Christmas Robin - Monday 30th July

Good Morning Friends!


I managed to schedule this one yesterday before our visitors arrived, I thought it about time for another Christmas card! After a great start on making Christmas cards I got busy with commissions and projects and preparing for our next card class, which is this week!

This card is the little bird on a branch stamp from Stampavie, which featured in a few of my Spring/Summer posts. When I first stamped it I thought how easy it would be to adapt for Christmas, I think the transition from the little 'blue' bird of my earlier cards to this one has been pretty successful, what do you think!? The flowers too, seemed suitable as Christmas Roses. I coloured the image with both Promarkers and Flexmarkers and cut in out on a Spellbinders Teardrop Circles die. 


The sentiment is an LOTV stamp, cut on a little Spellbinders Heart Circles die. I inked the edges of both dies with Spun Sugar distress ink and mounted my work on to a dark red card blank, then I finished off with some lush red ribbon with a green sheen and a button tied with Bakers Twine.

Same image, Summer card!


Thanks for stopping by,


Carole X

Country Wedding - Sunday 29th July

Good morning friends,


I am typing this whilst waiting for my cousin to arrive from Wales for a few days - her husband is bringing her, we are out to lunch and then he is off on a Golf tournament! I am really looking forward to a few days off work and spending time with her - it will be the bus into Bath tomorrow!


So I may be 'missing' for a few days, although if i can snatch a late night half-hour when the rest of the house is asleep, I will try to get a few posts scheduled.


Today's card is similar to one I posted back in June, but I made this one for a lovely couple who are neighbours of ours and got married a few weeks ago. They had the reception and party in a beautiful, traditional marquee on the groom's parents land in the countryside just a few miles from where we live and it was beautiful.

 This is an accordion card made by joining two 6x6 blanks together. The greeting on the front was just fixed there for the photo as I added their names. The wedding couple stamp is LOTV (I must get some more of their wedding designs!) and the lanterns are also an LOTV stamp. I cut the aperture using  Spellbinders Labels 24 and the remaining flourishes, flowers and butterflies were all made using dies from various Spellbinder sets. I wanted to give it a country wedding feel, so added the bunting and paper roses.

The background papers were all from a pad  called 'Petite Papers' that I had free with Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine a few month ago; they are all gorgeous, vintage style papers and whilst I have used them quite a lot, they seem to be lasting a long time!

Thank you for stopping by, sorry it's short on the description this morning! Enjoy the rest of your weekends,

Carole X

Floral Tag - Saturday 28th July

Hello Blog Friends and a very warm  welcome to my new follower! Thank you!


Today's is a short post...a little tag I made to tie on my friend's birthday present.

I used a parcel tag as a template and sprayed Cosmic Mist (Egyptian Blue) through a That Special Touch mask on to white card. I chose to let it dry naturally, so whilst this was happening, I cut and made a rose in wool felt, from Spellbinders Spiral Blossom One and a butterfly from Wings of Hope. For the butterfly I but one from paper, but ran through some wax paper at the same time and used that die-cut for a translucent look. To finish off I aded some ribbon, lace and gems.

My friend tells me she loved it!

Thanks for stopping by,

Carole X

Sunday Stampers Week 215 - More than Words 26th July

Good Morning Blog Friends,

Today it's time for my contribution to Hels' Sheridan's 'Sunday Stampers' weekly challenge and this week's theme is - More than Words.

Before I talk about my project, I just want to say it's been great to have Hels on Create and Craft for the POTW these last few days. Like many others I was getting very worried at the weekend that there wasn't going to be enough left for Hels' shows, but yesterday, which was my day off, good news, more stock and more shows! So there I was creating my canvas whilst watching Hels on TV! And even better, having rushed home from work on Monday for the 5pm show, I settled to watch and sent in an email. Then my hens decided that there was something in the garden disturbing them, so I had to go out and have a look and missed the end of the show! It wasn't until Susie left me a message on my blog to tell me I'd won the card! So thank you for that and woo-hoo!!! A Hels original is on its way!

Now for the project:

When I read the theme was WORDS, I immediately knew I wanted to use the Sam Poole typewriter stamp from her Vintage Typewriter set which I only recently acquired, but had been on my wish list for a while.

I decided to make a piece of canvas art, so having prepared the canvas, I covered it with this piece of script paper from my stash box. The edges were inked with Victorian Velvet distress ink (one of my favourites!). My idea was words and writing; a writer in times gone by, sitting at a typewriter (although I dare say some still use a typewriter instead of a computer!) with ideas and thoughts flowing into beautiful words, hence the butterflies and flowers.

I'll let you into a secret....when I was in my 20's I wrote a book, a bit of a Jackie Collins set in Hollywood....sssh! Honest! It was never published of course and only read by a few, who did try and get me to send it off, but all 300 pages of it are gathering dust in our box room and as it was all saved on floppy disc, which is long gone, there's no hope except rewriting. Tom said that with the success of '50 shades'  I should resurrect it, but I think I'd rather be crafting! I did eventually get published, after studying film as a mature university student, I wrote a few feature articles for film magazines so that was one ambition sort of met...but no, I'd rather be crafting :)

So there I go off on a tangent again! I stamped and cut out the typewriter and also what I thought was the perfect sentiment from Sam Poole's Art Phrases stamp set. I also stamped the alphabet from the Vintage Typewriter set on to  American seam binding to represent the trail of words from the beauty of nature to the words on the page.

The butterflies are from the Spellbinders Fanciful Flight die set and the flowers are from Spiral Blossom One, Flower Creations and Anemone Flower Topper all inked with Victorian Velvet. I used a paper from stash,which was printed with random words. To finish off I added some buttons, Vintage Bakers Twine and metal button embellishment.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Carole Z X


This is my contribution to Sunday Stampers Week 215 - More than Words

http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/

Distressed Leaves - Wednesday 25th

Good Morning Blog Friends,


I have a really easy card today, just trying another Ally Reeve technique, giving a vintage look to some leaf masks.

I simply inked the mask with antique linen distress ink and then embossed it on some card through the Grand Calibur. Then I die cut in using Grand Labels 23.  I used some pumice stone and inked the design so that it gave a deep impression. I used a little brushed corduroy to deepen the colour more and then finished off with a little vintage photo. The result is that the embossed areas are highlighted. Before the ink dries I dusted the whole design with a green pearlescent mica powder.

The design was mounted on to a Kraft Card blank (edges inked with vintage photo) and some ribbon, a button and some bakers twine  finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carole X

Kingfisher - Tuesday 24th July

Good Morning Blog Friends!


Another Pilkington Wildlife Stamp from Stamps Away today, this time coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. I spent ages with this stamp trying to recreate the technique Ally showed on TV last week with a sandwich bag to create water and stamping a reflection, but was never happy with the result, so I'll keep persevering!


For the background I used a That Special Touch, leaves mask over a  piece of card and spritzed it with Egyptian Blue Cosmic Mist. I wanted it to have a mottled, messy effect, so that it gives the impression of leaves in water. The mist really shimmers, but of course the photo doesn't show this.


I stamped the image with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then coloured it with Promarkers, although for the water and sky I used Flexmarkers. I wanted the wings of the kingfisher to shimmer, so I tried using a glue pen, rubbing in some aqua cosmic shimmer powder and then going over the top with a lighter blue Promarker. It 'sort of' worked and the wings on the finished card shimmer when you move the card in the light, as does the background.


The sentiment is from a Creative Expressions stamp set.


Thanks for stopping by!


Carole X

Teal Duck - Monday 23rd July

Good Morning blog Friends,

I have always really enjoyed watching Ali Reeve (Stamps Away) on Create and Craft; I love the way sheet looks at a stamp or mask (for starters) and sees something that most of us wouldn't even have considered, so the fact that she has been on quite a bit recently has been an added bonus!

"That Special Touch' masks are so versatile, you can emboss with them of course, but you can stencil, stamp, ink...and more.

For this card I simply used some leaf design mini masks (That Special Touch) and using a very small piece of cut n dry foam, dipped in the tiniest amount of petroleum jelly, I rubbed around the masks. You must be careful to only use a tiny amount or this won't work. I then inked over the whole card using Wild Honey distress ink.

I stamped the Teal Duck, which is from the Stamps Away Pilkington Riverside Wildlife set, using Versafine Vintage Sepia and just left it as that. The nice thing about the Pilkington stamps is that you don't have to colour them, I think it might have been too much with all the colour going on in the background and the ribbon.

The stamped image was die cut using a Grand Labels 23 die and then inked at the edges (leaving the die in place) with a mixture of Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen distress inks.

Sorry, a bit of an autumnal stamp just as the sun comes out! But thanks for stopping by,

Carole X

Christmas Kiss - Sunday 22nd July

Hello Bloggers,


Well I am pleased to report that the Alfie concert last night was amazing..with the balmy summer evening making it all that more special. For those of you who don't know who Alfie Boe is, he is dubbed "Britain's favourite tenor', an acclaimed Opera lead tenor, last year he went into musical theatre, starring in Les Miserables (and he was fabulous) and now he is singing and recording more mainstream music, so last night was a good mix of both, plus at the end we were all treated to a min 'Prom' concert with all the favourites from Land of Hope and Glory to Jerusalem. It was an open air 'picnic' concert at Westonbirt Arboretum, which not being far from where we live is a favourite place for us to visit...so we all arrived with our chairs and food...and wine of course and had a brilliant time! I'm hoping this week that I'll get a scrapbook page made of our experience.

Now for today's card. I thought it was about time for another Christmas card and this week I have been playing about with creating backgrounds ahead of the next workshop I have been prepping for...

To create the green background I simply took a 'That Special Touch' Holly Mask, embossed a piece of card with it through my Grand Calibur and then using Shabby Shutters distress ink and a pice of Cut n Dry, I inked all over quite heavily.  Although you can't really  see in the photo, I also dusted a little green mica powder across the inked card to give it a 'glisten'.

The image is an LOTV stamp, which I coloured with Promarkers and die cut using Spellbinders Heart Squares. To finish I added ribbon, roses,gems and holly, plus an LOTV sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carole X

Highlighter Project - Saturday 21st July

Good Morning Blog Friends!


Here's hoping we all get a lovely - dry - weekend! I'm really hoping today stays fine as we are off to see Alfie Boe in concert at Westonbirt Arboretum (Tetbury) tonight. Somehow the romantic vision of a picnic on a beautiful evening, in wonderful woodland surroundings, listening to my favourite singer has been ever so slightly tinged by our "Summer' so far!


Today's post is something new to me; it's a project by Paula Whitaker in this month's Craft Stamper magazine that I just had to try - and I really like it, so will certainly be using it in some of my cards from now on!

It's actually a simple technique to create quite a background that actually gives quite a rich, even luminous effect.


To create the background you need:


White card
Highlighter pens (the ones we all have in our drawers!)
Distress Ink
Cut-n-Dry Foam
Sandpaper
heat tool


I used a square of white card and coloured it all over with yellow highlighter pen and then inked the whole card with Vintage Photo and Cut-n-Dry foam, making the edges much darker. In her project, Paula used Walnut Stain, but I didn't have any of that colour and I do really like Vintage Photo, use whatever colour you prefer. Following the magazine project, once I had covered with the ink,I dried it off with the heat tool and then sanded the card in one direction to create a rough surface, before going back over it with the distress ink. The effect is a rough cover over the highlighter.


Next I stamped over the card with a bird silhouette stamp by Artemio: this effect works really well  with floral or foliage silhouettes especially. To finish off I cut some Tim Holz film strip ribbon and sewed it across the top, then added a little metal Shamrock charm and a sentiment stamp by Creative Expressions and inked around the edges of the card with the distress ink...this card blank is actually cream by the way, it just looks white in the photo!


Next time I'll try a different colour highlighter...


Thanks for stopping by,
Carole X

Emergency Crafter DT Card - Friday 20th July

Hello Blog Friends,

This is my design team card for the new Emergency Crafters Challenge..the theme for which is circles.

As now counting down to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, I wanted to go with the theme, but apparently copyright has prevented stamps and digi-stamps from being sold with the official rings on them - at least that's what I kept seeing when I tried to find some. So I decided to make some circles of my own, by going back to basics....

I took the inner cardboard roll from empty cling film and foil packs. I tried first with kitchen towel (see I am learning from watch Ali Reeve from Stamps Away!), but it was too thin. The rolls inside foil have just the right thickness, great if you want to create a glass stain as well! I used distress inks to make the circles, faded jeans, black soot, mustard seed, shabby shutters and worn lipstick and because they resulted in a grungy look, the rest of the card followed in that direction. I shaded the entire card with worn lipstick, which gave a mottled effect to the background.

To carry through the circle theme I used the Penny Black 'I Love London' stamp set and chose the underground sign and the little torch bearer to stand on top. I coloured both with Promarkers. The biggest problem I had was finding the right paper for the base and the big circle (which I cut with a punch). Everything I had both in my stash and digitally was either too 'heavy' or the wrong theme/colours, so I decided to make my own simple script paper. All I did was type out all the  Olympic sports I could think of, with London 2012 in between, make it quite translucent and print to off. Finally I added the sentiment from a Nitwit collections Olympic digi set available from

  www.card-making-downloads.com

Thanks for stopping by and if you want to take part in this challenge visit:

http://emergencycrafterschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Sunday Stampers week 214 - Thursday 19th July

Hello Blog Friends!


Today's card is my creation for this week's Sunday Stampers challenge and the theme this week is embellishments. It had to be a quick card this week, as it has been one of those very busy weeks that have left me very little crafting time!

 I started off stamping the bodice from Creative Expressions Vintage Lingerie set, using  Perfect Medium and then I heat embossed it in gold.The largest of the Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles dies was used as my base and then I cut a dark red felt border using the Parisian Accents border die. I was trying to create a cheeky card along the theme of burlesque or 'peep shows' of long ago. So for my embellies I used a frou frou ribbon rose border, some Tim Holz Film Strip ribbon, a ticket from a sheet of kraft paper which has a whole load of the printed on it, a little key and a gold coloured 'dangly' - for years now if I have lost one earring (as I am liable to do), I put the other one in an embellies  box and use them on cards...well us crafters are the best recyclers aren't we?


To check out Sunday Stampers and for heaps of lovely inspiration  visit Hels Sheridan's blog  

http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks for stopping by!


Carole X

100th Birthday Card - Wednesday 18th July

Good Morning Bloggers!


Hope you are all well crafting along happily! Today's card was a commission I had recently,where I really didn't have much time to make it. I usually only make cards with two weeks notice, but as this was for a 100th birthday, I couldn't turn it down could I?

Sorry it's not much of a photo, I always find easel cards hard to photograph and this was a pretty big one at 8x8!


I started with a plain blank which I scored and folded into a basic easel; then I chose three different papers, mostly  from my 12x12 scrapbook stash to make sure I had enough for all the bits....I used a plain pale green..not turquoise as it appears in the photo! Then I used some oatmeal foundation card (2 pieces of A4) and finally some floral patterned paper that had been in my scrapbook box for a long time. It was one of those sheets that I liked at the time of buying, but had never found a use for, it has actually got a hint of glitter over it and is a lovely textured piece of card. So I thought I'd give it a go on this card.


The base was matted and layered, as was the folded side and then I cut three different sizes of Spellbinders Grand Labels 23. I typed the greeting and cut it out on Labels Four Small. The butterfly, from Spellbinders Wings of Hope is cut on the patterned paper and a layer of wax paper! I love this paper, I'm not a huge vellum fan, but I love using this with dies because of the soft waxy feel that it has. The '100' was cut on my little Cricut and I finished off with some flowers, which seemed to go with those on the paper and some gems.


Thanks for stopping by!


Carole X

Happy Birthday! - Saturday 14th July

Hello Bloggers!


Today's card is a birthday card I made after having a bit of a play for our next workshop in a few weeks time.It all came out of the little tag, because that was the little scrap I wanted to use up!
 I took a 6x6 card blank and then tore some polka dot coredinations paper and sanded it back for the first layer. Then I cut a piece of black card and used a Martha Stewart punch for the edge. I hardly ever use these punches now as I usually grab a die, but it was something we had decided we might use in the workshop and I do really like this one.


Next off I did use a Spellbinders die, Grand Labels 23, just to create scalloped edges on a piece of cream card, which I then slightly distressed with Mustard Seed distress ink. I stamped the sentiment using an LOTV stamp and then tied a piece of lace, layered with black ribbon around the two pieces of card and matted and layered the front of the card. 


The script is a Wendy Vecchi stamp from the Studio 490 'Love to Make Art' set. After stamping I cut around it and coloured it all over with the distress ink, then curled the top edges. The tag was a piece of scrap left over after I had been playing with Vintage Cosmic Shimmer Mists, Weathered Wood distress ink and another stamp from the above set. The colour was much lighter when I started, but I used more weathered wood to make it more in keeping with the backing paper. I used a tag as  template, punched a hole and threaded the lacey ribbon through.


The flower was made using Spellbinders Aster Flower die on cream card, coloured with the ink and topped with a yellow button from my Mum's (probably my Gran's before that!) old button jar. The little flowers were from the Flower Creations die and were a couple I'd left over from a previous card. I put a lot of 'excess' die cuts in a box and always check if I can use any of them on a project.


This was a really easy card to make, mostly  from left overs!


Thanks for stopping by,
Carole X

Christmas Baubles - Friday 13th July

Good afternoon bloggers,


Hoping you have all had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend! I don't work Fridays, so it is usually one of my crafting days, but today I had my first 'day off' in a while to meet one of my friends for lunch in Bath. Trish and I were having such a lovely catch up over lunch that we forgot the time and I had to hurry for my bus and as I'm suffering this week from a bit of recurring back pain (from a horse riding injury many years ago) running for a bus wasn't entirely in my plans!


Never mind, I got the bus and all was well..this is becoming a bit of a habit when we meet, once we were chatting so much we actually left it too late to even have lunch!

 I thought it was about time for another Christmas card: this was a really simple one.


I simply took a dark green 6x6 card as a base and then cut a slightly smaller white layer. I stamped this layer haphazardly with pine branches from Creative Expressions Snowflakes and Sprigs stamp set, a set of stamps I find really useful, especially this particular one. I used Bundled Sage distress ink to stamp the image and also to colour the edges of the white card.


The ornaments are all cut using a mixture of 2010 and 2012 Spellbinders Heirloom Ornaments and some embossed gold paper I had in my Christmas stash box and using a gold pen I drew in the gold hangers - looking at the photo now, I see that I haven't drawn one long enough, so better go and amend that now!


To finish off I added some green ribbon and a  double bow.


Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all your lovely comments this week - I read and appreciate them all,
Carole X

Dream Sunday Stampers wk 213 - Weds 11th July

Good afternoon bloggers,


Today's post is my contribution to this week's Sunday Stampers, from Hels Sheridan's blog
The theme this week is the word 'Dream' and I actually found it quite hard! I decided to make a wall hanger  and create a piece of art, which hopefully when I look at it on the wall, will make me dream of lovely things, like nature and birds and...I'm in danger of getting too deep here! Ha!

I started last night with a piece of material, which I stamped with a script stamp (from Creative Expressions Vintage stamp set by Sam Poole) and then spritzed with Cosmic Shimmer Mists: I used Vintage Marigold, Red Firefly and Pearl Mist. I left this overnight to dry and was quite pleased with the result, though you can't see the slight shimmer in the photo. 


The material was then used to cover a rectangle of chipboard. On the back of the frame I used two joined together Romantic Rectangle die cuts to make the border..they are actually the wax paper pieces I always put through with this die as it can be difficult to remove the paper/card once cut and embossed. I found some 'wax wrap' in 'Kitchens' and this is perfect as the paper has a lovely look and texture.


I then stamped the script again over some pieces of cream, green and yellow card, which I used to cut the birds and cage (from Bird Sanctuary), leaves from various die sets, flowers from Floral Creations and the Aster Flower Topper.


The large flower is from Creative Expressions Sam Poole Steampunk Flowers stamp set. I stamped it on patterned paper and topped with a button and bakers twine. I stamped 'Dreams' from Sam Poole's Steampunk Dreams set and just to try and separate the 'dream' from reality I decided to make the 'do come true' as more of a 'statement' (I hope I'm making sense!), so I printed the words out from a label maker!


To finish off I painted over the flowers with glossy accents and the bird cage with Crackle Accents, although again it doesn't show in the photo.I used some Vintage Photo distress ink on the bird that is still in the cage (just to emphasise they are in different worlds, I'd also stamped part of the Dream stamp on this bird), around the edges of the cage and around the torn 'Dreams' banner. I then lightly distressed a length of seam binding and stamped just the word Dream over it, but covering the rest of the stamp with masking tape.


Thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate it and read your comments,
Carole X

This project was made for Sunday Stampers week 213: DREAM

http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/

Especially for You -Tuesday 10th July

Hello Bloggers!


Today's card is a birthday card, which is inspired by a card Sue Wilson posted some time ago, but I changed it a little and made it into a pop up card..it was made to give to my Mother-in-Law for her birthday this week.

I cut the card shape in cream card using Grand Labels 23 and then matted and layered in two more sizes. I edged the outer card with wild honey distress ink. The smallest layer, I embossed with a floral mat from 'That Special Touch of...' and then distressed it all over to raise the embossed surface.


The sentiment was stamped using an LOTV stamp and then die cut and framed using Labels Four Small. I added the large flower, cut with the Aster die and used a co-ordinating organza ribbon to decorate. For a finishing touch  wanted to add pins and recently I won a lovely hatpin kit from Linda's blog, but I haven't had a chance to make any as yet...the pretty glass one in the picture was one of a lovely selection that Linda made and sent me and the colours just went so well with this card. I know my mum in law will appreciate it, so I didn't hesitate to add it. Thank you Linda, they are beautiful! The other pin is one I had in stock, from Creative Expressions, which I coloured myself with a Promarker. Check out Linda's lovely cards at http://creativeharmony.blogspot.co.uk/

For the inside of the card, I cut out the pop up section and then die cut some more Aster flowers and arranged them in the centre. I used some Cosmic Shimmer Olympic Gold PVA for the centres of the flowers.


Thanks for stopping by!
Carole X

London Calling! - Monday 9th July

Good morning blog friends!

This card is my design team card for Emergency Crafters, http://emergencycrafterschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  the theme is London Callling, so we are looking for London projects (it doesn't have to be a card). It is also a card I would like to enter into this week's Allsorts Challenge with the theme Red, White and Blue.

I chose to go all out for London...I've been lucky enough to visit some of the most famous cities in the world, a few of them many times because of family connections, but it's always London that still gives me a 'tingle' when we visit - a real 'buzz' . So of course I am so happy for all the euphoria around the UK and London this year and I just had to buy this stamp set from Clarity Stamps when we were at the Alexandra Palace Stamping show earlier this year!

Barbara Gray's artwork and stamping techniques always leave me in awe, but to sit and watch her demo this stamp 'live' was incredible. I have used it a few times and am still trying to perfect the effects you can get with it, but I did make quite a few to sell for charity at our Jubilee Fundraiser in June and they all sold.

The details....

This is an 8x8 card, which I started off by layering blue and white card from stash and a red/white check from the Docrafts Portobello Road 12x12 paper collection. I then switched to Docrafts Digital Designer Portobello Road and used a design from the papers, which I faded considerably and overlaid with some London images from the digital stamps. The bunting is also from the same programme and I added the '2012'. I also added a few embossed stamps from Portobello Road embossing folders. I was lucky to have the papers and folders as a present, bought just after Christmas with a craft store gift token and I was  really pleased with it.

I stamped the London design using Clarity Stamps London stamp set - for this I stamped with Perfect Medium clear and heat embossed with black embossing powder. I then coloured the inside of the 'O' with a glacier blue flexmarker and coloured the underground sign with Promarkers. I die cut the image using Spellbinders Grand Labels 23 and used Faded Jeans distress ink around the edges, then I also die cut two other pieces of card in red and blue.

The vintage Union Jack is an amazing stamp that comes in two parts to allow you to stamp the colours separately, the next time I post a card with this stamp, I will photograph what I mean! I stamped the red with Cranberry Adirondack ink and for the blue I used Denim Adirondack...the stamp gives a vintage 'crumpled' effect. The set has reveal elements, including a selection of London icons and I love the little soldiers!

I finished off with some Union Jack buttons and made the rosette using paper from stash.

If you would like to enter this challenge it starts today, so hop over to Emergency Crafters and give it a go!

http://emergencycrafterschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

I would also like to enter this card into Allsorts Challenge week 162, Red,White and Blue


http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks for stopping by!

Carole X

Beach Huts - Sunday 8th July

Hi Bloggers!

This card was made for  Christine Emberson's regular 'inspiration challenge' on her brilliant blog. The idea is that followers choose their inspiration for a project from a selection of photo - all the contributions will be shared on her blog today.

My inspiration came from three photos: a beach, bunting and a 'wish you were here' card. I had just got this Michael Powell stamp and this seemed an apt project to use it with...

I started with some coredinations colour core paper, which I embossed with an Embossability Folder (Patchwork) and then sanded to bring out the core. I tore this around the edges and also cut an edge for the bottom of the card. The image was stamped with Memento and coloured with Flexmarkers; the bunting is a digital stamp, also coloured with Flexmarkers. I die cut the image using Labels 24 and also cut a plain yellow shape with some linen textured card from stash.

To finish off I used the centre from the Spellbinders Aster die as a topper and added some silk rope and bakers twine.

Thanks for stopping by...check out all the other projects on

http://hope-chances.blogspot.co.uk/

Carole X

House Mouse Challenge HMFMC123 - Saturday 7th July

Hello Blog friends,

First of all, thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post 'Silver Lady' - it really was great fun to make, I hadn't embossed such a large area in ages and I was sure I was going to make a mess whilst doing it and have to start over..but it worked first time!

So to my first post for a few days..work has been very busy and so has my craft room! Lots of projects on the go, as well as preparing for our next card making class in August...more on that later this week...

Today's card is my entry for the current House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, with the theme 'Let's Get Fruity'. I love House Mouse stamps and am building up a collection, but apart from a Christmas stamp, I didn't have one fruity themed stamp, so I had to improvise!

I love making House Mouse cards that have movement...after all little meeces are always scurrying around aren't they? For this card I pictured our little friends having made their way into a cellar or outhouse where a grape harvest has been stashed. I don't know about mice, but our pet hens would have a field day. We have a very productive grape vine growing all along one side of our garden and they are already jumping up at it trying to grab a grape (even though the grapes are still tiny!).

I used a grape stamp and stamped it several times, then coloured it with Promarkers. I used a 6x6 card, layered it with dark green card and then took some Coredinations paper, which I ran through the Grand Calibur with a brick effect mask and then lightly sanded it. Having tied green ribbon around the card, I matted and layered the base cards and then cut out the stamped grape bunches and layered them at the base of the card. For the little mouse in the front, I adapted a Christmas stamp, where the mouse is holding a little red berry and then I added another sleeping mouse (obviously over indulged!) and finally my jumping mouse.

The little mouse who is trying to press the grapes all on his own, is attached to a piece of acetate (actually a strip from a Spellbinders back as it's nice and strong) and I have left a tab at the base of the card where he can be pulled up and down or moved backwards and forwards. 


Thanks for stopping by!
Carole X

I would like to enter this card in the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge

No HMFMC123 - Let's Get Fruity

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Study in Silver - 3rd July Sunday Stampers wk 212

Hello Bloggers1


Today's project is my contribution to Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers Challenge and this week's theme is titled Silver Dream Machine and calls for silver creations - so silver it is! A grungy piece of Steampunk....

First of all, apologies for the photo...I just could not get it in focus because there was so much metal and reflection going on, so I hope you can actually see it!


I started with black card and inked all around with Perfect Medium clear to create a frame and then I heat embossed with silver embossing powder. I stamped the dress form in Perfect Medium too on white card and again embossed with silver. The stamps are all from Sam Poole's Steampunk Dreams stamp set by Creative Expressions...I do really love this stamp set! I added a few metal watch parts to the form and then die cut the wings and butterfly (wings) from  Spellbinders Wings of Hope using silver craft foil. A butterfly was then cut from Spellbinders Flight of Fancy. I did actually emboss this with a That Special Touch of... Cog Mask but it doesn't show in the photo unfortunately.


To finish I stamped and embossed a sentiment from the same stamp set.


Thanks for stopping by!

This is my contribution to Sunday Stampers Week 212 Silver Dream Machine

http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/

Tatty's Sunflower - Monday 2nd July

Good Morning blog friends!


After yesterday's rather epic post, a brief one today as very soon I have to head off to work! I made this card for a commission and in view of the still rather dismal weather we are still experiencing, I thought I would share it today as it's a rather 'sunny' card and might help cheer us up!

This is an 8x8 card, I needed not to make it too 'weighty' as it had to be posted, so I restrained myself from my usual  rather '3D' embellishing (if it had been a true 'Carole' card the flower would have been very different!). I also didn't have a lot of time to make it, so it needed to be a 'quick' make.


However, sometimes keeping it simple is the good, so this is what I did here: all the motifs are from Parisian Accents (Spellbinders). I stamped Tatty Button and coloured her with Promarkers, then I die cut using a Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals die. The flower is made with paper from stash, using a scalloped circle punch. I could have added a few layers, but the flower is large and Tatty is small, it could well have devoured her! I hadn't used my Tatty Button stamps for a while, so it was nice to revisit!


I spent yesterday afternoon working on my design team card for the new Emergency Crafters challenge which starts at the end of the week and it was one of those occasions where I just couldn't get it as I wanted..got there in the end though and it will be revealed on Friday!


Have a good Monday, whatever you are doing! Thanks for stopping by,
Carole X

Thank You!!! Sunday 1st July

Good Morning Blog Friends,


First of all, a big thank you to those of you who stop by here, take a look and leave a message. I read them all and really appreciate them...as I also love to visit and comment on your blogs too! The craft world is so caring and sharing, you are all lovely people and it's so nice to have connected with you this way.


Thanks to those of you who left messages about my boxes yesterday, Christine Emberson is so inspiring for us crafters isn't she? To those who hopped over from Christine's blog, left a message and started following me...welcome! I hope you will visit often, I post almost every day and I think I have quite a varied mix of work...except I am a bit of a Spellbinders, Stamping and Promarker addict!


A few days ago, I did say that when I reach 50 followers I will be sending out some Candy..it's still probably a way off though! But I'm almost at 20!

Today's card is a commission: for new followers, a little information: I go out to work three days a week for a local charity, leaving me not enough crafting time! I have started teaching card making workshops with my friend Amy, who co-owns a local gift and craft shop, I make cards by commission, do the very occasional craft fair and am on the design team for Emergency Crafters. This last month I have  also been guest designer for House Mouse and Friends and absolutely loved it!


I like to mix things up a bit with my crafting, it keeps me on my toes! Taking commissions helps me with 'stash' money and makes me design cards 'around' my comfort zone and sometimes totally out of it..this card is 'around' it! Many people who order personalised cards from me, I have never met - some of my customers have been commissioning cards for several years and we have never even spoken! I must be doing something right though as they keep coming back!


This card was requested by a friend of my brother-in-law and I didn't really have a lot to go on...sometimes this is easier: a blank canvas so to speak, but I have to remember that I need to keep these cards 'mainstream' and not go off on one of my steampunk or arty tangents!


I love rubber stamping: I find it gets my creative juices flowing and it is also relaxing. However I do also use digital stamps and some CDs and I also use two digital craft programmes: DoCraft digital designer and Serif Craft Artist. The latter is helpful with scrapbooking. But mostly they are a good source of papers and creating papers. My one bugbear with Serif and some CD's is that they aren't iMac friendly in an interactive way, so rather than using them on my desktop, I have to use my Windows laptop. Digital Designer though is Mac friendly, which is great!


Back to the card (I don't usually waffle this much!)....It's an 8x8, as are most of my commissioned cards and I printed the backing paper and the parcel and flower topper from the Designer, Tatty Teddy package. I also printed Teddy himself, but I had to get my Promarkers out just once on this card, so he is a digital stamp!


The die-cuts are Spellbinders  Labels 23 and the bunting was cut from the Designer Portobello Road programme. I cut the 'Mum' and '60' with my Cricut. I have the 'baby' Cricut, which is just called the cutting machine - no fancy name for mine, so I gave it the rather un-original name of 'Jiminy' ! At the moment it's only cutting Mirror Board, as the blade needs replacing :(


To finish off I added some gorgeous stripey ribbon and tried a new technique in tying it, so that it still remains quite flat for posting or putting in an envelope (I usually present commissions in expandable envelopes or boxes). To check this out - and it really is super cool - take a look at Kirsty Wiseman's video on - it's a goodie!
http://fantasticribbons.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/first-of-our-ribbon-video-tutorials.html

I am sorry today's post has been so long, I will be back in the next day or so...the problem at the moment is that  I have been spending a lot of time on Christmas designs and don't want to bombard you with them just yet!


Happy Sunday and Happy Crafting!
Carole X