52CCT - Colours ....

..... Hello!  It's time for our colour challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  Louise's colours are inspired by her love addiction of coffee, so I used that for my somewhat non-traditional Christmas card:

Stamps: Reverse Confetti - Be a Barista, Tinsel 'n' Trim; Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Big Bang Confetti
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Baked Brown Sugar
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Baked Brown Sugar; SU DP - Very Vanilla; Wink of Stella - Gold, Clear; Gold Mirri Card; Glitter; Gold Embossing Powder

I used the sketch at Reverse Confetti - SFYTT#23 to create this layered card.  I cut a panel of light brown card and stamped snowflakes in Versamark, added some sticky stuff and then glitter.  I cut a panel of cream design paper (sadly now discontinued) and attached a trim of gold mirri card.  I stamped the coffee cup on cream paper, heat embossed with gold powder and coloured a gold stripe with my Wink of Stella brush.  Once cut out, I added some sparkle to the pattern in the coffee foam - if you squint and look really, really hard - it's almost a Christmas tree!!!!  I finished the front with a horizontal strip on which I stamped the sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of brown card and added some decoration and a greeting to the white panel.

Here's a close-up of the coffee cup - it sparkles and if you look closely, you really can see that Christmas tree ☺.  

For more inspiration using our colours of COFFEE AND CREAM, check the blog to see what the rest of the team have made to share with you.  Have fun!

ASM - CAS ....

...  Hello all!  It's time for our Clean and Simple challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  I really enjoy making CAS cards, although I think I do tend towards a slightly more layered look than the entirely clean and simple card.  The idea is to have a clean, crisp image, minimal embellishments and lots of white space (you should note that "white" space can be coloured).  Here's my take on a clean and simple thanks card:

Stamps: StampArt Design Digi - Jem; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold and You, Big Bang Confetti
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Wisteria Wonder, Perfect Plum
Dies: Spellbinders - Wonky Rectangles (S4-306) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Perfect Plum; Copics; Glitter

Our sponsor this week is StampArt Design and I've used on of Kathryne's fabulous images on my card.  I do like the way you can make the image exactly the size you want.  I've used the colours from The Card Concept - CC#9, I like the monochromatic purples and the style is Clean and Layered.  I printed Gem off twice, used my Spellbinder wonky rectangle dies to cut out one of the images and I coloured and glittered the wings on this image.  On the other image I coloured Jem and her wand with Copics and then fussy cut it out.  I ran one of the copic markers around the edge of the die cut panel to define the image and then adhered the fussy cut Jem.  I stamped a random pattern of stars on the card base and a few on the panel and I finished the front of the card with a bold sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat of light purple card and on the white panel stamped some more stars.

For more inspiration card with a clean and simple theme - check out the rest of the team's work.  Looking forward to seeing your projects.

I told you that we had Jonathan's 50th birthday party on Saturday; it was a huge success.  So many friends were able to join us and celebrate and Jonathan has lots of lovely birthday cards and presents.  I made Jonathan a fruit cake for his birthday - nothing fancy, just a plain cake with a funny candle.  Here's a photo that our friend Rachel took:

We had a bit of a theme going for the party - sort of Hawaii 5-0 - hence the leis!!!  It was so nice that Mum was able to be here too.  Today Mum and I did a bit of shopping - not clothes, books!!!  I share my Mum's love of a good book.  Well that's all for now.  See you soon.

TMR - Science-Fiction ....

...  Hello, post number two today!!  It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  This time our theme is "Science Fiction", which gives you so much scope!!!  You can go for fun, cute, vintage, clean & simple, and inspiration can come from movies, books, comics or TV!    I actually made a couple of cards, here's the first one - an ultra clean and simple design:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Zig-Zag Background; My Favourite Things - Gift Card Greetings
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Early Espresso; Versamark
Dies: Die-namics - Beautiful Bows
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Early Espresso; SU DP - Early Espresso; Copics

If you're a fan of Dr Who, then this reference will be obvious, if not, it refers to the fact that the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) wears a bow tie and thinks they are cool!  Before cutting out the pieces, I stamped a zig-zag pattern on the card using Versamark.  I used the  large Die-namic bow die to cut out the pieces.  The resulting bow has a rounded end, so I simply made the bow more triangular by cutting off the bits I didn't need.  I created the sentiment on the computer using the Arial font and added the subtle glow.  I finished the inside with a piece of brown design paper and a bold, fun greeting.

My next card is for a little boy on his birthday:

Stamps: Winnie & Walter - Big Bang Confetti; Waltzingmouse - Half Pint Heroes
Inks: Kaleidacolour - Blue Breeeze; Stazon - Jet Black; Memento - London Fog; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Real Red; Glossy White Card; Copics

The little rocket comes from one of my favourite WMS sets - I've used it a few times!  And it just had to come out for a science fiction theme.  To create the background I punched a small circle from post-it note and placed it on the card, then I stamped lots of stars in Versamark.  I used a brayer to colour the background using Blue Breeze which gave this lovely gradient of colour.  After I removed the post-it circle I ran the brayer across the "moon"" to blend it with the background.  I stamped the rocket twice and colour the images with Copics.  I cut them and adhered them to the card with dimensional tape.  I finished with a simple greeting stamped in Stazon.  For the inside I cut a mat of red card and on the white card repeated the rocket image and added a birthday greeting.

For more inspiration with our Science Fiction theme, check out the cards from the rest of the design team.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what you make.  I have to admit to science fiction in all its forms is one of my favourite genres!  See you soon.

Bohek effect ....

... Morning all!  It's really dull, grey and wet here this morning, so I've the perfect excuse to stay in my craft room and play - at least for a while!  One of my favourite effects in photography is bokeh - where there is a blur on lights in the background of an image.  I've noticed that people are creating a similar effect in stamping.  Here's a card I made trying for the same effect, not entirely successful, but I like it a lot:

Stamps: Winnie & Walter - The Write Stuff: Love Story, The Big, The Bold & You, The Big, The Bold & The Happy, You've Got Love Mail, Big Bang Confetti
Inks: Brilliance - Aurora, Twilight, Peacock; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - London Fog; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder; Copics; SU Card - Pink Pirouette; SU Marker - Smoky Slate

I used the layout from Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#129 and the inspiration photo from Winnie & Walter's Playdate - W&WPD#1.  To create the bokeh effect I used the a couple of stamps from Big Bang Confetti, inking them up with Brilliance ink which has a lovely shimmer, and echoes the W&W image.  I stamped the journal style heart on to white card in grey and used words from a couple of sets to create the greeting; I added the kisses by hand. I cut out the heart and added a bit of definition to the edge by running a grey Copic around it.  I didn't want to hide the pretty bokeh panel, so I cut a panel of vellum and stamped the sentiment in Versafine and then heat embossed with clear powder.  I ran the vellum through my Xyron to make it self-adhesive, that way you don't see the adhesive!  I finished by adhering the heart with dimensional tape.  On the inside I cut a mat panel of pink and stamped another heart with a greeting.  I've included a close up of the heart to show the pretty colours!

The image on the W&W graphic suggested family to me and, as it's our anniversary next month, I though I'd make a card for Jonathan.  We will be celebrating 13 years of marriage on 22nd April!!  The time has simply flown by.  I know I've posted this card early, and I know that Jonathan will see it, but he's terrible at remembering - so this is a BIG hint!!!  That's all for now.  I suppose I'd better get on with ironing - again!  See Ya!!