Golden Wedding Anniversary.... and a little confession to make!

Good friends of ours celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary last weekend and this is the card I made for them.

I used a Presscut 'Centre Stepper Card' die for the card base.  The gold card is non-shed glitter card and is a really beautiful shade of gold.  The heart is an Impression Obsession 'Heart of Hearts' die cut.  All the text is computer generated and I finished off my card with a few white pearls.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Southern Girls Challenge ~ Someone Special

WWC214 ~ Marsha's "All About Occasions" Challenge
HLS March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge



 A cardmaking demonstrator come along to my local WI meeting on Tuesday, where we all got to make two cards following her instructions.  I have a little confession to make - I altered them slightly when I got home. 😉 Is that really bad of me?

This shows the card open.  The animals were coloured with pencil crayons, so at home I went over them with Promarkers to make them stand out more.  Also, the fern leaves didn't quite stamp properly, so I got a matching green Promarker and filled in a couple of little gaps.  Then..... I somehow got a thick, green pen mark about 1" long on the plain white card!!!  So.....as I couldn't remove it with a blender pen, I covered it over with a strip of washi tape.  Phew!

The second card had navy blue patterned paper as the base mat, as well as the little envelope, with an embossed navy blue mat on top.  The envelope didn't really show up against the dark background.  We had glue sticks to assemble everything, so it was easy enough to peel off the patterned background paper, turn it over and stick it on again.  I found a snippet of green card, embossed it and layered it over the background paper.   I still need to think of a way to make the navy blue envelope stand out more, as it just looks like a rectangle because of the detailed pattern.  I had thought of putting of line of faux stitching along the edge of the top flap, but I don't think it will show up enough.  I'll have to give it a bit more thought....... or perhaps I'll see if I have some suitable patterned paper and make a new envelope. 😊

Get Well Card

The March Poppystamps challenge finishes soon, so I'm sneaking in an entry before the challenge closes.  The theme of the challenge is 'Spring Cleaning' - using "something old" or something not used in a while, or a CAS card.  As I have used all my Get Well cards, this one will go into my box of ready-made cards.

I emptied out all my teaching folders last year and kept the old, coloured card file dividers.  They were perfect for recycling and all the pink card on my card is from one of the dividers.  I also used seven green brads from my 'brad mountain'.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who still has boxes of brads bought many years ago!  I used a Poppystamps 'Trudeau Border' die on a white piece of card.  The Poppystamps 'Fritillaria Bouquet' die cut is inlaid into the white card.  I used a sentiment stamp from the Happy Little Stampers 'Dandelion Wishes' set and stamped it in green.  I had intended putting the brads through the white card and layering on the pink mat, but realised that the backs of the brads would show through the holes when they were opened. So, before putting the brads through, I put a thin strip of pink card behind the border die cut. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Poppystamps Challenge #54 ~ Spring Cleaning

HLS March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Craft Rocket Challenge #57 ~ Flowers
Daring Cardmakers Challenge ~ Recycle it!
Try it on a Tuesday Challenge ~ Say it with Flowers

Peacock

A 'Thank You' card today for a friend who gave me this fabulous Joanna Sheen 'Pretty Peacock Panel' die.

 I don't very often make a DL sized card, but it was the perfect size for this die.  The background was made with Distress Oxides and sprayed with a little water.  I laid the black die cut over the background and trimmed off the excess.  I used a small leftover piece of the background to make a mat for the sentiment.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 512 ~ Feathered Friends

HLS March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Christmas Robin

 This year I'm determined to upcycle some of shop bought Christmas cards we received last Christmas.  I have a big pile of suitable card fronts to upcycle and hope that the pile will be gone by the end of the year.   As the March Rudolph Days Challenge starts today, it seemed the perfect time to choose a card to upcycle.  

I die cut the image with a Memory Box 'Stitched Square' die and layered it on a green glitter card mat cut with a larger MB 'Stitched Square' die.  The robin already had a glittery red breast. I punched three sets of holly leaves from the green glitter card and added some red Nuvo Crystal Drops for the berries.  So a quick and easy card to make this time.

I am joining in the following challenges:
March Rudolph Days Challenge
Allsorts Challenge Week 512 ~ Feathered Friends
Daring Cardmakers Challenge ~ Recycle it!
Jingle Belles Challenge ~ Rockin' Robin
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #432 ~ Christmas

Black and White

A birthday card for a friend's 60th birthday next week. 

With the recipient in mind, I wanted to make a CAS, black and white card and as she loves gardening include flowers.  This Sue Wilson 'Snowdrop Edger' die was originally given to a crafty friend for Christmas.  When I discovered it was a duplicate gift, I gave her something else instead and she returned the die to me. (We always agree to say if presents we give each other are duplicates.)  So, this became a Christmas present to myself! 😊  I used the die on edge of the front of a 6" x 6" card blank.  I attached a black 6" x 6" piece of card behind the die cut edge. A computer generated sentiment and three white pearls finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Less is More Challenge #391 ~ Take 3 (3 Pearls)

2. Dies R Us Challenge #117 ~ One for the Ladies

3. HLS March CAS Challenge ~ Special Day

4 . Crafting by Designs ~ Blooming Flowers
5. Try in on Tuesday Challenge ~ Say it with Flowers

Rainbows and Happiness

After signing up for a recent card swap, I discovered the recipient was a Rainbow Leader.  (Rainbows are the most junior section of the Girl Guides in the UK).  So I thought it would be a good idea to include a rainbow on her card.

The rainbow is a MFT die.  This is one of my favourite dies because is has seven sections for all the colours of the rainbow.   I found the easiest way to keep the rainbow shape was to put all the die cut pieces back into the die and tape them together across the back, then take the complete rainbow out of the die.  I attached the rainbow to mottled blue cardstock.   I printed the computer generated sentiment and use Sue Wilson 'Double Pierced Rectangle and Square' dies to make the white frame.   I finished off my card by attaching two Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' die cut on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #348 ~ All coloured card was snippets

Allsorts Challenge Week 511 ~ Favourite Stamp/Image or Die (Rainbow die)

Pile It On Challenge #152 ~ Your Favorite Color and/or Rainbow

Tales from the Craftroom Challenge #2 ~ Lovely Ladies

Dies R Us Challenge #117 ~ One for the Ladies

HLS March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Through the Purple Haze Challenge #154 ~ Rainbows
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Whatever The Weather

Card Swap

I made this card for a card swap, using a die for the first time which I received as a Christmas present.

My new die was Sue Wilson's 'Celtic Circles' background die.  The die cut was layered on pearlised silver and pearlised deep red mats.  The flowers were made with punches.  

I am joining in the following challenges:
Try it on Tuesday Challenge ~ Say it with Flowers
Craft Rocket Challenge #57 ~ Flowers
Southern Girls Challenge ~ Flora and Fauna 
HLS March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
The Flower Challenge #30 ~ Anything Goes

Black Tie Evening

My hubby and I went to a Black Tie evening last Friday and this is the card I made for the Chairman to wish him an enjoyable evening.  His wife was my Head Teacher when I was teaching and it was lovely to be invited to attend.

I used the club logo and personalised the card with the name of the club and the date of the event.  I used Spellbinder dies for matting and layering, the scalloped mat is matt silver card.  The panel on the left was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder which I think has been discontinued, and die cut down the sides with a Memory Box 'Stitched Country Border' die.  I used a Sue Wilson 'Itty Bitty Bow' set of dies with stiff, black card to make the bow.   To finish my 7" x 5" card, I added five black gems for the 'buttons'.  

I am joining in the following challenges:
Craft-Dee Bowz March Challenge ~ Include a handmade bow
Dies R Us Challenge #116 ~ For the Men/Boys in our Lives
Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #125 ~ To Die For
Little Red Wagon Challenge # 488 ~ Boyz II Men
Creative Knockouts Challenge #288 ~ Dies Cuts/Punches

Scorpio Birthday

This is one of those card that turned out totally different from what I'd planned!  The Less is More challenge this fortnight is 'Horoscopes'.  I decided to go with my own zodiac sign as I will have several cards to make for Scorpio birthdays later in the year.  My original design was a one layer 6" x 6" card, with just two strips of washi tape added.   It would have been helpful if I'd checked first, before colouring the image with Promarkers, that I had some matching or suitable contrasting washi tape!  

So, Plan B was to die cut the coloured image with a Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle' die and layer it on a white mat made with a larger stitched rectangle die.  I raised the image up on a sheet of foam.   The image is a free children's colouring picture I found online and I added a computer generated sentiment.

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Less is More Challenge #390 ~ Horoscopes

2. Simply Create Too Challenge #147 ~ Anything Goes /Opt Twist -  For a Male 

3. Southern Girls Challenge ~ Flora and Fauna 

4. Little Red Wagon Challenge # 487 ~ Lions & Lambs (and other animals)

Thinking of You

A CAS sympathy card today.

The flowers are Memory Box 'Row of Poppies', die cut in white.  I used the die again using a mottled blue and white card and snipped off the flower head and layered them over of white die cut.   I really like the subtle pale blue colour this added to the flowers.  I made a white panel using Memory Box 'Stitched Country Border' dies and layered the sentiment ribbon through the middle.  Three pale blue pearls finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Memory Box Challenge #47 ~ Flower Power 

Back to Basics and Beyond  Challenge #23 ~  Bingo/Tic-Tac-Toe (Blue, Flowers, Pearls)

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #228 ~ Flowers

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #214 ~ Birds or CAS using Blue

Creative Knockouts Challenge #288 ~ Dies Cuts/Punches

Bi-Fold Card

The Butterfly Challenge now includes a card shape as something to include as well as a choice of colours and themes.  This fortnight the card shape is a bi-fold card and  I decided to try this 'new to me' type of fold to enter the challenge.  Instructions for the fold can be found here.  

All the designer paper came from a Wild Rose Studio Paper Stack,  'Butterfly Glade'.  The butterfly was made with Memory Box 'Pippi Butterfly' and 'Isabella Butterfly' dies, layered on a Spellbinders 'Big Scalloped Circle' die cut.

This photo shows the card open.  I attached a Spellbinders 'Labels 26' die cut inside for the message.  I decided not to add a sentiment, but one will be included with the message when I send the card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #118 ~ Spin The Butterfly Wheel with B for Bifold

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper March Challenge
Do-Al (l) Creative Challenge # 27 ~ Fancy Fold

Ric Rac Slider Card

Another slider card today which I made for a crafty friend's birthday.   You can find a link to the instructions for making this style of card in my last blog post.

I went to a Stampin' Up retreat recently and the designer paper and card I used were all snippets left over from the projects we made.  The stamped butterfly is one from the SU Butterfly Gala set, which was in the goody bag I was given at the retreat.  I stamped it in burnt orange and added a little colour with Promarkers to match the colours in the designer paper.  The body of the butterfly was a Memory Box butterfly die cut.  I found a piece of Ric Rac in a matching green and used it instead of ribbon.  

This photo shows the card open.  I really like this style of card and I'm sure I'll be making many more. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #347 ~ Use Snippets

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper March 2019 challenge

Little Red Wagon # 486 - LOVE it ! (Love this style of interactive card)

Penny Black and More March Challenge ~ Going Round in Circles

Ribbon Slider Card

Welcome to my new follower, Kelly of Sandcastle Stamper.

The March Crafty Calendar Challenge starts today with the theme 'For A Child'.  Our sponsor this month is A Day for Daisies who generously gave all the DT digi stamps to work with.  The card is interactive and I found this style of card quite by chance when I was looking online for a tutorial for a different interactive card.  (I never did find the style of card I was originally looking for! LOL!)

I chose to use A Lap Full of Kittens digi stamp, which I coloured with Promarkers.  From memory, I think the patterned paper was from an old My Mind's Eye paper pad that came with a magazine.  I made a flower with three different punches. 

This shows the card open when the knotted ribbon is pulled.  Even my hubby was impressed when I showed him, as he couldn't work out how the mechanism worked.  LOL!   It's really quite an easy design to make and here on Jennifer McGuire's blog is the link to find the tutorial I followed.   I altered the dimensions to make a 6 x 6 square card and found it easier to knot the ribbon, rather than tie in a bow. 

Please hop over to the Crafty Calendar Challenge to see what other creations the DT have made this month.  The closing date for the challenge is the 28th March, so plenty of time to join in and perhaps win the prize from A Day for Daisies  or be voted by the DT as one of the Top 3. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Scribbles Design Challenge #74 ~ Three or More Layers

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper March 2019 challenge

Sparkles Monthly Challenge #113 ~ Include An Animal