Snow Flurry Christmas Card

Hi Everyone,

They say there are no mistakes in crafting and ‘they’ are so very right! This card was made using a die cut that was only half cut in error. The Snow Flurry Bigz die was cut out of Whisper White cardstock, only it slipped when I was rolling it through the Big Shot and I only got 3/4’s of the biggest shape cut out!

Never mind – I just mounted it onto the edge of the designer paper from the Festival of Prints paper pack, like it was supposed to be that way! The black card stock underneath helps to really make the pattern stand out and some Island Indigo Bakers Twine holds the Jewellery Tag punch, stamped with a merry sentiment from the Tiny Tags stamp set.

It’s been a while since I joined the fun over at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, they have a die cuts theme happening this week which is just perfect for this card!

Hope you like it !

Cheers,

Bargello Butterfly Thanks Card

Hi Again,

Well the girls at Sunny Challenges and Creations outdid themselves with simplicity this week – thanks be to Gwen It was all too easy, and the results I think are brilliant!

Nothing is ever perfect, and my layers here will vouch for that lol! However, when something isn’t perfect we cut and trim and try to make it so – leaving a lovely heap of scrappy strips of beautiful papers which, if you’re anything like me, you can’t bear to throw out.

We now have the solution ladies! The Bargello Technique! Simply take a peice of Multipurpose Adhesive paper and cover a peice of cardstock (make it the size of the feature peice you want to save supplies). Peel back the top to expose the sticky side and start sticking down your strips of patterned paper in geometric type patterns.

It makes a wonderful background to the Elegant Butterfly Die and matching stamp set – Papillon Potpourri. The Thanks is from the Kindness Matters set and it’s stamped onto some Certainly Celery cardstock that’s been cut to shape with one of the Lots of Tags Sizzlits. Bakers Twine in Lucky Limeade finishes it off.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope I’m providing you with plenty of inspiration – especially where butterflies are concerned lately! I’m not done yet thought, just wait until you see my Hanging Butterfly Easel card! I did promise it back in September and it’s nearly ready to blog! So keep an eye out in the next couple of days for it, in the meantime – enjoy life!

Retro Elegant Butterflies

Hi Everyone

I’ve been going mad with the Elegant Butterfly punch today 

and this is just the first card to show you.

How easy is that, a bit of designer paper and a punch with a little bling added.

 

Itty Bitty Banners with the matching Bitty Banners Dies also make a job easier!

This card was made to go with the sketch at Retro Sketches, head on over there yourself to see what everyone else did. Some of them are quite awesome!

Hope you like it and I’ll be back soon with the Mojo Monday – before it’s actually Monday !  I’ve already missed one linky list this week, best not miss another one!

Birthday Card

Hi Everyone,

I have managed to achieve getting the Mojo Monday sketch done again. Yay Yay. I’ve also managed to combine it with the colour selection this week from Dynamic Duo’s. I’m on a roll! I have used Stampin’ Up’ new Labels Collection Framelits around the sentiment, which is from the Memorable Moments Stamp set.

Here is the sketch…

and here is the colour scheme…

The colours this week I thought would be a bit of a challenge as I’m not really that 'into' them, however, I did have them and thought well, it’s an opportunity to use up the cardstock at the very least.
 I actually am quite pleased with how it turned out – although the colours really needed the Neutral Vanilla and Chocolate Chip to break down the bright Cajun Craze and lift the usually sombre Always Artichoke.

Embossing folders were the ever useful Vintage Wallpaper and the smaller strip of hearts embossing that is part of the Adorning Accents collection. Boho Blossom punch made the flowers from designer paper (Berry Blossoms from last year) and cardstock, a pearl finished them off nicely and the Little Leaves sizzlit adds just the right touch.

I wanted a fairly large scallop to be showing on the Cajun Craze, so I cheated and used the 1/2” Circle punch, sticking them in a row on the back of the Chocolate Chip band to look like a scallop edge.

Hope my card has left you inspired to use some of the colours you are not so keen on, you just never know what you’ll come up with!

Have a great day!

Seasons Greetings Snow Flurry

Hi Everyone,

I’ve managed to do the Mojo Monday sketch this week – again just in the nick of time! Here is my card in lovely Very Vanilla, Pool Party and Midnight Muse coloured inks and cardstocks and matching designer papers.

Here is the Mojo Monday Sketch…I chose the square one obviously! lol

It was a great opportunity to play my new Stampin’ Up Sizzix Bigz Die – Snow Flurry, which is in the new Stampin Up Holiday Catalogue. Click the link to go see for yourself what else is in this catalogue – it’s awesome to say the least!

The papers used were from the designer paper pack called Comfort Cafe, which is available in the Annual Catalogue. Again click the link on the side bar to check out all the new stuff!

I’ve decided that I’m addicted to Shimmer Paint! It seems to end up on all my cards recently, whether it’s painted or sprayed in a mist or stamped like I’ve done here with the little star stamp from the new Scentsational Season stamp set (in the Holiday Catalogue too, with some matching dies and scented embossing powder! how fab is that!)

Well that's all from me today – another Christmas Card made and a little play with some of the new products available, Thanks for stopping by.

Merry Christmas

Hi Everyone,

Well it’s not quite Christmas yet, but don’t blink to hard – it might just sneak up on you!
On this card I’ve cut out the sentiment using the X-large Oval punch and layered it on a sizzlit frame from the Lots of Tags sizzlit collection. 

A sketch challenge with the Christmas theme was on the cards at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week. I used the Boho Blossoms punch to create some flower windows in the plain panel to reveal the designer paper underneath.

It gave me a chance to use some new Stampin Up colours called Gumball Green and Summer Starfruit. It’s also given me a chance to use some new papers too – this one is from the Comfort Cafe series. These will all be available in a few days time when the new 2012-2013 Annual Catalogue goes live on September 1st.

I even had a few left-overs to decorate the inside of this card – using the Gumball Green cardstock and some Summer Starfruit coloured Boho Blossom punch flowers. Thanks for stopping by – I hope you like my little preview of some of the new items from Stampin’ Up which are available after September 1st.

Inspiring Mojo Card

Hi Everyone,

Well I have been so busy that I’ve missed a couple of Mojo Monday Sketches, finally got to this one in time though. I had occasion to make a card to inspire a young friend and what better statement than this one from the Stampin’ Up Word Play stamp set.

This is the whole card. I have outlined the die cut Elegant Bird with and ‘Island Indigo’ coloured Stampin’ Write marker to make it stand out, and also added faux stitching to the mat.

This is the Mojo Monday Sketch that I’ve used, my card is a little different in shapes and proportions but hey, you get that! I had a few of these birds already cut out and this one had a big bit missing from it’s belly, so I hid that under the sentiment. Just goes to show, don’t throw anything out, you never know where you can use it.

The papers used are Stampin Up “Twitterpated” and the grosgrain ribbon will be retired from the end of this month and replaced in the Annual Catalogue with something lovelier I’m sure. I didn’t want the ribbon to cover up the bird’s head, so I just tucked it under and started it from there.

I hope you like my card, I’ll be back soon with a wee project I’ve been working on using Glossy Paper, Staz-On ink and a sponge! Check back later to see.
Thanks for stopping by.

Birthday Wishes Card

Hi Everyone,

I’ve used the sketch at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week to make a lovely birthday card.

The colours (Certainly Celery & Pretty in Pink), were hand picked by the team at Dynamic Duos and both the stamp sets are new to me.

Stampin’ Ups Clearly For You & Sincere Salutations. (Lucky I got in because they’ve both been retired and are available only until the end of the month if they are still in stock)

The embossing is the Stampin Up Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, and the rest of the products are all Stampin Up – Victoria Lace Ribbon, Pearls, Scallop & Large Oval punches. Spritzed Pretty in Pink ink all over the base embossing too - would've distressed edges if I'd had time, but oh well, here it is!

Hope you like it.

If you’re interested in making cards like these yourself, and you live near me at Burleigh Heads, Qld, Australia -  just give me a tingle on the phone and I’ll help you get started.  You can find my number on my Demonstrator Website in the top right hand corner.

A Reel Great Fathers Day Card

Hi Everyone,

I’ve made a card for Fathers Day for my Dad, who is a bit of a keen fisherman.

First of all, I needed Fish! I had seen fishies made using the Blossom Petals Builder punch and matching stamp set and decided to have a go myself. I also used a Stampin’ Write marker for the lines on the fins instead of the leaf patterns available in the stamp set. 

This is what I came up with….

Secondly, I cased an Idea I saw in the latest Australian Cardmaking Stamping and Papercraft magazine…Fishing line and the sentiment using REEL instead of REAL.
 I thought it a lovely play on words and decided to use it
– so that’s my child like hand writing on there.
(which is all good, 'coz I’m sure my Dad see’s me as a 3 year old still he he he).

The DAD sentiment I wanted to make special though, so I used the Broadsheet Alphabet set and my trusty stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the letters. It's also been "rock and rolled" in both Pool Party & Night of Navy inks. I really like the combination of these two colours. Hope you like my fishy idea, I’m going to share it with…

Simply Stampin Challenge – Lets hear it for the boys

The Southern Girls – Water Play
Casology - Pond

Christmas Tag Recycled

Hi Everyone,

A quick share of a card I’ve made using a Christmas present tag that I saved from last year. It was way too pretty to throw out, I only hope it doesn’t go back this year to the same person who gave it to me! Maybe a bit embarrassing!

I also finally purchased the Polka Dots embossing folder and it’s perfect for snow when swiped with White ink. The sentiment was stamped using bits of different sentiments from different sets. I used the Word Window punch to cut them where I needed to. The little black brads finish off the cut edges nicely.

Here’s a close up of the lovely tag and snowy embossing behind it.

I’d like to enter this JFF at Christmas Card Challenges.

Hope it inspires you to get creative too.

Masculine Card

Or is it? Does it matter? 

It has Masculine colours, just not sure all those swirls would appeal to a man? I asked my husband if he thought it masculine enough and he said “you know what, men just don’t care, but Yes, it is a bit masculine” How’s that for honesty I ask you?

Well, this card was made for a man who really does mean the world to me – and surprise, It’s not my husband! This man is however related to me, so don’t go thinking there’s some funny business happening here!

The sentiment comes from the Word Play set by Stampin Up, there are two embossing folders used on this card – the Square Lattice & Finial Press. The Top Note die was used to cut Real Gray CS and then was cut in half and scored along the bottom a couple of times using the Simply Scored tool and the Swirls Sizzlit was used to add a little decoration. A button from the subtles collection added some interest as did the little brads.

I used the sketch challenge at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week, which is the sketch and a male theme too if you can manage it.

I’ll also enter this card into the SUO Challenge which calls for button and brads this week. Perfect! I hope this provides you some inspiration for making a male themed card, but hey – the males just don’t care anyway, so please yourself.

Top Note Easel Card

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been wanting to try using the Sizzix Top Note die for Stampin’ Up as a base for an easel card for a while now. It’s the perfect size and so easy to do I don't know why I haven't done it yet! A Christmas theme was in order for July and I’ve not kept up with my weekly Christmas Card make for some time now, so Christmas it is!

Dasher is used here again, obviously a favourite of mine, along with a sentiment from the Four the Holidays stamp set. I just love this beautiful scripted Merry Christmas. It's stamped directly onto designer paper from the Twitterpated series.  I’ve embossed the whole lot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder to represent falling snow. The small friend sentiment is from the Tiny Tags stamp set, and the pleated satin ribbon in Riding Hood Red is covering the edge of the paper.

 

As you can see – It’s an easel card, made very easily with the Top Note die. Simply fold your cardstock base and place it over the Top Note Die with just 3 sides being cut (leave the folded part just inside the cut line).
Then cut another single Top Note shape to build the card front.
 Assembling is simply a matter folding back the top of the card base evenly in half and attaching the card front so that it’s in position with the base card.
The folded back piece adheres to the back of the front piece in the top section only.

So here it is open and standing up. An oval sentiment popped up on a scallop oval provides a stopper so that the card stands up.

I love the ease of this easel, excuse the pun lol

I’ll share this card with the following challenges:-

Crafty Annes Challenge – Easel Cards – good timing I think! lol
 Inspire me Fridays – Always Anything Goes Delightful Sketches – Christmas in July
Paper Play Challenges – Christmas
Divas by Design – Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, I look forward to more posted for you soon.

Mojo Fifth Avenue Rose

Hi Everyone,

I’m back and have managed to do my Mojo Monday sketch for the week and what a sketch it was, so many elements to it – here is my card, a beautiful black rose!

The beautiful rose from Fifth Avenue Floral was heat embossed with White Stampin’ Emboss powder onto Black cardstock and fussy cut out.

I then highlighted areas of the Rose that I wanted to coat in glitter using the Versamarker and Heat n Stick Powder. The Versamarker lets you put glitter just where you want it and is great for doing fine lines. The Stampin’ Glitter is Dazzling Diamonds – it is truly very fine in texture and it sticks well using the powder.  

I used the same Pear Pizzazz coloured paper from the Twitterpated Designer Paper pack that is in the current mini catalogue to make the leaves and the underlying mat – just offsetting the pattern.

Not only did I use the  Mojo Monday sketch, but also the Colour Q challenge colours…

      

What a blast of fun I’ve had making this card – lots of Sizzlits (Floral Fusion, Little Leaves, Lots of Tags) cut out with my Big Shot and various papers/ cardstocks. Also one of my all time favourite stamp sets – Fifth Avenue Floral – which is possibly going to be retired in September when the new catalogue arrives. boo hoo.

The sentiment really appeals to me as I am far from a perfectionist and I could really use this as a motto to slow down and do it right the first time! 

Hope you all are having a lovely day, perhaps sitting by the ‘puter having a cuppa? Whatever your doing, enjoy and I’ll catch you later.

Happy Christmas Dasher

Hi Everyone,

A quick share of a Christmas card I’ve made using the Mojo Monday sketch this week.

I have really been enjoying the Dasher stamp by Stampin’ Up. It’s so versatile! Here I have stamped it in Soft Suede and used my Versamarker pen with Heat n Stick powder to apply glitter to some select areas of the stamp. Of course there is glitter everywhere in this photo because I was in such a hurry to blog it that I haven’t shaken all the loose glitter off yet! lol

Here is the Mojo Monday sketch this week…

The designer series paper that I’ve used in this card is called Just Add Cake, and I’ve used matching cardstocks in So Saffron yellow, Baja Breeze blue and Whisper White of course! The sentiment is from a retired set, but it’s stamped and cut out with the Word Window punch and layered onto the Modern Label punch. I also used the ever popular edgelits to cut the Poppy Parade red designer paper and emboss the edge with the coordinating embossing folder.

Thanks for stopping by to check it out, I’ll be back again soon