Uniko - July Revisit Blog Hop

This month at Uniko we're revisiting Paradise Hummingbird. A brilliant choice as it mixes and matches so well with last month's tropical release.

For my first card I decided to try something completely new to me - an acetate card front.

I created my background rays and stamped the sentiment first, then stamped and hand cut the flower and the bird. The flower was attached to the card and the bird on the acetate. Loving the 3D look this gives.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Paradise Hummingbird
Inks: Memento, rose bud, tuxedo black; SU, cucumber crush; Ranger distress, peacock feather, cracked pistachio, blueprint sketch
Promarkers: ivoru, blossom
Stencil: Memory Box, Texture Shine
Embellishment: Papermania, iridescent gem

My second card uses just the flowers and is much more like my usual style - CAS!

I die cut the window panel first and then faintly marked on the base card where the windows would be. I stamped the flower in different orientations and shades of pinky purples - trying for a bit of an ombre effect. I then finished off each flower by adding a apatch of satin promarker at the base of the petals.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Paradise Hummingbird
Inks: SU, melon mambo, rose red, rich razzleberry, wild wasabi
Promarker: satin

I know you'd like to win this stamp set, so all you need to do is leave a comment on the DT blogs by midnight Sunday 17th July 2016 to be in with the chance of winning both the stamp set and a £5.00 gift certificate. How easy is that? Here's the bloghop order to help you on your way round:

Beverley

Jane - that's me

Lindsey

Nicki

Sarah P

Thanks for visiting my blog and good luck with the prize competition - hope it's you!

And keep crafting!

CAS Colours & Sketches #181

Here we are at the beginning of July with the first CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge for the month. These colours were chosen by Caro our hostess for this week's challenge. We're doing things a bit differently throughout July and August and taking it in turns to host one challenge each - gives everyone a bit of a break during the busy Summer holiday months.

And today's card uses my new totally swoonable Touches of Texture stamp set from Stampin Up. I'm thinking this one might just replace Gorgeous Grunge as my all time favourite.

I started with the stem, then the splattery flower head and finally the sprinkles - all from this new set.

And I chose the sentiment because..... well it says it all really!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU, Touches of Texture & Botanicals For You
Inks: SU, cucumber crush, soft suede, elegant eggplant

So off you go now and be totally inspired by the rest of the DT creations at CC&S. And did you know we also have a facebook page? It'd be great if you decided to follow us.

Thanks for your time and company today.  And keep crafting!

The Male Room - #39 Make Flowers Masculine

OK so here's a challenge - flowers on a male card. The Male Room really likes to keep everyone on their toes and searching out ideas and creativity!

So having scratched my head for a while I came up with this:

I think the two DT cards from the buttons challenge - here - that were jacket shaped inspired me and I remembered gents wear buttonholes with a wedding suit.

And although it wasn't planned - or maybe I should pretend it was totally intentional - I'm really loving the ribbed effect on this piece of black card I found hiding in my stash.

Supplies:
Paper: Lawn Fawn, Beachside
Punches: Martha Stewart

How are you feeling about using flowers on a male themed card? I'm hoping to find out when I see your cards popping up in The Male Room gallery - it will definitely be a very different sort of gallery to our normal won't it?

Huge thanks for visiting today, I'm always really pleased to have your company.  And keep crafting!

Tuesday Talk

Hi! Today I'm sharing a card I made for a couple of my favourite places to play. Less is More want 'the colours of your kitchen' and Inkspirational want red. And since my accent colour in my kitchen is red they're a brilliant match for me.

  

Here's my card:

And this card make me very happy - you see I can use it for one of the many males in my family. I've used Happy Little Stampers Mix Mash and had so much fun creating with all the circles and chevrons.

Supplies:
Stamps: HLS, Mix Mash & Bold Birthday Sentiments
Inks: SU, real red, smoky slate; Memento, tuxedo black

 Short and sweet today, I need to get this card entered before I go visiting. Thanks for dropping by and keep crafting!

Happy Little Stampers - July Christmas Challenge

This is my second post for today and it's one I'm really thrilled to be sharing as it's my first gig as a DT member at Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge. How amazingly cool is that!

And here's my debut card:

Every time I make a card using mirri card I tell myself never to do it again! And why is that? Yes you've probably guessed -  it's just so difficult to photograph without getting myself or my camera reflected in it.

The sentiment and the bacground splatters are both stamped and heat embossed in gold onto black cardstock. Both the quote layer and the golden square are die cut and then inlaid back innto the card to keep a smooth postal friendly surface - also because, as you know, I'm a bit hooked on inlaying dies.

Supplies:
Stamps: Kaisercraft, Magic of Christmas
Ink:Versamark
Embossing: Personal Impressions, mirror gold
Die: Lawn Fawn, large stitched square stackables
Mirri card from my stash

I'm hugely thankful for your visit today at the beginning of this new adventure for me - boy has it been tough keeping this one under wraps for the last few weeks! Do be sure to visit Happy Little Stampers and check out all the golden gorgeousness from the rest of the DT and then I'll look forward to seeing your own golden beauties.

And remember - keep crafting!

The Memory Nest - Make It Monday Challenge #63

Hello and welcome to my blog.  Today I'm sharing my DT page for The Memory Nest's Make It Monday Challenge.

Loving all those arrows on this sketch! So I started by adding some embossed arrows onto the background paper, then cut out all the arrows and placed them with the photos.

Having got my framework I then added a few word stickers, my journalling and some stars onto the page and stuck it all down.

The title came next and then finally the two borders down the left hand side - just felt it needed a little something to balance it all out nicely. And the road track and numbers seemed appropriate both for the bicycle and homemade TT bike.

Supplies:
Paper: ep, Times & Seasons Fancy Free
Alphas: Ali Edwards
Stickers: Simple Stories, Say Cheese & So Rad
Die: Technique Tuesday, That Arrow Card
Stencil: TCW, Mini Word Arrows
Embossing paste: Dreamweaver, white

And just in case you're wondering the TT motobike races are held on the Isle of Man every June and the whole island sort of shuts down and becomes totally obsessed with speed - and so do my older two grandsons who live there! Here's some pics from my archives:

Thanks for dropping by my blog today. I hope you've been inspired to play along at The Memory Nest - remember you can use the sketch for a card and for this month there is a prize to be won every week too.

And keep crafting!

AAA Cards - Game #68 Tags

Oh my, it's July and that means we're into the second half of the year already! And it also means it's time for a new challenge at AAA Cards.

And look at the colours I've used! Well that's a bit of a surprise and I love their hot summery feel.

I started by watercolouring a piece of card and die cutting the stitched tag shape. Then I die cut two outline leaf shapes and placed them over the opposite holes. Love how this brings the pink down and the orange up!

The tag was popped up on pads and a simple sentiment was stamped to finish off my card.

Supplies:
Stamp: Uniko, All Occasion Sentiments #6
Inks: Memento, tuxedo black; Ranger distress, spiced marmalade, picked raspberry, mustard seed
Dies: MFT Die-namics, stitched traditional tag stax; Marainne, leaves

And you know there's going to be loads of fabulous inspiration from the DT over at AAA Cards, but I'm really excited to have Hannelie from Desert Diva Guest Designing with us for this challenge. Her cards are always so crisp, clean and distinct, make sure you take a good look round her blog.

Thanks for your time, your visit to my blog is greatly appreciated.  And keep crafting!