Thursday 28 April 2016

Just for you

I have been very busy this past week trying to organise my craftroom and its an even bigger job than I initially thought...but I still have to find time to make something and this was one of the cards that I made yesterday.

Its a very simple vanilla background onto a honey card base. I used the soon to be retiring in-colours for the wording and the flowery elements and I cut and punched the butterflies to complete the card...

And then I decided it needed a bit more sparkle so I reached for the wink of Stella brush and added subtle sparkles to the Just for You and the butterflies and it did the trick.

This card is on its way to a crafting pal this week as part of a swap. I hope she likes it.

Until next time
Cxx

Saturday 23 April 2016

Work of Art

This is still one of my favourite stamp sets and I was thrilled to see it does not appear on the retiring list.

This card is for a friend overseas and she loves bright colours and bold patterns and this seemed the perfect set to use for a card just to let her know she is amazing..because let's face it, we could all do with hearing that more often, right?

I concentrated on using the out going 2014-16  in-colours for this card. I am certainly going to miss these colours, they have been among my favourites ever.... but as one set leaves, another comes along and I am pretty sure I will be raving about the newest in-colours as soon as I get my hands on them.

Until next time
Cxx

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Traveller

I made this card to celebrate a dear friend who recently reached a career milestone in her cruise planning business and what better stamp set to use than the Traveller

I started out with the sunshine stamp from Kinda Eclectic  and then I blended Lost Lagoon and Bermuda Bay ink for the ocean and soft sky (for the sky obviously). When I came to stamp the ship I couldn't make up my mind if I wanted to stamp it in black or in blue and so I dithered and added both to the stamp...resulting a rather vivid school ink blue which I could never recreate in a millions years!

The Congratulations came from from Sassy Salutations and finished the card which was mat onto Lost Lagoon card to frame it off.

Three much loved but recently rather neglected stamp sets used in this one...it has been a joy revisiting old favourites...so I won't stop now. More to follow.
Until next time
Cxx

Sunday 17 April 2016

Amazing BIrthday


Throughout this week I shall be continuing to show some love for some old favourites and today is the turn of Amazing Birthday and Perfect Pennants stamp sets.
I have used these sets a lot  in the past and so decided to try to do something different from the cards I have made before and I came up with two designs using the latest in-colours.

For the first one I used the brick wall embossing folder but I ran in through the machine twice, turning the paper for the second run to get a random geometric pattern for my background. I used the tag punch to make a detachable bookmark using the Perfect Pennants stamp set (because I love a card that is more than a card) and layered up the little elements using dimensionals to give extra depth.



On the second card I randomly stamped the  circles and stars with cucumber crush ink onto cucumber crush cardstock  and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I then went oin with the same ink and the random splash stamp (from Awesomely Artistic set) to fill in the gaps.

I stamped the striped banner and  the happy birthday stack and layered them up on dimensionals.

The word window punch was used  for the strap and I stamped and punched the cake and popped it on dimensionals too.  Three enamel accents finished this off.

I was happy that even use the same colours,  I managed to make two very different designs.

Look out for more old favourites throughout the rest of the week.
Until next time, take care
Cxx

Sunday 10 April 2016

Hello friend


This was one of those cards that sort of emerged as I worked. I knew I wanted to use the hexagon stamp set but other than that it was a very organic process.

I have seen some lovely cards made with this set and a couple of strips of washi tape or a banner but they were A6 size and I wanted to work in 6x6 format. The patterns just did not work on the larger square.

 I decided I would use the 2014-16 in-colours (they will retire this summer so if you don't have them yet, get them now - they are fabulous!) and stamped a variety of hexagons and set them aside... while I started out with Gorgeous Grunge stamp set on glossy card using two colours to make the background. Once I had finished the splatter I added a line of blackberry bliss and sponged Blackberry bliss ink around the edges of the card before matting it onto a mossy meadow card.

The I began arranging my hexagons, ensuring there was at least one of each of the in-colours in the design...finally deciding on the arrangement you see in the photo. I adhered them to the base and the centre hexagon I popped up on dimensionals.

To finish the card I added a bow of silver thread and a layered stamped butterfly with rhinestones.

I was quite happy with the end result and delighted to have used a couple of sets I have not touched in a while. It has been great fun working with old favourites and I must do it more often...especially since I know when the new catalogue launches this summer I will be busy with new product offerings.

Until next time,
Cxx









Wednesday 6 April 2016

Choose Happiness

Choose Happiness was one of those stamps sets that I loved at first sight and I used it a lot when I first had it...I found it perfect for making embossed backgrounds and I love all the elements that you can layer up to add dimension and interest. Its another set that would work perfectly with just about any sentiment or for any occasion.                                                            

For this card I deliberately steered clear of heat embossing and decided to try it with a fair amount of white space....which I filled slightly with a pale ink and a random splash stamp (from Awesomely Artistically set - another of my all time favourites) After I took this picture I added a wink of stella brush to the flower and butterfly for that extra little sparkle.                                             

With no real design plan in my head before I began, I was quite happy with how it turned out. 
Until next time                                                       
Cxx

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Work of Art

Still trying to show some love to some old favourites, but recently rather neglected stamps... and this one is one "Work of Art" is one of my all time favourite stamp sets because it is so easy to make a card in just a few minutes.

For this one I used the 2015-17 in-colours because I realised there are some shades I have not used as much as others and I wanted to give them equal attention..after all they are selected because they work so well together and it seems rude to to take advantage of the planning that went into them,

The card is simple, bright and fun and I am so pleased I   dusted off this one too.

Until next time,
Cxx

Saturday 2 April 2016

Old favourites

I have just returned from a lovely trip to the USA  - which I never announce because lets face it, we don't need to encourage burglars by giving them prior notice! The trip was everything we hoped it would be and now I am back with renewed energy.


Earlier today our team was challenged to take a neglected stamp set and show it some love by making a card or project... Oh the shame when I walked into my craft room and was able to grab a pile of stamps that I have not used in ages...but that all changes right now.

The first one I made was using Kinda Eclectic stamp set, which I adored when it first came out and used loads, but has sat unloved on the shelf for a while now.

 I used almost all of the stamps in the set for this one and as soon as I started using it I remembered why I loved it so much. It is a really versatile set and allows lots of options for all manner of occasions and can be paired with just about any sentiment from any set.

 This card will be going to a friend next week and there will be more neglected stamp projects to follow in the next little while.

Until next time,
Cxx