Sunday 3 December 2023

Friends With Fins

Hello. This was one of those cards, where we almost came to blows o:)
I had several attempts at that circle background, and then, just when I though I had it right, I stamped the sentiment - and dropped it! And - it bounced! Argh! 
I had sentiment echoes all over the card. 

This was my fourth attempt....


I'm glad I persevered, cos I think it came out kinda cute.
I used a stencil for the bubble background, stamping a few fish here and there. The big fish were stamped, die cut, and coloured with Copics.


Freshly Made Sketches

  • my favorite things - friends with fins / basic circles stencil
  • sentiment - hero arts - I'm a puffer for you
  • distress ink - tumbled glass, salvaged patina
  • pink fresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
  • copics.  clear dots






Sunday 26 November 2023

Deck The Halls

 Isn't this bear cute? This is one of those stamps that has really stood the test of time. I bought him back in 2010, and here he is, getting his annual inking up o:)


I followed along at Freshly Made Sketches, just flipping the sketch and making one edge a little softer.
After inking, I splattered some water around, and then overlaid a star/snow stencil and used some white paste. The little bear is stamped and coloured with copics.


It's hard to tell on these photos, but I raised that middle panel onto foam tape, so it's much more 3D IRL

Freshly Made Sketches

  • Lili of the Valley bear stamp, coloured with copics
  • distress oxide - salty ocean
  • spellbinders all the stars stencil, with white embossing paste
  • sentiment from colorado craft company - on the lookout




Saturday 25 November 2023

Driving Home For Christmas

Will you be driving home for Christmas?
We are lucky this year. With our house move in August, we are now only 5 or 10 minutes away from all the family and they will be coming to us for Christmas dinner. Perfect chaos :o)


I loved using that bright pop of red on this van.
It can be a bit tricky to line up this stamp, so once the red was done (and the brown lines) I coloured the top in with a copic marker. Then I added the tree, garland, and front and rear bumpers.



CHRISTMAS

  • the greetery - christmas care-a-van
  • sentiment from concord & 9th - tiny trees
  • mft inks - poppy, sour apple
  • copics / white gel pen

Saturday 11 November 2023

Gnome For The Holidays

Ok, hands up if you have no idea what you're doing with a white, gel pen.
Somewhere, in a parallel universe, there must be a white, gel pen diploma course. I need that course!

I was hoping, when I bought this fall gnome set, that I would be able to use them for Christmas cards. And here they are. I stamped some extra gnomes, so that I could cut out their hands and stick them over what they are carrying.




  • spellbinders - fall gnomes
  • candy cane from sugar pea designs -  hey winter
  • lights from mama elephant - decorate the tree
  • pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
  • mft dienamincs - stitch scallop edges and snow globe sentiments
  • ecoline brush pens and copics















Friday 10 November 2023

Holiday Reindeer Vibes

Hello.
I love this cute, floral stag set, but it does take me forever to put it together. It seemed crazy to just make one card, so I had a little production line going. There was a scary moment, when the dog nearly knocked over my tray, full of tiny die cuts, but I saved it just in time and managed to make four cards.
          

I started by die cutting all my pieces and then assembled the stag and flowers. Then, I used a combination of tape, glue and foam pads to add the stag and floral bouquet onto the die cut panel.

Challenge

Moving Along With The Times


  • spellbinders - floral stag
  • pinkfresh studio - stitched diamonds coverplate die
  • sentiment - wplus9 - heartfelt holidays
  • copics / stickles glitter




Saturday 4 November 2023

When The Snow Lay Round About

Hello.
Today's Tip : don't underestimate a set of brown inks. They might not be top of your wish list, or your most exciting purchase, but they are oh so useful. I use mine for everything from little critters, cakes and pastries, to antlers, tree trunks and plant pots - and all sorts in between.

Here, I've used them for my trees and animals.


This is a stamp set I have had for ages, and it's always lovely to get it out again. I stamped the trees on a background panel and then added a 'snowy' hillside. The deer, rabbit and birds were stamped and die cut, then popped up with foam tape. 


Freshly Made Sketches

I rotated the sketch, but hopefully you can still see it.

  • wplus9 - winter woodland
  • pinkfresh studio inks - warm buff / doe
  • distress ink - festive berries
  • lawn fawn stitched hillside borders

Wednesday 1 November 2023

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Hello. Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. It rained here - of course it did - but it didn't put off those trick or treaters.

Today I'm sharing this cool 'go girl' card, for a new teenager. 


This was a quick make. It's mostly die cuts, but I did just have to fussy cut and colour, the neck and head. Then I stuck them together and popped my girl up with foam tape. 



I now there's a big pop of yellow in there, for the hair, but I figured I could get away with that as a 'necessary neutral' Ha ha!


  • waffle flower - go girl
  • distress ink - salty ocean / festive berries / pickled raspberry
  • mama elephant - labeled messages
  • copics
  • glossy accents

Thursday 26 October 2023

Oh, the weather outside is frightful

Well, I can see from Instagram that some of you crafters have snow already.   I'm jealous.
I hope we get some in Yorkshire this year - but only when I don't need to leave the house :o)

Here's my card for the 'cold' theme at Inkspirational


I stamped the cute bunny and robin image, and then masked it with a circle die and inked up a sky background. After colouring, I added some water splatter, and then some white 'snow' splatter. I don't know what I do wrong with splatter, but it never really comes out great for me - so I added a few snow drops with a white gel pen.





  • colorado craft company - christmas presents / on the lookout
  • copic markers
  • distress ink - salty ocean
  • circle die  


Monday 23 October 2023

Christmas Trees

 Argh! I can't believe I've missed the deadline for Freshly Made Sketches - AGAIN!
It seems I have a mental block for the end of the challenge. Next time, I will write it on my forehead :o)
Anyhoo... it's another card for the Christmas pile.


This was a very simple card. I stamped and die-cut the trees and popped them up on foam tape. I used just 2 similar colours to make it even easier. Then I added some stickles glitter on the trees and some gold, heat embossed stars.
Can you spot my deliberate mistake? I forgot to add glitter on one of the middle tree's 'baubles'.


Challenge

(missed deadline)



  • concord and 9th - tiny trees
  • distress ink - salvaged patina, peacock feathers
  • wow gold embossing powder
  • stickles glitter, gold




Friday 20 October 2023

Ghostly Greetings

Hello.
Today I'm sharing another ghostly greeting with you.
I stuck to a 'moon' background - have I mentioned I'm obsessed with the moon :o)


This time I got my Copics out for the background effect. I started with a yellowish moon, and then used pale lilacs and purples, blending a little as I went. I'm not great at this sort of technique, but I'm chuffed with how it turned out.
I stenciled some grass at the bottom with distress ink, added a few bats, some splatter and the sentiment, and popped up the ghosts with foam tape.




favorite things - ghostly greetings / grassy edges stencil
distress ink - hickory smoke
copic markers


Saturday 14 October 2023

Art Deco Christmas

 I'm not going to lie - I struggled with Time Out's 'vintage' theme. I googled  - a lot! Thank goodness my grandson had an extra long nap :o) Eventually I decided on something a bit different - maybe not what you would typically think of as vintage, but I hope it works.


I went for an Art Deco pattern and colour palette, with this stitched, cover plate die. I also mounted it on gold, glitter paper for a touch of decadence.
I think the 'sending' font has that Art Deco vibe too - I'm just annoyed I didn't attach it further up! Oh well.





  • spellbinders - stitched fanfare with various threads
  • spellbinders - sending you stamps and dies
  • gold glitter paper