Thursday 31 March 2016

CAS Colours & Sketches #167

A great way to wind up my month as hostess at CAS Colours & Sketches is with the double dare challenge! A brand new colour combo and a favourite sketch of mine.

http://cascoloursandsketches.blogspot.com/2016/03/challenge-167-double.html

For this challenge it is a requirement to use both the sketch and colour combo - and no other colours apart from the given neutrals. But exactly how you use the colours within the sketch is entirely up to your creativity.


I love the Create A Smile stamp set I've used for my card and especially how the different critters hang just on the edge. She's just one very cute bear!


I stamped using chocolate chip - yummy name - for the main images and sentiment and daffodil delight for the little touches. The card strip is a scrap of pacific point card stock I found lurking in my stash.

Supplies:
Stamps: Create A Smile, Poppin' Over; Uniko, Some Bunny
Inks: SU, daffodil delight, chocolate chip
Card: SU, pacific point

Are you up for this double challenge? Sure you are! Want some inspiration to help you on your way? Check out the DT cards here.

So good of you to stop by my blog today, I'm really pleased you did.  And keep crafting!

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Wednesday 30 March 2016

The Male Room - Challenge #32

Oh yes! The new challenge at The Male Room is so my kind of theme! How about you? Do you like a bit of magic and fantasy?


http://themaleroomchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/challenge32-theme.html

Out came those Visible Image stamps again and of course a gorgeous inky stencilled background was required. And check out those colours. No surprises there then!


I went with the inky strip down the right hand side created when the stencil is just that little bit too small for the card size. Sometimes I trim it off, sometimes I mask it off, but today I just wanted more purply fun so left it on.


And I totally adore the sentiment. Don't we all have days when we need a bit of a boost!

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, Unicorn Magic
Inks: Adirondack, purple twilight, cranberry, pool
Stencil: Memorybox, texture shine

A bit of random information here - I'm currently watching the Outlander series on Amazon Prime. I read at least one of the books yonks ago and find the whole idea of travelling back in time, stone portals and magic completely fascinating and intriguing. Such a fabulous series!

Back to business now. So hop on over to The Male Room and admire the rest of the DT creations and then go create some crafting magic yourself. I'll be flying round your blogs to see your cards, tags, scrapbook pages or whatever you conjour up.

Thanks for looking today, it's been great having you visit. And keep crafting!

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Sunday 27 March 2016

AAA Cards Challenge #61 Stencil

A new challenge - and a new prize too - starts today at AAA Cards. And we'd like to see some stencilling on your card.

http://aaacards.blogspot.com/2016/03/game-61-stencilling.html

I'm a bit of a late convert to stencilling, but am now totally addicted and love how it adds layers without the bulk.  And the new, and older, Visible Image stamps just beg for an inky background.


I created my background strip using two shades of orange to create a bit of an ombre effect. The misti got a good bashing with this card too as I wanted my stamped image and sentiment to be crisp and dark.


Don't you just love this stamp set, so trendy and modern and perfect for one of my growing up way too fast grandsons - you know the type, 11 years going on 16!

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, Teenage Kicks
Inks: SU, delightful dijon, tangerine tango; Memento tuxedo black
Stencil: Bee Crafty Inkables

Right now it's your turn to get all inked up with some stencils and then pop over to AAA Cards and put your card into our gallery.

Thanks for looking today, hope you've enjoyed your visit.  And keep crafting!

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Saturday 26 March 2016

So Saturday

Hi! Today I'm sharing a card I made for Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge.


http://www.happylittlestampers.com/2016/03/hls-march-cas-challenge.html 

And I thought the shaped Christmas card challenge was tough, well this one really had me stumped for ages! But I eventually came up with this card:


I followed the instructions from HLS to make some faux mother of pearl card and then stamped on top of it. When it was dry I then sponged over with the same pink ink as I had used for the stamping.


I hand cut both the flower and leaves and added them on top of a strip of patterned paper and washi tape.  A simple sentiment seemed appropriate to keep this card nice and CAS.


A bit more of a close up trying to showcase the mother of pearl effect.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Beautiful Blooms II, sentiment from A Gift For You
Inks: SU, strawberry slush, wild wasabi; Memento, tuxedo black
Paper: Lawn Fawn, Beachside 6x6 pad
Other: Liquid Pearls, white opal; Washi from my stash

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, I really appreciate your time.  And keep crafting!

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Friday 25 March 2016

Uniko Challenge #30 Reminder

Just a little reminder today about the challenge going on at Uniko.

http://unikostudio.blogspot.co.uk/

I decided it was a bit late now to be making an Easter card so I went for the Spring option instead.


I do so love the clash of purple and yellow with a little green thrown in for good measure. I used some of the mini flower stamps that often get overlooked in stamp sets and inked them up in those complementary colours.


Unusually for me I die cut a scalloped circle to mat my stitched circle base and then finished off with a strip of washi down the left hand side. Love washi and use it all the time in my MAMBI planner, but not that often on cards. I do have quite a stash - check out the photo!

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, I Love coffee, Flower Power #1 & #4. Balloon Bash
Inks: Memento, dandelion, grape jelly, bamboo leaves, tuxedo black
Dies: Lawn Fawn, large stitched circle stackables; Spellbinders, petite scalloped circles small
Embellishments: Washi from my stash


Don't forget to remind yourself of the prizes on offer for this challenge - here.

Thanks for your time today, I really appreciate it.  And keep crafting!

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Thursday 24 March 2016

CAS Colours & Sketches #166

Time for a new sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches today. This is my second sketch as hostess for March and I'm thinking it's quite a classic that allows for creativity within the boundaries of CAS.

http://cascoloursandsketches.blogspot.com/2016/03/challenge-166-sketch.html

I loved the simplicity of this sketch and had loads of ideas about how to make it happen, but then it just didn't pan out quite the way I saw it in my head. So here goes with the reveal of what I finally came up with:


I cut six pieces of patterned paper, glued them to my card and then stamped the flower image on top.


This is one of those times when I would never have been able to get such a clear stamping without the misti tool and even with its use there are some bare patches between the paper strips - but hey I'm embracing imperfection this year and I actually quite like the patchy effect with this splodgy stamp.

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, Flower Inkgognito; Uniko, All Occasion Sentiments #1
Ink: Memento, tuxedo black
Paper: Lwan Fawn, Beachside 6x6 pad

OK you know the routine - check out the DT creations here and then get creating and linking. Excited to see what you come up with.

Thanks for your visit today, love that you found time to have a look at my blog. And keep crafting!

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Wednesday 23 March 2016

Wednesday Words

Although I know it's almost Easter today's card is jumping ahead a bit in preparation for Christmas and is for Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge.

 http://www.happylittlestampers.com/2016/03/hls-march-christmas-challenge.html

And boy was this a challenge! A few attempts ended in the bin and then I remembered I'd cut out and kept - yes bit of a hoarder - an apron shaped template from a magazine. And I'm talking at least ten years ago! Well this spiked my creativity and I was on a roll.


I had great fun stamping the pattern on the apron and used three of my favourite Christmas colours. The pocket holds both the sentiment and some essential cooking items.


Now of course my brain is in overdrive thinking of all the other possibilities for an apron card - Easter, Halloween, barbecue, beach days, new home.......

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Background builders Christmas, Essentially Christmas, All Occasion Sentiments #4; Clearly Besotted, Recipe For Love + matching die
Inks: SU, crumb cake, tempting turquoise, real red; Memento, tuxedo black

I'm so pleased you had time to visit today, huge thanks and please come back again soon.  And keep crafting!
 
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Tuesday 22 March 2016

Tuesday Talk

A very delicate little image on my card today because that's the code word at Addicted to CAS. And as it's also something I can see outside my window I'm linking up with Less is More too.

http://www.addictedtocas.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/challenge-84-delicate.html      We'd love you to display our banner

Here's my card:


I wanted to use a snowdrop on this card as they are such dainty delicate little blooms and I have a whole border of them in my garden. Searching through my stash I realised I didn't have a snowdrop stamp, so went to the internet and then remembered I'd downloaded a Clearly Besotted digital image that was a freebie from Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine.


I coloured the image using promarkers and added a little halo of blue round each flowerhead and finished off with a brush of green to ground the plant. The sentiment is also Clearly Besotted and very apt as snowdrops are special heralding the end of Winter.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, digi freebie & sentiment from Pretty Petals Plus
Inks: Memento, tuxedo black; SU, pear pizzazz
Promarkers: cool aqua, marsh green

As I type this the sun is shining brightly and my garden is calling me out to tidy up a bit and I also want to plant some broad bean seeds. Thanks for coming to look at my blog today and I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

And keep crafting! 

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Monday 21 March 2016

Monday Moments

Today I'm sharing another card I made over the weekend. This time it's for two challenges. Time Out have the most beautiful card made by Marjan to CASE and CASology have the cue word DOODLE.

Grab Our Badge!      http://www.casology.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/week-189-doodle.html


Here's my card:


I loved Marjan's use of colour and sketchy stamps and tried to emulate this on my card using tiny butterflies. I doodled in the trails and butterfly antennae, not a major feature I know but I'm hoping it will satisfy the CASology brief.


I could see what looked like an inlaid die cut rectangle on Marjan's card so I added this into my mix.  The finished result is a card I would never have usually made and I'm loving being stretched out of my comfort zone.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU, Kinda Eclectic; Inkylicious, Twinchie
Inks: Memetno pear tart, tuxedo black; SU, rich razzleberry, melon mambo, Bermuda bay, wisteria wonder 

I'm so pleased to have had your company today, thanks for your time.  And keep crafting!

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Sunday 20 March 2016

So Sunday

I've been busy making cards for some challenges this weekend and today's offering is for Addicted To Stamps And More's photo inspiration. And such a delicious photo too! You probably know I love using quotes and there's also tulips involved - I couldn't resist!

http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/challlenge-185-photo.html

Here's my card:


I started by picking up on that pretty green from the table and stencilled a little background colour. Next I added my quote, using the misti to get a good deep clear stamping. I love this quote as it pretty much sums up why I craft and definitely is appropriate to my family as none of them are even remotely interested in what I do and think I'm just a bit bonkers and anti-social spending so much time with paper and ink.


I decided to just add the one tulip positioned near the quote and coloured it using my trusty promarkers - I've had them for ever and they still keep going.

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black, a bunch; Bee Crafty, wordage
Inks: SU, pistachio pudding; Memento, tuxedo black
Promarkers: tulip yellow, marsh green
Stencil: Memory Box, texture mesh

Huge thanks for visiting today, your time is really appreciated.  And keep crafting!

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Saturday 19 March 2016

Saturday Slot

Hey! Today I'm sharing a card I made for the Stamplorations CASEplorations March challenge.

http://stamplorations.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/caseplorations-march.html 

I think it was the colours that grabbed my attention straightaway and I also wanted to pick up on the circular wreath element. So here's my CASE:


I started my card by using a stencil to ink up the central circle and then extended it out at the top and bottom. The flowers were stamped and handcut and placed onto the inked circle so that I knew where to stamp the sentiment and leaf sprays.


I finished off by adding three punched leaves and a sprinkling of gems.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Flower Power #2, All Occasion Sentiments #6, Background Builders Vines
Inks: SU, tempting turquoise, coastal cabanna; Memento, dandelion, tuxedo black
Punch: Martha Stewart
Embellishments: Papermania, shimmer dots

So pleased you dropped by today, thanks for your time.  And keep crafting!

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Friday 18 March 2016

Uniko Challenge #30

Here comes the new Uniko challenge to brighten your crafting days and make you feel fresh as a Spring daisy. Yep, the theme is Spring/Easter.


Well I thought I'd best opt for the Easter part of the theme for my card and what better stamp set to reach for than Some Bunny. I thought he'd look cute sitting outside on the grass hiding among the daisies ready to watch the egg hunt - and yes I know daisies should be white but mine are sunshiny and bright yellow.


I used watercolour card to smoosh my background colours and then added the bunny and flowers - Flower Power #7. Next I masked off the bunny before adding the wispy grass from Nature's Treasures I and the daisy stems using the balloon string from Balloon Bash.


A light scattering of sequins and that one curved corner and I was done.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Some Bunny, Flower Power #7, Nature's Treasures I, Balloon Bash
Inks: SU, daffodil delight, soft sky, pistachio pudding; Memento, tuxedo black
Pens: Flexmarkers, sea mist, cloud blue; Promarker, tulip yellow
Embellishments: sequins from my stash

I imagine you're all up to your neck in Easter preparations at the moment which surely has to be reflected in your current crafting. So no problem to link up with Uniko - you don't even have to use Uniko products - and maybe win yourself an awesome prize. You can do it!

Thanks for popping over to my blog today, I'm really pleased you found the time.

And keep Easter crafting!

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