Christmas doves

These beautiful doves are a stamp set from Sparkle n Sprinkle called Christmas doves.  These were part of their November release I was lucky enough to win.  The doves were stamped on basic white cardstock using olive archival ink from Ranger. Image was cut out with the largest die from Spellbinders labels 25. The image was then inked with broken china distress ink while the card was still in the die. The Christmas doves was then stamped again on X-press It blending card and the doves and holly were coloured with copic markers. The doves were then covered in embossing ink and heat embossed with Judikins iridescent sparkle embossing powder and the holly with plain clear embossing powder. The doves and holly were fussy cut, shaped and popped over the original stamped image with silicon.  The stamped image was mounted on a 15cm square card over the blue ribbon (I have absolutely no idea of the source of this ribbon other than that it came out of my blue ribbon jar).  The glittery corners were cut from the My Favourite things four corners die-namics using double sided adhesive paper which was adhered to some scraps of card. The top release paper was removed and some fine turquoise glitter was rubbed into the adhesive. I think the glitter was a Martha Stewart glitter. Finally  the Spellbinders ribbon banner was cut from plain white cardstock inked with the broken china distress ink (but more lightly) and stamped with a sentiment from the same Christmas doves stamp set.

Thank you for looking,

 

 

I would like to enter this card in the following challenge

 

Sparkle n Sprinkle creative challenges for December -use loose glitter, embossing powder and/or flocking

Cheers Linda

Timeless Tuesday - Lets Get in Shape

I created the following card for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #253 . Katie Simms of the Friends of Flourishes design team set the challenge this time and its Get into shape ie create a shaped card  (no exercise or dieting necessary).  I was lucky enough to be a winner in Flourishes December release challenge and won three gorgeous stamp sets - yes 3 - I was so excited I can tell you.  As they arrived in my mailbox the other day I thought I would use some of them for this challenge. I chose the plane and the cute little banner from the Lots of Thought set. This set has an amazing array of images and sentiments for loads of occasions.

I used an image from Bird Cards - loads of free images and cut files.  I printed the image and used it as a templates to cut out a white card base that I then layered with the blue card and checked paper, which is from one of Kaisercraft's older collections - Loire Valley.  The clouds are the Marshmallow Clouds die from Memory Box which I then embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss dots folder.  The plane and banner were stamped on X-Press it blending card and coloured with copics.  I will yet again apologise for the crappy photo. I think I need to see up a lighted area for photos as I'm always crafting at night and never have a chance to take daylight photos. As always thank you very much for checking out my blog.

I wish it were Summer!

There appears to be quite a few challenges out in blogland with a summery theme.  It's a bit depressing as we have started to get out first real wintery days here.  Not that it gets really cold here, but I'm a sook and don't want to get out of bed if the temperature falls below double figures.  In degrees celcius that is, if it was below 10 fahrenheit I'd be a solid block of ice. So to warm up I dreamed of summer and created this card.

The background is Tim Holtz distress inks sponged directly onto the card background.  The stamps are all from a Papermania acrylic set called Summerbloom.  The hammock was coloured by using my Marvy Markers directly on the stamp (very fiddely), then I gave it a very light spritz and stamped, with mixed success. I did try a little tidy up with a washbrush. Might just try the Tim Holtz "Huff on it" next time. Rubber might have worked better with this technique too.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show  Summer Holiday.  (Wish I was lazing is a hammock in the sun not coughing and hugging the fire.)

Wags n Whiskers Rubber Stamps Summer Fun. (Summer is definitely more fun than winter.)

Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge Here Comes Summer. (Not for a while for me though boohoo)

Paper Play Challenges Summer Lovin. (Not a lot of lovin' goin' on around here in the contagion castle were both down with the flu)

Through the Craftroom Door  Photo Inspiration. (The photo with the cushions on the window seat actually made me think of this stamp, with all the cushions on the hammock)

For Your Inspiration Photo Inspiration. (I tried to replicate a beautiful sunset in the background behind the hammock stamp.  I did say tried!)

Cupcake Craftroom Photo Inspiration. (The fruit, especially the watermelon made me think of summer, and I tried to replicate the colours in the card).

I think it is beddy-byes for me.  Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow without a head full of snot. Cheers for now, Linda

Die(cutt)ing

It's been a week today since this virus started and I'm still feeling like death warmed up!  Now the other half has got it and boy is he cranky!  So I thought while I'm on one of the Codral highs that I would slip into the craft room, away from his accusing eyes and get creative.  On the Southern Girls Challenge Blog they have a diecut challenge. So I thought I would give it a go.  Phew!! I didn't realise how much energy it took to run a few dies through the cuttlebug.  I'm exhausted now. Below is my entry into their challenge.  The border around the edge is the Spellbinders Elegant Posts trimmed to make the frame.  The other dies are all Nellie's Mulitframe dies.  The little birdy image on the inchie is a Dover image I fussy cut. All the inking is Tim Holtz distressing with a bit of glimmermist on the border.

I'd also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Hotshot Craft Blog  Diecut Challenge

I think it might be time for a nap or maybe some therapeutic colouring of a nice stamp image, cheers for now, Linda.

Pretty Shabby

I've been feeling pretty shabby over the last week. The flu has kept me confined pretty much to bed, so what else was I going to do but surf around the net looking at inspirational blogs.  I found this fantastic site The Shabby Tea Room full of absolute creative beauty. As my symptoms have slowly begun to subside and I'm able to actually sit up at my desk I thought I might take all that inspiration and see if I could meet some challenges from blog land. The following card I produced for The Shabby Tea Room "garden party" challenge.  My first ever entry into the Tea Rooms challenges and also my first outside of a forum or ning. I had no idea there were so many inspirational challenge blogs out there.

The inspiration for the challenge was the following photo and it also required a dimensional flower or flowers.

I would also like to enter my card  in the following challenges

The Ribbon Reel challenge Spring colours Challenge
oozak Spring colours Challenge
Cute Card Thursday Pink and Green Challenge
City Crafter  A Rose is a Rose Challenge
Party Time Tuesdays Vintage or Shabby Chic
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog Vintage/Shabby Chic

The following card is my entry for the A2Z Scraplets Colour Challenge. I embosed the Scraplets chippie by running it through the Cuttlebug with the script folder beofore inking and spraying with glimmermist. The majority of the background papers are Kaisercraft.

The pretty colour palette for this challenge is below.