You're never more than a thought away

I had the opportunity to try a new technique - well new to me - floating strips.

 

I came across a few lovely examples around the blogs and then set about making a card.

 

 

I cut up some strips from a handmade background that I wasn't particularly happy with that has been in my stash for a while.  I traced one of my circle dies on a piece of paper, placed a piece of acetate on top, then positioned the strips over the circle using Connect Glue.  I then cut out a large circle from the acetate using Spellbinder nested circles dies.

I placed foam tape behind the strips and positioned the circle towards the top of the cardfront.

 

I positioned a die cut of a water windmill received in a CraftMad swap many years ago, and has been sitting in my stash waiting for the perfect opportunity, on top of the circle.  I then stamped the sentiment from Stampin Up Whimsical Words. 

 

A final scatter of bling to finish off! 

 

Linking the above card with the following challenges: 

 

The neglected stuff challenge

 

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.

Swap Cards - With Sympathy & Handmade Hug

It was time again for some more swap cards.

 

Card # 1 - Easel Card

 

I struggled to come up with an idea - but landed on a 'crafty' feel.  I actually started following the sketch before I came up with a suitable 'easel' idea.

 

I stamped, hand coloured and die cut several elements from the Stampin Up Crafting With You.

 

The various elements were added to the front of the cardbase using foam tabs to provide added dimension.

I forgot to take a photo of the easel bit ..... but the front of the card folds up, to reveal another raised element of the designer paper.

 

Card #2 - Sketch 

 

Once again, I followed the sketch, with the basic elements being added to the front of the card with foam tabs.  Spellbinders 'Little Blooms' were diecut, then ink blended with Distress Inks, leaves trimmed & glued together to form a 'bunch', then added to the square panel cut with Spellbinder Square die.

 

The background paper came from the paper pad I got from Secret Santa - it's funny, because I am not normally a fan of green, but I do like this particular shade of green.

 

The 'With Sympathy' element was printed and foiled, then die cut with Spellbinders Circle die.  Both the square and the circle were added to the cardfront with foam tabs to add dimension.

 

 Linking Card #2 with the following challenges:

Pick 3 challenge #2 - I chose Embellishments, Flower, Circle

 

Allsorts Challenge #844 - Anything Goes

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.

Another Year Flies By

Birthdays are thick & fast this time of year.

Another Birthday card inspired by the current sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

 

I started with stamping some Butterflies from Kaisercraft on white cardstock.  I heat embossed the central butterfly and coloured with some Distress Ink using a waterbrush.

I then cut them out with circle dies - layering them twice to give dimension and mounting with foam dots.  Sentiment was stamped directly on the cardfront.

 

 

 

While playing with placement, I realised that just a plain white background was not working for me, so I grabbed a stencil I have had for a while, but not used before and using the same Distress Ink used to colour the central butterfly, I stenciled the background lightly.  That was the little 'something' I was looking for!

 

The cardfront was trimmed then placed on some old Stampin' Up Cardstock - I think the colour is either More Mustard or Pumpkin Pie ..... perfect!

 

Linking with the following challenges:

 

Addicted to Stamps & More #460 - Die Cut/Stencil

Seize the Birthday #276 - Anything Goes

Freshly Made Sketches #621

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

Happy New Year to you all!

Time for some NEW Birthday Cards.

 

 

I made my own background by lightly ink blending a few colours and stamping some musical notes several times in Black ink, which was then trimmed to size.  I have had the musical notes stamp for quite a few years, but this is the first time I have used it.

I die cut 'happy birthday' words & shadows from alternating black & white layers - layering the black shadow twice to add more dimension.

Background was attached to the 300 gsm card base using double sided 'jac' paper, then the sentiment was mounted with 3D foam.

 

I am quite happy with the way the card turned out, as this is a new technique for me. 

 

--oooo0oooo--

For the Card #2, I made my own background by ink blending a few different blues, spritzing with water and letting dry.  The I randomly stamped the cake from Stampin Up Voila in Versamark, then heat embossing.  It is amazing the difference a new stamp pad makes!  Now I just need to keep a look out for the refill bottles and not let the stamp pad dry out :)

 

I die cut 'happy birthday' words & shadows from alternating black & white layers - this time using the black words on a white shadow.

Background was attached to the 300 gsm card base, and the sentiment was mounted 3D foam.

 

I quite enjoyed my first 'real' crafting session for 2024, and I hope to spend more time in the craft room...... how about you?...... what are you hoping to do in 2024?

 

 

Linking with following challenges:

 

Card1

NBUS: Musical Notes stamp

Time Out Challenge #254:  New technique

My Time To Craft #525 - Use something new in your stash

All Sorts Challenge #763 - make your own background

 

Card2

Sweet Stampin Challenge: New 

Cardz 4 Guys #338 - Use something new from stash

All Sorts Challenge #763 - make your own background

 

Linking both cards with 

Cut It Up Challenge #295 - New Product/Technique

 

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.

Sympathy Card

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by and reading my latest post!

I have needed a few Sympathy cards of late ...... such a sad time for some of my friends and their families.  Over the next day or so, I will be sharing some of the sympathy cards I have made.

 

One of my friends I have known since about 1975, Gavin, recently passed away.  It was a bit of a shock, as he was only 66, but he had been experiencing some health issues of late.  

 

This card will be for his brother, Stephen.  Stephen was the person who introduced my husband to me, and Gavin was the person who pushed us to go on a few dates!  Thank you Stephen & Gavin, we have now been married 42 years and counting!

 

For me, the loss of an old friend hurts, but knowing he is no longer in pain is a source of comfort.

 

 

Stampin Up Heartfelt Thanks - my fave 2-step stamp set.  I have had this set for quite a while now (since 2015!  which goes to show the quality of the stamps!)

Background flowers were stamped randomly with VersaMark, then clear embossed.  Background was trimmed then attached to cardbase.  2-step Flower images were stamped onto white card front, using a 'The Stamping Buddy' to align images, trimmed and edges were distressed.  Card front was layered onto black cardstock, ribbon wrapped around cardfront, then cardfront was attached to background.  

 

'The Stamping Buddy' is another tool I have had for many years.  I remember thinking it was a bit on the 'expensive' side when I first bought it, but it has been the perfect tool for aligning wooden stamps, especially my collection of 2-step stamps from Stampin Up.

Linking With the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More 'any occasion'

All Sorts Challenge #745 Anything Goes

ITEMS USED

Stampin Up Heartfelt Thanks, The Stamping Buddy, Stampin Up Ink, Stazon Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, VersaMark, Edge distressing tool

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.

You're not old ... you're vintage!

I had a lot of fun making this card.

 

 

I stamped the TV and die cut several times, making a shaker window for the screen. I placed TV onto background SDP, then used a Stampin' Up Marker to define the edge.

 

 

Sentiment was stamped using Stampin' Up Marker Bravo Burgundy - I am amazed they still work after all these years!

I just love these layering stamps & dies - they create such interest in an otherwise clean & simple card. #Altenew

 

Linking With the following challenges:

 

Happy Little Stampers:  Anything Goes with Dies

AAA Birthday Game #48 - Layer it up

The Male Room Challenge #173 - Stencil &/or Dies

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Use Dies &/or punches

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #570 - Use die cuts

 

ITEMS USED

Stamps/Dies:  Altenew Vintage Vibes

Inks: Stampin Up:  Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Bravo Burgundy; Distress Inks, Versafine

Tools:  Cuttlebug, Couture Creations Stamp Press

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.

Thanks .... So Much

Am loving the hot weather ....... NOT    LOL 🤣🤣

We have solar panels and while the sun is shining, at least it is covering the electricity bill so we can freely use the air conditioning, and over the last few days, we needed it!

So while it was too hot outside to do anything, I was supposed to be tidying up my craft room, but I got distracted and made up a card!

 

 

I came across some very old handmade papers that I have had since I first started cardmaking in 2003 and as I 💖 Purple, I just HAD to have a play!

 

The card came together in a matter of minutes ..... don't you just love it when that happens!

 

I had a stamped element left over from a previous play date - a flower from the SU Hand Penned Petals which had been heat embossed using white ink AND white embossing powder - and was coloured in using Distress Inks & blending brushes.

The flower element was mounted onto a gorgeous die-cut that I received in a Swap (my 'something new' for the Creative Inspiration Challenge), then that was mounted onto the purple handmade paper (my 'something old'), which had been mounted onto the white cardbase.

 

 

Sentiments 'thanks' (from Honey Bee Stamps Bitty Buzzwords) was die cut from scraps in black & white, layered & mounted with 3d foam dots to background.  'so much' (from Honey Bee Stamps Miss You Big time) was stamped in StazOn black onto white cardstock scrap pieces, then mounted onto front of card.  It pays to keep all those smaller scrap pieces!

 

I am really pleased with how quickly this card came together. 

 

This one will go in my stash for future use :)

I am linking with a few newly discovered challenges for this card, as well as one of my Fave Challenge blogs, Cut It Up :)

Birthstone Challenges BSC#1 - Anything Goes (Amethyst)

Creative Knockouts #485 Anything Goes 

Cut It Up Challenge #269 - Anything Goes (with a die cut)

Creative Inspirations - January - Something Old, Something New

Items Used

Cardstock:  White 250gsm, purple handmade paper

Inks:  Distress Inks, Memento White Versamagic, White Embossing powder, StazOn

Stamps/Dies:  SU Hand Penned Petals, HBS Miss You Big Time, HBS Bitty Buzzwords

Tools: Cuttlebug

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.

Good Bye & Good Riddance 2022!

2022 has ended with a thud with the news of another very dear friend passing away.

 

My friend Gary, who I have known since 1975 passed away on 16th December 2022, he was 62 years old. Far too young!

 

I really struggled to make a card for Janine (his wife and also my friend), as I wanted it to be perfect!  I also wanted to write a letter and include it in the card ..... that took a moment or two to collate my thoughts.

 

 

 

I had made up some backgrounds and hand stamped elements earlier in the year using the SU Hand Penned Petals stamps.  So I just had a play around with combining different elements and settled on this final layout.  

 

Background was made by stamping multiple times in the pink, the border section on the left was stamped multiple times using the two-step feature of the stamps. The feature element was die cut and mounted on 3D foam dots, with some gold twine circled underneath, then highlighted with Kindy Glitz.

 

 

Linking with:

Cardz for Galz #189 - choose your fave challenge from 2022.

My fave challenge from 2022 was the June 2022 - die cuts

the card I submitted for that particular challenge is HERE (the flower in the top right hand corner is the element I used for this new card)

 

Items Used

Cardstock:  White 250gsm, purple scraps

Inks:  Distress Inks, Kindy Glitz

Stamps:  SU Hand Penned

Tools: Cuttlebug, dies

 

 --00Ooo--

 

Sadly, I couldn't physically attend the Memorial Service as it was too far away, but I was so very thankful for modern technology which meant that the service could be viewed via Zoom.  It was such a lovely service too, so 'Gary' like ..... the music selection was very moving and my heart nearly burst when one of my old photos came up on the screen

there we were, back in about 1976... I can still hear us all laughing and giggling... there are so many good memories of our teenage years.  We often chatted via Messenger and I am so thankful to have been able to catch up with them in 2017 and make a few new memories.  I will treasure each and every one of them.  

 

--ooOoo--

 

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.

Merry Christmas

not long to go now ............. and it will be Christmas Day!

Today's card is a CAS card ... well, CAS for me LOL

Two Gingerbread Characters stamped with StazOn, coloured in with Copics and highlighted with Kindy Glitz & scattered stars.

I spied the Gingerbread people in the background of the Peace on Earth Christmas challenge and it fits in with the current AAA Cards Challenge :)

 

The 'Merry Christmas' sentiment is from an unknown Stampin Up set.  I bought a heap of loose SU stamps from Marketplace.  If anyone can let me know which set it belongs to, that would be great!

Linking With the following challenges:

AAA Cards - Game #229 - small & few & baked goods

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog #47 - Anything Goes

CAS on Friday - #245 - Greeting Card

Peace on Earth Christmas - Photo Board

Items Used

Cardstock:  200gsm white cardstock

Inks:  StazOn

Stamps:  Stampin Up 'Merry Christmas', Gingerbreads unknown brand

Tools:  Copics

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.

Thinking of You

Another sympathy card for my friends.

Randomly stamped flowers on cardbase with VersaMark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Stamped a white card topper with two step stamps from SU Heartfelt Thanks.  Sentiment is from Ultimate Crafts Ooh LaLa - Happy Lives.

Items Used

Cardstock:  SU Cardstock

Inks:  SU Cameo Coral & Olive Green (I think), VersaMark, StazOn Black

Stamps:  Stampin' Up Heartfelt Thanks & Ultimate Crafts Ooh La La - Happy Lives

Tools:  Edge Distresser

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.

Heartfelt Sympathy

Another Sympathy card - this one for a friend to give 

Sandy coloured Cardbase was randomly stamped with flowers from Stampin' Up Heartfelt Thanks, once with VersaMark then again with SU Really Rust.  White Card topper two step stamped with Stampin' Up Really Rust & StazOn black.  Edges distressed, then a ribbon tied up then mounted onto darker brown cardstock, then layered onto front of card.  Sentiment stamped with StazOn black.

A fairly monotone card ..... shades of brown, with simple black & white features/details added.

Linking With the following challenges:

Color My Heart Color Dare: shades of brown

AAA Challenge #227 Anything Goes

ITEMS USED

Cardstock:  SU Cardstock

Inks:  SU Really Rust, VersaMark, StazOn Black

Stamps:  Stampin' Up Heartfelt Thanks & paperCraft sentiments

Tools:  Edge Distresser

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 - two step

I have a new stamp set ..... well, new to me :)

The As You Like It Challenge asks us to nominate favourite card to make .... feminine or masculine?

Well feminine ...... hands down!  Because I just love flowers, and pink & purple and pretty things!

I was introduced to 2-step stamps many years ago when I discovered Stampin' Up and have been a fan ever since.

Main image was stamped in Jet Black StazOn as well as Ranger Distress Inks.  I made my own background strip with the same stamps, but stamped off the colours before stamping so that they were a lighter shade than the main image.

Gold twine wrapped around and placed underneath the main image, along with some die cut leaves, inked with the Green.

I even used the border die to get the lovely scalloped edge .... so cool!

Linking with:

As You Like It Challenge : Feminine or Masculine 

Cardz 4 Galz : #175 die cuts & punches

Happy Little Stamps - Anything goes with dies

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