Saturday 30 September 2023

Allsorts Challenge ~ Autumn trees/leaves/berries

A new Allsorts Challenge begins today with a new theme chosen by Brenda..... 'Autumn trees/leaves/berries'.  As always there is also the Anything Goes option.

I decided to go with the 'Autumn Leaves' option for the background.  I used a Lavinia 'Glory' stencil and various shades of brown Distress Inks.  The owl is from the Tattered Lace 'Owls' set of dies, die cut in brown and inlaid with beige.  The owl is layered on Memory Box 'Stitched Oval Layers' die cuts.  I added two punched stars in the sentiment panel.

Prizes this month are from our generous sponsors, Stamp AddictsOakwoodHighlight CraftsRuth Hamilton Design, AALL and Create and Craft Stash


I am joining in the following challenges:





Friday 29 September 2023

Slimline Butterfly Card

The Butterfly Challenge ends in a few days, so I thought I'd better get my skates on and make a card to join in.  The theme this time is 'Butterflies Galore', so I hope my two butterflies count..... the others flew away! 🤣 I'm also on a mission to use up more of my snippets, everything was from my snippets drawer, except for the card base. The sentiment was one I stamped a while ago for another project but never used.
 
The die with the circles was a preloved die I bought a while ago, I don't know the brand.  It's had its first outing on this card, so I'll be joining in the NBUS challenge.  The sentiment is a stamp which came as a cover gift with a magazine a long time ago.  I used one of my favourite butterfly die, Memory Box 'Pippi Butterfly' and attached the butterflies by the bodies, leaving the wings free.

I am joining in the following  challenges:
 



Monday 25 September 2023

Tri Panel Z Card

The Rudolph Days Challenge begins today and runs until the end of the month.  Three months today it will be Christmas Day! 

I made a Tri Panel Z Card using papers from a paper pad from The Works.  I was going to use a printed sentiment panel from the same paper pad, but realised after the card base was made it would be too big, so I printed out the sentiment on the computer in deep red to match the papers.


I am joining in the following challenges:




Saturday 23 September 2023

Allsorts Challenge ~ Four Legged Friends

The Allsorts Challenge #747 begins today and Sarah has chosen the theme of  'Four Legged Friends'.  There is always the extra option of Anything Goes. 
 
A fairly CAS card today.  The image is a Hetty Clare Art digi stamp, which is sadly no longer available.  I coloured the image with Promarkers and covered the balloons with Glossy Accents to make them shine. I used Lisa Horton's 'Stitched Scalloped Layered Squares Dies' for matting and layering.

Prizes this month are from  Craft StashAnna Marie DesignsAALL and CreateOakwoodWOWVOW.


I am joining in the following challenges:




Wednesday 20 September 2023

Trifold Twist Card

I made this card for a card swap and can share it now that it's been received.  This is the first time I've made this fold and I followed the instructions on Lesley's blog HERE.
The patterned paper is from a paper pad I bought a long time ago, I'm not sure of the brand. Everything, apart from the card base, was snippets so I'll be sharing my card in The Playground. The sentiment is a stamp from the Happy Little Stampers 'Whimsical Friends' set and I added a punched leaf.

When the card is opened, it twists to reveal the inside image.  The owl is from a brand new preloved set of Stampin' Up 'Adorable Owls' stamps I bought recently and as it's the first time I'm using the stamp set, I'll be joining in the NBUS challenge. The owl is coloured with Promarkers and I punched four more leaves.  I used Memory Box 'Stitched Circle and Square Layers' die for matting and layering.

This little video shows how it opens.

I am joining in the following challenges:





Saturday 16 September 2023

Allsorts Challenge ~ Masculine

A new Allsorts Challenge begins today and Lolo has chosen the theme of 'Masculine'.

The image is LOTV rubber stamp, coloured with Promarkers.  The patterned papers were from a Dovecraft 'Blue Skies' paper pad.  The image and mat were die cut using Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle Layers' dies.


Our generous sponsors this month are  Craft StashAnna Marie DesignsAALL and CreateOakwoodWOWVOW 
 
You can see all the wonderful cards the Allsorts DT have made for inspiration, so please hop over the challenge blog to have a look.

I am joining in the following challenges:






Friday 15 September 2023

Our Anniversary

My hubby and I celebrated our 49th Wedding Anniversary yesterday and this is the card I made for him.

I used a preloved set of Lisa Horton's 'Duo Backgrounds - Stitched Hearts' dies for the first time.  I cut down the die cut with the heart apertures, before backing with red pearlised card.  The red card on the base was embossing with the second die in the set.  It's hard to see in the photo unless you zoom in, but shows up well in real life.  The card in the middle was made with Spellbinder nesting dies.  I used an x-Cut 'small polka hearts' embossing folder to emboss the heart red heart.


I am joining in the following challenges:




Wednesday 13 September 2023

Happy Birthday

A birthday card today made with a borrowed set of stamps.  The stamp set was discontinued quite a while ago and I've been trying everywhere to find somewhere with it in stock.  This weekend I managed to find a pre-loved set in an online 'Crafty Clear Out', so I'll be making lots more cards using these stamps.

The stamp set is Julie Hickey Designs 'Friendship Blooms' and includes the main image and the sentiment.  The flower was coloured with Promarkers.  I stamped the flower head again, coloured it with a lilac Promarker and fussy cut it.  The second flower head was attached with glue in the middle and the petals raised up on foam pads to add some dimension.  I added a green enamel dot to the centre.  I used Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle Layers' dies for matting and layering the image.  The mat for the sentiment was hand cut.

I am joining in the following challenges:



Monday 11 September 2023

Hot Air Balloon

We came home yesterday from a few days in our caravan, packing it up ready to move to a new site.... not easy in the heat of the last few days.  It felt like the end of an era as we've had our caravan in the same place for about 25 years, but for various reasons it was time to move it a few miles down the road to a fabulous little family run site.  This evening I should have been flying over our city in a hot air balloon.  The weather looked perfect and we watched the large baskets arrive and the balloons were attached ready to be inflated.  We had the safety briefing and a last minute check was made about the wind speeds.... and then our pilot told us the winds had increased and they were too strong for us to fly.  Oh well.... something to look forward when I can rebook it.

I made this card for my niece's husband and can post it on my blog now that I know it's arrived at its destination.  I wasn't sure if it was too busy with the papers I'd chosen, but decided in the end to send it.

The patterned papers are from a paper pad which came as a cover gift a while ago.  I die cut the hot air balloon with a Lin and Lene die using a snippet of yellow card.  Leaving the die cut in the die, I inked through the apertures in the die with red ink.  I snippet off the basket and used the die again with a snippet of brown card and attached it to the balloon.  The balloon was layered on a white rectangle.... another snippet. The sentiment is a die from the Stampin' Up 'Humming Along' set, stamped with Versafine Clair 'Verdant'. 

The card folds flat for posting.

I am joining in the following challenges:





Saturday 9 September 2023

Allsorts Challenge ~ Die Cuts

The Allsorts Challenge #745 begins today and Lynn has chosen the theme of 'Dies'.  If you don't have any dies, you can always use the Anything Goes option.

I used a Marianne Designs square cross-stitch die.  The small mats were die cut with Memory Box 'Stitched Square Layers' dies. I use crochet cotton for the cross stitching.  The background was embossed with a Crafter's Companion 'Sashiko' embossing folder.  I added two deep yellow pearls to balance the design of my card.

Our generous sponsors this month are Craft StashAnna Marie DesignsAALL and CreateOakwood


I am joining in the following challenges:



Saturday 2 September 2023

Crafty Calendar Challenge ~ Anything Goes

This is my second post today, so please scroll down to see my first post.

The September Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today with the easy theme of  'Anything Goes'.   Our generous sponsor this month is Paper Nest Dolls.

Our sponsor kindly gave the DT digi stamps to work with and I chose to use 'Elf Owen'. I coloured the cute image with Promarkers.  The patterned paper is from a paper pad from The Works. 

The card folds flat for posting.

The Crafty Calendar Challenge ends on 28th September.  Please hop over to the challenge blog to see the beautiful cards the DT have made for inspiration.

I am joining in the following challenges:




Allsorts Challenge ~ Sunflowers

The Allsorts Challenge #744 begins today and Ellie has chosen the theme 'Sunflowers'.  It would be lovely to see all your Sunflower creations, or there is always the option of Anything Goes.

I've made a Tower Card for my DT card.  The patterned paper is from a paper pad from The Works.  The sunflower was made with a Cheery Lynn 'Sunflower' die.  I cut out the yellow flower twice and layered one on top of the other.  The sentiment and mat were die cut with Sizzix dies.

The card folds flat for posting.

Prizes for our September challenges are from Craft StashAnna Marie DesignsAALL and CreateOakwood and WOWVOWAs always you can find out more about each of our patrons from visiting the links and our Patrons page. 

WOWVOW sell much more than just wedding related goods and currently have beautiful ribbons at discounted prices here, most sections on this page have reduced products and there are such things as washi tape, gifts and other goodies on offer here.

Please hop over to the Allsorts Challenge to see the beautiful creations the DT have made.

I am joining in the following challenges:




Friday 1 September 2023

Butterfly Gatefold Card

The Butterfly Challenge this time is a little different with a Pick a Row challenge + include a butterfly.

I made a Gatefold card, decorating the panels with patterned paper from a paper pad from The Works.  The butterfly on the belly band is a stamp from the SU 'Butterfly Gala' set, stamped with SU 'Highland Heather' and added a little extra lilac colour with Promarker.  I attached two Card Candi to the belly band.

Inside, the panel in the centre is embossed with a butterfly embossing folder.  The sentiment is a stamp from the SU 'Humming Along' set.

I am joining in the following challenges: