Monday Moments

I've a little tag to share with you today and it uses the colours from the MFT Color Challenge.

Another of those super cute images I couldn't resist and that just jumped into my hands at The Stamp Magic Show in Doncaster.  Seems I'm a bit of a sucker for cute stamps that lend themselves so well to masculine cards!

A bit of stamping and colouring and masking and die cutting involved on this tag. I tried to make the knight look like he had a shadow and I quite like how he almost looks like he's been cut out and mounted onto pads. A technique and learning in progress for me though.

Supplies:
Stamps: MFT, Knight in Armor
Inks: Memento, tuxedo black, summer sky, bamboo leaves
Masking: Inkadinkadi, stamping masking paper
Dies: MFT Die-namics, stitched traditional tags
Pens: Copic, YG17, RV02, RV09, E00, E000, B12, B14; Promarkers, vanilla, oatmeal
Embellishment: Twine from my stash.

So pleased you had time to come visit my blog today, thanks so much.  And keep crafting!

AAA Cards Challenge #102 - Ink Blending

A new challenge starts at AAA Cards today and it calls for a super technique that I know many of you love and I like to dabble with myself too.

I decided to use some autumnal colours for my ink blending and a large daisy stamp. 

I stamped and heat embossed the daisies to one side of a piece of cardstock and then set about blending four different distress inks.

I finished off by tidying up the edge by placing a thin strip of black card over it.

Supplies:
Stamps: Woodware, Tatty Daisies
Inks: Versafine, clear; Ranger distress, mustard seed, mowed lawn, fired brick, cracked pistachio
Embossing: Ranger Superfine, black

There's loads more clever uses of ink blending to be found over at AAA Cards - HERE. Do go take a look at the amazing DT cards and the awesome inspiration from our Guest Designer Kaja - kajcyika-crafts.blogspot.co.uk

Huge thanks for looking today.  And keep crafting!

Saturday Slot

While I was at The Stamp Magic Show in Doncaster the other week I indulged in a little MFT stamps spending spree. Today I'm sharing the first card I made with my goodies. It uses the sketch from this week's MFT Challenge too.

Here's my card:

I couldn't resist this stamp set with its oh so cute lions and tigers and this card was a fun one to create. I decided to keep the colours quite muted as I'm planning on sending it out to a friend who's going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment. I'm hoping it will boost her confidence.

Supplies:
Stamps: MFT, Lions & Tigers
Ink: Mememnto, rich cocoa
Die: MFT Die-namics, double stitched rectangles
Pens: Copic, E00, E000, E55
Embellishments: Mei Flower gems 

Thanks so much for dropping by my blog today, it's always great to have you visit.  

And keep crafting!
 

Uniko DT Inspiration

Just popping in to let you know I'm up on the Uniko blog today with some ideas about using the new Wonky Stripes stencil. Check it all out HERE.

How about some little peeks to get you intrigued:

Thanks for visiting today. I hope to see you over at Uniko! And, of course, keep crafting!

Thursday Thoughts

Today I'm sharing a card I made for the CUTplorations October Challenge - cutting it a bit fine, but I've got there!

 

It was the colour graduation that really caught my eye and that's how I decided to go forward with my card.

So no house image on my card even though that was my first thought. Nope I went instead with a garden of flowers stamped and coloured to echo the colours from the inspiration image.

My main die cut element is the word 'gorgeous' which is cut several times to give it dimension and a little shadow effect. The colours were achieved by simply drawing lines with the fat end of my copic pens before using the die.

I also die cut a couple of lines of stitching to pick up on the stitched greeting from the inspiration photo.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamplorations, Blossom Sprays #2, Bold Sentiments Gorgeous
Inks: Mememnto, rich cocoa
Pens: copic, G24, G28, Y13, Y18, V12, V17, R22, R29
Die: CUTplorations, Gorgeous; Paper Smooches, Stitched 

Huge thanks for your visit to my blog today, I really appreciate you taking the time.  And keep crafting!

Wednesday Words

I'm scrapbooking again today and using the sketch from Stuck?!Sketches.

And here's my page:

Every once in a while I manage to snap one of those 'got to be scrapped' type of pics and to me this was definitely one of them.

I used stencils to ink up the plain cardstock picking up on two colours from the photo and then placed my photo stack on top.

I  added a paper strip and a sticker strip to the top of the background paper and a few more stickers to surround the photo stack and I was done. Quick, simple and letting the photo take centre stage - just how I really prefer my pages.

Supplies:
Papers: Bazzill Basics cardstock; Bella Bvld, Secrets of the Sea
Alphas: Bella Blvd, Secrets of the Sea
Stickers:  Bella Blvd, Secrets of the Sea
Inks: Ranger distress oxides, peacock feathers, spiced marmalade
Stencils: Uniko,  ScatteredPolka Dots; TCW, Mini Tiny Circles

So pleased you came and visited my blog today, I thank you for your time.  And keep crafting!

Tuesday Talk

Today I'm sharing a card i made for the Less is More Monster challenge.

Here it is:

The monster and sentiment are digi images from Digi Stamp Boutique and I also added the green strip digitally.   I coloured him in using copics and added some polka dots using a new Uniko stencil.

Supplies:
Stamps: Digi Stamp Boutique, Monster Boo
Inks: Ranger distress oxide, twisted citron
Pens: Copic, RV02, RV04, B00, B02, B04
Stencil: Uniko, Scattered Polka Dots

Well that's me done for today, thanks so much for dropping by.  And keep crafting!

Monday Moment

I've a pretty little card to share today - a complete indulgence for me - and it uses the theme and sketch from Stamplorations.

 

Can you guess how I indulged myself? Think you probably can!

Well yes of course my colour picks! And then also that it's so girly when I'm surrounded by boys in my family. Have to do something just for my own enjoyment every once in a while! And isn't the ballerina so adorably cute?

Supplies:
Stamps: CAS-UAL Fridays, Tutu & Truth Is
Inks: Memento, grape jelly, rose bud
Die: MFT Die-namics, double stitched rectangles

So fun to have you drop by my blog today, thanks so much.  And keep crafting!

Saturday Slot

Today I'm sharing a card I made for the Stamplorations CAS Card Challenge.

 

And I certainly embraced that orange twist!

I die cut a stitched window from some gorgeous pearlescent card and used a piece of scrap card to blend a ditress ink background to pop behind the window. I think my blending skills are beginning to improve - it's a work in progress - and I find if I can just go gently enough with the initial layer that seems to wet the card enough for subsequent layers to look quite smooth.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Organic Wishes
Inks: Versafine, onyx black; Ranger ditress, spiced marmalade, mustard seed
Die: MFT Die-namics, rectangle peek-a-boo window

Enormous thanks are flying out to you for spending some of your precious time looking at my blog today. Thanks so much!

And keep crafting! 

Friday Focus

I'm sharing a scrapbook page today and I've use the mood board from Challenge YOUrself to get my ideas sparking.

As you can see this was a very autumnal mood board, but my photo was taken while on holiday in the Algarve. It was Autumn there, but it felt more like a hot summer's day! I decided to go ahead and use this photo anyway, partly because the colour of the wall seemed to match, but mostly becuase I like the story that goes with it.

The story: two parts really. The first is that glazed eye look that always give away a selfie - well it does mine anyway! The second is a bit of a family joke that my husband struggles to frame photos and after several attempts to cach this shot we decided to go it alone.

I started the page by placing the photo and papers and faintly marked the space so that I could add the stencilled ink patterns to frame it all. Then I stamped and hand cut the flower and leaf embellishments and added some trios of nuvo drops.

The title  and journalling were the last parts to be completed.

Supplies:
Papers: AC, kraft cardstock; SU, patterned paper
Stamps: Uniko, Nature's Treasures II & Uniko Style
Inks: SU, peekaboo peach, calypso coral, cherry cobbler, mint macaron
Stencils: Memory Box, texture shine & texture meash
Alphas: AC, Dear Lizzy thickers; October Afternoon, mini market 
Embellishments: Nuvo Drops, English mustard 

Thanks so much for spending some time looking at my blog today, I really appreciate it.  And keep crafting! 

Thursday Thoughts

Today I'm joining in with the one layer challenge at Less is More where the theme is STARS.

I'm using the very cute MFT space explorer astronaut as he's holding on to three star balloons.

I started by stamping and masking off the astronaut. Then I placed a circular stencil over him and inked up the space with distress oxide inks. A few drips of water and the white patches appeared.

I coloured him and his balloons using copics and gel pens. I then went round the edges of the images with a wet paint brush and blotted the water off to give a sort of celestial glow - worked really nicely round the stars.

Supplies:
Stamps: MFT, Space Explorer
Inks: Ranger distress oxide, salty ocean, wilted violet; Memento, tuxedo black 
Pens: Copic, W3, N1, E000, R20, B00, B02, B04, V12, V15, V17; Sakura gelly roll, silver & white

Thanks so much for your visit today, it's been fabulous having you here.  And keep crafting!

Wednesday Words

I'm getting back on track after my holiday away in sunny blue skied Portugal and have found a little time to create a card for the Stamplorations new Tagplorations Challenge.

I love everything about creating on a small space and I often completely ignore my preferred CAS style and let it fly out of the window when things are scaled down. But I'm thinking this tag is not too over the top and still has a little empty white space. Be interested to hear your opinions.

It does have the optional twist colours of red and orange and Autumn is the time of year here in the UK when we say thanks for the harvest so I'm hoping it fits the theme ok. I guess I just really wanted to use this new to me beautiful flower stamp.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamplorations, #Blossom Sparays #2, Fond Expressions 2
Inks: Memento, tuxedo black
Pens: Copics, E000, Y13, Y18, R22, R24, E55, E57; Promarkers, oatmeal, mustard
Die: MFT Die-namics, Stitched Traditional Tags
Embellishments: MME Now & Then enamel dots

I'm really thankful for your visit today, I know and appreciate that your time is valuable. So use it wisely and keep crafting!

Uniko - October New Release Reveal & Blog Hop

YAY!!! It's finally Uniko's October release day!!!

And here they all are ready and waiting for your orders:

 

 

  

And of course I have some samples using these fabulous new sets to share with you today.



I'm so loving the look of black and white on kraft cardstock that I got carried away and made a matching card and tag set.

The card features three raised elements - Santa, star and tree - created by stamping onto scrap card and hand cutting before popping up onto pads. I've also highlighted and coloured some of the letters and elements using a white pencil - have I said I'm totally in love with this look? Mmm, thought so!

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Block Party Christmas
Ink: Mememnto, tuxedo black
Die: Lil'inker, stichd mats rectangles
Colour: Prismacolor, white

The tag also features a hand cut Santa, this time heat embossed and very shiny. He's sitting on top of a die cut wreath and the addition of some sparkly gems to finish it all off a treat.

Supplies:
Stamps:Uniko, Background Blocks Wonky Stripes, Festive Sentiments, Block Party Christmas
Inks:  Versamark + Ranger Superfine black & white embossing powder
Dies: MFT Die-namics, basic stitched tags; Xcut Spiro circles
Card: AC, kraft cardstock
Embellishments: Prismacolor pencil, white; Bling Bling, gems 

 My next card uses those beautiful falling snowflakes and gave me an excuse to get very messy with brushos in some of my favourite colours.
 

I heat embossed the snowflakes in white and then added the brusho powders - stunning magic happened with a little added water! I then framed the whole thing, added a sentiment and matted it onto purple card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Background Blocks Falling Snow, Festive Sentiments
Inks: Versamark + WOW! Sparkling Snow embossing powder; Memento, grape jelly; Brusho, ultra marine, turquoise, violet
Die: Lawn Fawn, stiched rectangle frames 

My final card for this release uses the oh so pretty and whimsical Organic Wishes.  

I started by randomly stamping and heat embossing just about all of the different seed heads from this set. I then applied distress ink over the top using some lovely bright colours. I die cut this panel and matted it onto black cardstock and stamped a sentiment onto a stitched rectangle. I think I'm in love with the dramatic and vibrant look of this card.

As they say in theatrical circles 'that's a wrap'. I hope I've given you food for thought and helped you to make up your mind about which stamps sets are the ones winging their way into your basket - probably all of them, how can you possibly resist?

And just to add to your decisions here are a few extra bonus products included in this release.

Two die sets:

 

And two stencils:

  

Now I just need to leave you with the blog hop order so that you can soak up the inspiration from all the Uniko DT. And as usual there will be a giveaway, check out all the details HERE.

Bev
Carol

Deborah 
Izzy

Jane - that's me

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah P

Thanks for looking today. And keep crafting!