cardmaking

lavenderhousecreations

X is for X-Ray – Black and White Only

So The Alphabet challenge has a black and white only theme and this is what I came up with. I had seen something similar on Pinterest so I’ve kind of CASE’d it. Took the idea and changed it quite a lot.

Don’t ask where the little ticket die came from. I’ve had it for a long time and probably only used it once. When Winners first opened they had a small craft section and I purchased quite a few little items but never thought to keep information on them.

To begin I cut 5 tickets in both white and black. To stretch the black to the sides for a border, I cut them down the middle and then glued. I laid them out on the layer to ensure they would fit and then glued them as you see adding the hearts back into the centers. Using a scrap piece of patterned paper I added a strip down the left side. The I cut the letters from black paper using a die set from First Edition Craft and I added them as you see.

Somehow there was a scratch mark on the layer so I covered this with the twine bow. The word birthday is from a Spellbinders set and I offset the white layer onto a black layer. The little embellishments are from an old Die-namics MFT Confetti set. I’ve never actually used this set, but it came in handy today. This card will likely go to my B.I.L later this year.

I quite like how this one turned out. It is flat enough to mail and yet still has texture and dimension. I’m on a roll with making a few masculine style cards to add to my stash. And I still have a few more ideas to work on too. Thanks so much for stopping by, I do appreciate it.

lavenderhousecreations

Up, Up and Away

Right now I seem to be on a creative roll after a few weeks of not being very motivated. Many reason’s for it, but I’m glad that my brain is once again coming up with ideas. I have quite a few PP scraps lying around and I wanted to use them. Having seen a card on Pinterest I thought it was a good idea and a way to use some of them.

Then I also noticed the challenge at Just Add Ink #781…Just Add Wings! and this card was born. I knew I had a stamp set with a plane, but had to do a bit of searching as I couldn’t remember which company it was. It is from CTMH which is now no more, but I do have a few sets from its early years. The sentiment, however, is from an old GKD set.

It took me a while to get the paper scraps the way I wanted them and I made a mistake at first when I tried to glue from the bottom to the top. Started over from the top down and glued the cut pieces as you see. They were cut using several dies, some from Spellbinders and some from Kokorosa. Once I had them together I added them to a white layer which I then cut down to fit on the card front. Before doing that I stamped the clouds and the sentiment. The little plane was done on a separate piece, coloured with a mix of Prisma pencils and Sakura gelli roll pens. After fussy cutting, I added dimension with foam and then went around the entire layer with a black pen after which I glued the panel to the card front. I was dismayed to realize that I had somehow gotten a large black smudge on the plane which would not come off. So more stamping, more colouring, more fussy cutting and then glued it over the original.

Another needed masculine style card ready and I’m quite pleased with myself and with it. LOL. My hubby was complimentary when he saw it. Many thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

just to say …

Welcome back to another challenge here at Double Trouble. Your recipe is to use 3 Colours from the No 3 primary colour wheel and the neutral wheel as well, 2 images and 1 sentiment. You may choose to add the dare from Twisted Sister and add a four footed animal and if you follow the sketch you may add your card to the TSOT challenge too. Be careful not to backlink if you choose to add it at TSOT.

My card incorporates more than 3 primary colours and several of the neutrals. I made my own section of PP by randomly stamping the fish bones in black, after which I added some colour using Sakura glaze pens. The second half strip is from a paper pack by GKD that I’ve had for a long time. I backed these pieces with a black layer and added it to the kraft card front.

After stamping my cats, all from the Crazy Cats by Tim Holtz, I coloured them using Prisma pencils and Gamsol. Then they were die cut using the matching dies from the set. I set them aside so I could work on the rest. I had these die cut circles left from a different project so I sponged colour using Distress Oxides 2 colours per circle. Once they were dry and I knew I liked them, I added the cats and fitted them to the other layers. Because I had already added the layers to the card front, I used a pencil mark on the two circles that overlapped and cut them on my Fiskars unit. My sentiment comes from a note pad by Hunky Dory that has pages of pre printed sentiments intended for the inside of cards. I’ve only just purchased this and it is handy as it has 120 Essential card inserts. The inside of this one says Many Happy Returns.

I’m happy with how this turned out and it was a fun one to create. We look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery and hope you have fun with the challenge.

Thanks for joining me today, I appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

Beer Truck

There are some masculine birthdays coming in April so I used the sketch challenge found here, Challenge #368 – Floral Sketch Design. As the instructions said we can change the shape I chose a truck with beer barrels from a new unbranded set I’ve just gotten.

To begin, I wanted an interesting background so after sorting through some bits and pieces I found 2 inked backgrounds that I could cut up. I cut them into different size strips and glued them to some paper on the diagonal. Using a StampinUP die I cut this piece and glued it to a larger blue piece. This layer didn’t have a die that would give me the same edge as the striped layer, but I found a border die that I adapted to add the holes along the edge. The large background piece I distressed on the edges before adding to the card front. Then the other layers were added on top.

After stamping and heat embossing my truck and the barrels, I coloured them with Prisma pencils. Stamps and matching dies are from Amazon. Then I die cut my images and stacked other die cuts underneath for dimension. When they were dry I added some Nuvo Crystal drops to the windows of the truck, around the tires and to the lights. While this was drying I chose a sentiment from a Crafters Companion set, stamped and heat set it and then fussy cut. After placing the truck I chose to add the sentiment above it.

The friend for whom this is intended is a vintage car nut and he recently bought himself an amazing vintage truck. While my image is clearly not vintage, it is at least, a vehicle. He appreciates my cards and as a brilliant wood carver understands the work that goes into making them.

Thanks for joining me today. I always appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

Birthday Fishes

I bought this stamp and die set, by Pink Ink Designs, along with other items from a sale basket at a local craft store late last year. The items were set aside and then our computer tech friend came to install my new computer and to transfer all my files from the old one. He needed a lot of desk space while using two monitors and two CPU’s so I cleared everything away. In the process I put these items somewhere and couldn’t find them until today. They were safely set inside a cupboard but until I pulled out my stencil storage I couldn’t see them. I knew I would find them eventually haha.

Anyway the challenge at Seize the Birthday #322-Green as Main Color so I went to town with different shades. After stamping the image I used Prisma pencils to colour it and using the dies I cut the fish from the frame. I also used some scrap card and cut several fish layers so I could stack them for dimension. Before I popped the fish back into their places I used a little ink on the background. After playing with it I decided I wanted to cut the frame down so I carefully went round it with scissors. Before adhering I also went around the edges with a green marker. I did the same to all the fish layers before I glued them together. Then I just popped them back into their places on the image. Initially I had a white card base ready, but decided to go with this green one instead.

My sentiment was created on my computer as I had nothing that I liked enough in my stash. I had no idea of whether this card was going to work, but now that it is done, I’m quite pleased with it. It took me most of the afternoon to make, but as the day progressed the weather also deteriorated so being inside crafting was just the ticket.

Thanks for spending time with me today, I appreciate you and your time, as well as any comments you may leave.

lavenderhousecreations

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

CAS has a colour challenge – Challenge #580 – Colour Challenge and this is what I came up with. I’m still learning ways to use these Craft Addiction slatted dies but am enjoying playing with them.

Having the Inkadoo stamp set still on my desk along with a new, as yet unused, stencil/die from Waffle Flower helped my process. After searching through all my paper scraps I finally found a piece large enough and in the right colour to fit behind the slatted section. At first I thought I would make a square card, but I didn’t measure the layer properly and because I didn’t want to waste the piece I’ve used it the way you see it here. I added some foam tape around the slatted piece and then added the blue background in behind it.

After stamping the tulips I coloured them with pencils and then fussy cut them even going into the crevices to take out the white bits. There is a little foam tape added behind the flower heads and I split the leaves slightly at the bottom so I could tuck everything into the slats but have the leaves drooping over the top a little. I also added a tiny amount of gold sparkle to the petals of the flowers on one side but it doesn’t show on the photo. After die cutting the word, I added the stencil and using inks I brushed in the colours. Using more foam tape I added the floral layer to the card front and then placed the word close to the bottom. Three Pop of Color dots from Scrapbook.com finished the card.

I had thought I might use a technique shown by Christine Stokes to add more dimension to the flowers, but I forgot. Hopefully I’ll remember the next time as it really makes a difference to the look. We are off to an art exhibition this afternoon, so I’m happy I’ve managed to get this posted.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by. You and your time are appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

BOOK WORM

The mood board at Double D has some inspiring images and the challenge gives us choices. As you can see I chose books and a card design that looks like a book. Double D Books/Bookmark and/or Postal/Postage Challenge.

It took me a while to figure out which way I should go with this design. I knew I wanted a portrait orientation so after cutting a normal size card out of some Recollections CS I scored it at 3″ and again at 4.25″. Before gluing this section I went around the edges with a sponge and Vintage photo ink. I wasn’t quite sure about papers but I knew I wanted the book die cut, which I cut from an old hand painted card. I think this die is from Kokorosa, but it could be an unbranded one, I’m not sure. After searching through some paper scraps I came across this mulberry paper that I rather liked so I cut both the spine and the front cover using this. Then I remembered that I had these corner dies (not sure of brand) so I cut two from some Gold and added them as you see, using the fallouts on the spine. I also added some thin gold strips top and bottom. After playing around with the book die cut I found it was going to be more effective if I cut into sections. Once they were glued in place I used a fine gold pen around the edges and on the spines for more detail.

My original intention was to create my own sentiment/book title using the computer, but I also wanted a vertical sentiment on the spine. I used an old GKD set for this with Ground expresso ink and some clear heat embossing. In searching for this set I came across an Inkadoo set that was gifted to me and the word stamps were part of the set. Because I was stamping these as an afterthought I had to play with placement a little, but using the same ink and heat embossing I managed to get what I wanted. Fortunately the paper released the powder easily as I couldn’t prepare it as I normally would have. Having it stick only where I required was a blessing.

I’m someone who is rarely without a book in my hand, when I’m not crafting that is, so this design is right down my alley. I rather like how it turned out and it is just a little different in its design. Thanks for stopping by, you, your time and any comments are always appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

decoupage wildlife

Welcome to the latest challenge here at cardz4galz. The theme for this one has been chosen by Debbie and she is asking for embossing – heat or dry.

As you can see I have used both heat embossing – my gold sentiment, and a small dry embossed scrap piece underneath the green layer. The green layer was die cut with an unbranded set of dies and my decoupage is from a Crafters Companion kit. The small dots are from Pops of Color by Scrapbook.com. The sentiment stamp is from Hampton Art. The dry embossed layer is easier to see in person than on the photograph and the folder used is from Spellbinders.

Unfortunately this card may have to be hand delivered as the layers create bulk making it hard to mail.

Thanks for stopping by, your time and your comments are truly appreciated. We look forward to seeing your designs in our gallery and hope you have fun creating.

lavenderhousecreations

Mixed Media with Wings

For a while now, I’ve had the urge to make a mixed media card, most likely because I watched a video by Christine Stokes. She makes mostly CAS cards that are gorgeous and I like her style.

The latest challenge at Seize the Birthday is anything with wings and because I wanted to make a 2nd card for the Color Hues challenge I chose green and gold as my base colours.

First I started with a white base panel and using Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn and Pine Needles Distress Oxides I inked up the panel. An old wooden block stamp was used to add some writing in a couple of places I had some pretty tissue paper lying around so I chose a couple of sections and using ModgePodge I added them as you see. I spattered some Nuvo Drops that I had watered down to get some additional gold on the background. Then using a new slatted oval die set from CraftAddictions I cut the middle sized oval and went around it with some gold. After adding some foam tape around the back I placed it on a slight angle. Using a Scrapbook.com butterfly die I cut a backing piece from gold and the patterned section from a Xmas card I saved. After adding the two together I cut a body from a more metallic gold and glued it on and then glued the butterfly to the slatted oval. I had a few fall outs from a previous session and I used them as more embellishments in several places. The sentiment is from an unbranded stamp set and I used a gold pen around the edges before gluing it down. I did darken the panel’s edges before gluing it to the card front.

Its too late now, but in retrospect I should have gone over the entire layer with some ModgePodge as this would have given it a bit of shine. As it stands the shine is just in one area.

I quite like the end result and hope that you do too. Thanks for stopping by, you and your time is appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

Green and Gold Ocean Scene

Although I like the end result of this card, I’m uncertain as to whether the colour is more on the blue side than on the green. However, I did make it for the challenge at Color Hues #128-Green and Gold and will enter it regardless. I like Teal as a colour but I do think interpreting it, is a challenge by itself.

When searching for PP related to photography last month, I came across another design pad that was all about water so I bought it as well. I found this pattern in the pad and die cut it using an unbranded set. I did the same thing using one of the smaller dies and gold CS but only used the leftover piece for this card. With other bits of the gold CS I die cut the sea weeds using a Memory Box die. The tiny fish are from Gummiapan and the seahorse I can’t remember unfortunately. All the tiny gold bubbles are fallouts from the Memory Box die cut.

As I’m not sure how I shall use this card yet, I’ve decided to leave the sentiment for now.

My brain has been thinking about another design so I may create it and have it work for another entry here. Its a good day to be inside, because the lovely sunshine we were having is gone and we have a rainy day now.

Thanks for joining me today, I appreciate you stopping by.