A coloured card ....

... Hi - goodness only knows what's happened to this week - I had big plans to get in my craft room, but only managed a couple of hours this afternoon.  However, I do have a card to share with you and I think I'm only just going to be in time:

• Less is More - LIM119 - to use a coloured card blank
• One Layer Wednesday - OLW140 borders

Stamps: Docrafts - Candle Border; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Bold Wishes, Countdown
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Card - Pacific Point; Staedtler - Ergosoft Pencils

I've been thinking about the Less is More challenge all week and trying to work out what colour card blank to use.  I finally decided to go for a bold blue base.  I've combined the LIM challenge with this week's One Layer Wednesday to make a card with a border; it's being hosted by Heather this week and it's been quite a while since I joined in.

The card was really easy to make.  I simply cut the card to make a standard 5½" × 4¼" card base.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the row of candles along the base of the card and then added a couple of score lines above.  I added a clean, bold sentiment to the front and finished by colouring the candles with pencils.  First I filled them all in with white pencil and then went over the top with colours.  For the inside I cut a panel of white card and repeated the candles (second impression) at the bottom, coloured them and finished with a birthday greeting.

I think the inside could also work as a card front - it's clean, simple and bold and I'm really pleased with it.

That's all for now.  See you soon.

Uniko Studio - February Release Blog Hop ...

.... Good morning.  I've got some really exciting news - Beverley of Uniko Studios invited me to be Guest Designer for her February Release - it's been so hard to keep this secret.  But I can tell you today!!  Squeal!!!!  You should have arrived here from Stacey's blog.  If you haven't - go to the start at Beverley's blog to see what the team have made to share.  As well as the release, today Uniko Studio is a year old!  Congratulations Beverley!

 
Beverley is releasing two stamps sets and four sets of digital papers.  The stamp sets are Bright Butterflies and Label Love: Birthday, and the Digital Paper Collections are Big Birthday Wishes, Bright Butterflies Additions, Eclectic Mix Spring and Classics Spring.  I've gone slightly mad and made five cards!!  Well, I couldn't decide which is my favourite :) 


Here's my first card:

Stamps: Uniko Studies - Label Love: Birthday
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: Uniko Studios Design Paper - Big Birthday Wishes

The great thing about digital paper is that you can alter the size.  The papers come in 12" × 12", US Letter and A4 jpeg files - but when you print the paper you can size down to smaller.  So I printed the colour block paper at full size (A4) and the outline paper at half size (A5).  I stamped the parcel onto some plain white card and stamped the sentiment in the label area.  I stamped the parcel again onto the colour block paper and cut out the label area and adhered the two parts together with dimensional tape.  The is a square card measuring 5½" × 5½".

Next I decided to go for something a little more feminine and I used the Bright Butterflies stamps.

Stamps: Uniko Studies - Bright Butterflies, Gerbera
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Rose Red
Accessories: SU Design Paper - Daffodil Delight, SU Card - Crumb Cake; SU Markers; Staedtler Ergosoft Pencils; Gems from stash

I mixed one of my favourite sets - Gerbera - with the butterflies.  I stamped the outline flower in Crumb Cake and coloured it with pencils.  I stamped all three butterflies onto white card, cut them out, added some gems to them and attached them to the card - they are flying from the flower to the sentiment.  This card is 6¼" × 4½".

Accessories: Uniko Studios Design Paper - Big Birthday Wishes; SU Card - Pacific Point, Rose Red; SU Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

These cards really are simple to make.  I simply printed off one of the pages from the Design Collection and cut between the panels and then mounted the panels onto coordinating card.  I decided to add some glitter to the centre sections - horizontal on the blue card and vertical on the pink card.  This does take some time, but is really worth it - the stripes sparkle so much.  These card measure 8¼" × 41/8".

My last card used the Eclectic Mix Spring papers.

Stamps: Uniko Studies - Gerbera
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze
Dies: Marvellous Squares (S4-383) # 5 & 6
Accessories: Uniko Studios Design Paper - Eclectic Mix Spring; Sakura Stardust Pen Clear; SU Card - Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue; Card from stash

I printed these papers at half size (A5) and stamped the outline flower and leaves from the Gerbera set, and then cut them all out.  I coloured the centre of the flower with Sakura Stardust Pen.  I inked the edge of the card with Certainly Celery and adhered the bottom square, then stamped the sentiment in two colours.  I used dimensional tape to attached the top die cut square and gel adhesive for the flower and leaves.  This card measure 5½" square.

Before I go, I should mention that Beverley is offering a prize of the whole February 2013 Release (fabulous prize) - all you have to do is leave comments on the DT blogs - the more comments you leave the more chances of winning this super prize - the Blog Hop route is:

Beverley - Uniko Studio

Aimes - Crafting Confessions

Amber - Bella Rose Cards

Erika - Erika Photography

Gayatri - Handmade by G3

Kerry - Pawpads and Inkpads

Nicki - Dream Create Inspire

Ren-Yi - Small-handed Creations

Stacey - Stacey's Stamping Stage

Deborah - that's me!

Do make sure you've visited the whole team! That's it - thanks for your patience!  Thanks again to Beverley for inviting me to join the Design for the February release - I've had such fun with these sets.  See you soon.

Faux artist ....

... Good evening - it's been a busy day here at Chez Frings!!  I had to go out to get the grocery shopping this morning as Jonathan will have the car for the next week while his in the repair shop!!  But since getting home I've been working on some "homework" for Clean & Simple Day 2; the theme being one layer cards.  I decided to have a go at the Faux Artist technique that Jennifer McGuire showed us.  This is the card I made:

Stamps: CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Truth Is; PTI - Signature Greetings; Stampin' Up! - Flight of the Butterfly (discontinued)
Inks: Staz-on - Jet Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: Staedtler Ergosoft Aquarell Pencils; Sakura Micron Pigma Pen; White card from stash

Jennifer showed us various methods of using watercolour pencils on stamped sentiments to make them look as though they are drawn by hand.  I did have a go at stamping this sentiment in a pale ink and then going over it with watercolour pencils, but it didn't work for me. 

I decided to stamp the sentiment in Stazon and go over the letters with a rainbow of colours.  I also stamped these lovely flowers coming out of the top of the "Y".  I used my aquabrush to pull the colour out from the sentiment.  I started off by rubbing the aquabrush over the purple pencil and painting on the card, moving to the left.  I paused between the green and yellow to remove some of the green (in my test run the green went on forever) and then continued to the red.  I carried on across the card allowing the red to fade to pale pink.  I coloured the flowers with the Aquarell pencils.  I finished off with a tiny butterfly (covering an "oops" moment) - thanks to Jennifer for the tip. 

The large photo above was taken on the windowsill in my craft room in natural daylight (5.00pm), this smaller photo was taken under the daylight bulb at my desk - the colours are a bit more vibrant under this light.  Which photo do you prefer?  I'm really pleased with how the card turned out. 

That's all for today.  We are getting ready to sit down and watch the Super Bowl - a huge event here in the States.  The match is between Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers.  Obviously as we are new to the States and know next to nothing about American Football, we will be neutral - but it should be good fun!  As an aside, it's snowing again!  I'm officially fed up of all the snow and yes I know that we haven't had as much as in previous years, but it's enough for me :)  See you tomorrow.

CAS-ual Fridays - thoughtful ...

....  We've had a really good day.  We went out to the movies this morning to see The Hunger Games.  It is very well made with some good acting, but I found the story to be a bit predictable.  It's making lots of money, but I wouldn't rush out to see it again!  And this evening we've been out to dinner at a super restaurant - Ruby Tuesday - the food was delicious.

This afternoon, I made a card for CAS-ual Fridays - CFC48 challenge - opposites attract.  The team want us to make a card using two colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel; I picked green and red.

Before I came out to the US, I was lucky enough to win Cup of the Week at The Play Date Cafe; I won a $25 voucher to spend at Simon Says - and I've spent it!!!  I had such fun, but have to admit that I spent rather more than $25.  My new goodies arrived this afternoon and I've used one of the stamps on this card.  Isn't this flower lovely?  I coloured it with my Aquarell watercolour pencils - I love the soft finish you get using this medium.  I'll play with the rest of the stamps later in the week.

Stamps:  Stampendous - Festive Flower; There She Goes - Sentimental - Thank you
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Staedtler Aquarell Pencils, card from stash

This card is for Tara (many of you know her).  Tara set up a new challenge last year - St Luke's Charity Card Challenge and I was invited to join the team.  I was delighted to accept - it's been a fun year with some wonderful challenges, and lots more to come.  One of the great things with this challenge is that you can send Tara cards to sell and help raise funds - to date the total stands at £513.50.  This month the challenge is to "Bling it up!" and there's still plenty of time to join the fun.  So this is for Tara - to say how thoughtful you are - I really love the cards and gift you sent me - thank you.  Here are the cards Tara sent me:

Love the American flag and row of houses - a perfect welcome to your new home card - love it.  

Don't you just love this one - the words are so lovely and the girls look wonderful (wish I looked like that!)

Here's the card that I made for last week's Less is More - LIM62 - three shades of green challenge; the one that I couldn't upload yesterday because the technology failed :(   I used some lovely stamps from a new UK based company, Uniko Studios.  The stamps are fab and I'm really looking forward to seeing more soon.

Stamps: Uniko Studios - Time, Extra Time
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive
Accessories:  Paint Chip from The Home Depot, card from stash

Before I go, I really must say Hello and Welcome some new followers:  Kez, Pauline and Anne-Elise - so pleased that you joined me.  I'm so pleased that my mojo seems to have returned.  Do drop by later to see my card for the new CR84FN challenge.  See you soon!

Christmas flowers ....

....  just a very quick post today, as I'm busy getting ready for Jonathan to come home on Thursday.  I had fun last night, and this card has been made for two challenges:

• Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC81 - a super sketch 
• 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - 52CCT-4 - this week the theme is Christmas flowers

I decided to make a card featuring a poinsettia - just love these plants around the house at Christmas, they are always so beautiful.  I started off by stamping the medium sized poinsettia from WMS Big Blooms - Poinsettia set three times onto thick vellum; stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with detail white powder.  Around the edge of the card I stamped the more stylised poinsettia and leaves.  I cut a plain white mat (I did play around with another patterned layer, but it was far, far too busy) and attached it to the card.  I cut an ornate square frame for the vellum poinsettia and used the same card to make the sentiment label.  I added a touch of glitter to the centre of the poinsettia and two little red gems to the sentiment label.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Big Blooms - Poinsettia, Compliments of the Season
Inks:  Versamark; Distress - Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade
Spellbinders:  Fleur de Lis Squares (S4-318) #3, Fancy Tags (S4-235)
Accessories: Staedtler Ergosoft Pencils; Card and gems from stash

Trying to take a decent photo of this card was quite difficult.  The big picture above was taken with flash - so it has washed out the colour a bit, but at least the picture is sharp.  The close up of the poinsettia was without flash - and I think you can see the softness of the colours.  I used my new Staedtler Ergosoft pencils - they are so easy to use and blend beautifully.

I had a good day yesterday - craft class in the morning - always a good way to start the day.  And in the afternoon, I got a few baskets of washing done.  Of course, that means I've got a few baskets of ironing to do today!!!  My least favourite job!!  I'm not sure whether I'm going to get the chance to play in my craft room today - but I hope to have something to share on Wednesday.  Take care and see you Wednesday.