CAS santa

Hi, today feels like a stamp-y day, so I'm going to do some stamping. I played around with some stamps, and finally settled on this
~ Ü ~

Yup, another card using the sketch from Less is More, although it's rotated 180 degrees. This time using the colours from PDCC #101.

Isn't this just asking for something grungy? 

Well, normally that's what I would do. 

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I might play again another day, but today, yours truly felt like breaking out of the box. (Look ma, no dies!) And brought out colour pencils and aquabrush.

This photo has come out very blueish. The base is actually a creamy colour (more like above). The santa and sentiment stamps are from Papermania. Medallion stamp from Viva Decor. Ink is chestnut roan from colorbox.

Also linking up with Stampin' Royalty - Keep it Simple, Sweetie!

Thanks for stopping by!

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wood you?

This is my second entry this week for Less is More. Nothing like a little practice on holding back and keeping a bit (or a lot!) of white space.

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okay, the pic is a bit skewed . . . the card is not!

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A simple pun, using the sketch from Less is More, and the colours from Cards und More #37 - red, brown & beige. I'm using the same colours for The Crazy Challenge - 3 colours of your choice. It fits the theme, so I'm also linking it up with Crafty Creations Challenges #137 CAS.

 I'm feeling a bit sepia'ed out by my previous project, and wanted to use some red. And what comes naturally for red, but a heart. The dies and embossing folder are all from sizzix. Inks are DIs in antique linen, fired brick and vintage photo. The sentiment is printed in dark brown.

It's not Valentine's yet, but hey, why not?

Thanks for stopping by!

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steampunk key ring

It's the last week of steampunk at Make My Monday. This week they want anything but a card.
I have a key ring for this challenge.
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I had a real blast playing with inks and paint for this project.

It's a chunky sandwich of linoleum, corrugated cardboard and acetate. Except for the acetate and brads, all other materials are recycled.

The linoleum is cut from what used to be a table cover. It got torn in a couple of places, and as time goes by, the rips got longer and longer. I used that for the clock topmost layer. Don't you just love steel rule dies? The lino has been coloured with alcohol inks.

The centre portion is a circle of acetate. Originally, I wanted to use embossed acetate for that. However, after inking, the embossed effect got lost.  So I decided to settle for a text stamp, instead.

The cogs on the clock side is cut from corrugated cardboard, and layered with the inked acetate from earlier. The clock hands are also corrugated cardboard, but heat embossed in copper. A little cog keeps them clear from the acetate cogs, and lets the hands move freely. There is a brad that runs through nearly all the layers in the centre.

The bits and bobs on the other side are cut from cardboard boxes. They have been embossed, inked with DIs, and highlighted with gold acrylic paint.
I like it that they look like metal. Really nice and busy.
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The brad legs have been hidden under one of the cogs, and another brad with short legs have been glued into place. Rhys wants this key ring, so he's got his name on it.

All dies are from sizzix, and the embossing folder is from cuttlebug. Text stamp from Viva Decor.

Challenges :

Simon Says . . . Anything goes

CES Challenge Blog - Recycle

Ruby's Rainbow - For the Boys

Simon Says Stamp & Show Men Only

Make My Monday - Steampunk Anything but a Card

Thanks for stopping by!

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cat and music

A super quick card today.

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This was based on the sketch from papercraft star & the music inspiration from City Crafter Challenge Blog.

The embossing folders are both from cuttlebug. I thought they look cute together.

The musical notes base is matted on black. The sides are created with an xcut border punch, and edged in vintage photo & antique linen DIs.

The cat image is embossed on a spellbinders nestie die cut. The mat is handcut. It is so convenient to trace the outline of the die. I've added the ribbon for a bit of whimsy. It's actually cream-coloured, but the glare from the lighting has made it come out white, as has the button.

This ia a cheery lynn die cut. It has been coloured by spreading on Viva Decor pearl pens. The centre is gold, and the edge is a mix of gold and dark brown. 

Added some bling to the card, and whalla! Done!

Other challenges

Simon Says Stamp Dies to Die For

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Creature Comforts

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Animals

Flutterby Wednesday - Open

Dream Valley Challenges - buttons

Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful - The Beauty of Colour

Thanks for stopping by!

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CAS sweet treat

Oh, so CAS today!

This must be the card with the most white space I've ever produced!

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This card is a combo of several challenges . . .

The sketch is from Less is More.

The colours from the photo inspiration at The (paper) Trail Makers 

(second photo - white, brown and teal).

The choice of image from 365 Cards - Day 207.

CAS-ual Fridays wants 3 shades of colour (plus brown), so I've got three scoops! 

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The dies are from sizzix, the folder is cuttlebug, and the stamp is from docrafts forever friends, using chestnut roan chalk ink from colorbox.

Thanks for stopping by!

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vintage in PDCC #100 colours

The layout is done using the colours from PDCC #100 

and I am again using the sketch from Cute Card Thursday.

This whole page will later be adhered onto a friend's deco which is simply themed vintage. I hope she'll like this.

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The misted base is stamped with Viva decor corner flourishes, and edged with DIs. The main image is distressed, inked and stitched onto a spellbinders nestie diecut. It is layered over a strip of lace which sits on a half-moon of gathered crepe paper. The embellies are stitched on, and I added some bling as well.

Other challenges

Simon Says Dies to Die For

Sarah Hurley Challenge 50 - Vintage

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #13 - stitching

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge 112 - Distressing

 The Crafty Pad Challenge #139 - Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

I have to apologise for the poor quality of the photo. The colours have not come out well. I guess the sun must have been too strong. It looks pretty washed-out, esp in the bottom half, and even the creamy tint on the lace is completely glared out.

Thanks for stopping by!

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b+w cas card

Going simple for today.

Less is More is aiming for 1000 entries and here is mine.

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Someone requested a simple black & white card with those exact wording. I used a Cute Card Thursday sketch for the layout, but stretched it 

to fit a rectangular card.

The background is embossed with a CB folder, with a half-moon of textured wall paper. The ribbons are satin layered over grosgrain. The lacey square is a spellbinders nestie.

And as a tip . . . if you're using wallpaper, do not use double-sided tape. In a few weeks, it will completely detach. There will be an oily stain where 

the tape used to be.

Challenges

Cute Card Thursday - sketch

Less is More - Anything Goes

Truly Scrumptious - clean & simple

Top Tip Tuesday - 1 for the kids

Simon Says Dies to Die For

Thanks for stopping by!

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vintage white

It's another vintage offering today . . .

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The Shabby Tea Room has a vintage white challenge. Taking inspiration from this photo,  I created this easel card

I see soft, rustic whites, rich textures and light, billowing curtains . . . And I tried to incorporate that into this creation.

The card base is a square of wall paper which I've stitched onto the card. It has been simply embellished with a strip of stitched on ribbon and lace. The main focal point is a handmade ribbon flower, and a frame for added interest.

A close-up view of the flower. I have made this from gathered lace & ribbons and finished with a rolled ribbon rose & stamens. The leaves are cut from lace fabric.

 

 The frame is made from two layers of chipboard which are cut with SB nesties. It is embossed, painted white, then topped with rock candy crackle paint. The inset picture is a vintage print.

 The inside of the card. I recreated the notion of the mantelpiece with the frame over the base border. Again, the border is wallpaper with ribbon & lace. The "wall" is embossed using a papermania folder. 

The frame is white chipboard coated with crackle paint. The space within the frame is lightly stamped with a Viva Decor medallion stamp, and is meant for the sentiment.

Challenges for this card :

The Shabby Tea Room - vintage white

Stampalot Challenge - it's a frame up

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #85 - lots of layers

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #69 - Sew Simple

Simon Says Dies to Die For

Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful - The Beauty of Colour

Thanks for stopping by!

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vintage heart

For today's challenges, I'm aiming for a vintage creation using sentiment as a main focus, as opposed to printed vintage photos.

The original layout started off with a Card Patterns sketch. However, it has evolved quite a bit in the process. I wonder whether the original sketch is still recognisable?

 I've used brown lace for one of the panels. However, it looked so heavy that I layered sheer ribbon over it, and finished with a bow & a vintage button.

The sentiment is computer-generated. I used a sizzix heart die for the sentiment, and removed the sub frame. The outer scalloped border is embossed with a CB folder. I stamped a medallion on the heart, then edged it with a flourish stamp. All the stamps are Viva Decor.

It's paying along with a slew of challenges :

City Crafter Challenge Blog, The Shabby Tea Room, Crafts & Me, The (paper) Trail Makers, 365 cards Day 198, Hooked on Crafts, stamps & fun = creativity, Deep Ocean,Cute Card Thursday, PaperPlay Challenges

Thanks for looking!

 ~ Ü ~

paper-pieced cupcakes

Today's card is a combo of three challenges. There's a picture inspiration from Stampin' Royalty, which I combined with the sketch from Cards & More

and used a cupcake stamp for KB Cute Monday.

Using a papermania stamp, I created a paper-pieced image. It's not an easy stamp to colour, so I think I did okay with this.

 I used a mixture of printed and textured papers with the stamp, then cut and pieced them together. I thought it looked rather flat, so I added highlights on some elements, using a glittery gelly roll pen, stickles and gloss gel. I wanted more depth, so out came the waterbrush and pencils as well.

The image sits on an inked & embossed base. The edges of the card is also inked and the whole thing is finished off with punched flowers, swirls, buttons & gold twine!

I had a lot of fun doing this, and would probably do this again some other time.

Thanks for looking!

~ Ü ~

vintage sailors

A vintage sailors deco today.

This was created for a swap. It was based on the photo inspiration from The Shabby Tea Room.

A deco has to be relatively flat as it travels by mail. Each participant creates one page in the booklet, and when it is full, it is sent home to the owner.

The background is embossed with a CB folder, then lavishly inked in vintage photo DI. I love the way the embossing comes out more prominent than the rather garish colours of the paper.

Challenges for this creation:

The (paper) Trail Makers, The Shabby Tea Room, The Pink Elephant, Papercraft Star, Creative Inspirations, Cute Card Thursday, Paperplay, Prairie Fairy Fridays

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Ü ~

say it with birds & flowers

Another post today. This is a page entry I made in a deco for M in Jordan. The theme is "say it with birds & flowers".The deco is now sitting in a postbox, waiting to go to another friend, and when all the pages are done, will be sent home to M.

The sentiment stamp (embossed in copper) is from Papermania and the corner flourish stamps are from Viva Decor. I've used an assortment of dies; Sizzix (birdcage, bird, tag), spellbinders (scalloped circle, leaf, six-petal flower), cuttlebug (small flower & leaves on tag), lifestyle crafts (looped circle), and a dovecraft punch (large flower). I have signed my name on the underside of the tiny tag.

Challenges for this creation :

The Stamp Man, stamps & fun = creativity, Papertake Weekly, Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT, Everybody-art-challenge, The Sisterhood of Crafters, Papercraft Star, Cute Card Thursday, Paperplay, Terrifically Thrilling Thursday, Jellypark Friends, allsorts, Quirky Crafts, addicted to stamps.

Thanks for stopping by!

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steampunk tag

I have no idea why I'm doing this. I'm not really enamoured with steampunk, and yet, i find myself creating this tag. Probably guilty justification for having all these dies and folders . . .

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It's not the easiest thing to do when one does not have a single steampunk-related stamp! Fortunately Lord Tim came to the rescue with this :

 The airplane, clock face and globe images are from The Graphics Fairy. I've fashioned a chipboard gear clock of sorts and coated it with rock candy crackle paint, and attached with a brad. Some of the gears are also treated with the same, and others with glossy accent.

 Soar! is die cut and then topped with glossy accent. The background is embossed with sizzix TH and CB clockworks folders, using some old structural notepaper I found. I had a lavish time with DIs (antique linen, vintage photo and walnut stain), inking virtually everything in sight. ~ Ü ~

 

Challenges for this tag :

Make My Monday, Simon Says Stamp & Show, Lollipop Crafts, Kaboodle Doodles, Fashionable Stamping Challenges & Charisma Cardz.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Ü ~

blues & beige

A relatively simple card today.

Not quite my usual layer upon layer of distressed papers.

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I'm playing along with the colour challenges over at Papercraft Star & PDCC. The colours are not exactly my usual palette, either. No browns, just blues and a nice, clean beige background . . .

 

The challenge at Papercraft Star is to use either two, three or four colours. I chose to use navy, aqua and neutral.

These SB die cut flowers were cut from navy cs, and highlighted with liquid pearl. Liquid pearl has also been spread onto the petals to give it a shine. The sizzix leaves were treated with the same. The background is embossed with a swirly papermania ef. The butterflies are peel offs.

Other challenges linked are Crafty Ann's, CCCB, The Paper Shelter, Flutter by Wednesday (sorry, no pink though), Delightful Challenges, Allsorts, and 365 Cards - Day 191.

steampunk atc

There's a brand new theme for Make My Monday for September - steampunk! The first challenge for this week is ATCs, and I'm so honoured to be given the opportunity to be a guest dt for the week.

 So much so that I made two!

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Not that steampunk is everyone's cup of tea, but do head over there to see the lovely samples from the dt.

I'm entering these into the challenge over at Papercraft Star and Secret Crafter.