Give a man a fish....

Fonts : Zag Bold, Angelina, Worstveld Sling Extra

Dies: Geometric Style II (CB), Tiny Hearts (SSS)

I needed a card for my b-i-l, a very keen fisherman.  The pun is not my own, but the design is. This is a sentiment that both my sister & I both endorse whole-heartedly! If you google "give a man a fish", there are many, many punchlines. 

I also looked for simple fishing rod pictures, which showed the narrowing diameter of the rod. I achieved the same effect with decreasing sizes of font.  I sketched the rod & line in Silhouette Studio & then dragged the text so it would follow the path of the lines.  The fish body is a bite out of a small circle, with the heart for the tail.

I am submitting this to LiM’s “this makes me happy!” challenge for 2 reasons. I love fiddle-faddling on the computer trying to bend it to my will, & I find it extremely satisfying when an idea works out as planned.  Also it is a good male card, something that I don’t think I am alone in struggling with!

Also entering for SSS Anything Goes.

Merry & Bright

Stamps: Be Merry (Clearly Besotted)

Ink: Aquamarine (AE); Versamark (Tsukineko)

Dies: Ampersand (MFT); Finished Frames (AE)

Other: silver embossing powder; patterned paper (AE); Pale Turquoise card (Papermill Direct)

Can you tell I have made an effort with the photo today?  Trying to channel my inner Debbie Hughes!  Hmmnnn, think it needs a bit more work...

Love the new 'quiet' release from Clearly Besotted.  It meant that there were actually a few items still in stock when I finally got round to deciding what I wanted.  I managed to elongate the AE frame so that its aspect ration fits a UK card size, & have kept the 'outside' piece to use as a template for this in the future.

Have just seen this week’s CAS(E) this Sketch. Talk about serendipity!

Deck the halls with...

...cardboard reindeer.

Not a particularly new idea, but I like it.  I scaled up this template to make the head as large as possible on A4, then printed out on computer paper.  This was temporarily adhered to kraft card & cut out.  I used  only 3 sheets of card for this chap.

 

The antlers & nose were coloured with pro-markers & the moustache was a leftover party prop which I think it rather suits him.  Tried googly eyes but they were insufficiently regal (unlike the facial hair...), so will have to keep thinking.



Deck the halls with...

...wrapping paper.

Yup, plain old red kraft paper from Ikea.  Cuts like a dream on the Silhouette (had to cut into A4 sheets first).  The S & J are A4 size, the rest scaled to look right next to them.  The fonts are Narkism & Halohandletter. And yes, it does owe a more than a little inspiration to a PTI sentiment!  The snowflakes are basics that came with the Silhouette Studio software.

 

 

The whole lot is stuck to the wall using a temporary adhesive.  I used the one from Pritt.  It proved a little too temporary to begin with (we spent many happy hours searching for a missing letter only to find it safe & sound on the sole of my husband's slipper) but a second application took us right through the festive season last year.

 

I love this because it was quick, cheap & made a big impact on the porch wall - an area usually bare of anything other than grubby fingerprints.

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.

Inspired by IKEA

Have you seen these birdhouses at IKEA?

Look cute enough here, but way too big & heavy in real life. Not sure where you are supposed to hang them, but surely not on a Christmas tree - it would bend the branch right down!

But I do like the idea, so I decided to make a knock off version out of cardstock:

Trouble was, I found I couldn't stop at just one! I had to see what they looked like with other colours or different roofs (side note - I always thought the plural of roof was rooves; turns out it isn't), so I made some more. Now I see them enlarged on the screen, I also want to try out stars & hearts as entry-ways. Can you guess what my friends will be getting for Christmas this year?

Here is my template for you to use:





Merry Muse

Dies: Small Circle Burst, Alphabet Soup (Memory Box)

Font:  Bookman Old Style Bold Italic

Inspired by Marion Vagg at Muse this week, I chose to concentrate on the large grey sentiment & the sun rays.  This MB die is the closest I possess to sun rays & I nearly lost my sanity fitting all those tiny dots; not to be undertaken lightly!

 

 The alphabet soup letters are cute but terribly hard to handle & line up - as you can see.

 

Apologies for the more-dreadfull-than-usual phot, had to use my tablet as the camera has had a nasty accident.