Thinking of you

Here is another card using my new set of flower dies ......

 

 

Background was handmade using the 'ink splatter/splotch' technique.

 

'Thinking of you' sentiment cut twice and layered together for dimension.

 

The coneflower layers were diecut from spare offcuts (snippets) of white cardstock (I always knew those smaller pieces would come in handy), then ink blended using Altenew inks.

 

My selection of colours may have been influenced by the photo in the Beautiful Blossoms Mood board!

 

A very simple layout, which for me anyway, makes the flower shine :) 

 

Linking with the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS:  #258 - Flower

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #17 - Anything goes 

Cut it Up Challenge #304 send me flowers

Snippets Playground Challenge #480 

The Flower Challenge #91 - Colour your flower

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Card Swap - April

The theme for my CraftMad card swap for the month of April was

Black & White + Sketch

we were to make two cards, one following the theme and one following both the theme and the sketch.

So here are my cards - which I was late in making and late in sending:

Card #1 - Following Theme

I have been playing with a new die set I got from Amazon ..... a coneflower (built with several layers)  It's a cheapie version of Honey Bee Stamps, Lovely Layers Coneflower.   I would have loved to be able to buy the original brand version, but here in Australia with our lousy exchange rate at the moment, the conversion from USDollars is just too much.  So for now, I go with the Amazon copies.

 

Onto how I made the card ....... I die cut all the layers of the coneflower out and used a blending brush to colour in with black ink.  As I knew I was going to ink blend all the layers, they were cut out from the various off-cuts of white cardstock I have lying around.  Layers were coloured with slightly different intensities of black, then layered together with glue.  Leaves were ink blended and positioned accordingly.  White background layer was run through Cuttlebug using Provo Craft 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder  (this was one of my very first embossing folders ever bought back in 2008, and is often a 'go to' background) . Sentiment 'hello' was die cut several times from black and layered to provide dimension.

 

 

The embossed background was added to a black cardbase, then the flower and sentiment were positioned accordingly. 

 

Linking with the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS - #258 - Flower

Cut It Up Challenge #303 - Add a sentiment

Snippets Playground Challenge #480

Card #2 - Following Theme + Sketch

I played with some cardstock/papers from my stash for this one!  The black & white papers I have had 'forever' along with the black & white mulberry paper flowers.

 

I stamped & die cute the sentiment 'thank you' using black ink and added another layer to add dimension.

The card was laid our following the sketch - the black diagonal border being added with foam dots to add interest.  A final touch of bling with a gem in the centre of the flower. 

 

I have finally put my cards in the mail - they sat completed for quite some time before I got out to the Post Box - my bad!

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Happy Anniversary & Valentines Day

It is that time of year again!   

 

42 years ago, on 13th February 1982, we got married.

14th February is Valentines Day

I had a bit of fun this year with my card.

 

I purchased some lovely digital graphics from ETSY recently and had a play around on the computer designing a card.

 

As an added touch, I used Dimensional Magic on the balloon heart.

 

 

Linking with the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS: #251 - Heart

Creative Inspirations - February Challenge - Someone you Love 

Critter Crazy Challenge - #83 - Anything Goes with a Critter

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

With Sympathy

Sympathy cards are always hard to make, but sometimes, the challenge blogs can help with inspiration.

One of my camera club friends, Donna, passed away unexpectedly ..... she was only 64.  I needed a card for her partner & soulmate Michael.  Donna had a wonderful laugh, always greeted everyone with a smile and will be sorely missed.

I experimented a little bit with this card.  I used a Spellbinders Die as a stencil - not the die cut, the actual metal die.  I quite like how the slight overflow on the edge of the die creates a white frame without adding extra layers.  I also kind of like that the blue looks like sky with the dandelions blowing in the breeze :)  so it fits with the Just Add Ink challenge of Day/Silhouette.

Linking with:

Addicted to CAS: #232 - Sympathy

Happy Little Stampers October Stencil Challenge

Just Add Ink #627 - pick 2 - Day/Night/Silhouette

Less is More #476 - use a stencil

Cardstock:  Leathergrain 300gsm cardstock.  

Background:  Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet blended with brushes.

Dies:  Spellbinders Deckled Edge  

Stamps:  Dandelion stamped in Versafine Onyx Black & heat embossed with clear embossing.  With Sympathy Ultimate Crafts Ooh La La - Happy Lives stamped with StazOn black.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Just for you Sweet Friend

One of my friends is going through a bit of a rough patch - they say it hits in 3's and for her it has.  She recently lost two old friends close together and she is now facing a health issue herself.  

I feel there is not a lot I can do, but I can let her know she is in my thoughts and I am here if she needs me.

I am still experimenting making my own backgrounds and on the CAS Colour & Sketches challenge blog, the colours for the current challenge really appealed to me.

It's not exact colours, but close ... sort of .. Stampin'Up Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa Candied Coral

The background was made using 3 colours with a wide stroke of a paint brush giving them an 'ombre blend'.  The Dandelion and sentiment have been stamped in Ganache by StazOn.  Mounted with 3d foam onto a black cardbase, with just a touch of bling added.

I kind of like it :)  

Linking with:

CAS Colour & Sketches - #468

Happy Little Stampers - Blend (Ombre Blend)

Addicted to CAS - #219 Friendship

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Let it Snow

Cut It Up - Guest Designer Spot #2 - Snowmen - February 25

Here is a card for my 2nd Guest Designer Spot for Cut It Up.  This particular challenge is sponsored by OddballArtCo and I have used Silly Chilly Stan #138 for my card.

I resized Silly Chilly Stan to fit on a DL size cardstock and printed with a Laser printer and hand coloured in the scarf & nose with watercolour pencils.  The sky/snow was sponged using a mixture of a few different 'blues'.

Lawn Fawn 'Let it Snow' sentiment from Magic Holiday stamped with StazOn Ganache and die cut with the inner circle of the large snowflake from the Magic Iris Snowflake Add On.  The Snowflake was die cut from some 'textured handmade paper' I have had in my stash for as long as I can remember .... just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

The sky looked a little bare, so I stamped some extra snowflakes with Stampin Up 'Snow Swirled' with 'Not Quite Navy' and added a touch of Kindy Glitz.  I also used Kindy Glitz at the bottom of the card to indicate snow on the ground - I am not entirely sure that idea was successful, but I can live with it.

I would like to link this card with a few challenges:

Happy Little Stampers' current challenge is Snowflakes, and whilst this card may be 'borderline' CAS, I will link it with Addicted to CAS anyway :)  and, the Peace on Earth Christmas challenge provided this really great picture for inspiration

The snowman and all the snow caught my attention :)  Living in Adelaide, we rarely get any snow, so I often dream of what a White Christmas would look like!

I am really quite pleased with how this card turned out and will be added to my 2022 Christmas Card Stash!

Thank you to Evelyn from the Cut It Up Challenge for asking me to be a Guest Designer, I really enjoyed myself!

linking with

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Snowflakes

Addicted to CAS - #214 - Snowflake

Peace on Earth Christmas: Challenge #10

Long Time Friends

We had a bit of a cold snap here in Adelaide yesterday - so it was a good excuse to hunker down, put on Masterchef Australia and do a bit of crafting.

Last year, I came across some second hand stamps - they were in great condition :)   

I stamped the image on white cardstock and coloured in with chalks, layered topper on green shimmer cardstock.

Card inspired by this photo from The Card Concept

and

Stamps Used:  Stampin Up Long Time Friend (2006)
Ink:  Black, Stazon
Coloured in with:  Francheville Soft Artist Pastel Chalks & highlighted with Kindy Glitz
(Card topper finished with a quick spray of hair spray to set the chalk)
Cardstock:  White cardstock & Shimmer card from Blue Edge Crafts

Linking with:
The Card Concept #153 - Loads of Lavender
Addicted to CAS #195 - Flower
Retro Rubber Challenge #156 Pastels

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Goodness, where is the time going?    It is my Dad's birthday tomorrow, and we are going out for lunch :)

Digistamp Boutique Stan with Beer

White leathergrain card from BlueEdge Crafts
coloured in with Copics & kindy glitz
die cut with circle spellbinders using Cuttlebug 

Metallic black cardstock - shine

Celebrate stamp from Inkadinakado Cupcake set
Happy Birthday (inside) Stampin Up!

Happy Birthday stamp from Voila by Stampin Up

Outer Circle from Girl Time, Just Rite Stamps

I would like to submit this card for the following challenges:

 

Sunday Sketch & Stamp #209

Less is More #174 - Lucky Dip - more than one stamp
Addicted to CAS - #39 - Texture (leathergrain cardstock)
CASology - Week 98 - Shine
Crafty Creations - #264 - Something beginning with "S" (Stan with beer)


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Happy Birthday Kate

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I do hope you are having a good day.

I made a birthday card for a friend, Kate, who is also the owner of A Quilters Odyssey (my LQS (Local Quilt Store)), so ofcourse it had to have some sort of sewing/quilting theme to it :)

This card forms part of my PDP - Personal Development Plan for 2014 - I want to participate more regularly in various card challenges, use my never before used stamps and use up my considerable stash of DP, as well as use up my considerable stash of fabrics .......... but that is another post for my sewing blog :)

Items used: 
Blue square card, Stickers, Stamp:  HOTP Sew Sweet - from BlueEdge Crafts
Bling & DP, Spellbinders DieCuts, Heat Embossing

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Addicted to CAS #29 - DieCuts
Less is More - #153 - Blue
CASual Fridays - #125 - Word Inspiration - my word 'friendships'
My Time to Craft - #229 - Movie/Music theme - Needles & Pins by The Searchers
Our Creative Corner - No More Shopping Sins - I want to use new stamps much sooner
Sunday Sketch & Stamp - #188 - Sketch




Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Happy Birthday Paula!

My fellow PACC member, Paula, celebrated her birthday last week.

Here is the card I made for her.

Items used:
Image:  Peny Black (Party Time)
Cuttlebug, Birthday folder, Spellbinder Dies,
Copics:  YG03, E51, YR00, E00, Y15, YR23, G07, Kindy Glitz, 3D foam squares

I would like to submit this card for the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS - Summer (when I think of summer, I think of flowers)
Designed to Color - pick 3 colours
Our Creative Corner - Words, words, words
Penny Black & More - in the garden (flowers)
The Pink Elephant - texture

Dream Valley Challenges - Summer days - oops, too late ;-)
Songbird Challenge - My Favourite thing (Kindy Glitz - I think I use it on just about every card I make ;-)) - oops, too late!


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.