Rainbow birthday smile

I'm not 100% convinced about this card - I need more white space! I know it's a rainbow, but I think maybe it's a bit too much of a good thing!

I used the Wallpaper Pattern bold prints stamp from Hero Arts, stamped and white embossed, then coloured with a rainbow of Zig markers. The "smile" die is from Cutplorations (the word is inlaid, and coated with Wink of Stella), and the rest of the sentiment is from CAS-ual Fridays.  

 Thanks for visiting :)

More leftovers

I wonder if every 2nd card of mine this year will be using up leftovers?

The background stamp is from Simon Says Stamp, white embossed and then coloured with Color Burst powders.

Thanks for visiting :)

Wavy birthday card

I have a masculine birthday card to share with you today:

I stared by white embossing the Simon Says Stamp Stepping Stones background stamp onto some watercolour paper. I then sprayed with water and added some blue and green Color Burst powers, dried it and then added a few sprays of Perfect Pearls in water.
I finished the card with a happy birthday sentiment on a white panel cut with the Stitched Hillside border dies from Lawn Fawn.

 Thanks for visiting :)

Using up "Elaborate" leftovers

Usually, if you see me use a background stamp (in this case, Penny Black's Elaborate background) that's been cut down into a panel on the front of a card (like in the card I posted back in January), it means there will be leftovers for another card! Yay!

I added a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp onto some vellum.  If I had been thinking ahead, I would have made the vellum piece long enough to wrap around the patterned panel. But I didn't, so I had to add some strategically placed sequins to hide the adhesive.

Thanks for visiting :)

Birthday girl

I've been trying to build up my stash of birthday cards - I have heaps of thank you cards, but zero birthday cards! (and people just keep on having birthhdays!)

I used the little girl from My Favorite Things "Overflowing Joy", coloured with Copic markers. I added her over a background made with a Hero Arts background stamp, coloured with Zig markers and water. The sentiment is also from Hero Arts.

 Thanks for visiting :)

Little baby, big love

I recently cleaned up a pile of leftovers on my desk, and I found this background piece from a baby card I made AGES ago. I decided to make another baby card with it.

The background is made with the "magical background" stamp from Hero Arts (now retired) and Gansai Tambi watercolours. The bunny and the balloons are from Mama Elephant "Up and away", coloured with Copic markers, and the sentiment is from Reverse Confetti "Lots to say". The white panel was cut with a border die from Lawn Fawn.

Thanks for visiting :)

Using up a leftover blue background

I had some leftover alcohol ink background from yesterday's card, so I die-cut a sentiment from it to make a quick card.

First, I took the alcohol inked-card and stamped it with the flora background stamp from Simon Says Stamp. I added some glitter embossing powder from WOW and then I used the Mama Elephant birthday die, along with "Birthday Builder" from Altenew. A few sequins and I was done!

 I'll be sharing this card at CASology, where the theme is Glimmer.

I'll also be sharing this card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - the theme is "Add a Sentiment" 

 Thanks for visiting :)

Blue birthday wishes

I have a card using some new products (well, new to me!), with my favourite colours.

I used the new "Mum Flower Frame" die from Simon Says Stamp, placed over an alcohol ink background using Ranger Adirondack glossy paper and inks. The sentiment is from Studio Katia's "Blooming Bunch" stamp set. I added some Wink of Stella on top of the alcohol ink of the petals of the flower for some added shimmer.

I'll be sharing this card at the Just Add Ink challenge blog, where the theme is "something new". (both the die and the sentiment stamp are brand new, and the alcohol inks are comparatively new to me!)

 I'll also be sharing it at CASology, where the theme is Glimmer.

 I'll also be sharing this card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - the theme is "Add a Sentiment"

  Thanks for visiting :)

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC 191

Welcome to a new challenge at CAS-ual Fridays!

I used the "Peace Love & Coffee" set from CAS-ual Fridays to make this card. I coloured the stamps using Tombow markers, and stamped them multiple times in the same place using my MISTI. I created the background on a Kraft card base by stamping the coffee bean stamps in Versamark, then clear embossing them.

Make sure you check out the CAS-ual Fridays challenge blog for more inspiration from the Girl Fridays, and join in on our challenge!

 Thanks for visting :)

Fusion: Coffee and a book

Welcome to a new challenge at Fusion!

I went with the sketch today - the photo didn't influence my card at all! I used a Hero Arts butterfly, white embossed onto watercolour paper, then coloured with Zig markers and water. The sentiment is a discontinued stamp from Amuse Art Stamps.

Make sure you check out all the rest of the inspiration at the Fusion challenge blog, and play along with your own creation!

Thanks for visiting :)

Oxide love

Ok, so the other day, my crafty friend, Debbie Pamment, posted a photo of the bottom of her coffee cup, where the leftover coffee puddles had formed little heart shapes which made her happy. When I saw this, I immediately thought of the way that Distress Oxide ink reacts with water and forms dark lines around puddles of water, so I thought of making a background with heart shaped puddles. So I made this.

I used Distress Oxide ink in Candied Apple, Picked Raspberry and Worn Lipstick, smooshed onto Canson Watercolour card, then sprayed with water. I heat set it and then painted on heart shapes with water. 
I used the "Love" wafer die from Simon Says Stamp, cut from Stampin Up red Glimmer Paper and from vellum, and the "you" is from CAS-ual Fridays "Heartfelt Sayings". The teeny tiny heart stamp is from a very old Stampin' Up set. I finished by painting a couple of the hearts with Wink of Stella, and added a few Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

Thanks for visiting :)

Rose gold florals

Playing along again with the challenge at "Where Creativity meets C9", this time with rose gold embossing on vellum.

I coloured the flowers on the back of the vellum with Copic markers in some pale R and pale YR markers. The bouquet is from Concord and 9th Hello Lovely, and I added a sentiment from Many Mandalas.  Now that I look at it, I kind of wish I had added some olive green for the leaves.

 Thanks for visiting :)

Baby love

I made a few baby cards recently, because I'd run out! Here's one:

I used a background stamp from Simon Says Stamp, white embossed and then coloured with Zigs and water. The sentiment is a die set also from Simon Says Stamp, cut from white cardstock and the mat cut from vellum.

Thanks for visiting :)

Happy birthday

I've seen a few other cardmakers colour in this intricate Simon Says Stamp background stamp carefully (rather that my usual technique of scribble, spray with water and hope for the best). I thought I'd give it a go.

Although I like the outcome, I am much too impatient to use this technique too often!

Btw, the sentiment is from PaperTrey Ink.

Thanks for visiting :)

Hello, lovely

I'm playing along with "Where creativity meets C9" today - their challenge is to use your first Concord & 9th set. 

This is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I've been enjoying seeing cards recently with embossing, and then coloured pencils onto black cardstock, so I wanted to give it a try today. I used my Derwent pencils.
 It's a little bit hard to tell, but the image is embossed with Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder, and the sentiment is embossed onto vellum in white for the "hello" and in very pale pink for the "lovely".

Thanks for visiting :)

Blue birthday

I decided to CASE a card I made last year for the A Blog Named Hero anniversary blog hop.

 The background stamp is from Penny Black, white embossed onto watercolour card, then coloured with Zig markers. The sentiment is a portion of a sentiment stamp from Hero Arts (I did some stamp surgery on it - I think I will get more use from it like this!)

Thanks for visiting :)

Alcohol ink blues

I bought some alcohol inks the other day. This is the first piece I made with them.  (You're going to find a lot of blues on my blog this year. Just sayin'. )

I added Ranger alcohol inks in Aqua, Sailboat Blue, Indigo and Mermaid, plus some silver mixative, to some Ranger Inkssentials white Gloss Paper. I then stamped and white embossed the bouquet from Concord and 9th's "Hello Lovely", and then added a happy birthday sentiment from Hero Arts "Many Birthday Messages" white embossed onto vellum. I wrapped the vellum around the alcohol ink panel, then added some Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins.

I will be sharing this card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, where the theme is "Something New".

OK, now a question for those of you who have used alcohol inks a lot more than I have. The silver and gold mixatives both rub off on my fingers, and then I end up putting fingerprints on my white card base. Is there something I can spray over the top to seal this all in, so the card recipient won't end up with the mixative all over their hands, but won't mess with my ink? I have looked at a few YouTube videos, and one suggested Krylon Kamar varnish, but I haven't been able to find it (yet). I'd really appreciate it if you could share anything you've found useful!

Thanks for visiting :)

CAS-ual Fridays CFC 190

Hello! I'm back again for a new year at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge!

I used Heartfelt Sayings along with Full on Floral for this sparkly card. I created the background by applying some Distress Oxide inks in a rainbow of colours to some white cardstock, then heat set them. I then stamped Full on Floral in Versamark over the top, and then embossed the image with Wow Clear Sparkle glitter embossing powder.

Make sure you check out the CAS-ual Fridays challenge blog for more inspiration from the Girl Fridays, and join in on our challenge!

Thanks for visiting :)

Fusion - Mail call

Welcome back to another year at the Fusion challenge!

I used a die from Simon Says Stamp to cut the sentiment, and a die from Lil' Inkers to cut the circle of wood paper. The panel on the right is a scrap of cardstock I had on my desk - I honestly can't remember where it came from, but the images of the flowers make me think it is from Hero Arts.

I have a special guest for our anniversary today - my friend, Linda Trace! Make sure you visit the Fusion blog to check out her card, and also visit her blog to leave her some love!

Thanks for visiting :)