Let Your Dreams Take Flight

I wanted to make a tag to follow the theme for this month's Tag along & ATCs 'Travel' challenge but was struggling to find anything travel related then remembered that dreams can take flight!

To make this tag I used:
     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Hot off the Press 'Feathers' stamps and coordinating die
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Dark brown Promarker
     Snippets of white and dark purple card, Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper and purple ribbon

I attached the snippet of Antebellum paper to white card and used the largest die to cut the tag.  I placed the tag into my MISTI and used purple ink to stamp the sentiment in the lower corner - stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I used purple ink to stamp the feather onto purple card and cut it with the coordinating die.  The feather was then attached above the sentiment.  The purple ribbon was a bit too bright so I coloured it with a dark brown Promarker so it matched the colour of the feather before attaching it to the top of the tag.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Any Occasion
     Cut It Up - Add a Sentiment
     Tag-along & ATCs Challenge - Travel

Kath x

Retiform Christmas

I was so pleased when my Snowman Cross Stitch Card was a winner in the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown 'Sewing' challenge and thank you to the team for inviting me to be a Guest Designer on their Retiform challenge.  This is a new technique for me, but thankfully there are plenty of tutorials available online!  The technique took me right out of my comfort zone, but after several practice attempts I was reasonably happy with the final result.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card
     Hot off the Press 'Christmas', Making Cards 'Essential Christmas Stamps' and Uniko 'Rustic Wreath' stamps
     Versafine Spanish Moss and Vintage Sepia inks
     Snippets of white matt and brown textured card

I trimmed a snippet of white matt card to 6¼ x 4¼".   I used a scrap of card and post-it notes to mask various parts of the card before using the green ink and a blending tool to create the grid.  Once I had made the grid I wiped the blending tool across the rest of the card to lightly colour the background.  I used various small stamps and brown ink to stamp the images - masking the areas around the grid so I could stamp some of the images over the edge.  Once I had finished the grid I layered the panel onto brown card before attaching it to the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Stamping Sensations - Animals, Birds or Creatures (my card has a reindeer)

Kath x

Black, White and One Colour

I was over the moon to be the winner of the CAS on Friday Christmas Challenge and was invited to be Guest Designer on their 'Black, White and One Colour' challenge.  For my card I've chosen purple as my 'One Colour'.

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I used post-it notes to mask a strip along the bottom of the card and then used purple ink to stencil one row of stacked lines across the bottom of the panel.  I placed the card into my MISTI before stamping the reindeer and sentiment - stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  To finish I attached the panel to the front of the card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Hot off the Press 'Reindeer' and Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamps
     Funky Fossil 'Stacked Lines' stencil
     Versafine Onyx Black and Imperial Purple inks
     White card

As we're away in our campervan I've scheduled this post as I'm not sure if I'll have a wifi signal to be able to enter any challenges.

Kath x

May Rudolph Day Challenge

It's time for another Rudolph Day card using a magazine cover gift (which is my theme this year).  This card uses a Hot off the Press stamp set that was a cover gift about ten years ago and is still one of my favourite Christmas stamps.  The lilac card was also a cover gift - it was the back of a card in a cross stitch kit.

I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the card blank and die cut a rectangle from the centre.  I placed the lilac card into my MISTI and laid the frame over the top so I could place the reindeer and sentiment stamps in the centre.  I removed the frame and stamped the images a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I layered the paper behind the frame and attached it to the card.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white matt card blank
     Hot off the Press 'Reindeer & Sentiment' stamps
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Snippets of lilac card and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day - May Challenge

Kath x

Reindeer and Stacked Lines

This card was made using another new stencil from Funky Fossil.  The stencil  has four stacked lines but I used just one to make a band across the bottom of the card.

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and stencilled the stacked lines across the bottom.  I placed the card into my MISTI before stamping the reindeer and sentiment.  The reindeer had got snowflakes on his back which allowed the stripes to show through, so I used a fine paintbrush and black ink to paint the snowflakes so they blended with the back of the reindeer giving a clear silhouette.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Hot off the Press 'Reindeer' and Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamps
     Funky Fossil 'Stacked Lines' stencil
     Versafine Onyx Black and Deep Lagoon inks
     White card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Up to One Third
     CAS Christmas - Silhouette
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Such a Deer
     Happy Little Stampers Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes
     Perfectly CAS - Stencils
     The Male Room - Animals

Kath x  

Twofer Hearts

My first post this week is for the Twofer Challenge where the prompt is 'Hearts'.  I had made these cards to post last week, but couldn't get enough daylight to photograph them so have saved the post for today.  I've used a Clearly Bessotted 'With All Your Heart' die to make an anniversary card and a notecard.

Onefer - Happy Anniversary

To make this CAS Anniversary card I trimmed a piece of card slightly smaller than the card blank and rounded the corners.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment along the lower edge and attached the panel to the card.  I stamped and embossed five hearts and die cut them with the coordinating die.  The hearts were attached above the sentiment using wet glue to give me a little 'wriggle room' to get them straight.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'With All Your Heart' stamps and coordinating die
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamp
     Versafine Satin Red ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies

Twofer - Just for You

I attached a snippet of pink paper to the front of the card, leaving a border around the edge.  I trimmed a snippet of white card slightly smaller than the pink layer and stamped the sentiment in the lower corner.  The panel was then attached to the card.  I attached more snippets of pink paper to a piece of white card and die cut four hearts attaching them to the card to make a flower.  I added a purple sparkly gem to the centre of the flower and highlighted the sentiment with a Wink of Stella.

To make this card I used:

     6" x 4" white hammer card blank

     Clearly Besotted 'With All Your Heart' die

     Clearly Besotted 'Fancy Sayings' stamp

     Versafine Imperial Purple ink

     Snippets of Hot off the Press 'Ultimate Floral Pack' pink paper and  white hammer card

     Purple sparkly gem

     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - More than a Single Word Sentiment
   
Kath x    

Christmas Wishes

I love this stylish reindeer stamp and always think it looks better stamped in black than any other colour.  It's also not too fussy so is great for male cards too.

Using my MISTI I placed the die on top of the card and then laid the reindeer and sentiment into the square.  I removed the die and stamped the image and sentiment several times to ensure a good dense black colour.  I then die cut and embossed the square.  This panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of black card before being attached to the centre of the card blank.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     Hot off the Press 'Reindeer' stamps (these had been a cover gift with a magazine ages ago)
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Matt black card and white hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Black & White
     Alphabet Challenge - M for Masculine          
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

If you would like to share your views on ink and also have a chance to win two Clearly Besotted stamp sets - please see my Questions about Ink and Giveaway post.

Kath x 

Let Your Dreams Take Flight

I made this card to send to Dawn for the June Card Chain Challenge and have chosen the Theme Option (CAS, Feathers & Friendship).

I used snippets of paper for the feathers, gluing two pieces together to make the paper double sided as I only attached them along the centre. I also made a few extra feathers which I enclosed with Dawn's card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" cream fleck tent fold card blank
     Hot off the Press 'Feather' die and sentiment stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Snippets of patterned paper
     Small gold bow - upcycled from Christmas card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts 'Clean and Simple'     
     Die Cut Divas 'Anything Goes'
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies 'July Challenge'
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge 'Anything Goes'
     Pixie's Snippets Playground 'Challenge 356

This is the lovely card I received from Jane.

Kath x

Twofer Balloons

I made these cards for the Twofer Card Challenge where the prompt is 'Balloons' and have used a Memory Box 'Beautiful Balloon' die to make my cards.

Onefer - Let Your Dreams Take Flight 

I'm entering the Cuttlebug Mania 'We are Not Blue' challenge (I have two different blues on the paper, the blue card and blue ink), Die Cut Divas 'Anything Goes' challenge and Crafty Creations Challenges 'Anything Goes'.

5" x 5" white matt card blank
Memory Box 'Beautiful Balloons' and Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large dies
Kars tan embossing mat
Hot off the Press 'Feathers' sentiment stamp
Memento Paris Dusk ink
Quick Cards magazine 'Lets Fly Away' paper
Dark blue pearlescent and white matt card

I trimmed blue pearlescent card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I trimmed a piece of white matt card slightly smaller than the blue layer. before die cutting and embossing a circle from the centre.  I cut a piece of cloud paper to fit behind the aperture and stamped the sentiment in the lower corner.  The white aperture card, cloud paper and blue card were layered and attached to the card front.  I die cut and embossed a Beautiful Balloon from blue pearlescent card and used foam tape to attach it to the card.

Twofer - Sending Birthday Wishes

I made this card for the The Flower Challenge 'Anything Goes' and The Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies  challenge.  The paper and card were from my snippets drawer so I'm also heading in the playground at Pixies' Crafty Workshop.

7" x 5" cream matt card blank
Memory Box 'Beautiful Balloons' and Memory Box 'Prim Poppy' dies
The Best of Card Making Magic sentiment stamp
Versafine Habanero ink
Snippets of Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper, bronze pearlescent card, green and orange textured card

I trimmed the edges of the paper so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and using my MISTI stamped the sentiment in the lower corner.  I die cut two Beautiful Balloons from bronze card and snipped the middle of one of them to form a small channel halfway down the centre (this was for the flower stems to slot into).  I then layered the two balloons.  I die cut the Prim Poppy stem from green card and two flowers from orange card.  I snipped the flowers from the green stems before attaching the stem to the back of the balloon vase and then onto the card.  I attached the two layers of flowers to the tops of the stems, snipping the lower orange flower so the bottom layer was attached around the stem.

Kath x

T for Teenager

I made this card for one of my great-nephews and am entering the Cardz 4 Guyz 'Something Beginning with T' challenge (I have chosen teenager).  I'm also entering the Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' challenge and Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge 'Anything Goes..

6" x 6" white matt card blank
Lili of the Valley 'Lilli's Die-Cuts - Oliver'
Memory Box 'Grand Happy Birthday' die
Unbranded star punch
Hot off the Press 'Floral Ultimate Pack' paper
White and brown matt card

I trimmed the brown paper, layered it onto brown card and attached it to the card front.  I die cut Happy Birthday from both white and brown card.  The white die cut was trimmed and attached to the lower part of the card and I inlaid the brown letters.  The image was already die cut but I trimmed around the edge to reduce the white border around Oliver.  I then shaped the die cut and attached it with Pinflair glue.  To finish I punched three stars and attached them to the left of the card.

Kath x

Christmas Wishes

I made this card for the ABC Christmas Challenge 'W is for Wishes'.  I'm also entering Christmas with the Cuties 'Wrap up Warm' challenge, The Cutie Pie Challenge 'Winter Layers', the Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge 'Anything Christmas Goes' and Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 'Anything Goes'.

Card blank: 6" x 4" white matt
Image: Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
Embossing: Stampendous White Opaque Embossing Powder
Stamp: Hot off the Press 'Christmas Wishes'
Ink: Versamark
Card: Red mirri
Other; Wink of Stella

I trimmed the precoloured Art Pad image before stamping and embossing the sentiment in the top corner.  The panel was then layered onto red mirri and attached to the card front.  To finish I highlighted the children with a Wink of Stella.

Kath x

Birthday Wishes

I made this quick card for a friend's birthday next week.  I'm entering the Allsorts 'Sweet Treats' challenge, Sparkles Monthly Challenge 'Let's Be Pretty', Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' challenge and Ally's Angels 'Anything Goes' challenge.

Card blank: 6" x 6" white matt
Image: Lili of the Valley ''English Charm' Art Pad
Card: Light brown pearlescent
Paper: Lili of the Valley 'Shabby Shack' and Hot off the Press 'Ultimate Floral Pack'
Other: Wink of Stella

I layered the blue paper onto brown card and attached it to the card front.  I trimmed the precoloured Art Pad image to a square, layered it onto brown card and attached it to the centre.  The sentiment was from the HOTP paper pad, this was trimmed, layered onto brown card and attached with foam tape.  To finish I highlighted the image with a Wink of Stella.

Kath x

June Rudolph Day

It's time for another Rudolph Day challenge and another of my quick 4" x 4" cards.  I'm also entering the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown 'Wood Background' challenge and the Merry Monday 'Rustic Christmas' challenge.

Card blank: 4" x 4" white matt
Image: Kanban 'Cosy Christmas'
Stamp: Hot off the Press 'Christmas Wishes' (magazine freebie)
Embossing: Stampendous clear embossing powder
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Card: Dark brown matt

To make this super quick card I trimmed the image before stamping and embossing the sentiment in the top corner.  The panel was then layered onto dark brown card and attached to the card front.

Kath x

Happy Birthday James

I made this card for Steve's nephew's birthday using my Oliver digi stamp (I think all the boys have now had cards with this image so I'll need to buy another one soon!).  I'm entering the Allsorts 'Happy Birthday' challenge, the Alphabet Challenge 'D for Dots' and A Gem of a Challenge 'It's a Man's World'. 

Card blank: 6" x 6" white silk
Stamp: Lili of the Valley 'Oliver Texting' digi
Colouring: Promarkers
Card: White silk
Paper: Hot off the Press 'Ultimate Floral Pack'
Other: Computer generated sentiment 'Tempus Sans ITC' font

I trimmed the striped paper to a square and and attached it to the card.  I then layered a co-ordinating piece of spot paper to the left side.  I resized the digi and added the sentiment before printing it onto white card, trimming it to a square and colouring it with Promarkers.  I attached two slightly smaller squares of white card behind the image to give a little dimension and attached it to the centre.

Kath x

Oliver Texting

I made this birthday card for one of my great nephews.  I always struggle making cards for teenage boys, but these LOTV 'Oliver' digi stamps are perfect!  I'm entering the Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' challenge and Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge 'Anything Goes'.

Card blank: 6" x 6" white matt
Stamp: Lili of the Valley 'Oliver Texting' digi, Hobby Art 'General Greetings'
Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia
Colouring: Promarkers
Card: Dark Brown matt, white silk
Paper: Papermania 'Capsule Elements Wood', Hot off the Press 'Floral Ultimate Pack'

I trimmed the wood effect paper, layered it onto brown card and attached it to the card blank, adding a strip of spotty paper across the middle.  I resized the digi stamp and printed it onto white silk card before colouring it with Promarkers.  The panel was trimmed and the sentiment stamped on the left side using my MISTI.  This was then layered onto brown card and attached to the left side of the card.

Kath x

Twofer Feathers

I made these cards for Darnell's first Twofer Card Challenge where the prompt word is 'Feathers'.  My first challenge was to find some feathers and remembered this stamp and die set that were magazine freebies a while ago.

Onefer - Thank You

I'm also entering this card into Sparkles Monthly Challenge 'Thank You', Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies challenge and  Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge 'Anything Goes'

Card blank: 6" x 4" white silk
Dies: Hot off the Press 'Feather', Cheery Lynn 'Thank You 2'
Card: White silk
Paper: Lili of the Valley 'Enchantment'
Other: Upcyled gold bow (from a Christmas card)

I decided to inlay the dies so attached two pieces of dark green paper to thin white card so they would be the same thickness as the card into which they would be inlaid.  I die cut 'Thank You' and the feather before setting them aside. Although it doesn't show in the photographs, the paper has small flowers and thin lines that look like feathers and I managed to cut the feather without flowers and had just the feather lines showing.  I trimmed a piece of white card so it was a couple of centimetres smaller than the card front then die cut 'Thank You' and the feather.  This panel was layered onto another piece of the Enchantment paper before being attached to the front of the card.  I inlaid the die cuts and added a small gold bow.

Twofer - You are in my Thoughts

I'm also entering this card in the Less is More 'Purples' challenge, the Alphabet Challenge 'Use Three of Something' (I used three stamps) and Allsorts 'No Patterned Papers' challenge.

Card blank: 6" x 4" white silk
Stamps: Hot off the Press 'Feather, Woodware 'Wheat'
Ink: Brilliance Pearlescent Purple, Versafine Imperial Purple
Card: White silk, purple matt

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was a couple of centimetres smaller than the card blank and then placed it into my magic MISTI.  I stamped the sentiment in the lower corner, stamping it a couple of times to get a darker colour ink.  I stamped the solid feather die in Pearlescent Purple.  When this had dried I lined up the lined feather die and stamped it in Imperial Purple.  The panel was then layered onto purple card and attached to the card front.

Kath x

Happy Birthday To You

I made this card for my niece's husband's birthday using one of my favourite large stamps.  I'm entering A Gem of a Challenge 'Spots and/or Stripes or Halloween' (I've obviously gone for the spots option), Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' challenge, Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge 'Anything Goes' and Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.

Card blank: DL white matt
Stamp: Woodware 'Happy Birthday to You'
Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia
Colouring: Sakura coloured pencils
Card: Brown and white matt
Paper: Hot off the Press 'Floral Ultimate Pack'
Other: Brown star button, brown/cream baker's twine

I trimmed the spotty paper and covered the front of the card blank. I stamped the sentiment and stars onto white card and coloured the 'Happy' with shaded of green, blue and beige coloured pencils.  The sentiment was trimmed before being layering onto brown card and attached to the front of the card.  I knotted baker's twine through the star button and attached it with Pinflair glue.

Kath x

Winter Penguin Trio

I made this card for the Bugaboo Stella Says Sketch Challenge.  I'm also entering the ABC Christmas Challenge 'S for Sketch and T for Trio' (my card uses both letters - the Bugaboo sketch and a trio of penguins), Paper Creator 'Simply Christmas', Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 'Use Three Different Patterned Papers' and Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  The paper and card are from my snippets mountain, so I'm also heading into the playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Card blank: 7" x 5" white silk
Stamp: Bugaboo 'Winter Penguin Trio' digi. Hot of the Press 'Christmas Wishes' (magazine freebie)
Ink: Versafine 'Vintage Sepia'
Colouring: Promarkers
Card: White silk
Other: Diamond Stickles, Wink of Stella, Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pen
Snippets: Gold card and patterned papers

I attached blue snowflake paper to the left side of the card blank.  I resized the digi and printed it onto white silk card before trimming it and colouring the image with Promarkers.  This was then layered onto gold card before being attached to the card.  I stamped the sentiment below the image and highlighed it with the Sakura Gelly Roll pen.  I cut three fishtail banners and attached them along the top edge.  To finish I highlighted the penguins' clothing with a Wink of Stella and applied Diamond Stickles to the snow.

Kath x

Happy Birthday Josh

I made this card for my eldest great-nephew for his 15th birthday.  I'm entering Sparkles Monthly Challenge 'Birthday', Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' challenge, Crafty Friends 'Anything Goes' challenge and Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.

Card blank: 6" x 6" white silk
Stamp: Lili of the Valley 'Oliver - Texting' digi
Card: White silk, dark grey matt
Paper: Hot off the Press 'Floral Ultimate Pack'
Other: Computer generated sentiment 'Tempus Sans ITC' font

I trimmed the denim blue paper, layered it onto grey card and attached it to the card front.  I then added a strip of spotty paper across the lower section.  I resized the digi and printed it onto white card before colouring it to match the colours in the paper.  The image was trimmed, layered onto grey card and attached to the left side of the card.  I printed the sentiment, trimmed it, layered it onto grey card and attached it to the right of the image with Pinflair glue.

Kath x

Happy Birthday Husband

This LOTV image reminded me of Hayle Towans which is near to where stayed last week in Cali, so I thought it would be a perfect image for Steve's birthday card.  I'm entering Crafty Cardmakers 'For a Special Man/Boy', Crafting with Dragonflies 'Anything Goes' and Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.

Card blank: 7" x 5" white silk
Image: Lili of the Valley 'Landscape Collection - Sea Breeze' Art Pad
Stamp: Netty's Cards 'Husband Birthday' (freebie)
Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Standard Circles Large'
Paper: Lili of the Valley 'Country Gent', Hot off the Press 'Floral' Ultimate Pack

I trimmed turquoise paper, layered it onto brown paper and attached it to the card front. I trimmed the Art Pad image, layered it onto brown paper and attached it to the centre.  I resized the digi stamp and printed it onto turquoise paper before cutting around the edge.  This was then layered onto a die cut brown circle and attached to the card with foam tape.

Kath x