AAA Cards - Game #70 Stitching

Today sees the beginning of a new game at AAA Cards and we'd like to see some stitching on your cards. Now this can be real thread hand or machine stitching or the die cut type or the hand drawn or stamped faux stitching or any other kind of stitching that I've forgotten about.

I decided to go for some machine stitching to attach a vellum circle onto my card and used stamps from Uniko our wonderful sponsor for this game.

But I'm getting ahead of myself as the stitching was actually the last thing that happened on my card. I stamped the flowers and  BIRTHDAY sentiment onto the card base first, then stamped and heat embossed the HAPPY onto a piece of vellum. The vellum was die cut into a stitched sircle shape and then attached with the stitching.

Stitching is a great way to attach vellum as it's meant to show and I've yet to find a glue that really doesn't show through vellum at all.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, All Occasion Sentiments #2, Flower Power #4
Inks: Ranger distress, picked raspberry, mustard seed; Memento, tuxedo black; Versamark
Embossing: Crafty Impressions, black rainbow sparkle
Die: MFT Die-namics, double stitched circle stax

Ther are lots of inspiring ways to add stitching to your card over at AAA Cards and, as well as the talented Eunji joining us as Guest Designer, our sponsor Bev from Uniko is also playing along. Go check them all out!

Huge thanks for visiting my blog today, I'm always thrilled that people take the time. And keep crafting!

CAS Colours & Sketches #184

The final July challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches begins today and it's a super sketch designed by Karen our hostess for this week.

And time to revert back to my go to colour of purple. Love it when I can indulge myself!

I cut a peanle of white and added a line of stitching down each long side and then stamped the butterfly and sentiment between them. The whole strip was matted onto purple card - couldn't be more simple really.

I'm loving the patchy cover the distress ink gives to the butterfly block, just smacked my hand and stopped myself putting on a second layer of ink in time!

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, A Better You
Inks: Ranger distress, wilted violet; Memento, tuxedo black
Die: Paper Smooches, Stitched

This is such a gift of a sketch I know you'll be itching to use it, but just take a peep at the rest of the CC&S DT cards before you sink into crafting heaven and then go enjoy.

I'm so happy you visited my blog today and hope you've been inspired to play along. And keep crafting!

Monday Moments

Well it's taken me a while to get my head round the CASEplorations challenge using the fabulously stunning card from Elina Stromberg.

So many ways to go with this one, but wanting to stay at least a little within my CAS style and not often working with oranges it was sometime in the thinking and planning stages. But here's waht I've come up with:

I loved all the inking and and stamping on the inspiration card and did what I often do when I feel overwhelmed by a project - cut it down to a smaller size. I stamped and masked the two little cuties first and then had fun with inks, stamps and used a die as a mask to get the two paler large hearts.

I stamped the sentiment on top of all the inking and coloured the critters with promarkers, then die cut the label shape before matting it onto rectangles of peach and white card. Then the whole thing was placed onto peach card, positioning it to keep roughly the same proprtions as Elina's card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, Best Friends; Uniko, hearts from Flowr Power #3
Inks: SU, peekaboo peach, calypso coral; Memento, tuxedo black
Die: Spellbinders, labels; Xcut, Homespun Hearts
Promarkers: coral, mustard, cool grey 3 & 4, raw sienna

Huge thanks for stopping by my blog today, great to have you visit.  And keep crafting!

Sunday Story

And today the story is all about the 'kissing' technique. Happy Little Stampers you've certainly challenged me!

So having followed the links from HLS and discovered what this 'kissing' thing means I was all keen to have a go. Think a commercial break here - yep, took me ages and a few bin jobs before I found two stamps that were attracted to each other enough to want to have a smooch.

But the colours were love at first sight! And I have to say this 'kissing' does produce a very different sort of result and one I grew to love as the hours slipped by.

I decided to jazz up the side a little by adding a strip of hot pink cardstock, cut just a little shorter than the depth of the card base.

Supplies:
Stamps: HLS, Butterfly Birthday, Thinking of You, & sentiment from Doodled Flowers 
Inks: SU, melom mambo, tempting turquoise
Embellishments: Ppaermania, iridiscent gemstone

And guess what? This technique looks equally as pretty in those same two colours the other way round - and they kissed the other way round too. Think I could get to like this 'kissing' thing!

This one has been put back into my stash to await its rebirth on later project.

Thanks for calling in to see me today, hope you enjoyed your visit and will come back soon.  In the meantime keep crafting!

Saturday Slot

Do you remember that S Club 7 song Reach? It's forever embedded in my brain as a group of very lively children I used to teach mimed live to it at a school talent contest. So where's this leading? Well it's what always pops into my mind when I make cards with stars on them and Stamplorations have stars as their theme this month.

  

And my card even has a line from that song as its sentiment!

The cardstock, ink and enamel stars are all from Stampin' Up's new in colour, dapper denim. Wonder who thinks up the names for their inks, must be such a cool job!

The large star was die cut from a strip of white card and a scrap of star patterned paper popped behind it. Star crazy in this card!

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, Superstar
Inks: SU, dapper denim; Memento, tuxedo black
Paper: Lawn Fawn, Beachside
Die: Xcut, nesting stars
Card & enamel dots both SU dapper denim

Thanks for dropping by today, I hope you've liked what you've seen and will come back soon.  And keep crafting!

Uniko - Challenge #34 Reminder

Hey all! Just popping in today to remind you there's still plenty of time to get your entries in to this month's Uniko challenge where the theme is FLOWERS. What could be easier than that?

And Uniko have so many gorgeous flower stamp sets to choose from.

My card began with a die cut inside and outside stitched circle and plans to pop it back inside after adding some flowers. And that's pretty much what happened, but I just added in some stencilled inky circles and a few random bits of dust for interest.

And I'm loving the font of this sentiment, seems to match the floral theme perfectly.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Beautiful Blooms III, Background Builders Vines Winter Additions, simply Said Birthday
Inks: Ranger distress, picked raspberry, spiced marmalade, wilted violet, blueprint sketch; Memento, tuxedo black
Die: MFT Die-namics, inside/out stitched circles

Don't forget Bev always offers a super prize for the winner of her challenges. Go check it out - and the rest of the DT samples - at Uniko.

I'm really thrilled you came by my blog today, I hope to see your cards popping up in the challenge gallery. So mega thanks for your visit. And keep crafting!

CAS Colours & Sketches #183

A lovely fresh combo of colours at CAS Colours & Sketches this week all chosen by Stef, our hostess for this challenge.

I'm so loving the new Touches of Texture stamp set from SU and especially that flower i just couldn't resit using it again this week.

I die cut the stitched circle and stamped the flower using SU crushed curry and Memento teal zeal. I added the teal sprinkles and then popped the circle back into its space.

I cut the tip top taupe base card and was momentarily distracted and when I looked back the circle had slipped to one side of the aperture and I thought, why not? So that's where it stayed. One of those unexpected little bonuses that sometimes happen whilst crafting.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU, Touches of Texture; Uniko, Simply Said
Inks: SU, crushed curry; Memento, teal zeal, tuxedo black
Card: SU, tip top taupe
Die: MFT Die-namics, double stitched circles

Have you already looked to see how the rest of the CC&S DT have used the colours? Thought you might have - clever ladies aren't they?

Thanks for your time today, I love that you visited my blog.  And keep crafting!

The Male Room - #40 Colours

Today The Male Room has a new challenge for you and it's all about choosing colours.

Sounds really easy, yes? So off I went and made a card with two blue elephants and one red elephant walking along some washi tape. Challenge achieved! Or was it?

I started to wonder. Is the black washi a neutral? Well yes. Are the two shades of blue different colours? Well no. So the plus one more colour wasn't there.

The addition of two yellow enamel dots soon sorted that one out. But it seems this card is one for questioning. Should I have only used the dot on the elephant's ear? Should I have added a third dot somewhere - I like things in threes? Or do I just overthink things? Probably!!!! Definitely!!!! Anyway I left things alone, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, Petite Baby shower & sentiment from Pretty Petals Plus
Inks: SU, marina mist, night of navy, real red; Memento , tuxedo black
Washi from my stash

Go see how my fellow team mates have chosen and used this colour theme, no doubt without any angst, over at The Male Room. Then you go for it yourself and see what you come up with.

Thanks for looking today and maybe smiling at my ponderings.  And keep crafting!

Tuesday Talk

So the sun has been shining here in the UK - at last! So now my excuse to craft is that it's too hot to sit outside, some people are never satisfied.

Today I'm sharing a card I made for Inkspirational using their photo as inspiration.

 

What a fun and novel cake idea - love it! And those colours too! Well it really tickled my fancy and led to this card:

Wow! Those dainty detailed feather stamps - swoon.

Supplies:
Stamps: clearly Besotted, Tickle My Fancy
Ink:Memento, tuxedo black
Washi from my stash

Well that's all from me today, so pleased to have your company for a while, come back soon.  And keep crafting!

The Memory Nest - Make It Monday Challenge #65

How are you getting on with The Memory Nest's weekly challenges? This is week three's fabulous sketch and I'm happy to share my DT page with you as well today.

Three photos - and for once I kept with that - and some journalling plus the addition of some embellishments from Simple Stories Bloom & Grow collection.

At last we had a reasonable dry and warm day and I was able to get out the sand tray for Ed's first look. Such a sweet memory which led to my choice of the pretty I AM background paper.

I had fun building up this embellishment stack on top of the gingham checked paper.

And of course the essential journalling to explain the story behind the photos.

Supplies:
Paper: Simple Stories, I Am, Bloom & Grow
Embellishments: Simple Stories, Bloom & Grow - Bits & Pieces & enamel dots

So how will you use the sketch? Looking forward to finding out and visiting your blogs. Go check out the rest of the DT pages at The Memory Nest - they're sure to inspire you.

Thanks for looking today, your visit is much appreciated.  And keep crafting!

AAA Cards - Game #69 One Stash Favourite

The new challenge at AAA Cards starts today and we're wanting to see you feature one favourite  from your stash.

My choice was to use washi tape. I'm totally addicted to buying washi, use it all the time in my MAMBI planner, but never enough on cards. So this was rectified.

I started by applying three different washi tapes in strips on a piece of scrap card. Then I ran it through my Cuttelbug using the Happy Birthday die - cool effect! And so many colour options too - note to self, do this technique more often!

I then die cut a stitched square and inlaid it back into the card base to keep everything nice and flat and adhered the washi die cut on top.

Supplies:
Dies: Lil'inker, Happy Birthday; Lawn Fawn, large stitched square stackables
Washi from my stash

So what's going to be your stash favourite pick? Whatever it is remember to keep your card CAS with some yummy empty, non patterned 'white' space. And be sure to take a peek at both our wonderfully talented Guest Designer Ksenija from Sweet Kobylkin and the AAA Cards DT cards too!

I'm popping this card into the Happy Little Stampers die challenge.

Thanks for looking today, so pleased to have you visit.  And keep crafting!

Saturday Slot

Well how are you on this warm and pleasant day? Just a smidge of rain - enough to use as an excuse to hole up in my craft room - but mostly a dry and get out walking sort of day. And I did!

I'm sharing a card I made - during that bit of rain - using the colours from Color Throwdown and the theme from Less is More.

    

Such a gorgeous scrummy inspiration photo and colours which I hope you can see reflected in my card.

I brushed on some background colour first and then over stamped it with the repeating flower heads.

And as the colours did make me smile the sentiment was an obvious choice. Oh and did I mention I was showcased last week at Less is More? That made me smile too!

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Flower Power #5 & All Occasion Sentiments #6 
Inks: SU, melon mambo, rose red, peekaboo peach, wisteria wonder; Memento, tuxedo black

 
So pleased you had time to drop by today, thanks a bunch.  And keep crafting!