new baby

My BFF has a new granddaughter so I made a card for her. The challenge at As You See It is a Recipe for a Pastel Celebration and it seemed ideal to combine the card with this challenge. Before I start these recipe challenges I write down the required elements lest I forget one and then cross them off as I go.

Corrected lampshade version. I simply couldn’t stand the harsh lines.

I was testing out a new StampinUP EF to ensure I had it the right way up and used the scrap pink piece for the test. Rather than waste it I added it to the card front as a background wallpaper for the rest. The window die is from Art Impressions and I backed it with some paper that looks like sky before popping it up as you see. Then I set about building the dresser to go beside the window. Basically I hand cut all of the pieces and glued them together. The sentiment is from MFT and was stamped in pink then heat embossed, after which, I rounded two of the corners before popping up with foam tape. The dresser drawers were also popped up with foam tape and I used two stickers from Doodlebug Design that I’ve had for quite a while. I used some valentine paper scraps to make a lamp shade and have the edge of a blanket falling from the drawer. To make the shade I used a scalloped circle die from Sizzix and then cut by hand. I wanted it to look pleated so I hand drew the lines, but it would have been better had I used a glitter pen as the black is a bit harsh. And the lamp base was a scrap that I’d saved and could finally use. Drawer pulls are gems from my stash. Twine is from my stash and I tied a small bow and hung from top of window adding the tiny heart that was a fallout from that space. Also used twine to look as if the butterfly is hanging.

Apart from the harsh lines I’m not unhappy with this card and I think my friend will love it even with a small mistake. Thanks so much for stopping by, you are appreciated more than you know.

you hold the key

V is for Vintage is the current theme at the Alphabet Challenge blog. In general, vintage isn’t a style I use so this was a challenge for me to achieve. However, I had this gold layer on my desk as a leftover from an Altenew Art Deco die I used elsewhere. I liked the edges so decided to use it here. Then I took a piece of thick vellum and dry embossed it with a StampinUP folder called Starstruck. I went over the larger raised parts with a coppery glitter pen and this was also used on the the label and fussy cut stamping pieces. The stamp set is from Crafters Companion and was a freebie of vintage style stamps. I took the key and the feather pen, stamped them with Vintage photo ink and then fussy cut each one even getting into the scrolling on the key with a small craft knife. The sentiment was computer generated and I used a font that looks as if it was hand done with the feather pen. The embellishments are from my stash. The label is a die from Penny Black.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and any comments you may leave.

February Colours

It seems as if many of the current challenges are featuring pinks and reds this month. I don’t often play in the Colorful Options challenge, but this card seems to fit there quite well. In addition, I shall add it to the challenge at Double Trouble which is a recipe challenge with a twist of adding a heart. The recipe is as follows: 3-2-1 Recipe – Love is in the Air 

Servings – Unlimited Portions of Fun Ingredients:  

     3  Patterned Papers or Washi Tapes,      2  Shapes ,      1  Image or Sentiment .

And because there is a butterfly and a floral sprig it is being entered into the Triple B challenge as well.

When I did my previous card with the cake made from patterned papers it started as a card with a layout of different papers but I messed up measurements and cutting much to my frustration. In the end I set everything aside and began again to make that specific card. However, I still had this white layer partly done with some cut pieces already glued. I decided to use it yesterday and played with the cut pieces until I had worked out a layout I could live with and use. I finished gluing the additional bits and then pulled out some new Simple Stories ephemera to finish the card. The floral sprig and butterfly fit with my colours so they were popped up with foam tape. To disguise a measuring mistake I added the 3 hearts and used another piece as a sentiment. I’m tickled that I managed to fix the mess and use up most of the cut bits and pieces in the process. I quite like the finished card, which as you know, isn’t always the case.

Thanks for stopping by, your time and any comments are truly appreciated.

polka dot fun

Debbie has chosen Polka Dots as the theme for our current #243 challenge here at Cardz4galz and here is my take. The first thing I did was pull out some card scraps in various colours then using 3 different sized circle dies from Hero Arts, I cut 3 in each colour. With a card panel is a shimmery beige I added the circles and glued them down when happy with placement. When dry, I used an EF from Lifestyle Crafts called polka dots and I embossed the entire piece. After cutting it to the size I wanted it was added to the green card front. I recently got a stamp set from the dollar store called Bee Happy and used the large sentiment on a scrap white piece. The ink is a Distress Oxide called Forest Moss and while it was still wet I heat embossed it with clear powder. I added a little gold sparkle to the bee bodies before using a StampinUP banner die to cut it. I added a few score lines down one side before popping it up on foam tape. The little bees were stamped, clear heat embossed and coloured with pencils before fussy cutting. They were also popped up with some foam tape. Wings were done with a glitter pen. I quite like the end result and it was a simple card to make. I had seen a card somewhat similar on Pinterest but mine CASE uses a far larger dot folder which I personally prefer. I wish I had cut the banner down slightly before adding it, but I forgot.

I shall be adding this to the challenge at CYHTP.

Thanks for stopping by, I do appreciate that you do and that you comment.

Wishing you …

There is a collaboration between Inkspirational Challenge #334 – COLLABORATION with Color Hues Challenge #103 – RED AND PINK and Color Hues #103-Pink and Red Collaboration and as my hands are reasonable I decided to join in.

The products used are mainly new to me with couple of oldies along with them. Cake die cut is from Memory Box, Candles are GKD as is the sentiment, EF is by StampinUP and the label die is from Spellbinders.

Using some PP from my stash I die cut the cake and added the frosting. Added thin foam tape to the back of the both pieces. I embossed the pink background piece and used a matching red strip that I had from the same folder. These were then added to the card front. Once the label die cut was done I added some thicker foam tape to the back and placed it as you see. The cake was then added to this piece. I don’t have any small candle stamps or thin dies (have made a note to get some) so I used what I did have and cut the length off. Perhaps a little too big still, but I made it work. Added the sentiment after stamping and heat embossing.

It is a snowy weekend where I live and as the temperature drops the road is going to be icy. We are glad not to have to go anywhere until Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by, your time is appreciated.

masculine best wishes

SOS540 – Crafty Remnants – this challenge is right down my alley and I’ve had this card, done just after the holidays, ready on my desk waiting for the right challenge to enter into. My stamping buddies know I try to use all my scraps whenever possible. Only 3 things are not remnants, the black card, the sentiment die cut, (Sizzix) and the rushes die cut, (can’t remember by whom and temporarily misplaced). Everything else was leftover from prior projects some as far back as mid 2024. The blue layer was attached to the black card front and the stenciled piece added on top. Before adding it, I went around the edges with a blue pen. Stenciling was already done as it was a scrap I saved. Stencil by TCW titled screen view. At first, I wasn’t sure how I would use this leftover piece and then had the idea to make what you see here. The Canada Goose was something I found online for another project last year so as I had kept the image I printed it on CS and then fussy cut, before adding foam and popping it up. The single embellishment is covering up a small smudged area and is from my stash. It is nice to have a few masculine style cards done for this year.

I still have one more card made from scraps waiting for the right challenge to post too. I guess I shall soon have other scraps to use up, but for now I’m done.

Thanks for stopping by, your time is appreciated.

angled layers

SSC352 Flying Through and this is a sketch challenge at Sunday Stamps this week.

It never ceases to surprise me that colours can change so much when taking a photograph. This card, in reality, has tones of Teal in both the striped background and the layer piece but here those pieces look more blue than Teal.

I used up some scraps that were still on my cutting board to make the angled layers and then looked through my paper stash to find the main background piece. The oval was cut with Hero Arts Infinity dies, the stamped and heat embossed image is from a new set from Crafters Companion as is the sentiment. I edged the sentiment piece, after fussy cutting, using a Spectrum Noir marker and let it soak just enough to create the illusion of a torn edge. To get the shape I pencil drew around the stamp first.

The little Candy dots are from Waffle Flower. I’m happy to say, that I am pleased with the end result on this particular card.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it and any comments you leave for me.

Red and Kraft

Seize the Birthday #298-Kraft and Red is the latest challenge and this is my 2nd attempt at a card. For the first time in long while, I actually ditched the 1st try. Although this is certainly better, I’m not sure I like it that much.

The MFT die used is a new one that I got on sale at our local craft store last week. The central portion is a background die, called floating hearts from SSS, that I cut and glued inside. Before I glued anything I used Barn Door ink and sponged over the birthday section and then the background piece. Using clear embossing I heat set it all. The inside section was created with a bit of fiddling and finessing. When satisfied I added the entire piece to the card front. The red border at the bottom is from ribbon strip dies and these pieces were gifted it to me by a stamping buddy. She sent a lot (a long time ago already) and I’m slowly using them up. Gems are from my stash. My reds match better under normal light although they are slightly different in tone.

I am not a person who likes browns and beiges so although I admire cards done on Kraft CS, I don’t use it very often myself. That is probably why I’m not sure I like this card.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.

chess anyone?

As You See It, my favourite challenge, is asking for our crafting resolution for this year. I think mine is often the same thing as I always want to use as much of my current supplies as possible. This card also fits the challenge at Krafty Chicks Challenge #752 {Masculine} so I’m adding it there as well. Last year I was part of a Kit club as a store was offering kits over 3 months at a very reasonable price. My kits arrived, all Crafters Companion, were inspected, set aside and then nothing. So for sure, my resolution is to actually use them and soon. And I will also concentrate on using stamp sets and dies that don’t get used as often as they should.

One of my stamping friends gifted me with some printed images from her collection of stamps when I needed something specific and didn’t want to buy a set for a likely one time use. I picked a few images from her blog and then saw a card she had done using some game images, so I also requested the StampinUP chess pieces. This card features that image and I fussy cut it for using here. Using a small hexagon die, I think from Crafters Companion, I cut several in both white and black. These were then added to the beige background piece which is PP from an older paper pad. The sentiment is two different stamps from a SSS set and the raffia twine is from my stash. I added everything to the black card front and declared it finished.

I really appreciate you stopping in for a look. Wherever you are I hope that it isn’t too cold.

Navy and lime green

The current challenge at: Color Hues Color Challenge #102 – Navy and Lime Green and this is my take.

Funnily enough I already had the green piece in my stash as I used up a last section of DSP a while ago. Initially I thought I might make this a small square card, but in the end I added it to the navy layer and then to the white card front. Using a small recently gifted sentiment die I cut the shadow from more navy CS and coloured a scrap of white CS with Twisted Citron which I heat set clear. When cool I die cut the actual word and attached them together. The paper ribbon at the bottom is ancient and from my stash. Gems are also stash. The two leaves are done in both navy and white and are a Memory box die. I tucked them just under the edge of the ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.