Flying By ....

Hi, it's another late Sunday night post from me and I'm  literally flying in with a couple of cards to enter at challenges
First up is for this week's Muse Card Club and  at first glance of Michele's card I thought  'Yep! that's looking good and achievable' BUT when I put stamp to paper etc I just can't seem to get a grip.
So this week I think I've stepped way off the mark,  I was inspired by the stunning mix of blue and green  plus the scripty sentiment and big flower centres 

Card Recipe: Hero Arts: Stamp & Cut Happy set Clearly Besotted: Pretty Petals Plus Ranger: Dye Inks and I've even inked up a piece of card with matching ink to make the border panel which is die cut using MFT Die-Namics Stitched Basic edges To finish some glossy accents to the flower centres
Here's Michele's Muse card



The next card is a challenge combo for  CAS(E) This Sketch and Card Concept

This week's clean and simple sketch including butterfly

really set my mojo into action and I adore those ombre butterflies

in the photo inspiration at the Card Concept so I've combined both

and even inked up my Hero Arts Ombre ink for the second time!

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Building Blocks - cropped with 

MFT Die-Namics: Stitched Square Dies

Clearly Besotted: Elegant Butterflies inked in the same ombre ink

with added glossy accents for definition.

The sentiment is also CBS from the In The Frame set

   

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll catch up with you soon

Flowery Challenges

Hello Friends Well I intended to have loads of cards made this week  but instead I've been sorting my stash and wondering how I've  managed to accumulate so much trash over the years! 
Anyway 2 yummy challenges, with cakes, this week and I don't often get around to entering them but couldn't resist the photo inspirations this time.
First up is for the latest Fusion Challenge and I love the 2 tier type cake in the photo  so decided to go with a 'divide / tier' to my card!

Card Recipe:

Cheery Lynn: Daisy Trio dies

Clearly Besotted: With a Flourish & Sweet Little Sentiments

both heat embossed with WOW silver sparkle

Still on the 'metal' theme from Less is More so used a couple of brads

to hold the flowers in place plus some Doodlebug sprinkles and gems for some added sparkle.

Here's the photo inspiration and I'd also like to head over to the

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where it's 'Anything Goes'

    

I'm heading over to The Card Concept with this one ... it's another challenge I often

neglect / run out of time to enter BUT this week my blog buddie Sandie (London Days) 

has joined the team so had to join in to wish her well ... not that she needs it!

I was inspired by the bottle of milk and drinking straws but added

a flower head (using the cake sponge colour) instead of a cupcake.

I think my card falls into the Clean and Simple category or perhaps Clean and layered. 

Card Recipe:

Clear Besotted: Sweet Rose stamps, dies and sentiments

My Favourite Things: On the Diagonal stencil

Doodlebug sprinkles and gems to accent.

That's all for today and I'm off to catch up on some commenting

now as I've been neglecting that task these last few days too!

Thanks for calling in and see you soon.

A Sunday Bumper Post

Happy Sunday blog pals.  I've got a bumper post of cards for you today so hope you'll stay with me. Lots of cards that I was finishing off in the last few days and now need posting before the challenges close! 

First up is to enter at Time Out Challenges and LOVING rainbow colours meant I couldn't wait to take some time out to play along. I think this will fit in over there as it's inspiration on words this week ...
'You can't make a Rainbow without a little Rain'

Card Recipe:  Simon Says Stamp: Rain drops stencil inked with Ranger Dye Inks  along with the coordinating rainbow at the bottom Mama Elephant: Stitched Landscape Trio dies (mounted on 3d foam) Inkadinkado: Kid Quotes (just purchased from Jen @ Tiny Blue Butterfly) There's some really cute sentiments in this set all written by children this one by Alyssa Knight (12)  I loved Bev's addition of rainbow gems HERE so couldn't resist adding a few too. 

I'd also like to drop this in at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge as the theme is 'Make Your Own Background'
   



This card is to enter the 'Sweet' themed challenge at CASology It's the first time I've inked up this gorgeous set from  Clearly Besotted: Simply Scrumptious Aimes and Debby (CBS DT members) provided brilliant showcases  with this set HERE and HERE - where my inspiration came from.

I started by sponging Tumbled Glass Distress ink to the  card, to add a sky effect, then inking my stamps off on paper first to create the lighter shade onto my card panel. To finish some gems and glossy accents.



When I saw the photo inspiration at The Card Concept I simply had to join in. The patterns, shapes and colours are just fabulous and I was immediately  drawn to the curtains as I've a similar Design Paper, used here from Hobbycraft. 


Card recipe: Hero Arts: Stamp & Die Happy birthday set  I love this die - can you tell! I've die-cut it in black and pink with the  black piece ever so slightly off-set from the pink. The birthday sentiment is from Uniko Studio: Simply said Birthday with Meiflower gems and Doodlebug Sprinkles to finish

I think my style is Clean & Simple but perhaps Clean & Layered today. I've combined it with the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches.

  


This card is for this week's Muse Card Challenge and I almost didn't post it BUT hubby said he rather liked it so on that basis here it is! In fact I've tried numerous attempts at this with water-colouring and more water-colouring but nothing was working!


Michele has really tested us with her fabulous card this week. In the end I inked the backdrop with Faded Jeans Distress Ink adding Clearly Besotted: Simple Silhouettes & Sweet Little Sentiments Lawn Fawn: Gleeful Gardens - Curved & Stitched border
Here's Michele's fantastic and utterly gorgeous card



Are you still with me? Hope so as this is the last one ....

This one is to enter over at Inkspirational and those ladies have had

me tearing my hair out with this one!!! This is one TOUGH challenge.

 I tried to use inspiration from the DT and fellow entries to the challenge 

along with the photo of course but I didn't want to use Easter eggs.

Here's my thought process and tools used

Kraft coloured background to replicate the photo background colour

Bubbles stencil from Stamplorations instead of egg shaped - inked to resemble 

duck-egg blue using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink also splattering in this colour

to show the markings on the 'eggs'. MFT Die-Namics Pierced Rectangle dies to cut a frame 

rather than individual compartments in the photo.

Grrr! No focal point! I've gone with a butterfly ... it's got wings!

I think one of the eggs has a gold shimmer, hence the gold accents using

metallic twine (nest material perhaps) and Clearly Besotted Butterfly Duo

die-cut in card, vellum and gold glitter card.

The sentiment is from Uniko Studio: A Gift For You

'Just for You' Sandie as you 'nudged' me to enter this challenge.

I think this will have to go down as my longest post EVER!

Thanks so much if you've got here without a nap whilst reading.

I'd love your comments and thanks as always for stopping by my blog.

Off for a lie down now but catch you soon.

Less is More #208

Morning All Thanks for stopping by AND it's that time again ... a new challenge announcement at
Less is More
this week we have an easy peasy sketch for you so here's my cards

            

For this one I'd like to link to several challenges because there's

so many 'Love' challenges out there right now that if I don't 

link a few I'll run out of people to send all these Valentine's cards to!

I'll be selling them on street corners I think! LOL!

You'll notice I've 'flipped' the sketch upside down which is allowed!

Firstly using Paper Smooches balloon dies I die-cut 2 heart shaped balloons

and inked them up with Distress Inks in Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry & Barn door.

The Eiffel Tower stamp is from the Je T'Aime set from Clearly Besotted

This is heat-embossed in Hero Arts white EP onto a panel of white cardstock

 which is also inked up using the same distress inks as above.

(In line with the sketch I promise I did die-cut half of the heart balloon 

from the panel at the top - before popping it up on 3d foam)

The sentiment is also Clearly Besotted: Paired Up and the balloon ties

from CBS: Build a bug set.

Challenges I'd like to link to:

Time Out Challenges: Valentines with a twist of hearts

Simon Says Stamp: Have A Heart

The Card Concept: Love (Clean & Simple card)

A quick edit here ... thanks Sandie for reminding me about 

the Inkspirational - Ombre challenge so I'm linking up there too.

Bet you do a double take on this one ... it is feeling slightly weird

making Christmas cards in January but it's me trying to be organised 

come December 2015 by joining the Merry Monday Challenge

each week (where possible) and I don't think I've missed yet!

Supplies Used:

Clearly Besotted: Naughty or Nice

Embossing Folder: Sheena Douglas 

(Thanks to Anne for using this a few weeks ago ... I simply HAD to have one!)

MFT Die-namics: Snow Drifts

To finish: glossy accents, glamour dust & gems

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Merry Monday: Houses

Addicted to Stamps & More: Holiday (Christmas)

Ok that's all from me and as usual I'm handing the 

crafty baton over to you and I'll be stopping by your

blogs this week to check out your creations.

Cold, Wet and Windy ...

Happy Sunday All
What a cold, wet, and windy day we have in the UK although (fingers tightly crossed) no snow as yet where I live.
So on a day like this what's a crafty girl supposed to do .... That's it create and enter a couple of challenges. So as well as some DT work I found a little time to make this card

Supplies Used:

Uniko Studio: Natures Treasures #1,

Flower Power #6

Background Builders: Vines

Clearly Besotted: Paired Up sentiment

Diagonal Stripes stamp

Pearls from The Hobby House

Challenges I'd like to enter:

The Card Concept ... Happy First Birthday 

(It's a photo inspiration challenge and I love the delicate bouquet of elegant pink florals)

Whoops - quick edit here ... I think my style is CAS (with bling!)

Freshly Made Sketches

CASology: Theme 'Date' 

An Anniversary surely counts as a date ... yes?

Ok that's all for now but depending where my mojo is later

I may have another card for tomorrow!

WEDDING BELLS

Morning all and thanks for stopping by my blog today.

I've got a wedding card for you which is for a very special and talented crafter

and as this is a scheduled post I'm hoping further details of who this is for 

and how you can join in too will be on Beverley's blog very soon.

I've also used the photo inspiration from The Card Concept Challenge so 

I'll be heading over there too with my card.  I always find it quite difficult to put my cards in just one genre so I'd say this one is a mix of clean and simple and classy and elegant.

The 'fluted' stitched border die is from Mama Elephant and

I've used the new Flower Power 6 set from Uniko Studio with accents from 

Flower Power 5 and Background Builders Vines and a sentiment from Sweet Baby.

The other sentiment is from Clearly Besotted and to finish off

I've added some pearls from my stash.

                                                            

SHIP AHOY ... ABOUT TO SAIL

Hi All

Yippee it's Friday evening and the weekend!!!!

I'm literally zipping in to catch a challenge before it closes and I'm quite impressed that I've managed to combine it with 3 others ... love it when that works out.

This Used:
Memory Box: Wave Stencil
Paper Smooches: Anchor Die; from Make the Day Special
MFT Die-namics: Sentiment Strips
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - Sweet Little Sentiments
Sequins: Doodlebug; from Craft Mojo
Washi tape, Distress inks, gems and cord from my stash

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge: Stencil It
The Card Concept - Nautical Theme
The Paper Players
CAS(E) This Sketch

                                         
        


Ok off for my fish and chips tea now but I'll be back tomorrow and thanks for stopping by.

A QUADRUPLE POST

Hello Blog Pals

Hope you've had a fun and crafty day.

My OH has been decorating today and from past experience I've realised it's best to stay out of the way so I took the opportunity to make a couple of cards this afternoon.

First up is a card I made for Mr Dazzle ... it was his birthday last week and he's my AMAZING blog photographer hence the image on the card which was sent over the pond from my fun-loving and trendy American Auntie. The colours just so happen to be in line with the current challenge at The Card Concept so I'll be hopping over there shortly with what is a 'free-style collage' creation plus Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge where the theme is Father's Day or Masculine this week.

                             

Materials Used:
Sizzix Framelits - Star Dies
Clearly Besotted - Superstar & Geometric I stamp sets & 'Happy' word die
Papers: Echo Park
Sprinkles: Stampin Up & Doodlebug

                                                      


Next up is a funky floral card using the colour selection from this week's ColourQ Challenge and I'm combining it with the 'Summer' theme at TIME OUT challenge with an option of flowers.

I've used the leaf dies from Clearly Besotted 'Fancy Florals' set to make the petals with stems from MFT Die-namics 'Lily'. The sentiment is also Clearly Besotted and I've mounted the image onto a pierced rectangle from MFT Die-namics 'Rectangle Stax'. To finish there's buttons and gems from my stash.

                                                               

I think I've gone mad for colour challenges today as I've just noticed these are all colour related challenges!

So this one is for CAS Colours & Sketches and I lurve these colours together so simply had to have a do at it. I'm quite impressed with how it's turned out too. The coloured, striped background is made by colouring stripes with promarkers.


                               

I received my latest release order from Clearly Besotted yesterday and I've been waiting (quite patiently) for the 'birthday' word die to come back into stock so this is its first outing for me. The 'birthday' word was die cut in black and in the striped paper then inlaid in black. I think it looks pretty striking and would be great for a masculine card as I'm always short of them. The other sentiments are also Clearly Besotted and I've finished off with a couple of Doodlebug Sprinkles from Craft Mojo.

                                                     


Last but not least is my card to enter this week's Color Throwdown challenge and it's another Clearly Besotted heavy card. I took inspiration for my layout from the challenge photo using the dies from the Bridal Bouquet set which are stamped with versamark ink but it doesn't seem to be showing too well in the photo but I assure you it's there.  Perhaps it's the glossy-type card I've used for the roses.

The sentiment is a brand newbie just released by Clearly Besotted 'Sweet Little Sentiments' which flew off the shelves so I was very lucky to leave the checkout with my basket in tact.

That's one mammoth post and I don't think I've ever posted one with 4 cards so huge thanks for stopping by and if you've read to the end you deserve an extra special hug and thanks. It's much appreciated.