Scarf

I knitted my scarf and my friend Jan liked it so much she asked me to knit her one ... it's nearly finished.  It is knitted on circular needles starting with 2 stitches and increases to about 160 stitches so that it looks like it is on the bias.  The yarn is wool/alpaca/silk equivalent to a fine 3ply; beautiful to knit with and lovely to wear with great 'drape'.













(Left) This is Jan's scarf, still in progress.








Shared on:
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Feel Better Owl

This cute little freebie owl is just right to put with a moon and shaker stars - thanks Scribbles!

Image: Scribbles
Coloured with Copics
EF: Craft Concepts
Oval die: Spellbinders
Circle punch (moon): unknown
Border die: Couture Creations
Sentiment Stamp: Hero Arts
Acetate, stars



Shared on challenges:
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Pinkly perfect

I just got this magazine with the EF & masks for partial embossing and I had to try it.   The pink card is sprayed with two shades of pink/red Glimmer Mists, embossed and cut around the edges. The butterfly came with the mag.   I used the masked or partial embossing technique to make this special card. 

It is so feminine with the organza ribbon and gems - definitely one for the girls.

EF& Mask: Jennifer Ellory
Sentiment stamp: Practical Publishing Mag.
Glimmermists, ribbon, gems




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A Special Woman

A gift tag for a special woman.

Stamped, inked edges, smudged with distress inks.


Diecut Tag: Sizzix
Woman stamp: Julie Nutting
Coloured with Copics
Label stamp: Hampton Art
Postmark stamp: Hampton Art
Grapes stamp:  Hampton Art
Eiffel stamp: Kaisercraft
Butterfly stamp: Kaisercraft
Punched flowers: Martha Stewart
Ribbons, Kindyglitz, gems

Shared on challenges:

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daranddiane things-that-fly
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Knit Happens

Sometimes life doesn't work out
the way we planned - this has been happening to a few people I know recently, so I thought I'd do a bit of cheering up, maybe bring a smile or two.

I used the sketch and twist (take it easy) over at From the Heart Stamps and I turned it on its side.  The doodling is to make it look a bit more folksy.








Image&sentiment : From The Heart Stamps
coloured with Copics
Border die: Spellbinders
Doodling with black gel pen, brad

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getcreative ch-56-favorite-color-combo  pink & turquoise
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Branch

I have been experimenting with colours a bit to push outside my comfort zone.  Here I used smooshing and a diecut in a simple arrangement, but in tone-on-tone pastel colours. 
Usually I work with strong and often contrasting colours ... I think ... or maybe I don't!  Hmmm, I'll have to think about that a bit more.


Die: Couture Creation
Distress inks
handmade silver paper
Silver thread

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Sick Bunny

I'm sure we have all experienced making a card for a very sick child; acknowledging their illness, knowing they won't get well is very hard.  Most seriously sick children don't care about getting well, they just want to feel better.   That's why I find the 'feel better' sentiment is more appropriate in these circumstances... and something interactive to distract, like a shaker card. 

Image: Eureka  (smooshed)
Die: Couture Creations
Sentiment: typed on the computer
Sequins, gems


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Feel Better Foliage

Nature is always great to work with and so is smooshing.  I had a session the other day and love using it as part of a card whether it's background or focus.
The stamping and construction is called a spotlight technique.  I like that both parts are off the edge.



Foliage Stamp: Hero Arts
Sentiment stamp: unknown
Distress Inks, GlimmerMists, Perfect Pearls

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Time for Cake Clowns

 These cake clowns are looking for a party!  Guess what?  There's a sketch party over at the Crafters Café!  here

Rick StDennis has provided this stunning image and has heaps more:  euro-clown-troupe

My grandchildren love images like this, mind you, they're into zombies and ninjas as well!
Now I'm not saying what sort of cake it is - could be birthday, anniversary, a farewell or any cakely occasion.
The image is printed twice.  I partially die cut one at the bottom to complete the circle and handcut the rest of the image.  I die cut an ombre green and a larger netting one.  The other image - the small clown is coloured with Copics, then cut out.  The hats and ruffs are painted with Stickles, and the balloon with Glossy Accents.


Image: Rick St Dennis 'Euro Clowns'
Circle dies: Spellbinders
Papers: American Crafts
Sentiment stamp: SeeD's
Punch: Fiskars
Also: distress ink (edges), Stickles, netting, Glossy Accents.

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Lucky Bird

Green and white always looks so fresh and great with gold.  This little fella looks pretty pleased with himself.



Image: From The Heart Stamps (coloured with Copics)
Dies: Spellbinders
Punch: Martha Stewart (ends shaped with circle punch)
EF:
From stash: papers, gold Stickles, 3D foam

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Simple deep breath

I love smooshing anytime and often just have a session for the pleasure of it, like today.  I got very inky but had a happy, productive morning.
The smooshed piece dictates what it ends up as, and I really liked this for the cool and leafy look.  This is the one-layer version.  It has a bit of shimmer but I had difficulty showing it in a photograph.

Image stamp: Hero Arts
Sentiment stamp: Close to my Heart
Inks: Glimmermists



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Shamrock Balloons

Aren't these balloons cute?  They were a freebie from Scribbles Designs (thanks Scribbles)!   Lots of other cute designs there too.

Image: Scribbles
Coloured with Copics
Die Happy  :-D  : Heidi Swapp
Stash: papers, my new sequins, white gel pen











Shared on challenges:


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disdigidesigns-lots-of-green-challenge

ISeedYou

Lots of lovely spring garden inspiration around right now.  I got reminded about Ike's World by design team member Borqna commenting on one of my cards, and re-discovered it.  This is the freebie offered this time - thanks Ike - I just loved it and had to make something right away.

The dotty paper is a lovely textured two-tone honey colour against the green and hasn't photographed well at all.  It is also double sided so the torn bits are a vintage pink colour.

Images: Ikes World
coloured with Copics
Stamps (seeds, dirt, sentiment &label): DoCrafts
Butterfly (bronze metallic card): Couture Creations
From stash: dotty paper, Distress inks, stripey twine, gem


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trimmiescraft-406-9th-of-march-easterspring
fussyandfancychallenge-182anything-goes
ooh-la-la-creations -224-spring

Wing it

Come And Get It challenge this time is things with wings - cagichallenge

Such a great challenge and a chance to win images from our sponsor A Day For Daisies who provided this beautiful image: adayfordaisies-freehand-bird-5

Let's celebrate the little things like ... blue skies, fresh air, little creatures ...

The smooshed background is an offcut of some card I'd made a while ago using distress inks and Glimmermists.  Image coloured with Copics, edge of patterned paper is distressed.

Image: A DayFor Daisies
Coloured with Copics
Dark Paper and sentiment: Kaisercraft
My own smooshed blue card
Corner punch: Woodware
Also: WoS, Silver thread, 3D foam

Shared on challenges:
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ikesworld-83-anything-goes-withasentiment

StPatHat

This is the time of year to make sure you don't accidentally step on a leprechaun. 


The hat is coloured with Copics and raised on 3D foam.

Image: Scribbles
Coloured with Copics
Oval die: Spellbinders
EF: Darice
Punch: Martha Stewart
Gold metallic paper, glitter, Glimmermist, gem.

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Got Cake Clowns

Where's the party?   Send in the clowns!  There's got to be clowns!  Send in Steven Sondheim - such a great songwriter!
I love this image and decided to keep it black and white and put the colour everywhere else.  I'm a sucker for dots and stripes and don't they just look so festive?  The balloon and tag are raised on 3D foam.



Image: RickStDennis
Balloon Die: Kaisercraft
Sentiment stamp: Inkadinkadoo
Tag punch: unknown
Edges inked with black soot distress ink
Paper scraps from stash, string

Shared on challenges:
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glitternsparkle-229-music Send in the clowns-Steven Sondheim
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Koru

The koru (emerging fern frond) is important in Maori culture and symbolises new life, growth, strength and peace.  All over the world you may meet someone wearing a pounamu (greenstone/jade) pendant in a koru design.

Kiaora is a multipurpose informal greeting word in maori which can mean hello/hi, goodbye, be well, good luck and thanks.


This is card is using my new koru die and sequins which just arrived in the mail (green and purple - what were they thinking?).  Using shades of green I diecut then stencilled the koru lightly, inked the edges with distress inks, then the whole thing with Versamark, then clear-heat-embossed.  I stamped the sentiment and clear embossed that too.

Click on pic for a close up:


Koru die: Craft Creations
Sentiment stamp: Craft Creations
Stitching stamp:
Papers, cards and sequins from stash
Distress inks

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craftycatz-361-atg-with-twist-of-using-green
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Thankful Bunch

I always like to have thank you cards to hand.  I had stamped this wreath of flowers a long time ago and never used it - so I cut it up and it was perfect for this card.  I started with the MOJO sketch:




The roses are first stamped with a base colour of distress inks then overstamped with the black drawing, it gives a lovely textured effect, and a hint of spring flowers.







Roses stamps: Verve
Sentiment stamp: Hero Arts
Die: Spellbinders; edged with silver
Corner punch: Dovecraft
Paper from stash, silver liquid pearls

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qkrstampedeqkr-stampede-challenge-234-thank-you
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GetterBetterPiggy

I seem to be doing a lot of get well cards lately, and I kinda liked this piggy saying it.  The sentiment stamp is all-in-one but I inked it in two parts. 

This is for a quilting buddy who has just had surgery for breast cancer so as well as a pink pig, I used lovely dotty hexagons, some stitching, as well as the button looking flowers.  The pale flower is actually Spun Sugar pink, even though it doesn't show well.  The main colour is green for calm and healing, pink for breast cancer, and flowers for feel good factor!

Image: From The Heart Stamps Coloured with Copics
Sentiment stamp: HeroArts
Roses stamps: Verve  Distress inks behind roses
Border Die: Spellbinders
Panel die with stitching: Spellbinders

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creativeknockouts-184-lots-of-green
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Elegant Flowers

I am delighted to be guest designer for Crafty Purple Frog's Feminine challenge for March, here it is - not a woman in sight but isn't it feminine?  I can't imagine a guy liking this one very much!

Die: Ultimate Crafts
DPaper: Joanna Sheen
Pearls & pearl-head pins (white and silver), ribbon

Shared on challenges:
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fussyandfancy-182anything-goes

Embossed Flower Oscars

I'm so enjoying the inspiration using the Oscars Red Carpet challenge.


I made this card CAS one-layer.  Stamped, clear-embossed, sponged with Iced Spruce Distress Ink. 



For this one my inspiration was Cate Blanchett 2016:





Flower stamp: IndigoBlu
Sentiment: Graphic45
Dotty stamp: Hero Arts
Distress inks (sponged), clear embossing

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Feel Better Bird

As you know I love the challenge of sketches, and I managed to make it a "feel better" card which I need for a friend. 




Cuttlebugmania sketch:






Image: Crafty Sentiments
coloured with Copics
EF: Kaisercraft-clear embossed (embossed embossing technique)
Sentiment stamp: Hero Arts
Large doily die: Nellies (with vellum)
Small doily die: Spellbinders
Kindyglitz


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Red Carpet

The red carpet at the Oscars was the inspiration challenge for this card.  It is Olivia Munn 2013; what a stunner.


I stamped the flourish with Versamark onto red textured card and embossed in gold.  A strip of gold mirror card is added at the bottom; and the black background base card.


Flourish stamp: Fiskars
Sentiment stamp: Penny Black





Shared on challenges:
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