Let it SNOW

Stamps: Tag Its #8(PTI)

Ink: Espresso Truffle (Memento)

Die: Framelits Instant (Sizzix)

Hurray! Less is More are doing a festive challenge today, so I can start to share some of my cards for this year. It also works for the upcoming Papertrey Bloghop on 25th of the month, which has a snow theme.

Smile...

Stamps: Lovely Layers (PTI); Abstract Art (MFT); Scripty Sayings (PS); Geometrics 2 (CB)

Ink: Tangelo (Memento); Soft Pool, Lime Green (HA)

Dies: Stitched Mat Squares (Lil' Inkers)

This card has been persistently cocking a snook at me for a number of days now.  Twice I have walked away, my scrap bin overflowing, but today I became its master!

 

Top tip for masking - use tracing paper, then you can see exactly where you are placing your mask, to make sure the stamped image has an even border all round.

Linking to:

Less is More: Week 170 ~ 3 colours

Muse 64 / CFC131

Stamps: Geometric Style 2 (Clearly Besotted); It's Your Day (HA)

Ink: Tangelo, Dandelion (Memento); Tumbled Glass (Ranger Distress)

Dies: Lovely Layers (PTI); Borders 1 (PS)

Mojo has been a bit of a no-show this week.  This was inspired by Marion Vagg at Muse, & fits the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge too.

I discovered there is definitely an order to doing inlaid die-cuts.  Start at the back!

As usual, dithered over the sentiment.  Got as far as mounting on sticky pads before I made up my mind.  Still not convinced...  Who said CAS cards are easy?

Linking to:
Muse: Challenge #64
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC131 ~Three Thirds

Glossy thanks tag

Stamps: Geometric Style II (Clearly Besotted)

Ink: Soft Pool (HA)

Dies: Headline Alpha (PTI); Rounded Tag (CB)

Other: Diamond Stickles (Ranger); Anita's 3D Gloss; Aqua Twine (Divine Twine)

Lovin' these alpha dies!  Glittered & glossed as previous post (but without the errors this time!).  Used the PTI packaging for the acetate tag.

 

Ultimately this will go on a teacher's gift, but I haven't made it yet, so the empty bottle is just a stunt double.

Linking to:
Papertrey Ink: March 2014 Blog Hop Challenge (not until 25th)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Simon Says Glitter It

Get your party on & manage your scraps



Stamps: Headline Alphabet (PTI)

Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine)

Dies: Balloons (PS); Headline Alpha (PTI)

Other: Diamond Stickles (Ranger); Anita's 3D Gloss

Pheww.  This has required some patience!  The PARTY is 5 layers thick & after cutting I had to adhere them all very carefully.  Then applied gloss.  Waited for gloss to dry.  When dry, realised had applied gloss too thick & it was as wrinkly as... a wrinkly thing.  Applied Diamond Stickles to hide the wrinkles (wish that worked on me!).  Waited for stickles to dry.  Not quite long enough.  Smudged stickles, had to re-apply.  When stickles dry, put on more gloss.  Back in the airing cupboard.  Finally finish the card & take a picture, you can barely see the glitter, & the gloss is invisible.  But it looks great IRL, pinkie promise!

 

It is almost a reverse of the Muse card - bold black letters with a splash of colour.

 

Linking to:
The Card Concept: Challenge #6 - Create a Birthday Card
Less is More: Week 164 ~ Use 3 of Something
Papertrey Ink: March 2014 Blog Hop Challenge (not until 25th)
Muse Card Club: Muse Challenge #59
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Simon Says Glitter It

No new sheets of cardstock were harmed during the production of the above card.  All the die-cuts were cut from scrap.  Tiny pieces that should perhaps have gone in the bin.  But they were saved thanks to my new scrap management system:

 



 

 A swing file box that sits neatly on my desk, made from a few old boxes, paper & bamboo skewers.  I have another one the same for all my neutral scraps.  They work a treat - my desk has never been tidier.

Mothers' Day wreath

Stamps: Flower Friend (SSS); Boxes Bags & Tags (PTI); Fanciful Flowers (Elzybells)

Ink: Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Lilac Posies (Memento)

Font: Sofia, Narkism

A move slightly away from my comfort zone today, but I think my MiL would prefer this to something more minimal or graphic.

I printed the sentiment & used a Lil' Inkers die as a circle template (told you I'd get a lot of use out of them...), then stamped around it.  This wasn't dumb luck, I practised several times on scrap to make sure everything fitted.  Just for once the final piece is better than the trials!

Might be a bit too busy for LiM this week - perhaps should have used a 5" card base? - but I'll try my luck anyway.

 

Linking to:

Less is More: Week 162 One Layer Card ~ Spring Flowers

Spring birthday

Stamps: Teeny Trees (WM); Lovely Layers, Little Bitty Bird (PTI)

Ink: Rose Bud, Bamboo Leaves (Memento); Versamark (Tskineko)

Dies: Grid Border (SSS); Lovely Layers (PTI)

Other: white e.p. (WOW)

Hooray, the sun is shining (the solar panels are humming) & spring is on its way.  This card is for The Card Concept, where the theme is floral.  In my head it was going to be clean & graphic (hence the grid border), but it would seem that my hands had other ideas - so clean & simple it is.

 

It also fits for PTI on the 25th Feb ~ Sweet Spring.

 

Linking to:

The Card Concept: Challenge #4 - Use a Floral Theme

Papertrey Ink: February 2014 Blog Hop Challenge (25th Feb)

30 something

Stamps: Star Prints (PTI); Confetti (ME)

Ink: Angel Pink, Rose Bud (Memento)

Other: TW Cen MT (Font); Diamond Stickles (Ranger); By the Numbers dies (MFT)

Something pink & sparkling for a very glamorous friend. 

 

 

Continuing with the layered die cuts, & heavily influenced by all the confetti cards I have seen for the Winnie & Walter release.

 

Linking to:

Papertrey Ink: January Blog Hop Challenge ~ Pretty in Pink
Addicted to CAS: Challenge #29 ~ Die Cuts

Mama Elephant: January Picture Challenge

Make It Monday ~ Stamped Square Frames

Stamps: Rustic Branches (PTI); Be Jolly (Technique Tuesday)

Ink: Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Lady Bug (Memento)

Other: Tag-a-Long die (Clearly Besotted)

A quick square frame combined with my current favourite stamp set, Be Jolly.  I have soooo many more ideas for using these baubles.

 

Linking to:

Make it Monday: #139 ~ Stamped Square Frames

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps & More: Challenge #69 ~ CAS

Chevrons & Sequins

Stamps: Gingham & Co (WM); Christmas Tags (Elzybells)

Ink: Soft Poll (HA); LadyBug (Memento)

Other: chevron fie (PTI); tiny hearts (SSS); photo frames (Sizzix)

I am exhausted.  This card has taken the best part of 4 hours to put together!  Too fiddly by far.  It was inspired by this card here, & by all the fab 'suspended tree' cards in the latest SSS release.  Part of the card front folds down to allow the chevron tree to hang in the middle of the card.

 

 

 

I tried a number of different methods to get the chevrons to dangle independently.  The most successful (& most fiddly...) was to make individual links out of thread.  I must have used about 5 metres of thread just to get these few links.

By sheer dumb luck, among the very few sequins in my possession were a handful that just matched the Soft Pool ink.  Hurray!  I strung these on (yet more) gold thread & held them in place on the line by a tiny dot of glossy accents.

The photo frame is an adjustment of the Sizzix dies.  I cut a piece of card the right width first & then put the die half way through twice, once from each side.  Hope that makes sense.

 

Linking to:

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC116 ~ Chevrons & Sequins

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: We're going dotty

 

 

 



Christmas wreath

Stamps: Text Style (PTI)

Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)

Other: Breezy Wreath (PoppyStamps); Liquid Pearls; white gel pen

I love a wreath, don't you? This wreath die is great, but I find it does require a fair amount of depilation!  I think I've got all the whiskery bits off then, just as I go to stick it down, another one pops up.  Quite frustrating to use.

To get the berries nestled in the leaves, I used the die-cut negative & made a template, which I pierced where I wanted the berries to be.  Then I marked through the pierced holes with a pencil & added liquid pearls.

When I had finished, I realised that the text stamping is upside down.  Sshh.  Perhaps no one else will notice.

 

Linking to:

Papertrey Ink: September Blog Hop

Papertrey June Blog Hop Challenge

 

Stamps: Lovely Layers, Boxes Bags & Tags, Tin Types (PTI); It's Your Day (HA); Basic Borders (ME)

Ink: Tangelo, Morocco, Rose Bud (Memento); Versamark (Tsukineko)

Other: 2" circle punch; white & gold e.p. (WOW)

This card is for PTI's June bloghop "A Touch of Gold".  To make the medallion, I scanned in my Lovely Layers set, then used Silhouette Studio to trace, replicate & rotate a particular image 3 times.  I then welded these together  & added an offset outline.  I cut it out, stamped & embossed it, then wound gold thread around to create the 'net' pattern.



 

My favourite part of the card, however, is the glossy faux brads.  The small ring stamp from Boxes, Bags & Tags was stamped in versamark & embossed with gold.  I coloured it using a blender pen with the same inks as the medallion, then punched it out with a 1/4" hole punch.  After sticking in place on the card I added glossy accents for the final touch.  The embossed rim enabled me to spread the gloss around with a pin without going over the edge.

 

Am also entering this for Less is More this week, although I'm not entirely sure it's quite 'less' enough!

 

Linking to:

Less is More: Week 125 ~ Happy Birthday Jen

Papertrey Ink: June Blog Hop ~ A Touch of Gold 

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

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

Fusion Challenge #2

Stamps: Basic Borders (Mama Elephant); Polka Dot Basics II (PTI)

Ink: Pear Tart (Memento); Versamark (Tsukineko)

Dies: By the Numbers (MFT); Snowflakes (Provocraft)

Other: Washi tape (PaperChase); clear embossing powder (WOW!)

Hurrah.  The kids are back at school; the ironing's done; the house is tidy (ish!) so at last I can steal an hour or two for crafting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving the inspiration on the Fusion Challenge this week.  Thought long & hard about this one.  Had a few ideas that started to get VERY complicated & had to go right back to the beginning again.  Am even now sitting on my hands (metaphorically, you understand, else typing would be a little awkward...) to prevent a sentiment creeping in there, but I will be strong!

 

Linking to:

Fusion: Hypothesis #2

CAS(E) This Sketch: Sketch #23

Silver Retro Sketch

Stamps: Star Prints (PTI)

Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)

I like the layout at Retro Sketches this week, & have continued the silver & red theme from Saturday. 

 

The sentiment was constructed digitally (Century Gothic & Qumpellka no.12), before stamping & embossing.

 

Linking to:

Retro Sketches: #32

Less is More: Week 88 ~ Silver

Folded squares

Stamps: Little Bitty Bird (PTI)

Ink: Tangelo, Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Long ago & far away, before Pinterest (yes, there was such a time) I saw this idea as artwork.  I thought "I could do that".  And then did nothing.  I have had a flick around likely sites today, but have failed to come up with the original piece.  If you know where to find it, please let me know.

 

CASology are using WHITE as the challenge word this week, & that's what triggered my memory.  Prior to today, I have scoffed at the idea of square punches.  I have pooh-poohed them soundly.  Because any fool can cut a square, right?  Wrong.  At least, this fool can cut one, but apparently not 12 identical ones. Even when I cut a strip & then only had to chop it up at the right intervals. Perhaps the picture I should be showing you is of my table, covered in over-large confetti comprised of squares-that-didn't fit & squares-that-can't-be-folded-exactly-in-half. I think a square punch may well be on my Christmas list.

 

 

 

Anyway, the card is a 5" square, & I used a 1/2" border all round to position my folded squares correctly.  I learned the hard way to stamp first, fold & stick later.

 

I just hope it's white enough.

 

Linking to:

CASology: Week 11 ~ White

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC70 B&W plus one

Simple Christmas card

Stamps: Rustic Branches (PTI)

Ink: Rhubarb Stalk, Pear Tart (Memento)

Other: Martha Stewart Score Board

It's the dreaded one layer week over at Less is More, using foliage.  I made a template from scrap paper & stamped through it, then stuck it on the inside of the front to score the rectangle in the right place.  Nice & simple.  I think I'll use it for Christmas, but it could work for other occasions too.

Linking to:
Less is More: Week 84, one layer ~ Foliage

Good luck card

Stamp: Tremendous Treats Valentine (PTI)

Ink: Aqua (Ranger Adirondack); Summer Sky, London Fog (Memento)

Font: Narkism

I masked off a circle & sponged the cloud effect with a pieced of hand scalloped paper.  The plane is paper-pieced, coloured with sponged ink & prisma colour pencils.  I created the banner & sentiment digitally, & then coloured the sentiment in with coloured pencils.

Originally the card was longer, with the intention of doodling a trail behind it leading to the banner.  Could not get it to look right, so cut it back to a nice, comforting square.