Thursday 28 March 2024

Bold Debossing -two cards

 I've been seeing lots of bold debossed background techniques popping up on blogs, Facebook and Instagram... and you tube.   This week I saw a video from Natasha Foote and today I watched a FB Live from Therese Calvrid - and over the last couple of weeks I tried it myself.

Both my samples used 3D embossing folders from Altenew

First up - using the Dreamy Daylilies 

I embossed white card and then flipped it over and used yellow and green inks to colour the debossed flowers and leaves.   Next  took black ink and swipe the pad across the card.  The black ink hits the higher areas.  The die cut sentiments are from Altenew Versatile Greetings die set. 

Second card is done exactly the same way - using Altenew Decorative Florals embossing folder 



This time I used some Distress Oxide Ink - Chipped Sapphire ink for the background and Altenew Fresh Dye inks for the debossed areas.  Used the same Versatile Greetings die set for the Hello and the sub-sentiment from Sweetest Pea stamp set.

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter.  

Monday 25 March 2024

Sending a BIG Hug with Lawn Fawn

 It's time for me to share my inspiration card for this month's challenge at Die Cut Divas.... 

We are delighted to have Lawn Fawn sponsor Die Cut Divas for the month of March with a $25 gift card.

The theme for this month is "Anything Goes"

I recently purchased a Lawn Fawn stamp and matching die set called "Magic Moments" - It's a great set with some awesome sentiments.   I chose to use the Fractured card technique - anything to use up some patterned paper.   




I used a piece of PP from Franceville's Tropical Daintree pack and cut it 4" x 5.25".  My centre was a 1.5" square. I used the reverse of the piece of PP to make my stripes with added silver Peelcraft lines.  I used the Lawn Fawn stamp and die set to cut the centre circle and backed it with a die cut doily from MFT - Die Namics - Dainty Duo.  Finished with some Altenew enamel dots from the Green Fields set. 

Do come and join us at Die Cut Divas   with you projects.  Just a reminder to use you die cut machine!

Dawn & The Divas.

Sunday 24 March 2024

Craft Roulette #207

 Had some fun in the craft room again today... watched yesterday's episode of Craft Roulette - 

Some fun parameters.  Took a while to come up with an idea.  I knew I had a cake stamp set from Catherine Pooler/Sugar Pea Designs from a few years ago.  Pulled it out and went through my patterned paper pads to find something I could use for Ice Cream Store colours.  


I found this pretty pink striped paper from a Forever Friends paper pack.  It reminded me of an Ice Cream store canopy.  I used ice cream colours of Strawberry, Mint, Chocolate and Orange Sherbet for the rest of the card.  My tasty element - birthday cake.  And the random element is the steamer banners along the top of my card.   The cake, flowers, banners and sentiment are all from the Catherine Pooler stamp and die set- from the Young At Heart Stamp of Approval collection.  

This was my 10th submission.  

Saturday 23 March 2024

A little Blue Bird.

 Well I couldn't not make another card using the Memory Box Backyard Wren die today.  It has been a bit of a dismal day... woke to no power, so read for a bit, before heading to two suburbs north to have breakfast before doing our grocery shopping.  By the time we got home it was raining but the power was back on!  It kept raining on and off so headed to the craft room for the afternoon. 

And yeah, this time I made a blue bird.   My card was inspired by this beautiful card from Lin  

I loved the design Lin used, so I cased it.  I die cut an arch (Hero Arts Infinity Arches die) and used Gina K Tapestry embossing folder.   I still had my Distress Oxides out... The background panel was made with Speckled Egg spritzed with some Shimmer Spary - Frost.  In real life it is so shimmery. I stamped the Couture Creations sentiment directly to the panel. I die cut the bird and used Evergreen Bough, Salty Ocean to colour up the bird.  The beak and eye were done with Altenew Charcoal Suit grey ink.  I die cut Pinkfresh Studio Curvy leaves and blended Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide.  I used only part of the biggest die.  I used some Scrapbook.com 3D adhesive strips to add dimension to the frame and used some 3D dimensionals to pop up the bird.  Some little blue gems from my stash finished the card. 

I'm entering this into the Time Out Challenge and Just Us Girls collaboration challenge - Birds of a Feather.   


Hope there is some crafting in your weekend.   



 

Friday 22 March 2024

Bird on a Branch

 It's been a busy week... haven't had much time to craft... but finished work early.  During the week I saw that Scrapbook Central was having a class by Chick Mitchell.  As this is in Wellington (8 hours south of me) I can't go... but Chick has designed some cards with a bird and some beautiful backgrounds.  I contacted her and found the bird was from Memory Box.  Of course I had to get it!  And it arrived yesterday late afternoon.  So after signing off my computer (working from home day!) and before doing the housework, I popped into the craft room and had a play. 

 

I started by putting the little birdie together.  I die cut with some 160gm Fabriano paper.  It's a light cream colour (although the packaging says white)  It cuts like butter.  I used inks from Altenew's Tea Party ink set to add colour to the layers with a touch of some brown to darken parts.  The branches, flowers and leaves are from Spellbinders - Layered Cherry Blossom die set.  I added a touch of the lightest red inks to the creamy dies.  Used some rose gold metallic card for the centres.   My background was a variation on a technique that Chick taught at SENZ craft fair last July.  Used a chipboard panel of leaves.  I inked them with some Distress Oxide in Speckled Egg and spritzed and laid it onto my panel.  I then blended some of the same ink through the panel like a stencil and finally just added some of the ink onto the panel.  Just love the look I achieved.   Die cut a scalloped panel from Gina K Master Layouts 4 and trimmed the panel to fit inside.  Added the branches, flowers and leaves and the little birdie.  Finished with a pre-printed sentiment from Creative Expressions Woodies.

I can't wait to try different colour combos for this little bird.   I scoped out Pinterest and have got a few samples on my board.

Entering into Darnell's NBUS challenge - as it is the first outing for the die


and Just Us Girls - in Collaboration with Time Out Challenges - Birds of a Feather


Sunday 17 March 2024

Craft Roulette #206

 I managed to see the Craft Roulette show live yesterday ... 


Great parameters this week!  So much so I made two cards!   

Here's the one I made yesterday and submitted to the challenge

I started by making my background.   I was inspired by a video from Natasha Foote  - making a background with just one ink.... mine was a very old Hero Arts ink called Cup o' Joe.  I've had it for around 10 years.., and it still going well.   I smooshed it onto my craft mat and spritzed with water and dipped my Fabriano 160gms paper.  Dried and dipped again.  Then using a couple of lids to stamp circles and used a Catherine Pooler stamp set - Birds of a Feather to added some script and the Love postage stamp. Vintage colours ✓   I added a lace border using a Hero Arts wooden stamp called Lace Flower Cluster embossed with Ranger Vintage Pearl powder. - Lace on the Base ✓  It wasn't showing up so well... I added some extra ink blending to make it stand out.  Gave the background a bit of an ombre look.  I die cut a leaf cluster from the Fabriano paper with a Pinkfresh Curvy Leaves die.  I added a little bit of ink blending to the leaves.  That is my plant element.✓  My sentiment is from a Lawn Fawn stamp and die set - Magic Messages.   Again cut with the Fabriano paper and ink blended.  
Finally added a some little Hero Arts gems hearts to the centre flowers of my lace - Heart element ✓

And today - I made this one...


I've been seeing lots of cards using a birdcage and flowers... so that was my inspiration.  My patterned paper gave me a vintage vibe.  It was an A4 size so I cut it down into a 4" x 5.25" panel.  ✓  Used the same lace stamp and embossed it with the Vintage Pearl powder, ✓I have a very old Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bigz Die of a birdcage and bird.  I used some of the Fabriano paper ( it's a lovely light cream colour) to cut the die.  Added some gold gems along the bottom of the birdcage and a little bow from a bit of burlap.  My little grey heart from Altenew is added just under the bow ✓  And finally my plant element is the flowers and leaves.✓  The big green leaves are the Pinkfresh Curvy Leaves and the flowers are from the Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms.   I had them cut from some water colour paper and used Jasart Voyager Metallic paints to colour them.   I added a pre-printed sentiment from Creative Expressions - Everyday Wordies.

It was such a fun card to make.  I did some earlier in the day and the hubby and I meet up with our son and Grace at our local pub - The British Isles Inn just up the hill from us.  The boys had their glass of Guiness - to celebrate St Patrick's Day!  The pub was quite full of people dressed in green.  And there was a bank singing Irish songs.  Grace loved the music.   Florence didn't come with them as she is - unwell... ear infection and chest infection - poor wee mite.

Happy St Patrick Day 

Saturday 16 March 2024

Easter cards for the Grandies

 It's time for me to share my sample for Sweet Stampin' Challenge.... Our theme is Easter.

I have two similar cards to share.... I made the same design in different colours.... blue for Archie & Finn and red for Grace & Florence.  


The main image is a Penny Black cling stamp called Hello Dear.  I stamped in onto some Fabriano Mixed Media paper and then painted with Distress inks.   I used a lot of different colours - and used a Catherine Pooler green ink for the grass.  The sentiment for the boy's card was from a very old Hero Arts 2" x 3" set and the girl's card is from a Verve stamp set.   

I'm entering this into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge

 

Monday 11 March 2024

Success from a failure.

On Saturday, I watched a great session from the Card Makers Success Summit by Tiffany Solorio -  Tiffany uses Distress Sprays in all sorts colourful sprays and layers.  I only have two Distress Sprays in Brushed Pewter and Tarnished Brass.  I tried my Lindy's Gang Mica sprays but they are all very muted colours.  I added a splotch of Adirondack Color Wash in Purple Twilight.  But my panel of mixed media paper was very pale and blah looking with a few blob of purple.  So what to do?

Die cut with Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms!

Here's the card I made with all the bits I die cut and glued together


I used some of the dark purple blobs to cut the bigger flowers and the other more softer colours for the leaves and buds. I used some pinky lilac card from Scrapbook.com  Purple card pack for my background panel.  I die cut it with one of the Altenew Mix and Match Frames and embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder.  I slightly sanded it for an even more textured look.  I then added my bouquet down one side, and added a circle die and layer die cut from Gina K Master Layout #3 and used a Gina K sentiment.   So a success from a failure!