CCAYR mid-month post

This is one of my cards that has been posted today here for the mid-month inspiration for the Christmas cards all year round August challenge: fussy and fancy. If you haven't yet had a chance to join in, please click on the link and do so. And please have a look at the wonderful inspiration given by the crafting of the rest of the team.

I used a card blank with a ready cut fancy edge which I brushed with bundled sage distress ink, linking the inside of the card with coordinating paper. All papers are from a Hunkydory kit. Gems are from Hobbycraft and Poundland. The centre piece background with the bell is very glittered, which, unfortunately, doesn't show up too well here.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Divas by design: Christmas in August
Stamp-n-doodle: the colour green
Creative inspirations 227: monochrome
Simon says Wednesday challenge: monochromatic
DRS 83: cards with 1 decorative edge
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
Crafter's corner 11: anything goes
Creative Belli 176: glitter

Season's greetings

This is for Shell's sketch for the Come and get it challenge this week:

I've used another of those old glittered pyramage pictures by Kanban, some offcuts of papers, a star and sentiment, and some bling from Poundland.

This is also for:

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday for August: oh scrap!
Make my Monday: add some dimension - 3D elements
Aud sentiments 87: anything but a birthday card
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
CRAFT 220: Christmas
Hobby house 3: Christmas
Crimbo crackers 48: it's snow business
Crafting by designs: anything goes
Craftin' boutique: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 153
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

Christmas with love

This is for Unscripted flashback summer 92 sketch:

Again, I've used scraps from my Christmas offcuts box, another pyramage set from Kanban, a couple of flowers and gems and a sentiment.

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 85
The sisterhood of crafters: oh scrap
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday for August: oh scrap!
Hiding in my craft room 110: super scraps Saturday
Make my Monday: add some dimension - 3D elements
Aud sentiments 87: anything but a birthday card
CRAFT 220: Christmas
Hobby house 3: Christmas
Crimbo crackers 48: it's snow business
Crafting by designs: anything goes
Craftin' boutique: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 153
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

A very merry Christmas

This is for the sketch for The sweet stop 223

:
Once again, all papers are from my Christmas offcuts box, another Kanban pyramage picture, some ribbon from Hobbycraft and a sentiment.

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 85
The sisterhood of crafters: oh scrap
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday for August: oh scrap!
Hiding in my craft room 110: super scraps Saturday
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
Robyn's fetish 172: lots of layers
Make my Monday: add some dimension - 3D elements
Penny's 140: lace and/or ribbon
The paper shelter 124: use that ribbon
Aud sentiments 87: anything but a birthday card
CRAFT 220: Christmas
Crimbo crackers 48: it's snow business
613 avenue create 32: anything goes
Bearly mine 99: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
Craftin' boutique: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 153
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

Rooftops

This is for Kirsy Anne's sketch for The sketchy challnge 53:

All papers are scraps from my Christmas offcuts box and the pyramage pictue is from an old Kanban kit - I've made a few cards using some of these - it's about time they were used.

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 85
The sisterhood of crafters: oh scrap
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday for August: oh scrap!
Hiding in my craft room 110: super scraps Saturday
Robyn's fetish 172: lots of layers
Make my Monday: add some dimension - 3D elements
Aud sentiments 87: anything but a birthday card
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
CRAFT 220: Christmas
Crimbo crackers 48: it's snow business
Simon says Wednesday challenge: monochromatic
613 avenue create 32: anything goes
Bearly mine 99: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
Craftin' boutique: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 153
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

With love and Christmas kisses

This card uses papers from my Christmas scraps box as well as a piece of white and silver snowflake ribbon that was left over from making other cards. The sentiment is one from a kit long ago and likewise the glittered pyramage picture was from a Kanban kit from some time ago.

TThis is for:

Facebook Sunday's with Santa week 32: many layers
Robyn's fetish 172: lots of layers
Make my Monday: add some dimension - 3D elements
Penny's 140: lace and/or ribbon
The paper shelter 124: use that ribbon
Aud sentiments 87: anything but a birthday card
Holly jolly Christmas: gimme glitter (hard to see it here, but lots of glitter on the pyramaged picture
Jingle belles: home for the holidays
Christmas card challenges 2013 week 37: evergreen trees
Divas by design: Christmas in August

Green diamonds

This is another card using a background made with a gelli plate print. I created a base with a pale green acrylic paint, using scrunched paper to take away some of the paint and then used the That Special Touch 'argyle' mask with a darker acrylic to create the pattern.

The images are stamps that came as part of the set with a Get Stamping magazine, inked with versamark and heat embossed with a metallic green embossing powder. The silver bling diamonds down the side were from Poundland (not sure whether I like these or not - I think the card might have been better without them).

This is for:

Sunday stamper 270: green onions - use green
Order of the opus gluei 163: the start of something BIG - I started using a 6 x 6 gelli plate recently and I love it - so much so that I've gone BIGGER - bought the 8 x 10 plate, but not used it yet - hope my interpretation of the challenge isn't too off beam!
One crazy stamper August: birthdays
Kort o mania 90: birthday
Perfect sentiments 86: your favourite technique - making gelli plate prints is fast becoming a favourite, as well as stamping and embossing that has been a favourite for ages
Nightshift stamping: back to nature
Joanna Sheen: embossing
Dream valley 63: monochrome
That craft place: monochrome
Creative creations 16: monochromatic

Another celebration

This is very similar to the previous card shown here. This time I embossed on a piece of copper star dream card and then distressed with deep red metallic gilding wax - lovely stuff to work with and smells nice as a bonus!

I used the Dawn Bibby Personal Impression stamps again, this time inking with versamark and heat embossing with detail copper powder. The paper I stamped on to is My Mind's Eye alphabet soup girl 'sweet song'

Once again the paper clip is there to keep the card closed:

Very difficult to get a photo of the inside of the card as it's fairly dull today and the camera is insisting on using flash.

Because the stamping is heat embossed, it looks different depending on the way you look at it. One way it looks dark:

and the other way it looks light:

This is for:

Joanna Sheen: embossing
Penny's 139: dry embossing
Natalie and Amy 12: celebration
Whimsy 62: clean and simple
Fashionable stamping 54: clean & simple
Wow! embossing powder challenge August: art deco/nouveau
Eclectic ellapu: art deco
Papertake: occasion-ally (this card could celebrate any occasion)
Inky linky 26
613 avenue create 32: anything goes
Stamps + fun = creativity 164: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
Bearly mine 99: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 153
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

Celebrate

This is a card created using an A4 embossing folder from Craftwell (for the eBosser). Having embossed the A4 card I brushed with dusty concord distress ink. For the inside of the card I used two pieces of paper from HOTP Jacie's vintage papers (I've long neglected these), stamping on the inner one using a couple of Dawn Bibby stamps by Personal Impressions, inking with dusty concord.

The paper clips are just to keep the gatefold closed, so you can see what it's like:

And part of the back is embossed and distressed:

This is for:

A card a day
Joanna Sheen: embossing
Penny's 139: dry embossing
Dream valley 63: monochrome
That craft place: monochrome
Creative creations 16: monochromatic
Crafty bloggers network 14: favourite things - embossing (using my fairly new eBosser) stamping and distress inks
Natalie and Amy 12: celebration
Whimsy 62: clean and simple
Fashionable stamping 54: clean & simple

Get wild ...

... is the theme for A day for daisies 76 - the idea is to use an animal print. The background of my card was achieved using the 'crackle' That Special Touch mica mask with my gelli plate and acrylic paints, filling a few gaps here and there with the spectrum noir pens that were used to colour the 'A day for daisies' image called 'love my baby'.

I'm not sure how wild my card is, as I think these giraffes look quite tame and sweet. I tore round the image using a perspex template and edged with the spectrum noir. I found a sentiment that matched the colour scheme.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Take a word: wild animals
Dream valley 63: monochrome
That craft place: monochrome
Creative creations 16: monochromatic
One stitch at a time 176: use a digi
Perfect sentiments 86: your favourite technique - atm I'm really enjoying using acrylic paints and my gelli plate, as well as still loving alcohol pens for colouring
Crafty bloggers network August: favourite things - acrylic paints and gelli plate, as well as still loving alcohol pens for colouring
Addicted to stamps and more 57: make your mark
Inky linky 26

Steampunk girls

I've created this for Lunagirl Moonbeams blog challenge: steampunk girls. All images are from My Craft Studio 'tinkering with steampunk' CD, adding and changing colours etc.

This is also for:

Eureka 51: clean and simple
Digitally sweet 48: layers (this is 100% digital - layering various elements)
One stitch at a time 176: use a digi
Ooh-la-la: a step back in time
Stamp-n-doodle: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes

O little town of Bethlehem

It's time for a new challenge for the Christmas Card Club girls and this time Asha has asked us to make a card based on our favourite festive tune.

I love the carol 'O little town of Bethlehem' although I have to admit that I have lots of other favourites too.

For the background of my card I embossed some creamycoloured shiny card using my eBosser with the 'star of wonder' embossalicious embossing folder by Crafter's Companion, brushing it with some broken china distress ink. This was then mounted on to blue mirror card and then on to a navy blue card blank.

The digital image was from Crafting with Jack. I imported the image into Paint and 'coloured' the background and stars, printed it and then used a couple of Spectrum Noir to colour the trees. Holographic and padded tars and ribbon from stash. Some of the stars look gold here because of the flash reflection, but they are all silver.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Deep ocean 57: Christmas in July
Craftin' boutique: Christmas
Hobby house 3: Christmas
Flourishes timeless 232: backgrounds
Get inky 10: ribbons
The lollipop ladies 74: start your day with some sparkle and stars
Top tip Tuesday 107: embossing
Penny's 139: dry embossing
Pattie's 73: embossing
One stitch at a time 176: use a digi
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
Word art Wednesday 92: anything goes
Crafty ribbons 56: anything goes with ribbon
Inky linky 26
Stempelsonne 95: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

Another card for CHNC challenge 137: picture inspiration

This is another card for my CHNC challenge 137, with this picture inspiration:

I made the background paper by inking one  of the 6 x 6 Papermania urban stamps 'home for Christmas - homespun'. As this is a large stamp I inked it with fired brick distress ink and placed the piece of card on top of the stamp, pressing down well. I then inked part of the stamp with bundled sage distress ink and die cut a circle using the cuttlebug, using this to create a spotlight, making use of the colours in the inspiration picture. The felt reindeer seemed an appropriate addition as there are deer in the picture.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Christmas stampin all year long 28: colour combos - I chose: 1 - red, green and white
Winter wonderland: cute Christmas
Deep ocean 57: Christmas in July
Craftin' boutique: Christmas
Twisted Tuesday 56: a simple Christmas in August
Flourishes timeless 232: backgrounds
Eureka 51: clean and simple
Whimsy 62: clean and simple
Crafty sentiments: animals
Crafty boots: die cuts
Cute card Thursday 281: die-ing to punch (circle die cut)
Stuck on u: die cut challenge: furry friends
Crafter's cafe 23: furry friends and/or friendship
613 avenue create 31: anything goes + optional twist: use a sentiment
Challenges 4 everybody 26: anything goes
Loves rubber stamps 64: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Brown sugar 54: anything goes
Stempelsonne 95: anything goes
Creative fingers 2: anything goes
Hanna and friends 177: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

CHNC challenge 137: picture inspiration

For today's CHNC challenge 137 I've given this picture as inspiration - you can use the colours, the shape, any of the items in the picture - interpret in the way you wish.

For my first card I've concentrated on the colours, also the trees, using a stamp supplied by Flonz craft, one of the sponsors of CHNC challenge 137. I inked with versafine onyx black and dotted the trees with a quickie glue pen on to which I put some Art Institute green glitter. Papers are from my Christmas offcuts box and the ribbled snowflakes are from Hobbycraft.

This is also for:

Deep ocean 57: Christmas in July
Craftin' boutique: Christmas
Ooh-la-la: a step back in time
Ruby's rainbow 60: vintage
Paper-crafting journey: distressed/vintage
Lisa B designs: vintage
The paper girls 37: glitter, glitter, glitter
Stamp and create August: glitter
Make my Monday: silhouettes
Sweet stamps 129: silhouettes
613 avenue create 31: anything goes + optional twist: use a sentiment
Challenges 4 everybody 26: anything goes
Crazy challenge 151: anything goes
Loves rubber stamps 64: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Brown sugar 54: anything goes
Stempelsonne 95: anything goes
Creative fingers 2: anything goes
Hanna and friends 177: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 19: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 115
52 card pickup 2.32

A budding friendship ...

... between vintage children and their pets.

The images are rub ons by La Blanche (I bought lots of these long ago and still have loads despite having used quite a few over the years). The eyelash ribbon trim is Papermania, flowers from stash. The card blank is pearlescent. There is a glittery sheen on the rub ons which, unfortunately, doesn't show up too well here.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
The cheerful stamp pad 66: vintage children
Ooh-la-la: a step back in time
Ruby's rainbow 60: vintage
Paper-crafting journey: distressed/vintage
Lisa B designs: vintage
Tok bobok 3: vintage
Art impressions 116: for the dogs (& cats)
The crafter's cafe 23: furry friends and/or friendship
Crafty sentiments: animals
Hobby cutz 12: card for a child
Sentimental Sundays 166: child's play
Pink gem 91: anything pearlescent
Crafty ribbons 56: anything goes with ribbon
Let's craft and create 76: say it with flowers
The crazy challenge 151: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes + option: vintage
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
2 sisters 155: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 114
52 card pickup 2.31

Cupcake notebook

A simple altered notebook, using an offcut of DCWV card run through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder and a few glittery cupcake stickers from Paperchase.

This is for:

Anything goes 98: coffee break and/or food
Top tip Tuesday 107: embossing
Penny's 139: dry embossing
Crafting with dragonflies 8: alter something
Bloggers challenge: alter it
Challenges and candies (Izazovi) 15: colours, smells, tastes of summer
The crazy challenge 151: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
2 sisters 155: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 114
52 card pickup 2.31

With sympathy

This Penny Black sparklers stamp is one of my favourites - it can be used for so many different kinds of cards, but I particularly like using it on sympathy cards because of its simple beauty.

I brushed the edges of the ivory card blank with a mix of mustard seed, tea dye and antique linen distress inks. The sentiment stamp was from Hobbycraft.

I've based the  layout on the card given to CASE for CAS(E) this sketch 39:

and the colours for Less is more 131:

This is also for:

My time to craft 230: sympathy
Lawnscaping 63: one layer

Hot pink bling

A simple card made with a couple of blingy stickers on an offcut of black card, matted on to an offcut of Bo Bunny pink paper before mounting on a black card blank, with the addition of a Craftime sentiment.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Pixie's crafty snippets week 84
Polka doodles 31: birthday girl
The pink elephant 211: texture
Crafty creations 234: texture
Sarah Hurley 83: texture and dimension
Catered crop: sequins
Creative inspirations 226: something old (the card blank and papers), something new (the stickers)
Stamp-n-doodle: anything goes
Live & love crafts 14: warm or cool colours

The glory of Christmas 13

The Glory of Christmas challenge 13 that starts today for the next two weeks is this sketch:

Please click on the link and enter the challenge - you have until 17 August to do so - it would be good to see you there.

I've used the lovely Penny Black 'caroling penguins' stamp, inked with versafine and coloured with copics.
This is mounted on to an offcut of red mirror card and then on to a torn offcut of graphic 15 'carol of the bells'. I included a strip that had been left over from some alcohol inked gloss card, all mounted on to a piece of embossed stardream card using a new 'seasonal music' Embossalicious folder run through the eBosser.
The little 'from my house to yours' sentiment circle was from Craftwork cards.

This is also for:

Tammy scraping corner 74: anything goes with music
Top tip Tuesday 107: embossing
Desert island 59: I chose: layers, 3 r more, sentiment, animals, embossing, texture
Marker pop 28: anything goes

An argyle birthday

The other day I made a few backgrounds with my gelli plate and acrylic paint. For this card, I took a gelli plate print from some lemon acrylic paint, scrunching some paper and dabbing on the paint before pulling the print. I then used a mix of yellow and green paints with the Creative Expressions 'that special touch' argyle mask. I stamped on to the background using a couple of Tim Holtz stamps from Classics #3 set, vaguely colouring these with a few yellow and green copics. I'd inked with memento tuxedo black, but, because of the base of the acrylic paint, the copics sort of puddled a bit, but I quite like the effect, so I'm not unhappy with it.

The scalloped sentiment was originally white, coloured with copics and some pearls added here and there.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Sunday stamper 269: diamonds are forever
DRS 81: diamonds and pearls
Totally gorjuss 195: anything goes with pearls
Kaboodle 183: anything with scallops
Crafty bloggers network August: favourite things - stamping, using the gelli plate, alcohol pens
Paper playtime 16: lots of yellow
613 avenue create 31: anything goes  + option: use a sentiment
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): ombre
Little tangles 18: let's celebrate - birthday
Seize the birthday: anything goes birthday celebration
One crazy stamper August: birthdays
Kort o mania 90: birthday
Great impressions August: square card
Creative inspirations paint: anything goes
Inspiration avenue: fun, easy, excellent crafts - it's definitely fun making backgrounds using the gelli plate
Challenges 4 everybody 26: anything goes
Crazy challenge 151: anything goes
Craftin' boutique 1: anything goes
2 sisters 155: anything goes
Crafty calendar August: anything goes
Card and scrap 59: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 280: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes
Sister act 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 152
Inspire me Fridays 114
52 card pickup 2.31

Distressed sparklers

This card was prompted by the picture given for Less is more 131 colour challenge:

I used an ivory card blank, masking off a couple of lines near the top and bottom. I swiped the middle section with antique linen distress ink and the top and bottom with tea dye ink. Having removed the masking tapes I used a brush to dust some mustard seed distress ink. The Penny Black sparklers stamp was inked with brushed corduroy distress ink.

This is also for:

Lawnscaping 63: one layer
OLW 151: speechless - no sentiments allowed
Penny Black and more at Allsorts August: in the garden