Paper smooches SPARKS challenge

The challenge over at Paper Smooches was to find inspiration from this photo

and although it was somewhat out of my comfort zone I really wanted to play along. I was able to download some of their free digi images and use them to make a hybrid card.

First of all I cropped two digi sentiments to make this 'Thanks berry much' one. (I used 'thanks', and 'I love you berry much').

Then I digitally coloured one of the small berries and created a background paper by replicating it and adding some green polka dots. I printed off some outline berries for the main image and coloured them with my promarkers. This was all layered onto my kraft cardstock which I had sent through my cuttlebug with a grid embossing folder to replicate the waffle cone. 

You can see the waffle effect a little clearer on this image.

I hope you like my take on this challenge, it really was quite alot of fun to step outside of my comfort zone for once!

Less is more/Passion for Papertrey Wonderful Wildlife Challenge Part 2

I wanted to add another card to the Passion for Papertrey challenge that I made recently using my wonderful Papertrey Leaf print dies, and it also qualifies for the Less is More sketch challenge.

Its quite similar to my last card, in that it uses the negative die cut to showcase the die (there's no way I could have cut through the very textured bamboo with a die, so using the negative means I could still use it). The first card is using a burgundy background paper and then a lovely rusty bamboo paper, tea dye distress inks to sponge around the edges and a simple banner sentiment.

Next I did another card using the same idea, but using green tones.

Forest moss distress ink this time and I moved my banner over to the side to give it a slightly different look.

The sentiment is a very old wooden stamp I've had for years which has a little bunch of flowers at one end which I always mask off, but unbelievably its the only 'thinking of you' sentiment I have, but I love that phrase, its so versatile.

Hope you like this natural/wildlife card!

Passion for Papertrey - Wonderful Wildlife challenge

I've been waiting for a challenge over on the Passion for Papertrey blog that I can make the most of since my Papertrey stuff arrived at Christmas, and finally, a challenge made for me!!!
I love all things natural and tree like so this challenge is right up my street, and I imagine I shall be taking part more than once!

The first offering I have is a card which uses the Leaf Print dies and uses their negatives. It took a little time (and more than one attempt!) to get the leaves to fit onto the DL size card I was using! Once I was happy with the layout I layered it over some bamboo type background paper in a lovely rusty/autumn colour. I sponged with tea dye distress ink and added a brown ribbon and small labels 4 Nestie onto which I'd stamped a waltzingmouse sentiment.

I hope you like my natural card and are inspired to use the negative dies!

Waltzingmouse blog party - New Beginnings

Today is the monthly Waltzingmouse blog party, and the theme is New Beginnings, I have chosen to make a baby shower card for my sister in law who is due in just a couple of weeks (so exciting!).
Baby showers are not that common in the UK, but we just have a little get together and give gifts.

My card was meant to represent a rain shower, and the main image is a mixture of an umbrella and a baby mobile.

I started off by stamping Offbeat background polka dots in lilac ink, then made a background piece using the Offbeat Background tartan/plaid in lilac. I don't have an umbrella stamp, so once I'd done my polka dots I used 2 different sizes of circle nestabilities to cut the umbrella shape and used a fine line marker to draw out the umbrella and then its handle. 

The next step was the little birds and stars which are hanging from the umbrella, these are stamped in various shades of pinks/purples and are images from the Teeny trees set. Because I was worried about them turning around I actually stamped on both sides, which is pretty handy that you have the birds facing both ways! I threaded them onto some white thread and stuck them to the back of the umbrella.

Hopefully you can see in this image that the umbrella is sat on an embossed matt (CB swiss dots) which is meant to represent the rain, and the little cloud is punched and I hand wrote the sentiment.

Finally I layered it all up, added some dimension to the umbrella with some foam pads and then did a faux stitch around the outside of the kraft card base.

I hope you like my card, and if you want to look at the other cards for the Waltz head over to the waltzingmouse blog.

Papertrey Leaf print cards

Today I'm sharing a card which I have made this week using my Papertrey leaf die which can be used for various different occasions. Unfortunately I needed a sympathy card for a friend, and its not something I usually have to hand (although I have made a spare one to keep for the future).

For sympathy cards I like to keep the colours muted and tonal, so I choose to use Antique Linen distress ink and then some background paper which matched in well.
I cut out a leaf from some white card using my papertrey leaf dies and then embossed with CB script folder to give it some texture. After a quick sponge with the distress ink and some basic matt and layers I stamped the sentiment underneath in more antique linen ink.
This card is actually really versatile, and I made it again but just changed the sentiment.

I think this card would work in various different colour ways too to give it a more upbeat look. I think I'll definitely make it in green and some autumn colours!

Happy Easter!

I would first of all like to say Happy Easter to everyone! It seems to have crept up this year for one reason or another and I haven't done any Easter crafting, but its a fantastic time of year for Christians to focus on the hope we have - Christs' death and resurrection!

I have not been crafting for a while as I haven't been very well, and a 5 day stay in hospital wasn't particularly fun, then the day after I came out my Grandma died, so we've been busy.

Here's a picture of me and my Grandma on her birthday 4 years ago.

But hopefully I will be back crafting soon, as I definitely want to take part in this months Waltzingmouse Blog Party on the 17th, so I will be doing something soon!
Thanks for visiting!