Festive Chic!

This is for the current Stampin' Chic challenge which is to:

Be Chic with a Festive Theme

So, taking inspiration from I think the current issue of Papercraft Inspirations and the wonderful Enfys, I've made a little pocket bag!

I've used two of the papers from the Big One, stuck them together to create doublesided paper and folded the 12x12 sheets as per instructions. I tied some fluffy ribbon stuff (recycled from a box of Christmas cards!) and threaded it through the holes I made to keep the folds together. I've added some thin black ribbon too so it tied together and the fluffy stuff didn't moult too much!
The bling gems are from the Poundshop - a sheet of them in different sizes for a pound! And the Christmas stamp is Papermaina 'Let It Snow' collection that I've stamped onto black card with silver ink and then added a ring of red glitter glue around the edges.

This will go into my box for next year as for me Christmas is now organised. Almost. Just a few things to wrap and I'm done. And because it was so quick and easy to make I have a feeling that I will be making more of these for next Christmas.

• Papers: The Big One - Clare Curd Signature Range (stuck together to make it doublesided)
• Stamp: Papermania 'Let It Snow' acrylic collection
• Ribbons: From my stash
  

Big Bloom

The current Stampin' Chic challenge is a sketch:

Which I've followed almost exactly! This is once of the other cards that have been ordered for my Mum's Birthday at the weekend. I've used papers from The Big One - I stuck the two dotty sheets back to back and then cut 4 different sized circles from them. Snipped V's from around the edge and then cut deeper towards the centre where the corner of the V was. I then ruffled the petals and layered everything up. The centre of the flower is a black button with card candy centre.

The black grosgrain ribbon is from my stash (it was 10p a bundle from Blackburn Market a while ago!) And the sentiment is from the Just For Men stamping set.

The petals are actually quite stiff so it should stand up to a bit of bashing! Oh - look closely at the centre of the card - you can see me taking the photo!

• Flowers: Papers from The Big One
• Card candy: Craftwork Cards
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Sentiment: For Men stamping set

Here Comes Summer! Or - Was That It?!

Just about managed this one in time! The current Stampin' Chic challenge is:

Colours of Summer

I've even gone for a summer theme too! And have taken the photos outside! It was a bit windy so had to be quick hence lack of 'photo styling'! I've used a template that I think I drew myself, the bikini has been cut from paper from The Big One and I've just inked the edges, added two brads then the ribbon, the flower and the sentiment is a freebie tile from a magazine ages ago which I've made into a necklace with some seed beads.

And the reverse of the card is the bottom half of the bikini! Simple and quick to make, although it took me about 4 nights to complete it!

Thank you Clare for the lovely stamp set you sent me as my winnings from the last challenge - it really cheered me up after a bit of a rubbish week! I am feeling much better now - I ended up relenting and going to see my GP who has prescribed me antibiotics for a nasty chest infection. So it looks like I'll still be able to strut my stuff with my boys on the dance floor at my cousin David's Wedding over the Bank Holiday weekend! Yeah! Bet you'd pay to see those photos eh?!

• Template: Mine
• Papers: The Big One - Clare Curd Signature Range
• Everything else: My stash
  

Hmmmm

The current Stampin Chic challenge is a sketch (excuse the tiddy pic!):


It's been a while since I managed a Stampin' Chic challenge so quite pleased it was a sketch but sometimes it doesn't quite go to plan! And here is my effort. And you can tell it was a quick make. I think its the spotty paper that doesn't sit right - I should have just used some plain card instead.


Anyway, all paperbased elements including the image are from the Clare Curd Signature Range and I've coloured the golfer with watercolour pencils. The card candy is from Craftwork Cards. I've inked all edges with Whispers Chestnut ink and then rounded them.

More effort needed next time I think!

• All paperbased items: Clare Curd Signature Range - The Big One
• Image: Clare Curd Signature Range - coloured with watercolour pencils
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  
  

Plenty of Flowers

It's been a while since I entered a Stampin' Chic challenge and I liked the simplicity of this sketch and decided to give it a try! As soon as I got the HUGE Big One paper stack out, I knew exactly what I was going to make! And this actually was a quickish card to create too - it took me around an hour and a half, in between supervising Samuel and his drawing of his Grandad for his school homework, and having half an eye on a Murder She Wrote episode (bit of car crash telly with the wooden acting by most of the cast, but somehow I find myself drawn to it!)

Anyway! The backing paper and the three layered flowers are all from The Big One paper pack - I've used my lovely Cuttlebug flower die to create the layered look and then pinched the petals for a 3d effect. The centres are, of course, card candy from Craftwork Cards.

I cut the circle on the sketch out and made another flower which is shown through the aperture, again this is cut with the same papers and die.

I've doodled a line around the edge of the card and the ribbon (matches perfectly - no surprise there considering how much ribbon I have in my stash!) has simply been tied on.

The sentiment is from the CCSR Stamping For Him set and I've layered it onto The Big One paper too.

• Backing paper: Clare Curd Signature Range - The Big One
• Dies: Cuttlebug Flower set
• Sentiment: Clare Curd Signature Range - Stamping For Him
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  
  
  

Turquoise and Yellow

The Stampin' Chic challenge this week is a colour combination:

Turquoise and Yellow

These are not colours that readily spring to mind for me to use, however after a quick look through The Big One paper stack (it is slowly getting used!) I found a set of turquoise based papers and picked this one. The stamp is a first time used Inkadinkado which I bought a few weeks ago as I think that most of my work colleagues, friends and nursery staff are expecting (more reveal themselves almost on a daily basis - I'll be thinking I'll need to join in if I'm not careful!) I do like this stamp and will be using it more!

In fact, I also like the colour combination - the yellow layered card I found in my stash box thingy (I put all my one tone off-cuts in one and another one has all my patterned off-cuts - very organised!) I've coloured it with watercolour pencils.


The flowers and button are from Jozza - the flowers are actually held together by a giant brad with the button (and some ric rac ribbon) stuck to the top. I have (badly) inked the flowers in an attempt to tone them down so that's why they look a little grotty!

• Backing paper: The Big One - Clare Curd Signature Range
• Image: Inkadinkado
• Flowers & button: From Jozza
• Everything else: My stash

Stampin Chic - Sketch # 3

It's no secret that I enjoy working to a sketch and this one was good to work with! It's the third sketch challenge on Stampin' Chic: I used the DIY Man from the Stampin' For Him set (plus sentiment) which I have coloured with watercolour pencils and chalked the edges of the image as it was a little stark! Inked all edges in brown and bright blue in keeping with all the colours.

Backing papers are from V Funky and are offcuts I had left over from a previous project (I am determined to use all my bits up before I print more off otherwise I'll be buried in an avalanche of papers!)

As you can see, I under estimated how much brown backing card I would need after I'd layered the image and done the bit across the middle, so the sentiment is only half layered.. but I don't think it looks too bad.... or does it?!

Card candy from Craftwork Cards (yes I have all but one of the packs - because you just never know when you'll need some!)

• Backing paper: V Funky from Funky Hand
• Image & Sentiment: Stampin' For Him - Clare Curd Signature Range
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards

Keep The Shape!

The Stampin' Chic challenge this week is:

Limited Supplies - Keep The Shape

(You need to pick a shape and follow it through all the elements of your creation...)

I thought this would be easy - but oh no! I went with the cupcake template (Craftwork Cards) as I'd started to make the base for something else but then either changed my mind or ran out of time). Anyway, the corrugated base had already been cut so I added some of the paper from The Big One (yep, still getting a work out with that one!) then randomly over stamped the paper pattern with the stamps and then added some glitter glue here and there (the picture doesn't really show it too well). I've also liberally inked all edges with black and bright pink for a bit of a grunge feel.

I then remembered I had these very sweet (geddit?!) little fimo cupcakes that were sent to me by Claire on the Crafts Forum as a swop for some stamped images. I've attached it to the card with some jute string as tried to keep it simple. And it does sort of go with the shape theme - the corrugated card is stripy and the jute is sort of stripy..... and the little cupcake embellishment with the shape of the card.... am I convincing??!!

• Printed backing paper: Clare Curd Signature Range - The Big One
• Stamps: Clare Curd Signature Range
• Corrugated Card & string: My stash
• Cupcake template: Craftwork Cards
• Cupcake embellishment: Claire
  

DIY Flowers

The challenge this week on Stampin' Chic is a technique one:

DIY Flowers

Sort of been a bit lazy this week with this challenge! However, I've used some of my very new stash - the clear doodles stamps and the huge big one paper stack. And Clare Curd, if you read this post, you need to put a health warning on these paper stacks - my goodness they are huge! And it weighs a ton! Not that I am complaining - the 200 sheet stack is a bargain as it works out at around 7.5 p each for a 12 x 12 sheet!

Anyway, I liked the black swirls on white so decided to go with that for the background - its been layered onto some very hot pink card from the scrap store - the flowers have been stamped onto it too.

As luck would have it, I had some perfectly matching satin pink ribbon in my stash! I've cut round the stamped flowers and layered some of them. I've attached the heads to thick crafting wire and then shaped the ends.

• Backing paper: CCSR 12 x 12 paper stack - pink from my stash
• Stamps: CCSR doodles
• Ribbon: From my stash
  
  
  Updated: The flowers are attached to the card with ribbon - the flowers are tied together - simple!

Fore A Top Bloke (Bad Joke!)

There is another new challenge blog in blogland! This one (Stampin' Chic) is by Clare Curd and her new Signature Range (which I do like!) Anyway, I felt in need of a little retail therapy over the weekend and had a good look at the clear stamp packs Clare has launched. And as my stash is a little light on the male themed cards, I went with the fellas stamp pack. And you get a lot of stamps for just under £6!

Anyway, the current challenge is:

LIMITED SUPPLIES CHALLENGE
We challenge you to only use no more than ONE piece of patterned paper, that's it one piece of patterned paper but of course you can also use other supplies like brads, ribbons etc., you can also use plain card if you have it... in fact whatever you want as long as you use no more than ONE piece of patterned paper!

The image actually helped a lot in choosing the backing paper! Just had to go for the diamond pattern! Printed backing paper is Dovecraft 6 x 6 which I've rounded the edges and inked. I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils and also inked and rounded the edges. The brown plain card is from my stash and the card candy just finished it off! The layout of the card is actually based on a recent Forever Friends sketch which I liked.

PS Bad joke in the title - sorry, but could not resist!

• Backing paper: Dovecraft 6 x 6
• Image & Sentiment: Clare Curd Signature Range (image coloured with watercolour pencils)
• Card Candy: From Craftwork Cards