Showing posts with label ~ Alley Way Stamps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ~ Alley Way Stamps. Show all posts

Saturday, 26 January 2019

Congrats x2

I've had no mojo recently and my stash is nearly empty of everything but girly Birthday cards, so I made myself sit down this evening, and this is what I came up with.  Its blowing a gale outside straight from the North Pole so its definitely a good evening for crafting, wouldn't want to be heading out that evening!  Though the North wind always seems to find his way through any nook and cranny in our house and loves to create a good draught - its not too often we have every window shut and every door closed!

I found this little car in a set I normally use for baby cards and thought it was time it saw ink.  I coloured it with my polychromo pencils and added clear gloss to the windows.  MFT DP and Town die.  For my sentiment I double mounted it on sparkly card and it ended up a bit sticky on the top, so covered it with clear gloss.



And here's a wee baby card using one of my 'go to' stamps from LOTV.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to his onesie and the triangles on the drum.

Sunday, 14 October 2018

Bats and Betty's Birthday Card

Simon Says Stamp had a good challenge this week and it really made me think!  The challenge was to portray your local cityscape.  I live in a town of about 20,000 people and some of the buildings are really old - the courthouse was built in 1726 and there are still a couple of the historic buildings left.  What we don't have is a skyrise!  I can't think of any building in the town that's more than 2 storeys high.  
So then I started looking round Belfast at some of the old buildings and some of them are fabulous - surprisingly quite a few survived the Blitz during WW2 when Belfast was badly bombed  and The Troubles when we spent all our time trying to blow each other up!  But even in Belfast there aren't that many 'high rise' buidlings though the new ones are definitely getting taller! Me, I like my feet on the ground, no sky scrapers for me!  But thanks SSS, for making me look up!

Anyway, enough waffle!  I used an MFT Town die and my bats are oldies from The Alley Way Stamps.  I die cut and embossed my moon, but its a wee bit lost in my cloudy sky.  I do have a 'happy Halloween' stamp somewhere in my stash, but at the minute it's not to be found.

This one uses some of my recent purchases from Swedish House Crafts - the pretty heart die and the yummy cake.  I added some blue to the background but it doesn't show up the best here.  Cupcake coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to the icing and clear gloss/glitter to the tiny stars; popped up on foam pads.  I used one of the little hearts from the die cut as an extra embellishment.

Sunday, 14 January 2018

Some new techniques

I've decided that I've become boring and hardly ever try anything new ... so here's 2 new techniques from me tonight!

I loved Yana's card from a recent Simon Says Stamp hop using lots of little stamps, so thought I'd have a go.  I've had these bitty faces from The Alley Way Stamps for years and have never had a clue what to do with them!  I stamped one daft face in black, and added clear gloss and googly eyes.


Hmmmm not sure about this one! If I'd remembered I actually had a pink ink pad I might have used it instead, it's a bit wishy washy or something.  Or maybe it's the embossing that's not rocking my boat.  I can't put my finger on what's annoying me with this one!  
Anyway, I've not tried this stamping with a solid image before, so that's another first racked up for me ;)
Stampin Up images

Sunday, 15 October 2017

Zombies and Betty's Birthday card

We're battling down the hatches for tomorrow, Hurricane Ophelia is coming to visit - she's supposed to weaken to a storm by the time she gets to us so we'll see how that goes.  Needless to say our weathermen are beside themselves with excitement - something different to the usual rain or showers forecast!   Having said that, it's been a lovely calm day today, I actually managed to get out to the garden and get some cutting done and  pots cleared for winter.

I'm just scraping in nearly on time for my Naughty or Nice card reminder ;)
This month's is a spooky theme - hope you'll play along and link your card over at the NoN blog

My stamps are oldies from The Alley Way Stamps, now sadly closed.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and popped up on foam pads.

Other challenges:

And this one's just a wee quickie for my SIL.  I've used this cute Penny Black stamp and my never-ending pink Birthday DP stack.  
I added sparkle to his apron with my clear glitter pen, and then clear gloss and lots of glitter to the icing.  I used a snippet of the darker pink cardstock for the sentiment - it was a bit lost in the snazzy DP but looked better when I cut an extra set and stuck it on top.



Tuesday, 1 November 2016

Naughty or Nice - don't pull your punches

Time for a new challenge over at Naughty or Nice and this month's theme is to use your punches, dies or die cuts.  Pop over to the blog to see some fab cards from the Naughty Girls and to add your entry :)


My card's a real quickie - my snazzy DP does all the work on this one!  I used this oldie stamp from The Alley Way Stamps.  He's from a Halloween set and I'm done with it for the year, but I reckoned if you looked like him you maybe wouldn't be feeling too well ;)
I die cut some scraps of silver mirri card with my Taylored Expressions star dies.  Image coloured with watercolour pencils and I covered the grey bits on his outfit with my clear glitter pen, then popped him up on dimensionals.

I'm also delighted to see that the Daily Marker colouring challenge is back for November - I really need to get a move on with my Christmas cards and gifts, so this is great timing to keep me going!

Saturday, 14 February 2015

Greg's Valentine Card

Happy St. Valentine's Day!  No romantic meal for 2 for me ... we were at a 5 year old's birthday party with chocolate cake and pass-the-parcel instead ... much better craic :)

Anyway this is the card I made for my other half.  As you know I'm not into 'mushy' cards, and had half an idea knocking about my head for a few days to use this little alien and that sentiment.   I had intended to stamp my sentiment on the moon, but I forgot myself and embossed my circles before I remembered.  Not to worry, I love how it turned out!

Alien from High Hopes - Alien Special Set
Moon from Paper Smooches - Smarty Pants
Sentiment from The Alley Way Stamps - More than Words
All coloured with watercolour pencils.  White paint splattered on BG and a few starry gems added. I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the moon using an old Ellison Design folder.

Stamping Sensations February - anything goes
Stamp and Create February - all you need is love
Crafty Cardmakers #132 - love love love
Papertake Weekly - hearts +/or flowers
Crafty Catz #266 - for the boys
Sweet Stampin' - inspired by a song ... well what about Frank Sinatra and "Fly me to the Moon" :)
Allsorts #298 - any occasion other than Birthday
Penny's challenge #214 - embossing
Tuesday Throwdown #231 - love is in the air
Cuttlebug Mania - I {heart} you
The Alley Way Stamps February - anything goes (I'm not sure if my card qualifies or not as I've used other manufacturers too)

Monday, 2 February 2015

Cluck Cluck

I had a day off work today and it was too cold to go anywhere, other than a wee walk in the snow with Rubydoo this morning, so instead I did some Spring cleaning and then got crafty :)

This card uses my new stamp set from The Alley Way Stamps.  I seem to have a thing for chicken stamps, how cute is this one!
Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his eyes and beak, and then paper pieced his legs and comb.  Tag popped up on dimensionals.

Layout from Mojo Monday #383
The Alley Way Stamps February
A Gem of a Challenge #137 - lots of layers
Creative Knockouts #74 - animal antics
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - take your pick - I used the warm colour theme

Sunday, 4 January 2015

Butterfly Birthday

Well here we are, January again ... not a chocolate nor drop of drink left in the house! Good job there's plenty of room in my new onesie, definitely need a major cut in calories!

This card uses a cute butterfly from The Alley Way Stamps.  I'd coloured it differently and then decided I didn't like it, so coloured another and fussy cut it out - I've stuck the body down flat and then the wings are popped up on dimensionals, so you can see a touch of the old colour underneath.  My pretty DP was bought in the January sales - from My Mind's Eye.
Wish I'd stamped my sentiment more in line with my banners though, I'd just touched the paper with it when I thought of it, ah well :(

The Alley Way Stamps - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #354 - anything goes
Polka doodles - tic tac toe - I chose sentiment and image
Pink Gem challenge - something new (my DP)

Saturday, 29 November 2014

Buzzzzy Birthday

Eeek, its almost the end of November!  All your Christmas shopping and cards made?... nope, me neither ;)  I'm kinda fed up making Christmas cards so made this wee Birthday card just for the fun of it.

I've used the bee and 'buzz' from The Alley Way stamps - all coloured with watercolour pencils and some clear gloss/glitter added to their wings.
My colour scheme was inspired by the panel in the TAWS Be Inspired challenge #59

Layout from Pals Paper Arts #229
Creative Card Crew #75 - stripes
Party Time Tuesday #191 - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes



Saturday, 25 October 2014

Orange bats?

As per usual, Halloween is almost upon us and I still haven't got my cards all made!

This one's just a quickie using a super-old cuttlebug embossing folder - though it annoys me as the embossing doesn't go all the way to the bottom.  I tried to hide this by stretching my sentiment all the way across the card.  Stamps are also last year's stash from The Alley Way Stamps. Bats popped up on dimensionals and clear gloss added to their eyes.


Sunday, 24 August 2014

Welcome Baby Boy

Sunday evening already, boooo, but it's a Bank Holiday tomorrow and I treated myself to a few extra days , so no work for me till Thursday, hurrah!

The TAWS Be Inspired photo inspiration had me stumped for a while until I came across this DP that's been in my stash for aaages that kinda made me think of a quilt effect.  It's lovely in real life (the dark orange panels are really shiney) but of course doesn't show up well in photos.  I paper pieced my wee car, popped the wheels up on dimensionals and added some silver disc stickers to the wheel centres and to the heart.  Taylored Expressions chevron border and Paper Smooches heart die.

TAWS Be Inspired #56 - photo
Layout from Sweet Sunday #233
Sister Act #71 - anything goes
Crafty Creations #270 - use some old stash
Papertake Weekly - to die for
CAS on Sunday #40 - rock a bye baby
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes

Sunday, 27 July 2014

Happy Bird Day

We've had a bit of a heatwave this past week and high humidity too ... and neither my office (no air conditioning and not a touch of a breeze) and my hair (fuzz ball) could cope!  So I was glad to see the temperature drop this weekend and a wee drop of rain for the garden too - Hurray for not having to get the watering can out :)  Think my mojo was off to cooler climes all week, so it was good to have him back too!

This card was based on the photo inspiration over at Be Inspired.  I coloured my birdie and sentiment panel with copics (which ran out before I had properly finished grrr) - clear gloss added to the beak and the little heart.

Be Inspired #55
Inky Chicks #34 - Happy Birthday
Party Time Tuesdays PTT182 - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #331 - for the birds
Layout from Deconstructed Sketch #161

Saturday, 12 July 2014

Sparkly Flutterby

And finally for this evening... !!
This card was inspired by the photo inspiration over at the TAWS Be Inspired challenge.  I had a wee scrap of this dotty green DP left, I knew I was keeping it for a reason!  I actually managed to use some much unloved tape on this card, though I'm still not convinced ;)

Be Inspired #54
Divas by Design - things with wings
Fab n' Funky #223 - feels like summer
Crafty Girls #22 - anything goes
Totally Gorjuss #244 - tag it
My Time to Craft #253 - paper piecing

Saturday, 7 June 2014

Rainbow Smiles

No rainbows in sight for us today ... its been mostly rain, drizzle and showers today!  Typical, there's a beautiful blue sky now ... too late, I'm in my PJs!
Mind you that didn't stop me going round my back garden this evening with my bug spray to accost our greenfly. A few of our plants are absolutely infested.  Yeuch. they give me the heebie jeebies. Now slugs, they're on a whole other level of their own.  {{Shudder}}

Anyway, I was lucky to win a mini set from a blog hop a couple of weeks ago at The Alley Way Stamps and chose this Face It set.
My colour combo is based on the inspiration pic at TAWS Be Inspired ... I didn't have any rainbow DP so made my own with watercolours.  The big surprised face is popped up on dimensionals, as is the sentiment.  Clear gloss added to all the eyes.

Be Inspired #53 - photo inspiration
Pile it On #22 - humour
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Crafty Creations #264 - it's all about S - smiles / silly
My Time to Craft #250 - no design papers
Sketch from Clean and Simple #294
Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes

Monday, 5 May 2014

Gingham Baby card

This was just a wee quickie baby card that was inspired by Vicki's card over at the Muse challenge, combined with the colour theme at The Alley Way Stamps Be Inspired challenge.  I love this layout, think I'll definitely be using this one again!
I fussy cut my wee elephant and added some clear gloss and glitter to the wee heart.

The Muse challenge #66 - Vicki's card (see right)
Colour theme from Be Inspired #52
Party Time Tuesdays #170 - fussy cutting
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
Crafty Girls #17 - anything goes



Thursday, 24 April 2014

Tweet Tweet

I thought I'd have another go at The Alley Way Stamps Be Inspired challenge, but I've had no mojo all week, and I've just noticed I've missed the closing date :(

I paperpieced my wee birdie, and then added another layer for his beak (or should that be 'her' beak?!) and added lots of glitter.   Taylored Expressions tag die cut popped up on dimensionals.  Woodware flower punch.

Thanks for the get well wishes, I'm still coughing and spluttering a bit, but much better than at the start of the week :)


Friday, 28 March 2014

Flutter by, Butterfly

Where has this year gone already?!  Can't believe our clocks jump forward tomorrow night, but I'm looking forward to the bright evenings.  Maybe I'll get my crafting done in daylight and get some decent pics!  I'd treated myself to a wee day off work today, but spent quite a lot of it on my knees painting skirting boards (ouch, poor sore knees!)  Looking good though ... except need to do the rest of the house now.  Isn't it always the way!

My card uses this cute butterfly from The Alley Way Stamps - paper pieced his middle and frame and butterfly popped up on dimensionals.  Butterfly charm from stash.

Colour theme from TAWS Be Inspired #51
Layout from CAS(E) this Sketch #70
Charisma Cardz #7 - CAS
Top Tip Tuesday - metal (my butterfly charm)
Seize the Birthday - buttons and bling (I remembered the bling but forgot the buttons, so it's a good job they're optional!)
Crafty Catz #224 - anything goes

Sunday, 9 March 2014

Bird on a wire

I've had this sketch from Crazy for CAS in my head for a while and I was totally stumped by it, then I thought I could maybe flip it and use clouds instead of the semi-circles.  Wish I'd judged my sentiment a bit better though, it's a bit high to my twine. I need to get a good mixed sentiment set.

Bird from The Alley Way Stamps.  Coloured with watercolours and clear gloss added to his beak.  Blue gems to finish.

Layout from Crazy for CAS #39
CAS on Sunday #28 - colour me pretty
Challenges for Everybody #39 - anything goes
Sweet Stampin - be inspired by a book, film or song ... mine's 'Bird on a wire' - the Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn movie
Simply Create Too #56 - shop in your stash
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Inky Chicks #24 - monochromatic

Saturday, 1 March 2014

Orange you glad...

1st of March already!  Spring's definitely on the way, the daffodils in my garden are starting to bloom and look sooo pretty, and it's great to see the brighter evenings too :)

This card is based on the photo inspiration challenge over at The Alley Way Stamps Be Inspired #49 - I used the orange theme, green, blue sky, and added some bling for the little fairy lights.
Clear gloss added to the car windows, and orange stickles to the hub caps.  I layered up my grass but don't think it really shows up in my pic.

Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club MFTWSC165
Sweet Stampin - cute
Stampin for the Weekend - sparkle and shine
Sister Act #46 - anything goes
Divas by Design - make it sparkle
Crafty Catz #220 - anything goes
A Little Bit Crafty - Are we there yet?
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - hearts / love
Card Makin Mamas #81 - stack it up