CASology Guest Designer

Hi Everyone,

I'm very excited today as this is my first ever guest designer post and it's for the very awesome CASology blog. Their theme for this week is:

This got me thinking about all my favourite mushy sentiments and a particular long-time favourite of mine comes from a Mama Elephant stamp set called Love Quotes and I used this as the focal point of my card.

It's been a lovely sunny weekend here in the UK and, as the sun streamed through the window of my craft room, I feel inspired to create something bright and colourful. I still wanted to keep it CAS though so I opted for a crisp white card base with Neenah Solar White cardstock cut to A2 size. I rounded two of the corners for a more interesting shape.

I masked off the different lines of my sentiment stamp and used a different coloured pigment ink for each. From top to bottom I used Avery Elle Magenta, Avery Elle Strawberry, Avery Elle Fizz, Avery Elle Lemon Grass, Mama Elephant Pacific Blue and Mama Elephant Egg Plant. I tried to match the colours as closely as possible to the patterned paper I used from the 6x6 Fruit Stand paper pad from Doodlebug Designs.

I stamped the speechbubble image onto more Neenah cardstock using Tuxedo black ink and second generation stamping for a muted look. I then fussy cut this and drew around it onto the back of my patterned paper and fussy cut that also. I die cut a small heart from the white speech bubble to let more of the patterned paper peek through (as well as to highlight to word 'you' since that it the title of our challenge!) I layered the two shapes and adhered them with foam pads.

I completed my card by die cutting a couple more hearts from patterned paper with my Simon Says Stamp Mini Heart Dies, and adhering a few colourful sequins. The sequins I used were (clockwise from the top left corner) Pretty Pink Posh 4mm Pink Peonies, Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Amethyst, Neat and Tangled blue sequin from the Spring Mix, Neat and Tangled mint sequin from The Spring Mix, a clear sequin coloured orange with a copic marker and Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Raspberry.

I love getting comments from you all so please let me know what you think xx

Eternal Love Card

Hello again,

Well now my craft room is back in action there's no stopping me when it comes to making cards. I made this halloween-themed love note for the Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes Challenge for October and I think it would be perfect for any Twilight fan. PS Sparks made a special announcement on their blog this week that their weekly challenges will be coming to an end at the end of the month and, while I'm sad to see them go, I'm excited for the new monthly challenges coming up!

And now to the card. I used the vampire and bat images from the the Spookalicious stamp set from Paper Smooches. I also used the Eternal Love sentiment from the same set. I used a grey polka dot notecard from Pebbles as my card base. I then adhered a peice of Ranger Watercolor Paper onto which I die cut with a stitched frame from the Mama Elephant Femme Frames set. I used Zig Clean Color Markers in Black and Carmine Red and a waterbrush to create a creepy watercolour background.

I stamped the sentiment and bat images onto the Watercolor Paper with Versafine Onyx Black ink. I added glossy accents to one of the bats and to the heart on the sentiment for extra visual interest.

I stamped the main vampire image onto Neenah Solar White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I coloured the image with copic markers and fussy cut it. Once it was adhered to the card with foam tape I used Wink of Stella to add sparkle to the cape and added a layer of glossy accents for extra shine. I also added glossy accents to his hair to create the look of a slicked-back do.

I completed my card by adding black and gold stars from Studio Calico to help lead the eye from the main image to the sentiment. Hope you like it and please do comment below as I love to hear from you all xx

P.S. If you click on the icon below it will take you to the Paper Smooches store where you can pick up all their awesome stamps and dies:

Another Create a Smile card for the November Guest Designer Search

Hello again,

Well it turns out I had a little longer until the deadline than I thought so I decided to create a 'sister' card to my original entry - I love the Whimsical Wheels stamp set so much I just couldn't resist the opportunity to use it again. There's still a little time to enter yourself if you'd like. Just click on the image below and it will take you staright to the original blog post:

So I chose to make another little love note card - I know it's not valentines day but it's just what I felt like creating I guess. To be honest I'm probably just putting off starting the Xmas cards - there's nothing quite like needing to do something to make me immediately want to do something else!

My card case is good old Neenah Solar White 110lb cut to A2 size. I rounded one of the corners for a more interesting shape. I decided to stick to pastel colours and a washi tape background as per my previous card. I used a really cute grid washi with little hearts and the word 'love' written in pencil. I'm not sure where I got if from but I love it.

Next I stamped the train and carriage images from the Wimsical Wheels stamps set from Create a Smile with Momento Tuxedo Black Ink. Again I used second generation stamping for a more subtle outline which helped to capture some of the fine lines and details in the stamp. I also thought it looked a little like pencil lead to give an almost hand drawn feel. I coloured the image with Copic Markers, fussy cut it and adhered it to my card with foam pads.

Next I created a pink ombre look on a scrap of card and stamped my sentiment onto it with more second generation stamping in Tuxedo Black ink and also Avery Elle Pigment Ink in the shade Mint To Be. This sentiment has to be one of the best ever. No only does it fit with the cute train image, it also reminds me of an episode of the simpsons when Lisa gives Ralf a card with this sentiment on - Love it!

I added hearts to the carriages, die cut from card scraps using my Simon Says Stamp mini hearts dies. I also cut heart shaped puffs of steam from cotton wool pads and adhered the whole lot to my card with Claudia Hellmuth Multi-medium matte liquid adhesive. I completed my card by adding glossy accents to the tarin and heart next to my sentiment.

Anyway, hope you like my card - all comments gratefully received xx

Robot Happy Birthday

Hi Everyone,

It feels great to get back to card making after such a long time - I've been reorganising my craft room and, what with work and other distractions, it's taken forever to do. Well now it's done and I intend to be getting my craft on as often as possible.  

And what better way to get back into the swing of things than with a CASology challenge. It's week number 166 over on their blog and the theme is science - what a great excuse to use these super cute robots from the Beep Boop stamp set from Lawn Fawn. I added strips of washi to the background to make the images pop. This tape is really awesome and reminds me so much of the exercise books I used when I was in science class at school. 

Before I show you any images of my project I just want to apologise for the slightly dodgy lighting in the photos. Unfortunately I managed to damage my light diffuser box and one of my lamps in the great craft room redesign and I'm waiting on new supplies to arrive. I probably should have waited unil the replacements arrived before photographing projects but I just couldn't wait to get back to blogging. Any comments gratefully received as I love hearing from my crafty friends:

I started off with a card base made from Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock. Next I adhered some strips of washi tape ont the front to make a background (I'm not sure where I got this tape as it's been in my stash for a while I think).

Next I stamped images from Lawn Fawn's Beep Boop stamp set onto more solar white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I coloured the robots with Copic markers and fussy cut cut them.

To make more robots look more metallic I covered then in a layer of clear Wink of Stella marker and then finished off with a layer of Ranger glossy accents. Finally I adhered the images and sentiments to my card with different thicknesses of foam tape and glue dots. It doesn't really come accos on the photos but it adds some extra visual interest to an otherwise simple card in real life.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to check out the CASology blog post for all the other great projects. Clicking on the image below will take you straight there:

I Dig You Card

Hi again,

So this is my second card I'm entering into the Create a Smile March Guest DT spot search. My card uses the Whimsical Wheels stamp set from Create a Smile and I created it for my god son. He loves diggers and so when I saw this stamp set I had to get it so I could make him a valentines card with it. It would be great it you could join in two and clicking on the image below will take you straight to the blog post:

To make the card I started with a 110lb Neenah Solarwhite base. I adhered a peice of cityscene patterened paper from the First Edition Man Made collection to the front of my card. Next I stamped the digger image and sentiment onto more solarwhite cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I then coloured the digger image with copic markers, fussy cut it and adhered it to the card with foam tape. I also cut out the sentiment, die cut a small heart from it and then adhered it to the card with more foam tape. Next I die cut a peice of solarwhite cardstock with one of the Mama Elephant Landscape Trio dies. I then die cut another small heart from the cardstck to leave some of the patterened paper peeking through. I completed the card by adding a Doodlebug enamel heart to the diggers bucket.

This is a close-up of the digger so you can see the Doodlebug enamel heart more clearly:

How 'Tweet It Is Card

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's been so long since I last posted on my blog that I almost forgot how to upload my photos - anyway, it's all coming flooding back to me. Without getting too dreary, the last few months have been pretty tough but I've decided to get back to what I love - making cards! I've filled up my planner with all the challenges I want to enter and all the friends and family I want to make cards for so that should keep me out of mischief in the coming weeks. 

So my first card is a valentines card I made for the Inky Paws Challenge #17 - use a heart shape. I chose to use the Tweet Talk stamp set from Newtons Nook for this card. I love how delicate the tree branches and little birdies are. I also love the different bird houses in the set.

Hope you like the card and please do let me know what you think in the comments below xx

I used Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock for my card base. I next chose a beautiful peice of patterned paper from the Crate Paper Kiss Kiss 6x6 paper pad. I love the woodgrain and little white hearts. I used the scalloped rectange die from the Mama Elephant Femme Frames and then created a window using a scalloped circle die from the Paper Smooches Just For You Icons die set. I covered the underside of the window with pink vellum from Cosmo Cricket and used foam tape and sequins to create a shaker element.

I next stamped the birds and tree branch images from the Tweet Talk stamp set onto Neenah Soar White Cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured thim with Copic Markers. I stamped the bird house onto a scrap of the Kiss Kiss paper. I fussy cut the images and adhered them to the card with liquid glue and glue dots.

 I typed the sentiment onto a scrap of white cardstock using my new toy - a vintage 1960s typewriter which I adore! The sentiment was inspired by the Marvin Gaye song How Sweet It Is (to be loved by you) which is one of my favourite Motown songs. To complete the card I die cut some hearts from the remaining pink vellum with the Simon says Stamp Mini Hearts Dies.

Clicking on the image below will take you to the Inky Paws Challenge post where you can see he design teams inspiring cards as well as all of he amazing entries:

Red Riding Hood Hello Card

Hello again,

So, my card for today is a simple one which I made for the AEIHeartU Clean and Simple Challenge. I just love the Avery Elle Red and Goldie stamp set and this challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to pair it with the Xcut Woodland Shadow Box dies once again. In contrast to my Goldilocks and the Three Bears Hello Card, I only used one of the dies to create a much simpler look, but I like if just as much. I also love these great glittery enamal dots from My Minds Eye - hope you like the card!

To create this card I started with a piece of Neenah Solar White Cardstock cut and scored to A2 size. I used one of the die from the Xcut Wooden Shadow Box Dies set to create an aperture for my characters to peek out of. To create them I first stamped the Red Riding Hood and Wolf Dies from the Red & Goldie stamp set onto more Neenah Cardstock with Black Licorice Hybrid Ink from My Favourite Things. I then used a selection of Spectrum Noir and Copic Markers to colour my images. I'm still working on my alcohol marker technique and I'm hoping the Online Card Class I've signed up for will help when it starts in just over a week…so excited!!

I stamped the Hello sentiment, also from the Red & Goldie set, onto the front of my card with Versafine ink. Finally I completed my design by adding 3 enamel dots from the My Minds Eye Jubilee collection. 

Clicking on the image below will take you to the challenge post and all the other fantastic entries:

Hi There Pelican Card

 Hey Guys,

My latest project is a simple notecard for any occasion. I made it for the Make The Day Special September Sketch and Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes Challenges. I used lots of white space, distress inks and the Paper Smooches Surf n' Turf stamp set to create it. I just love the little pelican with his wonky eyes, and I was so pleased I could let him take centre stage on this card - hope you enjoy it xx

I started with a plain white A2 notecard from Papermania. I then die cut a piece of ranger watercolour paper using the scalloped rectangle from the Mama Elephant Femme Frames set - I love how this die is the perfect size for an A2 card and the scalloped edge just adds a subtle prettiness to a card! To create the background to my design I simply mixed Peacock Feather and Salty Ocean Distress Inks with a litle water and flicked them over he watercolour paper with a paintbrush. Next I wrapped a peice of Lawn Fawn Natural Twine around the paper and adhered it to the card base with foam tape.

The circle behind the Pelican was punched from another piece of watercolour paper using my Fiskars 2 inch circle punch. I created a watercolour effect using water and more Salty Ocean and Peacock Feather Distress Inks. I allowed the colours to blend a little before drying with my heat gun. I adhered this to my card with more foam tape and stamped the "hi there" sentiment from the Lawn Fawn Critters on the Savanna stamp set using Versafine ink.

The Pelican image was stamped onto Neenah Solar White Cardstock using Black Licorice Hybrid Ink from My Favourite Things. I stamped the image a second time onto paper and pussy cut this to create a mask. I then used the log from the Lawn Fawn Critters in the Forest set to create something for my pelican to stand on. I coloured both images with Copic Markers in shades E35, E37 (wooden post), Y02, Y06 (beak and legs), Y00, E00, 0 (body) and BG10, 0 (eyes). I've only just started a collection of these markers which I hope to build on over the next few months. I've also booked myself into the online Copic Marker class with Jennifer McGuire and K Werner so that I can really get the most out of them! 

Next I fussy cut the image and added a piece of natural twine tied into a bow. I adhered this to the card using more foam tape and my card was finished.

Here's a close-up of my Copic Marker colouring:

Clicking on the image below will take you to the Make The Day Special Challenge post and all the other great entries:

Clicking on the next image will take you to the Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes Challenge and all the amazing entries there:

You can get to the Paper Smooches store by clicking on the link below: