CIC - Colours ....

..... Hello! I'm here this morning with my card for our new challenge at Cupcake Inspirations - CIC#362. We have some really pretty colours for you to play with this week, and I made a clean, simple and pretty birthday card:

Stamps: A Random Fan Digi - Angel & Cloud; Stampin' Up! - Watercolour Wishes
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Vellum; SU EF - Cloudy Day; Copics; Wink of Stella - Clear; Gems; Clear Embossing Powder

Our sponsor this week is A Random Fan and I've used one of their images on my card - it's one I've had a while and I really like it. I printed her on white card, coloured with Copics and used a scalpel to fussy cut her out. I add lots of sparkle to the clouds rainbow and her wings with a clear Wink of Stella brush. I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller than the card, embossed it with clouds and adhered it to the base. I stamped a birthday sentiment on vellum, heat embossed it with clear powder and attached it to the cards. I used dimensional gel to attached the angel image and finished off with a few gems.  I based this card on the layout at Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#238. I've not done the inside yet!

The winner of this week's challenge will get 3 digital images from A Random Fan - they have wonderful images! Do visit our blog to see more inspiration from the rest of the team.

52CCT - Stash ....

... Morning! I can't quite believe that it's already the last Saturday in May! Fabiola has a stash challenge for us this week at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT21-16 - she wants us to use our dies and/or punches. I actually made two cards! Here's the first:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Compliments of the Season II
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Poppy Stamps - Mod Snowflake Background
Accessories: Stampin' Up! Card - Basic Black; SU Glimmer Paper - Silver; SU DP - Basic Black; White Lustre Card; SU Punch; Craftwork Cards - Sentiment Label

This is the first time I've used the snowflake background die - it's fabulous. I cut it from silver glimmer paper and used my precision cutting plate (which helps) on the Big Shot. I ran the die through several times to make sure that it cut through all the paper, but I still had a bit in the middle that didn't cut (can you guess where?) I adhered the die cut to a black card and simply added a greeting to the front. On the inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped a greeting, and added a punched snowflake in black design paper.

I'm submitting this card to a couple of challenges - Jingle Belles - JB:16:11 where they don't want to see any blues (done), and Fab 'n' Funky - FNF#306 where they want to see Christmas cards (done).

My next card is very clean, crisp and simple:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Compliments of the Season II
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Poppy Stamps - Celestial Star Border
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Glimmer Paper - Silver; SU DP - Basic Black; SU Punch

I used Jenni's card over at Muse - MUSE#167 as the inspiration for this card. I changed my card to portrait and opted for a monochromatic colour scheme. I die cut the stars from silver glimmer paper and adhered them directly to the card. The sentiment is bold black and contrasts beautifully with the silver stars. On the inside I cut a mat layer of black design paper and, on the white card, stamped a sentiment and punched out a snowflake to reveal the mat paper beneath.

As there are stars on this card, I'm going to submit it to the current challenge at Left of Centre - LOC#131 where, if you're not making a left of centre card, then the team want to see stars.

Do visit our blog to see more inspiration from the rest of the team. That's all for now!

Uniko - Masculine ...

... Morning! I'm here with my card for the Uniko Challenge - USC#32R where we have a theme of

MASCULINE WITH THE OPTION OF FATHER'S DAY

I've made a masculine birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Time, Extra Time, Simply Said
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Brilliance - Galaxy Gold
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! DP - Basic Black; Couture Creations EF - Work Shop; Stampendous Frantage - Aged Black Enamel, Aged Gold Enamel

My card is reasonably clean and simple. I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller then the base, embossed it and edged it with a gold pen. I stamped the cogs in Versamark; heat embossed them with aged black and aged gold enamel, and then cut them out. I attached them to the card with dimensional gel. I added a very simple greeting. On the inside I cut a mat layer of black design paper and on the white panel added a greeting and gold clock.

I used the layout from this week's CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#175 and, as this is a birthday card, I'm also submitting it to AAA Cards - AAA#65 where they're celebrating their 2nd birthday.

Do visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration cards from our Guest Designer, Tanja, as well as the rest of the team. And before I go, there are prizes - so do play along. Here are the details:

THE PRIZES

• The DT will choose a winner who will get a £20 gift voucher.

• The DT choose a Top 3 who will each get 50 Loyalty Rewards Points added to their Uniko customer account.

• We will do a random draw for all those who use A UNIKO stamp. This winner will get 150 Loyalty Reward Points added to their Uniko customer account.

• We will do a random draw for all those who twist with us and create a Fathers Day creation. This winner will get 100 Loyalty Reward Points added to their Uniko customer account.

You've got plenty of time to play along with this month's challenge.  The deadline for submission is midnight (BST) on Friday 10th June (7.00pm EDT).

TMR - Theme ...

... Hello, sorry I've not been around much lately - my mojo ran away! But, I think it's back now. I'm here (rather late) with my DT card for The Male Room - TMR#36 where we have a theme for you

CRITTERS AND/OR BUGS

This is a fun theme and, I think, works perfectly for guys. Here's my card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutions; Stamp a Mania - can't remember the names of the sets
Inks: Distress - Antique Linen; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Kaleidacolor - Vineyard
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Always Artichoke; Copics; Wink of Stella - Clear; Enamel Dots

I used the colours from Just Us Girls - JUGS#344, the layout from Mojo Monday - MOJO#449, and the birthday theme from Casual Friday Challenge - CFC#148.

I started by stamping the geometric/tribal pattern in ivory on white card and then layered it on some green card. I cut a panel of white card to cover the bottom and stamped a funky birthday greeting using Kaleidacolor ink. I stamped the lizard - my critter - in black, coloured it with Copics, cut it out and added some sparkle all over with a clear Wink of Stella brush.  I finished the front with a some enamel dots. On the inside I cut a mat layer of green card and on the white panel stamped another lizard.

I took a close up of the lizard to show all the lovely shimmer and sparkle. We've got a perfect day here - bright sunshine and hot - great weather to photography the Wink of Stella.

Do visit our blog to see inspiration projects from the rest of the team.  You can interpret the theme anyway you want on cards, ATCs, scrapbook layouts, 3D projects - just make sure it's masculine in style. You've got plenty of time to play along! That's all for now.

CIC - Colours ....

.... Darn! This post is rather late - I got it all prepared yesterday and then forgot to set it to publish!  Silly me!!!

Morning all! It's time for our new challenge at Cupcake Inspirations - CIC#360 - we have some lovely colours to play with - BLUSH, RUBY AND GOLD. So lush, so rich and so pretty. I've made a birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Flower Power #34, I Love Coffee, Simply Said Birthday; CFS - Whole Shebang
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Mats
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry; SU DP - Blushing Bridge; Clear and Gold Embossing Powder; Vellum; Gems; Copics; Wink of Stella - Clear

I thought the colours would make a lovely feminine card for a very special lady - Bev of Uniko. It was Bev's birthday yesterday and this card is on its way to her but, as you can guess from the greeting, it's going to be rather late!

I used the sketch at this week's Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#236 for the layout. I cut panels of card in white, blush and ruby. I used Versmark to stamp the open outline flower and heat embossed them with clear powder; gives a lovely tone on tone look. Then I added some smaller flowers in blush and ruby. I die cut a panel of vellum for the sentiment. I stamped three large flowers - one solid which I embossed with gold tinsel powder, and two outline flowers on vellum. I coloured the reverse of the vellum flowers and added some sparkle to them with a clear Wink of Stella Brush. I attached them to the card with dimensional gel. I finished off with some gems for more sparkle. On the inside I cut a mat layer of blush design paper and on the white panel added a fun greeting and some more flowers.

Our challenge this week is sponsored by Altenew and they are very generously providing a prize of Way too Sweet stamps (see below) for the lucky winner of this week's challenge. Let them tell you about themselves:

Established in April 2014, Altenew strives to bring elegant, natural and versatile designs in paper crafting products. Altenew firmly believes in sharing happiness and comfort with our loved ones through creative expression of crafting. We know that personal, delicate touches of a hand-made card or scrapbook page can bring joy to people that are important in our lives and we are proud to create products that help inspire alluring projects/creations.

I don't have any Altenew stamps, but I think I may have to fix that!! For more inspiration using these lovely colours to visit the blog to check out more from the team.  Have fun!

52CCT - Colours ...

.... Morning! It's time for our new challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and this week it's our colour challenge. Fabiola has picked super colours for us to play with - BLUE, GREY AND KRAFT. Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Frame It, Festive Foliage
Inks: Memento - Grey Flannel; Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Stitched Squares #3; Spellbinders - Squares Lg (S4-126) #7
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Silver Bells; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Glitter

You might be experiencing a case of deja-vu looking at this card! I CASEd my own card from April, when I made pink and grey ornament card. I cut a mat of kraft card slightly smaller then the card and layered on the design paper. I die cut a square of kraft card and a smaller square in white. I stamped on the fir tree branches and a greeting and finished by adding some baubles that I'd cut from a sheet of design paper. Before adhering this panel I added glitter to the base layer. On the inside I cut another mat of design paper and finished with a simple panel. I'm submitting this card to the current challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#193 where the theme is HOLIDAYS.

For more inspiration with these super colours, do visit our blog to see more from the rest of the Design Team. You've got plenty of time to play along - deadline for submission is midnight Friday 20th May (7.00pm EDT).

Before I go - here are both my cards side by side. I think I might make a teal one too.

And that's all for today folks - see you tomorrow!

Just because ....

.... Good afternoon! Thanks so much to everyone who has stopped by recently to read my posts and leave me comments, I don't say it often enough, but I really do appreciate all your comments - they mean a lot to me.

I've had a fun time in my craft room today making a card for three challenges - a couple of which I haven't played for ages. Here's my card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - A Dozen Thoughts, Watercolour Wings
Inks: SU - Flirty Flamingo, Sweet Sugarplum, Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Swirly Scribbles, Bold Butterfly
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Soft Sky; SU DP - So Saffron; Wink of Stella - Clear; Gems

I got my parcel from Stampin' Up! yesterday with goodies from the new catalogue - I ordered the new in-colours. I think they're just fabulous and I used a couple of them on this card.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

• Less is More - LIM#275 where they want us to use PASTEL colours
• Retro Sketches - RS#214 - really like the sketch
• Just us Girls - JUGS#342 - where the word of the week is BUTTERFLY

I stamped the butterfly using my MISTI to ensure that the images were all in the right place and cut it out with the matching die. I added some frosted gems to the butterfly's body. I die cut a scribble circle from some pale yellow design paper. I cut a strip of soft blue card for the top of the card and echoed the colour in the dots at the bottom of the card. I finished the front by stamping a bold sentiment and adding a few gems. On the inside I cut a mat layer of soft blue card and on the white panel added some texture stamps, but left lots of space for a message.

That's all for today. I'm off to have a coffee before heading to school to pick up Kat. See you soon.