Coffee and friends .....

.... Hello!  I can't quite believe that it's Friday already!  This week has simply flown by.  This morning's card was made using three challenges:

• MUSE - MUSE#56 - Lisa Haines
• Just Add Ink - JAI#204
• Fusion Card Challenge - FUSION#5

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Tea Shoppe; Reverse Confetti - Be A Barista
Inks: Crumb Cake, Pistachio Pudding
Dies: Die-namics - Mini Delicate Doilies; Spellbinders - On the Edge (S5-168)
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Crumb Cake; SU Card - Pistachio Pudding; Gold Paper; SU Punch - 1 3/8" Circle; Gold Marker Pen

I cut a mat panels of gold paper and Crumb Cake design paper and adhered them to the card.  I stamped the coffee cups onto white card, punched them out and mounted them onto some mini gold filigree doilies.  To make the sentiment panel I die cut the edge and added the green and white panels.  Before attaching the white card I edged both sides with a hint of gold using a large marker pen.  I finished the front with a simple sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of design paper and finished with a sentiment.

I do like the layout of Lisa's card, it's very versatile and I had fun with it.  From the FUSION graphic I took the theme of tea cups although, of course, mine are coffee cups!  And I just love the soft, subtle colours that the Just Add Ink DT picked for us this week.

After my visit to the hair dresser yesterday, Jonathan and I headed over to Kathryn's school - it was parent/teacher conferences.  We are both so very proud of our daughter, not only is she a kind, considerate and helpful young lady, but she's very bright too.  It was a delight to meet Kathryn's teachers!  My car is at the auto shop today being fixed.  Somehow I've got a crack in the rear bumper!  No idea how it happened, but I suspect the ice might have something to do with it :)  As I can't leave the house today, I suspect I'll be playing in my craft room.  Bye for now!

From boy to man ....

.... Wishing you all a very good morning!  Today, instead of a card, I've made a mini shadow box.  Yesterday I was out at my local craft store, Stampeddler, and they'd had some new products from Kaisercraft - some mini shadow frame boxes.  I decided I'd have a go at making one:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, Off Beat Backgrounds, Half Pint Heroes Additions
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Summer Starfruit, Bermuda Bay, Crumb Cake, Basic Black
Accessories: Kaisercraft - Mini Shadow Frame; Kaisercraft DP - Attitude; Distress Stains - Antique Linen, Pumice Stone

I used the colours from this week's Colour Q - cQc#230 and the theme is from our Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge - WMSFC#12, for the boys.  I think the hardest part of making this picture was selecting the three images of Ben that I wanted to use.  I love Ben's face on the baby photo - he was laughing so much!  Then in the middle he's a young teenager starting to learn photography.  The last photo was taken last summer when I was back in the UK - almost 18 and a young man!

Putting this together was really quick and very easy.  The box comes in two pieces - a back and a front frame - I stained both using two colours of Distress Stain, giving a dark kraft finish.  I stamped the front with some images from Off Beat Backgrounds - giving a grungy look.  The frame is 6½" × 6½" and is exactly the right size for Kaisercraft DP.  I simply selected my favourite sheet from Attitude! ran it through my Xyron and adhered it to the back of the frame.  I randomly stamped some graffiti style images around and finished the inside with these words from Half Pint Heroes Additions - they were all stamped on scrap card, cut out, distressed at the edges and then attached with dimensional tape.  Before attaching the front, I adhered the photos.  I used bulldog clips to hold the parts together while the glue dried.

I'm really pleased how this turned out and will be making one using photos of Kathryn.

It is very cold and snowy in Northville this morning.  The Arctic blast is back in full force and the wind chill effect is awful - there's not a huge amount of snow, but it's being blown all over the place.  I'm off out to the hair dresser this morning to have my hair done - trust me to pick a day when it's going to be blown all over!!!  That's all for now. 

ASM - CAS ....

....  Evening all!  Time for our last challenge of February at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week our theme is Addicted to CAS - clean and simple.  Your card should be clean, simple with minimal embellishments.  Here's my take:

Stamps: StampArt Design - Full Bloom 2; Uniko Studios - Extra Time, Background Builders Flower Power
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Tangerine Tango
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Washi Tape; Copics; SU Card - Melon Mambo

 I used the sketch from The Paper Players - PP#184 for the layout, although I flipped it to the left side of the card.  The colours are from Dynamic Duos - DD#91 - they have three colours this week.  The main image is a digi stamp from our sponsor, StampArt Designs, it's so pretty and so easy to colour.  I used copics and then cut it out, ran it through my Xyron to make it self-adhesive.  I used a couple of strips of Washi tape and stamped the row of flowers in orange.  I attached the bowl of flowers onto the strips and finished with a simple sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of bright pink, a white panel on which I stamped some more flowers and an apology!  This card is in the post and should hopefully arrive by the end of the week!

For more inspiration cards check out the cards from the rest of the Design Team and from our Guest Designer, Cathy.  As always, a great selection of cards for you.  The winner of this week's challenge will receive 5 digi images from our Sponsor, StampArt Design.  That's all for now.  See you soon.

Wall of Fame ....

..... Good morning everyone!  I do hope you're having a good weekend.  Mine's going brilliantly!  Jonathan and I were out yesterday at a photo shoot with a really super model, we had a fun dinner with one of our friends, the weather was absolutely gorgeous (cold, but sunny) and when I got home and checked my favourite challenge blogs I got a fabulous surprise. 

I am delighted, honoured and thrilled to bits to discover that the Design Team at Addicted to CAS have picked me to go on their Wall of Fame.  I feel I'm still working on my style, but I've always loved clean and simple, and stalk follow many of the inductees on the Wall of Fame. 

Thank you again - you have made my weekend complete!  I'm starting today with a broad smile!  And a lovely new badge for my blog.  Hugs xx

WMSFC - For the boys ....

.... Hello again!  I'm back with our new challenge for Waltzingmouse Fanatics.  This time we'd like to see you make "Something for the Boys"!  Both Tara and I really enjoy making masculine style cards and Claire has some fab stamps just perfect for the guys in our lives.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Free Spirit Boy, Free Spirit Sentiments
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Denim, Vineyard
Accessories: Stampin' Up! Card - Night of Navy, Naturals Ivory; SU Candy Dots

It will come as no surprise that I've used my "go-to" guy set - Free Spirit Boy.  I absolutely love this big circles stamp.  I used navy card to make the base and cut a couple of panels of the naturals card.  On the smaller panel I stamped the circles.  I inked it up using a couple of Kaleidacolor pad, picking out the colours that I wanted.  I cut the stamped panel into three, adhered it to the other panel and added the sentiment at the top.  I then attached it all to the card base and finished with the horizontal strip with a couple of candy dots.  The inside has a panel of naturals card and a subtle impression of the circles stamp.

I used a couple of challenges to help me bring the card together - the layout is based on this week's Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#124 and the colours are from Colour Throwdown - CTD#280 which are just great.

You have plenty of time to join in with our challenge - the deadline is Thursday 6th March at 5.00pm GMT (that's noon EDT).  You must use at least one WMS stamp, digi or paper on your card.  Don't forget Tara also has some inspiration for you - do drop by to see.  That's all for now.  Bye!

52CCT - Stash challenge ...

.....  Good morning!!  For our last challenge in February at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown, Jacqueline has come up with a stash challenge - we must use metallic papers on our card.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Delightful Decorations, Contempo Christmas, Christmas Messages
Inks: Versamark; Real Red
Accessories: SU Card - Basic Black; White Lustre Card; Red Metallic Card; Red Satin Card; SU Punch - Christmas Ornament; Lakeland Christmas Banner; Clear Embossing Powder

I've used a number of challenges to make this card.  The layout is based on this week's CAS(E) this Sketch - CTS#65, the theme of bauble is from the inspiration photo at Festive Friday - FFC#25 and the colour is from Jingle Belles - JB:14:04 where the ladies want us to feature RED.  I made the card base from black card, cut a mat panel in bright red mirri card and a white panel.  I used red satin card for two ornaments; I stamped them both with Versamark, heat embossed with clear powder and then punched them out.  One of the baubles is a little distressed, which I rather like as you can still see the satin finish.  I stamped the centre ornament on white card.  I attached string to the back and adhered them with dimensional tape.  I ran the black strings over the white card, taped them in place and then used dimensional tape to attach the white panel.  So this card has some depth!!  I finished the front with a simple banner sentiment on red mirri card.  On the inside I cut a white panel, added a couple of ornaments and a simple verse.

For more inspiration with metallic papers, check out the cards from the rest of the Design Team.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what you make.  Last week's Christmas Landscape challenge was fab - so many lovely cards!  See you soon!

My Heart ....

..... Hi again!  I've been thinking about the inspiration card at TIME OUT challenges and suddenly had an idea:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - My Heart
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Summer Starfruit, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Summer Starfruit; BARC Wood - Cherry; Mulberry Paper

I really like the woodgrain finish on Shery's card and that heart is fab too!  I used the layout from Retro Sketches - RS#102 and the colours are (sort of) from Colour Q - cQC#229.  I adapted the colours a bit - the card is covered with real wood!  It comes as a 12" × 12" sheet and this is cherry wood, sort of like peach parfait.  The surface is really smooth and it takes a stamp beautifully! I don't have apricot card so I used some mulberry paper that is similar.  I stamped the outside of the woodgrain heart in green and added an inner heart in Summer Starfruit.  On the inside I cut a mat of Summer Starfruit and stamped the heart.

That's all for now - I'm off back to the ice-skating!

Coffee and friends ....

....  Morning all!  A nice way to spend a morning is catching up with friends over coffee and cake!  Here's a card I've made for a friend of mine in the UK:

Stamps: Reverse Confetti - Be A Barista; Paper Smooches - Cyber Cafe
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Night of Navy, Crumb Cake, Old Olive
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Old Olive; SU DP - Old Olive; Promarkers; Glitter

I used the sketch from Retro Sketches - RS#102 for the layout, the colours from Colour Throwdown - CTD#280 and the theme of coffee from Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#32. 



This one came together really quickly.  I stamped the coffee cup onto white card and coloured it with Promarkers, cut it out and, after adhering it to the front of the card, added some sparkle, which you can't see in the photo above, but you can in the detail shot!  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green and on the cream panel stamped some coffee rings and a greeting.

There's a new challenge starting soon at TIME OUT Challenges, but at the moment they are having a Design Team call, so I'm going to throw my name in the hat!  You can see the little glitter hearts in the coffee foam!


After the beautiful blue skies yesterday, I'm looking out the office window at snow falling again!  It's not going to stay snow for long though, the temperature is going up fast and it'll be rain before you know it!  It's really gloomy out there.  Good thing I can stay indoors and watch the Olympics - the Ladies Free Dance is on as I type.  So, I'm off to make coffee and then sit down and watch what should be a fantastic competition.  See you soon!

Resting my eyes ....

...  Hello again!  I've another masculine themed retirement card for you today.  I had the stamps on my desk after making my earlier DT card for The Male Room challenge - theme Retirement, and decided to make a fun one this time!

Stamps: Papermania - It's a Man's World Couch Potato
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Squares Lg (S4-126) #6, Squares Sm (S4-128) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Papermania DP - It's A Man's World; Clear Embossing Powder; Copics

I really like the image of the guy asleep in his armchair, and it reminded me a bit of my grandfather after he'd retired.  He'd always tell us that he wasn't asleep at all, "just resting my eyes!" he'd say.  He is very much missed.

I stamped the image onto white card, marked the die position and then cut out the feet, so that they would hang off the edge of the square.  I stamped the image again onto striped paper for the chair, blue paper for the trousers and white card for the man's body and also the newspaper, and fussy cut the layers.  I used Copics to colour the man and add a touch of colour to the paper.  I added shading around the image and then layered it onto a backing square.  I stamped a few sentiments randomly over the background.  On the inside I cut a mat layer to match the armchair and on the white panel I stamped a bit of the man asleep and a simple sentiment.

I'm submitting this to this week's Less is More challenge - LIM#159 where the theme is masculine cards.  I'm not sure whether there is enough white space for Chrissie and Jen, but it is quite clean and simple!  I'm off to watch the Olympics - it's the Ladies short programme in the ice skating - should be very interesting too!  Bye for now.

TMR - Retirement ....

....  Good morning everyone!  It's time for our new challenge over at The Male Room.  We have some news - from now on we will have a thumbnail display for your submissions using inlinkz.  Our theme this time is "Retirement" - you can make a card, scrapbook layout, 3D project - anything so long as it has a masculine feel and is based on the retirement theme.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Papermania - It's a Man's World Couch Potato
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Not Quite Navy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Core'dinations Black Magic; Cuttlebug EF - D'Vine Swirls; Kanban - Fishing

I have some Kanban toppers, a set especially for men, that I got years ago and have hardly used at all.  But they are just perfect to make a retirement card.  I had a selection of images - golf, fishing, darts, music, walking - and I decided on a fishing theme.  I used the layout from CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#61, except I didn't actually notice the bit about it being non-rectangular!!!  I really should read things more carefully!  However, that's where I got the layout!

I embossed some core'dinations card with swirls, sanded to reveal the blue core - and I think it suggests waves!  I layered the image onto some more core'dinations card and finished the front with a simple, elegant sentiment which I adhered with dimensional tape.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of blue (the reverse side of the core'dinations card), cut a panel of white and added a simple sentiment and another fishing image.

For more inspiration cards based on the retirement theme, check out the cards from the rest of the team.  You have plenty of time to play along, deadline is Tuesday 4th March, midnight GMT.  Have fun!!

I must say that we had so many fabulous entries for our Valentine theme - it's going to be so, so difficult to pick the Top Three!   See you soon.

ASM - Holiday .....

Good evening everyone!  Are you enjoying the Olympics?  I am!  So much so, that I seem to have lost days in the last week and am running very late with my card for this week's Addicted to Stamps and More! challenge.  Our challenge this week is HOLIDAY - and while we are still surrounded by so much snow, there was only one holiday card I could make.  Christmas:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Festive Foliage; Reverse Confetti - Bring on the Merry
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red, Gumball Green; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card

This is just about as clean and simple as it gets.  I based the layout on this week's CAS(E) This Sketch - CTS#64 and I used holly which is the theme at this week's Merry Monday Challenge - MM#96.  When I saw the snowman image on the CTS layout I just thought about a holly sprig!  I stamped the holly directly onto the card and used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the word Merry.  I stamped the word Christmas in red on some scrap, cut it out and attached it with dimensional tape.  I've not done the inside yet, but will add a photo once I've completed the card.

Edited to add a photo of the inside of the card:

I'm babysitting for a friend's daughter today, so won't get chance to finish it until later this evening and will photograph it tomorrow!

We are sponsored this week by StampArt Design and the winner of our challenge will receive 5 free digi images.  Our guest designer for the next couple of week's is Cathy of Cathy's Card Spot, she and the rest of the Design Team have some wonderful inspiration cards to share with you - all based on a holiday theme.  See you soon!