Challenges, challengers

I just cannot help myself.  I had to go into the challenge at Little Paper Shop.  It is a sketch Challenge Sketch Challenge LPSC60

I am still stuck on embossed eggs so I had two goes at this sketch this afternoon.  The first one evolved because I had trouble with the second one - you know how it is.  So, I ended  up searching through my stash to locate something different, and as I was fixated on brown by then,  it had to have a metalic feel.  I had aquired some lovely tapestry ribbon as some stage and always put it back into the stash because it was 'too good to use' but bit the bullet today and cut into it - once started I couldn't stop! A metalic strip and a Confusion saying inside, and a picture from ARTchix Studio's Party Cards set, a commercial tag, some bling and some SU Designer Paper made the rest. It is all on a craft card base.  (Noticed after I had put this up that the picture card was crooked and discovered I had not attached it - just tucked it behind the ribbon!  I can assure you it is now quite firmly attached and straight!)

The second card is embossed in white, inked with three SU coloured inks, and some bling added.  The frame is from a Fern Gull stamp, stamped with SU Close to Cocoa ink and clear embossed, and the sentiment is one of WMS's. Ribbon, extra bling and the backing sheet is just a scrap in the stash from Basic Grey.

Time to make a new entry!

(Challenge at Just Scraps - Beginnings in Pastels. I have entered this challenge with one card at the end of this posting - please scroll down)

I have been very slack and not posted for a while - however, there have been reasons! The first one was that I have purchased new computer equipment and had to get it all set up and going - that took a week.  Then I started back at work doing some relief teaching (it will be 11 days all up, in a row) and I have found I don't have the energy or inspiration to blog.  I have however, made some cards, so thought I should put some up for others to view! I finish work on Thursday next just before Easter and cannot wait to play some more then!

The first ones are using one of my new stamps from Waltzing Mouse and while I don't (yet) have the Nestablilities egg shapes, and had to cut these out by hand, I used a technique I saw on Claire's blog and coloured these by sponging ink in three different shades over the embossed image, moving from light to dark as you got closer to the outside edge.  I didn't emboss with clear embossing powder but used a Sparkling Bronze powder to give a deep effect.  It really is sparkly in the light and the ribbon is the same colour as the darkest ink, although does not look like it in the photo.

 

I embossed the background with a Cuttlebug Embossing folder and used all SU products unless already mentioned to make the card - the card itself as a commercial blank in white. The sentiment is by Waltzing Mouse also and is embossed in gold. I used SU punches to layer it up.

I then made another two - one in pink and one in green.  The green one has added bling! Each one is embossed in a different type of gold embossing powder - one sparkly and one not.  I had fun making these.

I also made several other Easter cards using images from Waltzing Mouse's set called Faux Circles and Spring Baskets. Once I got the topper on the card and had taken its picture I realised it was crooked!  Oh well! Of course Easter for us is not Spring, so the image is a bit incongrous for me but I like the colours together.

I have also made several other cards to celebrate the arrival of a little boy, Austin, born to the daughter of a friend.  One card was for the grandies and one for the parents.  I was using my SU marker to watercolour and my NEW Copic pens - and both were done in a hurry so not good! However, here they are:

This stamp is from Shirley's2Girls and I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to make the background.  I don't remember where I got the little baby tag from but thought it was cute.

I have entered this one in a Challenge at Just Scraps - Beginnings in Pastels. This one is a digi image from Spech Stamps called Lachlan and again I coloured with both the Copics and the SU markers but I was using SU card and its absorbent as well as having a fleck in it, so it looks as if I have spilled the paint in some areas!  I only had three different pairs of colours when I did these, but love the Copics so much I have now purchased 4 more pairs - a dark and a light in the same tone for contrast. I will now need to learn to use them! I was inspired to make this card because I was so delighted that a little girl I have know for ever has now become a mother in her own right - and I know she and her man will be  fabulous parents to their little son.  It is so great seeing life move on and people achieve their dreams.

Tim Holtz Inks Giveaway

Came across this giveaway and just had to give it ago  - I love Tim Holtz inks when I can get them, especially for distressing things!

Here is what I found:
Sunday, 14 March 2010



GIVEAWAY: All 12 New Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads or Re-inkers!


I think it's time for a new yummy giveaway!!!!
For the prize, you have a choice of the ink pads or the re-inkers. If you are lucky enough to own the ink pads already, then why not try for the re-inkers!
For those with blogs - to enter all you need to do is leave a comment below this post and spread the word on your blog by putting a picture of this blog candy onto your blog sidebar linking it back to this post. If you would like to sign up to become a follower that would be great, as we'd really love you to follow our blog, but is not a requirement.

For those without blogs - please leave a comment below this post. Please note that you will need to leave your full name within the comment to be entered, otherwise anonymous entries cannot be accepted.

One entry only, duplicate entries will not be counted.


This candy will run from midnight today (GMT), Tuesday 23rd February until Midday (GMT) on Sunday 14th March.


The winner will be selected at random and announced soon after.


If the prize has not been claimed by midday Wednesday 17th March, a new winner will be drawn.


GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

So I did as Iwas told and along the way learned how to add something else to my sidebar! Now, all I have to do is add a comment and I might WIN! Wish me luck.

Black and Red and White

I have been invited by Jean at Just Scraps to enter their Challenge 2: Black and White and Red all over.  So, I have had a go at a card this afternoon (it is raining) just 'cause I can! It is made using a digi image from Fred.She.Said that I purchased today also! I painted the flowers with my Twinkling H2O's to get a shimmery effect after printing the flower sheet out onto SU Whisper White.  I used my WMS stamps as well  for the circle and a Virve stamp for the sentiment. Added to that was a bit of Making Memories paper, some red and some black card and some white lace. Here it is:

Here is a close up of the flowers and leaves so you can see the shimmer a bit better - they are so pretty:

I did make another card for an anniversary earlier today from another digi image called Jack and Ginger. I coloured this with my SU markers using an aqua pen but now the image seems a little too poorly coloured in! Again I used WMS stamps for the sentiment and backgrounded the white card with a random stamping of hearts and flowers from the SU Sparkles stamp set. So, here it is as well:

Easter Bunnies are about, apparently.....

I have been playing with the stamp sets I got from Waltzing Mouse and trying to make the long basket from the template from there as well.  I used Tombow glue and this was not good for me - I console myself that I was learning to make the basket and my next attempt will be better!  I also made two other easier baskets for easter goodies and was quite happy with these - they were within my crafting abilities! In addition I have made a card for the Little Paper Shop Sketch Challenge LPSC57. Here they are:

Apart from the WMS stamps, the paper used is SU card and I used my Cuttlebug and my SU punch for the decorative edge. The eggs and basket were coloured with SU Markers direct to paper.

The photo of the baskets was taken outside because I thought I would get a clearer image: apparently not, so I have take individual ones inside - I also think I will fill the smaller boxes with tissue rather than the paper strips I have made.

My Workspace

I thought I would brag a bit about my space -which is not used wisely and is full of "stuff" and does not show the area where the painting gear is stacked or the books or the bed covered with albums and completed cards and boxes and other "stuff"! However, here it is:

This first photo shows the paper stacks and the ribbon and embellishment storage, including the new Kaiser Storage Drawers that I covered with SU DP called Bali Breeze (probably discontinued now). Sitting on top of that is the ribbon dispenser I put together last year. Underneath them are the Howards wire baskets - the top one contains brads, buttons and eyelets; the bottom two are full of ribbons. The plastic boxes with pull out drawers from Chickenfeed ($2 shop) contain stickers, chipboard elements, transfers, wire and beads, small punches and other 'stuff'. The plastic box has all my flowers in it while the cane box contains the big brads and leaves. I have my cuttlebug sample pack hanging from ribbon on the top of the 12" card file and the left hand side file contains all the patterned papers. Under the wire baskets are containers of beads and of small metal embellishments. You can see what are stored in the small storage drawers from the up-close photo below.

This photo shows the standing desk where I do most of my work - looking towards my HUBs space and his desk. I have a storage shelf under the bench and this contains A4 card, rub-ons and stickers relating to birthday cards in particular; gloves and wipes, sanding papers, bigger metal embellishments, and around the back, templates, materials and a box of bling!Under the shelf are hanging baskets with stickers and transfers in one; lace and string in the middle one; and white, black and kraft paper in the third.

This is a close up of the storage boxes - its my writing that is slanted, not the lables.

Inside the cupbaord are more wire shelves on the doors for the paint misters and reinkers and such, and more ribbon, the paints, pencils, crayons, glitter and embossing powders; craftboard collections and sponges.

 The drawers have all the stamps stored in kind - wooden ones on the bottom drawer (unless they are small), clear and sentiments in one, and so on.  My other stamps are stored on the shelf over the computer desk.

The stamps are all entered into my stamp folder and named by maker, with an indication of where they can be located. These are Waltzing Mouse stamp sets, for example. I can flick through the folder to find a stamp or set without having to trawl through the drawers or boxes. I also take a photocopy and attach it to the stamp box or container so I know what is supposed to be in this box/container. I am running out of room to house them all. I need to go to the DVD case idea for a lot of sets and then store them upright on the shelves I think.

I have a table (covered with stuff at the moment - it needs to be tidied up more) and this has a drawer set under it full of paper scraps. The small trolley also contains more card and paper, but in sets or commercial card blanks. On top of the desk is a plastic 2 drawer set for all my inks.

Behind this is a basket containing all my big punches.  It is currently full, as are the ink drawers.

The space is in the rumpus room downstairs; it once was simply a walkway through to the HUBs wood workshop and then became my office space when HUM built me a desk.  He then retired and moved home with his desk in the end section and his filing cabinets and shelving on the top.  That is HIS SPACE.  I have to be content with my space. You can see how I store the cuttlebug and the folders etc.  My desk is messy also and has my computer on it - but the shelves are tidy.  They have to be.

I have envelopes and more card blanks in the bottom left drawer, and the other drawers are full of personal papers. I store lettering and specific items ie babies stuff, hearts, starts, wedding stuff in the file cases on the left side of the shelves and printing paper, photo paper, DVDs and CD's with photos and such in the green baskets. I also have booklets with ideas cut from magazines (inspiration books) for both scrapping and card making and different techniques in the spiral books. 

Butterflies and Projects

I have finally decided to do the project I purchased off my SU supplier, Lynda.  It turned out very well and didn't take as much time as I thought it would initially.  I also made a card using my SU Dreams du Jour stamp set for the first time, after finding this set used on a card in another stamping magazine (I had cut it out and put it in the 'pile' for inspiration, and forgotton I had it).

I used a commercial card blank and a cuttlebug embossing folder.  I then used some scrap paper, a bit of ribbon, some jewels for bling factor and the stamp set.  I coloured in with some Signo Metallic pens (I only have two) and added gold and then painted over the flowers a little with a Pental Metallic brush in purple - this means that the colours all have a shimmer look and are in different shades.  You can see something of it in the close up below. I fussy cut the butterflies and fixed them on with dimentionals to lift them off the page.

The project that Lynda had come up with was a Stationary Box, containing up to 8 cards and envelopes.  You can get the template here.  As I said, I made it faster than I thought it would be - it took me about an hour and that included stamping for the front and cutting out the circles, and frames on the cuttlebug. I used Tombow glue and this seems to be strong enough and clean enough for the project.  All materials are SU including the DP in Pacific Blue and the cardboard was just scrap pieces I have saved for just this type of thing. The 'for you' stamp (from One of a Kind) is insert into a stamp from the Waltzing Mouse set Faux Circles (so celtic). The flowers are from SU Pocket Silhouette

Thanks for looking.

OMG, I won a competition for one of my cards!

I am in shock!  I was doing my usual "I cannot be bothered starting anything new, (including housework or dinner) so I will just take a look at all my favourite sites on the puter, including Little Paper Shop, and guess what - when I got there, my card was staring me in the face - I had won the challenge on producing a distressed card. My heart nearly left my body and I am still shaking 10 minutes later. WOW. Mmmm, does that mean I cannot enter the next colour challenge?  Am not sure what the 'netiquette' is here.........

Anyway, I have had a busy week - HUB and I are planning on a kitchen renovation sometime in the middle future (as opposed to next month) so were looking at whitegoods for one day, and as I have auditioned as a reader for a local radio station for the print handicapped and have been accepted, I had to go to a learning session on another day - had to get up early as well!  In addition, I took an afternoon relief teaching session (would you  believe DANCE) and so I have not had as much time in the workspace.  Have made a couple of cards, but have handed them out already without taking a photo, and have got two new ones left.  Here they are.

Somewhere I was shopping I found a packet of vellum butterfliesby Cre8tive and thought they looked sweet; they were cheap so I bought them and put them in my stash.  The other day I took two out of the packet and wondered how I could make them look more than a simple white vellum butterfly.  I looked in the cupboard and saw my little collection of mica paint daubers by Moonglow (Lindy's Stamp Gang), so got out the blue and the green ones and then the pink and the orange one.  I daubed one with blue and one with green.  I used the orange or the pink to gently touch the outside of the wings of the butterfly, rather then really smash it on.  As they dried they began to look quite pretty but I thought some gold would be good, so I sprayed them with Moonglow Gossamer Gold mica mist, and then while still wet sprinkled it with fine glitter. When they dried, they looked very fragile and pretty. I used deep pink pearls for the body of the green one and blue jewels for this one (see close up below). The hardest thing was trying to get the scalloped rectangle cut out, as I do not have a nestie for this, so I used my SU scallop punch and tried to line it up.  The background paper is a piece of SU DP Patterns in Pacific Point. The blue lace was purchased off a street stall in Euchua in northern Victoria, while on holiday last year.  (I got a couple of metres each of about 6 different colours. Always keep your eyes open for stash!). The blue checked ribbon is from Joanne Craft Essentials (USA). The rub-on is a Cre8tive one. The pale blue background paper is Franchville  but I don't know its name.

The other card is an idea from a picture I had cut out of a old magazine a while ago, where these little tags were used with rub-ons to create en embellishment.  I rubbed on the words and then walked away for a few days before coming back and changing my mind about how I would use them.   I ended up by cutting circles out on the Cuttelbug using Nestabilities Classic Small Circles, cutting them up  and arranged them on a card blank (this blank has a slightly raised embossed surface); and then found my dusty collection of eyelets (had to relearn how to place these as I tend to use brads instead nowdays).  After getting out my pretty little hammer and bashing away, I remembered I had a collection of little charms from Heidi Grace Pocket Scraps somewhere and after finding them  I tied one on with yellow string. I then had to cover up the eyelet holes on the back inside of the card, so decorated it with the left over Franchville Green Swirl.

Stamp Camp Afternoon

Yesterday it was hot and overcast so the best place to be was indoors in airconditioning at Lynda's place with Lynda and Claire the InkiDivas, doing a Stamp Camp.  It was advertised that we would make 12 cards in 4 hours - mmm, well I knew that wasn't going to happen for me, I take too long to make a card, but I did make enough of 12 cards to be able to finish them off at home today in an hour. So, 12 cards in 4 hours plus chat, eating, cups of coffee making......not too bad!  The ideas are not mine, and the stamps, punches and inks were not mine, and some stuff had been already cut out for us (ie the paper strips, squares and circles and bits of ribbon, twine) as well as the card blanks....yes, yes, I know - add another couple of hours to the making.....look, I was feeling good about the industry before you started! Anyway, here they are - I think they look fine!

We started on station one making these girly cards and stamped the same image onto Whisper White circles with StazOn Black, using the Stamp-a-Jig from SU. The circles had been cut using Nestabilities. We coloured them in using watercolouring pens and SU's watercolour pastels. They are quite subtle. Next was stamping small cupcakes in a random pattern across the base card.  Now, random is a difficulty for me - it worries me while I do it and never looks that good when I finish - however, I got over that and proceded to layer up the various pieces of DP and card - the colour combinations are not my choice but I love them, particularly the green and turquoise cards. When I got them home I finished off the two cards I had not put together, put an inset in, and then used Dimentional Magic on 2 cards on the icing and some glitter pens and glitter on the 3rd.  You see if you can work out which is which!

Oh, yes inked edges and Lynda kindly poked holes into two circles for me as I was running out of time at that stage on that station.

Next station was a boy card and we made stars.  Sorry, the photo is a bit blurred. Again the pieces of card had been cut out for us, except for the stars, and that was demonstated to us first, using two different size star punches. Then we stamped onto the canvas tape and onto the background card.  The backgound was the large Sanded stamp. We cut out the nitches on the bottom card, using another punch and placed the twine pieces across these, tying them together with a third piece; and then assembled the whole using various DPs, combining the outline stars with solid stars and putting them on where we thought they looked the best!

More stars - white card strip, punched with star punch and then layers of ribbon place over the aperture with tape on the reverse side.  This is a good way to use up ribbon scraps, I thought to myself. Stamped the sentiment (or, if you are me, don't until it is all assembled and you realise this is not going to be easy!) and used the markers to draw faux stitching around the star shape and edge of white. Layer up and it was done. The white top is layered with dimentionals to lift it up slightly.  I didn't complete the third one until I got home, and I used a rub-on instead of the stamped sentiment on that for a bit of variety.  I also stamped a star inside each card on an insert piece to complete it.

The last set used the new stamp set, Butterfly Prints in the summer Mini catelogue and the butterfly punch. Also used circle punches and after working out that I had to use different size circles to punch out my DP and another in card for the centre circle (I actually punched out six more circles of the larger size before I realise my error - sorry Claire) we used a background stamp polkadots to create a background on the card. Next was to stamp the butterfly onto vellum, and punch that out along with a matching butterfly from card to back the vellum one. Construct the butterfly using a brad to join them, and a dimentional pad to lift it on the circle. Stamp a sentiment and then distress the strip before adding it to the background card; assemble the circles, and add to the strip along with the butterfly in the middle.  At home I also added an insert paper of creamy white. Pretty.

We have had the most beautiful late summer weather lately - lots of blue skies and sunshine! I have been doing a variety of things BUT I have also been scrappin cards - continuing the task of being inspired by cards created in January's UK Magazine CARDS.  I have tried some new techniques and learnt a few things that I cannot do as well as can do - and expanded my repertoire in thinking about what can be done where along the way.  Here goes:

This one is made of strips of paper embossed in some of the few embossing powders I have - it was SU Confetti with a punched edge (Fiskars) layered onto grey-blue card, and then lilac and a base card of pink. Three buttons and a sticker completed it. It didn't take long to make and I think it looks really classy.  My embossing powders are all subtle and so it has a vintage look.

This does not look as good as the one in the book - that was lucious - but I had a go at freehand cutting and making flowers and while it is not a technique I am confident with, with the proper papers I think it would be good. These are scraps and I stamped them with background stamps - SU Sanded and Lace and an Image Tree script stamp.  I used SU inks that were about the same colour or deeper than the card.  I cut out the flower shapes freehand and then sprayed then with water, scrunched them and flattened them again to made up two flowers, with a pair of brads from Cloud 9  - Brittany's Castle. The Friends square brad came from the same set. Some pink ribbon over some brown card, which had a scalloped edge top and bottom (cannot see the top) and my sentiment was from Waltzingmouse's set - Irish Blessings. So is the shamrock and both are stamped in SU Pink Passion on craft.

This one looks simple but took me hours - I was running out of steam!!! I had the teapot in a set of stamps by Tim Coffey, called Daisy Delight.  It has a pretty little butterfly in the set as well, and I have used that a few times and a leaf once but not anything else - and this is one of my first ever stamp sets. Anyway, I stamped the teapot in SU Ballet Blue, on Whisper White card, cut it out and then stamped the image onto the background card, masking the teapot first. This left the steam curls on the background paper (I used scraps), and I then layered the teapot next to it using dimentionals. My sentiment came from a pack of clear polymer stamps (no idea) and the stitches were from a packet of rub-ons. A couple of buttons, and some pretty ribbon, and it was done.  The casing of this can be seen clearly but it is not at all like the origional - I thought mine was a bit 'mmmnn - bland' myself....... BUT, I did have a go!

This was my attempt at a very pretty scallop card in pretty vintage cards of pinky fawn and blue, with green highlights.  Mine is not as dainty. I had a DP piece from Rhonna Farrer called In the Round so used that to get some scalloping going - I had a scrap piece of Vintage Moon collection - Moon Glade by Holly McCaig which I used and a sticker for the sentiment.  I stamped a flourish using SU Baja Breeze ink from the SU Baroque stamp set and a chipboard flower which I had painted, sprayed with vintage mica inks and then wiped this off and decided to lightly emboss with a bronze embossing powder. All on the yellow card SU Barely Banana, with a ribbon trim on the base of the card and some bling bits as well as yellow satin ribbon.

This next card had been made back in January, but never completed. I used a peel off on to acetate sheet, then coloured with alcohol inks (I tried severl different types of pens before I got some to stick and stay) and then put into a window in a plain white card.  I use gold trim peel-offs to make a window frame.  Inside the card I stamped a 'branch' using a flower from the SU Oh , So Lovely stamp set and SU markers.  I made it so the bird seemed to be perched on the branch when the card was shut. An interesting experiment.  The inside of the card was then covered with DP scrap. The sentiment comes from SU Pocket Sillhouettes.