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

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

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.

CAS on Friday Challenge

CHRISTMAS

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

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.

Inspired By Challenge

• 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

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

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

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. 

Less Is More Challenge

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

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.

Inkspirational Challenge

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

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

Freshly Made Sketches

(missed deadline)

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

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.

Inspired By Challenge

favorite things - ghostly greetings / grassy edges stencil

distress ink - hickory smoke

copic markers

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.

Time Out Challenges

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