I'm back!

Who stole the last three months? I haven't been idle in that time though and I have a long list of projects to "show and tell" over the next couple of weeks.

Way back at the beginning of August Sara of Cardmaking Paradise set us the challenge to use her new birdhouse templates. So I made this birdhouse hanging.

For the background I used the wrinkle free distress technique which was partially over stamped with a script and embossed. Some dots were added through sequin waste and Inka Gold applied randomly.

It's not very clear in the photo but the bird was covered in UTEE and with some gold embossing powder along the tips of the wings.

Card recipe

Card
Craft Creations recycled greyboard

Distress Stains
Peeled Paint, Wild Honey, Walnut Stain

Inks
Distress Inks - Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain, Rusty Hinge
Versamark
Ranger Archival - Coffee

Embossing Powder
Personal Impressions - Clear gloss, Gold Sparkle
Distress - Peeled Paint
Melt Art UTEE

Embossing folders/dies
Tim Holtz - Patchwork Texture Fade embossing folder, Tattered Florals die, Elegant Flourishes die
Spellbinders circle die

Other
Eco Green acrylic black paint
Inka
Spellbinders metal
Beads and brad from stash
Flower made using Neil Walker's "paper technique".

The perfect flat knot

Cardmaking Paradise design team member Anne C made a video showing how to tie the perfect flat knot.

So I had a go and yes you can make a perfect knot when you know how!

Card recipe
Card
White linen
Craftworks Cards White Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Paper
Origin unknown

Die
Nellie Snellen multi frame square MFD006

Stamps
Free stamp from Craft Stamper August 2011
Personal Impressions "Mix and Match" sentiments

Ink
Memento Rich Cocoa

Copic markers
R20, R22, G07, G14

Ribbon
7mm organza Moss

Goodbye!

This card uses the Cardmaking Paradise moving arm template.

Card recipe

Card/paper
Core essentials Sugar'n'Spice
Bella Coordinates - mint green dots

Dies/punch
Provo Craft Hippie Chick
Martha Stewart punch

Distress Inks
Worn Lipstick
Peeled Paint

You can see other versions of this template made by members of Cardmaking Paradise here.

Distressing Playtime

I have been playing with my new Distress Stains and Tim Holtz stamps and made a couple of tags in the process.

For this butterfly tag I put the Distress Stains on my craft mat and swooshed my card for the tag background and the butterflies over it and dried with a heat gun in between swooshes and edged the tag with Distress Ink. The butterflies were covered with Glossy Accents.

Tag recipe
Card
Craft Creations Taffeta Smooth White
Distress Stains
Broken China
Dusty Concord
Wild Honey
Inks
Dusty Concord Distress Ink
India Ink Black
Stamp
Tim Holtz Papillion Set
Other
Glossy Accents
Fibres

On this second tag I applied Spun Sugar Distress Stain directly onto the card and then stamped and clear embossed the background script. I then dipped the tag into Spun Sugar and Broken China Distress Stains on my craft mat and let it dry naturally. I used the Distress Stains to change the colour of the lace and fibre. The flower was made using Neil Walker's "Paper Transformation" technique that I'd seen him demonstrate at the Craft Barn Extravaganza.
I'm entering this tag in the Craft Barn Tim Holtz Challenge

Tag recipe
Card
Craft Creations Taffeta Smooth White
Distress Stains
Broken China
Spun Sugar
Ink
Worn Lipstick & Spun Sugar Distress Ink
Versamark
Die
Tim Holtz Tattered Florals
Stamp
Tim Holtz Papillion Set
Other
Clear gloss embossing powder
Fibres
Lace
Rub'n'Buff
Pink brad

Alcohol Ink Serendipity

Having watched Andy Skinner’s alcohol ink floating background tutorial I got out my AI’s and had a go and these three pieces were my favourite using this technique. They make me think of a country cottage with chintz curtains and a jug of wildflowers on the table.

Using the pieces to make a tag and a card I wanted the backgrounds to be the star of the show, so have kept the embellishment simple. I’m entering the card in the Craft Barn Alcohol Ink Challenge – this will be the first blog challenge I’ve ever entered.

Card recipe
Inks
Alcohol inks
India Black Ink
Adirondack Lettuce Dye Ink
Worn Lipstick Distress Ink

Stamps
“Yesterday “ - maker unknown
Flowers - Fourth Dimension

Other
Vellum
Craftworks Card Candi
Lace
Raffia

Card recipe
Inks
Alcohol inks
Brilliance Moonlight White
Brilliance Pearlescent Coral
Worn lipstick Distress Ink

Stamp
Free with Craft Stamper April 2011

Other
White detail embossing powder
Leaf ribbon

Bookmark swap

I recently took part in a book mark swap over at Cardmaking Paradise. Mine didn't turn out quite as I had imagined. I had intended cutting a semi circle around the sunflower but I chickened out as my cutting skills are not the best if it doesn't involve a craft knife and metal edged ruler!

Card Recipe
Card
Black card
Craftworkscards White Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Inks
Memento - Tuxedo black
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss

Stamps
PSX Sunflower F1989
Stampotique Bee

Other
Copic Markers - Y06, Y08
Computer generated sentiment - Bookworm font

My beautifully shimmery swap below came from Hilda. She made it using Grungepaper and it has the feel of leather. The colours are gorgeous - silver with just a hint of purple and lime. Such a clever idea cutting partially around the birdcage so the bookmark slips over a page. Thank you Hilda.

Butterlies are self propelled flowers

I have used the new Beautiful Butterfly template from Cardmaking Paradise for these two butterflies.

For this first one I used Wild Honey Distress Ink (DI) to cover all the sides of my white card. I then applied Spiced Marmalade DI with a small stencil brush around the masks on just the front of the card and followed this by inking around all the edges with Rusty Hinge DI. Finally spraying the front with Cosmic Shimmer.

Card Recipe
Card
Craftworkscards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Inks
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge

Other
Cosmic Shimmer - Rich Gold
Flat back crystals
Artificial flower stamens

-----
When I went to the Craft Barn Extravaganza recently I took part in a metal workshop with my forum buddies from Craftmaking Paradise. So for the card below I used some of my new found knowledge to decorate the butterfly with metal. Still need lots of practice!

The base colour of the metal was silver which I painted with alcohol inks. Rather difficult to photograph because of the flash bounce back from the metal.

Card Recipe
Card
Craftworkscards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Distress Inks
Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw

Alcohol Inks
Jacquards Pinta Colour - Calabaza Orange, Sunbright Yellow

Other
Artificial flower stamens
Spellbinders Premium Craft Foil
Tando Creative Mask

Blog Candy

Not only is Jennie (The Artistic Stamper) offering free postage on her website until Sunday 10th July, she also has some fantastic Blog Candy on offer HERE.

Cool Cats

I gleaned this idea from a card displayed in the Craft Barn shop during their fabulous Extravaganza weekend.

The wall is stencilled directly onto the card. I found the best way to apply the ink is using a foam finger dabber because it effectively gives the appearance of the stone work texture. The cats were stamped onto plain card and then cut out.

Card Recipe
Card
Craftworkscards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock
Inks
Versafine Onyx Black
Distress Ink Black Soot
Stamps
Katzelkraft
Other
Creative Expressions "Stone Wall" mask
Sentiment - computer generated Book worm font

Thank you

I based this clean and simple thank you card on Joanne Wardle's "One Layer Wonders" project in July 2011's Craft Stamper magazine. As i didn't have any re-positionable adhesive, keeping the mask in place wasn't easy so I just used one frame.

Card Recipe
Card
Craftwork Cards
Die
Spellbinders Labels One
Inks
Distress Inks - Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge
Memento - Tuxedo Black
Stamps
Script - Paper Artsy
Flower - Crafty Individuals CI206
Thank you - Crafty Individuals

First Birthday

Our youngest Grand Daughter was one last week - where did that year go? I have my new Houghie Board to thank for my first ever hand made rosette. I was really pleased with it! The board really makes easy work of scoring the paper.

Card Recipe
Card
White card
Pink Bazzill card
Papers
Bella Press - Watermelon Polka Dots and Decorative Dots
Image
Digi Stamp Boutique
Ink
Barn Door Distress Ink
Embellishments
Card Candi by Craftworks Cards
Number 1 from Craft Too embossing folder
Die
Nellie Snellen Square MFD006
Other
Copic Markers
Glitter

Butterfly Kaliedescope

I wanted a special card for my Aunt's ninetieth birthday and this Pop Up Spring card project from Cardmaking Paradise fitted the bill. The background paper was not quite the vibrant blue the photo suggests.

Card Recipe
Paper/Card:
Bazzill card
Background paper Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby Paper Stash
Craft Creations Hi-5 Pearl Cryogen White Card
White Vellum (coloured and stamped with Brilliance ink)
Inks:
Distress Inks - Tumbling Glass, Broken China,
Versamark
Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue
Embossing powder:
Judikins Lapis Lazuli
Stamps
Happy Birthday - Anita's
Flowers - Fourth Dimension
Other
Organza ribbon
Flat white pearls

The Never Ending Card

Sara at Cardmaking Paradise hosted a Never Ending Card Swap and this was my contribution. I inked and stamped all the the card before I put it together and found it quite difficult working out which bit would be which way up when finished! When (if) I make another one I'll decorate it after it has been made up.

Card Recipe

I didn't make a note of what colour inks I used. All the backgrounds are Distress Inks but I can't remember what I stamped images with!

Stamps -
Butterflies are from Darkroom Doors and Crafty Individuals
Bee stamp - Stampotique
Sentiment - Paperartsy
Bird - Crafty Individuals CI- 179
Leaves - Hero Arts LL673 - "Small Leaf Impressions"
Scroll - Crafty Individuals CI-182

Dance to the Music of Time

Having said in a recent post that I'm not a pink person I may be turning into one! The gorgeous pink papers on this card are from the Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby Paper Stack. I surprised myself that I was able to cut up the sheets!

Card recipe

Papers - Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby Paper Stack
Inks -Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson and Graphite Black
Stamps - The Artistic Stamper Dance plate

Distressed teasel

The large background on this card is based on Isabella Norris's project in May's Craft Stamper magazine. As I don't have any Papersoft which she used I applied Distress Inks (Wild Honey, Vintage Photo and Rusty Hinge)instead using a piece of Cut and Dry foam. For the background on the stamp piece I put the same colours on my craft mat and sprayed with a little water and then dragged and pressed the card into it several times, drying the card in between the dragging and pressing until I had the desired effect. The ribbon was coloured with Distress Ink.

Card recipe

Inks - Wild Honey, Vintage Photo and Rusty Hinge Distress Inks. Versafine Black Onyx
Embossing powder - Personal Impressions Clear Gloss
Stamp - Crafty Individuals CI-121
Die cut tag - Spellbinders
Sentiment - computer generated

Very pink!

I'm not a pink person but I do like the softness of Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. For the background of this card I applied Spun Sugar DI with Cut 'n Dry foam and then with masks in place sponged it with Victorian Velvet. The butterfly image was 3D'd.

Card recipe

Inks; Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar Distress Inks, Versafine Sepia
Stamp - Crafty Individuals
Card candy - Craftwork Cards

Vintage Poppy

A simple offering today.

Card Recipe

Background Paper - from stash
Inks - Distress Ink Frayed Burlap, Versafine Black Onyx
Stamp - Crafty Individuals CI-210
Image coloured with Copic markers

Bee Happy

I didn't intend putting a sentiment on this card but had to cover up a stamping error!

The honeycombs have been highlighted with gold Twinkling H2O's and the wings on the large bee are glittered and 3D'd.

Card recipe

Background - Distress Inks
Ink - Versafine Black Onyx
Stamps - Jo Capper-Sandon range from Stampotique
Glitter - Stickles Diamond

The Easter Bunny has arrived

Happy Easter!

My three Easter projects all feature in the current issue (Issue 25) of the Cardmaking Paradise online magazine.

This cute rabbit is a versatile little chap, he could also be made into a birthday card or party invitation.

He can be folded flat for posting.

These little baskets are so quick and easy to make. I used white card which I inked directly using Brilliance Pearlescent inks and then stamped with Easter eggs from The English Stamp Company. The tag images are from Pink Petticoat and coloured with Copic markers.

The yellow on this twisted easel card is not nearly as bright as it looks in the photo.

Card Recipe

Digital image from La Pashe and coloured with Copic markers
Die cut shapes - Spellbinders Nestabilities
Inks - Versamark, Versafine Smoky Gray
Distress inks - Shabby Shutters, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade
Script stamp - from A Stamp In The Hand
Embellishments - Candi from Craftworkscards
Sentiment - computer generated

Sara's birthday card

I made this birthday card for the hardworking Sara who owns the and runs the Cardmaking Paradise website. It's a project in the current Craft Stamper (May 2011 )by Isabelle Norris. The soft colours are just right for a spring birthday - although my photo has made the green Distress Ink look yellow!

Card recipe

Inks -Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Distress inks - Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass
Clear embossing powder
Stamps
Script - Paperartsy
Flowers - Crafty Individuals CI - 206
Glitter - Diamond Stickles

Bottle cap swap

Over at Cardmaking Paradise some members took part in a bottle cap swap. These were the swaps I made -

I received these back from my cyber friends. Thank you to Sara, Patsy, Christa, Annie, Jill, Hilda and Flo. Hilda had filled her top with friendly plastic and made it into a brooch, which I'd never seen done before. I can't capture the iridescent nature of the piece but believe me it is beautiful.

Variation on a theme

These two cards use a lovely birds stamp from Crafty Individuals. In both cases I have 3D'd the bird second from the right.

Card recipes

Embossing folder - Swiss Dots
Die cut square - Nellie Snellen MFD 006
Inks - Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass), Versafine (Majestic Blue)
Stamp - Crafty Individuals CI -193
Ribbon coloured with Copic marker
Sentiment - computer generated

Butterfly and Mothers' Day

For this butterfly card I first created the background with Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and then used a couple of masks and applied more DI's. I stamped the script in Shabby Shutters and sprayed the card with Cosmic Shimmer. The butterfly was stamped twice and 3D'd

Card Recipe
Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade
Tim Holtz masks- TH92802
Stamps - Script - A Stamp In The Hand Background Text (Medium)
Sentiment - Darkroom Doors Wildflower Set
Butterfly - Crafty Individuals
Cosmic Shimmer - Rich Gold

I made this card for my mother for Mothering Sunday.

Card Recipe
Embossing - Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder
Die cuts - frame Nellie Snellen, flower Tim Holtz Tattered Florals
Stamp by Prima
Image coloured with Copic markers
Inks - Distress Ink Tumbled Glass, Memento Rich Cocoa
Card candy by Craftworks cards

Free!

For a limited time, there is a free issue of Cardmaking Paradise Online Magazine as a tempting taster.
Do go and have a look - you wont be disappointed!