New Goodies!

Hi everyone!

I'm so happy that Easter is here. I get 4 days off in a row - wooo hoooo. Working as a pharmacy assistant in this day and age is certainly a challenge. I LOVE my job but it's very exhausting at the moment.

To relax, I tend to stamp and colour images. I've just received new goodies just in time for the extended long weekend. 

Card #1

I was totally inspired by the designers over at the Lawn Fawn blog. For this card, I followed the tutorial to create the boat (but altered it to suit my card) and used elements of Tammy's card to create mine. I didn't have all the stamp sets she used but I love how it turned out. I coloured everything with polychromo pencils.

My new sets included 'Ocean Shell-fie' and 'Ahoy Matey'. I also used 'Life is Good' which has been in my stash forever.

I also received blending brushes in the mail - I'm late to the party with these and I love them! I used them to create my background using distress inks. Water was flicked and mopped up with paper towel to create interest. I also used a brown glitter pen and chalk pen on the sand.

The sky was created using LF's Cloudy stencil.

Card #2

I also received the new 'Snow Globe scenes' by Lawn Fawn and the 'Shaker Add-ons'.

These are really cute and create the best little shakers. I used mine on a card but you can create tags or ornaments as well!

I stamped my little scene and coloured in with markers. I assembled my shaker and adhered it a pretty piece of Christmas paper in my scrap basket (cut with the LF Outside In Scalloped dies). I also used the sentiment from the 'Reveal Wheel Holiday Sentiments' and the joyful stamp and die from 'Mice on Ice'.

I would like to enter my cards over at the following challenges -

Card #1 - Dies R Us Challenge (Anything Goes), Cute Card Thursday (Anything Goes), CRAFT Rocket Challenges (Kids), Moving along with the Times (Animals/Birds), Little Red Wagon (Happy Birthday), Cardz for Guyz (By the Water)

Card #2 - Sparkles Forum Christmas (Trees), 12 Months of Christmas (Anything Goes), Creative Knockouts (Sparkle and Shine), Addicted to Stamps and More (Christmas)

Thanks for popping in :) Happy Easter!

 

HLS July CASE the Designer

Hello! Wow, it is the 1st of July. Time for a brand new month of challenges at Happy Little Stampers. 

We kick off July with our CASE the Designer challenge. This month we have the amazingly talented Carol as our designer. I had so much fun CASEing Carol's gorgeous card.

    

Here is my card -

I thought Carol's card was adorable with the aperture she created. While making mine I had a bit of a light bulb moment and went with making a shaker card.

I also wanted to create the punny sentiment like Carol did. 

Here is a close up off all the cute shaker elements.

I used the set by Happy Little Stampers called Birthday Friends. The small 'Happy Birthday' is from the Fun Birthday Sentiments set. Perfect for mixing up with other sets.


    


We can't wait to see what you come up when you enter this challenge.




See you there!

Happy Little Stampers February Christmas Challenge

Hello! How are you today? Another challenge has gone live at Happy Little Stampers! It's time for our Christmas inspiration for you.

This month we have a game card of Tic Tac Toe for you. Cool!

There were so many choices that I really couldn't decide. I used

GOLD - SENTIMENT - WHITE

(there is obviously a lot of red going on too)

Here is my card -

Another of my 'sewn up' shaker cards. I have used a brusho background for this one. Before I used the sewing machine to attach my vellum, I embossed some gold stars from the HLS Bold Birthday Sentiments set and the sentiment from the HLS Everyday Sentiments set.

Lots and lots of sequins were put in this card. Love it!

Here are the HLS products I have used for this card -

    

I would like to enter my card into these challenges

Naughty or Nice Challenge - See Red

CHNC Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Card Mania - Add some Red

Thanks for popping in :)

Shake it Up for Christmas!

Hello!

I haven't felt like doing a lot of card making lately. I am so busy behind the scenes with all my blogs and challenges that time just doesn't permit me to craft 'for fun'. 

Today I made a conscious effort to make something that didn't 'need' to be made. Well, actually, I tell a lie. I haven't sent off one Christmas card yet.... I actually don't even have enough.... better start making some!

I love making shaker cards. I hate making shaker cards. Make sense?

I love the end result but to me it is a LOT of hard work with getting the tape just right and most the time my die cuts get out of shape while trying to put it all together. The sequins can stick to the tape on the inside of the shaker. All fixable but plenty more steps required. Anyway, as much as I love making them, I tend not to due to the time involved.

Today I decided I AM going to make a shaker card. I had seen where other crafters have used a fuse tool or even their sewing machine to create their shaker element. Not having a fuse tool left me with the sewing machine option - back to that in a minute.

Here is my card -

It was getting a little dark by the time I was trying to take my photo so it didn't turn out the best. 

A close up of the shaker element -

I even threw some snow-like 'stuff' in there which is very fine and it doesn't fall out!

You are probably thinking that the time spent sewing up everything and putting this together is just as time consuming as the traditional way to make a shaker card - well, it wasn't!

I made two cards which took me about 20 minutes all up to complete. I was lucky where I had backgrounds already made up that I could grab. This one here is where I was practising the Faux Mother of Pearl technique.

For this card I used a laminating pouch. I tore it in half and cut it down to size. I took it and the backing panel to my sewing machine and stitched up three sides leaving the top open.

Before I added all my sequins and 'snow', I embossed the sentiment (from Happy Little Stampers Bold Birthday Sentiments and Everyday Sentiments) with silver powder. This was really easy to do with the backing already in place. I find it hard at times to emboss on plastic or vellum but having it already attached it gave it extra stability.

I then just filled the pocket with my sequins and I was able to get heaps more in there than I would in a normal shaker card. I quickly stitched up the top and done!

I adhered it to my white panel with double sided tape and then again onto my card base. This was a seriously easy shaker card to make. 

My second card uses a vellum front but I will be posting that in a couple of days time :)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Stampotique Designers - Sequins

Ruby's Rainbow - Christmas with a Metallic Twist

Fresh Brewed Designs - Anything Goes Christmas

Dream Valley Challenges - Stitching Real or Faux

Thanks so much for popping by xx

Shake it Up!

Hello from a very rainy day here in Queensland. Such a nice break from the heat and much more comfortable at the moment. The amount of rain we've had is a recipe for flash flooding so if you are on the roads, please take care.

Today I would like to share with you the shaker card that I have made for one of my nieces (I have 6 of them!). 

These colours are so pretty and perfect for my gorgeous niece. 

I have created this card using my Shakers and Sprinkles kits from Papertrey Ink. There are so many goodies in this kit - paper, dies, stamps, sequins. Everything you need to create a shaker card.

I die cut the 'Sprinkled' word twice - one in black to create a backing for the pink one. 

I also decorated the inside of my card

The sequins I have used for this card didn't come with the PTI kit but were ones I have in my stash and were the perfect colours.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Creative Moments - Anything Goes (I didn't use the optional sketch)

613 Avenue Create - my second entry 

Just Inspirational - Sparkle (my sequins)

Card Mania - make it Sparkle

Thanks so much for looking xx

Life Is Good - Alcohol Marker Tutorial

Hi everyone, how are you all. In keeping on with the theme of no more Christmas Cards, I decided to put together a little tutorial on how to colour images with Alcohol Markers.

I use Spectrum Noir and don't practice nearly enough with them and I do love me some colouring in time :)

I am in no way an expert at this but I find my technique does the job for me and hopefully it may help you if you are wondering how I have coloured images in the past.

Here is the card that I have made -

Below is my video tutorial on how I made this card. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me or leave a comment below. I did have to hurry at the end to get the card finished as the sun was not being my friend :(

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Animal Friends Challenge - Anything Goes with an Animal (Mr Crab is my animal)

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes

Dies R Us - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for looking xx

More Sprinkles!

Hi there everyone. Just a quick post from me. 

I had to make another shaker card as I have another niece that celebrates a birthday next month and while I had all my goodies out from Papertrey Ink, I got cracking.

I was inspired by a colour challenge this time! This is new for me, lol

Here is my card -

And a close up of all the yummy shaker bits

The colour combo was inspired by

I would like to enter this card over at

Miriams crafting blog - Shades of Pink

Sisterhood of Crafters - Think Pink

Thanks so much for looking xx

Happy Birthday with Sprinkles on Top

Hi there everyone.

I'm a little excited because I received my very first parcel ever from Papertrey Ink. I ordered the Makeit Market Kit: Shakers & Sprinkles and a couple other goodies.

When it all arrived yesterday, I calmy put the package in my craft room and continued to quickly finish up my housework. Once done, I zoomed straight in there to unpack everything.

This kit is so fun. There are a heap of dies, stamps, papers and sequins/sprinkles etc to make amazing shaker cards. Of course, you don't have to make a shaker card but I did for my first go.

Now I need more so my wishlist has grown again.

Just to get a feel of what I could make with all this, I headed on over to the designer Betsy Veldmans blog to get some inspiration and I CASED one of her cards.

Here it is -

Everything I used was from the kit (except for my base and scallop frame card stock). 

The kit even comes with double sided foam sheets for you to die cut to create your shaker. This stuff is very, very sticky and a bit hard to get everything straight. I did end up a bit lop sided but nevermind. 

I stamped the "Happy Birthday", "with" and "on top" and then laid my glittery die cut Sprinkles over the top of the acetate once it was all put together.

Here is another photo showing the sprinkles and stars I used within the shaker -

There are confetti dies in this kit too. The stars and hearts come from two different dies. Love them!

This card is for my niece who turns 11 next month. I have to say this is one of my most favourite cards that I have made. It is so fun.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Love to Create - Dies and Sparkle

Moo Mania - Bright and Cheerful

Inky Chicks - Die Cuts only (no images)

(I also have to thank Sandie & Kim for my little addiction to PTI that I seemed to have developed. I used Sandie's PTI stamps while staying with her in London and a couple of weeks ago, Kim and I were emailing each other and talking about it and the next thing I knew my bank account was smaller!! Thanks ladies.....)

Thanks so much for looking xx