Monday 30 June 2014

Mostly Monochrome

More new papers!  I got the latest Papermania goody bag going cheap in Hobby Craft, they're getting rid of the current loop Docrafts stock ready for the new loop arriving at the start of July, so I picked up a couple of bargains.  These beautiful Midnight Blush Capsule Collection papers were in the goody bag, I also bought the matching lace paper shapes at under half price, I've used a black one on this card, they're laser cut so the edges are really precise.
 The image is a Sugar Nellie rubber stamp, I've coloured it with Promarkers, using mainly greys and black, adding only skin and hair tones, along with red for the hen's comb.  I added some faux stitching round the edges of the topper, by piercing holes with a pokey tool, then joining them up with a grey fineliner pen.
The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the patterned ribbon is Papermania, from the Licorice Sherbet Capsule Collection.
I made the flower with my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die from a pair of Robbie's old school trousers.  He always rips the left knee out of his trousers, so I decided to recycle them, I think I'll do the same with some of his old jeans!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Passion for Promarkers - #253 - Rags to Riches - Flower is made from old trousers
Papertake - Sketch #91
Graph'It - #26 - Anything Goes with Alcohol Markers
Sister Act - #63 - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - #95 - Stitching, Real or Faux + Ribbon
DRS Designs - #128 - It's New, I used new papers and lace paper
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Monochrome
Craft Your Passion - #220 - Ribbons
Eureka Stamps - #96 - Farm Animals
Crafting from the Heart - #25 - Anything Goes

Saturday 28 June 2014

Citrus Blooms

Something bright and floral today, using a magazine freebie stamp that I got ages ago and never used, it's Pink Petticoat and has been coloured with Promarkers.  I used SeeDees stamps and Squeezed Lemonade and Shabby Shutters Distress Inks to create a border round the edge of the topper, then added weeny gems to the flower centres and glazed the tiny heart with Glossy Accents.
 The patterned and plain papers are all Papermania, with some navy pearl cardstock thrown in for matting, I used a Martha Stewart border punch to add a bit of interest to one of the layers.
The flowers and leaves were made with my favourite Woodware punches, I just love making daisies!  I used coloured paper, but also inked the petals very gently, and I used micro beads for the centres.
To finish, I used orange spotty, grosgrain ribbon, a bow, and a stamped tag topped with a yellow pearl.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Love to Create - #121 - Navy, Orange, Lemon and Lime 
Sketch 'n' Stash - #142 - Sketch
CRAFT - #265 - Thank You
Crafter's Cafe - #69 - Polka Dots and Ribbon
Loves Rubber Stamps - #109 - Handmade Flowers
Craft Your Passion - #219 - The Bold and the Beautiful
Crafty Boots - Thank You
Stamp and Create - Thank You
Addicted to Stamps - #85 - Polka Dots, mine are on the ribbon

Friday 27 June 2014

A Different Sort of Christmas Tree

This is my make from our Monday night craft session, this week we all played with Flower Soft, and I decided to add a Christmas card to my very small pile, I really do need to get a move on with them.  The stamp is Penny Black, I borrowed it from my Mum, it works well done in just about any colour, but I do rather like it as an unusual Christmas tree, heat embossed with silver powder, then embellished with Polar White Flower Soft.  For a touch of festive sparkle, I added a border of Star Dust Stickles to the edge of the topper.
 For the bottom layer, I stamped and heat embossed holly with white powder, using a Papermania Urban stamp, then for the next layer, I used an embossing folder to add a design to my paper.
To embellish, I added a Craftwork Cards sentiment, clear gems, die cut tags, and some pearls.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Sketchy Colors - #216 - Sketch
Crafting for all Seasons - #80 - Whatever the Weather
Crafty Catz - #237 - Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky - #222 - Christmas
Penny's - #183 - Embossing
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Monochrome
Completely Christmas - Anything Goes

Digi Haven DT Card - At The Beach

It's challenge time once again at Digi Haven, this fortnight our theme is "At the Beach", and we're sponsored by Bugaboo, who kindly gave the DT an image of our choice to play with.  I couldn't resist this fun frog digi, who I coloured with Promarkers.
 The paper are Papermania, Ahoy There, to which I've added red and blue cardstock.  To make the pinwheel, I glued two squares of paper back to back, snipped in from the corners and secured with a brad, I do love a pinwheel on a seaside card!  The ribbon and glittered acetate overlays are Fancy Pants, I stuck to acetates down using dots of Glossy Accents behind the glittery areas.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Aud Sentiments - #109 - Two Word Sentiment 
Sweet Stamps - #175 - Summer
4 Crafty Chicks - #200 - Stripes
Crafty Girls - #21 - Anything Goes
2 Cute Ink - #109 - Beach
Lexi's Creations - #119 - At the Beach
The Crazy Challenge - #174 - By the Sea
Robyn's Fetish - #217 - At the Beach
Catch the Bug - Bingo - Squares, Glitter, Starts with B - beach, beach huts, bucket
Jellypark - Seaside

Wednesday 25 June 2014

I Love Promarkers DT Card - Embossing

It's challenge time again at I Love Promarkers, this week our theme is "Embossing", heat or dry is fine, and there's double the chance to win as we've got two sponsors this time, Marianne and Milk Coffee.
I used a Papermania stamp for my DT card, from a set I bought at the SECC for £2 a couple of years ago, and to my shame this is it's first inking.  I bought it to match the build a rose stamp set that I also have from the same range, and which I've used loads of times, I guess I just never got round to using this one, I kept saying to myself, "Ooh, that's pretty, I must use it sometime.....", then I'd put it back and choose another stamp!  It's been coloured, of course, with Promarkers, I then added some pearls to the floral spray to look a bit gypsophila.
 I used a Docrafts embossing folder that has a blank oval in the middle, perfect for a stamped image, I think it came in a goody bag a while back. I inked it with Spun Sugar Distress Ink and a tiny touch of Shabby Shutters, to highlight the embossing.
The pink backing paper was made by inking with white card with Spun Sugar ink, then stamping the rose stamp all over in the same colour.  I then added a touch of Shabby Shutters to the edges.
The embellish, I added a heat embossed sentiment, done with white powder on kraft, using a Personal Impressions stamp, baker's twine, layered over white satin ribbon, layered over pink organza ribbon, topped with a twine bow, some buttons, and some pearls in assorted sizes.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Clear It Out - Theme - Colour, Your Favourite Ice Cream Flavour, mine is strawberry.  Stash - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - 2 or More Ribbon or Twine
Vintage Stamping - #21 - Summer Blooms
Allsorts - #264 - How Does Your Garden Grow?
In the Pink - #46 - Flower Garden
Totally Gorjuss - #241 - Flower Power
Penny's - #183 - Embossing
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps - #101 - Anything Goes
Cupcake Inspirations - Colour Combo - Clover, Lime, Rose - I used the pic for inspiration too!

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Indian Elephant

This one is Imagination Crafts meets Sheena Douglass......in India!
I used gold Imagination Crafts Sparkle Medium and an Imagination Crafts stencil to create the glittery background on gold pearl card, for a rich, luxurious look, it sparkles so much more in reality than the camera can capture.
 I embossed a strip of orange pearl card with a paisley patterned Cuttlebug folder, then rubbed on some pale gold gilding wax to highlight the design, after which, I added some orange grosgrain ribbon.
I stamped and heat embossed the elephant with a Sheena Douglass stamp, and used Pumice Stone Distress Ink to colour him.  Once dry, I flicked water at the image to create a mottled appearance, to add interest and texture to the skin.  I then painted the cloth and head piece with Imagination  Crafts Silkies, diluted with a little water, they have a lovely mica shimmer.
To finish off, I stamped a sentiment, again with with a Sheena Douglass stamp, cut out with a Spellbinders die.
I've been quite enjoying using CAS layouts lately, but making my "white space" anything but white, I've got "gold space" today!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Imagination Crafts - All That Glitters - IC products used - Sparkle Medium, mask, Silkies
Crafting from the Heart - #24 - Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations - Animal Antics
Paperminutes - #327 - Asian
Crafty Sentiments - Summer or Summer Colours - I chose hot summer colours
Just Inspirational - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesday - #178 - Anything Goes
Charisma Cards - #13 - Sparkle and Shine
Fan-tastic Tuesday - #41 - Anything Goes
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Anything Goes

Monday 23 June 2014

Cutie Pie DT Card - Girly and Cute

It's challenge time again at Cutie Pie, this time our theme is "Girly and Cute" and we're sponsored by Heather Ellis.  I've used a sweet Elizabeth Bell stamp for my card, that came free with a magazine some time ago.  This is her first inking, I really enjoyed colouring her with my Promarkers.
 The glorious papers are My Mind's Eye, In Bloom, I love the colours of this stack, I've used Worn Lipstick Distress Ink for inking the edges.
To embellish, I've added a pink doily, a Craftwork Cards sentiment, organza ribbon and a bow, a flower made with Spellbinders Anemone dies, and a few clear gems.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
The Corrosive Challenge - #202 - Colour Me Happy - Promarkers 
Suzy Bee's - #34 - Anything Goes
Time 4 Scrap - #42 - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - #241 - Flower Power
Graph'it #25 - Blondes
Aud Sentiments - #109 - Two Word Sentiment
Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
Scrappers Delights - #25 - Get Sentimental
Tuesday Throwdown - #200 - Celebrations
Clear It Out - Anything Goes

Saturday 21 June 2014

A Gem of a Challenge DT Card - A Card For a Child


It's challenge time again at A Gem of a Challenge, this time our theme is "A Card For a Child".  I used Skateboard Andy for my card, the Pink Gem shop is full of images for those tricky boy's cards, my seven year old son gave this card the seal of approval, declaring it "cool".
 I used my Promarkers to colour the image, using only greys, with the exception of skin tones, adding silver gel pen to the stars on the skateboard and Andy's clothes.  I used a small, SeeDees star stamp in the corners of the topper to echo the stars in the image and add a bit of interest.
I kept the layout quite simple, using a couple of strips of Papermania Capsule Collection Liquorice Sherbet papers, and a Craftwork Cards sentiment, but made my "white space", black, for maximum impact.
To embellish, I added a trio of die cut stars, cut with Xcut dies, and some Papermania glazed gems.

  I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
A Little Bit Crafty - Child's Play
Ladybug Crafts - Something for the Boys and Use Your Dies
The Stamping Boutique - #22 - Card for a Child
QKR Stampede - #97 - Sports
Creative Moments - #45 - Anything Goes / For the Boys
Inky Impressions - #164 - For the Boys
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - For Him
Crafty Boots - Sport
Crafty Bloggers Network - Bingo - I chose column A
Suzy Bee's - #33 - Anything Goes

Friday 20 June 2014

Picnic on the River

Something summery today, using my new Susan's Garden sunflower die that I picked up in Hobby Craft for a fiver, that's well under half price so I couldn't resist!  It takes a little while to cut and assemble all the pieces, (the petals are attached individually) but, if like me, you love making your own flowers rather than buying them, you'll enjoy constructing this beauty.  The Susan's Garden flower shaping tool kit comes in very for handy for making flowers, I can't recommend it highly enough.
 The sweet stamp is a Riverbank Revels one, I've coloured it with my Promarkers, I think the puppy and duckling are just so adorable, I hope they've got something nice in their picnic basket.
The papers I've used are Papermania Capsule Collection in Lemon Sorbet and Blueberry Pie.  The flowers are made from the same papers too, so that they match exactly, the smaller, blue flowers were made with my favourite Woodware punches, with Flower Soft for the centres.
To finish, I've added a trio of Papermania Parisian Blue buttons, yellow gems, and a couple of stick pins.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Passion for Promarkers - #252 - Blue and Yellow
Stamping Sensations - Animal Antics
Artistic Inspirations - #96 - Anything Goes / Summer Fun
Twisted Tuesdays - #78 - At Least 2 Animals + Add Dots
Crafty Sentiments - CAS or Full On - I've gone full on
Brown Sugar - #99 - Dots and/or Stripes
Milk Coffee - Summer Fun
Paper Pretties - #315 - Summer Fun
Penny's - #182 - Use Your Favourite Embellishments - Mine are handmade flowers and buttons
Sweet Sketch 2 - #18 - Sketch

Wednesday 18 June 2014

I Love Promarkers DT Card - Use a Doily

It's that time of the week again when we welcome a new challenge at I Love Promarkers, this time our theme is "Use a Doily", and we're sponsored by Bunny Zoe.
I used a free digi for my card, it's from Paper Garden, you'll find it here, if you want to download it for yourself, the sentiment is part of the free set too.  I have, of course, used my Promarkers for colouring.
 I used a concentric circle arrangement as the focal point of my layout, to represent a cupcake on a doily lined plate, if only loosely.  I decided on just one backing paper, as the one I really wanted to use was very busy with quite a large design, adding any more layers, which I usually like to do, would just have confused the eye, it's from Dovecraft's Cupcake Boutique range.
To embellish, I added some pink organza ribbon, a double bow, pink Card Candi covered with Star Dust Stickles, and some daisies made with Woodware punches, I used some Flower Soft for the centres.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Cardmakers - #117 - Going Round in Circles
Shopping Our Stash - #156 - Oldest Punch or Die - Spellbinders Circles were the first dies I bought, the Woodware daisy punches are really old too
Craft Your Passion - #218 - At Least 3 Embellishments
Whoopsie Daisy - Lots of Circles
Digi Chooseday - #24 - In The Pink
Craftitude - #67 - Use Flowers and/or Lace
Sister Act - #61 - Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges - Tickled Pink
Creative Inspirations - #270 - Tie it Up

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Butterfly Flossie

The sun has been shining all day here in Inverness, and this put me in the mood for a summery project, so after a rummage through a few stamps, I decided upon this sweet Little Claire stamp, called Butterfly Flossie, coloured, us usual with Promarkers.
 The papers are bits and bobs from my scrap box, along with thin white card to make the daisies, which I did with Woodware punches with micro beads in the centres, and for the fancy die cut on the left, which was cut with my new Sizzix die that I picked up half price in Hobby Craft.  I had had a few pounds off it before and I'd been eying it up, but at half price it would have been rude not to!  To make the butterflies, I used a butterfly patterned embossing folder, embossed some mint paper, then fussy cut a few butterflies and stuck them on as embellishments.



 I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Clear It Out - Theme - Anything Goes, Stash - Anything Goes
DRS Designs - #126 - On the Border - I used a border die
The Stamping Boutique - #21 - Flower Embellishment
Brown Sugar - #98 - Summer
Inky Impressions - #163 - For a Girl
Love to Create - #120 - Anything Goes
The Doodle Garden - #4 - Summer Lovin'
Open Minded Challenges - #12 - Things With Wings
Sweet Sketch 2 - #17 - Sketch












Creative Colors - #13 - Vanilla, Mint Green and White + Add Butterflies

Monday 16 June 2014

Little Donkey

I really need to get a move on with my Christmas cards, I usually have a lot more than the paltry few I have, done by this this point in the year.  Here's one more more to add to the slim Christmas pile, made with an Imagination Crafts stamp, coloured with Promarkers and highlighted with Glamour Dust.
 The patterned paper is Lili of the Valley, Krafty Christmas, to which I've added kraft card and a woven ribbon background, done with pear green ribbon, to pick out one of the shades of green I've used in the image.
The sentiment stamp is from the same set as the image, and I've finished my card with some die cut holly, done with a Spellbinders die, and some brown pearls in the corners.

I'm entering this card int he following challenges -
Addicted to Stamps - #84 - Outdoors 
Sentimental Sundays - #211 - Animals
We Do Doobadoo - #8 - Ribbons
Winter Wonderland - A Christmas Scene
CRAFT - #263 - Christmas
Crafty Ribbons - #93 - Anything Goes with Ribbon
Imagination Crafts - All That Glitters - I've used a ton of Glamour Dust on the image but the camera hasn't picked it up, you can just about make it out on the trees!
Crafting From the Heart - #23 - Anything Goes
Love to Create - #120 - Anything Goes
Through the Purple Haze - #46 - Anything Goes

Sunday 15 June 2014

Dad's Mustard Jacket

Here's the card I made for my Dad for Father's Day, he loved it, and recognised right away that I'd based my card on an outfit he actually has!  He even has glasses like these, he called them his Buddy Holly's and I thought they were long gone, but he dug them out when we when to visit him today, and we all had a laugh trying them on, my seven year old son looked hilarious in them!
 The card base is a 5x7 blank with the front cut back, I've decorated the inside and outside with Papermania Heritage Press papers, I've used the same pack for the shirt and tie too, they're a godsend for male cards.  I cut out  and decoupaged a circular element of the patterned paper, top left, for added interest.
The jacket topper was made with Mum's fabulous Xcut gents suit die set, I cut the jacket from Core'dinations, and used foam pads at certain points of the layering and flat glue at others for a bit of realistic dimension, I also added Glossy Accents to the lenses of the glasses for a realistic touch.
To finish my card, I added a couple of buttons and a stamped sentiment, done with a Papermania stamp.
 I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Glitter 'n' Sparkle - #89 - Father's Day / Male
Tuesday Throwdown - #199 - Special Man
Papertake - For the Boys
The Male Room - Father's Day
Milk Coffee - For a Dad / Special Male
Aud Sentiments - #108 - Any Sentiment for a Guy
Creative Corner - Just for Boys
Totally Gorjuss - #240 - Dad
Ladybug Crafts - Something for the Boys and Use Your Dies
Cupcake Inspirations - #265 - For the Boys

Saturday 14 June 2014

Fresh as a Daisy

Yet more direct to stamp colouring with Distress Markers, then going in to the stamped image with a water brush for this card, this time using a Magenta stamp that I picked up cheap at my local craft shop last weekend.  I can see this stamp being very versatile, it'll lend itself to so many techniques.
I used Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade Distress Markers for the stamping.
 I went round the edges of the stamped piece of card with Tumble Glass Distress Ink, spritzed for a mottled look, then used the same daisy stamp, and the same Tumbled Glass ink to add a pattern.  I then used a white pen to create a border of dots all the way around the edge.
I used Grand Spellbinders to make a frame to spotlight the centre of the card, inked it with more Tumbled Glass, frantaged it with Shabby White embossing enamel, and stuck it to the card with foam pads.
The flowers were made with Woodware punches and the foliage with a Spellbinders die.  I stamped a tag and sentiment with Papermania stamps and further embellished with an organza bow, gems and pearls.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Catz - #235 - Use 2 Dies - Spellbinders Grand Circles & Spellbinders Foliage 
QKR Stampede - #92 - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - #21 - Flower Embellishment
As You Like It - Favourite Embossing Technique and Why - I love Frantage Embossing Enamel because I love the shabby, uneven look you get with it, it's different each time because of the different sized grains in it, and it's unlike any other product on the market.
Crafty Ribbons - #93 -  Anything Goes with Ribbon
Sweet Stampin' - Sat it With Flowers
Southern Girls - Punches and Die Cuts
Crafty Cardmakers - #177 - Going Round In Circles
Crafting Musketeers - #14 - Stamped Image
Just Us Girls - #245 - Watercolour Stamping

Friday 13 June 2014

Digi Haven DT Card - Picnic

It's challenge time again at Digi Haven, and this fortnight our theme is "Picnic", and we're sponsored by MyGrafico, who very kindly gave the DT a digi kit to play with.  We had great fun creating a teddy bear's picnic, I chose this cute watermelon munching chap, and had the words "If You Go Down to the Woods Today....." from the song Teddy Bear's Picnic in mind as I made this card.
 I coloured the image with Pro and Flexmarkers, then used SeeDees stamps and various green Distress Inks to stamp leaves round the edge of the topper.  I cut a square from kraft card and used a Spellbinders Adorning Squares die to add some interest, then stamped the same leaves round the edges of this mat as the topper.  The dark green layer is kraft core Core'dinations, which I embossed with an Embossalicious leafy folder, then sanded.
To embellish, I added some ribbon, a triple bow topped with a button, some flowers and leaves made with with Woodware and Nellie Snellen Punches, some tiny green pearls, and a sentiment stamped with a Stampin' Up Stamp.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Ribbons - #93 - Anything Goes with Ribbon
Scrapper's Delights - #24 - Layers 
Crafty Creations - #265 - Tic, Tac, Toe - Flowers, Ribbon, Digi
Deep Ocean - #79 - Inspired by a Song - Teddy Bear's Picnic
Addicted to Stamps - #84 - Outdoors
Ditzie Digi - #5 - Anything Goes
Glitter 'n' Sparkle - #88 - Use a Digi
Crafting at the Weekend - #2 - Anything Goes
Di's Digis - Ribbons and Bows
CCC Digi Creations - #2 - Digi and Use a Die Cut

Thursday 12 June 2014

Colourful Cups

More direct to stamp colouring with my Distress Markers for this card, this time using an old Papermania, Henbury Lane stamp that has quite large areas of shading on it, making it perfect for this technique.  I used to colour direct to stamps with my old Whispers pens (remember them?!) years ago, but Distress Markers are sooo much richer in pigment and give a much better result, it's been great fun revisiting this old favourite technique and falling in love with it all over again.  After stamping the image, I've gone in with a water brush, then back in with the pens, adding more shadow where needed, and adding coloured details to the patterns on the crockery that were left white.
The markers I've used for the stamping are, Ripe Persimmon, Peacock Feathers, and Mustard Seed.
 Once the image was dry, I used Tumbled Glass Distress Ink round the edges of the topper, then I used an Imagination Crafts stencil and more of the same ink to add a pattern to the edges, concentrating on the corners.  I also used Tumbled Glass ink to add a touch of colour to some crochet lace, which I layered with some variegated twine, and topped with a button.  To finish, I made a fish tail banner and added a sentiment stamped with a Personal Impressions stamp.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Simon Says Stamp - Stencil It
Crafty Girls - #20 - Anything Goes
Creative Corner - That Old Stamp
Creative Inspiration - #269 - Bold, Bright Colours
Totally Gorjuss - #239 - Embossing -  Embossed dots on the yellow card
My Time to Craft - #250 - No Designer Paper
Perfectly Rustics - #24 - Glorious Buttons
Crafting from the Heart - #22 - Anything Goes
Penny's - #181 - Anything Goes
Cupcake Inspirations - #264 - Colour Combo - Banana, Pool, Coral