Starry Celebration

 

I just got these 3D stars by Sizzix/Tim Holtz and had to use them!  Red White & Blue... does anyone remember the childrens rhyme "Red white and blue, the queen's got the 'flu, the king's got the whooping cough boo hoo hoo"?

I used the colours of our flag as a starting point (although our flag has 4 stars), used some patterned paper from stash, did a bit of splattering with metallic watercolours, inking with DI's. Navy star dropouts are from another die, a stacked sentiment from Simon Says Stamp popped up with foam tape.  The pearlescent shiny background stars are hand drawn using Sakura pen for a bit of glimmer (on some angles they don't show at all - peekaboo), and some faux stitching as a border - I believe flags were originally handsewn not printed.

Shared on challenges:  

creativeinspirations-july-stars-andor-stripes

simonsaysstamp-monday-red white blue

 

Feather

 

CAS with grey embossed background, black panel (AALL & Create), feather diecut (Sizzix Tim Holtz) from smooshed and splattered card which is made using watercolours in grey and rusty red.   I chose rusty red  for the base card to bring out the colour, the black panel is popped up on thick foam tape.  I deliberately didn't want a sentiment.  The photo at the bottom shows the contrast between white (on the left) and the grey (on the right) as it isn't apparent in the other photos.

Shared on challenges:    

asyoulikeit-favourite-2-colour-combo-and-why Grey and red, great contrast and spicy looking.

alphabetchallenge-f-is-for-feathers

colordare-658-grey+ 2 colours grey + black, red

aaacards-293-anything-cas-goes

justusgirls-782-die-week

White card on the left, grey card on the right:

Songbirds

 

 I am happy to be invited as guest designer this month at pearly Sparkles!  It's a shaped card for July -What a great challenge - LOTS OF FUN!!  Come and join us here:  pearlysparkleschallenge

We hope you'll join us so we can see your creations:  pearlysparkleschallenge-july-shaped cards

I chose a heart-shaped 3D card with songbirds.  The shape is diecut with inset panels of patterned paper from My Minds Eye.  The birds are from various companies like Spellbinders, Couture Creations, etc.  The  cage and blue bird is Memory Box and I have doubled it back-to-back (one side turquoise one side black), the branch is Marianne.  The underneath base has a plain white panel to write a message on.  It folds flat for mailing and that's also why I haven't put embellishments like gems etc on.

Shared on challenges:    

avenue613-june-anything-goes-w-optional

simonsaysstamp-wednesday/simon-says-anything-goes

girlzcreativefun-11-patt paper

lovetocraft-87-anything-goes

Happy Hedgie

 

Hi crafty friends,

welcome to our next Challenge here at Critter Crazy Challenges

join us here:  crittercrazy

Since we have now reached the 100 challenge, we would like to thank all the participants, the followers and the creative friends from the bottom of our hearts for all the years, the inspirations and the kind comments.  And 100 challenges must also be celebrated... 

For #100 we are making this our BIRTHDAY Bash Milestone and so for this one challenge, the theme is changing to 'animal birthday', and you're invited!! 

There will be special instructions and one of the special commenters will receive an animal theme prize package provided - check it out here:

crittercrazy

This happy hedgie is ready to paaaarty!!

  

Lots of technique here - stencilling, inking, diecutting, stamping, borders, pens.  The stars are made using a background die cut as a stencil.  I inked, moving the card around to cover 2/3 of the cardfront, then used a blending brush to colour the bottom upwards for a ombre effect and laid the border which is diecut from pearly card. Hedgie (HoneyBee die) pieces put together, edges lightly inked, placed Hedgie in front popping the top with foam tape so she stood out a bit from the background, and I pulled up her prickles a little for texture.  I made little gold dots between the stars, and highlights and shine on balloon (edges inked) with white gel pen.   

Shared on challenges:    

asyoulikeit-favourite-2-colour-combo-and-why  I like blue and magenta together, so crisp and complementary

aaabirthday-75-summer-birthday

craftyanimals-96-animals

creativeinspirations-july-stars-andor-stripes

Birthday Basic Black

 

I've been trying to find was to use stuff I've had in my stash for ages.  This die is the answer for some very patterned paper that couldn't seem to work with anything.  It's beautiful paper (is bolder colours that shows in photo) with sugary sparkly bits here and there, and they glimmer through the gaps so that's good.  It was simple too, which I like.  The die, ppaper, a stacked sentiment, some tiny gold pearls, all on a black cardbase - bingo!

Shared on challenges:    

addictedtostamps--495-diecuts, stencils

aaabirthday-74-no-stamping

simonsaysstamp/wednesday-anything-goes

movingalongwiththetimes-179-birthday

girlzcreativefun-11-patternedpaper

lovethoseprettypapers-june-challenge

Birthday Male

 

A birthday card for a grandson, bold and bright.

The patterned paper from Trimcraft (really really old) was the starting point for this design.  The textured coordinating card is Provocraft (I picked out the red in the pp design) which is used for the panel (embossed & sanded) and the numbers.  Gold versamark ink swiped over black card for the figure, black soot DI distressed the numbers and the little rivets are copper Nuvo Drops.  I put a leftover strip of the pp inside on the paper insert.

Shared on challenges:    

aaabirthday-74-no-stamping

crafterscafe-320-anything-goes-masculine

creativemoments-271-man-or-boy

girlzcreativefun-11-patterned papers

simonsaysstamp-wednesday/simon-says-anything-goes

pearlysparkles-108-masculine

letscraft&create-220-ag-add-buttons

creativeinspirations-june-one-for-boys

paperfunday-77-anything-goes-emboss dryemboss

lovethoseprettypapers-june-challenge

Relax & Enjoy

 

Ahhh just what we need right now, to get away from all the awful stuff happening in the world and let nature heal us.  Also it's the middle of winter here in NZ so we're off to Samoa for a week in July with family...woohoo!  (only 3.5 hrs flight away).

Lots of layers to make a scene for the caravan to park in.  The caravan is Sizzix/Tim Holtz die Wacky Transport #1.  Some card smooshed with DI's and misted (sea, sky, sun, caravan which is also stacked), some card splattered with metallic watercolour paints (sand), and some snippets of patterned papers as well to spice it up.  Also black pen and Stickles on the edge of the waves.  The hill with trees is a magazine freebie, other various dies.  I like the simple sentiment - it looks like someone has written in the sand.

Shared on challenges:    

DoubleD-beach

colorthrowdown-835 yellowgreenblue

asyoulikeit-favourite-to-add-sentiment-or-not-and-why I usually add a sentiment this time a fairly simple one

papercraft-challenges-119-summer-vibes

simonsaysstamp-monday-vacation

pammiesinkypinkies-2525-anythinggoes

allsortschallenge-826-seaside

girlzcreativefun-11-patternedpapers

lovethoseprettypapers-june-challenge

Gentleman Birthday

 A masculine birthday card.  Background made with Adirondack Acrylic dabbers in mushroom and copper, one area with stencil, one area with print of stencil.  One edge with border diecut, edges inked..  Splatter is metallic watercolour paints and D.Ox.spray black soot.  Stamps: Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz.  Matted onto a metallic copper base card which has a matching envelope.

Shared on challenges:    

addictedtostamps--495-diecuts/stencils

crafterscafe-320-anything-goes-masculine

pearlysparkles-107-masculine

avenue613-june-2025-anything-goes/fortheguys

creativemoments-271-man-or-boy

craftygalscorner-268-fill-in-blank-dads... magnificent moustache

Butterflies Tag

 

I wanted a long thin format to get more butterflies and other stuff on.  D.I. smooshed background on watercolour card, stamped with butterflies, mug rings and lozenges.  Red & black splatters D.Ox.Spray.  One butterfly stamped, coloured with Copics and fussy cut.  Tag or bookmark, whatever you want it to be.  I will be using it as a tag for a book gift.  All stamps: Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz Entomology & Mini Muse.

Shared on challenges:    

simonsaysstamp-monday-spritz or splatter

dd-tripleb-june-birdsbutterfliesblooms

dragonflydreams-june-use-one-or-morebutterflies

tag-alongandatc-june-anything-goes-or-drinks

welovestamping-june-nature,anythinggoes

aaacolourfulchallenge-colourboard-17

makemymondaychallenge-254-one-or-more-butterflies

Mr Rabbit

 

This card is for a gentleman with an 80th birthday.

I made the background using metallic watercolours (blues and teals) and smooshing technique. Added spritz and splatter and stamped various arty texture stamps from Tim Holtz, and inked the edges with black DI.  The bow tie is paper pieced, and eye and nose coloured with pencils.  Sentiment stacked, white pen for highlights.  What a fabulous rabbit stamp from Tim Holtz.

Shared on challenges:    

simonsaysstampwednesday/simon-says-fur-or-feathers

creativeinspirations-june-one-for-boys

stampingsensations-june-AG-our furry friends

craftycalendar-june-add sentiment

avenue613-june-anything-goes-for guys

crafterscafe-320-anything-goes-masculine

simonsaysstamp-monday-spritz splatter

Celebrate You

 

I made this card to send to our beautiful daughter Lauren who has just won NZ Hairdresser of the Year.  We are so proud of her.  nzherald.co.nz/viva/beauty/viva-beauty-awards-winners-2025

I made the background using shaving foam and food colouring (a great technique which leaves ordinary card feeling like velvet and looking like marble), re-inkers can be used for stronger effects - google cardmaking with shaving foam.  The stamp is a very old Judikins (one of the first stamps I ever bought probably 2005), which is actually a wooden cube with images on 4 sides - I stamped it in soft black to look like marble.  The crown die is a Spellbinders which cuts and embosses (also really old), and don't know what the sentiment is (let me know).  Finished with tiny gold pearls.

Shared on challenges:    

simonsaysstamp-monday-monochrome

craftycalendarchallenge-june-add sentiment

asyoulikeit-to-add-sentiment-or-not-and-why I usually like to add a sentiment of some kind even if it's a simple one

wordartwednesday-anything-goes-weeks-702-703

allsortschallenge-825-ag-whatmakesyouhappy we are so happy for Lauren, a recognition of her achievement.

wordpowerchallenge-june-words

pammiesinkypinkies-2523-anythinggoes

neglectedstuff-625

ellibelles-crafty-wednesday-june-and-july

addictedtostamps--494-any occasion

Martini tag

I've only ever had one martini in my life and it was a vodka martini.  I guess if you're a barperson you'd know the specifications for a gin martini too - here they are!

I couldn't resist the lime colour connection and used DI's to smoosh a tag (tag die ALL & Create), added a stamped panel coloured with watercolour metallic paint and also copics.  Punched a hole with Crop-o-dile. Diecut limes from Memory Box (one cut ready to put on the glass) inked with DI's, sparkle with Stickles and Opal Dust.  Tied with gutsy twine. All using snippets.  I know you can buy drinks kits at the liquor store and this would make a great gift tag to go with it.

Shared on challenges:   

addictedtostamps-494-anyoccasion 

simonsaysstamp-monday-masculine

creativeknockouts-548-die-cutsstencilspunches

tag-alongandatc-june-anything-goes-or-drinks

simonsaysstamp-wednesday/simon-says-masculine

fabnfunky-618-use-your-die-cuts

pammiesinkypinkies-2523-anythinggoes

justusgirls-778-die-week

pixiessnippetsplayground-508 the whole tag is made with snippets.

 

Vintage Birthday

 

I'm pleased to be guest designer for The Male Room challenge this time.  The challenge is a FUN FOLD,  with lots of designer inspiration - so check it out, and join us here:  themaleroomchallenge

Lets go for a ride in the countryside in a vintage car.  I used a wheat coloured textured card for the base.  The fun fold is a wiper fold (there are lots of tutorials on youtube, I used one by Therese Calvird).  All the decorating can be done before it's  assembled which makes it a winner for me.   Edges inked, forest trees sanded, the car is diecut from black card and painted with gold metallic watercolour paint.  Car and fence are Tim Holtz Bigz dies, the trees are Couture Creations diecuts.  Bold sentiment CZ Design.  The road is grey card diecut in a curve with lines in white pen.

I thought most males would like this fold to fiddle with.  It fits in a C6 envelope and stands up nicely on a shelf.  A personal message can be written on the back panel.  Unfortunately the colours don't show very well owing to it being winter here with low light.

    

Car & fence dies: Tim Holtz Bigz dies

Patterned paper: Basic Grey

Sentiment stamp: CZ Designs

Tree dies: Couture Creations

Also: Distress inks, metallic watercolour paint, white pen, curvy dies

Shared on challenges:    

creativeinspirations-june-one-for-boys

avenue613-june-anything-goes-w-opt-masculine

craftsgalorechallenges-june-anythinggoes
simonsayswednesday-simon-says-masculine

pennyschallenges-598-anythinggoes
simonsaysstampmonday-masculine

pammiesinkypinkies-2522-anythinggoes