Fantasy and springtime

 

My mid month reminder for the challenges I am on the DT for. First is Stamping Sensations challenge where we want to see Fantasy and Magical. For my card I chose to use Lavinia stamps. My background is a gelli plate print.

For the We Love Chocolate Baroque  challenge we want to see Springtime. I used Chocolate Baroque stamps  Auricula Script,  Mini Scripts and Amazing Mackintosh words on my card.  I created the background to look like weathered wood by dragging ink pads down a piece of stamping card.

Anything goes, with add ribbon option at Allsorts challenge

Wendy is our host at Allsorts challenge this week. The theme is Anything goes with the option of adding a ribbon.

This is a card I made for a 60th birthday, so I wanted it to be a little bit special. I went with this hat design and made a box for it as obviously it wasn't going to fit in an envelope. Luckily for me it was at a time when we were able to make a visit to a house still and so I didn't have to trust it to the postal system!

I used a paper pad from CC in the rose gold collection. The flower dies are from JND. 

Of course a hat really needs a ribbon! - so I added this pretty pink one and a big bow too.

Our sponsor this week is 

Crafty Ribbons is a ribbon emporium, we are passionate about ribbons and want to share our fantastic ribbons with others. Our range of Christmas ribbons is second to none. Remember when we only used ribbons to add a bow to our hair, or tie up a birthday parcel ? Ribbons are now a "must-have" for all types of craft. Whether your project requires satin, sheer, silk, grosgrain, gingham or polka dot ribbon we have them all! Lots and lots of different colours in a range of widths. Need a little bit of ribbon inspiration - then have a look at our projects on our blog,or visit our Inspiration blog, or maybe join in with us at our Challenge blog. Go on, have a look... It's worth it !

Butterflies, Birds and Bees Week 619 at Allsorts

 

This week at Allsorts challenge it's Tracy's turn to host and she's chosen the theme of  Butterflies, Birds and Bees.

For my DT card I've gone with Birds and Butterflies as both are on this charming Penny Black stamp. I had this background ready made as I try to make a few at a time. When I looked at it I thought that white splodge rather looked like the moon in the sky - well to me anyway lol! That gave me idea to put these lovely birds below it. I used an offcut from the background for the sentiment. 

For a change I went with a black base card - it seemed to fit the simplicity of the colours used.

Our sponsor this week is 

Helping Hands Craft is a UK retailer of craft and art supplies.  Established by keen amateur artist and mother of two, Emma, the website offers a range of over 2,000 arts and crafts products from modelling clay, pencils, pains, paper, easels...the works!  The website is constantly adding to its product lines, and recently was accepted as an official licensed retailer of Faber Castell products.

I'm entering this card into the Country View Craft challenge which is for Birds and/or bees.

Die cut snippets

 

My starting point for these cards was a gelli print. I decided to use the TH die to cut out from it and then saw that the waste (snippets) would make a nice card too. I used special kitchen film to pick up the pieces from the die (although some escaped!) and then transferred to another piece and then applied glue before placing onto the card.

(Edited to say the kitchen film is called Press N Seal, regular cling film will not work.)

The other card was of course much easier, I just added a sentiment.

I'm entering the first card into Di's snippet challenge in the Playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Snowdrops and a Luna fairy

 

My DT makes for the new challenges at We Love Chocolate Baroque challenge and Stamping Sensations.

Firstly for We Love Chocolate Baroque challenge where the theme is Springtime, using Snowdrop Script and  Amazing Mackintosh Words. I used wax crayons to create the background through a stencil and then stamped on top. Spellbinders dies are the frames.

Our sponsor as always is Chocolate Baroque   with a prize of stamps from them.

My second card uses Luna fairy fom Pink Ink and I coloured her with pearlescent watercolours.

Our sponsor this month is 

'be Creative!' who have launched a range of innovative craft products. 'be Creative!'  have an up to date Facebook page where you will see some of the new products and also purchase them from their website here. You can also contact Gordon and Justin by e.mail here. The products are always well received on Create and Craft shows and are also be available at 'Create it' shows up and down the Country.

Teach Yourself Dutch at The Library Challenge

 

Just made it with this card today before the challenge for "Teach Yourself Dutch" ends at The Library Challenge.

I've been inspired by the tulips on the cover and the colours. Also by a need to use this embossing folder and tulip die that came with a magazine the other month. I love it so much and just not got around to using it. So I am also entering the NBUS challenge with this card.

The tulip head die comes in three parts but having seen online some people saying it is fiddly to use I followed one of the ideas in the magazine. I cut each layer as a stencil and used inks through it to create the tulips. I then used the same inks on the EF.

Easter cards

 

There are some beautiful online Easter ecards, and so with postage being expensive I have tended to send those to most people this year. But I always make a few for friends that have exchanged Easter cards with me for 20+ years.

I decided to dig out an old Forever Friends cdrom collection for these two cards. On the first I added some die cut daffs from a Joanna Sheen mag die and a Sixxiz sentiment. On the second one I used a TL die for the mat and a Lawn Fawn die for the "happy".

As I used a cdrom I am entering these cards into the CD Sunday plus challenge #57 Anything goes.

I don't normally do decoupage, but this kit arrived as a freebie with my Hunkydory order, so I made it up and mounted it onto a pink card blank, which seemed to pick out the colours the best. I sent it in a padded envelope - I do hope it arrives ok.

Anything goes with Monochromatic option at Allsorts

 

Our challenge at Allsorts will be running for two weeks this time due to the Easter break. Mervi has chosen the theme of Anything goes, with the option of monochromatic if you wish to try your hand at that.

I made my mono background using the digital procreate app and alcohol ink brushes. I then printed it out and added the Chocolate Baroque stamps from Doodle Birds, Doodle Butterfly, Mini Scripts and Amazing Mackintosh Words. 

Then I chose to use two shades of brown card to die cut the mounts for the design.

The prizes for the two weeks are...

Chocolate Baroque Floribunda Net 

Tattered Lace Pure Rose

As I created the background digitally and printed it out I am entering this card into the CD Sunday plus challenge #56 anything goes.

March Rudolph Day

 

Time for Rudolph day over on Mo's blog. This is my card and I used snippets to make it, so I will also be entering over at Di's Snippet Playground challenge at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

I saw something similar on Pinterest and really it all began because of the tiny postcards which I have had for years and never used (there are many more!). There were no instructions so I just decided to use a rectangle die in two sizes for the panels and use foam tape to mount. The keyhole is a little big for the door I know, but I couldn't resist using it. The wreath is the smallest TL pearl edge circle die with leaves cut from another die placed over it to make the wreath. I always save the minutest snippets of green and red for just this sort of die. 

Silhouettes

 

The current challenge at Country View challenge is "silhouettes".

I made a background using watercolours on a piece of watercolour card. I then used some Lisa Horton flower stamps back when she was with CE and a new sentiment stamp from a set by Penny Black. 

Mounted onto black card and a greeting added from an old Apple Blossom stamp set.

Just sharing some photos from the weekend when I discovered robins building a nest in the cordyline right outside the window. Pity they rested on the wheelie bins - not so photogenic lol!

I only used my camera phone and took them through the glass, so quite pleased with how they turned out. There was a moment when they both sat together and shared something between them, but I was too slow to capture it.

Spring flowers at Allsorts week 616

 

Our new theme at Allsorts challenge, chosen this week by Brenda, is "Spring Flowers". 

I do love daffodils and so I chose to work with this digi image from our sponsor Pinksy Doodles.  It comes in two versions, I chose the one with the plain vase and I stamped a leaf over it for some added interest. I used my silhouette to cut out the image and also the Happy Birthday sentiment which is also from Pinksy Doodles. I cut it out in vinyl and placed onto the background it comes with cut in white. The beauty of this SVG file is you can make it any size you like unlike a diecut.

I coloured the image with promarkers and used a premade spotty card blank for the base.

This weeks winner will get a selection of images and paper from Pinksy Doodles

Pinksy Doodles, Maker of digital images and cutting files for card making and craft projects.

As I used a digi image I am entering this card into the CD Sunday Plus challenge for #56 Anything goes.

Mackintosh and monochromatic

 

I'm here today with a mid month reminder about our challenges at We Love Chocolate Baroque  and Stamping Sensations.

My first card is for We Love Chocolate Baroque  where we have the theme of "I love...". As I said at the beginning of the month I love the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and these stamps by Chocolate Baroque. For this card I used the stamps Mackintosh Beauty Mackintosh windows and Amazing Mackintosh words.

I began by using the large stamp and heat embossing with WOW black glitter EP. I then used DI's to colour the image and the background. I wanted to emphasise the roses on her dress, so I stamped and coloured those again and stuck them over the top. I then used the roses from the Mackintosh windows to stamp in the background and the base card. Finally I edged with a sharpie pen and made the sentiment in the same way.

My DT make for Stamping Sensations is for our theme of Monochromatic. I took a piece of card and used a PB stamp in black, then I colour washed with a green sparkle pen and faux bleached some areas and added other shades of green inks. 

The sentiment is a peel off which I mounted over green card. I then used the JND leaves and dots die with off cuts from the main background card.

Westie photo challenge

 

When I saw the photo prompt at Inkspirational challenge I knew I just had to enter, as this photo reminds me so much of the Westie I had.

As I looked through my stamps an idea formed of making another piece for my frame - yes two in two days lol! At this rate it should make it to the wall very soon!

I used a stamp from Little Claire which comes as a 9 square grid, but I cut it apart and used just three of the squares. I also used a new die set from Lisa Horton. It's a slim line set and I used just one of the frames. I can see so many possibilities for this set and excited to use it more.

I mounted the little frames onto a piece of DP and then just added three die cut flowers. I'm so pleased how this turned out and to the challenge for giving me the idea.

Snippets die overload

The die I have used came with an issue of Crafters Companion magazine. I didn't buy it at the time of issue, but slowly and surely I came to regret that decision. Eventually I tracked down a copy and couldn't wait to use it. 

The first picture is part of a larger frame I am filling on a theme of yellow and grey (I actually had that colour scheme before it became Pantone colour combo of the year!). The photo is taken in the frame so there's a slight reflection from the perspex.

I used a paper from a magazine digital download and recoloured it to fit with my scheme. I pieced the die using the left over from this make here where I used just the outer part of the die. It looked a little lonely so I used a Gummiapan die and broke it apart layering in yellow and grey.

Then I used the whole die on these cards even inserting back in the out edges of the die (well we are in a lockdown!). The papers are very old Anna Griffin and I managed to use two of them.

As you can imagine this has possibilities for going on forever, using the different parts of the die. I still have the flower part of the yellow version to use. On the second version I have used two NBUS stamp sets. A Phill Martin corner set and a Penny Black sentiment set. So I am entering the NBUS challenge again this month.

I'm also popping over to the Snippets Playground as all the plain card is from my snippet box and of course I reused snippets from one card on another one.