Made for the ModSquad challenge to use patterned paper and also for a friend whose daughter has had twins. I cut out a large heart for the background and then using a Spellbinder die called Layered Happy Birthday, I cut out some balloons from other PP and added them to the heart. Using an unbranded double stitch rectangular die I cut the main panel and added a small scrap of marbled paper on top. I fussy cut two matching little bears from another small piece of PP, after stamping them and colouring in certain parts. I popped them up onto this and added a small fussy cut fairy above. Stamped the sentiment which I also fussy cut out. Added a few small gems here and there. Stamps and card stock all from Gina K. Designs my main go to place for ideas and purchases.
Used another of my gifted stencils to create this one. First brushed colour in circles using distress oxides. Sprinkled a bit of water and let dry. Using Mowed lawn I sponged through stencil to get design. When dry I added nuvo glimmer paste through stencil. I used a versamark pen and ruler to draw a line around edge of card stock and then added an old glitter embossing powder on top. heat embossed to give the shine at edge. Added sentiment to a piece of vellum and heat embossed in black. Two black gems added to each end. added entire piece to turquoise sea card stock.
I’ve been thinking about creating a blog for over a year now and am finally getting around to actually doing it. In order to showcase some of my cards I needed a place to upload them and display them for others to see so here is my first card for the year.
This card has been created for the monthly challenge at Gina K. Designs. We have to showcase a sentiment and cannot use others stamps on the card.
I stenciled Distress Oxides in several pinks using a lovely hand made heart stencil given to me by a great on line friend. I first masked off the area where the sentiment heart is. I stenciled the butterflies using another stencil from the same friend. I stamped the sentiment onto the die cut heart and traced over it with a gelly roll pen to add a bit of sparkle. I popped it up slightly offset over a black heart which I then glued in the masked off space. Added a few tiny bling gems in places. I added main panel to a black piece of card stock and then adhered it to the card front.
Challenge #279 here at cardz 4 galz, as chosen by Helen is to make your card Clean and Simple.
Having seen a tutorial a while back on Splitcoast Stampers, Faux Cyanotypes – SCS Weekly Inkling #1008, I had long been wanting to try this particular style card. You can’t get more CAS than the way this one is done in my opinion.
My biggest challenge was that I don’t have any square die sets, and the odd square dies I do have weren’t the right size. The punch I have wouldn’t cut properly so it is now in the trash. I chose and adapted a die that wasn’t right and fixed it so that it was okay. It was a bit fiddly but I made it work and I was only cutting the mask so not wasting card stock in the process. I did try it on scrap paper first though.
Once the mask was on the rest was very easy and fairly quick too. I used Blueprint Sketch ink and a brush to get the background, inking only lightly until I deemed it enough. Then using and old rubber stamp set by Darkroom Door I stamped one of the smaller bikes using the same ink but more coverage so it stamped darker. Using another stamp from the set I stamped the sentiment. You can imagine my annoyance when I realized that the stamp edge had created a nice blue line that was totally unintentional. Serves me right for not checking the stamp as I normally do.
What to do about it was my next question, particularly as this is a CAS design. I created another sentiment on a scrap piece and tried adding it, but it didn’t look right. I also considered adding a frame over the entire card, but without the right dies this was even more problematic and didn’t look good either. I actually set it aside overnight because my brain wasn’t giving me good solutions, other than starting again on a new card front. During the night I decided to try some bling to cover it up and this seemed to work and looks okay. Had it not been okay I would have made another one. Even though adding bling isn’t generally done with a CAS design, I don’t think it detracts from the design here. You’ll be pleased to know that I have now purchased a square die set and it is on its way to me as I type.
Now it is your turn to create and we look forward to seeing what you do. Have fun while you play. Thanks for joining me today, you and your time are appreciated.
It is once again time for our Double Trouble Challenge #219 and your challenge is to make a slimline card, regular or mini. Recipe is: 3 – layers and the card base can be included, 2 images and 1 slimline. Thing 3, twisted sister is to add some sparkle or glitter and thing 2 is for you to use the sketch and enter it at TSOT #698. Be careful not to back link.
Quite some time ago and I can’t quite remember where, I saw an artist colour some images just using brush strokes with different colours. I decided I would give this a go myself and I created the cup panel where it languished on my desk as I couldn’t decide, first whether I liked it, and second how I might use it. The cup stamp is from Joy Clair. My effort isn’t terrible, but I now realize that the artist was using a special shaped brush which I don’t have. Funnily enough my hubby saw this and said he liked it, which helped me to use it.
Anyway because this panel was already done, I decided it would make a decent slimline card. After cutting my card base I took some glitter CS and cut a piece for the front. Then I added the cup panel on top. Right there that gave me 3 layers plus the sparkle requirement. Then I cut another piece of white CS to the size I required for the bottom and stamped the sentiment heat embossing it for a bit more definition. Stamp set is from a dollar store brand Forever in Time and the cake image is from the same set. I stamped it, coloured with pencils and some Sakura glitter pens and then fussy cut, giving me my second image. If I don’t count the card front there are three layers but with the card front I now have four. Once this was added to the card front I called the card finished.
In the end I quite like the result, but without this challenge, I’m not sure I would have used the cup layer at all. Now it is your turn and we look forward to seeing your ideas and cards in our gallery. Have fun creating.
Thanks for stopping by, your time and comments are always appreciated.
When I purchased this ephemera set a while back, I set it aside and then couldn’t find it. I found it the other day languishing in a drawer and cannot think how it got there. I also didn’t realize until going through the entire package that each envelope held parts of the same image as it was designed to be decoupaged together. I chose one of the hummingbirds that best used the colours in this challenge and built him using foam pieces between the layers. The sentiment is from the Weekender kit and I heat set it clear before using the matching die to cut it. The shaped pieces are a very old and hardly used set by either Sizzix or Spellbinders and my card stock is from StampinUp. It was recently found in a cupboard in my hubby’s studio. A friend had given me this CS before we moved to the island and I guess this was packed with some of his items and although I wondered what had happened to it, finding it 5 years later is funny.
I realized recently, that when I first began making cards, dies and clear stamps didn’t exist and I fussy cut everything, used clip art that I could alter on the computer and created other things to get what I wanted. I never did do well with the wooden block stamps although I used a few once in a while. Having family in The Netherlands and being able to visit them, I found a lot of crafty things at local markets and decoupage pages were among what I purchased. In those days I had to fussy cut each piece. Then dies started to become popular and I had no money for them or the machines necessary to use them. When I got my first machine I had no idea of what to do with much of it and although I purchased a few dies here and there I wasn’t skilled enough to figure out the best way to use what I had. As the Internet became more popular and more accessible I discovered a world I didn’t know existed and here we are today using it as a source for education, creative ideas and tutorials along with other stuff. I also have to give a shout out to Gina K. By accident I found StampTV and I learned so much from her and made a few stamping buddies along the way too. This creative community is amazing and I’m happy to be part of it.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time always.
It isn’t often that I really like a card I make, but this one I am truly happy with. So how did it come about and why I had to get really creative to make it?
Firstly it has been made for the latest challenge at Color Hues Challenge #135 – Yellow and Black. It uses dies from a StampinUp set, along with a larger die that I’ve had forever and think is from either Spellbinders or Sizzix. Acquired in the days when I didn’t think to keep the information. And it uses a sentiment from a Hero Arts set that was an included set in my latest Weekender kit.
I wanted to create a butterfly border, but didn’t have the right dies to do what I saw in my head. So instead I die cut the butterflies separately and added them as you see to the narrow yellow strips. To make them look as if they were die cut into the strip I coloured in the pattern attaching them to it. The hanging off piece picks up the black card front underneath. I used some black 1mm foam underneath and once they were attached to the card front, I started on the larger more ornate butterfly. Reversing the two colours I cut the background piece out of the yellow and the open frame piece from the black and attached them together. Taking the body die and some glossy gold CS I die cut the body and attached as you see. It was also popped up on a double up piece of foam so it floats above the others. The black embellishments are really old and from my stash. Once I had stamped the sentiment I embossed and heat set clear then I cut it into two so I could add it between the strips.
Yellow and black look pretty good together and I have to remember to use the combination more often. I guess using a strong yellow helps the visual impact a lot. Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look, I appreciate you and your time.
I started this card mainly with Seize the Birthday in mind, but it sat on my desk for a couple of days because I didn’t have enough time to continue with it. In the meantime a second challenge began at CYHTP and I realized it would work for that too.
The printed acetate sheet is the last of a bunch I purchased many years ago because I thought they were pretty. Then I couldn’t think how to use them due to my lack of knowledge and skill. These days I wouldn’t have kept them so long unused.
The challenge at Seize the Birthday is to use acetate or vellum and the one at CYHTP is always an Embossing Folder, but with an optional twist. The twist this time is Boys to Men. My card fits both challenges, although I acknowledge that Huey would work for a woman as well.
Using my latest folder from Spellbinders and some watercolour CS I embossed the background and then used ink in two shades to add colour. I like the texture on the watercolour, it takes ink well and it seems to work great for these leaves. I wondered about adding dimension around the sides of the acetate, but it showed through too much so that idea was clearly not going to work. I already knew I was going to use the chameleon die set, and I set the acetate to one side giving me time to think about it and proceeded to cut and build Huey. Once he was built I took another 2 dies from a different set in this kit and cut the branch and the vine fronds.
I added Huey and the fronds to the branch and then placed him on the card front laying the acetate piece on top. Deciding this would work I glued him down and added a strip of scortape to the acetate at the top only. Using the sentiment and matching dies from the kit, I stamped the sentiment and heat set it clear. The It’s your Day was placed underneath the acetate at the top and the other part was added on top of the acetate at the bottom.
The card size is slightly larger than I would normally do, but I wanted to be sure the acetate would fit nicely and making an envelope for it is pretty easy. Although making Huey was time consuming, it wasn’t difficult and I was smart enough to print out the explanation for each piece which I’m keeping with the set. The hardest part of this card was taking the photo and it took several tries to get this one, which is still not that great. No matter where I put the card there was a light source that glared on the acetate, which is why you can’t see the entire sentiment at the top. All in all, I’m pleased with how this turned out and I have a few coloured stripes left to have the next Huey partially prepared.
Chellenges entered:
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate both your time and any comments you may leave.
Lynda has chosen the current challenge theme here at cardz 4 galz, and she wants to see seaside/coast style cards for challenge #278.
I decided to let some of my paper do the work on this card and used a patterned paper that looks like water. I also used some old fine sandpaper to create the beach sand look. Using some Kokorosa dies I added the foamy water at the join of the two papers. Then with another die set I cut the umbrella tops and coloured them as you see, adding a couple of striped beach towels among them. The die set has tiny people so I cut three, two as sunbathers and one who is body surfing.
This umbrella scene was inspired by a graphic in a TV show which is set in Mallorca. To give the umbrellas some dimension I shaped them a bit and added foam tape in the centers so they pop up. My hubby commented that this looks like an arial scene taken by a Drone.
As I’m not certain how I shall use this card, I’m leaving the sentiment off for now. Many thanks for stopping by, I do appreciate you and your time. We look forward to seeing your cards in our gallery and hope you have a lot of fun creating.
Welcome to challenge #218, here at Double Trouble. The current recipe is as follows: 3 – Washi Tape or paper scraps, 2- die cut elements, 1- Masculine project, Thing 3 is the option to use any element pertaining to your guy and Thing 2 is the usual Double Dare to use the sketch and enter into TSOT. Note that entering here means you need to take care not to back link your project.
As you can see I used a combination of inked paper scraps and Washi tape for my background. My Washi tapes are really old and why they are still around, is because I find they don’t stick well and often peel. As I type I can see some of it is lifting so I shall have to glue the ends in a minute. My die cut tool elements double as both masculine and the my guy option, because this card is intended for a friend who is always playing with tools and handyman work. As well there are 2 other die cuts with the glitter circle and speech bubble.
The tools come from a die set from MFT, and I cut them twice to have enough to glue around the circle. The sentiment is from GKD and the heart stamp is from Simple Stories. I used a scrap piece of gray CS and some silver scrap to cut the tools. I used Black Soot ink for the sentiment and then heat embossed it and the hearts were added almost as an after thought.
Now it is your turn and we look forward to seeing your makes in the gallery. Above all have fun. Many thanks for stopping by, your time and comments are greatly appreciated.
It’s a sketch challenge at my favourite challenge site this week. As You See It is asking for a sphere and I used Hero Arts infinity circles to make mine. Using the top circle, having cut several for stacking together, I inked up a sponge and covered it. I did use two ink shades after which I used some sparkle spray as well as a little of Lindy’s Starburst spray. With one of my new Spellbinders EF’s I embossed the background and then inked over it with two inks. After which I cut it down to size.
Taking my now dry circle and a rub on transfer that came with my new kit from Spellbinders I added the image, now with stacked layers, to it. This was then added to the background piece which in turn was added to the card front. The overhang was cut off as per the sketch. Using another transfer that is a sentiment I added it to some white CS and then cut it down to the size you see in the photo. A few green sequins and some copper glitter in the flower centers and the card was done.
My hubby said this was very striking and I am quite pleased with it myself. I didn’t have a plan when I started this card and just let it evolve as I went along.
Thanks for stopping by, you, your time and any comments you may leave are always appreciated.
The gold background die cut was on my desk and I already had these little bows cut and stored with their corresponding die set so I pulled them out and added them to the postage stamp style die cut. This is from Uniquely Creative. The background is from an unbranded set and the bows are from Kokorosa.
I had the idea of adding some twine through the edges of the die cut piece and used some Jute twine for this. Tied it into another bow and then added the sentiment from Open Studio underneath. This was then added to the background piece and then to the card front.
A simple card with the most frustrating part being adding the twine. Stupid stuff kept wanting to unravel and my fingers were also not cooperating so a few minutes of annoyance, before it was done.
Using my new kit from Spellbinders and thinking this particular die set would be perfect for a colour challenge, I set about creating this card for Sunday Stamps – SSC387 Garden Grandeur. I think I’ve managed to use all the colours in this card although only 3 are truly required.
There is quite a lot of fiddly work to create everything here and my shading of various pieces isn’t brilliant. It takes time and practice to get this 100% right, but I’m sure my next card will show improvement. I picked out the various colours from my scrap pieces and die cut what I wanted to use. Laying them all out on a sticky mat I tried to add the shading, but one of my inks was too dry and I don’t have a reinker for it so it didn’t go as well as I needed it to. Then I proceeded to build the bird of paradise flowers and added the stems to the various leaves. My background was embossed using the folder from the kit and because I used a textured CS the raised pieces ended up white. I went over them with some ink so they turned a light shade of pink. I played with placement until I had something I thought would work and glued everything in place. It needed a bit more so using another set from the kit I cut a few flowers and added them as you see. The sentiment is from Open Studio because I was too lazy to use one from the kit and the tiny opal embellishments came with kit and are exclusive to the Weekender. The embellishments are truly pretty at Spellbinders so I’m sure crafters will be asking for them. I also added some Nuvo Crystal glaze to the flower centers.
I think I will pick a day when my hands are not as painful and die cut all these pieces again so I can practice putting things together and get better shading results. Actually I may do this with the other sets as well. It will help me to create some of the other ideas I have floating in my head.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.
Lavender House Creations 