A bit of blue

Hi peeps, what gloomy weather here in the Fens, not sure if its the same all over but I'm not much liking what the weather forecast promises for later this week. Time for my three months winter break in the Caribbean me thinks...........I wish...........I can but dream.

Getting decent photos has been pretty impossible today, I even took my cards into the office in the hope I could take a couple if we got a glimmer of sun, but no such luck. So apols in advance for the poor picture quality.

There seems to be a distinct blue feel to Christmas this year and although it's not a colour I use a great deal, I quite like what I came up with for a couple of challenge with the blue theme.

Both cards have been made in the same way using Penny Black 2800K Sound of Snow, but one is intended for a man whilst the other is a bit more feminine. Before stamping I created a background by simply dragging a distress inkpad across a piece of card, in this case Tim Holtz broken china, then the image stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear.

The box, not that you would really know from the picture !

The larger background piece has been stamped all over using Hero Arts CG229 Classic Holly with versamark, embossed with detail clear then distressed with TH broken china and stormy sky. I gave the edges a think paining of Windsor and Newton silver acrylic pain then heated to make it bubble. The same sentiment added to both, flowers (I coloured these with the same inks and silver) and punched holly on one and just the holly and a couple of bells on the other. I also made a box for one, but the picture is pretty appalling. These cards are for the following challenges:

Midnight Madness - Sketch (I went with the simple one and added a few bits so hope it's OK)

Pollycraft - Feeling Blue

Wild Orchid - Blue Christmas

Cards for Men - Christmas (the second blue card)

Incy Wincy - Blue and White

My second card is a really simple one using some DP from stash punched with Martha Stewart double loop round the page, some flowers, pearls, punched leaves and a sentiment tag using Penny Black 4075F For the Stars. This card is for the following challenges:

Paper Playtime - Thank You

Stamp Something - Thanks

My time to Craft - Tag Along

Elegant fairy

Hello peeps, hope your all well. Just a quick post with a couple of cards.

The first a touch of indulgence........you know me, any excuse to use a fairy and this one is such a beautiful one from Crafts and Me called Eternity. I brayered a backround using a mask for the moon with Tim Holtz Victorian velvet and vintage photo. I coloured the image with the same inks and glittered her wings. Stamped a few leaves round the top with an Art Impressions stamp, some flowers and punched butterfly. The DP is Basic Grey and My Minds Eye. This is for the following challenges:

Cupcake - Pink and Brown

Paper Sundaes - Things with Wings

Creative Card Crew - Bloomin' Marvelous

Oldie but a Goodie - Pink and Girly

My second card is my anniversary card for my hubby later this week. He always says he needs to check my blog to know what I'm up to, but he's so busy at work this weeks that's unlikely so think I'm safe to share. Not your conventional anniversary card, but he's not a hearts and flowers sort of guy and will love the colours of this one as yellow is his favourite colour and all things Nature. I masked a section to create the background and inked with TH rusty hings, mustard seed and barn door with a spritz of Glimmer Mist iridescent gold. The tree from Creative Expressions, the border Martha Stewart cornice edging and the sentiment computer generated. It is for the following challenges:

Stamp Something - Fall colours

Cards for Men - Autumn

Stamptacular Sunday - Seasons Change/Fall

Tuesday Taggers - Here Comes Autumn

Golden roses

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday, here in the Fens the rain has stopped at last and the suns making a reasonable effort, but judging by the clouds it won't be around too long.

And it's the last day of the Premiership, I'll miss my footie like crazy, but we do have the world cup coming up.......not sure if that is good or not, but we can but hope for positive things. An yesterdays 20/20 match was exciting so more of that to come this week.

A card to share for this weeks Penny Black challenge where they have a sketch......and a perfect chance to use some of the new goodies from Sir Sampalot on one of my sample cards. As usual when I saw the circles I freaked, I always struggle with them, heavens knows why. Also a couple of new ones for me, well at least it's a long while since I entered so thought it was time. They are Flutterby Wednesday, plus two both celebrating their Birthday and have that the, Stamp Something and Simon Says.

I drew my colour inspiration from this pretty Cosmo Cricket DP and coloured my main image Penny Black PB40-021 For Goodness Sake with Copics. I stamped the image three times and decoupages and masked the base image to stamp the fence which is from Magnolia Tilda collection. The cobbles, flowers and grasses and Art Impressions. The large rose is one of the scummy new ones from Magnolia........have you seen the colours, how to choose.......well you can't really, so it's probably no surprise I have a bag of them sitting in my craft room along with the lovely matching beady leaves.

The sentiment is Hobby Art GR435. I cut the second circle on the sketch from a doily with a Nestie, the middle panel was run through the Big Shot with a Cuttlebug folder and the border are Martha Stewart doily lace. Some lace, ribbon, gems and pounced butterflies to finish.

Stamp Something

Time to catch up on some challenges, the first of which is this weeks Stamp Something sketch designed by Emily.

My main image is made of of three stamps from my new Magenta set which accidentally fell into my basket at Stampalot yesterday along with some MS punches, and quite a few other goodies ........ honest, I don't know how this keeps happening to me ! These are a really nice set and include ten different sized stamps in all, one of which is a single butterfly plus some inchies. I stamped with Brilliance cosmic copper and embossed with detail clear, colured the butterflies and leaves with Marvy pens and gave a light colourwash to the blank areas to match the My Minds Eye DP's.

Having eventually got some MS punches I obviously had to use them, this one is arched lattice. The butterflies have been diamond glazed and some crystal glitter added whilst still wet. By the way, I should have mentioned the card itself was one the the fabulous feebies which came with me order from PDA this week. I've been ordering my cardstock, envies and packaging materials from them for a few years, their service and delivery is really quick and they offer a superb range of cardstock plus every month lots of special offers and freebies.

Stamp Something

The theme for this weeks Stamp Something challenge is "Clean and Simple Thank Yous" and also to case one of Lurens cards. I have selected her card from Happy Friday, 8th May shown here. My image is Magents 0445 and as Laurens card has two flowers, I stamped the main flower only, masked it then stamped the whole image. I have kept the colouway as close as possible to laurens card, using a K&Co paper in soft blues and coloured the image with twinkling H2o's and added ble stickes to the flower centres. The thank you is Art Impression G463 stamped in TH weathered wood.

Stamp Something

A super challenge from Stamp Something this week "Pink Birthday Somethings".

I have used a new paper from Scrappy Cat which I stuck to the main card and then cut three circles with nesties on the cuttlebug. I took another sheet of darker bazzil, marked the placement of the circles, ran through using scalloped nesites one size down for each circle, cut it down to the exact size matching the circles and adhered to the back. I stamped the images onto acetate, again carefully lining up to the 'widows', coloured the back with sakura pens and placed inside the card.

The floral stamp is Hobby Art FL1824G (Stampalot) stamped with black stayzon, the greeting is Hero CL278 which I bent into a semi circle to fit the window. I utilised the smallest cut outs to make a tag and added a glittered butterfly using PB3819D stamped twice onto vellum. Embellished with a bow and pearls.

Three into one does go

I've eventually managed to combine three challenges into one (only because I've been shopping and have new goodies I'm desperate to get time to play with). And.... to share some of our lovely weather and garden, my main photo was taken amongst the lilacs.

The three challenges are Stamp Something where we have been asked to "CASE one of Cindy's fabulous creations as inspiration for your own card". I've opted for the one you will find here where the theme was yellow, green and blue and it is also my DT call. The second challenge is the Secret Crafter with the theme "FLOWERS" and finally the Penny Black challenge where the theme is "Shapes - include at least three different shapes, excluding card and backing paper".

I have used two PB stamps 3948K and 2695J. The first has been repeat stamped and just the last two lines of the sentiment, both with majestic blue versafine and detail clear emboss onto pale yellow bazzil. The flowers have been highlighted with green stickles, green and blue ribbon tied across and a stick pin made with blue green and yellow beads, a button and finally three Swarovski crystals - they only go on very special cards.

Please also check out this post and help me raise funds for MS.

Sketch Something and Cute Card Thursday 56 challenge

The Cute Card Thursday Challenge 56 is called Floral Fantasy, so I just had to take part. It asks simply that you use any type of flower on your card. I am combining my card with this weeks Sketch Something challenge where the theme is green, blue and yellow.

I have created a glimmer mist background using linen card as this picks up the mica elements of the sprays so well, using midnight, key lime and pineapple and a top coat of iridescent gold. The stamp is American Art Stamps Field of Daisies stamped in black and embossed with detail clear, coloured with Sakura pens and ultrafine glitter added when still wet. Birthday wishes from Woodware FRCL128, flowers, buttons, ribbon, gems and bazzil run through the cuttlebug using Swiss dots.

Stamp Something Challenge

This weeks challenge for Stamp Something is 'Shapes' using a minimum of two different shapes. The card I have created is a design I have used several times before which uses up lots of scraps of paper, ribbon etc., - unusual for me given that I'll be the first to admit I'm not a thrifty crafter. The design is always popular at demos as it offers people lots of ideas of how they can use their stash in their own way. In this one I have used one of my favourite colour combinations of yellow and blue. All stamps are Hero Arts unmounted with the exception of the Penny Black butterfly, all stamped with versafine majestic blue and embossed with clear detail onto Bazzil and Sandylion.

Stamp Something Challenge Easter

This one is for the http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/ challenge. I have used a Stamps Happen stamp 80036 which I've had some time but never used much but thought the bunnies were just right for Easter. Coloured with Marvy and Sakura pens, mounted on some Best Creations paper and finished off with a greeting, buttons and flower and swirl cut from Cricut Home Decor.