Christmas Mouse

Well we're just about a week past mid-summer, it's been raining all day and I've had to put the heat on this evening ... so what else would I feel like making but a Christmas card ;)

This card was inspired by Marianne's beautiful blue bauble over at the Muse Christmas challenge.  I was looking for a totally different stamp (yet to find!) when I came across this oldie Elzybells stamp.  Coloured with watercolours and lots of Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the blue bauble.  I also splattered my BG with various green watercolours.
My sentiment is a partial stamp of this Eat Cake Graphics one ...
8102-M Not a creature stirring (scene)

• Muse Christmas visions #51
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Simply Create Too #112 - Christmas in July
• CHNC #287 - use a sentiment
• ABC Christmas - M is for Mouse
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas extra - June

Try Stampin' On Tuesday DT Card - for Deirdre

Time for a new challenge over at Try Stampin' On Tuesday and this week's option is 'Vacation'.
I loved this sketch, there's so many possibilities with it!

My card is for a friend in work.  I've coloured her hair the same, and she's not long back from her holidays, so I'm sure she wishes she was back in the pool!
I used an Eat Cake Graphics stamp:
1056-I Mara Mermaid Floats

Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Spectrum Noir sparkle added to her mermaid outfit.  Background splattered with pink paint to match.  Pink sequins from Taylored Expressions.

• Dream Valley #134 - Summer colours
• Bunny Zoe's crafts June - summer
• 613 Avenue Create #182 - anything goes with the option of sight/taste/sounds of summer
• My time to craft #323 - summertime
• Cutie Pie #100 - splash

Quickest Christmas card EVER

Maybe 10 minutes tops to create this!  (and most of that was looking for the envelopes that went with these little cards!)

This grumpy looking moose is my other purchase from catsonappletrees
I usually make dinky sized cards for my workmates at Christmas and I'm well pleased that this turned out like I'd imagined!  It's only a little card, maybe 3x4"
I added some Spectrum Noir sparkle to his antlers and clear gloss to his eyes.  Sentiment is from another set but I thought it was perfect with this stamp.  Some silver star sequins, some bling, and a bit of doodling and that was it!

• Get Creative #42 - black and white only
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - add some shimmer
• Simply Create Too #112 - Christmas in July
• Sweet Stampin - seeing stars
• Christmas Card challenges #30 - anything goes

A flying mousie

It's been an icky drizzly old day today, not helped by Ireland going out of the footie :(
LOL I was just looking back on my cards, and this time last week I was complaining about the crappy weather too!

My card is based on this week's featured stamper at Splitcoast - here's Kendra's original.
I used an oldie Penny Black hedgehog and my little flying mouse is from Eat Cake Graphics:
5052-C Crumbs Away (flying mouse)
Coloured with watercolour pencils and some Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the welly boot, and clear gloss to the snail's shell.  Lawn Fawn cloud dies.

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - add some shimmer
• CRAFT #369 - animals
• Polkadoodles #25 - use a die cut
• Penny Black Saturday June - Birthday
• Bunny Zoe's challenge June - summer
• Addicted to CAS #91 - fly
• Just Us Girls #349 - photo challenge - I used the wellington boots as my inspiration

A sympathy card and an invisible airplane

Ack I'm struggling with my mojo at the minute :(  Lots of stress and then the hooha over the EU Referendum, and now our boys are out of the footie.  Boo.

This sympathy card is effort #3, 1&2 are in the bin!  I had a picture in my head of what it should look like and it took a while to get anywhere near it.  It's based on  Tracey's beautiful card over at the Muse challenge.  I used these flowers from Simon Says Stamp - coloured with watercolour pencils and some Spectrum Noir clear sparkle added.  I found this text BG stamp so it HAD to be used (I've been looking for it for months LOL)  I also added some white enamel dots and bit of bling.

• Muse challenge #171
• Crafty Creations #318 - anything goes
• Pink floral theme from Allsorts #369
• Penny Black and More June - flower power

My second card uses this old Snoopy stamp that I bought back in 2010.  Coloured with watercolour pencils, Spectrum Noir sparkle added to his flying hat and scarf, and clear gloss to his goggles and the dog house roof.  Background spritzed with shimmer.  

• Addicted to CAS #91 - fly (I'm hoping my imaginary airplane counts LOL)
• Sweet Stampin - seeing stars
• Retro Rubber #41 - red, white and blue
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - add some shimmer
• Crafty Cardmakers #166 - for a special man

Oh, and I just thought I'd share my new stamp from catsonappletrees ..... the signature one I've been using for years'n'years has just about fallen apart.  I'm loving this new one, think I'll sign my
name in future cards though rather than just print it.

Googly eyed doggy

Just a wee quickie card tonight, back to work today and my eyes are going together!
This is an oldie Penny Black stamp.  I've been using a lot of oldies recently, probably to ease my guilty conscience about buying a couple of new ones from catsonappletrees (Jo, your fault LOL)

I've coloured my little dog with watercolours, Spectrum Noir clear sparkle added to the present, and clear gloss to the ribbon and his nose.

• Layout from Sugar Pea Designs Mix it Up #3
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - use patterned DP
• AAA Cards #67 - googley eyes
• Penny Black Saturday June - Birthdays
• Crafty Catz #329 - going dotty

A Christmas Goose, Custard and a Mouse

Uggh it's been a horrible mizzly day today, I don't think I've been across the door!  Poor wee Ruby has been sitting gazing out at the rain all day, she's dying to get out for a bark at the back gate ;)

So today's make is a Christmas card, using an olide Penny Black stamp.  I've coloured him with watercolour pencils and added clear gloss / glitter to his hat, and Spectrum Noir sparkle to his carol sheet and the snowflakes.  Clear gloss also added to his beak and feet.

I couldn't get a decent pic of my cards today, must be the low cloud!

• Layout from As You See It #137
• Addicted to Stamps #198 - holiday
• CRAFT #368 - Christmas
• Moving along with the times #22 - music
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - June

My second card today was sent to my good bloggy buddy, Jo (from Just a Dotty Pudding)  

Sorry Jo, I got my colouring wrong on my kitty ... I forgot that Custard is black AND white.  Doh!

• Layout from Sugar Pea Designs Mix it Up #02
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - animal magic
• Cats Only #7 - furry-thing goes
• As You Like It - favourite die - I love this Dienamics wonky stitched circle die set, it just makes a circle so much more interesting :)

And I got a chance too to fix up my teacher's card from yesterday and put the right name on it!  Do you think I got away with it??  

A doggy shaker and a teacher thanks

Boo hoo, can't believe my week off work is almost up already, it definitely whizzes by!

This doggy card is hot off the press and is based on yesterday's lesson at the MFT Camp Create for a shaker card.
Here's what I learnt from making this card ....

1. When tidying up, make sure you put your acetate along with all your other papers ... I spent at least half an hour trying to find it, and in the end I gave up and cut a page from my pocket scrapbooking folder!
2. Add more sequins than you think is enough! I could probably have done with double what I have here.
3. Go easy on the glue! ... I'm hoping this white mess at the edge of the acetate dries to clear.

Ah well, the whole point of school is to learn eh?!!
Image is an oldie from High Hopes, coloured with watercolour pencils, popped up on dimensionals and clear gloss/glitter added to his dog tag.  Die-namics star dies (there's one placed on the inside of my card peeping through the glue mess)

• MFT Camp Create - spectacular shakers
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - animal magic
• Polkadoodles #24 - die cut
• Creatalicious #93 - anything goes, option animal

The lesson I learnt from my second card was to keep proper records!  I'd been asked to make a load of personalised teacher thanks card, created this one, and when I was putting it with the others realised I already had one made for Mrs Loughran!!  Grrr.  So I'll try to rescue this one ... maybe pick off those sequins and add her name in a separate panel.    We'll see, it could well end up in the bin!

My image is another oldie High Hopes image.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the pink pencil and the eraser.  Clear gloss/glitter added to the silver bit at the top of the pencil and to the buttons on her jeans.  I also used some chalk and my giraffe print stencil again, but the pale blue bit hasn't really shown up in my photo.

• CASual Fridays #150 - thanks with twine
• Simply Create Too #111 - buttons or bows
• Inspiration Destination #90 - anything goes
• Tuesday Throwdown #298 - watercolour

Bunny loves his bear

It's been a bit of a yeuchy damp day today, my planned gardening/weed assault didn't happen, so I stayed in, cleaned my house, had a guilt-free play with my stash and then watched Northern Ireland beat Ukraine an amazing 2-0 in the Euros ... there'll be a few hangovers in the morning for sure! ;)

This one uses this cuuuuute bunny set from MFT.  I always think it's so sad when you see an abandoned unloved bear, especially the ones tied to the front of lorries!!  They should be done for bear cruelty ;)

I'd followed today's MFT Camp Create challenge which was partial die-cutting.  I don't have any stamp/die collections, so just used my stitched circles dies instead.  Images coloured with watercolour pencils and popped up on dimensionals.  Spectrum Noir clear sparkle added to the bear and to the bunny's jumper, and lots of glitter to bunny's tail.  Martha Stewart grass punch.  Paper Smooches heart die.

• Camp Create - delightful die cutting
• As You Like It - favourite die - mine's this one from MFT, I love how the stitching makes a simple shape so much more interesting
• Cute Card Thursday #430 - little bugs or butterflies
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - animal magic
• My Time to Craft #322 - teddy bear's picnic

My second card uses a couple of Eat Cake Graphic stamps:

3002-F Rowley smells something

8147-D Happy Birthday Block (text)

Doggy coloured with watercolour pencils.  I'm almost at the last of my fab DP from Taylored Expressions, I'm determined to finish it before it disappears into my paper bag ;)

• Layout based on Sketch Saturday #416 - I went to the bother of cutting out some fab rolling hills to fit the sketch and then cut it too short so that my fence covered them all up.  Doh!
• Stamp Ink Paper #52 - card makers choice .... favourite stamp maker (Eat Cake Graphics) and favourite DP (Taylored Expressions)
• Seize the Birthday - anything birthday
• Penny's Challenge #282 - anything goes

Wonderful Watercolour

We had a lovely day today, there's really nothing better than fish'n'chips with lots of salt and vinegar by the seaside, and then a nice walk along the beach.  Rubydoo is knackered after her big day out! I'll try to add a video below.

This card was inspired by Francine's fab tutorial over at MFT Camp Create.  As you can see I kept her same layout!  I used an old balloon from a Creative Impressions stamp set - coloured with watercolour paints and Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the orange section.

• MFT Camp Create Day 3 - wonderful watercolours
• Creative with Stamps #3 - manly card
• AAA Cards #66 - watercolours
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - world traveller
• Penny's Challenge #282 - anything goes

Man Up!

We're half way through June, so there's still plenty of time to play with the Man Up challenge over at Naughty or Nice - so get sharing your masculine cards, and if they're naughty we'd definitely love to see them ;)

My card uses an oldie bear from Stampin' Up - not sure what make the sentiment is, and the trees are from Eat Cake Graphics:
7078-I Row of pine trees
Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his nose, teeth and eyes.

I found some wobble things when I had a recent tidy up of my stash, I've absolutely no idea where they came from but I totally LOVE them!  So my bear now wobbles just to be even more scary.  Ha. Not.

• MFT Camp Create Day 2 - sensational sliders: I don't have any slider dies and my craft knife is worse than useless, so I took the chicken-out option of making something move.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - animal magic
• Crafty Catz #328 - animal
  
• Tuesday Throwdown #298 - watercolour
• CASology #202 - masculine

A sparkly get well potion

MFT have a 'summer camp' running this week, and it's perfect timing for my week off work.  This card is for lesson 1 - glitzy glitter.

I've used some super old stamps from High Hopes for this - coloured with watercolour pencils and the little Doctor popped up on dimensionals.  I hardly ever use my coloured glitter as I usually just use the clear stuff, so had to root it out from the back of the cupboard ;)  I added glitter to my flames, the potion and to his boney jewelry.  The closeup shows the sparkle better.

I hadn't intended to add the sequins and bling, but managed to drop the lid of my ink pad and needed to cover some splodges ;)

• MFT Camp Create Day 1 - glitzy glitter
• Tuesday Throwdown #298 - watercolour
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - world traveller

Try Stampin' on Tuesday DT card

Time for a new challenge #275 over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday and this week there's an option of sun and shore.

For my card I've used this lighthouse image from Eat Cake Graphics:
6025-O Lighthouse
Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to the windows.  Sky chalked in background.
This is the very last snippet of my lovely bright red card, think I may have to go shopping for some more ;)

• Pixie's Snippets Playground #233
• Craty Calendar June - for a male
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - for a guy
• Sweet Stampin - lots of layers
• Polkadoodles #22 - one for the boys

Card for Aunty Renee

I've treated myself to a week off work, so why is it when you've all the time in the work and no pressure, your mojo just ups and vanishes? LOL

This card is effort #3 - #2 is below and #1 is in the bin!  I used this dragonfly set from Clear Stamps (I think) ... if I was making it again, I wouldn't have stamped them in such a regular pattern.
I added a blue watercolour wash to the BG.  Dragonflies coloured with watercolour pencils, then Spectrum Noir sparkle and silver stickles added to their wings, and clear gloss to the body. Woodware corner punch.

• Layout from CAS(e) This Sketch #176
• Crafty Creations #317 - tic-tac-toe - I used punch/dies, image, birthday
• Addicted to Stamps and more #197 - make your mark
• Creative Inspirations #253 - spring into summer
• Inspiration Destination ##89 - anything goes

So this is effort #2 which almost made it to Birthday Card status, but when I was about to stamp the sentiment I thought it was actually not 'happy' enough!

Same stamps as before, but this time I masked off my card before stamping and added chalk to the panel for a bit of colour.

  

Teacher Thanks

Ohhhh it's just to warm for work, there's not a breath of air on our office and I reckon my feet hit a thousand degrees today ;)  Hopefully the nice weather will continue though as I'm off work all next week Yippee!

I've been making a load of Teacher thank you cards this evening, but most of them are CASEd and this is the only one I can share.
I've used this beautiful apple stamp/die,  added hints of colour and lots of sparkle and then popped up on dimensionals.  Background watercoloured and then splattered with green and red paint.  Sequins and bling from stash.


I'd love to get a new alpha set - this one from Paper Smooches is a bit too big and I'd rather have 'normal' font lettering.  Any suggestions?

• Penny's challenge #281 - favourite embellishments ... mine's glitter and bling
• AAA Cards #66 - watercolours
• As You Like It - favourite food / drink - I love apples, I have one every morning.  Have to be red apples though, green ones kill me with indigestion! 
• Inspiration Destination #89 - anything goes
  

Huffy cat

I'm Guest Designer over at the Retro Rubber Challenge today :)
It's quite a new challenge blog to me, but a great idea to get you rooting through those older stamps! (at least a year old)
Here's this week's sketch ....

For mine, I've used a couple of older Eat Cake Graphics stamps.  I think this huffy cat was the 2nd ECG stamp I bought many many moons ago, I'm delighted that I now have a stack of their stamps :)
2013-E Marmie decides to leave
8172-One of those days

• 2 Creative Chicks #11 - anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's patterned paper challenge - June
• Stamping Sensations June - feature a creature

A card for ... Me?

Nah, not really, just someone with the same name as me!  I've never met the girl before and know nothing about her, so I was a bit stumped what to make her.

I ended up using this farm set from MFT - coloured with watercolour pencils and the cow and chick popped up on dimensionals.   I used black chalk and a giraffe stencil for my BG .... I saw this done somewhere recently but didn't take a note, so if it was you, thanks for the inspiration!

• Layout from Mojo Monday #451
• Allsorts #366 - the great outdoors
• Seize the Birthday - sunshine
• Work it Wednesday - sunshine

Sparkling Jellyfish and a Birdie Wedding

Well our sunny sun returned today Hurrah!  And it was a scorcher!  Too hot for gardening and I only did a bit of crafting as the kitchen was the coolest room in the house.  Though I'm NOT complaining!


This card uses an old oldie from a Stampin Up set 'Fishy Friends'.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and his main body popped up on dimensionals and  then sparkled up with a Spectrum Noir pen.
Background chalked with a Simon Says stencil.  A doodled border and some sequins and bling to finish.  Nice and quick!

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - monochrome
• Crafty Cardmakers #165 - monochrome
• Cupcake Inspirations #363 - under the sea
• Inspiration Destination #88 - anything goes

Card 2 is a quickie Wedding card.  I've used another oldie stamp, this time from Art Gone Wild.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to their beaks.  I also watercoloured my background and then masked off my birds to add some matching splatters.  Red bling from Taylored Expressions.

I love how this card turned out :)

• AAA Cards #66 - watercolours
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - mask it
• ABC Challenge - I is for Important
• Penny's challenge #280 - anything goes
• Stamping Sensations June - feature a creature