Anything but Square

This week I have tried something that I have never done before... I created a card that did not use a card blank or a single piece of card folded in half!!!

I managed to create a card that was Anything But Square.  The good news was that it was easy and I like it so much I think I will be doing it again.

The question is why did I create a different shaped card, well over on the 'Sweet Stampin' Challenge' blog the challenge for this week was this...

This week we want to see your anything but square cards.  You can go rectangle of course but we'd really love to see you being a little more adventurous!!  Some of the team made circle cards for the first time so why not experiment, if we can do it so can you!

Over the weekend I had spent some time colouring in a pile of images using my ProMarkers and this card featured one of those images (the Pirate was from the 'DigiStamp Boutique').  I cut the image out using one of my Labels dies and decided to use the largest size to create the card. 

I used a green cardstock & cut 2 shapes, then used my Hougie board to score about 1/2 cm from one edge and placed the 2 pieces together (coloured side out) with double sided tape along the folded section.

I then used my Moss Green distress ink to give the edges a bit of colour before mounting the Pirate on the front.

All in all a very simple card, but I think it does look good!

Less is More Sketch - Card 2

On the 'Less is More' challenge blog the main thing is to keep things simple, and sometimes this can be the hardest thing going.  However this week was not one of those times, this is the 2nd of 2 cards that just flew together.

The challenge this week is...

For this week's sketch we'd like you to keep to the proportions of this drawing so that there is considerable white space remaining in the finished card.

You may choose either of these
SKETCHES.

  

For this card I have 2 sized circles and topped them off with a Prima flower with a Card Candi centre...

This card defiantly falls into the CAS (Clean & Simple) category & although it did take several attempts to get a combination of papers that I liked, I do like the finished card.

Less is More Sketch - Card 1

On the 'Less is More' challenge blog the main thing is to keep things simple, and sometimes this can be the hardest thing going.  However this week was not one of those times, this is the 1st of 2 cards that just flew together.

The challenge this week is...

For this week's sketch we'd like you to keep to the proportions of this drawing so that there is considerable white space remaining in the finished card.

You may choose either of these
SKETCHES.

  

For this card I have used both a square & a circle...

I cut out a square and then die cut a circle in the centre, after creating two owls using my Stamping Up punch I mounted them behind the square.

It did take a bit of planning to get the right size circle and to position the two owls, but every time I look at it I just have to smile :)

Non-Challenge Cards (April 2012)

Ok, once again I have created a number of cards which did not fall into any of the challenges this month.  So here they are...

Beware, this is a picture heavy post - You have been warned!

Using an image from the Heart of the Garden CD

The background paper was darkened in colour by using one of my distress inks.  The image of the girl was from a decoupage sheet.

This card was created using die cut shapes on white cardstock, coloured with my distress inks.  I have not added a sentiment along the bottom as I decided to wait & see what I use it for.

This card was created for a work colleague who was leaving to live & work in Australia for 1 year.  I knew that I wanted to use horses on her card (they are her favourite animal) and I found this image on the 'Wild & Beautiful' CD.  I also added one of the sentiments from 'Lili of the Valley' "Believe in Your Dreams".



This Waterfall topper was printed from one of the 'Design House' DVDs, once assembled (featuring pictures of badgers & squirrels) I was mounted using a selection of card & patterned paper from my stash.



This card was created as a bit of a joke, the meerkats are printed from my 'Jayne Netley Mayhew' CD and was finished using a scrap bit of cardstock & ribbon.

This card used images printed from the 'Meadow's Edge' CD by Design House.  They were printed as part of a waterfall card, but I decided that I wanted to use the images on their own.

Finally for this month I created this card using paper from a 12x12 scrapbook paper (featuring sentiments & pattens) as each piece was reversible I just had to buy 2 pieces LOL.  The card also uses some Card Candi & the 2 strips are double sided tap covered with Guilding flakes.

Moving House Card

After I got home from work yesterday I sat at my craft desk and finished colouring the images I had stamped for the 'Moving House' card.  Once that I was done I carefully cut them out and started to think about what to do with them.

Following the WOYWW post of yesterday, I really was not sure what I would end up with if anything... However in the end I was pleased with the result.

Using a A6 card blank as a base, I used the paper I had dotted with Mica Powder as the background and the images really 'Popped' off the page.  The fence is mounted using foam pads so you get the feeling that it is closer to you.

All in all a simple card - I don't know why I did not think of it in the first place!! LOL

WOYWW - 25 April 2012

I'm not sure what happened to April but I can't believe that it is nearly over.  There has been very few lovely Spring like days - but plenty of April Showers! 

Well back in the cozy spare room you will find my little work space and as it is a Wednesday it is time for this weeks peak at the desk.  Once again joining Julia at Stamping Gound to look at the creative workdesks around the world.

This is what my desk looked like this morning - however here is a quick overview on how it got this way!

There is one big change this week... I emptied the bin on the desk (but it has started to fill again LOL)!!!! but it did not make it far... the rubbish is now in a bag sat on the floor by the desk LOL.

My desk is quite busy this week, I want to make a 'Moving House' type card for a friend and I had a few ideas.  One was to use a set of dies with a fence & birdhouse, I wanted to hand the birdhouse from the tree I had - but this looked naff - in the end you see that I used the fence & tree to create a Easel Card which is sat on the corner of the desk.

I then decided to cut another set of fences/birdhouse - this time using Colour Core card and after embossing the dies I sanded the raised area away - maybe these will work better - and I found 2 wooden doves in my stash.

In search of elements for the 'Moving House' card I then stamped and started to colour images that came with one of the magazines last year.  I plan to cut them out and mount them somehow on a card... I think... maybe... sort of!!!

I then decided to try and use some of my Mica pigments through a mask to create a background on black paper.  I was pleased with the results... but not really use if they will get used or not (do you feel a theme building here???)

By this time I got a bit fed up of trying things... and not really knowing what I wanted.  So I decided to re-organise my brads/eyelets (this is just one box of 5!) I found the best way to move things from on compartment to another was to use a plastic spoon (which was still on the desk).


All in all this week has been very creative - if not totally productive :)

More Than 1 Ribbon

While I had the ribbon out for the 'Charming' challenge over at the Less is More Blog, I got to thinking about the Sweet Stampin' Challenge for this week.

So on to our new challenge: Use more than 1 ribbon, so as long as you've at least 2 ribbons on your card, you're in! 

 After a search for an image I wanted to use I put together this card...

The stamped image was from a set of stamps on a magazine cover.  This time I decided to use my Watercolour Pencils to add some colour to the image. This card was then finished with 2 different ribbons (with a blue theme to match the quilt) and a scrap of brown cardstock.

Charming

Over on the Less Is More challenge this week the challenge is...

How Charming!

Make and/or use a charm on your project

 

Now this got me thinking and searching through my stash, I know that I had a couple of Charms some where!!!  Well, I did eventually find them (in a box with brads & eyelets - just don't ask why as I don't know!).

 

Charms are not something I would usually use or buy, so I have a very limited selection - Bicycle, Feathers or a playing card (I did say my choice was limited LOL).

 

My first though was to use the playing card, along with a playing card to create a card!!

 

 

I suspended the charm on red ribbon and decided to create a 'You Are Ace' sentiment for this card (especially as the charm features an Ace).

I then got a bit carried away and decided to create a second card, only once I had created it I realised that I could not enter it for this challenge as it was not 'Less is More' but I decided to add it to this post...

This card was made using an image from Design House, 3 feather charms, bakers twine & a scrap of patterned paper.

More Florda Layouts

Last Wednesday was Crop night and I was able to complete 2 more layouts for my Florida Album (1 double & 1 single)...

Both layouts featured pictures taken at Wild Bill's Airboat Tours on 23 November 2010.

This single layout has the journalling "After our airboat ride we were introduced to a baby alligator."

The next 2 pages used picture taken while out on the airboat and the journalling reads "One sunny day when it was lovely and warm we went out onto the Withlacoochee River.  Flying over the water and into the swamps in an airboat.  We got wet and it was loud... but it was a lot of fun."

Left page

Right page

Happy Birthday

Today is my sisters Birthday :)

As this year I am trying to make individual cards for everyone I set about work on her card.  Now 'P' loves her animals (so much so that she owns & runs a pet shop), so the theme of the card was easy.

While at the NEC I visited the Hougie Crafts stands and had a look at the Design House Decoupage Sheets - I love their designs and they are so easy to cut out.  I found that they had 2 sets of sheets featuring West Highland Terriers, as 'P' has 2 of this breed & the images were sooo cute I decided that I just had to have them.

So earlier this week I sat down and cut out the decoupage images (although they provide layers for 1 image, I tend to split them to create 2). Once cut I used my Pinflair Gell and left them to dry.

As the decoupage sheets come with backing paper as well I started to have a play with card layouts & colours.  In the end I was able to create 2 cards, 1 would be sent to 'P' for her birthday, the other would remain in my card box until required.

Happy Birthday 'P'

A spare card for later

Not 1 but 2

The majority of the cards that I create I do so because I enjoy the process and the creativity of paper craft.  Occasionally I have been asked to create a card for someone in particular and have even been paid for my work.

This week I was asked by 2 different people to create 2 cards, 1 for a 50th Birthday and 1 for a 90th Birthday!

Once I had been given a few clues about the recipient for each card I was able to set to work...

 This card was created using a bit of left over balloon paper for the background and and sheet of A4 cardstock for the card.  The image is printed from 'The Heart if The Garden' CD.  A very simple and effective card.  The verse inside the card reads:

It’s your 90th birthday
May it be the happiest and the best.
Outshining, Overshadowing, Outdoing

And, indeed, eclipsing, all of the rest!

By Jon Bratton

The second card was also a simple design (as you have probably worked out I don't do complicated! LOL)  so I used Cream card stock for a A6 blank.  Using one of my Labels Dies I created the 'Book' and used Pinflair to lift the top pages at the edge.  The little bear with the bottle of bubbly was a die cut topper from the 'Celebration' range.

Looking back at both cards the 90th Birthday just few together, the papers and colours all worked well together, without really have to think about it.  The 50th Card was the complete opposite, it took ages and I really had problems finding the right colours and size of card... but I got there in the end.

I Finally Did It...

On the 1 September I achieved my 2 stone of weight loss (4th Silver Seven).
Between then and today I have been loosing a bit, then putting it back on.

Today sees me finally achieve my 5th Silver Seven, with a total weight loss of 35.5lbs!!!!!

I am so pleased, this week has been a nightmare and to achieve this tonight was a surprise.

To celebrate tomorrow night DH & I will be going out for a meal :)

WOYWW - 18 April 2012

Once again it is Wednesday and time for the Craft World to have a look through the Square Window (otherwise known as the computer monitor) at Craft desks all over the world as part of "Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday".  If you are not sure what I am on about you really need to visit Julia at Stamping Ground to find out all of the details.

So here is my desk this week...

Ok, this may look a little strange, but I will explain all.

Yesterday I wanted to take photos of 4 cards that I finished on Monday evening (click here to see the cards) so that I could post them before going to bed.

After trying several different ways of placing cards to take photos, this is the best way I have found.  I have 3 pieces of 12 x 12 card stock: Black or White - used to create the background; Beige - used to create a base.  The Black/White card is held against my Hougie Board using a bulldog clip and the board is balanced on the desk.  The beige card is placed on my cutting matt and the card is then added and a photo taken.

Once the photo has been saved onto the computer I then crop it down and compress it before uploading it to Blogger.

As for the rest of the desk, well it is still a bit of a mess and really does need a tidy - I really is a good job that the Hougie Board is placed where it is as the bin still has not been emptied (I really must do that today!!!!)

A Very Productive Evening

Ok, I must admit I'm not talking about this evening, but last night (Monday evening) was productive on a card front.

I had decided that I wanted to set myself a challenge - "To use elements from the latest 'Lets Make Card' magazine" I knew that I would not be able to copy cards exactly, so I just sat down with the elements and my folder of scrap bits and waited to see what would happen.

By the end of the evening I had created 4 cards, so I was quite pleased and plan to do the same again soon.

Less is More - One Layer

This week the Less is More challenge is...

So the second week of the month and ONE LAYER, a genre lots of you seem to produce even when you don't have to! We are most impresssed!
We have chosen something a bit different for us and it's...

Doodling

This can be in any form you wish, faux stitching, hand written or drawn elements on your card, zentangle. As long as you create something with 'ink' by hand

Normally the One Layer cards are a nightmare for me, and I don't really 'do' doodling (if you know what I mean!).

But I was up for a challenge as I also needed to create a birthday card for one of my nephews... I always find male cards hard & this one had be stumped (the nephew in question would be 20 today).

In the end I put all thoughts of this card to one side and started to think about a One Layer with Doodling...

I kept the card simple and used use a stamp from my one & only 'Stampin' Up' set.  I added some 'doodles' to the cup cake case and faux stitching around the edge of the card.

Once the card was finished and I stood back to have a good look at it, I decided that I would use it to send to my nephew.  So I ended up with one card for the price of two :)

Waiting.....

I am sat at work, but my mind is not really here...

I dropped DH off at the hospital on my way to work as he is due to have his kidney stone blasted today :)  Which is very good news.  However I am now at work waiting, and waiting - time is just crawling by sooooo slowly. 

I did not want to sit at home on my own today as I new that I would just spend the whole day worrying, so I decided to come to work and try and keep busy. I am trying to stay busy but my brain just keeps wandering off on its own :( 

Even now I just find myself sitting staring at the screen, not really thinking of anything, but not doing anything either... does that make sense????

Well I had better try and pull myself together, maybe another cup of tea will help!

Three Shades of Green

This week the Less is More challenge is:

This week we have another Colour challenge for you and to give it a slightly different twist we would like to see 

Three Shades of Green.

For this you could use one ink but use it in different ways to create different shades, for example direct stamping, then secondary stamping, dusting, stencilling, maybe inking directly from the inkpad. This would create different shades of the same colour or you could simply use three different greens.

I had a couple of ideas for a card & finally settled on this one...

I used a stamp for the tree image (stamped in Brown) and coloured the leaves with 3 different greens, using my ProMarkers.  The stamped image was then cut & embossed using a 'Label' die (but I can't remember which one) and the edges coloured with Antique Linen distress ink.  I also used my Memory Box Leaf die to cut out leaves in 3 shades of green and added them to the bottom of the card.

With the leaves I did want to create the effect that they had fallen from the tree and were lying in a pile along the bottom of the card - however I could not get the 'random' effect to look natural.  I in the end I decided to just line them up to create a border decreasing in size.

I started it... & now I have Finished it!

Last Wednesday at the Crop in Lincoln I started another Double Page Layout for my 8x8 Florida album.  When I start a page it can be weeks (and sometimes months) before it actually gets finished LOL.  However over the Easter Weekend I was able to get it finished.

Left Page

Right Page

The Journaling reads " While at Kennedy Space Centre we saw Space Shuttle Discovery on the launch pad.  All we could actually see of Discovery was the top of the orange fuel tank.  Discover launched on 24 Feb 2011."

The main paper used was from the Kennedy Paper Pack, mounted on white card (coloured with my distress inks).  I also used a Space Shuttle sticker from the Paper Pack as well as printing a copy of the 'Patch' worn by the Crew who would have flown in Discovery (STS133).  The small picture was taken from a pack I brought while at Kennedy.

WOYWW - 10 April 2012

I hope that you all had a great Easter Weekend - I know that we did, despite the weather :)

The only bad news with Easter is that the 4 day weeks really mess with my head.  I was back at work yesterday (Tuesday) but kept thinking that it was a Monday!

I almost had to put a sticky note on my computer to remind me that today was Wednesday and therefore Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday... for more details pop over to Julia's Blog (Stamping Ground) and have a look at her post.

As for my workdesk, it needs a bit of time & love spent on it this week... for me it is untidy and I have been adding things to the desk, but not getting around to putting stuff away - opps :(

On thing that you will notice in the middle of my desk is my 'Vintage Photo' Distress Ink - This has to be my most used item at the moment (along with my piece of Cut & Dry Felt).

Even my little rubbish bin is overflowing and needs emptying... now where did I put that empty bag????

An Amazing Movie

Yesterday DH & were sat down in the living room with the TV on but not really watching it (we were both working on our laptops) when this film started.  Initially we were not watching it but before too long we were both hooked.

The movie was called 'The Lamp' and was produced in 2011. As for what the film was about I decided to take the description from the web site (it said it better than I could LOL):

In what seems to be the final days of their already strained marriage, Stanley and Lisa Walters (Jason London & Meredith Salenger) are presented with a strange gift – an old oil lamp.

Along with the lamp comes a mysterious messenger (Louis Gossett Jr) and a statement that will cause them to search the depths of their hearts to find its truth.

All things are possible if you... Just Believe.

It is a great family movie that one minute had me in tears and the next laughing & I must say that the dog (Cooper) is just soooo cute :)

I am now going to have a look at the book and download a copy to my Kindle :)

Florida 2010 8x8 Layouts

At the Crop on Wednesday evening I was able to complete 1 x Double Layout and 1 x Single Layout & I must say that I am pleased with both.

1st the Single Layout...

I used background paper and a tag from the Paper Pack I brought from Kennedy Space Centre.  The little space man is a wooden button that I found at the NEC.

The Journalling reads - "Jimmy joined others on the Shuttle Lauch Experience.  As for me I watched from the gallery."

In the gallery was a TV screen showing those on the 'experience' I used my camera to take a photo and point out DH. 

The Double page layout featured the Newspaper you saw on my workdesk back on Wednesday morning...

Left Page

Right Page

The Journalling reads - "On 20 July 1969 the first man walked on the moon.  One display featured a selection of Newspaper front pages from around the world."

I took photos of a number of the newspapers and I wanted to use Newspaper print on the layout, so I kept a couple of pages from the daily newspaper that had columns of text - I then cut these into strips to use as part of the background.  The Layout was finished off with the Kennedy Space Centre logo (from the Paper Pack) and a rub-off split between the pages saying "The Eagle Has Landed".

Less is More - Picture Inspiration

The Less is More challenge this week is a Picture Inspiration...

I have never attempted a challenge based on a picture or colour scheme before so this one was totally new to me.  It took quite a bit of thinking to come up with an idea... there just seemed to be so many different options (using the flowers or using the colour scheme - then did I have to use all of the colours?).

Well I did have a go, as I was already out of my comfort zone on this challenge I decided to just go for it, I'm still not sure about the result, but I did have a go...

I used my new Card Candi stamp set to create the flower head and coloured white Card Candi using my ProMarkers, then I added some leaves & stems again with ProMarkers.  The sentiment is a black peel-off from Little Claire Designs.

WYOWW - 04 April 2012

This time last week I was in sunny Norfolk on holiday with DH in our caravan.  This week I am at work in a very, very wet Lincolnshire...  What a difference a week makes!!!

My crafting time this week has been limited but as it is "Whats On Your Work Desk Wednesday" ( for more info about WOYWW have a look at the Stamping Ground blog) I do have a picture of my desk for you all to look at...

First thing this morning I got out some paper packs to take with me to the Scrapbook Crop I will be at tonight - Disney & Space themed.  I want to try and get some more pages completed for my Florida 2010 8x8 album.

I also have some plans for the newspaper pages... but to find out what they are you will need to keep an eye on my blog. In the next couple of days I will post the pages I create this evening.

Wishing you all a happy & crafting Wednesday ;)

Easter Card

Over on the Sweet Stampin' Challenge blog this weeks topic is either Easter or Spring. 

A couple of months ago there was a stamp with the 'Lets Make Cards' magazine which I wanted to use, but just had not got around to doing anything with.

So I inked it up and got to work.

To colour the image I used a selection of Brilliance inks (with a bit of water) and this has given the flowers a slight shine.

Friendship Garden Card

After we got home from Norfolk this weekend I was able to sneek at bit of time to create a card using my new Arboscello Tree die from Memory Box. 

I cut out the tree in a textured card and used my ProMarkers to colour the leaves. I then started to look through my stash to find a background paper & embelishments, I found the Friendship Garden image in a 8x8 Paper Pack and the ribbon was free with Lets Make Cards.

This was the first time that I have used a Memory Box die, but I do love this tree & I think that I will have to buy more in the future. 

However not this month - I am on a minimal craft budget for April!!!  Not good news, espaciall when looking at the Handy Hippo web site to find the name of the Die - there are just sooooo many nice dies.