Dare to be Different (2)

Hi everyone, this month’s ATC swap over on the Tracy Evans FB page is “Things With Wings”, which gives plenty of scope for creativity! We can submit however many ATC’s we want for the swap, and this time I saw so many beautiful creations being posted on the FB page that I decided to make and submit a larger quantity than usual - indeed a whole rainbow of quirky birds!!  🌈🐦 

Earlier in the year I created a card on the theme of the quirky birds which dare to be different so I decided to something along similar lines here … here’s the result.

I created a large panel smooshed with black and grey Distress Oxides, then cut into 6 pieces each 3.25” x 2.25” and stamped each one with the arty background stamp “Garden Notes”. I stamped and heat embossed the quirky birds onto separate card, coloured them with Zig watercolour pens and the white areas with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, then fussy cut out. I stamped the large branched heart to form a perch for each bird, stamped the small branched heart in the top right corner, and again onto separate card which I coloured with my Zig pens and fussy cut the coloured portion. I attached a bird and a coloured heart to each ATC, then stamped, fussy cut and attached the sentiments before matting onto 6 pieces of 3.5” x 2.5” card stock which represent the colours of the rainbow.

Here are a couple of closeups of the different designs.

ATC1

ATC2

ATC3

Stamps: AALL & Create #909 Garden Notes; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE10 Quirky Birds, TE6 Branched Heart;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Lost Shadow); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Versamark; embossing powder (clear); Kuretake Zig Clean Colour watercolour pens.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #796 - Getting Sentimental (ATC1)

Crafter’s Cafe #311 - Rainbows/Lots of Colours (2nd entry)

Dream Valley #321 - Anything Goes

Everybody Art #562 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks #731 - Anything Goes

Outlawz (August) - Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone (2nd entry)

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2434 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Time Out #271 - Friendship/Encouragement/Support

Word Art Wednesday #663/664 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Double Trouble challenge #174 Guest Designer - partnering with Festive Friday

Hi everyone, today I’m back for my third and final challenge as a “Crazy Cousin” for the new Double Trouble Challenge #174 which runs until Sunday September 15th, partnering with Festive Friday.

Let the Troubles begin!

Full details of all the “Things” and inspiration from the Design team can be found over on the Double Trouble blog, where you can also link up your entries.

In brief, to join in, simply:

1. Follow the theme of Thing 1 Trouble Maker: “Scrapper’s Fruity GORP Recipe” - use your favourite fruit(s) within a fruity colour mix.

2.  You can stop there, OR you can also play along with Thing 3 Twisted Sister Optional Twist: Use at least 1 more element from the Festive Friday inspo list  to earn another chance in the Double Trouble random draw.

3. Double Dare: If you have included both of the above steps you are eligible to enter your project over at the Festive Friday #167 - Harvest - to earn another chance in the Double Trouble random draw.

Here’s my card for the challenge.

I have to confess I didn’t have a single fruity stamp or die in my stash, so I bought a cheap stamp set on Amazon which contained some quite pretty vintage-style fruit images.

I stamped the image onto a snippet of white card using Portobello Versafine Clair which I think gives a nice vintage look, and coloured using watered down Elements inks. I then masked the lemons and created a more vintage background for the image by smooshing Old Paper and Speckled Egg Distress Oxides, then cut it out and distressed the edges with my Tim Holtz distressing tool. I cut a snippet of green gingham paper to fit a 7” x 5” card blank, distressed the edges and attached with some jute ribbon and twine, then matted the image popped up on foam tape. I stamped the sentiment onto a snippet of kraft card and cut out into a small tag shape, distressed the edges and tied to the twine with a bow. Finally I added some torn washi tape and pearls.

Stamps: Unbranded lemons stamp from Amazon; sentiment - AALL & Create;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Old Paper, Speckled Egg); Lavinia Elements inks (Sundance, Russet Orange, Olive); Versafine Clair (Portobello);

Other: Washi tape from The Range; pearls, jute ribbon and twine from my stash.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Crafts Galore Encore #126 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Knockouts #529 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments #261 - Patterned Paper (2nd entry)

Festive Friday #167 - Harvest Inspo List - DT FAVOURITE

(I have chosen gingham and twine)

Inspiration Station #64 - Inspiration Photo

(I was inspired by the lemons)

Love Those Pretty Papers (August) - Use Designer Paper (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Tag It

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes
Snippets Playground #487 - Use Snippets

Word Art Wednesday #663/664 - Anything Goes

I look forward to seeing your makes. I’d also like to thank Suzanne and Melanie over at Double Trouble once again for having me as a Crazy Cousin Guest designer this month.

Hugs,

Butterfly Effect

Hi everyone, this month’s Visible Image FB ATC swap is on the theme of Things With Wings, which worked pretty well for me as I have several winged images by VI to choose from. I decided to go with the stamp set “Wings of Change” for my focal images, as I don’t use it very often. Here’s the result… I actually made these a while ago but have been waiting patiently for them to wing their way to South Australia!!

For both the card and ATC I started by cutting a piece of stamping card and created a background by scribbling with Zig pens onto acetate, spritzing with water and smooshing on the  card until I was happy. I added some background script stamping in Baby Pink VFC and grungy circles heat embossed in white, then added some soft stencilling in the gaps using Broken China Distress Oxide. I stamped the butterflies onto separate snippets of card using Baby Pink VFC heat embossed clear, then added sparkle with my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen and attached them to the base. I selected some coordinating turquoise card snippets for matting, and also used these for the sentiments which I heat embossed white.

Here is a closeup of the card.

Stamps: Visible Image Wings of Change, Butterfly Effect (background circles and sentiment), Sketched Tulips (background script);

Media: Kuretake Zig Clean Colour watercolour brush pens; Versafine Clair (Baby Pink); Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Broken China); Versamark; WOW opaque white ultra fine embossing powder; clear embossing powder; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen; 

Tools: Visible Image Halftone stencil.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

Cards 4 Galz #232 - Pretty In Pink

Creations in Pink #72 - Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

Creative Aunts #92 - Anything Goes

Creative Crafting Uncles #56 - Anything Goes

Daisy Chain #88 - For the Girls (3rd entry)

Festive Fridays (August) - Butterflies

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2434 - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Make It Feminine (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #661/662 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Here is a closer look at the ATC.

All stamps, media etc. are same as the card above, except: Visible Image Where Flowers Bloom (background white circles), Wings of Change (butterflies and sentiment).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Ally’s Angels #85 - Anything Goes

ATC’s Around the World (August) - Anything Goes - TOP 3

Crafts Galore Encore #126 - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar (August) - Anything Goes

DL. Art (August) - Anything Goes

Outlawz (August) - Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone

Sparkles #179 - Use One or More Butterflies (3rd entry) - WINNER

We Love 2 Create #7 - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping (August) - Focal Sentiment or Quote (3rd entry )

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Magical Birthday Flower Box

Today it is one of my dearest friends’ 50th birthday, so I wanted to make her a really special and magical card to mark the occasion. I recently made my first ever C6 flower box card following instructions and a template given to me by a lovely bloggy friend (she knows who she is!), and I felt the concept had real wow factor … so when I saw a comment on FB about making one from a complete sheet of A4 card that would fold down to C5 when flat I was really excited … the same pzazz  but bigger!! I soon worked out that all measurements had to be 50% bigger than for my original, so I followed the original template but scaled up accordingly. Here is the result.

I cut and scored a flower box using a complete sheet of A4 white card, punched the flaps to form a scalloped floral edge, and covered the panels with co-ordinating green and aqua designer paper. I decided to step it up and decorate the box with a hand stamped scene rather than just paper, so I measured a piece of card which would cover the front and 2 side panels, and created a Lavinia magical scene - I created hills, sky and sun using masks and blended Distress Oxide inks, then stamped the fairy Olivia, butterfly and a variety of trees and flowers using various shades of a Versafine Clair and 1st/2nd generation stamping. I coloured Olivia’s wings and the butterfly with Sakura Stardust pens, and highlighted the scene with Stardust pens and white Posca pen on the  summer flowers.

I cut the finished scene into 3 pieces and attached to the front and two side base panels of my “box”…

… then assembled the box shape by sticking down the end flap.

I then moved onto the floral bouquet, using larger floral dies than I used for my original box.  I die cut a number of flowers and foliage stems from white card, and coloured them with blended Distress Oxide inks - I followed my friend’s tip of replacing the die cut into the card it was cut from for colouring. 

I cut and scored three hinged card brackets, attached them inside the top of the box, then arranged my flowers and foliage onto 4 separate pieces of white card the same size as the brackets, secured with tape and attached to the 3 interior brackets and inside front of the box. 

I die cut the number 50 twice from silver mirri card and attached to each side flap along with a mini butterfly punched from pink glitter card, then stamped the sentiment, cut out with deckle scissors, edged with blended  pink DOX and attached. 

I cut a piece of white card for the back outside panel (for writing on), stamped some 2nd generation dandelions and highlighted with Stardust pen before edging the panel with pink DOX and attaching. 

I finished off by adding a silver die cut butterfly to the inside of the back panel, and some teeny heart gems to “dot the i’s” of the sentiment. 

Stamps: Lavinia Olivia, Josie (falling dandelion seeds), Tree of Faith, Skeleton Tree Scene, Spring Trees,  Summer Flower, Dandelions, Foliage Set, Bluebells, Lavender, Field Grass, Ducks, Butterfly Mini; sentiment - Dimension Fourth; 

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Rustic Wilderness, Mowed Lawn, Bundled Sage, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Squeezed Lemonade, Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Shaded Lilac); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Portobello, Acorn, Shady Lane, Avocado, Baby Pink, Hawthorn Rose, Shaded Lilac, Very Peri, Warm Breeze, Blue Belle); Sakura Stardust pens (pink, turquoise, clear); Posca pen (white).

Papers: LotV 

Tools: unbranded floral dies; Provocraft Hippie Chick dies (numbers); Magnolia Doohickeys Butterfly Dreams die; Martha Stewart  edge punch; X-Cut mini butterfly punch; Lavinia acetate Hill, Mini Hill and Circle masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #475 - Die Cuts and Stencils

Allsorts #793/4 - Summer Days (3rd entry)

Beautiful Blossoms #20 - Anything Floral Goes (3rd entry)

Creative Moments #261 - Patterned Paper

A Cut Above (August) - Use a Die Cut (2nd entry)

Dragonfly Dreams (August) - These are a Few of My Favourite Things (3rd entry)

(Lavinia stamps, Distress Oxides, sparkle and shine)

Four Seasons (August) - Anything Goes Summer (3rd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy Challenge #8 - Anything Goes Fantasy - TOP 3

Krafty Chicks #730 - All Occasions - TOP PICK

Lavinia Creative Challenge (August) - All My Favourite Colours (3rd entry)

Love Those Pretty Papers (August) - Use Designer Paper plus option Summer

{PIN}spirational #316 - Die Cuts (2nd entry)

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress (#SSS20YearsofDistress)

Sparkles #179 - Use One or More Butterflies (2nd entry)

Stamping Sensations (August) - Summer in the Garden (3rd entry)

Triple B (August) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms (3rd entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Make It Feminine (2nd entry) - TOP 5

Unicorn #101 - Flowers (4th entry)

We Love Stamping (August) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #661/662 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

I can honestly say that this was one of the most intricate, and it’s certainly the most time-consuming project I have ever made - I was working on it for 2 days! I’m so pleased with the result though that the effort was well worth it, and I’m really hoping my friend will love it as a keepsake for her special day.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #18

Hi everyone, summer is flying by and it’s the third Wednesday in the month again already, so it’s time for a new I Spy With My Little Eye... challenge over at Ellibelle's Corner.  Thanks so much to everyone who joined in last time … please do check over on Ellie’s blog to see if you are one of our top picks. 

Ellie has chosen the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something From the Garden ***

Plenty of options there I’m sure you’ll agree… flowers, plants, trees, birds, insects…  even fairies … the list is endless! Please do pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

This month we are delighted to have Jenn as our guest designer, so please click on her name to visit her blog and see her fabulous garden creation. 

Here’s my card for the challenge.

Everything on this card started with my desire to use my wellington boots stamp … what could more appropriate for gardening in an English garden - even in summer?? Even as I was making this card I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I was reasonably happy with how it turned out in the end! 

I cut a 5 3/4” square of stamping card and created a background with blended Distress Oxide inks which I then spattered with water. I stamped a grungy leaf background off centre using two shades of green Versafine Clair, then stamped again in dark green and cut out the individual letters of the word “Nature” to attach later. I blended green DOX onto a snippet of white card and stamped the wellington boots in grey, then fussy cut them out and added some darker green shading with Elements ink, and some delicate stamping. 

I stamped the wheelbarrow and bird holding a heart in its beak, then stamped the flowers onto separate card, heat embossed and coloured with Distress watercolor pencils before cutting out. I positioned and attached the wellies, then attached the small flowers followed by the larger flower popped up using silicone glue and scrunched cotton behind the flower head. I stamped, cut out and attached the sentiment, and attached the letters of the word “Nature”. Finally I added some white Posca accents and matted the finished panel onto dark green card stock and a 6” card blank.

Stamps: AALL & Create #449 Through the Meadows, #370 The Great Outdoors; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE6 Branched Heart, TE11 Background Elements, TE13 Delight In Nature, TE14 The Winder of Nature; Lavinia Bird Collection;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Rustic Wilderness,  Bundled Sage, Speckled Egg, Tumbled Glass); Distress watercolor pencils (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade); Lavinia Elements ink (Olive); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Shady Lane, Avocado,  Pinecone, Acorn, Tulip Red); Posca pen (white); Stabilo pencil (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #20 - Anything Floral Goes (2nd entry)

Dragonfly Dreams (August) - These are a Few of My Favourite Things (2nd entry)

(Tracy Evans stamps, Distress Oxides)

FarmQuest Challenge #58 - Things In/Near a Garden Shed or Potting Bench - TOP 3

FarmQuest General Store #19 - Anything Farm or Country Goes

Four Seasons (August) - Anything Goes Summer (2nd entry)

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress (#SSS20YearsofDistress)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Add a Sentiment (4th entry)

Stamping Sensations (August) - Summer in the Garden (2nd entry)

Triple B (August) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms (2nd entry)

Unicorn #101 - Flowers (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #661/662 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

The I Spy Challenge will end on the Sunday before the next challenge starts at 23:59 US Central Time - so this time that is Sunday September 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday September 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Snowflake wreath

Hi everyone, today I would like to share a Lavinia snowflake wreath card. I thought that the snowflake stamps would work with a variety of the new Versafine Clair pastel colours to make a pretty wreath, so I had a little experiment - here’s the result.

I cut a square of white stamping card and blended a circle of Spun Sugar Distress Oxide using my acetate mask. I then stamped a variety of different size snowflakes around it using various pastel shades of VFC, and added sentiments to the centre and bottom right in blue. I highlighted the word “Christmas” with my clear Sakura stardust pen, then matted onto blue and pink card stock and a card blank. I finished off with some teeny silver sparkly gems in the centres of the larger snowflakes.

Stamps: Lavinia Snowflakes (large), Snowflakes (small), Snowflakes, Seasonal Words, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Spun Sugar); Versafine Clair (Baby Pink, Hawthorne Rose,  Lilac Bloom, Arctic, Very Peri); Sakura Stardust pen (clear);

Tools: Lavinia acetate circle mask.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #113 - Anything Goes Christmas with option Circles

Dragonfly Dreams (August) - These are a Few of My Favourite Things 

(Lavinia stamps, snowflakes, pink)

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #167 - Anything Christmas Goes

Lavinia Creative Challenge (August) - All My Favourite Colours (2nd entry)

My Time to Craft Christmas #93 - Wreaths for Christmas

Peace on Earth #70 - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Add a Sentiment (3rd entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Make It Feminine

We Love Stamping (August) - Focal Sentiment or Quote

Word Art Wednesday #661/662 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

That’s all from me for today - take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Double Trouble Challenge #173 Guest Designer - Partnering with Color Dare

Hi everyone, today I’m back for my second challenge as a “Crazy Cousin” for the new Double Trouble Challenge #173 which runs until August 29th, partnering with Color Dare.

Let the Troubles begin!

Full details of all the “Things” and inspiration from the Design team can be found over on the Double Trouble blog, where you can also link up your entries.

In brief, to join in, simply:

1. Follow the theme of Thing 1 Trouble Maker: “3-2-1 Recipe” - must have 3 layers (in addition to the base card), 2 embellishments and 1 image.

You can enhance the recipe by adding more than the stipulated ingredients, but it must have the above as a minimum.

2.  You can stop there, OR you can also play along with Thing 3 Twisted Sister Optional Twist: Use at least 3 colours from the Ice Cream inspiration photo to earn another chance in the random draw.

3. Double Dare: If you have included both of the above steps you are eligible to enter your project over at the Color Dare Challenge #614 to earn another chance in the Double Trouble random draw.

Here’s my card for the challenge. 

I decided to use this gorgeous AALL & Create image almost as soon as I saw the inspiration photo, as I thought is really works for colouring with a variety of these colours.  I stamped  the image,  coloured with Zig watercolour pens and Wink of Stella for added sparkle. I die cut a large stitched square of white card with a central circular aperture, then dry embossed with a floral embossing folder. I matted the image panel behind the aperture and attached a die cut stitched circle frame, then matted onto lilac card stock and a 6” square card blank. 

I stamped, heat embossed and attached the sentiment, then for my embellishments added a die cut butterfly and sparkly gems, and finished off by adding faux gold Posca spatters to the image.

Here is an angled picture to show the Glossy Accents and sparkle.

Stamps: AALL & Create #841 - Le Parfum; Text{ures} by Lou Collins Typography (sentiment);

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Kuretake Zig clean colour watercolour pens;  Versamark; WOW Opaque white ultra fine embossing powder; Wink of Stella; Glossy Accents; Posca pen (gold);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Square and Circle Dies; Magnolia Doohickeys Butterfly Dreams die; Die’sire Embossalicious Floral Frenzy embossing folder;

Other: Papermania gemstones.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #793/4 - Summer Days (2nd entry)

Color Dare #614 - Colour Inspiration Photo - EMERALD WINNER

Crafter’s Cafe #311 - Rainbows/Lots of Colours - TOP 3

Crafty Gals’ Corner #258 - Anything Goes with option Use an Embossing Folder

A Cut Above (August) - Use a Die Cut

Daisy Chain #88 - For the Girls (2nd entry)

Dream Valley #320 - Hand Coloured Image

Little Red Wagon #769 - Sparkle & Shine (2nd entry)

Make My Monday #232 - Something Metallic - TOP PICK

(Gold mirri card butterfly)

{PIN}spirational #316 - Die Cuts

Simon Says (Monday) - Sparkle and Shine (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Add a Sentiment (2nd entry)

Sparkles #179 - Use One or More Butterflies

Triple B (August) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms

Unicorn #101 - Flowers (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #661/662 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Looking forward to seeing your makes. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,