Happy Birthday Ardyth - Part 2........

Following on from my post yesterday here is another card for Ardyth which I think is more her style..........loads of colour and CAS!  All Ardyth's birthday cards are on show over at Darnell's blog so pop on over and have a look - and maybe join in the fun.

Very quick and easy - I've stamped the image in black Memento ink.  It's a very old Whispers stamp but doesn't have a a name on it.  Coloured with Flexmarkers and glittered with Atyou Spica pens.  I've added Crystal Lacquer to all the flames although not sure the photo does that justice.  The sentiment is again from Clearly Besotted "Happy Days" which is so versatile - inked using a Kaleidacolour Pastel rainbow pad.

Thanks for popping by.

Happy Birthday Ardyth!

Hello Everyone

Today is a very special day as it's Ardyth's birthday and my great blogging buddy Darnell (or Dippy as I call her.......!) has arranged a virtual blog hop in celebration.  Please pop on over to her blog to see all the wonderful creations our blogging community have made for Ardyth.

I took a sheet of A4 cream linen card and scored to make an A5 card blank.  I then used my Spellbinders Marvellous Squares dies for the centerpiece and sponged every other one with DI's.  I layered up the die cuts and used the waste from one of them for the corners.  The flowers and pins are from my stash.  The sentiment is from my Clearly Besotted Happy Days set.

So I wish you a very, very happy birthday Ardyth and I hope you like Darnell's surprise!

Thanks for dropping by and don't forget to pop on over to Darnell's blog to see the cards.  If you want to join in wishing Ardyth a Happy Birthday then use the "Inlinx" gadget to link up to your blog.

Less is More - Week 121 - Recipe

Hello from a persistently rainy day here in Somerset - it hasn't stopped at all and I know it's good for the garden (!!!) BUT...........

Anyway it's playtime again over at Less is More and their challenge this week is:

As our sponsor this month is Acid Drops and Whatnots, we thought that our recipe this month should be 

Humour

 

 This was such a quick and simple card to make.  The image is a digi called Madge but not sure where I got her from and the sentiment was computer generated.  Image coloured in Flexmarkers and popped up with d/f foam onto the base card.  She looks how I feel!!!!  lol

Thanks for popping by.

 

With sympathy - for Susan

Hello everyone.  Just wanted to share a sympathy card I've just made for my blogging buddy Susan Goetter who has just lost her beloved husband Butch.  I am sure many of you know Susan and admire her amazing talent both in card making and Zentangle.

For the card I have used the lovely orchid from Clearly Besotted "Thinking of You" stamp set.  I inked the stamp with Versamark and then embossed it with white detail e/p.  I then coloured it using Glimmer Mist (spray a small amount onto a piece of acetate) using a paintbrush.  For deeper colour let it dry and add another layer.  I've mounted it on a mat of purple cardstock and punched the edges with my Martha Stewart Modern Garland punch.  I stamped the sentiment using Stampin Up Orchid Opulence ink and then added some gems.

Thanks for dropping by.  I am sure you will keep Susan and her family in your thoughts this weekend.

Less is More - Week 120 - Theme

Hello everyone - well it's back to thermals!!!  It's been so cold here today - bright spells and heavy rain but a bitter wind.  When are we going to get some warmth???  Anyway to warm myself up I shut myself in my craft room to complete my Less is More challenge which, this week, is:

This week is theme week at Less Is More and we hope you enjoy the choice.  We know you will come up with some fabulous creations.  We want to see cards with

Cats and/or Dogs 

We want to see cards with your favourite pet or both. We know you will all use your imagination. 

 

 

 

I've used Swirly Whirly Cats from Little Claire - aren't they cute?  They've been coloured with chalks and I've added Atyou Spica for a little glitter.  I die cut the MB Grand Gothic Arch from a piece of card and discarded the die cuts but then die cut it again from some thin veneer I had in my stash so it looks like a wooden window.  I've backed it with some b/p from my stash and mounted it all on a square card blank.  The sentiment is called Ticketed from Stampology and I used my SU oval and scalloped oval to punch it out (with more veneer to mat it).  The final touch were some pearls from The Hobby House.

As is my wont..........I actually completely misread the challenge - I saw that great picture of the dog and cat but then saw the word pets.......so thought any pets would do!!!  Yes, I know, senior moment strikes again!!!  lol  Anyway I had been itching to use my new Bella with Teddy stamp from Wild Rose Studio.  

 

The image has been coloured with Faber-Castell pencils and was set in the aperture die cut with square nesties.  I then added a frame using the square and scalloped square nesties.  The sentiment is part of the set.  I thought it was a shame not to share as it's such a cute image and I would definitely like Bella as a pet!

Thanks for dropping by - hopefully the weekend will be better; weather wise.

OLW 140 Borders

Happy Monday everyone - well, after a great weekend weather wise it's certainly changed today; overcast and chilly with the forecast of worst to come!

I spied this challenge over on another blog - it's not one I've entered before but thought I'd give it a go this week.

It's run by the incredibly talented Heather of Bits & Pieces and called OLW or One Layer Wednesday and she's asking us to make or stamp a border on your one layer card. You can use stamps designed for creating a border or you can create a border with any stamps.

 

For my card I masked off a border area on a 6" square card blank and then I've used all Clearly Besotted stamps - Leafy Accents and Happy Days.  I've used Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves for the ink and used 1st and 2nd generation stamping.  I then lightly sponged along each edge.  The two part sentiment was stamped in the same ink.

Thanks for dropping by and taking the trouble to leave comments.

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #13

Hello everyone - welcome to a brand new Addicted to CAS challenge.

This challenge is hosted by the amazing Kylie who is our much respected founder and leader at Addicted to Stamps.  Here is the code word she has chosen:

And we have the wonderful ladies over at

as our awesome sponsor for this challenge. If you are crowned our CAS Perfectionist, you will be entitled to choose 7 digis from their store!!!!

 

I have chosen to use Pleasant Poppies by Stampin Up on my card this week.  It is quite a large stamp and has three slightly separate groups of poppies so I chose to use just one group.  I masked off the part of the stamp I didn't want with tape before I inked it up and then removed the tape before I stamped.  I am sure there may be another way to do this but it works for me.  I coloured the image in with my Polychromos pencils and then die cut the word HAPPY from the image (All Occasion Dies).  I die cut the word twice more from white cardstock and then glued the three layers together and popped them back into the image which was popped up on the base card blank.  The sentiment "Birthday" is from Clearly Besotted "Happy Days" stamp set.  Corners of both layers have been rounded using my Corner Chomper.

Thanks for dropping by.  Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog to see the amazing cards the rest of the DT have come up with.

Less is More - Week 119 - One Layer

Hello all from a very chilly and damp Somerset.  What a difference to last weekend eh?  Well, in between painting walls I managed to grab a crafty break to join in with the latest challenge over at Less Is More where Chrissie & Jen have set us this challenge:

This week it's everyone's favourite.. One Layer Cards and this week we would like you to use a

Coloured Card Blank

Yes that's right, none of your boring, white, ivory, black or kraft card blanks we want to see you add some colour.

I actually managed to make two cards.  The first one is on a 4" square kraft card blank and I used stamps from my Stampin Up Bordering on Romance set, inked up with black Versafine.  Now I don't know if you've tried to use coloured pencils directly onto kraft card but you normally end up with a very "flat" image.  I was given a great tip from Jo Austin of Docrafts quite a while ago.  The secret is to stamp your image and then colour everything in with a white pencil......then colour as normal over the top of this.  Not only does it give a bright finish you also get a sort of glazed finish as well but not sure that shows up in my photos.  I used Polychromos pencils.

My second card was very simple.  I made up a red pearl card blank and using Versamark stamped the three elements from the Stampin Up Fabulous You set.  I then used fine detail gold e/p and "Bob's your uncle"!!!  Again it is really difficult to get a good photograph of embossing on a coloured cardstock, especially the sentiment, as you have to turn it at an angle, but I'm sure you get the drift.

 

Oops..........I've actually just read the challenge rules and suddenly saw that Chrissie & Jen have said "none of your boring, white, ivory, black or kraft card blanks".............hope they forgive me as I have got quite a lot of colour on my kraft card!!!  lol  That'll teach me to read it more carefully next time!  But at least I have redeemed myself with the red card (I hope!).

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for dropping by to visit.

Clearly Besotted!!!

Hi Folks - just a very quick post today as I'm packing my bags (no, I'm not leaving home....... lol) as it's our craft night tonight and I have quite a lot to take along for the two projects we are going to be completing tonight.

However I just had to have a quick play as my new goodies from Clearly Besotted arrived this morning from Stephanie's May release.  I've used the Just Fabulous stamps and die set.  I started off by embossing a piece of white cardstock using my Cuttlebug Geometric e/f but used my Darice Easy Frames to keep a clear oval at the bottom right hand side of the embossed piece (not sure you can see it on the photo very clearly).  I then stamped the stem and leaf directly into the clear oval and decided where I wanted my smaller flowers to go so I could add stems for them as well.  I then stamped up my flowers using SU Tangerine Tango and die cut them.  I inked up the larger vase and die cut that as well.  These elements were shaped with my bone folder and added to the card using Pinflair Glue Gel.  I then stamped the sentiment and punched it with my SU label punch.  I also punched the same shape on the main piece of embossed card so I could place the sentiment on the base card which could be seen through the "window".  The whole of the main image was then raised on d/s foam pads and added to the base card.


I have always admired Stephanie's ability to die cut her images perfectly so asked if she actually die cut the stamped image or die cut the shape and then stamped on top.  She directed me to a blog who gave the best solution I have seen - and perhaps you all know about this, but it was one of those "duh" moments.  Firstly you die cut each shape out of a separate piece of card.  Keep these negative pieces and then when you stamp your image place the negative card over the top and pop your die into the aperture and tape down.  Put through your machine and you have the perfect die cut!  Simples eh?   

Anyway, must get on with getting all my gear together.  Have a great evening and thanks for dropping by.

Less is More - Week 118 Colour

Hello everyone - hope you all had a fantastic Bank Holiday weekend with glorious weather.  It was beautiful down here in Somerset and continues today - although tomorrow and Wednesday don't look good at all!!!  Typical eh?

Anyway onto the Less is More challenge which is:

Colour Challenge 

This month we would like you to choose TWO opposite colours from this Colour Wheel

For my card I chose to use my Woodware stamp Fuchsia Spray which I first saw my friend Jill use.  I've stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black and then decided to use the colours Yellow-Green and Violet-Red.  Happily I have a Flexmarker called Violet-Red ........ how lucky was that? lol

 

I stamped onto white card for the base and coloured with Flexmarkers, I then stamped again so I could use the three main flowers to decoupage and finally stamped again onto vellum for the top layer (calyx or sepals I think they are called).  I die cut the main image using my Spellbinders Nesties Labels 1 and then I used Pinflair Glue Gel for the decoupage.  I mounted onto a matching mat and then added it to a square card blank.

Thanks for dropping by.  Don't forget we've got a new challenge over at Addicted to CAS with a great prize up for the CAS Perfectionist.  The code word is RAINBOW.

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #12

Happy Saturday to you all.  I'm scheduling this post but am hoping that the weather is going to be as nice as it is today (Wednesday) but knowing our luck with Bank Holiday weekends it might not!!!  lol

Well it's time for another challenge at Addicted to CAS - the weeks just fly by.  Here we go:

ATCAS - Challenge #12 - Hosted by Christine

Sponsor for this challenge is 

There is an amazing range of goodies over here! The wonderful Cassie is offering the winner of our challenge an amazing $15 gift voucher!!! 

I've used one of the Clear Dollar Stamps images called Sunshine & Smiles and printed the image of the sunflowers out twice and then fussy cut and decoupaged for some dimension.  Everything was coloured using Flexmarkers.  I've used rainbow colours in baker's twine for the rainbow and the clouds are a combination of Memory Box Puffy Clouds and Marshmallow Clouds. 

I sponged Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass for the grass and sky and I had masked off the sun and the rays before I sponged.  I then used the negative mask (eg the hole left after cutting the mask) to sponge Mustard Seed and Dried Marigold inks.  The sentiment was part of the Clear Dollar Stamps image and was cut using my Stampin Up label punch.  I added some copper Stickles to the centres of the sunflowers.  The whole thing has then been mounted onto a slightly larger piece of card which had been scored using my Stampin Up Simply Scored board and then attached to the base card.


Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog where the DT have some amazing inspiration awaiting you.  We are dying to see what creations you come up with and look forward to visiting your blogs.  This really is a very generous prize from Cassie so well worth having a go!


Enjoy the weekend.