The Power of Three

 Hi there 

How has your week been?  Good I hope!

Not much going on around here, but we are well, and sometimes that's enough,

Our Wedding Anniversary is coming up, so I thought I'd try and make a card for OH that would also work for this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge.

 The Three Musketeers 

Joanne here today and as a big reader I can always find an excuse for a literary connection! It’s the birthday of author Alexandre Dumas today - The Three Musketeers is probably his most famous work so 

let’s celebrate the power of three!

 Show us three of something on your cards this week.

See what the design team made got this challenge by clicking HERE

There are things I like, and things I'm not so keen on, with the card I made, so this may not be the card he actually receives in the end!

But there are several sets of three; circles, small red hearts, tiny gold hearts, gems, kisses

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Smooth wghite card for the card base and more for the stencilled panel,

The upper panel was randomly stencilled (Kaleidoscope stencil by Crafters Workshop) with a couple of shades of aqua ink, aqua and gold Nuvo Embellishing Mousse. Before adhering to the card I rubbed a little
gold Nuvo Embellishing Mousse around the edge.

The heart is three layers of card die cut with one of a set from Bright Rosa, glued together and inked with a few shades of  Distress Inks to build up the depth of colour.  I then covered the whole heart with Glossy Accents, then sprinked over some Glamour Dust and left overnight to dry.

The Scribble Circles are from a Tonic Studios die set, the word dies are from a couple of different Spellbinders sets and the small heart dies are from various places.

To colour the words I inked a piece of card to match the deep aqua ribbon, covered it with a layer of PVA and left to dry before cutting out the words/  The colour is less green than it looks on the photo!

That's all for today, I hope you like it - but if you have suggestions on making it better then I'd love to hear them.

Thank you so much for visiting, I hope you'll leave a comment, I'm so grateful and happy when someone leaves a message!

Happy Crafting, and please Stay Safe

 

Down Mexico Way

Hi there
I hope you've had a good week, its been pretty much the same as other weeks around here, which is fine by me!  There was one little bit of excitement though - how could I forget!!  The garage door finally arrived and was fitted, and OH and I took turns at pressing the button to make it go up and down - well, you have to take your fun where you can just now, don't you?

I really enjoyed researching and making my card for today's Daring Cardmakers challenge.  Something a bit different and a bit 'right up my street' all rolled into one.

It's Svenja here and I'm inviting you to celebrate the life, work 
and home country of 
Frida Kahlo
Think of flowers, bold colours, strong eyebrows, her beautiful Casa Azul but maybe also of suffering and revolution. And of course of her country 
Mexico

  Click HERE to see this week's fabulous DT inspiration

I had a good old root around on t'internet looking for ideas on how to use Frida's extraordinary life and art as inspiration for something as simple as a greetings card.  Just for a moment I was tempted by some 'still life' paintings

 of juicy watermelons and other fruit, but in reality once I'd set eyes on all those gorgeous flower headdresses and rich coloured backgrounds there was no option

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 'Fat rectangle card blank
.Piece of white Bazzill card coloured with several shades of aqua and turquoise ink until I was happy with the depth of colour. I then used a woodgrain embossing folder to add texture and swiped a dark charcoal inkpad lightly over the raised areas before adhering it to my card. 
The flowers were die cut using dies from several collections and manufacturers so I won't name them all.  I inked thin card with the bright shades I wanted to use for the flowers and shaped them with a ball tool before assembling.
Once I'd made them up, it was a case of moving them around until I liked the layout, then sticking them down and adding a few pearls and gems 

Finally I made up a sentiment topper using a black and white 'Happy Birthday' and a few more patterned pieces from the bag of offcuts I keep on my desk, and some tiny banners cut from the leftover flower paper.

That's all for today, Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I'm so grateful and happy when someone takes the time to leave a messages
Happy Crafting, and please Stay Safe

Eclipse Bird

Hi there

I've another 'catch-up' to share today.  

Quite a few weeks ago we had Daring Cardmakers challenge set by our lovely Nat to feature birds on our cards.  Although I made a couple of cards for the challenge, I wasn't really happy with either of them but was determined to use the theme to make something I actually liked!
I went back to one of my favourites, the Eclipse technique and made this

Info:

White 'fat rectangle' card blank 
A spare piece of card inked with several shades of pink and peachy inks, 
which was then stencilled over using a Crafters Workshop stencil 
and some rose glitter gel
I die cut 2 squares from this, then used a Spellbinders die to cut the bird from the smaller one. The bird was then cut 3 more times in a toning card and the 4 bird layers glued together.
Next I die cut a fluted edge square from white card and layered the three squares up before adhering to the base card. 
The bird was now adhered into the aperture it originally came from, but now sits proud from the base.

The Black and White patterns and sentiment were created on the pc - I print a larger amount than I need so that I have a little batch of spare pieces ready for other cards.  Once I'd assembled the sentiment section I adhered it in place over some black and white twine, and knotted a little bow around the strands.
To finish I added some tiny punched hearts and a tiny diamanté gem for the bird's eye. 

Thank you for visiting today, I hope you'll leave a message before you go - I do love to know what you think!

Happy Crafting, Stay Safe

 

Got a Lotta Dots

Hi there
 I've had one of those weeks when I've felt a bit lethargic and generally 'under the weather' and haven't felt  much like doing anything.  Do you ever feel like that or am I just a lazy wot-sit and need to give myself a good talking to and shake myself out of it?

I completely failed to do a midweek catch up blog post (again) but I have however made two cards, including the one for today's Daring Cardmakers challenge.  Just as well I found the willpower to do it though as its my turn to set the challenge this week!

 "Deckchair Stripes and Sunny Dots

I've been using small areas of spots and stripes on loads of my cards lately, especially in a simple Black and White combo, often just to mat my sentiment on, as a 'foil' for all the other colours.
So this week I'd like to see lots of spots. stripes or both on your cards please
Use paper, paints, inks, stencils, stamps.... Make them however you like and whatever colours or sizes you like"

 Click HERE to see this week's fabulous DT inspiration

 

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This is another of my current fave 'fat rectangle
 cards.  It started out as a 15cm square smooth white card blank, but I cut about a 2cm strip from the side to make this shape
I taped a Crafters Workshop 'Polka Dots' stencil onto the card then spent some time filling in all the polka dots with a lot of different coloured inks applied with rolled up scraps of used wet wipes - I save any used wipes that aren't covered with ink or paint to reuse for this kind of ink job
Next I coloured a piece of spare card with yellow and peachy shades and when dry die cut the petals for my big flower (Dies by Tonic Studios).
I added polka dots to the petals by taping them to the reverse of the stencil and applying Nuvo coral embellishing mousse with another scrap of wet wipe. 
A strip of Black and White diagonal striped card was glued across the card, then the flower adhered in place. 
The 'HELLO ' letters were die cut from gold glitter card and glued to as strip of black card. I decided it didn't look right placed straight across, so glued it down at an angle instead. 

To finish, I punched a small gold glitter card circle to use as the centre of the flower

That's all for today, Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I really love seeing your messages - and I'd love it if you'd join in with us this week!!

Happy Crafting, and please Stay Safe

Happy Hello

Hi there
Today I've banished Mrs Angry from the room and I'm not going to rant about Covid-19 stuff.  We're in a tricky position and our economy has to rebuild, I just hope that we can live very carefully through the next weeks and months.

 Its not over and we need to stay vigilant and show respect for those who are maintaining caution and social distancing.
Here's Svenja with this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge: 

 "Can you believe we're halfway through this crazy year already? And of course for the start of a new month we do have a new moodboard for you:
I guess I went a bit crazy when I got everything together for the photograph - but I do hope that you will find this a fun theme and just right for the summer holidays after all.

Please use at least 3 elements from the picture.
Colours count as one element only."

 Click HERE to see this week's fabulous DT inspiration

 

It was hard to decide which direction to go in with this one, there was so much choice! Part of me wanted to go down the Paris route - especially as I have hose little 'buttons' from the picture in my own stash.  But I loved these colours and they aren't ones I use very often so in the end I decided to use those as my starting point, adding in the honeycomb pattern and the stars as elements two and three. Here's what I came up with

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To make the fat rectangle shaped card I cut 1.5 strip from the side of a smooth white card blank.   
For some reason this is my current favourite shape to use - not quite square, but not too narrow a rectangle! 
I used a Crafters Workshop honeycomb stencil and a couple of shades of yellow ink to add some colour to the card, then added some greens and aquas too
Using various inks and embellishing mousse I coloured a piece of card, adding some stencilled hexagons over the top once it was dry.  I chose the section I liked best to cut a wavy panel to go across the card blank 
The 'Scribbled Circles, small flowers (both Tonic Studios) and the stars (various dies sets and punches) were all cut from the remainder of the inked card. 
Using the black and white sentiment and little banners brings balance to the LO.
To finish I added a B&W twine bow and a few silvery gems

That's all for today, Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I really love seeing your messages!

Happy Crafting, and please Stay Safe

2 Masculine Birthday Cards

Hi there

I've another 'catch-up' to share today.  These were both made for May birthdays, so my catching up isn't a quick process!

I was really pleased with how this one turned out, and how simple it was to make!  I bought a few new stencils a while back and this was one of them.  I love how versatile it is and can see it being used or birthdays, Christmas and any thing else that needs some celebratory stars!

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I washi-taped the stencil (stencil by Funky Fossil) directly onto the card blank, then used various lime, blue and aqua inks through it.  Next I stencilled a few silver stars using stencil paint.

The HAPPY letters were die cut using a Lawn Fawn alphabet set and I cut a narrow strip in the same aqua card for the letters to sit on, then home made decal 'birthday' sticker under the line.

To finish I punched and die cut a few different sized stars from silver and matching colours of card to adhere randomly on the starry swirl - also handy for covering and really blotchy stencilled ones!

It was definitely quicker to make than this next one, which took me ages, but doesn't look half as effective.  A pity both cards were for the same household really or I could just have made 2 of the same design!

 Beer Bottle card

Info:

Kraft base card, pale cream panel with rounded edges, and hand drawn scribble lines in gold pen.
Patterned papers from my stash cut into banners, twine threads at the top. Beer bottles are die cut using a Joanna Sheen die,  and the bottle carrier is actually the tool box from a Spellbinders set
'Celebrate' is also a Spellbinders die, cut in blue and gold card then layered in off-set fashion
The 'your birthday' is another home made decal sticker.

That's it, thank you for visiting today, I hope you'll leave a message before you go - I do love to know what you think!

Happy Crafting, Stay Safe

 

3D project - Card Presentation Bag

Hi there
Okay, I can't help it, I'm feeling very angry right now, so here comes a rant
  All these weeks, most of us have taken the warnings on board, stayed away from our loved ones and changed our plans, all to try and keep this virus from our doors and the doors of those we care about.  Difficult decisions have been made by us all, holidays cancelled, special celebrations cancelled or postponed, including my lovely nephew and his fiancee's August wedding. 
And yet it seems that a great proportion of our fellow Brits have absolutely no regard for anyone - including themselves.  
I'm totally disgusted by them.  I don't know how to express the contempt I have for them. They must be Morons

But anyway, I'm sure you, Lovely Reader are not in that group - how are you feeling - I hope you are keeping safe and well, and now more than ever taking care about where you go and who you meet up with. 💕💕💕

A few weeks back Miri set the Daring Cardmakers challenge and asked us to make cards for Special, or Big Occasions.  It worked out quite well for me as I'd just been asked to make a 90th birthday card.  It was quite a bulky card with a big peony flower in the lower corner, so I thought it would be a good idea to make some kind of presentation bag/box rather than just a regular envelope.
This time it was Dawn's challenge that came in handy!

LET'S GO 3D
For this week's challenge I would like to see
your 3D projects. So please share your gift bags,
boxes and other 3D projects with us!

 Click HERE to see this week's fabulous DT inspiration
 

 

Basically this is the same as a gift bag, but I added a flap with a narrow fold at the top to create a closure.

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 The lovely peony digital papers are a download from Alphabet Store via Etsy, I also made some matching designs to use for the labels

The main patterned curved layer was cut with a die from a Spellbinders set, this piece was then attached over the main gift bag section and decorated with a layered butterfly (Hunkydory).  

For the flapover section, I used another piece of dotted card with one edge shaped using an Oval die (Tonic Studios).

Matching holes were punched in the front of the bag and  the flapover and a silver ribbon added to seal it.

To complete I added a pc generated label, and a hanging tag from the same striped and dotted papers.  The 'S' was cut in the same shiny pink card as the upper layer of the butterfly

You can see the card this presentation bag was made for HERE

That's all for today, Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I really love seeing your messages!

Happy Crafting, and please Stay Safe

Music themed 18th Birthday plus a Gift Card Pocket

Hi there

I've another 'catch-up' to share today.  

This time a card and a little giftcard/cash wallet both made for the 18th birthday of the youngest of our nephews.  We must be old if all our nieces and nephews have celebrated their 18ths!

Some time ago the lovely Svenja issued a Daring Cardmakers challenge to use sheet music on our cards. It gave me the idea for this one, I found a downloadable copy of the 'Happy Birthday to You' music and tweaked it a little in Paint Shop Pro to personalise it.

For the patterned papers I resized several Black, White and Grey patterns so they could be printed in small sizes

Info:

White square card blank 
Sheet Music printed in Black and White
Circle dies used to 'make' a vinyl record
Digits cut in silver and black card using my Silhouette Cameo 
Stars and twirl embellishments die cut from silver card
Patterned paper banner pieces hand cut and adhered over black and white twine. 

Wallet for Gift Card, Cash etc

G

Info: Grey and White digital papers printed onto white Bazzill card and folded to create the pocket.  Second printed design added for the flap.  The twine was threaded through holes at the back then wrapped around and tied at the front.
The sentiment is also pc generated.  

Thank you for visiting today, I hope you'll leave a message before you go - I do love to know what you think!

Happy Crafting, Stay Safe

 

Bags of Style

Hi there

I hope you are keeping well and staying safe. I can't help feeling that with everything starting to open up I want to take even more precautions, not less.  So many people think its all over and they can behave just as they used to do - and that makes me want to stay away from shops etc, not go into them!
 

Remember when you used to dress up for a posh night out and spend hours on hair, make up, glitzy frocks etc?  No, nor do I 😂😂 but hey, we've seen the pictures so we know what Ruth is getting at for this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge!

  GLAMOROUS
This week's host, Ruth is looking for some panache

 and pizzazz!
Get Glam and Glitzy and show us whatever makes you 

feel like a movie star!

Click HERE to see this week's fabulous DT inspiration
 

Well, not having a glamorous bone in my body, I struggled this week and there were a couple of false starts before I hot on the idea of making a handbag card

The bag shape is quite simple, its just a long strip of card with a few folds. This diagram provides a guide, just decide what dimensions you want for the front of the bag and make your calculations from there

 
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Black Bazzill card for the bag, folded as in the diagram.

Extra black card cut to size for the embossed panels (Swirls Embossing Folder by Cuttlebug) 

Gold panels cut abt 0.5cm larger than the embossed panels. then all these panels glued in place on front and back of bag. 

Next I cut a rectangle about 2cms wider than the front flap of decorative paper (Meet Me in Paris by DCWV)  As this piece extends over the folding section its a  good idea to make matching creases in it before lining up and adhering in place.

I added a gold strip to the lower edge of the flap.

Next I made a couple of tassels from the 'flap' paper and some glitter paper, and a gold tag (plus one in white for adding a tiny sentiment). These were attached to the back of a gold die cut and embossed shape (Spellbinders) before gluing in place. All my detail elements are die cut - its amazing what you can find to use for these when you look through your die collection!  You could also use large brads, jewels, charms etc.

It's much easier to make than it looks, and I'd love you to have ago and let me know how you get on.

That's all for today, Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I really love seeing your messages!

Happy Crafting, and Stay Safe

Blooming Big

Hi there

I slipped 'off the wagon' of mid-week blogging for a while (again), but I'm 

back trying to catch up with sharing some things that I haven't 

got round to showing on here yet.

This time its a birthday card with a lovely big flower and some

gorgeous new swirly accents!

Info:

White square card blank 

Background: Crafters Workshop little circles stencil, Tonic Embellishing paste in shades of turquoise, gold and lime green

Black and white striped card strip and sentiment were created on the pc and printed onto white card 

The gorgeous flower was die cut (Tonic Studios) from turquoise card, then I used a finger to add some of the gold Tonic Embellishing paste in what I hope gives a 'distressed' appearance to the petals!

The swirly accents are also from a Tonic Studios die set.  I cut them from a piece of card I'd used for another project.  It had been inked and rubbed with embellishing paste to add a pretty sheen.

That's all for today - short and sweet!  I can do that when I try really heard, you see 😉
Thank You so much for visiting,
i hope you'll leave a comment, I really love seeing your messages!

Happy Crafting, and Stay Safe