Fuchsia

A card today with a few challenges in mind.  

The inked background was made with Distress Oxides, 'Spiced Marmalade' and 'Peacock Feathers' sponged on randomly.  I sprayed an Imagination template with water and laid it over the inked background, soaking up the excess water with a piece of kitchen roll.  The 'Happy Birthday' is an Impression Obsession 'Happy Birthday Word Die Set' die cut, using a piece of the inked card.  I made a frame using one of the Sue Wilson 'Double Pierced Rectangles'.  The fuchsia is a MB die cut. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

That's Crafty Forever Floral Challenge

CAS on Friday #119 ~ Flowers 

Daring Cardmakers Challenge ~ Blended Backgrounds

AAA Cards CAS Game #102 ~ Ink Blending

Sunflowers and Penguins

A card today for a my crafty friend, Ruth (KangaRuth) who I used to work with when I was a Reception teacher.  Our class was called 'Sunflower' so I often make her cards with sunflowers on.   Having recently found her crafty mojo, I'm sure she would appreciate a visit to her blog. 

I used a Sizzix set of dies called 'Card, Circle Flip-Its #2".  Unfortunately, when I went to use the die set, the die that cuts out the left hand patterned paper was missing!  I was so annoyed with myself, as I must have accidentally thrown it away with some scraps of paper some time ago. So I used the right hand die, trimmed it to size and cut out the semicircle by hand, trying to cut it in the right place. The patterned paper is from an old Papermania paper pad and the sentiment stamp was a freebie with a magazine.  The flowers are all made with punches.  

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

That's Crafty Forever Floral Challenge

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge # 59 Favourite Flower and Why!

My second card is a quick and easy card, perfect for batch making.  It's just a small card, measuring 4" x 4".  

The pre-coloured image is from the 'Simply for Christmas' set by Digi Stamp Boutique.  I die cut the image and purple mat using MB 'Stitched Circles'.  The embossed background was a piece left over from a previous card, which was embossed with a Creative Expressions 'Snowflake Lattice' e/f.  

I am joining in the following challenges:
Digi Stamp Boutique October Challenge
Allsorts Challenge Week 439 ~  Christmas Creatures
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ~ All Creatures Great And Small

Gorilla

First, some news to share.  I was thrilled to be invited to join the Crafty Calendar Challenge DT recently!  The challenge starts on the first Saturday of each month, so my first DT post will be next Saturday.  

My great nephew was 8 years old yesterday.  He loves all animals, especially monkeys and gorillas and has a big collection of soft toy gorillas.  When we took him out for the day recently, he chose to go to Exmoor Zoo.  I think he may be the next David  Attenborough!

I haven't got a gorilla stamp and couldn't find a gorilla digi stamp anywhere online, but managed to find this pre-coloured image as a free download.  I used a Presscut stepper die for the green base card.  I wanted a pop of yellow, but after failing to find a banana sticker, I settled for making a punched sunflower.   The leaves are punched with a Woodware punch.

Here are my two favourite photos taken at Exmoor Zoo in the monkey house.  Gilby picked up a fuchsia flower from the floor before we went in.  He stood with it, twisting between his fingers next to the glass, not saying a word.  We watched the little monkey trying to touch the flower for about five or ten minutes.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 305 and 306 ~ Use snippets (leaves, flower and patterned paper)

Double "D" 'LEAVE' it to me! Challenge

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 385 ~ Jungle Animals

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Afternoon Tea

A thank you card for a lovely 81 year old lady who invited me and several others to afternoon tea at her house yesterday.  We had four different sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, fruit cake, Victoria sandwich cake and fairy cakes - all homemade.  There was enough to feed an army! We were even sent home with a doggy bag!

This was probably the quickest card I've ever made.  The patterned paper is from a Dovecraft paper stack.  The thing that took the longest was finding a piece of blue card for matting in the right shade to match the teapots and cups.  Does anyone else find that most blue cardstock has a turquoise tinge when you put it against true blue?  I added a sentiment and that's it.  I thought about adding ribbons or gems, but my card looked better without.  I just caught the postman emptying the post box for the last time today, so hopefully the card should arrive tomorrow.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper October 2017 Challenge
Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge #92 ~ Designer Paper plus sentiment only

Silent Night

Is it really only 2 months until Christmas Day?  That means there is only one more 2017 Rudolph Days Challenge after this one!!!  The challenge runs from the 25th to the end of each month, so plenty of time to join in.

My card was quick and easy to make, using a new die set which was pre-loved and for sale at a recent workshop I attended. The die set is by Pretty Quick, 'Silent Night' and comes as a set of three dies.  I die cut the image in black, using another of the dies to cut the image into a square.  The third die cuts the scalloped frame. After assembling the die cuts onto a square card blank, I used the image die with a snippet of yellow card, just cutting the main star, which I then inlaid into place.  I'm planning to batch make some more of this design.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Rudolph Days October Challenge

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

HLS October Christmas Challenge ~ Anything Goes - optional twist Silhouette

Blue Halloween

A final Halloween card today.  For a change from all the black, orange and purple colours of my previous Halloween cards, I decided to go for a spooky blue and white card this time.

 

For the embossed background, I used a Creative Expressions 'Shimmering Stars' e/f.  The octagonal panel was made with a 'Faded Jeans' Distress Oxide ink pad.  After heat drying the ink, I laid a wet stencil over the top, but instead of the stencil pattern showing, I landed up with a mottled pattern. I've no idea why as that's not how it usually turns out!  However, I quite like how it looked, so I decided to use it as it was.   I need much more practise with Distress Oxides!! The stamps are by Lavinia, 'Willow the Witch', stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.  I added a few tiny white spots from the witch's hand to the cauldron, with a white Sharpie pen, to add a bit of magic. Four punched stars in the corners finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 438 ~ Halloween

Deep Ocean Challenge #166 ~ Halloween

My Time to Craft Challenge #357  ~ Halloween or Cats

A Gem of a Challenge Challenge #205 ~ Spots and OR Stripe OR Halloween

Monochrome Magic Challenge #6 ~ Monochrome or Monochrome with a Twist of Add Stars

Sweet Stampin' Bingo Board for Halloween (Magic, Witch, Black)

Yesterday I went to a craft fayre in Shepton Mallet with a couple of my crafty friends.  I managed to get the few things on my shopping list for a good price, plus a few extra crafty goodies.

 I've already used the e/f today on my card above and my intention is that the rest won't stay in my NBUS pile for long!  We were also lucky enough to join in a workshop there.  We didn't quite have time to finish our projects, so I'll post mine later in the week.

Pretty in Pink

A pink card today for a change from all the Halloween cards and an appropriate colour as October is Breast Awareness Month.  The theme for the Less is More Challenge is a One Layer with the theme Stars.  This had me stumped for while, but I decided to go with a card design which is completely inlaid, making it One Layer.

I used a new die I bought with a Swedish House Crafts gift voucher I was lucky enough to win in the Allsorts Challenge a couple of months ago.  The die is a Gummiapan die,  'Integrated Rectangles'.  I used the die on the white card, which left one big aperture.  I backed the aperture with a double sided adhesive sheet, which left the aperture sticky.  I used the die again with deep pink card and inlaid the frame into the white card.  I chose two pink patterned papers from a Dovecraft paper stack, one has tiny stars, although they look more like dots in the photo.  After die cutting the patterned paper, I stamped a sentiment on one of the pieces with a Sizzix stamp using Versafine ' Black Onyx', before l inlaid all the pieces.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Less is More Challenge #350 ~ OLC Stars

Allsorts Challenge Week 437 ~ Think Pink
Cards 4 Galz Challenge #58 ~ Monochromatic
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #367 ~ Paper Piecing

Vertical and Damson

The Butterfly Challenge this fortnight is 'Butterflies + V is for Vertical and/or the colour Damson'.

I've gone with a vertical panel on a DL card blank using a Creative Expressions 'Quilted Blocks' die, cut in white and matted on a rectangle of the closest I could get to damson coloured card.  I die cut the sentiment into a circle, which fitted perfectly in the centre block.  Two X-cut punched flowers in lilac, with a clear gem for the bodies, finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #87 Butterflies + V is for Vertical and/or the colour Damson

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #58 ~ Monochromatic

Scary spider!

The inspiration for this card came from a close encounter yesterday with the most enormous spider I've ever seen,  which I suddenly spotted on the floor of my lounge!  It was so big, it looked as if it was a fake one - but it wasn't!  As I'm not a lover of spiders, my hubby had the job of removing it to the bottom of the garden.

 I started by attaching a black piece of card to a white card blank, adding some extra DST where the aperture was going to be.  I then die cut a circle through the front of the card.  The spider's web was die cut using silver pearlised card, using dies I bought on eBay, and attached at the back of the aperture.  The spider is attached on a foam pad.  The ghosts and pumpkins are Impression Obsession dies and the letters were cut with MB Alphabet Soup dies.

 This photo shows the card open.

To make sure the web was secure, I made a frame using the circle dies and attached it over the edges of the web, inside of the card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Hello Sweet Pumpkin

That's Crafty Get Your Spook On! Challenge

Crafty Calendar October's Challenge ~ Halloween

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge # 180 ~ Boo - Halloween or Autumn Thank You
Pile It On #135 - Fantasy and/or Spiders/Cobwebs

Spooky Castle

Another Halloween card, with a few challenges in mind.

The frame was created with several of the dies from the Creative Expressions 'Ornate Pierced Rectangles' set. The embossing folder is by Cuttlebug, 'Spider Stew'. The castle and dragon silhouettes are both Lavinia stamps, stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.  I attached the dragon die cut with foam pads to add some dimension.  All the orange and white pieces of card were snippets, so I'll be off to play in the Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Double 'D' Fright Night Challenge

That's Crafty Get Your Spook On! Challenge

Crafty Calendar October's Challenge ~ Halloween

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge # 180 ~ Boo - Halloween or Autumn Thank You
A Gem of a Challenge #205 ~ Spots and OR Stripe OR Halloween
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 303 and 304 ~ Use snippets
Pile It On Challenge#135 ~ Fantasy

Happy Belated Birthday

It's not very often that I forget a birthday, but yesterday I realised that it was a friend's birthday the day before!  For some reason I thought it was next week. I had about 40 minutes to make a belated birthday card and make the last post, otherwise the card wouldn't have arrived until Monday.  This is what I came up with.

The three stamps are from a little set I bought ages ago, I'm not sure of the make.  Thanks to the Stamp Platform, I could position them so that they stamped perfectly first time.  The image was coloured with Promarkers and I added a shadow to ground the image.  The embossing folder I used for the background is Embossalicious, 'Floral Frenzy'.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Penny Black and More October Challenge ~ Close to Nature

Craft Rocket Challenge #42 ~ Birthday or Pretty Pinks

The Sisterhood of Crafters Pink October Challenge

Witch's Brew

A second post today so I can enter a challenge which closes in a few hours.  I don't usually make Halloween cards as it's not celebrated in the same way in the UK as it is in the US, but there are a few Halloween challenges around so I've made this card today.

The background was made with Adirondack ink pads, applied with Ink Dusters.  I used a punched circle of card to make the mask for the moon.  The stamps are all Lavinia stamps, stamped with a Versafine ink pad.  I die cut an oval in the black card, before embossing it with a Creative Expressions e/f 'Ocean Waves'.  I chose this embossing folder as it resembled the witch's brew bubbling away!

I am joining in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge ~ O for Oval
Allsorts Challenge - Week 436 ~ Trees and Leaves
Double 'D' Fright Night Challenge

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 383 ~ What a Fun-ghi!

Crafty Calendar October Challenge ~ Halloween
Art Impressions Challenge #219 ~ Stamp a Scene
Let's Craft and Create Challenge #130 - Anything Goes option Witchy/Autumn Colours

Thinking of You

The 'Thinking of You' cards I have in my box of readymade  cards are all quite feminine, so I thought this one would be more suitable for a man.

I punched a leaf border with a Martha Stewart 'Fall Leaves' border punch, using terracotta coloured card. Using snippets of red, orange and yellow I used the border punch again, and inlaid the 'waste' leaves into the border.  I punched larger leaves with a Woodware punch using the same card.  I'm not sure if the colours of my card are hot and spicy enough for Less is More Challenge, but it IS 'CAS'. 😉 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Less is More Challenge #349 - Hot & Spicy Colours

Allsorts Challenge  - Week 436 ~ Trees and Leaves

Cards In Envy Challenge ~ Blowing in the Wind (Fall Leaves)

That's Crafty Forever Autumn Challenge

Deep Ocean Challenge #165 ~ Colours of Autumn

Autumn

A birthday card with an Autumn theme today.

The image is a Magnolia 'Standing Fall Tilda' stamp,  stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured with Promarkers.  Tilda doesn't usually have a mouth and nose, but sometimes I add one with a fineliner pen. The patterned paper is from a paper stack I bought in a sale a long time ago - I'm not sure of the make.  I used a MB 'Stitched Country Border' die for the scalloped edge and the other stitched dies were inexpensive ones from The Works.  I added a few punched leaves along the scalloped border to finish off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge  - Week 436 ~ Trees and Leaves
Stamping Sensations October Challenge ~  Autumn Glory
Cards In Envy Challenge ~ Blowing in the Wind (Fall Leaves)
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge # 182 ~ Use Die Cuts and/or Punches
That's Crafty Forever Autumn Challenge
Deep Ocean Challenge #165 ~ Colours of Autumn

Musical Birthday

A CAS card today for a musical friend who lives half way round the world.  We first met online playing Scrabble about six years ago.  We met IRL in the UK three years ago and again in New Zealand earlier this year, when I was lucky enough to go there for a holiday.

The musical die cut is Memory Box 'Party Music' cut with black card.  The e/f I used was Embossalicious 'Seasonal Music'. I added a strip of Anna Marie Designs striped patterned paper across the middle for added interest, but still keeping the card CAS.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Little Red Wagon Challenge # 413 ~ Classic Black & White
Sparkle Monthly Challenge # 96 ~ Die Cuts and or Punches

Sparkle!

I don't usually use a lot of glitter on my cards, but then I'm not a nine year old, girlie girl who loves sparkle, fairies and unicorns.  I made this card for my great niece.

The glitter card was bought it a pound store, 10 A4 sheets in five different colours for £1.  As well as being a bargain, the glitter doesn't come off at all and is fine for die cutting.  I used a unicorn die I bought on eBay and MB 'Stitched Rectangles' for matting and layering.  The letters are from the MB 'Parker Upper Case Alphabet' set of dies.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Dies R Us Challenge #82 ~ Life's Events

The Sisterhood of Crafters ~ Use your dies

The Crafter's Cafe # 182 ~ Use Die Cuts and/or Punches

Sparkles Monthly Challenge # 96 ~ Die Cuts and or Punches

TTTC018 ~ Animal, Layers, Sparkle

25th Wedding Anniversary

A very  quick CAS Silver Anniversary card which I need to post today!  

 I used silver mirror card to die cut the image, with a die I bought on eBay.  The sentiment is computer generated in grey, die cut with a Sue Wilson 'Double Pierced Square' die, before layering on a square of silver mirror card and adding the silver die cut.   All the silver mirror card was snippets, freebie snippets which is even better, so I'll be off to share my card in The Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 301 and 302 ~ Use snippets
Dies R Us Challenge #82 ~ Life's Events
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge # 182 ~ Use Die Cuts and/or Punches

Past Fiskarettes DT member

Welcome to my new follower, Henry.  I can't seem to find a link to your blog, so if you have a blog please leave me a link in a comment, I'll add it in my next post. 

Last year I was fortunate enough to be chosen to be on the Fiskarettes DT for four months.  On their Facebook page, they are currently doing a feature on past DT members.  This weekend is was my turn, so I can share the card now that I made especially to be added to the Facebook post. 

The patterned papers are from a Trimcraft/Dovecraft paper pack called 'True Blue'.  I love these papers because they are all suitable for masculine cards and coordinate beautifully.  The chevron and arrow punches are both by Fiskars.  I saw them reduced in a stationery store when I was on a holiday in New Zealand this year, so these and a few others came back with me.  Is that a sign a of true crafter, to bring back craft items as holiday souvenirs?  😉  I punched the chevron four time down the beige card.  I used the punch again on dark brown, blue and white card and inlaid the chevrons into the apertures left in the beige card.  The dark brown looks black in the photo but it really is brown!

I am joining in the following challenges:

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge # 182 ~ Use Die Cuts and/or Punches

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper October 2017 challenge