A FLOCK OF BALLOONS

Hello

It's another wet and wild, weekend, here in Yorkshire - 
even the dog doesn't want to brave the elements.
So, I ramped up the heating, shut myself in my craft room,
and got out some colourful inks.

Some of my balloons hadn't stamped too well so, at the last minute,  I covered them with a crisper die-cut, popped up with foam tape.

I think this made the card look much better - giving it more depth and a bit of interest.

Challenge

CAS(E) this Sketch

supplies

clearly besotted - make a wish

distress inks - tumbled glass, pickled raspberry, peacock feathers, mustard seed, twisted citron

winnie and walter - big bang confetti

PRETTY PATCHWORK

Hello

This week's challenge at Inspired By is all about Pretty Patchwork. 

Hmmm...  the thing is, I needed a card for a guy - so I went with shades of blue.
It's still kinda pretty though, right??

I die-cut my squares and coloured them with zig brush markers.

Then I cut them in half, and stuck them back together into squares - mixing up some of the shades.

Hopefully this has given it more of a 'patchwork' feel.

Challenge

Inspired By

supplies

mft - in and out stitched squares, handwritten happiness

zig clean color real brush markers

COOL BIRTHDAY

Hello.
I confess!
I did something with this card, that I've never done before.
I cut up a stamp!
Is that even allowed? :o)

The 'Happy Birthday' was one stamp, and  - let's be honest - 
I couldn't be arsed with all that masking,
so I simply cut it into two with a craft knife!
I don't regret a thing. 
It worked perfectly.

Have you ever cut a stamp up?
How did it work out for you?

Challenge.

CAS(E) this Sketch

supplies

clearly besotted - make a wish, cooling off

lawn fawn - stitched rectangle     mama elephant - just hatched

altenew ink - spring bouquet     copics

SIP SIP HOORAY

Hello

Here's my card for the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge.

To be honest, this is just one of those cards that I was glad to get finished.
I messed up the colouring and dropped  ink on the clouds.

When I finally came to stamp the sentiment, it totally smudged.
Note to self : stamp sentiment before sticking piece to card.

I managed to hide most errors, and had to cover the smudged sentiment with a cut out one.
But I got there in the end!

Challenge 

Clearly Besotted - Cooling Off, coloured with Copics

MFT Cloud Stencil with Distress Ink Tumbled Glass

Mama Elephant Labeled Messages

JUST FUR YOU

Hello

How tiny can you go?
That's the question at the Less is More Challenge right now.

As it turns out - I can't go that tiny!

I had these little guys out on my work desk, so I decided to use them for this Valentine card.
I just popped them up on a background.

For the background I scribbled some Zig marker onto an acrylic block, added a little water and brushed it through a striped stencil. 

Have you played along?

I'm looking forward to seeing just how 'tiny' you can go.

Challenge

Less Is More

Who are also celebrating their 9th Birthday this month

supplies

mft - little buddies, four legged friends - coloured with copics

clearly besotted striped stencil

zig clean color real brush marker in cobalt

VALENTINE PUP

Hello

Its only a couple of weeks til Valentine's Day,
so when I saw the sketch over at
 CAS(E) this Sketch,
I thought hearts, not circles!

I created a panel with three shades of pink card, and then die-cut my heart into it.
This is a really cute heart die, that lends itself to being 'popped up' on foam tape, for that added dimension.

And, this will be our first Valentine with Buster the Border, so I had to add that little pup in there :-)

Challenge

CAS(E) this Sketch 

supplies

mft - little buddies and peek-a-boo heart die

copic markers

A STRIP OF GLITZ

Hello.

Did you make any crafty New Year's resolutions?
This year I want to try harder to KEEP THINGS SIMPLE
It's in the blog title!! 
You'd have thought I would have got it by now, wouldn't you?  

So, I ignored all the ideas I had about inking up strips in rainbow colours, 
or water colouring a sunset design - 
and simply cut some strips of card and glitter paper and added a basic sentiment.
Job done!

Challenges

CAS(E) this Sketch

Inkspirational

supplies

sugarpea designs - 'you' die

mama elephant birthday messages

FIESTA TIME

Hello.

It's the dreaded (for me) one layer card at the
Less Is More Challenge this fortnight.

The first attempt at this card went in the bin.
I pulled the masking tape off too quickly,
and ripped all the bottom of the card!
Argh!
I was so cross - after all that inking and colouring.
So this was my second attempt.
Can you imagine how slowly I removed that tape the second time?  lol*

hero arts - it's fiesta time, coloured with copics

lawn fawn - hillside border

distress ink - spiced marmalade

NEW YEAR - NEW HOME

Hello.

Is anyone planning on moving house this year?
It's a stressful time, isn't it?
No moving on the cards for me but, I confess -  I love all that wrapping and packing, and boxes piled everywhere :-)

Here's a new home card to add to the pile.

Today I'm playing along at the  CAS Mix Up Challenge, where the technique they're looking for is PARTIAL DIE CUTTING

My house was stamped and partially die cut, then popped up on an inked background.
The other little dies - fences, flowers and bushes - were added in afterwards, to create a bit more interest.

CAS Mix Up Challenge

Partial die cutting, stamping, ink blending, copic marker colouring

supplies

wplus9 - neighbors, coloured with copics

distress ink - stormy sky, salty ocean, tumbled glass

Foxy

Hello.
It's been a while.
I've almost forgotten how to post!

Here's my first card of the year.
(I'm hoping to grab some more time in my craft room this year, now that the puppy is a bit older!)

My daughter and son-in-law are getting regular visits from a fox at the moment.
He likes to patrol the garden and wind up their dog and cats.
So, I thought this fox, hiding in the trees, would be perfect for my sil's birthday card. 

Challenge

Inkspirational

supplies

Wplus9 - feathers and florals

Mama Elephant - 3 Amigos 

Versacolor - Cyan, Turquoise, Celadon, Lime, Green Tea

HAPPY CHRISTMOOSE

Hello

Today was the first chance I have had to craft in ages.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but I was really nervous to make a card.
It's like I'd forgotten everything.
Does anyone else feel like that, after a time away?

To help me get started, I turned to the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.

It was also my first time inking up this Christmas Moose - 

isn't he the cutest - and so easy to colour.

CAS(E) this Sketch

clearly besotted - happy christmoose, coloured with copics

mft - inside and out stitched squares