to CAS.

Quite simple to produce once I'd planned where to cut my top panel and got my die the right way around!

To start I took a panel of white card and cut my curves to roughly match the sketch then using another plate die, I cut the snowflakes and placed them under the two parts of the cut panel. The greeting was die cut in white then black to give a slight shadow line. The top panel was then popped up on pads.

For for fab CAS inspiration check out the rest of the team here.

Joining in over at -

     

Cardz4Guyz

Good morning all.
We've got a brand new challenge for you over at Cardz4Guyz. This time our theme is -

BY THE SEA

Just what we needed a fortnight ago when the temperatures here were rocketing. They are much more tolerable today and with Wimbledon into it's second day hopefully it will stay dry.

For my inspiration I went for a bit of a mixed media scene.

I used a few different stamps and diecuts for this. To start I die cut a seagull from my card panel with an IO die removed it and then masked off the top half of my card with a Post it and stamped my SU Woodgrain stamp across the middle of the panel using Salty Ocean DI. Without removing the mask I inked in the sea with a mixture of the Salty Ocean and some Evergreen Bough DI, the woodgrain leaves a subtle texture which suggests ripples on the sea. I'd seen the idea here a while ago and thought it worked really well. I added some white gell pen and a few of the SU Wetlands wading birds in 2nd generation Memento Tuxedo Black. The sand was created by stamping a texture stamp from STAMplorations in Memento Toffee Crunch and Desert Sand before the foliage was stamped using the same Wetlands set as well as a grass stamp that came free with a mag in a mixture of Memento Bamboo Leaves and Pistachio.
Replacing the mask but this time covering the bottom half of the card, I inked in the sky with Tumbled Glass DI. The greeting also a freebie was stamped and embossed in black and the die cut frame added. Two more seagulls were cut and edged with Weathered Wood DI and some detail simply added with an ordinary pencil. The inlaid gull was put back in the space after edging with the same Weathered Wood, the smallest to create depth was added inside the frame and the largest looking as though it was flying out of the frame. I then mounted the completed panel onto a white base card.
For more beside the sea inspiration, check out the rest of the team here.

I'd like to join in over at :-


Just the sketch this time, on it's head!

   

Happy 4th Birthday STAMPlorations

Hi and welcome to post to announce a fun hop to celebrate the 4th birthday at STAMPlorations.
We are all in a party mode and are sure you will join us to congratulate Shery on 4 fabulous years.
My first card showcasing the new release uses a set of parcel die cuts based on the Party Mates stamp set, Gift Builder #2.

The die is in 3 parts

I saw the outline die and immediately thought shaker card. The only problem then was what colours to use, in the end I went with a classy gold and black combo with my fave stamped sentiment from Balloons and Banners, love that font!

I cut the gift outline out 3 times, once in gold mirror card then twice from fun foam. The complete parcel was cut from acetate and some gold and white DP in the stash. The bow die was also cut in gold mirror card.

Assembling the shaker element was done like this -

Try a dry run through before using glue if you don't feel confident, best leave out the beads though!

1. Glue acetate to wrong side of gold outline

2. Glue two fun foam outlines together 

3. Glue foam outlines to back of acetate

4. Wipe acetate with anti static bag to stop elements sticking and with the gold frame facing down add sequins and beads

5. Without moving the stack, glue the background DP over it making sure the pattern is face down

6. When dry your shaker element is all ready to go, sequins and beads hopefully sealed in!

My second card uses one of the Blossom Sprays#2 in the new release.

I stamped the spray twice in opposite corners of a MM paper panel with black Versafine ink before using my Zig pens to w/c the fab blooms. A little bit of splatter and a gold embossed greeting,I just had to use  Bold Sentiments - Gorgeous, to complete. The panel was then glued flat onto a white base card.

Here's where to find all the details of how to enter and the prizes on offer.

Check out the rest of today's inspiration here and hop along.

I'm joining in over at-

Celebrations with the option of one layer
(No option for me this time)


Flower Power

Mid summer Christmas

Afternoon folks.

After the heat of last week we have definitely cooled down and as it is presently raining here I have been in my craft room and the grass I am trying to remove from my new herbaceous border will have to wait.

Last week I was thinking that we are never happy with the weather in this country, too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Well that got me thinking about making some Christmas cards. I will hopefully have other things happening around November and the run up to Christmas looks like being a little hectic this year as I'm off to another of Kylie's retreats for Happy Little Stampers and my daughter is expecting our 2nd Grandchild. The craft shop where I sell my cards also asked for some cards last year so I might get some done a little earlier this year!

Here is another for the stash.

I saw the sketch at Less is More yesterday and it reminded me of a card I made here nearly three years ago, couldn't believe that when I went to my archive! 

So with a little bit of inking and die cutting and a #Uniko greeting it was pretty simple. I used a couple of dies, the tree line and the shaped top panel and the scrap left over I inked with Blueprint Sketch DI and bleached out the stars/ snow with a fine paint brush and water. The inky panel was glued flat onto a white base card then the top panels were popped up on pads.

Once I'd decided on the layout it was really easy to make so I may be making some more.

Outside it is still mizzling, so I'm staying put and listening to sound of the 70's reliving my youth!

Joining in over at - 

    

M more than one (dies and trees that is)

Thanks Sew Much

Morning all, hope you are coping in the heat. We had a little rain yesterday but it only served to make the heat more oppressive. Hopefully a new day will bring cooler conditions.

Over at Cardz4Galz it's the start of a brand new challenge -

SEW n SEW

So a theme around the other crafts we love, such as quilting, dressmaking, cross stich or you could use actual sewing in your project. I did consider this but in the end dug out an ancient NitWits stamp that came free with a magazine too many years ago to remember which,it may have been part of a thimble and threads set.

Here is what I came up with.

This cute mouse from the set was stamped then coloured with Copics before being fussy cut. The embroidery ring was from a set free with Creative Stamping but I die cut a frame for it from Kraft card and placed it over the stamped one, colouring in the stitching with Copics. The sentiment is hand written in black on a strip of kraft. The background DP is from the same NitWits set and matches the little mouses pink dress.

For more sewing related inspiration check out the rest of the team here.

Joining in over at -

    

Pink                               AG #130

Anything Goes/ with an option of Summer colours


All Creatures Great and Small
(Thanks for the reminder Sarah)