Believe In Magic

Hello.
Who else is on a tight budget? I keep seeing all these gorgeous stamp and die sets everywhere, but they're out of my price range. I love the Spellbinders stitch dies, but they're £43 !!!

In order to make my money go further, I thought I would give some digi stamps a try. 
After some hit and miss with getting card through my printer, I finally made it work.
What do you think?

This little, wizard  (who looks just like my grandson) is from a Halloween bundle by Lili of the Valley  which includes wizards and witches, extras and sentiments for only £4.99

I gave him a moon to fly past, coloured him with Copics, and added a few bats from a stamp set I have. 
Now, I just have to get used to the lack of dimension - but maybe I need to practice some fussy cutting.

Challenge

Try It On Tuesday

It's All About Children

• lili of the valley digital stamp - magical halloween bundle
• copic markers - white gel pen
• bats - mft ghostly greetings
• moon - AI

Starting School

Hello.
It's a big day for us today - our grandson started reception class.
I dropped him off this morning, in his smart new uniform ( the obligatory 2 sizes too big) and watched him run into class, with his new friends.
It's been very strange not having him with me today, but I get to pick him up at 3.30pm.

I used a waffle flower crafts set, to create this cute little, school scene.
With all the animals wishing my grandson good luck on his first day.

Challenge

As You Like It 

Layered or flat?

I am all for layered cards, because I like to give the elements a little bit of dimension,
but I'm also mindful to keep it to a minimum, to just squeeze through the 5mm postage slot.

Saying that, I usually end up adding extra postage if it's a bit tight. 
I don't want someone having to go to the sorting office just to collect a card!!

• waffle flower crafts - books and coffee
• my favorite things - well connected alpha
• lawn fawn - smitty's abcs
• copic markers / white gel pen

Bring on the Pumpkin Spice

Hello.
Autumn's here - and that can only mean one thing... pumpkin spice season!

I admit - I struggled with this sketch from Freshly Made.
For some reason I panic when I see circles!!
After several attempts ended up in the bin, I eventually settled on this. I'm not too happy with it, but it will fit in with my little autumn deco tray.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• spellbinders - fall gnomes stamps and dies
• copic markers
• pinkfresh studio diagonal stitch rectangle
• concord & 9th - buttercup card stock

Un-bear-ably cute

Hello.
Happy September everyone. I'm excited to get back into my craft room after the summer, and get started on some Christmas cards.
But first - this anniversary card for my dd and sil

I attempted a bokeh style background, that looks really cute irl.
My panel was inked up with worn lipstick, and then I stamped hearts with other pinky/red inks and some white. Now I've looked at it, I could have gone with more white.     Next time!

These die cut bears are from a Christmas set - but I think they work great for an anniversary couple.

Challenge

Addicted to Stamps & More

• spellbinders - festive friends
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• mama elephant - labeled messages
• distress inks - worn lipstick, pickled raspberry, abandones coral
• versa color ink - orchid
• hobbycraft white ink

Out of this World

Hello.
Creating this spaceman birthday card was a blast!!
Using the 'Out of this World' stamp and die set, I combined the astronaut, rocket and planets
to capture that cosmic vibe.

I STILL have trouble with my splatter background though.
I just have to accept it's one of those things I will never be able to do!

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• lawn fawn - out of this world
• distress ink - stormy sky, on dark blue cardstock
• copic markers / white gel pen

Good Times and Tan Lines

Hello.
Life has been getting in the way of my crafting recently, but I finally got some time to stamp.
When I'm feeling a bit out of practice, my 'go to' is a great sketch (thank you Freshly Made)
and some easy to colour animals.

I kept things very simple for this card - stamping those cute guys heading to the beach.
Then, I decided it looked a bit weird because they were cropped off at the sides, so I stamped again on my card base. It took my brain way too long to work out how to do this!! 

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

#697

• colorado craft company - beach life
• copic markers
• concord & 9th cardstock - grapefruit / aqua sky
• white gel pen
• mft - stitched scalloped rectangle die

British Summer Vibes

Nothing says British summer like the sound of an ice-cream van.
What are you having -   a Screwball, a Fab or a Rocket?

 

I'm not too happy with the colours for this card.
I wanted it to be nice and bright, so I used my Ecoline brush pens and they didn't work well on that cardstock. Going over areas made the colour darker than I wanted and the paper started to pill.
Next time I'll try heavier cardstock or watercolour paper.

Challenge

AAA Cards

Whilst the sentiment isn't the focus, I definitely think it
brings a lot to the card.

• time for tea designs - cool critters
• ecoline real brush pens
• copic markers
• white gel pen

Poolside Fun

The UK is in the middle of a heatwave - everyone is either sat on a small patch of grass in the sun, or melting quietly in the shade, with a cup of tea  :o)
Which one are you?

I used the smaller dies, of this poolside set, to make-up these people lounging in the sun, topping up their tan.

I could just take a dip in that water myself. It might be time to get out the paddling pool :o)

Challenge

Addicted to Stamp & More

• concord and 9th - poolside dies and stamps
• the stamp market - criss cross stamp
• altenew ink - fresh lemon/tide blue
• rnger distress ink - tumbled glass/spiced marmalade
• verscolor ink - turquoise
• my favorite things - in and out stitched rectangles

Running On Sunshine And Summer Vibes

Here's a perfect splash of summer vibes and relaxation.
Hands up, who would like to be floating in the pool, waiting for their dirty margarita to arrive. 🙋

As soon as I saw the sketch at Freshly Made, and with these dies already out on my desk, this card was a no brainer, and came together quickly.
I'm even getting the hang of glueing those pieces, so that the glue doesn't end up everywhere!

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• concord and 9th - poolside dies and stamps
• waffle flower - rainbows paper

Kick Back And Relax

Hello.
I'm sharing a fun, interactive card with you today.

This girl is living her best life, doing absolutely nothing.

As interactive cards go, this one was easy to put together. I still managed to make one significant error though. I should have used a card panel the same size as my card base. Then my pool girl would have fitted on better and been more central. Next time!!

The background was distress inked and splattered with water and white acrylic paint, for a 'pool' effect.
Then all the other pieces were die cut and glued together.
I think the trick for this set, is to allow the glue time to dry when assembling the pieces.

Challenge

Inkspirational 

I've opted for using the same colour palette as the mood board,
with the yellow, orange and greens.
I also stamped a little foliage on her bathing suit to represent the flower pattern.

• concord and 9th - poolside dies and stamp set
• distress ink - peacock feathers

Birthday Surprises, Wrapped With Love

Hello.
I'm struggling to make time to craft right now.
This card has been living rent free, in my head, for almost a week!

I finally got time to put it together.

I'm playing along with the AAA Birthday Challenge, so this card was made entirely with die cuts - no stamping at all! Whilst the card came together pretty easily, I had to rack my brains for a 'no stamp' sentiment.
I finally decided on those die cut alphas and number. I used the same cardstock as the background for them, but just to make them pop a little bit more they are 3 layers deep.

Challenge

AAA Birthday

• concord & 9th - handmade holiday dies
• memory box - parker lower case alpha
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• nestie circle die
• white gel pen - copic markers