stamping

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

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

hogs and kisses

Welcome to a new challenge here at Double Trouble. Our recipe this time is called ‘In with the old, out with the new.’ You need to have the following: 3 layers, the card base does not count, 2 colour choices from the #1 colour wheel and 1 image. Twisted sister says add a pig if you want to. And your double dare is to make it fit the TSOT sketch challenge and enter it there. Be careful not to backlink when you do enter this.

My card has more than 3 layers and uses patterned paper from SSS. I used a unbranded frame die negative space piece to surround my background paper and another unbranded die set to cut my other pieces. My papers actually have several of the colours from the colour wheel, but I opted to colour my image with Spectrum Noir markers in some of the colours too. My image and sentiment are from Divinity Designs and I used the matching die to cut the image out.

Foam tape was used around the frame before adding to the background which gives the card a 3D look. The sentiment piece was glued flat but I have the image piece on foam so it doesn’t sink on one side. I wasn’t sure about this card initially, but my hubby took a look as well as our artist friend and both gave their approval.

We look forward to seeing your cards in the gallery and hope you have a lot of fun creating them. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your time and any comments you leave.

lavenderhousecreations

As You See It Speed challenge

7 mins 23 seconds

How appropriate that the newest challenge at As you See it is asking for purple which as many of you know is my favourite colour, and this is one of my favourite challenge sites too. Challenge #367 – Lickedy Split Lavender.

After finding all I required to make the card, I started the clock and cut two same size panels for the card front. Using a new oval from a Craft Addiction die set, I cut the floral image from a new paper pad by Hunky Dory called Duo Designs. I simple couldn’t resist that paper when I saw it. Anyway I took part of the paper and moved the die around until I found the part that looked best and cut it. With a smaller die from the set I die cut the white oval.

The hardest part of making this card was actually the sentiment. I used a stamp from a Joy Clair set, but I had to mask off each word so I could stamp it as you see rather than as a straight line. Up till that point it had only taken me about 5 minutes to do the card. Of course when doing something in a hurry Murphy’s law says it won’t work and I ended up having to do the oval twice.

So my card took me 7 mins and 23 seconds to complete. Well within the 10 minute limit, but it still made my heart race a bit.

For a card made in a speed challenge, it has turned out better than I expected and I quite like it. I am supposed to be doing bookkeeping for the end of year accounting, but it is a job I hate. I was so fed up that instead, I took a break and made this card as well as creating 2 envelopes for cards ready to be mailed, but that were not a normal size. I’ll go back to the books tomorrow I guess.

Thanks for spending time with me today, it is appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

butterflies galore

Welcome back to challenge #270 here at Cardz4galz and Helen has chosen the theme of Wings, (butterflies, fairies, birds etc. As you can see I went with butterflies and used a new StampinUP hybrid folder for my design. I went over the folder with 2 different ink colours and ran it through. I cut the panel diagonally and added them to the card front. Next time I’ll make sure the colours are more evenly spread in the folder but I still like how it looks. Using the die with the folder a second time, I ended up with the large butterfly and I used an ink cube over the raised parts to give it some colour. A gold pen for the body and some pops of color dots finished the card.

I’ve left off a sentiment for the time being as I’m not sure how I shall use the card. Its also a somewhat busy design and I’m not sure if a sentiment will look nice or be too much. I’ll cross that bridge later.

We look forward to seeing your designs in our gallery and hope you have a lot of fun creating.

Thanks for joining me today, you and your time are appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

fly high …

This is a second CAS card that will work for the current challenge at Seize the Birthday #320- CAS with Dies. I felt like trying something that included this flourish stamp from Hot off the Press. I had used the feather and sentiment stamps but never this particular one. Once it was stamped I added the sentiment at the bottom and made my own ‘on your birthday’ strip using my computer. The two birds are from a set by the Cat’s Pajamas and I used the matching dies to cut them.

To be honest although I like the set, I find the dies very challenging because it is hard to see the placement. To solve this I die cut the birds, place the entire piece onto my stamp apparatus and add the cut pieces back into the space. It is easier to stamp the images after they are cut than to do it any other way.

After adding a few embellishments I decided it was finished. Then I added the square panel to the black layer and onto the card front. Its a simple card but very effective in black and white. The little jewels add just enough sparkle to highlight the flourish but they don’t show that well in the photo.

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

lavenderhousecreations

hinge fold get well card

under the hinge
inside the card

Welcome to another challenge here at Double Trouble. Our theme this time called Scrapper’s Guacamole and you should use 3 colours from the ROYG BIV colour wheel, 2 pattern papers and a dry or heat embossed element. To earn another chance to win you can enter TSOT with something that works for the sketch. Just be sure you are entering without accidentally back linking.

I chose to do a get well theme because I have a friend who is not well at the moment and this should cheer her up. My patterned papers are from SSS, my stamps and dies are from MFT with one from Catherine Pooler. I’ve had this MFT set since Covid and have only used one or two stamps from it until now. My colours are reflected in the card stock – yellow, PP has various colours, red, green and pink pencils and alcohol ink pens for colouring the images and my embossing style uses heat with gold flower centers and an embossed Get Well sentiment. To be honest, I almost forgot the embossed element and had to scramble to add it so I used a Wow embossing pen on the flower centers and heat embossed them as best I could considering the card was already assembled at that point. The get well sentiment was also a last minute addition.

For anyone wishing to make this style card, I used a tutorial found at Lisa Curcio. She gives several samples and her printed project sheet makes it easy to do.

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

We look forward to seeing your cards in our gallery, have fun and good luck.

lavenderhousecreations

thinking about you

Hello again from Double Trouble where challenge #209 awaits you. Our recipe this time is 3- layers, including the card base, 2 images excluding the sentiment and to use a CAS style. You can use any colour but I personally prefer CAS with white space so that is what I used. As always you are welcome to to use the sketch from TSOT, but be careful not to backlink.

For my card I used a regular card base and added a layer of patterned paper. On a separate piece I stamped my image using a stamp from Nellie Snellen, which is bigger stamp but I only used a small section of it when it was dry enough to cut. I used an unbranded rectangular die set to cut the aperture from a linen look CS and embossed the edges of the frame. I cut the piece diagonally added foam tape and then adhered it on top of the pattern piece. I inserted the stamped image into the frame and added a die cut bow which is my second image and gives me a total of 4 layers as well. One small embellishment on the bow and a sentiment strip finishes the card. The sentiment is from Creative Expressions I think. The label on the storage pocket is damaged so I’m not 100% sure.

I have a friend who is struggling a little at the moment so this card will go to her. Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate you, your time and any comments you leave for me. We look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery – Good Luck.

lavenderhousecreations

Rhapsody in Red, not a valentine

partly open card
closed card

The challenge is all about using reds and I decided on this design and papers for the As You See It, Challenge #365 – Rhapsody in Red. There is a recipe included so I ensured I got all the ingredients as well.

Firstly I chose my papers using a small paper pad from a dollar store. Having seen something like this on Pinterest that also had measurements and a tutorial, I took a closer look to see how best to proceed. The demonstrator explained her process and I followed it mostly, except that I wanted borders around my papers so changed it up a little bit. Once I had my strips ready I chose a neutral matte old gold card front and added them as you see. I die cut 2 hearts, one in white CS and one in Vellum using a set from Memory Box. Actually before I cut the vellum one I used a stamp from a Crafters Companion set already on my desk. I then stamped the floral sprig in Barn Door Distress Oxide and then heat embossed it with a clear powder. Once I was happy with it, I die cut it and attached it to the white one. I hope the vellum can be seen. I did try several coloured pieces behind it, but the white looked best. In my bits and pieces box I found a gold heat embossed sentiment which I fussy cut and added to the heart. And I also added a small bow. The heart is popped up on foam tape. The inside panel was stamped using a Hampton Arts set with Aged Mahogany ink, and I also added more red floral sprigs in a couple of places. The embellishments are from my stash and I used the bigger gems so they would show up more.

Thanks for spending time with me today. I appreciate that you stop by and also any comments you may leave.


lavenderhousecreations

Little friends

After some sunny, although cold days, we are back to the milder temperatures and the rain so I’m in my craft room catching up on a few things and posting this card.

It is intended for the AAA Card Challenge #306: Follow Francesca’s Lead and this is my take on her card.

To make it, I used a stamp set from Crafters Companion that came in a kit, and some Gummiapan dies. I stamped the background using Lost Shadow Ink and the sentiment in Hickory Smoke. While the ink was drying I die cut the images and coloured them with watercolour pencils and a Sakura Glaze pen.

When everything was dry I glued the die cuts as you see them. I did debate whether anything else was needed, but CAS means lots of empty space, so I left it as is. Colouring such tiny images is challenging and I need more practice at it, but all in all, I’m happy with the end result.

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