Easter Bliss

Sunday 28 June 2015

Beach Birthday 2

Happy Sunday everyone and thank you for all the well wishes, I'm slowly getting there health wise. 
I have another of my Beach themed birthday cards to show today. This one was made for Alyx who is lucky enough to live surrounded by the sea on the Isle of Wight.

The base is an A5 tent card and I matted and layered three different papers onto white card. I added a doily and a strip of red ribbon before mounting the image on foam pads. The sentiment banner was created on the computer and hand cut.

The image is another one that was a copyright free download from the internet that I've had for a couple of years. I just love the happy look on this lady's face and her cheerful head scarf. The tiny words at the bottom say 'Come on in, the water's fine'. 
Personally, the water would have to be lovely and warm and full of scented bubbles to get me to go in.

The shells and starfish were created with Marianne dies and inked with Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks.

Finally, I tied a knot in red ribbon and added some red flat backed gems.
Before I go I'd just like to remind you that you only have until 6pm (GMT) on Saturday July 4th to join in with the final Scribble & Scrap challenge. We'd love to see your 'Anything Goes' creations for a last chance to win a fabulous prize.

Friday 26 June 2015

Mushroom Fairy

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. I'm still under the influence of this nasty bug and seem to be moving at a snail's pace with everything, including crafting. I have, however, managed to colour this gorgeous image and make a card for her.
I entered part one of the Sweet Pea Stamps Progressive Challenge for June with my Jaye and Feather Friends card and received this delightful image to work with for part two of the challenge.

The card base is 8"x 8" and I matted and layered a green card with card I made by stamping and heat embossing with Versamark and clear embossing powder and then inking with Shaded Lilac and Spun Sugar Distress Inks. I added a matted square of paper from LOTV Promises pad and then wrapped thin lace three times around the layers.

This adorable fairy image is by Karen Middleton and can be purchased from Sweet Pea Stamps in either red rubber or digi format. I coloured her with a mix of Copics and Promarkers. I chose her colours to match the paper.

I printed the sentiment on the computer. The leaf flourishes are from a Cheery Lynn die and the larger butterflies were made with an X-cut punch. The small butterflies are part of a Tonic die-cut.

I layered up the flowers and added pearl brads. The silk ribbon bow was coloured with Salty Ocean Distress Ink. I finished the card by adding glitter to the butterflies and the pretty fairy.
I'm entering this card in the Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans Group Progressive Challenge on Facebook. If you have any Sweet Pea stamps don't forget to ask to join the group so you can share your projects and join in the challenges.
I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Sunday 21 June 2015

Scribble & Scrap Challenge #47

I hope you've all had a better week than I have. I've been knocked sideways with a nasty bug so I apologise for not being round to visit you. I'm still recovering but I am trying to catch up.
Now on to today's news which has a sad note. Today is the start of the last challenge at Scribble & Scrap. Lexie has decided that due to her work commitments she is closing the challenge blog. Thank you to all those who have supported us and entered the challenges. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves.
Please see the blog for the details and the prize that's up for grabs for the last challenge.
The theme is
"Anything Goes"
I know so many people born in the Summer months and have been very busy making cards to give to them. Fortunately I had them all finished last week. I decided to make some of them with a "beach theme" in the hope that we might actually get some "beach weather". This one was made for the lovely Marie.

I've discovered that I quite like A5 tent cards, these are portrait style cards that have the crease at the top. This means I can add layers and embellishments without them falling over.
I printed off some brown and white patterned papers and created mats for them by painting white card with Salty Ocean Distress Ink mixed with water. I scruffed all the edges before colouring.
I added a postcard I distressed with Antique Linen DI and some silk ribbon I coloured with Salty Ocean and then washed out.

This vintage photograph was a copyright free one I found on the internet a couple of years ago and it's always reminded me of my mother. She had curly hair like this as a child.



The die-cut shells and anchor were made with Marianne dies and coloured with Distress Inks. I printed the sentiments on the computer. I used the wet paintbrush to flick the watered ink over the layers and elements.
I do hope you will show your support one more time and join in with the last Scribble & Scrap challenge. Head over there now to see the inspirational makes from my talented team mates and to enter your crafty creations.
I've entered this card in the following challenges:
http://suzypantssmarty.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/20-june-challenge-85-anything-goes-with.html x
http://www.lisasomerville.com/2015/06/summertime-bloggers-challenge.html
http://www.frosteddesigns.blogspot.ca/2015/06/friday-challenge-summertime-blues.html x
http://alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.ca/2015/06/aloha-friday-challenge-50-birthday.html x
http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/ch-88-old-vintage-shabby-chic.html x
http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/new-challenge-for-all-crafts-layers.html x

Monday 15 June 2015

Golfer's Birthday

I hope you all had a good weekend. We had a very busy one and made a round trip of over four hundred miles (650 km) for a birthday party. It was for my lovely in-laws so it was worth every mile. Their birthday's are only eight days apart, so it was a joint occasion. The weather was kind and it was great to get so many of the family together.
This is the card I made for my golf mad father-in-law.

I used brown textured card and a blue paper from a Lily of the Valley Christmas pad on an 8"x 8" card base. I created a panel with the brown striped paper from the Country Gent paper pad by LOTV.
The clouds and grass were made from X-cut dies and the golf tee, ball and flag are from a Spellbinders die set.

This fabulously cute image is from the LOTV art pad called Vintage Boys 1. I die cut it, and the brown mat, using Go-Kreate dies.
To finish the card I used an off cut from the paper and a strip of brown card and fixed them across the bottom of the grass.

Here is the birthday boy with Harlow, his great-granddaughter, on the rocking horse he made.
I've entered this card in the following challenges:

Wednesday 10 June 2015

Something New - For Me

Recently I have came across an extremely talented crafter - actually, she found little old me. Her name is Pamellia and she is wonderfully inspiring. Please visit her blog to see what I mean. She makes the kind of projects that I can only dream about but I decided to "have a go" and try some different techniques inspired by Pamellia's creations. I wasn't ready to share my paltry efforts though until Pamellia blogged about the latest Try it on Tuesday challenge and it actually fits something I've made. So, here goes ...

I'm afraid the descriptions are not brief but I did try quite a few new things - for me.

 The 8"x 8" base is Kraft card and I added a paper printed from Kraftyhands Seeds of Love CD. Then I mixed up some texture paste using white acrylic paint, talc and PVA glue and used an Imagination Crafts stencil. I overheated the paste until it bubbled to give some extra texture. I rubbed Shabby Shutters DI over the top.

The tag and sentiment tab are printed from the Kraftyhands Emporium of Curiosities CD. I cut the clock from a Marianne die then coloured with Spun Sugar DI and stamped with an old flourish stamp in Weathered Wood DI. I used silver embossing powder to make the hands look metallic then stamped both the tag and the clock with Kaisercraft Diamond stamp in Versmark and brushed pink mica powder over the top. 

I fixed a thin strip of lace to Kraft card to run across the middle. The leaves were die-cut from a Marianne die and coloured with mica powder and I cut the flowers from a Joy Crafts set out of a Prima pattered paper leftover and added the stamens.
I finished the card off with an organza ribbon bow.
This was great fun to make and I got to play with things that I've bought and never used and to try techniques that I've always meant to have a go at but never got round to.
I've entered this card in the following challenges:

Sunday 7 June 2015

Scribble & Scrap Challenge #46

This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for my Kraftyhands challenge card.
Today is the start of Challenge #46 at Scribble & Scrap. Thank you to all those who entered our previous challenge, the winners have been announced on the blog. Please see the blog for the details and the prize that's up for grabs for this challenge.
Our theme is always
"Anything Goes"
I made a landscape card base that measures 13 cm x 20 cm for today's inspiration.

I embossed white card using an X-cut embossing folder and used a mix of blue Pan Pastels and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to colour it. I added a length of lace and an off-cut from the embossed card across the middle.

The flowers were white roses from my stash and I used Tumbled Glass to give them a bit of colour. I made curly stems out of pipe cleaners and stamped the hand cut tag.
Now head on over to the Scribble & Scrap blog to see the inspirational makes from my talented team mates and to enter your crafty creations.

Kraftyhands June 2015 Challenge

Well, it's been a mixed bag of weather this week with slightly more sunshine than rain. Hopefully that means Summer is finally on it's way.
It's the start of the June challenge at Kraftyhands. Thank you to those of you who joined in with the May challenge, the winners have been announced on the blog. This challenge is just for fun and the theme this month is:
"One for Dads"
It's Father's Day this month so there must be lots of you who have made cards that you could enter in the challenge. I don't have a dad to make a card for but here is a male card I made for your inspiration.

It's a 6"x 6" card blank that I've matted and layered with royal blue card and two papers from the Glamour Pin Ups CD Collection. I used an off cut to make a band across the centre. I created the sentiment on the computer.

The CD has 10 fabulously risqué images of ladies in a Hollywood style. The images come as decoupage with papers in the Card Making Sets or as plain toppers. I chose a decoupage image and printed her on photo paper. I assembled her with foam pads.   

I finished the card with three punched 'Sheriff' stars and a horseshoe.
Now please visit the  Kraftyhands Challenge Blog for a full set of the challenge rules and to view the inspirational creations from my talented team mates. Remember to be a follower of the challenge blog to qualify for entry and don't forget to watch the Kraftyhands shows on The British Craft Network.
This is my first post for today. I shall be back with another DT project in a short while.

Thursday 4 June 2015

Jaye and Feather Friends

Good morning everyone, the weather is still a bit of a mix up. I'm hoping it settles down to a proper Summer soon. 
I have this 8"x 8" card to show you today using an image from one of my favourite artists, Norma J Burnell. I kept the card quite simple as I didn't want to detract from the gorgeous image or the lovely paper.
I thought this paper from Graphic 45's Botanical Tea was a perfect match for the stunning image and matted it onto royal blue card. I wrapped around some thin silk ribbon before fixing to the card base.

This beautiful image is called Jaye and Feather Friends and is available from Sweetpea Stamps in either digi or rubber. I bought the digi version and coloured it with a mix of Copics and Flexis. I used Pan Pastels around the image before fixing onto a blue mat.

I die cut some feathers and tied a triple bow with the silk ribbon.

The card was finished off with three little wooden birds.
I'm entering this card in the Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans Group Progressive Challenge on Facebook. If you have any Sweet Pea stamps don't forget to ask to join the group so you can share your projects.
I've also entered this card in the following challenges:

Monday 1 June 2015

Crafts Galore Encore June 2015 Challenge

I'm pleased to announce that I survived half term week with the grandchildren and that I intend to put my feet up this week for some much needed rest. After I've put the house back in order.
As it's the first of a month, it's time for a new challenge on the Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. It is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. A full list of rules are on the challenge blog.
Our theme this month is everyone's favourite
"Anything Goes"
This challenge is being sponsored by Beccy's Place where you will find a fabulous selection of wonderful images. There is something for everyone so make sure you head over there to check it out. The prize is three digis, or one set, of the winner's choice from Beccy's Place.

I was lucky enough to work with one of Beccy's images and this is the card I made.

It's an 8"x 8" card. I used blue card for all the matting and a freebie paper from Crafts Beautiful magazine for the floral paper. The leaves were just outlines so I coloured them in to match the image. I made a panel using a woodgrain paper from the Docraft's Mr. Mister collection and added lace and ribbon. I stamped the sentiment and tucked an off cut from the ribbon behind it.

The image is called "Old Pump". You get a coloured version and a black and white digi. I coloured the image in with a mix of Copics and Promarkers. I think it makes a lovely card for someone who loves their garden.

I die-cut the flowers, coloured them with Copics and added gems for the centres. The leaf flourishes are from Cherry Lynn.

I embossed some wooden birds with blue powder and added three die-cut Docrafts feathers. I finished the card with blue half pearls in three corners.
Don't forget to visit the Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog to see the other fabulous cards from my wonderfully talented team mates.
Although today is the first of June it doesn't feel very much like Summer. I know some of you have been experiencing awful weather and my heart goes out to anyone who has suffered because of this. Let's hope that Summer - and some sunshine - is just around the corner.
I've entered this card into the following challenges:
http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/challenge-148-ribbon-flowers.html x
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/challenge-281-spring-time.html x
http://jwscrapshack.blogspot.ca/2015/05/ffc-90-anything-goes.html x
http://stempelsonne.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/142-vom-2905-bis-110615.html x
http://traumfabrik-challenge.blogspot.de/2015/05/challenge-20-der-geheime-garten-secret.html x