Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #238

Hello dear visitors and welcome to my little blog.  So nice of you to pay me a visit.

There's a new Challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and I'm here to share my DT creation with you.  This is Challenge #238, Chanya is hosting and the Theme is 'Here Comes Summer'.

Well, down here in Aus we are in the dead of Winter,  so Summer is still a long way off but it was nice to create something in Summery Colours.  Made the day seem warmer somehow!

I have created another card and the papers used are from 49 and Market.

This was made in a similar vein to the cards I've been showing you lately (when you're on a good thing, stick to it!  LOL!) but it was made more recently.

I cut the paper to size for my card and then added some colour to the background with Distress Inks.  I simply smooshed the stamp pads onto my craft mat and then sprayed it with water and dragged the paper through the puddle.  Once that was dry I used a Harlequin stamp by Kaisercraft and heat embossed with Ranger's Seafoam White Embossing Powder.

There's that Texture Subway die again!!  Can you guess that I love it!  He! He!  Works very well for both feminine and masculine cards, which is awesome!

The flower is by Little Birdie and the greeting was taken from a Kaisercraft Paper pad.

So, drag out all your Summery papers and embellies and have a go at our Challenge.  Looking forward to seeing what you create!

The rules and all the details of the Challenge, plus lots of inspiration from the rest of the Team can be found here -
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #238 - Here Comes Summer.

Thank you so much for stopping by and have fun with your crafting!!
Take care and God Bless

oxox Marg

Flowers for the Girls

Hello my dear crafty friends.  Thank you for stopping by today.

I'm sharing a pair of cards that I made a little while ago.  I spent a wonderful afternoon making a couple of cards and then starting lots of others.  Sound a bit odd?  Well, I actually decided to emboss the background of the first cards I made and liked it so much that I embossed another 6 or 7 bits of paper ready for making more cards in a similar design.  I then spent the next 4 or 5 days finishing them off!

I have already shared a couple of these cards, here and here, and am now sharing two more. 

The card on the left uses papers from the Anthology Collection by Kaisercraft and the one on the right uses papers from Vintage Artistry by 49 and Market.

As on my previous cards, I have used stamps and embossing on the background of both these cards as well as the Texture Subway Die by Kaisercraft.  I have also added some Tim Holtz washi tape on this card for a little more interest.

The flower is by Little Birdie.

I used the same script stamp on both cards but simply changed the orientation for a different look.   The embossing powders used were Seafoam White by Ranger and Butter by Zing.

The flowers on this card are also from Little Birdie.

The greetings on both cards are the little punch outs from the back of Kaisercrafts small paper pads.

  I do love both of these cards but this one is definitely my fave. 

Another look at the two together.

Love that you can use similar colours, techniques and embellies and still create two very different looking cards.

Well, that's it from me for now.
Thank you so much for your visit today, I really appreciate it.

Have fun with your crafting!
Take care and God Bless.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #237

Hello everyone and welcome!!  So happy that you stopped by.
A very special welcome for my new followers!  So pleased you decided to join me on my creative journey. 

A new Challenge is now live at Crafty Cardmakers and the Theme is Dies or Punches!  Jo is our lovely Host and, as always, you may create whatever you wish as long as it follows the Theme.

For my DT contribution, I have created a masculine card and, as I don't have very many punches, I have used a couple of dies.  

The papers are by Kaisercraft.  I love to use their 6.5" x 6.5" pads as they are the perfect size for cards.

  Some embossing and stamping on the background.  Both the harlequin and the script stamp are also by Kaisercraft.

The die above is called Texture Subway and, you guessed it, it's by Kaisercraft!!  The greeting is also by Kaisercraft.  In the back of their paper pads they have a couple of pages of little punch out greetings.  Another reason I love their pads.

The clock is a printable from the net and the Cogs & Gears die is by .. wait for it! .. Cheery Lynne.  Surprise!! It's not by Kaisercraft!  LOL!!

These types of diecuts can be very thin and flimsy and I like my embellies to be a bit more substantial so I usually cut the shapes out a few times and then glue them on top of each other for more dimension.  I also aged the cogs and gears by swiping them with a bit of Nuvo Embellishment Mousse.

Used a bit of the same paper to decorate the inside.

So crafters, get out your dies and punches and join in with the Challenge!!  Would love to see what you create.  If you pop over to the CCM blog you will find a whole heap of fabulous inspiration by the rest of the Team.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #237 - Dies or Punches.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Two simple Journals for Megs Garden - Part #2

Hello sweet visitors!!  Thank you for dropping by, so lovely to have you visit.

So, this is part two of my 'Two Simple Journals' posts.
If you would like to take a look at Part#1, HERE is the link.

These are the two books I created using Megs Garden's lovely papers.

In this post I will share with you the booklet on the right .. my writer's Journal.  This is the little book I will use to practice my hand writing.  As I said in Part#1, I used to have a reasonably neat hand but, over the years, that has deteriorated quite badly so now I need to practice to get it back up to scratch.

The inspiration for this booklet came from Astrid Maclean of Astrid's Artistic Efforts.  Astrid, like me, loves to make all kinds of booklets and, lately, she has been working with the Eileen Hull die.  Unfortunately, I don't have that die so I had to make mine by hand but I did use that book as inspiration for my design.
The papers used for this Journal are all from the A4, digital version of the 'In the Watercolour Garden' Collection.

As I wanted a reasonably soft cover, I simply made it from cardstock.  I used black for the outside cover and kraft for the inside.  The finished book, when closed, measures 4.75" x 8.5".

 I glued a piece of chipboard behind the spine on the inside cover for extra strength, punched the holes, threaded the elastic through those holes and simply knotted it at the back.   I then glued the two covers together.

 As with the first Journal, this one doesn't have much in the way of embellishment.  As this is also a work book, I didn't want anything three dimensional getting in the way.  Besides, these papers have such lovely graphics on them that I really didn't want to cover them up.
For the front cover though, I did add a Tim Holz door knob and some stamping.  I also fussy cut a second butterfly to give it a little bit of dimension.

I really love the graphic on this paper .. simply stunning!!

The inside cover and the first signature.

I added a pocket on the inside front cover and added some faux stitching with a gel pen at the top.  The 'lace' is simply a strip cut from the edge of a paper doily. 

 The pocket will house a small booklet which will mainly be used for any hints and notes that I may find and wish to keep.  I added more faux stitching around the edge of the paper.

 There are three signatures in this booklet ..

 I cut some pages from a cheap exercise book for the inside, made a cover for each signature and stapled them together.  Each one loops under an elastic band in the spine of the outer cover.  This way, as I fill them up, I can create new signatures and  replace them.

 Added a strip of washi tape at the edge of the signature to give the spine a bit more strength.  The only other bit I did was to add the quote.  As I said before, these papers have the most gorgeous graphics they really don't need any enhancement.

Back of the first signature and front of the second.

Love this music paper .. so gorgeous!!

All I did here was to add the quote.

Back of the second signature and front of the third.

I simply had to use this paper again .. I love it so .. and I only added the quote.  After taking this photo, I did add that strip of washi tape to the spine though, for added strength and continuity.

Back of the third signature and inside back cover.

 This is the most gorgeous background paper .. I didn't add anything because I didn't want to spoil it.  Love it just as is.

 As on the inside front cover, I just added some stenciling with Distress Ink.

A little metal embellishment on the back ..

.. and Voila!!

My work book is complete!!

I hope you like my little book and I'm sure you will agree with me that those papers are simply stunning!!!!  If you'd care to take a look at all of the gorgeous papers available in the Garden HERE is the link.  While you're there, why not take a look at all the fabulous products in store .. I know you will find something that you cannot bear to be without!!  LOL!!

There is some wonderful inspiration to be had over at the Garden blog.  Pop on over and take a look at the fabulous creations by my Teamies.  I know you will enjoy the visit HERE.

Thank you so much for dropping by today and, whatever you have planned .. do it well, do it safe and enjoy your day!!

Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg