Scrap page - new distress ink mask etc.

Todays craft experiment was the new mask I got from Cards by Samantha in the sale and played with distress inks and cosmic shimmer spray.  Also used some of the handmade flower embellishments I made for the previous card.

Also used the butterfly from the papermania stamps (Afternoon Tea Blooms) and stamped it using the distress ink to match the distressed swirl in a nice faded way.  Also like the simple knot in the ribbon - thanks to Helen's class the other night where we used this for a card.  Love it - very simple but effective!

All in all very pleased with this experiment - colours worked perfectly with the photo.

My first challenge - Sweet Sunday Sketch

So this is my first challenge card!

For the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 106 I've done this card for my Auntie using some new papermania stamps and also making my own tissue paper flower - really impressed with how it turned out even if it's no where near the quality of other entrants to the challenge!

Think that when I get my stampin up stuff it might get a little easier to get coordinating colours of card and ink - for the moment it's just a bit of whatever I can find in my stash - usually freebies with magazines and some other bits and pieces bought along the way!

With hindsight the circle could have been a little bigger and the strip on the left a little narrower but hey - it works nonetheless!

Crafty Friday!

Horrah Friday finally arrived for me to play crafting!  Didn't quite manage as long as I wanted mainly due to the hangover as a result of enjoying the night before a little too much!  But got there eventually!

So all cards and some interesting ones where I was using up scraps of freebie papers that I've had for an age, some freebie stamps from magazines and playing with some new tools!

Card 1: Lovely Personal Impressions stamp of the carnation stamped in red and green, glittered the flower head and mounted on a freebie green gingham paper and added some light green gems and the red ribbon with the cheat tie!

 Card 2:  Lovely gold pearlescent card blank.  Bit of corner embossing and then used new toy number 1 and 2 - distress ink and the ink sponge applicator!  Used the same ink for the tag but more heavily applied and then put the topper on the tag and used promarker to colour the ribbon to coordinate with the card.

 Card 3: Scraps of paper left to make the back panel, then used sponge to add colour to the edge of the pink panel.  Added a topper in the middle and a small lilac bow and the 4 small flowers to the corners with the pink gem centres.

 Card 4: Although not a fan of paper tearing was inspired by the class this week to have a go!  Used scraps paper to affix to this DL card made on it's side,  Stamped panel is from some freebie Molly Blooms stamps -background is stamped using Big and Juicy Happy Birthday then the three stamps were done with black ink and coloured with promarkers.  Added the pink ribbon scraps and then mounted it.  Added the final bit of bling on the side with the pink gems to add some balance to the card.  Pleased with this one!

 Card 5: Some more scraps and tearing!  Plus the stamped flower in the background - another Molly Blooms one, and the topper from the set I bought the other day and the flower gems in the bottom left.

 Card 6: the rest of the freebie papers from ages ago I decided to play with one a twisted easel card.  Not often I use this much patter so quite unusual for me! Used the corner rounder on this to make the card feel more retro with the patterned shapes.  The tree was a freebie PolkaDoodles one stamped in brown and then used orange ink to colour the edge and used promarkers to colour the ribbon orange to coordinate.  Very pleased with this one!

 Card 7: A small card - photographed before the glitter glue dried.  Again scraps left over and one of the toppers with a small bow to finish.

 Card 8: This is also a card I am pleased with.  I've been wanting to use the paper I used on the front for ages but wasn't sure how to use it as the pattern is quite large.  Decided to make a DL shaped card and use it as a background.  Added a cream ribbon around the whole card and then a small panel of the retro shapes paper.  Then used Personal Impressions stamp in the brown and inked the edges with the light orange to add definition.  So pretty - I love this stamp in particular - just wish that the stamp itself was a little larger - but you can't have everything!

I also made my daughters birthday card too - but not posting in case she happens to see me typing this - so will wait until after her birthday to post it!  But you can be safe in the knowledge it is PINK!

So a lovely day, watching C&C whilst immersing myself in bits of paper and inks, drinking coffee and pleased to report the hangover has gone!

Such fun!

Helen's Technique University

What a lovely evening I've had - 3 lovely cards, great techniques and lovely company!  Definitely tired by the end but thoroughly enjoyed!

So all brayer techniques - Barbara Grey eat your heart out - well not quite but I did try!

First one brayered onto watercolour paper, then stamped image, some tearing (it breaks my heart to tear paper!) and then on white paper, two step stamping for the friends and the flower frame image.  A lovely ribbon and then some scrumpled up paper (again it breaks my heart!) with some lovely layering.  Nice techniques, beautiful colours and all quite pretty!  All products are Stampin Up as Helen is a Stampin Up demonstrator!

2nd card.  Glossy paper and two tone brayered background.  A lovely lovely stamp then in Stazon ink so nice and shiny over the top.  Then the yellow (sorry Helen So Saffron!) card with some So Saffron ink with the flower stamp, some more tearing ... should that be tear eyed tearing!!!  A clever bow effect on the ribbon, a stamped sentiment, punched and punched out the frame and some layering.  Because the tearing on mine was a bit extreme I did have to improvise with my layout a little and added the yellow flowers along the edge too to try and make it balance a little better.  But what is definite is I love the big stamp with the words and floral motifs!

Card 3: Now this was a challenge!  Reflection brayer technique.  One stamp of a bird facing one way, into two birds kissing!  So this was really complicated and took all of us (except Helen the expert) a few goes before we got close but the result was lovely.  Loved the layout of this card too even if my image cropping was a little strangely placed due to an unfamiliar paper trimmer - that's my excuse anyway!

 So all in all a wonderful evening - and relaxing despite the stress over the reflection technique!  Thanks Helen and fellow students!!!

Such fun!  Now off to blog hop!

No crafting all weekend :(

... but i intend to put that right tomorrow when I go and join Helen's Technique University class ... woo hoo! And then I am planning a fairly major crafting day on Friday as I'm off work and should have the house to myself for at least most of the day!  Wahey!
... looking forward to posting my creations tomorrow and playing with a brayer!
Night all - happy crafting!  Such fun!

Invitation a making

So it's M's birthday in a few weeks so time to make some invitations - preferably without her adding her own artistic touch on them!
Success - managed to palm the writing of the play centre ones off onto M and I did the cards to enclose the invites.  I didn't go for a particularly difficult design - but a cute stamp with some lovely promarkers to colour it in!

So once again not my most complicated or intricate of works but for 20 invitations to a 5 year olds birthday I think it's not bad at all!  After all the party will cost enough - so cheap is the order of the day!

Still not been able to make a challenge card - mainly due to M pinching the things I'd printed to make me a card!!! Plus as usual a chaotic few days getting in the way of crafting - but maybe tomorrow?

Such fun!

Enjoy crafting one and all!

Redesign of the blog time!

Loving the fact that I am discovering more about blogging every day!  Now found a fab template which is soooo pretty and just like the sort of things I like for crafting with!  Now just need to work out how to use it all properly!

Really looking forward to getting it all sorted and then entering some challenges properly on other blogs!

Productive Crafty night

So ... I had a few things to make so made myself at home at the table and got down to it whilst watching some C&C I'd recorded and then some Glee to keep me company as I crafted and throughly enjoyed myself I have to say!

What did I make?
Well I made a sympathy card for a friend who sadly lost her Dad this week - not the finest work of art -but one from the heart.  Didn't take a picture as it didn't seem right to do so!

I made a train card for my cousin's son who turns 2 tomorrow - happy birthday James!

Used some random scraps of paper and embellishments to contruct the train and inked the wheels and handwrote the little stopper for the easel card.  I really do love easel cards at the moment - as will become evident very soon.  Not really done children's cards before so this made a nice change from my usual style and had fun with the bright papers and playing with the embossing board to make the train a little different.

Then onto an acceptance card for a work friend on behalf of a group of us who have been invited to her Mum's 60th. 

Again used some random scraps of paper from magazine kits mainly to make the card and matching envelope.  Again very different from my usual style but enjoyed using freebie papers and bits to sort this one out.  Inside the card (not pictured) there is a smaller version of the cherry tree and a yellow panel with the acceptance sentiments and names etc in it framed beautifully with the lovely chocolate brown cardstock from my stash of 12 x 12.  Went for an unusual size of card for this to accomodate the large tree too - about 15cm by 15cm which is really strange for me as usually a small card person or tall and slim!  But hey tonight was the night to ring the changes!

And finally most important of all was the valentines card for dearest V. 

A new stamp from Clarity Stamps graces this Easel card (yes another one!) and some lovely I LOVE YOU ribbon I found in my stash which I think was a Making Memories product bought many moons ago!  Stamped up the wired heart in black onto the clarity card and then masked it.  Brayered the background (not brilliantly as had managed to get finger prints on the card!) using the Big and Juicy "Happy Birthday" sticking to the middle of the ink pad and then sprayed with cosmic shimmer (can't remember the colour - sorry!).  Once all dried used the inks and a water brush to pick up the colours and individually colour the parts of the heart.  Then wrapped the ribbon around with the I love you as central as possible.  Did another heart and strip for the stopper for the easel but left this blank and then layered it all up on white to make a nice easel card.  Oh and added some mirror board that hasn't really shown up on the picture to add a bit of something special to it.  And finally added some bling - some light blue gems on the wrap ribbon and a light blue heart on the strip on the easel card.

Of course it doesn't all go to plan ... I then made a lovely envelope for my card but have just realised I have sealed the card inside the envelope and not actually written it!  What a plonker!  Guess tomorrow is will be envelope making time again and this time remember to actually write the card I made!

Happy crafting everyone! 

PS finished my scrap page yesterday from Wed so must try and remember to take a pic soon to upload!

Digi card

Just playing with some freebie downloads to create this cute card.
Enjoy!

ooops didn't switch off the laptop!

And instead decided to play at redesigning the blog instead and discovering new ones out there for me to follow!
Found plenty of challenge ones to keep me busy when I get a moment to actual craft!
Such fun!

enjoyable and relaxing night of craft!

Well having had a lovely night of crafting I thought I'd leave a quick message on the blog to remember this!
Did a scrap page although not quite finished it so will have to post pics another day and enjoyed the inspiration from the page Helen had done to provide the circle flowers for mine ... all will be revealed later!
All in all lovely and relaxing night to take my mind away from the chaos of work etc.!

Night all

sketch challenge - digi version

So I thought in prep for tomorrows crafting I would play digitally tonight first!
Sketch challenge ...

Used a cute fairy kit to make a nice birthday card and exchanged the ribbon for the plant for the fairy to stand on!
Used purples and greens - my current favourite combos!
Think this would be a nice teenage girl card as the fairy is more spiritual than disney!
Anyway must turn off laptop and get some sleep!
Night night all!

packed and ready to craft

After yet another crazy day at work I was pleased to be able to come home and pack up my bag ready for crafting tomorrow - really need to get myself a craft tote rather than a plastic bag for future crafting expeditions!
Decided on a scrap page for tomorrow with some cute pics of Maya printed off for the occasion!
Looking forward to posting the final page on here soon!

late post re:Sunday craft time

Forgot to update this on Sunday ...

Saturday night I did some cutting out for some decoupage cards from a freebie kit with a magazine from a few months ago.  Then Sunday morning M and I managed some craft time whilst watching Andy Murray lose the Australian open final.

Here is the result of the very cute Forever Friends decoupage kits.

As you can see I was in a bit of an easel card mode and especially love the tall blue one.  Now am I the first to start on my Christmas cards???  Promise it was only because they were freebies and the first in the kit - did the very cute pink birthday one last to remind myself it's nearly spring!

Crafting night!

Well I have well and truly enjoyed my evening.  For a change I haven't brought work home - mainly as I worked a 10 hour day in the office so figured they'd had enough of me for today.  So instead craft night it was.

Boy did I have fun!  Been an age since I'd done a paper scrapbook layout so decided to do one for Maya's album.  Now there is still a bit of journalling to be done but otherwise I'm really pleased with this ... even managed a bit of inking so pink inky fingers I have achieved!

Photos are from a trip to Stockley Farm and the papers etc are from her K Memories album kit with a few extra embellishments and paper bits thrown in.  Did the swirls myself and quite pleased with them and used the ruffled idea from Helen's craft technique class the other week to play with textures.

Such fun!