Brighter days ahead

Font: Halo Handletter

This idea came to me in the wee small hours of this morning, as I listened to the gentle snores emanating from the adjacent pillow.

 

All done using Silhouette Studio.  The acetate was a happy accident that rushed out of my scrap drawer as I rummaged for something completely different.

 

Linking to:

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC129 ~ Using at least 2 shades of gray

CASology: Week 84 ~ Paint

Love ya

Stamp: Scripty Sayings (Paper Smooches)

Font: Courier New

There is usually a bottom on show at some point in our house.  Mostly from a small boy dodging naked in & out of the bathroom, but quite often from my DH as he crouches down stoking the fire, or through the gap in the kitchen bar stool when he is on the computer.  You probably have a terrible vision in your head right now.  Sorry.  Anyway, it has become something of a standing (or not ;)) joke.

 

So I don't know why I haven't thought of this valentine's card before now.

 

 



I found just the right picture by googling 'builder's bum' images.  There were a lot more than I bargained for, so it was not a particularly pleasant exercise!

 

A lot of faffing about ensued, as I haven't made an interactive card for quite a while now, but I think it was all worth it.

Edit: Have decided to enter into CASology 'Contrast' because of the contrast between the big cursive sentiment & the tiny font on the heart.

 

Linking to:

Paper Smooches: Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Let's have a laugh
CASology: Week 79 ~ Contrast

Casology Guest Designer - Fireworks

 

 

Stamps: Artemio

Ink: Tangelo (Memento); Tumbled Glass (DI)

Font: Sunshine Poppy

Other: Aqua Promarker; Diamond Stickles

 

I found it hard to come up with something this week.  In the UK, fireworks are generally confined to Bonfire Night & New Year - not what I want to think about in the summer!

 

I started off by playing around with a couple of the standard shape in Silhouette Studio.  Having printed the sentiment & stamped the 'firework' circles, it still looked a bit bare.  I tried various colours of ink splatter on scrap paper, before committing to the card.  The centre of the aqua starburst is stuck directly on the orange backing, with just a few foam dots under random stars to make some pop out more than others.

Birthday fishes

Stamps: Tremendous Treats Valentine (PTI)

Ink:Pear Tart, Bahama Blue, Tangelo, Morocco (Versamark); Versamark (Tsukineko)

Font: Migraine Sans

Other: Spots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); White ep (WOW); aqua promarker; Diamond Stickles; tracing paper

Today's offering was inspired by this Make It Monday video.  I had hoped to enter, but on closer inspection you must use flowers.  Fish don't count.

EDIT: have seen other crazy wild rule breakers have entered non-flower cards, so am giving it a go.

Linking to:

CASology: Week 49 ~ Fish
Make It Monday: MIM 121 ~ Coloured Vellum

Father's Day

Dies: Stars (MFT); Pennants (Spellbinders)

Font: Ecuyer Dax, Stars from their Eyes

Eek.  Father's Day on Sunday & nothing suitable in my stash.  Quick - to the laptop.  The ombre HAPPY was a direct CASE from this week's Make it Monday at PTI.  (My son was looking over my shoulder at the time: "I know where you got THAT from Mum").  Printed out twice.  Die cut the spare & coloured with promarker.  No coincidence that this week's CASology is YELLOW.  Stick it all together, take a terrible photo, & there you have it.  Easy to replicate for the fil, too.

 

Linking to:
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC104~ Banners & Flags
CASology: Week 48 ~ Yellow

Pencil thanks

Stamps: Star Prints, Just a Note (PTI)

Ink: too many to mention! (Memento)

Other: 3/8" corner chomper

I was inspired by the pencils on Laurie's MUSE card this week, which also gave a very timely reminder for teachers' thank yous.  We don't need them quite as soon here in the UK - not until the middle of July - but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

I used the same idea as for this card, with closer spacings.  The in between colours were created by inking up the stamp with 2 colours before applying to the paper.

Have realised now that as these pencils are hexagonal in x-section, I can also enter it into CASology.

 

Linking to:

Muse: Challenge #16

Casology: Week 43 ~ Hexagon

Addicted to CAS: ATCAS #12 ~ Rainbow

HOME is where your cat is

Stamps: Tremendous Treats Valentine (PTI); Serif Alphabet (Papermania)
Ink: Wet Cement, Pale Tomato (HA)
Font: Century Gothic, CAC Pinafore

We went to visit some kittens at the Cats Protection League yesterday, to fill the gap left by our beloved Monty.  We can bring them home in 3 weeks time.  I made this card to give as a thank you to the lady that has been looking after them.  It was largely inspired by Chrissie's card on Less is More this week.

 



Linking to:
Less is More: Week 116 ~ CASe It
CASology: Week #40 ~ Word

Celebrate some more

Font: Migraine Sans MS

Other: Silhouette SD; Cuttlebug Snowflake die (Provocraft); Diamond Stickles (Ranger)

If you've visited this blog a few times, you may have got the hint that I LOVE words on cards.  Not just as a passing sentiment, but as the main event.  So imagine my joy to see that CASology have WORD as their cue card this week.  Amongst the words I use most frequently is celebrate.  It is so multi-functional (if it were a stamp set, it would be Teeny Trees!).  You're not confined to just a birthday, it fits so many occasions.  And today, I am celebrating my 1 year blogversary.  Hurrah.  Also I found a very small stamp that I thought was lost & gone forever, so now a set is complete again.  And that makes me happy.  See - you can celebrate anything!

I cut the word out 4 times with the  Silhouette, keeping the white negative.  Then I layered up the colours with a tiny off-set, fitting the bottom layer back into the negative.  A sprinkling of stars & sparkle & there you have it!

 

I also snapped the card without the stickles (just on the very small off-chance that something might go wrong...),

 

but nothing did (this time). Another reason to celebrate.

Linking to:

CASology: Week #40 ~  Word
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC98 ~ All That Glitters

 

 

 

CASology 34 ~ Bunny

 

 

no stamps, no ink, just my trusty Silhouette SD

YAY, I'm Guest Designer over on CASology this week.  The cue word is BUNNY.  Have to admit, I didn't exactly jump for joy when I found out.  The first thing that came to mind was a telephone (because of the Chas 'n' Dave song 'Rabbit'), but I didn't think that would translate into other countries very well - just a bit too obscure.

Then I remembered the book 'Guess How Much I Love You'.  From there, it was simple.  I surfed around for rabbit silhouettes &, with a little jiggery pokery on the digital cutter, VOILA!  The heart is from a pack of confetti.

GRRR8 birthday

Stamps: Circus Animals (My Cute Stamps)

Ink: Espresso Truffle (Memento)

Fonts: QumpellkaNo12, Zag Regular, Narkism

Other: circle punches; orange promarker

Anyone else remember the old Frosties ad?  Another circle inspired card for CASology.  I have these stamps scanned in on my computer, so I arranged the font around the tiger before deleting him & printing out.  There are also a series of parallel scored lines running behind the tiger & the grey matting, but my photography skills were insufficient to capture them!

 

Linking to:

CASology: Week 33 ~ Circle
Addicted to CAS: Challenge#7 ~ Masculine

 

Celebrate

Dies: Parker Alphabet (Memory Box)

Other: Silhouette SD

I am so excited about this card.  I have had the best time today playing about with fonts in Silhouette Studio.  I just love fonts & typography.  Has anyone else noticed the growing trend for 'holey' (as opposed to holy) lettering?  I have seen a couple of stamps from Hero Arts & noticed that there are new larger Parker Alphabets available with holes in.  I don't have either of those, so decided to make my own.

I cut out a whole series of graduated rings in various colours for the circular parts, & used Aharoni font with full-stops to cut out the holes in the straight pieces.

All inspired by CASology this week - CIRCLE.  Hope there are enough here!

 

Linking to:

CASology: Week 33 ~ Circle

Epic Eleven

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics II (PTI)

Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)

Dies: Parker Alphabet (Memory Box); Snowflakes (Cuttlebug)

Other: unknown ribbon; clear e.p.; silver card

The more I look at this card, the less CAS it becomes.  The thing is, it looked a little too stark in its original incarnation, so I added the embossed dots.  Then there was too much space over the 11, so I put in some bling.  Having tried to balance it, I think it is now certainly teetering on the brink, if not tumbling over the edge of the cliff...

 

The 11 was cut out using my Silhouette, & the bling was cut from silver card then coloured with Sharpies.

 

Linking to:
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC91 ~ Hi Ho Silver
CASology: Week 32 ~ FlameAddicted to CAS: Challenge#7 ~ Masculine
CAS(E) This Sketch: Sketch #16

 

 

 

 

Many Happy Returns

Stamps: Teeny Trees (WM); Big Deal Alphabet (SU)

Ink: Bahama Blue, Tangelo, Dandelion, Morocco (Memento)

Font: Zag, Coolvetica, Ecuyer Dax

Other: Citrus Stack (DCWV); corner chompers; unknown ribbon

Good morning folks.  I woke up this morning inspired.  That hasn't happened in ages, so thank you Muse & Marion Vagg:

 

 

I was most inspired by the colour scheme, & the ribbons behind the main image give a nod to the stripes of washi on Marion's card.

 

So I have been shut away in my craft room making hay while the sun shines.

The candles are the 'l' from the alphabet set (the lighter ones are stamped off Bahama Blue), & the flames are graduated sizes of tree-top.  I made the sentiment using Silhouette Studio, & have figured out how to save it in a different format, so here it is below as a PNG if you want to use it:

I even managed to use some paper from a DCWV stack that I've had for at least 3 years.  Love it when I can use up old stuff.

 

Linking to:

Muse: Challenge #5

CASology: Week 32 ~ Flame

Happy ever after

Stamps: unknown

Ink: Ladybug (Memento)

Dies: Pinking squares (WPlus9); Modern Landscape (Memory Box)

Font: Gasoline Alley

Other: 1 3/8 hole punch

A quick & easy valentine that's not too girly.  CASology have Fairytale as the inspiration word this week, & all the best fairy tales end in Happy Ever After, sometimes with a picture of where the happy ever after will happen (more often a castle than a 2-up 2-down...), so this is my take on that.

The layout was inspired by 2 other challenges this week:



CARDS Blog Challenge



Cloud9


Linking to:
CASology: Week 30 ~ Fairytale
Cloud9: February Blog Hop (begins 9th Feb)
Cards Blog Challenge: February 2013

Feeling blue...

Font: Century Gothic, Marketing Script

Other: unknown ribbon; Aurora Crystal e.p. (Cosmic Shimmer)

This card was inspired by a post from The CLASSroom by Laura Bassen.  She demonstrates how to make a tartan pattern using solid stripes. 

I had a go, but wasn't that impressed with my stamping prowess,  then remembered this luscious ribbon that I have been hoarding  hadn't yet found a good use for.  I bought it at a show last year & have looked at it, with occasional stroking & sighing, at frequent intervals, then promptly put it back on the shelf.  But a new year has dawned & I am determined to be less parsimonious with my supplies!

 

 





Having printed out the sentiment, it lacked a little something.  If in doubt, add glitter.  A spread a little cosmic shimmer powder around my craft room, & fortunately some landed more or less in the right place.  However it is a tad camera-shy, so you'll just have to take my word for it!

Linking to:
CASology: Week #27 ~ Blue

CAS(E) this sketch

Stamps: Folk Art Flurries (WPlus9); Polka Dot Basics II (PTI)

Ink: Rosebud, Tangelo, Danube (Memento); Turquoise (Versamagic)

Font: Worstveld Extra Oblique, Century Gothic

 

Hi there.  I got the Folk Art Flurries set just before Christmas & have played about loads with scrap paper, but this is my first bona fide card.  I love the gradation of snowflake sizes, so decided to combine it with my 'duvet' colour scheme from earlier in the week. 

I stuck very closely to the challenge sketch, with a freehand curve inspired by the tendril.  When I ran out of snowflakes, I had to do some judicious inking with my polka dot background set.  Needless to say, this card is not the first off... A few gems from a nail art set add the required winter sparkle.

As ever, didn't have a suitable sentiment, so had to bash one out on the printer. 

 

Linking to:

CAS(E) this sketch #10

CASology: Week#26 ~ Winter

What a palaver.....

Stamps: woodgrain (Market Street Stamps)

Ink: Teal Zeal (Memento)

Paper: Stella & Rose (MME)

Dies: Pinking squares (WPlus 9); nested squares (Quikutz)

Finally! It has taken me more than 2 hours to upload this photo. My upload button has disappeared! I know I am guilty of severe blog neglect, but I didn't think that blogger could be that vindictive. In case you too are suffering, I uploaded to Flickr, pinned to Pinterest then copied & pasted into Blogger. Phew.

Edit 05/01/13: A better way is to switch from compose to html mode & upload the photos, then return to compose

Anyways. If there is still anyone out there who reads this blog, how are ya? The last month seems to have been swept away on a tide of white wine & elderly relatives. I haven't crafted for AGES, despite at last having a room all to myself. I hesitate to call it a craft room yet, because it still seems to be something of a dumping ground for other vagrant items from my household. However, it does contain all my craft stuff & it does have a door, which is more than can be said for my bedroom at the moment. I have a curtain for a door & cardboard for curtains.

Enough!  You didn't come here for a load of domestic blether & madwoman rantings (I hope...). This card uses some cute stickers from PaperChase, with digitally created speech bubbles.  The stamp is one I bought a while ago, but had yet to use.  The card base is 5" square, to allow for space around the main image.  As the stickers & the stamp qualify as NEW toys, I'm entering this into CASology this week, as well as CAS-ual Fridays.

 

Linking to:

CASology: Week#25 ~ New

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC84 ~ Thank You

Curvy Christmas

Font: One Starry Night

Dies: Pennants (Spellbinders); Stars (MFT)

Other: 0.25" hole punch; gold tinsel embossing powder; red glitter paper

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...  Have just been to see my youngest in the carol service at the cathedral, & wrapped a few gifts, BUT I refuse to put up any decorations for at least another fortnight.  Am I a Scrooge?  I don't think so.  I want to look forward to Christmas & enjoy it, not be sick of it before it even arrives!  OK, rant over.

This card was inspired largely by the fabby font that someone pinned on Pinterest.  I really like the shape of the letters, so decided to make more of a feature of it by curving it up the side of the card (using Silhouette Studio), then cut the edge to match.  A strip of spotty paper inside the card helps highlight the edge.  The tree is simple strips of green stuck on a die cut triangle.  I am perfectly capable of cutting a triangle, but now I own dies for things, I feel duty bound to use them,  even when it takes twice as long to haul out / clear up all the kit...  A smidge of glue pen & embossing powder along the edge gives a bit of extra glam.  This one definitely lends itself to batch production; maybe next year...

 

PS Thanks Darnell for the heads up about the FaceBook showCASe on ATCAS - I didn't even know it was there!

 

Linking to:

Addicted to CAS: ATCAS#2 ~ Bauble
Less Is More: Week 96 ~ Red & Green
CASology: Week#22 ~ Sparkle

Thanks again...

Stamps: Bitty Banners (WM); Basic Borders (Mama Elephant)

Ink: Rhubarb Stalk, Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart (Memento)

Having made a die cut 'thanks' for yesterday's CASology, I happened upon this week's One Layer Wednesday with the debris still around me.  It was the perfect opportunity to use the negative from the die cut with a bit of gentle sponging.  The brief is to make a Christmas thank you card.  So I thought presents (that's really what Xmas means in my heathen household...).  Not a present stamp to be found.  What's a girl to do?  Dig out the foam & the hole punch:

 

 

Stick it on the acrylic block with temporary adhesive & away we go.  Nice & simple, easy to do in bulk.  Assuming Santa stops here, of course!

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW114 ~ a Christmas thank you

CASology: Week #19 ~ Thanks