Season's Greetings

Yeah! Managed to get in my craft room to make a card and use the computer today while my daughter was out at the law college. I really loved making this card and I've found that it fits the bill for so many challenges.

Here's what I used:

Kraft card

Elzybells image and sentiment stamps

Promarkers

Baker's twine

Metal Eyelets

Circle nesties

Inkssentials Opaque White Pen for the snowflakes
We R Memory Keepers corner chomper

And these are the challenges I'm entering it into:

http://promarkerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/week-176-theme.html

http://ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/snowflakes-challenge.html

http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/novembers-challenge-wrap-up-warm-for.html

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/week-94-theme.html

http://www.addictedtocas.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/atcas1.html

I found the inspiration for the layout from a card by Michelle Short of the Card Grotto - I've always admired her style.  Here's the link to her blog if you'd like to take a look:

http://www.cardgrotto.com/

That's it from me. Have a good evening and hope to be back as soon as I get chance.

Sue.x

Home for Christmas

My version of a Nordic Christmas card.

I used these fabulous Papermania Urban Stamps 'Home for Christmas'. They really are lovely stamps to use - a beautiful, crisp impression and lots of small stamps to create your own background.

I masked off the bottom of the card and used Old Paper Distress Ink to create a border.  The stamps are all from the set and I used some red crystals in the centre of the small snowflakes.

I did the strip at the top of the card when I was just messing with the stamps    and decided I quite liked how it turned out so just stuck it onto the card.  The bauble shapes were cut out on my Silhouette (I scanned the stamped image into my computer to get the exact shape but made them slightly larger than the bauble stamp to give an edge around them. I then stamped the bauble onto the cut out shapes). 

Sorry the picture is a bit dark, it's a really gloomy here today.  Just as well Barbara Grey is on Create and Craft today - it gives me a good excuse to sit in front of the TV.

Sue.x

Less is More Week 90 - Theme

Hi bloggers! Long time no post. The reason being my daughter is now studying  to pass her LPC (Law Practice Course) before starting her training contract at a law company in Birmingham, so she is using the desk I usually craft at.  

She's gone off into town today for retail therapy and a much deserved rest from her books, so I've taken the opportunity to make a card for this week's Less is More challenge which is:

AUTUMN

You can take your inspiration from colours, festivals, seasonal images... whatever... but don't forget to keep it simple and retain that white space!

And here's my card:

I started off by printing the quote directly onto the card.  I then used a background stamp from Stick and Stamp using Tea Dye Distress ink first and then re-inking around the edges with Aged Mahogany and overstamping.  I'm not sure who made the leaf stamp (it's been in my stash for many years).  I used a selection of inks to colour the leaves but then went over with Prisma pencils as the paper was beginning to buckle with the water brush. 

I hope the card doesn't look blurry to you as it does to me (not got my glasses on).

And just before I go I'd just like to wish Mandi the best of luck in her new venture - it sounds very exciting.

Bye until I don't know when.

Sue.x

Black & White Plus One

I came across the CAS-UAL FRIDAYS Challenge blog today whilst doing a bit of blog hopping, and if you have visited my blog before you will know that CAS is my favourite kind of card. 

So, here's my very first entry into CAS-UAL FRIDAYS challenge:

And this is what I used:

Poppystamps Nestled Bird die

Memory Box Woven Circle die

Sizzix Hello Friend Diagonal Frame embossing folder

Silhouette Cameo to cut out the branch

Clare Curd sentiment stamp

I cut the woven circle twice - one in black and one in white card and layered them on top of each other. Oh, and in case it's not obvious, my Plus One colour is the brown branch.

Hope you like it.

Sue.x

A Little Birdie Told Me

Morning all! What a glorious week of weather we've had. Bout time too. Shame it's after the hols have finished.  Still, better late than never.

I've been playing around with my Cameo again and discovered you can still import your DP's (Pink Petticoat on this card) and use them to fill your shape.  The new upgraded version of Studio doesn't allow you to save them into My Patterns any more, you have to buy the Designer Edition (about £30) which I was a bit miffed about.  Anyway, I found that if I opened the paper and then added my shape on top I could cut away the rest of the paper from outside the shape leaving my image filled with my patterned paper.  I then did a Print & Cut. Whoopee, saves me 30 quid.   Although I could have just printed my DP and put that into the Cameo to cut my shape, but that would have been too easy. lol. 

Here's what I used:

Pink Petticoat Littlest Big Dots (dots and plain paper)

Bird - Silhouette download number 1823

Sentiment - Computer generated

Stitching done with Sew Mini Machine

Small bead for the eye

Crystal from stash

Do-Crafts swirl stamp for tail
Fine tip black pen to draw around the shape

I'm going to enter this into ladybugscraftsink Paper Piecing Challenge.

Thanks for visiting.

Sue.x

The Cameo Spotlight - Week 2

open to interpretation: could be back to school, birthday or anniversary

Hi folks, hope you're well.  

I've been messing about with my Cameo today to make a card to enter into the second Cameo Spotlight challenge.  The theme this time is numbers and here's my entry.

The numbers are from the Bloc Party cd I received with my original Silhouette machine.  Firstly, I opened up the numbers 2 and 1 and welded them together. I then copied and pasted the numbers and reversed them and again welded the two sets together (I ungrouped the patterns for the back piece and removed them as I just wanted the back to be plain) and I then added the cupcake which was also from the same cd, I then created a Print and Cut.  Very easy and quick to do.

Here are a few more angles:

The card opened out showing the front and back:

The centre of the card:

Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate any comment you may wish to leave.

Sue.x

Less is More Week 81 - Tearing

Less is More Week 81

Tearing
This can be in any form, but, as subtle or as bold as you like!

I've never really been one for tearing.  It always looks like a dog's dinner when I've had a go in the past, so I wasn't sure this week's lessismore challenge was for me.  However, Chrissie and Mandi have always tried to encourage the LIMettes to push themselves out of their comfort zone so I've bitten the bullet and had a go.

I got a bit carried away with the snow drifts, so I hope there's still enough white space to be classed as CAS.

I used a new technique as well today - masking fluid for snow (although I think they look more like golf balls falling from the sky).  A bit of practice is needed me thinks.

I created the snow drifts by tearing a piece of copy paper and then masked a section at the top of the card and then brayered in between.

I rubbed off the masking fluid and then stamped my trees, santa's sleigh and the sentiment.

I created some more snow drift by using my torn paper again and a bit of cut and dry foam   lightly dabbing along the edge.

Oh, yes, I nearly forgot.  I bought a Splodge Away mat after seeing Barbara Grey using it on C&C last time she was on.  Brilliant!  Really does make brayering easier.  I only bought the small (8X8) in case it was a waste of money and have found this size is going to be just fine for me.  I can definitely recommend one if you're into brayering.  Buy direct from http://www.splodgeaway.com/shop-mat.html as there's free postage.

The materials I used are:

Speedball brayer  

Splodge Away mat (8x8)

Adirondack Denim Inkpad
Versafine Onxy Black

Lavinia Santa's Sleigh and Tree stamps

HOTP sentiment stamp

Masking fluid

Thanks for dropping by.

Sue.x

The Cameo Spotlight #1

UPDATE:  I decided to make a bit of a change to my original card, I've just added a sun (another free Bird cutting file) and remove my sentiment. I think I like this one better:

At last a challenge blog dedicated to making items using a Silhouette or cameo machine.  You can find it here.

You all know how much I love my machine so have been eagerly awaiting the first challenge.

And here's my card:

I've used the following cutting files:

Crab - Silhouette download

Clouds Border - Silhouette download

Waves - http://www.birdscards.com/ (Free)

Sentiment - http://svgcuts.com/blog/free-designs/ (Free)

I did the background clouds by cutting the border with my Cameo and then using it as a template to sponge blue ink onto the background card.

The sand is a piece of Kraft card which has been run through a ribbler and a piece of garden twine finishes it off.

Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Thanks for visiting.

Sue.x

Silhouette Cameo Flowers

Hi all. Hope you're well and enjoying the weekend. Nice to see some sun for a change.

The flowers on the card I have to show today were made using my Cameo machine.

This is how it started off life:

I added colour using the Silhouette Studio software to create a Print and Cut project.  I just added an offset border around the edge and cut the blossoms out with the Cameo.  Here we have the finished result:

Other items I used:

Hero Arts Woodgrain Stamp

Clarity Sentiment Stamp

Memory Box Woven Circle die

Leaves cut out with the Cameo

Hope you like it and thanks for dropping by.

Sue.x

A Special Touch Mask

I've been having a play with another of my Special Touch Masks - I always admire people's Vintage style but I can't quite manage it myself. I think I'm such a CAS crafter I can't bring myself to keep adding more and more bits.

I do like how the clock turned out but then I got stuck with what to add next so I kinda plonked the sentiment on and then regretted the position of it. I would have preferred it further down and to the left, but too late now.  I tried all sorts to cover it but nothing look right so I've left it as it is for now - I might come back to it tomorrow as I'm fed up of looking at it now (any suggestions would be gratefully received).

I embossed the clock though the Grand Calibur first and then added 3 or 4 different colours of Distress Inks.  That all looked kinda plain so I dug out some background stamps I have in my stash - they really come in handy now and then.

I used my WRMK corner chomper to round the edges of the card.

I'm off for a nice soak in the bath now - shoulders and back giving me a bit of grief for sitting hunched over the desk for too long.

Night all!

Sue.x

First Christmas Card of 2012

I used my Grand Madison Window with the Special Touch Mask brick wall that I used in a previous post (told you it would keep cropping up). I used 3d foam squares to add the depth to the scene.

The image is from my Joanna Sheen Enchanted Christmas cd.  

The branches were cut on my Cameo and I used a Fiskars small flower punch and added some silver Sparkles to the centres.

I think I might batch make a few of these, I'm really happy with the way it's turned out.

Sue.x

Less is More - Sketch

Good afternoon all, hope you've had a good weekend. 

I've not been doing much craft lately - missing mojo again I think, but I was inspired by this week's lessismore challenge which is a nice simple sketch:

And here's my card:

And this is what I used:

Kraft card (a bit of old buff folder rescued from the rubbish bin at work) 

Papermania stamp

Adirondack Pitch Black Inkpad

Cream cardstock

Black cardstock

EK Success Punch

Sizzix Bigz die 

Papermania Brad making kit.

HOTP sentiment stamp

Have a lovely evening and thanks for dropping by.

Sue.x

A happy accident.............

.......... that's the story with this card.

It started off as a 5 x 61/2" card (American size, sort of equivalent to our C6 - not a size I'm fond of, so I like this slightly larger version).  The accident came when I made the box to put it in.  It was a too small - aaaargh.  I just couldn't get the motivation to make another so decided to make the card smaller.  Chopped it in half and then realised that I would loose the mat and would have to mount it onto another card blank and be back to square one.  What to do?  Then I had one of those 'Eureka' moments 'why not make a stand for it. So that's why this ended up not quite as planned.

I used my Cameo to cut out the stand, the leaves,butterflies and flourish.  The frame is a Nestie and the sentiment was done on the computer using a font called English.

 I just used some roses, ribbon and tiny beads from my stash to finish.

I quite like how it turned out, so may do some more like this.

Sue.x

New Silhouette Cameo and SD Challenge

A new and exciting challenge blog is about to start here on August 11.  It's been set up by the very talented Jackie from Rockwelldesigns.  It's for anyone who has a Silhouette Cameo or SD machine and would like to get more use out of it or would like a bit of inspiration, why not check it out and take part.  I can't wait (you all know how much I love my machine).

Sue.x

Less is more - Gold

Here's my entry into this week's lessismore challenge.  The theme is:

'Gold'
It can be shiny or matt, but we'd like it to be unmistakably gold!

I used the Flitter glue and flakes from Indigo Blu that I bought from the NEC way back in March.  It's one of those items you buy and then stick in the drawer until you find the courage to have a go with it, but I have to say it was very easy and the results are much better IRL than in my photo.

I find gold (especially mirri card) difficult to photograph - it always looks so drab - do you think the same?

The stamp is Kaisercraft 'Tic Toc' clear stamp.  I thought it would be useful for male cards.  The sentiment I did on the computer and the pocket watch stamp was one I had in my stash - not sure who made it.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your day.

Sue.x

Grand Madison Window

I'm not sure about this card - I think it looks better IRL than in the photo - not sure why, probably my lack of photographic skills.

Anyway, I love this Grand Madison Window die from Poppystamps (the company that makes Memory Box dies). It's so versatile and can be used in lots of different way, so expect to see it used a lot over the coming months.  Can't wait to do some Christmas scenes with it!

For the brick wall background I used a 'That Special Touch' mask.  The paper for the curtains was just some scrap I had in my stash and I put it through my paper crimper to give the look of folds.  The flowers and branches are a variety of punches I have gathered over the years and not used much so I've been pleased to put them to some use at last.  I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment (HOTP) onto an oval Nestie and mounted that onto a scalloped oval.  

Hope you have a great evening and thanks for stopping by.

Sue.x

White on white butterflies

I made this some time ago and forgot to post it.

Butterfly stamp is from Hero Arts Antique Engravings set coloured with Promarkers

Nestabilities die

Clarity Stamps sentiment

Flourish cut out on my Cameo

A few crystals from stash

I managed to do a watermark on my card for the first time thanks to a post by Viv on the Do Crafts forum. So easy to do. I'm not sure I'll be bothered to put it on all my cards, I was just curious to see if I could do it and always enjoy having a play on the computer.  If you're interested in creating your own watermark here is the link to the post.

Sue.x

Less is More Week 73 - Paper Piecing

I've been suffering a lack of interest in crafting the last few weeks, hence my lack of blogging, but this week's lessismore challenge got me rummaging about in my enormous box of scraps to have a go a paper piecing.

Cutting out is not my favourite activity (much prefer colouring), probably cause I'm not very good at it - so don't zoom in to closely will you!!!!

For my card I used an old Rubber Romance stamp which I thought was perfect for the job. The papers are all HOTP from a QVC TSV I bought some years ago, except the flesh coloured one which I just found lurking about in the pile.  I just added a bit of Promarker shading to the chocolate boxes and under the cushions so she didn't look like she was floating on air.

The sentiment stamp is from Funstamps - It didn't stamp as well as it could have, but I think I can get away with it.

Time to hop into the bathtub now and then I plan to settle down in front of the TV to watch the footie. Fingers crossed for England.

Have a good evening and thanks for dropping by.

Sue.x

A bit of Steam Punk

And now for something completely off the wall for me -  a bit of Steam Punk!

Those of you that regularly visit my blog know that my usual style is CAS, but I saw Ali from Stamps Away demonstrating some 'That Special Touch' masks on Create and Craft and really like them, especially this winged dressform. 

To create my card I embossed the mask through my Grand Calibur and then used a variety of Distress Inks to build up the colour.

The ticket was a print and cut using my Cameo and the butterfly was also cut out on my Cameo and I overstamped it with Hero Arts  Art, Life and Beauty stamp and again added the same colours of Distress Inks to it.

The ribbon is American Seam binding which has also had the Distress Ink treatment and I dug the metal charm out of my stash.

Not really sure it'll become my regular thing, but I did enjoy making it.

It just so happens that the charismacardz challenge this week is to add metal charms so I'm going to enter into it with this card.

Sue.x

One more quick card

We had a lovely surprise yesterday - our youngest daughter, who's been in Australia since the end of last September (seems like years though) is coming home a bit earlier than expected - YAY.

She'll be arriving back at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday evening - can't wait to see her.

I made this CAS card using my Tatty Teddy cd - which I still love.  I printed it directly onto my card.  The font I used for the sentiment is called Kirsten and is the closest I've found to the Tatty Teddy font (btw our daughter isn't really called Polly - that's our nickname for her).

Have a good extended weekend.

Sue.x

Making my own Doeflex templates with my Cameo

As you all know I love my Cameo machine and this week I've been putting it to the test once again and have made some of my own templates using Doeflex sheets, a Hero Arts download from the Silhouette shop and my Cameo machine.  Here's what I've done so far:

Sorry, the picture's a bit dark.

I made two different sizes, but as you can see they've both cut perfectly.

Here's a few techniques I've tried with them:

This one was just stencilled

This one has been embossed by putting it through my Grand Calibur and I then added some ink

I used the Belleek Pottery technique for this one - inked the stencil and then ran it through the Grand Calibur

I'm so chuffed with this and can't wait to have a go at making more stencils. 

If you've got a Cameo and fancy having a go at this HERE is where I got the Doeflex sheets - not readily available at many places.

Sue.x

A bit of masking

Been suffering a bit of mojo loss this week hence no blogging.  Just made this card after finding some inspiration from Heather with this  card.

I resurrected some Rubber Romance stamps I had stashed away and stamped Melanie (I think that's what she's called).  I masked her and then stamped the buildings.  I then masked the top and bottom of the card and used my ink brushes and Adirondack Denim inkpad to add the coloured area.  I could have masked Melanie again but I wanted to do the same effect as Heather.  Just for contrast I added Promarker Poppy to the band around her hat.

Sue.x

Bind it all post it notes

FIRSTLY CAN I SAY HELLO TO MY NEW FOLLOWERS.  

THANK YOU FOR DECIDING TO FOLLOW MY BLOG AND I HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY POPPING BY NOW AND AGAIN.

I've been playing with my Bind it all again today and found a great little youtube tutorial HERE to make these lovely little Post It Note holders. They're so easy to do and my daughter will just love this (she's a bit of a stationery fanatic and just loves notebooks, highlighter pens, etc - no wonder she stayed in education until she was 21 - lol).


I used Pink Petticoat papers to cover the chipboard.  The ribbon is from my stash.  That's all there is to it really.  another fun little project to make.

Dig out those dusty BIA machines girls and give it a go. 


Have a good evening.

Sue.x

Scalloped circle easel card

I used the Belleek Pottery inspired technique again for the background of this card. I really love how it makes the embossing pop when you use an embossing folder.  The folder I've used in this case is Cuttlebug Divine Swirl and I used a Versacolor pad in Orchid for the background colour.  You can find the Belleek technique here on the Splitcoaststampers website.  

I used my Grand Scalloped Circle and Grand Circle nesties for the card base and inner circle.  (btw, I got a couple of sets of Grand Nesties on sale at Hobbycraft this week - £19.99 per set, so if you have a Hobbycraft near you and would like to grab a bargain, pop in and see if they have any left).

The flowers and butterfly punches are from Crafts Too and the leaves are a Sizzix die.  I dotted some Liquid Pearls in the centres of the flowers and along the bodies of the butterflies.

The sentiment and oval punches are from Stampin Up.

I'm going to have a play with my Craft Artist Professional this afternoon - such a fun piece of software and so easy to use.  I'm hoping to make some mini albums and get some more use out of my Bind It All machine.

Hope you're having a good weekend so far.

Sue.x

Papertake challenge - A stitch in time

Edit: I wasn't really happy with my first card; I wanted the rosebud paper to look stitched to the background card so I had another go at printing directly onto the card.  This time I was a bit more successful, but got it a bit too far to the right so I just added a bit of ribbon down the side to camouflage the wide margin and moved the bobbin to the bottom corner  - I think it's better.*

Thought I'd have a go at this week's Papertake Weekly challenge, stitch-in-time as I have this cute little digistamp from pinkpetticoat to go with the theme of stitching on your card (faux or real).  I also used Pink Petticoat Vintage Rose collection paper for the background.  

*This was my first card:

I opened the rose background paper in Craft Artist and used one of the brushes in the software to do my stitching. I messed up when it came to printing directly onto my card blank so had to cut it down and mounted it onto a scalloped edge card instead.  The little button was one I cut from one of hubbie's old shirts he was throwing out.  I will remove the pin before sending it to anyone though - don't want to cause them any more pain.lol

Sue.x

Bind it all notebook

I've had a Bind it All machine sitting on a shelf for about 3 years and never had the courage to use it before now. It just looks so scary - I hadn't a clue where to start.  But, I thought it was time to tackle it so started with this simple notebook.

I cut two pieces of scrap chipboard (it was the back of one of those reinforced envelopes - you know the ones where the sender doesn't want whatever's in it bent - a nice bit of recycling) 10cm square and covered the front and inside of each piece with HOTP papers.  I attached my ribbon with the brads before sticking the inside piece of paper to make it nice and neat.  I then cut a big wad of copies paper just a little less that 10cm and cut through the chipboard and then the paper with the BIA.  I used a 3/4 wire - I quite like that oversized look.

Finally, I made the rosette for the front using a 12" x 1 1/2" strip of paper which I punched with a Martha Stewart punch and scored every 1/4" along the long side.  I then folded zigzag and fixed the two ends.  The next bit is hard to explain but you can find a great tutorial HERE on how to finish it off.

I used a brad from the Papermania brad making kit to finish it off.

I really enjoyed making this an will definitely be doing more. Using a 10cm square piece for this first project helped a lot because it's the width of the BIA so no lining up or trying to get the last hole in the right place.  That's the next challenge.

Thanks for dropping by and have a good day.

Sue.x