Hello... Is it me your looking for???

 Just couldn't resist catching your attention, Relevance of the title...

none, other than the hello on the front of this card.

Now being serious:

check out this beautiful Rose. So easy to watercolour and colour with copics

and pencils. Wonderful lines to the rose and its one of five stamps I bought

from Eun Ji Jung. Go and check out her blog for amazing cards, artwork and her

amazing stamps.

I stamped this rose onto Watercolour paper - Canson and watercoloured

with my zigs. I added a bit of brown to the yellow for depth and shadow.

Of course after the watercolouring was finished I went over with the Wink of Stella for a great dose of sparkle (have a few images that are really sparkly and you cant miss it as I added more water to the pen and boy is it working well. Mix of greens for the leaves. A faint outline in grey copic. love those clear gems, they look like water drops.  No small ones left boo hooo. See thats why we over buy or don't want to use our bling - it will run out.

Anyway, attached the watercolour  to the card base and added this

wonderful washi tape that is like gold links on silver mesh, just looks so

cool and was from one of the local junk shops. Finished off with the

gold mirror card 'hello'.

Challenges:

Uniko Studio Challenge #34

Flowers

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #206

Stampin' Royalty: Challenge SR#341: Anything Goes

The Crafters Cafe Challenge Blog: Flowers #154 August

thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

WISHING YOU PEACE AND JOY

Hi everyone.  

This post is a midway reminder about the Time Out Challenge that is currently running

and my chance to be Guest Designer again. 

I am so excited about having the chance to join the ohh so talented 

Design Team for this challenge.

Remember the challenge is:

Holidays (any holidays) with the Optional Twist of No Stamping (other than the sentiment).

I have gone Christmas again as yes its already past the half way mark and I have only done one other Christmas card. 

For this card I have followed the twist of no stamping other than the sentiment.  I have used a piece of Glossy cardstock and Alcohol inks in blues and a wee bit of silver. I made this piece a few weeks ago and have posted about it here. So if you want to read about how to achieve this look check it out (later).

I used half the piece and die cut with this wonderful snowflake frame die from Simon Says. I then made a shaker sleeve with a fuse tool and added some sequins, Using a sleeve makes it easier to make the shaker as I was able to just tape to the back of the die cut negative. I then reattached the snowflake frame and glued a few sequins on the outside.

I was able to glue the snowflake frame into place by adding glue along the side of the negative and pressing the snowflake frame onto it.

In this instance I have stamped and silver embossed the sentiment that is from a set that is no longer available from AnnaBelle Stamps.

Thank you so much for coming to visit and please don't forget to go visit the

Time Out Challenges Blog

to see what the Design Team have made and you will find lots

of inspiration.

Remember the Challenge is Holiday and that covers all types of holidays

 and they would love to see you there.

I hope you enjoyed your visit and come visit again soon.

Happy Birthday & Life is a great big Canvas

One minute I don't post then two in the one day and this post has two cards. Each has come to me quite quickly and have been easy to put together. Lucky the family got fed before the ideas came so everyones happy. Of course the Muse challenge closes in 1 1/2 hours so I better hurry.

The first card was inspired by this wonderful card at the Muse Challenge by

Anita. Isn't it stunning.

My inspiration was the stitched die cut front and I love the die Anita used, the shaker idea & the

 butterflies in the window of the shaker.

With my card I don't have that die so I have used a different one. Actually I used two dies from

different sets so that I could have stitched outer edge as well as stitches on the frame of the shaker.

From looking at the card to going to do my thing I forgot the one feature I really liked and that was the rectangle shaker front going length wise and I did mine across so I will need to make another card now.

Here in the shaker I have glued down a vellum butterfly from Hero Arts (my favourite stamp) that was white embossed on the vellum then painted with Zigs in purple and a blue/green colour. This was stuck flat inside the frame, then the double sided sticky foam tape place around the butterfly to enclose it. Mixed sequins and beads added.

A piece of acetate added to the stitched layer on the inside then this is attached to the front of the card. Of course then I needed to stamp the sentiment and as there was foam tape underneath

the layer kept dipping and I had to stamp about 5 times (thank goodness for the Misti). All finished

walked out to take a photo and found that of course I had touched the area that was stamped multiple times and was still wet. Big bold smudge aaaaaarrrrrrr. Went and cut another card front, stamped sentiment before attaching, yes good lesson but will it be retained. No.

 This second card is a very simple easy one but I love the look.

Silver heat embossed sentiment

"Life 

is a great big

CANVAS

and you should

throw all the

PAINT

on it you can.

I used Distress inks in blues and greens, squished onto acetate then  sprayed with water then 

pulled the watercolour paper across the acetate. Repeated when dry with bits here and there till I liked what I saw.

Die cut the piece with a rounded corners stitched die. Added this layer to a white card front then added one large beautiful blue/green sparkly gem.

Challenges : 

Muse Challenge #177

 butterfly shaker card

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #205 : Photo Inspiration

Life is a great big Canvas

Inspiration is the watercolour, the colours and the quote.

CASology Week 209

 Life is a great big Canvas

a2zScrapbooking August 2016 Challenge :Colour In

Happy birthday card- butterfly is Hero Art and the main

featured image and was coloured in with Zigs.

A bit More time to Craft Challenge #25 - Anything Goes

Happy birthday Card

Thank you for coming to visit and I hope you come again.

Sunshine, Surfboard & Surf

Been off line for a few days so thought I better get back into the flow and make some cards.

Its amazing how distracted we can get with trying to sort out the craft stuff. If I had a fantastic set up with lovely shelves, and labeled draws and slots and and and.... and I shouldn't be greedy I have a room and that is a lot more than others have and I am truly grateful.  

so I got back into crafting and left my labelling for another day. I liked the look of Freshly Made Sketches this week and I have decided I would like to enter more challenges like this and colour ones and layers so I can extend my card ideas. After looking at the challenge and other ideas on the blog from others entering the challenge,

This is what I came up with.

First for the strip across the card, my NEW Papertrey stamps and dies arrived this morning. After petting them, admiring, dreaming I got down to work.  I had decided to use my surfboard stamp that I have only used once as my two upward pieces so waves were the perfect across idea. This beautiful wave stamp will be used much I know cause I love it.I white embossed on a strip of multi media paper then I blended a combination of Peacock and Mermaid Lagoon (it shows more IRL than here for contrast.  A few little flicks of water then cut down to size, ahh that was hard. It looked so pretty and really didn't want to be cut.

the surfboards were stamped with those ink pads that have 5 colours in them.

Kaleidacolor one in Desert Heat and one in Fresh Greens.I have had these stamp pads since I first started stamping and before I discovered Distress inks. They are still totally juicy and I have  heat embossed when using them as they stay wet enough long enough. I have only had to throw one away ???? because I forgot to click and separate the inks so over time they ended up becoming a muddy colour.

I placed onboard behind the waves and the one on top is attached with a bit of dimensional foam tape. Attached the 'sunshine' sentiment and a gem for the 'i' dot. A card my surfing son will appreciate.

Challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches #248

Just Us Girls Challenge #355 : Word Week

Penny Black and More : August Challenge : Anything Goes

Pixie's Snippets Playground ; Week 241

surfboards and waves were all stamped on

snippets so I can come and play.

Thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

I am totally wrapped that I am the Guest Designer at the 

TIME OUT CHALLENGE #64

Why: Well I won Top Pick at Challenge 60 where I CASEd

with my own twist the amazing Therese Calvird.

The Challenge Now is:

Holidays with the optional twist of no stamping (stamped sentiments are allowed). I am so excited to be participating in this Challenge as Guest Designer.

This Challenge is sponsored by UNIKO who have the most amazing stamps and are based in the UK.

For my card today I have used one of Mo's Digital Pencil images. I bought him just a bit too late for Christmas last year so he is perfect for my start into Christmas Cards as I have chosen to use Christmas as my 'Holiday'

 I have coloured him with Copics and decided to give him

orange hair. I have used two of my favourite blends here with the red  R35 R37 & R89

and green YG01 YG03 & YG17. Blue for the tape dispenser B02 B32 & B23

Here in the close up you can see that cute face even better. Was thinking, wouldn't it be neat if we had someone like this to hand us the sticky tape as we wrap presents for Christmas. I used gold gel pen on the star hanging off his hat.

Being a digital image I am able to decide on the size I want my image and in this instance I wanted him a good size to balance out the card. 

The sentiment is stamped and from a sentiment set of nine. I have had this set for some time and use quite often as they are so beautifully done but I have searched everywhere for the name of the company and sorry I cant add that at this time but will update if I find out.

Now its time to make a card of any holiday theme you like and remember

you can follow the twist and have no stamping (other than sentiment) or

stamp away.

 For lots more inspiration head on over to the

 Time Out Challenges Blog

to see what the Design Team have been doing.

Challenges:

Christmas Card Challenges #34

A Bit More Time to Craft Challenge #25 anything Goes

Thank you so much for coming to have a look at my card and I hope you come again soon.

With Sympathy Magnolia Card

I purchased five of EunJi Jung's stamps that she hand carved herself then had copies made.

These stamps are spectacular and EunJi makes the most amazing cards and art. Check her out and just promise not to go and compare mine to hers, ok!!

It is a very different type of stamp in that the material is much heavier and doesn't come with an adhesive back. I still like to use a stamping block and have the real thin ones as spares so used those, just because I like to have a block for holding. Also the stamp themselves do have a bit of a smell to them as I think its the product used. I found that lightens when unpacked and barely noticeable now.

Initially I added some prepositional tape to the back of one of the stamps, then ran out. I then remembered that you can use the Tombo Mono if you put it on then let it dry before using. Had seen this done for sticking masking paper down on cards, so I thought I would try it. Perfect, and after stamping, I then attached the stamp to my storage sheet where it can be removed and used again when needed.

I love flowers and yes I have more than I have used but there is this need/want/compulsion that I have for flower stamps. I have already done this flower once in watercolours but that isn't made into a card yet and if you want to look its on my Instagram account which is called (huh_what_pardon) a name that my family and friends all feel is totally appropriate as due to my deafness I spend a lot of time saying those words as I try to read their lips as they say it, in the hope I will get it right after the millionth time. Of course if everyone in the world signed I wouldn't need to do that. Sorry about all the blah blah lets get back onto the card.

I have stamped with Distress Ink Tattered Rose (like that colour for flowers) and then coloured with Copics. I tried to be light handed and will continue on this. I feel this turned out pretty well and is getting there. The pinks I went with are RV10 RV21 RV23 & RV25 with a bit ofYG01 YG03 &YG17 and a bit of E11 & E33 for the branches then I added some pencil light brown and pink and white. Some cool grey in the centre of the flower and the bud had a bit of brown and YR31 a new colour I have discovered I like.

Of course I needed to add a bit of Wink of Stella but not too much. and I did a bit of C-1 and C-3 around the outline then didnt like that so went back over a few times with the colourless blender and liked it a bit more. Don't you hate those moments when the image is looking just how you want and you think 'I'll just add a wee bit of .....' and its starts turning to yuck before your eyes. Thats how I felt at first but after I finished fiddling with the colourless marker I was happy again.

Finished off this one layer card with a stamped sentiment and one white sparkle gem.

I know I have added my last colouring last night with the watercoloured magnolia on Instagram to the Daily Marker for day 30 but I want to share this one too so I am going to add to challenge

The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge Day 30.1  :)

Little Red Wagon Challenge #353 : Case A Card

Cased EunJi Jon

I live in awe of EunJi & her

wondrous style.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge : Florals

Just Us Girls Challenge Week #353 - Wildcard Week

Bit glum for girly but well it is a necessity so hope its okay.

Let me know if its not right and I will remove.

Thank you so much for coming to have a look and I hope you come again soon.

Adventure Awaits

 I have two cards again today that I am posting together so one of the cards will be linked through Instagram with Kathy's 30 Day Colouring Challenge which I think finishes in the next day or two.

This is a stamp set I bought along time ago, I think it was well before all the stitched dies came out. I'm pretty sure its a Hero Art stamp set and as I went through my schtuff I found that I had liked it so much I ordered it twice and it has barely seen the light of day so its time to fix this.

I have used masking to produce a scene with the balloon stamped twice and the clouds behind the balloons. I have coloured with Copics using two of my favourite combinations with pink and orange and pale blue and pale green. 

A wee bit of grey in the clouds and instead of doing the whole sky I have just done a blue outline round the whole image. Finished off with this cute sentiment 'Adventure Awaits',

 that belongs to a set of wonderful sentiments to do with travel.  Its from Paper Smooches and was given to me as a gift with my last order and is much appreciated. 

My next card

I have done the same gem layout before and  really like the look as its not crowded as it

would be if I did the full necklace so I think of it as either a fall of the gems or half a chain.

In this photo you can just make out the sparkle of the gems and also the embossing as I used a sparkly embossing powder but it only really shows up at a certain angle.

I have coloured the gems as Peridots so all in the green range. Peridots are an olive green to yellow green and can be as dark as green/brown. I used two Zig colours -olive green and yellow green with a minimal of water. I stamped and heat embossed on SS watercolour paper and it really doesnt like Zigs and water. The paint sinks instantly into the weave and really has no intention of spreading so it was a lot of small amount of olive green moved with the yellow green and blended together with water but daubing gently.

Really doesnt show up how beautiful it looks in IR so you will just have to trust me on that.

Finished off with a thin band of gold glitter paper top and bottom and gold mirror card die cuts of 'sparkle & shine'.

Went to post this last night and the internet just packed it in part way through so I lost everything I had written past the first paragraph and no matter how many times I tried it wouldn't save, publish or connect. 

So I'm doing this in between grandkids demands (food, drink, TV, nappy change, play a game, sing a song and repeat).

Challenges:

The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge Days 28 & 29

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #204 - CAS

Peridot gems

Work It Wednesday Simon Says - Peridots

Peridot Gems (what a laugh just spent 1/2 an hour trying to

 remember which challenge I had decided to make this card for and was thinking I had made it up.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge : Anything Goes

balloons

Thanks so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.