Birthday Relax

A nice relax in the deckchair while the party goes on for this easel card.   If you've never made one they are easier than they look, give it a go, there are plenty of tutorials available.

For the Crafters Café challenge this time the theme is EASEL CARDS:  crafterscafeblogchallenge

Our sponsor is Polkadoodles, have a look at what's on offer:  polkadoodles - winnie-starfish-sandcastles-relaxing-sunlounger


Image: Polkadoodles
Coloured with Copics
Oval dies: Spellbinders
Wave edge die: Spellbinders
Large scallop edge: Kaisercraft
Sentiment stamp: Hero Arts (a clear stamp curved)
From stash: brad, flowers, ribbon, Kindyglitz, pearls



Shared on challenges:
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Champagne Sparkles

That's a statement, not a question. I love champagne (the drink).

(The card) I love the blue sparkle and the silver metallic.  I deliberately kept it simple and because it's for my card stash I wanted it to be suitable for various occasions.  Maybe an anniversary, an engagement, birthday or ...

EF: Spellbinders
Die panel: Spellbinders
Glasses Die: Creative Dies
Word die: Poppy (negative cut)
Silver Cord

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Birthday tag

AS you know I love to work with sketches, especially simple ones like this because they leave lots of scope for creation.
Sadly, this is the last Mojo challenge.  More than once I have got my mojo back when in a blank space with inspiration from here.  Thanks Julee and the team.



I raised the tag with 3d foam so it stood out from the background.  The dark colour is actually a chocolate brown.

Zigzag die: Couture Creations
Tag die: unbranded
Sentiment stamp: Rosies Studio
Papers: Kaisercraft
Ribbon, vellum

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Hydrangea

I used the triple stamp technique.  I decided to leave it uncoloured as it is such a stunning image by itself and this technique frames it beautifully.  It is one of my favourite stamps - sometimes I colour it, sometimes I don't. 


Stamp: Hero Arts
Sentiment stamp: Rosies Studio
Ribbon, pearls

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Birthday 90

This is for my uncle who is turning 90 this week.  I used the vintage look because he is the family historian, and chose the 3 gentlemen because he is the oldest of three brothers.
The gold letter diecuts are stacked with black to create height and make a shadow.  I like the diagonal look the corners create.

Stamp: Tim Holtz/S Anonymous
EF: Cuttlebug
Sentiment stamp: Rosies Studio
Corner die: unbranded
Name die: Spellbinders
Number die: Sizzix
Also: washi tape, charm

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Silver Star Graduate

Cards for men seem to be more difficult than other kinds of cards, so I decided to keep it simple and use masculine materials - leather and metal.

The black card is a leather look texture, and there are two kinds of silver - mirror and brushed.  The star is a negative cut to act as a frame.  I like the dash of red too.



Word die: Tim Holtz
Star die: Sizzix
Hat & Diploma:












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Birthday Clown

This is such a simple image but it is full of happy!
I needed a boy card and thought this would do the trick (pun intended) ... and besides, I never met a girl who like to juggle.

It's "Anything Goes" at Come And Get It this time, so have a look at the Design Team's creative work and join us:  cagichallenge

The always fabulous Bugaboo is our sponsor and I used:  bugaboostamps - clown-around-juggle

Image: Bugaboo
Coloured with Copics
Die flag: unbranded
Stamp sentiment: Connoisseur
Twine, Kindyglitz













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Butterfly Framed

I let the patterned paper dictate the colour scheme, and picked out a lovely iridescent engraved-looking paper for the butterfly - I reckon it looks like the texture on butterfly wings when you see them under a microscope.  The sentiment is silver embossed.  I cut up the corner flourish diecut to make a diagonal 'flight path'.













Butterfly die: BoBunny
Frame Dies: Couture Creations
Flourish die: Couture Creations
Sentiment stamp: HeroArts
Papers from stash

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Kitty model

Another great week at the Crafters Café; the theme is Anything Goes/Transport.  I'm sure you have some ideas already, check out the design team's work here: crafterscafe

Our sponsor is Sheepski; and the image I used is : kitty-mannequin-model


I wanted it to look a bit vintage so I printed the image, then printed again onto patterned paper for her dress (paper pieced).   I printed again onto scrap paper and cut it out to use as a mask so I could stamp the car, then sponge it with Distress Inks.  When finished it reminded me of those car ads in the 70's/80's where models lounged against the cars to show them off.


Image: Sheepski Kitty-Mannequin-Model
Coloured with Copics
Car stamp: Anita's
Flower stamp: Wibra
Flag die: China
Lime cord, gems, Kindyglitz

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glitternsparkle-241-ag

Roses Celebrate

What better to go with a celebration than a posy of roses?  A little bit vintage and so feminine.
I made these roses (using the pinecone die of Tim Holtz) from pink paper then sprayed them with Glimmermist.  A mirror frame and diamond brads for sparkle. 


Paper: Meg's Garden
Frame die: Couture Creations
Word die: TimHoltz
Roses die: Tim Holtz
Leaves: punch/emboss
Silver Mirror card, gem brads, liquid pearls, ribbon











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Micey Birthday

This is such a cute little micey stamp and is always a joy to use.

The stamped image and sentiment is heat embossed and the masked for the stripey stamp, which I offset so the images were inside the boundaries (except for the tail ;-D). 

Stamp: Penny Black
coloured with copics
Sentiment: Fundamentals
Stripe stamp: BoBunny
Ink: Hero Arts Ombre











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Graduation Stars

I started with a sketch for this and needed to make a simple graduation card for a man.  I wanted the star to symbolise the long journey with the graduation ceremony at the end of it.




EF: Couture Creations
Star die: China
Hat and diploma die: Impression Obsession


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Surprise!

The CAGIC, (rhymes with magic) Come And Get It Challenge this time is EMBOSSING.  Check out the DT's work here:  cagichallenge

How cute is this image?  It's from Knitty Kitty, our sponsor for this challenge.  Check it out here:
Knitty Kitty digi-stamp-instant-download-surprise

This card has both kinds of embossing - heat & dry.
The green card is dry embossed with a birthday EF, and I heat embossed the edges of the green card and the white card with gold, hardly noticeable in the photo but very glitzy in real life.

Image: Knitty Kitty (Surprise)
Coloured with Copics
EF: Cuttlebug
Square die: Couture Creations
Scallop die: Spellbinders
Word die: Sizzix/Tim Holtz
Also: yarn, Glossy Accents, WoS, gold pen, black pen

Shared on challenges:
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Birthday Star

A birthday card for that budding rockstar.  Most people, at some time in their life, have dreamed of being a star. 


Image: Bugaboo
Star die: Sizzix
EF: Craft Creations
Sentiment stamp: Hero Arts
Blue staples, Kindyglitz














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-catz-challenge-371-ag- 2+ layers

Oh Hello There

Oh Hello yourself! 

At first sight, what do you think?  Maybe they are friends?  Maybe the cat is shortsighted?  Maybe the cat is trying to hypnotise the bird? or the other way around!  Maybe they are meeting for a first date?  You may have other ideas, let me know what do you think is happening?

I love the tartan paper in the soft pink and grey, which made me want to colour a grey cat.  I like cards that have a little more than is obvious at first sight.

Cat stamp: Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz
coloured with Copics
Bird: part of a Rubbernecker stamp
watercoloured with distress inks.
Sentiment stamp: Reverse Confetti
Wavy Dies: Spellbinders
Also: Glossy Accents

Click for a closer look!


Shared on challenges:
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Colourful Celebration

I reckon all the anniversaries in-between the big numbers should be called rainbow anniversaries.  However this could even be used for a golden wedding.

I used one paper for this but it is coloured from palest lemon through blue and pink.  I even had rainbow ribbon to match.

Image die: China
Doily die (vellum): Spellbinders
Word die: Poppy Stamps
Gold mirror card, ribbon, pearls



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Sympathy butterfly trail

I think butterflies are a great choice for sympathy cards and combined two dies with butterflies to make use of both designs, matting them with pale green. I cut the butterflies with the darker green embossed patterned card, scraps of mirror card in silver & gold, plus the drop outs which I painted with WinkofStella, then inset back.









Corner die: Spellbinders
B'flies die: Memory Box
Label: Spellbinders
Sentiment stamp: Rosies (gold embossed, and edged with gold)
WoS clear, gold pen, pearls


Shared on challenges:

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i heart you

I managed to keep it simple and not add stuff.  Harder than you think.  And managed not to get glue all over the silver mirror card.  Harder than you think.    ;-D


Die: Poppy
Stamp:
Corner Punch: unbranded
Silver Mirror card, ribbon

Not white, but silver mirror card.



Shared on challenges:

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Mari Presente

We always need a birthday card so come and join us at the CRAFTERS CAFE for this BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE : crafterscafe

I used Presente digi-image from Mari Digis: 
maridigisstore   Lots of lovely images to check out.

Digistamp: Mari Presente
coloured with Copics, gold pen for jewellery
NestingDies: Sizzix
EF on pearlised card: Craft Concepts
Sentiment stamp: Hero Arts (gold embossed)
Sequins (I love sequins)










Shared on challenges:
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Happy Wine

Whenever I use inks or spray, I smoosh onto bits of card to use up what's left.  This is one of my happy outcomes.


Watercolour smooshing

Image: From the Heart Stamps
Coloured with Copics
Rectangle Die: Couture Creations
Word die(inset): Heidi Swapp
Also: gold acrylic paint splatter, gold pen, gold ink edged

Warning: When you start seeing pink chickies, it's time to stop!




Shared on challenges:
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happylittlestampers-may-watercolour-challenge-red I had to smile when I saw this - of course anything goes with red (wine)!
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Diploma graduation

Some graduation ceremonies here in NZ don't end with full regalia being worn.  I made this for someone who was graduating with a diploma; celebrating hard work and achievement just the same.


Diploma stamp: Hero Arts
Sentiment stamp, embossed: Hero Arts
Gold EP, red ribbon



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Graduation

Graduation is a time to celebrate achievement and new beginnings.  Indian yellow is the degree hood colour for our local Waikato University.  I designed this so it looked like the hats were being tossed.

EF: Couture Creations
Label Dies: Dienamics
Hat die: Impression Obsession
Stamp sentiment, embossed: Paper Xtra


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Sparkle For You

Simple but elegant with lots of sparkle.  I used the hinged card technique demonstrated by Christina Griffiths.

I diecut the pieces for the base card with the patterned card on the inside.  After diecutting all the pieces I spray-glued it and added glitter, and then when completely set assembled the base card.  The diecut circle is silver heat embossed and raised with 3d foam, flowers and leaves added to frame.





FiligreeDie: Couture Creations
Circle die: Spellbinders
Sentiment stamp:
Glitter: Twinklets Diamond Dust

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Happy Birthday 29 again

This week at Come And Get It Challenges we have a birthday theme - come and join us: cagichallenge


This image is called 29 Again - Bugaboo is our super sponsor: bugaboostamps BUGJJ29AGAIN


Image: Bugaboo
Coloured with Copics
Label dies: Spellbinders
Sentiment die: Tim Holtz/Sizzix  (new)
KindyGlitz, Glossy Accents, gems

I printed the image twice and cut out the balloons and number to raise on 3D foam tape, coating them with Glossy Accents after colouring.  I wanted the image to be the focus, so cut the sentiment in the same colour as the bigger label, so it blended a bit.  I like this colour combination.



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daranddiane-redwhiteblue-optional-stars-stripes
craftyhazelnuts-patterned-paper-may
ooh-la-la-creations-228-something B birthday, balloons

Wishful Mimi

There's feminine and feminine, this is my take on the new challenge at the Crafters Café, why don't you pop in and see us here: crafterscafe


This delightful image is courtesy of Eureka and I just love the look on the cat's face (it could be wishful, blissful, smug or is she having a power nap?).  I paperpieced her, and coloured her gorgeous bow.  Her bow and tiny heart have WoS.   I love that floral paper too and haven't got a clue where I got it - I have been hoarding the last piece in my stash for ages, but decided Mimi deserved it.

Eureka has lots of zany images:  mimi-kitty-digital-stamp

Digi cat: Eureka
Die flags: Unbranded
Sentiment stamp: Mama Elephant
Grass is a dropout from another die.
Tiny heart is a drop out from the flag
Wink Of Stella, gold cord

Shared on challenges:
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