Masculine Get Well

Just a quick card this evening using my Lawn Fawn weather dies.  Nice and simple and super dooper quick!
Sentiment / alpha set from Paper Smooches

• Layout from CAS on Sunday #63 
• Die Cuttin Divas #26 - the great outdoors
• Crafty Creations #294 - four of something (gems)
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Fab'n Funky #269 - no patterned papers

Coolest Friend

I've had a few days off work, and it's probably not a bad thing that it's done nothing but rain!  I've been busy having a bit of a tidy up and repainted my hall/stairs/landing too ... not sure why I thought it was a good idea last year to paint it yellow, but it's now 100% less annoying in 'Springtime Sage'!!

Anyway, this wee card was inspired by Tracey's card over at the Muse challenge.  I'd won this MFT set a few weeks ago and haven't had a chance to get it inky, so it was great to see Tracey using them.

I used my Lawn Fawn cloud border and sun dies.  Image coloured with watercolour pencils and the penguin popped up on dimensionals.  Wink of Stella added to the flowers.  Orange glitter to his beak, umbrella and straw, and clear gloss to the drink.  Silver sequins from stash.  Dots with copic markers for the 'sand' to ground my image.
I love how this card turned out :)

Muse Challenge #126
Tuesday Throwdown #255 - Summer fun
Inky Chicks #54 - use a metal embellishment
Die Cuttin Divas #226 - the great outdoors
Sparkles challenge #70 - sun sea sand
CRAFT #321 - wish you were here

Baby Announcement cards

So this is what I've been working on this past week ... a request by my boss for a set of 30 baby announcement cards.  Now I HATE making big orders like this, so I kept them reasonably simple and with minimal colouring.

My image is an old-oldie from Shirley's 2 Girls.  Die-namics cloud die; paper smooches heart die.
Bit of bling in the form of sequins, and the job's a good-un!  I had loads of scraps in my pink pile so this was a great way to use them all up, plus it meant that there was a bit of variety in the set even though they were all the same if you know what I mean! :)
Computer generated sentiment.

613 Avenue Create #133 - anything goes
Addicted to Stamps #154 - CAS
Creative Knockouts #99 - paper piecing
Moving Along with the Times - baby baby
Simply Create Too #90 - for a precious child
Snippets Playground challenge #187
Less is More #234 - snippets

Eat Cake Graphics - Mara Mermaid

How's this for a feeling of summer!  I'd love to be floating in that pool where she is! (rather than sitting here in my fleece LOL)

Stamps from Eat Cake Graphics ...
1056-I Mara Mermaid floats
8151-D Happy birthday (fun text)

Coloured with watercolour pencils and some clear gloss and glitter added to her bikini top and to highlights on the water.
Photo frame is from Die-namics; heart is a Paper Smooches die.

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics :)

Crafty Cardmakers #143 - water
Creative Card Crew #92 - banner / flag
Papertake Weekly - build it up
Top Tip Tuesday - bingo - I used sparkle, sentiment, twine
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - sparkle and shine
CRAFT #321 - wish you were here
A Gem of a Challenge #149 - Birthday wishes
Natalie and Amy's challenge #34 - summertime

Eat Cake Graphics - Not a creature stirring

Told you I was on a Christmas card catch up!
I love this stamp from Eat Cake Graphics, it's one of my all time favourites for sure ... the sentiment is part of the image which is handy.
8102-M Not a Creature Stirring (scene)

I've coloured it with watercolour pencils.  I added some Wink of Stella and clear gloss to my candy canes for a bit of sparkle.  My snowflakes are Paper Smooches dies with a blue gem added to the centre.

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples & Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics :)

Addicted to Stamps #153 - holiday
As you like it - favourite colour ... well if you looked in my wardrobe it's most definitely blue! But I also love blue for clear sunny skies and the colour of the ocean.  WHEN I win the lottery I'll be buying a wee house with a sea view :)
CRAFT #320 - Christmas
My Time to Craft #300 - Christmas in July
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #54 - ribbon / lace / twine
Whimsy Stamps Challenge #85 - Christmas in July
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - July

Get Well Roses

I think this is the last of my new goodies ;)  ... another Lili of the Valley stamp from their sale.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and Wink of Stella added to the roses for some sparkle.

Apologies for blogger overload recently ... I'd hardly any cards in my stash and, while my mojo is co-operating, I thought I'd make hay while the sun shines!

• Layout from Sketch Saturday #370, though I moved the sentiment panel to the centre
• Time Out challenges #35 - nature / animals
• Fab n Funky #268 - flower delights
• Penny Black and More July - add a sentiment

Monochrome Sympathy Cards

My Favorite Things have their summer school running at the minute, so I thought I'd have a go at the Monochromatic lesson.

I've used my new floral stamp from Lili of the Valley and coloured with my watercolour pencils.  It was dead easy to colour, just a touch of colour to the flower centres and then wash it out to the edges, then some darker highlights between the flowers in the deep shade.  Looks fab, but so easy to achieve!  I also added some Wink of Stella (of course!) to the green leaves and ribbon on the little pot.

Card 1:

• Layout from Cheerful Sketches July
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge July
• Clear it Out - purple theme and purple stash (purple gems)
• Fab n Funky #268 - flower delights
• PolkaDoodles #29 - 2 or more DPs

Card 2:

• CAS-ual Chic CCC01 - embossing
• Inspiration Destination #42 - anything goes
• Creative Inspiration #322 - let's colour
• Penny's Paper Crafting challenge #236 - anything goes

Buckets of Love

Lili of the Valley had a sale recently that was too good to pass up ;) and I treated myself to a few new stamps and some of their paper packs.  At half price they were an absolute bargain!  I think I could use an entire stack of this pink gingham, it's such a pretty shade!

I've coloured my image with watercolour pencils.  Wink of Stella added to the water and to the bubbles.  Paper Smooches die cut hearts.
I used my Dienamics Stitched rectangle die for my base - it was too short so I sliced it and then slotted in the sentiment strip ... a good idea even if I do say so myself :)

• Layout from Crazy 4 Challenges C4C295 (I had to flip my sentiment to cover the hole in my white base!)
• Pile it On #77 - water
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
• Crafty Cardmakers #143 - water
• Cute Card Thursday #382 - water
• Time Out Challenges #35 - nature / animals
• Penny Black and More July - add a sentiment

Paw Print on my Heart

It's been a bit of an icky dark day, no sunshine in sight and plenty of rain!  On the plus side, the garden doesn't need watered and its perfect crafting weather ;)

I've been playing with some of my new goodies from my recent win from My Favorite Things.  My kitty and sentiments are from a set called I Knead You - coloured with watercolour pencils and then popped up on dimensionals.  I coloured some white card with a watercolour pencil to match the kitten's bow tie, and then cut using the scribbles die.  I also used my new Cross Stich Dienamics rectangle for the bright pink base ... I'm LOVING this die :)


I also embossed my white base using an old Ellison mini folder.  Oh and of course no card is complete without a touch of Wink of Stella - added to the kitten's bow tie and to the scribble die cut.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday #237
• Colour theme from CAS Colours and Sketches #133 
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
• Sweet Stampin - no designer paper
• CAS-ual Friday CFC141 - embossing

Eat Cake Graphics - A Doggy Welcome for Santa

Well, it's July already so it's time to up a gear for my Christmas cards ;)  My original plan to make a few every month didn't quite pan out!

This card features this sweet Santa stamp from Eat Cake Graphics.  I've coloured it with Watercolour pencils and popped up on dimensionals.  Added clear gloss to Santa's glasses and some flowersoft to his bauble.
I used a Simon Says stencil for the background and sprinkled over some glitter for some added sparkle.  Sentiment die also from Simon Says.

Stamp used:
1178-P Santa's Doggy Welcome

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics :)

Crafts 4 Eternity R#235 - use a stencil / mask
The Glory of Christmas #63 - feature a creature
Sweet Stampin - Christmas in July
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
Stamp Ink Paper #5 - Christmas theme
Addicted to Stamps #153 - Holiday

Eat Cake Graphics - A Wild Ride

I should have coloured my little dog white instead of brown and it could have been my wee Ruby as she loves nothing better than having her head out the car window ... can't see what the charm is myself, you'd only end up with scary hair and flies in your teeth LOL ;)

I used a Paper Smooches city scape die for my background, and added some clear gloss for the windows.  My image is from Eat Cake Graphics - coloured with watercolour pencils, Wink of Stella and clear gloss added to the bumpers and wheel centres, and then popped up on dimensionals.

Stamp used ...
8016-E Lewis and Trudy's wild ride
(not sure about make of sentiment, it's from an old set that has long since lost it's packaging!)

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics :)

Penny's Challenge #236 - anything goes
Creative Inspirations #322 - let's colour
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
Penny Black and More July - add a sentiment
Get Creative #19 - stars
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge - July

Just Fur You

I was super-dooper fantastically lucky recently and won a spending spree courtesy of the My Favorite Things blog :D

Big shout out for their delivery ... I selected my goodies on Thursday evening and was inking them up today!

So this cute kitty and sentiment is an MFT set  BB I Knead You .. I'd saw my buddy Dotty Jo use it recently and fell in love with it!
I also ordered this Scribbles die that I've been oogling for a while :)

Simon Says Stamp Monday - furry friends
Sister Act #114 - anything goes
Inky Chicks #53 - my furry friend

Eat Cake Graphics - Huggable Thanks

I think this is one of my favourite stamps from Eat Cake Graphics, they're such a sweet trio!

Stamps used..
1148-J Hadley and Kitty give Buddy a big hug
8225-D Thanks (text)

Coloured with watercolour pencils.
My little tab is a Paper Smooches die, and then I embossed it with a little button folder that I haven't used for years.

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics :)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - furry friends
Cute Card Thursday #381 - ladies only
CRAFT #319 - thank you
Inky Chicks #53 - my furry friend
Stamping Sensations July - feature a creature

Hearts and Hugs

I've had a mad cleaning bug today ... if it didn't move it either got cleaned, into the charity bag or binned!  So I'm knackered now, but it was very therapeutic though!

This is just a wee card for the fun of it using the same stamp as yesterday .... from Eat Cake Graphics:
1016-J Main Squeeze 
Coloured with watercolour pencils, clear gloss added to his glasses.

For my background, I cut a strip with my Simon Says hearts die to make a stencil and then chalked some hearts in the background.

Tuesday Throwdown #252 - no patterned DP
Sister Act #114 - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
Penny's challenge #235 - anything goes

Anniversary hugs

I've been crafty shopping again - waiting on postie arriving with my goodies ;) - so I've been making an attempt to get to the bottom of some paper stacks.  This one has been knocking about for some time!

I used a Simon Says Stamp hearts die on my blue base ... I love how it looks but its a pain in the butt poking out all the little circles every time!
My image is from Eat Cake Graphics:
1016-J Main Squeeze
Coloured with watercolour pencils, fussy cut, and popped up on dimensionals.  Paper pieced her dress.
My XO embossed bg on the white circle is an oldie Ellison mini folder.

• Creative Card Crew #91 - die cuts
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Layout from Retro Sketches #172
• My Time to Craft #299 - paper piecing
• 613 Avenue Create #132 - anything goes
• Sister Act #114 - anything goes

You're fin-tastic

This card was inspired by this week's featured stamper over at Splitcoast .... HERE's Debra's fab original.


I've used an old Stampin' Up set that hasn't seen any ink for such a long time - coloured with watercolour pencils, clear gloss added to her eyes and then I've Winked her all over so she's lovely and sparkly.  Red stickles added to hearts.  I've also used my last two red enamel dots (sob sob) and my much unloved washi tape too.

Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Sister Act #114 - anything goes
Addicted to stamps #152 - make your mark
Time Out #35 - nature

Birthday critters

LOL, yes, that's my Lawn Fawn cloud border die again!  And Yes, I used my Wink of Stella pen as well ;)

Critters all from Paper Smooches.  coloured with watercolour pencils, cow popped up on dimensionals.
Taylored Expressions stacked stars dies.
Clear gloss added to their eyes.

• Layout from Try Stampin on Tuesday #226
  
• Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #152 - make your mark
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - furry friends
• Cas-ual Chic CCC01 - embossing
• Sister Act #114 - anything goes
• Polkadoodles #28 - embossing
• Crazy for Challenges #294 - critters

[ Top 3 at Try Stampin on Tuesday :) ]

Popping By

We've a nice looooong weekend for the Twelfth celebrations, so no work till Wednesday, hurrah!
My card stash is a bit low, and the weather's looking a bit ropey over the next few days, so looks like I may be doing a bit of crafting!  I should really be doing a bit of painting round the house, but we'll see ;)

This card uses an old Whipper Snapper stamp ... I've coloured my image with watercolour pencils and then Winked up the balloons.  I'm loving my Wink of Stella pen, might have to get another few of these!  I'm also loving my new Lawn Fawn cloud border, gonna have to get this off my table as I seem to be using it on every card I make!
I added some chalk to the BG to add a hint of blue.

Curtain Call inspiration pic .. balloons
Stamping Sensations July - feature a creature
Whimsy Inspirations #84 - ribbon, lace or twine
Clear it Out - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - furry friends
A Gem of a Challenge #148 - red, white, blue
Sister Act #114 - anything goes
Creative Card Crew #91 - die cuts

Nautical Thank You cards

I was asked to make a few nautical themed Thank You cards, so here's 2 of them ....

My little sailboat is from High Hopes ... Summer Sail Boat.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and some Wink of Stella added to the cloud on the sail and to the portholes.  Both boats popped up on dimensionals.
Large Thanks sentiment from Eat Cake Graphics.
Smaller Thanks sentiment from an Alley Way Stamps set.
Taylored Expressions wave die on card 1.
Cuttlebug embossing folder on card 2.


Card 1:

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #236 
• Penny's Challenge #235 - anything goes
• Tuesday Throwdown #252 - no patterned DP
• Creative Card Crew #91 - die cuts

Card 2:

• Scalloped edge / image / sentiment based on Joan's card over at the Muse Challenge #123
• Inspiration Destination #41 - anything goes
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• CAS on Sunday #62 - embossing

July calendar page

Whoops, July just kinda crept up on me and I'm a few days late with Mum's calendar page!

I used ordinary watercolour paint for my water; watercolour pencils for my images and then a touch of Wink of Stella to the wee fishie.
Background sky chalked.
Cloud die from Lawn Fawn.

Stamps used:
Kitty on Rocks (Eat Cake Graphics)
Small Sunnie (High Hopes)
Text / alpha set from Paper Smooches

Stamping Sensations July - feature a creature
Bunny Zoe's Crafts June - furry friends
Inky Chicks #53 - my furry friend
Addicted to Stamps #151 - anything goes
Crafting when we can #98 - summer fun
Pile it On #76 - hot fun in the summertime

We are Sailing

We've had a bit of a heat wave this past week, and it was perfect timing as the Tall Ships were in town!   You'll not believe me from this photo looking at that sky, but we didn't have a drop of rain and the sun shone :)
They headed off today to Portrush, ready to start their race to Norway tomorrow.  Not sure I'd fancy crossing the North Sea in one of these though!

So in celebration of our Tall Ships visitors I've gone for a nautical themed card today.

My image is an oldie from Lili of the Valley.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and a few highlights added from my Wink of Stella pen.  Blue BP embossed with an old Ellison folder.  Star dies from Taylored Expressions (which I also 'winked'!)

• Layout from The Sketchy Challenge #88
• Die Cuttin Divas #222 - anything goes
• Top Tip Tuesday - name that tune ... 'We are Sailing' by Rod Stewart
• Crafty Creations #292 - red, white, blue
• CRAFT #318 - embossing
• Crafts for Eternity R#233 - red, white, blue
• Crafty Catz #286 - anything goes

{winner at Crafty Creations}