Thursday, April 30, 2015

CityGirl Bookmark


I was stamping some CityGirl images onto white card ready to fussy cut, but decided one could be a bookmark.  I found some designer paper for her coat, belt and legs and paper-pieced them onto the image.  I added some stamped text background, doodled a border and added some grey grosgrain.  So now I've got a very stylish bookmark!

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for more inspiration from the design team.


Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Happy Bird-day


Aren't these two birdies just so cute?  I'm joining in Monika's month-long bash to celebrate her birthday.  I've CASEd Monika's cute and funny card:

Monika's card
I stamped the two birdies then sloshed some watercolours on, spattered across the card, matted the panel on to some patterned paper then mounted it onto my card and added a sentiment.  Super-quick and easy, so I'm entering it into Simon Says Monday Challenge, Anything Goes and Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, CAS.



Happy Birthday, Monika!

SmallBirds

Monday, April 27, 2015

Sunny Village


Here's a little inspiration for you using The Bee's Knees Houses set.  I stamped the central image, masked it and stamped the two either side, then started sloshing with Distress Inks.  I wonder why I didn't add any splatters?  Must be a sunny day :)

The sentiment is from Bloom Sketches.

We've got some more inspiration for you over at STAMPlorations - pop on over and take a look.

Friday, April 24, 2015

STAMPlorations Spotlight Week - SmallBirds


It's our final day of the STAMPlorations April Release Spotlight Week.  Today we're turning the spotlight on the other set that I designed for this release, The Bee's Knees SmallBirds:


I love 'em!  The kookaburra/kingfisher was one of the first stamps I made with my stampmaker last year, although it was slightly bigger than the version in this set.  Today I've stamped the puffin onto watercolour paper, coloured it with Distress Inks, then sloshed more Distress Inks around the base to look like sky and grass and rocks (hopefully!).  The sentiment is from the Fond Expressions set that we showcased on Day 1.

Prepare yourself for more inspiration from guest designer Darnell and the rest of the Design Team.  You'll find links to all our projects here.  Make sure you leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win prizes:

  • FIVE (5) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate
  • and there could well be some surprise prizes ;)


Stops on the hop:

Darnell - Guest Designer

I hope you've enjoyed the hop, and good luck with the commenting!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Seize The Birthday - Make Your Own Background


Welcome to another Seize The Birthday challenge!  The theme for this challenge is Make Your Own Background.

I inked an embossing folder with Distress Ink Minis, spritzed the inked area then laid a piece of card down on it to take a print.  Quick, easy and colourful!  I added the sentiment from Neat & Tangled.


Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some fabulous inspiration from the design team, and then come and join us.  If you don't want to make your own background you can still play along with any birthday-themed project.

STAMPlorations Spotlight Week - Heaven Sent


It's Day 4 of the fabulous STAMPlorations April Release Spotlight Week, and today we're back on the baby theme with this gorgeous Heaven Sent set:


I had this piece of watercoloured card left over from a project last week, and it reminded me of sky and clouds, so I thought I'd do a teddy floating in from heaven.  I stamped the teddy on white card and coloured it with Distress Inks and fussy cut it.  It had curled slightly so I just stuck it down in the centre and left the legs and arms free to imply that it was floating.  I added a strip of lace to add to the nostalgic feel of the design.


Check out what our guest designer Darnell and the rest of the Design Team have created for your inspiration.  You'll find links to all our projects here.  Make sure you leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win prizes:

  • FIVE (5) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate
  • and there could well be some surprise prizes ;)


Stops on the hop:

Darnell - Guest Designer

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

STAMPlorations Spotlight Week - Noteworthy


Welcome back for Day 3 of the STAMPlorations April Release Spotlight Week!  Enjoying it so far?  We certainly are :)

Today the spotlight is on Noteworthy, another fabulous mixed-font sentiment set:


I've used the sentiment "these are the moments" and a line full of baby jackets.  One of the nicest moments (and a sight you don't see any more) was always a washing line full of brilliant white terry nappies drying in the wind - it was always a hard slog getting to that point, so it's no wonder we all switched to using disposable nappies as soon as we could!

I stamped the grunge border from the Mixed Media Grunge set across the bottom of the panel - it reminds me of DNA fingerprint, so I thought it was appropriate!  And then I finished it off with washi tape, which had to have hearts on it!

Take a look at all the fabulous inspiration from guest designer Darnell and the rest of the Design Team.  You'll find links to all our projects here.  Make sure you leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win prizes:

  • FIVE (5) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate
  • and there could well be some surprise prizes ;)


Stops on the hop:

Darnell - Guest Designer

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

STAMPlorations Spotlight Week - BabyBump


Hello, and welcome to Day 2 of the STAMPlorations April Release Spotlight Week!  Today we're turning the spotlight on a set that I designed, The Bee's Knees BabyBump:


I stamped the babygro image several times onto patterned paper, fussy cut them and lined them up down the side of the card and stamped the sentiment across the bottom of the card.

We've got more fabulous inspiration for you again from guest designer Darnell and the rest of the Design Team.  You'll find links to all our projects here.  Make sure you leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win prizes:

  • FIVE (5) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate
  • and there could well be some surprise prizes ;)


Stops on the hop:

Darnell - Guest Designer

Monday, April 20, 2015

STAMPlorations Spotlight Week - Fond Expressions


Hello and welcome to Day 1 of the fantastic STAMPlorations April Release Spotlight Week!  Today we're featuring Fond Expressions, a fab set of 7 sentiments:


I love the mixed fonts in this set and the curlicues at the ends of the words.  For my card I cut a large speech bubble for the sentiment and added a couple of birdies (more of them on Friday).

We're thrilled to have the one and only Darnell guest designing for us this week!  You'll find links to all our projects here.  Make sure you leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win prizes:

  • FIVE (5) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate
  • and there could well be some surprise prizes ;)

Stops on the hop:

Darnell - Guest Designer

Craft Stamper Magazine Submission Call

Ever fancied being published in the best stamping magazine?  Craft Stamper mag is looking for reader submissions for their August feature, Surf's Up:

Think Bleached wood, cool and contemporary, Hibiscus flowers, Camper Vans, Hawaiian shirts, white distressing. Using a colour scheme of yellow/orange, taupe, turquoise and teal.


Colours needn't be exact - just as close as possible.  You can also use black/white/metallics.

The call is open internationally (but you do need to post your original card to the UK if selected).

Click here for all the details on how to submit.  The deadline is stated as 21 April, but I bet they'd still look at your entry if you were only a day or so late.  Anyway, your card should be a quick and easy 20 minute make, so you've got loads of time to make a card or even two within the deadline ;)

Go for it - just remember to include stamping!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Live Life Out Loud


It's been a while since I played along with Runway Inspired Challenge, but I couldn't miss this one.  I had the idea to do a harlequin background and leave the CityGirl image white.  Quite like it ;)  The image is from the new Noteworthy set by STAMPlorations.


Also linking it to Simon Says Monday Challenge, In The Middle.  As she is.

Got do dash.  Doing the workshop at stamping club.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Reminder


Are you playing along with the Mixed Media Card Challenge?  This month's theme is Flowers, with the option of Basket.


I've used clear embossing paste through a stencil that my lovely teamie, Loll, sent me.  I sponged the base card with Scattered Straw, then stencilled grunge dots with the same colour.  I dragged some acrylic paint over a corrugated die-cut flower, then stamped over it with a mesh stamp.  The blue and yellow flower centre was a stencilling remnant which I overstepped with a text circle and fussy cut, then added a page pebble to the centre.  A black border stamp down the side and a couple of strips of washi tape and its done.

I'm adding this to Simon Says Monday Challenge - In The Middle.  My focus is the middle of the flower ;)


Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Back Again at A Sprinkle Of Imagination


I'm back over at A Sprinkle of Imagination today for my second guest design spot. I've used the Don't Forget To Fly stamp set by Finnabair. I wanted to stamp a front and back of this image on cotton canvas, with the possibility of stitching them together and making an art doll.

I started by inking the stamp with Versafine Onyx Black except for the sentiment across the middle because I wanted one of the other sentiments, then stamped it onto the canvas piece, then I stamped the sentiment in the gap.  For the back view, I re-inked the stamp, this time leaving out the face as well as the sentiment, and stamped that onto the other canvas.  I stamped one of the text circles for the back of the head, and one of the other sentiments across the middle.


I added some colour with Distress Inks and a paintbrush, and decided it would now be a pincushion or just a hanging 'thing', so off I trotted to the local craft store for some wadding, and stitched the two pieces together, using a length of giant ricrac for the loop, then I frayed the edges.   Here's the back view of the finished article:


Thanks for having me, ASOI!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Keep Calm And Buy Shoes...


... unless it's sale time ;)

We're sharing some more inspiration over on the STAMPlorations blog today.  I've used the Girl And Her Shoes set for the main panel, stamping in black and matting onto turquoise coloured card.  For the background I stamped the bubblewrap stamp from the Mini Mixed Media set, using Evergreen Bough, which was a perfect match for the mat card.  A little dotty washi tape to echo the pattern on the base card and add a touch of colour, and it's done.

If you want to CASE this or any of the design team's cards, why not add it to the CASE Playground? You could be in with a chance of winning a $15 gift certificate.  And if you use STAMPlorations stamps, add it to our never-ending Anything Goes challenge for more chances to win!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

In The News


Playing along with a few challenges today with this one layer card.  I've used one of the images from my new stamp set, The Bee's Knees BabyBump.  I pencilled a washing line, then stamped the jacket three times at different angles to make it look like they're blowing around in the wind, then drew in the line and the posts with a 0.5 fineliner.  The jackets are coloured with Distress Ink and the same colours are splattered across the card to look like pollen and dust floating on the breeze.

Ok, first up is One Layer Simplicity, where Karen's challenge is Blowin' in The Wind.


Then there's CASology - News, to celebrate the birth of DT member Gillian's baby boy :)


Next up ShowCASE Your Style where there's a (stretch-a-)sketch.  What do you think - a stretch too far?


And finally at Less Is More, it's a one layer splatter challenge - yay!

The grasses stamped on the card belong to a set that was in the goody box that I bought from Debby Lime Doodle in aid of breast cancer causes.  Wanna see all the contents?


Saturday, April 11, 2015

Go After Your Dreams


When I saw Vicki's Muse card, I had to play along!  Vicki's used one of the images from my Bee's Knees Small Birds stamp set in her card, so I thought I'd use one of the other images.

Vicki's Muse card
You can really colour outside the lines with these images, it all adds to the looseness of the design.  I stamped the puffin image onto a white card panel in Versafine Onyx Black, and coloured it with Ripe Persimmon, Wild Honey and Black Soot Distress Inks.  I stamped a sentiment from the new Noteworthy set in black and orange. On the base card and the panel, I used the same colours and stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge set which is the April set for the STAMP club.

So.  If you flip Vicki's card you can pretty much see the similarities.

I'm also entering this into Virginia's View - Layers.  The top panel is a separate layer, and then there's washi tape as a layer.


Friday, April 10, 2015

Craft Stamper Reminder - Take a Theme: Colour


Have you played along with Craft Stamper Take It Make It yet?  Here's a little reminder - we want you to get your colours on.  Bright colours.  Sunglasses required.  That sort of thing.

For my card, I squished some mini Distress Inks onto a panel of mixed media card, spritzed with water and let the colours run.  Then I stamped this month's freebie stamp from this month's Craft Stamper magazine along the lower edge.  On a remnant of the panel I stamped one of the flowers from Paper Artsy Hot Pick Xtra 02, fussy cut it, drew in a stem and leaves with a Posca Pen and added a lace flower to the centre of the main flower which was popped up on foam dots.

Click here for more inspiration from the Design Team, then come and join us.  Don't forget to check the guidelines so that you'll be in with a chance of winning ;)

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Seize The Birthday - Tall & Skinny


It's challenge time at Seize The birthday, and for this challenge the topping is tall and skinny cards.  I folded a 8¼ piece of square card to make my tall and skinny card.  I taped this gorgeous stencil from Loll and using a fineliner, drew half the outline of each shape to create an illusion of depth.  A quick peek under the stencil showed that the illusion wasn't quite enough, so I enhanced the lines with a Tombow pen.  Another quick peek showed that it still wasn't quite enough, so I sponged Weathered Wood Distress ink over the stencil, then I was happy with it.

Get your tall and skinny cards out and come and join us, or just join in the Anything Goes birthday theme.