Spring Flowers ....

... Good afternoon! It's a lovely day here in Northville with bright sunshine and reasonably warm. Spring has most definitely arrived - the leaves on the trees are opening, the magnolia is in bloom and the daffodils are so pretty. Sadly, I don't have any of my favourite spring flower in the garden - I just adore tulips! So I've made a very clean and simple birthday card featuring some tulips:

Stamps: Altenew - Tulips
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Peekaboo Peach, Calypso Coral, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry, Certainly Celery, Cucumber Crush; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Altenew - Tulips
Accessories: White Lustre Card

I'm submitting this card to several challenges that all have a spring or related theme:

• Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Tulip
• Less is More - LIM#324 - Spring Walk
• Just Us Girls - JUGS#389 - Colours
• Inkspirational - INK#132 - Spring

I created the tulips by stamping the layered images on some scraps of white card. I used my MISTI to make sure that I got the images lined up and then die cut each image with the matching die. I also used the MISTI to position and stamp the sentiment. I added the word belated as this is going to be late! I adhered the central yellow tulip first and kept it flat to the card. I also adhered the leaves on the peach and pink tulips flat, but used dimensional gel to attached the flowers, so they have a little depth. I finished off the front of the card by simply drawing a simple black border around the card. The inside is blank.

Our family trip to Disney has completely thrown my usual routine! However, it was really fun to get into my craft room and play today. I've got some tidying to do and then lots of work for DT projects - you'll have to come back to see them! That's all for now. See you soon.

CIC - Colours ....

.... Hello!  So glad you stopped by my blog.  We've a new challenge for you at Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#344 with some really pretty colours.  I have to admit that they're not normally colours I use, so for me, it's a real challenge. However, I've come up with a really feminine birthday card:

Stamps: Prima - Flowers #541842; Personal Impressions - PP Wording Stamps
Inks: Versamark
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Stitched Circles #5, Dual Stitched Squares #3
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; Gold Satin Mirri Card; Pan Patel - Permanent Red Tint; Gold Sparkle Embossing Powder; Stampin' Up! DP - Very Vanilla Bridesmaid (discontinued); Gems

I was going through some of my older stamps sets on Friday, when I came across this pretty flower stamp from Prima. I've had it for ages and not used it much.  But I like the elegant flower and thought it would work perfectly this this week's challenge.  The layout is based on the sketch from the current challenge at Your Next Stamp - YNS#31 and, as it's a very feminine, girly kind of card, I'm also submitting to the current challenge at Curtain Call Inspiration - CCICJan.

I used cream lustre card, stamped the image in Versamark and heat embossed with gold sparkle powder.  I cut the image out with a stitched edge die.  I added colour to the flowers with pan pastel which gives a lovely soft colour.  I layered the image on gold satin mirri card.  I made the square panel from discontinued SU design paper - so elegant and pretty.  I added a simple birthday greeting and finished with some soft blush gems.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of gold satin card, and on the cream panel added the cut off portion of the circle image.

For more inspiration cards, check out our blog to see what the rest of the team have made to share with you.  That's all for today.

Going Batty ....

... at least that's what my family often tells me!  So I've decided to literally go batty on today's card.  It's clean and simple:

Stamps: Stampendous - Doodle Bat; Stampin' Up! - Holiday Cheer, Seasonal Snapshot 2015, Six Sayings
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress - Black Soot; SU - Tangerine Tango, Lucky Limeade
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Watercolour Paper; SU Card - Wisteria Wonder; White Embossing Powder; Neon Embossing Powders

I'm submitting this card to several challenges:

• Colour Q - cQc#311 - perfect Halloween colours
• The Paper Players - PP#265 - theme is Halloween
• Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - CCICOct - theme Bats

When I saw Tenia's card, I remembered that I have the bat stamp, so thanks for the inspiration.  I stamped one image directly on the card using Distress ink and used my aqua brush to very gently move the ink.  I stamped the other two bats on watercolour paper embossing one in white and the other in neon colours.  I added water to both images and then added a touch of black ink.  Once dry I cut out both bats.  I stamped the fun sentiment in bold black and finished the front by adhering both embossed bats with dimensional dots - using thicker dots for the coloured bat.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of light purple card and added more bats and a greeting on the white panel.

I love this bat - it looks totally mad!  I think that's likely to be all for today as I really must get the ironing done.  I said I was going to do it on Monday, but Jonathan was home with pneumonia (again).  He's gone back to work today, so I don't have an excuse not to do it now!  See you soon.

ASM - Photo ...

... Hi and Good Evening.  It's time for our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week is we have our Photo Inspiration challenge.  Use the photo to inspire you and tell us what you've used.  This is my card, and I think it's fairly obvious what inspiration I took from the photo:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Cicely at Halloween
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Poppy Stamps - Swirly Bat Cutout
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Black; Mirri Card - Red, Green, Blue, Gold, Purple; White Embossing Powder; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

As soon as I saw our photo - I knew what I was going to do.  I cut a panel of black card and used my new die to cut out this wonderful bat.  I cut strips of jewel coloured mirri card and adhered them behind the bat.  I finished the front with a simple greeting using white embossing powder.  On the inside I cut another mat layer of black card and stamped a lovely Halloween verse and a tiny bat on the white panel.

I'm submitting this card to a couple of challenges.  Over at Less is More - LIM#244 the team would like to see jewel colours and I think these gorgeous metallics are certainly that!  I know there's no white space, but there's lots of black space!!!  At Curtain Call - CCICOct the design team are going batty, so I'm playing there too.  Before I go, here's a close up of the bat, where you can really see the jewel colours:

Do visit our blog to see what the rest of the team have made to inspire you.  Have fun!

TMR - Autumn/Fall ....

.... Hello everyone - I'm almost back into my usual routine!!  Especially now that Kathryn is back at school.  Can you believe it's September already?  I've noticed that some of the trees and bushes around my house are starting to change colour - it's almost autumn!!  And that brings me to our new challenge at The Male Room.  For the next couple of weeks we'd like you to make a masculine style card based on an Autumn/Fall theme.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Gently Falling, And Many More
Inks: Distress - Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters, Dried Marigold, Rusty Hinge
Accessories: White Lustre Card

I've made a clean, simple. one layer card.  One of my favourite things about autumn is the way the leaves change colour, fall from the trees and then blow around in the wind.  I tried to get that feeling in this card.  I used masking tape to cover most of the card and sponged several shades of ink on the strip.  Then I sprinkled some water on the distress ink allowed it to react with the ink and then lifted some off with a tissue - I like the spatter effect I got.  Next I stamped on a very simple birthday sentiment and some falling leaves, stamping the outline image in darker ink and the solid image in lighter ink.  On the inside I simply stamped some random leaves.  I used the colours from this month's House of Card challenge and the theme of lovely leaves from the current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge.

For more Autumn/Fall masculine inspired cards check out our blog to see the cards from the rest of the Design Team. That's all for now - have fun!

Love you .....

....   Good morning everyone!  Today is the official opening of the 22nd Winter Olympics at Sochi.  I love these games, I've always been a big fan of ice skating, and being in the US there is quite good coverage.  I suspect a lot of that is because they do have good medals chances in most of the disciplines.  I would like to see the British team, but sadly I don't think they will may the cut!  Hey ho!!

Time to share a card that I made for a few challenges:

• Retro Sketches - RS#100
• Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - CCIC#14
• CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#60

Stamps: Impression Obsession - Smell the Coffee; Verve - Better with You; Lil' Inkers - Coffee Cozy; Stampin' Up! - Tea Shoppe; Hero Arts - Need Caffeine
Inks: SU - Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip
Dies: Lil' Inkers - Coffee Cozy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Marina Mist; Copics; Linen Thread

I used almost all my coffee stamps sets on this card!  Yes, I know I've a lot, but I adore coffee!!!!  I used the Retro Sketch for the layout, the colours from CAS - Colour & Sketches and the inspiration from Curtain Call, although I did change it from cocoa to coffee. 

I made the background from a mat of blue and a white panel stamped steaming with coffee cups, which I coloured with Copics and then cut into bands.  Instead of buttons I used little coffee cups.  I kept the main panel fairly simple with a bold sentiment, some thread and the steaming coffee cup which I adhered with dimensional gel.  The little coffee band was coloured with Copics.  On the inside I did a mat layer in blue, some coffee stains and a little pun sentiment!

I had lots of fun with this card.  I'm keeping this one in my stash.  I tend to have lots of cards ready to give to Jonathan - just because!  That's all for now.  I've got a lot of housework to catch up on, some cards to make and I want to try and find the Winter Olympics online.  See you tomorrow for our new challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown!  Bye, be safe.

Sweet snowflakes ...

... Morning everyone.  Just a quick post today to share a birthday card I've made.  I think I've mentioned before that I have lots of birthdays in January and I like making winter birthday cards - this one has a snowy theme - inspired not only by the graphic but the blanket of white that I can see from my office and craft room windows.

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Stunning Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations
Inks: SU - Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Smoky Slate
Dies: Uniko Studio - Snowflakes; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #2, Fishtail Flags Stax # 2; Spellbinders - Circle Sm (S4-116) #6
Accessories: SU Card - Smoky Slate; White Lustre Card; White Glitter Paper

The challenge at Sketch Saturday - SS#289 is to use a previous sketch and I've picked sketch227 (from September).  The current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - CCIC#11 is Sweet Snowflake and is being sponsored by Uniko Studio.  Now I have lots of Beverley's stamps and the Stunning Snowflake set is one of my favourite, so I had to join in the fun.

I made the card from a sheet of Smoky Slate card.  I cut a panel of white and randomly stamped the snowflakes all over it using pink, blue and grey, then I cut the panel into squares.  I adhered the little squares to the card base.  I die cut the largest snowflake in white glitter paper and adhered it to a grey backing circle.  I finished the front by stamping the sentiment onto white card and cutting it out with the fishtail flag and matting it onto a grey flag.  I adhered the sentiment with dimensional tape and added a pretty pink snowflake.  On the inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped more snowflakes around the edge and a bold, sassy birthday greeting in the centre.

That's all for today.  While I like snowflakes on a card, I'm officially fed up with the snow outside!  See you soon.

Christmas bright .....

....  Good afternoon all!  Winter has arrived in the US big time!  So many places have had huge amounts of snow, and, as a consequence, there have been quite a few accidents too.  Here in Northville, while it is extremely cold - still below freezing - we only had a light snowfall and the roads here aren't too bad.  I did go out this morning to get some air in my tyres, some petrol in the tank and a bit of shopping too.  Glad I don't have to go out again today.

I've managed to get a little time in my craft room to make another Christmas card.  Yes, I know I said that I'd made them all and that I was done for the year, but apparently I can't count!!!

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Delightful Decorations, Sassy Salutations
Inks: SU - Crushed Curry, Gumball Green
Dies: Spellbinders - Pinked Circles Lg (S4-172) #4
Accessories: SU Card - Real Red, Gumball Green; Cuttlebug EF - Christmas Countdown; Perfect Pearls; SU Punch - Christmas Decoration (discontinued)

I used a few challenges in the making of this card:

• Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - CCIC#10 - Christmas Countdown
• CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#54
• Deconstructed Sketch - DS#129

I have an embossing folder entitled Christmas Countdown so I decided to use it to emboss the red panel.  Once embossed I rubbed the green pad over the top to bring up the numbers.  I cut a panel of green card and adhered it to the card.  I die cut a circle which I embossed using the same folder and I finished the front of the card with a simple and bold Christmas ornament.  For the inside I cut a mat layer of red and on the white panel I stamped a couple more ornaments and a bold sentiment.

That's all for today - I'm going to make good use of the time indoors and get that big pile of ironing done.  It never seems to get any smaller!!!  See you tomorrow.  Be safe.

Halloween cards ...

.... Good afternoon, after finishing all the washing and ironing, albeit temporarily, I manged to play in my craft room today and I've a couple of Halloween cards to share with you.  The first card is for the following challenges:

• CASology - CAS66 - cue word "Pumpkin"
• Curtain Call - CCIC#7 - Gorgeous Gourds
• Clean & Simple Challenge - FTL262

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Primitive Pumpkins; WMS - Cicely at Halloween
Inks: Kaleidacolour - Blue Breeze; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Die-namics - Primitive Pumpkins Dies
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Tempting Turquoise

This card was inspired directly from the Curtain Call graphic - I just love the blue pumpkins!!!  It gave me the perfect excuse to play with these super dies and matching stamps.  The card follows roughly follows the FTL sketch.  On the inside I cut a mat layer in turquoise and stamped this super poem and a few more blue pumpkins!!!  So quick and easy.  This is the first time I've played along with Curtain Call - don't know how I missed it!!  I think thanks must also go to Rosemary, seems I've CASEd her card!!!

My next card is also for a few challenges:

• Retro Sketches - RS85
• Colour Q - cQc211
• ABC Challenges - ABC49

Stamps: PTI - Friendship Jar Fillers
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Inverted Scalloped Squares Lg (S4-196) # 5 & 6
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Strawberry Slush, Lucky Limeade, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black; EK Success Punches - Spider Web Border, Bats Border; Promarkers - Pumpkin, Oatmeal, Antique Pink, Black; Sakura Silver Pen; Cuttlebug EF - Art Deco

 
Once again, this card was directly inspired by the graphic from Colour Q - love the legs on the table!  I stamped the image, cut it out, coloured with Promarkers and layered it onto a orange square.  I added some texture to the lime panel and finished off the front with a tag in pink.  I've not done the inside of this card yet!

That's all for now.  Time to get dinner started.  See you soon.