Stamp It!

Hey!

So it's the first day of half term - a whole week off and what do I wake up to? Yup, SNOW! Man, I thought we'd had enough of this white stuff for one winter...guess I'll just have to stay indoors and ink up some new stamps then *grin*

Speaking of stamping (see what I did there?! Smoooooooth transition of subject lol!) have you checked out the special Paper Crafts Stamp It! Techniques issue? Whether you're an expert stamper or just starting out, it has something for everyone! It certainly reunited me with a few techniques that I hadn't tried out for a while.

I was very excited when this issue landed on my doorstep (thanks, Lynn!), not only for all the inspiration I was gonna get from it, but because I had a couple of cards in it myself! Thanks so much for the opportunity, Paper Crafts!

Here's one of 'em you can find on page 41

This was to demonstrate paper piecing. Used all my DP scraps on this baby and yes, it was kinda fiddly to cut out but totally worth it :)

My other card demonstrates heat embossing and features lots of.....green! Be sure to check it out on page 12 along with all the other amazing creations!

Right I'm off to pretend to do some chores but really get off to get acquainted with some new Hero Art goodies that landed on my doorstep this morning! I wonder how they got there? Tee hee!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Catch ya later!







Card Deets
{Enjoy the Journey}
Stamps: The Whole Cycle (Practicing Creativity Designs)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)/Versamark
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Summer Sunrise Bitty Box Basics, Pure Poppy Bitty Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories: Chompy! (Corner Chomper - We R Memory Keepers)

Birthday Banner...

Hey!

Happy Saturday, peeps! Love Saturdays; the way I can wake up in the morning, initially think about having to get out of bed for work but then the realisation dawning on me that it's Saturday and I can curl back up for some more winks - bliss! :D

But I am awake now and here with a card I made for my nephew's birthday. Sweet Tom was 6 yesterday and I spent most of yesterday asking myself how the years fly by so fast?! Can't believe this little man is 6 already! I'm sure he appreciated his present waaaaaaaay more than his card; but still, what's a birthday without a card, eh?!

I had fun with this card and you might not see, but the focal point is raised on 3D foam pads for extra dimension (I love dimension when I'm hand delivering a card!).

There's something fun about making your own banners with some paper piecing to make it coordinate with your project. I went a little further and added a good dollop of Glossy Accents on each flag of the banner and practised my patience skills waiting for it to dry - love my Glossy Accents! :)

Have a super weekend whatever you may have planned (I hope it includes some inky time for ya *wink*)

Thank you so much for stopping by - I really appreciate your visits from both the lovely people who just visit and hop to the next blog, and those who leave the love too!

Catch ya later!






Card Deets
{Happy Happy Birthday}
Stamps: Ledger (Hero Arts)/Look Up (Practicing Creativity Designs)/Birthday Bash Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Hawaiian Shores (Papertrey Ink)/Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Card: Blueberry Sky, Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Bitty Dot Basics 2008 & 2009 (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories: Glossy Accents/Pure Poppy Buttons and Twine (Papertrey Ink)

Faithful Stars!

Hey!

Happy Tuesday, y'all!!!! Hope you're having a fabby week so far...now I know that for some of you, it's back to school time, but I've still got 2.5 weeks of freedom left and I'm making the most of every second of it :D!

So y'know how I was sayin' that we went to see my guy's family for guy birthdays at the weekend? Well today I'm sharing the card that I made for his Dad. Now Dads are tricky customers to make cards for, I mean my guy's dad is completely different to my dad! My dad is all about the countryside and wheel barrows and Chris' dad is all about business and travelling the world for it! Totally different characters LOL!

So when in a pickle like this, I always grab my ever-so-faithful-star prints stamp set and get busy:

I'm sure one day, Chris' dad will realise that every card he's had from us features stars.....I need to get a new guy card stamp set methinks!

Right then, before I dash, I just thought I'd share a funny pic with ya. Now in my Enjoy Life post I told you about how happy I was, and how I'd just had a funny hen afternoon/night with my girlie friends. Well I've now got the pic that features yours truly in full men's ice hockey gear, no where near ice....and before you even suggest it, there wasn't a Gin and Tonic in sight as I was driving! Just the good ol' tea and fruit juice for me....


...so what does this suggest about me?! LOL! Well I'm thinking of wearing this when I go back to school. And d'ya wanna know the funny part? I'm heading back for a girly sleepover on Wednesday which means I can have a drink....so who knows what may happen if this is how I end up drinking just tea and fruit juice LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
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Card Deets
{It's Your Day}
Stamps: PTI - Star Prints/Practicing Creativity Designs - For the Love of Dots
Ink: PTI - Spring Rain,Spring Moss/Versamark/Distress Ink - Antique Linen
Cardstock: PTI - Vintage Cream, Kraft
Paper: PTI - Spring Moss Bitty Box Basics
Accessories: PTI -Jute Ribbon Twine/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities /Corner Rounder

Presents-a-Plenty!

Hey!

Happy Sunday! I hope you've all had a fabby weekend so far...I've been off on a lil' road trip to visit my guy's family to celebrate not one, but two birthdays with the most scrummy Italian meal out - I actually opted for a salad which isn't like me, but it was the yummiest salad I've ever had which included good helpings of apple, walnuts, gorgonzola and honey! Paired with a crisp, dry white wine I was in summer dining Heaven!

Anyways enough about food, both birthdays were guy ones so cue the masculine card panic LOL! Well I've kinda cheated and his youngest brother will be getting this card that I thought was kinda cool, hip and OK for a 19 year old; I realise that I need to actually do something with the stash of cards I create rather than keep thinking that I need to make a new card for every new occasion that arises!

So today, I'm not here to share cards for those occasions because there's yet another guy birthday in our family today!!! My nephew, Charlie will be celebrating his first birthday - seems like only yesterday he was born, doesn't time fly by!

So as I sat down to make his card (I had no suitable cards in my stash for this occasion!) I checked the mail first to find some stampy love had been delivered from Practicing Creativity Designs! Oh, as soon as I tore the padded envie open, I just had to ink this sweet set up and make Charlie's card with it:

Now because I'm on a lil' kick with kinesthetic cards, I figured I'd have a little fun; just pull that white ribbon tab will ya?!

Presents-a-Plenty!!!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Practicing Creativity Designs - The Whole Cycle/PTI - Star Prints/Hero Arts
Ink: Memento Black/PTI Fresh Snow
Cardstock: PTI Spring Rain/Ripe Avocado/Stamper's Select White
Accessories: Promarkers/Nestabilities/Cuttlebug/PTI Fresh Snow Twill Ribbon/Dovecraft Chalks

Yup, I know you're used to it by now but it still makes me smile :D

Now because I used a method of transport on this card I'm finally catching up with the Papertrey Peeps Challenges too! This one should hopefully qualify for Challenge #9 I'm so behind but catching up so ever so slowly! Hope those Peeps will forgive me!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

Father's Day (and my birthday!)

Hey!

Yup, I'm still here!

What a glorious Monday it's been here today! I'm not normally so happy on a Monday but I have a few reasons today *wink*:

• Firstly, the sun is shining, summer is really here!

• Wimbledon's started so time to crack open the Pimms and scoff the strawberries! And last but not least.....

• It's my birthday!! I'm not getting to the age yet where I worry about being a year older, I don't think I ever will seeing as I act closer to my shoe size than my age LOL!

So far today, I've had a lovely day at work with some super sweet students and colleagues treating me to their own handmade cards and I've had the real pleasure of getting some birthday love from some of my fabulous crafty buddies - y'all know how to make a gal smile! Thank you SO much for your sweet messages and goodies!!! I feel spoilt rotten!

So as you know it's been super busy around here. Yesterday Chris and I hosted a little family party to celebrate my birthday (slightly premature I know!) as well as father's day. Today, I thought I'd share the card I made for dad; it was a last minute dash to my crafty corner for this one as is the case with most guy cards but I'm kinda happy with it!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Practicing Creativity - Look Up!/PTI Daily Designs Sentiments
Ink: Memento Black/PTI Fresh Snow/Versarmark (pen)
Card: PTI Enchanted Evening/Spring Rain/Stamper's Select White/New Leaf/Lemon Tart/Pure Poppy
Accessories: PTI Cloud Dies/White Gel Pen/Cuttlebug/PTI New Leaf Twill Ribbon

Dad loves to watch hot air balloons and we treated him to a trip in one for his birthday a few years ago. I tried to personalise the card by turning my polka dot one into a ladybird one as one nearly identical to this can often be found floating across the sky at night!

A few tips/ideas behind the card:

• I had fun playing with my new PTI Cloud dies too on this; I used the smaller one as a negative to sponge ink through to make the background clouds more subtle. This helps you focus on the larger cloud cut from white card. I could create whole sheets of this cloud DP!

• The larger cloud was cut and flipped over so my sentiment followed the shape of the cloud
  

• The main balloon and the cloud have been mounted on 3D foam pads to add dimension. I dunno about you, but I'm seeing these being used a lot around Blogland lately!
  

• To add even more detail to the main balloon, I shaded it with a versamark pen. I love to paper piece but sometimes it can make my image seem a little lifeless/flat.

• I drew a white border around my main panel to balance the white used as my clouds as well as to frame the image
  

• I couldn't resist a strip of New Leaf Twill Ribbon coming of the cloud. I like to think it balances the bold, green balloon a little.
  

So there's some lil' tips for ya if you want 'em! Just though I'd explain some stuff in case you were wondering why I did X, Y and Z!

Right then, I'm now going to get ready to be treated to a night out on the town with my guy! Not too much partying though, it's a school night after all!

Catch ya later!

Aimes
x

one-of-a-kind...

Hey!

Happy Saturday, Peeps! We're into the full swing of the weekend, it's my fave night of the week and I'm about to pop some popcorn, crack open some dandelion and burdock (yummy!) and cosy up in front of the TV with my guy. It's the simple things in life I treasure the most y'know!

But just before I go to do that, thought I'd firstly apologise for my lack of posting on the blog before quickly sharing a card with you. It's been beyond chaos at work! We've only got two weeks left to go before we get a week off so I hope I'll be a little less stressed and MIA for ya then!

As for the card, I was actually commissioned to make a few cards for a colleague this past week! This is a rarity for me y'know, a one-of-a-kind request at work! It was a last minute ask; I had to get inky that very night but anything to help fund this habit, obsession, hobby of mine! I was asked to make a few birthday cards that had to go through the post so no fancy bows or bulky ribbons...

...but that doesn't stop me from playing with my Glossy Accents *grin*

Sorry 'bout the poor lighting; I had to get a pic of this the night I made it! But I hope you can see the shine of the Glossy Accents. The best thing is, that most of this card was made from scraps! I created the cloud background using a scalloped oval nestie and sponging PTI Spring Rain ink around it a number of times. Hope you like it! I think my colleague did!


Card Recipe
Stamps: Practicing Creativity - Look Up!/Hero Arts - Sentiment
Ink: Memento Black
Cardstock: PTI Stamper's Select White, Spring Moss
Paper: PTI Bitty Dot Basis Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz
Accessories: Glossy Accents

I'll share the other two cards I made later but I'm off now because I can smell the popcorn cookin' LOL!

Take care and have a fabby weekend y'all!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S Double good news this weekend! Not only have I won some PTI Gift Certificaties from my bloggin' buddy, Ann's Blog Candy, but my Friendship Card was featured on the CARDS blog right here! So happy that I'm doing the happy dance!

Certain Uncertainty

Hey!

Hope your weekend has been a fab one! I'm just finding a spot of time to share a card with you today that certainly reflects my post title....

This past week not only was I immersed in work, but I was also completely immersed with politics and the election. Y'see I'm a bit of a political geek; I love the build up of the election, the different views each party represents and the people who really want to stand for change..and most importantly, I love the voting part :D

Anyways I'm not gonna babble about politics too much but lets just say that we've been left with a lot of uncertainty about our future government. I wait with bated breath to see what will be...

So, how does this relate to crafting you ask? Well I'm sharing a card that I'm uncertain about myself. I'm still not sure what my 'crafting style' is but I know when I like something, I know when I hate something and I know when I'm uncertain about something like this:

D'ya notice the colours used? I think I've represented the major political parties with this number (FYI: The amount of each colour used does not reflect my personal political alliance!)

I've even included a strip of green for the Green Party!

This cluster of buttons was a last minute addition, I'm not sure if they're a little too bold but they're fun to look at!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Practicing Creativity - Look Up!/Papertrey Ink - Polka Dot Basics II, Fancy Flourishes
Ink: Memento Black/Versamark/Papertrey Fresh Snow, Spring Moss
Card: Papertrey Ink Aqua Mist, Summer Sunrise/Kraft (from stash!)
Paper: Papertrey Ink Bitty Box Basics Summer Sunrise, Ocean Tides
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Papertrey Ink - Vintage Buttons,Ribbon,Ribbon Twine/EK Success Border Punch

OK that's all from me today - I hope to catch up with y'all real soon! I've been admiring all your creations via Google Reader and I really appreciate that you still leave me some love here even though I can't get to y'all right now. You're all so lovely! Work is crazy here, I've got under 3 weeks get students ready and revised for their exams; I'm feeling the pressure but by no means complaining - this is the part of my job that reaps the rewards (I hope!)

Anyways, I promise I'll make it up to y'all with the sweetest comments as soon as I can!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S Edited to add - happy Mother's Day to all you Moms celebrating it across the pond this weekend! Our own Mother's Day was a few months ago so don't think I'd forgotten it ;D!

Hey, Hey, Hey!

Hey!

Welcome to my lil' corner of blogland on this very soggy Bank Holiday Monday! Hey it may be raining, but I'm still happy as I've found some much needed time to get inky (and catch up with some work too of course ;D)

So last week amid the chaos I received a parcel full of stampy goodness from Courtney of Practicing Creativity! I've been admiring her stamps and following her new stamping business adventure from this side of the pond, waiting for a chance to order some goodies from her.

Well when she released For the Love of Dots I knew I just had to go for it. Not only has it got some gorgeous background building stamps for my passion for polka dots, but check out the one sentiment that really caught my eye..."HEY"! I mean, that was practically made for me, right?! Just check the start of every post on here and you'll see it LOL! So as I ordered this I thought I'd treat myself to Look Up! too and some of the totally scrummy ribbon that I now can't bring myself to use and wished I'd ordered more of!

Finally found some time this weekend to just sit and play with it all and as a result, I made a set of 3 sweet 3.5" square cards featuring my trademark "Hey" in colours that I'm just learning how to love:

Firstly Melon Berry
Secondly Plum Pudding
and last but not least, Ocean TidesRecipe
Stamps: Practicing Creativity For the Love of Dots/Look Up!
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink Melon Berry/Plum Pudding/Ocean Tides/Stamper's White
Ink: Papertrey Ink - Melon Berry/Plum Pudding/Ocean Tides/ Memento - Brown
Accessories: Promarkers/Papertrey Ink Ribbons

I love the way it was so easy to line up the design on the cloud bubble with the main panel design and the fact that stamps from two different sets co-ordinate so well together!

So my final un-biased verdict on these stamps?! Fabulous! Took both chalk ink and dye ink like a dream with perfect results and that background stamp is soooooo easy to line up that I could have easily created a whole sheet of that circular pattern! Courtney has a fab eye for design and I can tell that her sets are going to be very versatile! You can check out her sneak peeks of a new set right now!

Looking forward to seeing what else you come up with, Courtney!

Catch ya later!

Aimes
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