Out Of This World

Hello.
I've been trying a new technique this morning - from the amazing Jennifer McGuire. It's an old video tutorial of hers, but I think it's something I can have a lot of fun with - Embellished Windows

I like things that are nice and easy - and this is definitely that. I simply opened a laminating pouch, sprinkled it with tiny stars and some blue glitter, then I ran it through my laminator. It gives you a lovely, sparkly but clear background.
It's simple to cut to the size you want, and I mounted mine on some blue card, with a circle cut panel on top. Check out Jennifer's video for other things you can use inside the laminating pouch eg: embossing powders, sequins, sprinkles.

This is one of those 'hard to photograph' cards - but I did my best.

My spaceman, rocket and planet were die-cut, coloured with copics and attached with foam tape. With a little string umbilical cable, to stop my spaceman from floating away :o)

Challenge

AAA Colourful

• lawn fawn - out of this world
• nestabilities circle die
• mft - rectangle stax die
• laminator and pouch
• copic markers

Birds Flying High

Hello.
Today I'm sharing a bird card with you.
Not my usual style, but when I saw this stamp I just had to have it. It's so beautiful.

 I took direction from Freshly Made Sketches and die cut the three circles into my card panel. Then I added the die cut, and copic coloured birds and foliage, with foam tape. A sentiment in blue completed my card.

Freshly Made Sketches

• pinkfresh studio - songbirds on branches / diagonal stitch rectangle
• mama elephant - labeled messages
• copics
• nestabilities circle die

To The Dogfather

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there 💙
My dh gets cards and gifts from the family, but I also like to make, and send him, a card from the dog 😀
I am partial to a dog stamp!

I stamped and coloured my dogs, and then stuck them to a die cut square in coloured card. I just snipped off the overlaps of the dogs.
The sentiment was stamped with some alphabet stamps - these are so useful to have in your collection if you want to stamp a name or a personal message.

Challenge

Allsorts

Masculine or A/G Option

• my favorite things - woof pack, four legged friends, in and out stitched squares
• my favorite things - well connected alphabet
• lawn fawn - Smitty's ABCs
• copic markers, white gel pen

And here's my partner in crime...

MONDAY. Nothing A Cocktail Can't Fix!

Hello.
This month's 'tropical' challenge over at Simply Clean & Simple, allowed me to play with some fruity concoctions.  What's your favourite tipple?

I am partial to a G&T and a classic margarita, but I can't drink an old fashioned to save my life :o)

I stamped and die cut my cocktail glasses and coloured them with copics. Then I attached them with foam tape for some dimension. I used a bold sentiment and then mounted everything on some zingy orange card.

My 'tropical' delights are a tequila sunrise, a green hawaiian, a champagne julep, a bellini and a blue bird. Now, whose round is it?    :o)

Challenge

Simply Clean & Simplenull

Anything Goes CAS - with optional Tropical theme

• clearly besotted - raise a glass
• sentiment - colorado craft company - citrus berry cupcake
• copics / white gel pen
• mft - rectangle die

Let's Veg Out!

Hello.
Today I'm dropping by with a card I made for my daughter's birthday. With a busy job, a 2 year old, 2 cats and a dog, she doesn't have much time to just veg out. Her dh gifted her a solo spa break, so hopefully she's now chilling out by a pool, listening to Crime Junkie and drinking something bubbly :o)

I do love these cute rabbits. Here, I've used a little bit of masking to create a veggie scene.
Am I the only one that struggles with masking, and working out what order I need to stamp things in. I made it easy for myself, by fussy cutting some of those veggies and adding them with tape at the end.

Challenge

AAABirthday

• colorado craft company - rooting for you / garden therapy
• mft - mini well connected alpha
• lawn fawn - offset sayings
• copic markers - white gel pen

Marching On Together

Eek! It's a big day today.
We're all excited, scared, feeling sick  - it's the Championship play off final at Wembley. 

Come on Leeds  

I've used these cute pups from Clearly Besotted. (No masking needed, this is one stamp)
They are a Christmas stamp, but I think they work just as well here, in their Leeds Utd colours :o)

Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Fur Or Feathers

• clearly besotted - howl it's christmas
• copic markers
• sentiment - mft strike up the band / babysaurus
• lawn fawn - stitched rectangle
• copics. white gel pen

So many books, so little time

Hello.
Are you a 'sketch' challenge person? I use them as my go to, when my mojo had deserted me. So yes, I use them a lot :o)

Today, I played along with Freshly Made Sketches. This was a tricky sketch for me, but I knew the stamp set I wanted to use and I played with the die cuts until it came together.

I went for a more vibrant colour mix than usual, using distress oxide on my background squares, and Copic markers for the stamped elements.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

waffle flower crafts - books and coffee

lawn fawn - offset sayings

my favorite things - in and out stitched square dies

distress oxide - salty ocean

copic markers - white gel pen

Sorry You Had A Ruff Day

Hello.
What do you have in your stash that you love, but rarely use? For me, its these larger 'house mouse' stamps. They intimidate me. 
I bought them eons ago, before I realised that I was never going to be great at colouring   :o)

This 'spotlight' technique is a good compromise. I can colour a smaller portion of the stamp, and just about get away with it! Have you tried it?

I stamped the image onto my card blank, then die cut a circle into it. When this was coloured, I popped it back into the space with some foam tape.

This was going to be a birthday card, but that little dog has such a sad look on his face I decided on a more appropriate sentiment.

Challenge

Inkspirational

Stampabilities, House Mouse Designs - Soggy Doggie

Sentiment - My Favorite Things - Four Legged Friends

Copic Markers - White Gel Pen

Nestabilities Circle Die

Eat Cake All Day

Hello. I just had time to squeeze a quick card in today.
So I went with an easy stamp - one of my all time favourites - and some simple colouring. 

How cute are these little hedgies?
I'm playing along with the AAAColourful challenge, so I've gone for pastel shades on the candles.

Challenge

AAAColourful 

• penny black stamps - party pooped
• hero arts sentiment - eat cake all day
• copics / white gel pen
• mft - fish tail flag die

60 Is Just A Number

Hello. My SIL had a milestone birthday today. She turned 60.
I'm only a few months behind her - how did we get so old ?
Do we have to start behaving like adults now?   :o)

Here's a cozy, room card I made for her, because I've been obsessed with Interior Design Masters.
Anyone else a fan?

These dies are so tiny and fiddly, but I really enjoyed putting them together to make this cozy room.
I used the picture frames to add the 'age' element, and a cute sentiment just to remind her how old she is. Ha Ha!

Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

USE DIE CUTS

• my favorite things die sets - take a seat /fundamental furnishings
                                                decor & more / potted plants
• my favorite things - couch potato sentiments
• mamaelephant - birthday messages

Recipe For Happiness

 Hello. Today I'm sharing this little chef, who is stirring a bowlful of happiness for my dh's birthday.

I've gone with the yellows and greens of the current AAAColourful Challenge.
The background was distress inked in a couple of shades, and a few water splashes. Do you find that some distress ink colours react better with water than others?  I love how this yellow turned out. 

The chef and his pans were stamped and die cut, coloured with Copics and stuck down with foam tape for some dimension.

Challenge

AAA Colourful Challenge

• my favorite things - recipe for happiness
• distress inks -  squeezed lemonade, scattered straw
• mft die - fundamental furnishings rug
• copic markers, white gel pen