Bugs and insects

For the next week at My Time to Craft we have a lovely challenge for you - Bugs and Insects.
Please pop over to the challenge blog to be inspired by the creations from the Design Team.
For my project I have made a small 13cm square card with scalloped edges. Papers are from LOTV paper pad - Timeless Victorian, with a piece of purple Co-ordinations card. I stamped the butterflies onto pieces of the same paper. The butterflies are from Lyndsay Mason - Personal Impressions Tattered Butterflies which  from my large collection of butterfly stamps are always my favourites.
An addition of a few die cut flowers. I love the sentiment which I believe to be from Little Claire.
Have fun playing with your BUGS AND INSECTS.

Things With Wings

Here we are again at Sparkles Forum monthly challenge - our theme this month being Things With Wings. Such a variety available to you, with this theme. I recently made this card for my class, which of course fits in perfectly with the challenge. I used a 5.75 white card. Embossed with large Swiss Dots a panel which  I then used a Spellbinder scalloped die to create the aperture. Pretty LOTV designer paper added below the aperture. Dimensional pads added to raise the panel. Prepared butterlies added to the card. The butterflies were stamped onto vellum using Versamark, white detailed embossing powder then heated. Butterlies then cut out and added to the card with silicone.
Stamps used ;- Tattered Butterflies from Lyndsay Mason, a La blanche foam butterfly, the smallest butterfly from Elusive Images. Here is a close up of the largest of the butterlies.

Many thanks to our sponsors this month

The Winner will receiver Marianne Designs 2 Dies or 1 Die & 1 stamp

Sketch - My 31st. Christmas Card

 It's the beginning of the month, so it is Sketch time at 52 Christmas  Challenge Throwdown - the sketch is below, please pop over to the blog to see the wonderful creations from the Design Team. For my card, I decided to go with some lovely designer paper for the background. One of my favourite stamps - Fun  Stamps - Lyndsay Mason - Skiing Penguin. I added a few punched snowflakes, with crystal gems.

I am also entering this, my 31st Christmas Card ready for 2014, please check out my annual count tab, into the following challenges. 

 ABC Christmas  Challenges - I is for Ice

Scribble and Scrap  Challenge #17 Always Anything Goes

My Perfect Life - #17 Penguin ( A personal challenge like mine).

Quirky Crafts - Something Beginning with S - Skiing.

Completely Christmas -  #10  Anything Goes
Christmas Stamping All year Long #10 Anything Goes

Fan-tastic Tuesday Fibres

For our theme at Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenges this week we are asking to see some FIBRES on your SQUARE project. For my background I have used a sheet of wood like paper from a Boho Chic paper pad. I drew an non straight edging to represent a garden shed, added some brads to look like nails, non straight too. Oh! yes, as precise as I like to be, it is difficult to make something look uneven. The main image is a stamp by Lyndsay Mason, there are other super shelves available on a sheet. I stamped directly onto the wood background and coloured with Promarkers. I wrapped some garden twine (fibre) around the card with a stamped greeting label for Best Dad. Hope you like it and more importantly that it inspires you in some way. I look forward to visiting you. 

Pppppppppick Up a Penguin

The Christmas card challenge blog Winter Wonderland have a lovely title this week Ppppp --pick Up A Penguin. At Sketch Saturday, I have used the above sketch for their current challenge. The two challenges fitted so well together. The penguin is a stamp by Lyndsay Mason from Funstamps. I have used for the background a snowflake paper from my stash, used some pale blue glitter card for winter bling, added plain white card for contrast. coloured small areas with Promarkers. Thanks ladies for helping me to get going with my Christmas cards and for your two lovely challenges. 

Make My Monday - Vellum

At Make My Monday during November we are asking you to continue the theme of AUTUMN - To use up your bits of stash and for this week, we would like to see some VELLUM.  Please pop over to our blog to see some wonderful examples from the Design Team and to check out our few but essential rules.  For my card I first created a coloured background with TH Distress inks . I then dried it,  sprayed with water to get the diffused effect. Enlarge the pic and you will see all of the technique close up. I then sprayed with 3 mica sprays, Cosmic Shimmer Golden Fish, Desert Moon Spray - Horny Toad Teal and Sprinky's - Antique. Dried it all again. I stamped with Black Memento the ferns and grasses along with the seeded plant (?) from Indigo Blu. I stamped Sheena Douglass butterflies onto Vellum, then stamped again with a very small scroll stamp from La Blanche to provide a pattern. The sentiment is from Lyndsay Mason's tattered Butterfly set. Who says you can't mix up your stamps, for me it's remembering where to return them  to after I have finished with them. Not many seem to be enjoying this month's theme, I suppose it's because we are all making Christmas cards, I do look forward to those who have have made the effort to join us once again.

Use Your Scraps

Use It Tuesday are challenging us this week to Use Scraps - this fitted in so well with an idea I had to use up some small squares I had left over from another project using TH Shabby Chic paper. The Butterflies  and upper sentiment are stamped using Lyndsay Mason Tattered Butterflies set. The flowers and swirls are made using  Marianne dies.

Ribbon with a Cause

The challenge blog, Chocolate, Coffee and Cards this week are asking us to use a ribbon on our project. The difference is for the ribbon to represent a cause. I have chosen the ribbon for Autism Awareness, which not surprising is made up of the primary colours, in jigsaw shapes, which is why my ribbon is a free download from the internet. The slogan which goes with the ribbon is 'Together we can solve the puzzle'.

I tried to use mainly primary colours on my card in a mixed sort of way. I mixed contemporary with traditional. The centre panel and butterfly were stamped and embossed for a resist technique. Adding Distress colours after it was cool. The flowers on the oval were coloured with Promarkers.  My oldest grandson is autistic, we accept there will be no cure, but we pray for the puzzle to be solved for the future. 

Yummy! Ice Cream

This week at Alphabet Challenge we have the letter I - Roxx decided on  Ice Cream. The weather we enjoyed last week was a great time for eating it, but we are back to the rain again. Never mind you will find the design team have some wonderful cards made showing off splendid designed ice creams. For my card I used two pretty papers from a 6 x 6 block with lots of ice cream colours, I found the ice cream in a children's free download section to colour, after reducing it's size, it became very useful for my card. I used Promarkers to colour, added some glitter glue, to make it look icy, a circle greeting from Lyndsay Mason stamps. Finished it off with a few ice cream coloured card candy. I have so enjoyed visiting your handmade flowers over the last few weeks, there have been some amazing creations. Well done everyone. 

Butterflies

I've made several larger and more ornate butterfly cards during this spring, so with the challenge being Butterflies at The Rainbow Lady, I decided on small, soft and subtle for a change. I coloured the edge of the main card with Peeled Paint and stamped the agapanthus stamp (Stampendous) with the same ink. The ferns, were stamped with Crushed Olive.The butterflies from Lyndsay Mason, where stamped onto coloured card. the small Just for you is from a Crafter's Companions set which I find very useful for many cards.

Spring has Sprung at CD Sunday

Perfect timing for Spring has Sprung over at CD Sunday Challenges, isn't the weather just amazing. We in the North of England, actually missed a winter as we know it, so this could even be our summer. I haven't as yet spotted any butterflies but they surely will be out and about soon. The background of the card is a distressed sheet form Paint Fusion by Sheena Douglass. The main topper panel of butterflies is from Maria G. Designs which were bought on Ebay. The 3 additional butterflies and the sentiment are from Lyndsay Mason Tattered Butterflies, I hope these are allowed as embellishments. I struggled for a while for this one, not having the right CD's, but I dug deep and found a few old ones, I'd almost forgotten about. Thanks ladies for the challenge, I enjoyed it.

Romance Month at Make My Monday

Our theme of Romance continues at Make My Monday. Suzanne has asked for this week for us to use

Hearts and Flowers - optional extra - to include Die-Cuts

Don't forget, this month we are being sponsored by Marianne Designs who have donated this amazing prize.

I used an 8" square card with scallops, coloured it with various depths of Fire Brick Red, the rose and leaves stamp is from My Paper World, the heart stamp is from Papermania, an old favourite of mine. Again I have used Lyndsay Mason's Tattered Butterflies, you will have guessed by now how much I like them.  Before stamping and adhering my embellishments I sprayed water over the TH Distress inks which gave the splattered finish. I hope you like the card, there is a lovely selection from the Design Team, also from Meggymay who is our Guest Desginer for the month of February. I look forward again to visiting you all.
Also entered into the following challenges:-
Addicted to Stamping Valentine/Love
Bloggers Challenge In Bloom
Just Inspirational Challenges ~Photo ~ Red Roses

February IS the month of Romance

At Make My Monday, we are starting our new theme for February, and what else could it be but ROMANCE, of course February IS the month of Romance. It's so cold at present, everyone is cuddling up to keep warm. Our first subject is Text and Letters. The theme and all the weekly topics have been chosen by Suzanne, we have a lovely month of femininity and love ahead of us. Please pop over to the blog for the DT have made some super cards to inspire you. I have used a small 5" square card, covered with a Basic grey piece of paper, old but so useful. I stamped directly onto the paper, mostly using stamps from The Stampman ~Aspects of Design ~ Across The Miles. The letters are also from The Stampman, a well used stamp, it is so useful as an embellishment. The two butterflies are Lyndsay Mason - Tattered Butterflies. I hope you have some fun, making your project, anything connected with papercrafts. I look forward to visiting you over the next week.



The Stampman - Poppy Mirror

This is the third year that The Stampman are holding their Annual Awards. They have asked for us to show our best or favourite piece of work we have created over the past year. Not an easy task, choosing, for looking back, it has been a prolific year for me, for I am now on three Design teams. However, the item I have chosen is my favourite for personal reasons. I altered this cheap IKEA mirror for a friend for a gift, which was in September this year. I first painted the mirror with blackboard paint. I stamped the Poppies and the lettering with Elusive Images stamps, the butterfly is from Lyndsay Mason stamps. I used several shades of TH Distress Inks to watercolour paint the images. The images are glued on rather than stamped directly onto the board.

Let It Snow Nos 4, 5, 6 for St. Luke's

I made several cards for samples for the Friday craft class today. The theme of the class was to create a snow scene. This was achieved by first tearing a piece of copy paper and securing this to form the horizon of where snow meets sky. To then create the sky using TH Distress inks, we used a selection of inks including, Tumbled Glass,  Broken China and Chipped Sapphire. To either spray or not to spray some water onto the blue sky to form snow. I then showed the group the samples and which stamps could be used to make more Christmas cards. I stamped the penquin onto the card, then added a decoupaged coloured in penquin to be able to get the colouring right. I have  6 samples to show you, so will add the remaing 3 tomorrow. This type of card really doesn't take very long, so I am going to send these first 3 off to the St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge for their Christmas Fayre which is on November 27th, I am sure they would be delighted to receive whatever cards you could spare, every penny helps them in this worthwhile cause.
Stamps used above- Fun Stamps Lyndsay Mason Skiing Penquin - Trees from Creative Expressions -Sheena Douglass, Merry Christmas from stash.

I will enter this card as my 4th entry to their monthly challenge for Christmas cards. Stamps used are as above designed by Sheena Douglass. 

Stamp used is the Santa's Sleigh from La Blanche.

Week 6 The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge

For my second entry onto my blog today I am entering my calendar page into The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge, which  is up to week 6, the challenge is Turquoise and Lace. This has been the most difficult for me, for what is Turquoise? A bluey-green, not easy to create.  However, I think I managed to achieve it with the butterflies. I coloured the base with Broken China, gave a couple of quick short sprays with Moon Glow Desert Moon Endless Sky and Sprinky's Amethyst for a little contrast. I cut out  leaves from a piece of patterned paper and stuck the shapes on the base card. Added the lace and the calendar.
I love these Tattered Butterflies by Lyndsay Mason from Personal Impressions, I stamped them onto a sheet of copy paper, which had been previously sprayed with various sprays during one of my messy sessions.

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge Wk 4

Better late than never for a chance to win a tenner voucher at The Craft Barn. This is week 4 and the challenge is to produce a calendar or a calendar page for April - Yellow and to use Masks.  I first covered my calendar page with TH Distress Inks Mustard Seed and Wild Honey. I secured a 6 x 6 template from The Crafter's Workshop, and stencilled over it with Spiced Marmalade, leaving the required yellow to pop.
I added a sentiment from Lyndsay Mason's Tattered butterflies and used one of my favourite swirl stamps to balance the black at the top. I finally lightly coloured the dges with Frayed Burlap. Phew! done before tomorrow's draw. Fingers crossed.

Butterflies at CCM Challenge

This week over at Crafty Cardmaker's Challenge blog site we are asking for butterflies, it is well worth joining in for there will be a prize for the winner from The Stampman, so please pop over to see the wonderful butterflies the Design Team have created.  For my card the background paper is from an 8"sq. pad, but I'm now not sure which company. I stamped the butterflies, onto red vellum, each twice, the first one being stuck to the main card, the second of each are only stuck at the body section, so they appear to be in a flying position. The Tattered Butterflies stamps are from Personal Impressions designed by Lyndsay Mason. I am also entering this into Less Is More, for I feel it fits the bill of being understated and clean. Their challenge this week is to use either ribbon or a button. please pop over to check out both Chrissie and Mandi's wonderful samples and of course the wonderful support they have every week, I can spend far too long travelling around the world in awe of some of the most beautiful cards.

St. Luke's Week 2 Colour Challenge

Here we are at Week 2, my entry to the St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge - if you want to know more about this excellent fund raising charity please visit their site --this month being a colour challenge to use Black, White and ONE other colour.  Fortunately I made 3 cards last week, so my injured shoulder is only affecting the mechanics of adding the picture this week.
For Week 2, I choose a lovely shade of blue, to work with the black and white.  The main card is blue, then a layer of black card with a layer of white on top, with a band of black and the same blue across the card. Using my Cuttlebug I cut out a blue scalloped circle and a smaller black scalloped circle. The white circle is from a 3" wide punch. I used a stamp from Personal Impressions, Lyndsay Mason's Tattered Butterflies, coloured it with two shades of blue Sakura pens. I'll be back next week ladies, I still have one more card up my sleeve. Bye for this week, hope your all well.

A few Quickies!

I haven't added anything to my blog since last Tuesday, but I've still been around, visiting and commenting on other bloggers and carrying out my visits and adding comments to the 4 design teams, to which I am also making cards for. I had a busy week making Quickie cards for my class for last Friday. The idea of the class was to show ways Quickie, yet effective cards could be made, which involved many samples. Here are a few.

                      The three below have been made with embossing folders with help of my bug.
Left - on white card but stamped around the edges, with Memento Bamboo Leaves after being embossed to cover all white areas. Brushed all over with a shaving brush and TH Distress ink Peeled Paint. Ribbon added and a small punched out circle with Just For You.
Centre - On dark coloured vellum a beautiful embossing folder of an owl. Lightly sandpapered the owl to show clearer. Stamped Just for You from a Paperartsy set Tops and Tails. I used four brads to attach the vellum to corugated card which I hope looks a little like bark.
Right - the same embossing folder as on the left side, but this time on vellum, lightly sandpapered to show more of a white contrast, ribbon tied around with a plaque Just for You, attached to white card with 4 blue brads.

 Below are three quickly made stamped cards.

Left, both stamps are from Paperartsy Tops and Tails, I stamped both with Memento Bamboo Leaves, used Sakura pens to colour the red and yellow flowers.

Top _ Get Well Soon Owl for Joanna Sheen, stamped onto white card, coloured with Walnut Stain TH ink,

leaves stamped for Inkylicious Trees set.

Bottom - Stamped three times a grasses stamp from Elusive Images, adhered to a grey card. Twine wrapped around a button attached.

 Left, an A5 sheet of pretty patterned card, folded in half, a stamped butterfly and sentiment from Personal Impressions Lydsay Mason, added for interest.
Centre - a very pretty and cheap Thank You stamp, coloured with Sakura pens, added to a matching tone piece of card to mat, then onto a white card.
Right - A white card, with a  red mat attached. A piece of pretty poppy paper cut from a Pad of paper, Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady