3D Flower Card

I am not quite sure if I like this card or not, but as it was one designed for my Birthday Bash Workshop I will let my ladies have the final vote which is: "really effective and surprisingly easy to make" - I am not going to argue!

I love the rich colours of the different reds I have used, and the background on the strip of chocolate chip has been made using the beautiful Very Vintage jumbo roller which I was lucky enough to receive as a Christmas present from my mum. To make the simmer effect I used VersaMark ink then swirled a brush dipped in mica powders (non SU - come on SU we want these in the catalogue!). The powder particles cling to the sticky VersaMark, then are 'fixed' in place with a squirt of hairspray.

I hope you like it? Did you notice the rhinestone brad used to fix through the centre of the Rose? These are a fantastic investment as you get 84 brads (28 each in 3 sizes) for £8.75. Also the advantage with using clear brads is that if needed you can colour them with any alcohol or solvent based inks (eg promarkers/copics) to match your project!

Hope you like it, and please leave me a comment as I love to read your views!

Happy Crafting

Bx

Recipe:
Stamps: Very Vintage
Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip.
Inks: VersaMark, So Saffron.
Dies: Flower Burst Embosslit, Tattered Floral (non SU), Elegant Flourishes (non SU)
Other: Rhinestone Brads, Spray glitter (non SU), Dots Embossing Folder, Mica Powder (non SU)

I am entering this make for 5 challenges (that's a lot for me!):
mojomonday - sketch
stampinfortheweekend - flowers/polkadots/diecuts
stampingscrappingchallengecentral - flowers - (used Tim Holtz Dies)
crazychallenge - anything goes
allsortschallenge - it's your choice

Simply Stampin Challenge - Lace

Morning all! Today's contribution to the Simply Stampin' Challenge is pictured below and the theme is 'Lace'. Not my most favourite theme I confess, although now I come to type this (late Friday night!) I can think of more ideas... typical. Anyway, this sort of style of card is too frilly for my tastes, but is perfect for my Gran and Grandad's wedding anniversary which is coming up - I hope they like it.

A close up of the lace flowers for you. I made this by punching 2 strips of the lace out of card, then cutting the small flower out of the centre of one colour and mounting it on top of the second colour, finished off with a beautiful basic pearl. Also check out the above photo for the Elegant Eggplant scallop border just peeking out from the bottom of the card - this is part of the inside decorations.

Finally a close up of the 3D flower which I have made using the beautiful Fruit & Flowers stamp set. The centre is made from a cluster of different sized pearls - one of my favourite techniques for a flower I think it adds more interest than a single pearl or a cluster all the same size, what do you think?

I hope you like my creation for today, be sure to check out the rest of the teams creations by clicking HERE - there are some really beautiful makes and the ladies are all fabulously talented!

Recipe: (all items Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated)

Stamp Sets: Fruit & Flowers, Basic Phrases (retired)

Card Stock: Blushing Bride, Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red, Whisper White.

Inks: Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant.

Punches: Lace Ribbon, 2-Step Bird, Modern Label, Word Window, Scallop Trim Border, Scallop Border.

Other: Sponge Daubers, Gesso (non SU), Basic Pearls, Liquid Pearls - silver (non SU)

Happy Crafting!

Dinoroar!

This is another make from my Birthday Bash Workshop which I held a few weeks ago now. I may have slightly over estimated what could be achieved in the time stop laughing at the back there! but we all had a laugh and a giggle, not to mention my lovely husband bought us all Gu chocolate rolls and rocky road to snack on! Bliss!

Anyway, to crafts: here is a make using the Dinoroar set, and I have paired it with a whole medley of greens, and a touch of Calypso Coral to add vibrancy.

and a close up for you, so you can see the oh-so-versatile linen thread, and where the white rectangle has been edged very slightly with Bashful Blue ink - I really think this helps it to 'pop' a bit more. Inside the card it reads ROAR! (That means Happy Birthday in Dinosaur) - so sweet and perfect for a young boy (or a grown up one with a sense of humour...)

I hope you like it and Happy Crafting x

Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Sanded (retired), Dinoroar, Ivy Leaf (non SU - Craft Stamper magazine).
Card Stock: Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Calypso Coral, Whisper White.
Inks: Calypso Coral, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Bashful Blue.
Punches: Scallop Border, Modern Label.
Ribbon: Linen Thread

I am entering 4 challenges with this make:
creative card crew - masculine
allsorts challenge - anything goes
crafty ann's challenge blog - bold and bright
onestop craft challenge - create your own background

Simply Stampin' Challenge - Colour: Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Wisteria Wonder

I loved this weeks colours, but am not at all happy with my creation this week - somehow inspiration was lacking. Anyway, the colours are:

• Whisper White
• Pink Pirouette
• Wisteria Wonder
• Melon Mambo

I have been a bit naughty (again!) and used a touch of Lucky Limeade as well. The colours don't seem to have photographed well either, with the melon mambo looking very red... oh well never mind!

And a close up of the edging of melon mambo around the white circle, and the lovely layers created using the two-step stamping technique of the flowers on the background. I have also used the rock and roll method to stamp the pink 'fill' of the flowers, using a combination of melon mambo and pink pirouette.

Happy Crafting!


Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Fast & Fabulous, For My Family
Card Stock: Melon Mambo, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette.
Inks: Melon Mambo, Wisteria Wonder, Pink Pirouette, Lucky Limeade.
Punches: Ribbon, Eyelet Border, Scallop Circle, Circle.
Other: Rhinestones (non SU)

SALE-A-BRATION!

Don't forget time is running out for you to earn some fantastic FREE products! Customers, Hostesses and Demonstrators alike can all benefit from this fantastic promotion!

For EVERY £45 you spend with me as a customer, you can earn a stamp set or a whole pack of 12"x12" scrap booking papers (they are stunning...) chosen from the brochure

click HERE

AND you will still earn loyalty points with me so you can earn even more FREE product!

Join my lovely team of ladies and join the fun! I offer as much or as little support as you want, so if you are interested contact me for a chat and I will answer any questions you may have!

Happy Crafting x

Simply Stampin Challenge Sketch #16 - Star Card

It is sketch week this week over at Simply Stampin' and I have tweaked it a bit... The Original sketch is below:

I have rotated the design by 180 degrees, except for the two embellishments at the bottom left which have stayed bottom left but moved over a bit... Hopefully that makes sense? I may get a slap on the wrist for being too loose with the sketch, but I really like the result!

The colours are quite male, without being old, but could be made feminine with a simple swap of the background from Cajun Craze to perhaps Elegant Eggplant or similar. I have used the new Hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes (my new favourite 'go to' set!) - if you want the chance to earn it then contact me to arrange your workshop now! I have also customised the greeting with 'nephew' from the For My Family set, which is a great set to have on standby for making cards that bit more personal.

Above is a close up of my stars and buttons combo - LOVE these! they are mounted using sticky fixers which is difficult to see in the photo, but it gives the card more texture, to go with the fab embossed buttons, and linen thread.

I hope you like it!

Recipe:
Stamps Sets: Happiest Birthday Wishes, For My Family, Fun & Fast Notes (retired), Sanded (retired).
Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Satin Gold (non SU)
Inks: Cajun Craze, Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Crumb Cake.
Punches/Dies: Sweet Buttons, Scallop Border.
Other: Linen Thread, Glitter (non SU)

Bead Time...

Hello my lovely blog readers! Today I want to share a beaded creation with you - I call it my swirly watch. Sometimes I get so bored with geometric patterns and weaves, so this time I decided to just take a long length of wire, and play! 

 I love the blues and whites of the beads I have used, and you may be able to make out the touch of colour I added to the watch face surround with alcohol inks, to make the metal less in your face and more mottled.

 Finally a look at the back and the clasp :

I hope you like it, and please feel free to leave me a comment - I love to read them!

Recipe: (all items non SU)
Beads (Various including: Glass, Acrylic, Lucite)
Watch Face
Clasp
Wire
Crimp Beads
Alcohol inks (Ranger: Stream, Denim, Copper)

Men's Motorcycle Card

Men's cards always seem to stump people, so I thought I would share one of mine with you, inspired by a design of Julie Kettlewell, check out her blog by clicking HERE. This is such a simple idea for a card, but so effective, by repeat stamping sections of a stamp it adds interest and a feeling of movement.  It could also work with other stamps, such as florals e.g. the Cherry Sprig in Easter Blossoms from the NEW Mini Catalogue.

Here is a close up of the main body of the stamp, and you can see the fantastic detail that is classic of Stampin' Up!'s products. I have lightly coloured the images using blender pens and water brushes with Cajun Craze and Always Artichoke inks, picking up the colours used to mat the white card.

The camouflage patterned paper is from my stash, and could easily be replaced with an alternative. The strip of chocolate chip card has been stamped with a sentiment from Happiest Birthday Wishes using Chocolate Chip ink - an essential colour for your collection! 

I hope you like it - please leave me a comment to let you know your thoughts!

Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Motorcycle, Happiest Birthday Wishes
Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Whisper White
Inks: Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Other: Camouflage paper (non SU)

Simply Stampin Challenge - Heartfelt

The theme this week is 'Heartfelt' - which is very apt for valentines, and can be interpreted in any way you like! I have decided to go for a straightforward design with a shaker style feel. I have used the speciality Christmas papers 'Holly Berry Bouquet', but I bet you wouldn't know unless I had told you!

I wanted to use real red satin ribbon, but didn't have any although I think the narrow grosgrain still looks pretty. Here is a close up for you:

Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Create a Cupcake, So Swirly
Card stock: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, DSP (Holly Berry Bouquet Speciality)
Inks: Real Red
Ribbon: Real Red
Other: Scallop Border, Scallop Heart Punch (non SU)