A basket of love

It's Sister's day on the first Sunday in August so here is the first of a handful of sister's day cards I will be making.

A quick and easy card using die cuts and some promarkers for a splash of colour. The dies are from Memory box and Poppystamps and cut from white card. The butterflies are coloured with yellow and the hearts with soft pink.

I simply attached the bike to the card and then randomly added the hearts and butterflies. I chose yellow as its my sister's favourite colour well it use to be as a child not sure now as its not the kind of thing that comes up in conversation when adults.

Hope it brightens her day.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

poppy stamps- fly me away to another place

fantasy stampers -CAS

the pencil case-xanthic yellow

the crafters cafe - CAS

CASology-journey

Good luck wedding card

I wanted to try something a little different from the usual wedding cards I would make that tend to be either fussy and cute or CAS elegance, well at least that's what I strive for. I wanted to try and make the 2 meet somewhere in the middle so I came up with this card.

I used this cute LOTV image of kittens and a horseshoe both symbols of luck well cats that are black are suppose to be lucky if they cross your path, mine are shades of grey coloured with promarkers but I guess they could grow into black cats.

The horseshoe is coloured with a mix of silver promarker and silver gel pen with black promarker shading.

I had stamped the image with black memento ink onto a spellbinders die cut circle.

I used a white base card and cut panels of pearlised grey card to fit the design from memory box challenges, and added these to the base card. I knew I wanted to use my new memory box clover die ,its called lucky charms as there are 3 and 4 leaf clover on the die but wasn't sure quite what to do. I tried cutting some in metallic green card and laying on grey card but wasn't happy with that as it still looked a bit sparse and CAS. I wondered about adding an embossed design but as I don't have a clover embossing folder it called for some lateral thinking.

I decided on some green vellum and using an embossing mat lay the cut clover (only the 3 leaf variety) on the matt in the pattern I wanted. I sandwiched my vellum and ran through the machine the design was just what I wanted and subtly showed on the vellum. I cut the pieces I needed and layered them on my card. I decided the vellum didn't look right on the grey , too drab so used some more metallic green card for the bases.

I used 7 another lucky symbol 4 leaved clover and randomly stuck around the image on my die cut base to form the central focus for my card. 

I finished the card with a peel-off congratulations. I did make this card with a wedding in mind but a change or no sentiment and it would be the perfect good luck card. Not sure why you wish peeps who get married good luck as you would hope if they get married they are willing to work at their relationship and care enough about each other not to need luck but I guess there must be some reason.

Inside the card I used this fun stamp of a child's definition of marriage perfect for my niece as she is a primary school teacher. I used a crafter's companion Mr and Mrs die  which I cut in different colours and reversed so its double sided and sandwiched ribbon between them before suspending it in the card centre with a hand tied bow.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

memory box-layout

noor design uk- anything goes optional chipboard

HLS -anything goes with dies

crafting from the heart - anything goes

craft your passion -anything goes

OLLC- texture

simon says monday challenge -texture

AAA -one stash favourite (the stamp I love it)

Dragonfly dreams -anything goes

OSAAT- anything goes with dies

Gardening Sister

Away from clean and simple I decided to go a bit more flowery for a birthday card for my sister in law. I used a white base card and a layout from cheerful sketches.

I decided to use this cutie from Lily of the valley and coloured her with promarkers. My sister in law likes planting her veggies and gardening , especially the bits where she sits and gives direction to what her husband should be doing as regards cutting the grass and digging etc, so this elegant lady pottering is perfect for her.

I used a lilac gingham paper as my base from birdhouse , topped with a pretty paper fro lily of the valley. More birdhouse check for the base to my lilac ribbon and hand tied bow.

The image is mounted a top a spellbinders fancy edged oval cut in lilac pearlised card.


The finishing touches are flowers with pearls and fancy flower centers and of course one of my itty bitty bees made from a memory box die along with a mini tag and sentiment from lily of the valley stamps.

All in all a bright and cheerful birthday card.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

cheerful sketches -layout

RRR-summer flowers

auds sentiments -for a girl

creative craft cottage - include a lavender bow or ribbon

polkadoodles -add ribbon or twine

star in my pocket -celebrations

get creative - celebrations

crafting from the heart - anything goes

creative fingers - anything goes

Sending Hugs

I made this card for my Dad who has to go into hospital tomorrow for surgery so I wanted something to let him know that we are thinking about him even when we are not there, even though I am taking him and mum to the hospital and will be there for as long as they allow us to be.

I used this cute lily ofthe valley stamp and for a change used marvey le plume makers but as water colours painting with them using a water brush to get a softer effect, it also means they don't show through to the inside of the card.

The sentiment is by CC designs and fits perfectly with the image. Hope it helps cheer dad along as he's never been in hospital or to hospital before so has had a bit of a whirlwind adventure with outpatient appointments , different tests and now surgery all within the last 6 weeks, think he's been fitting his lifetime quota of hospital visits all into one but we will get there in the end.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges;-

stempelsonne-anything goes

The pencil case-whatever

crafty creations -CAS

CAS#181-colour challenge

lotv -summer in the garden

art impressions -anything goes

paperminutes - get well soon

simon says monday challenge - flora and or fauna

allsorts - one for the boys

craft your passion - anything goes

Modge podge bookmark experiment

I didn't own any stencils when I bought this modge podge though I now own 2, but wanted to have a play at a technique I had seen whilst browsing  blogland not sure where sorry. It used modge podge and coloured it with distress ink before applying to a stencil.

Now not only did I not have stencils ,but neither did I have distress inks but i wasn't going to be put off. I had a modern flower die from poppy stamps so I cut that in card and now had a stencil. I put a  small amount of modge podge on a silicon mat and scribbled some felt tip near it and mixed with a lolly stick and was so happy it turned pink. Not my usual colour but thought it would be girly for a change.

I laid my card stencil over another piece of white card and covered with my pink modge. I sprinkled some glitter white iridescent sparingly and waited a couple of minutes before removing my stencil. That was probably my first mistake as some of the stencil didn't want to come off as the card had become soggy. I ended up carefully removing those bits with some tweezers but was very happy with the result and am sure with real stencils that won't go soggy have some future fun in store.

I decided to make a corner bookmark for my diary, it use to have a ribbon marker but my son's cat thought it would be fun to play with it and bit it in two and ate it before I could stop her. I have to hide any and all ribbon in my craft room as she thinks its spaghetti, and we don't want any vet bills and poorly kitties. her other fetish is metal so she pinches and runs off with and hides brads etc but also any jewellery such as chains bracelets and rings, it make life interesting when she comes to visit on a daily basis. I never know what I will find when I move my sofa to vacuum it helps make the weekly housework an adventure.

Back to the bookmark. When dry I cut around some of the flowers to form a triangular shape and attached to the bookmark base made out of a couple of card scraps and I know its a page marker that won't get eaten.

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:-

A bit more time to craft -anything goes

naughty or nice -anything goes

In the pink -all or nothing

craft rocket challenges- anything goes

creative corner - anything goes

Summer trellis

I love these itty bitty bee dies from memory box they just add fun to a card. I make loads at a time colouring their bodies with promarkers and adding glitter to their wings , I think they just ooze summer.

I made this card using a piece of a spellbinders background die , framing it to form a trellis pattern and coloured in blue ink adding some small gems to help it pop. 

I added it to one side of my base card before adding a die cut a glorious gerbera from memory box cut in white card half over the trellis and half on the base card. I finished with my pre-made itty bitty bee.

Quite a simple card to make but one I think is quite effective and will serve as a birthday ,get well,thank you or even sympathy card with the right sentiment.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Deep ocean -colours of summer

cardsundscrap -anything goes

creative artiste-anything goes

crafting with friends-anything goes

MAWTT-no designer paper

passion for promarkers-blue and yellow

the paper shelter-sunny days

little red wagon-summertime

4 crafty chicks -summer

the crafters' cafe-things with wings

Golfing girl

I decided it was time to ink up this cute little lady from lily of the valley. I know she will come in useful for at least a couple of friends though their birthday's aren't for a while. I decided to go with pastel colours and pink as although not my colour my friends are definitely girly girls.

I used some of my new dies, my collection is slowly building, a stitched circle as a base for my image. I had originally decided on a different layout but Jen from a little blue butterfly used the same layout although she used a kraft card base and I didn't want to copy even if I intended using a white base, so I changed my design.

I coloured her with promarkers and then semi fussy cut her out creating a 'green' for her to putt on. I attached to the blue circle.

I used another die this fab grand happy birthday die and once cut I coloured in the bottom with grass green promarker. Once the first layer had dried I used the same colour and made flick marks to represent the 'rough'. I layered this onto a square white base card.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges;-

Die cuttin' divas -birthday 

Challenge up your life -pastel colours

Little Miss Muffet -anything goes

crafty girls creations -just for fun

cookie challenge-anything goes

creatalicious - anything goes/optional CAS

crafty gals corner -anything goes

I love promarkers -sport

Addicted to stamps and more- happy birthday picture inspiration

Mr and Mrs

There are always weddings in the summer months and my niece is getting married later this summer so I made her card early as if I left it till nearer the time other things would get in the way and I didn't want to rush a card for such a special occasion.

I used a funky kits sugar nellie image (which is on sale) called first dance and coloured with promarkers I used greys and pinks as these are her wedding colours and the colours of her invitation. 

I used several grand oval spellbinder dies to cut the base cards and layers for the card using white card for the bases and Lily of the valley paper (I think) for the coloured layers. 

I used another Spellbinders die to make the central plaque for both layers of the card which I decided to make as an easel card.

The lower layer will be where I will write my message . The sentiment on the base not only sends wedding day wishes but acts as the stop for the easel part of the card. I raised it using sticky pads after stamping it using versafine ink and another lily of the valley stamp.

The top of the card used the same die to create the plaque to which I attached the couple stamped image to one side and a crafter's companion Mr and Mrs die towards the other, which I cut in grey pearlised card just like the plaque mat on both layers.

I finished the card with some cute little memory box dies the hearts I covered with versamark ink and used moonglow magic pearls embossing powder on the hearts and pale pink promarker on the ribbons. 

The flowers are from my stash shades of pink of course and some die cut foliage beneath. 

The bit that joins the 2 card layers I cut from white card and used a Martha Stewart border punch to pretty the edges.

I'm sure she and her hubby to be will have a wonderful day and future together and I hope my card will add just a little bit of magic to their day.

For those worried my post will spoil her surprise needn't worry as she doesn't even know my blog exists so I have no worries about he seeing her card.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

creative craft cottage- layer it up

TTCRD-anything goes

craft your passion -anything goes

brown sugar challenges-weddings

crafting from the heart - anything goes

sugar nellie sugar bowl-anything goes

As you like it-favourite colouring medium and why

(promarkers for me as I love how they blend and they are British made too)

paradise of stamps -anything goes

4 crafty chicks-anything goes

simon says wednesday challenge-anything goes