SHC - Happy Birthday ...

... Morning! I've not been about much lately, busy doing a Welsh course (which is melting my brain) and several online classes with Dyan Reaveley. I'm here this morning with my card for Seven Hills Craft blog. I've made a masculine birthday card - it's clean, simple and graphic:

Stamps: Altenew - Trigonometry, Halftone Stars
Inks: Gina K - Blue Raspberry, Lucky Clover, Jet Black Amalgam
Accessories: White Card; Black Marker Pens

I'm submitting this card to Less is More - LIM#421 where the cue word is Borders, and to Dare 2B Artzy - D2BA#06 where they want to see Masculine cards.

This is reasonably easy to make, but it really helps if you have a stamp positioner. I used my MISTI. I have a clear grid overlay which I placed over my card base, positioned the stacked triangle image approximately in the centre and stamped to make sure that I had the image on the edge of my card. I removed the overlay and stamped the first triangle. I put the card and overlay back in the MISTI, moved the card so that the edge of the stamped triangle lined up with the image on the overlay, removed the overlay and stamped the triangle again. I did this until all the blue triangles were stamped. I used the same process to stamp the green dotty triangles. After stamping the border, I finished it off by adding a black border. I used a ruler and two black markers. I used the thicker marker to do the outside lines and the fine marker for the two inner lines. I finished the front with a simple sentiment. On the inside, I used a fancy font for the birthday greeting, as I like the contrast with the crisp geometric images. I also added a few little triangles.

That's all from me today. Hopefully, I'll be back on the blog soon, but I've got a bit of work to catch up with from my class with Dyan. See you soon.

JUGS GD - Hello ...

... Good morning!! It's the end of the month and the end of my time as Guest Designer with Just Us Girls. I've had a fabulous time and it's been a joy to visit everyone to see your creations. As there are five Saturdays in May, we have a wild card week and the challenge at Just Us Girls - JUGS#538 is to use two or more different patterned papers. Here's my card:

Stamps: Altenew - Totally Tropical, Leaf Canopy
Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam, Sweet Mango, Soft Stone
Dies: Altenew - Totally Tropical, Leaf Canopy
Accessories: White Card; BoBunny DP - Garden Party; Cosmo Cricket - DeLovely

I'm submitting this card to Dare 2 Be Artzy - D2BA#05 where the theme is In the Garden.

It's not often I use design paper, although I have a huge stash, so this was a fun challenge. Used some bold patterned papers from DeLovely (which I've had for years) for the flowers. I used the matching dies to cut them out. For the leaves I used some papers from Garden Party. I got the marbled paper from Garden Party and used it to make the mat layer on the front of the card. I adhered the leaves flat to the card and used dimensional pads to attach the flowers. I finished the front with a bold hello! On the inside, I used another piece of paper from Garden Party, same design as the leaves but a different colour, for the mat layer. On the white panel I stamped a simple message, added some leaves in grey and another pretty paper flower.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you make with all those fabulous design papers we have in our stashes. Thanks again to the amazing Design Team at Just Us Girls for having me join you this month - it's been an honour and a pleasure. Bye for now. See you soon.

Happy Birthday ....

.... Morning! It's been raining a bit here, which is good as mum's newly planted garden is really enjoying the rain. Me, I'd much rather more sunshine. Still it'll be here soon. I managed to make a card yesterday afternoon, a much needed birthday card for my stash:

Stamps: Dare 2 Be Artzy - Wishing Happiness; Uniko - Birthday Wishes, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Gina K - Dusty Rose, Powder Blue, Applemint, Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Sakura Stardust Pens

I'm submitting this card to AAA Birthday - AAAB#11 where the theme is flowers, Cupcake Inspirations challenge - CIC#488 colours, and Dare 2 Be Artzy - D2BA#03 where it's Anything Goes.

I stamped the flowers and one set of leaves on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, restamped and then heat embossed with clear powder. I don't have the matching dies, so I simply fussy cut the images. I added some sparkle to the images with Sakura Stardust pens. I used a ruler and black marker to draw in the double lines on the card base. Then I stamped some leaves on the card and the birthday greeting. I used dimensional pads to adhered the other images. On the inside, I stamped a birthday verse and added some more flowers.

I took a close-up photo of the flowers to show the sparkle from the Stardust pens - so pretty.

That's all for today - do come back tomorrow - I've got some fun news to share. See you then.

Birthday Wishes ...

... Evening! I hope you're having a good weekend.  Mine's been really good, I've managed to get in lots of crafting.  I made another birthday card for my stash this afternoon:

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Balloon Tangle, Shine; MFT - Bitty Birthday Wishes
Inks: Memento - Summer Sky, Bahama Blue; Gina K - Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: D2BA - Hot Air Balloon
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Tim Holtz Watercolour card; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#356, Dare 2B Artzy - DTBA#01 Winter challenge, and to Allsorts Challenge - AC#556 where the theme is Take Flight.

I've gone for cool winter colours for this card.  I stamped the balloon onto watercolour card (using my MISTI), coloured it with Zig brushes and then restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I then cut it out with the matching die.  I flipped the sketch through 180 degrees and created a blue sunray pattern - suggestive of the sky.  I stamped the greeting in black and added the hot air balloon with dimensional tape.  On the inside I simply stamped a couple of mini hot air balloons and added a greeting.

As well as making a much needed card, I've also been stamping lots of Dyan Revealey images onto media paper to cut out this evening while I watch Dr Who - such a fun way to spend the evening.  That's all for now.  See you soon.

TMR - Our 5th Birthday ....

... Hello and good morning! Today is a very special day, it's our 5th birthday at The Male Room. The challenge was started by Jacqueline of Phoenix Inspirations in July 2013, and it's been a challenge I loved right from the start. I started off playing along and I was lucky enough to join the design team in February 2014.

So it's probably no surprise that our challenge for the next two weeks here at The Male Room - TMR#91 is BIRTHDAY. I've made a very clean, simple and sparkly card:

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Happy Birthday Candles; Stampin' Up! - Water Colour Wishes
Inks: Dylusions - Calypso Teal, Cut Grass, Pure Sunshine; Gina K - Black Onyx
Dies: Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles, Birthday Candles
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Concord & 9th - Summer Glitter Pack

I wanted to keep this card really simple to focus on the bold, bright, sparkly candles. I used a stitched edge die to cut a panel of card slightly smaller than the base card and then die cut the candles from the white panel. I used the inlaid-die technique to fill the spaces with glitter candles in blue and green, along with gold flames. I stamped the birthday greeting above the candles and then adhered the panel to the front of the card using dimensional foam to give some depth. As yet, I've not done the inside of the card but will add a photo once it's completed. I'm submitting this card to Dare2BArtzy - D2BA#07 - Birthday and also to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#08.

I've finished the inside of the card!! I cut a mat layer of dark blue card and on the white panel stamped the birthday candles. I stamped them first in green and then again in blue - I used second generation impressions and went for a very grungy look. I added the flames using yellow ink. I finished the inside with a fun greeting in black.

Do visit our blog to see more inspiring projects from the rest of the team and also to see a card from our very special Guest Designer, Jacqueline. So great to have her with us for this special occasion. You have plenty of time to join in the celebration, deadline for submission is midnight BST on Tuesday 14th August (that's 7.00pm EDT). Don't forget you can make any type of papercraft project but it must have a masculine theme.

We are very pleased to announce that we are being sponsored by Concord & 9th for this challenge and you could be the lucky winner of a $25 gift voucher for their shop - good luck! That's all for now!