Thursday Thoughts

For me one of the best things about blogging in the Craft World is discovering new ideas and challenges by following other folks. And today I'm sharing a card for a challenge I found doing just that. So thanks go to Carol, one of the DT at Cupcake Inspiration Challenges, for showing me the way here.

Here's my card:

I started by stamping the hanging basket and adding in all the flowers, ferns and leaves and then placed a strip of washi tape across to give the illusion that the basket is actually hanging from something.

I added some extra bits of colour using promarkers and then finished off by stamping the sentiment.

Supplies:
Stamps: Reverse Confetti, Hanging Blooms
Inks: SU, smoky slate, wild wasabi; Memento, angel pink
Promarkers: baby pink, marsh green, cool grey 1
Washi fom my stash

I'm really thrilled that you came to look at my blog today, hope that maybe I've inspired you a little or maybe introduced you to a challenge that's slipped past your notice.  

And keep crafting! 

The Male Room #56 Use Wood

The Male Room has a new challenge starting today and we'd like to see some wood on your project.

I knew I had some left over bits of paper with wood designs on, so I searched them out and that's where I began.

The pieces weren't large enough to have the grain in the wood facing the same way, but I'm quite liking the way the two different directions look and consider this a happy unintentional outcome.

I've been hanging on to this wooden 'hugs' wood cut for some time and decided now was a good time to get it out there and onto a card. I simply added a stamped sentiment that matched and a trio of wooden hearts and called it done.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Simply Said II
Inks: SU, early espresso
Papers: Kaisercraft, Sea Breezes; Simple Stories, Bloom & Grow
Embellishments: Lawn Fawn, scripty hugs wood veneer; Becky higgins, PL wood veneer hearts

How will you interpret The Male Room's wood theme? Going to be lots of fun watching your creations pop up in the gallery. Need a bit more of a kick start? Well off you go then to check out the rest of tMR DT ideas - here.

I'm really pleased to have had you drop by today, thanks so much.  And keep crafting!

CAS Colours & Sketches - #214

This week at CAS Colours & Sketches there's a really simple and oh so usuable sketch for you to play with.

We are a CAS (clean and simple) challenge at CC&S so please bear that in mind when creating your card - but I'm thinking it's not hard to make something CAS with this sketch. Here's what I came up with:

I randomly stamped the sketchy butterflies in black and then turned the stamps over and added the colour. Great tchnique!

I die cut the butterfly panel into a stitched circle which I inlaid into the base card and finished off by adding a die cut word in a matching colour.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamplorations,Winged Things
Inks: SU, pool party, sweet sugarplum
Dies: Cutplorations, Amazing; MFT Die-namics, Inside/Out Stitched Circles

The rest of the CC&S DT have cards to inspire you - here - do go take a look. I'm looking forward to seeing your cards pop up in the CC&S gallery, go have fun with this sketch!

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

Uniko - A Favourite Watercolour Technique

Hello everyone! I'm here today sharing a little photo tutorial of my favourite way to use watercolours.  I keep saying it's my favourite technique with water colours so I thought it was about time I explained it in more detail just in case you'd like to give it a try yourself.

Here's the finished card:

1. Gather your supplies:

2. Add a splodge of ink from each of your colours onto an acrylic block. I've used three, but four also works well as you can put a splodge in each corner.

3. Spray the block with water. Try not to move the block now as at this stage you don't want the colours to mix. The next thing to do is to place some watercolour paper on top of the block, trying hard to get the block right in the middle of the card - a bit tricky as you can't actually see the block.
 

4. Now you can smooth all over the paper to get the colours to mix and then pick up the card and turn it over to discover the unique pattern you've created. Always a special moment!

5. The hardest bit - leave the watercolours to dry thoroughly. Then you can grab your stamps and experiment with their placing.

6. Once you're happy you've got the stamps where you want them, go ahead and ink them up and finish off your card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, I Love Tea
 
Inks: Adirondack, raspberry, pool, sailboat blue
Embellishments: sequins from my stash

I've got a bit more about how the stamping on this card was achieved over at the Uniko blog - here. Maybe you'll find time to pop over and check it out.

Thanks for your time today, I really hope you've enjoyed my post and will maybe give this technique a try. 

And keep crafting! 

The Memory Nest - Make It Monday #84

Here I am today with a really happy and tickly scrapbook page to share with you.  It's my DT sample using this wonderful new sketch from The Memory Nest.

Prepare to be giggly!! Hope it puts a smile on your face.

I chose a really bold red background paper, a Christmas paer from Stampin' Up and some matching left over bits from the Simple Stories Say Cheese collection.

And I have to say this use of a duster is so much more fun than it usually is!

Supplies:
Papers: SU, Candy Cane Lane; Bazzil Basics red cardstock; Simple Stories, Say Cheese
Alphas: AC thickers, Subway & Woodland; ep, Summer Days
Die: Xcut, spiro circles
Punch: Woodware, circle
Stickers: Simple Stories, I Am, Bloom & Grow, Say Cheese, Legacy
Embellishments: Simple Stories, Mistletoe Kisses enamel dots

Will you be joining in with The Memory Nest's new challenge? I certainly hope you will and remember you can use the sketch to create a card if scrapbooking is not really your thing. Do check out the rest of tMN DT projects - here - you'll find much to inspire you.

Mega thanks for looking at my blog today, hope you'll come back again soon.  And keep crafting!

Sunday Slot

I'm really enjoying having a bit of time to create cards just because I want to, rather than as part of my DT commitments and today I've a card for the Stamplorations March Theme & Sketch challenge.

    

Love the theme, but that sketch had me scratching my head for a while! Here's my card:

Quite a few layers and a bit out of my comfort zone, but I chose a bright Springlike colour scheme and just got on with it!

I used three different stitched dies and that gorgeous Stamplorations Helenium stamp inked up in a Kaleidacolor mix of hot pinks and purples.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamplorations, Helenium, Fond Expressions 2
Inks: Kaleidacolor, Berry Bliss
Dies: MFT Die-namics, stitched basic edges, double stitched rectangles, inside/out stitched circles 

I'm so pleased to have had your company on my blog today, huge thanks and please come back again soon. And in the meantime keep crafting!

Uniko March Revisit Blog Hop

How are you today? Well here's a little something from Uniko - the revisit fun stamp set that's sure to put a smile on your face.

And just for a change I went with a pink theme. Doesn't he look mega gorgeous in the hot pink?

I stamped and hand cut the rabbit and then made a die cut stripy pocket to insert him into. I'm thinking a message could be written on his back and a gift card in lieu of Easter eggs could also slot into the pocket.  Looks like I'll be making a blue batch then!

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Some Bunny 
Ink: Memento, tuxedo black
Die: MFT Die-namics, stitchd basic edges
Paper scrap 

And talking of blue, here he is looking very jaunty in a turquoise blue. This time I had a new baby in mind and thought it would appeal to a modern trendy couple I know.

The strip of washi tape down the side set my colours and I added the alphabet from Sweet Baby and a sentiment from All Occasion Sentiments #1.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Some Bunny + All Occasion Sentiments #1 & Sweet Baby
Inks: SU, marina mist
Die: MFT Die-namics, double stitched rectangles
Washi from my stash 

Of course I couldn't finish off without making a more traditional Easter card and so I picked sunny Spring colours - yes please to the sun - and stamped him onto gingham cardstock before hand cutting him to sit on my card.

A trio of Spring flowers for good measure and a simple sentiment completed my card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko, Some Bunny + Fun Flowers
Inks: SU, baked brown sugar
Promarker: mustard
Paper: gingham scrap

Now is a great time to go blog hopping with Uniko as Bev is offering one lucky comment leaver this prize - Some Bunny Clear Stamp Set & an eGift Certificate for £10 (or a eGift Cert to the same value if the winner owns the stamp set). So off you go get hopping and leaving some love!

Bev

Deborah

Jane that's me

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah G

Sarah P

Thanks for looking today, your visit has been most welcome.  And keep crafting!