CAS-ual Fridays

So I found a new challenge blog this week - Cas-ual Fridays! 

This week the challenge was to create a clean and simple card using pink as it was national pink day on June 23rd, details of the challenge can be found HERE

Here is the card I created for the challenge, apologies in advance for the poor photo quality, the light was really bad and I had to use my phone's camera too:

The tree is from Clarity stamps, I stamped it with versamark and embossed it in white.  Then I added Spun Sugar distress ink direct to the paper to colour over it and cut out a square.  I stamped the sentiment from Waltzing Mouse in versafine onyx black ink then rounded opposite corners and layered my card up using foam pads then added the two little pink brads in the top corner.

I hope you like it, please feel free to leave me a comment so I know you popped by.

Claire x

Birthday Butterflies

Here is a card I created for my friend's birthday:

(sorry for the poor photograph!)

I created this using a crafty individuals stamp (CI-135), I really love these butterflies!  I used my brayer to colour in a square of card with my big and juicy soothing sunset inkpad.  I then stamped the butterfly stamp over the top.  On a fancy frame card blank I stamped and embossed in clear powder a musical score from inkylicious and brayered the same sunset colours over that and added in a black flourish around the edge of the card.  I added some black ribbon and a sentiment to finish.

I would like to enter my card in the crafty individuals 'summer ball' challenge as I feel butterflies are synonymous with summer and the colours I have used represent a lovely summery sunset!  Details of the challenge can be found HERE

I would also like to enter this card in the challenge over at Dream Valley which this time is 'things with wings' details of this challenge can be found HERE

I hope you all have a lovely evening!

Claire x

Bookmark

This time round at the crafty cardmakers challenge Carole has chosen the theme 'no cards, tags or ATCs' all the details for the challenge can be found HERE

I decided to make a little bookmark for this challenge, now it's not the usual type of bookmark, its a cute little corner bookmark:

I took a square of kraft card and folded the top corners back and secured them to create a little pocket to sit over the page.  I then used my xcut leafy lace punch along the bottom edge.  I stamped the music score by inkylicious in memento rich cocoa and added the natural coloured ribbon.  I cut the frame using my cuttlebug and a die from xcut and stamped the birds using the same ink, they are a stamp from Papermania's confetti collection.  I then added the stitching detail with a fine black pen.

I hope you like it!  Please feel free to leave a comment so I know you popped by, Claire x

Cat Card

Hello

Well here is a card I created for the challenge over at the craft room challenge blog, this fortnight the challenge is to create a project which includes furry four-legged friends which might be part of your family.  Details of the challenge can be found HERE

For this card I created a soft background using my ink dusters (which I very very rarely use) with Adirondak colours juniper and denim.  All the stamps I used are from inkylicious, I love this cat reaching for the butterfly as it reminds me of how my cats behave.  My only regret with this card is that I haven't grounded the cat properly but I felt if I tried to add anything else I might ruin it.  But never mind, it's all a learning curve so hopefully next time it won't look like it's levitating!

Anyway sorry for the poor photo, the light was really bad but hopefully you can almost imagine what it might look like in real life!!

Thanks for visiting, love Claire x

Father's Day

It's Father's Day today here in the UK - this is the card I made for my Dad:

It's a shutter card - the first one I've ever made.  So it's basically a gatefold card and when you open it it has a mechanism so that you get a camera shutter effect in the centre to reveal the little bear reading his newspaper - which is Wellington from Papermania - I thought he was appropriate for my Dad as he loves reading his newspaper everyday!

I added the self adhesive trims to the front of the card with some paper from Papermania, then stamped the pocket watch image from Clarity using Tea Dye and Antique Linen Distress Ink - I also used the Antique Linen DI to stamp the script on the inside which is a clear stamp from Inkylicious.

Dad thought the card was fab so that made me very happy :)

I would like to enter this card into a few challenges:

1) The Dream Valley Challenges blog - this time round the challenge is 'For that special guy'

2) Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stamper here - this week the theme is Men/Male Themed projects

3) Artful Times blog - this time the challenge here is to create a man's card

Thanks for visiting my little blog - please feel free to leave a comment so I know you popped by!

Claire x

Celebrate Card

Well it's been raining almost non-stop here in the North of England for two days straight!  But anyway, today I created this card, which I think will do nicely for a wedding in Scotland I will be attending next month:



I created this card using a label from papermania, the buttons and the flower are also from papermania - from one of their capsule collections.

I stamped the sentiment from waltzing mouse stamps using Versafine in onyx black and cut it out in a banner shape.  Then tied a bow and added the flower to the centre, then added the three buttons.

I would like to enter my card in two challenges:

1) The waltzing mouse sketch challenge blog, the sketch this week looks like this:

2) Less Is More challenge blog - this week Mandi and Chrissie have chosen the theme: Something Shiny - there isn't too much shininess on this card but I think the flower might just put this card in that category!!

Anyway thanks for visiting, feel free to leave a comment so I know you dropped by!

Claire x

Less Is More - Week 71

So this week over on Chrissie and Mandi's Less Is More blog it's one layer week.  The challenge this time is to use a flourish on your card.  Details of the challenge can be found HERE

Here is my card that I would like to enter into the challenge:

I used a flourish from Clarity Stamps called Perfect Swirl with my Big and Juicy inkpad in the Soothing Sunset colours.  The sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse and is from the Say It Loud stamp set.  I then added some dry embossing for a bit of additional interest. 

And this is what happened to my card immediately after I took the above photo:

It was cat attacked!!

Anyway it managed to survive the cat attack and thankfully is still in one piece!

Thanks for visiting x

Father's Day

Seeing as Father's Day is just a couple of weeks away now I decided to have a go at a man's card - something I usually try to avoid at all costs!  I will need to make another one at some point as I will be giving a card to both my Dad and my Father in law, but at least I've made a start!

I created the background from a download of vintage postcards - I found these on the free vintage digital stamps blog here.  I scrumpled up the printed images a few times, ripped into pieces and made a college.  I then used antique linen and vintage photo distress ink to bring them all together and to highlight all the folds and creases.

I stamped the Eiffel Tower from Stampendous onto cream linen card, cut it out and rubbed vintage photo distress ink to the edges.

I cut a rectangle from the cream linen card and distressed it using antique linen, vintage photo and tattered rose distress inks.  I distressed the edges of the card with the blade of my scissors and added gold pen as a highlight.

I punched three circles and distressed them and added the word dad in gold.

I layered it all up and finished it with a piece of raffia as I felt a ribbon would make it look too feminine.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

The Stamp Man Challenge Blog - this fortnight over at the stamp man challenge blog the challenge is to 'make it for a man' details can be found here

Pan Pastel UK Challenge Blog - this week the challenge is to create something vintage, it doesn't have to use pan pastels - which is just as well as I don't own any yet but I am hoping to buy some soon!  Details of this challenge can be found here

Thanks for visiting, love Claire x

Red, White and Blue

So this weekend here in the UK we have an extra long bank holiday as its the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - that means for me a whole four days off work - yay!!

Today I created a birthday card for a friend in the red, white and blue colours seeing as they seem to be everywhere at the moment due to the celebrations:

Ok so apologies for the photos but I had to take them with the camera on my phone.

I coloured a white card blank using antique linen and vintage photo distress ink and also another piece of card in the same way.  I stamped the Juliet image from Indigoblu in red and mounted her onto a piece of black card.  I used the vintage photo distress ink to stamp with the ends of her hair onto the card blank.  I then coloured two sections of card using chipped sapphire distress ink, I stamped the sentiment from the Waltzing Mouse Say It Loud stamp set onto one section and matted it with black card.  The other blue section I punched along the sides with the xcut leafy lace punch then stamped the Indiogoblu Juliet stamp hair ends along it in black ink.

I made a flower by putting a running stitch along a piece of lace and pulling it tight, I then added the button and bakers twine to the centre.  I pleated some of the lace also the run along the front of the card.  Finally I added some pearls to two of the corners.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

The Artistic Stamper - A red,white and blue challenge over on the artistic stamper challenge blog with Jennie and the gang to celebrate the jubilee

Craft Room Challenge - Birthday challenge - the craft room challenge blog are celebrating their 1st birthday and have a birthday blog hop going on with lots of blog candy to be won!

Ink on my fingers - Hels is also celebrating the jubilee this week with a red, white and blue challenge

The Ribbon Girl Blog - Use ribbon or lace on a project as part of their brand new monthly card challenge

Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge Blog - Sketch challenge 100 - its the 100th sketch challenge over at Waltzing Mouse and the more people who join in the more prizes there will be! Also a chance to win a guest designer spot too!

Thanks for stopping by, love Claire x

Less Is More - Week 70

This week over on the less is more blog it's the colour challenge week - this time the colour choice is red, white and blue due to the jubilee celebrations this weekend in the UK.

This is the card I created today to join in the challenge:

The central red rose image is from the papermania confetti collection and the blue border is a faux stitch stamp also from papermania.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend, love Claire x