Swirly Whirlies Owl Family Card

I just love owls, so I couldn't resist this wonderful Swirly Whirlies Owl Family stamp, it is just too cute, especially when paired with some lovely First Edition paper and kraft cardstock.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Swirly Whirlies Owl Family (Little Claire), Happy Circular Sentiments (LOTV)
Colouring Mediums: Memento Cocoa Ink Pad, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad Antique Linen, Promarkers
Paper and Card: First Edition Spring Feast, Kraft Card
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 8 Diet Set and Vintage Lace Accents, Tonic Studios Layering Squares and Layering Circles, Grand Calibur 
Embellishments: mulberry flowers, May Arts ribbon

I stamped both the main image and the sentiment using a Memento Cocoa Ink Pad, then coloured the main image using muted-coloured promarker pens, picking up the colours from the First Edition patterned backing paper before lightly tinting the background with a dusting of Antique Linen.
You can just see the beautiful embellished May Art ribbon that I used as a trim peaking out behind the stamped image. For a fun little detail, I added an offcut of the trim to the swirly branch. The stamped image and it's Kraft Card mat is cut using Spellbinders Labels 8 Diet Set, a really useful shape for cutting out landscape stamped images.

As I can't resist adornment, I created a corner cornucopia 0f mulberry paper flowers, mixing a variety of sizes from tiny cornflowers to a statement gardenia along with cherry blossoms, all in colours to coordinate with the First Edition background paper, which came from the Spring Feast collection.

Finally, I die cut the LOTV Happy Birthday stamped Sentiment using my ever-handy simple Layering Circles die, combined with the more ornate Spellbinders Vintage Lace Accents, which I think work together really well - but what do you think?

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Christmas Dance

It's the launch of the new theme over on an Oldie but A Goodie Challenge and this fortnight it's Winter, so I thought this Christmas Dance Card in warm winter colours was just the thing!

Card Recipe:
Stamp: LOTV Christmas Dance
Colouring Mediums: Memento London Fog, Promarker Pens
Paper and Card: Neenah White, Christine Adolph
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 18 and Snowflake Dies
Embellishments: double sided adhesive sheets, microbeads, glitter, rhinestone crystals, May Art double-sided stitched ribbon.

I know from the outset that I wanted to create a snowflake wreath as a frame for the main focal image.  I cut a variety of snowflakes from my patterned paper, including some that I had covered with a double-sided adhesive sheet.  Once die cut, I covered some in irridescent glitter and some in microbeads, and I think this combination of plain, beaded and glittered snowflakes adds a lot of texture and interest to the card.

My main image is a LOTV stamp called Christmas Dance.  I'm not a huge fan of "cutsie- children" stamps generally, but I am a fan of having a varied range of images to hand in my crafting stash so have found a place for a select few "cuties", this being one of them.  

I stamped the image with Memento London Fog, which gives a softer image than using black.  I coloured her with Promarkers to echo the colours of my Christine Adolp patterned papers and accented the image with glitter and a festive pom-pom (I do love a festive pom-pom)!

I hope you'll join us at an Oldie but a Goodie Challenge, where you need to use an item from your stash that's over 6 months old. On my card, everything I've used is over 6 months old!

Don't forget, if you haven't already done so, you can enter into my 100th Blogpost Celebratory Prize Draw for the chance to win some great Tonic Studios Prizes -details here. 

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Shopping, Not Dropping

This is a lovely feminine card, that would suit Mother's Day just as well as birthday.

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Watch the Birdy

Hello, this week's card uses the gorgeous Watch the Birdy range of stamps, dies and paper from Tonic Studios.  I love it when I can get stamps to co-ordinate with a die range, as I really enjoy using both types of crafting.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Tonic Studios Birds on a  Branch (Set 2)
Colouring Mediums: Encore Metallic, Versamark, Promarker Pens, embossing powder
Paper & Card: Birds on a Branch 8” Paper Pack, Glitter Card, Elegance Satin
Tools: Tonic Studios: Birds on a Branch Bird Cage Die; Elegant Vine Oval, Window Basket Die, Grand Calibur
Embellishments: May Arts Ribbon, pearls, crystals, mulberry flowers

My main image is from Tonic Studios Birds on a  Branch (Set 2) Stamp, stamped with Encore Metallic Purple Ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder, then coloured with Promarkers.

I then used the co-ordinating Bird Cage Die, which I cut from glitter card stock.












I'm getting a bit obsessed with heat embossing at the moment, so I used Versmark ink and clear embossing powder over the Elegant Vine scroll background, to give it a lovely glossy finish and texture.  I also heat-embossed the decoupaged bird cage and the printed branch at the top of the patterned paper.

I made the little pearl charms using head pins and glass beads.  Here's one last look.

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend

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A Tribute to Kanban - Betsie Bob Cute Girl

I was very sad to learn that one of my favourite UK craft companies, Kanban, has gone into Administration and will be closing down.  Like many UK card makers, Kanban has featured frequently in my craft room purchases.  Kanban are best known for their lovely cardstock and card-topper kits.  However, I am also a really big fan of their range of acrylic stamps and you will find many varied examples of these on my blog, just click on Kanban Stamps in my labels list.  So today's card is a tribute to Kanban, and my thoughts are with all those at Kanban during these troubling times.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Kanban Betsie Bob Cute Girls
Colouring Mediums: Memento Ink Pad London Fog, Promarker Pens
Paper & Card: Laura Ashley paper pad, Stardream, Hammered, Elegance Satin
Tools: Spellbinders, Grand Calibur,
Embellishments: May Art Floral Vine ribbon, Lace, hand-made pearl Hat Pins, metal corner, mulberry flowers, crystal glitter

I stamped my image with Momento London Fog and coloured with Spring Edition 2012 pro-marker pens.  I rounded the corners of the image and highlighted the edge with a glue pen and crystal glitter.
The card base was cut from a warm yellow hammered cardstock that I had in my stash.  The mounts were cut from stardream card using Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.  The vertical panel tucked behind the stamped image was created by cutting the largest Romantic Rectangle in half, adding a pretty Laura Ashley paper and then accenting with some Laura Ashley flock rub-ons that I've had in my stash for years.  They are a bit fiddly to use but give a lovely result.   You can just see one in the bottom left of this photo.

To finish the card, I used a glue pen and crystal glitter around the edge of the card to echo the glitter on the stamped image. I trimmed the card with some lucious May Art Floral Vine sheer ribbon which is trimmed with sheer flowers with pearl centres (unbelievably gorgeous), cotton lace, mulberry paper flowers and my own hand made pearl decorative hat pins.
  I love to read your comments, they are a highlight of my day, so do let me know what you think of this or if you have any questions.  Thank You! Pin It Now!

If The Shoe Fits

Hello, I have been after this gorgeous shoe stamp set for a while but it kept on going out-of-stock before I could buy it. Finally, I managed to buy it and on receipt, I immediately thought it would look wonderful stamped and embossed in white. What do you think?

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Creative Impression
Colouring Mediums: White Embossing Powder, Memento Ink Pad
Paper & Card: Karen Neuburger, Pearlescent Card
Tools: Spellbinders, Silhouette Cameo, Grand Calibur, Martha Stewart Punch, Stamps Away Inky Mat
Embellishments: May Arts Crochet Lace, Organza Ribbon, , hand-made beaded Hat Pins, Zva pearl swirls, rhinestone crystals

To make this card, I first stamped and embossed the shoe image in white embossing powder onto light blue pearlescent cardstock. To achieve a clean image, I first dusted the card with corn flour (yes – that’s right, corn flour from the kitchen cupboard!) – it has great anti-static qualities and doesn’t leave a chalky finish in the way that talc is prone to.

I cut out the shoe image with spellbinders then created a faux nestie layer by tracing around the outside of the same die and cutting it out with scissors. The scallop edge was achieved with a Martha Stewart border punch which was then trimmed. I will post a tutorial on how to do this when I’ve got a mo! 

I dyed my May Arts cream lace with a Memento ink pad and my new Stamps Away Inky Mat to coordinate with the Karen Neuburger paper. My dress form was cut out using my Cameo Silhouette and then glittered.
And, of course, I had to make up a couple of little hat pins to zush thing up!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Crafts - Pastels
Divas By Design - Two Different Patterned Papers
Oldie but a Goodie - Anything But Christmas
Papertake Weekly - Ribbons & Pearls
Stampin' for the Weekend - Use some texture
Pretty Little Riboon - Die Cuts/Punches, Ribbon and Charms

Stamptacular Sunday - Recipe Challenge
The Stamp Man - Emboss It



Hope you like this; do leave a comment if this has pleased you. Pin It Now!