Wednesday 30 September 2015

Addicted to Stamps Challenge # 164

Another week has whizzed around to Wednesday, which means it's time for a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps.  This week we have one of my favourite theme's:

                                                   CLEAN AND SIMPLE

We are looking for minimal layers and embellishments, maybe even one-layer designs. Its a chance for you to put away those enamel dots and paper pads etc and see what you can come up with.

Our Sponsor for this challenge is Sweet Pea Stamps and they are offering 4 digi's to this weeks winner!!


When I was creating my card this week I really took the 'Clean and Simple' idea to heart and may have gone a little 'too' simple but I wanted to try using my pencils again to see if I've gotten any better with my colouring skills:



I'm still not so sure about this one but I must say that my shading is gradually getting a bit better.....

I love this 'little monster in the rubbish bin' image from Create a Smile 'Bad Day'. I stamped it in grey ink and used a grey pencil to colour in the bin. The monster reminds me of Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street, so I used some green pencils to colour him in. I even added a little shadow under the bin which is something I wouldn't have attempted before. The sentiment (from the same set) was also stamped in grey ink. And not one enamel dot or sequin seemed right, so I left it as is.

I asked my husband what he thought of this (as he's very good at telling me when something doesn't look good) and he really liked it. So yes, I have ALOT more to learn about colouring but its good to know that some of the videos I've seen have rubbed off on me.... a little......

You have one week to link your cards to the Addicted to Stamps challenge. I really hope you give this challenge a go and can't wait to see what you come up with. The rest of the Design Team have some projects on the blog if you need any help with ideas. Hope to see you in the Gallery!!

Take care
Shona
 


   

Thursday 24 September 2015

Reminder: Time Out Challenge # 40

I'm just popping in to give you a quick reminder about our current TIME OUT challenge. We have a beautiful card by Tracey for you to CASE. Her blog is In My Creative Opinion and I really encourage you to visit!!


I love this card so much and I could look at it all day!! Its so subtle and I really like the pastel colours. I'm afraid I couldn't stay away from vellum and white heat embossing but tried something different with the colouring:


I started this by stamping and heat embossing these flowers (from Hero Arts) in white on vellum. I then wanted to see if I could use my mini blending tool and some Distress Inks to colour the back of the vellum....and it worked! So after colouring them all, I carefully fussy cut them out and adhered them using double-sided tape. I stamped the sentiment in black (also from Hero Arts 'Let Love Grow') and added a few co-ordinating sequins from Pretty Pink Posh. 

I have two challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Use a Stamp)

Happy Little Stampers - September CAS Challenge


You have until next Wednesday to link your projects to the TIME OUT challenge. And if your still needing some help with inspiration, please visit the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team and our Guest Designer Stempelfrida have created for you. Hope to see you in the Gallery!!!

Take care
Shona



 

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Little Tangles Challenge # 60

What a rainy, dreary day it is today. Perfect for card making but I have both Max AND Phoebe home today. Max's cold turned into croup during the night and he sounds awful. Its not good news because he is part of the school choir festival tomorrow night and we are all looking forward to it. So fingers crossed his throat doesn't get worse. Phoebe is now coming down with a cold too, so not a quiet card making day....

I was so excited about this Little Tangles challenge as I love mint and gold together but every design idea I had just didn't work. So I got out my small stash of Neat and Tangled stamps and stared at them till I came up with this:


I haven't water coloured for a while, my paintbrush was feeling very neglected, so I took her for a spin! After heat embossing the Neat and Tangled 'Faceted' stamp in gold on water colour paper, I used Distress Ink 'Cracked Pistachio' to add some minty colour. I used a circle die (from Couture Creations) to cut out a large circle and also a smaller circle from vellum. I heat embossed the sentiment (from Neat and Tangled 'Sparkle and Shine) in gold and put some double-sided tape behind the letters to adhere to the water colouring. The large circle was put on foam tape and I added lots of gold star sequins to make it 'shine brighter'!!


I have four other challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Die Crazy)

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Use a Stamp)

Sparkle and Shine Challenge # 14 

 
Happy Little Stampers - September CAS Challenge 


Max is playing a video game and Phoebe watching yet another episode of Modern Family. So I'm off to try out a brownie recipe I found on Facebook this morning and get my shopping list ready for tomorrow. Hopefully then I can squeeze in a card or two......

Take care
Shona

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Sparkle and Shine Challenge # 14

Well, I had Max home today with yet another cold, the poor thing. It was also raining, so while he sat on the couch watching a movie on the laptop, I was beside him whipping up another couple of cards.


When I saw this inspiration photo at Sparkle and Shine I thought it would be a fantastic chance to use a colour that doesn't appear on my cards very often. And I think cards created with monotone colours look pretty cool.

It took me a while to come up with my card as I kept changing my mind and I ended up mixing two ideas together:


I seem to be on a real 'die-cutting' kick at the moment. I find that happens every few months, I will do lots of stamping for a while, then water colouring and then die-cutting. I suppose it mixes it up a bit!

I started this by die cutting the underneath ring/flower from green CS. I then stamped the curved flowers on white CS, used the matching die and dotted glue on the back of them to hold them in place on the ring. After stamping the sentiment in the same green ink, I put lots of foam tape on the back of the ring and placed it on the card front. Of course I then threw on a few light green and clear sequins for a wee bit of sparkle. This worked out much better than I thought it would...yay!!

All of the dies and stamps are from Waffle Flower. The sentiment is from the 'Congrats' set and the flowers/dies from 'Leafy'. The sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I have three other challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Die Crazy)

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Use a Stamp)

Stampin Celebration Challenge # 113

Its supposed to rain again tomorrow and I have the car booked in for a wheel alignment, so no gardening again. Hopefully Max will be back at school and I can get another few cards made. For some reason I find it hard to make cards in advance. Maybe its because I could come up with another idea in the meantime and wish I had made that instead. I do need to start making more Xmas cards though as I have  ALOT to send out this year. If I leave it too late that will be ultra CAS.....white card base with 'Merry Xmas' stamped in the middle. Maybe that's an idea..........

Take care
Shona


 

Monday 21 September 2015

The Card Concept Challenge # 39

So many amazing and inspiring challenges around at the moment. I wish I had the time (and the brain power) to enter them all!!!


I just couldn't resist The Card Concept inspiration photo. Those happy daisies sitting in 'my favourite colour blue' box had me itching to create something. And I knew exactly which dies to use too:


I just love these flower dies and could picture them in my mind in yellow and white. I die-cut them from white CS and then just the flower heads from a yellow paint chip.  I also die-cut the leaves from a green paint chip as well. I put the flowers together (with their different colours) by using small pieces of washi tape behind the pieces to keep them in place. I adhered them in place on the card front.

For the box I die cut the round-cornered square from a light blue paint chip and popped it up on foam tape over the flowers. I then simply stamped the sentiment in black on some white CS and glued it to the box. A sprinkle of yellow and clear sequins added some sparkle!! I'd say I went for the 'Clean and Layered' look.

The flower dies are from Paper Smooches 'Dainty Flowers' and the square die is from CAS-ual Fridays 'Funky Square Fri Dies'. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp 'Handwritten Sentiments'. The sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I'm going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge where their theme is 'Love this Technique' and I'm always loving die-cutting!!

And will also enter the Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge where their theme is 'Die Crazy', which I think I am at the moment.....

I'm off now to make a few cards and catch up with the latest episode of 'Fear the Walking Dead'. Goodie!!

I must share this with you. My son Max is 8yrs old and one of those kids that everyone likes and is good at anything he tries. He's also quite mature for his age. On the wall of the classroom today I saw these posters that the kids had done about themselves. They had to answer questions like 'Favourite food', 'who's in their family' etc. All of their answers were typical for their age. Max's one was quite different. He wondered if ghosts were real or not? Wanted Tip Top to bring back his favourite 'rainbow' ice-cream flavour. Wanted to visit New York City and wanted to know more about Algebra. How many 8yr olds are fascinated with Algebra??? Oh how I love that kid!!

Take care
Shona

Muse Challenge # 133

Another challenge where I'm scrapping in under the wire.... When I saw Michele's Muse   card last week, I fell in love with the paper and knew it was my chance to use some of my own floral numbers.


This patterned paper is so divine and I love that it has a black background. I hardly use paper on my cards and have a stash of some amazing floral papers that were just waiting for the right time to make their debut!!
 

I started this off by die-cutting a panel of black CS and a smaller one of the patterned paper. The black CS was adhered straight to the card front and the floral paper popped up on foam tape. I heat embossed the butterfly in gold on some vellum and also stamped another one (from the same set, with polka dots) on some white CS. I cut these both out with the matching die. I glued the vellum butterfly to the other one, along the centre, so I could fluff up the wings and then glued it to the card front.

For the sentiment, I stamped a border stamp in pink on some white CS, cut it into a banner and heat embossed the sentiment in gold. This was adhered straight to the paper. No sequins again, I thought the flowers were pretty enough. I hope you like this Michele!!!

The butterfly stamps and die are from Hero Arts. The patterned paper is from My Minds Eye 'Cut and Paste - Adorbs'. The border stamp is from Simon Says Stamp 'Beautiful Words' and the 'hello' is from Hero Arts 'Year Round Sentiments'. The rectangle dies are from Couture Creations.

I'm going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge where their theme is 'Die Crazy'.

I've got one more card to post and then two more to make. Going to be another late night so thank goodness my craft drawers are full of chocolate!!

Take care
Shona
 

CASology Challenge # 164

Talk about under the wire! I've had the idea for this card for two days but no time over the weekend to get it done. So I quickly whipped it up this afternoon, with just enough sunshine to take my photo. Whew!


This weeks cue word at CASology is 'Umbrella'. Wish I had known this was coming up as I just posted an umbrella card last week!!

I've gone with a similar design for this card but with a bit more colour and used a different umbrella die:


Last week I received some new stamps and dies from Waffle Flower. And one of the dies I purchased was 'Willy's Umbrella', which fits perfectly with the monkey stamp 'Willy'. I die-cut it from some soft pastel paint chips and popped them up on foam tape in a circle. I then stamped the sentiment on white CS (from Create a Smile 'Bad Day') and put this on foam tape too. No sequins required either!!

I'm going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge where their theme is 'Love this Technique' and I LOVE die cutting!!

And funnily enough, at the Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge is 'Die Crazy', so will link there as well.

Its a crazy week this week. Its the last week of the school term, Max is performing with school choir Thursday night and my Mum is having Knee Replacement Surgery on Thursday as well. Max is then going to a sleep-over for his friend Thomas' birthday on Friday night and then we are going to stay in a bach (holiday house) in the Marlborough Sounds on Saturday and Sunday night.....WITH NO INTERNET!!!!!! I don't know how I will survive!!

So please bear with me as I try to fit everything in. Will be lots of late nights, worry and fun..and then two weeks with the kids on school holidays. I better start drinking coffee!!!!

Take care
Shona
 


 

Friday 18 September 2015

Virginia's View Challenge # 18 (Take 2)

This will be my last entry for the Virginia's View challenge...I think....see what happens this evening, if I don't end up in bed...


Last week I received my first ever Simon Says Stamp Card Kit, which I was very lucky to have won (Thanks Sarah!!). It has the most gorgeous papers in it from Pinkfresh Studio and a lot of them have beautiful geometric patterns. So I had to find a way to show them off:


I realised that I hadn't used this 'hi' die from Winnie and Walter for ages, so it was time to dust it off and take it for a spin!

I cut a panel of white CS the same size at the card front and die-cut the word from the middle. The patterned paper was adhered to the card front and I stamped the sentiment (also Winnie and Walter 'The Big, the Bold and Friends') under the die-cut. Lots of foam tape was added to the back of the panel and after it was pressed into place, I sprinkled on some sequins (the peach and gold from Neat and Tangled, and pink from Pretty Pink Posh). I think the die shows off the paper just nicely!!

I have three other challenges to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Love the Technique - Die cutting)

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Die Crazy)

Winnie and Walter - Join in to win 

I'm off to pack up the car with my gardening tools and drive off into the sun. So exciting to see all the plants coming up, especially the peonies. I don't have any in my garden, so hopefully I will be able to enjoy these ones before the house sells (goes up for Auction next month). I will really miss this garden, have put so much time into it, its like my baby. I hope whoever buys it loves it as much as I do!!

Take care
Shona
 

Virginia's View Challenge #18

Boy its been a busy week!! We are getting to the end of the school term and there are so many things happening at school. Also the house where I garden is up for sale and having an Auction next month so I'm trying to get that up to date (the garden is HUGE) as well as my other gardens. I've been so exhausted from all that, I've been going to bed early, so not much commenting etc been going on lately. So sorry for that and plan to catch up over the weekend.

So, with all that going on I have two cards that have been sitting on my desk all week, waiting to be posted. I'm going gardening in an hour but thought I better get these sorted before I do anything else!!!


I've really loved this Geometric challenge at Virginia's View and wish it was a theme more often in other challenges. Must have a look around blogland to see if I can find any.....

I've been wanting to play with this circle die for months, so sat down finally and came up with a design straight away....yay:


This die set (from Paper Smooches) is a set of three overlapping circles. I cut it twice from black CS and simply overlapped the two of the circles, to form this pattern. I glued them together and then to the card front. I also used the die to cut patterns from some grey, mint and pink paint chips and used them for a bit of colour. The sentiment (from Simon Says Stamp 'Birthday Bits) was heat embossed on some black CS and popped up on foam tape. Nice and simple!

I have three other challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Love this technique - die cutting)

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge  (Die Crazy)

Darnell's NBUS Challenge # 5 (New SSS stamp set)


One more card to post and then I'm off to garden in the sun. The weather the past few days has been glorious, lots of sun and warmth. Although its supposed to turn nasty this weekend...of course....

The kids have their school disco tonight. Everyone is so excited and Phoebe has her outfit all picked out. So I'm on hair and make-up tonight. Hope I can remember how to do it!!!!

Take care
Shona




 

Just Add Ink Challenge # 280

Another Friday has zoomed around which means its time for a new challenge at Just Add Ink.   This week our theme is:


                                                   JUST ADD GLIMMER 


You can interpret this any way you like. Maybe with a pearl sheen or glittery glitter on your project. Its totally up to you!!

I decided to combine two of my favourite techniques as they both add a bit of glimmer, shimmer and shine:


How I love heat embossing, especially with silver or gold, its so magical!! 

I started this off by stamping and heat embossing the snowflake in silver in a random pattern on the card front. I die-cut two rectangles from white CS and then used a smaller rectangle to cut a window in one. I stamped the ornament and heat embossed the snowflake in silver and stamped the sentiment in black on the still intact rectangle piece. A piece of acetate was glued behind the window and lots of foam tape added around the back edge. 

I put a nice big pile of turquoise and clear sequins with some silver stars and circles on top of the ornament stamp and put the window piece on top, sealing the shaker. The shaker was then adhered to the card front. I haven't added much stamping to the inside of my shakers before, its such a good idea, will definitely do it again!!

All of the stamps are from Simon Says Stamp 'Presents and Ornaments' and the sequins and rectangle die are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I have three challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Love that Technique)

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Die Crazy)

Simply Create Too Challenge # 94 (Early Holiday Wishes)

You have until next Wednesday to link your project to the Just Add Ink challenge and if your needing any help in the 'inspiration' department, please visit the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have created for you. Hope to see you in the Gallery!!

Take care
Shona
 

Thursday 17 September 2015

Time Out Challenge #40

Welcome everybody to a new challenge at TIME OUT. Boy oh boy did we have a lot of entries to our last challenge (Make your Mark), I think it was our most ever, so thank you all so much!! The Gallery looked so beautiful and its going to be so hard to choose our favourites!

We have an incredibly beautiful card for you to CASE this week:


This card was created by the spectacular Tracey McNeely from In My Creative Opinion. I've been a huge fan of her designs for quite a while now and she is the sweetest person to boot! So its very fabulous to be CASEing one of her gorgeous creations!!

We also have a Guest Designer joining us, Stempelfrida. She has the most amazing style and can design for any occasion. Its so lovely having her with us!!

I totally fell in love with Tracey's card and it took me a while to work out a similar design:


I started off by heat embossing a large flower twice (in white) on vellum. The flower seems to have different petal layers, so I fussy cut one in full and the other I cut a smaller layer. I used some double-sided tape to hold them together. I die-cut a circle from white CS and had some fun with Distress Inks. This is the part where I realised I needed one of those finger daubers. Instead, I used the mini-blending foams for each colour and folded them into a point(ish) to control the colour. 

I did a small circle of blue in the middle (hard to see), then a ring of pink round the outside, then orange and finally green. I popped the circle up on foam tape on the card front and used more double-sided tape to adhere the flower. The sentiment was stamped in black and of course I had to add some sequins!!

The flower is from Hero Arts 'Stencil Flower', the sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh and the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp 'Flower Friend'. 

I'm going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge where their theme is 'Use a Favourite Technique'. I love the magic of heat embossing, could do it all day!!!!

You have two weeks to link your creations to the TIME OUT challenge. And of course the rest of the fabulous Design Team have some inspiring projects for you on the blog. Can't wait to see your cards in the Gallery!!!

Take care
Shona
 

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Addicted to Stamps Challenge # 162

Another Wednesday means another new challenge at Addicted to Stamps  and this week the theme is another favourite:


                                                   MAKE YOUR MARK


This means you get a chance to whip out those Copics, pencils, water colours etc and go to town. You can create whatever you like as long as you have coloured something on your project. How fun is that??!!!

Our Sponsor for this challenge is QKR Stampede and they are giving 3 free digis to our winner this week. Yippee!!



I've been very inspired by Geometric designs lately as there are a few challenges at the moment with this theme. So out came one of my favourite geometric stamps and my daughters felt pens:


I don't own any Copic Markers (they are a bit out of my budget.....) unfortunately but I had purchased a pack of cheap felt pens for Phoebe recently, so thought I would try them out.

I stamped the bear (which I haven't used before) from Altenew 'Geometric Menagerie' in black ink randomly on white CS. I cut out a panel slightly smaller than my card front and adhered it. I then stamped another bear on white CS, fussy cut him out and used four different shades of blue to colour him in. I then popped him up over one of the images with some foam tape. The sentiment (from Neat and Tangled 'Faceted') was heat embossed in white on black CS and also put on foam tape. Simple, clean, modern....yay!

I have three challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Blog Hop)

Virginia's View Challenge # 18 


Darnell's NBUS Challenge #5 



You have one week to enter your projects to the Addicted to Stamps challenge. And of course the rest of the talented Design Team have some amazing cards to inspire you on the blog. I hope you get a chance to join in and look forward to seeing you in the Gallery!!!

Take care
Shona
  

Sunday 13 September 2015

Paper Smooches - Sparks Challenge - Wk 1 - Take 2

My lack of mojo in the last few weeks has now been replaced with ideas coming out of my ears and not enough time to create them all!! So this is how I ended up with a second entry to the Paper Smooches - Sparks Challenge this week!



For my card I was really inspired by the amazing Mayuri who's blog is Candles in the Garden. If you haven't seen her cards yet I REALLY recommend you pop over to her blog, her designs are spectacular!! She made this card for one of the latest My Favourite Things releases and I couldn't get the design out of my head. This is how I was inspired:



This was so much fun to make and the possibilities are endless for what dies you could do this with!!

I rummaged thru my paint chip box to find some blues that would work as an ombre and die-cut the umbrella (from Paper Smooches). I attached the handle to the back of each one and then adhered them all to the card front, overlapping as I went. I cut off the over-hang, heat embossed the sentiment in white (from Paper Smooches 'Uplifters') and popped up on foam tape. I also added a few co-ordinating sequins from Avery Elle. I love how it turned out!

I have two other challenges to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Blog Hop)

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Punch/Die)

Its such a gorgeous day I'm off to take Phoebe and her friend Ella to the park. Max has gone to the skatepark with his friend Zac and to the swimming pool, so everyone will be very tired tonight. Its a Teachers Only Day tomorrow so Ella is staying the night. Have no idea what we will get up to, fingers crossed it doesn't rain like its supposed too!!!!

Take care
Shona
 

Paper Smooches - Sparks Challenge - Wk 1 'Anything Goes'

I'm popping in with a quick post this morning. Its 9.40am Sunday morning and I'm still in my pjs. Gotta love the weekend!!


Its 'Anything Goes' for this weeks Paper Smooches - Sparks Challenge, so its always a good chance to play around with your Paper Smooches stash.

I've seen a lot of people making cards recently where the water colouring isn't perfect. I'm not sure what the technique is called but I love how its uncontrolled and sploshy. So I thought I would give it a try:



Hmmm...I definitely need to try this out again. I found it so hard to 'let go' and not colour perfectly. As my husband said, I'm way to 'anal' to do anything like this!!  So this probably looks more like a 5yr old painted it. Oh well, I think it looks kind of pretty....

I stamped the Paper Smooches set 'Daisies and Paisleys' (which I recently purchased second-hand) onto my card base, just randomly. After the ink dried I used my Distress Inks and water to very lightly colour each image. I really wanted this to have a white background so I didn't use water colour paper (mine is a bit off-white), so I had to be careful not to use too much water. Once it was finished, I die-cut a circle (from Couture Creations) and heat embossed the sentiment from Paper Smooches 'Uplifters' and popped it up on foam tape. Finished!!

I have three challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Blog Hop)

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Stamp and Punch/Die)

Darnells NBUS Challenge # 5 

 
The kids and I are a bit tired today as we stayed up late last night to watch 'Jaw's. Max especially couldn't wait to see the 'fake' shark and he loved it. Phoebe really liked it too but was a little freaked out by the screaming. The movie is so old and the special effects so rubbery but its still brilliant. Yes, the kids (even though they are 8yrs and 10yrs) love anything scary like their Mum but this is the scariest they have seen yet. Wonder if they will want to go to the pool today......????? 

Take care
Shona




 


Friday 11 September 2015

Waffle Flower Challenge Design Team

I'm popping in quickly to let you in on a secret I've been dying to tell you for a few weeks:


Yes, that's my funny face among these beauties. I'm part of the Design Team for the Waffle Flower Challenge, which starts in October!!!

I'm so very, very excited and so thankful to Nina for allowing me to join in with these talented designers. I love the Waffle Flower stamps and dies and can't wait to be creating projects each month to hopefully inspire you to play along. 

So, please mark you calendars for October 1st for the first Waffle Flower challenge. I really hope your able to join us!!

Take care
Shona
 

Thursday 10 September 2015

Sparkle and Shine Challenge # 13

Spring and Winter have been fighting it out this week. Yesterday it was shorts and t-shirt weather but today was thermals and raincoats. No wonder my children seem to be constantly sick. This is only the second week this term (8 weeks so far, two to go) that no one has been home sick. Fingers crossed we will get thru the next two but I'm not holding my breath....


Tags are the inspiration for this weeks Sparkle and Shine challenge. Tags aren't something I make very often and I haven't used a tag on one of my cards for ages, so thought it was about time I got out my tag die and put it to use:



I received some gorgeous WPlus9 stamp sets a few weeks ago for my birthday and have been fiddling around with them but as I mentioned in my last post, I had completely lost my mojo. So today was all about creating and trying some of the ideas that have been stuck in my head.

I die-cut the tag from white CS and put a piece of patterned paper behind it. After stamping, die-cutting and colouring the critters, I positioned them in the windows. These are great because the die cuts their arm separately so they hang over things. So cute!

I popped up the tag on some foam tape, as well as the sentiment on some white CS as well. I actually managed to make a decent bow with grey and white twine and glued that along with a scattering of sequins. 

The critters and sentiment are from WPlus9 'Going Places'. The patterned paper is from Dear Lizzy 'Serendipity'. The sequins and tag die are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I have three other challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Blog Hop)

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge (Use a Stamp/Die or Punch)

NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) Challenge 



I feel so much better after making a few cards today and hopefully my 'lack of mojo' funk will now pass. I have another card design in my head that hopefully I can tackle tomorrow. Lets hope it keeps on raining.......

Take care
Shona

Runway Inspired Challenge # 91

I've been in a bit of a card-making funk lately. I have no idea why. My health hasn't been the best which doesn't help and for the past three weeks I've only managed one late night because I've been so fatigued. Its so frustrating because I really depend on that time after everyone has gone to bed, so I can craft and catch up on tv.

I think I've also been very overwhelmed by all the incredible cards that everyone has been making lately and it got me thinking that my projects will never be as good as that. Silly huh??!!

Anyway, today it rained so no gardening for me and I decided to forget the housework and made myself sit down and make a card. I thought it would be a good idea to start with a challenge with a photo and the Runway Inspired Challenge photo was stuck in my brain.


Love this outfit so much!! Although I'm way too much of a grubby to wear a white jacket but the aqua/green/black geometric print with the white and black is stunning!!! So I found a diamond shaped stamp and off I went:

 My idea was to have the stamping in the middle with the white panels on either side (like the white jacket) and then the sentiment on black CS with white embossing (like the belt). Hope that makes sense??!

I used a diamond stamp from Altenew 'Simple Shapes' and stamped in a random pattern. After cutting out the panels, I popped them both up on foam tape. The sentiment (from Neat and Tangled 'Faceted') was heat embossed in white and then put on some foam tape as well. A few co-ordinating enamel dots finished it off. So pleased to have broken the dry spell!!!

I have two other challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Use a Stamp and Blog Hop)

Virginia's View Challenge # 18


I actually managed to make two cards today (which is totally amazing but my un-vacuumed floor keeps looking at me....). Will get that posted and then off to bed I go.

Take care
Shona



 

Tuesday 8 September 2015

A Special 'Baby' post for Shery

We have a special post for you today on the TIME OUT  blog. Our 'Time Out' team-mate Shery recently had a baby girl 'Catherine' and we wanted to celebrate this huge occasion!

All of us on the Design Team made cards for Shery that we wanted to share with you all (and Shery) as they make their way to her from around the world. We are so happy for her and her family and can't wait to see photos of their little bundle.

I'll be honest, for some reason I've always become mentally blocked when making baby cards. Maybe I never had the right stamps/dies etc. But when I knew Shery's baby had made her arrival, I knew exactly what I wanted to create:


These little monkeys (from Waffle Flower 'Willy and Friends') couldn't be any cuter and when I found out Shery had a little girl, I knew I could dress one up to be a 'pretty, cheeky' monkey!

After stamping the monkey image in black (as well as the skirt and flower) on some white CS, I used my Zig Real Colour markers to colour her in, using a  wet brush to soften the colours. I only have one brown Zig marker, so I coloured the whole monkey using the marker to shade and the wet brush to draw out the colour. After it had dried, I went over the outer area again to get a darker brown. It was actually Phoebe's idea to do a second coat 'Thats what I did for my monkey's' she told me and her's looked amazing!!

After die-cutting the flower, skirt and monkey, I glued the pieces together and popped it up on some foam tape. I then stamped the sentiment (also from Waffle Flower 'Congrats') in two tones of pink and glued on a few Pretty Pink Posh sequins.

I really hope Shery and her family like this card and that it doesn't take too long to get to them from New Zealand!!

I'm going to enter this card in the Happy Little Stampers - September CAS challenge where their theme is:


And will also enter in the Simply Create Too Challenge # 93 where their theme is 'A Special Occasion'. Having a baby definitely counts as a HUGE occasion!!

Please pop over to the TIME OUT blog to see the other gorgeous baby cards the rest of the DT have created. And thank you Sandie for organising this post for us, you rock!!!

Take care
Shona
 
 

Saturday 5 September 2015

CAS-ual Fridays - The Clean and Simple Challenge # 143

Hi everybody and welcome to another CAS-ual Fridays 'The Clean and Simple' 
challenge. We have the most wonderful theme for you this month:


This is a chance to think of your favourite songs, the words, the tunes....and create an amazing CAS creation.

I went all 'lovey dovey' with my card and ultra simple, so the hearts would really shine:



I stamped the heart-note from CAS-ual Fridays 'Love Notes' set in red and covered in lots of Wink of Stella. After stamping the sentiment (from the same set) I die cut hearts using the CAS-ual Fridays 'Fun-Fetti' Fri-dies in red and adhered them to the card in pairs to symbolise the 'boom-boom' of a heartbeat.

The CAS-ual Fridays 'The Clean and Simple' challenge runs till Monday 28th August, so plenty of time for you to start creating and link your projects. And if you need any help with inspiration, the rest of the Design Team have some amazing projects on the blog. Hope to see you in the Gallery!!!!

Take care
Shona
 

Friday 4 September 2015

Just Add Ink Challenge # 278

My goodness, its Friday again!! Yay the weekend and yay, its time for a new Just Add Ink challenge.


This is the amazing inspiration photo for this weeks challenge. Gives us all on this side of the world a taste of whats to come, now Spring has arrived. I know I can't wait for my garden to bloom and to smell the roses. I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use for my card this week, which turned into a floral 'one-layer' number:



I started off by cutting a piece of water colour paper to fit my card base and also stamping the flower on to some white CS and fussy cutting, so I had a mask. I stamped the middle flower with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink, put the mask over it and stamped the top one in Picked Raspberry and the other in Spiced Marmalade. Then the fun began....

This is one of my favourite ways to water colour. I just use a brush and water and pull the colour from the stamped edges. Once the flowers were finished, I needed to do the leaves but I don't have a nice green Distress Ink. So......I grabbed one of my green Zig Real Brush markers and drew it on the stamp. Once the mask was in place, I stamped away on both sides. I then coloured the leaves the same way, with a wet brush. It worked really well!!

I wanted to keep this one layer (as its going overseas) so I stamped the sentiment and heat embossed in gold. I think gold looks so nice with water colouring.

The flower and leaf stamps are from Winnie and Walter 'In Bloom: Addies Garden' and the sentiments (also W&W) from the set 'The Big, the Bold and Friends'.

I have five challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Make it Colourful)

Winnie and Walter - Join in to Win

Uniko Studio Challenge # 24

Inkspirational Challenge # 90





Happy Little Stampers - September CAS Challenge


You have until next Wednesday 9th September to link your entries to the Just Add Ink challenge. And if you ever need help with inspiration, the rest of the Design Team have some amazing projects on the blog. Hope to see you in the Gallery!!!!

Take care
Shona