Wedding Congrats

 

The CASual Fridays Challenge to create a

Clean and Simple Congratulations card: CFC103 

came just in time for me as a wedding card was needed -

I hope I achieved a clean, uncluttered look so the rich gold details can shine!

 

 

I started with a thickly woven cream cardstock for the card base. I have no idea where I picked up this card stock but I've saved it for wedding cards because of the sumptious texture!

The heart is cut using the largest Spellbinders Nestabilities Hearts Die, which was then dry embossed.  I rubbed it with gold embossing ink before heat embossing the whole

thing for a rich gold finish. 

The flower was created with Papertrey Ink's Bloom Builder #3 dies.

I had two vintage buttons which I bought in a jar full at St. George's Market in Belfast City Centre - they have a real antique looking finish, the smaller one was used for the centre of the flower and the larger matching one used to top off the triple wrapped gold cord.

Here's a couple of photo's of the market which has a fab variety of food, crafts, and other items, it's well worth a visit if you're ever in the Belfast area!

 

Serene Bird

I made a card for this week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger Challenge -
HERE is the fab photo Cath gave us this week - Feather Weather!

The background on the card base was created with a Stampasauros stencil and Archival Starlite Black ink which I find sponges on as a nice gray.

I used the Memory Box Serene bird die and sponged it with SU's Lucky Limeade and Cool Caribbean Ink before stamping the script partially (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Light of Christmas background).

The rose is made with white felt and My Favorite Things Mini Rolled Rose Die-namics.

The two pins are coloured with copic ink to match the effect of the golden yellow beads in the inspiration photo.

The sentiment is Papertrey Ink's Signature Greetings.

A fun, quick card based on a fab inspiration photo!

Wrought Iron Framed Butterflies

 

Here's another card I created for the Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoaststampers

this past week.  We were CASEing the work of Colleen Dietrich,

aka Smoatsmom and HERE is the lovely card which inspired me. 

It just WOWED me when I first layed eyes on it!

I was trying for a wrought iron look with the frame so I created a thin rectangle using two Nesties, then attached the My Favorite Things Framing Flourishes Die-namics die-cuts at the top and bottom.

The sentiment is stamped on a vellum banner created with MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics.  I was able to make it double ended by replacing the banner in die upside down in and then running it back through the Cuttlebug so the fish tail is on both ends.

I can't get enough of these Hero Arts Antique Flowers and Butterflies!

  I coloured them with copics and then highlighted with a white gle pen.

I'm about to take my computer in for a diagnostics test, it's been doing funny things lately, and I don't want it to crash and lose important files.

So, depending on the verdict, I may not be able to post for a few days!

Have a great week!

 

Wired Balloon Bouquet

 

A card made for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger challenge and the Splitcoaststampers Featured Stamper Challenge.

 

 

HERE is the fantastic photo Cath chose for us at Moxie Fab World this week - the rich deep colours inspired me for this CAS card based on Colleen's (smoatsmom) balloon card found HERE.

I used Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Birthday Bash dies to cut the balloons and then sponged them with ink, leaving a bit of white to give the illusion of depth and reflected light.

The balloons are popped up in different layers so there's a lot of dimension which isn't as evident in the photo.

I atttached wire to make a balloon bouquet - this works beautifully if you 

curl the wire too for a different look! 

If I'm curling wire I usually use a paintbrush handle for sweet little loops.

I made a wee tag with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Tiny Tags and Sentiments stamps and dies.

The background embossing is my favourite at the moment - Spellbinders M-bossibilities So Trendy!

Whatever your Sunday holds, have a wonderful day!

Other Supplies include:

Wire

Ribbon

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Yoyo Yellow, Cool Caribbean, Green Galore,

Orchid Opulence, Melon Mambo ink

 

 

YOU!!

 

 A card designed for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger Challenge this week and

for the Free For All at Splitcoaststampers.

Here is the fabulous Right on Target photo Cath chose for us this week:

 

 

 I went with the deep colours and circles and the target theme made me think of arrows! 

The Free For All challenge is Chomp, to use a die or punch on the edges of the card. 

I used MFT's Lead the Way Die-namics for the arrows and used one to add interest along the top edge with a cut-out arrow.

The inside of the card will say "....are very special!"

Recently my Mom sent me some SU In Colors cardstock and M (Stamp Muse) sent me some beautiful Poptone card stock, so I had a fabulous choice when designing this!

Thanks, Mom and M!

Supplies include:

My Favorite Things By the Letters Die-namics

My Favorite Things Lead the Way Die-namics

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

Buttons

Brads

Tropical Paradise

When it came time for my turn to post on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog there was really no question of which stamp set I'd highlight - it just HAD to be Landscape Silhouettes,
my very favourite set at the moment!

I can't begin to tell you the fun I've already had with this set, and though it may be out there somewhere, I haven't come across anything comparable in the stampy world at the moment - this set has so much variety and the possibilites for creative fun are endless!

 

I stamped the palm tree beach scene once to the left.

I then stamped it slightly lower down on the right. Because this second image left a straight line at the left edge of the silhouette, I colored in a bit of beach going down to the water
with a black marker.

Using post-it-notes I masked the sky at the upper horizon to be able to sponge the water, leaving white space between the pink and the green ocean - this gives the illusion of light reflecting.

I then made a circle using a post-it-note for the sun and sponged the sky colours.
Afterwards I took the negative die-cut of the circle which was cut from the post-it-note and placed it over the uninked circle of the sun. This allowed me to sponge pink in the circle for the sun.

The sentiment is from another absolutely fantastic set, Be Encouraged.

This is another set I've only had for a few weeks but have already used time and time again - each sentiment highlights God's faithfulness and love, and a card couldn't carry a more precious message, other than Scripture itself!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Other Supplies include:
Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Pool Party, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limade, Yoyo Yellow card stock

Cuttlebug Herringbone embossing folder

Twine (The Twinery)

Papertrey Ink Beautiful Blooms II die
MFT Botannical Beauty Die-namic (the yellow flower center pieces)
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

SNSS May Mini Blog Hop Day 4

Hello and welcome to our last Mini Blog highlighting the May Releases at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps - today we're showcasing the fabulous set

Across the Miles!

 

This set, designed by Dina Kowal, is perfect for bon voyage cards, travel themed cards or for creations to keep in touch with those separated by distance. 
It works equally well with vintage cards or more up to the minute designs! 

For my card I distressed all edges and then went dug out my hardware stash using a brushed pewter clip, buckle, and brads in several sizes.

The map panel is sponged in Ranger Distress Inks and for the background panel I added a script bg.

Other supplies include:
Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Light of Christmas background
Ranger Distress Scattered Straw, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap
Stampin Up hardware
My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Circle Punch
Kraft card stock

 

So here are all the details:

The set has four images and 8 sentiments.

It measures 4" x 6".

The map image measures 3 5/8" x 2 inches.

It's designed by Dina Kowal.

The price is $15.

 

 

Check out some of the samples by our design team in the thumbnails below and be sure to leave comments on the blogs as you go, because we are giving this fabulous set to one lucky commenter!

The deadline to comment is midnight EST, Friday, May 17th. The list of winners will be announced on the SNSS homepage on Monday, May 20th.

Thanks so much for joining us today, enjoy the rest of the hop!

 

SNSS May Mini Bog Hop Day 3

Hello and welcome to Day 3 of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Mini Blog Hops celebrating the May releases and today we're showcasing the cute set
Buggin Ya!

For my card I popped up the copic coloured ladybug on a Spellbinders Nestabilities circle with several layers of grass using the grass die from SNSS's Fence and  Grass die set.  I added a few clouds using the SNSS Clouds and Raindrops dies with a little punched butterfly to finish! 

Other supplies include:
Stampin Up Baja Breeze, Lucky Limeade, Real Red card stock
Woodware mini butterfly punch
Pearl
Copics
Stampin Up dp
Memento Tuxedo Black ink

 

As Mom to three boys, Korin's had a lot of experience with creepy crawlies and bugs, and it shows in her design of this adorable set with loads of possibilities!

 

Just look at all the fun images and useful sentiments in this set!  Here are the details:

 

The set measures 6" x 4 ".

The worm image measures 2" x 1".

The set contains 6 images and 12 sentiments.

It's designed by Korin Sutherland.

The price is $15.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out some of the samples by our design team in the thumbnails below and be sure to leave comments on the blogs as you go, because we are giving this fabulous set to one lucky commenter!

The deadline to comment is midnight EST, Friday, May 17th. The list of winners will be announced on the SNSS homepage on Monday, May 20th.

Thanks so much for joining us today, enjoy the rest of the hop!

 

SNSS May Mini Blog Hop Day 2

 

Hello and welcome to Day 2 of SNSS's Mini Blog Hops showcasing the May Releases - today we're highlighting

Head in the Clouds!

Korin says customers have been asking for a matching stamp set for the

Clouds and Raindrops dies -

here they are, just what you've been waiting for!

How fun to be able to add pattern and design to cloud die-cuts - I don't know about you but my cloud dies nearly don't have time to cool off, I use them so much!

I simply popped them up against an embossed bg, and also added a sun die-cut - I cut the circle of the sun from a stamped cloud image so that it would match.

I curved the sentiment on the acrylic block so that it could be stamped in a whimsical fashion among the popped up rain drops.

 

Supplies include:

Cuttlebug herringbone embossing folder

Stampin Up Yoyo Yellow, Cool Caribbean, Orchid Opulence,

Marvelous Magenta, Lucky Limeade, Blushing Bride ink

MFT Color Box Black Licorice ink

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Clouds and Raindrops dies

MFT Sun Die-namics

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the details:

 

Stamp set in includes four images.

Set measure approsimately 4 " x 4".

The striped cloud image measures approximately 2 1/2" x 1 1/4 ".

Designed by Korin Sutherland.

Stamp set is $11.

 

Check out some of the samples by our design team in the thumbnails below and be sure to leave comments on the blogs as you go, because we are giving this fabulous set to one lucky commenter!

The deadline to comment is midnight EST, Friday, May 17th. The list of winners will be announced on the SNSS homepage on Monday, May 20th.

Thanks so much for joining us today, enjoy the rest of the hop!

 

SNSS May Release Mini Blog Hop Day 1

Hello and welcome to Day 1 of the May Release Mini Blog Hops at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps! 

I'm so excited to share today's set with you because it very
quickly became my favourite set EVER!

It's Landscape Silhouettes and with the variety of silhouettes,

the possibilities are

endless in creating scenes!

 

 

I used Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Clouds and Raindrops dies to make some
cloud die-cuts to mask and sponge a sky scene before stamping the lighthouse beach silhouette. 
The sun was masked with a circle cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large.
The image panel is popped up over the dp background panels.

When sponging scenes like this leaving a little bit of white
(as I did between the pink and aqua) creates the illusion of light and helps with adding depth.

The sentiment is from another favourite SNSS set - Be Encouraged.

 

Other Supplies include:

Basic Gray Lucille dp

Stampin Up Pool Party, Cool Caribbean, Night of Navy, Blushing Bride

Ranger Distress Broken China

MFT Color Box Black Licorice ink

 

 

For this card I masked a sun with a post-it-note circle cut using one of the smallest Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles.  I stamped the purple mountains first, sponging under them to blend down into the green sponged area.  I then stamped the silhouette in black. 

I used simple colour blocks in matching cardstock in sort of a graphic random pattern.

Again the sentiment is from the very useful and uplifting set Be Encouraged.

 

Other supplies include:

Ranger Distress Broken China ink

Stampin Up Orchid Opulence, Lucky Limeade, Cool Caribbean

Versafine Black Onyx

 

 

 

Korin says she just couldn't stop when designing this one and I, for one, am glad she didn't!

The set even coordinates with some of the other silhouette sets.

Here are the details:

 

There are 12 images.

It measures  8" x 6".

The cityscape image measures 4 1/8" x 7/8".

It's designed by Korin Sutherland

The price is $26.

 

Check out some of the samples by our design team in the thumbnails below and be sure to leave comments on the blogs as you go, because we are giving this fabulous set to one lucky commenter!

The deadline to comment is midnight EST, Friday, May 17th.  The list of winners will be announced on the SNSS homepage on Monday, May 20th.

 

Thanks so much for joining us today, enjoy the rest of the hop!

 

 

Outside the Lines

 

A card for the Moxie Fab The Wonder of Watercolor Challenge and the Splitcoaststampers Ways to Use It challenge: Discover It, to do something new. 

I love watercoloring but it's still new to me to purposely let go and go "outside the lines" with paints and colouring mediums.

The butteflies were stamped on watercolor paper with Stayzon ink using masking with post-it-notes.

I watercolored and sprayed a few layers before spritzing with paint, then sponged ink on the edges. 

To finish I added some jute twine and a vintage button.

I'll definitely be trying this again!

Supplies include:

Winsor and Newton watercolours

American Crafts Jute twine

Stampin Up Soft Suede, Rose Romance, Marvelous Magenta ink

Stazon Black ink

Papermania Butterflies

Subtle Hexagons

 

 

A card made with today's layout from the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers and for the CASology challenge: Hexagon.  I used a favourite M-bossibilities embossing folder, So Trendy - one side has a double hexagon pattern which I reach for time and time again!

The tulip was stamped three times so I could pop up the layers - it was sponged, no colouring, so this was a very quick and easy card!

Other supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Flower Blocks 1

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Be Encouraged

Stampin Up Pumpkin Patch Spectrum ink

Stampin Up Cool Caribbean ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

M-bossibilities So Trendy embossing folder

Flourishes May Beautiful World Tour

 

 

 Hello and welcome to the May Beautiful World Tour!

If you've arrived here from Anne-Elise's fabulous blog you're right on track. 

This month our hostess is Kathy and the challenge is: A Picture Says a Thousand Words - to make a card with a picture image only, no sentiment!

My card represents the picture I see out my kitchen window right
around late May or June.
We have a pink clematis absolutely covering our back and side fence,
 it's a riot of colour which I love! 
Especially because we don't have a dishwasher so it's helpful to have a
beautiful view when I'm standing there scrubbing pots and pans! 
(Most people in Northern Ireland probably do have a dishwasher, but our kitchen is quite small!)
The other special thing about the gorgeous clematis is that we didn't plant it. 
It's coming over the fence from our neighbours garden and sharing it's glory with us.
I reckon there's a lesson there - what we plant gets shared with those around us,

which includes not only in our gardens and back yards but in our life and relationships!

This is from the fabulous Flourishes Blossoms and Butterflies set - I stamped the image several times so that I could pop up various layers after fussy cutting.  The circle was sponged with Ranger Distress Scattered Straw.  I dyed the seam binding with Copic ink RV34 to match the flowers.

Other supplies include:

Mariann Design Bird and Branch die

Button

Sewing machine

Stampin Up dp

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade cardstock

Thanks so much for stopping by Belfast on your Beautiful World Tour!

Don't forget that by leaving comments on the designers blogs as you hop the globe, you're in the running to win a free Flourishes Stamp set! Comments will be accepted till the end of the month and a random comment will be chosen, so the more comments, the better your chances of winning! 

Your next stop is South East Asia to see what the very talented

Dina Kowal has come up with for the May Tour!

 



Hey There Friend!

 

 

 

A card made for the current Papers Smooches Sparks challenge Anything Goes and also for the Featured Stamper challenge at Splitcoaststampers - it's Gayatri Murali and what a fun, clean style she has!  HERE is the card that inspired me.

I wanted a fresh colour combo so went with citrus colours combined with gray!

Love the variety of sentiments in the Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler set as they can be combined or used separately.

I sponged a bird die-cut using the Memory box Serene Bird die and he branch is also a Memory Box die.

All dp is from Stampin Up. 

Other Supplies:

Stampin Up Basic Gray card stock

Prima flower

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade ink

MFT Colour Box Black Licorice ink

Healing a Broken Heart

A card made for three challenges:

CASual Fridays Challenge CFC100

CASology Week 42: CARE

Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge at Godiva Chocolates

 

 For the CASual Friday's Challenge of Top Ten Tic Tac Toe

(what a fun title - try saying that ten times very fast!)

I chose the top row, incorporating Polka Dots (heart), Kraft (tree branch), and

Punches/Dies (branch, butterflies, and hearts). 

 

 

I think this sentiment definitely fits the CASology challenge of CARE, it's so encouraging.

I chose this box of chocolates at Godiva for the colour combo here.

 

The Memory Box Branch die-cut is quite fine and hard to pop up so I cut four of them from kraft card stock and glued them together so I could achieve dimension and stability.  The hearts are cut with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Hearts Dies and the sentiment is from SNSS's Be Encouraged set. 

The twine has been dyed to match with Copic ink YG03.

 

Other Supplies include:

Kraft card stock (Papermania)

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade card stock

Stampin Up dp

Wild Rose Studios gingham dp

Woodware mini butterfly punch

Twine

Pearls

Versafine Vintage Sepia

A Different Colour!

 

 

 

A card made for the current CASology challenge - Week 42: CARE! 

I used some new (to me) Visual Image Paint Splats and then popped up a

little die-cut paintbrush cut with MFT's Art Palette Die-namics - fun and easy!

This sentiment is sweet - if only it were that easy to deal with feeling blue!

The white panel is popped up on the black bg and here are the inks which I used:

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade

Stampin Up Blushing Bride

Stampin Up Rose Romance

MFT Color Box Black Licorice

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!