Cutting it fine.....

I'm not sure where May has gone, but here we are the end of the month.  I made two cards today and I'm cutting it fine because I need to link them up by the end of May!

My first card is to help my blogging friend Mia celebrate her 4th Blogaversary.  She generously puts mandalas on her blog for bloggers to download and use.  To celebrate her blogaversary, she has asked for her mandalas to used in creations and uploaded on her blog.  The closing date is in a couple of hours, so I'm sneaking in my card just in time.  This is the mandala I chose to use and I coloured it with Polychromos colour pencils and added a green Card Candi in the centre.   I die cut the image with a Memory 'Stitched Circle Layers' die and layered it on a Memory Box 'Stitched Scallop Circle' die cut.  I embossed the background with a Couture Creations 'Chain Link' e/f and added a strip of ribbon across the middle of the card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Mia's 4th Blogaversary Challenge 

Dream Valley Challenge # 249 ~ Die-Cuts and/or Punches

The May Rudolph Days Challenge ends today, so I made a card to join in the challenge.......just in time!   I used a Memory Box 'Grand Merry Christmas' with a snippet of Stampin' Up plaid paper.  The tree is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Perfectly Plaid' set and stamped with Versafine Clair 'Rain Forest'.  I added three gold holographic stars in the corner and one on the top of the tree.

I am joining in the following challenges:

May Rudolph Days Challenge

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

Allsorts Challenge - Week 626 ~ Any Celebration (not Birthday)

CHNC Challenge 544 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #525 ~ Christmas!

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge # 95 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Get Well

A Get Well card to share today.  I used a sketch for the layout of my design.

The patterned paper is from a  Dovecraft paper pad, 'Sugar & Spice'.  I used a Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' e/f for the embossing.  The flowers is from the Woodware 'Mini Flowers' set of stamps and coloured with Promarkers.  I stamped the sentiment and added a few punched circles in the corners.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations May Challenge ~ Beautiful Blooms

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

Addicted to Stamps and More! Challenge #406 - Make Your Mark

Wiper Card

In anyone else having problems adding photos to their blog posts?  I wrote this post last night, but when I tried to add the challenge images today, the following error message kept popping up.

"Sorry! An unexpected error occurred while processing your selection.  Please try again later."

Edited to add: Blogger seems to have solved the problem of adding photos to a blog post.

A 'new to me' fold today after watching a video showing how to make it.  It called a Wiper Card and I decided to make it with a nautical theme.  For anyone on Facebook, if you join the Nifty Noodles Crafting page you’ll find the video I followed.

The patterned paper is from Trimcraft 'Sail Away' paper pad. I made a scene using the following dies:

Joanna Sheen 'Lighthouse'

Poppystamps 'Marine Sailboat' for the waves

Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' and 'Stitched Circle Layers"

 

The rock is hand cut and coloured with grey Promarkers.  The birds and sentiment are stamped.

This photo shows the fold.

When the sides are gently pulled apart, a die cut yacht pops up, made with a  Poppystamps 'Marine Sailboats' die.

Here is a video showing how the card works. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Memory Box Challenge #72 ~ Water

Allsorts Challenge Week 625 ~  Anything with Happy Bright and Sunny Colours

The Male Room Challenge #150 ~ Water/Beach 

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

HLS May Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Krafty Chicks Challenge #561 ~ All occasions

NBUS Challenge #26 ~ Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (Lighthouse die)

Twofer Cards

This month's Twofer Challenge finishes today, so I'm sneaking in with a last minute entry.  The theme this month is 'Cake/Cupcake', using the same stamp, stencil, or die/punch for the prompt word on two different designs for two different occasions.  I wasn't sure what I was going to use for the prompt word as I haven't got a suitable stamp, stencil or die, but decided on a Stampin' Up cupcake punch.  

I am joining in the Twofer Challenge with this pair of cards.

 

The main part of the cupcake comes in two parts, the paper case and the icing. (I'm not sure if this is called 'frosting' in the US).  My first card uses the punch conventionally.  The icing was embossed with a Cuttlebug 'Tiny Bubbles' embossing folder and raised up on foam pads.  The cupcake is layered on Memory Box 'Stitched Layer Circle' and 'Stitched Scallop Circle' die cuts. The background was embossed with a Cuttlebug cupcake embossing folder.  The layered sentiment is raised up on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Time Out Challenge #188 ~ Inspired by baking in my kitchen, + a twist of embossing

For my second card and used the 'cupcake paper cases' as flower pots and the 'icing' to decorate the edge of the shelf. The sunflowers and leaves were made with punches.  The Woodware sentiment was stamped with a Versafine Clair 'Nocturne' ink pad. 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Use Dies and/or Punches

Sunflower Blooms

A card today using a new Sunflower die..... I find it hard to resist buying something Sunflower related, especially when it's less than half price. 😉 The Happy Birthday die is a new bargain buy too.

I used Lisa Horton dies, 'Scallop Layered Rectangle (Stitched Collection)', 'Sunflower Blooms (Tile Collection)' and 'Happy Birthday (Borderline Collection)'.  I originally planned to paper pieced the sunflower die, but it was tricky getting some of the little pieces to fit neatly.  So, it was on to Plan B.  I used the Sunflower die in a large snippet of white card and glued it onto another snippet of white card.  Using Promarkers, I coloured through the apertures in the die cut.  I then used the sunflower die again with a large piece of white card and layered the die cut over the coloured one, before die cutting the scalloped rectangle.  I hope this makes sense.  More snippets were used for the Happy Birthday die cut.  I didn't have any blue card to match the blue in the image, so I used the same Promarker to colour a snippet of white card so a had a blue piece to back the sentiment.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #403 ~ Use Snippets

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #266 ~ Feminine 

HLS May Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

NBUS Challenge #26 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

Cut It Up Challenge #226 ~ Nature

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Use Dies and/or Punches

I Love Promarkers ~ Anything goes with the option of Add a sentiment

Allsorts Challenge - Week 625 ~ Anything with Happy Bright and Sunny Colours

Butterfly Card

 A card today which I can share now that I know it's been received.  I think it may be called a ZigZag card, although if anyone has another name for it, please let me know. 

The patterned paper is from a paper pad called 'Woodland Folk'.   I used a Lavinia 'Zen Butterfly' stamp and coloured it with Promarkers, adding a few purple sequins.  The sentiment is an Impression Obsession die cut.

I am joining in the following challenges:

We Love Chocolate Baroque May Challenge ~ Bright Sunny 🌞 Colours

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #147 ~ Things with Wings

Ike's World Challenge #144 ~ Anything Goes/ Option of Birds/Butterflies

Unicorn Challenge #65 ~ Shaped Cards

I Love Promarkers Challenge #435 ~ Anything goes + option of Add a sentiment

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

Joy Fold Card

A Joy Fold card today.

The card measures 7" x 5" and is kept closed with a black brad.  I used a Poppystamps 'Chinese Lantern Stem' die with white card and coloured the green and black parts with Promarkers.  The die comes as set of two and I used the second part with orange card and attached the little pieces behind the black outlines.  The finished Chinese Lantern stem was layered on a Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle Layers' die cut.  The patterned paper is from a very old Papermania paper pad.   I used a Creative Expressions 'Rambling Berries' embossing folding.  The sentiment is a stamp from a Happy Little Stampers set.

This shows the card open, revealing the space for the message.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Poppystamps May Challenge #80 ~ Flowers and/or Butterflies

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Use Dies and/or Punches

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

HLS May Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Allsorts Challenge Week 624 ~ Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams

A CAS sympathy card today.

I used a preloved Creative Expressions 'Dragonfly Dreams' set of dies I bought recently. I die cut straight into the front of the 6" x 6" white card blank with the decorative, arched die and attached a piece of navy blue card behind the card front. The two dragonflies are dies from the same set.  The sentiment, stamped in navy blue, is from one of the Happy Stampers set of stamps.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Creative Crafting Uncles Challenge #17 - Butterflies and/or Dragonflies

Allsorts Challenge Week 624 ~ Anything Goes

HLS May Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Addicted to CAS Challenge #197 ~ Bugs

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge  #270 ~ Monochromatic

Make My Monday Challenge #148 ~ Sympathy

Lily of the Valley

A fairly CAS card today.

The flower is from the Spellbinders 'Bluebells and Lily of The Valley' set of dies, cut in white and the stem and leaves coloured with a green Promarker.  The flower was layered over Memory Box 'Stitched Oval Layers' die cuts.  The background was embossed with a Spellbinders 'Dainty Dots' embossing folder.   I added a strip of green ribbon and raising up the sentiment on foam pads. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Double 'D' Challenge ~ Flower of the month (May - Lily of the Valley)

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Flower Power

Peach and Black

A birthday card today for a friend who will be celebrating her birthday this weekend.

I used a Memory Box 'Fairytale Flower Border' die, cutting it out in black and in peach.  I just used the top half of the black die cut.  The embossing was done with a Couture Creations 'Fireflies' e/f.  I added a strip of self-adhesive flower ribbon which came as a magazine cover gift a lifetime ago!

I am joining in the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Flower Power 

Try It On Tuesday Challenge ~ Make it Feminine

AAA Birthday Card Challenge Game #25 ~ Happy Birthday

Peonies

Two cards today, experimenting with inks and a 3D embossing folder.

The embossing folder is Lisa Horton's 'Blooming Peony' 3D e/f.  I used makeup brushes to apply 'Kitsch Flamingo' lightly over the peonies, trying hard not to ink the non raised up parts.  The centres were coloured with a pale yellow Promarker.  The sentiment is a stamp from Lisa Horton's box magazine, stamped in Versafine Clair 'Morning Mist'. The embossed card was layered on a pale green mat.

For my second card I used a brighter pink Distress Ink pad, 'Picked Raspberry' and layered the embossed card on a bright pink mat. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Flower Power

Creations in Pink Challenge # 33 ~ Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Feminine 

The Paper Funday May Challenge #29 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist: Flowers / Florals

Through The Craft Room Door 11th May Challenge ~ Anything Goes

AAA Birthday Challenge Game #25 ~ Happy Birthday

Sail Away

A masculine card to share today.

The back inside page is stencilled with three colours of Distress Ink.   I used a Memory Box 'Oceana Border' for the waves and an 'Oceana Corner' die cut down the side.  The little boat is one of the Poppystamps 'Marina Sailboats' dies.

I stamped a few little fish on the white panel where the message with be written.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Humming Along' set.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Happy Little Stampers Stencil Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge - Week 623 ~ Create a landscape or scene

Memory Box Challenge #72 ~ Water

The Male Room Challenge #150 ~ Water/Beach

AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Game #25 ~ Happy Birthday

   

Friends

A bright and cheerful card today.

The stamp and sentiment are from a pre-loved set of stamps I bought recently and using for the first time.  I've seen them used on other blogs and I think them may have come as a cover gift with a magazine.  I coloured the image with Promarkers.   The patterned paper is from a Wild Rose Studio 'Butterfly Glade' paper pack.  I punched three pink hearts and added three white, heart-shaped pearls.

I am joining in the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers Challenge #434 ~ Anything Goes + option of  A Girly Card       

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Feminine  

Little Red Wagon Challenge # 600 - Hers!

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Feminine 

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May Challenge

Creations in Pink Challenge # 33 ~ Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

We Love Chocolate Baroque May Challenge ~  Bright Sunny Colours

NBUS Challenge #26 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

CAS Flower Card

A CAS card today.

The stamps are all from the Stampin' Up 'Varied Vases' set.  I stamped the flowers and shelf and sentiment directly onto the background, which was layered on a purple mat.  The vases were stamped on snippets of white card and punched out with a matching punch and raised up on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 622 ~ Spring Blossoms

Stamping Sensations May Challenge ~ Beautiful Blooms

The Sisterhood of Crafters ~ How Does Your Garden Grow?

Painting

A birthday card today using up some snippets of plain card which I've embossed.

The paintbrushes are from the Sweet Dixie 'DIY Tools' set of dies.  I die cut them first in snippets of silver mirror card and the again in each of the five colours. I snipped the bristles off the coloured paintbrushes and layered them over the silver ones.  The letters are  Memory Box 'Upper Case Alphabet Soup'.  The 'Birthday' is from Sue Wilson's 'Happy Birthday' set of dies. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #399 ~ Use Snippets

Addicted to Stamps and More! Challenge #404 ~ Any Occasion

NBUS Challenge #26 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (DIY Tool dies)

AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Game #25 ~ Happy Birthday

Mini Miura Fold

A second post today, please scroll down to see my earlier post.

The theme for the Butterfly Challenge this fortnight is 'M for Mini Miura Fold'.  I've never heard of this fold before or even seen it, but Mrs A has put the instructions HERE.  I've included all the elements of the challenge Misty Moss/Mandarin/ Maroon/Metal and a Butterfly.  The floral patterned paper is a sort of light maroon, so I hope that counts. There are mandarin coloured stripes and I added a moss coloured leaf. 

The card is kept closed with a belly band.  The little metal butterfly on the belly band is silver, although it looks more grey in the photograph.  The patterned paper is from a Dovecraft 'Garden Party' paper pad. Flowers and leaf dies are from the Lisa Horton box magazine.

This photo shows the card open, with a layered die cut label for the message.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #156 ~ M for Mini Miura Fold (all elements)

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper May 2021 challenge