Stunning Sunflower

This birthday card is for my friend Kangaruth.  It will be a scheduled post, so she doesn't see it before her birthday.  I've known Ruth for many years, when she first became my teaching assistant.  Our class was called 'Sunflower Class',  so we often use sunflowers when we are crafting.

I've used my favourite sunflower die by Cheery Lynn.  I punched the leaf and added the veins be hand with an embossing tool.  The frame was created using two of the Lil' Inker Dual Stitched Squares.  The embossing folder is Spellbinders, 'Dainty Dots'.  I love this embossing folder as the design is so delicate.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge #208 - Anything Goes
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 200 ~ Used yellow and green snippets

Glitter and Gems

The theme for the Lavinia Stamps Challenge this month is 'Glitter and Gems'.

The base case was die cut with a Presscut 'Scallop Semi Circle' die, using white linen card.  I used black glitter card with a Lavinia Celtic Dream die, 'Alura' and cut an 11cm white linen card circle to put behind the die cut. I added a tiny red butterfly to the fairy's hand and tiny black gems all the way round the scalloped edge.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Lavinia Stamps Challenge # 10 ~ Glitter and Gems

October Rudolph Days

It's that time of the month when the Rudolph Days challenge is open.  You have from 25th until the end of each month to enter the challenge.

My card this time is using a set of Card-io stamps, 'Christmas Scenery 3'.  

I saw this set of stamps being demonstrated recently, using a technique with a  dry baby wipe and your finger to apply ink and it works really well to make snow drifts.  The images were all stamped with an 'Onyx' Versafine ink pad.  The falling snow is Stampendous 'Chunky White Embossing Enamel'. I love the effect of the enamel as it gives a lovely texture, but it is so hard to melt it exactly where you want it as it moves around easily, so I need lots more practise using this product!!  I added some Glamour Dust along the edges of the snowdrifts to give them some sparkle.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
October Rudolph Days Challenge ~ Make a Christmas card
Lisa B Designs Monthly Challenge ~ Stamped Christmas Scenes

LIM Sketch

The Less is More Challenge this week is a sketch.  I decided to go with a square card to get the width I needed.

This turned out to be the quickest card I think I've ever made!   I stamped the sentiment, using a Butterfly Kisses stamp, straight onto the card blank with an 'Onyx' Versafine ink pad.  I attached a Memory Box 'Party Music' die cut from a snippet of black card.... and it was done!  

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Outside the Box - Memory Box Challenge #5 ~ Black and White

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 200 ~ Use Snippets 

Less is More - Week 247 ~ Sketch

New Arrival

Friends of ours heard yesterday that they have been made grandparents for the first time, so a card was needed to mark this special occasion.

The image is 'Baby Blanket' by Lili of the Valley.  It was stamped with a Memento ink pad and coloured with Promarkers.  I used a Stitched Circle and Stitched Square Memory Box dies for matting and layering. The embossing folder I used is 'Babies Feet' by Crafts Too. It wasn't long enough to emboss the whole of my card, so attached a piece of matching ribbon over the edge of the embossing and left the bottom part plain.  The sentiment is attached using foam tape to add some dimension.  Small white pearls finished off my card.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Country View October Challenge #32 ~ ADD some texture

 Crafty Boots Pink Challenge (Oops! Missed the deadline!)
Alphabet Challenge ~ R is for Ribbon

Halloween Treat Boxes

I'm thinking of putting a sign outside our house 'Enter At Your Own Risk.  It's not a healthy place to be!'  This cold bug has knocked me sideways and I still can't shift it.  DH caught it a couple of days ago and on top of that has somehow caught a sickness bug.  Creativity flew out of the window as the cold bug arrived, so I decided to try and tempt it back yesterday by making some Halloween treat boxes. 

 I used a Sizzix pillow box die and embossed the box shape with a Cuttlebug 'Happy Hauntings' embossing folder, the folder comes as part of a set of four.  The ghost is an old yellow Sizzix die, which I cut out using snippets of white card, before attaching to a black scalloped die cut.  The boxes are filled with milk chocolate eyeballs.

This photo shows the back of the pillow boxes.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 200 ~ Use Snippets (waiting for the gates to open again in the morning)

Country View October Challenge #32 ~ ADD some texture

Cuttlebug Mania ~ Black and Orange
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ~ Monster Mash

Hanging Heart

After suffering from a heavy cold and sore throat since the weekend, with no motivation to do any crafting, it was lovely to be taught how to make a hanging heart yesterday.  Marie came round to my house to teach of group of my friends how to turn wire, buttons and a few embellishments into a lovely decoration.  Here is my effort.

Sympathy Card

A sympathy card to share today, using the lovely Memory Box  'Kensington Border' butterfly die again.  The die cut looks so different changing the colour scheme from black and white, which I used last time, to pink and white.  

I kept the design quite simple, just adding a layered sentiment using two of Spellbinder Nestabilities dies.  I cut a scalloped edge on the butterfly die cut to match the sentiment, before attaching it to the card blank.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 199 ~ Used pink snippets
Crafty Boots Pink Challenge

Autumn

Welcome to my new follower, Alison C of 'Cranberry and Eggplant or where did that inky smudge come from...?' . Thank you for following my blog.

Another Autumn card, this time using the beautiful Lavinia stamp, 'Autumn Fall'.

I masked off the diamond stencil, just using half of the pattern and used an Ink Duster to apply  'Scattered Straw' Distress Ink.  The image and sentiment were stamped with Versafine 'Vintage Sepia'. I decided to add the 'HELLO' sentiment so the card can be sent for any occasion.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More - Week 245 ~ One Layer - Autumn

Stamping Sensations October challenge ~ Colours of Autumn
Allsorts Challenge -Week 332 ~ No design papers
Penny Black and More October challenge ~ Warm Autumn Colours

Autumn is Here!

I haven't done much stamping recently, so when I saw that the Less is More Challenge this week is a One Layer card with the theme of Autumn, an old Magnolia stamp came to mind.

The stamp is called 'Magnolia Standing Fall Tilda', which seemed appropriate.  It was stamped with a Memento inkpad and coloured with Promarkers.  The sentiment stamp is from a Sizzix set and stamped with Versafine 'Vintage Sepia'.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More - Week 245 ~ One Layer - Autumn

Butterfly Border

This is the second black and white card I've made this weekend.

The beautiful Memory Box 'Kensington Border' butterfly die is a new die my lovely DH gave me on our wedding anniversary last month.  It had been on my wishlist for ages.  Flowers are lovely to get as an anniversary gift, but he knows how much I love dies!  I used a Couture Creations 'Fireflies' embossing folder for the left side.  Tiny white pearls were added to a couple of the flowers on the border die cut and black pearls added randomly on the embossed side.  

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Outside the Box - Memory Box Challenge #5 ~ Black and White

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 198 ~ Used black snippets

Butterfly Challenge #40 ~ Butterflies + E is for Embossing

Country View October Challenge #32 ~ ADD some texture
Allsorts Challenge -Week 332 ~ No design papers

Black and White

The Memory Box Challenge this month is 'Black and White'. 

The two Memory Box dies I used for my card are 'Lucienne Tile' and 'Fuschia Sprig'.  I added four tiny black pearls to the panel and two to the tips of the fuschia stamens.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Outside the Box - Memory Box Challenge #5 ~ Black and White

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 198 ~ Used black snippets
Allsorts Challenge -Week 332 ~ No design papers

Double, double, toil and trouble..... fire burn and cauldron bubble!

I don't usually make Halloween cards, but made this one today for a couple of challenges.

The background was made using two ink pads,  Adirondack 'Purple Twilight' and 'Black Soot' Distress Ink.  The ink was applied with Ink Dusters, using a mask for the hills and moon.  All the stamps are by Lavinia and stamped with a Versafine 'Onyx' ink pad.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog ~ Halloween or make a card for October

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge ~ People
Crafty Calendar Challenge ~ Halloween

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #165 - Photo Inspiration

Emerald and Amethyst

What a busy week, no time to even pick up a roll of double-sided tape!  So many blogs to catch up with too.  The Less is More Challenge this week is 'Jewel Colours' and the Butterfly Challenge is 'Butterflies + E for Embossing'.  I decided to make a card to be able to enter both of these challenges and as I used snippet of green (Emerald) and purple (Amethyst), I'll be able to share my card over in the Playground.  The Country View Challenge is 'Add Some Texture' so I'll be entering that challenge too.

The corner die is one of the Memory Box 'Baptista Collage' dies which I cut out with white card. I used the die again on green and purple snippets and used a few pieces of the waste to randomly put back in the tiny hexagonal apertures.  The butterfly is a Stampin' Up punch, layered up in two colours, with the top layer embossed with a Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder and finished off with tiny purple pearls.  White pearls were used for the flight path of the butterfly.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More - Week #244 Colour ~ Jewel Colours

Butterfly Challenge #40 ~ Butterflies + E is for Embossing

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 197 ~ Use Snippets

Country View October Challenge #32 ~ ADD some texture

A Little Crazy Bird

I was lucky enough to win a set of Crazy Birds stamps, dies and accessories stamps over on Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge.  This is the stepper card I made for Di to thank her for her very generous prize.  I felt like Christmas had come early when it popped through my door last week!  I was unexpectedly asked to work three days this week as a supply teacher, so Wednesday evening was the first time I had a chance to play with the stamps and dies.

As I used some white snippets for my card, I'll be sharing this card over in the Playground when I know it's arrived at its destination.

Row of Poppies

The Less is More Challenge this week is 'Something Shiny'. 

 I used a snippet of red holographic card  with a Memory Box 'Row of Poppies' die and a Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' die to cut the bottom panel.  The sentiment was stamped with Versafine 'Satin Red'.  I finished off the card with three punched circles using the red holographic card.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More - Week 243 - Recipe ~ Something Shiny

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 196 ~ Use snippets