A Card for 4 Challenges

Good morning.

Here is a card for 4 challenges, my first challenge entry of 2013.

Crafty Creation Challenge Just Take 2
Critter Sketch Challenge #148
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #83 Belated Birthday
Cards for Men Challenge #2 - Transport

I used Spellbinders to cut out the image, the image mount, the square (cut into two triangles) and the two banners for the belated birthday greeting.

The image of the van was from a Sheena Douglass (for Creative Expressions) stamp and the sentiment from a stamp by Chocolate Baroque. The main image was stamped with Mahogany distress ink and a damp paint brush was used to pull the ink in from the image to shade it. I loved the sentiment for a belated birthday card - An elephant never forgets... Unfortunately I do!

The square and the banners started out as white card which was coloured all over with various Distress Inks. Splashes of water which were mopped up with tissue, give the extra distressing effect.

The design was taken from the Critter Sketch Challenge, which I turned on its side. I took the liberty of adding the sentiment.

The background is navy blue pearlescent card and the "brad heads" on the banner were made with Copper Pearlidoodles.

Christmas Card 1

Well, I thought it was time to start my Christmas cards and so for a change I thought I would go with a black and white theme.

The A5 size backing card  is made of beautiful double sided white pearlescent card which was run through my Ebosser to give the gorgeous embossed finish.

The image is from a stamp by Chocolate Baroque. It was one of their Christmas stamps from a few years ago but I have always liked it. This was simply embossed using black ink and very fine detail clear embossing powder.

The image and the mat were cut out with Spellbinder dies using the Ebosser again. I do like this new machine, it is so much easier than using a hand turned one when you have so many cards to make.

The effect was finished off with a black ribbon and bow on the spine.

This has been entered in the following challenge: Crafty Creations: Christmas is coming.

Birthday Card for Crafters Companion's Birthday and Other Challenges

A card for 4 challenges:
Crafters Companion Birthday
Crafty Catz Challenge #154
Critter Sketch Challenge #136
Totally Papercrafts - Make your own flowers

For the Crafters Companion chellenge I have used the following products of theirs: Spray and Slide, Spray and Sparkle, Spray and Shine, Paper and Card packs and the Ultimate Pro.

The Crafty Catz challenge is for an easel card.

Totally Papercrafts is for making your own flowers.

The Critter Sketch challenge provided the layout for the front of the card.


The stamped image is by Sheena Douglass. The Happy Birthday Sentiment by Chocolate Baroque. These were both stamped on white card and embossed with clear embossing powder. Both were coloured with various colours of distress ink. - shades of blue plus Milled Lavender.

These were layered onto navy blue pearlescent card, the same card as used for the A4 base of the easel card. Crafters Companion paper and card was used for the light blue scalloped outlines, the scallops being made using the Ultimate Pro.

The flowers were made from layers from My Craft Studio.



Butterfly

A card for  challenge:
Crafty Creations #133 - Your inner Animal

Well, as you can see die cuts abound in this card. Spellbinders were used to cut the main oval and scalloped oval, the flowers and leaves and the sentiment.

This is based on an A5 white card base which had the edges tinted with two tones of green distress ink - Shabby Shutters and Pine Needles.

The main image is a beautifully large and colourful butterfly from a stamp by Chocolate Baroque which was stamped with black archival ink and coloured with Promarkers.

The white oval was embossed in a large floral embossing folder and then coloured with Milled Lavender, Shabby Shutters and Broken China distress inks which match the colours of the butterfly.

Christmas in July

Good afternoon, the weekend is upon us once again so it must be time for Shirley to hit the challenge trail!

This is an entry for three challenges:

Crafty Catz #93 Christmas in July
Crafty Creations #129 Christmas in July
Totally papercrafts #77 Bling It Up.

So here we have an unusual colour combination for Christmas but I think it works.

The main image is from Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque). This was stamped on acetate and gold leaf was applied to the back for the first bit of bling.

This was layered onto glossy card which had been coloured with various alcohol inks. Once trimmed to size the edges were picked out with fine gold peel offs (not something I use often but they do have their place).

This was mounted onto black card which had been embossed with the brand new embossing tools from the makers of the Cuttlebug. It was a corner embossing tool that was positioned on the master board and used to emboss each corner. This layer was mounted onto a pink A5 card blank and then the holly berried were highlighted with gold glitter glue for added bling.

The "Joy" sentiment was also embossed on gold textured card using the Cuttlebug system, cut to shape with a circular Nestie and backed with the scalloped circular Nestie to finish the look.

Cat Scratch

Good evening.

Here is a card for 2 challenges:
Die Cut Dreams #94 - Animal Antics
Sketch and Stash #66

All the stamps are the stash that I haven't used for ages. They are from a set by Chocolate Baroque

All of the papers are decorated by myself. The background is white card sprayed with Glimmer Mist. The same card is used for the scalloped Nestie die cuts.

The strip down the middle is hand marbled paper.

The meow backing card and the paw print strip were stamped on white card and tinted with distress inks. The paw print embellishments and the sentiment were treated in the same way after being cut out with circular Nesties.

The main image was stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with a water brush and distress ink.

All these elements were mounted onto an A5 size card to conform to the Sketch and Stash challenge sketch.

One for the Birds

Good morning.

Here is a card for the The Paper Shelter #22 For the Birds  and for Sentimental Sundays #64  challenge.

I think this looks quite dramatic in black.

All the stamps used are by Chocolate Baroque. The main image was stamped on black card with Versamark ink and Cosmic Shimmer mica powders, in various colours, were dusted over to reveal the image. This was roughly torn and then the edges were embossed with gold powder.

The coloured mat layer was hand made marbled paper again with the edges torn and embossed with gold. The sentiment was treated in the same way.

The two birds were embossed with gold on black card. They were cut out leaving a black border around the edges.

The main image and mat were bonded to the black A5 size card with Pinflair gel and the birds and sentiment with sticky foam pads

The Beach

A card for 2 challenges:

Crafty Catz #90 - Vintage Look
Totally Papercrafts #74 - The Beach
I do love this stamp from Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque). Both the main image and the  poem on the post card are from them. The post card header is from Creative Expressions.

To keep the vintage look I have used cream card for the base A5 blank, which was tinted at the edges with Antique Linen Distress Ink.

The main image was stamped on watercolour card with Timber Brown Stazon ink and the picture was water coloured with three different tones of Distress ink to give an aged sepia effect. The edges were then tinted with more ink to give a vignette. Crocheted lace was bonded to the back of the image . The post card was made in the same way, without the lace.

To finish an old gold bow was added as an embellishment.

Poppies

Hello again.

I'm sorry, it is yet another poppy card. I just love them and I seem to have so many different stamps that include them!

This card is for the Critter Challenge #72 - Sketch plus Red.

I started off with a cream linen textured card for the base.

The 2 red square panels are Coredinations card which has been through a Cuttlebug and embossing folder. The surface was sanded to remove the top layer of colour to reveal the core. These were then simply bonded to the base card.

The poppy image is from Chocolate Baroque which was coloured with Promarkers. Glossy Accents was applied to the flowers to give a beautiful shiny finish and the whole thing left to dry overnight. The panel was trimmed to size and Fired Brick Distress Ink used to tint the edges. This panel was added to a black shiny mat and then bonded to the base card.

Earlier this week, I rediscovered Mizuhiki cord so I had another play to produce two different knots to embellish the corners of the card.

Summer Time

Good evening.

here is a card for 2 challenges:

Totally Papercrafts Eyes down, Look in and let's play bingo from which I chose ribbons, brads and flowers
Crafty Catz #89 - Colours of Summer

Stamps used - Sea scene - Chocolate baroque
Daisy - Sheena Douglass.

The scene was stamped with Stazon on water colour paper, coloured with Distress Ink, cut out and embossed with a Nestie and matted onto the yellow Nestie shape which was edge tinted with Wild Honey distress ink.

The flowery back ground paper was some that I have had for years. This was layered onto yellow card and attached with orange brads. The yellow and orange ribbons were plaited wrapped around the edge of the matted layers and secured in position on the front (where it would be hidden by the image) with Pinflair glue. This assembly was attached to the A5 orangy-yellow base card.

The image was attached to the front of the card with more Pinflair glue, raising it quite high to clear the ribbons.

The daisies were stamped on to white card and painted using Sheena's fusion techniques. When dry they were cut out and again Pinflair glue was used to attach them to the card.

Thank You

Good morning.

Here is a card for three challenges:

The Stamp Man #26 - Alcohol Inks plus Optional Sketch
Crafty Creation #125 - Thank You
Sentimental Sundays #62 - Anything Goes (with a Sentiment)

As you can see, I have majored on Alcohol inks on this one. I used them on white gloss coated card to produce the pinky purple sheet and then on metal sheet for the music and the pansy.

Stamps used - The Sentiment "I cannot thank you enough" by Chocolate Baroque and the Pansy by Sheena Douglass.

I have based the card on the optional sketch but I did take liberties with the design by adding the pansy and the double row of punched edges.

The card base is A5 in size in a dark navy blue. The same colour card was used for the blue strip punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.

The white card was coloured with the alcohol inks and silver mixative. I made this sheet some time ago so I am afraid I cannot remember exactly which colours. A strip was punched with the same punch. The sentiment was stamped onto another piece of this sheet with Versamark ink and embossed with Platinum WOW powder. This was cut out with the Nestie Label which was matted onto a blue background made from drawing around the same Nestie and cutting it out by hand.

The metal sheet was coloured with the alcohol inks. When dry, the right hand edge was embossed by hand using a brick design former and various metal working tools. The sheet was then put through a Cuttlebug with the music embossing folder making sure that it was clear of the brick embossing. The resulting sheet was trimmed to size.

The pansy was stamped onto the back of another metal sheet with Stazon. When dry, it was cut out and coloured with the same inks used for the music sheet. The flower was then hand embossed on a sponge mat working on the reverse to bring out the edges of the petals. Glossy accents was used on the reverse to fill in the embossed lines so that is supports the metal and will not let the pansy get squashed.

For both the music sheet and the pansy the ink on the raised portions of the design was removed with blending solution so that the silver of the metal shows through.

The 2 punched strips were mounted with DS tape and the metal with glossy accents. The sentiment was added with Pinflair glue

Butterflies in Blue

Good evening. That is Tuesday over with. I always consider it to be the worst day of the week. Still, at least I found time to do some crafting.

This card is for 2 challenges:
Sketch and Stash #64. The stash being the red and blue hand coloured cards that I made months ago for just such an occasion.
Die Cut dreams # 92 - Red, White and Blue

I apologise but I seem to be having a bit of a thing about butterflies at the moment. I just love them.

All the stamps used are by Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque). There are two sizes of butterflies and the beautiful collage stamp from the same set. All were stamped with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink and brushed over with a water brush to draw the colour from the sides to the centre. When dry, red lacquer dots were added to the wings of the individual butterflies. These were cut out and given gold wire antennae.The sentiment was from a set of sentiments from the same company.

The red and blue background papers were made from white card which was sprayed with various colours of red and blue Glimmer mist. The blue one was allowed to dry naturally whilst the red had cling film laid over it whilst the mist was still wet which concentrated the colour and the mica in some places to give a lovely effect.

An A5 white card blank had one end punched with a Martha Stewart border punch. A strip of the red card was placed behind this to accentuate the pattern

The collage stamp was cut out with a Nesties frame - the first time I have used this one. It is very pretty. The sentiment was cut from a smaller one of the same set of Nesties but it was embossed as well. The edge was tinted with more of the same Distress ink to highlight the border embossing.

Once the card had been assembled with the large butterfly placed over the butterfly in the collage stamp and the two smaller ones positioned with Pinflair glue gel, a red bow was tied, trimmed and bonded in position for the finishing touch.

Summer Butterflies

Good morning.
Sunday is with us once again so I have been busy in the craft room making this card for several challenges:
The Paper Shelter #18 - Punches and Dies
Totally Papercrafts #71 Die Cuts and Punches
Crafty Catz #87 - Fancy Folds
CES Challenge #41 - Lots of Sparkly Flowers
The Stamp Man #25 Butterflies and Dragonflies
Sentimental Sundays - Summery and Sparkly

So the basis for this card is a tri-fold card made from a piece of A4 dark green hammered card. The folds and top shaping were achieved using my Ultimate Pro from Crafter's Companion.

The background paper was made using a marbling technique on white card using yellows, oranges and greens - all nice summery colours.

The flowers and leaves were die cut with small flower Nesties. The flowers were cut from pale yellow thin card, edged with Dried Marigold distress ink. They were cut into towards the centre, the petals shaped with the edge of a bone folder. The leaves were shaped by hand. Sparkle was added to the edges of the petals and the veins of the leaves using Frosted Lace Stickles. A crystal gem was added to two of the flowers for extra sparkle.

The two sizes of butterflies were taken from stamps by Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque). The were stamped with black stazon onto another piece of marbled card - this time in yellows and blues. The Frosted Lace Sickles was added to the edges of the wings and to give some veins on the wings too. The antennae were cut off the butterflies when they were cut out and gold wire ones were fashioned for when they were bonded to the card.

The sentiment, another stamp by the same company, was also stamped onto the same card as the butterflies,  and cut out with the Nestie Label. I love this sentiment - They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. The dark green mat behind it was sized by drawing around the Nestie. The card was assembled with double sided tape and Pinflair glue (for the dimension on the flowers and butterflies.

Daisies

Wow, 2 posts in one morning! I obviously have some catching up to do!

This is a card for two challenges:

CES Challenge #34 - Inspirational picture from which I took the gingham and flower elements.

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge #80 - Congratulations

The image was created with Sheena Douglass' Paint Fusion techniques and using the Daisy set of stamps to create the picture before applying the acrylic paint. A thin laminate of wood was used as the substrate for painting on and I made a simple crackle background before starting to paint the flowers.

The card is A5 in size in a gorgeous turquoise blue. Layered onto this is navy blue, blue gingham, turquoise blue and then the image which has been framed using a gold Krylon pen.

To match this, the word Congratulations was stamped using an Elusive Image (now Chocolate Baroque) stamp with Versamark ink and gold Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder.

A turquoise ribbon and bow completes the look.