Swipe, Swipe, Done!

Hello.
I am definitely not great at fancy ink techniques,
but this one was so easy I had to give it a go.
                                             Direct to Paper Inking

I chose some ice-cream colours, dragged the ink cubes across a card panel and voila - instant background. How easy is that?

Suzie skunk was die-cut and assembled, complete with ice cream and backpack.
Then I used the pole of the oar for the happy birthday sign. 

The stitched rectangle panel was also swished with pink ink, which was brilliant as it always really hurts me to use a big piece of my coloured cardstock for those bases. :o)

Challenge

Group Of Cardmakers

Direct to Paper Inking 

• spellbinders - trailside trio / camp days / splash days
• altenew inks - cotton candy / peach sorbet / mango smoothie
• hero arts ink - green hills
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• lawn fawn - offset birthday sentiments

Bullseye Birthday Wishes

Hello.
Today I'm sharing this cute, straight shooter with you.

I made this fox with lots of little die cuts, then I added his backpack - obviously full of the good snacks! - his bow and arrow, and the target.

Yes, the target is floating a bit... but we're ignoring that because I wanted to stick to a cleaner background, and it was too cute not to use.

Challenge

AAA Birthday

Anything Birthday Goes

🥳 Congrats on your 7th Birthday 🥳

spellbinders - trailside trio / camp days

concord & 9th - cardstock

sentiment - lawn fawn scootin' by

Eat you Own Weight In Cake

 Hello.

Today I needed a card for a little girl, so I reached for the pink card and some cute 'pawty time' stamps.

I white heat embossed the sentiment and streamers onto the pink cardstock, which gives it a lovely crisp contrast and a little texture.

Then I added my cute animals (a dog and a cat ???)  and a huge cake.
It's not really a birthday unless you eat your own weight in cake, is it?

Challenge

Krafty Chicks Challenge

• my favorite things - pawty time
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• lawn fawn - stitch hillside borders
• versamark ink and hero arts white embossing powder
• copics and white gel pen

Just Zoomin' By To Spread A Bit Of Happy

 Hello.

Today I'm trying to get back to my old CAS style.
So, this card has a simple background, some cute animals and a sweet sentiment.

How did I do?

I am never going to win any colouring prizes, but I do enjoy getting my Copics out-
and these little, trees and critters are just perfect size for having a play.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• lawn fawn - scootin' by
• clearly besotted background trees
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitched rectangle
• copic markers - white gel pen

Father Christmas In The Snow

Hello.

I think I've cracked Christmas cards.
Usually all my cards are different, but this year I've had production lines going of the same design,
with just a little twist.

This Father Christmas is on different coloured, snowy backgrounds. 

Which one is your favourite?

This design and colour combo is for the AAAColourful Challenge - where the palette is reds, white and a touch of gold. I hope I'm forgiven for the little bit of green in there on the present!

The backgrounds are all made with distress ink, some water splatter, and a white gel pen and snowfall stencil.

Challenge

AAA Colourful

• spellbinders - dancin' st nick
• lawn fawn stitched hillside borders
• ranger distress ink - festive berries / salty ocean / salvaged patina
• mft - snowglobe sentiments
• pretty pink posh - snowfall stencil
• white gel pen

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

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

You Arrrrgh Awesome!

 Hello.

Pirates are big in our house right now.
We have a cardboard pirate ship in the front room for our Grandsons.
I am regularly made to walk the plank!

I die cut a circle into a card panel. Then, for the background, I used a cloud scrap that I had in my pile, and added the waves, and shoreline with die cut pieces. The boat was added into the waves, and then the pirate and his extras were placed around the sides. It took me ages to try and balance it out, hopefully it looks ok.

Challenge

Cardz 4 Guyz 

#371 Body of Water

Just for fun, I'm also sharing my Grandson's card. He's 4 years old.

If it's a family birthday he usually makes a card with some stickers and felt tips, but this time I thought he could try out some stamping.

I stamped the treasure chest for him, to show him how to do it, and then let him do the rest himself.
For a first attempt I am pretty impressed. 
I might have to start sharing my craft room!

• lawn fawn - ahoy matey
• nestie circle die
• time for tea designs - ocean waves dies
• copics / white gel pen

We Are All Artists

Hello.
This Easter, Nibbles the Guinea Pig became an artist,  painting his very own egg with some colourful blooms.

I created the egg with a large oval nestie, and used a scalloped die for the trim.
The blooms and leaves were stamped from an old lawn fawn set I have (yes, I do have an odd flower set in my stash).
Then, I added a grassy edge and my guinea pig was fussy cut - yeah, I need to practice that!

For the Inkspirational Challenge

where the mood board is 'decorated eggs'

• colorado craft company - paint the town
• lawn fawn - penelope's blossoms
• altenew inks - fresh leaf/baby pink/citrus burst/turquoise
• nestie oval die
• my favorite things - stitched scallop edge die
• spellbinders - landscape edge die
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• copics 

Feeling Ducky Today

Hello.
One day of sunshine and I'm already thinking about Spring, and Easter.
So I reached for these cute ducks when I saw the 'gingham' challenge at Inspired By...

I don't have and gingham paper, so I did a background with a copic marker.  Nothing fancy - I just used the broad edge to draw the lines. It's darker here and there, and the lines aren't equally spaced, but I thought that added to it's charm.

I used die-cut hillsides for the background, and slotted those rushes in behind. Then the ducks were added with foam tape for some extra dimension.

 Challenge

Inspired By... 

• time for tea designs - lucky duck
• lawn fawn - stitched hillside borders
• my favorite things - stitched rectangle scallop edge die
• cloud dies ( I think they are memory box)
• avery elle - merriest sentiment
• copic markers / white gel pen

Ahoy, Matey

Oo Arr! 
Happy Birthday today, to our very own pirate, Captain B.

Follow the map, brave scallywag,  find the hidden gems, and make them scurvy, land lubbers walk the plank  :o)

It's pirates all the way for us this week, with our Grandson's 4th birthday.
To say he is obsessed is an understatement. He has a pirate ship in our front room (amazing £10 deal from Hobbycraft) and a treasure chest full of gem stones, that he won't let out of his sight.

So this pirate card, and little treasure map, was a real winner.

The little elements, were die cut, coloured and placed onto a background scene.
Those wave dies from 'Time for Tea Designs, made it super easy to put together.

The map was stamped and coloured with copics.

Challenge

As You Like It Challenge

Feminine or Masculine Theme

I have gone for a masculine theme here, with the little, boy pirate.
I've always found masculine cards a bit tricky, but with 2 grandsons, I have learnt to love them.
Flowers and ribbons, and girly stuff was never really my style anyway,
so I'm embracing boy things and having fun. Boy stuff can be cute too!

• lawn fawn - ahoy, matey
• time for tea designs - ocean waves die
• copic markers

Cheers, Big Ears

Hello.
This month's sketch at Seven Hills Crafts, definitely had me scratching my head.

Lots of measuring and re-measuring was done to try and create that background.
It's not perfect, but it's ok.

After die cutting the embroidery hoop, that little bunny was stitched up in no time at all.

This was going to be an Easter card, but I don't have an Easter sentiment, so instead I went for 'thanks'.
Then, because I wasn't happy, I played around adding things here and there. 
Yeah - it's not my favourite card!

Seven Hills Crafts Challenge 

February Sketch

• waffle flower - embroidery hoops die, and stitch able hoops die
• my favorite things - peacock pattern stamp
• versa color ink - mint
• lawn fawn - thanks die and bunny cross stitch pattern
• tiny hoop stamp - mama elephant - stitched with love

Frost Loving Friends

Hello.
Today I'm posting from a shiny, new laptop! 
Setting it up has been a steep learning curve - why do they make it so complicated?
My main issue now is just how vibrant the screen is.
Wow! Everything is in glorious technicolour.
So I have no idea how you're seeing this card, but it seems awfully bright on this end.

I followed along with the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, swapping out the stars for trees.

This little bear is super cute, and I thought it would make a lovely 'no hearts' Valentine's card for my dh.
I even managed to do some water colouring on those trees, which is a bit scary for me  :o)

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches 

• mft - frost loving friends, coloured with copics
• mft - tall trees dienamics, coloured with zig clean color real brush pens
• lawn fawn - stitched hillside borders

A Little Wobble And A Lot Of Joy

Hello.
Today I'm sharing a cute Santa card, with a body that wobbles with joy.
You can't help but give it a little wiggle - I think my grandsons will love it.

Santa is on a distress inked background, splattered with some water drops and snow.

The snow is a white gel pen, used through a snowfall stencil. This simple way of doing 'snow' has been a revelation for me this year. It makes it quick and easy, but still looks random, and no more of me trying (and failing) to do the dreaded splatter.

Challenge

As You Like It

Anything Christmassy

• spellbinders dancin' st nick
• distress ink - salty ocean
• my favorite things - snowglobe sentiments
• lawn fawn - stitched hillside borders
• pretty pink posh - snowfall stencil