One for three - birthday ...

... Hello again!  I'm on a bit of a roll today!  House stuff done, time in craft room this morning and another quick card to share with you.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Offbeat Backgrounds; My Favourite Things - Document It Rock On, Gift Card Greetings; Stampin' Up! - Endless Birthday Wishes, Delightful Dozen
Inks: Versamark; SU - Night of Navy, Old Olive, Concord Crush
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Squares #4, Stitched Circles #2 & #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Old Olive, Concord Crush; SU DP - Old Olive; Vellum; Silver Embossing Powder

 I'm submitting this one to several challenges:

• Just Us Girls - JUGS#263 - colours
• Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#50 - use Vellum
• Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#159 - layout

I've made a birthday card for my stash - I've just realised that I don't have very many actual birthday cards.  This is definitely more masculine in feel.  I stamped the chevron pattern in all three colours and then cut out a square.  I also cut a vellum square which I adhered directly on top of the stamped square - makes the pattern a little more subtle.  I inked up a bold, graphic sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed with silver powder.  I finished the front with a stamp on the circle - it's a games controller!  The inside has a mat of green design paper and a fun sentiment on the white panel, along with a birthday cake!

That's all for today!  Bye for now.

TMR - Father's Day ...

.... Hi!   It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  I wasn't able to play along with our May challenges as my Mum was here on holiday.  However, I'm pleased to be back with this challenge - one to celebrate our Dad!  He's a special guy and worth a special card - our theme is Father's Day.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Impression Obsession - Have a Seat; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen; Papermania - Couch Potato
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Wild Wasabi
Dies: Spellbinders - Gold Squares One (S4-410) #1
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi; SU Card - Daffodil Delight; Copics

I've used the bold, bright colours from this week's CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#77.  I stamped the cozy armchair onto some green design paper and added some subtle shading making it a well loved chair.  I made the cushion from a small piece of yellow card that I embossed with a pattern and then rubbed turquoise ink over to bring out the design.  I stamped a very simple sentiment, adding a touch of colour with my Copic marker.  I finished off the front by adding a cup of tea and TV controller - both on the floor waiting for the chair's owner to settle down.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of the turquoise paper and stamped a fun sentiment. 

For more inspirational Father's Day cards - check out the projects from the rest of the Design Team.  This card is for my father-in-law - he's a lovely man!  That's all for now.  See you soon.

ASM - a couple more ....

.... Morning!  I've made a couple more cards based on the photo inspiration graphic at Addicted to Stamps and More! - ASM#90.   I like the chevrons and made this card:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - All Occasion Sentiments #3
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - Chevrons
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie; SU DP - Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Pacific Point; Vellum; Black Embossing Powder

I die cut the chevrons into white card and cut a selection of card and design paper in rainbow colours which I laid into the spaces.  I trimmed the panel and adhered it to the card front.  I added the sentiment by stamping onto vellum, heat embossing and adhering the sentiment to the card.  Very clean and simple and very bold!  The inside is blank.

I had lots of chevron strips left over, so I decided to stick them all together and make another card.  This time I actually got to make an Easter card:

Stamps: SU - Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky
Dies: Die-namics - Chevrons, Fishtail Flags STAX #2; Spellbinders - Nested Eggs (S264) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight; SU DP - Pacific Point, Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight; SU/Sizzix EF - Decorative Dots

I cut a panel of light blue card which I embossed with dots.  I rubbed the Soft Sky ink pad lightly across the dots for emphasis and then adhered my chevron Easter egg.  I finished the front with a simple sentiment.  The inside is blank.

That's all for today.  Lots to do today to catch up on housework that I didn't do while I was feeling rough!  See you soon.

52CCT - Pick a previous ....

... Hello!  It's the fifth Saturday of the month, and that means we have a "Pick a Previous" challenge here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  we want you to check out all our previous colour challenges here, select one and make your card; don't forget to tell us which colour combination you used.  Here's my take:

 
Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Festive Flurry, Curly Cute, Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue; Versamark
Dies: Framelits - Festive Flurry
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue; Gems; Clear Embossing Powder

There's a story behind this card, but more of that later.  I used our April 2013 colours - navy blue, light blue and white.  I used the inlaid die cut technique on this card.  I made the base from navy card and cut a panel of light blue.  I die cut the largest snowflake out of the light blue card and then inlaid the stamped snowflake.  After securing the die in place, I adhered the panel to the card base.  I added a simple sentiment, which I stamped on white card and layered on navy.  I finished the front by adding lots of gems to the snowflake, in light and dark blues.  On the inside I cut a panel of white card, I adhered the pale blue die cut snowflake on to which I stamped the snowflake in pale blue.  I finished by adding a Christmas sentiment.  I also made a small vellum snowflake which I used to decorate the flap on the envelope.

Now, the story behind the card is that this was the second card I made.  I spent most of Thursday morning making this card:

Stamps: Papermania - Bauble Decoration; Waltzingmouse - Compliments of the Season II; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Night of Navy, Bashful Blue
Dies: Spellbinders - Labels 29 (S5-156) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Night of Navy; Double sided adhesive paper; Glitter; Copics

I stamped the bauble image onto white card and applied some double sided adhesive and then dipped it in glitter.  I spent ages burnishing the glitter into the card, it was really worth it as the card has a lovely shimmer.  Sadly, when I came back to the card after lunch I discovered bubbles where the adhesive had come away from the card!!!  You can't really see it in the photo above, but you can in the close up below.  I tried to cut a slit into the film and squeeze out the air and get it to restick, here's the result:

So, I made another card and I'm really pleased with it.  For more inspiration cards using previous colour challenge combinations, check out the cards from the rest of the team.  We are joined, for the final time, by our Guest Designer, Scraplady.  Do drop by and visit everyone and leave some comments, we all love comments!!  Looking forward to seeing your cards.

Waltzingmouse Pajama Party ....

... this is going to be a quick post with a card for the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party Use Dies challenge:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Funky Flowers; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Crushed Curry
Dies: Spellbinders - Lacey Circle (S4-293) #4; WMS - Funky Flowers; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Stax #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Perfect Plum; SU Card - Elegant Eggplant; Twinkling H2Os - English Lavender, French Lilac, Egyptian Gold; Gem; Vellum

I've used the colours for CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#64 and the layout from Seize the Sketch - STS#15. After I'd made the photo frame I had some die cut flowers left over, so I decided to make a Mother's Day card.  Mother's Day is on 30th March in the UK, so I need to get a couple of cards made.    I also realised that my previous submission for CAS - Colours & Sketches didn't fit the rules - they only have cards, not 3D projects!!  I really should read the rules more carefully.  I've not done the inside yet, but I'll add that tomorrow.

That's all for this evening.  I'm off to get a coffee and finish of checking out all the submissions for the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party!  See you soon.

Happy Birthday Ben .....

....  Good morning, and a quick warning that this is a photo heavy post!  Today our son, Ben, is 18 years old!  He is, according to the law in the UK, an adult, but he'll always be my little boy - well strictly big boy!!!  Here's the card I made for Ben, and that he has hopefully received today:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Round in Circles; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen; My Favourite Things - Document It Hello My Name Is, Textile Rectangles
Inks: SU - Baked Brown Sugar, Baja Breeze, Coastal Cabana, Midnight Muse
Dies: Die-namics - High Rise Numbers
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Baked Brown Sugar; Kanban DP - Industriana; WMS - Twine; SU Marker - Baja Breeze

I used a couple of challenges to make this card.  The colours are from Colour Q - cQc#221 the last challenge they did in 2013 and which I couldn't play along with, but I think they are just perfect for a guy card.  The layout is from the new FUSION challenge - FUSION#1.

I was going to make a Steampunk, layered card, but ended up with this rather clean and graphic card instead!  I do still have an element of Steampunk in the backing paper from Kanban - the colour is a dark Baja Breeze.  To make the centre panel, I stamped the sentiment at the bottom and then decided where to put the number which die cut and then layered in the brown numbers.  I stamped some distressed circles above and the dotty circle below.  I completed the panel with some twine and then adhere the panel with dimensional tape.  For the inside I made a mat layer of the rivet backing paper and stamped more circles randomly around the edge of the white card.  I finished with a fun birthday greeting.

It was really lovely to see Ben when we were back in the UK at Christmas.  I'm convinced he's taller, but he says not.  He has, however, grown his hair and dyed it black.  A few photos of the changing looks of Ben:

Christmas 2013 - Ben,  almost 18 years old!

1996 - 2 months

 Christmas 1996 - 11½ months old - one of my favourite photos of Ben

 May 2000 - 4½ years old

 September 2007 - 11½ years old

November 2012 - 16¾ years old

If you've made it this far - well done!  I think it's probably only me who is interested in how Ben has changed, but I thought I'd share anyway!!  That's all for now.  See you soon.

ASM - Anything goes ....

.... Hello everyone!  Welcome to our last challenge for 2013 and this week at Addicted to Stamps and More! our challenge is ANYTHING GOES!  I had lots of fun making my card:

Stamps: Serendipity - Pithy Sayings; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Chocolate Chip
Dies: Serendipity - Owl Detail and Owl Outline
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Crumb Cake; SU Card - Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Real Red, Crumb Cake; SU Marker - Real Red

I used a couple of challenges to make this card - the layout is based on the sketch from CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#55; rather than use actual rectangles on my card, I've suggested them with the owl and sentiment.  The colours are from last week's Colour Q - cQc219 challenge.  I absolutely adore owls and when I saw the Colour Q graphic with that sweet owl, I knew I had to use my new owl dies.

Making the owl was really easy.  I cut the base layer and main image in Chocolate Chip and then cut three more of the detail owl in red, green and kraft and then simply paper pieced!  He's just so gorgeous.  I cut a mat layer of design paper in kraft and stamped the sentiment directly on to this.  I mounted the owl with dimensional tape.  For the inside I cut a mat layer in brown and on the white layer added a fun birthday sentiment, adding a touch of colour to the open letters.  I think this is a fun birthday card!

Don't forget to visit our blog and check our the inspiration cards from the rest of the Design Team.  Only 7 days to go until Christmas!  If you celebrate Christmas - have a good one.  If not, enjoy the season!  We're taking a short break over at Addicted to Stamps and More!, but will be back with a new challenge in January. 

Winter has arrived in force in Northville.  You saw the photos I posted yesterday showing the drive before and after clearing.  Well, we've had a bit more snow - a light dusting overnight which was cleared quite quickly and for which I got a thanks from the UPS delivery guy!  And this afternoon a very light dusting.  I'd like to think that's it for now - I'm fed up of snow!  And on that note - bye!  See you tomorrow.