Red Christmas

...Hello!! It's a lovely day here in North Wales - no rain, blue skies and sunshine! Just fab! I'm here to share a couple of Christmas cards for this year's stash. Here they are:

Stamps: Gina K - Holly Jolly Mini

Inks: Gina K - Petunia, Red Hot, Red Velvet, Cherry Red; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: MFT - A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 1 #8, A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 2 #9

Accessories: White & Black Card; C&9/KW - Holiday Icons Stencils; Xmas Labels; Gems

I'm submitting these cards to the following challenges:

Jingle Belles - JB2604 - to use mostly Red - done!

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge - POE#106 - it either anything Xmas goes or the graphic

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#83 - First time I've used these fab stencils

A Cut Above - ACA#0226 - must use dies on your card - done

This is the first time (but not the last) that I've used Kristina's Christmas Icons stencils. I only used the outline stencil for these cards because I wanted a couple of quick and simple cards. I blended several shades of red ink to give a lovely ombre effect from bottom to top of the card. I used stitched edged dies to cut a mat in black and then picked my favourite bits of each side for the main image. I finished the front of each card with a simple black greeting - I've had these labels since about 2009!! And added a few gems. On the inside, I used black mat layers and on the white panels I stencilled an Xmas tree and a candy cane, and finished with a bold, black greeting.

My cards have been inspired by Kristina's cards in her holiday card series where she gave us some ink blending tips.

I'd like to thank everyone for their lovely comments on my recent cards. It's so nice to be back making cards. That's all for now. See you again soon.

Halloween Valentine

.... Hello! I found a new (to me) challenge this morning - Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge. Now, I just love Halloween and I enjoy making cards all year. I took inspiration from their graphic to make a Halloween Valentine for my hubby:

Stamps: Stampers Anonoymous - Tim Holtz Wicked Hipster, Brett Weldele Zombie Casanova

Inks: Gina K - Petunia, Cherry Red, Black Onyx; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White Card; Visible Image Stencil - Dark Hearts; Copic Markers; Clear Glitter Aquabrush

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - TOBHC#0226 - Anything Halloween goes

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#511 - Make Your Mark

The Neglected Stuff Challenge - NSC#0226 - To use the 'older' stuff from your stash

As I mentioned above, I've only just found the Two Old Bats challenge - I'll definitely play along again. I've used a lot of neglected stash on this card - the stencil, and the stamps - I think they work perfectly together. I stencilled the pattern directly onto an A2 note card using pink and red inks, I edged the card with black ink. I stamped the imaged onto white card, coloured them with Copic markers and fussy cut them out. I used dimensional pads to adhere them to the front of the card. I added a touch of sparkle to the bow tie (sadly you can't see it in the photo). For the inside, I used a piece of white card slightly smaller then the base. I edged the panel with a black Copic marker, stamped a fun greeting in black and finished by stamping the bow tie around the edge.

I really like the Neglected Stash challenge - it's making go through all my stuff and get them out to play.

That's it for now - I've got to nip out to the local shop for some milk. See you soon.

Birthday Greens

... Good afternoon! I've been playing in my craft room and made this fun masculine birthday card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th/Kristina Werner - Just Talking

Inks: Gina KCW - Just Talking

Accessories: White Card; GK Card - Applemint; C&9/KW Stencils - Layering Lattice, Just Talking

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

The Card Concept - CC#224 - shades of green

Stencil Fun Challenge - SFC#0226 - to use stencils and optional to make a background - done

Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#383 - monochromatic colours

Seize the Birthday - STB#320 - I've gone for Anything Goes for a birthday

This card came together so quickly - thank you very much Kristina. I got the new Layering Lattice stencils last week and they make backgrounds so quickly. I simply picked the pattern and colours I wanted to use and inked directly onto an A2 note card. I finished the front by adding a simple message in a word bubble - I stamped the greeting on green card, die cut it and added a touch of darker ink around the edge. I layered it onto the matching shadow layer. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of pale green card and added a birthday greeting on the white panel. To add emphasis to the greeting, I inked through the matching word bubble stencil in pale green ink. 

This is a much needed card for my stash - I used up most of my cards last year! 

That's all for today. I'm off to make dinner and then settle down for some more from the Winter Olympics. See you soon.

Birthday Balloons

... Morning! I was on a roll yesterday and made a fun and very bright birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Framed Balloons, Everyday Love Sentiments, Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments, Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Petunia; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White & Black Card; Copic Markers; Clear Glitter Aquabrush; Posca -White Pen

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

The Paper Players - PP#773 - Balloons and birthdays

Colorful Options - CO#0226 - Pinks and Purples

Uniko Studio 14th Birthday Party - US#14BD

I got my new stash from Bev (Uniko) yesterday and had to use it immediately. I've been waiting for this stamp to come back into stock. I love it. I used my MISTI to stamp the image, removed it and coloured the balloons and confetti with Copic markers. I returned it to the MISTI and stamped the image again with Nocturne ink, and then I cut it out and layered it on black card for a mat layer. I added some sparkle to all the balloons with a glitter brush and finished by adding the greeting and some white highlights on the balloons. On the inside, I cut a mat black layer and on the white panel simply stamped a greeting and cute birthday present. 

I can see this stamp being used lots and in lots of colours too. 

That's all for now. I'm off to have my hair cut this morning - always love to be pampered!! See you again soon. And double plus good, the sun is shining!! Yea.

My Happy Place

...  I was hoping to make cards everyday, but as they say the best laid plans! Mine fell apart. I didn't even make a Valentine's card for my hubby. But this morning, I woke up and remembered a new stamp set that I got and decided to make a card for him today. Here it is:

Stamps: Gina K - String of Love

Inks: Versafine Clair -Nocturne; Gina K - Sea Glass

Dies: Gina K - String of Love

Accessories: White Card; Lawn Fawn - Cloudy Stencil; Copic Markers; Clear Wink of Stella Pen; Posca - White pen

I'm entering this card to the following challenges:

CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#578 - I do love these colours

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#510 - to use stencils and/or dies

CAS on Friday - CASOF#327 - Anything Goes as long as it's CAS

The Male Room - TMR#207 - CAS

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#83 - The stamp and die set, and the cloud stencil 

I stencilled, very lightly - you can just about see it in the photo - a cloudy sky. I used whatever ink was left on my brushes! I used my MISTI to stamp the balloons, removed it from the MISTI and coloured with Copic markers. I put the image back into the MISTI and stamped again with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink - I think this is the best black ink. I used the matching die to cut out the image, along with two blanks which I layered together for dimension. I added some highlights to the balloons with a white pen, and some sparkle with a shimmer brush - you can't really see it in the picture, but it's so pretty in real-life. I finished the front by adding a sentiment - my hubby is my happy place!! On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the A2 notecard. I stamped the balloons in a pale teal colour, added another greeting in black, edged the panel with a dark teal Copic and adhered it to the notecard.

I am so looking forward to the sun shining again soon - it's so hard to take a decent photo in all the grey.

I'm pleased how this turned out - no pink or red in sight, just shades of teal - Jonathan's favourite colour. That's it for now. I'll be back soon.

Birthday Bear

... Morning!! It's been so grey and wet here for the past couple of days, which is kind of good as I can play in my craft room with no guilt!! Today I'm sharing a birthday card:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage, PC-Birthday, Royal Mail, Sweet Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Sky Blue, Wild Lilac, Sandy Beach, Warm Cocoa, Black Onyx, Wild Dandelion, Sweet Mango; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Waffle Flower - Nesting Postage Collage Die

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Waffle Flower Stencils - Nesting Collage Party Bear Stencil, Nesting Postage Collage Blocks

I'm playing along with the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#633 - colours

Time Out Challenge -  TOC#305 - use a favourite technique - stencilling

Just Us Girls -JUGS#807 - to use a stencil

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#82 - Waffle Flower stash all new!

I started by cutting out the central 'postage stamp' die cut and the Party Bear stencil to create the image. I added some extra details to the image - a first class symbol, forever and some white details to the image. I stencilled an 'airmail' border directly onto an A2 white note card. I adhered the finished panel in the centre of the card and added a postage check mark. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of kraft card and on the white panel, I stamped a birthday greeting and added a little 'stamp' showing birthday candles.

This card is for our daughter's boyfriend - he said that he wanted a 'cute' card! I think this fits the brief!!

     

That's all for now - I plan on spending most of this weekend in my craft room making more cards - Christmas and birthday. See you soon.

Belated Birthday Card

... Morning!! Today's card is a fun and funky one - I made it for an old friend of mine - it was her birthday last week and I completely forgot to send a card. I thought she'd like this one:

Stamps: Funky Fossil - Utterly Potterly

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Pinkfresh Studio - Ornate Trellis

Accessories: White Card; PF - Ornate Trellis Press Plate; Rainbow Foil; Copic Markers; LF - Clear Embossing Powder

I'm playing along with three challenges:

A Cut Above - ACA#0126 - where anything goes but must include a die cut

Neglected Stuff Challenge - NSC#0126 - to use stash that we've fogotten all about!

Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#90 - where it is always anything goes

I used one the ornate trellis backgrounds that I made earlier - I cut out the centre of the panel and adhered it to an A2 note card. You can't see it well in the photo, but the frame has rainbow foil and it is beautiful! The focal image is my neglected stamp set. I purchased it at a craft show, put it away and forgot about it. I love the image; it's fun, quirky and pretty - kind of like my friend. I used my MISTI to stamp the image, removed it and coloured with Copic markers, I put it back into the MISTI, stamped with Versafine black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then carefully fussy cut it out. I cut out two other images which I used to layer and give the image dimension and strength. I finished the front with a fun sentiment. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card onto which I stamped a greeting and another of the 'potty heads'. I edged the panel with a marker and adhered it to the note card.

Now that I've rediscovered this stamp set, I must make a few more cards with it!! 

That's all for now. See you soon.