Leaves of Time

There are some gorgeous images at Leaves of Time which are free to use for personal use. I downloaded a few, and had a go at a card with one of them:

I used a brayer for the sky and sand, and coloured the boat with promarkers. I was hoping to make this a CAS card, but I think it looks a bit unfinished. I might have found the perfect excuse to buy another Lavinia stamp:

I reckon this stamp would finish off the card perfectly! But finished or not, I'm entering this in The Crazy Challenge 'Colour Combo' challenge, and the Simon Says Stamp 'Anything Goes' challenge.

World Card Making Day!

Apparently, it's World Card Making Day tomorrow, and Lili of the Valley are doing a give-away to celebrate. Please go HERE to find out more!

Digistamp Freebie from Just Some Lines

Hi!

I made a couple of simple cards with a really cute flowers digi from Just Some Lines

I added some liquid pearls and glitter, and a bit of ribbon.

I'm entering these in the Heart Song Inspirations 'Use Ribbon And/Or a Tag' challenge, and the Simon Says Stamp 'Anything Goes' challenge.

Autumnal Colours

Hi! There seem to be lots of lovely Autumn colours around at the moment, and a fair few Autumn challenges! I've had a go at some Autumn cards, using Sweet Pea stamps.

Here's one I made for the Sweet Pea Stampers 'Fall Colors' challenge:
Note: 'Fall Colors' is American for 'Autumnal Colours'  ;-)

I coloured with promarkers, and used stickles on her wings. The punched flowers have gold liquid pearls for centres. The backing paper is from the DCWV Once Upon A Time stack.


Here's a card I made with another Sweet Pea stamp. I'm entering this in the Scrapbook Sisters 'Autumn Colours' challenge:

I'm not sure the midnight blue background really works with the Autumn colours, but I wasn't sure how else to portray a night sky! Maybe I should've tried to make it a sunset!


I tried again with this stamp, and used a lighter sky colour. I'm entering this in the 4 Crafty Chicks 'Fall / Autumn' challenge:

Beautiful New Heart Stamp!

Hiya!

The other day I saw a beautiful card at  Andie's Space, and completely fell in love with the stamp. So much for saving up for the NEC Hobbycraft Fair... I found the stamp online and bought it. It is really gorgeous, and will be perfect for wedding cards, anniversaries and valentines day! Ok, I'm trying to justify it, but it is lovely.

I've had a go at colouring and embellishing it, and keeping the rest of the card simple and plain, as it's a very ornate stamp. It has a red border, and I've left it without a sentiment, so it can be used for anything.

I'm entering this in:
Truly Scrumptious 'Clean & Simple'
The Paper Shelter 'Anything Goes'
Heart Song Inspirations 'Use the color orange and/or Buttons'
Allsorts 'Keep it Simple'

Here are a couple more I made, as anniversary cards, in blues & purples:

The Dark Side

Hi! I made this card for the Cupcake Craft Challenge 'The Darkside', partly because I really LOVE purple & black together, and partly because it makes me think of the Tim Minchin song 'Dark Side', which makes me laugh!

I love the Lavinia stamps, but I haven't quite got the hang of the way Tracey Dutton uses Liquid Pearls with glitter. It looks stunning on her creations, but I only seem to get a blobby mess! But at least the liquid pearls lighten the card a bit, as there is a lot of purple and black going on!

I'm also entering this card in the Flutterby Wednesday challenge

Unicorns, I Love Them

Hi! I made this unicorn card yesterday. I still need to work on using the brayer properly, but I love these backgrounds, despite the inky mess I end up with, all over me and the craft table! I used Lavinia stamps and Stampin' Up inks.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
Papertake - 'Creature Comforts'
Crafty Sentiments - 'Happy Birthday'
Anything Goes - 'Anything Goes'
Stamptacular - 'Just Sayin’!'

More Fairies!

Hiya!

I'm so pleased that I made a few cards in the last couple of days, I'm over-blogging today, to try to make up for not posting for ages...

Here's a fairy card - I love fairies!

I'm entering this one in a couple of challenges:

Lexi's Creations - 'A Card for a Child'

Top Tip Tuesday - 'One for the Kids'

And here's another fairy card, using one of my favourite images from Sweet Pea Stamps:

I love blues and soft browns together, and am entering this card in the Sweet Pea Stampers 'Favourite Colours' challenge.

On the subject of fairies, I saw a link on  Coldwaters2's blog for some lovely fairy / pixie stamps here:

I might need to start making up a Christmas Wish List.

Inkadinkado Stamps Again

Hi again! Here's another card I made with one of the Inkadinkado stamps. I masked the frame around it before brayering this time, to make a single layer card. I used Lavinia stamps for the flowers around the edge.

I'm entering it in The Secret Crafter 'ONE LAYER CARD' challenge, The Crafty Pad Designs 'DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS BEST FRIEND' challenge, and the  Less is More 'Anything CAS Goes' challenge. I'm hoping the big white border will make it CAS enough for LIM :)

More Brayering

Hi! I made this card with my new Inkadinkado stamp set, and my Lavinia cherry blossom stamp. I used stickles on the flowers to add a bit of sparkle.

I'm entering this card in By The Cute & Girly Challenges 'ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL' challenge.

Loving the Tree Stamp!

Hiya! Here's another couple of cards using my new tree stamp. I've been trying the brayer out again. I find it really difficult and very messy, but I love the effect of brayered backgrounds :)

I'm entering this one in The Crazy Challenge 'Men Only' challenge.

I'm entering this one in the The Squirrel and The Fox 'Anything Goes' challenge.


I showed these cards to my other half, to get some feedback, and he said the stamp was a bit pointless, but the background was nice! Well, at least he likes my attempts at brayering, I suppose. I was lucky to get any sort of compliment. One night when the girls were round for a card making night, he walked in and said; "oh, good. You're all sticking bits of card to other bits of card.' He really doesn't appreciate our efforts!!!

New Inkadinkado Utopiary Stamps

Hiya! Found myself on eBay again, and bought more stamps :-s  Really fell in love with these stamps from Inkadinkado:

I've been playing around, wondering how to use them. I made this one first, and have entered it in the Less is More 'Anything CAS Goes' challenge. I hope it's CAS enough :-s 

I have also entered it in The Crazy Challenge 'Men Only' challenge. I struggle with cards for men, but I think this one is quite masculine, despite the gold threads... it's so hard not to add bling!!!

Things with Wings

Hiya! Finally managed to get some card making done, and had a good time just mucking about with stamps and inks :)

Inspired by all the challenges my friend Linda enters, I decided to have a go at Papertake's Things With Wings . I tried to enter last night, but my internet connection died, so I hope I'm not too late...

I'm still trying to get the hang of using a brayer, and sponging edges. I was smothered in inks by the time I finished this! I used Lavinia stamps, Stampin' Up &  Adirondack inks and DCWV Once Upon A Time backing paper.

I'm also entering this in The Squirrel and The Fox 'Anything Goes' challenge, and The Paper Shelter 'Fairies and Elves' challenge.

Missing making beads and cards

Haven't been on here for a while, mainly because I haven't made anything recently. I've been ill since the beginning of July, and can't wait to get my operation over with, so I can get back to making and melting things!

However, I am very lucky to have wonderful family and friends, who have been visiting a lot, and keeping me sane :)  This week we had a girly card making night, where more gossipping than cards was done, but it was good to have such wonderful company :) I made a card, but it was a joint effort - Linda's design, and Lou inked all the edges!

Linda made a couple of very pretty cards:

Her blog is here: Crafty Distraction

I haven't made any glass beads for months, and I really miss it. These are the last ones I made, back in May & June:

So because I haven't actually done anything for ages, I've posted photos of cards Linda made, and beads I made ages ago :)

Crafty Distraction's Open House

Had a wonderful time at Crafty Distraction's Open House yesterday. Had a go with lots of different Stampin' Up stamps, inks and card - gorgeous stuff! I'm going to have to put in another order soon.

I made a couple of cards and a couple of little notelets:

Thanks, Linda! It was a really great day!

Less Is More One Layer Challenge - Sentiment Focus

I've been having a go at a challenge for the first time in ages - the Less Is More One Layer Challenge.

Inspired by Linda (Crafty Distraction), I dug out my tapestry stamps. I'm not very good at getting a clean result with them, as I tend to over-use them, but I'm quite pleased with this card. I cut a large stencil for the lettering, stamped with Card-io stamps, and used stickles on the flowers.

Craft Day at Linda's

Had a wonderful time with Linda & Kelly at Linda's craft day yesterday! Made 3 cards with wire flowers:

Using my NEC purchases

Finally starting to use my Lavinia stamps! I keep buying some every time I go to the Hobbycraft Fair at the NEC, but have never really used them before.

Definitely need more practise, but I'm quite pleased with my first few attempts :)