Cow Town Crafts

Sugar Bowl Challenge 25

2009-12-30T22:57:00.004Z

Time to get back to something other than Christmas cards.

The challenge was the sketch plus favourite colour and there's no prizes for guessing mine's is blue.

Back Soon!

STAMP: Sugar Nellie - Daisy

CUTTLEBUG FOLDER: Houndstooth
NESTABILITIES: Plain Circle, Petite Scalloped Circle

Less is More

2009-12-09T10:30:00.010Z

Village Christmas

I made this card for a Faux Window technique challenge where it had to appear as though you were looking out through a window. This Thomas Kinkade stamp was ideal for the challenge. I decided to keep it simple and go black and white because the stamp had enough detail in itself. Some yellow pencil was added to give the appearance of lights shining through the windows. After stamping I cut my image into four and matted on black. The embossed edge is a cuttlebug border folder. Quick and simple for mass production, but effective.

STAMP: Thomas Kinkade - Village Christmas
CUTTLEBUG: Borders Folder

Shades of Grey - Country Scene

Another challenge was for a monochrome card and I decided to stick with the idea of a scene, this time a country scene. For a change I went with grey as my colour. I stamped with distress ink on watercolour paper and then pulled the colour out or added more with my water brush. This technique is actually quicker than you might think.

You will note that both these cards need little or no embellishment because sometimes less is more.

I make a lot of my cards non-specific and then when I need a card I can finish it to suit the occasion or person. Cards like this are often left without any greeting on the front because some recipients have been known to frame them as a small picture.

STAMP: Creative Expressions -Country

DISTRESS INK: Weathered Wood

Thanks for looking.

Thinking of You

2009-12-08T23:35:00.011Z

Copics Colour Challenge 42

Very quick post.

STAMP: Sugar Nellie - Daisy

PAPER: My Mind's Eye

NESTABILITIES: Labels One, Fancy Tags

PUNCH: MS Doily Lace

Sugar Bowl 24

2009-12-02T23:41:00.006Z

The Sugar Bowl offers two weeks for their challenges and I'm still last minute. Just didn't realise the two weeks were up already.

STAMP: Sugar Nellie

Cowgirl Sweetheart

2009-12-01T21:25:00.003Z

I've decided to try to do the copic colour challenge as often as possible because I think this is the only way I am going to improve with the copics. This colour choice had an earthy feel about it and I hadn't a clue which stamp I would use. In the end I settled for a Sugar Nellie although I think they are very detailed while in the learning process.

Although the colours are not so vibrant as some I did manage a fairly bright card.

CCC41

Thanks for taking the time to look.

STAMP:Sugar Nellie

Copic Colour Challenge 40

2009-11-24T22:32:00.005Z

Another go at the CCC. I only have one of the three colours for this week's challenge ( YR04)but I had two that were nearly there. (YG03 , RV21)

I've had this Sugar Nellie stamp for a while now but am only getting around to inking it now. I am quite pleased with the colouring but if you look closely you'll find the embossing with the nestie was not such a great success. The card kept slipping out of the die. Hadn't time to colour it over again so I decided to post anyway.

STAMPS: Sugar Nellie -Country Style

NESTABILITIES: Labels 1, Labels 4

O' Christmas Tree

2009-11-22T23:19:00.006Z

Just managed to have a go at the Mojo Monday 113 challenge.

I combined it with the StampTV colour challenge of green and ivory.

The Christmas tree stamp is one of Claire Brennan's new releases and this was the first inking.

I used Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy ink and the result was good.

Another Christmas Card made.

Thanks for looking.

STAMPS: Waltzing Mouse
PAPER: Daisy and Dandelion CARD: GKD Pure Luxury Ivory

INK: Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy

Two Challenges in One

2009-11-10T23:36:00.006Z

Copic Colour Challenge 38 and Sugar Bowl 23

I haven't tried the copic challenge before because I am still a bit wary of using them.

Anyhow as I had the copics in question this week I thought I'd give it a go.

I decided to tie it to the Sugar Bowl challenge of using a Sugar Nellie stamp and a theme of thanks.

Here's the result. the photo is not taken at the best angle but I'm running out of time at the minute.

A minor adjustment and better photo angle.

Thanks for stopping by.

STAMPS: Sugar Nellie, GKD

Mojo 111

2009-11-08T23:30:00.004Z

A very quick post to get back in the way of things again.

This week I ordered some new stamps to co-ordinate with the nestabilities Labels 1. The stamps arrived in exceptionally good time but as yet I'm still waiting on my nesties. Decided to have a play anyway and try the Mojo Monday challenge.

mojo 111 sketch

Thanks for looking and any comments you may care to leave.

STAMPS: Waltzingmouse- Vintage Labels1; CHF-Scripty Words

PAPER: K& Co. Bailey FLOWER: Prima

Mojo Monday

2009-10-25T20:08:00.006Z

With the best intentions in the world I rarely seem to get a chance to do the Mojo Monday challenge. In fact I haven't been able to do any challenges lately.

For the first time I have made a card to fit two challenges at once - Mojo109 and - STVCC35.

Mojo 109 sketch

I set out to do the Mojo 109 in portrait form but at the last minute decided landscape suited me better.

To comply with the colour challenge I had to use blue, green and yellow/gold.

Thanks for looking and for any comments you might care to make.

STAMPS: Gina K Designs- Thanks a Million

PAPER: K and Co.

NESTABILITIES: Labels 4

RIBBON / BRAD: Making Memories

Before Coca Cola

2009-10-11T21:18:00.014+01:00

It has been way too long since my last post but this is due to having no internet connection for days on end and then coming down with a real bad head cold. So unsure just where to begin I'll post my most recent project.

Yesterday I was at a demo day at my local craft shop and the main interest was a demo on colouring Magnolia stamps. It was very relaxed and the demonstrator Nina couldn't have been more helpful. Made you want to try everything. Anyhow I bought the stamp I used in this project and just to add a twist I decided to use it for Monday's colour challenge (olive, yellow, kraft or tan and dark brown optional) at Stamptv.

I am also linking it to the Belles and Whistles GDT call.

They say that before Coca Cola came along Santa wore a green suit.

This image is watercoloured using Ranger Distress inks and although I'm happy enough with how my first attempt with this medium turned out it didn't go as easy as the demo. I think this was down to not having the right card. The only watercolour paper I have is textured and you really need smooth. I decided to use good quality smooth paper but because it wasn't proper watercolour paper the inks dried before you could blend them properly. Just need a trip to the art supplies shop.

inside

By the way, a message to the 3 ladies who were with me, - I know you'll be reading this and I will be waiting to see what you've done with your stamps.

STAMP: Magnolia - Santa with Gift CHF - Pine Needles and Cones Backgrounder

RIBBON: GinaK BUTTONS: Lasting Impressions

CARDSTOCK: GinaK

Baby Girl / Christening

Just to try to make a hole in the backlog of posts here is a card I made for a sketch challenge last week.

stvsc32

The background is made by inking the Houndstooth Cuttlebug embossing folder.

The sentiment is stamped and embossed in silver and cut using the long rectangle nestabilities. There is too much of a difference between the size of the nesties I stamped on and the one I used for a mat - it had to be tweaked slightly.

STAMP: Stampendous- Shine on You

CUTTLEBUG: Houndstooth

NESTABILITIES: Long Rectangles

One Man Went to Mow

2009-09-28T22:37:00.012+01:00

This week's scrapbook challenge was to use the lyrics of a song for journaling. Couldn't think of anything I could use for this until these photos of JT were posted. This is more of a rhyme than a song but I think it still works. Jacob loves this wee mower so it's a good record for my cube of photos - another side done.

STVSCR 31

STAMPS: GKD - Autumn Beauty

PAPER: KandCo

Cosy Snowman

This card was made for a colour challenge to use red, brown and sand. The stamp is from Just Rite but I only used the centre without the frame. I coloured with Tim Holtz distress inks and added bling to the centre of the snowflakes.

STVCC31

STAMPS: Just Rite

PAPER: HOTP

INKS: Ranger - TH Distress Inks

Sarah Kay Memories

2009-09-27T20:08:00.002+01:00

Waltzingmouse Makes has a competition to make a card with a favourite stamp and use lots of green.

My choice is this stamp from Sarah Kay range and although I'm nominating it my favourite this is the first time it has been inked. I bought it because of the memories it holds. Our oldest child's first bedroom was wallpapered in this Sarah Kay design and when I saw the stamp that's what I thought of. C won't have any memory of it because we moved house only a few months later and she was too young to remember the room. I loved how that first bedroom for a child had been decorated and I enjoyed the process.

As for the green in my card - I was happily trying out my copics, just about to reach for the blue whenever I remembered something about green. Had to do a quick change and this is the result.

STAMPS: Sarah Kay - Best Friends Forever
NESTABILITIES: Labels 4

COPICS

PUNCHES: MS - Doily Lace

The Sweet Stop SSS22

2009-09-25T18:23:00.006+01:00

This is my first card for The Sweet Stop's weekly challenge.

This week as well as following a sketch there was a twist in that you had to use black, red and tan in your card.

It gave me a chance to try out some new stamps.

SSS22

STAMPS: Just Rite - Thinking of You

PAPER: HOTP

PUNCH: MS -Doily Lace

A Mixed Bunch

2009-09-24T12:22:00.017+01:00

Paper Weaving -Scandinavian Heart

Completing last week's selection of challenges on Stamptv was the Potluck Friday challenge.The instructions were to make a card using some form of paper weaving on the layout. Some time ago I saw something called a Scandinavian Heart made by weaving and so decided to base my card around this. I started off with two co-ordinating papers, just like a tag in shape, and when you weave them together you form a heart shape. The weaving itself wasn't difficult, the problem was choosing colours to stand out. I had originally planned to make a baby card with gingham papers but it just didn't work out. Anyhow here's what I came up with. The jury's still out.

Stamptvpf30

I added some bling to the flower heads but I think the heart itself still needs something. I might come back to it later. Feel free to make a suggestion.

STAMP: GKD -Thanks a Million(Signs of Autumn Kit)

PAPER: Green Patterned - Sizzix: Plain Pink stamped with Autumn Beauty vine.

A New Week

The other week I won a stamp set in a Stamptv challenge and I chose Theresa Momber's 'Autumn Beauty' set.

I know these may be geared towards 'Thanksgiving' but I plan to use them with Harvest in mind. Anyway with a scarecrow and an American mailbox in the set it made the choice easier. Just right for the stamptvcc30 challenge. The selected colours were orange, yellow and green to represent harvest.

I also bought my first Copic markers. There are some good tutorials for colouring with Copics but I find the theory is easier than the practical. Still I'll keep trying. A friend, Mandy, who used to have a craft shop was terrific at colouring with any medium and extremely helpful and patient. I'm sorry I didn't pay more attention whenever she was demonstrating Copics. However Theresa gives step-by-step tuition on her website for her cards and I'm trying to take that on board. As you will see from my card I started small.

STVCC30

You might wonder why I uploaded two images of the same card but if you look closely there is a slight difference. I had stamped the mailbox on to glossy card just to play around and coloured the flower heads pink. When I decided to use the image on the card I thought it looked a little bit off and so went for a more autumnal colour. I just went over the pink with a different coloured Copic.

By the way the buttons are actually green although they look blue in the photo.

STAMPS: GKD - Thanks a Million (Signs of Autumn Kit) , Autumn Beauty

INKS: Ranger- Archival Black, Brown; Copics; Marvy Blending Blox -Shades of Olive

CARD & PAPER: GKD - Signs of Autumn Kit

Broken Window

The technique challenge was a 'cracked glass' look achieved by using ultra thick embossing powder. You can find the tutorial here. The hardest part was getting a good print in white ink. I actually went over the impression with a white pen.

STVTC31

I bought this stamp at the craft show in Glasgow two years ago and this is the first card made. It seemed a good choice for this challenge. It's was only mounted on EZ Mount (no wood,) and in a small clear plastic bag (no label) so I have no idea who made it. Claire Brennan posted a 'cracked glass' card the other night that's worth looking at. You should also check out her homespun Christmas decorations.

STAMP: unknown; Sentiment - Hero Arts
PAPER: DCWV

Home is where....

STVSC30

These stamps are from a set called 'Primitive Beginnings' from Cornish Heritage Farms (CHF). I stamped and coloured the main image with the intention of using it for my technique challenge but then decided to use it for the sketch. I love the folk arty style of this set. Really need to do a lot more with it. The background paper has a delicate blue on yellow pattern but you can't really see it in this photo.

STAMPS: CHF - Primitive Beginnings

INKS: Ranger Archival Black; Marvy Watercolour Pens

PUNCH: MS - Arch Lattice

CARD /PAPER: Anna Griffin

Anyhow that's the posting for now. It really is easier if you do it more regularly but the week just seemed to disappear. Ironing is next and then a lot of preparation for Sunday School craft. Then I have some new stamps I want to try out.

Playing Catch-up

2009-09-17T10:08:00.005+01:00

Where does the time go? My intentions to keep this blog up to date seem to be continually slipping away and so today I'm playing catch-up. The Mojo Monday challenge is viewed through the blog so it has to be posted. It's so easy to put anything else aside until later.

Monday: a colour challenge of brown, yellow and ivory.

stvcc29

The sunflowers were coloured with watercolour markers. Then I went over the image with a versa mark pen, applied clear embossing powder and heat embossed. This allowed me to sponge the background blue without marring the colours of the flowers. I didn't have nestabilities big enough for the yellow mat so I drew around the outside edge of the one I used for the brown mat and then cut it by hand. You don't get the embossed edge this way but for a mat it works ok.

STAMPS: GK Signs of Autumn, Thanks A Million

INK: Ranger archival black, Marvy watercolour pens.

Tuesday: a scrapbook sketch challenge.

This was another chance to do a page for my photo cube of Jacob.

stvscr29

I know that I am biased but when Jacob smiles his whole face lights up.

PAPER: K&Co Hopscotch

STAMP: Lizzie Anne Designs

Wednesday:

This was a 'soot stamping' technique challenge which I wanted to but couldn't take part in because I couldn't get any candle (or oil lamp, or hob) to create soot. But I will keep on trying.

Check out the technique here. http://stamptv.ning.com/video/soot-stamping

Thursday:

Today's was a card sketch challenge. Only at the very last minute did I decide to try something for this and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

stvsc29

Although they look black in the photo the card base and the matting are actually a very very dark brown. As an after thought I'm thinking some paper piercing might have worked on the right -hand corners but I can do that next time.

STAMPS: GK So Grateful

NESTABILITIES: Labels 4

Lately I've been using Autumnal colours and stamps. This is because I got great new stamp sets from Gina K Designs and also because I'm planning Autumn / Harvest craft for Sunday School and the Harvest. After that I can concentrate on Christmas.

Mojo103

2009-09-13T23:56:00.004+01:00

Finally got around to trying the Mojo Monday challenge again. My intentions are to try this every week but I never find the time. Even now I am pushing towards the deadline.

MOJO103

At first sight it looked a fairly reasonable sketch but try as I might what was in my head didn't seem to translate to the paper. Eventually a card.

STAMP: Papertrey Ink
PUNCH: Woodware mini daisy punch

More Christmas Cards

2009-09-09T22:01:00.010+01:00

Green and Pink Christmas (sc28)

These are not colours I would usually think of using on a Christmas card but I did like the snowflake paper and so decided to run with it. Happy with different elements of the card but I'm still not sure about the overall result. A bigger stamp might have been better. Could be just down to the fact that pink and green aren't my colours.

STAMPS: Hampton Art - Snowman window HOTP-sentiment

PAPER: DCWV

PUNCH: Stampin'up Scallop circle, Woodware circles

EMBELLISHMENTS: snowflake brad, adhesive gems

Quick Christmas (sc 26)

This is a good card for mass production. The snowflake with the red gingham is actually a wire edged ribbon I salvaged from last year's presents. I think someone out there might recognise it. Keep my cards in mind when you are buying your ribbon this year. To make the snowflake detail stand out I placed a strip of blue card underneath. Where I have used ribbon a strip of patterned paper works just as well.

STAMP: Hero Arts - Winter's Butterfly

PUNCH: EK Success corner rounder

Cuttlebug Christmas (colour challenge 27)

There is no quicker, more effective card than the one made with a CB embossing folder. If you haven't already tried it give it a go. You'll be hooked.

STAMPS: Stampin'up - Flaky Friends

CUTTLEBUG FOLDER: Snowflakes

There are now 4 new Christmas cards in my stash. That's really good because I don't usually get started until December.

Does anybody notice a trend? I like snowmen.

Brighten Someone's Day

2009-09-08T20:29:00.007+01:00

Today's posts are the Stamptv Technique challenges for last week and this. Unusual for me both cards are uncharacteristically bright but the I am trying to broaden my collection.

Shaker Card

Last week we were challenged to make a shaker card. I eventually decided that I would use a Tilda stamp with the shaker bits representing raindrops.

The problem I faced is that Tilda is quite a big stamp and so requires quite a big frame. There is little room left for anything else on the card front.

For some reason this background paper (dp) reminds me of water. I think it's the distress lines through it suggest ripples. Anyhow the paper determined the colours used on the stamp.

It doesn't seem quite finished to me and I would like to put a sentiment on the front - something I quite often avoid. It could be a birthday card or any number of cards but I see it as a Get Well wish with something quirky like 'Sorry you're feeling under the weather'. Just can't decide where to put it. All suggestions welcome.

STAMPS: Magnolia - Tilda in Spring Rain

PAPER: DCWV

PUNCH: Fiskars -Threading Water

Patchwork Pieces

This week's challenge was to do some sewing on a card. Have actually wanted to do this for some time so this was the perfect opportunity. I really enjoy patchwork so to me this was the way to go. It's a great way to use up leftover pieces of card-just as a quilt is intended to use up scraps. Anyhow I got the machine out and once I got past the point where I thought I'd broken it (way too long since last sewed) the card started to take shape. I didn't think to photograph it a the time but the difference before and after the stitching is amazing -I could hardly believe it. Anyhow here's the result and I really enjoyed making it. Put me back on the notion of sewing.

STAMPS: Gina K - Thanks A Million

Good news for me - my posting of JT and Mother Hen won me a stamp set in the Stamptv scrapbook challenge.

New Challenges

2009-09-07T22:01:00.004+01:00

I seem to be behind with my blogging lately and although I've made a few cards I never seem to get them posted. For this reason I've decided to update with this week's challenges for Stamptv and add the others as and when.

Grey, Black and Pink Colour Challenge

I toyed with the idea of what I could do for this colour scheme for most of the week and had in mind to use the CB Hound'stooth embossing folder but as seems to be the way lately time ran out. It was nearly the deadline, I had just about given up taking part this week whenever I remembered some paper I had in just these colours. Believe it or not they were actually in a Christmas collection.

Anyhow I gathered the papers and resorted to one of my tried and tested designs. It never seems to fail. Some bling and a lacy border I was quite happy with the result.

the front view the open view

STAMPS: Gina K Inspiration Mosaic

PAPER: DCWV

PUNCH: MS Doily Lace

JT and Mother Hen

I don't usually do the scrapbook challenge because it takes me a long time to decide just what I want my page to say. I did think though that this would be a good way to get started again as I haven't scrapbooked in a long time. To date I have always used a 12x12 layout as I find this the easiest. However for today's challenge entry I used 6x6. The reason for this is that I plan to cover a 6x6 cube to display on a coffee table or sideboard. Hopefully the weekly challenges will help me get it finished.

The subject of this cube is a very very special young man who puts a big smile on my face every time his mum sends a photo. He's so precious.

This week was a sketch challenge

Who says friends have to be just like you?

I've got to admit that I wouldn't go as close as Jacob.

STAMPS: Gina K Signs of Autumn, Thanks a Million

PAPER: K&Co Hopscotch

Wiper/Birthday Card

2009-09-02T13:40:00.007+01:00

The problem with giving a handmade birthday card is that you never really get to go back to store bought. Each year you try to come up with a different idea or style. This is where SCS helps. You can go through past ideas and usually there is something that can be adapted to suit the recipient. You just try that little bit more to whenever the card is for a family member.

A couple of weeks ago SCS did a tutorial for a 'wiper' card. There is a great step by step written tutorial or at the end a video tutorial. These are really helpful. For my daughter's birthday I decided to make the wiper card. However I decided to make this one a double-wiper ie. back and front decorated. She could choose which side to display.

my choice for the front

the back

open views

upright view

I loved this designer paper from My Mind's Eye.

This was a fun card to make and could be used for many occasions. Worth giving it a go.

STAMPS: Gina K Designs, Lizzie Anne designs, HOTP

PAPER: My Mind's Eye Bloom and Grow

RIBBON: Making Memories

FLOWERS: Prima

NESTABILITIES: Classic Scalloped Rectangles, Classic Rectangles

A Couple of Challenges

2009-08-30T22:13:00.005+01:00

It's been a while since I've posted. This is because I was paper crafting on a larger scale i.e. wallpapering. Anyhow, although I didn't get to post anything I was still able to try a few of the challenges.

The first card is a sketch challenge and I decided to make mine a Get Well card.

STVSC25

For that same week I did the Potluck Friday challenge.

One-Two-Three-Four Recipe:

1 or more designer paper

2 or more different types of bling

3 or more pastel colors

4 or more layers

STVPF26

Both these cards are the long DL cards, which along with square cards would be my preference.

However I do love the cuttlebug embossing folders and they work best with a C6 card. Still I can always play around and see what turns out.

This was all there was time for two weeks ago but there were more last week.

Monday Challenges

2009-08-16T20:24:00.007+01:00

I've been meaning to do the Mojo Monday challenge for several weeks now without any success but this week I was determined because I really liked the sketch or rather the samples.

In my head I was planning on light blue and white and doing a Christmas theme - that would mean one more ready for December. As you can see things didn't quite go as planned. Anyway I was happy enough with the result and the good thing was I used up some off-cuts of paper.

MojoMonday MOJO99

my card

STVCC25

Monday is also the day for the stamptv colour challenge and this weeks colours were red, brown and cream. I decided to tie it in with the splitcoaststampers tutorial for a recessed card.

This isn't a great photo because of the lighting. The inner frame, fine border and ink are all very dark brown although in the photo they look black. Will post photos of the insides of these cards later.

Christmas & more.

2009-08-13T07:54:00.009+01:00

Blue Christmas

I've been busy trying to get on top of things and take part in some challenges too. I always seem to be putting my entry at the very last moment but I think I've got the challenge days sorted in my head now. Sometimes I get lucky where I've already made a card that fits the bill without having to start afresh. Anyhow today was the sketch challenge.

Here is the sketch

and here is my card.

My first Christmas card of 2009. This is early for me. I don't usually get started until December. End of November if I'm really organised. Anyhow snowmen and blue - I think that's me to a T. The snowman is coloured with Sakura Gelly roll glaze and Stardust pens.

STAMPS: Home and Hearts - Penny Black; Snowman -Inkadinkado

Here are a couple of last year's cards. Surprisingly they fit next week's technique challenge so that's sorted although I would like to try a baby card or something. Tutorial for this technique here.

Winter Village

Winter's Butterfly

CUTTLEBUG EMBOSSING FOLDERS

Evening Sunset.

I'm also posting the card I made for Potluck Friday. This week it had to include a photo and my choice was one of a sunset my daughter had taken from her home. It is an absolutely breathtaking photograph. And here is my card.

I kept it simple because I didn't want to detract from the photo.

PUNCH: Martha Stewart Arch Lattice

STAMP: CHF Thomas Kinkade

Watercolour Spritzing Challenge

2009-08-11T17:44:00.005+01:00

I've already mentioned that I'm trying to build up my cards supplies and my ideas by taking part in weekly challenges. Stamptv offers different types of challenges for different days of the week.

This week the technique challenge was watercolour spritzing. Video tutorial can be found here. I'd already used a similar technique before and liked the result. The hardest part was finding a solid or fairly solid image stamp . This tree from CHF seemed the best choice so of course it had to be Autumnal colours. Managed to get the card uploaded with just about an hour to spare before the challenge closed. It's not a card that will stand out among others but it met the brief.

I am excited though because when I checked in this morning I found that I had won and so got to pick a stamp set of choice.

It has to be noted that the winner is the luck of the draw - random generator number - and nothing to do with the card. However, it's an added bonus when something like this happens.

The technique challenge for next week is to ink a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I made a lot of my Christmas cards last year this way and was really pleased with the results. But then I love Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Baby Girl and the colour challenge

2009-08-10T17:41:00.011+01:00

Earlier on my blog I said that I was going to take part in weekly challenges in order to build up my stash of ready-to-go cards and also as an opportunity to use up my paper stash. My intentions were better than my efforts but there are a lot of other things demanding my time at the moment, namely home decorating projects. However sometimes the challenge just leaves me stumped. Last Monday's colour challenge for stamptv was peach, ivory and pink was optional. Not too bad, or so I thought. Theresa who set the challenge had made a really beautiful card. I already had an idea I had previously done in my head. Time to create.

Now it is important to remember that this was a colour challenge.

My idea went out the window the moment I got the papers out.

I reckon I have a pretty good collection of paper and cardstock but could I get peach. Everytime I gathered what I thought was peach and started to put paper and cardstock together, everything seemed to be more of a pink. In the end I found a peach DL card blank and a sheet of K&Co paper which was 2/3 pink with a peach border. It didn't leave a lot to work with but I managed to put something together. It really was a challenge this time.

Next weeks cc is red, brown and cream. I know I definitely have those colours - just hope I get the inspiration.

When you need more than an envelope.

2009-08-07T22:41:00.002+01:00

My second post today and this is the one I had hoped to make. I couldn't find the memory card for my camera until about 5 minutes ago .

After I made the tri-shutter card I realised that an ordinary envelope wasn't going to do the job.

My fan-fold flowers would end up more like pressed flowers. The only answer was a box.

view from above

view from the side

inside view

I was going to put a couple of folded flowers on the lid but then decided that might be too much and settled for some tiny bling. I had the flowers made but didn't want to overdo it.

Let me know what you think I should have done.

Signsof Autumn

2009-08-07T21:44:00.008+01:00

There is something I did want to post before this card but things didn't go as planned. Anyhow this card was for the stamptv Potluck Friday challenge stvpf24. The idea was to make a card with flowers but to use bleach as a 'colouring' medium. My flowers were stamped onto the rust coloured card, heat embossed to give a raised edge and then painted within the lines with bleach. Black stickles were used to decorate the flower centres. The flowerheads were then cut out and raised on 3d foam tabs. The effect was quite striking but the results differ depending on the card used and also the bleach. Each colour layer is cut with the graduating curved rectangle nestabilities as is the main body of the card. I think this card lends itself to being a good size and design for a notelet.

Tri-Shutter Card

2009-08-03T20:44:00.006+01:00

It has been longer than I intended since my last post because I was working on more than one project. Sometimes in the middle of one thing, another idea comes along and I run with that. Then something else gets my attention and off I go again with the result that plenty gets started and little gets finished.

I've wanted to do a card like this for some time but never got around to it. When it came up on the SCS tutorial last week I decided it was time. I adjusted mine to fit an A4 piece of card and used a score board instead of measuring. Finished size closed is the same as a DL card-ie. 8 1/4 x 4 1/8 inches.

The closed view

The work view

The open view

There is another version of this card which gives a full card front. Hope to try it soon. I was really pleased with the way the fan-fold flowers turned out. The scrolls were cut with Cricut Expression + Home Decor.

PAPER: K&Co Breeze range, Rayher pink patchwork and stripes
STAMPS: Lizzie Anne Designs

Waste not!

2009-07-28T14:30:00.006+01:00

Like all crafters there is a tendency to save all leftover paper /card - just in case, but then when you need a piece the one in your stash isn't the right colour, or size, or shape. What do we do? - cut into another 12x12 and so the scrap stash continues to grow until we've no idea what it holds. I've set myself a challenge to try to make as much use of the 'scrap stash' as I possibly can. I have punched out endless circles, ovals, flowers etc but all I've done with these is store them for later.

Here is one idea for a card using leftovers....

The card base is navy blue with a white paper insert that reads ....

'are missing you'.

It was being sent by a class of children to a child who had moved away.
The characters were die cut with Quickutz and this allowed for even some

very small pieces to be used.

Green Pastures

2009-07-27T07:31:00.003+01:00

Last week I came upon a challenge on StampTV and thought I would like to give it a try.
They offer various challenges - this card was for Monday's colour challenge. The colours given were green, brown and white/vanilla.
I picked my green and brown and in my head knew which stamps I wanted to use - a CHF set I had bought months ago and never got out of the packet. All that was left was for me to decide on the layout.

HA! Nothing ! Back to the drawing board.
With just over a day left I decided on something completely different.
I have been gathering up a collection of Hobby Art stamps called Scene It. You use them in the same way as Art Impressions stamps-building up a scene. I've had these now for over a year and they had never seen ink. Time to play.

As for my original ideas, the only thing that stayed the same was the brown.

STAMPS: Hobby Art - Cottages, Grazing Sheep, Country Lane
Art Impressions - Itty Bitty Grass, Tiny Pebbles, Tiny Flower Heads
CHF - Thomas Kinkade -Psalm 23
NESTABILITIES: - Curved Rectangles

Pocket Cards

2009-07-23T18:43:00.017+01:00

Today's tutorial on Splitcoaststampers is for a

'Flower Pot Pocket Card'.

I had already used this design for a birthday card a few

months back so I thought I would share it with you.

Initially I followed the tutorial exactly but as it started to

take shape the card seemed to be on the small side.

Now I am not a lover of big cards but I did want it a bit bigger.

I resized to suit me - can't remember the measurements-

but it wasn't difficult to do.

Anyhow I was happy with the result and so was the recipient.

This next pocket card was a tutorial on Jan Tink's blog called Carousel Notes. It was made using the Stampin'up product of the same name. As I didn't have access to Carousel notes I used square envelopes available and cut matching scalloped circles using my Cricut Expression and Accent Essentials cartridge. The paper is Cosmo Cricket 'Girl Friday' which I love.

the closed version

the open version

up close with the notes peeking out the pocket.

I was in a rush to get this card in the mail so the photographs are not quite what I hoped.

Once again the one on the receiving end was pleased.

STAMPS: Lizzie Anne Designs

PAPER: Cosmo Cricket 'Girl Friday'

Bouncing Boy card

2009-07-22T16:49:00.007+01:00

I decided that a good way for me to increase my 'finished card'

stock would be to try some of the weekly challenges.
This card is for the stampTV Potluck Friday (stvpf22) challenge.

Any design, any colour except pink - a card for a young boy.
I think this fits the bill.

The folding of the card makes it bounce up when opened.

This rear view shows where you can sign or add a greeting.

These are quick to make, fun cards - always a hit with kids.

STAMPS: CHF For The Men, STAMPIN' UP Kids At Play

PAPER: K&Co Hopscotch

Sympathy Card

2009-07-20T23:08:00.004+01:00

I chose not to use a 'With Sympathy' greeting because sometimes time elapses before we have a chance to respond to sad news but still want to let others know that we are thinking of them in their bereavement.

the front view

the inside view

the back view

The patterned paper is carried to the back of the card and the edge finished off with a 'peel-off' border.

The 'Toadily Handmade' stamp was a present from DH for me to use as my signature on my cards.

STAMPS: CHF_Thomas Kinkade Psalm 23, STAMPABILITIES - Toadily Handmade, HERO ARTS-Memories
PAPER/CARDSTOCK: HOTP

NESTABILITIES: Classic Oval Large, Classic Scalloped Oval Large

Wedding gift card.

2009-07-15T23:24:00.010+01:00

Just a quick and simple wedding gift card. Black and white always seems a good choice unless you know more of the finer details of the wedding.

Making it Personal

2009-07-14T16:32:00.021+01:00

Because I was a scrapbooker first I still lean towards the personal. Any card I have made has been with a particular person in mind and this determined the colour or style.

For example, here is a card for a very special young man's 1st birthday.

a daughter's 21st

And no, I didn't realise whenever I set about doing this card that you can actually buy candle-shaped blanks. Even if they only do stretch to 4 candles wide it would have helped.

Now I've decided to experiment more. Today I was playing with my nestabilities and trying to make a card that would suit more than one occasion.

I decided to have my frames interlocking from either side of this gate fold card and nestabilities made it easy to do this.

I also like to add something to the inside as well. This stamp is suitable for birthday, graduation, wedding or new job.

Playtime over for today although I think I would like to try this in black and white.

Unchartered waters

2009-07-13T21:18:00.006+01:00

Having a blog is a whole new territory for me - the difficulties of learning how to set it up, how to customise and then how to operate it. Everytime I think I'm getting somewhere I do something

I shouldn't and have to start again.

So for this post I may as well introduce something else that is outside my comfort zone - the colours green and pink. Personally I love autumnal colours or anything blue but I decided it was time to try something different. It was also my first Magnolia stamp.

A Grandson's Smile....

2009-07-12T16:06:00.011+01:00

Priceless!