Read Me Tag

Hi guys,

So I have something a little different to show you this time. I made a bookmark tag for the AEIHeartU Tags Challenge using the Avery Elle Alice & Friends Stamp set. Hope you like it!

I started by die cutting a peice of white card stock and a peice of patterned paper, from the Pebbles Garden Party 6x6 paper pad, using one of the Paper Smooches book mark dies. I adhered these together. I stamped the white rabbit and Alice designs from the Avery Elle Alice and Friends stamp set onto a variety of patterned paper, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I then fussy cut each of the layers and paper peiced them. I added rosy cheeks with Spectrum Noir markers. I also used the scrolled banner and letters from the stamp set to create my 'Read Me' sentiment. I stamped this using Versafine in and fussy cut the image.

Next I created bunting using pink bakers twine and more patterened paper from the Garden Party paper pad, punched using my Stampin' Up banner punch. I added more twine and and ribbon to the top of the tag. I completed my tag with Aquamarine, Pink Blush and Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

Clicking on the link below will take you to the challenge post so you can enter to. You can also see all the fab DT inspiration:

What's Up With Dave? Card

Well this card, which I made for the Lawnscaping One Layer challenge was just that - a massive challenge! I'm used to using lots of dimension and embellishments to create interest in my cards so using just one layer took a bit of getting used to. I decided to take the opportunity to sneak in a cheesy joke - well, if I can't use sequins then I have to have fun somehow! Hope you all like it xx

I used a piece of Neenah Solar White Cardstock as the base for my card and rounded the corners with my WRMK Corner Chomper. I created my design by stamping images from several Lawn Fawn stamp sets - Critters Ever After for the frogs, Hello Baby for the lilypad, reeds and grass and Joy to the Woods  for the log. I stamped each of the images in Soft Vanilla Shadow Ink from Hero Arts. I stamped the images a second time onto paper and adhered these using temporary adhesive to create masks for the images I wanted to remain uppermost in my design. I coloured over the Soft Vanilla ink with Spectrum Noir pencils, paper stubs and Blending Solution. I added freckle details to the frogs using a Uniball white gel pen and pupils and a sentiment with a Uniball black gel pen.

Clicking on the picture below will take you to the challenge post with the fantastically inspiring DT creations and all the other amazing challenge entries:

You're My Universe Card

Hello everyone,

Well after a very busy and, at times, quite painful week at work, I was definately ready for some crafty time to take my mind off things. I enjoyed makng the background for my space card last week i decided to have another go, this time for a valentines or anniversary card. I just love these cute Aliens from the Paper Smooches Space Cadet stamp set and I really enjoyed using them to create this card for the Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes Challenge. Please do let me know what you think xx

I used a grey polka dot notecard from Pebbles as my card base and adhered a piece of Ranger Watercolour paper to the front, which I die cut using one of the stitched rectangles from the new Lawn Fawn die set. I created the background galaxy effect in the same way as last weeks card, this time using Spun Sugar and Milled Lavendar Distress Inks for a more suble coloured effect.

I used a piece of gold glitter paper from the DCWV Glitz Pastel 6x6 paper pad as the base for my aliens and astronaut to stand and wave on. I stamped several images from the Paper Smooches Space Cadet set onto Neenah Solar White cardstock using Black Licorice Hydrid Ink from My Favourite Things. I coloured the images with Spectrum Noir Pencils, paper stubs and blending solution. I then fussy cut them and adhered them to the card with foam tape to create dimension. I used speech bubbles and hearts stamped in Spun Sugar Distress Ink for extra cuteness.

I used my Fiskars 2 inch Circle punch and some paper from the My Minds Eye Jubilee 6x6 paper pad to create the planet. The sentiment banner was made from more Solar White cardstock, black Licorice ink and a sentiment stamp from the Space Cadet set. I finished the card with Sparking Clear and Pink Peonies sequins from Pretty Pink Posh, green and yellow sequins from the Neat and Tangled Spring mix and a gold Sequin from my stash.

Click on the image below to see all the other great entries for this weeks challenge:

Clicking on the image below will take you to the Paper Smooches Shop where you can buy all their amazing stamps and dies, including the Space Cadet stamp set:

Under the Sea Pop-Up Card

Hi Guys! 

So, my card this week is another pop-up (definately my favourites to make!) and I decided to go for an under the sea theme. My inspiration for the card was the Make the Day Special challenge for the Month of August. I used the blues, reds and oranges from colour pallete A as the basis for my design.

Firstly I started with a Papermania white note card. For the inside of the card, I adhered patterned paper from the Basic Grey Fresh Cuts 6x6 paper pad - one had a wave design and the other was a coordinating blue watercolour pattern. The layers for my pop-up design were created using acetate. I used Spectrum Noir pens in several shades of blue and aqua to create a wavy pattern on the acetate, and then I drew small circles onto this with the blender pen to create the look of bubbles. Lastly I flicked white ink over the acetate to create the look of more bubbles. I used the the Mama Elephant Lanscape Trio die to die cut three layers of acetate at different heights. Next, I stamped images from the Paper Smooches Surf and Turf stamp set onto Neenah Solar White card stock with `memento Tuxedo Black ink. I coloured the images using Spectrum Noir pencils and blendinh soluion and added freckles with a Uniball white gel pen. I fussy cut the imges and adhered them to the acetate layers using silicone glue for extra dimension. I cut sea weed from a peice of green chevron paper from the Dear Lizzy Daydreamer 6x6 pad and adhered this to the acetate, also with silicone glue. Next, I used red line tape to adhere the acetate to the card. I added sequins from my stash and a sentiment, also from the Surf and Turf stamp set and the inside of my card was complete.

These pictures shows the layers of acetate in my design. The pop-up mechanism is created using small peices of acetate as spacers between one layer of acetate and the next, meaning that when you open the card the layers pop-up too.

I kept the front of my card simple, as I always do with my pop-up designs. I used a piece of watercolour paper and Tim Holtz distress inks in Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers to create the watercolour effect in the corner. The sentiment is from the Surf and Turf stamp set by Paper Smooches. I used Versafine ink to stamp it onto Neenah Solar White card stock. The whale image was also from the Surf and Turf stamp set and I coloured it with Spectrum Noir pencils and blending fluid. I adhered the sentiment and image over the watercolour using foam pads to create dimension. Finally I added a couple of sequines from my stash to complete the look. 

I would like to take part in the Make the Day Speacial August challenge (colour scheme A):

Savanna Pop-Up Birthday Card

This has to be my favourite card I've made so far. I used a yellow chevron card blank from Pebbles. I wanted to keep the front quite simple so I could really go to town on the pop-up on the inside. I used a lion stamp from Lawn Fawn's Critters on the Savanna and backed it on a stitched circle of white card die-cut using the Stitched Party Banners die, also from Lawn Fawn. The sentiment is also from Critters on the Savanna and I completed the front of the card using a few sequins from my stash.

I had so much fun making the centre of this card. I used patterned paper from #Summer by American Crafts (I also used a couple of scraps from other collections but I'm afraid I can't recall where they came from). I created three layers of scenery to act as the main pop-up mechanicm, using the Mama Elephant Landscape Trio and Lawn Fawn Grassy Border dies. The trees, animals, birds and rocks all come from the Lawn Fawn Critters on the Savanna stamp set. They were stamped with Momento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils and blending fluid. I added white accents with a Uniball white gel pen and fussy cut them. I created the bunting in the background using a Stampin' Up banner punch and green bakers twine from the Dovecraft Riverbank Revels collection. The 'birthday wishes' sentiemnt was stamped and die cut using the Wplus9 Basic Banner set and Hero Arts Green Hills ink. I completed the card using sequins from my stash.

Fairytale Pop-Up Wedding Card

This card means alot to me as I made it for my little brothers wedding. I used a white notecard from Papermania as the card base. 

The centre of this card is by far my favourite part. I had so much fun creating the pop-up. For the landscape I used various green patterned paper from my stash. I created the look of hills and grass using the Mama Elephant Landscape Trio and Lawn Fawn Grassy Border dies. The rainbow and heart were die cut from more Lawn Fawn Let's Polka paper, using my Cricut Explore and an image from the Create-a-Critter cartridge. The remaining images were stamped using Memento Tuxedo black ink. I used the knight, princess and castle images from the Royal Cuteness stamp set by Paper Smooches and I used the drago, unicorn and second castle images from Critters Ever After by Lawn Fawn. Again, I coloured the images with Spectrum Noir pencils and blended with pencil stubs and blending solution. I used a Uniball white gel pen to create cute freckles on the images. Finally I added a sentiment, also from Critters Ever After, and a few more mini flowers punched from paper scraps. Magic!

Welcome Baby Card

This card was made for friends on the birth of their son. Firstly I stamped a Neat & Tangled Sunburst in Hero Arts Soft Vanilla ink. The kangaroo image from the Critters Down Under stamp set from Lawn Fawn was stamped using Momento Tuxedo Black ink. I then coloured it using Spectrum Noir blendable pencils and blended with paper stubs and blending fluid. I created a faux-bokeh appearance using circle stamps from various stamp sets in my stash and Papermania gold embossing powder. I then added sequins and completed the card with  Stampin' Up gold bakers twine.

Sweet New Baby Card

This card was made for friends after the birth of their son, Joshua. I started with a white notecard and added a piece of silver glitter paper from The Works - I love this glitter paper because, not only was it inexpensive, but the glitter doesn't shed like some other glitter papers. Then I added a piece of patterned paper from the Studio Calico Atlantic 6x6 paper pad and a peice of blue and white striped washi tape from my stash. The stamped image of the fox holding baloons was stamped using the Mama Elephant Up and Away set. I coloured it with Spectrum Noir pencils and blending solution and added freckles with a Uniball white gel pen for extra cuteness, as I've seen Nichol Magouirk do on YouTube. Next I fussy cut it and adhered it to the card with Dovecraft silicone glue to create some dimension. I added sparkle to the balloons with the Zig Wink of Stella clear glitter marker and made the glossy and dimensional with Ranger Glossy Accents. The sentiment is from the Mama Elephant Just Hatched stamp set and I stamped it with Hero Arts silver ink. I added ribbon and sequins from my stash and created the letter embellishments to spell 'Joshua' using a Hobbycraft typewriter alphabet stamp set and the same Hero Arts silver ink.