Fortunately I managed to finish this late yesterday afternoon, because not long after we received word that the installation of my craft room is to begin today and in fact, as I type is in progress. I don’t expect to be crafting today at all and possibly not till next week unless I can get things put away properly and organized quickly. I’m so excited to know that my space will be functional very soon.

The photo inspiration made me head in a direction using dies and paper in some of the colours shown in the photo. I used a Memory Box die called Sketchy Rings, a Nestability type set (can’t remember which company) and 3 border dies that I think are by Spellbinders. I don’t have access to them at the moment and forgot to write down the products yesterday. The PP is from an old 6″ by 6″ paper pad and fit the colours so I used it. Card front is gray from GKD, but in the photo it looks bluish. After cutting the sketchy rings in yellow I cut the background piece in turquoise, which looks darker in the photo and then I added both to the card front. I cut a 2nd sketchy ring using the pp and paper pieced the inside main circle. Using the same pp I cut the borders and after some playing decided they looked best on an angle. I wanted it all to be about curves. When searching for the PP I found a Tim Holtz Idea-ology pad with the sentiment strips and decided on the one you see here. At first I thought I wasn’t going to like the card, but in fact I do and am happy with it. It is a bit chaotic but it works!

I had this frame leftover from a previous project which was part of the new die set by Recollections, and before it got lost in the mess of my desk I decided to use it. As well the stamp set is a new one that I hadn’t used yet, by Joy Clair Designs. It is one of the sets that was tied up in the border closure last year. This set seemed perfect for this challenge and I used the cherries and the lemon slice to meet the fruit requirement. I added some colour using InkTense pencils and then a Sakura glitter pen. Added the tiny gems but managed to keep it fairly CAS for a change.

I keep looking at this card thinking it needs more, but it is a CAS card and if I add anything I’m sure to spoil it. As well it’s supposed to be one third or less so adding to it would negate that requirement. The zebra rubber stamp is ancient and is from Stamp Francisco. The sentiment was a gift in a purchased set from Kitchen Sink stamps. I don’t think I could get more CAS than this.

In my memory I knew I had a stamp showing the word Noel, but it took me a good 30 minutes to find it. I thought it would be perfect for this challenge so it was a relief when I found which box it was in. I started by heat embossing the word all over the panel in white. Using a star stamp from another set I filled in a few spaces with the stars and heat embossed them in gold. I then inked in various distress oxide blues to create a night sky background and sprinkled some water to add more faint stars. All stamps used come from different GKD sets. After stamping and heat embossing the deer I added a touch of colour to his scarf and booties before fussy cutting around him. Using foam squares I popped him up on the card front after adding a small glittery snow bank to ground him. I met the challenge twice by using the word Noel and creating a night sky so I’m happy with that. At least it is another Xmas card to add to my small stash.

The recipe for this challenge was easy to follow, but it always surprises me how my brain can get stuck on something. Once I got it unstuck the card evolved easily. Supplies used include a piece of CS from the Craft Core – shattered collection (close to crumb cake in colour), an EB folder from Sissex Tim Holtz called Bricked, gingham ribbon from my stash and twine also from my stash, an old stamp set purchased years ago from Michaels but the actual brand I don’t know, all various silhouettes with the wheat being one, and a sentiment from a GKD set called Frames and Flowers. The little embellishments are also from my stash. Sadly I needed a sympathy card. I started by embossing the background and then added both the ribbon and the twine before adhering to card front. I stamped the wheat and heat embossed before fussy cutting it as you see here. Heat embossed the sentiment before fussy cutting around that too. The embellishments had to be searched for but work great once I found them. It is a fairly simple card but I’m happy with the result.

My new SSS stamp kit arrived today and I couldn’t resist using part of it to make a card. I liked the sketch idea at Make the Cards, (a new to me challenge site) and this is what I came up with. I cut some strips out of the plaid paper and added them to the card front. Using a Hero Arts Infinity die I cut the circle and stamped the frog. He was coloured using InkTense pencils and some Sakura glaze. I added the googly eyes and stenciled a small lily pad underneath him. This is partially covered by the sentiment strip also from the kit. Stamped the butterfly and made a booboo so covered that with a small bee button that I cut the back off to make flat. This is a fun kit and I shall have lots of time to play with it more fully soon.

Recently the Cats Pajamas decided to go fully digital and consequently they had a sale of existing inventory. I took advantage of the sale and bought the stamp set and matching dies. These stamps were perfect for the Double Trouble challenge this week where they want a mix and match of dots, stripes and plaid. I used Distress inks in Rusty Hinge, Aged Mahogany and Lucky clover to stamp the bird houses. Then I used the dies to cut them out. What I didn’t realize until using them was that the die cut everything separately so I had to piece it all together which was a pain and very fiddly especially when I was trying to pop them up. Also I stamped first and then cut which meant I had trouble lining up the dies and I wasn’t happy with the cuts. Note to self is to use my Misti to cut them first and then stamp through the space. I used Sakura Glaze pens to colour in some of the uneven white edges. Instead of stamping the bird, I used the die alone on some gingham paper. Background piece is from an old paper pad and I added some raffia twine underneath the houses. Sentiment done in Aged Mahogany then clear heat embossed. In spite of the frustration with the fiddly parts I quite like the end result.

As mentioned I am finally uploading a couple more puzzle cards using my new Hero Arts puzzle die . Inspiration came from both the Hero Arts blog and from Pinterest. The first one I made into a heart shape by building up the layers of pieces. I used some StampinUp pp for the design on both. How I used the brads on the first one is shown here. Added the layers to the card front and then added some ribbon as explained in the link. A few gems just for a bit of sparkle.

On the second one, I took out a few of the puzzle pieces leaving an empty space and then I adhered the whole thing to a scrap of black cs. Taking some of the PP I cut out a couple of butterflies and added them almost into the empty space. Used a heat embossed sentiment strip by MFT. These were fun to do and have a nice effect too.

This card started out as something entirely different in my head, but as I was playing with the flowers I realized my idea wasn’t going to work because the flowers were bigger than I needed. I’ve had these paper flowers forever and only used one or two of them. With limited access to my supplies when these popped into my hands I thought colouring them would work for the challenge. Had I been able to find the stamp set and matching die I was looking for I would have been able to do the wreath idea which is what was in my head.

I pulled out the distress inks Abandoned Coral and Broken China and brushed the colours onto the petals. I had 3 of the larger flowers and 3 of the smaller so I put them together to get some dimension. I also added the brad centers which I enhanced with some Sakura glaze. The PP is from StampinUp and was gifted to me by a good friend who also crafts. I cut a strip to add behind the flowers and then popped up the flowers on top. Using a sentiment strip from a new set by MFT I stamped in the same colours and then clear heat embossed it. I cut it up into pieces and glued as shown. This stamp was designed for a slimline design but works great cut up. The gems were added for some sparkle.

As I wasn’t totally happy with my challenge entry at JUG’s yesterday, I decided to have another go and this is the result. In fact I’ve been playing quite a bit with various ideas using the puzzle die I’ve just acquired. It is from Hero Arts and I’ve had some fun with it. I’ll add some of the others I’ve made later this week. This particular idea came from something seen on Pinterest, but I can’t tell you who did it originally as the photo doesn’t follow any links. Whoever you are thanks for the inspiration.

I liked the sentiment a lot so I recreated it on my computer and printed it. As you can see I used the challenge colours on the puzzle die and cut them out. Then I used a die set I’ve had for a while, but cannot remember the brand, to cut a small frame. Added some plastic to that and using foam tape mounted it onto the background piece leaving an opening to add the puzzle pieces. Once the pieces were inside I sealed the opening and added this to a card front. It is like a shaker except that I stuffed it so full of the pieces they don’t actually move about which, in a way, was what I wanted. The PP background is an old scrap I’ve had forever and it fit the colours so was perfect here. Added a few gems and considered it finished. I’m much happier with this entry than with the other one. The only annoyance is I can’t seem to get good photos yet. I don’t have the set up I used in my last craft room and until this one is completed photos are a bit hit and miss. All the cabinets and hardware were delivered today so we are getting close to having it installed and finished! Can hardly wait.