You Complete Me

... Hi! I was looking at my calendar this morning and realised that it's our 23rd wedding anniversary next week. So, I've made a card for my wonderful husband, Jonathan. This is it:

Stamps: Lil' Inkers - It's Today, Right?, Pieces of Me

Inks: Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Passionate Pink, Blue Raspberry, Lucky Clover; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Lil' Inkers - Puzzle Pieces

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; I-Stencil - Inverse Square

I'm submitting this card to AAA Cards - AAA#263 Anything CAS goes with the option of Wedding/Anniversary, The Paper Players - PP#685 bold, bright colours, and to Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#345 where they want CAS.

I went through my stash and came across the fun puzzle die and matching sentiments. I used a square stencil with the wonky design and added ink - it was whatever was left on the brush. I die cut the puzzle pieces from white card and then decided to colour them with Copic markers. I layered the pieces together and adhered them to the centre of the stencilled pattern. I finished the front with the sentiment - which is perfect, as Jonathan does complete me!!

I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the base. I stamped the bold anniversary greeting (my all time favourite) and added a fun sentiment below. I also stamped some outline puzzle pieces to match the colours on the front of the card. I'm not sure what we're doing for our anniversary yet, but we might go out for dinner!!

That's all for today. Bye for now.

Diamond Wedding Anniversary

... Hello!! It's been quite sometime since I last posted on my blog. I've not been making many cards, instead I've been working in my art journals (will share some of them later). However, this week we have two big family celebrations. The second one is my in-laws 60th wedding anniversary - that's a heck of an achievement. We'll be getting together for a family dinner to celebrate. I've made two cards for them, the first is the one from Jonathan and me:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Number of Years; Lil' Inkers - It's Today, Right?

Inks: Delicata - Silvery Shimmer; Versafine Clair - Morning Mist

Dies: SU - Large Number Framelits

Accessories: White Card; Tim Holtz Alcohol Card - Silver Sparkle; TH Stencil - Sparkle THS132; Su Design Paper - Granite Grey

I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#516 - I've flipped the sketch, and to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#07.

This came together so quickly. I placed the stencil onto the card and brushed on silver shimmer ink (sadly you can't see the shimmer in the photo, but it's pretty!). I trimmed a piece of the silver card to size and adhered it across the card. I die cut the numbers from silver card, and several from white card too. I layered the numbers together to give dimension and adhered them to the card. I finished by adding a simply greeting in grey ink. Inside the card, I cut a piece of design paper slightly smaller than the note card, and on the white card I added a greeting and cute couple. This card measure 6" x 4½".

Next is the card I made for my mum to give to Madeline and Simon, it's also a 6" x 4½" card:

Stamps: Lil' Inkers - It's Today, Right?; Avery Elle - Sentimental Too; Mama Elephant - Easy Sentiments

Inks: Delicata - Silvery Shimmer; Versafine Clair - Morning Mist

Dies: SU - Large Number Framelits

Accessories: White Card; SU DP - Granite Grey; TH Alcohol Card - Silver Sparkle; Gina K Stencil - Harvest Flourish; Taylored Expressions - 6 x 6 Masking Stencil - Oval

I'm submitting this card to Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#450, and to Happy Little Stampers Stencil Challenge - HLSSC#07.

I placed patterned stencil onto the card and added the oval mask stencil over the top. Then I inked with silvery shimmer ink. I die cut the number from silver and white card, layered them together and adhered them into the oval. I finished the front by adding a bold, simple greeting. Inside the card, I cut some design paper for the mat layer, and on the white panel I created the greeting from two different stamp sets. I like doing this. 

That's all for now. See you soon.

SHC - Happy Anniversary ...

... Morning! It's been a bit quite on the blog this week. That's because I've been so busy working on my Dylusions Day-by-Day dyalog - it's such good fun. I'll share some photos soon. However, I'm here today with my card for Seven Hills Craft blog. I've made a bold, bright and somewhat different anniversary card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Stripes and Sayings; Avery Elle - Sentimental Too; Lil Inkers - It's Today, Right?
Inks: Gina K - Lipstick, Lucky Clover, Black Amalgam; Versafine Clair - Nocturne, Cheerful, Summertime, Paradise; Distress Oxide - Wilted Violet; Versamark
Accessories: White Card; SU - Basic Black Card; White Embossing Powder; Copic Marker

I'm submitting this card to Your Next Stamp - YNS#137 where they want to see stripes.

I had a very disturbed night on Monday and woke up on Tuesday with the idea for this card. I'd been dreaming of rainbows and hearts, and I put together to make this. I started with a blank white card and used my MISTI to stamp the black stripes. I used Versafine Clair Nocturne ink - it's a very black pigment ink and gives great coverage. I made sure to dry the ink using a heat gun before moving on. I the Stripes and Sayings set there a lovely heart strip and I used that to fill in between the black stripes. This is very easy to do in a MISTI - I put the heart strip in position and then simply move the card up and down to stamp the various colours. I then cut a panel of black card which I adhered to the bottom of the card base. It does make it look as though I used a black card base, but I didn't. I stamped the simple word Love in the corner and heat embossed with white powder. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel added a simple sentiment along with a cute couple.

So, as you may have gathered today is our wedding anniversary. We've been married for 19 years today and the time has simply flown by. It's been a fun and crazy journey so far, and I am really looking forward to whatever comes next. Here's a picture of us at our wedding:

It was a wonderful day, if a bit chilly. Well, that's all from me today. Do drop by tomorrow. See you soon.

Best Move Ever ...

.... Hello! It is absolutely gorgeous here today - the sun's shining, blue skies and no wind to speak of.  However, according to the weather boffins, it's all change tomorrow. And where am I? Playing in my favourite room!! I've a clean, simple Valentine card for my wonderful hubby, Jonathan.  I'm perfectly safe sharing it here today, as he's not going to see it before Friday. Here's the card:

Stamps: Lil' Inkers - It's Today, Right?, Sassy Pants; Sugar Pea Designs - Caring Hearts
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Poppy Parade; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Dies: Poppy Stamps - Heart Stack
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade, Flirty Flamingo; Silver Holographic Heart Mirri Card

I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#356 (those colours are just fab), CAS on Friday - CASOF#173 (where the theme is LOVE), and Allsorts Challenge - ASC#558 (where we need to add at least one heart).

I shared another card with this die yesterday, it's such a lovely die and I've had fun playing with it. This time I used the inlaid die technique, so I've still got some bits spare 😊 I cut the die out in white, red, peachy pink and silver.  Then I put some tape behind the open space and started putting back the die cut pieces.  I used silver for the frame and filled in with the other colours.  I finished the front by added a simple sentiment in bold red and layered the panel on some silver heart holographic card (I've had this in my stash for years).  On the inside I cut another mat of the silver holographic card and on the white panel added a fun sentiment from Lil' Inkers - I think Jonathan will appreciate it!

I'm sure that you're aware that Lil' Inkers is closing its doors soon.  I have several of the coffee theme sets and dies, as well as several of the sassy sentiments sets and some wonderful die sets.  I'd like to thank Laura for her wonderful designs and wish her every success for the future. 

That's all for today - I think I'm going to try and take advantage of this wonderful weather and go for a walk.  See you soon.

Anniversary card ....

.... Afternoon! It feels so good to be back in my craft room.  Jonathan has gone out to a photoshoot in Birkenhead this afternoon, it's outside, so might be a bit chilly!  Me, I've been playing and I've made a fun clean and simple anniversary card:

Stamps: Lil Inkers - It's today, right?; Sugar Pea Designs - Caring Hearts
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Merry Merlot, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana
Dies: Cheery Lynn - Hearts 'n' Gears
Accessories: White Lustre Card

I'm submitting this card to Perfectly CAS - PCAS#05 where the team want a one layer card, and also to Fab Friday - FABF#182 - used their colours.

I really like this steampunk gear heart die, but as Perfectly CAS wanted a one layer card I had to work out a way to do it.  I made my own stencil by die-cutting some acetate, applying temporary adhesive to the back, positioned it on the card and then added ink with a blending brush.  After removing the stencil, and any adhesive left behind, I put the card into the MISTI and positioned the sentiments, stamping the main words in the dark ink and the fun bit in pink.  On the inside, I kept it one layer and added a cute couple, a small heart and another sentiment.

This card is for our anniversary, which isn't until April, but I'm trying to get ahead with my card making this year.  I'm safe sharing it here as Jonathan won't see the card!!  That's all for now, I'm going back to my desk and going to make some more cards while Jonathan's out.  See you again soon.

RSD's January Showcase ...

...  Good morning!  Welcome to our first Rick St Dennis MFA Showcase of 2015.  Each month Rick gives us a theme and we create projects based on the theme.  So this month Rick has given us the theme of VALENTINE, but with a twist - NO red, pink, purple or lilac!!  We can pick any image from Rick's vast selection of digital images, available at his Esty and Zibbet shops.  Rick's images range from cute, fun, to downright scary and, as such, we have two blogs to show off his art - Sparkle and Glitter for the cute, fun and elegant images and Airless Chambers for the darker stuff.  I've created a card for both.  I'll start off with my card for Sparkle and Glitter:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Carlotta Corazon Valentine Girl; My Favourite Things - LJD All My Love; Lil Inkers - It's Today, Right?
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - All My Love
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Dream Big; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I was going to go with blue and orange, but changed my mind to go with greens, blues and teals - just love these colours!  I printed Carlotta onto white card, coloured her with Copic markers, added some sparkle with Wink of Stella and then fussy cut her out.  I covered the card base with some dotty design paper from Kaisercraft, adhered Carlotta to the card and finished the front with a bold turquoise heart and sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of the dotty paper and on the white panel added a cute image and sentiment.

I think you can guess who this card will be going to!

Now, I'm going to give you fair warning, my next card, while a lot of fun, has a very scary image - not suitable for those of a delicate disposition!

This is my card for Airless Chambers, our darker sister.  Here we share with you ghoulies, ghosties, long legged beasties and the odd zombie or two!!  Once again, we're not allowed to use reds, pinks, purples or lilacs - which actually makes it a bit tough to colour a zombie and parts!!!  Here's my card:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Zombie Be Mine; Lil Inkers - Pieces of Me
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Smokey Slate
Dies: Lil Inkers - Puzzle Pieces; Die-namics - Heart Puzzle
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Pool Party; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I had lots of fun picking an image for this card.  I like this zombie, he has carefully wrapped the brain and given his heart too.  As he is giving pieces to his beloved, I thought the image worked really well with the Puzzle Heart die and the puzzle pieces and sentiment.  I die cut the large heart in orange to match the one in the image and then die cut some smaller puzzle pieces.  I stamped the sentiment onto the smaller pieces and finished the greeting on the inside with the words "lots of small ones!!"  I cut a mat layer of orange card, stamped some more puzzle pieces on the white panel and hand wrote the words.  I added some sparkle to some of the puzzle pieces on the heart and brain on the front of the card and have a close up photo to show the shimmer.

This one is likely to be for our daughter, Kathryn.  One of the things we have often said to her is that we "love her to pieces" and she gives us a kiss and hug, and then we add "lots of small ones!" at which point she calls us evil parents!!  It's a bonding thing :))

Do check out what the rest of the team have made for this month's Valentine Showcase - for our lighter side click on this link to Sparkle and Glitter, and if you fancy some more darker cards, then click here for Airless Chambers. 

I do hope you're all having a great weekend.  I'm having a super time. I was at a craft class yesterday making a polymer clay quilt - will share details later.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  See you soon.

ASM - CAS ...

....  Hello, good evening everyone!  I hope all my US friends have recovered from Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday.  We had a wonderful time with Ben and Sophie and the house feels very empty right now!!!  So onto happier things - it's time for our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week we have our CAS challenge.  CAS means clean and simple with minimal embellishments and lots of white space (white can be any colour).  Here's my take:

Stamps: Lil Inkers - It's Today, Right?
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Elegance; Wink of Stella - Clear; Stampin' Up! Punch - Sweetheart; Enamel Dots; Copic Markers

This might not have huge white space, but it is very quick, clean and simple.  I used a sheet of design paper (mostly white) to cover the card base and added some sparkle to the dark parts of each feather with a clear Wink of Stella brush (see detail photo).  I stamped the sentiment on plain white card and layered it on to some coordinating green design paper.  I finished the front with a few enamel dots in the centre of the flowers.  On the inside I used some more of the green design paper and on the white panel stamped a fun sentiment.  I stamped the cute couple on some scrap white card, coloured it with Copic markers, paper pieced the dress and used my heart punch to cut them out.

Our sponsor this week is StampArt Design by Kathryne and the winner of the challenge will receive five free digi images - good luck!

For more inspiration with our CAS challenge, check out the blog to see more from the rest of the team.  That's all - see you soon.