Topaz friendship

It's been a while since I took part in a Daring Cardmakers challenge and, having decided to do something this week, I'm at the last minute once again. The theme is Topaz, the birthstone for November.

I've used Kathy's new sketch for this month - it's on her Sketch File blog here:

The panel on the right hand side of the card is gloss card that has been dabbed with butterscotch and copper alcohol inks (it's been a while since I used these inks - enjoyed playing with them again). I then used an Anna Griffin repeating pattern stamp with DI spiced marmalade. I also used this to distress the edges of the friendship sentiment, which is a stamp I love, given to me by a crafting friend. I thought this sentiment was just right for this card as friendship is one of the attributes associated with topaz.

The papers are BG ambrosia an the gems are Prima. The yellow flower is one that I bought ages ago at Early Learning Centre (they don't do them any more, which is a pity).

I'm also linking this card for:

Freshly brewed: two or more patterned papers
Crazy4challenges 62: square cards
Lexi's creations 26: anything goes
Fairytale: everything goes
Iris' spot 9: anything goes
Lili of the valley 73: anything goes
Creative Friday 30: free theme
Cute card Thursday 138: anything goes
CCEE 1045: use store bought flowers

BF twinchies and rose card

The theme for the BF twinchies swap for November is 'black and white' I used a section of my lovely Magenta rose stamp, inking with blck versamark and heat embossing with glitter powder (shame the glittered effect doesn't show well here, although you can get some idea from the twinchie at the bottom left).

While I had the stamp in use I stamped the whole of it, embossed as before and coloured with copic crimson - it's mounted on black metallic finish card and then on to a stardream red card.



I'm linking for:

My time to craft 114: rhapsody of roses
Creative stamp friends 11: my favourite stamps - certainly another favourite
Kort o mania 27: flower power
Flourishes timeless 92: glitter
Fun at fairy knoll: hot mess - glitter embossed
Crafts and me 17: glitter
Delightful: glitter it up!
Crazy4challenges 62: square cards
Anything goes 24: emboss it
Paper pretties: embossing
One stop craft 105: embossing
Dutch dare 90: clean & simple
ECP 25: red
Town scrapper: no embellishments
All things unity 18: monochromatic (the twinchies)
Lexi's creations 26: anything goes
Fairytale: everything goes
Iris' spot 9: anything goes
Lili of the valley 73: anything goes
Creative Friday 30: free theme
Cute card Thursday 138: anything goes

Buttons galore

This month's ATC swap on BF forum provided me with an opportunity to use this lovely antique buttons stamp by Stampington.

I stamped the images with DI worn lipstick and then distressed edges first with tattered rose and then with worn lipstick to give a bit more definition. A few 'real' buttons stuck here and there and the ATCs were done and I have lovely inky fingers.


These ATCs are also for these challenges:

Crafty creations 93: buttons
Gingerloft 5: buttons
C.R.A.F.T. 76: colour palette
Stamp magic 23: blog colours
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 32: I - for inks
All things unity 18: monochromatic
Kenny K's krafty girlz 18: anything but a square
Creative stamp friends 11: my favourite stamps - this is definitely one of them, but opportunities to use it are rare, so I was so pleased with this theme
Oldie but a goodie 5: distressing (I used a stamp over 6 months old)
Fab n funky 48: going round in circles
Raise the bar 43: let's see those curves
Lexi's creations 26: anything goes
Fairytale: everything goes
Iris' spot 9: anything goes
Lili of the valley 73: anything goes
Creative Friday 30: free theme
Cute card Thursday 138: anything goes

Salt: Transformation

It was Pauline's turn to choose the topic for this fortnight's Salt challenge - you can read what she wrote here.

I love the worship song that Pauline has mentioned and nearly used it on my LO.

If you click on my LO you will get a better view of the text, which says:

'Just as a butterfly goes through four stages of life before it is revealed in all its beauty, so every Christian is being transformed into a new creation. I don't think I've reached the beautiful butterfly stage yet, but I know that by the work of the Holy Spirit and God's grace in my life He is transforming me towards what He wants me to become.'

The scripture verse is: 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!' 2 Corinthians 5:17.

I found that I had the perfect paper on one of my shelves - Prima Indeed Collection 'delighted' - it's more beautiful irl than on here. But, unfortunately, it was one of those projects that seemed to go wrong at every turn, so I ended up settling for a bit of a patch up job - I wish I had got another piece of this paper, but it was the only one I had so I had to make do and mend!

I added some gems on the butterflies, some ribbon (to hide the joins that I had to make ~blush~ - and the ribbons are straighter irl than on this poor photo. I think I'll stop there before the hole I'm digging gets any bigger!

The 'transformation' letters are thickers vinyl ones.


If you have a few moments, please go to the Salt blog and have a look at what other members of the team have done - their crafting is always inspiritional - and if you visit their individual blogs you will be able to read their own reflections on 'transformation'.

I'm linking this LO for:

Crazy challenge 40: things with wings
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 33: J - for jewels on the butterflies
Lexi's creations 26: anything goes
Fairytale: everything goes
Iris' spot 9: anything goes
Lili of the valley 73: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 138: anything goes
Creative Friday 30: free theme