Mini Car

Welcome to my new follower, Andrea of KandA Creative Moments.

The Male Room challenge is a Theme challenge, 'School Colours'.   I decided to use my university colours of red, black and white to make a masculine card.  At the age of 37 I decided to have a career change and went to university to follow my dream of becoming a teacher.  Four years later, after juggling studying with raising a family, I was qualified and worked in a local Infant school until I retired.  

The Mini is a Tattered Lace die cut.  I used a MB 'Stitched Country Border' die for the red background.  Sizzix 'Stitched Oval' and 'Stitched Rectangle' dies were used for matting and layering.  Three black Card Candi finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenge.

The Male Room Challenge #68 ~ Theme - School Colours 

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

A Black Cat for Good Luck!

Edited: 
After reading Carol's comment, I found this on Google: 
Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most well-known and popular superstitions today. It is interesting, though, because the good or bad luck they possess is dependent on where you live in the world. In Britain and Japan, having a black cat cross your path, is considered good luck, whereas if you live in the USA or several European countries, it is bad luck to have a black cat walk by.  

I’ve learnt something new today!

The Poppystamps challenge this month is 'Beyond Borders', to include a die cut, stamped or punched border, as well as using a Poppystamp image.  I decided to use one of my border punches and incorporate it into a little scene for a Good Luck card.

The border punch is by "Make Me!".  I bought it years ago and have never seen it anywhere since then, so it may have been discontinued long ago. I used the punch with brown card, backing the paw prints with black paper before attaching to a rectangle of mottled blue and white card.  The dies I used are Poppystamps 'Picket Fence', 'Antique Lamp Post' and 'Large Walking Cat', Memory Box 'Puffy clouds' and Die-namics 'Fresh Cut Grass'.  I wanted to add a little extra colour, so I added three little pink punched flowers with tiny pearls for the centres.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Poppystamps Challenge #35 ~ Beyond Borders
HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #332 ~ Sequins, Gems, or Pearls

Gentle Swan

My DH is happily resting this afternoon after completing the Severn Bridge half marathon this morning, so I've crept up to my craft room to play with my new Distress Oxide inks. (Yes....they DO close the bridge to traffic while the runners are running across!)

I made a frame from white linen card using MB 'Stitched Rectangle' dies.  The swan is a MB die, 'Gentle Swan' and I used black and orange ultra fine Sharpie pens to add some detail.   I used three colours of  DO inks, Salty Ocean, Lucky Clover and Faded Jeans for the inked panels.  On the piece inside the frame, I spritzed a Creative Expressions mask, 'Droplets' with water, before laying over the inked card.  For the inked panel at the bottom, I lightly spritzed water directly onto the inked card before die cutting a scalloped edge with one of the MB 'Stitched Country Border' dies. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Memory Box Challenge #27 ~ Go with the Flow - Water Theme 

Country View August Challenge ~ Blues and Greens

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
The Crazy Challenge # 255 ~ Inking is fun
Bizzy Becs August Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Christmas in August

The Rudolph Days Challenge is here again, a challenge which runs between the 25th and the end of each month.  This was an easy design for batch making and I made 36 in total, so I'm back on track with my Christmas cards for 2017.

The matt silver frame was die cut with a die from eBay using freebie silver card, layered on a blue rectangle and attached to a card blank. I used one of MB 'Twilight Snowflakes' dies with lots of white snippets to die cut three snowflakes for each card.  The sentiment is computer generated, die cut using the large rectangle part of the frame die and inlaid into the silver frame. 

Half of my cards were same design, but using a pale blue card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Rudolph Days August Challenge

HLS August Christmas Challenge ~ Anything Goes (Without the Optional Twist)

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

CHNC challenge 347 (Without the Option Twist)

CHNC challenge extra for August 2017

Hedgehog

I had a lovely day out today with my crafty friend, Ruth.  We drove to a fabulous little craft shop in Warwickshire, about a 90 minute drive away.  After my experiment with Distress Oxides inks this weekend, I bought a few more colours, as well as some other crafty bits and pieces.  On the way home we visited a newly opened craft store and had a quick visit to the craft section of The Range, before an evening meal in a local pub.  A perfect day! 

A card today for a crafty blogging friend, which I know has arrived at its destination. 

I used an Embossalicious, 'Floral Frenzy' embossing folder with cream card, layered it on brown card, before attaching to a cream card base. The hedgehog die is one I bought on eBay and the circles are from the MB 'Stitched Circles' and SB 'Petite Scalloped Circles' sets.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge - Week 429 ~ Forest Friends
That's Crafty Challenge ~ Only Cards
HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Die R Us Challenge #79 - Anything Goes Using Dies

Playing with Distress Oxides for the first time!

Those crafty friends who know me well know that I'm a CAS crafter, mainly die cutting, stamping and dry embossing. However, after seeing all the amazing results of the Distress Oxides Inks on other blogs, I decided it was time to go way out of my comfort zone and get inky.  First I watched a couple of YouTube videos to see what I could do with the Distress Oxides.  After playing with them, some attempts being better than others, I made two cards with a couple of the different patterns.

For the background I used 'Salty Ocean' and 'Lucky Clover' and used a blending tool to cover a white piece of card randomly.  I then used a heat gun to make sure the ink was dry.  Next I sprayed a Creative Expressions 'Distress Dots' stencil with water, then laid the stencil down over the inked card, and smoothed a piece of kitchen roll over the top of soak up any excess water.  Finally I dried the card with the heat gun again.  The fairy is an unbranded die which I used with a snippet of black card.  I used the die again with a snippet of red card to add a red heart over the black one.

I used the same colours for the second card, adding the ink with the blending tool again.  This time I sprayed water on the card from a distance to get a fine spray.  I used another unbranded fairy die to make this card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Country View August Challenge ~ Blues and Greens

Pixie's Snippets Playground -Week 295 and 296 ~ Use Snippets

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

That's Crafty Challenge ~ Only Cards

Dies R Us Challenge #79 ~ Anything Goes Using Dies

You Whooo!

A card today using one of my favourite owl stamps.

The owl is part of a set of Woodware stamps.  I haven't seen set around anywhere for a while, so sadly it may have been discontinued. I stamped the image with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured it with Promarkers.  The wings are a separate stamp which I stamped, ,coloured, cut out and raised up on foam pads.  The  sentiment is part of the set of stamps and stamped in Versafine ' Onyx Black'.  I used an Embossalicious  'Delicate Floral' embossing folder for the background and added a few Woodware punched leaves.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 429 ~ Forest Friends

Country View August Challenge ~ Blues and Greens
That's Crafty Challenge ~ Only Cards

Stamping Sensations August Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Penny Black and More August Challenge ~ All creatures great and small

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 375 ~ You Don't Bring Me Flowers (No Flowers)

Scarecrow

A 70th birthday card for a friend we've known for over 30 years.   He is a keen gardener and has his own allotment, so I wanted to make a card with a gardening theme.

 

I bought this pre-loved Art Impressions stamp on eBay at least eight or nine years ago for 99p including P & P.  It was at the time when I'd just discovered eBay and it was one of those bargains which seemed too good to miss!  I put in the minimum bid and no-one else wanted it, so it was added to my collection of wood mounted stamps.  However, this is the first time I've used it!  The image is stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured with Promarkers.  The embossing folder I used is Cuttlebug 'Numbers Collage'.  I used MB 'Stitched Oval' dies and Creative Expressions 'Stitched Flags' dies for matting and layering.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 428 ~ Name and/or number

Stamping Sensations August Challenge ~ Anything Goes

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 375 ~ You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Penny Black and More August Challenge ~ All Creatures Great and Small (I hope the two little birds count)

Moving Along with the Times Challenge #52 ~ Things beginning with 'B' (birds)

Dragonflies and Butterflies

A birthday card today, which I hope has arrived at its destination, although you never know with the UK post. I'm still waiting for a handmade anniversary card which was sent almost two years ago and it only had to travel about 5 miles! LOL!

I started by covering the front of a 7" x 5" card blank with silver pearlised card.  The embossing folder is by Craft Concepts, 'Dragonfly'. As the folder was only 5" x 4", I decided to use four pieces of embossed card and arrange the pieces leaving a space between each one.  The dragonfly is a Spellbinders die, 'Dreamy Dragonfly', which comes in two parts and used snippets of pearlised blue and silver card.  The circles are MB 'Stitched Circle' dies and I used a die from The Works for the stitched rectangle.

I am joining in the following challenges with my dragonfly card:

Cards in Envy Bug Me! (Insects & Bugs) Card Challenge!

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 375 ~ You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Dies R Us Challenge #79 ~ Anything Goes with Dies

Dragonfly Dreams August Challenge ~ Animals

Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge # 87 ~ Embossing/ wet and or dry

When I was writing this post earlier today, I thought it would have been perfect for the current Butterfly Challenge, which is to use the colour Wedgewood Blue, if I had used a butterfly rather than a dragonfly.  So, I decided to make another similar card, but with a butterfly.

I didn't have any of the blue pearlised card left from the previous card, but found a few snippets of a slightly paler blue pearlised card.  The colour is probably closer to Wedgewood Blue anyway.  I don't know the name or make of the embossing folder as there are no marking on it.  I made a Get Well card this time, to go into my box of ready-made cards.

I am joining in the following challenges with the butterfly card:

Butterfly Challenge #84 ~ Butterflies + Y is for You Choose and/or Wedgewood Blue

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Skateboarding

The Less is More Challenge this week is the dreaded One Layer with the theme of 'Vehicle'.  The dictionary definition of a vehicle is 'a thing used for transporting people or goods', so I hope my skateboard counts.

The stamp is a Woodware Francoise Read, 'Skateboard Dude' stamp and the sentiment is a stamp by Funstamps.  Both these stamps are wood mounted and as I now a have a Tim Holtz Stamping Platform I wish I had the courage to remove the stamps from the wood, but I know if I mess it up I can't replace the stamps.  The image is stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured with Promarkers.  The sentiment is stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Less is More Challenge #341 ~ OLC Vehicle

Stamping Sensations August Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Addicted to CAS Challenge #117 ~ One Layer Card

I Love Promarkers Challenge #340 ~ One for the Boys

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ For a Child

Patchwork

I was delighted to be asked to be a Guest Designer again in Pixie's Snippets Playground.  I'm sure I'll never run out of snippets, but I usually forget to use some of my growing pile of patterned paper snippets.  This is the second patchwork die I'm lucky enough to own, given to me by and crafty friend, and I love how placing the papers in a different place makes a totally different pattern.

The die is a Die-namics 'Diagonal Quilt Square Cover-Up' die.  I used two punches to make the flower. The patterned paper and red card were all cut from snippets. When I was making the card, I was reminded of the time many, many years go when I went to patchwork classes, stitching the blocks by hand.  There are so many fabulous patchwork designs, I thought I'd try to make a notelet, with a simple patchwork block design, using just snippets, a guillotine, scissors, a pencil and a ruler.  

I started with snippet of card 4" square and I drew a pencil line across the middle vertically and horizontally.  This can be any colour as it's covered up.  The red and floral patterned papers were cut into 1" x 2" strips.  Then I cut off the corners, as shown in red on the diagram to get the shape I needed for the red patterned paper.

  For the floral patterned paper I needed to reverse the corners I cut off, like this. 

The cross in the middle of the 4" square made it easy to line up the pieces of patterned paper.  I found it easiest to cut the blue squares and triangles slightly bigger than I needed, then trim any excess off after they had been stuck down in the spaces left.  When the patchwork was complete, I layered it on a piece of yellow card slightly bigger than the 4" square and attached to a 5" square card blank. 

I am joining in the following challenges with the first card:
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper August 2017 Challenge
HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Cheers!

A masculine card today, for my niece's husband.

The silver mirror card Sweet Dixie 'Beer Tankard' die cut was mounted on a Poppystamps 'Stitched Main Street Tag'.  I added a brad to the top of the tag.  The black and white backing papers are by Anna Marie Designs.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 293 and 294 ~ Use Snippets (Tankard and Tag)
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper August 2017 challenge

HLS August Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ~ Happy Birthday

Mr Tumble

Welcome to my new follower Nancy Boyd of Kandy Krazee.  

I made this card for a 'nearly three year old' little boy who has just become a big brother.  He loves Mr Tumble, the TV character, and carries a Mr Tumble soft toy everywhere.  I found a copyright free outline drawing of Mr Tumble online and coloured him in with Promarkers, making sure I used all the correct colours! 

I used MB 'Stitched Ovals and Rectangles' for matting and layering the image and sentiment and added three punched stars to one of the die cuts.  The embossing folder 'Sparkle Squares' by Creative Expressions.

  I am joining in the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers Challenge #340 ~ One for the Boys

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ~ For a Child

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #490 ~ Embossing!
Paper Creator Crafts Challenge #60 ~ Something for the Kids

Be a Pineapple!

When I saw that LIM Challenge this week is 'Tropic Fruits', my mind drew a blank.  I knew I didn't own and fruit dies, stamps or embossing folders, except for one apple embossing folder....and apples are hardly tropical!  Then I remembered some tropical papers I used when I was on the Readers' DT for the QCME magazine a couple of months ago and I put the pieces I didn't use in my box of patterned paper snippets.  

I used Memory Box 'Stitched Oval' dies to die cut the image and the white mat.  To find a suitable sentiment, I googled 'Tropical Fruit Quotes' and found the perfect sentiment, which I designed and printed in colours to match the patterned paper.  After finishing my card, I re-read the challenge details and remembered that the challenge was to use tropical fruit 'colours'! Hey-ho, at least I've used up a little of my tropical fruit papers, which at least are the right colours.

I am joining in the following challenges.

Less is More Challenge #340 ~ Colour -Tropical Fruits
Dies R Us Challenge #78 ~ Summertime Fun
CAS on Friday Challenge #113 ~ Exotic
Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #329 ~ Bye-Bye Summer 
AAA CAS Game #96 ~ Summer Fun

Filigree Swallow

A quick card today using a die and embossing folder I was given by a crafty friend.

The die and embossing folder are both by xCut, 'Filigree Swallow' and 'Swallow Pattern'.  I used a Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' die to cut the blue border at the bottom. I finished off the card by adding a tiny, black pearl for the swallow's eye.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Moving Along With The Times - Challenge #51 ~ Things the Fly

Sunny Day Crafting Challenge #46 ~ E is for Emboss

White Poppies

 A second card this week using the Memory Box 'Row of Poppies' die, this time on a White on White card.

For the background I used two Sue Wilson dies from the 'Stitched Lattice Frames' set and one of the 'Double Pierced Oval' dies.  I die cut the poppies and attached to a piece of white card, before die cutting the oval.  The sentiment is grey as it's less stark than using black against the white.  The sentiment is die cut with a stitched rectangle die from The Works. 

I am joining in the following challenges: 
Little Red Wagon Challenge #405 - Favourite Products (Any stitched/cross stitched dies)
Sparkles Monthly Challenge #94 - Thinking of You or A Sympathy Card

Allsorts Challenge Week 426 ~ Photo Inspiration (I took the poppies as my inspiration)

Framed Poppies

Another rainy summer's day today - perfect for spending in my craftroom!  It's not often I join in a sketch challenge, but I when I saw the sketch for the Die Cuttin' Diva's Challenge, I had a set of die in mind to use.  I'm hoping the stitched dies count as 'piercing' for the Less if More Challenge too.

I made the frame using two (almost) semi-circle cross stitched dies.  The flowers are Memory Box 'Row of Poppies' which I die cut twice from snippets of red and green card.  I snipped off the red flower heads and stuck them over the green die cut.  The two tiny circles are the waste from a previous die cut I used.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Less is More Challenge #339 ~ Pierce Your Project
Little Red Wagon Challenge #405 - Favourite Products (Any stitched/cross stitched dies)

Die Cuttin' Diva's Challenge #328 ~ August Sketch

Allsorts Challenge Week 426 ~ Photo Inspiration

 

Poppies

A sympathy card today to add to my box of ready made cards.  

This poppy stamp is a favourite of mine by Hero Arts. 'Delicate Blossoms'.  The image is stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo  Black' and coloured with Promarkers, before layering on a green mat.  The die I used is Die-namics, 'Peek-a-boo' Dots' which I used with a piece of white card the same size as the white card blank.  After attaching the white card to the card blank,  I used the die again with snippets of green and red card and used the waste to randomly put in some of the holes.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations July Challenge  ~ Anything with Flowers
Sweet Stampin' Challenge ~ Sympathy or Thinking of You
Sparkles Monthly Challenge #94 ~ Thinking of You or A Sympathy Card

Allsorts Challenge Week 426 - Photo Inspiration