Football Season

The football (soccer) season began today, so this seemed a perfect card to blog.  (Don't ask how my team did today, but there are plenty more games to play before the end of the season.😉)  I saw an idea on the Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page recently to use a tile die twice which cuts out the little apertures, but not the outline shape.  I set myself a challenge to make a card suitable for a male using  one of my tile dies using this idea, (although girls like football too. 😉)

I attached a blue mat to the base card, then cut a piece of white card slightly smaller.  I used a Memory Box 'Piestra Tile' die down each side of the white card.  I cut a snippet of patterned paper and attached it down the middle between the die cuts.  The footballs are black peeloff, stuck on stiff white card and fussy cut.  The sentiment was layered on blue mats....... and then I discovered a small glue mark on one of the corners of the blue mat.  So I added tiny black dots to all four corners to cover up my little mishap. 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Alphabet Challenge ~ I is for Interests. e.g. Hobbies etc.

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #178 ~ Black+White + 1 Other colour 

Make My Monday Challenge #179 ~ Outdoor Sports

My  second card is a gap butterfly card.  

The patterned paper is from a old paper pad given to me by a friend.  The butterfly was made with Memory Box 'Vivienne Butterfly' and 'Darla Butterfly' dies and layered on Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layers'.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Best Year' set.

I am joining in the following challenge

Allsorts Challenge - Week 687 ~ Butterflies /Bugs 
HLS July Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #172 ~ Butterfly, Die cuts, Sentiment

Summer Blooms and Nautical

A CAS card I made a little while ago, but forgot to post on my blog.

The flower die cuts are Lisa Horton's 'Beautiful Buds'.  I layered them on Lisa Horton's 'Scallop Layered Square' mats.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Humming Along' set of stamps.  I finished off my card with a few tiny, yellow pearls

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Allsorts Challenge Week 686 ~ Summer

Try It On Tuesday Challenge ~ Make it Feminine

 

The style of my second card was made after watching a live video yesterday on Lisa Shaw's Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page.  I decided to make a masculine card as I need a few masculine birthday cards in the next few weeks.

 

The patterned paper is from a Sara Davies 'Nautical Collection' paper pad.  I used one sheet to cover the front of a 6 x 6 card blank, lining up the bottom right corner and cutting off the excess.  I used a square die to cut out an aperture from the middle.  Using a second identical sheet of patterned paper I covered the inside of the card blank, again lining up the bottom right-hand corner and cutting off the excess.  When the card is closed, the patterns line up perfectly.  The yacht is a Poppystamps 'Marina Sailboats' die cut.  I lined up the yacht so it was just below the edge of the aperture when the card is closed.  Three punched anchors and a layered sentiment finished off my card.

 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card.

Country View July Challenge ~ Travel

AAA Birthday - Game #39 ~ Where In The World 

Christmas in July and a Sunflower Never-ending Card

Another Christmas card for my pile ready for December this year.  The design was from a sketch over in the Creative Minds - Kind Hearts Facebook page.

The patterned papers were snippets from a paper pad from The Works.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up '#Elfie' set, stamped in navy blue.  Three tiny blue pearls finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card. 

Rudolph Days August Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Snippets Playground Challenge #433 ~ Christmas in July

Alphabet Challenge ~ H is for Holidays

MTTC Challenge #486 ~ Christmas in July

Creative Knockouts Challenge #462- Christmas in July

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #233 ~ Christmas in July

Christmas Card Creations July Challenge ~ Patterned Paper

My second card is a Never-ending card.

The patterned paper is from a paper pad from The Range.

The small sunflowers were made with punched and  I use a Cheery Lynn 'Sunflower' die for the large sunflower.  I added a plain panel for the message.

Here is a little video showing how the card opens.  You may need to click on it twice to open it.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Allsorts Challenge Week 686 ~ Summer

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper July Challenge

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Owl and Flowers

We returned a couple of days ago from a break in our caravan in North Devon.  It's been unusually hot here in the UK for the last week or so and Tuesday was the hottest day on record.  It was a welcome relief to have heavy rain here today.

I used a sketch over on the Creative Minds - Kind Hearts Facebook page for the design of my card.  

The patterned paper is from an old Papermania paper pad and I used a Creative Expressions 'Linear Leaves' for the layer at the back.  The owl is a  Cottage Cutz die and I added some eyes to bring him to life.  The sentiment is a Happy Little Stampers stamp.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

As You Like It Challenge ~ Favourite Fur, Feathers or Scales (I love owls and can never resist buying owl dies and stamps.)

Crafty Friends Challenge #157 ~ Embossing (wet or dry)

HLS July Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

My second  card is a fairly CAS card.

The image is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Beauty Abounds' set, stamped on the separate white panels and layered on yellow mats.  I coloured the images with Promarkers.  The sentiment is stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Best Year' set, raised up on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Stamping Sensations July Challenge ~ Summer Flowers

I Love Promarkers Challenge #515 ~ Anything Goes + option of Summery colours

Passion For Markers Challenge Week 650 ~ Something beginning with B (Blooms)

Fancy Fold Cards

Well, after the recent heatwave, we have very welcome rain today! 😀

It's my daughter's birthday today and this is the card I've made for her.  I've made this style of card several times before, but always as a portrait version, where it stands up on the box part.  When I saw this card made as a landscape card on the Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page HERE, I wanted to give it a try.  I prefer the card this way round as it's more stable when it's stood up.

The paper is from a paper pad from The Works.  The die cut flower and leaves are from the Sue Wilson 'Passion Flower' set of dies.

The card folds flat for posting and measures 5" x 7".

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Creations in Pink Challenge # 48 - Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

HLS July Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

A second fancy fold card today, following the instructions HERE on the Creative Minds - Kind Hearts blog.

The patterned paper is from an old paper pad and the sentiment is a stamp which came as a cover gift with a magazine.  I made the tags with Sue Wilson 'Stitched Flags' dies. I'll make a box for the card and will probably hand deliver it to make sure it doesn't get squashed.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Through the Purple Haze Challenge #194 ~ Black, White and 1 colour
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper July Challenge

Positive Thoughts

A card I sent recently to a friend just before she was due to go into hospital for an operation.

The background was made with Distress Oxides, blended and lightly spritzed with water.  The Lavinia 'Bell Flower Vine' image was stamped with Versafine Clair 'Nocturne' and the panel layered on a black mat.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Positive Thoughts' set. 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Stamping Sensations July Challenge ~ Summer Flowers 

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #177 ~ Get Inky

Moving Along With The Times Challenge #144 ~ Inky Background

SOS Challenge #474 ~ Blending In

The Flower Challenge #70 ~ CAS

Friends recently set a scrapbooking challenge with a sketch.  I don't very often do scrapbooking, except for the occasional mini album.  So when they set a sketch challenge, I decided to use the sketch for a card instead and this is what I came up with.

The patterned paper is from The Range (the background of the patterned paper is navy, although it looks black in the photo.) I used a Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder.  The flowers and butterflies are punched.  I added three navy pearls to the sentiment panel.

Pyramid Arrow Fold Card

A Christmas card today, following instructions for the fold on the Creative Minds - Kind Hearts blog HERE.  I think the original creator of this fold was Iced Images and you can see her video HERE.

After making all the scorelines and folds in the white card I used a 5" x 5" snippet of red card and a 4½"  x 4½" snippet of patterned paper to decorate it.  The patterned paper was from an old 8" x 8" paper pad which came as a magazine cover gift many years ago.  The sentiment is a SU stamp, stamped with Versafine 'Satin Red' and die cut into a circle with a Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layers' die.  I used a Memory Box 'Stitched Scallop Circle' die cut for the mat using another red snippet.  To finish my card, I added tiny yellow pearls around scalloped edge.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Snippets Playground Challenge #432 ~ Use Snippets + Christmas in July

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge # 119 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

HLS July Christmas Challenge

Double Trouble Challenge #115 ~ Christmas In July

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #233 ~ Christmas in July

ABC Christmas Challenge - N is for New, ('New to me' fold) O is for Old (Old Paper Pad)

Christmas Craft Creations July Challenge ~ Patterned Paper

Two more cards today, made with a new preloved die I bought recently.

 

The die is a Creative Expressions 'Bluebell Fairy Edger' used with navy blue card.  I added three clear flower gems and a sentiment, so a quick card to make.

Two give this card a different look,  used the die with black card and added snippets of pale blue card in behind the die cut apertures in the black card.  It was a bit tricky making sure that the pale blue card didn't go over the edge of the black die cut, but I like the effect of the finished result.  To finish my card I added three tiny blue gems and a sentiment. 

I am joining in the following challenges with these cards:

NBUS Challenge #40 ~ Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (NBUS)

Try It On Tuesday Challenge ~ Make it Magical

Sparkles Monthly Challenge #153 ~ Things with Wings

Owl Card

A card I made for a card swap, posted yesterday with a second class stamp and arrived today.  Pretty good service from the Royal Mail this week.

I must admit, I love owls and when I saw this Sweet Dixie 'Large Owl Applique Patchwork Square' die in a craft store recently for a really good price, it jumped into my basket!  So last weekend it had it's first outing.  I used the die with white card and coloured in the leaves with a green Promarker.  I used a snippet of brown card and die cut just the owl, snipping off any odd bits around the owl.  I attached the brown owl over one in the main die, so it would be slightly raised up.  To bring the card to life, I added the eyes.  The pupils are tiny peeloff dots, which are so much easier to use than trying to stick on tiny black card circles.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 684 ~ Allsorts of Animals

Daisy Chain Challenge #65 ~ No Design Paper

NBUS Challenge #40 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (NBUS)

A second card to share today, following a sketch on the Creative Minds, Kind Hearts Facebook page.

The background was embossed with a Lisa Horton's 'Padded Quilt' e/f and layered over a purple mat. The middle folded part was made with a snippet of double sided paper.  I stamped the sentiment heart on a square of white card, coloured it with Promarkers and attached it to the centre of the folded part.  Three pearls finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Crafty Friends July Challenge #157 ~ Embossing (wet or dry)

Frog and Balloon

A card I made for a recent card swap.

The frog is an old DoCrafts stamp.  I bought it several years ago in a sale, but this is the first time I've used it.  The frog was coloured with Promarkers.  The sentiment is a SU stamp and I added three gold sequins. The layers are Lisa Horton's 'Scallop Layered Rectangle' die cuts.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 684 ~ Allsorts of Animals

NBUS Challenge #40 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (NBUS)

We Love Stamping July Challenge ~ Anything Stamped

I Love Promarkers Challenge #514 ~ Anything Goes with the option of Animals

Passion For Markers - Week 648 ~ BINGO board (Die Cuts, Image, Sentiment)

There have been a few hot air balloons flying overhead lately,  so it seemed an appropriate day to share this card.  It brings back memories of a hot air balloon ride I took many years ago.

All the patterned papers are from a paper pad which came as a magazine cover gift some time ago.  The Lin and Lene hot air balloon die cut is raised up on foam pads to add dimension. I haven't decided who will receive this card, but I thought it would be good for a feminine or masculine card.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Country View July Challenge ~ Travel

Addicted to Stamps and More! Challenge #433 ~ Birthdays

AAA Birthday Card Challenge Game #39 ~ Where In The World

Trifold Aperture Card

There still seems to be some glitches with Blogger. Some new posts from blogs I follow aren't appearing in my Reading List, so I'm missing the posts.  I'm also finding some genuine comments still going into my spam folder on my blog and I have to remember to keep checking this folder when I moderate the comments left on my blog.  I know I'm not the only one with these little glitches, so I hope Blogger sort them out soon. 

My version of a fancy fold card I saw demonstrated on Lisa Shaw's Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page.

The front of the card is embossed with a Creative Expressions embossing folder.  To make the aperture, I die cut a plain circle in the front of the card and made a frame using a Memory Box 'Stitched Scallop Circle' die and the same die I used for the aperture.  I used a Martha Stewart  border punch to decorate the angled edges.  The patterned paper is from a very old Papermania paper pad.   I didn't intend to put the pearls on a separate panel, but after spilling a blob of wet glue on the background paper and making a mess of trying to remove it, I covered it up with a layered panel of patterned paper,

The Spellbinders butterfly die cut is layered on a Memory Box 'Stitched Scalloped Circle' die.  The card is kept closed with small velcro dots. xx

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Allsorts Challenge Week 684 ~ Allsorts of Animals

Creative Knockouts Challenge #460 ~ Dies Cuts and/or Punches

Can You Handle the Pressure? Challenge ~ Anything Goes with dry embossing, without the twist.

A second card I made recently,  a CAS card this time for someone who likes hummingbirds.

The patterned paper is from The Works.  I added a matching strip of card across the middle and added a sentiment and three matt silver Card Candi.

Finally I card I made a while ago, but never posted on my blog.  A Flip-It card, stamped with SU flower, foliage and sentiment stamps.....

..... and a little doodling.