Saturday 27 August 2011

Snow white.....

Hey there!

Today I am combining two challenges - Viva La Verve sketch for the fifth and final week of the month and the challenge at Less Is More

The sketch over at Viva La Verve this week is another good'un!  But, then again, when aren't they!  Luckily I didn't struggle so much with this one - in fact I have made two cards with this sketch already!  (I may share the other one later :))


The challenge at Less Is More this week is to combine three past challenges.  Having only discovered this challenge blog last weekend it was a good opportunity for me to have a go at some of the challenges I've missed. 

Here is my card;





More Christmas, I know!  I have decided that while I'm on this Christmas roll I'd better make the most of it!  It won't be long before Christmas is EVERYWHERE (you know, in the real world!) and it becomes more of a chore than something to be enjoyed!  (Bah humbug!  He he!  I'm not really that miserable, honest!)

I have seen a few people create white on white cards lately and I just had to have a go!  I always think they're so effective!  I'm not sure how well this one has turned out, but I'm wondering if it's because I've been staring at it for a long time.  (It took over an hour to do all the stitching - how ridiculous, right?!)

It doesn't really show so well, but the main layer is latted on another layer of white with distressed edges and then mounted onto the card front.  It adds a little more interst and dimension in real life.  Speaking of dimension, I dread to think just how much foam adhesive is in this card!  It's very three-dimensional!

When I saw the tag on the sketch I knew I wanted to make a tag that could be used and wasn't just an embellishment.  This tag is adhered to the front of card with temporary glue dots so that it can be removed and used!  I used some Velcro dots to hold the tag closed.  (I got this idea from Laurie Willison - brilliant!)  As the tag would be opened, I decided to add the sentiment to the inside of the tag rather than the card itself.......such a rebel!!  The sentiment is heat embossed.

None of my cards are complete without a little, tasteful bling.... :)


The three past challenges at Less Is More that I chose to use are;

Week 14 - White on White
Week 15 - Embossing
Week 25 - Buttons or Ribbon
and I couldn't help adding this one in too.... Week 9 - Touch of red!  Again, it's the rebel in me!

I hope this counts as a 'Less' card rather than a 'More' card?!  There's plenty of white space!!?  :)

Thanks for stopping by and please do let me know what you think  :)








Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm (lots of!)
Stamps:  Penny Black - Giving & Receiving
Ink:         ColorBox Cat's Eyes - Scarlet
Other:     Rhinestones; Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder - Berry Red Aurora; Cuttlebug embossing
                    folder - Swiss Dots; satin ribbon; present ribbon; sewing thread; Velcro dots

Friday 26 August 2011

Merriest Christmas! Viva La Verve - Week 4

Good Evening all!

It's Friday and a bank holiday weekend too - woo!

I've fallen behind again with the Viva La Verve sketches, but that was because (I'll be honest) this sketch threw me.  I saw it last Friday and really liked it, but then when I tried to design something I drew a total blank - typical! 



Today I decided to sit down and make myself come up with something and I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out!  Once I stopped obsessing over it, the creative juices started flowing :)

I decided the best idea was to go with what I know - Clean And Simple!  I'm trying to build up my Christmas card collection at the moment so that seemed like a good place to start. 

This is what I came up with;



(Apologies for the poor quality photographs, the weather here is SHOCKING at the moment, and typically, the heavens opened as I picked up my camera, of course!)

If you click to enlarge the photographs you'll be able to see the snowflakes in the background.  I stamped them in white and then embossed with a glitter embossing powder.  Obviously, it's much more effective in real life!  There is also this glittery heat embossing on the large white snowflake.

Other than that I think that the card is pretty self expanatory!?

I hope you like it :)

Right, I can hear my glass of wine calling so it's a short and sweet post today :)  Enjoy your Friday night!








Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm; Turquoise and Teal from supplies
Stamps:  Hero Arts - Valentine Flourishes; Penny Black - Crystalline, Giving & Receiving
Ink:         Distress Ink - Broken China; SU! - Basic Black
Other:     Rhinestones

Tuesday 23 August 2011

A Purple Thank You

Good Afternoon!

Today, I'll be honest, I didn't wake up in the best of moods.  But that all changed when the Postman arrived!  (which is not usually the case!)  A little while ago the darling Kelly told me to send her my address and she'd very kindly send me some die cuts because I don't own any dies yet.  I e-mailed her to thank her for her generosity and told her that she didn't need to do that, although it would be lovely.  Anyway, this morning I heard something pretty heavy come through the door and I figured it was a big bill - it absolutely was not!!!  I opened it up and it was FULL of goodies!  Loads of die cuts of butterflies, flowers, leaves, birds, note tops, ovals, circles and scalloped circles!  I mean, loads!  And, in that parcel was a beautiful butterfly embossing folder! 

Also, Kelly sent me this cute card (click here for more details and a better picture on Kelly's blog) It's lovely and I love those bubbles!  :)


Agh, I was so excited that I got to work immediately!

I have made this card for two challenges that I have never entered before.  The Mojo Monday sketch challenge and Jay Gee's Nook challenge.  I thought I'd combine a sketch challenge with a colour challenge.  And, as I ended up doing some embossing (surprise, surprise!) I think I'll enter it into Mark's Finest Papers challenge too.  (I had a look for the rules on their blog and I can't find anything that says that you can't enter more than once?!)


Jay Gee's Nook Challenge #10

Here's what I came up with;



I used the flower die cuts that Kelly sent me.  Inked them up and layered them on top of one another.  I think they look like a starburst - I love them!  I can't tell you what they're called though!?  I finished the centre off with some rhinestones.

I was mostly inspired by the damask at the bottom right hand corner of the Jay Gee's Nook inspiration image - so I made my own.  It's stamped in lilac ink and clear embossed.

Now, as you may or may not know, lots of panels and patterns are not really my thing.  That's what I love about these challenges, they push me to do things that I wouldn't ordinarily attempt -  that's the whole point of the word 'challenge' I guess!  It took me an obscenely long time to choose just the right papers to go together and even longer to make myself cut into them!  (I'm a terrible hoarder!)  It doesn't really show in the photograph, but the swirls in the paper on the bottom panel are pearlescent and look really nice in the flesh.  I did a bit of hand stitching on this card too - not like me at all!

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and I think I'll save this one for my sister as she absolutely loves all things purple!

I hope you've enjoyed your stay at my blog and I hope you pop back soon :)








Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm; Damask Oyster wallpaper; Purple Flower wallpaper
Stamps:  Stampin' Up! - Just Believe, Bliss
Ink:         Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet, Broken China; VersaColor - Violet, Charcoal; ColorBox Cat's Eye -
                       Heliotrope
Other:     Rhinestones; 25mm organza ribbon; present ribbon; sewing thread; Tonic Studios double
                       corner punch  

Monday 22 August 2011

Things That Move!

Hello there!

I hope you all had a good weekend?!  This weekend I discovered the Less Is More challenge blog, thanks to Kelly.  Kelly suggested that I enter it as I may be good at it!  Bless her, thank you for believing in me!  (By the way, Kelly's been on a proper Viva La Verve mission this weekend - I suggest you check it out!!)

So, I checked it out and this week's theme is 'Things That Move'.  This could range from anything that would in real life move (animals, vehicles, prams etc) to things that physically move on your card.  Once I read this challenge I had to have a go!

When we were little we (Mum, mostly!) used to make Christmas cards to give to all our friends at school and family.  The idea originally came from an episode of Blue Peter!  Our cards became somewhat infamous and people began to expect them each year.  I really wish I had a picture of one to show you - although mildly embarrassing I still love them!  The main idea of the card was to have an image hanging in a window on the front of the card.  We did Christmas Puddings, Christmas Trees, Stars, Snowmen and all sorts!  So, given this challenge I just had to make one of these cards!

I'm hoping this counts as something that moves?!  I'll find out sure enough if not!!  Even if it doesn't, it took me back to making cards with my Mum so I'm happy  :)

So, without further ado and sentimentality, here is my card;

Sorry for the photogrpah quality - it's such a dull day here!



This is a slightly more mature version of the cards we used to make - there's not a drop of glitter glue in sight!  (Glitter glue was what used to hold our cards together, I'm sure of it!)

I drew the ornament shape based on the SpellBinders Heirloom Ormanent Die template, cut it out and inked it using Crushed Olive Distress Ink, edging with Vintage Photo.
I made a small rosette for the centre from some parchment coloured card that I'd printed a musical score onto.  I then placed a red circle on top of that and then a circular piece of background paper that I'd made myself previously using Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and SU! En Francais and Bliss stamps.

No card is complete without a bit of sparkle, and neither is Christmas, so I added some rhinestones to the ornament!  The sentiment was stamped in Scarlet ink (ColorBox Cat's Eyes) and then clear embossed. 

I am also going to enter this card into the following challenges;
CAS-ual Fridays - Embossing
Mark's Finest Papers - Emboss It!

Well, I hope you enjoy looking at this card as much as I enjoy the nostalgia it invokes  :) 
Thanks for dropping by :)








Supplies:
Card:      White, Red, Parchment 220gsm
Stamps:  Stampin' Up - Bliss, En Francais; Inkadinkado - Doodle Frames Holiday
Ink:         Distress Ink - Crushed Olive, Vintage Photo, Antique Linen; ColorBox Cat's Eye - Scarlet
Other:     Rhinestones; present ribbon; Tonic Studios double corner punch

Friday 19 August 2011

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #16 - Embossing

Hello there everybody!

I hope everyone's enjoying their Friday?!  It's nearly the weekend - woo! 
Friday means a new challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays and this week it's embossing;


I love embossing!  I think I use it on pretty much every card I make in one way or another!  After getting all excited I then couldn't think what to make at all - typical!  After sitting for a little while and having a flick through my calendar to see what events were coming up, I remembered that one of my best friends has just set her wedding date!  How exciting!  Whether she'll want me to do/help with wedding stationery, I have no idea, but I thought I'd play around with some ideas for invitations  :)


I used both types of embossing on this card - dry and heat embossing.  The challenge is to emboss - I embossed!  I stamped the image in white VersaColor ink and then embossed with white embossing powder.  I then used my blending tool to blend Broken China Distress Ink over the image in and emboss resist - I always love how that turns out, don't know if you've noticed?!!  :)
The bottom piece I embossed with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots embossing folder.  Another one of my little addictions is foam adhesive - dimension's important in CAS design I think  :)

Anyway, after making this one I was looking at my other Distress Inks and wondering what this would look like in different colours - here's what happened next....

Victorian Velvet...

Wild Honey...

Crushed Olive...




So yeh, I got a little carried away!  I think they make a sweet little set though!  :)

Thanks for dropping by and I hope to see ya again soon :)








Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm
Stamps:  Snag 'em Stamps - To Love & Cherish; Studio G Clear Stamps - VC0012 Series 32
Ink:         Distress Inks - Broken China, Victorian Velvet, Wild Honey, Crushed Olive; VersaColor -
                      White, Cyan; ColorBox Cat's Eyes - Marigold
Others:   Rhinestones; Cuttlebug ef - Swiss Dots

Wednesday 17 August 2011

CAS-ual Fridays meets Clean and Simple Stamping - CFC15 & FTL153

Helloo!

Don't worry, it's just a quick post this afternoon!

It's a 2-in-1 challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays this week.  CAS-ual Fridays have teamed up with Clean and Simple Stamping for one week only!  Clean and Simply Stamping have provided the sketch layout for this week's challenge and here it is:


I really like this sketch, especially as it's not something I would have come up with myself.  I like symmetry and my OCD senses were tingling when I saw this sketch!  I'm getting better at not panicking so much when asked to leave my comfort zone though, so it was ok!  :)

Here is the card I made;



I was really in the CAS zone when I started making this!  I wanted to keep it neutral with a splash of colour.  I haven't ever made such graphic looking flowers before and I'm really pleased at how they turned out  :)  I used black and silver for the 'petals' as I wanted to give the impression of a silhouette.  I embossed the bottom-most layer to add a little bit of interest and variation in the whites.  Some pale blue rhinestones and a some simple Calligraphy and I was done!  I was amazed at how quickly this card came together actually.  I often find it's the most simple looking cards that take the most time and work!?

Thanks for stopping by and please let me know what you think, your feedback is always welcome!








Supplies:
Card:       White, Black 220gsm
Stamps:   NONE!
Ink:          Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive; Windsor & Newton black writing ink
Others:    Rhinestones; black flock wallpaper, matte silver wrapping paper; Craft Concepts embossing
                      folder - Cottage Floral; Rotring 0.5mm drawing pen; jewellery wire

Happy 2nd Birthday Marshall!!

Ok, so it's not his birthday today, but I am posting it today as there's no danger of anyone seeing it on here before it arrives in the post!  Saturday is my Grandson's 2nd birthday!  (My other half's Grandson, but I consider him mine too :))  I can't believe he's two already!  It seems like only yesterday we were visiting him in the hospital when he was only 11 hours old!  Time's starting to really fly, I must be getting old!

Here is the card I have made for him, I hope he likes it  :) (or the rest of the family at least, I'm sure he'll be too busy with his new toys!)





I'm not one for cliche's and the typical pink for girls, blue for boys.  I'm also not a cutesy kind of person either so children's cards can pose a problem!  I wanted this card to be bright and fun whilst being for a little boy.  Hopefully I achieved that?! 

I added some little balloons on the inside because let's face it, what's a party without balloons?!!! 

That's post number one for today, I shall be back shortly with my Viva La Verve week 3 entry so stick around!








Supplies:
Card:      White, Black 220gsm; Yellow, Silver Matte Mirror Card 200gsm
Stamps:  NONE!
Ink:         NONE!
Others:   Rhinestones; present ribbon; jewellery wire; acrylic writing ink - turquoise

Sunday 14 August 2011

Viva La Verve, August Week 2

Hello!
I would like to start off by thanking everyone who leaves such wonderful comments on my blog and SCS Gallery, they are really appreciated and encourage me to continue and better myself.  I would like to say a special thank you to Michelle for her kind words, they really meant a lot to me as I really was daunted by entering this challenge :) 

I have finally got around to photographing my card for Week 2 of the Viva La Verve Challenge!  I made this in the week but the weather has just been so appalling here and I've been holding out for maybe a little sun to shine through my window, but alas, just rain!  I was getting impatient and decided that I didn't want to wait for the elusive English summer sun any longer, so I've had to take my photo in the gloom!  I apologise for this in advance.!  I don't have a light box or anything fancy like that - living here it really ought to have been one of the first things I invested in huh?!  It pains me to buy things like that though, I'd rather spend money on stamps!

Because of the lack of lighting the colours don't show quite true, although I have tried to adjust it a little.  You'll just have to take my word on the colours!  (If the sun comes out then I'll take some better photo's to replace these.)

Here is Andrea's sketch for this week.  I knew it was going to be a good'un when I found out Andrea was in charge!  I just love everything she does!  I check her blog pretty much every day and almost always find something new a amazing to look at!  Although our styles are poles apart (hers is awesome, mine not so much!) I really enjoy soaking up her vintage, shabby chic-ness and all the femininity.  If you have never visited Andrea's blog (then I can only conclude that you live under a rock?!) then I suggest you get yourself over there right now - you have no idea what you're missing!  You can imagine how pleased I was when Andrea commented on my Week 1 entry in my SCS Gallery!  Aaaaah!  I was starstruck!


and here is my take on the sketch; (remember to forgive the lighting!)

those are soft green stripes!


Now, I made this card and looked at it for quite a while.  I really wasn't sure about, although it is growing on me!  I was going to say that it's not 'me', but it must be because I made it right?!  There's something about this Viva La Verve challenge that's making me go all 'vintage-y', but in my own CAS way of course!

I don't have any dies, as I mentioned before, so I was hunting high and low for something oval that I could use as a template.  I couldn't find a single thing!  However, on the end of my desk was my other half's bottle of aftershave.  It was kind of oval so I thought I'd use that!  I quite like the shape actually!  Having only a small stash of supplies makes you more resourceful don't you think?!  (Might just be me then!)
A while ago I was experimenting with things and came up with that antique-y script piece of card.  I dabbed some Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Ink onto an acrylic block,spritzed with water and then pressed a piece of card onto it to make the background.  Once it dried I stamped the script in VersaColor Charcoal and then 'damask' in SU! Basic Black.  I was quite pleased with how it turned out and then had no idea how I was going to use it!!!  I decided it was high time it made it's debut and where better than at Viva La Verve!  It's matted on a distressed piece of card that was created with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The butterflies were a gift from a friend of my Mum's, Jackie.  I met Jackie when I recently went 'home' to visit the family.  She has a much larger collection of tools, punches, stamps - everything - than I do!  I really love the Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly punch and guess what, Jackie has it!  She had a load of the butterflies punched out in white and coloured card and was kind enough to give me a load of them!  Something else I've been dying to use!  Thanks Jackie!!  The top butterfly was one of the white ones but I inked it in Antique Linen and added some gold glitter to the wings.

Anyways, I think that's more than enough of my ramblings - I must keep these posts shorter so as not to bore everyone to tears! 

Thanks for staying with me, have a great Sunday!








Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm; Create & Craft Ivory Linen 200gsm; ColorBase Pastel Card in Chamois
                    170gsm; Harlequin wallpaper Anoushka collection - II0023 Jolie Stripe (background)
Stamps:  SU! Bliss; SU! En Francais; Debbi Moore Birthday Definition
Inks:       Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Vintage Photo; VersaColor - Charcoal; SU! - Basic Black
Others:   Ribbon; MS monarch butterflies; rhinestones; glitter

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Viva La Verve!

Hello again!

A bit of a post overload this morning hey?!  Sorry about that!  I have to wait until early evening to take any of my photographs due to the lack of good light and window spots in my house.  That means that I make some cards and then have a stack to photograph all at the same time - hence no posts for a while and then a load on one day!  I have to get them all on here while I have the time!

I have decided to be brave this month and enter the Viva La Verve challenge!  I say brave because the talent of the Design Team and ALL of the entrants is incredible and quite daunting for little ol' me!  However, I have decided that the only way to better myself is to throw myself in the deep end with the big fish.  I know that I'm not in their league but I'm hoping maybe by pushing myself I can get somewhere near it. 
I feel like this about all of the challenges I enter actually, truth be told.  I just hope that people will grace my blog with their presence and any comments and feedback on what I can do to improve is more than welcome, in fact it is sought after and the reason why I am here!  I am here to learn!

I'm a little behind, this is for Week 1 of the Viva La Verve challenge, they're on Week 2 already and I'm hoping to get a chance to make a card for that one soon!

Here's the sketch for Week 1 by Amber Hight;
and my submission;


This sketch really appealed to me and it didn't take me long to come up with something :)  The colours show up much better in the second photograph.

I hand cut five scalloped circles (would you believe I don't own a single die?!  YET!) inked the edges with Antique Linen Distress Ink, scrunched and layered them and used a split pin to hold the layers together.  I then added some rhinestones to create the centre.
I distressed the damask background with some more Antique Linen and the vertical strip with Canary yellow.  The main background square started life as a white piece of card, but I sponged it with VersaColor Charcoal coloured ink.

Thank you for putting up with my multiple-posting today and I hope it was worth the visit!

Take care :)








Supplies
Card       White and Black 220gsm; damask dp; pearlescent white embossed dp; bits 'n' pieces cream
                  handmade paper, Threads and Straw pack
Stamps   Paula Pascual Stamps - Filled With Flowers
Ink          VersaColor - Gold, Charcoal; ColorBox Queue - Canary; Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, Antique Linen
Others    Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder - Gold; split pin (brad); rhinestones

And some more Christmas!

And I'm back :)

Here is the second card I am submitting for this weeks Christmas in August challenge over at Simon Says Stamp;




Another simple card where the snowflakes are the stars of the show :)  The focal panel is slightly raised off the card base and the sentiment strip is adhered to the panel, so the ends of the sentiment strip are floating free!  This photograph doesn't show it as well as I'd have hoped actually.  If you zoom in you will also notice that the sentiment was heat embossed with Black Sparkle embossing powder to add a little Christmas sparkle, along with co-ordinating colours of rhinestones.

So, I hope you like my entries, please let me know either way!

Thanks again :)








Supplies
Card       White and Black 220gsm
Stamps   Penny Black - Giving & Receiving and Crystalline (both T for Transparent range)
Ink          VersaColor - Cyan, Lapis Lazuli, Sky Gray, Charcoal
Others    Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder - Black Sparkle; rhinestones (round and square)

Christmas In August!!

Hey!

I know, I know, it all seems a bit too early for thinking about Christmas!  But you know what will happen - it's August now, but the next thing you know it'll be November and you'll wonder how on earth you are going to find the time to make all those Christmas cards whilst trying to sort out family arrangements and presents and food shopping and all the rest of it?!  With this in mind I have made a start on my Christmas card selection.  I'll probably leave it until a bit later to make the special personalised cards for my nearest and dearest, but something has to be last minute doesn't it!!?

It seems I am not alone in this early preparation.  Simon Says Stamps' challenge this week is, you guessed it, Christmas in August!  (My imagination for witty post titles is appalling and something I'll have to work on!)

I have made two cards for this challenge, here is card numero uno;


I'll be honest, I didn't really have a plan when I started making this card - I shouldn't tell you that really should I?!!  I was dying to use my new (to me) snowflake stamps and this is what happened!  I bought them in January and they've been begging to be used - maybe this prompted the early Christmas card making more than anything :)

I am actually really pleased with the way it turned out (again, something I probably shouldn't say!) probably because I really enjoyed making it.  I wanted to keep it simple so used heat embossing for the snowflakes and the raised panel to add a little subtle interest.  I think I'm finally getting hold of this Distress Ink blending, practise makes perfect after all :)

Please see my next post for Christmas card number two!

Thank you :)








Supplies
Card       White 220gsm
Stamps   Penny Black - Crystalline (T for Transparent)
Ink          Distress Ink - Broken China; VersaColor - White; SU! Basic Black
Others    Rhinestones