Purple, Blue and Silver Henbury Lane Bluebird

I wanted to make a card like this as soon as I saw this cute stamp. I knew I wouldn't be able to colour it as well as the illustration on the wooden block, but thought it would look nice in a sort of silhouette way. So, this is the result of my imaginings.

To begin with, the Henbury Lane Bluebird stamp from Papermania was stamped using ColorBox Midnight Blue pigment ink and heat embossed using Personal Impressions Pearl Violet embossing powder. The image was then die cut using a Labels 1 Nestabilities die.

The edges of the panel were then distressed using Tim Holtz Weathered Wood, Faded Jeans and Dusty Concord distress inks and then highlighted using a spritz of Cosmic Shimmer Silver Mica Mist spray. This doesn't really show up in the scanned image, but looks pretty good in real life.

This is the first time I've used mica sprays and I love the effect it gives.

This was then matted onto a panel of purple card, also die cut using the Nestabilities die.

A panel of the lilac distressed-effect paper from the HOTP Icy Rainbow Cardmaker's Creative pack was punched along the edge using the Martha Stewart Double Loops border punch and then distressed with the three distress inks and then highlighted with the Cosmic Shimmer spray.

I have to say that if I was to do this again, I'd recommend distressing the edges first and then punching - the distressing damaged the punched edge a little due to its fragile nature.

This distressed and punched panel was then matted onto a panel of the purple card and adhered to the left of the card blank.

The image panel was then matted over the patterned paper to the right of the card.

A white Prima paper flower was distressed with the Dusty Concord ink and the Cosmic Shimmer spray. A large purple Papermania brad was added through the centre and the flower was attached over the bottom left corner of the image panel.

Here are the blog challenges that I am entering this card into:

• The Corrosive Challenge - #92 - Things That Move
• I Did It Creations - #31 - Surprise Me
• One Stitch At A Time - #41 - Glitz It Up!
• Allsorts - #80 - Monochrome
• Alphabet - E is for Embossing
• Hodge Podge - #4 - Anything Goes
• Sassy Studio Designs - #48 - Monochromatic
• StampInsanity - Challenge Yourself/Try Something New
• Inktegrity - #24 - Anything Goes
• Fab 'n' Funky - #50 - Going With The Flow
• Gingersnap Creations - #80 - Vintage Hues
• Anything Goes - #26 - Animals
• Artful Inkables - #34 - Die Cuts/Punches
• A Spoonfull Of Sugar - #131 - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Cut It Out
• Everybody Art - #118 - Use Shapes
• Scrap-Creations - Blue and White/Silver
• Incy Wincy - #69 - Blue and White
• Pollycraft - #71 - Feeling Blue
• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Distress Inks

Blue and Brown Timepiece Tag

This is a something a little bit different from me - stamping, embossing and distressing. It's the first time I've used sequin waste as a stencil!!

A blue luggage tag was distressed using a combination of Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain Tim Holtz distress inks. The Antique Linen and Walnut Stain inks were used to colour through a piece of sequin waste and then the tag was overstamped with the Pocket Watch stamp from the Paper Artsy Clocks 3 stamp set with the Antique Linen ink.

A strip of the Oxford paper from the Basic Grey Boxer paper pad was colour distressed with the three brown Tim Holtz inks and the edges curled. This was matted across the tag and overstamped with the Pocket Watch stamp and the Time Piece Collage stamp, also from the Clocks 3 stamp set, and gold embossed.

The 'To Live Is Startling...' sentiment, also from the Clocks 3 stamp set, was stamped onto the Commando paper from the same paper pad and gold embossed. This was then overstamped with the Pocket Watch image using the Walnut Stain ink. The image was then torn out and the edges distressed with the brown inks. A large gold eyelet was set in the top of the tag and threaded with string, which was coloured with the Walnut Stain ink.

A larger panel of the Commando paper was distressed with the Antique Linen and Walnut Stain inks and the Pocket Watch image was stamped over it with the Antique Linen ink. This was also used to colour through the sequin waste.

Another strip of the Oxford paper was distressed and matted across the stamped panel. This was matted onto blue card and gold square brads from Dovecraft were added in the corners.

Here are the blog challenges I'm entering with this card:

• Inktegrity - #24 - Anything Goes
• Fab 'n' Funky - #50 - Going With The Flow
• Gingersnap Creations - #80 - Vintage Hues
• Little Red Wagon - #56 - Basic Grey
• Everybody Art - #118 - Use Shapes
• My Time To Craft - #116 - Tag Along
• Pollycraft - #71 - Feeling Blue
• Hodge Podge - #4 - Anything Goes
• Paper Romance - #26 - Add A Tag
• StampInsanity - Challenge Yourself
• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Distress Inks

Lilac and Green Picnic Tilda

Here is another of my older cards that I haven't got arund to blogging up until now. I used the lovely Lily Kate papers from Basic Grey and an older Tilda stamp from Magnolia.

The Picnic Tilda image, from Magnolia, was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink and coloured using Copic Sketch markers.

• Hair: Y00, YR02, E21, E35
• Skin: E00, E02, E21, R20
• Jumper: BV00, BV31
• Dungarees: B41, B93
• Patches: G12, YG11, BV31
• Shoes: YG11, G12, N3
• Wings: BV31, C0
• Shadow: BV00, N3

Highlights were added to Tilda's cheek using a Papermania Snow White gel pen.

The image was cut out using a standard square Nestabilities die and matted onto a scalloped square cut from lilac card and distressed with Tim Holtz Milled Lavender distress ink.

A panel of Mia paper from the Basic Grey Lily Kate paper pad was matted onto the lilac card. A strip of the Rain paper, from the same paper pad, was punched along both edges using the Scallop Dot border punch, from Martha Stewart, and a length of lilac organza ribbon was tied around this and matted across the Mia panel.

The 'Birthday Wishes' circle sentiment from the Hero Arts Birthday Messages stamp set was stamped onto white card using the Versafine Imperial Purple archival pigment ink and cut out using a circle Nestabilities die. This was adhered to the centre of a lilac Papermania silk flower and a lilac card candy from Craftwork Cards was added to the centre and attached over the corner of the Tilda image panel.

Lilac Glitz It glitter glue was then added to Tilda's wings, around the circle sentiment and to the card candy.

Here are the blog challenges that I am entering this card into:

• Creative Inspirations - #21 - Spreading Your Wings
• I Did It Creations - #30 - Wings
• Basic Grey - #33 - Wings
• Digi Doodle Shop's Best - #34 - Anything Goes
• Hodge Podge Shop - #4 - Anything Goes
• Rainbow Lady's - #127 - Edge It
• Simon Says - Sparkle
• Stampin' Royalty - #46 - Patterned Paper
• Oldie But A Goodie - #6 - Glitter
• Little Paper Shop - #94 - All About The Die Cuts
• Stamps R Us - #9 - Scallops and Sparkle
• Pear Tree Designs - #27 - Colourful
• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Whatever Makes You Happy
• Thursday Challenge - Faces

Yellow and Orange Anniversary Heart Tag

This card was based on a design in Creativity magazine (Issue 19) and uses the Papermania Sunshine Capsule Collection.

The card blank was cut into a tag shape. A circle of the orange lace paper from the Papermania Sunshine Capsule Collection paper pad was added over the edge of a tag shaped panel of the orange and yellow floral paisley paper and the excess trimmed away. A heart shape was cut from the yellow and orange medallion paper and attached over the two papers.

A length of the orange polka dot satin ribbon and some gold border peel-offs were added across the panel and three yellow faux gems were added to the ribbon.

A hole was punched at the top and an orange eyelet set and threaded with the orange ribbon. An orange paper flower was added over the edge of the heart and a yellow faux gem was added in the centre.

The letter panels were created by cutting rectangles from yellow linen card and stamped using the Studio G Hampton Art mini alphabet stamp set with the Versafine Vintage Sepia archival pigment ink and a line drawn around the edge with a fine liner. The letter panels were then added to the bottom of the tag, some flat and some 3D'd.

I Made Top 3 At 2 Sisters Blog Challenge

My Pink and Cream How Sweet You Are gatefold card has made Top 3 at the 2 Sisters blog challenge .

I made Top 3 in their Birthday Bash Challenge.

You can see my original post for this card here.

Another New Background

I've been forced into putting a new background on my blog as the last one disappeared and made my blog illegible!!!

This new one came with a matching header,  but I had to play around with the HTML code to make it all fit and make it a 3-column layout!

You can see where I got my blog background from here.

Pink and Cream How Sweet You Are Gatefold

Here is a card made using my much-neglected K&Co papers. I've hardly used them since I got my Basic Grey papers, but decided these went well with this image.

The How Sweet You Are image, from Sarah Kay/Stampavie, was stamped using Versafine Onyx Black archival pigment ink and coloured with Copic Sketch markers:

•  Hair: E35, E39, E57
• Skin: E00, E21, E51, R20
• Hat: E43, E31
• Top/Hat Band: G12, BV31, R20
• Dungarees: B21, B24, B93
• Patches: R20, BV31
• Duckling: Y00, Y08, Y17, YR02
• Grass: YG17, G12, G14

 The corners of the image panel were rounded using the large XCut corner rounder punch and matted onto a panel of pink paper and a panel of cream card, the corners of which were punched with the Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace corner punch.

A square gatefold card was created from cream card and panels of the fritillary paper from the K&Co Somerset paper pad were punched with the Eyelet Lace corner punch and matted onto the pink paper. Strips of the harlequin paper from the same paper pad were matted onto the pink paper and adhered across the panels.

The image panel was attached to the left gate of the card. The sentiment circle, from the HOTP Sentiments stamp set, was stamped onto white card using ColorBox Old Rose pigment ink and heat embossed with clear powder. The sentiment was die cut with a circle die and matted onto a circle of pink paper and a big scalloped circle cut from cream card, all die cut with Nestabilities.

A cream Prima paper flower was colour tinted with Tim Holtz Spun Sugar distress ink. The small button image from the Papermania Clare Curd Doodles stamp set was stamped onto the pink paper using the Old Rose ink, clear embossed and cut out. Cream embroidery thread was knotted through the pierced holes and the image was then matted onto a cream circle and added in the centre of the flower. The flower was then added to the corner of the image panel.

Here are the challenges I am entering this card into:

• 2 Sisters - #12 - Birthday
• Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
• Crazy 4 Challenges - #62 - Square Card
• Wee Memories - #30 - Birthday Bash
• Alphabet Challenge - B is for Bird
• Fairy Tale - #1 - Anything Goes
• Stamp Insanity - #34 - Punch-Drunk Love
• Freshly Brewed - #22 - Anything Goes
•  Party Time Tuesdays - #19 - Anything Goes Birthdays
• Scrap-Creations - Favourite Technique
• Lexi's Creations - #26 - Anything Goes
• The Crazy Challenge - #40 - Things With Wings

Lavender, Blue and Silver Butterfly Frame

Here is another of my butterfly cards using the free Kate Knight papers that came with the Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine a couple of months ago.

A circle was die cut from white card using a Nesties die and the butterfly image from the Penny Black Enjoy Life stamp set was stamped using Versacolor Black pigment ink and heat embossed with PSX silver embossing powder.

The butterfly image was coloured using Copic sketch markers:

• Butterfly: BV00, BV04, B41

 and highlighted with Tim Holtz Rock Candy Distress Stickles.

The edge of the circle was lightly coloured with Tim Holtz Dusty Concord distress ink and silver embossed.

The Fleur de Lys circle frame stamp, from the Papermania Hampstead Icons and Sentiments stamp set, was stamped and silver heat embossed onto cornflower blue paper and die cut using a circle Nesties die. This was matted onto a die cut circle from a Lakeland set of die cut sheets and a Big Scalloped circle die cut from silver mirror card.

A panel of the blue patterned paper, from the pad of free Kate Knight designed papers, was distressed around the edges with the Dusty Concord ink and a length of lilac organza ribbon was tied around the centre.

This was then matted onto the blue paper and the silver mirror card and then onto the card blank.

Clear Dew Drops from Patti's Pretties were then added in each of the corners of the patterned paper.

Here are the challenges I am entering this card into:

• AiFactory - #55 - It's A Garden Party
• Paper Play - #44 - Circles
• Stampin' B's - #83 - Animal in Die Cut
• ABC Challenge - G is for Glitter
• Creative Cottage - #26 - Embossing
• Freshly Brewed - #22 - Anything Goes
• Flutter By Wednesdays - #129 - Anything Goes
• Anything Goes - #23 - B is for (Butterfly)
• Artful Inkables - #32 - Blue, White and Silver
• Flourishes Timeless Tuesday - #91 - Inspiration from Cafe Baudelaire Prints (Papillon)
• Scrap-Creations - Your Favourite Technique (Stamping)
• Craft Your Passion - #30 - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - #66 - Anything Goes
• Lexi's Creations - #26 - Anything Goes
• Paper Players - #22 - Anything Goes
• Secret Crafter - #107 - Anything That Flies
• Wee Memories - #29 - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Topaz - November Birthstone
• Raise The Bar - #43 - Curves

Blue and Gold Peacock Feathers

Here is another of my masculine cards - this time using the very difficult-to-use Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen Venaissance stamps and papers.

I think if I was to make this again, I might stamp the feathers onto cream card and distress that to make it stand out from the backing papers a little more.

The Peacock Feather image, from the LLB Venaissance clear stamp set, was stamped using Ink It Up! Bright Blue pigment ink and heat embossed using Heat It Up! Gold embossing powder. The Frieze Border image, from the same stamp set, was then also heat embossed around the edge of the panel to frame the image.

Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy distress ink was then used to colour distress the edges of the image panel before matting it onto gold mirror card.

The sentiment, from the Hero Arts Anytime Messages stamp set, was also gold heat embossed onto a panel of the blue card and the Frieze Border was partially stamped around the edges. As before, the edges were distressed with the Brushed Corduroy ink.

A panel of the blue peacock feather paper, from the LLB Venaissance paper pack was created by joining two pieces of paper with a strip of Anita's cream and gold wavy metallic self-adhesive ribbon and distressed with the Brushed Corduroy ink. This was then matted onto the gold mirror card before being adhered to the card blank.

Here are the challenges I'll be entering this card into:

• Aly's Sunday Challenge - #28 - Distressing
• Paper Sundaes - #42 - For The Boys
• Paper Players - #22 - Anything Goes
• Ellephantastic - #18 - Blue
• Secret Crafter - #107 - Anything That Flies
• Wee Memories - #29 - Free For All
• The Stamp Man - #8 - Cards For Men
• Digi Doodle Shop's Best - #31 - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments Designs - #41 - Male Projects
• Creative Cottage - #26 - Embossing
• Inktegrity - #20 - Anything Goes
• Cards For Men - #22 - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - #30 - Anything Goes
• Lexi's Creations - #26 - Anything Goes
• Stamp With Fun - #83 - All That Can Fly
• Theme Thursday - Blue
• Just Add Ink - #41 - Birthdays