Winter Solstice

Inspired by the beautiful cards I saw on the Stamp Man Challenge Blog today where the theme for the fortnightly challenge is 'Night Time' I made the above card.  The stamp, which appropriately enough I bought from The Stamp Man eons ago is from Non Sequitur's Winter Solstice set.  The image is stamped in black Versafine ink and I added colour with Promarkers, Adirondack and distress inks.  I also used promarkers to colour the flower embellishments to match.  The sentiment stamp is an old wood mounted one I find useful and tend to turn to quite often.  I am quite pleased with the overall effect as it nearly went in the bin at one point!

My Time To Craft

Here is my entry for the My Time To Craft Challenge No 163 (to have white space on your card).  The pretty garden image is from one of Joanna Sheen's CDs and the sentiment is is Pink Petticoat.  The only other additions are clear gems and a bow.  I tend to pile it all on so it's not really my thing!

Thistle

I am entering this card into the Play Date Cafe Challenge 104.  I can't remember the brand of the image stamps I'm afraid.  They were stamped in Black Memento and coloured in with Promarkers.  The sentiment stamp is by Waltzingmouse Stamps and the ribbon, ribbon roses, gems and sunflower brad are all from my stash.  The card was not meant to have that sunflower brad on it but it looks a bit better than the mauve ink smudge I managed to get on my finished card...ooops!



A Little Bird....

I am entering this card into this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge 'A Little Bird Told Us.'  A difficult card to photograph as it contains acetate.  I have stamped the bird three times onto my white scallop card blank and added a little gem for the eye.  The stamp is from a Hot Picks set.  The sentiment stamp is stamped in black onto red cardstock and I think it is from an American Crafts clear stamp set.  The card is trimmed with black grossgrain ribbon and two red bows.

Bird Tag

As a change from a card I made this birthday tag for the latest Play Date Cafe Challenge.  The stamp is by Elusive Images, stamped in black onto purple cardstock then attached to a green tag embossed with the Cuttlebug branches folder.  The sentiment was cut out with fancy scissors and matted onto fuchsia card.  I threaded some fuchsia and purple sari ribbon through a black We R Memory Keepers eyelet and finished it off with a brad coloured with ink to match the tag threaded onto elasticated black & white ribbon.

Autumn Flowers

A simple card for Rainbow Lady's Challenge No. 172 - autumn flowers.   I couldn't decide whether or not to add a bow but as I put bows on 90% of the cards I make I decided it was time for a change so just die cut flowers - cannot recall the brand of die used - on kraft card and a printed sentiment by Pink Petticoat.  The patterned cardstock is Anna Griffin.

Sugar & Spice

I have actually made another card!!!! This is for a friend's daughter who has just given birth to a beautiful baby girl.  I am entering this card into this week's Waltizingmouse Sketch Challenge 64 and also the Colour Create Challenge 79 - pink, brown, cream & white.  I think the baby stamp is by Stampendous; the frame, sentiment and heart stamps are all by Waltizingmouse Stamps.  The card is finished off with embellishments from my stash.



Apologies

I knew that I hadn't posted on my blog for months but was shocked to note that this is my first post of 2011 and we are 3/4 of the way through the year!  The sentiment on this card is therefore rather appropriate.  I have to confess I didn't particularly enjoy making it and I can see the result is pretty poor (think I am off pink!) but I am pleased I actually achieved it even though it took ages....ages to find the craft stuff I needed, ages to stamp, emboss, cut, put together etc. etc.  It's a belated birthday card for a relative and is about to be popped into the post. 

I have decided to enter this card into Rainbow Lady's latest challenge where the theme is embossing and also the Walztingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge No. 62.  The sentiment is from their Say it with Style set and the frame from Holiday Labels 14.  I used Versafine Grey and Versamark inks, gold embossing powder, ribbon flowers, rose bow, organza ribbon, rhinestone stick on gems and two strips of Anna Griffin paper.  I thought I had a Nestabilities die to match the shape of the label but if I have I can't find it so cut round it scissors.

I am not sure if I will ever get back into crafting in a big way as I have lost interest for various reasons and this has not been a great year for me personally.....we will see!

Vintage Tag - PDCC 61

Here is my entry for the latest Play Date Cafe Challenge, a vintage tag. I used Distress Ink to colour the tag itself and then stamped a flourish pattern with a Clarity stamp. I used the same stamp on the frame along with some clear crackle paint. The little girl image is a rub-on and I just added a wine coloured fabric flower I have had for years and a bright blue ribbon.

Blue for You

I love this GDS Studios Ella Blue paper so much that I decided to make it the main focus of this birthday card for the latest Papertake Weekly "anything goes" challenge. The little girl is one of my favourite wood backed stamps by Stampa Rosa.  She is coloured with Promarkers (hair, skin and flowers) and her clothes are paper pieced with scraps from the Ella Blue pad.  She is matted onto Coredinations Gemstone cardstock cut with a Spellbinders label die.  The sentiment is by Waltzingmouse Stamps, stamped onto a punched scallop oval (again EB paper) embellished with bows made from ribbons to match the colour theme.

A Slash of Yellow PDCC60

Initially, when I read that the latest Play Date Cafe challenge was to use black and white with a splash of yellow I wasn't particularly keen but I have decided I rather like this colour combination.  I have kept the yellow to a minimum by using a yellow glaze pen on the bees and the daisy brad centre is of course yellow. The lovely bee, thistle and Emily Dickinson quote stamps are from a set I have had for several years but I can't recall the make.  The swirl stamp is from one of the Paper Artsy Hot Picks sets.  I have had the black and white paper for ages too and again I have no idea who the manufacturer is!

Christmas Tree

Yet another Christmas card!  This is for two challenges - Passion for Promarkers Week 80 Mega Christmas "anything goes" challenge (again) and Stamp with Fun Christams challenge #89.  The little Christmas tree is by Waltzingmouse Stamps, coloured with Promarkers.  The dotty paper is by My Mind's Eye and the Noel stamp is a magazine freebie.  A simple card with no embellishments except for a tiny gem at the top of the tree.

Nutcracker

Here is my entry for the Passion for Promarkers week 80 mega Christmas challenge (anything goes) which is open until 4th January.  As I wanted vibrant colours for my Nutcracker image (by Waltzingmouse Stamps) I just had to use Promarkers.  The patterned paper is by Hot Off The Press and the green ribbon is from my stash.

Red & White snow scene WMSC26

This is my entry for the latest Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge and I hope the friend I have made it for doesn't see this picture before the postie arrives with the card!  All the stamps used are by Waltzingmouse (from the Nutcracker Sweet and Asian Gardens sets).  I used Barn Door distress ink to colour the upper section of my card base (applied with an ink duster brush) and lots of glitter for the snow.  The tree has snowflakes instead of leaves with clear gems in the centre of each and I just added dotty red ribbon to the sentiment tag, white lace and a red bow to the top of the card.  It was fun to do and I may make some more Christmas cards along the same lines.

Red and White Christmas PDCC, I love Promarkers, Passion for Promarkers challenge

Red and White is one of my favourite colour combinations for cards, though I probably don't use it that often.  This Christmas card for the latest Play Date Cafe challenge uses these two colours as the main focus.  The card also fits in nicely with a further two challenges....I Love Promarkers #43 (trees) and Passion for Promarkers special week 79  old and new hallenge, where there are several prizes up for grabs and a blog hop! The stamps are all by Waltzingmouse Stamps (Nutcracker Sweet and Teeny Trees sets).  I used Versafine grey (new item for Passion for Promarkers challenge), Versafine red and Memento black inks for the stamped images/sentiments and Barn Door distress ink for the red border. The tree is coloured with a Poppy Promarker pen and I used cool grey round the edge of the Nestie label mat.  The ribbons are from my stash (old item for the Passion for Promarkers challenge).



Cheers! PDCC57

 

I made this card today for my husband's birthday and used the colours from the latest Play Date Cafe Challenge.  The stamp is by Personal Impressions and I decided to heat emboss it to give a metallic effect.

I used various brown and grey Promarkers and Sakura clear to colour the image and background, then added 3 large metallic eyelets and threaded ribbon and fibres through.  The patterned paper is by Joanna Sheen.

Just a Note WMSC25

This card is for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #25.  It features stamps from their versatile Frame It set.  The cupcake was coloured with Sakura pens.  I don't know where the papers are from as I have way too many!  The lovely ribbon is by May Arts.  I am really supposed to be making my Christmas cards today but keep talking myself out of it!!!!!!  I keep thinking about the poor juvenile magpie which was attacked by a cat in our garden earlier today.  Its parents came back when the coast was clear to try and revive it but no luck, so we brought it indoors where it died as we didn't want to see it torn apart if the cat returned. 



WMSC 24 - LOTS OF FLOWERS

My card for the latest Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge features a stitched effect flower from their Sewingbox Hugs set and a Penny Black sentiment stamp. The papers are by MME.  The orange label was made with a Spellbinders die, naturally, and the flower is a sticker (probably a magazine freebie).

Card for Play Date Cafe Challenge #56





This is my card for the latest Play Date Cafe challenge, based on a combination of colours I rather like.  I stamped the image from a Paper Artsy Hot Picks stamp set in black Versafine onto an piece of olive Artylicious paper, rounded the corners and attached it with foam pads to Anna Griffin cardstock.  The card base is turquoise blue Coredinations cardstock and the sentiment stamp is by Penny Black embossed in copper onto a scrap of card stamped with Waltzingmouse Crysanthemums coloured with Promarkers.

Waltzingmouse Stamps November Friends Blog Waltz

This is my card for the November Waltzingmouse Stamps Friends Blog Waltz, where the theme is Christmas.  I used one of my favourite stamps, St Nicholas from their Nutcracker Sweet set.  Aiming to make a clean and simple card I stamped the image with Versamark and heat embossed it silver.  The peace sentiment and tiny snowflakes are from the same stamp set.  To make the dove I used a stamp from the Text It set, heat embossed with a shimmery blue powder on white card then and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a Sizzix die.  I cut a second dove from pale blue vellum, layered both together and attached them to the top of my card using foam pads.  I used a pale blue Sakura gel pen to colour in a couple of sections of the image and finished the card off with 3 clear and 2 blue faux gems.

Cupcake Card WMSC #22

This card is for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 22.  I have used stamps from their Holiday labels 14, Frame-It and Asian Gardens sets.  I used Nestabilities labels 14 dies to emboss the middle of my white card base and to cut the two pink tags, and added some brown ribbon and 3 pink flowers.

Burgundy Colour Splash - PDCC 53

I made this card for the latest Play Date Cafe challenge (black & white with a touch of  burgundy).   The lady is an unmounted red rubber stamp but I have no idea which brand!  The sentiment stamp and frame are both by Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Added extras are black & white staples and 2 daisies and a brad for my splash of burgundy.

Art, Heart & Healing

I was blog hopping at the weekend and came across a link to link to a wonderful site called Willowing & Artist Friends, where Tam is running an amazing free 4 week online art workshop.  As I have been thinking about starting an art journal for some time but never seem to do anything about it (other than thinking) the week one project really captured my imagination (create a front facing portrait over a double page journal spread).  So, after much deliberation, should I, could I? etc. I took the plunge and had a go after watching Tam's video tutorial.  I am not as disatisfied with my first attempt as I thought I would be and it has inspired me to keep trying safe in the knowledge that there is no right or wrong way to create art and a portrait does not have to look 'real.'  Unfotunately this was painted (and stamped) onto a piece of watercolour paper with acrylics and shimmer inks as opposed to an art journal, as although I did intend buying one earlier in the week, I've hurt my back and been stuck in the house for a couple of days.  The paints I used have been languishing in a drawer unused for a few years and I'm glad I finally opened them.  

Bird & Blooms

Here is my latest card which I am entering into two challenges, Waltzingmouse Sketch #20 and The Play Date Cafe #52 first year anniversary.    I stamped flowers from Waltzingmouse Stamps Sewing Box Hugs set using Adirondack orange and watermelon inks, and added some extra colour Hot Pink and Apricot Promarkers.  The bird is from the same set stamped in black onto a piece of yellow card (stamped twice to cut out and 3D).  I used various small stamps from the Walzingmouse Stamps Teeny Tree set to decorate the bird using the same pink and orange inks as before and fixed it with foam tape onto a Nestie Label 14 cut from a scrap of pink dotty patterned paper.  I finished the card off with pink and organge organza ribbon and a small tag which I think was free in a craft magazine.  The yellow and orange flowers are by Petaloo.

Swan Birthday Card - Three Muses Things with Wings Challenge

I am entering this birthday card into The Three Muses Things with Wings challenge.  It was fun to make though it turned my hands blue...very blue!  The lovely swan is by Clarity Stamps, heat embossed silver and the sentiment uses 3 stamps by Waltzingmouse (from the Text It, Holiday Labels 14 and Teeny Trees sets)The background was created with Adirondack Denim dye ink, a brayer and sponge and the stars are just dots of glue sprinkled with various fine glitters.  I added a large dark blue blow, blue gems and metal charms to finish off this large card.

PDCC51

I haven't had much time to craft this past week but as I had a couple of cards to make I thought I

would take the opportunity to use the colours in the latest Play Date Cafe challenge (51) as I really like this combination.  The frame and sentiment stamps are by Waltzing Mouse (Holiday labels and Asian Gardens Additions).  The labels co-ordinate perfectly with Spellbinders labels 14 which are the focus of my card.  The beige cardstock is from the Coredinations Gemstones pad and the mint green paper is by My Minds Eye.  The small label and letter J were coloured with Promarkers and I finished the card off with 3 pale blue rhinestons, matching ribbon and a wired organza flower, not a great picture I'm afraid as its a scan.  This is actually a Christening card and I am now wondering if it's too plain!