Improve with Wine ....

.... Morning! I don't know what the weather was like for you yesterday, but here in Northop Hall it started out lovely, but by lunchtime was cold, wet and miserable!! So cold in fact, that I ended up putting on the heating - I had already added a cardigan, but was still cold!! So I played in my craft room and made this card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Half Full, Sassy Salutations; MFT - Myriad Dot Background
Inks: Gina K - Soft Stone; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Color Throwdown - CTD#609 - I do like these pretty colours.

Mum asked if I could make a birthday card for her to send to her brother, no problem says I. What do you want on it - something to do with wine she replied. I have the perfect set and a fun sentiment too. I stamped the bottles of wine, class and notice board on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, repositioned in the MISTI and stamped with Versafine black in, embossed with clear powder and then fussy cut them out. I also edged each piece with a black marker pen to hide the white card. I found a nice dotty background which I stamped in a soft grey directly on the card. I adhered the bottles and notice board, using dimensional pads for the top bottle and glass. On the inside, I kept it really simple with a birthday greeting and another bottle of wine!

I've got a few card orders to make at the moment, so I'll be back again soon. Take care, keep safe.

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.

TMR - Colours - Neon ....

....  Hello!!  It's an absolutely beautiful morning here in Northville - and I've been playing in my craft room!  Our challenge over at The Male Room - TMR#19-15 this week is to use NEON colours on your masculine projects.  I know that many people find it quite tough to create masculine cards, but I really like making them.  So I thought I'd share a card I made this morning - it is quite bold and bright:

Stamps: Serendipity Stamps - Stars; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Neon Handmade Paper; Vellum; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder

I used my Serendipity stars to create the background and as that's the challenge this month at Serendipity Stamps Challenge - SSCB#47 I'm playing along with them.  This set of stamps has four different images and I think the ribbons work for a masculine styled card.  I stamped the image in Memento and coloured the ribbons with Copic markers.  I edged the finished panel with a black marker to give some definition.  I stamped the sentiment on vellum, heat embossed with clear powder and wrapped it round the stamped panel, before layering it on some neon handmade paper (I've had this in my stash for ages) and attached the whole panel to the card with dimensional tape.  I kept the inside really simple with a narrow vertical panel of the neon handmade paper and white card.

Whatever your plans are for the rest of the day - have a good one!  Bye for now.

52CCT - Pick a Previous .....

.... Colour!!!  Hi, good morning!  We have a fifth Saturday this month, which means that we have a Pick a Previous Colour challenge for you this week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  You can check our Colour Archive to see previous colour challenges; simply pick one, make a card and tell us which challenge you've used.  I went right back to the very first colour challenge we had in January 2012 to use black, white and a splash of red.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations, Many Merry Stars, Bright & Beautiful
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Real Red
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Glamour Dust - Crystal

This card is about as clean and simple as it gets.  It's a one layer card featuring lots of stars, so I'm submitting it to the current challenge at One Layer Christmas Card Challenge - OLXCC#10.  I stamped stars directly on the card in black and then used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment which I stamped in red.  To make the card more festive I used a glue pen and some ultra fine glitter - sadly not visible above.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of red card and stamped another star and a Christmas greeting on the white panel.

I took a few ultra close-up photos of the card in order to show the sparkle - it really is beautiful when the sun hits the card!!  I've found that by taking a photo slightly out of focus, you can just about see the shimmer and shine.

So visit our blog to see which colour challenges the rest of the team have picked.  You've got plenty of time to join in the fun - deadline for submission is midnight (UK) Friday 5th Jun, that's 7.00pm EDT for those of us in the States.  Have fun!!

Snowflake Blues ...

... Good morning from a bitterly cold, but bright, Northville.  The arctic blast has really arrived in Michigan now - my friend in Kalamazoo has a snow day, sadly we don't have that here and Kathryn had to go to school!  Still the cold has put me in the mood to make another Christmas card:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - The Hands of Time; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations; Waltzingmouse - Elf Made
Inks: SU - Brocade Blue; Distress - Shaded Lilac; Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Uniko Studio - Snowflakes
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Blue Glitter Paper; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this to the new Uniko Studio Challenge - USC#16, they've changed the rules a bit - you don't have to use Uniko Studio stamps anymore (although they'd love it if you do) on your project.  The theme for the new challenge is Anything Goes or Anything Goes with their sketch.  I used the sketch.  I stamped the large stamp in Versmark, heat embossed with clear powder and then inked over with lilac.  I then stamped a selection of smaller snowflakes over the card, added a greeting stamped on vellum and finished with a large blue glitter die cut snowflake.  I layered the white panel on blue glitter paper.  On the inside is a mat layer of blue glitter and on the white panel a Christmas greeting and more snowflakes.

I have to say that this came together really quickly!  While we have the sun shining at the moment and no snow, the forecast is for snowy squalls blowing in this afternoon.

A quick screen shot from the weather forecast earlier this morning.  I'm not really complaining, we haven't got it half as bad as many in the States - some areas have had over 3 feet of snow overnight, and we're no where near that.

I think Ben and Sophie are finding the temperatures something of a shock.  I took them out yesterday and the walk between car and shop was a shock every time we did it!  Both the kids smoke and have to go outside if they want a cigarette, I have to say that if I were them, I'd definitely be thinking of giving up!!  Not sure what our plans are for today - maybe a quick trip to Northville before the snow arrives.  That's it for now - see you soon.

Welcome baby ....

.... a week ago today it was my birthday - I had a fantastic time.  I also found out that a friend of mine had her baby on the very same day - 2nd June is a good day to be born!!!  I can post this card as they will have received it by now.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations, Something for Baby, Stacks of Wishes
Inks: SU - Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Baby's First Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card

I've made a very clean, simple card, a contrast to the one I made for the baby shower (see below).  I used my new SU set - Something for the Baby - the onesie is so cute, but the colours are both discontinued, which is a shame!  I stamped the sentiment directly on to the card base and the onesie on some scrap and then die cut it.  I adhered the die cut with dimensional tape.  On the inside (which I forgot to photograph) I stamped a sweet verse.

This was the card I made for the Baby Shower, full details are here.  That's all for now - see you soon.

52CCT - Sketch ....

... Good morning everyone, and welcome to 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  It's the first challenge of March, really!!!  Our hostess this month is Patricia, and, as always, we start the month with a sketch for you to play with, here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Stunning Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations
Inks: SU - Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party
Dies: Uniko Studio - Snowflakes
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Winter Frost; SU Card - Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party; Silver Card

We still have so much snow around us here that I immediately thought of snowflakes for the sketch.  I used the colours from this week's Merry Monday challenge - MM#97.  I cut a mat layer in dark aqua and cut a panel of pale aqua design paper to layer on top.  I die cut snowflakes in silver and dark and mid aqua card.  I stamped snowflakes onto the card and added a simple sentiment.  I finished off with the stars that came from the centre of the snowflakes.  On the inside I cut a mat layer in pale aqua.  On the white panel I sponged on a solid snowflake using the waste from the large die cut snowflake, I stamped some more snowflakes and finished with a bold sentiment.

For more inspiration using this sketch, check out the cards from the rest of the team.  If you've been playing along since the beginning of January you have made a great start on this year's cards.  If not, now's the time to join in!  That's all for now - see you soon.

Purple Christmas V2 .....

.....  Hi!!  Back again, with a variation of my earlier card.  I was thinking about the card while out at lunch and realised that it would probably work really well using purple card and white embossing powder.  Here it is:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - 2011 Holiday Ornaments; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Sentiments, More Merry Messages
Inks: SU - Concord Crush; Versamark
Dies: Spellbinders - 2011 Heirloom Ornaments (S4-334) #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Concord Crush; Avec Thread; White Embossing Powder

This is for the following challenges:

• CASology - CAS#80 - cue word "PURPLE"
• Keep it Simple - KIS#32 - square
• Festive Friday - FFC#24 - photo inspiration

I made the card from Concord Crush (so sad that this was discontinued).  I made the panel by cutting it an inch smaller than the card, stamping the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossing with white powder.  Then I die cut the ornament shape.  I stamped the ornament onto the card base, embossed it and added some thread.  The inside is the same as the previous card here.  I'm not sure which is my favourite; what do you think?

That really is all now - I'm going to be spending most of the rest of the day in my craft room.  There is very little on TV tonight - all usual programming has been changed as it's the Super Bowl this evening.  I might find time to watch the adverts though!!  See you all soon.

Purple Christmas ....

... Afternoon everyone!  Just a quick post with a card for a few challenges:

• CASology - CAS#80 - cue word "PURPLE"
• Keep it Simple - KIS#32 - square
• Merry Monday - MM#93 - Christmas Ornaments
• Festive Friday - FFC#24 - Photo inspiration

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - 2011 Holiday Ornaments; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Sentiments, More Merry Messages
Inks: SU - Concord Crush
Dies: Spellbinders - 2011 Heirloom Ornaments (S4-334) #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Concord Crush; Avec Thread

I know that a lot of people have been saying that Purple is not their favourite colour, but it most definitely is one of my favourites.  I kept this really clean and simple.  I cut a white panel an inch smaller than the card base, stamped the sentiment in the corner and then cut the ornament shape, going slightly off the edge.  Using my stamp-a-ma-jig, I positioned the ornament image and stamped it in purple.  I attached some thread to the bauble and wrapped some around the top layer, then adhered it with dimensional tape.  The inside has a mat layer in purple and on the white panel I stamped another ornament along with a sweet sentiment.

I'm really pleased that I've managed to combine so many challenges - the card is square (KIS), purple (sadly now discontinued - CASology), and Christmas ornaments (MM and FFC).  That's all for now, see you soon.