Autumnal colours at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This weeks challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More is

Autumnal Colours

Which in my little corner of the world is very apt as the days are becoming noticibly shorter, the nights are chiller, the morning dew hangs in the air and the leaves on the trees are turning into the most spectacular colours before falling all over the garden!

It was from this that I drew inspiration for my card, using a TPS image coloured to tone in with the Bo Bunny papers - these were old papers which had already been cut into, so I am feeling quite virtuous and frugal :-).

Anyway, without further ado, here's my card

This isn't my normal colour scheme, but really like how this card turned out!  The gems, ribbon, button, pins and charm are all from my stash

Please may I enter these challenges
My Time to Craft - Autumnal Colours
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - Anything goes with Autumnal Colours 
Alphabet Challenge - R is for Ribbon
Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
 

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Its all about the sparkle at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!

This fortnights challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and more is 

Sparkle

 Which I think is a perfect theme for all sorts of occasions!

I'm still trying to come up with a few designs for my Christmas cards that I will be posting out, so they need to be a bit flatter, less fussy and less weighty than my normal style.  

And this is what I made.

I have die cut a circle from the top section of the card, then rubbed some black soot distress ink on the card blank behind.  After sticking the die cut panel on top, I stamped a Christmas swirl and sentiment and embossed both with silver embossing powder, then added gems and a black organza bow.  I used the die cut circle to make the sentiment panel inside the card, no waste here!

I quite like the effect of the reverse die cut, and will be making this design in a variety of colours this year.

Hope you like it

Hugs, Sue xx

Flower Power at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!

How are you?  Ok I hope!  It's been mad here in my little corner of the world, what with work and getting the kids ready to go back to school today... how much stuff do two small people need!  And OMG, this year my eldest has grown so much (guess he probably can't be classed as a small person anymore!  Tee hee!!) and is now in adult size shoes... the cost difference has been huge!  Especially as he needed school shoes, trainers and football boots... I have a funny feeling he's going through a growth spurt, so think I'll be getting another new set in a few months... ho hum!

For me the start of the new school year has always meant an end to the summer as we slide gently into Autumn, our summer holiday feels a long time ago (which reminds me, I MUST print some pictures out for a couple of scrapbook pages!), the nights are definitely chillier, and I was wondering the other day how long it will be before the Christmas ranges start appearing in the shops.

With this in mind, I decided to make a start on my Christmas cards for my make over at Crafty Cardmakers and More, even though the theme is Flower Embellishments!  Well I like to pop flowers on my cards pretty much all of the time, so why not :) 

Anyway, that's enough waffle from me, here's my card

I found some old Bo Bunny Christmas papers in my stash - they are quite subtle and don't scream Christmas, which kinda suited my can't-get-into-the-Christmas-spirit-in-early-September mood :-) Some Prima flowers worked well with the colour scheme, along with some coordinating ribbon, gems, a pin and a mittens charm finished it off :-)

The image is one of my favourites from the now sadly closed Stamp Fairy, and I have coloured him with my copics, and adding a touch of sparkle here and there

That's it from me, have a creative fortnight!

Hugs

Sue xx

I made the wrong card... but check out this weeks challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

Wow, I've not posted in so long! I am naughty, but life is a bit hectic at the moment, what with work and holidays (and the piles of washing that follows).  Anyway, the chaos has made me make a complete whoopsie... you see this fortnights challenge at  Crafty Cardmakers and More is No patterned papers. Not Warm Summer Colours. Which was the challenge that ran when I was on my holidays...  I am such an idot!!  And I've only just realised my mistake, and it is too late to make another card now! 

Seeing as I like my card (and it took me ages to put together for one reason and another), I thought I'd share it anyway.

 I went for a deckchair look with my papers!  And used a Kraftin' Kimmie image from my stash

I found this little (sun)glasses charm in my stash too

Ho hum... Anyway, check out what all the rest of the lovely DT did... Their creations are fabulous and actually meet this fortnights theme.  Not the last one!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue

xx

Getting Stitchy at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!

This fortnight at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is  

Stiching

This can be done on a machine, or by hand or faux, the choice is yours!

I used my machine to stitch round the edges of my panels, I was going to add some hand-stitching too, but for the life of me I could not find my embroidery threads!!

The papers are some old ones I had in my drawers, sometimes it's nice to use things up rather than reach for a new pad every time!  That they went so well together and that brown and blue are my absolute all time favourites were an added bonus :-)

In keeping with the use of my old stash I reached for one of the first stamps I ever bought -  a Gorguss Girl image from long ago, she's still a cutie!   Just visible in this shot is the banner dies I got from Stampin' Up a while back - I cut each out, then trimmed a couple of millimeters from each and layered them up.  I've distressed the edges of these with Vintage Photo as I have each of the panels.

Again I've distressed with Vintage Photo, but lightened it up with a bit of Antique Linen.  The postmarks are stamped with a Stampin' Up pad (although I stamped first on a scrap of paper to take some of the ink out as it's a bit juicy!  I then sprinkled some Stampendous Embossing powders on the panel, before fussy cutting and layering my image on top with foam pads.

You can see  the stitching a bit better in this shot!  I've been playing with a HOTP die that came with a magazine recently, and love how it looks embossed and sanded.  The gems, button, charm, and pins are from my stash, and I just had to use this rich looking velvet ribbon over some lace.  I tried tying a bow, but because it's single sided it looked all wrong, so had to settle for a knot!

To mirror the banners at the top I hand cut a sentiment panel and distressed it too.  The sentiment is another item from my early crafting days and is from a Woodware set.  As I've been doing quite a lot lately, I bowed the sentiment, by fixing foam pads in the middle to stack it up, and double sided tape to attach the edges.

Please may I enter these challenges

Hiding in my Craftroom - Freestyle
Kitty Bee Designs - Sew Cute
Polkadoodles Challenge - Girly but no Pink
Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts - Tic-Tac-Toe (Rubber Stamp, Embossing, Die Cuts)
Southern Girls - Spots and Dots

Shapes a plenty at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!

This fortnight at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is

Shaped Cards

So, as no squares or rectangles are allowed (my go to shape, and I'm sure I am not alone in this!!) I went all 3D and went for a collapsible box card.  These always look fabulous and are well received, but are ridiculously easy to make  - if you've never made one before why not have a look at one of the many tutorials on the internet and give it a go :-)

I used one of my Ladybug Crafts Ink images, this little cutie and the sentiment are from the Baby Baby Set, and is one of my all time favourites, but sadly no longer available as LCI closed last year :(

The die cuts are from Memory Box, and the papers are a Hunkydory freebie that came with a magazine

I decorated the tabs in the box with a cute little baby vest that was from another freebie and a second sentiment that is from a set by Papertreyink

Anyway, that's it from me today

Before I go, please can I enter these challenges

A Gem of a Challenge - More than one fold

Fun with Shapes and More - Boxes

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Make your own - Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!

This fortnights challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More is to 

Make your Own Background

While my first instinct when making a card is to reach for my (rather large) stash of papers, it is great to make your own unique background from time to time - and it's good when you can't quite find the colour paper you are looking for too!!

Anyway, here's my card

 

I started by stamping the lines (from a Stampin' Up Grunge set) with versamark and clear embossing powder, then layering up Peacock Feathers and Bundled Sage distress inks, then overstamping this with a Dictionary Stamp with the Bundled Sage and a splodgy stamp (also Stampin' Up, the latter is also in the Grunge set), then a diamond stamp in a very light dusting of weathered wood.  

My image is from Saturated Canary, and I coloured her in similar colours, but did her eyes in a lilac blue, and very contrasting hair!

I'm not sure who will be the recipient of this card, so will add a sentiment later (probably about 5 minutes before I need to post it!!)

That's it from me today!

Have a great week, and hope you can join in with the challenge this time

Sue xxx

Dotty... Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is 

Dots

Well it didn't take me long to find several papers in my stash that met the theme, so I was grateful to be able to be able to use some up!  The great thing with the black and white colour scheme is that you can use up odds and ends of your stash!  The papers are a mix of manufacturers, and all had been cut into previously, but with little/no tonal differences (as I often struggle with with coloured papers) they work well together)

Once I had picked my papers, I turned my attention to which image to use, and it seemed quite retro to me, so I went with Retro Selfie from Kenny K

 

I coloured the image with my copics and added some velvet ric-rac along the bottom, for a bit more of a vintage feel :-)  Along with the big satin bow I think it works well, although I did cheat a bit and use a pre-printed sentiment as I wanted to use a round sentiment to go with the dotty theme, but for the life of me can't find my round sentiment stamp!!!  It will turn up when I'm not needing it and looking for something else no doubt!

The white paper behind the image is a script one, but has grey dots on it too, and I could not resist using the fishnet paper too as it seemed to go with the image ;-)

Anyway, hope you are able to join in with the challenge this time

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

 

Better late then never... Things are Flying at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!  I am a week late for this fortnights challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More... my excuse was that I have cracked my ribs after having the flu and then a cold, and have been in agony.  So was not as organized as I should have been before going away for the Easter weekend (more on that later...)

Anyway the theme is Things with Wings, so I chose to use a not-seen-ink-in-ages stamps which is a Marianne Crafts one (I think!!), and some Nitwits papers from my stash

Quite simple for me, but I just LURVE that little froggy!!   I used a banner sentiment cut in two then popped it on a straw to make a kind of signpost...)

 

 I decorated the inside to match

Anyway - so my little break - well I took the kids to Battle, which is just outside Hastings... on the site of errr... the Battle of Hastings... we took a wander round the Abbey that was built on the site.  We took a wander round the battlefield which had an audio tour that was pretty good, but the kids one was a lot better... even if my youngest (he's 7) kept telling his 13 year old brother that they were on the Bloody Battlefield... cheeky monkey, his brother kept telling him not to swear, but he pointed out that he was being accurate as the battlefield was covered in blood (in 1066... I didn't see a drop when we were there, I think modern health and safety would take a dim view of that sort of thing at a visitor attraction these days)... knowing full well what he was saying... honestly for a child that struggles to read and write he is too smart for his own good somedays!   Anyway, the area is well recommended, although the medieval house that is now a tea room that stands opposite is most definitely not (the service was like a cross between Kitchen Nightmares and Fawlty Towers... which was hilarious and made for a memorable lunch for all the wrong reasons!)

Anyway, thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

Spring has Sprung at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

So sorry I've not been about over the last couple of weeks... I had the flu and am still reeling from it :-(  I'm up and about now, but have been left with a nasty cough, which has in turn caused my ribs to crack again - an old injury from a car accident - and every time I cough (which is A LOT) I'm in agony!!  I've not slept properly in over two weeks and am completely knackered!!  A visit to the doctors proved futile as there is nothing I can do about my ribs, but I've not got a chest infection... yet... let's hope it stays that way!!  Hopefully I'll shift the cough soon then my ribs will start to heal :-)

Anyhoo... This fortnights challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More is Spring - and there is lots of lovely inspiration over on the DT blog...

I went for bright spring colours to and a Nitwit image to make an Easter card ;-)

 I found a cute flower charm in my stash that I thought went with the images I have used

 Lots of details on here, from all the fussy cut images, to the distressed die cuts

 And this oh so cute image :-)

I don't often use the accent stamps you get with stamp sets, but thought the flowers, leaves, carrots and watering can would look good as accents rather than adding ready made flowers etc...

The fence is curved off the card to add a bit more interest.  I use glossy accents to stick one side down then use a wooden peg to hold it in place, then curve the die cut and stick the other end down, securing with a peg and leaving until they are both dry - wooden pegs are great to use to secure things while glue dries as we all have them, and they are strong enough to hold things in place, but the wood doesn't mark the card :-)

 

And a slightly different angle - like how some elements overhang the card, although goodness knows how I'll get it in an envelope!

 

That's it from me, hope you like my card, and are able to join in with the challenge this time

Sue xx

For a Special Lady at Crafty Cardmakers and more...

Hello!! 

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More the challenge is for a special lady, so I decided to make my Mum something a bit different this coming Mothers Day...

I've had some of the boxy picture frames from Ikea for ages, but not done anything with them, but really love how this has turned out!  I think if you bought this in a shop it would be quite expensive!!

Some close ups... the butterflies have been cut out and layered on those on the base, after a liberal covering of glitter...

 Just had to pop some gems on here!

The postcard and vintage style receipt have been lightly distressed round the edges

 

I know the birdcage is not really in proportion, but I like it!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

All Stripey at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is stripes, and I took the opportunity to use some lovely MME papers from my stash, plus a strip of corrugated card .

I tucked a ticket behind the image which I stamped then distressed with distress inks, and added some lace, velvet ric rak and layered buttons, plus some flowers .

The image is from Saturated Canary and I have coloured her with my copics

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

C'est L'Amour... at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

Two posts from me in one day... whatever next!!

I sooo needed the chance to get inky and creative this weekend, it's been a busy couple of weeks at work for one reason or another, but my work laptop stayed in it's bag, as my crafty stash was calling!!  It might mean a busier week for me next week, but my soul needed the break :-)

This fortnights challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More is Love, Love, Love...

... but maybe that should be l'amour, l'amour, l'amour in my case, with my nod towards Parisian romance :-)

 

Anyway, this weekend was also my brother and sister-in-laws wedding anniversary, so I made a wedding anniversary card.  I used some Making Memories papers from my stash, topped with a Stampin Up Postcard Stamp that has been distressed with various distress inks and has had the edges roughed up

The main sentiment is a ticket made up of a plain ticket stamp stamped in grey, which has been overstamped with a love sentiment stamped in brown then distressed with assorted distress inks, but slightly different tones to that of the postcard beneath

I really love this birdcage charm from Live and Love Crafts as it's not too twee!

 

 And I just had to pop some of my lovely pins (also from Live and Love Crafts on here).  Again the postcard is just peaking out underneath...

I've not used flowers on a card in ages!  It wasn't a conscious thing, I'd popped the box away and kinda forgot about them I guess :-)  You can just see the gorgeous rhinestone lace and subtle die cut in this one :-)

Hope you like this card as much as I do

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Joining it all up with Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More we would like to see you combine two or more images - this can be a stamped image, or you can go digital, as I have done

I've used a couple of my Kenny K images and joined them up on the computer.   Now for some this would have been easy, but not for me as I had to change my software when I got a new laptop.  So I huffed and puffed, and just could not get the thing to do what I wanted!  Then my 12 year old came over, and with a few clicks had it sorted for me.  He was explaining what he was doing, but I have no idea what he was going on about.  I shall have to get him to talk me through it... slowly... and deal with the looks of "Come on Mum, catch up..." that are ineviatble...

Anyway, here's my card...

I kept it simple, and just used an embossing folder on some co-ordinations cardstock and got a rough nail file out and sanded it back (I've found rough nail files are perfect for sanding, and they are cheaper than the stuff that is sold for crafting!)

The sentiment has been stamped onto white c/s, distressed and cut out with a section of a spellbinders die

At the last minute I decided to colour a second sitting image and layered her over the first... IRL it means she pops from the card more :-)

Anyway, hope you are able to join in with the challenge this time

Thanks for stopping by

Sue

xx

First Post for Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!!

Today is quite an exciting day for me, as it is my first post as part of the Crafty Cardmakers and More Design Team!   I popped a "DT" after my name on their last challenge of last year, never expecting to be invited to join such a talented group of ladies, so you can imagine my eyes wide open in shock as I read the email asking me to join them, followed by a quick jig around the room by way of celebration!!

Deciding to apply to another DT was quite a biggy for me, as I didn't get a lot of crafting done last year for one reason or another.  The burglary we had in May hit me hard, and not just because they stole my camera, and threw my printer, grand caliber and all my copics, papers and everything else from my desk on the floor - breaking both of the former.  I think my mojo finally returned when both of the people that did it changed their plea to guilty at the last minute meaning I did not have to give evidence, and that they were sentenced to three years in prison die to the violence they used.  That and I just got into making Christmas cards in a big way!!  Anyway, I rediscovered my love for crafting, with the help of crafty friends, both those I know personally and those I only know on line, and a new printer and camera, it was time to get back on the horse, and I'm so pleased I did!!

Anyway, that is quite enough waffle, I should show you my card!

This card is a real mix of old and new stash!

 

 

The image is by Time for Tea designs and I've had her ages!!  The aged silver Stampendous embossing enamel on the die cut circle is new-ish (about a month), but the stamps and distress inks are old

The creamy pin is new, but the green one is old, as is the grosgrain ribbon.  The bill of sale behind the image is old, but I don't think it had ever been new an ink pad!  The butterfly punch is sooo old (I think it came from Tesco!)

The Maja Design 6x6 papers are new, and I got them in the Live and Love Crafts sale, and the die cuts, button and gems are old, but the crackle paint is new... as is this cute bunch of keys charm

The sentiment is has been cut down from a freebie, and I have coated this with crackle paint too...

So there you go, my first post for Crafty Cardmakers!  Hope you can join in with this challenge and have time to check out the rest of the DT's creations

Please can I enter these challenges

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx