Birthday boy ....

....  Good morning.  I couldn't post this cards any earlier than today as they are for Jonathan.  It's his birthday today, he's mumble, mumble, years old!!  The first card is the one I made for Kathryn to give to her Dad. She's seen the lovely guy stamps that Claire released a couple of weeks ago and she's totally in love with the moustache guy!!  I've CASED JJ's clean and simple card for the design of this one and submitting it to the Waltzingmouse Flower Show CASE competition:

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Man of the Hour, My Kind of Guy
Inks: Versamark; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies:  Lil' Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #5
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! - Basic Black card; Silver embossing powder





Thanks to JJ for the fabulous layout it works perfectly to showcase the bowler hat and moustache, and I love the sentiment.  This was easy to make.  I made the card base and mat layer in SU Basic Black.  I cut the panel with the die and used Versamark to stamp the images and embossed with silver powder.  The little flourish works perfectly to decorate the corners.  For the inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped the frame and a couple of sentiments; Kathryn picked them both!

The next card is to Jonathan from me.  Initially I was going to make a card with a music/photography theme, as Jonathan really likes both things.  But in the end I wanted to play with both these sets again.  I used a couple of challenges to make this card - the layout is from this week's My Favourite Things Wednesday Sketch Club - MFTWSC121 and the colours are adapted from a Colour Throwdown Challenge - CTD238 from a few weeks ago.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - My Kind of Guy, Man of the Hour, Woodenheart Alphabet; My Favourite Things - LDJ On the Line, Birthday Sentiments
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax
Accessories: Kanban DP - Alchemy, Industriana; SU DP - Daffodil Delight; White Lustre card

I didn't get around to playing with these colours, but think they're just right for a guy's card.  However, I don't have Brilliant Blue, so I adapted the colours and used Island Indigo instead.  I've had these Kanban design papers for ages and this is the first time I've used them - don't know why!!!  I love the brogue style pattern that Claire made and stamped it in Daffodil Delight and cut it out by hand.  I cut a white panel and stamped the border and sentiment in Island Indigo, allowing the colour to fade down the panel.  I stamped the final sentiment onto design paper and cut out the mini banner by hand and adhered it with dimensional tape.  The large banner was also stamped on design paper and cut out with Die-namics fishtails.  I wanted to stamp "Hi Gorgeous" as we often say that to each other, but didn't have a stamp.  I think "Hi Handsome" works just as well.  For the inside, I cut a mat panel in the grey design paper and stamped a couple of bold sentiments.

That's all for now - I'm off out to the shops.  It looks like we're going to have a beautiful day here in Northville - it's about time!!!  Oh yes, before I go, I included a copy of JJ's card - it's stunning!

JJ's beautifully clean, simple and elegant card in black and gold.

See you soon.

Christmas punch .....

....no, not the drink!!  Our challenge this week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  is an embellishment/technique challenge.  We want you to use punches in the making of your Christmas card.  I'm going to admit up front that I'm not very good at creating images with punches, so this was a challenge until I realised that I could make a Christmas tree with my punches.  My cards, yes I made three, are relatively straightforward.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Ornament Keepsakes; My Favourite Things - Seasonal Sentiments; Waltzingmouse - Woodgrain
Inks: SU - Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Nested Pennants (S5-028) #3; SU/Sizzix - Framelits Holiday Ornaments; Martha Stewart - Christmas Bauble Border Punch
Accessories: Design Papers - My Mind's Eye - Snowed In, DCWV - Rose Tinted Christmas, Dovecraft - Christmas Blues; Green card and paper from scraps bin; Lakeland - Metallic Christmas Banners; Gems; White Lustre card

I started by cutting three plain white triangles with the Nested Pennants.  Then I found a selection of green card and paper, with different textures and finishes, from my scraps bin and punched the ornament border on them all.  Then it was simply a case of adhering the green strips to the triangle base.  I used super strong tape to adhere the strips and trimmed the edges as I went along.  I made three trees varying the order of the strips.  I stamped a wood grain pattern onto plain white card and used a banner die to cut the tree trunks.  I made mats in different shades of green for each card and found Christmas tree papers from my stash onto which I adhered my trees.  I finished off each tree with a bright yellow star and a simple banner sentiment.  The inside of each card has a mat layer and a white panel onto which I stamped a bold Christmas sentiment - I've only shown the inside from the green card on the right.  See below for bigger images of each card and also a close of the actual Christmas tree - they really shimmer and shine!

I'm really looking forward to seeing your creations for this week's challenge!  Do check out the inspiration cards from the rest of the team - they are really great!

That's all for now - have a good weekend.  See you soon.

Happy Birthday ....

.... Good afternoon - somehow the week has gone by again!!  I've made a birthday card which will be going in the post tomorrow.  I used two challenges to make the card, but sadly the deadline for one has past!  As I said, I seem to have lost this week!!  Hey ho, here's the card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations; PTI - Stylish Sentiments - Birthdays
Inks: Versamark; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Framelits Labels; Die-namics - Jumbo Fishtail STAX
Accessories:  SU Card - Basic Black, Basic Grey; SU Design Paper - Basic Black; SU - Festive Paper-Piercing Pack; Clear embossing powder; White Lustre card

I used the colours from Dynamic Duos - DD49 which also had the theme of a masculine card - sadly missed the deadline!!  And this it will only just be in time for this week's Less is More - LIM116 challenge to CASE the Diva Ladies - Chrissie and Jen.

I couldn't decide which card to CASE - they are both just lovely - so I decided to combine the designs on my card.  I made the card base from Basic Black card and cut a panel of Basic Grey to layer on top.  Instead of piercing the edge of the panel I embossed it.  I changed up the die cut shape on which I stamped the birthday sentiment - it's embossed to give it some shine.  I added some paper piercing to the die cut and finished the front with a banner in SU design paper.  It's a really clean and simple masculine design.  For the inside I added a panel of white card and stamped a fun birthday sentiment.

That's all for today - I'm running close to deadline and need to get this posted!!!  Hopefully, I'll get back to my normal routine soon and get back to playing with my favourite challenges.  See you soon.

Waltzingmouse Flower Show CASEd card ....

..... Hi, good afternoon all.  Seems time has rather passed me by this week with no cards since Saturday!!!


Last week, Claire hosted a wonderful Flower Show on her blog with cards from many fabulous designers, - showing off some pretty spring flowers.  Today it's the competition, Waltzingmouse Flower Show CASE  - pick your favourite card/project, CASE it and share it.  Well, it was really tough to pick just one card - I loved them all, but in the end I decided to CASE a card by JJ Bolton.  JJ makes the most beautiful CAS style cards and she actually did two for the Flower Show.  Here's my take on JJ's card:

Stamps:  WMS - Folk Art Medallion, Say It Loud, Folk Art Labels No 25
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade; Versamark
Dies: Spellbinders - Grand Circles (LF-114) #1
Accessories: Black Embossing powder; SU Card - Melon Mambo;White Lustre Card; Vellum

JJ's card - clean, simple and stunning!

I absolutely love JJ's card and have been totally faithful to the layout of her card.  I changed up the colour of the flower, using this week's Colour Q - cQc186 challenge colours, and I changed the sentiment to read "Birthday". 

I made a few extra mini medallions to go inside the card.  I cut a mat layer in Melon Mambo card and stamped the sentiment onto some white card, finishing off with the mini medallions.

I'm really pleased with this card, but I think I might have CASE another card (or two) as the competition is open until 30th April.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Santa's Coming to Town ....

.... Hi!  Can you believe how fast this month is going?  It's already time for our next challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and being the third Saturday of the month, means we have a theme challenge.  This week we want you to feature the Big Guy - Santa Claus or Father Christmas if you prefer!  I've got a few Santa stamps and it was a bit tough decided which to use, but I love this Santa cameo:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Santa's Coming to Town, Wooden Heart Alphabet, Oval Classic Frames; My Favourite Things - Seasonal Sentiments
Inks: Versamark; Memento - Lady Bug, Cottage Ivy; Distress - Antique Linen
Dies: Spellbinders - Ovals Sm (S4-112) #5; Die-namics - Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX #1 and #8
Accessories: SEI design paper - Holiday Traditions; Cosmic Shimmer EP - Olumpic Gold Lustre; Cream Lustre Card; Versarmark Pen

This is a really traditional Christmas card.  The design paper is double sided, so coordinates perfectly.  For the layout I used this week's sketch from My Favourite Things Wednesday Sketch Club - MFTWSC120 but I turned it so that the banner was at the top.  It's been a while since I joined in with this challenge - so I'm pleased to be back!

I decided to use the striped side for the bottom layer of the card and the holly side for the banner panel.   I used the Jumbo Fishtail dies to cut the main banner panel and the little ones for the sentiment.  I used the largest plain oval and cut a cream oval onto which I stamped the image of Santa in Versamark.  I heat embossed the image with Gold Lustre powder and repeated three times to give a really lovely enamel type finish.  I stamped the green leaf border next and then, using my Versamark pen, drew round the oval and roughly embossed the border.  I stamped a stylised snowflake onto each of the mini banner pieces and then stamped the letter in Lady Bug red!  I attached the mini banner letters directly to the card base and adhered the Santa oval with dimensional tape.

For the inside I cut another piece of the design paper for the mat layer and on the cream panel I stamped a simple, but heartfelt, Christmas sentiment.  

I'm looking forward to seeing your creations to showcase Santa Claus!!!  Hope you have a great weekend.  See you soon.

Wishing you a Happy Birthday .....

... Good morning.  Where has this week gone?  I've a birthday card to share with you today - I've used a couple of challenges to make it:

• Retro Sketches - RS59
• The Paper Players - PP141

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Raining Flowers, Wacky Wishes (Hostess), Stacks of Wishes (Hostess)
Inks: SU - Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry
Dies: My Favourite Things - Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX
Accessories: SU Design Paper - Baja Breeze; SU Card - Baja Breeze; SU Marker - Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry; White Lustre card; Gem

I love the colours on this week's Paper Players challenge - so sad that Baja Breeze is being retired!  And it's the sketch just lovely - I can see this one coming out again and again.  I have also taken inspiration for my card from Deanna's lovely card.  I used the Jumbo Fishtail dies to cut the two banners - one in a pretty pattern and one plain on which I stamped the birthday sentiment.  I got my Raining Flowers set last week and am really pleased that I got it - such a pretty set.  I stamped the central flower three times - twice in Rich Razzleberry and once in Island Indigo, cut out the layers and then built up the flower with dimensional tape.  I love the explosion of flowers across the top of the banners.  For the sentiment I used my marker pens to colour the letters individually and after stamping I went over the letters to increase the depth of colour.

For the inside - I went a little mad!  I cut a mat layer of Baja Breeze and a white panel on which I stamped some more of the flowers from Raining Flowers and finished with a fun sentiment.

I posted this card last Monday as my friend has her birthday this week and I wanted to make sure it got to her on time.  I'm terrible at getting cards off on time.

That's all for now - see you soon.

Spring flowers for a friend ....

... Hi - back again!  It's the 17th of the month and to a Waltzingmouse Stamps fan, that can mean only one thing!  It's time for this month's Blog Party.  The theme today is Spring Flowers - and it's wonderful here, the sun's shining, the sky is blue, the birds are singing and the daffodils are in bloom.  Here's my card for this month's Waltzingmouse Blog Party:

Stamps: WMS - Afternoon Tea Sentiments
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Stampin' Up! DP - Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue; White Lustre card; Cuttlebug EF - Swiss Dots; Promarkers - Amber, Pumpkin; SU Marker - Crumb Cake

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:

• Dynamic Duos - DD#48
• Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#10 - for a friend
• Waltzingmouse Blog Party - WMBP04-13 - spring flowers

 One of my all time favourite flowers is the pansy.  I love the colours they come in and the pretty faces they have.  Oh yes, they are reasonably happy to flower most of the year too!  I started by stamping the teacup onto some blue patterned paper and cutting it out.  I then stamped the pansies and leaves onto the same paper and again onto plain white card three times.  With the image stamped on blue patterned paper, I coloured the leaves with Crumb Cake and then cut it out.  I coloured all the pansies with Promarkers and added some subtle lines to the faces with the Crumb Cake marker.  I stamped the sentiment onto plain white card, ran it through my Cuttlebug to give some texture and adhered it to the mat layer of Pumpkin Pie polka dot paper.  Next I attached the cup and flowers to the card base.

This will be going to a friend in the UK in the next day or two, but I haven't finished the inside yet!

That's all for now.  I'm off out for a walk to enjoy this lovely weather and check out all the new bits of green appearing.  I'll be back later to have a look at all the projects made for the Blog Party.  Oh yes, I must finish checking out the inspiration cards from the WMS DT - the new sets are fabulous!  See you soon.

For my aunt ...

.... I've made a thank you card for someone very special to me - my Aunty Sue.  My Mum has had to go into hospital today to have a couple of stents put into her heart - and I can't be be there, but Susie will be.  She has done so much for my Mum while we've been in the States - I can't begin to thank her enough.  But I can send her a card to say thanks.

Stamps: Stampendous - Mega Thanks; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Loving Thoughts
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Card - Garden Green; Promarkers - Indigo Blue, True Blue, Blue Pearl, Pine; White Lustre card; Ribbon

I used a few challenges to make this card and they are:

• The Ribbon Reel Challenge - RR51 - feeling blue
• CASology - CAS40 - cue word "WORD"
• Just Us Girls - JUGS184 - to use the ombre technique

I love the fresh cool colours from the Ribbon Reel challenge and I enjoy creating graduated shades too, and I have the perfect BIG word to show off the graduated shades of blue.  I used three blue promarkers to create the ombre effect and stamped the word directly onto the paper, and the cut out each letter.  I cut a panel of green card for the mount and stamped the word "thanks" again directly onto the white panel and then glued on the cut out letters.  I stamped the "for all you do" directly onto the card and added some cream chiffon ribbon around the white panel and a bow on top.  I finished the front by adding a few tiny flowers coloured to match the mega word.  For the inside I kept it perfectly simple with the phrase "what would I do without you?"

I'll be talking to Susie later today to find out how Mum is - I know it's a fairly straightforward procedure (indeed, Jonathan had it done in 2009) and that Mum will be fine. 

That's all for now - do drop by later - I've a card to share for this month's Waltzingmouse Blog Party.  See you then!

Baby congrats ....

... Back again - I've just realised that the deadline for submission to one of the challenges is today!!!  This card has been made for two challenges:

• Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog - SSCB9 - theme to make a baby card
• Colour Q - cQc184

Stamps: Serendipity - Stars; Stampin' Up! - Baby Tees (discontinued), Sassy Salutations
Inks: SU - Blushing Bride; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Promarkers - Ice Grey 2, Caramel, Pale Pink; White Lustre card

I was lucky enough to win a recent Serendipity challenge and with my winnings I got some stamps!  I used the pretty star to create a background for my baby card.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to ensure that I positioned the stars properly.  I stamped the baby tees onto white card and coloured them with Promarkers, then carefully cut them out.  I attached the baby tees directly to the card and finished off with a bold sentiment in black - congratulations.  This card is for my stash as you never know when you might need a baby card.  This could be used for triplets or just for one!!

That really is all - it's seems to have stopped snowing - really!!  Kathryn and I are off to Northville to take photos of historic sites!  See you tomorrow!