STAMPlorations reminder

Afternoon folks.

It's time for a little reminder that there is still over a week to enter this month's Theme/ Sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations. Here is my card to inspire.

I do like this new Blossom Spray #2 from the summer release. This time I've used the sketch, turned on it's head, for this card.

but you could just use the theme or go wild and use both!

To start with, I stamped my flower spray across the corner of a piece of white card with Memento Onyx Black and coloured the spray with Copics. I then drew around the edge of a circle die and trimmed away the bottom of the card leaving what you see here. 

On a black base card, I stamped the greeting from the new Happy Birthday and Balloons and Banners sets in Versamark then embossed with gold EP. The trimmed panel was then simply glued flat into the top left hand corner, leaving a small frame of black showing.

For more fantastic inspiration check out the STAMPlorations blog, where you'll also find all the T's and C's.

Don't forget if you want to get hold of any of the STAMPlorations stamps, stencils  or dies use my discount code with your order.

Joining in over at:-

  

AG                                                           

Altenew, I Adore You

Morning all.

It's been a busy few days on this blog, nearly all my DT's have a new challenge starting and DT cards to be made but that's the way the cookie crumbles when you take on the responsibility of a DT spot. Next week is much quieter, thank goodness!

Anyway the last of my DT cards is for the new challenge over at the Alphabet Challenge Blog. We are up to the letter -

G for GIVE THANKS

Here is my card

I've used my Altenew I Adore You set and the soft dusky pink of their latest challenge. 

To begin, I stamped and embossed the greeting in white EP before stamping these fab blooms in a pale blue Memento ink. Pale blue I hear you shout, well yes but more of that in a mo.

Using masks cut from Post its I created this spray of blooms then,  masking all of them, I inked over the die cut panel with Picked Raspberry, Milled Lavender and Victorian Velvet DI to create this ombre effect. Once satisfied with the coverage, I removed the masks and using a black glitter pen I drew around the pale outline. I'd seen this technique over on the wonderful Jennifer McGuire's You Tube page and thought I would have a go. It worked really well and allowed me to correct any missed areas of inking! The pale outline allows you to see where to draw but doesn't intrude into the overall image.

So for more thanks inspiration check out the rest of the team here.

I'd like to join in over at:-

   

Chose just the sketch, can't really claim these flowers as tulips!

Thanks for everything

Goodnight, no seriously welcome, it's just getting close to bedtime here in the UK as I write to announce the start of a brand new challenge starting at HLS Anything Goes with dies. 

Snuggling under the quilt will be a pleasure tonight as along with the last few days it has been anything but summery here in this part of the UK. We even lit the log burner the other night but the rain has certainly been welcome in the garden. However, even there, the veg look fed up and battered by the wind and rain.

Anyway poor weather = more crafty time without guilt!

 Back to the reason for this post.

Here is my inspiration for you, the photo being taken before the weather deteriorated!

I usually make a load of thank you cards for my daughter to give to her TA's at the end of term but as she doesn't like flowers I sometimes struggle for inspiration. However I saw a card here using die cut branches which appealed, it would also do for a bloke which are even more difficult to make for!

I cut a few leaf branches using an old Sizzix/ SU Sizzlet die and scraps of smooshed watercolour paper in my bits box, in summer blues and greens. The whole design reminds me of looking up through tree branches into the blue summer sky (I wish!). After gluing the die cuts down on a white base card and trimming, I used another scrap to cut the blue thanks and a scrap of white for the die cut outline. To give extra dimension I mounted the blue thanks on a die cut fun foam thanks before adding the white outline. Both the thanks dies here are from Create a Smile. To complete I stamped the 'for everything' from the HLS Simply Said set, onto a scrap of white and glued it under the thanks.

That's about it from me but please check out the rest of the girls over at HLS for more die cut inspiration.

I'd like to join in over at:-

   

 Masculine                                                         

                                             

Uptown Girls Celebrate

Morning all.

It's exam time of year here in the UK and everywhere students will be leaving after completing their courses. So at Cardz4Galz our latest challenge we are giving you the opportunity to make some girly cards for a -

GRADUATION

I had a look in my stash and didn't really have anything that fit the bill, especially for a girl. So I had a bit of a head scratch and came up with this.

I took my Up Town Girls Victoria and Juliette stamp from Stamping Bella  and added a cap or two and some certificates!

Here's how I did it.

First I fished out my MISTI and attached the stamp where I needed it, then inked it carefully with Memento Tuxedo Black, trying not to ink the tops of the heads and around the hands. A further wipe with a wet wipe removed any stray ink from those areas. After stamping I drew in the caps and the rolled certificates or diplomas, adding a few ribbons as well.

Colouring the image with Copics using the pinky blue of the succulents in the picture at Curtain Call, I then carefully cut them out and put them to one side.

On a panel of white card I stencilled the sky through a stencil made from a MFT die with Tumbled Glass DI and added a black die cut skyline to match the sketch at Sunday Stamps.

The greeting , a mixture of  HLS Simply said and another whose packet is long gone, was stamped in black. The finished panel was glued flat and so were the fussy cut girls.

For more feminine graduation inspiration check out the rest of the team here.

I'd like to join in over at:-

      

                                                      Anything Goes 

Chalkboard thanks

Hi and welcome to a post to announce the start of the latest challenge over at ATSM.

Here is my card for your inspiration

which is my take on this photo.

I saw the blackboard element and thought of an actual blackboard!

I usually make a thank you card for my Grandson to give to his teacher, so I decided to combine the two with this.

On a die cut panel of kraft card I stamped my SU hardwood stamp in Memento Desert Sand, then with a MFT pierced square stacked die cut the main panel away , then moved it down and cut away the bottom rectangle to make my blackboard surround. I repeated this second step with a black base card, using the kraft panel as a template. I then glued the kraft panel onto the black so that the back appeared in the aperture, trimming where necessary. 

Using HLS's Simply Said, I stamped and embossed the greeting with white EP. The banner was made by folding some scraps of DP and using a MFT sentiment banner die to cut them out, the fishtail end of the die was placed away from the fold. These I then glued together over some twine to make the garland and attached it through a punched hole on both sides, knotting to stop it pulling back through. It also stops the card from sliding fully open so it sits up better! I added the 10/10 in a white gel pen then added some chalk dust with a white pastel pencil, rubbing gently to give a smudged look. The apple I drew and fussy cut before colouring with Copics and adding some Glossy Accents.

That's about it from me, please check out the rest of the team here and join us.

I'm joining in over at :-

Your Favourite reason to make/send a card

I usually make thank you cards for my grandson and daughter at this time of year to give to teaching assistants and class teachers. I always appreciated those I used to get at the end of term.

Any man can be a Father

Good morning all.

June is well up on us now and that means that Father's Day will soon be here, so to help you with your makes the latest challenge starting today over at Cardz4Guyz is -

SOMETHING BLUE for FATHER'S DAY

We've never celebrated the day in our family. My Dad didn't hold with this 'new fangled American thing' and my hubby is of the same opinion so I don't make them really, but I do know that lots of people do, so here is my inspiration for you.

My starting point was the sentiment stamps I got from Card-io for this very occasion!

I used a fab card by Jen Nelson as inspiration, well CASed really. I've had it in my LOTV folder for a very long time, so long I couldn't find the old LOTV inspiration post but here is a link to a Pinterest pin. 

I stamped this James the Bear from LOTV in Paris Dusk Memento onto a white panel and coloured him with blue and neutral Copcs before stamping the two part sentiment, also in blue. The white base card was covered with some dark blue DP before the panel was glued down.

So for more BLUE inspiration check out the rest of the team here. Why not join in, you've got a whole two weeks to do so.

New Blossom Sprays

Welcome to a post to announce the start of a brand new Theme/Sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations. 

Here is my card for you using the fabulous brand new Blossom Sprays 2.

I love this new stamp, so feminine and pretty. I didn't want to do too much to this so kept it quite simple and let the stamp shine.
I used this month's theme of


but you could use the sketch

or combine the two!

On a panel of MM paper cut with the largest Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Die, I stamped the spray and embossed with white EP, colouring it with a pastel colour combo using my Zig pens. When dry I cut the 'wonderful' with the CUTplorations word die and again in white fun foam. I made sure that all the tiny bits from the first cut were safe, removed the wonderful, then flipped the panel over and attached some doublesided tape over the die cut space then flipping back, before carefully adding back the foam die cut and tiny coloured bits into the space. The coloured wonderful was then glued in place over the top.
On a strip of navy card, I embossed the Happy Birthday from the Balloons and Banners set and a freebie Sister stamp from a magazine. I decided to trim the word panel down and separated the two parts, attaching it flat on the main panel. The finished panel was then glued flat over a white base card.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the team here and then join in, we'd love to see what you come up with. You can also use this discount code when you want to order any of the new stamps and dies or anything else you want from the shop.

I'd like to join in over at -

Inspired by words

'Flowers and Friends make Life a Garden'

No twist for me


My favourite things
Flower stamps, dies and Zig pens