Gardeners World

I'm not sure where this week has gone! Although I spent a day painting the garden furniture.

I went for copper for a change. Luckily that corner of the garden is fairly shady so it wasn't too hot. Then yesterday I spent the day trying to sort out my PC - what a waste of time and so annoying. After the latest windows 10 update I couldn't get on the pc all my files were gone (again! this happened last year too). It seems to be a known problem.

I managed to get control of the PC by deleted corrupt files from the Registry, luckily the files are in the main on my external hardrive. I am going to just work from the hard drive from now on - I can't keep going through this! Unfortunately it also means that I have to reload my digi kits - I had been slowly working through them as I used them, but have no enthusiasm to do so again at the moment.

Anyway - I happened to have some pieces already printed from Ooh la la cd roms - Shoes in Bloom 1 and Say it with Words cd. I had the trellis cut out and just cut away the top portion to fit it to the card. I used a hot ink sparkle pen for the roses. The little sentiment is from a Forever Friends stamp set. A few TL gardener related dies added and some doodling by me!

This is for the cd Sunday challenge - A Gardeners World

Shoes - Sunday postcard art

This postcard is actually a "rescue" piece. I have a box of card that I tried various techniques with the go press and foil - this was foiling with a stencil but I got it wrong and the background foiled and took the imprint of the grid from the go press foil machine too.

I think I saved it? I've used some inks and metallic pens and added two stamps from a Craftwork cards set.

I'm entering this into the Sunday Postcard art challenge for Shoes.

Challenge #374 - 'Bits Box' Item LIM

I have a box of bits that are all made using my Go Press Foil. I was just seeing what I could do with it and eventually the "bits" are meant to end up on a card.

The current Less is More challenge is for an item from the bits box, so I thought a perfect opportunity for a rummage. I found a piece that I had done using a stencil with paste, then foiled over the top with a rainbow foil. It was only a scrap that I had been testing but I did like the result so it ended up in the box. I cut a circle from it and then drew a line around the outside using a die. Then I scribbled around it for a more uneven look. the sentiment is from Woodware and I thought echoed the CRM design.

Well - one bit down about a 100 to go lol! Plus I put the tiny surplus back in the box..........
I'm also entering it at The Snippets Playground because the original piece of card was a snippet.

#89 Fishing challenge at The Male Room

I was going through some old Debbie Moore magazines when I came across this decoupage set. I thought it was perfect for our new challenge over at The Male Room challenge for "Fishing".

All the elements are from the magazine apart from the silhouette die cut of the man and the little boy which is an Apple Blossom die.

I do hope you can join us over at the challenge with something a little fishy!

The Rose Garden

The new book at The Library Challenge is The Rose Garden. Not a book I have read or heard of. I took my inspiration from the cover and the description provided by Marina. I decided this die cut lady looked like she would be in a rose garden, the faded colours representing passage of time.

I went through some of my backgrounds that I had previously created and thought this one worked well. Then I used an Altenew Bamboo roses stamp set, a Woodware sentiment and a TL die. I cut the die from some paper in a TL magazine intending it to be just the frame, but I loved the effect on her dress so I changed my mind and paper pieced her feet, face, arm and the roses in the frame with pink card instead. I used some distress ink with water to colour the roses. Also randomly with my finger placing ink spots on the card.

Things with Wings at Penny Black & More challenge

Our new challenge over on Penny Black & More begins today. This time we want to see "Things with Wings". Remember stamping must be the focal point of your design, no digis, but you can use any make of stamp. If you would like to be a GDT then you do need to enter using a Penny Black Stamp.

For my DT card I used the Penny Black "happy notes" stamp set. First I took distress oxide inks and blended them over the card. Then I sprayed some water and faux bleached the background. Then I stamped over the background. I took the same stamps and lined them up to stamp on the background in watering can ink.

Thanks for looking and I do hope you can join us at the Challenge this month. As always we have fantastic prizes on offer. Our sponsors this month are:-

Penny Black   Stamp Addicts   Marianne Designs

Memories for Swedish House Crafts DT

I'm here today with a card to invoke memories of travel, but also remembering that "Home is Where your heart is", which is also the stamp set by Gummiapan that I used! I stamped the words around the card edges using my stamp positioner.

For the base of the card I used a sheet from the 6x6 pad Denim and Friends Maja paper. I used the Roxstamps heart wreath die to cut out the middle of the paper. Then I placed the die cut back into the paper - overlapping one of the hearts onto the photo in the bottom right. The photos are also from the paper pad.

I used the Roxstamps memories die cut from blue card from my stash. Then I took the Laserowe Love Foto cams chipboard heart and words and inked them with Distress ink. The LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH stamps are by Gummiapan. I just stamped them onto white card and trimmed them down. I really like the way they are a negative stamp - so different.

To continue the heart theme I used the heart hangers from Roxstamps cut twice, once in the patterned paper and once in blue. I put them on top of one another slightly offset to produce a shadow.

You could adapt this layout for a scrapbook page and put your own photos in. Or make a card for someone you shared a special holiday with.

Links to products I used:

Home is Where your heart is Gummiapan stamp set

6x6 pad Denim and Friends 

Roxstamps heart wreath die

Laserowe Love Foto cams chipboard

Roxstamps memories die cut

Roxstamps heart hangers

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH stamps

Thanks so much for visiting.

Where the wild things are

The second post from me today as I want to catch the Library Challenge before it closes. The challenge is for the book "Where the wild things are" a childrens' book which I haven't heard of before. My cards are inspired by the title.

I decided to get the alcohol inks out and create an african sunset theme for my animals. They are a mixture of stamps by Hero Arts and dies by Amy Tan. The sentiment dies are from Swedish House crafts.  For the first one I used Yupo paper.

For this next card I used silk art card and applied the inks by dragging over the card and then "spotting" with them too. I used black coated card to cut the dies out with so it gives a sheen to them.

The background card is a giraffe print I bought years ago as part of a pad.

Use a frame - CAS

I've gone old school for this card. I got out some old stamps (PTI I think) and labels 1 die set. I added a sentiment from an old SU set too. The paper around the outside is new - it's from the V&A collection paper pad - however it is a very old pattern lol!

This card is for the AAA cards challenge which is "use a frame".

Whilst we were staying in Whitby last week we went on the North Yorkshire Railway to Pickering. I have been there a few times but never knew about this charming museum called Beck Isle. It's definitely worth a visit. Here are a few pics of the displays.

Things to eat at CD Sunday challenge

Inspired by my recent holiday by the sea and the beautiful weather we are having, this is my card for the CD Sunday challenge "Things to eat".

I've used two Oh la la cdroms for the ices and background Shawn Jenkins - Celebration and the cloud paper is from the Paula Oakley cdrom.

I added a sentiment from Paper Smooches and a Penny Black set. The die cut sunglasses are a TL die. Finished with a little red and white twine - which reminded me of rock!

Use small stamps

The challenge at Inkspirational challenges is "to use small stamps". I bought these Lawn Fawn die frames and have been needing an excuse to use them. I thought they would be perfect for these small Clearly Besotted stamps.

For the background I used a brick embossing folder and lightly inked it with TH DI old paper. The Awesome die is from Swedish House Crafts.

June Rudolph Day

As it's the 25th of the month it's Rudolph Day over at Mo's Blog. I've been seeing a lot of new wreath dies around and I decided to try and make my own. I've used the Gummiapan Doodle die from Swedish House Crafts. Inside it I stamped the Gummiapan Star Dust circle stamp which I embossed with sparkly glitter powder.

I then used the star die from the Roxstamps square cross stitched die set. The Merry Christmas die is by Gummiapan also but it is from last year and not available.Finally I added some tiny stars from a Clearly Besotted set and embossed them.

Then I decided to use just the Star dust circle stamp on it's own for a CAS card. The sentiments are from an old Paula Pascal set.

As I have used stars I am also making a second entry into the City Craft challenge.

We just had a lovely week away in Whitby - North Yorkshire. Here's a little arty shot for you.

Roxstamps Awesome for Swedish House Crafts DT

Hi  I'm here today with a card  for Swedish House Crafts DT using the new "old star dies from Gummiapan". They are perfect for this card for a 13 year old boy I needed to make. I used Maja Life by Sea 6x6 papers to cut them out in the alternate sizes and then layered them up. 

Because he is 13 and it is a special birthday, I wanted to add the age - normally I wouldn't do that on a boy card! I don't think they find it cool. I used Gummiapan Anniversary Numbers set for the age. There is no 13! so I cut the 10 and 30 and carefully removed the 3 from the 0.

Roxstamps Awesome die I thought was perfect for a boy this age. I cut it from Maja  Life by the Sea striped paper from the 6x6 pad. To highlight it I drew around the die itself and cut out in white card. Then mounted the word die cut out on top of it.

One of my favourite Gummiapan sentiment stamps is this mini Happy Birthday It fits in nicely on this design without detracting from the overall feel of the card. I managed to nestle it into the Gummiapan star dust circle stamp which I had stamped in Memento Love Letter red ink, which is a nice bright red colour. I also added the Gummiapan mini worn ring star stamp in blue ink- this is a tiny stamp but I think it's so effective dotted around the card.

Because the card is for a boy, I wanted to grunge it up - so I used some pebeo silver gilding paste around the edges of the stars and the 13. I then added the Gummiapan splats stamp randonmly over the card in Memento Paris Dusk ink for further grunging!

Links to products I used:

old star dies from Gummiapan

Gummiapan Anniversary Numbers set

Roxstamps Awesome die

Gummiapan Happy Birthday stamp

Gummiapan star dust circle stamp

Gummiapan mini worn ring star stamp

Gummiapan splats stamp

Maja Life by Sea 6x6 papers

As you know Suha is having a wonderful celebration during the month of June. Please pop in on Suha's post HERE for a video where she explains all about it. Everyone is invited to join the party. we are all being celebrated no matter what you make.

And even more special is that Suha would love for you to share your makes with us so she and us DT peeps can pop in and see your wonderful creations. All you need to do is write a short post with your make and then link on your post HERE so we can come visit you. I cannot wait to pop in on you all!

Suha has even thought of a fantastic hashtag you can use if you post on any social media you use. She had made it especially to show that we are 'One Special Community' and she will be keeping a special eye out for you using it, and here it is...

#1SPECIANITY

I'm also entering this card into the challenge for "stars" at City Crafter Challenge.

#88 Inspired by a Film Title at The Male Room challenge

Time for our new challenge at The Male Room and this time it's "inspired by a film title". I've chosen "Top Hat" for my inspiration - the Fred Astaire film - yes a really old one lol!

My inspiration began with the image of the man in the top hat which is from a Maja 6x6 pad called Celebration. I remembered I had the tonic top hat die - never used! Also the watch die which I just used part of. The background die is a TL art deco die. The sentiment is by Gummiapan but I don't think they make it anymore. The finishing touch were the corners which are part of a diamond die set by Tattered Lace. 

Thanks for looking and I do hope you can join us over at the challenge - it's a great way to get those male cards made!

In the Garden mid month reminder for Penny Black & More Challenge

Time for a little mid month reminder of the challenge over at Penny Black & More. We are "in the garden" this month so lots of scope there.

For my DT card I used this cute Penny Black stamp 2301F Garden slumber and a greeting from 30-103 ...wishes. The papers were a freebie from a magazine earlier in the year and I thought they went well with this stamped image.

I also used a Penny Black die for the lattice work and a tiny heart from one of our sponsors Swedish House Crafts. We also have of course Penny Black sponsoring us and Crafty ribbons.

Still plenty of time to enter, so hope to see you over on the challenge.