Suns{Hi}ne Card

Hello again,

This is my second Paper Smooches card for this week and I'm entering this one into the Paper Smooches Sparks October Picture Perfect challenge. I was realy excited when I saw the inspiration photo because the colours reminded me of my favourite paper collection at the moment - Fresh Cut from Basic Grey. I picked out the pink colours in the main image for this card, from the Paper Smooches Royal Cuteness stamp set. Hope you enjoy seeing the finished card:

I made the base of this A2 size card from Neenah 110lb card stock. I then die cut a scalloped rectangle of cardstock using one of the Femme Frames dies from the Mama Elephant set. I then adhered peices of patterned paper from the Basic Grey Fresh Cut 6x6 paper pad over the top in a starburst design.

To create the focal point for my card I first die cut pieces of vellum and white silk paper using the Paper Smooches Clouds dies. I then layered these onto my card with images from two Paper Smooches stamp sets. The sun image is from the Spectrum stamp set. i stamped this onto white cardstock using Blushing Bride Ink from Stampin' Up. I then stamped the castle image from the Royal Cutenes stamp set using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I coloured the image using Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut it. I adhered all the peices using various thicknesses of foam pad to create a castle in the clouds effect.

Next I cut a one inch thick strip of vellum and stamped the Sunshine sentiment from the Spectrum stamp set onto it using Avery Elle white Pigment ink. I sprinkled over Wow! Sparkle embossing powder and heat set it.

To complete my card I added 6mm and 4mm Sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and added subtle shimmer to the sun and castle with my Zig Clear Wink of Stellar Pen. 

Clicking on the inspiration photo below will take you to the challenge post with all the other great entries and, on course, amazing inspiration from the Paper Smooches Sparks Design team:

Clicking on the Paper Smooches badge below will take you to the Paper Smooches website where you can buy all their awesome stamps and dies:

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:

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Hello Card

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share this card I made for the Avery Elle Kraft Challenge - although in the end I missed the deadline for submission, (the whole different time zone thing got the better of me…oops!) I didn't really have anyone in particular in mind when I made it, I just wanted it to be fun and cute.

I started with a 5x7 card base which I made from Neenah Desert Storm Cardstock. I then layered a piece of polka dot patterned paper from a Stampin' Up Saleabration freebie from this year. The centre piece of the card was made using more Desert Storm cardstock and pattered various shades of green patterened paper from the Amy Tan Yes Please collection. I used the Xcut Woodland Shadowbox Dies to create the layers of the forest scene. I separated the layers with foam tape to create dimension. I then used the sentiment, characters, toadstools and tree stump stamps from the Avery Elle Red & Goldie stamp set. I stamped them in Black Licorice Hybrid ink from My Favourite Things.

I stamped the three bear figures onto Desert Storm cardstock and coloured the mama and papa bears in a darker shade of brown with Spectrum Noir coloured pencils, blending solution and paper stubs. I coloured the cheeks and ear tips of the baby bear pink in the same way and added freckles with a Uniball white gel pen. I used the moustache, top hat, tie and bow stamps from the Mama Elephant Honey Bunny stamp set to accesorise each of the bears and fussy cut each of them. The goldilocks, toadstool and tree stump were stamped, coloured and fussy cut from Neenah Solar White cardstock in a similar way. I adhered them to the card with silicone glue. The sentiment was stamped in Stampin' Up Crisp Cantaloupe ink.

I used my Zig Wink of Stella clear brushpen and Ranger Glossy Accents to highlight certain areas of the card such as the toadstool and sentiment. Finally I adhered various sequins for extra sparkle. I used 6mm and 4mm Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and 8mm salmon pink ones from my stash.

To create the inside of the card I first used the Hero Arts Galaxy wood block stamp and Stampin' Up Pool Party ink. I then used another cute bear image form the Avery Elle stamp set to complete my card.