Gone Fishin'

Our eldest grandson spends a great deal of time sitting on a riverbank with his maternal grandfather fishing, so this stamp from Stamp Addicts seemed appropriate for his tenth birthday card together with a log book to record his catch or even the one that got away!

If you want to make the effect of ripples on water use a woodgrain mask, it works a treat.

Card Recipe
Card
Xerox Colortech+ white card
Cream hemp card from Craft Creations
Brown card
Green card
Stamps
Stamp Addicts - Gone Fishin' SA-5013
Inks
Distress Inks - Pumice Stone, Spiced Marmalade, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Barn Door, Scattered Straw
Versafine Vintage Sepia
Other
Woodgrain Mask

Notebook Recipe
Card
Greyboard
Colortech+ white card
Paints
Gesso - Claudine Hellmuth
Black Eco-friendly Acrylic Paint
PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paints - Ice blue, Satin Glaze
Inks
Distress Inks - Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Pumice Stone
Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps
Stamp Addicts - Gone Fishin' SA-5013
Other
Woodware chipboard alphabet letters
Keyring holder
Bind-it-all wire

Butterflies

I rarely start with a plan when I make anything which is probably a good thing. However for this card I decided to make a project in July's Craft Stamper but some of my stamping went awry and it was back to my usual let it evolve scenario.

Card Recipe
Card
Cream linen card from Craft Creations
Xerox Colortech+ white card
Red card
Inks
Distress Inks - Victorian Velvet, Wild Honey, Tumbled Glass, Shabby Shutters
Versamark
White embossing powder
Stamps
Script - A Stamp in the Hand - Background Text Medium N-1772
Flourish - Crafty Individuals CI - 182
Splats - PaperArtsy mini MN72
Celebrate from Popcorn the Bear plate PST-SML
Other
Butterfly mask cut from Spellbinders die
Flower from Joanna Sheen
Button coloured with alcohol ink
Button twine from The Ribbon Girls
Flat back pearls

Framed Cupcake

For our grand daughter's seventh birthday card I used a template for a 3D framed card from Cardmaking Paradise. The Marianne die for the cupcake and candles was a bargain from August's Stamperama. Thank you to my Cardmaking Paradise forum friend for pointing me in its direction (or should that be die - rection!).

Card Recipe
Green dotty card from Craft Creations
Cupcake and candle die - Marianne LR0160
Distress Ink
Copic markers
Sakura Yellow Gelly Roll Glaze pen
Glossy Accents

Highlighted!

In August's edition of Craft Stamper magazine there was an article by Paula Whittaker using the humble highlighter to create a simple background. I love the results using this medium and decided to keep the cards clean and simple and let the subject do the talking.

And I made a notebook as well.

Recipe
Card
Xerox Colortech+
Ink
Highlighters pink and yellow
Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Rangers Archival Jet Black
Stamp
Seed head - PaperArtsy HP1005
Sentiment - Personal Impressions Mix and Match  PICSA6070

In the pink!

I wanted to create a bright and cheery card for someone returning home from a hospital operation and Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks were just the ticket!

Card Recipe
Paper
Xerox Colortech+ card
Inks
Distress Inks - Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers
Ranger Archival Jet Black
Stamps
Dots Background -The Artistic Stamper
Flowers - Crafty Individuals - CI - 206
Words - PaperArtsy - HPXT03
Other
Ribbon coloured with Picked Raspberry Distress ink

It's time to start catching up!

I've been very lackadaisical blogging for the past couple of months and haven't posted any of the cards I've made in that time, so it's time to make amends.

Distress Inks were used for the background and dots and I added white dots all around the larger dots - very therapeutic! The flowers were stamped, coloured with Copic markers and cut out individually.

Card Recipe
Card
Anna Marie White Smooth Card
Xerox Colortech+
Black card
Inks
Distress Inks - Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry
White Zig Posterman pen
Stamps
Crafty Individuals - CI 206
Hero Arts Zinnia Bloom E3346
"Celebrate" from Crafters Companion Popcorn the Bear Set PST-SML
Other
Spellbinders die
Black flat backed pearls

Tim Holtz Tag Challenge - October

As I don't "do" Halloween I gave my October tag a Christmas theme. A far amount of  improvising was called for as I have very few of the ingredients that Tim used. I don't have any printed tissue so I made my own using a script stamp. Nor do I have any large letter dies so I stamped Merry Christmas, put some double sided adhesive sheet over the top before cutting out and applying crystal glitter which I had coloured a lovely pale blue with "Aqua" alcohol ink. Much less messy than using Glossy Accents! The snowflake is attached to the sentiment by a thin thread so it hangs freely.

Tim's October tag is here and this is my offering -

Tag Recipe
Paper/card
White card
PaperArtsy Crackle Tissue Paper
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco Finish  Paints - Ice Blue, Mermaid, Inky Pool
Adirondack Metallic Dabber - Pearl
Distress Ink - Broken China, Vintage Photo
Versafine - Majestic Blue
Archival - Jet Black
Distress Stain - Broken China
Alcohol Ink - Aqua, Caramel
Stamps
Crafty Individuals - Snowflake
Stampers Anonymous - Merry Christmas
Die
Spellbinders - Snowflake
Other
Crystal glitter
Double sided adhesive sheet
Metallic thread
Paper clip
Seam binding
Eyelash fibre
Calendar image from the internet

Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken........

Sara at Cardmaking Paradise designed a  template for a chicken card. Instead of making a card
I pushed the envelope a bit and created a hanging!
This is my first venture into canvas "paper" and as time was against me I was reluctant to take any chances by adding additional decoration to the background. I feel it could have done with some abstract stamping and stencilling but I'm sure, knowing my luck, it would have all gone pear shaped and I wouldn't have had time to put it right. As the blue was too blue I went over it with a light wash of gesso and that's when I should have done some stamping - between those two layers of paint.

 

 

Hanging Recipe
Paper
Crawford & Black Canvas
Grey board
Paper Artsy Crackly Tissue Paper
Copier paper
Recycled envelopes
Overton House scrapbooking paper
Paints/Inks
Paper Artsy Fresco Finish  Acrylics - Snowflake, Ice Blue, Inky Pool
Claudine Hellmuth gesso
Old Paper Distress Ink
Archival ink - Jet Balck
Memento - Tuxedo Black
Copic markers
Stamps
Sun - Craft Stamper freebie
Paper Artsy Top & Tails 3 - SITT3
Other
Jump rings
Chain
Text - computer generated 

Tim Holtz Tag Challenge - September

The month thief seems to have snatched another one from my life! I'm way behind blogging my makes and I hope to do some catching up over the next few days.
It now seems to be the norm that I get my challenge tag made at the eleventh hour. I didn't have any of the embellishments that Mr Holtz used for his September tag but I didn't let that deter me and set the grey matter to work to find substitutes. Tim's is here and here is mine -

Tag recipe
Card/paper
Xerox Colortech+ card
Copier paper
Metal tape
Acetate
Inks/paints
Alcohol inks - Gold Mixative, Stonewashed, Ginger, Pitch Black
Distress Inks - Black Soot, Old Paper, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo
Stazon - Jet Black
Archival - Jet Black
Brown acrylic paint
Stamps
Pen nib - Paperartsy MN07
Film strip from Paperartsy plate HP1005
Other
Typewriter - web image
Sentiment - computer generated
Photocopy of dictionary page
Chipboard cogs
Tag
Staples

The Craft Barn Blog Candy

 

To find out how this wonderful selection of goodies could be yours pop over to The Craft Barn blog.

Blackboard easel

Our eldest grandson starts middle school next week - it seems no time at all since he started his school days! I made this easel card using a template from Cardmaking Paradise. A very simple card to make - can't say that the lettering was easy though . This is after my the sixth attempt and I think my school report would say "still room for improvement"!

Card recipe
Card
Woodgrain effect card
Black card
Other
Clip art image
Gelly Roll white pen
Paperartsy Fresco Finish Satin Glaze

Tim Holtz Tag Challenge - August

For such a small project there wasn't a square inch left on my desk by the time I'd finished. I think I must have got out every crafting possession in the making of this tag!

Here's Tim's tag and here's my August offering -

Tag recipe
Card
Xerox Colortech+
Core-dinations card
Upcycled envelopes
Inks/paints
Alcohol inks
Distress Inks - Forest Moss, Rusty Hinge, Peacock Feathers, Broken China, Worn Lipstick, Wild Honey, Tattered Rose, Vintage Photo, Old Paper
Archival ink - Jet Black
Paper Artsy Fresco Finish - Mermaid
Detailed black embossing powder
Cosmic Shimmer - Rich Gold
Stamps
Leaves from the Stitchels Dashy Dot ST002 set by The Artistic Stamper
Crafty Individuals CI-335
Dies/embossing
Leaves cut from Marianne's Bird on a Branch die
Spellbinders oval dies
Flower punch
Craft Concepts Venus embossing folder
Other
Seam binding
Pearls
Charm
Safety pin
Sentiment - computer generated - font Typewriter

Subtle to Bright

During the Olympics I spent most of my time in front of the television cheering on Team GB and at times when things got a little tense just peering out between my fingers! However I did make a quick trip to my craft room to make a thank you card. Well the intention was that it would be quick but it took three attempts to the make a background that I was happy with! The best laid plans......

Card Recipe 
Card
Craft Creations Centura Pearl Snow White
Xerox Colortech+
Purple card
Stamp
Tim Holtz script from Papillion CMS106
Inks
Versamark
Shaded Lilac Distress Ink
Other
White detail embossing powder
Spellbinders butterfly die cuts
Flat back pearls
White Zig Posterman pen

Life seemed a bit dull once the Olympics were over so it seemed a good time to brighten things up by cracking open my new Dylusions ink sprays and inject some colour into my work space. I started by making the Linda Elbourne project in August's Craft Stamper. I only used the inks on the background - the flowers are coloured with Copics. It's a rubbish photo but my scan didn't show the true colours. The card is square!

Card Recipe
Card
Anna Marie white smooth card
Xerox Colortech+
Black card
Inks
Dylusions - Cut Grass, Pure Sunshine
Memento - Tuxedo Black
Copic markers
Broken China Distress Ink
Stamps
Hero Arts - Daisy Style E3272 & Zinnia Bloom E3346
Crafty Individuals CI-206
Other
Zig Posterman white pen
That Special Touch mask - Large Polka
Sentiment - computer generated - font Anklepants

Friendship Bunting

I really enjoyed making this line of bunting for a forum friend. It was much more vibrant in real life.

Bunting Recipe
Card/Paper
Xerox Colortech+
Copier paper
Inks
Versafine - Onyx Black
Archival - Jet Black
Distress Inks - Shaded Lilac, Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers
Copic markers
Stamps
Crafty Individuals - CI-206, CI-277, C-I182
Paper Artsy - mini script, mini circles SM15
Small Butterfly - Darkroom Door
Large Butterfly - Craft Stamper freebie
Masks
Crafter's Workshop - Mini Harlequin
That Special Touch - Large Polka
Other
Flower sentiments - computer generated
Butchers twine
Beads

Spots and stripes.

The papers I used on this easel card are a very delicate soft lilac colour but the photo makes them look grey. The bird is paper pieced.

 

Card Recipe
Card/Paper
Xerox Colortech+
Helidot Fairy Paper Pack
Ink
Memento - Tuxedo Black
Stamps
Personal Impressions - Swirly Birds PIC013
Personal Impressions - Mix and Match Sentiments PICSA6070
Dies
Nellie Snellen Square
Tim Holtz Tattered Florals
Other
Flat backed pearls

Tim Holtz Tag Challenge - July

Phew, I've caught up on Tim Holtz's Tag Challenge with just a couple of hours to spare before the end of July.  As I've been glued to the Olympics since the opening ceremony I've surprised myself that I've managed to squeeze this into my sporting schedule!

Tim's July tag is here.

My tag seems minimalistic especially compared to June's and I'm not very keen on it - just a little bit too much white space for my liking and I need practice with the air can. Although I think luck also has something to do with how the alcohol ink spreads.

Tag Recipe 
Card
Papermania Kraft card
Coredinations Card - Red Rose & Sailboat Blue
Craft Creations white Chromolux card
Inks/Stains
Alcohol inks - Red Pepper, Stonewashed, Expresso, Caramel
Picket Fence Distress Stains
Archival Jet Black
Dies
Spellbinders tag
Other
Spellbinders foil
Butchers twine
Bottle top to stamp cirlces
Safmat
Sentiments - computer generated
Seam binding 
Charms
Safety pins

Tim Holtz Tag Challenge - June

We're nearly into August and I've only just got around to making June's tag!  Here's Tim's tag . This is my take on it and yes, that windswept little girl is me, aged 2.

Tag Recipe
Card/ Paper
Vanguard card - Cream Vellum
Glossy photo paper
Copier paper
Acetate
Inks
Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Fired Brick, Old paper, Vintage Photo, Black Soot
Distress Stains - Picket fence, Spun Sugar, Fired Brick
Archival - Jet Black
Stazon - Jet Black
Alcohol Inks
Stamps
Stamp used on background - maker unknown
The Artistic Stamper - Dance words
Pen nib from Paper Artsy Mini MN07
Dies/masks
Spellbinders tag
Tando mask MSKLEAVES2 
Other
Spellbinders metal
Safmat
Brads
Metal edged circular tag
Glossy Accents
Paper clip
Bead
Sentiment & numeral computer generated
Seam binding coloured with Distress Inks and Stains
Heart charm

Watching The Rain

Having watched the rain fall for weeks on end in the UK it somehow seemed appropriate to make a watery card. I decided to use just one ink on my background - Salty Ocean Distress Ink from the summer seasonal series and flicked on some water to create the feel of raindrops. On reflection I should have stencilled the clock face further up the page.

Card Recipe
Card 
Anna Marie Designs White smooth card
Xerox Colortech+
Black card
Die cuts 
Tim Holtz Umbrella Man & Clock
Inks
Salty Ocean & Black Soot Distress Ink
Versafine - Onyx Black

I'm back!

The end of June saw what has now became an annual event when members of the Cardmaking Paradise forum meet up in East Grinstead  for The Craft Barn Extravaganza weekend. This year folks come from New Zealand, Germany, Portugal, Isle of Man and England. What a great time we had socializing in the evenings and watching the most talented of demonstrators during the day. Several husbands came as well and they enjoyed themselves on boys' days out to the Bluebell Railway and Brighton.

I made gifts of notebooks for my forum buddies. I thought I would struggle to come up with 17 different ideas but I amazed myself and didn't duplicate any design. However I do think it may be awhile before I make another one!!

I took the photos just before we left home and didn't have time to take them out of their cellophane bag.

Crafty Individuals Blog Candy

Jean Hardy of Crafty Individuals is giving away this wonderful selection of blog candy. Pop over and have a look at her inspiring blog.